[1. Opening Items]
[00:00:04]
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.WELCOME TO THE POSTPONED JANUARY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A SAFE WEATHERED THE SNOWSTORM SAFELY AND HEALTHY.
THE BOARD SHOWED UP AT 4:30 AND CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER BY A MOTION BY MR. JONES, SECOND BY MR. BARTON.
VOTE OF 4-0 WITH ONE BOARD MEMBER, MS. WAYMAN, BEING ABSENT.
THEN WE HAD A MOTION BY MR. BARTON, SECOND BY MR. JONES, 4-0 IN FAVOR OF GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS APPOINTMENT AND PERSONNEL ISSUES, AS WELL AS CONSULTING WITH OUR ATTORNEY ON APPEAL AND OTHER LEGAL MATTERS.
THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO RECONVENE AND GET OUR AV EQUIPMENT UP AND RUNNING SINCE OUR LAST MEETING IN DECEMBER.
IT'S 6:06 AND I LIKE LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION SO MOVED.
IF WE COULD STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
{PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF, EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE.
JUST A REMINDER, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS I KNOW, WELL, I KNOW WE'RE STILL REQUIRED IN PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS TO BE MASKED UP.
WE ALL HAVE OUR MASKS UNLESS WE'RE EATING.
AND FOR THE POINT OF THE RECORD, IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE THEM OFF WHEN WE SPEAK SO THE MICROPHONES CAN PICK US UP FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE RECORDING TO HEAR US.
THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE AN AGENDA.
IT'S BEEN PRESENTED BOARD MEMBERS, IF THERE'S NO ADDITIONS OR EDITS TO, I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
SECOND BY MR. JONES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
[2. Reports]
MOVING ON TO BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS.IT WAS SINCE DECEMBER, BUT MR. BARTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START US OFF? YOU CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT I HAD TO SAY.
WELL, FOR SUMMER, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE BOARD MEETING AND WORK SESSION, I INCLUDED THAT AND WENT TO THE JUDY CENTER GROUNDBREAKING, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE AMP PRESENTATION, I WAS THE ONLY BOARD MEMBER THERE.
I HEARD HOW GREAT IT WAS AND HOW GREAT THEIR WORK WAS, AND I SAW IT FIRSTHAND.
I REALLY APPRECIATED AND ADMIRED THE WHAT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME AS TEAMWORK, AMONG THEM THE CAMARADERIE, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TEACHERS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE FACT THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THERE.
ALSO AT LEAST ONE PERSON, I THINK, FROM GOVERNMENT AND THE WORKMANSHIP, YOU KNOW, NOT EVEN MENTIONING HOW GREAT THEIR WORKMANSHIP IS.
WHAT A TREMENDOUS PROGRAM THIS IS BECAUSE IT CONNECTS CONSTRUCTION WITH HANDS ON WORK AND DIRECTLY TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT JUDY CENTER GROUNDBREAKING CERTAINLY IS WONDERFUL.
I DON'T DISMISS ANYTHING ELSE WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT FOR ME, THAT'S MY INITIATION TO THE AMP PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH I'VE BEEN IN THAT BUILDING BEFORE, BUT HEARING FROM THEM AND SEEING THEM, IT WAS AMAZING.
I THINK BOARD MEETING, JUDY CENTER AT GREENSBORO GROUNDBREAKING BUT WINTER CONCERTS.
I GOT TO ATTEND QUITE A FEW OF THOSE AND THERE WERE A LOT OF FUN, I GUESS HATS OFF TO DR .
SIMMONS, TO THE REST OF THE STAFF THAT WAS ABLE TO PULL THAT THROUGH.
I THINK THAT STARTED FROM WHAT I HEAR THAT STARTED AS AUGUST WITH A MEETING WITH MS..
AS FAR AS WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO? EVERYBODY REALLY WANTED TO DO A LIVE LIVE CONCERT SERIES AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH THAT, EVEN UP TO THE DAYS OF THE LIVE CONCERTS WITH BEING ABLE TO
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HAVE ENOUGH PERFORMERS FOR IT.SO HATS OFF TO THE STAFF, THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS THAT PERFORMED.
NOT A SMALL UNDERTAKING, SO TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO SEEING A LIVE PERFORMANCE.
SO THERE WAS A LOT OF FUN TO CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT WINTER.
UM, I ALSO ATTENDED THE AMP PRESENTATION, WHICH MR. BARTON SAID WAS AWESOME, BUT I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE OK.
THE STUDENTS ARE VERY, VERY TALENTED.
AND THEY, I EVEN PURCHASED SOME OF THE THINGS THEY WERE SELLING.
I ALSO ATTENDED A ZOOM FEDERAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE, AND THAT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THINGS FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND THEY WERE ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS ARE OVERWORKED, STRESSED OUT, COVID, THE FIGHTING AND EVERYTHING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY SOLUTIONS.
BUT I LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS AND THEY'RE WORKING ON IT.
THE GROUNDBREAKING WAS INTERESTING.
I DID NOT KNOW THEY MADE THOSE SHOVELS, BUT GOD WAS ON OUR SIDE BECAUSE IT WAS A GORGEOUS DAY, ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A PRETTY MILD MONTH BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS, BUT KEPT BUSY.
AND MS. WAYMAN WAS UNABLE, UNABLE TO BE WITH US THIS EVENING, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW SHE HAD BEEN GOING TO A LOT OF CONCERTS AND ENJOYING THEM AS WELL, LIKE LIKE MANY OF US.
FOR ME AND I'LL JUST SAY, I KNOW ALL THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS PARTICIPATED AS WELL, BUT I SPECIFICALLY POINTED IT OUT AND I WANT TO MAKE A NOTE OF IT THAT THE BOARD DID MEET IN DECEMBER AND FINALIZE OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PARAMETERS, TIMELINES AND ADVERTISING SCHEDULE.
I THINK AGAIN, A GENERIC ANNOUNCEMENT WENT OUT FOR THE PUBLIC.
HOPEFULLY THEY SAW IT AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
SO THERE'S APPLICATIONS ARE BEING TAKEN.
AND I GUESS ONCE ONCE THE DEADLINE'S IN AND AND WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW WITH AN UPDATE ON THAT JUST TO THE CONCERTS AND WHATNOT.
A LITTLE MORE TAKE AWAY AS YOU SEE THESE STUDENTS AND KIDS AND FAMILIES AT THESE EVENTS AND THEY WANT TO BE THERE, THEY'RE ENJOYING IT, THEY'RE LOVING IT.
YOU KNOW ALL THIS DISCUSSION WE'RE SEEING ON THE NEWS? YOU KNOW, I KNOW IN MY HEART AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE STAFF COMING BACK TO WORK AND ALLOWING THESE KIDS TO STAY IN SCHOOL THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
AND I JUST HOPE I KNOW WE'RE ALL HEARING IT AND NUMBERS HERE AND THERE.
I JUST HOPE ANYBODY WHO GETS IT GETS IT WITH MINIMAL IMPACT, MINIMAL SYMPTOMS. KNOCK ON WOOD.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS HEAR SOME HORROR STORIES, BUT SO FAR I THINK WE'VE BEEN DOING OK AND I KNOW IT'S WE THOUGHT WE'D BE THROUGH THIS BY NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE PUSHING THROUGH AND I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS BECAUSE I KNOW THE KIDS ENJOYED BEING TOGETHER AND DOING THESE ACTIVITIES AND AND THEY NEED TO BE IN SCHOOL.
AND THEY DID CHANGE THE GUIDELINES, DIDN'T THEY, FOR PERFORMING? COMING FORWARD YEAH.
SO THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE TRYING TO SING WITH THE MASK ON, RIGHT OR PLAY AN INSTRUMENT.
FOR SOME OF US, THAT MIGHT BE TO THE ADVANTAGE.
YEAH, THIS IS GOOD, THANK YOU.
MOVING ON, SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.
CERTAINLY THANK YOU, MR. NEWCOMB.
A COUPLE OF MY WELL, THE MAJOR PART OF MY OWN WILL BE A DITTO FOR SOME FOLKS AROUND OUR MUSIC PERFORMANCES HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO MOST OF OUR CONCERTS THAT TOOK PLACE THIS WINTER AND ABSOLUTELY THRILLING TO SEE KIDS BACK ON THE STAGE FOR A LIVE PERFORMANCE.
IT'S INCREDIBLE WHAT TEACHERS PULLED OFF WITH THE STUDENTS PULLED OFF TO SEE OUR FAMILIES BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT MS. HESTON WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
WORKING WITH JAN YOST, WORKING WITH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD PROCEDURES IN PLACE THAT KIND OF MET THE GUIDELINES AND THE SPIRIT AND SUPPORTED IT TO TAKE PLACE.
ABSOLUTELY THRILLING TO SEE THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.
SOMEBODY WHO WAS A FINE ART PERSON IN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE IS REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT THAT PULL OFF JUST SOMETHING ABOUT LIVE PERFORMANCE THAT BRINGS GOOSE BUMPS.
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AND TO SEE JUST THE REACTION OF THE AUDIENCE AGAIN, TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SIT THERE AND HEAR, ESPECIALLY THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.AND THEY START TALKING ABOUT HOW MANY KIDS ON STAGE AT THIS CONCERT ACTUALLY HAD THIS EXPERIENCE BEFORE.
AND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS, IT WAS JUST THE FIFTH GRADERS.
WE'RE THE ONLY ONES, AND IT WAS THEIR THIRD GRADE WINTER CONCERT WAS THE LAST CONCERT THAT THEY HAD SANG IN JUST BECAUSE OF THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
SO AGAIN, INCREDIBLE TO SEE THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY AND ALSO DO WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK ALL OF THE MUSIC TEACHERS WHO CAME TOGETHER TO FILL HOLES WHERE THEY MAY HAVE POPPED UP DUE TO STUDENT ABSENCES DUE TO COVID.
WHEN YOU HAVE MUSIC TEACHERS FROM THE NORTH END AND THE SOUTHERN END ON THE STAGE TOGETHER, PLAYING TOGETHER, FILLING HOLES AND HAVING A GREAT TIME, THAT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE.
AND AGAIN, AT ALL LEVELS ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL BAND DIRECTORS, CHORAL DIRECTORS, EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER WAS JUST GOOD SPIRIT OF THE FINE ARTS, THE COUNTY.
ONE PIECE IT'S NOT ADDED ON HERE, THOUGH IT HAS COME UP QUITE A BIT AND I JUST DO WANT TO BRIEFLY REFERENCE IT.
AND THAT'S THE SNOW CALLS THAT PEOPLE WERE RECEIVING.
DO NOT SOUND LIKE A ROBOT, BUT THE SNOW CALLS THE REASON WHY OUR INCLEMENT WEATHER CALLS DO COME OUT IN THE TEXT TO SPEECH ROBOTIC VOICE IS BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN GET TRANSLATION QUICKLY DONE FOR OUR MESSAGES, FOR OUR FAMILIES THAT DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH.
SO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, WE HAVE TO DO THE TEXT TO SPEECH CALLS, WHICH IS NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS UPSET NOT HEARING MY EXACT VOICE, BUT THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE PHONE CALLS DO COME OUT THAT WAY.
IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION AFTER MY FIRST WEATHER CALL, LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW THERE WOULD BE A TWO HOUR DELAY THE NEXT DAY AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO REEVALUATE AND LET FAMILIES KNOW BY SEVEN A.M.
FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT ENGLISH SPEAKING, WHAT THEY PICKED UP ON THE MESSAGE WAS AT 7 A.M.
AND THEN WHAT DID THAT MEAN? DID THAT MEAN MY KIDS NEED TO BE OUTSIDE AT SEVEN A.M.
THE NEXT MORNING, WE HAD SNOW ON THE GROUND.
SO IT WAS A GOOD REMINDER, AND I APPRECIATED THAT REMINDER COMING FROM SOME OF OUR STAFF WHO HAD FOLKS REACH OUT TO THEM TO JUST BE MINDFUL OF OUR TRANSLATION ABILITIES FOR SERVICES AND MESSAGES.
SO IF ANYBODY IS WONDERING WHY THE ROBOTIC MESSAGES WERE COMING THROUGH, I DID GET SOME GOOD RIBBING FROM SOME STAFF.
THAT'S WHY SO WE CAN BETTER PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES GOING FORWARD FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
YOU JUST DON'T WANT ME TO TRANSLATE AND GET INTO DIFFERENT LANGUAGES FROM WHAT I MAY OR MAY NOT REMEMBER FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
SO IN PAST YEARS, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM.
WHEN TO TRANSLATE IT? YES, VERY INTERESTING.
YEAH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH OR ADAPTING TO TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY.
AND NOW, YES, THANKS TO THE MENTION FROM YOUR STAFF AND YOUR EFFORTS, IT'S THE MESSAGES ARE BEING TRANSLATED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING.
IN THE PAST, SOME OF OUR PRINCIPALS WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY WHO SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE IN THEIR BUILDING THEY'D GO TO AND GET, YEAH, BUT I'LL BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT ME TO CALL THEM AT FIVE IN THE MORNING AND SAY, YOU GOT FIVE MINUTES TO GET THIS TRANSLATED AND RECORDED SO WE CAN GO OUT WITH MY MESSAGE BY FIVE FIFTEEN.
SO IT'S BETTER FOR US TO USE A TEXT TO SPEECH THAN TO TRY TO FIND A HUMAN PERSON WITH THAT EARLY.
AGAIN, THANKS TO THE STAFF FOR BRINGING THAT TO MY ATTENTION.
IT'S A LITTLE THING, BUT IT'S A VERY BIG THING FOR SOME FOLKS AND MY COMPLIMENTS TO EVERYBODY.
MOVING ON TO STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS, WE HAVE ZACH WITH US TODAY FROM NORTH CAROLINE.
WE'LL GET TO HEAD NEXT, ZACH, GO AHEAD.
I FORGOT TO PRINT OUT MY SCRIPT, SO I AM LOOKING AT MY SCRIPT ON MY PHONE.
SIMMONS, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
FIRST, I WANTED TO WISH YOU ALL HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HOPE YOUR BREAK WAS REFRESHING AND GREAT.
TO BEGIN MY REPORT AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE DOLPHINS ENJOYED THEIR DECEMBER AND ARE READY TO START THE NEW YEAR, RIGHT.
UP COMING FOR THE DOLPHINS INCLUDE TAKING THEIR MID-YEAR IREADY EXAMS AND PAINTING BOWLS FOR THE HELPING HANDS BACKPACKS ORGANIZATION, WHICH ALL ARE EXCITED FOR.
MOVING ALONG TO RIDGELY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ALL TERRIERS HOPE EVERYONE HAD A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
NOW COMING FOR THE TERRIERS INCLUDE ON JANUARY 10TH WEAR BLUE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SPIRIT DAY ON JANUARY 17TH.
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS AS IT IS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
DAY ON JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH QUARTER TWO ENDS AS WELL AS AN EARLY DISMISSAL AND ON JANUARY TWENTY SIX, NO SCHOOL FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF.
IT HAS BEEN A BUSY MONTH FOR THE TERRIERS AND GREENSBORO AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
LAST MONTH, THE HORNETS HELD FUN EVENTS LIKE FESTIVE FRIDAYS, DOOR DECORATING CONTEST, DRIVE THRU CAROLING AND MANY MORE HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES.
THE HORNETS NOW ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR REBOOT, REMIND AND REVIEW, IN WHICH
[00:15:04]
TEACHERS AND STAFF WILL BE REMINDING STUDENTS OF CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL RULES AND EXPECTATIONS DAILY.MOVING BACK TO DENTON AT LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WILDCATS WERE KEPT BUSY LAST MONTH WITH LOTS OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND STAFF.
THE WILDCATS ALSO WERE VERY PLEASED TO WELCOME ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MS. BLANCHFIELD TO THEIR SCHOOL, AND SHE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB SO FAR IN HER NEW ROLE.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR LOCKERMAN INCLUDE MORE FUN PBIS INCENTIVES, FINISHING THIS QUARTER STRONG AND MOVING INTO ISD TESTING IN THE COMING DAYS.
AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL IN DECEMBER, THE BULLDOGS DRAMA CLUB HELD THEIR OWN PLAY A PLAY ABOUT A DRAGON, AS WELL AS HELD THEIR ANNUAL WINTER BAND AND CHOIR CONCERT.
UPCOMING FOR THE BULLDOGS INCLUDE ON JAN.
NO SCHOOL DUE TO IT BEING MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
DAY JANUARY 20 FIRST FINALS FOR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS ON JANUARY 24 FOR JANUARY TWENTY SIX AS TRANSITION DAY FOR STUDENTS.
AND LASTLY, ON JANUARY TWENTY SEVENTH IS THE START OF THE NEW SEMESTER FUN TIMES IN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL AS THE SEMESTER IS NEARING ITS END.
LASTLY, CTC LAST MONTH HAD THEIR AMP DARK BOARD CABINET PRESENTATION DAY, WHICH WAS FUN TO SEE ALL THE STUDENTS WORK.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE CTC INCLUDE STUDENTS WILL BEGIN TO TAKE THEIR TECHNICAL SKILL AND INDUSTRY ASSESSMENTS, AS WELL AS THEIR CAPSTONE RESEARCH PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS TO CONCLUDE THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH I REPORT FOR.
I'VE HAD A VERY GREAT START TO THE NEW YEAR AND ARE CONTINUING TO STAY PRODUCTIVE AS WE NEAR THE END OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I GUESS WE HAVE ZAHID ON ZOOM.
SIMMONS, PRESIDENT MR. NEWCOMB AND ALL MEMBERS OF BOARD, STARTING WITH FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE FIRST CONCERT SAFETY PATROL I'VE BEEN RUNNING WITH OFFICER CHAIR THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE MONTH OF JANUARY, WITH DIFFERENT 13 FIFTH GRADERS HELPING TO KEEP A FAMILY SAFE.
WE CAN GO TO PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE PANTHERS WANTS TO WISH ALL OF THE STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES ARE VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS OR VALENTINE'S ACADEMIC NIGHT IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
MOVING ON TO COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY BEGIN THEIR BIS GRADE COMPETITION FOR TAX INCENTIVES AND THEY HAD AN ORCHESTRAL CONCERT BAND JAZZ CONCERTS AND THEY CELEBRATED THE SEASON, WHICH COULD BE IN THE LAST MONTH AND NOW MOVING JUST IN HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS YEAR IT IS COMPETING TRUSTEE ASSESSMENT THIS MONTH, INCLUDING [INAUDIBLE] A MOTION, ALGEBRA ONE GOVERNMENT AND RIDGELY.
THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS, [INAUDIBLE] ARE CHANGING ON JANUARY 26.
AND THAT'S ALL, THANK YOU FOR GETTING IN AND SHARING THAT INFORMATION, [INAUDIBLE] I KNOW IT'S.
[INAUDIBLE] I SAW IN THAT REPORT, AND I'LL JUST MENTION NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ON THE UPCOMING MEETINGS OR NOT, BUT THERE IS AN EVENT AT THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, STARTING AT THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL NINE O'CLOCK THIS MONDAY FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY.
AND YOU KNOW, IF ANYONE'S LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO, IT'S IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD EVENT.
I REMEMBER LAST TIME I GOT TO ATTEND AS AS CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ED, I'LL BE GOING AGAIN.
AND IT'S KIND OF TIMELY BECAUSE JUST AGAIN, IN THE TIME OF SO MUCH CRAZINESS WITH COVID AND SO MUCH DIVISIVENESS, IT'S A GOOD HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER.
WE'VE GOT MORE THINGS PULLING US TOGETHER THAT WE AGREE ON AND MORE COMMONALITIES MORE THAN THAN DIVIDES US.
AND SOMETIMES I THINK A LOT OF US FORGET THAT.
SO JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVISIT DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND THERE'S SOME OF THOSE THOUGHTS.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING.
MOVING ON TO THE FINANCE REPORT.
HAVE MS. THORNTON WITH US? YES.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE FINANCE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING DECEMBER 31.
THIS MEANS WE ARE HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR AND WE'VE SPENT APPROXIMATELY SEVENTY NINE PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE STILL THE SAME AVERAGES THAT YOU'VE BEEN SEEING IN PREVIOUS MONTHS.
IN A FEW LINE ITEMS, WHICH I'VE EXPLAINED, BUT THERE ARE BALANCES IN OTHER LINE ITEMS TO COVER THESE AVERAGES.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION TONIGHT, UP NEAR THE TOP UNDER ADMINISTRATION, THERE'S A LINE ITEM CALLED TRANSFERS.
THANK YOU, RACHEL, FOR POINTING THAT OUT.
[00:20:06]
WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET FOR THIS LINE ITEM, AND WHAT THIS LINE ITEM IS IS THESE ARE INDIRECT COSTS THAT WE CHARGE OUR GRANTS.ANY RESTRICTED GRANT THAT WE GET, WE'RE ABLE TO CHARGE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE FOR TO HELP OFFSET OUR BUSINESS COSTS.
AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A CREDIT COMING IN ALMOST SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO SO FAR, WE'VE BROUGHT IN SIX THOUSAND FROM OUR RESTRICTED GRANTS.
TYPICALLY, WE HAVEN'T BUDGETED FOR IT JUST OFFSETS THE BUSINESS COST.
BUT IN THE BUDGET SUMMARY, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR THIS EVENING THAT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT LINE ITEM.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE ARE RIGHT ON TRACK WITH WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, AND THERE AREN'T ANY ISSUES THAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF.
ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS MOVING ON.
[3. Consent Agenda]
WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH PERSONNEL ITEMS AND MINUTES FROM OUR DECEMBER 7TH AND OUR DECEMBER 14TH MEETING.PROFESSIONAL HERE MS. [INAUDIBLE].
RETIREMENT THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY INCENTIVE PLAN.
ONE TEACHER POINTED TO PROVISIONAL CONTRACT AND ONE TEACHER APPOINTED TO THE REGULAR CONTRACT.
I HATE TO SEE SOME GOOD PEOPLE RETIRE, BUT I HOPE I GET TO DO IT SOMEDAY.
MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'VE GOT THE MINUTES ON OUR DECEMBER 7TH AND 14TH MINUTE MEETINGS.
I THINK THERE WAS AN EDIT THAT WAS MADE.
ANY OTHER EDITS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
MAKE A MOTION WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SECOND, BY MS. DIGIACOMO, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE.
[4. Recognitions]
MOVING ON, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.MS. MCCORMICK ARE YOU UP FIRST? I AM ON.
SO GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE JODI CALLAHAN.
JODI HAS BEEN AWARDED AND YOU HAVE HEARD THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES HERE AT BOARD MEETINGS, BUT WE WANTED TO OFFICIALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE HER FOR BEING NAMED THE OUTSTANDING TEACHER THROUGH THE TWENTY TWENTY MARYLAND AGRICULTURE TEACHER ASSOCIATION.
THIS AWARD WAS HAD SEVERAL CRITERIA WHICH INCLUDED COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN FFA CHAPTER AND THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP THAT THE FFA HAS.
SO WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE JODY FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK WITH OUR AGRICULTURE PROGRAM AT CTC.
WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT HER PRINCIPAL COURTNEY HANDTE AND FAMILY.
SO, JODY, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR OUTSTANDING TEACHER AWARD.
[APPLAUSE] OK, ANY QUESTIONS FOR NO, JUST CONGRATULATIONS.
BOARD YOU WANT TO ALL GET UP AND CONGRATULATE MS.
[00:25:04]
CALLAHAN.I WASN'T REALLY GIVEN THE CHOICE.
RIDGELY BOARD IN STATE MEETINGS FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES, AGRICULTURE EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN THE ERIN, EVEN WHEN I'M JUST NOT AN EDUCATION MEETINGS OR OTHER MEETINGS AND SOMEBODY SAYS, OH, YOU'RE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY, I'M DIRTY CALLAHAN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AGRICULTURE, SO YOU KNOW YOU'RE WELL KNOWN AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.
NEXT WEEK, I CELEBRATE MY 12 YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
NEXT, MS. MCCORMACK, WE HAVE A NEW DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE.
SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO CONGRATULATE DR.
ROBERT WILLOUGHBY, WHO WHEN HE FIRST TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS OFFICIAL, HE SAID, AND I WANT ZERO RECOGNITION AND I SAID, I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO, AND IT IS VERY, VERY WELL DESERVING.
SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR SUCCESSFULLY EARNING YOUR DOCTORATE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY.
HE AND I COULD GET THE TITLE WRONG, BUT OK, FROM NETWORKS AND NECESSITY TO THE NEW NORMAL, HOW COLLABORATIVE AND NETWORKS, COLLABORATION AND NETWORKS CAN PROVIDE EFFICIENT AND EQUITABLE SERVICE DELIVERY IN RURAL MARYLAND.
THAT WAS HIS TOPIC AND TITLE OF HIS THESIS.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON EARNING YOUR DOCTORATE.
MANY YEARS, I REMEMBER THE DAY WE WERE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS TOGETHER AT LOCKERMAN, THE DAY THAT HE SAID, I'M SIGNING OFF ON DOING THIS AND I SAID, GOOD FOR YOU.
AND NOW AS YOUR SUPERVISOR, I CAN CONGRATULATE YOU.
DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR PLEASE DO.
I'LL I'LL BORE YOU THE HUNDRED AND SOME ODD PAGES.
BUT IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD LARRY PORTER TALK ABOUT THE CAROLINE WAY, THE CAROLINE WAY WHEN YOU ACTUALLY DIG INTO IT IS BASED IN RESEARCH.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE KNEW THAT IN CAROLINE COUNTY, BUT THERE IS A RESEARCH BASED PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TECHNIQUE, NETWORK THEORY AND COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE THAT SAYS HOW THAT WORKS.
IT HADN'T BEEN REALLY STUDIED IN THE RURAL AREA, SO I DID A CAROLINE COUNTY BASED CASE STUDY TO SEE WHY IT WORKS AND HOW IT WORKS TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME BEST PRACTICES TO MAKE IT BETTER.
SO THAT WAS THAT WAS THE DISSERTATION.
SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, WE DO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THINGS DONE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO TRY.
SO IT WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THANK YOU TO HIS WIFE, BECKY, WHO WAS THERE THROUGH THE THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AND WAS REALLY HIS SUPPORT AND BACKBONE.
