[00:00:04] MEETING FOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024. [1. Opening Items] WE DID HAVE A CLOSED SESSION STARTING AT 4:30, AND NOW WE'RE BACK ABOUT TO BECOME AN OPEN SESSION. SO WE'RE CALLING OUR MEETING TO ORDER. WE HAVE ALL FIVE MEMBERS PRESENT TONIGHT AND I ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. I MOVE THAT WE RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION FOR OUR BOARD MEETING? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. WE ARE IN OPEN SESSION, AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY HERE TO HELP US WITH THE PLEDGE TONIGHT. RIGHT. WE ARE ON OUR OWN. I THINK WE CAN HANDLE IT. IT WON'T BE AS MUCH FUN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE OUR AGENDA TONIGHT WHICH HAS BEEN POSTED AND MADE PUBLIC. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE SOMETHING WE DO AT EVERY MEETING EACH MONTH? WE READ OUR MISSION STATEMENT. IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IT REMINDS US WHY WE'RE HERE. REMINDS US WHOLE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHY WE'RE HERE AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO FOCUS ON THE MISSION. 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. ALL RIGHT. SO TONIGHT WE THEN WILL MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC RECOGNITIONS AND COMMENT. [2. Public Recognitions / Comment] DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? YES. SO FIRST WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT EMAILED AND REQUESTED THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. MR. KRAMER WITH THE DELMARVA COUNCIL OF THE SCOUTING AMERICA PROGRAM. WELCOME. OH, SORRY. LET ME READ THIS REAL QUICK. IT'S NOT MY I DON'T USUALLY DO THAT, SO I'M SORRY. SO LET'S SEE. EACH PERSON ADDRESSING THE BOARD WILL HAVE A FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. ONCE THE TIME LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO FINISH THEIR COMMENTS. SPECIFIC AND PERSONAL REFERENCES TO STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, OR OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOARD ARE NOT PERMITTED. SHOULD SOMEONE WISH TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD ABOUT A SPECIFIC PERSON OR STUDENT, THEY MAY DO SO IN WRITING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR BOARD. RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTIVE OR INTERFERES WITH THE ORDER OF THE MEETING IS NOT PERMITTED, AND INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT GIVE THEIR TIME TO OTHERS ON THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. THANK YOU. SURE. OH, SURE. YEAH. WELCOME, SIR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. I'VE GOT THIS TIMED AT FIVE MINUTES, SO I WILL DO MY BEST TO KEEP IT AT THAT FIVE MINUTE LIMIT. THANK YOU. FIRST AND FOREMOST, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CUB SCOUT PACKS AND THE SCOUTS BSA TROOPS IN CAROLINE COUNTY. AS RACHEL SAID, MY NAME IS WILLIAM KRAMER, AND I CURRENTLY SERVE THIS COUNTY AS A DISTRICT EXECUTIVE, OVERSEEING ALL SCOUTING UNITS IN THIS COUNTY AND THREE OTHERS. ALTHOUGH I ONLY STARTED WITH THE PROFESSIONAL ARM OF THIS ORGANIZATION ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I HAVE OVER 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BOTH AS A YOUTH AND A VOLUNTEER WITH THIS PROGRAM. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED SINCE I WAS EIGHT. I HOPE TO TAKE THESE FEW MINUTES TO DISCUSS THE PROFOUND IMPACT THAT SCOUTING CAN HAVE ON STUDENTS, BOTH IN TERMS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE SUCCESS. SCOUTING IS NOT JUST ABOUT EARNING BADGES OR LEARNING HOW TO PITCH A TENT. IT'S ABOUT EQUIPPING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIFE SKILLS THAT SHAPE THEM INTO RESPONSIBLE, CONFIDENT, AND RESOURCEFUL INDIVIDUALS. SCOUTING INSTILLS ESSENTIAL VALUES SUCH AS LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND RESILIENCE. STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE IN SCOUTING PROGRAMS ARE OFTEN GIVEN LEADERSHIP ROLES. THESE RESPONSIBILITIES HELP BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE AND A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY. SCOUTING EMPHASIZES TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION. AS SCOUTS WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS, THIS SENSE OF CAMARADERIE AND SHARED PURPOSE FOSTERS LONG LASTING FRIENDSHIPS AND TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH OTHERS. A CRITICAL LIFETIME SKILL. ANOTHER BENEFIT OF SCOUTING IS THE EMPHASIS ON CHARACTER BUILDING. SCOUTS ARE TAUGHT CORE PRINCIPLES SUCH AS HONESTY, RESPECT, AND RESPONSIBILITY. THROUGH OUR SCOUT OATH AND OUR SCOUT LAW. SCOUTING ENCOURAGES YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE INITIATIVE. MAKE THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY, WHICH ARE QUALITIES THAT WILL SERVE THEM NOT ONLY IN SCHOOL BUT ALSO IN FUTURE CAREERS AND RELATIONSHIPS. [00:05:01] BEYOND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, SCOUTING ALSO PROVIDES PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS THAT ARE INVALUABLE IN TODAY'S WORLD. THIS IS THE STUFF THAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A SCOUT FIRST AID TRAINING, SURVIVAL SKILLS TO FINANCIAL LITERACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. SCOUTING OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF HANDS ON ACTIVITIES TO FACILITATE THOSE GOALS AND AIMS. THESE SKILLS HELP STUDENTS BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT, RESOURCEFUL, AND ADAPTABLE. FINALLY, SCOUTING OFFERS A UNIQUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND BELONGING THROUGH CAMPS, TRIPS AND EVENTS. STUDENTS OFTEN FIND A SUPPORTIVE NETWORK THAT ENCOURAGES THEIR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THIS SENSE OF BELONGING CAN BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THESE FORMATIVE YEARS OF ADOLESCENCE, WHEN STUDENTS ARE NAVIGATING BOTH ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL CHALLENGES. MISS BERRY'S HELPED ME HAND YOU ALL THE VISUAL AID THAT I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY HIGHLY HIGHLIGHT SOME STATISTICS ON. THIS IS BASED ON A STUDY THAT TUFTS UNIVERSITY DID ON 2000 STUDENTS, SOME WHO WERE AND SOME WHO WERE NOT SCOUTS. THIS STUDY, OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, NOTED SEVERAL KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SCOUTS AND NON SCOUTS. SCOUTS HAD AN APPROVED CHANGE IN SEVERAL CHARACTER TRAITS, THE MOST NOTABLE BEING KINDNESS, HELPFULNESS, OBEDIENCE BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE HOME, AND CHEERFULNESS. SCOUTS ARE 70% MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE A-LEVEL GRADES THAN NON SCOUTS. LONG TERM SCOUTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL THAN NON SCOUTS, AND ALMOST TWICE AS LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM SOME INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING. ADULTS WHO WERE LONG TERM SCOUTS HAVE HIGHER MEDIAN INCOMES AND ARE VASTLY MORE LIKELY TO OWN A HOME. THE REASON I BROUGHT THESE POINTS UP TO THE BOARD IS SIMPLE. SCOUTING IS FADING AWAY IN THIS COUNTY. WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE CUB SCOUT PACKS AND ABOUT FOUR SCOUT TROOPS SCATTERED IN DIFFERENT AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. THESE 7 OR 8 UNITS ALL SHARE THE SAME ISSUE. THEIR CURRENT ENROLLMENT IS DANGEROUSLY LOW AND UNSUSTAINABLE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. WE ATTEMPTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO PARTNER WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, IN PARTICULAR FOLLOWING THE CURRENT GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON US, AND HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE SUCCESS AT FINDING NEW SCOUTS TO JOIN OUR THREE CUB SCOUT PACKS. WE EMPLOYED THE PEACH JAR SOFTWARE AS THE COUNTY'S PRIMARY MEANS OF FLIER DISTRIBUTION FOR THE EVENTS THAT WE DID SCHEDULE, AND WHAT WE DISCOVERED IS THAT APPROXIMATELY 1% OF FAMILIES VIEWED ANY OF THE FLIERS THAT WERE RELEASED, AND EVEN LESS ACTUALLY ENGAGED WITH THEM. ALL FIVE OF THE EVENTS THAT WE SCHEDULED, WE HAD A COMBINED TEN FAMS. APPROXIMATELY TEN FAMILIES SHOW UP. WE HAD NO ONE SHOW UP AT OUR EVENT AT PRESTON ELEMENTARY UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY. WE WERE ALSO NOT PERMITTED WHATSOEVER TO COME IN AND TALK WITH THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING LUNCH, WHICH IS WHERE WE GET OUR HIGHEST LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT. UNDER THE CURRENT MODEL OF THE SCOUTING PROGRAM EMPLOYEES. