Aug 06, 2024 Board of Education Meeting

[1. Opening Items]

[00:00:04]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HERE WE ARE.

WELCOME, EVERYBODY, TO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6TH, 2024, OUR BOARD MEETING.

SO, WE ARE CALLING TO ORDER AND WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS PRESENT.

WE HAVE TWO WHO ARE JOINING US VIA ZOOM CONNECTION WITH RACHEL IS HELPING US GET THAT DONE.

WE DID HAVE A CLOSED SESSION FROM FIVE UNTIL A LITTLE BIT BEFORE SIX.

AND NOW WE'RE READY TO RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN THE MEETING.

I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN THE MEETING.

YES. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. SO WE ARE NOW WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

WE HAVE THREE. AYE.

THERE WE GO. THANK YOU.

SO, WE ARE OPEN, AND OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

SEEING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS IN THE ROOM SOMEBODY WITH THE SAME MENTALITY WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE.

ALLEGIANCE] THAT KIND OF HITS HOME GIVING.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE OLYMPICS REALLY A WONDERFUL THING TO WATCH.

IF YOU WATCH ANY OF THAT. I'VE SEEN SOME NOT REALLY WATCHING AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO, BUT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF RAISES THAT FEELING OF PRIDE AND PATRIOTISM, MUCH LIKE THE PLEDGE, WHICH WE DO AND SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED.

OKAY, SO WE HAVE OUR AGENDA SET, ALTHOUGH WE DO WANT TO MAKE ONE CHANGE IN IT.

SO, WE WANT TO ADD AND THEN I'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION TO DO THIS.

WE WANT TO ADD IN THE ACTION ITEMS ONE MORE ITEM.

SO IT WOULD BE 4.03.

AND THAT'S TO DISCUSS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT INVOLVING INSULIN.

SO, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THAT ADJUSTMENT? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE AGENDA WITH THE ADJUSTMENT OF ADDING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

WE HAVE A SECOND.

I CAN SECOND.

AND ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

MOTION CARRIES. OKAY.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

AS WE DO WITH EVERY MEETING, WE READ THE MISSION STATEMENT.

AND MUCH LIKE THE PLEDGE, IT IS A WAY OF REMINDING US WHY WE'RE HERE AND THE WORK THAT WE DO AND DEVOTE OURSELVES TO.

SO OUR MISSION IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.

WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD.

WE HAVE CHANGED OUR AGENDA A LITTLE BIT.

THE LAYOUT OF IT.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT AS WE GO FORWARD TONIGHT.

AND WHAT WE HAVE NEXT IS PUBLIC RECOGNITIONS AND COMMENT.

SO, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT.

AND THE INVISIBLE MAN IS UP THERE READY TO COMMENT.

WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S FINE. AND THAT TAKES US NEXT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, STARTING WITH PERSONNEL.

[3. Consent Agenda]

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR WIFE.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT MARTIN.

THE AUGUST PERSONNEL AGENDA IS ALWAYS LENGTHY, TAKEN AS WE ARE FINISHING UP OUR HIRING.

I WILL JUST BRIEFLY SHARE WITH YOU, AS I SHARE WITH A&S TODAY, WE'VE HIRED 62 NEW TEACHERS.

WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES, SO WE ARE ROCKING AND ROLLING.

AND ONE OF THOSE VACANCIES WILL PROBABLY BE FILLED VERY EARLY TOMORROW MORNING.

SO WE WILL HAVE ONE VACANCY.

SO THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT THING.

THE PERSONNEL AGENDA INCLUDES TONIGHT 11 RESIGNATIONS.

RESIGNATIONS, 13 TEACHERS BEING APPOINTED TO REGULAR CONTRACT, FOUR TO A PROVISIONAL 14 TO A SECOND PROVISIONAL, TWO TO A THIRD, THREE TO A FOURTH, THREE TO A FIFTH, AND TWO TEACHERS TO REGULAR FROM PROVISIONAL.

THE ONCE YOU GET TO THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH, PROVISIONAL.

THERE WAS A CHANGE THIS YEAR FROM CERTIFICATION TO LICENSURE THAT ALLOWED SOME OF OUR CONDITIONAL TEACHERS THAT HAD A CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATION TO GET A CONDITIONAL LICENSE.

THAT EXTENDED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

THEY HAD TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

BUT MANY OF THOSE FOLKS SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH ARE MAYBE ONE COURSE AWAY FROM FULL CERTIFICATION OR ONE PRAXIS TEST AWAY FROM FULL CERTIFICATION.

MANY OF THEM WILL BE COMING TO YOU OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR FOR FULL CERTIFICATION.

SO THAT IS THE PERSONNEL AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.

CAN YOU REPEAT THAT NUMBER OF HOW MANY NEW TEACHERS? 62. 62 AND TWO VACANT. THAT'S REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.

[00:05:03]

OF COURSE, I WAS OUT FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THEY NEVER SLACKED.

I MEAN, THEY I HAD OFFERS ON MY DESK WHEN I GOT BACK YESTERDAY.

THEY'VE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY, VERY DILIGENTLY.

SO, YOU KNOW, A REALLY GOOD SPOT THERE AND IT'S NOT BY ACCIDENT.

SO WELL DONE.

MY COMPLIMENTS.

I KNOW THE BOARD APPRECIATES IT.

OKAY. ALSO, IN CONSENT AGENDA WE HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM JULY 2ND.

SO, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE.

WE NEED TO HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

I CAN MAKE THAT MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND.

SECOND. I SECOND.

OH, MICHELLE, THANK YOU MICHELE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE.

ALL RIGHT. CONSENT AGENDA PASSES.

[4. Individual Action Items]

SO GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT BARTON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

IT IS WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT THAT I GET TO BRING THIS ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

WE HAD AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OPENING AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

WE HAD A REALLY A GREAT APPLICANT POOL FOR THE POSITION THAT WAS AVAILABLE.

WE HAD A WONDERFUL INTERVIEW PROCESS.

AND THE INDIVIDUAL THAT ROSE TO THE TOP OF THAT LIST WHO HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ACTING IN AN INTERIM CAPACITY UNTIL THIS MEETING WAS MRS. ANNA HALEY. SO, ANNA IS WITH US TONIGHT.

ANNA HAS BEEN HOW DO I PUT THIS? I SAID THIS AT ANNE'S EARLIER.

CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET FIND A WAY TO GET MRS. HOWIE HERE FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.

NO DIFFERENT THAN KIND OF TRYING TO GET THE GENTLEMAN SITTING TO HER LEFT HERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

THERE'S A CHAIR BETWEEN THEM WITH THAT COVID OPERATION.

YEAH. SO, ANNA IS AN EXPERIENCED ADMINISTRATOR WITH GREAT EXPERIENCE IN LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY COORDINATOR, MATHEMATICS BUILDING BASED ADMINISTRATION. CURRENTLY WAS THE CTE SUPERVISOR IN A NEIGHBORING COUNTY.

HAS SUCH A GREAT REPUTATION.

SHE IS ALSO A BOARD MEMBER IN TALBOT COUNTY.

NO PRESSURE ON THAT ONE.

BUT SHE'S ALSO A BOARD MEMBER IN TALBOT COUNTY AND REPRESENTS THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEM ALSO.

ANNA WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

HER STRENGTHS LITERALLY, THE PHONE CALL I GOT FROM MRS. BROHAN, WHO SENDS HER APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

IT WAS.

WE MATCH SO WELL.

OUR STRENGTHS COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER.

SHE IS EXACTLY THE PARTNER THAT IS NEEDED TO HELP PROPEL FEDERALSBURG FORWARD.

AND AGAIN, SHE HAS ALREADY FIT LIKE A GLOVE AT FEDERALSBURG.

I AM EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS AT THAT SCHOOL.

THAT SCHOOL HOLDS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.

AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO WORKS THERE.

IT'S JUST FEDERALSBURG IS SUCH A SPECIAL AND AWESOME COMMUNITY THAT I'M EXCITED AT THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT IS THERE AND WHAT THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.

SO WITH THAT TONIGHT FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION BOARD IS THE APPOINTMENT OF MRS. ANNA HOWIE AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

WE BETTER APPROVE THIS, PLEASE.

I DON'T WANT TO TELL THE BOARD THEY BETTER DO SOMETHING.

BUT PLEASE. ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION? SO THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPOINTMENT.

I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, MRS. WAYMAN. AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT, MR. JONES SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT AS UNANIMOUS.

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. SANDY.

PICTURES NOW.

OKAY. AND THIS IS THE ONLY REASON I WORE THE SHIRT AND TIE TODAY, BECAUSE I KNEW THEY BE PICTURES TONIGHT.

THAT'S MY FAULT. BECAUSE THERE WAS THE APPOINTMENT.

I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WOULD DO IT.

[00:10:46]

I'M BACK. HE IS BACK.

I MEANT THE POLICY REVISIONS, I WASN'T GOING, I WOULD SAY BOTH.

BOTH. THANK YOU.

WELL. THANK YOU. POLICY REVISIONS.

WE STARTED WITH [INAUDIBLE] YEAH.

PRESIDENT BART AND DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

TONIGHT, WE HAVE TWO POLICY REVISIONS, BOTH THAT CAN BE APPROVED WITH SINGLE READING.

BOTH ARE UPDATES TO POLICIES THAT ARE LONG IN NEED OF BEING UPDATED.

FIRST, WE'LL GO WITH THE POLICY ON PURCHASING.

THIS IS A POLICY THAT WAS LAST ADOPTED ON JANUARY 4TH, 2011.

WHAT THIS POLICY REVISION DOES IS REALLY BRINGS OUR PURCHASING POLICY IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AND SOME CHANGES THAT WERE MADE IN STATE LAW.

THIS COMES OUT OF SOME FEEDBACK FROM AN AUDIT OF THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR EDUCATION THAT OUR POLICY NEEDED TO BE UPDATED.

WE DID DRAFT THIS POLICY.

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS REVIEWED THE DRAFT AND SAID, THIS IS GOOD.

AND WHAT IT REALLY DOES FOR US IS YOU KIND OF I THINK YOU SEE A PATTERN SOMETIMES IN SOME OF THE POLICIES WE BRING FOR REVISION THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, NO JUDGMENT. I MEAN, THERE'S REALITIES IN EVERY ERA.

BUT IN THE 90S, OUR POLICIES GOT REALLY, REALLY SPECIFIC, REALLY LIKE DETAIL ORIENTED SPECIFIC POLICIES AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

THERE ARE BROAD LEGAL REQUIREMENTS LIKE THE BOARD MUST APPROVE ANYTHING OVER $100,000, AND THEN THERE MUST BE A BIDDING PROCESS THAT'S IN THAT'S IN LAW.

IT'S IN MARYLAND LAW.

BUT THEN THE ACTUAL HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING THAT REALLY DOESN'T BELONG IN A POLICY THAT REALLY BELONGS IN A PURCHASING MANUAL.

AND SO CSPS WILL UPON APPROVAL OF THIS POLICY, WILL WRITE SOME REGULATIONS TO ACCOMPANY IT, HAVE A PURCHASING MANUAL THAT WILL ACCOMPANY IT, THAT WILL BE PUT OUT TO STAFF SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN LINE.

BUT THIS REALLY DOES JUST KIND OF OUTLINE WHAT THE THE LAW SAYS IN MARYLAND THAT WILL FOLLOW THE LAW.

TAKE SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS OUT SO THAT THEY CAN BE CHANGED THROUGH A MANUAL REVISION, NOT A POLICY REVISION.

SO THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY DOES.

AND TO BE CLEAR BEFORE THE BOARD DOES ASK ANY QUESTIONS.

SORRY TO JUMP IN. WE HAVE BEEN COMPLYING WITH STATE LAW.

YES, WE HAVE BEEN.

THE POLICY WAS DEFINITELY OUT OF OUT OF DATE AND NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED.

BUT WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING EVERYTHING THAT WE SHOULD BE WITH OUR BIDDING PROCESS AND PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, COOPERATIVE BIDS, ALL OF THOSE PIECES.

SURE. I KNOW THAT DURING THE 90S THERE WAS EXTENSIVE EFFORTS WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO, I'LL PUT IT THIS WAY, TIGHTEN UP PURCHASING, BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT PURCHASING.

AND THAT'S WHY THAT OCCURRED THAT WAY.