YEAH, THAT'S AN OUTSTANDING TOPIC, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY SAYS, OH, THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF VOODOO AND HOO HA, AND THAT'S JUST LARRY TALKING, THAT'S GREAT TO DO THAT AND DOCUMENT THAT BECAUSE THAT DOES GIVE STUDENTS AND ANYBODY ELSE IN THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY READ ABOUT IT AND SEE THAT IT'S A BONA FIDE TOPIC THAT THAT YOU DID AND A LOT OF WORDS OUT THERE TO SAY WHAT THEIR RECORD IS COMING FROM.
AND WHEN YOU SAY THAT, AND I THINK WHEN YOU COME IN FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF TAKING A HIATUS BECAUSE OF COVID.
BUT ONE CAROLINE COUNTY SENDS OUR WHOLE SIXTH GRADE CLASS THAT EVERY SIXTH GRADER IN THE COUNTY THAT CAN POSSIBLY ATTEND TO NORTH BAY.
I MEAN, THAT'S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT HOW WE FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO THAT
[00:30:02]
FOR SO MANY YEARS.AND THEN BUT ON THE DAY IT HAPPENS, SEEING, YOU KNOW, TEACH YOU KNOW, TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, JANITORS, ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCIPALS, CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF IN A BOX, TRUCK THROWING BAGS, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THROWING LOADING UP THESE KIDS TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO GET OUT OF OUT OF TOWN.
I MEAN, NOBODY SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT MY JOBS.
MS. FRENCH WITH US? YES SHE IS.
MARYLAND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
AND HERE, MS. FRENCH, HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'M FINE, THANK YOU.
HERE TO SHARE SOME GOOD NEWS WITH US.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS, HEATHER HARDING.
SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW HER FROM THE PAST AND FEDERALSBURG, AND SHE WORKED WITH THE TOWN AND DID OTHER THINGS.
I'VE ENJOYED WATCHING HEATHER'S PROGRESSION OVER THE YEARS.
SHE BECAME A FAMILY DAYCARE PROVIDER, AND THEN SHE CAME ON BOARD AT THE FEDERALSBURG JUDY CENTER.
SHE FINISHED HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE WITH US.
AND WHILE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO LOOK TO HER FUTURE GROWTH AND PERHAPS GOING FOR A MASTERS AND LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL SUCCESSION PLAN, SOME OTHER THINGS, I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING HER TO FURTHER HER EDUCATION.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SHE DID WAS TO COMPLETE THE SECOND COHORT A ME CLIP, WHICH IS THE MARYLAND EARLY LEARNING CHILDHOOD PROGRAM.
THANK YOU EARLY, AND IT TOOK HER A YEAR TO GET THROUGH THIS.
IT WAS FAR WORTH MORE THAN THE THREE CREDITS THAT SHE WAS GIVEN FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL, BUT SHE WAS ONLY ONE OF 13 PEOPLE IN THE SECOND COHORT, AND SHE WAS ONE OF NINE THAT COMPLETED IT SO.
AND HER TOPIC ON THIS HAD HEATHER, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK FOR JUST A MINUTE OR SO AND WHAT YOUR TOPIC WAS.
SO WE HAD WE WERE CHARGED WITH COMING UP WITH A THEORY OF CHANGE, AND MY THEORY OF CHANGE REALLY WAS MORE ABOUT A THEORY OF EXPANDING WHAT WE ALREADY DOING.
I HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
WE WORK WITH THE ZERO TO THREE POPULATION AND I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE EARLY HEAD START IS A TWO GENERATIONAL APPROACH, AND I AM THE PARENT, THE FACILITATOR FOR PARENTING EDUCATION.
SO MY THEORY OF CHANGE WAS EXPANDING OUR PARENTING EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR CAROLINE COUNTY AND UTILIZING SOME OF THE NETWORKING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, WHICH IS PART OF WHAT MARYLAND WHAT MEKLIT IS.
IT IS ALL ABOUT NETWORKING AND KEEPING MARYLAND AT THE FOREFRONT FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
I LIKE TO SAY, AND THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP WITH OUR PRESENTATION, IS THAT ZERO TO THREE IS THE PLACE TO BE, BUT ELEMENTARY IS WHERE IT'S AT.
WE REALLY ARE SHAPING AND FORMING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE CHILDREN THAT ARE LATER GOING TO BE COMING INTO YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE PART OF IT, TOO, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT IN THE ELEMENTARY.
SO IF WE'RE DOING OUR JOB, IT'S GOING TO MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER AND WE ALL HAVE TO
[00:35:07]
WORK WITH PARENTS.SO WHAT BETTER WAY TO REALLY HELP US ALL THAN HELPING PARENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR CHILDREN AND UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES BETTER? GREAT, CONGRATULATIONS.
I APPRECIATE THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION THAT YOU PROVIDED FOR HER THAT FOR
[5. Citizens/Public Comments]
YOUR MARYLAND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUED WORK FOR HEATHER, BUT I ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO HEATHER BECOMING KNOWN AT THE STATE LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO BE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN OTHER EARLY LEARNING AND CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. [APPLAUSE] WHERE DO WE GO? ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON PUBLIC COMMENT, DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? DR. SIMMONS WORKING ON.THERE WILL BE NO STATEMENT WITHOUT GLASSES.
THE MEMBERS OF 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 ED 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, AND THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MRS. [INAUDIBLE].
AS YOU HEARD, MY NAME IS LANEY TAVERNIER AND I'M THE GRANDMOTHER OF A SIXTH GRADER.
I AM RESTATING MY RESPONSE TO THE EMAIL THAT WAS SENT FROM THE BOARD TO THE PARENTS CONCERNING TRANSGENDER RIGHTS TO USE WHATEVER RESTROOM OR LOCKER ROOM ALIGNS WITH THEIR PERCEIVED GENDER.
IN 2014, I REMEMBER HAVING PEOPLE AT MY CHURCH SIGN A PETITION AGAINST THIS INSANE POLICY.
AS WITH MANY OTHER PARENTS, I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT SINCE I COULDN'T BELIEVE SANE PEOPLE WOULD EVEN CONSIDER THIS.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT PARENTS WOULD WANT THEIR CHILDREN SUBJECTED TO SUCH POLICIES, PARTICULARLY WHEN THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF HANDLING THESE SITUATIONS.
THEY COULD USE DEDICATED BATHROOMS OR LOCKER ROOMS FOR INDIVIDUALS.
WHEN I SUGGESTED THAT THE RESPONSE I GOT WAS.
THE LAW ALSO STATES THAT STUDENTS CANNOT BE REQUIRED TO USE A SPECIFIC RESTROOM, SUCH AS A SINGLE OCCUPANCY RESTROOM.
HOWEVER, WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE USE OF ONE IF, IF REQUESTED BY A STUDENT.
SHOULD ANY OF YOUR CHILDREN PREFER TO USE A SINGLE OCCUPANCY RESTROOM, PLEASE LET THE CHILDREN OR ADMINISTRATORS.
I'M SORRY THE TEACHER OR ADMINISTRATOR KNOW AND ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE.
AND MY QUESTION IS, YOU MEAN OUT OF 200 CHILDREN, THERE MIGHT BE ONE TRANSGENDER AND THAT PERSON DICTATES TO THE ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY NINE ARE LEFT.
I WOULD NOT SHARE A RESTROOM OR LOCKER ROOM WITH A MAN.
WHY SHOULD WE FORCE OUR ADOLESCENT CHILDREN TO DO THAT? ANOTHER RESPONSE WAS IT WAS EXPECTED.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL USING A RESTROOM OR LOCKER ROOM WILL RESPECT THE PRIVACY OF EVERYONE ELSE USING THAT RESTROOM AND WILL CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER.
IF NOT, THEY WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, ACCORDING TO THE CCP, AS DISCIPLINE POLICY.
THERE IS NO PRIVACY WHEN BOTH SEXES USE THE SAME RESTROOM OR LOCKER ROOM PERIOD.
WELL, THE COUNTY BE RESPONSIBLE LEGALLY OR FINANCIALLY.
IF A BOY IN A SKIRT RAPES ONE OF OUR GIRLS OR BOYS LIKE LOUDOUN COUNTY, THERE ARE EVIL PEOPLE WHO WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY SITUATION.
OUR GIRLS ARE SUPPOSED TO DRESS AND UNDRESS IN A LOCKER ROOM WITH A BIOLOGICAL BOY STANDING NEXT TO HER SHOULD SHE GIVE UP ON HER DREAMS OF WINNING A SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE A BIOLOGICAL MALE IS COMPETING AGAINST HER.
AND BY THE WAY, IF THIS ISN'T CHANGED, WHY NOT GIVE WOMEN A HANDICAP BASED ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE STRENGTHS ON EACH SPORT? DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENS TO ONE OF OUR GIRLS OR BOYS BEFORE WE REFUSE TO BEND TO A BAD LAW?
[00:40:03]
I DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD, BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU'RE OK WITH THIS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER.I DON'T PRETEND TO UNDERSTAND THE TRANSGENDER ISSUE.
IT IS NOT AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE, BUT CAN'T WE USE COMMON SENSE AND STILL BE COMPASSIONATE TOWARDS THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY? THIS IS ALL COMING FROM THE WELL-FUNDED HOMOSEXUAL LOBBY THAT WANTS TO LEGITIMIZE THE LIFESTYLE AND ALSO CONVINCE OUR KIDS TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE REALLY TRANS AND THAT THEY SHOULD EXPRESS THOSE FEELINGS.
NEVER MIND THAT THOSE FEELINGS MAY NEVER MATERIALIZE SINCE ADOLESCENT FEELINGS CHANGE AT THE DROP OF A HAT.
THEY ARE DEMANDING THE TOYS SHOULD NOT BE SEPARATED BY BOYS AND GIRLS.
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE SEXES.
ARE WE SAYING THAT GOD MADE A MISTAKE? OR IS IT THE INDOCTRINATORS THOSE WHO ARE MAKING THE MISTAKE AND US FOR BEING COWED INTO ACCEPTING LAWS THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE BOOKS IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU GENTLEMEN WANT TO JOIN ME IN THE LADIES ROOM, THAT'S HOW LUDICROUS THIS IS.
THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE] ALL RIGHT.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A SECOND PERSON, MR. KEVIN WEBSTER.
TRY TO FIT THIS INTO FIVE MINUTES.
I TEACH PRE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AT NORTH CAROLINA AND NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHER, CURRENTLY A MASTER TEACHER FOR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, WHICH MEANS I TEACH OTHER TEACHERS.
IN THE PAST, I PRESENTED IT IN NATIONAL CONFERENCES AND CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES FOR INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
A PAST WINNER OF THE DISTINGUISHED TECHNOLOGY TEACHER FOR MARYLAND HELPED DEVELOP CURRICULUM AT THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL FOR TECH ED AND ALSO PARTICIPATED IN TECH AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WHERE WE TRAIN TECH ED TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
I TELL YOU THIS TO EXPLAIN MY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION.
I KNOW TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION IN THE ENGINEERING PROGRAMS AND THE RATIONALE FOR TEACHING THEIR COMMENT.
WHEN I HEARD WE ARE ELIMINATING TECH AND I BEGAN TO ASK WHY AND THIS IS MY JOURNEY AND THE RESPONSES I RECEIVED, NO ONE TECH ED IS, OF COURSE, NOT ATTACHED TO A PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF COURSES NOT ATTACHED TO PROGRAM HEALTH, PHYS ED, GENERAL MUSIC, WE'RE NOT ELIMINATING THOSE.
NUMBER TWO, THERE'S A PUSH FROM MSDE AND THE BLUEPRINT FOR STUDENTS TO BE CTE COMPLETERS OR ON A COLLEGE PATHWAY, ELIMINATING OR KEEPING TECH ED DOES NOT AFFECT THIS BLUEPRINT AT ALL.
IT'S JUST IT GIVES STUDENTS OPTIONS AND NOT JUST REQUIRING COMPUTER SCIENCE, WHICH SOME STUDENTS DON'T REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN TAKING.
NUMBER THREE, COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING COURSES ARE ATTACHED TO PROGRAMS THAT HAVE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS THAT LEAD TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
TECH ED IS ALL ABOUT PROBLEM SOLVING, CRITICAL THINKING, CREATIVITY, COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, INFORMATION LITERACY, MEDIA LITERACY, TECHNOLOGY LITERACY, FLEXIBILITY, LEADERSHIP, INITIATIVE PRODUCTIVITY AND SOCIAL SKILLS ALL IDENTIFIED AS IMPORTANT 21ST CENTURY SKILLS.
NOW WE HAVE AN ANSWER FROM THE MSDE COMPUTER SCIENCE SPECIALIST.
ALTHOUGH TECH ED COULD STILL COUNT FOR GRADUATION REQUIREMENT, THE COURSE IS MORPHING INTO HALF ENGINEERING AND HALF COMPUTER SCIENCE.
I REACHED OUT TO SCOTT NICHOLS, WHO'S THE COORDINATOR OF CAREER PROGRAMS, STEM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE.
I THINK ONE STEP UP THE FOOD CHANGE FROM THE COMPUTER SCIENCE PERSON.
AND HE STATED THAT HYBRID PROGRAMS COULD BE DEVELOPED AND SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL, WHICH COULD INCLUDE OVERLAP BETWEEN HIS EXISTING PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROJECT LEAD.
THE PROGRAM LEAD TO A PROGRAM THAT WAS A MIX OF TWO PATHWAYS, AND IT IS CERTAINLY NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING FROM CAROLINE COUNTY OR ANY OTHER LOCAL SYSTEM.
HE IS CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS A RUMOR ALSO FROM THE COMPUTER SCIENCE SPECIALISTS CURRENTLY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, CAROLINE COUNTY.
WE OFFER THE FOUNDATIONS OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE WITH A BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE.
THE EXPECTATION IS THAT WHEN STUDENTS ENTER HIGH SCHOOL, THEY ALREADY HAVE THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND GAIN DEEPER KNOWLEDGE IN EITHER ENGINEERING OR COMPUTER SCIENCE.
TECHNICALLY, THIS IS TRUE ON PAPER.
IT DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, THOUGH, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHEDULE.
IF A STUDENT HAS BAND OR CHORUS, THEN THEY WILL ONLY RECEIVE ONE OF THE ENGINEERING OR THE COMPUTER CLASS FOR ONE HALF OF ONE QUARTER.
THAT'S TWENTY TWO DAYS OUT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL.
NUMBER SIX CCPS ELIMINATING TECH ED WILL ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO GAIN DEEPER CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IN ONE OR THE OTHER CONTENTS, AND IF SO, CHOOSE HAVE THE PREREQUISITE TO ENTER THE COMPUTER SCIENCE OR ENGINEERING PATHWAY.
THE FOUNDATIONAL TECH ED CLASS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF
[00:45:01]
CONTENT.IT IS A BROAD CLASS THAT COVERS MANY TOPICS SUCH AS ELECTRICITY, ELECTRONICS, MECHANICS, STRUCTURAL AND MATERIAL TECHNOLOGIES TO NAME A FEW.
AND THERE IS NO PREREQUISITE FOR ANY COMPUTER SCIENCE OR ENGINEERING PATHWAY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE GATEKEEPERS.
NUMBERS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE ENGINEERING TEACHER, TWO COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS, A TECH ED TEACHER AND A COMPUTER SPOT UNFILLED.
EVENTUALLY, WE WILL HAVE FOUR COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHERS AND ONE ENGINEERING TEACHER.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS NINTH GRADERS ARE GOING TO TAKE COMPUTER SCIENCE, OR YOU MIGHT GET A COUPLE THAT COME INTO MY CLASS IF THERE IS AN OPENING NOT FILLED BY A COMPLETER, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE MANY.
NOW LET'S LOOK AT OUR MISSION AND VISION FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
MISSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.
WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE CAREER AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
A GIRL CAME TO ME ONE DAY AND SAID, MR. WEBSTER, MY DAD LET ME USE HIS TOOLS.
REMEMBER, WE'RE ON THE EASTERN SHORE.
HE NEVER LETS ME USE HIS TOOLS.
AND THEN I HELPED HIM FIX THE LIGHTS FOR THE POOL BECAUSE OF WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS IN TECH ED.
MEANING DEEP CONTENT, DEEP UNDERSTANDING IN ONE CONTENT AREA.
IT'S ABOUT PROBLEM SOLVING AND LIFE READINESS AND THAT MEETS OUR GOALS RIGHT THERE.
THE VISION, EVERY STUDENT WILL BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD BY STUDYING THE CORE TECHNOLOGIES OF OUR SOCIETY.
WE ARE ABLE TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT HAPPENED YET.
EVERY NEW TECHNOLOGY STARTS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CORE TECHNOLOGIES, AND THAT'S WHERE WE GO IN TECH ED AND THEN OUR THIRD GOAL.
EQUITY, CREATE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN BY PROVIDING RESOURCES, ET CETERA.
IF WE'RE PUTTING EVERYBODY IN COMPUTER SCIENCE, THAT'S NOT EQUITABLE.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE.
WE'RE NOT EVEN FAKING IT, RIGHT? THAT'S IT.
JUST I, YOU KNOW, I TAUGHT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING, HE SAID.
AND THIS REMINDS ME OF WHEN I USED TO HAVE TO TEACH BEOWULF AND [INAUDIBLE] WAYNE.
AND I'M LIKE, WHY? WELL, YOU HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A STUDENT, LEARN IT TO SEE IF THEY LIKE IT, TO EXPOSE THEM TO EVERYTHING AND TECH ED DOES THAT.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES IT WAS IN THE HALL WHERE THE KIDS ARE DOING THEIR EXPERIENCE OR WHAT THEY WERE LEARNING AND ENJOYING IT AND GETTING IT AND COMING INTO MY CLASS AND TELLING ME WHAT THEY GOT OUT OF IT AND WHAT THEY LEARNED FROM IT.
AND IN TODAY'S WORLD WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS SUCH A BIG THING, TO TAKE IT AWAY IS A HUGE, HUGE MISTAKE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
AND I JUST I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS TRUE.
[7. Reports and Presentations]
ALL RIGHT.MOVING ON TO INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS THIS EVENING, SO REPORTS SOME PRESENTATIONS, LEGISLATIVE UPDATE DR.
THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE REALLY THIS MONTH I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FROM MY STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS JANUARY 12TH, WHICH BEGINS TOMORROW.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONVENES, I BELIEVE, AT NOON TOMORROW AS THEY KICK OFF AND JUST HIGHLIGHTED SOME IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE BOARD AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWING ALONG.
AGAIN, IT OPENS TOMORROW, JANUARY 19TH IS A BIG DAY TODAY THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS TO RELEASE HIS BUDGET BY GOVERNOR TYPICALLY DOES ON THE DAY THAT IT'S REQUIRED.
AND THAT HAS A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN IT THAT RELATES TO OUR LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE.
CAROLINE COUNTY RECEIVES THE BULK OVERWHELMING BULK OF OUR FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNOR OR FROM THE STATE.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE HIS BUDGET AS IT'S INTRODUCED, AS WELL AS HIS CAPITAL BUDGET BILL.
AS OCTOBER BOARD MEETING, THE BOARD APPROVED THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WENT BEFORE THE STATE AND IN THAT WAS A ROOF REPLACEMENT AT RIDGELY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WAS NEEDED.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE WE'VE GOT PRELIMINARY APPROVAL ON THAT PROJECT, BUT WE HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S CAPITAL BUDGET BILL LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF FUNDING THAT RELATES TO THAT PROJECT.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK FOR THAT THAT DAY, MARCH 7TH, IS THE FIFTY FIFTH DAY OF SESSION.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT? THAT'S THE FINAL DATE THAT BILLS CAN BE INTRODUCED WITHOUT THERE BEING A SPECIAL EXEMPTION FOR A BILL TO BE INTRODUCED.
SO BY MARCH 7TH, IF A BILL HASN'T BEEN INTRODUCED AND LIKELY AT THAT POINT,
[00:50:03]
SOMETHING'S NOT NEW GOING TO POP UP WHEN WE'RE TRACKING FROM HOME.THE BUDGET BILL HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE TWENTY THIRD OR SORRY, THE EIGHTY THIRD DAY, WHICH IS APRIL 1ST.
SO THE GOVERNOR INTRODUCES THE BUDGET.
HE GIVES THE BROAD PICTURE OF HERE'S ALL THE MONEY.
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND TO SOME DEGREE WITHIN THE BUDGET, BUT THEY CAN'T NECESSARILY CHANGE THE OVERALL.
THEY CAN'T CHANGE THE OVERALL AMOUNTS.
SO THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT ALL FIGURED OUT BY THE FOURTH AND APRIL 11TH IS THE FINAL DAY.
THAT'S THAT'S THE DO OR DIE DAY FOR BILLS THAT EITHER MAKES IT OR DOES NOT.
I'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT ASSOCIATIONS LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE AND FOLLOWING THE BILLS THAT ARE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, THERE'S OVER TWO HUNDRED PRE FILED BILLS FOR THE SESSION BEGAN.
THERE'S ROUGHLY TWENTY FOUR EDUCATION BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PRE FILED HAVEN'T DUG INTO THEM TOO MUCH BECAUSE I'M WAITING TO SEE KIND OF ONE.
ONCE WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING, WE'LL START LOOKING AT WHAT'S GETTING TRACTION, WHAT'S LIKELY TO GET TRACTION.
WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR IS WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING AT LEAST WE'RE WE'RE HEARING NOT TO ANTICIPATE ANY MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS AT ALL TO THE BLUEPRINT, WHICH WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT TONIGHT THROUGH THIS [INAUDIBLE] PRESENTATION.
BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER BILLS OBVIOUSLY THAT ARE PRE-FILED AND I'LL KEEP THE BOARD AWARE OF, I BELIEVE THE BOARD HAS NUMBERS AS WELL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE FOR ME.
DAVE DOES A GREAT JOB OF PROVIDING UPDATES THROUGH THEIR GREEN SHEET TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO SCHOOL BOARDS AND TO SCHOOL PERSONNEL.
AND AS I GET COPIES OF THAT AS WELL, I'LL MAKE SURE THE BOARD GETS IT IF THE BOARD'S NOT GETTING THEM AS WELL FOR ME, BUT A GREAT WAY TO FOLLOW THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS THINGS GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I WASN'T [INAUDIBLE] MARK, I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU AND MR. JONES, ON THE SPOT, DID YOU HAPPEN TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN IN TO THAT? I DID.
DID YOU? WAS THERE MADE THE MAIB CONFERENCE CALL? I WASN'T ABLE TO SIT IN ON IT, BUT DID YOU? ANYTHING STRIKE A CHORD WITH YOU? WHAT WAS THAT? THE ONE JUST THIS WEEK.
THE LEGISLATIVE MEETING THIS WEEK? YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, PRE SESSION STARTING-- SPEAKERS] I ACTUALLY HAD A QUESTION, I ASKED DR.
I JUST-- ABOUT A CERTAIN BILL.
ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS, THERE'S A DECREASE IN BUDGET FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT ON THERE.
HOW THAT AFFECTS US, WE DON'T KNOW YET.
AT LEAST WE GOT GREENSBORO DONE.
NOW WE JUST NEED TO GET I MEAN, WE MADE THE FIRST LEGS AND NOW WE JUST NEED TO SEE WHAT THE-- IF WE MAKE IT AFTER THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET DROPS OR HOW FAR DOWN THE LINE IT GOES.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I DID [INAUDIBLE] IT.
ALL RIGHT, [INAUDIBLE] JUST [INAUDBILE], YOUR VOICE SOUNDS LIKE IT'S CRACKING UP, SO I-- JUST APPRECIATE YOU SITTING IN ON THAT AND SHOOTING, YOU KNOW, SHOOTING US AN EMAIL.
IF THERE IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT OR PASSING THEM ON TO DR. SIMMONS.
MOVING ON TO, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THE BLUEPRINT UPDATE.
WHAT DOES ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE MEAN? LAST DAY? THAT'S THE LAST DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, MIDNIGHT OF THAT DAY.
BUT THAT'S WHAT SINE DIE MEANS? I GUESS.
I MEAN, WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IS THEY HAVE A BIG PARTY.
[LAUGHTER] YEAH, WHEN IT'S DONE, THEY-- YEAH.
AND I'D SAY, I DON'T CARE WHO'S LISTENING.
THEY DO SOME PRETTY INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, IN MY OPINION.
AND THEY ONLY HAVE TO WORK 90 DAYS? WELL, THEY WORKED ALL YEAR.
YEAH, BUT THE SESSIONS ONLY KNOW UNLESS THEY HAVE SPECIAL SESSIONS AND LONG HOURS.
SO, I DON'T BLAME THEM FOR WANTING TO HAVE A PARTY, BUT THERE'S SOME CRAZY STUFF THAT HAPPENS.
I'VE NEVER PARTICIPATED, BUT I'M AWARE OF IT.
BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] PARTY AND I GUESS YOU WANT TO DO IT RIGHT? YEAH.
CAN YOU GUYS WON'T HEAR ME OK? YES.
SORRY TO BE REMOTE THIS EVENING LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD, I'M GETTING OVER COVID AND MY QUARANTINE PERIOD DOES NOT END UNTIL TOMORROW.
AND I THINK YOU GUYS CAN SEE ME, BUT I CAN'T SEE YOU.
SO AS WE GO ALONG, PLEASE JUST INTERRUPT ME AT ANY TIME WITH QUESTIONS THAT YOU'VE GOT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AT THE END.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT THAT WE COULD COVER TONIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO THE BLUEPRINT, BUT THERE'S ALSO STILL A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED CLARIFICATION AND INTERPRETATION AND SOME THINGS THAT MAY BE SHIFTING IN TERMS OF TIMELINES.
[00:55:02]
SO MY GOAL TONIGHT IN MY 15 MINUTES IS REALLY TO JUST HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW RIGHT NOW AND TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON HOW WE'RE APPROACHING OUR PLANNING PROCESS.THE FIRST THING I REALLY WANTED TO START WITH TALKING ABOUT IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION BOARD OR THE AIB.
