[00:00:02] >> VIRTUAL. WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WITH US THIS EVENING, [1. Opening Items] AND WE WILL NEED TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER, PLEASE. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. >> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR MEETING WILL BE CALLED TO ORDER, AND WE WILL START BY READING OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION. THE MISSION OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY. WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE, CAREER, AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY STUDENT WILL BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED, AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER-CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL STAND FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE WELCOME THE PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A PORTION OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] >> [INAUDIBLE]. THE WINTER THE FLU. >> OH, YEAH. >> [INAUDIBLE] FLU. >> WE'RE GLAD WE HAVE THE HEALTHY SEGMENT. >> WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU. COME RIGHT ON UP. >> [INAUDIBLE] HERE TO BEGIN WITH. WE HAVE TWO OF OUR NINE, [INAUDIBLE]. >> THAT'S GREAT. >> [INAUDIBLE] PERCENTAGE IS NOT THAT BAD. WE HAVE SAILOR AND WE HAVE TYLER, AND THEY'RE GOING TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> THANK YOU. >> LET US ALL FACE THE FLAG AND WE'LL FOLLOW SAILOR AND TYLER. >> >> THANK YOU. >> ARE MEMBERS OF OUR PANTHER SINGERS AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE JOINED BY SOME NEW PANTHER SINGERS SOON. WE'LL HAVE TRYOUT SOON, SO OUR [INAUDIBLE] GROW AND, OF COURSE, MR. LIST IS THE ADVISOR TO ALL OF OUR MUSICAL TROOPS OF PRESS PANTHER SINGERS. YOU MAY KNOW IT'S A NEW FACE. >> I DID. >> I DID. >> THIS IS MS. PORTER WHO'S A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AND A FORMER STUDENT OF MINE. WAY BACK. SHE IS SHADOWING ME, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL VERY OLD, [LAUGHTER] HOURS FOR HER ADMINISTRATIVE LESSONS. >> WONDERFUL. [APPLAUSE] >> GREAT. SO PANTHER SINGERS BEFORE YOU WALK OFF, I WON'T MAKE YOU SING. WHEN IS OUR NEXT CONCERT? >> WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT. >> FOURTEENTH. >> MAY 14TH. >> FOURTEENTH MAY. >> [INAUDIBLE] ABOUT THAT TODAY. >> AWESOME. >> VERY GOOD. >> WE'RE EXCITED. WHAT GRADE ARE YOU GUYS IN? >> FOURTH. >> FOURTH GRADE, FIFTH GRADE. >> FIFTH. >> [OVERLAPPING] PLEASE. >> YOU SING? BEAUTIFUL. >> STAY INVOLVED. KEEP SINGING, KEEP PLAYING. DON'T EVER GIVE IT UP. >> NO. >> IT'S GREAT STRESS RELIEF AS YOU GET OLDER. >> I'M HAPPY I'VE GOT ONE MORE YEAR WITH HER. >> YES. >> I'M EXCITED TO SEND HIM OFF TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO MISS HIM. >> UNDERSTOOD. >> I BET YOU'LL BE THERE TO SEE HIM. >> I WILL BE. [LAUGHTER] >> I REMEMBER THE CONCERT. YOU WERE RIGHT THERE. >> MR. LIST ATTENDED EVERY CONCERT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY. >> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] >> [INAUDIBLE] THAT IS NO JOKE. [INAUDIBLE]. >> WELL, THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. >> ONE MINUTE. COME BACK. >> MS. SPEARS MAY WANT A PICTURE. >> YES. >> ACTUALLY, IF YOU WANT TO [INAUDIBLE] WE CAN DO THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. >> PARENTS, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THEM OUT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL THE PRESTON CONCERT. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD. >> GOOD NIGHT. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EXCUSE ME. [BACKGROUND] >> MS. MCCORMICK, CAN YOU JUST SAY TAKE THE TRIP? [LAUGHTER] WE'RE ALL TRYING TO BE GOOD. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> WE'LL MOVE RIGHT ON ALONG HERE. I NEED TO PUT THIS SO I HAVE IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING. WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA. >> I MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA. >> SECOND? >> SECOND. >> THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE FOLLOW THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED FOR THIS EVENING. AT THIS TIME, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? >> NO, WE DIDN'T. [00:05:09] >> NO. OUR CONSENT AGENDA. >> EXCUSE ME. STUDENTS REPORTS. >> OH, I'M SORRY. STUDENT REPRESENT. [2. Public Recognitions / Comment] HOW COULD I MISS YOU TWO LADIES? [LAUGHTER] VANESSA ODIDIKA. I DON'T KNOW, WELL, VANESSA YOUR NAME'S GOING TO BE FIRST. WE'LL START WITH YOU. >> OH, YOU DID. [LAUGHTER] >> STARTING AT PRESTON ELEMENTARY, THEY KICKED OFF 2025, STUDENTS SET GOALS FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER. THEY CONTINUED THEIR COMMUNITY READING EVENT, READING FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY. THE MARYLAND SCIENCE CENTER VISITED WITH HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS FOR THE STUDENTS, AND THIS WAS MR. ANGLO'S AND HIS WORD. THEY DEMONSTRATED POSITIVE BEHAVIOR IN QUARTER 2, AND THEY HAD AN AWARDS EVENT FOR IT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> COMING UP NEXT MONTH, THE PARENTS WILL PUT ON A SWEETHEARTS BALL. IT'S THIS FRIDAY, AND I'LL BE THERE DOING ARTS AND CRAFTS.>> [INAUDIBLE]. >> THEY'LL BE CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH GROWTH AND LEARNING-THEMED ACTIVITIES, READ-ALOUDS, AND PROJECTS. FEBRUARY 1ST, THEY HAD CLASS PHOTOS, VALENTINE'S DAY FESTIVITIES, OF COURSE, CELEBRATING THE HUNDREDTH DAY OF SCHOOL, AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE THEIR BOOK FAIR, AND THERE WILL BE A DAY WHERE PARENTS CAN COME IN AND READ WITH THEIR KIDS AND STUFF. MOVING ON TO FEDERALSBURG, MS. [INAUDIBLE] SAYS, THE FALCONS MADE THE MOST OF THEIR EXTENDED WINTER BREAK ENJOYING THE SNOWY FUN, BUT BEFORE LONG, THEY WERE BACK IN ACTION EAGER TO KICK OFF 2025 WITH A YEAR OF LEARNING. LAST MONTH, SEVEN STAFF MEMBERS VISITED THE RON CLARK ACADEMY CONFERENCE IN GEORGIA. 167 STUDENTS CELEBRATED PERFECT ATTENDANCE IN JANUARY AT THE ATTENDANCE PARTY, AND FOR THEIR QUARTER 2 PEP RALLY, STUDENTS DRESSED UP FOR THEIR HOUSES. COMING UP NEXT MONTH, THE PRISMATIC LASER LIGHT SHOW WILL COME AND DO AN ASSEMBLY TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY, AND THEN THEY'LL ALSO HAVE THEIR VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE, FEBRUARY 14TH, WITH WILLY WOO WOO AND FRIENDS. I'M NOT SURE WHO THAT IS, BUT I WILL ALSO BE THERE. >> WILLY WOO WOO IS AN EXPERIENCE. YOU HAVE ONE. >> FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE, THEY SAY WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT MR. TYREKE GREEN STARTING AS THEIR STUDENT SUPPORT ASSISTANT, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE. THE CRMS CAFETERIA IS BACK TO ITS PRE-COVID CONFIGURATION. DR. HOLLOWAY HAS ENJOYED JUMPING INTO SIXTH GRADERS' UNO GAMES. SHE HAS YET TO WIN. [LAUGHTER] THEY STARTED THEIR SECOND SEMESTER, AND THEN STUDENTS CHEERED, ON STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICER MARK HOPKINS AS HE DID THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. NEXT MONTH, THIS FRIDAY, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR WINTER DANCE. THEN FEBRUARY 27TH, THE ORCHESTRA WILL GO TO WICOMICO MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR SOLO AND ENSEMBLE, AND THEN THE 28TH, THE BAND WILL GO TO CENTERVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR SOLO AND ENSEMBLE. SHE SAID THAT THEY'RE SENDING 23 STUDENTS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE. LAST MONTH AT COLONEL, WE HAD SEMESTER 1 FINALS. TEACHERS LOST FIVE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS, BUT I THINK THAT WE DID REALLY GOOD GETTING PREPARED AND DOING GOOD ON OUR FINALS. WE HAD A POWER OUTAGE, BUT MR. SHERMAN NOTES THAT EVERYONE WAS PATIENT AND WELL-BEHAVED DURING THE OUTAGE. SEMESTER 2 BEGAN. THERE WAS A LOT OF SUCCESS FOR INDOOR TRACK. A LOT OF STUDENTS MOVED ON TO REGIONALS, AND THEN TWO BUSLOADS OF KIDS WENT TO POLAR BEAR PLUNGE TO RAISE MONEY FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS. COMING UP NEXT MONTH, WE'LL HAVE THE VOLLEYBALL ALUMNI GAME, FEBRUARY 8TH, AND JUNIORS WILL DO ASVAB TESTING. >> THANK YOU. >> STARTING WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY. DR. CREBS SAID THAT IN JANUARY, THERE HAS BEEN A BIT OF BLUR AT DES, BUT THEY ENJOYED SOME OF THE SNOW AND WE WERE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO GET BACK IN THE SWING OF THINGS. LAST MONTH, THEY WERE JUST HAPPY TO BE BACK AT SCHOOL, I GUESS. THIS MONTH, THEY HAD BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS. WIDA TESTING CONTINUES, AND THEY CONTINUE ENJOY THE WARM WEATHER. WHAT IS WIDA TESTING? >> IT'S WIDA. >> WIDA. >> IT'S OUR STUDENTS WHO [INAUDIBLE]. >> IT'S COOL. THEN GOING OVER TO RIDGELY. FEBRUARY 5TH, THEY'LL HAVE CLASS PICTURES, WHICH IS TOMORROW. FEBRUARY 18TH AT 6:00 P.M. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR PTA MEETING. FEBRUARY 20TH, THEY'LL HOLD THEIR ELA FAMILY EVENING EVENT TO KICK OFF OUR ONE-SCHOOL ONE-BOOK ADVENTURE. [00:10:05] FOR GREENSBORO, LAST MONTH, THEY HAD LEXIA CORE5 READING PROGRAM TO ENHANCE LITERACY, AND GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY ALSO STARTED THEIR ONE SCHOOL ONE BOOK INITIATIVE. SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS ON, I GUESS IT PASSED, FEBRUARY 3RD, THEY HAD HONEYBEES AND YOUNG GENTLEMEN'S CLUB, WHICH BEGINS EVERY MONDAY FOR THE NEXT EIGHT WEEKS. IT'S A LONG TIME. FEBRUARY 11TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR CLASS GROUP PICTURE DAY. FEBRUARY 12TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR CLUBS' PICTURE DAYS, FEBRUARY 13TH, THEY HAVE THEIR JC AND GS GAME NIGHT, FEBRUARY 18TH THROUGH THE 25TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR BOOK FAIR. ON FEBRUARY 20TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR ONE SCHOOL, ONE BOOK ACADEMIC NIGHT AT 5:30-7:00 P.M. FEBRUARY 26, GIVE KIDS A SMILE, WHICH IS THE SECOND-GRADE ASSEMBLY SPONSORED BY CHOPTANK COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERS. LASTLY, FEBRUARY 28TH, THEY'LL HAVE GRANDPARENTS DAY AND READ ACROSS AMERICA. GOING TO LOCKERMAN. LAST MONTH, SEVERAL STUDENTS MADE IT TO THEIR ALLSHORE BAND. SEVERAL STUDENTS AND STUDENT GROUPS PARTICIPATED IN LOCKERMAN SCHOOL ASSOCIATION MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY PROGRAM. SEVERAL STUDENTS HAD THEIR SHORT STORY SELECTED FOR THE PUBLICATION THROUGH A YOUNG WRITING CONTEST, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL WHEN I READ IT BECAUSE I CANNOT WRITE THAT WELL. SOME UPCOMING EVENTS IS THEY'LL HAVE THEIR SCHOOL DANCE THIS MONTH. THEY'LL ALSO HAVE A SIXTH-GRADE ASSEMBLY AND A SEVENTH AND EIGHTH-GRADE FIELD TRIPS. NOW FOR MY SCHOOL. MR. SPIKER SAID, WE ARE IN THE SECOND SEMESTER AND THE SCHOOL YEAR IS FLYING BY. PLEASE KEEP UP WITH YOUR STUDENTS' ATTENDANCE AND GRADES. IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US AT NCHS. LAST MONTH, STUDENTS AND STAFF PARTICIPATED IN THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE. WE HAD ABOUT THREE BUSES GO WITH US AND THERE WAS NO SEATS LEFT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF ICE IN THE WATER, IT WAS VERY COLD. THEN, DR. SIMMONS, YOU SPENT THE DAY AT MY SCHOOL. I WAS NOT THERE THAT DAY, BUT I HEARD ABOUT IT. THEN WE HAD OUR SEMESTER 1 REPORT CARDS. SOME UPCOMING EVENTS IS ON FEBRUARY 8TH, WHICH IS THIS SATURDAY, NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, WE'RE HAVING OUR VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE. IT'S CALLED CUPID'S GALA, SO IT SHOULD BE FUN. THEN WE HAVE A HALF A DAY ON VALENTINE'S DAY. ON FEBRUARY 15, SOR APPRECIATION DAY. FEBRUARY 25, THERE'S A BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM AT 6:00 P.M. IN THE AUDITORIUM. FEBRUARY 26 AT 6:00 P.M. CTE NIGHT AND EIGHTH GRADE AND PARENT NIGHT IN THE AUDITORIUM. THEN FOR CCTC, CCTC, WELCOME NEW STUDENTS TO MANY OF THEIR PROGRAMS THIS SEMESTER, FEBRUARY 25TH AT 9:30 A.M. THE AMP NESTING BOX DESIGN PRESENTATIONS, AND THEN ON FEBRUARY 26, CTE INFO NIGHT, AND THERE'S GOING TO BE TOURS FOR THE EIGHTH GRADERS FROM COLONEL AND LOCKERMAN TO LEARN ABOUT THE CTE PROGRAMS THAT CCTC OFFERS. >> THANK YOU, LADIES VERY MUCH FOR GETTING US ALL CAUGHT UP ON THE ACTIVITIES, THE WHO-WHO, AND ALL THAT. [LAUGHTER] WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOURSELVES AT THE UPCOMING EVENTS OF VALENTINE'S DANCES. >> DO US ALL A FAVOR AND THINK WARM THOUGHTS TOMORROW NIGHT. WARM THOUGHTS. NO. WARM THOUGHTS. