Jan 21, 2025 Board of Education Meeting

[1. Opening Items]

[00:00:07]

IN A STATEMENT. 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. YES, WE NEED TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.

MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO DO SO? I MOVE, WE GO INTO OPEN SESSION.

YEAH I SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE MOVE FROM CLOSED SESSION TO OPEN SESSION.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY. SO MOVED.

WE ARE IN OPEN SESSION. LET US STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

NO RIDGELY WITH US. SO WE GO TO DO IT. NO RIDGELY TONIGHT.

SO WE HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

SO WE BEGIN THIS BOARD MEETING TONIGHT WITH GOOD NEWS.

WE HAVE THE SWEARING IN OF MARK JONES FOR HIS SECOND TERM.

SECOND TERM? YES. SECOND TERM AS A MEMBER OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF ED.

SO MS. TERRY. EXCUSE ME. MRS. TERRY [INAUDIBLE] IS WITH US THIS EVENING.

YES. DO YOU WANT ME TO COME UP TO THE TABLE? WHERE DO YOU.

WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO GO? I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO? TO THE TABLE IS WHERE. THE TABLE WE CAN. PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

CAROLINE COUNTY THAT I WILL SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

OF THE UNITED STATES. AND THAT I WILL BE FAITHFUL.

AND THAT I WILL BE FAITHFUL. AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

AND BEAR TRUE ALLEGIANCE TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION.

AND SUPPORT THE CONSTITUTION. AND LAWS THEREOF.

AND LAWS THEREOF. AND THAT I WILL. AND THAT I WILL.

TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT. TO THE BEST OF MY SKILL AND JUDGMENT.

DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY. DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY.

WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE. WITHOUT PARTIALITY OR PREJUDICE.

EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF. EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY.

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY.

ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION. ACCORDING TO THE CONSTITUTION.

AND LAWS OF THIS STATE. AND THE LAWS OF THIS STATE.

THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] HERE. SIGN IT AND THEN 21ST.

SO IT WAS AN OLD BOOK. GOT A NEW ONE? MIC]ALL RIGHT. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR COMMISSION. ALL RIGHT. WHERE'S YOUR COMMISSION? THANK YOU. YES. YOU'RE WELCOME. WOULD YOU LIKE TO YEAH. NOT YET. NOT YET. NOT YET. WANT ME TO HOLD IT UP.

OH NO. DO THAT? YEAH. WHAT DO YOU. WHAT DO YOU WANT US WANTS TO DO.

JUST OPEN IT. LIKE THAT. THERE YOU GO. GREAT.

[00:05:04]

YES. DO YOU WANT FAMILY ALL. LET'S DO THE BOARD FIRST. OKAY.

OKAY. ARE YOU DONE WITH THIS OR NO. I WOULD OPEN IT.

ALL RIGHT. HOW MANY TIMES BEFORE IT GETS PUT AWAY SOMEWHERE? ANYONE. GOT IT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A. MEMORIES OF VERY COLD.

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST.

WE DROPPED IT.

FAMILY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SINCE LAST NIGHT.

NOTHING.

OOPS. OOPS. GET OUT OF THE PICTURE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS.

MARK DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? I WILL. WHAT I WILL SAY IS I BELIEVE THAT MY REAPPOINTMENT REALLY IS JUST IT'S A SYMBOL OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS.

NOT BY ME, BUT BY EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AND EVERYBODY IN THE BUILDINGS.

IF YOU ALL HADN'T GONE OUT AND DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REAPPOINTED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION.

IT'S BECAUSE OF IT'S BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE BUILDINGS THAT THAT I'M GOING TO SERVE ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.

SO THANK EVERYBODY HERE AND EVERYONE IN THE BUILDINGS FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE GOING OUT AND MAKING, YOU KNOW, MAKING GOOD THINGS HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU ABOARD. THANKS.

ABSOLUTELY. [LAUGHTER] I WILL SAY THAT I MADE A MISTAKE AND I HAVE TO GO BACK AND CORRECT IT.

I WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. [LAUGHTER] AND THE MEMBERS PRESENT.

AND THE MEMBERS PRESENT. WE HAVE ALL EXCEPT CHRISSY, WHO IS VIRTUAL LISTENING BUT NOT PARTICIPATING.

RIGHT? SHE'S VIRTUAL DUE TO ILLNESS. VERY GOOD.

OKAY. SO WE WILL GO ON. WE WANT TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE, BECAUSE CAROLINE COUNTY HAS BEEN STRUCK PRETTY HARD RECENTLY. AND WE WANT TO REMEMBER A LONG TIME BUS DRIVER, WANDA BLAND.

WE WANT TO REMEMBER THE COLONEL RICHARDSON CAFETERIA MANAGER, AMANDA COLBY.

WE WANT TO REMEMBER A FORMER STUDENT, TREVOR WHITELY, AND ALSO TWO FORMER EMPLOYEES, KATE CUTWRIGHT AND BRIAN SPIERING. WE HAVE LOST ALL OF THOSE WITHIN A MONTH, AND SO WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER THEM. SO IF WE CAN JUST HAVE A QUIET MOMENT.

THANK YOU. AND WE CERTAINLY WANT TO REMEMBER THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL.

OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA.

WE HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE US. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD I NEED A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS IT STANDS.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR AGENDA BE ACCEPTED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. MISS BARRY, DO WE HAVE ANY FOR PUBLIC

[2. Public Recognitions / Comment]

[00:10:06]

GLAD YOU MADE IT OUT. ABSOLUTELY. SHE SAID HER ROAD WAS PRETTY GOOD.

YES. OKAY. SO FOR THE ELEMENTARY. DOCTOR CREBS SAID THAT DECEMBER WAS AN EVENTFUL AND JOYFUL MONTH AT DS. THEY HAD THEY HAVE ENJOYED WINTER BREAK, AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT 2025 HAS TO BRING.

LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR WINTER CONCERT, WHICH AND THEY ALSO HAD SING ALONGS.

THEN THEY HAD AN ANGEL TREE COLLECTION. THEY HAD A CARE CLOSET DONATION.

THEY HAD HOLIDAY SPIRIT DAYS AND PTA EVENTS, WHICH WERE COOKIES AND CANDY CANES.

THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THIS MONTH, THEY'RE FOCUSING ON STARTING THE SECOND SEMESTER STRONG AND GETTING BACK INTO ROUTINES AND PREPARING FOR TESTING SEASON. LAST MONTH AT RIDGELY ELEMENTARY, THEY HAD A PTA MEETING.

AND THEN FOR THIS MONTH, THEY'RE BEGINNING WIDA ASSESSMENT.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS. AND THEN ON JANUARY 31ST, THEY HAVE THEIR QUARTER TWO REPORT CARDS.

FOR GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY LAST MONTH, THEY HAD THEIR FIRST MEETING OF RISE GIRL GROUP, WHICH IS A NEW GROUP EMPOWERING OR NEW EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM OFFERED TO GIRLS IN GRADES THIRD AND FOURTH.

UPCOMING THEY ALSO HAVE WIDA AND ACCESS TESTING FOR STUDENTS WITH MLL PLANS BEGINNING ON JANUARY 20TH, WHICH WAS YESTERDAY. WE DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL. AND JANUARY 22ND, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR RISE GIRL GROUP MEETING.

JANUARY 24TH WE HAVE A HALF A DAY BECAUSE THE SECOND QUARTER ENDS .

JANUARY 27TH. WE ALSO DON'T HAVE SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S TRANSITION DAY.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SCHOOL THIS MONTH. [LAUGHTER] AND THEN JANUARY 29TH THEY HAVE ANOTHER RISE GIRL GROUP MEETING.

AND THEN AT LOCKERMAN LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR WINTER CONCERT.

THEY HAD A SPIRIT WEEK AND CHARITABLE EVENTS THAT WERE ORGANIZED BY THEIR NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AND SGA.

THEN THEY HAD THEIR RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY, WHICH IS WHERE STUDENTS GOT TO SHOW OFF THEIR STEM KITS.

AND I KNOW DOCTOR SIMMONS, YOU WENT TO THAT. AND THEN THIS MONTH THEY HAVE THEIR ANTI-BULLYING LESSONS AND ASSEMBLY.

OKAY, NOW FOR MY SCHOOL, MR. SPIKER SAID. I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT WINTER BREAK.

I AM SO EXCITED TO BE BACK WITH THE STUDENTS AND STAFF TO FINISH OFF THE FIRST SEMESTER.

LAST MONTH 10TH GRADE HAD MCAP YEAH ELA ASSESSMENT.

THEY HAD THEIR BAND CONCERT FAFSA NIGHT AND NCHS HAD A WINTER CONCERT.

OUR UPCOMING EVENTS IS M CAP FOR ALGEBRA ONE, JANUARY 14TH.

THERE WAS COLLEGE APPLICATION NIGHT WITH ALPHA PHI ALPHA.

I THINK THAT'S HOW YOU SAY THAT. YESTERDAY WE DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL AND THEN TOMORROW WE HAVE FINALS STARTING, WHICH NO ONE'S EXCITED ABOUT. AND THEN THE LAST DAY OF THE SEMESTER IS ALSO ON FRIDAY.

AND FOR CCTC THEY HAVE MANY UPCOMING EVENTS. CCTC PROGRAMS WILL BE COMPLETING THEIR PROGRAMING AT THE END OF SEMESTER ONE.

AND MANY STUDENTS ARE TAKING THEIR INDUSTRY CREDENTIAL EXAMS AND THEY SAID TO WISH THEM LUCK.

THEY'RE WELCOMING NEW STUDENTS TO THE START OF SECOND SEMESTER INTO THEIR PROGRAMS OF STUDY ON JANUARY 22ND.

THE CCTC STAFF ARE GOING TO BE AT MCDONALD'S IN DENTON, SO GO GIVE THEM A VISIT.

ON JANUARY 29TH, THEY HAD THEIR NATIONAL TECHNICAL HONOR SOCIETY.

THEY'LL BE PARTICIPATING IN THE MARYLAND POLAR BEAR PLUNGE ALONG WITH NCHS'S TEAM.

YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S ALL PLANNED.

I THINK THERE'S PICTURES ON THE NEXT SLIDE. OH, OKAY.

THOSE ARE PICTURES FROM I GOT THEM MOSTLY FROM MISS NECESSARY AND FROM THE GREENSBORO PRINCIPAL OF ALL THE KIDS HAVING FUN DURING WINTER.

NICE. NICE. NICE. OKAY, LET'S ALL PLAN TO HIT MCDONALD'S TOMORROW NIGHT.

SUPPORT CCTC. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. SO THE REPORT FOR VANESSA IS ONLINE FOR ANYBODY WHO DOES WANT TO CHECK OUT THE REPORT FROM SOUTHERN END, SINCE SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT THIS EVENING. BUT IT IS THERE. AND BECAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING, I'M SURE THE JONES CHILDREN ARE, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT'S WHY THEY STAYED MR. JONES. BECAUSE THEY'RE WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE FOR TOMORROW.

GOTTA WAIT AND SEE, FOLKS. MR. MENGEL WAS OUT DRIVING.

OUR OTHER TEAM HAS BEEN OUT DRIVING. THEY WILL GO OUT AGAIN TOMORROW MORNING, BRIGHT AND EARLY. SO THERE WILL NOT BE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TONIGHT, THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO BE

[00:15:02]

WE WILL ASK EVERYBODY IN CAROLINE COUNTY TO THINK EXTREMELY POSITIVE DRY MELTY ROAD THOUGHTS AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S LIKE PROBABLY EIGHT DEGREES OUTSIDE.

BUT WE'RE ALL GOING TO THINK POSITIVE AND HOPEFULLY THAT WE MAKE IT IN TOMORROW.

EVEN IF IT IS WITH A DELAY. BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE HOPING FOR IT.

WE NEED TO GET IN. SO. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL HOPING FOR.

WE'LL KNOW IN THE MORNING. YES. YES YES. OKAY.

AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY WITH OUR PERSONNEL INFORMATION.

[3. Consent Agenda]

THAT'S FIVE ADDITIONAL RETIREMENTS THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE AND TWO REGULAR RETIREMENTS.

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR. AND THAT'S THE PERSONNEL AGENDA.

OKAY. THANK YOU, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY. AND IT IS THAT TIME OF THE YEAR FOR OUR FOLKS WHO ARE MAKING A DECISION ABOUT RETIREMENT. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LOOK AT THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 3RD. WE NEED APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD.

CAN I GET A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT IS.

SECOND. OKAY. OUR CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT IT.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS, BEGINNING WITH THE ENGLISH ESSENTIALS.

[4. Individual Action Items]

NOT ONLY IS IT RETIREMENT SEASON FOR THE HR WORLD, IT IS ALSO, OF COURSE, REQUEST SEASON FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL SIDE AS WE'RE WORKING ON PREPARING OUR COURSE SELECTION GUIDE AND COURSE REQUESTS, WHICH WILL START IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND EARNEST IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

JANUARY IS WHEN WE TYPICALLY GO TO THE BOARD FOR BOARD APPROVAL FOR ANY NEW COURSES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD NEXT YEAR.

SO ALL OF IT IS COMING TO YOU TONIGHT. THE BOARD HAS SEEN PREVIOUSLY FOR NEW COURSES OR HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED AND TALKED ABOUT.

AND NOW WE HAVE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISORS COMING FORWARD TONIGHT FOR A FORMAL APPROVAL OF THOSE COURSES.

SO MS. HESSON IS FIRST UP THANK YOU FOLLOWED BY DOCTOR VONDENBOSCH.

GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DOCTOR SIMMONS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M RENEE HESSON, SUPERVISOR OF INSTRUCTION FOR SECONDARY ENGLISH, RETURNING TO YOU TO GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE ENGLISH ESSENTIALS COURSE PILOT PROGRESS AND ALSO THE COURSE PROPOSAL. THE ACTION ITEM THIS EVENING IS FOR YOU TO APPROVE THE ADDITION OF ENGLISH ESSENTIALS, 09, ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 10, ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 11 AND ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 12 FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO WHY ENGLISH ESSENTIALS? JUST SOME REMINDERS FROM WHEN WE FIRST MET ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PILOT COURSE.

THERE ARE STUDENTS IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WHO SOMETIMES LACK FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS IN READING, WRITING AND LANGUAGE AND NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR ENGLISH COURSES.

AND SO THIS COURSE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADD AND CREATE A STRONGER ENGLISH AND READING PATHWAY, LIKE IN MATH, WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LATER TONIGHT.

MATH INCLUDES PRE-ALGEBRA, ALGEBRA ONE, ADVANCED ALGEBRA AMONG ITS COURSES.

AND SOME OF THOSE COURSES ARE DESIGNED TO REINFORCE SKILLS AND CONCEPTS FOR THE MATH STANDARDS.

DURING THE 2023 AND 24 AND 24-25 SCHOOL YEARS IN ENGLISH, WE HAVE BEEN ADDING TIER TWO SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION AS A USEFUL TOOL FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE IT MATCHES THEIR NEEDS, MEETS THEM WHERE THEY ARE, AND HELPS THEM TO GROW.

AND NOT ALL STUDENTS REQUIRE THE SAME TYPE, FREQUENCY, AND INTENSITY OF ACADEMIC SUPPORTS.

SO PACING IN ANY ENGLISH SECTION, INCLUDING ENGLISH ESSENTIALS, THEN REFLECTS WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE STUDENTS IN THAT PARTICULAR COURSE.

IT INCLUDES ENRICHMENT AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BELOW ON OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL.

I STUDIED ENGLISH COURSE MODELS IN NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS AND USED THOSE TO HELP WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE ON THE PILOT.

YOU'LL SEE THE DISTRICTS REVIEWED THERE ON THE SCREEN INCLUDING MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.

100% OF THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE A SIMILAR PLAN FOR STUDENTS NEEDING MORE SUPPORT.

[00:20:04]

ULTIMATELY, IT'S AN ADJUSTED CURRICULUM OR PACING MODIFIED TIME FRAME THAT STUDENTS ARE ENGAGING WITH THE STANDARDS IN THAT COURSE.

SOMETIMES IT'S AN ELECTIVE CREDIT OPTION. WE DO NOT WANT TO MAKE IT AN ELECTIVE.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT FOR THE FULL GRADUATION CREDIT FOR ENGLISH 9 THROUGH 12.

AND IT'S ALSO JUST A PART OF A STUDENT'S PATHWAY THAT INCLUDES ACCELERATION OPPORTUNITIES.

THE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THAT TO YOU VERBATIM, BUT HIGHLIGHTED OR BOLD FOR YOU IS WHAT WOULD BE ADDED TO THE COURSE DESCRIPTION TO TO MAKE IT FIT WITH THE ESSENTIALS SECTION.

THERE IS NO OTHER DISTINCTION THAN WHAT WE WOULD SEE FOR ENGLISH 9 OR ENGLISH 10.

NOTICE THAT IT DOES SPEAK VERY CLOSELY TO THE SENSE THAT THERE ARE NOTES THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR THE COURSE BY THE PRINCIPAL OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE. AND SO THIS IS NOT A COURSE THAT A STUDENT WOULD TAKE IF THEY DID NOT ALSO NEED THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

IN ENGLISH 11 THE INSTRUCTION WILL ALSO INCLUDE DIRECT SUPPORT FOR READING, WRITING, AND VOCABULARY SKILLS TO IMPACT A STUDENT'S ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN APPROPRIATELY COMPLEX READING AND WRITING TASKS.

AND THE COURSE STILL MEETS THE ENGLISH 11 GRADUATION REQUIREMENT, AND WOULD BE A RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THE COURSE BY PRINCIPAL OR DESIGNEE.

AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 12.

NOTICE THAT WE'RE STILL FOCUSING ON THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS IN ENGLISH THAT ARE THE GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS, AND THEN ALSO PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT IN READING, WRITING AND VOCABULARY SKILLS.

THE ENGLISH COURSES AT A GLANCE IS HERE, JUST TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE WITH FOR ALL CCPS ENGLISH COURSES THAT INCLUDES MY PERSPECTIVES ENGLISH CORE CURRICULUM TARGETED TARGETED GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS WITH SUPPORT TO MASTER THEM, AND TIER ONE PACING THAT'S ADJUSTED FOR STUDENT NEEDS, INCLUDING ENRICHMENT, EXTENSION, AND INDEPENDENT LEARNING ACTIVITIES.

ENGLISH ESSENTIAL COURSES WILL ALSO INCLUDE TIER TWO SUPPORT USING A READING INTERVENTION PROGRAM CALLED LEXIA POWERUP.

IT IS A RESEARCH BASED AND EVIDENCE BASED INTERVENTION, AND THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO ACCESS THE GRADE LEVEL CONTENT STANDARDS. IT INCLUDES WORD STUDY, GRAMMAR AND READING COMPREHENSION, DIRECT INSTRUCTION LESSONS.

ENGLISH COURSES THAT ARE NOT ENGLISH ESSENTIALS SECTIONS WILL INCLUDE TIER TWO THAT TARGETS ON AND ABOVE GRADE LEVEL ENGLISH LITERARY AND INFORMATIONAL READING STANDARDS THAT INCLUDES RETEACHING AND ENRICHMENT. I WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME DATA.

AFTER THREE MONTHS IN THE PILOT, STUDENTS HAVE GROWN.

62% OF PARTICIPANTS ARE CURRENTLY AT INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED LEVELS IN WORD STUDY, 43% ARE AT OR INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED LEVELS IN GRAMMAR AND WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF.

80% OF STUDENTS ARE AT INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED LEVELS IN READING COMPREHENSION.

AND WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THOSE TOOLS TOGETHER ARE WHAT STUDENTS NEED IN THEIR TOOLKIT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

WHAT DO STUDENTS SAY? WELL, THEY'RE OUR HARSHEST CRITICS.

[LAUGHTER] AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ASKING STUDENTS ALL ALONG THE WAY BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THEIR NEEDS. AND ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT TO US. SO THE QUESTION WAS, DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE LEARNING IN THIS CLASS? AND WE DO WANT TO MAKE OUR QUESTIONS TO STUDENTS ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING.

AND STUDENTS HAVE ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVELY. I'LL JUST READ ONE FOR THE GROUP.

I CERTAINLY AM ABLE TO LEARN IN THIS CLASS BECAUSE THE DISTRACTIONS ARE LIMITED.

BUT WE STILL HAVE FUN. AND THIS CLASS IS NOT BORING.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT STUDENT JUST COMPLETED AN ACTIVITY ON ADVERBS AND ALSO COMPLEX SENTENCES.

BECAUSE I WILL SAY THAT'S NOT A TYPICAL STUDENT RESPONSE.

I ALSO HAVE A STUDENT GROWTH STORY. IF YOU KNOW ME YOU KNOW THAT I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE SERVE.

THAT'S WHO WE'RE HERE FOR. STUDENT A, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THIS STUDENT.

THEY ARE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. AND IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN INTENSIVE TIER THREE READING INTERVENTION.

