Sep 01, 2026 Board of Education Meeting

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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME

[1. Opening Items ]

OKAY, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. SO CARRIED. AND WE WILL MOVE

[2. Public Recognitions / Comment ]

DR. SIMMONS. YES, LET ME PASS INTO, MR. KIRK HOWIE, OUR DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES, FOR OUR RECOGNITION THIS EVENING, WHICH IS EXCITING.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AND EVERYBODY WHO'S HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS FOR AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. UM, WE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT SERVICES ARE PROUD TO RECOGNIZE MR. FREEMAN, AND I'M GLAD THAT HE IS HERE ALONG WITH HIS PROUD PRINCIPAL, MS. FROM LOCKERMAN FOR EARNING HIS, THE PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL CERTIFIED COUNSELOR CREDENTIAL THROUGH THE NATIONAL BOARD OF CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

THIS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED VOLUNTARY PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION THAT REPRESENTS HIS COMMITMENT TO HIS PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND ALL THEIR TRAINING NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS. THIS DEMONSTRATES HIS KNOWLEDGE THROUGH THIS COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL EXAM AND PROCESS THAT HE WENT THROUGH OVER THE COURSE OF, I WANT TO TAKE ABOUT 2 YEARS, AND TO AGAIN TO MAINTAIN THAT COMMITMENT TO THAT CONTINUED GROWTH AND CODE OF ETHICS. AS A NATIONAL CERTIFIED COUNSELOR, HE JOINS A DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY OF COUNSELING PROFESSIONALS COMMITTED TO ADVANCING THE PROFESSION AND PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. SO, AS WE CONGRATULATE HIM FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT, THANK HIM FOR HIS CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF LOCKERMAN AND CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND THIS IS AN EXEMPLAR OF PROFESSIONALISM AND, AS I SAID, HIS CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. SO, WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS CERTIFICATE RECOGNIZING YOU FOR EARNING THAT NATIONAL CREDENTIAL. THANK YOU AGAIN.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, MR. FREEMAN, WE ARE PROUD OF YOU AND CONGRATULATE YOU FOR THIS ACHIEVEMENT. YOU KNOW, HE'S THE SECOND COUNSELOR IN CAROLINE COUNTY, IF I'M CORRECT, THAT HAS ACHIEVED THIS HONOR, AND IT'S NOT EASY. SO, WE RECOGNIZE YOUR HARD WORK AND APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. MR. FREEMAN, IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GRAB A PICTURE.

INDIVIDUALS MUST BE ADVISED THAT EACH PERSON ADDRESSING THE BOARD WILL HAVE A 5-MINUTE TIME LIMIT. ONCE THE TIME LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO FINISH THEIR COMMENTS.

EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE CONCERNS THAT ARE NOT WORK-RELATED AND WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC

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RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTIVE OR INTERFERES WITH THE ORDER OF THE MEETING IS NOT PERMITTED.

INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT GIVE THEIR TIME TO OTHERS ON THE LIST OF SPEAKERS. MATTERS INVOLVING PENDING APPEALS ARE NOT PERMITTED. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT SIMMONS, AND MEMBERS OF CAROLINE COUNTY COMMUNITY. MY NAME IS ATHENA MELLIS, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO FOLLOW UP ON A PETITION REQUESTING A PUBLIC HEARING PURSUANT TO MARYLAND EDUCATION ARTICLE SECTION B SUBSECTION 1, PARAGRAPH 1, AND REQUEST FOR IRREVERSIBLE, EXCUSE ME, A REQUEST FOR TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON IRREVERSIBLE CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON 24 AUGUST 2026 BY CONCERNED RESIDENTS REGARDING THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT. FIRST, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PETITION SUBMITTED BY RESIDENTS DID NOT REACH THE SIGNATURE, EXCUSE ME, SIGNATURE THRESHOLD NECESSARY TO REQUIRE A PUBLIC HEARING UNDER THIS ARTICLE. WE RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT THE STATUTE UNDER MARYLAND EDUCATION ARTICLE SECTION 4-116, SUBSECTION B, PARAGRAPH 1, SUBPARAGRAPH 1 ALSO PROVIDES THE BOARD WITH DISCRETION TO VOLUNTARILY HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING.

TONIGHT, WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER EXERCISING THAT DISCRETION. THE FACT THAT THE PETITION DID NOT REACH THE STATUTORY THRESHOLD DOES NOT MAKE THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THOSE CAROLINE COUNTY RESIDENTS ANY LESS IMPORTANT.

WE ARE ASKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BROADER CAROLINE COUNTY COMMUNITY TO HEAR THE INFORMATION, UNDERSTAND THE PROJECT AS IT NOW STANDS, TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HAVE MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY SURVEY AND FEEDBACK DISCUSSIONS AS NEW DECISIONS ARE MADE AND PRIOR TO IRREVERSIBLE CONSTRUCTION.

WE ALSO RESPECTFULLY REQUEST AGAIN FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO ESTABLISH A TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON IRREVERSIBLE CONSTRUCTION AND SITE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES UNTIL THESE KEY STUDIES NECESSARY TO EVALUATE THE SELECTED SITE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. WE ARE NOT ASKING CCPS TO STOP DESIGNING THE SCHOOL.

WE ARE NOT ASKING YOU TO STOP ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, PERMITTING PLANNING, OR ANY OTHER WORK NECESSARY TO MOVE THIS RESPONSIBLY FORWARD.

WE ARE NOT ASKING CAROLINE COUNTY TO ABANDON THE REPLACEMENT PROJECT. QUITE THE OPPOSITE. WE WANT CAROLINE COUNTY TO BUILD A SCHOOL THAT SUCCEEDS, THAT IS SAFE, FUNCTIONAL, AND SUSTAINABLE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CAPABLE OF SERVING GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME. THAT REQUIRES LOOKING BEYOND THE FOOTPRINT OF THE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL. IT REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS AND OUTCOMES OF THE CAMPUS UTILIZATION FOR HUNDREDS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUSES, STUDENT DRIVERS, PARENTS, STAFF, ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, PARKING AREAS, AND PEDESTRIAN ROUTES, STORMWATER FACILITIES, AND FUTURE EXPANSION NEEDS. IT REQUIRES ASKING WHETHER THIS SITE WILL CONTINUE TO FUNCTION WELL, NOT ONLY FOR THE DOORS THAT OPEN FOR LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL AT FIRST, BUT 10, 20, AND 30 YEARS FROM NOW. AND THAT IS WHY, AS YOU KNOW, THE STUDIES MATTER. TRAFFIC ANALYSIS MATTERS.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW MATTERS.

ENROLLMENT AND CAPACITY PROJECTIONS MATTER. FUTURE EXPANSION MATTERS. EMERGENCY ACCESS ATHLETIC FIELD PLANNING.

ALL OF THIS MATTERS, AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT ON THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES NEAR THIS PROJECT MATTERS.

RESIDENTS ARE NOT ASKING TO BE INSULATED FROM EVERY REALITY OF LIVING NEAR A PUBLIC SCHOOL. THEY ARE ASKING FOR REASONABLE CONSIDERATION OF TRAFFIC, NOISE, LIGHTING, PRIVACY, DRAINAGE, SECURITY BUFFERING, CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS, AND LONG-TERM QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE FAMILIES THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED IN BORDERING THIS DEVELOPMENT, OR HOMES OTHERWISE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY CONSTRUCTION, ROAD EXPANSION, OR CHANGES IN TRAFFIC FLOW AND PATTERNS TO ACCOMMODATE. A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT SHOULD STRIVE TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT, AND PROTECTING THOSE INTERESTS DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH SUPPORTING EDUCATION. WE CAN PROTECT NEIGHBORING HOMES AND BUILD AN EXCEPTIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE CAN PRESERVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LAW COMING STUDENTS. WE CAN ADDRESS TODAY'S ENROLLMENT AND PRESERVE THE ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE TOMORROW'S GROWTH.

WE CAN BE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND MAKE MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS IN OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION.

THE CONCERN RESIDENTS HAVE EXPRESSED IS SOME OF THAT INFORMATION IS NOT, IS NOT YET AVAILABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THOSE GOALS

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PRIOR TO EXECUTION. THE TEMPORARY MORATORIUM PROVIDES THAT OPPORTUNITY. CONTINUE THE STUDIES, CONTINUE THE ENGINEERING, CONTINUE THE PLANNING, CONTINUE GATHERING THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO MAKE THIS PROJECT SUCCESSFUL. BUT BEFORE SUBSTANTIAL PHYSICAL CHANGES OCCUR TO THE TOPOLOGY, OR THAT THEY'RE DIFFICULT OR COSTLY TO REVERSE IF DEEMED NECESSARY, ALL THAT INFORMATION TO BE COMPLETED, RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, AND GIVE THE TIME, GIVE THE COMMUNITY TIME TO REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND. THAT IS NOT OPPOSITION TO PROGRESS. THAT IS RESPONSIBLE PLANNING.

ADDITIONALLY, A PUBLIC HEARING WOULD PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS PROCESS REMAINS OPEN TO THE ENTIRE CAROLINE COUNTY COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY PARENTS OR INDIVIDUALS PRESENTLY AFFILIATED WITH CCPS, BUT ALSO TAXPAYERS, NEIGHBORING RESIDENTS, FORMER STUDENTS, FUTURE FAMILIES, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND EVERYONE WHO SHARES AN INTEREST IN THIS LONG-TERM SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL. OUR REQUESTS TONIGHT ARE THEREFORE SIMPLE.

PLEASE EXERCISE YOUR DISCRETION UNDER MARYLAND EDUCATION ARTICLE SECTION 4-116, SUBSECTION B, PARAGRAPH 1, SUBPARAGRAPH 1, PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH A PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE ADVANCING STATESIDE APPROVAL IF THE BOARD DETERMINES 4-116 APPLIES. THANK YOU, MS. MELLIS. I HATE TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT THE TIME LIMIT HAS EXPIRED.

AND FIRST OF ALL, ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, WE THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE SHARED WITH US TONIGHT. AND I DID RECEIVE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE MESSAGE THAT YOU FORWARDED TO US. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN. I MUST SAY THAT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, WE MUST, AS YOU SAY, CONTINUE WITH THE PLANNING, THE ENGINEERING PLANS, AND ALL THAT TYPE HAS TO BE DONE, THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS, AND WE MUST GO ON WITH THE PLAN AS, AS IT IS.

UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. AND AT THIS TIME, WE WANT TO WELCOME OUR NEW STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL. WE HAVE ADRIANA PIERCE AND FROM COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE GABRIELLE ROWE. AND THESE ARE THE 2 YOUNG LADIES WHO WILL BE REPRESENTING THEIR SCHOOL AT THE BOARD FOR THIS COMING ACADEMIC YEAR.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SHARE TONIGHT. I BELIEVE WE HAVE GABBY, YOU'RE UP FIRST TONIGHT.

SHOULD I STAND OR NOT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. IF YOU WANT TO, GO RIGHT AHEAD, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

MOVE AROUND A LOT AND MAKE MR. FREEMAN REALLY WORK WITH THE CAMERA. AT FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THEY HOSTED THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT. THEY INCLUDED ENTERTAINMENT AND FOOD TRUCKS, AND I BELIEVE THEY HAD SOME GAMES AND LIKE PARTICIPATION THINGS FOR THE KIDS. THEY HAD BACK-TO-SCHOOL WEEK AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

UPCOMING, THEY HAVE, THEY ARE PLANNING TO CONTINUE WORK ON CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE STAFF COACHING AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY, COMMUNITIES, AND I CAN'T SEE THE QUOTE, BUT YES. AT PRESTON, THEY HAD THE PES PRINCIPAL ROUNDUP WHERE THE COMMUNITY AT PRESTON WAS ABLE TO MEET THEIR NEW PRINCIPAL.

