[1. Opening Items]
[00:00:03]
AND WELCOME TO OUR FEBRUARY 3RD BOARD MEETING.
WELCOME TO THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AND TO THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS EVENING.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE GO INTO OPEN SESSION.
SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE GO INTO OPEN SESSION TO CONTINUE OUR BOARD MEETING.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED.
WE'LL START WITH OUR MISSION STATEMENT FOR CAROLINA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY, WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE, CAREER, AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
AND OUR VISION IS THAT EVERY STUDENT WILL BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED, AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER-CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD.
AND AT THIS TIME WE HAVE OUR STUDENTS WITH US THIS EVENING TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND SO WE INVITE YOU TO COME ON UP AND LEAD US PLEASE.
WE'RE WAITING FOR TWO LITTLE HORNETS.
I THINK WE CAN JUST WAIT LIKE 30 MORE SECONDS.
YEP. MR. MANGLE MUST SEE THEM.
JUST A LITTLE BIT SO WE CAN SEE EVERYBODY BEHIND YOU.
EVERYBODY? IF YOU COULD JUST BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH GREENSBORO HORNETS.
WE'RE SO GLAD YOU CAME OUT ON A COLD EVENING TO JOIN US AND TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
AND WE WOULDN'T DARE HAVE YOU COME OUT AND NOT TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT GRADE YOU'RE IN.
SO THIS IS OUR GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SGA.
DO YOU WANT TO START HERE AND TELL US YOUR NAME? MY NAME IS LESLIE, AND I'M IN THIRD GRADE.
MY NAME IS PIPER, AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
MY NAME IS RILEY, AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE.
I'M AUDMA, AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE.
AUSTIN, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
I'M EVELYN, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
I'M EMMA, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
I'M JASON, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
I'M AUSTIN, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE.
I'M RILEY AND I'M IN 5TH GRADE. I'M JASON AND I'M IN 4TH GRADE.
ALRIGHT, WELL YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB AND I KNOW YOU MUST BE AN AWESOME STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION.
VERY STRONG ADVOCATES FOR THEIR SCHOOL AND FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
GREAT, WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I AM PRETTY SURE THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME LITTLE COOKIE TREATS, ESPECIALLY FOR GREENSBORO HORNETS THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.
YEAH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT. PARENTS, THANK YOU FOR BRAVING THE WEATHER TO BRING THEM OUT.
BE HERE AS WELL. GET TO SLEEP IN A LITTLE BIT MORE TOMORROW.
WE CAN JUST GET SOME MELT TO HAPPEN A LITTLE MORE.
NOT ALL DAY, JUST A LITTLE BIT.
BUT NO, WE'RE THANKFUL FOR YOU GUYS BRINGING THEM OUT TONIGHT AND BEING HERE FOR US.
CAN WE GET A PICTURE WITH YOU GUYS? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR TALLER FRIENDS COME TO THE BACK AND OUR FRIENDS WITH MRS. CARR UP FRONT.
[00:05:16]
HANG ON. THERE WE GO.DID YOU GET A TICKET? YEAH, I KNOW.
YEAH, IT WAS TWO OF THEM SITTING THERE.
OKAY, AND AS WE MOVE ALONG WITH OUR...
AS WE MOVE ALONG WITH OUR BOARD MEETING THIS EVENING, WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT TASK THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF.
CAN WE PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR AGENDA THIS EVENING? I'LL MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU.
AND NOW WE MOVE ON TO AN IMPORTANT TASK THAT WE HAVE TO DO THIS EVENING.
THIS IS COMING TO THE END OF THE TERM FOR DR. SIMMONS AS SUPERINTENDENT.
AND WE NEED A MOTION FROM SOMEONE ON THE BOARD TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE SHALL CONTINUE WITH DR. SIMMONS.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO RENEW DR. SIMMONS' CONTRACT.
JUST A LITTLE HISTORY, IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 20 YEARS THAT WE'VE SIGNED A SECOND TERM FOR A SUPERINTENDENT FOR CARROLL COUNTY.
SO I THINK IT'S A BIG, BIG STEP FOR US.
IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THANK YOU.
AND SO, DR. SIMMONS, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ELECTION OF DR.
SIMMONS AS OUR CONTINUING SUPERINTENDENT.
BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU'LL STAND WITH US, PLEASE.
I WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, DR. SIMMONS, ON YOUR REAPPOINTMENT AS SUPERINTENDENT AND ALSO ON THE JOINT DECISION OF COMING TO A CONTRACT THAT IS SUITABLE FOR ALL OF US.
I THINK YOUR REAPPOINTMENT SHOWS THAT THE BOARD RESPECTS, HONORS, AND TAKES SERIOUS YOUR DETERMINATION AND THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MOVE CAROLINE COUNTY FORWARD.
[00:10:01]
OF THE BOARD, THE STUDENTS, THE STAFF, THE COMMUNITY, WE WELCOME YOU BACK AS SUPERINTENDENT.SIMMONS' FAMILY TO COME FORWARD.
IF I CAN SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I TEND TO NOT PREPARE COMMENTS, BUT I'LL BE HONEST, I DON'T.
IN ALL REALITY, I'M ABSOLUTELY HONORED AND HUMBLED AND BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THE WORK IN OUR COUNTY.
TO THIS BOARD AND OUR PREVIOUS BOARD, I SEE JIM HERE.
I SEE RICK HERE, TWO PREVIOUS BOARD PRESIDENTS I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH.
BOTH WHO HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING A CHANCE ON A CAREER CAROLINE EDUCATOR TO REBUILD AND STRENGTHEN OUR CCPS FAMILY.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STEWARD THE HELM OF OUR WONDERFUL SCHOOL SYSTEM COMING OUT OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC AND INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BLUEPRINT AND THE MULTITUDE OF CHANGES THAT IT BRINGS.
AS TROY MENTIONED, IT'S BEEN OVER 20 YEARS SINCE CAROLINE COUNTY HAS RENEWED A SITTING SUPERINTENDENT, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE AND THE SUPPORT TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TOGETHER.
I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MY FAMILY.
THEY WILL HATE THAT I'M GIVING THEM ATTENTION, BUT IT'S NOT EASY TO BE THE WIFE OF A SUPERINTENDENT, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TEACH IN THE SAME SYSTEM.
BRITT, YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND AND THE GLUE THAT MAKES OUR CRAZY LIFE AND SCHEDULES WORK.
A SUPERINTENDENT'S SCHEDULE IS CHAOTIC, TO SAY THE LEAST.
YOU HAVE SHARED ME WITH OUR WORK AND OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT AND LOVE.
TO MY DAUGHTERS, CHLOE AND SIENNA, IT'S ALSO NOT EASY BEING THE KIDS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT.
YOU TWO HANDLE IT WITH GRACE AND POISE, EVEN WHEN NOT EVERYONE AGREES WITH DAD'S DECISIONS.
YOU UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT IT WHEN OUR TIME TOGETHER AT DANCE, SOFTBALL, OR FAMILY TIME GETS INTERRUPTED WITH ANOTHER WORK CALL.
AND A DAD COULDN'T ASK FOR TWO BETTER KIDS.
AND TO OUR COMMUNITY, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE.
SERVING OUR COMMUNITY IS A BLESSING.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO DO, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
SO SANDY, I KNOW YOU GOT ALL THE PICTURES.
JIM, IF WE COULD GET YOU AND RICK TO JOIN US.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT FIVE GOOD BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE.
AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT BOARDS WITH FIVE GOOD BOARD MEMBERS LIKE RICK HERE AS WELL.
AND WHEN THESE TOPICS COME UP, YOU NEVER KNOW.
IT'S FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST.
AND WITH VERY PROFESSIONAL HELP FROM OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND PEOPLE LIKE ME.
AND YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO DO IN THEIR LIVES.
WHETHER THEIR SPOUSES ARE GOING TO WANT TO STAY IN THE AREA.
WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME.
OR IT'S JUST NOT A GOOD MATCH.
AND YOU CAN'T DISCUSS THAT STUFF IN GENERAL PUBLIC EITHER.
SO I WAS VERY LUCKY TO COME ON BOARD WITH DR. EDWARD SHIRLEY AND HIS FIRST TERM.
AND THEN, LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO.
AND THEN HE GOT A SECOND TERM.
AND THEN A GOOD BOARD MADE A CHOICE.
[00:15:01]
AND THAT GENTLEMAN, YOU KNOW, GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.AND THEN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, THINGS JUST MOVE ON.
BUT IT IS VERY NICE FOR THE CHILDREN AND OUR STAFF WHEN YOU HAVE SOME CONSISTENCY AND LEADERSHIP.
AND I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE SEEN THIS BOARD BE ABLE TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO GARY, TOO.
YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW HARD THIS JOB IS.
HOW TERRIBLY HARD IT IS UNTIL YOU GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND GET TO SEE SOME OF IT.
IT'S REALLY EASY TO BE OUT THERE AND LOOK AND SAY, WHY DON'T YOU DO THIS? WHY DIDN'T YOU CANCEL SCHOOL? WHY DIDN'T YOU CANCEL? I GUARANTEE YOU THAT HE'S ASKING HIMSELF THE SAME QUESTION.
BECAUSE MOST TIMES THERE'S A ROAD TO FORBES.
[2. Public Recognitions / Comment]
YES.AND NEXT WE HAVE TWO TEACHERS, I BELIEVE, WHO WE'RE RECOGNIZING FOR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS A MAJOR STEP IN THE TEACHING CAREER.
AND WE'RE REAL PROUD OF THEM FOR THE WORK THEY'VE DONE TO EARN THIS CERTIFICATION.
PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS, CONGRATULATIONS.
LAST MONTH WE RECOGNIZED SOME OF OUR NEW NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
THE PROBLEM WITH HAVING 14 ATTAIN IN ONE YEAR IS IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK OUT IN THE SCHEDULE FOR THEM ALL TO BE IN THE SAME ROOM.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE THREE THAT COULDN'T BE WITH US FOR VARIOUS REASONS LAST TIME, BUT THEY'RE HERE TONIGHT.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT.
WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION IS LAST MONTH.
A PRETTY VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS THROUGH PORTFOLIO ENTRIES AND EXAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS THE KIND OF PINNACLE OF TEACHING CERTIFICATION NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED.
OF COURSE, THE TARGET OF THE BLUEPRINT AS WRITTEN FOR TEACHERS TO DO THIS.
A VERY, VERY, VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS.
ONLY ABOUT A 50% PASS RATE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND A 70% PASS RATE IF YOU REDO.
AND SO THESE FOLKS HAVE WORKED VERY HARD.
AND IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT BEING REFLECTIVE.
IT'S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT YOU DO.
YES, YOU HAVE TO VIDEOTAPE YOUR CLASSROOM.
DO NOT SEND THESE PEOPLE A PERFECT SCRIPTED LESSON.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A REAL AUTHENTIC LESSON AND THEN FOR YOU TO GO AND LOOK AT IT YOURSELF AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I COULD DO THIS DIFFERENTLY.
AND SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE, AND I'M SURE THEY WOULD ALL ECHO, PROBABLY THE BEST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT A TEACHER COULD PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH TO REALLY LOOK AT THEIR OWN PRACTICE.
SO WE HAVE THREE WITH US TONIGHT.
THE FIRST IS FROM CCTC, MISS CHRISTY HALL.
AND I WILL SAY ABOUT GETTING NATIONALLY BOARD CERTIFIED AS A CTE TEACHER, CHRISTY DIDN'T JUST HAVE TO TAKE THE ASSESSMENTS IN THE PORTFOLIO AND HER CONTENT.
SHE HAD TO TAKE VARIOUS CLUSTERS OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.
SO I GOT TO ONLY TAKE TESTS IN SOCIAL STUDIES.
SHE GOT TO DO A LOT OF OTHER CONTENTS THAT SHE DOESN'T NECESSARILY TEACH AND STILL SHOW HER ABILITIES THERE.
[00:20:02]
SO ABSOLUTELY.FROM COLONEL HIGH, LAST YEAR'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MISS DANIELLE DENNIS, WHO TEACHES MATH.
AND FROM NORTH CAROLINA, MISS NATALIE MENIER, WHO TEACHES FRENCH.
I WILL SAY ABOUT FOREIGN LANGUAGE CERTIFICATION, NOT ONLY DO YOU DO THE THREE PORTFOLIO ENTRIES AND THE CONTENT TEST, THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL TEST FROM ACTFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FLUENT IN THE LANGUAGE YOU ARE TEACHING.
SO ANOTHER EXTRA STEP THAT HAS TO GO ON FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONTENT.
SO WHILE YOU ALL JUST WENT AND SAT BACK DOWN, SANDY IS GOING TO TELL YOU TO GET BACK UP.
BUT AGAIN, 14 IN ONE YEAR IS A GREAT THING FOR CAROLINA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
SO THIS IS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
OR WOULD YOU RATHER? I WOULD LIKE THE PENCIL.
DO YOU HAVE A PENCIL? DO YOU REALLY HAVE ONE? QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND CAROLINA COUNTY IS PROUD OF ALL THREE OF THOSE TEACHERS WHO MADE THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE.
I THINK I'M MORE NERVOUS THAN YOU TONIGHT.
YES, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL FOLKS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT.
BUT FIRST, LET ME READ PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES.
IN-PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT, THE TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TOTAL.
THE BOARD OF ED DOES NOT ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION OF THE MATTER BEING BROUGHT TO IT, BUT WILL, IF APPROPRIATE, DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO RESPOND AT A LATER TIME.
INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, I'M SORRY, THAT'S ABOUT SIGN UP.
INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ADVISED THAT EACH PERSON ADDRESSING THE BOARD WILL HAVE A FIVE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
ONCE THE TIME LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO FINISH THEIR COMMENTS.
SPECIFIC AND PERSONAL REFERENCES TO STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES, OR OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOARD WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.
SHOULD SOMEONE WISH TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD ABOUT A SPECIFIC PERSON OR STUDENT, THEY MAY DO SO IN WRITING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD.
RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTIVE OR INTERFERES WITH THE ORDER OF THE MEETING IS NOT PERMITTED, AND INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT GIVE THEIR TIME TO OTHERS ON THE LIST OF SPEAKERS.
AND OUR FIRST PERSON TONIGHT IS, AND I'M SORRY IF I MESS UP NAMES, SHERRY BASTISI.
I WANTED TO START BY SAYING GOOD EVENING AND THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR TAKING TIME TO HEAR OUR CONCERNS AS WELL AS DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, SAFETY FIELD INSPECTIONS ARE DONE BY OUR OWN BOARD.
