Jan 10, 2022 Board Meeting

[00:00:06]

EVERYONE PLEASE MUTE YOUR DEVICE TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALLED THE ORDER

[Call to Order]

WITHOUT THE MOTION CARRIES AND AFTER MUELLER, COULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLUNGE? THANK YOU.

EVERYBODY RISE, PLEASE. HARD TO REACH CHANNELS. ONE NATION. ALREADY STARTING OFF WITH BOARD

[A. Board Member Comments]

BECAUSE OF THE COVID RISK, BUT I WOULD JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE YOU TO TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL NURSES. BECAUSE AGAIN I HAD A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION WITH, UM, MY KID'S SCHOOL NURSE, AND SHE MADE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER. THANK YOU. ALREADY, MISS KARWACKI. THANK YOU. AND ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU OUT FOR 10 ITTY. THIS EVENING TO JUST SHARE SOME GENERAL INFORMATION. ABOUT BOARDS OF EDUCATION. UM WE'VE BEEN GETTING QUITE A FEW EMAILS REGARDING EATING MASK MANDATE THAT WE INITIATED. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE BOARD DID NOT ISSUE THIS MANDATE. THAT IT WAS ISSUED. BY THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. AND THEN. ON JANUARY 3RD OF 2022, THE GOVERNOR ISSUED A MANDATE. THAT MASKS ARE REQUIRED IN ALL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. SO. THAT INCLUDES SCHOOLS AND WE ARE OBLIGATED. TO COMPLY WITH THAT

[00:05:08]

YOU'RE WELCOME. AND. WE ARE PERMITTED. OUTSIDE OF THESE SCHEDULED BOARD MEETINGS. TO MEET TO GATHER INFORMATION. AND DISCUSSED TOPICS. AS LONG AS. THERE THAT AS LONG AS WE'RE THERE IS NOT A QUORUM PRESENT. AND THAT THE TOPICS THAT WE ARE GETTING INFORMATION ABOUT UM DO NOT INCLUDE. THOSE ITEMS THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO VOTE IN AN OPEN SESSION. SO WHEN WE NEED.

AND WE DO NEED UM. WE GET INFORMATION ABOUT TOPICS RELATED TO THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. NOW, DR BOLSON HAS. MADE AN EFFORT TO BE CERTAIN THAT THE BOARD IS INFORMED AND AWARE. OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET WITH HIM TO GET THAT KIND OF INFORMATION. WHEN WE MEET IN THIS MANNER, IT'S NOT A VIOLATION. AND IT'S NOT A SECRET MEETING. IF YOU LOOK AT BOARDS OF EDUCATION ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL MEMBERS OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION COME WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE. OF SCHOOL SYSTEM OPERATIONS. WHEN WE HAVE THESE KINDS OF MEETINGS. IT PROVIDES. IT'S A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND HOW IT WORKS. UM WEH MARYLAND LAWS AND WITH FEDERAL LAWS. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT ADHERENCE. AND UM, AND SHARING INFORMATION. WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE LEGISLATIONS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR JOBS. WE ALSO TALK ABOUT WORKING WITH BUDGETS. WE HAVE A VERY LARGE AND DIVERSE BUDGET IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AS IN MANY LARGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. NOW I KNOW THAT HARFORD COUNTY RANKS I BELIEVE WITHIN THE TOP 200. LARGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. BY ENROLLMENT. AND. WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY. 13,800 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THIS COUNTRY. WE'RE PRETTY HIGH UP

[00:10:07]

BECAUSE OF, UM THE OVERWHELMING COVID ILLNESS GOING AROUND IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, FOLKS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP TO SUBSTITUTE HALF A DAY FULL DAY SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK. SO THAT OUR KIDS HAVE A CHANCE TO CONTINUE LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOMS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM. OUR THIS BOARD, MY COLLEAGUES AND I, UM WE ARE IN THIS WITH YOU WHO WE ARE PART OF YOUR THIS COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

IT'S A VERY SCARY TIME FOR A LOT OF US. SEEMS LIKE ILLNESSES GOING AROUND LIKE CRAZY AND IT'S AFFECTING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS AFFECTING OUR OUR OUR LEARNING COMMUNITY. UM BUT WHAT GIVES ME SO MUCH HOPE? UM. AND GRATITUDE IS HOW WE COME TOGETHER. FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR KIDS. AND SO I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS. UM SO ALL WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THAT GREAT EFFORT TO REMAIN VIGILANT.

AND TO REMAIN CREATIVE AND ENSURING THAT OUR CHILDREN AND THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. NOT ONLY IN THIS CLIMATE BUT BEYOND. AND UM, WE ARE DOING AS A BOARD EVERYTHING IN OUR CAPACITY TO SUSTAIN THAT LEARNING. I WANT TO THANK DR BOLSON FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS TEAM. UM, FOR WORKING WITH US, TOO. UM, TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DR PHILLIPS.

MHM. GOOD EVENING. FIRST OF ALL , I DO APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING TO GO VIRTUAL THIS EVENING. I DO FULLY ANTICIPATE TO BE BACK ORDER AT THE NEXT MEETING. WELL, I CERTAINLY HOPE EVERYONE HAD A NICE HOLIDAY SEASON. ALTHOUGH IF YOU'RE LIKE MOST PEOPLE I KNOW YOU SPENT IT EITHER WITH COVID.

WE'RE STAYING AWAY FROM SOMEONE YOU KNOW WHO HAS COVERED OR HAD COVID. IT'S BEEN QUITE A MONTH TYPICALLY MATTERS. WE DISCUSSED THIS TIME OF YEAR FOCUS ON BUDGET. WINTER SPORTS. AND, YES , EVEN GRADUATION PREPARATIONS. YET HERE WE ARE, WITH COVID ISSUES STILL AT THE TOP OF OUR CONCERNS. KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN OR GO VIRTUAL EMAILS SINCE BEFORE CHRISTMAS ACTUALLY FAVOR THE LATTER. ALTHOUGH OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN OPEN WITH THE STRESS STAFF, OR ALL DOING EVERY MARKABA JOB. EDUCATING YOUR CHILDREN UNDER UNUSUAL CONDITIONS, TO SAY THE LEAST. WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR DEDICATION. IT IS STILL REAL FOLKS. I CHECKED WITH THE UPPER CHEST SPEAK MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND AS OF NOON TODAY, THERE WERE 93 COVID PATIENTS THAT ARE FOR CHESAPEAKE. AND 41 FAR FROM MEMORIAL. AND WHILE THE MAJORITY OF OUR COUNTY POPULATION HAS

[00:15:05]

WELL, LET ME TELL YOU COVID CAUSES WHAT'S CALLED A HYPER QUAGGA LEVEL STATE. WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF BLOOD CLOTTING. SO THOSE FOLKS THAT DO COME IN WITH HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES ARE FOUND TO BE POSITIVE WITH COVID. ARE MOST LIKELY HAVING THOSE EVENTS BECAUSE OF COVID. BROKEN LEG, DIFFERENT STORY, AND THE CDC CERTAINLY DOES NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY REPORT THAT WAS ADMISSIONS. COVID HAS TAKEN ITS. EMOTIONAL TOLL ON EVERYONE ADULTS AND KIDS ALIKE. OUR CHILDREN ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION THERE. YOUNG DEVELOPING BRAINS HAVE NOT DEVELOPED COPING MECHANISM TO DEAL WITH THIS PANDEMIC. WE MUST SUPPORT THEM AS BEST WE CAN ENCOURAGE THEM TO OPEN UP TO PARENTS, TEACHERS OR OTHER TRUSTED ADULTS. WE MUST TRY TO PROVIDE THEM WITH AN EDUCATION UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH THEY WERE MOST ACCUSTOMED TO. IN PERSONAL LEARNING. BUT WE MUST ALSO KEEP THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY IN MIND. AND THERE IN LIES THE DIFFICULT BALANCING ACT. WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN IN VERY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES. IF YOU DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING ELSE AWAY FROM TONIGHT'S MEETING.

PLEASE BELIEVE THAT THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CARDI. 91 PUBLIC. SENSE AVAILABLE. IT'S ABOUT 40% AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE STRIKING IS I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BEDS. WE HAVE IT, HARFORD, BUT IF YOU TAKE AWAY THOSE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BEDS THERE QUITE A FEW. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE 40 OR SO UP THERE. IF YOU TAKE AWAY THOSE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BEDS FROM HARFORD. ROUGHLY 90% OF THE PEOPLE IN HARTFORD MEMORIAL RIGHT NOW ARE POSITIVE FOR COVID. MR ROBINSON. NO COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT, LET'S WELCOME. I HAVE NO COMMENTS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. THANKS. DR MUELLER, NO COMMON GREAT AND. WITH THAT

[B. Public Comments]

MADAM PRESIDENT. SORRY ALL SPEAKERS IS SUPPOSED TO BE MASKED. SORRY, YES, FORGOT TO ADD THAT TO THE LIST. YES I'LL SPEAKERS BETWEEN MASKED WHEN THEY ARE READING AS WELL AS WELL. THEY'RE SITTING LIKE TALK. THANK YOU. SO I HAD SOME THINGS WRITTEN DOWN TO TALK ABOUT. BUT AFTER HEARING SOME OF THE COMMENTS VIRTUALLY I HAVE TO RESPOND TO THEM. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS. WHY ARE THEY NOT HERE IN PERSON? WHEN THE REST OF YOU ARE IT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THEY REPRESENT. US. HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. SECOND OF ALL, I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE COVID NUMBERS AND STUFF. WE ARE THE DAYS WHEN WE GOT THE FLU, AND IT RAN THROUGH THE HOUSEHOLD FOR A WEEK, AND EVERYBODY GOT IT. AND THEN WE MOVED ON WITH OUR LIVES. WELL IN ESSENCE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH NOW. AND WHEN THE HOSPITAL TALKS ABOUT NON

[00:20:02]

PROBLEM. COME ON. OKAY, LET ME SCAN ISH. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO PUSH ASIDE THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN OVER A PANDEMIC WITH THE 99.9% SURVIVAL RATE. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS WITH NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT THAT. NO ONE SEEMS TO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY HAVE DOUBLED AMONG ADOLESCENTS. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN AN INCREASE IN NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS, VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. I OBTAINED AND SRE FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERIES, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS SUICIDAL IDEATION REPORTS ARE A COMPILATION. OF STUDENTS, SUICIDAL IDEATIONS ATTEMPTS SELF HARM, SUCH AS CUTTING AND STATEMENTS SUCH AS I WANT TO KILL MYSELF. DURING THE 2019 2020 SCHOOL YEAR. 764 REPORTS WERE MADE HCPS THEN WENT VIRTUAL FROM APRIL TO JUNE. DURING THAT TIME ONLY 14. ADDITIONAL REPORTS WERE ADDED. HCPS WAS AVERAGING, 100 I'M REPORTS PER MONTH. SEPTEMBER 2019 THROUGH MARCH, 2020 SHOWED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF SUICIDAL IDEATIONS EVER REPORTED IN A SINGLE YEAR. THEN JUST 14 REPORTS WERE MADE IN THE SPAN OF THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE 764 STUDENTS? THAT HCPS CONTINUED TO PROVIDE THEM ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH. DID. HCPS CONTINUED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THESE STUDENTS WHILE WORKING VIRTUALLY WHY DID THESE STUDENTS SUDDENLY JUST DROP OFF THE RADAR WHERE THEY ALL CURED OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES? EVEN MORE CONCERNING IS THE DATA FROM THE 2020 2021 SCHOOL YEAR. DURING THE ENTIRE YEAR. ONLY 307 SUICIDAL IDEATIONS WERE REPORTED. THIS INFORMATION IS EXTREMELY DISCONCERTING. BASED ON THE NUMBERS FROM OTHER YEARS, IT APPEARS THIS WAS GROSSLY UNDER REPORTED DURING VIRTUAL LEARNING. WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CASES DURING VIRTUAL LEARNING WHERE ALL OF THESE HIGH RISK STUDENTS OVERLOOKED FROM THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IN SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER. 2ND HTTPS IS ALREADY RECORDED 295 SUICIDAL IDEATIONS , ALMOST THE ENTIRE TOTAL FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR. HOW MUCH MORE SUICIDES AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS DO WE NEED BEFORE THIS INSANITY STOPS. WE HAVE FORCED KIDS TO SACRIFICE EVERYTHING TO PROTECT ADULTS IN SUIT THEIR ANXIETIES. IT'S TIME FOR ADULTS IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO STOP ACTING LIKE ENTITLED BRATS. IF YOU NO LONGER WISH TO BE IN SCHOOL,

[00:25:01]

REMEMBER THE 500 PLUS 500,000, PLUS AMERICAN CHILDREN LOCKED OUT OF SCHOOL THIS MONTH. YOU CAN STOP AT THE BAR. GET A DRINK. GOD. GONE. I SHOULD HAVE MENTAL ILLNESS. THAT MAKES YOU.