AND THE SHIFT NOW MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

I THINK EVEN IN THE 90S WHAT IT MADE PERFECT SENSE TO HAVE BACKUP MATERIAL.

BUT WHAT WAS BEING DONE BY LEADERS AT THAT TIME WAS TO TRY TO PUT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND CAREFUL MANAGEMENT OF PURCHASING. AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF ONE SPECIFIC THING THAT HAPPENED, RIGHT.

BUT REALLY KIND OF A TREND, IF YOU WILL.

SO, A GOOD IDEA TO MAKE THE CHANGE.

SO, I THINK THESE CAN BE APPROVED AS THEY'RE ONE ACTION ITEM BY A SINGLE VOTE.

SO, I'LL GO TO THE NEXT ONE IF THERE'S NOT QUESTIONS.

THE SECOND ONE IS UNMET OBLIGATIONS.

IT'S A POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED IN MAY OF 1989.

I WON'T TELL YOU WHAT I WAS DOING IN MAY OF 1989.

I DON'T THINK I WAS ON THE OBLIGATION LIST AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

I HOPE NOT. AGAIN, THIS POLICY AS WRITTEN VERY, VERY, VERY DETAIL ORIENTED ABOUT HOW WE WOULD GO ABOUT COLLECTING OBLIGATIONS. WHAT? THE DEPRECIATION EQUATIONS WOULD BE FOR OBLIGATIONS.

AND OVER TIME, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH WE WOULD DEPRECIATE THE VALUE OF THE WHAT WAS ON THE OBLIGATION LIST AND EVEN A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD DO

[00:15:09]

THIS IS NOT A 1989 $50 US HISTORY TEXTBOOK, WHICH IN 1989, $50 WAS DIFFERENT THAN IT IS NOW.

I GET THAT, BUT WE'RE NOW PUTTING IN HANDS OF KIDS THOUSAND-DOLLAR APPLE DEVICES PUTTING THAT ON IT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT TO TRY TO RECOUP.

AND THIS DEPRECIATION IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFERENT.

PLUS, THE FACT WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THERE IS DAMAGE.

IS THERE A REPAIR COSTS VERSUS A REPLACEMENT.

ARE WE ABLE TO OFFER INSURANCE OR DO WE CARRY INSURANCE? AND IF SO, WHAT IS THE BOARD TRULY OUT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THAT WE NEED TO RECOUP AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AGAIN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE VERY SPECIFIC TO DEVICES, DEPENDING ON THE DEVICE THAT WE PUT IN THE HANDS OF THE KIDS.

THIS POLICY REALLY WASN'T WRITTEN ABOUT DEVICES.

IT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT BOOKS.

AND IT'S TIME FOR AN UPDATE.

AND SO, WHAT IT DOES, IT STILL TALKS ABOUT BOOKS.

IT STILL TALKS ABOUT TEXTBOOKS AND LIBRARY BOOKS, AND IT STILL TALKS ABOUT DAMAGING SCHOOL PROPERTY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IT DOES TALK NOW ABOUT ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND TECHNOLOGY, AND IT ASKS THE SUPERINTENDENT THROUGH REGULATION, TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE STEPS TO COLLECT THE OBLIGATION, THE DISCIPLINARY OR CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN IF THE OBLIGATION CARRIES OVER, AND WHAT THE METHOD OF CALCULATING THE TRUE OBLIGATION IS GOING TO BE.

AGAIN, BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT TEXTBOOKS, THESE ARE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT, LIKE I SAID, THERE IS NOW IN-HOUSE REPAIR THAT WE DO DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, JUST THAT A 1989 POLICY NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT UP.

AND SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS DIDN'T NEED TO BE POLICY WISE, BECAUSE THE PRODUCTS CAN CHANGE, THE DETAILS CAN CHANGE THE TRUE.

WHAT THE BOARD IS OUT CAN CHANGE IF WE JUST CHANGE VENDORS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR IF A NEW VERSION OF A LAPTOP COMES OUT, THAT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST ONE.

SO WE NEED THE ABILITY TO KIND OF CONFORM TO THAT.

AND WHILE WE NEED THE ABILITY TO RECOUP BOARD FUNDS, WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND BE COGNIZANT OF WHERE WE LIVE, IN THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.

WHEN WE START PUTTING KIDS ON AN OBLIGATION LIST FOR $1,000, $1,500 AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, THIS POLICY ALLOWS THAT FLEXIBILITY THROUGH THE REGULATION, WHICH THERE'S NEVER BEEN A REGULATION TO THIS POLICY THAT DOCTOR SIMMONS CAN DEVELOP IF YOU APPROVE IT.

ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS.

WHEN IT SAYS THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL PROVIDE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WITH A REPORT ON POLICY IMPLEMENTATION.

I LIKE HOW IT WENT WHEN, I GUESS IS MY QUESTION, WHEN HOW OFTEN IS THAT IT'S I MEAN, HOW OFTEN THE BOARD WISHES FOR UPDATES.

RIGHT NOW, OUR POLICY GUIDELINES THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FOLLOW IS AT LEAST UPDATING AND REVIEWING EVERY POLICY AT LEAST ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS.

IT COULD BE SOONER IF THE BOARD WISHES.

BUT THAT'S SORT OF AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD, IF YOU WISH IT TO BE SOONER THAN THE CURRENT POLICY REVIEW CYCLE.

AND I GUESS THIS WOULD ALSO AS FAR AS DESTRUCTION, LIKE THERE'D BE SOMETHING IN IT AS FAR AS, LIKE CHRONIC, LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SOMEONE THAT'S LIKE A CHRONIC DESTROYER OF ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE OR COMPUTER OR TECHNOLOGY STUFF.

THE STUDENT THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, IS CHRONICALLY DESTROYING SCHOOL PROPERTY AS FAR AS.

YEAH. SO AND WE'LL NEED TO ADDRESS BOTH TWOFOLD.

SO THE DISCIPLINE POLICY SHOULD COVER THAT CODE OF CONDUCT.

AND IT DOES BUT ENSURING THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THAT CORRECTLY.

BUT THEN ALSO THE REGULATIONS SHOULD ADDRESS WHEN SOMEONE DAMAGES A DEVICE THAT IT DOES HAPPEN.

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES THEY WOULD END UP ON AN OBLIGATION LIST FOR DOING SUCH? TECHNOLOGY HAS DRAFTED A THREE-TIERED MODEL TO LOOK AT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCT, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY FALL.

SO IT'S A BETTER WAY TO COVER IT.

BUT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO PUT ALL THAT INTO REGULATION AND IMPLEMENT FOR COVERING THOSE COSTS.

WE'VE HAD THE BENEFIT OF THE LAST THREE YEARS OF HAVING ARP ESSER FUNDS TO COVER THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVICES, AND THEN THE REPLACEMENT OF SAID DEVICES OR PARTS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.

THOSE FUNDS ARE EXPIRING IN SEPTEMBER, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEM HAS A PROCEDURE AND A POLICY IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS US

[00:20:09]

OUR LOSSES THIS PAST YEAR WERE NORTH OF 100,000 IN DAMAGE ACROSS.

ALL RIGHT.

IT HAS INCREASED EACH YEAR.

AND WE CAN'T CONTINUE ON THE TRAJECTORY WE'RE ON WITH THAT PIECE.

AND TECHNOLOGY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB OF MAKING SOME CHANGES, FINDING OTHER WAYS TO NOT ONLY REPAIR, BUT LOWER COST WITH KEEPING THE VALUE THE SAME OF SOME THINGS TO SUPPORT SAID DEVICES.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO TIGHTEN UP OUR PROCESSES AROUND RESPONDING TO CHRONIC OR REPEAT DAMAGE OF DEVICES, OR EVEN JUST DAMAGE, THERE CAN BE CARELESS DAMAGE THAT HAPPENS.

IT'S NOT INTENTIONAL, BUT IT'S STILL CARELESS, RIGHT? THAT CAN HAPPEN. AND THEN WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECOUP THAT.

YEAH, SAME QUESTION I HAD.

AND YOU KNOW, AS YOU POINT OUT, THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTENTIONAL AND ACCIDENTAL.

AND THIS LEAVES SOME ROOM FOR THAT.

ROCHELLE. YEAH. THE ACTUALLY, THE EDUCATION ARTICLE ADDRESSES THIS IN 7305, YOU CAN BE MADE TO PAY FOR THE COST UP TO $2,500.

BUT I ALSO WANT TO ADD WHAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS USED TO DO, AS SOME PEOPLE MAY RECALL, IS THEY WOULD WITHHOLD REPORT CARDS UNTIL ITEMS ARE RETURNED.

BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

SO, YOU LOOK AT THINGS WHEN STUDENT GOES, STUDENTS GO ON AN OBLIGATION LIST, YOU CAN WITHHOLD THEIR ABILITY TO ATTEND EXTRACURRICULAR FUNCTIONS, KIND OF THE FUN THINGS UNTIL OBLIGATIONS ARE PAID OR IN.

DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY MENTIONED THIS, WE'RE IN A COUNTY WHERE WE'RE SITTING WITH ABOUT 70% OF OUR FAMILIES ARE FREE OR REDUCED MEALS.

MOST FAMILIES ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO STROKE A CHECK FOR, SAY, 400 BUCKS.

SO, YOU SET UP AN OBLIGATION OR A PAYMENT PLAN? THE SCHOOLS DO.

AND IF PARENTS ARE MAKING GOOD FORTH OBLIGATIONS, THE STUDENTS MAKING GOOD FORTH OBLIGATIONS, IF THE PARENT PUTS IT ON THE STUDENT TO PAY IT OFF, IF THEY'RE MAKING GOOD, GOOD, GOOD FAITH EFFORTS, THEN THEY CAN STILL ATTEND FUNCTIONS.

BUT IT'S IT REALLY IS.

YOU HATE TO SAY IT, IT IS RECOUPING THE COST OF THE DEVICES WE JUST CAN'T KEEP CHURNING THEM OUT.

VICES AND CHARTERS BOTH.

AND IF KNOWLEDGE IS OUT THERE THAT THE POLICIES IN PLACE.

AND THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY LEGAL SUPPORT FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR DAMAGE.

MAYBE PARENTS WILL NOTICE WHEN THE LAPTOP IS LAYING ON THE FLOOR.

THAT'S NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR YOUR LAPTOP.

I'M SURE THAT OUR IT FOLKS FEEL A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE WHENEVER THERE'S A LAPTOP LAYING ON THE FLOOR, RIGHT? YEAH. WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO STEP ON IT.

AND IT'S JUST SO EASY TO DAMAGE A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

SO, PARENTS AND EVEN SIBLINGS AND EVEN THE STUDENT THEMSELVES MIGHT BE MORE INCLINED, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE ALREADY HAD SOMETHING HAPPEN TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THINGS, INCLUDING NON-ELECTRONIC DEVICES, BOOKS AND SO FORTH.

AND OUR INTENTION.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TODAY AT OUR ANS MEETING, ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISORS MEETING.

OUR INTENTION IS TO.

DO A BIG PUSH AT BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON THE NEED NOT ONLY TO TAKE CARE OF THE DEVICE, BUT THE CONSEQUENCE THAT COMES THAT THEY DO NOT, AS WELL AS ADDING THAT EDUCATIONAL PIECE IN FOR PARENTS AS THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS AS WELL.

SO, EVERYBODY IS MORE AWARE UP FRONT BECAUSE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE NOT WE'VE HAD THE ABILITY TO COVER IT.

SO WE WOULD DEFINITELY WORK TO EDUCATE AS WELL AND STAY ON TOP OF ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S GOING TO BE LOSS.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE DAMAGE AND LOSS WITH DEVICES.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MINIMIZE IT AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND LIKE I WAS SAYING ABOUT THE NEED TO REVISE THE OLD POLICY AND SORT OF TAKE SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS OUT IF YOU HAVE A COPYRIGHT 2020 TEXTBOOK.

I THINK THE OLD POLICY SAID IF IT WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, WE WOULD ONLY CHARGE 50% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE, WELL, YOU CAN GO BUY A USED 2020 TEXTBOOK AND PAY ABOUT 50% OF THE PURCHASE PRICE.

IF YOU HAVE A 2020 LAPTOP MACBOOK AIR AND IT GETS BROKEN.

