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YOU'RE GOOD? ALL RIGHT.[1. Opening Items]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.WE'RE HERE AT THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS MONTHLY BOARD MEETING.
THE BOARD MEETING STARTED THIS AFTERNOON AT 4:30 WAS OPENED WITH A MOTION BY MS. WAYMAN, A SECOND BY MR. BARTON, NOTIFY THOUGH, ALL IN FAVOR OF CONVENING AN OPEN SESSION.
THEN WITH A MOTION BY MR. JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. BARTON, AND A VOTE OF [INAUDIBLE].
THE BOARD MOVED INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, SIMMONS PROMOTION, ETC, BEFORE MOVING FORWARD ON A FUTURE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PROCESS, AND DISCUSS COUNSEL WITH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS, ETC.
THAT BEING SAID, I'D LIKE TO HAVE MOTION RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION.
SECOND BY MS. WAYMAN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
LET'S PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
BOARD MEMBERS, AND STAFF, AND I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE ANY GUESTS.
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS PLEASE REMEMBER TRYING TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR STATE PROTOCOLS.
THIS IS A SCHOOL BUILDING, SO WE'RE WEARING MASKS.
ALTHOUGH WE'RE MOSTLY SIX FEET APART.
IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE MOVE YOUR MASKS SO THE MICROPHONES CAN PICK UP YOUR VOICE AS YOU'RE SPEAKING, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
THAT BEING SAID, NEXT ITEM, WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH AN ADDENDUM THAT WE HAVE EIGHT INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM FOR DISCUSSION AT THE 21/22 CALENDAR.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH ADDING AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM OF DISCUSSION ON THE 21/22 CALENDAR.
>> ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE IT UPDATED. YOU GOT THAT RACHEL? UPDATED AGENDA, MOVE FORWARD.
NEXT BOARD, I'M GOING TO TURN DECEMBER BOARD MEETING, IS NORMALLY WHEN WE DO REORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD WITH THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
IT'S BEEN NICE BEING YOUR CHAIR FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
I'M ASKING AND INTERESTED IN DOING ANOTHER 12 MONTHS.
IF ANYONE ELSE IS INTERESTED, PLEASE SHARE YOUR REQUEST.
WE ALSO NEED SOMEONE TO BE THE VICE CHAIR.
WITH THAT, IF ANYONE HAS ANY INTEREST IN THAT, I THINK WE INTERNALLY SHOWN SOME INTEREST, BUT ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE IT HERE AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON WITH MR. DEREK.
>> THANK YOU, MR. BARTON. ANYBODY ELSE?
>> TWO SLIPS. ONE SAYS PRESIDENT AND THE OTHER ONES SAYS VICE PRESIDENT.
I'LL COME AROUND AND COLLECT THOSE AND TALLY THE VOTES AFTERWARDS.
>> SEE, HOW MANY PIECES WE CAN FOLD IT INTO.
>> SOMEBODY HOLD THE PAPER AND [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER][BACKGROUND].
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>> THEY'RE CALLED ORIGAMI OR SOMETHING.
>> MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE RESULTS.
PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THIS COMING TERM, MR. [INAUDIBLE], FOUR VOTES TO ZERO.
VICE PRESIDENT, MR. RICK BARTON FOUR VOTES TO ZERO.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS. CONGRATULATIONS, GREG.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SERVE THESE LAST 12 MONTHS.
I THINK INTERNALLY, IT'S BEEN HARD THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO COMMUNICATE.
MY GOAL WAS TO GET BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS TO BE HONEST.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING MAY NOT KNOW, MY TERM RUNS OUT IN DECEMBER 2022 AND THEN I AM DONE.
BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SINCE MY OLDEST, IS TWO YEARS OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL NOW.
STARTED AS A KINDERGARTNER AND NOW MY DAUGHTER WILL BE GRADUATING IN THE SPRING.
SO I'LL FIND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO VOLUNTEER.
THAT BEING SAID, I GUESS SINCE I DID MISS THE BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS, TO ANYONE WHO'S LISTENING AND WATCHING, TO ANYONE HERE IN THE ROOM WHO KNOW OF ANYONE IN THE SOUTH END OF THE COUNTY WHO WOULD MAKE A GOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESIDENT OR PRESIDENT OF MEMBERS, EXCUSE ME, THE CRAZY THING IS, LIKE I SAID, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS IN THE SOUTHERN SCHOOLS AND TRY TO GET SOME INTEREST STIRRED UP.
IT IS AN ELECTED POSITION AND YOU HAVE TO FILE BY FEBRUARY SOMETHING.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED OR IF YOU KNOW OF ANYBODY INTERESTED, TELL THEM TO CALL ME AND IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AND JUST SPREAD THE WORD TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED SOME GOOD PEOPLE.
THAT BEING SAID, BOARD MEMBER REPORTS,
[2. Reports]
MR. [INAUDIBLE] YOU'RE FIRST UP.>> WELL, I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING AND THE WORK SESSION.
I ATTENDED THE NCIS NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION.
I BELIEVE CLOSE TO 30 STUDENTS GOT INDUCTED, WHICH IS AWESOME.
NCHS HAD SOMETHING FOR VETERANS ON VETERANS DAY AND THEY ASKED ME TO COME, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY NICE AND THEY RECOGNIZED ALL OF THE VETERANS THAT WORK THERE.
THE CAROLINE COUNTY EDUCATORS RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION, I ATTENDED THEIR LUNCHEON.
THIS IS THE FIRST ONE THEY'VE HAD SINCE COVID HIT.
THEY'VE BEEN DOING ZOOM, AND THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO HAVE AN IN-PERSON ONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYBODY THAT HAS RETIRED AND THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO.
THEY HAD IT AT THE CULINARY ART CENTER.
OBVIOUSLY THE FOOD WAS GREAT, AND EVERYBODY HAD A GOOD TIME.
THE LEO CLUB HAD A FOOD DRIVE, AND I HELPED THEM DELIVER THE FOOD AND I'D SAY THEY'VE PROBABLY COLLECTED ABOUT 2,000 POUNDS WHICH WAS GREAT.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. MS. WAYMAN.
>> I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING AND THE WORK SESSION AND MADE THAT A VERY GOOD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING THAT I ATTENDED.
VERY INFORMATIVE. I'VE DONE A LOT OF READING ON THIS SIDE, ESPECIALLY TALKING ABOUT COVID AND ITS EFFECT ON EDUCATION, EQUITY, AND THE ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE GOING ON.
IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE I'VE DONE MUCH, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'VE DONE A LOT.
>> I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THERE, NOT NECESSARILY BY THE ORDER THAT I'VE PLACED THEM.
I FOUND THE MAIB BUDGET COMMITTEE TO BE REALLY AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE. IT'S SAY BUDGET.
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IT WAS FASCINATING TO HEAR THAT DISCUSSION AND TO BE LOOKING THROUGH THEIR BUDGET.I'VE LOOKED THROUGH LOTS OF BUDGETS IN MY TIME AND I MANAGE CURRENTLY A NON-PROFIT AND HAVE MANAGED OTHERS THAT ARE NON-PROFIT.
I CERTAINLY COULD UNDERSTAND THAT.
I THINK I ACTUALLY BROUGHT SOMETHING TO THE TABLE OTHER PEOPLE ON THAT CALL DIDN'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION THERE ABOUT THE SALARIES OF THE MAIB EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE MADE COMPLETELY PUBLIC.
WELL, IT'S A NON-PROFIT AND THEY'RE SAYING, THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC ENTERPRISE, THEREFORE THEY HAVE AN OPPOSING VIEW OF THAT, THOSE SALARIES DON'T NEED TO BE MADE PUBLIC.
I'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT THERE'S A FORM CALLED A 990 THAT NON-PROFITS HAVE TO COMPLETE.
IT DOES INCLUDE SOME LEVEL OF SALARY INFORMATION OF WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO.
ALSO, NON-PROFITS SHOULD HAVE AN AUDIT.
I BELIEVE MAIB DOES, AND AUDITS WILL ALSO HAVE SALARY INFORMATION.
BUT PEOPLE ON THIS CALL, A COUPLE OF THE COUNTY, WANTED MUCH MORE DETAIL BECAUSE, AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY'RE WRONG, TO PUT THAT POINT OUT THERE, THAT GOVERNMENT MONEY, TAXPAYER MONEY IS BEING PAID IN DUES TO MAIB FROM THEIR COUNTY AND THEIR BOARD WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THAT MONEY IS BEING USED FOR AND WHAT KIND OF SALARY WE'RE LOOKING AT.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A DEBATE AND THIS WAS BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES.
BUT I THINK MAYBE MORE IMPORTANT FOR US IS THE DUES ARE GOING TO GO UP.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EXTREME AND PRETTY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE DUES ARE GOING TO GO UP.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE INFLATION RATE IS CURRENTLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT FORECASTER WILL READ, FIVE PERCENT, SIX PERCENT, WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE, ETC.
A QUESTION I ASKED WAS, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO COVER THAT DIFFERENCE? IF THE DUES ARE GOING UP, SOMEWHAT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO COVER THE COST OF INFLATION.
THE THING WITH INFLATION IS, WHAT IS IT HITTING? IS IT HITTING THINGS WHERE MAIB SPENDS MONEY? UTILITIES? IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SALARIES.
SALARIES DON'T INFLATE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE FUEL, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EQUIPMENT OR MAYBE A LITTLE BIT SO AT LEAST PUT THAT ON THEIR RADAR.
THERE WAS SOME GUY ON THAT CALL WHO REALLY KNEW HOW TO A ANSWER A QUESTION, REMEMBER A GUY NAMED NARGO? [LAUGHTER] HE CHIMED IN AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD THAT HE WAS THERE TO HELP THEM ANSWER, NOT THAT THEY DID NOT ANSWER THAT.
JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT.
I'M GLAD I'VE SIGNED UP FOR THAT ONE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
MUST HAVE SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME [INAUDIBLE] BUT THEY ARE NOT RUDE SO LIKE TO INSULT BUDGETS.
THE POTTER'S BAR FOOTBALL, THAT THING IS A RIOT. IT IS A RIOT.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A FOOTBALL GAME WHERE THERE'S AN INCOMPLETE PASS, BUT THE TEAM GETS FIVE YARDS.
[LAUGHTER] THE OFFICIATING WAS PRETTY QUESTIONABLE, THEY COMPLETE PASS BUT THEY GOT FIVE YARDS.
I'M SURE OUR VARSITY COACHES WOULD LOVE THAT.
[LAUGHTER] COMING OUT OF THAT, I REALIZED THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS SHOULD HAVE TO PLAY, NAME IT WHAT YOU WANT, A VOLLEYBALL GAME AS A FUNDRAISER.
THAT'D BE PRETTY INTERESTING TO WATCH THEM FUNKING AROUND.
I WONDER HOW OFTEN THEY HIT THE NET EVERY PLAY.
WE KNOW WHO THE ANNOUNCER WAS, THAT WAS REALLY ENTERTAINING.
IT WAS THINGS LIKE, WELL, SOMEBODY FROM SOME SOPHOMORE JUST MADE A GOOD RUN AROUND THE END.
[LAUGHTER] NOW, IT'S REALLY FUN.
REALLY A LOT OF FUN. I GUESS I DID GO ON ORDER AND I'M NOT GOING TO COVER EVERYTHING.
THE HONOR SOCIETY HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT JUST AS AN OBSERVER TO WATCH THAT MORE POWER TO THEM AND REALLY NICE WHEN IN BOTH CASES, BOTH THE CAROLINE AND NORTH HIGH AND OF COURSE CAROLINE WAS THE ART.
REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT BUT AGAIN, VERY IMPRESSIVE IN BOTH CASES. THAT'S IT.
>> THAT'S ENOUGH, GOOD. MR. JAMES.
>> I WENT TO A FEW OF THOSE GAMES.
MOST MEMORABLE WAS THE ONE WE WENT TO BALTIMORE AGAINST EDMONDSON.
WE LOST, IT WAS A HARD FOUGHT GAME.
MR. BRIAN BERRY PRETTY MUCH HAD HIS DAY WITH OUR BOYS FOR AWHILE IN THE SHOW, BUT THEY STUCK WITH IT AND WERE IN IT TO THE END AND PLAYED A GOOD GAME.
BLUEPRINT AND BARGAIN FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, THAT WAS AN ONLINE SESSION AND VERY MUCH TIED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.
A LOT OF THAT WAS ALSO ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT AND WHERE IT'S GOING TO FIT IN, IN GOING FORWARD, THERE'S A LOT TO IT.
A LOT OF MOVING PIECES AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT REALLY DON'T HAVE ANSWERS.
I ALSO WENT TO THE HONOR SOCIETY.
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[NOISE] BOTH OF THOSE AND THAT WAS GOOD TO SEE FAMILIES BACK TOGETHER.IN SCHOOL, EVERYBODY WAS INVITED TO DO THAT.
I THINK TODAY IS DECEMBER 7TH, THAT'S THE DAY THAT THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR.
LITTLE STORY I HEARD GROWING UP IN YOUR BUILDING NOW, BILL, WHERE THE SCHOOL BUSES ARE, THERE WAS A VETERAN NAMED CHARLEY WILLIAMS. CHARLIE WOKE UP 80 YEARS AGO TODAY IN PEARL HARBOR, DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE PLACE IS GOING TO BE BOMBED.
HE WAS THERE, HE SURVIVED AND WE'VE LOST ALL THOSE GOOD OLD PEOPLE THAT REALLY HAD A DIFFERENT WAY OF APPROACHING LIFE.
I THINK THAT NOW HOW WE APPROACH IT NOW, BUT THEY CALL THEM THE GREATEST GENERATION FOR A REASON AND ALL.
JUST THINK TODAY'S A GOOD DAY.
I THINK ABOUT THAT TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SACRIFICES THAT THEY MADE EVEN AFTER THE WAR, THE WAY THAT THEY LIVE THEIR LIVES, HOW THEY WORKED IT OUT, HOW THEY TREAT OTHERS.
THAT'S MY VERSION OF MY MARKETING LIFE.
I WAS AWAY LAST WEEK AND BUSY WHEN I GOT BACK LATE SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, I WAS BUSY, JUST PLAYING CATCH UP.
BUT I JUST DID WANT TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T GET IT THAT CRA CHESS PLAYOFF GAME.
I THINK IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY OF THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT THEY GOT THAT FAR INTO PLAYOFFS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THERE WERE SOME LEG WORK DONE YEARS AGO.
SOME PEOPLE SAY SMALL HIGH SCHOOLS CAN'T HAVE FOOTBALL TEAMS, BUT THEY CAN.
IT'S A LITTLE HARDER TO KEEP EVERYBODY HEALTHY SOMETIMES IN GREAT CHECKS ON TOP OF THINGS AND WHAT NOT.
BUT WHEN THEY CAN PLAY SCHOOLS THEIR OWN SIZE IN THE SCHEDULE, THEY HAVE THE MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO PLAYOFFS WITH SCHOOLS THEIR OWN SIZE VERSUS WHEN PLAYING A REGULAR SEASON GAMES AGAINST TEAMS TWICE THEIR SIZE.
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WHOLE CONTACTS BOARD AND SPORTS LIKE BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL OR SOMETHING.
THOSE CHANGES WERE DONE AND THEY SIGNED A FEW YEARS BACK.
I THINK THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE TO BE MADE AWARE OF TO MAKE SURE THAT SMALLER SCHOOLS HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THOSE KIDS HAVE SOME OF THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES.
I WAS HAPPY JUST TO GO ON AND PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I'D COMMENT IS THE WORK SESSION, BUT I HAVE HAD SOME INTERACTION WITH THE MAIB CONSULTANT FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.
WE'VE PUT OUT A SURVEY FOR WHAT THE QUALITIES OF OUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE 255 PEOPLE WHO COMMENTED AND SENT COMMENTS IN ON STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF CAROLINE COUNTY AND WHAT THEY HOPE THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT QUALITIES THEY WOULD HAVE.
THERE'S 255 PEOPLE, FILLED 43 PAGES OF COMMENTS.
MAY GOT THOSE TO REVIEW AND SUMMARIZE FOR US AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SEEN THOSE.
WE ALSO GOT SOME COMMENTS FROM A UNION SURVEY AND WE'VE REVIEWED THOSE, AS WELL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT SURVEY, THE ADMINISTRATION SURVEY THAT WENT OUT AND GOT FEEDBACK FROM THOSE.
WE'VE GOTTEN THAT INFORMATION.
IT'S NOT USUALLY UP THERE WHERE WE'VE BEEN, BUT SINCE I WASN'T AT SO MANY ACTIVITIES, I JUST FIGURED I MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES INFORMATION OF THINGS THAT WE GET AND REVIEW AS THEY COME FORWARD.
LET'S GO OVER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. NEWCOMB. IT ACTUALLY IS A GOOD SEGUE INTO MY REPORT THIS MONTH.
>> ACTUALLY SUPER NICE REPORT WAS SMALL AND I WANTED TO ACTUALLY REVIEW THE SURVEY RESULTS THAT WERE PROVIDED FROM THE SURVEY THAT I HAD SENT TO STAFF.
THIS IS THE OCTOBER SURVEY RESULT.
THE SURVEY WINDOW IT'S ACTUALLY OPEN OCTOBER INTO NOVEMBER SUBMITTED AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER THROUGH THE FIRST 45 DAYS OF SCHOOL.
AS BOARD, YOU MAY RECALL, AND OTHERS IN THE ROOM AND PERHAPS THOSE LISTENING AT HOME, IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, WE REVIEWED AT THE MAY BOARD MEETING THE RESULTS OF THE QUALTRICS SURVEY, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY.
DURING THAT MEETING, I HAD HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF AREAS THAT WE NEEDED TO WORK ON AND IMPROVE UPON AND ALSO FELT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO TAKE MEASUREMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO KNOW HOW WE'RE DOING.
PUBLICLY, I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD TO IMPROVE ON
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COMMUNICATION FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AND I TOOK THAT AS RESPONSIBILITY FOR MYSELF AND WORKING WITH MY TEAM THAT WE NEEDED TO BE IMPROVED COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOLS AND TO GET THAT FEEDBACK FROM STAFF.I'M EXTREMELY ENCOURAGED BY THE FACT THAT WE HAVE 677 STAFF OUT OF ROUGHLY 1,000 EMPLOYEES COMPLETE THE SURVEY.
I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR FEEDBACK.
IT WAS A QUICK SURVEY, IT WAS MEANT TO BE A QUICK PAUSE OF JUST HOW WE WERE DOING ON A COUPLE ITEMS THAT WERE OF KEY IMPORTANCE THEN AND ALSO KEY THINGS THAT WE AGREED THAT WE WILL WORK ON MYSELF AND OUR TEAM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP.
IT INVOLVES MYSELF AND THE DIRECTORS, THINGS WE WERE GOING TO WORK TO IMPROVE.
ALL THOSE RESULTS, AND JUST TO WALK THROUGH THEM QUICKLY, THE FIRST ITEM THAT YOU DO SEE, 68 PERCENT OF OUR STAFF STRONGLY AGREED AND SOME AGREED THAT COMMUNICATION FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP IS CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT.
THAT'S A 30 PERCENT INCREASE OVER WHERE WE WERE IN MAY OF LAST YEAR.
THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO GET THAT NUMBER EVEN HIGHER.
BUT 30 PERCENT SLING WITHIN THE FIRST 45 DAYS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE'RE ONE OF THE STRANGEST AND MOST CHALLENGING START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'VE EVER EXPERIENCED.
OF COURSE, THERE'S STILL WORK TO DO, BUT I'M HAPPY WITH THAT TO SEE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SIXTY-EIGHT PERCENT OF OUR STAFF FELT THAT INFORMATION SHARED ON A TIMELY MANNER COMING FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP.
SIXTY-ONE PERCENT AGREED DISTRICT LEADERSHIP IS RESPONSIVE TO FEEDBACK.
I WANT TO UNPACK THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
OF THOSE RESPONSES WITH THAT NUMBER, THAT QUESTION ACTUALLY HAD THE HIGHEST RATE OF PEOPLE EITHER AGREEING OR DISAGREEING.
WHEN WE LOOK DEEPER INTO IT, IF YOU'VE NOT ASKED FOR FEEDBACK OR SUBMITTED ANY QUESTIONS TO DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, IT'S LIKELY YOU WOULD RESPOND BACK EITHER AGREEING OR DISAGREEING BECAUSE YOU'VE NOT ENGAGED OR SAW THAT HAPPENING.
JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER ON THE DATA.
DISTRICT LEADERSHIP BEING VISIBLE IN THE BUILDINGS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE IN BUILDINGS AND WE'RE PRESENT AND WE ARE OUT AND ABOUT.
SIXTY-THREE PERCENT AGREED THAT WE WERE VISIBLE IN BUILDINGS, AND THE LAST QUESTION, OBVIOUSLY, IS NEAR AND HERE.
WE SHOULD BE MAKING DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY.
EVERYTHING SHOULD CENTER AROUND WHERE STUDENTS [INAUDIBLE] AND SUPPORTING THEM MOVING FORWARD.
THIS QUESTION WHEN I ASKED LAST YEAR WAS BELOW 50 PERCENT IN MAY.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE AT 67 PERCENT AGREEING THAT DECISIONS WERE MADE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS.
AGAIN, WE HAVE ROOM TO IMPROVE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE GAINS, BUT I'M PLEASED WITH THE FEEDBACK, I'M PLEASED WITH THE AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM STAFF.
THERE IS NO RESTING ON THE LAURELS.
EVERY DAY IS A NEW DAY AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO POLISH AND MAKE CAROLINE THE BEST SCHOOL SYSTEM.
NOT JUST THAT IT CAN BE, BUT TO BE THE BEST SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE'VE GOT GREAT STAFF, GREAT FAMILIES, GREAT KIDS.
THE MORE WE IMPROVE ON OUR END WITH COMMUNICATION AND WORKING TOGETHER, THE MORE WE RAISE THINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
>> THE SECOND ONE FROM THE BOTTOM.
>> WAS THERE A GROWTH OR IMPROVEMENT WITH THAT?
>> MS. [INAUDIBLE] GREAT QUESTION. THE MIDDLE THREE QUESTIONS WERE NOT ASKED LAST YEAR.
>> THE MIDDLE THREE QUESTIONS WERE ITEMS THAT WE FELT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
>> THOSE THINGS CAME OUT IN THE WRITTEN COMMENTS IN THE SURVEY.
WE HAD 43 PAGES, I BELIEVE, OF WRITTEN COMMENT, MAYBE MORE THAN THAT FROM STAFF.
AGAIN, I'M GLAD FOR THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED IN THERE.
WE'VE DRILLED DOWN SOME THEMES, SOME THAT DID PRESENT THEMSELVES FELL ON TO THOSE THREE AREAS.
WE TRIED TO SUMMARIZE IT INTO A SHORTER SURVEY.
>> WE'LL DIP STICK AGAIN PROBABLY IN, I BELIEVE WE WERE LOOKING AT LIKE A JANUARY-ISH, ANOTHER POLLING OF STAFF TO SEE HOW WE FEEL WE'RE DOING AND HOPEFULLY WE CONTINUE TO SEE IMPROVEMENT.
>> DR. SIMMONS, YOU SAID THAT THERE WAS ALSO A SURVEY FROM THE UNION?
>> HOW DID THAT CORRELATE WITH THE RESULTS?
>> THE UNION SURVEY I ASKED DIFFERENT QUESTIONS THAN WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT WITH COMMUNICATION, THEY HAD A RESPONSE RATE, I DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME, TO REVIEW THEIR RESPONSE RATE.
I BELIEVE I COUNTED THE RESPONSES SOMEWHERE AROUND 50 STAFF MEMBERS WHO RESPONDED, AND I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK AS WELL.
TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT THEY'VE FACED THAT WE WERE GOING TO OPEN AT THE SURVEY.
THERE WERE ALSO STATEMENTS, IT'S KIND OF A MIXED BAG, OF THOSE WHO FELT THAT IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING SCHOOL YEAR AND DIFFICULT.
THERE WERE SOME THAT SCHOOL YEAR HAS BEEN GOING OKAY.
BUT AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THE STRESSORS THAT EXIST THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
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WELL, LIKE SO THERE'S ALWAYS WORK TO BE DONE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS GOOD TO SEE WE MIGHT BE GOING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I BELIEVE INSTRUCTION IS UP FIRST.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
YOU SEE THAT THERE ARE QUITE A BIT OF HIGHLIGHTS HERE UNDER INSTRUCTION.
HOWEVER, I AM GOING TO HIGHLIGHT ONE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAD.
LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT REDISTRIBUTES EQUIPMENT TO EXPAND ACCESS AND EQUITY WITHIN YOUTH SPORTS AND RECREATION PROGRAMS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES AND RURAL COMMUNITIES.
YOU SEE HERE THAT LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD CAME TO BOTH NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY DONATED OVER $13,000 OF SPORTS EQUIPMENT TO NOT ONLY OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO TO OUR PE, PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES.
THEY CAME IN TRAILER LOADS OF EQUIPMENT, HAD IT ALL SPREAD OUT.
COACHES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH AND CHOOSE WHAT EQUIPMENT THEY FELT WOULD BE BEST FOR NOT ONLY THEIR STUDENTS IN PE CLASSES, BUT ALSO FOR THE ATHLETIC TEAMS. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, AND I PROMISE I WON'T SAY TOO MUCH, BUT LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD WAS FOUNDED IN 2013 IN RESPONSE TO GROWING INEQUITIES BETWEEN THOSE THAT CAN AFFORD TO PLAY SPORTS AND THOSE THAT CANNOT AND THE PROMINENT ROLE THAT THE COST OF SPORTING GOODS WAS PLAYING IN THAT GAP.
THE FOUNDER, MAX LEVITT, WAS APPALLED WITH THE WASTE OF SPORTING EQUIPMENT HE SAW AT THE END OF EACH SEASON IN VARIOUS PROGRAMS THAT HE WAS A PART OF, AND IT LED HIM TO CREATE WHAT HE ESSENTIALLY IS CALLING A FOOD BANK FOR SPORTING EQUIPMENT THROUGH WHICH THEY COULD FUNNEL USED GEAR TO CHILDREN WHO DESPERATELY NEEDED IT.
THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF EQUIPMENT TO SCHOOLS, YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND YOUTH SPORTS LEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT DURING AND AFTER-SCHOOL SPORTS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS THAT WERE INCREASINGLY BEING LEFT ON THE SIDELINES.
THAT'S THE INSTRUCTIONAL HIGHLIGHT THAT I WANTED TO ADD TONIGHT.
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR LITTLES.
RIGHT NOW IN PRE-K, WE HAVE OUR STUDENTS WORKING ON LETTER RECOGNITION, UPPER, LOWERCASE LETTERS, PUNCTUATION, AND PROPER SPACING.
THAT'S HOW WE BEGIN OUR WRITING PROCESS AND OUR READING PROCESS.
WHAT'S VERY EXCITING ABOUT THIS AND WHY I'M HIGHLIGHTING THIS TONIGHT ON WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IS BECAUSE IN JANUARY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A PRESENTATION ON THE KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAD SUCH A TOUGH YEAR LAST YEAR, OUR KIDS DID FANTASTIC.
I'M NOT GOING TO SHARE ANY OF THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT STEALING ANGELA GILBERT'S THUNDER BECAUSE SHE IS VERY EXCITED TO SHARE ALL THAT INFORMATION AND SHOW YOU WHERE WE'RE RANKING IN THE STATE.
WE ARE NOT COMPETITIVE OR ANYTHING, BUT WE DO LIKE TO SEE OURSELVES AT THE TOP.
THIRD GRADE GIFTED AND TALENTED.
OUR STUDENTS ARE WORKING ON A UNIT ON FORCE AND MOTION, AND THEY'RE WORKING ON THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS THROUGH OBSERVATION, DISCUSSION, AND DATA COLLECTION.
THAT'S BEEN PRETTY EXCITING AND THAT FALLS RIGHT IN LINE WITH CRYSTAL HARPO'S PRESENTATION THAT SHE JUST DID AT ONE BOARD WORK SESSION AGO.
THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO SHARE WAS THE COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING AUDIT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THIS HAPPENS TYPICALLY ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE YEARS.
BECAUSE OF THE COVID YEAR, EVERYTHING GOT A LITTLE BIT PUT ON THE BACK-BURNER, SO WE FOUND OUT LAST SPRING THAT OUR NAME HAD BEEN DRAWN OUT OF THE BUCKET, AND IT'S A BIG DEAL.
WHAT WE [INAUDIBLE] THIS TAKES A LOOK AT SPECIAL ED AS A WHOLE, EVERYTHING WE DO IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, FROM PULLING INDIVIDUAL STUDENT FILES TO MATCHING IEPS WITH SERVICE LOGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT AN IEP INDICATES.
THEN FROM THERE, WE HAVE A FULL PRESENTATION THAT WE DO FOR MSDE REPRESENTATIVES AND WE DO THE PRESENTATION FOR PART B, WHICH IS OUR 3-21 POPULATION,
[00:30:02]
AND THEN ALSO PART C FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS, AND THEY WERE DEFINITELY BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER.THESE PRESENTATIONS REALLY MAXIMIZED EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HIGHLIGHTED HOW SPECIAL EDUCATION HAS GROWN IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
I WILL TELL YOU, AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T SURPRISING TO YOU, BUT THERE WERE A FEW TEARS DROPPED BECAUSE IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING TO SEE THE EVOLUTION IN 10 YEARS OF WHERE WE ARE.
DO WE HAVE CHALLENGES? ABSOLUTELY. WE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE CHALLENGES AND SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR FUTURE STAFFING PLANS.
>> JUST WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID AS FUTURE STAFFING PLANS.
>> IN SPRING, CRYSTAL OR NOT CRYSTAL CLARISSA HOLLINGER WILL BE PRESENTING THE STAFFING PLAN FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THAT I DON'T THINK YOU WERE HERE LAST YEAR.
OKAY. WHAT SHE DOES IS SHE WILL GO THROUGH AND TAKE A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR CASELOADS.
WE TAKE A LOOK AT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL NEEDS BECAUSE SOME CHILDREN MIGHT RECEIVE EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF HOURS OF SERVICES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS.
THEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT ALSO THE SCHOOLS AND HOW MANY CASE MANAGERS WE HAVE IN SCHOOLS.
THERE DEFINITELY COULD BE A SHIFT BECAUSE, IT'S A SCALE AND IN SOME SCHOOLS WERE STARTING TO TIP A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN OTHERS.
IN SOME SCHOOLS WE'RE VERY LIGHT RIGHT NOW.
WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THAT IS A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN STUDENTS ENROLLING IN AND STUDENTS MOVING OUT.
WE EVEN HAD A SHIFT LIKE THAT IN SEVERAL YEARS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE STAFFING PLAN IS.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
TONIGHT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT FACILITIES IN PARTICULAR, THE EFFICIENCIES OF FACILITY MAINTENANCE.
WE HAVE TWO AMAZING TEAMS THAT DO INCREDIBLE JOBS MAINTAINING AND CLEANING OUR 16 CCPS BUILDINGS WITH A COMBINED TOTAL OF 952,622 SQUARE FEET.
MAINTENANCE STAFF DUTIES INCLUDE FIXING BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY ASSETS LIKE THE HPAC, THE INTERIOR, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING, PLUMBING, SCHOOL PROPERTY DAMAGES, ETC.
WITHIN THE BUILDINGS, THE CUSTODIAL STAFF DUTIES INCLUDE KEEPING THE HALLWAYS CLEAN, FREE OF DEBRIS, CLEANING THE CLASSROOMS AND COMMON SPACES, SAFELY CLEANING UP EMERGENCIES WHEN THEY OCCUR BECAUSE THEY CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME, ANY PLACE.
IN CONDUCTING A THOROUGH BUILDING WALK-THROUGH, 365 DAYS A YEAR, THAT INCLUDES CHRISTMAS AND THANKSGIVING AND NEW YEAR'S AND ALL THAT.
BOTH OF THESE STAFFS ARE ACTIVE WHEN THEY REPORT TO A BUILDING EMERGENCY, THEY ALL SHOW UP, AND THE SYSTEM THAT I'M GETTING THE BUILDING RECOVERING FROM THAT PARTICULAR EMERGENCY.
THE NEXT PART THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS REALLY ABOUT THAT GRID AND SO I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE HOW TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU GUYS, I DIDN'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE I WAS LESS 10TH-GRADE GEOMETRY TEACHER TRYING TO TEACH [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT PROOFS AND THEOREMS. SO BEAR WITH ME HERE A LITTLE BIT.
THESE FIGURES ARE GOING TO BE BASED OFF FOR THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOT, WHICH IS AGAIN 952,622 SQUARE FEET IN CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
CURRENTLY, OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF CONSISTS OF 6.7 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, MAINTAINING AN AVERAGE OF A 142,182 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON.