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. GREAT CATCH, VANESSA. GREAT CATCH. WARM FAULTS. THERE MIGHT BE SOME CRAZINESS THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE REALLY WARM THE NEXT DAY, SO LET'S JUST THINK WARM THOUGHTS. >> THINK POSITIVE. >> WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR AGAIN. WE WANT POSITIVE WORN THOUGHTS. >> THEY'LL GET OUT ON TIME ANYWAY. >> OH, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT WHAT TO CHANGE YOU BEFORE THEN. >> KADEEN AND VANESSA WON'T. >> YEAH, KADEEN AND VANESSA WON'T. >> OH, THAT'S RIGHT. [INAUDIBLE] TO GO. MR. WILLOUGHBY WILL BE SHARING WITH US INFORMATION ON PERSONNEL. >> MR. MENGEL WILL ASK ME TO COME INTO THE PODIUM SO WE COULD STOP TALKING ABOUT PRECIPITATION. [LAUGHTER] >> PRECIPITATION. >> NEVER BEEN PUSHED THAT HARD. TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL AGENDA HAS TWO LEAVES OF ABSENCE, ONE RESIGNATION EFFECTIVE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND ONE RETIREMENT THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT CENTER PROGRAM. >> THANK YOU. MR. WILLOUGHBY, AND WE WILL BE COMING. >> COME BACK WITH SOME MORE THINGS, YES. >> WE WILL NEED THE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 21ST BOARD MEETING, [3. Consent Agenda] IF I CAN HAVE AN APPROVAL OF THOSE MINUTES, [00:15:03] PLEASE, A MOTION. >> I'LL MOTION WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS STATED TONIGHT. >> I'LL SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED BY MR. JONES, SECONDED BY MS. BARTZ THAT MINUTES BE ADOPTED. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES, AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR DISCOVERY'S COURSE APPROVAL, [4. Individual Action Items] I THINK THAT IS. YES. >> YES. WE HAVE MS. MCCORMICK THIS EVENING, BRINGING FORTH AN EXCITING COURSE ADDITION FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, MS. MCCORMICK, THE FLOOR'S YOURS. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN. IT'S MY FIRST TIME OF SAYING THAT. CONGRATULATIONS, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ CONNIE CONNALLY'S ARTICLE. AMAZING ARTICLE WRITTEN ABOUT YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. BUT GOOD EVENING TO YOU, DR. SIMMONS, AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO REQUEST A NEW COURSE. >> SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER, BUT IF NOT, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND. A FEW YEARS AGO, MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CHANGED THEIR COMAR REQUIREMENTS, COMAR BEING MARYLAND LAW, AND DELETED WHAT WE HAD AS ADVANCED TECH FROM BEING ABLE TO COUNT AS A TECH ED CREDIT FOR GRADUATION. AT THAT TIME AND ACTUALLY PROBABLY A YEAR BEFORE, LIKE IN THE PLANNING, WE KNEW WHAT WAS COMING. WE DECIDED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT COURSE, AND AT THE TIME, WE HAD TWO COURSES, PROJECT LEAD THE WAY COMPUTER SCIENCE ESSENTIALS, WHICH IS THE FIRST COURSE IN OUR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY COMPUTER SCIENCE PATHWAY. WE ALSO HAD ENGINEERING DESIGN, WHICH IS THE FIRST COURSE IN OUR ENGINEERING PATHWAY. BOTH OF THOSE COURSES MET THE REQUIREMENT FOR A TECH ED CREDIT. AT THE TIME, CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHOSE TO MOVE AWAY FROM ADVANCED TECH AND HAVE THOSE TWO OPTIONS, ENGINEERING DESIGN AND COMPUTER SCIENCE ESSENTIALS BE THE OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS TO EARN THEIR GRADUATION REQUIREMENT OF TECH ED. BUT I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO ADD THIRD OPTION CALLED COMPUTER SCIENCE DISCOVERIES. [NOISE] EXCUSE ME. AS I SAID, CURRENTLY, THE COURSE THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS TAKE FOR THEIR TECH ED CLASS IS COMPUTER SCIENCE ESSENTIALS. WE HAVE TAKEN A VERY HARD LOOK AT THE DATA, AND IT IS SHOWN THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE COMPUTER PATHWAY, SO THEY ARE NOT ENROLLING IN THE CTE PROGRAM OF COMPUTER SCIENCE ARE NOT BEING SUPER SUCCESSFUL IN THIS FIRST COURSE. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT IT'S JUST NOT EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. IF YOUR MINDSET IS, I WANT TO BE A COMPUTER SCIENCE CTE PATHWAY STUDENT, YOUR MIND IS IN THAT AVENUE AND SO A HIGHER SUCCESS RATE. HOWEVER, WE'RE ALSO FINDING THAT PROJECT LEAD THE WAY COMPUTER SCIENCE ESSENTIALS COURSE IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO OUR ML STUDENTS. THE PLATFORM IS NOT TRANSLATABLE. IT IS NOT ABLE TO BE TRANSLATED, WHICH OBVIOUSLY CAUSES A CHALLENGE FOR ONE POPULATION, WHEREAS THE COURSE IS JUST CHALLENGING FOR ALL STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT IN THAT COMPUTER SCIENCE MINDED WAY. SO WE DID A LOT OF LOOKING AT SURROUNDING COUNTIES NOT ONLY AROUND US, BUT ACROSS THE STATE. [NOISE] EXCUSE ME. COMPUTER SCIENCE DISCOVERIES IS THE NAME OF A COURSE OFFERED BY CODE.ORG. IT IS AN EXTREMELY FLEXIBLE COURSE ALLOWING TEACHERS THE AUTONOMY TO CHOOSE UNITS AND LESSONS THAT BEST MEETS THEIR STUDENTS' NEEDS AND INTERESTS. WITH IT COMES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TRAINING, [00:20:04] RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT FROM CODE.ORG, OF WHICH I WANT TO SAY IS ALL FREE. IT IS A FREE CURRICULUM. WE DO PAY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FOR PROJECT LEAD THE WAY. IF THIS IS APPROVED, WE WOULD STILL HAVE THE PROJECT LEAD THE WAY COURSE, BECAUSE AS I SAID, IT'S PART OF OUR PATHWAY. WE'RE NOT GOING TO ELIMINATE ANY COSTS AT THIS POINT, BUT WE WOULD NOT BE ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL COSTS. THIS I THINK GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT I WANT THIS COURSE CS DISCOVERIES ABSOLUTELY [INAUDIBLE] WE REQUIREMENT TECH ED. I ACTUALLY STARTED THIS CONVERSATION A YEAR AGO WHEN I CAME IN SUPERVISOR OF CTE, STARTED WITH TEACHERS WHO HAD SHARED THAT THEY THOUGHT A CHANGE NEEDED TO OCCUR. WE DID A LOT OF THE RESEARCH. BUT THEN I PULLED THE TEACHERS TOGETHER IN OUR BACK TO SCHOOL PD AND SAID TO THEM, YOU ARE TEACHING COMPUTER SCIENCE ESSENTIALS, THE PLTW. SINCE THESE ARE FREE RESOURCES IN [INAUDIBLE] TRY AND WE WILL COME BACK TOGETHER. WE CONVENED A GROUP ON DECEMBER 12TH, AND THAT SHOULD SAY 2024. I APOLOGIZE. I'M NOT A YEAR AHEAD OF US. DECEMBER 12TH, 2024, I CONVENED A COMMITTEE OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS, AS WELL AS ERIC COOK, THE COORDINATOR. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS REPRESENTATION FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE COUNTY AND BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THOSE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATOR [INAUDIBLE] THAT COMPUTER SCIENCE DISCOVERIES WAS THE WAY TO GO. AFTER THAT, AS I HAD SAID, OUR TEACHERS, THEY ASK THEIR STUDENTS TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK AS TO THE PLTW CLASS VERSUS COMPUTER SCIENCE DISCOVERIES. YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME QUOTES HERE, BUT SOME THAT REALLY STICK OUT, I WOULD RATHER USE CODE.ORG THAN PLTW. IT IS OVER ALL EASIER, IN A STUDENT'S WORDS, WHEN YOU MESS UP, YOU JUST HAVE TO SIMPLY FIX THE CODE AND TRY IT AGAIN WHILE IN PLTW, IT AFFECTS THE WHOLE THING. PERSONALLY, I ENJOYED CODE.ORG BECAUSE IT MADE MORE SENSE TO ME. IT WAS MORE RELEVANT. I COULD UNDERSTAND IT BETTER. NOT ONLY OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS FEEL THAT THIS IS THE BEST WAY. AFTER ALL OF THAT, GETTING THOSE STAKEHOLDER INPUT, I DID PRESENT TO SSIC AND CAC, I THINK THAT MAY LAST WEEK, JANUARY 29TH. JOE WAS THERE AND GAVE [INAUDIBLE] AND 100 [INAUDIBLE] THIS WAS THE RIGHT MOVE FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ONE TEACHER WHO WAS ON THE SSIC COMMITTEE AS WE WERE DISCUSSING, RAISED HIS HAND AND SAID, I HAVE BEEN A MENTOR TEACHER TO A TEACHER OF PLTW COMPUTER SCIENCE ESSENTIALS. HE SAID, AND THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE DISCUSSED THAT IT JUST WAS NOT THE PROPER COURSE FOR ALL STUDENTS. I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT FACT TO BRING INTO THIS AS WELL. AS I SAID, I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO ADD, I SHOULDN'T SAY TO SWITCH, BUT TO ADD COMPUTER SCIENCE DISCOVERIES AS AN OPTION FOR TECH ED. IF YOU ALL WERE TO APPROVE IT TONIGHT, I WOULD DO A PILOT IN THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, AS WELL AS I HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TECH TEACHERS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO ALSO PILOT A SECTION OF HIGH SCHOOL COURSE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. JUST LIKE STUDENTS CAN NOW TAKE ALGEBRA 1 OR SPANISH 1 AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL OPTION FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE SO THAT THEY COULD EARN THAT HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE WOULD THEN ADD CS DISCOVERIES TO THE COURSE CATALOG, [00:25:04] AND I WOULD BEGIN SCHEDULING THE TRAINING FOR SPRING AND SUMMER FOR OUR TEACHERS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? YES. >> SO WHAT WOULD BE THE REASON WHY YOU WOULDN'T SWITCH TO CS DISCOVERIES JUST BASED ON THE STUDENT INPUT ABOUT HOW THEY SAY IT'S EASIER? DOES IT NOT HAVE THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS AS THE PLT? >> PLTW? >> YES. >> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. OUR CTE PATHWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A SEQUENCE OF COURSES THAT ARE APPROVED BY MSDE. AT THIS CURRENT TIME, CODE.ORG DOESN'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OF COURSES TO BE A FULL PATHWAY. WITH THAT BEING SAID, AND STAY TUNED BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS BOARD WILL BE HEARING FROM ME QUITE A BIT IN EITHER LATE SPRING OR THROUGH NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. MSDE IS LOOKING AT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO HOW CTE PATHWAYS ARE DONE. IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL OPTIONS. >> MAY NOT BE FREE? [LAUGHTER] >> YOU NEVER KNOW. [LAUGHTER] >> MSDE HAS PARTNERED IN THE PAST WITH CODE.ORG. CODE.ORG IS EXTREMELY REPUTABLE. THEY DO FANTASTIC WORK. WE CAN HOPE. