[00:00:02]
AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 4TH. WOW. AUGUST 4TH BOARD MEETING.
[1.Opening Items ]
CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ALSO, GOOD EVENING TO ANY WHO MAY BE JOINING US VIRTUALLY.WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
OUR MEETING IS OFFICIALLY OPEN. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. SO, CARRIED. THANK YOU, MISS BARTZ, FOR THE REMINDER THERE.
AND IT SAYS RIGHT HERE, CONVENE. OKAY. WE'LL START BY READING THE MISSION AND THE VISION OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION.
OUR MISSION, WHAT WE DO. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY, WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE READINESS WHO ARE CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
OUR VISION, WHAT WE WANT TO BE. WE WANT EVERY STUDENT TO BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD. AND WE WILL MOVE ON IN TO.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT.
[3.Consent Agenda ]
YES. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO, CARRIED.
THANK YOU. AND WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY.
YES, SO I AM EXCITED. MISS WAYMAN, I HAVE THE DETAILS FOR IT.
WE WILL BE MAKING A DONATION TO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BLESS YOU.
THANKS. IN RECOGNITION OF OUR 14 RETIREES. THAT'S ALL STAFF MEMBERS.
WE HAVE 14 THIS YEAR. WE WILL BE DONATING $50 FOR EACH PERSON FOR A TOTAL OF $700 TO THE DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY EFFORT BY CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, WHO'S BEEN REALLY SPEARHEADING THIS WORK FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE'RE EXCITED THAT IT PUTS BOOKS IN THE HANDS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
JUST A NOTE ON OUR RETIREES, THOSE 14 PEOPLE REPRESENTED 434 TOTAL YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
414 OF THOSE YEARS WERE IN CAROLINE COUNTY. SO IT IS EXCITING.
AND I'M ACTUALLY GLAD THE BOARD SET THIS UP A FEW YEARS AGO, PROBABLY ABOUT 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO, THE BOARD DECIDED TO DO THIS IN RECOGNITION OF OUR RETIREES AND HAPPY TO PRESENT THE BIG CHECK TO THE YOUTH SERVICES DIRECTOR, CORRECT? YES, SIR. AND TOM. AND I DON'T WANT TO BUTCHER YOUR LAST NAME.
TIMOTHY. TIM. BLONSKY. OKAY. THERE YOU GO. WELL, TIM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE HAVE THE BIG CHECK. BOARD MEMBERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]. GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU. WE ALL KNOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE IT MAKES WITH OUR PRESCHOOLERS, OUR BABIES, TO BE ABLE TO BE GETTING BOOKS AND BEING READ TO IN SUCH A YOUNG AGE.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. OKAY. DR. WILLOUGHBY WILL BE PRESENTING PERSONNEL.
SO, PRESIDENT WAYMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
SO YOU'LL SEE 14 TEACHERS TO REGULAR CONTRACT, 4 RETIREE HIRE CONTRACTS, 8 APPOINTMENTS FROM REGULAR APPOINTMENT, 2 REGULAR CONTRACT FROM PROVISIONAL. JUST A NOTE OF THAT.
[00:05:03]
THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT OVER THE SUMMER HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY. THEY WERE ON A CONDITIONAL LICENSE AND THEY'VE COMPLETED WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. AND THIS IS AN APPOINTMENT TO A REGULAR CONTRACT. 3 TO PROVISIONAL, 7 TO SECOND PROVISIONAL, 10 TO THIRD, 7 TO FOURTH, 1 TO FIFTH AND 2 TO SIXTH.THOSE ARE OUR CONDITIONALLY LICENSED TEACHERS MANY OF THEM ARE VERY CLOSE, BUT THEY STILL ARE IN THAT CONDITIONAL WORLD. AND THEN THE ADDENDUM IS 1 RESIGNATION, 10 TEACHERS TO REGULAR AND 2 TO PROVISIONAL.
JUST A NOTE ON HIRING. AS OF RIGHT NOW, 1 TEACHER VACANCY.
THANK YOU, DR. WILLOUGHBY. SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE FOR RIGHT NOW.
LET'S HOPE NOTHING CHANGES, AS FAR AS INCREASED NUMBER AND THE OPENINGS.
OKAY. OUR CONTRACT RENEWAL WITH OUR SCHOOL. SO I HAVE THAT ITEM FOR YOU.
THE CONTRACT RENEWAL IS HERE IS FOR POWER SCHOOL.
WE USE POWER SCHOOL AND THEIR ACCOMPANYING PRODUCTS FOR MANY THINGS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, FROM OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO OUR LEARNING MANAGEMENT PLATFORM, TO OUR HR PLATFORM, TO OUR FINANCE PLATFORM. OUR DATA SERVICES PLATFORM.
THE CONTRACT RENEWAL IS UP FOR POWER SCHOOL. THIS IS AN ANNUAL RENEWAL.
THAT'S THEIR TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE RENEWAL IS $393,000.
YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE IMPACT. 20,000 IS COVERED BY TITLE 4.
THE REST OF THAT IS OUT OF LOCAL. THIS IS A RECURRING EXPENSE FOR US.
DID THE PROCUREMENT WORK ON IT. WHICH DOES GIVE ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT BREAK IN THE FUNDING.
SO IT ACTS KIND OF LIKE A PIGGYBACK CONTRACT.
WHICH IS WHY IT'S UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR THAT, BUT BECAUSE THE TOTAL COST OF THE CONTRACT IS OVER $100,000, IT SHOULD GO TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION, THEIR APPROVAL FOR.
IT'S UNDER CONSENT BECAUSE IT'S SORT OF LIKE A PIGGYBACK. ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? IS THIS FOR EVERYTHING POWER SCHOOL? YES, I BELIEVE SO.
LET ME DOUBLE CHECK BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER. I SAW ON THERE.
I DON'T SEE. ALL OF YOU IN THERE? MINE ARE IN THE BOTTOM.
THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING KIND OF OVER IT. ALL OF YOU IS NOT IN HERE BECAUSE WE WERE UNDER A MULTIYEAR CONTRACT FOR THAT SEPARATELY, IT'LL BE ROLLED IN EVENTUALLY TO IT. AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M NOT SEEING THAT'S IN HERE.
AND THEY JUST KEEP KIND OF GOBBLING EVERYTHING ELSE UP INTO ONE BIG COMPANY.
YEP. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? SO, CARRIED. THANK YOU. OUR JULY 7TH MEETING'S MINUTES.
THEY JUST. YOU'RE GOOD. YEP. OKAY. AND OUR MATHEMATICS COURSE APPROVAL.
[4.Individual Action Items ]
YES. IT BRINGS ME GREAT PLEASURE FOR HER FIRST TIME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD.MISS BRITTANY BAKER WITH THE ASSIST FROM DR. VANDENBOSCH.
THOUGH SHE WON'T NEED IT. DR. VANDENBOSCH GOT THROUGH HER TO THE WOLVES, DIDN'T SHE? YEAH. YEAH. FOR A AN ACTION ITEM FOR THE COURSE APPROVAL FOR ACCELERATED MATH SIX, ACCELERATED MATH SEVEN, WHICH WAS PILOTED PREVIOUSLY.
RIGHT. SO, MRS. BAKER, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. I HOPE I DON'T LET YOU DOWN. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR.
[00:10:08]
DR. VANDENBOSCH, AND WE BOTH WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH SPECIALISTS OR COACHES, JOHN ALSTON AND KIMI WILLIS, WHO PREPARED THE COURSEWORK OR GUIDANCE FOR ACCELERATION AND HAVE DIVED DEEPLY INTO VARIOUS METRICS TO APPROPRIATELY SCHEDULE STUDENTS FOR THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. CAN WE GO TO THE Y, PLEASE? THE PRIMARY REASON FOR ADDING THESE COURSES IS TO ALIGN WITH MARYLAND'S MATHEMATICS POLICY, AND ENSURE OUR COURSE CODES ACCURATELY REFLECT THE STANDARDS AND INSTRUCTION BEING PROVIDED TO STUDENTS.I DO WANT TO JUST EMPHASIZE THAT ACCELERATION BASED ON READINESS ENTAILS THAT THE CURRICULUM SUPPORTS EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS READY TO PROGRESS MORE QUICKLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT MOVING MORE QUICKLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH MATH.
