[1. Opening Items]
[00:00:02]
WELCOME TO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING WHEN YOU'RE IN SCHOOL, RIGHT? LET'S BE ON TIME.
WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION THAT RAN A LITTLE BIT OVER, AND WE WERE REALLY DOING OUR DILIGENCE, DOING WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, AND WE KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO CAUSE THIS MEETING TO START A LITTLE LATE.
SO YOU'RE THE ONES PAYING THE PRICE FOR THAT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE EARLY ON TIME AND WAITING FOR US, AND THE MORE I KEEP TALKING, THE LONGER YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SIT HERE, RIGHT? BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU.
SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND NOW WE WILL HAVE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND WE HAVE SOME STARS IN THE ROOM TO LEAD THIS FOR US AND FEDERALSBURG.
SO GOOD EVENING, MISS [INAUDIBLE] AND MISS MILLS.
WHO DO WE HAVE WITH US THIS EVENING? THIS IS PART OF OUR WINTER CHOIR.
SO, ARE YOU GUYS EXCITED FOR YOUR CONCERT? YES. DO WE KNOW THE DATE OF OUR CONCERT? DECEMBER 6TH.
VERY GOOD, AND AT FEDERALSBURG.
WE'LL HAVE SOME FUN THINGS TO ENTERTAIN YOU.
[INAUDIBLE] WE GLADLY WILL. CAN WE HAVE EACH STUDENT INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND WHAT GRADE THEY'RE IN? [INAUDIBLE] USUALLY PEOPLE CALL ME CAT.
MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M A.
MY NAME IS HENRY BISHOP AND I'M IN THE 3RD GRADE.
MY NAME IS JACOB [INAUDIBLE]. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
YOU GUYS DID A FANTASTIC JOB, BY THE WAY.
WE SEE OTHER KIDS JUST KIND OF WILT WHEN THEY'RE TOLD THAT, HEY, WHAT'S YOUR NAME AND YOUR GRADE? AH, DON'T ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS! [CHUCKLING] NO YOU GUYS DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARENTS FOR BRINGING YOU OUT TONIGHT AND THEIR PATIENCE.
IT TOOK US A LITTLE BIT TO GET OUT HERE, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU GUYS AND OUR CODE OF CONDUCT.
[INAUDIBLE] WE STAY SAFE AND READY.
ALL OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ACHIEVE OUR GOALS AND RESPECT SELF AND OTHERS.
GO FALCONS! ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL.
THAT'S A CODE YOU CAN LIVE BY YOUR ENTIRE LIFE AND BE WELL SERVED.
VERY GOOD, SO, MISS BARRY, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO DO A PICTURE? TURN AROUND THIS WAY AND BACK ALL THE WAY UP TO THE [INAUDIBLE]? THANK YOU GUYS.
YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME REALLY GOOD COOKIES DOWN IN THE LOBBY IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HIT YET.
[00:05:32]
WE'LL LET THEM GET OUT THE DOOR HERE.AS THEY MOVE OUT, WE DO HAVE AN AGENDA AND IT'S IN PLACE.
IT'S BEEN POSTED, BUT WE DO HAVE AN ADJUSTMENT TO IT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT A LOT OF THE CORE VALUE OF OUR MEETING, ALTHOUGH ANYTHING WE GIVE UP IS A LITTLE ADJUSTMENT THAT WILL MAKE UP FOR IT. SO ANYWAY, WE'VE DISCUSSED OR WE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS, OR AT LEAST MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE A CHANGE IN OUR AGENDA.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DO NOT DO THE BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS OR THE SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT TO SAVE TIME BECAUSE WE STARTED LATE LONG MEETING, AND THEN IF WE NEED TO SAY ANYTHING, WE'LL SAY IT IN DECEMBER.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I'LL ADD TO THE DISCUSSION IS THAT THROUGHOUT THE MEETING, WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND MAKE POINTS THAT MATTER TO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND OUR ROLE REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY.
ANYBODY OPPOSED [INAUDIBLE] QUESTION? NONE OPPOSED, IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY ARE OUR AGENDA HAS BEEN ADJUSTED, AND NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT IN OUR MEETING WHERE WE VISIT OUR MISSION STATEMENT, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THIS. IT MIGHT SEEM LIKE IT'S NOT, BUT THIS REMINDS US OF WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHAT WE DO AND WHAT ALL OF YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO OUR 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 AND I'LL SAY THIS ABOUT THE MISSION AS WELL.
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND DURING OUR WORK SESSIONS AS WELL THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, THINGS THAT COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE REVOLVES AROUND THIS MISSION STATEMENT. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SUCH A GREAT THING TO READ EACH AND EVERY MEETING.
[2. Recognitions]
MCCORMICK. YES. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON, DR.SO I JUST WANT TO START BEFORE I INTRODUCE EACH STUDENT, I WANT TO JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THE COLLEGE BOARD NATIONAL RECOGNITION PROGRAM, THE COLLEGE BOARD NATIONAL RECOGNITION PROGRAM AWARD, ACADEMIC HONORS TO UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS.
THE FOUR NATIONAL RECOGNITION PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN RECOGNITION PROGRAM, NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION PROGRAM, NATIONAL INDIGENOUS RECOGNITION PROGRAM, AND THE NATIONAL RURAL AND SMALL TOWN RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
STUDENTS WHO TAKE ELIGIBLE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE PSAT OR AP EXAMS ARE CONSIDERED FOR THESE AWARDS.
STUDENTS MUST ALSO IDENTIFY AS BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN, LATINO, HISPANIC, INDIGENOUS, NATIVE, OR ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL IN A RURAL OR A SMALL TOWN.
THIS IS NOT A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, STUDENTS CAN INCLUDE THIS ACADEMIC HONOR IN THEIR COLLEGE AND SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS.
SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS WILL BE SCORE ELIGIBLE IF THEY SCORE IN THE TOP 10% ON THOSE PROGRAMS, ON THOSE SAT PROGRAMS, OR IF THEY SCORE THREE OR HIGHER ON TWO OR MORE AP EXAMS. SO AS YOU SEE HERE, WE HAVE 11 STUDENTS HERE TONIGHT THAT ARE NOT ONLY IN THEIR TOP 10% OF PSAT SCORE PROGRAM OR THEY HAVE EARNED HIGH SCORES ON MULTIPLE AP EXAMS. SO WE ARE VERY HONORED TO RECOGNIZE THESE STUDENTS TONIGHT.
I DO HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR EACH STUDENT.
THANKS FOR FOR A GROUP PICTURE.
ALL RIGHT. SO FIRST WE HAVE BAILEY THAYER FOR EARNING NATIONAL RURAL AND SMALL TOWN RECOGNITION, AND
[00:10:13]
WE HAVE BROOKE [INAUDIBLE] FOR ALSO NATIONAL RURAL AND SMALL TOWN AWARD.WE HAVE DALLAS [INAUDIBLE] ALSO EARNING NATIONAL, RURAL AND SMALL TOWN AWARD.
WE HAVE EMMY BROWN BARON FOR EARNING THE NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION.
YAY! FELIX TIMBERS FOR EARNING THE NATIONAL HISPANIC. LESLIE [INAUDIBLE].
BOTH THE NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION AND THE NATIONAL RURAL AND SMALL TOWN.
WHICH WAS THE NATIONAL RURAL AND SMALL TOWN LELAND CURRY.
FOR NATIONAL, RURAL AND SMALL TOWN.
REBECCA CHAMBERS NATIONAL, RURAL AND SMALL TOWN.
RILEY SHAW FOR NATIONAL, RURAL AND SMALL TOWN, AND SHELBY MCFARLAND FOR NATIONAL, RURAL AND SMALL TOWN.
AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
MAKE SURE YOU DO PUT THIS ON COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND SCHOLARSHIPS.
MS. BARRY, WOULD YOU LIKE US HERE? OKAY.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING. APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY, WE NOW AS AN EXIT, WE WILL HAVE THE SIMON A.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON, DR.
SIMMONS AND BOARD MEMBERS, I COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING PROUD TO PRESENT CHRISTY SAYLOR WITH TWO AWARDS FROM THE BOARD, ONE AND ALSO ONE FROM SHAPE MARYLAND FOR THE SIMON A.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO YOU, MISS CHRISTY SAYLOR.
CHRISTY, AS YOU'RE COMING UP, CONGRATULATIONS.
YOU'VE HAD A FEW OF OUR KIDS UP HERE AND SURVIVED, BUT NOBODY MORE DESERVING.
IT'S AWESOME YOU GOT THIS RECOGNITION AND VERY HAPPY FOR YOU.
[00:15:43]
OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT, AND WE NOW MOVE INTO REPORTS AND AS PER OUR AMENDED AGENDA, WE ARE NOT DOING THE BOARD MEMBER OR[3. Reports]
SUPERINTENDENTS REPORTS.SO THAT TAKES US TO OUR STUDENTS, AND THEY FLIPPED A COIN, AND LEVI WON I THINK.
I THINK I MESSED UP RACHEL WITH THAT.
[INAUDIBLE] SO STARTING OFF WITH PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I REMEMBER DOING IT AS A KID, AND EVERY YEAR IT WAS ALWAYS A GOOD TIME.
PES ALSO CELEBRATED THE DAY OF THE DEAD THE DIA DE LOS MUERTOS.
THE FALL BOOK FAIR KICKS OFF THIS WEEK FROM 4 TO 5 P.M.
AWESOME [INAUDIBLE] TO GO TO AS WELL.
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE IT'S THE PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES FEDERALSBURG THE TRUNK OR TREAT.
YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WENT UP AND LOADED UP ON CANDY.
IT'S A BIG TURNOUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, AND THEN MATHEMATICS [INAUDIBLE] COMING UP, IN ADDITION, WITH AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK, DRESSED LIKE A TEACHER GUEST READER DAY, PARENT VISITATION DAY, AND CAREER AND COLLEGE DAY, THEY'RE BOOKED, YOU KNOW.
WELL, SHE'S BRINGING IT UP THE DRESS LIKE A TEACHER DAY.
DO YOU DRESS LIKE A SPECIFIC TEACHER OR JUST ANY? I MEAN, DO AS YOU MAY, BUT YOU KNOW.
OH, WAIT SORRY THEY CELEBRATED THE FIRE PREVENTION WEEK BY INVITING THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY ALSO HAD AN ATTENDANCE, AND I THINK IT WAS AN INCENTIVE WHERE THEY ALSO ALL WALKED AROUND THE TRACK.
I WAS IN ONE OF MY CLASSROOMS AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A LOT OF KIDS OUT THERE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO THEY HAD THAT AND THEY ALSO HAD THE CO-CURRICULAR DAY COMING UP WHERE STUDENTS GET TO EXPLORE AND ENJOY INTERESTS FOR FUTURE CAREERS AND SPORTS AND OTHER HOBBIES.
CRHS HAD THEIR GRADUATION CAP AND GOWN ORDERING MEETING.
SO JUST GETTING OLDER BY THE DAY HERE, YOU KNOW IT'S COMING UPON ME.
FALL SPORTS ENDED, BUT YOU KNOW WINTER SPORTS ARE COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 15TH.
ALSO THE FIRST TIME IN CARDINAL HISTORY WE'RE DOING TRACK AND FIELD.
SO DURING THE WINTER IT SHOULD BE NEAT.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL PROGRESS INTO OUR SPRING TRACK AND FIELD AS WELL.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST FOR INDOOR TRACK.
SO IT'S THEY'RE AWESOME THERE NOW.
WELL THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS LESLIE.
I ALSO AGREE WITH THAT SENTIMENT.
JUST FEEL LIKE I'M GETTING OLDER BY THE DAY, BUT I'M WORKING THROUGH IT.
SO STARTING OFF WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS FROM LAST MONTH.
ALREADY ASKED MISS KREBS JUST REALLY WANTED EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT OCTOBER WAS JUST SUCH A FUN FILLED MONTH, AND THE SCHOOL IS REALLY JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT NOVEMBER BRINGS FOR THEM. SO FOR LAST MONTH, THEY HAD THEIR FALL BOOK FAIR AND THEIR FALL ACADEMIC NIGHT FOR FAMILIES, BUT THIS MONTH, PRE-K STUDENTS WILL BE GOING TO ADKINS ARBORETUM, SO I'M SURE THAT'S VERY EXCITING FOR THEM.
WHEN YOU'RE THAT YOUNG, GOING ANYWHERE OUT OF SCHOOL IS LIKE GOING TO SPACE FOR THEM.
OVER AT RIDGELY PRINCIPAL SUTTON WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW LIKE AS ALWAYS, RES IS WILD ABOUT LEARNING.
[00:20:06]
SO LAST MONTH THEIR PRE-K HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO ADKINS ARBORETUM.LIKE I SAID, I'M SURE THAT SHOULD BE VERY EXCITING FOR THEM.
THEY GET TO BE LITTLE YOUTUBERS FOR THE DAY IN MY LIFE ON THE 15TH, THEY HAVE THEIR PTA MEETING FOR THE MONTH AND ON THE 27TH, THEIR PARENT CONFERENCE DAY.
LAST MONTH THEY HAD THE HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENT ON THE 30TH.
I REMEMBER SPEAKING TO MISS KERR ABOUT IT.
IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE IT WENT AMAZING.
IT WAS AN AFTERNOON FULL OF JUST ACTIVITIES CELEBRATING THE HISPANIC LATINO DIVERSITY THERE.
I'M SURE WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD FOR THAT.
MISS KERR, MISS WALKER, MISS MURRAY AND DEPUTY DREW WILL ALL HAVE THE CHANCE TO KISS THE COW.
I HOPE THEY'RE READY TO PUCKER UP.
I DON'T IMAGINE IT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST EXPERIENCE, BUT IT ALWAYS MAKES FOR GOOD FUNDRAISING AND JUST A GOOD LAUGH ON THE EIGHTH, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR PARENT MENTAL HEALTH SERIES IN THE MEDIA CENTER, WHICH IS GREAT TO HEAR.
I FEEL LIKE, MENTAL HEALTH IS A TOPIC WE'RE A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE TO TALK ABOUT.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE THAT MORE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN ON THE 13TH, THEIR AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK AND THEIR PARENT VISITATION DAY WITH THEIR PTA MEETING ON THE 14TH.
ON THE KISS THE COW EVENT, DOES THE COW KISS BACK? IF YOU'RE LUCKY, I GUESS.
[CHUCKLING] I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON THE COW.
MAYBE SOME COWS ARE MORE INTO IT.
[CHUCKLING] YEAH, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU KNOW THAT.
[CHUCKLING] GOOD ANSWER. THANK YOU.
SO, OVER AT LOCKERMAN, PRINCIPAL NECESSARY WANTS EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT HAS BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL FIRST QUARTER AT LMS. THEIR FIRST DANCE LAST MONTH WAS ENJOYED BY EVERYONE AT SCHOOL.
THEY WANT TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO THE PBIS AND MR. KOTYK FOR HELPING.
THOSE STUDENTS ALSO GOT TO ENJOY THEIR FIRST PBIS INCENTIVE TRIVIA WITH DEJ K-DOG.
I'M SURE THAT'S ALWAYS AN EXPERIENCE.
IF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, THAT IS MR. KOTYK. IT'S A SECRET ALIAS.
STUDENTS ALSO HAVE THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME CLUBS THIS THIS PAST QUARTER.
RANGING FROM FIELD HOCKEY, FCA, SGA AND SOME A COUPLE OF MULTICULTURAL CLUBS.
THIS MONTH, THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION LATER THIS WEEK WHERE AS THEY ALWAYS DO, THE CHOIR AND BAND WILL JOIN THE HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR AND BAND TO CELEBRATE OUR VETERANS.