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> PLTW IS STILL GOING TO REMAIN IN THE PATHWAYS. >> IT ABSOLUTELY WILL STILL BE A CTE PATHWAY. TRULY, IT IS STILL GOING TO BE AN OPTION IF A STUDENT SAYS, I MIGHT WANT TO DO COMPUTER SCIENCE AS A PATHWAY, BUT I'M JUST NOT SURE. THEY CAN STILL TAKE THAT FIRST CLASS AND EARN THEIR CREDIT. BUT AGAIN, THEY WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THAT BE IN THE LIKE MINDED COMPUTER SCIENCE. IT STILL GOING TO BE AN OPTION. THIS WOULD JUST BE AN ADDITIONAL OPTION FOR THE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT IN THE PATHWAY. >> YOU'VE LOVE THE IDEA OF PILOTING IT IN THE EIGHTH GRADE. I THINK IT WILL GIVE SOME STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF THEY ARE COMPUTER SCIENCE MINDED TO BE ABLE TO JUMP INTO THAT PATHWAY SOONER. I LIKE THAT. >> WE'RE TRYING WITH THE WAY THAT DR. DOWNS HAS CONTINUED THE ELEMENTARY COMPUTER SCIENCE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE CONTINUUM AND THEY IN THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL ARE USING SOME OF THE CODE.ORG AS WELL. I FEEL LIKE IT IS A LITTLE BIT MORE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE BOARD AS TO WHAT THE STUDENTS WOULD BE GETTING. >> [INAUDIBLE]. WE HAVE HEARD THE PRESENTATION ON CS DISCOVERIES. WE NEED A MOTION FROM THE BOARD AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE APPROVED AND ACCEPT THAT PROGRAM. >> I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE ADDITION OF CS DISCOVERIES TO CURRICULUM. >> I'LL SECOND IT. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THIS PROGRAM CS DISCOVERIES TO BE ADDED TO OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU FOR THE WORK IN GETTING THAT PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS AS AN OPTION. THAT'S WONDERFUL. DR. WILLOUGHBY, COME ON BACK. I THINK WE HAVE TWO POLICIES TO LISTEN ABOUT. >> WE'RE GOING TO TALK THROUGH THREE POLICIES, ONE TO RETIRE AND TWO TO REVISE. THE FIRST IS A RETIREMENT OF POLICY 33430, WHICH IS RELEASE TIME FOR PRIVATE LESSONS. THIS IS A POLICY THAT IS IN OUR BOOK WRITTEN IN 1990. IT'S ONE LINE. IT SAYS THAT IF YOU HAVE PRIVATE LESSONS FOR MUSIC, IT'S AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE. WE ALREADY HAVE AN ATTENDANCE POLICY THAT SAYS IF YOU PULL IT OUT. THIS IS REDUNDANT. WE DON'T NEED IT, AND WE JUST NEED TO RETIRE IT. THAT WAS EASY. THAT'S ALL I GOT. [LAUGHTER] >> IT'S SOUNDS EASY. >> THAT WAS EASY. >> I LOVE THAT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> I THINK HE GOT TO RETIRE. >> [INAUDIBLE] RETIRE THIS ONE. >> YOU NEED TO TO HAVE SEPARATE. [00:30:03] >> I CAN MAKE A MOTION. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE RETIRE POLICY 33430, RELEASE TIME FOR PRIVATE LESSONS. >> I THOUGHT THAT WAS [INAUDIBLE]. >> CAN I GET A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE RETIRE. POLICY 1134.30 OR RELEASE TIME FOR PRIVATE LESSONS. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSE. CARRY. >> SURE. NOW WE HAVE TWO POLICIES. THEY COME FROM THE INSTRUCTIONAL DIVISION. DR. DOWNS AND HER TEAM HAVE WORKED THROUGH REVISIONS TO THESE POLICIES. THE REQUEST IS THAT THEY BE INTRODUCED FOR FIRST READING, AND THERE ARE SOME CHANGES, BUT THEY ARE MINOR, SO POTENTIAL APPROVAL, IF THAT IS YOUR PURVIEW THIS EVENING. THE FIRST ONE THAT WE'LL WALK THROUGH IS 22210, WHICH IS INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS AND MUSIC. NOW IF I CAN JUST REAL QUICK, I WAS A PRINCIPAL AT COLONEL MIDDLE. THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT CAME UP ABOUT OUR MUSIC PROGRAM. I WENT TO THE POLICY BOOK, I OPENED THE POLICY BOOK TO THIS POLICY. IT WAS WRITTEN ON A TYPEWRITER. [LAUGHTER] >> AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS FROM 1994. WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR THIS ONE TO COME UP FOR REVIEW, I WAS LIKE, IT'S THIS ONE. [LAUGHTER] I JUST REMEMBER THAT MOMENT. THIS IS PROVIDING GUIDELINES FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL MUSIC PROGRAMS INCLUDING INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, GENERAL MUSIC, AND CHORAL MUSIC. MUCH OF IT HAS SIMPLY BEEN FORMATTED INTO WHAT IS OUR POLICY FORMAT FROM THE EXISTING POLICY. THERE ARE A COUPLE CHANGES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO WALK THROUGH, AND THESE CHANGES SIMPLY BRING THIS POLICY INTO WHAT HAS BEEN CURRENT PRACTICE. THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE QUESTION THAT ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, I HAD TO GO LOOK UP. IT HAD TO DO WITH AUDITIONS. IT HAD TO DO WITH HAVING THESE ADVANCED ENSEMBLES AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN I WENT AND LOOKED UP THE POLICY BECAUSE THERE WAS A QUESTION, THE POLICY VERY CLEARLY, AS WRITTEN, SAYS, WE DON'T ALLOW AUDITIONS. IT'S OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT AT MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE DO HAVE ADVANCED CHORUSES. AT HIGH SCHOOL, WE DO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC ENSEMBLES AND JAZZ BANDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT. I JUST REMEMBER THAT MOMENT OF, WHAT'S THE POLICY SAY. THE POLICY SAYS NO, THE POLICY'S WRITTEN ON A TYPEWRITER FROM 1994, BUT HERE WE ARE. WHAT THIS NOW SAYS IS BASICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE ABILITY TO ENROLL IN A GENERAL LEVEL MUSIC CLASS, BUT MUSIC OFFERINGS HAVE CHANGED. OUR KIDS HAVE CHANGED, OUR COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED, AND KIDS ARE SPECIALIZING IN FINE ARTS ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT'S MUSIC, WHETHER IT'S DRAMA, KIDS ARE SPECIALIZING IN FINE ARTS. WE WANT TO HAVE THAT ABILITY TO HAVE THESE ADVANCED ENSEMBLES THAT MAY REQUIRE AN AUDITION. WE DON'T WANT TO PRECLUDE THAT FOR KIDS WHO ARE SPECIALIZING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE MUST BE A BASELINE THAT FOR GENERAL MUSIC, IT IS A FINE ART CREDIT THAT IS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION. YOU CAN AUDITION FOR THAT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE THIS BASELINE FOR THAT. BUT THEN AS YOU CAN SEE IN 3(A)2, BEYOND THE GENERAL LEVEL CLASSES, SPECIALTY ENSEMBLES OR ADVANCED OFFERINGS MAY BE PART OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM. AGAIN, THIS IS OUR CURRENT PRACTICE. THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR MUSIC CLASSES IN THESE ADVANCED ENSEMBLES. IT MAY NOT BE CALLED AN AUDITION, BUT THE KIDS ENROLLING IN THE CLASS HAVE THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF MUSICAL ABILITY. ALSO AUDITIONS ARE PERMITTED FOR EXTRA CURRICULAR. THE ONE THING THAT IT DOES CONTINUE ON THAT IS IN THE POLICY IS NO AUDITIONS WILL EVER BE REQUIRED FOR ELEMENTARY LEVEL GROUPS OR ENSEMBLES. THAT IS REALLY WHEN THE DISCOVERY IS TAKING PLACE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SPECIALIZATION, THE ADVANCED, WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SECONDARY STUDENTS. WE WANT KIDS IN THE ELEMENTARY LEVELS TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE, AND TO TEST, AND TO TRY SO THAT THEY KNOW, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER, DO THEY HAVE THAT MINDSET. IS THAT SOMETHING THEY WANT TO GO DOWN? IT HAS TO BE A SANDBOX AT SOME POINT AND THERE ALSO CAN'T BE THE PRECLUSION TO THE FINE ARTS CREDIT. AGAIN, THAT IS IN THE CURRENT POLICY. THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE THAT IS HERE IS UNDER USE OF SCHOOL MUSIC GROUPS FOR PUBLIC APPEARANCES. THE POLICY AS WRITTEN, [00:35:01] SAID THAT IF THE MUSIC GROUP WAS INVITED TO AN OUT-OF-COUNTY [INAUDIBLE] THE EVENT HAD TO PAY FOR THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE GROUP TO GO. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HAPPENING. IN MANY CASES, WE'RE THE ONES SAYING, THERE'S AN OUT-OF-COUNTY EVENT THAT WE'D LIKE TO GO TO. IT JUST SAYS THAT WHEN YOU'RE ACCEPTING AN INVITATION TO AN OUT-OF-COUNTY EVENT, YOU'RE GOING TO CONSIDER TRANSPORTATION AS PART OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU DO AND THAT YOU MAY ASK THE SPONSORING EVENT TO HELP YOU OUT WITH THAT. UNDER FINANCING IN SECTION C, THIS IS SIMPLY UNDER OUR FUND RAISING POLICY, THAT THIS IS ALL PART OF SCHOOL FUNDS, AND WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW OUR FUND RAISING POLICY, AND STUDENT REHEARSALS REMAINS THE SAME AS WHAT'S IN THE CURRENT POLICY. JUST A FEW UPDATES BRINGING IT FROM 1994-2025, BECAUSE OUR OFFERINGS HAVE CHANGED, LIKE I SAID, KIDS ARE SPECIALIZING IN THE ARTS, OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS ARE EXPANDING, OUR ENROLLMENTS ARE EXPANDING. OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR MUSIC PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTY. JUST A LITTLE REFRESH TO THIS POLICY TO REFLECT CURRENT PRACTICE. DR. DOWNS, HOW DID I DO? >> HERE [INAUDIBLE] >> THE SELECTION OF THE TEXTBOOKS. >> THAT'S THE NEXT ONE. >> WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ONE YET? >> WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ONE. >> SORRY. >> THIS IS JUST MUSIC RIGHT NOW. [LAUGHTER] >> YOU GET IT IN YOUR HEAD. [LAUGHTER] [BACKGROUND] >> YES. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> WE CAN WE CAN DELETE THAT LINE. >> THANK YOU. