[00:00:01]
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO
[1. Opening Items]
THE NOVEMBER 2ND BOARD MEETING OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.IT'S 6:06, IF YOU'RE OUT THERE WAITING, WE'RE RUNNING LATE.
TECHNOLOGY IS ALWAYS CHALLENGE ANY GIVEN DAY.
THIS MONTH'S MEETING OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS CALLED TO ORDER TODAY AT ACTUALLY 3:15 WITH THE MOTION MADE BY MS. WAYMAN AND A SECOND BY MR. BARTON.
ALL BOARD MEMBERS WERE PRESENT 5-0, NO ONE OPPOSED AND NO ONE ABSTAINED.
THEN AFTER THAT, WE HAD A MOTION BY MR. BARTON AND A SECOND BY MR. GIACOMO, A 5-0 VOTE IN FAVOR AGAIN TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AND WE DID THAT TO DISCUSS APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, COMPENSATION, RESIGNATION, APPOINTEES.
BASICALLY, TO DISCUSS BUSINESS WITH OUR HIRED CONSULTANT MABE, MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION, TO DISCUSS OUR PROCESS AND TIMETABLE FOR OUR UPCOMING SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.
THAT WERE THE TOPICS WE DISCUSSED AND SAYING THAT AT THAT TIME, JUST FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND STAFF TO KNOW THAT A MORE FORMAL PRESS RELEASE WILL BE COMING OUT IN THE COMING DAYS TO A WEEK OR SO.
THEN KEEP YOUR EYES OUT, PROBABLY HERE SOMETIME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, FIRST HALF OF NOVEMBER, THERE IS GOING TO BE A SURVEY SENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR STAFF AND COMMUNITY INPUT ON WHAT OUR COMMUNITY AND SYSTEM IS LOOKING FOR IN OUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT.
THAT BEING SAID, BOARD MEMBERS, I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO RECONVENE AND OPEN SESSION.
>> SECOND BY MS. WAYMAN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
CAN WE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF.
ALONG THOSE LINES, I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN TO CLARIFY, I GUESS, AS WE GO THROUGH THIS OPEN SESSION AND ALL AND YOU'LL SEE COMING UP IN OUR BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS AND MEETINGS AND WHATNOT.
THE BOARD ALSO DID HAVE LAST MONTH A REGULAR MEETING OR REGULAR WORK SESSION AND THE BOARD DID HAVE TO COME TOGETHER FOR A QUASI JUDICIAL APPEAL MEETING THAT WE HAD TO HAVE LAST WEEK THAT WAS CAUSED BY SOME INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS APPEALED TO THE BOARD AND WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT.
THAT BEING SAID, PROTOCOLS CURRENTLY WE'RE OPERATING UNDER IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS IS REGARDLESS OF DISTANCE APPARENTLY, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MASKED, BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATING BY STREAMING VIDEO AND RECORDINGS OF THE RECORD FOR THESE MEETINGS, WE'RE ASKING YOU WHEN SPEAKING TO REMOVE YOUR MASK IF YOU FEEL APPROPRIATE SO RECORDINGS CAN PICK YOU UP PROPERLY.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT IS AN EXPECTATION THAT MASKS WILL BE ON.
WE HAVE AGENDA WAS SENT OUT FRIDAY FOR US.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
>> SECOND BY MS. WAYMAN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> MOVING ON. BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS.
[2. Reports]
I'M UP TOP, BUT I'LL START AT THE BOTTOM WITH MR. JONES.MR. JONES, WHAT'S YOUR TAKEAWAY FOR THE MONTH?
>> YEAH. NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL GAME AND A APPEAL HEARING.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE.
WE HAD SOMETHING CANCELED IT WAS FOR PARENTS THIS MONTH.
THAT WAS FOR WEATHER, BUT A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING.
I THINK PROBABLY NOT JUST FOR ME, FOR OTHER PARENTS ALSO.
I WISH THERE WAS SOME SECONDARY PLAN FOR THESE EVENTS SO THAT WAY IF IT GETS CLOSE TO THE DAY AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, THERE DOES COME AN ALTERNATE TIME TO DO IT.
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BACK TO SCHOOL, THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY WERE CANCELED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES.OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE A LOT MORE TO ADD THIS MONTH. I'LL PASS.
>> FIRST, I'LL SAY MR. JONES, YOU'RE CONTRIBUTING A LOT BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN THIS ROOM AND OTHERWISE, ON EMAIL, VARIOUS THINGS.
A LOT OF TIMES I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT CONTRIBUTING AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO, BUT WHEN YOU START ADDING UP THE HOURS, WE'RE VOLUNTEERING A LOT OF HOURS AND NO COMPLAINTS, NO REGRETS.
IT'S ALL GOOD, BUT DON'T EVER FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT GIVING A LOT.
YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF THINGS ON MY LIST.
EITHER I DID MISS THE THE WORK SESSION IN OCTOBER BECAUSE I WAS AT A WORK CONFERENCE AND THEY HAD EVENING ACTIVITY THAT I WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN AND HAD TO PARTICIPATE.
I REGRETTED MISSING THIS MEETING.
BELIEVE ME, I'D RATHER HAVE BEEN HERE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM HOME.
THE TWO THINGS I WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT REALLY JUST MAKING A POINT ON EACH OF THEM AND BOTH HAVE TO DO WITH PARENTAL BEHAVIOR.
THE PARENTS IN THIS COUNTY ARE JUST TERRIFIC.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE REALLY SUPPORTIVE BY TRYING TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME AND ADJUSTMENT.
SOME OF THE KIDS HAVE HAD LAPSES IN LEARNING, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS ROOM AND THE STAFF IS WORKING ON CONSTANTLY AND THE PARENTS ARE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT, AND SO HATS OFF TO THEM.
IT'S NOT EASY. AS THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID, IT'S MAYBE HARDER THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR.
THERE ARE SOME PARENTS THAT ARE ACTING OUT AND ACTING INAPPROPRIATELY.
PLEASE, FOLKS, IF ANY OF YOU ARE WATCHING AT HOME, OR YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE DOING THAT KIND OF THING, NONE OF THE STAFF NEEDS TO HEAR YOUR PROFANITY, NEEDS TO BE YELLED AT, NEEDS TO BE THREATENED.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO BE KIND AND CIVIL TO EACH OTHER AND AGAIN, THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARENTS ARE, AND THEY'RE JUST WONDERFUL.
I WANT TO SAY THAT AND I WANT TO COMPARE TO SOMETHING I WITNESSED AT A SPORTING EVENT AT CHANNEL ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
WHEN YOU ENTER THAT SCHOOL, THERE'S A SIGN THAT SAYS, MASK MUST BE WORN. IT'S BIG ENOUGH.
IF YOU CAN'T SEE THAT SIGN, YOU MUST NOT BE LOOKING AT THE DOOR, AND I'M SURPRISED YOU'D HAVE TO WALK INTO THE DOOR TO NOT SEE IT.
I WENT THERE FOR A VOLLEYBALL GAME THAT I COULD NOT BE THERE AT THE START BECAUSE I WAS DOING A WORK FUNCTION IN A PARKING LOT BY PHONE.
I WALKED IN THE BUILDING AND TO MY DISMAY, THERE WASN'T A SINGLE PARENT THERE THAT I NOTICED.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PARENTS THERE THAT WERE IN THE SECTION ROOTING FOR CHANNEL ISLAND HIGH.
NONE OF THEM WERE WEARING MASKS, NONE OF THOSE PARENTS.
I GUESS THERE'S A DIFFERENT RULE FOR PARENTS THERE.
IT JUST MADE ME FEEL SO PROUD OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY PARENTS WHO WERE IN THE SECTION THERE, QUITE A FEW, ROOTING ON THEIR TEAM THAT WERE WEARING MASKS.
WE CAN ALL TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S REALLY NECESSARY, WHETHER IT REALLY HELPS, ET CETERA, BUT THERE'S THAT SIGN THEIR CHILDREN HAVE TO WEAR A MASK WHEN THEY GO ON TO SCHOOL AND THEY HAVE TO WEAR IT ALL DAY, BUT PARENTS CAN'T WEAR IT IN A VOLLEYBALL GAME? MADE ME VERY PROUD OF CAROLINE COUNTY PARENTS, EVEN THOUGH DESPITE I JUST MADE AN APPEAL, PARENTS PLEASE BEHAVE BETTER, JUST A FEW OF THE PARENT BEHAVE BETTER.
ONE MEAN PERSON CAN RUIN YOUR DAY AND THEN THERE'S 99.9 PERCENT OF THE OTHERS WHO ARE SO WONDERFUL.
AGAIN, HATS OFF AND KUDOS TO THE CAROLINE COUNTY PARENTS WHO WENT THERE THAT NIGHT AND DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY'RE ON BOARD AND THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK.
THAT'S MY SPEECH FOR THE NIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> I APOLOGIZE TO RACHEL, THE BOARD FOR NOT GETTING MY LIST TO YOU IN A TIMELY MANNER.
I WILL SAY THAT I ATTENDED A BASE WORKSHOP, NOT THE ENTIRE WORKSHOP, BUT I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR ON LAST FRIDAY WITH MS. ANTHONY AND MS. FISHER AND THE ELEMENTARY GUIDANCE COUNSELORS.
IT WAS JUST GOOD TO SEE THAT THERE'S A PLAN IN PLACE FOR ALL OF THE COUNSELORS TO BE WORKING TOGETHER AND DOING THE SAME THING AND TRYING TO MEET THE EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
OCTOBER 21ST AND 22ND, I ATTENDED A VIRTUAL CONFERENCE.
IT WAS HELD MARYLAND MALE STUDENTS OF COLOR CONFERENCE, WHICH WAS HELD AT MONTGOMERY COLLEGE.
IT BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES FOR ME BECAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN I WORKED HERE IN MINORITY EDUCATION THAT
[00:10:03]
DR. SHIRLEY WAS SUPERINTENDENT AND HE SHARED THIS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ME AND WE TOOK SIX MALE STUDENTS FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND SIX FROM NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.WHAT I REMEMBER MOST WAS MRS. MCCANDLESS WAS PRINCIPAL AT THAT TIME AND SHE HAD THOSE SIX BOYS IN THEIR BLACK PANTS, WHITE SHIRTS, AND RED TIES READY TO GO TO THIS CONFERENCE.
IT WAS AN EXCELLENT CONFERENCE AND I'LL TALK TO MS. FISHER OR MAYBE HIGH SCHOOL FOLKS, AND MAYBE NEXT YEAR WE CAN TAKE REPRESENTATIONS FOR CAROLINE COUNTY.
AGAIN, I WAS ALSO PART OF THE APPEALS HEARING. THANK YOU.
>> IN A WAY, I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT MR. BARTON WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH PARENTAL BEHAVIOR. I THINK WE ALL NEED TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
WHEN A PARENT, AND IT'S LIKE HE SAID, 99 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE DO BEHAVE IN THIS COUNTY. I LOVE THIS COUNTY.
I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, BUT THERE ARE PARENTS THAT ARE ACTING INAPPROPRIATELY AND THEN THAT TRAVELS DOWN TO THE STUDENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
I THINK WE ALL NEED TO BE AWARE THAT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING US.
THEY'RE WATCHING YOU AS A PARENT, AS A LEADER.
JUST LIKE WE'RE SEEING MORE INAPPROPRIATE PARENTAL BEHAVIOR, THEY'RE SEEING IT MORE IN THE SCHOOLS.
THERE'S MORE FIGHTING, MORE CURSING AND OTHER BEHAVIOR THAN USUAL, AND PART OF THIS MIGHT BE COVID AND MIGHT BE TRYING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL.
BUT REGARDLESS, THAT BEHAVIOR IS NOT [NOISE] GOOD AND IT AFFECTS THE VAST MAJORITY OF STUDENTS THAT ARE TRYING TO LEARN.
[NOISE] I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE EVERYBODY, PARENT, TEACHER, BOARD REMEMBER, EVERYBODY, JUST REMEMBER WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, WE'RE ALL FRUSTRATED BUT WE'RE STILL HUMAN BEINGS AND WE STILL NEED TO BE CIVIL AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
AS A TEACHER, I FIND IT UPSETTING WHEN I HEAR ABOUT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT [NOISE] STOP AND WE GO BACK TO BEING A REALLY GOOD COUNTY.
THEN GOING INTO THAT, I GUESS ONE OF THE FIRST BOARD MEETINGS THIS SCHOOL YEAR, I TALKED ABOUT THE WALNUT TREE AND THE MARIGOLD, WHERE THE WALNUT TREE JUST SUCKS THE LIFE OUT OF EVERYTHING AND THE MARIGOLD FEEDS THE LIFE.
I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT.
WE NEED TO BE THE MARIGOLD NOT THE WALNUT.
[NOISE] I KNOW I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'VE ALWAYS ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
I'M NOT GOING TO STOP ASKING THEM TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST BUT I'M NOT ASKING QUESTIONS TO BE THE WALNUT TREE.
I'M ASKING THEM TO BE THE MARIGOLD BECAUSE THIS COUNTY IS GOOD BUT THERE STILL IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WHEN I ASK QUESTIONS, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO LOOK AT ALL DIFFERENT SIDES AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE IT.
I DON'T WANT TO GET ANYBODY [NOISE] IN TROUBLE.
I ASK QUESTIONS JUST TO IMPROVE THINGS.
THAT'S ALL. SOME PEOPLE TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY AND I'M NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WOULD TAKE IT THE WRONG WAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT MEANT THAT WAY.
FOR ANYBODY THAT DOES TAKE MY QUESTIONS WRONG, YOU JUST HAVE TO REMEMBER, I'M JUST TRYING TO BE THE MARIGOLD.
WHAT DO WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS? ASK QUESTIONS.
WHEN I ASK QUESTIONS THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO DO, MAKE THINGS BETTER AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
[NOISE] AS USUAL, I LOVE WORKING ON THE BOARD.
I LOVE WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS AND, AS YOU CAN SEE, I ATTENDED THE HOMECOMING PARADE, THE FOOTBALL GAME, THE POLICE UNITY RIDE.
THAT'S AWESOME. IT'S MAY 11TH EVERY YEAR BY THE WAY.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR. YOU NEED TO GO TO IT. THE APPEAL HEARING.
IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL, IT WAS DIFFERENT.
I MET WITH A LOT OF STAFF MEMBERS DURING THE MONTH.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE BEHAVIOR IMPROVE. THAT'S MY MONTH.
>> MAY I INTERJECT SOMETHING PLEASE?
>> I HAVE A TEXT MESSAGE FROM A PARENT SAYING THAT THE BOARD MEETING ISN'T BEING BROADCAST.
WE CLICKED ON LIVE STREAM AND THE WEBSITE SAYS, 'NO UPCOMING EVENTS'.
[00:15:04]
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.
>> THEY'LL RECORD IT [INAUDIBLE].
YOU SEE MY LIST UP THERE AND IT'S JUST NICE TO SEE SOME THINGS CLOSE TO NORMAL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WITHOUT MASKS, KIDS PLAYING SPORTS, AND ETC.
BUT INSIDE, THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT.
THE CRAZY THING IS, THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT AND GOVERNMENT MOVES SLOW.
I THINK WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND TRYING TO MOVE THAT.
BUT TO SAY THAT IS BECAUSE, I'LL BRING IT UP WITH THE TOP THING IS I DID GO TO THE MAY CONFERENCE AND AT LEAST IT WAS IN PERSON BUT IT WASN'T PERFECT EITHER.
WE WEREN'T IN A SCHOOL BUILDING BUT EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO MODEL BEHAVIOR AND WEARING A MASK AND THAT'S NOT HOW I'M OPERATING IN MY DAILY LIFE, WITH MY BUSINESS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REQUIRED.
IT'S NOT REQUIRED BUT IN A SCHOOL BUILDING AS YOU ARE.
WE ARE IN A NON-SCHOOL BUILDING, AND SINCE IT'S ALL SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, THEY'VE DECIDED TO WEAR MASKS.
IT'S A LITTLE FRUSTRATING BUT WE DEALT WITH IT.
BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THE CONFERENCE WAS WELL WORTH IT.
I'M GLAD I WENT AND YOU JUST DON'T GET THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU DO ON ZOOM OR WEBEX MEETINGS.
WITHIN THE [NOISE] FIRST 15 MINUTES, I FOUND MYSELF IN A CONVERSATION WITH THREE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS JUST STANDING THERE FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETINGS AND REALIZED THAT THESE THREE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND ALL FOLLOWING THE SAME STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MANDATE, WAS IMPLEMENTING THEM DIFFERENTLY [NOISE] AS MR. BARTON JUST POINTED OUT, [NOISE] GOING TO AN ADJOINING COUNTY.
I THINK EVERYBODY IS TRYING TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN BUT WHEN YOU'RE ALL FOLLOWING ON THE SAME GUIDELINE, YOU WOULD THINK IT'D BE THE SAME.
BUT THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION, I APPRECIATE IT.
WE CAME BACK HERE AND WHAT COULD CAROLINE COUNTY DO DIFFERENTLY, I THINK, AND WE'VE CHANGED SOME OF OUR QUARANTINING.
I KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS ALREADY WORKING IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT [NOISE] AND OUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WERE ALREADY WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION BEHIND THE SCENES.
IT'S JUST GOOD TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND IT'S ALSO GOOD TO BE BACK AND SEE VERY PROVOCATIVE SPEAKERS SPEAK AND SHARE WORDS OF WISDOM.
SOME OF THEM ARE THEIRS AND SOME OF THEM ARE JUST THEIR WELL SPOKEN PEOPLE WHO TIE OTHER PEOPLE'S QUOTES TOGETHER.
IT'S THE SECOND TIME I'VE BEEN ABLE TO LISTEN TO DR. HRABOWSKY FROM UMBC SPEAK.
I REMEMBER WRITING THIS DOWN HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO.
I WROTE IT DOWN AGAIN AND IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S QUOTE BUT HE USES IT QUITE OFTEN, I GUESS, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE I SHOULD PUT IT IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY.
WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS AS THEY WILL BECOME YOUR WORDS.
WATCH YOUR WORDS BECAUSE THEY WILL BECOME YOUR ACTIONS.
WATCH YOUR ACTIONS BECAUSE THEY WILL BECOME YOUR HABITS, YOUR HABITS WILL THEN BECOME YOUR CHARACTER AND YOUR CHARACTER WILL THEN BECOME YOUR DESTINY.
I THINK TO WHAT MR. BARTON'S SAYING, WHAT MR. GIACOMO AND THIS WAYMAN AND MR. JENNINGS AND WE WERE ALL UP HERE.
NO ONE IS TRYING TO MODEL OF THOSE ASPECTS.
WE HOPE EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY WENT.
I THINK 98 PERCENT OF THEM ARE.
BUT IT'S JUST AS SAD WHEN YOU SEE A SMALL PERCENTAGE DISRUPT THE COMMON GOOD.
[NOISE] THAT BEING SAID, THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS.
I'VE BEEN WANTING TO VOICE OUR CHALLENGES AT TIMES, BUT IT'S ALSO NEAT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE FAMILY.
I KNOW DR. SIMMONS IS GOING THROUGH SOME CHALLENGES, A FAMILY THING IN THE PAST MONTH AND MY FAMILY HAS AS WELL.
BUT IT JUST AMAZES ME WHEN YOU GET CARDS OF SYMPATHY FROM CO-WORKERS AND EVEN SCHOOL SYSTEMS. MY WIFE'S FATHER PASSED AND WE GET A CARD FROM A FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
A SCHOOL SENDS THE SCHOOL FAMILY, THE CENTRAL OFFICE JUST ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN RECIPIENTS OF THINGS LIKE THIS.
IT DOES MEAN A LOT. I THINK IT'S GOING ON AND I KNOW IT'S GOING ON BUT YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU.
THAT'S JUST A COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN.
WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT MORE OFTEN AND NOT BE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE NEGATIVES,
[00:20:01]
BUT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEGATIVES TO TRY TO IMPROVE THEM.[NOISE] BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING THOSE TYPE OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, FOR MY FAMILY AND FOR DR. SIMMONS FAMILY AND THEN ALL THE OTHER FAMILIES IN THIS COMMUNITY OUR STAFF REACH OUT TO IN THEIR TIME OF NEED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. SOME GOOD THOUGHTS HERE FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
DR. SIMMONS. WE'LL MOVE ON TO YOUR REPORT.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THE MEMBERS OF BOARD.
THIS MONTH'S SUPERINTENDENT REPORT HIGHLIGHTS TWO THINGS THAT I DID WITH ONE OF WHICH WAS I DID CONTINUE WITH SCHOOL VISITS. [OVERLAPPING].
>> LAST MONTH MY FIRST FULL-DAY SCHOOL VISIT WAS GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER.
MONTH OF OCTOBER, I GOT TO SPEND THE DAY AT REGIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON OCTOBER 22.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL, GLORIOUS DAY.
MR. SUTTON AND HIS TEAM DID A FANTASTIC JOB, NOT ONLY WELCOMING ME TO SEE WHAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS FOR STUDENTS.
AGAIN, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY BEING THERE AS THE BUSES ROLLED IN, SEEING THE KIDS GET OFF, THE LOVE THAT'S JUST GIVEN TO THE KIDS AS THEY COME IN.
MR. SUTTON, APPARENTLY, HAD TOLD THE KIDS THAT THE BIG BOSS WAS COMING.
I'M SITTING AT A TABLE SO PROBABLY DOESN'T DO IT JUSTICE TO THOSE WHO AREN'T HERE IN PERSON.
BIG IS NOT WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD SAY IF I'M STANDING.
[LAUGHTER] THERE WERE A FEW KIDS WHO DID ASK FOR CLARIFICATION LATER.
IS THAT THE BIG BOSS? [LAUGHTER] WHICH WAS FUNNY AND AGAIN OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES.
I WAS IN ANOTHER CLASSROOM OF FIRST GRADERS.
THEY WERE JUST GOING TO TOWN ON THEIR ASSIGNMENT.
IT WAS GREAT WATCHING THEM HAPPEN AND THE TEACHER WALKS OVER, SHE'S LIKE, "DR. SIMMONS, THIS LITTLE GIRL UP FRONT NEEDS TO SEE YOU." IT'S LIKE, "OKAY, OKAY." I'M HELPING A GIRL AND I MOVE TO THE FRONT.
OF COURSE SHE WAS WONDERFUL, JUST GREAT, GRACIOUS, HAPPY TO SEE ME.
BUT THEN SHE SAID, "YOU MUST BE THE BIG BOSS BECAUSE YOU HAVE LOTS OF GRAY HAIR." [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, SWEETIE. [LAUGHTER] LOVE YOU TOO.
I DIDN'T HAVE THE HEART TO ASK HER WHO LOOKED OLDER, ME OR MR. [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER.
IT'S PROBABLY ME. BUT IT REALLY WAS A GREAT DAY.
IT WAS AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING.
THE FEATURES WERE DOING THERE AND WITH THE STUDENTS.
I ACTUALLY ENDED UP GETTING TO WITNESS THE FIFTH GRADE SPELLING BEE THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL OFF THAT DAY IN PREPARATION FOR THE COUNTY SPELLING BEE.
THE KIDS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THAT DID A GREAT JOB.
I THINK THEY WENT FIVE OR SIX ROUNDS BEFORE THEY LOST THEIR FIRST STUDENT.
MEANING THE KIDS WERE REALLY WELL-PREPARED AND DID A GREAT JOB.
AGAIN, WONDERFUL TIME AND TEACHERS DOING A LOT OF GREAT STUFF WITH KIDS.
THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY AND SORRY, MR. JONES, WHETHER OR NOT COOPERATING ON THE 29TH, I DID HAVE THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A CHARACTER PARADE.
I WAS HOPING TO GET TO MORE SCHOOLS THAT DAY WITH THE WEATHER AND THEN MOVING INSIDE BECAUSE IT WAS A NASTY DAY OUTSIDE WITH THE UNFORTUNATE WEATHER.
I DID END UP GOING OVER TO THE DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHARACTER PARADE.
MS. MCCANDLESS IN HER VERY EXUBERANT SELF WAS LIKE, OH, GREAT DOCTOR SIMMONS IS HERE.
GUESS WHO'S LEADING THE PARADE TODAY? [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, MS. MCCANDLESS.
I'LL BE LEADING THE PARADE AND I LED THE PARADE WITH MY LITTLE PRE-K FRIEND YOU SEE IN THE MIDDLE SECTION.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME WALKING AROUND AND I'LL TELL YOU AGAIN, YOU GO BACK TO, WE'RE DOING WORK WITH STUDENTS AROUND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND REESTABLISHING THOSE ROUTINES.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU IT WAS IMPRESSIVE TO WALK AROUND AND THEN TO WATCH EVERY OTHER KID PARADE THROUGH.
I WAS WITH PRE-K, WHEN WE STARTED.
WE ENDED UP WATCHING ALL THE WAY THROUGH FIFTH GRADE, THE KIDS WALKING THE LOOP.
THE KIDS AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLAPPED FOR KIDS.
IF KIDS WAVE THEY'RE, WAVING BACK, IT WAS JUST A WELCOMING AND WARM ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY KID THAT WALKED.
PROBABLY TOOK AN HOUR TO GET THROUGH THE PARADE, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE.
BUT THE SAME LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT WAS THERE THE ENTIRE TIME.
THERE WERE KIDS COMMENTING POSITIVELY ABOUT OTHER KIDS COSTUMES.
IT WAS JUST A REALLY WARM FEEL.
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE KIDS.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT COULDN'T BE OUTDOORS BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER THAT CAME AND I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT SAME LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT WENT IN EVERY OTHER ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHERE IT DID TAKE PLACE.
BUT IT WAS AWFULLY EXCITING AND TO TIE AND MR. NEWCOMB'S PIECE ABOUT IT IS NICE TO SEE SOME THINGS RETURNING TO NORMAL AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
THAT REALLY WAS ONE OF THE NEATEST THINGS TO SEE, NOT JUST WITH THAT DAY BUT ALSO FOR THE VISIT ORIGINALLY, WE ARE GETTING THERE.
WE ARE WORKING BACK TO NORMAL. WE'RE GETTING THERE.
WE SAID LAST MONTH HAS BEEN A VERY HARD START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR.
I GET IT. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. IT HAS BEEN.
WE WERE OUT OF A ROUTINE, OUT OF A RHYTHM FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS AND WE'RE GETTING BACK INTO A ROUTINE.
IT JUST TAKES A WHILE TO GET BACK INTO IT.
I WON'T BORE YOU ALL WITH ANALOGIES, WHICH I USE TOO OFTEN.
BUT WE'VE HAD TO BASICALLY RETRAIN OURSELVES.
[00:25:01]
EVERY ONE OF US HAVE HAD TO RETRAIN OURSELVES TO GOING BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE.IT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE.
BUT WE ARE ALL GETTING THERE, WE ARE ALL WORKING TOWARDS IT.
WE WILL MAKE THE GAINS WE NEED FOR OUR KIDS.
>> CAN YOU ENLIGHTEN US TO WHAT THAT IS YOU'RE WEARING IN THAT. [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> YES, MR. BARTON, GREAT QUESTION.
THAT IS A WONDERFUL COAT THAT WAS ON CLEARANCE AT DISNEY THAT MY WIFE PICKED UP FROM THE DISNEY STORE TWO YEARS AGO.
SEE LAST YEAR WITH COVID CLOSURE, NOBODY GOT TO SEE THAT BEAUTIFUL POLYESTER COAT.
IT'S A GLOW IN THE DARK JACK SKELLINGTON JACKET.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS HAPPENED TO BE A BIG FAN OF THE MOVIE, EVEN WHEN IT CAME OUT.
WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER AND NO GRAY HAIR.
BUT IT'S GOT THE LITTLE LIGHT UP BOW TIE AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF.
>> OUTSTANDING COSTUME. [LAUGHTER].
>> YOU GET ONE TIME A YEAR TO WEAR IT, YOU HAVE TO WEAR IT THE ONE DAY.
>> WE HOPE THAT IT'S ONE TIME [LAUGHTER].
>> YEAH, IT STANDS OUT EVEN IN THAT LITTLE PICTURE.
>> THIS PICTURE DOESN'T DO IT JUSTICE.
>> I THINK YOU SHOULD WEAR IT TO ONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS.
>> MR. GIACOMO. I'M HEARING THIS NUDGE OF DR. SIMMONS.
WE THINK IT'D BE A GREAT IDEA [OVERLAPPING] TO HAVE THAT AT THE NEXT DECEMBER MEETING, IN DECEMBER BEFORE CHRISTMAS. IT WORKS.
>> WE'LL SET THE LIGHTS OFF SO WE CAN SEE IT WELL.
[LAUGHTER] MAKE YOU PUT IT IN THE SUNLIGHT.
MOVING ON TO DIRECTORS SNAPSHOT.
>> WE ARE STARTING ONCE AGAIN WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS.
GOOD EVENING, PRESENT NEUTRAL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
FOR INSTRUCTION, I KNOW WE REALLY ARE SUPPOSED TO HIGHLIGHT JUST ONE.
BUT I'M GOING TO WRAP SEVERAL TOGETHER BECAUSE A LOT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AND WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS FOR STUDENTS.
OUR FEDERALSBURG AND GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS HAVE BEGUN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAROLINE COUNTY RECREATION AND PARKS.
MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, THIRD THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS AT FEDERALSBURG AND SECOND THROUGH FIFTH GRADE AT GREENSBORO ARE STAYING AFTER SCHOOL FROM 4:00 TO 6:00PM.
THEY'RE HAVING ACADEMIC TIME, THEY'RE HAVING ENRICHMENT TIME.
THEY'RE BEING SERVED FOOD FOR DINNER.
THEY'RE HAVING BUS TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S REALLY AN EXTENDED DAY PROGRAM FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS.
AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WE HAVE OUR EVENING SCHOOL HAS STARTED FOR CREDIT RECOVERY.
THAT ALSO THIS YEAR HAS TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED BY KAOLIN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BUT THIS YEAR WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE EXPANDED THAT TRANSPORTATION FOR ANY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, FOR AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES OR EXTRA CURRICULARS.
WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT START OF WINTER ATHLETICS, MORE STUDENTS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE AFTER-SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION AT THE HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL.
IT WAS NOT IN PLACE IN THE BEGINNING OF FALL, EXTRA CURRICULARS.
STUDENTS BY THIS POINT, HAVE ALREADY HAD THEIR TRANSPORTATION WORKED OUT.
BUT THIS MIGHT GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME STUDENTS FOR WINTER SPORTS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE EXTRA CURRICULARS.
ONE OTHER THING TO HIGHLIGHT IS FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HOME ON QUARANTINE, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO QUARANTINE LESS STUDENTS, AS YOU SAID, MR. NEWCOMB, WE DO HAVE STUDENTS STILL QUARANTINED.
EVERY SCHOOL MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY IS OFFERING THE ONE HOUR OF ZOOM QUARANTINE TUTORING.
IF YOU ARE OUT THERE AND YOU ARE LISTENING, STUDENTS ARE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT TO THE DEGREE THAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO.
IF YOU ARE LISTENING, IT IS RIGHT NOW STILL BEING OFFERED MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF WE SHOULD CUT THAT BACK TO MAYBE TWO DAYS A WEEK AND STILL GIVE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS.
>> YOU MENTIONED QUARANTINING IN CHANGING.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
HAS MSDE JUST UPDATED THEIR QUARANTINING GUIDELINES, ANY? I PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT, ALL RIGHT?
>> NO, YOU'VE GOT IT. MSDE AND MDH OFFER QUARANTINE OPTIONS FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO UTILIZE.
HOWEVER, WE FEEL THE OPTION THAT WE'RE UTILIZING IN CCPS, BASED ON OUR DATA ACTUALLY MEETS OUR NEEDS THE BEST RIGHT NOW.
[00:30:01]
THE THREE OPTIONS THEY PROVIDED.ONE WAS A TEST TO STAY OPTION WHERE FAMILIES WOULD HAVE TO TEST [NOISE] EVERY DAY OR EVERY ONE, THREE, FIVE, OR SEVEN DAYS GIVEN THAT THEY JUST WANT TO STAY IN THE SCHOOL THEY WERE CLOSED CLOSURE.
SECOND OPTION, WE DIDN'T WANT THAT OPTION.
THE SECOND OPTION WAS A WEEKLY SCREENING PROGRAM WHICH WE'RE WORKING TO ESTABLISH STARTING NEXT WEEK FOR FAMILIES WHO WISH TO BUT THE SECOND OPTION WOULD BE THAT THIS PAINTING NAME SCREENING PROGRAM, THAT STUDENT COULD REMAIN IN SCHOOL INSTEAD OF BEING IN QUARANTINE AND THE THIRD OPTION IS IN ESSENCE WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DOING, WHICH IS BOTH PARTIES ARE WEARING A MASK WHILE IN SCHOOL.
IF WE'VE GOT UNIVERSAL MASKING AND OTHER MITIGATION STRATEGIES IN PLACE DURING THE TIME OF CLOSE CONTACT WITH POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS, YOU DO NOT NEED TO QUARANTINE AS LONG AS YOU'RE ASYMPTOMATIC OR IF YOU'RE NOT SHOWING SIGNS BEING SAID.
WE HAD ADMITTED THAT PRIOR TO MSDE AND MDH PUTTING OUT THEIR GUIDELINES BUT THOSE WERE IN ESSENCE THE OPTIONS THAT THEY HAD PUT IN PLACE.
>> CORRECT. I MEAN, AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE IT EVERY WEEK.
IT'S A STAGING PROCESS, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND THEY JUST CAME OUT BUT YOU SAID WHAT WE'RE FOLLOWING AS WE'RE FOLLOWING AND WHAT OPTION TWO WAS WITH MSDE AND MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS AND POSSIBLY HAVE IN PLACE.
>> NO, SORRY TO CUT YOU SHORT.
WE'RE FOLLOWING FOR THE MODIFIED VERSION OF WHAT THEIR THIRD OPTION WAS THAT THE PRIMARY SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THEIR FIRST OPTION WAS THE TEST TO STAY.
>> WHICH FEASIBILITY, I'VE GOT BIG CONCERNS WITH THAT ONE.
THE SCREENING OPTION, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE ADMINISTRATING MODEL AND FOR PARENTS WHO WISH TO HAVE THEIR KIDS SCREENED EVERY WEEK
>> BUT WE DON'T NEED TO USE THAT AS A QUARANTINE OPTION OUR STUDENTS IS OPTION THREE THAT THE STATE WAS GOING TO OFFER NOW, WHICH IS THE UNIVERSAL MASKING.
>> IT'S AN EVOLVING TIME AND WE'RE ALL GETTING CLOSER EVERY LITTLE STEP, BUT IT'S INTERESTING WHAT THE PROCESS WE'RE CURRENTLY FOLLOWING AND I APOLOGIZE FOR SIDESTEPPING BUT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S THERE THE KEY TOPIC CAME UP AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT, IS I THINK WHAT'S BEST FOR KEEPING KIDS IN SCHOOL? THAT BEING SAID, IT DOESN'T AFFECT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND LIKE IT OR NOT, I'VE HEARD SOME KIDS SAY, WELL, IF I CAN DO MY SCHOOLWORK AT HOME AND JUST DO IT, AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET ME PLAY SPORTS ANYWAY, I'M JUST GOING TO STAY HOME AND THAT'S NOT THE BEST EITHER SO I HEAR THAT AND THEN I'M HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I'M WONDERING IF THE PROTOCOLS WOULD YOU SAY THE SYMPTOM PROTOCOLS OR TRACKING?
>> SCREENING OPTIONS, THAT'S WHAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> THESE ARE FOR READING IN SCHOOL.
THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ATHLETICS.
>> THESE ARE JUST COMING IN AND GOING WITH THE ATHLETICS, WE DON'T HAVE UNIVERSAL MASKING.
>> IF SO, DO ANY OF THOSE CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL HELP WITH KEEPING KIDS IN SCHOOL, BUT ALSO KEEPING THEM ENGAGED IN THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY MAY MOTIVATE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL MORE?
>> IT WOULD ONLY HELP WITH EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WHERE UNIVERSAL MASKING WILL BE IN PLACE AND THEY WOULD NOT BE A CLOSE CONTACT'S ACTIVITIES SO AS WE DIDN'T ENROLL INTO WINTER SPORTS.
ALL OF OUR SPORTS CLASSIFY AS CLOSE CONTACT AND THERE'S NOT UNIVERSAL MASKING FOR BASKETBALL OR WRESTLING, OR INDOOR TRACK SO FOR INDOOR SPORTS IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ON THAT SIDE AT THIS POINT.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO MAYBE BRING THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT SHOULD BE ON THE NEXT MONTH'S AGENDA OR THE WORK SUM BECAUSE IT'S EVER-EVOLVING.
KEEP IT ON OUR AGENDA AND AGAIN, AS FAR AS CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE STATE I'VE HEARD VARIATIONS, AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL PEOPLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, PLEASE.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU, MS. WAYMAN, GO AHEAD.
>> I'M SURE THAT THE AFTER-SCHOOL AND BATTLES WAS IN THE GREENSBORO MODEL BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS DO HAVE ABOUT PARTICIPANTS.
WHAT'S THE PARTICIPATION LIKE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND IS THERE ANYTHING FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, YET?
WE DO HOPE TO HAVE NOT JUST THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BUT THE OTHER THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS WELL SO NO, RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT, BUT WE WILL BE MOVING TOWARDS THAT.
OKAY? AS IT RELATES TO EVENING SCHOOL, I WILL BE HONEST.
I DO NOT KNOW RIGHT NOW THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, BUT I ABSOLUTELY WILL FIND THAT OUT AND GET BACK TO YOU.
>> ONE THING THAT CROSSED MY MIND AS YOU KNOW HOW WHEN THE CLOSER IT GETS TO JUNE,
[00:35:01]
[LAUGHTER] WE HAVE 3-4, WHO ARE WAITING TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE GOING TO MARCH.>> MAYBE TO START PULLING THEM FOR EVENING SCHOOL LIKE FEBRUARY.
>> I DO KNOW THAT ACTUALLY EVEN STUDENTS WHO YES THIS YEAR'S GRADUATING SENIORS, BUT ALSO THIS YEAR'S JUNIORS AND TENTH GRADERS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN COURSES, HAVE BEEN OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO EVENING SCHOOL SO THAT OPPORTUNITY HAS BEEN OUT THERE, WHETHER THEY'RE ACTUALLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AT THIS POINT, I WILL GET YOU THE NUMBERS.
I KNOW THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION NUMBERS ARE VERY LOW. I DO KNOW THAT.
>> PARENTS WHO ARE LISTENING, WE WANT YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. UP TO LAST WEEK, I KNOW THAT GREENSBORO WAS STILL PROCESSING NEW MEMBERS AS WELL FOR THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM.
>> LIKE YOU SAID BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE HIGH NUMBERS IN THE TUTORING.
IF THE NUMBERS WOULD INCREASE, WE WOULD LEAVE IT.
>> I MEAN, THE REASON I'M ASKING IS STUDENTS NEED TO USE IT.
>> OUR NUMBER OF QUARANTINED STUDENTS IS DOWN, RIGHT? THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE ON QUARANTINE TO ACCESS THIS ARE DOWN.
HOWEVER, IT'S NOT BEING UTILIZED TO ITS POTENTIAL.
>> THEY NEED TO BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT AND SO [OVERLAPPING].
WE DID IT. NOW IT'S YOUR TURN NOW.