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTION FOR A PHYSICAL FLIER AND A STUDENT AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS HAND. NOR IS THERE ONE FOR FACE TO FACE ENGAGEMENT. IT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT OUR PROGRAM CAN GET STUDENTS EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF BEING A SCOUT. KNOWING THIS, AND THE REASON THAT I'M HERE TONIGHT IS TO MAKE A PERSONAL PLEA TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SAFETY AND THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF THE 5000 PLUS STUDENTS IN THE SYSTEM ARE PARAMOUNT ABOVE ALL ELSE. THIS IS A PRIORITY THAT OUR PROGRAM SHARES. SAFETY IS OUR ORGANIZATION'S TOP PRIORITY AS WELL. WE SHARE THE SAME GOALS AND VISION FOR OUR YOUNG CITIZENS, AND I IMPLORE YOU ALL TO SEE IT IN YOUR HEARTS TO FORM A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH US AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND SCOUTING HAS A PAYOFF THAT IS PRICELESS AND CANNOT BE MEASURED IN MONETARY VALUE. IN CONCLUSION, BECAUSE I HEARD THAT TIMER GO OFF, SCOUTING OFFERS MUCH MORE THAN CAMPING TRIPS, BADGES, AND CEREMONIES. IT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS, FOSTERS PERSONAL GROWTH, AND CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. BY PARTICIPATING IN SCOUTING, STUDENTS NOT ONLY PREPARE FOR ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS, BUT ALSO FOR A LIFETIME OF MAKING POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO THE WORLD. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND THEN WE ALSO HAD MR. CHAD CHARLES DEAN. [INAUDIBLE]. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING. MRS. BARTH, MR. JONES, ESPECIALLY GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. ROCHELLE. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO TESTIFY WITH YOU IN THE ROOM. REGARDLESS THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING HERE, BUT A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND NONETHELESS. I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, PRIVATE SCHOOL, AND CHARTER SCHOOL FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS. DECORATED, NATIONALLY RANKED IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES HISTORY. [00:10:05] BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE. I ALSO RUN THE CITIZEN WATCHDOG GROUP CAROLINE, PAST AND PRESENT. I INVITE YOU TO JOIN IT ON FACEBOOK SO YOU CAN PUT YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF THE COMMUNITY, BOTH IN TERMS OF WHAT IS WORKING HERE AND WHAT'S NOT. BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE. I HAVE BEEN HERE PREVIOUSLY TO DISCUSS TOPICS SUCH AS ESSENTIALS FOR LEARNING. I WAS ONE OF 45 SPEAKERS TO SHOW UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO EXPLAIN WHY, FROM EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM IT DIDN'T WORK, WASN'T GOING TO WORK AND WELL, THAT SUPERINTENDENT WHO BROUGHT IT TO CAROLINE COUNTY IS NO LONGER HERE. SO SCORE ONE FOR THE GOOD GUYS. BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE. MOST RECENTLY, I SPOKE BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROPOSED ADVANCED PLACEMENT UNITED STATES, EXCUSE ME. UNITED STATES HISTORY TEXTBOOK. A NUMBER OF ERRORS IN IT. IT WAS ADOPTED ANYWAY. BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE. SO WHY AM I HERE? IT IS TO GIVE YOU A SHORT HISTORY LESSON. THE FIRST TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR ELECTIONS NATIONALLY SINCE 1845. LOOK AROUND YOU TONIGHT. THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE HERE. I WOULD PROFFER TO YOU THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY ATTENDANCE IS POOR TONIGHT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STANDING IN LINE TO VOTE, AS OPPOSED TO SITTING HERE. I HAVE VISITED ALL EIGHT POLLING PLACES TODAY. THERE HAS BEEN A WOODSTOCK SIZED CROWD. LIKE FIELD OF DREAMS DRIVING INTO THE BASEBALL FIELD AT NIGHT AT THE END OF THE MOVIE TYPE SITUATION SINCE DAWN. SO HERE'S MY ASK FOR 2026, WHICH WOULD BE THE NEXT ELECTION TUESDAY. WITH THAT MUCH ADVANCE NOTICE, MY HOPE IS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL RESCHEDULE SO THAT THIS MONTHLY MEETING IN NOVEMBER OF 2026 AND FOR THAT MATTER, DEPENDING ON WHEN THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS HELD THAT YEAR AS WELL, THAT YOU WOULD ALSO RESCHEDULE THE MEETING THAT MONTH. SO THIS MEETING WOULD BE ON A DIFFERENT NIGHT THAN ELECTION DAY. THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT. THANK YOU. LOCKED IN. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE NOW TO OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORT AND YOU CAN LIKE DO ROCK PAPER, SCISSORS TO SEE WHO'S GOING TO GO FIRST. [INAUDIBLE], I THINK I ALWAYS GO FIRST. THE WAY THE SLIDE. SO YOU'RE SAYING WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT UP SINCE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE YOU? VANESSA'S HOPING NOT. SHE SHOOK HER HEAD VERY VIGOROUSLY TO BE LIKE, OH, WE'RE GOOD. WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YEAH. OKAY. HI, EVERYONE. SO TO START OFF WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY. DOCTOR KREBS HAD TO SAY THAT WE ARE READY FOR FALL AND ALL THAT IT BRINGS. LAST MONTH, DENTON ELEMENTARY WELCOMED PRE-K STUDENTS AND HAD AN AMAZING START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR. HOLD ON. [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY. OCTOBER WAS A BUSY MONTH AT DENTON ELEMENTARY AND WE HAVE MORE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN NOVEMBER. LAST MONTH THEY HAD FALL FIELD TRIPS, FALL PHOTOS. THEY VISITED THE MARYLAND SCIENCE CENTER AND HAD A TRUNK OR TREAT EVENT AND A HALLOWEEN CHARACTER PARADE AND FOR NOVEMBER. ON NOVEMBER 11TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FIRST ACADEMIC NIGHT, AND NOVEMBER 15TH WILL BE PARENT VISITATION DAY. MR. SUTTON HAD TO SAY THAT ADVENTURES AWAIT AT RES. WE WISH EVERYONE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING BREAK ON NOVEMBER 5TH. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE, WHICH IS TODAY. NOVEMBER 8TH THEY HAVE MARYLAND SCIENCE CENTER VISIT ALONG WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY, I'M GUESSING AND THEN NOVEMBER 15TH. FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS WILL TAKE AN EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIP TO THE EASTON BOWLING ALLEY. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S EDUCATIONAL, BUT SOUNDS FUN. THEY DO. THEY DO A REALLY NEAT MATH THING, AND THEN THEY LOOK AT MACHINES BECAUSE IT'S COOL. I NEVER GOT TO SEE IT IN HIGH SCHOOL DO THAT. THEY'LL TAKE THEM BACK TO SEE HOW THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL MACHINES WORK TO RELOAD THE PINS, WHICH IS FASCINATING. IT REALLY WAS. I THINK HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD DO IT. IT WAS NEAT. HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD DO IT. SOUNDS FUN. SOUNDS REALLY FUN. GOOD TIMING. THEN ON NOVEMBER 18TH THROUGH THE 22ND. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FALL BOOK FAIR, AND NOVEMBER 20TH IS ALSO PARENT VISITATION DAY. LAST MONTH AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY, THEY HAD THEIR FIRST MONTHLY READING AND MATH INCENTIVE GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY. LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND NORTH CAROLINA. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR MULTILINGUAL LEARNER INFORMATION NIGHT OR THEY HAD IT. THEY HAD THEIR COUNTY SPELLING BEE AND SABRINA FORMAN. I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU SAY HER LAST NAME. SHE WAS A SECOND PLACE WINNER, SO CONGRATS. [00:15:02] FIRST GRADE HAD A FIELD TRIP TO J-Z FARMS. THEY ALSO HAD A HALLOWEEN AND CHARACTER PARADE, AND THEY HAD THEIR FALL FUN AND HISPANIC HERITAGE EVENT ON NOVEMBER 1ST. IT WAS THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER AND STAFF PUMPKIN PALOOZA CONTEST. TODAY THEY HAD THEIR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES. NOVEMBER 15TH THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FIRST ANNUAL TURKEY TROT AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 21ST, IT'S THEIR PARENT VISITATION DAY, AND IT'S ALSO AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK. AT LOCKERMAN LAST MONTH. THEY HAD THEIR FIRST DANCE OF THE YEAR, AND MISS NECESSARY SAID THAT IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT. EIGHTH GRADERS AND MISS RUSSELL'S FLIGHT AND SPACE CLASS VISITED THE EASTERN AIRPORT. SOUNDS COOL AND THEY'RE STUDENTS OF THE MONTH. WERE TREATED TO ICE CREAM, AND THEY ALSO SAID SHOUT OUT TO BULLOCKS FOR SPONSORING THEM. AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 7TH, THEY HAVE THEIR JOINT VETERANS PROGRAM WITH NORTH CAROLINA. AND THAT'S ALWAYS REALLY GOOD AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FIRST QUARTERLY PBIS INCENTIVE. MISTER SPIKER HAD TO SAY THAT NCS HAD A FANTASTIC FALL FEST, AND IT WAS A GREAT SEEING SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS COME OUT AND ENJOY IT WITH THEIR KIDS. LAST MONTH AT NORTHTOWN, WE HAD OUR HOMECOMING DANCE, WHICH WAS VERY BUSY BUT FUN AND THEN WE ALSO HAD OUR HAUNTED HALLWAYS, WHICH I DID NOT THINK IT WOULD BE THAT COOL AND IT ACTUALLY WAS REALLY, GREAT. AND THEN WE HAD A HALF A DAY ON THE FIRST, ALWAYS FUN. TODAY WE HAD NO SCHOOL, WHICH WAS AMAZING AND THEN WASTED A GOOD FOG DELAY AND THEN ON THE SEVENTH WE'LL HAVE THE VETERANS PROGRAM WITH MS. WE GOT A REPORT CARDS ON FRIDAY. THAT'S FUN AND THEN NOVEMBER 15TH, WE'RE HAVING A BLOOD DRIVE THAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ARE PARTICIPATING IN AND NOVEMBER 15TH THROUGH THE 16TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR DRAMA ONE ACT FOR THEATER. MISS PANTY, YES, THEY HAD THEIR SPOOKTACULAR HALL FESTIVAL, WHICH WAS ALSO KIND OF WITH NHS. THEN THEY HAD THEIR OWN SPOOKTACULAR LIKE THING IN THEIR SCHOOL, AND IT WAS A HUGE HIT IN THE COSMETOLOGY DEPARTMENT. THEY ALL DRESSED UP REALLY CRAZY AND THEN THEY HAD AN ACADEMY OF HEALTH, PROFESSION, STUDENTS, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING HARD AND DEVELOPING THEIR NURSING SKILLS DURING CLINICAL ROTATIONS AND FFA WENT TO THE NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION IN INDIANAPOLIS AND THEN ON NOVEMBER 7TH, THEY'LL HAVE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING. STUDENTS WILL BE PRESENTING THEIR DART BOARD CABINET DESIGNS TO THE PUBLIC AND BUSINESS PARTNERS ON CCT. THAT'S COOL. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU AND THEN THOSE ARE PICTURES FROM THE HALLWAYS. IT WAS CUTE. YEAH, THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TURNOUT. REALLY GOOD. IT WAS LOTS OF FUN. THAT WAS AWESOME. VERY NICE. OKAY, VANESSA. YOUR TURN. PRESTON ELEMENTARY. LAST MONTH, THEY CONTINUED WITH THEIR EDUCATOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES. THEY, LIKE, SHOW THE EDUCATION OF THEIR TEACHERS. SOME FUN STUFF, FUN FACTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. THEY RECOGNIZE MRS. ELLEN, MRS. BROWN, MR. AND MRS. IRELAND. THEY CELEBRATED RED RIBBON WEEK WITH SPIRIT DAYS AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. THEY DID WALK TO SCHOOL DAY. THEY WALKED FROM PRESTON ELEMENTARY TO THE JAMES WRIGHT PARK RIGHT UP THE STREET. THEY CELEBRATED HALLOWEEN WITH PARTIES, PARADES, COSTUMES, AWARDS AND CANDY BAGS. NEXT MONTH ON NOVEMBER 8TH, THEY'LL HAVE GRANDPARENTS AND VETERANS DAY ALL IN ONE. NOVEMBER 4TH THROUGH EIGHTH IS THEIR BOOK FAIR, AND NOVEMBER 20TH IS ACADEMIC NIGHT AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY. MISS BROGAN SAYS, WE HAD A FANTASTIC OCTOBER FILLED WITH ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS. WE'RE EXCITED TO LAUNCH INTO NOVEMBER WITH THE SAME ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON GREAT ACADEMICS AND ENGAGE IN FUN, REWARDING ACTIVITIES TOGETHER. LAST MONTH, CARSON LESLIE WENT ON TO THE COUNTYWIDE SPELLING BEE AND WON THIRD PLACE. STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES DECORATED PUMPKINS TO REPRESENT THEIR FAVORITE BOOKS AND THEN SHOWCASE THEM ONE DAY AT SCHOOL. THEY HAD THEIR THIRD ANNUAL TRUNK OR TREAT, AND STUDENTS RECEIVED DOG TAGS FOR THEIR FLUENCY AND MULTIPLICATION FACTS NEXT MONTH. THIS FRIDAY, ACTUALLY, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FIRST PEP RALLY, AND I'M GOING TO GO. I'M REALLY EXCITED. NOVEMBER 18TH THROUGH 22ND IS AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK. THEY HAVE TONS OF FUN STUFF PLANNED ALL WEEK, BUT THURSDAY, SALISBURY UNIVERSITY IS COMING TO PLAY WIFFLE BALL WITH THE FIFTH GRADERS. YEAH [INAUDIBLE] HAS A GREAT CONNECTION AT SALISBURY UNIVERSITY GET SOME OTHER BASEBALL PLAYERS TO SHOW UP. THAT'S FUN. COLONEL MIDDLE. DOCTOR HOLLOWAY SAYS THAT CRS HAD A GREAT FIRST QUARTER. THEY'RE SIXTH GRADERS HAVE COME IN AND TRANSITIONED SMOOTHLY TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY HAVE ESPECIALLY LOVED THE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE LUNCH OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADE CLASSROOMS HAVE BEEN BUSY, AND THOSE STUDENTS HAVE SHOWN OVERWHELMINGLY THAT THEY ARE POWER PLAYERS. [00:20:02] SO FAR, SO GOOD. LAST MONTH, THEY CELEBRATED THEIR WALK TO SCHOOL DAY WITH 30 MINUTES ON THE TRACK. THEY HAD THEIR FARM TO TABLE EVENT. THEY HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE OUT THERE. THERE'S A COUPLE PICTURES ON THE LAST SLIDE, BUT CHOPTANK WAS WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME. THEY HAD LIKE THESE JUICES THAT THEY MADE AND THEY HAD LIKE ANTIOXIDANTS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF MINERALS IN THEM. THERE ARE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY SPONSORED A FOOD DRIVE TO SUPPORT HURRICANE HELEN AND MILTON VICTIMS. THE GREAT SHAKEOUT NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE DRILL THE FIRST YEAR, A STAKEHOLDERS MEETING AND MISS LONG AND INTENSIVE SUPPORT IA RETIRED. COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL. THEY HAD A SUCCESSFUL HOMECOMING WEEKEND DANCE. THEY HAD. THEY HELD THE TOURNAMENT OF THE BANDS. THEY HAD THEIR MUSIC PROGRAM, FALL FEST, AND IT WAS REALLY COOL. A LOT OF THE KIDS IN THE BAND DO DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE CROCHET AND LIKE THE WITH THE PIN AND THE NEEDLE. I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT LIKE, THEY CAME OUT AND THEY SOLD THEIR STUFF FOR MONEY TO LIKE, DONATE BACK TO THE MUSIC PROGRAM. THE ART HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION TOOK PLACE. 10TH GRADE TOOK THEIR PSAT, AND WE HELD A DOUBLEHEADER FOR SOCCER'S PLAYOFF GAMES, AND THEN VOLLEYBALL'S PLAYOFF GAME WAS THE NEXT WEEK. FOOTBALL IS ALSO GETTING READY FOR THEIR PLAYOFF GAME NEXT MONTH ON NOVEMBER 15TH. WINTER SPORTS TRYOUTS BEGIN NOVEMBER 12TH. NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY WILL HAVE THEIR INDUCTION CEREMONY AND NOVEMBER 18TH SALISBURY WILL BE HERE FOR AN ON SITE ADMISSIONS EVENT. WOW. AMAZING. WINTER SPORTS ALREADY STARTED. RACHEL, DO YOU MIND ON THE NEXT SLIDE WITH THE PICTURES? THERE'S SOME PICTURES FROM THEIR STAKEHOLDERS. COMMITTEE MEETING STUDENTS HIDING UNDER TABLES AND DESKS FOR THE GREAT SHAKEOUT STUDENTS. LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE LEAVING THE TRACK. BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY DID FOR A WALK TO SCHOOL DAY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN THEIR FARM TO TABLE EVENT FEATURING CHOPTANK COMMUNITY HEALTH. BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU GUYS WERE ALIVE THEN, BUT WE DID HAVE AN EARTHQUAKE IN CAROLINE COUNTY. REALLY? YES WE DID, RIGHT AFTER COLONEL GOT RENOVATED. REALLY? AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS LITERALLY AT THAT MOMENT OF LIKE, IS THERE A BULLDOZER DRIVING BY OUTSIDE? AND IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BECAUSE IT HAD JUST GOTTEN DONE AND IT LEGIT. WE HAD AN EARTHQUAKE AND IT CRACKED A LITTLE BIT OF THE CONCRETE AND ONE OF THE CLASSROOMS, AND WE LITERALLY WERE GOING TO JUST GOT DONE. BUT NO, WE ACTUALLY HAD AN EARTHQUAKE. IT WAS IN LIKE AUGUST OF 2011, RIGHT? AUGUST OF 11. NO, YOU GUYS WERE YOU WERE REALLY YOUNG. YEAH. VIVID MEMORIES. YEAH. AUGUST 11TH. YEAH. IT WAS THE WILDEST THING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT USED TO THAT HERE AND IT LITERALLY WAS. WHAT IN THE HECK IS THAT? THAT'S WHAT IT WAS. BUT YOU DEFINITELY HAD THAT WEIRD FEELING. IT WAS WILD. YEAH AND THANKS FOR SHARING THE PICTURES OF THE FARM TO TABLE EVENT AND, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTING CHOPTANK SINCE, YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. WAY TO PLAY THE CROWD. IT WAS A REALLY WAS A GREAT EVENT THAT OUR FOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS PUT ON. THE FOOD WAS AMAZING AND THE COLONEL MIDDLE STUDENTS WERE. JACK AND I WERE THERE, COLONEL MIDDLE STUDENTS WERE AWESOME AND, MAN, THEY TRIED EVERYTHING. DIDN'T MATTER WHAT IT WAS, THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO TRY IT AND IT WAS GOOD. [INAUDIBLE]. IS THIS HOW THEY REALLY ARE? YEAH. YES. THAT'S IT. THIS IS OUR KIDS. SO IT WAS NEAT. IT WAS GOOD. THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT. WELL DONE. VERY GOOD REPORTS. THANK YOU AND, YOU KNOW, DON'T FEEL OBLIGED TO STAY IF YOU NEED TO GO. THIS WAS A DAY OFF FROM SCHOOL. [INAUDIBLE] HAD TO BE HERE. MY GOODNESS. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE THERE WILL BE FOG IN THE MORNING THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SLEEP. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I GOT UP AND I WAS LIKE. I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED A FOG DAY. TRUST ME. I HEARD THAT IN MY HOUSEHOLD, A LOT OF PEOPLE WELCOME TO STAY. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. YES. THANK YOU, YOU TOO. [3. Consent Agenda] AND NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY HAS COME TO THE PODIUM. PRESIDENT BARTON. DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY PERSONNEL AGENDA HAS TWO LEAVES OF ABSENCE, ONE EMPLOYEE, BUT TWO DIFFERENT LEAVES, AND THEN ONE REQUEST FOR A SICK LEAVE WAIVER. ALL RIGHT. I DO, WE ALSO HAVE OUR MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 1ST AND OCTOBER 15TH. UNLESS THERE IS ADJUSTMENTS OR REQUESTED CHANGES TO THE MINUTES BY ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PASS THE CONSENT AGENDA TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT STANDS. WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT. CONSENT AGENDA IS PASSED. [00:25:01] AND NOW ON TO INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS. [4. Individual Action Items] WE HAVE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS AND AUDIT REPORTS. THAT'S EXCITING STUFF. YES IT IS. SO FIRST UP THIS EVENING AND HOW DO YOU WANT TO HANDLE THIS AUDIT REPORTS FIRST OR. OKAY. SO WE WILL DO OUR AUDIT REPORTS FIRST AND THEN JILL WILL COME TO YOU WITH THE BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE AUDIT REPORT AFTER THE INFORMATION BACK FROM THERE TO KIND OF CLOSE OUT OUR BOOKS. SO WITH THAT, WE WILL TURN TO AUDREY, WHO WILL WALK US THROUGH AUDIT REPORT. THE BOARD DID RECEIVE THE AUDIT REPORT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, SO THEY'VE HAD TIME TO THOROUGHLY READ EVERY PAGE. EVERY PAGE AS YOU'RE TRYING TO GO TO SLEEP EVERY NIGHT, WRITE OUT MORE THAN ONCE. YEAH, WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL PAPER COPIES AS THE BOARD NEEDS IT. I WILL TRY TO KEEP THIS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. SO YOU I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A FINANCIAL REPORT AND AN AUDIT COMMUNICATION. IF YOU HAVE BOTH OF THOSE. THE AUDIT REPORT IS THE LARGER OF THE TWO PACKETS AND I WILL TAKE YOU IMMEDIATELY IN THAT TO THE PAGE LABELED PAGE ONE, WHICH IS THE REPORT ON THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND I WILL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION ON THAT PAGE TO THE SECOND PARAGRAPH UNDER OPINIONS WHERE IT STATES. IN OUR OPINION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFERRED TO ABOVE PRESENT FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, THE RESPECTIVE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES, THE BUSINESS TYPE ACTIVITIES, EACH MAJOR FUND AND THE AGGREGATE REMAINING FUND. INFORMATION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2024, AND THE RESPECTIVE CHANGES IN FINANCIAL POSITION AND WHERE APPLICABLE, CASH FLOWS THEREFOR FOR THE YEAR THEN ENDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES GENERALLY ACCEPTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PARAGRAPH IN THIS. IT MEANS IT'S A CLEAN, UNMODIFIED OPINION. NO ISSUES TO REPORT, NOTHING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. ALL IS GOOD. YES. THE REPORT AFTER THAT IS ON INTERNAL CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE. YOUR AUDIT IS PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS. AGAIN, WITH THAT REPORT. NOTHING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. THE NEXT SECTION OF THE AUDIT REPORT STARTING ON ABOUT PAGE SEVEN IS YOUR MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS AND THAT IS PREPARED BY MANAGEMENT AND IT JUST TRIES TO GIVE A USER FRIENDLY FORMAT TO KIND OF SHOW COMPARISONS BETWEEN PRIOR YEAR AND CURRENT YEAR, AND THEN TALK ABOUT PROBABLY FUTURE IMPACTS THAT MAY HAPPEN WITH THE BOARD. THE NEXT PAGE I WILL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO, IF YOU TURN TO PAGE 19/ 20, THAT IS THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS BALANCE SHEET AND SO THAT INCLUDES ALL YOUR GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE KEY ITEMS FROM THIS UNDER ASSETS CURRENTLY FOR TOTAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS, TOTAL CASH IS SITTING AT 24 MILLION. THAT'S UP ABOUT 8 MILLION FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. YOUR LIABILITIES REMAINED RELATIVELY CONSISTENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AND YOUR FUND BALANCE WAS UP ABOUT 6.2 MILLION FROM YEAR TO YEAR, WHICH IS GOOD. ON THE NEXT PAGE, PAGE 21, THAT'S THE GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE. TOTAL REVENUES FOR THE YEAR ON PAGE 21 ARE AT 119 MILLION. THAT'S UP ABOUT 11.5 MILLION FROM THE PRIOR YEAR AND THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO FUNDING RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND IN TOTAL. A LOT RELATED TO BLUEPRINT AND THEN SOME CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDING THAT CAME FROM THE STATE AS WELL AND THEN YOUR TOTAL EXPENSES DOWN AT THE BOTTOM WERE ABOUT 112.8 MILLION, WHICH EXPENSES FOR THE YEAR WERE UP ABOUT 8.5. SO OVERALL, YOUR EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES FOR THE YEAR WAS AT ABOUT 6.2 MILLION, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO YOUR INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE. ON PAGE 23 IS YOUR STATEMENT OF FUND NET POSITION FOR YOUR PROPRIETARY FUND. THAT'S YOUR FOOD SERVICE FUND IS RUN LIKE A BUSINESS FUND AND AGAIN, YOU SAW AN INCREASE IN CASH OF ABOUT 600,000. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS RELATIVELY CONSISTENT. YOUR TOTAL NET POSITION IN THAT FUND DROPPED ABOUT 200,000. THERE WAS A SHIFT KIND OF BETWEEN INVESTMENT AND CAPITAL ASSETS AND UNRESTRICTED AND ACTUALLY YOU WANT TO SEE THAT MSD DOES NOT LIKE TO SEE THAT UNRESTRICTED NET POSITION GO UP REALLY HIGH IN THAT FOOD SERVICE FUND. SO IT'S GOOD TO BE USING THAT. AND IT'S SHIFTING BETWEEN CAPITAL ASSETS AND UNRESTRICTED YOUR REVENUE AND EXPENSE FOR THE YEAR. ON PAGE 24 FOR THAT FOOD SERVICE FUND FAIRLY COMPARABLE TO THE PRIOR YEAR AND THEN I WILL TAKE YOU TO YOUR NEXT SET OF STATEMENTS I THINK PAGE 26, GO TO PAGE 26. KEEP. YEAH. ONE MORE, AFTER THAT. I'M SORRY. YEAH, RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU. THIS IS YOUR STATEMENT OF FIDUCIARY NET POSITION. [00:30:03] SO THIS IS YOUR OPEB TRUST FUND AND YOUR CUSTODIAL FUNDS. SO YOUR OPEB TRUST FUND AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT PAGE WHICH IS THE REVENUES HAD INCREASED IN IT INCREASES IN THE CURRENT YEAR DUE TO MARKET CONDITIONS. THE MARKET IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN JULY OF 2023 AND JUNE OF 2024. CUSTODIAL FUNDS, WHICH ARE THE FUNDS WHERE YOU'RE BASICALLY PERFORMING, I CALL THEM, PASS THROUGH ACTIVITIES FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. YOU'LL SEE A BIG DECREASE IF YOU LOOKED AT THIS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR, DECREASES IN THOSE CUSTODIAL FUNDS AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE HEAD START PROGRAM IS NO LONGER BEING RUN BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SO THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS CUSTODIAL FUNDS MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING LIKE CUSTODIANS. IT COULD IN THE ACCOUNTING WORLD IT'S CUSTODIAL FIDUCIARY IN THAT RESPECT. CORRECT AND SO ON PAGE 27 YOU CAN SEE UNDER YOUR OPEB RETIREE BENEFIT TRUST FUND, YOU CAN SEE THAT INVESTMENT INCOME, WHICH WAS DUE TO MARKET FLUCTUATION, AND THEN THE REVENUE AND EXPENSE YOU DID SEE IN THOSE CUSTODIAL FUNDS. THE NEXT APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 PAGES ARE THE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. THERE ARE NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THOSE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. SO I AM GOING TO DIRECT YOU IF WE'LL TURN TO PAGE 56, WHICH ON THE PDF. YEAH. TRY RIGHT THERE. PERFECT. THIS IS YOUR STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE BUDGETARY BASIS. SO THIS INCLUDES YOUR ENCUMBRANCES FOR THE YEAR AND THIS IS USUALLY THE STATEMENTS THAT EVERYBODY'S MOST CONCERNED WITH. SO YOU WILL SEE ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE PAGE TOTAL UNRESTRICTED REVENUES. YOU WILL SEE THAT YOU BUDGETED TOTAL UNRESTRICTED REVENUES FOR ABOUT 90.5 MILLION, AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE ABOUT 91.3 MILLION IN ACTUAL REVENUES, AND THAT IS ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE BLUEPRINT WAS RECEIVED AND THEN A LOT MORE INTEREST INCOME THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED FOR THE YEAR AND THAT'S YOU HAVE FUNDING WITH THE MARYLAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOL THAT HAS BEEN DOING REALLY WELL WITH THOSE INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES AND THEN IF YOU FLIP ABOUT THREE PAGES TO PAGE 59 RIGHT THERE. PERFECT. ABOUT AGAIN, ABOUT HALFWAY ON THAT PAGE, YOU'LL SEE A TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF LOCAL AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS. AGAIN, THE BUDGET WAS 90.5 MILLION AND ACTUAL EXPENDITURES WERE ABOUT 5 MILLION UNDER THAT, AT ABOUT 85.4 MILLION AND THAT WAS DUE TO INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES COMING IN UNDER BUDGET FOR THE YEAR. THE REST OF THE FINANCIALS ARE JUST REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION AND SOME OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. I CAN GO THROUGH THOSE IF YOU LIKE OR IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIALS. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE. QUESTION AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER REPORT YOU DID RECEIVE AN AUDIT COMMUNICATION THAT STANDARD LANGUAGE. NOTHING TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, NO FINDINGS. WE HAD SOME COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEN THERE ARE SOME NEW GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING STANDARDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE'VE OUTLINED THOSE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MISS HIGNETT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. BUT HER GROUP DID AN AMAZING JOB PULLING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER. THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB PULLING EVERYTHING TOGETHER, AND WE MET MSD'S DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF THESE. SO I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND AUDREY. I WANT TO SAY AS WELL THE BOARD HEARS AS WELL THAT AUDREY AND HER TEAM WERE ABSOLUTELY A VITAL HELP WITH THE TRANSITION THAT WE WENT THROUGH IN JUNE INTO JULY AND OVER THE SUMMER, THEY WERE ALWAYS AVAILABLE, ALWAYS HELPFUL AS WE WERE WORKING TO FIGURE SOME THINGS OUT. STILL CONTINUE TO BE HELPFUL AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO FIGURE SOME THINGS OUT, BUT THE SUMMER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS SMOOTH AS IT WAS IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE HELP YOU GUYS PROVIDED AND YOU PROVIDED, AND WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU AND I JUST APPRECIATE, HONESTLY, EVERYTHING WENT MUCH SMOOTHER THAN I WOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED IT GOING. I WILL SAY THAT AND THAT'S A COMPLIMENT BECAUSE I GO TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT BOARDS AND WE SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT I THOUGHT THE PROCESS WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. SO WONDERFUL. GREAT. THANK YOU. THE AUDITS PEOPLE TEND TO TAKE THEM FOR GRANTED AND IF YOUR FIRST STATEMENTS WERE DIFFERENT THAN THAT, THEN WE HAD PROBLEMS. THINGS WEREN'T CLEAN, RIGHT? THEN THE BOARD WOULD HAVE BIG CONCERNS, AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM WOULD. SO IT'S IT'S NOT SOMETHING TO TAKE FOR GRANTED. IT'S ALSO SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT COLLABORATIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL POINT OUT THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE DIFFERENT OR CHANGED AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I WILL SAY EVERYBODY ON THE FINANCE TEAM IS VERY RECEPTIVE TO SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON HOW THINGS [00:35:03] CAN BE CHANGED OR DONE DIFFERENTLY. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. WONDERFUL. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. WE HAVE AN AWESOME TEAM WHO'S WORKING HARD. THANK YOU. JILL. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. AUDREY. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BARTON. DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. OUR PROCEDURE AT YEAR END AFTER OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND OUR AUDIT IS COMPLETE, IS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR BUDGET TO ACCOUNT FOR ANY OVERAGES THAT WE MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET BY CATEGORY. SO ALTHOUGH AUDREY SAID THAT OUR EXCESS OR. YEAH, EXCESS REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES WAS DUE TO THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES. IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT BY CATEGORY. SO I'LL GET TO THAT IN A SECOND. BUT STARTING WITH THE REVENUES, WE HAD HIGHER REVENUES THAN BUDGETED FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND DUE TO CHANGE IN LEGISLATION. WE ENDED UP RECEIVING MORE MONEY FOR OUR BLUEPRINT COORDINATOR THAN WE HAD INITIALLY ANTICIPATED AND AS AUDREY STATED, WE ALSO HAD HIGHER LEVELS OF INCOME DUE TO OTHER SOURCES, DUE TO THE HIGH INTEREST RATES ON OUR INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS, AND WE HAD TO DECREASE OUR RESTRICTED REVENUE BECAUSE THE WAY THAT WE RECEIVE REVENUE FROM THE STATE, WE REPORT OUR EXPENDITURES. SO IF WE DO NOT SPEND THE FULL RESTRICTED AMOUNT, WE DO NOT RECEIVE THAT REVENUE, SO WE MAY HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR IT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR BUT NOT RECEIVED IT AND THAT CAN CARRY FORWARD TO A FOLLOWING YEAR. SO OUR REVENUES MUST BE DECREASED TO MATCH THE EXPENDITURES WE ACTUALLY HAD FOR THOSE RESTRICTED PROGRAMS. MOVING DOWN TO THE EXPENDITURES, YOU'LL SEE PUPIL TRANSPORTATION WAS OVER EXPENDED $39,416. THIS IS DUE TO HIGHER GAS PRICES AND BUS DRIVER SALARIES THAN WE HAD BUDGETED FOR AND OUR CAPITAL OUTLAY WAS OVER $236,432 AND THIS WAS DUE TO YEAR END PURCHASES THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD. WE RENOVATED THE TECH ED CLASSROOM AT NORTH CAROLINE AND CONVERTED IT TO TWO CLASSROOMS. THERE WAS REPAVING AND FLOORING RENOVATIONS AT MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, SO THAT EXPENSE WAS NOT INITIALLY BUDGETED FOR. SO WE WILL HAVE TO ADJUST THE BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE THAT AND THEN COMING DOWN TO THE BOTTOM, THERE IS AN EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES OF 5,782,498. THAT WAS ADDED TO OUR FUND BALANCE. SO, AS MISS HIGNETT POINTED OUT, SOME OF THE CAPITAL OUTLAYS WERE THINGS THAT THE BOARD APPROVED IN THE JUNE BOARD MEETING AS END OF YEAR EXPENSES BECAUSE WE HAD MONEY. THE MONEY JUST DIDN'T SIT IN THE RIGHT CATEGORY. SO THIS IS OUR THROWING UP OF THAT PIECE. THE BOARD HAS TO TAKE ACTION TO APPROVE THE TRUING UP OF THE CATEGORIES FOR US TO OFFICIALLY MAKE THOSE MOVES ON OUR BUDGETING DOCUMENTS THAT THEN GO TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. [INAUDIBLE]. QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MISS MCNUTT AND AS JILL IS HEADING BACK SHE AND HER TEAM HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. AS AUDREY POINTED OUT, WITH THE TRANSITION IN THE FINANCE OFFICE AND HAVE JUST REALLY BROUGHT A GREAT PERSPECTIVE TO LOOKING AT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS AND TO SEE IF THERE ARE STRONGER OR BETTER WAYS WE CAN MOVING FORWARD AND THEY HAVE PARTNERED VERY WELL WITH AUDREY'S OFFICE WITH MSD, WITH OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR PRACTICES AND FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES. IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO PUT IT. AND IT'S BEEN AWESOME TO SEE WHAT THEY'VE DONE SO FAR AND I KNOW IT WILL CONTINUE. THE GREAT WORK WILL CONTINUE. SO THIS THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE LISTED UNDER ACTION ITEMS, THERE'S NO ACTION NEEDED. SO THE ACTION THE ACTION NEEDED, MR. BARTON, WOULD BE ON THE BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENTS WE HAVE TO APPROVE, BUT YOU HAVE TO APPROVE THE BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENTS. BUT THE REPORTS, TYPICALLY THEY WOULD GO INTO REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, BUT THEN THE AUDITOR HAS TO WAIT TILL IT GETS OUT OF SYNC. SO WE TEND TO LET THEM PRESENT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE IT EXPLAINS WHY WE'RE MAKING THOSE BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENTS. SO THEN WE NEED TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION BY JILL. [00:40:03] VERY GOOD FOR THE BUDGETARY ADJUSTMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEAH NO PROBLEM. SO, MICHELLE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DID, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS ASKED. THIS QUESTION MAY HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT WHERE DOES THE FIVE IT'S 5,000,700 AND SOME THOUSAND. THAT'S EXTRA. WHERE DOES THAT GO. SO IT GOES INTO THE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FUND BALANCE. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS A FUND BALANCE POLICY THAT GUIDES THE FUND BALANCE. FOR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, DOCTOR DOWNS IS PROBABLY CHUCKLING BECAUSE IT'S CONTEXT AND I TEND TO GO TOO FAR INTO THE CONTEXT AT TIMES. FOUR YEARS AGO AND SOME OF YOU WERE HERE AT THE TIME THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS GETTING DANGEROUSLY LOW TO THE LOW END OF THE POLICY. AND THE BOARD AT THAT TIME TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO INCREASE THE FUND BALANCE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE FISCAL STABILITY WITH THE FUND BALANCE PIECE. WE ALSO HAD THE SAME RECOMMENDATION TWO YEARS AGO, I BELIEVE IT WAS WHEN OUR CURRENT CURRENT COMMISSIONERS TOOK OFFICE. THEY SUPPORTED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WORKING TO GET THE FUND BALANCE TO THE UPPER END OF WHAT OUR POLICY ALLOWS. SO THAT 5.7 WILL GO INTO OUR FUND BALANCE, WHICH THEN TECHNICALLY WE WILL BE AT THE HIGH END OF OUR POLICY. SO WE WILL HAVE EXCEEDED OUR POLICY ALLOWING ALLOWANCE FOR THE FUND BALANCE. SO IN THE COMING MONTHS I WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE BOARD A PLAN TO SPEND DOWN A LITTLE BIT AS PER OUR POLICY A PLAN TO SPEND DOWN THE FUND BALANCE TO 10% OF THE UNENCUMBERED. NO, NOT UNENCUMBERED. UNRESTRICTED. THANK YOU. 10% OF THE UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET. TO GET THAT DOWN AND THERE IS NO CLEAR TIMELINE FOR HOW LONG, BUT I'LL COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT LOOKS AT ONE TIME EXPENSES IN WAYS THAT WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES AGAINST, SOME MARKET FLUCTUATIONS THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE WITH THINGS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE. FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER PROBABLY TAKE US ABOUT TWO MONTHS. MY PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO TRY TO GET HERE IN JANUARY, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO PRICE SOME THINGS OUT FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER FOR APPROVAL IN JANUARY. THAT THEN WILL BRING OUR FUND BALANCE IN ALIGNMENT, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. BUT I APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S SUPPORT IN REBUILDING THE FUND BALANCE. MANY SYSTEMS WE'RE SEEING AROUND THE STATE HAVE HAD TO EXHAUST THEIR FUND BALANCE COMPLETELY TO MAKE ENDS MEET. THEY JUST THEY HAVE WE HAVE NOT WE PUT OURSELVES IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION THROUGH MAKING SOME SMART DECISIONS AND WE'VE ALSO SEEN THE INTEREST REVENUE REALLY HELPED. I MEAN, THAT WAS A MILLION EXTRA BUCKS IN INTEREST REVENUE THAT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE AND THE COVID MONEY HELPED. I MEAN, THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY THAT CAME IN AT THE TIME WE DID WE WERE NOT HAPPY IN THE HR WORLD. WE HAD POSITIONS WE COULDN'T FILL. BUT WHEN YOU CAN'T FILL THEM A COUPLE, TWO, THREE YEARS AGO, THAT MONEY DIDN'T DISAPPEAR. IT STAYED, AND WE ROLLED IT AND HELD IT, WHICH ALLOWED US TO KEEP OUR LOCAL OPERATING BUDGET AND SPEND OUT OF THE GRANTS FIRST. SO WE PUT OURSELVES IN A GOOD POSITION. BUT YEAH, MR. JONES, THAT'S WHERE IT IS. IT'S IN OUR FUND BALANCE AT THIS POINT. SO IT'S IN ESSENCE OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT OR RAINY DAY FUND TO PROTECT US AGAINST SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. I DID HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I DID HAVE A COMMENT. YEAH. I WANTED JUST TO COMMEND MISS HIGNETT AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE YOU REALLY DID A LOT OF WORK LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, WHEN THE CHANGE HAPPENS SO FAST AND BASICALLY UNEXPECTED, JUST COMMENDING YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DID TO GET US UP TO WHERE WE ARE. WE APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH AND THAT'S A THE FUND BALANCE EXPONENTIAL IS HELPFUL AND A GREAT QUESTION. IT'S SURE A LOT BETTER THAN HAVING THAT BE A NEGATIVE AND THAT KIND OF THING CAN HAPPEN. SO YEAH PEOPLE CAN FIGURE OUT WAYS TO SPEND MONEY IN A THOUGHTFUL WAY AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. YEAH, IT'LL BE A TEAM OF US WORKING ON IT TO BRING SUGGESTIONS TO THE BOARD TO DO IT IN A SMART WAY. ALRIGHT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS, WE DO NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS AS PRESENTED. FOR THE CURRENT. WHAT IS THIS, EXISTS THE FY 2024 FY 24. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. WE'VE NEVER DOUBTED AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO RETIRE SOME POLICIES OR CONTINUE ONE. RETIRE ANOTHER PLAN. [00:45:02] PRESIDENT BARTON, DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD GOT A PRETTY EASY POLICY AGENDA FOR YOU TONIGHT. THREE POLICIES THAT ALL DEAL WITH TRANSPORTATION AND ALL DEAL WITH SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS. SO THE FIRST ACTION ITEM IS THE RECOMMENDATION TO RETIRE TWO OF OUR POLICIES. THESE ARE FAIRLY OLD POLICIES. ONE DOES NOT HAVE A DATE, AND ONE IS FROM 1989 AND THE REASON THAT WE WANT TO RETIRE THEM IS THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER RELEVANT AND DO NOT REPRESENT OUR CURRENT PRACTICE. THE FIRST POLICY TO RETIRE IS 66110 AND THAT IS OUR POLICY TITLED CHARGES FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR SCHOOL SPONSORED ACTIVITIES. THIS TALKS ABOUT HOW WE WOULD CHARGE IF THERE IS A SCHOOL TRIP, BUT IT IS REALLY A ONE LINE POLICY, AND IT SAYS THAT WE WOULD CHARGE BASED ON WHAT WE PAY OUR SCHOOL BUS CONTRACTORS. WELL, WE ARE NO LONGER A FULLY CONTRACTED SITUATION, AND MR. MINGLE OVERSEES THE NEGOTIATION WITH THE CONTRACTORS, THE LLC, OF A CONTRACT THAT GOVERNS OUR RELATIONSHIP. BUT THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR OWN BUSSES, OUR OWN DRIVERS, OUR OWN EMPLOYEES AND SO WE CHARGE A PER MILE AND A TIME. BUT THAT IS AN INTERNAL CALCULATION THAT WE DO TO COVER THOSE COSTS. IT'S NO LONGER SOMETHING THAT'S SET EVERY YEAR BASED ON A CONTRACTOR, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT OUR MODEL ANYMORE. SO THAT POLICY IS NO LONGER RELEVANT. THE SECOND ONE TALKS ABOUT SCHOOL TRIPS, AND THIS IS FROM 1989, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR FIELD TRIPS, TIMELINES FOR FIELD TRIPS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS AND AGAIN, IT HASN'T BEEN LOOKED AT SINCE 89. BUT THE POLICY IS DATED. WE HAVE A FIELD TRIP APPROVAL PROCESS THAT IS IN PLACE. IT IS WORKING. IT REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM THE PRINCIPAL. IT REQUIRES THE TEACHER TO, FOR EXAMPLE, MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE IF THERE ARE ANY HEALTH NEEDS THAT IT GOES TO THE NURSE FOR APPROVAL AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT'S NOT SOLELY BASED ON TIMELINES AND TRANSPORTATION, GETTING THE RIGHT BUS AND HOW THE CHARGES WILL BE MADE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S NOT SO MUCH THE POLICY FOCUS OF IT. IT'S MORE OF THE LOGISTICS FOCUS OF IT, AND IT TOUCHES MORE THAN JUST TRANSPORTATION. SO FOR THAT REASON, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO RETIRE THESE TWO POLICIES. ONE, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY DON'T HAVE A FULLY CONTRACTED BUS SERVICE ANYMORE AND THE SECOND, BECAUSE WE HAVE A IN HOUSE PROCESS FOR FIELD TRIP APPROVAL THAT IS MORE HOLISTIC THAN THIS POLICY AND THIS POLICY DOESN'T REPRESENT CURRENT PRACTICE. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY VOTE TO SUPPORT THE ACTION ON BOTH OF THESE POLICIES AT THE SAME TIME. SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICIES? ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO THE RIGHT WORD TO RETIRE THE TWO POLICIES? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE RETIRE POLICY 6110 AND 6130. SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. APOLOGIES ARE RETIRED. ALL RIGHT, SO IF YOU RETIRE 6110 AND 6130, THE QUESTION IS WHERE? 