APPLE, WHICH IS THE ASSOCIATION OF PLANT, PHYSICAL PLANT ADMINISTRATORS, RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR LEADERSHIP AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES, RECOMMENDS A FORMULATED STANDARD OF 14.1 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN CCPS IS GIVEN TOTAL SQUARE FEET.
THAT WOULD EQUATE TO 67,456 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON, AS AGAIN RECOMMENDED BY APPLE.
SO THAT NUMBER IS NOT EVEN HALF OF WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY MAINTAINING AND THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION.
A SIMILAR CROSS-REFERENCE WAS DEVELOPED FOR CUSTODIANS.
OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF CONSISTS OF 51 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES CLEANING AN AVERAGE OF 18,679 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON PER DAY.
APPLE, AGAIN, RECOMMENDS A FORMULATED STANDARD OF [NOISE] 56.7 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES TO MAINTAIN.
THAT WOULD EQUATE TO ABOUT 16,799 SQUARE FEET PER PERSON PER DAY.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CUSTODIANS AND THE MAINTENANCE IS WE'RE A LITTLE
[00:35:01]
CLOSER WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CUSTODIANS WHAT WE ARE IN A MAINTENANCE.BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WE'RE STILL ABOUT 2,000 SQUARE FEET HIGH ON A CUSTODIAL SIDE.
SO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU.
I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ABOUT THAT THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD IN AMERICA HAS ABOUT 2300 SQUARE FEET.
EVERY DAY THESE GUYS ARE CLEANING AND BASICALLY CLEAN AN EXTRA HOUSE ON TOP OF WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO ANYWAYS.
IT PUTS THINGS PERSPECTIVE A LITTLE BIT.
OUR GUYS DO A GREAT JOB DOING WHAT THEY DO.
THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO AND THEY DO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND SO SOMETIMES WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES TRYING TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN AND GET THINGS CLEANED UP AND CLEARED AND READY TO GO.
THEY GIVE A 110 PERCENT, BUT THEY DO IDENTIFY THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN LIMITATIONS THAT WE CAN DO AT THIS TIME.
FINALLY, A LAST NUMBER I WANT TO GIVE TO YOU IS OUR BUILDING VALUES ARE ALMOST HALF A BILLION DOLLARS.
FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY MILLION, EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIFTY NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS, IS THE VALUE OF OUR BUILDINGS.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE PROPERTY VALUE THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE ON.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS OF INTERESTING NUMBER, 0.5 BILLION AND CAROLINE COUNTY, JUST YOU DON'T REALLY HEAR THAT TOO OFTEN IN A SENTENCE.
THAT'S THE SNAPSHOT FOR OUR OPERATIONS QUESTIONS?
>> YEAH, THERE WAS, WHAT DO WE CALL IT, THERE WAS A PORTABLE ORIGINALLY ELEMENTARY THAT HAD A BIG MOLD PROBLEM IS THAT FIXED?
>> IS NOT FIXED. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE JANUARY INTO FEBRUARY TO GET THAT ALL TAKEN CARE OF.
WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND HIT THAT OVER CHRISTMAS LITTLE BIT.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT HARD IN JANUARY.
>> USUALLY TAKE THAT WELL, BECAUSE I WAS MADE AWARE OF IT. SEPTEMBER MAYBE.
>> YEAH. IF WE'RE FOCUSING ON IT SOLELY, ALL SIX GUYS AND I WOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG.
BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER ISSUES AND BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET CAUGHT UP THERE AND WORKING WITH MR. SUDDEN, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO MOVE THAT TEACHER AROUND TEMPORARILY TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND STUDENTS KNOW THERE'S NOBODY IS NOBODY IN THAT BUILDING AT ALL.
[OVERLAPPING] NO. YEAH. WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT BY FEBRUARY, HOPEFULLY, GET BACK IN THERE. THANK YOU.
>> VERY GOOD. GOOD INFORMATION.
MOVING ON TO OUR STUDENT'S REPRESENTATIVE LIVE AND IN PERSON AT NIGHT.
I CAN'T KEEP TRACK OF WE ALTERNATE OR NOT, BUT [INAUDIBLE]
>> GOOD EVENING, DR. SIMMONS, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M PLEASED TO COME TO YOU TODAY AND SHARE THE DIFFERENT THINGS EACH SCHOOL HAS BEEN DOING THIS PAST MONTH AND WHAT IS PLANNED FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKS.
TO BEGIN MY REPORT, GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS BEEN VERY BUSY THIS PAST MONTH.
THANKS TO TEACHERS' FLEXIBILITY AND TECHNOLOGY, THE HORNET STAFF WERE ABLE TO GET CONDUCT HUNDREDS OF SUCCESSFUL PARENT CONFERENCES IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH VIA ZOOM, PHONE CALLS, GOOGLE VOICE LESS TEXT AND IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
COMING UP THE HORNETS. IT'S LOOK FORWARD TO LOTS OF CHRISTMAS THEMES, ACTIVITIES LIKE FESTIVE FUN FRIDAYS, AND THEIR VERY FIRST DOOR DECORATING CONTEST.
AT DENTAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THE DOLPHINS CONTINUE TO SWIM FOR SUCCESS.
EACH MONDAY, STAFF SHARES NAMES OF THE DOLPHINS OF THE WEEK ON THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ON DECEMBER 9TH, THE BANDING COURSE WILL BE SHARING THEIR TALENTS AT NCHS AUDITORIUM AT 6:30 PM.
DUE TO COVID, IT IS A TICKETED EVENT.
ON DECEMBER 10TH, DES, PTA WILL AGAIN, HOST COOKIES AND COCOA IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING AT 6PM.
THE DENTIN STAFF COURSE WILL BE PERFORMING CHRISTMAS SONGS AND STUDENTS CAN PICK UP BOOKS AND DO FUN ACTIVITIES.
LASTLY, THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION ARE CONTINUING WITH OUR OPTIONAL BOOK STUDY AROUND THE TOPIC OF CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE, DES WISHES EVERYONE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
OVER A REAL JAIL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RES WILL BE HOLDING ITS BAND, ORCHESTRA, AND CHORUS WINTER CONCERT ON DECEMBER 20TH AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH-SCHOOL.
THE TERRIERS ALSO, WE'LL BE GETTING IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT BY DOING HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK, WHICH INCLUDES UGLY SWEATER DAY, TINSEL TOES, TUESDAY AND WINTERY WEDNESDAY, WHICH WILL ALSO BE THE LAST DAY OF STUDENTS, AS IT IS WINTER BREAK, RES2, WISHES EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MOVING TO LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE WILD CATS STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD IN COLLABORATION WITH PBIS TO IMPROVE OVERALL ENGAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE THROUGH THE SCHOOL-WIDE INCENTIVES, BUT VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON AND SPIRIT DAYS FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FOCUS ON TEAM IN ONE-TO-ONE STRATEGIES WITH THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND CONTENT SLASH GRADE-LEVEL MEETINGS.
THE WILDCATS ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR WINTER CONCERT COMING UP ON DECEMBER 16TH AT NCHS.
NOW TO NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
ON NOVEMBER 10TH, THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY SUCCESSFULLY HELD
[00:40:03]
A SOCIALLY DISTANCE INDUCTION CEREMONY ON NOVEMBER 29TH OF LEO CLUB OF NCHS COLLECTED CANS FOR THE ORIGINALLY FOOD DRIVE AND COLLECTED OVER 1200 CANS.COMING UP FOR THE BULLDOGS INCLUDE THE DRAMA CLUB PERFORMING THEIR OWN A PLAY ABOUT A DRAGON ON DECEMBER 10TH AND 11TH, AS WELL AS THE WINNER CHOIR SLASH BAND CONCERT ON DECEMBER 21ST.
ALL THE STAFF AT NCHS, WISH ALL BOARD MEMBERS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
LASTLY, CCTC HAS BEEN VERY BUSY THIS PAST MONTH.
STAFF HAVE BEEN BRINGING IN A VARIETY OF GUEST SPEAKERS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS REGARDING THEIR PROFESSION AND MAJOR.
SOME INCLUDE THE PITTSBURGH INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND SPIRIT AIRLINES.
ALSO THE STUDENTS ATTENDED THE FARM WELLNESS FAIR HELD AT 4H PARK AND DEBT.
ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF AND ARE EXCITED AS THEY WILL BE HOSTING A DOOR DECORATING CONTEST, AS WELL AS A GINGERBREAD CONTEST COMING UP IN THE COMING DAYS.
THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT CCTC WANTS TO SEND A SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO BOUGHT THANKSGIVING PUMPKIN PIES.
THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH I REPORT FOR, HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY THIS PAST MONTH AND IT MAY LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING MONTH, THAT'S CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S ROLL AROUND. THANK YOU.
>> I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE PUMPKIN PIES.
>> YEAH AFTER WORKING OUT THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.
>> WHEN I GOT SOME OTHER SIDES, I GOT PUMPKIN PIES IN THEIR SIDE, THE CRANBERRY RELIES.
I DON'T LIKE CRANBERRIES, BUT IT WAS GOOD.
[LAUGHTER] REALLY GOOD AND THEY HAD AN OYSTER SNAPPING.
AGAIN, I DON'T DO OYSTERS, BUT IT WAS REALLY GOOD.
>> SOME CORRECTIONS, WE HAVE MR. RAS RAF WITH US.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, DR. SIMMONS, AND ALL MEMBERS OF BOARD.
STARTING WITH FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OF DECEMBER 6, THEY HAD THEIR BAND & CHORUS OF WINTER CONCERT AT 6:00 PM, WHICH WAS IN CRHS.
THEY HAVE A 25 DAYS OF FITNESS WHICH ENCOURAGES STAFF TO PARTICIPATE IN FIVE REPS OF FIVE EXERCISES FOR MONTH OF DECEMBER.
THE FALCONS ARE ALSO CELEBRATING DECEMBER TO REMEMBER, WHICH CELEBRATES DIFFERENT CULTURES AND HOLIDAYS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH.
MOVING TO PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY HAD THEIR WINTER CONCERT PAST MONDAY, DECEMBER AND ARE SO THANKFUL TO ALL OF THE PES CHORUS & BAND MEMBERS.
THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND THEY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MR. RYAN LESLIE FOR HIS AMAZING WORK WITH YOUNG MUSICIANS AND ALL OF THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE SCHOOL.
PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS ALSO HOLDING A HOLIDAY DOOR DECORATING CONTEST DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.
THE WINNING HOMEROOM WILL WIN AN ICE CREAM TREAT IN THEIR CAFETERIA.
PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL BE HOLDING AN OUTDOOR SING-A-LONG FOR THEIR STAFF AND STUDENT ON DECEMBER 22ND.
THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TO THIS SPECIAL MOMENT WITH THEIR STAFF AND STUDENTS TO SHARE JUST BEFORE THE WINTER BREAK BEGINS.
NOW MOVING ON TO COLONEL MIDDLE, DECEMBER 1ST-10TH, THE COLONEL MIDDLE SGA IS SPONSORING A TOYS FOR TOTS DONATION CAMPAIGN.
DECEMBER 6TH THROUGH 21ST, CR WELLNESS COMMITTEES IS SPONSORING THE "12 DAYS OF FITNESS." DECEMBER 8, A CHORUS & ORCHESTRA CONCERT AT CRHS AUDITORIUM AT 7:00 PM.
DECEMBER 9, BAND & JAZZ CONCERT AT CRHS AUDITORIUM, 7:00 PM.
DECEMBER 13TH TO DECEMBER 22ND, THEY HAVE A HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK SPONSORED BY NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY.
FINALLY, COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL HAD THEIR PROM COMMITTEE WILL MEET ON DECEMBER 8TH AT 5:30 PM IN THE MEDIA CENTER TO START PLANNING FOR PROM 2022, AND THEY WILL HOLD A HOLIDAY CONCERT IN THE AUDITORIUM ON DECEMBER 17TH AT 7:00 PM.
DECEMBER 13TH TO DECEMBER 22ND IS THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT WEEK.
STARTING FROM NEXT MONDAY, THEY HAVE THEIR HOLIDAY DOOR DECORATING CONTEST WITH THREE DIFFERENT WINNERS.
ALSO ALL OF THESE FOUR SCHOOLS WISH YOU-ALL A JOYFUL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU.
MOVING ON, THE FINANCE REPORT.
[BACKGROUND] MARY, HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
>> HI, GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS.
[00:45:01]
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE EXPENDITURES OF OUR UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET AS OF NOVEMBER 30TH.THIS MEANS WE'RE FIVE MONTHS INTO THE FISCAL YEAR.
IF YOU SCROLL THROUGH, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A FEW AVERAGES.
THESE ARE THE SAME AVERAGES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS.
THESE AVERAGES REPRESENT LINE ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE REALIGNED AND CLEANED UP DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS.
THEY REPRESENT DECISIONS OR CHANGES THAT WERE MADE OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, OR A COST INCREASES THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE DUE TO CERTAIN SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE TREATED UP TO REFLECT THESE CHANGES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE'S AVERAGES IN FEW OF THE LINE ITEMS, THERE'S ALSO BALANCES OR UNDER SPENT LINE ITEMS TO COVER THESE AVERAGES.
IF YOU AREN'T A NUMBERS PERSON, THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY FROM THIS REPORT IS THE LAST PAGE, WHICH IS OUR BOTTOM LINE.
IF YOU'LL NOTE, THE YEAR OF DATE, EXPENDITURES PLUS ENCUMBRANCES ACCOUNT FOR APPROXIMATELY 75 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET.
COMPARED TO PRIOR YEARS, WE ARE RIGHT ON TRACK WITH SPENDING FOR WHERE WE SHOULD BE AT THIS POINT IN THE FISCAL YEAR, AND THERE ARE NO ISSUES OR CONCERNS THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THANK YOU.
>> ANY MEMBER WITH ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE].
[3. Consent Agenda]
MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.WE'VE THREE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, STARTING WITH PERSONNEL.
>> [LAUGHTER] GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT.
>> JUST TO RECALL BEFORE [INAUDIBLE] IS WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE NIGHT OR LEAVE WHEN YOU NEED TO, HOME WORK IN GOOD NIGHT SLEEP IS ALWAYS PRIORITY.
>> THANKS. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE PERSONNEL AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND CONSENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THREE LEADERS ABSENCES, TWO RETIREMENTS THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE.
ONE TEACHER PULLED ME TO THE REGULAR CONTRACT AND THE ADDENDUMS FOR TODAY WERE TWO RESIGNATIONS.
>> DO YOU KNOW WHY THE RESIGNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR?
>> IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN FIX?
>> WELL, I CAN BRING THIS IN SOME PARTICULARS.
CERTAINLY I'LL LOOK AT THE EXIT.
>> I KNOW YOU CAN'T GIVE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION OUT [OVERLAPPING] AND I'M NOT TRYING TO GET AT THAT.
>> BUT I'M CONCERNED WHY PEOPLE ARE RESIGNING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
>> ESPECIALLY SPECIAL EDUCATION.
>> ANY MEMBER WITH ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> BOARD MEMBERS ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE THE MINUTES FROM THE NOVEMBER 2ND MEETING AND MINUTES FROM OUR NOVEMBER 16TH WORK SESSION.
WHEREBY SEEING ANY CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS.
HEARING NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA?
>> A MOTION BY MR. BARTON, AND SECOND BY MR. JONES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[4. Recognitions]
MOVING ON, WE HAVE RECOGNITIONS.WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO GOT HIT.
>> MR. [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE HERE FOR THE [INAUDIBLE].
>> PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M RENEE HESSON, SUPERVISOR OF INSTRUCTIONS FOR FINE ART, FOR KIDS AS WELL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO COHEN CARELS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR BEING SELECTED FOR THE 2021 SUPER INTERNET HOLIDAY CARD COVERS ARTWORK.
>> YES. SEND [INAUDIBLE] THE REAL PHOTO SO I CAN JUST FOR A SECOND.
I'LL TELL YOU IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT,
[00:50:03]
OBVIOUSLY, TO PICK A WINNER FOR THE CARD.IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, WHEN I GOT THEM, SHE WAS THE FIRST PERSON I'VE HAD TO DO IT.
WE PROBABLY HAD 100 ENTRIES, I'M GUESSING MAYBE MORE, NO NAMES ON ANY OF THEM.
THERE ARE PICTURES OF EACH ONE OF THEM, AND YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE LOT OF STIFF COMPETITION, I WOULD SAY.
[LAUGHTER] I MAY HAVE HEARD MOM SAY, "ART IS NOT A THING. "
>> SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
[LAUGHTER] I MIGHT BE PARAPHRASING.
THAT MAY HAVE GOTTEN TO ME THROUGH VOTING.
NOT TO GIVE A LITTLE SECRET TO OTHERS, WE ALWAYS DO A LANDSCAPE CARD.
THEY ARE SO PRETTY. I MEAN THEY ARE, SNOW FALLING AND THAT SORT OF THING. THIS WAS AWESOME.
SO MUCH PERSONALITY. I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST [OVERLAPPING] STRUCK THE RIGHT CHORD.
SO YES, YOU DO HAVE THE ART BUG A LOT BETTER THAN I WOULD, BUT ABSOLUTELY AWESOME. I'M THRILLED.
THAT'S WHERE WE LANDED FOR THE CARD, IT WAS A NO-BRAINER.
I'M THRILLED THAT TO BE OUR CARD THAT'LL GO OUT TO EVERYBODY, AND THAT WE WILL UTILIZE HERE AS EASY TO GET THROUGH THIS YEAR.
GREAT JOB, HATS OFF, TOTALLY COOL.
>> WE HAVE ENTRIES FROM OUR DECEMBER SCORES AND WE WANT TO SEE FINALIST, THEY ARE ON DISPLAY IN THE HOLIDAY. [INAUDIBLE]
>> IT IS JUST A SELF PORTRAIT COHEN?
>> CAN I GET A PICTURE? [BACKGROUND].
>> IT HAVE THE LENGTH OF A PHOTO BURNER.
[NOISE] [APPLAUSE] LIKE THE BIG REVEAL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING NEXT [LAUGHTER].
AND THEN NEXT UP IS, I DON'T KNOW.
>> NEXT WE HAVE RECOGNITION BACK IN THE BUILDING. [OVERLAPPING].
AND FOR FINE ART, I'M ALL ABOUT IT.
>> NEXT WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO GET THEIR ARTWORK UP IN AN ATLAS.
>> YES. [BACKGROUND]. AREN'T THEY BOTH LOVELY? SO, WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO MORE STUDENTS TO RECOGNIZE TONIGHT FOR THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN THE VISUAL ARTS.
BOTH OF THESE STUDENTS ARE ON DISPLAY AT MARYLAND FIRST LADIES ART GALLERY EXHIBIT.
THIS YEAR IT IS A VIRTUAL EXHIBIT.
AND SO, I'LL BEGIN WITH NOE'AAH ROBUCK.
NOE'AAH, THIS IS A CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR YOUR ARTWORK THAT WAS CHOSEN TO BE DISPLAYED AT THE FIRST LADY GALLERY IN ANNAPOLIS. CONGRATULATIONS.
>> NOE'AAH'S ARTWORK, AS YOU NOTICE IS MEMENTO MORI, UNUS ANNUS.
IT IS A DIGITAL MEDIA PIECE. VERY NICELY DONE.
[APPLAUSE] NOE'AAH IS FROM NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE MR. KURT BLINKY WHO WAS THE ART TEACHER FOR THIS PROJECT.
NOW, I WILL ALSO RECOGNIZE FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, ELLA VON DEN BOSCH.
CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR ARTWORK BEING DISPLAYED AT THE FIRST LADY GALLERY IN ANNAPOLIS.
HER PIECE IS A GRAPHITE PIECE TITLED MASKED.
WE FOUND IT TO BE VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THE TIME AND THESE ARTWORKS ARE ON DISPLAY IN THIS VIRTUAL GALLERY FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE LINK AND YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO
[00:55:01]
ALSO VISIT THAT LINK THERE, TOO.IT IS LIKE PLAYING MINECRAFT THOUGH WHEN YOU DO GET LOST SOMETIMES, IF YOU NEED ANY HELP NAVIGATING, JUST ASK THE NEAREST CHILD.
[LAUGHTER] WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER AND GET A PICTURE.
>> [BACKGROUND] NOW YOU SAID VIRTUAL GALLERY.
>>BUT IT IS ALSO, I THINK THEY PUT IT ON THE WALL [INAUDIBLE]
>> YES. THEY WILL AND ALL OF THE IMAGES ON COPIES SO [BACKGROUND].
>> CONGRATULATION. [APPLAUSE].
>> AGAIN, SO IF YOU DO GET A CHANCE VIRTUAL MEET AND IF ANYBODY HAVE BEEN TO ANNAPOLIS EVEN THOUGH I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A ROAD BETWEEN THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE AND ALL THESE PICTURES FROM ACROSS THE STATE, ARE HANGING THERE.
SO, WE NEED TO RUN BIG AFTERNOON TO FIND YOUR.
>> AND WE ARE GETTING READY TO UNDERSTAND SOME MORE OF DIFFERENT [INAUDIBLE].
OKAY SO, ELLA, FAMILY [INAUDIBLE], SERVING 2 ROLES TONIGHT.
>> IT IS, MY HONOR [BACKGROUND].
>> NOW THAT WE'VE REALIZED THAT HE HAD LIVED THROUGH [BACKGROUND].
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENT ART.
>> IF WE COULD OF BOARD US JUST TAKE A RECESS, A TWO MINUTE RECESS.
WE GO AT SOME PUBLIC COMMENTS YOU'VE SIGNED UP AND LET'S STAFF, GET IT ORGANIZED.
TWO AND A HALF MINUTES OF TIME OUT.
>> IF ANYBODY'S MAKING A RUN OR ANYTHING.
>> GO AHEAD [BACKGROUND] RECONVENE IN HERE. THANK YOU ALL.
[5. Citizens/Public Comments]
WE DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS, NIGHT PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE TRYING TO BALANCE THAT WITH ANY ONLINE SUBMISSIONS AS WELL AS THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO BE PERSONAL.MISS [INAUDIBLE] YOU ARE UP? ARE YOU GOING TO COMMENT ON THE SUMMARY FROM THE EMAIL OR SHOULD I?
>> WHAT I'M HERE FOR IS TO READ THE STATEMENT ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN TO CALL UP OUR THREE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.
>> OKAY, WE HAVE TWO SOUNDS, WE HAVE THREE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS.
>> LIKE I MENTIONED IN MY REPORT, WE DID GET OUR SURVEY RESULTS FROM THE UNION, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE REVIEW ALONG THOSE LINES DUE TO A VERY FULL AGENDA, AND TONIGHT WE ARE WILLING TO FOREGO READING PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY E-MAIL.
BUT I CAN TEST AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE RECEIVED AND WE DO READ THEM.
BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED A WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS, ONE FROM AMANA FERRISS ON THE TOPIC OF THE SURVEY RESULTS, AND ALSO ADDITIONAL LETTERS OF EMAIL.
JUST INCLINED, CATHERINE GEISLER, ANDREA BURNS, LAURA ESOR, ELON MCCLOUD, MARY OF MORGAN, AALIYAH ORGINALY, SUSANNA FAITH, JOE PATTERSON, TOM BERT, AND PEGGY WHITMAN, ALL ON THE TOPIC OF TEACHER MORALE WORKLOAD AND PLANNING TIME.
[01:00:05]
THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.PLEASE BE ASSURED THAT WHILE THESE LETTERS ARE NOT BEING READ ALOUD.
THEY HAD BEEN RECEIVED AND WILL BE READ BY EACH BOARD MEMBER MAY ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AS ATTACHMENTS TO THIS MEETING'S MINUTES, ON BOARD DOCS AND IF APPROPRIATE FOR WILL DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT THE RESPONSE.
>>WHEN DO WE AGREE NOT TO READ THESE?
>> JUST NOW. UNLESS YOU WANT TO READ ALL THOSE LETTERS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DO AND I DON'T I KNOW IT TAKES A LONG TIME, BUT PEOPLE.
>> THREE TO 535, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45.
>> RIGHT. BUT YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME TO DO THIS AND TO BE HEARD, WHICH I THINK IS AWESOME BECAUSE IN THE PAST THEY DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THEY COULD DO THIS.
>> WELL I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY AND WE CAN IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE A VOTE ON WHETHER WE DO THIS, WE CAN DO THIS, BUT NOW, WHETHER THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN OR NOT, BOARD MEMBERS, EMAILS ARE HOMELESS, CCS WEBSITE AND PART OF THE STAFF WEBSITE.
STAFF JUST NEED TO KNOW OUR NAME AND EMAIL BOARD MEMBER AT ANY TIME, GIVEN TIME TO SHARE COMMENTS, CONCERNS, INDIVIDUALLY OR TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANY STAFF THAT HAS A CONCERN TO USE THAT EMAIL TO ALL 54 MEMBERS.
PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE'VE DONE A MANAGER WORKLOAD SOMEHOW AND THAT WAS A SUGGESTION AND I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD SUGGESTION AND THAT'S THE DIRECTION OUTGOING.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BRINGING IT OUT SOONER.
BUT BOARD, WHERE ARE WE? ARE WE COMFORTABLE SUMMARIZING THE CONTENT OF, AS I DID IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THOSE PEOPLE, OR WOULD WE WOULD LIKE TO READ THEM ALL OUT LOUD?
>>IT'S THE MAJORITY, BUT NOW I THINK IF PEOPLE TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE IT AND DID NOT KNOW WE WEREN'T GOING TO READ IT.
BUT IF EVERYBODY ELSE THINKS THAT'S OKAY.
>> WELL, I'VE GOT THEM. I'LL READ THEM.
I LOOK AT THIS AS A PRACTICE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IN REVIEW BECAUSE IF THERE WERE 200 LETTERS, WE WOULD READ THEM ALL.
IF THERE WERE 1000 LETTERS, WE WOULD READ THEM ALL.
I WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE EMPLOYEES THINK; THAT'S FINE.
I JUST THINK OUR SEMANTICS IN OUR AGENDA NEED TO CHANGE.
THIS IS NOT PUBLIC COMMENT, THIS IS EMPLOYEE COMMENTS, AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.
THESE ARE NOT PARENTS OR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THESE ARE EMPLOYEES.
EMPLOYEES HAVE A WAY TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
THERE ARE THINGS IN PLACE FOR THEM TO RAISE THEIR ISSUES AND THEIR CONCERN, SO IT'S WRITING EMAILS TO US AND NOT OBJECTING TO THAT.
THAT'S FINE. EACH INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER HAS NO LINE AUTHORITY OVER THE IMPORTANCE, ZERO, NO LINE OF AUTHORITY.
I'M NOT SURE THAT'S ENTIRELY PRODUCTIVE USE OF TIME, BUT I'LL READ THESE THINGS.
I'LL READ THEM, I'LL READ EMAILS I GET, BUT I ALSO WILL ALWAYS BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT THIS.
IF EVERY EMPLOYEE WROTE ME AN EMAIL A WEEK, I'M NOT READING.
I'M SORRY. I DON'T HAVE THAT TIME.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR OPERATING PRACTICE HERE THAT HOW MANY OF THESE THINGS CAN WE HEAR AND READ, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S TIED TO THE SAME SUBJECT.
THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S THINGS IN PLACE AND ALIGNED WITH A CHAIN OF COMMAND.
THERE'S A STRUCTURE IN PLACE TO HEAR EMPLOYEE CONCERNS.
PEOPLE ARE HERE, GLAD TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
WELL, WE DO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE'S A LIMIT TO WHAT WE CAN TAKE OUT.
THAT'S JUST MY POINT OF VIEW. I DON'T EXPECT ANYBODY ELSE TO AGREE WITH IT.
>> JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, THOUGH.
IF ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAD COME, WOULD WE HAVE LISTENED?
>> I WOULD MOVE THAT WE DON'T.
BECAUSE THE NEXT TIME IT COULD BE 100 PEOPLE.
>> THE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT.
>> WE HAVE TO HAVE A PRACTICE, AND I ALSO THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
VERY GOOD QUESTION. I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC COMMENT AND EMPLOYEE COMMENT.
>> BUT RIGHT NOW THERE IS THERE IS NO, SO RIGHT NOW, THESE PEOPLE HAVE FOLLOWED THE CURRENT COUNTY POLICY.
>> YES, AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT THESE PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO GET READ, AND THEN IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN'T READ FOR HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE COME HERE IN PERSON,
[01:05:08]
THEN I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A NUMBER, SO PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY DIDN'T WRITE SOMETHING AND TAKE THE TIME TO SHARE IT, AND THEN THEY SIT OUT THERE ONLY TO FIND OUT NO, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO ME.>> TONIGHT, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE WILL LISTEN TO.
>> TONIGHT, THEY WILL, BUT IN THE FUTURE.
>> OF THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE, I'M SAYING WE CAN MAKE A MOTION.
IN MY VIEW THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HERE, WE'VE GOT THEIR WRITTEN STATEMENT AND I CAN READ THOSE, AND I'VE ALREADY DONE.
>> BUT YOU ALSO SAID THAT IF ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE HERE IN PERSON, WE WOULDN'T.
WE HAVEN'T DONE IT HERE MUCH IN CAROLINE COUNTY, BUT WE'VE HEARD OF OTHER BOARDS.
OUR BOARD HAS FIVE MINUTES PER SPEAKER, WHICH IS AN ABOVE-AVERAGE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALLOW TWO TO THREE.
IF WE DID COME UP AND 50 PEOPLE SHOWED UP, WE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO CAP IT AT THAT TIME.
WE CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO REDUCE THE TIME.
I KNOW WE CAN MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE IT TO THE END SO WE CAN TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AND THEN STAY HERE UNTIL TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, WHICH I'VE HAD OTHER BOARDS BREAKING MIDNIGHT IN CERTAIN DISCUSSION ITEMS. WE LUCKILY NEVER HAD TO DO THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS MAJORLY OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND I THINK WHAT MR. BARNES MENTIONED TOO, WE NEED TO REVIEW OUR POLICIES ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT VERSUS FOR STAFF COMMENT, BUT I BELIEVE THIS BOARD HAS DONE THE BEST WE COULD DO TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAT EMBRACES THE UNION AND INVITES THEM TO THE TABLE AND GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND CONSTRUCTIVE MEETINGS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND FOR SOME REASON THAT WE'RE GETTING MORE COMMENTS TO THE BOARD NOW THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE AND AS MR. BARTON POINTED OUT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECT AUTHORITY OVER THEM ON THEIR DAY TO DAY OPERATION.
I THINK IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DISCUSS IN THE NEAR FUTURE IN ANY OF THE MEETINGS TO CLARIFY THIS MISUNDERSTANDING DEFINITELY.
>> [INAUDIBLE] RAISED A VERY GOOD POINT, THAT PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING WHAT THEY KNOW TO BE THE PROCEDURE. I'M NOT BLAMING THEM.
THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY THINK IS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
I THINK IT HAS NO REFLECTION ON THAT WHATSOEVER.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RULE OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES [INAUDIBLE].
THEORETICALLY, EVERY EMPLOYEE CAN REACH OUT TO US, CAN WRITE TO US, EVERY SINGLE ONE. THAT HAPPENS? NO. BUT IT COULD BECOME A MANAGEABLE NUMBER, AND I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO REVIEW WHETHER THIS BODY SHOULD BE HEARING EMPLOYEE COMMENTS AND WHETHER IT SHOULD BE PUBLIC OR EMPLOYEE, I'M NOT SAYING WHICH WAY IT SHOULD BE.
WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT AND DEFINE THESE BETTER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
I THINK THAT POINT IS WELL MADE, AND IF THOSE BOTH ROLES AREN'T GOING TO BE WORKABLE, WE NEED TO CHANGE IT AND LET PEOPLE KNOW.
>> AS FAR AS HAVING MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS I BELIEVE DR. SIMMONS DID YOU GIVE US THIS? IT SAYS [NOISE] IT'S COUNTRYWIDE STAFF SHORTAGE WIDESPREAD OF T. THIS IS UNUSUAL TIMES, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'RE HEARING MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.
BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE HIT THEIR LIMITS.
IT'S NOT JUST OUR TEACHERS, AND THEY'RE NOT JUST COMPLAINING, IT'S A REAL PROBLEM, AND IT WAS A REAL PROBLEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO START LIMITING HOW MANY WE'RE GOING TO EVEN LISTEN TO, THEN I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE A WHOLE LOT SOONER THAN LATER, SO PEOPLE KNOW IN ADVANCE [OVERLAPPING] THAT YES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE HEARD, AND I DIDN'T WASTE MY TIME.