HOWEVER, THERE WAS A YOUNG LADY WHO BROKE HER LOWER LEG
[00:25:02]
ON A FIELD HOCKEY FIELD.DO YOU THINK THIS WAS A RESULT OF OUR FIELDS? AND A YOUNG MAN WHO HAD A FOURTH-DEGREE SPRAIN FROM OUR FIELDS AS WELL.
THANKFULLY, THE REMAINING THREE FIELD HOCKEY GAMES WERE MOVED TO THE STADIUM, WHICH SEEMED TO HAPPEN AFTER A BOARD MEMBER, WHO ALSO HAD A CHILD ON THE SAME TEAM, CALLED OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
OF COURSE, AFTER THE YOUNG LADY'S INJURY.
AGAIN, I ASK YOU, DO YOU THINK THESE INJURIES WERE A RESULT OF POORLY MAINTAINED ATHLETIC FIELDS? GOING FORWARD, WILL FIELD HOCKEY CONTINUE TO PLAY IN THE STADIUM IN THE FALL, OR SHOULD I SAY, WHICH SPORTS WILL PLAY IN THE STADIUM IN THE FALL? IN ADDITION, MAYBE THE BOARD SHOULD CONSIDER THE NEED FOR A NON-BIASED INSPECTION WITH NO CONNECTION TO CAROLINE COUNTY.
THIS BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
WHERE ARE THE PREVIOUS INSPECTIONS DOCUMENTED? BETTER YET, I WOULD LIKE A FURNISHED COPY.
CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STATES THEY SEEK TO PROVIDE AN ATHLETIC PROGRAM THAT IS BENEFICIAL FOR ALL, TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SKILLS OF THE GAME, GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP, AND BUILD STRONG CHARACTER.
IT IS TO BE CONSIDERED A PRIVILEGE AND TO PROMOTE PRIDE.
WELL, HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE WHEN THERE'S NO SENSE OF PRIDE IN THEM, PARTICULARLY THE FEMALE ATHLETES, WHICH IS INEQUALITY AND INEQUITY? THE ATHLETIC HANDBOOK HAS A RETURN TO SOCCER PROTOCOL, A RETURN TO FOOTBALL PROTOCOL, AND A GENERIC RETURN TO PLAY AND GENERAL PROTOCOL, AS WELL AS COVID-19 RETURN TO PLAY.
WHAT ABOUT THE NON-MONEY-MAKING SPORTS, INCLUDING THE FEMALES? IN THIS SAME BOOK, STUDENT ATHLETES AND PARENTS MUST SIGN THIS BOOK TO SAY THEY RECEIVED IT, ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONCUSSIONS, AND A SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST INFORMATION SHEET.
BY THE WAY, WHERE'S THE AED? SO, BETTER YET, WHERE'S THE ATHLETIC TRAINER? I'M NOT SURE IF MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE OUR GIRLS' LACROSSE PROGRAM STARTED AROUND 2012, YET NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED TO PROMOTE OR SHOW ANY IMPROVEMENT.
WHERE'S THE EQUALITY FOR OUR RESOURCES? WHERE'S THE EQUITY TO PROVIDE FIELD QUALITY AND SAFETY? YOU WANT OUR GIRLS ON A FIELD THAT HAS ALREADY HAD AN INJURY.
HOW CAN THIS PROMOTE GROWTH FOR ANY ATHLETE? WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE TWO FEMALE-ONLY SPORTS, BUT ONE AT NORTH CAROLINA APPEARS TO HAVE LESS THAN FAIR ACCOMMODATIONS, WHICH I'M SURE WE'RE ALL AWARE.
BUT NOW, WITH LACROSSE, WE'RE EXPECTED THE SAME.
NO LIGHTING, MINIMAL SEATING, DEPLORABLE BATHROOMS, OR SHOULD I SAY PORT-A-POTS, UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU MAKE IT TO THE STADIUM BATHROOMS, A MINIMAL SCOREBOARD, IF AT ALL, AND A VERY LITTLE CARED-FOR FIELD.
I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A FEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE CHILDREN TO WANT BETTER, AND I AM POSITIVE THEY WILL WANT FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY, SO I AM EXPECTING THE SAME.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM FORMALLY REQUESTING ATHLETIC FINANCIAL RECORDS FOR ALL TEAMS TO INCLUDE MONEY SPENT, NOTED FOR WHAT AND TO WHOM, MONEY RAISED BY FUNDRAISERS, BUDGET FOR ATHLETICS FOR EACH TEAM, BASICALLY THEIR CHECKBOOK.
THROUGH ALL OF THIS, THE MOST FRUSTRATING AND BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT YOU GUYS KNEW ABOUT THIS SINCE JUNE, YET DID NOTHING TO PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF OUR SPORTS FIELDS.
SO HOW ARE WE, AS PARENTS AND OUR CHILDREN, TO HAVE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN YOU? NO SENSE OF TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN SEEN UNLESS IT WAS QUESTIONED.
THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH OUR FAMILY, WE HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS THAT HAVE HAD SPORTS-RELATED INJURIES AND HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TOLL IT TAKES ON THEM.
HAVING AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY MAY HAPPEN, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE AS A RESULT FROM SUBPAR CONDITIONS AND BLATANT DISREGARD.
I AM NOT ASKING FOR ANSWERS OR COMMENTS THIS EVENING, BUT MORE SO TO PUT THIS ON RECORD AND ASK THAT THE CAROLINA COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION PROVIDE A MORE EQUITABLE AND TRANSPARENT SOLUTION FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES.
THE SECOND PERSON SIGNED UP TONIGHT IS MELISSA MCHENRY.
I'M SORRY, CAN WE GO OUT OF ORDER? THE TIME LIMIT IS FIVE MINUTES, NO MATTER WHO GOES FIRST.
GOOD EVENING, BOARD. GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT.
HOW IS EVERYBODY DOING? HOPEFULLY GOOD.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE BYERS, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A CONCERNED PARENT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE ACCESS TO ATHLETIC FACILITIES AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY THE STADIUM FIELD.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, I HAVE REQUESTED UNDER THE MARYLAND PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW DECISIONS WERE MADE REGARDING THE USE OF THE NEWLY-SODDED STADIUM FIELD.
MY GOAL WAS NOT TO CHALLENGE THE IMPORTANCE OR THE FIELD'S SAFETY.
IT WAS MORE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT STANDARDS WERE USED AND HOW DECISIONS WERE DOCUMENTED AND WHAT STANDARDS WERE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY AND EQUITABLE ACROSS ALL ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. THE RECORD PROVIDED TO ME SHOWS THAT THE NEW SOD WAS INSTALLED IN THE STADIUM IN JULY OF 2025.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, BEGINNING IN ABOUT SEPTEMBER OF 2025, THE FIELD WAS APPROVED FROM COMPETITIVE USE
[00:30:01]
FOR FOOTBALL, BOYS' SOCCER, AND GIRLS' SOCCER.THESE APPROVALS OCCURRED WITHIN WEEKS OF INSTALLATION.
AND DURING THAT TIME, THE SOD WAS STILL ESTABLISHING GROWTH.
HOWEVER, THE GIRLS' LACROSSE PROGRAM LATER ASSUMED THAT THE SAME STADIUM FIELD DURING THE SPRING SEASON WOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE USED.
THE EXPLANATION PROVIDED WAS THAT THE BERMUDA GLASS WOULD BE DORMANT AND THEREFORE UNSUITABLE FOR PLAY.
WHAT CONCERNS ME AND WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TONIGHT IS THAT THE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED IN RESPONSE TO MY PUBLIC RECORD REQUEST DID NOT INCLUDE ANY WRITTEN POLICIES, ANY INSPECTION REPORTS, ANY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS, OR FORMAL DIRECTIVES THAT EXPLAIN WHY THE FIELDS WERE CONSIDERED PLAYABLE FOR FALL SPORTS YET SHORTLY THEREAFTER, SHORTLY AFTER INSTALLATION, AND CATEGORICALLY UNSUITABLE FOR SPRING USE BY GIRLS' LACROSSE.
IN FACT, MANY PORTIONS OF MY REQUEST, INCLUDING MAINTENANCE STANDARDS INSPECTIONS OR CRITERIA FOR FIELD READINESS, WERE ANSWERED WITH, AND I QUOTE, NO RECORDS EXIST OR I HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH ALL EXISTING RECORDS THAT PERTAIN TO MY REQUEST.
AS A RESULT, THERE IS NO DOCUMENT EXPLANATION SAYING WHAT OBJECTIVE CRITERIA WAS USED TO APPROVE FOR FALL USE AND WHAT OBJECTIVE IS USED TO DENY SPRING USE.
THERE IS ALSO WHO HAS THE FINAL AUTHORITY OVER THESE DECISIONS OR WHETHER THE SAME STANDARDS WERE APPLIED ACROSS ALL TEAMS. THIS LACK OF DOCUMENTATION BECOMES MORE CONCERNING WHEN VIEWED ALONGSIDE STUDENT SAFETY.
DURING THE FIELD HOCKEY SEASON, A PLAYER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
WE ARE ALL AWARE OF THIS NOW, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE MR. BASSISI BROUGHT IT UP, BUT THAT WAS DUE TO SUBPAR FIELDS.
SHE SUFFERED A BROKEN LEG, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT INJURY, THE REMAINING OF THE SEASON FOR FIELD HOCKEY WAS MOVED INTO THE STADIUM.
THAT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OFTEN, WELL, SORRY, THAT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS DEMONSTRATES TWO IMPORTANT POINTS.
FIRST, THAT SOME NON-STADIUM FIELDS PRESENT A REAL SAFETY RISK FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND SECOND, WHEN SAFETY CONCERNS ARISE, THE STADIUM FIELD IS RECOGNIZED AS AN APPROPRIATE AND SAFE VENUE FOR GIRLS' ATHLETICS.
GIVEN THE CONTEXT, IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE WHY ONE GIRLS' SPORT WAS DENIED ACCESS TO THE STADIUM BASED ON UNDOCUMENTED TURF CONCERNS, WHILE THE OTHER GIRLS' SPORT WAS REQUIRED EMERGENCY RELOCATION TO THE STADIUM AFTER A SERIOUS INJURY OCCURRED.
WITHOUT WRITTEN STANDARD, DECISIONS ABOUT FIELD ACCESS BECOME DISCRETIONARY AND RATHER A BOARD POLICY, AND WHEN DISCRETIONARY DECISIONS RESULT IN A GIRLS' ATHLETIC PROGRAM BEING EXCLUDED FROM PREMIER AND OBVIOUSLY SAFER FACILITIES WHILE THE OTHER TEAMS ARE GRANTED ACCESS, THAT RAISES LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT CONSISTENCY, SAFETY, AND EQUITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT ISSUING BLAME.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME WORRYING ABOUT DISREGARDING TURF MANAGEMENT.
CONSISTENCY IS ABOUT THE OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND EQUITABLE ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL STUDENTS.
BASED ON THE RECORDS PROVIDED, THERE IS NO DOCUMENT OR NEUTRAL POLICY EXPLAINING WHY GIRLS' LACROSSE WAS DENIED ACCESS TO THE STADIUM FIELD WHILE OTHER TEAMS WERE PERMITTED TO USE IT.
THAT LACK OF DOCUMENTATION COMBINED WITH THE DESPERATE IMPACT ON GIRLS' PROGRAMS AND DEMONSTRATING SAFETY CONCERNS FOR ALTERNATIVE FIELDS RAISE ISSUES THAT DESERVE A THOUGHTFUL REVIEW.
TONIGHT, I AM RESPECTFULLY ASKING THE BOARD TO REVIEW HOW ATHLETIC ACCESS TO FIELDS AND DECISIONS ARE MADE AND DOCUMENTED, CLEAR AND ESTABLISH WRITTEN STANDARDS FOR FIELD READINESS AND SEASONAL USE, ENSURING THAT THOSE STANDARDS ARE APPLIED CONSISTENTLY ACROSS ALL ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, AND TO PRIORITIZE STUDENT SAFETY AND EQUITY WHEN DETERMINING THE PREMIER ACCESS TO FACILITIES.
MY DAUGHTER IS A STUDENT ATHLETE AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
IN YOUR OPENING STATEMENT, IT WAS MENTIONED YOU STRIVE TO INSPIRE STUDENTS.
WHAT ABOUT STUDENT ATHLETES? ARE THEY BEING INSPIRED WITH THE CONDITIONS AND THE UNKNOWNS OF WHERE THEY'LL BE PLAYING AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TO WALK BY A STADIUM AND GO PLAY ON A FIELD THAT IS NOT A FULLY DEDICATED FIELD FOR ATHLETICS? IT'S A PRACTICE FIELD TURNED INTO A PLAYING FIELD.
MY DAUGHTER, HER FATHER, AND I ARE PROUD ALUMNI OF NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
CURRENTLY, I'M EMBARRASSED BY THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND CONDITIONS OF THE ATHLETIC FIELDS AND THE SUPPORT OF THE STUDENT ATHLETES.
OUR DAUGHTER LIVES AND BREATHES LACROSSE.
WE ARE HUGE SUPPORTERS OF MORGAN'S MESSAGE, AND THE THOUGHT OF AN INJURY DURING HER RECRUITING YEAR IS...
[00:35:02]
WE ESTIMATE THAT WE SPEND $10,000 A YEAR OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL FOR HER SUCCESS AS A STUDENT ATHLETE SOLELY IN LACROSSE.THIS PAST YEAR, WE THOUGHT ABOUT SWITCHING SCHOOLS.
WE WENT THROUGH ST. PETER AND PAUL.
SHE HAS HAD QUEEN ANNE AND KENT ISLAND STUDENTS BEG HER TO COME BE THEIR GOALIE.
WE THOUGHT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF RENTING A HOME TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE FOR HER, BUT SHE CHOSE TO STAY AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL WITH HER TEAM.
I FEEL LIKE HER FATHER AND I HAVE HAD BULLDOG PRIDE.
WHAT WE SEE NOW IS NOT WHAT WE SAW WHEN WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL.
ADDITIONALLY, OUR SON, A SEVENTH GRADER AT COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, IS A PHENOMENAL LACROSSE GOALIE AS WELL, PLAYING FOR THE ANNAPOLIS HAWKS.
WITH CURRENT CONDITIONS, WE'RE QUESTIONING ON SHOULD WE SEND HIM TO NORTH CAROLINA FOR LACROSSE.
IN MY OPINION, THIS IS RUINING GREAT TALENT WITH POOR SUPPORT.
I CAN CONTINUE BY SAYING THAT OUR DAUGHTER TRANSFERRED FROM ONE OF THE TOP TEN LACROSSE CLUBS IN THE NATION TO PLAY FOR A TEAM RANKED HIGHER NATIONALLY.
