[00:00:01]
          INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF 
          [Call to Order]
EDUCATION OF HARPER COUNTY ON JANUARY 9TH 2023 AT 6 33 PM THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE HYBRID FASHION MISSES ROLLER, PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL. MISS ALVAREZ. 
          PRESIDENT. BRUCE YEAH. KHAN, PRESIDENT. DR HAROLD HERE. MISS PERRY HERE. DR PHILLIPS. HERE. 
          MR RICCARDI. YES. MR BLINKEN. SPANKING IS ABSENT THIS EVENING. PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. PRESIDENT MUELLER, SUPERINTENDENT WILSON HERE COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. LET'S DO IT. HIS PRESIDENCY. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WE USE THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MEET THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS. PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION. FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, DR MUELLER WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. DR BOLSON WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL ONLY APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR MOTION. I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR NO. 
          BOARD MEMBERS. YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU DO. I HAVE A MOTION TO ADAPT THE AGENDA. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. UM TO AMEND OUR AGENDA AND ADD TWO ITEMS TO THE AGENDA. UM A TAB OF NEW BUSINESS CATEGORY AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS CATEGORY. I SECOND THE MOTION. OKAY, UM. WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS. YEAH I'M JUST LIKE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT ADDING IT AND JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THE GOAL IS SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT WAY. IF THERE ARE ITEMS THAT WE FEEL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE IN A PUBLIC FORUM AND THAT WAY WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITNESSING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESS CONCERNS AND ISSUES. 
          WHATEVER SEEMS, YOU KNOW WHATEVER ARISES AND IF WE HAD NEW AGENDA ITEMS WOULD THEY BE ON THE AGENDA PRIOR WHEN IT GETS PUBLISHED TO THE PUBLIC? YES SO THE NEW AGENDA ITEMS WOULD BE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE BORDER ADD TO THE AGENDA. ABSOLUTELY PROVED AND ADDED TO THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION. MY CONCERN IS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO KNOW WHAT THOSE AGENDA ITEMS ARE. SO WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY COULD HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. YES AND WHAT WAS THE LAST ONE? YOU SAID NEW FITNESS. EXCUSE ME NEW BUSINESS AND UNFINISHED BUSINESS. AND SO WHAT WOULD BE UNFINISHED BUSINESS JUST LIKE CLARIFICATION. UM WHATEVER IS REMAINING THAT WE HAVE NOT RESOLVED ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED BEING ADDRESSED OR. 
          SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING ROLLING FORWARD ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AS WE GET INFORMATION? I'M JUST I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. NEW BUSINESS THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD. WE MIGHT WANT TO ADD TO THE AGENDA, BUT ALL BUSINESS WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AS WE ARE READY TO DISCUSS IT OR HAVE THE RESIDENT EXPERT EXPERTS THERE IF I MAY ASK, UM, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY, IT ARE YOU ASKING FOR LIKE AN ACTION ITEM STATUS LIKE THINGS THAT WE ARE PRESENTLY WORKING ON? AND LIKE, WHAT? WHAT WE'VE LIKE ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT WE STILL HAVE ON OUR ACTION ITEM LIST? YES. AND SOME OF THOSE ITEMS AGAIN WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE, UH, PRESIDENT PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND THEN ADDED ACCORDINGLY. YES THAT'S OUR NORMAL. THAT'S OUR PROCESS RIGHT NOW. WELL LIKE WITH THE DROPPING THE CONSENT AGENDA, UM I FEEL LIKE I DON'T WANT TO VOTE ON EVERYTHING UNDER THE CONSENT AGENDA. IF THERE'S SOMETHING IF THERE'S QUESTIONS OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE UNDER THE NEW BUSINESS, UM, INSTEAD OF JUST INTERJECT. I'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WHAT YOU CAN DO IS WHEN THE CONSENT AGENDA IS BROUGHT FORWARD FOR APPROVAL. YOU CAN ASK FOR A SPECIFIC LINE ITEM TO BE EXCLUDED FOR FURTHER CONVERSATION. WHEN THAT'S PRESENTED, SO THE CONSENT AGENDA GETS PRESENTED. AND I KNOW I PERSONALLY HAVE DONE IT THREE OR FOUR TIMES WHERE I'VE SAID I'D LIKE TO PULL THIS ONE OUT FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION RATHER THAN A NEW AGENDA ITEM. IT JUST GETS PULLED OUT AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. PERSONALLY I FEEL LIKE, UM, BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS ISN'T REALLY THE PLACE TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES OR ANYTHING THAT'S BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION. I FEEL LIKE A NEW BUSINESS CATEGORY WOULD GIVE US 
          [00:05:01]
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT WE YOU KNOW THAT ARISES THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE US TO ADDRESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SEPARATE FROM THE CONSENT OF ABSOLUTELY OKAY, SO THE CONSENT OF JUST IT WAS JUST AS AN EXAMPLE LIKE, YEAH. YES. YEAH. TRY TO QUESTION WHERE WOULD THESE NEW ITEMS BE? WHERE AND WHEN, WITH THESE NEW ITEMS BE BROUGHT UP FOR DISCUSSION, I WOULD I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BE BROUGHT UP UNDER THE PUBLIC COMMENTS SO AFTER A PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE THE CONSENT AGENDA SO LISTED AS A CATEGORY C AND THEN, UM, AFTER SO AFTER HOLD ON. PRIOR TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT WOULD BE THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS. BUT IFR NEW BUSINESSES THAT SOMETIMES WE NEED UM, SOME PEOPLE IN ADMINISTRATION WHO MAY NOT ALWAYS ATTEND EVERY MEETING, UM WHO'S SOME SOME NEW BUSINESS ITEM THAT MAY BE BROUGHT UP FALLS ON THE EXPERTISE OF SOMEONE WHO'S NOT THERE AND THEN WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. 
          INFORMATION THERE'S NEVER A PROBLEM IN BRINGING NEW BUSINESS TO THE BOARD. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF. YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A NEW ITEM THAT NEEDS TO BE UP FOR DISCUSSION. UM, BASICALLY BASICALLY YOU JUST ASKED THE PRESIDENT TO PUT IT ON THROUGH THE FOLLOWING AGENDA. SO WE CAN . THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TIME TO RESEARCH IT AND WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO. UM UM UH, BRING BRING IT MAKE SURE THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OR AVAILABLE AT THAT NEXT MEETING. OTHERWISE WE'RE JUST WE'RE JUST TALKING IN CIRCLES. I THINK THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS JUST TO HAVE A SPOT HOLDERS SO THAT WE ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HIT IT SO LIKE IF THERE'S ACTION ITEMS THAT WE HIT THAT THAT SPOT WE DON'T LIKE , JUST DO IT MORE AD HOC THAT IT'S ACTUALLY INTENTIONAL. RIGHT SO YOU'RE SAYING TO MAKE IT AD HOC THAT WE JUST BRING UP ANYTHING, NOT MAKE IT AD HOC MAKE IT INTENTIONAL. THAT'S WHY YOU PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. RIGHT EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT I'M THAT'S WHY, YEAH, BUT YOU COULD BRING IT AHEAD OF TIME. AND IT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA. SO WHAT YOU'RE AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. YOU'RE SAYING THAT AT THE MEETING YOU WOULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO PUT ON THE AGENDA AND THAT WOULD BE ON THE AGENDA SO THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE EXPERTS HERE. THE PUBLIC WOULDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON IT. AND THAT'S BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT AN ACTION ITEM THAT YOU CAN CARRY FORWARD AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED AT THE NEXT MEETING. 
          IT COULD BE IF YOU NEED A MONTH TO RESOLVE IT OR TWO MONTHS OR IT DOESN'T BUT IT BECOMES PART OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THAT SOME SOME POINT IN TIME. UM AND IT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW THE BOARD WILL EVENTUALLY ADDRESS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THIS INFORMATION BY BEING PUT ON HIS REGULAR AGENDA ITEM. BUT THERE ARE UNKNOWN. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THEY'RE UNKNOWN. LIKE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION. UM BEING TRANSPARENT WITH OTHER WITH WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS WHAT I'M SAYING. SO IF THERE'S IF THERE'S AN ISSUE THAT'S BROUGHT TO US, I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A FORUM ON OUR AGENDA TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NOWHERE FOR ME TO BRING UP ANYTHING THAT I FEEL IS PERTINENT. AS LIKE IF WE HAD A NEW BUSINESS CATEGORY. OBVIOUSLY IT WOULD BE SUBMITTED AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING. BUT THAT WAY, THE PUBLIC ALSO KNOWS WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSING AND THAT WAY WE CAN ADDRESS ANY ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT TO US SO THAT THEY CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON . SO HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT FROM YOU, ADDING IT ITEM ON THE AGENDA OF THE ONLY THING I'M SAYING MELISSA'S I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE SAYING. BUT I'M SAYING, WHY NOT JUST PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, RIGHT? HAVING A SECTION FOR A NEW BUSINESS? JUST GO SAY THE MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THERE'S NO SPACE TO TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE THAT WE MAY FEEL ARE PERTINENT. BUT THERE THERE ARE. THERE IS A SPACE FOR THAT. SO IN THE PAST YEAH, OUR LAST YOU KNOW, SEVERAL YEARS THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING, FOR EXAMPLE , THAT WAS EMERGING IN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WAS EMERGING AND EMAILS. WE WOULD SAY, HEY, I WOULD EMAIL THE PRESIDENT AND THE BOARD AND SAY THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT. THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT. I AM SUGGESTING I AM RECOMMENDING ASKING THIS BEYOND AS AN, UM, AN ITEM OF DISCUSSION ON OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AND IT WILL BE PLACED ON THE YOU KNOW AS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. THAT'S HOW IT'S ALLOWED TO COME TO THE FOREFRONT THAT WAY, EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS TO LOOK INTO IT. 
          SPEAK ON IT, ADDRESS IT TO THE PUBLIC IS INVOLVED, AND WE CAN DO THAT IN A IN A MORE ORDERLY FASHION. UM AS OPPOSED TO BEING LIKE A GOTCHA MOMENT. WE'RE KIND OF SCRAMBLING. I WASN'T DOING 
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IT. ADDRESS IT. UM THAT'S HOW WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, AND IT'S REALLY WORKED WELL, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU. YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. I THINK YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT AS I'M TRYING TO SURPRISE. THAT'S NOT WHAT THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION. I JUST WAS. I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS SECTION IS AN APPROPRIATE FORUM TO DISCUSS NIGHT. I'M SAYING IT'S NOT IT WOULD BE. IT WOULD BE AN AGENDA ITEM IF YOU BROUGHT A SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE TO BRING AN ITEM TO CAROL AND THE BOARD AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT. MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE SAID THIS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE LIKE US TO DISCUSS THIS AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. THERE WILL BE SOME DISCUSSION AND THEN WE WILL PUT IT ON THE CAROL PUT IT ON THE AGENDA RIGHT ON YOUR AGENDA. IT JUST WOULDN'T BE NEW, BUT IT'S JUST BEYOND THE AGENDA. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE JUST SAYING AS A TOPIC THE SAME MAN GETS THE SAME END. OKAY, BUT I MEAN PLEASE. IF IT'S NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE, THEN IT AUTOMATICALLY IS QUOTE NEW BUSINESS. I MEAN, THAT'S YOU KNOW, UM, BUSINESS. IT'S JUST A NEW AGENDA ITEM. I MEAN, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE IN PUBLIC COMMENT BRINGS UP THE FACT THAT HE WANTS TO SEE YOU KNOW EVERYBODY IN GYM CLASS WHERE ORANGE SNEAKERS. WELL YOU KNOW, WE NEED THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR TO SEE IF WE CAN GET ENOUGH ORANGE SNEAKERS FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS AND WHATEVER AND WHETHER UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S APPROPRIATE TO FOR EVERYBODY TO BE WEARING THE SAME COLOR SNEAKER. YOU KNOW, SOME RIDICULOUS LIKE THAT, OBVIOUSLY , BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT WE NEED ONCE THAT ITEM IS BROUGHT UP, AND WE FEEL THAT IT'S PERTINENT. THEN ANYBODY ON THIS BOARD COULD ASK FOR THAT ITEM TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE FOLLOWING MEETING OR FOR A MONTH MEETING TO GIVE TIME TO DO, UH, TO GET RESEARCH DONE. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S NEVER AN ISSUE ABOUT BLOCKING ANYTHING NEW TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA. I HAVE A COMMENT? SURE I THINK THAT IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE OF ROBERT'S RULES YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, NEW BUSINESS OR UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND YOU CARRY IT WITH THE TOPIC. I THINK THAT'S THE VERY SAME THING. WE'RE SAYING HERE THAT IF THERE IS AN ITEM THAT YOU FEEL NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA, THEN YOU JUST SUBMIT THAT THE INFORMATION TO THE PRESIDENT ELECT HER PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA. WE WOULDN'T NEED IT HAVE TO BE UNDER NEW BUSINESS UNFINISHED BUSINESS. IT WOULD BE BUSINESS THAT BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD. I AM NOT AWARE OF THE TIME THAT ANYBODY'S ASKED FOR SOMETHING TO GO ON THE AGENDA THAT IT'S NOT GONE ON. SO WE HAVE A WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND ON THE FLOOR THERE. IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? QUESTION ON THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS. SO UM, ON THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS. MY IMPRESSION IS THAT IT CONTINUES TO ROLL FORWARD UNTIL IT'S FINISHED. UM YES, THAT'S CORRECT. BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS, BUT I HEAR YOUR CONCERNS AND IT'S. MY POINT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THINGS SO ADDRESSING THINGS IN A MANNER THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM, SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND BEING TRANSPARENT WITH THEM. SO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THINGS JUST DISAPPEAR. EXACTLY DIDN'T JUST DISAPPEAR THAT WE'RE STILL IT'S STILL A PENDING ITEM, RIGHT? AND THAT'S. BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHERE THE DISCONNECT THIS BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T CALL IT UNFINISHED BUSINESS. IT WILL JUST GO BACK ON THE AGENDA AGAIN, BUT TO THE PUBLIC I THINK YOUR POINT IS, IS YOU WHAT WE WANTED TO ACCOUNTABILITY CLEAR? BASICALLY, YES. I KNOW YOU HAVE A FIRST OF THE SECOND COMMENTS, BUT WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THIS, RIGHT? YEAH. YEAH. DO WE DO I HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? CAN SOMEBODY JUST READ BACK THE MOTION? THE MOTION WAS TO ADD A CATEGORY TO THE AGENDA OF NEW BUSINESS AND THEN TO ADD A CATEGORY OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THANK YOU. WAS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? MR ALLEN, WOULD YOU PLEASE DO REAL CALL VOTE? MISS ALVAREZ. YES. MISS BRUCE? NO. 
          MISS HAN? YES. DR HAROLD NO. PERRY. NO. DR PHILLIPS. NO. MR CARDI? YES. PRESIDENT SEWELL. 
          PRESIDENT MILLER. NO. THIS MOTION FAILS. THANK YOU. SO. I NEED A MOTION TO ADAPT THE 
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AGENDA. I MOTIONED TO ADAPT THE AGENDA. SECOND THANK YOU FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES. NO. DID YOU POSE POSE ? YEAH YEAH, THE AGENDA NEEDS I MEAN, I VOTED TO ADD THOSE ITEMS, SO I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR THE AGENDA SINCE WE DIDN'T ADD THOSE ITEMS, SO JUST TO BE CONSISTENT, OKAY? THANK YOU. MOTION CARRIES. YOUR SOUL LIKE TO LEAD EVERYONE IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. ALLEGIANCE. I THINK IN AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD. JUSTICE. FORD MEMBER COMMENTS ARE NEXT AND WE WILL START WITH MRS ALVAREZ. I 
          [A. Board Member Comments]
JUST WANT TO SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR WELCOME THE 2023. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE YEAR. I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE TIME TO SPEND WITH THEIR FAMILY AND, UM, ENJOY THE TIME OFF FROM WORK IF YOU WERE ABLE TO GET SOME TIME OFF FROM WORK AND MAYBE GET OUT. AND, UH, AND VISIT FAMILY, UM I KNOW THAT I ENJOY THAT TIME, SO UM UM. BUT LET'S GOING ON. AND YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE RUNNING INTO THE NEW YEAR WITH THE UM, A LOT OF, UM NEW LEARNING FOR ME. SO UM, I ASKED THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD TO BE PATIENT. UM AS I TRIED TO GET UP TO SPEED ON ALL OF US. THANK YOU. MRS BRUCE HAPPY NEW YEAR TO BE HERE. YEAH. IS THAT IT? YOU DONE ALREADY? OKAY, MISS HAN. I'M HAPPY NEW YEAR. I'M EXCITED, TOO. WORK WITH EVERYONE AND TO. GREAT THANKS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR THE TEACHERS FOR THE KIDS AND FOR ALL OF US ARE PARENTS AND EVERYBODY DR HAROLD HAPPY NEW YEAR. WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A JOYOUS UM NEW YEAR IF YOU CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS HOLIDAY SEASON, I LOVE SEEING OUR KIDS BACK IN SCHOOL. 
          UM I KNOW MY KIDS WERE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, MOMMY, I'M READY TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, SO AND THAT'S A GREAT FEELING RIGHT? SO THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR, UM, WELCOMING OUR STUDENTS BACK INTO THE SCHOOLS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO AN IMPACTFUL FUN. WENT TO SEASON. THANK YOU, MISS PERRY. 
          HAPPY NEW YEAR AGAIN FOR EVERYBODY. AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO I KNOW WE GOT A BIG TASK IN FRONT OF US, AND I THINK ALL MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WERE UP FOR IT, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THERE ARE CHILDREN THE BEST EDUCATION THAT WE HAD. WE CAN DELIVER. THANK YOU, DR PHILLIPS. 
          WELL I'LL SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR AS WELL, SINCE EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID IT NOT JUST APOLOGIZE FOR MY PHYSICAL ABSENCE TODAY, JUST RECOVERING FROM A LITTLE BUG. BUT I WILL BE THERE AT THE NEXT MEETING. AND YEAH, AS WAS JUST COMMENTED, WE DO HAVE A BUSY SEASON COMING UP WITH BUDGET, ESPECIALLY AND, UH, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS SO IT. UH, IT SHOULD BE, UM, BUSY TIME FOR ALL OF US, AND, UH, CERTAINLY GET OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS. UM ON TRACK PRETTY QUICKLY TO HELP WITH THESE WITH THESE ITEMS AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO WORK WITH EVERYBODY TO COME TO A SUCCESSFUL UM, CONCLUSION TO THESE ISSUES. THANK YOU. MR CARTY. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. 
          I'M GLAD TO BE BACK. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY ABSENCE AS WELL. UM HAPPY NEW YEAR. AND WELCOME. WITH PRESIDENT SCHOOL. HAPPY NEW YEAR , EVERYONE. SO TONIGHT IS THAT NIGHT WHERE THE STUDENTS NEED TO TEST THEIR TEST THEIR LAPTOPS RIGHT FOR THE INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY. SO FROM THIS POINT FORWARD IF WE HAVE AN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY, AT LEAST THE FIRST THREE WILL BE, UH VIRTUAL, RIGHT, ASYNCHRONOUS. IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S THE PLAN, SO I HOPE THAT EVERYONE EVERYONE GOES IN AND TESTED. EVERYONE GOES INTO TESTED THAT THAT ATTEST. WORKS REALLY WELL, UM, AND JUST GLAD TO BE HERE FOR THE NEW YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO WORK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING. BUT I BETTER SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR. SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T 
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CARE, RIGHT? ALRIGHT SO WE'RE DONE WITH THAT, UM MISERERE. ELLA PUBLIC COMMENT IS NEXT. YES 
          [B. Public Comments]
WE HAVE SIX AND PERSON SPEAKERS THIS EVENING STARTING WITH MR WILLIAM MARTINO. BERNADETTE ZAGORSKI. I APOLOGIZE. I DIDN'T READ THE RULES. OH GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. IN PERSON. SPEAKERS WILL PROCEED FIRST WILL BECOME BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. REMOTE SPEAKERS WILL PROCEED NEXT. THEY WILL BE ADMITTED TO THE MEETING BY AN HCPS STAFF MEMBER WHEN IT'S THEIR TURN TO SPEAK. ALL SPEAKERS RECEIVED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR THREE MINUTE MARK. TIME WILL EXPIRE. OKAY SO NOW YOU CAN CALL THE SPEAKERS AND I'LL TRY NOT TO MAKE ANY MORE MISTAKES. WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEVEN SPEAKERS . I APOLOGIZE, STARTING WITH MR WILLIAM MARTINO AND BERNADETTE ZAGORSKI. HAPPY NEW YEAR AGO BOARD OF EDUCATION. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT 2023 IS A BETTER YEAR FOR THE STUDENTS OF HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2022. 
          DECISIONS MADE BY THE BOARD. IN 2022 WERE DISASTROUS FOR THE COUNTY'S PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN. AND THE ACADEMIC SCORES FULLY REFLECT THAT. THE DECISION TO MASK TEACHERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS PUSHED FOR CURRICULUMS THAT ADVOCATE FOR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. 