>> WELL, AND I THINK THAT IS WHY THIS OPPORTUNITY WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS PUTTING SOMETHING IN WRITING THAT WE CAN TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND READ GIVES THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP, TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO SHOW UP AND ARE SITTING HERE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR TIME.
>> RIGHT. BUT WHEN YOU SAY TOOK THE INITIATIVE, I MEAN, IF YOU READ IT, IT ACTUALLY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE NOT TO SHOW UP.
IT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO SEND THE EMAIL.
I'M NOT GOING TO FAULT PEOPLE THAT DID SENT IT IN TO BE READ BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE'VE ASKED PEOPLE TO DO.
>> WELL, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSION HERE.
I'VE SUMMARIZED THE PEOPLE WHO SENT THE LETTERS.
WE SUMMARIZED THE TOPICS THEY'RE GOING,
[01:10:02]
AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT AND I WELCOME THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT BECAUSE ONE, I THINK IT WAS IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S AGENDA ANYWAY, READ SOME COMMENTS IN A CLOSED SESSION, AND WE ADD ON THE AGENDA ITEM THAT GIVE US MORE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE LETTERS THAT WERE SUBMITTED IN WRITING.I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUES ARE THAT ARE GOING TO COME AND PUBLIC COMMENT. JUST SAYING THAT.
EVEN PRIOR TO THEM BEING READ IN PUBLIC, YOU'RE ALREADY AWARE OF SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
I'VE ADDED AN ITEM TO THE AGENDA FOR THE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY MOTION TO CHANGE THE PROTOCOL FOR WHAT I'M RECOMMENDING AS SUMMARIZING THE WRITTEN EMAIL TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AS IS, READ THEM ALOUD, OR CAN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING?
>> NO. EVEN IF I LOSE, I WOULD STILL MAKE THE MOTION THAT BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE FOLLOW THE RULES AS THEY STAND NOW, WE READ THEM.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GIACOMO TO READ ALL EMAIL SUBMITTED PUBLIC COMMENTS. IS THERE A SECOND? NONE HAVING A SECOND, THE MOTION FAILS.
BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN, AND I WANT TO SAY, THAT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT WRITTEN, THEIR THOUGHTS AREN'T CONSIDERED, AND THAT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THE COMMENTS VOICED IN THOSE OR THE COMMENTS SHARED WITH THE UNION SURVEY THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO US OR THE SUGGESTIONS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE BRINGING TO US AFTER MEETING WITH THE STATE WITH THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES.
SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT. THANK YOU.
THOSE ARE THE EMAILS OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT LETTERS, MOVING ON TO MS. BERRY, WE HAVE THREE GUESTS FOR VERBAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> YES, WE DO, AND FIRST, I'D LIKE TO READ THE PUBLIC COMMENTS STATEMENT.
THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE 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, 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.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MS. SHERRY NEAR.
>> I'M VERY WELL, HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD EVENING, MR. NEWCOMB, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND DR. SIMMONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND WILLINGNESS TO HEAR ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES THIS YEAR.
ONCE THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN, WE QUICKLY FOUND OURSELVES FEELING UTTERLY EXHAUSTED AND DISCOURAGED.
WE HAVE MANY CONVERSATIONS AT LUNCH OR PLANNING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY.
IN-PERSON LEARNING HAD RETURNED AND HYBRID TEACHING WAS NOT AN EXPECTATION.
TEACHER AND STUDENT LIFE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GRAND AGAIN, BUT WE SENSED AN UNDERLYING EXPECTATION THAT TEACHING AND LEARNING WAS SUPPOSED TO RETURN TO BUSINESS AS USUAL.
FROM GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION, TO VARIOUS BENCHMARKS AND ASSESSMENTS, TO CIT MEETINGS AND DATA COLLECTION FOR SLOS.
THIS WAS OUR BUSINESS AS USUAL BEFORE COVID-19, BUT THIS YEAR IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL.
OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
THE IMPACTS OF VIRTUAL LEARNING, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND COMMUNITY SHUTDOWNS EMERGED AS WE GOT TO KNOW OUR NEW STUDENTS.
WE QUICKLY DISCOVERED THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS YEARS.
WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO DO NOT KNOW WHAT A NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR IS.
THE STUDENTS WHO ARE CURRENT FIRST GRADERS SPENT THEIR KINDERGARTEN YEAR SITTING OUT THERE SOCIALLY DISTANCE, INDIVIDUAL TABLES BEHIND A FACE MASK AND HCL.
THERE WERE NO OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING THROUGH PLAY AND PEER INTERACTIONS OR LEARNING HOW TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS.
NO TREASURED KINDERGARTEN MEMORIES.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE FUNCTIONING AS IF STILL ON ZOOM.
THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO TRANSITION FROM INSTRUCTION THAT WAS A PRESENTATION TO INSTRUCTION THAT INVOLVES STUDENT INTERACTION AND EFFORT.
THESE ARE STUDENTS WHOSE EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HAVE BEEN SEVERELY LIMITED AS A RESULT OF SHUTDOWNS AND ENCLOSURES.
[01:15:02]
EXPERIENCES THAT TYPICALLY STRENGTHEN A CHILD'S READINESS TO LEARN AND ABILITY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS TO NEW LEARNING.THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO HAVE LITTLE TO NO SOCIAL SKILLS, WHICH HAS MADE IT CHALLENGING FOR CHILDREN TO INTERACT IN POSITIVE WAYS WITH OTHERS.
THEN THERE IS THE QUARANTINE STUDENT.
THIS STUDENT COULD BE QUARANTINE MULTIPLE TIMES IN A MARKING TERM WITH THEIR ONLY CONNECTION TO THEIR CLASS BEING GOOGLE CLASSROOM.
YES, THIS PROVIDES THE ASSIGNMENTS TO THE STUDENTS, BUT NOT THE INSTRUCTION.
YES, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS CREATED TUTORING, BUT IT IS OPTIONAL AND WE STILL HAVE THE LACK OF HOME INTERNET ACCESS.
EACH TIME A STUDENT IS QUARANTINED, THEY FALL FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND.
AS TEACHERS, WE HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AND CHANGED BY THE PANDEMIC.
WE WANT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE NEED TO IDENTIFY THE VERY DIFFERENT NEEDS OF OUR PANDEMIC LEARNERS BEFORE CONTENT INSTRUCTION IS EFFECTIVE.
THIS HAS BEEN EXHAUSTING AND DISCOURAGING.
THE STRATEGIES AND TIPS FOR EFFECTIVELY EDUCATING DURING A PANDEMIC HAVE NOT YET BEEN WRITTEN BECAUSE WE'RE STILL LIVING IN IT EACH DAY.
WE ARE USING OUR PLANNING TIMES, LUNCHTIMES, AND PERSONAL TIME TO CREATE ASSIGNMENTS FOR QUARANTINE STUDENTS.
WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH REGULATIONS TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE IN SCHOOL.
WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE THE ATTENDANCE CODES AND MAKEUP WORK.
THEN ADD TO THIS, THE EXPECTATION THAT GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS MUST STILL BE TAUGHT AND ASSESSMENTS GIVEN JUST LIKE PRIOR TO 2020.
STUDENTS HAVE GAPS IN THEIR LEARNING FROM VIRTUAL LEARNING AND ARE QUARANTINING, ACADEMIC GAPS VARY DEPENDING ON GRADE LEVELS.
IMAGINE HOW DISCOURAGING, FRUSTRATING, AND EXHAUSTING THIS IS FOR STUDENTS.
KNOWING THAT THE STATE STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT EXPECTATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUSTED TO THIS NEWLY ABOVE PANDEMIC LEARNER IS EXTREMELY STRESSFUL AND DISCOURAGING TO TEACHERS.
TEACHING IS A PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED PROFESSION.
IT HAS BEEN MAGNIFIED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND THE EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION IS REAL.
WE ARE TRYING TO RETURN TO AN EDUCATIONAL WORLD THAT EXISTED BEFORE A PANDEMIC.
ATTEMPTING THAT AND TRYING TO MANAGE ALL THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY DRAINING.
WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO US AND OUR STUDENTS? LOWERING EXPECTATIONS? NOT THE ANSWER.
PERHAPS THE ANSWER IS MEETING THE STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE AND HAVING HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THEM FROM THAT POINT FORWARD.
WE THINK THIS CONVERSATION IS BIGGER THAN CCPS, BUT WOULDN'T IT BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A SYSTEM TO BEGIN TO INSTITUTE SOME POSITIVE CHANGES? AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, THERE NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, STUDENTS, AND SOCIETY HAVE A DRASTICALLY CHANGED BY COVID-19.
EDUCATING AND ASSESSING IN THE WAY PRIOR TO MARCH OF 2020 MAY NOT BE RELEVANT NOW.
WE CANNOT KEEP PILING ON MORE AND MORE CONTENT WITH MISSING FOUNDATIONS.
WE DO NOT NEED AND SERVICES ON HOW AND WHAT TO TEACH DURING A PANDEMIC, WE NEED THE GRADES TO SLOW DOWN, BUILD THE FOUNDATION, DELIVER SMALLER CHUNKS OF CONTENT, AND PROVIDE TIME FOR STUDENTS TO DIGEST THE NEW KNOWLEDGE.
WE NEED TIME TO CREATE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL MEET OUR STUDENTS' INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
WE VALUE HAVING OUR STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING WITH US.
SCHOOL IS THE SAFEST PLACE FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS.
THEY THRIVE ON DAILY ROUTINES, STRUCTURE AND HUGS.
WE NEED A DAY DURING THE WEEK DEVOTED TO BEING A FLEX DAY, A DAY IN WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE SHORT INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONS TO CLOSE THESE GAPS.
STUDENTS NEED TIME TO DECOMPRESS AND PROCESS WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED.
THIS DAY COULD BE USED FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN HOW TO BE KIDS AGAIN THROUGH STRUCTURED PLAY AND INTERACTION WITH THEIR PEERS.
WE MUST BE ABLE TO INVEST TIME TO HELP THESE CHILDREN TO DEVELOP SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY TO BECOME A CARING AND SUCCESSFUL MEMBER OF A SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND A COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
DURING THESE MOST RECENT ACADEMIC YEARS, WE HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH OF OURSELVES TO OUR STUDENTS.
WE WOULD NOT CHANGE THAT AT ALL.
OUR STUDENTS NEEDED US AND WE NEEDED THEM.
BUT WE GAVE SO MUCH HOPING THAT A NORMAL WOULD SOON RETURN, BUT THAT HOPE CONTINUES TO BE DASHED EACH DAY.
WE ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING ON FUMES, WE CANNOT TAKE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL ADDED TO OUR PLATES.
WE DESPERATELY NEED HELP REFILLING TO BE WHERE OUR STUDENTS NEED US TO BE.
WE HOPE THAT SHARING OUR OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCES HAVE HELPED BRING SOME CLARITY AND INSIGHT.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF YOU AND FEEL BLESSED TO HAVE ADMINISTRATORS AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO WANT TO HEAR AND SUPPORT US.
MOST RESPECTFULLY, THE GEES FACULTY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. JILL TOLBERT.
[NOISE] THIS IS MY 12TH YEARS AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND MY SECOND YEAR AS A TEACHER IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
I'M GRATEFUL EVERY DAY TO DRIVE THE 40 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE TO NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL, EVEN THOUGH I COULD EASILY HAVE A FIVE-MINUTE COMMUTE TO A HIGH SCHOOL NEAR MY HOME.
I LOVE MY JOB AND I CAN'T IMAGINE DOING ANYTHING ELSE.
I'M PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE FACULTY AT NORTH CAROLINE.
I'M WRITING OUT OF CONCERN FOR THE CURRENT STATE OF TEACHER MORALE AND OVERALL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THOSE OF US ON THE FRONT LINES IN THE SYSTEM.
LAST YEAR WAS THE YEAR LIKE NONE OF US HAD EVER EXPERIENCED.
REGARDLESS OF OUR CAREER OR JOB SITUATION, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.
YES, IT WAS TOUGH FOR TEACHERS, BUT IT WAS TRYING FOR EVERYONE.
BEING NEW TO THE SCHOOL ADDED ANOTHER LAYER OF DIFFICULTY FOR ME PERSONALLY.
[01:20:02]
MY LEARNING CURVE WAS STEEP, NEW RELATIONSHIPS, NEW CURRICULUM, NEW GRADING PLATFORM, NEW SCHOOL CLIMATE, JUST TO NAME A FEW.I WORKED LONG HOURS TO BE SURE I BROUGHT MY VERY BEST TO MY RELATIONSHIPS, MY LESSON PLANNING, MY TEACHING, AND MY ASSESSMENTS.
THE SYNCHRONOUS WEDNESDAY PLANNING DAYS WERE CRUCIAL FOR ALL OF US TO TAKE CARE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO GET DONE DURING THE REGULAR DAY AND PROVIDED TIME FOR VITAL COLLABORATION, SHARING OF IDEAS AND RESOURCES, AND EVEN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
LAST YEAR WAS EXTREMELY TASKING.
IN SEPTEMBER, WE WERE SURE THIS YEAR WOULD BE BETTER. HOW COULD IT NOT BE? STUDENTS WOULD BE IN-PERSON AND WE WOULD BE ALMOST BACK TO NORMAL.
SADLY, THAT'S NOT BEEN PROVEN TO BE THE CASE.
WHILE WE ARE BACK IN-PERSON, THE JOB ITSELF HAS BEEN JUST AS STRENUOUS, IF NOT MORE SO.
EACH WEEK I WORK AT LEAST 10-12 HOURS OVER AND ABOVE MY CONTRACTED HOURS BECAUSE I'M SIMPLY NOT ABLE TO GET PLANNING, REMEDIATION, GRADING, AND COLLABORATION DONE IN THE HOURS THAT I HAVE IN THE BUILDING.
I TEACH BELL TO BELL, COVER A LUNCH DUTY IN THE MIDDLE OF MY PLANNING PERIOD, ATTEND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS ON OUR RARE HALF DAYS, AND HAVE CIT MEETINGS EVERY WEDNESDAY.
I KEEP ACCURATE SEATING CHARTS SO THAT I CAN TRACK STUDENTS FOR CONTACT TRACING AND MONITOR ONLINE COURSEWORK DURING STUDENT QUARANTINES.
SOMEHOW, I WILL ALSO COMMIT TO AND CARRY OUT MY ANNUAL SLO NEXT SEMESTER. IT IS A LOT.
[NOISE] SINCE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO ZOOM QUARANTINE STUDENTS INTO CLASS SESSIONS, I RECORD AND POST SCREEN CAST TO KEEP THEM FROM GETTING TOO FAR BEHIND.
I'M CONSTANTLY RETEACHING AND REASSESSING STUDENTS WHO SIMPLY HAVE TOO MUCH UNFINISHED LEARNING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSES THAT I TEACH, ALGEBRA 2 AND PRECALCULUS.
WITHOUT TREMENDOUS SUPPORT OR SCAFFOLDING.
I HAVE STUDENTS STAY AFTER SCHOOL AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK, USUALLY UNTIL 3:30 OR 4:00 JUST TO GET THEM CAUGHT UP ON CONCEPTS THEY HAVE MISSED WHILE ABSENT.
I SPONSOR AND ADVISE THE SCHOOL CLUB THAT MEETS TWICE A MONTH AND REGULARLY REACH OUT TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING SOCIALLY, ACADEMICALLY, OR WITH FAMILY DIFFICULTIES, IT IS A LOT.
BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME, THANKFULLY, MY RESPONSIBILITIES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL ARE MINIMAL.
THEREFORE, WITH AN EXTRA HOUR OR SO OF WORK EACH AFTERNOON AND A FEW HOURS OF WORK ON THE WEEKEND, I CAN TAKE MOST OF SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR MYSELF.
HOWEVER, I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT MY COLLEAGUES WHO GO HOME TO THEIR OWN CHILDREN AND HOUSEHOLD RESPONSIBILITIES MUST FEEL LIKE AT THE END OF EACH DAY, IT IS A LOT.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS, AS TEACHERS, WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GIVE STUDENTS OUR BEST WITHOUT REQUIRING US TO GIVE AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF OUR PERSONAL TIME TO DO SO.
WHEN WE DO THAT, WE'RE SHORT CHANGING OUR FAMILIES AND OURSELVES.
WE ARE COMPROMISING OUR PHYSICAL AND OUR MENTAL WELL-BEING.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WHEN WE HAVE THOSE RARE POCKETS OF TIME TO ACTUALLY PLAN AND WORK ON THINGS WE EACH NEED TO DO FOR OUR OWN STUDENTS AND OUR OWN CLASSROOM, THE LOAD FEELS LIGHTER.
WHEN WE HAVE A CATCH-UP DAY IN CLASS WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT AN OBSERVATION OR AN ADMINISTRATOR VISIT, NOT ONLY DO WE BENEFIT, BUT OUR STUDENTS APPRECIATE IT AS WELL.
WHEN WE HAVE AN EXTRA HALF-DAY OFF, EITHER A LATE ARRIVAL, OR EARLY DISMISSAL, OR THREE, OR FOUR DAY WEEKEND THAT IS OFTEN ENOUGH TO ALLOW US TO BREATHE, TO RE-CENTER, TO RE-FOCUS, AND RE-COMMIT TO BRINGING OUR BEST TO OUR CLASSROOMS EACH DAY.
IN THE END ISN'T HAVING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS BRINGING THEIR BEST TO THE CLASSROOM WHAT WE ALL WANT.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF CAROLINE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
[NOISE] I TRUST THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT ALL STAKEHOLDERS: TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, SUPPORT STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS, AND PROVIDE A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS AND A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
THESE ARE INDEED CHALLENGING TIMES AND CALL FOR CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS WE'VE NOT FACED BEFORE.
IN MY SHORT TIME IN CAROLINE COUNTY, I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN RISE TO THE CHALLENGE AND LEAN INTO THE COMING NEW SEMESTER AND YEAR IN WAYS THAT WILL ALLOW ALL OF US TO FEEL VALUED AND APPRECIATED.
PROVIDING AMPLE TIME FOR US TO DO THE JOB WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING AND STILL HAVE TIME TO STAY PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HEALTHY.
IT IS A LOT, BUT IF WE KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN AND GENUINELY VOW TO LISTEN TO AND TRULY HEAR ONE ANOTHER, [NOISE] I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN FIND THE SOLUTION THAT ALLOWS US TO BE THE BEST WE CAN BE.
AS WE ALL WORK TOWARD COMMON GOALS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU.
>> THE FINAL SPEAKER IS MS. MIA TEBRADINER.
>> DR. SIMMONS, BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK SOME OF YOU KNOW ME.
MY NAME IS MIA TEBRADINER AND I'VE BEEN TEACHING IN CAROLINE COUNTY FOR 18 YEARS, 25 ALTOGETHER.
I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AN INCREASE ON THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION STIPEND FOR THOSE TEACHERS WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
[01:25:02]
AND RE-CERTIFICATION IN THEIR AREAS OF EXPERTISE.I STARTED THIS JOURNEY OF NATIONAL BOARD IN 2008 AND I WAS CERTIFIED ON MY FIRST TRY IN 2009, EARNING THE CERTIFICATION FOR WORLD LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH.
WE HAD THE LARGEST GROUP THAT YEAR TO BECOME NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED IN THE AREAS.
IN 2018, TWO OF US WENT IN FOR THE RE-CERTIFICATION AND WE HAD TO ATTEND A TRAINING IN HOWARD COUNTY BY THE MSE IN ORDER TO GET HELP AND GUIDANCE FOR THE SECOND PROCESS.
SUCCESSFULLY, MY COWORKER AND I PASSED THE CERTIFICATION IN 2019.
I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD IS COMMITTED TO HIRING THE BEST TEACHERS AND RETAINING THOSE THAT DEDICATE EACH DAY TO THE CORE VALUES OF THIS JOURNEY.
TEACHERS ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING, TEACHERS KNOW THEIR SUBJECTS THEY TEACH AND HOW THEY TEACH THOSE SUBJECTS THROUGH THEIR STUDENTS, TEACHERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING AND MONITORING STUDENT LEARNING.
THEY THINK SYSTEMATICALLY ABOUT THE PRACTICE AND LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE AND TEACHERS ARE MEMBERS OF THEIR LEARNING COMMUNITIES.
I'M ADVOCATING FOR THE NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS IN CAROLINE COUNTY, WHICH I JUST BECAME A MENTOR AS WELL.
I ADVOCATE FOR THE STUDENTS AS I ADVOCATE FOR MY AP ADVOCATES FOR THE COLLEGE BOARD.
THERE IS VALUE IN HER WORK AS AN ASSET.
AS OF FEBRUARY OF 2021, ALMOST SIX PERCENT OF THE TEACHING FORCE IN MARYLAND IS HOLDING A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS ABOUT 3,300 TEACHERS.
THERE'S ALSO, IN MANY COUNTIES, BEEN GIVEN A STIPEND ACCORDING TO THE CERTIFICATION FROM 4,000 TO $9,000.
THE KIRWIN COMMISSION IS ALSO SUPPORTING A PAY INCREASE.
THERE ARE TEACHERS IN MY OWN BUILDING THAT DID NOT RE-CERTIFY AS THEY FELT THERE WAS NO VALUE IN OUR COUNTY TO DO THAT.
THE CURRENT AND PAST STIPEND THAT WE'RE RECEIVING IS LESS THAN THE TEACHER OR A COACH IS GETTING PAID FOR SPORTS OR ADVISING A CLUB.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL CAN SEE THE VALUE OF HAVING TEACHERS BECOME NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED.
THIS PROCESS HAS MADE ME A BETTER TEACHER, I FEEL THAT MY STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED A DIRECT BENEFIT FROM THE NATIONAL BOARD JOURNEY, I MEAN, MY CERTIFICATION.
I STARTED AND CONTINUE THIS ON MY OWN OUT OF PRIDE ON MY CRAFT AND MY PROFESSION, BUT ALSO AS AN AFFIRMATION THAN A MONETARY COMPENSATION SHOULD BE REWARDED FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE HARD WORKING WHO BELIEVED IN MAINTAINING THIS COULD CONTRIBUTE A LOT FOR THE STUDENT'S SUCCESS AND FOR US ALSO AS A COUNTY.
I WANT TO ADD SOMETHING, THE THREE TEACHERS WHO SPOKE TODAY FOR THE PUBLIC FORUM, OUR TEACHERS WHO WORK FOR YOU WHO HAD A LONG DAY.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE COVID PROCEDURES BUT IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE YOU CAN KINDLY THINK ABOUT LET US GO INTO A WARM ROOM VERSUS SITTING FOR 40 TO 45 MINUTES OUTSIDE.
MAYBE BECAUSE I'M FROM PUERTO RICO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU COULD SHOW SOME KINDNESS TO US TEACHERS AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> DIDN'T YOU RECENTLY GET RECOGNIZED FROM GOVERNOR HOGAN?
>> YES. I HAVE BECOME AN AP ADVOCATE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND I RECEIVED A MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE FROM GOVERNOR HOGAN THIS JULY AS WELL.
>> TO THE OTHER LADIES OUT THERE, I APOLOGIZE ON OUR BEHALF.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT UNTIL SOMEBODY POINTS.
>> I THINK MAYBE I WANTED TO BRING IT UP FOR THE NEXT TIME.
>> UNTIL SOMEBODY POINTS IT OUT, BECAUSE WE WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THIS ROOM WITH THE SEATS IN HERE AND EVERYTHING.
>> I KNOW THERE'S COVID PROCEDURES BUT THINK ALL OF US ARE AROUND KIDS, FOLLOWING THOSE PROCEDURES EVERY DAY.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU POINTING IT OUT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
>> THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS , GOOD COMMENTS THERE.
[6. Individual Action Items]
>> PUBLIC COMMENTS, INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS. MOVING ON TO ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT.
>> [INAUDIBLE] AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THIS EVENING AS AN INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM WE HAVE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF, THIS IS AARON [INAUDIBLE], WHO IS HERE THIS EVENING WITH MR. GRAW, PRINCIPAL OF [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE SCHOOL AS A NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE SCHOOL, EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 8TH.
>> THE FAMILY IS HERE AS WELL.
WE'RE REALLY GOING TO MAKE THIS DECISION VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE BOARD.
[OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS REALLY HARD ON THE BOARD WITH THE BABY AND ALL HERE TOO.
MR. GRAW AND HIS TEAM INTERVIEWED THAT SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND DIRECTORS, [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL, INTERVIEWED A FULL-DAY, SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF APPLICANTS AND AARON QUICKLY ROSE TO THE TOP AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HER AS WELL AFTER THE FACT, MR. GRAW AND I MET WITH HER AND SPENT SOME TIME AND RIGHT
[01:30:01]
AWAY SHE'D BE A WONDERFUL FIT FOR US IN CAROLINE COUNTY AND ALSO AT [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE SCHOOL.SHE COMES TO US FROM DELAWARE, CURRENTLY SERVING AS COORDINATOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
SHE HAS EXPERIENCE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION AND ALSO TEACHING ENGLISH IN SEVENTH GRADE, RIGHT?
>> AGAIN, SHE'LL BE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO I COME TO YOU THIS EVENING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT MRS. [INAUDIBLE] AS THE NEW AP AT [INAUDIBLE].
>> GOOD RECOMMENDATION. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION IN FRONT OF US TO APPOINT SYSTEM PRINCIPAL AT [INAUDIBLE] HERE. [INAUDIBLE]?
>> ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERN, COMMENTS OR EMOTION?
>> DOES OLIVIA APPROVE ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME THIS IS GOING TO TAKE? [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT'S WHAT REALLY MATTERS.
>> I GOT A GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM.
>> WE CAN WAIT A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPOINT [INAUDIBLE]?
>> THANK YOU. MOTION BY MS. WILLIAM.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> I HOPE YOU WEREN'T SITTING OUT THERE TOO LONG.
WE KNOW NOW WE GOT TO TURN THE HEAT ON OUT THERE.
>> JUMP RIGHT IN. [BACKGROUND]
>> CAN WE GET A PICTURE WITH THE WHOLE BOARD?
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> MAY I ASK IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE?
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I APPRECIATE IT.
>> EASTERN SHORE MARYLAND EDUCATIONAL CONSORTIUM HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE TRUSTEE APPOINTMENT.
>> YES, SIR. PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING SEEKING FOR THE APPROVAL FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MRS.DEBBIE CIAKOS TO REPRESENT CCPS ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND EDUCATIONAL CONSORTIUM HAS ESMEC HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE AS A TRUSTEE.
CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARTICIPATES IN THE ESMEC HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCES.
IT'S HOW WE ARE SELF-INSURED ENTITY THROUGH ESMEC US AND SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND A FEW COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.
AS PART OF THAT, WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR EMPLOYEE GROUP.
MRS. PEGGY WHITMAN IS THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR EMPLOYEE GROUP, AS A TRUSTEE, AND WITH MILTON AGLE'S RETIREMENT, THAT POSITION DOES COME OPEN FOR US AND I'M RECOMMENDING DEBBIE AS SUPERVISOR FOR HR TO FILL THAT ROLE FOR US AS THE APPOINTED.
>> BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR. SIMMONS?
>> NO QUESTIONS. [OVERLAPPING] SOUNDS LIKE A REASONABLE APPOINTMENT.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT MRS.DEBBIE CIAKOS TO REPRESENT US ON EASTERN SHORE MARYLAND EDUCATIONAL CONSORTIUM HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE TRUST.
>> I MOVE WE SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION BUT I'M NOT SAYING THE ARREST TO THAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. BARTON.
[01:35:01]
>> SECOND. BY MR. JONES. THANK YOU.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
>> MOVING ON. INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM 6.3 MABE INSURANCE POOL TRUSTEE APPOINTMENT, DR. SIMMONS?
>> YES, SIR. ONE ADDITIONAL APPOINTMENT RECOMMENDATION.
RECOMMENDING THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. BILL MANGLE AS TRUSTEE TO THE MABE MINERAL ASSOCIATION, BOARD OF EDUCATION GROUP INSURANCE POOL.
CCPS PARTICIPATES ALONG WITH ME WHEN THE GROUP INSURANCE POOL DEALS WITH THINGS LIKE LIABILITY, PROPERTY INSURANCE, THOSE THINGS.
AGAIN, THIS WAS A POSITION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY FILLED BY MR. MANGLE AND UPON HIS RETIREMENT, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT MR. MANGLE, AS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE ON OUR BEHALF.
>> BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR. SIMMONS?
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT HIS NOMINATION TO APPOINT MR. MANGLE TO THE MABE GROUP INSURANCE POOL?
>> SECOND. BY MS. WAYMAN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> CONGRATULATIONS ON THE INCREASE WORKLOAD.
JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR. [LAUGHTER]
>> BOARD WE ADDED INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEM 6.04, CALENDAR DISCUSSION. DR. SIMMONS?
>> THANK YOU. PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
ALL EMPLOYEE GROUPS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC OVER THE REALLY LAST THREE SCHOOL YEARS, STARTING WITH CLOSURE IN MARCH OF 2020.
WE SPENT MUCH OF THE PAST MONTH, MYSELF AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MEETING WITH REPRESENTATION FROM THE EMPLOYEE GROUP, LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT ALL STAFF AND BALANCE THE NEEDS OF OUR STAFF ALONG WITH THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WORKING THROUGH THAT. WE'VE ALSO LOOKED AT MUCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED NATIONALLY REGARDING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS AS IT RELATES TO THE IMPACT ON THEIR HEALTH AND A LITTLE BIT OF PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THAT THIS EVENING AND YOU HAVE SOME THAT WERE PRESENTED IN WRITING AS WELL.
IN AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT ALL STAFF, I'M RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AS AN ACTION ITEM THAT WE IMPLEMENT THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATIONS TO THE CALENDAR FOR THE 21, 22 SCHOOL YEAR FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER.
I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE LOOK AT CHANGING THREE FULL DAYS WITHIN THE CALENDAR TO HALF DAYS AND STARTING THAT PRIORITIZATION STARTING IN MARCH WITH THE INTENT TO GIVE OUR FAMILIES ENOUGH TIME TO PLAN FOR A CHANGE IN THE CALENDAR THAT COULD BECOME IF THE BOARD APPROVES.
WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES AS IT PRESENTS FOR OUR PARENTS WHEN WE CHANGE DAYS FROM FULL DAYS TO HALF DAYS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES HAVE TIME TO MAKE PLANS ACCORDINGLY TO ADJUST FOR THE SPECIFIC DATES.
I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T HAVE THIS IN WRITING FOR THE BOARD.
THE DATES THAT I WILL BE LOOKING AT ADDING AS NEW OR REQUESTING THE BOARD TO ADD AS NEW HALF DAYS IN THE CALENDAR WILL BE MARCH 4, 2022.
MARCH 4TH OF FRIDAY, IT'S SORT OF IN THE MIDST OF QUARTER THREE, REQUESTING THAT BE MODIFIED TO A HALF-DAY WITH THE AFTERNOON REMAINING HALF THE DAY, HAVE NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR TEACHERS TO BE USED FOR PLANNING OR READING AS TEACHERS NEED TO AS THEY SEE FIT.
REQUESTING THE CHANGE OF APRIL 13TH, WHICH IS THE DAY OF EASTER BREAK, SPRING BREAK BE CHANGED FROM A FULL DAY TO A HALF-DAY.
I'LL GO BACK TO HOW I'M DOING THAT DAY ONCE I SUGGEST THE OTHER.
THE THIRD DAY THAT I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER CHANGING TO A HALF-DAY WOULD BE MAY 27, WHICH IS THE DAY PRIOR TO MEMORIAL DAY.
WHEN LOOKING AT OPTIONS IN MAY OF WHETHER TO LAND INAPPROPRIATE HALF-DAY MAY PRESENT CHALLENGES WITH AP TESTING IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AP TESTING DATES AND TIMES ARE SET NATIONALLY WITH ZERO FLEXIBILITY BY SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO ADJUST AND MODIFY, WHICH IS WHY THE DATA IS A LITTLE BIT LATER IN MAY.
ON THE APRIL 13TH IN THE DAY 27 DATE, I WILL BE ASKING THE BOARD FOR ITS BLESSING TO MAKE THOSE DAYS EARLY DISMISSAL FOR STAFF.
THAT AFTER STUDENTS LEAVE, OUR STAFF WOULD BE DISMISSED FOR THOSE DAYS TO HAVE THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY OFF, APPROPRIATE TIME BASED ON GETTING KIDS OUT FOR ADMINISTRATORS BOSSES GETTING HOME, AND THE LIKE.
THERE'S THREE CALENDAR MODIFICATIONS THAT I'M BRINGING TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
A COUPLE OF OTHER DAYS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE CALENDAR MODIFICATIONS, BUT I WANT THE BOARD TO BE AWARE OF AND I'M SEEKING BOARD BLESSINGS AS WELL ON THOSE.