NEXT WE HAVE NANNY SASH OOH, FOLLOWED BY CURRENT BANK. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS NADIA. I COME HERE WEARING MANY HATS. FIRST I COME AS A FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. I AM APPALLED AT THIS AWARDS, LACK OF RESPONSE TO PARENTS AND CITIZENS. I HAVE EMAILED ALL OF YOU ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND HAVE NEVER EVEN GOTTEN AS MUCH AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, LET ALONE OVER SPOT. I KNOW IT'S A THANKLESS JOB. AND WHEN I WAS A BOARD MEMBER, MY STIPEND WAS ONLY $300. BUT I TOOK MY JOB SERIOUSLY. WELL ON THE BOARD. I WORKED AT THE PART TIME TEACHER AND A PART TIME TITLE ONE COORDINATOR FOR MY DISTRICT. BUT IF SOMEONE CONTACTED ME WITH THE QUESTION OR COMMENT, I WOULDA KNOWLEDGE THAT I RECEIVED IT AND THEN GET BACK TO THAT PERSON OR PERSONS IN A TIMELY MANNER. I AM . I HAVE OBSERVED MOST OF THESE MEETINGS AND HAVE HEARD SPEAKERS SAY TO YOU. PLEASE LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M SPEAKING TO YOU OR PLEASE STOP READING THE PAPERS IN FRONT OF YOU OR STOP LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LACK OF COMMON COURTESY WITH THIS BOARD. OR MAYBE YOU REALLY DON'T VALUE. THE PARENTS ARE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY. I ALSO COME AS A FORMER READING SPECIALIST TITLE ON COORDINATOR , PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS AND CITIZEN OF HARTFORD COUNTY. I'M DISGUSTED BY THE BOOKS DO YOU HAVE PUT INTO OUR CHILDREN'S HANDS? WHEN I HEARD PARENTS READING FROM THOSE BOOKS, I CRINGED AND I WASN'T BAREST TO EVEN LISTEN. AS A TAXPAYER. I DON'T WANT MY HARD EARNED TAX MONEY BEING SPENT ON THIS GARBAGE. AND I'M NOT FOR BANNING BOOKS. BUT THESE BOOKS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR OUR STUDENTS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN. TO READ THESE BOOKS. YOU CAN GET THEM AT AMAZON, THE PUBLIC LIBRARY TIRES OR WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR BOOKS. THERE IS ENOUGH GOOD LITERATURE OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T NEED THIS FIDDLE. AND IF THE NEXT BUDGET YOU DECIDE TO PURCHASE MORE OF THIS GARBAGE I WILL BE AT THAT MEETING OPPOSING THAT BUDGET EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

AND THREE WEEKS AGO, I HAD A CARDIOLOGIST APPOINTMENT WHEN HE CAME INTO THE EXAM ROOM. HIS FIRST WORDS WORK TO ME HIS WORDS, NOT MINE. WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE THINGS OFF. POINTING AT THE MASK. THEY DON'T WORK WHERE HIS EXACT WORDS WERE ABUSING OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU.

HELLO MY NAME IS KAREEM BANK. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARVARD COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES . I'VE ALSO BEEN A LIBRARIAN AND HARPER COUNTY FOR THE PAST NIGHT. IN THAT TIME I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AT AVERAGE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, AND CURRENTLY IT'S ONE CREAM. THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS HELPING STUDENTS FIND THE RIGHT BOOK FOR THEM. WHEN A STUDENT SHARED WITH ME TO THE BOOK HAS MADE THEM LAUGH AND MADE THEM CRY OR THINK ABOUT A SITUATION DIFFERENTLY. IT'S THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD. A TRULY BELIEVE THAT FOSTERING A LOVE OF READING IS HELPING STUDENTS. COME BETTER HUMAN SORT OF UNIQUE TOOLS TO CREATE AND I THINK IT'S THE CLOSEST WAY WE HAVE TO TRULY GET HEAD. CONCEPT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT IN LIBRARIES OR HOW BOOKS CAN BE NEARER. AND OFFER US A GREAT TO SEE INTO THE WORLD OR EXPERIENCE WHAT IS DIFFERENT A WORLD OR A MIRROR A REFLECTION OF OUR OWN REALITY. WINDOWS ARE A WAY TO SEE HOW OTHERS THE OTHERS AND APPRECIATE

[00:30:02]

BOTH VALUABLE THIS IS WHAT IT SAID TO ME WHEN I HEAR ABOUT PROTESTS AGAINST CERTAIN BOOKS AROUND THE COUNTY AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND HERE IN HARPER PROTESTS LIKE THESE SUCCESSFUL OR NOT, CAN LIMIT WHAT STORIES ARE BEING SHARED. THERE HAS BEEN MUCH IMPROVEMENT SINCE I'VE BECOME A LIBRARY AND ONLY 30% OF THE BOOKS PUBLISHED IN 2020. WE'RE ABOUT RACIALLY DIFFERENT RACIALLY DIVERSE CHARACTERS ARE SUBJECTS BUT ACCORDING TO THE COOPERATIVE CHILDREN'S BOOKS SENT WHICH IS TRACKED FOR CHILDREN'S BOOK REPRESENTATION STATISTICS FOR 30 YEARS. YET THE VAST MAJORITY OF BOOKS CHALLENGE ARE ABOUT NON WHITE AND LGBTQ CHARACTERS IN THE SURVEY ON RACISM THAT WE THAT HARPER COUNTY DID LAST YEAR. UM HAVE LESS THAN HALF. OF THE STUDENTS SURVEYED AGREED THAT THE TEXT IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY IN CLASSROOMS REFLECTED THE RACIAL DIVERSITY OF THEIR COUNTRY AND THEIR SCHOOL, ONLY 27% OF AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS SURVEYED AGREED WITH THIS STATEMENT, SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND CLASSROOMS AND REFLECT THE RACIAL DIVERSITY OF MY SCHOOL. IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE OUR STUDENTS. WE SHOULD BE EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF BOOKS FEATURING DIVERSE CHARACTERS NOT LIVE. IN HER 2014. TED TALK. JIMMY HONDA NEGOTIATE CHIEF TALKS ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF THE SINGLE STORY, SHE EXPLAINS. DISTINGUISH SINGLE STORY CREATES STEREOTYPES AND PROBLEMS. STEREOTYPES IS NOT THAT THEY ARE UNTRUE. BUT THAT THEY ARE INCOMPLETE. THEY TAKE ONCE THEY MAKE ONE STORY TO BECOME THE ONLY STORY TELLING STORIES THAT ONLY WE CAN TELL ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES, HOPES AND FEARS HELPED BREAK DOWN THE POWER OF CLICHES AND STEREOTYPES. ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN HARPER COUNTY DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR OWN STORIES TOLD ALL STUDENTS ALSO DESERVE THE CHANCE TO HAVE A WINDOW INTO LIVES. UNLIKE THEIR OWN. I HAD THE CHANCE LAST WEEK TO ASK HIM TO MAKE CURRENT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT HOW CERTAIN BOOKS HAVE IMPACTED THEM. ONE STUDENT WROTE. I LOVED ANNE FRANK'S DIARY BECAUSE IT HELPED ME REALIZE THE STRUGGLES AND HARDSHIPS THEY WENT THROUGH AND THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY BASED ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE. ANOTHER STUDENT WROTE. ABOUT THE BOOK FISHING. THE TREE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE BECAUSE IT SHOWED HOW YOU CAN LIVE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS WITHOUT IT CONTROLLING YOUR LEG. GONE.

NEXT WE HAVE MICHELLE CHRISTMAS, FOLLOWED BY JOHN IN CANADA. HI.

I'M MICHELLE CHRISMAN. IT'S VERY INTERESTING. WHEN WE HAVE A SPECTRUM OF PEOPLE. THAT ARE AS A TOTAL SETTING OUR CHILDREN UP TO FAIL. I HAVE BEEN STUDYING RESEARCH PAPERS WHEN IT COMES TO VACCINES AND VIRUSES FOR THE LAST 24 YEARS. I HAVE SEEN PATIENTS IN MY PRACTICE THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. THAT DECIDED , AND I REMEMBER WHEN THIS OCCURRED A GOOD 15 YEARS AGO, YOU ALL DECIDED THAT YOUR TEACHERS WERE ALSO DOCTORS AND YOU TOOK A SEVEN YEAR OLD CHILD . I STILL REMEMBER HIM. HE WAS THE CUTEST LITTLE KID EVER. HE HAD TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL. AND YOU TALKED TO HIS MOTHER AND TWO GOING TO THE PEDIATRICIAN TO PUT HIM ON PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS. LOOK UP PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS. THEY ARE THE SAME FORM AS COCAINE. AND THAT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION. THAT WAS YOUR SUGGESTION AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED . HIS MOTHER LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW HIM CLIMBING UP THE BACK OF THE TWO STORY FENCE. AND THE GENTLEMAN. THE FATHER IN LAW AND THE MOTHER WATCHED AS A SEVEN YEAR OLD ALMOST JUMPED OFF OF THAT TWO STORY STRUCTURE.

LUCKILY THE MOM WAS PAYING ATTENTION AND ACTUALLY STOPPED HIM AND SAVED HIS LIFE. YET WE'RE SEEING THE SUICIDE RATES JUMP. AND WHEN I GO OUT TO EVENTS, I'VE SEEN MANY OF YOU WITHOUT MASKS, MANY OF YOU YET YOU SIT HERE TODAY WITH MASKS AND YOU SAY IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE SICK, STAY HOME. GUESS WHAT? WE'RE PARENTS. WE KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN IF OUR CHILDREN ARE SICK. WE KEEP THEM HOME YET. I HAVE NOTICED BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN PRACTICE FOR A LONG TIME. THAT ONE OF YOU HERE THIS EVENING IS UNDER THE WEATHER. AND I'M VERY MUCH NOTICED THAT IF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE RED NOSE AND THE TISSUE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, SO WHY ARE YOU HERE THIS EVENING? YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF THAT QUESTION. THE OTHER THING THAT YOU HAVE TO ASK IS WHY ARE SO MANY PARENTS FEELING SILENCED? WHY LIKE, WHY IS THAT IF YOU GUYS WERE DOING SUCH A BANG UP JOB, THEN OUR CHILDREN'S PROFICIENCY RATES

[00:35:05]

HERE. MUZZLE. HMM. I STOOD OUTSIDE IN THE COLD TONIGHT. MOSTLY TO IMPORT INFO TO PARENTS , DEDICATED TEACHERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE FIGHT FOR KIDS. IN THE PAST WEEK. I DID A DEEP DIVE INTO ALL THINGS TEACHERS UNIONS. I WAS SHOCKED AND APPALLED. HAVE ONE OF THE LARGEST LABOR UNIONS ROBBED ITS OWN MEMBERS FOR MONEY TO PUSH ITS OWN NEFARIOUS GENDER AND NOW UNDERSTAND WHY A SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS WOULD BE SO. IN BALDIN AS TO COMPLETELY IGNORE PARENTS, EMAILS, A PARENT WHOSE CHILD ATTENDS A SCHOOL IN HIS DISTRICT. WHY ANOTHER SCHOOL BOARD DEEMED CONCERNED PARENTS DOMESTIC TERRORISTS AND SIT THE FBI ON THEM. SCHOOL BOARD CRT THE SEXUALIZATION OF OUR CHILDREN MANDATED MASKS, VACCINES TESTINGS. THEY'RE ALL BRANCHES STEMMING FROM A BEAST OF A TREE TRUNK WITH ROTTEN ROOTS. MAYBE THAT SOUNDS DRAMATIC, BUT ANY ORGANIZATION PURPORTING TO ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN THAT WOULD OPPOSE A FEDERAL BIPARTISAN BILL. PREVENTING SEX OFFENDERS FROM WORKING IN OUR SCHOOLS IS EVIL.

