[00:00:01] >> WE WILL OFFICIALLY OPEN THE WORK SESSION FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MAY 20TH, 2025. I NEED A VOTE THAT THE MEETING BE BROUGHT TO ORDER. >> I MAKE A MOTION WE CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. >> I'LL SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR WORK SECTION BE CALLED TO ORDER. ALL IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> ALL OPPOSED? SO CARRY. LET US STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >> ALLEGIANCE] >> ON OUR AGENDA, WE WILL MAKE AN AMENDMENT [2.01 Curriculum Adoption: Elementary Foundational Phonics Skills & Standards: University of Florida (UFLI) Foundations for Grades K-2] THAT 2.02 CURRICULUM ADOPTION WILL BE MOVED UP, AND 2.01, THEY'LL REVERSE THE ORDER THERE. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SWITCH THE ORDER OF THE TWO ACTION ITEMS. >> I'LL SECOND. >> IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR. >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? SO CARRY. WE WILL BEGIN WITH, IS IT DOCTOR? >> MS. KATIE AL FISHER IS BRINGING FORTH A RECOMMENDATION OF A CHANGE OF A CURRICULUM FOR OUR ELEMENTARY LITERACY. I'LL LET HER EXPLAIN WHY THAT'S GOING TO WORK AT THIS POINT IN TIME, BUT IT IS ONE THAT WE HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE WITH. IT'S BOTH BUDGETARY PLUS DATA-DRIVEN FOR MAKING THIS MOVE. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, MS. AL FISHER. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO REQUEST APPROVAL FOR A NEW K-2 FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY PROGRAM. IT IS THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LITERACY INSTITUTE FOUNDATIONS, AFFECTIONATELY CALLED UFLI, AND IT IS USED FOR GRADES K-2. IT IS A FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES BOTH PHONEMIC AWARENESS AND PHONICS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE USED WILSON FOUNDATIONS FOR BETTER PART OF 13, 14, 15 YEARS IN CAROLINE. IT IS CONSIDERED IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE SCIENCE OF READING AND STRUCTURED LITERACY, WHICH IS WHY WE DID NOT CHANGE IT WHEN WE MADE THE MOVE TO THE SCIENCE OF READING TO BE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT. HOWEVER, SOME THINGS HAVE COME TO LIGHT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT LEAD US TO BELIEVE IT'S NO LONGER IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF CAROLINE. AS DR. SIMMONS ALLUDED TO, ONE PART IS FISCAL. THE COMPANY HAS BEEN BOUGHT AND IS NOW PUBLIC. IT'S NO LONGER OWNED BY ITS ORIGINAL FOUNDER, BARBARA WILSON, AND THE COST HAS GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. WE USED TO BUDGET AROUND $20,000 TO $30,000 A YEAR FOR THE CONSUMABLE ITEMS. LAST YEAR, WE SPENT OVER $150,000 FOR THE CONSUMABLE ITEMS. EVERY YEAR IT'S GOING UP OVER 100%. IT'S NO LONGER A FISCALLY SUSTAINABLE CHOICE FOR US BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE'RE TRYING TO FIND HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT. IN ADDITION, WITH ALL OF OUR NEW TRAINING WITH THE SCIENCE OF READING, WE NOW KNOW THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE THE RIGOR THAT WE NEED AND ESPECIALLY IN GRADES K AND ONE. OUR DATA IN GRADE 2 HAS BEEN STAGNANT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS DESPITE ALL OF OUR NEW TRAINING AND EFFORTS. THAT LEADS US TO KNOW THAT IS A TIER ONE PROBLEM, NOT A TEACHER OR STUDENT PROBLEM. GRADE 2 IS THE RIGOR IS ESPECIALLY HIGH, WHEREAS K AND ONE, IT'S NOT. IT REALLY HIT STUDENTS ALL AT ONCE, WHICH HAS REALLY AFFECTED DATA. WE'VE USED UFLI FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AS A TIER 2 RESOURCE IN SMALL GROUP, AND THAT IS WHERE WE HAVE SEEN THE EXPONENTIAL GAINS IN OUR STUDENT'S PROGRESS. IT IS BECAUSE OF THAT THAT WE WOULD REQUEST TO ADOPT IT AS OUR TIER 1 CURRICULUM AS WELL. IT IS EVIDENCE-BASED AND RESEARCH-BASED, AND THERE IS NO ANNUAL COST. >> NONE? >> ABSOLUTELY NONE. BECAUSE IT IS CREATED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, THEY ARE NOT A FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTION, AND WE ALREADY HAVE ALL OF THE TEACHER'S MANUALS. THEY'RE VERY EASY TO PURCHASE. I THINK THEY'RE $80 APIECE, SO THAT'S NOT COST-PROHIBITIVE. IN ADDITION, THE NON-CONSUMABLE ITEMS, LIKE THE LETTER BOARDS, THE LETTER TILES, ALL OF THAT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE FROM FOUNDATIONS, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO USE. WE'RE NOT THROWING OUT WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. WE'RE JUST USING THEM IN ALIGNMENT WITH ANOTHER PROGRAM. >> WHAT ABOUT TEACHER TRAINING? >> TEACHERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TRAINED. HOWEVER, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER TRAINING. THAT IS THE ONLY COST THAT'S GOING TO BE INCURRED THIS SUMMER. IN JUNE, I HAVE A TRAINING LINED UP UPON APPROVAL SO THAT TEACHERS CAN BE OFFICIALLY TRAINED. [00:05:01] THAT WAS ANOTHER COST WITH FOUNDATIONS. YOU HAD TO BE IN CONTRACT WITH THEM. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE TRAINER MODEL. THE COST TO TRAIN EVERY YEAR WAS UPWARDS OF $10,000. >> SOUNDS PRETTY CONVINCING TO ME. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? IT FOLLOWS SCIENCE OF READING, AND SECOND GRADE YOU SAID IS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS. [OVERLAPPING] >> WE HAVE BEEN USING K TO FIVE AS A TIER 2. THIS WOULD MAKE IT OUR TIER 1 CORE PROGRAM FOR K-2, SO K, FIRST, AND SECOND. >> PROGRAM HAS ALSO SHOWN REALLY GOOD DATA, NOT JUST FOR US AS A JURISDICTION IT'S SHOWN REALLY SIGNIFICANT DATA NATIONWIDE, THE NEWER PROGRAM THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME GOOD ARTICLES RECENTLY COMING OUT ABOUT INDEPENDENT STUDIES SHOWING THE GAMES THAT KIDS ARE HAVING AS K1 IT'S HITTING THAT MARK AS WELL FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING NATIONALLY. >> YES. WE DID HAVE PARENTAL INPUT VIA SURVEY RESULTS. WE SENT OUT A PARENT SURVEY TO ALL OF THE PARENTS OF STUDENTS WHO'VE RECEIVED THIS IN TIER 2. 