DECEMBER 22ND IS THE HALF-DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS BREAK.
[01:40:02]
HISTORICALLY, THAT DAY IT'S LISTED AS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY IN THE CALENDAR.THOUGH FOR AS LONG AS I CAN RECALL BEING IN THIS COUNTY, THAT DAY TYPICALLY IS ONE WHERE STAFF ARE RELEASED EARLY TO GO HOME.
NO ONE FINDS OUT UNTIL THE DAY OFF, IT BECOMES A BIG, DID YOU GET THE PHONE CALL YET? I'D RATHER US UPFRONT SHARE WITH STAFF WHAT THE INTENTIONS ARE ON THAT DAY.
I WILL BE RECOMMENDING THAT DAY AS AN EARLY DISMISSAL DAY FOR STAFF 30 MINUTES AFTER KIDS LEAVE AND ACCORDINGLY FOR STAFF WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES WITH SYSTEM-WIDE AND TRANSPORTATION RESPONSIBILITIES TO ADJUST ACCORDINGLY AS WELL.
I'D LIKE THAT NOTICE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME SO FOLKS CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY.
HISTORICALLY, YOU CAN'T COME IN THE MORNING AND YOU WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
IF WE ADD ANY INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY ON ANY OF THOSE ESTABLISHED HALF DAYS, THOUGH UNLIKELY, IN MAY, RATHER UNLIKELY IN APRIL 13, BUT POSSIBLE DECEMBER 22ND.
IF WE ADD AN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY, IT WOULD JUST BE AN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE UP.
OR WE'D USE OUR SNOW DAYS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE CALENDAR ON ALL THOSE DAYS.
THE REMAINING TWO DAYS, I'M PROPOSING, WHICH WOULD BE FIVE DAYS OF RELEASE RESPONSIBILITY, JANUARY 25TH AND APRIL 1, CURRENTLY IN THE CALENDAR, ARE HALF DAYS FOR TEACHERS FOR COMPILING THE GRADES.
CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED DAYS TEACHERS GET HALF DAYS FOR GRADES AT THE END OF EACH QUARTER.
THIS WILL SIGNIFY THE END OF QUARTER 2 AND QUARTER 3.
ON THOSE DAYS, RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD AND ASKING FOR THEIR BLESSING AS WELL, TO MAKE THOSE DAYS FOR TEACHERS AND THE AFTERNOON WOULD BE HALF-DAY VIRTUAL.
AFTER THE STUDENTS LEAVE, OUR STAFF COULD LEAVE AT THAT POINT, WORK VIRTUALLY IF THEY SO CHOSE, AND THEIR GRADES JUST NEED TO BE IN BY THE DETERMINED TIME WHICH I BELIEVE IT'S 4 O'CLOCK FOLLOWING DAY GRADES ARE DUE.
STAFF WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO STAY AT WORK AND DO THE GRADES.
OR THEY CAN CHOOSE TO WORK VIRTUALLY AND COMPLETE THE GRADES.
AS LONG AS THE GRADES ARE IN BY 4, THAT'S THE PRIORITY.
TO HONOR THEM AS PROFESSIONALS AND UNLESS THEY GET PITCHED GRADES KNOWN BY THE TIME OF DAY.
>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE FIRST ONE? I'VE GOT APRIL.
>> CERTAINLY, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING IT IN WRITING, MR. BARTON.
MARCH 4, 2022, FRIDAY, HALF-DAY. NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR STAFF.
APRIL 13, MAY 27 CALENDAR CHAINS.
>> YES. APRIL 1ST AS A GRADE DAY.
>> THE AFTERNOON WOULD BE A VIRTUAL FOR TEACHING STAFF.
>> TWENTY-FIVE, THANK YOU. THAT WAS ONE OF [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHAT DID YOU SAY MARCH 4TH WAS GOING TO BE?
>> MARCH 4TH WOULD BE A HALF DAY, WITH NO ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES PLACED ON TEACHERS.
IT'LL BE TIME FOR THEM TO USE AS THEY NEED TO FOR GRADING, FOR PLANNING, AND PREPARATION.
THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AND OBVIOUSLY OPEN FOR FEEDBACK DISCUSSION.
>> I THINK THIS IS A GOOD START, BUT AFTER READING ALL THESE LETTERS, AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S PUTTING A BAND-AID ON A GAPING WOUND BECAUSE IN REALITY IS, THEY'RE GETTING 1, 2, 3 HALF DAYS OFF.
THEY DON'T HAVE COME TO SCHOOL, DO WORK, WHATEVER.
READING ABOUT THE EXTRA DUTIES THEY HAVE, IT'S GOOD.
I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT SAY NO TO IT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY AFTER HEARING WHAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING.
>> WHEN I READ ABOUT IT, IT'S THE IMPACTS.
WHAT I'M SEEING IN THE PROBLEM IS IT'S FROM THE SCHOOL BEING SHUT DOWN. IF I READ MS. NEWSLETTER IN THE BEGINNING OF IT, A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS ARE FROM THE SCHOOL BEING SHUT DOWN, STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL FUNCTIONING AS IF THEY WERE ON ZOOM, STUDENTS WITH LITTLE OR NO SOCIAL SKILLS, AND THE TEACHERS NEED TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE LEARNERS, WHICH TELLS ME PLANNING TIME, TIME TO WORK ON THIS NOT TIME HOME.
STUDENTS HAVE GAPS IN THEIR LEARNING FROM BEING HOME FROM SCHOOL, NOT BEING IN SCHOOL.
[01:45:07]
I'M GOOD WITH GIVING THEM SOME MORE PLANNING TIME, THE HALF DAYS FOR THE PLANNING TIME.I'M NOT GOOD WITH NOT HAVING THE KIDS IN CLASS.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO GIVE THEM THE PLANNING TIME AND TO USE THAT TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHICH KID NEED WHAT TO GET A PLAN INTO PLACE FOR WHEN THEY COME BACK WHENEVER THE NEXT DAY IS TO WORK ON IT IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
EVERYTHING IN THIS LETTER SCREAMS AT ME, WE'VE GOTTEN THIS PROBLEM FROM NOT BEING IN SCHOOL.
WE'RE GOING TO SEND EVERYBODY HOME FROM SCHOOL.
TO ME, IT SEEMS MORE THE WORKLOAD LIKE, ARE ALL OF THESE MEETINGS WE'RE SENDING THEM TO, ARE THEY REALLY NECESSARY? IS ALL THIS EXTRA PAPERWORK REALLY HELPING THE STUDENTS, OR IS THERE SOME WAY WE CAN ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE MEETINGS, SOME OF THE PAPERWORK?
>> MS. DIGIACOMO, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT FROM OUR TEAM, AND WE BEGIN TO UNPACK.
THE LETTERS AND INFORMATION THAT CAME THROUGH THE BOARD THIS EVENING DID NOT GO THROUGH THE TYPICAL CHANNELS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR US TO HAVE TIME TO TRULY WORK THROUGH THIS AS AN EMPLOYEE GROUP.
AS THE PUBLIC COMMENT CAME IN, WE STARTED TO MEET WITH SUPERVISORS IF FIGURED OUT WHAT ADDITIONAL BURDENS WE'VE PLACED ON STAFF.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE'VE NOT FOUND ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK THAT WE'VE PLACED ON STAFF WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION, SOME STAFF HAVE HAD ADDITIONAL BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC WHEN IT WAS PLACED ONE LAST YEAR.
BUT IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK, DATA TRACKING, TRACKING DATA IS PART OF TEACHING, KNOWING WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE AND THEN PLANNING APPROPRIATELY TO ADDRESS THE GAPS THAT ARE THERE.
ARE GAPS BIGGER THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN?
>> RIGHT NOW, THAT'S TRUE FOR I THINK MOST OF THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF COVID.
>> I GET THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR STUDENT, WHERE THEY ARE.
TEACHERS DO KNOW, WHETHER THEY HAVE IT WRITTEN ON A PIECE OF PAPER OR NOT, THEY DO KNOW.
THE AMOUNT OF PAPERWORK HAS GONE UP TREMENDOUSLY EVEN FROM WHEN I STARTED TEACHING.
IT'S LIKE ONE OF THEM SAID, YOU JUST KEEP ADDING MORE AND MORE BECAUSE THE THREE PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE REALLY DIDN'T ASK FOR MORE TIME OFF.
>> THAT'S WHAT I NOTED TOO, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE TV, THE NEWS, AND THAT'S ALL THEY'RE COVERING, AND YOU'RE HEARING AT THE STATE UNION.
NOW I HAVE HEARD SOME OF THESE LETTERS THAT WE GOT, AND I DID COMMENT TO TIME OFF.
BUT A LOT OF THEM TALKED ABOUT TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> THE WORKLOAD. I SAID THIS BEFORE, I SAID I AM MORE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT WE CAN TAKE OFF THE PLATE THAT'S NOT NEEDED ANYMORE, EVEN IF IT'S LEGISLATED OR REGULATED IF THIS IS WHAT BOARD CAN DO.
BANKS DURING COVID DID INTEREST ONLY PERIODS, DID THINGS THAT COULD NEVER BE DONE BEFORE, SO ARE THE SCHOOLS.
BUT THE YEAR AFTER COVID, WHEN WE'RE BACK IN SCHOOLS, LIKE THIS ONE LETTER BEFORE COVID, BUT THIS IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL.
MAYBE WE DO STILL NEED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
I WANT TO SEE WHY ARE, NOT JUST OUR STAFF, BUT ALL STAFF, TEACHING STAFF IS SO STRESSED.
BEHAVIORS MENTIONED A COUPLE TIMES.
WE'RE ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTIES IN [NOISE] PROBABLY ON EASTERN SHORE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE, HOW MANY IN THE STATE, BUT WE HAVE A SRO.
I WAS CAUTIONED EARLIER FROM OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, WHO HAPPENED TO BE AT THIS [INAUDIBLE], THEY LOVE THINKING OUT LOUD, BUT WE'VE GOT AN SRO WHO ARE TRAINED.
THANK YOU FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN EVERY SCHOOL.
THEIR ROLE IS NOT A SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL, BUT CAN WE UTILIZE THEM DIFFERENTLY? I DON'T KNOW TO HELP SOME OF THESE BEHAVIOR ISSUES THAT ARE STRESSING OUR TEACHERS.
ALL THAT TO SAY, DR. SIMMONS, I APPRECIATE YOUR RECOMMENDATION. I'VE INTERNALLY HEARD SOME COMMENTS AND FEEL PRESSURE FROM OUR STAFF AS A BOARD MEMBER TO FOLLOW THE LEAD OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE SHORE AND THE STATE AS DAYS OFF AND HALF DAYS AND I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT BUT DOES THAT SOLVE THE PROBLEM?
[01:50:05]
TIME OFF DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.>> NO. BECAUSE YOU MADE AN INTERESTING COMMENT THAT HALF-DAY IS GREAT, BUT YOU COME BACK IN AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE.
>> I JUST WANT TO COUNT OUR THINGS, I THINK.
THIS BOARD RECOMMENDED I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THESE, AND WE CAN COMPARE OURSELVES TO OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORS, BUT HOW MANY OF THOSE LOCAL NEIGHBORS DUG DEEP IN THEIR POCKETS AND WERE PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH LAST YEAR TO OFFER OUR STAFF A GOOD SIZE BONUS JUST IN THE NEW YEAR TO HELP.
JUST GIVE THEM A LITTLE THANK YOU.
DON'T THINK WE'RE NOT ALWAYS LOOKING FOR OUTSIDE THE BOX IDEAS LIKE THAT.
BUT THIS DOESN'T SEEM LIKE AN OUTSIDE THE BOX IDEA.
THIS JUST SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING THAT'S JUST COME IN, OH, EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT, CAN YOU WE DO IT TOO? BUT NOT THAT THEY DON'T STRESS.
I KNOW THEY ARE, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT LIKE THESE LADIES WHO CAME IN THE NIGHT, TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE TAKE OFF THEIR PLATE EVEN IF IT'S TEMPORARILY YEAR AFTER COVID TO HELP THEM SPEND TIME TO REBUILD THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR STUDENTS.
I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT AND SHUT UP IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY COMMENT.
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS READ IT.
THE SPEAKER TODAY, THE LETTERS, AND WHAT LITTLE AMOUNT UP AND I'LL LOOK THROUGH THE OTHER LETTERS BUT I WON'T READ THEM IN DETAIL, IS THEIR WELL-WRITTEN, THEY'RE THOUGHTFULLY SAID, AND I BELIEVE EVERY WORD.
HOWEVER, WORKLOAD AND WORKPLACE STRESS AND STRESS RESULTING FROM UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES, WHETHER IT BE A CRITICAL INCIDENT OR ONGOING PANDEMIC.
IT'S NOT ONE THING, THERE'S NOT ONE BAND-AID THAT FIX IT.
DONNA, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THIS IS A BAND-AID THAT DOESN'T FIX IT.
YOU'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE SOME HELP HERE, I APPLAUD IT I AGREE AND SUPPORT THIS.
IT'S NOT THE FIX FOR EVERYTHING, HOWEVER, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS, IN A WAY, CAME OUT OF LEFT FIELD, SOME OF THESE AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH FOLKS AND IDENTIFY WHAT IT IS THAT'S BEEN THRUST ON THEM THAT IS BREAKING THE CAMEL'S BACK, SO TO SPEAK.
HOWEVER, ON THE FLIP OF THAT, ANYBODY WHO KNOWS A TEACHER, OR KNOW SEVERAL TEACHERS, OR TALKED TO ANY TEACHERS, THERE'S NO SURPRISES HERE.
I'VE BEEN HEARING THIS FROM PEOPLE.
THE STRESS ON THEM IS REALLY HARD FOR ALL THE THINGS THEY DESCRIBE AND IT'S NOT ONE THING, IT'S MANY THINGS.
WHEN THEY COME BACK, THE STRESS IS STILL THERE.
IT'S LIKE THE REACTION IN THAT SITUATION IS THE STRESS COULD BE WORSE.
GOSH, I TOOK A DAY OFF, AND 10 MINUTES BACK INTO SCHOOL IT'S STILL THERE.
THE ANTICIPATION OF GOING BACK INTO THAT STRESSFUL SITUATION CAN RUIN ANY OF THAT TIME OFF.
IS THIS A GOOD MOVE TO ADJUST THE CALENDAR? YES. IS IT THE FIX TO THE PROBLEM? NO. IT NEEDS CONTINUAL EXAMINATION.
WHAT NEW PAPERWORK HAS BEEN THROWN ON THEM? WHAT DATA COLLECTION THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO HAS BEEN PUT ON THEM? ONE MORE LETTER SAID I REALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT COMMENT.
STATE AND FEDERAL STANDARDS, HAVE THEY CHANGED ANYTHING? I DOUBT IT. WE WILL HEAR ABOUT THOSE WHO NEED REPORTS FREQUENTLY.
HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRING.
YOU'VE GOT TO PROVIDE THIS AND IF YOU DON'T, YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO LOSE GRANT MONEY OR HAVE TO PAY IT BACK OR GET YOUR HAND SLAPPED OR GET YOUR WHOLE FACE SLAPPED.
AGAIN, FEDERAL AND STATE STANDARDS, THEY ARE STILL THERE.
THEY DON'T KNOW PANDEMIC AS FAR AS THEY'RE CONCERNED, I GUESS.
NO, BUREAUCRATS DON'T KNOW WHAT A PANDEMIC IS.
THEY JUST KEEP SHOVING THAT PAPER DOWN YOUR THROAT.
UNDERSTANDABLY, THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO, VIOLATE THE LAWS THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO ENFORCE? IT'S NOT THAT SOMEBODY BEING EVIL HERE, JUST SO IT'S A MULTITUDE OF THINGS.
ANYTIME SOMEBODY IS FEELING WORKPLACE STRESS IN ANY SITUATION, IT'S MULTITUDE OF THINGS, MANY THINGS. IT'S REAL.
THIS HAS TO BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION AND I WOULD ADVOCATE THAT EVERY TIME WE MEET, WE DISCUSS THIS.
NOT DISCUSSED, TO DISCUSS, TALK ABOUT THIS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORALE, MORALE IS NEVER FIXED, NEVER.
RIGHT NOW WITH THE PRESSURES THAT ARE ON EVERYBODY.
[LAUGHTER] I MEAN, THIS MERIT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT EVERY TIME AND WHAT IS IT? LOOKING OUT, WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE, WHAT'S NEXT? I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME CREATIVE IDEAS,
[01:55:01]
I KNOW YOUR TEAM IS PROVIDING THOSE IDEAS.THE EMPLOYEES OUT THERE, THESE ARE SMART PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE TONIGHT AND IT BROKE THESE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE, WELL-EDUCATED PEOPLE.
THEY HAVE IDEAS. THEY CAN HELP FIX THIS.
AS I WAS READING ALONG WITH THEM AS THEY WERE SPEAKING, I'M WAITING TO SEE THEIR SUGGESTION, THEIR GRAND SUGGESTION FOR HOW TO FIX IT, THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE IT'S NOT THAT EASILY FIXED.
THIS IS NOT A CAR THAT HAS BAD TIRE.
THIS IS VERY COMPLEX AND WAY BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION OF HOW TO FIX THIS.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE THESE OTHER JURISDICTIONS THROWN TONS OF DAYS OUT, GIVE THEM A WHOLE MONTH OFF.
TO MR. JONES' POINT MARKED POINT THAT WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN A SCHOOL THAT'S NOT FIXING ANYTHING.
YOU HAVE COMPLETE DAYS OFF, THE KIDS ARE OUT OF THERE.
THAT'S JUST GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE, I BELIEVE, AND YOU'RE THE EDUCATOR, YOU KNOW BETTER THAN I DO WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN AS KIDS FALL FURTHER BEHIND.
BUT I MEANT JUST WHAT THEY'RE DESCRIBING I FEEL FOR, MY HEART ACHES FOR THEM, WHAT THEY'RE FACING EVERY DAY.
THESE KIDS HAVE AN ARRAY OF ISSUES.
I'M SURE THAT SOME STUDENTS HAVE JUST THRIVED AND ARE DOING WONDERFUL.
WE HEAR ABOUT THEM, THEY'RE DOING WONDERFUL.
BUT THERE'S OTHERS THAT HAVE THIS CONTINUUM OF DIFFICULTY AND THE TEACHERS HAVE TO GAUGE THAT, JUDGE THAT, FIGURE IT OUT, AND THE LACK OF SOCIAL INTERACTION, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUNGER KIDS, WHAT A CHALLENGE TO NAVIGATE.
AGAIN, I WISH I HAD EASY ANSWERS AND KIND OF [NOISE] GIVEN A SPEECH HERE.
BUT SO IN SUMMARY, I SUPPORT THIS PROPOSAL, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS, WHICH AGAIN, I AGREE WITH DONNA, YOU SAID THAT RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT ELSE TO ADD TO IT AT THIS POINT.
I THINK WE HAVE TO WORK ON IT TOGETHER ALL OF US AND CONTINUE TO CHURN AWAY AT THE GRIND AS THEY ALWAYS SAY.
GRIND AWAY AND MAKE IT, CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT, WORK IN PROGRESS.
>> I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME THOUGHTS ON THIS.
ONE OF THE LADIES THAT SPOKE MENTIONED "PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE NEVER FACED BEFORE" AND I THINK THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE IN CAROLINE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
PROBLEMS THAT WERE CREATED OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
WE DIDN'T ASK FOR COVID-19, BUT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE RESULTS OF COVID-19 EVERY DAY IN OUR CLASSROOM.
IF I HAVE A WOUND OR A CUT AND IT NEEDS TO BE HEALED AND IF I HAVE NOTHING BUT A BAND-AID TO START WITH, THEN GIVE ME THE BAND-AID TO START WITH.
I FEEL THAT NO, THE DAYS OFF ARE NOT AN ANSWER.
BUT AS A TEACHER WHO IS DEALING WITH THE LEVELS OF STRESS THAT I TRUE I ALSO BELIEVE ARE REAL, I THINK THAT BAND-AID IS GOING TO HELP JUST A LITTLE BIT WITH MAKING IT THROUGH THE REST OF THIS YEAR.
I THINK THAT THE HALF DAYS WITH PLANNING ARE PROBABLY THE MOST REASONABLE.
BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THAT IF ON DECEMBER 22ND, EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT HALF-DAY.
I THINK THAT ALONG WITH THE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING, THAT WE NEED TO ORGANIZE A COMMITTEE THAT CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO AS A UNIT.
IT IS NOT THE TEACHER'S FAULT.
IT'S NOT OUR FAULT THAT SOME CHILDREN HAD SUPPORT THROUGH COVID AND SOME CHILDREN DID NOT.
SOME CHILDREN COME TO SCHOOL WANTING TO LEARN, NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT SAME DESIRE, BUT EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE TAUGHT.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT, WITH AN ACTIVE PLAN TO TALK WITH TEACHERS, WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM, AND MAYBE EVEN WITH A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO LOWER THE WORKLOAD, THE STRESS THAT OUR TEACHING STAFF IS FACING.
[02:00:05]
I THINK IT IS REAL.I THINK THAT WE AS THE LEADERS IN EDUCATION PROGRAM HERE AT CAROLINE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT IT, TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO DEAL WITH IT.
>> THESE TEACHERS ARE NOT WHINING.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS BOTHERING A LOT OF THESE TEACHERS, TEACHERS WANT TO GIVE A 120 PERCENT, 100 PERCENT OF THERE TIME.
I THINK THEY'RE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL THEY CAN OR IF THEY CAN, IT IS AT THE EXPENSE OF THEIR FAMILY.
SOMETIMES ALTHOUGH TEACHERS WHINE, THEY GET PAID, THEY GET SUMMERS OFF.
THEY DON'T REALLY GET SUMMERS OFF.
THEY'RE USUALLY PLANNING FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR WHATEVER.
EVEN AT THE END OF THE WORKDAY THAT MIGHT SEEM SHORTER THAN AN AVERAGE WORK DAY.
I DON'T KNOW ANY TEACHER THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO SPEND AN HOUR OR TWO AT LEAST PLANNING EVERY SINGLE DAY, LIKE JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE.
I DID NOT LEAVE UNTIL IT WAS DONE BECAUSE IT WAS MY THING WAS LIKE ONCE I GET HOME I'M DONE.
THERE WERE TIMES I WOULD GET HOME TO 5:36, I HAD THE CLUBS IN ADDITION.
ON THOSE DAYS I'D GET HOME EVEN LATER, AND THAT'S FINE.
I THINK ABOUT ALL THESE TEACHERS ARE FINE, AND THAT'S WHY YOU BECOME A TEACHER AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO.
BUT THEY BURNED OUT BECAUSE IT IS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I THINK WE'VE ALL SAID, THIS IS A GOOD START.
BUT WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS FURTHER BECAUSE IN THE END, I BECAME A BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TEACHERS AT 100 PERCENT, IT'S AFFECTING THE STUDENTS.
THESE PEOPLE WANT TO GIVE EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT.
DURING [NOISE] THE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL THAT WEEK, THESE PEOPLE WERE SO EXCITED TO GET THE KIDS BACK AND THEY'RE STILL EXCITED TO HAVE THEM BACK, BUT THEY'RE MORE PROBLEMS. ONE OF THE BIG PROBLEMS AT NCHS IS THE FIGHTING.
I MEAN, THAT HAS JUST GONE THROUGH THE ROOF AND THAT ADDS STRESS.
THE TEACHERS ARE AFRAID TO GET IN THE MIDDLE AND YOU CAN'T REALLY BLAME THEM.
IF THERE WAS TWO BOYS FIGHTING, I TELL YOU, I'D GET IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM ANYTIME.
BECAUSE ONE TIME I HAD TO STOP SIX FOOT AND I'M LIKE, "HEY, I NEED YOU TO STOP." THEY'LL STOP. TWO GIRLS.
NO. YOU NEVER SEE ME BACKUP SO QUICK I'M LIKE, WHERE'S THE MALE TEACHER? WHERE'S MALE TEACHERS? THAT'S ADDING A LOT MORE STRESS.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND WE CAN'T SAY THESE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING.
WE CAN'T SAY THEY'RE WHINING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DON'T THINK THEY ARE COMPLAINING OR WHINING.
>> RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DO THINK THAT EVERYONE HAS TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES, THERE ARE GUIDELINES THAT DR. SIMMONS HAS TO FOLLOW, THERE ARE GUIDELINES THAT FOLKS WITH THAT WORK AT THE DIRECTOR'S LEVEL, HAVE TO FOLLOW-UP GUIDELINES THAT COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
THEREFORE, THERE ARE GOING TO BE GUIDELINES THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW ALSO.
I THINK THAT WHILE WE RESPECT THE LEVELS OF STRESS AND SO FORTH, THERE SOME THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE.
WHAT WE CAN LOOK AT IS HOW CAN WE GET IT DONE IN A WAY THAT IS NOT CAUSING SO MUCH STRESS.
BUT PLANNING FOR THE NEXT DAY, THAT'S A PART OF TEACHING.
WHEN YOU STUDENT TEACH, YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND TIME IN PLANNING FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF LEARNING.
THAT'S A PART OF OUR JOB AS TEACHERS.
>> JUST ONE MORE COMMENT. ANYTIME THAT THE CALENDAR REFLECTS KIDS HOME, THERE IS THE IMPART DAYS, GETTING HOME EARLY OR TIME WHERE NOW ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER ONES WHO NEED ADULT SUPERVISION THAT WASN'T PLANNED FOR BY THE PARENTS WE APPRECIATE IT HERE, GIVEN THEM AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE.
IT'D BE FAIR AND ACCURATE FOR A PARENT TO SAY, WELL, NO ONE'S GIVEN ME THAT DAY OFF.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE AN UNPAID DAY OFF BECAUSE SOMEONE'S GOING TO BE HOME WITH MY CHILD.
THAT MIGHT NOT BE A YOUNG KID.
IT MIGHT BE A OLDER CHILD OR MAYBE HAS SOME SPECIAL NEEDS OR BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS, WHAT HAVE YOU.
WE'RE SHIFTING THE BURDEN HERE ONTO SOME PARENTS.
BUT I DO THINK THE THOUGHTFUL PARENTS WANT THE TEACHERS TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF RELIEF AND AGAIN IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
[02:05:04]
I THINK MOST PARENTS ARE GOING TO BE OKAY WITH IT.IT MIGHT BE SOME WHO JUST NEVER WILL BE OKAY WITH IT.
THEY'RE PROBABLY THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO SAY, THEY GET SUMMERS OFF.
THEY HAVE IT EASY, IF THEY HAD TO WORK MY JOB.
WELL, IT COULD BE TRUE, THAT PARENT MIGHT HAVE A MUCH HARDER JOB OR REALLY STRESSFUL JOB. I GET THAT.
I KNOW DR. SIMMONS YOU'RE TRYING TO BALANCE ALL OF THAT AND KEEP IN MIND THAT PARENTS ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE TO FIND CHILDCARE DURING A TIME WHEN THERE'S NOT A LOT OF DAYCARE PROVIDERS OR THEY MAY NOT HAVE CHILD CARE, THEY HAVE SOME OTHER THING IN PLACE.
BUT THE DAYS YOU SEEM TO HAVE PICKED REALLY ARE THOUGHTFUL.
WE ALL WISH IT COULD BE MORE AND I THINK WE NEEDED TO CONTINUE THE DIALOGUE, BUT I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE THAT.
FROM A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE, NOW THEY'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY FOR SOMEBODY TO MEET THAT BUS WHEN IT COMES HOME ON A DAY WHEN IT IS EXPECTED AT THAT TIME OR A DAY OFF THAT THEY DIDN'T ANTICIPATE.
[INAUDIBLE] I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ONE PIECE ALSO.
A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND THIS CREST TEACHERS SPACE RIGHT NOW, AND IT IS A LOT.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO MISS THE POINT TO TALK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF STRESS WE'VE HEARD SPORTS STAFF THAT MENTIONED.
WE CAN VERY EASILY HEAR, AS WAS MENTIONED AT THE STATE BOARD TODAY, FROM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS.
THE AMOUNT OF STRESS THAT EVERY ADMINISTRATOR IS UNDER CAN ACCOUNT.
>> THE NUMBER OF SUPERINTENDENTS WHO ARE RESIGNING, ITS BEEN IN THE NEWS AS WELL.
>> STATE OF MARYLAND PLUS NATIONALLY.
THERE IS A ADMINISTRATOR SHORTAGE, THERE'S A TEACHER SHORTAGE, THERE IS A SUPPORT STAFF SHORTAGE, THERE IS A SUPERINTENDENT SHORTAGE, ALL NATIONAL.
I DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LEVELS OF STRESS TEACHERS ARE UNDER A LOT.
WE'VE TRIED TO BE THOUGHTFUL IN PROVIDING DATES AND LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR EARLY DISMISSALS THAT SO APPROVED.
THAT HONOR THAT FOR ALL STAFF AND RECOGNIZE A STRESS THAT EVERYBODY'S UNDER, WE'RE ON THOSE DAYS.
>> WHEN I SAY TEACHER, THIS IS ALL ME.
>> IT'S NOT JUST YOU [OVERLAPPING].
>> BUT I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
WHEN I SAY TEACHERS AND I SHOULD BE ACTUALLY MORE INCLUSIVE.
BECAUSE SUPPORT STAFF JUST A STRESS, MAINTENANCE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS OF WHAT'S RECOMMENDED AND WHAT WE HAVE, IT'S INCREDIBLE.
WHEN I SAY TEACHERS AND I'LL TRY TO GET BETTER ABOUT IT, BUT I DO MEAN ALL STAFF, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATORS, AND EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, EVEN THE BOARD.
ALL MY FRIENDS LOOK AT ME LIKE, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? I'M LIKE, COVID HADN'T HIT YET.
BUT I DON'T MEAN TO DISCOUNT LIKE MRS. MCCORMICK OR WAIT.
>> YES. [LAUGHTER] I'M IN YOUR TWIG [LAUGHTER] MRS. ANTHONY.
I DON'T MEAN FOR YOU TO THINK THAT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I TRULY AM.
I'M GLAD THAT DR. SIMMONS BROUGHT THAT POINT UP.
I GUESS IT'S A TEACHER'S OTHERWISE THAT COME HERE BUT EVERYTHING THAT AFFECTS THEM, AFFECTS EVERYBODY UP, DOWN ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE PROPOSED CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT WITH A PLAN TO ACTIVELY LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO CONCERNING THE STRESS LEVEL SCHOOL-WIDE.
>> YEAH. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION, THE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT WITH AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT TO CONVENIENCE DISCUSSIONS OF SOME TIME TO FURTHER ADDRESS STRESSES THAT OUR STAFF ARE FEELING IS APPROPRIATE.
>> BY MS. WAYMAN MOTION SECOND BY MR. BARTON.
>> I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE DAY OF THE APRIL 13TH.
>> COULD THAT HAVE TO BE USED FOR PLANNING OR?
>> I THINK WE NEED TO LEAVE IT AS DR. SIMMONS HAS PRESENTED.
>> COULD THE REASON IN PART OF IT BEING PRESENTING IT THE WAY WE DID MR. JONES, HISTORICALLY, CAROLINE COUNTY MORE OFTEN OR NOT, WE HAVE A HALF-DAY THE DAY BEFORE EASTER BREAK.
WE DID NOT SCHEDULE A HALF-DAY THE DAY BEFORE EASTER BREAK WITH THE CALENDAR PRESENTED BEFORE YOU.
[02:10:03]
SORRY, LAST YEAR FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE IT WAS A HALF-DAY THE ON APRIL 1.YOU DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE A HALF-DAY A WEEK APART FROM EACH OTHER.
TYPICALLY, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A HALF-DAY RIGHT BEFORE EASTER BREAK AND THAT HALF-DAY HAVE THEY BEEN ONE JUST LIKE WE HANDLE CHRISTMAS, WE WAIT FOR FIRST THING IN THE MORNING AND THEN WE CALL THE SCHOOLS AND SAY YOU CAN LET STAFF LEAVE 30 MINUTES AFTER KIDS.
WE WERE LOOKING TO ADD THAT BACK INTO THE CALENDAR, WHICH IS HISTORICALLY BEEN THERE AS A HALF-DAY.
COULD BE WHAT I WOULD SUSPECT WOULD HAPPEN IS A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD ASK FOR A HALF-DAY OR THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, LOOK, I GOT TRAVEL PLANS, CAN I? THEN WE'LL END UP JUGGLING [OVERLAPPING].
>> THEY'LL DO IT OVER THAT MULTIPLE DAY BREAK, MAYBE THEY WILL PLAN ON THURSDAY.
>> THE WORST THING WE COULD DO IS MAKE IT A PD DAY. NOT RECOMMEND.