I DON'T GIVE A FLYING F ABOUT. MINOR ATTRACTED PERSONS MAPS. AND IF YOU SUPPORT THAT YOU COULD CARE LESS ABOUT OUR KIDS. FOR DECADES, GOOD TEACHERS WERE HELD HOSTAGE BINATIONAL UNIONS THROUGH FORCE MEMBERSHIP AND DUE TO THE TUNE OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR.

WORD IS THE MONEY GO? NOT WHERE YOU THINK. IF A UNION MEMBER IS SAFE, CHRISTIAN OR PRO LIFE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT TEACHERS UNIONS SPENT OODLES OF MONEY LOBBYING FOR SUCH THINGS AS LATE TERM ABORTIONS. GUESS WHAT ELSE? IT SPENDS BOATLOADS OF MONEY ON VETTING AND RECRUITING DISTRICT SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS WHO WILL BOW DOWN AND DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD. NO WONDER DOCTOR BOLSON IGNORES MY EMAILS. IN ADDITION TO THE REAL SCIENCE IN LIEU OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, BY THE WAY, AS OF DECEMBER, 31ST. THE CDC HAS PULLED THE PCR TEST, WHICH KEPT US ALL HOLED UP LAST YEAR.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK THAT COVID'S KILLING OUR KIDS, PLEASE KNOW THAT TWO THIRDS OF THOSE KIDS ARE OBESE, NOT OVERWEIGHT. OBESE HOW ABOUT WE DEAL WITH THAT EPIDEMIC? PERHAPS THE BOARD AND THE MASK IT EAR PARENTS COULD WORK ON A HEALTHIER LUNCH CHOICE THAN NOT SHAKE GRAND FOUR OUT OF FIVE DAYS A WEEK OR AN EXERCISE PLAN. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT DEADLY. GOD.

NEXT WE HAVE LISA STONE, UM, FOLLOWED BY JOSH CASUAL. 18 THAT SUPREME COURT

[00:40:01]

SHAME ON YOU. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF YEARS FROM NOW ONE OR ALL OF YOU RECEIVE A SUMMONS INFORMING YOU OR BEING SUED FOR SUPPORTING MANDATES THAT HORNED CHILDREN OR PERHAPS CONTRIBUTING TO A CHILD SUICIDE. THAT'S NOT MELODRAMA THAT WILL COME. MAYBE GROW. OKAY A PAIR OF YOU KNOW WHAT'S BOARD MEMBERS OR A CONSCIENCE OR SOUL? DO RESEARCH AND WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.

NO THIS PANTS ARE COMING FOR THE UNIONS AND ATTENDEES. PLEASE COME TO THE END OF THE MANDATES . MARCH IN D. C ON SUNDAY, JANUARY, 23RD THERE WILL BE DOCTORS, LAWYERS, MUSICAL ARTISTS, ACTORS, PRO ATHLETES STANDING WITH US AND SPEAKING WE HAVE SOME SMALL INFORMATION FLYERS WE CAN GIVE OUT ON THE WAY AND DR MALONE WILL ALSO BE THERE. OKAY? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOSH KOZEL. THIS MESSAGE IS NOT ONLY FOR YOU WITH THE BOARD, IT'S ALSO FOR THE PEOPLE LISTENING AT HOME. AND FOR OUR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, I WAS INSPIRED BY THIS COURAGEOUS TESTIMONY LAST MONTH ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH. GIVEN BY A LADY FROM OUR COMMUNITY. AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO FIND OUT HOW I IN THE COMMUNITY CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE SCHOOLS. OUR SURGEON GENERAL RECENTLY MADE A RARE STATEMENT ABOUT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT HAS BEEN FURTHER EXPOSED BY THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. HE STATES EVEN BEFORE THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES WERE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DISABILITY AND POOR LIFE OUTCOMES IN YOUNG PEOPLE.

WITH UP TO ONE IN FIVE CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 17 IN THE US WITH A REPORTED MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, DEVELOPMENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL DISORDER IN 2016 OF THE 7.7 MILLION CHILDREN WITH A TREATABLE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER. ABOUT HALF DID NOT RECEIVE ADEQUATE TREATMENT. HE CONTINUES RECENT RESEARCH COVERING 80,000 YOUTH GLOBALLY, FOUND THAT DEPRESSIVE AND ANXIETY SYMPTOMS DOUBLED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WITH 25% OF YOUTH EXPERIENCING DEPRESSIVE.

SYMPTOMS AND 20% EXPRESSING ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AND FINALLY IN EARLY 2021 EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS IN THE UNITED STATES FOR SUSPECTED SUICIDE ATTEMPTS. WE'RE 51% HIGHER FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND 4% HIGHER FOR ADOLESCENT BOYS, COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME EARLIER IN 2019.

MOREOVER PANDEMIC RELATED MEASURES REDUCED IN PERSON INTERACTION AMONG CHILDREN, FRIENDS, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS TEACHERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, PEDIATRICIANS, CHILD WELFARE WORKERS. THIS MADE IT HARDER TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF CHILD ABUSE, MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND OTHER CHALLENGES. THIS IS GRAVE CONCERN. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION IS BETTER IDENTIFIED WHEN STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE IN PERSON IN THIS DATA ON MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN SHOULD RESULT IN OUR SCHOOLS, NEVER SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN AND ULTIMATELY REMOVING THE MASKS FROM OUR VULNERABLE MOST MODERN, VULNERABLE CITIZENS. OUR CHILDREN. USING HTTPS DATA AS MENTIONED BEFORE HE CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT PROVIDED TO OUR STUDENTS HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN THE SCHOOL CLOSURE HAPPENED IN MARCH OF 2020. PRIOR TO THE LOCKDOWN SEPTEMBER 2019 TO MARCH 2020 DATA SHOWED THAT THERE WERE 764 SUICIDAL, IDEATIONS REPORTED. IN ONLY 14 DURING APRIL, MAY AND JUNE OF THAT SAME YEAR. IN ADDITION, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE 764 IDEATIONS REPORTED , WAS THE HIGHEST IDEATION

[00:45:02]

I ASKED A FEW HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND PARENTS TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THE LAST TWO YEARS. I'M GOING TO READ YOU A FEW OF THEIR ANSWERS I RECEIVED THIS IS FROM A PARENT. MY SON IS A FOOTBALL PLAYER. HE USED HIS INHALER AND GOT THRUSH AND HE HAD A SORE THROAT AND DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE HE WAS SO AFRAID THAT HE HAD COVID.

AND HIS WHOLE TEAM WOULD HAVE TO QUARANTINE AND THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PLAY. HE WAS SO UPSET AND ANXIOUS ALMOST IN TEARS AND KEPT SAYING YOU HAVE NO IDEA, MOM, YOU HAVE NO IDEA. JUST THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH WEIGHT THAT IS FOR A CHILD TO BEAR ON HIS SHOULDERS. TO THIS DAY. HE'S LACKING MOTIVATION AND STRUGGLING DAILY BECAUSE HE HAS ONE QUARANTINE AWAY FROM FAILING IS DEVASTATING AS A PARENT TO SEE YOUR CHILD STRUGGLE AND NOT BE ABLE TO FIX IT. STOP. THE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE BETTER. THIS ONE IS FROM A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. FROM A HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS PERSPECTIVE, VIRTUAL LEARNING REALLY TOOK A HUGE MENTAL TOLL ON ME AND A LOT OF MY FRIENDS. SOME THRIVE DURING VIRTUAL LEARNING, BUT OTHERS LIKE MYSELF, STRUGGLED VERY MUCH AND HAVING NO MOTIVATION OR WILLINGNESS TO GET OUT OF BED AND ACTUALLY DO MY SCHOOLWORK EVERY DAY. I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT QUITE LITERALLY. EVERY DAY I LOGGED INTO SCHOOL ROLLED OVER AND WENT BACK TO SLEEP. THAT WAS THE PATTERN THAT I FOLLOWED EVERY DAY UNTIL WE WENT BACK TO SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME. AT THE END OF 2021 SCHOOL YEAR, I WAS SO MENTALLY DRAINED EVERY DAY. FROM STARING AT A SCREEN FOR EIGHT HOURS STRAIGHT, FIVE DAYS A WEEK. ON TOP OF THAT, MY GRADES TANKED. AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I GOT A D ON MY REPORT CARD. MY MENTAL HEALTH ALSO DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY. I WAS DEPRESSED, AND I WAS HAVING PANIC ATTACKS ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS, BEING TRAPPED IN MY HOUSE ALL THE TIME AND NEVER BEING ABLE TO SEE MY FRIENDS OR NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE AN ENJOYABLE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE DIDN'T HELP EITHER. I CAN'T DO THAT TO MYSELF AGAIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M SO CLOSE TO BEING DONE WITH HIGH SCHOOL. WE ALREADY CAN'T HAVE SPECTATORS THAT ARE SPORTING EVENTS DRAMA PRODUCTIONS, WHICH IS A HUGE SOURCE OF JOY AND SEROTONIN FOR A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BENJAMIN. HIGHS ARE MASKING FOR FOUR MINUTES ON THE CLOCK BECAUSE YOUR CLOCK IS SKIPPY NUMBERS. ALL RIGHT, UM, FIRST OFF. UM DR DAVID BAUER. I NEED TO SEE THAT HE'S ACTUALLY A PERSON. I'VE NOT SEEN HIM YET. IT COULD BE ANYBODY TALKING BEHIND THAT PHONE. MISS GUNTHER. OR DO THIER. SHE'S ALSO A MEMBER AND HER HUSBAND OF THE TEACHERS BOARD. I MEAN OF THE TEACHERS UNION, SO THERE'S A SLIGHT CONFLICT OF INTEREST THERE. SIGN

[00:50:02]

TALKING ABOUT THIS CRISIS, HOWEVER. THE SUPERINTENDENT CLEARLY STATED. THAT HE WAS HOPING TO INCENTIVIZE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN TO GET VACCINATED. DOWNRIGHT BULLY. AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH IS BOARD DOES NOT REPORT TO WANTS A MASSACRE CHILDREN AND MAKE IT SO UNCOMFORTABLE. HE CAN BULLY HIMSELF INTO OUR HOMES. NOT HAPPENING. YOU ALL NEED TO DECIDE WHETHER THIS IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MARYLAND AT HARFORD COUNTY OR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. NOW I SEE THAT SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT ME A LITTLE STRANGE, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE COURTS ARE SET UP. OUR DISTRICT COURT. IS THE DISTRICT COURT OF MARYLAND FOR HARFORD COUNT. WE ALL HAVE CERTAIN RULES. THE AUTHOR FOLLOWED BY THEM, OKAY? ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY ACT INDEPENDENT? WHAT INDEPENDENT DECISIONS? CAN YOU FREAKING MATE? ALSO CEO OR THAT PASTOR. A CUTE LITTLE LEGISLATION HAS ZERO TEETH ATTACHED TO IT. IF THIS SCHOOL BOARD DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO TAKE OFF MASK THEY CAN BECAUSE THERE'S ZERO CONSEQUENCES IN DOING SUCH GO AHEAD AND CHECK OUT THAT LEGISLATION. ALSO PART OF THAT MEETING. THEY QUOTED 80% VACCINATION RATES AS AN OFF RAMP. THAT WAS AN ARBITRARY NUMBER THROWN OUT BY SOMEBODY, AND THERE'S NO DOUBT BEHIND IT WHATSOEVER. WE MUST OFFER RAMP OURSELVES. AND THERE IS ZERO CONSEQUENCES AND DO THEM. GO.

