[00:00:01]
>> WELCOME, EVERYONE. TODAY IS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2024.
[1. Opening Items]
THIS IS THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION AT 4:30 AND ADJOURNED THAT, AND ARE READY TO GO BACK AND OPEN UP OUR MEETING ONCE AGAIN.
SO WE ARE RECONVENING AN OPEN SESSION IF WE HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN.
>> IF YOU DIDN'T, WE MIGHT NOT GET STARTED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> WE HAVE OPENED OUR MEETING, AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS HERE. THEY'RE IN THE HOUSE.
>> GUYS, COULD YOU SLIDE THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT.
PERFECT. I WANT TO GET A GOOD PHOTO.
WHENEVER YOU ARE READY. ARE YOU GUYS READY? I DON'T THINK THEY GET TO RUN AWAY THAT QUICK.
>> YOU DON'T GET TO RUN AWAY THAT QUICK.
[LAUGHTER] WHO DO WE HAVE WITH US TONIGHT FROM GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? ARE YOU A SPECIFIC GROUP AT THE SCHOOL?
>> THIS IS OUR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION.
>> MADE UP OF THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH GRADERS, AND ALSO SOME REPRESENTATIVES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSROOMS.
>> WE HAVE DR. TONY [INAUDIBLE] AND MR. JENSEN PAQUETTE, WHO ARE NOW RUNNING OUR SGA.
>> THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING TO DO THAT. THAT'S AWESOME.
IF YOU GUYS HANG AROUND, YOU'LL GET TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF GOVERNMENT IN ACTION AFTER YOUR PLEDGE, BUT YOU'LL PROBABLY WANT TO DO THE COOKIES ANYWAY.
[LAUGHTER] BUT IT'S A REALLY NEAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ACTION AFTER THIS.
COULD YOU GUYS ALL INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, YOUR NAME, AND YOUR GRADE LEVEL. START FROM THE BACK.
>> I'M HARRISON SHOEMAKER AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
>> WHAT'S YOUR TITLE? [INAUDIBLE]
>> THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE. WHO'S GOING TO GO FIRST. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
>> I'M [INAUDIBLE] AND I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. I'M [INAUDIBLE]
>> I'M PENELOPE [INAUDIBLE] I AM THE SECRETARY IN THE THIRD GRADE.
>> OUR PRESIDENT FORGOT TO ANNOUNCE THAT SHE, CHLOE, IS OUR PRESIDENT. [LAUGHTER]
>> NICE TO MEET YOU. BUT WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU GUYS HERE TONIGHT.
WE'RE GLAD YOU COULD COME OUT.
WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR YOUR PARENTS TO BRING YOU OUT TONIGHT AS WELL, AND TO BE HONEST I THINK IT'S REALLY AWESOME YOU GUYS ARE INVOLVED IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT.
CONTINUE TO BE CURIOUS, AND ASK QUESTIONS, AND STAY ENGAGED.
AS YOU GET OLDER, CONTINUE TO STAY INVOLVED IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT AND BE ACTIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
WHEN YOU GET OUT OF SCHOOL, CONTINUE, CONTINUE, CONTINUE.
WE NEED MORE YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE YOU GUYS DOING THAT.
BOARD MEMBERS, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE?
>> JUST TO SAY HI TO MS. [INAUDIBLE] WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE MY NIECE. [LAUGHTER]
>> THANKS FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. THANKS, EVERYONE.
>> THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT. THERE ARE SOME DELICIOUS COOKIES THAT MR. BARTON TALKED ABOUT, IN THE LOBBY.
WE'RE THRILLED YOU GUYS CAME OUT WITH US THIS EVENING.
PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO STAY, AGAIN, REALLY COOL LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ACTION, BOARD MEMBER BEING SWORN IN, IT'S NEAT.
>> WE'RE ABOUT TO SWEAR IN TWO BOARD MEMBERS, AND THEN THEY WILL ELECT OFFICERS OF THE BOARD.
>> BUT IF YOU HAVE OTHER PLANS, WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
>> THE COOKIES WILL STILL BE THERE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] PICTURES [INAUDIBLE]
>> ABSOLUTELY. PARENTS IF YOU'D LIKE PICTURES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE KIDS COME UP.
[00:05:01]
>> MS. BERRY WILL. SHE'LL DIRECT TRAFFIC.
WALK FORWARD AND THEN TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THE WALL OVER THERE.
>> YEAH IT IS. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND]
[BACKGROUND] [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND]
>> WE HAVE OUR CLERK OF THE COURT WITH US, TERRY LORD.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THIS IS THE TIME WHEN WE SWEAR IN NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
THERE'S ONE NEW BOARD MEMBER AND ONE WHO BEGINS THEIR OWN TERM.
BOTH WHO WERE ELECTED IN THE LAST ELECTION.
AS DR. SIMMONS MENTIONED, THIS IS TRULY DEMOCRACY IN ACTION, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL TO SEE THIS PROCESS HAPPEN SO SMOOTHLY, AND I KNOW THERE'S FAMILY MEMBERS AND LOVED ONES HERE TO WITNESS THIS.
I HAVE TO RECALL FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE WEARING MASKS WHILE WE WERE BEING SWORN IN AND WE WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHO WAS BEING SWORN IN OTHER THAN THEY WERE ADMITTING WHO THEY WERE.
THIS IS ABOUT THE TIME WHERE I'M GOING TO STEP DOWN AS SOON AS MY REPLACEMENT IS SWORN IN.
IT HAS BEEN A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE ON THIS BOARD AND TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING AN OBSERVER AND INTERESTED PARTICIPANT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTS ITSELF.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE HAVE WONDERFUL EMPLOYEES, TERRIFIC PARENTS, TERRIFIC STUDENTS.
IT'S JUST, AGAIN, BEEN AN HONOR TO BE PART OF IT.
MADAM CLERK, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE IT FROM HERE.
>> OF CAROLINE COUNTY, STATE OF MARYLAND.
>> OF CAROLINE COUNTY, STATE OF MARYLAND.
>> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. [LAUGHTER]
>> SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS THEREOF.
>> SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS THEREOF.
>> TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT.
>> TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT.
[00:10:01]
>> WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE.
>> WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE.
>> MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
>> MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
>> ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION.
>> ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION.
>> PRETTY GOOD. CONGRATULATIONS.
[APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND] [APPLAUSE].
>> OF CAROLINE COUNTY, STATE OF MARYLAND.
>> OF CAROLINE COUNTY, STATE OF MARYLAND.
>> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS THEREOF.
>> SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS THEREOF.
>> TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT.
>> TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT.
>> WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE.
>> WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE.
>> MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
>> MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY.
>> ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION.
>> ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION.
>> CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> CAN WE GET A PICTURE OF THE NEW BOARD? I'M SO SORRY MR. BARTON. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND]
>> STEFANIE YOU WANT A PICTURE WITH YOUR FAMILY?
>> SURE. REAL QUICK. COME ON UP HERE.
>> THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE.
[LAUGHTER] FOR THAT ONE PICTURE. [BACKGROUND]
[00:16:11]
>> [BACKGROUND] YOU'RE GO TAKE YOUR SEAT FOR RIGHT NOW.
>> THERE'S THE PRESIDENCY, HOWEVER [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] MR. JONES, ARE YOU LEADING US TO THE NEXT PART?
>> IT IS MY TURN FOR A MINUTE.
[LAUGHTER] OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE TO ELECT BOARD OFFICERS.
WHEN WE KNEW THAT, WE NORMALLY SEEK NOMINATIONS FROM THE BOARD FOR PRESIDENT AND FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
FIRST OF ALL, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYONE THEY WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE FOR THE POSITION OF BOARD PRESIDENT?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE RICHARD FOR PRESIDENT.
>> OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? HEARING NONE, HOW ABOUT THE POSITION OF VICE PRESIDENT?
>> I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE MARK JONES FOR VICE PRESIDENT?
>> ANYONE ELSE? HEARING NONE, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS, WE HAVE OUR PAPER HERE, ONE FOR PRESIDENT, ONE FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
WE'LL PUT OUR VOTES FOR PRESIDENT IN THE CONTAINER. DO YOU HAVE ONE?
>> IT'S IN YOUR BAG? THAT'S FINE. YOU CAN GET IT.
>> GO AHEAD AND GET IT. [BACKGROUND]
>> THE OFFICIAL BALLOT CUP IF YOU CAN.
>> YES, THE OFFICIAL BALLOT CUP.
>> IT'S BEEN USED FOR FOUR YEARS NOW.
>> YOU WANT THE VICE PRESIDENT [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S FINE.
>> I'M TESTING MY ABILITIES TO MULTITASK.
>> CONGRATULATIONS, MS. WAYMAN, 5-0 AS PRESIDENT.
>> MR. JONES, 5-0 AS VICE PRESIDENT.
>> CONGRATULATIONS. SO NOW WE OFFICIALLY GET THE CHANGE SEATS.
>> IT'S A GOOD THING WE HAVE THE ONE SIDE.
>> AS I SIT HERE WITH THIS [INAUDIBLE]
>> CONGRATULATIONS, MS. WAYMAN.
I CAN PROMISE YOU AS PRESIDENT OF YOUR BOARD, I WILL DO THE VERY BEST THAT I CAN DO.
[00:20:02]
WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.>> MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
>> WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, PLEASE.
>> I WE APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
>> THE AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE LET US KNOW BY SAYING AYE.
>> AYE. WE WILL SH THE STATEMENT OF CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.
WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE, CAREER, AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
OUR VISION, EVERY STUDENT WILL BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED, AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD.
WE READ THAT AT EVERY MEETING BECAUSE THAT IS OUR JOB, AND THAT IS WHAT WE STRIVE FOR AS A BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT HOLIDAY CARD WINNER.
>> SIGN THE CERTIFICATE [LAUGHTER] AS BOARD PRESIDENT.
>> LEADING US WITH THIS RECOGNITION TONIGHT WILL BE MR. MARKETTO,
[2. Public Recognitions / Comment]
WHO IS OUR SUPERVISOR OF CONSTRUCTION, WHO OVERSEES THE AREA OF FINE ARTS, AS AS MANY OTHER THINGS.BUT HE'S HERE IN THE FINE ARTS RESPONSIBILITY TONIGHT TO WALK US THROUGH THE HOLIDAY CARD PROCESS AND WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR WINNER, WHICH IS EXCITING.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN FOR THE FIRST TIME. CONGRATULATIONS.
>> DR. SIMMONS, AND THE REST OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE HOLIDAY GREETING CARD FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
MS. BROOKE GOSS WAS SELECTED AS OUR WINNER THIS YEAR.
THE PROCESS WE ASK EVERY SCHOOL TO SUBMIT HOLIDAY CARD POSSIBILITIES, AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE VOTE.
WE HAVE A LITTLE COMMITTEE THAT GETS TOGETHER AND VOTES ON WHO IS THE WINNER. IT WAS TOUGH.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES THIS YEAR THAT WE WENT THROUGH AND THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THIS ONE OR THAT ONE.
BUT IN THE END, BROOKE WAS OUR WINNER.
SO BROOKE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING ON UP.
AS A GIFT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A COUPLE CARDS FOR YOURSELF TO GIVE OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS.
[BACKGROUND] SHE'S CURRENTLY IN FOUNDATIONS OF ART WITH MR. GOODGER.
MR. GOODGER'S PROUD ART TEACHER THERE.
>> DON'T GO TOO FAR. [LAUGHTER]
>> SHE DID A GREAT JOB. SHE REALLY DID.
IT REALLY COMES TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
>> I APPRECIATE IT. BROOKE WILL SAY, THE COMMITTEE DOES A GOOD JOB OF SORT OF NARROWING IT DOWN AND THEN GIVES ME A FAIR NUMBER OF CARDS TO LOOK THROUGH.
I LOVED THE DETAIL IN THE CARD.
I HAVE TO ASK THOUGH, INSPIRATION?
>> I DON'T KNOW. [LAUGHTER] I JUST KEPT DOING [INAUDIBLE]
MR. GOODGER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR HER AS WELL.
YOUR CARD WILL GO TO ALL 24 SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
IT WILL BE MY CARD AND IT GOES OUT TO ALL OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS, AS WELL AS BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO OTHER ENTITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
THRILLED TO PUT IT OUT THERE, AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
NAILED IT. THAT WAS PERFECT SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY UNIQUE, WHICH IS WHAT REALLY STUCK OUT TO ME, SO THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. [APPLAUSE] IS MR. GOODGER HERE, PLEASE?
[00:25:08]
LEFT. [BACKGROUND]>> I KNOW I'LL BE SIGNING CHRISTMAS CARDS TOMORROW.
>> OH, YES. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THE OUTSTANDING WORK THAT OUR STUDENTS HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY CAN DO.
NEXT, WE WILL HAVE OUR CONNECTED SCHOOL AWARD.
>> THIS WILL BE DR. DOWNS WITH THE PRESENTATION OF THIS AWARD, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. FIRST TIME IN COUNTY.
>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M PRESENTING TO YOU THIS EVENING MS. BRIANA WALKER WHO RECEIVED A 2024 MAESP, WHICH IS THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS CONNECTED SCHOOL LEADER AWARD.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNEW WHAT THIS AWARD MEANT AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BRIANA SO I CAN SHARE THE WHY AND THE HOW HERE THIS EVENING.
MAESP HONORS PRINCIPALS WHO FIND WAYS TO HELP OTHERS DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS WHILE PROVIDING TIME AND GUIDANCE WHEN THEY ARE CALLED.
CONNECTED LEADERS FOSTER A CULTURE OF OPEN COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION, WHICH IN TURN CAN BOOST CONFIDENCE AMONG STAFF ACCORDING TO MAESP.
THAT IS WHY BRIANA WAS SELECTED HERE.
I WANTED TO LOOK AT HER LINKED IN PROFILE TO MAKE SURE I HAD SOME CURRENT INFORMATION FOR HER.
[LAUGHTER] FORTUNATELY, WE'RE ALREADY CONNECTED, SO IT'S EASY TO FIND HER.
SHE IS CURRENTLY THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT GREENSBORO, FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE WHO DON'T KNOW AND ONLINE.
BUT PRIOR TO THAT, SHE WAS AT PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHE WAS A LEAD TEACHER AND AN EDUCATOR.
SHE HAS HER BACHELOR'S FROM SALISBURY UNIVERSITY AND HER MASTER'S IN ADMINISTRATION FROM TRINITY WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY.
SHE'S BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR TEAM THE PAST FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I'VE BEEN ON BOARD HERE, AND THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR, SO IT'S BEEN FUN TO SEE HER EVOLVE AND GROW, AND I JUST WANTED TO CELEBRATE HER THIS EVENING ON RECEIVING THIS AWARD FROM MAESP.
>> SO BRIANA, OF COURSE, WE WILL CALL YOU UP TO GET A PICTURE AND ALL THAT HAPPY STUFF.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THE AWARD WITH YOU.
I WANT TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT WITH BRIANA RECEIVING THIS AWARD, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR SYSTEM PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS TO ENGAGE WITH THE STATE LEVEL ASSOCIATION.