[00:25:04]

THIS STUDENT IS IN ENGLISH ESSENTIALS PILOT AND ATTENDS SCHOOL REGULARLY, WHICH IS ALSO KEY.

PROGRESS TO DATE AND THIS IS AS OF DECEMBER 24TH BEFORE WE LEFT FOR THE WINTER BREAK.

IN WORD STUDY, THE STUDENT HAS IMPROVED THREE GRADE LEVELS.

IN GRAMMAR THE STUDENT HAS IMPROVED THREE GRADE LEVELS AND IN READING COMPREHENSION THE STUDENT IS NOW AT THE SEVENTH GRADE LEVEL.

AND I JUST PULLED IT TODAY AND TALKED TO DOCTOR SIMMONS.

AND THE STUDENT IS ACTUALLY AN EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL AS OF TODAY.

FOR ALMOST THEIR ENTIRE CAREER, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN IN LEXIA POWERUP SINCE OCTOBER OF 2023.

THEY WERE A SUPER PILOT BEFORE IT CAME INTO ENGLISH ESSENTIALS.

AND IN THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, THAT STUDENT HAS GROWN.

AND I ANTICIPATE THAT THAT STUDENT WILL HAVE WELL BEYOND FUNCTIONAL LEVELS IN READING AND WRITING WHEN THEY LEAVE US.

AND THAT'S THE GOAL. AND I'M REALLY PROUD. I HAVE TO JUST SAY THE TEACHERS WHO WHO ARE IT TAKES A VILLAGE.

AND WITHOUT THE TEACHERS A PROGRAM AND A COURSE SUCH AS THIS ONE WOULD NOT BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM ALL PUBLICLY FOR THEIR TIME, EFFORT AND ENERGY.

TEACHERS, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? WELL, THEY'RE ALSO KIND OF TOUGH CROWD TOO.

BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS THAT THE TEACHERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE PILOT WERE HAVE HAVE BEEN FULLY INVOLVED AND THEY HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO A MODEL THAT IS LARGELY NOT ONE THAT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE PUTTING INTO IT, BECAUSE WE'RE DEFINITELY GETTING THE RESULTS.

AMONG FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS AT IN THE PILOT, NINE AND TEN WAS I'LL JUST READ THE FINAL BULLET.

I INTERPRET THE DATA FROM LEXIA TO DETERMINE WHICH STRAND EACH STUDENT IS LOWEST IN, AND HAVE THEM BEGIN THAT DAY'S POWERUP IN THAT STRAND.

I TYPICALLY DO THREE ROUNDS OF 20 MINUTES EACH, WITH THE STUDENTS MOVING BETWEEN THE STRANDS IN EACH ROUND, UNLESS THE CO-TEACHER OR I NEED TO PULL THEM FOR NEEDS INSTRUCTION.

SO WE HAVE ALSO FULLY ENGAGED OUR CO-TEACHING PARTNERS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN THIS PROCESS.

AND WE'RE ALL LEARNING A LOT ABOUT HOW STUDENTS LEARN TO READ AND WRITE TOGETHER.

THE PILOT COMMITTEE IS, WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITHOUT INVOLVING YOUR WHOLE TEAM.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. WE ARE A COLLABORATIVE GROUP.

SO WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED AND WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, SECONDARY PRINCIPALS NORTH CAROLINE HIGH AND COLONEL HIGH COUNSELORS, WHO HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN OUR PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING STUDENTS AND SCHEDULING THEM, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

SECONDARY LITERACY COACHES WHO PROVIDE JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SUPPORT THROUGH THE PILOT.

OUR ENGLISH NINE AND ENGLISH TEN TEACHERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION CO-TEACHERS AND A MULTILINGUAL LEARNER CO-TEACHER AT COLONEL HIGH.

THIS ALSO INCLUDES PILOT FAMILIES OF STUDENTS WHO ARE IN ENGLISH ESSENTIALS.

THEY ARE ALL FULLY AWARE OF THE PILOT AND THEIR CHILD'S PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND SUCCESSES, BECAUSE WE DO SEND HOME CERTIFICATES AND COMMUNICATION.

BEEP. SO WE DO HAVE SOME ROOM TO IMPROVE BECAUSE IT'S A PILOT.

I'VE GATHERED ALL TYPES OF FEEDBACK, NOT JUST THE GOOD.

SOMETIMES WE DO NEED TO REFOCUS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS IN PLACE.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR LITERACY COACHES TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN ENGLISH ESSENTIALS IN SMALL GROUPS.

WE'LL MONITOR ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS FOR CURRENT STUDENTS IN ENGLISH ESSENTIALS AND WORK WITH SCHOOL TEAMS TO STRATEGICALLY PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR'S PLACEMENTS IF ADOPTED. WE'LL CONTINUE TO INVOLVE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND TEACHERS OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND ENGLISH ESSENTIALS.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR TEACHERS TO USE LEXIA POWERUP AS A TIER TWO RESOURCE.

WE ALREADY HOLD REGULAR DATA MEETINGS AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS WITH TEACHERS,

[00:30:01]

AND OBVIOUSLY WE'LL KEEP TARGETING THOSE SKILL GAPS, BECAUSE THE GOAL IS FOR STUDENTS TO NO LONGER HAVE THE NEED FOR ESSENTIALS ENGLISH.

AND THAT'S THE CATCH AND RELEASE MODEL THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD TO ACHIEVE IN ENGLISH, READING AND MATH. AND THIS IS THE WAY TO GET THERE.

BEEP. OH, THAT'S THE LAST ONE. SO I AM ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE ADOPTION OF THE FOLLOWING COURSES.

ENGLISH ESSENTIALS NINE, ENGLISH ESSENTIALS TEN, ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 11 AND ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 12.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

SURE. I NOTICED THAT EACH OF THEM. THE RECOMMENDATION IS IT'S THE PRINCIPAL'S RECOMMENDATION, AND I ASSUME THAT'S BASED ON THAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED, FROM THE COUNSELORS TO THE TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND THAT WHOLE LIST THAT YOU HAD THERE. BUT IT IS, AFTER ALL, THAT COLLABORATION.

IT'S THE PRINCIPAL THAT MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION.

YES. I MEAN, THEY THEY ARE THE ONES WHO RUN THE COURSES.

I'M MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION THIS EVENING BECAUSE IT'S AN ENGLISH COURSE.

OKAY. OKAY. I GOT YOU. YES. OH, FOR THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASS, I APOLOGIZE.

YEAH. IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. [LAUGHTER] YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. NO, IT IS THE PRINCIPAL. BUT WE ACTUALLY WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM.

AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION. ABSOLUTELY.

I APOLOGIZE. THE PRINCIPAL HAS ULTIMATE SAY IN THE BUILDING.

YES. FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM. SO IT'S. AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT STUDENTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU ARE REGISTERING FOR COURSES, YOU CAN YOU HAVE CHOICES AND THIS WOULD NOT BE AN APPROPRIATE CHOICE FOR ALL STUDENTS.

OKAY. OKAY. AND THE PERCENTAGE IMPROVEMENTS WAS VERY GOOD.

VERY I AM VERY, VERY EXCITED. BECAUSE WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE.

THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING. AND ONE MORE. AS THE STUDENT PROGRESSES AND THEY MAY POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, COME OUT OF ENGLISH ESSENTIALS, DO WE MONITOR THEM IN ANY WAY SO THAT THEY START TO SLIP WE'RE.

ACTUALLY THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'M GLAD YOU ASKED IT.

SO WE HAVE WE HAVE ENGLISH NINE, LET'S SAY, AND ENGLISH NINE ESSENTIALS.

BUT WE ARE ALSO MONITORING STUDENTS IN OUR ENGLISH NINE, TEN, 11 AND 12.

IN TIER TWO, WE JUST USE A DIFFERENT RESOURCE, BUT WE HAVE WE USE DATA AND GIVE COMMON ASSESSMENTS IN ALL OF OUR ENGLISH COURSES, WHICH IS PROBABLY A NEWER DEVELOPMENT FOR AND IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

IT'S JUST THE WAY THAT WE DO THINGS. BUT YES, WE ARE CONSTANTLY NOTICING WHAT WE NEED ABOUT STUDENTS.

BECAUSE IT IS A SEMESTER COURSE THE ONLY OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE GOTTEN FROM, LET'S SAY A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, IS WHAT IF A STUDENT WERE TO WORK THROUGH THE THE PROGRAM BEFORE THE END OF THE SEMESTER, THEN DO THEY MOVE TO A DIFFERENT CLASS? AND THE ANSWER IS NO. WE JUST CHANGED THE TIER TWO INTERVENTION THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO.

SO THEY WOULD ACCESS WHAT A STUDENT WOULD NEED IN AN ENGLISH NINE COURSE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE CLASSES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS.

THEN WE NEED A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF ENGLISH ESSENTIALS NINE, TEN, 11 AND 12 CUMULATIVE AS A GROUP. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 9 THROUGH 12.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT. OKAY. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT AND SUPPORT ENGLISH ESSENTIALS 9, 10, 11 AND 12. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO, CARRIED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE. YOU CERTAINLY WILL.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS HESSON AND YOUR TEAM. IT'S BEEN AN AWESOME PILOT.

YES. THANK YOU, DOCTOR VONDENBOSCH. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DOCTOR SIMMONS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD . I'M NIKKI VONDENBOSCH, THE K-12 MATH SUPERVISOR.

[00:35:03]

I HAVE MRS. FRANCE HERE. SHE'S THE MATH SPECIALIST AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.

MRS. HALDEMAN, WHO IS A CALCULUS, AMONG OTHER MATH COURSES, TEACHER AT COLONEL HIGH.

MR. MOTLEY, ALSO CALCULUS AND OTHER MATH COURSES AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND MRS. MOLLY ELLIOTT, SHE IS OUR MATH SPECIALIST AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

SO IF YOU ASK ME ANY HARD QUESTIONS, I'VE GOT THE TEAM TO SUPPORT ME.

[LAUGHTER] I'M HERE TONIGHT FOR YOUR APPROVAL, FOR A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW COURSE, AP CALCULUS BC.

SO WHY DOES CAROLINE COUNTY NEED AP CALCULUS BC? IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, IT SHOWS YOU OUR COURSE SEQUENCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH AP CALCULUS BC BEING AN ADDITION.

SO OUR STEM STUDENTS, WHICH ARE OUR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH STUDENTS, TYPICALLY WOULD COME TO US IN NINTH GRADE EITHER IN ALGEBRA ONE, OR THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN ALGEBRA ONE IN EIGHTH GRADE AND START RIGHT AWAY IN NINTH GRADE IN GEOMETRY.

AND THEN THEY'LL MOVE TO ALGEBRA TWO. AND THEN BY SOPHOMORE YEAR YOU CAN SEE 10TH GRADE COURSE SELECTIONS.

THEY COULD LIKELY DOUBLE UP. RIGHT. SO THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE REALLY WANTING TO BE A DOCTOR, A SCIENTIST AND ECONOMIST, THEY ARE GOING TO WANT TO DOUBLE UP ON THEIR MATH COURSES SO THEY CAN ACCELERATE AND BE READY FOR COLLEGE.

SO WE HAVE SOME CURRENT STUDENTS THAT END UP DOUBLING UP JUNIOR YEAR, AND THEN THEY RUN OUT OF MATH COURSES IF THEY'RE ON THAT CALCULUS PATHWAY IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR. SO THIS ADDITION WOULD HELP OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR THAT ADDITIONAL CHALLENGE. SO AP CALCULUS BC IS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL COURSE FOR US. WE CURRENTLY HAVE AP CALCULUS AB. WHEN YOU GO TO COLLEGE AND YOU TAKE CALCULUS YOU'RE TAKING AB AND BC COMBINED. OKAY. SO WE HAVE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDENTS TAKING AP CALCULUS AB THEIR JUNIOR YEAR, AS I SAID, AND THOSE STUDENTS NEED THAT HIGHER LEVEL CALCULUS COURSE THEIR SENIOR YEAR.

SO THERE ARE FOUR STUDENTS CURRENTLY AT NORTH CAROLINE WHO TOOK AP CALCULUS AB LAST YEAR.

AND THEIR ONLY OPTION IS STATISTICS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS FINE.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH STATISTICS, BUT THEY WOULD BENEFIT FROM AN ADVANCED CALCULUS CLASS.

THERE ARE LIMITED DUAL ENROLLMENT MATH COURSES THAT WOULD ADVANCE THESE STUDENTS, BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS ARE AT THAT HIGHER LEVEL.

THERE'S NOT MUCH IN OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT WORLD THAT GOES BEYOND AP CALCULUS.

IF APPROVED, BASED ON CURRENT ENROLLMENT, WE ESTIMATE THERE WILL BE 17 STUDENTS IN AP CALCULUS BC, 15 FROM NORTH AND TWO FROM COLONEL FOR NEXT YEAR, AND 15 STUDENTS ENROLLED AT NORTH FOR THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR.

APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF OUR FRESHMAN STUDENTS ENROLLED IN GEOMETRY WILL ENROLL IN AP CALCULUS BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE HAVE.

WE DO THINK THAT OUR COLONEL STUDENTS, ONCE THEY KNOW THIS IS AN OPTION, WILL START DOUBLING UP MORE IN MATH AND REACH THAT AND WANT THAT HIGHER LEVEL COURSE AS WELL. THE STATE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS AP CALCULUS BC AS ONE OF THE PATHWAYS AS ONE OF THE COURSES, AND OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS DO OFFER THIS AS A FOURTH YEAR MATH COURSE.

AGAIN, THESE ARE FOR OUR KIDS THAT WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE AND BE A DOCTOR, AN ENGINEER, A FINANCIAL MANAGER, A SCIENTIST AND ECONOMIST, A MARINE BIOLOGIST, ALL OF THOSE STEM BASED CAREERS.

AP CALCULUS AB FOCUSES ON TOPICS THAT ARE TAUGHT IN THE COLLEGE LEVEL FIRST SEMESTER EQUIVALENT, AND THEN BC FOCUSES ON WHAT WOULD BE IN THE SECOND SEMESTER COLLEGE LEVEL CLASS.

ALL TOPICS COVERED THE EIGHT UNITS OF AP CALCULUS AB.

AND THEN THERE'S TWO ADDITIONAL UNITS IN BC AND SOME ADDITIONAL TOPICS COVERED IN UNIT SIX THROUGH EIGHT.

WE DID GET SOME PARENT INPUT. ONE OF OUR PARENTS SAID THAT HAVING AN ADDITIONAL COURSE CHOICE ALLOWS STUDENTS TO CHOOSE FROM THEY HAVE A BETTER EXPERIENCE WITH THE SUBJECT.

MOST STUDENTS WHO DOUBLE UP EARLY IN MATH, IT'S BECAUSE THEY ENJOY THAT AND THEY WANT THE CHALLENGE.

AND THIS PARENT IS ADVOCATING FOR US TO FOSTER THAT NEED.

SO WHAT IS AP CALCULUS BC? SO THIS IS A COURSE DESCRIPTION TAKEN RIGHT FROM COLLEGE BOARD.

CALCULUS IS A BRANCH OF MATHEMATICS THAT DEALS WITH CHANGE AND HOW TO CALCULATE QUANTITIES THAT INVOLVE CONTINUOUS CHANGE.

CALCULUS HELPS US UNDERSTAND AND DESCRIBE THE WORLD IN TERMS OF MOTION, GROWTH, DECAY, AND OTHER CHANGES OVER TIME.

[00:40:02]

SO HOW WILL WE TEACH CALCULUS BC? IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS GOES OVER THE OVER THE UNITS IN CALCULUS AND AP CALCULUS BC. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE EIGHT UNITS.

UNIT ONE IS LIMITS AND CONTINUITY. UNIT TWO IS DIFFERENTIATION.

DEFINITION AND FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTIES. UNIT THREE ELABORATES ON DIFFERENTIATION WITH COMPOSITE, IMPLICIT AND INVERSE FUNCTIONS. UNIT FOUR CONTEXTUAL APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION.

UNIT FIVE ANALYTICAL APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENTIATION.

YOU SEE WHY I BROUGHT THE MATH TEAM RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] AND THEN UNIT SIX THROUGH EIGHT INTEGRATION AND ACCUMULATION OF CHANGE DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS. APPLICATIONS OF INTEGRATION.

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS POLAR COORDINATES VECTOR VALUED FUNCTIONS AND INFINITE SEQUENCES AND SERIES.

SO THESE UNITS OF STUDY THEY HELP KIDS UNDERSTAND THE FORMULAS AND THE MATHEMATICS TO SOLVE REAL WORLD PROBLEMS IN THOSE STEM TYPE CAREERS TO PUT IT IN LAYMAN'S LANGUAGE, THE MATERIALS THAT WE USE, WE ACTUALLY OUR CURRENT TEXTBOOK COVERS AP BC CALCULUS. WE ARE ASKING FOR SOME FUNDING TO UPDATE THAT TEXTBOOK BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT DATED. SO WE WOULD LIKE THE MOST RECENT EDITION, BUT THAT TEXTBOOK WOULD COVER BOTH COURSES AB AND BC. AND PART OF OUR COMMITTEE. EVERYONE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT WAS PART OF THE COMMITTEE.

ALSO OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS MYSELF, PARENTS LINDSEY MCCORMICK, OUR DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. AND THEN ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AS WELL, WERE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT AP CALCULUS BC.

SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR THIS ADVANCED MATH COURSE.

AND DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE, SO TO SPEAK, THAT OUR KIDS ARE JUST EXCELLING SO WELL.

SO I THINK IT'S IT SOUNDS GOOD. WE HAVE THE PERSONNEL AT COLONEL TO BE ABLE TO JUST DO A TWO PERSON CLASS OR? BECAUSE THAT WOULD. SO MRS. HALDEMAN THAT WOULD TAKE UP A BLOCK OF HER TIME.

SO WE HAVE TALKED WITH BOTH PRINCIPALS ABOUT LOOKING AT THOSE STUDENTS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, TO SEE IF WE COULD SOMEHOW ZOOM THEM IN WITH MR. MOTLEY, OR IF THERE'S A WAY THAT MAYBE, WE COULD DO SOME IN-PERSON THINGS.

SO WE DID DEFINITELY TALK ON OUR COMMITTEE ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO NOT GIVE THOSE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN IF THEY LIVED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE COUNTY, THEY WOULD HAVE IT. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD BE IN THE ORIGINAL AND KIND OF WORK ON THEIR OWN THEY KIND OF.

IT'S A POSSIBILITY. SO I WILL TELL YOU BEFORE MY TIME WE DID HAVE STUDENTS TAKE AP CALCULUS BC, AND IT WAS VIRTUAL. MR. MOTLEY CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS BECAUSE I THINK THOSE KIDS KIND OF SAT IN YOUR ROOM WHILE THEY DID THE CLASS ONLINE.

BUT THEN MR. MOTLEY WAS THERE TO HELP. SO WHAT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN WITH IF OUR TWO FRIENDS AT COLONEL THAT WANT TO DO IT NEXT YEAR COULD POSSIBLY SIT IN MISS HALDEMAN'S ROOM, ZOOM WITH MR. MOTLEY, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY'D BE ABLE TO GET HELP WHEN THEY NEED IT.

SO I THINK WE COULD DEFINITELY ACCOMMODATE UNTIL WE HAVE THE NUMBERS, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO DENY THEM THAT ADVANCE.

OF COURSE. AS LONG AS THEY GET THE HELP THAT THEY CAN GET.

YEAH. AND MR. MOTLEY AND MISS HALDEMAN AND MY MATH SPECIALIST ARE GREAT ABOUT MAKING THOSE THINGS HAPPEN FOR THE KIDS.

SO I WILL SHARE BECAUSE WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE A SUPERINTENDENT AND YOU HAVE HIGH SCHOOL AGED KIDS WHO ALSO HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL AGE? OVER LOTS OF SNOW DAYS. AND, YOU KNOW, SCHEDULING IS COMING UP.

YOU START TALKING ABOUT FOUR YEAR PLANS. YES.

[00:45:01]

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, RIGHT? BUT EVEN SOME OF THEIR FRIENDS, AND THEY'RE GOING, SO WHAT DO I TAKE AFTER THIS MATH? WELL, WHAT IF I DOUBLE UP HERE? WON'T I RUN OUT OF MATH'S? AND IT WAS. WELL, JUST WAIT.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CALCULUS BC. WELL, WHAT IS CALCULUS BC? WELL, IT COMES AFTER AB. WELL, WHY IS IT CALLED, [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE].

BUT LITERALLY THERE WAS CONVERSATION AND THIS WAS A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM COLONEL NAVIGATING THE PIECE OF WHEN I DO START TO DOUBLE UP BECAUSE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TAKING A MORE RIGOROUS COURSE LOAD ARE HAPPENING.

THEY'RE HEARING THE CCR TALK, THEY'RE TALKING COLLEGE, THEY'RE TALKING ALL THOSE THINGS.