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THIS POLICY WITH B3 BEING DELETED? >> [INAUDIBLE] >> I'M SORRY. >> WELL, IT'S YOUR DECISION. IF YOU DETERMINE THAT THE CHANGES DO NOT MATERIALLY CHANGE, YOU CAN, BUT IT IS YOUR DECISION ON THAT ONE. >> I DID READ. WE'LL ACCEPT THIS AS A FIRST READING AND COME BACK TO IT. >> WHAT WE'LL DO THEN IS WE'LL PUT IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE INTERIM. >> THANK YOU. >> I TRY NOT TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR YOU. I TRY TO TELL YOU THAT'S YOUR OPTIONS. SAME THING WITH THE NEXT ONE. THE NEXT ONE IS 22120, SELECTION OF TEXTBOOKS/TECH BOOKS. THIS WAS A POLICY THAT WAS ENTITLED THE SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, AND IT TALKED ABOUT THE PROCESS TO GO THROUGH TO APPROVE ANY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL FOR WHICH THERE WERE 10 OR MORE COPIES IN THE DISTRICT. TEN OR MORE COPIES IN THE DISTRICT IS NOT A VERY LARGE QUANTITY. THE REALITY OF IT AS WELL IS MOST OF THAT IS HAPPENING WITH NOVEL SELECTION THROUGH ENGLISH CURRICULUM, ELA CURRICULUM. WHEN EITHER MS. ALLIS FISHER, MS. HASSAN ARE BRINGING YOU CURRICULUM, THE NOVELS EMBEDDED IN THAT CURRICULUM THAT ARE ALL PART OF THE PURCHASE, THAT ARE ALL PART OF THE PACKAGE ARE THERE AS WELL FOR APPROVAL WITH THE CURRICULUM. REALLY, THIS POLICY DOES CHANGE TO FOCUS ON TEXTBOOKS AND TECH BOOKS AND A TECH BOOK BEING DEFINED AS THE DIGITAL BOOK BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO A LOT OF THOSE RESOURCES INSTEAD OF A PAPER TEXTBOOK. IT DOES TALK ABOUT COMMITTEES FOR SELECTION, THAT THERE WILL BE PARENTS REPRESENTING EACH SCHOOL, WHICH I KNOW HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT CHARGE FROM THIS BOARD AS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH. A MATERIALS OF INSTRUCTION EVALUATION FORM WILL BE COMPLETED, AND YOU GUYS HAVE SEEN THAT WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN THINGS BROUGHT TO YOU THAT FOLKS FILL IT OUT AND CHECK IT OUT. FINAL SELECTIONS MADE AND ON THE 15 SCHOOL WORK DAYS FOR A PERIOD OF THREE WEEKS, AND THEN THE FACT THAT IT HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO THIS BOARD FOR FINAL ADOPTION. PAGE 2 TALKS ABOUT RECONSIDERATION REQUESTS. THIS IS IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND SAYS, YOU'VE GOT THIS BOOK AND I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT. [00:40:02] THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR PROCESS FOR WHAT THAT RECONSIDERATION LOOKS LIKE. AGAIN, THE PERSON WOULD MAKE THEIR COMPLAINT, A DISCUSSION WILL BE HAD. IF THE MATTER IS NOT RESOLVED, THERE'S A FORM THEY CAN FILL OUT, THERE'S THE COMMITTEE OF THE PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS AND THAT CAN GO THROUGH AND THEN THE APPEALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS IS TO BRING THIS POLICY IN LINE WITH [INAUDIBLE] 13(A)654, WHICH IS, REMIND ME OF THE NAME OF THE LAW, THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. IF YOU THINK ABOUT JUST GENERAL PRACTICE, WE HAD A POLICY ON INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. WE USED THAT POLICY TO APPROVE TEXTBOOKS. NOW WE HAVE A POLICY ON APPROVAL OF TEXTBOOKS BECAUSE OUR NOVELS AND THINGS ARE NOT ONE-OFF PURCHASES ANYMORE. THEY'RE EMBEDDED IN A CURRICULUM THAT YOU ALREADY APPROVED. >> THIS WILL BE UP TO THE BOARD, I GUESS, BUT WHEN WE NOTIFY AFTER THE SELECTION IS MADE OF THE BOOK, WE'RE GOING TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC 15 DAYS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO COME AND LOOK AT IT. COULD WE HAVE IN THE POLICY THAT A COPY OF THE BOOK WILL BE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE AND THE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD BE NOTIFIED IF THEY WANTED TO COME LOOK AT THAT FOR THAT 15-DAY PERIOD, THE SAME AS JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE SHOW UP AND WE DON'T REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A BOOK TO APPROVE AND IT WOULD JUST BE NICE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF NOTICE TO THAT. >> WHAT WE DO IS PRACTICE NOW. THE INSTRUCTIONAL EDITION WORKS WITH SANDY. WE PUT OUT A NEWS RELEASE THAT SAYS THE FOLLOWING BOOK IS UP FOR CONSIDERATION. IT WILL BE ON DISPLAY IN THE FRONT OFFICE FROM THIS PERIOD TO THIS PERIOD. THEN WE ALSO LINK A GOOGLE FORM SO THAT FOLKS CAN THEN GIVE US THE FEEDBACK ELECTRONICALLY AND CAPTURE IT THAT WAY. THAT CAN CERTAINLY BE PART OF THIS. I THINK GETTING INTO THAT GRANULAR LEVEL WOULD ALMOST BE LIKE REGULATION LANGUAGE OR JUST OPERATING PROCEDURE LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, BUT YEAH, THAT'S HOW WE NOTIFY THE PUBLIC, THERE'S A BOOK HERE. >> I REALIZE THE PUBLIC IS ALREADY BEING NOTIFIED OF IT AND AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE PART OF THE PUBLIC. I DO FEEL LIKE I CAME IN HERE PERSONALLY AND I'VE GOTTEN A BOOK SET UP HERE THAT'S THIS THICK TO APPROVE THE NIGHT OF THE MEETING AND NOT THAT I WOULD COME IN AND LOOK AT IT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT IF I WANTED TO COME IN AND LOOK AT THE BOOK, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE 15 DAYS. IT'S JUST THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN THIS SITUATION. WE'RE THE FIVE HERE MAKING THE DECISION. >> I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION. >> THAT'S FINE. >> I THOUGHT YOU'RE SAYING, HOW DO PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S HERE. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING. >> NO. I JUST MEANT AS FAR AS THE BOARD MEMBERS, IT WOULD BE NICE [INAUDIBLE] SOMETHING THERE. >> JUST FILLING IT OUT. MR. JONES, SOMETHING WE COULD ADD INTO THE BOARD PROCEDURES IN BOARD HANDBOOK, WHENEVER WE'RE CONSIDERING NEW TEXTBOOKS THAT SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE WILL NOTIFY THE BOARD MEMBERS 15 DAYS IN ADVANCE. IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME IN AND SCREEN A COPY AS WELL, BUT WE COULD DEFINITELY ADD THAT INTO THE BOARD HANDBOOK OF PROCEDURES. ABSOLUTELY. >> I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD AS WELL. >> I HAD A QUESTION AS WELL AND IF I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU, JUST CORRECT ME. YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS POLICY THAT WAS SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL, SO THIS IS SPECIFIC TO TEXTBOOKS AND TECH BOOKS. IS THERE ANOTHER POLICY THAT HAS TO LIVE SOMEWHERE THAT TALKS ABOUT OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL OR ARE WE JUST FOCUSED ON TEXTBOOKS AND TECH BOOKS? >> WHAT THE OTHER ONE DID WAS ANYTHING THAT WAS 10 OR MORE COPIES HAD TO COME TO YOU GUYS. >> IMPLIED TECH. >> YES. IMPLIED. >> THANK YOU. >> I THINK THERE WAS A TIME, THIS WAS WRITTEN IN 1989, THAT YOU WOULD SAY, I NEED TO BRING TO THE BOARD THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUY BEOWULF SO THAT WE CAN TEACH BEOWULF IN 12TH GRADE ENGLISH. I THINK WHAT PRACTICE AND WHERE THE WORLD IS IS NOW WE BRING TO THE BOARD, THIS IS OUR 12TH GRADE CURRICULUM AND WITHIN IT, ARE THE FOLLOWING NOVELS, AND YOU APPROVE THEM AS PART OF THE CURRICULAR PACKAGE BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE BUYING THE CURRICULUM, WE'RE BUYING THE NOVELS TOO AND IT'S NOT THE ONE-OFF PIECE. >> SEPARATE FROM APPROVAL OF CURRICULUM. >> RIGHT. >> THANK YOU. >> JUST TO YOUR POINT, WE DO HAVE A SEPARATE POLICY FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MEDIA MATERIALS. [00:45:03] THESE ARE OUR BOOKS AT OUR MEDIA CENTERS. THAT ALSO, ACTUALLY, THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN ALREADY MET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT. >> I'M ASSUMING THAT THE MEDIA ONE WASN'T WRITTEN IN [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] >> IT WAS NOT. >> IT WAS AROUND 2007, '08. >> YEAH. >> THANK YOU. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THE SAME. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> THANK YOU. >> ONE THING I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE, WHAT WAS IT, LAST YEAR, THE YEAR BEFORE, I DON'T KNOW HOW I GOT CHOSEN, BUT THEY INTRODUCED A BOOK BY [INAUDIBLE] AND ALEXANDER, AND THEY HAD ME AS A PARENT JUST READ THROUGH THAT BOOK, WHICH WAS AMAZING. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT PROCESS HAPPENED WHERE YOU GOT TO SELECT DIFFERENT PARENTS TO DO IT TOO. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS PART OF THE CAC OR WHATNOT, BUT THAT WAS A GOOD WAY TO GET THE PUBLIC INVOLVED, TOO. >> I KNOW WHEN I WAS AN INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISOR AND I HAD SOME BOOKS THAT CAME BEFORE THIS BOARD FOR TEXTBOOK ADOPTION, WHAT I WOULD DO, IF WE WERE PICKING A NEW US HISTORY BOOK, I'D CONTACT BOTH PRINCIPALS AND SAY, WHO ARE SOME PARENTS OF KIDS THAT ARE IN US HISTORY RIGHT NOW THAT IT'S TIMELY. MY CHILD IS IN US HISTORY. HEY, DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW BOOK RATHER THAN, MY CHILD TOOK US HISTORY TWO YEARS AGO, AND THE PRINCIPALS WOULD MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHO WAS RELEVANT IN THAT PROCESS SO THAT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS, LIKE I SAID, THEY HAD SOME CONTEXT AS WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT. THAT MAY HAVE BEEN HOW IT WAS, BUT I ALWAYS LEAN ON PRINCIPLES FOR THAT. >> THAT WAS GOOD. I ENJOYED THAT BOOK. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> IT WAS. I LOVE THE WRITING, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, IF I'M CORRECT, THIS CAN BE A FIRST READ WHERE WE PUT MORE TIME IN READING THE POLICY PRIOR TO VOTING, OR IF EVERYONE IS IN AGREEMENT WITH IT AS PRESENTED, WE CAN VOTE ON IT TONIGHT. >> CAN WE DO THIS ON THE [INAUDIBLE] >> WE CAN DO THE SAME THING. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION. >> WE'LL PUT THIS OUT AND THERE BEING A FULL MONTH BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND MARCH AS OPPOSED TO TWO WEEKS BETWEEN JANUARY FEBRUARY. [LAUGHTER] WE'LL BRING THIS BACK IN MARCH FOR YOUR SECOND READ AND ANY INPUT THAT WE GET. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> NEXT, WE WILL HAVE OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR. >> YES. MISS. WAYMAN, I'M GOING TO ASK THE BOARD IF WE CAN TO MOVE THE CALENDAR APPROVAL POSTPONE IT UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING. WE HAD AN ERROR BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING STARTED IN ONE OF THE DRAFT CALENDARS THAT WENT OUT FOR SURVEY FEEDBACK. WE APOLOGIZE FOR NOT CATCHING IT. LOTS OF EYES, BUT REGARDLESS. WE DIDN'T IN LOTS OF COMMITTEES. BUT EITHER WAY, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP AND SENT OUT APPROPRIATELY TO GET PROPER FEEDBACK. IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE AN IMPACT, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT. WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT WE POSTPONE THE VOTE ON THE CALENDAR UNTIL THE MARCH MEETING. IF THE BOARD IS OKAY WITH THAT, OF COURSE. >> MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, WE WILL NEED TO HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. >> AMENDED THE AGENDA. >> I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DELAY THE CALENDAR UNTIL NEXT MEETING. >> SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE POSTPONE THE VOTE TONIGHT ON OUR CALENDAR, AND WE WILL HAVE IT BROUGHT BACK AT OUR MARCH BOARD MEETING FOR APPROVAL. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSE. AYES HAVE IT. MOTION CARRY. >> SHOULD HAVE STOOD THERE. [LAUGHTER] >> SURE. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. [INAUDIBLE] GOING HOME. THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT JOB YOU BOTH DID. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT MONTH. [5. Reports and Presentations] >> IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE A SYNOPSIS OF OUR RECRUITING CALENDAR FOR THIS YEAR. WE DO BRING THIS TO YOU FOR INFORMATION EACH YEAR. I WOULD TELL YOU THAT RECRUITING SEASON KICKED OFF TODAY AT WASHINGTON COLLEGE, [00:50:02] EXCEPT AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE CALENDAR, THERE WERE FOUR EVENTS BEFORE TODAY THAT TOOK PLACE THIS FALL. THESE ARE COLLEGES THAT WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OR THAT ARE LOCAL OR THAT WE'RE HAVING EVENTS THAT WE HAD NEVER ATTENDED BEFORE. WE DID SOME FALL RECRUITING AND SOME OF THAT WAS JUST LAYING GROUNDWORK. YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE COLLEGES HAVE A SUBSEQUENT EVENT IN THE SPRING, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK. BUT HANNAH BREWSTER IN OUR OFFICE, WHO IS OUR RECRUITMENT SPECIALIST, WAS ABLE TO GET SOME OF THESE ON THE CALENDAR EARLY, AND GO OUT AND PUT OUR NAME OUT THERE. I WOULD JUST SAY FOR THE FEBRUARY 4, WASHINGTON COLLEGE, BEING AN ALMA SUPER PROUD. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE WASHINGTON COLLEGE FOR TWO YEARS, AND JUST TRYING TO LAY THAT GROUNDWORK AND THEY CALLED THIS YEAR AND THEY SAID, WE HAVE THREE SENIOR INTERNS, AND THEY WANT TO STAY ON THE SHORE. ARE YOU OPEN TO COMING UP AND HAVING LUNCH WITH THEM AND MAYBE DOING SOME ONSITE INTERVIEWS? MISS. HASSAN AND MR. MARCHETTO AND I TOOK THE TREK TO CHESTERTOWN TODAY. IT WAS A GREAT DAY. IT WAS A GREAT AFTERNOON OF MEETING WITH THOSE THREE. HOPEFULLY, WE WILL HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WILL JOIN US FROM THAT. JUST VERY PROUD OF THAT, LIKE I SAID, JUST BEEN TRYING TO GET BACK ON THAT CAMPUS AND BACK TO THAT PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT DID ME VERY WELL. IT'S A GREAT QUALITY PROGRAM. YOU'LL SEE THAT LATER THIS WEEK, WE DO HAVE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND NEXT WEEK. THEN WE GO INTO VIRGINIA IN EARNEST WITH LIBERTY AND RADFORD, LIBERTY VIRGINIA SCHOOL, MANY MARYLAND RESIDENTS THAT ATTEND, AND THEY DO THEIR EDUCATION FAIR WITH NEARBY LYNCHBURG COLLEGE. IT'S A [INAUDIBLE]. WE GET TO DO BOTH OF THOSE. THEN RADFORD IS A COLLEGE THAT WE ACTUALLY STUMBLED UPON AT SOMEONE ELSE'S FAIR THAT THEY WERE THERE. THAT IS A SMALLER BUT EDUCATION FOCUSED COLLEGE IN VIRGINIA THAT PRODUCES MANY OF VIRGINIA'S TEACHERS. GOOD. WE'LL SHOW UP THERE TOO. FROSTBURG NEW TO THE CALENDAR. FROSTBURG HASN'T HAD AN EVENT IN THE PAST THAT WE'VE GONE TO, WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND SUPPORT OUR MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SYSTEM. GO UP TO PENNSYLVANIA FOR MILLERSVILLE AND KUTZTOWN. JUST TO NOTE, HANNAH IN OUR OFFICE IS AN ALUM OF KUTZTOWN. YOU CAN SEE THAT WAS ONE OF THE PLACES SHE WENT IN THE FALL, AND SHE ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO GO TO THEIR FAIR, MEET WITH THEIR EDUCATION MAJORS, BUT THEN ALSO WAS INVITED INTO ONE OF THEIR HR CLASSES TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS, AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET BACK TO HER SCHOOL, AND THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE. GEORGE MASON, ANOTHER VIRGINIA SCHOOL, MANY MARYLAND ENROLLEES. PERK IS THE BIG JOB FAIR IN PITTSBURGH THAT WE GO TO EACH YEAR, MANY COLLEGES. WEST VIRGINIA STATE COLLEGE THAT THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME WE'VE GONE, HBCU IN WEST VIRGINIA. PROXIMITY IS GOOD TO MARYLAND, AND OUR PAY BEATS THEIRS HANDILY. WE GO AND WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS THERE. COMMONWEALTH IN PENNSYLVANIA, TWO NORTH CAROLINA COLLEGES, WENT THERE LAST YEAR, BOTH TO EAST CAROLINA AND APPALACHIAN STATE, AND WE'LL BE TAKING THAT TRIP. KEAN AND RIDER ARE SMALLER COLLEGES. I BELIEVE KEAN IS IN PENNSYLVANIA, RIDER IS IN NEW JERSEY THAT ARE NEW. WE'RE GOING TO TRY OUT. THEY HAVE A GOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM, THEY'RE LOCAL, SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY THOSE OUT, AND THEN IUP. SALISBURY UNIVERSITY, DATE NOT ANNOUNCED. YES, IT IS. IT IS MARCH 29. WE GOT THAT REGISTERED TODAY. WE ALSO REGISTERED TODAY FOR EAST STROUDSBURG, WHICH WILL BE ON APRIL 1. WE'RE GOING TO TRY SOMETHING REALLY NEW THIS YEAR, AND THAT IS WE'RE GOING TO GO TO TOWSON. BUT TOWSON IS HOSTING AN EVENT CENTERED AROUND SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS ONLY, AND WE'RE GOING TO PAY THE MONEY AND WE'RE GOING TO GO. THAT IS ON MARCH 7. WE WANT TO GET IN PERSON SLPS BACK INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. BETWEEN MISS. MCDONALD IN SPECIAL ED AND OUR OFFICE, WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT WHERE WE CAN GOO. I'LL BE VERY HONEST, THERE ARE SOME NATIONAL SLP CONFERENCES THAT IT'S LIKE, YOU WANT TO EXHIBIT $3,000. WELL, WE'RE NOT QUITE GOING THERE, BUT TOWSON WAS REASONABLE AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY IT OUT. WE DO EMPLOY SLPS. WE WILL ALSO EMPLOY WHAT IS CALLED A CLINICAL FELLOW. THAT IS SOMEONE THAT IS PURSUING THEIR SLP AND IS IN [00:55:01] THEIR LAST YEAR WHERE THEY NEED TO BE SUPERVISED AND GET HOURS. WE WILL BRING THEM ON AND WE WILL DO THEIR SUPERVISION FOR THEM. THAT HAS WORKED REALLY WELL WITH OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. WE'VE HIRED THEM AS INTERNS AND BROUGHT THEM ON, SO THE SAME PRACTICE WITH SLPS. WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TRY THAT AND THAT IS NEW THIS YEAR. THIS CONTINUES TO CHANGE. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS YEAR, SOME OF THEM ARE RELEASING DATES A LITTLE LATE. USUALLY BY THIS POINT, I'VE GOT A FULL SCHEDULE. BUT WE DO HAVE SOME MORE THAT WILL PROBABLY BE ADDED TO THIS AS WE GO. WE HAVE TEAMS OF RECRUITERS WE'VE PUT OUT, FOR INTEREST WE'VE TRIED TO AGAIN DIVERSIFY AND REALLY INCLUDE OUR STAFF AND ENGAGE OUR STAFF IN DOING THAT. AGAIN, OUR FOCUS IS ON EDUCATIONAL FAIRS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE CAREER FAIRS, WE'RE GOING TO EDUCATIONAL FAIRS. WHAT THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE IS THE ONE OFFS WHERE WE FIND OUT ON THE LEAD THAT WE CAN GO UP AND DO SOME ON SITE INTERVIEWS, AND WE'LL DO THAT AS WELL. ANY QUESTIONS. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I HAVE A SUGGESTION. >> YES, MA'AM. >> BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE HBCU REPRESENTED HERE. MAYBE WE CAN MAKE CONTACT WITH THESE COLLEGES PRIOR TO THE VISIT. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. THERE IS A MARYLAND HBCU FAIR THAT IS 100% VIRTUAL. WE HAVEN'T HAD THE BEST LUCK ON VIRTUAL FAIRS WITH PEOPLE COMING AND KEEPING THEIR TIME SLOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE ALSO MADE A DECISION LAST YEAR TO TAKE HOWARD OUT OF THE ROTATION. HOWARD LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, WAS CHARGING $600, AND PEOPLE WEREN'T VISITING THE FAIR. WE GOT THE INVITATION FROM HOWARD THIS YEAR, $1,200 IS THE FEE THIS YEAR. FOR $1,200, I CAN GO TO ANOTHER STATE AND PAY A HOTEL. I DON'T LIKE IT. WE SHOULD BE GOING TO ALL THE HBCUS RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD AND TRYING TO LIAISE WITH THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH OUR ONE OFFS AND TRYING TO CONTACT THE COLLEGES, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, GET ON CAMPUS, EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A FAIR OR A FAIR THAT'S WELL ATTENDED SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. YOU DON'T SEE THAT HERE, BUT THAT IS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING BEHIND THE SCENES. >> IS THAT VIRTUAL FAIR IN THE SPRING? >> I BELIEVE IT IS. >> I KNOW THEY USED TO HAVE ONE. CIVIC CENTER THERE AND THAT COULD BE GONE VIRTUAL NOW. >> I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE FAIRS THAT WENT VIRTUAL AT COVID AND HAVE NEVER COME BACK. WE'VE TRIED, YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO SIGN UP FOR A SLOT, AND SO WE SIT ON ZOOM OR WHATEVER THE PLATFORM IS AND WE MIGHT GET A COUP A COUPLE OF KIDS. WE DID A BUNCH OF THEM YEAR BEFORE LAST. >> I JUST KNOW THAT BLUEPRINT IS PRESSING. >> ABSOLUTELY IT IS. >> WE WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. BOI IS A COLLEGE THAT PUTS IN A LOT OF TEACHERS, AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A BLACKMAIL TEACHER INITIATIVE GOING ON. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING YOU CAN CHECK TOO. >> ANY HBCU IN MARYLAND WE ARE TRYING TO REACH OUT TO AND GET ON THE CAMPUS. >> UMES DOES AS WELL. WE PARTNERED WITH THEM AND THAT CONTINUE THIS SUMMER PARTNERING WITH THEM THROUGH PROGRAM THAT DR. RICHARD WARREN IS DOING. >> UMES IS RESOURCE FAIR. THEY DO THEIRS TOGETHER. THAT'S WHY WHEN I MADE THIS I WAS LIKE, WE DON'T HAVE A DATE YET. I KNOW THEY'RE HAVING IT, BUT THEY HADN'T PUT OUT FOR REGISTRATION. WE LITERALLY GOT REGISTRATION THIS MORNING. IT'S FAXED IN, IT'S PAID WHERE WE'RE READY TO GO. WE'RE JUST WAITING ON THE DATE. >> I WONDER OUR OUTREACH FOR OUR GROW YOUR OWN, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO PUT MORE FOCUS ON. >> WE HAD MORE SUCCESS THROUGH GROW YOUR OWN AND ESPECIALLY GROW YOUR OWN WITH OUR SUPPORT STAFF THAN ANY OTHER INITIATIVE THUS FAR. >> GROW YOUR OWN WITH SUPPORT STAFF WILL POSSIBLY EXPAND AS CONTRACT LANGUAGE CHANGES. WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THAT, AND THAT IS ALSO NOT A FORGOTTEN THING. ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU. LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE PRETTY BUSY. AMONG OTHER THINGS THERE. WE WILL HAVE OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT REPORT. >> CERTAINLY. I WANTED TO BRING THE BOARD AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE IN OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. I GET THIS SLIDES A LITTLE BUSY, BUT I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH IT. I'VE SHARED WITH THE BOARD IN PREVIOUS MONTHS WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE. [01:00:05] WHAT ARE THE BIG ROCKS WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON, THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT? I THOUGHT IT'D BE IMPORTANT THIS MONTH BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE HEAT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND BUDGET. OUR REVENUE NUMBER IS SOLELY DICTATED BY THE DECISIONS THAT WILL BE MADE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS IN ANNAPOLIS. THE MOST RECENT BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT BY OUR GOVERNOR SPEAKS OF A REDUCTION TO SOMETHING CALLED COLLABORATIVE TIME, AND I GET THIS IS A BUSY SLIDE. BUT WHAT THIS SHOWS IS WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON CAROLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, IF THE GOVERNOR WERE TO PAUSE COLLABORATIVE PLANNING TIME. ON THE TOP BOX, THAT IS THE FOUNDATION AMOUNT. UNDER THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION IS THE AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD BE SET TO RECEIVE UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S BILL AND BUDGET EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION. THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN IS THE CURRENT BLUEPRINT ALLOCATION THAT THE PROMISE OF BLUEPRINT WAS FULFILLED, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE RECEIVING FROM THAT CATEGORY. IF THE GOVERNOR REDUCES THE FOUNDATION, WHICH IS THE REDUCTION IN COLLABORATIVE PLANNING TIME OF $163, WHAT DOES THAT DO TO US OVER TIME? IN OUR FIRST YEAR, YOU CAN SEE IN THE TOP COLUMN FOR FOUNDATION, THAT IS OUR REDUCTION, AND FROM THIS DISTANCE, I'M NOT QUITE CATCHING ALL THE NUMBERS, BUT IT JUST SHY OF $900,000. THANK YOU. JUST SHY OF 900,000. IN THE COLUMN BELOW THAT IS COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. AGAIN, WITHOUT GETTING LOST IN THE SAUCE, SOME PEOPLE GET REALLY EXCITED OVER THE BUDGET FORMULAS. I'M ONE OF THOSE MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT, AND I'LL BE THE FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT COMPENSATORY EDUCATION IS IT'S FREE REDUCED MEALS, NUMBER OF KIDS YOU HAVE IN POVERTY. THAT NUMBER IS DERIVED BY A PERCENTAGE OF THE FOUNDATION. IF YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE FOUNDATION, YOUR PERCENTAGE OF THE FOUNDATION