NEXT WE HAVE STICKINA HOLLANDSWORTH, FOLLOWED BY KRISTINA TROTTA. THE CODE.

PRIMER BY THE WAY. I WAS GOING TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE VIRTUAL LEARNING OF ALBANY MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT I THINK IT SPEAKS MORE SO TO THE POINT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF RHETORIC AND PRECEDENTS SET BY DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND DIFFERENT LEGISLATIVE BODIES ACROSS THIS COUNTY. UM AS I WAS SITTING BACK LISTENING TO THE BOARD COMMENTS, I WAS HEARING A BUNCH OF KIND OF EXCUSES AS TO WHAT YOU GUYS CAN DO WHAT YOU CAN'T DO AS THE BOARD OF ED AND DISCOUNTING AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU CAN SET PRECEDENT. BY SAYING THAT YOU SUPPORT SCHOOLS. THEY'RE ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY WISH WITH. THE NUMBERS ARE GIVEN TO THEM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT SAYING THAT IS A PARTISAN ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAVE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. WHO HAVE BOUGHT INTO THE COVID HYSTERIA.

WE HAVE A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, WHO DESPITE PUSHING ALL OF THESE PROPAGANDA ABOUT VACCINES AND MASKING. HE GOT COVID. HE'S STILL ACQUIRED COVID, AND HE'S STILL OUT THERE PUSHING THIS VACCINE AND THAT HAS MADE ITS WAY DOWN TO THIS LEVEL. AND AS A BOARD OF ED, YOU'RE PRIORITY IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE PARENTS OF THESE CHILDREN. THE CHILDREN AND GIVEN THAT THERE IS INFORMATION ON THE DETRIMENTS TO THESE CHILDREN GOING BACK TO VIRTUAL LEARNING THAT IS NON PARTISAN THAT IS UNBIASED, AND GIVEN THAT SO MANY PARENTS KEEP SAYING THAT THEY FEEL UNHEARD BY THE BOARD OF ED. WHY IS IT THAT YOU GUYS ARE EITHER UNWILLING TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS INFORMATION OR JUST OUTRIGHT? DON'T EVEN ACCEPT IT AS AS IT COULD BE FACT BECAUSE IT MESSES WITH YOUR CONFIRMATION BIAS OR SOMETHING. UM AND I THINK IT REALLY JUST DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF INTEGRITY

[00:55:04]

LET'S JUST FACE IT. I DON'T KNOW WHY ANY OF YOU ARE HERE. HER SUFFOCATING OUR CHILDREN. YOUR FEARS BECOME OUR PROBLEMS. NOW OUR CHILDREN ARE MISSING OUT ON THE BEST YEARS OF THEIR LIVES.

BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU. YOU HAVE THE ABSOLUTE OR DESTINY TO BE DOING THIS TO THESE KIDS. WE HAVE TAKEN OUR CHILDREN INNOCENT YEARS. NEED TO FIX THIS. YOU'RE ALL IN THIS. REALLY. THIS IS DISGRACEFUL AND DISGUSTING. HAVE LUCAS MERRICK FOLLOWED. BY TINA GRAPH. LEGS FALLING ASLEEP.

EATING HERE, SO. SO I'VE NEVER DONE NEVER SPOKEN HERE BEFORE, AND SO I APOLOGIZE IF I DO IT WRONG. UM, I ACTUALLY JUST HAD A QUESTION. I DON'T HAVE TIME I ASK QUESTIONS. YOU RESPOND TO QUESTIONS WON'T RESPOND TO THEM. BUT YOU CAN. YOU CAN ASK RIGHT. SO, UM MISS KELLY. YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD HAD SOME FEARS THAT WERE US TO WATCH. BY SPEAKING WITH. IF YOU GET A CHANCE THAT IT'S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE, WOULD YOU MIND SHARING THIS FEARS SPECIFICALLY? AND THEN WHAT THE NURSE HAS SAID TO YOU THAT HAD MADE YOU FEEL BETTER. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEIR OPINION WAS. HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WHO WAS ACTIVE IN OUR SCHOOL. YOU KNOW HE WAS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. UM NEXT QUESTION IS FOR THIS PROACTIVE. SHE'S SHE'S STILL WITH US, UM AND THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT A SPECIFIC STATEMENTS THAT SHOULDN'T THAT YOU HAD MADE THIS CORRECTLY. UM PRINCE IS CONCERNING THE. EFFECTIVE. THE BOARD IS FOLLOWING ALL REGULATIONS AND.

EVERYTHING THROUGH PROPER CHANNELS, AND I HAD JUST KIND OF CURIOUS, AND I WANT TO KNOW. HAD THERE BEEN ANY ACCUSATIONS TO THE CONTRARY. AND JUST SO I CAN GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THE CONVERSATION IS AROUND. MATTER. OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO HEAR MORE FROM THE BOARD ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC OPINIONS AND YOUR VIEW OF WHAT YOU THINK. IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING? SOME OF THESE SOME OF THEM NOT JUST THE CONCERNS, BUT ALSO ANY OTHER CONCERNS THAT MAYBE WORK, YOU KNOW, WEREN'T BROUGHT UP. BY PRESENTED SO FAR THAT MAY ADD SOME NUANCE TO DISCUSS. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT. I. HI TINA GRAPH AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAD SOMETHING TO READ AND MY PHONE DIED SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I COULD PROBABLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I ANSWERED THE

[01:00:06]

SOME DAYS AVERAGE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS CLOSED FOR ONE REASON THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF.

THE BUS DRIVERS. I'VE DEALT WITH BUS DRIVERS OVER THE PAST. MONTHS WE HAVE HAD NO BUS DRIVERS BECAUSE THEY'RE SICK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT LIKE WE'RE AT A LOSS. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. I FEEL LIKE THAT. YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTING US. AND I JUST REALLY WISH THAT THE PUBLIC AND THE PARENTS WOULD KNOW THAT SO THAT'S ALL. SORRY I HAD A VERY NICE SPEECH. BUT THAT'S A LOT OF SO THANK. OKAY, THAT IS THE END OF ALL RIGHT, MISS LATER. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GAUTIER. BEFORE WE BEGIN, WE'D LIKE TO REMIND SPEAKERS WAITING IN THE LOBBY THAT IF YOU EXPERIENCE A 30 MINUTE, MAXIMUM WAIT TIME TO CALL BACK. I'LL TRY TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE LOBBY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALLOW ALL SPEAKERS. WITH THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY ONE NUMBER IN THE LOBBY, SO I WILL ADMIT THAT SPEAKER. AND GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE NOW ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME. YOUR TIME WILL CONCLUDE IN THREE MINUTES. YOU WILL HEAR A BELL RING WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. GOOD EVENING BOARD AND ALL EDUCATORS ON BEHALF OF THE HARPER COUNTY NAACP. I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP EACH WEEK, WHETHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY YOU'RE SHOWING UP. THANK YOU FOR MAKING SURE THAT CHILDREN'S HEALTH IS PARAMOUNT. THANK YOU FOR WORKING LONGER AND HARDER EVEN AS KOBE CASES AND DEATHS CONTINUE TO RISE. THANK YOU FOR BEING COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS FEEL LIKE THEIR HISTORY MATTERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU ARE BULLIED, TORN DOWN. AND THREATENED TONIGHT AND OUR REGULAR BASIS. PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR COMMITMENT IS THE WORK AND THAT WE STAND WITH YOU. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT GLORIA THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR THIS EVENING IN VIRTUAL COMMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WITH THAT THAT WILL BE THE END OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. UH CONSENT AGENDA. DR. MUELLER

[C. Consent Agenda]

[01:05:03]

[D. Update on Continuity of Learning, Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent of Schools]

THAT'S BEEN KIND OF TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF THE MIX. UM. AND THEN WE CAME BACK, YOU KNOW, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR CAPACITY TO BE IN SCHOOL, AND WE HAD THE I DON'T USUALLY SAY IT THAT WAY. USUALLY SUPERINTENDENT KIND OF CHEER AGAINST SNOW. BUT HAVING THAT FIRST DAY WITH THE WEATHER GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS WHERE WE WERE WE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE WEEKEND LEADING UP TO IT. WE HAD A CHANCE TO DETERMINE RELEASED GET AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY STAFF WE EXPECTED TO BE ABSENT. DURING LAST WEEK, AND THEN WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR ADDRESSING THOSE ABSENTEES. UM WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE STUDENT, ONE STUDENT, ONE SCHOOL THAT'S THAT'S SHIFTED TO VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION. AH WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 30% OF OUR STAFF OUT. NOW THAT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS, IN MANY CASES THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST SICK. THE NEW CASE RATE, THE POSITIVITY IN THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY HIGH AT LEAST FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN THAT ANY OTHER POINT FROM AT LEAST YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU READ THE METRICS, BUT AND SO WE KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST BEEN GENUINELY SICK AGAIN. SOME WITH COVID. SOME WITHOUT IN SOME CASES, WE'VE HAD STUDENTS WHO WERE SICK AND AT THAT TIMES ARE EMPLOYEES END UP BEING THE ONES WHO NEED TO STAY HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN. PARTICULARLY THEY HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN. AND SO WE, YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE OUT, BUT I THINK IT'S FORWARD. LEGITIMATE REASONS . BUT THAT DOESN'T THAT THAT'S CREATED A SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.

AND KEEPING THE SCHOOL'S AFLOAT. ONE THING I THINK MAYBE HE ISN'T COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE DEALT WITH THROUGH COVID IS THAT ABSENCE OF SUBSTITUTES WHETHER IT'S SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS SUBSTITUTE FOOD NUTRITION WORKERS, SUBSTITUTE NURSES AND SUBSTITUTE BUS OPERATORS. THE NUMBER OF DRIVERS AND WHAT THE LACK OF SUBSTITUTES MEANS. IS THOSE WHO ARE THERE ARE CARRYING. THE ADDITIONAL LOAD FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT THERE, AND IN MOST CASES I DON'T WANT SAY THEY'RE HAPPY TO DO IT, BUT OUR EDUCATORS STEP UP. UM BUT THE FACT THAT THEY'VE HAD TO STEP UP SO MUCH FOR SO LONG. I MEAN, THEY ALREADY HAVE VERY LITTLE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE WORK THEY DO FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND THE FACT THAT THAT'S THEN. KIND OF EATING AWAY AT EVERY DAY BY THE BY THE NEED AND AGAIN, THEY STEP UP. THEY DO THE COVERAGE FOR THEIR COLLEAGUES, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IN MANY CASES, YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO'S COVERING FOR SOMEONE TODAY WITHOUT A DIFFERENT THING AND HAD SOMEONE COVERING FOR THEM. I MEAN THAT OUR TEAM HAS STEPPED UP TO DO THIS. WE GOT OUT TO OUR SCHOOLS . WE KEEP AN EYE ON WHAT WE ANTICIPATE WITH REGARD TO ABSENTEES AND OUR SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF OUR STAFF. REALLY, THAT IS TO ASSESS WHETHER WE CAN KEEP THE BUILDINGS OPEN BECAUSE I THINK IF THERE WAS ANYTHING DRIVING THE DECISION TO STAY OPEN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IT WAS UM THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES WHEN THEY'RE AT HOME. SOME OF OUR FAMILIES CAN AFFORD TO STAY AT HOME WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND KIND OF USHERED THEM THROUGH. CORRECTIONAL LEARNING, BUT MANY CANNOT AND SO OUR STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE SOMEONE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT PUTTING THEM IN A MORE UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. SO YOU KNOW THOSE WHO HAVE CRITICIZED THE FACT THAT WE WERE CLOSED. I MEAN , THOSE WERE DECISIONS LAST YEAR . WE WERE CLOSED QUITE A BIT LAST YEAR, AND WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW THAT CREATE A LOT OF ANXIETY IN THE COMMUNITY. UM BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MOST OF THAT CLOSURE OCCURRED PRIOR TO HAVING MANY OF THE MEDICAL TOOLS WE HAVE. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE VACCINE. MANY OF THE TREATMENTS WERE NOT AS EFFECTIVE. YOU KNOW, THE MORTALITY RATE WAS HIGHER WHEN PEOPLE GOT SICK. SO EVEN THOUGH WE'RE SEEING HIGHER INFECTIONS YOU KNOW, WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE MORE TOOLS TO ADDRESS THAT AND HELP PEOPLE HELP PEOPLE STAY SAFE. ALL OF THAT IN MIND. UM YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS

[01:10:06]

THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST HAVING SOME FREEDOM TO DO THINGS THAT OTHERS DON'T.