85.9% OF PARENTS REPORTED THAT THEIR STUDENTS HAVE MADE GAINS IN READING THIS YEAR. SOME OF THE QUOTES INCLUDED, WON'T SAY THE STUDENT'S NAME, J HAS MADE A BIG IMPROVEMENT WITH HIS READING SINCE HE STARTED GOING TO EARLY MORNING TUTORING. I'M VERY HAPPY WITH ALL THE HELP AND TEACHING HE HAS RECEIVED. ANOTHER ONE, I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE FOR MY CHILD TO CONTINUE WITH THIS PROGRAM. I'VE SEEN GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN MY DAUGHTER'S ABILITY AND WANT TO READ THIS YEAR. I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THIS READING PROGRESS THAT MY CHILD HAS MADE THIS YEAR. WE HAD 78 FAMILIES RESPOND. >> IT'S GREAT. >> WE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE RATE TO THAT SURVEY AS WELL. >> SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE UFLI PROGRAM AS TIER 1, K TO FIVE FOR OUR CURRICULUM ELEMENTARY PHONICS. >> IT'S K-2. >> K-2. >> I SAID K-2 BEFORE. I THOUGHT IT WAS. >> TIER 2 WE'RE USING IT. ANY STUDENTS THAT [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE WE'RE USING IT UP TO GRADE 5, BUT IS OUR CORE PROGRAM [INAUDIBLE] FOR K-2. >> WE ACTUALLY NEED A MOTION. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT UFLI FOR K-2, TIER 1. >> I'LL SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED? SO CARRY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR KEEPING US AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. >> ALWAYS. IT'S A PLEASURE. >> VERY GOOD. >> WE'LL BE JUST IN TIME FOR THE NEXT ITEM. [LAUGHTER] >> MORNING. >> MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> YOUR TIMING WAS PERFECT. TRULY WAS. >> NOW WE WILL GO TO THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT. [2.02 Amendments to the Negotiated Agreement between the Caroline County Board of Education and the Caroline County Educators’ Association (Teachers) for FY26] >> PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY AMY BAUMAN, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF CCEA. WE HAVE A NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE BRINGING TO YOU TODAY WITH AMENDMENTS FROM LAST YEAR. WE HAD DECIDED LAST YEAR THAT THIS YEAR WE WOULD ONLY NEGOTIATE SALARY AND ANY ITEMS THAT WERE REQUIRED BY BLUEPRINT LAW FOR THE CAREER LADDER. LAST YEAR WE DID NEGOTIATE A CAREER LADDER. IT WAS SENT UP AND APPROVED FAIRLY QUICKLY BY THE AIB AS BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW. THIS YEAR, IT WAS HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE ON IT? WHAT'S THE TRANSITION PLAN TO GET PEOPLE ON IT? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RULES AND THE GOVERNING HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK? CONVERSELY, ON OUR LEGACY SCALE OR A TRADITIONAL TEACHER SCALE, OUR STEP AND GRADE SCALE, TEACHERS WILL GET THE ONE STEP AS WELL AS A 1% COLA FOR THOSE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO REMAIN ON THAT. THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS HAS BEEN CONSISTENT THROUGH THE OTHER TWO AGREEMENTS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY APPROVED, IS BRINGING THE RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE LANGUAGE FROM A BOARD POLICY AND INTO THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT. I THINK WE DID THIS OVER THREE SESSIONS. I THINK WE HAD THREE NEGOTIATING SESSIONS. ONCE AGAIN, OUR ASSOCIATION HERE IN CAROLINE IS FANTASTIC, IN THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LAW IS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WITH THIS AND HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR US. [00:10:06] IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CAREER LADDER, IT LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS LOOK LIKE, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR US AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. IT WAS PUT OUT FOR RATIFICATION FROM THE UNION. I BELIEVE THE VOTE WAS 95-4 IN FAVOR. THE UNION HAS RATIFIED IT, AND SO WE'LL ASK FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ALSO RATIFY IT. >> FIRST, I WANT TO SAY IT'S AMAZING TO SEE THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT'S BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION AND HR. IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY, BUT I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE PROGRESSED AND THAT IT IS VERY MUCH A WORKING RELATIONSHIP NOW. THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR THAT. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION AND HR, AND BOARD OF EDUCATION? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THE AGREEMENT THAT'S BEEN NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATION AND [INAUDIBLE]. >> I'LL SECOND THAT. >> IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT BE ACCEPTED. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> OPPOSED. SO CARRY. LET'S SIGN THE PAY SLIPS. [BACKGROUND] >> PERFECT. NO PROBLEM. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] TABLE. >> WE DID NOT. WE JUST MOVED THE CHAIRS AWAY. [BACKGROUND] >> THERE YOU GO. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. [BACKGROUND] >> LET'S GO GET IN THIS. WE'RE ALL GET IN? >> YEAH, I THINK SO. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]. >> THANKS, AMY. THANKS FOR BEING ABLE TO BE HERE. >> DID YOU FEEL TALL? IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? [OVERLAPPING] >> HAVE A GOOD DAY, AMY. >> HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> THANK YOU. >> MY APOLOGIES AGAIN. >> YOU'RE FINE. SUCH A GOOD FEELING TO HAVE ALL THESE AGREEMENTS DONE BEFORE SUMMER. >> BEFORE JUNE. >> YES. >> IN TIME FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE PURPOSES AND EVERYTHING, IT REALLY DOES HELP TO GET THIS WORK DONE BY THEN. >> IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE. >> AND HELPS WITH RECRUITMENT. >> YES. >> WONDERFUL. [3.01 Special Education Staffing Plan] >> WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFFING PLAN. >> SURE. MS. ERICA MCDONALD IS WITH US THIS MORNING TO GO OVER THE SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFFING PLAN. IT'S A REQUIREMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WE DO THIS ANNUALLY. THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE TYPICALLY USE IN CAROLINE IS AT THE MAY WORK SESSION, WE PREVIEW WHAT IS IN IT AT THIS POINT AS A DRAFT, AND IT DOES COME BEFORE THE BOARD FOR YOUR APPROVAL AT THE JUNE MEETING. TODAY, IT'S THE FIRST DEEP DIVE, AND ANY QUESTIONS, AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, MS. MCDONALD WILL RESPOND TO, OR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADJUSTED BEFORE THE JUNE MEETING WHEN WE ASK FOR APPROVAL. WITH THAT, I'LL PASS TO MS. MCDONALD. >> [INAUDIBLE] KIDDING. GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M HAPPY TO SHARE MY DRAFT PLAN WITH YOU ALL. [00:15:02] THE