THIS TEAM WAS RANKED 21ST OUT OF 240 CLUBS IN THE NATION.
SHE IS AN AMAZING ATHLETE AND DESERVES PRIDE WHEN SHE STEPS ONTO THE FIELD.
SHE'S MADE NATIONAL TEAMS. SHE'S PLAYED IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ONE OF THE BIGGEST TOURNAMENTS THAT THERE IS.
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, SHE'S PLAYED IN FLORIDA FOR TWO DIFFERENT CLUBS.
HER CLUB THAT WE PAY FOR, AND ADDITIONALLY, A MARYLAND SELECT CLUB, WHICH SHE HAD TO TRY OUT FOR.
I HAVE TO TRANSFER HER TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY BECAUSE OUR HOME SCHOOL IS COLONEL RICHARDSON, WHICH DOES NOT PROVIDE LACROSSE.
OUR LAST SPEAKER IS MR. KEVIN SULLIVAN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.
I'M A PROUD FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS THAT GO TO THIS SCHOOL.
THEY DID RIDGELEY. THEY DID LOCKERMAN.
ONE GRADUATED LAST YEAR. I'VE GOT ONE LEFT TO GET THROUGH.
TO GO ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS, I SUPPORT THE OTHER COMMENTS MADE, BUT IT'S PRIDE.
I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRACTICE FIELDS THAT WE HAVE, THEY NEED SOME TLC, TO SAY THE LEAST.
WHILE AT WORK TODAY, I JUST TOOK AN AERIAL PHOTO, AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF COPIES. YOU GUYS CAN LOOK AT IT.
BUT ON THE GOOGLE EARTH, YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE A FOOTBALL STADIUM.
YOU CAN SEE A TRACK. YOU CAN SEE A BASEBALL FIELD.
AND THEN SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN SOLAR PANELS AND AN AG FIELD IS SOMETHING WE'RE CALLING A LACROSSE SOCCER, SOME OTHER KIND OF UTILITY FIELD.
WHEN WE CAN GET RID OF THIS GROSS, WHITE, ICY STUFF, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GET OUT THERE, TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
WE SPEND MORE TIME ON OUR AG FIELDS THAN WE DO.
WE LOVE THESE KIDS. I KNOW YOU ALL DO.
YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THESE POSITIONS IF YOU DIDN'T.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO GIVE THEM THAT RESPECT.
AGAIN, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE GIRLS LACROSSE TEAM.
THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER SPORTS THAT HAVE TO PLAY OUT THERE.
BUT THESE GIRLS, THEY'RE DEDICATED.
THEY EAT, SLEEP, BREATHE THIS STUFF.
LAST WEEK WHEN THEY WERE OUT ON SNOW BREAK, YOU'D GO TO THE PLANET FITNESS IN EAST END, AND THERE'S 15, 20 GIRLS THERE WORKING OUT.
THEY'RE THERE. THEY'RE TRACK KIDS THERE.
THEY'RE ON M&D SHORE. THEY'RE ON TRAVEL TEAMS. THEY PLAY AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS.
I MEAN SOME REALLY PROFESSIONAL-LOOKING FIELDS.
I'M A PUBLIC SCHOOL GUY THROUGH AND THROUGH.
WHEN YOU GET OUT THERE AND YOU LOOK AT IT, YOU'LL BE LIKE, OH, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE IMPRESSED.
WE SPEND MORE TIME ON OUR AG FIELDS.
OUR TURN ROWS GET MORE ATTENTION THAN THOSE FIELDS HAVE BEEN GETTING.
[00:40:01]
PROUD TO SAY THE GIRLS LACROSSE TEAM IN NORTH CAROLINA GOT SECOND PLACE TWO NIGHTS AGO IN THE INDOOR LACROSSE LEAGUE AT 18.THEY'RE OVER THERE BY THE BAY BRIDGE.
WE BEAT THEIR BUTTS EARLIER IN THE SEASON, BUT WE LOST ON SUNDAY NIGHT.
WE HAD TO PLAY TWO GAMES. THEY ONLY HAD TO PLAY ONE.
BUT JUST GO OUT THERE. TAKE A LOOK AT THE FIELD.
IT'S ABOUT SAFETY. IT'S ABOUT PRIDE.
WHEN THEY WALK PAST THE STADIUM AND THEN HAVE TO GO TO SOME GRAVEL-BACKED PARKING LOT, THAT'S NOT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
I'LL LEAVE THEM HERE IF YOU WANT TO PASS THEM OUT TO THE BOARD.
BUT IT NEEDS SOME TLC, AND IT NEEDS IT LIKE YESTERDAY.
BUT LACROSSE SEASON STARTS IN MARCH, SO THEY'RE LOOKING TO HAVE GAMES IN MARCH AND IN APRIL.
IF THEY GET TO PLAY ON THE STADIUM FIELD, GREAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL THAT DECISION PROCESS IS, BUT IF THEY CAN'T, I WOULD LIKE, AS SOON AS THE SNOW'S GONE, SOMEBODY TO GIVE IT A LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION OR FIND ANOTHER STADIUM SUITABLE TO PLAY IN AND SUITABLE TO HAVE GUESTS HERE FOR OUR SIX OR SEVEN HOME GAMES.
AND TO EACH OF YOU, I THINK THAT'S FOUR, WAS IT? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S FOUR.
MS. BAIR, IS IT FOUR? THAT'S IT.
WE DEFINITELY HEAR YOUR CONCERN, AND YOU CAN EXPECT A RESPONSE FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
I'M SORRY? I WILL TRY TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH EVERYBODY IF LORD WILLING THINGS GO RIGHT THIS WEEK.
IF NOT, DEPENDING ON THE WAY THE WEATHER IS, IT MIGHT BE MORE INTO NEXT WEEK.
BUT TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH EVERYBODY, AT LEAST FOR THE INITIAL CONTACT THIS WEEK OR BEGINNING OF NEXT.
I BELIEVE TO AT LEAST GIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT 10 DAYS TO SEARCH EVERYTHING.
I DO HAVE ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION FOR THE LAST SPEAKER, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
YOU SAID IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN'T FIND SOMEWHERE SAFE, AND LIKE A SAFE STADIUM, YOU SAID ABOUT ANOTHER STADIUM.
WOULD OUT OF THE COUNTY BE ALL RIGHT FOR YOU IF THAT'S WHAT IT HAD TO BE? BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT WHERE THERE'S A SAFE STADIUM.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WHERE THERE'S STADIUMS AT IN THIS COUNTY, IF THAT WAS WHAT WAS DETERMINED, AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THEM.
LIKE TWO, ONE HERE AND ONE IN.
IT'S AN ALTERNATIVE FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.
I ALREADY KNOW MY DAUGHTER THAT GRADUATED WAS ON THE TRACK TEAM, AND YOU DON'T HAVE HOME TRACK MEETS.
IF YOU HAVE A NICE TRACK, YOU NEED TO PUT A LITTLE LOVE AND EFFORT AND FUNDS TOWARDS MATS AND PADS.
BUT TO SEND ANOTHER SPORT AWAY AND NOT HAVE IT IN OUR HOME COUNTY WOULD BE THE LEAST ATTRACTIVE OPTION.
I WAS JUST THINKING SOMETIMES IF IT'S A REPAIR THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, SOMETIMES, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON NOW.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BASICALLY WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO TAKE RIGOR OR WHATEVER.
I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT JUST ALONG THAT.
IF WE SEND THEM SOMEWHERE ELSE, THAT'S MORE EDUCATIONAL TIME IF THEY'RE OUT OF SCHOOL.
THEN WE'RE TRAVELING ALREADY FOR AWAY GAMES, SO WE'LL BE TRAVELING AWAY FOR HOME GAMES ALSO? I WAS JUST ASKING A CLARIFYING QUESTION ABOUT, HE SAID ABOUT FINDING ANOTHER STADIUM.
THERE'S ONLY ONE OTHER STADIUM IN THE COUNTY, SO I DON'T KNOW.
AS I SAID, YOU CAN EXPECT A REPLY WITHIN 10 DAYS.
I THINK THAT'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REPLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AND SHARING YOUR OPINIONS WITH US BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T SHARE, WE DON'T KNOW.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY, THANK YOU.
WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR STUDENT REPORT FROM KADEEM.
I'LL START WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY.
DR. KREBS SAID, AS WE MOVE INTO FEBRUARY, I'M PROUD TO SHARE THAT DENTON ELEMENTARY CONTINUES TO BE A PLACE OF GROWTH AND LEARNING.
FEBRUARY IS OFTEN A MONTH WHERE MONUMENTS MATTER, AND WE PLAN TO HEAD IN STRONG NO MATTER THE
[00:45:02]
WEATHER.LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR COIN WARS, AND THEN MRS. GROW RETURNED, AND THEY SAID THAT MR. LAMBERT WAS A GREAT PERSON TO JOIN.
THEN SOME UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THEM, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR PBIS JOE CORBIS FUNDRAISER.
HOW DID YOU MISS THAT FUNDRAISER? THAT'S SOME GOOD STUFF THERE.
YEAH, WE'LL HELP YOU OUT ON THAT ONE.
SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS FEBRUARY 2ND.
THEY HAD THEIR CLASS AND GROUP PICTURE DAY.
FEBRUARY 13TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR PARENT CONFERENCE DAY.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 17TH AT 6 P.M. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR PTO MEETING.
MOVING ON TO GREENSBORO, LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR BUDDY DAY AND THE JUDY CENTER FAMILY LEARNING CAMP, AND THEN THEY HAD THEIR SK8 FOR LIFE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY.
AND THEN SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS VALENTINE'S DAY.
THEY'LL DO THEIR CLASS VALENTINE'S EXCHANGE, WHICH IS ALWAYS FUN FOR LITTLE KIDS.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 17TH THROUGH 24TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR BOOK FAIR AFTER HOURS.
ON FEBRUARY 19TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 24TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FAMILY ACADEMIC NIGHT.
FEBRUARY 25TH, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR SPRING PICTURE DAY.
FEBRUARY 27TH IS GRANDPARENTS DAY.
ON FEBRUARY 27TH, TOO, THERE'S READ ACROSS AMERICA, AND THEY SAY CELEBRATION, STOP, DROP, AND READ.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO LOCKERMINT.
LAST MONTH THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY RAISED OVER $3,000 FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS, AND I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE JOINING IN ON THE POLAROID PUNCH, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN THEIR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION COLLECTED ALUMNI CAPS OR ALUMINUM CAPS, CANNED TABS, THAT'S WHAT IT IS, FOR RONALD MCDONALD'S HOUSE.
AND THEN MUSIC STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN LOCKERMINT SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF SERVICE AND CELEBRATION.
THEY SAID THANK YOU TO MRS. CALLENDER AND THE EQUITY CLUB BECAUSE THEY HELPED COLLECT AND DONATE FOR HIS HOPE HAVEN AS PART OF THE MLK DAY CELEBRATION.
AND THEN LASTLY, STUDENTS COMPLETED THEIR MID-YEAR IREADY ASSESSMENTS IN MATH.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO MY SCHOOL, NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
MR. SPIKER SAID A NEW SEMESTER IS A FRESH START, AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET GOALS, CHALLENGE YOURSELF, AND PUSH YOUR ABILITIES TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
LET'S ALL LOCK IN FROM THE START.
AND THEN LAST MONTH WE HAD TESTING.
STAFF MET WITH DR. SIMMONS AND THEN AIB, WHICH IS THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE IN EDUCATION.
THEY TOOK A VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY LEAD TEACHER LEVEL FOUR PILOT.
AND THEN THEY HAD EIGHTH GRADE TOURS, AND THEN MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY, THEY PARTICIPATED WITH LMS. AND THEN NO SCHOOL TRANSITION DAY BECAUSE OF THE SNOW, I BELIEVE.
AND THEN SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS, THE SECOND SEMESTER STARTED THIS WEEK.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 4TH, WHICH IS TOMORROW, I THINK, WE'LL HAVE THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 24TH IS OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH DAY CELEBRATION.
FEBRUARY 26TH IS SCHOLARSHIP AND FAFSA HEALTH NIGHT.
AND THEN FOR CCTC, LAST MONTH, LMS ALSO HAD THEIR EIGHTH GRADE TOURS FOR, I GUESS, THAT PART.
AND THEN IRC, MANY NEW CERTIFIED STUDENTS AT CCTC.
I KEEP SEEING A LOT OF STUDENTS POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA THEY'RE GETTING CERTIFIED, AND THAT'S REALLY COOL TO DO IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS SEMESTER TWO WILL BEGIN.
FEBRUARY 11TH, WOMEN IN AG CONFERENCE.
FEBRUARY 11TH AND 12TH, COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL EIGHTH GRADE TOURS.
FEBRUARY 13TH THROUGH THE 15TH, RYLA, THE ROTARY YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IN OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND.
AND I WENT TO THAT LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD THING.
AND IT TAUGHT A LOT OF STUDENTS ABOUT SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO HELP PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT BE AS FORTUNATE AS YOU.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 16TH THROUGH THE 20TH IS THE FFA WEEK.
FEBRUARY 19TH WILL BE SKILLSUSA REGIONAL COMP DCTC.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 25TH IS FFA DAY IN ANNAPOLIS.
DID YOU GO TO DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? NO, I WENT TO SCHOOL IN DORCHESTER COUNTY.
I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT COIN WARS WAS ABOUT.
SHE DIDN'T EXPLAIN, AND I'M NOT SURE.
IS IT LIKE PENNY AWARDS? OH, OKAY. SO SAVING PENNIES AND BRINGING THEM.
YOU CAN DONATE TO ANOTHER CLASS
[00:50:01]
IF YOU EVER HAVE ONE.YES, IT'S LIKE GOLF. IT'S THE OPPOSITE.
DR. SIMMONS, JUST FOR CLARITY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE POLAR BEAR PUNCH TOMORROW? WE ARE ON A DELAY.
IN ANNE ARUNDEL, IF THEY'RE DELAYED, IT WOULD BE POSTPONED.
SO I'M PULLING FOR A DELAY IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY TOMORROW.
PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE.
I'M PULLING FOR A DELAY IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
AND OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON COULD
[3. Consent Agenda]
NOT BE HERE THIS EVENING.SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO PERSONNEL.
PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. SIMMONS, TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL AGENDA HAS ONE APPOINTMENT TO A REGULAR CONTRACT, ONE RETIREMENT, ONE RESIGNATION, AND FOUR RETIREMENTS THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
AND WE NEED APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA.
