Mar 03, 2026 Board of Education Meeting

[00:00:01]

THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AND THOSE WHO ARE WITH US VIRTUALLY.

WELCOME TO THE MARCH 3RD BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. AND WE WILL NEED A MOTION TO GO FROM CLOSED TO OPEN SESSION, PLEASE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. WE'RE GOING TO OPEN SESSION.

I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. OPPOSED. SO CARRIED. THANK YOU.

LET US STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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.

WE NEED THE APPROVAL OF OUR AGENDA FOR THE EVENING.

MAKE A MOTION. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR TONIGHT.

I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO SHARE OUR MISSION AS A BOARD OF EDUCATION.

WHAT WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.

WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

OUR VISION OF WHAT WE WANT TO BE. EVERY STUDENT WILL BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED, AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD. OKAY, MOVING ON.

[2. Public Recognitions / Comment]

HOW ARE YOU? PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DOCTOR SIMMONS AND THE REST OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

I HAVE THE GREAT HONOR TONIGHT TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR FRESHMEN AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

ANNABELLE ROBUCK. SHE IS BEEN SELECTED AS ALL STATE CHOIR AS A FRESHMAN.

SO THAT'S A VERY GOOD OPPORTUNITY [APPLAUSE].

SHE'S AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN OUR DRAMA CLUB. YOU CAN ALSO SEE HER THIS SPRING IN MEAN GIRLS.

SO WE'LL COME OUT AND SEE HER APRIL 17TH AND 24TH.

AND ALSO SHE HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE AN ALL SHORE CHOIR FOR THE THIRD TIME.

SO SHE'S VERY, VERY TALENTED. AND AS A FRESHMAN, SHE HAS MANY YEARS TO IMPRESS US.

AND WE'RE VERY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT. SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING ON UP AND NICE LITTLE CERTIFICATE FOR YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS. YES. [APPLAUSE] SO PROUD OF YOU.

I THINK SO, YES. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. CONGRATULATIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS. ABSOLUTELY. DEFINITELY TALENTED.

SHE DOES IT ALL. YOU GUYS DID SUCH A GOOD JOB.

ALL RIGHT. WELL.

THANK YOU.

SONG BY ALICIA KEYS ON THE VIDEO THAT CAME OUT TODAY AND DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT WAS IT. OKAY.

WE HAVE THREE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I'LL JUST READ THE RULES REAL QUICK AND THEN WE'LL GET STARTED.

SO THE MEMBERS OF CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DESIRE TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND HAVE THE ADVICE OF INTERESTED CITIZENS.

PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION IS HELD AT EACH BOARD MEETING FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS 30 MINUTES TOTAL, NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TOTAL. THE BOARD 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.

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 AND OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL NOT BE PERMITTED.

[00:05:01]

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.

SO FIRST UP, WE HAVE REESE BASSISI. OH, SORRY.

I HAVE PICTURES OF OUR CONDITIONS THAT WE'RE PRACTICING ON NOW.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR SIMMONS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS REESE BASSISI. I'M CURRENTLY A SENIOR AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND CAN SAY THAT I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH SUCH AMAZING EDUCATORS.

HOWEVER, MY ATHLETIC CAREER HERE AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL HAS NOT BEEN AS BIG AS A BLESSING AS MY EDUCATION.

THERE HAS BEEN MANY STUDENTS AND PARENTS THAT ARE FRUSTRATED RIGHT NOW. BUT ME, I AM DISAPPOINTED AND SAD. FRESHMAN YEAR, I TORE MY ACL ON THE STADIUM FIELD WHILE STRUGGLING WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS AND STILL AM, AND IT LED ME DOWN THE DARKEST HOLE EVER.

AFTER TEARING, I STARTED A CLUB AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL ABOUT STUDENT ATHLETES AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IS KNOWN AS MORGAN'S MESSAGE. SINCE BEING AN AMBASSADOR FOR MORGAN'S MESSAGE AND BEING AROUND FOR A FEW YEARS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND HOW INJURIES TAKE A TOLL ON ALL STUDENT ATHLETES.

THANKFULLY, WE HAD AN ATHLETIC TRAINER AT THE TIME OF MY INJURY WHO HELPED ME BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.

SINCE BEING IN THIS CLUB AND SPEAKING WITH STUDENTS, STUDENT ATHLETES FROM OTHER SCHOOLS, I'VE COME TO REALIZE OTHER SCHOOLS TRULY HAVE SO MUCH MORE JUST FROM RECOGNITION, SAFETY, OVERALL CARE, EVEN THE APPEARANCE OF THEIR ATHLETIC FACILITIES.

SO HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? A COMPARABLE SCHOOL NEAR US APPEARS TO HAVE MORE ATHLETICS AND IS IN BETTER CONDITION.

IT IS ALSO KNOWN THAT THEY HAVE 14 LESS STUDENTS.

THIS MAKES ME WONDER IS IT LACK OF COMPASSION OR MISMANAGEMENT? BUT STILL, THERE IS NOTHING DONE EVEN WHEN CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD IS AWARE.

PLAYING SPORTS HELPS ME IN SO MANY WAYS BETWEEN STAYING STRUCTURED THROUGH LIFE ITSELF, DEALING WITH SPORTS OR, I'M SORRY. DEALING WITH PLAYING SPORTS HAS HELPED ME IN SO MANY WAYS BETWEEN STAYING STRUCTURED THROUGH LIFE ITSELF, DEALING WITH OBSTACLES SUCH AS STRUGGLING MEDICALLY AND ALSO MAINTAINING A HIGH GPA TO BE ABLE TO PLAY SPORTS.

SPORTS HAVE BEEN SUCH A BIG HELP WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE.

WHY WOULD STUDENT ATHLETES WANT TO PLAY THOUGH, IF THEY FEEL THEY ARE AT RISK? ONE STUDENT STUDIED THE STATUS OF THE FIELD AND THE ATHLETES BODY AFTER PLAYING ON THOSE FIELDS BY ALL STUDENT ATHLETES.

IT WAS CLAIMED THAT THE CONDITIONS AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL FIELDS ARE POOR.

WHY? ANOTHER STUDY STUDY PROVED THAT CONDITIONS THAT WHEN STUDENT ATHLETES PERFORM TO THEIR BEST, THEY NEED TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE HAVING A PURPOSE.

NOBODY STANDS BEHIND US AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.

AS STUDENT ATHLETES, WE TEND TO TRY TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

IT IS WHAT GOES THE FURTHEST FOR STUDENT ATHLETES MENTAL HEALTH ACCORDING TO THE KEVIN LOVE FOUNDATION. SINCE SUPPORTING THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, GOING TO OUR SURROUNDING SCHOOLS AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS BEHIND THE TEAMS, BETWEEN TRAINERS AND COMMUNITY MORALE, STARTING AT THE SCHOOL HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ATHLETICS ITSELF.

I REALIZE THERE ARE EMTS AND NURSES, WHICH I AM THANKFUL FOR, BUT HOW ARE WE ONE OF THE TWO SCHOOLS THAT DO NOT HAVE AN ATHLETIC TRAINER IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, BUT WHY IS THERE NOTHING BEING DONE? WE ARE EXPECTED TO PLAY ON FIELDS THAT HAVE HOLES AND WHAT SEEMS LIKE PEAKS AND VALLEYS. IS THIS SAFE? THERE ARE NINE SENIORS LIVING ON THE LACROSSE TEAM THIS YEAR, AND WHAT HAPPENS NOW AFFECTS THE FOLLOWING YEARS, THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE PRESENT NOW, WHAT HAPPENS IN ONE TEAM AFFECTS THEM ALL.

DUE TO THE LACK OF PRECAUTIONS BEING TAKEN, YOU ARE DRIVING AWAY STUDENT ATHLETES.

THERE IS A FOOTBALL PLAYER LEAVING TO FIND BETTER OPPORTUNITIES NEXT YEAR AND ONE HAS ALREADY LEFT.

I'M NOT HERE TO BE RUDE OR OFFEND ANYONE. THAT IS THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO, I WANT LAST THING I WANT TO DO.

BUT IT HURTS TO KNOW THAT EVERYTHING ALL OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES HAVE WORKED FOR IS NOT EVEN A THOUGHT.

I KNOW MOST OF YOU ALL HAVE CHILDREN OF YOUR OWN AND YOU OF YOUR OWN, AND TO HAVE YOUR CHILD'S DREAMS BREAK HAS TO BREAK YOUR HEART.

HOW DO YOU THINK WE FEEL AS THOSE WHO HAVE PUT IN THE WORK, AND THE PARENTS THAT HAVE PUT IN THE TIME AND MONEY, AND A STUDENT ATHLETES WHO GO TO COMPETE FOR THE NEXT LEVEL.

THERE ARE MOST PEOPLE WHO DEPEND ON WHAT THEY ARE GIVEN FOR COLLEGE, OUR SCHOLARSHIPS AS ATHLETES, THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL IS THE DREAM, BUT COLLEGE IS EXPENSIVE.

MOST OF US RELY ON THE MONEY THAT CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM FROM AN INJURY, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PLAY.

WE ARE NOW MORE AT RISK AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE EVER WORKED FOR COULD BE GONE IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.

WE DO NOT HAVE THE PROPER CARE FACILITIES TO BE PLAYING SAFELY.

I PRAY EVERY NIGHT TO GOD THAT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN WILL HAPPEN.

I PRAY NOBODY GETS HURT BECAUSE I HAVE TALKED TO THOSE ATHLETES.

THEY HAVE TOLD ME ABOUT THEIR NIGHTMARES, AND I PRAY THAT THE FUTURE ATHLETES HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES THAN NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL THAN THE STUDENT ATHLETES DO NOW. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP IS AMBER BYERS.

[00:10:03]

MY NAME IS AMBER BYERS. I'M CURRENTLY A SENIOR AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL. I'M COMMITTED TO PLAY DIVISION ONE LACROSSE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON. ON FEBRUARY 14TH OF LAST YEAR, DURING MY JUNIOR YEAR, I COMMITTED TO AKRON. IT WAS ONE OF MY MOST PROUDEST MILESTONES OF MY LIFE.

I HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND FOR THIS EXACT ACCOMPLISHMENT. EVERY EARLY MORNING WORKOUT, EVERY LATE PRACTICE, EVERY SUMMER TOURNAMENT, EVERY INJURY I HAD TO OVERCOME, AND EVERY PERSONAL SACRIFICE HAS LED ME TO THIS MOMENT.

AND LACROSSE IS NOT THE ONLY SPORT I PARTICIPATE IN.

LACROSSE IS NOT THE ONLY SPORT I HAVE GIVEN MY TIME AND HEART TO DURING MY TIME IN NORTH CAROLINE, I'VE COMPETED IN FIELD HOCKEY, TRACK, SOCCER, AND LACROSSE.

I'VE SHOWN UP SEASON AFTER SEASON, YEAR AFTER YEAR, REPRESENTING THE SCHOOL IN EVERY WAY I COULD. AS A SENIOR, THIS IS TRADITIONALLY THE YEAR WHEN STUDENT ATHLETES ARE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED FOR THEIR THEIR COLLEGE COMMITMENTS. NATIONAL SIGNING DAY IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MILESTONE. IT IS MEANT TO BE A MOMENT OF PRIDE, NOT JUST FOR THE ATHLETE, BUT FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

BUT WHEN MY NATIONAL SIGNING DAY CAME, THAT MOMENT NEVER TRULY HAPPENED.

LAST YEAR, WHEN A MALE ATHLETE COMMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND TO PLAY FOOTBALL, HE WAS RECOGNIZED WITH OVER 20 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, EDITED GRAPHICS AND PHOTOS. ANOTHER MALE WHO COMMITTED TO WIDENER RECEIVED 14 POSTS.

THEY HAD ORGANIZED SIGNING DAYS. THEY HAD SUPPORT.

THEY HAD VISIBLE CELEBRATION. WHEN IT WAS MY TURN, NOTHING WAS THERE.

AFTER NEW, OUR COLLECTOR WAS INFORMED AT LEAST THREE WEEKS BEFORE NATIONAL SIGNING DAY THAT I WOULD BE SIGNING.

TWO OTHER FEMALE ATHLETES WERE PLANNING TO SIGN DURING THAT SAME WINDOW.