BUT THEY'RE ALSO SMART. THEY'RE MAPPING OUT THEIR COURSE SEQUENCES AND GOING, WELL, I'M RUNNING OUT OF AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ELECTIVE X FOR WHATEVER REASON IN MY JUNIOR YEAR, I WANT TO DO THIS.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT TO DO DUAL ENROLLMENT, BUT HOW DO I GET SO I MEAN, OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES NINE AND TEN AS WELL ARE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS. SO THIS OFFERING HELPS DEEPEN THE EXPERIENCE FOR KIDS AT BOTH SCHOOLS.

DUAL ENROLLMENT IS GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT THE END ALL BE ALL FOR EVERYTHING. AND IT'S A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE ALSO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET WITH AP CALCULUS BC BEING OFFERED HERE WITH TEACHERS AND THEY'VE HAD FOR THE MATH SEQUENCE ALL ALONG AS WELL. SO I'M EXCITED THAT THIS IS COMING TONIGHT.

AND IT'S A REALLY A REALLY GOOD TIMING AS OUR STUDENTS ARE REALLY NAVIGATING MAPPING OUT A FUTURE OF COURSES.

AND TYPICALLY THOSE STUDENTS HAVE HAD OBVIOUSLY THE PREREQUISITES OF PRE-CALC WITH THE SAME TEACHER.

SO IT IS NICE FOR THEM TO HAVE THAT CONTINUITY.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S EXCITING FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING THEIR MATH KNOWLEDGE. IT'S EXCITING THAT THEY HAVE THE CHOICE RIGHT HERE.

YES. IN COUNTY. AND WHEN I READ WHERE IT SAYS, WELL, BASICALLY YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE KID WHO MIGHT WANT TO KNOW WHEN'S THE NEXT SOLAR ECLIPSE? YEAH. YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY KID WANTS TO KNOW THAT AND WANTS TO FIGURE IT OUT.

AND SO I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO ARE ADVANCED IN MATH AND WANTING TO ADVANCE EVEN MORE. IT'S WONDERFUL. ABSOLUTELY.

SO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD . IF YOU HAD NO OTHER QUESTIONS, CAN WE GET A MOTION FOR APPROVING THE AP CALCULUS BC COURSE? I'M GLAD I DON'T HAVE TO TEACH IT, BY THE WAY. [LAUGHTER] I'LL MOVE WE APPROVE THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CALCULUS BC COURSE.

SECOND. BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE GO FORTH WITH THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CALCULUS BC COURSE FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

YES. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? IT IS APPROVED FOR US TO GO FORTH WITH THE CALCULUS BC COURSE AT NORTH CAROLINE AND COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. YES. THANK YOU.

IT'S GOOD NEWS. AND WE WILL HAVE DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY BACK UP WITH POLICIES. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD .

AS YOU KNOW, EACH MONTH WE BRING POLICIES THAT ARE BEING REVIEWED IN OUR EFFORT OVER A FOUR YEAR TIME PERIOD TO REVIEW ALL OF OUR CCPS POLICIES.

THIS YEAR, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GO WITH A THEME. THIS TONIGHT'S THEME IS STUDENT SERVICES.

SO FIVE POLICIES WILL COME TONIGHT FOUR RIGHT NOW, AND ONE A LITTLE BIT LATER.

THE FOUR RIGHT NOW MR. HOWIE AND HIS TEAM HAVE TAKEN A LOOK AT OUR POLICIES ON HONOR ROLL.

OUT OF COUNTY STUDENTS ATTENDING CAROLINE COUNTY SCHOOLS MARRIED STUDENTS, AND OUR POLICY ON GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND DETERMINE THAT THOSE POLICIES STILL ARE WHAT WE NEED. THEY STILL REPRESENT CURRENT PRACTICE.

AND SO THEY WILL BE UPDATED. THEY WILL HAVE THE REVISION DATE OF TONIGHT PUT ON THEM IF YOU APPROVE.

BUT WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONTINUE THOSE POLICIES AS WRITTEN.

I WAS GONNA SAY, DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OR? OUR PARAMETERS HAVE NOT CHANGED.

MOST OF THESE ARE DIRECTLY AS THE STATE REQUIRES.

[00:50:02]

OKAY. THAT IS THE REQUEST THERE. IS A SLOT .

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WE'RE LOOKING AT AS LISTED HONOR ROLL OUT OF COUNTY, MARRIED STUDENTS.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS? ANY CLARIFICATIONS YOU WANT TO HEAR? CAN I GET A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THESE AS A GROUP? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE ADOPT THE FOUR AS A GROUP TO CONTINUE.

NO CHANGES. SECOND. IT'S A TIE. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING POLICIES.

HONOR ROLL OUT OF COUNTY MARRIAGE STUDENTS AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY BE ACCEPTED AND ADOPTED AS PRESENTED. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU. AND I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, JUST REMEMBER, THESE ARE THE POLICY STATEMENTS.

SOMETIMES THERE'S REGULATIONS BEHIND THEM THAT DO CHANGE WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL IF THE STATE MAKES A CHANGE.

BUT THESE ARE JUST THE BROAD POLICY STATEMENTS THAT IN MANY CASES, LIKE MR. HOWIE SAID, ARE WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES. SO LIKE WHEN THERE WAS A CHANGE TO ASSESSMENTS FOR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, THAT IS CHANGED THROUGH THE REGULATION, NOT THROUGH THE POLICY.

SO JUST TO CLARIFY THAT PART. SORRY. THANK YOU, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY.

THANK YOU, MR. HOWIE. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.

AND NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS INFORMATION REGARDING OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP.

YES. SO THE BOARD HAS BEFORE THEM AN OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP REQUEST.

I HAVE ACTUALLY HEARD FROM THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL SINCE OUR MEETING WAS POSTPONED EARLIER THIS MONTH.

THEY'RE STILL WITHIN TIME, BUT THEY'RE GETTING THEIR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS TOGETHER.

COLONEL RICHARDSON MUSIC DEPARTMENT IS TRAVELING TO PIGEON FORGE FOR THEIR MUSIC IN THE PARKS FESTIVAL AND COMPETITION.

OUR BAND PROGRAMS FROM OUR SCHOOLS TEND TO TAKE THESE TRIPS.

COLONEL RICHARDSON. HIGH SCHOOL IT IS A TRIP THAT IS GREATER THAN THREE DAYS, SO THEREFORE IT REQUIRES BOARD APPROVAL FOR THEIR OVERNIGHT REQUEST.

IT HAS MET ALL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE THEM IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS, HOTEL CHAPERONS.

WE HAVE TEN CHAPERONS. SEVERAL OF WHICH EITHER ARE CURRENT OR FORMER CCPS EMPLOYEES THAT WILL BE GOING AS WELL.

BAND AND THE CHORUS HAVE DONE QUITE A BIT OF FUNDRAISING.

AND PARENT PAYMENT TO SUPPORT BEING ABLE TO GO ON THE TRIP AND THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GO.

AND AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN SIGNED OFF BY MR. SHERMAN MET THEIR APPROVALS FOR MY SUPPORT AS WELL.

AND IT COMES TO YOU THIS EVENING FOR THEM TO GO ON THAT TRIP.

ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS. I KNOW THE BAND HAS DONE WELL AND DESERVES, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TRIP TO PIGEON FORGE. I KNOW THEY HAVE A GREAT TIME AND THEY I DO BELIEVE THEY WILL REPRESENT US WELL.

SO I AM DEFINITELY IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT I NEED A MOTION FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD .

I MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THIS OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC BAND TRIP.

JUST A CORRECTION. IT'S A THREE NIGHT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

ONE. TWO. THREE NIGHTS STAY . YEP THREE NIGHTS.

THREE NIGHTS. STAY AWAY AT PIGEON FORGE. AND I SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE FIELD TRIP FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON BAND TO PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE, APRIL 30TH THROUGH MAY 4TH. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. SO MISS WAYMAN AT SOME POINT, I'LL NEED YOUR SIGNATURE ON THE APPROVAL.

WE STILL DO THAT ONE BY PAPER. [LAUGHTER] MR. CHEEZUM IN PARTICULAR WILL BE SUPER EXCITED TO KNOW THAT IT WAS APPROVED.

IT'S GREAT. THEY'RE WAITING TO GET THEIR TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. THANK YOU ALL. OKAY.

TELL THEM TO TAKE SOME GOOD PICTURES TO SHARE WITH US. ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY. AND YOU OR DOCTOR SIMMONS WILL BE SHARING THE SPEND DOWN PLAN FOR US.

SO AND THE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT. YES. WE'LL DO THE SPEND DOWN PLAN FIRST.

SO AS BOARD POLICY 1- 1090 OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY THAT THE BOARD ESTABLISHED MANY YEARS AGO STATES THAT WHEN OUR

[00:55:06]

IT IS OUR LOCAL POLICY. THE BOARD LAID A CHARGE BEFORE ME YEARS AGO TO REBUILD OUR FUND BALANCE BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING DANGEROUSLY LOW ON THE LOW END OF THE THRESHOLD.

AND I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO REBUILD IT. AND WE REBUILT IT QUITE, QUITE HEALTHY.

BUT IT'S THERE. SO TONIGHT, I COME TO YOU WITH A NUMBER OF ITEMS FOR YOUR APPROVAL AS PART OF OUR SPEND DOWN PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.

AND I'LL WALK THROUGH THAT. BUT I DO WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE BOARD AND FOR THE PUBLIC.

THE FUND BALANCE THAT IS THERE THE RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT IS NOT FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF THE FULL ALLOTMENT OF THE FUND BALANCE TO BRING IT IN LINE WITH 10%.

THE BOARD DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC TIMELINE THAT YOU MUST HAVE THE SPEND DOWN PLAN BY.

IT'S JUST THAT THE BOARD SHALL CREATE ONE. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY IN ANNAPOLIS WITH THE BUDGET SITUATION THAT THE STATE IS FACING, WHICH WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DURING MY BUDGET PRESENTATION. BUT WITH THE STATE FACING CLOSE TO A $3 BILLION DEFICIT, AND WITH THERE BEING REDUCTIONS BEING TALKED ABOUT IN EDUCATION FUNDING MOVING INTO OUR NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND THE UNCERTAINTY THAT IT SITS WITH, I'M NOT RECOMMENDING A FULL SPEND DOWN OF THE FUND BALANCE AT THIS POINT TO GET IT WITHIN THE 10% THRESHOLD.

AND I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE BOARD OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AS THE BUDGET PICTURE COMES MORE INTO CLARITY.

THE GOAL OBVIOUSLY WILL BE ABLE TO GET TO THE 10%, BUT I WOULD I WOULD THINK IT PREMATURE TO COME TO YOU IN JANUARY WITH A WAY TO SPEND DOWN $3.5 MILLION WITH POTENTIAL CUTS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED BY IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET OF LOOKING TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF AT LEAST A 1.6 TO $1.8 MILLION REDUCTION IN WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECEIVING IN FY 28 OR 26, DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HE'S PROPOSED RIGHT NOW.

SO GIVEN THAT UNCERTAINTY, I DON'T WANT TO BRING YOU SOMETHING THAT THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE TO CHANGE AND RENEGE ON IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SO WHAT I BRING YOU TONIGHT ARE THINGS THAT ARE OF DEFINITE IMPORTANCE FOR US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND I'LL WALK THROUGH IT, ONE OF WHICH WE ARE FEELING THE PAINS OF TONIGHT.

AND I PROMISE THIS WAS NOT INTENDED TO WORK OUT THIS WAY.

HOWEVER, SOME THINGS JUST PRESENT THEMSELVES.

THIS BUILDING, THE CENTRAL OFFICE BUILDING. OUR HVAC SYSTEM IS ON ITS LAST LEG.

AND THAT'S PRIMARILY THE AIR CONDITIONING PIECE.

HOWEVER, THERE'S A HEATING PIECE TO THIS AS WELL.

MR. MENGEL AND HIS TEAM HAVE WORKED, AND THE COST ESTIMATE FOR REPLACEMENT HERE IS A $50,000 REPLACEMENT TO GET OUR HVAC SYSTEM WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

THAT'S NOT FOR THE REPAIR TO HAVE HEAT BY TOMORROW. THAT'S JUST THE GENERAL.

WE NEED TO REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT, SO WE NEED TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.

FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS A FAN MOTOR THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

THE GRAND TOTAL COST OF THAT IS $7,200. BY THE WAY, ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO BE FUNDED IN OUR CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET. THEY WOULD BLOW OUR BUDGET, WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE COMING NOW.

A LOT OF TIMES THESE WOULD COME AS END OF THE YEAR PURCHASES. IF WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY AT THE END OF THE YEAR IN ORDER TO SPEND DOWN THE FUND BALANCE.

WE'RE BRINGING THEM NOW BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE MORE MISSION CRITICAL THAN OTHERS, BUT WE NEED TO GET ON THEM.

COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL HOT WATER HEATER.

IT'S INSTALLATION OF [INAUDIBLE] $15,000 CCTC HVAC UNIT UPGRADE THAT'S IN ONE CLASSROOM.

NEEDS THEIR HVAC UNIT UPGRADED THAT'S A $7,000 COST.

WE DO HAVE BUILDING SPACE ENCLOSURES THAT NEED TO BE COMPLETED AT CCTC AND LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I'M GLAD MRS. NECESSARY IS HERE. IT'S ENCAPSULATING SOME SPACES BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT OF ROOM.

BOTH BUILDINGS ARE VERY TIGHT AND OUT OF ROOM, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO USE SOME SPACE SMARTER.

SO IT'S $10,000 FOR THAT. WE HAVE A BUS REPLACEMENT.

WE HAD A BUS THAT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT LAST YEAR.

AND ONCE WE RECEIVED THE INSURANCE CHECK. THE INSURANCE CHECK DOES NOT COVER THE FULL COST FOR A NEW BUS.

THE REMAINING BALANCE TO GET THE NEW BUS IS $80,000.

SO WE WE NEED IT. BUT THAT'S WHERE OUR BALANCE IS, IS ABOUT 80,000.

WE DO HAVE A REQUEST FOR TWO EIGHT PASSENGER VANS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE VERY QUICKLY LEARNED, ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF COVID.

WE HAUL A LOT OF CHILDREN WHO ARE MCKINNEY-VENTO ELIGIBLE WHO ARE HOMELESS.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE HAULING THEM EITHER USING A FULL BUS WHICH IS EXPENSIVE TO DO.

[01:00:01]

AND WE ARE REQUESTING, USING FUNDING TO DO THIS TO PICK UP TWO VANS FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WHICH WOULD GREATLY HELP US NOT ONLY IN PRESERVING OUR CDL DRIVERS, BUT TO DO IT MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

BECAUSE OUR HOMELESS NUMBERS ARE NOT GOING DOWN.

THEY'RE NOT THEY HAVE NOT SUBSIDED SINCE THE PANDEMIC AND ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN TRENDING BACK UP AGAIN.

WE ALSO HAVE CYBER SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS. THIS WAS THESE ARE OUR ENHANCEMENTS.

HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POWER SCHOOL THING, WHICH IS ON THEIRS.

BUT MR. WIELGOSZ HAS BEEN WORKING WITH AN OUTSIDE VENDOR.

AND AS WELL AS WITH MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF ED SINCE THEY DO OUR INSURANCE AND THEY HAVE DONE A ASSESSMENT OF OUR CYBER SECURITY.

AND THESE ARE RECOMMENDED UPGRADES FOR US TO PUT OURSELVES MORE IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT WE NEED TO AND TO STRENGTHEN OUR CYBER SECURITY.

AND THEN LASTLY, THE NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS COURTS.

THE TENNIS COURTS ARE BEYOND REPAIR. AND THEIR LOCATION? IT'S A BAD SPOT ON THE PROPERTY FOR WHERE THEY ARE.

AND FRANKLY, THEY'RE NOT BEING UTILIZED. NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL HAS A SIGNIFICANT PARKING ISSUE OF NEEDING SPACE FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN, BUT ESPECIALLY THE ADULTS AS WELL. AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING DEMOING, BASICALLY DEMOING THE TENNIS COURTS AND TURNING THEM INTO PARKING LOT TO A PARKING LOT, TO PARKING SPACE. SO THE GRAND TOTAL FOR THE RECOMMENDATION IS $855,000 OF PROJECTS.

FROM MR. MENGEL'S SHOP THAT WOULD BRING US LEAVE US A LITTLE OVER 2.7, ROUGHLY ABOUT 2.7 MILLION, STILL OVER THE THRESHOLD OF OUR FUND BALANCE.

PLENTY OF SPACE AND PROVIDES US MORE OPPORTUNITY.

BUT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND DISCUSSING AS A BUDGET TEAM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT WE'VE JUST NOT HAD THE FUNDING TO DO, OR THEY ARE EMERGENCY THINGS THAT HAVE POPPED UP THAT NEED TO GET TAKEN CARE OF.

SO WE ASKED THE BOARD FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THESE REQUESTS TO COME OUT OF FUND BALANCE UPON YOUR APPROVAL.

I GOT IT. ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. AND MR. MENGLE IS HERE TO ANSWER SOME OF THEM.

THE BUS REPLACEMENT THAT'S FOR A BRAND NEW BUS.

OR IS THAT A NEW USED? IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE MONTHS FOR US TO GET THE RESULT BACK, AND THAT THREW US INTO UNEXPECTED EXPENDITURE THAT WE WERE NOT PREPARED FOR.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE PROBABLY FOR A NEW BUS.

WE HAVE ONE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US, I THINK, OVER IN DELAWARE, AND IT MATCHES OUR STANDARDS.

SO THAT'S THE BUS WE'RE TRYING TO GET. SO OKAY.

THE EIGHT PASSENGER VANS, CAN WE USE THEM FOR SMALLER FIELD TRIPS LIKE LEGO LEAGUE AND STUFF LIKE THAT? OR IS IT JUST GOING TO BE ONLY? IF WE PURCHASE THEM THROUGH LOCAL FUNDS WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO USE THEM FOR THOSE THINGS.

IF WE PURCHASE THEM THROUGH A GRANT, YOU CAN BE HANDCUFFED BY A GRANT.

I WASN'T SURE WITH STANDARDS IF THERE WAS NO, THANKFULLY YOU CAN'T TRANSPORT KIDS.

COLONELS, A SMALLER SCHOOL. I'M NOT SAYING ABOUT COLONEL AS A WRESTLING PROGRAM. THEY GOT A GREAT PROGRAM.

SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE A BUS FULL OF KIDS, BUT THEY MAY HAVE SEVEN, 6 OR 7 KIDS QUALIFIED FOR STATES.

MAKES MORE SENSE TO RUN THAT UP THROUGH COURT S. IS IT GOING TO BE JUST THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE TENNIS COURTS OR ARE WE GOING BIGGER.

I DON'T AT THIS TIME I DON'T HAVE ANY ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE THAT.

WE WOULD TRY TO MARRY IT WITH KIND OF BUILD OFF OF THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T GO MUCH FURTHER THAN GOING TO THE LINE WHERE THAT PASSPORT IS.

SO IT'D BE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN AND HOW MANY PARKING SPACES ARE IS THAT GOING TO OPEN UP? TEN. THAT'S IT? PROBABLY. THAT'S A LOT. THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR TEN PARKING SPACES.

YEAH. GREAT. YEAH. BECAUSE WE JUST DID BLACKTOP I'VE.

WE WERE OVER 100 ON OURS FOR THE WHOLE PLACE AT THE FIREHOUSE.

SO THE BIG PART WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO WITH THE TENNIS COURTS IS DEMOING THE FENCE, GETTING ALL OF THOSE THINGS OUT OF THERE.

AND THEN IF ANY OF THE SURFACE NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE QUALITY OF THE SURFACE IS TO SEE IF IT'S GOING TO NEED TO NEED TO BE. IT COULD COME IN LOWER, I GUESS, MORE OR LESS.

BUT THAT'S A WHOLE THAT'S JUST A LOT OF MONEY.

[01:05:06]

IS THAT RIGHT? THEY PLAY I THINK USE. THEY PLAY IN DENTON.

YEAH, THEY PLAY IN DENTON. YEAH.

YEAH, THEY'RE THE PARKS AND PARKS. I WAS THINKING ABOUT PARK TENNIS SO.

YEAH. SO GIRLS TENNIS PLAYS IN RIDGELY. BOYS TENNIS PLAYS AT 4TH STREET OR SECOND STREET, WHATEVER IT IS THOUGH.

SOMETIMES THEY PLAY YES. OKAY. OKAY. IS THERE POTENTIAL TO GET MORE AREA WHERE THE TENNIS COURTS ARE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ON THE GROUND OR. THAT'S WHERE YOU FIND OUT OKAY. LOOK AT IT AND THEN GO FOR IT. OKAY. I'M JUST THINKING IT'D BE NICE TO SEE WHAT WE'RE SPENDING BEFORE WE SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY.