          ATTEMPTING TO RESTRICT PUBLIC COMMENTS BY PARENTS. ALL WHILE ABANDONING TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS. SO I HOPE AND PRAY THAT 2023 IS A YEAR OF REPENTANCE AND RETURNING TO FOCUS ON TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS. SECOND TIMOTHY, CHAPTER FOUR TELLS US FOR THE TIME IS COMING WHEN PEOPLE WILL NOT ENDORSE SOUND TEACHING. BUT HAVE ITCHING EARS. THEY WILL ACCUMULATE FOR THEMSELVES TEACHERS TO SUIT THEIR OWN PASSIONS. AND WE'LL TURN AWAY FROM LISTENING TO THE TRUTH. RECENTLY THAT IS THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION HAVE ISSUED AN ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO MEASURE THEIR COMMITMENT TO LGBT INCLUSIVITY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. I MUST BE CONFUSED. I THOUGHT THE JURISDICTION OF THE CDC WAS DEALING WITH CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. THE SAME CDC THAT MADE EVERY WRONG DECISION DURING THE 2020 PANDEMIC. THEY HAVE NO CREDIBILITY. WHY DOES THE CDC JUMP OUT OF ITS LANE TO TELL AMERICA HOW TO RAISE THEIR CHILDREN? IT'S CORRUPT ORGANIZATION WANTS TO PROMOTE QUEER THEORY. GENDER DYSPHORIA PUSH GENDER NEUTRAL TRAVEL ET BY BULLYING TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. THEY ARE MORE INTERESTED IN PER NOTE PROMOTING CHOICE OF PRONOUNS INSTEAD OF TEACHING, HOW TO USE AND CORRECTLY IDENTIFY PRONOUNS IN A SENTENCE. THE CDC IS ADVOCATING FOR THE REMOVAL OF ALL REFERENCES TO MALE AND FEMALE GENDERS. THEY WANT STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS BODY WITH A PENIS AND BODY WITH THE VAGINA. MY MOTHER WAS STILL HERE. SHE WOULD SLAP ME IN MY MOUTH RIGHT NOW FOR THAT LANGUAGE. NOW THEY WANT TO USE THAT LANGUAGE ON ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. I REALLY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WORLD I'M LIVING IN ANYMORE. I DON'T WANT MY SWEET LITTLE GRANDDAUGHTER REFERRED TO AS BODY WITH A VAGINA. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ALLOW A CORRUPT AND ABUSIVE, CENTRALIZED POWER TO GAIN CONTROL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES. THE COUNTY COUNCIL SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. AND THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION. OR THE LAST LINE OF DEFENSE, TOO OBTRUSIVE FEDERAL POWERS. DO YOUR JOB AND BE A BARRIER TO STOP THESE INSANE POWER POLICIES. THANK YOU AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. MY NAME IS BERNADETTE ZAGORSKI. I'M HERE. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE COMMENTING ON THE BUDGET. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE YOU KNOW THE COMMENTS FIRST FROM THE PUBLIC. THIS MAY SOUND VERY PETTY. I AM GIVING MY. MY WORK IS NOT MONEY, MY GRANDCHILD BUT MY BUT MY NIECES SON, PALMER METHOD TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE IN CURSIVE. MY BOYS. ALL THREE OF THEM WERE EMBARRASSED AT THE V A. WHEN THEY COULDN'T WRITE THEIR NAME WHEN THEY WERE GETTING THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, THE N B A PERSONNEL BLAME ME AS A PARENT. HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW? I SAID, I DID NOT KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT BEING TAUGHT CARSE. IF IN SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THAT DECISION. BUT IT WAS A VERY POOR ONE. SO I'M TAKING IT UPON MYSELF TO TEACH THAT LITTLE BOY 
          [00:25:02]
HOW TO WRITE CURSIVE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT GIVES US OUR INDIVIDUALITY. AND ALSO I WORK IN A BANK. ALL LEGAL DOCUMENTS ARE SIGNED BY CURSIVE. SO PLEASE RECONSIDER WHY YOU DON'T HAVE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. DON'T GRADE IT. DON'T GRADE IT. WE DON'T NEED IT, YOU KNOW. GRADE UM, ABC ON THEIR CURSIVE BUT AT LEAST TEACH THE CHILDREN YOU KNOW HOW TO WRITE IN CURSIVE. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY FOR RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE BENJAMIN HEUSER, FOLLOWED BY SUSIE SCOTT. 
          GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BENJAMIN HEUSER. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT POLICY 02-0001 DESK 000 STUDENT ATTENDANCE. UM. COUPLE OF PORTIONS IN HERE, SECTION D SUBSECTION A UM SO THAT SPEAKS ABOUT, UM CHILDREN, BASICALLY HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH DAY AND THEN THE REQUIREMENTS OF DOCUMENTATION THEREOF. UM. THERE'S A SECTION A THAT JUST BASICALLY, STATES THAT YOU KNOW DOCUMENTATION FROM MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. SO ON AND SO FORTH, AND THEN IT GOES TO SECTION B, C D AND EVERYBODY GETS INVOLVED. EVERYONE GETS INVOLVED FROM THE PSYCHIATRIST TO THE TEACHER. EVERY TIME. DICK AND HARRY NOW KNOWS ABOUT A KID HAVING A MENTAL ISSUE. ISSUED YOU STOP AT A WHERE IT'S ACCEPTABLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL TO EXCUSE A STUDENT FROM ABSENCE THAT THAT SHOULD JUST KIND OF BE IT RIGHT THERE. WE DON'T NEED THAT TO FOLLOW ANYBODY'S RECORD WHATSOEVER. UM, SECTION I CHANGES. UM TRUANCY BASICALLY CHANGES UNEXCUSED ABSENCES FROM NINE 18. VERSES 6 TO 11. SO NINTH YOU'D KINDA OR BEFORE ON THE SIXTH. YOU KIND OF GET THE LITTLE WAIVER THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO COMPLETELY FELL OUT AND LOSE CREDIT. THEN ON THE 11TH DAY OF TRUANCY OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCES, YOU WOULD JUST GO AHEAD AND LOSE THAT CREDIT. FOR SOME ODD REASON. NOW WE WANT TO CHANGE IT FROM NINE DAYS AND 18TH. SO ON THE NINTH DAY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE WARNING AND THEN ON THE 18TH DAY OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCES IS WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO PULL THE CREDIT. WHY ON EARTH DO WE NEED 18 DAYS OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCES TO PULL THE CREDIT, IT SHOULD REMAIN AT 11, IF NOT LESS. BECAUSE MOST KIDS THE BIGGEST FEAR IN LIFE OTHER THAN THEIR PARENTS IS SUMMER SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NOTHING WORSE THAT THAT'S LIKE. THAT'S THE WORST THING IN THE WORLD FOR A KID TO COME FOR IT TO COME OUT. SOMEBODY'S MOUTH IS THAT YOU READ IT SUMMER SCHOOL. AND I THINK HE PUT IT AT NINE. I MEAN, KEEPING IT AT SIX AND 11 IS APPROPRIATE. UNLESS THERE'S SOMEBODY FROM THE BOARD WANTS TO REALLY ESTABLISH THE REASON FOR IT TO ADVANCE. TONIGHT AND 18TH ALSO, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND. ON THE 10TH ABSENCE, WHETHER IT'S EXCUSE OR NOT. THAT CHANGES I PS SO, BAM! YOU'VE GOT TO DO A NEW IPAD, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THEIR COLLECTIVE OR WHETHER THEIR CONTINUAL SO 10TH DAY YEAR ON NIKE. BAM! YOU GOTTA GET AN IP REEVALUATION, SO WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AS WELL AS A SIX DAY WARNING. IF THEY'RE ON AN I P SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THAT. HEY, LOOK. IF YOUR KID THREE MORE DAYS, WHETHER SHE EXCUSE OR NOT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. SO PLEASE EXPLAIN TO US THE REST OF PUBLIC WHY THIS HAS TO GET ADVANCED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. APPRECIATE IT. GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. NOTHING IS COVERED UP THAT WILL NOT BE REVEALED OR HIDDEN THAT WILL NOT BE KNOWN. PARENTS ARE WATCHING CLOSER THAN EVER. THE ACTIONS OF THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION. WE'RE PUTTING OUR TRUST IN YOU TO LOOK OUT FOR THE SAFETY AND WELL BEING OF OUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE IN YOUR CARE AT SCHOOL. IN THE FALL WHEN IT WAS REVEALED THAT CHILDREN OF THE OPPOSITE BIOLOGICAL SEX WERE PERMITTED TO USE THE BATHROOMS OR LOCKER ROOMS OF THE SEX THEY IDENTIFIED WITH. THERE WAS A HUGE OUTCRY FROM THIS COMMUNITY . WE WERE TOLD BY MEMBERS OF THE LAST BOARD THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO. OUR HANDS ARE TIED. WHEN I MADE PUBLIC COMMENT, WARNING THAT THESE TYPES OF BATHROOM POLICIES LED TO ACTUAL HARM, SUCH AS THE RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES THAT OCCURRED IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA. I WAS TOLD BY A FORMER BOARD MEMBER THAT I WAS INCORRECT. I WAS SPREADING MISINFORMATION AND THAT THAT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN. WHAT A GRAND JURY HAD BEEN CONVENED IF THIS WAS A FALSE RUMOR, A GRAND JURY FOUND GRIEVOUS HARM HAD BEEN DONE TO LOUDON COUNTY STUDENTS AND THAT THOSE CRIMES WERE ATTEMPTED TO BE HIDDEN BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. THE FIRING OF THE LOUDON COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT AND ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THESE INVESTIGATIONS THAT SHOWED THIS DANGEROUS POLICY LED TO REAL HARM AND 
          [00:30:04]
SEXUAL ASSAULT. I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO PLEAD WITH YOU TO LOOK AT WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THIS STATE BECAUSE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE IN ANNAPOLIS, WHO PUT AN EXTREME POLITICAL AGENDA AHEAD OF THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. LESS THAN A WEEK AGO ON JANUARY 3RD AT 12, YEAR OLD STUDENT AT MACARTHUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ARRUNDELL COUNTY BROUGHT A HANDGUN, A LOADED MAGAZINE AND LOOSE AMMUNITION IN A BAG TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF HOUSE BILL 0459, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM BILL. A LAW PASSED IN THE LAST GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THIS CHILD DID NOT COMMIT A CRIME AND CANNOT BE HELD LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ACT. 
          BECAUSE OF THIS LEGISLATION, A 12 YEAR OLD CAN NO LONGER BE CHARGED WITH CERTAIN CRIMES, INCLUDING BRINGING A HANDGUN AND AMMUNITION TO SCHOOL. LET THAT SINK IN. SINCE THIS LOGIC EFFECT ON JUNE 1ST 2022 AROUND THE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID. QUOTE WE HAVE HAD DOZENS OF CASES WHERE JUVENILE SUSPECTS WERE LOCATED, IDENTIFIED AND UNABLE TO BE CHARGED. THOSE CASES INVOLVED ASSAULT WEAPONS VIOLATIONS, INTIMIDATION, HARASSMENT, DRUG CHARGES, THEFT , BURGLARY, SEX OFFENSES, THREATS, MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS, ANIMAL ABUSE, ARSON AND INDECENT EXPOSURES. HOW IS THIS LAW GOING TO PLAY OUT IN OUR COUNTY? OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. 
          THE LATEST TEST ASSESSMENT SHOW HOW ABYSMALLY PUBLIC EDUCATION IS FAILING OUR STUDENTS WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT, BUT STUDENTS SAFETY AND WELL BEING IS BEING JEOPARDIZED RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW , BECAUSE OF THIS LAW, AND PARENTS NEED TO BE AWARE MOMS FOR LIBERTY WILL BE HOLDING HER MONTHLY CHAPTER MEETING. IN TWO WEEKS. WE HAVE INVITED SHERIFF GAYLOR AND HE HAS AGREED TO BE OUR GUEST SPEAKER. THAT EVENING. I CORDIALLY INVITE ALL YOU MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT BOLSON TO ATTEND. PLEASE USE THE EMAIL. I PROVIDED ON MY PUBLIC COMMENT FOREIGN TO R S V P AND GET THE DETAILS OF THE MEETING. TIME AND PLACE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT. WE HAVE DELAINE LEWIS. BY JACOB BENNETT. HELLO. HAVE SOME STATISTICS. I WANT TO READ TO YOU. BUT FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M HORRIFIED. AT THE WAY I'VE HEARD RELIGION BEING USED TO TARGET CHILDREN. AND HARM THEM. I AM HORRIFIED THAT SOMEONE CAN READ THAT STATEMENT ABOUT A 12 YEAR OLD BRINGING A HANDGUN TO SCHOOL AND FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT A 12 YEAR OLD CAN'T BE ARRESTED. NOT ABOUT WHY THAT 12 YEAR OLD FELT THE NEED TO BRING THAT HANDGUN TO SCHOOL . WHAT RESOURCES WERE OFFERED TO THAT CHILD? AND WHY THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIFE WHO OWN THOSE GUNS AREN'T BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURING THEM. SO NOW I WANT TO READ A FEW STATISTICS TO YOU . SUICIDE IS THE SECOND CAUSE OF DEATH AND 10 TO 24 YEAR OLD CHILDREN. L G B T Q I YOUTH IS MORE THAN FOUR TIMES AS LIKELY AS THEIR PEERS TO ATTEMPT SUICIDE. EVERY 45 SECONDS AND L G B T Q. PLUS I A YOUTH ATTEMPTS SUICIDE. OF THOSE NUMBERS. 
          APPROXIMATELY 12% ARE WHITE 21% NATIVE AMERICAN 20% MIDDLE EASTERN 19% LATIN X, 12% AGENT PACIFIC AND 19% AFRICAN AMERICANS. 36% OF OUR LGBT KITE . Q I A YOUTH FEEL THREATENED OR HARMED IN SCHOOL. OR ARE ACTUALLY HARMED IN SCHOOL. 52% REPORT BEING BULLIED, 73% REPORT BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST. YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE. YOUR POLICIES SHOULD BE SEEKING TO DO THAT AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. HELLO JACOB BENNETT. UM TONIGHT I'M SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE MY ROLE IN COUNTY COUNCIL. I'VE SPENT MY CAREER AS A SCHOOL TEACHER. UM, I THINK IT'S WORTH POINTING OUT THAT I'M AN AWARD WINNING AND RECOGNIZED SCHOOL TEACHER AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL. MOST RECENTLY LAST YEAR, I WAS A TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS. TOP 10 FINALISTS FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I JUST WANT TO SHARE SOME DATA AND INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL IN 2013 . THE YEAR I GRADUATED FROM HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE STATE OF MARYLAND RANKED 16TH IN THE NATION FOR FOURTH GRADE READING SCORES AND THE MOST RECENT ASSESSMENT. MARYLAND RING TO 43RD. WE HAVE A LITERACY CRISIS HERE IN OUR HOME STATE. OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT RECOGNIZES THIS CRISIS AND OFFERED EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND OVER $2 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFICALLY ALIGNED MATERIALS AND TRAINING TO OUR STAFF FOR OUR STUDENTS. 
          [00:35:01]
HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS ONE OF TWO JURISDICTIONS IN THE STATE THAT TURNED DOWN THAT FREE STATE FUNDING IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFICALLY ALIGNED MATERIALS IN OUR READING INSTRUCTION IN THE SPRING OF 2020 TO 20% OF HARFORD COUNTY KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO THE READY TO REDACT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA, WHERE AT RISK OF READING FAILURE AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT'S ONE IN FIVE CHILDREN. 8.8% OF CECIL COUNTY, KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WERE AT RISK OF READING FAILURE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT'S ONE IN 12.5 CHILDREN AND 0% OF ST MARY'S COUNTY. KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WERE AT RISK OF READING FAILURE AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT ZERO IN 1158 CHILDREN, HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONTINUES TO USE THE UNISON STUDY FOR READING, WRITING AND OUR FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS. WE'VE EXPANDED IT TO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WE'VE BOUGHT THE REWRITES AND THE NEW CLASSROOM MATERIALS AS SOON AS THEY'VE BEEN RELEASED. ALL THE WHILE THE PRACTICES OF THIS PROGRAM CALLED A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION HAVE GOTTEN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THE CITY OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN SUED FOR DENYING CHILDREN THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS TO BE TO LEARN HOW TO READ AND HAS BEEN A HOTBED OF CONTROVERSY FOR ITS FAILURES IN THE NEW YORK TIMES TIME MAGAZINE, THE NEW YORKER, AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA AND MORE I HOPE YOU CAREFULLY CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION AND OUR CHILDREN BEFORE EVER CONSIDERING TO BUY THE SOON TO BE RELEASED REWRITE OF THE UNITS OF STUDY WRITING CURRICULUM, PLEASE CONSIDER REACHING OUT TO DR CHAUDHARY AND ASKING IF THE $2 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING WOULD STILL BE AVAILABLE TO US TO IMPLEMENT SCIENTIFICALLY ALIGNED MATERIALS IN ORDER FOR ALL CHILDREN IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO GET THE HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS TO LEARN HOW TO READ SOMETHING THAT EACH PERSON SHOULD BE GUARANTEED A RIGHT TO IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, TO DENY OUR CHILDREN THE RIGHT TO READ IS TO DYE THEM THE ABILITY TO ACCESS OUR WORLD. UM YOU KNOW, I WORK OF SIXTH GRADERS NOW BECAUSE I REFUSED TO TEACH KINDERGARTEN AS LONG AS WE'RE USING MATERIALS THAT HARM CHILDREN. I HAD CHILDREN IN MY CLASS THIS YEAR, WHO COULD NOT READ THE WORD MOON BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT OO SAYS. WE CAN'T DO THAT TO CHILDREN. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE DAVID BAUER. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. TODAY I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET A BIT ABSTRACT, LEE SO THE BUDGET PRESENTATION SLIDES HAVE SOME BIG HEADLINE NUMBERS. AND I WORRY THAT YOU ALL WILL GET SOME PUSHBACK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS BUDGET REQUEST WITH THE COUNTY COUNCIL, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE AND OTHERS. 
          SO OVERALL, I LIKE THIS PROPOSAL , BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S AMBITIOUS ENOUGH. OR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS VITAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. THEY BELIEVE IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW EVEN MORE VITAL. IN ADDITION TO ITS CORE EDUCATION MISSION. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM DEALS WITH A LOT OF PROBLEMS THAT COME FROM THE COMMUNITY. WE'LL SPEAK CLEAR. TODAY IS STUDENTS AREN'T LIKE STUDENTS A GENERATION AGO. EVEN NEW KINDERGARTENERS. EVEN WITH NEW KINDERGARTENERS, WE ALREADY SEE DIFFERENCES. AND THIS ISN'T JUST HARTFORD. THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM. MARYLAND'S CARBON COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED BACK IN 2016 THE STUDY A RANGE OF PROBLEMS THAT WERE ALREADY VISIBLE THEN THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS SHOULD A PEAK AND DECLINE IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT. NOBODY WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING EDUCATION IN MARYLAND SHOULD BE SURPRISED THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT A BIG BUDGET INCREASE. AS PER THE BLUEPRINT. WE ARE TRYING TO DO MORE. AND THAT TAKES MORE MONEY. 
          ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE INFLATION OF COSTS OF COSTS. ON TOP OF THAT. WE HAVE INCREASE IN STAFF SALARIES, INCLUDING THE BLUEPRINT MANDATED TARGET. THAT'S JUST A FEW YEARS OUT. 
          NOTE THAT THE STATE IS DOING ITS PART HERE. THE BUDGET PROPOSAL SHOWS A BIG INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING, WHICH HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. THE PROJECTED INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING IS LARGER IN BOTH PERCENTAGE AND ABSOLUTE TERMS THAN THE LOCAL REQUEST. SO ALSO. THE COUNTY IS OPERATING BUDGET FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. AS WELL OVER $900 MILLION. THAT PUTS HCPS ASKED FOR 350 MILLION IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT THAN I'VE SEEN PORTRAYED. ALSO FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THE COUNTY CUT TAXES. DESCRIBED AS QUOTE THE ALLERGIC PROPERTY TAX CUT. 
          HARTFORD'S HISTORY END QUOTE. THIS SHOWS HOW CONFIDENT OR COUNTY LEVEL GOVERNMENT IS IN 
          [00:40:06]
THE FISCAL HEALTH OF COUNTY. TO CONCLUDE DO SOME RESEARCH. BE PREPARED AND THEN PLEASE GO OUT AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS FUNDING. WE NEED IT. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT MILLER. 