>> THE NEXT ONE IS JUST CTE IN A SPHERE AND WHAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT JODI CALLAHAN HAS BEEN AWARDED THE 2020 MARYLAND AGRICULTURE EDUCATION TEACHER ASSOCIATION AWARD SO WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER FOR THAT AND THEN YOU SEE THAT OUR CADD CONSTRUCTION AND AMP STUDENTS, AND I KNOW THAT MR. JONES, YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU'D BEEN THERE FOR THE BEGINNING OF ONE PROJECT.
THIS WAS A SEASONAL PROJECT WHICH SERVED AS FUNDRAISERS FOR THE PROGRAMS. AGAIN, OUR JUNIOR ROTC STUDENTS, IN COLLABORATION WITH TALBOT COUNTY ARE HAVING A VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION THIS COMING THURSDAY IN THE EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM.
>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT AND NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TONIGHT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A NEW HIRE.
WE HAVE HIRED SUSAN JACOBS AS A BOARD-CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST.
HOW WE DID THIS WAS WE HAVE FIVE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST POSITIONS AND WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE OR FILL FOUR THIS YEAR.
SO THIS IS JUST SITTING OUT THERE.
ONE OF THE JOBS OR ROLES OF A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST IS SOME OF THE ROLES OF A BCBA.
THERE WAS AN OVERLAP AND WE POSTED JUST TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND WHILE WE HOLD SUSAN JACOBS APPEARED.
THERE WAS AN OVERLAP AND WE POSTED JUST TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND WHILE WE HOLD SUSAN JACOBS APPEARED.
RECENTLY SHE WAS A BOARD-CERTIFIED ANALYST IN TALBOT COUNTY.
SHE CAME OVER HERE AND SHE WANTED TO BE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
SHE HAS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, SHE LIVES VERY CLOSE TO CAROLINE COUNTY.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER.
IT GOES ALONG THE SAME DISCUSSION WITH BEHAVIOR.
WE DO HAVE HER NOW, WHICH IS NICE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD A BCBA ON STAFF AND SHE'LL BE ABLE TO CONDUCT FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENTS, WHICH IS HOW WE FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE BAD BEHAVIOR.
WHY IS IT HAPPENING? THEN CREATE BEHAVIOR PLANS TO ADDRESS THE BEHAVIORS AND WORK WITH THE TEACHERS TO HELP THEM WITH IMPLEMENTING THE BEHAVIOR PLANS.
THEN I ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE COMING UP ON OUR SECOND SECAC MEETING.
OF COURSE, EVERYONE IS INVITED.
OUR TOPIC THIS MONTH IS WANDERING AND ELOPEMENT.
WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING SHELLY MCLAUGHLIN AND OFFICER TARA BOND AS OUR GUEST SPEAKERS.
WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS PRESENTATION.
PLEASE FEEL FREE IF YOU ARE NOT BUSY ON, I THINK IT'S THURSDAY, YEAH, THURSDAY NIGHT, THE ZOOM LINK IS THERE. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.
THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION IS OUR ENGLISH LEARNER POPULATION.
YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY,
[00:40:03]
ACCORDING TO THE SLIDE, 467 CHILDREN BUT AS OF TODAY, THAT SLIDE WAS, I THINK TWO DAYS AGO, WE'RE NOW UP TO 470 SO IT IS GROWING.>> WE'RE IN NOVEMBER AND THESE ARE NEW STUDENTS TO THE END OF OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER?
>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT NEWTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
TONIGHT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
IN PARTICULAR, I'M GOING TO THROW SOME NUMBERS AT YOU GUYS THAT I THINK YOU MIGHT FIND VERY INTERESTING AND FASCINATING.
WE HAVE 56 BUSES THAT RUN 57 ROUTES.
WE HAVE ONE BUS THAT DOES A DOUBLE ROUTE.
WE HAVE 53 BUSES THAT DO DOUBLE ROUTES.
DOUBLE ROUTES ARE DEFINED AS A SECONDARY ROUTE, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN AN HOUR LATER IT GOES OUT AND DOES THE ELEMENTARY ROUTE.
ONE BUS TRANSPORTS OUR ROTC KIDS TO EASTON HIGH SCHOOL, AND TWO BUSES TAKE OUR STUDENTS TO CCTC.
WE HAVE 5,255 STUDENTS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO BUSES.
NEARLY 75 PERCENT OF THOSE STUDENTS, WHICH IS ABOUT 3,930, ARE ACTUALLY UTILIZING THE BUS TRANSPORTATION EACH DAY.
ON AVERAGE, WE DO ABOUT 2-3 DRIVERS EACH DAY THAT TAKE ATHLETIC TRIPS AND FIELD TRIPS AROUND.
DUE TO COVID, OUR FIELD TRIPS ARE DEFINITELY DOWN THIS YEAR.
AS MR. MCCORMACK HAS SAID, THERE'S SOME EXTRA THINGS GOING ON WITH EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND TRANSPORTATION, SO WE ARE DOING MORE OF THOSE ROUTES.
THIS NEXT ONE IS VERY INTERESTING, 5,654 MILES.
IT'S AN ESTIMATE, BUT IT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE TRUE NUMBER, FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF MILES THAT OUR BUS DRIVERS DRIVE IN A DAY.
IF YOU PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IT'S ABOUT 2,800 MILES BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND LOS ANGELES.
THEY'RE DRIVING IN A DAY'S WORTH OF THEORETICAL MILES FROM NEW YORK CITY TO LOS ANGELES, AND BACK TO NEW YORK CITY IN A DAY.
>> THEY'RE PICKING UP CHILDREN ALONG THE WAY. [LAUGHTER].
>> EXACTLY. VERY IMPRESSIVE FOR THE AMOUNT MILES AND ROADWAYS THAT THEY COVER.
I JUST WANT TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE A LITTLE BIT TO WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A BUS DRIVER.
THERE'S SEVERAL STEPS THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH, A POTENTIAL DRIVER TO BECOME A TRUE DRIVER.
ONE IS THAT THEY HAVE TO ATTEND NINE HOURS OF CLASSROOM TRAINING.
THEY ALSO HAVE TO ATTEND TO NINE HOURS BEHIND THE WHEEL TRAINING, DRIVING WITHOUT STUDENTS.
UPON COMPLETION OF THAT, THEY'LL DO SIX HOURS BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH STUDENTS.
THERE'S A CERTIFIED DRIVER TRAINER THAT IS WITH THEM WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
THEY MUST BE APPLYING OR HAVE ALREADY A CLASS B CDL LICENSE.
AS DR. SIMMONS CAN ATTEST BECAUSE HE'S BEEN KNOWN TO DRIVE A BUS EVERY NOW AND THEN.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT WITH THE PASSENGER, A SCHOOL BUS, AND AIR BRAKE ENDORSEMENTS.
OBVIOUSLY, NO MORE THAN TWO POINTS UNDER DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AS A BUS DRIVER, THEY HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PASS DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING, WITH NO CRIMINAL RECORD.
THEY'RE GIVEN A FINAL EVALUATION, AGAIN, BY THE CERTIFIED DRIVER TRAINER, WHO, UPON COMPLETION OF THAT WILL THEN ANOINT THE POTENTIAL BUS DRIVER TO A TRUE BUS DRIVER, AND THEY WILL HAVE THEIR OWN BUS WITH THE KIDS.
YEARLY EVALUATIONS ARE CONDUCTED EVERY YEAR.
THEY WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE RANDOM DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING.
I DO WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BOTTOM TWO PICTURES.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND THEY WILL WORK ON OUR BUSES DOING MINOR REPAIRS LIKE LIGHT BULB CHANGES, IF A SCREW FALLS OUT, SOME WIRING THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED HERE OR THERE.
WE CAN PULL OUR BUSES IN AND THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF THAT FOR US.
THEY ALSO ALLOW US TO DO OUR BUS INSPECTIONS AND USE THEIR PULL ON GARAGES FOR THAT AS WELL.
IT'S A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED OVER THE YEARS AND WE'RE DEFINITELY CONTINUING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION AND NOT TO TAKE THE WIND OUT OF MY SALES FOR NEXT MONTH, BUT NEXT MONTH I'LL TALK WITH OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AND PLAN OPS DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP THERE BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CCPS AS WELL.
I REALLY WAS IMPRESSED WHEN I FIGURED OUT THAT THEY DRIVE TO NEW YORK CITY, TO LA, AND BACK TO NEW YORK CITY EVERY DAY.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> HOW ARE WE WITH STAFFING? [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE'RE BREAK-EVEN. WE'RE RIGHT AT THAT LINE.
[BACKGROUND] WE BRING A COUPLE IN FOR
[00:45:03]
TRAINING AND THEN WE LEAD THEM TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.WE STARTED ANOTHER CLASS THIS NEXT WEEK COMING UP WITH THREE PEOPLE, WE JUST GOT A THIRD ONE TODAY.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET A BIT PERCENT OF THAT, ONE OR TWO DRIVERS ALL THAT, THAT'S A WIN.
THE GOOD THING IS THAT THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMING IN, WHEREAS BEFORE THEY WEREN'T EVEN COMING IN.
WE'RE GETTING THE APPLICATIONS IN, AND WE'RE HAVING MORE CLASSES, ABOUT EVERY OTHER WEEK OR SO, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING A CLASS.
I WISH WE COULD DO A BIG CLASS, 8-10 PEOPLE, GET FOUR OR FIVE ON BOARD RIGHT AWAY, BUT IT'S JUST A LITTLE HERE, A LITTLE THERE. IT'S GETTING BETTER.
>> THE BIG SIGN OUT THERE I THINK HELPS.
>> YEAH. BEING LIVE AND BEING RECORDED, I'LL PUT A QUICK PLUG-IN.
IF YOU HAVE A CDL DRIVER, CLASS B OUT THEIR LICENSE AND YOU WANT TO DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS, PLEASE COME AND LOOK AT THE CCPS WEB PAGE OR CONTACT CCPS, AND WE'D LOVE TO GET YOU ON BOARD.
>> FUNNY I HAD SOMEBODY MENTION TO ME THE OTHER TODAY AND NOW THEY'VE RETIRED FROM DRIVING A SCHOOL BUS IN THE NEIGHBORING COUNTY.
THEY'RE ARE NOT LOOKING TO GET BACK IN, BUT I ENDED UP ASKING THE GUY.
BECAUSE HE WAS NOT A CDL BUS DRIVER BY ANY MEANS.
"HOW DID YOU GET TO BE A BUS DRIVER?" BECAUSE THE GUY STARTED DRIVING IN THE 60S'. " I RETIRED BUT I HAD A CLASS B BECAUSE OF MY RV.
I SAW A SIGN, AND I WAS LIKE, I COULD DO THAT.
I GOT THE CLASS B FOR THE CDL I MIGHT AS WELL MAKE A LITTLE EXTRA CASH." SURE ENOUGH, HE SAID "HIM AND A COUPLE OF OTHER GUYS, IF ANYBODY HAS AN RV OUT THERE THAT THEY DRIVE, [LAUGHTER] I'VE QUITE A BIT OF THOSE AROUND." LITERALLY, IT'S CLASS B IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT LOOKING FOR CDL DRIVERS, AND HATS OFF TO CARMON AND EVERYBODY ON THE TEAM AND ALSO FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
[OVERLAPPING] RECRUIT OUR DRIVER TRAINERS AS WELL TO HELP TRAIN AND GET THOSE IN.
>> IS THAT IT FOR DIRECTORY REPORT? THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
MOVING ON TO STUDENT BOARD REPORTS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT, WHICH IS ALWAYS A POSITIVE.
WE'VE BEEN STARTING WITH ZACK BECAUSE HE SHOWED UP THE LAST FEW MONTHS, BUT LET'S START WITH COLONEL RICHARDSON TONIGHT AND MR. ASHRAT.
>> GOOD EVENING TO PRESIDENT NEWTON AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF BOARD.
STARTING WITH FES FALCONS, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON THIS MONTH.
LAST MONTH, THEY HAD A RED RIBBON WEEK, WHICH IS FIVE DAYS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FOR DRUG FREE LOOKS LIKE ME.
THEY HAD DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDING SUCH AS DRESS LIKE A SUPERHERO AND MUCH MORE.
THEY HAVE A SPELLING BEE FINALIST OF STUDENTS SUCH AS GERARDO, ALICIA, AND EVANS ARE COMPETING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
ALSO, THEY HAVE COMING EVENTS ON NOVEMBER 1ST, THEY WILL BE HONORING THE HISPANIC HOLIDAY OF DÍA DE MUERTOS.
FOR THAT, THEY ARE INVITING ALL THE STUDENTS AND STAFF TO BRING IN PICTURES OF THEIR LOVED ONES WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY TO BE DISPLAYED ON THEIR SCHOOL OF RENDER.
NOVEMBER 1ST- 5TH, THEY HAVE A FALL ONLINE AND IN-PERSON BOOK FAIR GOING ON.
NOVEMBER 10TH, FALL MAKEUP PICTURE DAYS FOR STUDENTS WHO MISSED I GUESS.
11TH-12TH, THEY'LL HAVE PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL BE OFFERED BOTH ONLINE AND IN-PERSON.
THEN MOVING ON TO COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON THIS MONTH.
LAST MONTH, THEY HONORED SCHOOL CUSTODIANS WITH GIFT CARDS AND LUNCH, AND CELEBRATED THE HARVEST MOON, WHICH CIDER, CARAMEL, AND APPLES FOR STAFF AS A THANK YOU.
THEIR MUSIC BOOSTER HOSTED THE CHOPTANK RIVER BIG BAND FOR A FREE CONCERT.
THEY CELEBRATED THE RED RIBBON WEEK WITH SPIRT WEEK, AND IF YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE THEIR PICTURES THEY ARE ON THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE.
THEY ALSO DID THE PBIS HALLOWEEN SEEN DRIVE-THROUGH INCENTIVE FOR ALL STUDENTS AND ALL THE STUDENTS WERE INVITED.
THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS WHICH IS NOVEMBER 9, THEY HAVE A NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION.
[00:50:02]
IT'S PROBABLY PRESENTING ALL TOGETHER NOW, AND IT'S A BROADWAY REVIEW OF CLASSIC FILMS TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF LIVE THEATER AND SCHOOL PLAYS.REMEMBER 16 THEY HAVE PORTRAIT RETAKES WHERE ALL THE STUDENTS WHO MISSED.
REMEMBER 16 IS A PROM COMMITTEE PLANNING MEETING FOR THIS YEAR'S PROM. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK IT'S [INAUDIBLE] I'M NOT REALLY SURE. [INAUDIBLE]
>> GOOD EVENING, DR. SIMMONS, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M GLAD TO REPORT THAT OCTOBER WAS A GREAT MONTH FOR ALL ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF OUR COUNTY.
A LOT OF ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE, AND A LOT OF FUN WAS HAD AT THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH I REPRESENT.
TO BEGIN MY REPORT, AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE DOLPHINS HELD THEIR ANNUAL SPIRIT WEEK.
SOME OF THE DAYS INCLUDE CRAZY SOCK DAY, FUTURE CAREER DAY, CRAZY HAIR DAY, FAVORITE BOOK CHARACTER, AND LASTLY, DES SPIRIT DAY.
THERE ARE MANY PHOTOS ON DES' FACEBOOK PAGE, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING THEM.
NOT ONLY DID STUDENTS PARTICIPATE, BUT STAFF DID AS WELL.
ON OCTOBER 14TH, 5TH GRADE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE DES SPELLING BEE.
SOME RECOGNITIONS INCLUDE, AND IF I GET YOUR NAME WRONG, I APOLOGIZE.
ADAM TAJIK WON FIRST PLACE, ROWAN CLEMENS CAME IN SECOND PLACE, SLOAN WILEY ENDED IN THIRD PLACE, AND LEELA ROBERTS GUTIERREZ WAS CROWNED THE ALTERNATE.
THE FIRST THREE REPRESENTED THE DOLPHINS AT THE COUNTYWIDE SPELLING BEE THIS PAST WEEKEND.
DES LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SWIM FOR SUCCESS EVERY DAY IN NOVEMBER.
OVER AT RIDGELY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE TERRIERS HOSTED THEIR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADE, WHICH WAS HELD INSIDE DUE TO BAD WEATHER.
ALONG WITH DES, RIDGELY ELEMENTARY HELD THEIR SPELLING BEE IN WHICH THE FOLLOWING WON: MADISON KELLNER WAS CROWNED FIRST PLACE, GWYN HARPER ENDED IN SECOND PLACE, NORMAN VARGAS VILLACORTA ENDED IN THIRD PLACE, AND MARGOT DAY WAS THE ALTERNATE.
SOME UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE TERRIERS INCLUDE PICTURE MAKEUP DAY ON NOVEMBER 5TH, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THANKSGIVING, AND THEY ALL WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
NOW TO GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE HORNETS HELD THEIR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADE.
IN ADDITION TO THE PARADE, THERE WERE SEVERAL FUN HALLOWEEN-THEMED ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS WHO CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARADE.
GES STAFF WERE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE COVERED CANOPY, WHICH ALLOWED STUDENTS TO STAY DRY AND SHOW OFF THEIR AWESOME COSTUMES.
GES IS ALSO VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME A NEW PROGRAM.
STUDENTS WILL NOW HAVE FULL ACCESS TO A NEW THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT CLASSROOM.
THIS WILL ALLOW GES TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS.
MOVING TO LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WILDCATS OFFERED SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN.
FIRST, THOUGH, THEY WERE ALL VERY EXCITED TO FINISH THEIR FALL MCAP TESTING.
[LAUGHTER] THE WILDCATS ALSO HELD A SPIRIT WEEK IN WHICH ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN.
THE STAFF IS VERY PROUD OF THE AMOUNT OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN MORE THAN 20 CLUBS OFFER AFTER SCHOOL.
THEY'RE EXCITED TO SEE A LOT OF THEIR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
LASTLY, THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM HAS BEGUN AT LOCKERMAN, AND SPECIAL THANKS TO CAROLINE COUNTY PARKS AND REC FOR HELPING PUT THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER.
GOING INTO NOVEMBER, THE WILDCATS LOOK FORWARD TO FOCUSING ON BEING THANKFUL AND SHOWING KINDNESS.
MOVING BACK TO RIDGELY AND NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL, THE BULLDOGS, LAST MONTH, HELD A SPIRIT WEEK IN WHICH GOT A LOT OF PARTICIPATION FROM BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF.
THE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS WERE VERY BUSY LAST WEEK AS IT WAS MARYLAND COLLEGE APPLICATION WEEK IN WHICH A LOT OF SENIORS WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS TO COLLEGES THEY WANT TO GO NEXT FALL.
IN NOVEMBER, THE BULLDOGS ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A LOT.
TONIGHT, THE LADY BULLDOG SOCCER TEAM IS PLAYING AT THE RIDGE FOR THE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST PARKSIDE.
ON NOVEMBER 4TH, THE LADY BULLDOG VOLLEYBALL TEAM WILL BE HOSTING Y HIGH AS THEY LOOK TO ADVANCE TO ROUND 2 OF PLAYOFFS.
NOVEMBER 9TH IS WINTER SPORTS ORIENTATION.
ON NOVEMBER 10TH, THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY WILL BE HOLDING ITS INDUCTION CEREMONY FOR THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF OUR CHAPTER, WHICH I PASSED OUT THE INVITATION TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
ON NOVEMBER 18TH, THERE IS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY FOR TEACHERS, AND DURING NOVEMBER 24TH-26TH, NO SCHOOL AS IT IS THANKSGIVING BREAK.
>> CAN I ASK YOU A REAL QUICK QUESTION?
>> WERE THEY ABLE TO PLAY THE SOCCER GAME TODAY?
>> I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO GO TO IT, YEAH.
I THINK THEY PLAYED THROUGH THE RAIN.
I'M NOT TOO SURE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SCORE IS OR ANYTHING.
>> [OVERLAPPING] CANCELLATION, AND I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING RIGHT NOW TO SEE IF ANY [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT THE SCORE WAS ON [INAUDIBLE].
IT STARTS AT 5:30, SO THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SCORE BY NOW.