THEY HAD A PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STAFF MEETING. THEY HAD BACK TO OR MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT, AND THEN THEY WELCOME THE STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. SEPTEMBER 1ST, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PRE-K ORIENTATION.

FOLLOWING THAT, THE NEXT DAY, THEY'LL HAVE THE FIRST DAY.

SEPTEMBER 18TH WILL BE FALL PICTURE DAY, SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND THE SCHOOL LOOKING GOOD.

ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, THEY HAVE THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT EVENT, AND THEN SEPTEMBER 28TH, THEY HAVE THEIR FARM-TO-TABLE COMMUNITY PARTNER EVENT, AND THEN SEPTEMBER 29TH. YEP. AT COLONEL MIDDLE, THEY HAD A NICE NEW REFRESH OF THE SCHOOL, INCLUDING FRESH PAINT, A NEW WALK-IN FREEZER AND COOLER IN THE KITCHEN, A NEW FRONT AWNING. IT'S BRIGHT RED. AND A NEW SIGN INSTALLED ON THE OUTER WALL OF THE GYM.

UPCOMING EVENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS AT ALL GRADE LEVELS, AND AFTER-SCHOOL MATH INTERVENTION OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT STUDENT GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT. AT COLONEL HIGH, LAST MONTH WE HAD BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT. IT WENT PRETTY WELL. FRESHMAN BOOT CAMP, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO ATTEND THAT. I THINK IT WENT REALLY WELL. I THINK IT WAS A

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THESE FRESHMEN REALLY HAD IT NICE, AND WALKING AROUND THE SCHOOL, THEY SEEM TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WE HAD SENIOR SUNRISE, THAT WENT WELL, IT WAS REALLY NICE. SAT TESTING, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME MORE DATES OF SAT TESTING COMING UP. AND THEN THE COUNTYWIDE KICKOFF WAS AT COLONEL, AND I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO ATTEND THAT AS WELL.

AND ALL THE STAFF IN CAROLINE COUNTY WAS THERE. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. SEPTEMBER 3RD, OH, SORRY, AN UPCOMING EVENT.

SEPTEMBER 3RD, THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER DR. JAMES BELL WILL BE VISITING.

SEPTEMBER 25TH, WE HAVE OUR HOMECOMING GAME.

IT'LL BE AGAINST PARKSIDE. AND THEN SEPTEMBER 26TH, WE HAVE HOMECOMING AND FALL SPORTS ARE BEGINNING. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. STARTING OFF WITH RIDGELY ELEMENTARY, LAST MONTH THEY HOSTED THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT EVENT AND STUDENTS K THROUGH 5 WERE WELCOMED BACK TO THE SCHOOL.

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEPTEMBER.

TODAY THERE WAS THEIR PRE-K ORIENTATION. TOMORROW, SEPTEMBER 2ND, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FIRST DAY.

SEPTEMBER 30TH WILL BE 3RD THROUGH 5TH GRADE INTERIM REPORTS DISTRIBUTED, DISTRIBUTED. AND MR. SUTTON SAYS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.

LAST MONTH AT DENTON, THEY PREPARED THEIR BUILDING FOR THE RETURN OF THEIR DOLPHINS. THEY ORGANIZED THEIR LEARNING SPACES LIKE CLASSROOMS AND PREPARED THE PARKING LOT FOR RETURN NEXT MONTH, OR TODAY THEY HAD THEIR PRE-K ORIENTATION. TOMORROW THEY'LL HAVE THEIR FIRST DAY, AND SEPTEMBER 23RD THEY WILL HAVE THEIR FALL PICTURE DAY.

SORRY. LAST MONTH AT GREENSBORO, THEY HAD THEIR MEET THE ADMIN NIGHT, WHICH INCLUDED COUNTY SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND PTO.

THEY HOSTED THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT, GRADES K THROUGH 5 WERE WELCOMED BACK.

TODAY THEY HAD THEIR PRE-K 3 THROUGH 4 FIRST DAY. THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 13TH, ARTS WAS THEIR ARTS AND EDUCATION WEEK.

SEPTEMBER 21ST IS THEIR STUDENT VOICE COMMITTEE MEETING.

SEPTEMBER 23RD IS THE ANGEL TREE SETUP. SEPTEMBER 28TH IS THEIR FIRST BUDDY DAY, AND THEIR QUOTE IS, THERE'S FUN TO BE HAD, THERE ARE POINTS TO BE SCORED. THERE ARE GAMES TO BE WON. AT LOCKERMAN, THEY HOSTED THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT, WHICH I HOSTED FOR MY LITTLE COUSIN, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY NICE. MY 6TH GRADE YEAR, I DIDN'T GET TO HAVE MINE, SO I WAS A LITTLE JEALOUS. SHE HAD COVID. AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO THEIR SPONSORS. THEY WELCOMED 7 NEW TEACHERS AND STAFF COMPLETED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. AND NEXT MONTH, OR THIS MONTH, THEY'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR 8TH GRADE AGRICULTURE DAY FIELD TRIP AND CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE COACHING FOR STAFF. AND MISS NECESSARY SAYS MIDDLE SCHOOL MATTERS.

THIS, OR LAST MONTH AT NCHS, THEY HOSTED THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT, WHICH I ATTENDED. IT WAS VERY NICE. WE HAD OUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, OUR CLASS MEETINGS, AND OUR SHELTER-IN-PLACE DRILLS ALL IN THE SAME WEEK, SO THAT WAS AWESOME. UPCOMING EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER. THIS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH, IS OUR SENIOR SUNRISE, AND OCTOBER 9TH AND 10TH ARE THE HOMECOMING GAME AND THE HOMECOMING DANCE.

AND MR. SPIKER SAYS WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME STUDENTS BACK AND GET THIS NEW YEAR STARTED AT NCHS. THANK YOU. I HAVE JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN SENIOR SUNRISE? OH YES, SENIOR SUNRISE IS AN AT LEAST AT OUR SCHOOL, WE GATHER IN THE TRACK, AND THERE'S A SAYING THAT THE SUN IS RISING ON OUR SENIOR YEAR, AND THEN BEFORE WE GRADUATE, WE'LL ALSO HAVE OUR SENIOR SUNSET EVENT, WHICH THE SUN IS ENDING, REPRESENTING OUR SENIOR YEAR ENDING. AND IT'S REALLY NICE. I KNOW THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE SOME FOOD AND DRINKS THERE, AND IT'S ABOUT, I THINK, 2 OR 1 TO 2 HOURS BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS. SO, OKAY, IT'S A REALLY NICE PICTURE-OFF.

YEAH, BASICALLY THE SAME THING AT COLONEL. OKAY, SAME THING.

GREAT, GREAT. YOU GUYS DOING THEM THE FIRST DAY WAS TOUGH THOUGH. YEAH, WE GOT TO, GOT TO BE AHEAD. FOR CCTC, LAST MONTH THEY HOSTED THEIR BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT ALONG WITH NCHS, AND STUDENTS RETURNED TO THE BUILDING. UPCOMING THIS MONTH IS SEPTEMBER 8TH, ALLIED HEALTH STUDENTS BEGIN CLINICALS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.

COLLEGE, CAREER, AND CLUB FAIRS FOR NCHS ARE SEPTEMBER 14TH THROUGH 18TH, AND FOR COLONEL RICHARDSON ARE SEPTEMBER 21ST TO 25TH. AND AT CCTC, THEY BELIEVE THAT HANDS-ON TECHNICAL TRAINING OPENS THE DOOR TO A CAREER, BUT STRONG EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS ENSURES THAT YOU STAY THERE AND SUCCEED. GREAT, THANK YOU,

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[3. Consent Agenda ]

WILLOUGHBY. DR. VONDENBOSCH FIRST. OH, I'M SORRY. YEP, I HAD TO BRING THE BOARD IN AS WELL. MY APOLOGY, DR.

VONDENBOSCH. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR.

SIMMONS, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I COME TO YOU REQUESTING BOARD APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS WITH BLAZER WORKS, SOLENT, AND VICOVISION, IF I CAN SPEAK CORRECTLY. THESE ARE PARTNER COMPANIES THAT WE CONTRACT WITH FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SPEECH PATHOLOGY SERVICES FOR THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR.

THESE CONTRACTED STAFF WERE NEEDED TO PROVIDE REQUIRED EVALUATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, AND RELATED SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE SPECIAL EDUCATION TIMELINES AND REQUIREMENTS.

BECAUSE, THESE FUNDS EXCEED THE $100,000 PER CONTRACT. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OH, DO YOU WANT TO GET DR.

WILLOUGHBY FIRST? YES. LET'S GO. I'M ANXIOUS. YEAH, I KNOW.

AND NO DOUBT, DR. VONDENBOSCH AND MYSELF WILL SERVE AS YOUR WITNESSES. THANK YOU. RACHEL, CAN YOU PUT THE SUMMARY UP? I'VE GOT THE ACTUAL REPORT.

THANK YOU. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL AGENDA INCLUDES 1 LEAVE OF ABSENCE, 9 TEACHER APPOINTMENTS TO REGULAR CONTRACT, AND 8 TEACHER APPOINTMENTS TO PROVISIONAL CONTRACTS.

THANK YOU, DR. WILLOUGHBY. MY APOLOGIES. I WILL NOW MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA. I'LL SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR AGENDA BE APPROVED.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO, TERRY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE'LL MOVE ON

[4. Individual Action Items ]

I COME TO YOU THIS EVENING SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE FY28 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, KNOWN AS THE CIP. AS YOU KNOW, THE CIP IS REQUIRED BY THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, KNOWN AS THE IAC, TO BE UPDATED AND APPROVED ANNUALLY BY ALL BOARDS OF EDUCATION.

FOLLOWING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S ACCEPTANCE AND APPROVAL, THE CIP THEN WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE CAROLINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR ITS ACCEPTANCE AND SUPPORT.

YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, I BELIEVE, A 5-PAGE SUMMARY DOCUMENT OF THE CIP. THE FIRST 2 PAGES ARE REALLY FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE 5, 6, POSSIBLY 7 YEARS OUT. THEY ARE THE NEW WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS AT NORTH CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IN A COUPLE MONTHS. THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF THIS PROJECT, OR OF THIS SUMMARY, IS ON PAGE 3. IT IS THE FORM 102.4. IT IS VERY CLEAN, VERY SIMPLE COMPARED TO WHAT I PRESENTED TO YOU IN THE PAST. THERE'S REALLY ONLY A FEW PROJECTS ON THIS THAT ARE REALLY OF ANY RELEVANCE. THE FIRST ONE IS THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL REPLACEMENT. ESTIMATED COST OF THAT IS $89.2 MILLION.

WE'RE REQUESTING FROM THE STATE $75.6 MILLION, AND THE LOCAL WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $13.5 MILLION.

THESE NUMBERS ARE NOT CHISELED IN STONE EXACTLY, BUT THEY ARE VERY, VERY CLOSE ACCORDING TO OUR CONSULTANTS, TO THE ARCHITECTS, AS WELL AS THE MARYLAND STATE AND AUTHORITY OFFICIALS. SO, I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THESE NUMBERS ARE VERY CLOSE TO WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO FINALLY END UP AT. SO, FOR FY28, WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR $36.7 MILLION FROM THE STATE. YOU'LL SEE IN FY29, WE'RE GOING TO ASK PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AMOUNT.