WE'RE NOT BUYING A FIVE-YEAR-OLD MACBOOK.

WE'RE GOING WE'RE REPLACING IT.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO GETTING SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS OUT SO THAT THROUGH REGULATION WE CAN DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHAT IS THE OBLIGATION AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO GO ABOUT IT.

REALLY ALLOWS US TO DO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE SUCCINCTLY.

YEAH. THAT'S GOOD.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO. ONE MORE COMMENT.

I DO THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT MAY SEEM HARSH FOR, LIKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND YOUNGER KIDS, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WHEN THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THE LOWER

[00:25:02]

BECAUSE TO TEACH, TO TRY TO TEACH THE STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG, YOU KNOW, THEIR RESPECT FOR SCHOOL PROPERTY AND, AND OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY.

SO THAT WAY HOPEFULLY THEY LEARN THAT AS A, YOU KNOW, AS A YOUNGER, A YOUNGER CHILD, WHEN THEY'RE STILL A LITTLE MORE LIKE LITTLE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S JUST THEY GET THE MESSAGE SOONER IN LIFE VERSUS TRYING TO GET IT BACK FROM THEM WHEN THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND MAY NOT REALLY, YOU KNOW, LEARN AT THAT POINT.

SO YEAH. WELL, I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GOOD POLICY REVISIONS HERE AND BARRING MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, WE CAN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH POLICIES TONIGHT.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION.

WE APPROVE THE PURCHASING AND THE UNMET OBLIGATIONS POLICY.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I CAN SECOND THAT.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

THANK YOU. IT'S APPROVED.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ON OUR ACTION ITEMS IS THE ITEM THAT WE ADDED TO OUR AGENDA.

AND THAT IS TO DISCUSS THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT INVOLVING INSULIN.

CARE FOR ME TO.

PLEASE. CERTAINLY.

SO, I WAS ASKED BY THE BY THE BOARD.

WE WERE APPROACHED CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS APPROACHED TO CONSIDER BEING PART OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

REGARDING THE COST OF INSULIN, IN ESSENCE, IS WHAT IT GETS DOWN TO.

THE PREMISE OF THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A HANDFUL OF INSULIN MANUFACTURERS THAT HAVE CONSPIRED WITH PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS, AT LEAST THREE OF THOSE TO KEEP THE PRICE OF INSULIN HIGHER.

PREMISE IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR THE CUSTOMER, FOR US TO KEEP COSTS LOW.

AND THE FEELING IS THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO.

THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS PREMISED AROUND A 2018, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2018 REVIEW BY THE US SENATE THAT DUG INTO THE COST OF INSULIN AND THE RISING COST OF IT.

JUST FOR BASIC UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS SHARED WITH ME FROM THE LAW FIRM FRANCE LAW GROUP, WHO IS LEADING THE WORK.

1997 INSULIN WAS $5 A VIAL.

GIVEN INFLATION, THE TRUE COST OF INFLATION IN TODAY'S DOLLARS SHOULD BE $35 A VIAL.

IN 2021, THE COST OF INSULIN WAS BETWEEN 200 AND $700 A VIAL.

SO QUITE THE MARKUP IN THE EYES OF THE OF THE LAW FIRM AND WHAT THE PREMISE IS OF THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

THE POINT OF THE LAWSUIT IS OBVIOUSLY TO RECOUP THE LOSSES OR THE ADDITIONAL MONIES PAID BY FOLKS LIKE US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, AS WELL AS TO RECOUP ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE HAD TO BEAR, OR OTHER ENTITIES HAVE HAD TO BEAR, AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME RULING BY THE COURT THAT WOULD PUT PRICE CAPS ON THE INCREASES THAT COULD BE ALLOWED IN THE ON THE COST OF INSULIN.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT AWARE HOW WE ARE INSURED, WE ARE PART OF A GROUP INSURANCE POOL.

WE ARE SELF-INSURED, SO THE AMOUNT THAT WE USE THE INSURANCE DRIVES THE COST OF THE INSURANCE.

THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THAT OVER THE LAST PROBABLY DECADE HAS BEEN THE COST OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL BENEFIT PIECE.

SO, WE WORK WITH THE PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGER, WHO'S SUPPOSED TO HELP WORK WITH US TO NEGOTIATE BETTER PRICING ON THE COST OF DRUGS, WHICH THEN HELPS US CONTROL THE COST OF INSURANCE AND THE INCREASES THAT WE SEE.

THE HARDEST PART OF BUDGETING FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS NAILING DOWN THE COST OF INSURANCE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR COST IS GOING TO BE ON INCREASED COST OF DOING BUSINESS.

FUEL PRICES, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

INFLATION. YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT FOR THE MOST PART AND MAKE GOOD JUDGMENTS.

YOU CAN MAKE GOOD JUDGMENTS ON WHAT YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO DO WITH SALARY INCREASES.

YOU CAN'T ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE PIECE BECAUSE IT'S SO VOLATILE NUMBER.

THAT TAKES US SEVERAL MONTHS IN ORDER TO NAIL IT DOWN.

AND WE TYPICALLY DON'T HAVE A GOOD NUMBER UNTIL ABOUT MAY BECAUSE IT'S BASED OFF OF UTILIZATION.

WE HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO RUN THE NUMBERS SPECIFICALLY FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ACTUAL COST TRUE COST TO US OVER THAT TIME PERIOD.

2018 IS THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR AS FAR BACK AS THE CLASS ACTION SUIT GOES.

BUT SOME VERY BASIC MATH.

AND I DID BUG OUR BOARD MEMBER TO MY RIGHT AND SPARKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.

ON AVERAGE, YOU CAN ASSUME A PERSON USES 12 VIALS OF INSULIN A VIAL A MONTH OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

[00:30:06]

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PERCENT.

SOCIAL STUDIES GUY. IT'S A BIG MARKUP.

SIGNIFICANT MARKUP.

WELL OVER THE COST OF WHAT IT SHOULD BE.

AND THAT'S ASSUMING WE'RE ON THE 200 END AND IT'S ANYWHERE BETWEEN 200 AND $700 A VIAL.

TWO OF THE THREE LARGE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS THAT ARE THE TARGETS OF THE SUIT.

WE'VE BEEN WITH BOTH PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE TIME OVER THAT TIME PERIOD.

AND WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BE PART OF THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

SO I INFORMED THE BOARD OF THE INFORMATION THEY ASKED ME TO GATHER.

THE RISK TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS MINIMAL.

THERE'S NO COST TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO JOIN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

THERE'S NO COST.

THE EXTRA WORK THAT IT WILL CAUSE, IT WILL CAUSE OUR BENEFIT DEPARTMENT.

PROBABLY A COUPLE HOURS OF WORK TO WORK WITH THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS WHO WERE PURSUING IN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, BUT TO GET THE DATA FROM THEM FOR JUST WHAT OUR USAGE OF INSULIN HAS BEEN OVER THAT TIME PERIOD, SO WE CAN PROVIDE THAT DATA BACK TO THE FRANCE LAW GROUP.

THAT'S OUR RISK, IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAS BEEN SPENT BY OUR PAYROLL AND BENEFITS OFFICE TO PULL THAT INFORMATION, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO BE A COUPLE HOURS.

AND THEN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT MOVES FORWARD.

NOT SURE WHAT THE DURATION WILL BE BECAUSE THE COURT THINGS CAN DRAG OUT.

BUT THAT IS THE PIECE.

MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD IS THAT WE DO CONSIDER JOINING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

AGAIN, AS I, AS I SHARED, THE MOST VOLATILE PART OF OUR BUDGETING IS OUR HEALTH INSURANCE COST.

AND IF THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE OVERPAYING OR BEING OVERBILLED OR WE'RE NOT GETTING THE VALUE THAT WE SHOULD THROUGH WHAT WE ARE BUDGETING SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS ON A YEAR. WE SHOULD PURSUE MEANS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT ONLY CORRECTED, THAT WE'RE COMPENSATED BACK FOR WHAT OUR ADDITIONAL COSTS WOULD HAVE BEEN, BUT THAT ALSO, HOPEFULLY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PUTS A MASSIVE CHECK ON THINGS LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

WE ARE NOT A PRIVATE ENTITY.

THE COST OF INSURANCE GOING UP COSTS THE TAXPAYERS NOT JUST OF CAROLINE COUNTY, BUT ALSO THE STATE.

AS WE ARE FUNDED, ABOUT 80% OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND, NOT CAROLINE COUNTY.

IT COST THE TAXPAYERS ACROSS THE STATE AND OUR COUNTY A LOT MORE THAN IT SHOULD IF THIS IS IN FACT, CORRECT.

AND I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD IS THAT WE, THE BOARD CONSIDERS JOINING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

SO IF MY MATH IS RIGHT, IT'S LIKE BEING CHARGED SIX TIMES MORE, AT LEAST THAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

INCREDIBLE. IT COULD BE A LOT OF MONEY, SO.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY A WRONG.

YOU KNOW, MY REACTION TO IT IS THEY GOT CAUGHT.

SOMEBODY MADE A MISTAKE.

MAYBE ON PURPOSE. SO BUT WE HEARD THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE DECIDE WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THIS? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT JOINING THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REGARDING INSULIN? OKAY, I CAN DO THAT.

I DO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR CCPS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INSULIN CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU, MR. JONES. TO NOW WE'LL CALL THE MEASURE TO A VOTE.

ASSUMING THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION.

SO. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

AYE. ALL RIGHT. WELL.

IT PASSES. THANK YOU.

WE WILL JOIN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.

AND ROCHELLE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVICE ON THIS AS WELL.

YEAH. ANDY SCOTT FROM SAME FIRM HAS BEEN WONDERFUL HELPING WITH THIS TO BE INTERESTED IN INFORMATION IF WHEN IT'S WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, JUST TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT IMPACT COULD BE. CERTAINLY.

AND WHAT IT WAS. YEAH.

I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ONCE WE PULL THAT TOGETHER.

COULD BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.

SO, IT'S JUST WRONG.

IT'S JUST WRONG. SO, ALL RIGHT.

[5. Reports and Presentations]

AND FIRST UP THIS IS ALWAYS VERY INTERESTING TO HEAR MR. HONER THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR WRAP UP.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND LISTENING TO ALL OF OUR OTHER THINGS TONIGHT.

[00:35:04]

WE'LL BE GLAD TO SEE YOU NEXT MONTH.

WE HAVE A REALLY STABLE MEETING SCHEDULE.

[00:44:40]

[00:45:59]

[00:51:10]

IT JUST MAKES ME SO PROUD THAT SO MANY KIDS COME THROUGH HERE AND THEN COME BACK AND WORK WITH US.

SO IT REALLY IS.

IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT.

AND SO WITH MY CLOSING THOUGHTS, I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH YOU THAT I'M REALLY EMBARRASSED ABOUT.

MIC] BUT YOU ALMOST FAILED IT.

NO, I LOVE THE CLASS, BUT I DIDN'T DO MY WORK.

AND SO, I REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE, LIKE, IF I WENT BACK THERE AND SAID, OH, THANKS FOR THE REPORT CARD, BY THE WAY, I'M GOING TO BE TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

NOBODY WOULD BELIEVE ME.

NOT A SINGLE PERSON.

I WAS NOT A GOOD STUDENT.

I WAS A TERRIBLE STUDENT.

BUT I NEED TO REMEMBER THAT ABOUT MY KIDS, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST GRADES.

IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARILY ABOUT THEIR EFFORT IN CLASS.

IT IS IT IS SEEING THEIR POTENTIAL AND REMEMBERING THAT EVEN THOUGH WE CAN'T SEE THAT POTENTIAL AT THE MOMENT, IT'S THERE.

AND I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER THAT.

AND I WANT TO TRY AND INSTILL THAT, INSTILL THAT IN THEM AS BEST I CAN.

SO, IF I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

OH, AND SO I WROTE THIS ON FACEBOOK RIGHT AFTER I GOT THIS.

SOMETHING CLICKED IN ME AFTER A FEW YEARS OF AIMLESSNESS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, I MOSTLY THINK THAT IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT I CHOSE TO SURROUND MYSELF WITH.

YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT SUPPORT YOU AND CALL YOU OUT WHEN YOU ARE NOT LIVING UP TO YOUR POTENTIAL, FIND THEM AND PUT THEM INTO YOUR CIRCLE.