I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE AIB AND YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THEM, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO REITERATE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BIG THEIR ROLE IS AND HOW POWERFUL THEY ARE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REALLY SHAPE WHAT THE BLUEPRINT LOOKS LIKE AS WE MOVE FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE.
SO THIS IS A NEW CREATION IN STATE LAW.
THEY'RE IN PLACE FROM JULY 1ST, 2020 UNTIL THE END OF IMPLEMENTATION JUNE 30, 2032.
THEY'RE AN INDEPENDENT UNIT OF STATE GOVERNMENT, SO THEY'RE NOT UNDER MSDE.
THEY HAVE MANDATED FUNDING AND THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIRE THEIR OWN STAFF, INCLUDING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND THEIR PURPOSE IS REALLY TO HOLD BOTH THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS, ACCOUNTABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BLUEPRINT AND TO EVALUATE THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE BEING ACHIEVED AGAINST WHAT THE GOALS OF THE BLUEPRINT AND THE CURRENT COMMISSION WERE.
SO THE BLUEPRINT HAS REALLY CREATED A WHOLE NEW SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WAS REALLY SEEN AS A WEAK POINT IN PREVIOUS EDUCATIONAL REFORM EFFORTS WAS THAT THERE WAS NOT A STRONG ENOUGH OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO ENSURE THAT MORE MONEY REALLY RESULTED IN BETTER OUTCOMES.
AND SO THE AIB IS SORT OF THE TIP OF THAT SPEAR OF ACCOUNTABILITY.
THEY ALSO NEEDED AN ENTITY THAT WOULD HAVE THE POWER TO GO ACROSS AND SPAN ACROSS DIFFERENT DIVISIONS OF STATE GOVERNMENT.
THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CAN REALLY ONLY AFFECT THINGS WITHIN MSDE, BUT THE BLUEPRINT TOUCHES MANY AGENCIES OF STATE GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS LOCAL AGENCIES LIKE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, SOCIAL SERVICES AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS.
AND SO THE AIB HAS AUTHORITY THAT SPANS BEYOND JUST THE TRADITIONAL FOUR WALLS OF MSDE.
SO THE AIB HAS PLENARY AUTHORITY OVER ALL MATTERS WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION UNDER THE BLUEPRINT LAW, INCLUDING THE INTENDED OUTCOMES AND IN THE EVENT OF A CONFLICT BETWEEN A DECISION OR A POLICY OF THE AIB AND BASICALLY ANYONE ELSE.
AND SO WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THE AIB IS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IF THERE'S A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE AIB AND THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND HOW SOMETHING SHOULD BE INTERPRETED OR IMPLEMENTED.
SAME IF THERE'S A DISAGREEMENT WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE LAW DOES SAY THAT THE AIB IS NOT INTENDED TO USURP OR ABROGATE THE OPERATIONAL AUTHORITY OF MSDE OR LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS. BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE HOW POWERFUL THEY ARE AND HOW MUCH CONTROL THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE OVER HOW THE BLUEPRINT MOVES FROM POLICY TO REALITY.
SO THIS IS THE LIST OF AIB MEMBERS.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ YOU ALL OF THEM, BUT I DID WANT YOU TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT WHO WAS ON THE AIB AND WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS.
THEY'RE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WITH THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE SENATE, AND THEY WERE CHOSEN FROM A SLATE THAT WAS PROVIDED BY A NOMINATING COMMITTEE THAT WAS ALSO CREATED BY THE LEGISLATION.
THEY SERVE SIX YEAR TERMS WITH SOME INITIAL STAGGERING.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AS YOU LOOK AT THESE FOLKS, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CONCERNS EXPRESSED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT RACIAL DIVERSITY, OFTEN GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.
ALL OF THE MEMBERS HAIL FROM BALTIMORE CITY, BALTIMORE COUNTY, PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
I THINK ONE WORKS THERE, BUT NO ONE LIVES THERE AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY, THEY'RE REALLY CONCENTRATED IN THAT CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE AND NO ONE WHO HAS REALLY ANY EXPERIENCE WITH RURAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND SMALL SYSTEMS. AND YOU'LL SEE ALSO NOT A LOT OF K-12 EXPERIENCE.
THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF HIGHER EDUCATION EXPERIENCE AND SOME OTHER TYPES OF EXPERIENCE.
BUT IN TERMS OF A LOT OF KIND OF IN CLASSROOM, IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, THERE'S NOT AS
[01:00:01]
MUCH OF THAT AS I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HOPING TO SEE.SO, WE MAY SEE SOME CHANGES TO THIS IN FUTURE SESSIONS TO MAYBE EXPAND, ADD A COUPLE OF MEMBERS TO MAYBE SPEAK TO THESE CONCERNS.
BUT NOW THIS IS THE GROUP WE'RE WORKING WITH.
I'VE BEEN WATCHING THEIR MEETINGS.
THEY'RE ALL CLEARLY VERY BRIGHT AND ENGAGED AND, YOU KNOW, ARE DOING THEIR HOMEWORK AND COMING WITH REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.
BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY BRINGING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND BACKGROUNDS THAT I THINK PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE REPRESENTED.
SO TO ACHIEVE ITS PURPOSE, THE AIBS GOT A COUPLE OF MAIN TASKS, AND I THINK THEY'RE WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT.
THE FIRST IS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE BLUEPRINT THAT ALL UNITS OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE BLUEPRINT WILL FOLLOW.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE'LL REALLY KIND OF GET OUR MARCHING ORDERS FROM THE AIB ON HOW THEY THINK WE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTING THE BLUEPRINT AND THE MAIN DRIVER OF HOW OUR PLAN DEVELOPS, AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PLAN IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
THEY'RE TO HOLD STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH, THEY'LL MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION AND THEY'LL EVALUATE THE OUTCOMES ACHIEVED DURING THE IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD.
SO, AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF THE KEY INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO DO OUR PLAN.
THIS IS WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE FLESHED OUT.
SO, IT'LL INCLUDE A TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION WITH KEY MILESTONES THAT ARE TO BE HIT ALONG THE WAY.
IT INCLUDES WHAT ARE THE INTENDED OUTCOMES.
SO, WE KNOW WHAT THE POLICY IS, BUT THE OUTCOMES HAVE NOT BEEN DEFINED YET.
THAT WILL BE DEFINED IN THIS PLAN.
SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED AND ON WHAT TIMELINE.
AND THE PLAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE ADOPTED BY THE AIB NOT LATER THAN FEBRUARY 15TH OF THIS YEAR.
AND SO I WANT TO PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND TALK ABOUT TIMING.
SO THE AIB IS WAY BEHIND SCHEDULE.
THE LEGISLATION REALLY ANTICIPATED THAT THEY WOULD BE APPOINTED IN JULY AND KICK OFF THEIR WORK QUICKLY.
THEY WEREN'T APPOINTED UNTIL OCTOBER, DIDN'T HAVE THEIR FIRST MEETING UNTIL NOVEMBER.
THEY HAVE NOT HIRED THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR YET, ALTHOUGH WE'RE HEARING THAT MIGHT BE ANNOUNCED VERY SOON, AND THEY'RE STILL WAITING FOR MOST OF THEIR FUNDING TO BE RELEASED.
I THINK SOME HAVE BEEN RELEASED, BUT JUST VERY RECENTLY THEY'VE GOTTEN ACCESS TO FUNDING SO THEY CAN DO THINGS LIKE START TO HIRE STAFF AND REALLY BEGIN THEIR WORK.
SO, FOR ALL OF THOSE REASONS, WE DO EXPECT THERE TO BE SOME SIGNIFICANT PUSHES IN THE TIMELINES THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE TONIGHT.
BUT I DID WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THE TIMELINES ARE AS THEY STAND NOW, AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW THIS MIGHT CHANGE HERE IN THE COMING WEEKS.
BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN'T BEGIN TO WAIT [INAUDIBLE] OUR WORK DUE TO THAT UNCERTAINTY, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO DO AND SO MUCH TO COVER, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING AHEAD AND STARTING NOW WITH WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN THE INTERPRETATION OF OR WHAT WE ARE CONFIDENT OF, WHAT THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE GOING TO BE.
SO, PART OF WHAT THE AIB WILL ALSO DO IS PUT TOGETHER SOME GUIDANCE FOR LOCAL PLANS, INCLUDING A MAXIMUM PAGE LENGTH, INCLUDING APPENDICES.
AND THEN AFTER THE AIB IS DONE, THEIR PLAN, NOT LATER THAN APRIL 1ST, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS GOING TO CREATE CRITERIA THAT WOULD BE USED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL OF A LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS PLAN.
AND THAT CRITERIA HAS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR APPROVAL [INAUDIBLE] AIB AGAIN BEFORE IT COMES DOWN TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO AGAIN, I THINK THIS TIMELINE IS GOING TO CHANGE.
I THINK ONE THING THAT MSDE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IS MORE TIME BETWEEN THE COMPLETION OF THE AIB'S PLAN AND WHEN THEY HAVE TO GET THAT GUIDANCE TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S RELATIVELY TIGHT TURNAROUND FOR THEM, SO I IMAGINE THAT WILL BE PART OF
[01:05:03]
THE DISCUSSION AS WELL.SO EVERY COUNTY MUST SUBMIT TO THE AIB A LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
AND IN IT, THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DESCRIBE THE GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND MEET THE BLUEPRINT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EACH SEGMENT OF THE STUDENT POPULATION.
HAS TO BE CONCISE AND FOCUSED ON THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT [INAUDIBLE] ACHIEVE THE BLUEPRINT GOALS.
SO LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION PLANS ARE CURRENTLY DUE JUNE 15TH.
AGAIN, THAT'LL PROBABLY GET PUSHED.
MUCH LIKE MSDE, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW TIGHT THE TIMELINE IS BETWEEN WHEN THE STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS DONE AND OUR PLAN HAS TO BE DONE.
SO DEPENDING ON HOW THE AIB APPROACHES ITS WORK, WE MAY NOT GET GUIDANCE ON KEY THINGS UNTIL THEIR PLAN IS FINISHED.
AND SO ONLY HAVING FOUR MONTHS TO FINALIZE OUR PLAN AFTER THAT AND 10 WEEKS AFTER WE GET THE GUIDANCE FROM MSDE IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE.
BUT THIS PLAN IS THE WHOLE BALLGAME.
THIS WILL ESSENTIALLY BE YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE NEXT DECADE, AND THERE REALLY WON'T BE MUCH ROOM FOR FOR ANYTHING ELSE IN TERMS OF PRIORITIES.
YOU KNOW, I SUPPOSE THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE BLUEPRINT IS SO COMPREHENSIVE THAT IT WOULD LIKELY COVER MOST OF THE BOARD PRIORITIES.
BUT STAFF AND RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE SO MAXED ON IMPLEMENTATION THAT IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE ANY OTHER PRIORITIES FIT SORT OF UNDER THIS UMBRELLA OF THE BLUEPRINT PLAN AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE WORKING IN CONCERT TOGETHER.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST FOR YOU REALLY QUICKLY, THESE ARE ALL THE OTHER IMPLEMENTATION PLANS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED.
I'M SORRY, IS THERE A QUESTION? YES.
SOME BULLET POINTS THAT YOU'RE JUST READING, OPPOSITE.
IN ADDITION TO THE POWERPOINT, BUT CAN YOU JUST GO BACK A COUPLE OF POINTS? YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE AIB PRIORITIES.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE AIB PRIORITIES SHOULD COVER ALL BOARD PRIORITIES.
AND CAN YOU REVISIT THAT, THOSE COMMENTS? I'M JUST I JUST WANT TO SOAK THEM IN FOR A MINUTE.
WELL, WHAT I'M SAYING IS ESSENTIALLY THAT THE LOCAL PLAN FOR THE BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING TO ACT LARGELY AS A STRATEGIC PLAN, A MASTER PLAN FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND GIVEN HOW COMPREHENSIVE IT'S GOING TO BE, IT'S GOING TO BE, I THINK DIFFICULT TO HAVE A LOT OF ADDITIONAL GOALS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THAT BLUEPRINT PLAN.
SO I THINK AS YOU GUYS DO YOUR WORK AND THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU AND THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE WORKING IN CONCERT WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMPLISH UNDER THE BLUEPRINT SO THAT YOUR PRIORITIES GET ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT THERE'S ALSO ENOUGH TIME AND RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STICKING WITH THOSE BLUEPRINT TIMELINES BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER ONE OF THE PIECES OF ACCOUNTABILITY IS IF YOU'RE NOT DOING AS GOOD A JOB AS THE AIB THINKS YOU SHOULD BE DOING ALONG THE WAY, THEY CAN WITHHOLD MONEY FROM YOU.
AND THAT'S A NEW ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE THAT HASN'T BEEN INCLUDED PREVIOUSLY.
SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING YEAR OVER YEAR ON THE BLUEPRINT.
AND IF WE'RE NOT HITTING WHAT WE SAID WE WERE OR MOVING AS QUICKLY AS WE THINK THEY WERE, THEY'VE GOT THE ABILITY TO WITHHOLD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, IT DOES THANK YOU VERY MUCH, THIS BOARD HAS THAT ABILITY.
THE AIB BOARD THAT BOARD [INAUDIBLE].
WHICH BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT CRITICIZING ANYTHING YOU'RE SAYING, SARAH.
I APPRECIATE THE WORDS, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IT'S HITTING SOME SPARKS, WAKING UP THIS DULL BRAIN A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S TIED TO FUNDING.
WE HAVE TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S FUNDING THIS FUNDING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PULL FUNDING.
BUT THAT'S THAT WOULD BE MSDE AT THE TIME, AT THE TIME, MSDE THROUGH A THROUGH A PROCESS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT'S EVER BEEN TESTED.
WHAT THIS IS SAYING AND NOW INSTEAD OF MSDE, IT'S THE AIB BOARD BLUEPRINT BOARD.
IN FUTURE PROCESS IS YET TO BE KNOWN OR YET TO BE TESTED.
[01:10:02]
YEAH, AND IT'S STRUCTURED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN PERHAPS IN THE PAST.SO PART OF IT IS THAT THE AIB AUTOMATICALLY HOLDS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THEY ONLY RELEASE IT IF YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS LIKE THERE'S IT'S TWENTY FIVE PERCENT THAT THEY'RE HOLDING IN INCREASE IN FUNDING.
RIGHT OFF THE TOP UNTIL THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE MAKING THAT PROGRESS.
AND THEN AS THE TIME GOES ON, THEY CAN WITHHOLD MORE THAN THAT IF THEY THINK YOU'RE NOT MAKING PROGRESS.
AND HOLD IT BACK ESSENTIALLY UNTIL YOU'VE GOT A PLAN IN PLACE TO CORRECT WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE CONCERNS ARE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THESE JUST SO YOU GUYS HAD AN IDEA OF WHO ALL THE OTHER KIND OF PLAYERS ARE THAT ARE ALSO WORKING ON THEIR OWN IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.
AND CURRENTLY THESE ARE ALL DUE JUNE 15TH.
I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
JUST TO REITERATE, BECAUSE SO MUCH IS CHANGING UNDER THE BLUEPRINT WITH HOW CTE WILL BE STRUCTURED AND WITH IT MOVING OUT FROM UNDER MSDE.
SO BUT THEIR PLAN IS NOT DUE UNTIL THE SAME TIME AS OUR PLAN, SO WE WON'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THEIR PLAN WHILE UPGRADING THE CTE ELEMENTS OF OUR PLAN.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CHALLENGING TIMING ELEMENT THAT I'M HOPING THEY'LL ADDRESS.
TO HAVE ALL OUR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES DONE BY 10TH GRADE WAS IT 10TH GRADE OR 11TH GRADE ? 10TH.
THE PLAN WOULD BE GRADE BASED ON A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT WERE ESTABLISHED A FEW YEARS BACK.
THE MOVE WITHIN THIS IS TO SORT OF SIMPLIFY THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY DEFINITION AND [INAUDIBLE] THE TENTH GRADE, AND THEN ONCE SOMEBODY IS DESIGNATED AS COLLEGE AND CAREER READY IN 10TH GRADE THEN OPENS UP A POST-SECONDARY PATHWAY THEY WOULD BE WORKING TOWARDS WHETHER THAT COULD BE A DUAL ENROLLMENT, MORE HEAVILY DUAL ENROLLMENT OPTION AP OR IB OPTION, WE DON'T OFFER IB AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT A MORE HEAVILY AP OR IB, THE CTE PATHWAY AND SARAH AM I MISSING ANY THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT OR LINDSEY? AND GOES TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE SUPPORTS.
MSDE IS WORKING ON THESE THINGS.
MSDE IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THEIR WORK.
AS IF AIB IS GOING TO HIT THEM WITH THE SAME TIMELINES BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT TO BE READY AS WELL, SO THEY ARE ANTICIPATING A DELAY.
THEY'RE WORKING ON THIS AS WELL.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DRAFT THINGS THAT MSDE IS WORKING ON.
TRY TO PREPARE FOR IT AS WELL, BUT YEAH, MR. NEWCOMB AND CCR NOW BY THE END OF FALL, WITH THIS BODY IN THE 10TH GRADE AS OPPOSED TO 11.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF 11TH AND 12TH GRADE THEN? SO THE WAY THAT THEY'VE DEFINED IT AND DESCRIBED IT IS TO THINK ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL BEING SET UP THE SAME WAY THAT SORT OF ALONG THE MODEL OF A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE WHERE YOUR FIRST TWO YEARS ARE YOUR [INAUDIBLE] AND YOU GET YOU GET MORE SPECIFICITY IN THE 11TH AND 12TH GRADE YEAR.
AND THAT'S THE APPROACH THAT THEY'RE USING BY TRYING TO GET, MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE CCR BY THE END OF 10.
YOU'RE TAKING MORE SPECIFIED COURSEWORK.
FOR US FOR OUR CTE MODEL THAT LARGELY FITS THAT FOR ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THE PROGRAMS YOU
[01:15:01]
STARTED CTE IN GRADE 11.SO MOST OF OUR PROGRAMS, THEY WANT TO APPLY THAT PROGRAM OVER TO THOSE WHO ARE ON A MORE TRADITIONAL COLLEGE TYPE PATH.
SO YOU START SPECIFYING AND PICKING UP MORE AP, DUAL ENROLLMENT THOSE OPTIONS.
THEY WANT STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES TO COMPLETE AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE, POTENTIALLY COMING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH A DUAL ENROLLMENT PATHWAY.
IF THEY WANT THOSE KIND OF EXPERIENCES OVER THAT 11, 12, THREE YEARS.
SO THERE'S MORE SPECIFICITY IN TERMS OF WHERE STUDENTS ARE GOING.
IS THERE ANY DATA OR PROGRAMS TO PROVE THIS IS GOOD? I MEAN, BECAUSE THERE'S A REASON WE'VE HAD 12 YEARS OF SCHOOL FOR OVER A CENTURY AND TO JUST SAY, OH NO, AND NOW YOU'RE ASKING STUDENTS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO AND WHAT DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO BY THE END OF 10TH GRADE.
HONEY, IT TOOK ME 40 YEARS TO FIGURE OUT THAT I WANTED TO BE A TEACHER.
AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING OK BY 16, 15.
EVEN EVEN WELL-SUPPORTED KIDS.
I'M AGREEING EVEN WELL-SUPPORTED KIDS HAVE A TOUGH IDEA FIGURING OUT WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANT TO TAKE IN NINTH OR TENTH GRADE, LET ALONE THE STUDENTS WITHOUT THE GREATEST SUPPORTS AT HOME AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH IN 10TH GRADE AND GO WORK AT ROYAL FARMS IN THE EVENING.
WELL, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FOR 15 BUCKS OR 16 BUCKS AN HOUR, WHY NOT? BUT WITH EVERYTHING ELSE COST AND WHAT IT'S COSTING, I MEAN, I JUST I'M CONCERNED MY DAUGHTER IS GRADUATING THIS YEAR AS I'VE SAID.
I'M DONE ON THE BOARD, BUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES CONCERN ME AND LET THEM, LET ALONE HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION BOARD HOLDING THE PURSE STRINGS ON A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THEN TO SAY, WELL, REALLY, YOUR LOCAL PRIORITIES.
WE DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR THEM HERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO FOLLOW OUR PRIORITIES.
AND SEVEN PEOPLE WITH NO K-12 EXPERIENCE HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL.
I CAN'T ANSWER MR. DIGIACOMO'S QUESTION ABOUT RESEARCH.
OK, SO THE CURRENT COMMISSION OR THE COMMISSION ON EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION EDUCATION DID UNDERTAKE A MULTI-YEAR STUDY PROCESS, AND THEY WORKED WITH A CONSULTING FIRM TO DO A LOT OF THAT RESEARCH AND STUDY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO.
AND THE GOAL REALLY IS, YOU KNOW, NOT TO JUST MAKE MARYLAND SCHOOL SYSTEM BETTER, BUT TO SAY IF WE WANTED MARYLAND SYSTEM SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE ONE OF THE TOP PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD, WHAT WOULD IT NEED TO LOOK LIKE? AND SO THEY REALLY LOOKED AT THOSE TOP PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND LOOKED AT WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS BETWEEN HOW WE DO THINGS IN MARYLAND AND HOW THEY DO THINGS.
AND THERE WERE SOME CLEAR COMMONALITIES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.
AND THIS MOVE TO KIND OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND GOING AHEAD AND LETTING KIDS START DOWN A PATH TOWARDS THEIR CAREER EARLIER WAS ONE OF THOSE KEY THINGS, BUT ALSO INCLUDED STARTING KIDS EARLIER.
SO MUCH MORE EMPHASIS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, MOVING TOWARDS FULL DAY PRE-K FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
SO YOU'RE ALSO GETTING STUDENTS EARLIER, AND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, AS IT'S ENVISIONED IN THE BLUEPRINT, IS A CONTINUUM THAT BUILDS ALL THE WAY FROM PRE-K TO 10 THAT IF YOU FOLLOW IN THOSE SEQUENCE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE CHILDREN READY.
OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF KIDS WHO DON'T.
AND THEN DURING THAT FIRST 10 YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PHASE, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF KIDS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THERE BY THE END OF 10TH GRADE.
BUT THE VISION IS YOU START THEM A LITTLE EARLIER.
YOU BUILD THIS REALLY INTENTIONAL SEQUENCING ALONG THE WAY.
AND A DECADE FROM NOW, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT KIDS A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF KIDS WHO ARE ABLE TO BE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY BY THE END OF 10TH GRADE.
AND THERE ARE SOME ADVANTAGES, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY FOR LOW INCOME STUDENTS LIKE OURS.
ALL OF THOSE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PATHWAYS ARE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT PAID BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO FOR A STUDENT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, WHO'S READY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AND TO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT DIRECTLY DOES GIVE THAT STUDENT A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCEMENT THAT THEY MAY NOT OTHERWISE HAVE OR MAY TAKE SOME YEARS TO, IF THEY HAD TO KIND OF PAY AS THEY GO ON THEIR OWN.
OPTIONS AWESOME, BUT TO SIT THERE AND SAY ONE SIZE FITS ALL IS I KNOW I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT IT'S LUDICROUS, YOU KNOW? NOT LOCKED INTO JUST ONE.
YOU CAN BE PURSUING THINGS IN MULTIPLE OF THE OF THE POST COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PATHWAYS.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ONLY DUAL ENROLLMENT OR ONLY AP CLASSES.
YOU CAN DO CTE PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO BE TAKING SOME DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES.
I MEAN, IT'S A LAW WE'VE GOT TO FOLLOW THE LAW JUST LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF WE HAVE TO, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND I AGREE WITH IT.
IT'S JUST IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.
IT'S I'VE NEVER BELIEVED ONE SIZE FITS ALL AND IT'S CRAZY.
IN ADDITION TO WHAT IT'S FORCING THE KIDS TO DO, WHAT IT'S FORCING OUR STAFF TO DO.
IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE COST OF EDUCATION PER PUPIL.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO.
IT'S GOING TO TRANSLATE INTO PERFORMANCE, TO BE HONEST.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GET OFF TOO MUCH AND SARAH WILL ADDRESS SOME OF THIS AS
[01:20:09]
WELL.BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT FUNDING COMPONENTS OF THE LEGISLATION THAT WILL HAVE PROFOUND IMPACTS ON US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
ERIN WILL PROBABLY TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT BUDGETING EVEN FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT IN THE OUT YEARS THERE'S SIGNIFICANT PIECES.
IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR BUDGETING IN ITS CURRENT FORM.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THERE WON'T BE LEGISLATIVE FIXES OR CAN'T BE LEGISLATIVE FIXES, BUT IN THE OUT YEARS AND THE YEARS EVEN BEYOND THE NEXT IS WHERE THINGS WILL GET REALLY CHALLENGING WITH FINDING THOSE AVENUES.
[INAUDIBLE] TO FUND THE KINDS OF THINGS THEY'RE BRINGING, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CURRENT FUNDING STRUCTURES WITH MOST SCHOOLS [INAUDIBLE] OUR TRADITION HAS [INAUDIBLE] ITS EFFORT FUNDING FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I GET THEY DON'T HAVE LOTS OF FUNDING.
BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PRESSURE ASSOCIATED WITH FUNDING STRUCTURES.
AND [INAUDIBLE] TOTALLY REWROTE THE FUNDING [INAUDIBLE], THE FUNDING FORMULAS FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WHICH IS WHY WE CAN'T PROJECT LIKE WE USED TO, BECAUSE THEY TOTALLY [INAUDIBLE] THE FUNDING FORMULAS.
MSDE CAN'T EVEN [INAUDIBLE] TO US YET UNTIL THEY GET NEW NUMBERS AND [INAUDIBLE] THROUGH THE NEW FORMULAS AND CALCULATIONS BECAUSE MONEY'S COMING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, MR. [INAUDIBLE].
WE'RE YET TO KNOW IF THE INCREASE IN FUNDING WILL HAVE THE INTENDED RESULTS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE FLIP SIDE FOR WHY THEY'VE CREATED A KIND OF ALL POWERFUL BOARD.