BUT HISTORICALLY THAT'S WHAT IT'S BEEN AND THEN WE CAN GO THAT WAY.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND, AND ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? I JUST LIKE TO REITERATE AND I HAVE SAID IT IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS OVER PREVIOUS YEARS.
I AM A KEEP IT SIMPLE PERSON AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL ADD A FEW MONTHS AGO AND EVERY YEAR AND WE GET LEGISLATURE INCUR ONCE A YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADD SOMETHING NEW EVERY YEAR AND IT'S A FRUSTRATION.
CAROLINE COUNTY IS NOT GOING TO FIX IT, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE A CONVERSATION OF WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN WE DO? I WAS THINKING ABOUT THESE NEW COMMITTEES WE'VE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE UNION CONTRACT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL MAYBE TO ENGAGE THEM IN SOMEHOW AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL TO THEN RAMP THAT UP TO THE CENTRAL OFFICE OF I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT I CHALLENGE THOSE AT ALL LEVELS TO GIVE THINGS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF THE PLATE TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY INTERNALLY TO CAROLINE COUNTY.
BUT IF YOU NEED A BOARD TO LOBBY ANNAPOLIS OR WASHINGTON OR SAY, LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY, ALL RIGHT, WE MISS THAT DEADLINE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT YOU [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE CAN'T DO THAT, WE LOSE MONEY NOW [LAUGHTER] WE CAN'T LOSE FUNDING.
>> THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PULL THE FUNDING.
[NOISE] I WOULD BE THE SAY, I CALL IT BLUFF AT ONE POINT PERSONALLY, BUT I'VE ONLY GOT 12 MORE MONTHS, BUT I AM JUST CHALLENGING THEM [LAUGHTER] TO SAY START WITH SOMETHING AS SMALL LIKE $10,000 GRANT.
BUT WHEN YOUR KIDS ARE PERFORMING, AND THEY ARE PERFORMING, IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS.
WHAT KERWIN'S GETTING READY TO DO WITH THE INTERNAL TRACKINGS OF BUDGETARY LINE ITEMS.
>> I CAN'T USE THE WORD OF WHAT IT IS HERE IN PUBLIC [OVERLAPPING].
>> IF WE DON'T PUSH BACK AND GOOD GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TRYING TO DO WELL.
I HEARD RIGHT HERE AS TEACHERS TAKING SIT ATTENDANCE.
I WENT TO A STATEWIDE MADE MEETING, ANOTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND SAYS, "IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO TRACE, THAT'S THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S JOB.
WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF OR THE TIME TO WHAT'S IT CALLED?"
>> [OVERLAPPING] CONTACT TRACE.
>> CONTACT TRACE. WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE TRYING TO DO GOOD THINGS, BUT THAT'S TIME RIGHT THERE.
I MEAN, IF ANOTHER COUNTY SAYS, "WELL, IT'S THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S JOB TO CALL PARENTS AND CALL KIDS AND INTERVIEW PEOPLE IN IT OR NOT, WHY ARE WE TAKING UP OUR TIME?" I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY FOR CONTACT TRACING.
AS WELL AS I KNOW IF I'M SITTING HERE, OF THE 1,100 AND 1,200 KIDS WE'VE QUARANTINED [NOISE] KNOCK ON WOOD, ONLY A SMALL LESS THAN PERCENT OF THEM FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, HAVE ACTUALLY GOTTEN IT.
THE ONES IN QUARANTINE, AND THAT PERCENT WHO'VE GOTTEN IT AFTER GETTING OVER IT, THEY'VE GONE BACK TO SCHOOL.
THANK GOODNESS NOT GOING WHAT THEY WANTED.
HOW MUCH TIME IS THAT TAKING FOR OUR TEACHERS? I DON'T KNOW, BUT NOBODY'S GIVEN US MONEY FOR THAT.
I JUST CHALLENGE ALL STAFF TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.
AT SOME POINT, WE GOT TO GET PAST THIS.
ANYWAY, WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND.
>> WHEN, IF STAFF COMES UP WITH AN IDEA, [OVERLAPPING] SHARE IT.
I MEAN, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE HIM TO SHARE? DO YOU WANT HIM TO SEND IT TO YOU? [OVERLAPPING] HOW DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO IT?
>> HEY, MR. JACKMOB(PH), AND I DON'T WANT TO, IN ALL DUE RESPECT, I DON'T ALMOST FIT ALL SUGGESTIONS.
I WANT TO HAVE A THOUGHTFUL PLAN OF ACTION GOING FORWARDS, SO I WANT TO MEET WITH MY TEAM.
>> YOU'LL GET IN TROUBLE LIKE ME.
>> TO TALK WITH ME [LAUGHTER] I WOULDN'T TRY TO TAKE MS. [INAUDIBLE] ADVICE.
RIGHT NOW WE CURRENTLY TAC, TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEES, IN EVERY SCHOOL.
WE HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL THAT MEETS MONTHLY AS WELL.
HOW CAN WE BEST USE VEHICLES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE? BECAUSE THE LAST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS ANOTHER PIECE ON A PLATE.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A THOUGHTFUL PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING THE VEHICLES APPROPRIATELY.
>> WHICH IS WHY I ASKED YOU [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHICH IS ALSO WHY [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT PROCEDURE THAT I'M SAYING [OVERLAPPING]
[02:15:01]
>> WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO?
>> WHICH IS WHY RIGHT NOW I DON'T WANT TO SPITBALL IDEAS AND THROW OUT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S THOUGHTFUL [OVERLAPPING]
>> AND MEET WITH MY TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE COME UP WITH A THOUGHTFUL [OVERLAPPING] PLAN FORWARD FOR ALL SCHOOLS, SO ALL OVER GETTING THE SAME PROCESS FOR [OVERLAPPING] YOU NEED TO WORK ON IT TOGETHER.
>> RICK SAID THAT HE READ THESE AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE SOLUTIONS.
I'M SAYING IF SOMEBODY HAS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION, YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT RIGHT NOW?
>> NO. HE IS SAYING HE CAN'T GIVE IT TO YOU RIGHT NOW.
>> NO, I'M SAYING IF SOMEBODY HAS ONE?
>> THEY CAN ALWAYS EMAIL. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY CAN ALWAYS EMAIL, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT WHO DO YOU WANT THEM TO EMAIL IS MY QUESTION.
>> I MEAN THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THEY CAN EMAIL ME UNTIL WE GET A PLAN TOGETHER THAT GOES OUT TO ALL STAFF OR THAT GOES OUT TO PRINCIPALS AND WE TALK ABOUT THE BEST VEHICLE AND BEST MOVEMENT GOING FORWARD.
BUT I DON'T WANT TO CREATE A PLAN ON THE FLY SITTING HERE FOR DIRECTION. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'D NEVER EVEN INSINUATED THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING WE HAVE PEOPLE UTILIZE THE PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE AN IDEA.
IF THEY HAVE AN IDEA, WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO WITH IT? THAT IS ALL I ASKED.
>> WELL, WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE TABLE.
ON THE COUNTER THOUGH, WE'VE ALSO ENCOURAGED THAT TO HAVE CONVERSATION ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THIS.
I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT'S GOING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH IT.
WE'LL FOLLOW UP AND THEN THAT PLAN IS GOING TO GET PUSHED OUT TO STAFF?
>> YES. WELL, ONE OF THOSE LETTERS CAME FROM THE MECHANISMS THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE.
>> THE TEACHER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
>> RIGHT, AND SO WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUR STAFF, YOU MAY SAY, "OKAY, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT YOU TO FUNNEL YOUR EMAILS OR YOUR SUGGESTIONS OR SO, YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ORGANIZE THIS A LITTLE BIT WHICH IS FAIR.
[OVERLAPPING] YOU WANT TO ORGANIZE IT A LITTLE AND THEN HAVE A GAME PLAN, AND I GET THAT.
BUT ONE MORE COMMENT, SORRY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHEN YOU MENTIONED CONTACT TRACING, IT JUST BLURTED INTO MY HEAD, IF YOU WILL.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY MENTION HERE AND I'M NOT FAULTING THAT THEY DIDN'T.
WHAT ABOUT THE NURSES AND THE CONTRACT TRACING THEY'RE DOING? I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS MORE STRESS ON THEM THAN THE NURSES.
MAYBE SOMEBODY, BUT GOOD GRIEF, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP KIDS WHO DON'T FEEL WELL AND I'M NOT MINIMIZING THEIR NORMAL JOB.
THEY DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THAT, ISN'T IT? GETTING YELLED AT BY PARENTS [OVERLAPPING] AND, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY KID HAS TO GO HOME.
MY KID'S NOT SICK." GOOD GRIEF.
THAT'S ALL GOT TO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
WHAT, IF ANYTHING, CAN BE DONE TO GIVE THEM SOME RELIEF.
AGAIN, I JUST THROW IT OUT THERE AS A, WHEN YOU SAID CONTRACT TRACING, I THOUGHT, "YEAH.
WHO'S DOING THAT?" WOW, IT'S OVERWHELMING.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION, WE HAVE A SECOND, ANY IN ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF AMENDING THE CALENDAR AS SUBMITTED SAY AYE.
>> GOOD DISCUSSION, GOOD BOARD.
DR. SIMMONS' STAFF, EVERYBODY, GOOD DISCUSSION, HAD TO BE HEARD.
[OVERLAPPING] REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS.
[7. Reports and Presentations]
MS. COX? [LAUGHTER] [NOISE].>> SEE THAT ARTWORK AGAIN FOR A MOMENT.
>> [LAUGHTER] I AM NOT THAT TALENTED SO [LAUGHTER].
WELL, GOOD EVENING, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME.
MY NAME IS MORGAN COX AND I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS COORDINATOR HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY FOR GOING INTO FIVE YEARS NOW.
I WANT TO GO TAKE A MOMENT TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON HOW THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM HAS BEEN GOING.
I'M ESPECIALLY FOCUSING OF TAD ON LAST YEAR AND GIVING YOU A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WE ARE UP TO GOING INTO YEAR 5.
[LAUGHTER] FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS IS HOSTED, PROVIDED BY A MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE FOR EDUCATION.
WE ARE A NON-PROFIT LOCATED IN BALTIMORE, JUST OFF OF THE UMBC CAMPUS, AND I WON'T GO INTO A TON OF DETAIL ON EVERYTHING THAT AND MBRT DOES.
BUT BASICALLY, OUR BIGGEST VISION IS THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS A FEATURE AND EVERY BUSINESS IS THEREFORE A SUCCESS.
THAT IS THE BACKGROUND IN OUR PROGRAM AND WHAT WE TRY TO DO THROUGH NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
WE'VE RE-ADAPTED OUR PATHWAY IN WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR STUDENTS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
AS I'VE MENTIONED, NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS STARTED IN CAROLINE COUNTY IN 2017.
[02:20:03]
WE STARTED THAT YEAR WITH 7TH, 6TH, AND 9TH GRADE STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE CONTINUED WITH ROUGHLY THE SAME COHORT FOR THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.LAST YEAR FOR THE 2020/2021 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WORKED WITH 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH GRADE STUDENTS.
VERY EXCITINGLY, WE HAD OUR FIRST CLASS GRADUATE LAST SPRING.
BUT OF COURSE THAT CAME WITH ITS OWN WHOLE SET OF [NOISE] ISSUES, THINGS TO WORK ON, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH STUDENTS VIRTUALLY TO GET THEM TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE, APPLY FOR COLLEGE, AND ALSO DO WORK ON APPLYING FOR THEIR GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO GO TO COLLEGE.
BUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED OUR 10TH, 11TH, AND 12TH GRADE STUDENTS ON ENGAGING.
FOR THE 10TH GRADE STUDENTS TO REALLY FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, EXPLORE DIFFERENT CAREERS, EXPLORE SKILLS THEY HAVE.
THEN WHEN THEY GET TO 11TH GRADE, WE FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON COLLEGE.
WE'RE USED TO TWO COLLEGE OR GO TO COLLEGE TOURS.
LAST YEAR THEY WERE ALL VIRTUAL.
WE HAVE STARTED THIS BACK UP AGAIN THIS YEAR AND FOCUS MORE ON INTERVIEWING SKILLS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THEN IN 12TH GRADE, OF COURSE, WE ARE ELEVATING THEM TO BE PREPARED FOR THEIR FUTURES.
HAVING THE STUDENTS APPLY TO COLLEGE, COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURE OF COLLEGE IS NOT WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO DO, SO THEY ARE ALL PREPARED AFTER GRADUATION.
LAST YEAR, I HAVE THE NUMBERS UP IN THE PRESENTATION.
I WORKED WITH WELL, IN THE STUDENT TOTAL, LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT 600 STUDENTS BETWEEN BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
THE NUMBERS HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN HIGHER IN TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT, BUT OF COURSE, WE WERE VIRTUAL LAST YEAR.
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE WAS I STILL MET WITH STUDENTS AND STILL HELD OUR THREE ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE AND THEN ALSO HAD VIEWS ON DIFFERENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN TERMS OF COLLEGE VISITS AND MOCK INTERVIEWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT THE STUDENTS WERE ALL HAD TO BE MORE TO CHOOSE TO DO IT LAST YEAR VERSUS WHEN WE ARE IN SCHOOL, A LOT OF THE THINGS HAPPEN IN THE BUILDING SO THE STUDENTS ARE ALREADY THERE.
LAST YEAR MOSTLY EVERYTHING HAPPENED ON THE ASYNCHRONOUS DAY SO THE STUDENTS WERE CHOOSING TO LOG ON AND BE A PART OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS STILL REALLY EXCITING, EVEN THOUGH OUR NUMBERS WERE LOWER.
I HAD A SOLID GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT WERE ALWAYS ENGAGED, RESPONDING TO EMAILS, AND VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT WE HAD TO OFFER FOR THEM.
AS I MENTIONED, WE DID ATTEMPT TO DO THREE COLLEGE VISITS LAST YEAR.
WE STARTED WITH JOHNS HOPKINS IN FEBRUARY.
WE HAD NINE CAROLINE COUNTY STUDENTS ATTEND THAT VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE.
DURING THAT EXPERIENCE, THE STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO DIFFERENT ADMISSION STAFF AND COUNSELORS.
THEY HAD A VIRTUAL TOUR OF CAMPUS.
USUALLY IT WAS PRE-RECORDED, SO STUDENTS COULD STILL SEE WHAT CAMPUS COULD LOOK LIKE.
THEN HAVE SOME VIRTUAL ACTIVITY THAT THE STUDENTS COULD PARTICIPATE IN TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ONE OF THE PROGRAMS OFFERED AT EACH UNIVERSITY.
IN MARCH WE VIRTUALLY VISITED MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
THEN IN APRIL WE VISITED THE STEVENSON UNIVERSITY.
THE MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WAS BY FAR THE FAVORITE.
THEN WE DECIDED TO TAKE STUDENTS IN PERSON TO MORGAN STATE, JUST A MONTH AGO.
WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO HOST A COUPLE OF OTHER EXPERIENCES FOR THE STUDENTS.
LAST YEAR WAS MBRT SECOND YOUTH CONGRESS DAY.
OUR FIRST ONE WAS HELD IN ANNAPOLIS WHERE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO GO AND SIT AND JUST WATCH MARYLAND'S GOVERNMENT AT WORK, WHICH WAS VERY EXCITING.
LAST YEAR WE DID IT VIRTUALLY, WHICH HONESTLY I WAS FLOORED BY.
I STILL AM FLOORED BY IT WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT TO THIS DAY BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS ATTEND BECAUSE IT WAS VIRTUAL.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A LIMIT ON HOW MANY WE COULD TAKE.
BUT ALSO THE STUDENTS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THROUGH AND WORK THROUGH ONE OF THE BILLS THAT WAS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE.
WHILE WE WERE WAITING, OF COURSE, IF THERE WAS ALWAYS TECH PROBLEMS BECAUSE [LAUGHTER] IT WAS VIRTUAL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST TO ME DURING THAT EVENT WAS WE WERE WAITING TO BE SEPARATED INTO DIFFERENT GROUPS IN DIFFERENT ROOMS ON ZOOM.
WHILE WE ARE WAITING, SOME CAROLINE COUNTY STUDENTS STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR PEERS FROM ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FIELD AND WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS WERE ON IT.
[02:25:02]
THEY WERE SHARING LINKS ON, OH, GO CHECK THIS OUT AND IT WAS JUST SO ENCOURAGING AND I WAS JUST SITTING THERE LIKE ALMOST DUMB FOUNDED LIKE WOW, THESE ARE OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE JUST COMPLETELY TAKEN OVER THIS EVENT.IT WAS JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE.
IN JANUARY, WE HAD OUR VIRTUAL CAREER TOURS FOR OUR 10TH GRADE STUDENTS.
THAT'S AN ANNUAL EVENT WE DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR, SO 10TH GRADE STUDENTS CAN VISIT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT JOBS AND CAREERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE IN THE COUNTY.
AGAIN, VIRTUAL, BUT THE NEAT PART ABOUT WAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE, I BELIEVE IT WAS SEVEN BUSINESSES JOIN US LAST YEAR WHERE HISTORICALLY WE CAN ONLY VISIT ABOUT THREE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MANY FIT IN DURING A SCHOOL DAY.
THAT WAS REALLY NEAT TO SEE ALL OF THOSE BUSINESSES JOIN US AND AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS LEARNING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT CAREER PATHS HERE IN THE COUNTY.
I KNOW THAT IT'S CUT OFF, BUT MOCK INTERVIEWS WAS THE LAST THING ON THERE.
WE HAD NINE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN MOCK INTERVIEWS WHERE THEY WERE INTERVIEWED BY LOCAL BUSINESS PEOPLE JUST TO PRACTICE THAT INTERVIEW SKILL.
THAT WAS A REALLY NEAT THING TO WATCH IN THE BACKGROUND AND JUST SEE HOW THE STUDENTS DID.
THEN THEY RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM THE PROFESSIONALS ON THINGS THEY COULD IMPROVE WHEN THEY ARE IN A REAL INTERVIEW.
OUR SUMMER PROGRAM DID COME BACK AND IT WAS IN PERSON.
THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER.
WE KICKED OFF OUR SUMMER PROGRAM.
IT'S IN THE WRONG ORDER THAT I HAVE ON THERE.
ON THE PRESENTATION IT'S AN ORDER 10TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
SO 10TH GRADERS FOCUSED ON SERVICE LEARNING, 11TH GRADERS PARTICIPATED IN AN EVENT CALLED COLLEGE BOOTCAMP, AND THEN OUR 12TH GRADERS PARTICIPATED IN OUR NEWEST EVENT CALLED NEXTGEN NEXTLEVEL AND THAT WE HELD ON JUNE 16TH AT THE HYATT LAST SUMMER.
BUT THAT EVENT WAS TO HELP SENIORS TRANSITION TO COLLEGE AND WHAT THEIR FUTURES WERE.
IT WAS A DAY LONG CONFERENCE, IF YOU WILL WHERE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO SIGN UP FOR DIFFERENT SESSIONS TO ATTEND, COVERING A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TOPICS FROM COLLEGE TO WORK FORCE TO JUST DISCOVERING YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT.
THERE WAS A CAREER JOB FAIR ON SITE.
WE HAD SOME BUSINESSES THAT WERE CURRENTLY HIRING THERE TO INTERVIEW STUDENTS AND WORK WITH STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY COULD DO IF THEY WEREN'T GOING TO COLLEGE.
THAT WAS A REALLY NEAT EVENT WE HAD.
I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 25 STUDENT IN TOTAL THERE.
BUT REALLY ENCOURAGING TO WATCH OUR NEWLY GRADS, FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR NEXT STEP WAS.
SUMMER OF SERVICE, LIKE I MENTIONED, 10TH GRADERS FOCUSED ON GETTING THEIR SERVICE LEARNING HOURS DONE AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT.
OUR 11TH GRADE STUDENTS ATTENDED COLLEGE BOOTCAMP.
AT THAT EVENT THEY WERE ABLE TO GO BACK ON-CAMPUSES FOR THE FIRST TIME TOUR THEM, BUT ALSO MEET WITH DIFFERENT STAFF ON-CAMPUS, LEARN ABOUT WHAT COLLEGE IS REALLY LIKE, DIFFERENT TIPS ON HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE AND THEN THEY ALSO WERE ABLE TO START THEIR COMMON APPS.
WHILE THEY WERE ON-CAMPUS JUST TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A HEAD START, THAT EVENT WAS HELD IN AUGUST.
LOOKING AT THIS YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALREADY IN IT, [LAUGHTER] I AM STILL WORKING WITH 10TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE AT COLONEL RICHARDSON IN NORTH CAROLINE.
MY 10TH GRADERS THIS YEAR ARE NEW TO THE PROGRAM, SO WE HAVE BEEN SPENDING PART OF THE TIME THIS FALL INTRODUCING THOSE STUDENTS TO NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
LIKE I MENTIONED, WE ALREADY DID A COLLEGE VISIT.
WE ACTUALLY DID TWO IN ONE DAY.
WE VISITED MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE MORNING, HIT UP TO AUSTIN IN THE AFTERNOON, AND THEN CAME BACK TO CAROLINE COUNTY.
THAT EVENT I HAD A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF COLLEGE APPLICATIONS.
I DID FIND OUT TODAY THAT ONE OF THE STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED THE MORGAN STATE WAS ACCEPTED.
I BELIEVE HE WILL BE GOING THERE NEXT FALL.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER COLLEGE VISIT COMING UP IN THE SPRING, HOPING TO DO ANOTHER TWO DAY AGAIN TO GIVE STUDENTS OTHER OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.
THEN WE ALSO ARE OFFERING OUR CAREER TOURS.
THAT EVENT IS ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY, WE HAVE 68, 10TH GRADER SIGNED UP TO VISIT THREE LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
AS WELL AS WE'LL HAVE MOCK INTERVIEWS IN THE SPRING, AND ALSO FEW CONGRESS ALSO IN THE SPRING.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR SENIORS AGAIN, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY EASIER IN PERSON TO HELP THEM THROUGH THE PRE-QUALIFICATION PROCESS FOR THE UNGUARANTEED ACCESS NEXT GENERATION SCHOLAR'S GRANT.
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A NEW STEP THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR.
[02:30:04]
BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE IN NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PRE-QUALIFY HOPEFULLY FOR THE GUARANTEED ACCESS WHICH CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH A FULL RIDE, HOPEFULLY TO A MARYLAND UNIVERSITY.THAT IS ALL I HAVE. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND I DO HAVE ON THE HANDOUT FOR ALL OF YOU.
JUST ON MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST YEAR OR SO.
>> BEFORE THE BOARD ASK ANY QUESTIONS, IF I CAN JUMP IN, A THING MORGAN, I MEAN SERIOUSLY, SITTING HERE AND HEARING YOU SAY IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS.
HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S BEEN FIVE YEARS.
>> MORGAN AND I STARTED WORKING TOGETHER WHEN WE FIRST GOT THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLAR'S GRANT.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE WHAT THE PROGRAM GREW INTO.
SOMETHING THAT ORIGINALLY, IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE A FIVE-YEAR GRANT, THOUGH THEY ONLY HAD FUNDING FOR ONE YEAR.
IT WAS, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU'RE STARTING A COHORT MODEL FOR KIDS.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT FALLS APART.
THE STATE FOUND MONEY KEPT COMING THROUGH, AND WE CAN LITERALLY TRACE KIDS THAT PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE WHERE THEY ARE NOW, WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ACCESS TO GET INTO COLLEGE.
I KNOW FOR CERTAIN WOULD NOT HAVE HAD OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE THROUGH THE PROGRAM FOR THEM TO PUT THEM IN A BETTER PLACE.
THANK YOU. I CAN'T BELIEVE ITS BEEN FIVE YEARS.
[LAUGHTER] BUT WHAT AN IMPACT THAT YOU'VE HAD AND THE PROGRAMS HAD ON KIDS BOTH ON BOTH ENDS OF OUR COUNTIES. THANK YOU.
>> I THINK IT'S AMAZING AND EXCELLENT.
THE EXPOSURE, THAT MEANS YOU GET TO SEE NOT JUST THE COLLEGES BECAUSE EVERYONE'S NOT COLLEGE BOUND.
BUT ALSO TO THE VARIETY OF CAREERS THAT ARE OPEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE NOW, THAT WERE NOT OPEN 10 YEARS AGO.
BUT IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR STUDENTS HAVING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE IS A NON-PROFIT?
>> THE SUMMER OF SERVICE, DO SEE THAT HAPPENING THIS YEAR AGAIN?
>> YES. WE DID A LOT OF PLANNING DURING COVID JUST ON WAYS WE COULD RESHAPE THE PROGRAM AND MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE SEAMLESS.
WE THINK THAT WORKING, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR 10TH GRADE STUDENTS, IT'S A LITTLE EARLY FOR THEM TO REALLY BE DOING MUCH COLLEGE STUFF OVER THE SUMMER.
SOME OF THEM AREN'T WORKING, SO WE WANT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING MEANINGFUL TO DO.
AS I'VE NOTICED, A LOT OF MY STUDENTS HAVE NOT FINISHED THEIR SERVICE LEARNING HOUR OR SO TRYING TO KNOCK THOSE OUT.
YES, ABSOLUTELY. THIS SUMMER WE PLAN TO DO THAT.
>> CAN YOU GIVE EXAMPLES OF THE THINGS THEY DID OR ARE YOU LOOKING AT FOR THEM TO DO?
>> SURE. ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES WE'VE OFFERED AND WE PARTNERED WITH 4-H FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WAS AN ADULT TEAM 101 CAMP.
IT WASN'T EXCLUSIVE TO JUST THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS, BUT TO OFFER AN EXPERIENCE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO LEARN SOME ADULTING SKILLS.
THIS YEAR AS A PART OF THAT CAMP, WE WERE TEACHING THEM SOME JUST BASIC CONSTRUCTION SKILLS AND THAT SERVICE PROJECT THAT THEY COMPLETED DURING THAT TWO DAY CAMP WAS TO BUILD ONE OF THE LITTLE PUBLIC FREE LIBRARIES.
IT'S ON THE 4-H PARKS CAMPUS, IF YOU WILL.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE TEAMED UP WITH THE TOWN OF DENTON AND RECREATION AND PARKS AND HELPED WITH SUMMER FEST, I MEAN IN TERMS OF SETUP.
WE HOPED WE HAD STUDENTS ATTEND TO HELP CLEAN UP AND THEN VOLUNTEER IN SHIFTS THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.
>> YEAH. THERE'S NO LIMIT TO ORGANIZATIONS HELPING THE COMMUNITY.
>> ABSOLUTELY, NOT. [LAUGHTER]
>> THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> I'VE SEEN IT. BECAUSE, I'VE WORKED WITH YOU AND THE STUDENTS LOVE IT.
LORD KNOWS YOU PUT 150 PERCENT INTO IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY, I'M HAPPY TO. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. VERY NICE. [BACKGROUND]
>> STILL GOOD. LIKE WHAT YOU USED TO WRAP TEXTBOOKS IN [LAUGHTER].
>> MR. EVANS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ACTUALLY GENOS AND CAHALL ARE HERE AS WELL TO HELP WITH QUESTIONS AS WE WORK THROUGH THE PRESENTATION AND CAN HIGHLIGHT ANY CURRENT INFORMATION TO GO THROUGH.
FOR THE COVID-19 UPDATE, THE BOARD WANTED TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE DATA WISE AND HOW THINGS ARE PROGRESSING AS THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGIN.
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COUNTY DATA AND HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING, AND THEN LOOK AT IF THINGS HELD AS THE BOARD DECIDED IN AUGUST WITH OUR ORIGINAL MATRIX,
[02:35:08]
HOW WOULD THINGS FAIR IF WE DON'T LOSE ORIGINAL MATRIX AND PROVIDE THEM WITH AN UPDATE.[NOISE] I ORIGINALLY DRAFTED THE PRESENTATION.
THE STATE BOARD HADN'T DECIDED WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO MEET TO DISCUSS AN UPDATE FOR THE REGULATION AND THEN THEY DID MEET AND THEN THEY MET AGAIN.
LAST NIGHT AT 9:30 THEY DROPPED THE DRAFT REGULATION, BUT THEY THEN DISCUSSED TODAY, BUT UPDATED THAT IN THE PRESENTATION AS WELL ALSO SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT THE STATE BOARD'S NEXT STEP AND WHERE THAT IS GOING TO AS IT RELATES TO THE MASS [INAUDIBLE].
BUT THEY'RE COLLECTING PUBLIC FEEDBACK STARTING TOMORROW I GUESS MOVING FORWARD.
FOR OUR DATA AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS EARLIER.
THIS IS OUR DATA TO DATE SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN.
FOR A MEMBER OF STAFF CASES ARE FIVE, CONFIRMED STUDENT CASES 374 INCLUDING THE LAST WEEK FOR OUR WEEKLY UPDATE.
STAFF QUARANTINED DUE TO CLOSE CONTACT IS 13 STAFF MEMBERS AND STUDENTS QUARANTINED DUE TO CLOSE CONTACT AT SCHOOL 1,191.
>> WAIT, THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
THIS IS JUST [OVERLAPPING] NUMBER OF QUARANTINES.
>> NUMBER OF QUARANTINES. YEAH. CORRECT. THANK YOU.
A STUDENT CAN BE COUNTED MORE THAN ONE TIME, A STUDENT CAN BE QUARANTINED MORE THAN ONE TIME, SO IT'S INCIDENCE OF QUARANTINE.
THE RATE AT WHICH, AND I DID NOT HOLD THIS DATA POINT SO I APOLOGIZE, THE RATE WHICH STUDENTS QUARANTINE DUE TO CLOSE CONTACT AT SCHOOL SINCE WE CHANGED THE CLOSE CONTACT QUARANTINE RULES EARLY OCTOBER HAS SLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY.
WHEN WE CHANGED OUR DEFINITION TO REALLY QUARANTINES TO MASS TO MASS CONTACT AS LONG AS MASS RULING, BUT QUARANTINE CLOSE CONTACTS MASK OFF.
YES, WE'VE QUARANTINE SO WE PUT VERY LIMITED FOR THE MOST PART TO LUNCH ROOM, CAFETERIA TABLES AND ATHLETICS FOR QUARANTINE DUE TO CLOSE CONTACT IS EVERYWHERE ELSE MASKS ARE REQUIRED.
[NOISE] AS LONG AS STUDENTS ARE WEARING MASKS WE WILL NOT BE QUARANTINE AT THAT POINT FOR DISTANCE.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW IN A RATE OF INCREASE.
RACHEL, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I WILL APOLOGIZE NOW THE SLIGHT UPDATE IS AS OF NOVEMBER 30.
WHEN I ORIGINALLY PULLED THE SLIDE DATA IT'S ALSO CONNECTED WITH THE VACCINATION RATE DATA THAT MS. CAHALL PROVIDED THAT WE'LL GO OVER IT TONIGHT AS WELL.
IF ANYBODY HAS SEEN IN THE NEWS, NDH'S CORONA VIRUS WEBSITE WAS SHUT DOWN FOR A COUPLE DAYS DUE TO POSSIBLE CYBER THREAT OR SOMETHING.
BASICALLY IT SHUT DOWN AND THEY'VE NOT UPDATED ANYTHING SINCE DECEMBER 3RD.
>> IT'S PROBABLY A COMPUTER VIRUS.
>> SAME BLOCK JUST GIVE IT A VACCINE SHOT.
FROM MY STANDPOINT WE SHARE AN EQUATION BOT FOR COUNTY TRANSMISSION RATE 4 PERCENT POSITIVITY AND ALSO CASES FOR 100,000.
THE TREND IS REALLY MOVING UP AND THAT'S WHERE THE DATA ISN'T JOURNALING COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
THE LAST I WAS ABLE TO CHECK AND ROBIN YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE CURRENT DATA.
CAROLINE WAS INCREASING AT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A RAPID CLIFF THAN OTHER SEVERAL PLACES IN THE STATE.
JUST AS A POINT OF COMPARISON [NOISE] JUST SO THE BOARD IS AWARE OF WHERE THAT IS GETTING.
>> YEAH. THE LAST REPORT THAT I ACTUALLY RECEIVED WAS FRIDAY AND WE WERE THIRD IN THE STATE IN TERMS OF HIGHEST CASE RATE.
IT WAS ACTUALLY ALMOST 67 CASES PER 100,000 POPULATION SO THAT'S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGH.
I'VE SEEN IT INCREASE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THIS DURING A PERIOD OF TIME WAS OUR PERCENT POSITIVITY.
I THINK IT WAS LIKE AT 13 ALMOST 14 PERCENT, WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH.
NOW, WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FACT THAT WE HAD A HOLIDAY.
LOTS OF GATHERING, LOTS OF SHOPPING, LOTS OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION, ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED.