          THAT'S ALL THE IN PERSON SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. MRS LATER. CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK IN VIRTUAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS ? YES DR MUELLER. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE NOW IN 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. HELLO MY NAME IS CHRISTY GRINER AND I AM A CONCERNED PARENTS OF HARTFORD COUNTY. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO RAISE AN ISSUE WITH THE USE OF CHROMEBOOKS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, UM, NOT RELATED TO CLASS TIME. IT HAS RECENTLY COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT A SECOND GRADE CLASS WAS ABLE TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES SUCH AS MINECRAFT AND KILL OR DESTROY OTHER CLASSMATES. THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO SEARCH AND BU INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES AND VIDEOS FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE BY THE TEACHER. IT TOOK A STUDENT COMPLAINING TO THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR PARENTS , THEN MEETING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AT THE SCHOOL TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO LIGHT. SOME OF THAT, UM IMAGES AND VIDEOS WERE GRAPHIC AND VULGAR AND NATURE AND WORK COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE FOR SEVERAL STUDENTS OF A SECOND GRADE CLASSROOM. ONLY AFTER THE ISSUE WAS RAISED BY THE PARENTS. WERE THE ADMINISTRATION ABLE TO CHECK THE HISTORIES OF THE CHROMEBOOK AND GO BACK AND SEE. WHAT WAS VIEWED THE CURRENT FIREWALL AND ALERT SYSTEM FAILED TO NOTIFY OR BLOCK SOME OF THE INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES AND VIDEOS FOR 18 DAYS. 
          MANY OTHER PARENTS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH WERE NOT AWARE THAT THE CHILDREN HAD UNSUPERVISED ACCESS TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES AND BROWSE THE INTERNET ON SCHOOL COMPUTERS SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THIS WAS HAPPENING DURING CLASS TIME AND FREE PLAY. ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SHOULD ONLY BE USING THE COMPUTERS FOR STRUCTURAL PURPOSE AND WITH FIDELITY STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BROWSE THE INTERNET, CHURCH, GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE OR PLAY GAMES UNSUPERVISED DURING CLASS TIME AND RECESS. TEACHERS SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN WALKING AROUND THE CLASS. WHILE STUDENTS ARE ON THE CORN BOOKS. THEY ARE A LEARNING TOOL AND NOT FOR DOWNTIME OCCUPYING STUDENTS WERE PLAYING GAMES DURING SCHOOL HOURS. I AM ASKING THE BOARD TO PLEASE LOOK INTO REMOVING GAMES WHERE STUDENTS CAN KILL EACH OTHER STUDENTS AND UPDATING THE SECURITY AND ALERT SYSTEM AVAILABLE TO TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION. WE WERE RELYING TOO HEAVILY ON WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN PLACE, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT HAS FAILED. WE NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE WITH INTERNET SAFETY. SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED ARE LOOKING INTO OTHER PROGRAMS SUCH AS GO GUARDIAN, HAVING MORE FREQUENT HISTORY CHECKS AND RENEW COMPUTER ROLES AND INTERNET SAFETY WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS MORE FREQUENTLY. OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL SHOULD BE TO LEARN FROM THIS AND CORRECT THE MISTAKE GOING FORWARD. I'M SURE ALL OF YOU WOULD AGREE. THAT WE JUST WANT TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE A SAFE AND COMFORTABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO THRIVE IN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 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 BE GETTING YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. GOOD EVENING. I AM CRYSTAL DON PARKS. WITH THE DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR HOLIDAY NEXT WEEK, WE AGAIN PAUSE. AS A COMMUNITY. NATION AND WORLD. TO REFLECT ON HIS TEACHINGS AND SERVICE. DR KING WAS MURDERED JUST MONTHS BEFORE MY BIRTH. MY PARENTS FEARED FOR ME IN THE WORLD. I WAS BEING BORN INTO 25 YEARS AGO , I STOOD WHERE DR KING HAD AT THE FOOT OF THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL. I, TOO HAD A DREAM. BUILT UPON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE BEFORE ME. AND HONED BY EDUCATORS WHO BELIEVED IN ME. AND THE POWER OF MY OWN ADVANCED 
          [00:45:05]
EDUCATION. THOSE ARE DREAMS VERY DIFFERENT THAN HATE GROUPS AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. INTENT TO VIOLATE LEGAL MANDATES AND TERRORIZED MARGINALIZED GROUPS. INCLUDING HARTFORD CHILDREN. IN THE NAME OF A SKY DADDY OR WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALIST AGENDA OR THE RACIST MISOGYNY OF THE PROUD BOYS. OR EVEN LIBERTY. HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS BEEN TARGETED BY THOSE FILLED WITH THIS THING. MANY IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MY FAMILY. WERE TARGETED AS WELL. LAST WEEK , THE SAME GROUPS THAT RIOTED OUTSIDE THIS VERY CHAMBER IN THE FALL OF 21. AND IF THAT MEANS VERY CHAIRS AND STOOD AT THE PODIUM TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY. ATTORNEY ATTACK ON HARFORD COUNTY. HEALTH DEPARTMENT. FOR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAM FOR LGBT Q TEAMS. AS THE TARGET. ONE OF OUR OWN HOME GROWN PROUD BOYS SUGGESTED PARTICIPANTS COVER THEIR FACES AS THEY COULD FACE EMBARRASSMENT IF THE COMMUNITY LEARNED THEIR IDENTITIES AT THE RALLY. IT'S 2023. THE KLAN IS STILL IN HARTFORD. JUST WITH THE BANNER OF PROUD BOYS AND THE PATRIOTS OF HARFORD COUNTY. OH, AND GOD. THOSE CROSSES THAT THEY BEAR MAY NOT BE LIT ON FIRE. YET. SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE. 
          DR KING HAD A DREAM. AS A DEVOUT MAN OF THE GOSPEL, AND IT DID NOT TEACH THE FAILINGS SEEN IN THESE GROUPS. DR KING WAS A BLACK MAN. OH, WAIT IS THAT C R T. YOU KNOW, IT'S FACT IT'S HISTORY. HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PLEASE LEAD US. PLEASE UNIFY WITH THOSE DEDICATED TO THE PROTECTION AND ADVANCEMENT OF ALL OF OUR CHILDREN. HARFORD STANDS AGAINST HATE. BLACK LIVES MATTER. PLEASE FIND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE ON THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY. GOOD NIGHT. DR MUELLER THAT CONCLUDES OUR VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. SO WE WILL 
          [C. Consent Agenda]
MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MR SEWELL, YOU PLEASE READ THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ABSOLUTELY UH, FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MONTHLY PERSONNEL REPORT FROM NOVEMBER 2022. I'M SORRY. 
          MY FAULT. AM I IN THE WRONG ONE AGAIN? YOU ARE TO CHANGE IT ON THE PULL DOWN, DICKIE. THAT WOULD BE THE AGENDA FROM THREE YEARS AGO. MAYBE WANT TO REVISIT THAT ONE? I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BETTER TIME. GOT IT. GOT IT. HOW ABOUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR THE PARKING LOT LIGHTING 700 CONGRESS STREET HAVE THE GRACE THE CONTRACT AWARD. FOR ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES AND ASSOCIATED MATERIALS. AND ALSO THE LAST ITEM WOULD BE THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING FROM DECEMBER. 19TH 202A SECOND TO PROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. ASK A QUESTION REALLY QUICK COURSE SO IF WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA D STANDS SEPARATELY. AND WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT. SEPARATELY, CORRECT. WAIT YES. ONLY TALKING 123 UNDERSTAND TALKING ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA TO CONFIRM SO THAT I MOVE THAT WE, UM EXCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA. THANK YOU DO HAVE A 2ND 2ND. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. PLEASE SIGNIFIED BY SAYING YES. YES, YES. I JUST I ACTUALLY HAVE TWO QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ONE IS THERE'S NO HYPERLINK FOR THE MINUTES. SO ARE THEY AVAILABLE? THE THIRD ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, YOU CLICK ON THE DATE ON THE DATE. DECEMBER 19TH. I DON'T HAVE IT. IT'S NOT WORKING ON MY COMPUTER SO WE CAN. WE CAN WORK ON THAT LATER. BUT I DON'T HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE AGENDA. SO IT'S. JUST SAYING, JUST SAYING AND THE SO MY HYPERLINKS, NOT THERE. IT'S NOT THERE. UM AND THEN, UM, ALSO THE 700 CONGRESS STREET SO THAT WOULD BE LIGHTING OVER BY THE. BY THE FOOTBALL FIELDS. IS THAT WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? OR THE PARKING LOT AND LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PARKING LOT LIGHTING. IS THAT PART OF SCHOOL PROPERTIES. I GUESS IT'S STILL PARTICIPATE. 
          PROPERTY SPACE THAT WAS, UM IT'S THE PARKING LOT WHERE THE HIGH SCHOOL USED TO USED TO BE RIGHT. 
          OKAY PROPERTY WE'VE GIVEN OVER, BUT THAT WAS A DISCUSSION WITH THE TOWN OF HARVEY DEGREES 
          [00:50:03]
BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PUT LIGHTS WHEN WE LEVELED THE BUILDING AND PUT THE PARKING SO IT WAS IT WAS. IT WAS AGREEMENT YOU MADE. OKAY. GOTCHA. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO LET ME JUST GO BACK, AND I APOLOGIZE. UM OTHERS IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES, YES, OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. NEXT IS ITEM D DECISION AND PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY. 0 2-D 
          [D. Decision on Proposed Revisions to Board Policy 02-0001-000 Student Attendance, Kimberly H. Neal, Esq., General Counsel and Mr. Bernard Hennigan, Executive Director of Student Support Services]
LIKE TO CALL ON MISS KIMBERLY NEAL AND MR BUCK AND AGAIN FOR DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS, UM THE STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICY WAS FIRST PRESENTED TO THE BOARD BACK ON NOVEMBER THE 14TH BY MYSELF AND MR HENNIGAN, UM, THE PURPOSE, THE REASON THAT THERE WERE SOME ADJUSTMENTS MADE TO THAT POLICY WAS TO CONFORM WITH THE CODE OF MARYLAND REGULATIONS WITH OMAR AND ALSO SOME UPDATED INSTRUCTION FROM MSD. UM AND WE TALKED THROUGH AT THAT MEETING WHAT THOSE PARTICULAR REVISIONS WERE AND YOU SHOULD HAVE A MARKED UP COPY. UM IN YOUR MATERIALS. IN ADDITION, SO THAT THE, UM THE POLICY WAS IMPOSED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS REQUIRED FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 DAYS. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT DURING THAT PERIOD, ALTHOUGH THIS EVENING WE HAVE HEARD A PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. AND BOTH MR HENNIGAN AND I WERE TAKING NOTES. BY THE WAY OF THAT. THERE'S COMMENTS SO THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS UM, THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE RAISED. UM AND IN ADDITION AND YOU'LL NOTE IN YOUR INFORMATION REPORT THAT DURING THAT TIME WINDOW, MR HENNIGAN'S TEAM WAS LOOKING BACK, OF COURSE OVER THE POLICY AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT PERFECTLY COMPLIED WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF THE LAW. SO THERE WERE THREE ADDITIONAL WORDS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE POLICY WHICH HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU ALL IN A IN AN UPDATED COPY IN BLUE. UM AND MR HANNIGAN WILL EXPLAIN THAT THE THREE WORDS ARE OR UNLAWFULLY ABSENT. UM AND WHAT I WANTED TO EXPLAIN IS THAT AS ONCE, MR HANNIGAN KIND OF GOES THROUGH THAT AND WE ACCEPT SOME QUESTIONS. UM THE ADDITION OF THOSE THREE WORDS IS NOT WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE TO THE POLICY . UM SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF YOU ALL EXCEPT THOSE THE LANGUAGE, THERE'S THREE ADDITIONAL WORDS, YOU WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO VOTE AND MAKE A DECISION ON THIS POLICY TONIGHT IT WOULD NOT NEED TO GO BACK OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IF THERE ARE MORE ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT NEED THAT YOU ALL WANT OR THAT NEED TO BE MADE OF THE POLICY. FOR SOME REASON, WE CAN ASSESS THAT IF IT BECOMES A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, THIS POLICY WOULD NEED TO GO BACK OUT AGAIN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN COME BACK AGAIN AT A LATER DATE FOR A VOTE. I'LL PASS IT TO MR HANNIGAN. THANK YOU. SO THE ADDITION OF THE THREE WORDS OR UNLAWFULLY ABSENT IS BECAUSE MSD HAS 21 CODES FOR AN ABSENCE. UH AND, UM CODE 20 IS UNLAWFULLY ABSENT CODE. 21 IS TRENT AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A NUANCE OF DIFFERENCE SO TRUE, IT MEANS THAT THE CHILD PURPOSELY MISSED SCHOOL, UM, DID NOT COME TO SCHOOL THAT THEY SKIPPED CLASS OR IT MIGHT BE UNLAWFULLY ABSENT WOULD MEAN THAT THE CHILD DID NOT COME TO SCHOOL AND THEN DID NOT BRING A NOTE TO EXCUSE THE ABSENCE. SO THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE SAID THAT THE TEACHER COULD NOT PROVIDE MAKEUP WORK IF THEY DECIDED IF THEY DETERMINE THAT THE CHILD HAS BEEN TRUANT, BUT ACTUALLY WOULD BE ALSO OR UNLAWFULLY ABSENT SO IT COULD GO EITHER WAY , SO JUST ADDING THAT TO MAKE SURE IT'S COVERING BOTH SITUATIONS THAT COULD PRESENT THEMSELVES TO A TEACHER. AND DID YOU WANT TO ADDRESS? SURE THE, UM THE PIECE ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH NOTE THAT WAS ADDRESSED IN PUBLIC COMMENTS IN 2022 DURING THE REGULAR SESSION, HOUSE BILL 1 18 WAS PASSED, WHICH SAID THAT EVERY MALE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL MUST ACCEPT A NOTE FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER, THE SAME THEY WOULD FROM A PHYSICAL HEALTH PROVIDER. IT ALSO ADDED THAT THE SCHOOL HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES WITH A PARENT. IF A CHILD BRINGS A NOTE IN STATING THAT THEY WERE ABSENCE FOR MENTAL HEALTH ABSENCE, SO WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE A NOTE PRESENTED. AND LEAVE IT AS IS, AS THE PUBLIC SPEAKER STATED. WE NEED TO THEN TAKE THAT NOTE, TURN AROUND AND PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES TO THAT PARENT. SO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL BEING INFORMED IS A NECESSARY PART OF THAT PROCESS. I'M SORRY. YES SO THE CHANGES TO THE NOTIFICATION REGARDING A POSSIBLE FAILURE, OF COURSE DUE TO ABSENCES. UM, MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT EDUCATION ALSO CHANGED THE DEFINITION OF CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM TWO YEARS AGO TO A 10% RULE. SO BASICALLY, 
          [00:55:01]
I HAVE A CHILDHOOD MISSED 10% OF THE TIME THAT THEY WERE ENROLLED THAT THEY WOULD BE CONSIDERED CHRONICALLY ABSENT. SO IN A FULL SCHOOL YEAR. THAT WOULD BE 18 DAYS AND A HALF OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THAT WOULD BE 90 DAYS OR NINE DAYS. RATHER SO THE LANGUAGE OF SIX AND 11 I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT CAME FROM THAT THAT COMES BEFORE MY TIME, BUT IT SEEMED RATHER ARBITRARY TO MYSELF AND THE FOLKS AND ITS SERVICES IN ORDER TO COME IN LINE WITH MSD AND THEIR DEFINITION OF CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. WE WANT TO CHANGE THAT TO NINE AND 18 SO APPARENTLY BE NOTIFIED AFTER NINE ABSENCES THAT YOUR CHILD COULD POTENTIALLY FAIL THIS CLASS FOR THE YEAR. AND AFTER 18 THE SAME THING WE DO NOT. WE DID ALSO CHANGE THIS A FEW YEARS BACK TO SAY MAY AND NOT MUST SO THAT THE TEACHER HAD THE DISCRETION SO THAT FOR INSTANCE OF A CHILD, MRS 18 DAYS OF SCHOOL, THEN AUTOMATICALLY FAIL THE CLASS FOR THE YEAR THAT THE TEACHERS USED THEIR DISCRETION. AS TO, UM HAVE THE CHILD DID IF THEY DID THEIR WORK IF THEY WERE ABLE TO PERFORM THE TESTS, AND I GUESS THE NATURE OF THOSE ABSENCES AS WELL. SURE. WELL IT'S NOT GUIDELINES ABOUT NOTIFICATIONS. MSD JUST CHANGED THE DEFINITION OF CHRONICALLY ABSENT TO 10% SO WE JUST CHANGED THE POLICY BECAUSE OF SIX AND 11 WERE JUST SORT OF ARBITRARY NUMBERS. I'M NOT SURE MAYBE THERE WAS A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF CHRONICALLY ABSENT AT ONE TIME AND SIX AND 11 MADE SENSE BUT TO MAKE IT MORE MEANINGFUL AND TO ALIGN WITH THE MINISTER EASE, CHRONICALLY ABSENCE. DEFINITION WHICH CHANGED IT TO NINE AND 18. 
          HMM. YOU MEAN IF WE JUST KEEP THIS? THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE, BUT I WOULD ALSO ADD. THAT IT'S NOT AS IF THERE'S ONLY TWO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE PARENTS AND THE TEACHER AND THE PARENT DURING THAT SCHOOL YEAR. SO THIS IS JUST SAYING, WE MUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN 19. BUT MY GUESS IS THOSE TEACHERS AND THE PARENTS ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR ROUTINELY, ANYWAY. SO MR HEUSER BROUGHT UP ABOUT 10 DAYS FOR REDOING I E EPS. WHERE DOES THAT FIGURE INTO THIS? NOT SURE WHAT HE WAS SAYING. DOING THAT PIECE. 
          I WASN'T EITHER. THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING. I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT KNOW MORE ABOUT IT THAN I DID. 
          10 DAYS FOR, UM, RECONSIDERATION OF THE I P. BASICALLY IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CAUSALITY, BUT USUALLY THAT'S CONNECTED TO DAYS OF DISCIPLINE. IN OTHER WORDS DAYS RELATED TO SUSPENSION, SO THE STUDENTS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SETTING. FOR SOME REASON, FOR ONCE THEY REACHED THE 10 DAY THRESHOLD. YOU NEED TO REVISIT THE I B I E. P TO ENSURE THE SETTING IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE SERVICES THAT ARE THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ARE ALLOWED FOR IN THE I. P. UM, ARE APPROPRIATE SO AND USUALLY BECAUSE BECAUSE THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE BEHAVIORS THE STUDENT WAS EXHIBITED TO CAUSE THE, UM DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR SUSPENSION. BUT THAT'S THAT'S THOSE ABSENCES ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOUR REGULAR ATTENDANCE FOR ILLNESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          YOU KNOW, 10 DAYS OF ILLNESS WOULDN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE UMT REALLY IS ABOUT ANYTHING RELATED DISCIPLINE. THERE ALSO WAS ANOTHER CHANGE THAT MAYBE THAT WAS BEING REFERENCED A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK TO SAY THAT STUDENTS THAT ARE NON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IF THEY MISS 10, CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF SCHOOL IN A ROW THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AN I P MEETING TO REVISIT THEIR IF THAT'S THE PROPER PLACEMENT FOR THEM, SO THAT MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN THE, UM PURPOSE OF THAT COMMENT. THAT'S ANOTHER ONE ALSO, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I JUST WASN'T SURE. I DIDN'T KNOW. OKAY UM, WERE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS UM, YEAH, I. I WANTED TO. I THINK THAT THE SECTION THREE PARAGRAPH D TO THAT MR HIGH SNOW BROUGHT UP AS WELL, UM I WOULD REPLACE WHERE IT SAYS ILLNESS OF STUDENTS FOR MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED. WITH ILLNESS OF STUDENT UPON RETURN SHALL PROVIDE A NOTE TOO. FROM THE PARENT TO THE ADMINISTRATORS , WHICH THEY SHOULD DO, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE STATED EXPLICITLY, UM AND. FOR AND THEN THE, UM THE UNITS OF MEASURE. 