[4. Individual Action Items]
THANK YOU.WE HAVE AN OVERNIGHT TRIP REQUEST.
I'LL BE TAKING THAT FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
THE CRHS MUSIC DEPARTMENT, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MR. TOM CHEESON, IS LOOKING TO TAKE THE BAND TO HERSHEY PARK.
IN APRIL, IT IS A TRIP THAT REQUIRES BOARD APPROVAL, AS IT IS THREE NIGHTS AWAY, APRIL 16TH TO APRIL 19TH.
THE BAND HAS PARTICIPATED IN FUNDRAISING WITH THE BAND BOOSTERS.
THEY'VE HAD INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES, GROUP FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN IF YOU DIDN'T MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS TO THAT, STUDENTS COULD THEN PAY THE DIFFERENCE.
HE HAS THE HOTEL TAKEN CARE OF, THE CHAPERONES TAKEN CARE OF, AND THE BAND WILL BE PARTICIPATING AT HERSHEY, PLAYING THERE, AND IS SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL FOR THE OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP REQUEST.
SO THE EXPENSES HAVE BEEN MET? YEP.
ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? SHOULD I GET A MOTION FOR YOUR APPROVAL? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE OVERNIGHT TRIP FOR THE COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL BAND TO PERFORM AT HERSHEY PARK.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE OVERNIGHT TRIP FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON BAND TO GO TO HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA, PERFORM AT HERSHEY PARK, AND REPRESENT US WELL.
THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE SURE THAT MR. SHERMAN AND MR. CHEESEMAN KNOW.
AND WE HAVE MR. MINGLE COME IN TO US WITH INFORMATION ON PROPOSALS.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND DR. SIMMONS.
DR. SIMMONS, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SECOND TERM.
I COME TO YOU THIS EVENING TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL FOR PROPOSAL 26-011 TO MULTI-AWARD THREE ASPHALT PAVING COMPANIES TO REPAVE OR CRACK FILL CCPS PARKING LOTS, BUS LOOPS, AND PARENT DROP-OFF LOOPS.
WEATHER PERMITTING, THIS PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO TAKE APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS.
THESE VENDORS CAN BEGIN THE PROJECT SHORTLY FOLLOWING THE LAST DAY OF STUDENTS AND 10-MONTH STAFF.
THE SCHOOL PROPERTY AREAS ARE IN DIRE NEED OF REPAIR.
THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS $916,901.
THIS BID WOULD BE MULTI-AWARDED TO THREE COMPANIES, R.L.
EWING, TERRA FIRMA, AND RUSSELL PAVING.
THE THREE BIDS WERE RECEIVED FROM QUALIFIED ASPHALT PAVING COMPANIES, AND LIKE I SAID, THE FIRST ONE WAS R.L.
WE'RE GOING TO BE USING A COOPERATIVE COUNTY CONTRACT FROM THE CAROLINA COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE SECOND COMPANY WOULD BE TERRA FIRMA.
THEY'RE AN AUTHORIZED PIGGYBACK CONTRACT FROM WICOMICO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'LL BE PAYING FOR IS $10,675.
THE THIRD ONE, THE LAST ONE, IS RUSSELL PAVING.
THEY SUBMITTED A WINNING QUOTED COST FOR THE CENTRAL OFFICE ANNEX BUILDING.
THAT'S THE BUILDING THAT OUR TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OPERATES OUT OF.
THEY ARE A MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE KNOWN AS MBE.
THE STATE OF MARYLAND HOLDS THAT VERY HIGHLY, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT WE CAN HAVE AN MBE COMPANY TO HELP US OUT WITH THIS PROJECT.
WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY USED THIS VENDOR IN THE PAST.
THEY DID A LARGE PATCH AREA BEHIND NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TWO SUMMERS AGO.
WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS THE COA FOR $8,605.
A REVIEW OF THE ATTACHED 26011 PAVING PRICING GRID SHOWS THE IMPACT ON SCHOOL PROPERTIES AND THOSE PAVING RESURFACING SERVICES.
[00:55:01]
DUE TO THE GOOD CONDITION OF BOTH GREENSBORO AND AT PRESTON ELEMENTARY, THE PARKING LOTS AND DRIVEWAYS, THEY WILL NOT BE RECEIVING ANY PAVING RESURFACING SERVICES, THE REASON BEING, OBVIOUSLY, GREENSBORO IS VERY NEW.PRESTON ELEMENTARY DOES HAVE HAIRLINE FRACTURES WITHIN THE ASPHALT, BUT WE WERE TOLD WE HAD A PAVING CONSULTANT COME OUT WITH US TO REVIEW.
WE ACTUALLY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT PAVING.
THOSE HAIRLINE FRACTURES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH TO ABSORB THE CRACK FILL, SO IT WOULD JUST BE A TOTAL WASTE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT PROBABLY ANOTHER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TO ADDRESS THAT.
BUT THAT PARKING LOT IS HOLDING UP VERY, VERY WELL, SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET MORE TIME THAN JUST THE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OUT OF IT.
BUT THAT'S WHY THOSE TWO SCHOOLS WILL NOT BE PART OF THIS PROJECT.
THIS BID WAS CONDUCTED USING VARIOUS STATE-APPROVED METHODS OF COMPETITIVE AND FORMALIZED BID PROCEDURES TO INCLUDE COOPERATIVE COUNTY CONTRACTS AND PIGGYBACK CONTRACTS FROM A LOCAL COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THIS MULTI-AWARDED BID HAS MET ALL PROCEDURES COMPLIANT TO BOARD POLICY AND APPLICABLE STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE THE THREE COMPANIES THERE.
I'VE GOT MY WRONG EYEBALLS ON.
SO OUR RLU WILL BE DOING THE BULK OF IT.
WE WERE CONTEMPLATING ABOUT DOING ONE COMPANY, AND THEN WE RAN INTO A PROBLEM WITH THE TIME OF SUMMER.
WE RAN INTO A LITTLE BIT OF WEATHER.
IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE A HURRICANE WILL COME THROUGH.
MURFREESBORO AND I ARE BEST FRIENDS, SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A STORM THAT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THIS.
SO WE FIGURED IF WE COULD JUST BREAK THIS UP A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME OTHER COMPANIES TO HELP US OUT TO SPREAD THE LABOR A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET THIS PROJECT TOTALLY DONE THIS SUMMER.
THERE IS A FINANCIAL IMPACT TO CCPS AT THE AMOUNT OF $916,901.
WE ACTUALLY BUDGETED THIS FOR $1.5 MILLION, SO I FEEL VERY GOOD THAT WE ARE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS UNDER BUDGET ON THIS ONE, AND THIS WILL COME FROM THE CCPS OPERATING BUDGET.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.
I ACTUALLY HAVE JUST TWO QUESTIONS.
JUST WITH THE PRICE DIFFERENCE OF THEM AND THE SECOND ONE, THE TARIFF FIRM, IS IT JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY? LIKE WHEN YOU GOT ONE, IT'S $288,000 FOR KERNEL AND KERNEL MILL, AND THEN THERE'S THIS $477,000.
WE WERE STUNNED THAT TERRA FIRMA CAME IN SO HIGH BECAUSE THEY WERE THE PREFERRED CO-OP COMPANY THAT WICOMICO COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS USED.
SO WHEN IT CAME IN, WE WERE LIKE, WOW, ALL THE PRICES ARE REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE, AND WE WERE STUNNED.
WE ACTUALLY CALLED WICOMICO TO MAKE SURE ARE THEY LEGIT.
WE WANTED TO VET THEM OUT A LITTLE BIT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE THESE NUMBERS WERE COMING IN AND THEY WERE JUST REALLY, REALLY HIGH.
AGAIN, AND I TALK ABOUT THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN WITH SOME BIDS, SOMETIMES COMPANIES DON'T REALLY WANT THE BUSINESS, BUT THEY WANT TO KEEP THEIR FOOT IN THE GAME.
AND SO THEY WANT TO JUST SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE.
IF THERE'S A CHANCE THEY CAN GET IT AND THEY CAN MAKE A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO MULTIPLE BIDS AND WE TRY TO CONDUCT A COMPETITION TO ALLOW THE BEST PRICE TO COME FORTH.
AND I JUST HAD ONE OTHER FOR THE CCTC.
WITH THE NEW SCHOOL COMING IN, WILL THERE BE Ā WILL THAT BLACKTOP BE RIPPED UP OR, LIKE, IS IT JUST A LITTLE BIT Ā LIKE, IF IT'S $100,000 ON A BLACKTOP AND WE'VE GOT TO RIP IT UP IN TWO YEARS, THEN THAT COULD BE KIND OF Ā SO THERE'S NO PLAN DESIGN YET APPROVED.
I'M GETTING A LITTLE AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT THE MAIL-IN-STATEMENT AUTHORITY ALREADY APPROVED THE MOA THIS MORNING.
SO WE'LL HIT THE Ā WE'LL BASICALLY HIT THE ROAD RUNNING TOMORROW.
BUT THE DESIGN CONCEPT THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS OF PEOPLE, THAT PARKING LOT WILL BE BUILT RIGHT NEXT TO IT, AND THEY WOULD NOT BE TEARING UP THAT PARKING LOT.
IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM IT WOULD BE GOOD ON FUNDING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO JUST WANT TO COMMENT BEFORE IT GOES TO A VOTE.
I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT MR. MENGEL AND HIS TEAM DID ON THIS.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE ROOFING BUSINESS FOR FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE OUT OF THE ROOFING BUSINESS FOR A LITTLE BIT.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ROOFING BUSINESS AND ALL YOUR CAPITAL MONEY IS GOING TO ROOFING, YOU'RE NOT IN THE PAVING BUSINESS.
WE TRIED OPPORTUNITIES THREE, FOUR YEARS AGO TO TRY TO GET SOME EARMARKED FUNDS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
CAPITAL PROJECT EARMARKED FUNDS SEPARATELY, ASPHALT PAVING IS NOT SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ARE LIKE, THAT'S GREAT, WE'LL GIVE THEM MONEY FOR ASPHALT PAVING IF ANOTHER COMMUNITY IN THE STATE IS GOING LIKE A COMMUNITY CENTER OR SOMETHING.
IT JUST IS NOT AN EXCITING THING TO FUND OUTSIDE OF THE NORMAL OPERATING BUDGET PIECE.
SO AGAIN, IT'S NOT FUN WORK, BUT IT'S NECESSARY WORK.
AND THE WINNERS ARE MAKING IT WORSE.
LAST YEAR'S WINNER DID A NUMBER ON, LAST YEAR'S SALTING DID A
[01:00:01]
NUMBER ON, THIS YEAR'S FREEZING, THIS YEAR'S NOT HELPING US EITHER SO THE SOONER WE CAN GET THE SERVICES BACK TOGETHER, GET THE CRACKS TAKEN CARE OF, GET SOME OF THEM MILLED DOWN AND REDONE, WE'LL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.YES. SO I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK IN IT. THANK YOU. THE COUNTY'S BEEN USING RLUN ON SOME OF THE BACK ROADS AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB AS FAR AS WHEN THEY DRIVE, LIKE WHERE IT SAYS THEY'RE GONNA MILL IT OUT AND THEN PUT IT DOWN, LIKE THE ROADS THAT I'VE TRAVELED ON AFTER THEY'VE DONE IT, THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB IT LOOKS LIKE.
SUPPORT MEMBERS, WE HAVE HEARD THE PRESENTATION BY MR. MENGEL. WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE MR. MENGEL'S PROPOSAL FOR THE THREE COMPANIES LISTED FOR THE ASPHALT WORK. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU MR. MENGEL AND IF YOU WILL STAY IN PLACE AND GIVE US INFORMATION ON THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT. CERTAINLY. SO THIS IS THE BIG ONE.
RACHEL, COULD YOU GO TO ONE OF THE PICTURE SLIDES THAT I GAVE YOU? THE FIRST ONE THAT HAS THE ACTUAL BASEBALL STADIUM.
YEAH. WE'LL START RIGHT UP TOP THERE.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. SO THIS IS THE DISCUSSION THAT I'M GOING TO BE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MARYLAND STATE AUTHORITY AND CAROLINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE'VE BEEN CALLING IT THE MOU FOR THE LAST SIX TO NINE MONTHS AND SO I'VE BEEN CORRECTED.
IT'S NOW THE MOA. IT'S AN AGREEMENT, NOT AN UNDERSTANDING. THAT BEING SAID, I MAY SLIP UP AND CALL AN MOU. SO IT'S SAME LANGUAGE OR DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, SAME MEANING. OKAY. SO WE'RE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT KNOWN AS THE MOA BETWEEN MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY KNOWN AS THE MSA AND CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CCPS FOR A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILD PROJECT. THE MSA AND CCPS DESIRE TO ENTER INTO AN MOU, MOA FOR THE PURPOSE OF SETTING FORTH THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES WITH RESPECT TO THE WORK OF THIS PROJECT.
THE MSA WOULD ACT AS A CCPS'S AGENT WITH RESPECT TO THE PROJECT INCLUDING PROCUREMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND THE MANAGEMENT OF ALL PHASES OF PLANNING, DESIGN, COST AND ESTIMATING, CONSTRUCTION AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES FOR THE PROJECT. SO THREE YEARS AGO, THE MSA PARTNERED WITH CCPS TO FUND THE PHASE ONE OF THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL'S ROOF REPLACEMENT AND THAT WAS USING BUILT-TO-LEARN FUNDS NOT CIP FUNDS FROM THE STATE. I GOT TO TELL YOU, THAT COMPANY, IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE DREAM TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT PROJECT. EASY PEASY.
IT WAS JUST AMAZING. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF WORK WITH THEM AGAIN HOPEFULLY, SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE. SO LET'S GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE UP HERE. SO OBVIOUSLY MSA LIVES UP TO THEIR NAME AND THEY BUILD STADIUMS. SO STARTING THE UPPER LEFT, YOU'LL SEE AND WORKING CLOCKWISE, THAT IS A PIMLICO RACE FACILITY. WORKING THE WAY OVER TO THE RIGHT, THAT IS THE DELMARVA-SHOREBRIDGE STADIUM, ARTHUR PURDUE STADIUM. THEN DOWN BELOW, YOU OBVIOUSLY SEE RAVENS STADIUM AND THEN AT THE END IS THE CAMDEN YARD, BOREAL PARK AT CAMDEN YARDS. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE KNOWN FOR AND THEY DO A LOT OF OTHER STADIUMS WITHIN THE STATE ALSO. THEY ALSO GOT INTO SCHOOL BUILDING BUSINESS MANY YEARS AGO.