TO THINK THAT IF YOU, I'M JUST PROJECTING, BUT TO THINK THAT IF YOU HAVE THIS ALMIGHTY OZ, WHO CAN THAT THEREFORE, IF WE GIVE YOU MONEY AND WE REALLY TIGHTEN UP ACCOUNTABILITY HARD, THEREFORE WE'LL HAVE RESULTS.
THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE MISALIGNED.
MONEY OF ITSELF DOESN'T YIELD RESULTS.
AND HOPEFULLY THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN [INAUDIBLE] THAT HELPS THAT.
HELP BRING ABOUT THE RESULTS THAT THEY'RE INTENDING.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A PROCESS.
I HAVE COMMENTS, BUT I'M GOING TO HOLD THEM FOR THE END, BUT I APPRECIATE THE REFERENCE TO OZ.
I JUST WONDER IF THAT BOARD IS THE IMAGE OF OZ, OR IF IT'S THE OZ BEHIND THE CURTAIN THAT JUST.
LET'S HEAR THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION.
YEAH, I MEAN, I'LL SAY I THINK THEY HAVE THE NOBLEST OF INTENTIONS, RIGHT, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD, IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING TO BE BUMPY AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT.
THIS IS ALSO-- THIS IS A FOUR BILLION DOLLAR, 10 YEAR PROCESS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK THE SAME AT THE END AS THE LEGISLATION LOOKS NOW.
THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE CHANGES AND TWEAKS AND FIXES ALONG THE WAY AS WE SEE WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT'S NOT WORKING.
SO, I DO THINK IT WILL EVOLVE, BUT I THINK THE AIB MEMBERS MIGHT [INAUDIBLE], YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE AND THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THIS PLAN DOESN'T JUST MEAN MORE MONEY, THAT IT MEANS, YOU KNOW, BETTER RESULTS FOR STUDENTS.
AND THAT, THAT PART OF THAT FUNDING WITHHOLDING IS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SAY 'WHAT YOU'RE DOING ISN'T WORKING, BUT LET'S WORK TOGETHER, LET'S COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THINGS THAT WE THINK IS GOING TO WORK BETTER BASED ON SUCCESSES THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING OR OTHER RESEARCH.
AND WHEN WE COME TO AGREEMENT ON THAT, THEN WE'LL RELEASE THE FUNDS SO THAT YOU CAN WORK ON IMPLEMENTING THAT AND MAKING THE IMPROVEMENTS'.
THE OTHER PIECE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS ALSO AND SORRY, SARAH, THEY ALSO HAVE VERY DIRECT GUIDANCE AT SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE THEN GIVEN--.
KIND OF LIKE WHEN WE HAD AYP JAIL? YEAH, IT'S MORE INTENSIVE THAN THE OLD AYP JAIL BECAUSE NOBODY EVER REALLY WOULD HELP FUND WITH AYP JAIL.
ACTUALLY, AYP JAIL USUALLY BROUGHT YOU MORE FUNDS.
SO TAKING AWAY FUNDS IS JUST GOING TO RIGHT.
IT'S GOING TO EXASPERATE-- USE OUR PRESCRIPTION.
AND THEN ONCE YOU AGREE TO USE OUR PRESCRIPTION, WE THEN GIVE YOU THE FUNDING [INAUDIBLE].
BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO.
THEY WANT YOU TO [INAUDIBLE] AGREE TO FOLLOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU TO DO AND THEN THEY'LL GIVE YOU YOUR FUNDS, IS THE WAY IT READS.
OH YEAH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND-- I'M SORRY IT ISN'T--.
WE'RE NOT UPSET WITH YOU AT ALL.
I HOPE YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT OUR FRUSTRATION IS NOT WITH YOU.
IT'S WITH-- AND WE'VE HEARD THESE CONVERSATIONS--.
I WANT TO BLAME THE MESSENGER.
[LAUGHTER] AND THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE HAPPENED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THEY'VE HAPPENED AT STATE ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
[01:25:01]
IT'S JUST, IT'S GETTING REAL.OH, TRUST ME, I-- THAT WORKING IN CAROLINE COUNTY WOULD-- NOT A WEALTHY COUNTY.
THE SAME EXACT FRUSTRATIONS ARE BEING FELT--.
IN THE VERY WEALTHY DISTRICTS.
ALMOST THE SAME EXACT PAINS THEY'RE WRESTLING WITH.
HE VETOED IT, DIDN'T HE? I KNEW I LIKED HIM.
YEAH, I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT KERWIN FROM THE COUNTY SIDE FOR YEAR.
SO YOU GUYS CAN'T BE ANY MADDER THAN I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH [INAUDIBLE] REPORTER.
ALL RIGHT, I'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE MORE SLIDES TO GET THROUGH.
SO, THIS IS AGAIN THE TIMELINE AS IT STANDS NOW.
KERWIN HAS SAID, AND HE'S ON THE AIB, HE SAID IN MULTIPLE DIFFERENT SETTINGS.
HE DOESN'T THINK THIS IS REALISTIC GIVEN HOW FAR BEHIND THEY ARE.
I'LL ALSO SAY MSDE HAS HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF TURNOVER, NOT JUST A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, BUT LOTS OF OTHER KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS HAVE TURNED OVER A LOT OF RETIREMENTS OR PEOPLE MOVING ON TO OTHER JOBS.
AND SO A LOT OF THE FOLKS WHO WERE REALLY HERE WHEN THE BLUEPRINT WAS BEING DEVELOPED AND THE [INAUDIBLE] WAS DOING ITS WORK HAVE LEFT.
AND SO THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM IN A LOT OF WAYS AND STAFFING UP AND GETTING KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THEIR NEW RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THIS BEHEMOTH.
SO WE SET UP A STEERING COMMITTEE AND WORKGROUP STRUCTURE TO DEVELOP OUR LOCAL PLAN WITH WORK GROUPS FOCUSING ON EACH OF THE DIFFERENT POLICY PILLARS OF THE BLUEPRINT.
SO THE STEERING COMMITTEE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERALL KIND OF GUIDANCE OF THE PLAN.
THEY'LL GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EACH ONE OF THE SUBJECTS SPECIFIC WORK GROUPS, AND THEY'LL MAKE THE FINAL DECISIONS ON WHAT SHOULD MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE PLAN WHEN THE PLAN IS FINISHED.
THEY WILL BE THE ONES ULTIMATELY TO RECOMMEND IT TO YOU ALL FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
THEY'LL ALSO SERVE AS THE WORK GROUP FOR ANY ISSUES RELATED TO GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THEY'LL ASSIST WITH COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT.
SIMMONS AND THE CHAIRS OF EACH OF THE WORK GROUPS AND STAFF FROM FINANCE, EQUITY, STUDENT SERVICES, SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AND THE HEAD OF THE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE FIVE WORK GROUPS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON POLICY AREAS.
SO, IN THE BLUEPRINT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND CTE ARE TOGETHER UNDER ONE POLICY PILLAR.
WE'VE DONE SEPARATE WORK GROUPS FOR THOSE THAT WE CAN REALLY KIND OF FOCUS ON THE SEPARATE ISSUES UNDER EACH AND GIVE THEM THE TIME AND ATTENTION WE THINK CTE DESERVES.
SO WE'VE GOT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY ANGELA GEBERT.
IT INCLUDES OUR INTERNAL FOLKS WHO WORK ON EARLY CHILDHOOD ISSUES, AS WELL AS PRIVATE DAYCARE AND DAYCARE CENTER PROVIDERS.
WE'VE GOT HIGH QUALITY AND DIVERSE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEADERS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE EDUCATOR CAREER LADDER JUST CHAIRED BY [INAUDIBLE] AND INCLUDE HR FINANCE, OUR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION COORDINATOR, AS WELL AS SEVERAL TEACHERS AND SCHOOL LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS, MANY OF WHOM ARE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION HOLDERS.
A THIRD IS COLLEGE AND CAREER READY, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY LINDSEY MCCORMICK.
AND IT CUTS A WIDE FRAMEWORK OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
AND FOLKS LIKE SCHOOL COUNSELORS.
AND IT ALSO INCLUDES THE VICE PRESIDENT FROM CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE, WHO OVERSEES DUAL ENROLLMENT.
COLLEGE, CAREER READINESS IS CHAIRED BY COURTNEY [INAUDIBLE] AND INCLUDES [INAUDIBLE] LEADERSHIP, INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALISTS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, BUT ALSO INCLUDES THE VICE PRESIDENT AT CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE, WHO OVERSEES THEIR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS AND CTE TYPE PROGRAMS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD AND TWO PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES.
THEN FINALLY, RESOURCES TO ENSURE ALL STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL IS CHAIRED BY ELIZABETH ANTHONY AND INCLUDES OUR INTERNAL FOLKS TO INCLUDE STAFF WHO ARE FOCUSED ON SPECIAL POPULATIONS LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AS WELL AS EQUITY,
[01:30:01]
MENTAL HEALTH AND EXCUSE ME, AND OUTSIDE PARTNERS SUCH AS CHOPTANK HEALTH, THE YMCA, RECREATION AND PARKS AND THE LOCAL CARE TEAM COORDINATOR.SO ALL OF THE GROUPS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD WORK GROUP, HAVE MET AND WE'VE DONE DEEP DIVE TRAINING ON THE PARTS OF [INAUDIBLE]THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING AND HAD SOME EARLY DISCUSSION ABOUT QUESTIONS THEY HAVE AND CONCERNS.
EARLY CHILDHOOD IS TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO COORDINATE JUST DUE TO THE SCHEDULING DEMAND FOR OUR PRIVATE PROVIDERS, BUT THEY'LL BE HAVING THEIR FIRST MEETING HERE IN JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
OTHER PLANNING ACTIONS, SO WE'VE DONE OVERVIEW TRAINING ON THE ENTIRE BLUEPRINT FOR [INAUDIBLE].
AND THEN WE OFFERED THREE DIFFERENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF THE WORK GROUP PARTICIPANTS TO GET THAT SAME OVERVIEW TRAINING.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW JUST ABOUT THEIR PIECE OF THE BLUEPRINT, BUT THEY REALLY HAD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE BLUEPRINT IN ITS ENTIRETY SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S ALL SUPPOSED TO FIT TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS.
[INAUDIBLE] MONTHLY WITH ALL 24 BLUEPRINT COORDINATORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND THE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION ARE PART OF THAT MONTHLY MEETING AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'VE CREATED WORK GROUPS UNDER THAT STRUCTURE THAT [INAUDIBLE] VERY SIMILAR TO THE PLANNING WORK GROUPS THAT WE'RE USING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL HERE.
THE EASTERN SHORE AS A [INAUDIBLE] MEMBER, THE [INAUDIBLE] COORDINATORS HAVE BEGUN HAVING SEPARATE MEETINGS.
I'VE MET WITH THE CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE PRESIDENT AND HIS SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES OF THIS THAT CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE IS EITHER RESPONSIBLE FOR OR A SIGNIFICANT PARTNER IN.
I'VE MET WITH THE LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD, INVESTMENT DIRECTOR BOARD, AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE GOVERNOR'S WORKFORCE BOARD, WHICH IS WHERE CTE WILL COME TO LIVE UNDER THE BLUEPRINT.
SO I'VE HAD GOOD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM, BOTH THE LOCAL LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL ON HOW THEY'RE APPROACHING THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WILL FALL TO THEM UNDER THE BLUEPRINT.
AND THEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS HOLDING MANY MEETINGS RELATED TO THE BLUEPRINT [INAUDIBLE] DIFFERENT [INAUDIBLE] SUBGROUPS.
YOU KNOW, EARLY CHILDHOOD COORDINATORS AND CTE COORDINATORS.
SO THESE STATEWIDE MEETINGS, AS I'M SURE YOU GUYS KNOW FROM GETTING TOGETHER WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES FROM ACROSS THE STATE, HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO TALK ABOUT HOW EVERYONE IS INTERPRETING DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE LAW AND WHAT-- I THINK IT MEANS THIS.
HOW ARE YOU INTERPRETING IT? THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT NEED CLARIFICATION RIGHT AWAY, AND WE'RE KIND OF WORKING TOGETHER WITH MARY PAT AT [INAUDIBLE] TO KEEP A RUNNING LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR MSDE, OR THAT WE NEED THE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD TO ADDRESS AND PROVIDE CLARIFICATION FOR.
SO NEXT STEPS, OUR WORK GROUPS WILL CONTINUE TO MEET ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH.
WE MAY CREATE SOME BREAKOUT GROUPS TO WORK ON SPECIFIC ISSUES OR SPECIFIC PIECES OF THE PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS FIRST ON THE PARTS THAT ARE CLEAR TO US AND MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHERE WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT, WHAT MARCHING ORDERS WILL BE AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS WILL BE.
AN EXAMPLE IS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO [INAUDIB] PRE-K THE LEVEL THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT PRE-K EXPANSION ITSELF IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE NEED TO CREATE MORE SLOTS AND MORE CLASSROOMS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO THAT'S AN EARLY AREA WHERE WE CAN START TO GET TO WORK EVEN WITHOUT A LOT OF ADDITIONAL CLARITY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO STAY FLEXIBLE AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THE AIB AND THE CTE COMMITTEE GETS FORMED.
WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY AS FISCAL ASSUMPTIONS BECOME CLEARER, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY HAPPEN VERY SOON, AS DR.
WE'LL UPDATE YOU GUYS REGULARLY ON PROGRESS AND ANY KEY NEW INFORMATION WE THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE.
AND THEN WE'LL START IN THE SPRING, EXPANDING OUR OVERVIEW TRAINING TO TEACHERS SO THEY CAN START TO BUILD THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE COMING AND REALLY SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS WITH THEM AND EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF PURSUING NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION AND GET MORE TEACHERS INTERESTED IN STARTING THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN WE CAN ALSO DO INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATIONS FOR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE BLUEPRINT.
NOW THAT IMPLEMENTATION IS STARTING TO HAPPEN AS MORE GROUPS ARE HEARING ABOUT IT
[01:35:02]
AND STARTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN.AND SO THERE MAY BE EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS WHO WOULD LIKE OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS AND SO WE CAN DO THOSE AS WELL.
YOU'VE GOT MY CONTACT INFORMATION THERE, BUT I'M ALSO VERY HAPPY TO TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS YOU'VE GOT.
I HAVE-- THIS IS GREAT, SARAH, I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS, AND THEN I'LL GET TO A QUESTION.
IT SOUNDS LIKE PEOPLE AT MSDE ARE GETTING OUT OF THERE.
I WON'T MENTION RATS LEAVING A SHIP OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
IT'S JUST PEOPLE MAYBE DON'T WANT JUST KIND OF FASCINATING.
BUT FIRST OF ALL, SARAH, THANK YOU.
REALLY APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S VERY HELPFUL, CLARIFIES A LOT OF THINGS.
AND DR. SIMMONS HAS KEPT US WELL INFORMED.
BUT THIS GOES INTO GREATER DETAIL AND MUCH APPRECIATED, AND ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU REALLY [INAUDIBLE] NOT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT YET SO MUCH APPRECIATED.
THE WHOLE THING AND AGAIN, NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.
THE WHOLE THING SEEMS SO TOP DOWN TO HAVE THIS BOARD OF ELITISTS THAT HAVE NO CONNECTION TO RURAL AREAS WHATSOEVER, AND THEY CAN ACT LIKE THEY DO.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF LIKE THE BRITISH ROYALTY SAYING THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON THE SERVANT STAFF.
IT REALLY FEELS VERY TOP DOWN.
IF THEY'RE BRIGHT AND THEY'RE ENGAGED.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF US WE SHALL SEE.
BUT I'LL GET TO THAT POINT IN A MINUTE.
WHAT I FEAR IS THAT THEY WON'T MEET THE INITIAL PARTS OF THIS TIMELINE, AND IT JUST BEGINS TO GET COMPRESSED.
AND I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE WITH WHOEVER IS THAT LAST STAGE IN A TIMELINE? OH, YOU'RE STICKING TO YOUR DEADLINE, BUT THE REST OF THEM DON'T MAKE THOSE DEADLINES.
THEY DON'T HAVE THAT STATE PLAN.
SO YOU'RE MOVING ALONG, TRYING TO MIND READ.
YEAH, WE KNOW WHAT THEY'LL THEY'RE GOING TO WANT US TO DO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LIKE MIND READ WHERE THEY'RE HEADING, AND THEN WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO OUR PLAN.
I JUST WORRY THAT THAT COMPRESSION, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO MOVE FORWARD.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PIECES OF THIS THAT IT CAN'T WAIT.
AND SO IF THAT JUNE TIMELINE, IF THAT DEADLINE IS STILL THERE AND YOU HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO REALLY KNOW WHAT'S COMING, IT JUST MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE WISE AS YOU'RE DOING, AS EVERYBODY HEARS THE STAFF IS DOING TO DO THE PARTS YOU CAN THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE GOING TO BE IN THERE, THAT IS VERY WISE.
AND I WORRY ABOUT THAT TIMELINE AGAIN, THAT TOP DOWN THINKING, OH YEAH, THEY'LL MAKE IT WORK.
YOU KNOW, THOSE MINIONS, THEY'LL GET IT DONE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING FROM THOSE LITTLE COUNTIES.
WHAT DO THEY KNOW? [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S HOW IT FEELS.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.
SO THAT BRINGS ME TO MY QUESTION, AND MAYBE WE'LL HEAR THIS LATER WITH OUR BUDGET.
AND IT'S A TWO WORD QUESTION HOW MUCH-- ARE WE GETTING MONEY IN THIS COMING YEAR? AND IF WE ARE, HOW MUCH AND HOW DO WE SPEND THAT MONEY AND ON WHAT? SO I DON'T NEED TO HAVE A COMPLETE ANSWER FOR THAT, MORE OF A RHETORICAL QUESTION.
BUT JUST KIND OF PUTTING IT OUT THERE THAT I'M SURE CURIOUS AND THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AWFUL LOT OF SCAMPERING AROUND.
[INAUDIBLE] COUNT THE MONEY AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO SPEND IT ON AND HOW THAT'S GOT TO BE DRIVING A LOT OF IT.
THE NEWS ISN'T NECESSARILY ALL GREAT, BUT IT REALLY IS HELPFUL AND HELPS ME UNDERSTAND IT MUCH BETTER.
AND I'VE GOT TWO-- WOULD LIKE AND YOUR COMMENTS ON THE MONEY.
SO, WHAT WE HAVE IS PROJECTIONS FROM THE FISCAL NOTES FOR THE TWO BILLS FOR THE BLUEPRINT.
SO WE DO HAVE PROJECTIONS OF FUNDING BY CATEGORY BY YEAR, BOTH STATE AND LOCAL INCREASES IN FUNDING.
THOSE NUMBERS, I WOULD SAY, ARE A LITTLE BIT SQUISHY.
AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS [INAUDIBLE] SAY, WE'LL START TO SEE WHAT NUMBERS ACTUALLY MAKE IT INTO THE BUDGET, BUT WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE FUNDING IS GOING TO BE AND IT IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
SO, YOU KNOW, ERIN [INAUDIBLE] A SPREADSHEET THAT I MADE PREVIOUSLY ON THAT KIND OF TOOK ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE FISCAL NOTE AND KIND OF TRY TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER IN ONE SPREADSHEET.
BUT IT IS A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN FUNDING OVER THE 10 YEARS TO THE TUNE OF TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT COMING, YOU KNOW, AS UNFUNDED MANDATE KNOW
[01:40:04]
WHETHER THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY TO ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH WHAT NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED CERTAINLY REMAINS TO BE SEEN, AND WE DEFINITELY GOT SOME CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL BE ENOUGH.BUT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT FUNDING COMING.
AND THEN JUST ON THE TOP DOWN THING, I JUST HAVE TO SAY IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE IF IT FEELS TOP DOWN, THAT'S NOT A MISTAKE.
WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THESE TOP PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD, MOST OF THEM WERE IN COUNTRIES THAT HAVE EDUCATION SYSTEMS THAT ARE STRUCTURED VERY DIFFERENTLY THAN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY HAVE A MUCH MORE CENTRALIZED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AND SO THE FACT THAT OURS IS TRADITIONALLY BEEN MORE LOCALLY LOCAL BASED, I THINK, HAS A LOT OF ADVANTAGES.
BUT THE COMMISSION, WHEN THEY LOOKED AT THOSE OTHER SYSTEMS THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE BETTER PERFORMERS, THAT'S ACTUALLY A DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC.
SO, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT YOU FELT THAT COMING THROUGH BECAUSE WHILE IT WASN'T EVER [INAUDIBLE] SAID, IT WAS THERE IN THE RESEARCH.
AND I KNOW IT WENT THROUGH OUR LEGISLATURE, BUT THAT'S ONE PIECE, BUT THE SECOND PIECE IS HOW DO YOU CARRY THINGS OUT? AND IF EVERY STATE DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONED THIS WAY, [INAUDIBLE] NOT BE A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE.
THAT'S JUST MY EDITORIAL COMMENT FOR [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE HOW THEY LOOKED AT COUNTRIES THAT WERE SUCCESSFUL.
I USED TO THINK THE SAME THING.
WHY DON'T WE JUST GO LOOK AT WHAT'S WORKING? AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY BIG THINGS LIKE, LOOK AT JAPAN.
THEY'RE THERE AT THE TOP OF EVERYTHING.
AND THEN I HAD ONE REALLY GOOD ANSWER THAT SHUT ME UP AND LOOK AT THE SUICIDE RATE OF THEIR CHILDREN, OK, AND HOW THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE A LIFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT THAT ASPECT, AND OUR SOCIETY IS NOT GEARED THE SAME WAY THAT THOSE OTHER SOCIETIES ARE AND TO EXPECT EVERYTHING TO JUST [GESTURE] ON A DIME.
BUT THAT BEING SAID, THE TWO QUESTIONS IS OUR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.
WHO'S PAYING FOR IT? TEACHERS OR COUNTY OR THE STATE? AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT ROUGHLY COST A TEACHER? SO, I CAN ANSWER THAT.
I CAN ANSWER THE FIRST PART OF THAT.
I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT FEES ARE, BUT THE FEES ARE FULLY COVERED FOR TEACHERS BY THE STATE AND COUNTIES.
COUNTIES HAVE, I THINK, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, A ONE THIRD SHARE AND THE STATE PAYS THE REST OF THOSE FEES.
A TEACHER, IF A TEACHER DOESN'T COMPLETE THE PROCESS, THEY HAVE TO REIMBURSE THE STATE AND THE STATE THEN REIMBURSES THE COUNTY.
BUT IF THEY COMPLETE THE PROCESS BUT JUST DON'T PASS OR AREN'T ABLE TO ACHIEVE THE CERTIFICATION, BUT THEY'VE DONE ALL THE PIECES THEY HAVE TO DO, THEN THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE.
BUT THERE ARE NO DIRECT COSTS TO TEACHERS FOR GOING THROUGH THE MVC PROCESS.
AND THEN YOU SAID, I THINK TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU WERE GOING TO GO MORE IN DEPTH WITH TEACHERS ABOUT WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE ROAD, CORRECT? [INAUDIBLE] DO HAVE SOME IDEA AT THIS POINT, DON'T THEY? I MEAN-- THEY DON'T HAVE THE DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE WE'RE JUST GETTING THAT [INAUDIBLE] RIGHT NOW FROM THE BOARD TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING [INAUDIBLE].
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OUR FRUSTRATION IS NOT AT YOU AT ALL.
[INAUDIBLE] I WAS A CHIEF OF STAFF FOR 10 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN IN LOTS OF CONTENTIOUS MEETINGS AND LOTS OF CONTENTIOUS BILL HEARINGS.
YOU ALL HAVE BEEN LOVELY AND IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD CONVERSATION, I THINK.
TIME WILL TELL BUT TO SPEAK TO MR. BARTON'S THING OF THE TRUNCATED TIMELINE, AND I'M JUST SITTING HERE THINKING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SITTING HERE STILL NECK DEEP IN COVID AND YOU'RE HEARING FROM TEACHERS AND PARENTS.
OUR KIDS AREN'T WHERE THEY NEED TO BE FROM THE LAST YEAR OR TWO AND TRYING TO GET THEM BACK.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN-- WE'VE ASKED YOU, WHAT CAN WE POSSIBLY TAKE
[01:45:02]
OFF SOME OF THESE TEACHERS, THE STAFF'S PLATES BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING.AND YET THEY'RE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
SO I HOPE EVERYBODY KNOWS WE'RE TRYING TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND TRYING TO NAVIGATE IT TOGETHER.
[8. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]
THANK YOU.DISCUSSION ITEMS FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION.
WE'RE BACK AROUND TO THE BUDGET.
MS. THORNTON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO? SO, WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT AND I'LL LET ERIN KIND OF GO OVER IT A LITTLE BIT A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES, AND SHE COULD EXPLAIN SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE THERE.
AGAIN, WE'RE BRINGING THE DRAFT OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW ON OUR BUDGET CREATION FOR FY TWENTY THREE.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU'LL NOTICE FOR ONE, THERE'S NO REVENUE LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET AND IT LITERALLY IS BECAUSE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T HAVE REVENUES.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED ALREADY TONIGHT.
WE'RE CHANGING FUNDING FORMULAS.
WE'RE WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET TO DROP AND THEN THOSE NEW PROJECTIONS TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF KIND OF WHAT THAT IMPACT IS.
AND AGAIN, I'LL LET ERIN SPEAK TO SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN HERE.
BUT AS JUST A TIMELINE COMPONENT BASED OFF OF OUR REQUIREMENTS, I WILL BE COMING TO YOU AT THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING WITH MY FINAL SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET, AS IT IS AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
THEN IT GETS PASSED OVER TO THE BOARD AND IT BECOMES THE BOARD BUDGET TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M PART OF IT, WORKING THROUGH IT WITH YOU AS WE GET REVENUE NUMBERS OR THINGS ADJUST ALONG THE WAY, WE CAN MAKE THOSE.
BUT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU OUR MOST COMPLETE BUDGET PICTURE THAT WE CAN HAVE AT THAT POINT IN TIME WITH WHERE THINGS STAND.
AND WITH ANY ADDITIONS IN PRIORITY ORDER THAT I FEEL AND MY TEAM FEELS THAT THAT SHOULD BE THE PRIORITY ORDER FOR ANY ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, PROVIDED WE HAVE FUNDING TO GET DOWN THAT FAR.