>> WE'LL HAVE TO GET AN UPDATE. [LAUGHTER] LET US KNOW. WE GOT TO ROOT FOR THEM.
>> [LAUGHTER] LASTLY, CCTC HAS BEEN VERY BUSY AS WELL THIS MONTH.
VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND CAREER TECHNICAL SKILLS
[00:55:03]
ORGANIZATIONS HELD SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISERS FOR THEIR CLUBS, RESPECTIVELY.SHOUT-OUT TO MS. CALLAHAN'S CLASSES, OUR AGRICULTURE STUDENTS HAD FUN AND LEARNED WHILE WORKING WITH PUMPKINS THIS PAST WEEK.
UPCOMING FOR CCTC, STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS AND WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING THEIR TECHNICAL SKILL ATTAINMENT AND RECOGNIZE INDUSTRY CREDENTIALS.
IT'S BEEN A VERY BUSY MONTH FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH I REPORT FOR.
ALL SCHOOLS HAVE A LOT DURING THIS UPCOMING MONTH OR ARE EXCITED TO DO THOSE ACTIVITIES IN NOVEMBER. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING?
>> STUDENT REPS, WHILE YOU'RE HERE LIVE, ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO THROW OUT THERE THAT'S NOT SCRIPTED? I'M GIVING YOU A CHANCE.
THEY DIDN'T TAKE IT. MOVING ON, WE HAVE OUR FINANCE REPORT AND MS. THORNTON.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE FINANCE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING OCTOBER 31ST.
NOW THAT IT'S EASIER TO READ THIS REPORT, [LAUGHTER] IT'S ALSO EASIER TO NOTICE THAT THERE ARE OVERAGES IN A FEW OF THE LINE ITEMS. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THESE OVERAGES.
FIRST, A COUPLE OF THEM RELATE TO AREAS WHERE THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE REALIGNED AND CLEANED UP TO ACCOUNT FOR DECISIONS AND CHANGES THAT WERE MADE AFTER THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED.
WE PLAN TO ADDRESS THIS AS WE DEVELOP THE FY23 BUDGET, WHICH ACTUALLY STARTS NEXT WEEK.
ANOTHER REASON FOR SOME OF THESE OVERAGES ARE UNEXPECTED EMERGENCIES AND NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE BALANCES IN OTHER LINE ITEMS TO COVER THESE OVERAGES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE SALARIES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES ARE OVERSPENT, BUT THE SALARIES IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL LINE ITEM, THERE'S PLENTY OF MONEY THERE TO COVER THE OVERAGES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES.
WE ARE FOUR MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR, AND WE'VE SPENT OR ENCUMBERED APPROXIMATELY 73 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET, SO WE ARE ON TRACK WITH WHERE WE SHOULD BE WITH SPENDING FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ARE IN GREAT SHAPE FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT, AND THERE ARE NO ISSUES THAT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF AT THIS TIME.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> I STILL APPRECIATE YOUR FORMAT.
>> OH, THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE MOVING INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
[3. Consent Agenda]
THERE ARE THREE ITEMS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA.PERSONNEL, [NOISE] AND THEN THE APPROVAL OF OUR OCTOBER 4TH AND OCTOBER 19TH MINUTES.
WE HAVE MS. YAKIS WITH US TONIGHT WHO WILL GO OVER PERSONNEL.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
I'M HERE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE PERSONNEL AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND CONSENT.
WE HAVE HAD ONE LEAVE OF ABSENCE REQUEST AND ONE RESIGNATION FOR THIS MONTH.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE IT.
>> APPROVE THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> A MOTION BY MS. DIGIACOMO, SECOND BY MR. BARTON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANYTHING ELSE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> SHORT AND SWEET. THANK YOU.
>> NOTHING ON RECOGNITIONS LIST TODAY, BUT WE DID HEAR ABOUT SOME THINGS THROUGH THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
[5. Citizens/Public Comments]
I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS.>> MR. NEWCOMB, AS RACHEL'S GETTING PREPARED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, THERE IS AN UPDATE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE GAME IS TIED, 3-3, [LAUGHTER] WITH ABOUT 15 MINUTES LEFT.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO READ THE PROCEDURE HERE REAL QUICK.
THEN WE HAVE TWO FOLKS IN-PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, AND THEN I HAVE TWO THAT WE RECEIVED BY EMAIL THAT I WILL READ.
THE MEMBERS OF CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DESIRE TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND HAVE THE ADVICE OF INTERESTED CITIZENS.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION IS HELD AT EACH BOARD MEETING FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES ARE TO BE FOLLOWED DURING THIS TIME.
THERE IS A FIVE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR EACH PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED BY EMAIL OR EACH SPEAKER.
SPECIFIC AND PERSONAL REFERENCES TO STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, OR OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
SHOULD SOMEONE WISH TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD ABOUT A SPECIFIC PERSON OR STUDENT,
[01:00:01]
THEY MAY DO SO IN WRITING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD.RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS ARE NOT PERMITTED.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION OF THE MATTER BEING BROUGHT TO IT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF APPROPRIATE, THE BOARD MAY DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PROVIDE A RESPONSE FOLLOWING THE MEETING.
WITH THAT, I WILL GRAB OUR FIRST IN-PERSON.
>> GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS.
FORGIVE ME FOR NOT IDENTIFYING YOU INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE I'M NOT ACCUSTOMED TO DOING [LAUGHTER] THESE THINGS SO FORGIVE ME.
I AM A SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT IN CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
MY CERTIFICATIONS ARE MY CONTINUED EDUCATION FOR THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS, LIFE ITSELF, AND MY TEN PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE UNDER MANY OF CAROLINE COUNTIES, FINEST SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
SUCH AS SUE MORRIS, RACHEAL ROY, KELLY MARTIAL, AND RAFF WICKLIFF.
WHAT I LACK IN INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, I FEEL LIKE MORE THAN MAKEUP FOR IN LOVE, COMPASSION, EMPATHY, DEDICATION, AND THE REWARDING EFFORT OF A JOB WELL DONE FOR THE STUDENTS WITH WHICH I WORK WITH REPRESENT AND ADVOCATE.
I COME TO YOU PERSONALLY THIS EVENING BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SEE MY FACE AND HEAR THE EMOTION AND PASSION IN MY VOICE, FOR MY JOB, AND FOR THOSE WITH WHOM I WORK.
I HAVE TREMENDOUS ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR THE TEACHERS I WORK WITH DIRECTLY.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE WITH WHOM I WORK ARE HIGHLY DEDICATED AND COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS.
DAILY WE MODIFY WORK, HELP OUR STUDENTS NAVIGATE THEIR VOYAGE INTO SOCIALIZATION.
READ, READ AGAIN, EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN AGAIN, AND SCRIBE.
WITH SOME OF US, THESE JOBS ALSO INCLUDE DATA COLLECTION, BATH ROOMING, CLEANING, MONITORING, AND MODIFYING BEHAVIORS, REDIRECTING, FEEDING, AND KEEPING THE CHILDREN SAFE.
WITH THAT, WE HAVE ALSO HAD TO BECOME KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH COMPUTERS AS MUCH OF THE CLASSWORK IS NOW ONLINE.
WE ALSO WORK WITH VARIOUS THERAPISTS TO ASSIST WITH SPEECH, VISION, OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS.
WITH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF, WE ARE ALSO A LISTENING EAR, A FRIEND TO JOKE WITH, AND A SAFE HARBOR IN WHICH THEY CAN RIDE OUT THEIR CURRENT STORM NO MATTER HOW SEVERE.
THE DAYS OF ONE'S PAYCHECK REFLECTING ONE'S EFFORT AND EFFICACY IN THEIR JOB, HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE NEED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS PAID EQUALLY.
WE MUST TRULY LOVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR CO-WORKERS FOR THE PAY THAT WE RECEIVE IS SUBSTANDARD.
I TELL EVERYONE I WORKED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, BY THE TIME MY PAYCHECK REACHES MY BANK, I HAVE PAID MY TAXES, I PAID FOR MY HEALTH AND DENTAL INSURANCE FROM A FAMILY OF FOUR, AND MY PENSION.
I COME HOME MONTHLY WITH JUST ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY FOR GROCERIES AND NECESSITIES FOR THE MONTH, MAYBE.
TO BE FAIR, THE ABOVE SUM DOES NOT INCLUDE THE LIFE INSURANCE PAYMENTS TAKEN OUT FOR MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF.
MY TAKE-HOME PAY IS ACTUALLY MUCH LESS.
ALLOWING US TO WORK AND RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES A DAY WOULD HELP TREMENDOUSLY TO THOSE OF US WHO PURCHASE INSURANCE THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, WE ARE ALREADY WORKING THOSE 15 MINUTES.
WE COULD BE ARRIVING EARLY TO ASSIST CHILDREN OFF THE BUS.
IT COULD BE WHEN WE TAKE IT UPON OURSELVES TO VOLUNTARILY SURRENDER SOME OF OUR LUNCH TO ENSURE THE STUDENT'S NEEDS ARE MET SO THAT THE CLASSROOM CONTINUOUSLY RUNS SMOOTHLY.
SOME STAY AFTER TO ASSIST WITH ORGANIZING AND CLEAN IN THE CLASSROOM OR PREPARING FOR THE NEXT DAY'S LESSONS.
I LISTENED TO THE EMAILS THAT WERE READ TO THE [INAUDIBLE] BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU AS A GROUP, YOU STATED THAT YOU WOULD LOOK INTO THIS AND TAKE US SERIOUSLY.
I'M ALSO GRATEFUL THAT MANY, IF NOT ALL OF YOU TOURED THE SCHOOLS, BUT THESE VISITS ARE STRUCTURED AND FEEL.
A QUICK PUSHED THROUGH THE HALLWAYS WITH A BUILDING ESCORT, OCCASIONALLY STOPPING IN A ROOM TO EXCHANGE PLEASANTRIES AND YOU THEN WHISK OFF.
IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE MANY OF YOU HAVE STEPPED INTO A SCHOOL FOR AN INFORMAL VISIT.
HAVE ANY OF YOU SHADOWED ANY SPECIAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS WORKING IN GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS?
[01:05:05]
HAVE ANY OF YOU SPENT TIME INSIDE A SELF-CONTAINED OR INTENSIVE SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM? MANY OF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THE CLASSROOM IS LOCATED, LET ALONE WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THAT DOOR.OUR CHILDREN GIVE 100 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY CAN GIVE ON ANY GIVEN DAY.
YOU CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT WITH ANY OTHER CLASS FROM THE COUNTY.
WHEN READING A RECIPE, IT SEEMS QUITE EASY TO EXECUTE UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT THOSE STEPS.
IT'S JUST AS EASY FOR ME TO STAND HERE AND TELL YOU WHAT WE DO DAILY.
HOWEVER, YOU TRULY DO NOT KNOW.
WE ALL KNOW THAT AS OUR LIFE GOES ON AT [INAUDIBLE] THE MEMORY SPEED.
SUCH AS HAPPENED TO MANY OF THE ONE'S TEACHERS WHO HAVE CLIMBED THE EDUCATIONAL LADDER.
FORGOTTEN THE LONG DAYS AND MAKING SURE YOUR STUDENTS TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT.
FOLLOWING ADAPTATIONS IN THEIR IEP, MODIFYING WORK FOR THE IA TO PRESENT TO THE STUDENTS, REDIRECTING WHEN BEHAVIORS ARISE, ETC.
I INVITE YOU TO SPEND THE DAY WITH ANY OR ALL OF US, YOU WILL THEN UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO WORK HARD.
WE DO LOVE OUR KIDS, AND WE DO DESERVE A FAIR PAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> GOOD EVENING. HI, DR. SIMMONS.
[INAUDIBLE] MR. DIGIACOMO, MR. BARTON MS. WAYMAN, AND MR. JONES.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO LET ME SPEAK WITH YOU.
I AM AN INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT, AND HAVE BEEN FOR 11 YEARS MOST OF MY TIME BEING SPENT AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT WAGES AND BENEFITS TO BE INCREASED.
WITH THE CURRENT RATE OF INFLATION AS IT IS AND OUR RATE OF PAY NOT GOING UP, MANY OF OUR IAS HAVE HAD TO WORK TWO, SOMETIMES THREE JOBS JUST TO TRY AND MAKE ENDS MEET.
SOME OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT AND HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THESE JOBS THAT WE LOVE SO DEARLY JUST TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND TRY TO MAKE MORE MONEY.
I KNOW THAT OUR UNION HAS NEGOTIATED A RAISE FOR US IN THE LAST CONTRACT AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
SADLY, WHEN THE BASE PAY IS AS LOW AS OURS IS, THERE'S SMALL PERCENTAGE INCREASES DON'T REALLY MAKE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE.
WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ABLE TO GET HEALTH INSURANCE THE SAME AS THE TEACHER STILL.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ONLY NEED TO WORK AN ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES A DAY IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND GET THAT INCREDIBLE BENEFIT.
PERSONALLY, AND I'M TOLD MOST IAS FREQUENTLY WORK THOSE EXTRA MINUTES ANYWAY WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
OUR JOBS DON'T STOP AT PROVIDING ACCOMMODATIONS TO SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.
WE DON'T GET PLANNING TIME YET WE HAVE TO FIND THE TIME TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR TEACHERS ON LESSON PLANS.
WE'RE EXPECTED TO HELP UPHOLD THE SCHOOL RULES AND EXPECTATIONS JUST THE SAME AS TEACHERS.
WE'RE FREQUENTLY, [NOISE] EXCUSE ME, CONFIDENCE AND WE HELP STUDENTS WHO HAVE SOME PROBLEM OR ANOTHER FIND THE RIGHT PERSON TO SPEAK TO.
WE'RE SOUNDING BOARDS, WERE SHOULDERS TO CRY ON, OR CHEERLEADERS FOR THE STUDENTS AS THEY NAVIGATE THEIR SCHOOL YEARS.
I REMEMBER ONE YOUNG LADY I WORKED WITH A FEW YEARS AGO, HAD TO HAVE AN F-SCORE THE ENTIRE TIME SHE WAS AT SCHOOL.
I CAME IN EARLY, MET HER AT THE BUS EVERY MORNING.
ONE DAY SHE GOT OFF THE BUS AND SHE RUSHED UP TO ME AND SHE WAS SOBBING.
SHE LOOKED UP AT ME AND SHE SAID, MRS. BLEDSOE, THERE'S NOBODY IN THIS WORLD WHO LOVES ME. MY HEART BROKE.
I CAN NEVER FORGET IT AND YOU CAN'T COMPENSATE ME FOR THAT.
HOWEVER, WHAT YOU CAN DO IS PAY OUR AIS ENOUGH THAT WHEN WE HAVE A DAY LIKE THAT AND WE GO HOME, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE OR PAY THE ELECTRIC BILL.
OUR COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST PAY RATES FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS IN THE COUNTRY AND THAT NEEDS TO BE RECTIFIED.
I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE MAKE AND COME UP WITH A BUDGET THAT YOU COULD LIVE WITH? I DON'T THINK YOU CAN. WE DON'T WANT TO RELY ON STATE ASSISTANCE,
[01:10:05]
BUT ALL TOO FREQUENTLY WE HAVE TO DO THAT OR TO DO WITHOUT.WE NO LONGER WANT TO FEEL LIKE WE AREN'T WORTHY OF A LIVING WAGE.
WE WANT TO TAKE PRIDE IN OUR JOBS AND WE DO.
WE WANT TO BE THE TEAM THAT CAROLINE COUNTY PROFESSORS THAT WE ARE.
BUT BEING HELD IN SUCH LOW REGARD FINANCIALLY REALLY DOES NOTHING TO MAKE US FEEL PART OF ANY TEAM.
WE ALL STAND TOGETHER TO BE HEARD.
WE'RE PEOPLE TOO, AND WE WORK HARD FOR THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THIS COUNTY.
WE DESERVE TO BE VALUED FOR WHAT WE DO.
AS MINIMUM WAGE RISES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND OUR WAGES DON'T, OUR JOBS ARE DEVALUED.
WE DON'T WANT TO FEEL DEVALUED.
PLEASE CONSIDER HOW ESSENTIAL AND VALUABLE WE ARE AND THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO INCREASE OUR WAGES AND BENEFITS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
>> THANK YOU. MS. BARRY SAID WE HAD TO LIVE AND TWO ONLINE.
>> I HAVE TWO [INAUDIBLE] AHEAD OF TIME THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR FOLDERS AS WELL.
>> IT SAYS, DEAR CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU OF HOW ESSENTIAL OUR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT AND EL ASSISTANTS ARE TO OUR STUDENTS' SUCCESS.
THESE TEACHERS WORK CLOSELY WITH A GROUP OF STUDENTS WITH MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS, YET MANAGE TO HELP EACH ONE BE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL.
THEY ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS THEY WORK WITH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CREATE A SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
THIS REQUIRES THE CONTINUITY OF ASSISTANCE IN OUR CLASSROOMS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT CONTINUITY, THEY DESERVE A DECENT LIVING WAGE AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BENEFITS.
SOME OF THESE ASSISTANTS WORK MORE THAN ONE JOB IN ADDITION TO WORKING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
OBVIOUSLY, THE COUNTY SEES A NEED FOR THESE POSITIONS SINCE THEY HIRED THEM.
I AM SIMPLY ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER THEIR NEEDS AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS' NEEDS.
WE ALL WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SINCERELY, LISA GAEL, SHE'S A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, I BELIEVE, AT NORTH CAROLINE SCHOOL.
[NOISE] THE SECOND ONE IS FROM AMY ANDERSON SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
"GOOD EVENING, DR. SIMMONS, ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL ATTENDEES TO THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.
MY NAME IS AMY ANDERSON AND I'M SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF NEED A HAND UP.
HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY, WE OFTEN REFER TO OURSELVES AS A FAMILY.
JUST AS IN A FAMILY, THE PARENTS WORRY ABOUT AND DO EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO HELP A FAMILY MEMBER IN NEED.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR ESP STAFF AND THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION.
I REGULARLY HEAR SUPPORT STAFF TALK ABOUT HOW THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE ONLY THIS JOB.
THEY DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.
THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS A CHASM BETWEEN THE WAGES THAT THEY MAKE IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS ACROSS THE NATION AND WHAT OTHERS MAKE WORKING FOR ANOTHER TYPE OF BUSINESS SUCH AS FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, DEPARTMENT STORES, CONVENIENCE STORES AND THE LIKE.
THEY REALIZE THIS, BUT THEY CHOOSE TO STAY BECAUSE THEY LOVE WHAT THEY DO.
WE AS THE COUNTY MUST STRIVE TO PAY THEM A LIVABLE WAGE AND IN DOING SO, DEMONSTRATE HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THEM AND THEIR MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS EVERY DAY TO OUR STUDENTS.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF NEED A HAND UP.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING VARIOUS MONIES FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS TO HELP WITH ISSUES SUCH AS MAINTAINING THE ONE-TO-ONE RATIO OF TECHNOLOGY TO STUDENTS TO BEGIN TO PAY A STARTING TEACHER A SALARY OF $60,000 TO AID IN THE PURCHASE OF COVID SUPPLIES AND MUCH MORE.
I REALIZED THE COUNTIES DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SPENDING THESE MONIES ON VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS SUCH AS UPDATING THE HVAC NEEDS IN DIFFERENT BUILDINGS OR PUTTING ON A NEW ROOF AT A NEEDY SCHOOL, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN A FUNCTIONING SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT MUCH OF THIS MONEY IS EARMARKED FOR CERTAIN THINGS AND THAT IS NON NEGOTIABLE.
I ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN A PRESSING ISSUE ARISES, COUNTIES HAVE LEARNED TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS AND FIND THE MONEY SOMEWHERE.
I CONSIDER THIS SITUATION THAT MOST ESP ARE FACING TO BE A PRESSING ISSUE.
THEY ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY RECEIVE ONE PERCENT MORE THAN WHAT THE TEACHERS MAKE EACH YEAR.