          WE'RE NOT ON THERE, SO IT JUST BUT IT IT SAY IT WAS. IT WAS NOT SPECIFIED. SO I FELT LIKE WE NEED TO SPECIFY. IS IT THREE DAYS? HOW MANY DAYS CONSECUTIVE DAYS BEFORE IT'S REQUIRED? THERE WAS THE LANGUAGE I THOUGHT WAS A LITTLE GRAY. UM AND THAT'S UM IN PARAGRAPH. P TWO, I THINK I DON'T KNOW SOME OF THE NUMBERING LOOKS LIKE IT GOT CHANGED WHEN YOU ADDED THE BLUE. SO YOU ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT HOW MANY DAYS OF ABSENCE DUE TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN? SO LET ME LET ME SEE IF I CAN FIND IT. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE WAS THERE WAS, UM BURBAGE IN HERE ABOUT 
          [01:00:05]
CONSECUTIVE DAYS, WHICH IS IT HARD FOR YOU? I BELIEVE I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO THE FIRST TWO SENTENCES OF THAT, UM, PARAGRAPH TWO. THAT IS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT IF A CHILD HAS CONTINUOUS ABSENCE IS THE SCHOOL MAY STEP IN AND SAY THAT WE'RE REQUIRING A PHYSICIAN'S NOTE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE A PARENTS NOTE ANYMORE, AND WHAT THE NEW LEGISLATION SAID IS IF A SCHOOL DEMANDS A NOTE FROM A PHYSICIAN , THEY MUST ALSO ACCEPT THAT FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER, RIGHT? OKAY YES, SO AND I THOUGHT THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME SPECIFICITY ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND NOT JUST STATE CONSECUTIVE DAYS AND THEN THE OTHER COMMENT. I HAVE FEW OTHER COMMENTS THAT. THE WORDING SHOULD CHANGE SO THAT. THE PARENTS ARE MORE INCLUDED IN THE UM, STEPS OF THIS PROCESS. SO THE FIRST STEP SAYS THE TEACHER RECEIVES THE ABSENT NOTE FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH. THAT'S FINE. UM THE TEACHER INFORMS THE STUDENT COUNSELOR. FINE, UM BUT THE. WHAT THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THAT THE SCHOOL TAKEOVER THE COUNSELING AND THERAPY IF THE IF THE CHILD HAS CANCELING IN THERAPY THROUGH THEIR PARENTS AND YOU KNOW THE PARENTS SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THAT MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE THAT THE WORDING IN THE DOCUMENT IS, UM, BINDINGS SO THAT THAT PARENT, PARENT AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IS MAINTAINED, SO I THINK THE WORDING NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BY THE PARENTS REQUEST FOR HELP WITH THE MENTAL CARE OF THE OF THE STUDENT. UM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT IT'S NOT TAKEN OUT OF THE PARENTS HANDS AND IF THE CHILD IS SENT TO THE COUNSELOR THAT THE PARENT IS INFORMED, LIKE AT THE AT THE CHILD HAS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE DURING SCHOOL THAT THAT CHILD THEN AND GETS SENT TO FOR COUNSELING OR SO THE PARENT JUST, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU WOULD IF THE CHILD WAS SICK. AND WENT TO THE NURSE THAT YOU WOULD CONTACT THE PARENT AND THE PARENT WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE THEIR CHILD TO THE THEIR OWN COUNSELOR AND THE VERBIAGE IN HERE. IT'S JUST MISSING, SO I BELIEVE THE YOUR CONCERN. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE OPERATIONALIZED IT THIS WAY SO THAT THE COUNCIL FINDS OUT THAT I KNEW IT WAS BROUGHT IN. THEY CAN THEN DISCERN WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE NEXT STEPS. SO MAYBE THIS IS A STUDENT WHO THEY KNOW ALREADY HAS A THERAPIST IS ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH IT. THEY MAY NOT. SEND THAT HOME TO THAT PARENT BECAUSE THE PARENT HAS THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. 
          THE LEGISLATION SAID THAT WHEN THE CHILD BRINGS A NOTE INTO SAY THEY WERE ABSENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS. WE ARE OBLIGATED TO SEND THAT PARENT RESOURCES NOT TO MEET WITH THE CHILD, SO IN NO PLACE IN HERE IS THIS COUNCIL MEETING WITH THE CHILD. IF YOU WERE TO CLICK ON THE HYPERLINK, YOU'D SEE THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES OF THE PARENTS GET ARE ALL THEY'RE ALL EXTERNAL RESOURCES. UM BUT WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT IF THE COUNSELOR FINDS OUT THAT A MENTAL HEALTH NOTE WAS APART FROM A STUDENT, AND THEY HAVE NO NOON CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE TO SEND THAT RESEARCH TO LEGALLY OBLIGATED THROUGH LEGISLATION TO SEND THAT RESOURCE HOME TO THE PARENTS AND LET THEM KNOW HERE'S THERAPY RESOURCES, THERAPEUTIC RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT NUMBER FOUR IF I MAY IT SAYS STUDENT COUNSELOR SHALL DECIDE. WHETHER OR NOT TO MEET WITH THE STUDENT BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE WITH THE STUDENT AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL IT IS WARRANTED. SO THIS WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A CHILD WHO ROUTINELY COMES TO THE COUNSELOR, AND THEN THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS. AND NOW THE CHILD'S BEEN ABSENT FOR FOUR DAYS AND BRINGS A NOTE IN SAYING THAT WAS ABSENT DUE TO MY ANXIETY I WOULD EXPECT AS THE LEADER OF THAT DEPARTMENT THAT COUNSELORS HAVE MEET WITH THAT CHILD AND FIND OUT HEY, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN STRUGGLING. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THESE ABSENCES? THERE MAY BE ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND AND KNOW WHY THE CHILD WAS ABSENT AND HAVE NO JUST NO NEED TO MEET WITH THAT CHALLENGE, SO WE NEED TO LEAD THE DISCRETION WITH OUR COUNSELORS AS TO WHICH CHILDREN ARE GOING TO MEET WITH OR NOT MEET WITH, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE THIS TOO STRINGENT TO SAY. 
          ANYTIME A NOTE COMES IN. THE COUNCIL HAS TO MEET WITH THE STUDENT. NO I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT FURBISH BE ADDED THAT THE PARENT BE INFORMED OF THIS MEETING WITH THE COUNSELOR. WELL THAT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE A BIGGER DISCUSSION, BECAUSE IF OUR COUNSELORS ARE NOTIFYING PARENTS EVERY TIME THEY MEET WITH STUDENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE THIS POLICY. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION OF TABLE THIS POLICY. READY. OKAY? YEAH. I GUESS I WOULD JUST COMMENT ON THE COMMON PRACTICE NATIONWIDE THAT COUNSELORS AREN'T TELLING PARENTS EVERY TIME THEY MEET WITH THE STUDENTS. SOMETIMES IT'S A THREE MINUTE MEETINGS. SOMETIMES IT'S A ONE HOUR MEETING. THEY HAVE THOUSANDS OF MEETINGS A YEAR, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY CONTACT THE PARENT 
          [01:05:02]
EVERY TIME THEY HAVE A MEETING WITH A CHILD. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE. WELL, I KNOW THAT WELL, WHEN MY CHILDREN WERE IN SCHOOL, THEY DIDN'T HAVE COUNSELORS AND WHEN MY CHILD NEEDED TO GO TO A DOCTOR MENTAL OR PHYSICAL. I TOOK THEM SO I JUST, YOU KNOW THINK THAT PARENTS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME. U, UM WHEN COUNSELORS WEREN'T THERE , AND MAYBE THE PARENT WILL SAY FINE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT A PHONE CALL. THEIR PARENTS WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, OR THEY MIGHT SAY OKAY, I'LL BE IN, YOU KNOW, UM, AND THEY'LL SIT. YOU KNOW IN THE SESSION OR YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, IT'S HANDLED DEPENDING ON THE AGE OF THE CHILD, OBVIOUSLY, UM , YOU KNOW, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT COULD BE CONFUSING FOR THE STUDENT UM AND THE CHILD. IF THEY HAVE TO COUNSELORS, THEY HAVE ONE AT HOME, AND THEY HAVE ONE AT SCHOOL, SO THERE'S CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE PHYSICIANS , SO I JUST SEE A WHOLE A LOT OF ISSUES, AND I'M JUST SPEAKING THAT WAY FROM A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE IN LIKE IF MY CHILD WAS SEEING A PHYSICIAN THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE IF I WAS DIVORCED, WHICH I'M NOT. BUT IF I WAS DIVORCED, AND MY HUSBAND, MY EX HUSBAND WAS TAKING MY CHILD TO ANOTHER DOCTOR, AND I'M TAKING THEM TO A WHOLE ANOTHER DOCTOR. THE CHILD IS GOING TO BE LIKE, WHO DO I LISTEN TO? WELL I THINK I WOULD I AGREE WITH WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND THAT OUR COUNSELORS ARE NOT TRAINED THERAPIST AND THAT THEY'RE NOT MEETING WITH CHILDREN ON A REGULAR BASIS TO PROVIDE 45 MINUTES THERAPY SESSIONS. SOME OF THEIR CONTACTS ARE HEY, CAN YOU FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION FOR ME? HEY CAN WE TALK ABOUT COLLEGE OR I WANT HIM TO COME DOWN, COME DOWN AND TALK ABOUT A MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN AT NO TIME OR STUDENTS EVER OBLIGATED AND FORCED TO MEET WITH THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR. IT'S ALL OPTIONAL. EVEN IF IT'S SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASKED HIM TO COME DOWN. THERE IS NO MANDATE THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET WITH THEM. SO OUR COUNCILS ARE NOT REPLACING THERAPISTS. 
          ANYWAY. LET ME PUT SOME BOUNDARIES. I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. I MEAN, WE'VE AT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL, WE HAD COUNCILORS FOR ACADEMIC COUNSELORS. YOU KNOW, AND I'M NOT REFERRING TO THEM. I'M JUST REFERRING ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES THAT THAT SHOULD BE IN THE PURVIEW OF THE PARENTS. AND I GUESS THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS SOMETIMES. THESE CONVERSATIONS STARTED TALKING ABOUT COLLEGE AND THEN THEY CAN TURN INTO A MENTAL HEALTH DISCUSSION. UM SO THE IT'S JUST JUST HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF GETTING PARENT PERMISSION PRIOR TO A COUNCIL MEETING WITH THE STUDENT THAT WOULD PUT UP HUGE BARRIERS, UM TO THE WORK THAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS, AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN SPECIFY THE AGE. YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE COLLEGE LEVEL. YOU KNOW, THE KIDS ARE JUNIOR SENIOR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TOTALLY MAYBE DIFFERENT AREA. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT IF THIS DOESN'T EVEN ADDRESS WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, SO WE'RE THERE'S NO BOUNDARIES PLACED ON THE AGE GROUP, EITHER IN THIS DOCUMENT LEGISLATION MANDATES THAT WE DO IT. PEOPLE THROUGH 12. SO ANY OF A PRE K STUDENT OR 12TH GRADER BRINGS A NOTE IN SAYING THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY YESTERDAY. DUE TO FEELING ANXIOUS. THE LEGISLATION SAYS YOU MUST ENCODE THAT PROPERLY CENTRAL RESOURCES TO THAT FAMILY. WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THAT MATTER. I UNDERSTAND. I'M SORRY. I UNDERSTAND THAT POLICY AND THAT PROCEDURE ISN'T THERE A WAY I THINK THAT WE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM NEED TO KIND OF STAY IN OUR LANE. IF A PARENT HAS THAT MEDICAL, UM IF THEY'RE SEEING A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL THEN UNLESS THE PARENT REACHES OUT FOR US TO INVOLVE THEM WE CAN TO INVOLVE THE SCHOOL. I FEEL LIKE AS LONG AS WE HAVE A NOTE STATING THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING, YOU KNOW, MENTAL HELP THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE SO INVOLVED IN THAT ? YES IF THE NOTE COMES TO THE NURSE AND YOU KNOW, HAVE THE NURSE SEND OUT RESOURCES JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THOSE RESOURCES, BUT I FEEL LIKE UNLESS A PARENT IS ACTIVELY REACHING OUT FOR US TO BE INVOLVED IN SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF A SCHOOL SETTING. I DON'T REALLY FEEL LIKE THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED IN A PERSONAL DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WELL YEAH, I'M GONNA DISAGREE. UM YOU KNOW HEARTILY ON THAT WE HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE I THINK THE STATE HERE IS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT UM. 
          THAT THE CHILDREN WHO ARE HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. HAVE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM SO IT CAN BE IDENTIFIED THIS WHOLE LEVEL. UM I THINK THAT, UM. THIS IN NO WAY IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER ANY PARENTING RESPONSIBILITIES OR YOU, SIR. YOU KNOW, PARENTS RIGHTS. AH, IT'S TO MAKE SURE 
          [01:10:07]
THAT THE CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE A SOLID HOME LIFE. OR. BEING IDENTIFIED AND CORRECTED. IF I'M WRONG, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THIS BETTER THAN I DO THINK IT'S TWO POINTS. I THINK IT'S TRYING TO REDUCE STIGMA BY SAYING WE'RE GOING TO TREAT MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTH THE SAME. SO IF A CHILD COMES IN WITH A NOTE FROM THE DOCTOR, BECAUSE I HAVE A MEDICAL ISSUE WHERE THEY CAME UP WITH A NOTE FROM THEIR THERAPISTS BECAUSE THEY HAD AN APPOINTMENT OR THEY BEING TREATED FOR EXOTIC. WE'RE GOING TO EXCUSE BOTH AS ILLNESS, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S LAW SAYS YOU HAVE A CHOICE. THE SECOND PIECE IS THE PAUCITY OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IS LEADING PEOPLE TO NOT KNOWING WHERE TO GET HELP. SO THAT'S WHY I'M THINKING THE STATE STEPPED IN AND SAID OKAY, IF A CHILD BRINGS A NOTE IN SAYING THEY MISSED SCHOOL DUE TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE AND AGAIN. THIS IS LEGISLATION. THERE'S NO SUBJECTIVITY HERE. WE HAVE TO SEND HOME RESOURCES. WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. SO THAT'S THAT'S THE STATES BELIEVE MISSION IS AGAIN TO REDUCE THE STIGMA BY SAYING, LET'S TREAT THESE THE SAME AND TWO LET'S GIVE PARENTS THE RESOURCES AND IF THEY CHOOSE TO GO ACCESS RESOURCES GREAT IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO. THAT'S THEIR RIGHT AS WELL. UM SO WAIT. I'D LIKE TO JUST CLARIFY WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. OKAY BECAUSE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE YOU DON'T HAVE YEAH, YOU YOU DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE AWAY PARENTS' RIGHT RIGHTS OR ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, BUT THE STATES JUST PROVIDING BENEFITS AND RESOURCES FOR YOU KNOW THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND IN OUR NATION IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITIES JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE THE PROPER SUPPORT. THEY NEED TO HAVE GOOD MENTAL HEALTH. CORRECT. RIGHT? OF COURSE NOT SO ADD SOME VER THERE? WHAT WOULD BE THE ISSUE WITH ADDING FOR AND I THINK THAT I'M SORRY. MR AND AGAIN, MR HANNIGAN. I THINK MR HENNIGAN SAID THAT IT WOULD JUST OPEN UP KIND OF A CAN OF WORMS OR LIKE IT WAS THERE IT WOULD BE I DON'T. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY WE WOULDN'T WANT TO ADD BURBAGE IN THERE, SO CAN YOU LIKE, THINK I THINK I'M UNCLEAR ON THE VERBUND. SO IF I COULD, IF I COULD MAYBE MAKE A STATEMENT, MAYBE THAT'LL CLARIFY. I WOULD SAY. IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE CASES, MOST OF THESE CASES THE COUNSELOR. BY LAW WILL SEND HOME RESOURCE TO THE PARENT. THAT'S GOING TO BE THE END OF THE CONVERSATION. THIS SPREADSHEET SO YEAH, IT'S A SPARK SHEET WITH RESOURCES OF WHERE THEY CAN GO IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT'S GREAT . IT'S A FLYER, RIGHT? BASICALLY UM, THERE'S NO EXPECTATION THAT THE COUNSELORS MEET WITH THE STUDENT. THIS THOSE WOULD JUST BE THE CASES WHERE I KNOW THE STUDENT VERY WELL. NOW I KNOW THERE ARE ABSENT MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. THIS IS SOMEONE I MEET WITH REGULARLY. THEN I'M GOING TO MAYBE PULL THEM DOWN, BUT IN THE OTHER CASES, SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE ISSUE. I HAVE RIGHT THERE. I'M GOING TO MEET WITH THEM. SO FIRST OFF, THEY CAME INTO SCHOOL WITH A DOCTOR'S NOTE FROM A THERAPIST. SO THEY'RE RECEIVING COUNSELING. SO WHY DOES PARENTS NOTE AS WELL? THE PARENT COULD JUST SAY MY CHILD WAS ABSOLUTELY DO DO ANXIETY CONCERNS. RIGHT, SO BUT IF THE PARENT IS ALREADY GIVING THEM. HAS THE RESOURCES IS SENDING THEM TO A DOCTOR IS TAKING THEM TO A DOCTOR IS DOING. THE PARENTAL. GREAT THINGS AND DOESN'T NEED THE EXTRA RESOURCES AND DOESN'T ASK FOR THEM AND DOESN'T WANT THEM. IS THERE A CONCERN? IS THERE A CONCERN? UM WITH REGARDS TO THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR, BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THE APPREHENSION IS THAT UH, THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR OR THE CONCEPTION. IS THAT THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR? OVERSTEP. 