WE WERE EXPECTING THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO YEAH, THIS LAST WEEK WAS NOT THE GREATEST IN TERMS OF RATES.
THE ONE THING THAT I CAN SAY, WE HAD STARTED TO DECLINE PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY, BUT NOT AT THE RATE AT WHICH WE HAVE RECOVERED FROM A SURGE IN THE PAST SO THAT'S A LITTLE CONCERNING,
[02:40:04]
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BEHAVIORS AND SOME OF THE LAX IN TERMS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, MASK WEARING AND PUBLIC LARGE GATHERINGS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT.ALL THE COUNTIES IN MARYLAND HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
IT JUST WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE IF WE COULD HAVE DIPPED BACK INTO THE AT LEAST SUBSTANTIAL COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVEL PRIOR TO THE HOLIDAY COMING ABOUT.
I ANTICIPATE WE'LL PROBABLY STAY MAYBE NOT AS HIGH AS WHAT WE WERE LAST WEEK, BUT WITH THE HOLIDAY WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A RISE.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT IN TERMS OF THE REALLY BAD PART OF THE COVID AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS AND SEVERE INFECTION, IT'S REMAINED THE SAME OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, WHICH IS A GOOD INDICATION THAT OUR VACCINATION EFFORTS ARE WORKING BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES THE VACCINE PROTECT PEOPLE FROM BECOMING INFECTED, IT ALSO PROTECTS THE COMMUNITY FROM TRANSMISSION IN TERMS OF MUTATION OF THE VARIANTS AND SUCH, BUT IT ALSO DECREASES THE SEVERITY OF THE INFECTION AND PEOPLE HAVING TO BE HOSPITALIZED, PEOPLE HAVING TO BE ON VENTILATORS AND OF COURSE DEATH, WHICH IS TERRIBLE.
AN INCREASE [NOISE] IN CASE RATES, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL IT IS, IT'S VERY CONCERNING BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED CAN THEN INFECT THOSE WHO ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED AND IT CAN LEAD TO A BAD SITUATION, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE THIS WAY FOR A COUPLE OF MORE WEEKS AT LEAST.
ACTUALLY MOVING ON VACCINATION RATES.
ROBIN MENTIONED VACCINATION RATES.
THIS IS AS OF NOVEMBER 30TH, CORRECT ROBIN?
>> I THINK WE LAST UPDATED THE BOARD ON VACCINATION RATES FOR OUR 12-17 YEAR-OLDS WAS, I THINK, LATE OCTOBER.
IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME RATE, HADN'T MOVED MUCH.
FULLY VACCINATED, 36.4 FOR 12-17 YEAR-OLDS, 41 PERCENT HAVE THE FIRST DOSE.
ONE WOULD ASSUME WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS OF THAT DATA, 41 THEN MOVES UP, EVERYBODY GETS THEIR SECOND SHOT.
TWELVE PLUS, SO IF YOU MOVE EVERYBODY, 12 AND OLDER, HIGHER CLIP, YOU CAN SEE THE MARYLAND COMPARISON TOO, BY THE WAY., THE 5-11 YEAR-OLD IS PROBABLY THE INTERESTING DATA POINT FOR EVERYBODY.
IT'S NOT A PERCENTAGE RATE BUT IT'S A ROLL NUMBER.
ROBIN, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT AT ALL.
>> YEAH. I MEAN, AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT'S PRESENTING AS A ROLL NUMBER.
I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE'VE DETERMINED SOME OF OUR GOALS.
INITIALLY, FOR OUR FIRST PHASE FOR OUR GOAL, WE WERE AIMING FOR 300 5-11 YEAR-OLDS TO BE VACCINATED BEFORE THE END OF NOVEMBER.
WE DETERMINE THAT RATE BASED OF DOCTOR SIVANS HAD GIVEN US AN APPROXIMATE 900 STUDENTS WITHIN THIS AGE RANGE WERE ENROLLED IN CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THERE'S A KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION SURVEY THAT INDICATES 30 PERCENT APPEARANCE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE THE EARLY ADOPTERS, THEY'RE SEEKING THE VACCINE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND THEN YOU MOVE TO PHASE 2 WHERE THEY HAVE TO BE CONVINCED.
THEN PHASE 3, WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL EDUCATION TO GET THEM IN AND GET THEM VACCINATED.
THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH OUR 300 AS OUR 30 PERCENT.
WE CONTINUE WITH OUR VACCINATION EFFORTS.
WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF EVENTS AT THE SCHOOLS.
WE MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR DENTON, FEDERALSBURG, AND GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY.
THE STAFF THAT WERE WORKING THOSE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE KIDS.
THE SCHOOL-BASED WELLNESS CENTER, WE INCLUDED THEM.
WE WERE ALL PARTNERED ON THESE EFFORTS.
THEN WE CAME BACK AROUND AGAIN, DID OUR SECOND DOSES.
THAT 183 DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT OUR EFFORTS FROM THIS PAST SATURDAY.
NOT ONLY DID WE INCLUDE THE SECOND DOSE FOR THOSE KIDS THAT INITIALLY GOT THE FIRST DOSE, BUT WE WERE OPEN TO APPOINTMENTS FOR FIRST DOSES AS WELL.
[02:45:01]
THAT 183 NUMBER, THAT IS TOTAL FOR ANYONE WHO HAS AN ZIP CODE FOR CAROLINE COUNTY.THESE COULD BE KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO THEIR PEDIATRICIAN, THEY'RE GETTING VACCINATED THERE.
WALGREENS, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE DOSES AVAILABLE, OUR VACCINE CENTER HAS DOSES AVAILABLE.
WE'VE ALSO DONE SPECIFIC 5-11 YEAR-OLD CLINICS AT THE VACCINE CENTER AS WELL.
THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO HAVE THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED FROM FIVE RIGHT ON UP TO 18.
WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT THAT AVAILABILITY IS THERE FOR THEM.
>> THANK YOU, ROBIN. THE NEXT SLIDE GOES OVER THE ORIGINAL PIECES THAT WE DISCUSSED BACK IN AUGUST.
WHAT WOULD BE OUR EXIT RAMPS FOR THE MASS STRATEGY? ONE OF THE BENCHMARKS THAT WE HAD SET PROVIDED THAT MASS MANDATE DID NOT COME INTO EFFECT FROM THE STATE.
IF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVELS WERE LOW TO MODERATE BASED OFF THE CDC GUIDELINES AND FOR VACCINATION RATE FOR 12-17 HAD REACHED 50 PERCENT, WE WOULD RELEASE THE MASK REQUIREMENT AND STRONGLY RECOMMEND FOR NON-VACCINATED THAT WILL BE MIDDLE AND HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS.
>> YOU LOSE ME ON THAT SECOND PART.
>> THAT WAS THE LANGUAGE WE HAD USED BEFORE THAT WE WOULD HAVE NOT REQUIRED NON-VACCINATED KIDS, BUT WE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE THE HECK OUT OF THEIR PARENTS IN KIDS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE MASKED IF THEY'RE NON-VACCINATED.
THAT WAS THE LANGUAGE EVERYBODY WHO WAS USING.
I THINK EVEN THE MSDE AND CDC GUIDELINES WERE STILL STRONGLY RECOMMEND.
WE WERE TRYING TO MATCH WITH THAT.
AS OF NOVEMBER 30, WE HAVE NOT MET THAT CRITERIA, EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
OUR COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVELS HAVE BEEN AT SUBSTANTIAL LISTED IN HIGH FOR THE MOST PART SINCE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN.
NOT JUST IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS BEEN IN THAT RATE.
THE SECOND BENCHMARK WE HAD SET WAS COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION LEVELS LOW TO MODERATE, AND TOTAL POPULATION, 12 PLUS, THE 70 PERCENT VACCINATION RATE, RELEASED A MASK MANDATE FOR ALL.
IT'S NOT BEEN MET EITHER AS WHERE THAT IS.
THAT'S JUST TO TOUCH BASE OF WHERE WE WERE IN THE POINT IN TIME.
PROBABLY, MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW IS THE STATE.
[INAUDIBLE] NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
STATE BOARD MET ON DECEMBER 1 TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT EMERGENCY REGULATION WHICH WENT INTO EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER.
IT'S SET TO EXPIRE IN FEBRUARY.
I BELIEVE IT'S FEBRUARY 25TH IS WHEN THAT EXPIRES.
WHEN IT WAS APPROVED, IT WAS APPROVED FOR 180 CALENDAR DAYS.
AS I SAID LITTLE EARLIER, LAST NIGHT, I BELIEVE ABOUT 9:30, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL ON MSDE LISTSERV THAT THEY HAD UPDATED THEIR AGENDA FOR TODAY FOR THEIR STATE BOARD MEETING.
THEY RELEASED THE DRAFT OF A RECOMMENDED EMERGENCY REGULATION THAT DECEMBER 1ST, THE STATE BOARD CHARGED MSDE WITH CREATING.
THEY ASKED MSDE TO CREATE A NEW EMERGENCY REGULATION THAT INCLUDE EXIT RAMPS FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, FOR WAYS THAT SCHOOLS OR SCHOOL SYSTEMS COULDN'T BE RELEASED FROM THE MASK MANDATE WITHOUT RELEASING THE WHOLE STATE AT ONE TIME.
THEY GAVE SOME CRITERIA ON DECEMBER 1 FOR MSDE TO CONSIDER PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
TODAY, THEY ACTUALLY PRESENTED THAT DRAFT.
WHAT IS WRONG HERE IS AFTER LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION, THIS IS WHERE IT SITS, I THINK THEY EVER DONE THEIR DISCUSSION AROUND ONE O'CLOCK TODAY, AND IT'S OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR 30 DAYS THROUGH THEIR PROCESS.
THEY HAVE PROVIDED THREE WHAT THEY'RE CALLING AS OFF RAMPS, EXIT RAMPS, SOME DRIVING TERMS. THREE WAYS TO LIFT IT.
FIRST WAY TO LIFT THE MASK MANDATE WOULD BE, ACCORDING TO THEIR REGULATION, 80 PERCENT VACCINATION RATE OF STAFF AND STUDENTS IN A BUILDING.
THEY'RE PROPOSING A WAY TO LIFT THE MANDATE BY BUILDING ITSELF, THEN THEY'RE PROPOSING WAY TO LIFT IT FOR AN ENTIRE SCHOOL SYSTEM BASED ON ACCOUNTING ARE THE TWO AVENUES THEY'RE LOOKING.
FOR WITHIN A BUILDING, IT WOULD BE AN 80 PERCENT VACCINATION RATE OF STAFF AND STUDENTS WITHIN A BUILDING, AND IT'S MSDE.
THEY'LL CREATE A PAPERWORK CHAIN BY WHICH WE HAVE TO VERIFY AND SIGN OFF AND GO TO THE STATE ONE.
BUT IN ESSENCE, IT'S 80 PERCENT.
WE GOT WAYS TO GO ON THAT PIECE IF THAT 80 PERCENT STAYS.
THE NEXT WOULD BE AN 80 PERCENT VACCINATION RATE IN THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S OF ALL ELIGIBLE POPULATION IS THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN.
MY UNDERSTANDING IN LISTENING TO THE DISCUSSION TODAY, THAT WOULD BE FIVE PLUS.
I THINK WE'D BE A WAYS OFF ON THE 80 PERCENT.
FROM WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, THE THIRD IS PROBABLY THE MORE ACCURATE WAY TO APPROACH IT IF
[02:50:01]
VACCINATION RATES DON'T END UP IMPROVING WITHIN CAROLINE COUNTY, IN WHAT THEY ARE OR IMPROVING AT A RAPID CLIP.THE WORDING WITHIN THAT MANDATE IS THAT THE LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT CAN LIFT THE MASK MANDATE IF THERE'S 14 CONSECUTIVE DAYS EITHER OF THE TWO LOWEST LEVELS OF CDC TRANSMISSION.
IT HAS TO BE 14 STRAIGHT DAYS.
AT 14 STRAIGHT DAYS, THE LOCAL SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO LIFT IT AND IT'S MSDE, SO THERE'S PAPERWORK THAT THEN GOES TO THE SAME SUPERINTENDENT FOR THEM TO APPROVE THE DECISION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
WHAT IS IN THERE IS THAT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT UNDER THIS ONE ALONE.
THE OTHER TWO, IF YOU HIT 80, YOU'RE GOAL, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR TRANSMISSION LEVELS ARE.
ON THE THIRD ONE, IF YOU GET 14 CONSECUTIVE DAYS AT EITHER OF THE TWO HIGHEST LEVELS, AS LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, LOCAL SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT IS REQUIRED TO REINSTITUTE THE MASK MANDATE BACK INTO EFFECT IN THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S 14 DAYS OF LOW, YOU CAN COME OUT.
IF YOU GET 14 DAYS OF EITHER ON TWO HIGHER LEVELS, YOU AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK IN.
I'M REQUIRED TO AUTOMATICALLY GO BACK IN.
THAT IS OUT RIGHT NOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEY'LL RECEIVE, OBVIOUSLY, SOME FEEDBACK WHICH WILL BE INTERESTING ON THAT PIECE.
THEY DID INCLUDE AN EXEMPTION, WHICH I THINK IS INTERESTING.
THERE WAS A REQUEST BY ONE STATE BOARD MEMBER OF MS. MAKASKER, I BELIEVE, HAD REQUESTED THAT MSDE LOOK INTO JUST CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF AN EXEMPTION FOR FINE ARTS STUDENTS DURING THEIR PERFORMANCES.
JUST CONSIDER THE FEASIBILITY OF IT.
MSDE CONSIDERED THE FEASIBILITY OF IT, THEY ADDED A 13TH EXEMPTION IN THE DRAFT THAT WENT OUT THAT IF APPROVED, IT WOULD ALLOW AN EXEMPTION FOR FINE ARTS FOR DRESS REHEARSALS AND PERFORMANCES ONLY.
AGAIN, THIS IS OUT AS PART OF THAT FOR DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW.
THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS AND THE BOARD HAS EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE WITH THE LAST TIME THE REGULATIONS WERE RELEASED BY MSDE, THE 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, THE STATE BOARD WILL MEET AGAIN TO CONSIDER THE COMMENTS PUBLIC PROVIDES, MAKE ANY MODIFICATIONS THAT THEY SEE FIT.
PRIOR TO JANUARY, STATE BOARD MEETINGS IS LIKELY WHEN THEY'LL CONSIDER THE COMMENTS THAT COME IN FOR THE REGULATIONS.
NO DIFFERENT THAN OUR BOARD, THE STATE BOARD CAN DECIDE TO PASS EMERGENCY REGULATION, THEY CAN PUT IT BACK OUT FOR MORE COMMENT, OR THEY CAN NOT PASS THE REGULATION.
THIS REGULATION, I BELIEVE, IN ORDER TO PUT UP PUBLIC COMMENT, IT RECEIVED ALL BUT ONE FAVORABLE VOTE TO GO OUT FOR COMMENT.
I BELIEVE IT WAS ONLY ONE NO. STATE BOARD APPROVES.
THEN ALL IT TAKES IS ONE STATE BOARD MEMBER TO ASK FOR IT TO GO TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE-LEGISLATIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE, THE AELR COMMITTEE THAT MET LAST TIME TO DISCUSS A LEGISLATIVE BODY.
THEY ARE EXPECTING THAT'S WHERE IT'LL GO AND IT'LL HAVE TO GO BEFORE THOSE FOLKS AGAIN TO BE DISCUSSED AND DECIDED AT THAT POINT.
THAT'LL BE SCHEDULED, MEMORY'S TELLING ME I THINK IT'S 15 DAYS AFTER PASSING, IT HAS TO BE SCHEDULED.
I MIGHT BE OFF A LITTLE BIT ON THE DAYS, BUT IT'S WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF THE STATE BOARD PASSING IT.
THE AELR WAS REQUIRED TO MEET.
THEN THEY DISCUSS, DEBATE, AND VOTE ON, AND IF THEY ACCEPT IT, IT GOES INTO EFFECT.
IF THEY DON'T ACCEPT IT, [NOISE] IT DIES.
WHERE IT SITS RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT MASK MANDATE AS WRITTEN IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FEBRUARY 25TH.
NO EXIT RAMPS, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
IT DOES DIE. THE SUN SETS ON THE 25TH OF FEBRUARY REGARDLESS.
[NOISE] THE PROPOSAL BY THE STATE BOARD IS TO REPLACE THIS ONE WITH THE CURRENT ONE.
>> HOW LONG WOULD THIS BE IN EFFECT?
>> AS A [INAUDIBLE] WOULD BE 180 DAYS AS WELL, 180 CALENDAR DAYS.
THIS WOULD TAKE IT THROUGH, BASICALLY, THE END OF JUNE SO IN ESSENCE, COVERS THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES.
>> IF THEY DON'T APPROVE, FOR WHAT'S ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW, IF THEY DON'T APPROVE, THE MASK MANDATE IS GOING AS OF FEBRUARY 25TH.
IF THEY DON'T HAVE SOMETHING TO REPLACE IT, IT'S GONE ON THE 25TH AND IT'S A LOCAL DECISION.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING BASED ON IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING ELSE.
[NOISE] UNLESS THE GOVERNOR STEP IN AND I DON'T SEE THAT TAKING PLACE. THAT HASN'T.
UNLESS SOMETHING ELSE WERE TO HAPPEN FROM ANOTHER ENTITY THAT WOULD CREATE SOMETHING THAT IT WOULD BECOME A COMPLETE LOCAL DECISION IF THIS ONE DOES NOT PICK UP WHERE THE OTHER ONE DIES.
AGAIN, THAT'S FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
IF I LEARN SOMETHING DIFFERENT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO LET THE BOARD KNOW,
[02:55:01]
BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE IT WILL SIT.THE LAST TIME THE AELR MET FOR THE ONE THAT'S IN PLACE NOW, IT PASSED BY ONE VOTE.
IT'LL BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THIS GOES, AT LEAST FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT BECAUSE THE LAST ONE ONLY PASSED BY ONE VOTE.
>> IF I LOOK BACK AT OUR POPULATION, SEPTEMBER, END OF SEPTEMBER COUNT, I KNOW IT VARIES A LITTLE BIT, BUT WITH PRE-K TO 12, WE HAVE 5,590 KIDS.
THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR CONFIRMED CASES, 0.07 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS, HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID.
>> WITH THAT, WE'VE QUARANTINED 1,191 STUDENTS.
>> INCIDENCES BUT THAT COMES UP TO 21 PERCENT.
LET'S SAY SOME OF THEM WERE QUARANTINED TWO, HOPEFULLY NOT THREE TIMES, POSSIBLY.
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS WERE QUARANTINED, TAKEN OUT OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING, TAKEN OUT OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL SETTING, TAKEN OUT OF THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
SOMETHING'S HAPPENING. EITHER IT'S GETTING WEAKER OR WE'RE TREATING IT BETTER BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT HEARING ABOUT THE HOSPITALIZATIONS.
I KNOW THE ELDERLY AND IMMUNE COMPROMISED WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL FOR BUT THERE'S SOME SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-ACCOUNTABILITY WE HAVE TO HANDLE.
BUT FOR OUR STUDENTS, TO OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, HOW MANY IN CAROLINE HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED OR BEEN SEVERELY ILL, NOT ABLE TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL INSIDE THE COUNTY.
WHAT ARE WE HEARING ACROSS THE STATE AND NATIONWIDE?
>> I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE A CADENCE CALL TWICE A WEEK.
ONE OF THE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION IS PEDIATRIC ICU BED AVAILABILITY.
I CANNOT GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER AS TO HOW MANY.
HOWEVER, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT WE WERE EXPECTING IT, BUT HOWEVER, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE AND HOW IT WOULD AFFECT OUR PEDIATRIC POPULATION.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE NOT SEEN THOSE NUMBERS.
IN TERMS OF SOMEONE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, NOT BEING ABLE TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN AFFECTED SO HARSHLY THAT THEY JUST CAN'T DO THAT, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT HAPPENING.
>> YEAH. IT IS VERY GOOD NEWS.
THE DEATH RATE FOR THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE NUMBER IS SO INCREASINGLY HIGH THAT IT DRAWS CAUTION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN TERMS OF THE MASK SITUATION, THE MASK SITUATION OR THE MASK ITSELF IS ONE VERY SMALL TOOL THAT HAS A HUGE IMPACT.
WITHOUT THE MASK REQUIREMENT IN PLACE, YOU SAW, IN TERMS OF THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WHAT WE WERE HAVING TO DO IN TERMS OF QUARANTINE.
THE SCHOOL NURSES, THEY'RE BEING IMPACTED BECAUSE THEY HAD TO SEND KIDS HOME, THEY HAD TO QUARANTINE, THEY HAD TO LISTEN TO PARENTS WHO WERE NOT HAPPY, ALL OF THAT.
THEN WHEN WE COULD STEP BACK AND REALLY EVALUATE THE SITUATION AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE SITUATION WITH TRANSMISSION, IT'S NOT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S A COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
IT MEANS THAT THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL WHERE IT'S A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND THEY'RE WEARING THE MASK, THEY'RE UTILIZING THE MASK.
THEN THEY'RE LEAVING THERE AND THEY'RE GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND GOING ABOUT THEIR REGULAR PRIOR TO COVID LIVES.
THAT'S HOW THIS IS BEING TRANSMITTED, IS THROUGH COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
WE PROVED THAT BECAUSE ONCE WE SAID BECAUSE THEY HAVE MASKS ON, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN TERMS OF QUARANTINE, WE CHANGED THAT AND YOU COULD SEE.
IN SEPTEMBER, THOSE KIDS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
[03:00:01]
CONSIDERED CLOSE CONTACTS IN THOSE SITUATIONS, THOSE KIDS WEREN'T COMING UP AS BEING POSITIVE.THE FEW THAT WE DID HAVE WERE POSITIVE, WHEN WE LOOKED BACK AT IT, IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SCHOOL.
IT WAS EITHER WITHIN THEIR HOUSEHOLD OR IT WAS ANOTHER CLOSE CONTACT OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SITUATION.
AGAIN, I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A VERY OPEN MIND IN TERMS OF THE MASK SITUATION BECAUSE, JUST LIKE I SAID, IT IS A VERY SMALL ACT, A VERY SMALL TOOL THAT HAS A HUGE IMPACT IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
WE CONTINUE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS VIRUS [NOISE] DOES.
WE'VE EVEN BEEN ABLE TO INDICATE THAT WHEN A PERSON IS AT THEIR MOST INFECTIOUS, WHEN IS THAT? WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU GET TESTED.
IF YOU ARE A CLOSE CONTACT, YOU GET TESTED AT THIS POINT AS OPPOSED TO THIS POINT BECAUSE NOW WE'VE REALIZED THAT, IF YOU'RE A CLOSE CONTACT, DON'T GO GET TESTED RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY TOO EARLY.
YOU GO AND GET TESTED 5-7 DAYS AFTER YOUR EXPOSURE BECAUSE THAT'S THE TIME YOU ARE MOST INFECTIOUS.
THAT'S THE TIME THAT YOU CAN TRANSMIT THE VIRUS EASIER THAN ANY OTHER TIME.
AS WE CONTINUE TO LEARN THESE THINGS, WE REALIZE THAT ONE OF THE TOOLS, LIKE I SAID, THAT ARE MOST EFFECTIVE ARE THE MASK ALONG WITH THE VACCINE.
WE ALSO HEAR A LOT ABOUT, "OH, I HAVE TO GET A BOOSTER.
OH, PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING SICK EVEN IF THEY'RE VACCINATED." THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT EVEN IF YOU'RE VACCINATED AND YOU BECOME INFECTED WITH A VIRUS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
NUMBER 1, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE SEVERELY IMPACTED AS IF YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE NOT VACCINATED.
NUMBER 2, THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE VIRUS TO MUTATE ON YOU AND CAUSE A NEW VARIANT OF IT TO BE INFECTING OTHER PEOPLE.
THERE'S ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE CONTINUE TO LEARN AND THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO USE.
WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT, IN THE VERY BEGINNING, WHAT WAS THE REAL CONCERN? THE REAL CONCERN WAS THE IMPACT ON SOCIETY, ESSENTIALLY, ALONG WITH THE IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, THE IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY.
WITH THE VACCINE, WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN THAT WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH THE DEVASTATION THAT WE WERE A YEAR AGO.
THESE THINGS ARE EFFECTIVE TOOLS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE AND CONTINUE TO UTILIZE.
WILL IT BE UNTIL THE END OF JUNE THAT WE HAVE TO WEAR A MASK? IT'S POSSIBLE BUT THE HIGHER THE VACCINE RATE GOES, THE LESS CHANCE THAT WE'LL BE, IN SEPTEMBER, EVEN RECOMMENDING MASKS TO BE WORN.
>> I LOOK AT THE VACCINE RATES FROM THE CHART THAT YOU SHOWED, I'VE GOT IT UP ON MY COMPUTER.
IT REALLY HASN'T IMPROVED HERE AND SO YOU CAN PREDICT ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
IT JUST SEEMS THAT THIS THING IS GOING TO HANG AROUND HERE UNTIL THE VACCINATION RATES GO UP OR IT JUST RUNS ITS COURSE BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING VACCINATED.
THEY JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN IT, THEY'RE MAKING THEIR CHOICE.
WHEN YOU MAKE A CHOICE TO NOT WEAR A SEAT BELT AND YOU'VE MADE A CHOICE BECAUSE YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE OR WHATEVER YOUR REASONS ARE, YOU MADE A CHOICE THAT IF YOU GET IN A COLLISION, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OR OTHERWISE GET BANGED UP INSIDE THAT CAR.
YOUR CHOICE. MAYBE THE AIRBAG'S SAFE, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S YOUR CHOICE.
MAKE A CHOICE TO SMOKE CIGARETTES.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS FROM THAT? YOU MAKE A CHOICE TO NOT BELIEVE IN THIS VACCINE, THAT'S SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL CHOICE.
I DON'T BELIEVE IN MANDATES AND MAKING PEOPLE GET A VACCINE.
THEY'VE MADE A CHOICE. THEY'VE MADE A CHOICE TO HAVE THIS THING HANG AROUND WHICH MEANS MASKS, WHICH MEANS PEOPLE GETTING SICK.
THE KIDS AREN'T GOING IN THE HOSPITAL BUT WHEN THEY GO HOME AND GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, WHO ARE THEY INFECTING? FORTUNATELY, I THINK THE OLDER AGE GROUP, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, THEY'RE VACCINATED, A LOT OF THEM, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO INFECT THEIR GRANDPARENTS MAYBE BUT OTHER CHILDREN, SIBLINGS, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE GOING TO INFECT.
IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS GOING TO BE HERE UNTIL PEOPLE FIGURE OUT THEY JUST GOT TO GET VACCINATED OR IT GOES AWAY.
THAT MEANS THAT MANY PEOPLE GOT IT BUT IT'S GOING AWAY, I GUESS.
[03:05:02]
>> IN TERMS OF THAT MANY PEOPLE GETTING IT.
>> SO LONG AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE NEW VARIANTS OF IT, THERE ARE NEW CONCERNS BECAUSE THESE THINGS, THEY CHANGE.
I'M NOT MENTIONING THIS IN A WAY TO CAUSE FEAR OR TO BRING ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO THIS, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OMICRON THAT IS WHEN THEY FIRST BROUGHT IT UP AND WE LOOKED AT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WERE PROVIDING TO US, IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY BECAUSE THE DELTA VARIANT THAT CAUSED A WHOLE LOT OF CONCERN, THAT VARIANT MUTATES AND IT CHANGES AT A RATE OF NINE, AND OMICRON DOES IT AT A RATE OF 32.
THE REAL ISSUE IS WHERE THIS VARIANT MUTATES.
IT MUTATES ON THE SPIKE PROTEIN, AND THE SPIKE PROTEIN IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT CAUSES THE VIRUS TO INFECT PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE THAT IT ACTUALLY MUTATES ON.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS THAT PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE SOME NATURAL IMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY HAD COVID AND NOW THEY HAVE ANTIBODIES OR WHATEVER, THIS OMICRON DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE IT MUTATES ON A SPECIFIC PART OF THE VIRUS THAT IS NOT AFFECTED BY NATURAL IMMUNITY.
IT'S NOT REALLY TOO DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN IN TERMS OF HOW IT DOES THAT BUT THERE IS GREAT CONCERN IN THE SENSE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN INFECTED, THERE IS A GREATER CHANCE OF THEM BEING INFECTED BY OMICRON, THAN THERE IS ANY OF THE OTHER VARIANTS.
THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ON OMICRON IS VERY PRELIMINARY.
WE DON'T KNOW A LOT IN TERMS OF THE SEVERITY OF INFECTION, HOW OUR VACCINE EFFICACY, IN TERMS OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE VIRUS OR THE MUTATION OF THE VIRUS AS WELL.
THERE'S A LOT TO BE KNOWN ABOUT IT.
THIS WAS CAUGHT VERY EARLY ON.
THIS VARIANT, PROBABLY EARLIER THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS THAT WE'VE SEEN.
THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING BECAUSE NOW WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO BE ABLE TO STUDY IT, AND WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE SOME GOOD INFORMATION ON IT.
SO LONG AS YOU HAVE UNVACCINATED PEOPLE, FOR THIS VIRUS TO MUTATE ON, IT'S JUST GOING TO CONTINUE OVER AND OVER.
[OVERLAPPING] YEAH, AND THE FLU VIRUS IS SIMILAR.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT VARIANTS OF IT AND DIFFERENT STRAINS OF IT, BUT THIS IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION BECAUSE OF HOW COVID JUST CAUSES DEVASTATION.
>> IN OTHER VACCINES, WHETHER IT'S A FLU VACCINE OR OTHERS, IT'S NOT 100 PERCENT EFFECTIVE.
TELL ME IF I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK YOU'RE SAYING THE SAME THING ABOUT THE COVID VACCINE THAT YOU MIGHT STILL GET WHATEVER IT IS, BUT THE SEVERITY OF IT IS DIMINISHED.
BACK IN THE DAYS OF H1N1, SOMEONE COULD GET THE VACCINE FOR H1N1, STILL GET H1N1 BUT INSTEAD OF IT LASTING TWO WEEKS AND REALLY DEVASTATING YOU, IT MIGHT ONLY LAST A COUPLE OF DAYS.
>> IT'LL STILL DEVASTATE YOU FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
NOW WHY DO I SAY THAT? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
I GOT THAT VACCINE AND WAS EXPOSED TO H1N1 DURING THAT TIME PERIOD WHEN I WAS BUILDING THE ANTIBODIES.
SO I GOT IT BUT I WAS ABLE TO SHUT THAT THING, OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT? JUST GET RID OF THAT THING AFTER THREE DAYS AND IT WAS HORRIBLE THREE DAYS.
IN FACT IT WASN'T THREE WEEKS OR WHATEVER, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR CHOICE.
THEY MADE THE CHOICE IF THERE'S ANYTHING AROUND.
>> YES. MOST DEFINITELY. IT'S AVAILABLE.
WE'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME OR IT FEELS LIKE A VERY LONG TIME THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF IT IS THERE.
WHEN I SAY TAIL END OF IT, I MEAN, TAIL END OF TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO GET THEM VACCINATED.
IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT WHEN THERE'S TALK ABOUT VACCINE MANDATES.
ANYBODY WHO MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE LINE, MAYBE THEY WERE CONSIDERING IT.
MOST LIKELY [OVERLAPPING] THEY COMPLETELY TURNED OFF.
WE CONTINUE TO TRY OUR BEST TO BE ABLE TO MITIGATE THAT SITUATION BUT THEY JUST NEED TO COME IN AND GET VACCINATED.
[03:10:04]
I THINK THE PEOPLE IN ANY GIVEN COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S CAROLINE COUNTY OR IN ONTARIO COUNTY OR PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY OR CALIFORNIA, THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET VACCINATED ARE VACCINATED, THOSE WHO ARE, ARE.
I'M SORRY, TO CUT Y'ALL BUT, YOU'RE BRINGING A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION TO US BUT WHAT I WANTED TO ASK IS, [NOISE] WITH WHAT WE DO NOW, IS THE JUICE WORTH THE SQUEEZE FOR ALL THIS CONTACT TRACING? ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, I DON'T SEE IT.
THAT MAN AND WOMAN HOURS WE'RE PUTTING IN, THE TIME WE'RE PUTTING IN TO FIND OUT WHO WAS ADJACENT TO WHO FOR HOW LONG? FIFTEEN MINUTES PLUS WITH OR WITHOUT A MASK.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STRESSING STAFF.
STAFF MORALE AND THE COMMUNITY MORALE IN OUR NATION AND WE HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER ABOUT STAFF.
WHEN I'M LOOKING AT 0.07 PERCENT POSITIVITY RATE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE KNOW HOW MANY OF OUR QUARANTINE PEOPLE ACTUALLY END UP GETTING IT, BUT WHO'S MANDATING CONTACT TRACING?