REQUIRES PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH MATHEMATICS, CONTENT, AND INSTRUCTION BEYOND THE CURRENT GRADE LEVEL TO ARRIVE AT ALGEBRA ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I DO WISH FOR THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT REGARDLESS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSEWORK, ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS ADVANCED COURSES IN HIGH SCHOOL, SUCH AS ADVANCED PLACEMENT OR DUAL ENROLLMENT WITHOUT TAKING ACCELERATED MATH CLASSES IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
IN ADDITION, IF STUDENTS TAKE ALGEBRA ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY WILL STILL NEED FOUR MATH CREDITS IN HIGH SCHOOL TO MEET THEIR GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. THE OTHER TWO STATEMENTS ON HERE IS JUST TALKING ABOUT HOW THIS INTEGRATION ACCELERATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS A FOCUS ON ALGEBRA READINESS, AND THAT THE CURRICULUM PROVIDED ENSURES THAT THERE IS COHERENCE, KNOWING THAT THERE IS A CONDENSED PROGRESSION TO COMBINING ALL THE STANDARD SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT WITHIN THOSE TWO YEARS. AND THEN THE FOLLOWING BULLET POINTS ARE FOR ADDED EMPHASIS FOR HOW THE ACCELERATED MATH SIX AND ACCELERATE MATH SEVEN COURSES ARE INTERTWINED AND ADHERE TO MARYLAND'S MATHEMATICS POLICY.
I WANT TO SPEAK TO FIVE OF THESE BULLETS, SUCH AS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH AMPLIFIED DESMOS, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR CURRICULUM PARTNERS. THEREFORE, NO ADDITIONAL TRAINING IS REQUIRED TO LEARN HOW TO UTILIZE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. IT'S A HUGE WIN. THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THINGS LIKE TEXTBOOKS AND STAFFING.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, BILL SCHEDULES WILL OPERATE AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE.
ALL LEAS IMPLEMENTING ACCELERATION FOR MATHEMATICS ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ON AND OFF RAMPS.
BOTH MIDDLE SCHOOLS PLAN TO FULLY IMPLEMENT ACCELERATE MATH SIX AND ACCELERATE MATH SEVEN FOR SCHOOL YEAR 26-27, FOLLOWING AN ALREADY PILOTED YEAR. IT CAN BE EXPECTED THAT SCHOOLS WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE STRONG PROGRAMING FOR ACCELERATION FOR MATHEMATICS.
AND THEN THE FINAL BULLET IS A REITERATE. CANNOT SPEAK.
AND TOWARD THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENT FEEDBACK WAS COLLECTED AND MORE THAN 90% OF THE STUDENTS IN THE PILOT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL ACCELERATION FELT PREPARED FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF MATH. YOU CAN SEE THERE WAS 160 RESPONSES THERE.
SIMILARLY, PARENT TESTIMONIALS EXPRESS RESOURCES THAT ALSO HELP THEIR CHILD MOST, AND WE WILL CONTINUE AS WE REFINE OUR ACCELERATION PROGRAMS, WHETHER IT BE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE OR HIGH. THAT WILL ALWAYS BE AN INTEGRAL PART TO HEAR FROM BOTH STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN IN CLOSING, I DO ENCOURAGE FUTURE INPUT AND QUESTIONS THAT ARISE TO BE DIRECTED TO OUR SCHOOL LEVEL MATH LEADERS, KIMI WILLIS OR JOHN ALSTON. THESE ARE SPECIALISTS.
COACHES, AS SOME CALL THEM. THEIR CONTACT IS PROVIDED ON THIS SLIDE.
HOWEVER, AS OF TONIGHT, I AM ALSO MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS? THANK YOU.
[00:15:10]
BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY SOME POSITIVE RESULTS AS A RESULT OF THE PILOT.SO THANK YOU AND WELCOME ABOARD. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN TRULY A PLEASURE.
THIS COUNTY'S BEEN VERY WELCOMING. SO THANK YOU.
GREAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD NEWS.
YES. SO I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE COURSE FOR ACCELERATED MATH SIX AND ACCELERATED MATH SEVEN.
I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SO, CARRIED. THANK YOU. TECHNOLOGY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY.
YEAH. SO THE FUN WE GET TONIGHT WILL BE THE UPDATE TO THE ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY POLICY WITH THE AI, WHICH WE WERE GOING TO BRING LAST MONTH, WITHIN THE STATE RELEASED THEIR MODEL AI POLICY AND ALL THEIR AI GUIDANCE RIGHT BEFORE OUR LAST MEETING.
SO THE TEAM MET AGAIN TO REVISIT AND REVISE ALL OF IT.
SO YOU'LL HAVE A COMBINATION, PRESENTATION AND ABILITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM DR.
WILLOUGHBY. AS THE PERSON WHO PUT TOGETHER THE POLICY STRUCTURE, AND DR.
VANDENBOSCH AND MR. WIELGOSZ, WHO REALLY LED A LOT OF THE TECHNICAL THINGS THAT'S WITHIN THE AI COMPONENTS OF THIS AND IN THE WORK OF IT. SO DR.
WILLOUGHBY. YES. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. GOOD REMINDER THAT WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY, I AM JUST A PRETTY FACE AND ALL THE WORK HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES. AND I JUST STAND UP HERE AND TRY TO GIVE IT A GOOD INTRODUCTION AND THEN THE HARD QUESTIONS, DR. VANDENBOSCH AND MR. WIELGOSZ WILL CERTAINLY STEP IN.
AS YOU GUYS KNOW, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ITS USE AND PROLIFERATION HAS EXPLODED AND IT HAS CAUSED MSDE TO PUT IN PLACE A REQUIREMENT AND MANDATE TO LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO HAVE A POLICY ON ITS USE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES.
THAT STARTED AS A YOU MUST HAVE SOME POLICY THAT GOVERNS THIS AND, AS DR.
AND THEN ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE DONE, MSDE CAME OUT WITH A MODEL POLICY AND IT SAYS, OH, BY THE WAY, HERE'S WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND SO THAT CAUSED THEM TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.
MODEL POLICIES ARE FANTASTIC. WE SHOULD JUST MAYBE HAVE THEM AT THE BEGINNING.
SO AS WE SIT DOWN TO SEE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN CAROLINE COUNTY, THERE'S ALSO SOME REALITY WITH HOW THIS NEEDS TO BE ROLLED OUT. AND THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO ACCEPTABLE USE, IT'S ONE OF THE POLICIES AS A PRINCIPAL THAT YOU HAVE HIGHLIGHTED, THAT YOU FLIP TOO OFTEN BECAUSE IT'S ONE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF.
AND THAT DOES MAKE SENSE. AND THAT'S WHAT THE TEAM HAS TRIED TO DO HERE.
AS WE LOOKED AT THAT, WE HAD TWO POLICIES, ONE FOR STAFF, ONE FOR STUDENTS.
WHEN YOU LAID THEM SIDE BY SIDE, THERE WAS ONE LINE IN EACH POLICY THAT WAS DIFFERENT.
SO WE HAD TWO POLICIES. SEPARATE POLICIES, SEPARATE POLICY NUMBERS THAT WERE 99.8% IDENTICAL. SO WE ARE TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU TONIGHT, IS TAKING THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, NUMBER ONE, TAKE THOSE TWO POLICIES AND MELD THEM TOGETHER SO THAT THERE IS ONE POLICY THAT GOVERNS ACCEPTABLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT POLICY ALSO GOVERNS RESPONSIBLE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
[00:20:02]
THE GREEN LETTERING THAT YOU SEE THAT IS ADDED, COMES FROM DIRECTLY THE STATE MODEL POLICY.SO JUST AS A REMINDER FOR YOUR POLICY ON POLICY DEVELOPMENT, IF IT'S A POLICY REVISION THAT IS INITIATED BECAUSE OF A STATE MANDATE, YOU CAN APPROVE THOSE CHANGES IN ONE READING.