THERE WERE NO MALE ATHLETES SIGNING AT THAT TIME, YET NOTHING WAS ORGANIZED WITH ANY OFFICIAL SIGNING PERIOD.

I WAS ONLY GIVEN A THREE DAY WINDOW TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL, AND NO PLANS WERE PUT INTO PLACE TO RECOGNIZE IT.

BY THE TIME SOMETHING WAS EVENTUALLY ARRANGED, IT WAS WEEKS LATE AND RUSHED. I HAD ALREADY MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN UP MY OWN SCHOOL ALONGSIDE THE OTHER GIRLS WHO HAD EARNED THAT SAME MILESTONE, SO I HAVE TO ASK, IF MALE ATHLETES HAD BEEN SIGNING THAT DAY, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN HANDLED DIFFERENTLY? I DIDN'T GET SIGNING DAY, I DIDN'T GET A RECOGNITION POST.

I DIDN'T GET EDITED GRAPHICS. I DIDN'T EVEN GET A SINGLE CELEBRATORY SPOTLIGHT.

AND I'M CURRENTLY THE ONLY DIVISION ONE COMMIT IN OUR SENIOR CLASS.

WHICH LEADS ME TO ASK IF THIS DIVISION ONE COMMITMENT BELONGED TO A MALE ATHLETE, WOULD THE RESPONSE HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT? WOULD THE RECOGNITION CAME MORE QUICKLY? WOULD THE CELEBRATION HAVE FELT MORE INTENTIONAL? THIS IS NOT ABOUT ATTENTION. IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS. IT'S ABOUT WHETHER FEMALE ATHLETES ARE THE SAME WAY MALE ATHLETES ARE VALUED.

OVER 50 YEARS AGO, TITLE NINE WAS PASSED TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS WOULD NOT FACE DISCRIMINATION IN EDUCATION OR ATHLETICS BASED ON THEIR GENDER.

THE PURPOSE WAS SIMPLE TO GUARANTEE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, EQUAL ACCESS, EQUAL TREATMENT AND EQUAL SUPPORT.

IT WAS CREATED SO THAT YOUNG WOMAN WOULD NOT BE OVERLOOKED, MINIMIZED, OR TREATED LESS THAN IMPORTANT THEIR OWN SCHOOL.

THAT CENTER IS NOT JUST HISTORY. IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE SO RESPONSIBLE FOR UPHOLDING TODAY.

THIS YEAR ALONE, BOYS TEAM, INCLUDING JUNIOR VARSITY AND VARSITY SOCCER, AS WELL AS JUNIOR VARSITY AND VARSITY FOOTBALL PLAYED 22 GAMES ON THE STADIUM FIELD.

MEANWHILE, GIRLS VARSITY SOCCER AND FIELD HOCKEY ONLY PLAYED TEN GAMES COMBINED ON THAT SAME FIELD.

THAT MEANS ROUGHLY 70% OF THE STADIUM GAMES WERE PLAYED BY BOYS, WHILE ONLY 30% WERE PLAYED BY GIRLS.

TODD AND I REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE EQUAL TREATMENT, EQUAL ACCESS, AND FAIR OPPORTUNITIES IN ATHLETICS.

WHEN OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES ARE SO UNEVENLY DISTRIBUTED, IT RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THE SCHOOL IS MEETING ITS OBLIGATION UNDER FEDERAL LAW. THESE NUMBERS SHOW A CLEAR IMBALANCE AND IF UNADDRESSED, IT COULD BE A SERIOUS CAN BE SEEN AS A SERIOUS VIOLATION.

AND BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTION OF TITLE 9 GUARANTEES FOR FEMALE ATHLETES.

FIELD HOCKEY WASN'T EVEN SCHEDULED TO PLAY IN THE STADIUM AT THE START OF THE SEASON.

THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THE TO THEIR PRACTICE FIELD UNTIL A PLAYER SUFFERED A NON-CONTACT INJURY FROM A LARGE HOLE ON A FIELD ON THE FIELD.

ONLY AFTER THAT INJURY WERE THEY MOVED TO THE STADIUM. WE'VE ALSO SEEN RESOURCES AND RECOGNITION GIVEN WHEN THE BOYS LOCKER ROOM RECEIVED A FULL MAKEOVER, ALONG WITH A CELEBRATORY ANNOUNCEMENT. THE SUPPORT OF THE BOYS WAS WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE.

THE GIRLS LOCKER ROOM DID NOT RECEIVE THE SAME ATTENTION OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT, EVEN IF UNINTENTIONAL.

EVEN EVEN IF UNINTENTIONAL DIFFERENCES LIKE THAT SENT A MESSAGE.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE BEING TOLD WE CANNOT PLAN OUR STADIUM FIELD AND MUST COMPETE ON A PRACTICE FIELD THAT HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED FOR MANY YEARS. MANY INJURIES HAVE HAPPENED ON THESE FIELDS SEASON AFTER SEASON. HOW IS THAT FAIR? HOW CAN WE CALL IT EQUAL WHEN GIRLS WHO ARE GIVING THEIR ALL ARE DENIED THE SAME SAFE CONDITIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE ARE NOT? OH, SORRY, WE ARE REALLY? ARE WE REALLY SENDING A MESSAGE THAT GIRLS ATHLETIC ATHLETICS ARE SECONDARY? BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SECONDARY. WE DESERVE THE SAME SUPPORT AND SAME RESPECT, THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES.

ISN'T THAT WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO GUARANTEE? WE TRAIN IN THE SAME WEIGHT ROOM, WE MEET THE SAME ACADEMIC STANDARDS, AND WE REPRESENT NORTH CAROLINE WITH THE SAME PRIDE AND DEDICATION.

BUT OPPORTUNITIES, RECOGNITION AND RESOURCES DO NOT REFLECT THAT EQUALITY IN UNDER TITLE NINE.

THEY MUST. I LOVE MY SCHOOL AND I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT CAROLINE COUNTY.

I WILL ALWAYS BE PROUD TO SAY I CAME FROM HERE, BUT PRIDE AND SUPPORT SHOULD GO BOTH WAYS.

THIS IS BIGGER THAN ME NOW. I'M GRADUATING SOON, BUT THE STANDARD WE SET NOW WILL IMPACT EVERY FEMALE ATHLETE WHO COMES AFTER ME.

ALL I'M ASKING IS FOR EQUAL RECOGNITION, EQUAL FACILITIES, EQUAL RESPECT, TRUE FAIRNESS KNOWS NO GENDER.

[00:15:02]

AND WE HAVE A FINAL ONE. IS MISS SHERRY SEC. OKAY, SURE.

GOOD EVENING. I'M WRITING TO SHARE MY ONGOING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETIC FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY ESPECIALLY THE PRACTICE SOCCER FIELD THAT'S BEING REPURPOSED FOR LACROSSE.

OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, I MENTIONED THE NEGLECT OF OUR FIELD, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY LED TO STUDENT ATHLETE INJURIES.

SINCE THEN, WE HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT THE PLANS TO IMPROVE THAT FIELD.

SO I'M WONDERING WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES.

THE CONTINUED LACK OF TRANSPARENCY HAS BEEN QUITE DISHEARTENING, AND AT THIS POINT I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED BETTER.

SO I'M HERE TO ASK AGAIN WHY WEREN'T THE FIELDS ADDRESSED EARLIER, KNOWING YOU KNEW THIS WAS AN ISSUE SINCE JUNE OF 2025? CLEARLY, WEATHER IT'S NOT TO BLAME. YET AGAIN IMPROVEMENTS TO THAT PARTICULAR FIELD WERE NEGLECTED, AND NOT UNTIL RECENTLY, AS IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, WORK WAS INITIATED IN RESPONSE TO A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, I WAS TOLD, ACCORDING TO GUIDANCE FROM THE CONTRACTOR WHO'S OVERSEEING THE SOD PROJECT, WE WILL FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REFRAIN FROM USING THE STADIUM FIELD THIS SPRING IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR PROPER GROWTH. MOVING THE GAMES INTO THE STADIUM NEGATES THE WORK TO IMPROVE THE FIELD DONE LAST SUMMER, AND RESTARTS THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF MOVING TEAMS OFF THE FIELD NEXT YEAR.

ON THAT NOTE, HERE'S A COPY WHICH I GAVE YOU GUYS FROM YOUR CONTRACTOR REGARDING FIELD USE AND PLAYABILITY, WHICH SEEMS TO CONTRADICT WHAT YOU'VE TOLD US.

AGAIN, HIGHLIGHTING A LACK OF HONESTY, YOU SHOULD ASK WHY THIS PARTICULAR PARTICULAR GRASS WAS USED.

IT'S WEAR TOLERANT, IS TOLERANT FOR SPORTS FIELDS.

HIGHLY COLD TOLERANT AND DROUGHT RESISTANT. BASICALLY HEALS ITSELF.

IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A COPY OF AN INVOICE FOR THE STADIUM TURF HANDWRITTEN TO THE SIDE.

ESTABLISHMENT OF TURF FOR WEEKS FOR MID-JULY.

AGAIN, YOUR VERY OWN INVOICE. THIS SUGGESTS A LACK OF EFFORT AND PRIORITY AS WELL AS DISHONESTY.

SO I ASK, IS THIS HOW YOU TRULY SEE YOUR STUDENT ATHLETES? I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT OUR GIRLS LACROSSE TEAM WON'T PLAY ON THE STADIUM FIELD.

HOWEVER, I'M NOT HERE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, BUT MORE SO I AM BEYOND ANGRY WITH HOW THE SITUATION HAS BEEN HANDLED.

I'M HOPING FOR A SAFE PLAYING AREA AND WOULD APPRECIATE AN OUTSIDE OFFICIAL ROUTINELY CHECKING OUR ATHLETIC AREAS REGULAR AND CONSISTENT MAINTENANCE.

OUR ATHLETES DESERVE NOTHING LESS. SADLY, IT SEEMS LIKE ALL ATHLETES HAVE BEEN SHOWN THEIR SAFETY AS A TOP PRIORITY, WHICH IS THE EXCEPTION OF FOOTBALL, OF COURSE, WHICH MIGHT BE INSTITUTIONALIZED FAVORITISM.

YOU'RE THE LEADERS FOR OUR CHILDREN. SO AS PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE CONSIDER WHETHER THIS IS REALLY OKAY TO SHOW DISHONESTY AND LACK OF INTEGRITY. IF IT IS, PERHAPS YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT A DIFFERENT ROLE.

I WAS ALSO GIVEN THE RESPONSE FROM OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.

AS FOR ACCESS TO A TRAINER, THERE IS NOT A MANDATED REQUIREMENT THAT TRAINERS ARE PROVIDED.

WELL, WE HAD ONE AND AN INJURY ON THIS FIELD OR ANY OTHER FIELD WOULD BE EXPENSIVE FOR CAROLINE COUNTY AND AT SOME POINT SAFETY SHOULD BE A PRIORITY BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS [APPLAUSE]. SO I'M NOT SURE IF I SAID YOUR NAME CORRECTLY AND MRS. BASSISI AND MISS BYERS, THANK THE THREE OF YOU FOR SHARING YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING.

AND YOU CAN EXPECT A REPLY. OKAY. AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS. I DON'T KNOW WHO WENT FIRST THE LAST TIME, BUT WE WILL START WITH YOU, JEFF. OKAY.

FEDERAL [INAUDIBLE] SPEAK TODAY. LAST, LAST MONTH, STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN STATE DANCE THE KIDS HEART CHALLENGE, WHICH ENCOURAGED STUDENTS TO LEARN HANDS ONLY CPR.

YOU KNOW, JUST THAT AT THAT YOUNG AGE THE THEY HAD A BOOK THERE.

PARENT DAY, WHERE PARENTS WERE INVITED INTO CLASSROOMS TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF EDUCATION THEIR, THEIR KIDS WERE EXPERIENCING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD.

AND OTHER CELEBRATIONS, INCLUDING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK, SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER MONTH, [INAUDIBLE] APPRECIATION DAY, VALENTINE'S DAY, AND LOOKING AHEAD TO MARCH THE READ ACROSS AMERICA SPIRIT WEEK FROM MARCH 2ND TO SIXTH CELEBRATING LITERACY AND MARCH BUDDY DAY, WHICH IS IT'S IT'S FOR

[00:20:07]

ANYWAYS AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY, THEY ALSO HAD THEIR VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE.