>> IN TERMS OF CONTACT TRACING, WHEN THERE'S A PANDEMIC, IT'S THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, AND I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THIS, SO I WILL DOUBLE-CHECK.
HOWEVER, SINCE THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IS LIFTED, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS MANDATED IN TERMS OF CONTACT TRACING.
BUT I THINK THAT [BACKGROUND]. YES, THE GUIDANCE ITSELF.
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEND THEM A BILL FOR ALL OUR NURSES AND THE OVERTIME AND GENS OUT PAY SCALE IS AHEAD OF AND ALL THE TEACHERS AND VICE PRINCIPALS AND ALL THE HOURS THAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN FOR ALL THE HOURS THEY'RE PUTTING IN TO FIGURE OUT IF 0.07 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENTS WHO I LOVE AND I THROW MYSELF ON IT'S OFTEN BEFORE I WANT TO SEE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS END UP IN A HOSPITAL.
WHO ARE GETTING SICK BUT THEN IN TWO WEEKS COMING BACK AND JUMPING BACK OUT ON THE SOCCER FIELD OR IN SCHOOL OR WHATNOT.
>> I THINK YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THAT 0.07 PERCENT IS ALSO PART OF THE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
>> EXACTLY WHICH EVEN MORE VALIDATES MY POINT.
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS TO OUR PEOPLE, OUR STAFF?
>> I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION WITH MGH IN TERMS OF MSBE AS TO WHERE THAT'S BEING DONE.
BECAUSE I THINK IN REALITY, THE INITIAL ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT PUBLIC HEALTH DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THAT CONTACT TRACING.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME SUPPORT EXACTLY WHERE IT'S NEEDED IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
>> IF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE NON-VACCINATED AREN'T GOING TO GET VACCINATED, WHICH WE ALL AGREE TO, HOW MANY HOURS ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BABYSIT AND TRACK THE COMMUNITY'S KIDS TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE ARE KIDS WHO WERE EXPOSED SOMEWHERE ELSE ARE IMPACTING.
THAT'S JUST A PRIME EXAMPLE AND I DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
I JUST THINK THAT MIGHT BE A PRIME EXAMPLE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MASS IT'S A TOOL.
I AGREE WITH IT AND EVEN IF I DISAGREE WITH IT, I WOULD SUGGEST THIS BOARD CONSIDER SENDING A LETTER TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT TO SAY, LET IT FALL IN FEBRUARY AND LET'S MAKE A LOCAL DECISION.
BUT BESIDES THAT I'M ALSO THINKING I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MASS OR VACCINATION RATES OR ANYTHING BUT CONTACT TRACING.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR STUDENTS HEALTHY AND WELL BEING? I DON'T SEE IT BEING.
>> WE HAVE HIGH CONVERSATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR HEALTH OFFICERS GROUP SIMILAR TO THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF CONTACT TRACING BECAUSE NOW A LOT OF TIMES OUR PEOPLE ARE GETTING DEAD ENDS EVERYWHERE.
THAT CONCERN HAS BEEN RAISED AS WELL.
THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED, WHEN DOES THAT STOP? WHEN DO WE STOP DOING THE CONTACT TRACING? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T EXACTLY BEEN PROVIDED AN ANSWER,
[03:15:02]
BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN BRING UP AGAIN ON MY END IN TERMS OF CAN WE REVISIT THIS SITUATION AND WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO DO THIS? I UNDERSTAND WHY WE CONTINUE TO DO IT [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.HOWEVER, PERHAPS THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME STRUCTURE AND CRITERIA SPECIFICALLY FOR CONTACT TRACING.
>> I COULD BE WRONG. THERE WAS HEARSAY, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT ONE BIGGER COUNTY THAN US.
THEY JUST TOLD THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHO THOSE 0.07 PEOPLE WERE.
IN THAT CASE, 374 PEOPLE TOLD YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE CALL THEM AND CONTACT TRACE THEM OVER THE PHONE AND IT WAS DONE.
>> YEAH. I DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE THERE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I HAVE ONE COMMUNICABLE DISEASE PERSON AND I HAVE ONE PERSON WHO TAKES CARE OF CONTACT TRACING FOR DAYCARES.
THAT'S SERIOUSLY IS ALL THAT I HAVE IN TERMS OF THAT, WE UTILIZE THE STATE SYSTEM, WHICH IS SALESFORCE, AND THEY DO A MAJORITY OF OUR CONTACT TRACING FOR US IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY CONTACT TRACING, THE DIFFICULT CASES COME TO US FOR, LIKE I SAID, OUR COMMUNICABLE DISEASE SUPERVISOR TO MANAGE THAT.
THIS HAS BEEN A SITUATION AND AN ISSUE SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF COVID IS THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT PREPARED OR WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS AT ALL.
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT OUR LEADERSHIP, ABOUT OUR WORKFORCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH WENT UNDERFUNDED FOR SO VERY LONG AND IT'S STILL UNDERFUNDED.
EVEN THOUGH THERE'S RFA MONEY.
BUT WHEN WE TELL PEOPLE THAT THERE'S NOT STAFF THERE TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT HOW THAT IMPACTS YOUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
LIKE I SAID, I'LL TAKE THAT BACK AND I'LL ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AS TO WHEN IS ENOUGH GOING TO BE ENOUGH IN TERMS OF CONTRACT.
>> FOR THE PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE AND MARK CAN SPEAK TO THIS BETTER THAN I CAN BECAUSE HE HAS YOUNG CHILDREN.
I'M JUST PICTURING HOW BEING A APPARENT OF ONE TIME DON KIDS WITH MY CHILD WAS SENT HOME BECAUSE OF THE CONTACT TRACING.
YOU'RE QUARANTINE, HERE ARE THE DAY IS YOU'VE GOT TO BE OUT. THEY NEVER GET SICK.
MY SON GOT BACK TO SCHOOL THEN LATER ON IT HAPPENS AGAIN THEY COME HOME.
THEY'RE QUARANTINE. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO CARE FOR THEM AND SO FORTH WONDERING THEY NEVER GET SICK.
PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE, THEY'RE ANGRY WHEN THEY GET THAT CALL.
I UNDERSTAND WHY AND I KNOW YOU DO TOO.
TO JIM'S POINT WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH THAT SO MANY OF THESE KIDS ARE BEING SENT HOME AND THEY NEVER GET SICK AND THEY ARE OUT DOING EVERYTHING ELSE ORDINARILY, I GUESS, BUT THEY NEVER GET SICK AND THE PARENTS GOT TO BE JUST FED UP.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THIS.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
>> NO. [OVERLAPPING] I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT.
>> I HAVE ONE THING IN TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE THING I THINK THE MANDATE WAS CREATED TO TAKE THE HEAT OFF OF LOCAL BOARD OF EDS.
PEOPLE GET UPSET WITH THE MANDATE.
BUT I PERSONALLY THINK AS A BOARD, WE NEED TO THANK THEM BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BE IDIOTS.
BUT LET'S FACE IT, FOR MONTHS IT WAS UGLY, THEN FINALLY, YOU CAN BLAME THEM.
I'M NOT GOING TO KNOCK THEM FOR THE MANDATE.
THAT BEING SAID, THE VACCINE, I THINK YOU SAID THEY'RE NOT SURE, BUT THIS NEW WE'RE NOT SURE IF IT COVERS THAT OR NOT.
>> NOT YET. IT'S EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING SEVERE INFECTION, BUT THE IMPACT THAT THE VACCINE HAS ON THIS VARIANT IS UNKNOWN, THE ADVOCACY.
>> BUT IT'S DEFINITELY CAN'T HURT TO HAVE THE VACCINE.
>> NOW THE OTHER QUESTION, THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED ABOUT.
HOW DID THEY FIGURE OUT IT'S A NEW VARIANT. HOW DO THEY KNOW?
>> COULD WE JUMP FROM DELTA TO OMICRON. THERE'S A LOT [OVERLAPPING].
>> HOW DID THEY MADE THEM REALIZE IT'S A DIFFERENT.
>> WHEN THEY DO THE GENOME SEQUENCING, THEY FIND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT INDICATES IT ACTS DIFFERENTLY FROM ANY OTHER THING THAT THEY HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
THEN THEY START TO ANALYZE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE AND YOU CAN SEE THE CELL UNDER A MICROSCOPE.
>> THEY'RE NOT JUST SIMPLY TESTING,
[03:20:01]
DO YOU HAVE IT OR NOT, THERE IS MORE INVOLVED?>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. WHEN YOU GET A SWAB IN YOUR NOSE AND IT'S SENT OFF, THAT'S A PCR TEST.
IF YOU ARE SYMPTOMATIC AND THEY SWAB YOU SEND IT OFF AND LET'S SAY YOU'RE VACCINATED AND IT'S INDICATED ON THE FORM THAT YOU'RE VACCINATED AND YOU'RE NOT INDICATED AS CLOSE CONTACT.
IT GOES OFF TO THE LAB, IT TESTS POSITIVE, THEN IT GOES IN THE GENOME SEQUENCING, IT'S CALLED SEQUENCING.
WHAT THEY'RE DOING DURING THAT SEQUENCING IS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO FIND EXACTLY THE DNA AS TO WHAT VARIANT IT IS THAT HAS INFECTED YOU.
THEY CAN DETERMINE THAT THROUGH THAT SEQUENCING, AND THEN OF COURSE IT GETS REPORTED.
WHEN THEY'RE DOING THEIR SEQUENCING AND THEY SEE SOMETHING WEIRD HAPPENED AND WITH THE OMICRON VARIANT, THERE'S A WEIRD THING THAT HAPPENS.
SOMETHING DROPS OUT OF IT THAT THEY HADN'T SEEN BEFORE, ESSENTIALLY, THAT'S HOW THEY DETERMINED IT.
THERE'S A REALLY GOOD ARTICLE ON THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE ONES WHO REPORT BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED IN SOUTH AFRICA, IT WAS FOUND IN SOUTH AFRICA.
BUT THERE'S A REALLY GOOD ARTICLE ON THERE THAT GIVES YOU A WHOLE BUNCH OF INFORMATION AND TALKS ABOUT HOW IT WAS DETERMINED.
>> AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
>> AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND IT'S BEEN ALL HANDS ON DECK, ESPECIALLY FROM THE BEGINNING.
BUT NOW WE'RE PAST THE BEGINNING.
JEN, YOU'RE STANDING THERE VERY PATIENT AND QUIET AND SO I'M JUST MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S A TYPICAL POSITIVITY FOR FLU WHEN WE HAVE A FLU OUTBREAK IN A SCHOOL? IN SOME YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY WERE CLOSE TO CLOSING THE SCHOOL DOWN FOR AN OUTBREAK.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF A NORMAL FLU OUTBREAK?
>> RECENTLY WE HAD MORE OF A STRUGGLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE CLASSROOM THAT'S AFFECTED.
MANY YEARS AGO WE DID HAVE A SHORT OUTBREAK [INAUDIBLE].
>> I MEAN, WHEN WE SAY AN OUTBREAK PRIOR TO COVID, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT, ONE PERCENT, TWO PERCENT, THREE, WHAT OUTBREAK?
>> THAT NUMBER, I DON'T KNOW THE PERCENTAGE.
>> IN A COHORT, IT'S NOT THE PERCENTAGE.
>> BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT ALL LISA, RIGHT?
>> IT'S NOT ALL ROBIN. I'M NOT PICKING UP ON ROBIN.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHEN THIS BOARD, THIS ADMINISTRATION SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND APPARENTLY SOME OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE HANDLING THIS TIME SOME OF THESE DUTIES DIFFERENTLY.
THAT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY HOW WE HANDLE OUR AND MANAGE OUR STAFF INTERNALLY.
>> WELL, IN TERMS OF THE HEALTH STAFF, YOU'RE CORRECT.
HOWEVER, WE PARTNER TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS WITH JEN IN TERMS OF HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT AND WHAT HAPPENS.
THEN I GET THAT THE WHOLE CONTACT TRACING THING AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON THE SCHOOL NURSES.
I MEAN, WE WORK TO PROVIDE SOME FUNDING FOR ASSISTANCE WITH CONTACT TRACING.
AGAIN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MY GROUP AND ASK, SO THIS IS WHAT I'M BEING ASKED, WHEN IS ENOUGH IN TERMS OF CONTACT TRACING IN THE SCHOOLS, AND HOW CAN WE BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT A PLAN TO DRAW BACK A LITTLE BIT? I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY ASK THE QUESTIONS.
I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH DOING THAT AT ALL AND GETTING THE INFORMATION AND EVEN TRYING TO WORK ON A WAY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
THEN ESSENTIALLY, THAT REALLY IS WHY I'M HERE THIS EVENING.
I MEAN, YES, TO GIVE DETAILS AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED FROM US IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS, I CAN GO AND I CAN DO THIS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO HEAR IN THE END OR HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE, BUT I'LL GET THE INFORMATION.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTION?
>> I'M GOING TO ASK ABOUT, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE REALLY JUST QUARANTINING KIDS AT LUNCH.
IS THAT CORRECT? [OVERLAPPING] FOR THE MOST PART.
HOW LONG IS LUNCH? A HALF AN HOUR?
[03:25:01]
>> THEY'RE IN THE CAFETERIA TOGETHER NO MORE THAN 25 MINUTES? I WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF WE DON'T WEAR A MASK, HOW LONG CAN WE SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER?
>> FIFTEEN, SO WE'RE 10 MINUTES OVER THAT TIME-FRAME.
[LAUGHTER] I WISH WE COULD GET RID OF QUARANTINING KIDS FROM LUNCH, CLOSE CONTACTS FROM LUNCH BECAUSE I MEAN, HOW MANY OF THESE KIDS ARE GETTING SENT HOME RIGHT NOW ARE TESTING POSITIVE BEFORE THEY COME BACK TO SCHOOL? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF IT IS?
>> [INAUDIBLE] ME AND ROBIN HAVE BEEN REALLY GOOD, WE HAVE A SPREADSHEET AS YOU CAN SEE OUR DATA.
WHEN WE SEE SOMEBODY THAT'S POSITIVE, WE LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS [INAUDIBLE].
THEY TALK ABOUT THE LAYER OF STRATEGIES AND TALKING ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT AS FAR AS IT CAN KEEP THAT INTO PLACE, BUT IF WE CAN PULL BACK THE LUNCH BECAUSE HOW MANY OF THOSE KIDS THAT ARE GETTING SENT HOME FOR THE CLOSE QUARANTINE ARE ENDING UP POSITIVE? THEN OF THOSE POSITIVE, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE REALLY SERIOUS? WHO ARE WE PROTECTING?
>> THE NUMBER OF QUARANTINES HAVE GONE DOWN TREMENDOUSLY.
>> I WISH WE HAD A BEFORE AND AN AFTER THE CHANGE BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS NUMBER IS BEFORE WE CHANGE THE MASK MANDATE. CORRECT?
>> I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
I MEAN, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT'S NOT AS BIG AS WE THINK IT IS.
PLUS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THE NUMBER'S GOING UP. YOU GOT TO KEEP THAT.
>> I CAN GO BACK AND MR. JACK MA WILL DEFINITELY PULL THAT DATA.
I BELIEVE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, WE WERE 400 OVER 414 IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
>> WE HAD ONE WEEK. WE JUST LOOKED AT IT. IN ONE WEEK.
>> WE WILL CALL IT CLOSE TO 600 IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
IT HAS SLOWED QUITE A BIT NOW BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A FEW POSITIVES THIS PAST WEEK.
>> YEAH. I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY PULL AND THAT SHOULD BE EASY FOR US.
>> EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP, THE QUARANTINES HAVE STILL GONE DOWN COMPARED TO WHAT IT WAS USED TO.
I THINK WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN MIND.
I DON'T LIKE WEARING A MASK ANYMORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
BUT IN THE END, IT'S ABOUT KEEPING THE KIDS SAFE AND HEALTHY.
NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, [INAUDIBLE].
>> WELL, AS WE CHANGE OUR QUARANTINING GUIDELINES, HAVE WE COMMUNICATED WHAT TEACHERS HAVE TO DO? BECAUSE THERE'S ONE SPEAKER WE HAD TONIGHT, NOT A LUNCH DUTY, BUT A TEACHER'S KEEPING AN ACCURATE SEATING CHART, SO THAT IT CAN TRACK STUDENTS FOR CONTRACT TRACING, BUT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.
>> IT WOULDN'T MATTER WHO'S DOING THE CONTACT TRACING IN TERMS OF THAT, SOMEBODY STILL HAS TO KEEP A SEATING CHART.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, THEN YOU HAVE NO WAY OF INDICATING WHO THEY ARE.
>> WE'LL HAVE MASKS ON AND WE'RE MORE THAN THREE FEET APART.
>> I'M SORRY, JEN, IT'S NOT YOU.
THIS IS PART OF THE TEACHER STAFF STUFF.
>> ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT SEATING CHARTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS OR ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT SEATING CHARTS?
>> [INAUDIBLE] E-MAIL MODIFIED, A NOTIFICATION ABOUT OPTIONAL QUARANTINE.
THERE WAS AN EXPOSURE BUT YOUR CHILD HAS A MASK, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP THEM HAND IN HAND.
>> ARE ANY PARENTS PULLING THEIR KIDS OUT ONCE THEY'RE NOTIFIED?
>> WE'RE STILL TRYING TO BE TRANSPARENT AND MAKE THE NOTIFICATIONS AND PARENTS HAVE THE OPTION IF THEY WANT TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN HOME.
>> BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN'T, AND THE CHILD GETS COVID, AND THEY FIND OUT THAT THEY WERE SITTING NEXT TO SOMEBODY, AND WE DIDN'T TELL THEM.
>> UP UNTIL NOW, IT WILL BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO MAINTAIN CARE.
>> YEAH, IT WOULD BE ALMOST HARDER TO DO.
IN PART OF THAT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH OUR MODIFIED QUARANTINE THAT HONESTLY,
[03:30:04]
ROBIN HELP DEVELOP EVEN PRIOR TO MDH RELEASING THEIRS, WAS IT TWO WEEKS LATER MDH RELEASED THREE OPTIONS OF MODIFIED QUARANTINE WHICH STARTED TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO.WE'VE GOT TO STAY WITHIN THE BAILIWICK OF WHAT MDH GIVES US AS OPTIONS BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PIECE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INFORMING PARENTS IF YOU ARE CLOSE CONTACT AND EXPOSURE BECAUSE WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO LET THEM KNOW WHEN SOMEONE DOES.
THERE IS ONE SYSTEM THAT'S NOT DOING CONTACT TRACING.
I BELIEVE THAT SYSTEM AND NURSES ARE PROVIDED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IN THEIR SYSTEM, ABOUT HALF THE SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND HEALTH PROGRAM PROVIDES THE NURSES FOR THE SCHOOLS.
WE'RE ONE OF THOSE WHERE THE NURSES ARE PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STAFFING RATIO TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WE'RE NOT DOING [INAUDIBLE].
THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STAFFING MODEL THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO THAT.
THEY ALSO DID THIS SINCE DAY 1 IN TERMS OF HOW THEY HANDLED THOSE PIECES.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT SCENARIO WHERE THEY'RE SITTING AND WHERE WE ARE IN THIS POINT IN THE GAME.
>> I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.
IF HOSPITALS ARE FULL OF THE ELDERLY OR CHILDREN, IT'S ONE THING.
BUT WHEN THEY'RE NOT AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE MADE THE DECISION THEY'VE MADE AND ARE LIVING THEIR LIVES OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY THINKING ABOUT STAFF AND IT'S NOT TO YOU, ROBIN, OR YOU, JENNIFER, IT'S BLOWING MY MIND PERSONALLY, AND I'M JUST SITTING HERE LISTENING TO IT WHAT YOU-ALL ARE GOING THROUGH.
>> WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH EVERYDAY.
IT'S BLOWING MY MIND HERE FOR 15-30 MINUTES AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH EVERY DAY, LET ALONE ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU'RE RELYING ON TO DO THIS FOR YOU.
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE DOING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE ARE TRYING TO DO THE BEST THING, BUT WE CAN'T BE THE BEST CONTRACT TRACERS, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET SICK.
LIKE MS. JACKMAN HAS SAID, YOU CAN'T BE THE BEST TEACHER YOU WANT TO BE IF YOU'RE WORN OUT AND TIRED.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS. THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING ELSE? [LAUGHTER]
>> THANK YOU, AND ESPECIALLY THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE.
>> I'LL PROVIDE INFORMATION TO DR. SIMMONS WITH SOME FOLLOW-UP.
CERTAINLY, ANYTIME THAT THERE'S QUESTIONS AND THAT I CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW.
>> THANK YOU, GUYS. HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
>> MOVING. WE HAVE BUDGET SUMMARY DOCUMENT HERE.
>> [BACKGROUND] WE'LL BE BRIEF.
>> I'LL PASS TO AARON TO DO A QUICK REVIEW WHERE WE ARE, AND JUST AS A HIGH LEVEL.
THIS IS THE FIRST WORK ON THE BUDGET, REPRESENTS THE MEETINGS WE'VE HAD WITH ALL PRINCIPLES BASED ON THEIR REQUESTS, ALL SUPERVISORS, AND THE BUDGET TEAM GOING THROUGH REQUESTS THAT COME IN, LOOKING AT THINGS THAT CAN BE LOOKED AT FOR ONE-TIME CALLS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THROUGH EITHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, THOSE THAT DON'T APPEAR ON HERE.
REQUESTS THAT WE FEEL THAT WE CAN HANDLE POTENTIALLY THROUGH URINE IF THERE'S URINE MONEY.
WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO AT THIS POINT IS DIVIDING THE TWO AREAS.
THERE'S NO REVENUE ON THIS LIST.
TYPICALLY THERE'S A REVENUE SECTION.
WE DON'T HAVE REVENUE NUMBERS AT THIS POINT IN TIME, SO THERE'S NO POINT IN US PUTTING A BLANK PIECE ON HERE, AND KIND OF SHOOTING IN THE DARK OF WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS, WHICH IS THE TOP SEGMENT.
AGAIN, I'LL HAVE AARON RUN OVER THE DETAILS OF THIS AND WE'LL TRY TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS AND HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS.
THESE ARE ALL JUST COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS INCREASES THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING GOING INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
THEN DOWN BOTTOM IS ADDITIONS.
THEN THESE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT HAD BEEN RECOMMENDED.
THERE'S SEVERAL MORE THAT WOULD EXTEND TO MULTIPLE SHEETS.
BUT THESE, LOOKING AT IT FROM A BUDGET PROCESS, ARE THOSE THAT ARE AT THE HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR IT NOW.
AGAIN, THEY ARE NOT IN ANY RANK ORDER.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DO A BUDGET ROUND-TABLE WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS.
THAT'LL BE NEXT WEEK AT OUR ANS MEETING IN DECEMBER.
WE WANTED TO GET THIS TO THE BOARD TONIGHT.
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS FORGING JUST MR. JONES.
THE BUDGET GOES THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT PIECES.
THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS RIGHT NOW
[03:35:01]
IS WHERE WE ARE AS WHEN IT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET.I PRESENT A FINAL BUDGET TO THE BOARD IN FEBRUARY AS A FINAL, BUT IT'S SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET PACKAGED BASED OFF VOLUMATION THAT WE HAVE AT THAT POINT GOES TO THE BOARD IN FEBRUARY, AND AT THAT POINT THEN BECOMES THE BOARD'S BUDGET.
TO THEN MASSAGE, MOVE, DO WHAT WE NEED TO ACCORDINGLY, WITH ANY INFORMATION THAT'S THERE OR ANY NEW INFORMATION WE GET WILL BE GREAT, IN THE MIDDLE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHEN THAT COMES OUT.
IN TERMS OF REVENUE NUMBERS, WE TYPICALLY DON'T GET FIRM REVENUE NUMBERS UNTIL APRILISH.
IN MAY WE GET SOME PRELIMINARIES.
PRIOR TO THAT, BUT WE DON'T GET FIRMS UNTIL APRIL OR MAY OR REALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF [OVERLAPPING] WHICH IS THE BIG QUESTION MARK.
I WILL ASK AARON IF YOU WANT TO.
>> I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF SINCE IT'S APPROACHING TEN O'CLOCK.
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? THIS IS A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY DOCUMENT WHICH TRIES TO SHOW THE CHANGES IN WHAT IS DIFFERENT IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET VERSUS THE CURRENT BUDGET.
IT ASSUMES EVERYTHING IN THE CURRENT BUDGET IS FUNDED UNLESS IT APPEARS ON HERE AS A REDUCTION.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE CURRENTLY AREN'T ANY REDUCTIONS ON HERE.
BUT I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE BUDGET TEAM IS IN THE PROCESS OF DISSECTING THE CURRENT BUDGET AND IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE WE CAN HAVE POTENTIAL REDUCTIONS AND SAVINGS.
WE ARE TAKING A LOOK AT EVERY LINE ITEM, AND BECAUSE ANY SAVINGS CAN BE REALIGNED AND PUT ELSEWHERE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE SYSTEM.
PART 1 SHOWS THE SAME SERVICES.
THESE ARE JUST BUDGET TO ACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS AND THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
LINE NUMBER 1 THROUGH 6, ARE BUDGET TO ACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS WHERE WE NEED TO TRUE UP THE BUDGETS, BRING IT IN LINE WITH THE ACTUAL EXPENSES.
YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION BEFORE WHEN I DO THE MONTHLY FINANCE REPORTS.
YOU ALSO HEARD IT LAST MONTH WHEN THE AUDIT REPORTS WERE PRESENTED AND WE HAD TO DO BUDGET TO ACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS AT THAT POINT IN TIME TO TRUE UP THE BUDGET.
THIS IS JUST TRYING TO DRAW A CLEAN SLATE AND GET EVERYTHING IN LINE WITH WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
I WANT TO MENTION ON LINE ITEM 5, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IS SELF-EXPLANATORY EXCEPT FOR LINE ON ITEM 5.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A DEFINITION, IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, "WHAT ARE FIXED CHARGES?" THESE ARE ITEMS LIKE WORKER'S COM, TERM LIFE, RETIREMENT, ANNUAL LEAVE, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. NEXT UP.
BOTH OF THESE LINE ITEMS DEAL WITH THE MINIMUM WAGE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2023, THE MINIMUM WAGE IS GOING TO INCREASE TO $13 AND 25 CENTS.
>> WHAT DATE WAS THAT? [INAUDIBLE]
>> JANUARY 1ST OF 2023, JANUARY 1ST OF THIS CURRENT YEAR, 2022, IT'S 1250.
ALL OF OUR SUPPORT SERVICES LINE A THEY'RE AT THAT 1250 MINIMUM WAGE REQUIREMENT.
>> BUDGET IT NEXT YEAR FOR JANUARY 2023.
>> CORRECT. THIS IMPACTS THIS YEAR FOR FY22, IT ONLY IMPACTED INCREMENTS, I WANT TO SAY ONE THROUGH THREE.
NEXT YEAR, THE INCREASE IS 13 TO 13.25, IT AFFECTS INCREMENTS ONE THROUGH SIX.
WE ARE DRASTICALLY [LAUGHTER] THAT'S WHY IT'S A BIG TICKET.
IT'S 188,000 IS THE COST ESTIMATE TO GET INCREMENTS ONE THROUGH SIX, WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, TO THE MINIMUM WAGE, WHICH ALSO IS KIND OF A DOMINO BECAUSE THAT MEANS THE OTHERS WILL NEED TO BE INCREASED AS WELL.
ALSO, THE DAILY SUB RATE OR NON-DEGREE SUBS WON'T BE MAKING MINIMUM WAGE AS OF JANUARY 1, 2023 IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, SO WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO INCREASE THAT LINE ITEM.
LINE ITEM NUMBER 9, WE HAVE TWO BUSES THAT HAVE REACHED 15 YEARS OF SERVICE, SO BY LAW, THEY CAN NO LONGER BE IN SERVICE.
THE BUDGET TEAM IS RECOMMENDING, INSTEAD OF RUNNING THE COST FOR THESE TWO BUSES, WHICH IS SOMEWHERE AROUND A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO CARMEN'S ESTIMATES THAT SHE GOT, THE PRICE OF BUSES IS EXPECTED TO GO UP BY APPROXIMATELY 16 PERCENT.
[LAUGHTER] THE BUDGET TEAM IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE LEASE-PURCHASE THESE TWO BUSES,
[03:40:01]
WHICH WILL DROP DOWN THE COST OF THAT LINE ITEM.NOW THE BIGGIE, LINE ITEM NUMBER 10.
THE HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASE.
THIS IS NOT A RATE THAT WE CAME UP WITH.
IT'S A RATE THAT OUR CONSULTANTS AT BOLTON HEALTH PROVIDED TO US.
THEY'RE PROJECTING A RATE INCREASE OF 18 PERCENT.
NOW YOU'RE WONDERING 18 PERCENT.
WHAT DOES THAT REPRESENT? WELL, IT'S DUE TO OUR MEDICAL AND DRUG UTILIZATION.
THEY ARE SAYING THAT THE MEDICAL AND DRUG UTILIZATION IS SKYROCKETING.
IN COMPARISON, THIS RATING, AT THIS POINT IN TIME WHEN MILTON WAS PRESENTING THIS DRAFT BUDGET SUMMARY LAST YEAR, THE RATE WAS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY 7 PERCENT.
THIS YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT 18 PERCENT.
>> YES. THIS IS WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
HOPEFULLY, THIS NUMBER IS GOING.
>> WE CAN ALL GO HOME AND SAY WHATEVER PRAYER TO WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE IN [LAUGHTER] THAT WE DON'T HAVE HIT.
>> WE'RE HOPING [INAUDIBLE] PRAYER FOR A SINGLE DIGIT.
>> I MEAN IT'S WORTH THE SHOT.
>> CORRECT. WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
HOPEFULLY, AS YOU'LL SEE, THIS BUDGET SUMMARY IN THE MONTHS TO COME THAT FIGURE WILL GO DOWN.
I WILL MENTION THAT MRS. CIACOS WHO WAS OUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ESMEC HEALTH ALLIANCE YOU JUST APPOINTED HER TONIGHT.
AT THEIR MEETING THIS MONTH, THEY ARE GOING TO DISCUSS RAISING CO-PAYS.
IF THE CO-PAY AMOUNT IS RAISED, IT WILL DRIVE THIS RATE DOWN.
I HAVE NO IDEA BY HOW MUCH, BUT IT WILL BRING IT DOWN.
NOW, THAT IS NOT A CAROLINE COUNTY DECISION.
IT'S AN ESMEC DECISION, SO EVERYBODY IN THE ESMEC HEALTH ALLIANCE HAS TO [INAUDIBLE].
>> THAT'S THE EASTERN SHORE SOMETHING?
>> THE ALLIANCE HAS TO VOTE ON THAT.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER COUNTIES, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FEEL ABOUT THAT.
OF COURSE, WE WANT TO HELP GET THIS RIGHT DOWN TO SOMETHING MORE REASONABLE.
YES. WE'RE OPEN TO THAT OPTION.
THE AVERAGE ESTIMATED INCREASE FOR THE OTHER COUNTIES IS 12 PERCENT.
WE'RE THE HIGHEST, UNFORTUNATELY.
WE DON'T GET SPECIFICS, BUT I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE SEVERAL BIG CLAIMS OUT THERE, AND ALSO OUR DRUG UTILIZATION IS.
>> YEAH, IT'S UTILIZATION THAT DRIVES US.
>> THE CO-PAY PIECE. I'LL JUST SAY THIS VERY BLUNTLY PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE HOUR.
THAT'S PASSING IT ON TO THE [OVERLAPPING] EMPLOYED.
>> IF YOU'RE RAISING THE RATE AND THE COPAY, IT'S A DOUBLE WHAMMY.
>> IT HASN'T BEEN VOTED ON YET.
>> NO, I'M SAYING IF IT DID GET VOTED ON IT'D BE A DOUBLE WHAMMY.
>> I ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT, THAT AMOUNT REPRESENTS THE RATE INCREASE FOR ACTIVE EMPLOYEES AND FREE MEDICARE RETIREES.
THE MEDICARE RETIREES THAT RECEIVE THE SUPPLEMENTAL THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFIT.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT ANY RETIREES OUT THERE WHO WERE THINKING THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO REDUCE THAT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
[LAUGHTER]. ANYWAY, MOVING ON, 11, 12, AND 13 ARE PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
THESE ARE JUST ESTIMATED INCREASES THAT ARE DUE TO THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. THESE ARE ESTIMATES.
THEY COULD CHANGE AS WE MOVE ALONG IN FUTURE MONTHS.
PART 2, AS DR. SIMMONS MENTIONED EARLIER, THESE ARE NOT IN PRIORITY ORDER BY ANY MEANS.