IT IS AN ABSOLUTE THRILL TO SEE BRIANA GET INVOLVED ALMOST RIGHT AWAY WITH MAESP, STAY ENGAGED AND ALSO HELP TO ENCOURAGE OTHER MEMBERS TO BE INVOLVED WITH EITHER THE ELEMENTARY ASSOCIATION OR THE SECONDARY ASSOCIATION.
WE APPRECIATE HER LEADERSHIP IN THAT AND REALLY HELPING TO PROMOTE IT ACROSS OUR CAROLINE COUNTY LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU AS WELL.
>> ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, WE CONGRATULATE YOU ON THIS ACHIEVEMENT THAT IS WONDERFUL THAT YOU STEPPED OUT AND BECAME ACTIVE IN SUCH A WORTHY ORGANIZATION.
I DID SEE YOUR PICTURE WITH ONE OF OUR FORMER PRINCIPALS, CHRISTINE HANDY.
[00:30:13]
>> SHE'S ALSO KNOWN AS MY TWIN.
WHEN SHE WAS AT DENTON ELEMENTARY, EVERYBODY WOULD BE LIKE, "HI MS. WALKER." I'M LIKE, "I'M NOT MS. WALKER." I JUST SAY HI TO THEM.
[LAUGHTER] WE CALL EACH OTHER TWINSIES NOW.
>> MS. BERRY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES REPORT, ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR MEETINGS.
>> I THINK WE'VE GOT YOU. [LAUGHTER]
>> I THINK EVERY YEAR I THINK IT HAS BEEN YOU EACH TIME.
>> HI, EVERYONE. STARTING WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY.
>> I THINK SO. DR. CREBS SAID THAT NOVEMBER HAS FLOWN BY WITH SOME OF OUR BIGGEST DES EVENTS OF THE YEAR TAKING PLACE.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FAST APPROACHING WINTER BREAK.
LAST MONTH, THEY HAD THEIR FALL ACADEMIC NIGHT AND PARENT VISITATION DAY.
ON DECEMBER 11TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR WINTER CONCERT AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
ON DECEMBER 19TH, DES PTA WILL HOST COOKIES AND CANDY CANES EVENT FROM 5:30-7:30 AT DENTON ELEMENTARY.
THE RIDGELY ELEMENTARY. LAST MONTH, RIDGELY HAD A WONDERFUL PARENT VISITATION DAY AS WELL.
THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS, THEY HAVE UPCOMING FIELD TRIPS.
DECEMBER 3RD THROUGH 4TH, IT'S FOR THIRD GRADE.
DECEMBER 18TH, IT'S FOR FOURTH GRADE.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE FIELD TRIPS ARE.
BUT YEAH. DECEMBER 5TH IS PITCHER MAKEUP DAY.
DECEMBER 12TH AT 6:30 PM THE WINTER CONCERT, WHICH WILL ALSO BE HELD IN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
FOR GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY. LAST MONTH, THEY ENDED THE FIRST QUARTER AND HAD A STAFF PUMPKIN PALOOZA CONTEST.
THEY ALSO HAD PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES.
THEIR FIRST ANNUAL GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY TURKEY TROT, WHICH WAS SPONSORED BY THEIR PTO, WHICH IS THEIR BIGGEST ANNUAL FUNDRAISER FOR THEIR PTO.
THEY ALSO HAD A PARENT VISITATION DAY FOR AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK AND THEN THEY HAD THANKSGIVING BREAK.
SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS ARE ON DECEMBER 2ND THROUGH THE 9TH, THEY'LL HAVE HOLIDAY SHOP FOR STUDENTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT THAT SOUNDS FUN.
ON DECEMBER 2ND, THEY'LL HAVE INDIVIDUAL FALL PICTURE RETAKES, OR THEY HAD.
THEIR WINTER CHORUS CONCERT IS 6:15 PM AND THEIR WINTER BAND CONCERT'S AT 7:15 PM NOT SURE WHAT DAY.
ON DECEMBER 16TH THROUGH 20TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR HOLIDAY SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK, DECEMBER 19TH, THEY HAVE THEIR GLEE HOLIDAY CONCERT AND THEIR SCHOOL HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA.
>> GREENSBORO CONFERENCE ON THE 12TH.
>> THEY GET THE SAME DAY AS RICHY.
>> THAT'S CUTE. FOR LOCKERMAN, LAST MONTH, THEIR STUDENTS ENJOYED A PUMP AND PAINTING, PBIS INCENTIVE, WHICH THEY USED THEIR WILDCAT PRIDE STAMPS IN ORDER TO EARN.
THEIR COURSE AND BAND PERFORMED AT THE NCHS VETERANS DAY CEREMONY, WHICH I HEARD WAS VERY GOOD.
THEIR YMCA BASKETBALL SEASON IS STARTING UP, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A STEP TEAM PERFORMANCE DURING HALFTIME, WHICH IS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER SOUNDS REALLY COOL.
UPCOMING THEY HAVE A BOX OUT BULLYING ASSEMBLY.
THEIR PTAS WINTER WONDERLAND EVENT, AND QUARTER TWO AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING SESSIONS WILL NOW BE AVAILABLE AND THEY HAVE A LATE BUS THAT IS AVAILABLE TWO DAYS A WEEK FOR STUDENTS SAYING AFTER.
IT'S REALLY NICE. THEN FOR MY SCHOOL, NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. SPIKER SAID, I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE AMAZING STAFF AND STUDENTS AT NTHS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY EVENTS, AND I TOLD HIM THAT HIS QUOTE WAS VERY NICE WHEN I READ IT.
THEN LAST MONTH, WE HAD OUR BLOOD DRIVE.
IT WENT WELL. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS DID IT.
I'M NOT ALLOWED TO DONATE BLOOD BECAUSE I HAVE LOW IRON, BUT SOME PEOPLE PASSED OUT, BUT IT WENT WELL.
THEN DRAMA ONE HAD THEIR ACTS, AND I ALSO HEARD THAT ONE VERY WELL.
THEY HAD FRESHMAN MEETINGS WHICH WERE FOR THEIR STATE TESTING THAT THEY HAVE TO TAKE THAT THEY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR.
I ASKED MR. SPIKER WHY JUNIORS DON'T HAVE IT BECAUSE THEY GOT TO GET OUT OF CLASS A LOT.
HE WAS LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE STATE TESTING, BUT I STILL THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE THEM,
[00:35:01]
BUT APPARENTLY IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL.THEN AGAIN, FOR THE FRESHMAN, THEY HAD A INCENTIVE FOR COOKIE DECORATING.
I WAS A LITTLE UPSET ABOUT THAT, BUT THEY SAID THEY HAD FUN.
>> THEY GET TO DECORATE THEM BUT UPPER CLASS EAT THEM.
>> SANITARY. [LAUGHTER] THEN OUR UPCOMING EVENTS, TODAY WE HAD OUR SGA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHICH WENT VERY WELL.
TOMORROW IS UNDERCLASSMEN PITTER RETAKES, DECEMBER 5TH IS SENIOR PITCHER RETAKES.
DECEMBER 9TH THROUGH 13TH IS MCAP FOR TENTH GRADERS, ELA.
DECEMBER 10TH, THE MITRA BAND CONCERT, DECEMBER 12TH IS FASFA NIGHT, AND DECEMBER 18TH IS NCHS AS WINTER CONCERT.
THEN LASTLY, FOR CCTC, LAST MONTH, CCTC HAD A SPAWN NIGHT AND IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
PATRONS WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE MANICURE, PEDICURES, FACIALS, WAXING, AND HAIR SERVICES, AND STUDENTS AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN YOGA AND YOGA.
>> AT PRESTON ELEMENTARY LAST MONTH, THEY HAD THEIR FALL BOOK FAIR, AND IT WAS REALLY COOL.
THEY RAISED MONEY SO THAT KIDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE MONEY TO BUY BOOKS COULD BUY A BOOK.
THEY HAD GRANDPARENTS DAY AND VETERANS DAY.
OVER 300 GRANDPARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE THERE.
THEY HAD THEIR QUARTER ONE PBIS AWARD ASSEMBLY, WHERE THEY GAVE OUT AWARDS FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE, GOOD GRADES, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
THEN THIS IS ALSO REALLY COOL.
THEIR ONE SCHOOL ONE BOOK PROGRAM BEGAN WITH FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY.
ALL THE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL GET A BOOK AND THEY TAKE IT HOME AND THEY HAVE TO READ TWO CHAPTERS A WEEK, I THINK.
BUT IT'S REALLY GOOD BECAUSE THE KIDS GET TO READ, AND IF THEY CAN'T READ, THEN THEIR PARENTS HAVE TO READ ALOUD TO THEM.
DECEMBER 10TH WILL BE THEIR WINTER CONCERT, DECEMBER 13TH, THEY'LL HAVE MOVIE NIGHT AND DECEMBER 16TH THROUGH 20TH WILL BE THEIR WINTER SPIRIT WEEK.
AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY, MS BROHAWN SAYS, DURING THE SEASON OF THANKSGIVING, FES IS GRATEFUL FOR OUR SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
AS WE ENTER THE HOLIDAY SEASON, WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE THE MERRIEST OF DAYS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
LAST MONTH, THEY HAD THEIR FIRST PEP RALLY.
THEY CELEBRATED AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK.
THEY ALSO HAD A BOOK FAIR AND THEY HAD BREAKFAST WITH BUDDIES.
THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS EARNED DOG TAGS FOR BEING FLUID IN THEIR MULTIPLICATION FACTS.
NEXT OR THIS MONTH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR WINTER CONCERT ON THE 11TH.
THEIR CHORUS WILL SING IN THE TREE LIGHTING, AND THEIR MARCHING BAND WILL BE IN THE FEDERALSBURG CHRISTMAS PARA.
AT COLONEL MIDDLE, MS. OR DR. HOLLOWAY SAYS, WE HAD SOME PRETTY COOL WAYS TO KEEP US ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED TO GET US TO THANKSGIVING BREAK.
THEIR STUDENT GOVERNMENT STARTED THE TOYS FOR TOP DRIVE.
I THINK IT ENDS DECEMBER 13TH.
THEY HAD THEIR LEVEL 99 POWER PLAYERS RECEPTION, WHICH WAS ALSO GIVING AWARDS TO KIDS FOR PERFECT ATTENDANCE AND SHADES.
THEY HAD UNDERCOVER STAFF SPIRIT WEEK WHERE ALL THE STAFF WOULD DRESS UP ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT DAY.
ONE OF THEM WAS ANYTHING BUT A WATER BOTTLE DAY.
I THINK THERE'S A PICTURE, BUT ONE OF THEM HAD A BIG BOWL WITH A STRAW IN IT.
>> TELL YOU WHAT THAT IS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT THE STUDENTS WOULD GUESS AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHO OR WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE SPIRIT DAY WAS, AND IF A STUDENT GOT IT RIGHT, THEN THEY WON A PRIZE.
THEIR DRAMA CLUB SHOWCASED LITTLE WOMEN TWO WRAP OF THE UNDEAD, AND THEY HAD THANKSGIVING MINUTE TO WIN AT GAMES.
NEXT MONTH OR THIS MONTH, THEY'LL HAVE ANOTHER STAKEHOLDER SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING.
THEY'RE GOING TO FINALIZE PLANS AND SET CRITERIA FOR BRINGING IN STUDENT MEMBERS.
DECEMBER 12TH WILL BE THEIR WINTER CONCERT, THE 16TH THROUGH 20TH SGA WILL SPONSOR SPIRIT WEEK AND DECEMBER 20TH WILL BE THEIR HOLIDAY STORE AND DR. HOLLOWAY SAID THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO COME.
LAST MONTH AT COLONEL HIGH, WINTER SPORTS STARTED, NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY HELD THEIR INDUCTION CEREMONY, WHICH WENT REALLY NICE.
DELMARVA BLOOD BANK BLOOD DRIVE.
THE JUNIORS TOOK A FIELD TRIP TO THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, AND THERE WAS THE SALISBURY UNIVERSITY ON SITE ADMISSIONS EVENT.
A LOT OF KIDS GOT INTO SALISBURY.
NEXT MONTH I KEEP SAYING NEXT MONTH, BUT THIS MONTH WINTER SPORTS GAMES WILL BEGIN.
WE'LL HAVE A CHIPOTLE FUND RAISER AND MCAP TESTING WILL BEGIN.
>> THAT'S GREAT. LET US KNOW WHEN THE CHIPOTLE FUND RAISER IS.
[00:40:07]
>> I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS FOR THEIR WORK WITH BLOOD DRIVES.
THE BLOOD DRIVES WERE VERY POPULAR, VERY WELL ATTENDED PRIOR TO COVID, AND THAT OBVIOUSLY HAD AN IMPACT, BUT SEEING THE SCHOOLS GETTING BACK INTO THE ROUTINE.
I KNOW THE LOCAL BLOOD DONATION CENTER IS HURTING FOR DONATIONS.
I'M A MEMBER, I GET THE EMAILS AND HAVE GOTTEN THEM VERY FREQUENTLY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT THEY ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE HIGH SCHOOLS BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKING IT OPEN.
I KNOW THE BLOOD MOBILE WILL BE OVER AT ST. LUKE'S CHURCH HERE SOON, I BELIEVE.
BUT I REALLY DO APPRECIATE SEEING BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS GET BACK INVOLVED WITH THAT AGAIN.
I WILL BE FOLLOWING IT WITH YOUR PRINCIPALS.
ALSO MAKE SURE THAT SEND THE ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT FOR BLOOD DRIVES OUT THERE READY IN THE COUNTY TO IF THEY HAVE OPEN SPOTS TO FILL IT.
LOVE OUR STUDENTS DOING IT, WHICH IS AWESOME.
BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SOME OF US CAN DO TO HELP FILL THOSE GAPS TO HELP THE SCHOOLS HIT THEIR NUMBERS FOR THOSE DAYS AS WELL? THERE ARE MANY OF US.
SOME I'M LOOKING AT ARE NOT THRILLED WITH GIVING BLOOD.
>> BUT HE'LL SIGN UP EVERY TIME.
BUT NO, I REALLY AM THRILLED TO SEE THE SCHOOLS GET BACK TO TO DOING THAT AS WELL AND SEE THE STUDENTS REALLY GET ENGAGED WITH THAT.
IT'S DESPERATELY NEEDED. THANK YOU GUYS.
>> NICE JOB, LADIES. VERY NICE.
WE ALWAYS ENJOY THE ENERGY THAT YOU BRING.
HELPS UP TO KEEP GOING HERE. THANK YOU.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE TRIO UPWARD BOUND UP DATE.
[3. Reports]
THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS.I LOVE THE TRIO PROGRAM AND ALL THAT IT DOES.
>> MR. BERRY IS WITH US ONLINE TONIGHT.
SORRY, DR. BERRY. MS. WAYMAN CORRECTED ME?
>> WELL, HE'S GETTING THERE. I THINK HE'S GOT ANOTHER CLASS OR TWO. ALMOST.