THAT MAY CHANGE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT A LOT OF THE FUNDING IS GOING TO BE FORWARDED IN THE FRONT END IN THE FIRST YEAR. SO, YEAR 2 MAY BE A LITTLE LESS. AND THEN THE LAST YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE FY30, $2.2 MILLION. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE CLEANUP AND FOR FURNITURE. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THIS PROJECT COULD GET PUSHED. FUNDING IS NOT GUARANTEED. WE'RE NOT SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE FULL FUNDING.

WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE COME MAY, 2027, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION WHERE WE'RE GOING

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AS WE KNOW, WE TRIED DOING THAT THIS PAST YEAR AND WE JUST COULDN'T DO IT. FUNDING WASN'T THERE. SO, IT'S KIND OF AN IF-THEN STATEMENT. IF ONE GOES, THEN THE OTHER ONE'S NOT. IF ONE DOESN'T, THEN WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH GEARS AND GO TO THE ROOF. WHAT'S REALLY GREAT ABOUT THIS, WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION FINANCIALLY WITH THE STATE. OUR SPLIT SHARE COST IS RIGHT NOW FOR FY27 OR FY27-28 IS 100 TO 00, MEANING STATE PAYS 100% OF EVERYTHING, LOCAL PAYS NOTHING. SO, IT REALLY BEHOOVES US TO DO THE ROOF IF WE COULD.

THE STATE WON'T GIVE US FUNDS FOR BOTH THOSE PROJECTS, UNFORTUNATELY. BUT FOR $5 MILLION FOR A NEW ROOF, WE WOULD PAY NOTHING. THERE'D BE NO IMPACT FOR LOCAL BUDGET OR THE BOARD'S BUDGET. AND THEN GOING A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN, THIS IS WAY OUT, BUT IT'S ON THE RADAR. OKAY, FY31, FY32, IF THERE'S A PUSH WITH THE LOCKERMAN BUILD OF SOME SORT, IT COULD BE '32, '33, THOSE FISCAL YEARS. IT COULD BE EVEN FURTHER. WE JUST DON'T KNOW. AGAIN, I'M GOING WITH THE SAME COST SPLIT SHARE AS 100% AND ZERO BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE IN 05, 6, 7 YEARS OUT. SO, I'M JUST GIVING NUMBERS I HAVE TODAY.

SO, THESE NUMBERS ARE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE THINGS JUST KEEP GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE THE LONGER YOU WAIT.

BUT OUR PRICE RIGHT NOW FOR UPGRADED PLANT AT BOTH SCHOOLS WOULD BE $1.3 MILLION. AGAIN, 100% WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF BY THE STATE, 0% IS BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR LOCAL FUNDS. SO THAT IS REALLY LIKE I SAY, IT'S VERY CLEAN, IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS, IT'S ALL FOCUSED ON ALL THE FUNDING, ALL THE MONEY IS GOING TOWARDS THE LOCKERMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT IN TERMS OF US REQUESTING THE FUNDS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

THE LAST 2 PAGES ARE REALLY JUST FORMS THAT THE IAC USES TO COLLECT SOME DATA ON WHAT'S GOING ON. THEY WERE, THEY'RE REALLY KIND OF BIG THIS YEAR INTO RECAPPING SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, AND THEN THEY ALSO WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE, THEIR STATE-OWNED PORTABLES THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE.

BUT THEY'D LIKE TO KNOW DATA ON THAT. SO THAT REALLY IS THE CIP REQUEST FOR FY28. I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A ROLLOUT OF THE FINANCIAL LAYOUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FROM THE STATE BETWEEN FY28 TO FY32. AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ABOUT $83.3 MILLION IS WHAT THE ASK WOULD BE TO THE STATE.

LOCAL FUND DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD IS APPROXIMATELY $13.5 MILLION. AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE JUST BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE SOME OF THESE FURTHER OUT PROJECTS ARE GOING TO LAY IN TERMS OF WHAT THIS, WHAT THE COST SHARE SPLITS WILL BE.

SO, WE'RE IN A GOOD SITUATION RIGHT NOW WITH THE WAY THAT THE FUNDING IS WORKING WITH THE STATE. WE TRY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT IF WE CAN, BUT WE NEED MORE TIME.

BUT THAT IS THE CIP.

FOR FY28. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. MANGLE. SO, WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE'RE NEEDING APPROVAL FOR THE, THE NAME OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. I KNOW, BUT ALSO DR.

WILLOUGHBY'S, OH, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. YEP, WE GOT THE CONSENT. WE DID.

WE'RE GOOD. YEAH. AND JUST SO, MISS LEHMAN, FOR YOU AND FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS, ONCE WE, IF THE BOARD APPROVES THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TONIGHT, MR. MENGEL WILL PRESENT IT TO THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE IN AGREEMENT WITH THEIR PORTION OF THE SHARE. AND THAT WOULD HAPPEN LATER THIS MONTH AS WELL. AND THAT WOULD KEEP US ON TRACK WITH GETTING EVERYTHING SUBMITTED TO THE IAC ON TIME. CAN WE HAVE A MOTION PLEASE FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. I'LL MAKE A MOTION WE APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR '28 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS PRESENTED. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU, MR. MANGLE.

THANK YOU. MR. MANGLE IS HERE FOR THE NEXT ONE. YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE SEAT WARM.

OKAY, SUMMER PROJECTS 2026. I FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY PUBLICLY THANKING THE BOARD FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND GIVING US APPROXIMATELY $1.5 MILLION THIS SUMMER TO GET AHEAD OF THESE PROJECTS. IT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY GET IN THE SUMMERTIME, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE $1 MILLION APPROVAL OF ALL THE PAVING AND RESURFACING THAT WE DID IN OUR SCHOOLS. THAT BEING SAID, THAT PROJECT KIND OF CONTROLLED EVERYTHING THIS SUMMER. SO, WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, AND HONESTLY, THIS SUMMER IS NOT A LOT THAT I LIKE. THIS IS VERY MUCH A HEADACHE YEAR FOR ME. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE DID WEREN'T JUST UPGRADES. THEY WEREN'T JUST REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS OF JUST STUFF THAT

[00:30:02]

THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECT AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS GOING TO ELIMINATE A LOT OF THE FLOODING THAT YOU'VE SEEN THERE AFTER SOME HEAVY RAINS. WE'VE HAD SOME HEAVY RAINS DURING THE SUMMER, AND THOSE BIORETENTION AREAS HAVE TAKEN IT AND JUST GOTTEN RID OF THE WATER. SO REALLY EXCITED TO SEE HOW THE WHOLE THING WORKS. THEY'RE ALMOST DONE WITH THAT PROJECT. THE PAVING OF THE SCHOOLS, AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THAT WAS WONDERFUL, AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, WHAT THAT DOES TO YOUR EYE NOW. SO, AND THEN THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ONE I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, BUT THE PAVING OF THE SCHOOLS DEFINITELY WAS A BIG HIT. HOW DID I GET SO FAR AHEAD? DID I DO THAT? OH, NO, I'M STILL IN MY, OKAY. SO, WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT PAGE AND I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME PICTURES HERE.

LIKE I SAID, THIS WAS VERY STRESSFUL, A LOT OF ANXIETIES. I'M NOT GOING TO LIE TO YOU, I HAD A FEW MELTDOWNS. AND THANK YOU, DR. WILLOUGHBY. HE WAS ALWAYS ON MY HIP SAYING, BILL, DO YOU WANT AN EAP CARD? DO YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY? I WAS LIKE, NO, I JUST NEED THE DELAYS TO STOP. I NEED THE PROJECTS TO GET DONE. I'M OUT OF TIME. I'M OUT OF DAYS. THE TEACHERS COME TOMORROW. THE KIDS COME TOMORROW. AND I'M STARING AT A BACKHOE IN THE SCHOOL PARKING LOT. AND THAT SORT OF THING KIND OF WENT ON A LOT. AND THIS SUMMER, IT REALLY IS KIND OF REMINISCENT OF A POEM I READ A LONG TIME AGO CALLED TO THE MOUSE. AND IT'S LIKE, THE BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN OFTEN GO AWRY.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF PLAN YOU MAKE. IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BACKFIRE. AND WE WERE REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.

SUMMER, WE HAD EVERYTHING THAT I TOLD AMS I WANTED. I WANTED A DROUGHT. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A DROUGHT FOR A COUPLE YEARS. I JUST NEEDED A DROUGHT FOR ANOTHER 2 MORE MONTHS TO GET THIS STUFF DONE. WE WERE STRONG FOR THE FIRST 4 OR 5 WEEKS, AND THEN THE RAINS CAME, AND THAT WAS THE END OF IT ALL RIGHT THERE. IT PUT A LOT OF PROJECTS BEHIND. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE SCHEDULED OUR CONTRACTORS TO COME IN TO DO THESE PROJECTS SHORTLY AFTER THE PAVING WAS DONE.

THEY THOUGHT THEY'D COME ON THE VERY NEXT DAY. I SAID, NO, NO, YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED 2 OR 3 DAYS. IN ONE CASE, WE NEEDED 4. AND SO THAT SET THEM BEHIND.

BUT THEN WHEN THE RAINS CAME, WE LOST A DAY. AND SO THAT SET THEM EVEN FURTHER BEHIND. SO NOW THEY'RE SCRAMBLING TO PICK UP, THEY'VE GOT RESPONSIBILITIES TO THEIR PEOPLE. THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE JOBS. NOW THEY'RE GOING TO DORCHESTER, OR THEY'RE GOING TO CAMBRIDGE, OR THEY'RE GOING OVER TO SALISBURY FOR A DAY OR 2 TO DO THESE PROJECTS. AND NOW WE CAN'T GET THEM BACK. WE'RE NOW A WEEK BEHIND WITH THEM.

SO, THE WHOLE THING JUST KIND OF SNOWBALLED. LIKE I SAY, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS A 3 ADVIL NIGHT ALMOST EVERY NIGHT FOR ME. 31 PROJECTS. WE WERE, WE WERE DONE WITH JUST ABOUT EVERYONE THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE THIS SUMMER. WE HAVE A FEW MORE THAT HAVE TO BE DONE. WE'LL START DOING THEM HERE IN THE FALL THAT WEREN'T IMPORTANT TO GET THEM DONE BEFORE THE KIDS CAME BACK AND THE TEACHERS CAME BACK, BUT WE WILL DEFINITELY GET TO THEM NOW. NOW SCHOOL STARTED. A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS I KNEW GOING IN WERE GOING TO BE 11TH HOUR. REALLY, THEY'RE NIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED TO TRY AND GET THEM DONE. THAT DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME EITHER. SO, IT'S JUST NOT THE WAY I PLAN, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS HARD. BUT THESE, THESE, I GOT SOME PICTURES HERE.

AND WHAT I TRIED DOING THIS YEAR IS I TRIED GETTING THE PRINCIPALS INVOLVED JUST TO KIND OF SHOW A LITTLE CHARACTER AND SEE THE PRIDE THEY TAKE IN SOME OF THE THINGS. SO, WE'RE GOING TO START AT THE UPPER LEFT.

THAT'S COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT'S MR. JEFFERSON UP FRONT. THIS IS ACTUALLY HIS BRAINCHILD. HE APPROACHED ME ABOUT, ABOUT 10 MONTHS AGO, SAID, HEY, I WANT TO DO A SIGN ON THAT BIG OLD METAL WALL WE JUST PUT UP WHEN WE PUT THE ROOF UP LAST YEAR.