I'M SURE THAT'S A SENTIMENT SHARED BY ALL.
THE SCHOOL YEAR IS FLYING HIGH, BUT THIS MONTH WE HAVE SO MANY UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE SCHOOL AND HE JUST REALLY LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING THE COMMUNITY AT THESE AMAZING EVENTS. SO LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR BLOOD DRIVE AND A DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS AND DRAMA CLUB DINNER THIS MONTH.
LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING THEIR VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION THIS THURSDAY.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO JUST SHOW OUR SUPPORT FOR OUR VETERANS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE HAVING OUR POWDERPUFF FOOTBALL GAME.
THE FOLLOWING DAY, THEY'RE HAVING THE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS [INAUDIBLE] NIGHT AT GREENSBORO, AND THEN ON THE 15TH, THE SENIOR PANORAMIC PHOTO, WHICH IS A LITTLE CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT AS A SENIOR, AND THEN FINALLY OVER AT CCTC, THE CTE PROGRAMS OF STUDY HAD THEIR PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS AT CHESAPEAKE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE AMP PROGRAM INVITED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LOOK AT THEIR DESIGNS.
[00:25:06]
SKILLSUSA STUDENTS.I'VE HEARD AMAZING THINGS ABOUT SKILLSUSA, AND I KNOW A LOT OF THEM RECEIVED SOME CERTIFICATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS LAST WEEK AND THEN THIS MONTH FOR CCTC.
I'M SURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE COOKING UP SOME REAL GOOD FOOD FOR US THAT WE SHOULD ALL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO EAT, AND THEN FINALLY, COSMETOLOGY IS HAVING THEIR ANNUAL SPA NIGHT.
SO I KNOW THAT'S ALWAYS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE TO, I DON'T KNOW, JUST A FREE SPA NIGHT LIKE EVERYONE DESERVES ONE, BUT THAT WAS A VERY BUSY OCTOBER AND HOPEFULLY A VERY BUSY NOVEMBER AS WE LEAD UP TO THANKSGIVING BREAK.
IT'S VERY MOVING, AND IF YOU ARE A VIETNAM VETERAN AND HAVEN'T RECEIVED A SPECIAL AWARD, GO TO THAT BECAUSE THEY WILL BE GIVING THEM OUT. SO IT'S I JUST CAN'T TELL YOU HOW.
I KNOW WE ALWAYS HEAR VERY GOOD THINGS BACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION.
SO IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO ONE YET, NOW WOULD BE A GREAT YEAR TO START SUCH.
IT'S AN AMAZING THING TO JUST SEE THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE SO MANY VETERANS DAY EVENTS AND BOTH OF YOUR REPORTS.
IT'S TOO OFTEN OVERLOOKED AND CERTAINLY NOT BY OUR SCHOOLS.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE RECOGNIZING VETERANS AND THAT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE.
WELL, THANK YOU. TWO GREAT REPORTS THERE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[4. Consent Agenda]
I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE SOME PERSONAL ACTIONS BECAUSE I SEE DR.WILLOUGHBY COMING OUT OF THE AUDIENCE.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON.
LOOKS LIKE THINGS HAVE SLOWED DOWN.
[CHUCKLING] I DON'T BELIEVE IN JINXES.
I OWNED A BLACK CAT, AND I USED TO CROSS PATHS WITH IT ALL THE TIME.
THAT'S HOW I GOT IN THIS SEAT. [CHUCKLING] OKAY, SO.
WE HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 10TH AND OUR MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 17TH ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND. ANY COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? SUGGESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
ALL RIGHT. CONSENT AGENDA IS GOOD.
ANY PUBLIC CITIZEN COMMENTS TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT. THAT'S FINE, AND NOW WE'LL GO INTO SOME INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS, AND THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING DAY OF THE YEAR FOR ME.
[6. Individual Action Items]
THE AUDIT REPORTS.SO MRS. THORNTON WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, YOU GET ME AND I'LL DO MY BEST.
IF THE BOARD HAS MORE DETAILED QUESTIONS, WE CAN WALK THROUGH SOME OF IT BUT I'M NOT DOING THE AUDIT REPORT.
THANKFULLY WE HAVE AUDREY HERE TO DO THAT.
I THINK OUR BEST COURSE OF ACTION, PROBABLY WORKING THROUGH THIS WILL BE TO START WITH THE AUDIT REPORT AND AFTER THE AUDIT REPORT PRESENTATION, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ACTION ITEM FOR, EXCUSE ME, THE END OF THE YEAR BUDGETARY MOVES THAT NEEDED TO HAPPEN TO LEVEL OUT THE BUDGET AND THE CERTAIN CATEGORIES.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE AUDIT REPORT IF THAT WORKS.
GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
DO YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN FRONT OF YOU? IT'S THE BLUE BINDER.
IT'S NOTED PAGE ONE AT THE BOTTOM.
SO THAT FIRST PAGE IS ACTUALLY OUR INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT, AND THE FIRST SECTION IS ON OPINIONS, AND IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OF THAT SECTION WHERE WE NOTE, IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENT FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, THE RESPECTIVE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, EACH MAJOR FUND AND THE AGGREGATE REMAINING FUND.
INFORMATION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2023.
WE DIDN'T FIND ANY ISSUES TO REPORT TO YOU.
THAT'S THE BEST OPINION THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE.
[00:30:01]
COMPLIANCE AND AGAIN, WE LOOK AT INTERNAL CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE, PARTICULARLY AS IT PERTAINS TO YOUR GRANT AWARDS, AND AGAIN IN HERE WE FOUND NO DEFICIENCIES THAT WE NEED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION A CLEAN REPORT THERE.THE NEXT SECTION OF YOUR PACKAGE, IT STARTS ON PAGE SEVEN, AND THAT'S THE MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS, AND THE INTENT OF THIS IS TO JUST PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE AND EASILY READABLE ANALYSIS OF THE BOARD ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR, AND THAT IS PREPARED BY MANAGEMENT.
SO YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ACTUALLY CONTAIN TWO SETS OF FINANCIALS, A GOVERNMENT WIDE SET OF FINANCIALS THAT STARTS ON PAGE 16 AND FLOWS OVER TO PAGE 17, AND THEN GOVERNMENT FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS THAT START ON PAGE 19.
YOUR GOVERNMENT WIDE STATEMENTS ARE ON A FULL ACCRUAL BASIS.
ON PAGE 19 AND 20, WHICH IS THE FUND WHERE THE FUND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS START, THE PAGE 19 AND 20 IS YOUR BALANCE SHEET, AND SO YOU'LL SEE ON PAGE 20 UNDER THE COLUMN TOTAL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS FOR BOTH GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND YOUR GENERAL FUND.
EXCUSE ME, SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND SCHOOL ACTIVITY FUNDS, WHICH ARE YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS.
TOTAL CASH, WHICH IS AT THE VERY TOP, WAS ABOUT 16 MILLION AT JUNE 30TH, 2023, AND THEN AT THE VERY BOTTOM, YOU WILL SEE THAT YOUR TOTAL NET POSITION AT THE END OF THE YEAR WAS SITTING AT ABOUT 25 MILLION.
I'M SORRY. THAT'S TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCE.
YOUR TOTAL FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR WAS AT ABOUT 11.4 MILLION, WHICH IS RIGHT ABOVE THAT 25 MILLION NUMBER, AND SO IN THE GENERAL FUND, YOU HAVE FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 10.8 MILLION AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WITH SMALLER AMOUNTS IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND THEN MOVING ON TO PAGE 21 AND 22, WHICH IS THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE.
THOSE REPORTS ARE FOLLOWED UP ON PAGE 23 BY YOUR STATEMENT OF FUND NET POSITION PROPRIETARY FUNDS.
SO YOUR CASH AT THE END OF THE YEAR WAS AT ABOUT 1.8 MILLION, WITH A TOTAL NET POSITION FOR THE YEAR OF ABOUT 3.2 MILLION, AND AGAIN, THE PAGE THAT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 24 JUST SHOWS REVENUES AND EXPENSES MOVING IN AND OUT OF THAT FUND FOR THE YEAR.
THE NEXT APPROXIMATELY FROM PAGE ONE [INAUDIBLE] SORRY, PAGE 28 THROUGH PAGE 55 ARE THE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THOSE NOTES FOR THE YEAR, AND AGAIN, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GO OVER ANYTHING.
PAGE 57, WHICH IS THE START OF YOUR BUDGETARY BASIS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE SHOW YOUR ORIGINAL AND FINAL BUDGET, WHICH ARE THE SAME FOR YOU FOR THIS YEAR, FOR THE YEAR UNTIL YOU MAKE ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS AFTER THIS REPORT, BUT YOU WILL SEE ON THE FIRST PAGE ON PAGE 57, IF WE LOOK AT TOTAL UNRESTRICTED REVENUES, YOU BUDGETED TO RECEIVE ABOUT $80 MILLION IN UNRESTRICTED REVENUES, AND YOU ACTUALLY RECEIVED ABOUT 80.9 MILLION IN UNRESTRICTED REVENUES.
SO ABOUT 800,000 MORE THAN BUDGETED, PRIMARILY DUE TO INTEREST RATES RISING DURING THE YEAR AND ADDITIONAL INTEREST RECEIVED, AND THEN ON PAGE 60, WHICH IS WHERE THE EXPENDITURES CONCLUDE, YOU'LL SEE ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE PAGE, YOU'LL SEE TOTAL EXPENDITURES AGAIN BUDGETED AT ABOUT $80 MILLION, WITH ACTUAL EXPENDITURES COMING IN AT ABOUT $78 MILLION.
SO THERE WAS A FAVORABLE VARIANCE OF ABOUT 2.4 MILLION FOR AN OVERALL EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES OF ABOUT 3.3 MILLION AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THE REST OF THE INFORMATION IN HERE ARE SCHEDULES ABOUT PENSION AND OPEB AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND AS FAR AS THE FINANCIALS GO, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO DRAW TO YOUR ATTENTION.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
[00:35:02]
THE OTHER REPORT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE AUDIT COMMUNICATIONS AND THAT IS JUST GENERAL LANGUAGE.WE FOUND NO ISSUES TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
THERE WILL BE ONE MORE REPORT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE TEST YOUR COMPLIANCE AND INTERNAL CONTROL IN MORE DETAIL OVER FEDERAL AWARDS.
WE HAVE COMPLETED THAT TESTING JUST NOT ISSUE THE REPORT YET.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY FINDINGS TO DRAW TO YOUR ATTENTION WITH THAT.
THANK YOU. I'LL COMMENT THAT CLEAN AUDIT.
OUTSTANDING. JUST GREAT TO HEAR.
BECAUSE THAT IS JUST NOT TAKEN FOR GRANTED.
OR IT COULD BE, BUT IT'S GREAT WORK BY GREAT WORK BY THE AUDITORS TO BE THOROUGH.
EXCELLENT WORK BY THE TEAM HERE.
MISS THORNTON ISN'T HERE TONIGHT, BUT I REALLY OWE HER, HER AND HER TEAM A HUGE THANK YOU.
THEY MAKE OUR PROCESS VERY SMOOTH AND EASY EVERY YEAR.
THEY ARE READY EXTREMELY FAST AFTER YEAR END FOR US TO COME IN, WHICH IS AN EFFORT IN AND OF ITSELF.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HER WORK.
WELL, YOU CAN'T DO YOUR WORK IF THEY DON'T DO THEIRS, AND SO THANK YOU FOR AS MR. DIGIACOMO MENTIONED.
THANK YOU, AND AGAIN FROM ALL OF US.
AGAIN THRILLED THAT IT'S A CLEAN AUDIT OF COURSE EVERYBODY WHO WE'RE USED TO IT.
WE HANDLE OVER $100 MILLION EVERY YEAR IN A BUDGET.
YOU WON'T FIND THAT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND WITH THAT SHOP OF THAT SIZE HANDLING THIS MUCH CASH, MOVING IN AND OUT AND ALL OF IT'S GOVERNMENT MONEY, WHICH TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRINGS ATTACHED TO ALL OF IT WITH DIFFERENT RULES FOR ALMOST EVERY POT, AND A CLEAN AUDIT WITH THOSE CONSTRAINTS IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.
SO THE WORK THAT THEY DO IS AWESOME, AND IT SHOWS IN THE AUDIT.
WE'RE THRILLED WITH THAT. SO THANK YOU.
OKAY, SO AS PART OF THIS WORK IN CAROLINE COUNTY, OUR PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED FOR A LONG TIME, WE COULD CONSULT VETERAN BOARD MEMBERS IN THE ROOM WHO WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS DURING THEIR TIME IS UP BEFORE COMPUTERS, AND I WASN'T GOING TO GO THERE, MARTIN, BUT CAROLINE.
SOME SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE REQUIRED TO DO IT EVERY MONTH.
WE HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS AND OUR LONG HISTORY OF HAVING CLEAN AUDITS, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CLEAN OUR BUDGET UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR, MEANING MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS BY CATEGORY WHERE WE HAVE OVERAGES OR UNDERAGES AND KIND OF MAKE IT WORK.
SO BEFORE YOU, AS AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE BOARD, MRS. THORNTON IS RECOMMENDING WITH MY SUPPORT AS WELL, THAT WE DO MAKE THE FINAL BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE FY 23 BUDGET TO OFFICIALLY CLOSE IT OUT.
RACHEL, IF YOU COULD PULL THAT UP, IT MIGHT BE UNDER.
OKAY. NO PROBLEM, AND MOST OF THE OVERAGE IS UNDERAGE.
WHILE RACHEL'S PULLING IT UP, BOARD HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WHERE WE WERE NOTICING MONTH BY MONTH, WHERE SOME EXPENSES WERE, WERE A LITTLE MORE. THE POSITIVE SIDE WAS WE HAD SOME REVENUES THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS NICE TOO IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
WE DID HAVE A HIGHER RETURN ON OUR INTEREST RATES WHEN OUR MONEY, WHICH WAS GREAT TO ADD TO THE REVENUE SIDE OF THINGS BUT WE ALSO DID HAVE INCREASES THAT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE WHEN WE WERE CREATING THE BUDGET THIS TIME LAST YEAR THAT CAUSED INCREASES OR OVERAGES IN OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL COSTS, AND THERE ARE EXPLANATIONS IN THE ACTION ITEM.
WE OFFERED POWER SCHOOL TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT USING YEAR END PURCHASE MONEY, WHICH CAME TO THE BOARD FOR THAT YEAR END PURCHASE, BUT IT DID PUT THAT LINE ITEM OVER. WE HAD ADDITIONAL PURCHASES FOR TECHNOLOGY THAT AGAIN, WE KNEW ABOUT, BUT DID PUT THAT LINE ITEM OVER THE PEOPLE TRANSPORTATION LINE WAS OVER, AND THAT WAS RELATED TO PRICE INCREASES WITH FUEL, AND WHEN WE NEGOTIATED OUR MOST RECENT
[00:40:09]
CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH THE LLC, IT WAS AFTER THE BUDGET HAD BEEN FINALIZED.WE ALSO HAD INCREASES IN OPERATION OF PLANT ELECTRICITY COSTS, WHICH I WILL NOTE, I DIDN'T RAISE IT IN THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT DUE TO TIME, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE SAVINGS WE HAD WITH THE SYNERGISTIC ENERGY PROGRAM OR THE COST AVOIDANCE.
SO WE STILL HAVE TO MAKE A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THINGS LIKE ELECTRICITY LAWN CARE EXPENSES ENDED UP BEING GREATER THAN WAS BUDGETED, AND WE DID HAVE THE YEAR END PURCHASE, WHICH THE BOARD SUPPORTED PUTTING SENSORS IN ALL OF OUR SECONDARY SCHOOL RESTROOMS. WE HAD INCREASED COSTS WITH SOME OF OUR CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTENANCE OF PLANT, WHICH THAT SHOWS UP IN THERE AS WELL, AND THEN WE DID HAVE SOME CAPITAL OUTLAY EXPENSES THAT WE WERE AWARE OF.
WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR, LIKE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE RIDGELY PLAYGROUND NEEDED TO BE HANDLED.
WE HAD THE COMPLETION OF THE JUDY CENTER AT GREENSBORO, SOME OF THAT'S BEING FUNDED LOCALLY, AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAD, AS MR. MENGEL MENTIONED AT THE AUGUST BOARD MEETING, WE HAD THE BLEACHER ISSUE AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH TURNED INTO A BIGGER DEAL THAN WE ORIGINALLY HAD THOUGHT.
SO THOSE LED TO OVERAGES IN SOME AREAS, AND WE HAVE ADJUSTED THE BUDGET TO REFLECT THOSE TO TRY TO LEVEL THOSE LINES OUT WITH THE REVISED BUDGET, AND THE ONE PIECE OF NOTE FOR THE BOARD AT THE END, THE EXCESS REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES WE DO HAVE.
AS WE CLOSE OUT THE FY 23 BUDGET, WE WOULD BE ADDING $3.2 MILLION INTO OUR FUND BALANCE.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE LAST YEAR AS A BOARD AND THE NEED TO REBUILD THE FUND BALANCE.
WE WERE GETTING INTO THE RANGE OF ABOUT A 4 OR 5% OF THE OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET.
AS OUR BOARD IS AWARE, AND MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY SITTING OUT IN THE AUDIENCE OR ONLINE KNOWS, THE WAY THAT GRANTS ARE PAID NOW ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO BE, IN THE WAY THAT WE'RE FUNDED FROM THE STATE.
CASH ON HAND IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE IF GRANTS ARE SLOW BEING PAID AND GRANTS HAVE BEEN SLOW BEING PAID, ESPECIALLY OUT OF MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP MAY HELP SOME OF THAT, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY WE WERE LIVING IN.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT.
WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE 3.2 MILLION INTO FUND BALANCE, WE ARE SITTING WITH A HEALTHY ROUGHLY EIGHT AND A HALF TO 8.7% IN THAT RANGE. FUND BALANCE OVER OPERATING BUDGET.
IF AUDREY WERE STILL HERE SHE WOULD APPLAUD THAT AND TELL US THAT IS THE HEALTHY RANGE.
THE BOARD DOES HAVE A FUND BALANCE POLICY THAT ALLOWS US FOR OUR FUND BALANCE TO RANGE BETWEEN 1 AND 10% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, THOUGH I WOULD NOT ENCOURAGE US TO GET DOWN TO THE 1% RANGE AS WE'VE TALKED AS A BOARD AS WELL.
CLOSER WE GET TO TEN, THE HEALTHIER WE ARE AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BENEFIT TO MOVE THAT WAY BECAUSE OF, FRANKLY, [INAUDIBLE] FEDERAL GRANT MONEY COMING IN HAS ALLOWED US TO USE THAT TO COVER THE COST OF TECHNOLOGY.
SO SOME ONE TIME PURCHASES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE BOUGHT THAT WAY.
SO THAT'S HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY TO BE ABLE TO ADD TO THE FUND BALANCE.
IT'S NOT. WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL BILL YET.
SO WHEN THAT FINAL BILL COMES, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LOOK TO PICK UP OUT OF THE OUT OF THE OPERATING BUDGET THIS YEAR, OR PERHAPS USED TO USE FUND BALANCE TO COVER THAT BALANCE OF THAT PROJECT.
THE OTHER PIECE, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO REPORT TO THE BOARD PROBABLY IS AWARE OF THIS YEAR'S HEALTH INSURANCE OUR RATE INCREASE WAS A LOT SMALLER FOR EMPLOYEES, WHICH WAS GREAT.
WITH THAT COMES, WE ALSO DID NOT GET THE 13TH BILL THAT THIS BOARD RECEIVED THE YEAR BEFORE, WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE IN YOUR HEALTH CARE, WHICH THE PREVIOUS YEAR, IT WAS ABOUT A 1.1 MILLION BILL THAT WE HAD TO MAKE UP FOR THIS YEAR.
WE DID NOT GET A 13TH BILL, TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
SO WE WERE SITTING IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION HEALTH INSURANCE WISE.
SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT REALLY WENT IN OUR FAVOR, WHICH IS HELPING US RECOUP THIS AND GET THE FUND BALANCE BACK TO A HEALTHY SPOT BUT THAT ALSO HELPS US WHEN WE GO INTO BUDGET SEASON THIS YEAR, TO CONTINUE TO TRIM A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE BONE.
[00:45:04]
WE CAN LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER IN SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE WE SAW THE OVERAGES AND KIND OF MAKE THAT WORK.SO PRESENT TO YOU THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MAKE THESE MOVES BUDGETARILY TO ADJUST FOR THE CATEGORIES FOR THE END OF THE YEAR BUDGET AND TO MOVE THE 3.2 MILLION INTO FUND BALANCE.
SO ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BUT NOT ABOUT APPROVING THIS.
YOU MENTIONED THE VAPE SENSORS IN THE BATHROOMS. HOW'S THAT GOING? HOW'S IT WORKING? VERY ENCOURAGING.
THEY'RE WORKING VERY ENCOURAGINGLY RIGHT NOW.
WELL, SOME PLACES THEY'RE WORKING REALLY WELL.
WE HAD A LOT OF TESTING BEING DONE OF THEM.
WE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD EXCUSES ABOUT WHAT WAS SETTING THEM OFF.
PERFUME AND DEODORANT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
ABSOLUTELY, AND THEY'VE BEEN TESTED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT SETS THEM OFF.
KIDS ARE JUST GETTING BETTER AT HIDING.
I'LL SAY THAT. SO FOR THE KIDS WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING, WE KNOW YOU HAVE IT.
VERY ACCURATE. IT WAS WORTH THE MONEY.
YEAH. SO YES, THEY'RE WORKING.
OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ACTION.
ONE COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS FUND BALANCE GOING UP BY THE EXACT AMOUNT.
THAT IS JUST TERRIFIC, AND THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO SAY THAT.
SO A WAY TO MAYBE UNDERSTAND THIS IS LIKE HAVING A SPARE TIRE.
IT'S A SPARE TIRE. IF YOU GET A FLAT, NO, IT'S BETTER THAN THAT.
IT'S HAVING A MECHANIC IN YOUR TRUNK.
THAT'S WHAT FUND BALANCE IS LIKE.
YOU GET A FLAT TIRE, IT'S LIKE, OH, MAN, I GOT TO CHANGE A TIRE.
NO, YOU OPEN UP THAT HATCH, I'LL POP THE MECHANIC, CHANGE THE TIRE FOR YOU.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN YOUR HOME SITUATION, YOUR REFRIGERATOR.
GOES OUT, YOU CAN AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE.
SO IN OUR CASE, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER, AND OR YOU GET TO THE END OF THE YEAR AND MAYBE THINGS DIDN'T WORK OUT QUITE THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO AND YOU HAD SOMEPLACE TO GO.
IT'S REALLY MORE THAN AN INSURANCE POLICY.
THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TRANSPARENT, AND THAT'S THE AUDITOR'S BEING HERE AND SAYING THAT'S AN INDICATION OF THAT, AND IT COULD SOUND LIKE A LOT OF JARGON AND ALL, BUT IT REALLY IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SO THAT'S MY SPEECH, BUT I'LL JUST CALL TO A VOTE NOW OR MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANYBODY OPPOSED? YOU DON'T GET TO VOTE OVER THERE ANYMORE.
MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
GREAT WORK. THANK YOU, AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO ALGEBRA ONE.
VONDENBOSCH. I'D LIKE TO BRING UP AS RESOURCES FOR YOU PERUSE AS I SPEAK.
GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF EDUCATION PRESIDENT, MR. BARTON, SUPERINTENDENT DR.
SIMMONS, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AS THE K-12 MATH SUPERVISOR, I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO RECOMMEND FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THE ADOPTION OF THE DESMOS CURRICULUM FOR ALGEBRA ONE INSTRUCTION IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. DESMOS IS A COMPREHENSIVE BLENDED CORE MATH CURRICULUM WHICH WE CURRENTLY USE FOR GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT MATH.
[00:50:02]
THIS RECOMMENDATION IS ASKING FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO APPROVE THE DESMOS CURRICULUM FOR ALGEBRA ONE, REPLACING OUR CURRENT AGILE MIND CURRICULUM.THE CURRICULUM ALSO INCLUDES POWERFUL FACILITATION TOOLS FOR TEACHERS TO MONITOR STUDENT WORK AND TO GUIDE PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS AROUND STUDENT WORK THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE DASHBOARD.
THE PLATFORM IS HIGH INTEREST, INTERACTIVE, AND ENGAGING FOR STUDENTS TO DISCOVER ALGEBRAIC PRINCIPLES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE JUST PRACTICED IN A ROTE WAY, COPYING WHAT THE TEACHER TOLD US BACK IN THE DAY.
SO ONE OF THE BIG PUSHES THIS YEAR IS FOR US TO HAVE ALL OF OUR ASSESSMENTS ON PERFORMANCE MATTERS.
I'M SORRY TO PERFORMANCE MATTERS.
THIS COMES IN A SUMMARY FORMAT FOR THE TEACHERS, SO THAT THEY CAN QUICKLY SEE IF THEY NEED TO RETEACH THE WHOLE CLASS BECAUSE THEY'RE MISSING CONCEPTS OR TARGETED SMALL GROUP OF STUDENTS. THE SUMMARY SCREEN SHOWS THE TEACHERS AT A GLANCE WHO GOT IT, WHICH MAKES AND WHO DIDN'T GET IT, WHICH MAKES OUR TIER TWO, WHICH WE'VE DISCUSSED AT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS, THAT SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION QUICK AND EFFICIENT.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU A SNAPSHOT OF SOME VALUABLE FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
SO IN DESMOS, STUDENTS DISCOVER ALGEBRAIC CONCEPTS THROUGH ANIMATIONS, THROUGH SCENARIOS, AND AS AN ADULT LOOKING AT THOSE SCENARIOS, I FIND MYSELF SAYING, OH, THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS.
ANOTHER STUDENT NOTED, VISUALLY, DESMOS IMAGES AND ANIMATIONS ARE VERY HELPFUL.
IT'S EASIER TO PICTURE WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON IN THE MATH PROBLEMS, AND IT HELPS WITH THE CONTEXT.
WE ALSO TALKED TO PARENTS, SO PARENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
ANOTHER PARENT NOTED, WHEN I WAS A KID, A LOT OF INSTRUCTION WAS NOTES AND EXAMPLES.
WE WERE GIVEN EXAMPLES OF HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. THEN WE REPEATED THE PROCESS, BUT WE NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHY WE WERE DOING WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE CONSIDERING THIS CURRICULUM ADOPTION AND THROUGHOUT THE PILOT.
WE ALSO GATHERED A LOT OF TEACHER FEEDBACK.
IT WILL STACK THE ANSWERS ON A GRAPH.
I LOVE THAT STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO GET PRETTY IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK, AND THEY SEEM TO LIKE THAT AS WELL.
MS. PLANNER, WHO WAS ONE OF OUR ALGEBRA ONE PILOT TEACHERS, THAT IS HER TEACHER'S GUIDE UP THERE.
SO EACH TEACHER WAS SUPPLIED WITH BINDERS AND SHE OBVIOUSLY HAS MARKED HERS UP.
[00:55:09]
SPEND THE TIME MARKING UP THAT CURRICULUM AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING IT AND MAKING SURE THEY'RE PLANNING FOR THOSE TARGETED INTERVENTIONS.SO, MRS. PLANNER, OF COURSE, THAT'S HER BINDER.
SHE ALSO REALLY LIKES THE DESMOS PLATFORM.
SHE SAYS THAT SHE CAN INTERACT IN REAL TIME WITH THE LESSONS IT ALLOWS FOR INSTANT FEEDBACK.
MR. BISHOP, HE IS OUR ALGEBRA ONE TEACHER AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
HE IS ALSO PILOTING THE DESMOS CURRICULUM AND HE SAYS, I LOVE DESMOS.
MY STUDENTS ARE MORE ENGAGED THIS YEAR THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THEY'RE WRITING MORE IN THE CURRICULUM THAN THEY HAVE IN OTHER CURRICULUMS THAT I'VE USED.
THIS WILL HELP THEM IMPROVE THEIR MCAP SCORES.
A QUICK LESSON PRACTICE PROBLEMS. HE LOVES THE CURRICULUM THE MORE AND MORE THAT HE GETS USED TO IT.
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS.
THEY'RE VERY USED TO THE PLATFORM AND IT IS BLENDED.
FORMAT, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS THE BEST CURRICULUM FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? PRETTY EASY I THINK.
SO, AGILE MINDS WILL BE GONE? YES.
DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT THAT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND EVENTUALLY FOR ALGEBRA TWO AND GEOMETRY.
SO THAT IS THE PATH WE WOULD LIKE.
SO WHEN WILL THIS TAKE EFFECT.
IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT WE CAN OUR PILOT TEACHERS WILL CONTINUE AND THEN ALL OF OUR TEACHERS CAN START IT FOR SEMESTER TWO. BECAUSE I SAW SOME OF THE STUDENTS THERE KIND OF SMILE ABOUT WHAT DO YOU THINK? DESMOS. YES, TWO THUMBS UP.
YEAH, BUT SEE, YOU HAVE TO GET THREE VOTES.
YEAH, SHE SAID IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER.
NOTHING PERSONAL BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT.
ABSOLUTELY, BUT THAT MEANS EVERYTHING.
WELL, AND I WANT TO COMMENT TO ADD ON TO THAT, AND I'M GLAD THEY'RE HERE.
VONDENBOSCH SUBMITTED THE PACKET FOR TONIGHT ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I GOT SOME REALLY BIG SPREADSHEETS, WHICH WERE GREAT, BUT THEY WERE THE SURVEYS THAT SHE GAVE TO ALL THE KIDS THAT WERE USING DESMOS.
SO SHE SURVEYED, MADE SURE EVERY KID WHO'S USING IT RIGHT NOW THROUGH A PILOT, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK EVERY SINGLE KID PARENTS WERE SURVEYED AS WELL.
I MEAN, FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE FEEDBACK, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE.
THERE WAS SOME YES, MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS ARE FUN.
WE LAUGHED ABOUT A COMMENT, BUT BUT IT WAS GREAT TO SEE IT AGREED WITH US.
SO APPRECIATE ALL THAT EFFORT GOING IN.
WELL, AND I HAVE TO, BECAUSE I KIND OF CAME IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS.
SO I HAVE TO GIVE A HUGE CREDIT TO MY TEAM.
MRS. FRANCE IS, JUST ONE OF THE SECONDARY COACHES, BUT THEY ALL DO AN AMAZING JOB AND ANYTHING THAT I ASK OF THEM, THEY DO AN AMAZING, SO SUPER LUCKY ONE LAST PLUG REAL QUICK.
SORRY. PARENT RESOURCES ARE GREAT.
SO THERE'S LIKE A WHOLE SLIDE SHOW.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF PARENT RESOURCES AND MULTIPLE [INAUDIBLE] IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY HELPFUL.
[01:00:05]
YES. I GAVE THIS SPEECH TO MY DAUGHTER WHO GRADUATED LAST YEAR, AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD VOTE FOR DESMOS BECAUSE SHE HAD DESMOS AND AGILE MIND AS WELL.I SAID THE SPEECH IS REALLY LONG, SHOULD I CUT SOME THINGS OUT? AND SHE SAID, NO, THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT.