BUT THAT'S WHERE IT WILL BE IN FEBRUARY, WHEN I PRESENT TO YOU.
SO, MS. THORNTON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ADDITIONS OR AMENDMENTS [INAUDIBLE] LAST MONTH.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT NEWCOMB, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE SECOND VERSION OF OUR BUDGET SUMMARY DOCUMENT.
AND AS DR. SIMMONS MENTIONED TO YOU, THIS IS NOT SET IN STONE.
IT WILL CHANGE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE FINAL BUDGET ADOPTION.
THE ITEMS THAT I HIGHLIGHTED ARE THE MAJOR CHANGES SINCE THE VERSION THAT YOU SAW LAST MONTH.
THE FIRST TWO LINE ITEMS ARE SOME PROPOSED REDUCTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY, THE FIRST LINE ITEM BEING SOME POSITIONS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THEY CAN BE REDESIGNED OR ELIMINATED.
AND THE INTENT HERE IS NOT TO-- NOBODY'S GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOB-- THE INTENT IS TO HANDLE THIS THROUGH ATTRITION.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH IT, OUR VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15TH.
SO PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, WE'RE GOING TO KNOW.
MOST PEOPLE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE DO LET US KNOW BY THIS DEADLINE.
AND SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THOSE ONE BY ONE AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY POSITIONS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY EVEN MORE SAVINGS THAN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
LINE ITEM NUMBER TWO IS JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.
THE INTENT WHEN WE ADDED THIS TO THE BUDGET SEVERAL YEARS BACK, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN IT WAS ADDED, BUT IT WAS ADDED AT FORTY THOUSAND ORIGINALLY AND THE INTENT WAS TO KEEP REDUCING IT AND PHASE IT OUT OVER TIME AND ALLOW THE BUSINESS SUPPORT TO KICK IN AND FUND THIS COMPLETELY.
WE'VE BEEN PAYING TWENTY THOUSAND FOR, I WANT TO SAY BACK TO FY 16 NOW, AND WE HAVE NOT PHASED IT OUT.
SO JUST KNOWING THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR, THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE YEAR TO PHASE IT OUT AND TURN IT OVER AND ALLOW THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, BUT THAT IS ULTIMATELY UP TO YOU TO MAKE DECISION [INAUDIBLE].
BUT THIS IS WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT IS RECOMMENDING.
THE NEXT HIGHLIGHTED ITEM THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE LAST MONTH IS THE HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASE.
THANK GOODNESS WE GOT SOME BETTER NEWS.
THE RATE STARTED AT 18 PERCENT.
THEY ARE NOW ESTIMATING AROUND.
IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND 10 PERCENT.
THE REASON I GOT DOWN TO 10 PERCENT IS THE [INAUDIBLE] HEALTH ALLIANCE VOTED AT THEIR LAST MEETING TO APPROVE WHAT'S CALLED A MEDICAL CALL AND A BLUE CHOICE OVERLAY OPTIONS.
SO THESE ARE TWO WAYS THAT THE CONSULTANT WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO GET THE RATES DOWN.
MY UNDERSTANDING, I'M NOT A HEALTH INSURANCE EXPERT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE DOING THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES.
[01:50:03]
THEY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF SOME OTHER RESERVES THAT WE HAD.THEY'RE ALSO DOING THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE MEDICAL PROVIDERS TO GET THE RATES DOWN.
I KNOW I MENTIONED LAST MEETING THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ON THE TABLE TO GET THE RATE DOWN.
THEY HAVE MADE THE DECISION NOT TO TOUCH THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT KNOWN.
AND MOVING FURTHER DOWN, LINE ITEM 16.
LAST MONTH, THERE WAS NOTHING IN HERE.
THIS MONTH WE'VE PUT $2 MILLION IN THERE.
THIS FIGURE DOESN'T NECESSARILY REPRESENT ANYTHING.
SALARY ENHANCEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO NEGOTIATIONS BY THE UNION, WHICH WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE MEETING SO FAR, AND THAT WAS JUST TO SCHEDULE WHEN WE'RE GOING TO START IN FEBRUARY.
SO, LIKE I SAID, IT'S MERELY A PLACEHOLDER, BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION BACK TO ALL THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING FROM [INAUDIBLE].
THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE WE ARE GOING-- WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW.
BEGINNING JULY ONE OF TWENTY TWENTY SIX, THE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY HAS TO BE SIXTY THOUSAND.
WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN? BY JULY, ONE OF TWENTY TWENTY SIX.
MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY OF SIXTY THOUSAND.
AND HOW MANY YEARS DOES IT GENERALLY TAKE A TEACHER IN TODAY'S PAY SCALE TO GET TO SIXTY THOUSAND? IT WAS, WHEN I CALCULATED IT, IT'S LIKE A TWENTY THREE PERCENT INCREASE OVER WHAT OUR CURRENT.
SO, WE START NOW AT FORTY EIGHT-- [INAUDIBLE] HAVE TO PULL THE SCALE TO LOOK IT'S FORTY EIGHT FIFTY FIVE.
MY GUESS IS IT WOULD PROBABLY BE 15, 12 SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT WITH A MASTERS.
OF COURSE, YOU-- BUT A NUMBER OF YEARS, I WOULD GUESS, I THOUGHT YOU WANTED THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE.
BUT BASICALLY, NEW TEACHERS ARE GOING TO START AT LIKE TWELVE THOUSAND MORE THAN THEY ARE NOW.
BY FY TWENTY SEVEN, THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO BE.
IF SOMEBODY STAYED ON THE SBC, IT WOULD TAKE UNTIL YEAR 12, CURRENTLY.
SO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUMP MONEY INTO SALARY ENHANCEMENTS TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
AND THE [INAUDIBLE] FUNDING FORMULAS, THEY ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE US THE MONEY TO FUND WHAT IS, THEY DEFINE AS A TEACHER? THERE ARE CERTAIN.
SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FUNDING FOR YOUR SUPPORT STAFF.
AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF CURRENTLY HAS A "ME TOO" AGREEMENT.
SO IF THE TEACHERS NEGOTIATE A ONE PERCENT COLA, THE SUPPORT STAFF GETS A TWO PERCENT COLA.
SO YOU MENTIONED THE AWFUL WORD I'D HATE TO BE [INAUDIBLE].
I'D HATE TO BE THAT GUY AND HAVE MY NAME THROWN AROUND LIKE THIS.
SO IF I'M EVER INVOLVED IN SOMETHING, I'M GETTING TOO OLD TO BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT I'D SAY, NAME IT ANYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, NAME A DRY DOG FOOD.
SO, I'M GLAD TO HEAR SARAH CONTINUE TO CALL IT BLUEPRINT.
BUT SO WHAT MONEY ARE THEY GOING TO WITHHOLD? WHAT ARE THEY GIVING US? ARE WE GETTING MONEY IN THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR FROM THEM? AND IF-- YES.
IF WE BEHAVE, IF WE DO WHAT THE DICTATORS TELL US TO DO, AND I CAN'T SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO BE NICE TO THEM, I CAN CALL THEM DICTATORS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
WE ARE SLATED TO GET INCREASES WITH THE FY TWENTY THREE.
THE PER PUPIL FOUNDATION AMOUNT IS BASED AT, WHICH IS OUR BIGGEST FUNDING PER PUPIL DRIVES.
AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST FUNDING STREAM WE HAVE COMING IN.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO UP BY APPROXIMATELY 12 PERCENT.
NOW YOU ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, THOUGH THE ENROLLMENTS DOWN.
SO WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT? ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET A HOLD HARMLESS THIS YEAR? IS THE GOVERNOR GOING TO GIVE US A HOLD HARMLESS OR IS HE GOING TO CHOOSE NOT TO BECAUSE HE'S SAYING, OH, YOUR PER PUPIL FOUNDATION AMOUNTS ARE ALREADY GOING UP BY 12 PERCENT.
THAT'S THE BIG UNKNOWN IF WE'RE GOING TO GET A HOLD.
BUT THERE IS MONEY COMING THIS YEAR AND--.
THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS WHEN YOU INCREASE SALARY COSTS, YOU ALSO INCREASE PENSION COSTS.
YOU ALSO INCREASE OTHER INCIDENTALS BASED OFF THE SALARY INCREASES.
SO WE HAVE TO JUST PLAN FOR AND PREPARE FOR AND THEN THOSE WHO ARE LEFT OUT OF THE TEACHER CLAUSE [INAUDIBLE] THAT COMES TO SPECIFICALLY FOR TEACHER IS ALIGNED TO THAT.
SO WE'VE JUST-- WE'VE REALLY GOT TO BE CAUTIOUS OF KNOWING THERE IS MONEY COMING, WHICH IS GREAT.
WE JUST NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE AND HOW MUCH TO BE ABLE TO STRATEGICALLY PLAN FOR.
[INAUDIBLE] THIS IS KIND OF LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY.
[01:55:02]
THEY GIVE YOU SOCIAL SECURITY RAISE, BUT THEN THEY RAISE THE COST OF MEDICARE.BUT THEN THEY GET IT BACK THE OTHER WAY.
YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO WITHHOLD IT ANYWAY.
YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THIS YET, BUT I'M CURIOUS.
COST OF SAVINGS IS THREE POINT NINE MILLION PLUS AND THEN CUMULATIVE COST IS FIVE POINT TWO PLUS.
I WAS GOING TO GET TO THAT AT THE END.
[LAUGHTER] SO SAVE YOUR QUESTION FOR LATER.
THE OTHER REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE COMING DOWN THE PIKE AS FAR AS SALARY ENHANCEMENTS IS THAT BETWEEN JULY ONE OF TWENTY NINETEEN AND JUNE 30, TWENTY TWENTY FOUR, WE MUST DEMONSTRATE A 10 PERCENT SALARY INCREASE OVER THE NEGOTIATE-- INCREASE ABOVE THE NEGOTIATED SCHEDULE.
NOW, STILL, TO BE DETERMINED THAT WE'RE WAITING FOR CLARIFICATION ON IS WHAT COUNTS AS THE 10 PERCENT.
THEY HAVE-- THEY PRETTY MUCH TOLD US WITHOUT COMING OUT AND TELLING US THAT STEPS DON'T COUNT.
SOME OF THE CFOS ACROSS THE STATE, YOU KNOW, MADE A JUSTIFICATION THAT STEPS COUNT AND THAT WAS PRESENTED TO RACHEL HISE AT DLS LAST MONTH.
WE STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING, ANY FEEDBACK FROM HER, BUT THEY MADE THEIR CASE THAT STEPS SHOULD COUNT TOWARDS THE 10 PERCENT.
WHAT WE ALSO DON'T KNOW IS HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REQUIRE US TO CALCULATE THE 10 PERCENT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN CALCULATE AND COME UP WITH A PERCENTAGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY CHOOSE TO DEFINE IT, THE ONLY COLAS COUNT TOWARDS THIS 10 PERCENT AND WE GO BACK THEN WE'VE ONLY MET FOUR PERCENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS SO FAR.
THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD TWO PERCENT COLA AND THEN A ONE PERCENT COLA AND THEN ANOTHER ONE PERCENT.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER SIX PERCENT IF ONLY COLAS COUNT.
OVER THAT-- WHAT TIME PERIOD? OVER TWO FISCAL YEARS? OVER TWO TO FISCAL YEAR.
THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THE NEXT.
I'M HOPING THAT'S NOT WHERE THEY GO WITH THIS.
THE CALCULATION METHOD THAT I PREFER AFTER DOING SUBSTANTIAL ANALYSIS AND LOOKING ALL OF THIS STUFF OVER IS WHAT'S CALLED THE AVERAGE SALARY METHODOLOGY.
AND THIS IS WHERE YOU ADD UP ALL OF THE STEPS IN LANES IN THE SCALE AT YOUR STARTING POINT AND DIVIDE IT BY THE NUMBER OF STEPS AND LANES TO GET AN AVERAGE.
AND SO IF WE DO, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STARTING POINT, WHICH IS JULY ONE, 2019, THAT SCALE AND COMPARE IT TO THE SCALE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW, WE'VE MET SIX POINT SEVEN TWO PERCENT.
SO WE'RE RIGHT ON PACE TO GET THERE WITH TWO MORE FISCAL YEARS TO GO.
AND THAT'S HOW I FEEL, WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CALCULATE IT.
I MEAN, STILL TO BE DETERMINED, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET US INFORMATION SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO KNOW WHAT COUNTS AS THE 10 PERCENT SO WE KNOW WHAT TO NEGOTIATE.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION NEXT MONTH.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GET BLOOD OUT OF A STONE.
[INAUDIBLE] THAT'S SORT OF WHAT-- I MEAN, AND IT'S NOT ONLY THE SALARY ENHANCEMENT PART TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ADDITIONAL RETIREMENT COSTS BECAUSE WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NORMAL COSTS, WHICH IS WHENEVER WE GET AN INCREASE, WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO COME UP WITH THE RETIREMENT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT INCREASE.
ALSO, THE EMPLOYER SHARE SOCIAL SECURITY.
I MEAN, SO IT'S NOT JUST THE SALARY.
AND THEN YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE OTHER GROUPS LIKE THE SUPPORT GROUP.
SO AFTER THAT DEPRESSING NEWS MOVING ALONG.
YEAH, BUT YOU HAD THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
YES, GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
YES, THAT WAS THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE NIGHT.
BECAUSE THAT WAS QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
THAT WAS ABOUT WHAT, SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND? YES.
I MEAN, AND IT'S STILL WE WON'T HAVE A FINAL UNTIL APRIL.
RIGHT? SO KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED.
LINE ITEM NUMBER 19 THIS IS A NEW LINE ITEM THAT WAS NOT ON HERE LAST MONTH, AND WE NEED TO ADD A GRANTS ACCOUNTANT IN THE FINANCE OFFICE.
WE NOW HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR GRANTS.
THE FUNDING AMOUNT OF THE GRANTS HAS TRIPLED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS.
A LOT OF IT IS DUE TO THE BLUEPRINT MONEY THAT'S COMING IN AND IT HAS TO BE TRACKED SEPARATELY, AS WELL AS THE [INAUDIBLE] MONEY THAT'S BEEN COMING IN.
AND SO WE DEFINITELY NEED A GRANTS ACCOUNTANT TO BE ABLE TO TRACK ALL OF THESE AND REPORT ON THEM.
AND THIS IS WHY I MENTIONED IN THE FINANCE REPORT EARLIER.
MY THINKING IS THAT IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A TWENTY FIVE PERCENT LOCAL SHARE, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, WE CAN GET THE OTHER THREE QUARTERS
[02:00:01]
OF IT FROM OUR GRANTS.WE CAN CHARGE THE GRANTS INDIRECT COSTS, WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE TWO PERCENT.
WE DO A CALCULATION EVERY YEAR THAT TELLS US WHAT WE CAN CHARGE AND THAT CALCULATE RIGHT NOW WE CAN CHARGE A GRANT TWO PERCENT.
SO IF WE CHARGE OUR TITLE ONE GRANT AND THE COVID GRANTS AND SOME OF OUR LARGER GRANTS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE UP THE REST OF THE MONEY, WE NEED TO GET THERE WITHOUT LOCAL HAVING TO PICK UP THE FULL COST OF THIS POSITION.
AND YOU MENTIONED GRANTS ACCOUNT.
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SALARY ENHANCEMENTS DUE TO THE BLUEPRINT AND ALL THAT.
I MEAN, THIS IS REALLY BLOWING UP THE WHOLE NEGOTIATE-- SALARY NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS ANYWAY TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.
AND I KNOW WHEN I FIRST CAME ON IT DID, YOU KNOW IT WAS DIFFERENT FOR ME BECAUSE I CAME FROM A DIFFERENT AREA? BUT THESE GRANTS WE HAVE, IF THEY GIVE US A POSITION, I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE.
BUT I MEAN, ARE WE GOING TO A PLACE? WHAT IF A GRANT GIVES US A POSITION FOR A SPECIAL ED? WHETHER IT'S A TEACHER OR ASSISTANT, LET'S JUST SAY A SALARY OF, LET'S JUST SAY, 60 GRAND, BECAUSE THAT'S THE STARTING SPOT FOR A TEACHER.
AND THAT'S A THREE YEAR OLD-- THREE YEAR GRANT WE GET SOMEWHERE.
BUT THE SALARY DOESN'T CHANGE IN THE GRANT OR SOME GRANTS MAYBE THEY DO.
I'VE BEEN OUT OF GRANT WRITING FOR A WHILE, BUT OTHER GRANTS THAT SAY, OK, WE'VE GOT A POSITION FOR HERE'S A THREE YEAR GRANT AND YOU WROTE IT FOR A SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS SALARY.
THAT'S X SALARY SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
BUT THAT'S NOT HOW WE'VE HISTORICALLY DONE IT.
WE'VE KEPT THEM WITH THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES.
UN-GRANTED, YOU KNOW, FULL, NOT [INAUDIBLE] EMPLOYEES GIVEN STEPS AND COLAS.
I MEAN, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR ANY CONSIDERATION OF GRANT EMPLOYEES BEING IN A WHOLE SEPARATE UN-NEGOTIATED DIVISION? I MEAN.
I HAD SOME CONVERSATION WITH THE HR FOR US TO TRY TO EXPLORE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE OF HAVING CONTRACTUAL.
WE HAVE SOME CONTRACTUAL [INAUDIBLE], BUT HAVING CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES AND WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THAT POSITION, THE CHALLENGE WE MAY RUN INTO IT.
CHALLENGE YOU RUN INTO COULD BE THAT HE CAN'T BE A SIMILAR POSITION TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITH A FULL TIME POSITION BECAUSE WE'RE RECRUITING TO FILL A POSITION WHERE THIS ONE IS DOING BASICALLY THE SAME THING, GETTING [INAUDIBLE] AND AGAIN THOSE ARE DIFFERENT.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT SORT OF STRUCTURE WITHIN THE GRANT.
BUT I HEAR EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BECAUSE THAT'S THE STEADY INCREASE.
AND [INAUDIBLE] RUNS INTO THIS [INAUDIBLE] ALL THE TIME AS WE ENHANCE THE ADVANCEMENT FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES.
HER GRANTS TYPICALLY INCREASE ONE PERCENT, TWO PERCENT A YEAR AT BEST.
EVERY YEAR, AS RAISES GO UP, [INAUDIBLE] COST OF LIVING GOES UP.
[INAUDIBLE] STEPS, WHICH IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR ARE A STEP IS OFTEN SEEN AS RAISE THOSE BASIC THINGS THAT HAPPEN REALLY SQUEEZE GRANTS SOMETHING UNREAL.
THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU'RE [INAUDIBLE] IS TO GRANT SUSTAINED POSITION LIKE [INAUDIBLE] CENTERS.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY'RE COMPLETELY GRANT FUNDED ENTITIES.
IF YOUR GRANTS DON'T GO UP, YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP CUTTING SOMEWHERE ELSE TO COVER YOUR COSTS.
SO YOU'RE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT SPOT ON.
WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO POSSIBLY CONSIDER THAT FOR SOME OF OUR GRANTS, BECAUSE THAT IS, IT DOES BECOME A CHALLENGE.
[INAUDIBLE] SPECIAL EDUCATION HANDLES THIS ALL THE TIME, THE STAFF THAT ARE IN GRANTS AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY START EATING UP TOO MUCH OF THE GRANT? WE RUN INTO THIS WITH TEACHER SPECIALISTS WHO ARE PAID FOR AS [INAUDIBLE] AS THEY GET MORE SEASONED, THEY COST MORE AND WHEN THEY COST MORE [INAUDIBLE] GRANT MORE.
THAN WE USED TO DO IT YEARS AGO, WE WOULD-- IF A SCHOOL GOT A TITLE ONE ALLOCATION THAT WASN'T AS LARGE AS A SCHOOL [INAUDIBLE] LOT MORE.
THE PERSON WHO COST MORE, WE WOULD TRANSFER THEM TO THE SCHOOL THAT HAS MORE TITLE ONE MONEY BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DIDN'T HAVE IT.
YEAH, IT COULDN'T SUSTAIN IT BECAUSE WE'RE [INAUDIBLE] FOR OUR GRANTS.
SO WE'VE HAD TO DO THAT AND WE'VE TRY TO AVOID IT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO PRICE OURSELVES OUT.
IT'S-- IT'S NOT A-- I DON'T LIKE THAT SOLUTION AT ALL.
BUT IF I GUESS I'M SAYING IF BLUEPRINTS ALREADY BLOWN UP THE [INAUDIBLE] IN THE NEGOTIATED SALARY EQUATION AND WHERE I CAME FROM, I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 10 YEAR OLD POSITIONS AND PEOPLE MAKING $100000, YOU KNOW, 80 TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR.
I WAS TALKING ABOUT FOOT IN THE DOOR TWENTY TO TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, GRANT POSITIONS THAT REALLY GOT YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR.
AND THEN AS SOON AS THAT FULL TIME PIN OR FULL TIME POSITION OPENED UP, YOU'D HAVE NO TRAINING.
YOU KNOW, THEY JUST STEPPED IN AND THEN YOU HIRED THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, ENTRY
[02:05:02]
LEVEL POSITION.BUT I DON'T KNOW, JUST IT'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES.
I MEAN, THAT'S PUTTING IT MILDLY.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE I'M SORRY, ERIN, WE'RE SO-- THAT'S OK.
I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS LINE ITEM HAS DECREASED SINCE LAST MONTH, AND THAT DECREASE IS DUE TO THE REDUCTION IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE RATE.
GOING FROM 18 PERCENT DOWN TO 10 PERCENT HAS CAUSED THIS LINE ITEM TO COME IN AT ONE POINT TWO MILLION DOLLARS INSTEAD OF YOUR ORIGINAL ONE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
NOW, IS THAT BREAKDOWN ACCURATE? I MEAN, AM I READING THAT IN THAT, THAT CHANGE IS TWENTY TWO THOUSAND IN ACTUALLY PAY, PAY? MM HMM.
IT'S NOT THE PAY THAT'S COSTING US, IT'S THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND THIS IS TRULY AN ESTIMATE.
IT'S NOT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
IT'S NOT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO.
THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO ANTICIPATE THAT IF WE OPEN THIS UP AND OFFER FULL TIME BENEFITS THAT PEOPLE THAT CURRENTLY DON'T TAKE HEALTH INSURANCE ARE GOING TO COME ON BOARD AND TAKE OUT, THEY MIGHT CURRENTLY BE GETTING IT THROUGH THEIR SPOUSE NOW BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR FULL TIME.
BUT WHEN THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FULL TIME, MAYBE IT WOULD BE A BETTER OPTION FOR THEM TO COME ON BOARD WITH A CCPS HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AND THEY'LL COME ON AT A FAMILY RATE.
SO THAT'S WHY WHEN I DID THIS PROJECTION, I TOOK AN AVERAGE OF OUR LOWER HEALTH [INAUDIBLE] EPO HEALTH INSURANCE.
I TOOK AN AVERAGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARENT, CHILD, HUSBAND, WIFE AND FAMILY.
I TOOK IT WITH THAT AVERAGED OUT AND MULTIPLIED AT TIMES THE NUMBER OF SIX POINT SEVENTY FIVE [INAUDIBLE] EMPLOYEES TO COME UP WITH THIS NUMBER.
IT CAN ONLY BE YOUR BEST PROFESSIONAL ESTIMATE.
SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A GUESS, BUT YOU PUT MORE WORK INTO IT THAN A GUESS.
AND SO HOW DO YOU KNOW? WE HAD TO PUT A NUMBER ON IT? AND SO THIS IS THE NUMBER.
AND I MEAN, IF THE HEALTH INSURANCE, HOPEFULLY HEALTH INSURANCE WILL KEEP DECREASING.
SO THAT WILL IMPACT THIS LINE ITEM.
I THINK NOT JUST ME, BUT OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ARE GLAD TO SEE YOU'VE INCLUDED THIS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO KNOW AND LOOK AT AND CONSIDER AS WE-- ONCE THIS BUDGET BECOMES OURS.
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT IN THERE AND PUTTING THAT WORK IN ON IT.
AND I ALSO-- I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT IT, BUT BACK UP TO NUMBER TWENTY FIVE AT LAST MONTH'S BOARD MEETING, SOMEBODY ASKED, WELL, WHAT WOULD THE DEAN OF STUDENTS COST? AND SO I JUST DID THAT CALCULATION.
IF THIS DECISION IS MADE TO GO THE CHEAPER ROUTE AND GET A DEAN OF STUDENTS AS OPPOSED TO AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DEAN AND AN AP? DEAN IS A TEACHER CONTRACT [INAUDIBLE] 11 MONTHS.
[INAUDIBLE] IT'S A TEACHER WHO'S LOOKING AT GOING IN TO ADMIT.
THEY CAN'T DO OBSERVATIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE A TEACHER CONTRACT, THEY CAN HELP PROVIDE COVERAGE.
THEY CAN WORK KIND OF LOWER LEVEL DISCIPLINE INFRACTIONS, STUDENTS THEY CAN'T SUSPEND, [INAUDIBLE] MONEY AS ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFIED, BUT THEY CAN PROVIDE HEALTH COVERAGE FOR THINGS AS WELL.
BUT IT TYPICALLY IT'S MORE LIKE [INAUDIBLE] CALL [INAUDIBLE] INTERNSHIP [INAUDIBLE] THEY ARE WORKING HARD.
BUT IT'S THAT SORT OF THE PIECE THEY TAKE ON TESTING RESPONSIBILITIES TO PULL THAT [INAUDIBLE] OF THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS THERE IN THAT [INAUDIBLE].
WHAT-- IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE SHOULD CHOOSE BUY WHAT'S NEEDED MORE, THEN-- ? OH, PERFECT WORLD WOULD BE WHAT'S NEEDED MORE.
YEAH, COME DOWN TO THE USE YOUR BLOOD AND STONE ANALOGY TO COME DOWN TO WHERE WE HAVE DOLLARS AND CENTS WISE.
AND THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHAT APPEARS IN THE BUDGET COLUMN.
FOR THE DOLLARS AND CENTS WISE WHEN THE RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM THE SCHOOL [INAUDIBLE].