BUT WITH THE RISING COSTS OF LIVING, THIS INCREASE IS OFTEN EATEN UP BY INCREASED COSTS.
THEY CAN'T AND SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEIR CONTRACT TO OPEN UP IN 2024 OR 2025.
THEY NEED OUR HELP NOW TO SEE A MARKED INCREASE IN THEIR WAGES SO THAT THEY CAN EARN ENOUGH TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE, AS WELL AS HAVE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYER.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF NEED A HAND UP.
WE ARE IN THE MINORITY IN THAT WE ARE
[01:15:03]
A SMALL ENOUGH SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER PERSONALLY.IT IS A PLEASANTLY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS VISIT SCHOOLS AND TALK ON A FIRST-NAME BASIS WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE ABLE TO ENJOY TOGETHER WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A UNITED ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TOGETHER TO EDUCATE OUR YOUTH AND IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE.
ALL THE MORE REASON THAT WE MUST MAKE THIS A PERSONAL ISSUE.
THESE STAFF MEMBERS HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME ENJOYING THE FEELING OF BEING VALUED WHEN THEY HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR FRUGAL WAY OF LIFE.
THE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF NEED A HAND UP, NOT A HANDOUT.
THEY ARE NECESSARY FOR US AS TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO DO OUR JOBS.
THEY DESERVE THESE WAGE INCREASES.
IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE SMILING BUS DRIVERS WHO DELIVER OUR CHARGES TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFETY, THE SECRETARIES THAT KEEP EVERYTHING RUNNING SMOOTHLY NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL, AND THE CAFETERIA STAFF WHO ARE CHALLENGED TO COME UP WITH NUTRITIONAL FOOD CHOICES THAT ALSO APPEAL TO THE PALETTE OF YOUNG PEOPLE, THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE AND TUTORS WHO OFFER INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXTRA NEEDS OR THE CUSTODIANS WHO TIRELESSLY WORK TO KEEP US HEALTHY AND CLEAN.
WE COULDN'T PERFORM THE DUTIES THAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE.
LET'S DO WHAT WE CAN NOW TO ACCELERATE THIS PROCESS AND SHOWCASE ALL OF THE INTEGRAL JOBS THAT THESE PEOPLE DO SELFLESSLY TO ENSURE THAT OUR COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM RUNS SMOOTHLY.
IT BEARS REPEATING, WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THEM.
PLEASE CONSIDER GOING OUT OF YOUR COLLECTIVE WAY TO SHOW THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE HOW MUCH WE CARE FOR THEM AND WANT TO SEE THEM NOT STRUGGLE TO LIVE A HAPPY LIFE AND THE EMPLOYEE OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
LET'S DO THIS THE CAROLINE COUNTY FAMILY WAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AMY ANDERSON, A TEACHER AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH.
>> NOW, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY THAT WROTE WHO CAME IN, APPRECIATE, AND WE DO HEAR YOU, AND WE DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> I'D LIKE TO PIGGY BACK JUST A LITTLE ON THAT.
IT'S PRETTY WELL TIMED BECAUSE BUDGET SEASON IS SOON TO HAPPEN AND I HOPE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS BOARD DID NOT MAKE THE CHOICES ON WHERE THE EMPHASIS WAS PLACED IN THIS BUDGET, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THIS IS AN EASY THING TO FIX.
WE'LL SEE, BUT WE HEAR IT LOUD AND CLEAR.
POINTS ARE WELL-MADE, WE UNDERSTAND, AND WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN TO WORK ON THAT.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED OVERNIGHT.
IT DOESN'T GET FIXED OVERNIGHT EITHER.
THEY'RE VALUED AND WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO SHOW THEM THAT.
>> WE'LL LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING RESPECTFUL AND POINTING OUT A LOT OF GOOD POINTS.
BY THE WAY, I THINK THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT POINT MAYBE ONE OR TWO OF US CAN GO AND ACTUALLY SHADOW THEM AT SOME POINT.
MOVING ON TO INDIVIDUAL AUCTION ITEMS,
[6. Individual Action Items]
WE HAVE WONDERFUL AUDIT TO REVIEW TONIGHT AND ACT ON, IT'S A VERY EXCITING READING.>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT [INAUDIBLE], MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
I COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE FY 2021 AUDIT REPORTS.
FOR MOST OF YOU, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME LOOKING AT THESE REPORTS, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND, THIS IS A LENGTHY PROCESS GENERATING THESE REPORTS.
IT STARTS IN MAY WHEN OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS COME ON SITE AND SPEND A WEEK WITH US DOING PRELIMINARY FIELDWORK, AND IT DOESN'T CONCLUDE UNTIL THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER.
I COUNTED UP TODAY AND THEY WERE ONSITE 15 DAYS, SO WE HAVE A TEAM OF ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO THREE AUDITORS ONSITE FOR 15 DAYS OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT GO INTO THIS WHEN THEY ARE OFF-SITE, EMAILS GOING BACK AND FORTH, PHONE CALLS, THAT SORT OF THING.
WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO SUBMIT THESE REPORTS TO MSD BY SEPTEMBER 30TH, AND THIS IS A HARD DEADLINE.
I HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN WRITING, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT IF WE DON'T MEET THIS DEADLINE, THEY CAN WITHHOLD FUNDING FROM US, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL.
>> CONFIRMED, I DON'T WANT TO FIND OUT.
[01:20:02]
[LAUGHTER] JUST TO BRIEFLY TOUCH ON HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR'S AUDIT, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD A CLEAN AUDIT WITHOUT ANY FINDINGS.>> KAREN, IF YOU CAN, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS A GOOD ONLINE AND FOR OUR NEWER BOARD MEMBERS, WE WERE GIVEN ONE VERY THICK ATTACHMENT TO REVIEW.
>> ONE A LITTLE THICKER ATTACHMENT.
USUALLY, THERE'S A COVER LETTER THAT I WOULD TYPICALLY, I'M TRYING TO FIND THIS COVER LETTER, AND VERY SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS USUALLY PRIORITIZED IN THAT COVER LETTER.
>> THE MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANNOUNCEMENT [OVERLAPPING].
>> WHAT YOU JUST SAID WAS THAT THERE WERE NO NEGATIVE FINDINGS.
>> MR. HALL, WHEN I INTRODUCE HIM, HE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH WHERE YOU CAN FIND.
>> MR. HALL JUST WALKED IN AND I DIDN'T SEE HIM WITH YOU.
>> HE IS HERE TO WALK YOU THROUGH AND ANSWER THOSE TECHNICAL QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, I'M JUST GIVING YOU A BRIEF INTRO.
THANK YOU. THE SECOND HIGHLIGHT THAT I WANTED TO MENTION, LIKE I SAID, BOTH THERE WAS CLEAN AUDIT WITHOUT ANY FINDINGS AND SECONDLY, BOTH THE GENERAL FUND AND FOOD SERVICES FUND ENDED THE YEAR IN THE BLACK.
THE GENERAL FUND ENDED THE YEAR WITH A BALANCE OF 1.25 MILLION AND THIS IS A RATHER LARGE BALANCE.
WE DON'T TYPICALLY END THE YEAR WITH THAT MUCH MONEY.
NORMALLY, IT'S CLOSER TO ZERO.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THIS YEAR, FY21, WE WERE VERY CONSERVATIVE DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY MSD ISSUE GRANT AWARDS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WITH A DISCLAIMER SAYING, THIS MONEY IS NOT SET IN STONE.
ANYWAY, WE WERE VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH SPENDING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND ALSO WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LOTS OF GRANT MONEY THAT CAME IN FROM THE PANDEMIC, THAT SORT OF THING.
ALSO, FOOD SERVICES GENERATED A PROFIT OF OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, THAT IS SUBSTANTIAL.
KUDOS TO BETH BREWSTER AND HER TEAM.
I TALKED TO HER RECENTLY AND SHE MENTIONED THAT LAST SCHOOL YEAR SHE HAD THE HIGHEST PARTICIPATION RATES FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH IN THE STATE.
>> DINNER. STATEWIDE, AND THAT'S HOW SHE WAS ABLE TO GENERATE A PROFIT OF OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
IT ALSO HELPED THAT THE FEDS INCREASED THEIR REIMBURSEMENT RATES AND ANY STUDENT COULD PARTICIPATE AND GET A FREE MEAL.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. CHRIS HALL, WHO IS A MEMBER WITH OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITING FIRM, TGM GROUP.
HE'S GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE REPORTS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> GOOD EVENING. [INAUDIBLE] DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF WALKING YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND NUMBERS.
I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO REITERATE A LOT OF THINGS THAT SHE'S ALREADY MENTIONED, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH, SHE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE TIME COMMITMENT WHEN WE START THIS PROCESS.
I THOUGHT I WOULD TALK BEFORE WE GET INTO THE REPORT JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT TAKES UP THOSE HOURS. WHAT ARE WE DOING? I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A FEW NEW BOARD MEMBERS, SO WHAT'S AN AUDIT? WHAT DO WE DO? WHEN WE COME OUT IN MAY WE START WITH DOLLAR PROCESS.
THERE'S A LOT OF PLANNING AND RISK ASSESSMENT WE DO THEN.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN LAYMAN'S TERMS? WE COME OUT AND DOCUMENT YOUR FINANCIAL REPORTING SYSTEM.
WE WANT TO KNOW HOW THE CASH RECEIPTS FLOW THROUGH THE ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND MAKE IT TO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT, HOW YOUR CASH DISBURSEMENT PROCESS WORKS, HOW YOUR PAYROLL SYSTEM WORKS, AND WHAT ARE THE CONTROLS MORE IMPORTANTLY AROUND THAT.
WHO'S APPROVING THAT, WHAT WAS THE PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S PROPER APPROVALS AND SIGNATURES.
WE DO A LOT OF INTERVIEWS WITH PERSONNEL, BOTH WITHIN FINANCE AND BOTH OUTSIDE OF FINANCE. WE COME AND LOOK.
I HEARD MR. JORDAN MENTIONED YOUR GRANTS, YOU GET A LOT OF GRANT MONEY.
WE TALKED TO YOUR GRANT ADMINISTRATORS IN MAY WE ALSO COME OUT AND START DOING A LOT OF WHAT'S CALLED COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRES US TO DO CERTAIN THINGS ON YOUR MAJOR, LARGER DOLLAR FEDERAL PROGRAMS. WE HAVE TO TEST EXPENDITURES AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHAT'S CALLED THEIR COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS APPROPRIATELY.
WE DO A LOT OF THAT WORK IN MAY AND JUNE, BEFORE EVEN CLOSING OUT YOUR FISCAL YEAR END OF JUNE 30.
BECAUSE IT IS A TIGHT DEADLINE, IS SEPTEMBER 30 IS A HARD DEADLINE.
YES, OVER MY 30 YEARS, I'VE SEEN A FEW BOARDS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
I GET IT DONE ON TIME AND EXACTLY WHAT I HEARD YOU JUST SAY CAN HAPPEN.
[01:25:06]
THEY WILL WITHHOLD FEDERAL DOLLARS SO IT'S IN STATE FUNDING, SO IT'S A HARD DEADLINE.I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BOARD IN PARTICULAR MEET THAT, SO KUDOS TO THE ENTIRE GROUP.
WE COME BACK END JULY, AND ALL YOUR SCHOOLS HAVE MONEY THEY GO THROUGH, THEY SPEND MONEY, THEY RECEIVE MONEY.
WE TEST THOSE DISBURSEMENTS AT YOUR SCHOOL ALSO, WE TAKE A SAMPLE OF WHETHER IT'S FUNDRAISERS OR TEXTBOOKS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESSES ARE WORKING OUT THERE, THAT THE BOOKKEEPERS DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THAT PRINCIPLE IS GIVEN PROPER APPROVAL THAT THE PROCESSES ARE WORKING AS INDICATED AND DIRECTED BY THE BOARD.
THE MANUALS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THAT PROCESS IS BEING FOLLOWED.
WE DO A LOT OF THAT WORK IN JULY.
ONCE THE BOOKS AND RECORDS, ONCE YOUR GENERAL FUND AND FOOD SERVICE ARE CLOSED OUT, WE COME BACK AGAIN USUALLY HERE MID AUGUST.
I THINK THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT, AND WE SEND HER TO TALK ABOUT THE TIME THAT WE SPEND OUT HERE BOTH ONSITE AS WELL BACK IN THE OFFICE, SO WE TEST YOUR GENERAL FUND.
WE SEND A LOT OF CONFORMATIONS FOR GRANTS TO MAKE SURE THE MONEY WE SAY WE RECEIVE, WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE, WE SEND CONFIRMATIONS TO BANK ACCOUNTS, TO BANKS.
WE TEST TRANSACTIONS TO MAKE SURE, AGAIN, SIGNATURES APPROVALS.
WE DO A LOT OF THAT WORK IN AUGUST.
ALL TO MEET THAT SEPTEMBER 30 DEADLINE, AND THESE ARE THESE REPORTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING TONIGHT.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS.
BUT I JUST THOUGHT OUT BEFORE WE GET INTO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND ON WHAT WE DO AND WHAT AN AUDIT IS.
ALL OF THAT LEADS TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT.
WHAT I SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE, WHICH TO ME IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR YOU BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S WHAT WE'RE ENGAGED TO DO.
WE'RE ENGAGED TO AUDIT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THEY ARE YOUR FINANCIALS AND YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM, AND WE'RE ENGAGED TO RENDER AN OPINION ON THAT.
IF YOU SCROLL DOWN ONE MORE PAGE, UNDER OPINION RIGHT THERE, YOU CAN SEE IT SAYS IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENTS FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS.
LAYMAN'S TERMS, I THINK I HEARD THAT YOU'RE CLEAN, UNMODIFIED OPINION.
IF THERE'S ONLY A COUPLE OTHER TYPE OF OPINIONS AND NONE OF THEM ARE GOOD AT DISCLAIMER OR AN ADVERSE, AND THE WORDS THEMSELVES DON'T SOUND VERY GOOD AND THEY'RE NOT.
THERE IS YOUR CLEAN, UNMODIFIED OPINION.
>> HAS SOMETHING CHANGED IN THE WORDING FROM YOUR FIRM AS FAR AS ARE IN THE GUIDANCE REGULATIONS ON HOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PRESENT THIS? I WAS ASKING AARON, ABOUT THIS.
I'M ONLY PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS OUTSIDE HERE, BUT OFTENTIMES AND SENIOR.
I'VE LOOKED AT NUMBERS MORE IN DEPTH SOME YEARS THAN OTHERS, BUT DO RELY ON THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING'S DIFFERENT, IS THAT MY IMAGINATION?
>> WELL, NOTHING'S REALLY DIFFERENT IF YOU COMPARE THIS YEAR TO LAST YEAR.
THIS ARE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORTS GO AND LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO THE LAST YEAR.
>> HOW ABOUT PRIOR TO LAST YEAR, YOU USED THE WORDS CLEAN AND WHAT'S THE WORD?
>> IT USED TO BE UNQUALIFIED OPINION, IT USED TO BE THE TERMINOLOGY VERSUS UNMODIFIED.
THAT CHANGED PROBABLY 3, 4 YEARS AGO, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
THE TERM UNQUALIFIED CHANGED TO UNMODIFIED, IS THE NEW TERMINOLOGY.
MOST PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ACCOUNTANTS ARE GOING TO STILL SAY, "WHAT DOES UNMODIFIED MEAN?" I TRY TO USE THE WORD CLEAN BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND.
THERE'S NO FINDINGS, NOTHING MATERIAL THAT'S MISSTATED.
IF WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS USED TO BE THE TERM WAS IT USED TO SAY AN UNQUALIFIED OPINION.
THAT WENT AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO TOO.
>> I SAID NOW IT'S UNMODIFIED OPINION.
>> THAT LAST SENTENCE WHERE IT SAYS, ENDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES GENERALLY ACCEPTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. [OVERLAPPING]
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S THE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW AS AUDITORS.
>> YES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF YOU CAN FOLLOW OUR INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IF IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS, SO TO SPEAK.
BUT YOU FOLLOW SOMETHING CALLED GATSBY, WHICH IS THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES AS THEY RELATE TO GOVERNMENTS.
WHETHER YOU'RE A SCHOOL BOARD, A TOWN, A CITY, A COUNTY, SO YOUR FINANCIALS ARE FOLLOWING THE SAME PRINCIPLES AS YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT HERE, FOR INSTANCE.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
[01:30:03]
THIS AUDIT REPORT PROBABLY USED TO BE ONE PAGE AND NOW IT'S THREE PAGES MORE.A LOT OF THAT IS NOT US, THAT'S OUR FOLKS AT WHAT I JUST MENTIONED, THE GATSBY WHO PUT OUT THE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS AND THE PRONOUNCEMENTS.
THIS IS THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW, BUT OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE CERTAINLY GOT A LOT LONGER.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. THE NEXT REPORT AFTER THAT, YOU ONLY SEE TWO REPORTS IN THIS FINANCIAL THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON OUR LETTERHEAD.
THE NEXT ONE IS RIGHT AFTER THAT.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT REPORT THERE, THAT'S ALL THE COMMUNICATION BUT I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH ON.
IF YOU JUST SCROLL DOWN A LITTLE BIT, THE NEXT REPORT, RIGHT THERE.
IT'S ANOTHER REPORT AND IT'S A REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING AND COMPLIANCE.
YOU RECEIVE A LOT OF GRANTS SO YOU'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS REPORT IN THERE.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO SUMMARIZE TWO OR THREE PAGES IN THERE, BUT YOU'LL SEE THE BULLET INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING.
THE KEY THERE IS YOU HAVE NO DEFICIENCIES IN INTERNAL CONTROL, SO THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES.
THAT'S AGAIN YOUR EQUIVALENT OF AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN REPORT AND THE SAME AS IT RELATES TO COMPLIANCE ON THE NEXT PAGE, IT SAYS COMPLIANCE AND OTHER MATTERS.
YOU'LL SEE RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT, THE RESULTS OF OUR TESTS DISCLOSE NO INSTANCES OF NON-COMPLIANCE OR OTHER MATTERS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED UNDER GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS.
THOSE TWO REPORTS ARE VITAL TO YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR.
YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE GETTING A CLEAN, UNMODIFIED OPINION AND THOSE ARE THE PARAGRAPHS THAT YOU WOULD GO TO VERIFY THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVING.
AFTER THAT IS THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS.
THAT CHANGED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT IF YOU GO BACK PREVIOUS TO THAT THIS WHOLE SECTION DIDN'T USED TO EXIST EITHER.
I DO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS, YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM, YOU'RE SUPERINTENDENT, YOU'RE COMPTROLLER, WRITE THIS.
WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO, IS TO GIVE SOMEONE THAT'S NOT AN ACCOUNTANT, DOESN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND DEBITS AND CREDITS, BUT HOPEFULLY THEY CAN COME HERE AND READ FIVE,10, HOWEVER MANY PAGES IT TAKES IN LAYMAN'S TERMS OF HEY, HERE'S WHAT THE FINANCIALS ARE, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE YEAR, WE CAN COMPARE CURRENT YEAR TO PRIOR YEAR, WE CAN COMPARE CURRENT YEAR TO BUDGET.
MS DONNA ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, HERE WE HAD A POSITIVE GENERAL FUND BALANCE, WE HAD A POSITIVE FOOD SERVICE FUND, WE'RE BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS, IT TALKS ABOUT CAPITAL ASSET IN HERE.
IT GIVES THE READER WHETHER IT'S A CITIZEN, A BOARD MEMBER OR ANYONE A CHANCE TO GO AND INSTEAD OF READING 66 PAGES AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND NUMBERS, THEY CAN COME HERE AND READ 5-10 PAGES AND HOPEFULLY GET A SNAPSHOT OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
[NOISE] THAT WE JUST WANT TO PUT NUMBERS TO WHAT MS DONNA HAS ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT ON PAGE 21.
WE TALKED ABOUT OUR INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE.
