[00:00:02] ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. WELCOME, EVERYONE. [1. Opening Items] WE'RE LEAVING RIGHT AFTER. IT'S GREAT TO SEE A GOOD TURNOUT HERE FOR OUR JULY 2ND CAROLINE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. IT'S THE FIRST OF THE FISCAL YEAR, SO WE CAN SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR, BUT OFFICIALLY CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER. AND WE HAVE FOUR MEMBERS PRESENT, SOON TO BE FIVE, I BELIEVE. AND WE DID HAVE OUR CLOSED SESSION. AND SO NOW WE WANT TO REOPEN OUR MEETING IN OPEN SESSION. WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO. I SO MOVE THAT WE MOVE INTO OPEN SESSION. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. THAT'S I'LL NOTE HERE. THAT'S 4 TO 0. PRETTY SOON IT'LL BE 4 TO 1 MAYBE. MAYBE, BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SAY THE LEAST. SO NEXT WE WILL HAVE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OFTENTIMES, WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE HERE LEADING THE PLEDGE FOR US FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE NOT HERE TONIGHT. COULD HAVE HAD THE SUMMER SCHOOL KIDS HERE, RIGHT? BUT IT IS YOU KNOW, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE THAT CEREMONY OF HAVING THE CHILDREN HERE, IT'S JUST SO FITTING. YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE JULY 4TH WEEK, INDEPENDENCE DAY. SO HERE WE ARE TWO DAYS AWAY FROM IT. IT JUST BEARS MENTIONING WHY THAT FLAG THERE AND WHY WE'RE ALL HERE AND HOW WE RECOGNIZE OUR FREEDOM AND OUR COUNTRY THIS TIME OF YEAR EVERY YEAR. SO, EVERYBODY ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HAVE A GREAT JULY 4TH. WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHY WE HAVE JULY 4TH. SO ENOUGH OF MY SPEECHMAKING. WE HAVE OUR CLERK OF THE COURT HERE WITH US TONIGHT. TERRY LORD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU ARE VERY ADAPTABLE AND MUCH APPRECIATED. THINGS KEPT CHANGING A LITTLE BIT, AND WE NOW CAN HAVE THE SWEARING IN OF OUR NEW MEMBER. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. IT'S A STATEMENT THAT THE BOARD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION, I BELIEVE. SO, I THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. OKAY. LET'S SEE IF YOU WANT TO COME UP. IF YOU'LL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I, CHRISTINA M. BARKS. I, CHRISTINA M. BARKS. OF CAROLINE COUNTY STATE OF MARYLAND. OF CAROLINE COUNTY, STATE OF MARYLAND. DO PROMISE OR DECLARE. DO PROMISE OR DECLARE. THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AND THAT I WILL. AND THAT I WILL. BE FAITHFUL. BE FAITHFUL. AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE. AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE. TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND. TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND. AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION. AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION. AND LAWS THEREOF. AND LAWS THEREOF. AND THAT I WILL. AND THAT I WILL. TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT. TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT. DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY. DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY. WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE. WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE. EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF. EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF. MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY. MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY. ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION. ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION. AND LAWS OF THIS STATE. AND LAWS OF THIS STATE. THERE YOU GO. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT I ALSO I NEED YOU TO SIGN. WE'VE GOT TO MAKE THIS OFFICIAL. SO, IF YOU WILL DATE IT, SIGN YOUR NAME AND IMPRINT. PLEASE ENTER SOME VERY, VERY PRESTIGIOUS VOTES. YES, MA'AM. THIS IS A NEW BOOK. NO. THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERMISSION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING TONIGHT FOR YOUR SUPPORT I APPRECIATE IT. PHOTO OPS. PHOTO OPS. [00:05:05] MIC]. THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY EXCITING. I MEAN, I CAN SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE BOARD ABOUT HOW THRILLED WE ARE THAT YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THE HAT, THAT JT SUPPORTED IT. YOUR FAMILY SUPPORTED IT. THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE. THANK YOU. AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'RE WE HOPE THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT SWEARING IN AGAIN AFTER THE ELECTION, BECAUSE THAT MEANS YOU'LL START YOUR OWN TERM BECAUSE YOU'RE FILLING OUT THE TERM OF THE PERSON WHO QUIT. SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE. THANK YOU. AND SO NOW WE DO HAVE OUR AGENDA THAT WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. AS IT STANDS, WE HAVE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. YOU CAN VOTE ON THAT, CHRIS. I WAS JUST THINKING I MIGHT NEED MY GLASSES. HEY, I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M REALLY KILLING THIS TONIGHT, AREN'T I? NOPE. SO, SOMETHING ELSE WE DO. AT EVERY MEETING, WE REFLECT ON OUR MISSION AND READ THE MISSION STATEMENT. SO, I'M GOING TO DO THAT NOW. 