THEY'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE SAME CHALLENGES EVERY PARENT, BUT AND SO. I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO . I KNOW THIS ISN'T THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT. BUT I DO WANT TO ECHO MY APPRECIATION FOR WHAT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN DOING. CAUSE IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE SCHOOLS WHO ARE REALLY CARRYING THE HEAVIEST OF LOADS UM, WHEN WE SEE WHERE SCHOOLS NEED THE MOST HELP, WE'RE NOW DEPLOYING PEOPLE WITH FULL TIME JOBS. PEOPLE FROM CENTRAL OFFICE WHO HAVE VERY LONG TO DO LISTS. THEY'RE GOING OUT TO COVER IN THE CLASSROOMS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT'S STILL IS THE FIRST PRIORITY. SO THEY'RE GOING TO FILL IN. WE'RE TRYING TO BE BEFORE THE BREAK.

WE SENT A FEW OUT TO EVERY SCHOOL TO TRY TO. IT WAS SORT OF A JUST SPREAD THE SUPPORT AROUND THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO BE A LITTLE MORE TARGETED A LITTLE MORE TACTICAL ABOUT IT. AND SO WE'RE DEPLOYING SPECIFIC PEOPLE TO SPECIFIC SCHOOLS WHERE THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE ON A DAILY BASIS, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE MONITORING THAT. THIS IS AN IDEAL. THIS IS HARD ON EVERYBODY. BUT. IT'S KEEPING OUR BUILDINGS OPEN AND OUR FEAR IS WHAT HAPPENS IF WE CLOSE. AND SO , YOU KNOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING ABERDEEN MIDDLE BACK ONLINE. HOPEFULLY WE'VE GIVEN PEOPLE A CHANCE TO GET HEALTHY AND BE ABLE TO RETURN. HERE AFTER THE THREE DAY WEEKEND. BUH BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN OUT OF JUST KIND OF BUBBLE UP IN OTHER PLACES. WE DEFINITELY HAVE. SOME SCHOOLS ARE KEEPING I AM, BUT WE GO BACK THE STAFF AND THE SCHOOLS THE LEADERSHIP IN THE SCHOOLS THAT WANT TO KEEP THE SCHOOLS OPEN DATE. THEY CAN SEE THE IMPACT OF HAVING BEEN CLOSED LAST YEAR. WE DON'T DENY THAT WE HAD A VERY DIFFICULT IMPACT ON MANY OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE A LOT TO RECOVER FROM. WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT RECOVERY, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO GET THROUGH EVERY DAY.

AND UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW. I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS TEAM. I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE TEAM. EVERYBODY IN THE SYSTEM. BUT WITH THAT SAID, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR SUKHDEV FOR HER REPORT. I MEAN, AGAIN. WE'VE HAD TO ADJUST EVERYTHING ON THE FLY IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. BEGAN OUR TEAM HAS WAS NONSTOP, YOU KNOW, IN NEW DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, NEW U TURNS NEW NEW PRACTICES TRY TO FIT THE REALITY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. NOW IT'S I'M GOING TO ASK MR SUIT AND THEN MISS RIDGEWAY TO DESCRIBE A LITTLE OF THAT FOR US. SO MARY THANK YOU SO MUCH. DOCTOR BOLSON NEARING AS SOON AS SUPERVISOR OF HEALTH SERVICES. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EVENING WHEN I'M ABLE TO REPORT IMPROVING METRICS, HOWEVER, SADLY, THAT IS NOT TONIGHT. COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION REMAINS HIGH IN HARFORD COUNTY. TODAY'S POSITIVITY VERY JUST 31.49. AND OUR DAILY CASE WHERE IT IS NEARLY 200 CASES. PER 100,000. IT'S 1 96.8 OUR DISTRICT DASHBOARD TODAY, REPORTS 845 STUDENTS IN ISOLATION 541 STUDENTS IN QUARANTINE 165 STUDENTS AND STAFF AND ISOLATION AND VOICE STAFF IN QUARANTINE. I BELIEVE OUR ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE NUMBERS ARE STARTING TO SHOW THE IMPACT OF THE SHORTENED QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION GUIDANCE MOVING TO FIVE DAYS. WE BEGAN THAT THIS YEAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, AND IT WAS AN ENDORSED LAST WEEK BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND CLARIFIED BY THE CDC. ARE MORE FOCUSED QUARANTINE TO INCLUDE HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS AND HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES SUCH AS SPORTS SHOULD ALSO HELP US TO KEEP MORE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL. IN HER DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM. WE ARE SEEING INCREASING RATES OF POSITIVE RESULTS LAST WEEK WE HAD 53 POSITIVE RAPID RESULTS OF 138 TESTED 12 POSITIVE. PCR IS OUT OF OUR 15 PCR TESTS. SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO REFLECT THE LEVEL OF TRANSMISSION WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. CURRENTLY WE HAVE 15 OUTBREAKS REPORTED ON THE MGH WEBSITE. 11 OF THESE 15 ARE CONSIDERED SCHOOL OUTBREAKS. THE OTHERS ARE CLASSROOM. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT SCHOOLS REMAIN AN OUTBREAK STATUS UNTIL 14 DAYS HAVE ELAPSED WITHOUT A POSITIVE CASE RELATED TO THOSE OUTBREAK CLASSROOMS SO WE WILL SEE SOME OF THE PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED SCHOOLS TAKEN OFF THIS LIST ON WEDNESDAYS. MURAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POSTING. ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS CHANGED THE DEFINITION OF OUTBREAKS STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY. UM NOW CLASS OR COHORT OUTBREAK IS DEFINED AS THREE OR MORE LABORATORY CONFIRMED COVID CASES AMONG STUDENTS, TEACHERS OR STAFF. IN A SPECIFIED GROUP WITH ONE SET OR IF THEY SYMPTOMATIC COLLECTION DATES WITHIN A 14 DAY PERIOD, WHO ARE EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY LINKED IN THE SCHOOL SETTING, BUT NOT HOUSEHOLD CONTACTS. PREVIOUSLY THIS WAS TWO CASES AND THE

[01:15:05]

SOME EXCITING COMMUNITY TESTING UPDATES CHESAPEAKE NOW WITH THEIR WALK UP PCR TESTING EVERY DAY FROM NINE A.M. TO ONE. P.M. AND RIPKEN STADIUMS. RAPIDAN PCR DRIVE THROUGH CLINICS MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 9 TO 3. NO APPOINTMENTS NEEDED A REMINDER AGAIN NOT TO SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL SICK. YOU CANNOT TELL IF THESE ILLNESSES ARE COVID WITHOUT TESTING. IT MAY LOOK LIKE ALLERGIES. IT MAY LOOK LIKE STRAP ER, COLDER, STOMACH BUG. BUT ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS COULD ALSO BE CALLED IT SO MY ADVICE IS SIMILAR TO EARLIER IN THE PANDEMIC, WHERE I URGED EVERYONE TO MONITOR THEIR SYMPTOMS AND TO CHECK THEIR TEMPERATURES AT HOME BEFORE ARRIVING IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING. AND OF COURSE, PLEASE GET YOUR COVID VACCINE BOOSTER AND REMEMBER THAT CONSISTENT AND WELL FITTING NESTS AND DISTANCING OR EFFECTIVE AGAINST ALL THE VARIANTS. PLEASE WEAR YOUR MASK IN PUBLIC PLACES. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS RIDGEWAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD EVENING THAT MY TALKING POINTS HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE THINGS. ALSO MENTIONED BY DR BOLSON. I MISSED THE SUDA. BUT AS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED MANY CHANGES DUE TO NEW GUIDANCE AND HIGH COVID METRIC IN THE LAST WEEK, SOME OF OUR WORK DEFINITELY OVERLAP. IN RELATION TO THE NEW GUIDANCE, ANNOUNCED DECEMBER 27TH BY THE CDC. WE RELEASED A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT LAST MONDAY TO OUR COMMUNITY OUTLINING THE APPLICATION OF THE NEW QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION PROTOCOLS FOR HCPS. ALSO ANNOUNCED WAS A NEW OPERATIONAL STATUS, WHICH INCLUDES IMPORTANT CHANGES FOCUSED ON KEEPING STUDENTS IN CLASS. THIS INCLUDES CANCELING ALL AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES NOT INCLUDED IN THE COVID 19 TESTING PROGRAM. FIELD TRIPS, ASSEMBLIES AND USE OF OUR FACILITIES. TO SUPPORT FAMILIES . WE UPDATED OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS THE NEW QUESTIONS THAT AROSE FROM ALL OF THESE CHANGES IN BOTH THE OPERATIONAL STATUS IN THE THANK YOU CAN BE FOUND ON HCPS .ORG UNDER COVID RESOURCES. TO SUPPORT STAFF. WE ALSO UPDATED A TARGETED LIST OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES PROVIDED A NEW VOLUNTARY WEEKLY SCREENING OPPORTUNITY ONCE A WEEK ON WEDNESDAYS. AND ARRANGE THAT BOOSTER CLINIC THAT MARY MENTIONED WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. BOTH STAFF AND STUDENTS COULD ALSO ATTEND.

THREE POP UP COVID 19 TESTING CLINICS ONE LAST THURSDAY, AND WE HAVE TWO COMING UP THIS WEEK, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. AT THE END OF LAST WEEK. THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE CDC ALSO PROVIDED ADDITIONAL NEW GUIDANCE AGAIN ABOUT QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION SPECIFIC TO SCHOOLS. THAT IS LARGELY IN LINE WITH THE CHANGES WE MADE EARLIER IN THE WEEK. WE'RE REVIEWING THE NEW GUIDANCE FOR THE NUANCES AND LOOKING FOR ANY WAY TO IMPROVE OUR CURRENT PROTOCOLS. ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THIS GUIDANCE DIRECTLY CAN FIND IT IN THE LINKS IN OUR F A. Q UNDER THE QUESTION, WHY DID HCPS MOVED TO A FIVE DAY QUARANTINE? LINKS TO THE NEW CLASSROOM AND SCHOOL OUTBREAK. DEFINITIONS GIVEN BY MS SUDHA JUST NOW ARE ALSO FOUND IN THESE RESOURCES. AS WE WATCH THE METRICS AND WATCH THE IMPACT OF COVID ON OUR SCHOOLS. WE CONTINUE TO HAVE NO PLANS FOR A SYSTEM WIDE CLOSURE. IF DIRECTED BY THE HARFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, OR IF STAFFING SHORTAGES DO NOT ALLOW FOR SAFE SCHOOL OPERATIONS, INDIVIDUAL GRADE LEVELS OR SCHOOLS MAY NEED TO MOVE TO VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION FOR SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME. OUR PLAN FOR ANY NECESSARY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION STILL INCLUDES DAILY ATTENDANCE, SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, INTERNET HOTSPOT DISBURSEMENTS AS NEEDED. VIRTUAL ACCESS TO SCHOOL COUNSELORS, MEAL KIT DISTRIBUTION AND VARIOUS SUPPORT NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AT THIS TIME, AS DR WILSON JUST MENTIONED WE HAVE ONE SCHOOL THAT HAS BEEN MOVED TO VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH THE MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY. WE WILL REVIEW OFF SCHOOLS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS FOR THE NEEDS TO MOVE TO VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION. MOVING FORWARD. WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND COVID 19 TESTING OPPORTUNITIES. WE ARE REVIEWING PPE AVAILABLE. WE ARE IMPROVING PLANS TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT VACCINATION EFFORTS WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THIS CONCLUDES MY UPDATES FOR THIS EVENING. BOARD ANY QUESTIONS? ANYONE HERE? FAMILY ALRIGHT,