THEY HAD A LASER SHOW CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH, THREE NEW STUDENT CLUBS.

THEY'RE ALWAYS ADDING NEW CLUBS. THE FUTURE EDUCATORS CLUB FOR STUDENTS LOOKING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TEACHING, A TEACHING CAREER, THE FUN AND FITNESS CLUB, AND THE KINDNESS CLUB.

UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE FIELD TRIPS FIELD TRIPS, THE HOUSE MEETINGS FOR THE DIFFERENT INTERNAL STUDENT HOUSES AND CONTINUATION FOR MCAT AND MCAT PREP. YEAH.

AT COLONEL MIDDLE. LAST MONTH THEY HAD THE THE TRIPS TO THE TO COLONEL HIGH AND CCTC THEY HAD THEIR VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY, EIGHTH GRADE FAMILY NIGHT, WHERE PARENTS WERE INVITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL AND THE DIFFERENT PATHS THEIR STUDENTS COULD TAKE.

MATH NIGHT AND A GUEST SPEAKING BY STERLEN BARR FOR SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF VAPING.

LAST MONTH AT KERNEL HIGH THEY HOSTED A BLOOD DRIVE.

SORRY TO. I DON'T MEAN TO BRAG OVER YOU, BUT NORTH BAYSIDE CHAMPS [LAUGHS].

SO FIRST TIME IN, WHAT, 50 YEARS? SO BASKETBALL EIGHTH GRADE VISITS, THE VALENTINE'S DAY DANCE AND THE ALUMNI VOLLEYBALL GAME.

UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE THE SECOND DRIVER'S ED PROGRAM HOSTED AT THE SCHOOL THIS YEAR, SAT IS IN MARCH, AND NTHS INDUCTIONS. I ALSO WANT TO IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THAT SOLO AND ENSEMBLE HAPPENED OVER DURING FEBRUARY. AND A LOT OF STUDENTS, BOTH FROM BOTH SCHOOLS RECEIVED GOOD SCORES.

YEAH. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEFF, FOR BRINGING US UP TO DATE ON SCHOOLS AT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY.

AND NOW, IF YOU WILL CONTINUE. OKAY. STARTING WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY, DOCTOR KREBS SAID, WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR WARMER WEATHER AND ALL THAT SPRING BRINGS IDEAS, ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE RECESS, WHICH I KIND OF FORGOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS GET RECESS.

LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR JO CORBY'S FUNDRAISER, AND IT WAS FUNDED, I THINK, BY PBIS OR THEY HOSTED IT, AND THEN THEY HAD THEIR PICTURE DAY AND SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS, I GUESS YESTERDAY WAS READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY DROP EVERYTHING MARCH 2ND THROUGH MARCH 6TH. IT'S DOCTOR SEUSS SPIRIT WEEK.

MARCH 5TH IS HEAR THE CRUNCH DAY, MARCH 19TH IS DS READING NIGHT.

MARCH 20TH IS GRANDPARENTS DAY. MARCH 21ST IS ROCK YOUR SOCKS FOR WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY, AND MARCH 23RD IS KIDS HEART CHALLENGE KICKOFF WEEK ASSEMBLY.

SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS FOR RIDGELY ELEMENTARY IS MARCH 3RD AND FOURTH.

FIFTH GRADE WILL HAVE THEIR MISA ASSESSMENT. MARCH 5TH, THIRD AND FIFTH GRADE WILL HAVE THEIR INTERIM REPORTS.

MARCH 12TH IS ONE SCHOOL, ONE BOOK ELA FAMILY NIGHT.

MARCH 17TH IS IRISH DANCE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY ISN'T MARCH 17TH SAINT PATRICK'S OKAY? YEAH. AND THEN MARCH 19TH IS SPRING PICTURES.

MOVING ON TO GREENSBORO. SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS MARCH 2ND THROUGH THE 6TH THEY'LL BE CELEBRATING THEIR READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY, TODAY, MARCH 3RD, IS THEIR FAMILY LEARNING CAMP.

MARCH 5TH IS HEAR THE CRUNCH DAY. AND DOCTOR SIMMONS, YOU'RE GOING TO VISIT AND I GUESS BITE AN APPLE.

YUP. MARCH 10TH AND 11TH IS MISA TESTING FOR FIFTH GRADERS ONLY.

MARCH 17TH AND 18TH IS ALSO GOING TO BE MISA TESTING FOR ONLY FIFTH GRADERS.

MARCH 19TH IS OUR FAMILY ACADEMIC NIGHT. AND THEN MARCH 31ST IS THEIR CLASSROOM GROUP PICTURE DAY.

OKAY MOVING ON TO LOCKERMAN. LAST MONTH THEY HAD THEIR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION.

AND THEN THEY ALSO HAD AN ASSEMBLY RAPPING ABOUT PREVENTION.

IT WAS FOR THEIR SIXTH GRADERS ABOUT DRUG PREVENTION.

AND THEN SOME OF THEIR UPCOMING EVENTS IS THEY'LL HAVE A CONCERT CELEBRATING MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOL.

[00:25:03]

SOMETIMES GROWTH BEGINS IN THE COLD, MUDDY WORK OF PERSEVERANCE.

HOW FITTING. YEAH. SORRY. SORRY. OKAY. LAST MONTH SECOND SEMESTER STARTED GET THE POLAR BEAR PLUNGE.

WE HAD A BLACK HISTORY MONTH DAY CELEBRATION, WHICH ENDED UP HAVING TO BE VIRTUAL BECAUSE OF THE SNOW, BUT IT WAS STILL REALLY GOOD. THEN WE HAD OUR SCHOLARSHIP AND FAFSA NIGHT SLASH GRADUATION NIGHT, AND ACTUALLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP. AND I KNOW MY CLASS WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE GET SIX TICKETS INSTEAD OF FOUR FOR GRADUATION, SINCE IT HAS TO BE OUTSIDE BECAUSE MY CLASS IS SO BIG.

AND THEN WE HAD THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING SPORTS AND THEN ALSO LAST MONTH.

IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT THERE'S A CLUB AT OUR SCHOOL THAT'S NEW THIS YEAR.

IT'S CALLED SOUL. IT'S RUN BY ONE OF THE STUDENTS, AND BASICALLY IT'S A CLUB THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE TO LIKE, EMPOWER PEOPLE AND JUST INCLUSION LIKE OVERALL.

SO THE STUDENT, HER NAME IS LAYLA, WHO CREATED THE CLUB.

SHE TOOK IT UPON HERSELF AND A LOT OF OTHER STUDENTS, AND THEY CAME TOGETHER, AND MR. SPIKER AND THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATION HELPED, LIKE, AND A LOT OF TEACHERS HELPED TO PUT TOGETHER LIKE A BLACK HISTORY MONTH, LIKE KIND OF LIKE MUSEUM WALK THROUGH THING THAT WAS SET UP IN LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED, LIKE THE HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF WHERE THE CAFETERIA IS. AND IT WAS THERE FOR LIKE THE WHOLE WEEK.

AND IT WAS REALLY GOOD, ESPECIALLY HOW IT WAS DONE, LIKE SO LAST MINUTE, LIKE A LOT OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO IT WAS A REALLY COOL THING TO SEE. AND THEN SOME OF THE UPCOMING EVENTS IS MARCH 5TH IS MARYLAND HEAR THE CRUNCH DAY.

MARCH 6TH IS A HALF A DAY. THANK THE LORD BECAUSE OH MY GOD.

MARCH 9TH IS THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION AT COLONEL HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN MARCH 11TH IS OUR WINTER SPORTS AWARDS.

MOVING ON TO CTTC LAST MONTH WAS COLONEL MIDDLE EIGHTH GRADE TOURS.

AND THEN IRC TESTING. UPCOMING EVENTS WILL BE AMP DAY NESTING BOX PRESENTATIONS.

HEAR THE CRUNCH AGAIN, A HALF DAY FOR STUDENTS, AND THEN COSMETOLOGY WILL TAKE A TRIP TO NEW YORK FOR A HAIR SHOW.

THEY CAN TAKE A LOT OF TRIPS TO NEW YORK, AND THAT'S NOT FAIR BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY FUN [LAUGHS].

BUT YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND. I'M SURE THEY HAVE FUN.

DEFINITELY SURE. OKAY. AND EXCUSE ME, WE HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT.

DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I FORGOT? I'M SORRY.

CAME THROUGH ON EMAIL, SIGNED UP SO TO SPEAK.

THAT WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT. YEP. ABSOLUTELY.

FRIENDS AND BOARD MEMBERS. JEFFREY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE AMP PROGRAM AT THE TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

ALLEN STEIN AND I TOOK A TRIP IN 2017 TO HOLD DIFFERENT BUSINESSES TO FIND OUT WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM AN EMPLOYEE? IN MY COMPANY, COMBINED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AND RIDGELY WE DON'T HAVE EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE PARTNERS.

SO WHEN WE WENT TO LIKE JEFF TURNER AND A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE, WE FOUND THAT THE BAR WAS EXTREMELY LOW.

YOU KNOW, CAN THEY SHOW UP FOR WORK ON TIME? CAN THEY BE, YOU KNOW, CAN THEY PASS A DRUG TEST AND STUFF LIKE THAT? SO ALAN SAID, I WANT TO TEACH WOODWORKERS. SO HE WANTED PROFESSIONAL WOODWORKERS TO COME OUT OF THE AMP PROGRAM.

I DIDN'T QUITE HAVE THAT GRANDIOSE SCHEME. HOWEVER, I SUPPORTED ALAN ALL THE WAY AND ALAN DID A MARVELOUS JOB.

EVERYBODY DID A MARVELOUS JOB, SO I SUPPORTED HIM SINCE THEN.

AND WHAT IS BIZARRE TO ME IS THAT OUR FIRST PROJECT IS A BIRDHOUSE.

THAT WAS THE FIRST THING ALAN DID WANT TO DO. I DON'T WANT TO BUILD A BIRDHOUSE I WANNA, YOU KNOW TEACH WOODWORKING.

REAL WOODWORKING. SO I TEACH A LITTLE CLASS EVERY NOW AND THEN CALLED NAPKIN SKETCH 101.

NOTHING HAPPENS WITHOUT A NAPKIN SKETCH, WHETHER IT'S IN A RESTAURANT OR WHEREVER.

AND SO WE DECIDED TO HAVE THE KIDS ALL DESIGN A BIRDHOUSE.

SO THERE'S ABOUT 17 KIDS IN EVERY CLASS. SO EVERYBODY HAS TO DESIGN A BIRDHOUSE.

AND WE SAID, OKAY, SO NAPKIN SKETCH 101. WHAT KIND OF BIRD? YOU KNOW, DO YOUR RESEARCH, YOU KNOW. TODAY WE HAVE GOOGLE SO YOU CAN DO A TON OF RESEARCH.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE AUDUBON SOCIETY COME AND TEACH THEM ABOUT THE DIFFERENT BIRDS OF CAROLINE COUNTY.

SO SO THE KIDS ALL GET TOGETHER AND DESIGN THESE, THESE STORYBOARDS, AND THEY ALL HAVE TO GIVE A PRESENTATION TO ABOUT 25 PEOPLE. MOST OF THEM ARE BUSINESS PEOPLE OR EVEN SOME TEACHERS DEREK'S BEEN TO

[00:30:04]

AND KIDS ARE SOME KIDS ARE TERRIFIED. AND SO WITH THIS WITH THIS SUPPORT GROUP, THESE OTHER 16 STUDENTS SUPPORTING EACH ONE, AND THEN I'M THE GUY THAT BANTERS THEM, ASKING THEM QUESTIONS.

I PUT THEM ON THE SPOT, BUT IT GIVES THEM A RELAXATION IN THE NEXT PROJECT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DISCUSS.

SO THEN THEY HAVE TO BUILD. WE VOTE ON EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM AT THAT TIME, VOTES ON WHICH BIRDHOUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BUILD, WHO WINS. SO WE PUT THE NUMBERS IN A HAT. THE ELECTION'S RIGHT THERE.

SO YOU HAVE 16 LOSERS AND ONE WINNER. NOW THAT BECOMES THE TEAM LEADER, WHETHER THEY'RE A LEADER OR NOT.