          THAT'S RIGHT STEP IS A GOOD SO MAYBE WE CAN UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER. WHAT THE SCOPE OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS BECAUSE UM I AM VERY FOND OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS. QUITE FRANKLY, MY KIDS WHO ARE BOTH YOU KNOW, IN PUBLIC SCHOOL WITH US, UM HAVE GREAT HAVE SAID GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE COUNSELING CURRICULUM , YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT COPING WITH STRESS. TALK ABOUT NO UNDERSTANDING YOUR EMOTIONS. IT'S LIKE REALLY BASIC THINGS. THAT PARENTS, UM ARE NOT ALWAYS , YOU KNOW, EQUIPPED TO SHARE. I MEAN TO TEACH THEIR KIDS A LOT OF PARENTS OURSELVES ARE COPING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COPE OURSELVES, RIGHT. SO CAN YOU SHARE WITH US TO SCOPE? OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THERAPISTS LOT OF TIMES. THIS IS JUST A CHECK IN. I'M CHECKING IN ON MY STUDENTS. I'M CHECKING IN ON A PART OF, UM WHY I'M HERE IN THE SCHOOL AS A COUNSELOR, RIGHT? A SCHOOL COMMUNITY DOES THAT CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCOPE SO THAT WE CAN BE ASSURED THAT THE COUNSELORS THEMSELVES ARE NOT OVERSTEPPING? WHAT A LICENSED THERAPIST THAT A STUDENT MAYBE SEEING, YOU KNOW? CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO BEFORE HE 
          [01:15:01]
GOES ANSWERS AND ALSO I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T JUST TREAT THIS AS MENTAL HEALTH ACROSS THE BOARD TO ALL STUDENTS. AS WELL. LIKE. I MEAN, THERE'S MENTAL HEALTH, AND THEN THERE'S MENTAL ILLNESS, YOU KNOW , AND SO WE'RE SEEING SECOND, SIGNALING OUT THAT INDIVIDUALS, STUDENTS UM, BECAUSE WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH. I MEAN, WE YOU KNOW IF WE'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH, SOMETHING'S WRONG. YOU KNOW, THEN WE REALLY HAVE PROBLEMS WE NEED. WE ALL NEED MENTAL HELP. SO UM, SO WHEN YOUR HANDS ARE ENJOYS QUESTION, IF YOU COULD ADD THAT INTO YOUR SURE, I THINK I WOULD START WITH THAT TO SAY AGAIN. I THINK IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE CASES THE TEACHER IS GOING TO GET THE NOTE. TELL THE COUNSELOR THE RESOURCES TO GO HOME AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE END OF THE SITUATION. SO I CAN'T SAY THAT IT'S HAPPENING EVERY SITUATION, SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF SITUATIONS THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN SO THERE WON'T BE A CHILD CALLED OUT OF CLASS OR PULLED DOWN. I WOULD SAY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHERE THERE'S ALREADY RELATIONSHIP. THEY KNOW THE CHILD NOW THEY'RE SAYING, WOW, IT'S CHILD'S BEEN ABSENT FOR THREE DAYS FOR THIS ISSUE THAT ANOTHER EXPERIENCING LET ME CHECK IN WITH THEM WITH MISSED. DR. HERALDS WORD IS APPROPRIATE THERE. AND I THINK CHECKING IS A GREAT WAY TO SORT OF CHARACTERIZE WHAT THEY DO. SO WHAT OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE DOING THIS WHAT'S CALLED BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUSED THERAPY, SO IT'S REALLY BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUSED. ERA P, WHICH IS IT'S QUICK. IT'S CHECK INS. I MEAN, OUR OUR COUNSELORS HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 250 TO 450 STUDENTS ON THEIR CASELOAD, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPENDING THE TIME THE THERAPIST WOULD A 45 MINUTE THERAPY SESSIONS ON A WEEKLY BASIS, OR BI WEEKLY BASIS WITH THEIR STUDENTS, AND THEY'RE DOING ANYTHING FROM CHECKING IN WITH THEM TO LOOKING AT THEIR GRAVES TO CAREER COUNSELING THERE. ALSO GOING AFTER THE CLASSROOM TO CLASSROOM LESSONS WITH WITH THIS, UM WITH CLASSES ABOUT THE CORE CURRICULUM THAT WE HAVE, SO I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR SORT OF SEEING THEIR OFFICE AND HAVING THERAPY SESSIONS BECAUSE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE. THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO WITH THEIR CASELOADS, SO AS FAR AS THIS POLICY IS CONCERNED FOR TONIGHT, THOUGH, AGAIN, I THINK THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS IS TO SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THE NOTE. THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES. THAT'S LEGISLATION. WE HAVE NO SAY IN THAT. THE COMMENT NUMBER FOUR IS JUST TO SAY THAT IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO THE CHILD, BECAUSE IN SOME CASES THEY WILL HAVEP WITH THEIR CHILD, AND THAT SHOT ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE CHECKED IN WITH IF THEY'VE MISSED SCHOOL FOR THE CONCERN THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNSELOR FOR IT WITH I WOULD ADD. LASTLY IS THAT THAT BRIEF SOLUTION FOCUSED THERAPY. SOMETIMES ALL OUR STUDENTS NEED AND FOR SOME OF THEM, IT'S ALL THEY'RE GOING TO GET BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF RESOURCES OUTSIDE THE BUILDING, BUT I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE TAKING CONTROL OF THEIR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH, GETTING THEM THE HELP THEY NEED , WHETHER IT'S THERAPY THERAPY, MEDICATION, PSYCHIATRY, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. IN THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS ROLE IS JUST GOING TO BE AGAIN. I THINK DR HAROLD PUT IT. PUT IT WELL WITH THE CHECK INS, SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING AND MOVE THEM ON BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY DO HAVE EXORBITANT CASELOADS OF STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH. SO DR PHILLIPS SAYS THE QUESTION COMMENT. YEAH. LET ME GET BACK TO THE DOCUMENT. SO, UM I THINK WITH THE CONCERN IS AND I THINK MAYBE JUST A LITTLE CHANGE IN AND WAS IT BE, UM, DOWN A SECOND HERE? DOWN ON THE PAGE OR GO UP ON THE PAGE, WHERE IT'S TALKING ABOUT STAFF WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES TO STUDENTS UPON THEIR RETURN TO SCHOOL. I THINK IF THAT WERE TO BE CHANGED TO THE STAFF WILL OFFER MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES TO STUDENTS UPON THEIR RETURN TO SCHOOL. AND ADD SOMETHING, YOU KNOW IT'S THE PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY SUCH OFFERINGS FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. UM AND I THINK THAT MIGHT ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH BROUGHT UP IN THE PREVIOUS, UM 15 20 MINUTE DISCUSSION. HOW TO HOW DOES EVERYBODY FEEL ABOUT THAT? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS IT'S THIS LANGUAGE THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE LAW IS PROVIDE. THE LANGUAGE. THAT'S THERE. IS THAT THE EXPECTED? THAT'S THE STANDARD THAT THE LAW INCLUDED. NOT THAT AGAIN. WE CAN OFFER SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT THE LAW STILL APPLIES. SO HAVING A LANGUAGE HERE THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW, I THINK IS UM AGAIN. THERE'S PLACES AS WE HIGHLIGHTED WHERE THE LAW IS VERY CLEAR. THERE'S OTHER PLACES. TO LOOK TO PATRICIA'S QUESTION EARLIER WHERE WE HAVE MORE SORT OF MORE ROOM TO GET DEVIATE FROM THAT, BUT EVERYBODY CAN SEE. IT CAN SAY SOMETHING LIKE, UM I THINK THE CONCERN IS FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM MY COLLEAGUES. THAT THE CONCERNS THAT THE, UH THE SCHOOL. UM COUNSELORS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED THROUGH THE SCHOOL. HE'S GOING TO TAKE OVER MANAGEMENT OF THE SPECIFIC SITUATION. AND IF WE JUST SIMPLY SAY THE STAFF WILL PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. AND WE WILL OFFER. MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AND PROVIDE IF REQUESTED, MAN. I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT THE LAW SPECIFICALLY STATE THAT WE HAVE TO, EVEN IF NOT, YOU KNOW WHAT IF A PARENT JUST TURNS IT DOWN? THIS WAY YOUR OFFER IT AND IF THEY SAY YES, THEN HERE, THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TO YOU 
          [01:20:05]
SURE, DR PHILLIPS, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK, UM, THE SECOND SENTENCE AND NUMBER THREE. THAT'S ACTUALLY THE EXACT REASON WHY I PUT THAT IN THERE TO SAY THE DECISION ABOUT THE BEST METHOD OF DELIVERY OF THIS RESOURCES OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR. DISCRETION BECAUSE OF ON THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR. I SENT HOME THE RESOURCE, AND THE PARENT SAYS, I DON'T WANT THIS EVER AGAIN. I'M NEVER GONNA SEND IT OVER AGAIN. SO I DON'T WANT. I DON'T WANT OUR COUNSELORS TO FEEL LIKE IF THEY GET 30 NOTES. THEY HAVE TO SEND THIS TO THE STATE PARENT 30 TIMES. WE HAVEN'T LEGAL OBLIGATION TO SEND IT. BUT IF A PARENT COMMUNICATES THAT THEY DON'T WANT IT ANYMORE THAN WE ABSOLUTELY DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SEND IT. AND I WOULD EVEN SAY TO MS ALVAREZ IS COMMENT IF I KNOW THAT CHILD HAS ALREADY IN THERAPY, I MIGHT NOT SEND IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED IT. THERE ARE ALREADY HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED, SO THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A PROBLEM WITH THREE. IT'S FOR THAT. THAT IS THE MAJOR ISSUE BECAUSE FOUR SAYS THAT THE COUNCILOR SHALL DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO PROVIDE CARE TO THE TO THE STUDENT. AND THERE'S NO UM NO BURBAGE IN THERE, TOO, EVEN INDICATE THAT THE PARENTS GOING TO BE INVOLVED WITH THAT. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY. I HONESTLY DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH REMOVING THAT AND I'LL BE VERY HONEST. IT MAY HAPPEN ANYWAY, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WRITTEN INTO POLICY. MOST OF OUR COUNSELORS. 
          WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION ON THEIR OWN. BUT IF WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO PUT IT IN PRINT IN THE POLICY. I HAVE NO ISSUES STRIKING FROM THE POLICY. STRIKE THAT. THAT BE CONSIDERED A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. IT WOULD. OKAY SO THAT WOULD THAT WOULD TRIGGER? UM, EVEN THOUGH WORRY SEEMINGLY AND SOME AGREEMENT, MAYBE ON THAT THAT WOULD TRIGGER PUTTING IT BACK OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THERE MIGHT BE A YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE COMMENTS AND REASONS THAT SOMEBODY REALLY FEELS THAT NEEDS TO STAY IN. OKAY I JUST I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE CLOSED WITH THAT PORTION OF THE PROCEDURE BECAUSE I HAVE A QUESTION. MISS ALVAREZ, YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE FOR WHAT WORDING ARE YOU? SUGGESTING TO ADD TO NUMBER FOUR BECAUSE COUNCIL DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT TO MEET WITH THE STUDENT BASED ON PRODUCT PIRI INSIDE WITH THIS STUDENT OR WHETHER OR NOT THEY FEEL IT'S WANTED. I MEAN, WHAT IS A BOURBON NUMBER THREE? SAYS THEY'RE GOING TO SEND THE EMAIL TO THE PARENTS. BUT WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ABOUT FOUR THAT YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THE JUNCTION THAT I HAVE IS THAT THAT THERE WOULD BE DO I DON'T CARE FOR THE CHILD. AND UM , I THINK IT IT WOULD BE MORE CONFUSING FOR THE CHILD THAT AT SCHOOL, THEY WOULD SO AND I THINK WE JUST TALKED ABOUT STRIKING IT COMPLETELY SO THAT THE COUNSELING IS NOT UM, PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL OTHER THAN ACADEMIC COUNSELING AND AS NEEDED, I DO ACTUALLY, I WOULD ACTUALLY PREFER TO HAVE THAT BECAUSE BECAUSE THEIR THEIR THIRD, UM THERE'S GOING TO BE ISSUES WHERE CHILD MAY HAVE NEED FOR SOME CARE, MENTAL CARE DURING SCHOOL WHO KNOWS SOME ANXIETY OR WHATEVER. BUT MY ISSUE IS THAT THE PARENTS SHOULD BE NOTIFIED, JUST LIKE IF THE CHILD THREW UP AND IT CAME DOWN , YOU KNOW THROUGH THE YOU KNOW, WENT TO THE NURSE. THAT THE PARENT WOULD BE NOTIFIED. SO I THINK THAT THE NOTIFICATION OF THE PARENT IS THE BIG ISSUE THAT I HAVE THAT THE PARENT WOULD NEED TO BE NOTIFIED THAT THE CHILD IS HAVING AN ISSUE IS SUFFERING SOME ANXIETY. YOU KNOW THAT THE AND THEN THE PARENT COULD YOU KNOW, THEN COME IN. 
          AND LOVE THEIR CHILD LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LIKE THEY DO YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OUR PARENTS DO , BUT YOU DO REALIZE THIS IS AFTER THE PARENTS SENT A NOTE. PARENT KNOWS THE PARENTS SENT A NOTE. READ THIS AS AN ONGOING SO MAYBE I'M MISREADING THIS. THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN ONGOING MONITORING OF THE CHILD IS NOT AN INCIDENT AND I JUST WANT TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH THE WHOLE BOARD RIGHT NOW. I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH REMOVING THEM BEFORE , BUT I THINK EVERY NUMBER FOUR IS THERE OR NOT THERE. NOTHING'S GOING TO CHANGE WITH WHAT OUR COUNSELORS DO ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO IN THIS SITUATION. SO IF I TAKE THAT OUT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PULL THE CHILD DOWN. IF I PUT IT IN, DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO. THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY. WHETHER IT'S NUMBER FOUR IS IN HERE OR NOT. SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONVERSATION, THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING NUMBER FOUR WOULD BE FOLLOWING THE NOTE COMING INTO THE SCHOOL CORRECT AND AS A RESULT OF THE SCHOOL BEING NOTIFIED OF THE ABSENCE MENTAL HEALTH RELATED ABSENCE. NUMBER FOUR. WOULD TAKE PLACE. SO IT'S AN INCIDENT BASED, UM, ACTION, NOT AN ONGOING MONITORING OF THE CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH AND INVOLVEMENT BEYOND THAT NOTE COMING INTO THE SCHOOL. I DON'T. I DON'T THINK IT'S CLEAR IN THE POLICY SO AND I GUESS MY POINT TOO, TO YOUR POINT. DR HAROLD IS WE CAN TAKE NUMBER FOUR OUT, AND THEY MAY STILL MEET WITH THE 
          [01:25:01]
CHILD, SO THERE'S NO THEY'RE NOT DIRECTED WHAT TO DO BY THIS POLICY. IT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK COUNSELORS PLAY A LARGE ROLE, AND I ACTUALLY I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN BECAUSE IT IS. IT IS NOT BEST PRACTICE FOR, YOU KNOW, UM THE PATIENT TO HAVE TWO OF THE SAME PROVIDERS AT THE SAME TIME. 
          IT'S NOT AND THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. UM IT'S AN INCIDENT. SO IF I HAD TO PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS SEEING ME AT THE SAME TIME FOR THE SAME CONDITION, THAT'S NOT BEST PRACTICE. YOU SEE ONE DOCTOR, AND IF YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, LEAVE THAT DOCTOR AND GO TO ANOTHER ONE. DO THAT. SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR YOUR YOUR CONCERN. BUT THIS HER CAN. THE CONCERN IS NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS A NOTE COMING INTO THE SCHOOL BASED ON A CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH RELATED ABSENCE. UM RESOURCES GOING OUT TO THE PARENTS? TO BE USED OR NOT USED. UM AND THEN THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR, THEN TAKING ACTION OR NOT BASED ON THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT CHILD NUMBER FOUR, SO IT IS A REACTIONARY ITEM. IT'S NOT THE SCHOOL TRYING TO TAKE THE REINS OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CARE OR TREATMENT FOR A STUDENT. SO I'M VERY CLEAR ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT'S NOT, AND I THINK THAT WE MISSED THE WORDS BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE. THE COUNSELOR HAS ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED WITH WHATEVER IS GOING ON WITH THE CHILD. SO NOW SHE GOES, AND SHE COMES BACK WITH THE NOTE. IF IT'S A NEW INCIDENT, IT WOULDN'T BE APPLICABLE. BUT THIS IS BASED ON THEM HER KNOWING THE STUDENT HIM OR KNOWING THIS DEEP. THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY IT IMPLIED TO ME THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING MONITORING OF THE CHILD. NOT MONITORING SUCH YOU KNOW IF I'M WEARING A PARENT HAT FOR A MINUTE AND NOT, BUT JUST THE LAWYER HAT IF THE IF THE STUDENT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION WITH OTHER STUDENTS MAY BE IN THE CLASSROOM OR SOMETHING THAT'S GOING ON IN SCHOOL AND HAD SPOKEN TO THE COUNSELOR NOW THEY MISSED UP SOME DAYS FOR ANXIETY. THE DOCTOR'S NOTE ISN'T GOING TO GO INTO ALL THE DETAIL OF WHAT WAS BEHIND THE ANXIETY, PERHAPS SO MAYBE THE COUNSELOR BECAUSE THEY KNOW OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING, UM, WOULD HAVE A TOUCH BASE THE CHECKPOINT TYPE OF THINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M ALLOWED TO GET PERSONAL HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, I HAVE, UM, I GUESS A RELATIVE THAT IS HAVING SOME ISSUES IN SCHOOL, AND THEY HAVE ONGOING UM, AND THE ISSUES ARE HAPPENED AT THE SCHOOL. ANDE COUNSELOR. LIKE THE PARENTS COME IN. SO THERE'S A YOU KNOW, THE PARENTS ARE COMPLETELY ENGAGED. 
          IT'S NOT IN MARYLAND, BUT THE PARENTS ARE COMPLETELY ENGAGED AND EVERYTHING AND WHEN SHE MEETS WITH THE COUNSELOR, THEY'RE NOTIFIED AND GIVEN THE OPTION TO BE THERE. SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, JUST ONE. I THINK WHAT THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT IF A STUDENT COMES IN WITH A NOTE, SAYING THAT THEY'RE HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE IF THE PARENT IS THEN REQUESTING THAT THE SCHOOL INTERVENE AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THAT'S ONE THING. BUT IF THE CHILD IS ALREADY SEEING SOMEBODY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, I FEEL THAT THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE IT AT THAT. IF WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THIS PERSON IS ALREADY SEEING AND BEING YOU KNOW, PROVIDED CARE FOR I DON'T FEEL LIKE THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR NEEDS TO THEN GET EVEN MORE SO INVOLVED IN IT BECAUSE MAYBE THE CHILD DOESN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DISCUSSING THOSE ISSUES WITH THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT THAT POINT. 
          SO IN TERMS OF THIS POLICY AGAIN, I DON'T MIND REMOVING THEM BEFORE BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER PARENTS SHOULD BE CONTACTED FOR A COUNCIL MEETING WITH THE STUDENTS, A MUCH BIGGER CONVERSATION AND AGAIN. WHETHER FOR IS THEY'RE NOT AS SORT OF A MOOT POINT. THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO DO IT. THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHETHER FOREST PRESIDENT OR NOT, SO I THINK FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISCUSSION, I DON'T HAVE A PERSONAL PASSIONS. WHETHER FOUR STAYS OR GOES BECAUSE IT HONESTLY IS NOT GOING TO IMPACT THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR. SOME WILL GET THE NOTE AND PULL THE CHILD DOWN SOMEONE AT THE NOTE AND WON'T AND I'M GOING TO TRUST THAT TO THEIR JUDGMENT. COULD I ASK A QUESTION THEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO. SO DO THEY DO THEY DO THEY CONTACT THE PARENT NOW? I MEAN, IS THAT IS THAT WHAT IS? WHAT IS THE POLICY ON THAT THERE IS NO POLICY. IN SOME CASES, PARENTS ARE NOTIFIED . SOME CASE THEY'RE NOT AGAIN. SOME OF THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE TWO MINUTES LONG, SOMETIMES THEIR COLLEGE PLANNING CONVERSATION THAT TURNS INTO A DIVULGING OF SOME PERSONAL INFORMATION. IT'S A FLUID CONVERSATIONS ARE COUNSELORS HAVE WITH STUDENTS, SO IT HAD. 
          THAT'S NOT A PREDICTABLE SITUATION AND AGAIN IF WE SAID THAT ALL COUNSELORS NEED APPROVAL FROM A PARENT TO MEET WITH THE CHILD. THAT WOULD PUT UP ENORMOUS BARRIERS FOR THE WORK THAT WE DO AND AGAIN THE WORK THAT WE DO IN SCHOOL COUNSELING OFFICES, ALL TIED BACK TO ACADEMICS. OUR JOB IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE WHOLE CHILD SO THEY CAN PERFORM ACADEMICALLY. 
          IN ADDITION TO PREPPING THEM FOR THEIR FUTURE AND A COUNCIL AND COLLEGE COUNSELING AND THINGS OF 
          [01:30:02]
THAT NATURE. DISCRETION THAT PERSON. INFORMATION WENT HOME. THE KIDS. I GUESS I'M ADDITIONALLY CHECK THIS. LIKE THEY MAY SAY SOMETHING. THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE SAID IT APPARENT WHITENESS AND OF THE COUNCIL THAT MIGHT HELP THE COUNCIL FURTHER. UNAWARE OF IT. THERAPY. 
          WORLD CHAMPION. EXACTLY CORRECT. I MEAN, EVERY CASE IS SO UNIQUE . IT'S HARD TO SAY, UM AGAIN. 
          THEIR GOAL IS TO HELP THE CHILD BE MENTALLY WELL TO BE ACADEMICALLY SOUND. THAT'S THE GOAL OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS. CONCERN CONCERN. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I KEEP SHUTTING THIS MY MIC OFF BECAUSE I'M COUGHING UP HERE AND I DIDN'T WANT IT. CERTAIN PERCOLATED AND JOSH JUST KEEPING ME ON TASK BECAUSE HE STARTED IT BACK ON AGAINST MY APOLOGISTS. BUT, UM ANYTHING. 
          IT'S KIND OF CAUGHT BETWEEN. PLACES BECAUSE IF WE ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS OR STEPPING ON PARENTS TOES BUT IF WE IGNORE THE SITUATION, THEN THEY'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO APPROACH TO PROMOTE A CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH. SO. I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM WITH IT AS A CHECK IN AND IT'S A SCHOOL COUNSELOR, SO IT'S NOT MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY PER SE. IT'S JUST A CHECK IN AND I THINK THAT MRS ALVAREZ. IT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY TIME A CHANCE COUNSELOR POSE A STUDENT IN IT'S JUST RELATED TO THIS CHECKPOINT. AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING SINCE IT'S JUST A CHECKPOINT. IT'S LIKE ANY OTHER TIME WHERE WE MAY OR MAY NOT GET A PARENT INVOLVED AND YOU'VE BEEN CLEAR YOU DON'T MIND TAKING IT OUT. THERE'S SOME BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE. I THINK THAT THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S ANOTHER CHECKPOINT TO PRESERVE A CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH. SO, UM. OKAY I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THE WAY AN EXTERNAL COUNSEL WOULD. I WOULD SAY TO THE EXTENT TO THE EXTENT BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO MINIMIZE THE WORK OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS. THE WORD CHECK IN EVEN THOUGH I USED IT MYSELF. THESE ARE VERY WELL TRAINED, SKILLED. FOLKS WHO CAN IDENTIFY THE THERAPEUTIC NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. IT'S JUST NOT TO THE INTENSIVE NEED. SOME OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE TRAINED THERAPISTS WHO HAVE THEIR OWN THERAPY PRACTICES SO BUT AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR IS NOT TO SERVE AS THE THERAPIST IS THE SERVICE THE PERSON TO HELP KEEP THE CHILD MENTALLY WELL SO THAT THEY CAN BE ACADEMICALLY SOUND. CAN I SAY, I THINK THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT MS ALVAREZ IS HAVING IS THAT IF THERE'S AN ISSUE AT SCHOOL AND APPARENTLY NOT AWARE OF A SITUATION THAT IS HAPPENING AT SCHOOL. I THINK SHE'S SAYING THAT. A PARENT SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE THAT'S HAPPENING AT SCHOOL SO THE PARENT CAN STEP IN AT THAT POINT AND ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS. AND OFTEN TIMES THEY ARE OFTENTIMES THEY ARE SO I MEAN, OUR OUR JOB IS TO LINK UP PARENTS. THAT'S SORT OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS LAW. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE LINK UP PARENTS WITH THE RESOURCES BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN'T PROVIDE THE LEVEL OF THERAPEUTIC NEED FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE SCHOOL. THEY SPENT ALL THERAPISTS WHO COME INTO OUR BUILDING TO SERVICE THE THERAPIST DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. SO A LOT OF THAT, UM LIAISON WORK HAPPENS WITH THE THERAPIST IS COMING IN WHO TAKES THE TAKES THE ROLL OFF FROM THE COUNCIL AND SERVES AS THE CHILD THERAPIST. AND THAT'S ONLY EVER DONE. WHEN PARENTS ARE INVOLVED IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. THAT NEVER HAPPENS WITHOUT PARENTS. PARENTS HAVE TO COME TO THE INTAKE MEETING AND SIGN ALL THE PAPERS THE SAME AS THE THERAPY APPOINTMENT. THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AN OFFICE. IT JUST HAPPENS IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS. SO THE PARENTS, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST IT JUST CONFUSES ME. WHY WE CAN'T PUT SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT SAYS A PARENT CONTACT THE PARENTS. YOU KNOW I DON'T YOU KNOW AGAIN, I THINK FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY THAT'S A MUCH BIGGER DISCUSSION BECAUSE I THINK WHAT'S BEING ASKED IS CAN COUNSELORS MAKE SURE THEY'VE CONTACTED A PARENT BEFORE THEY MEET OR AFTER ANY TIME THEY'VE MET WITH THE STUDENT THAT IS A MUCH BIGGER CONVERSATION IN HOW DO WE TAKE? AT WHAT POINT DO WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE POLICY BECAUSE IT DOES SOUND LIKE THERE IS THERE IS NOT A STANDARD ACROSS THE BOARD, RIGHT? UM SO SOME SOME SCHOOLS MAKE CONTACT PARENTS, UM WE MAY SPEAK TO A STUDENT OR NOT. UM. HOW CAN WE JUST. SET SOME TIME ASIDE TO, LIKE INVESTIGATE THE POLICY AND JUST SEE IF THERE ARE SOME 
          [01:35:03]
REASONABLE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO. UM. TO SATISFY THE PUBLIC INTEREST. UM. WHILE STILL MAKING IT DOABLE, AND WE STILL AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO BE ABLE TO EXECUTE RIGHT WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE. SO, UM I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW. IF YOU YOU ALL WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT, UM, AS LONG AS WE KNOW WHERE WE COULD YOU KNOW, HAVE A LARGER DISCUSSION ABOUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT SENSE WOULD IT MAKE IF WE TAKE IT OUT OF THE POLICY, AND IT'S STILL GOING TO HAPPEN ANYWAY? RIGHT I CONCUR WITH THESE CHOICES. 100% I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THAT LARGE, LARGER DISCUSSION. OKAY SO I GUESS SO. I WOULD JUST SUGGEST ONE THING. THIS IS WHERE WE GOT TO GET SPECIFIC ABOUT THE LANGUAGE. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT A BOARD POLICY? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT PROCEDURE OR PRACTICE, WHICH ARE VERY DIFFERENT THINGS, RIGHT? POLICIES TEND TO BE TRIMMER. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE AS MUCH SPECIFICITY. THEY DON'T UM YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU TRIED TO THERE'S A REALLY DEEP RABBIT HOLE YOU KNOW INTO WHEN YOU TRY TO DICTATE SPECIFIC. IT'S VERY SPECIFIC ACTION. AND TOO BROAD A RANGE OF POSSIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE BOOK INDICATED MEETINGS WITH. COUNSELORS HAPPENED FOR 1000 DIFFERENT REASONS. AND YOU CAN LOOSELY SORT THEM INTO THIS TYPE OF MEETING VERSUS THAT TYPE OF MEETING. BUT WHENEVER WE TRY TO DO THIS, LIKE TO TRY TO MAKE OUR POLICIES THAT SPECIFIC WE ALWAYS RUN INTO GRAY AREAS, WHICH ARE PRETTY INDEFINABLE. SO UM IF THE CONVERSATION IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, WHICH IS SORT OF WHAT I THINK YOU'RE ACCUSING ME WITH THE FEELING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A CERTAIN STANDARD. WE'VE WORKED TOO. AN EXPECTATION OF A STANDARD, I THINK YOU KNOW, THAT'S MORE. TALKING ABOUT PRACTICE OR PROCEDURE, WHICH ISN'T IT'S OKAY TO ENGAGE THE BOARD. FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF. 