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. VERY SIMPLE MISSION, BUT REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP FOCUSED ON THAT. AND WE DO OUR BEST TO DO SO, AS DOES THE STAFF UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO, WE HAVE NO RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT, BUT I THINK WE HAD SOME PRETTY GREAT RECOGNITION JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO. AND NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO REPORTS. [3. Reports] I DON'T KNOW IF OUR BOARD HAS THINGS THEY WANT TO REPORT ON. THEY PROBABLY DO. SO, WE'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. STARTING WITH MR. JONES IF YOU'D LIKE. OH MAN I COULD START DOWN THAT END I KNOW. THANK YOU. I HAVE A LONG BOARD REPORT FROM THE NIGHT. ALL THE SCHOOL ACTIVITY. ALL THE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. YEAH. THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WAS A SUCCESS AT THE JONES HOUSE. AND EVERYBODY'S SWIMMING AND DOING SUMMER ACTIVITIES RIGHT NOW. YOU BET. YEP. AND NEXT YEAR SEEMS A LONG WAYS AWAY, BUT IT'LL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. WELL, WE HAD OUR WE HAD OUR JUNE MEETING AFTER THE GRADUATIONS, I BELIEVE. [00:10:05] AND BUT THE TWO BOARD MEMBERS, YOURSELF AND MR. KLUTSCHAK, WHO SPOKE AND THE GRADUATIONS, YOU BOTH DID SUCH A GREAT JOB. YEAH. YOU KNOW, YOU KEPT YOUR REMARKS SHORT AND WERE TO THE POINT. AND YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY MADE GOOD KEY POINTS, BOTH OF YOU. SO THANK YOU. I THINK THAT MERITS RECOGNITION. AND I DON'T THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN JUNE. WE DID TALK. NO WE DIDN'T. RIGHT. IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE NORTH CAROLINA. AND I'M SURE FOR TROY, THE SAME THING THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WE GRADUATED FROM. YEAH. YEAH, IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL. WE WERE BOTH NERVOUS, PROBABLY AT SOME POINT, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BEFOREHAND, BUT IT DIDN'T SHOW. IT WASN'T BAD ABOUT THE SPEECH OR GRADUATION. YEAH, THEY MIGHT SAY ON SECOND THOUGHT, THAT DIPLOMA. YOU RECEIVED NEW INFORMATION. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. MICHELLE. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO REPORT? WELL, I ATTENDED THE EASTERN SHORE SUPERINTENDENTS SOMETHING ELSE CONFERENCE. AND THAT WAS AT THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BEACH CLUB. AND THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY A VERY GOOD CONFERENCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT SPEAK SO WELL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SCIENCE OF READING AND THE UPCOMING INTRODUCTION OF MATH BEING RENOVATED OR REDONE, RETHOUGHT FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AND SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. AND ALSO, I WAS ON A MAB MEETING. IT WAS JUST, I THINK, LAST WEEK. YEAH. AND AND I'M SCHEDULED FOR ANOTHER ONE ON MONDAY, SO THAT'S STAYING KIND OF BUSY. YEAH. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL PROBABLY WANT TO SHARE WITH CHRISSY ABOUT THE MAB ASSOCIATION. ABSOLUTELY. TROY, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? YEAH. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE STAFF FOR A GOOD YEAR. YES, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A GOOD YEAR, AND THEY'RE ALREADY PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR, SO IT'S KIND OF NICE TO SEE. SO SORRY. NO, NO. OTHER THAN THAT I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. JUST TO THANK THEM. SO. SO CHRISSY, SINCE THE LAST TEN MINUTES OR SO. OCCURRED. IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. I WILL JUST THANK RACHEL FOR WALKING THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF THE APPOINTMENT WITH ME. I KNOW THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING NEW THAT HADN'T HAPPENED BEFORE, AND SHE HANDLED IT WITH GRACE AND LIKE WAS VERY COMMITTED TO COMMUNICATING AND MAKING SURE I KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING ALONG THE WAY. SO THANK YOU FRIENDS FOR THAT. DID A GREAT JOB. APPRECIATE HER WORK ON IT. THANKS, MAN. THANK YOU. SO I'LL JUST COMMENT ABOUT THE RETIREES CELEBRATIONS HELD IN TAIWAN. IT WAS PUT TOGETHER SO WELL, AND JASON'S NOT HERE TO TAKE A BOW. I'D ASK HIM TO CAUSE THE SOUND SYSTEM WAS A1. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HE BROUGHT. HE BROUGHT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, SOUND SYSTEM. AND BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE PLACE WAS HAUNTED. THE WAY. THE WAY IT WORKED AT THE LAST EVENT. BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE. A REALLY NICE WAY TO SEND OUT THOSE RETIREES WHO WERE THERE. AND THERE WERE SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD RETIRED IN THE PAST THAT CAME TO SHOW SUPPORT. IT WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL EVENT, AND IT WAS NICE TO BE A PART OF IT AND TO TO WATCH THAT GO ON AND ALL PART OF THAT FAMILY FEELING YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE SAD TO LEAVE, BUT HAPPY TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PART OF THEIR LIFE. SO REALLY WELL DONE. AND SO THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. SURE. SO I'LL KEEP MINE SORT OF BRIEF. IT CONNECTS TO MR. PLUTCHIK'S. COMMENT. SO AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE LESS THAN 30 WORK DAYS UNTIL NEW TEACHERS REPORT. WOW. THERE'S THE WOMP WOMP MOMENT OF THE NIGHT. YEAH. IT'S IT'S FLYING ALONG. SO WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING THUS FAR? AND WE'LL BE DOING IN THOSE REMAINING 30 DAYS? SUMMER PROGRAMING BEGAN THIS WEEK FOR ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS FOR CREDIT RECOVERY. WE START OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT WE PARTNERED WITH, TALBOT COUNTY IN DORCHESTER COUNTY. THE CSF PROGRAM COLONEL HIGH IS HOSTING IT THIS YEAR. THEY START THAT NEXT WEEK. WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING IN CURRICULUM WRITING HAPPENING ACROSS ALL AREAS AND HAS HAVE BEEN SINCE THE KIDS GOT OUT. WE HAVE TWO MAJOR ROOFING PROJECTS OCCURRING THAT ARE MOVING ALONG ON SCHEDULE. PRESTON ELEMENTARY IS GETTING A NEW ROOF. NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL IS GETTING THE SECOND PART OF THEIR ROOFING PROJECT COMPLETED. WE HAVE MULTIPLE OTHER PROJECTS. I KNOW MR. MANGO WILL TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT IN JUNE THAT ARE HAPPENING THIS SUMMER. WE ALSO HAVE SUMMER FEEDING. OUR CAFETERIA STAFF WILL PROBABLY WILL EASILY TOP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MEALS THIS SUMMER THAT WILL GO OUT TO TO OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, WITH EVERYTHING HAPPENING, OUR MAINTENANCE CREWS ARE TRYING TO GET THE BUILDINGS PREPPED FOR NEXT YEAR AND THEY ARE HOPPING. [00:15:03] SO WHEN PEOPLE WONDER WHAT HAPPENS IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS WHEN THE KIDS AREN'T THERE. WELL, ONE, WE FIND WAYS TO GET THE KIDS STILL HERE THROUGH SUMMER PROGRAMING, AND OUR STAFF REALLY DON'T TAKE MUCH OF A BREAK BEFORE THEY JUMP IN AND START GETTING PREPPED FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, SO EVERYBODY'S HARD AT IT. AND STILL TAKING SOME TIME TO REFRESH AT THE SAME TIME. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING. WE DID HAVE A STRONG YEAR, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO START ON A REALLY GOOD FOOT INTO THE NEW, THE NEW YEAR. WE DON'T WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT AIR THINGS. SO AFTER JULY 15TH. SO AIR KEEPS WORKING. WE'RE DOING WELL, BUT WE WON'T SPEAK ANY MORE ABOUT IT. LET IT RIDE. YOU DON'T WANT TO JINX ANYTHING? NOT AT ALL. CORRECT? I SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE SAID THAT WORD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. SO NOW WE MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. [4. Consent Agenda] AND SPEAKING OF PERSONNEL, DR. WILLOUGHBY, WELCOME TO THE PODIUM. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON. DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL AGENDA INCLUDES FIVE RESIGNATIONS, 15 APPOINTMENTS TO REGULAR CONTRACT AND ONE APPOINTMENT TO A PROVISIONAL. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT. ANY? NONE. WE ALSO HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM JUNE 4TH AND JUNE 18TH ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. UNLESS THERE ARE CHANGES THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. HOW ABOUT THAT? FIVE ZERO. NICE TO SEE THAT. IS THERE ANY CITIZEN COMMENT? I THOUGHT MR. BARTZ MIGHT WANT TO. GIVE HIM A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO SHOOT. MAKE. HIM A COUPLE MONTHS. SORRY TO PICK ON YOU THERE. YOU DON'T MIND? ALL RIGHT, SO NOW WE'LL MOVE INTO INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS. [6. Individual Action Items] DR. WILLOUGHBY IS BACK AT THE PODIUM TALKING ABOUT OUR POLICIES. ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT ONE POLICY WITH SUGGESTED REVISIONS FOR THIS EVENING. AND BY YOUR RULES, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE REVISIONS STEMMING FROM A LEGAL CHANGE, THIS CAN BE APPROVED IN ONE READING INSTEAD OF TWO. YOU'LL NOTICE THE THEME TONIGHT OF POLICIES IS THEY'RE ALL AIR RELATED. SO I FINALLY GOT TO MY OWN POLICIES TO BRING TO YOU GUYS NOW THAT THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS ENDED WE'VE HAD A DRUG AND ALCOHOL, WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL FREE WORKPLACE POLICY FOR, OF COURSE, A VERY LONG TIME. THIS POLICY WAS LAST TOUCHED IN 1989. SO DEFINITELY IN NEED OF REVISION AND ESPECIALLY IN NEED OF REVISION DUE TO MARYLAND'S LEGALIZATION AND DECRIMINALIZATION OF CANNABIS A YEAR AGO. AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A STATE DECISION. OUR SCHOOLS ARE FEDERAL DRUG FREE SCHOOL ZONES, AND OUR BUS DRIVERS STILL HAVE TO FOLLOW DOT. AND SO YOU KNOW, HOW WE WE NAVIGATE THAT WITH FOLKS HEARING ONE THING. BUT THEN THERE ALSO BEING A REALITY OF BEING EMPLOYED AND THOSE THOSE RULES AND REGULATIONS AS WELL. OUR POLICY AS WRITTEN HAD IN IT A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT THIS POLICY AS REVISED KEEPS. AND THAT IS NUMBER ONE, WHERE THERE IS A WHERE THERE IS A VIOLATION AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR REHABILITATION, WE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITH THE EMPLOYEE. THAT WAS IN THE OLD POLICY AND THE OLD IS THAT IS STILL IN THIS. THIS IS WRITTEN TO GIVE US SOME LEEWAY ON THAT. FIRST, IF THERE IS A FIRST OFFENSE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE WERE TO HAVE A VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY THAT I WOULD SAY IN ANY WAY INVOLVE CHILDREN, WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT GIVE THAT. BUT IF THERE WAS A VIOLATION THAT DID NOT OR WE HAVE THAT LEEWAY. THE OLD REVISION BASICALLY SAID THAT THAT WAS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THE FIRST OFFENSE IS THAT THERE WOULD BE THAT REHABILITATION. BUT THIS THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO MOVE QUICKER IF THERE IS A MORE BLATANT VIOLATION. THE OLD POLICY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU COULDN'T BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE AT WORK, BUT NEVER TALKED AT ALL ABOUT THE PROCESS OF IF WE SUSPECTED THAT YOU WERE, HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT FINDING THAT OUT. AND SO THIS DOES DELINEATE TESTING FOR CAUSE TESTING PROCESS. AND WHILE WE TYPICALLY TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICY AND REGULATION AND BEING POLICY SHOULD BE VERY BROAD, REGULATION SHOULD BE SPECIFIC. [00:20:08] THIS IS A POLICY WITHOUT REGULATION. BECAUSE BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING OF THIS GRAVITY AND THE BOARD WANTING TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT IF YOU DO VIOLATE THIS, THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN THAT REALLY OUGHT TO BE IN THE POLICY AND NOT LEFT TO A REGULATION THAT CAN CHANGE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. SIMPLY MAKING THAT CHANGE. THIS IS THIS IS REALLY A POLICY STATEMENT. AND SO WE, WE GO THROUGH WE DEFINE ILLEGAL DRUGS, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES. WE DO INCLUDE CANNABIS AND MARIJUANA IN, IN THOSE DEFINITIONS SPELLED OUT SEPARATELY JUST TO AVOID CONFUSION OF THEIR STATUS. WE TALK ABOUT FOR CALLS TESTING AND HOW THAT WOULD HAPPEN AND THE FACT THAT IT GOES THROUGH THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO COORDINATE THAT. WE DEFINE THE WORK DAY AS TO WHEN YOU CANNOT BE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OR IN POSSESSION. YOU CAN'T BE IN POSSESSION AT ANY POINT, YOU KNOW, BUT UNDER THE INFLUENCE. WE TALK ABOUT IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. THE FACT THAT TESTING WOULD HAPPEN AT THAT POINT, THAT ALREADY HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE LIKE AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT, YOUR DRIVERS HAVE TO GO. BUT IF THERE'S AN ACCIDENT NOT NOT AN AUTOMOBILE, BUT SOME SORT OF ACCIDENT WITH MACHINERY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. AND WE SPELL OUT AS WELL THAT WE WOULD ESCORT YOU TO THE LAB FOR TESTING. IT SHOULD BE AN OBVIOUS STATEMENT, BUT THAT YOU WOULDN'T JUST BE SENT OFF TO DO THAT. WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE WOULD SHARE THE RESULTS WITH THE EMPLOYEE. AND THEN WHAT THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES WOULD BE IF THE RESULT WAS POSITIVE? HOW WE'D NOTIFY THAT THE FACT THAT IT'S CONFIDENTIAL AND THAT IF AN EMPLOYEE IS ARRESTED OR CONVICTED FOR A DRUG RELATED CRIME, THEY HAVE THIS IS THIS IS A NEW PIECE OF THIS POLICY. THEY HAVE FIVE BUSINESS DAYS TO REPORT THAT TO US. NOW ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE FINGERPRINTED, AND SO WE SHOULD GET AN ALERT IF AN ARREST HAPPENS. BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE THIS REPORTING REQUIREMENT THAT IS IN THERE. SO THE REVISIONS REALLY SORT OF EXPAND A LITTLE BIT. SOME OF THE READING BETWEEN THE LINES THAT MAYBE THE OLD POLICY REQUIRED, IF WE HAD SOMEONE THAT WAS SUSPECTED. YES. THAT'S WHAT WE DID. WE WE TOOK THEM FOR TESTING, BUT IT DIDN'T SAY THAT ANYWHERE AS BEING OUR PROCESS FOR THAT. AND SO THIS DELINEATES IT A LITTLE BIT, CARVES IT OUT A LITTLE BIT. MAKES THE FIRST OFFENSE SOMETHING THAT IS YOU CAN BE RECOMMENDED FOR TERMINATION DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND KIND OF GIVES US THAT ABILITY BACK. AND ALSO CLEARLY STATES JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE THAT CANNABIS, ALCOHOL, CANNABIS AND ILLEGAL DRUGS SO SPELLS THAT OUT SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION. SO THAT IS PRESENTED FOR YOUR DISCUSSION. YES, MA'AM. I MAY BE MISSED IT. DID YOU MENTION A THE CONSEQUENCES FOR A SECOND OFFENSE. SECOND REHAB SECOND IS TERMINATION OKAY. SECOND IS TERMINATION. WE HAVE THE OPTION ON A FIRST TO DO REHAB, BUT THE SECOND WILL BE AND IT SAYS THAT IN IT. THE SECOND IS TERMINATION. THANK YOU. YEP. AND LIKE WITH OTHER THINGS IN THAT CASE THEY COULD APPEAL. THE APPEAL WOULD COME TO THIS BOARD. SURE. YEAH. SO THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD GO TO ME. YEAH. WE FOLLOW THE SAME WHETHER IT'S TEACHER SUPPORT WOULD FOLLOW THE SAME KUMAR THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS DO FOR THAT. WOULD SUPERSEDE POLICY. SURE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I HAVE IS ABOUT THE ARREST OR CONVICTION THAT LEAVES ROOM FOR SOME JUDGMENT HERE, WHICH IS GOOD, BECAUSE AN ARREST DOESN'T MEAN THE PERSON ACTUALLY DID IT. CORRECT. AND AND YET IF IT'S IN SOME CASES, THE VIOLATION WOULD BE SO OBVIOUSLY ACCURATE THAT, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN ACTIONS NEED TO BE TAKEN. SURE. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. I DON'T THINK SO. IT'S A GOOD PROVISION TO ADD VERY MUCH, THOUGH. AND WHILE WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC FINGERPRINT SYSTEM, WE FINGERPRINT FOLKS IN HOUSE. WE ALL GO TO TRAINING THROUGH CJIS. SOME CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION SYSTEM. BUT FOR EXAMPLE, I ALWAYS USE MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE. I WENT TO THAT TRAINING THIS YEAR AS JUST A PART OF THIS ROLE. TO GET TRAINED. AND TO DO THAT, I HAD TO RE FINGERPRINT MYSELF BECAUSE WHEN I WAS INITIALLY HIRED, I WAS PRINTED ON A CARD WITH INK. [00:25:04] AND SO. FOLKS THAT WERE FINGERPRINTED ON A CARD WITH INK MAY NOT BE THAT MAY BE WHERE THERE IS A GAP IN THAT ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION THAT WE ALREADY GET. AND SO THAT'S WHY HAVING THIS IS IMPORTANT. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE, EVEN THOUGH IT WORKS, WE GET HITS. YOU KNOW, WHEN FORMER EMPLOYEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAVE THINGS THAT HAPPEN. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE COVERED AS WELL WITHOUT HAVING TO SAY AT $31.50 A POP, WE'RE JUST GOING TO RE FINGERPRINT EVERYONE. SO NOW WE PUT THAT ON THE EMPLOYEE HERE. OKAY. SO THIS IS A POLICY THAT WE CAN VOTE ON TONIGHT IF WE SO DESIRE. WHAT'S THE BOARD'S PREFERENCES THERE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT, I THINK. YEAH, I MEAN CERTAINLY JUST MAKE SOMEBODY BELIEVE THAT. MAKE A MOTION IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE UPDATED POLICY ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL FREE WORKPLACE. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND OF THE MOTION? I DO FOR YOU. A SECOND. OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? BOARD MEMBERS? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT GROUPING YOU'LL SEE IS FOR POLICIES. ALL AGAIN COMING FROM THE PERSONNEL SECTION OF THE POLICY BOOK. AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME THEME IN THAT THEY ARE GOVERNED UNDER OUR NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS. AND IN SOME CASES, THE LANGUAGE IN THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT IS CONTRARY TO POLICY, BECAUSE THE POLICY IS IS SO OLD. AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO LET THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT GOVERN THIS ABOUT USE OF TYPES OF LEAVE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND RETIRE THESE POLICIES FROM THE POLICY BOOK. I'LL GO THROUGH THEM ONE AT A TIME. THE FIRST ONE IS MATERNITY AND EXTENDED SICK LEAVE. THIS IS ALREADY COVERED IN THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT FOR BOTH SUPPORT AND TEACHERS FOR HOW THEY WOULD REQUEST IT AND HOW WE WOULD HANDLE THAT. THE POLICY SAYS THAT IF YOUR LEAVE WITHOUT PAY LASTS FOR 40 DAYS, IT RESULTS IN FORFEITURE OF YOUR POSITION. AND WE KNOW UNDER FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT THAT'S NOT TRUE. YOU HAVE 12 WEEKS OF OF PROTECTION. UNDER FEDERAL LAW. AND COMING DOWN THE PIKE, AS YOU KNOW, IS THE MARYLAND TIME TO CARE ACT, WHICH IS ANOTHER WRINKLE IN THAT. AND SO WITH THAT, LIKE I SAID, BOTH MATERNITY LEAVE AND PARENTAL LEAVE ARE GOVERNED UNDER THE CONTRACT. KIND OF CONTRARY TO THIS OLDER LANGUAGE THAT THERE ISN'T EVEN A DATE ON. WHAT'S THE REASON FOR RETIRING THAT ONE? APPROVAL OF LEAVE WITHOUT PAY. YOU CAN SEE, WAS LAST REVISITED IN 1994, AND IT SAYS THAT IT WILL ONLY BE APPROVED FOR LESS THAN TEN DAYS. WELL, AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF FMLA, WHICH ALLOWS LEAVE WITHOUT PAY FOR UP TO 12 WEEKS IF YOU ARE A QUALIFYING EMPLOYEE SERVING ON JURY DUTY FROM 1989. SINCE WE ALL HAVE TO HAVE A LAUGH. THE FIRST LINE OF THIS POLICY SAYS THAT CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL ALLOW THEIR EMPLOYEES TO SERVE ON JURIES. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS AN OPTION THAT WE COULD EXERCISE, BUT I'M GLAD THAT IN 1989, WE DECIDED TO ALLOW IT. BUT AGAIN, IN THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT, IT TALKS ABOUT JURY LEAVE, JURY DUTY, LEAVE. THIS POLICY ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE IDEA THAT THE CASH PAYMENT YOU GET FROM THE CLERK WHEN YOU SERVE, YOU WOULD REMIT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE DON'T DO THAT. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR YEARS. WE USED TO DO THAT, BUT WE WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR YEARS. WE JUST PAY YOUR SALARY AND YOU KEEP WHATEVER THE $20 IS OR WHATEVER. SO WE COULD NOW RETROACTIVELY GO TELL PEOPLE THEY CAN PAY THAT BACK. DR. SIMMONS SAID WE HAD DR. SIMMONS SAID, WE'VE HAD A GOOD YEAR. PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME SEND INVOICES TO OUR OWN EMPLOYEES FROM THE BOARD, IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION. YES. AND THEN FINALLY VACATIONS AGAIN. 12 MONTH EMPLOYEES DO DO ACCRUE VACATION LEAVE. ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS, AS WELL AS 12 MONTH SUPPORT. THAT IS GOVERNED UNDER THE CSA AGREEMENT AND THE MOU THAT THIS POLICY ALSO TALKS ABOUT CARRYOVER LIMITS FOR VACATION LEAVE, WHICH ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE CARRYOVER LIMITS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED OVER TIME. AND SO AGAIN, LET THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT GOVERN WHAT IS A WHAT IS A BENEFIT, AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT, WHICH SHOULD BE NEGOTIATED AND TAKE THE POLICY PIECE OUT OF IT. SO THAT'S THE COMMON THEME WITH THESE FOUR WRITTEN AT A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT GUIDANCE, BUT AT LEAST AT THIS POINT I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT WE HAD A SUPPORT AGREEMENT BACK IN 1989 OR 1994. [00:30:01] THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON WHY WE NEEDED TO HAVE THESE, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH ALL THREE BARGAINING UNITS THAT GOVERN ALL OF THESE ASPECTS. SO THE RECOMMENDATION FOR RETIREMENT FOR THESE FOUR. SO THEN SPECIFICALLY ON THE FAMILY LEAVE OR THE MATERNITY LEAVE. YES, 100% OF THE WORKFORCE IS COVERED THROUGH OTHER MEANS. THROUGH OTHER MEANS. YEAH. OKAY. SO WE CAN ACT TONIGHT THEN TO RETIRE ALL FOUR OF THESE POLICIES. SURE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST IF YOU CAN SHARE. YES. UNDER THE CURRENT NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT, WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE POLICY FOR MATERNITY LEAVE? SO MATERNITY MATERNITY CURRENTLY UNDER BOTH NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT IS THAT FOR THE TIME OF MEDICAL INCAPACITY SICK LEAVE CAN BE USED TO COVER THAT. IF THEN THERE IS TIME REQUESTED BEYOND THE DR.'S CLEARANCE, THAT WOULD BE LEAVE WITHOUT PAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND THE DEFINITION BEING YOU CAN'T USE SICK TIME BECAUSE AT THAT POINT THE DR. IS CLEARED AND NO ONE'S SICK. SO. AT SOME POINT THERE, THE MEDICAL LEAVE ACT WOULD KICK IN. YEAH. YOUR JOB IS PROTECTED. YOU CAN TAKE THE TIME. IT'S JUST AT THAT POINT. THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES WITHOUT PAY. IF YOU'VE GOT IF YOU DON'T HAVE. ONCE THE DR. IS CLEARED, YOU. THAT'S A GOOD CLARIFICATION. YEAH. TYPICALLY BETWEEN SIX, SIX AND EIGHT WEEKS IS THAT CLEARANCE PERIOD DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE DELIVERY? SURE. OTHER QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS. DO WE NEED TO DO THESE ONE AT A TIME OR ALL FOUR AT ONCE? I THINK WE COULD TRY TO DO ALL FOUR AT ONCE. AND IF THERE'S ANY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CERTAINLY. WELL, IF WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, THEN WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION IF ANYBODY WANTS TO DO IT INDIVIDUALLY. BUT IF YOU FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD DO IT INDIVIDUALLY, WE CAN JUST DO THAT. IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH ALL FOUR. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RETIRE THE MATERNITY EXTENDED SICK LEAVE, APPROVAL OF LEAVE WITHOUT PAY, SERVING ON JURY DUTY AND VACATIONS POLICIES. WE HAVE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. FURTHER DISCUSSION. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NONE. THANK YOU. SUCCESS. I REALLY LIKE THE JURY DUTY. ONE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SERVE IN JURY DUTY. BECAUSE IF IT SAID WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT, THEN I GUESS THEY'D BE IN CONTEMPT OF COURT. THAT'S PRETTY FASCINATING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND NOW WE HAVE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND EDUCATION CONSORTIUM, HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE TRUSTEE APPOINTMENT. THAT IS A MOUTHFUL. IT'S A MOUTHFUL. SO I HAVE THIS ACTION ITEM COMING TO THE BOARD TONIGHT. AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE DO PARTICIPATE IN THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND EDUCATIONAL CONSORTIUM, EZNEC FOR SHORT THE HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE. THAT'S WHO WE GET OUR HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH AS PART OF THAT, THAT GROUP, EACH SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TWO TRUSTEES WHO SERVE. ONE COMES FROM OUR EMPLOYEE BARGAINING GROUP, AND THAT'S MRS. PEGGY WHITMAN. PEGGY WILL REMAIN IN THAT POSITION. THE OTHER IS AN APPOINTMENT WHO SERVES ON OUR BEHALF ON MANAGEMENT SIDE. AND WITH MRS. THORNTON'S RESIGNATION IN JUNE, THAT POSITION DID BECOME OPEN. AND THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO HAVE DR. WILLOUGHBY SERVE AS MANAGEMENT TRUSTEE FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE. DR. WILLOUGHBY IS OVER. OBVIOUSLY HUMAN RESOURCES AND PAYROLL AND BENEFITS. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE THAT HE DOES TAKE ON THIS EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY. AND I KNOW HE WILL SERVE US WELL AND KEEP THE BOARD VERY WELL INFORMED, AS HE HAS DURING NEGOTIATIONS. AND THOSE THINGS. THERE'S A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN NEGOTIATIONS AND HEALTH INSURANCE. SO AGAIN, THE FIT IS. PERFECT. SO I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER DR. WILLOUGHBY'S APPOINTMENT TO THIS TO THIS ROLE FOR US. VERY GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION? I'LL MOVE. WE SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION. DR. WILLOUGHBY, DO A SECOND. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. NONE OPPOSED. SO IT'S WE'RE IN FAVOR OF DR. WILLOUGHBY. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. AND OTHER OTHER, OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED. MR. HOWIE, WE'RE GIVING YOU A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET COMFORTABLE BEFORE THEY START COMING YOUR WAY. WE'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER MONTH. YEAH. I SAW YOU CHUCKLING A LITTLE THERE. THEY'LL BE PAYBACK RIGHT. ALRIGHT. AND NEXT WE HAVE THE MAY OTHER POST EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS INVESTMENT TRUST REPRESENTATIVE APPOINTMENT. YES. SO SIMILAR TO THE HEALTH INSURANCE COMPONENT. WE PARTICIPATE IN THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION BOARDS OF ED MAYB OPEB INVESTMENT TRUST. SO THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TRUST AND WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THAT SERVES ON THAT GROUP. AGAIN, WITH THE RESIGNATION OF MRS. THORNTON, THAT POSITION HAS BECOME OPEN FOR US AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH WITH MAIB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MR. [00:35:07] NAGEL, HIS STRONG RECOMMENDATION WAS SOMEONE WITH MORE OF A FISCAL BACKGROUND AS THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE INVESTMENT COMPONENT. SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT MR. JOEL HIGNETT, OUR NEW CFO, SERVE IN THAT ROLE. AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR OPEB INVESTMENT FUND. ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? HEARING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FOR MISS HIGNETT IN THIS POSITION? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT OF JILL HIGNETT TO SERVE AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE HEALTH BENEFITS TRUST FOR A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? CONGRATULATIONS. SHE'S NOT HERE TO HAVE PICTURES TAKEN OR ANYTHING, BUT VERY NICE. THANK YOU. I WON'T MAKE A JOKE. YEAH, IT'S TOO EASY. YEAH, EXACTLY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S THE END OF THE INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. AND I NEGLECTED TO THANK DR. WILLOUGHBY FOR HIS GREAT WORK ON THOSE POLICY. POLICY EFFORTS. IT'S KIND OF THANKLESS JOB, BUT IT REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND REALLY IMPROVES THINGS. [7. Reports and Presentations] SO, REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, REPORTING PUPIL PROGRESS? YES. ONE REPORTED PRESENTATION FOR THE BOARD THIS EVENING. I WANT TO THANK DR. DOWNS FOR HER WORK. CHERYL LAWRENCE'S WORK AND OTHERS WHO WERE PART OF REVIEWING OUR REPORTING PUPIL PROGRESS POLICY, ALSO KNOWN AS GRADING POLICY. SO I WANTED TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT A COUPLE CHANGES THAT WILL BE GOING INTO EFFECT FOR THE REGULATION. THEY ARE ONE NOT SO SIGNIFICANT. IT MEETS STATE LAW AND THE OTHER IS SIGNIFICANT FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT IN A POSITIVE WAY. AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, POLICY IS THE BOARD'S PURVIEW. THE REGULATION IS MINE TO PUT THE POLICY IN PLACE. THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE CHANGES TO THE REGULATION, ONE OF WHICH, AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THE TWO. ON AND RACHEL, I WILL APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING PAGE NUMBERS UNDER ROMAN NUMERAL SEVEN, ITEM NUMBER 15. IF I COUNT PAGES THAT. SHOULD BE PAGE 11, I BELIEVE. ITEM NUMBER 15 STATES AS STATED IN COMAR, THE SCORE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL MCAT, MR AND MCAT GOVERNMENT SHALL COMPRISE 20% OF THE FINAL MARK FOR THE COURSE. THESE MCAT SCORES SHALL BE OR WILL BE CONSIDERED THE FINAL EXAM SCORE FOR THESE COURSES. THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, IT WENT INTO EFFECT. STATE LAW WAS CHANGED IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNMENT COURSE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY COURSE. THE STUDENTS IN THOSE COURSES WILL TAKE THE STATE FINAL EXAM, AND THE STATE FINAL EXAM WILL COUNT FOR 20% OF THEIR FINAL GRADE IN THOSE COURSES. AND IT SO WE HAVE TO USE THE STATE TEST. THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE USED THE STATE TEST IN BIOLOGY FOR IT TO COUNT. KIDS ACTUALLY DID WELL ON IT. OUTPERFORMED MANY OF THEIR COUNTERPARTS. NEXT YEAR WILL GO INTO EFFECT FOR GOVERNMENT AS THOSE KIDS MOVE INTO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL FOR THAT. BUT THIS PUTTING A REGULATION IN PLACE. REGULATION PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT IF THERE WAS A COUNTYWIDE FINAL, IT WILL BE 20%. WE USED TO HAVE COUNTYWIDE FINALS IN THESE COURSES, BUT NOW THE STATE TEST GOVERNS IT. SO WE'VE GOT TO USE THE STATE TEST. THEY DO GET THE GRADES BACK PRETTY QUICK. AND WE INPUT THOSE IN. SO THIS IS TO BRING IT IN LINE WITH STATE LAW. THAT'S THE SIMPLER CHANGE. THE NEXT CHANGE IS ON THE VERY NEXT PAGE. AND IT IS ONE SENTENCE. BUT IT DOES MATTER. AND THAT IS UNDER ITEM NINE