THEY LEARN LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND EVERYBODY JOINS IN AND FINDS OUT I DON'T LIKE SANDING WOOD.

AND THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT COLOR TO MAKE THIS.

SO EVERYBODY JOINS IN WITH THEIR OPINIONS AND HOW TO MAKE IT.

AND KEITH HALE IS THE TEACHER AND HE'S BEEN A MARVELOUS TEACHER.

HE'S A LITTLE KID AT HEART. SO THAT'S BIZARRE.

SO AFTER THEY BUILD THE PROJECT, THE BUSINESSES COME BACK IN AND THEY HAVE TO PRESENT IT IN TEAMS. WE DID THIS, WE DID THIS. SO THERE'S LIKE FOUR KIDS PER TEAM, AND EACH KID HAS TO SPEAK ONCE AGAIN IN FRONT OF ALL THIS GROUP.

SO DURING THIS TIME, ALL THIS TEAM BUILDING IS HAPPENING.

THESE KIDS COME FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS. YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T ONE BACKGROUND.

SO JUST LIKE OUR TENNIS, IF YOU HAVE THIS SOCIAL GATHERING, WHETHER IT'S COARSE OR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING IN THE HALLWAYS, YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER MET THAT KID IN HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT THIS GATHERING, YOU MET THIS PERSON AND YOU MIGHT LIKE HIM.

YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE HIM. BUT IN ANY CASE, WHERE MY POINT IS, IS THAT AMP IS IN THE END FOR A CHANGE.

AND SO I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS NOW BECAUSE IT WASN'T THE ACADEMIC PART, ALTHOUGH WE BACKED INTO ACADEMIA BECAUSE YOU HAD TO LEARN WHY DO I NEED DIVISION? WHY DO YOU NEED MULTIPLICATION? WHY DO I NEED FRACTIONS? WELL, YOU'RE MEASURING A PIECE OF WOOD.

YOU BETTER KNOW YOUR FRACTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S IT.

SO YOU BACKED INTO WHY YOU NEEDED THIS STUFF AND THEN YOU HAVE TO.

RIGHT? SO NOW YOU NEED ENGLISH OR YOU NEED TO HAVE PROPER GRAMMAR.

AND SO I GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS. SORRY ABOUT THAT.

BUT WHAT I'M TRYING TO CONVEY AND LINDSAY HAS BEEN VERY GOOD WITH US, IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO PRESERVE THE SOFT SKILL SIDE OF THE AMP. I WANT TO INFECT EVERY OTHER PROGRAM BUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.

AND LIKE THE OTHERS, WE YOU CAN EXPECT A REPLY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS TIME WE HAVE HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

GOOD NIGHT GUYS. WE THANK YOU FOR SHARING TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. WILLOUGHBY. YOU JUST. YOU HAVE THAT [LAUGHS].

WELCOME. THIS JUST HELPS ADD TO MY THING I SHARED WITH THE ONE STAFF MEMBER ABOUT WHEN THEY SEE YOU IN A BUILDING ON A FRIDAY.

IT'S NOT PERSONAL. WHAT CAN YOU SAY? WHAT CAN YOU SAY?

[3. Consent Agenda]

YES. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL AGENDA HAS ONE APPOINTMENT TO A REGULAR CONTRACT AND THREE RESIGNATIONS.

TWO WITH PREJUDICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL NEED A VOTE FOR THE FULL AGENDA.

I MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

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

AND WE MOVE ON TO NEEDING APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

I DID THAT FOR YOU WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. YEAH.

WE SHOULD BE ALL SET. YOU'RE RIGHT. GOOD. LET'S MOVE RIGHT ON TO ACTUALLY, DOCTOR SIMMONS.

[4. Individual Action Items]

GIVE ME A SECOND EXCITING OPPORTUNITY THAT CAROLINE COUNTY HAS BEEN PRESENTED WITH.

[00:35:04]

SHE WILL DO WONDERFUL THINGS IN THAT ROLE WHEN SHE GETS THERE.

BUT WE'RE NOT DONE WITH HER YET. AND BUT TARA'S BEEN AN ABSOLUTE COMPLETE ASSET TO ME AND TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN HER TIME HERE. OUR TIME TOGETHER AND LEADING INSTRUCTION, WE HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR SYSTEMS RESPONSE THROUGH OUR INTEGRATED TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT WORK, WHICH IS WHAT HAS DRAWN HER TO OR PULLED HER TO MSD.

IT'S WHAT SHE WAS RECRUITED THERE TO DO AT THE STATE LEVEL.

WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY ALIGNED OUR INTERVENTIONS OFFERINGS.

WE HAVE TAKEN A GOOD HARD LOOK, AND WE'VE DONE A BETTER JOB AT UTILIZING ALL OF OUR DISTRICT TOOLS TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, WHICH THEN MEANS WE HAVE MORE RESOURCES TO PUT ELSEWHERE. ADORABLE.

BUT FOR THAT, TARA, I'M VERY THANKFUL, SCHOOL SYSTEM IS, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU.

SO WITH THAT, IT DOES BRING CHANGE. AND WHEN CHANGE COMES, YOU LEARN TO EMBRACE CHANGE AND LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES.

AND WITH THIS CHANGE AND I AM INSTITUTING A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.

WE'RE REORGANIZING THE SYSTEM A LITTLE BIT AS WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, WE HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS NOW THAN WE DID THREE YEARS AGO.

THE WITH THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, THE STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS AS IT'S OPENING DOCTOR DOWNS POSITION AS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, SUPERINTENDENT OF INSTRUCTION IS GOING TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT INTO A POSITION OF A CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, WHICH WE HAVE POSTED FOR. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES WILL STILL BE OVER INSTRUCTION, AND IT WILL STILL BE ALIGNED WITH THE WORK WITH THE BLUEPRINT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT DOCTOR DOWNS GOT PULLED INTO AS THE NUMBER TWO IN THE DISTRICT THAT SHE WAS VERY CAPABLE AND HANDLED VERY WELL BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THAT ACADEMIC POSITION AND FOCUS IT A LITTLE BIT MORE ON JUST ACADEMICS, AND REALLY ALLOW THAT PERSON TO BUILD UPON THE STRONG FOUNDATION THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED WITH THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES NEED A CLEAR NUMBER TWO, AND I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE.

AS I SAID IN THE VIDEO TO STAFF, I'M HEALTHY.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS OF HAVING A NUMBER TWO IF YOU'RE NOT HERE OR IF YOU'RE INCAPACITATED, WE JOKED IF YOU GET HIT BY A SNOWPLOW, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'RE DONE WITH THOSE [LAUGHS]. BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR NUMBER TWO AND A CLEAR NUMBER TWO WHO FULLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE SYSTEM NEEDS, AND WE WOULDN'T SKIP A BEAT IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN IN THE SYSTEM.

AND WITH THAT I TALKED TO THE BOARD ABOUT ADDING A DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT POSITION.

THE DEPUTY POSITION WOULD BE ADDED AGAIN TO CLARIFY CLEAR NUMBER TWO.

IT'S NOT SPECIFIED TO A CERTAIN LANE IN THE IN THE CHART.

DEPUTY IS SOMEBODY WHO WOULD BE RELIED ON TO BE PULLED IN TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT I AM AND TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP AND MOVE OUR SYSTEM FORWARD IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, BUT ALSO TO GIVE ME THAT EXTRA LEVEL OVER TOP OF ALL THE DIVISIONS.

AND TO BE HONEST, THERE IS A CLEAR CHOICE FOR ME AS SUPERINTENDENT AND THAT CLEAR CHOICE THAT I'M RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD TONIGHT IS DOCTOR ROB WILLOUGHBY TO BE APPOINTED FROM HIS CURRENT POSITION AS DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES INTO THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT ROLE.

WE ARE NOT ADDING POSITIONS. WE ARE REORGANIZING THE CHART FOR THOSE WHO ARE KEEPING COUNT.

WE LITERALLY ARE JUST REORGANIZING THE CHART.

SO WHAT DOES DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY GET? A TITLE. KEEPS THE SAME RESPONSIBILITIES HE HAS, BUT PICKS UP MORE.

AS WE TALKED ABOUT IT, THIS ALSO MEANS THAT. SO IF MY PHONE GOES OFF AT 11:30 AT NIGHT, HIS PROBABLY WILL ALSO.

THAT'S A BIG CHANGE IN THIS WORLD. BUT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY AND WHY I THINK HE IS ABSOLUTELY QUALIFIED FOR THIS.

I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY SINCE HE WAS FIRST HIRED.

I WAS HIS MENTOR TEACHER HIS FIRST YEAR. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IT GOES BACK THAT FAR.

WE WORKED TOGETHER AT COLONEL. I HAVE WATCHED ROB GROW NOT JUST AS A TEACHER, BUT AS A LEADER.

AND I'LL BE HONEST, A LOT OF THE FOUNDATIONAL WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN MY ROLE AS SUPERINTENDENT, WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT ROB'S KNOWLEDGE.

HIS SKILL, HIS UNDERSTANDING, HIS ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AND TO NAVIGATE ALL OF THE WATERS ASSOCIATED WITH THINGS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, IN THE HR OFFICE, UNDERSTANDING ENOUGH ABOUT INSTRUCTION TO HELP US WHEN WE HAVE THOSE BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, AND EVEN HAVING TOUCH POINTS IN PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF IN THE STATE, ROB PROBABLY HAS A CONNECTION TO IT.

ROB WILL SERVE THE COUNTY VERY WELL IN THIS ROLE.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PERSON TO WORK WITH ME CLOSELY OVER THE NEXT REMAINDER OF MY CONTRACT.

[00:40:04]

BUT I BRING ROB TO YOU TONIGHT FOR APPROVAL AS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EFFECTIVE MAY 1ST.

SO THIS WILL TRANSITION AS DOCTOR DOWNS MOVES ON TO HER ROLE AT MSD.

ROB WOULD MOVE INTO THE NUMBER TWO ROLE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

MR. BOARD. HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS, AS WE HAVE SEEN THE WORK THAT ROB HAS DONE, AT LEAST DURING MY TIME HERE, SERVING AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT HE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HE HAS A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE THROUGH WHAT'S EASY AND WHAT'S NOT SO EASY. AND SO WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE PUT INTO YOUR CAREER, YOUR JOB HERE WITH US. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN A NEW POSITION AS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.

CONGRATULATIONS. WE NEED WE WILL NEED A WE WILL NEED A MOTION AND WE NEED A MOTION.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO ACCEPT DOCTOR ROB WILLOUGHBY AS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I WILL SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT DOCTOR.

IS THAT OKAY WITH HIS WIFE, BECKY? [LAUGHS] NOW'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE.

I MEANT TO RUN DOWN TODAY AND ASK, AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE, SO.

YEAH, HE TOLD ME THAT. YEAH. SO LET'S NOT MAKE IT AWKWARD, BECKY SAID HE'D ALREADY TALKED TO YOU.

I STILL SUCK IT. YES. I THINK YOU KNOW OUR LITTLE LADY.

THERE IS KIND OF IN FAVOR. ALSO, SHE'S CALLING DADA.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE POSITION [APPLAUSE].

THANK YOU. RACHEL. IS THIS A PICTURE MOMENT? YEAH.

WE SHOULD. KENNEDY SAYING YES. THANK YOU. WELL.

THANK YOU. SANDY'S NOT HERE. SO. YEAH. YOU KNOW.

THANK YOU. I. KNOW SHE GOT THAT.

CONGRATULATIONS. WELL DESERVED. THANK YOU.I'M SORRY. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOOD.

GOOD ONE. LOOKY, LOOKY. THAT WAS GREAT.

CONGRATULATIONS. YES. [APPLAUSE] [INAUDIBLE] YOU SAY THAT I'M A BABY WHISPERER.

EVERY KID. GREAT. OKAY.

NO. SO SWEET. YES, MA'AM. AND WE WILL MOVE ON ALONG TO THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT.

OKAY. I HAVE THIS ONE. MISS WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'D LIKE TO THANK. WINTER IS BEHIND US NOW. MR. MANGELS GOT HIS FINGERS CROSSED. I'D LIKE TO THINK AFTER THE SNOW LAST NIGHT, THAT THAT HOPEFULLY. WAS IT.