RACHEL, CAN YOU JUST PUT THE, YEAH, PERFECT. OKAY, SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE PICTURES THAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ACTING AS SCHOOLS AGENTS FOR THE BUILDS OF THESE PARTICULAR ONES. SO THE TOP ONE, SAME SPOT UPPER LEFT WORKING AWAY CLOCKWISE, THAT IS COMMODORE JOHN ROGERS AND THAT'S AN ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IT HOLDS GRADES PRE-K THROUGH EIGHT. OVER TO THE RIGHT IS HISTORIC CHERRY HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL, GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT. DOWN AT THE BOTTOM IS WILDWOOD ELEMENTARY MIDDLE SCHOOL COMBO, PRE-K THROUGH EIGHT GRADES.
AND THE LAST ONE IS FREDERICK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHICH IS THE PRE-K THROUGH FIVE. YES, THEY DO MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND THEY DO DO HIGH SCHOOLS. I HAD A HARD TIME PULLING THOSE PHOTOS UP THAT WERE PRESENTABLE. SO THESE ARE THE ONES I WENT WITH, BUT I JUST WANT TO SHOW THE BOARD THAT THEY DO HAVE EXPERIENCE AND THEY MAKE VERY WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS.
REGIONALLY, THE MSA IS PARTNERED WITH KENT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND IS BUILDING THEIR NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WE SPEAK. THE BUDGET AND FUNDING WOULD WORK IN ACCORDANCE BETWEEN THE MSA, CCPS, CAROLINE COUNTY, AND THE IAC.
THE DUTIES OF BOTH THE MSA AND CCPS ARE OUTLINED WITHIN THE MOA, LISTING RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTNER THROUGH THE BUILD. ALSO INCLUDED WITHIN THE MOA IS THE OVERALL PROJECT DRAW SCHEDULE FOR DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND MSA FEES PAYABLE PER MONTH.
THE TERM OF THE MOA WOULD CONTINUE IN EFFECT UNTIL COMPLETION OR TERMINATION OF THE PROJECT. MEASURABLE
[01:05:02]
MILESTONES AND GOALS OVER THE TERM OF THE BUILD WOULD INCLUDE APPROXIMATELY A ONE-YEAR FOR DESIGN, 18-MONTH CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE, A SIX-MONTH PUNCH LIST AND CLOSEOUT SCHEDULE, AND A TWO-YEAR WARRANTY FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL SUBSTANTIAL PROJECT COMPLETION NOTICE. MARYLAND STATUTE 10-600 REFERS TO THE MSA PERFORMING WORK ON BEHALF OF OTHER MARYLAND JURISDICTIONS AND STATE ENTITIES FOLLOWING STANDARD PROCEDURE, I'M SORRY, FOLLOWING STANDARD PROCUREMENT PROTOCOLS ARE NOT RELEVANT AS CCPS WOULD BE ENTERING AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND.EXCERPTS AND HIGHLIGHTS ARE LISTED WITHIN THE MARYLAND STATUTE 10-600 AND THE ATTACHMENT SUPPORTING THAT. I WILL ALSO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS WAS THIS MOA WAS VETTED BY OUR BOARD ATTORNEY AS WELL AS PK LAW. SHE HAD SENT IT TO ANOTHER MEMBER AND WENT THROUGH WITH A FINE-TOOTH COMB AND ADDED SOME FINE ADJUSTMENTS TO IT. WELL SUPPORTED AND APPROVED BY PK LAW.
SO THERE IS AN ERROR ON THE SECOND PAGE WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE FISCAL IMPACT. I PUT DOWN YES, THAT IS A NO. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING AND THE REASON IS IT'S NOT TO EXCEED THIS $8,526,000 MARK.
THE BUDGETING SOURCE WOULD COME FROM THE IEC AND FROM CAROLYN COUNTY LOCAL. SO IT IS NOT A FISCAL IMPACT TO CCPS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M SURE THERE'S LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
THIS IS MY FIRST TIME RUNNING THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE MOU LIKE THIS. IT'S VERY DETAILED.
OKAY, IF THEY WOULD SERVE AS A CONSTRUCTION MANAGER IN ESSENCE FOR THE FOR THE BUILDING PROJECT, MSA IS LIMITED IN TERMS OF THEIR ESTATE ENTITY, SO THEY CAN'T MAKE A PROFIT.
THEY HAVE AN EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN WORKING THROUGH THE IEC, BASICALLY ALL OF THE PAPERWORK PROCESS THAT THE STATE REQUIRES FOR ALL THE BUILDS, WHICH IS A NIGHTMARE ALONE JUST ON ROOFING PROJECTS, LET ALONE AN $85 MILLION BILL.
SO THEY HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AS WELL. AND THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS FOR PROBABLY 10 YEARS NOW, IF NOT LONGER.
YES. AND BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB OF IT. I'VE TALKED TO OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS AS WELL, I'VE WORKED WITH THEM. THEY HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS TO SAY. THEY HAD JUST A GREAT ABILITY TO KIND OF CUT THROUGH SOME RED TAPE AND KNOW HOW TO MOVE THINGS ALONG AT THE PACE THEY SHOULD.
AND A LOT OF TIMES, EXPERIENCES WHEN I WAS PRINCIPAL AT KERNAL AND RENOVATED THERE, I KNOW WORKING ADJACENT TO THOSE WHO ARE WORKING ON PRESTON AND GREENSBORO, THE RED TAPE CAN REALLY MUCK YOU UP AT TIMES, AND GETTING THROUGH IT IS A REAL CHALLENGE.
SO IT'S NICE HAVING AN ENTITY THAT DOES THIS WELL, CONSISTENTLY. AND YOU SAID THERE'S A 24 MONTH QUARANTINE? YES, TWO YEARS, YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? CAN WE GET A MOTION ON THIS, PLEASE? YEAH, SURE. I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOA BETWEEN CCPS AND THE MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY, RELATED TO THE LOCKMAN BUILD. I'LL SECOND IT. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE MOA BETWEEN THE MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY AND CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU, MR. MENGEL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT'S COMING.
AND NEXT, WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR ON THE AGENDA.
OKAY, SO THIS IS THE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT. BOARD IS THE BODY WHO OVERSEES CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR STUDENTS. AND SO, BOARD, TONIGHT, I HAVE BEFORE YOU AN ACTION ITEM. WE HAVE MISSED TWO DAYS, AS OF NOW, BEYOND WHAT OUR ALLOWANCE WAS.
WE HAD THREE SNOW DAYS BUILT INTO THE CALENDAR, INCLUDING WEATHER DAYS. WE USED THOSE DAYS. WE USED THE DAY IN DECEMBER, USED TWO OF THEM LAST WEEK, AND THEN WE USED ANOTHER TWO DAYS OF BEING OFF LAST WEEK AS WELL. SO BASICALLY, WE ARE TWO IN THE HOLE.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD FOR MAKING THOSE UP WOULD BE TO CHANGE PRESIDENT'S DAY TO A STUDENT AND TEACHER DAY.
THE STATE BOARD GRANTED THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE THOSE IF WE ASK, WITHOUT HAVING TO GO BEFORE THE STATE BOARD.
SO WE COULD TAKE THAT DAY, AND THEN MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO TAKE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY ON MARCH 16TH.
IT'S OUR LAST PD DAY. AND THE CALENDAR THAT WE WOULD TAKE THE MARCH 16TH PD DAY AND CONVERT THAT TO A STUDENT DAY.
[01:10:02]
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WANNA TRY TO PRESERVE THE EASTER BREAK FOR WHAT IT IS.IT'S NOT LONG, AS IT IS. IF WE START WHITTLING IN THE EASTER BREAK, THERE'S NOT MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BREAK UNTIL THANKSGIVING.
OR SORRY, UNTIL... NO, THAT'S REALLY LONG. SORRY, UNTIL MEMORIAL DAY.
WOW. UNTIL MEMORIAL DAY, WHICH IS A HECK OF A JUMP.
STUDENTS PAYING ATTENTION, THAT'S ALL. IT'S GONNA FEEL LIKE IT'S STILL THANKSGIVING IF WE CHEW UP EASTER BREAK. SO I'D REALLY LIKE TO TRY TO PRESERVE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND THIS GETS US BACK TO EVEN FOR OUR DAYS THERE. KEEPS OUR STUDENT DAY ENDING ON JUNE 17TH AS PROPOSED. SO I'D GIVE THAT TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
I CAN SAY I LIKE THAT IDEA VERSUS ADDING TWO DAYS ON AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I THINK.
AND JUST FOR CLARITY, WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO FIND THE DAYS.
YES, WE DO. ABSOLUTELY. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START TO PLAN FOR IT NOW, AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT.
WE CANNOT ASK FOR A WAIVER FROM THE STATE UNTIL WE HAVE MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR OWN CALENDAR AND EXHAUSTED ALL OF OUR INCREMENT WEATHER DAYS.
OKAY, THANK YOU. YEAH. SO THE NEXT SNOWSTORM THAT I HOPE DOESN'T COME, THAT'S WHERE WE CAN START TO ENTERTAIN THE WAIVER CONCEPT, BUT WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CALENDAR FIRST.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE WE IN AGREEMENT TO... SO WE NEED A MOTION TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE PLAN TO USE FEBRUARY 16TH AND MARCH 16TH AS MAKE UP DAYS FOR THE TWO... SORRY. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADJUST THE CALENDAR TO UNFORTUNATELY INCLUDE THOSE TWO DAYS. I'LL SECOND IT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE USE THOSE, THE DAYS OF FEBRUARY 16TH AND MARCH 16TH TO MAKE UP FOR THE SNOW DAYS THAT WE OWE AT THIS POINT. AND LET'S HOPE WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE ACCOUNT FOR. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED.
THANK YOU. AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO POLICY.
WE HAVE THE SCHOOL CALENDAR OF 26-27. YES, WE DO.
SORRY. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, AND THE BOARD.
BRINGING TO YOU THIS EVENING THE DRAFT CALENDARS FOR 26-27. I WANT TO KIND OF JUST GO OVER THE PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW, THE THINGS THAT WE CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE DOING THAT, AND THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE ENGAGE WHEN WE COME TO A CONSENSUS. AND WE SHARE THOSE WITH YOU THIS EVENING SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE A DETERMINATION AS A BOARD.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE PROCESS. CALENDAR COMMITTEE MEETS.
YOU'VE HAD SEEN THESE STATEMENTS IN THE PROCESS DOCUMENTS PRIOR TO, SO IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR WHEN WE ENGAGE OUR STAKEHOLDERS. WE PRESENT DRAFTS. WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SSIC AND THE CAC COMMITTEES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DISCUSSION. THEY SEE THE THREE DRAFTS. THEY MIGHT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOVE SOME THINGS AROUND AS IT'S POSSIBLE. AND THEN WE THEN HAVE THE INPUT FROM FAMILIES, STAFF MEMBERS, AND THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT DRAFTS THEY WOULD PREFER.
IT'S NEVER AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER.
ON THE FAR RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THE PARAMETERS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF, HOLIDAYS THAT ARE SPECIFIED BY THE STATE, FEDERAL HOLIDAYS, AND THEN HOW MANY DAYS REQUIRED FOR THE STATE ITSELF FOR SCHOOL DAYS. WE DID EMBED THIS YEAR, THREE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS IN EACH OF THE CALENDARS, SO THEY'RE IDENTICAL IN SNOW DAY, INCLEMENT WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS. AND THEN WE PRESENTED TO SSIC, CAC, AND THE COMMUNITY FOR SURVEY, THREE DRAFTS. TWO ARE PRIOR TO LABOR DAY, AND ONE IS POST LABOR DAY. IT DOES COME LATE THIS YEAR, WHICH DOES HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO WITH THOSE CONSIDERATIONS IN PLACE, WITH THE TEAM THAT ASSEMBLED HERE AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE, AND YOU HAVE THE STAKEHOLDERS OR THE COMMITTEE, CALENDAR COMMITTEE BEFORE YOU THERE, ON WHO'S INVOLVED FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT TESTING, WE'RE LOOKING AT ANY NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT IMPACTS. WE HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY AREA THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY A CALENDAR, AND CONSIDERING ENDS OF SEMESTERS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS THE TIMELINE ON HOW WE DISTRIBUTED THE INFORMATION AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
AND THEN THE FINAL SLIDE, WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY ONLY. SSIC AND CAC MADE THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
IT WAS THE SAME AS THE OVERALL RESULTS.
BASICALLY, IN THAT ORDER, I DO BELIEVE THEY CHOSE TWO OVER THREE.
I THINK WE HAD A COUPLE THAT CHOSE THREE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DRAFT ONE WAS THE PREFERRED
[01:15:01]
BY MUCH OF THE SURVEY, AND THEN IT WAS KIND OF A SPLIT BETWEEN THE LAST TWO, DRAFT TWO AND DRAFT THREE.ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? IT APPEARS THAT WITH THE PARENT INPUT AND THE EMPLOYEE INPUT, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO PUT THIS OUT TO ALL OF OUR PARENTS FOR INPUT AS FAR AS THEIR DESIRES FOR THE STUDENTS TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL. AND ALTOGETHER, IT APPEARS THAT DRAFT CALENDAR NUMBER ONE IS THE CHOICE THAT WAS MADE FOR A PRE LABOR DAY START TO SCHOOL, AND SO OUR STUDENTS WILL BE STARTING IN AUGUST.
DO YOU HAVE THE EXACT DATE? YES, AUGUST 26TH. AUGUST 26TH WILL BE THE DAY THAT STUDENTS RETURN. ALL IN FAVOR OF...
WELL, WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT DRAFT TO BE ACCEPTED.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT DRAFT NUMBER ONE FOR THE 26, 27 CALENDAR SCHOOL YEAR. I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED THAT WE WILL FOLLOW DRAFT NUMBER ONE FOR THE 26, 27 SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU.
WILLOUGHBY FOR THE POLICY REVISION.
ALL RIGHT. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
SIMMONS, THREE POLICIES TONIGHT THAT HAVE BEEN REVISED, ALL COMING FROM OPERATIONS AND MR. MENGEL'S SHOP IN DEALING WITH THE PHYSICAL PLANT.
SO WHERE DID BILL GO? I THINK MR. MENGEL WENT TO GO CHECK THE PAVEMENT.
OKAY. WE HAVE TWO SPOTS THAT THE WATER JUST DRIPS OFF THE BUILDING NO MATTER WHAT, AND YOU CAN THROW DOWN ICE MELT, AND IT WASHES AWAY, SO YOU THROW DOWN MORE. I AM. HE DID SAY HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF THE CALENDAR. SORRY THERE, DR. WILLOUGHBY. THAT'S ALL GOOD. I WILL ANSWER MY...