DOCUMENT WAS SHARED WITH YOU AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ON THE FRONT, BUT INSTEAD OF READING THIS VERBATIM, I CREATED A PRESENTATION TO SUMMARIZE THINGS FOR YOU, AND THEN AT THE END, WE'LL HAVE OUR CHANGES FOR THE ACTUAL STAFFING PLAN, BUT I DID JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR STAFF APPRECIATION EVENT LAST WEEK. IT WAS AWESOME. WE HAD ALMOST 120 GUESTS THERE TOTAL. GREAT TURNOUT, GREAT FOOD. IT WAS JUST NICE TO NOT REALLY HAVE TO TALK BUSINESS, AND JUST RECOGNIZE STAFF. SUCH A RANGE OF STAFF WHO WERE NOMINATED. WE HAD BUS DRIVERS, BUS AIDES, SCHOOL NURSES, TEACHERS, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS. WE EVEN HAD SOME ADMINISTRATORS WHO WERE NOMINATED. JUST NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE'S AN IMPACT BEING MADE FOR OUR FAMILIES. I PUT A LITTLE HIGHLIGHT THERE. I HAVE A CLICKER. I DID THIS LAST YEAR, AND THIS IS HOW I PRESENT DATA AND INFORMATION TO MY STAFF AS LOOKING AT GLOWS AND GROWS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR AND ALSO LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD, HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. SOME OF THE GLOWS THAT I HAVE ARE HERE. WE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES STARTING LAST SUMMER AND CARRIED THROUGH THIS YEAR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO WITH SOME LEFTOVER GRANT MONEY WAS SEND TEAMS OF TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS TO CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE, WEEK-LONG INSTITUTES. I'VE BEEN TO ONE BEFORE AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE CLASSROOMS WORKING WITH STUDENTS TO REALLY GET THE KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO CARRY IT BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS. WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK. I'M GLAD THAT KATIE SITTING NEXT TO ME. WE'VE DONE A LOT OF CO-DEVELOPING AND CO-IMPLEMENTATION OF PD WITH DIFFERENT LITERACY AND MATH STRATEGIES, INTERVENTIONS. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WILL BE MORE OF A GROW, BUT COMING INTO NEXT YEAR, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY WORKING TOGETHER BECAUSE WE GO ON THE ROAD TOGETHER. WE SAY WE GO ON FIELD TRIPS TO SCHOOLS, AND WE ALWAYS SAY THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS ARE GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS FIRST. IF KATIE SAYS THAT TO SOMEONE, THEY'LL SAY, DID YOU TALK TO ERICA? OR IF I SAY THAT THEY'RE LIKE, YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO KATIE BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY SHARED MESSAGE OF THAT, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY BIG GLOW TO HIGHLIGHT. WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENT AFTER-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS FOR NEW TEACHERS, SPECIFICALLY FOR SECONDARY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, TO WORK ON THE TRANSITION PIECE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT STARTS AT AGE 14. >> WE HAVE SENT PEOPLE FROM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO DIFFERENT CONFERENCES, SUCH AS ANY OF THE STATE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE. WE WERE ABLE TO GO TO COUNCIL OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN. A LOT OF THOSE CONFERENCES HAVE SESSIONS ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, SESSIONS ABOUT COMPLIANCE. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE COME BACK AND SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH IEP CHAIRS. WE'VE ALSO HAD MONTHLY SCHOOL-BASED MEETINGS WITH EVERY BUILDING AND EVERY CASE MANAGER, SO THEY'RE GETTING THE INFORMATION THAT WE GET. AGAIN, LIKE I WAS SAYING, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COLLABORATION, REALLY FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR CARRYING TO THIS ONE, BETWEEN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND EVEN OUR MULTILINGUAL DEPARTMENT, WHICH I DON'T WEAR THAT HAT. I'M THANKFUL THAT I DON'T HAVE TO ALSO WEAR THAT HAT, BUT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF MEETING WITH CONTENT SUPERVISORS REALLY LOOKING AT ACHIEVING OUR ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR ALL STUDENTS BUT ALSO THOSE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL. WE HAVE DONE MONTHLY INTEGRATED MTSS MEETINGS. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO ALIGN ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING FROM A SYSTEMS LEVEL AND BRINGING IT DOWN TO THE SCHOOLS. JUST ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT, OUR FAMILY SUPPORT COORDINATOR, CASEY IRBY, IS ONE OF THE BEST ADDITIONS TO OUR TEAM. SHE HAS HELD NUMEROUS PARENT TRAININGS BASED ON WHAT PARENTS WANT. WE'VE DONE WORKSHOPS ON SSI. [00:20:03] WE'VE DONE WORKSHOPS ON THE MARYLAND ABLE ACCOUNTS, SPECIFICALLY FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY. SHE IS RIGHT NOW SETTING UP FOR DISCOVERY DAY AT TUCKAHOE, WHICH WAS RESCHEDULED LAST WEEK FROM THE WEATHER. SHE HOLDS MONTHLY INFANT AND TODDLER PLAY GROUPS. SHE WORKS WITH THE JUDY CENTER, SO THERE'S JUST A LOT OF COLLABORATION THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT. I HAVE GROWS ALWAYS. THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. BUT THIS IS REALLY A CONTINUATION OF WHAT WORK WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, MY GOAL IS TO INCREASE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT GRADUATION RATES, ALWAYS LOOKING AT DECREASING DROPOUT RATES. WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, MATH AND LITERACY INSTRUCTION, AND REALLY, THAT CAN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT US COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSTRUCTION SUPERVISORS. CONTINUING TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE. WE DO ANNUAL INTERNAL AUDITS, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, MSD DOES COME AND DO A BIG AUDIT OF ALL OF OUR STUFF, SO WE TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF IT BY DOING OUR OWN, MAKING SURE THAT IEPS ARE COMPLIANT WITH COMAR. I'M SURE I FORGOT A COUPLE THINGS IN THERE, BUT I'M EXCITED. I FEEL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR DEPARTMENT. I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN A REALLY GOOD DIRECTION. WE HIT A COUPLE BUMPS ALL THE TIME. EVERYBODY DOES, BUT I'M JUST FEELING EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE. THAT