YOU'LL SEE OUR MAJOR FUNDS THERE.
WE HAVE A GENERAL FUND, AND WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.
OUR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUND IS SIMPLY THAT, THE MONIES THAT WE GET FROM BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES FLOW THROUGH THAT FUND.
IN OUR SCHOOL ACTIVITY FUNDS, WE ADD UP ALL THE MONEY THAT GOES THROUGH EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY'RE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THIS FUND.
IF YOU KEEP SCROLLING MAYBE ANOTHER PAGE OR TWO, ONE MORE PAGE.
YOU'LL SEE THAT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM LEFT-HAND CORNER, WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND OF 4.6 MILLION, WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 6.2 AND THAT 1.6 MILLION DOLLAR INCREASE.
I THINK I HEARD MS DONNA TALK ABOUT THAT WHILE I WAS WAITING IN THE HALLWAY.
OTHER FUND WILL BE ON PAGE 22 IF YOU JUST SCROLL ONE MORE PAGE, PAGE 22 AND 23, IS OUR FOOD SERVICE OPERATION, OUR OTHER MAJOR FUND AND ON PAGE 23, YOU CAN SEE THAT INCREASE THAT MS DONNA HAS ALSO MENTIONED IN OUR FOOD SERVICE FUND.
THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR WAS, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD YOU ALL THAT IT'S BEEN A CRAZY YEAR, BOTH OPERATIONALLY, FISCALLY, BUT THE FOOD SERVICE FUND HAD AN INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF THAT $1.3 MILLION, AS SHE MENTIONED EARLIER.
THERE'S A LOT OF FOOTNOTES IN HERE THAT START ON PAGE 27 AND UNLESS SOMEONE REALLY WANTS ME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, I'M GOING TO SKIP THEM.
[01:35:01]
BUT PAGE 27 TO PAGE 51, ARE FOOTNOTES, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL THEM IN ACCOUNTING TERMS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AGAIN, THE ACCOUNTING STANDARDS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.WE SHOW DETAIL FOR YOUR PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, CAPITAL LEASES, PENSIONS, AND OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION IN HERE THAT GETS VERY TECHNICAL FOR A LACK OF A BETTER TERM, BUT ALL REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD.
THE NEXT MOST IMPORTANT THING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU AS THE BOARD IS OUR BUDGET TO ACTUAL.
YOU'RE OPERATING A GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF PUSHING $90 MILLION AND THAT STARTS ON PAGE 53.
I THINK IT'S THE PAGE RIGHT AFTER THIS.
WHAT IT SHOWS IS OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET, OUR FINAL BUDGET, A LOT OF SCHOOL BOARDS IN MUNICIPALITIES, AMEND THEIR BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT.
THE PRACTICE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO DO IT AFTER THE FACT, BUT IF THERE WAS ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS DURING THE YEAR, THEY WILL BE REFLECTED BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND FINAL.
YOU CAN SEE ON PAGE 56 EXPENDITURE CONTROL IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE PROBABLY PRIORITIES OF A SCHOOL BOARD.
YOU SEE RIGHT THERE, MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, BIG CAPS TOTAL OF LOCAL AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS WE HAD BUDGETED 76 MILLION.
WE SPENT 74.4 MILLION, SO WE'VE UNDER BUDGET BY A MILLION AND A HALF IN OUR EXPENDITURES.
EXPENDITURE CONTROL IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
MOST OF THE TIMES YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE MUNICIPALITIES AND GOVERNMENTS OVERSPENDING THEIR BUDGET.
UNDER SPENDING IS MUCH BETTER.
>> WITH LOCAL LAW OR AT ALL LEVELS, IT SEEMS FEDERAL DOESN'T FOLLOW LIKE THAT.
>> YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT. [LAUGHTER]
>> SOMEHOW THEY CAN PRINT MONEY, I THINK SOMETIMES, RIGHT? LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY. THAT IS CORRECT.
I'M SKIPPING NOW PAGE 65 AND 66 TALK ABOUT, 65 IS A SUMMARY OF ALL OUR SCHOOLS.
YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL MONEY THAT WENT IN AND THE TOTAL MONEY THAT WENT OUT BY CATEGORY AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
YOU'LL SEE THAT IF YOU COMPARE IT, WE TALKED ABOUT COMPARING TO PRIOR YEARS, TYPICALLY OUR SCHOOLS TAKE IN AND SPEND A LOT MORE MONEY THAN THAT.
BUT THIS PAST YEAR WAS UNIQUE AS WE ALL KNOW.
A LOT OF ACTIVITIES DIDN'T AND COULDN'T HAPPEN SO IF YOU WANT TO COMPARE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES TO OUR SCHOOL, THIS WAS AN ABNORMAL YEAR.
NORMALLY THOSE MONIES ARE A LOT HIGHER IN WHAT I WOULD CALL A TYPICAL NON.
ANY QUESTIONS ON? I'M SURE THERE COULD BE A LOT.
>> THAT ONE SPOT THERE, IT SHOWS [NOISE] THERE WAS MONEY LEFTOVER WHICH IS A GOOD THING AND THAT THERE'S A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION UPON BALANCE.
IF YOU COMMENT ABOUT FUND BALANCE, WHAT LEVELS EXISTED AT THE CLOSEOUT AND WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ABOUT THE AMOUNT AND IF IT'S HEALTHY AND SO FORTH.
>> VARIOUS RULES OF THUMB ON FUND BALANCE.
IT'S DEFINITELY HEALTHY TO HAVE SOME.
[LAUGHTER] WHAT THE GFOA WILL RECOMMEND, WHEN GFOA I KNOW I'M THROWING OUT A BUNCH OF ACRONYMS. GOVERNMENTAL FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, THEY WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND 3-6 MONTHS OF EXPENDITURES. WE CAN DO THE MATH.
90 MILLION DOLLAR GENERAL FUND.
THAT'S WHAT ONE MONTH IS 7, 8 MILLION, SO WHILE IT SEEMS A BIG NUMBER ON THE SURFACE, THINGS SHUT DOWN, THAT FUND BALANCE GETS TO YOU.
>> WHERE ARE WE? WHAT'S OUR FUND BALANCE?
>> ARE INVOLVED BALANCE AND THE RECOMMENDATION THOUGH THEY'RE NOT HARD FAST WITHIN THE POLICY, BUT THE TARGET RANGE IS NO LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND NOT GREATER THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE FISCAL BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR TARGET RANGE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THIS PAST YEAR WAS ONE THOSE TIMES WHEN.
>> THIS PAST YEAR WAS CRAZY. [OVERLAPPING] EXACTLY
[01:40:01]
>> WHO KNOWS HOW IT'S GOING TO BE? WHO KNOWS WHAT [OVERLAPPING] SUPPORT WE'LL GET FROM THE FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT.
>> WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENED, EVERY GOVERNMENT THAT WE AUDIT AND WE AUDIT A LOT OF THEM ENDED UP VERY SIMILAR.
EVERYONE BUTTON DOWN THEIR HATCHES BECAUSE THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS COMING.
MOST ENDED UP WITH A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO FUND BALANCE AS THEY SHOULD.
NO ONE [LAUGHTER] KNEW WHAT THE NEXT DAY OR MONTH WAS GOING TO BRING AT THAT TIME.
[OVERLAPPING]. ABSOLUTELY, SO THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON BOTH AT THE SCHOOL BOARD LEVEL OR AT A COUNTY LEVEL OR A CITY OR TOWN LEVEL, IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE'VE SEEN UNIVERSALLY OVER THIS PAST YEAR.
>> AN AUDIT AND YOU'D THINK YOU SAID THAT EARLY ON THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT RISK ASSESSMENT LOOKING FOR SOFT SPOTS.
>> CLEARLY, GOOD WORK EVERYBODY.
GOOD WORK. BUT YOU LOOKED SO DEEPLY BUT YOU DIDN'T FIND THOSE THINGS.
>> GREAT WORK AT YOUR TEAM FOR SURE.
>> THE RISK ASSESSMENT IS IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THAT LINE TO PAY AUDITORS UNLESS YOU'RE DOING THIS FOR FREE.
>> IT WOULD SEEM TO ME, THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES WHERE IT'S REALLY TIGHT, I NEED YOU TO KEEP IT TIGHT.
THEN WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES, SO MANY MOVING PARTS, SO MANY PEOPLE HANDLING MONEY.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT SEPARATION OF DUTIES COULD BE ONE OF THOSE WEAK POINTS [OVERLAPPING]
>> POTENTIAL WEAK POINTS THERE.
>> WE FOCUS A LOT ON THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE HONESTLY THERE'S NOT A LOT OF.
>> CASH THAT GOES THROUGH THIS OFFICE.
>> CHECKS. ANY CASH IS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
I MEAN, THEY ARE DOING FUNDRAISERS, THEY GOT GATE RECEIPTS, THEY GOT TRIPS.
WE TEND TO FOCUS A LOT ON THAT.
>> SURE, BUT YOU SEE WHERE SOMEBODY IS COLLECTING SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S OVERSEEING IT.
>> I DON'T MEAN TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH.
>> IN COURT THEY'D SAY I'M LEADING THE WITNESS.
>> THE FINANCE TEAM HERE, AGAIN, MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE, BUT IF YOU LOOK BACK, I GOING TO GO WAY BACK.
IT USED TO BE A HOT TOPIC AND THEY'VE SET ASIDE THE RESOURCES HERE TO MONITOR THE FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AT THOSE SCHOOLS.
>> WHERE THE RISK IS. IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOB HERE OVER THE YEARS OF DOING THAT.
>> IT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU'VE SPENT PLENTY OF TIME THERE OR AT LEAST SOME EXTRA EFFORT LOOKING AT THAT BECAUSE AS I LOOK AT IT, IT'S IF THAT'S A PLACE WHERE SOMEBODY COULD DO SOMETHING WRONG AND MAYBE NOT EVEN ON PURPOSE.
>> SURE, [OVERLAPPING] AND WE ALL KNOW THINGS HAPPEN AT SCHOOLS.
PRINCIPLES, THEY'RE EDUCATORS.
I MEAN, I GET IT THEY'RE TRYING TO BALANCE EDUCATION AND FINANCE.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO THE SIGNATURE APPROVAL ON A LOT OF FINANCE EXPENDITURES.
IT'S A BALANCING ACT FOR THEM.
>> WELL, YOU SEE THE NEWS EVERY DAY, THAT SOMEPLACE OR SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT SYSTEM IN PLACE.
OR SOMEBODY, I DON'T MEAN, SCHOOL SYSTEMS NECESSARILY ANY ORGANIZATION WHERE THERE'S NOT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE MONITORING HOW MONEY IS SPENT.
THAT'S WHEN SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING WRONG.
>> SEGREGATION OF DUTIES IS A VERY BIG PART OF THE RISK ASSESSMENT.
>> PEOPLE DON'T LIKE IT EITHER.
I REMEMBER A MAN WHO WORKED FOR ME, HE WAS TOLD HE COULDN'T EMPTY THE SODA MACHINE AND COUNT THE MONEY.
HE COULDN'T FILL IT, [NOISE] HE COULDN'T BE THE ONLY PERSON DOING THAT.
HE WAS A POLICE OFFICER AND HE SAID, "I AM AUTHORIZED WITH ARREST POWERS AND DEADLY FORCE, BUT I CAN'T EMPTY THIS AUTO MACHINE? BUT I CAN SHOOT IT. " [LAUGHTER] THE OTHERS SAID, "YES."
>> WELL, I'LL JUST TO [INAUDIBLE] WHAT MR. BARTON BRINGING UP AND I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE AND YOU'VE SAID THERE'S BEEN SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND THE HANDLING OF CASH.
THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT THE ONLY PLACE WE REALLY HANDLE CASH.
YOU WORKED ON THAT, BUT I'LL JUST SAY TOO ON THE PARENT SIDE OF THINGS, AND WE'VE ALL SEEN IN HERE WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT, YOU HEAR OF INAPPROPRIATE THINGS HAPPENING.
IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. THE MORE YOU SQUEEZE, THE MORE YOU CONTROL, THE MORE PEOPLE WORK AROUND IT.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT FROM A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE AND PARENT GROUPS AND DIFFERENT THINGS ARE RIGHT.
SCHOOL DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT, WE'LL GO RAISE OUR MONEY ANYWAY.
A PARENT GROUP CAN GO RUN OUT AND RAISE $20,000 AND IF IT ALL WORKS GREAT, IT WORKS GREAT.
BUT IF IT DOESN'T, $20,000 IS GONE.
WHEN A WORKING PARENT IS TOLD, "WELL, YOU GOING TO COME IN AND COUNT THE MONEY WITH THE SCHOOL SECRETARY BETWEEN NINE O'CLOCK AND TWO O'CLOCK." BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY WORK OR 2:30.
WELL, THAT'S THE ONLY TIME YOU CAN DO IT.
IT'S HARD BALANCE TO KEEP OUR AUDITORS SATISFIED, "CLEAN [INAUDIBLE] HEALTH." I SAY. WORK WITH PARENTS, WORK WITH ADMINISTRATIONS.
[01:45:02]
I APPRECIATED YOUR CONVERSATION RELATING TO THAT.>> THE DOCUMENTS LOOK PRETTY, THEY BLIND YOU WITH THE GLOSS WAS REALLY WELL DONE.
I LOOKED THROUGH IT AS SOON AS I GOT IT.
I MEAN, I CAN GET BLINDED BY TOO.
YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD PAINT, SO NICE, NOT JUST A GLOSSED OVER STORY.
IT IS A GREAT STORY ABOUT HOW IT'S BEING DONE.
GOOD WORK ON YOUR PART AND THIS THING THAT OUR STUDENTS AND YOUNGER PEOPLE LIKE THAT, PAY GOOD ATTENTION TO THOSE TOO.
WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING AN OPERATION, YOU WANT THIS KIND OF AUDIT.
YOU WANT IT, THE SUPERINTENDENT WANTS IT.
THERE'S SCHOOL PEOPLE WHO WANT THIS KIND OF AUDIT.
>> I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW GOOD THIS LOOKS.
>> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO MENTION ONE MORE THING BECAUSE NORMALLY THIS MEETING, WE ALSO PRESENT WHAT'S CALLED A SINGLE AUDIT REPORT OR COMPLIANCE REPORT.
THAT'S ALL FEDERAL MONEYS AND THAT NUMBER IS $15 OR $16 MILLION.
YOU'VE HEARD ME ABOUT TESTING YOUR MAJOR PROGRAMS AND GRANTS.
WE HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT REPORT AND MANAGEMENT TEAMS REVIEW THAT.
THE REASON WE CAN'T FINALIZE THAT RIGHT NOW IS AGAIN, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THEY PUT OUT SOMETHING CALLED A COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT.
IF YOU GET SPECIAL AID MONEY OR TITLE 1 MONEY OR THIS YEAR, NEW CARES MONEY.
THEY PUT OUT A COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT SAYS, "WE WANT YOU TO DO THIS AND THIS." THEY TELL US HOW ALMOST PRECISELY WHAT WE NEED TO AUDIT.
WELL, THEY PUT OUT THE FIRST COMPLIANCE SUPPLEMENT, WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US IS THERE MIGHT BE AN ADDENDUM TO THAT AND MAYBE TWO. WE'RE ON HOLD.
THE WORK'S DONE BUT WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ADDENDUM DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO.
WHILE YOUR FINANCIAL REPORT IS DUE TO MSD ON SEPTEMBER 30, THAT REPORT IS NOT ACTUALLY DUE TO MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST.
JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE WORK IS DONE, BUT WE'RE JUST WAITING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RULES DON'T CHANGE, SO TO SPEAK.
>> [OVERLAPPING] FINANCIAL SECRETARIES GET A LOT OF PRAISE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THE CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND EVEN JUST GIVING THEM MONEY, YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT SO MUCH PAPERWORK AND ZEROS EVERYTHING IN TRIPLETS.
>> THAT'S PART OF THE CONTROL IS ALL THE FORUMS.
>> JUST OCD, [LAUGHTER] THEY HAVE TO BE AND EVEN SOMETIMES WHAT COLOR INK YOU USE.
THEN MONDAY MORNINGS WHEN THEY HAVE FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT SPOTS AND THEY'VE GOT TO KEEP ALL THAT.
HONESTLY REALLY MAJOR PRAISE TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARIES HANDLING ALL THAT CASH AND KEEPING IT STRAIGHT.
>> I WAS SIMPLY GOING TO THE SAME WAVELENGTH HAVING WORKED HERE IN GROWING THROUGH THIS TRAINING, I GUESS.
THIS IS THE WAY WE FILL OUT THIS FORM AND THAT FORM AND THE OTHER.
THE DIFFERENCE THAT MAKES, YOU PROBABLY HAD TO DO THAT BECAUSE PRINCIPLES AND [LAUGHTER] THE FINANCIAL SECRETARIES AND ALL.
EVERYONE [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] IT TAKES EXTRA PATIENCE SOMETIMES, BUT IT OBVIOUSLY PAYS OFF.
>> YOUR WHOLE TEAM DESERVES PRAISE FOR EVERYTHING YOU MENTIONING RIGHT THERE.
>> BECAUSE I REMEMBER. [OVERLAPPING]
IF EVERYONE DOESN'T WORK TOGETHER THINGS GET BROKEN.
>> WELL, IT'S A GREAT PRODUCT. THANK YOU.
>> BECAUSE LIKE FOOTBALL GAMES, HOMECOMING, WE'D BE THERE TILL 10:00 OR 11:00, COUNTING THE MONEY I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES UNTIL WE FINALLY GOT IT STRAIGHT RIGHT DOWN TO THE PENNY.
>> IN SHORT, YOU DON'T TAKE SOME OF YOUR MONEY AND PUT IT IN THERE, DO YOU? [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE LATER YOU'LL FIND THAT MONEY AND YOU'LL SAY NOW WE HAVE AN OVER.
>> THEY DO SAY THEY DO LISTEN TO YOU, BUT YOU NEED TO [LAUGHTER].
>> MAKES THE AUDITORS FEEL GOOD.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION?
>> NO, THANK YOU. THIS IS VERY THOROUGH.
>> HEARING NONE. WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM, OUR AUDIT REPORTS, WE NEED TO APPROVE THEM.
>> HERE IN MOTION, WE APPROVE.
>> SECOND BY MISS [INAUDIBLE] ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> NEXT INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM, WE HAVE SOME BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS, AS WAS MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE THE LUXURY OF HANDLING THEM ONCE A YEAR.
[01:50:15]
>> [LAUGHTER] THAT'S BAD WHEN YOU HAVE A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT AND THE BATTERY DIES.
>> [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] THE MICROPHONE DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR ANY MORE NUMBERS.
[LAUGHTER] IT IS A REQUIREMENT BY LAW TO BRING OUR BUDGET IN LINE WITH ACTUAL EXPENSES, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A TRILLING UP OF THE BUDGET.
ONCE YOU APPROVE THESE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS, THE COUNTY MUST ALSO APPROVE THEM AS WELL.
AS MR. HALL MENTIONED EARLIER, SOME OF THE LARGER COUNTIES DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT THANKS TO OUR EXCELLENT WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THEY ALLOW US TO DO IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR AFTER THE AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT HAS BEEN ISSUED.
AS YOU LOOK AT THE ATTACHMENT, I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
ON THE LEFT-HAND COLUMN ARE YOUR REVENUES, THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF REVENUE, WHICH WOULD BE OUR COUNTY STATE, OTHER UNRESTRICTED REVENUE.
THEN YOU ALSO HAVE OUR EXPENDITURES.
THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES THAT ARE DEFINED BY MSDE.
WE FOLLOW THE MSDE CHART OF ACCOUNTS AND THIS IS HOW MSDE SAYS THAT WE NEED TO CATEGORIZE ALL OF OUR EXPENDITURES.
THE NEXT COLUMN OVER IS THE FINAL APPROVED BUDGET.
THAT WAS THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED IN JUNE OF 2020, TO TAKE EFFECT FOR FISCAL '21.