CAN YOU, JUST REAL, QUICK SCROLL LIKE ALL THE WAY DOWN? OURS IS IN GREEN, BUT I THINK IT'S JUST RED. OH I'M SORRY.
NO, DON'T BE SORRY. OKAY. YEAH. SO IT'S JUST OURS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT OF THIS DOES GET LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM THE MODEL POLICY WHERE THERE'S NOT A LIFT IN MODEL POLICY, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SECTION THREE IN RATIONALE, THERE'S SIMPLY AN ADDITION.
IT SAID YOU PROVIDE DIRECTION WHEN USING TECHNOLOGY.
WE ADDED AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LIKE SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO MELD THEM INTO ONE.
THAT'S NOW IN A NEW SECTION CALLED POLICY STANDARDS.
AND THE POLICY STANDARDS REALLY HIGHLIGHT TWO MAIN PIECES.
ONE IS THE IDEA THAT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE HUMAN CENTERED THOUGHT.
AI IS A TOOL. IT IS A SUPPLEMENT. IT DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR THE HUMAN BRAIN.
AND THAT MEANS AS STAFF ARE CREATING THINGS, IT ALSO MEANS AS STUDENTS ARE COMPLETING ACADEMIC WORK.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE USE IS NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR THE WORK THAT YOUR BRAIN IS DOING.
IT STILL HAS TO HAVE HUMAN CENTERED USE AND OVERSIGHT.
THERE'S A FAMOUS QUOTE OUT THERE, I BELIEVE, FROM IBM THAT SAYS A COMPUTER CAN NEVER MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE A COMPUTER CANNOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. AND THAT'S KIND OF THE. DID I GET THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CLOSE. RIGHT. OKAY. I MEAN, AND THEN UNDER PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED USES.
SO YOU SAW THAT RED TEXT STRUCK OUT FROM DEFINITIONS.
BUT HERE IT IS BACK. IT'S JUST IN A DIFFERENT SPOT AS WE REORGANIZE.
AND SO WE SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS WHAT IS PROHIBITED AND NOT ALLOWED.
SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH. AND THEN WHAT IS ALLOWED? I'M SORRY. AND SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE THIS A ONE STOP SHOP.
PUT A LOT OF EYES ON THIS, A LOT OF CHANGES FROM THE STATE.
THE INTENTION WILL BE THAT UNDER THIS POLICY WILL BE THREE REGULATIONS.
A REGULATION FOR ACCEPTABLE USE FOR STAFF, ACCEPTABLE USE FOR STUDENTS AND ACCEPTABLE USE OF AI.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE STATE'S MODEL POLICY, ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE MODEL POLICY SAID THAT THE MSDE BELIEVES THIS POLICY SHOULD BE FLUID AND A LIVING DOCUMENT THAT'S ABLE TO BE CHANGED AND ADAPTED TO HOW TECHNOLOGY CHANGES AND ADAPTS.
EXCEPT THAT'S NOT WHAT A POLICY DOES. THAT'S WHAT A REGULATION DOES.
SO SOME OF THE MODEL POLICY WILL GO INTO A REGULATION.
BUT WHAT IS THE DEFINITIONS AND THINGS WILL BE HERE IN THE POLICY IMPLEMENTATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S KIND OF A LOGISTICAL HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW THIS IS GOING TO LOOK. SO THAT IF THERE'S IS AN ISSUE WITH USE OF TECH OR USE OF AI, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR PARENTS, OUR TEACHERS, WHOMEVER COME TO ONE POLICY AND THAT CONTAINS THE RULES AND THEN WE GO FROM THERE.
YEAH. THIS IS GOING TO BE POSTED ON OUR. OH, ABSOLUTELY.
FOR A LOT OF PARENT REVIEW BECAUSE IT'S NEW. YES.
YOU KNOW. IT IS NEW. THE LINES IN THE STRIKETHROUGH, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.
AND SO THAT'S NICE, BUT IT IS BUSY. AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT IT'S BUSY.
[00:25:04]
BUT YES, THE CLEAN COPY WITHOUT THE STRIKETHROUGHS AND WITHOUT THE HIGHLIGHTS WILL BE POSTED WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER POLICIES.IT WILL BE PART OF BACK TO SCHOOL. THE THREE OF US ARE ON THE AGENDA.
THURSDAY? TOMORROW? TOMORROW. TOMORROW, TO TALK THROUGH WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS WHAT THIS MEANS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, ASSUMING THAT IT IS APPROVED. I JUST THINK THAT.
YEAH. SOMEWHERE THERE NEEDS TO BE A BLAST THAT SAYS MAKE SURE YOU.
AS PARENTS TAKE TIME TO REVIEW AND BECOME AWARE.
SO, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPALS STAND UP IN FRONT OF STAFF AND THEN STAFF SIGN OFF THAT IT WAS REVIEWED.
AND SO WE DON'T DO THAT WITH EVERY POLICY, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT WE DO AND FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.
AND SO THERE WILL BE A CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE THIS IS OUT.
AND WHAT WAS PERMITTED IS STILL PERMITTED. RIGHT.
BUT AI, LIKE YOU SAID, IS COMPLETELY WHAT'S OUT THERE.
AND ITS DEVELOPMENT IS EXPLODING AND IT REALLY IS.
AND SO HAVING SOME GUARDRAILS IN PLACE IS GOOD.
AND THE MODEL POLICY WAS A GREAT PIECE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE THAT IN OUR POLICY, IT IS. AND TO THE EXTENT THAT MAKES SENSE TO BE IN A REGULATION SO THAT IT CAN CHANGE AND ADAPT, THAT IS OUR INTENTION TO PUT IT IN REGULATION.
SO THE REGULATION HASN'T BEEN DONE YET? NOT FULLY YET.
ROB, YOU MENTIONED THAT. SO EVERYTHING IN THE GREEN WAS LIFTED DIRECTLY FROM THE MODEL.
PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING. GIVE YOU ALL CREDIT BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU DID SUCH GOOD.
BUT I THINK THIS DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF NOT SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO USE AI.
RIGHT. IT DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF SAYING, HEY, AI IS HERE.
AND THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN YOU CAN'T.
I THINK I WAS REALLY, I WAS, I LIKED HOW IT READ.
SO I'M LIKE, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM, BUT I LIKED IT.
IT DID A GOOD JOB. I DID HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE.
SO I'M PRETTY. I MEAN, I'VE READ OVER A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TIMES AND I'M PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE LANGUAGE. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THERE THAT LIKE GAVE ME A LOT OF PAUSE. LIKE, EVEN AS A PARENT AND I'VE HAD LIVED EXPERIENCE.
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO USE AI.
YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE IT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT REALITY.
SO ANYWAY, JUST FROM THAT'S MY TWO CENTS. BUT IF YOU SCROLL TO THE SECTION UNDER POLICY STANDARDS, AND THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE WAY I'M READING IT JUST TO ME.
SO THERE IS A SECTION PERMITTED AND PROHIBITED USES AND THERE'S A SECTION FOR STUDENTS.
SO THAT SHOULD NOT BE THERE. OKAY. I ACTUALLY JUST CROSSED THAT OUT ON MY.
IS IT JUST IS THAT GOING TO GO AWAY? AND THEN THOSE THINGS WILL JUST STAY? FOR STUDENTS NEEDS TO GO. THAT OKAY. YEAH. YEAH.
BECAUSE IT JUST THERE WAS A STUDENT IT READS LIKE ALL THAT READ.
[00:30:07]
AND I WOULD SAY LIKE, IF THE EMPLOYEE JOB RESPONSIBILITY LINE IS FOR STAFF, COULD WE CONSIDER USING THE WORD STAFF IN THERE? OR YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE INSTEAD OF A STUDENT OR A PARENT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHO THE EMPLOYEE IS, JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT CLEARER THAT IT'S CCPS STAFF OR EMPLOYEES.YEAH. YEAH. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. IS THERE A CERTAIN PROGRAM THAT YOU ALL USE IN PLACE FOR LIKE FOR ENGLISH CLASSES WITH KIDS USING AI FOR THEIR RESPONSES? LIKE, IS THERE A COUNTY WIDE PROGRAM? OKAY.