PROBABLY WHEN HE SAW FOLKS GET UP WAS LIKE, I BETTER GET OUT THERE AND BE LIKE, OOH, SLIPPERY SLOPE. I WILL DO MY BEST. SO THESE THREE POLICIES HAVE BEEN REVISED. THE REVISIONS, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE RED LINE VERSIONS OF EACH, ARE VERY MINOR. I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH JUST VERY, VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT, YOU CAN SEE THE LAST LOOKED AT IN 2002.
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT TALKS ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO, AS A...
IT'S AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IT AS AN EMPLOYER, HOW WE ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH PEST MANAGEMENT.
SO THIS KIND OF REACHES INTO SOME OSHA REGULATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THERE IS A REGULATION THAT GOES WITH THIS THAT GETS MORE INTO THE DETAILS. THE BIGGEST CHANGE HERE IS THE TITLE, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW A QUESTION CAME UP ABOUT, HEY, POLICIES AREN'T TYPICALLY SPECIFIC, AND HERE WE ARE WITH NAMES, TITLES, ADDRESSES, AND PHONE NUMBERS, EXCEPT WHEN YOU HAVE A POLICY LIKE THIS THAT KIND OF IS AS A RESULT OF AN OSHA REGULATION, THE THOUGHT IS WHEN SOMEONE WANTS TO GO TO THE POLICY, THEY NEED TO KNOW WHO THEY'RE CALLING IF THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM.
SO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT STUFF DELINEATED SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIG, OH, IT'S NOT IN THE POLICY, IT'S IN THE REGULATION, IT'S THAT AND THE OTHER. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S THERE.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IT HADN'T BEEN TOUCHED SINCE 2002, AND THE SAME PERSON, SEE, WE'RE NOT CHANGING A NAME, THE SAME PERSON WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT IN 2002, WE'RE JUST CHANGING THE TITLE. SO THAT'S WHY...
AND HE HAS A NEW LOCATION, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE VFW...
AND A NEW LOCATION, YES, BUT NOT THE SAME PERSON.
BUT THAT IS THE CHANGE THERE FOR INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT.
AGAIN, STILL REPRESENTS OUR CURRENT PRACTICE.
THIS ONE, WE ARE KEEPING LARGELY THE SAME.
WE ARE REMOVING THE SECTION 03, WHICH WAS THE RATIONALE.
THAT WAS WRITTEN IN 2006. IF YOU READ THROUGH WHAT IS STRUCK THROUGH, IT IS EXTREMELY SPECIFIC ABOUT GROWTH PROJECTIONS AND BUILDING PROJECTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I'M NOT SAYING THOSE THINGS AREN'T TRUE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO BE IN THE POLICY.
THIS IS JUST A POLICY FOR HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THINGS, AND YOU CAN SEE IT TALKS ABOUT THE IAC, IT TALKS
[01:20:01]
ABOUT GRADE LEVEL ALIGNMENTS, ALL THOSE THINGS ARE FINE, BUT WHEN YOU START GETTING INTO, BY 2015, EVERYTHING WILL BE AT 100% CAPACITY.WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS OR WASN'T.
THE CHANGE IS IN SECTION E OF 04, IMPLEMENTATION.
IN SECTION E, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE UPDATED ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS TO WHAT WE NOW REFER TO AS MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.
AND THAT IS THAT CHANGE, AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CHANGE SOMEWHERE WHERE WE JUST UPDATE THE IAC.
AND I CAN'T SEE WHERE IT IS NOW. MAYBE IT'S NOT RED FOR SOME REASON, BUT THERE WAS ONE THING THAT WAS JUST THE INTERAGENCY...
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE THING WAS, BUT IT WAS NOT IAC, AND SO WE'VE DELINEATED NOW IAC AS THE AGENCY THAT WE WORK WITH.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT NOT BEING RED.
BUT THAT IS... THOSE ARE THOSE REVISIONS. THAT'S ALL THAT'S THERE.
AND FINALLY, ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES.
OH, THIS IS THE ONE. I'M SORRY.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT THE IAC HAS UPDATED.
THAT'S THE ONLY CHANGE IN THIS ONE, IS UNDER 7, NEGOTIATIONS AND CONTRACT.
YOU CAN SEE IT JUST REFERRED TO THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION, AND WE DELINEATE FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, BECAUSE THAT'S THE NAME OF THE ENTITY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CHANGES ARE VERY MINOR.
THESE THREE POLICIES STILL REPRESENT CURRENT PRACTICE IN CCPS, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO PUT EYES ON THEM. THEY'LL BE REVISED IN 2026.
THEY'LL BE ON THE DOCKET AGAIN FOR REVISION IN 2030, UNLESS SOMETHING MAKES US REVISE THEM SOONER, SO AS WE GET OUR POLICIES UP TO DATE.
SO THOSE ARE THOSE THREE, AND WHERE ARE WE? THANKS, BILL.
WE'VE HEARD THE REVISIONS THAT WERE MADE ON THE THREE POLICIES.
CAN WE GET A MOTION AS FAR AS ACCEPTING THE REVISIONS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT THEM AS THEY ARE. I DON'T SEE WE NEED TO... I'M NOT ANYWHERE... YEAH. YEAH. I'LL SECOND.
I'LL SECOND IT. I'LL SECOND IT.
THAT WE ACCEPT THE REVISIONS THAT WERE MADE, DR.
WILLOUGHBY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? LET'S MOVE ON. THANK YOU.
I LIKE THE JOKE WITH BILL THAT WE TOOK BRETT'S NAME OUT AND PUT HIS IN. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM. DO YOU HEAR THAT, BILL? I WAS TEASING THAT WE TOOK BRETT'S NAME OUT AND PUT YOURS IN THE PEST MANAGEMENT WHILE YOU WERE OUT OF THE ROOM. ALL THE CALLS WILL NOW COME TO YOU. WE THOUGHT YOU NEEDED ONE MORE THING. I DIDN'T EVEN PULL A SOLID ONE. ONE MORE THING.
AND IT WAS UNANIMOUS, BILL. IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE. WE BUILT
[5. Reports and Presentations]
THOSE THINGS.JUST ONE MORE CALL. THAT'S RIGHT. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
SIMMONS, BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, YOU HAVE WHAT IS THE CURRENT VERSION.
THIS IS CHANGING FAIRLY REGULARLY. AS WE HAVE... IT SEEMS TO BE LATER THIS YEAR THAT COLLEGES ARE OPENING UP THEIR RECRUITING FAIRS.
BUT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE THUS FAR FOR WHERE WE ARE GONNA BE TRAVELING THIS YEAR. A COUPLE OF THINGS JUST TO POINT OUT.
WE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THREE YEARS OF TRYING, GOT INTO THE JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY CAREER FAIR. JMU, OF COURSE, A VIRGINIA SCHOOL WITH A VERY HIGH CONCENTRATION OF MARYLAND STUDENTS THAT GO.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IN THERE BECAUSE, HEY, DO YOU WANNA COME HOME? BECAUSE THEN WE CAN GIVE YOU A JOB. AND THERE IS ONE THAT WE ARE ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR, AND THAT IS THE MARYLAND HBCU EXPO, WHICH HAS TYPICALLY BEEN DONE AS VIRTUAL RECRUITING.
IT HAS NOT APPEARED YET FOR US TO REGISTER FOR. AS SOON AS IT DOES, WE WILL AGAIN TRY TO DO THAT. WE DO HAVE UMES, AS WE TYPICALLY DO.
THEY HAVE A JOINT SALISBURY UNIVERSITY UMES FAIR THERE.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE VERY FIRST ONE THAT COMES UP NEXT WEEK. WE'RE GOING TO LEBANON VALLEY COLLEGE FOR A SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY FAIR. WE ARE REALLY, REALLY TRYING TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO GET OUR SLPS IN PERSON AS BOARD EMPLOYEES.
WE'RE MAKING HEADWAY WITH SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
I'VE MADE TWO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS OFFERS ALREADY THIS YEAR FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE MAKING HEADWAY THERE.
BUT SLPS ARE VERY, VERY, VERY CHALLENGING. SO BIG KUDOS TO ERICA MCDONALD, WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN TO SOME FAIRS AND
[01:25:03]
CONFERENCES THIS YEAR TO START TO LAY IN THAT GROUNDWORK. BUT THIS IS A DEDICATED SLP JOB FAIR THAT WE'RE GONNA TRY OUT.WE'VE NOT GONE BEFORE, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY. SO LIKE I SAID, THIS IS NOT FINAL.
OUR RECRUITING TEAMS ARE OPEN TO ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, FOLKS THAT HAVE INTEREST, THAT WOULD BE GOOD AMBASSADORS FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE GOT AT THE MOMENT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED SOME RESIGNATIONS AND SOME RETIREMENTS FOR NEXT YEAR. SO WE'RE STARTING TO SEE WHERE SOME OF THE VACANCIES WILL BE, WHAT SOME OF THE SUBJECT AREAS ARE GONNA BE. WE'LL GET A BETTER SENSE WHEN INTENT HITS MARCH 1 THROUGH 15 AS OUR INTENT PROCESS FOR TRANSFERS.
BUT IT'S STARTING TO SHAPE UP AND IT STARTS NEXT WEEK.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE KIND OF BUSY. WE ARE.
THANK YOU FOR THE TRIP UP TO LAVENDER VALLEY. ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S GREAT RECRUITMENT OUTREACH. WE'VE BEEN...
WELL, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO, AND WE HAVE HAD FAIRLY GOOD RESULTS WITH SCHOOL PSYCHS. SLPS HAVE BEEN THE NUT WE CAN'T SEEM TO CRACK. AND THEY HAVE OPTIONS.
THEY CAN GO INTO THE MEDICAL FIELD, THEY CAN GO INTO REHAB AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WE'RE PUBLIC ED. SO THAT'S A THING, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY.
EVERYONE WANTS THAT, SO... AND IF YOU JUST HANG YOUR SHINGLE OUT AND GO VIRTUAL AND BE A CONTRACTOR, EVERYBODY'S GOTTA HAVE YOU.
SO SOME PEOPLE, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE GOING NOW TOO.
AND FOR MOST OF THESE, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT WENT TO THIS SCHOOL THAT'S GOING WITH YOU? TO AN EXTENT...
BECAUSE I'VE SEEN PICTURES AND STUFF IN THE PAST WHERE YOU...
YEAH, TO AN EXTENT... YOU HAVE SOME ALUMNI THAT GO WITH YOU.
WE LET FOLKS PICK WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN GOING OR WHAT THEIR SCHEDULE ALLOWS, BUT WHERE WE'VE GOT A MATCH, WE DO TRY.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S JUST SCHEDULING, BUT ESPECIALLY OUR PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS, WE HAVE A LOT OF ALUMS THAT GO. ABSOLUTELY.
DO YOU HAVE A MATCH FOR THAT LEBANON VALLEY ONE THAT'S GOING WITH YOU? NO. ERICA MCDONALD, OUR SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL ED, IS GOING TO THAT ONE.
I'M TRYING TO THINK WHO'S GOING WITH HER. THERE'S SOMEBODY GOING WITH HER. IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE DANIEL MAY, OUR LEAD SCHOOL PSYCH, BUT DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT, ARE GOING UP TO REPRESENT THE SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT ITSELF.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GO PERSONALLY RECRUIT, WHICH IS...
THEY'RE NOT AN ALUM, BUT IT'S POWERFUL STILL TO SAY, COME WORK FOR ME IN MY DEPARTMENT. RIGHT.
THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT. ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU.
AND OUR BUDGET SUMMARY? LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, MS. WEYMOUTH. THIS MUST BE MY THING, RIGHT? IT MIGHT BE. MY APOLOGIES. OH, OKAY. THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
IT'S A DIFFERENT... THAT'S A DIFFERENT ORDER THAN THERE.
THAT'S A RECORD SHOW. IT WAS NOT YOU. WELL, I HAVE BOTH, SO I DON'T KNOW. YEAH. OKAY.
SO MS. WEYMOUTH, I'M GONNA PASS TO MR. BLUCHEK FIRST ON THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, AS HE SERVES AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE. I KNOW MR. JONES IS AS WELL WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE FOR ME. THERE ARE THINGS THAT I KNOW YOU GUYS WON'T SHARE. I THINK WE HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY, ACTUALLY. THERE WAS A FEW BILLS THAT THEY MADE PRIORITY, JUST TO LOOK AT WHETHER... IF WE WERE GONNA SUPPORT THEM OR NOT, THEY DID DO A VOTE ON TWO OF THEM. ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, THREE OF THEM, AND THEY KINDA WENT SPLIT IN HALF. THERE WAS TWO, ONE WE WENT WITH, ONE WE DIDN'T, AND ONE THEY WERE 50-50, SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE IS THEY'RE BRINGING BACK THE SCHOOL BUS SEAT BELT THINGS AGAIN.
THEY PUT IN THERE THIS TIME, AFTER JULY 1ST, PURCHASE OF A SCHOOL BUS FOR A THREE POINT SEAT BELT INSTEAD OF FIVE POINT. I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS TAKING... THERE WAS ACTUALLY PROBABLY ABOUT A 45 MINUTE DISCUSSION BETWEEN ALL OF US, ACTUALLY, ON THAT ONE.
PROBABLY THE OTHER ONE THAT WAS PROBABLY BIG WAS...
WAS ACTUALLY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES.
WE'RE GOING OVER, SO IT'S SOMETHING... I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME CHANGES IN IT, SO WE'LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE'VE... THAT I WOULD SAY, SITTING FROM MY SEAT, TO JUST MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE OF,
[01:30:01]
TO PAY ATTENTION TO, AND IT'LL TIE INTO THE BUDGET UPDATE, BUT I'M FINE TO DO IT HERE AS WELL, THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET DROPPED.SO WITHIN HIS BUDGET AND THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION AND FINANCING ACT, THE BRFA, THE ACCOMPANYING LEGISLATION, THE GOVERNOR FIXED WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE FOR US FOR COMPENSATORY EDUCATION FOR FREE BRIEF MEALS FOR STUDENTS. HE FIXED IT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY. HE DIDN'T LITERALLY SAY, CAROLINE COUNTY, HERE'S YOUR FIX, BUT HIS FIX MADE US WHOLE.
IT DID NOT MAKE EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM WHOLE IN THEIR FREE BRIEF MEALS COUNTS, BUT IF YOU WERE A DISTRICT THAT ALL OF YOUR SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION, BASICALLY, WE HAVE FREE MEALS FOR ALL THE KIDS IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, BECAUSE WE PARTICIPATE IN THAT, HIS FIX ADDRESSED OUR ISSUE.