AND WE WON'T HAVE TO HAVE ANY MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT THIS YEAR, BUT I'D LIKE TO HOPE.

SO BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT IS AN ACTION ITEM FOR A CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT TO OUR 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR.

SO LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO NOW, THE STATE BOARD, I BELIEVE IT WAS PRODUCED A REPORT AND PROVIDED A LETTER FOLLOW UP TO SUPERINTENDENTS ABOUT THE STEPS TO TAKE THAT.

IF WE ARE LOOKING TO ASK FOR A WAIVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS IN STATE LAW THAT WE HAVE TO MEET ITS 180 DAY REQUIREMENT.

THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET. BUT THERE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO ASK FOR A WAIVER FROM THE STATE BOARD.

IF WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE UP EVERY DAY WE'VE MISSED.

BLESS YOU. BLESS YOU. SO TO DATE, WE'VE ALREADY MADE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENTS.

[00:45:03]

WE MADE A CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT FOR MARCH 16TH.

THAT'S COMING UP FROM THE TWO DAYS WE WERE OVER.

AND THEN WE HAD THE ONE FOOT OF SNOW THAT DROPPED, MELTED FAST, BUT IT STILL COST US TWO DAYS.

WITH THOSE TWO DAYS, IN ORDER TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, I AM RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD THAT WE CHANGE THE SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR ONE DAY, THAT WE MOVE THE HALF DAY FROM WEDNESDAY BEFORE EASTER BREAK.

TO THE THURSDAY. WE WOULD STILL PRESERVE GOOD FRIDAY AND EASTER MONDAY.

THAT WILL HAVE US AT 179 DAYS FROM MY READ OF [INAUDIBLE] AND LOOKING OVER EVERYTHING, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY'S LOOKED AT IT AS WELL.

WE WILL HAVE MET ALL REQUIREMENTS TO ASK FOR A WAIVER.

AND THEN I WOULD ASK THE BOARD FOR PERMISSION TO SEEK A WAIVER FROM THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE 180TH DAY OF SCHOOL.

SO WE WOULD NOT NEED TO AMEND THE CALENDAR ANYMORE.

I FEEL POSITIVE THAT WE WILL, I FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT THE WAIVER THAT WE HAVE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE WAIVER STATE REQUIRES YOU TO ADD THREE DAYS TO YOUR CALENDAR. THE STATE REQUIRES YOU TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR CALENDAR BEYOND WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS.

AND ONCE YOU'VE MET THOSE, THEN YOU CAN ASK FOR A WAIVER.

YOU ALSO HAVE TO GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL STILL MET THE HOURS REQUIREMENT THAT IF THE WAIVER WAS PROVIDED, YOU CANNOT WAIVE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS THAT'S REQUIRED IN LAW, BUT YOU CAN WAIVE THE DAYS.

SO FOR ANYBODY PLAYING AT HOME. IF WE WERE TO GET A WAIVER OF ONE SCHOOL DAY, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE 1080 HOURS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND OF COURSE, A SCHOOL YEAR.

WITH THIS, WE WILL STILL HAVE 106 HOURS OVER THE REQUIRED HOURS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE 1080 HOURS AT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WITH THIS, WE WILL STILL HAVE 151 HOURS OVER THE REQUIRED MINIMUM.

THE HIGH SCHOOL REQUIRES MORE HOURS. IT'S 1170 HOURS.

AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. WE HAVE 61 HOURS OVER THE REQUIRED MINIMUM NUMBER OF HOURS.

SO BECAUSE WE MEET THE HOURS REQUIREMENT AND WE HAVE MADE THE ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR CALENDAR AND WE USED OUR INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS, WE WILL HAVE MET FROM MY READ, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY'S READ AND OTHERS, WE WILL HAVE MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A WAIVER.

AND I WOULD PUT THAT REQUEST INTO THE STATE BOARD PROBABLY THIS WEEK IF OUR BOARD APPROVES IT.

IT WILL GET IN WITH ALL REQUIRED COMPONENTS FOR THEIR DECISION AT THE MARCH MEETING.

SO I'M NOT THRILLED WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CHANGE TO THE THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER BREAK.

I DO UNDERSTAND IT PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES FOR STAFF.

WE HAD THAT ON PRESIDENT'S DAY AND WORKED THROUGH IT.

BUT IN ORDER TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE WAIVER, OUR OPTIONS FOR THE ADDITIONAL DAY WERE EITHER A THURSDAY, EASTER MONDAY OR ADDED ON AT THE END. ADDING ON AT THE END IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US.

IT WOULD MAKE JUNE 18TH A STUDENT DAY. JUNE 19TH, WE ARE CLOSED.

JUNE 19TH, THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEE CONTRACTS IS A DAY OFF FOR STAFF FOR JUNETEENTH, WHICH THEN MEANS STAFF WOULD COME BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK TO FINISH OUT THEIR CONTRACT, WHICH JUST CREATES A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND DIFFICULTIES ON THE STAFF SIDE AS WELL.

AGAIN, I DON'T LIKE THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WE HAVE TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT AND IN.

THE BEST ADJUSTMENT OF THOSE OPTIONS IS THE THURSDAY BEFORE EASTER BREAK.

SO I SEEK THE BOARD'S APPROVAL ON CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT TO A HALF DAY ON THE THURSDAY AND THEN FOR THE WAIVER REQUEST.

FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE HEARD THE PROPOSITION OF OF THE SCHOOL DAY ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL BE EXCUSED FOR THEIR SUMMER BREAK ON THE SAME DAY.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT IS YOUR PLEASURE? I MAKE THE MOTION WITH THE CALENDAR CHANGE AND THE PUT IN FOR THE WAIVER.

I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE HONOR WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AND PUT IN FOR THE WAIVER FOR CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO THAT HOPEFULLY WE WILL RECEIVE THAT WAIVER AFTER ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE ACCORDING TO THE REQUIREMENTS.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SIMMONS.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THAT. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED. DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY.

PRESIDENT WAYMAN. DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, FIRST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR ALLOWING MY LITTLE ONES TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

SO I'M I'M I'M HONORED AND AND JUST READY TO KEEP DOING THE GREAT WORK THAT

[00:50:04]

ALL HAVING TO DO WITH TEACHER LICENSURE. WELL, ONE WITH TEACHER EVALUATION AND TWO WITH TEACHER LICENSURE.

I'M SORRY. THE FIRST IS POLICY CONTINUATIONS.

WE ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE TWO POLICIES.

ONE IS IV.40.30, WHICH IS THE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SYSTEM.

WE ARE RECOMMENDING ONE CHANGE TO THIS POLICY AND THAT IS THAT EVERYWHERE THAT IT REFERENCES TEACHER PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SYSTEM.

WE ARE CHANGING TO TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE NOW CALL IT.

NOTHING ELSE EXCEPT FOR THE THAT REFERENCE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE STATE MADE SOME CHANGES TO THEIR REGULATIONS IN TEACHER EVALUATION. THE STATE DID ALL FOR A STATE MODEL THAT WE COULD HAVE ADOPTED, OR THEY GAVE US THE ABILITY TO WRITE OUR OWN MODEL AS LONG AS WE HAD BUY IN FROM OUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.

AND SO THIS POLICY CONTINUES TO REPRESENT WHAT IS OUR MODEL THAT CCA HAS ENDORSED.

AND SO BECAUSE IT'S OUR CURRENT PRACTICE, NO CHANGES EXCEPT FOR THAT NAME CHANGE IS FOR THAT ONE.

THE SECOND POLICY THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTINUE WITH IS POLICY IV.40.50, WHICH IS RENEWAL OF THE ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE THROUGH PROFESSIONAL GROWTH ACTIVITIES. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT FOR THIS ONE, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SOME WORK DONE TO THIS IN THE FUTURE.

PRIOR TO APRIL 1ST, 2024, THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ISSUED EDUCATOR CERTIFICATES. AFTER APRIL 1ST, THEY NOW ISSUE EDUCATOR LICENSES.

REGULATION CHANGE OCCURRED AS OF APRIL 1ST FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATES, LOCAL BOARDS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THAT YOU COULD RENEW THOSE CERTIFICATES USING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT POINTS THAT YOU COULD EARN IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, AS LONG AS THEY HAD A POLICY THAT GOVERNED WHAT THAT WAS.

AND YOU CAN SEE IN THIS POLICY WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET ONE POINT FOR STAYING IN A WORKSHOP.

A MAXIMUM OF SIX IN A RENEWAL PERIOD. BEING ON THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM, YOU CAN GET ONE POINT FOR A YEAR OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, A MAXIMUM OF THREE IN A RENEWAL PERIOD. ANYONE IN OUR TEACHING RANKS THAT HAS AN ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE, HAS THE ABILITY TO RENEW THAT CERTIFICATE WHEN IT EXPIRES USING THESE POINTS NOW.

WHEN THEY RENEW IT, IT WILL RENEW INTO AN ADVANCE PROFESSIONAL LICENSE.

SO WE NEED TO KEEP THIS POLICY ON THE BOOKS UNTIL 2029, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE LAST CERTIFICATES WILL BE RENEWED INTO LICENSES. SO IT IS OUR CURRENT PRACTICE FOR THOSE FOLKS.

WE CAN'T RETIRE IT YET BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE FOLKS WORKING THROUGH IT.

BUT THE INTENTION WOULD BE IN 2029 TO RETIRE.

WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU, PROBABLY AS WE GET CLOSER TO SUMMER, A COMPANION POLICY TO THIS, WHICH IS ABOUT USING INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT POINTS, WHICH IS THE NEW SYSTEM.

KUMAR TALKS ABOUT THAT. BUT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO PUT IN WHAT OUR, OUR GUARDRAILS AND THOSE ARE FOR RENEWALS OF THE LICENSES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS ONE. WE HAVE TO ADD ONE TO IT.

WE KIND OF HAVE TO HAVE TWO SYSTEMS WE'RE LIVING IN FOR A WHILE.

BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THERE. SO JUST THE NAME CHANGE AND THE REFERENCE CHANGE FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SYSTEM, THE TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM, AND CONTINUING THE RENEWAL OF THE APC.

I HAVE A QUESTION. YES. ON NUMBER TWO, TRAVEL.

IS THAT TALKING ABOUT TO ATTEND A CONFERENCE OR.

IT'S, IT WAS IT WAS PUT IN THERE, MEANING IT WAS SOME SORT OF TRAVEL THAT HAD SOME SORT OF EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE.

OKAY. THAT YOU WOULD BE GOING OUT AND HAVING SOME SORT OF EXPERIENCE AND THEN BRINGING THAT EXPERIENCE BACK TO THE CLASSROOM.

OKAY. I CAN'T TELL YOU THE LAST TIME WE HAD A REQUEST, LET ALONE AN APPROVAL FOR THAT.

MOST PEOPLE WOULD RATHER GO ON VACATION, I THINK [LAUGHS].

BUT THAT, THAT IS THERE IF THAT IS SOMETHING.

OKAY. THAT, THAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO DO AND IT HAS TO BE AS YOU CAN SEE, IT HAS TO BE AN APPROVED ITINERARY AND THE FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES HAVE TO BE DELINEATED.

BUT IT ISN'T. IT IS AN OPTION. THAT IS A NICE OPPORTUNITY.

IT IS AN OPTION. THANK YOU. YEP. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO CONTINUE.

DO YOU WANT TO, DO YOU WANT TO. I MEAN, I DON'T MIND MAKING A MOTION IF WE WANT TO DO THAT FOR THESE TWO.

[00:55:02]

YES. YEAH. WELL GROWTH FROM OH I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ADMIN SYSTEM IS A DIFFERENT SYSTEM.

YOU'RE IN THE POLICIES ITSELF. YES. OKAY. YEAH.

WE'RE NOT TOUCHING IV.40.31. YEAH. YET OKAY. RIGHT.

IV.40.30 AND 40.50. YES. YEP. I WAS INTO THE POLICY.

YES. I'M SORRY. YEP. ALL GOOD. OKAY. DID WE GET A SECOND? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO CARRIES.