OKAY. LIKE REFERENCE. SO I'M LIKE, IT'S CRAZY.
IT LOOKS LEGIT UNTIL YOU PUT IT IN THERE. AND IT'S LIKE, THIS IS 99% AI LIKE WOW, SIGNATURE AND ALL.
SO IT'S CRAZY. AND THE MORE YOU SEE IT, THE MORE YOU GET ACCUSTOMED.
YEAH. YEAH. GOT IT. VERY TRUE. THANKS. YEAH. BUT AGAIN, I THINK THIS DOES A GREAT JOB OF KEEPING IT.
EXACTLY. IT PROVIDES GUARDRAILS AND WE CAN GET SPECIFIC IN THE REGULATION.
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REGULATION APPROVAL WILL LOOK LIKE, BUT I THINK THERE MIGHT BE SOME NEED FOR SOME TRANSPARENCY THERE, IF THERE'S THINGS THAT FEEL MORE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW. LIKE GIVE ME A BETTER WORD THAN PUNITIVE.
SOMEONE PULL OUT A THESAURUS. BUT IF IT'S MORE, YEAH, LIKE IF IT'S MORE REGULATORY, IF THERE'S A LITTLE MORE DETAIL THERE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE MORE CONVERSATION. BUT IF IT'S A POLICY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, I MEAN, I DON'T FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT. AND REALLY THE REGULATION IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE IDEA OF, AGAIN, HUMAN CENTERED DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS IS NOT REPLACING.
THERE'S GOT TO BE A HUMAN INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON, WHETHER THAT'S STAFF USE OR STUDENT USE, BUT ALSO THE IDEA OF VETTING AI TOOLS. SO THERE'S A MYRIAD OF THEM OUT THERE.
WHICH ONES ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW? JUST LIKE WE DO WITH ANY OTHER TECHNOLOGY TOOL.
BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE A VETTING PROCESS. AND SO IF A STAFF MEMBER WANTS TO USE AN AI TOOL, THERE'S GOING TO BE A VETTING PROCESS TO SAY, YES, WE ALLOW THAT HERE.
AND THE SAME THING, IF IT'S GOING TO BE FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, FOR STUDENTS USING IT IN A WAY THAT IS NOT PROPER.
THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. YOU KNOW, BUT HOW WE, YOU KNOW, DETERMINE WHAT'S PROPER AND WHAT'S NOT, THOSE DETAILS GO INTO THE REGULATION AND WHAT WE USE TO VET AND HOW WE VET AND HOW OFTEN WE REVIEW AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
OKAY. DID I MISS ANYTHING? THROUGH, AND THE MERE FACT THAT WE WERE AHEAD OF THE STATE IN, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE BASIC WORK DONE AND JUST HAD TO MAKE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS, SAYS A LOT FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT IN.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. WITH THAT ONE GRAMMATICAL CHANGE.
I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO, CARRIED.
THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. WELL DONE. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON INTO REPORTS.
[5.Reports and Presentations]
TEACHER OF THE YEAR UPDATE. YES, MR. MEYER, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE TONIGHT.WHAT A YEAR. YES. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD, DR.
[00:35:04]
SIMMONS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ESPECIALLY STUDENTS OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.HI. SO I'M NOT A STAND AND TALK AT A PODIUM TYPE OF PERSON.
THAT'S NOT HOW I TEACH. IT'S NOT WHO I AM. SO I'M JUST GOING TO.
COMING FROM A SMALL TOWN IN PENNSYLVANIA TO CAROLINE COUNTY, THIS HAS ALWAYS FELT LIKE HOME TO ME.
AND THIS WHOLE JOURNEY HAS REALLY BEEN VINDICATION OF THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT I'VE PUT INTO, YOU KNOW, MY PRACTICE AND ALL THE THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THROUGHOUT HERE.
AND KIND OF WHAT THIS HAS MEANT TO ME NOT ONLY AS A PROFESSIONAL, BUT AS A PERSON.
THIS JOURNEY HAS JUST BEEN PHENOMENAL. SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S DR.
SIMMONS AND I AS WELL AS SOME FORMER TEACHERS OF THE YEAR THERE AS WELL AS SPORTS STAFF OF THE YEAR.
AND THE NICE PLAQUE THAT'S PROUDLY DISPLAYED RIGHT BELOW MY TV.
SO I SEE IT ALL THE TIME AT HOME. IT'S A GOOD REMINDER.
SO THE FIRST EVENT THAT WE WENT TO THIS YEAR WAS AT THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN ANNAPOLIS ON MAY 29TH WITH ALL OF THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND. NOW WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS, THIS IS LIKE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE MEET THESE PEOPLE AND IT'S REALLY AWKWARD.
SO FOR LIKE THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES WE MEET, WE DON'T REFER TO EACH OTHER AS, YOU KNOW, MR MEYER OR MISS PER YEAR OR MISS PEZZULLO. WE'RE, HEY, FREDERICK.
HEY, TALBOT. HEY, HOWARD. WE JUST REFER TO EACH OTHER BY COUNTIES BECAUSE IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO GET TO KNOW, TO GET TO KNOW THESE PEOPLE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS TEACHER OF THE YEAR PROGRAM DOES IS IT BUILDS CONNECTIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THIS, BUT NOT ONLY HAVE I MADE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL PROGRESS THROUGH THIS JOURNEY, BUT I'VE MADE A LOT OF PERSONAL PROGRESS. ALL THOSE PEOPLE UP THERE I CONSIDER MY DEAR FRIENDS NOW.
AND IT'S IRONIC, THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR FROM TALBOT COUNTY, MISS LAUREN ROSE.
WE WERE ACTUALLY IN THE SAME COED FRATERNITY IN COLLEGE.
WE WERE MEMBERSHIP CANDIDATES AT THE SAME TIME.
WE WERE AT THE SAME CONVENTION HELD AT KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY WHEN WE WERE BOTH MEMBERSHIP CANDIDATES.
AND WE MET EACH OTHER IN 2007 WAY BEFORE THIS, AND HAD NO IDEA UNTIL WE STARTED TALKING TO EACH OTHER THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY MET YEARS AND YEARS PRIOR. SO IT'S PHENOMENAL TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THESE CONNECTIONS WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.
THEN THE CAR. YAY. I'LL LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET.
THERE'S ONE COUNTY THAT DOES NOT GIVE A CAR TO THEIR TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
YES. YES. OH, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR NOT PLASTERING CAROLINE COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR ON THE BACK OF THE CAR, BECAUSE ALL OF THE OTHER ONES WERE LIKE, I HAVE TO DRIVE SO CAREFULLY BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO I AM.
AND I'M THRILLED. I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOT THAT I'M A CRAZY MANIAC OR ANYTHING WHILE I'M DRIVING, BUT IT'S A BIG RELIEF. SO YES, THE PRESENTATION OF THE TOY CAR.
AGAIN, THANKS TO BOB BELL AUTOMOTIVE, THE SPONSOR OF THE PROGRAM.
AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE ELSE WHO PLAYED A PART IN IT.
IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, PHENOMENAL TO BE ABLE TO NOT HAVE TO RELY ON MY 14 YEAR OLD CAR TO GET ME AROUND TO ALL THE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO THAT'S BEEN PHENOMENAL AS WELL. OKAY.
SO THIS WAS A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. THE DELMARVA SHOREBIRDS, THEY RECOGNIZE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE EASTERN SHORE AT A GAME EVERY YEAR. THERE YOU HAVE KRISTEN BRADSHER FROM SOMERSET.
MARCI MAMA'S FROM QUEEN ANNE'S AND MYSELF IN THAT PICTURE THERE, AS WELL AS DR.
SIMMONS. AND OF COURSE, I HAD TO WEAR THE MARYLAND BUCKET HAT TO THE GAME TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY MARYLAND PROUD HERE. BUT THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB AS WELL WITH THIS FIRST FINANCIAL DONATED MONEY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THEM AS WELL. AND THEN THERE'S THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR GALA AGAIN.