6120. WELL, HERE IT IS. 6120 IS OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIPS. THIS POLICY WORKS. THIS POLICY IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO. EVERY YEAR YOU GET A COUPLE OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIPS. I THINK YOU HAD ONE LAST MONTH THAT YOU APPROVED FOR FFA, I BELIEVE, OR SKILLSUSA. YEAH AND THIS TALKS ABOUT THE IDEA THAT IF IT'S BEYOND SO MANY NIGHTS, IT HAS TO COME TO THE BOARD, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, WHO YOUR CHAPERONS ARE, HOW IT RELATES TO CURRICULUM. THIS POLICY IS OUR CURRENT PRACTICE AND IT WORKS GREAT AND SO IT HAS BEEN REVIEWED. THAT IS OUR PROCESS. WE WANT TO WE REVIEW EVERY POLICY THAT'S UP FOR REVIEW. BUT IF THERE'S NO CHANGES NEEDED WE DON'T TAKE IT THROUGH REVISION. WE JUST SAY LET'S CONTINUE WITH IT AND WE'LL UPDATE THE REVIEW DATE TO 2024. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. HEARING NONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF POLICY 6120? SURE, I CAN DO THAT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE CONTINUE POLICY. SIX 6120 AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF CONTINUING THE POLICY IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? AYE. ALL RIGHT. IT IS DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL TRY TO HAVE NEXT MONTH'S BE JUST AS QUICK AND EASY. [00:50:02] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW WE ARE AT THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF NOMINEES. YES WE DO. SO WE HAVE TWO POSITIONS ON THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT HAVE BECOME VACANT AND HAVE OPENED UP AND THEY ARE THE POSITIONS FILLED BY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE FORMER PARENTS WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE, SO THE PRINCIPALS HAVE NOMINATED. THEY DID ASK THE PEOPLE. THEY DID AGREE TO IT. SO WE HAVE TWO PARENTS WHO WERE NOMINATED BY THEIR PRINCIPALS FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION FOR THEIR FILLING OUT THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM ON THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WOULD CARRY THEM THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2025 AT LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH MISS CAMILLE BLAKE AND AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S MISS NANCY DOWNEY. BOTH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUPPORT THE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT YOU SUPPORT THE NOMINEES FOR THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. SECOND? SECOND. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THEY ARE APPOINTED. VERY GOOD. NOW WE MOVE TO REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS, AND WE START WITH SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. [5. Reports and Presentations] BECAUSE RACHEL'S PULLING IT UP. THIS MONTH. I'LL BE HONEST. IT'S ELECTION NIGHT, SO I FIGURE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING. WELL AS MR. MENGEL HAS SHARED, AND MR. HOWIE HAS IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS IN PREVIOUS MONTHS WE CHALLENGED THE STAFF IN AUGUST TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING WELL AND TRY TO FOCUS IN ON THAT. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THINGS DON'T NEED TO IMPROVE. THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS TO IMPROVE. BUT WE ALL HAVE AN I TEND TO BE CRITICAL BEFORE WE GIVE OURSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT'S GOOD IN THIS WORLD. SO I FIGURED TONIGHT WE WOULD JUST THINK OF JUST REALLY FOCUS IN ON SOME THINGS THAT ARE GOING WELL AS WE'RE ENDING THE END OF QUARTER ONE. SO QUARTER TWO STARTED ON MONDAY. SO WE GOT 45 STUDENT, 46 STUDENT DAYS UNDER OUR BELT. SO ONE THING THAT'S GOING WELL, WE WILL HAVE ABOUT PROBABLY CLOSE TO 2000 OR MORE POSTCARDS GOING OUT BY PROBABLY THE END OF THIS WEEK TO STUDENTS WHO EARNED HONOR ROLL OR MERIT ROLL IN THE FIRST QUARTER. MY ARM IS SORE. I KID YOU NOT. I WAS STRETCHING EARLIER TO TRY TO LOOSEN IT UP BECAUSE I SIGNED EVERY ONE OF THEM. BUT WE WILL HAVE THOSE GO OUT, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. FOR THE NUMBER OF CARDS AND ALWAYS WHEN YOU'RE SIGNING IT, YOU REALIZE IT'S A LOT OF KIDS PUTTING IN A LOT OF HARD WORK. THAT'S A 3.0 OR 3.5 GPA. THAT'S PROBABLY OVER A THIRD OR MORE OF OUR ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE LETTER GRADES FOR THAT TO OCCUR, WHICH IS AWESOME. WE'VE HAD SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS HAPPENING WITH OUR STUDENTS, WHICH WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND SOME OF THE PICTURES AND I THANK THE SCHOOLS FOR MAKING SURE THEY SEND PHOTOS WHEN WE DO THESE THINGS. THERE'S A BIO MED FIELD TRIP. YOU SEE PICTURES OF SOME WORK HAPPENING AND IT'S FUNNY, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE SCIENCE PICTURE. I WAS LIKE, OH, I KNOW THOSE LIGHTS. THAT'S COLONEL MIDDLE AND COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. SOME REALLY INTERESTING FIELD TRIPS. SO DOCTOR MOYER IN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL, WAS ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF HIS PHYSICS STUDENTS TO DOVER AIR BASE TO THEIR MUSEUM THERE AND THAT'S THE THAT'S GREAT. IT'S WHY YOU SEE SEA PLANE THERE WHICH IS AWESOME. THE PICTURE NEXT TO IT IS ONE OF THE TRIPS THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AT LOCKERMAN THAT [INAUDIBLE] WAS MISS [INAUDIBLE] CLASS WENT TO THE EASTON AIRPORT, AND THAT'S THE MSP CHOPPER YOU SEE IN THE BACKGROUND, I BELIEVE. OF COURSE, THE PICTURE FROM THE SPELLING BEE HAD LOTS OF AWESOME THINGS HAPPENING. WANTED TO INCLUDE A COUPLE OTHER. SO WHY WE HAVE THE LOGOS IN THE TOP CORNER. CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE. WE HAD A FANTASTIC MEETING WITH CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE LAST WEEK. WE HAVE OVER 200 STUDENTS ENGAGED IN DUAL ENROLLMENT AND IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR FROM CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE TALKING ABOUT DUAL ENROLLMENT. STUDENTS AS A WHOLE ARE SOME OF THE BEST STUDENTS THEY HAVE ON THEIR CAMPUS WHO ARE OUTPERFORMING OTHER STUDENTS WITH THEIR SUCCESS RATES, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS AWESOME. SO WE TALK ABOUT THE COST OF DUAL ENROLLMENT, BUT THE KIDS ARE DOING IT. IT'S A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR KIDS AND THEY'RE PERFORMING. I ADDED THE PIECE ON BLUEPRINT BECAUSE AS OF PROBABLY THE END OF THIS WEEK, WE WILL HAVE OUR FINAL SUBMISSION FOR OUR BLUEPRINT PLAN THAT NEEDED APPROVAL. IT'S QUESTION 23. NOT TO GET LOST IN THE SPECIFICS, BUT MANY SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAD TO REVISE THEIR RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET OUR FINANCIAL SYSTEM TO SHOW THE MONEY FOLLOWING THE KID. AND OUR, REVISION SHOULD BE IN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, AND WE BELIEVE IT WILL MEET THE CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS AND THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO PUT THERE, BECAUSE I TO BE HONEST, I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COUNTY. [00:55:02] I WAS ASKED, ALONG WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT FROM HARFORD COUNTY, TO BE ON A PANEL FOR MACOS WINTER CONFERENCE. THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE HYATT IN CAMBRIDGE IN DECEMBER TO TALK ABOUT HOW BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING. IN OUR COUNTY. SO I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. I THINK IT'LL BE A GREAT CONVERSATION, ESPECIALLY AS PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY THERE IS GEARING UP FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO IT'LL BE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO TELL OUR STORY, TO SHARE WHAT'S WORKING, AND SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE US JUST A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, PERPLEXED OF TRYING TO TRYING TO WORK THROUGH. BUT IT'LL BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING WELL AND EXCITED FOR WHERE WE ARE IN THE SCHOOL YEAR. VERY NICE. GOOD REPORT, GREAT PICTURES. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FIELD TRIP TO EASTON AIRPORT. I THOUGHT MAYBE THE PRESIDENT'S PLANE LANDED THERE. OH, YEAH. THAT WAS THE THE DOVER AIR BASE, BUT. YES. WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING? THE RUNWAY IS NOT QUITE BIG ENOUGH YET. YET? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT. YEAH, THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM. ALRIGHT, SO WE ARE AT BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS. ANYBODY WANT TO GO FIRST? IT TENDS TO SURPRISE YOU WHEN I CALL ON YOU, YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M KIND OF EXCITED FOR THE UPCOMING EVENTS FOR, YOU KNOW, ALL OUR MUSIC STUFF THAT'S COMING IN DECEMBER AND SOME OTHER STUFF THAT'S COMING. SO I CAN'T WAIT. IT'S A BUSY TIME OF YEAR FOR US, BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE. YEAH, THERE'S A REAL CELEBRATION. CHRISSY? WELL, WE'LL TAKE THE WEATHER WE HAD FOR HOMECOMING EVERY YEAR. IT WAS LOVELY WEEKEND AND MY DAUGHTER, WHO'S A JUNIOR WE'RE THREE YEARS STRONG IN THE NORTH CAROLINA HOMECOMING. FLOAT BILL. SO THAT WAS EXCITING. AT MY HOUSE THE FARM TO TABLE EVENT AND HAUNTED HALLWAYS WERE BOTH FANTASTIC EVENTS TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN. IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE OUR HIGH SCHOOL KIDS INTERACTING WITH OUR YOUNGER KIDS AT HAUNTED HALLWAYS. THEY PUT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO THE DECORATIONS AND THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY HAD PLANNED. IT WAS FUN. WE HAD A GOOD TIME THAT NIGHT, SO I WAS EXCITED. I GOT TO STOP IN AND THAT WAS MY, EXCUSE ME, MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING THE HAUNTED HALLWAYS AND IT WAS REALLY A LOT OF FUN. I ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF IT. I ALSO WENT TO GREENSBORO PARADE DRESSED UP THERE. YEAH, I WAS A BIKER CHICK. OKAY. GO AHEAD. YEAH. I DIDN'T SEE THOSE PICTURES. I KNOW, I'M GLAD YOU DIDN'T. NO ONE TRACKED THEM DOWN. I'LL HAVE TO LOOK FOR THAT AND I REALLY ENJOYED THE FARM TO TABLE AND I KNOW THE GIRLS HAVE LEFT, BUT MY FAVORITE WAS. IT WAS A APPLE DIP THAT WAS MADE WITH DATES. OH, YES, IT WAS DELICIOUS AND I WAS I KIND OF HESITATED BECAUSE I'M NOT A FAN OF DATES. I GOT THE RECIPE, SO I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT RECIPE MIGHT BE COMING TO A MAILBOX NEAR YOU SOON. IT'S REALLY TASTY. IT WAS GOOD. EVERYTHING I WENT TO WAS I ENJOYED IT. GREAT. THANK YOU. MARK. MINE IS ACTUALLY A THANK YOU TO YOU, RICK AND WHEN YOU STARTED YOUR ROLE AS PRESIDENT HERE, YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO YOU WERE GOING TO DO YOUR BEST, AND YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A BOARD, WE ALL FELT LIKE WE WERE HEARD AND THAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO YOUR BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENED AND YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB LEADING THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS WHICH, CAN BE SEEN BUT WHAT HASN'T BEEN SEEN IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN CLOSED SESSION. WE HAVE HAD SOME VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS, DECISIONS, THINGS THAT HAVE HAD TO BEEN DONE THROUGH CLOSED SESSION OR THROUGH EMAILS, DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN A LEGAL FASHION. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS LIKE THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO DO AND TAKE ON AND LEAD US THROUGH THAT. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR SOMEONE WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE, COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT OUTCOMES TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE WE'VE HAD YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR GUIDANCE THROUGH IT AND IT'S A THANK YOU TO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND BE PART OF THIS. THANK YOU. SO FOR MY COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, I COULD GIVE A LITTLE SPEECH ABOUT MY TIME HERE AND I'M NOT GOING TO. IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING TIME. IT'S ONLY BEEN FOUR YEARS, BUT, MY GOSH, THE THINGS WE'VE NAVIGATED THROUGH CRAZY WITH MASK MANDATES AND ALL OF THE LEARNING LOSS BECAUSE OF COVID AND SO FORTH BUT I WAS LOOKING TO TALK ABOUT I WAS GOING TO MENTION HOMECOMING BECAUSE I GOT TO BE A JUDGE OF THE FLOATS, AND I'VE DONE IT EVERY YEAR, AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME I EVER PICKED THE WINNING FLOAT, AND THE OTHER TIME I PICKED ONE, AND I THINK THEY'RE GREAT AND [INAUDIBLE] LOSER, YOU KNOW? [01:00:06] BUT I THINK IT WAS A JUNIOR ONE THIS YEAR AND THEY WERE AMAZING JOB THEY DID. AND I'M ALSO GOING TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, I GOT TWO STICKERS HERE THAT I VOTED TWICE AND THAT'S NOT A STATEMENT ABOUT OUR ELECTION, FOLKS, BECAUSE I VOTED IN THE TOWN OF DENTON AS WELL AS THE GENERAL ELECTION AND I HEARD WHAT OUR SPEAKER SAID, BUT I THINK THAT WE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE IF IT WAS AN ELECTION NIGHT AND THEY DON'T COME OUT AND APPRECIATE THE TWO OF YOU STAYING HERE THROUGH THE MEETING. YES. THE PEOPLE WHO COME ARE USUALLY STAFF, AND IF WE HAVE A ROOM FULL AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S KIDS HERE DOING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OR SOME OTHER THING. SO IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO US TO NOT HAVE CITIZENS HERE. THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE THAT. OTHER PLACES HAVE THE SAME SITUATION. PEOPLE CAN WATCH IT FROM HOME AT THEIR CONVENIENCE. THEY CAN WATCH IT RECORDED. SO I THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE DOING THAT AND SO NOT TO DISAGREE WITH THEM, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MEETING WAS BEING HELD TOMORROW. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD MORE PEOPLE HERE. SO IT'S REALLY IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE ELECTION. IT'S WE'RE SEEING DEMOCRACY AT WORK HERE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE CANDIDATE SITTING RIGHT HERE. CHRISTY IS SITTING HERE WHOSE NAME IS ON THE BALLOT. SHE'S BEING VOTED FOR AS WE SPEAK, AND SHE DOESN'T SEEM NERVOUS. [INAUDIBLE] DEREK SAID HE WOULD STAY UP ALL NIGHT WATCHING THE RESULTS. I'M WAITING. RIGHT. SO WE'LL BE WATCHING THIS IT WAS NORTHERN CAROLINE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, RESULTS COME IN, AND STEPHANIE JOHNSON IS RUNNING IN THE DISTRICT THAT I'M IN AND SO, YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY NICE SMOOTH TRANSITION. THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. WE'LL HAVE TWO SORT OF TWO KIND OF TWO NEW MEMBERS BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY WITH US HERE. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY GET ELECTED TONIGHT AND THAT'S JUST REALLY A VERY POSITIVE FEELING. SO AGAIN, MARK, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU TO DOCTOR SIMMONS AND HIS STAFF. OKAY. SO MOVING AND BY THE WAY, I REMEMBER JIM NEWCOMB WHEN HE LEFT, I SAID TO MYSELF, HEY SELF, DON'T CRY. NO, I LOVE JIM. TREMENDOUS GUY. ALRIGHT. SO DISCUSSIONS FOR ITEMS OF ITEMS FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION. WE HAVE NONE. UNFINISHED BUSINESS. NONE. UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS. [8. Upcoming Meetings and Events] AS TROY SAID, WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM. WE HAVE A PLAN. A LOT. I DID NOT PUT THE WINTER CONCERTS ON HERE. SO YOU COULD STILL VERIFY THAT ALL THE DATES IS STILL THE SAME [INAUDIBLE]. AND IF THEY HAVE DAYTIME. YES, AND I THINK ONE OF THE STUDENTS MENTIONED ONE ACT PLAYS. YES. CAROLINE. IT'S TWO DIFFERENT WEEKS IN A ROW. THEY'RE DOING. I KNOW NORTH CAROLINA'S NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION IS THE 25TH OF NOVEMBER AT MY CALENDAR. SO NOVEMBER 12TH AT [INAUDIBLE]. YOU'RE EXPECTING TO BE THERE? YES. ATTENDANCE WAS REQUESTED. [INAUDIBLE]. AND THE MONTHLY PLUG TO CHECK THE GOOGLE SHEET. YES. YES. ABSOLUTELY. SO THANK YOU GUYS [INAUDIBLE] YES AND VICE VERSA. AND OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS THE WORK SESSION IN TWO WEEKS. YEP. YES, AN EVENING SESSION. YES. SO THAT'S MY FAULT. I APPRECIATE YOU ACCOMMODATING ME ON THAT. AND THEN THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING IS DECEMBER 3RD, AND THAT IS THE NIGHT THAT WE WILL INSTALL OUR TWO NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS AND NEW OFFICERS, AND WE WILL HAVE AN ELECTION FOR NEW OFFICERS, PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT. SO THOSE OF YOU WHO WILL STILL BE ON THE BOARD AND THE PERSON OTHER MEMBER WHO IS LIKELY TO BE ELECTED TONIGHT I HOPE YOU WILL COME TO A GAME PLAN OF WHO'S GOING TO BE YOUR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT NEXT TIME, BECAUSE ON DECEMBER 3RD, [INAUDIBLE] BE AN AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN WE'RE ALL SITTING HERE GOING, YEAH, WE CAN'T EVEN CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. THAT'S RIGHT AND I MAY COME TO THAT MEETING TO THEM ACTUALLY ON THE BOARD UNTIL A NEW PERSON. THAT'S CORRECT. SO I'LL PROBABLY BE HERE THAT NIGHT, AND THEN STEPHANIE CAN KICK ME OFF. ALL RIGHT. YOU GOTTA BE HERE. YEAH. SO WITH NOTHING ELSE I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.