I'M GOOD WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH IF WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE FOR 500.

I'M THE SAME WAY. AND ESPECIALLY THAT LOCATION IN BETWEEN THE SCHOOL, I DON'T.

YEAH.

OF THE SCHOOL. RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW, FOR TEN. FOR TEN PARKING SPACES.

YEAH. IF YOU'D LIKE, WE COULD GET TOGETHER SOME PROPOSALS AND BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD ON THAT PART OF IT. SOME DETAILED PROPOSALS. YES. ABSOLUTELY COULD.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SLATE OF SPEND DOWN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TENNIS COURT CONVERSION.

ABSOLUTELY. AT THIS POINT. YEAH. AND LIKE YOU SAID, WE CAN REVISIT THAT AT ANOTHER TIME WITH A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION.

ABSOLUTELY. I SECOND THAT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE SUPPORT THE SPEND DOWN EXCEPT FOR THE NORTH CAROLINE TENNIS COURT PROPOSAL FOR PARKING.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRY.

AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WHEN WE COME BACK WITH INFORMATION ON THE TENNIS COURTS THAT IS DETAILED AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR TEN PARKING SPOTS.

AND I'M SURE THERE IS A LOT TO BE DONE. YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. AND THE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT.

ALRIGHTY. THE FUN ONE. SO NEXT ACTION ITEM I HAVE FOR THE BOARD TONIGHT IS RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR. SO THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE ARE IN WE ARE REQUIRED TO GO TO ALL 180 STUDENT DAYS AND 190 TEACHER WORK DAYS. TO NOT BE CONFUSED, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STUDENT DAYS.

WORK DAYS ARE PREDICATED BY THE CONTRACTS. AND WE HAVE PROBABLY 15 DIFFERENT EMPLOYEE WORK CALENDARS.

SO TRYING TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS WILL BE COULD BE CHAOTIC, BUT ALSO IT'S DICTATED BY THE CONTRACT.

SO WE'RE TALKING STUDENT DAYS FOR KIDS. OUR CURRENT BOARD CALENDAR INCLUDES FOUR SNOW DAYS AS OF TODAY.

WE ARE OVER BY SIX. SO WE'VE USED OUR FOUR AND WE HAVE TWO MORE DAYS TO FIND TO MAKE UP.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE MYTHS THAT I WANT TO CLARIFY NOT FOR THE BOARD.

I THINK THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS, BUT THERE IS A MISPERCEPTION BY A LOT OF FOLKS.

AND I'LL BE HONEST MYSELF, BECAUSE WE LOOK BACK ON THINGS AND REMEMBER THINGS DIFFERENTLY AS WE GET A LITTLE BIT OLDER.

THE STATE OF MARYLAND COMAR SPELLS OUT IN COMMAND THE REGULATIONS HOW A SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN APPLY FOR A WAIVER.

A GOVERNOR'S DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WAIVER PROCESS WHATSOEVER AT ALL.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT FACTORS IN BY THE STATE BOARD.

IT'S JUST WHAT IT IS. THE STATE BOARD FOR THE WAIVER PROCESS, THEY REQUIRE THAT EVERYBODY DOES 180 DAYS.

THEY REQUIRE THAT YOU BUILD IN SNOW DAYS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3 AND 10.

WE PUT FOUR IN. THEY REQUIRE THAT A LOCAL BOARD MAKES ADJUSTMENTS TO THEIR CALENDAR WHEN THEY USE UP ALL THEIR SNOW DAYS, THAT THEY MAKE CORRECTIONS TO THEIR CALENDAR TO TRY TO GET SOME DAYS BACK IN, AND THEN YOU STILL HAVE TO GO THREE DAYS BEYOND THE END OF THE YEAR.

[01:10:07]

THEY DO OFFER ONE ADDITIONAL CAVEAT THAT IF YOUR LAST DAY FALLS ON A MONDAY, YOU CAN ASK FOR A WAIVER.

BUT THE WAY IT READS IS THAT REALLY THE WAIVER IS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL YOU'VE BURNED THREE DAYS BEYOND WHAT YOUR END DATE WAS.

SO WITH THAT, THE OPTION THAT THE OPTIONS THAT I CONSIDERED AND WHY I'M BRINGING WHAT I AM TONIGHT TO THE BOARD I DIDN'T WANT TO TACK THE DAYS ON THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR BECAUSE IT STARTS GETTING LATER IN JUNE.

AND LET'S TO BE FRANK, IT'S EARLY JAN. IT'S MID-JANUARY.

AT THE POINT OF WRITING THIS INITIALLY, THE FIRST TIME IT WAS EARLY JANUARY.

NOW IT'S MID JANUARY AND WE'RE SITTING AT SIX DAYS AND WE'RE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT TOMORROW MORNING.

BUT WE GOT TO SEE WHAT TOMORROW MORNING BRINGS AND WE STILL GOT FEBRUARY TO GET THROUGH.

SO THE FIRST THING I LOOKED AT AND OUR TEAM DID WAS ARE THERE ANY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE CAN TAKE BACK FOR A STUDENT DAY? IT ONLY NEEDS TO BE A HALF DAY IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR A STUDENT DAY.

SO WE FIGURED IF WE COULD FIND A PD DAY AND CONVERT THAT TO A STUDENT DAY, ONE STAFF WERE ALREADY TEACHERS, WERE ALREADY WORKING. AND THEN WE COULD SAVE HALF OF IT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY FOR THE NEEDS THAT ARE THERE FOR A BUILDING.

SO THE FIRST DATE THAT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE CHANGE IS THE MARCH 21ST.

WE HAD A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY FOR ALL TEACHERS.

I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE TAKE THAT HALF THAT FULL DAY PD DAY WAS A NO STUDENT DAY AND TURN IT INTO A HALF DAY.

SO I THINK IT'S A FRIDAY. THE MARCH 21ST STUDENTS WOULD COME IN FOR A HALF DAY.

THERE WOULD BE A HALF DAY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE SCHOOLS THAT'S ONE.

PRIOR TO TODAY THAT WAS THE PLAN THIS MORNING WITH ICY ROADS IN THE NORTH WE NEEDED A NEW PLAN AS WELL.

THE OPTIONS THAT I HAD LEFT AFTER TAKING THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY WE HAD LEFT IN THE CALENDAR WAS PRESIDENTS DAY, EASTER BREAK, OR PUT IT ON THE END OF THE YEAR.

WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, IN LOOKING AT IT, FRANKLY, I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD WOULD BE TO TAKE THE THURSDAY OF THE EASTER BREAK, THE SPRING BREAK, AND TURN IT INTO A HALF DAY.

SO WE WOULD MOVE WHAT WAS GOING TO BE THE HALF DAY ON THAT WEDNESDAY, MOVE IT TO THE THURSDAY AS A HALF DAY.

WE WOULD PRESERVE GOOD FRIDAY AND FRIDAY AND EASTER MONDAY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT REGARDLESS OF ANY SNOW, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PRESERVE THAT, AND IT WOULD KEEP PRESIDENT'S DAY INTACT, WHICH I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT. IF WE WERE GOING TO TAKE PRESIDENT'S DAY, GOOD FRIDAY OR EASTER MONDAY, I WOULD NEED TO GET A WAIVER INTO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

I BELIEVE IT WOULD NEED TO BE IN BY TOMORROW, BECAUSE ONLY THE STATE BOARD CAN GIVE US PERMISSION TO USE REQUIRED OFF HOLIDAYS.

I'D STILL GET IT IN, IF THAT'S THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE. BUT FROM TALKING TO OUR TEAM AND TALKING WITH SOME OTHER FOLKS, WE REALLY WANTED TO TRY TO PRESERVE AS MUCH SPRING BREAK AS WE CAN AND PRESERVE PRESIDENT'S DAY. WHICH IS WHY WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THURSDAY.

SO THAT WILL BE THE ACTION ITEM HALF DAY ON THE 21ST FOR STUDENTS IN MARCH TO RECOVER THAT AND THEN MOVING OUR HALF DAY BEFORE EASTER BREAK, MOVING IT ONE DAY OVER TO A HALF DAY ON THURSDAY.

AND AT THAT POINT, WE ARE GOING TO THINK NO MORE SNOW WHATSOEVER AT ALL. NO MORE ICE.

NO MORE SNOW. LET'S PRESERVE IT. [LAUGHTER] THAT DOES LEAVE OUR SCHOOL YEAR ENDING ON A MONDAY.

WITH POSSIBILITY. AND THAT POSSIBILITY WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE CONSIDERING IN MARCH, WHEN TYPICALLY WE'RE OUT OF SNOW, TYPICALLY. BUT THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE BRINGING BACK TO THE BOARD IN MARCH.

IF WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A WAIVER OF THE OF THE 180TH DAY OF SCHOOL BECAUSE IT FALLS ON A MONDAY.

BUT I'M TRYING TO PUT US IN A POSITION THAT PRESERVES DAYS, DOESN'T EXTEND THE YEAR, AND GIVES US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO STILL HAVE SOME TIME.

SO THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD TONIGHT. AND THE RATIONALE BETWEEN HOW WE GOT TO THOSE DATES.

RIGHT. RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THOSE THE RECOMMENDATION.

WE GOTTA MAKE UP THE TIME. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO DO THAT.

BUT IF WE CAN KEEP FROM ADDING ON THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I THINK THAT WOULD BE OUR BEST BENEFIT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? CAN I GET A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THIS PROPOSAL?

[01:15:01]

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE GO WITH THE PROPOSED CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS, WITH HOPEFULLY THE LAST DAY BEING JUNE 16TH. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. SO CARRIED. SO, JUST FOR THE BOARD'S UNDERSTANDING, THE NEXT STEP THAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL CREATE AN AMENDED CALENDAR AND GET THAT OUT TO EVERYBODY.

WE ALSO WILL BE SENDING OFF WE HAVE A REPORT WE HAVE TO SEND A STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THAT ONCE WE'VE BEEN OFF AFTER SO MANY DAYS, WE HAVE TO SUBMIT TO THEM WHAT THE PLAN IS. SO WE WILL LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT'S HOW WE'RE GETTING TO OUR 180 IS WITH THOSE CALENDAR CHANGES.

SO WE WILL GET THAT OUT PROBABLY TOMORROW TO OUR FAMILIES, THE AMENDED CALENDARS.

SO EVERYBODY'S AWARE AND TO OUR STAFF. I HAVE A QUESTION ON FOR SEEING SOME OTHER COUNTIES DOING THE VIRTUAL THING.

AND I KNOW YOU SENT AN EMAIL WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IS THERE MAYBE DISCUSSION TO MAYBE LOOK INTO NEXT YEAR, POSSIBLY DOING SOMETHING IN THAT NATURE OF I KNOW IT'S INTERNET AND STUFF LIKE THAT, IT'S A BIG DEAL.

BUT IF DORCHESTER IS DOING IT AND HOOPER'SISLAND IS GETTING, I THINK WE CAN MAYBE TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR OUR GUYS, AND IT MIGHT SAVE US A LITTLE BIT IN THE END IF WE CAN DO.

IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE DOING. IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.

MR. PLUTSCHAK. I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THAT I'D WANT TO WALK THROUGH WITH THE BOARD WITH IT.

WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING IT, IS THE VALUE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.

I WANT TO CHECK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE WHAT THE VALUE OF THE TIME, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT, I PROBABLY AM STILL FEELING SOME PAINS OF THE COVID CLOSURE.

IT BRINGS BACK SOME NOT FUN MEMORIES. I'D BE INTERESTED TO SEE THE DATA YOU GET FROM THEM SO, IS IT WORTH TO, YOU KNOW, SQUEEZE? YEAH, I'LL STICK WITH SOME OF THEM AND SOME OF THOSE OUT IN WESTERN MARYLAND.

YEAH. WE'VE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT AS WELL TO SEE IF THE.

YEAH. WHAT THE VALUE OF THE DAY IS FOR THE STUDENTS VERSUS I JUST HEARD THAT THE STATE OF EMERGENCY.

THERE'S STILL NOTHING. YEAH I WAS SHOCKED BY THAT.

I'LL BE HONEST. IT'S KIND OF ODD. I WAS I WAS SHOCKED, BUT THEY SAID IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

AND I REALLY IT'S ONE OF THOSE LIKE, ARE YOU SURE? AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, IT NEVER SHUT DOWN. I'M NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I THINK PREVIOUSLY I THINK A LONG.

YEAH, IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT SIX WEEKS. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I FELT TOO I'LL BE HONEST.

ALRIGHT. AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO MR. HOWIE.

[5. Reports and Presentations]

HEARING GOOD THINGS. YES. A BIT OF A CELEBRITY ON THIS ISSUE.

SO YEAH, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO WE WERE TRYING TO TIME THE ARTICLE FOR AFTER THE BOARD PRESENTATION, AND THAT JUST SNOWED IN. Y EAH. THE SNOW HAS BEEN AN IMPACT ON EVERYTHING, BUT PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD . DOCTOR SIMMONS, I'M BRINGING YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR PROCESS SO FAR WITH YOUNDR.

I'M VERY PLEASED TO HAVE DOCTOR HOLLOWAY AND MISS NECESSARY HERE WITH US TONIGHT AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES DOING THE WORK.

I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR WITH THAT. THERE HAS BEEN A PROCESS LEADING UP TO THIS THAT CAROLINE COUNTY ADOPTED TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION PILOT.

AND SO FAR, WE'RE GIVING YOU A QUICK UPDATE. THIS IS THROUGH DECEMBER.

BUT WE WILL ALSO COME BACK AGAIN AT THE END OF THE OF THE YEAR, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER UPDATES WE'LL HAVE.

THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE.

ALRIGHT, SO JUST A QUICK REVIEW. STARTING IN 23-24, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE WAS UPDATES TO PARENTS THAT WE WERE GOING IN THIS DIRECTION.

THERE WERE AT THE JULY BOARD MEETING, THEY CONFIRMED THE NEED, THE DECISION TO IMPLEMENT IT.

IT WAS PRESENTED, COMMUNICATION WENT OUT. WE HAD STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION MATERIALS ARRIVE IN AUGUST, AND THEN WE STARTED OUR ON SITE IMPLEMENTATION PILOT.

SO THIS WAS PART OF THAT REALLY DELIBERATE AND INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BEFORE IT HAPPENED.

WE SPENT MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH THE YONDR REPRESENTATIVES AND THE TEAM HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WENT AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE.

WE JUST GOT THE DELIVERY IN IN TIME TO MAKE IT OPERATE RIGHT FROM THE START, WHICH I THINK WAS THE PRUDENT AND BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.

ANYBODY WHO'S WORKED IN A SCHOOL BEFORE KNOWS IT'S REALLY HARD TO TRY TO START SOMETHING IN NOVEMBER, OR START SOMETHING IN FEBRUARY. YOU'RE ALWAYS BETTER IF YOU START AND SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS RIGHT FROM THE START.

AND THAT THAT HAS WORKED WELL WITH THIS. SO THERE WAS NOT A WHOLE LOT OF NEGATIVE PUSHBACK OR CONCERN.

THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP WERE RELEVANT AND REALISTIC, AND WE THINK WE NAVIGATED MOST OF THEM VERY WELL.

AND AT THIS POINT SO FAR, IT SEEMS TO BE THE IMPLEMENTATION HAS GONE AS SMOOTHLY AS WE COULD HAVE HOPED.

[01:20:03]

THE CULTURE OF PHONES NOT BEING APPROPRIATE TO HAVE IN SCHOOL IS STARTING TO DEVELOP.

THERE'S INCREASED SOCIALIZATION OF THE STUDENTS ARE TALKING MORE.

ALMOST NO ISSUES OF REFUSAL. TWO INCIDENTS OF HAVING TO ASSIGN OBLIGATIONS.

MEANING FOR PURPOSEFUL DAMAGE OR LOSS OF THE POUCHES.

THEY SEEM TO BE A DETERRENT TO OVERALL DISTRACTIONS.

THERE'S BEEN NO SAFETY CONCERNS. STUDENTS WHO NEED TO CONTACT HOME DURING THE DAY ARE PERMITTED TO COME TO THE OFFICE TO CALL. TEACHERS ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE POUCHES AND EVEN HAD PARENTS TELL ME THEY HAVE THEIR KIDS KEEP THEIR PHONES LOCKED UP AT HOME AT NIGHT AS WELL.

AND THE YONDR COMPANY ACTUALLY EVEN HAS AN AT HOME VERSION.

IF PARENTS ARE INTERESTED, I CAN HAPPILY PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH THEM. SO IN GENERAL, IT'S CREATED A THE FEAR THAT WE ALL HAD THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM HASN'T REALLY COME TO FRUITION? BUT I'M GOING TO PUT DOCTOR HOLLOWAY ON THE SPOT REAL QUICK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THAT RIGHT NOW.

JUST IT HAS BEEN SO REFRESHING NOT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME DISCIPLINE WISE HAVING TO DISCIPLINE STUDENTS FOR STUFF THAT THEY'VE DONE ON THE PHONE, STUFF THAT THEY'VE DONE AT HOME THAT THEY'VE BROUGHT INTO SCHOOL.

AND THEN IT'S CAUSED A COMPLETE DISRUPTION TO THE SCHOOL DAY.

SO JUST THE NUMBER OF HOURS WE'VE GOTTEN BACK TO DO OTHER THINGS, LIKE TO ACTUALLY TALK TO KIDS ABOUT REGULAR OLD CONFLICTS LIKE FACE TO FACE CONFLICTS.

THE IDEA THAT WHEN I'M WALKING BY ROOMS THAT I DON'T HAVE TO GO IN AND POINT AT SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR PHONE OR TAKE A PHONE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS, THAT HAVE JUST BEEN REALLY SMOOTH.

I'M JUST HAPPY THAT WE GOT THAT TIME BACK AND THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT A LOT OF CYBER BULLYING ISSUES.

WHEN I WENT AND LOOKED AT OUR DATA FROM LAST YEAR, I SAW A 407 ON THERE A FEW TIMES WHICH IS THE CODE FOR BULLYING.

AND ALL OF OUR 407S WERE MOSTLY RELATED TO PHONE ISSUES AT THE TIME.

SO NONE OF THOSE THIS YEAR? THERE'S NO GOOD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

[INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] SOMEWHERE. BUT IT'S JUST BEEN A MUCH BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, JUST IN THE CLASSROOMS AND EVEN IN THE CAFETERIA, WITH KIDS ACTUALLY SAYING THINGS TO EACH OTHER AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THEIR FACES BURIED IN THE PHONE.

WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. I WILL AGREE WITH THAT.

I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE STUDENTS AT LOCKERMAN, AND I ALSO HAVE A STUDENT AT LOCKERMAN. SO I HEAR SOME OF THE SIDE CONVERSATIONS FROM STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, CASUALLY, INFORMALLY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.

AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE YONDR POUCHES HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE GRAY AREA BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF, I THINK, FUTURE ATTORNEYS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL.

[LAUGHTER] AND THEY LIKE TO FIND THE GRAY AREA, BUT IT HAS MADE IT BLACK AND WHITE.

EITHER YOUR PHONE IS IN THE POUCH OR YOU'RE NOT MEETING THE EXPECTATION.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE SOME TEENAGERS WHO THINK THEY'RE SNEAKY AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE USING THE POUCH THE WAY THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE USED, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY THINK THEY'RE TRICKING US, BUT THEY WOULDN'T DARE TAKE IT OUT BECAUSE THEY KNOW IF YOU SEE THEM WITH THAT PHONE OUT, IT'S VERY CLEAR, BLACK AND WHITE YOU'RE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE POLICY.

SO IT REALLY HAS CHANGED AND HELPED US TO HAVE A CULTURE OF THIS IS NOT A PLACE FOR PHONES, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY REFRESHING FOR US FOR ALL THE REASONS, DOCTOR HOLLOWAY STATED.

AND JUST TEACHERS HAVE WAY LESS BATTLES TO FIGHT.

I ALSO THINK THE FACT THAT KIDS KEEP CONTROL OF THEIR OWN DEVICE IS PART OF THE REASON WHY IT HASN'T BEEN AS BIG OF AN ISSUE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY FROM THEM.

AS A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, THE OTHER THING THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING IS SPENDING HOURS LOOKING FOR LOST ITEMS. BECAUSE LET'S BE REAL, THESE THINGS ARE NOT CHEAP.

AND IF MY KID GOES TO SCHOOL AND LOSES THAT PHONE, I WANT SOMEBODY TO HELP HIM LOOK FOR IT.

WELL, THAT CAN SOMETIMES BE HOURS OUT OF YOUR DAY.

AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO IN OUR BUILDINGS. SO THIS HAS ALLOWED OUR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THE CORE OF WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR.

SO IN THAT SENSE, SO FAR SO GOOD. KNOCKING ON EVERY PIECE OF WOOD I GOT.

ALL RIGHT. NOW JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF DATA I GROUPED THIS AND I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DETAIL.