IN THE NEXT COLUMN OVER IS REVENUE THAT ACTUALLY CAME IN OR EXPENDITURES FOR WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY SPENT.
THE FINAL COLUMN IS THE CHANGE.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE EXPENDITURES IN THE FINAL COLUMN, IF THERE'S A NEGATIVE NUMBER, WE ARE REDUCING THE BUDGET BECAUSE THERE WERE SAVINGS IN THAT LINE ITEM.
IF THERE'S A POSITIVE NUMBER, WE NEED TO INCREASE THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE WERE OVERSPENT IN THAT LINE ITEM.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS WAS A CRAZY YEAR DUE TO COVID AND THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED OUR EXPENDITURES IN BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE WAYS.
PRETTY MUCH EVERY CATEGORY IS AT A WHACK OR THERE NEEDS TO BE INCREASED OR DECREASED.
BUT OVERALL, OUR BOTTOM LINE, WE HAD A BALANCE OF WHAT WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH $1.25 MILLION.
WE MENTIONED, WE DO NOT LOSE THIS MONEY AT ROLLS INTO FUND BALANCE TO BE USED FOR ONETIME COSTS, WHICH ARE USUALLY BIG-TICKET ITEMS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.
JUST TO GO OVER WITH YOU, SOME REASONS FOR THE REALIGNMENT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO INCREASE EXPENDITURE LINE ITEMS IN THE AREA OF OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL COST, THIS WAS OVERSPENT BECAUSE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE NEW GREENS FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SUCH AS BRIGHTLINK PROJECTORS.
WE CANNOT USE COUNTY BOND MONEY TO BUY BRIGHTLINK PROJECTORS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A USEFUL LIFE.
COUNTY BOND MONEY CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE FURNITURE, THAT THING.
THOSE COST HAD TO BE ABSORBED.
WE DIDN'T DO ANY CRAZY FURNITURE PURCHASES FOR THE NEW SCHOOL, BUT THE BRIGHTLINKS WE DID, WE HAD TO PURCHASE THIS FOR EVERY CLASSROOM.
THAT IN ADDITION WITH SOME CLASSROOM THIN LINES THAT ORIGINALLY DIDN'T LOCK THEM IN NORTH HIGH.
AS WELL AS EQUIPMENT FOR THE ONE-TO-ONE DEVICE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS NOT PICKED UP WITH THE CARES MONEY, ALSO HAD TO BE ABSORBED BY OUR LOCAL BUDGET.
THE AREA OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, ACTUAL SALARY COSTS WERE GREATER THAN BUDGETED.
SALARY COSTS ARE TOUGH TO NAIL DOWN AT THE POINT IN TIME WHEN THE BUDGET IS DEVELOPED BECAUSE JUST TURN OVER RETIREMENTS, YOU HAVE NEW PEOPLE COMING IN, YOU HAVE ALL SORTS OF THINGS GOING ON THERE.
YOU'LL FIND THAT IT'S TYPICAL THAT IN SALARIES WE EITHER OVERSPEND OR UNDER-SPEND, IT'S NEVER RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
WE HAVE AN OVER-EXPENDITURE THERE FOR THE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM.
WE CONTRACT OUT FOR THE HIGH ROADS ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM WHERE IT WAS PREVIOUSLY HANDLED IN-HOUSE.
THIS DECISION WAS MADE AFTER THE BUDGET WAS ADOPTED.
IT ACTUALLY WAS MADE THE YEAR BEFORE.
THIS BUDGET SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED UP TO REFLECT THAT DECISION.
IT HASN'T HAPPENED, SO WE WILL FIX IT WITH THE FY23 BUDGET. HEALTH SERVICES.
THAT SALARY LINE ITEM WAS ALSO GREATER THAN BUDGETED.
[01:55:03]
OPERATION OF PLANT.UTILITIES WERE HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED.
THE BIG ONE THAT WAS OUT OF WHACK WAS ELECTRICITY.
ELECTRICITY SKYROCKETED DURING FY21.
THAT WAS OVERSPENT. THE MAINTENANCE OF PLANT.
THE COST OF SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR REPAIRS AT VARIOUS SCHOOLS AND LOCATIONS WAS HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED.
THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE YEAR-END PROJECTS THAT YOU APPROVED IN JUNE AT YOUR JUNE WORK SESSION FOR YEAR-END PROJECTS, WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE AT THAT POINT AND MR. NAGEL CAME TO THE BOARD WITH A LIST OF YEAR-END FUND BALANCE PROJECT FOR YEAR-END PROJECTS THAT YOU APPROVED.
A LOT OF THESE WERE MAINTENANCE OF PLANT ITEMS SUCH AS PAINTING, THE ROOF REPAIRS, THE SEWAGE HERE AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
THOSE THINGS ALL FELL IN THIS LINE ITEM.
THAT'S WHY THAT WAS OVERSPENT.
THIS LINE ITEM WAS OVERSPENT DUE TO HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT COST DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES AND ACCRUED LEAVE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MASSIVE RETIREMENTS THAT WE HAD AT YEAR-END.
ACCRUED LEAVE, IT'S JUST A LINE ITEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.
SOME YEARS, WE COULD HAVE JUST ONE OR TWO PEOPLE RETIRE LAST YEAR WAS A PRETTY HEAVY HIT TO THE BUDGET.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET REALIGNMENT BEFORE YOU APPROVE THIS ACTION ITEM?
>> MY ONLY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY, IS IT BECAUSE THE RATES WERE HIGHER OR IS IT BECAUSE OF MORE ACTIVITIES IN THE SUMMER? I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE THE THING THAT COULDN'T REPEAT ITSELF.
>> THAT WOULD MEAN IN THIS PHASE WE'RE [INAUDIBLE].
I WOULD ANTICIPATE MR. BARTON IF WE TIED THE RATE INCREASE BECAUSE IT'S DURING THE COVID YEAR WE HAD LESS ACTIVITIES HAPPENING AFTER-SCHOOL TIMES.
I WOULD REALLY ANTICIPATE IT'S TIED TO RATE INCREASES SOMEHOW SOME WAY.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF THE SOLAR PANELS?
>> [INAUDIBLE] PAY THE FULL ELECTRICITY BILL FOR THAT YEAR?
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYING.
>> EIGHTY PERCENT DISCOUNT IF I UNDERSTAND THE WAY THAT WORKS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT COULD DO IT.
>> [INAUDIBLE] COULD REDEPLOY THOSE PANELS OUT BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT DISCOUNT GIVES. THIS BUILDING-.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THE SUPPORT SERVICES CENTER.
>> BUT IT TAKES A WHILE TO SEE THAT DISCOUNT.
>> THEY'RE ANTICIPATING THEM TO PEAK.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE A FUN BUDGET YEAR.
>> LAUGHTER] BECAUSE YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IT AT YOUR HOUSE TOO?
>> SHUT THE LIGHTS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY FEW ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MR. JORDAN OR COMMENTS?
>> NO, THANK YOU FOR SUCH A THOROUGH EXPLANATION.
>> BOARD MEMBERS HEARING NONE, WE DO HAVE TO VOTE ON A REALIGNMENT OF THE BUDGET, AND I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE.
WE ARE BLESSED IN OUR RELATIONSHIP AS PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND DISCUSSION AND DECISION WITH THE COUNTY RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS THAT THEY DON'T FORCE US TO DO IT ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS, AND I WANT TO DEBATE US ON EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE COUNTY DOLLAR THAT COULD, BE REVISITED PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THEY FEEL WE'RE RESPONSIBLE WITH A LOCAL TAXPAYER AND ALL THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS LOCAL INCLUDED, AND THAT WHEN WE HAVE LITTLE UNEXPECTED COSTS LIKE A MAJOR SNOWSTORM OR WHATNOT, WE BUDGET OUR FUND BALANCE SO WE'RE NOT GOING BACK TO.
I'M ASKING HIM FOR EXTRA FUNDS TO PUSH THE SNOW THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY GET AND THOSE TYPE OF THING.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO ANYONE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS REALIGNMENT?
>> SECOND BY MR. BARTON, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> AYE. THANK YOU. FINAL INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM THIS EVENING IS RELATING THE TEACHER EVALUATION COMMITTEE AND DR. SIMMONS, YOU TAKING THAT OVER.
>> I'LL START AND THEN PASTE IT THIS I COMMENT RATHER QUICKLY.
[02:00:01]
GOOD EVENING, MR. NEWMAN, MEMBERS OF BOARD, WE COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ACTUALLY ACTIVATING THE ITEM THAT'S IN THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WITH OUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION REGARDING CONVENING A COMMITTEE TO RELOOK AT OUR EVALUATION TOOL FOR THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE OF LOOKING AT BRINGING BACK THE DEVELOPING RATING INTO THE EVALUATION SYSTEM.WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT AN EVALUATION PLATFORM PILOT.
MISS MCCORMICK GIVES WAY MORE INVOLVED WITH THE PILOT AND SHE WOULD BE THE PERSON CHAIRING THE COMMITTEE IF SO MOVED BY THE BOARD TO CONVENE THAT COMMITTEE.
I'LL ASK MISS MCCORMICK TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WORKING WITH THE ASSOCIATION.
PRESIDENT [INAUDIBLE] MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
AS DR. SIMMONS SAYS WE COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO ASK YOUR APPROVAL TO CONVENE A TEACHER EVALUATION COMMITTEE.
AMONGST TEACHERS, STAFF, PRINCIPLES AND ADMINISTRATION, SUPERVISORS, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A NEED TO BRING DEVELOPING BACK INTO THE RATING IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE DISCUSSION BY THE COMMITTEE.
BUT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS WHETHER DEVELOPING SHOULD BE BROUGHT BACK.
AS DR. SIMMONS SAID, TO DISCUSS, A PILOT OF A NEW EVALUATION PLATFORM WOULD BE THE SECOND PURPOSE FOR CONVENING THIS COMMITTEE.
WE KNOW THAT WITH THE CAREER LADDERS COMING THROUGH BLUEPRINT, THAT THE REPORTING ON TEACHER EVALUATION IS GOING TO BE GREATER THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN, AND OUR CURRENT PLATFORM, ALTHOUGH IT SERVES ITS PURPOSE AND WE GET THE DATA WE NEED TO REPORT TO MSDE, THERE ARE OTHER PLATFORMS AND TOOLS AVAILABLE THAT HAVE A GREATER REPORTING FEATURES WITHIN IT.
POWERSCHOOL HAPPENS TO BE ONE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF AND WE HAVE LOTS OF SEVERAL OTHER POWERSCHOOL PRODUCTS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE SYNCED IN LINE.
OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE IF APPROVED COMMITTEE'S DECISION TO LOOK AT THAT PLATFORM.
AS YOU SEE, IF APPROVED THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE AS DR. SIMMONS SAID, I WOULD CHAIR THE COMMITTEE AS DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL BUILDING LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS, SUPERVISORS FROM THE CENTRAL OFFICE, AS WELL AS AMY ANDERSON, THE CCEA PRESIDENT AND FOUR CCEA MEMBERS.
I COME BEFORE YOU TO ASK FOR APPROVAL FOR THIS COMMITTEE.
>> I DON'T [INAUDIBLE]. I'LL START BECAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I REMEMBER CONVERSATIONS A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN WE CHANGED THAT VAGUELY, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE PROS OR CONS OF IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND [OVERLAPPING]
>> YEAH. OTHER THAN THE STATE MADE A CHANGE AND IT WASN'T REQUIRED AND BEING THE ONLY ONE HERE WAS HERE AND I HAVE A VAGUE MEMORY OF IT, BUT I DON'T RECALL THE PROS AND CONS OF OUR DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME VERSUS A NOW I UNDERSTAND THE REASON FOR GOING BACK.
I JUST CAN'T REMEMBER WHY WE EVER REALLY GOT RID OF IT.
>> I WANT TO SAY WHAT I'M ASKING IS TO RECONVENE SO THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN DISCUSS WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO BRING IT BACK.
I'M NOT ASKING TONIGHT TO BRING DEVELOPING BACK.
I'M JUST ASKING IF WE CAN FORM THE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS THOSE PROS AND CONS TO IT.
>> I HEAR AND I'M LIKE, BUT WHY DID THEY EVER GET RID OF IT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE ON A SURFACE AND AGAIN, I DON'T REMEMBER, AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IN THOSE POSITIONS AT THE TIME.
THEY'RE EVEN RECALLING ON WHOSE CONVERSATIONS EITHER.
>> RIGHT. MSTE HAD TAKEN IT DOWN TO THREE LEVELS: INEFFECTIVE, EFFECTIVE, AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, AND JUST A COUPLE YEARS AGO GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BACK DEVELOPING.
WE HAVE NOT BROUGHT IT BACK AT THAT TIME, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING NOW.
>> YEAH, WE'D LIKE TO AND LOOKING AT THE CONVERSATION AROUND DEVELOPING, WE'RE LOOKING AT WHEN WE THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE BOARD MEETINGS, THERE BEING A LOOMING TEACHER CRISIS IN TERMS OF SHORTAGE THERE.
THEY SAY LOOMING, IT'S REALLY HERE, AND WE ALSO HAVE STAFF WHO COME IN AND WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE WORK WITH OUR NEW TEACHERS COMING IN.
IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE GO WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING PLANS.
WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH OUR STAFF TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY WITHIN AND REALLY WORKING AT IMPLEMENTING
[02:05:03]
A COACHING MODEL WITH OUR STAFF TO COACH UP TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THEIR CRAFT, AND THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT IN AN EVALUATION MODEL THAT IS VERY, YOU EITHER ARE OR ARE NOT, EVEN IF WE TAKE THE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, NOW EVALUATION MODEL WE HAVE IS INEFFECTIVE OR EFFECTIVE.YES, HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, BUT YOU EITHER ARE REWARMED.
MOST PEOPLE TRANSLATE THAT INTO GOOD, BAD, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERMINOLOGY, AND THE WORLD IS NOT THAT BLACK AND WHITE.
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE SOMETIMES, BUT BY AND LARGE, MOST PEOPLE FALL INTO AS THEY'RE LEARNING THEIR CRAFT THEY'RE PERFECTING THEIR CRAFT, THEY'RE WORKING TO BECOME MASTER TEACHERS IS POSSIBLE TO BE IN THAT DEVELOPING RANGE, AND WE WANT TO GIVE CREDIT FOR THE EFFORT THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE WANT TO GET EFFORT FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO BUILD UP OUR STAFF INTO RETAIN OUR STAFF AND TO GROW OR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH THE COMMITTEE APPROACH BY US WORKING WITH THE ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATION, WE CAN FIND COMMON GROUND AS TO WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE TO BRING TO THE BOARD FOR THE CHANGES TO THE EVALUATION MODEL, TO BRING THAT PIECE BACK IN, AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE MORE.
WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING COACHING PRACTICES AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR EVALUATION MODEL TO MATCH THE PRACTICES WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE. THAT MAKES SENSE.
>> TRUE. IT CERTAINLY MERITS TAKING A LOOK AT AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.
>> IT CERTAINLY HAS POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT VALUE, AND AS YOU'RE DESCRIBING, IT ALSO IS A POTENTIAL MORALITY FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL MORE VALUED, TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING BETTER FEEDBACK AND MORE INFORMATION.
LOOKING AT EVALUATIONS IS ALMOST ALWAYS NARRATIVE.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
FOR THOSE REASONS, BOTH MANAGEMENT AND HOW THE EMPLOYEES FEEL ABOUT IT.
THEIR MORALE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS GROUP CAN LOOK AT IT FROM ALL DIFFERENT ANGLES.
>> TO ADD WITH LOOKING AT THE NEW PLATFORM, THE REPORTING FEATURES OF MULTIPLE PLATFORMS OUT THERE CAN REALLY PINPOINT EXACTLY TO SAY, AT A CERTAIN SCHOOL, A PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS ARE DEVELOPING OR INEFFECTIVE IN THIS PARTICULAR STANDARD, AND THEN WE CAN TAILOR OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO EXACTLY THE NEEDS THAT ARE SEEN WITHIN THE OBSERVATION AND EVALUATION SYSTEM.
>> THEN WE HIRE A LOT OF TEACHERS THAT ARE UNCERTIFIED.
>> THEY'RE LEARNING. IN ESSENCE, WE'RE PART OF THEIR EDUCATION, AND TO GIVE A PERSON LIKE THAT, A NON SATISFACTORY IT'S DEMORALIZING.
BUT IF YOU SAY DEVELOPING, IT'S SHOWING THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH THEM.
IT'S SHOWING THEM THAT YOU BELIEVE IN THEM, THEY HAVE POTENTIAL.
I MEAN,IT'S LIKE YOU SAID, JUST THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTOR.
>> THAT MAY BE ONE OF THOSE SCENARIOS WHERE IT DOES [OVERLAPPING]
YOU CAN'T EXPECT THESE PEOPLE TO JUST COME IN.
>> SAME WITH EVEN THAT 21-YEAR-OLD TEACHER OR 22-YEAR-OLD TEACHER WHO HAS JUST GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, JUST WALKING INTO THERE [OVERLAPPING]
>> EXACTLY. BECAUSE STUDENT TEACHING IS NOTHING LIKE REALITY.
>> WE ALSO DO KNOW, I'M SORRY, I DON'T NEED [INAUDIBLE].
>> WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR CURRENT FIRST YEAR GRADUATE, GRADUATION STUDENTS LAST YEAR.
OUR BRAND NEW FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS HAVE NEVER TAUGHT BEFORE, DID NOT HAVE THE IN-PERSON STUDENT TEACHING EXPERIENCES.
>> NOR DID THEY EVEN HAVE THE OBSERVATION TEACHING EXPERIENCES THAT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD IN THEIR JUNIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE.
THAT'S A RIPPLE EFFECT FOR A FEW YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
>> GREAT. IT'S JUST LIKE IT'S A WIN-WIN.
EVEN SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A SEASONED TEACHER SWITCHING CONTENT.
THAT'S ANOTHER LEARNING CURVE.
OR IF THEY SWITCH FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL.
>> ALL THINGS FOR OUR COMMITTEE, IF APPROVED,.
>> RIGHT BUT SO THERE ARE A LOT OF REASONS [OVERLAPPING]
>> SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO JUST ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
>> BASED ON THE LIST, WHICH IS A GOOD LIST OF PEOPLE THERE.
BUT IT LOOKS TO ME AS IF THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT SEE, IT'S HEAVILY LOADED, THE SECONDARY, I DON'T SEE MANY ELEMENTARY FOLKS UP THERE.
THE SECOND THING I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE A LOOK AT, AND LADIES DON'T BEAT ME UP.
[LAUGHTER] BUT THERE'S LIKE 11 FEMALES AND ONE MALE.
MAYBE WE NEED TO CONSIDER A MALE FROM THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
[02:10:03]
AGAIN, [OVERLAPPING].>> CCA GAVE THE NAMES OF WHO THEY HAD REQUESTED.
>> [INAUDIBLE] CUTAWAY. [OVERLAPPING] BENSON?
>> WE DID MAKE SURE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M SORRY I DIDN'T [OVERLAPPING] KNOW HIM.
>> MR. SUTTON IS [OVERLAPPING] PRINCIPLE OF ELEMENTARY.
TAKIA BENSON IS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL [OVERLAPPING] MIDDLE SCHOOL.
DR. BARTON BOSCH IS AT COLONEL HIGH-SCHOOL.
WE ALSO HAD NORTHERN END AND SOUTHERN END.
I WANTED TO BE SURE WE HAD SPECIAL EDUCATION.
>> EL FIVE OR FOUR GIFTED AND TALENTED AS WELL AS OUR CONTENT AREA, AND MELISSA MULLIGAN BRINGS EXPERIENCE OF PREVIOUSLY BEING INVOLVED IN THE TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM.
THEN WHEN REACHING OUT TO AMY ANDERSON, THESE WERE THE MEMBERS THAT SHE HAD REQUESTED.