THE RECOMMENDATION IS THEY WANT ADDITIONAL [INAUDIBLE] SUPPORT.
[INAUDIBLE] UNDERSTAND [INAUDIBLE] ALL ON KIDS, BUT IT ALSO CAME IN [INAUDIBLE].
WITH THE ROLE OF THE AP CHANGES, THAT'S OUT [INAUDIBLE].
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? OH, YOUR ROBOT? YEAH.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE TEXT TO SPEECH OPTION THERE.
NO, WHEN SOME OF THE THINGS COME IN WITH [INAUDIBLE] AND-- WHEN SOME OF THE OTHER PIECES COME IN [INAUDIBLE] AND NOT TO TAKE US TOO FAR DOWN THAT.
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES THAT WILL PRESENT THEMSELVES AS THE CAREER LADDER GETS IMPLEMENTED IN THE OUT YEARS.
GRANTED, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME INTO EFFECT UNTIL I THINK TWENTY SIX, BUT I'M PULLING OUT
[02:10:01]
OF THIN AIR ON THAT ONE.WE GOT A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE IT GOES INTO FULL EFFECT-- FOR FULL EFFECT, BUT ONE THAT DOES.
AND IF IT DOES AS WRITTEN IN THE AMOUNT OF-- WE WILL HAVE TO HIRE A LOT MORE TEACHERS, PROBABLY MORE APS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, SALARIES WILL BE GOING UP AT THE SAME TIME.
SO MORE STAFF AND MORE SALARY AND HOPEFULLY MORE THAN THE 12 PERCENT INCREASE THAT WE GET OVER WHERE WE CURRENTLY GET FUNDING.
TECHNICALLY WE NEED MORE ROOM TOO.
BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE THE CLASS SIZES.
AND SO WE NEED TO THROW IN A COUPLE OF NEW BUILDINGS.
[LAUGHTER] THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM-- PIECE OF CAKE.
WHICH LEADS ME INTO MY NEXT NEW ADDITION IS THE LAST COLUMN THAT YOU SEE ON THE SHEET.
THIS DID NOT APPEAR ON THERE LAST MONTH, BUT THIS IS THE CUMULATIVE COST.
AND IF IT'S A NEGATIVE, THE SAVINGS ARE SHOWN AS NEGATIVES.
AND IF WE IMPLEMENT EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST, WE ARE AT FIVE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS, SO WE WOULD NEED FIVE POINT THREE MILLION DOLLARS NEW REVENUE COMING IN JUST TO FUND THESE, MOST OF WHICH WOULD BE COST OF DOING BUSINESS ITEMS AND THE SALARY ENHANCEMENT.
SO, JUST TO GET THE SALARY ENHANCEMENT AND COST OF DOING BUSINESS, WE NEED ABOUT THREE POINT THREE FIVE, THREE POINT FOUR MILLION IN NEW REVENUE JUST TO GET DOWN THAT FAR.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A THREE POINT NINE AND THE FIVE POINT TWO? OK, SO THE THREE POINT NINE IS JUST A SUBTITLE FOR THAT SECTION, FOR THE ADDITIONS.
SO THE TOTAL ADDITIONS ARE THREE POINT NINE.
SO THE HIGHLIGHTED? OR NO-- THIS SECTION HERE, PART TWO IS THREE POINT NINE, PART ONE [INAUDIBLE] ONE POINT SIX.
SO ONE POINT SIX MILLION JUST TO KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW.
AND THAT'S INCLUDING THE SAME WE'VE ALREADY PUT UP.
IF YOU ADD THE THREE SUB TOTALS, YOU WILL GET.
THERE'S THREE SO THAT IS OUR BOTTOM LINE IN ORDER TO FUND ALL OF THIS.
AND LIKE, I MEAN, A LOT OF THESE ARE GOING TO CHANGE.
I'M HOPING THE HEALTH INSURANCE, I'M HOPING IT DOESN'T STOP AT 10 PERCENT, BUT I'M SURE OUR USAGE IS STILL-- I DON'T SEE IT GOING.
BUT ANYWAY, I DON'T SEE IT GOING MUCH FURTHER BELOW 10 PERCENT GIVEN WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO, DEPENDING ON NEGOTIATIONS AND GETTING TO THE MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY OF 60K, AND GETTING TO THE 10 PERCENT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET THERE BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET JAMMED UP AGAINST THESE DEADLINES.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR IT NOW.
WE CAN'T JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE TO COME UP WITH 20 THOUSAND DOLLARS TO GET OUR STARTING TEACHER SALARY UP TO 60K.
WE CAN'T AFFORD IT ALL IN ONE SHOT.
SO, THAT IS IT FOR THIS MONTH'S BUDGET SUMMARY, UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, WE'VE HAD A PRESENTATION ON A BLUEPRINT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET, SO I'M JUST GOING TO, I GUESS, ASK IT.
I [INAUDIBLE], BECAUSE EVERY MONTH WE MEET REALLY ONCE A MONTH TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.
THE WORK SESSIONS ALWAYS BRING SOMETHING UP, BUT SO BLUEPRINT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BLUEPRINT.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TEACHER SALARY.
IS THERE ANY CONVERSATION IN BLUEPRINT AND ABOUT SUPPORT STAFF? NOT-- WELL, ANYWHERE-- WHETHER IT'S THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS OF--.
INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS, CAFETERIA STAFF.
IT TAKES ALL-- THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY DON'T TAKE THAT IN CONSIDERATION.
THEY DON'T TAKE IN-- BUS DRIVERS? NOPE.
BECAUSE SOME TEACHERS, BY THEIR DEFINITION, AREN'T EVEN CONSIDERED TEACHERS, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
THE SHORT OF IT TO UNDERSTAND THEIR DEFINITION, THOUGH, IT.
THE [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU'RE A CLASSROOM TEACHER, A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM TEACHER, YOU PROBABLY IT PROBABLY FITS FOR YOU.
BUT LIKE OUR PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKERS ARE ON TEACHER AGREEMENTS.
[02:15:02]
THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED.OUR SCHOOL [INAUDIBLE] EXTREMELY VITAL, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY WOULDN'T BE INCLUDED IN THE [INAUDIBLE] I'M SORRY, BLUEPRINT MONEY ASSOCIATED WITH SALARY ENHANCEMENTS.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE LOCAL WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT.
ADMINISTRATOR POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT SPELLED OUT IN BLUEPRINT CONNECTED TO TEACHER MAY OR MAY NOT BE INCLUDED AS WELL.
IT IS VERY TARGETED AND THAT'S A FIX THAT HOPEFULLY.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE HEARING DON'T ANTICIPATE A FIX THIS YEAR.
HOPEFULLY, BY THE FOLLOWING YEAR, THERE'LL BE SOME STOMACH TO TOUCH IT AND DO SOMETHING WITH IT.
BUT WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN TOLD, DON'T ANTICIPATE ANYTHING COMING OUT OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS YEAR ON BLUEPRINT.
AND SO THAT WOULDN'T IT DOESN'T INCLUDE YOU GUYS, EITHER, THEN DOES IT? IT REFERENCES THE SPECIFIC FOLKS IT REFERENCES ARE PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, SUPERINTENDENTS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT REFERENCES AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, BUT IT REFERENCES THOSE IN LEADERSHIP CAPACITIES BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT TRAINING INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE [INAUDIBLE] AVENUES AND TRAINING [INAUDIBLE].
AS FAR AS THE WHOLE CAREER LADDER PIECE THAT THOSE SPECIFIC ENTITIES WILL RECEIVE TRAINING AS WELL.
SO THEY'RE KIND OF THE ONLY ONES NAMED.
CONTENT SUPERVISORS ARE NOT NAMED IN BLUEPRINT, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ARE NECESSARY WITH ALL THE CURRICULAR CHANGES COMING AS WELL.
IT IS VERY TARGETED IN ITS SCOPE.
AND LIKE THE [INAUDIBLE] VERY TARGETED IN ITS SCOPE, VERY LIMITED IN SCOPE.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THEIR INTENT BUT.
I GUESS, YOU KNOW, FIVE OR 10 YEARS YOU WON'T NEED COACHES BECAUSE IF EVERYBODY'S DONE BY 10TH GRADE, YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A VARSITY SYSTEM.
BUT NO SO WE HAVE OTHER [INAUDIBLE].
YOU MEANT, LIKE INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES.
YEAH, WELL [INAUDIBLE] WRITTEN.
AND DONNA NOT TO GET US ALL, AND I'LL [INAUDIBLE].
THE WAY SOME OF IT'S WRITTEN IN THE LATER YEARS AS PART OF THAT CAREER LADDER COMPONENT THAT MAY END UP REDEFINING WHAT COACH IS.
IN TERMS OF THE WAY THAT WE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENT COACHES, BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THAT CAREER LADDER DEVELOPING PIECE, THERE'S A COMPONENT WHERE AS YOU MOVE UP THE CAREER LADDER OR THE TEACHER SIDE, SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OUR COACHES DO MAY BE WHAT SAY, A TEACHER LEADER OR LEVEL THREE DISTINGUISHED TEACHER DOES OR LIKE THOSE ARE THE SHIFTS THAT WE WILL PROBABLY BE WRESTLING WITH IN A COUPLE OF YEARS AS THOSE PARTS START TO COME IN AND EVERYBODY STARTS MAKING SENSE, THE CAREER LADDER [INAUDIBLE].
BUT YEAH, THERE'S REAL INTERESTING COMPONENTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH.
ANY THE OTHER BUDGETARY FRUSTRATIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION, SORRY TO DRAG IT OUT.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO WRAP OUR MINDS AROUND IT.
BOARD MEMBERS, AS I WAS TALKING TO, I THINK IT WAS MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND I REALIZED, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S KIND OF TIMELY BECAUSE I GUESS APPARENTLY, ACCORDING TO THE BLUEPRINT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET TO HAVE MANY PRIORITIES.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE A BOARD RETREAT.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND [INAUDIBLE].
WE HAD IT AND WE BROUGHT THE PRIORITIES BACK UP TO DISCUSSION A FEW MONTHS AGO.
AND I REALIZED THAT HISTORICALLY, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THEY DO GET LOST.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF COVID, THEY GET LOST BECAUSE OF JUST THE COURSE OF DOING BUSINESS.
AND NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY MIGHT GET LOST AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE FOREVER FOR THE COURSE OF DOING BUSINESS.
BUT I JUST ASKED, YOU KNOW, DR.
SIMMONS TO GET MS. BARRY TO PUT THIS ITEM IN ON THE DECEMBER OR JANUARY AND BOARD, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE ONES MOVING FORWARD TO TRY TO PUT IT ON THE HARD AGENDA SO THAT FUTURE BOARDS CAN, YOU KNOW, TRY TO HAVE THEIR DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO GET INVOLVED FOR REASONS, HAVE THEIR DISCUSSION IN THE SUMMERTIME, YOU KNOW WHERE THEY CALL BOARD RETREAT OR BOARD DISCUSSION OR WORK BRAINSTORMING OR WHATEVER.
THIS IS THE BUDGETARY TIME 'TIL SOME OF THOSE ISSUES MIGHT HAVE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS.
AND JUST MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE AGENDA SO IT DOESN'T GET FORGOTTEN AS A COMPONENT OF THE BUDGETARY THING.
BASICALLY, NOTHING MORE TO REALLY SAY TO THAT UNLESS ANYBODY HAS ANY THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, THINGS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TELLS DR.
[02:20:01]
SIMMONS, YEAH, LET'S KEEP IT ON JANUARY, PUT DECEMBER OR ANY OTHER THOUGHTS.OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS IT MIGHT BE GONE NEXT YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BRING THIS UP NOW OR FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE.
BUT AT SOME POINT I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE TECH ED SITUATION.
BECAUSE I JUST I HATE TO THINK OF US GETTING RID OF COURSES AND OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS.
YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE STATE IS SAYING, THAT YOU DON'T NEED IT.
BUT WE'VE FOUND A LOT OF TIMES IN THE PAST THEY'VE SAID, YOU DON'T NEED IT AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND, YEAH, WE REALLY DO NEED IT.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS BEFORE IT DOES GO AWAY.
OH, I DON'T KNOW HOW EVERYBODY ELSE FEELS, BUT I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
AND THEN THIS IS WHAT I REALLY HATE TO HAVE, BUT THE COVID NUMBERS, LIKE JUST EVEN SITTING HERE IN THIS MEETING, IT KEEPS POPPING UP WITH HAVE IT THE NUMBERS.
GOT ANY GOOD PLANS BECAUSE THERE IS NO RIGHT ANSWER, I'M FLAT OUT SAY THAT THERE IS NO GOOD ANSWER.
AND NO, WE HAVE PLANS IN FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S TO STAY OPEN.
UNDER AS LONG AS WE CAN SAFELY MAINTAIN THE BUILDINGS OPEN IT'S TO STAY OPEN.
WE'VE HAD ENOUGH CHALLENGES FROM CLOSURE.
WE'RE FEELING THE IMPACTS OF IT FROM OUR OUR CLOSURES WE'VE HAD OF KIDS HAVING DISRUPTED LEARNING NOT JUST IN THEIR ACADEMICS, BUT IN THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL PIECE.
ANY ANY CLOSURE MEANS OF HAVING CAUSES A LOT OF CHALLENGES FOR GETTING KIDS BACK INTO ROUTINE.
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION FROM US AND TALKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS LONG AS WE CAN SAFELY OPERATE THE BUILDINGS WE NEED TO KEEP THEM OPEN.
WE'LL BE TALKING WITH PRINCIPALS TOMORROW AGAIN.
WE'VE TALKED WITH THEM BEFORE.
WE HAVE A MASS MEETING TOMORROW ABOUT SOME STRATEGIES TO WORK TO KEEP THE BUILDINGS OPEN.
IF WE HAVE, IN ESSENCE, IF WE WHAT WE'RE SEEING SO FAR, IF WE HAVE STAFF OUT, WE'VE GOT IN ESSENCE, AN EQUAL PROPORTION OF KIDS OUT, IF NOT MORE.
SO PROVIDE THE OPTION IF YOU NEED TO TO COLLAPSE CLASSROOMS AMONG THE SAME GRADE LEVEL AT ELEMENTARY.
IT'S THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT TO KEEP CLASSROOMS OPEN.
IF WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF SUBS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT OTHER FOLKS FILLING IN AND COVERING CLASSES.
WE KNOW THAT TEACHERS HAVE BEEN WITH TEACHER SPECIALISTS WHO ARE FILLING IN.
WE HAVE ADMINISTRATORS WHO'VE BEEN GOING TO BUILDINGS TO HELP FILL.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED TO HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY IF YOU HAVE TO OF USING YOUR LARGE SPACE AREAS.
AUDITORIUM IF YOU'VE GOT A SHORTAGE OF SUBS FOR A PERIOD, SORT OF A LARGER USE SPACE OR SPREADING KIDS OUT THERE ACCESSING THEIR GOOGLE CLASSROOM, ANYWAY, USE YOUR SPACE THERE TO KEEP IT GOING.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE STAY IN.
IF WE CANNOT STAFF A BUILDING SAFELY AND WE HAVE TO LOOK TOWARDS A CLOSURE, THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AS AN OPTION.
WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF AND THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE ACTIVE AS OF TODAY.
WE'VE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF MOBILE HOTSPOTS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT IF WE HAVE TO SHUT DOWN A SCHOOL FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WE HAVE MOBILE HOTSPOTS AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES WHO MAY NEED THEM.
WE HAVE MESSAGING THAT'LL BE GOING OUT ONCE WE TALK TO PRINCIPALS TOMORROW, REMINDING FAMILIES, REMINDING STUDENTS TO BRING HOME DEVICES ON A DAILY BASIS.
GET INTO THAT HABIT OF BRINGING HOME IN CASE WE HAVE TO.
BUT IT'S HARD TO PUT A TIMELINE ON HOW LONG WE WOULD NEED TO SHUT DOWN FOR BECAUSE I THINK PART OF IT, IF WE WERE TO HAVE TO HAVE TO CLOSE A SCHOOL AND DO VIRTUAL FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE PART OF IT IS REALLY GOING TO TURN INTO HOW MANY STAFF ARE OUT, WHAT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME AND WHAT'S THE REASON THEY'RE OUT? ARE WE SHORT STAFFED BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A COMBINATION OF THINGS HAPPENING? DO WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO'VE HAD DEATH IN THE FAMILY WHO'VE HAD? DO WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT ON COVID? ARE THEY COVID EXPOSED, NOT VACCINATED? OR ARE THEY OUT FOR THIS PERIOD OF TIME ON A NIGHT, ON A QUARANTINE? ARE THEY OUT BECAUSE THEY WERE POSITIVE AND THEY'RE VACCINATED? IF SO, THEY CAN COME BACK IN FIVE IF THEY'RE FEELING BETTER.
SO WE HAVE TO FACTOR ALL THAT AND LOOK AT ALL THE STAFF.
WE HAD ONE BUILDING YESTERDAY THAT WAS HAD A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF STAFF OUT.
TODAY, THEY HAD LESS THAN HALF OF WHERE THEY WERE AT YESTERDAY.
SO IT WASN'T COVID DRIVING THEIR OUTAGE, PEOPLE NOT FEELING WELL.
PART OF IT WAS PEOPLE NOT FEELING WELL AND GOT TESTED AND THE RESULTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE, SO THEY WEREN'T FEELING WELL.
[02:25:01]
THEY STAY AT HOME, THEY WERE NEGATIVE.WE STARTED WORKING TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GOOD TO GO TODAY AGAIN.
THEY HAD LESS THAN HALF OF THE NUMBERS WHO WERE OUT YESTERDAY.
SO PART OF IT IS JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO TURN IF WE NEED TO.
BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT DECISION CANNOT BE MADE LIGHTLY TO MOVE A SCHOOL IN THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH TO LOSE FOR OUR KIDS, FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR FAMILIES.
YEAH, SO THAT'S SORT OF WHERE WE ARE.
AND I THOUGHT OF THIS, YOU GAVE US A WHOLE BUNCH OF LITERATURE ONE OF THE OTHER MEETINGS AND IT TALKS ABOUT GETTING RETIRED TEACHERS.
HAVE WE DONE ANYTHING TO LIKE CONTACT RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND ASK KIND OF BEG THEM TO SUBSTITUTE? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THE ACTUAL RETIRED TEACHER ASSOCIATION.
I CAN TOUCH BASE WITH HR [INAUDIBLE] HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MS. [INAUDIBLE] TO REACH OUT TO SEVERAL.
I KNOW WE'VE REACHED OUT TO A LOT OF OUR COLLEGE KIDS WHO WERE HOME FROM BREAK.
AS WELL TO TRY TO FIND SUBSTITUTES THERE.
WE'VE PROCESSED OVER 40, I THINK, INDIVIDUALS FOR SUBSTITUTING SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN WE TYPICALLY DO.
BUT IT'S STILL NOT ENOUGH ON SOME DAYS, SO IT'S MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO KIND OF PUMP THAT, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE PARENTS FREAKING OUT ABOUT SENDING THEIR KIDS BACK? WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE'VE HAD MORE PARENTS FRUSTRATED OVER THEIR KIDS BEING SENT HOME.
OK, SO THEN SO THAT HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A LOT OF PARENTS.
THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I DO.
BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ONSLAUGHT OF ANYTHING OF YOU NEED TO SHUT DOWN THE SCHOOLS.
AND I TALKED TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DAILY.
DAILY, ROBIN AND I ARE COMMUNICATING OVER THE WAY THINGS ARE LOOKING SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE STAYING ON TOP OF AND DOING WHAT WE NEED TO TRY TO MAINTAIN AND KEEP THINGS SAFE.
AGAIN, WE'RE STILL SEEING AGAIN, ACCORDING TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
IT'S A COMMUNITY SPREAD ISSUE.
IT'S NOT A SCHOOL SPREAD ISSUE.
I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT OUR CASE RATE, LOOK AT THE STATE CASE RATE PER HUNDRED HUNDRED THOUSAND IS OVER TWO HUNDRED CASES PER ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND.
CAROLINE COUNTY IS LIKE ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY, I THINK MAYBE A HUNDRED AND THIRTY.
WE'VE BEEN BELOW THE STATE ON THAT METRIC FOR A WHILE.
BUT IT'S A IT'S EVERYWHERE ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO IT'S A SCHOOL.
I'M NOT DIMINISHING, BUT IT AGAIN, WE'RE STILL THE ONLY PLACE THEN.
SO IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A LITTLE SAFER IN THE SCHOOL THAN OUT THERE.
I JUST AGREE WITH THOSE THINGS YOU'RE RAISING AND YOU'RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN, EVERYBODY'S DOING THE BEST THEY CAN WITH, IT'S SO DIFFICULT.
AND WE JUST KEEP HOPING FOR THAT DATE ON THE CALENDAR WHERE IT TURNS CORNER.
VACCINATION RATES STILL ARE LOW IN THIS COUNTY AND THAT DOESN'T KEEP YOU FROM THE VACCINE, DOESN'T KEEP YOU FROM GETTING IT.
IT ABSOLUTELY REDUCES THE SEVERITY.
THE SCIENCE IS PROVING THAT THE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HOSPITAL.
IT'S ABSOLUTELY THAT HIGH PERCENTAGE IS PEOPLE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.
AND SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING IT AND COMBINE THAT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED, THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE IMMUNITY, IF YOU WILL.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE THIS VARIANT, WHICH DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AS HORRIBLE IN TERMS OF THE SYMPTOMS ON PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN VACCINATED, BUT IT DEFINITELY CAUSES PROBLEMS. PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED ARE GETTING IT, BUT MAYBE THIS VARIANT WILL HELP RAISE THAT COMMUNITY LEVEL, AND I REALLY APPLAUD THE NOTION OF LOOKING AT IT SCHOOL BY SCHOOL.
YOU DON'T NEED TO SHUT DOWN A SYSTEM IF ONE SCHOOL IS AN ISSUE.
NO, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY MAGIC WAND HERE.
DAY BY DAY, SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, PERSON BY PERSON.
MR. JONES, YOU WANT TO EMAIL YOURS IN? YEAH, I'LL TRY.
WELL, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS LEADS.
I KNOW THE LAST 10 YEARS TALKING TO SOME, I HAVE FELT LIKE SOMETIMES BOARD
[02:30:01]
PRIORITIES GET LOST.AND IF THIS CAN COME UP AND HAVE A DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW IT SHOULD BE THROUGHOUT EVERY MEETING.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE GET SIDETRACKED, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST YEAR AND AND MR. DIGIACOMO TO YOUR COMMENT ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].
I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME SCHEDULING CONFLICTS.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION, AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT IN MID-DECEMBER AND A WORK SESSION.
AND I THINK THE DECISION WAS MADE, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THIS BOARD AND PRIOR TO THIS INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT IN THE DIRECTION WE TOOK.
NOW THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, I HEAR WHAT MR. WEBSTER SAID AND I'M SITTING HERE MAKING SOME NOTES AND I WAS GOING TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT.
BUT SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT THESE CHANGES ARE GOING TO BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE WITH 10TH GRADE VERSUS 12TH GRADE OR ANYTHING.
BUT WHETHER IT'S TECH ED OR, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD YOU'VE ALL HEARD ME MY STORY LONG ENOUGH ABOUT TYPING UP.
I FELL INTO TYPING MY LAST CLASS OF SENIOR YEAR AND I'M SO THANKFUL FOR IT EVERY DAY.
WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT CLASS IS FOR ANY GIVEN BOY OR GIRL IN OUR SYSTEM THAT THEY JUST FALL INTO IT AND IT AFFECTS THEM THE REST OF THEIR LIFE? AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
WHAT WOULD IT BE? IT MIGHT BE TECH ED.
HEALTHY LIVING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS NOT A BAD THING, AND I THINK KIDS SHOULD LEARN THAT IN SCHOOL IF THEY DON'T LEARN IT ALREADY.
BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN KIDS WHO WANT TO BE ENGINEERING MAJORS, YOU KNOW, GET STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING THREE TIMES IN A FOUR YEAR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE SCHEDULE IS SO TIGHT BECAUSE THERE'S AND OR EVEN NOW A BUSINESS MAY YOU KNOW SOMEBODY'S KIDS WHO WANT TO BE BUSINESS MAJORS WILL SIGN UP TO TAKE IT TWICE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OTHER OPTIONS OR THEY'VE ALREADY TAKEN THIS, YOU KNOW, AND AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ADVANCED CALCULUS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED.
AND IT COULD BE A GREAT CHALLENGE IN CLASS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SCHEDULING CHANGING HERE IN A FEW WEEKS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW KIDS TAKING STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING.
AND AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S EASY, COULD TECH ED.
BE THAT EASY CLASS OR, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING OR ANYTHING? BUT WHAT THIS BLUEPRINT CLASS IS TO AND WHERE WE'VE GONE WITH ZOOM IS, I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE CHANGING.
IF THOSE KIDS, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NOW, IF WE'RE ZOOMING AT HOME, WHY CAN'T THEY BE TAKING MANDARIN CHINESE OR UNDERWATER BASKET WEAVING OR ANYTHING THEY WANT IF THEY'RE QUIETLY AND CAN BEHAVE IN THE CAFETERIA, IN THE GYM OR IN THE LIBRARY? YOU KNOW, I JUST SAY THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MR. DIGIACOMO MENTIONED TECH ED.
WE HEARD SOME VERY GOOD POINTS FROM MR. WEBSTER, AND I'VE SEEN IT IN REAL LIFE WHERE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WHO WANT TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, AND I'M NOT SURE WE'RE CHALLENGING THEM, GIVING THEM A CHALLENGING ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT FOUR YEARS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN FIVE YEARS WHEN WE'RE KIND OF TRYING TO GIVE THEM A CHALLENGE IN, YOU KNOW, IN CAROLINE COUNTY CHALLENGE IN EXPERIENCE FOR TWO IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO.
ARE THEY GOING TO STAY WITH US OR ARE THEY GOING TO GO TO CHESAPEAKE OR WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
BUT I DO TO GO OFF ON A TANGENT.