AND I SAID, YEAH, SURE, NO PROBLEM. SO, WE WENT BACK AND FORTH, FIGURED OUT THE FONTS, FIGURED OUT HOW SIZE, FIGURED THE COLORS, ALL THAT STUFF. THIS IS WHAT HE CAME UP WITH, AND I THINK IT LOOKS AWESOME.

THE NEXT, THE NEXT ONE IS THE MEDIA CENTER AT THE FEDERALSBURG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND AS I TOLD MRS. SIMMONS WHEN I SAW HER, I SAID, GIRL, I HOPE YOU LIKE PURPLE. IT'S THE SCHOOL COLORS, PURPLE AND WHITE. AND THAT FLOOR, THE PICTURE DOESN'T DO ANY JUSTICE. YOU GOT TO WALK THE FLOOR TO SEE HOW PURPLE IT IS. IT DOES LOOK GOOD WITH THE COLORS. IT REALLY CAME OUT NICE. YEAH, REALLY PURPLE.

IT LOOKS GOOD. IT LOOKS GOOD. A LITTLE FURTHER OVER TO THE RIGHT THERE IS MR. SHERMAN AT COLONEL RICHARD HIGH SCHOOL. HE'S SHOWING OFF HIS NEW JIM BLEACHER SCORER'S TABLE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE EXPENSIVE WHEN HE TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS, GETTING THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. I WAS LIKE,

[00:35:01]

HE DID A DEMO WITH ME. YOU CAN PUT ADVERTISEMENTS UP THERE, YOU CAN SCORE, IT'S GOT A POSSESSION ARROW, IT'LL FLASH RIGHT INTO THE BLEACHER. SO, THE SCORER'S SITTING RIGHT THERE IN THE BLEACHER WITH THE CROWD. IT REALLY KIND OF ABSORBS ITSELF RIGHT INTO THE BLEACHERS AND IT DOES NOT IMPACT THE PLAY ON THE COURTS. REALLY, A REALLY NEAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS GOT THEM. A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE RIGHT, THOSE ARE, WE'RE DOING FLOORS EVERY YEAR, IT SEEMS LIKE. I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF DES. I DON'T THINK THERE'S TOO MANY FLOORS LEFT TO DO. WE DID 11 CLASSROOMS THIS SUMMER. WE DID 4 CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES AT CCTC AND WE DID 2 OFFICES AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL. SO, LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE'RE ALMOST DONE WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SCHOOL FOR SEVERAL CLASSROOMS NEXT YEAR. OUR GYM FLOORS, AS YOU SAW AT WELCOME BACK DAY WITH THE STAFF, THAT'S COLONEL HIGH SCHOOL.

ALL OF OUR SECONDARY FLOORS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THAT. THEY LOOK SHARP. WE DO IT EVERY YEAR AND IT REALLY DOES HELP PROLONG THE LIFE OF THE GYM. SO, WE CAN, I KNOW PEOPLE GET UPSET WE SHUT DOWN IN THE SUMMERTIME, BUT THIS IS WHY. MY FAVORITE PROJECT OF THE WHOLE YEAR WAS THE REPAVING RESURFACING PROJECT. MAN, WHAT A DIFFERENCE THIS MAKES. THIS IS NORTH CAROLINA IN THE STUDENT PARKING LOT. IT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK DOWN AND YOU'RE STUCK ON THE POTHOLES AND THE CRACKS AND THE DETERIORATING ASPHALT, AND YOU JUST, IT'S LIKE EYE NEVER LOOKS UP, RIGHT? YOU'RE JUST CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE BAD STUFF DOWN HERE. NOW YOU LOOK AT THAT, NOW YOU START, PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO LOOK UP NOW. THEY'RE STARTING TO SEE THINGS THEY HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT'S, THAT'S GREAT. THEY LOVE IT. SO, ALL OUR SCHOOLS LOOK SHARP. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, GRASS CUTTERS COME, THEY PUT GRASS ON IT, AND THE LEAVES START FALLING ON IT. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK BRAND NEW LIKE THIS FOR VERY LONG BECAUSE THEY START PICKING UP DEBRIS. WE ALSO DID A COUPLE RAMPS AT SOME OF OUR PORTABLES AT GREENSBORO, I'M SORRY, AT DENTON AND AT RIDGELY. AND LASTLY, THAT TREE IN THE LOWER RIGHT, THAT IS ONE MASSIVE TREE. THAT PHOTO DOESN'T DO IT ANY JUSTICE. THAT TREE IS SO BIG THAT IF YOU APPROACH PRESTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM THE EAST, YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT'S A TREE BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A MASSIVE BACKGROUND BACKDROP. YOU DON'T EVEN REALIZE HOW BIG IT IS UNTIL MR. PLUTSCHAK SAID, HEY, YOU NEED TO GO CHECK THAT TREE OUT LAST YEAR. AND I WENT OUT, IT'S OUT IN THE ROAD. IT'S IN THE CHRISTMAS TREE BEHIND THERE, THE TOWN'S CHRISTMAS TREE. IT WAS BAD.

IT'S A VERY OLD TREE. IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 4 TO 5 FOOT IN DIAMETER AT THE BASE OF THE TRUNK, 60, 70 FEET TALL.

WE TOOK ABOUT 40 TO 50% OF THE LIMBS OUT OF IT. MOST OF THEM WERE ALL DEAD. A LOT OF THOSE DEAD LIMBS WERE GOING INTO THE SIDEWALK, GOING INTO THE ROAD. IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL IT HIT SOMEBODY WITH A CAR. SO, THE TREE LOOKS A LITTLE STRAGGLY RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE DONE THIS TO SOME OTHER TREES RECENTLY, AND THE NEXT YEAR THEY COME BACK, THEY'RE VERY, VERY HEALTHY. SO, I THINK THIS TREE'S GOING TO BE AROUND FOR A LONG, LONG TIME. I DIDN'T WANT TO GET RID OF THE TREE, BUT SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE.

IF IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK, THEN WE HAD TO GET RID OF IT.

SO, WE'LL GIVE IT ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO AND SEE WHERE IT GOES.

OKAY, HERE WE GO. SO, THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE PICTURES FOR. IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SEE NORTH CAROLINA'S ATHLETIC TURF TANK, IT'S PRETTY COOL. IT'S LIKE A ROOMBA, LIKE IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU KNOW, IT GOES AROUND AND SWEEPS AND VACUUMS AND ALL THAT, EXCEPT THIS DOES ATHLETIC FIELDS. AND IT CUTS INTO ALL THE DIFFERENT HEIGHTS FOR WHATEVER THE FIELD IS.

IT'S ALL PROGRAMMED. IT'S WIRELESS. IT'LL EVEN PUT ITSELF AWAY WHEN THE BATTERY GETS LOW.

IT'LL MARCH ITSELF BACK ONTO THE CHARGER INTO THE SHED AND CHARGE ITSELF UP AND THEN RESUME IF IT'S NOT DONE YET. I SAW IT WORKING THE OTHER DAY.

THAT'S GENIUS. WE DID SOME GYM DIVIDERS, WE DID SOME GYM HOOP MECHANISMS AT COLONEL RICHARDSON MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO NOW THOSE BASKETBALL HOOPS CAN GO UP AND WE CAN DO SOME DIFFERENT THINGS ON THE WEEKENDS AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE HOOPS BEING PERMANENTLY IN THE WAY.

WE PUT 19 NEW BLINDS, SETS OF BLINDS, IN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL AND CCTC CLASSROOMS. THESE ARE THE BLINDS. THESE AREN'T LIKE THESE BLINDS. THESE ARE BLINDS THAT WE PUT IN AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

IT'S A MUCH STURDIER, FIRMER, IT'S A BETTER-QUALITY BLIND.

IT DOESN'T BEND AND BREAK AS EASY. IT'S TESTED WITH 1ST GRADE THROUGH 5TH GRADE IN GREENSBORO DOING FINE, SO I IMAGINE THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL DO WELL ALSO. WE DID SOME SIGNINGS AT CCTC. WE JUST ORDERED, STARTED ORDERING OUR 3 BUSES.

3 OF THE 4 BUSES WE JUST STARTED ORDERING YESTERDAY.

SO, WE'RE MAKING, WE'RE MAKING SOME STRIDES ON THIS LIST.

BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS I'M VERY PROUD TO SAY THAT IT MADE ME FEEL GOOD. I'M VERY SATISFIED TO SAY THAT I WAS PART OF THEIR VISION. AND SO, WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT? THESE 2 PICTURES HERE REALLY KIND OF, IT'S THE FEEL-GOOD STORY FOR ME FOR THE WHOLE SUMMERTIME. AS YOU SEE IN THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, THERE'S THE NEW PAVEMENT.

OKAY, YOU KNOW, THAT USED TO BE CRUMBLED UP, CRACKED UP. IT WAS ALL, IT WAS EVERYTHING BUT A PAVEMENT. RIGHT NOW, YOU SEE IT AND YOU DON'T LOOK

[00:40:01]

THERE'S MR. SPIKER. 2 YEARS AGO, WE PUT THIS, THIS LOBBY IS JUST CAVERNOUS.

IT'S HUGE. IT'S LIKE A SMALL GYM ALMOST. AND SO, WE PUT SOME OFFICE SPACES ON THE ONE SIDE OF IT. NOW IT'S A FAMILY, A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES CAN MEET WITH STAFF. AND WE ALSO MOVED THE SRO OUT OF THE HALLWAY AND PUT THEM OUT HERE INTO THIS SECURITY VESTIBULE.

AND MATT CAME TO ME. HE'S LIKE, BILL, I WANT TO DO SOME DIFFERENT STUFF.

THIS IS WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT. YEAH, I WANT NEW LIGHTS, I WANT NEW PAINT, I WANT NEW DECOR, I WANT DIFFERENT SCHEMATIC OF THE PAINT. AND SO, I KIND OF GAVE HIM A BLANK CANVAS, SAID JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT, SHOW ME WHAT YOU WANT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE GOT. AND HE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. WHEN YOU WALK IN, IF YOU HAVEN'T WALKED INTO IT YET, THIS, THIS ROOM POPS. THIS IS A BIG WELCOME TO NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS NOT, THAT'S BEEN SORELY MISSED FOR A LONG TIME. SO, IT WAS JUST, AGAIN, IT WAS JUST VERY SATISFYING FOR ME TO WORK WITH YOU.

PRINCIPALS TO SHARE THEIR VISION, TO SEE THIS ALL COME TO FRUITION FOR THEM. AND ABSOLUTELY LOOK FORWARD TO TRYING TO DO THAT WITH THE OTHER PRINCIPALS AND OTHER BUILDINGS GOING FORWARD. SO THAT IS THE SUMMER PROJECTS LIST. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, BUT I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES, CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE THIS SUMMER, AND THEY'RE AWESOME. THE PARKING LOTS, AS YOU SAY, REALLY, REALLY LOOK NICE. THE PAVING HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, YEAH, YEAH. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, YEAH, DEFINITELY WORTH IT, DEFINITELY WORTH IT. A LOT OF HARD WORK DONE. YOU AND, AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. OKAY, MR. MICHAEL, JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, WE PRESENTED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO ON OUR OTTER BUCKLE UP CAR SEAT CAMPAIGN, AND YOU DID NOT NEED ONE MORE JOB THIS SUMMER, BUT YOU AND YOUR TEAM WERE ABLE TO GET THOSE SIGNS UP AT ALL THE EXITS OF ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND IT'S LOTS OF POSITIVE COMMENTS AND GOOD FEEDBACK.