WE'RE JUST LISTING WHAT THE POTENTIAL ADDITIONS ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
NUMBER 14, THE SALARY ENHANCEMENT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
THIS IS SUBJECT TO NEGOTIATIONS.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO AMOUNT LISTED IN THERE.
THE NEGOTIATIONS TEAM HAD THE FIRST MEETING WITH THE UNION LAST WEEK TO SET DATES AND WE'RE GOING TO MEET AGAIN IN FEBRUARY.
HOPEFULLY, WHEN WE HAVE A BETTER HANDLE ON WHERE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PLUG A NUMBER IN THERE.
LINE NUMBER 15, THE SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THIS IS A LINE ITEM THAT WAS CUT OUT OF THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET DUE TO SOMEBODY THAT LEFT AND SO IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS AND IT WAS REDUCED FROM THE BUDGET.
THIS IS A POSITION THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
[LAUGHTER] SINCE IT'S REQUIRED BY LAW, RIGHT NOW, WE CAME UP WITH
[03:45:03]
A BANDAID AND WE HAVE AN INTERIM SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.BUT WE DO NEED TO GET THIS LINE ITEM BACK IN.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? 15 IS SUPERVISOR, 25 IS COORDINATOR.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THEM TOGETHER? WHY YOU NEED BOTH. DO WE NEED BOTH?
>> I'LL LET MRS. ANTHONY, EXPLAIN THAT.
>> WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT A CURRENTLY [OVERLAPPING] DELICATE SESSION.
NO, BECAUSE WE'RE IN A PUBLIC SESSION AND IT'S BEING RECORDED.
[LAUGHTER]. WE'RE LOOKING AT [INAUDIBLE]
>> [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING]. WE'RE LOOKING AT REORGANIZATION IN UTILIZATION OF STAFFING MODELS, THAT AND ANY SHOP SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE BUDGET.
>> INTO AARON'S POINT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT EVERY LINE ITEM.
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WHERE YOU CAN CUT, REDUCE, ETC.
[OVERLAPPING] SO I DON'T WANT YOU GETTING WORRYING TOO MUCH ABOUT REORGANIZATION.
WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO ME? SUDDENLY BILL'S GOING TO BE A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER [LAUGHTER].
NOBODY NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT DRAMATIC IT'S GOT AT THIS POINT.
EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE. [OVERLAPPING]. I DON'T WANT TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH, BUT.
>> DO WE HAVE A COORDINATOR RIGHT NOW?
>> WE DO HAVE A COORDINATOR FOR ELEMENTARY.
RIGHT NOW, THE SUPERVISOR IS ASSUMING NON-PUBLIC AND SECONDARY ALONG WITH TRANSITION AND THEN ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER [INAUDIBLE].
>> SO YOU WANT TO KNOW THE ONE?
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT A SUPERVISOR AND TWO COORDINATORS, YES.
>> NUMBER 15 IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
TWENTY-FIVE IS NOT REQUIRED BY LAW.
>> MOVING ALONG, NUMBER 16, THE BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
THAT'S WHY IT'S LISTED AS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT CAME AS A RESULT OF THE BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CONSULTANT IN THIS POSITION.
WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT, BUT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO BRING SOMEBODY ON BOARD THAT IS A FULL-TIME CCPS EMPLOYEE.
AS THINGS RAMP UP WITH BLUEPRINT, WE'VE GOT THE AIB, WHICH IS [OVERLAPPING] STARTING TO GET INTO FULL FORCE.
THEY ARE GOING TO BE REQUIRING REPORTS LEFT AND RIGHT AND ALL THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT COMES WITH THE BLUEPRINT.
WE NEED A FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBER [LAUGHTER].
LINE NUMBER 17, GREENSBORO IS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS A TEN-AND-A-HALF-MONTH ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, SO A REQUEST HAS BEEN MADE TO INCREASE THAT TO 12 MONTHS ALONG WITH ALL OF THE OTHER ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
THEN WE HAVE A REQUEST FOR A FEW DIFFERENT TEACHING POSITIONS, SOME OF WHICH WERE ALSO CUT IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY TO GET TO THE ONE PERCENT COLA FOR TEACHERS.
>> I KNOW SOCIAL STUDIES HAS HUGE NUMBERS IN THEIR PLACES.
IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THAT THIS IS TRYING TO GET THE NUMBERS DOWN TO A MORE REASONABLE [OVERLAPPING]?
>> YES. NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUES TO INCREASE THEIR ENROLLMENT AND AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP.
WE NEED TO TRUE OF STAFFING AND THAT BUILDING A LITTLE BIT MORE TO HELP THEM HANDLE THAT INFLUX. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BECAUSE I MEAN, WHEN I LEFT TWO YEARS AGO IT WAS UP TO 35, 36.
>> YEAH. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO HANDLE.
>> LINE NUMBER 21, NORTH HIGH.
THIS REQUEST, IT COULD BE AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OR A DEAN OF STUDENTS.
RIGHT NOW THEY HAVE A PRINCIPAL, TWO ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND DR. GARDNER AND I LOVE HIM TO PIECES.
>> DR. GARDNER, HE LET US KNOW THAT THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF ASSISTING.
THIS IS THE POSITION THAT WAS ELIMINATED PRE-COVID WHEN NORTH HIGH HAD THREE APS, WITH THEM SITTING AT LIKELY BEING CLOSE TO 1,250 KIDS NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE AND GIVE THEM AN ADDITIONAL SYSTEM PRINCIPLE TO HELP WITH THE NUMBER OF KIDS THEY HAVE AND THE NUMBERS THAT THEY HAVE.
WE'VE GOT IT SPLIT AS EITHER AN AP OR DEAN BECAUSE IT'LL COME DOWN TO BUDGET.
>> A DEAN IS A TEACHING POSITION.
WE HAVE A DEAN CURRENTLY A KERN RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
IT USED TO BE ONE IN NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND IT MOVED INTO THE EIGHTH TO THIRD AP POSITION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
[03:50:04]
BUT, YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING AT EITHER ONE.>> WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE IN SALARY?
>> THE DEAN CAN HANDLE [OVERLAPPING]
>> NO. SALARY WISE? BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING FOR TEACHER'S IS 60.
WOULD DEAN BE CLOSER TO 60 AND AP BE CLOSER TO 85?
>> IS A DEAN 10 MONTH OR 11 MONTH? I'M NOT [BACKGROUND].
>> IT'S PROBABLY A SALARY DIFFERENCES OUT OF SOMEWHERE AROUND TEN.
PROBABLY 10 TO 15 GRAND DIFFERENCE IN SALARY.
THE BENEFIT DIFFERENCE IS DIFFERENT IT IS DUE IN 12 MONTHS.
AS A SYSTEM PRINCIPLE WOULD BE A GOOD 12TH MONTH, YOU'RE FOLDING, VACATION AND OTHER BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT TOO.
SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE DIFFERENCE.
>> DOES THE DEAN ALSO DO SOME OF ADMINISTRATIVE WORK?
>> THEY CAN DO SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK, THEY CANNOT DO OBSERVATIONS, BUT THEY CAN DO SOME OF THE OTHER WORK.
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE CAN GET THE COST DIFFERENTIAL FOR YOU.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT'S IN PROBABLY 10 TO 15 PER SALARY.
>> LIKE ESTIMATE, THAT'S FINE.
>> NUMBER 22, DUE TO A RETIREMENT, WE LOST CHUCK PETRARCH WHO WAS SUPERVISING THE MAINTENANCE.
HE WAS OUR SUPERVISORS OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO THEY WERE THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S A REQUEST TO HAVE A MAINTENANCE TO DOWNGRADE THAT POSITION AND HAVE A MAINTENANCE COORDINATOR AS OPPOSED TO A SUPERVISOR OR MAINTENANCE.
THEN NEXT UP IS TWO FULL TIME SUBSTITUTE BUS DRIVERS.
AS YOU KNOW, TRANSPORTATION HAS DIFFICULTY FINDING BUS DRIVERS.
I MEAN, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS OUT, FOR HAS TO BE OUT DUE TO COVID OR THAT THING.
THIS WOULD BE TWO FULL TIME SUBSTITUTES, SIMILAR TO THE FULL TIME SUBSTITUTES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS, THAT IT WOULD JUST [OVERLAPPING] YES.
>> LINE NUMBER 24, THERE IS A REQUEST FOR SCHOOL VANS TO TRANSPORT STUDENTS.
THE ROLE EITHER HAS CHANGED OR IS CHANGING.
>> IT WAS APPROVED LAST GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION AND MSD IS WORKING ON THE REGULATIONS OF WHAT THE BANDS WOULD NEED TO BE LIKE.
THOSE THINGS BUT THEY APPROVED LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS COULD UTILIZE CERTAIN VANS.
THEY'VE GOING TO TELL US WHAT CRITERIA, BUT YOU COULD USE THEM FOR TRANSPORTING STUDENTS IF YOU'VE GOT A SMALLER GROUP.
[NOISE]. IF WE HAVE TWO KIDS NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE, BEST EXAMPLE I ALWAYS THINK OF IS WRESTLING STATE TOURNAMENT ACROSS THE BRIDGE.
THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS WHERE THERE'S BEEN ONE KID FROM COLONEL THE SECOND DAY AND A COUPLE OF KIDS FROM [INAUDIBLE] HIGH.
WE SEND A FULL BUS AT THAT EXPENSE AND A CDL DRIVER.
VAN DOESN'T REQUIRE A CDL DRIVER, SMALLER, CHEAPER TRANSPORT.
WE'RE JUST WAITING THE REGULATIONS FROM MSDE AND OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T WANT TO BUY A VAN WHEN YOU DON'T MEET ALL THE CRITERIA THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN THAT BUT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING OUT WITH THOSE.
WE THOUGHT NOVEMBER, THEY DIDN'T.
LOT OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE INTERESTED IN THAT IT WOULD HELP US A LOT WITH SOME OF OUR TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, ESPECIALLY WITH SMALLER GROUPS OF STUDENTS THAT NEED TO BE MOVED.
THAT AGAIN, THEY DON'T NEED CDLS.
>> FOR THAT LINE, IF THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FUNDING, WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE 5,3 ANY AMOUNT THAT ONE WOULD HELP.
WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THE COORDINATOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
THERE WAS A REQUEST TO INCREASE THE BOARD ASPIRING TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP BY ONE.
IN LINE NUMBER 27, THIS CAME AS A RESULT OF PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS THAT CAME IN AND REQUESTED THAT THEIR HOURS BE INCREASED FROM 6.75 TO SEVEN HOURS A DAY.
NOW, FIRST OF ALL, THIS FIGURE, MOST OF WHAT'S DRIVING THE COST OF THIS IS THE BENEFIT PIECE.
IT'S NOT THE SALARY PIECE TO INCREASE 13 MINUTES.
>> IT WAS JUST BASED ON AN 18% INCREASE ALSO.
>> YES, IT WAS 18% INCREASE HAD TO BE FACTORED IN BECAUSE THIS IS AN ADDITION THAT'S NOT A COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
ALSO THIS IS A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES THAT'S NOT JUST INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS.
YOU'RE TALKING EL ASSISTANCE, TECH FACILITATORS, TAP FACILITATORS, PERMANENT SUBS, SAT MONITOR.
IT'S A WHOLE GROUP, I BELIEVE WE JUST HEARD FROM THE IAS THAT CAME TO THE BOARD MEETINGS.
[03:55:04]
TO INCREASE ANYBODY THAT 6.75 HOURS TO SEVEN HOURS THEIR SALARY AND BENEFITS, THIS IS THE PROJECTION.NOW, HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THIS PROTECTION? WE TOOK THOSE THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND THE COST OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THEM FROM HALFTIME BENEFITS TO FULL TIME BENEFITS.
NOW, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A TRUE ACCURATE PICTURE BECAUSE AT THE POINT THE BOARD IS PICKING UP THE COST OF FULL TIME BENEFITS, SOMEBODY WHO'S TAKEN AN INDIVIDUAL PLAN MAY SWITCH TO A HUSBAND AND WIFE PLAN, YOUR PARENT CHILD PLAN, OR A FAMILY PLAN.
SO YOU'VE GOT TO FACTOR ALL THAT IN AND YOU CAN'T JUST ASSUME THAT THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STICK WITH THE SAME PLAN.
YOU ALSO CAN'T ASSUME THAT THOSE WHO CURRENTLY AREN'T TAKING ANY BENEFIT WILL CONTINUE TO NOT TAKING ANY.
WE MIGHT NOT TAKE ANY BENEFIT BECAUSE [OVERLAPPING] THEY COULDN'T AFFORD IT, BUT AT THE POINT WE'RE PICKING UP THE FULL TIME COST, THEY MIGHT.
SO WHAT I DID, I TOOK AN AVERAGE COST OF THE EPO OPTION, I AVERAGED THE COST OF AN INDIVIDUAL PLAN, PARENT CHILD PLAN, HUSBAND WIFE PLAN, AND FAMILY PLAN AND MULTIPLIED THAT TIMES THE NUMBER THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT COULD POTENTIALLY TAKE IT IF THIS ITEM WAS ADDED TO THE BUDGET.
I ALSO I DID PLAYED IT BY THE 18% BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT HEALTH INSURANCE IS GOING TO APPLY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THIS PROJECTION IS IN THE MIDDLE, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S THE BEST CASE SCENARIO ALSO WHEN YOU SAY IT'S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, IT'S JUST A NUMBER.
>> IT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE NUMBER 14, WHICH IS GOING TO BE HUGE NUMBER.
>> I SAID IT WILL INCLUDE RULE NUMBER 14 BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE.
[OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE] BUT PART OF BLUEPRINT, JUST PART OF IT IS WE GET EXTRA MONEY FOR THAT.
>> WHEN YOU GET SOME SALARY MONEY, YOU'LL COVER SOME.
>> AARON HAS A CALL THAT SHE WILL BE ON 18TH IS IT?
>> 17TH. IT'S LATER THIS MONTH WHERE WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET CLARITY FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AND AROUND THE WHAT CONSTITUTES THE EFFORT OF INCREASING STARTING SALARIES OR INCREASING SALARIES BY 10% OVER 2019.
WE STILL NOT GOT A CLEAR ANSWER NO COUNTY HAS.
>> WE ARE HOPING WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT CLEARER ANSWER BECAUSE THE 10% AS WE HIT IN TWO MORE YEARS.
>> BY JUNE 30, 2024 WE HAVE TO HAVE THE 10%.
>> STEPS COUNT. ANYWAY, THEY STILL TO BE DETERMINED.
>> THEN WE GOT TO GET STARTING SALARIES FOR ALL TEACHERS.
>> BY 2026, WE GOT TO GET ALL SALARY TEACHER TO 60, WHICH IS 25% SALARY INCREASE EVERYWHERE THEY ARE NOW.
>> HALLELUJAH. A COUPLE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT AND I DON'T NEED THEM NOW.
>> YOU MIGHT SAY I DON'T NEED ANY OF THOSE THINGS, YOU CAN'T BUY THAT, BUT I THINK YOU CAN.
IF YOU ARE SURE OF WHAT YOU SAID. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE AFFECTED.
>> NUMBER 27, BECAUSE YOU LISTED A LOT OF JOB.
>> ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX [LAUGHTER].
>>GOT IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WRITE THAT DOWN.
>> THAT'S OVER 10 PERCENT OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S ABOUT 11 PERCENT, MAYBE 12.
>> RESEARCHING THIS, HAS BEEN AN EYE-OPENER FOR ME.
>> ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SALARY BREAKDOWN VERSUS BENEFIT LIKE RIGHT AWAY.
THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE BENEFIT THAT BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT, JUST SO I CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND IT.
THEN FINALLY AND THIS IS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT, PROBABLY, MAYBE NOT.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPARISON OF BENEFITS THAT THEY CURRENTLY WOULD GET AS OF 6.75 TO WHAT BENEFITS THEY GET AS A FULL-TIME, LIKE PINOCCHIO GOING FROM A PUPPET TO A REAL LIVE BOY.
GOING FROM PART-TIME TO FULL-TIME [LAUGHTER].
THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, LIKE YOU HAVE OR HAVE NOT.
I WANT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE PORTRAY IT ONE WAY AND THEN I HEAR EXTREME COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE DETAILS, MAYBE IT'S NOT QUITE WHAT THEY TRADE AS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] OF PEOPLE, URBAN LEGENDS OUT THERE.
I JUST WANT TO EDUCATE MYSELF A LITTLE MORE.
>> YOU PAY 90 PERCENT FOR A SINGLE PERSON, CORRECT? IF THEY'RE FULL-TIME.
[04:00:01]
>> YES. IF THEY'RE PART-TIME, YOU PAY 50 PERCENT?
>> WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO GET.
>> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SHARE. [OVERLAPPING].
WE PAY A LOT LESS IF YOU'RE NOT FULL-TIME.
BUT THERE ARE URBAN LEGENDS PEOPLE SAY THINGS SOMETIMES.
I'M NOT TAUGHT ABOUT YOUR PRESENTATION.
EMPLOYEES OUT THERE SAY SOMETHING SOMETIMES THEY DON'T KNOW.
THEY'RE TALKING IN GENERALITIES AND THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE REALLY ACCURATE.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE ACTUAL FACT, WHAT DO THEY GET IF THEY'RE 6.75, PART-TIME, WHATEVER THAT DEFINITION IS, WHAT DOES THAT INCLUDE? IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU LOOKING AT A NEW CAR, WHAT DOES THAT PACKAGE INCLUDE? WHAT BENEFITS DO THEY GET CURRENTLY AND WHAT WOULD THEY THEN GET THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THOSE COSTS? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? I'D LIKE TO KNOW. YOU COULD EVEN JUST USE AN EXAMPLE EMPLOYEE, SO THAT I COULD GET A REAL FULL UNDERSTANDING OF IT AND KNOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND.
>> THAT'S A BIG COMPARISON BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE SEEN THE COST OF BENEFITS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL.
>> RIGHT. WE ALREADY HAVE ALL OF THOSE FIGURES.
>> I'M TORN BECAUSE YOU HEAR AN EMPLOYEE SAY, LISTEN, I CAN'T SUPPORT MY FAMILY, I'M WORKING TWO JOBS AND YOU HEAR THAT.
BUT NOW IS THIS SALARY LINE, IS THIS BASE ON A $15 AN HOUR SALARY OR IS IT BASED ON 13.25?
>> NO. I ESTIMATED IF SOMEBODY'S ON STEP 4.
>> WHICH IS? IS IT UNDER $15 AN HOUR?
>> FIFTEEN OR 13.5? THEY'RE NOT UNDER MIDDLE WAGE FOR NEXT YEAR?
>> BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE DIFFERENCE LIES. [OVERLAPPING].
>> NO, IT'S NOT UNDER. I DID THE $15.77.
>> OKAY, SO THAT'S ABOVE MINIMUM WAGE IN SEVERAL YEARS.
ALL RIGHT, I CAN RUN THAT NUMBER BUT AT $15.77 OR $15 EVEN JUST FOR CURIOSITY, AT THE CURRENT 6.75 HOURS, A 182 DAYS A YEAR, THAT'S $18,428.27 A YEAR.
YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT'S NOT A FULL TIME JOB.
YOU CAN'T SUPPORT A FAMILY ON THAT.
BUT LET'S PUMP IT TO SEVEN AT $15 AN HOUR.
I'M MISSING THE 77 CENTS BECAUSE I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT.
I'M TRYING TO GRASP MY MIND AROUND IT, BUT IF THAT PERSON SELECTED A FAMILY PLAN OF BENEFITS AND IF WE CAN MAKE THIS BUDGETARY CHANGE.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE FAMILY PLAN, THAT MEANS PROBABLY CLOSE TO 80 PERCENT.
>> THEIR TAKE HOME PAY IS LESS.
>> RIGHT. BUT I MEAN, TO WRAP OUR MINDS AROUND IT, A 182 DAY A YEAR JOB AT 6.75 OR SEVEN HOURS OR $15 OR 15.77, YOU CAN'T SUPPORT A FAMILY ON IT.
BUT IF YOU WANT TO WORK 250 DAYS A YEAR AT RURAL FARMS MAKING $17 AN HOUR? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BENEFITS ARE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A LOT MORE.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I'M MAKING MORE THAN $17 AN HOUR.
BUT THE FIRST $6,000 OF MY MEDICAL PLAN, I GOT TO PAY EVERY YEAR.
DOESN'T MATTER, I'M PAYING A PREMIUM, BUT THE FIRST 6,000 I'M PAYING FOR.
THERE'S PROS AND CONS AND I THINK TO RICK'S POINT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND KNOW WHAT WORK.
>> WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION. [OVERLAPPING]
>> TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND BETTER.
I DON'T MEAN TO BE INSULTING TO ANYBODY.
>> SAME WAY. I DON'T WANT MY THUMB TO MY GROIN.
I'D LIKE I'D LIKE TO HELP STAY UP.
BUT SOME OF THESE POSITIONS WERE DESIGNED THAT WAY AT 6.75 FOR A REASON.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PERSON OR THEIR CAPABILITY OF WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE.
>> WELL, THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME.
THE DEMANDS ON TEACHERS, THE DEMAND ON THE SCHOOL, DEMAND ON THE SYSTEM, THE NEED FOR THESE EMPLOYEES THAT MAY HAVE STARTED AT ONE TIME WAS A VERY MINOR PART OF THE WORKFORCE.
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S GROWN TO A 146 PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE IT WAS ALWAYS ON 140 PEOPLE OR WHATEVER, BUT I'VE BEEN PLACES WHERE YOU ADD SOMETHING THAT'S JUST A NICE LITTLE ADDITION AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, NOT ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT EVOLVES TO SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT OR MASSIVE OR COSTLY.
I JUST WANT TO LEARN MORE TO HELP ME OUT.
[04:05:03]
>> LAST YEAR, BECAUSE I WAS BRAND NEW.
I HAD ASKED IF SPECIFICALLY YOU COULD GIVE ME A BUDGET 101 FOR OUR BUDGET.
OKAY? WHAT I GOT WAS MILTON GIVING ME 101 ON GENERIC SCHOOL BUDGETS.
I DON'T CARE ABOUT GENERIC SCHOOL BUDGETS I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT OUR BUDGETS.
I WOULD STILL LIKE FROM YOU BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND YOU A LOT BETTER THAN WHAT HE EVER SAID.
I KNOW YOU'RE BUSY, BUT AT SOME POINT, I WOULD STILL LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE UP HOURS AND HOURS, BUT JUST ENOUGH WHERE YOU CAN GO OVER OUR PARTICULAR BUDGET AND EXPLAIN IT TO ME BECAUSE I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM LAST YEAR APPROVING A $90 MILLION BUDGET THAT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND.
THIS YEAR, IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY YES.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN UNREASONABLE REQUEST.
WHEN IT WOULD BE TO YOUR CONVENIENCE, OBVIOUSLY, I WOULD LIKE TO GET [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND YOU AND I CATCH ON A LOT QUICKER WHEN YOU'RE EXPLAINING IT BECAUSE YOU'RE A LOT MORE OPEN, A LOT MORE TRANSPARENT, SO I PERSONALLY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WOULD ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER BE INTERESTED IN THAT AS WELL? IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AT THE SAME TIME. IT COULD BE AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
>> CAN YOU OPEN IT UP TO ALL OF US.
>> CERTAINLY. WHAT'S THE NUMBER WE GOT TO KEEP IT TO? TWO?
>> BUT YOU CAN HAVE MORE AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT MAKING ANY DECISIONS.
IF WE'RE JUST SITTING HERE LEARNING SOMETHING, THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANIMAL.
>> BRING IT IN HERE, LAY IT ON THE TABLE.
FINE, IT'S BIG AND LONG, BUT I MEAN, WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO READ THROUGH IT AND IT'S BROKEN DOWN ON EACH MIND, BUT IN A GOOD ACCOUNTING.
>> WE'LL FIGURE OUT A COUPLE DAY OPTIONS AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS BEST FOR THE WHOLE WORK.
IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED, JUST DON'T IGNORE THE EMAIL [LAUGHTER] BUT READ IT.
AARON WILL GET SOME DATES FOR THE AIR AND TIMES THAT'LL WORK AND WE'LL SEE HOW MANY OF YOU WE NEED GET LINED UP AND MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> OKAY. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, AARON.
>> REALLY AGAIN, I KNOW WE'VE SAID THIS BEFORE BUT THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS SO EASY TO UNDERSTAND, TRANSPARENT AND I DON'T WALK OUT OF HERE FEELING LIKE WHAT.
I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT AND THE TIME IT TAKES YOU TO DO THIS AND EXPLAIN IT. THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> [OVERLAPPING] JUST FOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BOARD, IS I LOOKED BACK AT LAST YEAR'S AND WE'RE LOOKING AT, OF COURSE, THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO ON HEALTHCARE; 18 PERCENT, 1.7.
IF WE GET DOWN TO NINE THAT'D BE 850,000, SO THAT DROPS AT 2.4-1.6.
BUT AS AARON EXPLAINED ABOUT THE 146 EMPLOYEES ON LINE 27, THAT'S UP IN THE AIR, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT 1.6 AND ANOTHER TWO.
WHAT WE APPROVED LAST YEAR JUST FOR REFERENCE WAS 1.664 FOR AN INCREASE ON STAFF.
>> WHAT WE APPROVED LAST JUNE FOR THIS YEAR BUDGET.
>> I'D LIKE IT BEING ZERO THERE.
[LAUGHTER] THAT DOESN'T MEAN I WOULDN'T WANT THE EMPLOYEES TO GET SOMETHING, IT'S JUST, FOR THE MASS [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING].
I WOULDN'T WANT THE EMPLOYEE TO BE FULLY FLAT LINED THERE.
>> EVEN IF YOU LOOK TO NUMBER 6 [OVERLAPPING], THAT INCLUDES THE BOARD RAISE NUMBER 6.
>> YEAH, I KNOW THAT. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] DON'T SPEND IT ALL IN ONE POINT.
>> JUST FOR REFERENCE THERE, THIS BOARD, NOBODY EVEN KNEW THAT, AND DIDN'T DO THAT.
THERE WAS SOME MISTAKE THERE AND WE DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT. HOW MANY YEARS AGO?
>> IT WAS [INAUDIBLE], I THINK.
>> TWELVE IS ONE OF THE [INAUDIBLE], YEAH.
>> LIKE WE SAID, WE ALL DO IT FOR THE MONEY.
>> YEAH. DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE RESPECT.
>> ALL RIGHT, BOARD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR MS. JORDAN?
I REALLY DO TRULY APPRECIATE THIS.
[8. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]
>> DISCUSSION ITEM FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTIONS, ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING?
>> I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.
LET ME THINK NOW, PLEASE; I'M BRAIN DEAD.
TECH ED, ABOUT GETTING RID OF TECH ED CLASSES.
>> THE WORK SESSION COMING UP NEXT WEEK FOR [OVERLAPPING].
[04:10:03]
>> YEAH, FROM THE 14TH. THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION AFTER TECH ED [INAUDIBLE].
>>OKAY. BECAUSE ONE OF THE LETTERS WE GOT, AND ACTUALLY THEY SENT IT TOO LATE, WAS FROM A TECH ED TEACHER TALKING ABOUT IT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE.
IF WE CAN GET IT FROM PEOPLE THAT REALLY KNOW AND ARE WORKING IN IT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
IF I'M CORRECT, DECEMBER 21ST, AT 6, THAT WORK SESSION WAS ELIMINATED?
>> IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE 14TH, CORRECT.
>> THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF [OVERLAPPING] [INAUDIBLE].
>> I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER MEETING.
>> IT'S RIGHT. WHEN YOU SAY NEXT BOARD MEETING, IT'S CORRECT.
>> IF YOU LOOK TO THE NEXT ONE FOR NEXT BOARD MEETING, THAT DATE IS CORRECT. [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT DATE'S RIGHT [INAUDIBLE]. WE'LL ADJUST THAT LATER.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I HONESTLY WASN'T GOING TO SPEND MY BIRTHDAY HERE.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MAKE THAT CORRECTION ON OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS.
MS. RACHEL PERRY SENT OUT SOME SPREADSHEET OF EVENTS.
[10. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
>> SHE ALREADY MADE IT. IT IS IN THERE.
>> I JUST MADE THE CHANGE THAT YOU SAID, THE 14TH.
>> OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU TALKED ABOUT MEETINGS, I GUESS A QUESTION CAME UP OF TRYING TO COVER ALL EVENTS AND COVER ALL SCHOOLS.
BETWEEN PERSONAL OBLIGATIONS AND WORK OBLIGATIONS, WE CAN DO THE BEST WE CAN, BUT I DON'T KNOW IN THIS TIME OF YEAR IF WE'RE GOING TO COVER EVERYTHING.
ISN'T MY EXPECTATION FOR A BOARD MEMBER TO BE THERE FOR AN EVENT, BUT I THINK WE ALL DO THE BEST WE CAN.
>> IN ONE OF THE STUDENT REPORTS, THEY MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THE EVENTS WAS A TICKETED EVENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY OTHERS LIKE THAT, CAN WE JUST SHOW UP OR DO WE NEED TO GET ADVANCED TICKET?
>> PROMISE MARK I'LL REMEMBER TO TURN THIS ON MORE OFTEN.
>> ALL OF THE INDOOR EVENTS ARE TICKETED, MEANING WE'RE LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF SPECTATORS WHICH MEANS WE'VE GOT PEOPLE DISTANCING AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'RE PROVIDING X NUMBER OF TICKETS PER STUDENT WHO'S INVOLVED, BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE STUDENT BODY OR ATHLETIC EVENTS TO [INAUDIBLE].
FOR BOARD MEMBERS IF YOU'RE GOING TO AN EVENT, YOU'RE FINE TO GO.
YOU BEING ONE PERSON GOING IS NOT GOING TO [OVERLAPPING] OVERFLOW THE EVENT. NO, YOU'RE FINE.
IF YOU AND YOUR CLOSEST BUDS DECIDED TO GO, THAT WOULDN'T.
BUT YOU OR YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALL TOGETHER.
>> IF I'M GOING TO BASKETBALL GAME IN NORTH HIGH, DO I NEED TO CALL MATT AHEAD OF TIME?
>> SPORTS EVENTS, I THINK YOU'RE OKAY.
THE ONES THAT I THINK IT'D BE GOOD JUST TO GIVE THEM A HEADS UP, IF IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN YOU.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT BRINGING YOUR FAMILY WITH YOU, I WOULD SAY GIVE A HEADS UP TO THE PRINCIPLE OF THEIR INDOOR PERFORMING ARTS.
IF THEY'RE A LARGER GROUP EVENT LIKE I WAS IMPRESSED WITH PRESS ELEMENTARY'S CONCERT LAST NIGHT.
PRESS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR GOOD SIZE BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SO LARGE, IT'S GOING TO FILL THE WHOLE DOME.
BUT IF I'M LOOKING AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE SAME NIGHT THEY HAVE THEIR FORESTS AND BAND CONCERT, AND I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING AT PLANS TO DO CHORUS, AND THEN FALLS IN BETWEEN CLEAR COMING IN FOR BAND SO YOU CAN MAXIMIZE TICKETS.
NORTH CAROLINE CONCERT'S BIGGER, PROBABLY LOCKERMAN HAS A HUGE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR CONCERT AS WELL.
THOSE ARE PROBABLY NOT A BAD IDEA JUST TO SHOOT AN EMAIL TO THE PRINCIPAL AND JUST SAY, "HEY, PLANNING ON BEING THERE," JUST SO THEY KNOW AHEAD OF TIME.
NOBODY IS COUNTING BODIES COMING IN, BUT THEY KNOW HOW MANY TICKETS EACH PERSON SHOULD HAVE COMING IN.
JUST A GOOD COURTESY WHEN THERE'S LARGER EVENTS.
>> SHOWING OUR ID WOULD BE FINE?
>> ABSOLUTELY FINE. YES, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE IT.
MOST OF THEM SHOULD KNOW WHO YOU GUYS ARE, BUT YEAH, DEFINITELY HAVE IT JUST IN CASE THEY HAVE A PARENT WORKING THERE OR WHOEVER ELSE.
SOMETIMES A STUDENT WILL BE WORKING THE BOOTH AS WELL SO HAVING IT IS PROBABLY NOT A BAD IDEA.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING ELSE FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS?
>> THREE O'CLOCK ON THE 14TH, CORRECT?
>> HERE. TO MEET WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT RESEARCH CONSULTANT.
ALL RIGHT BOARD, MEETING'S TIME.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION IN TIME.
I KNOW IT'S LATE. BOARD, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO RETURN INTO A CLOSED SESSION?
>> SECOND. ALL THOSE MOVING TO CLOSE SESSION SAY AYE.
[04:15:01]
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.