HOLD ON TO THEM AND NEVER LET GO.

AND YOU GUYS ARE ALL MY CIRCLE.

SO PLUS, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE.

SO I JUST I THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL YEAR.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT.

AND NOW I'M READY TO GET BACK INTO A REGULAR YEAR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

SO, AND THEN I'VE SOME THANK YOUS.

DOCTOR HOLLOWAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE OF ME.

SANDY, YOU, LIKE, YOU ARE MY HANDLER.

I NEEDED TO BE WHEN I NEEDED TO BE THERE.

AND DOCTOR SIMMONS.

THANK YOU. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE AND JUST KIND OF ALWAYS THERE.

AND NOT ONLY ARE YOU A COLLEAGUE, NOT ONLY A SUPERINTENDENT, BUT I CONSIDER YOU A FRIEND, SO THANK YOU.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, MY WIFE, SHE'S INVOLVED.

[00:55:01]

AND THAT'S THE THAT'S THE PICTURE THAT DIDN'T GET INTO, LIKE, THE NEWSPAPERS OR ANYTHING YOU MIGHT KNOW.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS A POWERFUL PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. OUTSTANDING.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHICH PART OF IT I LIKE THE BEST.

THERE'S SO MANY GREAT ONES, BUT THE, I WROTE IT DOWN SEEING THEIR POTENTIAL.

I MEAN, I LOVE THAT AND THE FACT THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO SHARE THAT REPORT CARD AND I THAT RESONATES WITH ME BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE WOULD NEVER BELIEVE THAT I WOULD BE ON A BOARD LIKE THIS THE WAY I WENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

SO SEEING THEIR POTENTIAL MEANS A LOT.

AND I ALSO LIKE THE CONNECTION TO STUDENTS YOU TAUGHT.

AND NOW ONE OF THEM'S A TEACHER OF THE YEAR, AND I'M TRYING TO GUESS SHE'S ABOUT 50, RIGHT? OH. JUST KIDDING.

JUST KIDDING. I MEAN, THAT IS AMAZING.

70. SO HOW THAT MUST HAVE MADE YOU FEEL.

I CAN JUST IMAGINE.

AND OF COURSE, FOR ME, YOU KNOW, IT RESONATES FOR ME, THE STATE PARK.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. THERE'S THE GEMS. MARYLAND STATE PARKS ARE GEMS. THEY ARE AMAZING PLACES.

AND FOR YOU TO WORK TOWARD SOMETHING WITH CONTACTS THAT YOU HAVE AND BUILT DURING THIS YEAR EVEN FURTHER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

BRAVO! SO THOSE ARE A FEW LITTLE PIECES, BUT YOUR PRESENTATION SUMMARIZING YOUR YEAR.

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THEY MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NO DOUBT.

SO NOT TO TAKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S THUNDER HERE.

YOU ALL MAY HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY, TOO.

WELL, YOU MENTIONED YOUR TEAM THAT YOU WORK WITH, AND I THINK I'M CORRECT IN SAYING THAT I WAS I PARTICIPATED IN THE LAST NORTH BAY TRIP THAT WENT RIGHT BEFORE COVID. AND YOU DO HAVE AN AMAZING GROUP OF COWORKERS, AND YOUR PRESENCE WAS FELT AT NORTH BAY.

I KNOW A FEW OF THEM PERSONALLY, BUT I THINK IT JUST KIND OF SHINES A LIGHT ON THE KIND OF TEACHER YOU ARE AND MAKES A LOT OF SENSE FOR ME WHY YOU WERE CHOSEN AS TEACHER OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO WALK THROUGH IT WITH YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

MARK, ANYTHING? JUST IT'S REALLY NEAT.

WE GET TO GO AND SEE THE, LIKE THE CEREMONY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE SELECTED AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

BUT IT'S NEAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU ACTUALLY GET TO DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BY BEING SELECTED.

AND JUST REALLY NEAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW YOU GET TO GO OUT AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE OUR COUNTY WITH OTHERS AND SEE, SEE OTHERS AND, AND DO SO MANY NEAT THINGS. SO YEAH, IT'S MORE THAN JUST A CAR.

IT'S ALSO THEY I GUESS THEY GIVE YOU THAT.

SO THAT WAY YOU CAN GET TO ALL THOSE PLACES.

YEAH, I ONLY HAVE IT FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.

I WAS GOING TO SAY, WAS IT ABOUT A WEEK OR SO.

GET THE CALLBACK.

SO? SO, ROB, I'LL JUST ADD A FEW COMMENTS.

YOU'VE REPRESENTED CAROLINE COUNTY VERY WELL, NOT ONLY IN TEACHER YEAR, BUT YOU HAVE.

OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CAREER, ROB AND [INAUDIBLE] CAREER HAVE ALMOST BEEN SAME.

I THINK I STARTED RIGHT ABOUT THE SAME TIME YOU DID IN THE COUNTY.

WE'VE DONE A LOT TOGETHER OVER THE YEARS AT DIFFERENT CONFERENCES AND WHAT HAVE NOT.

BUT YOU'VE ALWAYS REPRESENTED WHAT'S BEST ABOUT CAROLINE, AND IT'S OUR KIDS.

IT IS OUR KIDS.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE WHO SEES THE POTENTIAL IN ALL THE KIDS.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SOMEONE WHO ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT EDUCATION HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT INVITES OUR KIDS INTO THE LEARNING.

IT'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT GETS THEM HOOKED AND KEEPS THEM ENGAGED, NO MATTER HOW WACKY WE MAY NEED TO BE IN THAT MOMENT.

BECAUSE IT MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST EXCITING CONTENT IN THE WORLD, BUT WE'VE GOT TO TEACH IT LIKE IT'S THE MOST EXCITING, COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD AND BRING THEM INTO IT.

AND YOU ALWAYS BROUGHT THAT IN.

AS A PARENT. THANK YOU.

YOU HAVE SURVIVED BOTH MY CHILDREN.

THEY WERE WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

BUT YOU'VE BEEN NOT ONLY FOR MY KIDS, BUT YOU TREAT ALL KIDS THE SAME WITH THAT.

AND BRING THAT LEVEL OF LOVE TO WHAT YOU DO.

AND IT'S CRITICAL WHAT YOU GUYS DO IN SIXTH GRADE.

YOU'RE RIGHT. YOUR SIXTH-GRADE TEAM.

INCREDIBLE. AND DOCTOR HOLLOWAY KNOWS THAT YOU GUYS ARE A ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE WELCOME FORCE FOR KIDS ENTERING MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND IT HELPS THEM NAVIGATE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT MIDDLE SCHOOL LIFE IS LIKE.

AND YOU'RE A ROCK OF THAT PIECE MAKING SURE THAT IT HAPPENS.

[01:00:03]

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES US, I THINK, SPECIAL AND UNIQUE IN THIS COUNTY.

AND IT NEVER REALLY OCCURRED TO ME UNTIL I SAW THE PICTURE OF YOUR FUTURE TEACHER, OF THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR.

SO FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE ALL TEACHERS WHO ARE AT KERNEL MIDDLE.

KERNEL MIDDLE HAS ONE OF THE SMALLEST STAFFS IN THE COUNTY, IS ONE OF OUR SMALLER SCHOOLS, AND HAVE THAT MANY STUDENTS WHO LARGELY ARE FROM THAT SAME COHORT THAT WOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME, ALL CHOOSE TO COME BACK TO TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THAT AND ARE ALL DOING WONDERFUL AND FANTASTIC FOR ALL OF OUR KIDS.

DANIELLE IS IN THAT SAME GROUP WHO'S OUR CURRENT TEACHER OF THE YEAR, WHO'S NOW AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT THAT REALLY IS I DON'T KNOW, THAT PICTURE JUST RESONATES.

SURE. GLAD I DIDN'T STAY UP THERE TOO LONG, OR I MIGHT HAVE BEEN GETTING A LITTLE EMOTIONAL AS WELL.

IT'S JUST REALLY, IT'S AWESOME.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.

AND YOU REPRESENT WHAT CAROLINE DOES WELL AND IT'S APPRECIATED.

IT REALLY IS.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THAT IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW, FOLKS, BUT WE DO HAVE TO MOVE ON.

SPEAKING OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE'RE GOING TO GO NOW.

WE'RE GOING TO GO WAY ON YONDER NOW.

SO, PRESIDENT BARR, DESCENDANTS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME TO DIGRESS JUST A SECOND BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS, I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT FOUR C'S BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, BEING CLEAR, BEING CONSISTENT AND SHOWING COMPASSION.

I REALLY WANT TO ADD A FIFTH AND THAT WOULD BE CONNECTION.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

BUT I WANT TO SAY THIS, MR. HUNTER, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.

YOU BROUGHT SOME PICTURES UP IN THERE.

AND JUST COMING OVER FROM DORCHESTER, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MISS BULA AS WELL.

SHE WAS THE SUPERVISING TEACHER AND SUPPORT FOR A TEACHER WHO'S VERY CLOSE TO ME.

MY DAUGHTER, WHO WAS ON THE FIFTH GRADE TEAM WITH HER BEFORE SHE TRANSITIONED TO BEING AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, AND I GOT TO HELP HER IN THAT ROLE SO THAT THAT CONNECTION CONTINUES.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE GENRE UPDATE IS CONNECTION, AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FACILITATING THE BEST CONNECTION WE CAN WITH OUR KIDS WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL? SO WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT WE COMMUNICATE WELL, THAT WE'RE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT BECAUSE OUR PRIORITY IS TO ASSIST OUR SCHOOLS FUNCTION AT THEIR BEST WHILE WE SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO PILOT THIS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.

I WANTED TO JUST CAPTURE THIS WHILE WE STARTED COMMUNICATING TO OUR PARENTS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR THROUGH THE SUMMER, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THAT.

IT WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSED IN THE ORIENTATIONS IN THE FALL AS THEY'RE COMING IN.

WE WILL HAVE COMMON EXPECTATIONS, AND WE'RE GOING TO MONITOR THINGS LIKE DISCIPLINE, ACADEMIC DATA.

WE'RE GOING TO TROUBLESHOOT, WE WILL REVIEW OUR PROCEDURES AND THEN DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT THIS NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED OR CONTINUED.

SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS AND WHAT WERE OUR RESPONSES AND EXPECTATIONS BE.

WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS NOT JUST IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BUT HOW WILL IT DIFFER IN OUR OTHER BUILDINGS? FIRST OF ALL, OUR TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR PRINCIPALS FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, DOCTOR HOLLOWAY, MISS [INAUDIBLE] WERE KIND ENOUGH TO COME OUT.

THEY THEY'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THEIR PHONES IN THESE POUCHES FROM BELL TO BELL WHEN THEY FIRST, IF THEY'RE IF THEY HAVE THEM OUT, THEY HAVE THEM FOLLOWED THROUGH.

WE'RE GOING TO WARN THEM FIRST.

AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT EDUCATING THEM IN THE PROPER USAGE.

IT CONTINUES THE SECOND TIME.

WE MAY HAVE TO HOLD THAT TILL THE END OF THE DAY.

LET THE PARENT KNOW.

THIRD TIME, WE'RE DEFINITELY LETTING THE PARENT KNOW.

WE MIGHT EVEN SAY IF THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THAT, THAT MAYBE YOU NEED TO KEEP THIS HOME FOR ABOUT 30 DAYS TO REALLY SEND THE MESSAGE HOME.

IT IF THEY REFUSE OR FORGET THE POUCH MULTIPLE TIMES, WE'LL KIND OF FOLLOW THAT SAME PROCESS.

AND THEN IF IT GETS INTO REPETITIVENESS, WE'LL HAVE THE SAME THING WHERE YOU KEEP IT HOME BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT SHOWING RESPONSIBILITY.

THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL OBJECT THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE.

IT CAN BE A GREAT TOOL.

BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO USE IT, JUST LIKE A DRILL OR ANY OTHER TOOL YOU HAVE.

WE REMIND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS THAT IF THEIR BEHAVIOR REACTION TO THIS GUIDANCE BECOMES UNACCEPTABLE, THEN THAT BEHAVIOR WILL BE DEALT WITH, NOT THE ISSUE OF THE PHONE.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO REITERATE.