SO THE PARENTS GET INFORMATION FOR EVERY UNIT? YES. THAT'S GOOD.
COMES IN AN EMAIL PACKET WITH ALL THE ITEMS RIGHT THERE FROM THE TEACHER.
IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LOOK ON THE WEBSITE.
IT'S VERY INTERACTIVE, EASY TO NAVIGATE, EASY FOR TEACHERS TO NAVIGATE.
EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THOSE BINDERS IS PROVIDED DIGITALLY AS WELL.
SO THE TEACHERS LIKE TO BE ABLE TO MARK UP THE LESSONS.
SO WHEN THEY OBSERVE, IT'S HARD TO BE A CONTENT EXPERT WHEN YOU'RE AN ADMINISTRATOR.
SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOME RESOURCES, THINGS TO LOOK FOR.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS LOOKED AT FROM EVERY PERSPECTIVE, WHICH IS INCLUDING THESE FOLKS.
REALLY GREAT HAVING THE STUDENTS, THE PARENTS, EVERYBODY IS REALLY PERFECT.
SO OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE DESMOS? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE DESMOS MATH PROGRAM FOR FULL IMPLEMENTATION.
FIVE ZERO. SO YOU GOT ALL FIVE VOTES? YEAH. THANK YOU FOR WELL DONE.
NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO SOME POLICY REVIEW.
LOOKING AT A SECOND READING OF A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POLICIES.
PRESIDENT BARTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
DR. SIMMONS, TONIGHT WE HAVE TWO POLICIES COMING BEFORE YOU THAT WERE INTRODUCED AT THE LAST MEETING FOR FIRST READING THAT WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR TONIGHT TO BE THEIR SECOND READING AND POTENTIAL APPROVAL.
THE FIRST IS REVISION TO POLICY 22010, WHICH IS FAMILY LIFE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
PART OF THE REVISION IS TO CHANGE THE TITLE TO COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION.
WE HAD A SUMMARY OF THAT AT OUR LAST MEETING.
AND JUST TO SORT OF RECAP THAT THIS POLICY DOES BASICALLY THREE THINGS.
IT CONFIRMS THAT THE CCPS HEALTH CURRICULUM MEETS COMAR REQUIREMENTS.
IT ACKNOWLEDGES THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS TO BE NOTIFIED BEFORE THE TEACHING OF THE HUMAN SEXUALITY UNIT, AND IT ALLOWS FOR PARENTS TO OPT OUT THEIR STUDENTS FROM INSTRUCTION IN HUMAN SEXUALITY TO THE GREATEST EXTENT ALLOWED UNDER COMAR.
BASICALLY IT'S A VERY SHORT POLICY.
IT ONLY HAS THREE SECTIONS, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THE POLICY DOES.
WE DID PUBLISH IT AS WE TALKED AT THE LAST MEETING.
WE DID PUBLISH IT FOR COMMENT THE DAY AFTER YOUR MEETING.
SO THAT WEDNESDAY MISS BARRY PUBLISHED IT OUT.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE COMMENTS BACK.
SO AT THIS POINT IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE ADOPTED AS REVISED, AND THE FAMILY LIFE LESSONS.
YOU SAID THAT PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF THAT UNIT OF STUDY, BUT WE PROVIDE A LESSON THAT COMPLIMENTS. YES.
OKAY. THAT'S A COMAR REQUIREMENT.
IS THAT JUST FOR THE ONE TOPIC [INAUDIBLE].
[INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? IF THERE'S NONE, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I SO MOVE. DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THE MOTION? I'LL SECOND IT. ALL RIGHT.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COMMENTS. HEARING NONE, WE'LL CALL A VOTE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIES FIVE ZERO.
WELL DONE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
OUR SECOND POLICY FOR THIS EVENING IS A NEW POLICY THAT AGAIN CAME BEFORE YOU LAST MONTH.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS IN SCHOOLS AND ON SCHOOL PROPERTY.
THIS POLICY AGAIN, WE WENT THROUGH A SUMMARY OF IT LAST MONTH, BUT IT SEEKS CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS EITHER IN SCHOOL.
[01:05:07]
FACED WITH SOMETHING, THEY GO TO THE POLICY BOOK.IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF CALLING 9-1-1 AND IF THERE'S NOT AN ANSWER IN THE POLICY BOOK, THEN YOU REALLY DO HAVE SORT OF AN ISSUE, AND SO WE'VE NOT HAD THOSE GUIDELINES AND WE WANTED TO PUT THOSE GUIDELINES IN PLACE.
THIS POLICY BASICALLY STATES THAT DIRECT DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS IS LIMITED TO PROGRAMS THAT EXTEND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S EDUCATIONAL MISSION, OR TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT HAVE A JOINT PROGRAM WITH CCPS, THAT OTHER COMMUNITY ENTITIES THAT DO NOT HAVE A JOINT PROGRAM WITH CCPS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION PLATFORMS. CURRENTLY, THAT IS OUR PEACH JAR FLIER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ELECTRONICALLY, AND THAT WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE TO BE DISTRIBUTED EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, AND THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF INAPPROPRIATE COMMENT THAT ARE GIVEN IN THE REGULATION THAT IS ATTACHED.
AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE OTHER POLICY, THIS BEING A NEW POLICY, IT HAD TO GO THROUGH BOTH READINGS.
WE ALSO PUBLISHED IT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT THE DAY AFTER THE BOARD MEETING USING THE SAME METHODOLOGY.
WE RECEIVED NO COMMENTS BACK AND THEREFORE IT IS NOW RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION.
I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE ON POINT WITH THIS.
THIS WAS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S.
SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF THE BALL ON THAT.
OTHER COMMENTS, BOARD MEMBERS.
I WILL SAY THAT BEFORE WE SEEK A MOTION THAT DOES PROVIDE AVENUES FOR DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIALS, YES, AND NOT EVERYTHING.
NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL AND NOT AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY, BUT IT DOES GIVE PARAMETERS SO THAT PARTNERS AND EVEN SOME OTHER FOLKS, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISTRIBUTE.
AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? YES. SO IT'S NOT A YES OR NO.
BECAUSE LIKE MANY THINGS IT'S NOT JUST AS CLEAR AS LEFT RIGHT, UP, DOWN THAT SORT OF THING.
OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE POLICY.
SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. WE'LL CALL A VOTE.
THANK YOU. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXAMINATION OF A CONTRACT THAT WE HOPE WE DON'T NEED TO USE SNOW REMOVAL SERVICES.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THAT'S NOT A COMMENTARY ABOUT OUR CONTRACTOR.
PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
PRESIDENT BARTON. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
SIMMONS. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY DAY, A BUSY WEEK, AND A VERY BUSY MONTH.
I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST ONE IS OUR SNOW REMOVAL.
IT HAS BEEN AWARDED TO, WELL, NOT HAVE BEEN AWARDED, BUT THEY HAVE WON THE BID.
THE CHOPTANK EXCAVATING THEY WILL DO ALL 17 PROPERTIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF 2024, AS WELL AS FOUR ONE YEAR ROLLOVERS GOING FORWARD THROUGH FY 29.
I CHANGED THE TO MAKE IT SIMPLER.
I CHANGED THE RANGES AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ON YOUR TALLY SHEET IN THE BACK.
I THINK THERE WERE LAST YEAR, THE LAST CONTRACT, THERE WERE 4 OR 5.
WELL, THIS IS FOUR AND AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH.
[01:10:02]
OPTIONAL WOULD BE SALTING OUR WALKWAYS, AND OUR PARKING LOTS THAT IS A JUDGMENT CALL, AND REALLY, IT'S KIND OF A JUDGMENT CALL ON MY PART, BUT I DO CONSULT DR. SIMMONS.IF THE STORM HITS LIKE ON A THURSDAY OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSED THE NEXT DAY GENERALLY, AND YOU GUYS HAVE ALL LIVED HERE LONG ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT MOST OF OUR STORMS COME AND GO IN ABOUT TWO DAYS.
IT'S LIKE IT NEVER EVEN HAPPENED.
VERY RARELY IS THERE A COLD BLOCK AIR THAT COMES THROUGH THAT LOCKS IT IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEYOND THAT? SO IF WE CAN GET SOME DRYING AND SOME SUN, THEN WE DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY NEED TO SALT AND SAND THE PARKING LOTS AND SIDEWALKS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
THIS WAS PUT OUT BY E-MARKETPLACE, AND IT WAS ALSO LISTED ON OUR PURCHASING WEBSITE ON OUR WEB PAGE.
WE DID HAVE ONE RESPONSIVE BID AND ONE NON RESPONSIVE BID.
SO WHAT I RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE AND TO ACCEPT THE CONTRACT IS TO GO WITH CHOPTANK EXCAVATING LLC FOR OUR SNOW CONTRACT REMOVAL FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS.
ANY QUESTIONS. THIS IS NOT THE USUAL FORM WE GET.
SO WERE THERE OTHER BIDS? NO. SO WE DID NOT GET ANY OTHER BIDS ON IT.
WE JUST GOT THE TWO FROM CHOPTANK AND [INAUDIBLE] WAS NON-RESPONSIVE.
WE DID PUT REQUESTS OUT TO THOSE.
OKAY, AND THERE'S SOMETHING HERE THAT SAYS CALIFORNIA ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
I LIKE IT THOUGH; IT'S INTERESTING TO READ THAT.
YEAH, IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT ATTACHMENT.
THEY'RE FIXING THE ATTACHMENT.
YEAH ONE OF THE FUN THINGS WITH AS SHE'S PULLING IT UP WITH BIDDING FOR SNOW REMOVAL SERVICES, HAVING ONE CONTRACTOR WHO CAN HANDLE ALL PUTS US IN A MUCH BETTER SPOT THAN TRYING TO HAVE 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT ONES TRYING TO NAVIGATE THAT IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE OTHER CALLS YOU'RE MAKING ON SNOW DAYS. YEAH, IT REALLY IS A LOT BETTER FOR US TO HAVE ONE TO HANDLE IT ALL, AND THIS CONTRACTOR WAS OUR CONTRACTOR OF CHOICE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
PROVEN THAT THEY COULD CLEAR THE SNOW WITHIN 24 HOURS.
HAVE A GREAT PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
THANK YOU, MR. DIGIACOMO, FOR POINTING OUT THAT THE DOCUMENT DIDN'T LOOK RIGHT.
I NOTICED THAT WHEN I LOOKED AT THE AGENDA EARLIER, YOU KIND OF SCARED ME.
I FIGURED WE'D GET THE RIGHT ONE.
IF IT WAS APRIL, YOU COULD SAY APRIL FOOLS, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? WE'LL SEEK A MOTION FOR SUPPORT.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE AWARDING? SO MOVED. SECOND? SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. YOU HAVE YOUR SNOW REMOVAL CONTRACT.
[CHUCKLING] [INAUDIBLE] ABSOLUTELY I WANT TO PUT THAT IN.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON, MY NEXT TWO BOARD ACTION ITEMS REVOLVE AROUND SCHOOL BUSSES, AND LAST YEAR WE IDENTIFIED THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE THREE SCHOOL BUSSES THAT ARE EXPIRING OUT AND AGING OUT IN THE YEAR 2024.
THIS ONE KIND OF FELL RIGHT INTO OUR HANDS.
WE DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS. WE JUST GOT A RANDOM PHONE CALL AND IT WAS A GREAT BUS.
IT'S A 2021 MODEL, HAS 42,000 MILES ON IT.
A NEW BUS RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY THAT WE GOT QUOTES FOR IS $159,000.
SO THIS BUS WOULD BE SAVING US $50,000 PLUS BY GOING WITH THIS BUS.
BOTH THESE BUSSES I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HAVE BEEN USED PREVIOUS YEAR IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO THE STRICT REGIMENT BUS INSPECTIONS FOUR TIMES A YEAR, AS PER COMAR.
SO WE'RE GETTING A VERY GOOD HIGH QUALITY BUS.
THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT MYSELF ALSO INSPECTED BOTH BUSSES.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME TELLING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A NEW BUS AND THESE BUSSES.
[01:15:01]
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD BUSSES.NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EVEN MEANS.
WE NEED THESE BUSSES NOW WITHIN THE NEXT 6 TO 9 MONTHS AND NOT A YEAR AND A HALF, MAYBE LONGER.
SO THIS BUS COULD BE AVAILABLE AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK IF IT'S APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS BUS IS THAT I DID A DEPRECIATION WORKSHEET ON IT, AND THIS BUS HAS ACTUAL EQUITY IN IT RIGHT NOW WITH THE USED VEHICLE YOU DEPRECIATE IT EIGHT YEARS AND NOT 15 YEARS.
SO THE EQUITY THAT'S IN THIS BUS IS NEARLY $6,000 ALREADY FOR A THREE YEAR OLD BUS, AND THE GREAT THING IS THAT WILL DEPRECIATE EIGHT YEARS COMES OFF THE BOOKS.
WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF THAT BUS.
SO THE EQUITY BUILDS ON A SPREADSHEET.
THAT'S A 2021 MODEL FOR $109,335.
ANY QUESTIONS? WHY ARE THEY SELLING THIS? ONE WAS A CONTRACTOR WHO RETIRED, AND SO THIS BUS HERE ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF DORCHESTER, AND SO THEY BOUGHT IT BACK AND THEY SAID, WHAT'S THE SELL AND GET RID OF IT, AND IT KIND OF FELL RIGHT INTO OUR LAP.
PERFECT TIMING, OUR GOOD FORTUNE.
YES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS.
SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSSES, THEY'RE JUST UNRELATED REALLY.
JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE ARE ALL VERY AWARE OF THE TERRIBLE ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED, AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE STAFF OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL DID A TREMENDOUS JOB RESPONDING, HANDLING THAT INCIDENT, TERRIBLE AS IT MAY BE, JUST COMPLIMENTS AND CONGRATULATIONS ALL AROUND FOR THE RESPONSE, AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A TERRIBLE THING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE, AND CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE PROUD OF THAT RESPONSE, AS SHOULD THE ENTIRE COUNTY RESPONSE PERSONNEL FROM THE 9-1-1 CENTER AND FIRST RESPONDERS AND SO FORTH.
THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT SAID, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACQUISITION? I MOVE WE APPROVE THE ACQUISITION OF THE BUSSES.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? GOOD. ALL RIGHT.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THE SECOND BUS IS IN RESPONSE TO A BUS THAT GOT TOTALED LAST YEAR IN A SEVERE STORM. BIG LIMB SNAPPED OFF THE TREE FELL DOWN, CRUSHED THE TOP OF THE BUS.
MAYBE CAME IN, DID THE APPRAISAL.
THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS TOTALED, SO WE HAD TO GET RID OF IT.
WELL, WE'VE BEEN DOWN A BUS SINCE WE GOT AHOLD OF THIS FIRST BUS.
WE WENT BACK TO THAT SAME DEALER AND SAID, DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE, VERY SIMILAR TO THE AGE OF THAT PREVIOUS BUS AND THAT BUS WAS A 2019, AND THEY CAME BACK AND SAID, YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE A 2018 MODEL 41,000 MILES ON IT.
MABE GAVE US A REIMBURSEMENT CHECK TO COVER THAT EXPENSE.
THE LOSS OF $58,892 AND THIS BUS WOULD COST $61,630 OUT OF OUR OWN POCKET OUT OF OUR LOCAL FUNDS IS $2,738.
SO WE BASICALLY GET ANOTHER BUS, REPLACEMENT BUS FOR JUST UNDER $3,000.
THE BUDGET SAVINGS ON THIS, IF WE WERE TO BUY A NEW BUS WOULD BE $95,000.
WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THIS BUS, AND AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE EIGHT YEAR DEPRECIATION MODEL, THIS BUS ALREADY HAS $57,000 WORTH OF POSITIVE ASSET VALUE INTO IT, WHICH SENDS INSTANT EQUITY.