THANK YOU. SO THEN FOR RETIREMENT, TONIGHT IS IV.40.51 PROFESSIONAL GROWTH PLAN.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS, OR PDPS. THESE ARE PLANS THAT YOU FILL OUT WHEN IT'S TIME TO RENEW YOUR CERTIFICATE THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CERTIFICATES BEING RENEWED INTO CERTIFICATES ANYMORE.

WE HAVE CERTIFICATES BEING RENEWED IN THE LICENSES.

SO THESE PLANS NO LONGER ARE RELEVANT UNDER THAT.

THERE IS A NEW SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT IS AN INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

IN EDUCATION, WE LIKE TO PRONOUNCE OUR ACRONYMS. THIS ONE I I'M JUST GOING TO SHAKE MY HEAD BECAUSE I [INAUDIBLE] CALLS IT THE I-P-D-P AND I JUST I CAN'T [LAUGHS] I CAN'T BRING MYSELF.

YEAH, IT'S THE INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY CONTAINED WITHIN COMAR.

IT IS COMPLETELY CONTAINED WITHIN THE REGULATIONS. SO WE DON'T NEED A COMPANION POLICY TO THAT BECAUSE IT SAYS WHAT WE SHALL AND SHALL NOT DO.

SO THIS POLICY, JUST LIKE I SAID, IT'S NOT IN USE ANYMORE.

NO CERTIFICATES ARE GOING TO BE RENEWED IN THE CERTIFICATES. THEY'RE GOING TO BE RENEWED IN THE LICENSES. AND AT THAT POINT, THEY'LL HAVE THE NEW REGULATIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO ABIDE BY. OKAY. RIGHT. ACT ON THAT ONE.

I MAKE A MOTION WE RETIRE THE POLICY IV.40.51.

51. I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT WE RETIRE POLICY IV.40.51.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? SO CARRIED.

THANK YOU. LET US MOVE ON. THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY.

[5. Reports and Presentations]

SO LAST YEAR, THE BOARD DECIDED TO MOVE THE YMCA PARTNERSHIP, THE MEMBERSHIPS FOR OUR OUR EMPLOYEES INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET.

IT WAS GRANT FUNDED PREVIOUSLY THROUGH A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

AND WE DECIDED TO PUT IN AT THE TIME WHEN THE BOARD ACCEPTED THE MOVING OF THE Y OF THE MEMBERSHIPS INTO OUR OPERATING BUDGET AS A BENEFIT FOR STAFF CAME UP.

WE SHOULD PROBABLY GET AN UPDATE ON THAT, SEE HOW IT'S GOING.

BECAUSE IT IS AN INVESTMENT. IT ABSOLUTELY IS AN INVESTMENT BY US INTO IT.

AND SO I REACHED OUT TO CEO ROBBIE GILL OF THE O OF THE CHESAPEAKE, AND HE HAS HIS TEAM WITH HIM HERE THIS EVENING.

AND TO BE HONEST, HE WAS EXCITED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHARE HOW IT'S GOING.

IT'S BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNERSHIP. I DON'T WANT TO STEAL ROBBIE'S THUNDER WITH HIS TALKING POINTS, BUT IT REALLY HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT PARTNERSHIP, HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.

EVEN PRIOR TO THIS, FROM WHEN YOU GUYS OPENED HERE IN CAROLINE WITH THE STOREFRONT. AND WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE WORKING WITH US.

AND I'LL LET YOU GO SO I DON'T AGAIN STEAL WHAT YOU HAVE.

GREAT. DOCTOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT WAYMAN.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THANKS FOR HAVING US TONIGHT. I HAVE WITH ME JILL FINSTER, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF THE YMCA HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY.

DEANNA HARRELL, WHO OVERSEES ALL THE Y'S OF THE MID-SHORE, OUR CEO, JIM GILL, AND THEN WENDY PALMER, WHO'S GOING TO SHARE A BIT ABOUT OUR HEALTH INTERVENTION WORK. SO YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKET, AND I WANT TO JUST SHARE A FEW QUICK THINGS ONE.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK TOGETHER WHEN WE WENT BACK AND PULLED OUR DATA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU'RE TALKING NEARLY 2500 STAFF AND FAMILIES AND LITTLE ONES RUNNING AROUND LIKE WE SAW EARLIER, AND OVER 40,000 VISITS TO OUR YMCAS LAST YEAR AS FAR NORTH AS ELKTON AND AS FAR SOUTH AS CHINCOTEAGUE.

AND THOSE ARE PHYSICAL SCANS. SO THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE FOLKS THAT ARE TRAVELING INTO EASTON TO PLAY PICKLEBALL ON SATURDAY.

OR THEY'VE GOT KIDS THAT ARE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS PROGRAMING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO VISIT, OR THEY'RE GOING UP TO QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY TO SEE A DANCE TROUPE COME IN FROM NEW YORK CITY. SO YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF OTHER VISITS THAT YOU WOULDN'T SEE THAT INCLUDING SOME OF OUR HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS THAT ARE FREE, COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS. I AM, STAFF WOULD OFTEN SAY, NO ONE COMES INTO THE YMCA AND SAYS,

[01:00:01]

IT'S ABOUT CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY. AND I APPLAUD YOU GUYS FOR PROVIDING THAT.

BECAUSE REALLY, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. AND HOW DO WE SUPPORT YOU KNOW, YOUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE A DIFFICULT JOB AND THERE'S HIGH EXPECTATIONS, AS WE HEARD HERE TONIGHT. AND AND FOR YOU GUYS TO SUPPORT THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING IS IMPORTANT.

MISS JOHNSON AND I WERE HANGING OUT A LITTLE BIT YESTERDAY, AND SHE WAS SHARING THAT HER 10TH GRADER, KENZIE, IS PRETTY MILITANT ABOUT BEING AT THE YMCA AT 5 A.M..

AND I THOUGHT, WHAT A BLESSING THAT YOUR 10TH GRADER WANTS TO HANG OUT WITH YOU.

NUMBER ONE. LIKE THAT'S A YOU KNOW THAT YOU GET THIS.

I HAVE FOUR, FOUR KIDS THREE OR OLDER. AND TO THINK THAT YOU HAVE THE SPACE TO BUILD THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR DAUGHTER THROUGH THESE PERIODS OF TIME WHERE ONE DAY SHE'LL BE GONE AND YOU'LL HAVE THOSE MEMORIES TO CONNECT OR ARE JUST GREAT.

AND THEN IF YOU LOOK, YOU'LL SEE IN WENDY WILL TALK ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 15 FOLKS THAT PARTICIPATED IN OUR CANCER SURVIVOR PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LIVESTRONG AND MANY OF THESE HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT'S DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER'S, PARKINSON'S, CANCER, WHEN YOU'RE DIAGNOSED WITH THAT TYPE OF A DISEASE, NAVIGATING THAT NOT ONLY INDEPENDENTLY, BUT AS A FAMILY CAN BE BRUTALLY DIFFICULT AND TO HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN CONNECT TO OTHERS AND BE SUPPORTED IS A REALLY BIG DEAL. SO AGAIN, I JUST APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH YOU GUYS.

I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY THINKING, WHEN ARE YOU BUILDING THAT Y? THAT'S ON OUR LIST TOO, HOPEFULLY HERE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO GET THAT TACKLE.

BUT I'LL HAVE WENDY COME UP AND SHARE A BIT ABOUT THESE HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. AND WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THESE ARE FREE COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. IF YOU SEE FOLKS THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY OR WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, FAMILIES THAT YOU KNOW, ARE STRUGGLING AND NEED SUPPORT, PLEASE PASS THE WORD ON, BECAUSE THESE PROGRAMS ARE LIFE CHANGING.

WENDY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON. WENDY PALMER, I'M DIRECTOR OF OUR HEALTH INTERVENTIONS FOR THE YMCA OF THE CHESAPEAKE, AND I'M AN ALUMNI FROM CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I AM HERE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS THAT REALLY SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES.

THAT ARE THE HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, EVIDENCE BASED HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. SO LIVESTRONG IS OUR CANCER SURVIVOR PROGRAM.

AND AS ROBBIE NOTED, 15 GRADUATES FROM THE CAROLINE COUNTY YMCA.

AND WE HAVE A SESSION HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. THIS IS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE FACING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS CAN BE IN TREATMENT OR POST TREATMENT.

BUT THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, PLANNED EXERCISE PROGRAM, BUT TO SUPPORT THEM AND HELP THEM ON THEIR JOURNEY.

AND THE RESULTS ARE QUITE AMAZING. THEY FIND COMMUNITY.

THEY FIND SUPPORT WITHIN THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS THAT MEET WITH THEM.

BUT THEY ALSO GAIN A LOT OF STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE IN THE PROGRAM.

OUR OTHER HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAM CALLED ENHANCED FITNESS, SERVES OUR SENIORS AND FOLKS THAT MAY BE YOUNGER THAN THE SENIOR AGE BUT NEED SUPPORT.

MAYBE COMING BACK FROM, SAY, A STROKE AND OR GAINING MOBILITY.

SO IT'S A BALANCE AND STABILITY PROGRAM THAT WE SERVE AT MANY OF OUR YMCAS.

AND THAT HAPPENS RIGHT HERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY. VERY PROUD OF THAT WORK.

AND THEN SOON WE WILL BE LAUNCHING OUR BLOOD PRESSURE SELF-MONITORING.

THAT IS A WONDERFUL PROGRAM TO HELP ANY INDIVIDUAL.

AND IT'S APPOINTMENT BASED SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, BE THERE DURING THE DAY.

IT COULD BE FOR WORKING FOLKS THAT CAN COME IN THE EVENING AND CHECK IN.

WE PROVIDE THE BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF. WE ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THE SELF-MONITORING AT HOME.

BUT THEN IN-PERSON APPOINTMENTS AT THE YMCA FOLLOWED UP WITH MONTHLY MEETINGS TO PROVIDE NUTRITION.

AND WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL AND SORT OF DIALING IN WHAT IS CAUSING MY BLOOD PRESSURE TO BE ON THE RISE AND HOW WE CAN MANAGE THAT WITH EXERCISE, NUTRITION AND OF COURSE JUST SELF MONITORING TO BEING AWARE OF THAT.

WE ALSO, AS ROBBIE MENTIONED, SERVE THE PARKINSON'S EXERCISE PROGRAMS AT OUR EASTERN YMCAS AND OUR CENTERVILLE YMCAS.

AND WE WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE SOMETHING HERE AT THE CAROLINE COUNTY YMCA TO SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WITH PARKINSON'S.

SO FAR, THE REFERRALS THAT COME THROUGH A COUPLE OF THE FRIENDS HERE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE DRIVE TO EAST, AND SO HAVE MANY RESIDENTS FROM CAROLINE COUNTY COMING OVER TO OUR EASTERN FACILITY.

BUT WE JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE FOR YOU. AND AS ROBBIE MENTIONED, IF YOU MEET SOMEONE OR HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT HAS RECEIVED A DIAGNOSIS THAT THEY'RE FACING, THE YMCA IS HERE TO SUPPORT THEM. SO WE'D LOVE TO BE YOU KNOW, HELPFUL TO ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.

AND I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO COME TO THE RETIRED TEACHERS LUNCHEON.

THIS HAS BEEN A FEW MONTHS BACK. I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHEN. BUT TO TALK TO ALL THE RETIRED TEACHERS AND SHARE WITH THEM THE PROGRAMS, AND I GOT THEM UP EXERCISING TOO, BY THE WAY.

YEAH, IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT, GREAT DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.

[01:05:02]

ABSOLUTELY. I MIGHT MENTION ONE LAST PROGRAM AND THEN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW CAMP LAZY DAYS, WHICH IS A SPECIAL NEEDS CAMP THAT'S RUN AT THE EAST AND IT'S COMPLETELY FREE SIX WEEK PROGRAM.

WE'VE RUN IT FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS. RAISED MONEY TO DO THAT EVERY YEAR, THERE'S KIDS FROM CAROLINE COUNTY THAT ARE ABLE TO MAKE THAT TRIP.

FOR MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES, IT'S THE ONLY RESPITE TIME THAT THEY GET FOR THOSE KIDS IS A CHANCE TO JUST BE A KID AND SWIM AND DO THE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE TO DO.