AGAIN, IF THEY LOSE OR DAMAGE THE POUCH, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THE REPLACEMENT COST, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $30.

IT'S ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S ALL WE WOULD LOOK FOR THAT.

SO IT'S A SET THOSE STANDARD EXPECTATIONS ACROSS BOTH OF OUR PILOT SCHOOLS AND OUR OTHER BUILDINGS.

WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE SAME APPROACH.

WE'VE ALREADY SAID YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THEM OUT IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL AREAS.

FIRST TIME. PUT THEM AWAY.

SECOND TIME, WE'LL HOLD IT, THIRD, SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT SCHOOL FOR A WHILE UNTIL YOU LEARN HOW TO HANDLE IT PROPERLY.

[01:05:05]

NOW, YONDER DOES A WONDERFUL JOB, AND I WANT TO THANK BOTH MISS BARRY'S FOR ASSISTING US ON THE CALLS WITH THE PRINCIPALS AND THE COMPANY WALKING THROUGH THIS.

THEY PROVIDE US A LOT OF DATA THAT SUPPORTS POSITIVE IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, BEHAVIOR, AND HOW THAT IMPACT RESONATES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.

WE WILL BE SHARING THAT WITH OUR PARENTS.

WE'VE GOT FAQS, OTHER INFORMATION THAT WILL BE POSTED OUT.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WENT OVER THIS WITH YOU FIRST.

IT WILL GO OUT TO STAFF TOMORROW MORNING AND TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS TOMORROW AFTERNOON.

SO THIS THIS IS JUST WE WILL INCLUDE ALL THIS INFORMATION THAT THEY PROVIDED AS WELL.

SO PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION.

AND AGAIN THEY HELPED US MAP OUT HOW WE WILL DO THIS.

CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS NOTIFIED PARENTS OF THIS UPCOMING IDEA.

JULY IS FORMALLY APPROVED, AND WE MADE THE DECISION TO NEED TO IMPLEMENT IT.

WE'RE PRESENTING THIS COMMUNICATION.

WE'LL SEND IT OUT AGAIN.

WE WILL HAVE COMMUNICATION MATERIALS DELIVERY IN AUGUST AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR AUGUST THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL PILOT THIS AT OUR TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

SO PROGRESS UPDATES.

AGAIN, WE DID OUR PLANNING.

WE WORKED WITH OUR SCHOOL LEADERS.

OUR COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEGUN.

WE STARTED THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY REVIEWING WITH YOU HERE TODAY.

THAT INFORMATION WILL GO OUT TOMORROW.

WE WILL CONTINUALLY BE GETTING FEEDBACK AND COMMUNICATION BOTH TO AND FROM OUR SCHOOLS, OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR PARENTS, OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME PERIODIC REVIEWS IN LATE OCTOBER, THEN AT FEBRUARY AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER, AND AGAIN IN MAY, JUNE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND REVIEW ALL THAT DATA THAT WE DISCUSSED, AND THEN GIVE OUT A YEAR END ANALYSIS AND REPORTING IN THE SUMMER OF 25.

SO WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY? DO WE SEE AN IMPACT ON STUDENT ATTENDANCE? DO WE SEE ANY IMPACT ON OUR STAKEHOLDER CLIMATE DATA? HAS THERE BEEN AN IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS? HAVE THEY GONE UP? HAVE THEY GONE DOWN? WHAT ABOUT STUDENT DISCIPLINE? ACADEMIC PROGRESS INDICATORS.

AND THEN THAT WILL HELP US DETERMINE THE NEXT STEPS.

NOW WE DON'T HAVE WHAT WE CONSIDER DISCIPLINE CODE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE, IT WOULD BE ELECTRONIC MISUSE, ETC..

WELL, WE WILL HAVE AT OUR PILOT SCHOOLS A LITTLE BIT MORE TRACKING THAT WE'RE DOING ON THIS ON PURPOSE, JUST TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE TRUE IMPACT THAT WE'RE SEEING DAY TO DAY. NOW, THOSE NEXT STEPS MAY RECOGNIZE THAT IT WASN'T AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE WANT.

WE MAY NEED TO MODIFY OR CHANGE OUR PROGRESS, WHERE IT MAY SHOW US THAT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

WE NEED TO CONSIDER EXPANSION.

WE WON'T MAKE THOSE DECISIONS UNTIL WE HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO SUPPORT WHERE WE WANT TO GO NEXT.

AND AS DOCTOR SIMMONS SAID AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, IT'S NOT THE DO ALL END ALL.

IT'S NOT A BLANKET ANSWER.

IT'S GOING TO SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM.

BUT IT IS A STEP TO TRY TO HELP AGAIN, CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION WITH OUR STUDENTS MORE CONSISTENT AND KIND OF PUT THAT DISTRACTION AWAY.

AND WE'VE MODELED THAT WITH OUR ANS TEAM STARTED TODAY.

AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR THE ADULTS TO PUT THOSE THINGS AWAY FOR EIGHT HOURS.

THEY BUILT THEIR PLATFORMS ON AN ADDICTION TYPE MODEL.

AND, YOU KNOW, I CHALLENGE ANYBODY ONCE YOU'RE USED TO HAVING IT, TO PUT THAT THING DOWN AND DON'T TOUCH IT FOR EIGHT HOURS.

GOOD LUCK. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR US? I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BEFORE THE BOARD ASKED QUESTIONS AS WELL.

AS THE BOARD RECALLS FROM OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, THIS IDEA STARTED ORGANICALLY BY OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS LOOKING AT SOLUTIONS ON THEIR OWN.

AND WE HAD ONE SCHOOL LITERALLY THINKING OF HOW DO THEY GET BUSINESSES TO SPONSOR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN THEIR BLOCK GRANT TO COVER IT.

BUT IT STARTED ORGANICALLY BECAUSE THE CELL PHONES ARE A DISTRACTION, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE AN OLD PERSON RESPONSE.

AND I GET THAT PARTLY BECAUSE I'M GETTING OLDER, BUT THEY REALLY ARE.

THEY'RE A DISTRACTION FOR ALL OF US.

I CAN SHARE ANECDOTALLY FOR ME TODAY, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WIPED AFTER A FULL DAY ANS MEETING LEADING ABOUT 50% OF IT, AND THEN KNOWING YOU HAVE A BOARD MEETING TONIGHT, LIKE I SHOULD BE TIRED RIGHT NOW, I ABSOLUTELY SHOULD.

I WASN'T, AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE I GOT ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL SLEEP LAST NIGHT.

YOU TYPICALLY DON'T SLEEP WELL BEFORE YOU HAVE A FULL DAY MEETING WITH A BUNCH OF ADMINISTRATORS, I LOVE THEM.

THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE TO MAKE SURE YOU DO IT RIGHT.

BUT I'LL BE HONEST. NOT DOING WHAT I DO, WHICH IS WHAT EVERY ADULT DOES, AND NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO ADMIT IT.

I GRABBED MY PHONE.

[01:10:01]

I CHECK MY EMAIL WAY TOO MANY TIMES.

IF AN EMAIL COMES IN, I THINK, OH, I CAN RESPOND TO THIS REAL QUICK.

NOBODY SEES ME DOING IT, BUT EVERYBODY SEES ME DOING IT.

BUT I THEN TRY TO RESPOND WHILE I'M TRYING TO STILL PAY ATTENTION TO WHATEVER IS HAPPENING.

MOST EMAILS OF SUPERINTENDENT GET REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT MEANINGFUL RESPONSE.

NOT A YES NO, THEY'RE NOT WHAT'S FOR DINNER QUESTIONS? THEY REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO, I'M CONSTANTLY TASK SWITCHING BETWEEN WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME, WHICH IS MEANINGFUL, WHAT'S ON MY DEVICE, WHICH IS MEANINGFUL, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE GOING ON.

AND THEN YOU REALIZE WHY YOU'RE SO EXHAUSTED BY THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE YOUR BRAIN IS JUST TOAST.

IT'S MUSH.

WE ALL THINK WE CAN MULTITASK, BUT ENOUGH EVIDENCE IS PROVEN.

NO, YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T.

YOU DON'T. FROM PIECE TO PIECE TO PIECE TO PIECE, AND YOU LITERALLY WEAR YOURSELF OUT, NOT GIVING THE WHOLE SELF TO ANY ONE THING AT A TIME.

I CHALLENGE US TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

THINK ABOUT STUDENTS IN A CLASSROOM.

MY OWN CELL PHONE USAGE DOES NOT INVOLVE SOCIAL MEDIA.

OUR KIDS CELL PHONE USAGE LARGELY INVOLVES SOCIAL MEDIA, LARGELY INVOLVES PLATFORMS THAT WERE DESIGNED NOT TO GET INTO THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT, BUT TO GIVE OUR KIDS DOPAMINE HITS TO GIVE THEM A ACTUAL PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO LIKES, TO GIVE THEM PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT OR NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT THAT THEY CONSTANTLY GET.

IF YOU WONDER WHY YOUR KID IS ATTACHED TO A PHONE SO MUCH, IT TRULY WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY.

LIKE THE PEOPLE CREATING THE APPS, THEY LITERALLY SENT THEIR DESIGN TEAMS TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY, TO THEIR PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE THINGS ADDICTIVE, BLAH BLAH BLAH. THEY REALLY HAVE.

IT'S A WELL MARKETED PRODUCT.

AND THEN THINK ABOUT A KID SITTING IN A CLASSROOM MEETING TO LEARN.

WE'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF PUTTING A HIGHER QUALITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL IN FRONT OF OUR KIDS.

OUR BOARD HAS MADE VERY STRONG AND I THINK, VERY GOOD DECISIONS SUPPORTING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN FRONT OF OUR KIDS.

SO THE THINGS WE'RE GIVING OUR KIDS TO USE TO LEARN WITH THE EVIDENCE AND RESEARCH SUPPORTS OUR HIGH QUALITY.

THOSE SHOULD HELP SET THE TABLE.

SO WE'VE GOT THAT PART THERE.

IF WE CAN'T OVERCOME THE HURDLE OF THE ENGAGEMENT PIECE, AND WE ALLOW THINGS THAT GET IN THE WAY THAT ARE EASILY DISTRACTIBLE, AND I'LL BE HONEST, IF YOU'RE ASKING A TEACHER TO MONITOR A KID ON A CELL PHONE IN A CLASSROOM OF 20 PLUS KIDS WHO CAN HIDE AN EARBUD IN THEIR EAR, THAT YOU HAVE NO CLUE, IS THERE? TRUST ME, I HAVE CHILDREN, TOO.

THEY HIDE THEM.

THEY'RE ON A DEVICE, AND YOU HAVE NO CLUE THEY ARE.

AND PAY ATTENTION TO INSTRUCTION AND MAKE GAINS IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S NOT.

THROW INTO THE MIX, AND I'M GETTING ON A SOAPBOX.

THROW INTO THE MIX WHAT'S GOING ON WITH AN ADOLESCENT BRAIN AT THAT POINT IN TIME? AND THE EVIDENCE IS REALLY CLEAR THAT SOMETHING IS AMISS WITH HER ADOLESCENCE AND DEVICES.

I'M NOT SAYING DEVICES ARE EVIL.

THERE'S A LIMIT TO IT.

THERE'S A PLACE AND TIME FOR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

SO THIS STEP IS REALLY A STEP AS A PILOT TO INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, IN OUR CLASSROOMS, GIVE OUR KIDS A BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO HIT THE MARK ACADEMICALLY.

THE ABILITY IS THERE.

IF WE LOOK AT OUR DATA.

OUR DATA IS THERE IN ELEMENTARY.

OUR DATA DROPS OFF IN MIDDLE.

OUR DATA IS NOT DROPPING OFF IN MIDDLE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE STRONG TEACHERS.

OUR DATA IS DROPPING OFF IN THE MIDDLE AS IT IS NATIONALLY BECAUSE ADOLESCENT THAT ADOLESCENT TIME PERIOD IS HARD, BUT WE'VE GOT TO TAKE AWAY SOME OF THE DISTRACTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO LEARN AT A BETTER CLIP.

IT'S EVIDENT I'M NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THE DISCIPLINE STUFF THAT COMES IN WITH PHONES.

WE KNOW THAT'S AN ISSUE.

THAT'S AN ISSUE DEFINITELY, WITH WHAT TRANSPIRES BACK AND FORTH ON DEVICES.