SO IT'S A VERY GOOD ON PAPER IT'S A VERY GOOD DEAL.
WE DID LOOK AT THIS BUS THOROUGHLY.
THE BUS LIKE I SAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING IF IT'S A NEW BUS OR IF IT'S A USED BUS.
THESE ARE THOMAS BUSSES, WHICH WE ACTUALLY PREFER OVER THE BLUEBIRD BUS A LITTLE BIT MORE.
IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER BUS, A LITTLE HIGHER QUALITY.
THEY DO TEND TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE.
[01:20:07]
SO I FEEL GOOD THAT WE GOT THIS FIRST BUS, AND SO I'M GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT THE SECOND BUS, WHICH IS THE 2018 MODEL YEAR FOR $61,630, BE ACCEPTED AND AWARDED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO THE AMERICAN TRUCK AND BUS COMPANY.ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS.
HEARING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE. WE HAVE A SECOND TO THE MOTION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? GREAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
ANY OPPOSED? I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
UNANIMOUS. GOT AHEAD OF YOURSELF.
I'M SORRY. I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT SNOW.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MY LAST ONE IS FOR THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ACCEPT THE AWARD OF CONTRACT 2404 FROM POHANKA FORD FOR THE PURCHASE OF A 2023 FORD TRANSIT 150 CARGO VAN WITH A REFRIGERATION INSTALLATION FOR THE FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $75,017.01.
LAST SUMMER, OUR FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT DOUBLED THEIR MEAL DISTRIBUTION.
THIS WAS FUNDED BY A GRANT THAT WAS SECURED FROM NO KID HUNGRY, AND THE AMOUNT OF $38,500.
IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED.
BETH BREWSTER AND HER TEAM DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB GETTING THEIR VEHICLES OUT THERE AND GETTING IN FRONT OF THE KIDS, GETTING IN FRONT OF COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS WE DON'T HAVE ANY FOOD INSECURITIES OUT THERE.
SO IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD ACCEPT THIS AWARD.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I SEE IT COMES WITH A FOUR YEAR FREE MAINTENANCE.
IS THAT FOR THE REFRIGERATION UNIT OR IS IT JUST FOR THE VEHICLE? THAT WOULD BE FOR THE FOR THE VEHICLE ITSELF.
OKAY. THE OTHER ONE WAS ABOUT $800 CHEAPER.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE REALLY LARGE TRANSIT VANS AND THEY HAVE NO NEED FOR THAT.
THERE IS ALSO NO MAINTENANCE THAT WAS INCLUDED.
THE VAN THAT I AM RECOMMENDING IS READY RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ON THE LOT. IT'S READY TO GO.
[INAUDIBLE] YEAH THEY'RE TOUGH YEAH THEY REALLY ARE TOUGH, AND VEHICLES ARE NOT CHEAP ANYMORE.
THE FOUR YEARS MAINTENANCE [INAUDIBLE].
ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SO MOVED. SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. GOT YOURSELF A VAN.
I WILL TELL THE FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE MOVING TO REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS.
[7. Reports and Presentations]
CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUND.WE HAVE FOUR WISE MEN OVER HERE.
[CHUCKLING] WELL, AS MR. [INAUDIBLE] IS GETTING UP, I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THE GENTLEMEN HERE THIS EVENING FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE ALREADY PUT IN THAT I KNOW WILL BE COMING.
[INAUDIBLE] AND I STARTED A CONVERSATION.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW LONG AGO IT WAS.
IT WASN'T LONG AFTER, ACTUALLY.
MISS WAYMAN ASKED ME ABOUT THE SAME THING, AND LITERALLY WITHIN PROBABLY A MONTH, BOTH OF THEM HAD TALKED ABOUT A CAROLINE COUNTY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION AND THE NEED TO HAVE ONE, AND TONIGHT MR. [INAUDIBLE] AND HIS CREW, HIS TEAM ACTUALLY IS HERE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THAT JOURNEY HAS GONE, BECAUSE NOW WE TRULY DO HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION IN CAROLINE COUNTY, WHICH I THINK IS WONDERFUL, AND THESE FOUR GENTLEMEN HAVE ACTUALLY LIFTED IT TO START IT AND ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND IT ALREADY AND REALLY BUILD THAT OUT.
SO, [INAUDIBLE], TAKE IT AWAY.
DR. SIMMONS. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BARTON.
WELL, BOARD MEMBERS, I'M USED TO SAYING FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
[01:25:04]
SORRY.AS DR. SIMMONS HAS STATED, WE HAVE BASICALLY FORMED THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUND, WHICH IS A SUB FUND THROUGH THE MID SHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
I'M GOING TO ASK MR. BOB WILLIE TO STEP UP AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT BRAND NEW IN OUR COUNTY, THAT THERE PREVIOUSLY WAS AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
AND THIS GENTLEMAN WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ITS OPERATION IN FORMING.
PROBABLY THE LAST. [CHUCKLING] YEAH, IT MAY BE.
I'M NOT A PRODUCT OF THE CAROLINE SYSTEM, BUT BOTH MY KIDS ARE, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
TALBOT ASKED ME TO JUST BRIEFLY GO OVER SOME OF THE HISTORY HERE, AND I MADE A FEW NOTES .
BILL ECKER WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME, AND BILL AND I PASSED IN THE HALLWAY ALL THE TIME, AND ONE DAY HE HE GRABBED ME AND SAID, WE NEED AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION IN THIS COUNTY. SO HE HE WAS VERY HELPFUL IN GETTING SOME MATERIALS REALLY FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY OF OTHER EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FORMED.
WE ASSEMBLED A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE AND WE STUDIED THIS STUFF, HOW OTHER PEOPLE HAD DONE IT.
WE DECIDED IT WAS A GOOD THING TO DO.
WE INCORPORATED IN 1987, APPLIED FOR TAX EXEMPT STATUS AS A NONPROFIT FROM IRS, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT, AND WITH THAT DONE, WE THEN PUT TOGETHER A GROUP OF INTERESTED CITIZENS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY WERE THE TYPICAL NAMES THAT WERE ON ALL THE OTHER BOARDS.
WE STARTED TO MEET, IRONED OUT HOW WE WANTED TO DO THIS THING WITH THE PLATFORM BASICALLY BEING IT WAS SET UP ON A MINI GRANT SYSTEM.
THE GRANTS WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE ANY MORE THAN $500.
THEY WERE TO BE AWARDED DIRECTLY TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS TO TRY TO DO PROJECTS THAT COULD NOT BE FUNDED OTHERWISE THROUGH THE NORMAL TAX SUPPORT, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S BUDGET, BASICALLY.
WE DIVIDED THE YEAR UP INTO TWO SEASONS, THE FUNDRAISING SEASON, AND THEN THE AWARD SEASON.
DURING THE FUNDRAISING, LITERALLY THE BOARD, OUR BOARD WOULD GET TOGETHER IN MY OFFICE AND WE WOULD SIGN LETTERS, LICK THE ENVELOPES, PUT THE STAMPS ON THEM, SEND THEM OUT.
THE MONEY CAME IN, AND THEN WE KICKED OFF THE AWARD SEASON WHERE THE SCHOOL BOARD WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WERE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE AWARDS.
WE MET WITH THE PARAMETERS OF THE LIMITED FINANCES THAT WE HAD AND ALSO NOT WANTING TO FUND JUST REALLY CRAZY IDEAS.
I'LL SAY THAT WE STARTED OFF GREAT GUNS.
WE OPERATED FOR AROUND TEN YEARS, AND THEN THE BOARD JUST GOT TIRED.
WE WEREN'T ABLE TO RECRUIT NEW BLOOD AND, AND PEOPLE WITH MORE ENERGY THAN WE HAD AND IT JUST KIND OF DIED IN THE, I WOULD SAY MAYBE THE MID-90S.
SINCE THAT TIME WE HAD A LEFTOVER TREASURY, AND SINCE THAT TIME I'VE GOTTEN RELIGIOUSLY FROM THE BANK, A BANK STATEMENT EVERY SINGLE MONTH.
I THINK IT STARTED WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.
YEAH, WE MET OUT AT BULLOCK'S AND HAD BREAKFAST ONE DAY AND I SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE USED TO DO.
THIS IS HOW MUCH MONEY WE'VE GOT LEFT OVER, AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE IT TO YOU, AND FROM THAT, IT SOMEHOW MORPHED INTO WHAT WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT TONIGHT, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
WELL THE OPERATIVE THING IS THAT BOB HUNG IN THERE FOR 25-27
[01:30:07]
YEARS OF GETTING BANK STATEMENTS EVERY MONTH.SO HE PUT [INAUDIBLE], BUT IT WENT IN A BOX PROBABLY, AND HE KEPT IT.
WE INITIALLY TALKED ABOUT LET'S GET THE FOUNDATION UP AND RUNNING UNTIL BOB, AS AN ACCOUNTANT, FOUND OUT THAT THE FOUNDATION WAS NOT IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE STATE BECAUSE IT HADN'T FILED TAXES OR FORM ONE OR WHATEVER IT WAS FOR.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG, BUT IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
SO IT SORT OF WAS LIKE, CUT OUR LOSSES, STOP TRYING TO PUSH THAT, AND LET'S GO, AND I'M INVOLVED WITH THE MID SHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND TALK WITH BUCK DUNCAN, AND EVERYTHING WAS YOU KNOW NOW WE'RE PART OF THAT.
NO LONGER DO WE GET BANK STATEMENTS.
THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FUND FOUNDATION FUND WILL BASICALLY BE A SUB FUND, LIKE WE SAY, IN MID SHORE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK, IS THAT IT'S A LANDING PLACE THAT WE CAN FIND PHILANTHROPIC INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS WE CAN SOLICIT.
BOB DIDN'T SAY THIS, BUT BACK IN THE OLD DAYS WITH THE FOUNDATION, THEY WOULD LITERALLY SEND OUT LETTERS, AND THERE IS A LIST OF PROBABLY MAYBE 2 TO 3 DOZEN INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES BACK IN THE 90S THAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A BIG LET'S GET THAT MAILING LIST WELL, NONE OF THE BUSINESS PRESTON TRUCKING IS NOT IN BUSINESS ANYMORE, AND MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE DEAD.
NOW, WE'RE SORT OF WE WILL FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, SORT OF GENERATE A WAY TO GENERATE REVENUE, BUT I THINK ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IN CONVERSATION WITH BOB THAT WAS A LITTLE DISHEARTENING FOR THEM IS HE EXPRESSED, WE WOULD GET SO MANY REQUESTS FOR THESE MINI GRANTS, BUT WE ONLY HAD A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND THESE COMMUNITY LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE LOOKING AT THESE THINGS THINKING, WOW, THESE ARE GREAT IDEAS BUT AND IN THE FINAL YEAR, 96-97 SCHOOL YEAR, THEY HAD 80 REQUESTS AND THEY ONLY GRANTED 14 PROJECTS, AND THAT SORT OF THEN LED INTO THE PURPOSE OF WHAT THE CAROLINE COUNTY EDUCATION FUND, SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
I'LL GET THIS DOWN I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WRITING THOSE LETTERS TO THE OTHER WHAT THE OTHER WHATEVER THE MATH IS BETWEEN 40 AND [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH. THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO KNOW THAT.
[CHUCKLING][INAUDIBLE] I KNOW, OR WHATEVER THAT WAS.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, BUT WE'VE SORT OF THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT CONVERSATION AND FINANCIAL LITERACY CAREER EXPLORATION TOUCHED A NERVE WITH, WITH THESE THREE GENTLEMEN AND I WAYNE CALLED.
WE KNOW WAYNE WELL WAYNE YOU KNOW IS INVOLVED OBVIOUSLY, BUT I THINK WAYNE CAN GIVE A PRETTY GOOD PERSPECTIVE FROM A BUSINESS MAN'S PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHY WE SORT OF FEEL IT'S THIS ISSUE IS THAT IMPORTANT? YEAH. THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE].
PRESIDENT BARTON. SUPERINTENDENT, DEREK.
I NEED YOU TO DO SOMETHING TYPE OF THING USUALLY, AND I WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT [INAUDIBLE] EMAILED ME THIS AND IN OUR CONVERSATIONS AND [INAUDIBLE]AND I HAD THE PLEASURE ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, PROBABLY VISITING THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, THE NEW CENTER DOWN IN SALISBURY, AND IT'S VERY MUCH IN ITS INFANCY STAGES, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON DOWN THERE BUT THE THING THAT REALLY HIT ME AND WHAT I THOUGHT WAS PROBABLY JUST THE CORE OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO AS INDIVIDUALS AS FAR AS FINANCIAL LITERACY AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER DOWN THERE, AND SO I'M THINKING FROM I'LL TELL YOU A QUICK STORY THAT HAPPENED TO ME JUST YESTERDAY.
I HAVE SOME RENTAL PROPERTIES IN TOWN, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF YOUNG EMPLOYEES THAT WANTED TO DO A WANTED TO PROPERTY, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED I HAD ONE, AND ONE OF THE KIDS CAME UP TO ME AND THEY'RE EMPLOYED BY ME AND THEY SAID, HOW CAN I PAY YOU FOR THE RENT? I SAID, WELL, CASH.
[01:35:04]
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PAY? AND THEY WERE LIKE, OKAY, 15 DIFFERENT OPTIONS AND THEN MY EYES STARTED TO GLAZE OVER [CHUCKLING] AND FINALLY THEY SAID VENMO, AND I SAID, I'VE GOT VENMO! THAT'LL WORK, THAT'LL WORK, [CHUCKLING] BUT TIMES ARE CHANGING, AND THIS FINANCIAL LITERACY PIECE IS GOING TO BECOME SO IMPORTANT, AND THIS FOUNDATION FUND AND WE'RE GOING TO GROW IT, I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE GOING TO GROW THIS FUND.WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE IT WORK.
MICHELE CAN TELL YOU, WE SIT ON THE CAROLINE FOUNDATION BOARD TOGETHER, AND BOB IS RIGHT.
WHEN YOU GET ALL THESE REQUESTS, YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY NO, AND WE HAVE TO SAY NO SOMETIMES, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO SAY NO TO A PIECE LIKE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON THAT.
THANK YOU. YEAH AS WE PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
I MEAN WE SORT OF JUST OCTOBER 5TH WAS THE DAY THAT IT WAS ALL BECAME OFFICIAL THAT THE FUND STARTED, AND WE'RE NOT HERE SAYING THAT.
WELL, WE HAVE A BOARD OF ADVISORS.
WE WILL WORK THAT OUT, BUT I BROUGHT SOMEBODY ON BOARD, NOT ONLY BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS DR.
WARR, BUT BECAUSE HE'S VERY ORGANIZED, AND [INAUDIBLE] NEED AND APPRECIATE SOMEONE WHO IS VERY ORGANIZED, AND HE SENSED THAT FINANCIAL LITERACY WAS KIND OF IMPORTANT, TOO, AND I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS INITIALLY WITH WITH THE FINANCIAL LITERACY, CAREER, EXPLORATION, ANYTHING THAT WILL ENHANCE CHILDREN, NOT CHILD.
THIS IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED WITH SCHOLARSHIPS.
I MEAN, THEY'RE WONDERFUL, BUT THEY'RE RIFLE SHOTS.
WE WANT TO GET EVERY KID TO EXPERIENCE THESE THINGS THAT WILL HELP THEM TO MAKE PRUDENT ECONOMIC CAREER DECISIONS AND DO IT WITH HAVING A FULL PRODUCT MENU OF KNOWING DIFFERENT NUANCES, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF DR.
WARR WOULD HAVE A FEW MESSAGES.