          THEY REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY. BUT IN TERMS OF PUTTING CERTAIN VERY SPECIFIC THINGS LIKE THAT, AND POLICY UM I WOULDN'T. SUGGEST PROCEEDING WITH EXTREME CAUTION BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY INTERACTIONS. AND, UM AS ENTICING AS IT IS TO SAY THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN EVERY TIME THERE'S 1000 REASONS THAT GOES WRONG. UM AND SO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH A BIGGER CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. BUT LET'S BE CLEAR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH. THAT IS WHAT I WOULD SAY. PERHAPS IT COULD BE SOMETHING IN ADDITION TO MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. SURE. UM YOU KNOW, MENTAL HEALTH IS SO MUCH HARDER. TO DEFINE THEN PHYSICAL HEALTH. 
          I MEAN, YOU KNOW, FOR MY SPECIALTY DIABETES, FOR EXAMPLE , YOU KNOW SOMEONE'S GOT A BLOOD SUGAR OF 100. THEY GOT A BLOOD SUGAR 300. AND YOU CAN YOU CAN DEFINE, UM SERIOUS ILLNESS OR ISSUES THERE, WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH IS SO MUCH HARDER TO DEFINE. I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. BUCK AS FAR AS NOTIFYING EVERY EVERY PARENT ABOUT EVERY INTERACTION BECAUSE YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOMETHING MORE THAN KID GETS A, YOU KNOW, 89 A TEST. THEY NEEDED A 90 TO GET AN A FOR THE QUARTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND HE'S ALL STRESSED OUT OVER THAT, AND IT'S MORE OF A PAT ON THE BACK. SAY, HEY, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT JUST DO BETTER NEXT TIME AND HE DOES BETTER NEXT TIME HE GETS HIS A AND THAT OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT NEED COMMUNICATION WITH A PARENT. IS THERE SOME TYPE OF AND I'M I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. UM IS THERE SOME TYPE OF THRESHOLD THAT WE CAN DEFINE? THAT WOULD REQUIRE OR WOULD SUGGEST THE NEED TO CONTACT APPARENT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. UM YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE PROBABLY DOES NOT REALLY REQUIRE ANY TYPE OF INTERACTION , WHEREAS SOMETHING WHERE YOU KNOW, STUDENT IS OBVIOUSLY SUFFERING. UM. IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM THOSE VERY IDENTIFIABLE, UM, TO HIS PEERS TO HIS TEACHERS, THE COUNSELORS THAT SHOULD CERTAINLY REQUIRES SOME TYPE OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE PARENTS. SO YOU KNOW? IS IT WORTH GETTING OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS? UM. TO THE TABLE WITH US TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF LANGUAGE. AND SOME TYPE OF IDENTIFYING WELL IDENTIFIABLE CRITERIA. THAT WOULD TRIGGER THAT CONTACT WITH THE PARENTS. SO UM, THE COUNCILS ARE NOT PRETTY MUCH ON THE PHONE. ALL DAY LONG NOTIFYING THE PARENTS THAT THEY HAD A FIVE MINUTE DISCUSSION. UM, ABOUT A ABOUT A TEST OR SOMETHING. SO I WOULD AGREE. I'M OPEN TO HAVING THE DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY SORT OF THRESHOLDS. THERE IS NO POLICY OR PROCEDURE IS STRICTLY A PRACTICE THAT NATIONWIDE OR 
          [01:40:01]
SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE OPERATING UNDER THE AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELING ASSOCIATION'S GUIDANCE, JUST LIKE OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS OPERATE UNDER THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, SO WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY OR PROCEDURE THAT WOULD DICTATE. HOW THESE OUTBREAK BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH HUMANS, AND WE'RE DEALING WITH NUANCED SITUATIONS AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO BUT I WOULD SAY I'M OPEN TO THE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION BUT TO COME BACK TO THIS POLICY SO THAT WE CAN BECOME COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW. UM I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO EITHER . REMOVE NUMBER FOUR OR GET AGREEMENT ON NUMBER FOUR SO THAT THE PIECE WHERE WE HAVE TO NOTIFY PARENTS THAT WE GOT A NOTE AND HERE'S RESOURCES THAT WE CAN BECOME COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW AND GET OUR SCHOOLS. MOVING BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S OPERATIONALIZED, IT'S NOT POLICY YET, AND THAT'S MY CONCERN. SO UM, AGAIN NUMBER FOUR WHETHER IT STAYS OR GOES, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THAT CONVERSATION THAT YOU ALL ARE ALLUDING TO, BUT IF WE COULD COME TO SOME CONSENSUS ON THIS POLICY, THEN THAT COULD HELP US AGAIN BECOME COMPLIANT WITH AT LEAST THAT PIECE OF THE LAW. THANK YOU SO RIGHT NOW. MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TWO TABLE. THIS POLICY IS THAT CORRECT? SECONDLY, THERE WAS NO SECOND SOMEBODY I DON'T THINK IT WAS EMOTION, EMOTION, BUT I THINK THAT WE STARTED INTO THE DISTANT WE SAID LET'S HAVE THE DISCUSSION. AND SO THEN WE STARTED INTO THE DISCUSSION. SO WE HAVE NOT. THAT WAS NOT SECONDED, BUT IT'S JUST LIKE A MOTION HANGING OUT THERE SOMEWHERE. AND I STILL HAVE THE MOTION OPEN THAT WE COULD TABLE THIS AND HAVE A LARGER DISCUSSION. WE JUST HAD A REALLY ROBUST DISCUSSION BEFORE WE DO THAT PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. BEFORE WE DO THAT. ARE WE UNDER SOME TYPE OF TIME FRAME THAT WE NEED TO PASS THIS BY IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE LAW. IT'S YEAH. WE DON'T HAVE A TIME FRAME TO WHICH WE NEED TO BECOME COMPLIANT. I GUESS I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND TO HAVE IT IN POLICY. WHICH IS WHY I THINK AT THIS POINT PERSONALLY, I WOULD SAY, LET'S REMOVE NUMBER FOUR BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE CONVERSATION ABOUT OPERATIONALIZE IN OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS IS GOING TO BE A SHORT ONE. AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE THIS POLICY STILL HANGING OUT HERE SIX MONTHS FROM NOW. AGAIN REMOVING NUMBER FOUR. KEEPING NUMBER FOUR IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN NOW AND THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL COUNCILS. WE STILL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PASS THIS POLICY NOW BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE, AND IT WOULD GO BACK FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. CORRECT SO THE OPTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS SOMEONE COULD MOVE TO ACCEPT THE POLICY AS IS AND AGAIN REMEMBER , THERE WAS THE THREE WORDS THAT WERE ADDED, WHICH WERE EXPLAINED EARLIER THIS OR OR UNLAWFULLY ABSENT AND G ONE. ABOUT THE MAKEUP WORK, SO IT COULD BE ACCEPTED THAT WAY. AND IF THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD VOTED ON, IT WOULD BE THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD BE OR IF THERE'S A MOTION TO REMOVE. PARAGRAPHS. D TO BE FOUR. UM THEN IT WOULD GO OUT BACK OUT. THAT IS A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE. SO THAT WOULD GO BACK OUT FOR 30 DAYS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. I THINK WHAT MR HANNIGAN IS SAYING, AND I CONCUR. AND IN TERMS OF THE LAW THAT WOULDN'T BE A HUGE OF A THING, 30 DAYS KNOWING THAT WE COULD THEN COME BACK WITH A DECISION. UM AS OPPOSED TO IF WE NEEDED TO HAVE AN EVEN BROADER CONVERSATION WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT. TO NOT BE HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, OR TO NOT HAVE A POLICY ON THAT BECAUSE WE WOULD BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S NO HARD AND FAST DEADLINE. ACTUALLY AT THIS POINT, I WE WERE JUST IN LIKE THE QUESTIONING PHASE, SO I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS BEFORE WE EVEN MAKE ANY EMOTIONS REALLY MOTION. 
          UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TO WORK A SECOND. THAT MOTION THERE WAS NO SECOND WILL ACTUALLY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE POLICY, AS IS SECOND TO FINISH THIS ONE FIRST WASN'T SECONDED DIDN'T GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEBODY THE SECOND OKAY. THE STATION MORE PEOPLE WHO HAD DISCUSSION ON THIS. I HAD A QUESTION AND DISCUSSION. HERE TO ASK IT, THEN? YES. WHERE YOU HAVE, UM IMMEDIATE FAMILY. THEY'RE IN THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY. WHAT IS IT? HOW DO YOU DEFINE IMMEDIATE FAMILY? IRONIC YOU BRING THAT UP? BECAUSE I JUST HAD THAT CONVERSATION TODAY WITH A SCHOOL SO AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE MARYLAND STATE RECORDS MANUAL ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THE LOCAL JURISDICTION CAN DEFINE WHAT DEATH AND IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEANS. UM SO AT THIS POINT, IT'S UP TO THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE YOU ONE UNDER LAWFUL ABSENCES. 13 EXPECTING NUMBER ONE DEFINITELY IMMEDIATE FAMILY. SORRY THANK YOU. MY REASON IS THAT IMMEDIATE FAMILY IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY YOU KNOW? AS AN ONLY CHILD HAVING SISTERS AND BROTHERS, SIBLINGS, BUT LEGAL SYSTEMS. I HAVE HALF BUT THEN I'VE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF COUSINS AND WHATEVER SO IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEANS SOMETHING TO EVERYBODY. SO THAT'S WHY AND I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY, WHICH IS WHY I THINK IT'S GOOD NOT TO DEFINE THAT AND LEAVE 
          [01:45:06]
THAT UP TO THE COMMON SENSE DISCRETION OF THE PRINCIPAL DECISION. THAT'S BECAUSE IF WE START DEFINING IT WILL LEAVE 10 PEOPLE OUT. OKAY THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I HAD DEALT WITH. 
          13 ON PAGE. NINE WHERE IT SAYS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A REQUEST OR A TRIP FOR 10 DAYS AND MORE FOR RESULTS AND REFERRAL TO PUPIL PERSONNEL. UM WORKER FOR WITHDRAWAL. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MARYLAND STATE RECOMMEND. OKAY MARIE IGNORANCE THIS STUDENT WILL NEED TO BE RE ENROLLED UPON THEIR RETURN. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE PROCESS OF HOW THIS RE ENROLLMENT WORKS FOR ME ? THERE'S A STORY BEHIND THAT. SO A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THE STATE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT, AND THEY DECIDED TO SAY THAT ANY STUDENT WHO IS CHRONICALLY ABSENT MISS 10% AND MORE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR EXCUSE OR AN EXCUSE PRIOR TO THAT IT WAS MORE ABOUT IF YOU'RE EXCUSED. THEY WEREN'T REALLY HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE. NOW IT WAS EXCUSED OR EXCUSE. AND WE WERE ALLOWING FOR VACATIONS. SO THAT'S ONE PIECE OF THE OTHER SIDE OF HIS. MR E SAYS THAT ANY CHILD WHO IS ABSENT FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN A ROW SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN ON THE 11TH DAY. NOW WE DON'T DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS BECAUSE WE WOULD BE WITHDRAWING, WITHDRAWING AND RE ENROLLING CHILDREN ALL DAY EVERY DAY. SO IN THESE CASES WHERE CHILDREN ARE GOING ON A TRIP, AND WE HAVE SOME CHILDREN THAT MIGHT LEAVE THE COUNTRY FOR 25 DAYS TO GO BACK TO THEIR HOME COUNTRY FOR THEIR HOLIDAY OR A LOSS THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED IN THEIR RELIGION OR IN THEIR CULTURE. THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF TIME THEY NEED TO SPEND. SO IN THOSE CASES, WE WITHDRAW THE CHILD SO WE CAN BACKDATE THE ATTENDANCE OF BASICALLY THE SCHOOL DOESN'T TAKE THAT 25 DAYS OF ABSENCES AGAINST THEM BECAUSE THEY MUST E. UM LOOKS AT THAT AND JUDGES THEM BASED ON THAT. AND THEN WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEY JUST NEED TO RE ENROLL THE SCHOOL. WE DON'T MAKE THEM PROVE RESIDENCY ALL OVER AGAIN. WE JUST MAKE THEM BASICALLY GETTING RE ENROLLED, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH THIS PARENT COMING IN AND STARTING THE PROCESS OVER AGAIN RAILROAD BUT WE DO NOT MAKE THEM GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BRINGING ALL THE DOCUMENTS IN THE WAY THEY WOULD THE FIRST TIME THAT EMAIL. HOW WOULD THE RE ENROLLMENT IMPACT THEIR STATUS? SO THE REASON MAKE UP HOMEWORK OR WHAT THEY BE. THEY LOSE WHAT? I WOULD THAT FOR THE TIME THAT THEY'RE WITHDRAWN. 
          THEY'RE NOT A STUDENT, SO THERE'S NO MAKEUP WORK. THERE'S NO MISSED WORK. IT'S AS IF WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS THAT MIGHT COME TO US. 25TH DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WE HAVE TO GET THEM ENROLLED IN SORT OF LET THEM PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF. SO FOR THESE STUDENTS, IT'S NOT EXCUSED ABSENCES OF WORK. THEY HAVE TO MAKE UP. MOST OF THEM WILL TAKE WORK WITH THEM TO STAY CURRENT. UM BUT DURING THE TIME THAT THEY'RE WITHDRAWN, ITS NOT A. THERE'S NO MAKEUP WORK PER SE , BECAUSE IT'S NOT. IT'S NOT AN ABSENCE THAT THERE ARE NO LONGER A STUDENT FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. THANK YOU. RIGHT DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO ADD? NO, NOT WITH THAT. DR HAROLD NO. MR PERRY. DR PHILLIPS. UH, NO, I'M GOOD. 
          RICCARDI. SO IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE SINCE WE STARTED THE CONVERSATION, BUT I WANTED TO GO BACK TO HOW I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. AND ADDRESSING THEIR CONCERNS. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT ON THE FLY. BUT THAT'S THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT. I HAVE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. SO WE HAD A MOTION THAT WASN'T SECONDED SO HELP ME. IT'S DEAD ON THE FLOOR. IT'S DEAD. OKAY SO NOW I, UM I'M GOING TO ASK IF THERE IS ANOTHER MOTION. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE D TWO BEFORE AND REEVALUATE BASED ON THE DISCUSSION THAT WE JUST HAD I SECOND IT. OKAY, THEN HE DISCUSSION ON THAT. MR HOLLYWOOD. YOU DO REAL CALL VOTE, PLEASE. SALVATORE'S. NO. MISS BRUCE. YOUR MOTION, RIGHT? I MEAN, ON THE MOTIVE? YES YES, YES. I SUPPORT THE MOTION. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'M CONFUSED. I THOUGHT I WAS I WAS VOTING ON ACCEPTING THE POLICY ON THE MOTION ON THE MOTION. GOT IT? YES. I'LL RESTART SOVEREIGN. YES. MISS BRUCE. MISS HAN? YES. DR HAROLD NO. MISS PERRY. NO. DR PHILLIPS. YES. MR RICCARDI? YES. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL NO. PRESIDENT MILLER. THIS SPECIAL 
          [01:50:10]
FAILS. DO I HAVE A MOTION? UM NOW TO ACCEPT THE POLICY WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE POLICY, AS IS SECONDED CAROL BRUCE. THANK YOU. MR ALAN I KNOW YOU LIKE CALLING NAMES. MISS ALVAREZ. NO. BRUCE? YES. MISS HAN. DR HAROLD YES. PERRY? YES. DR PHILLIPS. YES. MR RICCARDI? NO. VICE PRESIDENT SEOL YES. PRESIDENT MUELLER. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. 
          APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR HENNIGAN FACES. THANK YOU. ITEM E PRESENTATION OF THE 
          [E. Presentation of the Superintendent's Proposed FY2024 Budget, Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent of Schools, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, and Mr. Eric Clark, Director of Budget]
SUPERINTENDENT'S WHAT. OKAY OKAY . PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET, SO I NEED, UM DR BOLSON. 
          MRS JUDD DEREK CLARK. AND MR EVANS. SORRY THEY BROUGHT MARY EDWARDS. OH, SORRY. SORRY, NOT MY SCRIPT. I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MISS JUDGE. VICE PRESIDENT SOUL BOARD MEMBERS AFTER BOLSON. WE ARE HERE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING FOR OUR FIRST VISIT REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY 24. THIS IS NOT FOR DECISION THIS EVENING. IT'S JUST A PRESENTATION AND TURNING THE BUDGET OVER TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION WOULD BE. WE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE BUDGET AND THEN FOR A VOTE, THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY. WITH ME THIS EVENING. I HAVE ERIC CLARK, OUR DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MARY EDMONDS, OUR BUDGET ANALYSTS, SO THEY'VE WORKED ON THIS AS WELL AND I WILL WALK THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE BUDGET IT IS ONLINE AVAILABLE FOR YOU AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW BUT WE WILL GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THIS. THIS EVENING, SO SORRY. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE REVIEW REALLY EACH TIME WE DO A BUDGET, UM THE BULK OF OUR BUDGET IS SALARIES AND THEN IT BENEFITS 84% OF OUR BUDGET. IS SALARY AND BENEFITS. LOOKING AT IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. 79% OF THE BUDGET IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT. RESTRICTED BUDGET INCLUDES FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDS. AND THOSE ARE FOR VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND CERTAIN DATES, SO THE FUNDS EXPIRE AT A CERTAIN TIME, AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE FUNDS ACCORDING TO VERY SPECIFIC ITEMS ARE FOOD NUTRITION BUDGET FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS FOR FY 24 WILL BE PREPARED UNDER THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM MODEL. THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES TO THE CURRENT BUDGET THIS YEAR, SO IT'S TOO EARLY YET IN THE YEAR SO WE'LL COME BEFORE YOU AND JUNE AND UPDATE THE FOOD NUTRITION BUDGET AT THAT TIME FOR MORE REALISTIC NUMBERS, IF CHANGES ARE NEEDED. AND THEN AS THE FINAL REMINDER OUR BUDGET IS DUE TO HARFORD COUNTY. UM, BY MARCH, 1ST. SO WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE 80% 84% OF THE BUDGET FOR SALARY AND BENEFITS ON THE LEFT, UM, PICTURE HERE THAT WOULD BE THE RED SECTION AND THEN THE GREEN SECTION SO AGAIN THAT JUST SHOWS SUCH A LARGE PORTION OF OUR BUDGET DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE RED PORTION IS THE PORTION OF THE BUDGET. 