>> OKAY. I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT [OVERLAPPING] LEE IS THE ONLY MALE THERE.
>> IT IS ABSOLUTELY AND I WILL BE HONEST.
I REALLY DID THINK I WENT THROUGH NUMEROUS SCENARIOS, AND I THOUGHT JOHN GROW AT LOCKERMAN, FIRST-YEAR PRINCIPAL.
RIGHT NOW THEY ARE HAVING SOME ADMINISTRATION CHANGES.
TIME COMMITMENT. I TRIED TO LOOK [OVERLAPPING].
>> MR. WILL IS ONE OF NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] ABSOLUTELY, I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> GOOD COMMENTS. AS I READ IT, OUR VOTE TONIGHT, WHICH I'M EXPECTING TO APPROVE THIS WOULD JUST BE CONVENING THE COMMITTEE.
SOMEONE COULD GET SICK OR HAVE SOMETHING COME UP.
NINA, IT'S A GOOD RECOMMENDATION, GOOD COMMENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTION BOARD MEMBER, COMMENTS? [NOISE] HEARING NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THIS RECOMMENDATION TO CONVENE THIS COMMITTEE?
>> SECOND BY MRS. DIGIACOMO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> ALL RIGHT. NO REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT.
A DISCUSSION FOR ITEMS FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION.
[8. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]
I WOULD LIKE TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE TERM IS, BUT I HAVE NOT SENT ANYTHING IN, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY UNDER THIS TOPIC TO, TIME MATCHES ON, AND JUST BRING TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME HERE RECENTLY AND I APOLOGIZE, I WANTED TO I GUESS TAKE A POINT OF ORDER ON THIS TOPIC AND GET IT IN SOONER.BUT REALIZED THAT OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION DID HAVE A WORK SESSION IN A BOARD RETREAT PER SE IN AUGUST TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, GET TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES, AND GET TO TRY TO FOCUS ON WHAT THEY FELT LIKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE NEEDED.
AS A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED ALL HECK BROKE LOOSE A LITTLE WHILE LATER IN AUGUST, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT MASS AND MANDATES AND TESTING AND EVERYTHING SINCE THEN AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THOSE BOARD PRIORITIES HAVE EVER REALLY LEFT THAT ROOM.
I THINK [NOISE] WE HAD TO LOOK BACK IN OUR NOTES AND FIND OUT.
THEN I ALSO REALIZED THAT THIS IS NOVEMBER'S BOARD MEETING.
WE ALMOST HAVE A YEAR ANNIVERSARY FROM THIS NEW BOARD.
>> [LAUGHTER] IT'S BEEN 11 MONTHS WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER AND NEXT MONTH'S GOING TO BE YEAR TWO, THE BEGINNING OF YEAR TWO.
IF WE DON'T TRY TO SET OUR PRIORITIES AND MAKE SURE OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE OUT THERE, WE'RE GOING TO GET LOST IN DAY-TO-DAY NOISE.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE OUR STATEMENT.
DR. SIMMONS WAS THERE AND MS. BARRY WAS THERE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR STAFF KNOWS WHERE THIS BOARD PRIORITIES WERE OUTLINED IN AUGUST AND HOPE WE CAN PUT THIS ON ITEMS FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION IN SOME FORM OR FASHION IN THE COMING YEAR.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, I HAD SOME ROUGH NOTES, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK EACH BOARD MEMBER IF THEY COULD.
DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT YOUR NOTES? I WAS TRYING TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY.
I'LL START TO MY LEFT WITH MS. WAYMAN.
WE ALL CAME UP WITH IDEAS AND WE FOCUSED THEM DOWN TO TWO.
THAT'S STILL 10 THOUGHTS BETWEEN THE FIVE OF US.
[02:15:04]
MS. WAYMAN, IF YOU COULD JUST START US WITH WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOUR PRIORITIES WERE.>> AS PRESIDENT NEWCOMB SAID, WE HAD A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE GO ON AND EACH OF US NARROWED IT DOWN TO TWO THINGS.
THE TWO THAT I LISTED, THE FIRST ONE WAS EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CARE SPENDING FOR THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS.
I DO THINK WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THAT SINCE THIS HAS BEEN LISTED.
THEN THE SECOND THING WHICH WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED IS, I DON'T RECALL, I HAD RACHEL PRINT THIS OFF.
IT IS FROM THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TRANSFORMING THE CULTURE OF MARYLAND'S SCHOOLS FOR BLACK BOYS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS PRINTED THIS OFF OR READ IT, BUT WE GOT IT FROM MSDE.
IRONICALLY, THE CONFERENCE THAT I'VE SAID I DID VIRTUALLY REALLY REFERRED TO THIS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I THINK THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE, AS A BOARD, HAVE LOOKED AT THIS OR IF IT'S BEEN SHARED WITH ANY OF OUR DIRECTORS OR WHATEVER.
BUT IT DOES HAVE GOOD INFORMATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE SPEAKERS WAS TALKING ABOUT THE NEED TO REALLY FOCUS ON KINESTHETIC AND HANDS-ON TEACHING VERSUS THE AUDITORY LEARNING STYLE.
ANOTHER ONE AS YOU KNOW, WHEN ANY KID GETS IN TROUBLE TODAY, LET THEM START FRESH TOMORROW.
JUST GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE.
WE ALL HAVE GOT INLINE WHEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE.
BUT ANYWAY, IT WAS TO UTILIZE THIS RESOURCE THAT WAS GIVEN TO US FROM THE STATE.
I BELIEVE DR. SIMMONS, THEY'RE FIVE COUNTIES THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING.
>> THERE ARE FIVE PILOT COUNTIES.
>> THE CLOSEST ONE TO US IS QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY, CENTREVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS IMPLEMENTING IDEAS FROM THIS AND PUTTING IT IN USE.
IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO WHEN WE GIVE CHANCE TO BREATHE, [LAUGHTER] TO READ AND THINK ABOUT WHAT'S IN IT. THANK YOU.
>> OKAY. MY TWO WERE, THE FIRST ONE WAS FOR RETENTION OF STAFF.
AT THE TIME WE WERE BLEEDING STAFF MEMBERS.
THEY WERE LEAVING IN DROVES INSIDE.
I'D LIKE PEOPLE TO WANT TO WORK HERE AND BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE LOOK AT THIS AND GO, "YEAH, I WANT TO APPLY TO CAROLINE COUNTY." I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER IS GIFTED AND TALENTED.
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF MONEY, AND EFFORT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHICH IS AWESOME.
BUT WE NEED TO ALSO LOOK AT THE OTHER SPECTRUM AND GIVE THE GIFTED AND TALENTED MORE CLASSES, MORE AP, AND LOOK AT THE WHOLE BIG PICTURE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE DISCUSSED THAT ONE MEETING, SOMEBODY MIGHT BE GIFTED IN ENGLISH, NOT SO MUCH SCIENCE.
PRESENT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO USE IT.
FROM DAY ONE, WHEN WE WENT TO ONE SIZE-FITS-ALL.
THEY USED TO HAVE ENGLISH GENERAL, COLLEGE PREP, AND HONORS.
THEY JUST EVENTUALLY WENT TO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL.
I DIDN'T LIKE IT THEN, AND I DON'T LIKE IT NOW IT GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING YOU LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENTIATION AND TEACHING TO THEIR STRENGTHS.
I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT COME BACK.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. BARTON.
>> WELL, TWO THINGS THAT I FOCUSED ON ARE HAPPINESS.
YOU MIGHT THINK YOU'VE ACHIEVED IT AND TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY.
THEY'RE GOING TO ALWAYS BE WORK IN PROGRESS.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES, THAT'S NONSTOP.
IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT DONALD WAS TALKING ABOUT.
RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES, BUT THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, I THOUGHT IT'S A FOCUS AREA THAT'S NEVER GOING TO GO AWAY AND IT'S NEVER GOING TO BE COMPLETED.
CONSTANT WORK IN PROGRESS NEEDS ATTENTION,
[02:20:04]
FOCUS, NEEDLESS TO SAY.THE SECOND IS, ENGAGE MORE COMMUNITY TRANSPARENCY OR MORE TRANSPARENCY WITH THE COMMUNITY FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW.
AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO EVER REALLY CHECK THIS OFF AND SAY DONE, AND AS SOON AS YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING BETTER, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ACCUSE YOU OF DOING WORSE.
[LAUGHTER] WE'RE SITTING HERE WEARING MASKS, THE WHOLE MASK MANDATE THING, PEOPLE COULD SAY, "THAT'S NOT TRANSPARENCY.
YOU JUST DID THAT, YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE US OR INVITE US TO BE INVOLVED.
WELL, THAT'S NOT WHAT TRANSPARENCY IS." TRANSPARENCY IS YOU'RE NOT DOING THINGS SECRETLY AND MYSTERIOUSLY, AND NOT IN AN OPEN AND EVEN THAT CONTROVERSIAL ACTION WHICH DR. SIMMONS MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT BEFORE THE STATE MANDATE, HE WAS AHEAD OF THE CURVE BECAUSE OUR NUMBERS HERE WERE RISING MORE SO THAN IN THE STATE.
IT WAS AGGRESSIVE ACTION THAT HAD TO OCCUR.
HOWEVER, IT WASN'T DONE IN SECRECY.
WE DIDN'T MAKE THAT DECISION IN A CLOSED SESSION.
WE TALKED ABOUT AN OPEN SESSION, PUT IT OUT THERE, AND HOW MUCH WE ALL HATED THE IDEA, BUT IT'S WHAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD TO DO.
SOMEBODY MIGHT SAY THAT'S NOT TRANSPARENT.
TRANSPARENCY IS SOMETHING IS GOT TO BE WORKED ON EVERY SINGLE DAY, EVERY SINGLE DECISION, ANYTHING, AND EVERYTHING, AND JUST THE ITEM WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, IT'S STILL UP ON THE SCREEN LOOKING AT THE EVALUATION.
IT'S LOOKING AT MAYBE ADDING ANOTHER CATEGORY AND INCLUDING THE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION.
THAT'S TRANSPARENCY, NOT BEING SECRET, NOT HIDING ABOUT IT.
BUT JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE GOT THIS? NO, YOU DON'T.
I GUESS IT'S LIKE HEALTHY EATING TOO.
[LAUGHTER] TODAY YOU EAT HEALTHY, TOMORROW [LAUGHTER] IT'S GOING TO BE LASAGNA OR WHATEVER AND COOKIES.
>> MY PRIORITIES FOR THE YEAR STILL ARE TO FINISH THE YEAR WITH A GOOD VIEW OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THE OTHER ONE WAS TO FINISH THE YEAR AS OUR BOARD IN GENERAL WITH THE FEELING THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARD AND THAT WE FELT GOOD OR WE WILL FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE TOGETHER, THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED THINGS TOGETHER.
SOME OF THESE CAME FROM COMMENTS OR THINGS THAT I HAD HEARD OR SEEN IN THE PAST THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE NON-TRANSPARENCY THAT SOME MAY HAVE FORESEEN SOME OF THE PRIOR BOARDS DO THAT OR JUST FROM SOME THINGS WHERE SOME OF US MAY HAVE FELT THAT THEY HADN'T REALLY MADE, THEY MAY HAVE FORESEEN SOME OF THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS OR MAYBE EVEN THEMSELVES NOT TO REALLY HAVE A VOICE, EVEN FROM THIS POSITION.
THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE STUFF IS VERY VAGUE, MY PARTY, VERY VAGUE, LIKE SAY, HOW DO WE MEASURE WHETHER WE'VE ACHIEVED THESE GOALS OR NOT? PROBABLY SOME OTHERS ARE JUST A FEELING AMONGST YOURSELVES, WHERE YOU SAY, IF WE FEEL AMONGST OURSELVES THAT WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT AT THE END WHEN WE SIT THERE AT THE RETREAT NEXT YEAR, WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED AT LEAST SOME GOALS.
>> WASN'T THIS ONLY YOUR SECOND MEETING?
>> YEAH. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] THIS WAS AROUND THE FOURTH OR EIGHTH, OR FIFTH, 12TH, THIS WAS PRIOR TO THE MASS MANDATE [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] THE COMMUNITY PER SE.
>> THIS WAS THE SECOND MEETING.
>> YEAH, PRIOR TO GOOD VIEW FROM THE COMMUNITY.
>> THIS WAS JUST MY LOYAL OBSERVATIONS AND EVEN PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT, JUST THINGS THAT I HAD SEEN MYSELF.
>> THANK YOU MR. JONES, AND THANK YOU TO ALL MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE CAME UP WITH THESE JUST BEFORE THE MSD STATE MASK MANDATE.
WE HAD JUST COME AFTER OUR AUGUST BOARD MEETING AT THE TIME WE VOTED TO SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION, MASS RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED, WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING GOOD AND ALL HECK BROKE LOOSE.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, EVEN BEFORE COVID, EVEN BEFORE MASKS AND BEING A BOARD MEMBER FOR A WHILE, I'VE SEEN FIRES DAILY, AND MONTHLY, AND WEEKLY FIRES OF A NORMAL SCHOOL SYSTEM JUST TAKE OVER ANY GOOD STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS FOCUS AND PULL YOU AWAY FROM THAT.
OR GOING TO A GOOD MABE CONFERENCE OR SOMETHING AND COMING BACK WITH SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS AND NEVER GETTING ABLE TO SHARE THEM.
[02:25:03]
AS I REALIZED IN SOME CONVERSATIONS AT MABE THAT TIME WAS TICKING AND WE CAN'T JUST ALWAYS TALK ABOUT COVID AND MASKS, LET'S BRING THIS BACK.ONE OF MINE WAS VERY SIMILAR TO A COUPLE OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, WAS FOCUS ON RENOVATING THE CAROLINE CULTURE.
THE CAROLINE CULTURE FOCUSED ON RENOVATING THAT.
IT SEEMED TO HAVE GOTTEN BEAT UP A LITTLE BIT.
THE OTHER THING WAS, MY DAUGHTER IS A SENIOR NOW AND MY SON IS TWO YEARS OUT OF SCHOOL, IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT ME OR MY CHILDREN ANYMORE, BUT I HEARD IT WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE BOARD.
THIS IDEA COMES TO FRUITION FROM WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE BOARD AND MY SON WAS IN KINDERGARTEN, I HAD PARENTS PRIOR TO THAT COMMENTING, AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE PENDULUM OF EDUCATION UNTIL I GOT ON THE BOARD FOR A FEW YEARS AND I STARTED TALKING TO TEACHERS AND STAFF, TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT IS NOW, JUST WAIT IT'LL SWING THE OTHER WAY.
THEN SEEING HOW IT'S CONTINUED, HOW DID IT EFFECT FOR MY CHILDREN, AND THEN SEEING HOW IT'S CONTINUING TO AFFECT CHILDREN, AND STAFF CHILDREN, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.
BUT AS THAT PENDULUM CONTINUE TO SWING, MY OTHER PRIORITY WAS LOCAL CAROLINE COUNTY MATH AND WRITING TESTING POLICY OR ASSESSMENT, THAT DIDN'T CHANGE WITH EVERY ADMINISTRATION CHANGE, WITH EVERY STATE OR FEDERAL CHANGE.
JUST A KIS, KEEPING IT SIMPLE.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE SILLY POLICY THAT THIS BOARD COULD PUT IN PLACE AND HOPEFULLY GIVE OUR COMMUNITY, OUR LOCAL EMPLOYERS, OUR FUTURE COLLEGE ATTENDEES, THE WHERE WITH ALL TO KNOW WHEN THEY WERE GETTING READY TO START ALGEBRA IN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WEREN'T DOING THEIR MATH FACTS ON THEIR FINGERS, OR IF THEY'RE GETTING READY TO WRITE A LETTER OF FIRST SCHOLARSHIP OR A JOB APPLICATION OR THE TENTH GRADER, THEY CAN WRITE A ONE-PAGE, THREE-PARAGRAPH, GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT LETTER, OR EMAIL, OR GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT TEXT EVEN.
I DO THAT, PEOPLE MIGHT THINK, IF I'M JUST SENDING A BUDDY A TEXT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAY.
BUT IF I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S A TEXT, BUT IT'S TO AN IMPORTANT PERSON FOR AN IMPORTANT REASON, I PERSONALLY MAKE SURE IT'S GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT, I MIGHT BE AN ODD BALL, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, SO THAT WAS MY PRIORITY AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK THAT AS WELL AS ALL MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS IDEAS INTO THE COMING 2022 YEAR WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS THROWN AT US AND OUR STAFF.
>> TO TAKE YOU BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I TAUGHT NINTH GRADE PRIMARILY, A LARGE PORTION OF NINTH GRADERS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DO THEIR SIGNATURE, OR HOW TO WRITE AN ADDRESS.
JUST A BIT MORE THING WITH GRAMMAR AND JUST SIMPLE THINGS.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO ME WOULD FIT RIGHT INTO WRITING, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A SIGNATURE AND HOW TO DO IT.
TO MAKE IT A LITTLE MISTY, HOW DO I WRITE MY SIGNATURE? I'M LIKE, HERE'S HOW I WOULD, BUT THAT'S NOT YOU, AND SO THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, JUST THE BASICS.
>> AGAIN, WE'VE ALL GOT LOST IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
AT LEAST I KNOW I HAVE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING TO LET US BRING THAT BACK TO THE SURFACE.
DR. SIMMONS PLEASE DO YOUR BEST TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS IN THE SCHEDULE COMING UP.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR FUTURE BOARD ACTION, OR LOOKING AT UNFINISHED BUSINESS,
[9. Unfinished Business]
OR WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IT COMING AHEAD OF US.I GUESS WITH THAT, WE SHOULD SAY [NOISE] THAT WE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE WORKING WITH MABE TO OUTLINE EVERYTHING FROM OUR POTENTIAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS, TO TIMING, TO ADVERTISING, AND EVERYTHING FOR A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, SO THE NEXT THREE BOARD MONTH MEETINGS, OUR CLOSED SESSION WILL START AT THREE O'CLOCK TO 5:00 IN DECEMBER, JANUARY, AND FEBRUARY, TO ALLOW US TIME TO WORK WITH OUR CONSULTANT BEFORE PRIMARY MEETING.
THAT'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS THAT WILL CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.
[02:30:03]
>> CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION NCHS IS HAVING A PLACE, AREN'T THEY?
>> I AM NOT SURE BECAUSE I WASN'T THEIR IN FIRST YEAR WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENTS HAPPENED, SO I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY COMPLAINT ABOUT IT.
>> OKAY, BECAUSE I THINK JUST FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS KNOW I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE PUTTING ON A PLAY THIS MONTH.
>> I THINK DRAMA PRODUCTION TEAM HAS GOT TOGETHER SOMETHING I HAVEN'T HEARD OF.
>> BECAUSE AT THE HOMECOMING PLAY THEY WERE PASSING OUT A FLYER, BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT THE UPCOMING EVENTS AND I'M THINKING, I THINK THEY ARE.
>> THEY WERE, THEY WORKED [NOISE] OUT A FLYER.
>> DONALD WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE NEWS TOMORROW, IN NORTH CAROLINA AND KERNEL BECAUSE KERNEL WE DIDN'T TIME IT WAS.
>> WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THOSE AND THEN GET THEIR ACTIVE MORE MEMBERS.
>> OTHER UNFINISHED BUSINESSES IS, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SOCCER GAME?
>> WE WERE SCORED THREE IN ADDED TIME WITH 27 SECONDS LEFT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.
>> [NOISE] I SHOULDN'T HAVE ASKED. [LAUGHTER] BOARD MEMBERS, UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS,
[10. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
KEEP YOUR EYES UP AND I'M SURE RACHEL WILL UPDATE US AS THINGS CHANGE AND WE HEAR ABOUT MAYBE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT UP.NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE TWO OR WORK SESSION ON THE 16TH OF NOVEMBER.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORGANIZATION? HEARING NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> [INAUDIBLE] SECOND BY MR. BARTON, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU ALL. WE'RE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.