[01:20:01]

[E. Decision on Entering into Bargaining Unit Discussions, Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent of Schools, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services and Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources]

WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN DOING A MANDATE THAT I THINK WE'VE BEEN ASKED AT MANY TIMES, AND THAT'S BEEN A QUESTION. BUT WE DO VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VACCINE, AND WE ALSO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT, UM IT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE IMPORTANT TOOLS WE HAVE USED TO HELP. ADDRESS THE HARMS THAT COVID HAS HAS BROUGHT TOWARD JUST MM. WE ALSO KNOW THAT AS A SYSTEM, WE STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO WITH REGARD TO VACCINE COMPLIANCE AMONG OUR EMPLOYEES. AND. YOU KNOW, SO IT IS OUR SUGGESTION THAT DOING AN INCENTIVE THAT THAT TAKES PEOPLE ALL THE WAY THROUGH A BOOSTER SHOT POSSIBLE. UM WILL ALLOW US TO GET TO A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF VACCINE COMPLIANCE. MM. WITHOUT NEEDING TO MOVE TO THE STRATEGY OF LIKE I SAID A REQUIREMENT. SD LIKE BOARD SO THE CHALLENGE HERE IS BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ESSENTIALLY GIVING FUNDS TO THOSE WHO ARE REPRESENTED BY OUR ASSOCIATIONS. WE HAVE MANY EMPLOYEES WHO WERE COUNTING WHO ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY ASSOCIATION BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE WHO HAS WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DURING THIS SCHOOL YEAR, SO UNTIL JUNE 30TH OF THIS YEAR. UM THAT INCLUDES. BUS DRIVERS. BOTH CONTRACTORS AND OUR OWN EMPLOYEES ARE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, OUR EMPLOYEES THAT ANYONE WHO'S WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THIS YEAR WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN INCENTIVE. WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INCENTIVE THAT GOES UP TO $500. AND INCLUDES TWO PARTS ONE FOR UM. DEMONSTRATING PROOF OF GETTING THE ORIGINAL VACCINE. YOU'RE THE ONE OR TWO DOSES DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU CHOOSE, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL PARK FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVE A BOOSTER. AGAIN WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYONE WHO IS EMPLOYED WITH US DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND WE'RE LOOKING AT KEEPING THE WINDOW FOR THIS OPEN FOR PEOPLE TO QUALIFY TO RECEIVE THIS. UNTIL THE DAY BEFORE WE RETURN IN THE PRE SERVICES ARE FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT I BELIEVE THE DATE IS AUGUST 19TH. SO WE'LL KEEP THIS OPEN UNTIL AUGUST, 19. WHICH IS THE DAY PRIOR TO NEXT YEAR'S PRE SERVICE FOR THE INCOMING FALL. MM A COUPLE OF DETAILS THAT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES HERE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF DETAILS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE THAT THE ASSOCIATIONS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE REQUIREMENTS WITH REGARD TO BARGAINING. THAT BEING SAID, I'M NOT TERRIBLY CONCERNED THAT THEY WON'T SUPPORT THE MAJOR ISSUES WITH IT. JUST A COUPLE OF THE DETAILS. WE SAID ALL EMPLOYEES WHETHER THEY'RE IN ASSOCIATION OR THAT ANYONE DURING THIS YEAR UP TO AUGUST, 19TH AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS JUST TO BE CLEAR. THIS IS THIS IS EITHER RETRO ATTIC. RETROACTIVE OR FUTURE LOOKING. SO IF YOU DEMONSTRATE YOUR THAT YOU ARE ALREADY. FULLY BOOSTED WITH SORRY, FULLY VACCINATED WITH BOOSTER OR WHETHER YOU DO THAT, STARTING NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE THAT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS SO THAT IS THE REQUEST BOARD. SO WE NEED YOUR BLESSING TO ENGAGE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR ASSOCIATIONS ABOUT THAT. AND THEN IN FACT, IT MIGHT BE EASIEST WITH REGARD TO EMOTION. TO USE THE MOTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOARD REPORT HERE. BECAUSE WE THERE WE WILL NEED TO MEAN THERE'S A MAXIMUM OUT WE COULD SPEND BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES WE HAVE. BUT THERE'S A CHANCE THAT SOMEWHAT COMPLIES TO THE AMOUNT WE SPEND MAYBE A LITTLE LESS. UM AND SO IT TO US AUTHORIZE THE ADMINISTRATION TO USE THOSE FUNDS. AS ARE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR, AND WE HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE. IT'S JUST THE SOURCE RIGHT NOW WILL BE EASIER TO GO THROUGH THAT RIGHT TO APPROVE

[01:25:01]

THANK YOU. OKAY? MISS KELLY. ANY QUESTIONS? CONCERNS, COMMENTS DON'T I THINK IT'S GREAT. IT'S A GREAT INCENTIVE. ALRIGHT, MISS KARWACKI. NO QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, AND I ALSO SUPPORT THIS.

ALRIGHT, DOCTOR, HAROLD. MY QUESTION WAS ALREADY ANSWERED. THANKS FOR POSING THAT QUESTION, DAVID. UM I THINK IT'S A GOOD INCENTIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR PHILLIPS. JUST A COMMENT AND A QUESTION THAT'LL PROBABLY ANSWERED BY THE ACCOUNTANTS. BUT THE COMMENT IS I AGREE. IN PRINCIPLE THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING THIS, UM I'M SAD AND TO AN EXTENT THAT IT TAKES AN INCENTIVE. PROGRAM TO GET PEOPLE TO SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES AND RECOGNIZE THAT VACCINES ARE INDEED HELPFUL AGAIN. I KEEP HARPING THIS AT EVERY MEETING. THEY DON'T PREVENT DISEASE THEY REDUCE RISK. AND THEY REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE ILLNESS, HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH. THE QUESTION I HAVE, UM. IS WILL THIS BE TREATED AS INCOME THAT'S GOING TO BE TAXABLE TO SOMEBODY SPOKE OR IS THERE A WAY THAT THIS WOULD BE TREATED IN SOME OTHER WAY THAT THEY WANT TO PAY TAXES ON THIS? I'M GLAD TO DEFER THAT ONE. I CAN JUMP INTO THAT IT WOULD BE TAXABLE INCOME. YES IT WILL BE TAXABLE INCOME. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I JUST JUMP ON THAT, THOUGH. I'M SORRY. I'M TOTALLY TAKING MYSELF OUT OF THIS IN A MINUTE. UM, DEBRA, THEIR WAY. FOR US TO LEAK. I FEEL LIKE IF WE PUT IT IN WITH THEIR PAYCHECK. WHEN THEY DON'T GET IT SEPARATELY THAT IT'S TAXED LIKE THEY REALLY WON'T SEE IT. WHEREAS IF WE ISSUED AND I REALIZED THAT WHAT I'M SAYING IS A LOT OF WORK. I KNOW YOU'RE LAUGHING AT ME ALREADY. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SAY. IS THERE A WAY TO ISSUE A SEPARATE CHECK? SO THAT IT'S NOT TAXED AS MUCH AND THEY GET YOU KNOW THE MOST BANG FOR THEIR BUCK. SO UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOT AN EASY ANSWER TO THAT. SO THE REALITY IS YES, WE CAN DO SEPARATE CHECKS. HOWEVER THE IRS REQUIRES US TO TAX AT A SUPPLEMENTAL RATE WHEN WE'RE DOING SEPARATE CHECKS. AND THAT RATE IS SOMEWHERE AROUND 25% IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM, SO IN MANY CASES, SOMEONE COULD BE TAXED HIGHER. IF WE DO A SEPARATE CHECKED DEPENDING ON THEIR SITUATION, YOU KNOW WITH WITH THEIR SALARY AND EXEMPTIONS AND SO FORTH, SO IT'S NOT A ONE FOR ONE. ALRIGHT ULTIMATELY THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAXED ON THE TOTAL ANYWAY, SO ALRIGHT WAS WORTH A TRY. AT THE END OF THE YEAR. RIGHT WHEN YOU FILE YOUR TAXES IF YOU'VE PAID INTO MUCH, YOU GET IT BACK. SO THAT THEY WON'T LOSE THE MONEY. OVERALL, IF THAT HELPS. LITTLE BIT. NOT MUCH, BUT THANK, YOU KNOW. ALL RIGHT, MR ROBINSON. ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNS, COMMENTS QUESTIONS CONCERNS COMMENTS. THANK YOU, SIR. MR CARNEY. MM HMM. HAVE TO AGREE WITH DR PHILLIPS. THAT. IT'S JUST DISAPPOINTING THAT IT'S COME TO THIS. BUT THERE IS FROM THE GROUP TODAY THAT WE SAW THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE VACCINE HELPS SO THIS IS THE WAY TO PROTECT OUR

[01:30:01]

[F. Presentation of Superintendent's Proposed FY2023 Budget, Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent of Schools, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Mr. Eric Clark, Director of Budget]

ASSISTANCE OTHER WORK WITH THAT AND OTHER AREAS. AND SO THIS THIS BUDGET IS A BIT OF AN EXTENSION OF THAT. I'M GONNA HAVE THE TEAM PRESENTED TO YOU TONIGHT. YOU'LL SEE WHERE THE PRIORITIES ARE. AFTER ANY QUESTIONS, LET US KNOW. BUT AT THIS POINT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS JUDD AND MR CLARK. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UH MR CLARK IS GOING TO SHARE THE DOCUMENT. IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE AGENDA AS A LINK AS WELL. UM. ALL RIGHT.

SO FISCAL YEAR 2023. IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HER BUDGET.

SOME OF THE KEY POINTS THAT WE WANT TO, UH STRESSED TONIGHT AND WE TALK ABOUT THIS EACH YEAR.

ACTUALLY SALARIES AND BENEFITS MAKE UP 85% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET. THE INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT COSTS MAKE UP 80% OF OUR TOTAL BUDGET. ARE RESTRICTED BUDGET INCLUDES

[01:35:04]

HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE AS MUCH NOTICE AS POSSIBLE FOR THAT. SO FOR THIS PURPOSE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET, WE ARE USING THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM MODEL THAT IS NOT INDICATE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS IS THE PROGRAM THAT WE TYPICALLY DEVELOPED WITHIN OUR BUDGET. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE USING IT. SO WE DO NOT HAVE WORD ON ANY WAIVER SO FORTH FOR NEXT YEAR, SO AS THOSE COME OUT IF IT REQUIRES CHANGES TO THEIR BUDGET. WE CERTAINLY WILL INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE FINAL BUDGET THAT YOU APPROVE INJUN. AND LASTLY, THE BUDGET IS DUE TO THE COUNTY MARCH 1ST. SO THIS EVENING WE ARE PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO YOU FOR YOUR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, BUT WE WILL ASK FOR A VOTE ON FEBRUARY 14TH. SO WE'RE OPERATING BUDGET IS OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. THIS IS A SUMMARY OF OUR REVENUE SOURCES, THE LOCAL PORTION CHANGE BETWEEN FY 22 23 IS $30.4 MILLION. OR 10.4. THE STATE PORTION IS $16.9 MILLION, OR 7.8% AND WHERE PROPOSING AN INCREASE TO THE USE OF FUND BALANCE OF 1.8. MILLION DOLLARS. THE TOTAL. FY 22 BUDGET IS $520 MILLION, AND THE FY 23 WOULD BE $568.8 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 9.5. SO. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOW THE INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING. IN THIS BUDGET, SO THE FIRST SECTION IS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. WE HAVE 89.2 POSITIONS. FOR A TOTAL OF $6.5 MILLION. 60 OF THOSE POSITIONS RELATE TO GRAND TRANSFERS FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET BECAUSE THERE IS NO ROOM ON THOSE GRANTS ANY LONGER. WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN OUR NONPUBLIC PLACEMENT COSTS OF $800,000. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME GENERAL SUMMER SCHOOL EXPENSES AND MATERIAL EXPENSES AT THE BOTTOM. BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE ADDITION OF AN EARLY LEARNERS PROGRAM THAT MEADOWVALE ELEMENTARY CSP PROGRAM AT CHURCH CREEK ELEMENTARY AND STRIVE PROGRAM AT ABINGDON ELEMENTARY.