OR SOMETHING OR TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE HAVING THAT CHALLENGING ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT EVEN OUR CURRENTLY WITH OUR PARAMETERS OF ONLINE EDUCATION, I DON'T THINK OUR POLICIES ARE EVEN THERE YET BECAUSE WE'RE TELLING KIDS, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YEAH, WE EXPECT [INAUDIBLE] VIRTUAL LEARNING COMING OUT THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THEY'RE DEFINITELY TOUCHING VIRTUAL LEARNING BECAUSE THE CURRENT LAWS QUITE RESTRICTIVE.
YOU KNOW, AND WE ALL KNOW THESE KIDS WHO YOU KNOW ON THE DAY OF GRADUATION, WE'RE STILL HELPING THEM CROSS THAT LINE AT 12TH [INAUDIBLE] GRADE 12.
SO WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN FIVE AND 10 YEARS, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT THEN FOR THE KIDS WHO HAVE GOTTEN STRAIGHT A'S AND BEEN WELL DISCIPLINED FOR US TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT STATE LAW SAYS ABOUT PUTTING THEM IN THE AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE LIBRARY AND LET THEM LEARN WHATEVER THE HECK THEY WANT TO LEARN IT JUST ANYWAY.
PIGGY BACK ON THAT, AND IT'S ALWAYS AMAZED ME THAT YOU NEED TWENTY FOUR CREDITS TO GRADUATE, CORRECT? YES.
AND WE GIVE THEM THIRTY TWO CHANCES.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN FAIL A WHOLE YEAR.
WELL, AND THEY'RE SHOWING UP, THEY'RE SLEEPING IN AND SHOWING UP AT NOON, OR THEY'RE LEAVING AT NOON AND EATING LUNCH AT HOME.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL THESE.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PARAMETERS AND I'M NOT JUDGING THE STAFF OR, YOU KNOW, THE PRINCIPALS OR THE TEACHERS.
IT'S A SYSTEM THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS BEEN CREATED SOMEHOW AND IT'S GETTING READY TO CHANGE, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO, BUT I JUST I THINK,
[02:35:02]
YOU KNOW.IS COMPUTER SCIENCE OR JUST ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, A BOY OR GIRL TO BUY THEIR FIRST HOUSE AND TAKE THAT CRAPPY LIGHT FIXTURE THAT WAS PUT IN THERE ON THE CHEAP AND BUY A NICE $500 CEILING FAN AND WIRE IT BACK UP THERE AND ON THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES SOMETHING THAT MAKES PEOPLE FEEL SOME ACCOMPLISHMENT AND IT'S A LIFE SKILL.
SO ANYWAY, I KNOW YOU ALL BE WORKING ON IT FOR THE NEXT TILL YOU RETIRE.
YEAH, YOU'RE HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT ON THAT ONE.
WE ALL WILL BE HERE FOR THE 2030 [INAUDIBLE] COULD ALL BE DONE FOR RETIRING.
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO VENT? ALL RIGHT.
MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY.
ANOTHER GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION.
YOU KNOW, BOARD, YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE THIS HAS COME UP IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS AS DR.
SIMMONS TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
SO, WE COULD CLARIFY IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN CLARIFY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO TABLE IT.
BUT AT THIS POINT, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.
I'VE GOT SOME THOUGHTS JOTTED DOWN, BUT DIDN'T I'LL STOP TALKING FOR A MINUTE.
WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, AND I KNOW IT'S A CHANGING LANDSCAPE.
IT'S CHANGED BECAUSE THE MEETING FORMATS HAVE HAD TO CHANGE A FEW DIFFERENT TIMES AND IT'S SHIFTED AND ADAPTED WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T BE IN THE ROOM AND THEN THEY CAN COME IN JUST LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS.
I LOOK AT IT ON FACE VALUE, PUBLIC COMMENT.
IN MY VIEW, THAT SHOULD BE THE PUBLIC.
THEY HAVE OTHER WAYS THEY CAN EXPRESS THEIR OPINION.
BUT THAT'S THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THIS BOARD, AS THAT PARENT OR GRANDPARENT CAN RECALL NOW DID TONIGHT CAME IN AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANOTHER MECHANISM.
BUT EVEN THERE, WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY THINK.
BUT WE HAVE TO BE THINKING WHEN WE SET THIS UP AS A POLICY, WHAT IF WE HAVE AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF PEOPLE? AND WHATEVER YOU DEFINE, WHAT OVERWHELMING IS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COMMENT AT ANY PARTICULAR MEETING.
THERE'S OTHER WORK THAT HAS TO HAPPEN HERE.
SO THIS BOARD HAS TO RETAIN THE AUTHORITY FOR THE RIGHT, IF YOU WILL, TO LIMIT HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY CAN SPEAK DURING ONE OF THESE MEETINGS.
WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY ALL THINK, BUT THEY ALL THINK IT COULD BE FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE.
SO THEN THERE'S ALTERNATIVE WAYS FOR THEM TO SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS, AND THAT CAN BE IN WRITING.
BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME IN AND SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS, PUBLIC COMMENT, I THINK IT SHOULD BE MANAGED.
LIMITED IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD.
MANAGED IS A BETTER WORD SO THAT IT FITS WITHIN THE TIME FRAME WE HAVE.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE MY OPINIONS.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WHILE WE CARE WHAT THE EMPLOYEES THINK AND WHAT THEIR OPINIONS ARE AND HOW THEY'RE AFFECTED ON THE JOB, WHETHER IT'S WORKING CONDITIONS OR THEIR BENEFITS OR THEIR WORKLOAD OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, WE CARE.
THE EMPLOYEES HAVE ANOTHER MECHANISM, A PRETTY WELL ESTABLISHED MECHANISM TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS.
AND IF THEIR CONCERNS THAT THEY'RE EXPRESSING WITHIN THAT MECHANISM, IF IT'S NOT BEING HEARD NUMBER ONE OR THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANSWERS NUMBER TWO.
THEN THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER MATTER.
SO IF THAT SYSTEM IS BROKEN, THEN THE BOARD NEEDS TO HEAR ABOUT IT AND NEEDS TO HEAR WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THAT.
I DON'T BELIEVE EMPLOYEES SHOULD COME IN AND PRESENT THEIR CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THEY SHOULD.
IT'S CIRCUMVENTING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND CIRCUMVENTING THE PRINCIPALS, THE SUPERVISORS AT ALL LEVELS.
SO WE COULD NEXT MEETING HAVE FOR BUS DRIVERS, COME IN HERE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND THEY HAVE VALID OPINIONS.
THEN I CARE WHAT THEY THINK, BUT THEY HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO EXPRESS THAT AND THEY HAVE TO EXERCISE THAT.
THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS THAT SOME EMPLOYEE COMES IN AND STAYS WITHIN THE RULES AND EXPRESSES SOMETHING THAT IS TROUBLING TO THEM THAT MIGHT ULTIMATELY OR COULD BE AGREEABLE ISSUE, AND THEY LATER FILE A GRIEVANCE.
THEY CAN'T COME TO THIS BOARD BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY HEARD IT, AND IT JUST TOTALLY.
SO THEREFORE, I BELIEVE I WOULD PROPOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD BE FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE RULES THAT WE HAVE SET UP NOW ARE LEGITIMATE AND GOOD AND REASONABLE AMOUNT
[02:40:05]
TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY PRESENT AND REACH OUT AND ADVANCE WHATEVER THAT STRUCTURE RULES IS GOOD.THE ONLY THING MISSING IS WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LIMIT HOW MANY AND CONTROL HOW MANY, SIMPLY BECAUSE IT COULD BECOME OVERWHELMING IN OUR AGENDA.
IF WE HAD 10 PEOPLE THAT ALL GOT FIVE MINUTES.
AND THAT'S A LOT OF TIME ON THIS AGENDA.
AND IF THAT'S HOW WE WANT TO SPEND OUR AGENDA.
WE NEED TO COME TO THAT DECISION.
SO LET'S HOPEFULLY IT MAKES SOME SENSE.
I'VE SAID SOME OF THIS BEFORE.
BUT I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I THINK THE EMPLOYEES NEED TO WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
I DON'T WANT TO END RUN OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS LEADERS AND HIS SUPERVISORY STRUCTURE.
AND SO AGAIN, I'M REPEATING MYSELF, SO I'LL STOP.
I DON'T AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
I DO AGREE THAT THERE HAS TO BE A NUMBER THAT'S A REASONABLE NUMBER.
BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE CLEAR AND IN THE POLICY, NOT THAT JUST SOMETHING WE CHANGE AT THE LAST MINUTE, WHICH IS WHAT I TRULY BELIEVE, BUT THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LAST MEETING IS THAT THOSE PEOPLE WEREN'T HEARD AND THEY FOLLOWED THE RULE.
I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO CHANGE AS FAR AS SAYING TEACHERS HAVE A CLEAR PATH.
AND IF ONE MORE PERSON SAYS, WELL, YOU WERE IN THE MILITARY, [INAUDIBLE].
YEAH, I WAS IN THE MILITARY, AND IF YOU WEREN'T, THEN YOU SHOULDN'T SAY IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW, OK? THE MILITARY HAS A VERY CLEAR LADDER IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN.
OK, WHICH IN THE MILITARY, ITS CAPTAIN'S [INAUDIBLE] AND YOU GO TALK TO THE CAPTAIN, OK? IN OUR CASE, THE CAPTAIN WOULD BE THE BOARD OF ED AND SOME PEOPLE HAD IT, YOU KNOW, EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAD TO FOLLOW AND YOU WENT UP IT.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IN THE MILITARY, THERE WAS A CLEAR LADDER UP AND THERE WAS A CLEAR LADDER DOWN.
YOU KNEW WHO YOU ANSWER TO AND WHO YOU WENT TO.
YOU KNOW, DO YOU ANSWER TO YOUR COACH, YOUR SUPERVISOR, YOUR AP, YOUR PRINCIPAL, AND YOU CAN COME UP WITH ALL THESE GLIB ANSWERS LIKE WHO SIGNED YOUR PAYCHECK OR WHO SIGNED YOUR EVALUATION? BUT IT'S JUST NOT THAT EASY.
I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I GOT CONFLICTING INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE ABOVE ME.
OK? AND IT'S NOT JUST ME, BUT I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF ON THAT.
SO IF YOU WANT TO CLEAR YOU'VE GOT TO GO UP, THEN YOU BETTER COME UP WITH THE CLEAR.
YOU GOT TO COME DOWN AND YOU DON'T HAVE 50 MILLION PEOPLE TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT.
AND THEN WHEN I LISTEN TO A AND NOT B, I'M GETTING SCREAMED AT AND HOLLERED AT BECAUSE I PICKED THE WRONG PERSON TO LISTEN TO, OK.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU SAY, GO TO YOUR PRINCIPAL.
WHILE THE PRINCIPAL DOESN'T ALWAYS TAKE IT WHERE YOU THINK IT SHOULD GO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU DO THEN? WHO DO YOU GO TO? AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CLEAR ANSWER.
WHERE DO YOU GO? OK? AND WHAT IF YOUR ISSUE IS WITH THE PRINCIPAL? WHERE DO YOU GO? IT'S JUST IT'S I THINK THE SYSTEM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR AN EMPLOYEE CONCERN IS BROKE AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT WHEN I SAW THAT THERE WERE SO MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS LAST WEEK, HONESTLY, I WAS KIND OF EXCITED THAT THEY TRUSTED US ENOUGH AND THEY FINALLY FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION BECAUSE A YEAR AGO, THAT WASN'T THAT IT WASN'T THE JUST WASN'T THERE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT MEETING AND THE THINGS GOT SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT MANY TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER FEEL THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD, BUT THEY DON'T FEEL THAT THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY SAY, THEY WERE VERY UPSET BY WHAT HAPPENED.
AND I JUST THEY'RE BACK TO THE LIKE, OK, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT BECAUSE I'M GOING TO GET, YOU KNOW, RETRIBUTION OR HOLLERED AT OR DA DA DA DA DA DA DA.
AND THEN SOME OF THESE PEOPLE THAT COME IN THEIR PARENTS, THEY'RE NOT JUST TEACHERS, THEIR PARENTS, AND THEY ARE THE PUBLIC, THEY'RE TAXPAYING PEOPLE.
AND IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU DON'T WANT THEM TO COME HERE AND SAY WHICH I DISAGREE WITH, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I GOT OUT OF IT, BUT I'M SAYING WE NEED A VERY CLEAR WAY AND I'M SAYING, THAT'S WHAT I GOT OUT OF IT, [INAUDIBLE].
[02:45:01]
YOU SAID TEACHERS SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COME HERE.WHAT YOU SAY? I NEVER SAID THE WORD TEACHER.
BUT SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE PARENTS.
THE ONES WHO CAME HERE DID NOT TELL US THEIR COMMENTS AS PARENTS.
THEY GAVE US THEIR COMMENTS, AS EMPLOYEES.
I DIDN'T SAY THEY SAID THAT, BUT I'M SAYING.
THEY'RE NOT COMING TALKING TO THE CAPTAIN.
THEY'RE COMING HERE, TALKING TO THE [INAUDIBLE] CHIEFS OF STAFF.
THEY'RE COMING HERE, TALKING [INAUDIBLE].
OK, YOU KNOW RICK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH ME, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF LOWER THE YOU CAN LOWER, YOU CAN LOWER THE TENSION.
WHEN I SAY TEACHERS, I MEAN STAFF, OK? AND YOU SAID, GIVE [INAUDIBLE] STAFF MEMBERS SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COME HERE.
DID YOU SAY THAT? WELL, LET ME REPEAT IT.
EMPLOYEES, OK, EMPLOYEES, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND STAFF? THIS IS WHERE.
LET ME STOP AND SAY, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO GIVE CLEAR DIRECTION ON THE POLICY.
AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT FROM WHAT I HEARD RICK SAYING, AN EMPLOYEE CONCERNS VERSUS PARENT CONCERNS, PUBLIC CONCERNS, AND THIS IS A SMALL COMMUNITY.
BUT EVEN IN THE BIG COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
WILLOUGHBY, WHO JUST GOT HIS DOCTORATE TODAY, COMES IN AND SAYS, LISTEN, MY SON OR DAUGHTER IS IN SUCH AND SUCH A SCHOOL, AND THIS IS A CONCERN THAT THE PLAYGROUND IS EQUIPMENT IS BROKEN AND THEY SAY WHICH HAT THEY'RE ON AND THEY HAVE ON THAT DAY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS I'M HERE SPEAKING AS A PARENT.
I THINK LET'S LET'S NOT MAKE ACCUSATIONS IN BROAD STROKES.
WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP A POLICY TO CLARIFY THESE MISCONCEPTIONS MS. DIGIACOMO BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU WERE YOU WERE SO LISTEN, WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS WE CAN TABLE SOME ITEMS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT AND SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TO MOVE FORWARD NOW.
YOU KNOW, AND SO LET'S JUST, YOU KNOW, HOLD OFF FOR A SECOND AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE FLOOR MR. [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE, YOU WANT TO SUMMARIZE.
BUT LET'S JUST WE NEED TO CLARIFY THIS POLICY.
SO IT'S NOT THERE ISN'T THE MISUNDERSTANDING.
BUT FIRST, I APOLOGIZE FOR RAISING MY VOICE.
I JUST DON'T APPRECIATE BEING MISQUOTED.
AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SAY THAT.
FIVE MINUTES AFTER I JUST SAID SOMETHING I DON'T LIKE.
SO BUT LAST TIME WHEN THE PEOPLE CAME IN AND SPOKE, THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE RULES.
NO QUESTION THEY WEREN'T WRONG.
THEY DID WHAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO DO.
MY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE ADJUST THOSE RULES.
AND IF IT WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING AND I'M NOT TELLING YOU WRONG, WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS THE CASE THAT THEY DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.
THEN I WOULD ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT TO LOOK INTO THAT AND TELL US WHAT PROCESS THEY HAVE.
BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T HAVE ONE, THEN I'M WITH YOU.
BUT IF THEY HAVE A PROCESS TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS, HAVE THEIR CONCERNS HEARD AND GET ANSWERS WITHIN THE SYSTEM, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THAT'S [INAUDIBLE] IT SHOULD BE.
BECAUSE COMING HERE, THEY'RE GOING OVER EVERY STEP IN THAT CHAIN, WHOEVER THEIR SUPERVISORS ARE.
SO AGAIN, LAST TIME THEY DID EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO.
BUT WE NEED TO ESTABLISH BETTER RULES.
AND I AGREE SO THAT WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A BETTER SET OF RULES THAT ARE MORE CLEAR.
MS. DIGIACOMO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO CLEAR UP? IF WE'RE GOING TO TELL THEM THAT THEY STAFF EMPLOYEE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A VERY CLEAR AND WRITTEN POLICY ON HOW A STAFF MEMBER OR EMPLOYEE, WHATEVER HAS TO FOLLOW TO BE HEARD AND TO GET AN ANSWER.
AND YOU CAN SAY, WELL, IF THEY DON'T LIKE THEIR ANSWER, NO IN THE MILITARY, IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE ANSWER, YOU TOOK IT TO THE STEP ABOVE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A VERY CLEAR POLICY THAT TAKES IT TO THE VERY TOP.
I DON'T THINK IT WILL GET THERE OFTEN, BUT IT SHOULD BE THERE IF THEY NEED IT, AND WE NEED TO ALSO WORK ON THE GOING DOWN.
GETTING CONFLICTING INFORMATION FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD, AND I WILL ALWAYS DEFEND THAT.
MR. JONES, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT YOUR VOICE, DO YOU WANT TO VOICE ANYTHING? SEND ME AN EMAIL.
EITHER WRITE IT DOWN OR SOMETHING.
POLICIES DON'T GET CREATED OVER, YOU KNOW.
ONE THING WE HAVE THE POLICY COMMITTEE THAT [INAUDIBLE].
SO WHEN [INAUDIBLE] AT A PLACE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO HAVE A POLICY COMMITTEE,
[02:50:06]
CREATE A DRAFT TO BRING TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION FOR VOTING.[INAUDIBLE] PREPARE FOR POLICY COMMITTEE AND [INAUDIBLE] WORKING TO ESTABLISH THE REVISIONS BASED OFF THE GUIDANCE OF BOARD.
THAT'S THE [INAUDIBLE] HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE TIME [INAUDIBLE] THE DRAFT, THE [INAUDIBLE].
BUT WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE IN PLACE FOR THIS PURPOSE IF THE BOARD GIVES THE CHARGE.
THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL BEFORE WRITING AND TRY TO MEET DIFFERENT DEMANDS AND HAVE IT NOT MEET WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING FOR COLLECTIVELY AS A GROUP.
AND I JUST LIKE THE KNOW MARK, IF YOU RAISE YOUR HAND, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND I'M NOT TRYING TO SHORTCUT YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF PUT PARENTHESES AROUND US A LITTLE BIT TOO, BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT WAS GOING ON, TO BE HONEST.
AND YOU KNOW, I STEPPED UP LAST YEAR TO BE BOARD CHAIR AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A PERFECT STORM, SO MUCH THING.
SO MANY THINGS WERE HAPPENING THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.
AND I JUST IN REFLECTION WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE WERE HAVING AS PART OF THIS IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO STEP BACK AND REALIZE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT LAST YEAR AND A WHOLE NEW, DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP TEAM, WHEREAS I KNOW, YOU KNOW, UNION MEMBERS AND SOME STAFF DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE AT ALL.
AND THIS BOARD MADE A CHANGE AND A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
SO THAT WAS PART OF THE PARAMETERS, YOU KNOW, FRAMING IT.
WE MADE THAT CHANGE, AND WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS MOVING IN A DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO MOVE IN THE CAROLINE COUNTY WAY AND AND TREAT PEOPLE THAT WAY.
BUT THEN AT THE SAME TIME, COVID IS PART OF THAT EQUATION.
AND I REALIZE WE NEVER READ PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE.
PUBLIC COMMENT WAS NEVER READ EVER AND THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND THAT'S THE DIRECT RESULT OF.
THAT'S A DIRECT RESULT OF COVID.
SO WE ARE NOW AS THAT BEING, SAID BOARD MEMBERS, AS WELL AS ALL STAFF.
OTHER REAL STAFF, NOT PART TIME STAFF, HAVE HAD EMAILS FOR 15 OR 20 YEARS NOW, AND BOARD MEMBERS REGULARLY GET EMAILS INDIVIDUALLY COLLABORATIVE COLLECTIVELY THAT WE EITHER ASK, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY REAL STAFF? WELL, WE'RE NOT.
I SAID STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL AS OTHER STAFF, AND I DON'T CONSIDER MYSELF STAFF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT AN EMPLOYEE OR WHATEVER.
BUT WHEN I SAY THAT, I MEAN THAT ALL PEOPLE IN CCPS HAVE EMAILS, INCLUDING BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THE WEBSITE AND WE'VE BEEN REACHED OUT TO, I GUESS.
AND MY POINT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTEN EMAILS BEFORE, WE'VE SHARED THEM BEFORE BOARD MEETINGS, AFTER BOARD MEETINGS, BUT WE'VE NEVER READ THEM AS PART OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
PUBLIC COMMENT WAS ALWAYS THE MEETING, SO THAT WAS ANOTHER NEW ASPECT THAT WE HAD.
WE WERE READING PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME PUBLIC, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A STAFF HERE OR THERE SHOW UP, AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE.
BUT THEN HERE ARE TWO OR THREE MONTHS IN A ROW.
WE HAD, YOU KNOW, STAFF THAT WERE COMMENTING VERY PROFESSIONALLY AND NOT OUT OF LINE AND AS AS ACCEPTED IN OUTLINE, BUT COMMENTING.
AND IF YOU KNOW, EVEN, YOU KNOW, IF THE MISSED WORD OR MISS SPOKEN SENTENCE OR SOMETHING WAS TAKEN OUT, YOU KNOW, WORST CASE SCENARIO, THEY COULD PUT THEMSELVES OUT OF AN APPEAL PROCESS OR THEY COULD CROSS A LINE.
BUT YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN, TOO, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE ABILITY, IF NEEDED, TO MANAGE THE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND LET THEM KNOW, LISTEN, WE HAVE A CONTROL OF OUR AGENDA.
SO THE THE AGENDA IN THE COMMENTS ARE WHERE THEY ARE, BUT WE COULD MOVE IT UP.
WE COULD MOVE IT BACK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ME BECAUSE WE CONTROL OUR AGENDA, BUT YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED IN THERE TOO.
BUT OR IF WE GET 50 COMMENTS AND THEY ALL SAY THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, THEY SAY WHAT THE TOPIC IS AND WE SAY, LISTEN, CAN WE CONSOLIDATE THEM IN SOME FORM? DO WE WANT TO HAVE THAT TOOL AT OUR DISCRETION AS WELL? WE DID THAT LAST MONTH.
I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN IN OTHER DNR [INAUDIBLE] MDA MEETINGS, SO I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
SO DO WE WANT TO ADD THAT? BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO REITERATE THAT WE JUST WERE TRYING, I MEAN, AT LEAST MY PERSPECTIVE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M OPEN TO STAFF.
I SEE THEM IN THE IN THE STREETS, AT THE GROCERY STORE, ON THE BALL FIELDS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DO KNOW THAT THE LAST PUSH OF PUBLIC COMMENT CAME OUT AFTER AN EMAIL FROM UNION REPS ASKING THEM TO SEND LETTERS ON A TOPIC THAT THEY HAD JUST DISCUSSED WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND HAD NOT GIVEN HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THE
[02:55:02]
BOARD OUR ONE MEETING A MONTH.YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FRUSTRATED ME MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE ENDED UP TABLING NEWSLETTERS, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAD A CONVERSATION, PUT THE ONE OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND MADE SOME CHANGES.
AND AND SINCE THEN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ASKED WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO HELP HELP OUR STAFF.
BUT IF IT WAS TRULY PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'RE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE DISCUSSING IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS A MATTER OF PERFECT STORM.
AND BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR OFF, YOU KNOW, OUT TO SEA.
I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION SO WE CAN TRY TO TWEAK OUR PUBLIC COMMENT TO THE REALITIES OF THE CURRENT WORLD.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I DON'T THINK THESE LETTERS WERE WRITTEN TO DISCREDIT DR.
I THINK THEY WANTED US TO UNDERSTAND, AND THEY WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FRUSTRATION WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE ONE HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT.
THEY WEREN'T TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE TOWARDS ANYBODY.
AND I GUESS WE JUST JUST DISAGREE ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FEEL PEOPLE FEEL THAT STRONGLY.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE.
I JUST THINK THE SOUNDS LIKE THE POLICY IS BROKEN.
AND THE OTHER PART OF THAT I JUST FORGOT IS WE JUST ADDED IN THE NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT WITH THE UNION A WHOLE NEW TEAM OR GROUP COMMITTEE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL TO DISCUSS THAT'S PART OF THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT.
IT'S BRAND NEW AND IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN.
THE DETAILS HAVEN'T BEEN WORKED OUT YET, SO I HOPE WE CAN BETTER FACILITATE, LIKE YOU SAID, THE BOTTOM UP AND TOP DOWN HOW THAT PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK.
WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS.
SO I THINK WE'RE DANCING AROUND A LOT OF THE SAME POINTS.
AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH WHAT THE PEOPLE WERE SAYING.
WHAT MECHANISM SHOULD THEY HAVE TO AIR THEIR CONCERNS, RIGHT? AND IF YOU GIVE THEM A GOOD IDEA IF THAT ISN'T IN PLACE YET OR ISN'T FUNCTIONING YET, THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND DEALT WITH.
IT'S AND THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE RULES AS THEY EXIST, THE RULES NEED TO BE CHANGED IS WHAT I'M PROPOSING.
AND I AGREE 100 PERCENT IF THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE AND IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING HEARD.
I AGREE TOTALLY WITH WHAT YOU SAID THAT THERE NEEDS, BUT THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
BUT COMING COMING HERE TO AIR THEIR CONCERNS IS THE BEST PROCEDURE.
BUT AT THIS POINT, THERE IS NOT A CLEAR CUT PROCEDURE, AND I AGREE.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
BUT IT SHOULD BE CLEAR TO BE CLEAR UP SHOULD BE CLEAR DOWN.