WE SAW A FEW YEARS AGO THAT MANY OF THE KIDS THAT PARTICIPATE IN BOCCE BALL, THAT HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS AS THEY AGE OUT OF SCHOOL, THERE WASN'T A PROGRAM FOR THEM. AND SO WE STARTED LOOKING AT A STRATEGY TO PULL THAT TOGETHER.

AND SO NOW EVERY TUESDAY AT 11 A.M. AT THE EAST YMCA, YOU'LL SEE 70 PLUS ADULTS PARTICIPATING IN BOCCE BALL AT THE EAST NY. AND IT'S THIS COMMUNAL KIND OF CONNECTION FOR THESE KIDS THAT, AS THEY GROW OF ADULTS, HAVE STILL BEEN ABLE TO HOLD ON TO THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND THOSE GAMES.

THE ONE GREAT THING ABOUT THE YS, IT CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT IT TO BE.

SO IF YOU EVER SEE A NEED WHERE THE Y CAN PLAY A BIGGER ROLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE Y COULD PLAY A BETTER ROLE IN SUPPORTING HIS HOPE MINISTRIES.

WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, PLEASE LET US KNOW. THE ONLY REASON WE EXIST IS TO SERVE.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS MANY YEARS TO COME AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT. WELL, THANKS FOR ALL YOU GUYS DO.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND AS YOU GUYS ARE HEADING, I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. JUST TO BE CLEAR IT IT TRULY IS A PARTNERSHIP.

IT IS NOT A ONE WAY WE PAY A BILL. THE Y HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OVER MAKING THIS A REASONABLE BUDGETARY PIECE FROM FROM US.

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE AT FINDING WAYS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND THE [INAUDIBLE] MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL.

YEAH, THAT WAS [INAUDIBLE] PROBABLY EIGHT YEARS AGO.

MAYBE AND THEN MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER. YEAH. IT CAME UP AS, HEY, LET'S TRY IT.

BUT THE Y HAS TRULY BEEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT POPS UP IN CONVERSATION, IT GETS THROWN OUT.

AND LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO TRY TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN FOR OUR KIDS.

WELL, WE RAN THE STEM CAMP THIS PAST SUMMER, WHICH YOU'VE GOT KIDS WITH ASPIRATIONS FOR THE NAVAL ACADEMY AND OTHERS THAT GAVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES FOR NOT ONLY PUBLIC SPEAKING, AS THE GENTLEMAN MENTIONED BEFORE, BUT ALSO NAVIGATING FUNDRAISING AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PIECES EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMING TOO. YEAH. SO I THINK THERE'S JUST TREMENDOUS.

AND THEN THE Y STILL RUNS THE MENTORING PROGRAM IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO WE'RE SERVING THE SAME KIDS YOU ARE AND SUPPORTING THOSE FAMILIES AND THE MORE WE CAN DO TO MAKE AN IMPACT, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO IT. BUT DOCTOR SIMMONS, APPRECIATE THE THE SUPPORT AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL SAY THANK YOU.

I WOULD ADD ON JUST IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME THING. BUT YOU KNOW, THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE Y FOR THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE SUBSIDIZED YOU'VE MADE YOU'VE MADE IT A YOU'VE MADE IT SO WE COULD AFFORD IT BECAUSE BEING THERE WHEN THE CONVERSATIONS WERE HAPPENING, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED THE, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO KEEP GOING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, FOR OUR FAMILIES, AND FOR TO REALLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

YOU HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT AND HAD TO WORK TO MAKE IT SO IT WOULD WORK.

AND IT WAS I THINK WE REALLY ARE APPRECIATIVE.

I KNOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE APPRECIATIVE JUST JUST THROUGH MY WALK.

SO JUST. WELL AND WE LIFT YOU GUYS UP AS A MODEL.

YOU KNOW THE Y SERVES UP AND DOWN THE EASTERN SHORE.

AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE PROVIDING AS A BENEFIT TO STAFF AND THE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT YOU HAVE, IT'S ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL. AND MANY OTHERS WOULD WISH THEY HAD THAT CAPACITY.

AND AND KUDOS TO YOU GUYS FOR FIGURING THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

YEAH, IT'S A BIG DEAL FOR THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.

YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU GUYS DO.

THANK YOU. YEAH. WE DO APPRECIATE THE Y. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OKAY. WONDERFUL. AND WE WILL HAVE OUR LEGISLATIVE REPORT IF DOCTOR SIMMONS OR OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE LEGISLATIVE WOULD LIKE TO REPORT.

YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? YOU WANT ME TO ACTUALLY.

GO AHEAD. OKAY. AS I, BEFORE MEETING, I SHARED, MR. PLUTSCHAK, I REALLY ONLY HAVE ONE BILL I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TONIGHT. AND IT'S THE BOARD'S BILL.

HOUSE BILL 1028, WHICH IS THE BILL TO INCREASE THE BOARD COMPENSATION THAT DELEGATE GRACE AND THE CAROLINE COUNTY DELEGATION PUT IN IT WILL HAVE ITS HEARING THIS WEEK. 1 P.M. TOMORROW. I DID SUBMIT A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE BILL.

NO PROBLEM. I GOT A REMINDER GOING. DO YOU WANT TO PUT A LETTER OF SUPPORT IN FOR YOUR BOARD'S BILL? AND, LIKE, WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE PROTOCOL ON THIS ONE?

[01:10:01]

BUT IT DID GO ON THERE. AND IT, EXPECT NO ISSUES WITH WITH THE HEARING IT BEING A LOCAL BILL.

THE SENATE VERSION WILL BE HELD ON MARCH 11TH.

THE HEARING WILL BE ON THAT. SO BUT WE'LL HEAR TOMORROW HOW IT HOW IT GOES.

LET'S HOPE IT GOES WELL. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU.

THE ONLY THING I HAD, REALLY WE IN OUR MEETING YESTERDAY WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF QUICK. NONE OF THE BILLS THAT THEY KIND OF WENT OVER WERE REALLY HUGE.

BUT. AND I'LL SHARE AN EMAIL WITH YOU GUYS. THERE'S ACTUALLY A LEGISLATIVE TRACKER.

YOU CAN ACTUALLY TRACK THE BILLS AND STUFF LIKE THAT IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

BUT I'LL FORWARD THAT ON TO YOU GUYS IN A LITTLE BIT.

BUT I THINK THE, THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY CAUGHT WAS, LET'S SEE HERE, IT WAS ACTUALLY A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM CONTRACTS. THEY KIND OF TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT FOR SOME REASON.

AND I DON'T KNOW, IT HAS TO DO WITH CONTRACTS FOR MORE OR LESS ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD MAKE A CONTRACT FOR, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WERE BIG ON IT.

THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT SAYING IF THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPORT IT YET, BUT IT WAS A A GOOD TALK AND A LOT OF MORE OR LESS A LOT OF THE, THE PEOPLE ACROSS THE BRIDGE WERE TALKING MORE ON IT.

I DIDN'T SEE WHERE IT AFFECTED US A WHOLE LOT.

SO BUT I'M GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON ON THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AS IT PLEASE.

SO BUT THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAD. OKAY. THANK YOU.

THE THE IMPORTANT DATE FOR THE BOARD TO JUST BE AWARE OF FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO PLAY ALONG WITH FOLLOWING MARCH 23RD IS CROSSOVER DAY, SO REALLY AFTER MARCH 23RD IS WHEN THINGS REALLY GET HEATED UP BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS TO GET OUT OF COMMITTEE AND APPROVED IN THAT HOUSE AND GET SENT OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE FOR IT TO HAVE ANY, ANY HOPE OF MOVING FORWARD.

GOOD, BAD OR INDIFFERENT. SO THAT'S REALLY WHEN YOU START TO SEE WHAT LOOKS LIKE MIGHT HAVE LEGS.

AND SEE IF YOU END UP MOVING TO PLAY MORE DEFENSE BETWEEN THEN AND THE END OF THE SESSION IF SOMETHING'S NOT A GOOD BILL FOR US.

OKAY. THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. AND DOCTOR SIMMONS, SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.

MRS. HIGNUTT FOR THE FINANCE REPORT. YOU'RE RIGHT, I MISSED THAT.

I APOLOGIZE, I WOULDN'T LEAVE YOU OUT FOR ANYTHING.

IT'S OKAY. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT WAYMAN. DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

TONIGHT, I'M PRESENTING THE FINANCE REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING FEBRUARY 28TH, 2026.

THIS WAS FEBRUARY WAS THE EIGHTH MONTH OF OUR FISCAL YEAR.

SO WE'RE GETTING CLOSER TO THE END. THIS MONTH, THERE'S NOT MANY CHANGES.

THERE'S ONE NEW OVERAGE UNDER ADMINISTRATION SALARIES AND WAGES.

THIS IS JUST EXCUSE ME. THIS IS RELATED TO EXTRA DUTY AND CONTRACTUAL WAGES.

I DID ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REPORT, NOT A NEW OVERAGE, BUT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO A CATEGORY CAPITAL OUTLAY EQUIPMENT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DUE TO THE REPAVING CONTRACTS THAT WERE APPROVED LAST MONTH.

WE'VE HAD THE PURCHASE ORDERS ENTERED INTO THE SYSTEM, SO THAT LINE ITEM INCREASED QUITE A BIT FROM THOSE FUNDS BEING ENCUMBERED. OVERALL, WE HAVE SPENT OR ENCUMBERED 84.79% OF THE BUDGET.

SO WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE FOR THIS POINT IN THE FISCAL YEAR, AND THERE'S NO ISSUES TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. IT'S GOOD NEWS.

OKAY. SUPERINTENDENT REPORT. SO FOR MY REPORT THIS MONTH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT INCREDIBLE EVENT THAT WE WERE PART OF.

MANY OF US WERE PART OF ON THURSDAY NIGHT OF LAST WEEK.

AND THAT WAS AN EVENT IN HONOR OF DOCTOR ORR WHO HAS RELOCATED AWAY FROM CAROLINE COUNTY AFTER 52 YEARS OF BEING HERE. DOCTOR ORR HAS RELOCATED, THE FAMILY HAS MOVED.

SO WE HELD AN EVENT, DOCTOR ORR WAS SPECIFIC.

I DON'T WANT ANYTHING FORMAL. I DON'T WANT ANYTHING BIG.

SOME. AN INFORMAL. INFORMAL IS OKAY BY ME. I'LL.

I'LL COME BACK FOR THAT. SO WE HAD AN INFORMAL GATHERING ACTUALLY AT EATONTOWN.

THEY DID A GREAT JOB HOSTING US. WE DID NOT PAY FOR THE ADULT BEVERAGES.

JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR. IT WAS SPACE AND FOOD.

BUT WE HAD A REALLY GREAT TURNOUT PROBABLY ABOUT 130 PLUS PEOPLE CCPS, RETIREES, CURRENT EMPLOYEES REALLY WAS A GREAT EVENT TO SPEND TIME WITH, WITH DOCTOR ORR, WE DID ANNOUNCE THAT NIGHT.

[01:15:07]

HE MET WITH ME EVEN TO THIS DAY, WHEN DOCTOR SHIRLEY SENDS YOU AN EMAIL OR A CALL.

SIMMONS, WE NEED TO MEET. YES, SIR. YES, WE WILL.

AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A WAY TO RECOGNIZE DOCTOR ORR'S CONTRIBUTIONS NOT REALLY AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, BUT IT'S THE VOLUNTEER WORK THAT HE HAS DONE SINCE RETIRING.

HE RETIRED WITHIN MY FIRST FEW YEARS BEING IN THE SYSTEM.

RETIRED IN THE EARLY MID 2000 AND IS STILL SHOWN UP TO WORK ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY.

SHIRT AND TIE DOING SOMETHING IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHETHER HE WAS PAID OR NOT.

SO WE WILL BE PROVIDING AN AWARD EVERY YEAR, JAMES T ORR AWARD HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF A FORMER EMPLOYEE WHO CONTRIBUTES, WHO CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN A COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS AFTER THEY'VE OFFICIALLY ENDED THEIR EMPLOYMENT.

SO OUR CRITERIA WE DID SHARE OUT THAT NIGHT FORMER EMPLOYEE WITH AT LEAST TEN YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO IT COULD BE A RETIREE OR SOMEBODY WHO'S COME HERE AND FINISH THEIR CAREER WITH US BUT DIDN'T OFFICIALLY RETIRE.