SO ALL OF THOSE COSTS BRING OUR TOTAL REQUEST FOR SPECULATION. SPECIAL EDUCATION TO $6.5 MILLION NEXT LINE. WE ALSO HAVE AN INCREASE TO EDUCATION SERVICES FOR 10 FT. E FOR A TOTAL OF $62.7 MILLION. ONLINE 14, YOU'LL SEE A TRANSFER OF ALL DAY PRE K STAFFING TO GRANT FUNDING, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY TRANSFERRING POSITIONS FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET TO RESTRICTED FUNDING BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THOSE FUNDS WILL BE COMING INTO US. SO WE'RE REMOVING THOSE FROM OUR OPERATING BUDGET. HOWEVER ON THE NEXT LINE WE HAVE TRANSFER FROM RS OR TWO OR THREE GRANTS OF 57 . FTE S FOR $5.3 MILLION MOVING INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET. THESE ARE POSITIONS THAT WE ADDED. AS A RESULT OF RECEIVING YES OR TWO AND S OR THREE GRANTS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, AND IN ORDER TO KEEP THOSE POSITIONS KNOWING THAT THE RESTRICTED FUNDS WILL BE GOING AWAY. WE HAVE TO START MOVING SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU'LL SEE THOSE POSITIONS COMING INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FY 23. WE HAVE 57 POSITIONS. WE ALSO ARE ADDING ONE FT. E FOR ELEMENTARY SYSTEM PRINCIPLES, AND THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE AT LEAST ONE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT THE SCHOOL. THEN WE HAVE RENEWAL OF

[01:40:01]

BOARD CHURCH CREEK, ROY WILLIAMS , ABERDEEN, EDGEWOOD AND MAGNOLIA, MIDDLE AND AVERAGING EDGEWOOD AND JOPPATOWNE HIGH. AND THEN SECONDARY SCHOOL TESTING COORDINATORS FOR OUR PRIORITY SCHOOLS AT EDGEWOOD IN MAGNOLIA, MIDDLE AND ABERDEEN, EDGEWOOD AND JOPPATOWNE HIGH. SO AGAIN, THAT'S A TOTAL OF 29 POSITIONS FOR $2.5 MILLION. AND THEN ALSO, EVERY YEAR WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF LINING ARE BASED BUDGETS, AND THIS IS WHERE WE LOOK AT. THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET AND DETERMINE WHERE WE NEED TO ADJUST PERMANENTLY FOR FY 23. SO WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED THESE TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM WITH NUMBERED THEM BY GROUPS, SO IT YOU SEE IN GROUP ONE. WE ACTUALLY HAVE FIVE POSITIONS THERE. ONE WAS A

[01:45:07]

AGAIN NO FTS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THESE ITEMS, BUT THERE'S A SHIFT BETWEEN. FUNDS FOR TECHNOLOGY WE HAD IN THE FY 22 BUDGET WE HAD INCLUDED THE 1.5 MILLION AGAIN FOR DEVICE PLACES, BUT WE DIDN'T NEED THAT MONEY THIS YEAR TO PAY FOR THE DEVICE LEASES BECAUSE WE HAD BE RESTRICTED FUNDS, SO WE USE THAT FOR OTHER UM, INITIATIVES AND INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS IN, UM, CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. FOR FY 23 WERE ANTICIPATING NEEDING THOSE FUNDS TO PAY THIS LISA, SO WE NEED TO TRANSFER THOSE FUNDS BACK. THE THIRD GROUP. IN YELLOW AGAIN THAT GROUP NEXT AND THAT'S TRUE ZERO. WE'RE WE'RE TRANSFERRING FROM FUNDS FROM VARIOUS ACCOUNTS. NO ADDITIONAL F D E AND THEN IN GROUP FOUR ON THE NEXT PAGE THE SAME THING, SO WE HAVE A TOTAL COST FOR A BASE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS OF ZERO AND A NET INCREASE IN FTE, YOU FORD. THEN IF WE LOOK AT OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET SUMMARY WE HAVE FOR A MANDATORY BASELINE BUDGET INCREASES. $46.7 MILLION.09 PERCENT INCREASE AND THEN. FOR OUR PRIORITY SCHOOL ENHANCEMENTS . 2.5 MILLION, SO A TOTAL OF 9.5% INCREASE ABOUT $49.2 MILLION. WE WANTED TO SHARE A POSITION SUMMARY BY JOB CODE. THERE WERE A LOT OF POSITIONS TRANSFERRING IN BETWEEN RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED, SO WE'RE HOPING TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT HERE IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM, RIGHT , YOU SEE 69.6 POSITIONS BEING REMOVED FROM OUR RESTRICTED FUND. DIRECTLY ABOVE THAT. YOU SEE THE 69.6 POSITIONS COMING INTO THE UNRESTRICTED FUND.

ALMOST 59 OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE TEACHERS. AND THEN WE HAD FOUR ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISORY POSITIONS, FIVE PAIR OF PROFESSIONALS AND TO TECHNICAL POSITIONS. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THE 29 POSITIONS FOR PRIORITY SCHOOLS. WE HAVE 34.6 POSITIONS IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION NEW PROGRAMS. THE FOUR POSITIONS. WE JUST DISCUSSED FOR THE BASE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS AND ONE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISORY, WHICH WOULD BE THE UM, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITION THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO ADD BACK. AND WITH THAT WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET. AND MR CLARK IS GOING TO WALK US THROUGH THOSE. GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. PLEASURE TO TAKE TONIGHT TONIGHT. UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE EXPECTED BUDGET WE LOOK AT WHAT WE HAD IN FY 22, THEN THE CHANGE TO FY 23 ON THE TOP SECTION IS REALLY THE EXTRA FUNDS WE RECEIVED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC. AS YOU CAN SEE WITH WE'VE RECORDED OR ACCOUNTED FOR THOSE AS FY 22 BUDGETED ITEMS WE DON'T ANTICIPATE RECEIVING ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS. UM IN FY 23.

HOWEVER WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE OR NOT WELL, BUT AT THIS POINT, WE'RE PROJECTING $0 FOR THE CORONA DRIVERS RELIEF FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO THAT'S A REDUCTION OF $49.4 MILLION IN BUDGETED FUNDS. THE TRADITIONAL FEDERAL GRANTS. THESE ARE OUR TITLE ONE TITLE TWO LITTLE THREE SPECIAL EDUCATION GRANTS. THESE ARE THE GREENS THAT WE SEE WE RECEIVED EACH YEAR. WE DON'T SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THOSE GRANTS. WE STILL ARE PROJECTING ABOUT $19.4 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS. IN STATE FUNDS. WE DO SEE SOME CHANGES IN FY 23 WE'RE LOOKING AT REALLY TO, UM LINE ITEMS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES. OR ONE IN SIGNIFICANT

[01:50:05]

FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION AS MISJUDGE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH, UM THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT $19.2 MILLION IN REVENUES. AND THEN IN TERMS OF EXPENDITURES IN OUR FOOD NUTRITION FUND AGAIN THAT EXPENDITURES EQUAL REVENUES OF $19.2 MILLION. WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $1.4 MILLION IN SERVICE AREA DIRECTION AND THEN PREPARATION AND DISPENSING $17.8 MILLION. SO AT THIS POINT, THE SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION REVIEW AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED BUDGET OR FY 2023.

UNRESTRICTED FUND 58, 5500 AND 68,000,765. 6 50 RESTRICTED FUN . 3 39,000,099 8 11. CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND. 96 MILLION TO 31 , 1 67 AND THE FOOD NUTRITION FUND 19,000,203. 3 68. AND WITH THAT WE WOULD CERTAINLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. ALREADY. AND YOU MIGHT SAY BEFORE WE START QUESTION TIME. GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT. MR CARTY ASKED TO GO FIRST. LIKE A GOOD IDEA. HOWEVER. NOW I'M GOING TO TRY TO REMEMBER ALL MY QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, BUT EXCELLENT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH , UM, ON PAGE THREE. WE TALK ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE ABOUT 1.1 MILLION LEFT IN THE FUND BALANCE. UM. I GUESS I MISJUDGED. HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU THAT WE'RE EXHAUSTING THAT FUND BALANCE AGAIN. OKAY SO THIS IS SHOWING THE FUND BALANCES A REVENUE SOURCE, SO IT'S NOT THE BALANCE OF OUR FUND BALANCE. SO IN FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, IF Y 22 WE'RE USING ABOUT $3 MILLION OF OUR FUND BALANCE. WE'RE PROPOSING TO INCREASE THAT USAGE BY 1.8 MILLION. SO FOR A TOTAL OF 4.8 FOR FY 23 ARE FUN BALANCE RIGHT NOW IS AROUND. $30 MILLION. THAT'S GREAT, OKAY? YES YES. SO, NO, WE'RE NOT DIPPING INTO IT SUBSTANTIALLY. UM I WOULD DEFINITELY LET YOU KNOW IF I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HER FUND BALANCE. AT ONE POINT ABOUT WHAT? EIGHT YEARS AGO. I THINK WE DID THAT. BUT JUST TO REPEAT BECAUSE I WAS TALKING OVER YOU AND I WANT THE PUBLIC TO HEAR WHAT'S THE FUN BALANCE NOW? I ABOUT PULLING MY AUDIT REPORT UP REAL QUESTIONS. I WANT TO GIVE SO AT THE END OF JUNE 30 WE WERE AT $23 MILLION. AND DO WE EXPECT AN IMPACT ON HEALTH SAVINGS TO IMPACT THIS IN THE CURRENT YEAR? YES WE DO EXPECT OUR HEALTHCARE SETTLEMENT TO COME THROUGH. ONCE THAT'S FINALIZED, WE WILL HAVE TO ASSESS WHETHER WE REMOVE MONEY FROM THE RATE STABILIZATION. AND THEN, OF COURSE, ANY SAVINGS THIS YEAR. COULD POTENTIALLY ADD TO THE FUND BALANCE AND INCREASE THAT NUMBER AS WELL. SO IT'S STILL EARLY IN THE YEAR. I KNOW WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE ALREADY IN JANUARY, BUT WE JUST FINISHED DECEMBER AND. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVEN'T BEEN BACK. YOU KNOW UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER. SO WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DATA YET, BUT I WILL BE DOING IN MARCH. I WILL COME BEFORE YOU WITH OUR SECOND QUARTER RESULTS AND PROVIDE A FORECAST AT THAT TIME. GREAT. THANK YOU. UM. SO WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR FUN

[01:55:06]

WE'RE ADDING ONE I KNOW. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE WERE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAD TO CUT POSITIONS. I KNOW THAT WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE SCHOOLS CANNOT OPERATE WITH AN AP ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IN THOSE SCHOOLS, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE WE HAVE THESE THIS REMAINING SCHOOL THAT WELL TO SCHOOLS WHEN YOUR PAPER AND RED PUMP WHICH WILL BRING US ALL OF THAT ALL SCHOOLS DID YOU SAY HAVE AN AP AT THIS TIME. WITH THIS, ALL OF THEM WILL HAVE A FULL AP. YES AND THAT'S GREAT.