>> WE'RE JUST WORKING THE TECH OUT. NO, YOU'RE FINE.
I'D LIKE TO EXTEND MANY THANKS TO PRESIDENT WAYMAN, AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR.
SIMMONS FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT TONIGHT.
I PROBABLY SERVE AS A DIRECTOR OF UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A PREVIEW AS TO WHAT UPWARD BOUND IS.
IT IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THAT PROVIDES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SUPPORT FOR COMPLETION OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND PREPARES THEM TO ENROLL AND SUCCEED IN POST SECONDARY EDUCATION.
WE DO THAT THROUGH FOUR MAT LEAGUES ACTIVE TUTORING, THROUGH OUR PRE COLLEGE SUMMER ACADEMY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE CONTINUING ON IN HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS FOR SENIORS WHO ARE GRADUATING.
WE COVER UP TO TWO CLASSES FOR THOSE STUDENTS, PRE PAID FOR BY THE GRANT, WE PAY FOR THEIR BOOKS AND EVERYTHING.
WE ALSO HAVE TO TONS OF INDIVIDUALIZED BY STUDENTS, AS WELL AS CULTURAL ENRICHMENT.
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW ON ROLL AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 39 PARTICIPANTS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR TO COLONEL RICHARDSON TRIO UPWARD BOUND GRANT, IT SPLIT BETWEEN COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND KING COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL.
IN TOTAL, WE HAVE 54 STUDENTS AT THE TIME OF THIS PRESENTATION.
TODAY, I CAN REPORT THAT WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 59 OUT OF OUR 60 PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING COLONEL RICHARDSON AND KING COUNTY.
WE ARE CLOSING IN ON THAT GAP.
WHEN I DID THIS PRESENTATION INITIALLY, WE DID HAVE SIX SPOTS, BUT NOW THERE IS JUST ONE SPOT AVAILABLE.
AT NORTH CAROLINA, YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF 72 PARTICIPANTS, ONE OF WHICH IS YOUR STUDENT MEMBER ON THE BOARD, KING AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE IN THE APPLICATION PIPELINE AND TO FILL THOSE LAST THREE SPOTS.
THOSE LAST TWO SPOTS IN NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE FILLED PRIOR TO US LEAVING FROM BREAK.
AS A RESULT OUR RECRUITMENT IS WRAPPING UP FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON AND FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SECOND APPLICATION, SO WE CAN PREPARE FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
[00:45:01]
JUST TO SHOW YOU OUR ELIGIBILITY BREAKDOWN FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE PROGRAM ARE LOW INCOME PER GENERATION AND AT HIGH RISK FOR ACADEMIC FAILURE.WHAT I WOULD TELL YOU IS THAT THAT HIGH RISK FOR ACADEMIC FAILURE MEANS THAT OUR ASSESS THE METRIC, WHICH WE USE THE MCAP SCORES.
A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ARE NOT SCORE PROFICIENT, WHICH IS WHAT OUR OBJECTIVES ASKED US TO TO LOOK FOR THROUGH THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
STUDENTS AREN'T SCORNED PROFICIENT.
TWENTY TWO OF OUR STUDENTS FALL WITHIN THAT ROUND WITH LOW INCOME FIRST GENERATION AND BEING AT HIGHER RISK FOR ACADEMIC FAILURE. NEXT SLIDE.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS AT COLONEL RICHARDSON ARE ALSO LOW INCOME FIRST GENERATION AND AT HIGHER RISK FOR ACADEMY.
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT WHERE WE'RE AT THE END OF THE SPRING SEMESTER.
WE HAD 46 PARTICIPANTS AT THAT TIME, AT THE END OF THE SPRING 2024 ACADEMIC YEAR, BUT WE HAD A TOTAL OF ONLY 58 STUDENTS BETWEEN COUNTY AND COLONEL RICHARDSON.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT 89% OF THE COLONEL RICHARDSON STUDENTS FINISHED WITHIN 2.5 GPA OR ABOVE.
AT NORTH CAROLINA AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE FULLY FUNDED TO SERVE, WERE FUNDED TO SERVE 60 STUDENTS ON EACH OF THE GRANTS AND 82% OF THE STUDENTS AT NORTH CAROLINA IN THE UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM FINISHED WITH A 2.5 GPA OR ABOVE.
>> JUST TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE TOOK PART IN DURING THE PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER ACADEMY.
NOW ON JUNE THE 21ST, LAST SUMMER, WE WENT TO NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY AND THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART, OR STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO ATTEND COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY'S ADMISSIONS TOUR AND VISIT THE AMERICAN VISIONARY ART MUSEUM, SO STUDENTS HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WHICHEVER INSTITUTION THAT THEY WANTED TO VISIT.
ONE THING THAT YOU'LL NOTICE IS THAT EACH WEEK WE HAD A SPECIFIC FOCUS, AND THE FOCUS FOR WEEK 1 WAS JUST A WELCOME WEEK, TO GET STUDENTS TO GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, GET TO KNOW THE CAMPUS, AND REALLY REMIND THEMSELVES AS TO WHY THEY ARE HERE AND WHY THEY CHOSE TRIO UPWARD BOUND.
ON JUNE THE 28TH, WE TOOK A TRIP TO ST. MARY'S COLLEGE AND ATTENDED THE RIVER CONCERT SERIES, WHICH WAS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR MUSIC BY THE WATER, AND WE FOCUSED ON SAT PREPPING.
ON JULY THE 12TH, WE VISITED DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY, AND STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE SULTANA EDUCATION FOUNDATION WHERE THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO TOUCH FROGS AND TADPOLES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, OR THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT DIXON VALVE AND LEARN A BIT MORE ABOUT MANUFACTURING.
WEEK 4 THAT WAS, WE FOCUSED ON CAREERS, AND WE HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS FROM CAROLINE COUNTY, HICK COUNTY, QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY COME IN TO SPEAK TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT VARIOUS CAREERS.
WE HAD NURSES, TEACHERS, WE HAD BUSINESS OWNERS COME IN AND JUST TALK ABOUT THEIR CAREER AND ALLOW STUDENTS TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE HAD.
ON JULY THE 19TH, WE HAD A SPORTS DAY RIGHT ON CAMPUS AT CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE.
SO STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME TO CAMPUS.
THEY WORE SPORTS ATTIRE AND JERSEYS THAT THEY HAD.
ANYTHING THAT HAD SPORTS MEMORABILIA ON IT AND WE HAD GENIUS POTENTIAL COMING IN.
GENIUS POTENTIAL WAS PRETTY MUCH A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT GROUP AND GOT THE STUDENTS HYPE AND EXCITED FOR BEING LEADERS IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
WEEK 5, WE FOCUSED ON MENTAL AND FINANCIAL HEALTH.
THEN JULY THE 26TH WAS OUR LAST WEEK OF THE SUMMER PROGRAM.
THAT WAS OUR LEADERSHIP WEEK WHERE WE MET WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE'S TRIO PROGRAM, UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM FOR A FIELD DAY.
THEY CAME TO CAMPUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK.
WE HAD STUDENTS VISIT ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE IN ANNAPOLIS, OR THEY COULD VISIT WASHINGTON ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY.
WE TRIED TO KEEP THIS TRIP A SECRET FOR THE STUDENTS LEADING UP TO THE DAY OF.
MAYBE ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES BEFORE WE RELEASED WHERE WE WERE GOING.
THEY FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE GOING TO SIX FLAGS IN LARGO.
SO WHILE THEY WERE THERE, STUDENTS COMPLETED SOME STEM PROGRAMMING AND THEN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE THE PARK.
ALL EXPENSES WERE PAID, WE COVERED FOOD; TWO MEALS, TWO DRINKS, AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, THAT THE BUS DRIVE ON THE WAY HOME WAS COMPLETELY QUIET.
[LAUGHTER] TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE DATA ABOUT OUR PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER ACADEMY STUDENTS, THESE ARE OUR SUMMER BRIDGE STUDENTS, OUR GRADUATES.
WE HAD 20 TOTAL GRADUATES BETWEEN NORTH CAROLINE AND COLONEL RICHARDSON, 11 FROM NORTH CAROLINE AND NINE FROM COLONEL.
ONLY 14 OUT OF THE 20 STUDENTS ELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM.
[00:50:04]
EIGHT OF THOSE STUDENTS WERE FROM NORTH CAROLINE AND SIX OF THEM WERE FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON.I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT 86% OF THE PARTICIPANTS BETWEEN THE TWO SCHOOLS PASSED ONE OR MORE OF THEIR COURSES WITH A C OR BETTER.
AS OF THE 20 TOTAL STUDENTS, 18 PURSUED HIGHER EDUCATION AND CONTINUED ON.
SEVEN OF THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY ATTEND CHESAPEAKE AND ARE STUDENTS WITH US.
THEN THE OTHER STUDENTS ARE ATTENDING SCHOOLS SUCH AS TOWSON, UMES, NORTH CAROLINA A&T, HOOD COLLEGE, THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE, MCDANIEL, AND STEVENSON.
THERE IS ONE STUDENT THAT LEFT CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DECIDED TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AND JOIN THE ANN ARUNDEL COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT.
TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS FALL SEMESTER.
ON OCTOBER THE 19TH, WE HAD A PRESENTATION ENTITLED WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE, WHICH WAS A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION BY MR. BENJAMIN PUCKETT.
THEN WE HAD A STUDENT-LED AND ORGANIZED BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT.
ON NOVEMBER THE 16TH, WE HAVE A VIRTUAL FIRST-GENERATION STUDENT CELEBRATION WHERE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO HEAR AN ADMISSION PRESENTATION FROM CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE.
WE HAD A KEYNOTE SPEAKER WHO WAS NONE OTHER THAN DR. LASELLA HALL, THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION AT CHESAPEAKE.
THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY REQUESTED HIM.
HE IS A HOOT WITH THEM AND HE REALLY ENJOYS SPEAKING SO WE HAD HIM COME BACK AT LEAST FOR SPEAKING WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT HIS JOURNEY AND STORY AS A FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT.
THEN WE HAD A STUDENT PANEL, WHICH FEATURED LEONDREA NICHOLS, WHO WAS A NORTH CAROLINE GRADUATE, AND SHE'S SET TO GRADUATE THIS UPCOMING YEAR FROM CHESAPEAKE WITH HER ASSOCIATE SCHOOL.
TO GIVE YOU A LOOK AT OUR SPRING 2025 EVENTS.
WE HAVE AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR UPWARD BOUND SATURDAY SESSIONS AT THE COLLEGE.
ON JANUARY THE 18TH, WE'RE FOCUSING ON FINANCIAL LITERACY WHERE OUR SENIORS AND THEIR PARENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OUR FINANCIAL AID REPRESENTATIVES TO EXPLORE THE FAFSA, MDCAPS, AND GET REAL LIVE HELP AND GET THOSE FORMS TURNED IN.
THEN OUR OTHER PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WILL GO THROUGH SOME FINANCIAL EDUCATION.
FEBRUARY 15TH IS OUR HEART HEALTH DAY WHERE WE'RE DOING BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS AND INFORMATION THROUGH OUR NURSING DEPARTMENT AT THE COLLEGE.
SOME OF THE NURSES WILL ALSO BE PARTICIPATING AND WE'LL BE OFFERING A CPR CLASS.
ON MARCH THE 15TH, WE'LL BE VISITING THE BLACK COLLEGE EXPO IN WASHINGTON DC, AND ON APRIL 19TH WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AS WE GET READY TO PREPARE TO GO INTO OUR SUMMER PROGRAM IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS.
SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP, MARCH THE 19TH, WE'LL BE DOING A WALK ON THE HILL IN WASHINGTON DC.
THIS IS A TIME FOR OUR STUDENTS TO ADVOCATE FOR TRIO, TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY ARE A PART OF AND MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES ON FEDERAL HILL.
ON APRIL THE 4TH, WE'LL BE VISITING MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY FOR THEIR EXPLORE MORGAN DAY, AND THEN MAY THE 17TH, WE'LL BE HAVING OUR SENIOR RECOGNITION AND SUMMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM WHERE WE'LL BE CONGRATULATING OUR SENIORS AS WELL AS GIVING THEM ALL THE TIPS AND TRICKS TO GET SET UP AND READY FOR OUR SUMMER ORIENTATION PROGRAM.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE TENTATIVE SPRING 2025 COLLEGE TOURS.
AGAIN, THESE ARE THE TOURS OF COLLEGES THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE REQUESTED.
THESE ARE ONLY CONTINGENT UPON THE AVAILABILITY AND OPENING OF SCHEDULES.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT TOURING JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY, VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY, NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY, DREXEL UNIVERSITY, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, AND PENN STATE UNIVERSITY.
AGAIN, IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND BE A PART OF THE BOARD MEETING THIS EVENING.
AT THIS TIME, I CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYONE HAS ANY.
>> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. BERRY, BUT WE APPRECIATE A WONDERFUL REPORT THAT YOU PRESENTED, ESPECIALLY CONCERNING OUR CAROLINE COUNTY STUDENTS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED RELATIONSHIP WITH CAROLINE COUNTY AND CHESAPEAKE COLLEGE, AND THE TRIO AND UPWARD BOUND PROGRAMS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH PRESIDENT WAYMAN. IT IS APPRECIATED.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. BERRY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
I'LL JUST ECHO MS. WAYMAN'S SENTIMENTS.
LOVE THE WORK OF UPWARD BOUND.
I'M THRILLED CAROLINE COUNTY IS A PART OF IT.
I'LL ALWAYS LOOK AROUND AT DIFFERENT MEETINGS OR CONFERENCES AND HEAR ABOUT UPWARD BOUND IN OTHER DISTRICTS, AND THRILLED TO SEE THAT OUR KIDS HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO A LONG,
[00:55:01]
WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP AS IT RELATES TO UPWARD BOUND AND PROVIDING FOR OUR KIDS. THAT'S AWESOME.THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING, AND YOUR STAFF.
YOU GOT AN AWESOME TEAM, BOTH IN OUR SCHOOLS AND AT THE COLLEGE SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR KIDS, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DR. SIMMONS, I GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> KENNY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SHARE AS A UV, SINCE HE PUT YOU OUT THERE?
>> HE DID, HE ALWAYS DOES THAT. [LAUGHTER] AGAIN, TRIO IS AMAZING.
I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME SINCE I JOINED HIGH SCHOOL.
I BECAME A MEMBER OF TRIO AROUND THE SUMMER BEFORE MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I THINK.
IT ALSO IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'VE GAINED CONFIDENCE TO RUN FOR THINGS SUCH AS STUDENT MEMBER ON THE BOARD.
I THINK ANY STUDENT WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A MEMBER OF TRIO UPWARD BOUND DEFINITELY SHOULD BECAUSE YOU WILL LEARN SO MUCH AND YOU'LL GAIN A REALLY GREAT FAMILY.
>> THAT'S GREAT. COULDN'T GET MUCH BETTER COMMENTS THAN THAT FROM A PARTICIPANT.