[00:40:02]
WITH THE HAT AND THE SUIT AS ALWAYS. THAT'S RIGHT.SO I'VE GOT ALL THE COLORS IN THE OUTFIT TONIGHT.
BUT AGAIN, A GREAT EVENT EVERY YEAR. AND AGAIN, ALL OF US MEETING AGAIN FOR KIND OF THE SECOND-ISH TIME AS A GROUP AS WE BUILD THROUGH THAT. AND AGAIN, I WAS ESCORTED ALONG WITH MY WIFE AS WELL AS CRYSTAL MARKETO, MY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND TWO TEACHERS WHO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT YOU WILL BE HEARING A LOT FROM.
THEN THE SMITH ISLAND RETREAT. SO WHAT YOU SEE DOWN THERE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT.
AND EVERY YEAR WE DESIGN A PAGE IN THIS BOOK.
AND I AM NOT AN ARTIST. SO THAT WAS MY BEST TRACTOR IN JOHN DEERE GREEN WITH SOME CORN IN THE BACKGROUND, AND OF COURSE THE CAROLINE COUNTY MOTTO, TERRA DULCIS VIVENDUM, THE LAND OF PLEASANT LIVING.
AS AGAIN, A REPRESENTATION OF CAROLINE COUNTY AND WHAT CAROLINE COUNTY IS REPRESENTING OUR AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE AS WELL AS BEING THE BEST LAND OF PLEASANT LIVING IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF MARYLAND, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION.
AND BEAUTIFUL. IF YOU HAVEN'T, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO SMITH ISLAND. OH, MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS. YOU NEED TO GO TO SMITH ISLAND. IT IS ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL, THOSE SUNRISES AND SUNSETS EVERY DAY.
I MEAN, IT IS A POSTCARD EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK AROUND THAT PLACE AND IT IS DISAPPEARING.
WE'RE LOSING, YOU KNOW, LAND TO CLIMATE CHANGE EVERY DAY.
AND SMITH ISLAND IS NOT GOING TO BE AROUND FOREVER.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID THAT WAS MOST IMPACTFUL ON SMITH ISLAND WAS WE GOT TO WALK AROUND THE ISLAND AND JUST TALK TO THE RESIDENTS ABOUT WHERE THEY CAME FROM, WHY THEY'RE HERE, WHY THEY STAY HERE, WHAT THEY DO.
AND FROM A, YOU KNOW, SOCIOLOGICAL, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVE, IT WAS PHENOMENAL MEETING ALL OF THE PEOPLE AND SEEING WHAT THEY DID AND LEARNING THE CULTURE, LEARNING THE WORDS THAT THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT WORDS FOR THINGS.
WHAT WAS IT, A FUZZ COD? A FUZZ COD IS A REALLY NASTY STORM THAT COMES IN.
IT'S CALLED FUZZ COD. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THAT WORD WAS, BUT IT'S PART OF THE THINGS WE DID.
WE HAD TO GO AROUND AND ASK LOCALS WHAT THESE WORDS MEANT.
AND THAT WAS THE ONE I REMEMBER I HAD TO LEARN.
SO YEAH, THE SMITH ISLAND RETREAT IS PHENOMENAL.
WE DID A LOT OF STUFF ON BOATS, PULLING SEINE NETS, TRAWLERS, ETC.
THEN THE MARYLAND STATE HOUSE VISIT. THIS IS.
WE WENT RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN, DECEMBER 12TH, 2025.
SO THERE I AM IN FRONT OF THE CAROLINE COUNTY TREE.
IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE STATE HOUSE, EACH COUNTY DESIGNS A TREE AND PUTS IT UP THERE.
AND THERE'S PIECES FROM EVERY COUNTY REPRESENTED IN THERE.
AND CAROLINE COUNTY HAS A COMPOTE DISH. IT'S UP THERE IN THE CENTER PICTURE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE.
THAT'S THE CAROLINE COUNTY COMPOTE DISH AS PART OF THE SILVER SET AT THE MARYLAND STATE HOUSE.
ALRIGHT. ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS NOT A OFFICIAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR EVENT, BUT SOMETHING THAT I HELPED TO ORGANIZE WAS THE TOUR OF THE US CAPITOL ON FEBRUARY 4TH, 2026. AS YOU CAN SEE, LOTS OF PICTURES THERE OF VARIOUS PLACES AROUND WASHINGTON, D.C.
AND INSIDE THE CAPITOL. WE WERE ACTUALLY GUESTS OF REPRESENTATIVE SARAH ELFRETH.
[00:45:01]
AND AGAIN, TO GET TO SEE THINGS KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES WAS A GREAT TREAT TO HAVE AS WELL.SO NORTHROP GRUMMAN. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PICTURES AT NORTHROP GRUMMAN AT THE BWF FACILITY.
SO NOBODY POST THAT. THAT'S MY ESCORT. I THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE I NEEDED AN ESCORT EVERYWHERE, JUST AS ESCORT REQUIRED ON THERE. IT IS SUPER SECRET.
YOU COULD KEEP YOUR PHONE ON YOU EXCEPT IN ONE PLACE WE WENT, THEY MADE US PUT OUR PHONES AND SMART WATCHES AND EVERYTHING ON A THING BEFORE WE WENT TO A CERTAIN AREA BECAUSE IT'S HIGHLY, HIGHLY CLASSIFIED STUFF IN THERE, BUT IT'S PHENOMENAL.
WE TALKED ABOUT STEM EDUCATION AND STEM CAREERS FOR STUDENTS.
AND GOT TO MEET WITH SOME OF THE ENGINEERS THERE AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN BE DOING AS EDUCATORS TO MAKE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS FOR NORTHROP GRUMMAN. AND AGAIN, IT WAS JUST A PHENOMENAL EXPERIENCE AT THE BWI FLIGHT FACILITY.
THEIR FLIGHT FACILITY ACTUALLY DOES A LOT OF TESTING WITH RADAR DEVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THE THINGS THAT MOUNT ONTO PLANES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE THERE ARE ACTUALLY FORMER FIGHTER PILOTS FROM THE NAVY.
AND AGAIN, SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THE NEXT ONES OF THOSE, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, FROM CAROLINE COUNTY? HOW CAN WE BRING THOSE THINGS TO THOSE STUDENTS? THE FAMOUS PICTURE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THERE OF ME, BECAUSE I WAS PARKED BEHIND THE POLE AND COULD NOT SEE.
SO WHEN THEY RECOGNIZED ME, I HAD TO GO OUT FROM THE SIDE THERE.
RECOGNITION AT THE MARYLAND CAPITOL IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE DOWN THERE IN THE CENTER, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH GOVERNOR WES MOORE AND HIS WIFE, WHO HAPPENED TO BE THERE AT THE TIME. AND ON THE LEFT, THERE IS ACTUALLY AN INTERESTING PICTURE.
HE IS A CAROLINE COUNTY GRADUATE FROM NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
AND HIS PICTURE IS ONE OF THE PICTURES THAT'S UP IN THE LOBBY THERE FROM WHEN HE WAS IN THEATER PROGRAMS. SO IT WAS REALLY NEAT TO HAVE THAT CONNECTION. HE'S FROM HENDERSON. SO WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A LITTLE CONNECTION ABOUT THAT AND TALK ABOUT HOW HE'S COME FROM, YOU KNOW, HERE AND DONE WONDERFUL THINGS OVER IN CALVERT COUNTY.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE THAT'S LAUREN ROSE, NATALIE PRETZEL, AND MEGAN CAMPBELL TALKING ABOUT INTEGRATING MUSIC INTO OUR REGULAR CLASSROOM LESSONS. WE ALSO GOT TO MEET THE ORIOLE BIRD THERE, AS YOU CAN SEE.
SO THAT WAS GREAT. IT WAS DOUBLE. WE HAD STUDENTS THERE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY WHO CAME THROUGH OUR TEACHING PROGRAMS THAT WERE OUT THERE, AS WELL AS STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE BEST EDUCATORS AND EXPERTS IN EDUCATION COME TOGETHER FOR THAT TEACH MARYLAND CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR. SO THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
OKAY. THE COMMON GROUND CONFERENCE. SO YES, THERE WAS A CONGA LINE AND YES, I WAS IN IT.