[INAUDIBLE] JUST WANT TO SAY THIS TIME IT IS INDEED MY HONOR TO BE WORKING WITH THESE LEADERS AND LEADERS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE BYLAWS FOR THE CAROLINE COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND OUR PURPOSE IS, AS MR. [INAUDIBLE] WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, THE PURPOSE OF THE FUND SHALL BE TO ENHANCE, INSPIRE AND SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AREA OF FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR ALL STUDENTS ATTENDING CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO IT'S A GREAT GOAL, AND WITH WORKING WITH THESE GENTLEMEN THAT GOAL WILL BE ACHIEVED.
SO AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT MRS. WAYMAN, YOUR INTEREST IN THIS AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF DR.
SIMMONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY WE NEED 12 OR WE NEED 13.
I THINK AN ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS, IT'LL BE LIKE A MINIMUM OF TEN AND A MAXIMUM OF 13, BUT I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE ONE CAVEAT WOULD BE, IS THAT WE DO ASK THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT TO SIT AS AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER AND THEN WE WOULD ALSO ASK A BOARD MEMBER TO PLEASE SIT ON THAT WITH US, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE NEED THAT CONNECTION, OBVIOUSLY, BUT THEN WE WILL BUILD AROUND THAT WHAT WE WILL TAKE PEOPLE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ALSO THAT WILL BE ABLE TO GENERATE SOME KIND OF REVENUE TO BUILD THE FUND IS BASICALLY WHAT OUR GOAL WILL BE, AT LEAST INITIALLY, AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE WOULD SPECIFICALLY BE CONNECTED TO JA FUNDING THAT WE USE THAT AS A MODEL, SINCE JA IS SO EMBEDDED IN THE K THROUGH 12 CURRICULUM AND THE OPPORTUNITIES CHILDREN HAVE AND THE CHALLENGE IS BRINGING THAT TO THEM, AND I KNOW DR.
[01:40:08]
DUAL ENROLLMENT. I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER THAT COMPONENT.YES. SO, NO, THERE'S INTERESTING PIECES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE AND THE SUPPORT LOOKING TO GET THIS ESTABLISHED AND REALLY GROW IT.
FINANCIAL LITERACY OBVIOUSLY IS VERY POWERFUL.
CAROLINE COUNTY IS STILL ONE OF THE ONLY SYSTEMS IN THE STATE THAT REQUIRES ALL OF OUR SENIORS TO, OR ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS TO COMPLETE A FULL CREDIT OF A FINANCE COURSE BEFORE GRADUATION AND I'M GLAD WE HAVE THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ONE ONLY HAS TO LOOK AT THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION WE'RE IN TO REALIZE THAT ONE CREDIT DURING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN ONE COUNTY ON MARYLAND'S EASTERN SHORE IS NOT SOLVING A FISCAL ISSUE THAT'S IN FRONT OF US EVERYWHERE, BUT FINANCIAL LITERACY IS A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING AND NEEDED.
IT'S FUNNY, [INAUDIBLE], I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT UNTIL YOU MENTIONED THIS AND ARE TALKING.
THERE ARE LITERALLY PROGRAMS THAT ARE TRYING TO THERE ARE GRASSROOTS PROGRAMS THAT ARE STARTING IN CAROLINE COUNTY RIGHT NOW THAT ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE THIS TO ADULTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND KIND OF HOW TO GET OUT OF THE KIND OF THE HOLE THEY'RE IN BASED ON DECISIONS, AND IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO HELP BEFORE SOMEONE ENDS UP IN THAT POSITION BY EDUCATING OUR KIDS AND HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE. [INAUDIBLE] TALKED ABOUT THE JA PIECE.
SO WE DO HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH JA.
I DO WANT TO SHARE. WE WERE THE FIRST COUNTY TO SIGN AN MOU WITH JA ON GETTING TO THE NEW CENTER.
I THINK WE BEAT WICOMICO BY ABOUT 30 MINUTES.
WE BOTH WERE IN THE SAME ROOM; WE SIGNED OURS FIRST, BUT IT'S A GREAT CENTER, BUT IT'S ALSO A GREAT PROGRAM THAT THEY PUT TOGETHER, WORKING WITH BUSINESSES ACROSS THE EASTERN SHORE AND WITH COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE EASTERN SHORE.
SO WE HAVE GREAT, STRONG CURRICULUM COMING IN.
THE HARD PART THAT WE HAVE IS GETTING TO THE CENTER.
WE ARE THE FURTHEST DISTANCE TO THE CENTER AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF POVERTY.
IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF WHERE IT LANDED.
I'M GRATEFUL IT LANDED IN SALISBURY BECAUSE I'M GLAD THERE'S ONE ON THE EASTERN SHORE, BUT THE TRANSPORTATION PIECE IS ONE WHERE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT HAS OFFERED TO HELP OUT TO HELP FIND SOME FUNDS. IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS, WHILE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS LOOKS TO SEE HOW WE CAN TRY TO FUND IT, OR WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM AN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION THAT CAN HELP SUPPORT THAT THE TRANSPORTATION COMPONENT TO GET OUR KIDS THERE.
THERE'S MONEY ASSOCIATED IN BLUEPRINT TO CAREER EXPLORATION.
WE'VE GOT SOME AWESOME CAREER COACHES, BUT THAT'S ALL NEW AND WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT.
THERE'S A COMPONENT THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH AND WE ARE AND THAT IS AND AGAIN, LINDSAY HAS HELPED REALLY PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON IT FOR THE EASTERN SHORE COUNTIES IN BLUEPRINT.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR EVERYBODY'S DUAL ENROLLMENT WHO ARE ENROLLED IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
SO WE COVER THE COST OF ALL DUAL ENROLLMENT FOR ALL KIDS.
THE MATH AND BLUEPRINT DOESN'T ADD UP.
THEY DID NOT TAKE FINANCIAL LITERACY, BUT THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENT IS THERE THAT WE HAVE TO.
THEY FAILED MATH DID NOT HAVE DESMOS.
THEY DEFINITELY FAILED MATH, BUT IT'S OKAY.
IT'S THE REQUIREMENT IS THERE, BUT WHEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES POP UP LIKE DUAL ENROLLMENT.
SO WE'RE REQUIRED TO COVER THAT.
SO THEY HAVE SOME DIRECTION AS THEY'RE HEADING THAT WAY, WHETHER IT'S THE LIBERAL ARTS TRACK BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TRANSFER TO A FOUR YEAR SCHOOL OR IT'S THE NON-DEGREE PATHWAY, THEY WANT TO GO BE AN X-RAY TECH, HOW CAN WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE DUAL ENROLLMENT FOR THAT? BUT THE OTHER PART OF THAT IS FUN, FOLKS.
IF THERE ARE FUNDS THAT MAY EXIST IN CAROLINE COUNTY THAT HAVE PROVIDED MONEY FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGED KIDS TO GO TO DUAL ENROLLMENT, THERE MIGHT BE A BETTER USE FOR THOSE FUNDS, PERHAPS TO THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION FUND, BECAUSE IF THERE ARE PHILANTHROPIC INDIVIDUALS IN THE COUNTY WHO SUPPORT DUAL ENROLLMENT, WE ARE NOW UNDER A LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
IF THEY ARE WILLING TO SUPPORT CHILDREN IN ANOTHER WAY.
[01:45:01]
FORWARD, AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS IF NEEDED, WITH ANYONE WHO IN THE COUNTY MIGHT NEED TO KIND OF HEAR THAT AS WELL, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE BLUEPRINT STANDS RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL DO OUR PART, BUT IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SUPPORT OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, AND WITHOUT A FUND LIKE THIS, YOU DON'T HAVE A LANDING PLACE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO BASICALLY.NOT AT ALL. SO THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF WHERE WE'RE STARTING IN A KIND OF NARROW FOCUS MAYBE AT SOME POINT WE WILL END UP LIKE THE TALBOT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL FOUNDATION AND GET A $3 MILLION BEQUEST LIKE THEY DID AT, WHAT, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, BUT UNTIL SUCH TIME, WE'RE GOING TO JUST SCRATCH AND CLAW AND GET AS MUCH MONEY AS WE CAN AND DIRECT IT IN WAYS THAT WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT FOR THE MOST NUMBER OF CHILDREN, AND THESE OTHER AVENUES LIKE WE SAY, TRANSPORTATION IS NOT THE ONLY NEED THAT WE HAVE, AND THERE'S OTHER DOORS THAT LINDSAY'S OPENING UP WITH THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU NEED $500 OR MAYBE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN THAT, BUT WE NEED OBVIOUSLY, SUPERINTENDENT INPUT, BOARD MEMBER INPUT AND WE NEED OTHER ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS INPUT TO MANAGE THAT AND I WOULD SAY STAY TUNED.
DEREK WILL CONTINUE A DIALOG HERE.
MAYBE THE BOARD CAN TALK AMONGST THEMSELVES.
IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT HAS AN INTEREST, WE WILL BE SETTING UP A MEETING SOON THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET OUR BYLAWS ADOPTED AND MAKE DECISIONS AS TO WHO COULD SERVE WITH US, AND IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THIS ORGANIZATION WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION QUITE DEFINITELY, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I THANK THESE GENTLEMEN FOR STEPPING UP WITH ME AND WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES, AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT AIN'T EASY. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THESE ARE THE RIGHT GUYS INVOLVED HERE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT REPORT IS TRIO.
DO YOU WANT INTRODUCE OR? YES. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN, PRESIDENT BARTON, DR.
SIMMONS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TONIGHT WE HAVE WITH YOU A TRIO UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM THROUGH CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERED WITH FOR, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR WE HAVE MR. MARK BERRY HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE WITH US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED UP TO THIS POINT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WHAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, BUT AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
SO GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON, DR.
SIMMONS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SO WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR PROGRAM.
AGAIN, WE WANT TO HELP STUDENTS BY PROVIDING SUPPORT THAT'S MOSTLY NECESSARY FOR THE COMPLETION OF HIGH SCHOOL AND THE PREPARATION TO ENROLL AND ALSO BE SUCCESSFUL IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, AND OUR PROGRAM DOES THAT THROUGH FOUR MAJOR WAYS.
ONE OF THEM IS ACADEMIC TUTORING.
THE OTHER ONE IS OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, IN WHICH THERE'S A PRE COLLEGE ACADEMY FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A BRIDGE PROGRAM FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT HAVE GRADUATED AND ARE GETTING READY TO START COLLEGE, WHERE WE PAY FOR THEM TO TAKE TWO SUMMER CLASSES.
AT CHESAPEAKE. WE PAY FOR THEIR BOOKS, THEIR SUPPLIES.
ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SHOW UP AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW AT COLONEL RICHARDSON, THERE ARE 38 TOTAL STUDENT PARTICIPANTS.
RIGHT NOW AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE 57 STUDENTS.
BOTH OF THE GRANTS ARE FUNDED TO SERVE 60 STUDENTS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW, WE ARE WRAPPING UP THE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS FOR THIS YEAR IN CAROLINE COUNTY, AND WE'RE WORKING NOW TO THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE BALANCE THAT WE HAVE APPLICATIONS OUT.
WE'RE WORKING TO BUILD A WAITLIST.
[01:50:03]
REALLY, REALLY FUN EXPERIENCE ON JULY 14TH EVERY FRIDAY, WHICH I SHOULD SAY PRIOR TO GIVING YOU THE DETAILS, EVERY FRIDAY WE TOOK STUDENTS ON A COLLEGE TOUR AND OR SOME SORT OF CULTURAL EXCURSION.SO ON JULY 14TH, WHICH WAS THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE SUMMER PROGRAM, WE VISITED THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE, WHERE THEY HAD GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH ADMISSIONS, EAT IN THE CAFETERIA THERE, AND ALSO MEET TWO OTHER UPWARD BOUND PROGRAMS, ONE AT DELAWARE TECH AND OF COURSE, THE ONE AT UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE.
ON JULY 21ST, WE VISITED THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE, WHERE THEY ALSO GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM ADMISSIONS AND TAKE A CAMPUS TOUR, AND THEY ALSO GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE GREAT NATIONAL BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM.
ON JULY THE 28TH, THE STUDENTS GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MY ALMA MATER, GOLDEY-BEACOM COLLEGE.
THEY GOT A CHANCE TO EAT ON CAMPUS AND THEY GOT A CHANCE TO DO SOME STEAM PROGRAMING AT MAIN EVENT.
ON AUGUST THE 4TH, THEY VISITED SMITH ISLAND, WHICH IS THE LAST KNOWN ISLAND IN MARYLAND.
I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A FERRY RIDE OVER TO SMITH ISLAND.
WHEN THEY WERE THERE, THEY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CRAB CAKES AND SOFT SHELL CRABS FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR SOME STUDENTS, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL, AND THEY GOT A TOUR OF THE ISLAND AS WELL AS A MUSEUM TOUR.
ON AUGUST THE 11TH, WE VISITED WASHINGTON COLLEGE IN CHESTERTOWN, MARYLAND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE POZE MUSEUM RIGHT IN CAMBRIDGE, AND THEN ON AUGUST THE 18TH WAS OUR LARGEST TRIP EVER, WHERE WE TOOK ON PHILADELPHIA.
LITERALLY, WE HAD SOME STUDENTS THAT VISITED TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS, AND THEN WE HAD SOME STUDENTS THAT DECIDED THEY WANTED TO GO TO EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY AND THEN WE ALL ENDED UP AT THE SEAPORT MUSEUM, AND WE ENJOYED PHILLY CHEESESTEAKS, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL.
SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD THUS FAR IN THE FALL, AND SOME THAT WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
ON THE 17TH OF SEPTEMBER, WE VISITED HARLEM, NEW YORK AND WENT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN DAY PARADE, AND STUDENTS ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE LEGENDARY APOLLO THEATER BECAUSE WE WERE LITERALLY RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM IT, WHICH WAS REALLY COOL.
ON AUGUST THE 16TH, WE BROUGHT STUDENTS TO CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE.
THERE WAS A MID-SHORE COLLEGE FAIR WHERE THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS COLLEGES AND SEE WHAT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WERE OUTSIDE OF THE THIS AREA.
THEY ARE ALSO INCLUDING THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAMS IN THE AREA, WHICH IS REALLY COOL.
THEY'LL BE THERE FROM 10 TO 4:30.
LUNCH IS PROVIDED AND TRANSPORTATION IS BEING PROVIDED BY THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM FOR OUR STUDENTS.
ON NOVEMBER THE 18TH, WE ARE VISITING OR GOING TO THE NUTCRACKER DANCE RECITAL.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OUR UPWARD BOUND STUDENTS THAT ARE A PART OF THE RECITAL, SO WE'RE BRINGING OUR STUDENTS TO SEE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AND THEN ON DECEMBER THE 15TH, WE ARE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH TRYING TO SEE THE ELF, WHICH IS AT THE AVALON THEATER.
SOME TENTATIVE SPRING 2024 EVENTS THAT WE ARE TOYING AROUND RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE OR THE STATE HOUSE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT VISITING THE MARYLAND INSTITUTE COLLEGE OF ART AND THE VISIONARY ART MUSEUM.
AT THIS TIME, I HAVE BROUGHT SOME VERY SPECIAL STUDENTS WITH ME, THREE OF THEM.
SO THAT WAY YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM.
HI, MY NAME IS TAJH ROCHESTER.
I GO TO COLONEL. I GRADUATE 2025.
MY CAREER I WANT TO DO IS A POLICE OFFICER AND A MENTOR, AND THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM HELPED ME ENCOURAGE MORE ABOUT BEING A MENTOR, BECAUSE MR. MARK AND MISS GABBY IS A MENTOR TO ME.
THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS KADEEN BELL.
I GO TO NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
I'M THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2026.