THAT'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ENJOYED YOUR PRESENTATION AND HAVE A GOOD HOLIDAY SEASON.
>> AT THIS TIME, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
>> OH, YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M SORRY.
>> ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT'S AWESOME.
>> INCREDIBLE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTY FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE AN UPDATE FROM MBRT, NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS.
THRILLED TO HAVE YOU GUYS WITH US TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR YOU IN THIS CAPACITY AND THE FIRST TIME FROM MADERA COUNTY, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WARM WELCOME. ABBY, PLEASE.
>> I WILL START OFF BEFORE SHARON.
ON THE PRESENTATION, I HAVE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS A LITTLE FOLDER THAT HAS A FLYER ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE DO, WHAT WE DO.
IT ALSO HAS OUR WAY TO BE MAGAZINE, WHICH WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, BUT THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR BIG PROGRAMS THAT YOU LIKE.
>> YOU WILL RECOGNIZE A FAMILIAR FACE ON THE COVER OF THIS YEAR'S WAY TO BE.
>> FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T SEE, WE HAVE OUR VERY OWN KADEEN.
>> SHE WAS PART OF THE SHOOT FOR THE MAGAZINE THIS YEAR AND SHE HAS JOINED US.
>> WELL, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND GUESTS THIS EVENING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING BOTH ABIGAIL AND I IN FRONT OF YOU TO OFFER A REPORT.
MY NAME IS SHARON MARKLEY SCHREIBER.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MARYLAND BUSINESS ROUND TABLE FOR EDUCATION.
I BECAME THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, SO THIS IS MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU IN CAROLINE COUNTY FOR THIS REPORT, AND REALLY DELIGHTED TO JOIN ABBY AS SHE'S ALSO NEW WITH MBRT.
MBRT, WHICH IS OUR ACRONYM, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 31 YEARS.
WHILE WE ARE NEW, IT HAS A LONG LEGACY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU THIS EVENING AND I'M GOING TO JUMP RIGHT INTO IT AND WE'RE GOING TO TAG TEAM A LITTLE BIT.
ABIGAIL WILL BE COMING UP TO OFFER HER COMMENTS AND GO A LITTLE BIT DEEPER INTO OUR DATA, BUT JUST TO SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT WE DO AT MBRT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR MISSION IS TO BE A CATALYST FOR BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, AND EDUCATION TO DRIVE HIGH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAT ENSURES A COMPETITIVE FUTURE WORKFORCE FOR A WORLD-CLASS ECONOMY.
OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS A FUTURE AND EVERY BUSINESS IS A SUCCESS.
AT THE VERY HEART OF OUR MISSION IS THAT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE.
THE BUSINESS ASPECT OF WHAT WE DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUSINESSES ARE PARTICIPATING WITH EDUCATION SO THAT STUDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITY.
IT IS TRULY THAT CONVENING IN THAT PARTNERSHIP.
WE ARE A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION AND WE SERVE ALL 24 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
OUR BOARD IS MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY AS WELL AS HIGHER EDUCATION.
I NOTICED THIS LATE, AND I APOLOGIZE, WE'RE PROUDLY LED BY CHRISTINA ASPELL.
SHE IS THE BALTIMORE OFFICE MANAGING PARTNER.
OUR NEW BOARD VICE CHAIR IS SUZANNE FISCHER-HUETTNER.
SHE IS THE PUBLISHER OF THE DAILY RECORD IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND,
[01:00:04]
AND OUR BOARD TREASURER IS MIKE CLOYD.MIKE IS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND CFO OF BGE.
OUR BOARD AGAIN REPRESENTS MANY OF THE BUSINESSES AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES INCLUDED, THAT OUR STUDENTS TOUCH.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION.
WE ARE A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION AND IN THAT WAY, WE HAVE A DIVERSIFICATION OF FUNDING.
WE DO RECEIVE STATE GRANTS, SUCH AS THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS GRANT, WHICH OPERATES HERE UNDER MBRT IN CAROLINE COUNTY, AS WELL AS STATE GRANTS FROM MHAC.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE CORPORATE GRANTS THAT HELP TO SPONSOR SCHOOLS AND DIRECT COLLEGE AND CAREER RESOURCES TOWARD THOSE PARTICULAR SCHOOLS.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU KNOW FONDLY NONA CARROLL.
SHE SERVED VALIANTLY IN THE PAST YEAR AS OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHILE THE SEARCH WAS TAKING PLACE.
I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR NONA IN THAT SHE CONTINUES TO SERVE AS MY DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND OUR CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER.
SHE BRINGS WITH HER 13 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT MBRT.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS A NEW LEADER WITH THE ORGANIZATION, THAT TYPE OF CONTINUATION AND CONTINUITY, CANNOT BE VALUED.
OVERVALUED. SHE IS BUSY TONIGHT AT A LEADERSHIP MARYLAND CELEBRATION, WHICH I KNOW DR. SIMMONS, IS NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR HEART, AND MINE AS WELL, AND SO SHE'S BRINGING GREETINGS TO CAROLINE COUNTY TONIGHT.
CHRIS THORN IS OUR CHIEF INFORMATION AND OPERATIONS OFFICER AND HAS BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR 10 YEARS.
NEW IN THAT ROLE, BRIDGING FROM TECHNOLOGY INTO AN OPERATIONS ROLE AS WELL, WHICH REALLY HELPS US BECOME MORE LEAN AND MORE EFFICIENT.
>> THEN FINALLY, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER, I WOULD BE NOTHING WITHOUT THE TEAM.
I'M VERY, VERY GRATEFUL THAT ABIGAIL WITTMAN, ABBY, AS SHE LIKES TO BE CALLED, JOINED US THIS YEAR BECAUSE I THINK SHE BRINGS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL TO CAROLINE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
NOT ONLY IS SHE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY AND FULLY UNDERSTANDS THIS ENVIRONMENT AND WHAT STUDENTS NEED, SHE IS WARM, SHE IS KIND, AND SHE IS WELCOMING, BUT ABOVE ALL, SHE'S A PROFESSIONAL.
SHE IS JOINED BY TEAM MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
MORGAN COX IS OUR EVENT AND COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST.
CARRIE PANNONE IS OUR STATE PROGRAM MANAGER, SERVING DISTRICTS THAT ARE NON-NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS DISTRICTS.
SHE'S BASED IN ALLEGANY COUNTY.
AUNDRA ANDERSON, MANY OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THAT NAME.
SHE'S IN KENT COUNTY, LEONARD WEBB, ALLEGANY COUNTY.
VONCIA MOLOCK IS IN DORCHESTER COUNTY.
TASHE WILLIAMS IS IN WICOMICO COUNTY, AND ALANA FITHIAN-WILSON IS OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR INTERN.
SHE WAS A NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS STUDENT AMBASSADOR WHILE SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IS NOW A JUNIOR AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY AND CONTINUES IN OUR ALUMNI PROGRAM.
THAT PROVIDES THAT BRIDGE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO SUCCESS UNDER THE GRANT PROGRAM.
ABBY, WHY DON'T YOU JOIN ME UP HERE? ABBY IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR CURRENT CORE PROGRAMS AND THEN NARROW DOWN, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, SHARON, FOR THAT REALLY GREAT OVERVIEW OF MBRT AS A STATEWIDE PROGRAM.
PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
HELLO. LIKE I SAID, I'M ABIGAIL WITTMAN.
I'M THE NEW NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM SPECIALIST FOR CAROLINE, FORMER CAROLINE TEACHER AT LOCKERMAN, AND I AM BACK IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK.
BUT JUST A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF OUR CORE PROGRAMS. CHIEFLY IN CAROLINE COUNTY, WE HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM, THAT IS A GRANT FUNDED PROGRAM THAT HELPS ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED MAINLY STUDENTS IN BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS TO EXPLORE POST-SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES.
THAT CAN BE IN COLLEGE, SPECIFICALLY CONNECTING THEM WITH STATE GRANTS LIKE THE GUARANTEED ACCESS GRANT.
THAT CAN BE CAREER READINESS THROUGH CAREER TOURS AND MOCK INTERVIEWS.
IT CAN BE TRADE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THINGS LIKE APPRENTICESHIPS, LOTS OF HANDS AND NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR SPEAKERS BUREAU, WHICH IS A STATEWIDE PROGRAM AND THAT IS VOLUNTEERS FROM BUSINESSES WHO COME IN AND SPEAK TO STUDENTS, AND THAT IS A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM THAT IS CHIEFLY ORGANIZED BY CARRIE, AND WHAT THAT ENTAILS REALLY IS VOLUNTEERS COMING INTO CLASSROOMS, TALKING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, THE CHOICES THEY MADE IN SCHOOL, REALLY EMPHASIZING THINGS LIKE COURSEWORK MATTERS AND THE STEPS THEY TOOK IN THE CERTAIN PATHWAYS TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO BE, AND THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL BECAUSE KIDS CAN SEE MAYBE PEOPLE FROM
[01:05:02]
THEIR COMMUNITY IN A POSITION THAT MAYBE THEY ARE INTERESTED, A FIELD THAT THEY MAY BE INTERESTED IN BEFORE, MAYBE HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE, BUT THEY REALIZE THE PATHWAYS THAT HELP THEM GET THERE FROM THE PERSON WHO'S ALREADY DONE THAT.THAT'S A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM.
THE STUDENT AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE KITTY IN HERE.
BUT THAT IS, AGAIN, A STATEWIDE PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT JUST A NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS DISTRICT, WE HAVE STUDENT AMBASSADORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THAT'S A REALLY GREAT LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS THAT GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS AND THEIR CONNECTIONS.
I KNOW THEY'RE HAVING A PROGRAM RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY'RE SPEAKING WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ONE-ON-ONE AND REALLY LEARNING ABOUT THE STEPS THAT THEY'RE TAKING IN AREAS LIKE LAW, AND HEALTH, AND EVEN ACTING, THEY'RE CONNECTING WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND LEARNING A LOT VALUABLE EXPERIENCE.
LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT IS THE LOVELY MAGAZINE THAT I GAVE OUT THAT HAS BEEN FOR OVER 20 YEARS, HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR MAIN TOOLS THAT WE USE TO ADVERTISE MBRT AND REALLY PROVIDE IN A COOL SUCCINCT WAY THE TOOLS THAT STUDENTS CAN USE TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO BE.
WHETHER AT THE COURSES, THERE'LL BE THINGS IN THERE ABOUT TRANSCRIPTS AND HOW THAT CARRIES, AND PICKING COURSES, THERE ARE THINGS ABOUT FINANCIAL AID, LISTING ALL THE MARYLAND COLLEGES, WHAT THEY COST, DIFFERENT FINANCIAL AID OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN A BIG CHUNK OF IT IS AGAIN, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND HAVING REALLY GREAT INTERVIEWS AND BIOS IN THERE FROM INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS ACROSS STATE, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT FIELDS, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PATHS THEY'VE TAKEN, AND REALLY A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE OF HOW THESE PROFESSIONALS HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE THEY ARE.
FOR THE FIRST YEAR THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY HAD A PUBLICATION OF WAY TO BE IN SPANISH, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY HUGE DEAL IN CAROLINE COUNTY BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION, BUT WE HAVE OUR INAUGURAL EDITION OF WAY TO BE IN SPANISH, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF BOXES OF THAT IN MY OFFICE.
EXCITED TO GIVE THOSE OUT TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING STUDENTS.
NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS, SPECIFICALLY, HERE IS A FUN LIST OF THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE IN NINTH GRADE OUR FUTURE PATHWAY SESSIONS, AND THAT WORKS A LOT WITH THE SPEAKERS BUREAU VOLUNTEERS, AS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS COMING IN, TALKING ABOUT THE PATHWAYS THEY TOOK, TALKING WITH STUDENTS AS THEY ARE ENTERING NINTH GRADE, AS THEY ARE GETTING STARTED FOR THEIR HIGH SCHOOL JOURNEY, WHAT THEY CAN DO NOW TO BE READY FOR POST GRADUATION, WHETHER THAT BE COLLEGE, CAREER, TRADE SCHOOL.
ANOTHER HUGE PART OF WHAT WE DO IS ONE-ON-ONE GROUP COUNSELING WITH STUDENTS.
WE HAVE A LARGE COHORT IN BETWEEN BOTH SCHOOLS, BUT I MEET WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I DO PRE-YEAR SURVEYS, POST-YEAR SURVEYS, FIGURING OUT WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED, WHERE ARE YOU AT, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO THIS YEAR? LOTS OF ONE-ON-ONE CHECKINGS, ESPECIALLY WITH SENIORS THIS TIME OF YEAR, HELPING WITH APPLICATIONS, ESSAYS, FINANCIAL AID, HOW TO DO THE FAFSA.
[LAUGHTER] IN TENTH GRADE, WE DO CAREER TOURS.
THAT IS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES, BRINGING STUDENTS OUT TO SEE WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, TALKING WITH PEOPLE THERE, AND REALLY HELPING THEM DISCOVER WHAT'S OUT THERE.
WE OBVIOUSLY DO OUR COLLEGE TRIPS.
WE USUALLY RUN 3-4 EVERY YEAR.
I WILL GO IN A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE HAVE OUR CLASSROOM SESSIONS AND THAT'S GRADES 10, 11, AND 12.
THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT TOPICS, WHETHER THAT BE CAREER SKILLS AND INTEREST, JOB SKILLS, RESUME SKILLS, MAX INTERVIEWS, OR FINANCIAL LITERACY, WE COME INTO THE CLASSROOMS, A LOT OF TIMES WE BRING IN THOSE INDUSTRY VOLUNTEERS AND WE USE OUR WAY TO BE MAGAZINE, AND WE REALLY HELP TEACH THESE KIDS AND HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT PATHWAYS THAT THEY HAVE AGAIN.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT SUMMER SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE OUR SUMMER OF SERVICE WHERE WE CONNECT NEXT GEN STUDENTS WITH DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.
WE DO THINGS WITH SUMMER FEST.
WE DID A PROGRAM WITH THE FIBER ART CENTER, AND A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS.
THAT'S A REALLY GREAT WAY TO HELP THESE KIDS GET SERVICE LEARNING HOURS IN THE SUMMER.
WE HAVE OUR COLLEGE BOOT CAMPS WHERE WE GO IN, WE ACTUALLY PARTNERED WITH WICOMICO COUNTY THIS SUMMER TO DO A JOINT COLLEGE BOOT CAMP WHERE WE HAD ADMISSIONS OFFICERS COME IN FROM UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND TELL THEM DIRECTLY WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND REALLY GETTING THEM STARTED EARLY IN THE SUMMER INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE FALL AND THE WINTER AS THAT ADMISSION CYCLE GETS FASTER AND FASTER, SO REALLY HELPING THEM GET A LEG UP AS THEY MOVE INTO COLLEGE APPLICATION SEASON FOR THE SENIORS.