AND HE WAS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER. HE ALSO IS AN EDUCATOR.
HE'S WRITTEN A NUMBER OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND DOES A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL THINGS.
SO IT WAS REALLY NICE GETTING TO TALK WITH HIM.
HE TOOK THE TIME TO TALK WITH EVERYBODY WHO WANTED TO TALK WITH HIM INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT EDUCATION, ABOUT THEIR STORY AND SHARING THE STORY THAT HE HAD.
AND I ALSO WAS PART OF A PANEL PRESENTATION AT COMMON GROUND.
DR. WILLOUGHBY. ON CHANGING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE OR THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION TODAY. AND THERE WERE LOTS OF COMPANIES THERE WHO ARE PROMOTING THEIR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PRODUCTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEN AGAIN, THAT'S A YEARLY CONFERENCE THAT TAKES PLACE.
AND I WAS GLAD TO BE INVITED TO BE A PART OF THAT.
SO THE GREAT GREAT NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE A NEW CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHER OF THE YEAR, [INAUDIBLE]. SHE IS GOING TO BE PHENOMENAL. SHE IS GOING TO HAVE A GREAT TIME.
THE SUIT AND HAT MADE A RETURN. AND, YOU KNOW, THE YEAR HAS ABSOLUTELY FLOWN BY.
[00:50:05]
IT'S BEEN JUST A GREAT RIDE AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH HER AS MISS DANIELLE DENNIS DID WITH ME THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAD AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM.THE TEACHERS OF PROMISE INSTITUTE. SO THIS IS WHERE WE GO.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, OF COURSE, MY MENTEES WERE VERY MUCH LIKE ME.
AND WE DECIDED TO TAKE A REALLY GREAT FUNNY PICTURE THERE.
AS WELL AS THE OTHER TWO CAROLINE COUNTY TEACHERS OF PROMISE, [INAUDIBLE] THERE.
BUT AGAIN, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MENTOR STUDENTS, EVEN IF THEY AREN'T GOING TO BE EMPLOYEES OF CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO SHOW THEM. I DID TRY AND RECRUIT. TO SHOW THEM WHAT TEACHING IS ALL ABOUT AND HAVE THEM HAVE SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN REACH OUT TO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS THEY'RE JUST GETTING STARTED IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY.
OKAY. THE WESTERN MARYLAND RETREAT. THIS WAS KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE AT ONE OF OUR PLACES FORMER CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATOR CHUCK HUNTER JUST HAPPENS TO BE THERE BECAUSE HE SPENDS A LOT OF HIS TIME OUT IN WESTERN MARYLAND.
BUT WESTERN MARYLAND WAS GREAT. WE GOT TO SPEND TIME, OBVIOUSLY OUTSIDE ENJOYING SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF GARRETT COUNTY, MARYLAND, INCLUDING THE SWALLOW FALLS CANYON TRAIL, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE.
WE ALL TOOK OUR PICTURE WITH OUR NICE SWEATSHIRTS.
THERE'S ME AND TALBOT COUNTIES TEACHER OF THE YEAR, LAUREN ROSE AT THE COFFEE SHOP. AS WELL AS TAKING A BUS AROUND GARRETT COUNTY AND PARTICIPATING IN GARRETT COUNTY'S TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND ENGINEERING PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM OUT THERE. THEY HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE THEY BASICALLY CREATE A ROBOT THAT HAS TO DO A TASK AND THEY COMPETE WITH IT THROUGHOUT THE NATION. AND IT'S PHENOMENAL WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND THE PARALLELS THAT I FOUND BETWEEN GARRETT COUNTY AND CAROLINE COUNTY WERE AMAZING.
IT FELT VERY MUCH LIKE US WITH MOUNTAINS. LIKE IT WAS GREAT.
SO WE ALL HAD TO PUT OUR THREES UP. BUT IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
AGAIN, JUST DRAWING THE PARALLELS BETWEEN THERE.
LIKE BASICALLY THE PLANNING OF IT FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND LAST YEAR'S WAS THE ONE IN CHARGE OF PLANNING FOR THIS.
SO AGAIN, PHENOMENAL THING. US EASTERN SHORE FOLKS TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YES, WE HAVE SMITH ISLAND, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF THING TO SHOW PEOPLE MORE OF THE SHORE THAN JUST SMITH ISLAND SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO PLANT A SEED IN SOME OF THESE MID-SHORE COUNTIES TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, COULD WE BRING SOME TEACHERS OF THE YEAR HERE AND SHOW THEM WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT AS WELL? AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THAT IS STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR, [INAUDIBLE].
AND I GAVE HER A TOUR OF THE FACILITY, SHOWED HER AROUND, INTRODUCED HER TO ALL THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE, AND SHE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH ONE OF OUR STUDENTS.
IT WAS PHENOMENAL. SHE'S A PHENOMENAL PERSON, A PHENOMENAL LEADER AND A PHENOMENAL EDUCATOR.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HER FRIEND. OKAY. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS.
THIS WAS, AGAIN, THANKS TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION AND NORTHROP GRUMMAN.
AND SO WE HAD TO SIGN UP. AND THIS WAS AT THE ARTHUR SHERWOOD CENTER IN ANNAPOLIS.
THESE KIDS GOT TO GO OUT ON A BOAT. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THEY'RE DOING OBSERVATIONS.
THEY'RE PULLING NETS. I HAD STUDENTS RAISE THEIR HAND.
[00:55:04]
THEY LOVE THE CRAB HATS, BY THE WAY, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE. BUT I ASKED THEM HOW MANY OF THEM HAD EVER BEEN ON A BOAT BEFORE, AND IT WAS ABOUT ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF THEM HAD EVER BEEN ON A BOAT BEFORE.SO AGAIN, ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN GET TO GET OUR KIDS EXPERIENCES, I AM ALL FOR.
AND SO WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME UP, I SAID, YES, HOW CAN I DO THIS? WHAT'S THE MOST. HOW MANY KIDS CAN I TAKE? AND THEY SAID 30.
AND I SAID, GREAT, I'M GOING TO FIND 30 KIDS.
I'M GOING TO BRING 30 KIDS BECAUSE I WANT TO BRING AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN TO, YOU KNOW, ENJOY THESE EXPERIENCES THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON BOATS BEFORE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
FOR SOME OF THESE KIDS, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
WELL, FOR ALL OF THEM, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. BUT FOR SOME OF THEM, IT WAS A BRAND NEW ONE. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, YOU KNOW, AS EDUCATORS SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR EXPERIENCES ARE NOT THAT OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND CRAB HOT DOG RIGHT THERE IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
CAN WE FOR TEACHER APPRECIATION, CAN WE GOT TICKETS? AND IT WAS A, IT WAS A REALLY GOOD TIME. SO NOTHING IS COMPLETE WITHOUT EASTERN SHORE TOY GET TOGETHER.
THIS IS HOSTED BY LAUREN ROSE, THE TALBOT COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
BUT I DID GET UP AT 4 A.M. AND GO CRABBING AND GOT CRABS FOR THE CRAB FEAST THAT WE HAD FOR THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR GATHERING THERE ON IN JULY. AND AGAIN, IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
THINGS CAME UP AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT. BUT THOSE OF US THAT DID HAD A GREAT TIME AND, AGAIN, ENJOYED SOME CRABS AND THEY GOT TO TAKE A WHOLE BUNCH HOME WITH THEM.
AND TO OTHER PEOPLE THE. THAT WAS NATALIE PRETZEL, THE HOWARD COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR, SAID THAT SHE BROUGHT A BUNCH OF THEM HOME WITH HER, AND SHE JUST SAT OUTSIDE HER APARTMENT BUILDING.