THE OTTER IS BEING SPOTTED OUT IN THE WILD, SO I APPRECIATE IT. I GO AROUND, I GO, OH, OH, OH, THERE HE IS. EVERYONE'S LOOKING UP, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S GREAT.

YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE FOR ASPHALT HERE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT. YES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, BILL. GOOD NEWS.

GREAT TO HAVE THAT POSITIVE REPORT.

[5. Reports and Presentations ]

SIMMONS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THIS IS A VERY BUSY SUMMER FOR OUR STUDENTS, SO WHILE THEIR BUILDINGS WERE BEING WORKED ON, THEY WERE ALSO ENGAGED IN LOTS OF ACADEMIC AND WELLNESS AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL AND COLLEGE AND CAREER ACTIVITIES. SO, I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, MRS. NICOLE FISHER, OUR SUPERVISOR OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND EQUITY. LOTS OF OUR PROGRAMS WERE ABLE TO BE FUNDED THROUGH HER FUNDING. I ALSO HAVE MRS. LINDSAY MCCORMICK, DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. ALSO, MANY OF OUR PROGRAMS, THANK YOU TO HER WORK AND HER FUNDING.

AND THEN MR. KIRK HOWIE, WHO I BELIEVE HAS A STUDENT WITH US THIS EVENING WHO WILL SHARE SOME EXPERIENCES THAT HE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO, LOTS OF WONDERFUL ACTIVITIES, VERY BUSY SUMMER. ONE OF OUR PARTNERS IS CAROLINE COUNTY PARKS AND REC. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF STAFF, TRANSPORTATION, NURSES, DIRECTORS, COUNSELORS. THIS IS A HUGE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE CONTINUED OVER THE YEARS WITH CAROLINE COUNTY RECREATION AND PARKS. OVER 600 STUDENTS ATTENDED FROM ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, 110 OF THOSE STUDENTS

[00:45:01]

SO, WE TARGETED STUDENTS WHO WERE BELOW GRADE LEVEL, AND WE IMMEDIATELY HAD 8 TRAINED INTERVENTIONISTS THAT WE SENT OUT TO THE SCHOOLS TO WORK WITH THOSE STUDENTS.

AGAIN, PARKS AND REC HAD THEIR SUMMER PROGRAM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO TAP INTO THOSE STUDENTS FOR PART OF THE DAY AND PROVIDE THEM REALLY TARGETED TIER 3 READING SUPPORT, AND WE HAD A LOT OF GROWTH WITH THOSE STUDENTS IN JUST A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. WE ALSO HAD OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER CAREER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PEOPLE FOR CHANGE COALITION AND THE MID-SHORE REGIONAL COUNCIL.

STUDENTS FROM TALBOT, DORCHESTER, AND CAROLINE COUNTY, THIS WAS HELD IN DORCHESTER COUNTY THIS YEAR, AND WE HAD ANIMATION, ROBOTICS, CYBERSECURITY, CHESS, APP DEVELOPMENT, MEDIA PRESENTATIONS, VIDEO DESIGN, AND WE HAVE 55 STUDENTS FROM CAROLINE COUNTY ON 2 SCHOOL BUSES ATTEND THIS PROGRAM.

THANK YOU, MISS MCCORMICK, FOR THAT CONTINUED LIFT AND GETTING ERIC TO HELP AS WELL WITH IT.

BUT BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMER CAMP, WE HAD 22 ACTIVE ATTENDEES FROM COLONEL MIDDLE AND 35 FROM LOCKERMAN. EACH CAMP HAD A DIRECTOR, A CCPS TEACHER, AND 6 STAFF. AND LOTS OF PICTURES OF OUR STUDENTS OUT ON THE WATER THIS SUMMER. HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT RECOVERY, WE HAD 75 COURSES COMPLETED THIS SUMMER. SO, WE HAD STUDENTS FROM COLONEL HIGH AND NORTH CAROLINA ABLE TO COMPLETE SOME CREDIT RECOVERY COURSES. AND THEN STEM CAMP AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL, THIS WAS A COMMUNITY EFFORT WITH TRIO AND NEXT GEN SCHOLARS. WE ALSO HAD FRESHMAN TRANSITION AT BOTH HIGH SCHOOLS AT NORTH CAROLINA AND AT COLONEL RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN A STEM COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP. THOSE ARE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS AT COLONEL HIGH. AGAIN, THAT FRESHMAN TRANSITION, THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW, I BELIEVE, FOR COLONEL HIGH, THE FRESHMAN ACADEMY, GETTING THOSE KIDS INTO SCHOOL BEFORE THE UPPERCLASSMEN SO THAT THEY COULD FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH THE BUILDING AND THEIR TEACHERS. WE HAD A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT NIGHT AND STUDENT MENTORING AS WELL. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SUPERVISORS AND DIRECTORS HERE THIS EVENING THAT HELP SUPPORT ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS. AND THEN THROUGH CHOP TANK COMMUNITY HEALTH, I HAD A HARD TIME FITTING ALL OF THIS ON ONE SLIDE, BUT LOTS OF SCHOOL-BASED WELLNESS CENTER SERVICES, DENTAL VISITS, ACUTE CARE, WELL VISITS, SPORTS PHYSICALS, I DO REMEMBER AS A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THIS WAS SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE FOR OUR KIDS WHO NEEDED SPORTS PHYSICALS TO GET READY FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH VISITS, NUTRITION, STAFF VISITS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LOTS OF COORDINATION BETWEEN CHOP TANK COMMUNITY HEALTH AND OUR FOOD SERVICES TO PROVIDE LOTS OF SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

500 BAGS OF PRODUCE TO DISTRIBUTED. LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN SEL AND BEHAVIOR, AGAIN MORE NUTRITION SERVICES, AND THEN SERVICES FOCUSED ON FOOD, MOOD, AND BRAIN HEALTH, WHICH IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE.

THANK YOU TO CHOP TANK COMMUNITY HEALTH. AND THIS IS

[00:50:01]

AGAIN, WE NEED OUR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT ALL OF THESE THINGS. SO, THANK YOU TO MR. JOHN BOBB AND OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE MEANS TO GET OUR STUDENTS TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS AND LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT. AND THEN FOOD SERVICES DELIVERED TO 700 HOUSEHOLDS THIS SUMMER, CLOSE TO 150,000 MEALS. AND PROCESSED 12,000 POUNDS OF LOCAL PRODUCE, WHICH WILL SERVE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP MR. HOWIE AND A GUEST THAT WE HAVE HERE THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE. SO, I WILL, SO I'LL BE BRIEF. THIS HAS BEEN A 2-YEAR PARTNERSHIP NOW BETWEEN CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND UMES. AND I THINK FROM WHAT YOU SAW WITH ALL THESE OTHER SUMMER PROGRAMS, THE COORDINATION WITH HEALTH, FOOD SERVICES, THE, THE SCEP CAMP, THE STEM CAMP, PARTNERSHIP REALLY OUGHT TO BE THE KEY WORD FOR CAROLINE COUNTY. AND THAT EXTENSIVE AND COMMITMENT TO PARTNERSHIP THAT IS DEMONSTRATED HERE IS HOW WE END UP GETTING THESE EXTRA FUNDS WHEN OTHER DISTRICTS OR OTHER LOCATIONS CAN'T DEVELOP THOSE.

THE STATE TENDS TO SAY IF THERE'S SOMETHING LEFT, WE WANT TO USE IT FOR THOSE.

SO, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE GOOD AT THIS. AND I DO HAVE SOME GUESTS TONIGHT. I'M GOING TO BRING UP MS. DAVIS AND ACHILLES DAVIS IN JUST A MINUTE. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR OF DOING THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH UMES. WE STARTED WITH 2 STUDENTS LAST YEAR, AND ACHILLES IS ONE OF THEM. AND I THINK AT FIRST IT WAS MORE OF A, I JUST NEED TO GET HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. AND THIS YEAR WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. I DON'T WANT TO STEAL HIS THUNDER, BUT MOM AND I GOT IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER QUITE A BIT.

ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS A WAY FOR STUDENTS TO GET A HEAD START IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN EDUCATOR, AND THE TARGET POPULATION IS PRIMARILY OUR UNDERREPRESENTED TEACHING FORCE. SO, IF YOU GO BACK TO THIS FIRST PICTURE, IF YOU NOTICE, WE HAD 10 MALE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN A 3 3-WEEK-LONG SUMMER PROGRAM WHERE THEY ATTENDED CLASS ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AND A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AS WELL, BECAUSE EVERY MONDAY THEY PICKED THEM UP, TOOK THEM DOWN. EVERY FRIDAY THEY PICKED THEM UP AND TOOK THEM HOME, BECAUSE SATURDAY AND SUNDAY THEY BELONG TO MOM AND DAD AGAIN, NOT US.

ESSENTIALLY, WHY DOES THIS MATTER? REALLY, IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THIS PROFESSION. AND AGAIN, ANOTHER WAY FOR US TO GROW OUR OWN EDUCATORS. IT WENT FROM JULY 6TH THROUGH THE 31ST. IT WAS HOUSED AT UMES'S CAMPUS. THIS YEAR THE CLASS THEY COMPLETED WAS ENGLISH 101. THERE WERE 5 DISTRICTS THAT PARTNERED WITH US, AND SOME YEARS THERE ARE STUDENTS FROM OHIO AND DELAWARE THAT COME AND ATTEND.

LIKE I SAID, IT WAS RESIDENTIAL MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AND AT ALL TIMES, NOT ONLY DID THEY HAVE THEIR PROFESSORS THERE, BUT THEY ALSO HAD RAS AND OTHER SUPPORTS. AND WE MADE SURE THAT OUR BOYS WERE HOUSED IN ONE DORM AND ANY FEMALE STUDENTS WERE HOUSED IN A SEPARATE DORM. WE HAD ALL BOYS THIS YEAR. BUT IT REALLY IS A VALUABLE EXPERIENCE.

NOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HAVING ONE CHILD GO THROUGH COLLEGE AND ONE A YEAR AWAY FROM IT, THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FAMILIES. AND FOR ME, MY JOURNEY WAS DIFFERENT. I DIDN'T GET TO GO TO A 4-YEAR COLLEGE IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE. SO, I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED WHAT THAT WAS LIKE. THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PARENTS TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE TAKING YOUR KID TO COLLEGE AND THEY'RE GONE.

NOW, CLOSE ENOUGH THAT YOU COULD GET TO THEM AND THEY'RE COMING HOME ON THE WEEKEND, BUT IT'S STILL STARTING TO HAVE THAT PROCESS BE FOUND.

FOUNDATION SET SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. THE DAYS WERE STRUCTURED. THEY HAD A SET TIME FOR BREAKFAST, WHEN CLASS STARTED, WHEN THEY HAD LUNCH.

THEY HAD ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.

THEY HAD A CURFEW. THEY HAD STUDY HALLS. IT WAS VERY STRUCTURED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THEM. THEY ALSO HAD EXTENSION EXPERIENCES. THEY WENT TO D.C., WENT TO A COUPLE DIFFERENT MUSEUMS. SO, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, EARLY COLLEGE TYPE ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO EXTENSION EXPANSION ACTIVITIES THAT WERE BEYOND CAMPUS. THEY'RE NEVER ON THEIR OWN. AGAIN, THERE WAS ON-SITE STAFFING, PEER BEHAVIOR SUPPORT, RAPID FAMILY COMMUNICATION.