THEN WE HAVE OUR AWARDS THAT LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ATTENDANCE,
[01:10:06]
BEHAVIOR, AND COURSE WORK.THE MAIN ONE OF THOSE IS THE 24 AWARD, AND THAT 24 COMES FROM ALL OF THE MARYLAND SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE CHOOSE ONE STUDENT FROM EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REALLY RECEIVE THAT AWARD, AND THEY REALLY EXEMPLIFIED THOSE THREE FACTORS, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, AND COURSE WORK ALONG WITH VOLUNTEER WORK, LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE, PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS OR MBRT AS A WHOLE.
WE DO HAVE OUR WINNER FROM THIS YEAR, WHO I WON'T ANNOUNCE YET BECAUSE DOWN UNTIL FEBRUARY. [LAUGHTER]
BUT, THAT'LL BE IN FEBRUARY, THEY WILL RECEIVE THEIR AWARD.
I WILL TELL YOU LAST YEAR, LIAM WALLACE WAS OUR WINNER FOR THE DISTRICT.
HE'S ALSO FEATURED IN THE WAY TO BE MAGAZINE.
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF NUMBERS FROM OUR '23 '24 SESSION DATA.
AGAIN, THIS IS NUMBERS I AM INHERITING, SO DON'T KNOW TOO MUCH.
BUT THIS IS OUR LEARNING ENGAGEMENTS.
LIKE I SAID, THOSE CLASSROOM SESSIONS, WE HAD 23 OF THOSE AND THEY REACHED 455 STUDENTS.
WE HAD A CAREER TOUR SESSIONS THAT WE TOOK ABOUT 35 STUDENTS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE HAD TWO OF THOSE, ONE AT EACH SCHOOL AND THOSE REACHED OVER 100 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR FAFSA, WHICH, ESPECIALLY LAST YEAR WAS A CONUNDRUM.
WE HAD OUR MOCK INTERVIEW SESSION WHICH HELPED 20 STUDENTS LEARN INTERVIEW SKILLS WITH BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, AND THEN WE HAD TWO SESSIONS OF COLLEGE BOOT CAMPS THAT REACHED 10 STUDENTS.
HERE ARE SOME REALLY EXCITING NUMBERS.
$691,470 OF REPORTED FINANCIAL AID RECEIVED BY NGS GRADUATES IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
THAT IS REALLY EXCITING NUMBER, AND I WOULD HAVE TO QUALIFY THAT AND SAY THAT THIS NUMBER IS ONLY WHAT I WAS ABLE TO VERIFY AND TRACK DOWN.
COMING INTO THE NEW POSITION, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE YEAR OF SELF-REPORTING ESPECIALLY FROM STUDENTS ABOUT ALL THE AWARDS THAT THEY'VE RECEIVED, SO I EXPECT THIS NUMBER IS PROBABLY HIGHER, BUT THAT WAS WHAT I COULD REPORT, AND I THINK IS A REALLY GREAT NUMBER, LOTS OF BIG SCHOLARSHIPS, LOTS OF FULL RIDES FOR STUDENTS, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT, SO EXCITING.
THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THAT 4.3 MILLION, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM-WIDE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL AID, AND THAT'S ACROSS ALL FIVE DISTRICTS.
YOU CAN SEE THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL RIGHT THERE, IT WORKS.
[LAUGHTER] ONE THING I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE COLLABORATION WITH CAROLINE CCR PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT RESOURCES WITH CCR.
LINDSAY, WHO CANNOT BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S AT A CONFERENCE, BUT SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE.
ROB, THE CAREER COACH, HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT WORKING WITH HIM, GETTING INTO THE CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE MAISA, OUR NEW CAREER NAVIGATOR, AND SHE HAS BEEN GREAT.
LOTS OF INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION.
BUT HERE'S A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT MBRT REALLY BRINGS TO THE TABLE WITH WORKING WITH COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
LIKE I'VE MENTIONED, A LOT OF TIMES, WE HAVE THAT SPEAKERS BUREAU, THAT CONNECTION WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS TO COME IN.
WE HAVE THE CAREER TOURS THAT WE DO.
THESE ARE REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO GET IN FRONT OF NEW CAREERS AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
WE HAVE ACCESS TO COLLEGE THROUGH OUR COLLEGE TOURS AND OUR COLLEGE VISITS, AGAIN, VERY POPULAR.
REALLY GREAT BEING ABLE TO GET THESE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS, LET THEM SEE WHAT CAMPUS LIFE IS LIKE AND REALLY SEE THEMSELVES THERE.
THEN WE ARE ALSO AN EXTENDED RESOURCE THAT HELPS CAREER COACHES, IDENTIFY INTERNSHIPS, APPRENTICESHIPS OPPORTUNITIES.
AGAIN, THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH BUSINESSES AND OTHER BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS REALLY HELPS ELEVATE CCR AS A WHOLE WITH ALL THE COLLABORATION AND ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
A COUPLE OF UPDATES SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS YEAR.
IN SEPTEMBER, WE HAD OUR INDUSTRY DAY AT KAISER PERMANENTE AND LUTHERVILLE-TIMONIUM.
WE GOT TO GO TO ONE OF KAISER PERMANENTE'S NEWEST FACILITIES OVER IN LUTHERVILLE IS A HUGE HEALTH CENTER, AND THE STUDENTS GOT TO TOUR, WE GOT TO GO INTO THE LABS, TALK WITH HEALTHCARE WORKERS, IT WAS COOL.
>> IT WAS COOL. I'M [INAUDIBLE].
>> NOT MY CUP OF TEA, BUT IT WAS VERY COOL. [LAUGHTER] YEAH.
I REMEMBER THIS LITTLE GIRL, WE WERE IN THE LABS AND SHE WAS LIKE, NO.
>> BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO WERE INTERESTED IN HEALTHCARE SPECIFICALLY WITH NURSING, AND YOU COULD TELL THEY WERE STOKED.
I WAS STOKED. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HEALTHCARE.
I WAS SO EXCITED GOING INTO THOSE LABS.
IT WAS A REALLY COOL OPPORTUNITY.
WE ALSO HAD OUR TRI-COUNTY COLLEGE FAIR AT UMES, THAT WAS IN OCTOBER.
WE TOOK 44 STUDENTS DOWN TO UMES.
THE TRI-COUNTY COLLEGE FAIR THEY HAD OVER 60 SCHOOLS.
[01:15:03]
NOT ONLY DID THE STUDENTS GET TO SEE UMES AND TAKE A CAMPUS TOUR AND EAT AT THE DINING HALL, THEY ALSO GOT TO TALK WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM SCHOOLS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MAINLY IN THE MID-ATLANTIC, BUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MAKE SOME REALLY GREAT CONNECTIONS.WE COLLABORATED EXTENSIVELY WITH THE SCHOOL GUIDANCE DEPARTMENTS FOR MARYLAND COLLEGE APPLICATION CAMPAIGN WEEK AT NORTH CAROLINE AND COLONEL RICHARDSON.
THAT WAS REALLY REWARDING, I THINK, IT WAS GREAT WITH BOTH SCHOOLS, BUT COLONEL RICHARDSON, I DO HAVE TO SHOUT OUT, THAT WAS A REALLY SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN.
I BELIEVE IT WAS OVER 80%, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME, OVER 80% OF THE SENIORS HAD COME OUT AND WORKED ON COLLEGE APPLICATIONS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER DURING THAT WEEK, WHICH IS A REALLY GREAT TURNOUT, SO THAT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.
THEN IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD OUR SALISBURY UNIVERSITY CAMPUS VISIT.
WE TOOK 37 STUDENTS DOWN, WENT, TOURED THE CAMPUS, ATE AT THE DINING HALL, TALKED TO THE TOUR GUIDES.
THAT WAS AGAIN, SUPER SUCCESSFUL TRIP.
WE HAD KIDS WHO WERE ALREADY INTERESTED IN SALISBURY, WHO WERE, OF COURSE, VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE CAMPUS.
WE ALSO HAD KIDS WHO DIDN'T REALLY KNOW ABOUT SALISBURY.
GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN GET ON CAMPUS AND SEE WHAT WAS AVAILABLE FOR THEM WAS REALLY SPECIAL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, BUT THERE ARE MORE EVENTS TO COME AND THEN THERE IS MY CONTACT INFORMATION RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING SHARON AND I TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT MBRT AND NEXT GEN.
IT IS A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM, AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, AND YOUR REPORT, ABBY WAS FABULOUS.
I HOPE THAT THOSE WHO ARE HERE AND ANY WHO ARE LISTENING WILL ENCOURAGE THEIR STUDENTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH A WONDERFUL PROGRAM.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, PROBABLY TWO YEARS AGO, SO IT WASN'T THIS MAGAZINE WAY TO BE, BUT I REMEMBER LOOKING AT ONE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THERE WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION IN THERE.
I THOUGHT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SHOULD HAVE IT BECAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLE.
>> IT IS A STATEWIDE PROGRAM, SO IT DOES GO THROUGHOUT THE STATE, SO STUDENTS ALL THROUGHOUT MARYLAND CAN GET ACCESS TO WAY TO BE, WE ALSO HAVE A DIGITAL EDITION, SO IT IS AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE.
I USE IT WHEN I'M TALKING TO KIDS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'LL TALK ABOUT A SPECIFIC MARYLAND COMPANY, MAYBE THEY'RE INTERESTED IN WASHINGTON, PULL A MAGAZINE AND SAY, WELL, LAST YEAR, WASHINGTON COST THIS MUCH AND THIS MUCH, AND HERE'S THIS FINANCIAL AID, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE.
>> IT IS. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
IF A STUDENT IS NOT ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED OR WHATEVER, CAN THEY STILL COME TO YOU FOR THE SERVICES?
>> YEAH. MAINLY, OF COURSE, WE WORK WITH ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, BUT I AM SCHOOL-BASED, SO I AM IN BOTH SCHOOLS, AND MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS THERE AS A RESOURCE.
THEN ALSO FOR THOSE CLASSROOM SESSIONS, THOSE ARE FULL CLASSROOM SESSIONS.
THEY'RE COMING IN AND ENGAGING WITH EVERY STUDENT.
THAT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER THEY'RE TECHNICALLY IN THE PROGRAM OR NOT, THEY STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES.
>> I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS, BUT I'LL WAIT IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I FIRST OFF WANT TO SAY, ABBY, IT'S AWESOME TO HAVE YOU BACK.
AND IN THIS CAPACITY HELPING OUR STUDENTS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I DO WANT TO SHOUT, SHARON, IT'S AWESOME TO HAVE YOU HERE IN A NEW ROLE AND ALSO TO HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COME TO A BOARD MEETING IN CAROLINE COUNTY ON AN EVENING.
IT MEANS A LOT AND SAYS A LOT.
WE'VE BEEN WITH FEDERAL RELATIONSHIP WITH MBRT FOR MANY YEARS PRIOR TO NEXTGEN.
BUT THE NEXTGEN SCHOLARS PROGRAM WHEN IT CAME ON, WE WERE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL COUNTIES.
IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
IT HAS HELPED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STUDENTS.
I WILL SAY THAT IN OUR TIME WITH NEXTGEN, MBRT HAS NEVER SHIED FROM HELPING A SINGLE STUDENT IN THE COUNTY, HAS NEVER SHIED FROM SWINGING BIG, WHICH IS AWESOME.
YOU GOT TO SWING BIG TO GET THE DEFENSES.
THEY'VE ALWAYS SWUNG BIG IN TERMS OF HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN WE HELP.
WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN? AWESOME. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
I APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERSHIP OVER MANY YEARS WITH MBRT WITH YOUR PREDECESSOR, AND WITH NONA, AND WITH ABBY BEFORE, AND MORGAN WHO'S STILL WITH YOU.
BUT IT TRULY HAS BEEN AN AWESOME PROGRAM AND VERY HELPFUL.
ONE ADDITIONAL SHOUT OUT, AND I'M GLAD YOU INCLUDED THE INFORMATION ON THE SLIDE AND ALSO MADE THAT CONNECTION.
THE WAY THAT MBRT AND YOU IN PARTICULAR AND YOUR PREDECESSOR HAVE EMBEDDED THEMSELVES WITHIN THE WORK OF THE BLUEPRINT AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR PILLAR 3 WORK WITH CCR, AND YOU MENTIONED OUR CAREER COACHES AND MRS. MCCORMACK.
THE NICE THING IS, IS WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER, NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS AND NOT BUTTING HEADS ON HOW WE CAN SUPPORT ALL OF OUR KIDS.
[01:20:04]
THE SAME IS TRUE WITH THE TRIO PROGRAM UPPER BOUND.EVERYBODY HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO WORK REALLY WELL IN THE SANDBOX BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS WHO CAN USE THE INFORMATION AND USE THE SUPPORT, AND EVERYBODY'S WORKING TOGETHER, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE AND NOT ALWAYS THE CASE IN THINGS.
IT'S BEEN A BLESSING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN REALLY SINCE DAY ONE. THANK YOU, GUYS.
>> THANK YOU. JUST TO PUT AN EXCLAMATION POINT ON CAROLINE COUNTY'S ENGAGEMENT OVER THESE YEARS.
WE'RE NOW STARTING TO SEE OUR FIRST GRADUATING CLASSES COMING OUT OF THEIR COLLEGIATE, THEIR UNDERGRADUATE COMPLETION.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT DATA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GATHER REFLECTING WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WHAT ARE YOU CHOOSING TO DO NEXT? DID YOU GO INTO YOUR CAREER IN THE FIELD THAT YOU MAYBE HELPED TO IDENTIFY WHILE YOU WERE A SENIOR HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY? DID YOU CHANGE DIRECTION? WHY? THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM STUDENTS JUST FROM THE CHOICES THAT THEY MAKE.
REALLY, THE OPPORTUNITY IS FOR THAT ONE STUDENT, IF THAT LIGHT BULB IS TURNED ON, IF THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND SOMETIMES WE EVEN LEARN WHAT WE DON'T LIKE, AND THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WELL.
BECAUSE IT REALLY MAKES IT MORE EFFICIENT AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH LIFE.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO HEALTHCARE, AT LEAST IN THE LAB.
I HAD A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CAREER TOUR DAY HERE LAST YEAR, GOING TO CHOPTANK ELECTRIC, GOING TO THE FIBER ART CENTER, AND GOING TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY WITH THE TENTH GRADE STUDENTS PERSONALLY AND SEEING THEM.
THAT WAS WHEN WE FIRST IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR THE INAUGURAL ADDITION OF THE SPANISH WAY TO BE, BECAUSE WE COULD SEE AND EXPERIENCE THE ROADBLOCK THAT WE NEEDED TO ELIMINATE.
I'M VERY PROUD TO BRING THAT ABOUT.
WE ALWAYS WELCOME FEEDBACK THOUGH AND WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE.
I KNOW THAT ABBY HAS BEEN VERY OPEN TO BRAINSTORMING AND LOOKING FOR INNOVATIVE WAYS TO PROTOTYPE, SEE WHAT'S WORKING, CHANGE, PIVOT AND MOVE SO THAT WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO OUR STUDENTS.
IN MANY WAYS, WE JUST WANT TO UNCOVER IN THEM THAT BRIGHT LIGHT AND THAT CIRCLE.