AND ANYBODY THAT WAS COMING OUT, THEY JUST EVERYBODY WAS KIND OF LIKE STONE SOUP. EVERYBODY BROUGHT SOMETHING. AND SHE JUST KIND OF HANG OUT AND HANG. IT WAS HANGING OUT AND EATING CRABS OUTSIDE. AND SHE SAID IT WAS A REALLY GOOD COMMUNITY BUILDER FOR THE PLACE WHERE SHE LIVED.
THAT'S TAYLOR SCHAFER, THAT'S CECIL COUNTY'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN THE UPPER RIGHT THERE. BUT THIS WAS, AGAIN, A GREAT HONOR TO BE OUT THERE. UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE AGAIN, IT RAINED.
SO AFTER THE ON FIELD STUFF WAS DONE AND WE HAD THESE VERY NICE CUSTOM MADE MARYLAND TEACHERS OF THE YEAR SHIRTS MADE BY MARCI MAMAS, THE QUEEN ANNE'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR. I DID NOT PULL OUT MY PHILLIES HAT.
I WORE MY NORTH CAROLINE HAT THE WHOLE TIME, BUT WHEN BRYAN DE LA CRUZ HIT HOME RUN FOR THE PHILLIES, I DID STAND UP AND CHEER. SO THEY DREW THE IRE OF A COUPLE OF PEOPLE.
BUT IT WAS A GREAT TIME AND, AGAIN, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE.
BUT AGAIN, WE WERE IN THE NICE SEATS, THE LOWER LEVEL, AND THERE'S NO COVERING FROM THE RAIN.
SO IT GOT COMPLETELY SOAKED. SO IT WAS GREAT.
NOW, I WANTED TO BRING THIS BACK TO MY WHY. WHY DO I DO THIS? WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO ME? THIS IS ALL ABOUT MY STUDENTS.
EVERYTHING THAT I DO, EVERY PLACE THAT I GO IS TO REPRESENT THEM.
I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU ALL VERY DEARLY, BUT I LOVE MY STUDENTS MORE.
THEY ARE THE REASON WHY I DO EVERYTHING THAT I DO.
WHEN I CAME BACK FROM WINNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR, I HAD.
THIS CARD IS THIS BIG AND IT'S STILL HANGING UP IN MY ROOM.
MADE FROM SOME OF MY STUDENTS IN ONE OF MY FIRST PERIOD CLASSES.
MISS RACHEL JESSIE GRADUATED FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL.
WHEN SHE WAS IN EIGHTH GRADE, SHE HAD THIS GUY NAMED MR. BUFFENMYER FOR US HISTORY, WHO WAS NOT THE GREATEST TEACHER EVER.
AND SHE SAID, MR. BUFFENMYER, I'M REALLY INTO HISTORY.
I REALLY LIKE HISTORY. WHAT CAN I DO? AND I SAID, WELL, I JUST HAPPEN TO BE ON THIS THING CALLED THE ROOTS OF A NATION PROGRAM WITH THE SULTANA EDUCATION FOUNDATION. THEY DO THESE TRIPS WHERE YOU GET TO SPEND A WEEK ON THE SULTANA, AND YOU GET TO DO HISTORICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND ALL THAT.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO DO? AND SHE SAID, ABSOLUTELY.
SO I MADE A COUPLE PHONE CALLS, GOT A COUPLE THINGS, WROTE HER A REALLY NICE RECOMMENDATION,
[01:00:05]
AND SHE GOT TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT SULTANA EDUCATION FOUNDATION PROGRAM FOR A WEEK, LIVING ON BOARD SULTANA AND DOING ALL KINDS OF HISTORICAL INVESTIGATIONS.THIS INSPIRED HER TO CONTINUE ON IN HER SOCIAL STUDIES AND HISTORY PROFESSION TO NOW, WHERE SHE WORKS FOR SARAH ALFORD'S OFFICE IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AND SHE WAS THE REASON WHY WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CAPITAL TOUR, BECAUSE I REACHED OUT TO HER AND SAID, HEY, CAN ALL OF US TEACHERS OF THE YEAR GET A TOUR OF THE CAPITOL? BECAUSE AS SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, NORMALLY THE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR GO IN TOWARD THE WHITE HOUSE.
AND THAT'S WHAT ALL OF US SHOULD DO. THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE HERE.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ANDREW BUFFENMYER, CAROLINE COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
IT'S ABOUT THE STUDENTS OF CAROLINE COUNTY AND GETTING THEM THE BEST EDUCATION THAT THEY CAN POSSIBLY HAVE, GETTING THEM THE EXPERIENCES, BUILDING WITHIN THEM THE BELIEF THAT THEY CAN BE WHAT THEY WANT TO BE AND DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET THIS. AGAIN, RACHEL SHARED WITH ME, BEING A WOMAN FROM THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN DC FOR THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS AMAZING.
I HAVE ANOTHER STUDENT RIGHT NOW WHO'S AT CORNELL STUDYING POLITICAL SCIENCE.
YOU'LL SEE ME IN THE HOMECOMING PARADE THERE.
I ALWAYS HAVE MY CAR THERE, YOU KNOW, DRIVING AROUND THE HOMECOMING PARADE. BUT THANK YOU GUYS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CAROLINE COUNTY WITH THE WORLD.
AS YOU KNOW, I DO RECRUITING FOR CAROLINE COUNTY.
I BELIEVE THAT IN MY HEART AND IT'S BEEN THE BEST EXPERIENCE THAT I COULD HAVE EVER HAD, TO BE THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR 25-26 AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU ALL. SO I DO THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY.
WE THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU.
OUTSTANDING. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING EVERY BIT OF IT.
IT WAS JUST EXCITING TO OBSERVE AND TO HEAR. AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.
THAT'S A MAJOR HONOR. YEAH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU.
SUPERINTENDENT, CAN YOU TOP THAT? NOPE. NOPE.
AGREE WITH, WITH MR. BUFFENMYER'S POINT THAT WE HAVE THE BEST KIDS.
WE DO. AND HONESTLY, THAT'S SORT OF WHERE I WAS GOING.
AND WE, THE GREATEST COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHERE I WAS GOING WITH MY SUPERINTENDENT REPORT THIS MONTH, NOT REALIZING WHERE THE CONNECTION WOULD TOTALLY FALL WITH THAT.
AND THIS PAST MONTH, I GOT TO EXPERIENCE A REALLY COOL THING.
EXPERIENCED AS A DAD, WHICH IS NEAT, BUT EVEN MORE SO WAS TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING AS A CAROLINE COUNTY RESIDENT AND AS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO LITERALLY IS BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO SIT IN THIS CHAIR AND LEAD A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT HAS AWESOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHO WORK HERE AND SEND THEIR KIDS TO US. OUR GIRL SENIOR LEAGUE TEAM WAS FORTUNATE TO WIN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
PICTURE DOWN BOTTOM. THEY WON IT IN POCOMOKE.
THEY WENT UNDEFEATED IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT, WHICH WAS AWESOME. REALLY EXCITING.
BRANDON SIMMERING TERRY, MAX SHINSKY AND RUSTY ROTHSTEIN.
AGAIN, ALL FOUR OF THEM WORKED THEIR TAILS OFF AND FIGURED OUT TIME TO SUPPORT EVERYBODY'S KIDS.
[01:05:06]
TO WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. WHICH WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A HIKE.NOW, THE WAY THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD WORKS IS, YOU FIND OUT. WHEN YOU WIN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, YOU HAVE ABOUT TWO WEEKS TO GET EVERYTHING TOGETHER TO GET TO ANOTHER STATE, GET YOUR HOTEL ROOM, FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET OFF WORK.
FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE. AND NOT EVERYBODY'S BLESSED LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WITH A JOB THAT IS A SALARIED POSITION WITH BENEFITS, WITH VACATION. THIS COMMUNITY STEPPED UP AND I CAN'T SAY THAT ENOUGH.
THE NIGHT THE GIRLS WON, THERE WAS A POST ON FACEBOOK RIGHT AWAY BY THE LEAGUE.
THERE WAS A FLIER QUICKLY DONE, PROBABLY AI GENERATED.
A FLIER QUICKLY DONE WITH A QR CODE TO RAISE MONEY AND DONATIONS.