I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT ENGAGEMENT AT THIS POINT.

WE COULD GO ON A TANGENT ABOUT DISCIPLINE AS WELL.

BUT IF WE WANT TO SET OUR KIDS UP FOR A CHANCE FOR TRUE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, WE'VE GOT TO HELP THEM HAVE DISTRACTIONS OUT OF THE WAY SO THEY CAN LEARN AND LEARN HOW TO REENGAGE AND REENGAGE WITH CONTENT IN THE WAYS THAT WERE MORE EVIDENT WHEN SOME OF US.

I'M NOT SAYING TURN BACK THE TIME LIKE IT WAS FOR THE OLD PEOPLE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE.

I WOULD ADD TO THAT, JUST THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE HIGHER END FOLKS WHO CREATE A LOT OF THIS, THEIR OWN CHILDREN HAVE LIMITATIONS ON HOW MUCH SCREEN TIME THEY CAN HAVE OR NO DEVICES. IT'S VERY EVIDENT THAT YOU KNOW HOW THIS CAN HAVE AN IMPACT.

SO, THE HOPE IS THAT WE ARE NOT TAKING THE POSSESSION OR THE CONTROL COMPLETELY AWAY FROM OUR STUDENTS.

[01:15:01]

WE SIMPLY WANT TO HELP TEACH THEM THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE PROPER USE OF THAT VERY POWERFUL TOOL THAT THEY HAVE, BECAUSE THERE TRULY IS A MICROCOMPUTER THAT THEY'RE WALKING AROUND WITH IN THEIR POCKET. ANY QUESTIONS OR FOLLOW UP OR THINGS THE BOARD WOULD LIKE US TO PURSUE FURTHER? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE PARENTS, SOME ARE GOING TO SAY, I NEED TO GET A HOLD OF MY CHILD DURING THE DAY.

AND THE REALITY IS FOR WHAT? TO REMEMBER TO PUT THE DOG OUT WHEN YOU GET HOME TO DO X, Y, Z, WHATEVER IT IS, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR LEARNING IN SCHOOL.

AND I DON'T WANT TO BOMBARD OUR SCHOOLS WITH PHONE CALLS.

BUT IF THERE'S REALLY A NEED FOR A PARENT TO REACH A STUDENT, REMIND THEM TO PUT THE DOG OUT.

STILL HAVE LANDLINES AND THEY CAN CONTACT THEM AND MESSAGES CAN BE RELAYED.

AND IF IT'S AN URGENT MATTER, A STUDENT CAN BE CALLED A REMINDER THAT THEY'RE SENDING TO THE TO THE CHILD.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ON THE PHONE WHEN THEY SURE WILL LOOK AT IT AGAIN.

ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE TIME SENSITIVE TO HAVE TO HAPPEN AT SCHOOL.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAL ADJUSTMENT PERIOD OUT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THROW DARTS AT THIS BECAUSE THEY CAN.

I THINK YOU'RE GIVING TEACHERS SOME A TOOL TO WORK WITH BECAUSE IT'S.

I'M NOT IN THE CLASSROOM.

I DON'T HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE. ALL MANY OF YOU DO SAYING, PUT THAT PHONE AWAY.

WELL, NOW YOU HAVE TO BE WATCHING.

YOU HAVE TO BE THE PHONE.

POLICE! PUT IT AWAY, PUT IT AWAY, PUT IT.

THIS IS A TOOL THAT GIVES THEM SOMETHING TO WORK WITH.

AND I HOPE THAT THEY START ISSUING THESE AT RESTAURANTS THAT PEOPLE PUT THEIR PHONES AWAY WHEN THEY'RE IN RESTAURANTS, BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE IN RESTAURANTS.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONE, NOT AT THE PEOPLE WITH THEM.

YOU SEE, THERE ARE SEVERAL PERFORMERS OR OTHER EVENTS WHERE THEY NOW REQUIRE THAT IF YOU COME IN, THEY GIVE YOU THESE TO PUT AWAY SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE A THEY WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO B THEY DON'T WANT THEIR CONTENT BEING STOLEN AND SENT OUT THERE WHERE THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANY MONEY OUT OF THAT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF IMPLICATIONS.

AND I DO THINK THERE WILL BE SOME INITIAL RESISTANCE.

IT IS A BIG ADJUSTMENT.

AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE'RE VERY ACCUSTOMED TO IMMEDIATE ACCESS WITH EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME.

SO THAT WILL BE A A PAUSE THAT WILL TAKE US SOME TIME TO GET USED TO.

AND AS I SAID, THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO PERIODICALLY REVIEW THINGS.

AND THAT WILL GIVE US SOME INSIGHT AS WE GO THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS SHOULD BE.

THERE ARE YONDER DOES PROVIDE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF POUCHES.

FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE MEDICAL CONCERNS BY WHICH THEIR MONITORING IS DONE THROUGH THEIR CELL PHONE.

SO THEY HAVE DEVICES THAT THEY CAN OPEN.

THOSE ARE ALL LIMITED, BUT SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE 504 PLANS.

BASED ON MEDICAL NEEDS, IF THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO CHECK, FOR INSTANCE, A STUDENT WHO HAS INSULIN PUMP THAT CONNECTS TO THEIR CELL PHONE, THEIR DEVICE THAT DOES THEIR CHECKS, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO THEY WILL STILL BE ISSUED A POUCH TO DIFFERENT POUCH, BECAUSE WE ALSO DON'T WANT ANY STUDENTS SINGLED OUT.

IT WILL BE AN ALL IS ALL FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

THE POUCHES WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS IN YONDER MENTIONS THAT SOMETIMES IT COMES UP ABOUT ISSUES OF SCHOOL, OF SAFETY.

WHAT IF THERE'S A MASS INCIDENT AT A BUILDING AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CALL A COUPLE RESPONSES.

IT'S A NEOPRENE SLEEVE.

IT CAN BE CUT OPEN WITH A PAIR OF SCISSORS.

IT'S A NEOPRENE SLEEVE.

IT'S NOT INDESTRUCTIBLE.

THE OTHER PART. AND WE PARTICIPATED IN A TRAINING WITH ADMINISTRATORS THIS AFTERNOON RELATED TO A SCHOOL SAFETY TABLETOP.

ODDS ARE, IF THERE IS A MAJOR INCIDENT THAT TAKES PLACE AND HEAVEN FORBID THAT WE NEVER EXPERIENCE ONE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

CELL TOWERS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE OVERRUN WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINUTES OF SOMETHING HAPPENING, AND NOTHING'S GOING TO GET THROUGH ONE CELL, RIGHT? THE OTHER PART TO THINK ABOUT AND CONSIDER AND BEEN PART OF CONVERSATIONS AT CONFERENCES WITH NATIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY FOLKS TALKING ABOUT IT. THE OTHER PART IS THAT IF IT'S JUST SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER, I KNOW WE ALL HAVE THOSE MOMENTS RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT TO GET AHOLD OF YOUR CHILD IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT AT A SCHOOL. IT'S ONE THAT WE DON'T WISH TO HAVE HAPPEN.

BUT THERE IS AN ACTIVE INCIDENT OUT OF SCHOOL.

NOBODY WANTS THE CELL PHONE GOING OFF TO BE WHAT INDICATES WHERE SOMEONE IS A STRATEGY THAT OUR STUDENTS THAT IS PART OF OUR PROCEDURE, A STRATEGY, NOT THE BUT A STRATEGY IS HIDING QUIETLY AND APPEARING FOR A ROOM TO BE EMPTY.

IF THESE ARE JUST THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS I OFFER A DIFFERENT THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT JUST THINGS, THINGS TO THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WITH THIS AND WE WILL AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE WILL LEARN FROM IT.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS ON THE EASTERN SHORE THAT ARE WILL BE VENTURING INTO A PILOT LATER THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

[01:20:07]

AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TOGETHER THROUGH IT AS WE ALL PILOT.

IT'S INTERESTING.

CAROLINE IS DEFINITELY LEADING THE WAY ON THE SHORE IN THIS INITIATIVE TO TAKE AN ACTION STEP, AND OTHER COUNTIES ARE WATCHING TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT AND WHAT THEIR NEXT STEPS SHOULD BE. BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE COUNTIES WHO HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ME WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF BEING HERE TO ASK HOW WE'RE DOING, WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WHEN WE'RE DOING THINGS SO THAT THEY CAN TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO ROLL IT OUT AND WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH US THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO SEE HOW IT'S GOING.

SO I SIMPLY ASK THAT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR FAMILIES WORK WITH US, SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE, BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT THE BEST IT CAN BE FOR THE CHILDREN. THAT'S GOOD.

BOARD MEMBERS. ANYTHING ELSE? I THINK THE MAIN THING IS, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S TIME AND PLACE AND THE LEARNING TIME IS OUR PHONE TIME.

SO IT TEACHES.

HOPEFULLY IT TEACHES A HABIT THAT THESE CHILDREN GROW UP.

I ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT I HAVE AS AN EMPLOYER IS YOU GET AN EMPLOYEE THAT JUST WANTS TO BE ON THEIR PHONE, AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S YOUNGER, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE YOUNGER YOU SAY THE YOUNGER GENERATION, BUT THEY CAN'T GET EVERY TIME YOU ROUND A CORNER, THERE'S THAT PERSON LOOKING AT THEIR PHONE, TYPING ON THEIR PHONE.

THEY MIGHT HAVE A.

FOR ME, A PRESSURE WASHER WAND IN ONE HAND AND A PHONE IN THE OTHER HAND.

AND IT'S LIKE YOU CAN'T DO YOUR JOB AND BE ON THE PHONE BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THREE HANDS AND YOU DON'T HAVE TWO BRAINS.

SO AND IT'S AND MOST OF THE TIME THOSE THEY DON'T END UP SOMEBODY LIKE THAT.

THAT'S THE REASON THEY DON'T END UP MAKING IT VERY LONG BECAUSE AS AN EMPLOYER, I DON'T WANT TO PAY YOU TO BE ON YOUR PHONE.

AND IT'S THE SAME THING IF YOU'RE BEING TAUGHT, YOU CAN'T BE TAUGHT THE SAME WAY.

THAT'S BEEN PROVEN.

YOU CAN'T BE TAUGHT THE SAME WAY, AND YOU ONLY HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIME IN THOSE CLASSROOMS EACH DAY IN FRONT OF THAT TEACHER EACH DAY AND WE CAN'T PAY OUR TEACHERS TO MONITOR 20 STUDENTS TO PUT THESE THINGS AWAY.

WE TRIED. AND IT JUST NO MATTER HOW YOU DO IT, IT'S JUST IT'S TOO DIFFICULT OF A TASK TO BE ABLE TO TEACH AND KEEP EVERYBODY'S PHONE.

SO BY BEING ABLE TO PUT IT IN THIS BAG, HOPEFULLY THAT'S A THAT'S THE STEP IN THE DIRECTION THAT'S WE'VE TRIED THE LAST, BUT THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR WE'VE TRIED TO DO THIS WITH CELL PHONES, AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS IS I THINK THIS IS REALLY IS A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF.

FOR THAT AGE GROUP PUTTING THE PHONE AWAY.

ANYTHING FROM OUR ZOOM.

PARTICIPANTS. YEAH.

SO THE EARBUDS YES, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT STUDENTS PUT THOSE IN THE IN THE POUCH AS WELL.

NUMBER ONE FOR EXACTLY AS YOU DESCRIBED, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY SO THEY DON'T GET LOST.

THAT IS A OBSTACLE FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO TRY TO FIND THEM WHEN THEY DISAPPEAR.

THE, THE WATCHES WE ARE GOING TO MONITOR THIS YEAR.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING OUR SCHOOLS TO DO IS TO MODEL WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE WHEN WE DO STATE ASSESSMENTS.

SO, IN OTHER WORDS, AS LONG AS THE WATCH IS NOT A DISTRACTION, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT AND SEE HOW IT IS.

BUT WHEN WE'RE TAKING A UNIT TEST, A QUIZ OR THE STATE TEST, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT THOSE WATCHES BE PUT AWAY AS WELL, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY GO TO TAKE AN AP TEST, THEY CANNOT WEAR THOSE.

IT IS THEIR TEST WILL BE INVALIDATED.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MODEL THAT SAME KIND OF APPROACH FOR TWO REASONS.