BUT GENERALLY WHEN WE REPORT INFORMATION TO THE STATE, THESE ARE THREE OF THE HIGHER CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE ATTACKS, THREATS, FIGHTS, DISRESPECT DISRUPTION OR OTHER.

SO IN 22-23, WE HAD A TOTAL OF MIDDLE SCHOOL REFERRALS OF 751, 20 23, 24 WE HAD 866.

OKAY. YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR ME. 24-25 IF YOU LOOK RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT A TOTAL OF 228, WHICH IF WE PROJECT THAT OUT ACROSS THE YEAR, THAT'S ABOUT 684, WHICH IS A 21% DECREASE.

NOW, DO I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ALL DUE TO THIS? NO. BUT AS YOU HEARD FROM OUR PRINCIPALS, A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT WAS HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL THAT WAS INHERENTLY COMING TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY,

[01:25:07]

ATTACKS, THREATS AND FIGHTS. COVER ATTACK ON STUDENTS.

ATTACK ON ADULTS, THREATS TO ADULTS, THREATS TO STUDENTS, FIGHTING AND BULLYING.

SO THE BULLYING PIECE COULD COME IN UNDER THERE.

DISRESPECT AND DISRUPTION. THIS IS COVERING OBVIOUSLY DISRESPECT, DISRUPTION AND DRESS CODE ISSUES THAT FALLS IN THAT CATEGORY.

AND THEN OTHER WHICH IS WHERE THIS IS ALSO DIRECTLY RELATED.

INAPPROPRIATE USE OF ELECTRONICS THEFT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.

SO WE EXPECTED TO SEE AN INCREASE HERE BECAUSE WE EXPECTED STUDENTS TO SEE ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO MAKE US DO THIS NUMBER ONE.

AND THEN POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE POUCHES WHICH COULD FALL UNDER DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.

WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INAPPROPRIATE USE OF ELECTRONICS.

SHOCKINGLY, IT'S BEEN PRIMARILY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, NOT AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRACKING. WHERE IN THE PAST THAT POWER STRUGGLE CHANGED FROM YOU'VE GOT YOUR PHONE OUT TO THERE'S A CONFRONTATION AND NOW IT GETS DISRESPECTFUL.

SO IT BECAME A BIGGER ISSUE THAN THE PHONE ITSELF OR WHATEVER OTHER DEVICE IT MAY HAVE BEEN.

SO IT'S EARLY, BUT THESE ARE VERY GOOD PROJECTIONS.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT IF MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS SAID THEY MADE AN INVESTMENT OF LESS THAN $30,000 AND THEY WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THEIR DISCIPLINE BY 20%, THEY WOULD TAKE THAT EVERY TIME. SO AGAIN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING THIS INFORMATION TO YOU.

WE'LL PROBABLY DO THIS AGAIN LATE SPRING BEFORE THE SUMMER TO SEE WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE, AS CLOSE TO A FULL YEAR TO DETERMINE WHAT THE TRUE IMPACT HAS BEEN.

YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT ONE. I THINK WE'RE CLOSE TO THE END HERE. ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? SO A COUPLE HIGHLIGHTS TO ADD TO MR. HOWIE'S PRESENTATION. THANK YOU FOR PULLING THIS TOGETHER. AND THANK YOU FOR HELPING. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'RE HIRED BY CAROLINE COUNTY. NOW CARRY THIS WATER.

YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH THE TEAM. AND THE TEAM DID A GREAT JOB SETTING THIS AND GETTING IT IN PLACE.

SO THERE'S BEEN NUMEROUS PIECES OF LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AROUND DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF WHAT TO DO WITH CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS. SO LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WE'LL KIND OF SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE SAUSAGE GETS MADE BY THE TIME IT PASSES IN APRIL.

BUT I THINK THERE'S A HIGH POSSIBILITY THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO COME OUT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AROUND CELL PHONES. IT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OUT OF THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS WELL.

AND SO I DO EXPECT THERE TO BE SOMETHING AND IT IS RANGED FROM EVERY SCHOOL BOARD SHOULD HAVE A POLICY ON CELL PHONES.

WE DON'T HAVE A SEPARATE POLICY. IT'S EMBEDDED IN OUR POLICIES TO AN ABSOLUTE BAN EVERYWHERE AT ALL GRADE LEVELS TO A BAN IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE TO YOU NAME IT, ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN.

TYPICALLY, WHEN YOU SEE THAT MANY BILLS THROWN OUT THERE, THEY ALL GET PACKAGED UP INTO A COMMITTEE, INTO A TASK FORCE APPROACH. AND BASICALLY THEY SAY EVERYBODY WHO SPONSORED STUFF FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU ALL CAN LIVE WITH AND BRING THAT BACK.

AT THE SAME TIME, I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SERVE ON MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED AS IMPLEMENTED A CELL PHONE TASK FORCE.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING TOMORROW. AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS TALKING ABOUT IT MSDE IS TRYING TO COME UP WITH WHAT THEY SHOULD BE RECOMMENDING FOR ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS AS WELL. SO THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF ATTENTION ON IT.

SO I EXPECT THERE TO BE A LOT OF THINGS COMING TO US IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

MR. HOWIE AND HIS TEAM ARE GOING TO CONTINUE PULLING DATA.

WE DO NEED TO REVISIT NOT ONLY THIS MOVING FORWARD, THERE IS A SMALL INVESTMENT EACH YEAR BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH STUFF JUST LOSS ANYWAY WITH RE-UPPING AND KEEPING IT MOVING.

IF THE DECISION BY THE SCHOOL BOARD IS TO KEEP IT AT THE MIDDLE.

I HAVE SPOKEN SINCE EARLY ON WITH IT, AND DID AS WELL IN THE PAPER BOTH IN SEPTEMBER AND THE RECENT ARTICLE THAT I'M NOT PERSONALLY AT A SPOT OF RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD WHERE TO GO WITH IT NEXT.

I THINK PARTLY THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE AS A GROUP NEED TO TALK ABOUT AND GET INPUT ON.

THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESEARCH THAT TALKS ABOUT LIMITING CELL PHONES IN STUDENTS HANDS UNDER THE AGE OF 16.

I UNDERSTAND THE RESEARCH. I COMPLETELY GET THE RESEARCH LIKE I GOT IT, BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHATEVER DECISION THAT WE MAKE AS A BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT TO IMPLEMENT THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED.

YEAH. CALLING SOMETHING AT 16 EVERYBODY BANS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO WALK AROUND WITH A LICENSE AND SEE WHO'S 16.

AND IT JUST GETS TO BE HARD. SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THAT LINE IS IF WE WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE.

[01:30:06]

BUT WE KNOW THE FRESHMAN YEAR IS A MASSIVE TRANSITION POINT FOR A LOT OF KIDS.

IF A KID DOESN'T MAKE IT OUT OF NINTH GRADE, THE CHANCES OF THEM NOT GRADUATING AT ALL IS PHENOMENAL.

IF THEY GET STUCK THERE FOR TWO YEARS, WHICH DOES HAPPEN, THERE'S ABOUT A 95% CHANCE THEY WILL NOT EVER GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY'LL NEVER GET BACK ON TRACK. SO DO WE TARGET NINTH GRADE? DO WE TARGET 9TH AND 10TH? IF YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY UNDER 16.

THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT I'M NOT READY TO BRING YOU A RECOMMENDATION YET, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO GET MORE FEEDBACK BEFORE WE DO.

BUT I DO NOT AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING THIS TODAY.

I DO NOT THINK I WOULD BE BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO OUR BOARD TO DO A FLAT OUT BAN ACROSS THE HIGH SCHOOLS UNLESS THE LEGISLATION ENDS UP MOVING US IN THAT DIRECTION. OUR OLDER KIDS ARE TOO MOBILE, ESPECIALLY WITH A NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE LEAVING US WITH DUAL ENROLLMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. AND TO BE HONEST, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO TEACH RESPONSIBILITY.

SO IT GETS TO BE A CHALLENGE WITH THAT. SO I DON'T FORESEE AND I DO WANT TO CLARIFY, I DON'T SEE ME BRINGING THAT RECOMMENDATION TO YOU.

WE'LL SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATORS DECIDE OVER THEIR WORK AND WITH INPUT.

BUT AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE TO WRESTLE WITH THAT DECISION IN THIS PROBABLY LATER SPRING, OF WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE FOR MOVING THIS FORWARD.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'LL BE TARGETING IS GETTING FEEDBACK FROM ALL THE INVOLVED STAKEHOLDERS.

YES. INCLUDING WE'RE GETTING READY TO HOPEFULLY START.

AND I'VE MET WITH OUR WONDERFUL STUDENT BOARD REPS BEFORE BREAK TO KIND OF INTRODUCE THE IDEA OF CREATING A GROUP MEETING WITH STUDENTS SO WE CAN KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WILL IMPACT THEM DIRECTLY AND GET THEIR INPUT AS WELL.

SO THIS WILL CLEARLY BE SOMETHING I'M SURE THAT THEY'LL WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT IT'S FOR. SO YOU'VE REALLY TAKEN, IN MY OPINION, THE BEST APPROACH TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BY ROLLING IT OUT EARLY WITH ADVANCED NOTIFICATION TARGETING THE RIGHT AGE GROUP WHERE IT WOULD MAKE AN IMPACT BUT WOULDN'T HAVE SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES THAT DOCTOR SIMMONS JUST SPOKE ABOUT.

AND YOU GOT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IMPLEMENTING IT.

THEY'VE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF WORKING WITH STUDENTS AND STAFF TO MAKE SURE IT'S ROLLED OUT APPROPRIATELY.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS A WONDERFUL APPROACH TO A VERY TENUOUS ISSUE THAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN LOOKING AT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WELL, WHAT DO WE DO? WELL, CAROLINE COUNTY DID SOMETHING, AND WE'RE STILL MONITORING.

AND AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. GOOD REPORT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR HOLLOWAY.

AND THIS IS NECESSARY FOR THE WORK YOU'VE DONE IN GETTING THIS OFF TO A POSITIVE START.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE RECORD SHOWS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING AS WE LOOK AHEAD FOR CONTINUING THE PROGRAM.

BUT THANK YOU. AND WE WILL MOVE TO OUR EMPLOYMENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY. SO I HAVE THE NEXT ITEM FOR US TONIGHT WHICH IS REVIEWING THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS. AND FOR THE BOARD, AT OUR DECEMBER CLOSED SESSION, THE BOARD WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE A MUCH DEEPER ANALYSIS OF THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY RESULTS.

AND TONIGHT IS MORE OR LESS A SUMMARY OF THAT RESPONSE FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR OUR PUBLIC TO SHOW KIND OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR ENGAGEMENTS. SO JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S UNDERSTANDING CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS IMPLEMENTED AN ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THROUGH NEW MEASURES AND QUALTRICS, THAT MEASURES OUR EMPLOYEES ACTIVE COMMITMENT, THEIR PERSONAL FEELINGS OF PERSONAL SIGNIFICANCE, AND THEIR CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF OUR ORGANIZATION.

WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY, IF NOT THE ONLY, SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND DOING SUCH A SURVEY.

AND WE HAVE CONTINUED TO FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT TREND AS WE'RE WORKING TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN THINGS FOR OUR 1000 EMPLOYEES.

SO IN 2024, FOR OUR SURVEY PARTICIPATION OUR SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ELECTRONICALLY.

WE DO IT IT'S AN ELECTRONIC SURVEY TO ALL STAFF MEMBERS.

AND WE DO IT IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. MISS BARRY, DO YOU MIND ADVANCING THE SLIDE, PLEASE? OH, YOU ALREADY GOT IT. YEP. YOU'RE GOOD. WE CONDUCTED IT IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER, WHICH HAS BEEN OUR PATTERN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO DO IT AS A FALL SURVEY.

[01:35:04]

WHEN THE SURVEY WAS INITIALLY ADMINISTERED, IT WAS ADMINISTERED IN THE SPRING. WE WOULD GET THE RESULTS TOWARDS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THEN THE YEAR IS OVER.

IT'S TOO LATE TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS. SO WE DO GET THE SURVEY IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER.

WE WERE EXCITED TO SEE THAT OUR PARTICIPATION RATE INCREASED THIS YEAR.

WE WERE AT 71% PARTICIPATION RATE. WE INCREASED 62 TOTAL PARTICIPANTS.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS? THE COMPANY WHO DOES OUR DATA ANALYSIS, THEY'RE 99% CONFIDENCE THAT THE SCORES ARE WITHIN 2.2 POINTS OF WHAT THEY WOULD BE IF EVERYBODY TOOK IT.

SO THAT'S A REALLY RELIABLE SURVEY FOR US. SO WHERE ARE WE AND WHAT ARE WE EXCITED ABOUT? AND I'LL START FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M EXCITED THE TRENDS WE'RE SEEING IN OUR SURVEY.

I'M GOING TO ALWAYS BE SOMEONE AND SO IS OUR TEAM OF WHAT CAN WE ALWAYS DO BETTER? THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH. BUT BY AND LARGE, WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE AN UPWARD TREND IN EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND THINGS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE HAVE HAD A STEADY GAIN SINCE THE MARCH SURVEY OF 22 WHICH HAS BEEN EXCITING TO SEE.

AND I'LL KIND OF CONNECT TO MR. JONES'S COMMENT EARLIER ABOUT HIS APPOINTMENT AND HIS VERY KIND COMMENTS ABOUT THINGS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

BUT THINGS ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND I THINK HE'S SPOT ON FOR HIS, FOR HIS REAPPOINTMENT.

BUT MANY THINGS ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR US AS A SYSTEM. SO ENGAGEMENT CONTINUES TO TREND UP, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

SO WHAT DID WE SEE IN TERMS OF KEY FINDINGS? AND THESE ARE KEY FINDINGS THAT OUR THIRD PARTY VENDOR WHO ANALYZES THE DATA HELPS US. IT HELPS US SEE. OVERALL ENGAGEMENT IS STILL TRENDING UPWARDS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

WHEN OUR EMPLOYEES TALK ABOUT STAYING, THE THINGS THAT THEY HIGHLIGHT THE MOST AS TO WHY THEY STAY WITH CCPS IS THE WORK LIFE BALANCE AND COMMITMENT TO WELLBEING.

AND THEY ALSO SPOKE A LOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND OUR STUDENTS.

A LOT OF GOOD, POSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE KIDS AND THE IMPACT THEY MAKE.

THERE CONTINUE TO BE A REPORT ABOUT THAT FOLKS SEE CLEAR JOB EXPECTATIONS, AND THERE'S A CONNECTION TO THE WORK THAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND THE BIGGER PICTURE? OUR EMPLOYEES CONTINUE TO RATE HIGH FEELINGS OF RESPECT BY THEIR BUILDING ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISORS.

IT'S ONE OF OUR HIGHEST SCORING ITEMS, AND WE SAW OUR HIGHEST INCREASE IN THE BELIEF THAT CCPS IS ON TRACK TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND WE WERE THRILLED TO SEE THAT. SO WHAT OPPORTUNITIES DO WE SEE IN THE SURVEY? AND SOME OF THESE ARE NOT NEW, AND THEY'RE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON.

AND AS FOSTERING COLLABORATION ACROSS THE DISTRICT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS A UNIQUE KIND OF ENTITY THAT THERE ARE NINE SCHOOLS IN A TECH CENTER. THERE'S ALSO A SUPPORT SERVICES BUILDING, A CENTRAL OFFICE ANNEX WHICH HOUSES OUR TECH AND A CENTRAL OFFICE.

AND THERE'S ALSO DUTY CENTERS. EACH ONE OF THEM, THE FEELING OF COLLABORATION WITHIN THEIR OWN BUILDINGS TENDS TO RATE REALLY HIGH.

IT'S THE COLLABORATION ACROSS BUILDINGS WHERE THE CHALLENGE IS.

SO AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR CHALLENGE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE ALWAYS FINDING THOSE CONNECTION POINTS OUTSIDE OF THOSE WE SEE ON A DAILY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORK WE'RE DOING CONNECTS ACROSS EACH ONE OF THOSE PIECES.

SO ALL OF US SEE HOW WHAT WE'RE CONTRIBUTING SUPPORTS EVERYBODY, AND THAT CONTINUES TO BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO WORK WITH AND BUILD THAT COLLABORATION ACROSS OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE ALSO, THOUGH IT TRENDED UP, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BUILD A CLEAR CONNECTION TO OUR BRANDING.

I HATE THE TERM BRANDING, BUT I UNDERSTAND. BUT THAT IS TO THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ONE FAMILY, ONE VISION MESSAGING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE EXUDING THAT FEEL WITH ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, OF BEING ONE FAMILY, TRULY, WITH ONE VISION THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS.

BUT THERE'S AGAIN, IT'S TRENDING UPWARDS, BUT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THAT MORE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND LASTLY, AND I THINK THIS IS ESSENTIAL FOR US TO ALWAYS KEEP AT THE FOREFRONT.

THE BOARD DOES A GOOD JOB OF THIS BY ADDING IN THE MISSION AND VISION TO EVERY ONE OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS, BUT IT'S THINKING ABOUT HOW WE DO THIS DOWNSTREAM OF ALL DECISIONS WE MAKE, WHETHER IT'S FROM MY OFFICE OR ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE EXPLAINING THE WHY BEHIND DECISIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTING THOSE DECISIONS BACK TO THE VISION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND MAKING THOSE CLEAR LINES FOR EVERYBODY.

SOMETIMES I THINK WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT PEOPLE WILL ASSUME THE WHY OR SEE THE CONNECTION.

[01:40:03]

TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE BLACK AND WHITE. AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AND FOR OUR TEAM AS WE'RE BUILDING TO STRENGTHEN THAT.

AND AGAIN, THEY'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT THEY NEED TO MOVE MORE.

WE NEED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER TREND IN THAT.

SO OUR STEPS MOVING FORWARD, AND THESE ARE ACTION ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON MOVING FORWARD WITH, WITH OUR TEAM. WE ARE CHALLENGING OURSELVES TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITIES WITH STAFF FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS MY TEAM. WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR WHY AND OUR CRITICAL MESSAGES MOVE OUT FROM MY OFFICE TO ALL LEVELS OR FROM THE CABINET. EXCUSE ME? CABINET LEVEL TO ALL LEVELS. CASE IN POINT THE CALENDAR.

THERE IS A CLEAR WHY AND RATIONALE AS TO WHY WE ARE USING THOSE DAYS FOR MAKEUP DAYS.

AND WE WALKED THROUGH THAT TONIGHT. BUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT LEVEL OF MESSAGING REACHES EVERYBODY SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS DONE THAT WAY.

BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE WHY WE MAKE IT UP, OR WE THINK WE KNOW THE WHY AND IT LEADS TO FRUSTRATION AT TIMES.

SO BEING INTENTIONAL ON THOSE THINGS, THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF A WAY TO DO IT. SUSTAINING OUR FOCUS ON OUR VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES AND GOALS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

THIS IS THE LAST YEAR OF OUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND IN THE SPRING OUR TEAM WILL BE WORKING TO BRING THE BOARD REVISED GOALS AND STRATEGIES FROM WITHIN THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WHEN THE BOARD MET IN AUGUST, THEY FELT THE MISSION AND VISION AND CORE VALUES STILL RING TRUE TO WHERE THE BOARD IS MOVING AND WHERE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS MOVING. BUT IT IS THE GOALS AND STRATEGIES THAT NEED TO BE REVISITED.

SO WE HAVE STARTED THAT PROCESS TO REFINE THOSE.

AND THEN ONCE WE REFINE THEM AND GET FEEDBACK ON THEM, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE LIVING AND BREATHING AND FITTING IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, AND EVERYBODY SEES THAT CLEAR CONNECTION. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THE ONE FAMILY, ONE VISION BRAND, CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY TO MEASURE OUR PROGRESS AND ADJUST PLANS ACCORDINGLY.

MANY OF US JUST MET TODAY WITH NEW MEASURES THE COMPANY WHO DID THE WORK TO DEBRIEF THIS YEAR'S SURVEY ADMINISTRATION AND TO ALREADY START MAKING PLANS TO STRENGTHEN NEXT YEAR, BOTH WITH SOME THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER ON AND SOME THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO BETTER ON, ON THEIR END. IT WAS A GREAT CALL, BUT IT WILL HELP MOVING IT FORWARD.

AND OUR NEXT STEP THAT WE'VE ALSO STARTED THE CABINET HAS WITH THEIR ADMINISTRATORS THAT REPORT TO THEM.

REALLY LOOKING AT OUR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, REFLECTING ON OUR DATA AND TARGETED STEPS TO IMPROVE. SO THE SURVEY RESULTS COME OUT IN A WAY, AND THE BOARD HAS SEEN THIS ON A DEEPER LEVEL.

SURVEY RESULTS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY PERSON WHO IS A LEADER WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO REFLECT ON THEIR PROGRESS IN THE LAST YEAR OR LAST YEARS.