EVERY SINGLE PARENT HAD MY PERSONAL CELL PHONE NUMBER. I DROVE DOWN EVERY MONDAY MORNING TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR KIDS GOT THERE. I DROVE DOWN EVERY FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO MAKE SURE THEY ALL GOT ON THE BUS TO GO HOME AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS SET. AND IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, ALL THE PARENTS KNEW THEY COULD CALL ME AND I WOULD FOLLOW UP ON IT.

AND I HAD EVERY PHONE NUMBER FOR ALL THE STAFF THAT WAS WORKING THERE. AS WELL. SO REALLY AGAIN DEMONSTRATING THAT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP.

AND THEN AT THE END THERE'S A CEREMONY WHERE THEY RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE STUDENTS. THIS IS ONE OF THE PICTURES

[00:55:01]

THEIR TRANSCRIPTS WERE FORWARDED TO THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS, SO THAT NOW BECOMES PART OF THEIR PERMANENT RECORD AS WELL.

AND THEY NOW, EVERY STUDENT THAT ATTENDED, IN ADDITION TO THOSE BENEFITS, THEY'RE ACCEPTED AT UMES IF THEY CHOOSE TO GO THERE AS A COLLEGE, AND THEY HAVE COLLEGE CREDITS.

SO, THEY REALLY HAVE A HEAD START IF THIS IS A CAREER THEY WANT TO ENTER INTO. AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE PARTNERS OVER THERE. THEY DO A GOOD JOB OF RECOGNIZING US. WE'VE PARTICIPATED IN AN EVENT WHERE THEY BRING US BACK DOWN IN EARLY MAY, LATE APRIL. THEY RECOGNIZE THE DISTRICTS THAT PARTICIPATE JUST TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO EXPLAIN HOW THIS IS WORKING.

THERE'S GENERALLY A CONTACT PERSON AT EACH DISTRICT, AND I HAVE DONE THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW. SO, AT THIS TIME, I KIND OF WANT TO BRING UP MS. DAVIS AND ACHILLES. SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, IF THEY WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE. NO NERVES. YOU CAN USE WHATEVER YOU NEED. OKAY. WELL, ONE I WANT TO START WITH, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ACHILLES. I'M A STUDENT AT NORTH CAROLINA. AND I WANT TO START BY SAYING LIKE HOW BENEFICIAL THIS PROGRAM LIKE WAS FOR NOT ONLY JUST ME BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I WENT THROUGH THE PROGRAM WITH. NOT ONLY DID IT PUT STUDENTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN DEVELOP, BUT IT ALSO HELPS US LIKE SEE MORE IN OURSELVES.

THIS HELPS LIKE WE GOT, WE WERE LIKE MORE ENCOURAGED LIKE, OH, LET ME SEE. IT PUTS STUDENTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN BE PUSHED BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS. BEYOND OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS AND ENCOURAGED US TO BASICALLY DO BETTER FOR OURSELVES AND SEE BETTER FOR OURSELVES. THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDED GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF. NOT ONLY ARE STUDENTS AWARDED DUAL ENROLLMENT CREDITS AND POSSIBLY SCHOLARSHIPS, BUT CAN ALSO LEAVE THE PROGRAM WITH NEW AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS. THESE CONNECTIONS CAN START A JOURNEY, A GREAT JOURNEY TO SUCCESS, WHETHER IT BE A FRIEND, A TEACHER, OR A MENTOR WALKING INTO THIS PROGRAM. GIVES YOUNG MEN LIKE MYSELF AN OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY SEE MORE IN OURSELVES, BUT ACTUALLY WANT TO DO MORE FOR OURSELVES. PERSONALLY, BEFORE I GOT INTO THIS PROGRAM, I DIDN'T CARE MUCH FOR GOING TO COLLEGE, AND I DIDN'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT. BUT MEETING PEOPLE LIKE MR. HOWIE AND DR. WARREN AND ELIJAH, BUT MEETING PEOPLE, MEETING THOSE PEOPLE, IT DEFINITELY HELPED ME. THEY SHOWED ME THAT I WANTED BETTER FOR MYSELF, AND AFTER ONLY SPENDING 3 WEEKS IN THE PROGRAM, I LEARNED SO MUCH MORE ABOUT MYSELF AND ABOUT THE PERSON THAT I WANTED TO BECOME IN THE FUTURE. I FEEL THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE EXPOSED TO POSSIBILITIES THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE CONSIDERED, AND THIS PROGRAM DOES A GREAT JOB PROVIDING THAT.

OUTSTANDING. FABULOUS. SO AS HIS PARENT, LIKE MR. HOWIE SAID, INITIALLY IT WAS MORE SO I JUST WANT TO GET HIM OUT THE HOUSE TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY. LIKE, HE'S LIKE, MOM, I DON'T WANT TO BE A TEACHER. I SAID, OH, IT'S NOT ABOUT IF YOU WANT TO BE A TEACHER OR NOT. JUST TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY AND EXPLORE COLLEGE. BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, THEIR AGE IS JUST LIKE, OH, WHEN I GET, I DON'T LIKE SCHOOL, I DON'T LIKE SCHOOL. SO I'M LIKE, OKAY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE SCHOOL, BUT THIS IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO BE AN ADULT. SO NOT ONLY DID, LIKE YOU SAID, DID IT CHANGE HIS PERSPECTIVE ABOUT GOING TO COLLEGE, IT ALSO HELPED HIS LITTLE BROTHERS.

BECAUSE I HAVE 2 YOUNGER SONS WHO ARE 10 AND 11. SEEING HIM LEAVE, THEY WERE LIKE CRYING, OH, HE'S GOING TO COLLEGE. AND THEN HIM COMING BACK ON THE WEEKENDS, LIKE EXPLAINING, YOU KNOW, I DID THIS, I STAYED UP ALL NIGHT STUDYING FOR FINALS, AND THEY WERE SO PROUD. SO INTERESTED IN HIS EXPERIENCE.

IT WAS LIKE, AS A PARENT, YOU COULD TELL YOUR KIDS, YEAH, I WENT TO COLLEGE, I GOT A DEGREE, BUT IT'S LIKE, YEAH, WHATEVER, I DON'T WANT THAT.

BUT HEARING HIM EXPERIENCE IT ON HIS OWN AND, YOU KNOW, HIM GOING THROUGH THOSE TRIALS AND TESTS AND THE EXPERIENCE WITH THE OTHER STUDENTS, IT HELPED HIM A LOT. AND AGAIN, IT ALSO HELPED HIS, HIS BROTHERS LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. AND LIKE MR. HOWIE SAID, I WAS I WAS A PEST BECAUSE I WAS TEXTING HIM, I'M CALLING HIM, WHAT'S GOING ON, DID YOU GET MY TEXT MESSAGE? HE'S LIKE, YES, I WAS LITERALLY CALLING YOU RIGHT BACK RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW. SO, I WAS ON HIM AND HE, HE MADE SURE COMMUNICATION WAS BOTH WAYS AND HE MADE SURE OUR CHILDREN WERE SAFE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I, I HAVE TO SAY THIS TOO, AND I JOKE WITH HER ABOUT THIS, BUT ACHILLES BECAME KIND OF OUR RECRUITER FOR THIS BECAUSE THE FIRST ROOM WE HAD 2 STUDENTS THAT THIS YEAR WE

[01:00:01]

WOW. SO, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET KIDS HERE THIS EARLY IN THE YEAR, SO I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. CURIOUS, WHAT GRADE ARE YOU AT? 12TH.

LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR SENIOR YEAR? YEAH.

GOOD FOR YOU. GOOD, GOOD. HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR MIND ABOUT WANTING TO BE A TEACHER? NO. IF ANYTHING, MY OPTIONS LIKE PUSH MORE TOWARDS BEING IT. LIKE I'M YEAH, I WANT TO BE MORE OF A TEACHER MORE THAN I DID AT FIRST. IT'S LIKE COMING BACK TO THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR LIKE FURTHERED THAT IDEA MORE AND PUSHED ME TO WANT TO ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL.

BECAUSE BEFORE HE WANTED TO BE A TRUCK DRIVER. DO WE NEED THOSE TOO? YEAH, I MEAN YES, BUT I KNOW SOMEBODY THAT HIRES THEM IN THE SUMMER. IT DOESN'T COMPETE WITH OUR TEACHER ACADEMY OF MARYLAND PROGRAM THAT I KNOW MISS MCCORMICK REALLY HAS WORKED HARD TO DEVELOP HERE. WHAT IT'S DOING IS IT'S GETTING A DIFFERENT GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO PREVIOUSLY EITHER WEREN'T INTERESTED OR DIDN'T THINK IT WAS FOR THEM. BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU FROM THE GROUP OF 10 THAT WE GATHERED, I HAD 3 EMAIL ME WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL SAYING, WHEN DO I GET TO SIGN UP FOR THE TAM PROGRAM? AND THE ANSWER IS THE SAME, GO INTO YOUR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, SCHOOL COUNSELOR, NOW. SO, IT'S, IT'S ENGAGING OUR KIDS TO SEE IT. ONCE THEY GET A TASTE OF IT, THEY DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, THEN THEY'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHAT WE ALREADY OFFER. SO, I THINK IT'S JUST MAKING OUR STUDENTS AND PARENTS MORE AWARE OF OPPORTUNITIES. AND HE IS A PART OF THAT PROGRAM AS WELL, THE TAM PROGRAM, AND HE WILL BE INTERNING AT THE DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU, GUYS. AND ACHILLES, DO NOT FORGET THE SCHOLARSHIP. THE BOARD HAS A SCHOLARSHIP FOR ASPIRING TEACHERS. DON'T FORGET THAT. IT'LL DROP, IT USUALLY IS ABOUT FEBRUARY-ISH THE APPLICATION COMES OUT. I DON'T THINK YOU'LL FORGET. YEAH, SHE WON'T LET ME.

TRUST ME, I KNOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO REMIND ME. GOOD.

BUT IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS. I'M SO THRILLED THAT YOU'VE DONE IT.

YEAH. AND THAT YOU'VE BEEN JUST SUCH A CHAMPION OF IT AND CONVINCING YOUR CLASSMATES TO GO. IT TAKES, SOMETIMES IT TAKES SOMEBODY WILLING TO DO IT AND THEN TALK ABOUT IT. AND YEAH, JUST, YEAH, THAT'S THE NUMBERS WE HAD. I MEAN, AGAIN, WHEN MR. HOWIE CAME AND SAID, I THINK WE GOT 17 THAT ARE INTERESTED, I WAS LIKE, YEAH, WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT. WE KNOW WE CAN FIT THEM ON ONE BUS, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT IF EVERYBODY WANTED TO GO.

BUT IT ABSOLUTELY, THAT'S AWESOME. THAT IS INCREDIBLE. KEEP RECRUITING.

THANK YOU. ACHILLES, I SEE YOU AS THE NEXT MR. HOWARD.

AND KEEP ON YOUR LITTLE BROTHERS.

ASPIRE. YEAH, KEEP ON YOUR YOUNGER BROTHERS.

YEAH, KEEP ON YOUR YOUNGER BROTHERS TOO. I SEE YOU AS THE NEXT. YEAH, THEY'LL BE THERE.

THEY'LL BE THERE SOON TOO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GUYS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO DR. VONDENBOSCH, MS. FISHER, MS. MCCORMICK, DR. HOWIE, THIS SECTION, THIS SESSION THAT WAS PRESENTED RIGHT NOW JUST KIND OF FILLS ME UP BECAUSE I SEE OUR STUDENTS PROGRESSING, GROWING, DEVELOPING INTO YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL BE OUR LEADERS ONE DAY DOWN THE ROAD. SO, I CONGRATULATE YOU ON ALL OF THE SUMMER WORK THAT WAS DONE. I KNOW IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME, A LOT OF PLANNING, A LOT OF EFFORT, AND WE APPRECIATE 100% ALL THAT YOU PUT OUT FOR OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DO

[01:05:07]

ABSOLUTELY. I DIDN'T BRING ANY CARDS, BUT IF I DID, ACHILLES WILL GRADUATE IN 4 YEARS, DR.