NUMBER ONE, TO AGAIN KIND OF ASSESS IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION.

NUMBER TWO, TO AGAIN PROMOTE WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT COULD SEE IN MAY AND JUNE OR APRIL THAT THEY KNOW THAT THAT'S AN EXPECTATION AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

[01:25:30]

THE ONLY IMMEDIATE CORRELATION IS GOING TO BE DO WE SEE AN INCREASE OR A REDUCTION IN IMPROPER USE OF ELECTRONICS.

THAT IS THE ONE DISCIPLINE CODE THAT EXACTLY CORRELATES TO THIS.

BUT WHAT WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IS A REDUCTION IN THOSE DISRUPTIONS OR REMOVAL FROM CLASS THAT INITIATED WITH THESE.

WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN IMPROVED LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, WHICH HOPEFULLY WILL LEAD TO SOME INCREASED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCES, AS WELL AS THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GET FROM OUR STAFF, OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS THEMSELVES WHEN WE'RE ASKING THEM SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.

AND WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ADDING SOME SPECIFIC SURVEY INFORMATION THAT WILL COME OUT THAT WILL ADDRESS THOSE SPECIFIC ISSUES.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE RELATED TO, BUT NOT MAYBE DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH.

AND AS YOU SAID, THERE'S A LITANY OF FACTORS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT HOW STUDENTS PERFORM.

YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST EVEN LOOKING AT THAT ELECTRONIC MISUSE OF ELECTRONICS AS A DISCIPLINE CODE.

THERE ARE OTHER ELECTRONICS THAT THEY CAN MISUSE.

SO, IT'S NOT TO ELIMINATE EVERYTHING.

IT IS JUST ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO SEE IF THERE'S A CORRELATION.

AND A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO BE FEEDBACK FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S THE IMPACT YOU'RE SEEING IN CLASS.

AND AS WE'RE COMING IN AND WE'RE DOING OUR WALKTHROUGHS AND OUR OBSERVATIONS, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AND SEE AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO REFLECT BACK ON PAST COMMENTS.

ARE WE SEEING THE DEVICES OUT OR NOT? ARE WE GETTING COMMITMENT AND COMPLIANCE FROM THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS, OR ARE WE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE ARE? SO THOSE ARE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.

HONESTLY. WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WILL FLARE UP OR BE TRENDS THAT WE NOTICE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GOING TO PERIODICALLY DO UPDATES TO SEE WHERE WE STAND. JUST ONE, THANK YOU.

AND I WOULD ASSUME YOU'RE GOING TO BRING NEWS UPDATES TO US AS WELL.

YES, SIR. YES.

GREAT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

JUST ONE OTHER COMMENT THAT I THINK IS PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE.

I HAD TO POP INTO GREENSBORO TODAY FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND I WAS I WAS IMMEDIATELY AWARE THAT DOCTOR SIMMONS HAD INSTITUTED HIS CELL PHONE DEVICE RELOCATION PROJECT, WHATEVER WE WERE CALLING IT, WHEN ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS RAN OUT TO ME AND SAID, I WANTED TO CALL YOU TODAY, BUT DOCTOR SIMMONS TOLD ME I COULDN'T HAVE MY PHONE OUT. I THINK WE HAD BREAKS.

WE DID HAVE BREAKS FOR ANOTHER THING THAT I THINK WILL BE IMPORTANT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE STAFF IN THE BUILDINGS IN MY OTHER WORK IS IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE CULTURE, WE HAVE TO GET THE STAFF ENGAGED IN THIS AS WELL.

I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT IF I IF I'M THE KID WHO HAD TO PUT THE CELL PHONE IN THE POUCH AND THE NEXT THING I, YOU KNOW, I LOOK OVER AND MRS. SO-AND-SO IS ON HER PHONE, OR I GO INTO THE HEALTH ROOM AND MRS. SO AND SO IS ON HER PHONE.

IT JUST DOESN'T IT DOESN'T KIND OF ALIGN.

IT DOESN'T STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

SO I THINK THAT MAY BE EVEN MAYBE A TOUGHER PLACE TO KIND OF MAKE, MAKE SOME CHANGE.

BUT I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR STAFF TO JUST BECOME BE AWARE, EVEN MYSELF, TO BE AWARE, THAT HAVING MY PHONE IN MY HAND KIND OF GIVES THE IMPLICATION THAT MAYBE WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T OR I THINK YOU'RE SPOT ON THAT IT'S A IT'S A MODELING, AS WE DID TODAY AT ANS AND AS A PBIS DISTRICT OR DISTRICT THAT EMPLOYS THIS PBIS PRINCIPALS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW OUR STUDENTS WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE, WE'RE GOING TO DEMONSTRATE IT.

WE'RE GOING TO MODEL IT THAT WAY.

WHEN THEY WALK IN, THEY KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE COMFORTABLE.

I WOULD RELATE THIS TO BEHAVIORS, A SKILL LIKE ANY OTHER ACADEMIC SKILL WE WORK ON.

IF WE DON'T TEACH WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, THEN WE CAN'T EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO PERFORM THE WAY WE WANT THEM TO.

SO, IT IS IT IS A COLLECTIVE EFFORT.

AND AGAIN, WE DO ENCOURAGE OUR STAFF TO PUT THEM AWAY.

AND AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE CONNECTION NATURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE WITH THESE THINGS.

BUT THAT WILL BE A, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WE'LL BE STRESSING FURTHER AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

[01:30:19]

TO HAVE A MID-YEAR UPDATE.

BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO MONITOR NOT ONLY THE DATA, BUT IF THERE IS A, IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A DECISION FOR US TO EXPAND THIS AT ALL, IT'S GOT TO POP UP DURING BUDGET SEASON.

SO WE NEED TO BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING WITH IMPACT.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BY JANUARY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU.

WE MAY HAVE HAD THIS QUESTION ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT WILL WE BE TRACKING LIKE DISCIPLINE OVERALL IN THESE SCHOOLS TO SEE IF THAT WE TRACK DISCIPLINE OVERALL? I MEAN ANYWAY, REPORT THAT TO THE STATE.

WE WOULD BE PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO HOW THIS IMPACTS US.

SO WE TYPICALLY THERE ARE SOME CATEGORIES THAT YEAH PRESENT THEMSELVES HIGHER.

AND THOSE ARE THE ONES YOU TEND TO LOOK AT.

THIS WILL BE ANOTHER CATEGORY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT PURPOSEFULLY TO TRY TO SEE IF THERE'S AN IMPACT THERE, PARTICULARLY AT OUR TWO PILOT SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO AT OUR OTHER SCHOOLS TO SEE.

IS THERE A TREND THAT THIS IS WORKING OR NOT WORKING? IS IT, IS THERE DO I EXPECT THERE TO BE SOME SPIKE INITIALLY? YES, YES I DO. ANYTIME YOU CHANGE BEHAVIOR, YOU USUALLY HAVE AN INCREASE BEFORE YOU HAVE A DECREASE.

SO, I WE ARE BRACE FOR THAT.

BUT WE'RE, WE WANT TO SEE IF THERE IS A TREND NOT JUST IN OUR TWO PILOT SCHOOLS BUT ACROSS THE DISTRICT.

ANYTHING ELSE? GREAT REPORT.

THANK YOU. YOU. YOU DID A GOOD JOB AFTER THE WONDERFUL REPORT.

YEAH. WONDERFUL CONTENT THERE AND MUCH APPRECIATED.

AND I WANT TO THANK OUR PRINCIPALS NOT ONLY FOR BEING HERE, BUT ALSO BEING WILLING TO PILOT AND ALSO BEING WILLING TO BRING FORTH AN IDEA TO SEE WHERE IT WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO. THESE PRINCIPALS AND THEIR TEAMS WORK REALLY HARD TO PRODUCE GREAT THINGS AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. THEY REALLY DO.

AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT HOWEVER WE CAN FOR THEM, FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF BEING SUCCESSFUL, OBVIOUSLY, WITH THAT.

BUT THEY'RE DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

WE APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS.

AND WHAT DO THEY CALL IT THE TIP OF THE SPEAR? YEP. WITH CELL PHONES.

LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE.

AND WE'LL BE GOING TO GIVE IT YOUR BEST.

WE KNOW THAT. ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT REPORT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

THERE'S SO MUCH ACTIVITY IN THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.

I'M SURE THAT'S WHAT. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT.

NO, THANK YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU. SO NOW I'M JUST GOING TO DO A VERY BRIEF HIGHLIGHT.

I'LL KEEP MY REPORT FAIRLY BRIEF.

THE ACCOUNTABILITY IMPLEMENTATION BOARD, THE AIB, AS WE REFER TO IT BY ITS ACRONYM, MET LAST WEEK TO DO ITS INITIAL REVIEW OF BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION PLANS. EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A PLAN.

THIS IS OUR SECOND PLAN WE'VE HAD TO SUBMIT TO THE AIB IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND I AM EXCITED AND ALMOST GIDDY.

I'LL BE HONEST, I DEFINITELY WAS GIDDY LAST WEEK.

CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS ONE OF EIGHT SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO RECEIVE FULL APPROVAL ON ITS BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ON THE FIRST RUN THROUGH TO THE AIB.

WE WERE THE ONLY SCHOOL SYSTEM ON THE EASTERN SHORE TO RECEIVE FULL APPROVAL IN THE FIRST GO ROUND, WHICH WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT.

NOT ONLY EXCITED TO GET THE CHECK RIGHT OR GET THE CHECK OFF LIKE, HEY, WE'RE THERE.

THAT'S GREAT.

BUT REALLY, IT'S THE VALIDATION OF THE EFFORT THAT THE TEAM HAS PUT IN THAT EVERYBODY IS PUTTING INTO THE BLUEPRINT, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT LIFT FOR EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM, NOT JUST US.

IT IS A SIGNIFICANT LIFT.

BUT IT'S A CREDIT TO THE WORK BEING DONE BY DOCTOR DOWNS AS OUR NOT ONLY ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, BUT BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR.

WHO LED THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PLAN WAS ROBUST AND MET ALL THE MARKS, ALL OF OUR PILLAR CHAIRS.

ONE WHO IS HERE TONIGHT.

WELL, ONE SEASON PILLAR CHAIR IS HERE TONIGHT.

ROB WILLOUGHBY WITH PILLAR TWO.

MISTER HOWIE IS NOW THE PILLAR CHAIR FOR PILLAR FOUR.

CORRECT. CONGRATULATIONS.

YEAH. YOU KNOW, IT COMES WITH THE STUDENT SERVICES SIDE.

HE KNOWS THAT. BUT THE EFFORT, REALLY THE HARD WORK.

IT WAS NICE TO GET THE VALIDATION FOR THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYBODY'S PUTTING IN AND A PLAN THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY FOLLOWING, AND IT MATCHES WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

THE OTHER PART OF THIS, WITH OUR APPROVAL, THERE ALSO CAME THE APPROVAL OF CAROLINE COUNTY'S CAREER LADDER.

[01:35:02]

CAROLINE COUNTY WAS ONE OF ONLY FOUR SYSTEMS IN THE STATE TO GET THE FULL APPROVAL.

HAVING MET ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

IT WENT THROUGH A TOTAL OF SEVEN, ACTUALLY GOT APPROVED, A FEW HAVE SOME EDITS AND SEVERAL HAVE NOT HIT THE MARK YET, BUT WE WERE ONE OF FOUR WHO DID.

AND THAT I CREDIT NOT ONLY ROB AND HIS GREAT WORK, BUT I'LL BE HONEST, I CREDIT OUR ASSOCIATION AS WELL.

CC AND THE LEADERSHIP OF AMY BAUMAN.

IT HAS BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO GET TO WHERE WE ARE.

AND AGAIN, IT WAS THAT VALIDATION OF BEING ONE OF FOUR TO HAVE HIT THAT MARK IN THAT SAME MEETING.

WE HAD TWO OTHER REALLY EXCITING THINGS COME UP.

DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY RECEIVED AN APPOINTMENT THAT DAY.

HE WAS APPROVED TO BE ON THE PILLAR TWO ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

SO FOR EACH OF THE PILLARS OF THE BLUEPRINT, THERE'S AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

ROB IS NOW ON THE PILLAR TWO ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

HE'S GOT AT LEAST A TWO-YEAR STINT ON THAT.