AND THEY CONTINUE HELPING OUR KIDS LONG AFTER THEIR TIME IS OVER.

COULD BE SOMEONE WHO'S VOLUNTEERING, WHO'S MENTORING, DOCTOR ORR WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH MENTORING, COACHING. NOT JUST STUDENTS, BUT ALSO PROFESSIONALS.

HE HAS SERVED AS A UNOFFICIAL MENTOR AND COACH FOR NUMEROUS ADMINISTRATORS IN THE DISTRICT AND TEACHERS SOMEBODY WHO'S DOING TUTORING OR SUBSTITUTE TEACHING AND JUST GIVING BACK. PLAN IS TO HAVE A AN APPLICATION TOGETHER.

THAT'LL BE OUT FOR FOLKS TO NOMINATE. AND THEN THE AWARD WOULD BE PROVIDED AT OUR WELCOME BACK EVENT FOR BRINGING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER TO START THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. I WILL SAY THE EVENT THAT NIGHT DID OPEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND PLANNING ABOUT THE NEED TO, AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM TO THINK ABOUT EVENTS LIKE THIS WHERE WE WELCOME BACK RETIREES AND CURRENT EMPLOYEES TO JUST HAVE AN INFORMAL EVENING TOGETHER IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.

IT JUST FELT GOOD TO GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND TALK PEOPLE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

AND THE CONVERSATIONS WERE PHENOMENAL. IT TRULY WAS LIKE A FAMILY GET TOGETHER, LIKE A FAMILY REUNION.

IT WAS. IT WAS NEAT. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT OPTIONS AND WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE TO TRY TO MAKE SOME SORT OF A GATHERING LIKE THIS, AN ANNUAL OCCURRENCE FOR, FOR FOLKS IN THE SYSTEM, BUT VERY, VERY WELL ATTENDED.

GREAT EVENT. REALLY WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF LAST WEEK AND I WANT TO ADD IT WAS AN AWESOME EVENT AND I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY WELL ATTENDED IF WE CONTINUED WITH THE IDEA OF AN ANNUAL GATHERING OF SUCH BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY, REALLY TOUCHING.

THANK YOU. WE WILL CONTINUE WITH BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.

YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS START WITH ONE LADY OR THE OTHER.

THIS IS TRUE. YES. LET'S SWITCH IT UP TONIGHT.

LET'S DO IT. YES. ALRIGHT [LAUGHS] SO I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND A FFA ADVOCACY DAY AGAIN THIS YEAR AND THAT WAS GREAT. BUT I ACTUALLY SPENT MOST OF MY MONTH MISSING BOARD ACTIVITIES BECAUSE I WAS CHASING THREE GIRLS AROUND PLAYING INDOOR FIELD HOCKEY, AND IT WAS THE TIME OF THE SEASON FOR TOURNAMENTS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO WE WERE RUNNING ALL OVER MARYLAND, DELAWARE AND VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA TO GO TO THOSE.

SO IT WAS FUN. AND HOPEFULLY GET TO GO TO SOME ACTIVITIES HERE COMING UP AND SEE, SEE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OUTSIDE OF HERE. ONE THING THAT DID STICK OUT IN MY, MY MIND WHEN WE HAD THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS EARLIER, THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THIS BOARD OR THE WAY BOARDS HAVE DONE THINGS.

AND TO ANYONE THAT HAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO SAY, THERE IS AN OPEN POSITION COMING UP.

IT'S AVAILABLE. IT'S BEEN AVAILABLE. IT'S MRS WAYMAN SPOT IS GOING TO RUN OUT.

NOT YET. WELL, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT, BUT IT'S BEEN PUT BACK IN.

IT'S IT'S BEEN ADVERTISED THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR SOMEONE TO APPLY FOR APPOINTMENT.

SO THERE IS A SPOT HERE TO WORK WITH THIS GROUP AND AND ACTUALLY SIT ON THIS SIDE OF THE DESK AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO.

AND I THINK THE BEST WAY IS TO REACH OUT HERE TO THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM TO FIND OUT ABOUT THAT, FOR THAT APPLICATION PROCESS, IF ANYONE LISTENING IS INTERESTED TO IT.

SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE I THINK THE WORD'S BEEN OUT FOR SIX WEEKS OR SO AND THERE'S BEEN NO ONE STAND UP AND SAY, HEY, I'D LIKE TO I'D LIKE TO PUT MY, MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS HERE AND PUT MY HAT IN THE POT.

SO THANK YOU. OKAY. MR PLUTSCHAK. I'M JUST ACTUALLY GOING TO HIT ON THE DOCTOR SIMMONS WITH THE

[01:20:10]

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ACTUALLY I REALLY THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT WAS ACTUALLY NEAT TO SEE SO. AND PLACE WAS PACKED, SO IT WAS VERY LOUD IN THERE.

YES. SO IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT. IT WAS, IT WAS. ALRIGHT.

SO TODAY I WENT TO THE NESTING BOX THING AT CCTC.

THAT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT BIRDS OR DUCKS.

SO I DID LEARN A LITTLE BIT THERE, BUT IT WAS JUST NEAT TO SEE THE CREATIONS OF THE BOXES THAT THE KIDS DID.

AND ONE GIRL DID A BAT BOX. AND WHAT WAS THE TEACHER'S NAME, MR. HALE? YEP. HE SAID THAT THEY ALWAYS DO A BAT BOX EVERY YEAR, SO THAT ONE WASN'T IN THE COMPETITION FOR THE BEST.

THEY ALWAYS DO ONE BAT BOX AND THEN THEY SELECT THEIR FAVORITE WOOD BOX OR WOOD.

YEAH. WOOD BOX AND OUR NESTING BOX. SO I HAD TO LEAVE BEFORE WE FOUND OUT WHO WON.

BUT THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO BE A PART OF TODAY.

SO YEAH. THANK YOU. MRS. BARTZ. I HAVE A LITTLE LIST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A MONTH, BUT I THINK MOST OF THAT HAS BEEN SPOKEN TO EXISTENCE. MARK, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT, THAT THAT POSITION IS AVAILABLE UNLESS MICHELLE CHANGES HER MIND.

AND I DO HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD CONSIDER THROWING THEIR NAME IN IF THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE INTERESTED IN. DOCTOR ORR'S EVENT WAS SPECIAL TO ME.

I GREW UP WITH HIS CHILDREN. HE WAS MY PRINCIPAL.

AND THE DAY HE WALKED UP TO ME AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN, LIKE WE HAD BOTH COME BACK THERE WAS INCREDIBLY SPECIAL.

SO HE RAN A YOUNG GENTLEMAN'S CLUB. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PARTICIPATING IN THAT WORK WITH HIM.

I WILL MISS HIM VERY MUCH, AS WILL MANY OTHERS.

BUT THAT EVENT WAS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE FOR HIM.

IT FELT REALLY, REALLY GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF HIS BESTIES IN THE ROOM WITH HIM FOR THE NIGHT.

SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO ORGANIZE THAT. AS A PARENT OF A SENIOR WHO HAS MADE A DECISION ABOUT COLLEGE.

I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SENIOR STUFF, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK HAPPENING ALREADY AT COLONEL HIGH AND NORTH CAROLINE RELATED TO GRADUATION AND OTHER SENIOR ACTIVITIES. A PERSONAL THANK YOU FROM SOME PARENTS FOR YOUR SUPPORT WITH THE CHANGE IN TICKET NUMBER FOR NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S BEEN WELL RECEIVED BY OUR FAMILIES WHO HAVE STRUGGLED IN THE PAST TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S GOING TO GO.

FOUR TICKETS IS JUST FOUR TICKETS, AND BLENDED FAMILIES AND OTHER FAMILIES SURELY HAVE STRUGGLED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF APPRECIATION AROUND THAT.

SO THANK YOU. BUT LET'S LET'S GO. IT'S IT'S IT'S GRADUATION GAME TIME.

SO I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE STUFF WE GET TO DO IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND LOOK FORWARD TO DOING SOME OF THAT FOR MY KID. BUT WITH YOU GUYS SO EXCITED, RIGHT? VERY GOOD. YEAH. SO FOR ME I'VE DONE A FEW SCHOOL THINGS THIS MONTH.

I HAD AND THIS WAS OUT OF COUNTY, BUT STILL IT COUNTS.

I HAD THE PLEASURE OF READING IT AT EASTON ELEMENTARY, WHICH I'VE DONE ANNUALLY FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 YEARS NOW.

AND SO THAT WAS EXCITING. DOCTOR ORR'S EVENT, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, I REALLY HOPE THAT WE WILL MAKE IT AN ANNUAL EVENT AND GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND TO TO SHARE.

AND THE JOY THERE AND THE EXCITEMENT THERE WAS JUST WONDERFUL.

AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO STAY THE WHOLE TIME.

BUT, I MEAN, THERE WAS LIKE BOTH ROOMS WERE CROWDED, YOU KNOW, WITH PEOPLE.

IT WAS JUST AN ENJOYABLE EVENT. I DID WATCH NORTH CAROLINE'S VIDEO THIS MORNING THAT THEY SENT OUT, AND IT WAS VERY GOOD. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAD THE CHANCE TO WATCH IT, BUT THE YOUNG LADY THAT RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR HER MUSICAL TALENT.

AND IT WAS AWESOME TO HEAR HER SING AND FOR THEM TO SHARE THE HISTORY OF LOCKERMAN AND THE HISTORY OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE PERIOD. BOTH WERE WERE BOTH EXCEPTIONAL. AND THAT KIND OF FLOWS RIGHT ALONG WITH WHAT OUR COUNTY IS, IS FOCUSING ON THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE RIGHT UP THROUGH THE END OF APRIL, I THINK THEIR ACTIVITIES GOING ON WITHIN OUR COUNTY.

SO I TRULY ENJOYED THE ACTIVITIES. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SPRING ACTIVITIES AS WELL.

THEY'RE ALWAYS FUN AND EXCITING. SO. AND MISS WAYMAN, THE VIDEO HAS PLANS TO GET THE VIDEO POSTED TOMORROW.

SO WE POSTED FOR THE PUBLIC TOMORROW ON THEIR SITE AS WELL.

WATCH IT. IT'S GOOD. IT'S VERY GOOD. IT'S VERY GOOD.

YES, I FORGOT I GOT TO READ TO PRE-K IS AT GREENSBORO AND THIRD GRADERS AND ARE PRECURSORS ARE SO MUCH FUN TO READ.

SO THEY GET ALL INVOLVED IN THE BOOK AND IT WAS SO CUTE.

[01:25:02]

AND ONE OF THE FIRST GRADERS SAID, WELL, HOW FAST DO MOTORCYCLES GO? SO LUCKILY, HE SAID, IF WE'RE IN A 30 MILE ZONE, WE GO 30 MILES.

50 WE GO 50. I SAID, THAT'S A WONDERFUL PERSON.

HE WAS WELL TAUGHT. HE. WAS JUST FUNNY BECAUSE THE LITTLE BOY WAS ALL EXCITED.

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD SEE. AND HE HAD A WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? A FOUR WHEELER OR SOMETHING AT HOME. AND HE THOUGHT, WELL, I GO MORE THAN THAT.

SO THAT WAS GREAT. AND WE'LL BE GOING TO FEDERALSBURG IN JUNE.

AWESOME. YEAH, FOR THE FIFTH GRADE CELEBRATION.

SO I'LL SHARE THE DATE WHEN WE GO THERE. GREAT.

OKAY. IS THERE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR SIMMONS.

AND ITEMS FOR FUTURE BOARD ACTION. I DON'T THINK WE AND OF COURSE WE ALWAYS HAVE UPCOMING EVENTS.

[8. Upcoming Meetings and Events]

FOR WHAT? YOU KEEP ADDING THINGS AS THE SCHOOL DO THERE.

I PULLED OUT MY BREAKDOWN CALENDAR TODAY AND STARTED FILLING IN.

SO OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. I'M SORRY I SAID I'M HERE FOR IT ALL.

OH, OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE OUR WORK SESSION ON THE THIRD TUESDAY AT 8:30 IN THE MORNING, AND WE NEED A MOTION FOR OUR MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. EXCUSE ME.

A SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR MEETING FOR THIS EVENING BE ADJOURNED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. AND WE THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.