LETTER A. SO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PROBABLY TEN YEARS AGO PUT TOGETHER A GRADING POLICY COMMITTEE TO REVIEW OUR GRADING POLICY DECISION WAS MADE AT THAT POINT IN TIME. YOU WERE RIGHT, RACHEL. RIGHT THERE. GRADING POLICY COMMITTEE AT THAT TIME MADE THE DECISION TO STOP WEIGHTING OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES. SO DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES THAT WERE TAKEN AT CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE THROUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT WERE NOT GIVEN AN EXTRA WEIGHTING FOR BEING A COLLEGE LEVEL CLASS. A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THE TIME HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT OF AP TRYING TO PUSH MORE STUDENTS INTO THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES. WE'RE AT A HIGHER LEVEL OR HIGHER TIER BASED OFF OF WHAT COLLEGE BOARD DID TO REVIEW SYLLABI AND THE TRAININGS TEACHERS HAD TO GO THROUGH, AND THEY COULDN'T VOUCH FOR THE SAME THING AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL. THE WORLD IS A DIFFERENT PLACE IN 2024. BLUEPRINT HAS LAID OUT A VERY DIFFERENT VIEW IN 2024, AND BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION THAT PUTS DUAL ENROLLMENT ON THE SAME FOOTING AS ADVANCED PLACEMENT. THEY BOTH PROVIDE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND WITH THEM BEING ON THE SAME FOOTING WITH DUAL ENROLLMENT EQUATING TO [00:40:03] ADVANCED PLACEMENT. THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED, AFTER DOING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESEARCH, THAT WE GO BACK TO WAITING. OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES THAT STUDENTS TAKE, STUDENTS TAKE A CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE THAT'S CREDIT BEARING, DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES THAT THEY WOULD BE WEIGHTED. AND AND I AGREE, WHAT WE FOUND WAS MANY AROUND US, ACTUALLY, EVERYBODY AROUND US WAS WAITING DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES. WHEN WE MADE THE DECISION A DECADE AGO TO STOP WAITING IT, WE WERE THE ONLY ONES WE WERE A TRENDSETTER FOR A TREND THAT DID NOT PICK UP. NOW, WHEN OUR KIDS ARE DOING WEIGHT UNWEIGHTED GPA FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE IT'S UNWEIGHTED. BUT WHEN THEY'RE DOING WEIGHTED GPAS, THOSE COURSES ARE NOT BEING FACTORED IN. AND WHAT WE ALSO FOUND IS IF YOU WEIGHT OF COURSE IT ATTRACTS KIDS TO IT. IF YOU DON'T PUT THE WEIGHTING TO IT, KIDS DON'T TAKE IT. SO WITH DUAL ENROLLMENT GOING BACK ON THE SAME FOOTING AS ADVANCED PLACEMENT, IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO WEIGHT DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES. IF YOU DO NOTE THE SENTENCE IN PARAGRAPH, A DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE WEIGHTINGS BEGIN WITH THE COHORT ENTERING 11TH GRADE AND 2425. IT'S BECAUSE IF WE THROW IT OUT FOR SENIORS THIS YEAR, IT WILL HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN AT THE LAST MINUTE. SO WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERY KID TO TRY TO GET TO THAT LEVEL. WHO WANTS TO? SO THAT'S THE REASON IT WOULD START THERE WITH THIS YEAR'S 11TH GRADERS AND BELOW IT WOULD FACTOR IN FOR THAT WEEK. SO THAT IS THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE THAT'S IN HERE. REGULATION DOES NOT REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD WAS AWARE OF IT BECAUSE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT, POSITIVE SHIFT FOR OUR KIDS. BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WAS AWARE THAT WE WERE MAKING THAT CHANGE. AND, DR. DOWNS, YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE THAT THE COMMITTEE DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF BEING TRULY REFLECTIVE. WE INCORPORATED PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, SUPERVISORS FROM THE CENTRAL OFFICE AND THE BUILDINGS. AND I LOVE HAVING THE PARENTS INVOLVED IN THAT COMMITTEE. WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY KEEP THAT COMMITTEE GOING SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OTHER THINGS DOWN THE ROAD. AND BE KIND OF CREATIVE ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR PATHWAYS. YOU KNOW, ALL TYPES OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT. SO I DO WANT TO ALSO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE DID HAVE PARENT INPUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE INFRACTIONS. SUPERVISOR THOMPSON? YEAH, THAT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR THAT THE PARENTS WERE INVOLVED. IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE? YES. OKAY. THEY PULLED A SEPARATE COMMITTEE FOR THIS. OKAY, GREAT. GREAT TO HAVE THEIR INVOLVEMENT. ANY SORRY. ONE COMMENT THEN I GUESS ON ON THE BENEFIT OF MRS BARTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF ACRONYMS. YES, WE USE SOME. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THEM. BUT LIKE MCAT, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT. OKAY, I'LL SPEAK UP IF I IF WE HIT ONE I DON'T KNOW OKAY. YEAH. THANK THANK YOU FOR THAT THOUGH I APPRECIATE IT. WE GOT YOU. WE'LL MAKE A LITTLE LIST OVER HERE FOR US. I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ONE. THEY CHANGE SO FREQUENTLY. PUBLISH IT. I KNOW THEY WOULD JUST HAVE TO JUST CROSS IT OUT JUST RIGHT NEXT TO IT. KEEP IT GOING. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. GOOD. THANK YOU. TWO COMMENTS I WOULD HAVE THE TESTING CHANGE IS THAT KIND OF FEELS LIKE AND TELL ME IF I'M WRONG OR RIGHT ABOUT THIS. IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE HERE COMES THE STATE AGAIN, TELLING LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE KNOW BETTER THAN YOU DO BY HAVING A STATE TEST INSTEAD OF A LOCAL TEST. THERE WERE THEY FIXING SOMETHING THAT WASN'T BROKEN HERE? AND HERE COMES THE STATE. YEP, WE'RE IN CHARGE. LOOK AT HOW GOOD WE DO ON TRAFFIC CONTROL ON ROUTE 50. WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT THIS, TOO. IT JUST HURTS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT OBSERVATION. IF I'M WRONG, TELL ME I WON'T. IT WON'T HURT MY FEELINGS. BUT I'D LIKE TO BE WRONG ABOUT IT. JUST SAY THEY'RE TRYING TO STANDARDIZE IT AND MAKE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR EVERYBODY. I SEE THAT TOO. IT'S JUST A COMMENT. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE STANDARDIZATION IS PARTLY WHERE WE'RE GOING. BEFORE COVID, THE STATE HAD A TASK FORCE THAT WAS DESIGNED TO LOOK AT HIGH SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR. ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF IT WAS TO MOVE THE MCAT FOR SCIENCE AND FOR GOVERNMENT INTO A FINAL EXAM. WE GO BACK TO THE CONTEXT PART OF ME, DR. DOWNES AND DR. WILLOUGHBY. IF WE GO BACK WHEN THEY STARTED THE STATE TESTS BACK EARLY 2000, ACTUALLY THE ORIGINAL PLAN IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND WAS TO HAVE TEN HIGH SCHOOL TESTS THAT KIDS WOULD HAVE TO PASS IN ORDER TO GRADUATE. THEY NEVER GOT IT LAUNCHED BEYOND A FEW. AND I THINK THIS HARKENED BACK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT WHEN THEY DECIDED THIS PROBABLY IT WAS AROUND 2018 WAS WHEN THAT COMMITTEE MET, AND IT TOOK THEM A LITTLE WHILE TO SPIN THROUGH IT. AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE ONLY THINGS THAT ACTUALLY HELD THROUGH THAT TASK FORCE WAS TO GET THIS IN PLACE. [00:45:04] THE STATE BOARD ACTUALLY CHANGED COMMAND TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, AND THEY FELT THAT IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE GOING TO GO WITH MORE ASSESSMENTS. NOW IT FEELS LIKE IT'S SHIFTING AWAY FROM THAT A LITTLE BIT. GOOD. BUT THESE TWO WERE ARE GOING TO STICK FOR A LITTLE WHILE AT LEAST. WELL, I KNOW YOU'LL MAKE IT WORK. YEP. THE OTHER COMMENT I HAD WAS WITH THE DUAL ENROLLMENT BEING WEIGHTED, IT SOUNDS LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS DOING THAT LOCALLY. AND WITH THAT, THE WAY IT WITHOUT THIS CHANGE, DID IT PUT OUR STUDENTS AT A LITTLE BIT OF A DISADVANTAGE IN TERMS OF GRADE POINT COMPARED TO THE OTHER COUNTIES, AND THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE SAME SLOTS IN COLLEGE OR WHAT HAVE YOU, FOR WHATEVER THEIR GRADE POINT, FOR WHATEVER THE VALUE OF THEIR GRADE POINT AVERAGE IS WHEN THEY GRADUATE. MAYBE THE CAROLINE KIDS WOULD BE JUST A NOTCH LOWER BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GETTING THAT WEIGHTED. IS THAT IT POTENTIALLY COULD COULD BE POTENTIALLY. SO IT'S A GOOD CHANGE. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD CHANGE. AND WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S IN YOUR AUTHORITY. BUT APPRECIATE THE THE UPDATE AND HARD WORK OF THE COMMITTEE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED HERE. OTHER COMMENTS. ANYBODY REALLY GOOD TO PAY ATTENTION TO THIS ONE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. WOW. WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END. IT'S NOT EVEN 7:00. WHAT MADE THIS MEETING SO MUCH FASTER? I THINK WE'VE HAD AN INFUSION OF NEW ENERGY AND WE'RE BEING KIND TO MR.. I THINK THAT'S LIKE THERE'S AT THE END OF MY STACK WAS THIS PAPER THAT SAID WE HAD UNFINISHED BUSINESS. BUT I THINK WE FINISHED THAT BUSINESS ALREADY. YES. YEAH. WHEN YOU TOLD US YOU COULD BE HERE EARLIER, YOU GOT MOVED UP ON THE AGENDA. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME. WE WERE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE EARLIER. SO SKIPPING AHEAD UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS. [10. Upcoming Meetings and Events] OUR NEXT MEETING IS OUR BOARD RETREAT JULY 30TH, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY A MORNING MEETING. PROBABLY START AT EIGHT DANO'S. TROY WAS HOPING FOR SEVEN. WE'LL GIVE HIM TIME TO GET SOME BREAKFAST BEFORE COMING OVER. I'M OKAY WITH IT, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE I WAS GONNA SAY WE CAN OPEN. YEAH, YEAH. IT'S I GOT TO APPLAUD YOUR DEDICATION THAT MR. PLUTCHIK IS OFF IT. IT GETS OFF AT 7 A.M., AND HE'LL BE HERE AT EIGHT. YEAH, IT'LL BE HERE. ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'LL BE RIGHT HERE. WE'LL BE DOING THAT HERE. WE'LL BE HERE. YEP. OKAY. AND THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IS IN AUGUST. WHEN IS THAT? AUGUST 6TH TO SIXTH. THANK YOU, RACHEL. AND THAT OTHER LIST. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT LIST AGAIN? MY BIRTHDAYS ATTEND. LOTS OF THINGS HAPPENING IN AUGUST. YES. IF YOU GET A CHANCE ON JULY 15TH TO GO TO THE YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP SIGNING THAT MORNING SOUNDS LIKE THERE MIGHT BE SOME GOODIES OVER AT CRAFT BAKERY AS WELL, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CRAFT FOR TAKING ONE TWO MORE APPRENTICE APPRENTICES FOR US. THEY HAVE ONE. THEY'RE PICKING UP TWO MORE, WHICH IS AWESOME. THERE WAS A GREAT GRANT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BE PART OF. WE'RE HELPING TO MANAGE THE FACILITATE IT, BUT IT'S A STATE GRANT THAT ALLOWED CRAFT TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO TAKE ON TWO MORE STUDENT APPRENTICES, WHICH IS AWESOME. THAT'S GREAT. WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU NOTING THAT IT'S REALLY OUTSTANDING AT THE BACK TO SCHOOL'S ALREADY BACK TO SCHOOL KICKOFF. YEAH, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO SEE PRINCIPALS. GOT AN EMAIL FROM ME TODAY. I HOPE THEY WERE CHUCKLING WHEN THEY GOT IT. BUT IT WAS A HEY, NOW'S A GOOD TIME TO PLAN OUT YOUR ENTIRE YEAR. AS SOON AS YOU CAN GET YOUR DATES FOR ALL YOUR CONCERTS, ALL YOUR LIKE, JUST GET IT DONE NOW SO WE DON'T TRIP OVER EACH OTHER LATER IN THE YEAR. THAT'S TRUE. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET IT FILLED OUT REAL SOON. GRADUATIONS TO EVERYTHING. OH. SENIOR AWARDS. BECAUSE WE HAD THAT ISSUE LAST YEAR WITH BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS. NEEDED TO TALK A LITTLE MORE. THEY DO NOW. YEAH, A LOT OF THEM ARE THERE, BUT WE'LL GET THEM IN COLLEGE. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT UPCOMING MEETING? NEXT BOARD MEETING. AND WE ARE AT OUR POINT WHERE WE CAN ADJOURN. ANYTHING ELSE? HAVING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I GOT IT. MOTION TO ADJOURN. OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.