BRINGS ME TO THE STAFFING PLAN. LIKE I SAID, IT'S A 12-PAGE DOCUMENT. THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT THE STATE IS LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU DEVELOP ONE. THE BIGGEST PIECE IS MAKING SURE THAT YOU EVALUATE WHAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE AS FAR AS STAFFING. THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I LOOKED AT THIS YEAR WERE OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, WE PREVIOUSLY HAD ADDITIONAL MONEY, THROUGH THE MARYLAND LEADS GRANT, TO HAVE FOUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST INTERNS. IT WAS THE '23-'24 SCHOOL YEAR. THEY WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE A FULL YEAR INTERNSHIP WITH US, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PAY THEM AS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, WHICH ALSO HELPED WITH ADDING A YEAR FOR THEIR PENSION. THREE OUT OF FOUR OF THOSE STAYED WITH US IN PERSON, WHICH IS AMAZING. WE LOST ONE TO OVER THE BRIDGE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HER FAMILY IS, BUT MAYBE ONE DAY, SHE'LL CHANGE HER MIND AND COME BACK. I DO KNOW SHE'S IN A BIGGER COUNTY, AND IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE INTERNSHIP SHE HAD HERE. BUT IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THESE ARE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO DID NOT GROW UP IN CAROLINE COUNTY. THEY WENT TO GRAD SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THEY MOVED HERE, AND THEY HAVEN'T LEFT YET, SO WE'RE HOLDING TIGHT. THEY'RE GREAT. ALSO, JUST FOR THE COORDINATORS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, I HAVE ALWAYS HAD TWO FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN THE STAFFING PLAN. THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN TWO. LAST YEAR, WE LEFT IT VACANT, LIKE I SHARED WITH YOU ALL AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. MY PLAN THIS YEAR IS TO HAVE ONE FOCUS ON ELEMENTARY AND ONE FOCUS ON SECONDARY, AND THAT WOULD BE PEGGY WITTMAN. SHE'S CURRENTLY OUR SECONDARY TRANSITION TEACHER SPECIALIST. MSDE REQUIRES THAT EACH SCHOOL SYSTEM HAVE A SECONDARY TRANSITION COORDINATOR. DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE AN ADMINISTRATOR, BUT WHEN I LOOK AT PEGGY AND I LOOK AT HER EXPERIENCE AND EVERYTHING SHE KNOWS ABOUT SECONDARY TRANSITION, SHE'S ABLE TO FILL THOSE DUTIES AS A COORDINATOR AND ALSO HAVE A LENS ON THE OTHER COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES. THAT'S MY VISION FOR STRUCTURING IT. JUST KNOWING THAT I'LL HAVE THAT ALL FINALIZED DURING THE SUMMER, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE DIVIDED BETWEEN HER AND MY OTHER COORDINATOR, RAQUEL. JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW WHAT A COORDINATOR DOES, NO DAY IS THE SAME. I FILL THAT POSITION, AND THERE'S NEVER A DULL MOMENT. WE HAVE OUR COORDINATORS DOING OBSERVATIONS. [00:25:03] THEY HELP WITH EVALUATIONS OF STAFF. A LOT OF COMPLIANCE AUDITING, GOING INTO THE BUILDINGS AND WORKING WITH TEACHERS ON HELPING WITH PAPERWORK. THEY GO AND DO A LOT OF OUR MONTHLY SCHOOL-BASED PDS WE DEVELOP AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND THEN THEY WILL GO AND DELIVER IT. THEY, RIGHT NOW MEANING RAQUEL, SHE'S BEEN RUNNING HERSELF, SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE PEGGY ON BOARD NEXT YEAR TO SUPPORT HER WITH THAT. SOMETIMES, IF WE HAVE IEP MEETINGS THAT CAN BE CONTENTIOUS OR MAYBE HAVE AN EXTERNAL ADVOCATE OR SOMEONE TO SUPPORT THE FAMILY AND THE IEP TEAM NEEDS SOME EXTRA SUPPORT, A COORDINATOR WILL GO TO THAT AS WELL. THAT IS FOR THE COORDINATOR POSITIONS. ALONG WITH THAT, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER SPECIALISTS, CURRENTLY, I HAVE FOUR, BECAUSE PEGGY IS NOT A REGULAR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER SPECIALIST. HER ROLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY FOCUSED ON SECONDARY TRANSITION. WITH ME MOVING THAT TO WHAT SHE WILL BE DOING AS A COORDINATOR, IT GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ANOTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER SPECIALIST WHO CAN SPREAD THE SUPPORT BETWEEN BUILDINGS. RIGHT NOW, JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, OUR TEACHER SPECIALISTS ARE DOING ALL OF THE ACADEMIC TESTING FOR INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, WHICH HAS HELPED TO TAKE SOME OF THE WORKLOAD OFF OF THE CASE MANAGERS. THEY ALSO DO TESTING FOR INITIALS AND RE-EVALUATIONS FOR CONDITIONALLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE A FULLY-CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER TO ADMINISTER THOSE EVALUATIONS, SO TO BE ABLE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THE STAFFING PLAN WILL HELP WITH HOW MANY ARE ASSIGNED TO BUILDINGS. I HAVE ONE TEACHER SPECIALIST RIGHT NOW WHO'S ASSIGNED TO THREE. THEY'RE SMALLER PRESCHOOLS, BUT THE TESTING IS STILL THERE. THE NEEDS ARE STILL THERE. THERE ARE NEW TEACHERS IN THE BUILDING THAT THEY NEED TO SUPPORT, SO THAT WILL BE A RECOMMENDATION TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL ONE, BUT ONLY BECAUSE PEGGY'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE MOVING TO THAT COORDINATOR POSITION, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. THEN THE BIGGEST THING THAT I LOOK AT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT STAFFING FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR IS CASE LOAD PROJECTIONS. OUR DATA MANAGER IS KEY FOR THIS. SHE WILL RUN A REPORT OF WHO'S IN WHAT GRADE RIGHT NOW AND WHO'S MOVING TO WHAT GRADE. IF WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE IN PRE-K3 AT PRESTON OR RIDGELY BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE COMING TO DENTON NEXT YEAR, SHE CAN KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THAT AND SEE ARE THERE BUILDINGS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE HIGHER CASELOAD NUMBERS THAN OTHERS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEARS. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT. THE NICE THING IS OUR CASE LOAD NUMBERS ARE AVERAGE, IF NOT LOWER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES AROUND US, JUST DEPENDING ON THE GRADE LEVEL, LIKE SECONDARY VERSUS ELEMENTARY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION, TOO, THAT CASE LOADS ARE NOT JUST NUMBERS. IT REALLY IS LOOKING AT THE NEEDS OF EACH STUDENT ON THAT CASE LOAD. ONE CASE MANAGER MIGHT HAVE SIX STUDENTS, BUT THEY HAVE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NEEDS VERSUS ANOTHER CASE MANAGER THAT MAY HAVE 10 OR 11. YOU JUST CAN'T REALLY COMPARE NUMBERS. YOU HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, SO WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL. SPEECH IS EVERYONE'S FAVORITE THING TO TALK ABOUT. I HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ALL THE TIME ON TRYING TO FIND SOME MORE IN-PERSON SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS. IT'S JUST VERY DIFFICULT. THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO IT. PART OF IT IS WHERE WE ARE. ANOTHER PART OF IT IS THAT THE COHORTS IN THE GRAD SCHOOLS FOR SPEECH ARE VERY SMALL. I REMEMBER LAST YEAR, I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE WAY TO A SPEECH CAREER FAIR AT A COLLEGE IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THEY EMAILED US AS I WAS PACKING UP THE HR STUFF IN THE CAR. [00:30:04] THEY WERE LIKE, "DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT COMING. ALL OF OUR GRADS HAVE JOBS." I WAS LIKE, "OKAY." THAT WAS MARCH. WE STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE'VE GONE TO SOME MORE. I'VE INTERVIEWED SOME. WE ARE WORKING ON IT, BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY A NEED EVERYWHERE FOR SPEECH. JUST FOR SOME NUMBERS, OUR DIRECT SERVICE HOURS PER MONTH HAVE INCREASED FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR. WE'VE GONE FROM 290 SERVICE HOURS A MONTH FOR THE WHOLE COUNTY TO 350, SO THE NEEDS ARE INCREASING. THE ELIGIBILITY IS LEGITIMATE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE QUALIFYING. THEY REALLY DO TRULY NEED SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY. WITH SERVICE HOURS INCREASING, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THEY STILL HAVE TO BILL FOR MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT. THEY HAVE TO GO TO IP MEETINGS. THEY HAVE TO EVALUATE, AND SO THIS YEAR, AND EVEN AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, I FELT LIKE I'M ALWAYS HAVING TO TRY AND FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN FILL IN. "CAN YOU GIVE ME 10 HOURS A WEEK? CAN YOU DO THIS?" ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I'LL SHOW YOU HERE, THAT I AM RECOMMENDING FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR IS TO INCREASE THE FTE OF SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS. RIGHT NOW IT'S 7.0-8.0. BUT NOT FROM THE LOCAL BUDGET BUT THROUGH OUR MEDICAID FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE FOR BILLING SPEECH SERVICES. WE JUST ALWAYS FIND THAT IT'S A NEED. IT'S CONSTANT, AND IT'S CONTINUING TO GROW. I'LL SHARE WITH YOU. ON THE BACK, IT'S ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE STAFFING PLAN, WHENEVER YOU DECIDE TO READ IT AT YOUR LEISURE. I HAVE LAST YEAR'S RECOMMENDED STAFFING, SO YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE. THEN I HIGHLIGHTED THE CHANGES FOR THIS YEAR. I SHARED THE INFORMATION ABOUT SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE. WE WERE GIVEN A ONE-TIME SUPPLEMENT FOR OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION PASS-THROUGH FUNDING THAT COMES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATES. WE HAVE A PRETTY HIGH PROJECTION FOR PRE-K AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AS I SAID EARLIER, PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THEY COME FROM PRESTON AND RIDGELY AND THEN THEY FEED BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOL, SO I'M RECOMMENDING ADDING THAT ADDITIONAL IA POSITION, KNOWING THAT IT'S GRANT-FUNDED, KNOWING THAT IT'S A ONE-TIME SUPPLEMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT A ONE-TIME SUPPLEMENT WILL LOOK LIKE NEXT YEAR, IF THERE IS ONE, BUT I DO KNOW I HAVE ONE FOR THIS YEAR COMING UP. THE SECONDARY TRANSITION SPECIALIST HERE WAS A 1.5 AND THAT WAS PEGGY. WE ALSO HAVE A PART TIME SPECIALIST. MS. FINK, IF YOU KNOW HER. SHE'S A RETIRED TEACHER, BUT SHE LOVES SECONDARY TRANSITION, AND SHE LOVES WORKING WITH AGENCIES AND FAMILIES, SO SHE COMES BACK AND WORKS PART TIME WITH US. THAT WOULD JUST GO TO 0.5 POSITION FOR NEXT YEAR. THE TEACHER SPECIALIST TEAM IS REFLECTED THERE FROM 4-5. THEN I DID ADD SPECIAL EDUCATION SECRETARY HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW ONE OF THE BUDGET ITEMS IS THE PRESTON SPECIAL EDUCATION SECRETARY IS ON THE BUDGET LIST TO BECOME FULL TIME. FINGERS CROSSED, IT HAPPENS, BECAUSE IT'S VERY MUCH A BUSY JOB THAT'S NEEDED. I DID ADD THAT THERE FROM A 7.8 TO AN 8, SO IT'S A LITTLE INCREASE. IT WAS A FOUR DAY A WEEK POSITION, AND IT'S JUST BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL WORK ALMOST A FULL WEEK, BUT THE BENEFITS AREN'T THERE, SO THAT IS WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU ALL. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME RIGHT NOW? YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE LATER. >> JUST BACK TO THE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE [INAUDIBLE]. DO YOU HAVE ANYONE IN-PERSON RIGHT NOW, OR IS IT ALL VIRTUAL? >> NO, WE DO HAVE SOME IN-PERSON. OUR INFANTS AND TODDLERS PROGRAM HAS A FULL-TIME IN-PERSON, AND SHE IS ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES. I ALSO HAVE MS. JUNE HIGGINS. [00:35:02] SHE'S A RETIRED SLP. SHE STILL WANTS TO WORK, BUT SHE'S ALSO RAISING HER GRANDBABIES, SO SHE GIVES US A DAY AT PRESTON EVERY WEEK. THEN I ALSO HAVE SOMEONE WHO HELPS SUPPORT THE KERNELS. WE HAVE A FULL-TIME SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST ASSISTANT. SHE'S ABLE TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES, BUT SHE DOES NEED AN SLP TO SUPERVISE HER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD TO DO THIS YEAR WAS ACTUALLY CONTRACT FOR SOMEONE JUST TO SUPERVISE HER, BECAUSE SHE HAS A HIGH CASELOAD. SHE HAS A LOT OF THE STUDENTS ON THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY WHO REALLY DON'T RESPOND WELL TO TELETHERAPY, AND OUR NUMBERS ARE INCREASING, AS YOU SEE. IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR ME, AS SOMEONE, ONE, WHO HAS THEIR OWN CHILD IN SPEECH. TWO, I WAS A TEACHER, SO I KNOW CASE LOADS ARE A THING, AND EVERYONE GETS WORRIED WHEN THEIR WORKLOAD GETS REALLY HIGH, RIGHTFULLY SO. I HIRED A REMOTE SUPERVISOR FOR HER WHO JUST ONLY SUPERVISES HER. I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME AGENCIES ABOUT EVEN IF I COULD GET ANOTHER