MY CAREER THAT I ASPIRE TO BE IS A PROSECUTOR, AND UPWARD BOUND HAS HELPED BECAUSE IT HELPS LAY OUT YOUR PLAN FOR COLLEGE BECAUSE IN HIGH SCHOOL THEY DON'T ALWAYS REALLY.
[01:55:04]
SHE HELPS ME LAY OUT MY PLAN SO THAT I'LL HAVE ENOUGH CREDITS, THAT WHEN I GO TO COLLEGE, I'LL BE A SOPHOMORE IN COLLEGE, SO I'LL SAVE MONEY.I CURRENTLY GO TO NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL AND I AM THE CLASS OF 2026.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT UPWARD BOUND, FOR ME IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A RELIEF BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT A LOT IS THAT WITH PARENTS WHO MAYBE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO COLLEGE OR THAT STUFF, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER FOR THEM TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS OR NOT STUDENTS, I'M SORRY, THEIR KIDS, AND HELP THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COLLEGE AND HOW THEY CAN GET THERE, AND WITH THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM, THEY BASICALLY HELP YOU WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF.
SO FOR ME, MY JUNIOR YEAR, I'LL HAVE ALL MY CREDITS OUT THE WAY AND BY THE TIME I GRADUATE, I WILL HAVE A TOTAL OF 13 CREDITS GOING INTO MY COLLEGE AS A SOPHOMORE, AND ONE THING THAT I REALLY INSPIRED TO BE IS A NICU TRAVEL NURSE AND THEN EVENTUALLY, HOPEFULLY SETTLE BACK DOWN HERE.
I FEEL LIKE IT REALLY MATTERS TO LIKE GIVE BABIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A LIFE, AND THEY HAVE HELPED ME COMPLETELY THROUGH FINDING COLLEGES THAT COULD HELP ME WITH THAT, AND THEY ALSO HELPED ME TUTOR SO THAT I CURRENTLY CAN KEEP MY STRAIGHT A'S.
UPWARD BOUND IS FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO INVEST IN THEMSELVES AND GO TO COLLEGE.
UPWARD BOUND IS A FREE PROGRAM THAT WAS CREATED TO HELP LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS, AND THOSE THAT ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE HELPED SO THAT THEY'RE PREPARED FOR COLLEGE, ENROLLING IN COLLEGE, AND BEING SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE.
WE DO THIS BY WORKING WITH THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WE PROVIDE AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING, SUMMER PRE COLLEGE ACADEMY WITH CLASSES THAT GET THEM USED TO COLLEGE CLASSES, AS WELL AS SPEAKERS SUCH AS ENTREPRENEURS AND ENGINEERS AND WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM THROUGH ALL OF THIS, WE ACT AS ADVISORS, MEETING WITH THEM, MAKING SURE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BARRIERS THAT ARE PREVENTING THEM FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL AND LEADING THEM ON THE PATHWAY TOWARDS WHATEVER COLLEGE AND CAREER THEY CHOOSE.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SCHOOL COMPONENTS ALONG WITH IT, THOSE SCHOOL COMPONENTS DO OFFER FUN.
SO I DECIDED TO ENROLL IN UPPER BALANCE BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT MY FUTURE.
I WANT A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE AND I CARE ABOUT MY EDUCATION.
ALL THE TEACHERS HERE ARE HERE TO HELP US, AND THEY ARE REALLY DOING THEIR BEST TO HELP US BE MORE EDUCATED, BUT SINCE MATH, I REALLY DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT FINANCIAL AID, BUT THEY'RE HELPING US WITH THAT, SO I LOVE THAT, AND IN SPANISH, MY SPANISH ISN'T THE BEST.
MY TEACHER, HE REALLY MAKES IT FUN AND EASY TO LEARN.
IT'S HELPED ME A LOT BECAUSE BEFORE BEFORE I CAME HERE, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE COLLEGES WERE.
I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE ABOUT LIKE TWO WEEKS.
I THINK I'LL PREPARE A LOT, ACTUALLY.
[02:00:01]
AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE COLLEGES AND TO BE IN THERE TO GET ON CAMPUS AND SEE WHAT THAT'S LIKE.IT CAN HELP YOU A LOT WITH GRADES.
THEY'RE REALLY ABOUT YOU AND THEY WANT TO HELP YOU AND SEE YOU SUCCEED.
WE ARE ENTHUSED AND WE ARE READY TO GET YOU TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
I WILL SAY THAT NONE OF THIS WOULD EVEN BE HIGHLY POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT FROM THE STUDENTS.
THEY COME DEDICATED, READY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY HAVE BEEN HERE.
WE DO HAVE ONE OF OUR ACADEMIC COORDINATORS HERE, MS. GABRIELLA MORELAND. SHE'S ACTUALLY THE ACADEMIC COORDINATOR THAT WORKS DIRECTLY WITH CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS.
SO THIS PROGRAM WOULD NOT BE THIS SUCCESSFUL WITHOUT THEM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US AND ALLOWING US TO BE A PART OF THE LIVES OF YOUR STUDENTS.
WONDERFUL. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I LIKE THE QUOTE IN THE VIDEO.
YES, IT'S SO SIMPLE, AND YET THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
YOU WANT TO FOSTER CARE ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AND WHAT EVERYBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE A PLAN, AND IT'S TERRIFIC.
YES. DON'T YOU NEED CHAPERONS FOR THIS TRIP? [CHUCKLING] WE DO.
WE DO LOOK FOR CHAPERONS FROM TIME TO TIME.
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH ALL OF YOU? SURE. PERFECT.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG DAY FOR ALL OF YOU, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND ALL THE HARD WORK YOU ALL DO, AS WELL AS THE TRIO FOLKS FOR WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE YET ANOTHER VERY, VERY ENGAGED PARTNER.
WE HAVE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS WITH US TONIGHT.
SO WE HAVE ABBY TRICE, WHO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH NEXT GEN FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW.
IS THIS YEAR TWO THREE? [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY.
THERE YOU GO. SO FOR ONE YEAR, TWO SCHOOL YEARS, THIS IS HER SECOND SCHOOL YEAR, BUT SHE ALSO IS HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SHE HAS DONE WITH NEXT GEN SCHOLARS, NOT ONLY OVERALL, BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED ALREADY THIS YEAR AND WHAT SHE PLANS ON DOING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR.
RIGHT. THANK YOU, AND BEFORE SHE STARTS, SHE HAS CHAPERONS.
I'VE CHAPERONED. [CHUCKLING] SHE'S MY FAVORITE CHAPERON.
YOU GOT MORE CHAPERONS? OH, YEAH. [CHUCKLING] IT'S WHAT RETIRED PEOPLE DO.
OKAY. THANK YOU, LINDSAY, FOR THAT, AND GOOD EVENING, DR.
SIMMONS, PRESIDENT BARTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
[02:05:01]
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE FUN STUFF WE'VE BEEN UP TO AND WHAT WE'VE GOT PLANNED WITHIN NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS.SO THE FIRST THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, WHICH YOU WILL FIND SOMEWHERE IN THE MAGNITUDE OF GRAPHICS ON THAT ONE LITTLE SHEET I GAVE YOU, I WANTED TO TALK FIRST ABOUT MBRT'S IMPACT LAST YEAR.
SO JUST IN THE FIVE DISTRICTS THAT WE SERVE WITH NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS, INCLUDING LOVELY CAROLINE COUNTY, DORCHESTER, ALLEGHENY, WICOMICO AND KENT COUNTY, WE HELPED OUR STUDENTS 224 OF THEM RECEIVE $3.75 MILLION IN GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND OTHER VARIOUS TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID.
SO THAT HONESTLY, IS THE BIG THING TO ME.
WE'RE HERE TO GET KIDS THERE AND GET THEM THERE IN A LOT LESS DEBT THAN SOME OF US, SOME OTHERS.
THE NEXT IS THAT OVER THE COURSE WE HAD OF THE YEAR, WE HAD 424 VOLUNTEERS FOR A TOTAL OF, I BELIEVE, 1300 HOURS.
WE WANT TO BRING STUDENTS TO BUSINESSES, BUSINESSES TO STUDENTS, BE THAT KIND OF LIKE GO BETWEEN THAT HELPS IMPROVE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND REALLY SETS THEM UP FOR THE REAL WORLD BECAUSE IT IS COMING.
SO SOME GREAT THINGS WE DID LAST YEAR INCLUDE ONE ON ONE AND SMALL GROUP MENTORING DONE BY MYSELF, AND THAT WAS WITH A BIG OR MOST OF OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COHORT.
THEN WE HAD THE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENTS, AS I JUST SPOKE ABOUT, AND WE HAVE OUR RESIDENT CELEBRITY MRS. DIGIACOMO UP THERE ON THE RIGHT.
SO IN ADDITION TO BRINGING THE VOLUNTEERS IN, WE TAKE STUDENTS OUT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES ON OUR CAREER TOURS TRIP THAT IS TARGETED TOWARDS OUR 10TH GRADERS, WHO ARE NEWLY JOINING THE PROGRAM AND KIND OF GETTING ACCLIMATED TO WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT, AND THEY GET TO SEE WHAT CAREER OPTIONS ARE HERE IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD, AND IT'S A REALLY, REALLY REWARDING REALIZATION TO WATCH HAPPEN.
THEY'RE LIKE, WHOA, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU'RE FROM THE SAME PLACE I AM.
SO ASIDE FROM THAT, WE WORK WITH OUR 12TH GRADERS FOR FAFSA WORKSHOPS.
I'M SURE YOU GUYS ARE AWARE THAT IT IS STILL NOT OUT YET.
WE'RE HOPING FOR NOT THE END OF DECEMBER.
IF IT CAME OUT ANY EARLIER, I WOULD PASS OUT TO BE A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.
SO WE'VE HAD A BUNCH OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN ADDITION TO OUR CAREER TOURS, WE VISITED STEVENSON UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, EASTERN SHORE FOR THEIR COLLEGE FAIR.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK AND SALISBURY UNIVERSITY ALL LAST YEAR.
THEY'RE MY FAVORITE PART OF WHAT I DO, NOT ONLY GETTING TO EAT THE DINING HALL FOOD, BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF COOL TO SEE WHAT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TASTE LIKE, BUT ALSO TO GET THESE STUDENTS TO REALLY SEE NOT JUST A COLLEGE CAMPUS, BUT DIFFERENT ONES.
THEY HAVE A BASIS FOR COMPARISON.
WHERE DO I FIT IN BEST? HOW IS THIS REALLY APPLICABLE TO ME? SO THAT IS THE GOAL.
WITH OUR TRIPS, WE ALSO HOST MOCK INTERVIEWS.
SO BRINGING IN THOSE BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS ONCE AGAIN WE DO IT A LOT.
AGAIN, MRS DIGIACOMO HELPED WITH THAT LAST YEAR, SO SHE GOT TO SEE FIRSTHAND JUST HOW COLLEGE AND CAREER READY OUR STUDENTS REALLY ARE BECOMING, AND THEN FINALLY, WE IN THE LAST YEAR, DID SOME SUMMER LEARNING.
OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, WE PARTNERED WITH THE MARYLAND PARK SERVICE, WORKED IN MARTINIQUE, TUCKAHOE, WE PARTNERED WITH SUMMERFEST, AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND 4H EXTENSION TO WORK WITH THEIR ALMOST ADULTING 101 SUMMER CAMP.
SO NEXT WE ARE WE WORKED ON BUILDING CONNECTIONS.
AS I MENTIONED, THE MARYLAND PARK SERVICE IS ONE I'D REALLY LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IN ADDITION TO THE.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION.
THOSE TWO WE WORKED WITH A LOT AND DID A LOT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A LOT TOGETHER, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
[02:10:01]
SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS.SO I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, AND ACTUALLY, IT WAS CAROLINE COUNTY THAT HAD ONE OF MY STUDENTS ASK ME, SO WHAT DOES SOMEONE IN HR DO? [CHUCKLING] SO THEY ARE LEARNING, AND THEN TRUIST, I HAVE HAD A VOLUNTEER, MELISSA PALMER FROM TRUIST, AND SHE HAS BEEN AMAZING COMING INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND REALLY HELPING US OUT THERE.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING MORE CONNECTIONS IN YEAR SEVEN.
UM, SO ONE HIGHLIGHT FROM THE CLASS OF 2023, 64% WERE COLLEGE BOUND OR INDICATED TO US THAT THEY WERE COLLEGE BOUND, 15% CAREER BOUND, 4% FOR TRADE SCHOOL, AND THEN 5% FOR THE ARMED FORCES.
WE KIND OF COLLECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE, COLLEGE IS NOT FOR ME, AND THEN LIKE, COME APRIL, THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GOING TO DO IT, AND YOU'RE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET YOU GOING.
SO THAT DOES CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, BUT OVERALL IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH YEARS PAST AND THEN ONE SPECIFIC TIDBIT I FELT IMPORTANT TO MENTION WAS THAT 85% OF OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO COLLEGE OR NOT, BELIEVE THAT IT WAS AN OPTION FOR THEM AT ITS BASE LEVEL.
I WANT THIS PROGRAM TO LET ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND BEYOND KNOW THAT IT IS ALWAYS AN OPTION FOR YOU, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY INDICATIVE OF THE MESSAGE WE ARE TRYING TO SPREAD.
WE HAVE A COHORT OF 769 STUDENTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN UP THERE.
COLONEL IS OBVIOUSLY OUR SMALLER COHORT.
SMALLER SCHOOL MAKES A LOT OF SENSE WITH NORTH CAROLINA.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER NUMBERS, BUT STILL TRYING TO PROVIDE ALL THESE SERVICES TO ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS AND MAKE THEM AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.
SO TRYING TO KEEP THEM AS ENGAGED AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO TEACHING THEM ACCOUNTABILITY, THAT WHEN THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE, SEEK THEM, UTILIZE THEM, AND KEEP UP WITH THEM.
SO UPCOMING, WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON.
TOMORROW I WILL BE HOSTING A VOLUNTEER TRAINING FOR LOCAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME INTO THE CLASSROOMS. I KNOW YOU WERE JUST ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE CAREER TOURS COMING UP.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETIME IN DECEMBER, MAYBE EARLY JANUARY.
IN EARLY DECEMBER, WE'LL BE VISITING WASHINGTON COLLEGE IN THE SPRING.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING BOWIE STATE AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY.
THIS YEAR, I AM STARTING A LEADERS CLUB THAT REALLY RECOGNIZES THOSE DRIVEN AND FOCUSED STUDENTS.
THEY'RE NOT THE PEOPLE THAT POP UP IN EVERY SINGLE ORGANIZATION.
NOT THAT THOSE KIDS AREN'T GREAT, THEY'RE AMAZING, BUT WE REALLY TARGET OUR STUDENTS THAT MAYBE HAVE A LOT OF LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL, HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE THAT, AND WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DEVELOP IT.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BUILDING THAT, AND.
SHARING EVEN MORE ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE OUR FAVORITE CLASSROOM LESSONS COMING UP SOON. HONESTLY, STARTING AS EARLY AS DECEMBER AND GOING INTO AT LEAST FEBRUARY.
SO YEAH, IN THOSE WE DO CAREER EXPLORATION WITH OUR 10TH GRADERS, RESUME SKILLS AND MOCK INTERVIEW SKILLS WITH OUR 11TH GRADERS, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY WITH OUR 12TH GRADERS. SO LOTS OF BUZZWORDS FROM THIS EVENING, AND YEAH, THAT IS WHAT WE'VE GOT COMING UP.
AT THE WHARVES OF CHOPTANK VISITOR CENTER.
SO THAT GOES FOR EVERYONE LISTENING AT HOME, TOO, BUT YEAH, JUST WANTED TO PLUG THAT REALLY QUICK.