          SPECIFICALLY FOR INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT. SO THIS IS. CHART OF ALL OF THE REVENUE FOR ALL OF OUR FUNDS, SO THE UNRESTRICTED FUND THE PROPOSED CHANGE FOR FY 24 IS $54.4 MILLION. THAT'S A 9.4% INCREASE OVER FY 23. THE RESTRICTED FUNDS SHOWS A DECREASE OF 22.7. THAT DECREASE IS NOT A REDUCTION IN FUNDS AVAILABLE. WE STILL HAVE THE FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVED, WHICH IS THE BULK OF OUR RESTRICTED MONEY AT THIS POINT. BUT WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT REVENUE SO THERE WERE NOT ANTICIPATING ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING IN TO EQUAL WHAT WE'VE 
          [01:55:05]
RECEIVED THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO IF YOU LOOK BACK AT FY 20 THE RESTRICTED FUND WAS ABOUT $36 MILLION. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING FY 24 TO BE SO IT WE'RE KIND OF RETURNING TO WHERE WE WERE REALLY PRE COVID. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT REDUCTION REFLECTS AGAIN. FOOD SERVICE DEBT SERVICE PENSION WE ARE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY CHANGES. THE CAPITAL INCREASES $8.8 MILLION, AND THAT PORTION THE BOARD HAS ALREADY VOTED ON, SO WE WON'T BE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL VOTE. 
          DEPENDING ON WHAT WE RECEIVE IN CAPITAL ULTIMATELY FROM THE STATE AND THE COUNTY. WE WOULD COME BACK IN JUNE AND ASK FOR A VOTE TO MODIFY THAT BUDGET AS WE WOULD WITH THE OTHERS. SO THIS IS A SUMMARY OF OUR OPERATING BUDGETS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET, IT IS OUR OPERATING BUDGET. IT'S THE MAIN BUDGET THAT WE SPEAK OF. WE ARE ASKING THE HARVARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR $26.8 MILLION, WHICH IS AN 838.3% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR. MARYLAND. WE'RE ESTIMATING $28.1 MILLION OF NEW MONEY. THAT'S A 11.4% WE DO NOT HAVE EVEN PRELIMINARY FINAL NUMBERS FROM THE STATE AT THIS TIME, SO THIS IS BASED OFF OUR ESTIMATES AND THE INFORMATION WE HAVE. WE WILL ADJUST THAT WHEN WE HAVE THOSE OFFICIAL NUMBERS. AND THEN OUR OTHER REVENUE. WE ARE PROJECTING A SMALL DECREASE OF $435,000. MOST OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH OUR PAY TO PAY FLEET FEES, WHICH WILL EXPLAIN IN THE BUDGET DETAILS AS WE GO THROUGH THAT SECTION. WITH THIS. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR CLARK AND HE'LL WALK THROUGH THE DETAILS OF EACH OF THOSE ITEMS. DO YOU HAVE TO BE GREAT? JUST A COUPLE OF NOTES AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE WHERE THAT CHART CAN BE FOUND IN THE BUDGET BOOK, EITHER FOR THE PUBLIC ONLINE OR YOU SHOULD EACH HAVE A HARD COPY. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE ARE WRITTEN DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH OF THESE LINE ITEMS. STARTING ON PAGE 30, SO IT MIGHT BE NICE TO FLIP BACK AND FORTH IN THE HARD COPY MUCH MORE DESCRIPTIVE THAN I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS GO THROUGH EACH SECTION AS A WHOLE, UM, AND THEN COME BACK TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. ONCE WE GET THROUGH, UH, WE HAVE NUMEROUS SLIDES. IF THAT'S OKAY WITH EVERYBODY. I'LL GET STARTED AGAIN PAGE 30 IN THE HARD COPY OR ONLINE, THERE IS A MUCH MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THE LINE. ITEMS. SO OUR FIRST LINE ITEM IS OUR ESTIMATED WAGE PACKAGE. THIS IS NET OF TURNOVER SO WE DO REDUCE OUR WAGE PACKAGE BY TURNOVER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE WILL BE GETTING, UH MORE EXPERIENCED STAFF THAT ARE RETIRING AND LESS EXPERIENCED STAFF POTENTIALLY TAKING THEIR PLACES. SO WE DO REDUCE THAT A LITTLE BIT. WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $19.2 MILLION FOR THAT ESTIMATED WAGE PACKAGE. 
          FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. WE'RE LOOKING AT A NET INCREASE OF FOUR. FTE S OR FOUR POSITIONS FOR $1.95 MILLION INCREASE. YES, CERTAINLY THESE ARE NOT IN ANY PRIORITY ORDER. WE ARE LISTING THEM BY PROGRAM AREA IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. THEY'RE SORTED BY FTE S EITHER THE NUMBER OF FTS OR THE COST OF EGYPT E, UM, LARGEST TO SMALLEST. AND THEN BELOW FTS AGAIN, LARGEST TO SMALLEST, AND WE AGAIN WE CAN COME BACK TO ANY OF THESE SLIDES TO DESCRIBE OR EXPLAIN EACH LINE ITEM OR ANY LIGHT ITEM WITHIN. WE JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GET THROUGH IT FIRST. SO YOU GUYS GET A GOOD OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE REQUEST? EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. THIS IS OUR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES OUT AT OUR SCHOOLS. THESE WILL BE YOUR REGULAR TEACHERS. ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, PRINCIPALS AND THOSE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT 70 AND INCREASE OF 70 POSITIONS AT 11 POINT ALMOST $11.5 MILLION. FACILITIES AND OPERATIONS. WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INCREASE OF SIX POSITIONS. FOR A TOTAL OF ALMOST $3.7 MILLION. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE FTE FOR A TOTAL OF $166,000. FISCAL SERVICES TO FTE S FOR 1 70 JUST OVER $170,000. HUMAN RESOURCES. ONE FTE FOR A TOTAL OF 88,100. INCREASES IN LIABILITY AND PROPERTY INSURANCE. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DON'T HAVE A TOTAL ON THAT ONE. LET ME GRAB THAT BEFORE. 1 27 84 1 26. UM. SCHOOL ASKED INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES, NO FTE INCREASE, BUT JUST A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS COST INCREASE. OFFICE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS 
          [02:00:07]
AND TECHNOLOGY TO FTS AT ALMOST $2.2 MILLION. SAFETY AND SECURITY. THREE FTS AT 840,000. 
          SPECIAL EDUCATION. THIS BY FAR IS OUR LARGEST CATEGORY. UM WE ARE LOOKING AT 60.9. FTE S AT JUST OVER $5.6 MILLION. STUDENT SERVICES. 8.4 FTE S AT 1.3 MILLION. SWAN CREEK, WHICH IS OUR VIRTUAL, UH, SCHOOL 23.4. POSITIONS AT $2.3 MILLION. TRANSPORTATION TO POSITIONS AT ALMOST 4.3 MILLION. TOTAL INCREASE THAT BRINGS OUR TOTAL REQUEST TO 183.7 POSITIONS OR FTS AT JUST UNDER 54.4. MILLION WHICH TIES BACK TO WHAT, MISS JUDD? UM REFERRED TO AS OUR REQUEST FOR REVENUE. IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE POSITIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD, BUT 184 POSITIONS IS QUITE A FEW POSITIONS. MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE COMING FROM THE AESIR GRANTS. SO WHEN WE RECEIVED THE FEDERAL FUNDS, WE WERE ABLE TO ADD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS WITH THOSE FUNDS BEGINNING TO EXPIRE NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MOVE THOSE POSITIONS IF WE WANT TO KEEP THEM INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET, SO THE MAJORITY OF THE POSITIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED HERE ARE COMING FROM MR FUNDS AND MOST OF THEM YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW FORMERLY FUNDED FROM ESTHER GRANT, MOST OF THEM I BELIEVE WE COPY PAUL ARE IDENTIFIED SO YOU CAN SEE THEM AS YOU GO THROUGH AND IN THOSE DESCRIPTIONS THAT ERIC MENTIONED IT SHOULD BE CLEAR IN THAT AS WELL. WE DO HAVE BASED BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS. WE WILL HAVE MORE OF THESE IN THE SPRING AS WE GO THROUGH AND WE IDENTIFY THINGS. WE JUST HAVE , UM ONE CLARIFICATION. IT WAS AN AIR WE HAD IN A GRANT TRANSFER IN THE CURRENT YEAR. WE WANT TO CLEAN THAT UP THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. AND THEN WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL FTE AT NO COST. IT'S A CONVERSION OF A P P W THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET TO A STUDENT SERVICES CLERICAL IN SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITION. SO A SUMMARY. UM THIS IS AVAILABLE ON PAGES, 13 AND 25 OF YOUR BUDGET BOOK. THIS IS A NICE SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING OUR INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES TO BE BY PROGRAM, STARTING OFF AGAIN WITH THE EMPLOYEE SALARY PACKAGE GOING DOWN BY IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. AND ENDING WITH THE $54.4 MILLION THAT IS A 9.4% INCREASE OVER OUR CURRENT FY 23 BUDGET. POSITIONS AS MISJUDGE SAID, WE'RE LOOKING AT 184.7 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND LINE UNDER OR NOT SECOND LINE, BUT THE SECOND SECTION DOWN UNDER RESTRICTED POSITIONS WHERE, UH, WE'RE FORECASTING OR WORK, BUDGETING. 118.3 LESS POSITIONS IN THE RESTRICTED BUDGET. THE MAJORITY OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE IN THE 184.7. AND FOOD AND NUTRITION. WE'RE NOT. WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY CHANGE IN TERMS OF POSITIONS IN THE FOOD NUTRITION BUDGET. SO HOW MANY NEW POSITIONS I THANK YOU. I SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW I CAN'T. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. I'M LOOKING HERE AND I'M ON A DIFFERENT PAGE. SO THANK YOU. UM, RESTRICTED. UM, AS MISJUDGE SAID, WE RECOGNIZE OUR RESTRICTED FUNDS AS THEY ARE AWARDED. WE DO. WE WILL STILL HAVE SOME S OR TWO VERY FEW OF THOSE FUNDS, BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME S OR THREE FUNDS TO SPEND IN FY 24. HOWEVER, THEY'RE NOT REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THOSE IN THE FY 22 BUDGET. UM SO WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING ANY COVID RELIEF FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD CHANGE. WE DON'T KNOW, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT WE'RE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS. UM ARE TRADITIONAL FEDERAL GRANTS. 
          THESE ARE RESTRICTED FUNDS THAT RECEIVED WE RECEIVE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THE VAST MAJORITY ARE PASSED THROUGH MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE BIG ONES ARE TITLE ONE FUNDS. OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDS ARE TITLED TWO FUNDS. AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. 
          UM THESE SUPPORT DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS OR DIFFERENT AREAS OF STUDENTS AGAIN. TITLE ONE WOULD BE OUR HIGHER POVERTY SCHOOLS, SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF TEACHERS AND PARA EDUCATORS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. OUR 
          [02:05:06]
STATE GRANTS WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 18.7 THE ONES THAT I WOULD WOULD KIND OF POINT TO THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT NEW OR SOME OF THE OUR BLUEPRINT THERE ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN. WE'VE LABELED THEM BLUEPRINT. UM THE ONE NOTE WE CAN GO BACK TO AND TALK ABOUT IN THE OPERATING BUDGET IS THE BLUEPRINT CAREER LADDER THAT'S FOR A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS. INITIALLY WE BUDGETED THOSE IN THE CURRENT YEAR AS A RESTRICTED FUND, THE MAJORITY OF UM L E A S ARE RECOGNIZING THOSE FUNDS AS UNRESTRICTED, SO WE'RE SUGGESTING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE IN FY 24. I HAD A QUESTION ON YOUR RESTRICTED WHEN YOU TALK DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. WHAT'S THE. REASON THAT YOU'RE HAVING SUCH A REDUCTION IN IN THOSE SPOTS. IF YOU GO BACK ONE, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT THAT'S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, EDUCATIONAL MINISTRATIONS. WE RECEIVED SOME GRANTS BECAUSE OF BEING LOCATED SO CLOSELY TO ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND. UM THEY HAVE NOT OFFERED THOSE FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH COVID. I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD YOU KNOW THAT WOULD PICK UP AGAIN. BUT WE NEED TO HAVE MILITARY CONNECTED STUDENTS OF AT LEAST 15% OR MORE . SOME OF THE SCHOOLS ARE LISTED UP THERE THAT WE'VE HAD THEM IN THE PAST EVERY MIDDLE AVERAGE AND HIGH CHURCHVILLE ELEMENTARY, UM. ROY WILLIAMS HAD IT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. SO MISS BRUCE, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT PROGRAM GETS KICKED UP AGAIN NOW THAT WE'RE HOPING TO RETURN TO NORMAL , BUT WE JUST HAVE NOT BEEN OFFERED THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR SEVERAL YEARS TO EVEN APPLY FOR THEM. THE FOOD NUTRITION AS MISJUDGE SAID, WE'RE REALLY BUDGETING EXACTLY AS WE DID IN CURRENT YEAR. IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO EARLY TO CHANGE ANYTHING WITH ANY TYPE OF CONFIDENCE. UM WE WILL EVALUATE. YOU KNOW THAT FIRST LINE STUDENT PAYMENTS. 
          WHAT ARE OUR STUDENT PAYMENTS LOOK LIKE? UM WHAT IS OUR RE? UM WHAT DO I REIMBURSEMENTS FROM? THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT LOOKED LIKE THAT WE RECEIVE FOR FREE AND REDUCED MEALS, STUDENTS. UM SO I ANTICIPATE THAT WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT IN THE SPRING. UM, HOPEFULLY IT'LL GO UP. WE IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO EARLY TO MAKE ANY CHANGE THERE, SO WE JUST WANTED TO GO WITH KIND OF THE STATUS QUO COMING OUT OF COVID, WHERE WE HAD THE WAIVERS FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND THAT THE CAPITAL BUDGET I KNOW WE HAVE A NEW BOARD. BUT PREVIOUS TO, UM THE NEW MEMBERS COMING ON CAPITOL BUDGET GOES THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS. WE VOTE ON WHERE WE ASK YOU TO VOTE ON THE STATE PORTION, THE PORTION THAT THE STATE FUNDS WHICH REQUIRES A LOCAL MATCH, AND THEN WE HAVE LOCAL FUNDING, ONLY, UM, THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS APPROVED ON DECEMBER 19TH. 
          SO IT'S A TOTAL OF 94.6 MILLION OF THE STATE PORTION JUST OVER 20 MILLION. THE LOCAL PORTION ASK IS 73 4.3 MILLION. SO THE SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDS THAT YOU REVIEW AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED BUDGETS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 FOR THE UNRESTRICTED FUND OF 633,000,776 . THE RESTRICTED FUND OF 38,483,800. AND THE FOOD NUTRITION FUND OF 19,203,003. 
          AND WITH THAT, WE WOULD CERTAINLY BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THAT VERY QUICKLY. UM BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. AND WE CAN FLIP BACK TO WHATEVER SLIDE. WE MAY NEED TO I KNOW I RUSHED THROUGH THAT. I DO WANT TO WATCH THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, BUT NOT THAT BIG. THANKS FOR PUTTING THAT OUT THERE, MR CLARK. THANK YOU. MISS ALVAREZ. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? SO THERE WAS JUST A FEW THINGS SO WITH THE SWAN CREEK THERE WAS THERE'S MONEY ALLOCATED TO THAT SCHOOL IS CERTAIN EXPANSION IS THAT FOR AN EXPANSION OR IS THAT JUST TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO ? MAINTAIN CURRENT STAFFING? YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ALL OF THOSE POSITIONS WERE FUNDED UNDER EITHER THAT S OR THREE OR A PREVIOUS AESIR. UM GRANT. OKAY ALRIGHT. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEN, UM THE. WE HAD A LITTLE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS BEFORE THAT BEFORE YOU MOVE OFF THAT CAN I ASK ONE. FOLLOW UP TO THAT QUESTION, SO THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED BY ESSAR. NOW THEY'RE MOVING TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE, YES, SIR. FUNDS ARE GOING AND NOW IT'S JUST MOVING TO THE BUDGET. CORRECT WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE SOME IN THE CORRECT FISCAL YEAR. THIS WOULD BE REMAINING STAFF. THANK YOU. 
          SORRY TO INTERRUPT. NOW. THAT'S FINE. UM AND THEN I WAS VERY CONFUSED ABOUT IT, AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE AMOUNT OF THE BLUEPRINT. UM SO, UH AND I KNOW I GOT A LITTLE BIT OF AN 
          [02:10:07]
EXPLANATION ON THAT, UM PAGE WAS THAT AGAIN IS ONE SLIDE SEVEN. AND IT'S UH, 22.3 MILLION. UM AND THAT WOULD BE LINE 15. SO THE BLUEPRINT UM REQUIRES THAT EACH LOCAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION OR L. E. A ALLOCATE $62 PER KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENT. UM FOR THEIR LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD. OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD IS SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN TALKS AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THEM AND HARVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING FOR OUR STUDENTS. THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE $62 IS FOR, IS TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING FOR OUR SIXTH GRADE THROUGH 12TH GRADE STUDENTS WERE PRETTY CLOSE. 
          DOCTOR BOLSON CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. I THINK WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND THEN WE'LL NEED TO PROBABLY, UM , GET THE BLESSING OF MSD SLASH AI BE, UM, ONCE WE HAVE THAT FINAL HERE'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THE MONEY IN CONJUNCTION WITH SOUTH KOREAN WORKFORCE NETWORK AND HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SO THAT IS A REQUIREMENT OF THE BLUEPRINT. SO WE HAVE THAT IN AS $2.298 MILLION. THAT'S ALSO PART OF THAT, UM, REVENUE THAT WE'RE SHOWING AS AN INCREASE FOR THE STATE, SO IT'S AN OFFSET THEY'RE GIVING US $2.298 MILLION AND THEN WE'RE RECOGNIZING IT AS AN EXPENDITURE. MAYBE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IS THE MONEY FROM THE BLUEPRINT. THERE'S THE FOUNDATION FUNDING, AND THEN THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE LISTENING TO LAW THAT ARE VERY SPECIFICALLY. IDENTIFIED BY DOLLAR THAT PARDON REQUIRED TO COME IN THE BUDGET. THE SUPERINTENDENTS. ADVOCACY FROM RC IS TO GET BETTER CLARITY ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE FOUNDATION FUNDING BECAUSE UM BASICALLY WHENEVER WE ASK, WHERE IS THE MONEY FOR THIS REQUIREMENT COMING FROM THE BLUEPRINT HAS A LOT OF TO DO ITEMS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO DO. UM MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. THE ANSWER IS OH, THAT'S IN YOUR FOUNDATION FUNDING. SO WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR A MUCH CLEARER, MORE DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF WHAT THE FOUNDATION LIKE HOW THE FOUNDATION FORMULA ACTUALLY FUNDS ALL THE THINGS THEY'RE CLAIMING IT FUNDS. BUT WHEN MISS JUDD SAID, NO, ACTUALLY, THIS IS EARLIER THIS MORNING YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT NOT KNOWING FOR SURE WE HAVE DONE OUR PROJECTIONS OF THE STATE INCREASES BASED ON ALL THE THINGS THEY'VE GIVEN US TO ANTICIPATE. BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT AN ACTUAL NUMBERS FOR THEM ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GETTING. UM, AND SO PART OF THE CHALLENGE IN THIS BUDGET IS KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT THE STATES PLANNING TO SEND BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN GREAT CLARITY FOR US ABOUT WHAT'S IN THAT FOUNDATION MONEY. UM BUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM BECAUSE THERE'S $2.3 MILLION IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY CLEARLY. DESCRIBED IN THE IN THE IN THE BLUEPRINT STUFF. AND SO WE KNOW THAT PASSED THROUGH WAS THERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS WERE BEING ASKED TO DO. UM THAT HAS BEEN A LITTLE HARDER FOR US TO TEASE OUT. AND I'M SURE MORE DISCUSSION AND I'LL LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT AS WE GO ALONG. I GUESS IN SATISFYING THE BLUE PRINT REQUIREMENTS. DOES THEN. THIS GUARANTEE THAT THEY WILL THAT SUSQUEHANNA WILL PROVIDE THOSE SUPPORTS TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENT CONVERSATION, SO THIS IS NEW FOR THEM AS WELL. YOU KNOW THEIR STAFF. YOU KNOW THAT $2.3 MILLION INCREASE TO THEIR OPERATING FUNDS, WHICH ACTUALLY IN THE LAWS, ONLY THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS THAN APPARENTLY IS BEING ABSORBED SOMEWHERE. THAT'S ANOTHER THING. UM WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM ABOUT HOW BEST TO DELIVER WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE SPIRIT OF THE BLUEPRINT. BECAUSE IT BASICALLY DESCRIBES, UM, CAREER COUNSELING FOR STUDENTS. AND SO WHAT IS THE BEST STRUCTURE? HOW DO YOU BEST SPEND THIS MONEY TO DO THAT? I MEAN, CURRENTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS UM A CAREER COUNSELOR ASSIGNED TO EACH HIGH SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL PAIRING. OF COURSE, WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES BECAUSE I PROTECTED THEM TO MEET SPECIFIC MIDDLE SCHOOL. FEEDS IT, BUT SO YOU KNOW A POSITION FOR EACH OF THOSE PAIRINGS. AND THEN ADDITIONAL MONEY BEING ROLLED INTO, UM THIS IS THE CURRENT DISCUSSION IS NOT FORMALIZED YET, BUT LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE HELPING STUDENTS GET CAREER CREDENTIALS. PARTICULARLY WITH THE FOCUS ON THOSE NON CREDIT BEARING CAREER CREDENTIALS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE UM, INITIATIVES WE HAVE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS OR SO. SO WE HAVE SOME. FLEXIBILITY WITH HOW THIS MONEY GETS SPENT. BUT SOME KIND OF 
          [02:15:07]
WORKFORCE NETWORK. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A BOARD. THEY HAVE A LOT OF SAY IN HOW IT'S SPENT ALSO. AND SO THAT COLLABORATION I THINK IT'S GOING WELL. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO COME TO SOMETHING THAT SUITS ALL THE ENTITIES INVOLVED. BUT IT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO TEASE OUT OF THE BLUE PRINT REQUIREMENTS. MY QUESTION IS, ONCE THAT'S ALL WORKED OUT. 