SLP ASSISTANT. >> INTERNS HELPED US BEFORE. >> I SAW ON THE [INAUDIBLE] SO IT'S GOOD THAT YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOMEBODY EVEN [INAUDIBLE]. >> WE HAVE TRIED A LOT. AGENCIES REACH OUT TO ME DAILY, AND I HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE I'M LIKE, I HAVE ALL THE VIRTUAL I NEED, DON'T SEND ME ANYTHING UNLESS THEY'RE IN-PERSON. EVEN IF THEY'RE PART-TIME, BRING THEM. IF THEY WANT TO WORK A DAY A WEEK, I CAN FIND A PLACE FOR THEM. THAT'S BEEN ONE OF MY BIGGEST INITIATIVES THIS YEAR. IT'S BEEN TRICKY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD TELETHERAPISTS. BUT IN-PERSON IS ALWAYS GREAT, ESPECIALLY IF I COULD JUST GET THEM HERE, AND THEY WOULD LOVE IT HERE, AND THEN THEY WOULD WANT TO STAY, TRY TO CHARM THEM. >> [INAUDIBLE] I'VE TALKED TO MR. MCCORMICK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR US TO TRY TO CONNECT SOME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TRICKY ABOUT THAT IS THAT YOU GO INTO IT RIGHT AWAY. WHEN YOU SHOW UP THE FIRST DAY AT, YOU'RE PRETTY COMMITTED TO THAT PROGRAM OR LIKE A PLUS TWO PROGRAM, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR MASTER. SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO SHOW SOME OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE HERE AND CONVINCE THEM THAT THAT'S A GREAT CAREER CHOICE. IT IS BECAUSE THE IS HIGH AND SALARY IS DECENT. BUT I THINK THEY THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING AS A PARENT TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE EXPERIENCE FOR YEAH, FOR M THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. SHARE SOME OF WHAT I FOUND. WE'RE ACTUALLY GO FOR CAMP THIS SUMMER. WE'LL BE A SENIOR NEXT YEAR. THERE'S A CAMP UP AT LABAN VALLEY, AND THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS I KNOW. THAT'S WHERE THEY TOLD ME TO TURN AROUND. I THINK IT'S PROGRAM. TOSS PROGRAM IS GREAT AND NOW THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL KNOWS A LOT ABOUT IT. SO HE'S BEEN REALLY INSTRUMENTAL AND EXPLAIN TO US WHAT ROMA CLASS IS TO TAKE. SO JUST TO SHARE THAT I THINK THERE'S SOME YEAH. FOR US TO SEND SOME OF OUR KIDS OUT AND SAY, HEY, WE'VE EVEN GOT AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, GO FORTH AND DO THE GOOD THINGS, BUT COME ON BACK. I LOVE THAT IDEA. YEAH. I WILL SAY THAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR REACHING OUT TO UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE REGIONAL OR SAY LOCAL OR REGIONAL THAT OFFER THE SLP TRACK. BECAUSE I HAVE INTEREST IN THEIR OWN STAFF MEMBERS WANTING TO. THEY WILL NOT BEND ON A VIRTUAL OPTION FOR PRACTITIONERS. THEY HAVE TO BE FULL TIME. THEY CANNOT, WHICH WOULD BE FANTASTIC IF WE COULD HAVE OUR OWN STAFF WHO WANT TO DO IT, TRAINED IN IT. BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH AS UNIVERSITY AND ANOTHER COLLEGE CLOSE BY AND SAYING, CAN YOU PLEASE CONSIDER A PROGRAM WHERE THEY CAN BE VIRTUAL BECAUSE THEY CAN CONTINUE TO WORK. AND NOT HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO LEAVE JOB AND BE FULL TIME STUDENTS. THAT'S THAT'S MUCH MORE PROBLEM. YOU'RE RIGHT. THAT'S A TOPIC YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT CURRENT CURRENT. I. [00:40:02] BUT I THINK FOR THE YOUNGER STUDENTS WHO ARE DECIDING GREAT CAREER. I THINK IF THEY KNEW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT IS AND WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES WERE A REAL NEED FOR IT. I THINK WE COULD CONVINCE SOME OF OUR KIDS LEAVE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL TO GO DO THE THINGS AND COME BACK. YEAH. THANK YOU. DESPERATE TRY TO GET SOMETHING. ONLY THING I DIDN'T KNOW IF IS SOMETHING WE COULD PUSH TOWARDS LIKE OUR GROWER AND WE DO TEACHERS, SUF LIKE THAT. WE DO ALLOW. IT IS ON OUR SCHOLARSHIP SHEET. WE DO ALLOW IT FOR THOSE LOOKING TO GO. IT IS DEFINITELY IN HIGH NEED. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE RUN INTO IN MARYLAND AS WELL, AND I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE HOUSING PROGRAM. IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM. BUT IT'S INTENT WELL, IT IS A LIMITED PROGRAM. I WON'T SAY IT'S INTENTIONALLY LIMITED. IT'S A SMALL CO WORK THEY LET IN EACH YEAR INTO THAT PROGRAM, AND IT'S I BELIEVE THE ONLY ONE IN MARYLAND. SO THERE'S ONLY X NUMBER OF KIDS COMING OUT. SO JUST AN ADVOCACY THING, WE CAN KIND OF PUT A FLAG IN, I WILL AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET CLOSE TO LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO ADVOCATE. HOW DO WE EXPAND SLP OFFERINGS, NOT JUST AT TOWSON, BUT EITHER AT OTHER COLLEGES OR FIND A WAY TO GROW PROGRAMS IN OTHER COLLEGES? BECAUSE IF SU OR U MES HAD ONE ON THE SHORE. RIGHT. WE COULD FEED KIDS, OR EVEN IF THEY SATELLITE IT IN, THERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT OUR KIDS TO IT IN ANOTHER FORM OR FASHION WOULD BE FANTASTIC BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE KID MARKET, SORRY, THE ADOLESCENT SPEECH. PREVIOUS BOARD PRESIDENT, MR. NEWCOMBE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT AS WELL WITH HIS WIFE DOING SPEECH AS WELL WITH THE ADULT POPULATION AND VERY REWARDING AS WELL. INCREDIBLE CAREER OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH BOTH POPULATIONS THAT THERE'S JUST NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH FOLKS. SO WE'LL DO SOME LOBBYING AROUND THAT AS WELL TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT LEARNING AND PUSH IT. I'LL SHARE AS I LEARNED. YEAH. I LOVE WE'VE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES, THANKS FOR THE POINT ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP. NO IT'S I THINK WE HAD SOMEBODY LAST YEAR WHO HAD INTENTIONS OF GOING FOR SPEECH LANGUAGE WHO GOT THE SCHOLARSHIP. NOW OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL KEEP FOLLOWING UP. I THINK LAST YEAR WE HAD OUR FIRST ONE LOOK AT THAT DIRECTION. GOOD. MR. JONES. MY THOUGHT WAS JUST ON DOCTOR DO YOU WERE SAYING THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THAT? DO WE HAVE TO AT SOME POINT THINK A LITTLE MORE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX ABOUT THEM AS FAR AS SPENDING MORE MONEY FROM WHAT I MEAN IS, I MEAN, YES, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE UP THEIR JOB, BUT WE HAVE TO THINK IS THE NEED IS THERE SUCH A NEED THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN COMPENSATE THEM TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE JOB TO DO THAT TO COME BACK. WHAT AMOUNT OF TIME DO THEY NEED TO WORK HERE? BECAUSE IT YOU KNOW I BASICALLY SAYING HOW MANY YEARS DO THEY HAVE TO GO AWAY TO DO THIS AND DO WE NEED TO PAY THEM? A WAGE TO GO TO GO DO THIS IS I MEAN, IT'S IT'S A LONG TERM TRAINING PROCESS. YEAH. AND YOU HAVE GREAT NEED TO DO THAT. I DON'T KNOW. IT'S JUST YEAH. I'M JUST SAYING YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN DO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS CERTAINLY. AND IT HAS ME CONNECTING TO SO MR. COOK, AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT GROWING A REGISTERED APPRENTICSHIP PROGRAM FOR TEACHING. AND HE'S LOOKING AT A MODEL THAT ST. MARY'S APPROVED. THERE'S A MODEL THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT CONNECTS TO A UMS OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE. AND IT JUST HAS ME THINKING, HOW DO WE BRIDGE THAT POTENTIALLY INTO A REGISTERED APPRENTICSHIP PROGRAM, NOT JUST FOR THOSE GOING INTO TEACHING, BUT TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN PULL IT WITH HOWSON. IF WE HAVE UMS AGREEING WITH THE TEACHING, CAN WE FIND A WAY TO PULL OUR OTHER STAFF, IF WE'RE GOING TO GROW YOUR OWN SUPPORT STAFF OR ANYBODY ELSE, IS THERE A WAY TO USE GRANT FUNDS TO GET IT LIFTED? THEN WHAT COMMITMENT WOULD IT TAKE ON US TO BRIDGE THEM, OF COURS, THEY AGREE TO WORK FOR 70 YEARS, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S A GREAT POINT THAT THE REGISTER APPRENTICESHIP THING MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE HAS FOUND ANY BETTER ANSWER? NO. SO I THINK THAT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO NOBODY IS HELPING US EITHER, SO T F. YOU'RE RIGHT. YEAH. EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO HELP THEMSELVES. WE CAN FIGURE OUT. YEAH. YEAH. AS A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, WHOEVER THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO TRANSITION SPEECH TO A VIRTUAL SERVICE LINE DID NOT HAVE A CHILD OF THEIR OWN THAT NEED. YEAH. IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU HAVE THE CREDENTIALS, AND YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR SPACE. I YOU KNOW, I CAN'T I CAN'T FAULT SOMEONE FOR THAT. AND EVERYONE HAS REASONS FOR EVEN DOING TELETHERAPY. I KNOW WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD VIRTUAL SLP A FEW YEARS AGO, WHO WAS GOING THROUGH SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL THINGS AT THE TIME. [00:45:01] SO IT WORKED FOR HER TO BE HOME, BUT ALSO SHE WAS LIKE CREMO GRAP. AND TO JUST BE FULLY TRANSPARENT, WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME THAT DIDN'T MEET MY EXPECTATIONS AND THEY WEREN'T MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. SO WE HAVE HAD TO FIND NEW PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES THAT DOES CAUSE A SHORT LAPSE. AND SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING I'M WORKING ON. I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT IS LIKE IF YOU SEE BAGS, IT'S SPEECH DOWN. BUT SPEECH IS NOT JUST SPEECH, BUT LANGUAGE, IN GENERAL, IT'S A LIFE SKILL, AND OUR KIDS NEED IT. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT AS YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH IT BEFORE THE JUNE MEETING, AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT MORE. THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS JUST THAT I'M NOT CHANGING STAFFING FOR TEACHERS. JUST BASED ON THE CASELOADS AND IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE. I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MEET THE NEEDS THERE. WHAT I TEACHER. PENT AND TODDLER. WE HAVE TWO IN PENTENT TODDLER TEACHERS, SO THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THIS, BUT NOT IN THE SCHOOL CASELOAD. THEY RUN THEIR OUR LITTLE FRIENDS AND IT'S GREAT. AND WE GET KIDS FROM THAT PROGRAM WHO TRANSITION TO PRE K THREE AND FOUR, WHICH IS WHY I REALLY WANT ONE OF THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANT POSITIONS AT DENTON FOR NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE THERE. SO Y INFORMATIONAL. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HEARING ALL THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU ALL PUT IN THE LAST WEEK'S PROGRAM AND ALSO THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM, BOTH OF THOSE REALLY BRING THE COMMUNITY OUT TO BE A OF THEIR CHILD'S LEARNING PROCESS. WE HAD A PAINT NIGHT IN NOVEMBER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE OF OUR ART TEACHERS ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED AND THEY PAINTED THESE CUTTLE NOES AND SOME OF THEM LOOKED LIKE NONES, AND HONESTLY, I DIDN'T PAINT ONE, SO I CAN'T JUDGE. BUT SHE WAS SO PATIENT AND JUST SO LIKE, THIS IS WHAT YOU COULD DO. BUT THEN WE HAVE ALSO OUR ANNUAL BOWLING EVENT. SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE FAMILIES HAVE THE SPACE TO COME OUT AND NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A TRAINING ON THEIR CHILD'S DISABILITY. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST NICE TO BE THERE. AND I LIKE TO GO BECAUSE I CAN TALK TO THEM AS A PARENT AND NOT IN A FORMAL SETTING, LIKE I USUALLY HAVE TO DO. SO THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE PARTS OF THE YEAR. AND I NOTICE HOW THE FAMILIES ACTUALLY GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER. YEAH AND CHECK ON HOW'S YOUR KID DOING? AND THEY BUILD CONNECTIONS. I LOVE THAT. YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GREAT. UPCOMING EVENTS, WHICH WE HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO FOR IT'S ONLY GETTING IS GETTING COMING TO AN END. SO TONIGHT IS THE AWARDS NIGHT AT NORTH CAROLINA. AND THEN WE MOVING ON TO THE GRADUATIONS. AND LOCKER CHORUS CONCERT TONIGHT AS WELL. YEAH. PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY NIGHT, YOU DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING WILL BE MEMORIAL WEEKEND. MEMORIAL DAY. AND THAT'S PROBABLY IT OR A WEEKEND. YEAH. MAYS FILLED UP. TIME FOR 60. I'LL BE SIX. YEAH. I'LL BE SIX. YEAH. ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A GOOD TURNOUT. DO YOU HAVE A YES. YEAH. THE FIRST ONE. YEAH. AND THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE AS WELL. YOU KNOW THAT ARCHITECT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO. SHARE A LOT OF INFORMATION. AND THE ESPC COMMITTEE HAS GONE REALLY WELL. THEY'RE CLOSE TO HAVING A DRAFT. EVERYTHING WILL BE FORMALIZED FOR THE BOARD BY MID JUNE. SO YOU HAVE TIME TO REVIEW IT BEFORE THE JULY SESSION, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS SO FAR FOR PEOPLE IN THE ESPC COMMITTEE. THEY DO ASK WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE. AND THEN THEY HAVE THE REALITY CONVERSATION OF, YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF KIDS. IT EQUALS THIS MUCH SQUARE FOOTAGE PERIOD. SO IF YOU SAY YOU WANT A SEPARATE AUDITORIUM FOR YOUR SCHOOL, THAT'S AND I'M MAKING SQUARE FOOT THAT 20,000 SQUARE FEET OF 120,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING. SO YOU JUST LOST THAT. SO YOU NOW DON'T HAVE THE CLASSROOM SPACE YOU NEEDED OR YOU DON'T [00:50:01] HAVE BECAUSE WE WILL BE FUNDED TO BUILD WHAT THE FORMULA TELLS US. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WILL FUND WHAT'S THERE, AND IT'S NOT KNOCKING THEM, THAT MOST COUNTIES BUILD WHAT THE FORMULA GIVES, SO THEY COULD SAY THEY WANT TO PULL. BUT IT'S GOING TO COME OFF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE WITH EVERY SPC COMMITTEE THAT HAPPENS. THEY START BIG AND THEN THEY FUNNEL DOWN TO BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE HEARD, YOU NEED TO GET IT OUT AND TALK THROUGH THAT PIECE OF WHAT ARE THE TRADE OFFS WHEN YOU ADD OTHER THINGS. SO BUT IT IS GOING IT'S GOING WELL. I EXPECT A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND AFTER THE JULY OR JUNE 2 MEETING, I EXPECT THE BOARD WILL PROBABLY HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE'S OPINIONS IN THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH LOCATION WILL BE BEST. AND THE CONSULTANTS AND ARCHITECTS WILL PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION TO THE BOARD TO HELP WITH THAT DECISION. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A RUSH DECISION AT THE JULY MEETING. THAT'S JUST YOUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DECISION. LAST NIGHT WHEN I WAS TRAVELING TO CONNEL. AND I GOT DOWN TO THE 44 PART WHERE ON THE LEFT IS THE PROPOSED SITE. I LOOKED ON THE RIGHT AND THERE IS A HUGE FARM. I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT SPOT. AND THAT ONE IS THAT WAS SET FOR DEVELOPMENT. KITTY? NO. THERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY. SO IT'S GOING TO BE A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT? YES. YEAH. IF THE ECONOMY HOLDS, DENTON COULD SEE A LOT OVER THE NEXT DECADE. THAT WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION. YEAH. T HANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNICATION AFTER THE MEETING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL. THERE WAS LIKE A LOT SHARED, EVEN, I THINK SANDI SHARE PICTURES OF THE PROPOSALS, AND I THINK THAT WAS HELPFUL FOR FOLKS WHO COULDN'T GET THERE BECAUSE I DO WORRY THAT PEOPLE CAN'T GET THERE, THAT MIGHT WANT TO A LITTLE BIT MORE SELVES. THAT WAS HELPFUL. THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO KEEP A LINK OPEN OR A WEBSITE FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THE CURRENT CONVERSATIONS ARE IN CAROLINE REVIEW, I TALKED ABOUT REACHING OUT TO ME TO SORT OF DO ANOTHER ARTICLE IN BETWEEN JUST INFORMATIVE IN THE PROCESS. SO PEOPLE YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING. UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS. BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION ABOUT PRESERVING LOCKERMAN. THAT'S A COUNTY COMMISSIONER CONVERSATION IF WE DECIDE TO BUILD ELSEWHERE. AND THAT'S FOR THEM TO DECIDE THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO PRESERVING. BUT THAT'S THEIR CALL FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. IF WE WERE TO HOLD THAT SITE FOR CCPS USE, IT STILL NEEDS TO BE RENOVATED. REGARDLESS, HOWEVER MANY KIDS WE HAVE THERE, IT NEEDS A SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION PLUS WHATEVER SITE WE'RE GOING TO BUILD SOMETHING ELSE FOR FOR HOWEVER MANY KIDS? SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS. THAT'S WHY THE CONSULTANT IS LOOKING AT A ONE SITE. BECAUSE PLUS YOU. THE FISCAL REALITIES OF US TRYING TO UPGRADE THAT BUILDING, PLUS BUILD ANOTHER SITE. THE ASSUMPTION IS ABOUT DOUBLE THE COST OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FULL NO THEN OF AN EXISTING SPACE PLUS A BRAND NEW BUILDING. TYPICALLY YOUR BRAND NEW BUILDS ARE CHEAPER THAN YOUR RENOS OF A SPACE YOU'RE USING. SO THAT'S JUST THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. I KNOW THAT WHEN I SPOKE TO THE CAROLINE INTERVIEW THAT NIGHT, THEY WERE LIKE, THIS MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD THING FOR US TO PUT TOGETHER SOMEWHERE BEFORE THAT NEXT MEETING TO GET OUT, SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO DO THAT. IT WAS AN INTERESTING POINT. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT, BUT YEAH. FOR THE CURRENT FAN TO BE RENOVATED AND BE A GRADE 56 SCHOOL, WHICH, YOU KNOW, REALLY DOES SOUND IDEAL CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE HAVE, I WOULD REALLY DECREASE ELEMENTARY AND DECREASE YOU KNOW, YEAH. THE OTHER AS WELL. THAT WAS A GOOD POINT. YEAH. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN I DON'T THINK IT'S FEASIBLE. BUT IT WAS EXCELLENT. THE FISCAL PART IS TOUGH. THAT'S WHERE IT COMES DOWN TO FOR US. BUT IT WAS A GOOD MEETING, REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK. IT WAS. AND I EXPECT THE SECOND WILL BE A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK AS WELL. AND THE GREAT THING IS WE'RE USING CONSULTANTS WHO'VE DONE THIS WORK MANY TIMES IN MANY PLACES AND ARE REALLY TAKING EVERYTHING IN, WHICH IS GOOD. THEY CAME UP WITH VERY GOOD SUGGESTIONS AS WELL. OKAY. WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ON OUR AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE CLOSE THIS WORK SESSION AND WE WILL HAVE TO RE OPEN IN TWO? WE CAN JUST GO INTO CLOSED SESSION FROM HERE. OKAY. SO YOU NEED A MOTION TO MOVE INTO CLOSED SESSION OF AND THE ACH READ. TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT, ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, [00:55:02] REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM THIS PUBLIC BODY HAS JURISDICTION, ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS. TODAY, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DISCUSS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL EVALUATION. M. GET A SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. ARY ACTUALLY WE ALL ARE. THEY GET TO. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.