WE'RE VERY PROUD TO WORK WITH CAROLINE COUNTY AND HAVE YOUR SUPPORT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE NEXT GENERATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM IN YOUR COUNTY. THANK YOU.
>> WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON AHEAD NOW TO THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
>> THIS WILL NOT BE AS FUN AND EXCITING. MAYBE IT WILL, I DON'T KNOW.
BOARD MEMBERS, TONIGHT IS THE FIRST STROKE OR FIRST SWING.
EVEN THE STUDENT REPS ARE LIKE, YAY, BUDGET, I'M OUT OF HERE.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS ROAD SHOW BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU. MAN, WE'RE REALLY DRIVING EVERYBODY OUT HERE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET.
>> I KNOW. TONIGHT IS THE FIRST STROKE FIRST INTRODUCTION OF WHERE I AM AND MY TEAM ARE IN OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.
WE'LL WALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE TIMELINE FOR THE BOARD TO EXPECT AND SOME THINGS THAT WE SEE COMING ON THE HORIZON AND ALSO TO TRY TO HANG SOME THINGS ON THE TREE IN TERMS OF WHAT MIGHT BE COMING BY THE TIME THE BOARD GETS THE FINAL.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MIGHT, BUT IT WILL BE AFTER CHRISTMAS.
THEY'LL RUIN THE NEW YEAR, NOT CHRISTMAS. HOPEFULLY NOT.
JUST A REMINDER ABOUT THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE.
ACTUALLY, THIS DOES NEED TO BE ADJUSTMENT.
SORRY, RACHEL, I DIDN'T MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT ON IT.
PRELIMINARY APPROVAL WILL GO BEFORE THE BOARD IN APRIL, NOT FEBRUARY.
MY PRELIMINARY APPROVAL WILL GO TO YOU GUYS AT THE APRIL MEETING.
IT WILL STAY A DRAFT BUDGET UNTIL THEN.
AS THREE BOARD MEMBERS WERE IN THIS ROLE LAST YEAR DURING BUDGET DEVELOPMENT TIME, WE ARE REALLY CONTINGENT UPON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR OUR FUNDING.
WE DO EXPECT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO BE VERY ENGAGED IN THINGS THAT COULD IMPACT US BUDGET WISE.
IT IS 100% LIKELY WE WILL NOT HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE OF OUR REVENUE NUMBERS UNTIL MID APRIL AT BEST.
I NEED THE FOLKS IN ANNAPOLIS TO STOP TO WORK TO KNOW WHERE OUR MONEY AMOUNTS WILL PROBABLY FALL INTO.
THAT'S WHY IT WON'T COME TO YOU UNTIL APRIL.
BUT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A STANDING ITEM EVERY MONTH UNTIL THEN OF SHARING WHERE WE ARE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT AND PROCESS.
MOVING INTO OUR CURRENT FY 25 BUDGET INFORMATION,
[01:25:04]
AND THIS IS JUST A RECAP FOR THE BOARD IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR.THE BIG PART THAT I WANT TO DRAW OUT IS LOOKING AT OUR REVENUES.
WE REALLY ARE CONTINGENT UPON OUR STATE FUNDING, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS JUST SHARING ABOUT WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HOLD OFF TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN ANNAPOLIS TO KNOW WHERE THE FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM.
THE RESTRICTED FEDERAL AID, THE 12% THERE, IS LARGELY THROUGH GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE, OUR TITLE GRANTS OR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING.
WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING MUCH CHANGE IN THAT FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
THE COUNTY APPROPRIATION IS ROUGHLY 16% OF OUR OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET, AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT TO HOLD ABOUT THE SAME.
WHAT WILL BE CONTINGENT UPON THE PERCENTAGE OF THE COUNTY APPROPRIATION WILL REALLY BE IF CAROLINE COUNTY'S WEALTH CHANGES IN REGARD TO EVERY OTHER COUNTY'S WEALTH.
IF OUR WEALTH GOES UP MORE THAN OTHERS, THEN THE COUNTY'S PERCENTAGE OF MONEY GOING TO US MAY INCREASE, SO IT MAY CHANGE THAT SCALE A LITTLE BIT.
BUT BY AND LARGE, IT'S ABOUT WHERE IT'S LANDED FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UNRESTRICTED BUDGET SUMMARY, AND THIS IS JUST TO HIGHLIGHT, NOT JUST FOR THE BOARD, BUT FOR OTHERS.
SALARIES AND WAGES AND OTHER CHARGES, THOSE ARE THE OTHER FIXED CHARGES BENEFITS ASSOCIATED.
THAT EQUALS ALMOST 90% OF OUR BUDGET.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHERE OUR EXPENSES COME FROM, IT'S PEOPLE.
NO SURPRISE, AS WE'VE SAID, FOR YEARS, WE ARE A PEOPLE BUSINESS.
IT TAKES PEOPLE TO EDUCATE CHILDREN.
IT TAKES PEOPLE TO MAKE SCHOOL WORK.
THOSE ARE THE LARGEST EXPENSES.
A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH BUDGET WISE COME FROM WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A LARGE WORKFORCE, AND THOSE THINGS THAT COME INTO IT.
CONTRACTED SERVICES IS OUR THIRD LARGEST ITEM.
CONTRACTED SERVICES IS NOT ONLY THE SERVICES THAT WE NORMALLY THINK OF WHEN WE THINK OF OUR OPERATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE WITH MR. MENGEL SHOP, BUT CONTRACTED SERVICES HAS GROWN IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS BECAUSE TEXTBOOKS ARE REALLY NOT A THING IN THE DIGITAL AGE.
EVERYTHING IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL REALM ANYMORE, FOR THE MOST PART, IS A CONTRACTED SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S ONLINE TESTING, WHETHER IT'S ONLINE RESOURCES, IT'S ALL CONTRACTED SERVICES.
BUT BY AND LARGE, IT ALSO IS ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE.
SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS, ROUGHLY 2%.
LAND BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT, ROUGHLY 2%, NOT QUITE 2%.
WE HAVE SQUEEZED THAT THING PRETTY TIGHT WITH OUR ENERGY PROGRAM AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, BUT IT'S PRETTY TIGHT.
THEN, OF COURSE, TRANSFERS IS 1.49.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES AND FOR THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS SESSION AT MABE, MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION CONFERENCE.
THESE ARE TWO SLIDES THAT CAME FROM A PRESENTATION AT THE CONFERENCE FROM MATT STANSKI, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BUT I THOUGHT IT DID A GREAT JOB OF SUMMARIZING THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN BUDGETING, AND WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IT.
BUT THIS IS I THOUGHT DID A GREAT JOB OF SUMMARIZING WHERE WE HAVE BEEN WITH WHAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS.
YOU CAN THINK ABOUT WHERE OUR REVENUES CAME FROM AND HOW THEY WOULD COME INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH MISS SIGNA, AND THE FINANCE OFFICE STILL WORKING THROUGH WITH OUR CONSULTANT WITH WESTED SETTING UP TO THE NEW WAY OF BUDGETING AND WE'RE TRANSITIONING FROM THE OLD, BUT I THOUGHT THIS SUMMED IT UP.
NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN TERMS OF HOW WE GET OUR MONEY FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, MEANING IT COMES IN TO LEAS BASED ON OUR WEALTH.
WE GET A MUCH HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE WE HAVE LESS WEALTH.
BUT THE FORMULA IS DRIVEN BY THE NUMBER OF KIDS.
IT IS AN ENROLLMENT-BASED FORMULA.
THE MORE KIDS YOU HAVE, THE MORE MONEY YOU GET.
THE MORE KIDS YOU HAVE IN CERTAIN POPULATIONS, THE MORE MONEY YOU GET.
THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION IS DRIVEN BY LAW.
THERE IS A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT COUNTIES ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE US THAT USED TO BE CALLED THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT LAW DURING THE BRIDGE TO EXCELLENCE, THE PRIOR FUNDING MECHANISM.
THAT WAS WHAT THEY HAD TO GIVE US.
THEN WE USE THOSE TWO FUNDS AND WE DIVIDED UP INTO 15 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, BUT LARGELY WE SPENT THEM IN A TRADITIONAL BUDGETING CATEGORY FOR THE WAY THE BOARD IS USED TO SEEING THE BUDGETING BOOKS.
MONEY COMES TO THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY HOLDS THE MONEY, THE COUNTY DIVVIES THE FUNDS OUT, BUT IT'S ALL DRIVEN BY THE COUNTY.
THEN WE HOLD THE PURSE STRINGS AND THE DIRECTION IN THE RECORDINGS.
IN THE NEW WAY, WE STILL GET MONEY THE SAME WAY.
WE JUST ADDED IN ML AS AN ENROLLMENT PIECE, BUT IT'S STILL ENROLLMENT DRIVEN, IT'S STILL NUMBER OF KIDS.
COUNTIES STILL HAVE THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT PIECE, BUT THEY'VE NOW ADDED A NEW COMPONENT CALLED LOCAL SHARE,
[01:30:02]
WHICH IS THE COUNTY'S PERCENTAGE SHARE OF THE BLUEPRINT CATEGORIES.COUNTIES STAY AS A MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT COUNTY UNTIL THE LOCAL SHARE AMOUNT THROUGH THE FORMULA EXCEEDS WHAT IS THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT NUMBER.
THE COUNTY'S GOT TO PAY THE HIGHER OF THE TWO.
AS OF LAST YEAR, CAROLINE COUNTY IS NOW AT THE PLACE WHERE THE LOCAL SHARE IS HIGHER THAN THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BY STATUTE GAVE US OVER 1.6 MILLION MORE LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND THAT'S DRIVEN BY THE FORM.
OUR COMMISSIONERS WERE GRACIOUS AND DID IT WITHOUT.
IT IS WHAT IT IS. WE APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT IN THE BUDGETING THAT WE WILL BE WORKING THROUGH IS, WHERE ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, MONEY WENT TO THE DISTRICT, AND THE DISTRICT DIVVIED IT, AND THEN WE DID THE REPORTING AT THIS LEVEL, WE HAVE TO SEND MONEY TO THE SCHOOLS.
NOT LITERALLY SEND THE DOLLARS, BUT WE HAVE TO SHOW WHERE SPENDING IS LITERALLY BEING ALLOCATED TO THE SCHOOLS BASED ON THE SCHOOL'S INDIVIDUAL DEMOGRAPHICS.
75% OF THE FUNDING IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES HAVE TO GO THAT WAY.
THEN WE HAVE TO REPORT ON THOSE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL ON ALL THOSE CATEGORIES.
WHAT WE ARE LIKELY TO FIND UNDER THE CURRENT STRUCTURE IS THAT WE ARE LIKELY GOING TO FIND THAT WE ARE OVERSPENDING IN SOME CATEGORIES AND UNDERSPENDING IN OTHERS, BECAUSE THINGS DON'T LINE UP REAL NICE AND PRETTY IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES AND BUCKETS WHEN YOU GET TO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
THE BOARD'S HEARD ME SHARE IT BEFORE, BUT IT BEARS RAISING AGAIN AT A SCHOOL WHERE AN EL POPULATION MAY BE 30%, 35%.
FREESE MEALS POPULATION MAY BE APPROACHING 90%.
HOW MUCH OF THE FOUNDATION SHOULD BE APPLIED TO ALL KIDS, WHICH FOUNDATIONS EVERYBODY.
HOW MUCH OF YOUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, THE FORMER EL POPULATION, SHOULD BE ATTRIBUTED JUST TO EL RELATED SERVICES, OR THE TEACHERS WHO TEACH ML KIDS IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM OR HOW MUCH MONEY ASSOCIATED WITH COMPENSATORY EDUCATION, FREE MODUS MEALS KIDS SHOULD BE ALLOCATED TO SPECIFIC THINGS THERE.
IT'S HARD TO PARSE THOSE COSTS OUT AT A WAY THAT YOU CAN PURELY RELATE IT TO CERTAIN CATEGORIES.
WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT. BUT WORKING THROUGH THAT MEANS THE BUDGET DOCUMENT ITSELF WILL LIKELY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS YEAR WHEN IT COMES TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LINE THOSE THINGS UP.
UNLESS THERE IS ANYTHING DONE BY THE LEGISLATURE THAT MAY HELP US, WE'LL BE ADVOCATING.
BUT WITHOUT IT, YOUR BUDGET DOCUMENT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
WE WILL BE MAKING THAT TRANSITION FROM THE TRADITIONAL BRIDGE TO EXCELLENCE BUDGETING DOCUMENT TO ONE THAT HAS TO ALLOCATE BY THESE LEVELS.
IT'LL BE A REAL ACT IN ADMINISTRATIVE TO GET THERE, BUT WE WON'T LET THAT GET IN THE WAY OF PROGRESS.
>> THE FY 26 BUDGET HAS GOT TO HAVE IT SET UP THAT WAY.
BY THE 26 BUDGET, WE HAVE TO SHOW HOW WE'RE BUDGETING IN FUTURE YEARS TO GET TO THAT POINT.
AS YOU'RE ENGAGED WITH MABE, I DO BELIEVE THAT MABE AND PZAM WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER.
MR. JONES AND MR. PLUTSCHAK ARE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE FOR MABE.
HOPEFULLY, THERE ARE SOME JOINT EFFORTS WE CAN HAVE TO JUST THINK ABOUT THE WAY THAT.
ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN IS AN ABSOLUTE UP. WE ARE AUDITED.
I DON'T KNOW, IT FEELS LIKE ALMOST EVERY MONTH, THERE'S AN AUDITOR REPORT THAT'S DUE TO THE STATE.
THERE'S 159 REPORTS THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE AIB OR MSDE ON A YEAR. WE'RE REPORTING A LOT.
>> IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT TOO HOW MUCH IT COSTS US, IF WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT.
>> YES, WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT WITH WESTED.
BECAUSE I CAN ALSO ASSURE YOU, MR. PLUTSCHAK, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, WITHOUT WESTED SUPPORT.
>> WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN JAIL.
BUT WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WE WOULD BE IN A ROLE TO HURT FOR DISTRICT OUR SIZE.
>> IF IT'S COSTING US ANOTHER $100,000 TO DO THIS, THAT'S [OVERLAPPING]
>> I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO COST US AT LEAST THAT.
>> IT'S GOING TO COST US AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL FINANCE POSITION, LIKELY IF NOT TWO.
[01:35:01]
>> WITH BENEFITS AND ALTERNATIVE, YES.
BUT THAT'S AT A MINIMUM. AND AGAIN, THEY'RE WORKING ON HELPING US UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE IT SHOULD FALL.
>> EXTRA WORK AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
>> MORE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
>> THAT IS A DISCONNECT THAT SEEMS TO EXIST.
THE ANSWER THAT SEEMS TO BE IN A LOT OF PLACES, WHILE THE PRINCIPAL CAN.
WALK IN THE SHOES OF A PRINCIPAL ON ANY GIVEN DAY AND LET ME KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE TIME TO BE THE FINANCE MANAGER FOR THE BUILDING AS WELL ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE, AND MOST OF THEM ARE PUTTING IN 12 HOUR DAYS, 13 HOUR DAYS ON AN AVERAGE.