THAT MIGHT BE A FUTURE PRESENTATION ITEM TO TELL US WHAT THE EMPLOYEES OPTION IS WHEN THEY HAVE CONCERNS, THE KIND OF CONCERNS THAT WE'RE VERY RAISED IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL AND VALID WAY IN THE LAST MEETING.
AGAIN, NOTHING WRONG WITH THOSE FOLKS FOR WHAT THEY DID OR WHAT THEY SAID.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP REPEATING AND REPEATING ON AND ON.
AND I I WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN WE SAY, OK, X AMOUNT KIND OF LIKE THE FIRST [INAUDIBLE] NUMBER.
THE FIRST TEN PEOPLE THAT GET A HOLD OF US AND 10 IS PROBABLY A LOT BECAUSE THAT'S 50 MINUTES, BUT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN.
BUT YOU JUST SAY, OK, BOOM, FIRST COME FIRST SERVE.
YOU WERE THE FIRST, YOU KNOW, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, WHATEVER YOU, THE OTHER PEOPLE CAN EITHER SUBMIT SOMETHING TO BE ADDED TO THE BOTTOM OR JUST HOLD IT OFF, SAY, OK, FINE, CAN I DO THE NEXT MEETING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I'M FINE WITH THAT.
AND I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH DR.
[INAUDIBLE] HELPING US PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER THOUGHTFULLY CAN LOOK AT WHAT PERHAPS IT IS.
THEY'RE MEETING THE POLICY COMMITTEE WE'RE GOING TO MEET THIS MONTH.
AND I GUESS I'D ASK YOU IF YOU WANT, YOU WANT THAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING AT IS THE PRIORITY OF WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
DO YOU WANT THAT MOVED UP? IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE WHAT ELSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
I THINK THERE'S ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR POLICIES AND SOME ARE NOT IMPORTANT.
[INAUDIBLE] THAT THIS POLICY ISN'T ONE THAT WE DON'T NEED AS IT'S BEING DISCUSSED, AND IT'S ONE THAT THEY THAT YOU WILL DISCUSS LAST MONTH AS WELL.
AND IT'S NOT GOING AWAY BY FEBRUARY.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY MOVE UP AS SOMETHING TO ADDRESS SOONER THAN LATER.
AND IT'S ALL OF [INAUDIBLE] OF BOARD [INAUDIBLE].
SO CAN WE PUT SOME BULLET POINTS TOGETHER AND SEND THEM TO THE BOARD JUST TO LIKE OR DISLIKE? YES OR NO? THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN.
A FEW OF THESE BULLET ITEMS ONE YOU MENTIONED FIVE MINUTES TIMES 10 IS 15
[03:00:02]
MINUTES.I THINK UNDER THE CONSTRAINTS IT SHOULD BE, TIMING IS WE'RE OPEN TO FIVE MINUTES, BUT TIME IS THE DISCRETION OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
NOW THAT CAN BE A THUMBS UP, WE DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING ADDED AT THE END, SO TIME IS TYPICALLY FIVE MINUTES, BUT IT'S A THE BOARD DISCRETION TO ADJUST THAT.
TWO WAS WE TALKED ABOUT IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT CONSISTENTLY THE SAME REQUEST OR ASK THE BOARD HAS THE ABILITY TO CONSOLIDATE THOSE COMMENTS AND ASK IF THESE THREE PEOPLE WOULD, YOU KNOW, DESIGNATE ONE SPEAKER TO SHARE THAT CONCERN.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER BEING, OBVIOUSLY, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS WE CONTROL OUR AGENDA.
I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE POLICY.
I MEAN, WE COULD MOVE IT TO THE END, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS ABOUT THAT.
I DO THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, ITS PARENT, IT'S PUBLIC, AND IF IT'S A STAFF MEMBER WHO HAS A PUBLIC CONCERN, NOT A STAFF CONCERN, MORE THAN WELCOME.
BUT IF IT'S A STAFF CONCERN, LET'S GET THAT PRESENTATION ON ON MAKING THE STAFF PROCESS BETTER, CLEAR FOR THE BOARD AND CLEAR FOR THE STAFF.
THAT'S THAT BOARD MEMBERS ANY OTHER THINGS, BULLETS? WHEN IT'S THIS COLD OUT.
MRS. BRADNER DISCUSSED HOW SHE HAD TO SIT IN HER CAR LAST TIME.
I THINK WHEN THE WEATHER IS LIKE THAT, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY NOT TO MAKE PEOPLE SIT IN THERE CAR WHEN IT'S THIS COLD.
EITHER WE FIGURE OUT A WAY, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WILL LISTEN TO ONE NIGHT, WE EITHER LET THEM IN THE BUILDING OR WE LOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION SOONER IN THE MEETING.
NOW, WHEN IT'S NICE OUT, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE, BUT IT COULD BE HEAT TOO.
I MEAN, THAT'S TRUE, TOO WHEN IT GETS TOO HOT.
WHEN IT'S NOT COVID WE'RE ALL IN HERE, BUT.
BUT BUT YOU KNOW, WHETHER TOO HOT, TOO COLD OR SOMETHING, WE PROVIDE A HEALTHY, REASONABLE PLACE FOR THEM TO BE WHILE THEY'RE WAITING THEIR TURN OR WE MOVE IT UP IN THE AGENDA.
I WOULD ASK BOARD, CONSIDER MOVING IT UP IN THE AGENDA AND.
BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC COMMENT [INAUDIBLE] WE HAD THE HEALTHY [INAUDIBLE] CAN BE A CHALLENGE DURING COVID IF IT'S PUBLIC MEMBERS WHO ARE COMING AND US PROVIDING COVERAGE AND STAFFING, THE LOBBY IS NOT THAT LARGE AND IF I'M TRYING TO MEET TOTAL [INAUDIBLE] RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAN BE THE CHALLENGE IF THE SPEAKER IS GOING TO BRING IN A FAMILY MEMBER WITH THEM OR SOMEONE ELSE, IT'S JUST SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO BE APPROACHING MORE SPEAKERS AT THE BORDER, DOES EXERCISE THAT PIECE, REMOVE IT SOONER? WELL, BEFORE AS WELL.
WELL, THE DAY BEFORE WE KNOW HOW MANY SPEAKERS [INAUDIBLE].
THE CAVEAT TO THAT IS, AND I'LL JUST SAY I'M NOT PUT IT ON THE LIST.
WE'LL TALK UP AND DOWN IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT IF IT'S DIFFERENT NOW UNDER COVID THAN BEFORE.
I MEAN, WE'VE NEVER KNOCK ON WOOD.
WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD COMMENTS HISTORICALLY, BUT WE'VE NEVER FILLED THE ROOM, EXCEPT FOR A FEW YEARS AGO.
WE FILLED THE ROOM AND YOU KNOW, IF WE FILLED THE ROOM AND WE MOVE IT TO THE FRONT, WE'LL NEVER GET TO OUR MEETING IS THE OTHER THING.
I MEAN, WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF.
AND, YOU KNOW, IF IF SOMETHING HAPPENS NEXT MONTH AND THERE IS A PARENT OUTRAGE AND WE HAVE 30 PARENTS, YOU KNOW, SIGN UP.
WE CAN'T PUT IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING.
THAT'S THE PIECE WHERE WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT HOW MANY WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK, NO MATTER EVEN IF THERE ARE DIFFERENT TOPICS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING JUST TO HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.
THERE'S 30 PEOPLE USING THAT NUMBER THAT YOU MENTIONED AND I'M NOT PICKING ON THAT NUMBER COULD BE TWENTY FIVE.
WE WERE THROWING NUMBERS OUT TOO, WHO KNOWS HOW MANY WE COULD SAY, OK, WE WANT TO HEAR EVERY ONE OF THEM AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING JUST TO HEAR THEM.
THAT'S A BUT ALL THE OTHER BUSINESS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE ON A NIGHT LIKE TONIGHT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE COULD FIT IN.
AND I THINK WHEN YOU KNOW, EVEN NOT JUST THE WEATHER, IF THEY CAN'T BE IN HERE, THEN WE OUGHT TO MOVE IT TO THE TOP OR CLOSE TO THE TOP IMMEDIATELY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, NEARER THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA SO THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE WEATHER IS, THEY'RE NOT SITTING OUT THERE FOREVER.
WAITING FOREVER IS THE WRONG WORD AN HOUR.
I MEAN PLENTY OF PLACES WE'VE ALL BEEN WHETHER IT'S A DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR DENTIST OR VETERINARIAN OR EVEN WAITING FOR MY FIRST COUPLE OF COVID SHOTS, YOU
[03:05:01]
SAT IN THE CAR AND THEY TOLD YOU WHEN TO COME IN, BUT YOU WEREN'T WAITING A LONG TIME.RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT WE OWED PEOPLE THAT COURTESY THAT TRY TO GET THEM IN AT THE BEGINNING.
IF WE HAVE, I WOULD SAY ALMOST ANY.
IF THERE'S TWO PEOPLE OR THREE PEOPLE, WHY NOT SHOW THEM THE RESPECT TO HAVING THEM COME IN? AND I'M JUST SAYING, DON'T FORGET.
I MEAN, IT USED TO BE AN HOUR SOMETIMES BEFORE THE PUBLIC COMMENT GOT IN.
AND I MEAN, I THINK WE DID JUST SHIFT IT NOT TOO MANY MONTHS AGO, DIDN'T WE.
THE SCHOOL YEAR DID BECAUSE IT WAS AT THE END OF THE AGENDA.
AND AND RIGHT, WRONG OR INDIFFERENT.
I REMEMBER THAT THOUGHT PROCESS WAS SO PARENTS COULD GET HOME OFF, WORK AT FIVE O'CLOCK, GO HOME, GET DINNER AND SHOW UP TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE SAME TIME THEY USED TO WHEN THE MEETING STARTED AT 7:00.
YEAH, AND THAT WAS THE THOUGHT PROCESS.
NOW, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED AT SIX AND I THINK WE HAD OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS BETWEEN SIX THIRTY AND SIX THIRTY FIVE WASN'T BAD.
BUT SO BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER BULLET ITEMS, WE NEED TO PROBABLY GIVE DR.
SIMMONS A THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN ON.
WHEN YOU CHANGE A POLICY, IT DOES GO OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW, CORRECT? THE BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT FOR POLICY.
WEEKS OF REVISION OF A CURRENT BOARD POLICY CAN BE DONE IN ONE REGION, SO THE BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO APPROVE IT, LITERALLY SEE IT NEXT MONTH AND APPROVE IT NEXT MONTH.
MORE AND MORE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE AN ADDITIONAL MONTH TO [INAUDIBLE] THAT IS UP TO THE BOARD PRECISELY.
BECAUSE IN A CASE RIGHT, IN A CASE LIKE THIS, BECAUSE IT'S INVOLVING PUBLIC COMMENT IT MIGHT NOT HURT TO POST IT TO SEE DO THEY PREFER TO WAIT 'TIL LIKE SIX THIRTY SEVEN O'CLOCK OR IF IT'S THAT IMPORTANT, WOULD THEY PREFER TO COME IN, SAY THEIR PEACE, MOVE ON.
AND WHAT I JUST THOUGHT OF IS, IS PUBLIC COMMENT GOING TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT HERE IN PERSON OR IS PUBLIC COMMENT, ARE WE GOING TO ACCEPT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT? OR WE, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO OUR EMAILS.
WE HAVE EMAILS THEY CAN SEND COPY US ALL AND GET US ALL, AND WE DO READ STUFF.
I MEAN I KNEW THOSE ISSUES WERE CONCERNS BEFORE WE GOT THE LETTERS AND I READ WHAT THEY WERE SAYING AGAIN.
BUT I GUESS IF YOU CAN JUST ADD, YOU KNOW.
TO HAVE THE WORDS PERSPECTIVE ONE A THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN ABOUT WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] NOT ADDRESSED AT ALL.
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPERATE IN A COVID WORLD AND SAY, WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND THEY CAN'T COME IN WELL NOW BECAUSE WE ORIGINALLY WROTE THAT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I MEAN, BECAUSE ADD THAT, NO, I JUST WANT YOU TO PUT IT AS A BULLET.
SO THIS BOARD AND MICHELE CAN SEE IT TOO.
AND SHE AND SAY, I THINK I THINK WRITTEN COMMENTS SHOULD BE COULD CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WANT THIS READ OR I'M SENDING THE BOARD AN EMAIL JUST FOR THE BOARD JUST HAVE.
TO ME, THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, AND I DON'T I DON'T KNOW WHERE I FALL ON THAT YET, BUT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT THE POLICY IN FRONT OF US.
BUT IF YOU GO ONLINE AND LOOK AT IT, IT IS ACTUALLY ASKING PEOPLE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, PLEASE DON'T COME IN, PLEASE SUBMIT IT TO BE READ.
I MEAN, THAT'S I'VE READ IT SEVERAL TIMES.
THAT MAKES IT EASIER FOR US RIGHT NOW.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING SO IT'S NOT IN THE POLICY, BUT IT IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING THE PUBLIC TO DO.
AND I DO THINK DURING COVID, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT AVENUE OPEN.
I THINK IF WE WENT AT THE TIME, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF TIME, FIVE MINUTES.
I MEAN, LIKE THE WHOLE SEGMENT PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S THIS LONG NO LONGER THAN THIS.
IF PEOPLE COME IN, THAT'S THE FIRST PRIORITY.
AFTER THAT, WE READ UNTIL THAT TIME'S UP AND THEN BASED ON THE TIMEFRAME OF WHAT'S TURNED IN.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE HAVE WE HAVE IT TO READ.
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO LIMIT IT, YOU KNOW, ONE HOUR, HOWEVER LONG, 50 MINUTES, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IS AGREEABLE.
SO YOU GOT THAT DEREK, A DESIGNATED TIME TABLE, WHICH AGAIN, WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING FIVE MINUTES.
IF WE DID WHATEVER THE TIMETABLE WAS, IF WE GOT, WE COULD SAY, ALL RIGHT, NOW YOU GOT TWO THREE MINUTES.
IF IF WE AGREE ON THAT POLICY, THAT TIME LIMIT MORE THAN [INAUDIBLE].
[03:10:02]
I'M LOOKING AT IT'S WE HAVE THIS MUCH TIME TO ALLOCATE PUBLIC COMMENT.WHATEVER IT IS, SAY, IT'S AN HOUR.
SO LET'S SAY WE GOT WE ALSO HAVE A TIME LIMIT ON EACH PUBLIC COMMENT, WHETHER IT'S FIVE MINUTES OR THREE MINUTES.
IF IT'S FIVE FOR EASY MATH, LET'S SAY FIVE.
WE'VE GOT AN HOUR 10 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THAT'S 50 MINUTES WE HAVE NOW TEN MINUTES LEFT FOR READING THE WRITTEN COMMENTS THAT WERE ALSO SENT IN WHEN WE HAD 20 SENT IN, BUT WE CAN ONLY READ THREE OF THEM.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO READ TILL THE HOUR'S UP BASED ON WHO SENT THE COMMENT IN FIRST.
ONCE OUR TIME IS UP, WE HAVE TO THEN READ THEM OURSELVES WHEN WE GO HOME OR WHENEVER WE'RE OUT OF TIME FOR THIS MONTH.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD OPTIONS.
ANY OTHER GUIDANCE WE CAN OFFER DR.
SIMMONS TO ASK TO SEND US OUT FOR YES OR NO'S OR COMMENTS.
HOW ABOUT CAN ASKING THE PEOPLE HERE WHAT THEY THINK? WHAT ABOUT YOU, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? BE BRAVE.
THAT WAS PRETTY, I FELT LIKE I WAS TEACHING AGAIN WHEN THEY'RE ALL JUST STARING AT YOU, LIKE WHAT? WHAT? I MEAN, DOES ANYBODY HAVE THINKING OF ANYTHING WE DIDN'T THINK OF? OR WERE YOU TONING US OUT? HMM.
NO, I THINK THE SUGGESTIONS IN THE BULLET POINTS ARE DEFINITELY THINGS THAT HELP US GET STARTED.
THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION AND THE TIME AND AGAIN I KNOW, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS THE BEST INTENTIONS, BUT IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A PERFECT, PERFECT, UNIQUE STORM THAT WE'RE ALL LIVING THROUGH.
[10. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
THE BOWLING NIGHT STILL ON LOOKING FOR A [INAUDIBLE]? YES.WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH.
IF YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO LIKE, HELP YOUR YOUR LIKE YOUR WHAT DO YOU CALL IT WHEN YOU GET THE EXTRA POINTS HANDICAP? IF YOU NEED SOMEBODY HELP WITH YOUR HANDICAP.
AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD RIGHT NOW.
HONESTLY, I THINK WE HAVE WE NEED TO HAVE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL, BUT WE NEED TO LIMIT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
AND I DON'T LIKE SAYING THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT FOR SOME STUDENTS.
I THINK WE NEED TO LIVE OUR LIVES.
DO YOU HAVE A COLD? [INAUDIBLE] UNITY MARCH.
IT WAS AT FOUR O'CLOCK ANYWAY.
THANKS FOR HANGING IN WITH US, MR. JONES.
MARTIN LUTHER KING UNITY MARCH START AT [INAUDIBLE] AT NINE O'CLOCK ON MONDAY.
WORK SESSION WE HAVE WITH THE BUDGET, WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON THE 18TH.
WITH THE COMMISSIONERS, THERE IS FOOD RIGHT.
WE ARE WORKING ON HOW TO LET THAT HAPPEN.
IT'S NOT THE COVID THING, IT'S THE [INAUDIBLE] FIRST.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO EAT TRUST ME.
WE'RE LITERALLY WORKING ON THE WHOLE PIECE OF, OKAY, WE HAVE TO STREAM THE MEETING, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S A JOINT MEETING A LIVE MEETING.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO EAT, ARE WE GOING TO EAT AT 6:00? BUT THE MEETING GOES VIRTUAL SIX THIRTY? BECAUSE BASICALLY, WE ALL WANT TO BE SITTING HERE ON CAMERA.
THAT'S A QUESTION I LIKE TO ASK OUR ATTORNEY TO.
AND BECAUSE AGAIN, THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED AND I DON'T.
MEETINGS, WELL, OUR MEETINGS WERE NEVER STREAMED AND, YOU KNOW, WORK SESSION OR BOARD MEETING LIKE REGULAR BOARD MEETING ARE OPEN MEETINGS.
BUT DO WE HAVE TO STREAM EVERY OPEN MEETING? I MEAN THIS.
THIS IS A WORK SESSION WHERE THIS IS A MEETING WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
AND I THINK MORE PERTINENT TO STREAMING, POSSIBLY BECAUSE DECISIONS ARE MADE AND DISCUSSIONS.
BUT WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET VERY DETAIL ORIENTED WITH OUR CONVERSATION WITH MS. THORNTON.
AND THEN NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING.
NOW WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE BUDGET AT ALL, TRYING TO GIVE MARK A NIGHT OFF OVER THERE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM AND MEET AND GREET AND HAVE A
[03:15:02]
GOOD DISCUSSION AND ACTUALLY BREAK BREAD, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE TAKE PRIDE IN CAROLINE COUNTY WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE DOES THAT.PART OF THAT IS I'M THINKING OUT LOUD, DOES THAT, YOU KNOW, DOES THAT HAVE TO BE STREAMED? BUT OVERALL, DO OUR EDUCATION OR INFORMATION DIVES ON OUR WORK SESSIONS, WHETHER IT'S TO SPECIAL EDUCATION OR OR WHATEVER THE, YOU KNOW, THE BLUE RIBBON PANEL, DO THEY HAVE TO BE STREAMED OR WOULD WE CROSS ANY LINES? I'LL DEFINITELY [INAUDIBLE] HERE'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE TO THAT.
WE'RE NOT LETTING ANYBODY ELSE ATTEND.
IF IT WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TO COME IN, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO STREAM IT.
BUT ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO WANTS TO HEAR THAT EXCHANGE BETWEEN ONE OR ALL THREE OF THE COMMISSIONERS WITH ONE OR ALL FIVE OF US, THEY'RE GOING TO BE DENIED THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE IT BEING STREAMED AND THESE WE DON'T HAVE TO STREAM THE MEAL.
I THINK REASONABLE AND PRUDENT, WHO WANTS TO WATCH US EAT? YEAH.
AND WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE ON AN HONOR SYSTEM THAT WE'RE NOT CONDUCTING OUR BUSINESS WHILE WE'RE HAVING THAT MEAL AND WE'RE GOING TO CHAT ABOUT THINGS.
BUT WE'RE NOT MAKING THE DECISIONS.
THE AGENDA IS MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY AND ROAST BEEF OR WHATEVER THE FOOD IS.
BUT I REALLY I WOULD ADVOCATE AND WE CAN ASK THE ATTORNEY, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TELL US, IF YOU'RE DENYING PEOPLE ACCESS TO THAT MEETING, YOU REALLY OUGHT TO PUT IT ON CAMERA, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
GOING BACK TO MARCH OF 2020, YOU HAD TO FIGURE THAT OUT QUICKLY, RIGHT? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT QUICKLY.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE.
YOU'VE PUT THAT TECHNOLOGY IN PLACE.
IT'S WELL MANAGED BY OUR YOUNG MAN IN THE CORNER OVER THERE.
SO WHY WOULD WE NOT DO IT? WELL, I WOULD SAY, WHY WOULDN'T WE LET PEOPLE WATCH THE MEETING? AND TO THAT POINT, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE PLACEMENT WE HAVE? MARK, YOU'RE SITTING THERE AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE IT NOW.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DECIDE WITH YOUR STAFF THERE.
BUT I MEAN, CAN WE HAVE IT IN THE DENTON CAFETERIA SPREAD OUT? YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MEAL BUT SPREADING OUT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO STRAIN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AND YOU COULD LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT IT WOULDN'T BE STREAMED.
NOW IT WOULDN'T BE STREAMED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I MEAN, EVEN IN THE BEST CASE SCENARIO, THE MOST PUBLIC I'VE SEEN SHOW UP AT A BUDGET DISCUSSION IS MAYBE THREE.
BUT AT DENTON CAFETERIA, IF 10 SHOWED UP, THEY COULD SIT UP AGAINST THE WALL SIX FEET APART AND PARTICIPATE.
SO FLIP TO THAT AND I'M NOT ARGUING WITH THAT.
I'M JUST HAVING [INAUDIBLE] IS, YEAH, THEY DON'T COME.
THEY DON'T GO TO THE COMMISSIONERS MEETINGS EITHER, UNLESS THAT'S CHANGED BY PUTTING IT ON CAMERA.
WE'RE MAKING IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO WATCH.
THEY CAN WATCH PART OF IT, THEY CAN WATCH ALL OF IT.
AND THAT'S REALLY ONE OF THE PLUSES OF THIS HORRIBLE COVID THING IS THAT PEOPLE CAN SIT AT HOME, WHETHER IT'S THE EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY OR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, OR TAXPAYERS, OR PARENTS OR WHOEVER THEY GET TO WATCH.
AND IN THE PAST, THEY MIGHT NOT FEEL LIKE SITTING IN THAT ROOM WATCHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN MULTITASK, WHATEVER, RIGHT? I THINK THAT WHAT ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS, WHY NOT? WHY NOT LET THEM WATCH? ALL RIGHT.
IF SOMEBODY'S GOT A REASON WHY NOT.
WELL, I'M JUST COUNTING SPOTS AND YOU'LL FIGURE IT OUT IF WE CAN FIT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET THE BOARD, THE COMMISSIONERS, RACHEL AND [INAUDIBLE].
UNLESS WE FIND MORE ROOM AND THEN CHIEF OF STAFF, THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE COUNTY [INAUDIBLE]? SO ONCE YOU BECAUSE WE ALL SAY WE DON'T HAVE OUR BUDGET PERSON IN THE ROOM.
[INAUDIBLE] WE WANT TO TRY TO GET DOWN TO THIS LEVEL.
WE CAN PROBABLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET [INAUDIBLE] IN THE BOX AROUND.
BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING NOT TO TRY TO KEEP THE STAFF DOWN BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER.
YOU DON'T WANT TO PREVENT A PIECE OF, OK, WE'RE GOING TO SET UP ON THE [INAUDIBLE].
WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME LEVEL DOWN HERE EATING SO YOU'RE TALKING 10 PEOPLE OR 11.
IT'S JUST CRAZY THAT IT'S THE CONVERSATION.
WE'VE GOT ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE, 10 11 RIGHT NOW.
WE HAD 12, BUT ARE WE PULLING YOU GUYS OUT THERE AND PUTTING EVERYBODY DOWN ON THE FLOOR .
I SAY, PUT THE COMMISSIONERS UP HERE.
WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT, IT'S JUST, WELL, IT'S I WOULD PREFER THAT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE THAT WE EAT RIGHT AND THEN GO INTO MEETING.
SO LIKE, WE COME HERE AT 5:30.
[03:20:01]
THE COMMISSIONER.[INAUDIBLE] SEE WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS CAN DO AS WELL.
THEY WANT TO BE HERE AT SIX FOR THE MEETING, ACTUALLY FOR 6:30.
BUT WE'LL FIGURE THAT PIECE OUT WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.
AND YOU'LL LET US KNOW, YOU'LL LET US KNOW IN THE PUBLIC KNOW.
ARE YOU UPSET THAT YOU WON'T BE HERE? YEAH, RIGHT.
JUST THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS AND THE CONVERSATION NEEDED TO HAVE A DARN MEETING, THE SAME MEETING WE'VE ALWAYS HAD WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR SO MANY YEARS, IT'S JUST AND THIS LET ALONE GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL, EDUCATING THEM AND FEEDING THEM.
THAT WAS A MEETING DISCUSSION BOARD MEMBERS.
THAT'S WHAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
JANUARY 20TH MEETING IS THAT FOR THAT ADMINISTRATION AND.
NO, THAT'S THE WORKSHOP THE BOARD REQUESTED.
I HAVE QUESTIONS, DO YOU WANT ME TO GIVE YOU TO BEFORE? AND THAT WILL BE WHERE IS THAT MEETING BE HELD? HERE.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT BOARD MEETING IS THE 18TH WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BOARD MEMBERS.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CAUSE BEFORE WE MOVE ON? GO HOME.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.