SO IT'S A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A GROWTH OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY WHO LEADS SOMEONE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHO HAS SURVEY RESULTS. EVERYONE IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION, IN ESSENCE, GENERATES A SCORE, GENERATES STRENGTHS AND THINGS THAT ARE OPPORTUNITIES.

AND IT'S CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION ON MY END AND MY TEAM'S END AS WE'RE BUILDING OUR PIPELINE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING THOSE HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN AND TO SEE GROWTH IN EVERY INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE SYSTEM.

AND WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN DECEMBER, AND WE'LL CONTINUE THOSE IN JANUARY AND MOVING INTO FEBRUARY WITH ALL ADMINISTRATORS AS WE DO OUR MID-YEAR CONFERENCES AND MID-YEAR MEETINGS.

AND THEN WORKING WITHIN THE DEVELOP PLANS TO ADDRESS THINGS THAT IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SHOWN UP THAT NEED TO BE ADJUSTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM IN THAT IT'S NOT AN EVALUATIVE TOOL. IT'S NOT BEING USED AS SUCH, BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TOOL.

AND IT SHOULD BE USED IN THAT MANNER TO GROW OUR SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR IMPLEMENTATION.

AGAIN, I'M PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS. I ALWAYS WANT TO SEE US TRENDING STRONGER.

WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN MANY OF THE RESULTS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS THREE AND A HALF, WHATEVER.

THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR YEARS WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.

IT'S JUST SUSTAINING AND BUILDING UPON THAT IS NOW THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN FRONT OF US.

I THINK THAT IT SAYS A LOT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY THAT WE DO THE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY THAT, AS YOU SAID, PROBABLY ONE OF FEW, IF NOT THE ONLY ONE, THE ONLY COUNTY THAT DOES THE SURVEY.

YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND BE WILLING TO DEAL WITH WHAT THE RESULTS ARE.

[01:45:06]

HOW MUCH? AFTER IT'S PROBABLY DEVELOPED, I WOULD SAY OR BEFORE IT'S FINALIZED.

HOW MUCH DO WE GET ANY COMMUNITY OR PARENT OR TEACHER INVOLVEMENT IN.

WE WANT TO WORK THROUGH. THE PLAN I DEVELOPED IS TO WORK IT THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL.

OKAY. AND THEN ONCE WE REFINE IT TO A POINT THAT WE HAVE A GOOD DRAFT WOULD BE TO THEN PUSH OUT A SURVEY TO GET FEEDBACK ON THE GOALS AND PRIORITIES THAT ARE LISTED OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF AND FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK BEFORE IT COMES TO THE BOARD FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

I'LL KEEP THE BOARD AWARE, AWARE OF WHERE WE ARE IN OUR REVISIONS.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO GET FEEDBACK BEFORE WE BRING IT TO THE BOARD.

ABSOLUTELY. YEP. OKAY. ANY ANY OTHER COMMENTS? JUST MY COMMENT IS, IS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SURVEY AND HOW, AS FAR AS FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE, JUST THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, IT'S EASY TO HEAR PERSPECTIVES FROM OTHERS.

AND REALLY, SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND THE FACT THAT THAT MAY BE MAYBE THAT PERSON OR PERSONS PERSPECTIVES ARE ACTUALLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SYSTEM.

BUT REALLY IT TAKES SOMETHING LIKE THIS SURVEY TO REALLY BE ABLE TO REACH OUT BEYOND WHO THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS ARE HEARING FROM, OR WHO DOCTOR SIMMONS IS HEARING FROM, AND REALLY BE ABLE TO GRASP THAT MORE OF THE TOTAL PICTURE OF THE SYSTEM.

AND THAT'S WHY PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEY IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THIS REALLY IS THE ONE WAY THAT THE BOARD HAS TO REALLY GET LIKE A REAL, YOU KNOW, REAL DIPSTICK AND FEEL A REAL FEEL FOR HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN THE SYSTEM.

AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, WHO WE MAY TALK TO ON A DAILY OR DAILY BASIS OR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

SO IT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT.

IT WILL EVEN MORE SO SUPPORT THE ONE FAMILY, ONE VISION THEME.

I APPRECIATE THE HONESTY THAT OUR STAFF PUTS IT THROUGH, I REALLY DO. YEAH, AND IT IS HONEST.

YES, MA'AM. WE'VE LOOKED AND WE'VE SEEN SOME THINGS THAT WE REALIZE MAKE US REALIZE THAT WE NEED TO.

YES. THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO IMPROVE. YEAH, YEAH.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR SIMMONS. AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

SORRY. IT FEELS LIKE THE DOCTOR SIMMONS SHOW TONIGHT. THAT WAS NOT INTENTIONAL. LEGISLATIVELY I DON'T WANT TO SAY A LOT HAS HASN'T HAPPENED YET BECAUSE THINGS ARE MOVING IN ANNAPOLIS, BUT I DON'T HAVE A LARGE UPDATE FOR A LEGISLATIVE SESSION TONIGHT.

WE'VE ATTACHED THE CALENDAR OF DATES OF INTEREST FOR EVERYBODY.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE GOVERNOR HAS DROPPED HIS BUDGET, WHICH I'LL TALK ABOUT WHEN I GET TO OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE'VE PASSED THE DATE BY WHICH ANY BILL REQUEST HAS TO GO IN.

IF A LEGISLATOR WANTS A BILL DRAFTED TO BE GUARANTEED TO MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS WE'VE PASSED THAT DEADLINE.

THAT WAS FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK. SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THAT PHASE WHERE EVERYTHING, ALL THE BILLS ARE GETTING DROPPED OR INTRODUCED.

SO WE'RE KIND OF IN THAT SPACE WHERE EVERYTHING IF IT WASN'T A PRE-FILED BILL, NOW THEY'RE ALL STARTING TO SHOW UP.

AND INITIALLY WHEN THEY SHOW UP, THEY JUST GET INTRODUCED AND THEN SENT TO COMMITTEE.

AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE WORK IS HAPPENING. I DO SIT ON OUR SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

MR. PLUTSCHAK AND MR. JONES SITS ON MABE'S LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

BOTH OF THOSE WILL START GETTING GEARED UP REAL SOON AND GET ACTIVE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHAT BILLS THERE ARE OUT THERE.

I WILL SAY THAT OF IMPORTANCE FOR ALL OF US TO KEEP AN EYE ON WILL BE ANY BILLS DEALING WITH BLUEPRINT.

BLUEPRINT, OBVIOUSLY, WE KNOW HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON US.

THE GOVERNOR IT'S HIS BILL, THOUGH IT'S INTRODUCED BY THE SPEAKER, I BELIEVE, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE BY THE LEADERSHIP.

BUT THE GOVERNOR INTRODUCED HIS BILL TODAY THAT AIMS TO MODIFY OR CHANGE LOTS, MANY, MANY PARTS OF BLUEPRINT,

[01:50:06]

SO I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO AN ANALYSIS THAT I MIGHT BE WRONG AT THIS POINT.

BUT I DO KNOW THERE WAS AN ARTICLE, I BELIEVE, IN THE BALTIMORE SUN TODAY THAT WORKED THROUGH SUMMARIZING.

I'M PRETTY SURE IT WAS THE SUN, OR MAYBE IT WAS THE BALTIMORE BANNER, OR ONE OF THOSE TWO THAT SUMMARIZED WHAT THE CHANGES ARE THAT ARE IN IT THAT HE'S RECOMMENDING. SOME OF THOSE ARE CHANGES THAT WE MAY HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

THAT WOULD BE POSITIVE FOR CAROLINE COUNTY. SOME OF THOSE SUPPORT HIS BUDGETARY REDUCTIONS THAT HE'S LOOKING AT.

THAT WOULD BE IN THERE AS WELL. AND WE'RE STILL ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF THOSE ON CAROLINE.

BUT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST HOT BUTTON BILL IN THE EDUCATION WORLD TO LOOK AT.

FOR THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE. I DO KNOW A BILL WAS INTRODUCED TO SLOW DOWN THE TIME TO CARE ACT AGAIN.

THE TIME TO CARE ACT WAS PASSED 2 YEARS AGO NOW, I BELIEVE IT WAS.

AND IT WOULD EXPAND LEAVE BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES.

THERE'S A BIG PRICE TAG ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE POTENTIALLY DISCUSSING SLOWING IT DOWN AGAIN.

THEY SLOWED IT DOWN LAST YEAR. HELD OFF IMPLEMENTATION.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A BILL INTRODUCED TO TRY TO DO THAT AGAIN. FOR OUR BOARD'S SAKE ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH TIME DECAY OR WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH MABE, A COLLABORATIVE WITH MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF ED THAT THEY WOULD HANDLE HOW ALL THAT PROCESS WOULD SHAKE OUT.

SO THERE'S A FISCAL NOTE ATTACHED TO IT WHEN IT DOES COME INTO PLAY THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BUDGET AND FIGURE OUT, BUT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT SLOWING THAT DOWN. SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY MAJOR LEGISLATIVE THINGS THAT I SEE RIGHT NOW THAT HAS A PROFOUND COULD HAVE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON US IN THE LONG RUN. OKAY. AND WE REALIZE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A TIME FACTOR.

IT'S NOT MUCH WE CAN DO. YES. OR WORK WITH UNTIL WE GET CLARIFICATION.

SO THANK YOU. WE WILL HAVE OUR FINANCE REPORT BY OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MISS HIGNUTT.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD .

BEFORE YOU IS THE FINANCE REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDING DECEMBER 30TH OR 31ST, 2024.

THERE'S NOT MANY CHANGES FROM LAST TIME I PRESENTED THIS IN THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.

AS WE GO DOWN THE FAR RIGHT COLUMN, YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE A FEW AREAS WHERE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN SPENT OR ENCUMBERED HAS REACHED 100%, OR IS SLIGHTLY OVER 100%.

THESE ARE MAINLY RELATED TO SALARIES AND WAGES OR CONTRACTED SERVICES, AND RELATED TO DECISIONS MADE AFTER THE BUDGET WAS PASSED AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN COSTS.

THERE'S NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN. I WILL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE REPORT.

IF YOU COULD GO DOWN TO THE THIRD PAGE, RACHEL.

YOU WILL SEE UNDER CAPITAL OUTLAY, CONTRACTED SERVICES.

THERE IS QUITE AN AVERAGE OF $62,000. THAT IS RELATED TO CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT WE HAVE, [INAUDIBLE] CONSULTING SERVICES THAT WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH AS WE BEGIN THE PLANNING FOR THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT.

SO THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR BUDGET. AND IT WILL WHEN WE DRAW UP THE BUDGET AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, IT WILL BE COVERED. SO IT'S NOT IN THE AREA FOR CONCERN, BUT I DID WANT TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION SINCE IT IS A LARGE OVERAGE FOR THAT CATEGORY. OVERALL, WE HAVE SPENT OR ENCUMBERED 76.89% OF THE OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS IN LINE WITH WHERE WE HAVE SPENT AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR IN PAST YEARS. SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? JUST A HIGHLIGHT.

AND MS. HIGNUTT MAY NOT HAVE IT IN NEXT MONTH BECAUSE IT WILL JUST DEPEND ON WHEN WE GET IT.

BUT WE DO NOT BUDGET FOR SNOW REMOVAL. THAT'S NOT HERE YET.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE BILL YET, HAVE WE? WE GOT IT THIS WEEK.

OH, WE DID GET IT. YES, IT WILL GET PAID TOMORROW.

OKAY. YEAH. HAS IT BEEN ENCUMBERED HERE? NO. OKAY.

YEP. SO IT'S NOT BUDGETED. IT IS CONTRACTED. WE GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A FOOT OF SNOW, ALMOST. AND IT BLOWS LIKE CRAZY. YEAH. AND YOU NEED TO SALT BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT SALTING.

[01:55:02]

SO THAT'S JUST THAT'LL BE AN UNBUDGETED ITEM.

WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE AT 76% SPENT OF THE BUDGET ACCOUNT OR ENCUMBERED.

WE'RE GOOD. WE HAVE ROOM, BUT THAT'S A THAT'S GOING TO BLOW A BUDGET NUMBER NEXT MONTH WHEN IT FINALLY GETS ADDED IN. AND THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER REASON.

OR IF IT IS, LET IT BE LIGHT. YOU HAVE THAT. OKAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. MOVING ON ALONG. WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS REPORTS I KNOW WE ALL DID A LOT OF SINGING DURING CHRISTMAS.

SINGING AND LISTENING. [LAUGHTER] YES. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S START WITH MISS JOHNSON. SO I ATTENDED THE GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION.

IT WAS SO CUTE. YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SANTA SHOW UP.

THEY HAD ELF ON THE SHELF. THEY SANG LOTS OF CHRISTMAS SONGS.

IT WAS JUST A HUGE CELEBRATION THERE. I'VE NEVER REALLY ATTENDED ANYTHING AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY, AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO THEY REALLY PUT ON A PRODUCTION THERE.

THEY HAD LIKE GAMES WITH THE TEACHERS VERSUS KIDS, AND IT WAS IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.

BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS IN THE BAND AND SO THAT WAS GREAT, AS WELL AS THE NORTH CAROLINE CHRISTMAS CONCERT, WHICH WAS WINTER CONCERT, WHICH WAS GREAT. AND THEN I ALSO WENT TO NORTH CAROLINE TO SEE THEIR DART PRESENTATION, THEIR DART BOARD PRESENTATION, WHICH THAT WAS REALLY NEAT TO WATCH HOW THEY ALL KIND OF EXPLAINED THEIR PARTS IN CREATING THEM AND HOW THEY PUT IT TOGETHER.

AND I GOT MYSELF A NICE LITTLE SWEET CAROLINE SIGN MYSELF FOR MY OWN HOME.

SO IT WAS IT WAS COOL TO KIND OF VISIT SOME SCHOOLS IN MY NEW TENURE HERE, AND HOPEFULLY GETTING TO THE OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY IN THE UPCOMING EVENTS COMING UP. OKAY. MR. JONES.

WELL, AGAIN, IT WAS A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE A WHILE BACK NOW, BUT THE, THE CONCERTS AND THE CONCERTS WERE REALLY, REALLY FUN TO ATTEND.

AND I THINK MY MAIN MESSAGE IS I'M JUST I'M THANKFUL FOR FOUR MORE YEARS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE WITH, THIS BOARD AND TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE COUNTY.

SO I WAS IT WAS GOOD NEWS TO GET RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS THAT I'D BEEN REAPPOINTED.

SO I THANK THE GOVERNOR FOR THAT. A CHRISTMAS GIFT.

YEAH. CHRISTMAS GIFT. SO. I FORGOT TO MENTION THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL MARTIN LUTHER KING PRESENTATION YESTERDAY.

THAT WAS VERY NICELY DONE. THEY ALWAYS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB.

AND ON MY PROFESSIONAL SIDE, WE GET A LOT OF GREAT DONATIONS FROM THEM.

SO ALWAYS WELL ATTENDED AND WELL PUT TOGETHER.

YEAH. JUST THE NAME OF JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE PS SING ALONG. MISS WAYMAN WAS THERE AS WELL.

IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO SEE THE WHOLE BUILDING SINGING LIKE THAT.

IT WAS KIND OF KIND OF NEAT. AND I ALSO ACTUALLY WAS STOPPED BY COLONEL MIDDLE, AND AT THE TIME, THEY WERE ACTUALLY DOING THEIR HOLIDAY STORE WHERE EACH STUDENT GETS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIKE, FAKE BOOKS AND THEY CAN BUY, YOU KNOW, ITEMS FOR EITHER A PARENT OR GRANDPARENT AND STUFF.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO WRAP THEM AND THEN BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM AWAY. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A PRETTY COOL IDEA. AND THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME PRETTY NICE STUFF THERE. SO IT WAS A GOOD, GOOD LITTLE THING TO DO. DO YOU KNOW WHO DONATES THOSE ITEMS FOR THAT FOR THAT SCHOOL.

THEY ASK. OKAY. THEY PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR DONATIONS.

THAT'S NEAT. THAT IS NEAT. YEAH, YEAH. WELL, I ALSO ATTENDED A LOT OF SINGING PRESTON, DENTON, COLONEL, LOCKERMAN. IT WAS A LOT OF HOLIDAY FUN.

I REALLY ENJOYED IT. AND I SING RIGHT ALONG WITH THEM, WHETHER I'M IN OR OUT OF TUNE.

[LAUGHTER] GREAT. BUT ANYWAY, I ENJOY IT. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING EVENTS THAT ARE PLANNED FOR US.

I'M SURE THEY'LL BE KEEPING US BUSY. OH, MR. WILLOUGHBY, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY, I'M SORRY, WITH THE STUDENT DRESS CODE.

[6. Discussion of Items for Future Board Action]

ABSOLUTELY. WITH THE DRESS CODE? ABSOLUTELY. BEFORE YOU START, I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.

I REMEMBER LAST SPRING WHEN WE HAD THE MAJOR CONCERN FROM A PARENT.

AND I'M JUST GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE INCLUDED HER IN THE PROCESS OF REDOING OUR DRESS CODE, BECAUSE THAT

[02:00:08]

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KIND OF POINT OUT WE HAVE OUR POLICIES.

THERE'S 126 OF THEM. WE HAVE RETIRED SEVERAL, BUT THERE WAS 126 OF THEM.

WE'VE GOT THEM DIVIDED UP INTO FOUR CLASSES, SO THAT EACH YEAR WE REVIEW THIS GROUP OF THEM.

AND WHEN WE SET THAT UP, WE ALWAYS SAID THAT IF THE BOARD HAS ONE THAT THEY WANT TO JUMP THE LINE.

THE BOARD HAS THAT PREROGATIVE. AND SO LAST YEAR, AFTER WE HAD THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD MADE THEIR WISH KNOWN THAT I KNOW DRESS CODE ISN'T IN LINE FOR REVIEW, BUT IT NEEDS TO JUMP THE LINE AND IT NEEDS TO HAVE SOME REVISION DONE.

AND SO THIS IS A POLICY. LIKE I SAID, MR. HOWIE HAS REALLY TAKEN THE LEAD ON.

SO WELCOME TO CAROLINE COUNTY REWRITE OUR DRESS CODE.

AND BAN CELL PHONES THAT [INAUDIBLE]. YEAH. SO ALL THE FUN STUFF.

THIS IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU TONIGHT FOR YOUR REVIEW.

AND FOR A FIRST READING A POLICY SUCH AS THIS, JUST KNOWING THE BOARD THE WAY THAT WE BELIEVE WE DO.

ONCE THIS IS DONE TONIGHT, WE WILL PUT THIS OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND PUBLIC COMMENT.

BECAUSE IT IS, EVEN IF THE CHANGES MAKE SENSE AND BRING IT UP TO A KIND OF A MODERN STANDARD, THIS IS STILL SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO WANT TO HAVE INPUT ON.

AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO APPROVE IT TONIGHT.

THEY WILL COME BACK FOR A SECOND READING AFTER IT'S HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT.

SO, MR. HOWIE, I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

SO I WANT TO I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I WAS A LITTLE REMISS.

THIS WAS TRULY AN ICE COLD TUESDAY TODAY, AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAINTENANCE FACILITIES TECHNICAL STAFF FOR MAKING THIS HOSPITABLE IN HERE.

IT'S BEEN A MUCH LONGER DAY IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILDING. SO THIS HAS BEEN THANK YOU JUST FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE.

AND I'LL GO THROUGH THIS BRIEFLY. AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO BRING THE POLICY BACK UP, WE CAN I WANT TO START BY SAYING WE DID AS YOU STATED, PRESIDENT WAYMAN THIS KIND OF INITIATED WITH A COMMUNITY MEMBER BRINGING UP THE CONCERN.

I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THAT INFORMATION HAS BEEN PART OF THE CONSIDERATION.

WE MADE SOME INITIAL UPDATES AND A BRIEF INITIAL SURVEY OVER THE SUMMER.

THEN IN JULY, WE REVIEWED WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS ACTUALLY SENT OUT SURVEY INFORMATION TO THEM TO GET BACK TO MAKE SURE NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT MADE SENSE, BUT THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT. WE STARTED TO REVIEW WITH SOME OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

WE REVIEWED OTHER DRESS CODES AND POLICIES IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND PRESENTED TO THE CAC AND SSIC JOINTLY TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THEM, MADE SOME ADDITIONAL UPDATES. MET WITH OUR STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS OR STUDENT BOARD REPS AT THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS TO INTRODUCE THIS IDEA, GET SOME VERY BRIEF INITIAL FEEDBACK AND THE PLAN IS TO CREATE THESE STUDENT INPUT GROUPS FROM FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE ALL THE WAY THROUGH 12TH.

SO WE REALLY DO WANT TO GET FEEDBACK FROM OUR OLDER ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO WHERE IT'S AGE AND GRADE APPROPRIATE.

OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND AS DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY SAID THEN ALSO HAVING THAT TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

WE EVEN GET SOME UNSOLICITED GOT A LETTER ASKING US TO PLEASE CONSIDER UNIFORMS FROM ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.

AND AGAIN, EVERY COMMENT SUGGESTION WOULD BE BROUGHT UP AND REVIEWED.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE COMMON SENSE, HONEST DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED WITH THIS, AS WELL AS OUR PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THEN TODAY WE'RE PRESENTING THE FIRST REVIEW OF IT.

THEN AGAIN, TO HAVE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

AND AFTER GETTING THAT, GETTING IT TOGETHER IN THE WAY THAT WE FEEL MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND TAKING ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.

SO IT'S NOT A RUSHING, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE APPROACH WE HAVE IN CAROLINE IS NOT TO HURRY UP AND GET SOMETHING DONE, BUT TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET SOMETHING DONE WELL.

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT ONE FOR ME. AND AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT WE WANT TO COMMUNICATE.

WE WANT TO BE CLEAR. WE WANT TO BE CONSISTENT AND COMPASSIONATE.

IT'S IMPORTANT, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE WHY WE DO THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT STAYS IN THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE DO.

JUST TO HIGHLIGHT PART OF THE POLICY IT DEFINES, APPROPRIATE ATTIRE COULD DIFFER FROM SETTING TO SETTING THE SITUATION TO SITUATION.

WHAT I WEAR IN MY PE CLASS MAY NOT BE THE SAME IF I'M IN AUTO TECH, OR IF I'M IN WELDING.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE.

THIS IS NOT TO TAKE AWAY ALL STUDENTS ABILITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, BUT TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T CREATE A THREAT TO ANY GOOD ORDER OR FUNCTION THAT MEAN THAT'S

[02:05:02]

SO THESE ARE JUST SOME PICTURES THAT YOU MIGHT SEE DIFFERENT THINGS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

SO YOU KNOW KIDS COMING TO THE BOARD MEETING ARE GOING TO BE DRESSED A CERTAIN WAY.

IF YOU'RE IN THE KITCHEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS ON. IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE PLAYING WHEN THE WEATHER IS NOT LIKE TODAY OR IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE IN SHOP, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE GOGGLES OR A HAT ON BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF AN INDUSTRY EXPECTATION.

SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS.

AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS KIDS ARE LIKE, WELL, WHY CAN'T I WEAR A HAT HERE IF YOUR RULE IS NO HATS BECAUSE IT'S ON THE BASEBALL UNIFORM. I DON'T PLAY BASEBALL IN THE MIDDLE OF MATH CLASS THAT'S OUTSIDE.

SO IT'S TEACHING THAT AS WELL. SO SO OUR STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE WHY BEHIND SOME OF THE RULES.

ALL RIGHT. SO AGAIN WE'VE SPENT THE TIME TO REVIEW OUR CURRENT POLICY AND WE NEED TO FORMALLY UPDATE IT.

I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME IT WAS REALLY SERIOUSLY CHANGED WOULD HAVE BEEN I'M GOING TO GUESSTIMATE, BUT PROBABLY LATE 70S, EARLY 80S. SOME OF THE REFERENCES IN THE POLICY WERE EXTREMELY FAD ORIENTED, AND IT WAS THINGS THAT WERE LIKE WAY BACK. OTHER THINGS JUST ARE NO LONGER THE SOCIAL NORMS. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO GET FEEDBACK. WE WANT IT WAS REFERRED TO US FOR THIS REVIEW AND WE WANT WE DID RECOGNIZE THAT IT WAS ANTIQUATED AND IT WAS VERY MUCH GENDER SPECIFIC. AND WE WANT TO MAKE IT MORE GENDER NEUTRAL.

AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WE DON'T WANT POLICIES THAT SEEM TO TARGET ONE GROUP OF STUDENTS MORE THAN ANOTHER.

WE WANT IT TO BE FAIR AND CONSISTENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.

SO AGAIN, WE STARTED WITH THIS PROCESS BY REVIEWING OTHER POLICIES, MAKING SOME SUGGESTIONS, GETTING INITIALLY ADMINISTRATIVE FEEDBACK. GO TO THE NEXT ONE FOR ME.

WE MADE THOSE UPDATES AGAIN, GOT SOME MORE ADMINISTRATIVE FEEDBACK PRESENTED TO THE SSIC CAC.

AND THEN WE'LL TONIGHT WE'RE PRESENTING TO THE BOARD.

WE WILL AGAIN GET THAT FEEDBACK AFTER THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN HOPEFULLY COME UP WITH A CONSISTENT PLAN THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED ACROSS CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND THE WHEN THAT IMPLEMENTATION GOES INTO EFFECT WILL DETERMINE ON THE TIMING AND HOW MUCH INPUT WE GET AND IF ADDITIONAL REVISIONS ARE NECESSARY. ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? SO THIS IS A VERY INITIAL AND IF DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY WANTS TO CHIME IN AT ALL ON THE POLICY; POLICIES ARE BY DEFINITION SUPPOSED TO BE BROAD IN GENERAL, NOT SUPER SPECIFIC. AND IN TERMS OF OUR DRESS CODE, IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO SECTION 6 THROUGH 13 ON HERE, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. THAT IS BECAUSE THIS IS EXTREMELY SPECIFIC.

IT GETS INTO A LOT OF DETAIL. THIS IS MORE PROPERLY PLACED IN A REGULATION, NOT IN A POLICY.

AND SOME OF THIS, AS I SAID, IS NOT REALLY A CONTINUAL CONCERN.

THERE WAS A TIME, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF CLOTHING THAT HAD SPIKES ON THEM ALL OVER THE PLACE.

IT'S NOT REALLY A THING ANYMORE. WE'RE NOT SEEING KIDS HEAD TO TOE IN THIS STUFF.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A REGULATION AS NEEDED. FADS CHANGE.

AND IF THERE ARE PARTS OF FADS THAT ARE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR SAFE IN A SCHOOL SETTING, WE WOULD ADDRESS THEM, THEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM IN THE POLICY THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE REGULATION.

ANYBODY WANT TO ADD? OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO WHAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE RECOMMENDED POLICY.

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS WE'VE SHOWN YOU THE ORIGINAL POLICY WITH THE AREAS THAT WE THROUGH THE INITIAL FEEDBACK WE'VE GOTTEN FROM SOME PARENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AND OUR TWO, THE SSIC AND THE CAC.

THESE ARE THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY PRESENTED US SO FAR.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS AMEND IT TO REFLECT THOSE REVISIONS, TO PUT OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND TO GET ADDITIONAL COMMENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT CAME OUT WAS THE DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY AND HOW WOULD IT LOOK? AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS WAS LIKE, WE REALLY NEED TO CLEAN THAT UP. SO WE HAVE A CONSISTENT APPROACH, AND THAT IS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE REFLECT.

A LOT OF THE THINGS LIKE SHORTS MUST HAVE A FOUR INCH INSEAM.

NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND IS GOING TO WALK AROUND WITH A WITH A TAPE MEASURE OR RULER TO MEASURE THE LENGTH OF AN INSEAM.

IT'S NO LONGER SOCIALLY NORMED OR APPROPRIATE.

[02:10:01]

YES. WHAT WAS WORKED ON IN WITH DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY AND OTHERS AND WITH OTHER ADMINISTRATORS? AGAIN, THE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN THIS POLICY WAS REVISED AND REDONE IN 01, IT WAS A TIME PERIOD WHERE AND AS DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY PRESENTED MANY POLICIES TO YOU GUYS BEFORE THAT, WE WORKED THROUGH CLEANING UP. IT'S A POLICY THAT WAS FILLED WITH A LOT OF WHAT SHOULD BE REGULATION LANGUAGE, AND THE POLICIES SHOULD BE BROAD STROKE, THINGS LIKE THE BOARD MAY FEEL.

AND IT WAS IN THE BOARD POLICY ORIGINALLY. IT SHOULD CONTINUE, BUT THERE'S NO PLACE FOR CLOTHING THAT HAS DEROGATORY STATEMENTS ON IT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT THERE'S NO PLACE FOR DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. THAT CLOTHING SHOULD BASICALLY KIDS SHOULD BE PRESENTABLE, WHATEVER THAT MAY MEAN. [LAUGHTER] THE CLOTHING SHOULD BE NEAT AND CLEAN, LIKE THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT SHOULD BE BROAD STROKE.

YEAH. BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO ITEMS SUCH AS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE FAD, LIKE THERE WAS A STATEMENT AROUND BIKER SHORTS. WELL, NOBODY WEARS BIKER SHORTS LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE IN THE LATE 90S.

PROBABLY GOOD NOBODY DOES. BUT LIKE KIDS DID.

SO YOU DIDN'T. YOU HAD TO HAVE CERTAIN THINGS COVERING THOSE BECAUSE THEY DON'T.

YOU WANT THE REG A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE TO ADDRESS THOSE, BUT ALSO WHAT WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF AS WE DRAFT THE REGULATION THAT WE ALSO PUT IT IN MANNERS WHICH ARE ENFORCEABLE. YEAH, THERE'S A REALISTIC PIECE.

AND I APPRECIATE MR. HOWIE MENTIONING THE PIECE ABOUT AN INSEAM.

THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT CLOTHING IS NOT EXCESSIVE.

RIGHT. EXCESSIVELY REVEALING FOR MALE OR FEMALE.

THERE'S WAYS. BUT THERE WAS LANGUAGE IN THE OLD POLICY THAT WAS VERY CLEARLY DIRECTED AT FEMALE STUDENTS.

YEAH, IT WAS VERY FEMALE HEAVY. TO NOT ADDRESS MALE STUDENTS AND VICE VERSA.

THERE ARE WAYS TO WORD IT THAT ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITHOUT OVERTLY OR UNINTENTIONALLY TARGETING ONE GROUP OF STUDENTS MORE THAN ANOTHER. RIGHT. YEAH. SO THE POLICY WOULD PULL OUT THAT SPECIFICITY OUT AND GET THE BROAD STROKES IN PLACE, AND GETTING THE APPROVAL ON THOSE WOULD THEN HELP US IN DRAFTING THE REGULATIONS THAT THEN MATCH IT, PUTTING IN PLACE. AND AS MR. HOWIE MENTIONED, WE'RE BORROWING AN AWFUL LOT FROM THE PRACTICES AND PROCESSES AND POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN MANY COUNTIES IN MARYLAND REALLY IN THE LAST TEN YEARS.

THIS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE COME TO YOU IN THE LAST TEN.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE POLICIES MOST PEOPLE AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS AN OPINION.

YEAH. AND THIS ONE MISSED A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MODERNIZE IT BY NOT DOING SO.

YEAH. BUT IN THIS CASE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF OTHERS WHO HAVE DONE THE WORK.

AND ALSO LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE WORK AS IT COMES TO DRESS CODE, WHICH WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE KEEPING THE RIGHT BALANCE WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THIS PROCESS THAT KURT, MR. HOWIE HAS FOLLOWED IS THAT THROUGH THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVING ADMINISTRATORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE UPDATING OF THIS BECAUSE, AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE PARENT IT WASN'T CONSISTENT.

AND SO THAT'S THE EXCITING PART. SO MUCH OF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN TEN YEARS AGO, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY AS MR. HOWIE SHARED, WE LIKE TO SLOW DOWN, TO GO FAST.

AND AS A RESULT, THERE'S BEEN SOME GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT AMONG ADMINISTRATORS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE THIS IS HAPPENING CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT CAROLINE COUNTY AND APPROPRIATELY IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE EXCITING PART I WANTED TO ELEVATE BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

AND IN LINE WITH THAT, AS WE GET MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, FROM OUR STUDENT GROUPS, THAT ALLOWS US THE TIME, MUCH LIKE WHAT YOU MODELED WITH THE YONDR POLICIES TO DISCUSS IT, DISSEMINATE IT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, IF THIS DIDN'T GET FINALIZED UNTIL, SAY, APRIL OR MAY, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT IMPLEMENTING IN THE FALL SO THAT EVERYBODY HAS TIME TO DIGEST ANY MAJOR CHANGES. AND WE GIVE OUR STUDENTS TIME TO ACCLIMATE AND OUR PARENTS TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE.

IF THERE ARE ANY BIG CHANGES, IT'S JUST THE RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS.

CONSISTENCY IS SO IMPORTANT. I RECALL THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING BEEN AT LOCKERMAN AS ADMINISTRATOR,

[02:15:02]

AND THE PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE SPECIFICITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S WRITTEN FROM FAD LANGUAGE OR STYLE LANGUAGE FROM WHATEVER TIME PERIOD IS, YOU WOULD TALK TO ADMINISTRATORS.

I'M GUILTY OF IT AS A FORMER MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

I'D LOOK AT A PIECE OF IT AND SOMEBODY WOULD SAY, WELL, DOESN'T THE POLICY SAY THIS? AND I'D SAY, YES. HOWEVER, I'M NOT FIGHTING THAT BATTLE, OR IN MY CASE, WHERE I WAS A MALE PRINCIPAL AND HAD A MALE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.

AND I SAID, WELL, I'M REALLY NOT FIGHTING THAT BATTLE.

LIKE, IF IT'S COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS, THAT'S FINE.

BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THE LETTER OF THE POLICY. WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE POLICY, WHAT DO I SAY EVERY TIME WE BRING A POLICY, THIS REFLECTS OUR CURRENT PRACTICE. WELL, THIS ONE DIDN'T BECAUSE YOU HAD THESE KIND OF UNOFFICIAL OPT OUTS THAT PRINCIPALS WERE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. AND I'M NOT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

I MEAN THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU DO TO RUN YOUR SCHOOL.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT NOT JUST IN MARYLAND, BUT UPDATED DRESS CODES NATIONWIDE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE SINGLE PAGE. THINGS, LIKE HAVING A HOLE IN YOUR JEANS.

YEAH. WELL, GOOD LUCK FINDING JEANS THAT DON'T HAVE A HOLE IN THEM SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? THERE ARE LIMITATIONS TO WHAT THAT SHOULD BE.

BUT AGAIN, WE NEEDED TO TAKE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WITH THIS AND MAKE SURE WE DID THIS IN A COMMON SENSE WAY.

YEAH. THANK YOU. SO THE RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT IS JUST THIS IS INTRODUCED AS A FIRST READING.

WE WILL PUT IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND COLLECT THAT, AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT TO YOU.

AND AGAIN, IT MAY BE THE MARCH MEETING. FEBRUARY MEETING.

WHAT MONTH ARE WE IN? JANUARY. JANUARY? [LAUGHTER] IT MIGHT BE IN FEBRUARY.

MAYBE FEBRUARY. IT'S REALLY COLD TODAY. ISN'T THE FEBRUARY MEETING IN LIKE TWO WEEKS? IT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE THE FEBRUARY MEETING. IT MIGHT BE THE MARCH. THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING WITH IT. YES. IT'LL PROBABLY BE THE MARCH MEETING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL LOOK AT HOW MUCH FEEDBACK WE GET AND THEN YOU KNOW, THEN GO FROM THERE.

BUT JUST RIGHT NOW, FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES.

SO SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE OFF TO A GREAT START. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR AN UPDATE. OKAY. THANK YOU.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING. GET READY FOR SCHOOL TOMORROW.

[LAUGHTER] WE'RE THINKING POSITIVE. ABOUT THAT OKAY.

OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT. CERTAINLY. AND SO JUST A BRIEF UPDATE AND IT'S KIND OF TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS, AND ONE I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD. THE SLIDE DECK THAT I'M USING FOR OUR BUDGET PRESENTATIONS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

I HAD MY FIRST PRESENTATION AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL THE DAY OF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET DROP, SO I HADN'T HAD TIME TO REALLY DIG IN TO SEE.

BUT SINCE THEN, AND WITH THEIR FEEDBACK, WHICH I APPRECIATED, I'VE ALREADY AMENDED IT BEFORE THE NEXT STAFF PRESENTATION, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED IS THE FEEDBACK ON WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME INFORMATIONAL THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH. AND FOR THREE OF OUR FIVE BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE LIVED THIS BEFORE.

BUT FOR MISS JOHNSON AND FOR MISS BARTZ, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH A BUDGET PROCESS YET FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SIDE.

AND I'M JUST REALLY MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE OPERATING BUDGET. WE'RE NOT TALKING CAPITAL BUDGET? WE'RE NOT TALKING THE LOCKERMAN PROJECT.

AS IT MOVES FORWARD, WE'LL HAVE ZERO IMPACT ON THE OPERATING BUDGET.

THEY'RE ARE TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT SETS, POTS OF MONEY.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND THAT THE ROOF PROJECTS WE'VE DONE COMPLETELY A DIFFERENT POT OF MONEY.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF QUESTIONS YOU GET FROM STAFF REVOLVE AROUND PAY AND BENEFITS.

THOSE THINGS HAVE ZERO IMPACT ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

SO I TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S UNDERSTANDING THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE ITEMS WE WORK THROUGH. WE ALSO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY GOES AND WHERE IT COMES FROM.

THIS IS BASED OFF THE FY 25 BUDGET, THOUGH THERE'S A LOT OF HISTORICAL SIMILARITIES TO IT.

WE ARE A LARGELY STATE FUNDED SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.

WE ARE ABOUT A 70% STATE FUNDED SCHOOL DISTRICT.

LAST YEAR'S DATA SHOWS A 70% STATE, 17% COUNTY, 13% FEDERAL.

FEDERAL WAS A LITTLE HIGHER BECAUSE WE WERE STILL BURNING THROUGH THE LAST BIT OF COVID MONEY FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.

BUT BY AND LARGE, WHERE WE ARE, WE'RE LARGELY STATE, THEN COUNTY.

WE ALSO ARE WALKING THROUGH WITH FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE MONEY GOES.

AND THIS IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD AS A REMINDER. MS. BARRY DO YOU MIND GOING TO THE NEXT SLIDE? THANK YOU. IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE THE MONEY GOES WITHIN THE OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH ULTIMATELY IS THE BOARD'S DECISION, THE OPERATING BUDGET ON HOW IT GETS UTILIZED.

[02:20:04]

WE'RE NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN A WEALTHY SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IT'S ALL 80 TO 90% OF THE BUDGET GOES TO PEOPLE.

MAKES NO SENSE. YOU CAN'T EDUCATE KIDS WITHOUT PEOPLE.

YOU NEED PEOPLE. YOU CAN'T DO THE BUSINESS OF SCHOOL WITHOUT PEOPLE.

SO THE BULK OF THE MONEY GOES TO THAT. CONTRACTED SERVICES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS GROWN A LITTLE BIT, AND A BIG PART OF THAT GROWING IS BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY BUY TEXTBOOKS ANYMORE LIKE WE USED TO.

EVERYTHING'S A CONTRACTED SERVICE NOW. SO IT'S THE SAME LARGELY THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IT JUST CHANGED WHERE IT GOES.

HOW DOES THE MONEY GET DIVIDED UP AMONGST THAT SALARY AND WAGE PIECE? THAT 88.5, ABOUT 50% SUPPORT STAFF, 45% TEACHERS, 5% ADMIN. THAT'S KIND OF OUR SETUP FOR HOW WE LOOK.

NEXT SLIDE, WHICH IS JUST INTERESTING. I FOUND THE PICTURE, WHICH WAS ALWAYS FUN.

SO WE DID A COMPARISON OF WHERE WE'VE GONE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.

SO WE SANDI BARRY HAD THIS PICTURE OF DOCTOR OR MYSELF AND DOCTOR SHIRLEY FROM THE 05-06 SCHOOL YEAR.

WHICH WAS MY FIRST YEAR IN ADMIN TO NOW AND YEAH, TROY HAS CHANGED A LOT.

WAIT, WHAT? I AM THINNER. YES, MS. JOHNSON, THAT'S YOU IN THE MIDDLE.

YEAH. COME ON NOW. [LAUGHTER] YES IT IS. I WAS LIKE, WHO ARE THOSE PEOPLE? YEAH, AND THE NICE BRIGHT BLUE COAT IS DOCTOR [INAUDIBLE].

OH, WOW. SO THEN DOCTOR SHIRLEY, WHO'S KIND OF LIKE A LEGEND IN THE COUNTY, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT WE GOT THE LAUGH. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING FOR WITH THE PICTURE.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SO THE HONEST LY, THE THING IS THAT A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN HERE FOR A BIG CHUNK OF THEIR CAREER. A LOT OF PEOPLE, THIS IS THEIR EXPERIENCE, MINE INCLUDED.

AND IT'S HARD TO REALIZE HOW MUCH THINGS CHANGE IN A COUNTY OR IN YOUR SETTING.

I'LL JUST SAY THAT WHEN YOU'RE LIVING IT EVERY DAY.