IS THEREFORE SMALLER. IF YOU REDUCE THE FOUNDATION, YOU REDUCE THE AMOUNT YOU GET FOR FREE REDUCED MEALS KITS. THIS YEAR WITH WHAT HE HAS PROPOSED, IT'S AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION OF ANOTHER $500,000. >> WITH THAT UNDER MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, IT IS JUST THE SAME THING. IT IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE FOUNDATION. ANY REDUCTION TO THE FOUNDATION REDUCES THE MONEY WE SHOULD GET FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS. WE ARE A DISTRICT WITH 575 MULTILINGUAL EARNERS. IT'S A LARGE SUBSET OF OUR POPULATION. HIS REDUCTION THERE WHILE ONLY IN ONE YEAR IS $91,000, BUT WHEN YOU COUPLE THOSE FOUR REDUCTIONS TOGETHER, YOU'RE TALKING ALMOST 1.5 MILLION DOLLAR. WHAT HE'S RECOMMENDED IS A PAUSE ON COLLABORATIVE PLANNING TIME FOR FOUR YEARS AND THEN STARTING IT BACK UP. WHAT IS THE CUMULATIVE COST OF THAT OVER THE REMAINING EIGHT YEARS OF THE BLUEPRINT? THE CUMULATIVE COST FOR CAROLINE COUNTY, IF YOU WERE TO ADD ALL OF THESE NUMBERS TOGETHER, THE 25 MILLION IN FOUNDATION WE WOULD LOSE, THE 13.5 MILLION IN COMP ED, WE WOULD LOSE, AND THE 2.4 MILLION IN EL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN OVERALL IMPACT ON CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF A REDUCTION IN FUNDING OF OVER $41 MILLION OVER AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD. WHILE THIS YEAR'S $163 PER STUDENT MAY SEEM VERY SMALL, AND I MEAN, IT IS THE GRAND SCHEME UNDER JUST FOUNDATION. BUT WHEN YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT OUT WITH WHAT THE INCREASES WERE SET TO BE IN BLUEPRINT VERSUS THE INCREASES THAT THE GOVERNOR IS LOOKING TO SLOW DOWN AND PUT IN PLACE, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. THAT DOES CHANGE THE BLUEPRINT FROM BEING SOMETHING TO BRING ABOUT A WORLD CLASS SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN REINVENTING THINGS AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX TO HERE'S A WHOLE LOT LESS MONEY, HAVE FUN INSIDE YOUR BOX. IT DOES UNDERCUT. I KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE LOTS OF CONVERSATION IN ANNAPOLIS. THERE ALREADY HAS BEEN OVER THE BUDGET. I DON'T WANT TO SPREAD FEAR AND PANIC FOR ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING AT HOME. I'M IN THE MIDST OF DOING MY CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF. CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS GOING TO BE OKAY IN FY 26. WE WOULD BE A LOT BETTER OKAY IF THE PROMISE OF BLUEPRINT WAS THERE AND THE REDUCTION WASN'T THERE. THE REDUCTION THAT IS PROPOSED, IS MONEY THAT IS IN THE SET ASIDE EDUCATION TRUST. IF IT IS BEING REDUCED, IT EITHER HAS TO BE HELD IN THAT FUND FOR LATER OR IT CAN ONLY BE USED ON PUBLIC ED. IF WE'RE BEING REDUCED, IT CANNOT HELP THE FY 26 BUDGET $2.7 BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT FOR THE STATE. THOSE TWO STREAMS CAN'T BLEND. [01:05:02] YOU CAN'T TAKE FROM ONE TO REDUCE THE DEBT ELSEWHERE. YES, IT CAN EXTEND THE MONEY FOR BLUEPRINT. I GET THAT. BUT I THINK THERE IS A MISPERCEPTION BY SOME. BY THE WAY, IT'S BEEN COMMUNICATED IN THE MEDIA AT TIMES, THAT IF WE REDUCE THE COST OF BLUEPRINT THIS YEAR, WE CAN MAKE IT EASIER ON THE BUDGET. YOU CAN'T. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. THE MATH DOESN'T MATH. BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE BOARD AND FOR US AS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I'M SURE MABE IS GOING TO BE ENGAGED. I KNOW MABE IS GOING TO BE ENGAGED. [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE ENGAGED. MSEA HAS ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED, OUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. IT'S A HUGE NUMBER, IT'S HUGE IMPACT FOR US LONG TERM. BLUEPRINT, WHILE WE TALK ABOUT IT AS A PROGRAM AS SOMETHING EXTRA, IT'S NOT. REALLY, THIS IS WHAT THE FUNDING FORMULA FOR THE WAY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FUNDED IN MARYLAND WILL BE FUNDED. WHEN YOU CHANGE THE FORMULA, YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THE BLUEPRINT. WHAT YOU'RE CHANGING IS, YOU'RE CHANGING THE WAY SCHOOLS ARE FUNDED IN MARYLAND. I THINK THAT ALSO GETS LOST AT TIMES. THE BLUEPRINT IS NOT SOMETHING EXTRA. IT GOT SOLD THAT WAY, BUT IT'S NOT. IT IS THE THING NOW. IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN THE THORNTON COMMISSION BEFORE. IT'S THE WAY THINGS GET DONE. I JUST WANT TO RAISE CAUTION TO FOLKS. NOT ONLY TO US, BUT OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING FROM HOME AND ARE ENGAGED. A REDUCTION IN FOUNDATION HITS US EVERYWHERE. THAT IS THE TOUGH PART. AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE OKAY. BUT WHEN WE GET TO THE OUT YEARS, IT'S TOO FAR AWAY TO KNOW IF WE WILL BE. HOWEVER, AN IMPACT OF ABOUT 41 MILLION LESS DOLLARS OVER EIGHT YEARS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT AT SOME POINT. IT'S GOING TO CATCH UP WITH US. I HOPE TO STILL BE HERE WHEN IT CATCHES UP WITH US, BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT AND NOT HAVE TO HAVE IT CATCH UP WITH US. BUT SOMETIMES SHORT TERM FIXES CAUSE REALLY BAD PROBLEMS LATER ON, SO I JUST HOPE WE KEEP THAT IN MIND AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO HOPEFULLY EDUCATE FOLKS ON WHAT THE IMPACT. WE'RE ONE SMALL COUNTY IN THE STATE. LARGER DISTRICTS WILL SEE BIGGER PAIN POINTS. ONE CLARIFIER, JUST SO THE BOARD IS AWARE IF THE IF ANYBODY ASKS, THE DATA THAT IS IN THIS, THE ASSUMPTION I HAD TO MAKE WAS THAT OUR ENROLLMENT WOULD BE THE SAME. THAT'S WHAT THE LOSS IS. IF WE HAVE NO MORE KIDS, WE DON'T LOSE ANYMORE, BUT WE DON'T GAIN ANYMORE OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS. >> BUT WE'RE GOING TO.[LAUGHTER] >> ONE THING CAROLINE COUNTY HAS BEEN DOING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. [OVERLAPPING] DAD AND KIDS. WHICH IS WONDERFUL. >> WE WANT TO. YES. IT JUST THAT'S A TOUGH POINT. IT'S A CHALLENGE. THAT WILL REPRESENT ITSELF. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE, AS OUR BOARD IS AWARE, AND FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, THE REVENUE NUMBERS AND DECISIONS GET MADE AT THE STATE HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON WHAT WE CAN DO BUDGET WISE. WE WILL BE WATCHING, WE WILL BE ENGAGED. ALL OF US WILL BE IN ANNAPOLIS AND HOPEFULLY BEFORE THE LAST DAY OF SESSION. WE KNOW WHERE OUR NUMBER WILL FALL, IF NOT, WE WILL KNOW IT BY MID APRIL, AND WE WILL WORK TO MAKE EVERYTHING WORK OUT. BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I SHARED THAT EVERYBODY TONIGHT AS WE ARE TRYING TO ALL FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT CHALLENGE COULD BE. >> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT DR. SIMMONS, AND IT'S TOO BAD THAT WE RECEIVED THIS PROMISE AND THE HOPES AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THE OTHER AND THEN BOOM, IT GETS TAKEN AWAY. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE TAKEN, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS. I WOULDN'T PUT A BET ANYWHERE ELSE. AT LEAST WE HAVE A PLAN. >> YES. >> WE WILL HAVE SCHOOL. >> THAT WE WILL. >> WE WILL HAVE SCHOOL. MS. HIGNETT, IF YOU'LL BRING US, PLEASE OUR FINANCE REPORT. >> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'VE COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE JANUARY 31, 2025 FINANCE REPORT. IT'S NOT MANY CHANGES SINCE I REPORTED LAST MONTH. AS I STATED THEN, MOST OF OUR OVERAGES THIS FAR IN THE YEAR ARE RELATED TO SALARIES AND WAGES AND CONTRACTED SERVICES, AND THERE'S NO CALLS FOR CONCERN. IF WE GO DOWN TO THE NEXT PAGE, THERE'S ONE AREA I DID WANT TO POINT OUT. THE IS NEW. UNDER OPERATION OF PLANT EQUIPMENT, [01:10:01] YOU'LL SEE THAT IT SAYS WE HAVE SPENT AND ENCUMBERED 168.94%. THAT IS RELATED TO THE APPROVED FUND BALANCE PURCHASES THAT WE ADDRESSED AT LAST MONTH'S BOARD MEETING. YOU'LL SEE THERE'S $22,938 WORTH OF ENCUMBRANCES. THOSE ARE POS RELATED TO THOSE PURCHASES. AS WE PROCESS PAYMENTS AND PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THE PURCHASES THAT WERE APPROVED LAST MONTH, IT MAY APPEAR THAT THERE ARE OVERAGES IN LINE ITEMS, BUT THEY ARE BEING COVERED BY FUND BALANCE. THERE'S NOT ANY AREA FOR CONCERN THERE EITHER. THEN IF WE GO DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE REPORT, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE SPENT OR ENCUMBERED 79.54% OF OUR BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR. WE ARE NOW SEVEN MONTHS THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, AND WE'RE ON TRACK WITH WHERE SPENDING HAS BEEN IN PAST YEARS. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL TAKE THEM. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT. >> THANK YOU. >> IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT WE'RE IN OKAY SHAPE. ARE THERE ANY LEGISLATIVE UPDATES? >> WE HAVE A FEW. >> YEAH. >> MR. JONES, MR. PLUTACK, OBVIOUSLY, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AS WELL. THEY BOTH SERVE ON THE MABE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE. I KNOW A COUPLE OF THE BILLS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND DID LAST MONTH WHEN MR. HOWE GAVE US THE UPDATE ON OUR YONDER POUCHES AND HOW THAT WAS GOING. THERE ARE MULTIPLE CELL PHONE BILLS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THEY RANGE FROM BILLS THAT ARE TARGETED TO JUST SPECIFIC COUNTIES TO PILOT THINGS TO REQUIRING BOARDS TO HAVE POLICIES ON CELL PHONES TO ALL OUT BANS ON CELL PHONES. THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. WHEN YOU SEE THIS MANY BILLS, THERE'S LIKELY TO BE SOMETHING COMING OUT. WE'LL SEE WHICH BILL ACTUALLY DOES. RIGHT NOW, MSDE HAS A CELL PHONE TASK FORCE THAT'S LOOKING AT PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND GUIDELINES TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SCHOOL BOARDS FOR ANY POLICY WORK. I AM SERVING ON THAT WITH A COUPLE OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS AND SOME TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE AND SOME PARENTS. EVEN MSDE IS IN AS THEY'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THINGS. AT LEAST TALKING WITH MR. JONES, MABE IS TAKING A STANCE ON THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU OR TROY WANT TO SHARE WHAT MABE IS THINKING ALONG THE CELL PHONE PIECE? >> TROY'S IS ALSO MABE. THEIR THOUGHT ON THIS AND AND I BELIEVE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS THEY'RE GOING TO OPPOSE THE CELL PHONE BILLS. THE REASON THAT THEY'RE GOING TO OPPOSE IT IS THEIR STANCE ON LOCAL CONTROL. THE FACT THAT EACH COUNTY SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN, EACH DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN. NOW, I DON'T KNOW SAY THE BILL THAT CAME OUT WAS A BILL THAT SAID EACH COUNTY SHOULD HAVE A POLICY ON CELL PHONES, WOULD THEY OPPOSE THAT? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE >> I FELT LIKE THEY MIGHT LET THAT ONE IN. >> BUT AS FAR AS JUST THE OVERALL AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS VOTED ON AT THE LAST COMMITTEE MEETING, AND THAT WAS THE OVERALL [OVERLAPPING] >> THE OVERALL FEEL >> THE OVERALL FEEL WAS OPPOSED, ON THAT BASIS BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID, THERE ARE BILLS, TO BASICALLY SAY NO CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL BETWEEN THE BELLS DOWN TO [OVERLAPPING] >> DOWN TO SOME SCHOOLS, SOME CAFETERIA IS WIDE OPEN. >> THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY'S GOT THEIR OWN OPINION ON IT. MY OPINION WOULD BE THE BEST PLACE TO MAKE THE DECISION WOULD BE IN YOUR DISTRICT WHERE YOUR PARENTS HAVE THE OPTION AND TEACHERS HAVE THE OPTION TO AT LEAST VOICE THEIR CONCERNS VERSUS A LEGISLATOR IN ANNAPOLIS TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO. >> IT WAS THE INTERESTING THING TO TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL PIECES. IT'S JUST NEVER SOMETHING IN CAROLINE COUNTY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE DINE SCHOOLS IN A TECH CENTER. WE MAY THINK WE'RE BIG AT TIMES, WE'RE NOT. [01:15:02] I SHARED THIS WITH MS. JOHNSON TODAY WHEN WE'RE VISITING ONE OF THE SCHOOLS. THE SCALE DOESN'T CROSS YOUR MIND UNTIL YOU ENGAGE IN A CONVERSATION WITH A SUPERINTENDENT WHO HAS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CLASSROOMS. BECAUSE IT'S A SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS. I'M TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT YONDR POUCH'S HAVE WORKED FOR US IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND SOMETHING WE COULD AFFORD. THEN IT COMES UP FOR WHAT THEIR COST WOULD BE JUST TO DO CELL PHONE TOWERS, WHICH ARE BASICALLY CALCULATOR POUCHES ON THE WALLS. HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST FOR THEM TO DO IT IN ALL OF THEIRS BECAUSE THEY HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CLASS. THEY HAVE MORE CLASSROOMS THAT WE HAVE CITIZENS IN THE COUNTY. BUT IT'S A ECONOMY OF SCALE. THEN YOU'RE GOING, WOW. TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR LOCAL CONTROL. BECAUSE IT IS SO DIFFERENT. THE SIZE REALLY PLAYS A LOT INTO WHAT DISTRICTS CAN DO AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT. BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE THE SAME THING FROM THE SUPERINTENDENTS GROUP, AS WELL AS SUPPORT FOR KEEPING LOCAL CONTROL BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCES ARE WIDE. IN A DISTRICT LIKE THAT SUPERINTENDENTS, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR ONE SCHOOL TO DO A POUCH TYPE APPROACH. IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR OTHERS TO TRY ANOTHER BECAUSE BASED ON THE COMMUNITY, AND BASED ON WHAT'S WORKING FOR THEM. IT MIGHT BE MORE AFFORDABLE THAT WAY. BUT AGAIN, THAT PERSON SHOULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY IN THEIR DISTRICT, IF THEY'RE BOARD AND THEIR FAMILY SEE THAT WAY TO RUN SEVEN DIFFERENT MODELS OF CELL PHONE PROGRAMS, WHATEVER WORKS FOR THEM. HOPEFULLY, IT LANDS WITH SOME LOCAL CONTROL THOUGHT PROCESS TO IT BECAUSE THE ECONOMY OF SCALE IS REAL. ANOTHER BILL THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR OUR BOARD TO JUST BE AWARE OF THAT'S OUT THERE. I'VE NOT SEEN A CROSS FILE BILL IN THE SENATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. BUT THIS BOARD HAS HEARD FOR THREE YEARS NOW ABOUT THE TIME TO CARE ACT, THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE INSURANCE PROGRAM. WE'VE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM MABE BECAUSE MABE IS PARTNERING WITH MACO TO, IN ESSENCE, BE THE BODY THAT WOULD HANDLE OUR TIME TO CARE EFFORTS IN WORK. THERE'S A BILL OUT THERE TO DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TIME TO CARE, AND THEY ARE WORKING TO POTENTIALLY EXEMPT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES FROM THE TIME TO CARE ACT, PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. CONTINUE YOU KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. I KNOW MABE WILL BE WITH THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND CONSIDER MABE HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE TIME TO CARE WORK. BUT IT IS ONE OF THOSE THAT IT'S A VERY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION FOR THE STATE TO STAND UP, AND IT'S BEEN DELAYED THE LAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE THE COST. THEY'RE LOOKING TO DELAY IT MORE BECAUSE THE COST AND POTENTIALLY THE BILL IS LOOKING TO TRIM SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD COST THEM EXTRA. I'M NOT SURE IF MABE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE YET, BUT IF NOT, I BET THEY WILL. BUT WILL HELP US IN THE OUT YEARS WHEN IT COMES UP. THAT'S A BIG BUDGET ITEM WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. WE CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO WRAP OUR HANDS AROUND JUST HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE TO SET ASIDE, YET. BUT IT WILL BE SOMETHING WE WILL TO WRESTLE WITH IF THEY DON'T SLOW IT DOWN OR FIND A PIVOT. THE LAST TWO BILLS, AND I HIGHLIGHTED THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AND THEY'RE COMBINED, AND IT'S THE GOVERNOR'S BILL, EXCELLENCE AND MARYLAND'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT. IT IS A LARGER EDUCATION BILL. THE SENATE HEARING IS ON NEXT WEEK. THE HOUSE BILL HEARING IS THE END OF FEBRUARY. >> THIS BILL HAS THE COLLABORATIVE TIME PIECE WE TALKED ABOUT, THE DELAYING IT, WHICH HAS A BUDGETARY IMPACT. I'M JUST GOING TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THINGS IN IT BECAUSE IT HAS SOME GOOD THINGS IN IT AS WELL. GOVERNOR MORE'S PUTTING FORTH EFFORTS AROUND TEACHER RECRUITMENT, SO HE'S BUILDING OUT INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT THE STATE IN RECRUITING MORE TEACHERS TO MARYLAND AS WELL AS BUILDING OUT GROW YOUR OWN, WHICH IT STARTED UNDER THE MARYLAND LEADS. IT DID WELL. THEY PILOTED SOMETHING LAST YEAR, SO LOOKING TO EXPAND UPON THE GROW YOUR OWN. WHICH COULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL. THERE IS A NEAT CONCEPT THAT IT DIDN'T PASS LAST YEAR, BUT THE GOVERNOR'S BACKING IT. I'M HOPING IT IS, WHICH IS ALLOWING MARYLAND TO JOIN THE INTERSTATE TEACHER COMPACT, WHICH WOULD MAKE TEACHERS COMING TO MARYLAND, TRANSFERRING IN A WHOLE LOT EASIER ON THEM AND A WHOLE LOT EASIER ON HR. BECAUSE IF THEY'RE LICENSED IN NEIGHBORING STATES, THEY'RE GOING TO WALK RIGHT IN AND BE ABLE TO BE HIRED, WHICH WILL BE WONDERFUL. WITHIN THAT IS A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PROVISION WITHIN HIS BILL AS WELL, A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THINGS THAT WILL BE GREAT FOR US. ONE, IT WOULD ELIMINATE THE 40 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS RULE THAT EXISTS, [01:20:03] AND WOULD SAY THAT ANY DISTRICT THAT HAS AT LEAST TWO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, THERE CAN BE DISTRICT WIDE SUPPORT PROVIDED TO THOSE SCHOOLS. RIGHT NOW, THE THRESHOLD IS 40 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS BEFORE YOU CAN OFFICIALLY DO THAT. WE WILL NEVER BE THERE WITH ONLY NINE. THEY'RE RECOMMENDING CHANGING IT TOO. THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT CHANGING THE GUIDANCE FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TO BE COMPLETELY HOUSED UNDER MSD AND STAFFING THAT UP, WHICH WOULD BE A WELCOME CHANGE RIGHT NOW AND THIS BOARD IS AWARE. WE GET GUIDANCE FROM BOTH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY IMPLEMENTATION BOARD. THIS WOULD BASICALLY PUT THEM UNDER ONE SHOP. THERE'S ONLY ONE SHOP TO HAVE TO REALLY WORK WITH, WHICH WOULD BE HELPFUL. THEN HE'S LOOKING AT EFFORTS AROUND TEACHER RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S A LOT IN THE BILL FOR MSD TO TAKE SOME LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. FOR THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN AROUND SOME OF THESE THINGS MSDE USED TO DO, AND IT'S TRYING TO BRING SOME OF IT BACK AROUND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, THAT MSD THEMSELVES WOULD WORK WITH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE STATE FOR THAT NEXT ROUND OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS. THAT MSD WOULD ALSO TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH IN BUILDING LITERACY AND MATH ACROSS THE STATE, THAT THEY WOULD LOOK TO HAVE REGIONALIZED TEACHER SPECIALISTS THAT WOULD WORK WITHIN COUNTIES. IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE THEY MIGHT GET TEACHERS FROM BECAUSE THAT COULD CREATE SHORTAGES FOR DISTRICTS AND THOSE THINGS. BUT I UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD OUT IN THE FRAMEWORK. THERE IS ALSO WORK IN THERE WITH HIGHER ED TO STRENGTHEN OUR TEACHERS COMING OUT OF COLLEGES, COMING INTO EDUCATION WITH THE REQUISITE SKILLS THAT WE NEED, ESPECIALLY IN THE SCIENCE OF READING, EFFORT AND THOSE THINGS. IT IS A LARGE BILL. THERE ARE THINGS IN THERE THAT COULD BE REALLY POSITIVE. THERE'S THINGS IN THERE. THE BUDGETARY IMPACTS ARE TOUGH. THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN THERE THAT I THINK SOME GOOD QUESTIONS COULD PROBABLY COME FROM HOW ARE BEING PAID PAID FOR. IF THEY'RE GROWING AND ADDING SOME THINGS, WHERE ARE THE FUNDS COMING FROM, WHEN THE STATES LOOKING AT A DEFICIT, AND I KNOW THAT'S SORT OF THE THINGS THAT I'M DIGGING INTO A LITTLE BIT JUST TO SEE WHERE THE FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM TO BE ABLE TO COVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS. IT'S NOT THEY'RE NOT GREAT IDEAS AND GOOD THINGS. IT'S JUST WE'RE ALL IN A BUDGET CRUNCH. HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MATH MATH ON THIS ONE TO MAKE IT WORK, BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT SURE IF MAYES CHIMED IN ON THAT ONE YET ON HIS BILL. >> THERE WERE SOME SPEAKERS AT THE MAY LEGISLATIVE DAY YESTERDAY IN ANNAPOLIS, AND LATER IN THE DAY ONE OF THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY WRITERS WAS THERE TO SPEAK TO THE GROUP AND THEN ENTERTAIN SOME QUESTIONS. THERE WERE COMMENTS FROM A COUPLE OTHER BOARDS ABOUT AS FAR AS THIS IS THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ASPECT, THE SUCCESS THAT THESE BOARDS HAD BEEN SEEING WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND JUST BASICALLY ASKING ASKING OF THE GOVERNOR, IS THERE A WAY TO REWRITE SOME OF THIS SO MAYBE THEY CAN FIND THE MONEY THEY NEED FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT NOT TAKE IT FROM THAT AREA. I'M NOT REALLY BEHIND THE SCENES BECAUSE IT WAS A OPEN MEETING BUT THAT WAS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE GIVEN TO HIS KEY POLICY WRITER, AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD DEFINITELY TAKE THAT BACK FROM THE GOVERNOR, AND THERE WAS A FEW OF THE COMMENTS THAT THAT HE SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S REALLY THOUGHT OF IT THAT WAY OR CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN SOME OF THAT. WHERE THAT GOES, WHO KNOWS, BUT IT'S GOT TO BE ON THE GOVERNOR'S RADAR. IT WAS SOME FIRSTHAND STORIES FROM SOME OF THE DISTRICTS THAT THE SUCCESS THAT THEY WERE HAVING. ONE DISTRICT WAS TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THEIR SCHOOLS THAT WAS IN BASICALLY, ONE OF THE ONE OF THEIR POOREST AREAS WAS A THREE STAR SCHOOL, I BELIEVE, BEFORE IT BECAME A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. >> TWO STAR >> IT WAS A TWO, AND NOW IT'S A FOUR. THEY ALSO HAVE A SCHOOL THAT'S ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST IN THEIR DISTRICT THAT'S ALSO A FOUR STAR SCHOOL. THEY WERE ABLE TO BRING THAT THE IMPOVERISHED AREA AND THE TWO STAR UP TO THE SAME PERFORMANCE, BASICALLY AS THE WEALTHIEST IN[OVERLAPPING] [01:25:02] >> IN RONDO COUNTY? >> IN RONDO COUNTY. LIKE YOU SAY IT WAS A DISTRICT WHERE THERE WAS A PROBABLY A LARGE DIFFERENCE IN WEALTH FROM THE LOWER TO THE HIGHER. >> IT WAS A VERY INTERESTING COMMENT. >> IT WAS INTERESTING COMMENT AND INTERESTING COMMENTS THAT SOME OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MADE. > THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CONCEPT CONNECTS VERY WELL TO A LOT OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO DO. I KNOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE SOME GOOD IMPACTS WITH IT BY NEXT YEAR IN FY 26, ALL NINE OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL QUALIFY. NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL WILL QUALIFY AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL NEXT YEAR. THE GOVERNOR HAS RECOMMENDED A PAUSE ON NEW SCHOOLS AFTER 2026 AND PAUSE ON FUNDING SO THEY CAN RESEARCH TO SEE WILL BE OKAY GETTING IN? WHAT WE'LL WAIT TO SEE IF THOSE INCREASES COULD LOOK LIKE AFTER 26, BUT BY NEXT YEAR, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL QUALIFY. >> WOULD YOU SAY THAT ABOUT, IT GOES ALONG WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO DO. THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS SPEAKING SAID THAT AS FAR AS THE GOVERNORS ENOUGH ACT IS, IT WORKS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND BASICALLY BUILDS THE COMMUNITY TO SEND THAT COMMUNITY BASICALLY INTO THE SCHOOL IS BETTER. WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ACT IS BASICALLY WORKING INSIDE THE SCHOOL TO BUILD UP THE STUDENT AND SEND THAT STUDENT BACK OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. BOTH WITH THE SAME GOAL OF BASICALLY IMPROVING AND GIVING THESE COMMUNITIES A BETTER FUTURE THAN WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. >> IT'S IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING MODEL. THERE'S DEFINITELY THINKING BEHIND IT. TRULY THERE IS A CLEAR PROGRESSION THAT GIVEN TIME AND RESOURCES WILL REALLY COULD TRANSFORM QUITE A BIT. WE'VE GOT ONE COMMUNITY STARTING INTO THE ENOUGH ACT A LITTLE BIT. TOWN OF FITCHBURG WAS GRANTED A TRACK 1 ENOUGH GRANT NOT GETTING LOST IN DETAILS. BASICALLY, THEY'RE IN THE INITIAL PHASES OF THE FITCHBURG GRANT WORK. A BIG PART OF THAT WILL HELP THEM CONNECT WITH WORK THE TOWNS ALREADY STARTED WITH FITCHBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO TO BUILD COMMUNITY AS WELL. WITH THE JUDY CENTER THERE, I THINK YOU CAN REALLY SEE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT HOPEFULLY HELPS FITCHBURG TRANSFORM. THERE'S GOOD ENERGY AROUND IT DOWN THERE, SO. >> IT IS. THEY HAVE A LOT GOING ON IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. >> YES. >> ALL THE TIME, YOU SEE, YOU ADVERTISE, EVEN IN THE NEWSPAPERS AND THE REVIEW, THE MONTHLY REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON AT FITCHBURG. A LOT OF COMMUNITY THINGS THERE. >> DETROIT MARK, IS THERE ANY OF THE BILLS YOU WANTED TO SHARE RIGHT NOW IS THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH? >> I THINK THERE'S THE MAJOR, ONES, THERE'LL BE MORE GOING. >> ABSOLUTELY. NEVER FAILS. >> THERE WILL BE MORE. >> THAT FAMILY AND THE INSURANCE ACT OR WHATEVER, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU REALLY HAVE TO KEEP WIDE OPEN EYES BECAUSE OUR COUNTY COMPARED TO LARGER COUNTIES, WE WANT TO NOT HAVE TO OVERPAY. >> YEAH. >> TAKE CARE OF OUR SHARE, BUT LET THEM TAKE CARE OF THEIR. >> YES, MA'AM. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. >> SURE. LAST ONE. THIS REALLY JUST WANTED TO UPDATE THE BOARD AND OUR COMMUNITY OF WHERE WE ARE IN OUR WORK WITH LOCKERMAN. MR. MENGEL IS PROBABLY GOING, THAT DOESN'T QUITE LOOK LIKE THE SLIDE. WE ADJUSTED IT SLIGHTLY. WE'RE WORKING THROUGH AND MR. MENGEL AND I IN THIS NECESSARY MET LAST WEEK TO START WORKING THROUGH THE STAKEHOLDER LISTENING SESSIONS THAT WILL OCCUR. TRYING TO SCHEDULE FOR THIS MONTH IN FEBRUARY, THE FIRST SESSION. THERE ARE A LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE BEING IDENTIFIED WORKING WITH LOCKERMAN, FOR THE GROUP THAT WILL WORK TO FLUSH OUT WHAT WOULD GO IN THE EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS. THE ED SPECS, AS A REMINDER, IT'S SORT OF THE BIG NARRATIVE DOCUMENT FOR WHAT DO WE NEED IN A COMPREHENSIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 2025 IN CAROLINE COUNTY. IT BECOMES A BIG NARRATIVE DOCUMENT. THAT, IN ESSENCE, THEY WILL WORK WITH STAKEHOLDERS, THEY'LL WORK WITH A PARENT REPRESENTATIVE FROM EACH OF THE FEEDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THEY'LL WORK THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE LOCKERMAN ASSOCIATION, FROM THE MWCP, TEACHERS FROM THE BUILDING, PARENTS FROM LOCKERMAN, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COUNTY. BUT THAT GROUP WILL START KICKING OFF LATER THIS MONTH, [01:30:04] AND THEY BECOME THAT CORE GROUP FOR THE ED SPECS WORK. THEY'LL ALSO MEET WITH TEACHERS WITHIN THE BUILDING TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK. AS THEY GATHER THAT INFORMATION AND THEY START DRAFTING WHAT THOSE ED SECS ARE LIKE, THERE WILL BE A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP WHERE THEY WILL PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING, AND THAT SHOULD BE SLATED FOR LATE APRIL IS WHERE THEY'RE THINKING THAT WILL FOLLOW. THAT WILL BE THE DRAFT PRESENTATION AGAIN TO OUR LARGER COMMUNITY GROUPS, WORKSHOPS. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE THINKING ABOUT USING OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO FEED THE SCHOOL. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE THERE, HAVE TO LIVE THROUGH THE RENOVATION PROJECT AND THEN BE THERE TO POPULATE IT. AFTER AFTER THEY DO THAT, GET FEEDBACK, THERE WILL BE A SECOND COMMUNITY WORKSHOP TO GET MORE FEEDBACK IN MAY, ONCE THEY'VE GOTTEN SOME INFORMATION, AND THEN IT WILL COME TO THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD'S APPROVAL OF THE ED SPECS DOCUMENT SOMEWHERE IN THAT MAY, JUNE TIMELINE. THAT'S JUST PIECE 1. THAT IS JUST THE NARRATIVE DOCUMENT OF WHAT DO WE NEED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 2025? THAT IS THE FIRST BIG HURDLE FOR GETTING FUNDING. THE SECOND BIG HURDLE, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE ONE THAT THE COMMUNITY IS MORE INTERESTED WILL BE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT WILL BE DONE AND THEN COME TO THE BOARD. WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD OF EITHER RE RENOVATE WHERE IT IS, OR HERE ARE PROPERTY LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE EXAMINED THAT WERE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNTY, AND WE FEEL THESE ARE THE OPTIONS YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERING. THAT WILL PROBABLY BE FALL. THAT WILL PROBABLY BE FALL WHEN THAT COMES BECAUSE THE ED SPECS PIECE HAS TO BE DONE FIRST. THEY ARE WORKING ON THE FEASIBILITY, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE TIMELINE WILL FALL. WE'RE WORKING ON A PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE TO POPULATE WITH ALL THE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE LOCKERMAN AND BUILD PROJECT, SO FOLKS ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON, SO WE CAN HELP COMMUNICATE THAT OUT. BUT THAT WILL BE THE BIG PIECE FOR FOLKS TO ALSO, AS THEY WORK THROUGH THE ED SPECS, AND I HAVE ALL THE FAITH IN THE WORLD OF OUR CONSULTANT. EVERYBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO JUMP TO THE NEXT PIECE. WHERE IS IT GOING TO BE? IS IT GOING TO BE HERE SOMEWHERE ELSE? WE JUST GOT TO GET THROUGH PART A FIRST. WE'LL WORK THROUGH IT. THE ED SPECS PROCESS IS FASCINATING BECAUSE THEY'LL GET TO SEE EXAMPLES OF WHAT SOME OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE THAT ARE MODERN AND WHAT THAT CAN LOOK LIKE. HARDEST PART FOR SOMEBODY FROM AROUND HERE IS IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT'S BEEN BUILT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BECAUSE YOU THINK IT JUST JUST BE A SHINY OR NEWER VERSION OF WHAT WE HAVE. IT DEFINITELY WILL BE HELPFUL FOR FOLKS TO SEE WHAT IS THE GOING THING IN MARYLAND RIGHT NOW FOR PLEX SHOP.[OVERLAPPING] IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT. BUT WE ARE BUILDING ONE FOR THE NEXT 40-50 YEARS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. AGAIN, WE'RE REACHING OUT TO EVERYBODY HAVE ALREADY STARTED, BUT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK TO GET THAT FIRST SESSION SET UP TO BUILD THROUGH AND WE'LL KEEP THE BOARD AWARE OF HOW THE PROCESS IS GOING AS WE MOVE THROUGH IT. BUT IT IS EXCITING. WE DON'T WANT TO GET TOO EXCITED THINKING IT WILL HAPPEN IN 28. THAT'S THE GOAL. ALL OF THINGS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THEN, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE OPTIMISTIC THAT 28 IS A POSSIBILITY. >> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT INFORMATION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO PROGRESS AS IT MOVES. >> THANK YOU. >> THEY'RE INTERESTING. ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR UNFINISHED BUSINESS? BOARD MEMBERS? OUR UPCOMING MEETINGS. [8. Upcoming Meetings and Events] I THINK IT IS THE 21ST? >> EIGHTEENTH. >> EIGHTEENTH, I'M SORRY. I'M TRYING TO GET SKIP OVER IT. THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO. OUR WORK SESSION WILL BE ON FEBRUARY 18TH, BEGINNING AT 5:00, AND THAT IS WITH THE COMMISSIONER. >> DINNER AT 5:00. >> OH, DINNER AT 5:00, AND MEETING AT 6:00. YES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. >> LOTS OF EVENTS COMING UP. WE'RE STARTING TO GET BUSY AGAIN. >> YEAH. >> YOU HAVE ALSO JANUARY. NOW IT'S BACK TO BUSY SEASON BEFORE GRADUATION. >> HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE READY FOR YOUR SPEECHES. >> YES, WE WILL. >> YES. IT'S SURPRISING THAT IT'S ALREADY FEBRUARY. SEEMS LIKE IT JUST NEW YEAR'S EVE >> YES. >> IT IS FEBRUARY ALREADY AND SCHOOL PLAYS ARE GOING TO BE COMING. [01:35:02] SPRING CONCERTS, AND HOPEFULLY SOME OF US CAN MAKE IT TO THE BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM THAT MR. PORTER AND MS. BUTLER HAD PLAN. THEY USUALLY DO A PRETTY EXCITING THING WHEN THEY HAVE PROGRAMS. IF YOU CAN, THAT IS FEBRUARY 25TH FIFTH. THEN THERE'S A JAZZ CONCERT AT NORTH CAROLINA IN MARCH, I BELIEVE IT IS. >> MARCH 8. >> MARCH 8. WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT'S COMING UP REAL SOON. IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS, WE WILL TAKE A MOTION FOR THE MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED. >> MAKE YOUR MOTION FOR THE MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED. >> SECOND. >> FIRST AND SECOND. MR. PLUTACK, AND MS. JOHNSON, THAT OUR MEETING BE ADJOURNED. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY OPPOSITION? I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU TIME. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING OUR MEETING. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.