WILLOUGHBY WILL STILL BE HERE.

I'M GOING TO SEE YOU IN YOUR TAM CLASS. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, DR. SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, EVERY SEPTEMBER WE COME WITH A HIRING AND RECRUITING SUMMARY FROM WHERE WE STAND AT THE MOMENT. AND SO, I WANT TO, I WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. I WILL SHARE THAT FROM A TEACHER STANDPOINT, YOU ARE THE BOARD OF ED OF A FULLY STAFFED SCHOOL DISTRICT.

EVEN HAD A SURPRISE RESIGNATION THE LAST WEEK OF JULY, AND FASTEST HIRE WE'VE PROBABLY EVER MADE. THAT LAST WEEK OF JULY, WE HAD A RESIGNATION, AND THAT TEACHER WAS SITTING AT NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST ON AUGUST 10TH. SO THAT WAS STRESSFUL, BUT IT HAPPENED.

SO, FROM A SUPPORT STAFF PERSPECTIVE THOUGH, WE DON'T TYPICALLY TALK SUPPORT STAFF, BUT THE CONTRACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE WITH OUR SUPPORT STAFF THAT YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO RATIFY 2 YEARS AGO, AS WE REDID THAT, HAS GREATLY INCREASED OUR RETENTION AND OUR ATTRACTIVENESS OF OUR SUPPORT POSITION. AND SO, WE STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR ALSO ONLY WITH 2 VACANCIES IN THE SUPPORT WORLD. BOTH OF THOSE VACANCIES, VERY, VERY LATE RESIGNATIONS. ONE HAS SINCE BEEN FILLED AND ONE I BELIEVE THERE'S INTERVIEWS SOMETIME THIS WEEK. SO DID REALLY WELL. WE'RE BUSY, BUT WE DID REALLY WELL WITH RECRUITING AND HIRING.

SO, WE ALWAYS START WITH KIND OF WHERE OUR NEW FOLKS SPREAD.

AND SO, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE LIGHT GREEN IS THE NUMBER OF NEW HIRES WE HAD IN THE SCHOOL LAST YEAR, AND THE DARK GREEN IS THE NUMBER OF NEW HIRES THIS YEAR. SO, YOU CAN SEE SOME SCHOOLS WENT DOWN, STAYED THE SAME, PRESTON, WE HAD A NEW HIGH. LIKE PRESTON HAS NO DATA DOWN THERE, BUT WE HAD ONE.

BUT AS YOU CAN, LIKE I SAID, THINGS KIND OF EBB AND FLOW AND EBB AND FLOW. AND SO THAT KIND OF THE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE THESE FOLKS ARE. THIS ALSO WILL PROVIDE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPARISON. I'M SORRY, MR. FREEMAN, I'M WALKING AWAY FROM THE MICROPHONE AND I SHOULDN'T DO THAT. SO, YOU CAN SEE AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025, AS WELL AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST TODAY. SO, OUR NEW HIRES THIS, THIS YEAR WERE 48 OFFICIAL NEW HIRES. THERE WAS 50 FOLKS AT NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST AND IN THE NEW TEACHER ACADEMY. 2 OF THOSE WERE ACTUALLY MID-YEAR FROM LAST YEAR, AND SO WE INVITED THEM TO COME BACK, BUT WE GOT TO 48 FROM 12 RETIREMENTS, 29 RESIGNATIONS, 2 ON PARENTAL LEAVE, 2 NEW POSITIONS THAT WE FUNDED FROM, FROM DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES, 1 PROMOTION THAT LEFT US WITH A VACANCY, AND 2 POSITIONS THAT WE FILLED WITH FOLKS THAT ARE RETIRED, REHIRE. AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT COMPARES TO THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.

WHAT IS INTERESTING IS BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE ALSO STARTED THE YEAR WITH 0 VACANCIES, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT PREVIOUSLY NOT FILLED BUSINESS DOWN THERE. SO LAST YEAR 45, THIS YEAR 48, THAT KIND OF 40 TO 50 RANGE IS SORT OF THE TYPICAL TURNOVER FOR US. DEMOGRAPHICS, IF YOU LOOKED AT OUR NEW TEACHER HIRING CLASS THIS YEAR, IT WAS MUCH, MUCH MORE DIVERSE THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, ALMOST 1 OUT OF EVERY 4, OR 25%, WAS A TEACHER OF COLOR. SO SUPER, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND PROUD ABOUT THAT. WE KNOW THAT THAT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STRIVING FOR, TO DIVERSIFY OUR TEACHING RANKS, AND THIS YEAR WAS, WAS A GOOD YEAR WITH RECRUITING MINORITY FOLKS INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION OR FROM OTHER AREAS THAT ARE ALREADY TEACHERS. AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE BY GENDER, WE PUT THAT UP THERE TOO. THIS WAS PRETTY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR, OUR FEMALE VERSUS MALE BREAKDOWN. BUT AGAIN, JUST A LITTLE SHY OF 1 OUT OF 4. WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? THIS CHART IS MORE COLORFUL THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. WE HAVE SOME INTERESTING STORIES.

BUT YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A COLONEL GRAD AND A NORTH HIGH GRAD, OR 2 NORTH HIGH GRADS AND A COLONEL GRAD. THAT'S THE BLUE AND THE RED THAT KIND OF STARTS US. 33 FROM MARYLAND. DELAWARE BROUGHT US

[01:10:02]

SOME OF THOSE FOLKS HAD MOVED HERE FOR FAMILY REASONS AND SOME OF THOSE FOLKS MOVED BACK.

THEY'RE FROM THIS AREA AND MOVED AWAY AND CAME BACK AND WANTED TO COME BACK HOME. SO THAT WAS EXCITING.

BUT DEFINITELY MORE COLORS ON THAT CHART THAN THERE WAS LAST YEAR. AND PENNSYLVANIA MAKES A RETURN. WE HAVEN'T HAD A PENNSYLVANIA IN A COUPLE YEARS. EXACTLY, AND IT USED TO DOMINATE THE CHART. AND THEN HOW DID THEY GET HERE? SO, YOU CAN SEE ABOUT HALF OF THEM LAST YEAR WERE TEACHING. SO, THESE ARE EXPERIENCED TEACHERS THAT WE RECRUITED FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OTHER STATES. WE TAKE THAT FOR WHAT IT IS. WE HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION OUT THERE WHEN FOLKS ARE APPLYING FOR JOBS. JUST SLIGHTLY OVER 25% WERE STUDENTS. SO, THESE ARE OUR FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, 22 AND FRESH AND JUST GRADUATED FROM A MARYLAND PROGRAM, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN A LITTLE SMALLER IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

SO, IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT.

ABOUT 10%, WHICH IN OUR WORLD IS, I THINK THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS 03, CAME FROM INDUSTRY. 3 OR SO ARE GROW YOUR OWN. SO, THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE OUR FOLKS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT INTO TEACHING. SO, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE AND YOU JUST WANT TO GO TO WORK, WE GOT YOU COVERED THERE TOO.

YOU CAN MAKE MONEY WHILE YOU GET IT'S A WHOLE THING. I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT. YOU CAN STILL GO TO COLLEGE AND I'LL HIRE YOU THEN, BUT I'M JUST SAYING WE HAVE OPTIONS. WE HAVE LOTS OF OPTIONS. WE HAVE A COUPLE FOLKS WHO ARE RETURNING.

THEY WERE OUR EMPLOYEE, THEY LEFT AND WENT AND DID SOMETHING ELSE, AND THEY HAVE COME BACK. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT A COUPLE FOLKS THAT ARE RETIRE-REHIRE, THAT RETIRED FROM CAROLINE AND HAVE COME BACK EACH. SO, MY TEAM IN THE HR OFFICE DOES A LOT OF WORK IN THE SUMMER. THAT'S OUR BUSY TIME GETTING THESE FOLKS, IN SPRING WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM HIRED, IN THE SUMMER WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM PROCESSED, THE BACKGROUND CHECKS, THE ONBOARDING THAT GOES WITH IT TO GET EVERYTHING READY FOR AUGUST 10TH TO KICK OFF, WHICH IS SUPER EARLY. IN THE WORLD WHEN EVERYBODY'S STILL THINKING ABOUT SUMMER AND IT'S MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, I USED TO NOT SLEEP BEFORE THE KIDS CAME AND NOW, I DON'T SLEEP BEFORE NEW TEACHERS COME. IT'S MY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

BUT IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR TO SEE IT ALL COME TOGETHER AND THIS CLASS OF NEW TEACHERS, I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I MEAN EVERY CLASS IS FANTASTIC BUT THIS CLASS REALLY SEEMS TO HAVE LIKE A SPECIAL LITTLE SPARK TO THEM. THEY ARE, THEY'RE REALLY GREAT. THEY WERE A LOT OF FUN DURING OUR NEW TEACHER TIME.

WE HAD 6 DAYS OF NEW TEACHER TIME, AND SO 4 OF THOSE DAYS WAS PROGRAMMING THAT WE DID WITH THEM AND 2 OF THE DAYS IN THE BUILDING.

THESE GUYS ASKED GREAT QUESTIONS. THEY WERE ENGAGED THE ENTIRE TIME. THEY WERE FUN TO BE AROUND. THEY WERE ALWAYS PROFESSIONAL. JUST, THEY'RE A GOOD GROUP. EVEN, EVEN SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WE GIVE THEM, THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT FORMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE FORMS WERE IN LIKE THE NEXT DAY, AND I'M LIKE, HOW DID YOU DO THAT? AND I'M NOT CHASING THEM DOWN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, THEY'RE A REALLY GOOD GROUP, AND WE'RE GLAD AND VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THEM HERE IN CARROLL.

ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR HIRING OR RECRUITMENT? NO, THEY ARE A VERY EXPERIENCED GROUP TOO.

THEY TALKED ABOUT OVERSEAS AND SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

IT WAS AMAZING TO HEAR THEM TALK ABOUT THEMSELVES. YEAH, NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE A GOOD GROUP. AND SO HAPPY THAT, THAT THERE IS A VACANCY REPORT DUE TO MSDE ON THE 2ND OF OCTOBER. OURS IS ALREADY FILED BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO FILE A REPORT THAT SAYS THERE ARE ZERO. SO, OURS IS ALREADY IN AND TAKEN CARE OF.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, AND NOW WE'LL HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN MATCH ANY OF THESE? PROBABLY NOT, BUT I WILL SAY WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR OUR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE KIDS.

PRE-K'S FIRST DAY IS TOMORROW, WHICH I'M SURE WILL BE A LOT OF FUN AS WELL, BUT IT REALLY IS GREAT. DR.

WILLOUGHBY MENTIONED THE FACT YOU DON'T SLEEP THE DAY BEFORE KIDS SHOW UP. IT IS TRUE. YOU STILL DON'T. I DON'T CARE WHAT POSITION YOU'RE IN.

IT'S THE EXCITEMENT. THE NERVES, IT'S ALL OF THAT. I THINK IT'S HEALTHY.

BUT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WENT OFF REALLY WELL. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD MEMBERS BEING ABLE TO GET OUT TO THE BUILDINGS THE FIRST DAY AND SEE FOLKS. WE HAD 04,900 KIDS SHOW UP ON DAY 1.