SORRY, I DIGRESS. BUT I DID THINK THIS WAS INTERESTING TO HELP SET THE BUDGET PICTURE ABOUT THE CHANGES AND HOW IT'S GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT MOVING FORWARD.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS JUST GIVES AN IDEA OF REVENUE PROJECTIONS.
WHAT I WANT TO PREFACE WITH THIS, THE SLIDE REVENUE PROJECTIONS IS BASED ON WHAT IS IN THE BLUEPRINT, ASSUMING NO CHANGES.
I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO DRAW OUT.
WE ARE BASING OUR ASSUMPTIONS TODAY SITTING HERE.
THE WONDERFUL THING WITH THE BLUEPRINT TO BE HONEST ON THE FOUNDATION AND THE FORMULAS, I CAN PLUG IN THE NUMBER OF KIDS I HAVE IN EACH CATEGORY FOR STATE REPORTING.
AS LONG AS THEY DON'T MAKE CHANGES TO IT, I CAN COME PRETTY CLOSE TO WHAT MY PROJECTION OF FUNDING IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE AT A MINIMUM.
KNOWING THAT WE ARE A LOCAL SHARE DISTRICT, MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT DISTRICT, I CAN GET CLOSE TO PROBABLY KNOWING WHERE I'M GOING TO FALL PROVIDED THERE'S NO CHANGES.
I LOOK AT THIS AS THEIR PROMISE FOR MINIMUM FUNDING TO A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THIS IS THE LEGISLATORS PROMISE TO US TO BE ABLE TO FUND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AT MINIMUM LEVEL.
WE KNOW AND I'LL HAVE A SLIDE HERE IN A SECOND ABOUT WHAT'S COMING BUDGET WISE, BUT WE KNEW 25 WAS THE TIGHT YEAR, 26 BIG JUMP IN FOUNDATION.
I THINK IT'S LIKE A 4.93 OR 4.97% INCREASE IN FOUNDATION, GOING INTO FY26, WHICH IS GREAT FOR US.
WHY IS IT GREAT FOR US? OUR ENROLLMENT IS UP, THAT MEANS IT'S GOOD FOR US.
OUR COMPENSATORY ED NUMBERS, OR FREE MEALS ARE UP.
SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION IS UP.
WE'RE UP AND EVERY ENROLLMENT CATEGORY THAT GENERATES ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THE WORK WE'RE DOING.
THEIR PROMISE IS TO FUND US AT A CERTAIN LEVEL.
THEY HAVE FUNDED BLUEPRINT THROUGH FY26 AND FY27.
TO CHANGE THAT CHANGES THEIR PROMISE, THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO BUDGET AND BUILD PLANS FOR OUR SYSTEM FOR MULTI YEARS TO REACH CERTAIN THINGS ON.
I'M MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FULFILL THEIR PROMISE.
MY SLIGHTLY CYNICAL SIDE MEANS I'M ALSO PREPARING ANOTHER VERSION.
BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE IT'S A PROMISE THAT THEY'VE MADE TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS FOR A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT NEEDS TO BE UPHELD.
OUR ENROLLMENT IT'S UP, SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING WHAT SO BE A GOOD BUDGET YEAR FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BASED ON ALL INDICATORS IT'S IN LEGISLATION.
RIDGE, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT OUR MANDATORY BLUEPRINT FUNDING PROGRAMS ARE.
THIS CONNECTS TO THE ONE SLIDE.
WE GET FUNDING IN FOUNDATION AND THE OTHER CATEGORIES, BUT WHAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS IN FOUNDATION, THE TARGET PER PUPIL FOUNDATION WHEN THE ENROLLMENTS UP, IF THAT NUMBER GOES UP, THAT IS DIRECTLY TIED TO COMPENSATORY ED, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, AND SPECIAL ED.
BECAUSE THE WAY THE FORMULA IS SET UP, COMPENSATORY ED IS AN ADDITIONAL PERCENTAGE OF YOUR FOUNDATION AMOUNT.
IF COMPENSATORY ED IS 98% OF FOUNDATION, THAT MEANS FOR A NORMAL STUDENT YOU GET YOUR FOUNDATION DOLLAR, SAY IT'S 8,000, AND THEN YOU GET ANOTHER 98% OF IT FOR COP ED, AND THEN IF THEY ARE FREE MEALS AND ML, YOU GET ANOTHER PERCENTAGE.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE UP IN ALL THE AREAS.
WE ARE ALSO SHOWING ON OUR PROJECTIONS THAT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL WILL QUALIFY AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL NEXT YEAR FOR ITS FIRST YEAR SO WE WILL BE NINE OF NINE SCHOOLS AS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
[01:40:03]
THAT'S ASSUMING NO CHANGES.BUT WE'RE GOING TO OPERATE UNDER THAT ASSUMPTION BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A PROMISE.
HERE'S THE CHALLENGE, AND THIS IS WHERE THE CYNICAL SIDE DOES COME IN AND THE REALITY DOES.
WE ARE PLANNING FOR WHICH SHOULD BE A GOOD BUDGET YEAR FOR CAROLINE COUNTY.
THE ABSOLUTE UNKNOWN IS THE STATE BUDGET PICTURE.
THESE TWO SLIDES ARE TAKEN STRAIGHT FROM THE SPENDING AND AFFORDABILITY COMMITTEES REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED WITHIN THE LAST MONTH.
THEY HAVE ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEETING, I BELIEVE, IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS, WHICH THEY WILL PROBABLY UPDATE SOME OF THE NUMBERS.
BUT THE STATE IS PROJECTING A DEFICIT OF TWO BILLION DOLLARS GOING INTO THE START OF THEIR SESSION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE GAP, I DON'T.
WHAT I DO KNOW, AND I GO BACK TO MY WORD PROMISE ON THE RIGHT IN THE SAME PRESENTATION IS WHERE THE FUNDING LIES FOR BLUEPRINT, CURRENTLY.
THE STATE HAS FUNDED BLUEPRINT IN '26 AND '27.
THEY HAVE SET ASIDE THE MONEY AND THEY HAVE DECLARED THEY HAVE SET ASIDE THE MONEY.
THEY DECLARED IT IN '25 AND IN '24 IN DEVELOPING THE BUDGET.
IT'S IN, NOT TO QUOTE THE FORMER PERSON WHO RAN FOR PRESIDENT AND DIDN'T WIN, IT'S IN A LOCKBOX.
DR. WILLOUGHBY UNDERSTANDS THE REFERENCE THERE.
BUT IT'S IN A SET ASIDE SO THE FUNDING SHOULD BE.
AGAIN, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RELY ON THAT PROMISE.
IF THEY MOVE THAT, IT CHANGES THE BUDGET PICTURE FOR CAROLINE COUNTY VERY MUCH.
WE ARE AND I'M HIGHLIGHTING THIS FOR THE BOARD AS WELL BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO START BEING ENGAGED IN YOUR MADE SESSIONS WITH LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND THOSE WORK, ANY CHANGES TO THE BLUEPRINT THAT RESULT IN THE CHANGE TO THE FY26 FUNDING CAN HAVE ABSOLUTE DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS TO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IT VERY WELL WILL IMPACT OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS, BUT IT WILL HAVE DETRIMENTAL IMPACTS HERE BECAUSE WE ARE, I HATE TO SAY A MINIMUM FUNDING DISTRICT BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONERS GIVE ALL THEY CAN, THEY DO.
WE ARE NOT A DISTRICT THAT HAS EXTRA WEALTH TO GO TO TO FILL GAPS.
IF THE PROMISE DOESN'T COME THROUGH THAT WAS LAID LAST YEAR, IT MEANS A REAL TIGHT YEAR THAT WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE NOR EXPECT.
WE WILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, BUT IT DEFINITELY MEANS HAVING SOME REALLY HARD PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT WITH MAKING THE BUDGET WORK.
NOT TRYING TO PAINT A DIRE PICTURE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAINT ROSES WHERE THEY MAY NOT EXIST. THEY SHOULD.
BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC IS VERY CLEAR AS WELL.
IT SHOULD BE, BUT IF THEY GO CHANGING THINGS IN THE FY26 FORMULA, IT WILL HURT IN THIS COUNTY MORE SO THAN OTHERS PROBABLY.
RACHEL WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WHERE WE ARE ANTICIPATING THINGS THAT WE ARE PREPARING FOR RIGHT NOW? WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME INCREASES FOR COST OF DOING BUSINESS.
WE KNOW OUR CONTRACT AND SERVICES GO UP.
ON AVERAGE, WHAT WE SEE WHEN WE DO CONTRACT RENEWALS IS ABOUT A 5% INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE'RE BETTER OFF BUDGETING FOR THAT 5%, AND IF ANYTHING COMES IN LOWER, GREAT.
BUT WE KNOW THAT'S A TYPICAL ANNUAL INCREASE OF COST WE ALWAYS HAVE.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO GET A STARTING TEACHER SALARY UP TO THE MANDATED 60,000 BY FY27.
WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS, WE'RE ROUGHLY 5,000 AWAY.
WE'VE GOT TO CHIP AWAY AT IT IN THIS BUDGET CYCLE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO BE THERE BY FY27.
WE HAVE TWO NEGOTIATION CYCLES TO GET THERE.
WE HAVE TO CHIP AWAY AT THAT AND WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW TO DO THAT.
WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OPERATIONALIZING THE COSTS AND CATEGORY SHORTFALLS.
IF I GO BACK TO THIS CATEGORY COST AND MR. PLUCK HIT THIS GRAD ON THE HEAD, THERE ARE GOING TO BE COSTS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN RELATED TO BLUEPRINT THAT WON'T FIT NICELY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IF THE LAW REMAINS AS IT IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T CARRY THE WATER WITH THE STAFF WE HAVE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO COME DOWN.
BUT THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO FACTOR INTO THE BUDGET.
WE ALSO HAVE INCREASING COSTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
THE WAY THAT THE BUDGET IS SET UP, THE FORMULA FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION DOES NOT COME ANYWHERE CLOSE TO COVERING THE ACTUAL COSTS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
[01:45:02]
THE WHOLE STATE IS IN THIS BOAT.BUT WHEN WE'RE SHORT IN ONE CATEGORY IN BLUEPRINT, WE GOT TO TAKE IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO SPECIAL ED.
WE KNOW THERE ARE COSTS GOING UP.
ONE OF THOSE COSTS IS WE ARE IN A CONSORTIUM WITH THE OTHER MUTUAL COUNTIES TO HELP DEFER CONTROL COSTS.
OUR INCREASE THERE IS ABOUT A $47,000 INCREASE THIS YEAR.
BUT LARGELY IT'S DRIVEN BY THE COST OF PEOPLE, COST OF SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.
AGAIN, THIS HAPPENS SO WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THAT.
IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OUR NEEDS AND WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND OUR BUDGET TEAM HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT.
WE NEED TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH OUR NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN WITH OUR SUPPORT SERVICES ASSOCIATION.
WE HAVE A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A CONTRACT THAT HAS NOT BEEN FULLY OPEN SINCE 2012.
WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HOW MUCH WE VALUE AND APPRECIATE THE WORK DONE BY OUR SUPPORT SERVICES THAT'S GOT TO REMAIN A PRIORITY IN THE BUDGET THAT I PROVIDE TO YOU.
WE ALSO HAVE TO WORK ON OUR SALARY NEGOTIATIONS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH OUR TEACHERS, WORKING TOWARDS GETTING THE 60, AND WE HAVE ALSO GOT TO KEEP PACE WITH ADMINISTRATOR COSTS.
BLUEPRINT LEAVES OUT ADMINISTRATORS, JUST LIKE THEY LEAVE OUT SUPPORT STAFF, AND WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHEN COUNTY IS AROUND US FIND WAYS TO INCREASE THEIR PAY FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS.
WE HAVE TO KEEP PACE, OR WE WILL FIND THAT WE HAVE VACANCIES AND THOSE ROLES THEY'LL BE HARDER TO FILL SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR ASSOCIATION OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARIES THERE AS WELL.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAINTAIN REASONABLE STAFFING LEVELS.
AS WE SAID, WE'RE SEEING STUDENT LEVELS INCREASE ACROSS THE COUNTY SO WE'VE GOT TO KEEP AN EYE ON STAFFING LEVELS AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE LITERACY AND MATHEMATICS.
ONE THING THAT I BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE WHEN WE HAVE OUR FINAL BUDGET PRESENTED TO YOU AS WE WORK THROUGH IT, WE ALSO NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
THE BOARD HAS SEEN PRESENTATION FOR SOME OF YOU FOR FOUR YEARS OR GOING ON FIVE YEARS FOR MS. WAYMAN, WHERE MR. MENGEL PRESENTS WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES MASTER PLAN AND THEN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THE MAINTENANCE PLAN AND WE ARE ALWAYS ABOUT 50% OF WHAT OUR CAPACITY SHOULD BE FOR OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT.
WE'VE GOT TO STOP ADMIRING THE PROBLEM.
IT WILL BE BY INTENTION IN OUR BUDGET TEAMS DESIRE TO MAKE SURE A BUDGET IS PRESENTED TO YOU THAT HELPS TO PUT THAT MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ARE WE GOING TO FIX IT IN ONE YEAR? NO. BUT WE NEED TO START MOVING IN THE DIRECTION THAT GETS US CLOSER TO WHERE THE STANDARD SHOULD BE.
WE WILL SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAINTAIN HIGH YIELD PROGRAMS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN ARP AND LEADS.
THOSE GRANTS EXPIRED THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE SOME FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME OR HAVE OTHER GRANTS TO PICK IT UP.
BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THOSE POSITIONS AND SEE HOW WE CAN EMBED THEM TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF NEED.
RACHEL. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE LASTS ONE.
WE HAVE REFLECTED OUR BUDGET REQUESTS FROM ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS.
OUR BUDGET TEAM HAS MET WITH EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED BUDGET REQUESTS.
IT'LL BE NO SURPRISE TO THE BOARD THAT THE THING THAT IS TYPICALLY REQUESTED THE MOST, PEOPLE, BECAUSE THERE ARE NEEDS.
WE WILL WORK TO PRIORITIZE THOSE NEEDS AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT WHERE WE HAVE STAFFING OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE PEOPLE AND SHIFT AROUND TO FILL GAPS WHERE THEY EXIST PROVIDED THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS PRESENT ITSELF WHEN YOUR ENROLLMENT IS UP.
BUT AS BEING GOOD STEWARDS, WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT AND WE SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE AN EYE ON IT AND LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO UTILIZE ALL STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW BUDGET REQUESTS FOR THINGS THAT ARE END-OF-YEAR TYPE ITEMS. SO WE TEND TO KEEP THAT IN A LIST, BRING IT TO THE BOARD IN MAY OR JUNE FOR APPROVAL FOR END OF YEAR.
IF THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR SPEND DOWN PLAN, THAT THE INTENTION WOULD BE TO BRING TO THE BOARD IN JANUARY, FOR THE SPEND DOWN FOR THE FUND BALANCE.