I KNOW IT'S A TERRIBLE BUDGET YEAR.
HIS FIX FOR DOING THAT DOES COST A LITTLE BIT MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY WENT INTO PUBLIC ED OUT OF HIS BUDGET.
I WOULD JUST BE MINDFUL OF THAT IF YOU'RE SEEING THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND THINGS PUSHING ABOUT MAKING SOME CHANGES, OR IF YOU HEAR FROM YOUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER BOARDS.
AGAIN, HIS FIX DID NOT FIX THEM, BUT I WOULD BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF A FIX FOR THEM MIGHT NOT HELP US.
IN THE BUDGET BOOK THAT CAME OUT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET AND LOOKING AT WEALTH PER JURISDICTION, WE ARE 23 OUT OF 24 IN WEALTH PER STUDENT WHEN YOU ATTACH IT TO PROPERTY WEALTH ACROSS THE COUNTY.
WICOMICO COUNTY BEATS US BY A WHOPPING 100 BUCKS, SO IT SEPARATES US AND THEM AS $100 WEALTH PER STUDENT, BUT WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS IS 22 OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE WEALTHIER THAN WE ARE.
SO FOR US, JUST TO BE MINDFUL IF YOU'RE ENGAGED IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CHANGES TO THAT COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET OR THE ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR PUBLIC ED, WE CAN FIGHT OVER OTHER THINGS, BUT FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT'S A DIFFERENCE OF LIKE 5 MILLION BUCKS OF HAVING IT OR NOT HAVING IT.
AGAIN, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR US, SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE IT GET IN.
DISAPPOINTING FROM SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO THE FIX DIDN'T HELP THEM AS MUCH, BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T DRAW HOME THE POINT ENOUGH. WE'RE LITERALLY SITTING AT 23 OUT OF 24 DISTRICTS FOR A LACK OF WEALTH ACROSS THE COUNTY.
IT'S OKAY IF THERE'S A FIX THAT HELPS US WITH WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE THE COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO DO IT.
AND IT'S NOT BEATING THEM UP, IT'S THE REALITY OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE TAX ROLLS. IT'S JUST LIFE HERE.
THERE'LL BE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS COMING, LOTS OF AMENDMENTS TO TRY TO FIX IT FOR OTHERS.
JUST BE MINDFUL THAT THEIR FIX DOESN'T HURT US.
WE ONLY HAVE 5,000 KIDS, BUT IT REALLY MATTERS HERE A LOT.
THAT MONEY GOES A LOT FURTHER HERE THAN MOST PLACES.
JUST TO GET A PICTURE, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE WITH THE SEAT BELTS ON THE BUSES? IS THAT TWO PER SEAT OR... SO, YEAH, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
THEY WERE PUSHING IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE, BUT TWO PER SEAT, AND THAT WAS PROBABLY A 15 MINUTE ARGUMENT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MOST OF THEIR YOUNGER KIDS, THEY'RE PUTTING THREE TO A SEAT. THAT'S RIGHT, YEAH. SO IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN.
SO THEN THEY HAVE NEW BUSES, MORE BUSES. RIGHT. SO... AND WHAT WE GET FOR TRANSPORTATION IS NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH, SO... AND THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST US, WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM THAT.
YEAH, THE TRANSPORTATION FORMULA HAS US ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE HOLE ANNUALLY.
ROSHAN. YES, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, WITH REGARD TO THE SEAT BELTS, HOW DO THEY EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET CHILDREN, LITTLE CHILDREN, INTO THE SEAT BELTS? THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE AN AID ON EVERY BUS TO CHECK EACH CHILD? SO THAT WAS ANOTHER QUESTION, YEAH.
THEY COULD BE PUTTING AIDS ON BUSES. THEY ALSO MADE MENTION, ONE LADY SAID SHE COULD SEE THAT SOME KIDS WOULD USE THEM AS WEAPONS, BEATING OTHER KIDS IN THE HEAD WITH THEM. THAT'S JUST TOO LIABLE IF THE PERSON... YEAH, AND SO IN THE BILL, IT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE DRIVER ARE NOT LIABLE, BUT I KIND OF CHUCKLED WHEN I SAID, I SAID, YOU'RE STILL GONNA GET SUED, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
YEAH, SO THEY'RE GONNA GO WHERE THE MONEY IS. THEY'RE NOT GONNA GO AFTER THE BUS DRIVER, THEY'RE GONNA GO AFTER THE BOARD. RIGHT, AND THEN THERE'S THE EVACUATION AND THEN THE EMERGENCY. HOW WOULD YOU EVER GET KIDS OFF OF A BUS IF THERE WAS A SUDDEN FIRE? HOW WOULD THAT WORK? IT'S VERY INEQUITABLE IN MY OPINION FOR RURAL COUNTIES BECAUSE RURAL COUNTIES, YOU GOT... AND BILL KNOWS PROBABLY BETTER THAN I DO FOR SURE, BUT RURAL COUNTIES ARE GONNA HAVE LONGER BUS ROUTES FOR THE MOST PART. WHEN YOU'RE IN HIGHLY POPULATED AREAS, THEY'RE BASICALLY... THEIR BUSES DON'T TRAVEL AS FAR. SO FOR US, NOT BEING ABLE
[01:35:02]
TO GET... DROPPING DOWN A THIRD OF THE KIDS, CUTTING THAT OFF OUR BUS, WE'VE GOTTA ADD MORE ROUTES.OUR ROUTES ARE ALREADY LONG, SO THAT'S INCREASED... THAT'S AN INCREASED... NOT ONLY IS IT AN INCREASED EXPENSE FOR FUEL FOR DRIVERS, BUT IT'S ALSO AN INCREASED...
LIKE CARBON EMISSIONS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, OF COURSE, AND THEY SAY, WELL, ELECTRIC BUSES, WELL, THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN REGULAR BUSES, SO... AND THEY DON'T TRAVEL AS FAR. AND THEY DON'T TRAVEL AS FAR, SO HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH THIS VICIOUS CYCLE THAT JUST KEEPS ROLLING DOWNHILL FASTER AND FASTER. I FEEL LIKE... I, WITH MY BACKGROUND AS... I TOLD HIM, I WAS LIKE, I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS. I'VE SEEN PEOPLE SEEK OUT TO SAVE LIVES, SEEN PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY, AND WHEN YOU START DOING THAT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I JUST FEEL THAT THE BENEFIT, I DON'T KNOW THAT'S GONNA...
THERE'S SO MANY DECISIONS, EVEN WITH THAT BILL, THAT CAN'T EVEN BE MADE UNTIL IT'S PUT IN.
AND THEN WHEN WE GET THERE AND YOU'RE LIKE, IT DOESN'T WORK, WE GOTTA GO BACK TO... YEAH. I DON'T KNOW...
THERE'S A REASON IT'S FAILED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT THE PROBLEM IS, DOES IT EVER... I SEE IT COME BACK.
OH, YEAH. IT'S GONNA COME BACK.
THEY'RE GONNA KEEP CHANGING STUFF, BUT...
IT'S THE LITTLE ONES, I MEAN... AND A LOT OF US, I THINK, KIND OF SAID, IF YOU WANT IT, WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR IT.
DON'T GIVE US SOMETHING THAT WE... YOU'RE NOT GONNA GIVE US MORE MONEY. SO IF YOU WANT US TO DO THAT SO WE CAN PUT AIDS ON THERE, I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
IF YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME MORE MONEY, THAT'S GONNA COVER IT, BUT DON'T JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER 100,000 BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GONNA COVER IT. AND IT'S GIVE MORE MONEY IN A STATE THAT'S ALREADY TRYING TO FIND... YEAH, WE'RE ALREADY AT A... WE'RE ALREADY TRYING TO FIND MONEY TO PAY FOR THINGS. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
IT'S LESS INCREASE IN WHAT WE'RE SPENDING. THAT WAS PROBABLY EVERY COUNTY SAYING, SURE, WE'LL DO IT, BUT WE GOTTA HAVE THE FUNDS.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING. AND ALSO HAVE TO JUST BE EXTENSIVE TRAINING ON... YEAH, 100%.
IN THE EVENT OF A BUS ACCIDENT. YEAH, 100%.
THAT'S JUST AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SCENARIO THAN THE ONE WE'RE FACED WITH NOW.
MAYBE NOT MORE OR LESS CONCERNING, BUT JUST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE APPROACH WE'VE TAKEN. AND IT'S JUST NOT... YEAH, JUST TEACHING THE KIDS, TEACHING THE BUS DRIVER, THE AID. IF THERE IS AN AID, IF THERE'S A HOLD AND OTHER...
THERE'D HAVE TO BE AN AID WITH LITTLE ONES, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO UNBUCKLE AND BUCKLE. YEAH, YEAH.
IT WOULD HELP IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, THAT THEY HAVE TO EXIT THE BUS QUICKLY. A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE NOT ANSWERED, THAT'S FOR SURE, AND THAT'S NOT GONNA BE ANSWERED WITHOUT THE...
THANK YOU. AND I'M GONNA LOOK UP HERE NOW.
SO, OUR BUDGET SUMMARY. SURE, I'LL KINDA GIVE AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE BUDGET. NOT A LOT HAS CHANGED, EXCEPT FOR WE RECEIVED OUR REVENUE NUMBERS.
THIS IS BASED OFF THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, SO THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST STRIKE AT WHAT THE REVENUE IS, IF IT WAS PASSED AS WRITTEN.
I DID KEEP THE TIMELINE IN HERE JUST FOR THE PUBLIC.
IF ANYBODY'S LOOKING AT THE PRESENTATION, THEY KNOW KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. SO THE REVENUE UPDATE, AS I MENTIONED IN THE LEGISLATIVE PIECE, IT DOES... THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET DID FIX THE CEP ELIGIBILITY ISSUE FOR US, IT DID. SO IN THE GRAND TOTAL OF LIKE THE SO WHAT, INSTEAD OF BORING EVERYBODY WITH EVERY PIECE THAT WENT UP, THE GRAND TOTAL, SO WHAT, IT'S A CURRENT INCREASE IN REVENUE TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF ABOUT $5.7 MILLION. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS? WE HAD ABOUT $105 MILLION, 104, ALMOST $105 MILLION BUDGET THIS YEAR. SO PERCENTAGE WISE, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT A BIG PERCENTAGE INCREASE.
I MEAN, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, IF IT WAS IN OUR WALLETS. IN $105 MILLION BUDGET, NOT A MASSIVE INCREASE.
AS I'VE EXPLAINED TO STAFF IN DOING PRESENTATIONS WITH THEM, THAT'S AN INCREASE THAT HELPS US DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
IT'S NOT AN INCREASE THAT SAYS IT'S GONNA BE PARTY TIME IN CAROLINA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT LIKE WE WON THE LOTTERY.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ESTIMATING OUR INSURANCE INCREASE, OUR FIRST RUN OF HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE WAS A 10%. AND I REMIND YOU, AS I'VE ALWAYS SAID, WE ALWAYS GET THE HIGH NUMBER FIRST AND WE HOPE IT GOES DOWN.
IT ALMOST ALWAYS GOES DOWN. I DON'T WANNA SAY IT ALWAYS DOES, BUT FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL, IT ALWAYS GOES DOWN SOMEWHAT.
BUT A 10% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE IS ABOUT 1.6 MILLION OF THAT. SO YOU CAN START TO SEE HOW QUICKLY 5.7 DISAPPEARS. THAT'S NOT INCLUDING THE STEPS FOR EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE TO BE NEGOTIATED AND THOSE SORTS OF PIECES. THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. THE ENERGY COSTS, I MEAN, WE DO BUY OUR ENERGY ON THE FUTURE, SO IT DOES HELP US WITH LEVELING AND NOT SEEING HUGE SPIKES.
BUT WE KNOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEE THAT INCREASE AS WE'RE DEALING WITH INCREASED COSTS IN MARYLAND FOR ELECTRICITY.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE OTHERS, BUT THE INSURANCE PIECE IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CHANGE WE'VE HAD. OUR
[01:40:02]
BUDGET TEAM IS DOING ITS WORK TO PREPARE FOR NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SOME OF THE OFFERS THAT WE COULD.BUT I WILL ALSO KEEP IN MIND IN PUTTING OUT THE NUMBER OF 5.7 THAT'S IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET RIGHT NOW, THAT'S STILL NOT OUR MONEY YET.
SO WE CAN'T WRITE CHECKS YET, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF TIME IN ANNAPOLIS AND A LOT OF THINGS CAN HAPPEN BETWEEN THE END OF SESSION.
I'M FEELING GOOD ABOUT WHERE IT IS. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'LL FLUCTUATE A WHOLE LOT. I'M HOPEFUL IT DOES. I SURE AS HECK DON'T SEE IT GOING UP A LOT.
I JUST DON'T WANNA SEE IT GO BACKWARDS IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING FROM THE GOVERNOR. IN TERMS OF SYSTEMS NEEDS, AND I WILL HIGHLIGHT...
AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME SLIDE I PREPARED BEFORE, BUT I DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE OPERATIONS COMPONENT IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS TONIGHT. MR. MENGEL AND I HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION AROUND THE OPERATIONS TEAM WAY BEFORE NOW. IT WAS LITERALLY OVER THE SUMMER AND GOING INTO THE FALL, THAT AS WE ARE WORKING TO GET OUR OPERATIONS TEAM UP TO THE SIZE THAT IS RECOMMENDED, AND ALL THE FORMULAS WHEN WE SUBMIT OUR PAPERWORK TO THE IAC, AND WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR WHERE WE SHOULD BE IN MAINTENANCE STAFF, AND WE'VE BEEN MAKING PROGRESS.
ONE OF THE NEXT INDIVIDUALS THAT I'D LIKE TO ADD INTO THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IN OPERATIONS IS SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE AND DEDICATED TIME AND ATTENTION FOR GRANTS, FOR UPKEEP OF NOT JUST THE FIELDS, BUT OF OUR GROUNDS THEMSELVES.
BUT PART OF THAT WOULD BE TO TAKE SOME OF THE BURDEN OFF OF OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTORS FOR ATHLETIC FIELD MAINTENANCE.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA LINE THE FIELDS AND THOSE THINGS, BUT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE TURF MANAGEMENT SIDE ASSOCIATED WITH ALL PLAYING SURFACES COUNTY WIDE. I'VE BEEN IN THE DISCUSSIONS FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT IN LIGHT OF THE COMMENTS, I... IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT OUT THERE AND SHARE IT. THAT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR US TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THERE INTO THAT GROUP FOR NEXT YEAR. WE FEEL THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK TO DO IN THE SPRING, SUMMER, AND FALL, AND IN THE WINTER. WE CAN ALWAYS USE AN EXTRA SET OF HANDS IN MAINTENANCE WITH THINGS, AND WHEN IT'S THE WINTER WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR, EVERYBODY IN MAINTENANCE BECOMES GROUNDS PEOPLE ONCE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET US OPEN. THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT PIECE THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING TO ADD INTO THE OPERATIONS DIVISION, WOULD BE TO BRING SOMEONE IN FOR THAT PIECE FOR US.
BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH THE BUDGET PIECE. I'LL KEEP THE BOARD IN THE LOOP IN TERMS OF AS... IF I SEE ANY CHANGES HAPPENING ON THE BUDGET SIDE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S PIECE.
WITH THAT INCREASE TO US OF 5.7, THE INCREASE TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN $500,000 THIS YEAR.
THAT'S GOOD FOR THEM. THEY'VE SEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT INCREASES BECAUSE OF LOCAL SHARE WITH THE BLUEPRINT FORMULAS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
THIS YEAR, THE INCREASE IS LESS THAN $500,000. BUT I WILL ALSO MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS AWARE, THAT'S THE INCREASE FOR OUR OPERATING BUDGET, BUT THE GOVERNOR IS ALSO PROPOSING PUSHING BACK A LOT OF THINGS ON THE COUNTIES. PART OF THAT DEALS WITH FUTURE PENSIONS.
SO IN THEIR EYES, IT'S EDUCATION COSTS STILL, AND IT SHOULD BE.
I'VE NOT TALKED TO THEM ABOUT IT, BUT I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THEY'D LUMPED IT TOGETHER, BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL THE GOVERNOR HAS OUT HAS THEM LOSING SUPPORT.
THEY WERE GETTING TO OFFSET A PENSION PUSHBACK FROM BEFORE, THEY WOULD LOSE THAT. AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO EAT 50% OF THE INCREASED COST OF FUTURE PENSIONS FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL, WHICH, AGAIN, DON'T HOLD ME TO THE NUMBER. I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY AS KENNEDY'S HERE. I BELIEVE WHEN I RAN THE MATH ON IT, IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT A MILLION.
THOSE TWO CHANGES ALONE WERE PROBABLY CLOSE TO THAT. I MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OFF ON IT, BUT I REMEMBER THINKING, OKAY, $500,000 INCREASE, THAT'S HELPFUL. AND THEN WHEN I SAW THE PUSHBACK, IT WAS LIKE, NOT AT ALL. THAT'S JUST THE TAXPAYER LOOKING AT IT GOING...
THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S THE DOUBLE EDGED SIDE OF THE THING THAT WE DEAL WITH WITH THE BUDGET. THERE ARE THINGS THAT HELP US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PUSHBACKS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE GONNA MAKE IT HARDER AND HARDER FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS TO HAVE TO NAVIGATE ALL OF THIS. SO I'LL JUST... YEAH, WE CAN BE HAPPY AT THE INCREASE, BUT IT ALSO IS GONNA PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES FOR THEM.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON THE BUDGET UPDATE, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND WE'LL GO TO MS. HICKEY FOR OUR FINANCE REPORT.
[01:45:01]
ON YOUR RENEWAL OF YOUR CONTRACT. THANK YOU.TONIGHT, I'M PRESENTING THE FINANCE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JANUARY 31ST, 2026. TWO SMALL OVERAGES TO REPORT THIS MONTH THAT ARE NEW.
THE FIRST ONE BEING UNDER MID LEVEL ADMINISTRATION, SALARIES AND WAGES.
THERE IS A SLIGHT OVERAGE DUE TO CHANGES IN STAFFING.
AND THEN GOING DOWN TO THE NEXT PAGE, THERE IS ANOTHER SLIGHT OVERAGE UNDER MAINTENANCE OF PLANT, OTHER CHARGES THAT IS DUE TO INSURANCE COSTS.
AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REPORT, YOU WILL SEE THE TOTALS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE $34.5 MILLION ENCUMBERED, $47 MILLION SPENT, AND ABOUT $18.7 MILLION STILL AVAILABLE IN OUR BUDGET.
THAT PUTS US AT ABOUT 81% SPENT OR ENCUMBERED FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS RIGHT ON TRACK FOR WHERE WE SHOULD BE AND LEAVES ROOM FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS OF THE YEAR TO GET THINGS TIED UP.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JILL. AND LET'S HOPE FOR NO MORE SNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA SEE THE BILL.
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT? CERTAINLY. SO WHILE WE'RE AT IT...
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, THE BILL? IT'S GOING OUT THERE. AND HONESTLY, OUR FOLKS WORK INCREDIBLY HARD, SO IF PEOPLE WONDER WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE'RE CLOSED? THIS IS IT. THAT'S IT. OH, YEAH. THAT'S IT. THAT'S OUR MAINTENANCE CREWS OUT HELPING AS WELL. THAT'S OUR CUSTODIAL CREWS THAT ARE IN BUILDINGS.
THAT'S A LOT OF BILL SHOP HEADING OUT, DRIVING ROADS OR DRIVING, THEY HOPE THEY'RE STILL ON ROADS, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE OUT DRIVING AND CHECKING THINGS AND SOME ROADS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN DRIVEN ON YET, AS WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE DECISIONS AND THEY START EARLY.
THIS STORM IN PARTICULAR WAS JUST AWFUL.
IF YOU DIDN'T GET OUT ON IT EARLY, IT WAS CONCRETE YOU WERE TRYING TO GET UP.
IT TRULY WAS. I REMEMBER TALKING WITH THE CREW AT COLONEL MIDDLE AS THEY WERE TRYING TO CHISEL A PARKING...
OR CHISEL A SIDEWALK TO A PARKING LOT. AND LITERALLY IT WAS OVER A HALF HOUR AND I THINK THEY HAD MADE ABOUT FOUR FEET OF PROGRESS, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS SO ICED OVER OF HAVING TO CHIP IT UP.
AND THEY'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB. THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF GETTING EVERYTHING DONE.
LITERALLY HATS OFF TO EVERYBODY WHO DOES THIS CONSISTENTLY TO HELP GET US OPEN.
I DO UNDERSTAND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS WHEN WE HAVE TO CLOSE AT TIMES.
THIS STORM IN PARTICULAR, GETTING OUR PARKING LOTS AND OUR SIDEWALKS OPEN WAS A CHORE.
COUNTY ROADS DID A FANTASTIC JOB. THEY REALLY DID.
THE TOWNS TRIED HARD, SOME DID REALLY WELL, SOME JUST... THEY WORKED HARD AND DID THE BEST THEY COULD.
THIS STORM WAS TOUGH, BUT FOR US REALLY TRYING TO OPEN UP SAFE WALKING PASSAGES ON OUR OWN CAMPUSES AND GETTING OUR PARKING LOTS OPEN WAS A TRUE NIGHTMARE.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT. SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.
AND THERE'S SOME SYSTEMS ACROSS THE BRIDGE, I THINK TODAY, MARCH DAY SEVEN, THEY'VE BEEN OUT. JUST REALLY DEALING WITH THE SAME THINGS OF TRYING TO GET... JUST THE ICE HAS BEEN AWFUL.
THE LAST THING I COULD COUNT TO WAS THE 94 ICE STORM, AND SOME OF US ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER IT.
THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE EQUIVALENT. I HOPE IT'S ANOTHER HOWEVER MANY YEARS BEFORE WE SEE ANOTHER ONE OF THESE, BECAUSE IT WAS TOUGH.
THEY BUSTED THEIR TAILS, NOT LITERALLY, THANKFULLY.
BUT NO, THEY DID A GREAT JOB OF GETTING US OPEN AND MAKING IT HAPPEN, SO...
CAN'T SAY ENOUGH. AND I THINK THIS WAS EVEN ACTUALLY HARDER THAN 94, BECAUSE IT WARMED UP AFTERWARDS AND THE ICE STARTED TO MELT, WHEREAS HERE IT'S BEEN SO COLD.
IT LOOKED LIKE EVERYTHING WAS ROLLED IN FONDANT. YEAH. IT JUST PERFECTLY ACROSS IT ALL.
THE AMOUNT OF RAIN WE GOT WAS UNREAL.
YEAH. A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN IT FROZE. AND WHEN IT FROZE, IT FROZE. RIGHT, RIGHT.
AND STAYED THAT WAY. YEP. A FEW DAYS.
SO HATS OFF TO OUR STAFF WHO WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET US BACK. YEP. OKAY.
LET'S START WITH MISS JOHNSON. OH, I WAS LIKE, WHAT DID I DO LAST MONTH? I DON'T KNOW IF I ATTENDED ANYTHING LAST MONTH THAT I CAN THINK OF, BUT... YEAH. I DON'T HAVE A REPORT THIS TIME. OKAY. THANKS
[01:50:03]
FOR STARTING WITH ME TODAY.WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? YOU'RE ON A ROLL NOW.
AFTER SEEING THOSE PICTURES, JUST THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING TO CLEAN IT UP, BECAUSE WHAT LITTLE CLEANING UP I DID.
YEAH. JUST LOOKING AT THOSE SIDEWALKS, I CAN TELL THERE WERE SOME SORE HANDS AND BACKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE FROM THAT. SO THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT DID PUT IN THAT WORK TO DO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY. IT WAS COLD AND NOT FUN. YEAH. THANK YOU. YEAH. I'M JUST GONNA ECHO WHAT MARK SAID, SAME THING. JUST THANKS FOR EVERYBODY. THANKS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING OUT, MAKING THE HARD DECISIONS, AND ASSISTING DR.
SIMMONS ON SAYING, HEY, WE PROBABLY NEED TO CLOSE, EVEN THOUGH WE WON'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND IT'S PART OF THE JOB, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THE GUYS ARE OUT THERE DOING IT. I ACTUALLY DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. I APPRECIATE THE PARENTS WHO CAME IN AND VOICED THEIR CONCERNS TODAY, BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE WILL GO TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND EVENTS, BUT I APPRECIATE THEM COMING AND DOING IT THE PROPER WAY AND HAVING THEIR VOICES HEARD. AND I JUST ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO COME AND DO THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU GET YOUR VOICES HEARD, BY DOING STUFF LIKE THAT. SO KUDOS TO THOSE PARENTS FOR GETTING THEIR STUFF TOGETHER AND PRESENTING IT TO US TONIGHT. I APPRECIATED THAT.
YEAH. AND I THINK I'LL JUST ALSO COMMENT, BECAUSE I WAS GONNA DO THE STEPHANIE. I DON'T THINK I DID.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN IN HIBERNATION.
BUT I THINK ALSO, AS A PARENT AND AS A PARTNER, THE COMMUNICATION DURING THIS WEATHER EVENT WAS GREAT. I KNOW WE'RE HESITANT TO MAKE DECISIONS AT TIMES. WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA... SOMETHING'S GONNA CHANGE, OR WE HOPE IN A PRAYER, BUT I THINK THE REALITY WAS WE KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO, AND SO THANK YOU FOR JUST MAKING THE HARD DECISION TO LET PARENTS HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE, CONTRACTORS THAT WORK IN YOUR BUILDINGS TO HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A PLAN, BECAUSE WEATHER EVENTS ARE HARD. THEY'RE HARD FOR YOU GUYS, AND THEY'RE HARD FOR ALL OF US THAT WORK AND HAVE KIDS AND THINGS. AND SO I JUST... I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT THIS WEATHER EVENT WAS...
MUCH SEEMED EASIER, BETTER, MORE BETTER WITH COMMUNICATION THAN BEHAVIOR EVENTS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S YOU. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I ATTENDED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CELEBRATION AS THE LOCKWOOD SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
AND I THINK WE MAY HAVE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY SCHOOL, I BELIEVE.
WHETHER THEY WERE ON THE PROGRAM OR JUST IN ATTENDANCE, IT WAS GREAT.
KUDOS TO LOCKERMAN'S MUSIC DEPARTMENT.
THEY DID AN AWESOME, AWESOME JOB WITH THE MUSIC THAT THEY PRESENTED. IT WAS SO TOPIC RELATED, AND IT WAS A WELL ATTENDED EVENT ON A COLD DAY.
AND ACTUALLY, BECAUSE OF THE COLD, THE MARCH WAS CANCELED, SO IT WAS JUST A GOOD EVENT.
AND I GOT BACK THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE ADVOCACY CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED FROM ACROSS THE STATES.
AND I DIDN'T GO TO CAPITOL HILL BECAUSE WE HAD A BOARD MEETING TONIGHT, AND WITH BUSES TAKING US BACK AND FORTH, I WASN'T SURE IF I WOULD BE BACK, SO I DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THAT PART, BUT THE SESSIONS WERE VERY GOOD. SO WE'VE ALL BEEN BUSY, I THINK, EVEN THOUGH, WHETHER IT WAS PHYSICALLY OR JUST COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW A BOARD MEMBER THAT HADN'T BEEN BUSY.
ALRIGHT. ANY ITEMS? AM I IN THE RIGHT PLACE? YES. ANY
[8. Upcoming Meetings and Events]
ITEMS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS? OKAY. AND OF COURSE, RACHEL HAS PREPARED OUR LIST FOR UPCOMING EVENTS, AND WE CAN SEE THAT THEY HAVE GROWN, AND EVEN FURTHER DOWN IS THE GRADUATION DATES.SO BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO, AND I KNOW IT WILL ALL BE GOOD.
AND I KNOW MARCH IS THE READING MONTH, READ ALOUD. I MIGHT NOT HAVE THE RIGHT WORDS, SO I'M SURE THAT WE'LL BE CALLED ON TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD MEETING, I THINK. VERY GOOD MEETING.
YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. IT'S BEEN PLEASANT TO BE HIS PRESIDENT, BOARD PRESIDENT, AND I KNOW WE MEET REGULARLY, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD A FUSS YET.
NOT TRYING TO. SO IT'S BEEN A JOY SERVING HERE. AND IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE,
[01:55:01]
WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ADJOURN OUR BOARD MEETING FOR TONIGHT. OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE THE THIRD TUESDAY AT 8.30 WORK SESSION. 6 PM. IT'S EVENING. OH, THAT'S RIGHT.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. YES, 6 PM. ON THE 17TH.
YEP. HERE. YEP. AND RACHEL, IF YOU'LL JUST SEND OUT REMINDERS TO US, PLEASE. SO THANK YOU.
SO DID WE... QUESTIONS AND ADJOURNMENT. ALL IN FAVOR? WE DID ALL IN FAVOR. WE ALL SAID AYE. PROCEED TO VOTE.
THANKS.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.