THAT'S GOOD. YOU DON'T TEND TO SEE HIGH ATTENDANCE RATES ON THE FIRST DAY, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S PRE-LABOR DAY, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THINK

[01:15:01]

BUT WE HAD 4,900 SHOW UP.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, AND IT JUST STICKS OUT, NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL HAD A 95% ATTENDANCE RATE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. I MEAN, FOR A HIGH SCHOOL, 95% IS HUGE. FOR NORTH HIGH, WITH THAT NUMBER OF STUDENTS, WITH LIKE 1,150 KIDS, A 95% IS INCREDIBLE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE THE ONES WE TEND TO CHASE AROUND THE MOST TO GET THEM TO COME TO SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST LIKE WEEK. SO THAT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSIVE, BUT IT'S BEEN GREAT. I WILL SAY, PIGGYBACK WITH, WITH DR. WILLOUGHBY, THE NEW TEACHER GROUP HAS BEEN JUST FANTASTIC GOING INTO THE BUILDINGS SINCE THE FIRST DAY. STOPPED BY 2 OF THE BUILDINGS THIS MORNING AND HAD 2 PEOPLE WHO WE HIRED WHO WERE EXPERIENCED FROM OTHER DISTRICTS JUST KEPT RAVING ABOUT OUR KIDS. AND ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL THEY ARE.

AND EVEN, I KNOW IT'S DAY 5, BUT I'VE BEEN IN LOTS OF OTHER DISTRICTS ON DAY 5.

IT'S LIKE THE STUDENTS HERE ARE JUST WONDERFUL. LIKE, IT'S JUST SO DIFFERENT. I LOVE, I LOVE OUR KIDS, WHICH WAS GREAT, AND IT'S REFRESHING TO HEAR. BUT IT REALLY HAS BEEN A GREAT OPENING. HATS OFF TO EVERYBODY WHO MADE IT HAPPEN. HATS OFF TO TRANSPORTATION. HATS OFF TO THE BUILD SHOP FOR GETTING ALL THE PROJECTS TOGETHER, JUST REALLY MAKING THE SCHOOLS LOOK SO GOOD. I DON'T REMEMBER, I REALLY DON'T KNOW THAT I RECALL US HAVING AS WELCOMING OF A FEEL GOING INTO THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, JUST WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE TO REALLY GIVE OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS SOMEWHERE THAT DEMONSTRATES THE PRIDE THAT IT'S OKAY TO HAVE IN YOUR SCHOOL. IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THEY SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH, WHICH IS EXCITING. SO, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT, AND DAY 5 WAS GREAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO DAY 6 BEING AWESOME AS WELL. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY, AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS REPORT, AND WE'LL START ON THIS END THIS TIME WITH MRS. JOHNSTON. ALL RIGHT, SO I GOT TO SPEND THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AT NORTH CAROLINA WHICH LUCKILY, I KNEW IT WAS PINK DAY, SO I WAS ABLE TO MATCH UP WITH MR. SPIKER IN HIS PINK. SO, BUT IT WAS JUST REALLY COOL TO WATCH HIGH SCHOOLERS COME TO SCHOOL VERSUS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE LITTLES.

BUT I DID END UP AT RIDGELY ELEMENTARY AND ALL THE PARENTS TAKING THE PICTURES OF THE KIDS GOING TO KINDERGARTEN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ALL OF THAT. THAT WAS REALLY COOL.

BUT I REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MS. TOWERS AT CCTC BECAUSE WE HAD A FAMILY THAT CAME, THAT'S MY MAIN JOB IS HIS HOPE MINISTRIES. AND WE HAD A FAMILY, A SINGLE PARENT WITH 5 KIDS WHO, ONE OF THE KIDS WAS KIND OF DEVASTATED COMING INTO THE SHELTER AND GOING INTO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WITH THEIR HAIR NOT DONE. AND I WENT TO HER AND SAID, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT ANYBODY, ANY OF YOUR STUDENTS COULD DO THEIR HAIR? AND THEY SAID, ABSOLUTELY, HAVE THEM HERE IN 2 HOURS. AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO, I THINK THEY DID ALL 05, AT LEAST THE OLDER ONES, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THAT DONE AND JUST KIND OF CALM THAT LITTLE CHILD DOWN BEFORE THEY ENTERED THEIR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. SO THAT WAS A HUGE, HUGE THING, AND THANKS FOR ALL OF THAT. NOT GOING TO TALK ANYMORE, BUT IT WAS A COOL MOMENT THOUGH. SO GOOD FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. MR. JONES? I WAS ABLE TO GO TO LOCKERMAN MIDDLE AND DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE FIRST MORNING OF SCHOOL. ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO GET BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS, BUT IT WAS, THERE WAS REALLY A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AT LOCKERMAN.

I'VE BEEN THERE A FEW OTHER TIMES, AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE THE KIDS WERE REALLY EXCITED TO GET BACK IN THE BUILDING, LIKE MORE SO THAN IN YEARS PAST. JUST THE NOISE THAT WAS LIKE THE CHATTERING AND NOISE WAS REALLY MORE SO THAN I'D PROBABLY EVER SEEN THERE. SO, IT WAS NICE, AND I GOT TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING TO MR. MENGEL AT DENTON ELEMENTARY BECAUSE HE WAS THERE VISITING AND OVERSEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND GOT TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE SUMMER PROJECTS THAT KEPT HIS, KEPT HIM AWAKE AT NIGHT THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

SO, YOU WERE HIS SUPPORT THAT.

WE WERE SUPPORTING EACH OTHER ON DIFFERENT LEVELS.

BUT YEAH, SO GOOD, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD MORNING TO GET BACK IN THE SWING OF SCHOOL. I STARTED OUT MY MORNING AT COLONEL MIDDLE AND COLONEL HIGH. GOT AN INTERESTING STORY FROM OUR SRO, MR. HOPKINS. HE HAD A 6TH GRADER GOT OFF THE BUS AND KIND OF GOT TANGLED IN WITH SOME HIGH SCHOOLERS, AND THEY GOT INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY LOOKED AT MR.

[01:20:02]

LIKE THERE WAS, IT WAS QUIET.

IT WAS WEIRD, BUT IT WAS NICE TO, YOU KNOW, SEEMS LIKE THINGS WERE GOING BACK INTO SESSION AND READY TO ROLL. SO, SEEMS LIKE EVERYBODY'S EXCITED.

GREAT. WELL, LET'S START BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. SCHOOL AND JUST RECOGNIZE FOOD SERVICE AND ALL OF THE STAFF THAT PUT TOGETHER THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL KICKOFF. IT WAS IMPRESSIVE. I HAD TO CHUCKLE APPARENTLY AS I WAS WALKING ACROSS THE PARKING LOT, THE BAND WAS PLAYING SOME REALLY GREAT SONG AND MISS MISTY BUTLER SAID IT WAS MY WALK-UP SONG. I THINK EVERYBODY GOT A WALK-UP SONG THAT DAY BECAUSE THE VIBE WAS REALLY GOOD AND JUST, IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO WALK UP TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO, I WAS EXCITED THAT WE COULD WELCOME OUR STAFF BACK IN IN SUCH A GREAT WAY. I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE KIDS WHO PREPARED OUR SENIORS LAST YEAR TO GO TO COLLEGE. I DROPPED MINE OFF A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND SHE'S DOING FANTASTIC, AND I THINK THAT HAS A LOT TO SAY FOR HOW PREPARED OUR STUDENTS ARE WHEN THEY LEAVE US. SO, IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD. IT'S SO GOOD.

YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK FORWARD TO IT. SPEND ALL OF THIS YEAR GETTING READY, AND WHEN MOM DROPS YOU OFF, SHE'LL BE CONFIDENT THAT YOU'LL BE JUST FINE. THERE'LL BE A COUPLE TEARS, MOM, NOT GOING TO LIE. JUST A COUPLE, BUT IT'S OKAY. I GOT TO SPEND THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AT GREENSBORO WITH ALL THE NEW ADMINISTRATION AND EVERYBODY WAS REALLY EXCITED.

THAT'S A LOT OF LITTLES TO GET IN A BUILDING, BUT IT'S SEAMLESS. THEY JUST DO SUCH A GREAT JOB AND I GOT TO SPEND ABOUT 45 MINUTES WITH ALL THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS HANGING OUT WITH ALL THE NEW KIDS THAT HAD COME IN. MY NEPHEW WAS ONE OF THEM AND IT WAS ALL, IT WAS ALL SMILES. THERE WERE NO TEARS. EVERYONE WAS LIKE LIVING THEIR BEST LIFE IN THE CAFETERIA. AND IT'S BEEN GREAT. I'VE BEEN POPPING IN AND OUT SINCE, AND IT'S JUST BEEN, THE VIBE HAS BEEN GOOD. SO, I THINK EVERYONE, WHETHER THEY WERE READY OR NOT, LIKE MR. JONES SAID, I THINK EVERYONE IS BACK TO IT AND EXCITED, RATHER EXCITED TO BE THERE.

THAT'S GREAT, GREAT. THE FIRST DAY I VISITED CCTC IN NORTH CAROLINA AND ONE OF THE GREENSBORO. YEAH, I DID GO TO GREENSBORO ON THE FIRST DAY, AND BUT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. I WAS AT RIDGELY, AND OF COURSE IT WAS PRE-K ORIENTATION, AND THIS ONE LITTLE GIRL, JUST AS CUTE AS A BUTTON, AND SHE AND HER DAD, AND HE BROUGHT HER, THEY WERE HOLDING HANDS, AND SHE'S, I ASKED HER, HOW YOU DOING? DID YOU LIKE, SHE SAID, I REALLY LIKED IT.

SAID EVERYTHING WAS NICE, BUT I THINK I'M NOT COMING BACK ANYMORE. NICE PLACE TO VISIT.

SO, I ASKED HER TO PLEASE TRY IT AGAIN TOMORROW. YEAH, IT MADE US. BUT IT WAS, IT WAS SO CUTE, HER LITTLE BOWS IN HER HAIR AND EVERYTHING.

AND SHE WASN'T SURE, SO WE'LL SEE. LET'S HOPE SHE GETS THERE TOMORROW.

BUT I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE NEW TEACHER EVENTS WERE REALLY, REALLY NICE. AND I DID THE BUS TOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND OUR LEADER WAS OUTSTANDING.

THAT WAS DR. WILLOUGHBY. AND I DIDN'T KNOW DR. WILLOUGHBY KNEW CAROLINE COUNTY SO WELL.

BUT HE DOES. IT'S NOT THE ONLY THING HE DOES.

BUT I REALLY DID ENJOY IT, AND DR. WILLOUGHBY DID A WONDERFUL JOB WITH THAT TOUR. I ENJOYED EVERY MILE THAT YOU, THAT WE WENT. JUST, JUST THE VIDEOS THAT WERE POSTED OF THE SCHOOL WELCOMES WERE ENTERTAINING ENOUGH, SO IT'S ON MY CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR. I'M INTERESTED.

IT'S A LOT OF FUN. YEAH, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY NICE. WE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB WELCOMING OUR TEACHERS, OUR NEW TEACHERS, AS WELL AS OUR RETURNING TEACHERS.

AND SO, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AN OUTSTANDING SCHOOL YEAR.

REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. SO, THANK YOU, EACH OF YOU, FOR YOUR REPORTS. ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? I DON'T THINK SO. FUTURE BOARD ACTION?

[8. Upcoming Meetings and Events ]

[01:25:02]

AND ACHILLES, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY. IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU HERE TONIGHT.

THANK YOU, GUYS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.