[01:50:03]
FOR OUR PERCENTAGE THERE, WE NEED TO BRING IT DOWN TO.WE ARE LOOKING TO INCLUDE AS MUCH OF THAT IN THERE AS WE CAN AS WELL TO HELP SUPPORT SOME NEEDS IN THE SYSTEM THAT ARE CONSIDERED ONE TIME NEEDS.
IF OUR PROMISE IS FULFILLED, IT WILL BE A GOOD BUDGET YEAR AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
IF THAT PROMISE HAS CHANGED, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO GET THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT I FAITH WILL GET THERE REGARDLESS.
ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL IN WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW?
>> NO, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ALL NEED TO CROSS OUR FINGERS THAT NOTHING CHANGES.
>> CROSS OUR FINGERS AND ADVOCATE.
>> USE OUR VOICE AND ADVOCATE.
[4. Consent Agenda]
>> PRESIDENT WAYMAN. DR. SIMMONS.
IT'S ALL GOOD, CALL ME WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE.
PERSONNEL AGENDA THIS EVENING HAS THREE LEAVES OF ABSENCE, AS YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, TWO ACTUAL EMPLOYEES, BUT A SPLIT LEAVE THERE FOR ONE OF THEM.
ONE RESIGNATION WITH PREJUDICE, AND ONE APPOINTMENT TO A REGULAR TEACHER CONTRACT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS HERE? THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 5TH MEETING IN NOVEMBER 19TH.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, AS IT STAND.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED.
>> SINCE WE HAVE NO INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS. WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS AND WE'LL START WITH THE FINANCE REPORT.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TONIGHT, I'M PRESENTING THE FINANCE REPORT, AND SINCE IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE SEEING THE FINANCE REPORT THIS FISCAL YEAR, I WANTED TO GO OVER WHAT IS REPRESENTED IN EACH OF THE COLUMNS.
AND SINCE I KNOW THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE NOT SEEN THE FINANCE REPORT BEFORE, JUST TO GET YOU FAMILIAR WITH IT.
STARTING ON THE LEFT SIDE, YOU WILL SEE OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS.
THE STRUCTURE OF OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS IS OUTLINED IN THE MSD FINANCIAL REPORTING MANUAL.
WE FOLLOW MSD'S GUIDELINES PRETTY CLOSELY.
THE HEADINGS THAT ARE IN BOLD REPRESENT CATEGORIES, WHICH LOOSELY TIED TO OUR DEPARTMENTS.
NOT EACH INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT IS REPRESENTED, BUT THEY WILL ALL FALL INTO ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
THEN EACH OF THE UNDER THE CATEGORIES IS THE OBJECT, WHICH BASICALLY CORRESPONDS TO ACCOUNTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
THEY'RE PRETTY SELF EXPLANATORY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THEM, SALARIES AND WAGES, CONTRACTED SERVICES, SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT DOCTOR SIMMONS JUST WENT OVER IN HIS BUDGET PRESENTATION.
THE NEXT COLUMN IS OUR BUDGET, RESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BACK IN JUNE.
THE NEXT COLUMN IS THE EXPENDITURES FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER IN EACH CATEGORY AND OBJECT.
THE NEXT ROW OR COLUMN IS INCUMBRANCES.
INCUMBRANCE IS MONEY OBLIGATED, BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN SPENT.
THIS CAN COME FROM EITHER PURCHASE ORDERS OR SALARIES.
[01:55:03]
WE INCUMBER OUR SALARIES FOR THE YEAR SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH MONEY WILL ACTUALLY NEED TO BE SET ASIDE BECAUSE THAT IS SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET.IT DOES NOT INCLUDE EXPENSES THAT ARE PLANNED.
IF THEY'RE NOT ON A PO, SUCH AS ELECTRICITY, WE GET BILLS EVERY MONTH THAT'S NOT ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM AHEAD OF TIME.
WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THOSE EXPENSES AS WELL.
THE NEXT COLUMN IS OUR YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES.
THAT IS EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE SPENT SINCE JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
THEN YOU'LL SEE OUR AVAILABLE BALANCE, WHICH IS THE BUDGET MINUS THE INCUMBRANCES MINUS THE YEAR TO DATE EXPENDITURES.
THEN THE LAST COLUMN IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGETED AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN SPENT OR INCUMBERED.
YOU'LL SEE GOING DOWN THAT COLUMN, THAT THERE ARE A FEW CATEGORIES THAT HAVE SOME AVERAGES IN THEM.
THIS IS NOT AN AREA FOR CONCERN.
THIS IS RELATED TO DECISIONS OR CHANGES THAT WERE MADE AFTER THE BUDGET WAS PASSED AND IF THERE WERE UNEXPECTED INCREASE IN COSTS.
GOING ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE REPORT.
YOU'LL SEE THE TOTAL UNRESTRICTED EXPENSES AND THAT ALL THE WAY ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WE'VE SPENT OR INCUMBERED ABOUT 73% OF THE BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.
THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST FISCAL YEARS AND IS ON TRACK FOR SPENDING.
THERE ARE NO CAUSES FOR CONCERN OR ANY ISSUES WITH OUR SPENDING THIS FAR THIS YEAR.
THOSE AVERAGES LIKE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BE COVERED BY OTHER CATEGORIES THAT ARE UNDER SPENT.
HOW I CAME LAST MONTH AND WENT OVER THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS, THAT IS HOW THAT WOULD BE HANDLED NEXT YEAR.
I BELIEVE THAT IS EVERYTHING I HAVE, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS.
>> NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU FOR THE DETAILED WORK THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER HERE FOR US TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND JUST REVIEW ALL THE MONIES AND HOW THEY'RE GOING AND WHAT IS LEFT THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH FOR THE YEAR.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
[6. Reports and Presentations]
>> FOR MY REPORT THIS MONTH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S COMING UP, WHICH IS NICE.
I JOKED WITH THE BOARD EARLIER THAT DECEMBER IS LIKE A SPRINT WITH ALL THE CONCERTS.
I'VE ALSO JOKED AROUND THE OFFICE TODAY THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD PROPOSE A CALENDAR NEXT YEAR, CONNIE, PLEASE DON'T WRITE THIS DOWN.
WE WILL PROPOSE A CALENDAR NEXT YEAR THAT'S JUST CHRISTMAS EVE THROUGH NEW YEAR'S DAY JUST SO WE CAN FIT IN ALL THE CHRISTMAS CONCERTS AND NOT HAVE THE OVERLAP, AND WE CAN GET TO ALL OF THEM.
WE WILL NOT BE DOING IT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SOMETHING ELSE WILL HAPPEN. [LAUGHTER]
BUT NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF EXCITING CONCERTS HAPPENING THIS MONTH, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT FOLKS TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT.
I KNOW THE BOARD WILL SPLIT UP AND GET OUT THERE TO CHECK OUT ALL THE CONCERTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THE EVENINGS.
I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR MUSIC TEACHERS WHO ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND WHO GIVE A LOT OF THEMSELVES, MANY OF THEM WHO HELP THEIR FEEDER SCHOOLS, OR THE SCHOOLS ABOVE THEM, THEY HELP EACH OTHER, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
THEY DID, BUT THEN THEY REALLY STARTED TO DURING THE COVID TIME PERIOD AND JUST KEPT THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER.
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT ACTUALLY TO BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS.
NOT ONLY THEIR ADMINISTRATION, BUT IN REALITY, ALSO, THEIR BUILDING STAFF.
THEY'RE CUSTODIANS. COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE A COUPLE EXTRA CONCERTS BECAUSE THEY WILL HOUSE FEEDER SCHOOLS AS WELL AS NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
THOSE WILL BE PACKED AUDITORIUMS. THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE TREMENDOUS SUPPORTERS, STAFF WELCOME IT.
BUT IT ALSO IS A LOT OF EXTRA WORK WHEN YOU'RE HOSTING THAT MANY FOLKS COMING IN.
[02:00:03]
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.BUT IT IS AN EXCITING TIME OF YEAR.
I HOPE OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE ARTS, THE WAY THEY HAVE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CHECKING OUT THE CONCERTS WITH FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE.
IT REALLY DOES SET THE MOOD JUST RIGHT.
>> MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IT'S TIME FOR REPORTS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO REPORT ABOUT YOUR VISITS SINCE THE LAST MONTH?
I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTIONS AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL AS A BOARD MEMBER AND A PARENT.
IT WAS A REALLY LOVELY EVENING.
AJ JACKSON, AJ? DID A REALLY GREAT JOB PUTTING PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT THEY LIGHT LIVE CANDLES ABOUT THAT. THEY DID GREAT.
KIDS DID A GOOD JOB, AND THERE WERE A REALLY LARGE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT WERE INDUCTED, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE.
THEN I JUST WANT TO MENTION BECAUSE IT PUT ME IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT THAT THE STAFF WELLNESS COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER STAFF BAGS JUST BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
THERE WERE A FEW OF US THERE PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER.
EACH OF THE CCPS STAFF MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO GET A BAG OF GOODIES THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO MAKE THEIR OWN STUFFING AT HOME ALONG WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT KEEPING AND STAYING HEALTHY OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
IT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH STAFF THAT MORNING OUT AT SUPPORT SERVICES STUFF IN THOSE BAGS.
I WAS EXCITED THAT I GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT AS WELL.
>> ACTUALLY, THE OTHER DAY, I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT AND WATCH MR. LAWS HAVE HIS DRAMA CLUB.
THE WRATH OF THE DEAD, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY PROBABLY THE BEST ONE I'VE SEEN HIM DO YET WITH HIS KIDS.
IT WAS NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE KIDS FROM WHEN THEY STARTED FROM SIX TO THE ONES THAT ARE IN EIGHTH GRADE NOW AND SOME THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THEIR SHELVES AND WERE ACTING AND DO BIGGER PARTS, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY GOOD. I ENJOY THOSE.
>> GREAT. I DON'T KNOW, MS. JOHNSON, DID YOU WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL OR WHATEVER? I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T VISITED AS A BOARD MEMBER YET?
>> BUT I'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO LOCKERMAN STAFF.
THEY'VE BEEN WORKING PERSONALLY WITH MY DAUGHTER WITH SOME CONCERNS THAT SHE'S HAD.
THEY'VE ALL REALLY CAME TOGETHER AND PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER AND MADE ME AS A PARENT FEEL REALLY CALM.
NOW, WITH HER CONCERNS SHE HAS AT SCHOOL.
I'M JUST EXCITED AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO THE EVENTS NOW THAT I'M A BOARD MEMBER. I'M EXCITED.
>> WELCOME OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER.
LOOKING FORWARD TO AS YOU SAID, LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING OUT AND TO SOME OF THE EVENTS OF PARADES.
IT'S A FUN TIME OF YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT SO.
>> GREAT. WELL, I ATTENDED A THE FIRST QUARTER PEP RALLY AT FEDERALSBURG.
IT WAS PEPPY. [LAUGHTER] THE KIDS WERE SO EXCITED AND THEY HAD A GREAT TIME AND I ALSO ANOTHER DAY, HAD A CHANCE TO READ ALOUD, I THINK WAS IN THE FOURTH GRADE CLASSROOM DOWN THERE.
I ATTENDED THE LOCKERMAN, NORTH CAROLINA VETERANS DAY PROGRAM THAT THEY DO TOGETHER.
ONCE AGAIN, IT WAS VERY MEANINGFUL.
THE COMMUNITY TURNED OUT THE VETERANS WERE RECOGNIZED AS SOME OF THEM HAD THEIR HATS ON OR THEIR UNIFORMS ON.
IT WAS A VERY TOUCHING CEREMONY AND DEFINITELY SOMETHING WORTH ATTENDING.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE WERE ALL BUSY OUT AND ABOUT, AND WE'RE ABOUT TO BE BUSIER.
THANK YOU. FUTURE ITEMS, FUTURE BOARD ITEMS.
[7. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]
I KNOW WE ALL HAVE RACHEL SENT OUT THE SCHEDULES FOR US.I THINK WE'LL ALL BE PRETTY BUSY TRYING TO GET TO AS MANY AS WE CAN.
>> PLEASE AND MS. JOHNSON, WILL MAKE SURE WE ALREADY HAVE THAT, GOOD.
PLEASE TRY TO MAKE SURE YOU FILL UP THE GOOGLE SHEET.
IF YOU'RE GOING. NOW IS IT HELPFUL FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO COORDINATE?
[02:05:05]
IF ALL FIVE, YOU WANT TO GO SOMETHING, PLEASE DO.BUT THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN SOME MULTIPLE NIGHTS.
BUT ARE PRINCIPALS DO LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT A THEIRS A BOARD MEMBER IN ATTENDANCE AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY CHECK HERE, OR WHEN THEY IT UP RACHEL OR I.
HEY, WHO'S COMING TONIGHT? THE FIRST THING WE DO IS PULL UP THE GOOGLE SHEET AND SAY, OKAY, YOU SHOULD HAVE? THEN THEY KNOW BECAUSE IT DOES GET TO BE HARD TO LOOK IN THE AUDIENCE AND TRY TO FIND FOLKS.
THEY REALLY DO FEEL TERRIBLE IF THEY FORGET YOU. THEY MISS YOU.
IT HELPS THEM MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECOGNIZE YOU.
THEY'RE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU IN THE AUDIENCES.
>> VERY KIND AT THE HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION. VERY NICE.
>> NOW, MAKE SURE YOU FILL IT OUT FOR BOARD MEMBERS? THERE ARE SOME DAYTIME THINGS IF YOU CAN'T GET TO THE NIGHT EVENTS FOR SOME OF THE SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE ALWAYS FUN TOO AND ENJOY.
>> THEY ARE A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE THE CAFETERIA OR WHATEVER THE AREA IS IS REALLY CROWDED BECAUSE ALL THE KIDS ARE THERE AND ALL OF THEM ARE SINGING AND YEAH.
THEY'RE A LOT OF FUN. LOT OF FUN.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS BOARD MEMBERS? DR. SIMMONS.
>> THEN WE'VE SEEN OUR UPCOMING EVENTS.
[9. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON JANUARY 7TH, 2025.THAT WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN THE BOARD ROOM AT 6:00 PM.
>> WE DO NOT MEET DECEMBER. CAN'T FIT IT IN BETWEEN THE CONFERENCE.
>> I DON'T SEE THE DRAWBACK. THAT'S THE ONE THING WITH A LEAK.
THANKSGIVING. LITERALLY, YOU'VE GOT 14.5 DAYS OF SCHOOL, AND THEN A HOLIDAY BREAK.
IT'S A QUICK [INAUDIBLE] DIDN'T FEEL SO.
>> [LAUGHTER] IT'S OFFICIAL, WE WILL NOT HAVE A WORK SESSION IN DECEMBER.
EVERYONE HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON.
HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND I HOPE YOU'VE BEEN GOOD.
>> YES. CAN I PLEASE, QUESTION.
>> NO. I WAS GOING TO SAY [OVERLAPPING] MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
>> AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.