AND LITERALLY. AND MISS JOHNSON GOT TO EXPERIENCE THIS WITH ME AS WELL.
LITERALLY, WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS, THE COMMUNITY RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO COVER THE HOTEL ROOM COSTS FOR ALL OF THE GIRLS FOR EACH FAMILY TO HAVE A ROOM THAT'S NOT DOUBLING UP. I'VE SEEN BEFORE WHERE SOME OF YOU KNOW, THE FUNDS COMING IN WAS ENOUGH TO TAKE FOUR KIDS, PUT THEM IN A ROOM TOGETHER, AND PARENTS ARE ON THEIR OWN.
DONATIONS COVERED ENOUGH TO GET THE FAMILIES UP THERE.
DONATIONS HELPED WITH TEAM MEALS, FOR SOME TEAM MEALS TO GIVE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND DONATIONS HELPED WITH OFFSETTING COST OF GAS TO GET THERE.
BECAUSE LITERALLY WHILE WE WERE DRIVING, IT WAS 4 BUCKS ONE DAY, THE NEXT DAY IT WAS $380.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT IT WAS BACK OVER 4AGAIN.
AND GOING NORTH, GAS DOESN'T GET CHEAPER. ONLY GOING SOUTH, IT GETS CHEAPER.
BUT THE AMOUNT OF LOVE AND DEDICATION THE COMMUNITY SHOWED WAS INCREDIBLE.
THE CENTER PICTURE. THE GIRLS ARE ALL HOLDING THESE HOME PLATE SIGNS.
SO A LADY IN HER COMMUNITY MADE THOSE HOME PLATE SIGNS HANDMADE EVERY ONE OF THEM.
SO ALL THE GIRLS HAD THEM TO PUT ON THEIR DOORS. ON THEIR ROOMS TO BE PROUD OF WHERE THEY WERE FROM.
A LOCAL COMPANY MADE POSTERS FOR EVERY FAMILY, YOU KNOW, SO WE'D BE IN THE STANDS CHEERING THAT WE'RE THERE, LIKE LITERALLY THEY THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING AND SENT US OFF. THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT WAS AWESOME.
THIS WAS NOT LOCKERMAN KIDS, COLONEL MIDDLE KIDS, COLONEL HIGH KIDS, NORTH HIGH KIDS.
LITERALLY, IT TRULY WAS CAROLINE COUNTY KIDS.
AND THAT'S HOW THEY WERE REFERRED TO. THEY REFERRED TO THEMSELVES.
MAYBE IT'S A LEARNING THING. MAYBE IF WE GO BACK WE'LL GET THE STATE NAME.
IT WAS GO CAROLINE COUNTY. LET'S GO, GIRLS, LET'S GO. CAROLINE.
I DO THINK NEXT TO WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, WHO HOSTED, WE PROBABLY HAD THE LARGEST FOLLOWING.
THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO HAD GRANDPARENTS OR AUNTS AND UNCLES OR FRIENDS COME UP AND SUPPORT THEM IN WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD BE THERE ONE DAY.
THEY DROVE UP, CAME TO THE GAME, STAYED OVERNIGHT, GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING AND WENT BACK. BUT IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE THE COMMUNITY SHOW UP TO SUPPORT OUR GIRLS. AND JUST A REMINDER OF HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO LIVE WHERE WE DO, AND TO HAVE FOLKS WHO GIVE IN A WAY THAT THEY DO TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL CAN BE A PART OF SOMETHING. SO REALLY, REALLY COOL. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANY BOARD MEMBER REPORTS THIS EVENING? OKAY. I'LL JUST SAY THAT I THINK MR. BUFFENMYER MADE A VERY IMPORTANT POINT. NOT JUST FOR HIM AS A TEACHER, BUT FOR US AS A BOARD, THAT WE DO THIS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CHILDREN.
WE SERVE THE CHILDREN OF CAROLINE COUNTY, NOT JUST, AS YOU SAID, THE NORTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, NOT THE SOUTHERN END OF THE COUNTY, BUT ALL OF OUR KIDS.
AND I THINK THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND I THINK I CAN SAY THAT FOR THE BOARD AS A WHOLE.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS, BOARD MEMBERS? I JUST WANT TO GO BACK REAL QUICK.
I WILL SAY WE GOT PROBABLY THE MOST COMPLIMENTS ON THE GIRLS UNIFORMS TOO.
THE GIRLS WERE LIKE, REALLY? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SO DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT LIKE BLED INTO THE PANTS, BUT LIKE THE UMPS, EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, YOUR UNIFORMS ARE SO COOL.
AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, THANK YOU. THEY WERE DIFFERENT FOR SURE.
BUT YEAH, THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. AND YEAH.
[01:10:01]
MR. BUFFENMYER, NO ONE MORE DESERVING. I KNOW KINSEY HAD THE BEST EXPERIENCE WITH YOU.SHE ABSOLUTELY ADORED YOU. SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR SURE.
OKAY. UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS. I KNOW THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A
[8.Upcoming Meetings and Events]
RETREAT COMING UP ON AUGUST 11TH AND WE HAVE NEW TEACHERS STARTING THEIR VISITS WITH THE COUNTY. NEW TEACHERS START ON MONDAY THE 10TH.OKAY. ON THE 10TH? YEAH. NEW TEACHERS START ON THE 10TH.
COMMUNITY MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT.
9 TO 2. YEP. AT 9 A.M. WE WILL START WITH AN OPEN SESSION, BECAUSE THE BOARD WILL NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE LOCATION OF THE LOCKERMAN BUILDING OR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING THAT WILL BE ON NORTH HIGH'S PROPERTY.
OKAY. BASED ON THE PRESENTATION TOMORROW NIGHT.
AND THEN WE'LL MOVE FROM THERE INTO OUR RETREAT ON THE 11TH.
ALSO, SUMMERFEST IS COMING UP, I THINK IT IS THE WEEKEND OF THE 15TH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
THE 21ST. 21ST. OKAY. OKAY. AND I KNOW CAROLINE COUNTY ALWAYS HAS.
WE'LL BE OUT THERE. RIGHT. WE'LL BE THERE. AND THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BLAST OUR AI POLICY THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BE BRAND NEW. NO WORK SESSION? NO WORK SESSION IN AUGUST. OKAY. AND THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME FOR ALL THE TEACHERS.
NOT RUSHING YOU ALL BACK, BUT.
SO YOU'RE GOOD TO GO. BUT YEAH. TEACHERS COMING BACK.
19?. YEAH, 19, TEACHERS ARE BACK. COLONEL HIGH.
WE'LL START THERE THAT DAY. AND THEN THE STUDENTS ARE BACK THE END OF THE MONTH.
YEAH. NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST IS ON THE 10TH. WHAT TIME IS THAT? MONDAY AT 8:30. THAT'S MY BIRTHDAY GIFT TO ALL THE NEW TEACHERS.
I WAS GONNA SAY WE'RE HAVING BREAKFAST FOR WAYMAN'S BIRTHDAY.
WE JUST INVITED THE NEW TEACHERS. WE'RE HAVING THE KICKOFF FOR RACHEL.
THERE'S A LOT OF BIRTHDAYS. OH, AND THEN OUR NEXT OFFICIAL BOARD MEETING IS SEPTEMBER THE 1ST.
YES. SEPTEMBER 1ST. SO START THE MONTH OFF. SO YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY EVENTS, BOARD MEMBERS, TO VISIT FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST. SO LET'S ENJOY THAT.
TOMORROW NIGHT? THAT'S ABOUT IT. YEAH. TOMORROW NIGHT.
TOMORROW NIGHT. BUT NO MUSICALS, NO PLAYS. NO CONCERTS.
NOT YET. NOT FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. IT'S COMING.
IT'S COMING. SO THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR JOINING IN VIRTUALLY.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED TONIGHT. AND THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS.
WE'LL BE WITH EACH OTHER TOMORROW EVENING AND AGAIN ON THE 10TH.
SO I NEED A MOTION FOR THE MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED.
ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO CARRIED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.