I WILL JOKINGLY SAY, GOING BACK TO THE PICTURE THAT YOU HAVE TO I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE NOTICED THAT MY WEIGHT WAS THAT DIFFERENT, WHICH I'M GLAD IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT NOW BECAUSE TRANSITIONING OVER 20 YEARS, RIGHT.

YOU DON'T REALIZE WHAT FLUCTUATES. YEAH I KNOW.

THANK YOU, MISS WAYMAN. I HAVEN'T ZOOMED IN ON IT.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE LIVING SOMETHING EVERY DAY, YOU DON'T REALIZE WHEN CHANGE HAPPENS AROUND YOU. THAT'S TRUE. AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND SO TRUE. SO I'LL START WITH THE CENTER SLIDE.

THE CENTER PART OF IT, WHICH IS OUR KIDS COMPARED TO THE 05-06 SCHOOL YEAR, WE'RE ACTUALLY A LITTLE SMALLER K-12 THAN WE WERE THEN, JUST A TINY BIT SMALLER. WHEN YOU ADD PRE-K IN, WE ACTUALLY ARE BIGGER THAN WE WERE THEN.

WE'RE UP 1.9% BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE PRE-K KIDS THAN WE DID THAT.

BUT REALLY, BY AND LARGE, WE IN ESSENCE ARE THE SAME SIZE SYSTEM.

SO THE RAW NUMBERS HAVEN'T CHANGED. OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS HAVE DECREASED BY 19% FOR THE TEACHERS IN THE ROOM.

THEY GOT IT BECAUSE IF THEY WERE HERE FOR A WHILE, BECAUSE THEY LIVED IT.

BACK IN THE EARLY 2000S, YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR SPECIAL ED BASED ON SOMETHING CALLED THE DISCREPANCY MODEL.

THAT WAS BEFORE THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION.

MTSS, THOSE THINGS IT WAS BEFORE YOU HAD TO TRY OTHER THINGS TO BRING KIDS UP TO SPEED.

IT WASN'T JUST LOOKING AT A SCORE AND GOING, YEP, THERE'S A DISCREPANCY.

THEY'RE SPECIAL ED AND IT WASN'T THAT SIMPLE.

BUT IN ESSENCE, SOMETIMES IT FELT LIKE IT WAS.

SO THAT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT THAT CHANGED THAT IT DECREASED THAT MUCH.

THE FASCINATING THING WAS MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN 05 IT WASN'T TRACKED AS A COUNTY ON A STATE DATA FORM.

WE DID NOT TRACK THE NUMBER OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS. I CAN TELL YOU FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN 05 COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL HAD ONE TEACHER WHO CAME FOR ONE PERIOD A DAY TO TEACH ABOUT SIX ML KIDS. EL L CALLED AT THE TIME BUT TEACH ABOUT SIX KIDS IN A CLASSROOM IN A PULL OUT SETTING.

THAT WAS IT. AS A COUNTY AS A WHOLE VERY SMALL WHERE WE ARE NOW.

AS OF LITERALLY LAST WEEK, I SIGNED A FORM FOR MS. [INAUDIBLE] 575 STUDENTS THAT'S A HUGE CHANGE IN 20 YEARS.

FREE OR REDUCED MEALS? THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED MEALS IS UP 58%.

WHAT IS THAT ENROLL NUMBERS. IT'S MORE THAN 1000 CHILDREN.

WE HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF KIDS, BUT OVER A THOUSAND MORE CHILDREN QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED MEALS TODAY THAN DID 20 YEARS AGO.

[02:25:07]

I'LL BE HONEST, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LIVE HERE, YOU DON'T REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND YOU, RIGHT? SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM? SO LET'S GO TO EXPENDITURES. OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS 124% HIGHER THAN WHAT IT WAS.

IN 05-06 I BELIEVE IT WAS $46 MILLION. AND WE'RE SITTING LAST YEAR'S OPERATING BUDGET WAS 97 MILLION.

TREMENDOUS INCREASE. WHY IS IT INCREASED? NEEDS A BIG PART OF IT IS OUR STUDENT POPULATION CHANGED.

THE NUMBER OF STAFF WE HAVE, STAFF TOTAL HAS GONE UP 23% IN 20 YEARS, AT 23% MORE PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THAT TIME PERIOD.

WHY HAS IT GONE UP 23%? BECAUSE THE NEEDS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY.

BEGINNING TEACHER SALARY HAS GONE UP 57%, WHICH WAS IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO DO THOSE THINGS RIGHT.

STARTING TEACHER SALARY IN 05-06 I THINK WAS LIKE $33,000, $34,000.

IT'S NOW 55. THE HIGHEST TEACHER SALARY IN 2005, 2006, THE MAXIMUM ON THE SCALE WITH A DOCTORATE $65,000. WOW. NOW IT'S 97. THAT'S STARTING SALARY.

IT WILL ALMOST. YEAH, IN TWO YEARS IT'LL BE REAL CLOSE TO THAT.

BUT YEAH, IT WAS $65,000. TRANSPORTATION COST THE SAME NUMBER OF BUTTS TO MOVE COST US 99% MORE.

WHICH IS AGAIN, REALLY INTERESTING. PERHAPS THE MOST EYE OPENING.

AND WE CAN'T PARSE THE DATA OUT ON THE GRANULAR LEVEL, BECAUSE JUST THE WAY IT'S REPORTED BUDGETING WISE, FIXED CHARGES, WHICH IS WHERE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS RESIDES WITHIN OUR BUDGET, THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF IT.

FIXED CHARGES HAVE GONE UP 247%, I BELIEVE 247% AS OF THIS YEAR.

HEALTH INSURANCE EQUATES 15 MILLION. 15 MILLION OF OUR $97 MILLION BUDGET IS HEALTH INSURANCE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S GONE UP 247% IN 20 YEARS.

SO THOSE ARE JUST FACTORS, RIGHT? IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND HOW THINGS HAVE THINGS HAVE CHANGED. HOW HAS OUR FUNDING LEVEL CHANGED? STATE FUNDING HAS GONE UP 146%. COUNTY FUNDING HAS GONE UP 63%. EVEN AT A TIME WHERE A COUNTY HAS GOTTEN A LOT LESS WEALTHY THAN IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO, A LOT LESS. SO IT WAS JUST INTERESTING FOR STAFF TO SEE AND FOR SOME OF US TO JUST SEE KIND OF HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED, BECAUSE WE ALL TEND TO HAVE THE EYE LOOKING BACK OF, WELL, I REMEMBER.

YOU ABSOLUTELY DO. GOOD OLD DAYS. WE'VE JUST CHANGED A LOT AROUND US.

THIS THIS SLIDE. I'LL BE HONEST, I'M NOT SPENDING A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH STAFF ON, BUT I'M JUST HIGHLIGHTING WITH STAFF THAT IN THE NEW WORLD WE'RE IN WITH BLUEPRINT AND STARTING WITH THE FY 26 BUDGET THAT WE WILL HAVE TO APPROVE AND PASS, WE WILL HAVE TO BE WAY MORE SPECIFIC THAN WE HAVE BEEN WITH HOW WE'RE USING THE MONEY COMING IN.

BLUEPRINT IS GIVING US VERY SPECIFIC CATEGORIES THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY IN.

WE'RE SETTING A BASELINE THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE FINE.

NEXT YEAR IS WHEN WE, THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SPENDING X NUMBER OF DOLLARS IN EACH CATEGORY, WHICH DOES CHANGE THE PERSPECTIVE FOR US. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AND I HIGHLIGHT WITH STAFF, IF THEY SEE THAT WE GET 5 MILLION NEW DOLLARS, BUT 2 MILLION OF IT IS IN CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, THAT'S $2 MILLION WE CANNOT USE FOR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND WAGES.

SO IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD ON PAPER OF FIVE MIL, BUT REALLY IT'S THREE TO COVER MOST OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

AND JUST HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A BETTER THERE'S ALWAYS A DEEPER QUESTION TO ASK WHEN THEY SEE A DOLLAR AMOUNT.

AND THEN HIGHLIGHTING THIS REALLY IS, IS NOT A CHANGE THAT THE BOARD HASN'T SEEN.

BUT OUR LARGEST COST OF DOING BUSINESS INCREASES REMAIN THE SAME.

WE ARE COMMITTED. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SITTING AT THE FIRST SPOT, WHICH IS OUR SUPPORT STAFF CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THOSE AND WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO HIT.

AND THE BOARD HAS BEEN VERY COMMITTED TO THAT. WE HAVE TO GET THE STARTING TEACHER SALARY TO 60 BY 27.

SO WE'RE ABOUT $5,000 AWAY. SO WE WILL NEGOTIATE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO GET THERE.

BUT WE HAVE TWO BUDGET CYCLES TO GET THERE, FY 26 AND FY 27.

COST OF SERVICES ALWAYS GO UP. IT'S A GOOD PLACEHOLDER TO ALWAYS ASSUME IT'S ABOUT 5%.

SO OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES IS ABOUT 8% OF OUR OVERALL BUDGET.

THAT 8% COULD GO UP 5% IS WHAT WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND.

WE DO HAVE AN OPERATIONALIZING THE BLUEPRINT, SOMETHING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN NOT GOING TO GO INTO DEPTH BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT AS A BOARD.

[02:30:05]

THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THE BLUEPRINT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR, BUT WE HAVE TO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO IF WE HAVE TO DO IT.

THE INCREASING COST FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE DO CONTRACT SOME OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES WITH THE MIDSHORE EDUCATIONAL OR SORRY, MIDSHORE SPECIAL EDUCATION CONSORTIUM, WHICH IS US, TALBOT, DORCHESTER AND QUEEN ANNE. WE KIND OF BUNDLE BY IF YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY.

THERE ARE CERTAIN SERVICES. IT'S CHEAPER FOR US TO ALL PUT OUR MONEY IN THE SAME POT THAN EACH OF US TO TRY TO HIRE OUR OWN SPECIALIST IN CERTAIN AREAS.

SO WE BUNDLE OUR RESOURCES AND IT GOES A LOT FURTHER.

BUT JUST LIKE OUR COSTS ARE GOING UP, THE CONSORTIUM COSTS ARE GOING UP.

SO WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THOSE. AND THE FOUR COUNTIES SHARE THAT WEIGHT EQUITABLY ACROSS THE INCREASES.

AND THEN WE ARE, AS OF NOW, ANTICIPATING AN INSURANCE INCREASE OF OVER 10% ON OUR PREMIUM.

THERE'S A LOT OF TIME BETWEEN NOW AND THE FINAL NUMBERS WE GET FROM THEM.

BUT WE HAVE TO GO WITH WHAT WE KNOW, WHICH RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SAYING IT COULD BE OVER 10% INCREASE.

WE KNOW HISTORY IN CAROLINE COUNTY HAS PROVEN IT TRENDS DOWN.

BUT AS BEING SELF-INSURED, A FEW EXPENSIVE CLAIMS CAN CHANGE THAT.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S A REALITY OF THE LIFE WE LIVE.

SOMETIMES BEING SELF-INSURED IS WONDERFUL, AND SOMETIMES IT CAN PRESENT A CHALLENGE. BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE TELLING US TEN.

THAT'S ABOUT TYPICAL WAS THEY TELL US AROUND TEN.

AND WE KEEP FINGERS CROSSED THAT THE NUMBERS GET BETTER LOOKING AS WE GET CLOSER TO FINALIZING THE BUDGET.

SO THOSE ARE THE BIGGEST DRIVERS THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO IMPACT THE BUDGET THAT I PRESENT TO YOU.

I WON'T DIG A WHOLE LOT INTO THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, AS YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THAT BEFORE.

JUST KNOW THAT WE'VE LABELED THIS SLIDE AS THE PROMISED BLUEPRINT FUNDING.

THIS IS, AS I EXPLAINED TO THE BOARD IN DECEMBER.

THIS IS WHAT'S IN THE STATUTE. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN PROMISED IN FY 26 WAS FULLY FUNDED AND SO WAS 27.

ANY CHANGES TAKES AWAY FROM THIS. THE STATE IS NOT IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES THAT ADD TO IT.

SO THIS IS THE PROMISED FUNDING THAT WE SHOULD BE GETTING EACH YEAR PROMISED INCREASES.

THAT'S WHY I HIGHLIGHT THAT WITH STAFF, BECAUSE THE OTHER PART IS, IF THEY CHOOSE TO BE ENGAGED, IF THERE IS A REDUCTION IN WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET, THAT'S THEIR CHOICE. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE INFORMED OF WHAT THAT IMPACT IS ON CAROLINE COUNTY. THE NEXT SLIDE LOOKS AT THE STATE'S STRUCTURAL DEFICIT, THAT IS THE DEFICIT THAT THE STATE WAS FORECASTING PRIOR TO THE SESSION STARTING. SO THAT IS WHAT THEIR STRUCTURAL DEFICIT IS PRIOR TO ANYTHING BEING DONE BY THE BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHICH AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED AD NAUSEAM ABOUT IT.

THERE'S ALSO THE PIECE ABOUT BLUEPRINT FUNDING.

AND THAT THE BLUEPRINT IS PAID FOR THROUGH 27.

IT IS NOT PAID FOR STARTING IN 28. THEY'VE MADE NO BONES ABOUT IT.

BUT IT IS FULLY FUNDED THROUGH 27, IN WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A RESERVE FUND.

BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT OUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE I WANT THEM TO BE EDUCATED WHEN THEY SEE THINGS IN THE NEWS AND HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.

BUT AGAIN, I KNOW NONE OF THIS IS NEW TO THE BOARD. AND THEN I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE.

THERE'S A REASON WHY. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND AND FOR OUR PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S A REASON WHY WE DO NOT SIGN CONTRACTS WITH OUR EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS PRIOR TO APRIL. BECAUSE WITH US BEING A LARGELY FUNDED STATE FUNDED SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE CANNOT PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE PROMISE PEOPLE CERTAIN PAY INCREASES BEFORE WE KNOW THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE CAN SPEND.

OUR NEIGHBORS AROUND US SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE IN DIFFERENT SPOTS. THEY ARE LARGELY FUNDED BY THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

THAT DOES MEAN THEY CAN SIGN THOSE SOONER, LIKE WORCESTER COUNTY CAN SIGN IT SOONER BECAUSE THEIR MONEY COMES FROM THEIR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

A LOT MORE OF IT DOES. TALBOT SAME THING. WE'RE DIFFERENT.

THE CLOSEST WE ARE TO US IS LIKE DORCHESTER OR SOMERSET.

AND THANKFULLY OUR ASSOCIATION UNDERSTANDS. I'M VERY THANKFUL THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS AND OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE FIGURE OUT THE STATE DOLLAR PIECE. SO FOR US, IT'S A LOT OF DRAFTING VARIOUS BUDGET VERSIONS WITH A LOT OF IDEAS.

UNTIL WE FIND THE BOTTOM NUMBER AND THEN WE LITERALLY START GOING THROUGH OUR IDEAS, GOING, OKAY, OUR BOTTOM LINE IS TRULY THIS. AND NOW LET'S FIND OUT HOW FAR WE CAN STRETCH IT.

[02:35:05]

SO WHERE MY BUDGET TEAM WILL CONTINUE OR OUR BUDGET TEAM WILL CONTINUE WORKING BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL.

WE WILL CONTINUE GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGET. WE WILL CONTINUE GOING THROUGH AND ANALYZING ITEMS. WE KNOW WHAT THE BLUEPRINT SHOULD GIVE US BASED OFF OF OUR ENROLLMENT, SO WE KNOW WHAT THE BEST CASE SCENARIO PROBABLY IS.

AND THAT GIVES US A LINE. AND THEN WE CAN BACK THAT FROM.

AND I FEEL CONFIDENT SAYING THAT BECAUSE THE STATE'S IN SUCH A DEFICIT, I DON'T SEE THEM GOING, LET'S GIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION MORE MONEY THIS YEAR.

SO I THINK WE KNOW OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'LL PREPARE FOR.

AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO ANALYZE THINGS, TO LOOK AT ANY REDUCTIONS WE NEED TO MAKE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THE POSITIVE THINGS WE WANT TO DO. AND WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE BOARD AND FOR OTHERS, WE ARE IN ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT BUDGET PLACE ALSO THAN OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE.

I SHARED THIS MESSAGE WITH COLONEL HIGH AND I WILL SHARE IT WITH OTHER STAFFS. IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR BUDGET, ASK THEM. DON'T BUY WHAT IS IN THE MEDIA FOR OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS. IT MAY BE VERY ACCURATE FOR THEM AND IT REALLY MIGHT BE, BUT IT'S NOT ACCURATE FOR US.

AND OTHER SYSTEMS HAVE A LOT OF POLITICS AT PLAY AT TIMES, BOTH FROM THEIR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET FUNDING. WE DON'T HAVE THAT HERE.

SO I'D MUCH RATHER SOMEBODY ASK ME AND US HAVE THE CONVERSATION.

I'D RATHER US WORK THROUGH IT. BECAUSE WE'RE JUST IN A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION.

IF WE WERE IN A BAD SPOT, I WOULD SAY WE'RE IN A BAD SPOT BECAUSE WE WOULD NEED TO WORK THROUGH IT TOGETHER.

WE'RE NOT WE'RE SITTING OKAY. AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND MOVE FORWARD WITH WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

AND WE'LL DO THE BEST WITH IT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE TAKEN CARE OF. AND SO ARE OUR KIDS.

SO WITH THAT, THAT'S SORT OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

BUT I WANTED THE BOARD TO KNOW WHAT'S BEING SHARED WITH OUR SCHOOLS.

AS WE'RE WALKING THROUGH IT. IF ANY BOARD MEMBER WOULD LOVE TO JOIN ME FOR ONE OF THOSE, AT SOME POINT I CAN HAVE RACHEL SHARE THE AGENDA.

IT HAS CHANGED A LOT BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE SCHEDULE A COUPLE SCHOOLS, WE GET A DAY OFF.

BECAUSE OF SNOW. SO THEY KEEP GETTING RESHUFFLED.

BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO JOIN ME, FEEL FREE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.

YOU DON'T WANT TO. YOU CAN BE THERE OR YOU CAN SAY SOMETHING AS WELL, BUT THEY'RE USUALLY REALLY GOOD.

SOME GOOD QUESTIONS COME OUT OF IT. AND I'M GLAD I GOT THE SUGGESTION FROM A FELLOW SUPERINTENDENT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO DO THIS.

ARE THEY TYPICALLY AT THE END OF THE WORKDAY? SECONDARY SCHOOLS YES. ELEMENTARY AT THE BEGINNING.

BECAUSE ELEMENTARY DOES THEIR STAFF MEETINGS FIRST THING.

YEP. AND I DO MY DARNDEST TO HOLD IT TO 30. OKAY OR WHETHER IT'S BEGINNING OR END.

I DO FIND THE ELEMENTARY DOESN'T ASK MANY QUESTIONS. IF THEY GOT KIDS COMING IN, THEY'RE JUST KIND OF GETTING AN EMAIL, WHICH IS TOTALLY FINE.

IT'S GOOD QUESTIONS COME OUT OF IT. OKAY. IS THERE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? I DON'T THINK SO. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS.

[8. Upcoming Meetings and Events]

FEBRUARY 14TH ON VALENTINE'S DAY. YES. FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY HAS THEIR WINTER BALL.

IT'S ALWAYS CUTE. THEY'LL ALL BE DRESSED UP IN THEIR LITTLE OUTFITS.

YES. FEBRUARY 25TH AT SIX NORTH CAROLINE AND LOCKERMAN, I THINK, TOGETHER DOING THEIR BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM.

AND THEY'VE PLANNED SOME EXCITING THINGS FROM THE FLIER THAT HAS GONE OUT, VENDORS COMING, AND THE CHORUS OR CHOIR OR SOMETHING. SO IT SHOULD BE INTERESTING.

IN FEBRUARY 26TH, THE VERY NEXT EVENING, CTE INFORMATION NIGHT.

SO I'M SURE BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE BUSY AT SOME OF THOSE.

AND OF COURSE THEY'RE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

AFTER YOUR DECEMBER, YOU GET A LITTLE REPRIEVE.

YES. START ALL OVER AGAIN. YES. OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS FEBRUARY 4TH AT BOARD MEETING AT SIX AND THEN THE CLOSED SESSION MAY BE STARTING EARLIER, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS.

[02:40:02]

YES. WE'LL BE WITH THE CAROLINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

AND IF THERE'S NO MORE BUSINESS, WE WILL NEED A MOTION FOR THE MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED.

NOT ALL AT ONCE. [LAUGHTER] I MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MOTION CARRIED. AND WE WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. MENGEL AND MR. PRETTYMAN AND MR. [INAUDIBLE].

YES. NO. OKAY. VERY GOOD FOR MAKING THIS BUILDING THIS ROOM PLEASANT FOR US THAT WE COULD MEET TONIGHT.

AND WE REALIZE THAT'S KIND OF KEPT YOU UP AND OUT, AND WE APPRECIATE IT.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.