THAT'S REALLY GREAT ON PAGE SIX. UM BUS CONTRACTS. MANDATORY BASELINE BUDGET INCREASE ONLINE 25 FOR BUS CONTRACTS. COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT THAT WAS FOR AGAIN? THAT IS THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE WITH OUR BUS CONTRACTORS. AND EACH YEAR THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THOSE COSTS, AND IT CAN RELATE TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, ONE OF WHICH IS COMPENSATION, SO THEY'RE BUS DRIVERS. SALARIES ARE HINGED ON OUR SCHEDULES AS WELL. SO PART OF THAT NUMBER DOES INCLUDE COMPENSATION FOR THE BUS CONTRACTOR. THANK YOU DRIVERS. THANK YOU ON PAGE SEVEN. UM GREAT. I THINK THAT THAT'S THOSE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR THE PARTY. SCHOOL ENHANCEMENTS IS SO IMPORTANT WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH CURRICULUM EDUCATION AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. I KNOW THERE WAS A NUMBER OF ADJUSTMENTS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLY ON IN THE PRESENTATION WE WERE TRANSFERRING. FROM RISK. FROM GRANTS TO FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU CORRECTLY, AND I THINK YOU SAID THAT, SO WHEN THE GRANT GOES AWAY, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE SERVICE. SO IT BECOMES A MOVES FROM A GRANT TO FUNDING THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND VICE VERSA. AND ONE OF THE AREAS THERE WAS AH GRAND FUNDING THAT WAS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE WHERE WE WERE MOVING IT TO THE GRANT FUNDING RESTRICTED AREA. IS THAT CORRECT? SO FOR OUR PRE K PROGRAM, YES, WILL RECEIVE THOSE FUNDS IN A RESTRICTED ACCOUNT, AND WE'RE MOVING THE PRE K STAFFING INTO THAT RESTRICTED FUND. IT'S THE WAY THAT THE FUNDS WILL BE COMING TO US FROM THE STATE. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE MOVING THOSE AND THEN DECLARE IF I THE QUESTION ABOUT MOVING POSITIONS OR EXPENSES FROM GRANTS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT'S NOT REQUIRED. THAT YOU MOVE THINGS FROM GRANTS TO FUND. IT IS A DECISION SO ANY TIME YOU'RE MOVING THINGS FROM A GREAT YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE POSITION OR THE SERVICE WHATEVER YOU WERE PAYING FOR WAS NEEDED. AND IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE IT, THEN YES. YOU DO NEED TO MOVE IT INTO YOUR OPERATING BUDGETS BECOME A RECURRING COST, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH THE POSITIONS THAT WE ADDED IF WE WANT TO BRING ALL OF THEM OVER OR AS MANY AS WE DEEM NECESSARY BETWEEN NOW AND THE TIME THERE'S GRANT FUNDS, UM CLOSED. THEN WE NEED TO START MOVING THEM OVER INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET NOW, AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AND I WAS SO GREAT. WE HAD THE GRANT FUNDING TO TRY TO SUPPORT THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE KNOW WERE REQUIRED AND GREAT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE POSITIONS. UM PAGE 12. WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE FY 23 BUDGET WHERE FEDERAL GRANTS OBVIOUSLY FOR SUPPORTING CORONA RELIEF ARE NOT IDENTIFIED YET. AND A CURRENTLY WE'RE BUDGETING AS IF IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. IF THAT FUNDING BECAME AVAILABLE, THEN THAT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UM SPEND AS THOSE GRANTS REQUIRED. CORRECT. I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR TO YOUR QUESTIONS. THAT'S OKAY. IT'S SENTENCE PAGE 12 CORONA RELEASE RELIEF FUNDS. YES ZEROS IN FY 23 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDING AT THIS POINT. AND WE'RE NOT EXPECTING ANY FUNDING AT THIS POINT BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THERE YET. SO WE HAVE IN THE NEXT SECTION WHERE YOU SAY TRADITIONAL FEDERAL GRANTS. WE HAVE AN IDEA WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE RECEIVING THAT FUNDING IN FY 23. BUT WE'RE WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS SECTION CORRECT. SO THE TOP PART IS BLANK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY IDENTIFIED YET FOR FY 23 RIGHT, BUT THOSE FUNDS WERE RECEIVED IN FY 22 RIGHT, SO AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS UNTIL THE L. THE GRANTS EXPIRE AT DIFFERENT TIMES. SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND THAT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. THANK YOU. I WASN'T CLEAR ON THAT. THANK YOU. YES, SO THEY ARE

[02:00:01]

GOT IT? THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GO FIRST. I WANT TO BE SURE I COULD. REMEMBER THE QUESTIONS? NO PROBLEM. ALRIGHT THANKS. MISJUDGED. IT WAS GREAT. THANK YOU, MR CLARK. ALL RIGHT, DR. BAUER. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANYONE AT THIS POINT YES, I DO. UM. SO I'VE GOT ONE QUESTION AND ONE KIND OF CLARIFICATION WRITTEN DOWN SO STARTING WITH THE CLARIFICATION. SO WE HAVE THE. $30 MILLION WAGE PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES PAYING FOR SOME CREASE FOR SOME SALARY INCREASES THAT WE HAVE ALREADY APPROVED THIS YEAR. CORRECT. YES THERE ARE SOME SALARY INCREASES THAT WERE NEGOTIATED LAST YEAR. THAT WORK WOULD TAKE PLACE JULY ONE, SO THAT NUMBER WOULD INCLUDE THOSE ALREADY NEGOTIATED ITEMS. AND WE DID MIDYEAR INCREASES FOR SOME OF THE LOWEST PAID POSITIONS. CORRECT AND SO THAT IS ALSO ACCOUNTED FOR HER THERE. YES WE ADJUST THOSE SALARIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CALCULATING BASED OFF THE NEW SALARIES GOING FORWARD, CORRECT. OKAY UM, BUT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE MEAT TO INCREASE FOR CONTRACT BUS DRIVERS. OUR CONTRACT DRIVERS ARE NOT INCLUDED. THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION. $3 MILLION THAT WE DISCUSSED. THAT LINE ITEM OF THE 30.4 MILLION IS JUST HTTPS EMPLOYEES. SO I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. WITH THAT ARE EXPENSIVE, ARE JUST WAGE PACKAGE INCREASES OR ACTUALLY MORE. THAN THE 30 MILLION. THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR FROM THE LOCAL ASK DON'T YOU? THE LOCAL ASK IS $30.4 MILLION, WHICH IS THE COMPENSATION UM, PLACEHOLDER THAT WE HAVE FOR NEGOTIATIONS FOR DPS EMPLOYEES. THE. CONTRACT ID BUS DRIVERS ARE NOT OUR EMPLOYEES. THERE ARE EMPLOYEES OF ARBUS CONTRACTORS. THEY ARE INCLUDED IN THE TRANSPORTATION LINE ITEM, UM, ON PAGE 10 THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THERE. THE 3.8 MILLION THAT INCLUDES ANY INCREASES RELATED TO THE BUS CONTRACTORS. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY, DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. SO. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF INCREASES HERE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING.

EXPANDING STRIVE AND SOME OF THE SCHOOLS UH, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT? I GUESS THE WHY WE'RE DOING THAT , OR ARE WE SEEING INCREASED POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS WITH THOSE NEEDS? ARE WE TRYING TO IMPROVE SERVICES OR WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE LESS STUDENTS. REQUIRE PRIVATE PLACEMENT. UM WHY. I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES. TO MOST OF THAT. I WILL ACTUALLY ASK MR HENNIGAN IF HE CAN JUMP IN AND SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT. IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIED UP POWER SOMEONE THE. MISRATA IS RIGHT.

WE ARE DEFINITELY SEEING AN INCREASE. UM. IN OUR NEED TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AND WE STARTED THIS PROCESS SEVERAL YEARS BACK. OF TRYING TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS IN COUNTY. AND IT HELPS WITH SHORTER TRANSPORTATION RIDES. WE FRANKLY FEEL THAT WE'RE DELIVERING A BETTER PROGRAM OUTSIDE OF OUR COUNTY, SO WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO EXPAND THESE PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR STUDENTS WITH US. AND PROVIDE PROGRAMMING THEY NEED. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PROJECTIONS AND LOOK AT THE STUDENTS THAT WE SEE THAT OUR MEETING THESE PROGRAMS, THAT'S UM THAT'S THE BRUNT OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND AND CREATE THESE NEWER PROGRAMS OF PEACE, ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

THANK YOU. MISS KELLY. NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MISS KARWACKI. THANK YOU. MR CARNEY ASKED THE QUESTIONS I HAD . AND THIS JUDGE, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THIS PRESENTATION AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. GREAT DOCTOR, HAROLD. I HAVE NO QUESTION. THANK YOU.

[02:05:09]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR MUELLER. I'M GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW THE SPECTACULAR JOB EVERY YEAR. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT'S IT AT THIS POINT. THAT IS AN INFORMATION ITEM. SO UM I WILL JUST SIT THERE CLOSE BRIEFLY. AS YOU SEE THE HMM. THE MAJOR PRIORITY HERE IS THE SALARY, BUT WE DID INCLUDE THAT PART ABOUT THE PRIORITY SCHOOLS TO FOCUS, PARTICULARLY ON THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY'RE KIND OF ARE SECOND MEDIA SCHOOLS. WE HAVE OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS. AND WITH THE HELP OF THE BLUEPRINT AND TITLE ONE WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES THERE AND THEN THE PRIORITY SCHOOLS ALLOW US TO GET THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE KIND OF OUR NEXT WAVE OF SORT OF OUR NEXT MOST NEEDY SCHOOLS TO GET THEM A LITTLE MORE SUPPORT AS WELL. SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR THAT, SO YOU CAN SEE THE PRIORITIES COMING THROUGH IN THE BUDGET. WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAVE, YOU KNOW FULLY FUNDED US OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND OPERATING SIDE OF OUR BUDGET AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN. THIS OF COURSE, IS A VERY BIG ASK WITH REGARD TO THE SALARY PACKAGE. BUT IT'S NECESSARY AND. I BELIEVE WE'RE SEEING THAT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AS WELL. SO YOU KNOW, WE HOPE TO KEEP WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AND HOPE THAT THIS THIS GREAT PARTNERSHIP CONTINUES. I KNOW THAT. YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF THE LEADERSHIP IN THE COUNTY HAS HAS PUT US IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION, SO IT'S NICE TO BE SORT OF BENEFICIARIES OF THAT THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE LAST TWO YEARS IN PARTICULAR, AND I HELP WILL BE ABLE TO STAY ON THAT TRACK AGAIN. SO WITH THAT SAID IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. I LEARNED NO FURTHER QUESTIONS

[G. Superintendent's Report]

MESSAGE IS ABOUT MR THOMPSON. CONGRATULATIONS TO HER. SHE'S A GT TEACHER AT RING FACTORY AND JOPPATOWNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SHE IS ONE OF THREE TEACHER FINALISTS FIND TO BE PART OF OKAY, GET THIS IF YOU'RE READY FOR THIS BEING PART OF THE IDITAROD NEXT YEAR, WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR HER, AND THIS WOULD BE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. SO WE'LL BE ROOTING FOR HER. IT IS EXCITING. IT'S GOT A BIG SELECTION PROCESS. AND OF COURSE, SHE'S MOVED THROUGH TO THIS FINAL, SO IT IT'S GREAT FOR HER. SO THAT SAID BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU DO. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL IN A COUPLE WEEKS. RIGHT? AND WITH THAT, UM, THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO REITERATE JUST EVERYBODY'S CLEAR. ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. THE INCENTIVE. FOR THE EMPLOYEES PURELY VOLUNTARY. THIS IS STILL NOT A MANDATORY VACCINE INCENTIVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO DO IT. HOWEVER WE ARE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THAT THEY DO SO CORRECT. DID YOU SAY THAT AGAIN, PLEASE? FOR THOSE IN THE BACK? YES, MA'AM. THOSE ANYWHERE? YES THIS IS THE VACCINE INCENTIVE THAT WE DISCUSSED THIS EVENING THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED. THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. WHICH IS OUR PRACTICE AND POLICY. IS NOT MAKING VACCINES MANDATORY FOR ANY OF OUR STAFF. IT NEVER HAS BEEN. WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF MAKING ITSELF. IT IS, IN FACT, VOLUNTARY AS IT HAS BEEN, AS IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE. HOWEVER IT IS AN INCENTIVE, SO IF YOU ARE SO INCLINED TO GO GET IT OR NEEDED SOMETHING TO PUSH YOU OVER THE EDGE. MAYBE THIS WILL DO IT. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE TO FINALIZE THE DETAILS FOR THEIR ASSOCIATIONS AND PUT ALL OF THOSE DETAILS IN THE 411, WHICH IS A COMMUNICATION TO STAFF THIS WEEK. SO THAT'S OUR GOAL. WE HAVE TO COUPLE THINGS TO PIN DOWN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS,

[Future Meetings Review]

[02:10:02]