WE'RE EXCITED.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A STUDENT REP ON A PILLAR COMMITTEE PILLAR FOR KADEEM BELL, WHO IS OUR NEW STUDENT REP FROM NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL, WAS APPOINTED TO THE PILLAR FOUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

SO TINY LITTLE OLD CAROLINE COUNTY, ONE OF THE POOREST SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE, WAS ONE OF THE FIRST EIGHT TO GET APPROVED, ONE OF THE ONLY FOUR TO GET THE CAREER LADDER FULLY APPROVED, AND WE NOW HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL MEMBERS ON ADVISORY BOARDS, BOTH APPOINTED IN THE SAME MEETING.

NOT BAD FOR A TYPICALLY CONSIDERED A SMALL SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS.

OUR STAFF IS DOING GREAT THINGS.

AND OUR KIDS ARE DOING GREAT THINGS.

AND IT'S NICE TO RECEIVE THAT VALIDATION.

THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING.

AND I'LL BE HONEST, WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WE WERE GOING TO BE UP FOR APPROVAL UNTIL ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO BEFORE THE MEETING.

IT'S ALSO WHEN WE KNEW ABOUT THE CAREER LADDER INFORMATION, AND WHEN WE KNEW ABOUT DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY'S APPOINTMENT AND KADIN'S APPOINTMENT, IT ALL CAME LIKE, SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT A LOTTERY TICKET. IT ALL CAME AND LITERALLY THEY ALL WERE DIFFERENT EMAILS, THAT ALL SEEMED TO COME WITHIN ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO BEFORE THE MEETING.

AND IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS A NICE THING TO RECEIVE LAST WEEK.

SO THAT WAS MY BRIEF REPORT.

WELL, THAT'S EXCELLENT. I MEAN, I HAVE TO SAY HOW SIMPLE I LOOK AT THING.

THE SLIDE WITH APPROVE STAMPED ON THERE.

PRETTY CREATIVE I LOVE THAT, BUT IT'S SO TELLING OF THE ACHIEVEMENT.

THE OTHER AND I MIGHT BE SIMPLIFYING.

THIS BLUEPRINT TAKES A BLACK EYE, DESERVEDLY SO, FOR WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO TO BUDGETS AND WHERE'S THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A LOT.

AND IN OUR COUNTY, THAT CERTAINLY IS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING TO COME FROM? THESE ARE THINGS THAT THE THINGS YOU'RE DESCRIBING AREN'T MONEY THINGS.

THERE'S LABOR DEVOTED.

SO THAT'S A BUDGET ITEM CERTAINLY.

AND THERE'S SOME LEVEL OF COST.

BUT THIS ISN'T THAT ACHIEVEMENT BY YOU AND YOUR TEAM, DOCTOR DOWNES AND EVERYONE ELSE.

THAT'S AN ACHIEVEMENT OF QUALITY AND HARD WORK AND ORGANIZED EFFORT AND TRYING TO IMPROVE THIS THIS WORK FOR THE STUDENTS AND AS WELL THE PARENTS BENEFIT FROM THAT COMMUNITY BENEFIT FROM THAT.

SO THAT'S WHERE BLUEPRINT IS AT ITS BEST.

AND THIS COUNTY, THIS DISTRICT IS MAKING BLUEPRINT AT ITS BEST, THE WAY WE KNOW WE CAN DO AND NOT BREAKING OUR BUDGET.

ANOTHER COMMENT FROM ME AND THIS ONE JUST HITS HOME FOR ME.

SO YOU SAID ONE OF FOUR.

AND THERE'S A FEW OTHERS THAT ARE CLOSE THAT HAVE THE CAREER LADDER IN PLACE.

SO MAYBE I'M OVERPLAYING THIS, BUT WHAT ENTERS MY MIND ARE TEACHERS KNOW WHAT THEIR CAREER LADDER IS, AND 19 OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T KNOW THAT THEY DON'T.

NOW MAYBE THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE, BUT 104.

THOSE TEACHERS DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE.

WE HAVE IT.

THAT WAS DONE.

AND THAT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN.

SO, I THINK BRAVO ALL AROUND AND YOU CAN'T REST ON YOUR LAURELS.

YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE IT.

BUT AND WE SAW THIS IN THE PRESENTATIONS WE'VE BEEN GETTING THAT THE REGULAR PROGRESS YOU'RE TELLING US ABOUT WAS NOT SMOKE AND MIRRORS AND WE DIDN'T THINK SO ANYWAY.

BUT IT WAS THE REAL DEAL.

AND NOW THE I'VE HAS RECOGNIZED THAT.

SO IT'S AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS DON'T CERTAINLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT, BUT I JUST YOU SAID YOU WERE GIDDY.

[01:40:01]

MAYBE THAT LAST PIECE, THE TEACHERS, WHETHER THEY WHETHER THEY AGREE WITH IT OR NOT, IS A WHOLE NOTHER MATTER THAT I CAN'T JUDGE.

BUT THEY KNOW.

THEY KNOW WHERE THEY STAND AND THEY'RE LEARNING ABOUT IT.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY AND HIS TEAM WILL HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT, AS WILL THE REST OF THE STAFF.

SO ANYWAY, I'LL STOP AND LET THE REST OF THE BOARD COMMENT.

I'LL JUST MAKE THE COMMENT THAT WELL, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK IN THE BLUEPRINT SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART FOR PILLAR FOUR, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A STUDENT LENS AND SOME STUDENT FEEDBACK FROM OUR COUNTY, BECAUSE I AM PROUD OF THE WORK WE'VE DONE THERE, AND IT WILL BE REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW KIND OF A STUDENT VOICE TO TO SHARE SOME OF THE SUCCESSES THAT THEY HAVE SEEN HERE IN THE COUNTY AND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO.

SO THAT'S REALLY COOL. EXCITED TO HEAR THAT THAT HAPPENED.

AWESOME. YEAH.

YEAH. MARK, ANYTHING? JUST AGAIN, THANKS FOR THE THANKS FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND LIKE YOU SAY, WHETHER SOMEONE AGREES WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE BLUEPRINT OR NOT, IT'S THE CARDS THAT WE HAVE TO PLAY WITH AT THIS POINT.

AND I MEAN, KUDOS TO DOCTOR SIMMONS AND THE STAFF FOR WORKING IN THAT DIRECTION AND MAKING WHAT WE HAVE TO DO HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU.

YEAH. YEAH. THAT'S IT.

TROY OR MICHELE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? NOPE. YEP, YEP.

THANK YOU. SO WE CAN MOVE INTO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS THIS TIME OF YEAR.

NOT A LOT FOR US TO REPORT ON.

AND IT WILL BE COMING UP SOON, BUT I WANT TO PUT OUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ANY OF YOU THAT WANT TO COMMENT.

MY COMMENT WOULD BE WHAT I JUST SAID.

HOW PROUD I AM OF WHAT ALL OF YOU HAVE DONE.

AND YOU KNOW SOME ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AN EASY TIME.

I DON'T THINK IT HAS BEEN FOR YOU.

YOU'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD AND SO EFFECTIVELY, OBVIOUSLY.

BUT AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE? AND ORDINARILY WE JUST GO TO EACH OF YOU AND CAN REPORT.

BUT WE ALSO AGREED IF THE MEETINGS WERE RUNNING LONG, WE WON'T SAY MUCH.

BOARD MEETING NUMBER TWO.

YEAH, YEAH.

ALTHOUGH I MISSED OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS BEING HERE TONIGHT.

AND I'M HOPING THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME.

YEAH. IT'S PRETTY, PRETTY UNUSUAL.

WE MET MISS MICHELE TONIGHT.

YEAH. IT'S UNUSUAL FOR JUST THREE OF US TO BE HERE.

SO WE WERE ALL ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR BOARD RETREAT THIS LITTLE OVER A WEEK AGO AND MEANINGFUL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT WORK BUT MEANING MEANINGFUL WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TIME OF THE YEAR FOR BASICALLY TO SET THE KIND OF SET THE COURSE FOR THE YEAR, I GUESS IS A WAY TO WAY TO PUT IT.

AND THERE'S A JUST A MEANINGFUL DAYS WORK.

SO WE ALL WERE ABLE TO ATTEND.

SO YEAH, IT'S NICE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY THERE.

RIGHT. INCLUDING OUR FUTURE, LIKELY BOARD MEMBER FROM DISTRICT TWO.

SO YEAH, THEY'RE RIGHT.

THAT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK.

ANYTHING ELSE MICHELE OR TROY? I DON'T WANT TO SPEED.

I JUST WANT TO THANK DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY AND HIS TEAM FOR PUTTING US IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THESE GUYS DID A LOT OF WORK DURING THE SUMMER.

YEAH. AND TO CLARIFY, RETREAT.

NOT TURNING AND RUNNING.

THE OTHER TYPE OF RETREAT.

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO, DISCUSSION OF ITEMS FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION.

THERE'S NONE UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

[7. Unfinished Business]

IT'S A VERY MINOR CHANGE.

BUT MICHELLE, DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT ABOUT THAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

YES, YOU CAN SPEAK IN YOUR MIC.

OH, NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO IT.

SO, MICHELE, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT YOU HAD SUGGESTED MAYBE A CHANGE IN OUR LAYOUT OF OUR AGENDA WITH ITEM SIX AND SEVEN.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I SUGGEST TO US WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PROPOSED AGENDA, I GUESS I WOULD SAY I WAS THINKING THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO REVERSE NUMBER SIX AND SEVEN SO THAT WE WOULD HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS WITH NUMBER SIX, AND NUMBER SEVEN WOULD BE A DISCUSSION OF FUTURE BOARD ACTIONS.

SO WE WOULD BE WINDING UP ONE PART BEFORE WE STARTED ANOTHER.

[01:45:05]

EVERYBODY IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT? I MEAN, WE CAN VOTE ON IT, I GUESS, JUST FOR THE RECORD.

SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING ELSE.

SO, YOU WANT ANYBODY WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE THAT CHANGE? MICHELLE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE.

I MOVE THAT WE REVERSE UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND DISCUSSION OF FUTURE BOARD ACTIONS SO THAT, THE FUTURE BOARD ACTION COMES AFTER THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? SECOND. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION, MICHELLE.

OUTSTANDING. WE ARE NOW AT UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS.

[8. Upcoming Meetings and Events]

SCHOOL WILL BE IN SESSION BY THEN.

LOTS OF ACTIVITIES.

I ENCOURAGE BOARD MEMBERS TO CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THE GOOGLE SHEETS FOR WHICH ITEM OR WHICH THINGS YOU WILL BE ATTENDING.

NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST JUST TO HIGHLIGHT.

IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO MEET OUR NEW TEACHERS COMING IN.

AND THAT'S ON THE 13TH OF AUGUST AND THEN OUR ALL STAFF WELCOME BACK AT COLONEL HIGH ON THE 21ST AT 8:30 IN THE MORNING AT COLONEL HIGH.

SO, TWO GREAT EVENTS TO SEE OUR RETURNING STAFF AND TO MEET OUR NEW FAMILY MEMBERS.

AND RACHEL, IF YOU CAN HELP ME OUT WITH SOMETHING, I THINK THAT I HAD CHECKED THAT I WAS GOING TO BE THERE ON THE 21ST, AND THEN I UNCHECKED IT, AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO.

SO PLEASE ADD ME TO GO ON THE 21ST.

BE HAPPY TO PUT YOU BACK ON.

THANK YOU. I DO PLAN TO BE THERE BECAUSE I WOULDN'T WANT TO GET TO THE DOOR.

AND YOU SAY YOU DIDN'T SIGN UP.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED IN THE NEW SEAT.

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED IN.

AT CAPACITY. NO ROOM FOR YOU HERE.

OKAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO FILL OUT THAT GOOGLE SHEET OR THE SPREADSHEET.

A LOT OF BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS COMING UP.

THAT MEANS SCHOOL MUST BE GETTING READY TO START.

YES. WOW.

SUMMER WENT FAST.

SO, AS I MENTIONED, OUR NEXT MEETING IS SEPTEMBER 3RD.

THAT BRINGS US NOW TO MEETING ADJOURNMENT.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MOVE, WE ADJOURN.

AND A SECOND. I'LL SECOND.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU, TROY AND MICHELE, FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH US ON ZOOM.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.