          WOULD WE BE INVOLVED IN THAT CONVERSATION? JUST KIND OF SEEING HOW IT'S BEING ALLOCATED? SO WE CAN MOVE WILL SHARE ANY OF THAT, UM, THAT AND SO HOW WE WOULD BE INVOLVED. WHAT DO YOU MEAN AS IN THE BOARD, BE SORT OF SHOULD WE SHARE THAT WITH YOU? OR WHAT? WHAT JUST LIKE ONCE EVERYTHING IS FINALIZED, WOULD WE BE INVOLVED? JUST NOTIFYING US. HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT AS TO THIS IS HOW THIS IS GOING TO BE DONE. THIS IS WHAT YOU KNOW. OH, SURE. 
          YES SO I MEAN, THE WHOLE THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS DEVELOPED AN MOU SO THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN WRITING, SO THAT'S EASY TO SHARE. SO BUT AGAIN, THERE'LL BE CONSTANT TWEAKING AS TO WHAT IS THE YOU KNOW WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DELIVER THIS? I MEAN THIS. THIS WILL BE A FIRST RUN OUT OF THIS YEAR, BUT THAT MOU WILL BE AVAILABLE. FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE. ON THE SIDE, BUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S WHAT I HAD FOR ME, MR BRUCE. THIS IS HARD. UM LINE ITEM NUMBER NINE FLORIDA VIRTUAL SEATS. VIRTUAL SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS BASICALLY FROM SO I'LL GIVE A SHORT ANSWER. AND WE MAY HAVE MR O'BRIEN ON THE CALL WILL PROBABLY ANSWER THIS BETTER UNLESS YOU GUYS WANT TO JUMP IN. BUT SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE IS FOR YEARS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE OFFERED WAS FLORIDA VIRTUAL WE USE FOR CREDIT RECOVERY, SO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DOESN'T PASS THE COURSE. 
          WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED WITH FOR VIRTUAL AND PRIOR TO COVID. UM STUDENTS COULD USE THAT FOR CREDIT RECOVERY, BUT THEY PAID THEIR SHARE OF IT. WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH. COVID IN. THERE WERE CHALLENGES WITHOUT LEARNING , AND ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS OF STUDENTS WERE FAILING CLASSES WE ACTUALLY WENT TO USING FLORIDA VIRTUAL UM, MAKING THAT AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AT NO COST AS ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE T UP CRED THOSE SORTS OF THINGS SO HAVING SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING WE'VE MADE SEATS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS FOR RECOVERY CREDIT AND IF I'M OFF BASE WITH THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF IT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE WHOLE ANSWER. MR O'BRIEN MIGHT BE ABLE TO JUMP IN AND GIVE US A LITTLE MORE. IF HE'S IS THAT IN LIEU OF SUMMER SCHOOL OR IS THAT IN ADDITION TO SOME SCHOOL WAS THAT WAS ALL WE HAD SO HIGH SCHOOL. WELL, I TAKE THAT BACK. THAT WAS THE MAJORITY OF WHAT STUDENTS DID IN LIEU OF SUMMER SCHOOL AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. FOR YEARS. YOU GUYS MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE ME MORE ANSWERS. I CAN HELP THE SPRING OF 2021. I BELIEVE THE SPRING OF 2021. WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE FLORIDA VERDELL SEAT VERDICT VIRTUAL SEATS DURING THE SPRING TO GET THESE KIDS THAT HAD FAILED A CLASS RECOVERY CREDIT. SO IF A KID FAILED ENGLISH 12 AND WAS NOT GOING TO GRADUATE BECAUSE OF THAT. WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT SPRING AND HAVE THEM TAKE A CLASS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO HAVE TO TAKE SOME SNACKS, SO IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT RECOVERY CREDIT SO THAT THEY COULD GET BACK ON TRACK. THAT WAS THE MAJORITY OF WHAT WE USE THOSE SEATS FOR WE HAD HAD WE HAD BEEN USING FLORIDA VIRTUAL PRE COVID, BUT IT WAS A MUCH SMALLER AMOUNT AND IT WAS REALLY USED THAT ALTERNATIVES OR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR KIDS TO TAKE AGAIN. RECOVERY CREDIT OR MAYBE CREDITS FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY COULDN'T TAKE IN THE REGULAR HIGH SCHOOL . MAYBE BECAUSE OF THEIR SCHEDULE AND THAT TYPE OF THING. 
          SO MR O'BRIEN. I HEARD HIM STARTING CHINESE JUMP IN. HI THIS IS MIKE O'BRIEN. YEAH JUST ADD. IT'S 80 20 MODEL, WHICH SO THE WHOLE TERM FLORIDA VIRTUAL IS A LITTLE MISLEADING STUDENTS RECEIVED 20% IN CLASS. WITH THE TEACHER AND 80% IS VIRTUAL. SO IT'S A MODEL THAT WE FOUND HAS WORKED WELL, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO FAILED CLASSES. WE'VE USED IT THROUGH THE SUMMER TIME. SOME SCHOOLS OFFER IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. MOST OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ALSO OFFERED IN THE SPRING HELP STUDENTS IN NEED OF GRADUATION CREDITS. IT HAS BEEN A PRETTY ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR WORK, ESPECIALLY THE LAST FEW YEARS. TO THE 20 POLSON. SORRY. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY. THIS IS HEATHER CULTURE. WE HAVE MBEKI PENCE SARAH ON THE LINE AS WELL . SO SHE'S GOT SOME DETAILS ABOUT THAT. THAT COULD BE HELPFUL TO GOOD EVENING. KEEP INSERRA, COORDINATOR OF SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION TUTORING. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL FOR ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE YEARS. UM AND AS SOME HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED, WE UTILIZE FLORIDA 
          [02:20:02]
VIRTUAL FLORIDA VIRTUAL PROGRAM WITHIN OUR SPRING RECOVERY ARE FULL RECOVERY OUR SUMMER SCHOOL AND WHAT THAT REALLY DOES IS HELP STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE NOT EARNED A CREDIT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. KETCHUP TO EARN THAT CREDIT. UM WE HAVE WORKED WITH OUR CONTENT SUPERVISORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTENT AS WITHIN THE FLORIDA VIRTUAL PLATFORM IS WELL ALIGNED WITH WHAT WE TEACH HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING AND COVERING THE SAME STANDARDS IN WHICH WE DO HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. UM SO THE LINE ITEM HERE WITH THE WITH THE SEAT LICENSES . IT WORKS ON A YEARLY BASIS, AND WE PURCHASED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SEATS AND THOSE SEATS CAN ROLL FROM ONE STUDENT TO ANNEX SO IN FULL RECOVERY IF WE HAVE A STUDENT TAKING A RECOVERY COURSE, AND THEY FINISHED AND THEN WE OPEN IT UP INTO THE SPRING. WE CAN USE THAT SAME SEAT TWICE. AND ACTUALLY, WE END UP USING THE SAME SEAT THREE TIMES BECAUSE WE'LL DO FALL RECOVERY SPRING RECOVERY. AND THEN WE'LL USE THE SAME SEATS AGAIN IN SUMMER FOR STUDENTS TO MAKE UP MORE CLASSES IF NEEDED IN SUMMER. I ALWAYS WANTED TO HEAR. THAT WAS YES, THAT WAS JUST WASN'T YOU KNOW, AND I LOOKED FOR AN EXPLANATION, AND I COULDN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE. SO I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I ALSO JUST HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. UM WITH THE LINE ITEM NUMBER 25, THE COORDINATOR OF PACE, PARENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. IS THAT A NEW POSITION THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE CREATING? AND WHAT? WHAT IS THAT POSITION ENTAIL. IT IS A NEW POSITION, OKAY? POSITION. ON THIS STAPLETON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT. MORE ACROSS. SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, SHE'S DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN HOME SCHOOL WORKING ALL 54 OF US. PUT IN PLACE TO ASSIST WITH THAT ONE. ON PAGE 32 OF THE BOOK THAT YOU RECEIVE AREAS NOT DON'T HAVE TO READ IT NOW. BUT IF YOU WANT TO REFER BACK TO THAT LATER, IT GIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL THERE AS WELL. THANK YOU. SOMETHING ELSE. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO, I'M SO SORRY. 
          THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. DR HAROLD NO QUESTION. THANK YOU. THIS IS PERRY. QUESTIONS. DR PHILLIPS. 
          THAT'S A LOT TO DIGEST, BUT NO QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. MRS RICCARDI. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? WHEN DID THIS COME BACK TO US? SO NEXT TUESDAY. WE DO THE BUDGET INFORMATION SESSION WITH THE PUBLIC AND YOU HEAR PUBLIC INPUT. BASED ON WHAT? AND THIS IS PUBLISHED NOW. YES YES. 
          AND THEN FEBRUARY 13TH, I BELIEVE WE COME BACK TO YOU AND ASK FOR A VOTE SO AND AGAIN FOR PURPOSES OF NEW BOARD MEMBERS. YOU'RE VOTING ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET, WHICH BECOMES THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S BUDGET. WE SEND THAT OVER TO THE COUNTY, AND THEY CONSIDER IT IN. ACCORDANCE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND WE RECEIVE A NUMBER BACK FROM THEM IN THE SPRING, AND THAT'S WHEN WE BEGIN RECONCILING IF WE NEED TO DO THAT, SO THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME THAT YOU WILL SEE THIS. YOUR VOTE ON FEBRUARY. 13TH IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU WILL GET TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET. THE FINAL BUDGET WILL BE VOTED ON IN JUNE. 
          SO WHAT YOU WILL BE VOTING ON IN FEBRUARY IS DESCEND. WHAT WE BELIEVE IS THE NUMBER OVER TO THE COUNTY FOR THE LOCAL PORTION OF THE BUDGET THAT WE REQUIRE TO BALANCE THIS BUDGET. SO THAT'S UM THE NEXT SECTION. WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH ANY OF YOU. WE DID GO THROUGH IT QUICKLY. UM IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST. BUT EVEN IF WE SLOW IT DOWN IT'S STILL A LOT OF INFORMATION TO DIGEST. SO PLEASE CONTACT US. I KNOW EVEN HAD SENT SOMETHING OUT. UM TO COORDINATE A TIME WITH US TO COME IN. WE'RE HAPPY TO GO THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY. LOOKING AT ONE PARTICULAR THING THAT YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON OUR REVIEWING IN MORE MORE DETAIL, IF THAT WORKS FOR YOU, SO JUST LET US KNOW WHAT YOU NEED, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT. AND SINCE YOU MENTIONED IT IN THAT TO STEP ON ANYONE'S TOES, I DO WANT TO MENTION AGAIN THAT NEXT TUESDAY FROM 6 TO 7 IS A PUBLIC INPUT SESSION. RIGHT HERE COME IN, AND WE WILL LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT. ABOUT THE BUDGET. SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD OR KNOW SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET. IT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME FOR THEM TO COME IN AND GIVE US THEIR OPINIONS. SO I APPRECIATE THAT I HAD THE SAME QUESTION ON LINE 25 8 GRABBING THE COORDINATOR OF PEACE. I GUESS I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL AND THEN I CAN ALWAYS FILE WITH YOU DIRECTLY IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS UM AND I MEANT TO MENTION THAT MY PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT THE INFORMATION SESSION NEXT WEEK, SO LET'S MENTION IT THE END. THANKS. THANK YOU. OKAY? PLACE 
          [02:25:01]
PRESIDENT SEWELL. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING WHAT THE FLORIDA VIRTUAL SEATS WERE BECAUSE I WAS PICTURING STUDENTS ON THE BEACH. OK HMM? LAPTOPS, UM. BUT YES, SO INTERESTING ENOUGH FOR THAT. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE PURCHASE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF SEATS. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF WE OUTSTRIP THOSE SEATS? AND SOMETIMES THERE? CAN WE LET'S SAY MORE STUDENTS ARE ARE NEEDED YOUR SORRY MORE STUDENTS NEED THAT SERVICE. CAN WE BUY ADDITIONAL SEATS? HOW DOES THAT WORK? YEAH, THIS IS BECKY AGAIN, UM, WE CAN ADD ON TO THE CURRENT LICENSE OR THE CURRENT CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WE RENEW WITH THEM EVERY JULY ONE. SO IT'S A ONE YEAR CONTRACT. UM AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE SEATS COULD BE TURNED OVER WITHIN THAT ONE YEAR . IF WE NEED MORE, WE CAN ADD MORE. AND THEN WE RE EVALUATE AT THE END, DEPENDING ON WHAT PROGRAMS ARE BEING OFFERED. UM IF WE NEED TO BUY MORE SEATS, YOU KNOW IN THE INITIAL PURCHASE OR IF WE CAN BACK OFF A BIT A LITTLE BIT SURE, AND I KNOW IT'S A SUPER SMALL LINE ITEM. JUST JUST KIND OF INTERESTING. UM, SO HOW MANY STUDENTS IS THAT ACTUALLY IMPACT DURING THE SUMMER. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN FOUR AND 500, ON AVERAGE, WHO UTILIZE THOSE SEATS ARE CONTRACT IS FOR 500 SEATS AND THEN DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, IT DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL, BUT 3 TO 4 OF OUR OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE CONSISTENT, SPRINGING FULL RECOVERY PROGRAMS WHERE EACH SCHOOL MAY UTILIZED 50 TO 75 SEATS FOR A VERY STRUCTURED PROGRAM AND THEN OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS MAY JUST USE A SEAT HERE AND THERE JUST FOR SOME, YOU KNOW, UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES WITH STUDENTS, AND THEN WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS USE SOME OF THE SEATS. UM FOR ACCELERATION. SO, UM YEAH, SO WE CAN ADD ONTO HIM AT ANY TIME. AND IT'S ACTUALLY THEY HAVE A NEW NAME. IT'S CALLED FLEX POINT INSTEAD OF FLORIDA, VIRTUAL BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE VERY CONFUSED JUST AS YOU WERE YOURSELF ABOUT STUDENTS SITTING ON THE BEACH, UM FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL IS AN ACTUAL ONLINE SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND, UM, SO THEY DIDN'T WANT OTHER BECAUSE THEY USE ALL 50 STATES USED THEIR, UM, USE THEIR PLATFORMS SO IT'S THERE'S A NEW NAME. THANKS NO MORE. NO MORE QUESTIONS. YOUR WEIGHT WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE COULD SIGN UP FOR THE CITY OF THE BEACH. PART OF IT. UM I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE JUST SHARED WITH US ALREADY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO MEET WITH YOU. SO I'M GOING TO HOLD MY QUESTIONS FOR A DAY OR SO. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. WAS THERE ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE I LET THEM GO? THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. THAT WAS GREAT. THANK YOU. VERY DETAILED. THANK YOU. WOW 
          [F. Superintendent's Report]
NOW WE'RE DOWN TO F THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. REMEMBER ME? THANK YOU, UM. JUST A COUPLE QUICK THINGS TONIGHT, SO IT'S WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MOST BOARD MEETINGS, BUT IT'S A GREAT THING. IT'S TIME AGAIN TO NOMINATE YOUR FAMILY FRIENDLY SCHOOL FOR THE JANUARY AWARD. NOMINATION WINDOW IS OPEN UNTIL TOMORROW NIGHT. UM AND THEN, UM. JUST ONE NOMINATION PUTS IN ANY GIVEN SCHOOL ON THE RUNNING, AND WE'VE IT'S BEEN GREAT. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT WINNERS AND WE'RE KIND OF HOPING FOR A DIFFERENT WINNER THIS TIME SO WE CAN KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE WITH RECOGNIZING DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. UM THANK YOU. ALL SO EVERYONE WHO NOMINATED THEIR FAVORITE TEACHER FOR THE 2023 TEACHER OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION WILL NOT ONLY RECOGNIZE THE NEWLY CROWNED TEACHER OF THE YEAR BUT WILL ALSO BE CELEBRATING ADDITIONS TO THE TEACHER HALL OF FAME. SO STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS COMING ON THAT I BELIEVE TOMORROW IS OUR FIRST NIGHT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL. MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS IS A NEW ADDITIONS. UM, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF PLACES ARE ADDING THINGS LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU KNOW, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WE HEAR FEEDBACK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF KIDS HAVING MORE ACTIVE TIME AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS IS REALLY A LOCAL INITIATIVE. BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION. SO TOMORROW NIGHT, OUR FIRST BIG GAMES UM SCHOOLS CLOSED NEXT MONDAY IN OBSERVANCE OF UM DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DAY. AND THE NOTE WITH THIS ONE IS IF WE FINISHED BEFORE MIDNIGHT, WHICH LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TO REMIND YOU OF SOMETHING THAT I THINK MR SEWELL GAVE US EARLY ON, WHICH IS THIS IS STILL THE DAY FOR STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE PRACTICE IN QUOTES FOR CANVAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE. I THINK IT'S THAT ONE OR TWO QUESTIONS SURVEY. THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT JUST SO WE KNOW ABOUT CONNECTION, BUT UM I'D LIKE TO SAY. HOPEFULLY ALL KIDS ARE IN BED BY NOW. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE . MY HIGH SCHOOL WAS NEVER IN BED AT THIS POINT, SO THERE'S PROBABLY A CHANCE OF SOME. SO IF YOU COULD KNOCK AND REMIND KIDS THAT ARE TO FILL OUT THEIR ASSIGNMENT. THAT WOULD BE GREAT. 
          THANK YOU, UM OF COURSE, YOU CAN STILL BUY INTO THE DEVICE PROTECTION PLAN. UM THROUGH THE END OF THIS MONTH. IF YOU HAVEN'T PURCHASED A PLAN, YOU CAN DO THAT THROUGH SCHOOL CASH 
          [02:30:04]
ONLINE, WHICH IS OUR VENDOR. UM AND THERE YOU CAN FIND THEM ON HCPS .ORG AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND THEN ONE LAST ANNOUNCEMENT, SWAN CREEK SCHOOL APPLICATIONS WILL BE LIVE TOMORROW. MISS LATER. SENT INFORMATION LAST WEEK TO ALL CONTACTS AND INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR FACEBOOK. PAGE AND THE SWANS CREEKS SWINE CREEK SCHOOL WEBSITE. SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MAUREEN INFORMATION ABOUT POSSIBLY APPLYING FOR SWAN CREEK, THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN. SO WITH THAT WE WILL SEE YOU ALL IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS. GOSH TUESDAY, I APPLY WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW. EVERYONE SAID IT WAS SUPPOSED TO PUT THAT TOO. I FORGOT TO WRITE A BULLET FOR THAT. YES NEXT TUESDAY. 6 TO 7 WILL BE HERE. 
          JOIN US. OTHERWISE IT GETS REALLY LONELY. I CAME TO A PUBLIC INPUT SESSION ONCE WHERE NOBODY SHOWED. I'M JUST SAYING I SAID UP HERE FOR AN HOUR AND NOBODY CAME TO GIVE US ANY PUBLIC INPUT. SO THAT'S WORSE. THAT'S WORSE THAN THAT. WE ALL COME. OKAY UM THANK YOU VERY 
          [Future Meetings Review]
MUCH FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION TONIGHT. OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING. IS JANUARY 23RD AT 6:30 P.M. 
          THANK YOU HAVE A GOOD EVENING,
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.