[02:15:08]
IT'LL BE A GREAT TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING THE BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY INTO THE CLASSROOM, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE END. YES. SO FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK.WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIVE THERE.
YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH ME AT ABIGAI@MBRT.ORG, AND YEAH, I WANT TO REITERATE HOW THANKFUL I AM FOR YOU GUYS NOT ONLY HAVING ME HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT, BUT HAVING ME IN AS AN OUTSIDE PERSON FROM AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION AND ALLOWING ME TO BUILD THESE CONNECTIONS AND REALLY SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS.
[INAUDIBLE] GRADUATE. YES, 2018.
YEAH, YEAH. [CHUCKLING] SHE LIKE TO PLAY IT DOWN, AND I LIKE TO YOU KNOW BECAUSE THAT IS AWESOME THAT YOU'VE COME BACK HERE TO HELP THE STUDENTS AND I THINK IT MAKES IT MORE REAL. YEAH, SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
LET'S SAY WE DON'T THINK OF YOU AS AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION, MAYBE A PARTNER.
I'M NOT SURE HOW ELSE TO DESCRIBE IT, BUT YOU'RE PART OF THIS GROUP.
DEFINITELY. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.
I DO JUST WANT TO ADD, IF THAT'S OKAY, THE COLLABORATION THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN BECAUSE I THINK WELL, 700 AND SOME STUDENTS SEVERAL HUNDRED STUDENTS HERE, THERE CAN BE AN OVERLAP.
SO THERE IS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN NEXT GEN AND TRIO AS WELL AS OUR NEW ADDITION CAREER COACH.
SO IT IS VERY MUCH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND I THANK BOTH OF THEM FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? GREAT PRESENTATIONS.
JUST WANT TO ADD ONE REAL QUICK.
SORRY. KIND OF ALONG LINDSAY'S SENTIMENT.
SO I REMEMBER WHEN NEXT GEN STARTED WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN? AND HERE IT IS INDEED SEVEN YEARS STILL ROLLING THE GREAT COHORT MODEL OF WORKING WITH KIDS, AND THEN, TO BE HONEST, I WAS JEALOUS OF SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS AGAIN WHEN I WAS IN A DIFFERENT ROLE, AND I'M LOOKING GOING, MAN, THEY HAVE UPWARD BOUND.
HOW DID THEY GET UPWARD BOUND? AND LIKE, HOW DO WE NOT HAVE UPWARD BOUND? AND NOW WE HAVE THAT CONNECTION AS WELL, AND WE CAN'T BE SUCCESSFUL AT ALL WITH ALL OF OUR KIDS WITHOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH BOTH OF YOU.
SO IT'S AWESOME HOW WELL THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING KIND OF IN THE SANDBOX WITH US, AND ALSO JUST OFFERING SUCH A GREAT PERSPECTIVE FOR SO MANY OF OUR KIDS PERSPECTIVES THAT THEY'RE TIRED OF HEARING WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY, AND FRANKLY, YOU HAVE DIFFERENT LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT CAN COME IN AND GIVE THEM A DIFFERENT STORY AS WELL, AND BUILDING THAT BELIEF THAT POST-SECONDARY LIFE IS REAL AND ACCESSIBLE NO MATTER WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR YOU, BUT IT'S VERY REAL AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS, SO I JUST APPRECIATE IT.
I ALSO APPRECIATE YOU ALL HANGING IN AT 35, STILL GOING STRONG, BUT I JUST APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE, BOTH LONG TERM WITH MARTY AND WITH CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE WITH WITH UPWARD BOUND REALLY BUILDING THAT OUT, AND I LOOK FOR THAT LONG PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ALL RIGHT. MOVING INTO OUR NEXT DISCUSSION.
[8. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]
THE ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION SYSTEM POLICY, AND THEY ALL LEFT ON THE ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION SYSTEM POLICY.WOW. I WAS GOING TO SAY WE ALMOST HAD THE LARGEST CROWD EVER TILL THE END OF A BOARD MEETING.
NO, NOT AT ALL. SO THIS REALLY IS JUST BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION IS A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION, BUT I'M JUST LETTING THE BOARD KIND OF BRING IT TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
WE HAVE INITIATED THIS YEAR A PILOT OF A REVISION OR CHANGE TO OUR ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION SYSTEM.
IF YOU WERE TO DIG BACK INTO THE POLICY MANUAL, AND, RACHEL, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE CURRENT EVALUATION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE FOR ADMINISTRATORS, ACTUALLY, THE LAST TIME THE POLICY WAS TOUCHED BY THE BOARD WAS 2010.
SO TECHNICALLY WE'VE BEEN IN A PILOT SINCE 2010.
[02:20:03]
IS IT WORKING? NO, THAT'S WHY WE'RE PILOTING A NEW VERSION.[CHUCKLING] IT DID FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
COMAR CHANGED A LOT OF OTHER THINGS CHANGED, AND IT TRULY WASN'T UPDATED.
SO THE STATE ADOPTED NEW STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL LEADERS CALLED THE PSELS.
THEY WERE ADOPTED BY MSDE IN 2019.
WE DID NOT MAKE THE SHIFT AT THE TIME TO THE NEW STANDARDS AT 2019.
TO BE HONEST, THE STATE WAS IN THE MIDST OF ADOPTING THEM JUST ABOUT IT WAS THE 19-20 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO IT WAS THE WE WERE ROLLING IN THE COVID.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES, ONCE THE PSELS WERE ADOPTED BY THE STATE, WE HAD A BEHIND THE SCENES THING IN OUR EVALUATION FRAMEWORK THAT MATCHED OUR OLD STANDARDS TO THE PSEL STANDARDS, AND IT MADE IT WORK FOR THE DATA WE HAD TO REPORT TO THE STATE, BUT IT REALLY WASN'T A TRUE MEASURE AND A TRUE SYSTEM CONNECTED TO WHAT WE TRULY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE USING AS OUR STANDARDS FOR ALL OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL LEADERS, ALL OF OUR CERTIFICATED STAFF.
SO I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR FOR THE BOARD.
THIS IS A PILOT FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, OUR CERTIFICATED INDIVIDUALS.
THIS WOULD NOT BE A PILOT FOR LIKE BILL MENGEL'S SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
IT'S A DIFFERENT CREDENTIALING LICENSING.
SO THIS NOT TO MAKE IT CONFUSING.
SO WE ARE PILOTING IT IN 23-24 THIS YEAR.
WE ARE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW.
IT IS A LEARNING PROCESS FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE IT'S A SHIFT FOR SCHOOL.
SORRY, IT'S A REAL SHIFT FOR CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS.
THE STANDARDS WERE INITIALLY WRITTEN FOR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS SCHOOL BASED, BUT THEY WERE ADOPTED FOR ALL CERTIFICATED INDIVIDUALS.
IT IS MORE OF AN EVALUATION SYSTEM THAT'S BASED OFF OF PORTFOLIO AND OUTCOMES.
IT'S NOT ONE THAT'S BASED OFF OF.
LET ME SIT DOWN AND DO DO 30 MINUTE OBSERVATIONS OF ADMINISTRATORS GIVING PRESENTATIONS TO THE BOARD, WHICH IS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE OBSERVATIONS BEFORE ADMINISTRATORS. IT'S NOT REALLY WHAT ADMINISTRATORS DO, BUT THAT IS WHAT THE OLD SYSTEM HAD US DO.
LET ME OBSERVE DURING A FACULTY MEETING.
NOT REALLY THE MOST BANG FOR BUCK IF I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF AN ADMINISTRATOR IS EFFECTIVE.
THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
I'VE ALREADY HIGHLIGHTED A COUPLE OF THESE.
THIS EVALUATION SYSTEM MIRRORS THE TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE WAY COMAR IS WRITTEN 50% OF THE EVALUATION SHOULD BE BASED ON PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, 50% ON STUDENT GROWTH MEASURES, OR THE SLO.
WE USED TO HAVE SOMETHING CALLED A PGP, WHICH WAS A PRECURSOR TO AN SLO.
DON'T GET CONFUSION WITH ACRONYMS. WE'RE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE SAME BOAT.
ALL STANDARDS, ALL TEN STANDARDS FOLKS WILL BE EVALUATED ON ANNUALLY.
SO FOR OUR PRINCIPALS, THERE'S NOT MUCH SHIFT, BUT THE STANDARDS, THEY'RE GOING FROM 12 TO 10.
THE BIGGEST SHIFT IS WITH OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISORS, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT MODEL THAN WHAT THEY'VE BEEN USED TO, WHICH IS ALSO WHY WE ARE PILOTING IT FOR A YEAR TO WORK OUT THE KINKS AND HELP EVERYONE LEARN, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING IT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT THROUGH PERFORM, WHICH IS AN ONLINE BASED EVALUATION MODEL, THAT WE'RE DOING IT THROUGH THAT PLATFORM.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU ALL AWARE WE WILL BE MONITORING IT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, COLLECTING FEEDBACK, AND IF THINGS GO THE WAY THAT WE HOPE THEY DO, WE'LL BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD A REVISED ADMINISTRATOR.
[02:25:02]
WELL, IT'S CALLED THE ADMINISTRATOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SYSTEM POLICY, BUT WE WOULD BRING BE BRINGING A REVISION TO THAT TO BRING THE ADMINISTRATOR EVALUATION SYSTEM INTO COMPLIANCE WITH WHERE WE SHOULD BE IN 23-24, BUT WE'RE PILOTING IT NOW AGAIN, TO GET THE KINKS WORKED OUT FOR ONE YEAR.ONE YEAR, WE SHOULD BE AT NO, NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.
MS. WAYMAN WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR WHEN [INAUDIBLE] I WAS THINKING ABOUT WE ALL SAT TOGETHER IN THE MEDIA CENTER AT NORTH HIGH LEARNING ABOUT IT.
WE DID OUR OUR INITIAL DISCUSSION AND TRAINING ON IT IN AUGUST.
IT'S CONTINUED. WE HAD ANOTHER DISCUSSION THIS WEEK.
THEY DID WITH MRS. MULLIGAN WORKING THROUGH THE USE OF PERFORM FOR STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN STANDARDS AND THE EVALUATION MODEL FOR PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO BUILD THIS OUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.
SECOND, WILL THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK? ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN MIND WHAT THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM WILL BE? I WOUND UP DOING A SURVEY, AND I'M A FAN OF A BLIND SURVEY TO GET HONEST FEEDBACK WHEN PEOPLE KNOW YOU CAN'T SEARCH, AND I HAVE FOUND RATHER QUICKLY IN THIS ROLE THAT PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR MOST MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, AND EVEN YOU WON'T, BUT [INAUDIBLE] I MEAN, HONESTLY, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL NOT BE AS AS FULLY TRUTHFUL.
SO I WOULD RATHER IN THIS WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY BASED ANALYTICS, PEOPLE INCREASINGLY ARE SKEPTICAL THAT IT'S REALLY BLIND.
IF I FILL THIS OUT, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO TRACK ME, AND THEN MY ALEXA DEVICE IS GOING TO TELL ME WHAT I SAID, [INAUDIBLE] SAYING, WHAT AREA DO YOU SUPERVISE AND HOW DO YOU FEEL THE SYSTEM WORK FOR YOU? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. WHAT'S YOUR LOCATION OF OFFICE IN THE BUILDING? IT TRULY WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD BE WORKING IT THROUGH, THROUGH ONE OF OUR SURVEY PROVIDERS OUTSIDE OF GOOGLE, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW GOOGLE, YOU CAN PROBABLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHO SAID WHAT BUT WHEN YOU USE A THIRD PARTY, YOU CAN'T.
SO I WOULD BE LOOKING TO DO THAT.
THANK YOU. CAN I SAY SOMETHING? SO JUST CONFIRMING YOU SAID ALL SUPERVISORS ARE GETTING ALL INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISORS.
SO WHAT'S YOUR INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THIS? TELLING ME THE TRUTH.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW IF YOU ASK ME--WE'LL CLOSE OUR EYES.
SO THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE, AND ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN IN A MASTER'S PROGRAM SINCE ABOUT 2015 ACTUALLY IS WHEN THE PSEL STARTED BEING TALKED ABOUT.
THOSE ARE THE ADMINISTRATOR STANDARDS THEY'RE TEACHING AROUND OUR PSELS AND BUILDING A PORTFOLIO, AND IT'S GIVING YOU MORE. GOOD.
THAT'S, ERIN WILL SEE THOSE, BUT AS THEY WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS, ONE OF THE THINGS PRINCIPALS HAVE DONE INITIALLY AND THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG BECAUSE THEY'RE USED TO THE STRUCTURE, THE SELF ASSESSMENT THAT PRINCIPALS DID.
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, PEOPLE ARE.
.. YES, PEOPLE ARE REALLY TOUGH ON THEMSELVES AND VERY HONEST.
WHICH IS WHICH IS TO BE HONEST.
WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE SO WE CAN PROVIDE SUPPORT AND HELP YOU? ERIN? I'D JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST YEAR.
WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. SO WE KIND OF ALREADY HAD THE PRE-WORK DISCUSSIONS.
WE DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THIS YEAR WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL TEN THEMSELVES AND REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE COMPONENTS, THOSE COMPONENTS. INDIVIDUAL CRITERIA WITHIN EACH PSEL THAT PROVIDE EVIDENCE YOU CAN SPEAK TO AND WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED ONES THAT REALLY KIND OF SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE CONTENT SUPERVISORS OR [INAUDIBLE].
[02:30:02]
CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE CONSIDERED THAT WHEN IT COMES TO CERTAIN COMPONENTS THAT ONLY APPLY TO BUILDINGS VERSUS WHAT CAN APPLY FOR ALL OF US UP HERE.SO WE HAVE A KIND OF BOUTIQUE FOR DIFFERENT.
[10. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF EVENTS THAT AREN'T ON OUR LIST.YES, I WILL GRAB SOME OF THOSE.
PEOPLE NEED TO BE TELLING YOU.
SOMETIMES. YEAH, IT'S NICE TO SEE A LIST.
PEOPLE NEED TO BE TELLING YOU, AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL SITTING HERE CAN TELL US WE ASK A LOT.
WE ARE TRYING A NEW STRATEGY THIS YEAR OF ACTUALLY GOING STRAIGHT TO THEIR ASSISTANTS AND JUST SAYING, YOU CONTROL THE SCHOOL CALENDAR WHEN SOMETHING GOES ON AT SEND IT TO US BECAUSE PRINCIPALS HAVE A LOT ON THEIR PLATE.
SURE THEY DO. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
YEAH OKAY ANYTHING ANYBODY WANTS TO CHAT ABOUT WITH THAT? NO. WE'RE GOOD, AND, RACHEL, THANK YOU FOR TRYING TO TRACK THAT AND DOING YOUR BEST WITH IT.
UPCOMING MEETING. WE HAVE OUR WORK SESSION ON THE 21ST.
14 DAYS FROM TODAY, AS IT USUALLY WOULD BE, AND SO WE ACTUALLY AS WE COME TO THE END HERE, WE ACTUALLY NEED TO CONVENE FOR A BRIEF CLOSED SESSION.
SO COUNCIL WOULD THAT [INAUDIBLE] LEGAL MATTER.
SO IS OUR BEST APPROACH THEN TO ADJOURN THIS AND THEN RECONVENE OR JUST LEAVE THIS.
[INAUDIBLE] RIGHT. SO WE DON'T NEED TO CLOSE THE SESSION.
BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH. STILL FIGURING OUT.
SORRY. [INAUDIBLE] ONE THING TO DISCUSS. ALL RIGHT, SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING? SO MOVED. NOBODY HESITATED ON THAT ONE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? I'M NOT EVEN ASKING IF ANYBODY OPPOSED.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.