[D. Presentation on Middle School Innovation, Mr. Mike O'Brien, Executive Director of Middle & High School Performance and Ms. Natalie Holloway, Director of Middle School Innovation]

PRESENTATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION LIKE TO WELCOME MR MIKE O'BRIEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, AND MISS NATALIE HOLLOWAY, DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL. INNOVATION FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT PONTON, UH VICE PRESIDENT HAHN, SUPERINTENDENT PAULSON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS MIKE O'BRIEN. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE WITH ME TODAY. NATALIE HOLLOWAY, DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION. ANDREW RENZULLI, DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT, AND DOCTOR, HELEN MILLER, PRINCIPAL OF SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS EVENING. WE BRING AN INFORMATIONAL REPORT ON THE OUTSTANDING WORK TOWARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION. I'M ALSO CLICKING. BEFORE WE SHOW OUR NEWEST WORK. WE WANTED TO TAKE A BRIEF LOOK BACK AT PRIOR WORK TOWARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL SUPPORT. MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM BEGAN BACK IN 2002 ON THE HEELS OF HIGH SCHOOL REFORM WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOL REFORM PROGRAM, COMMONLY KNOWN AS CS, SRP. HIGH SCHOOL REFORM WAS GUIDED BY THE WORK OF THE BREAKING RANKS ONE AND TWO PUBLICATIONS BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS. THAT'S THE RED BOOK UP ON THE SLIDE. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL REFORM BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE. THE FOCUS SHIFTED TO MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM WITH BREAKING RANKS IN THE MIDDLE. THIS PUBLICATION WAS USED AS A REFERENCE TO GUIDE THE NATIONAL CHANGE. THAT'S THE PUBLICATION ON THE BOTTOM. MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM CONTINUED AS A FOCUS IN 2008 WITH THE FORMATION OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM COMMITTEE, COMPRISED OF VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS BEGAN TO LOOK DIFFERENT WITH SOME OF THE KEY CORNERSTONE STRATEGIES BEING IMPLEMENTED.

UNDER THE CREATION OF DYNAMIC TEACHER TEAMS WITH COMMON PLANNING TIME. A LION CURRICULUM TO SUPPORT THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN. AN ADDITIONAL EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN U, A UNFORTUNATELY, STAFF CUTS OVER THE YEARS HAVE RESULTED IN INCONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CS SRP. NOT ALWAYS OCCURRING. OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM EFFORTS. IN THE FALL OF 2021, THOUGH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OFFERED THE LEADS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT EFFORTS UNDER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BLUEPRINT. UNDER THE REIMAGINING. USE OF TIME HIGH LEVERAGE STRATEGY, HCPS WAS AWARDED MONEY TO FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENT OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WE ARE SO PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT. THE INITIAL WORK THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED THAT NO ONE NOT ONLY ALIGNS WITH PREVIOUS EFFORTS BUT WILL COMPLETELY TRANSFORM THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE IN EACH OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE FUTURE. I'M SO PLEASED WITH THIS WORK. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS IN THE AUDIENCE. ALSO SOME OF OUR PRINCIPLES AND CENTRAL WE FRIENDS. I WOULD LIKE AT THIS TIME TO HAND IT OVER TO OUR SUPERSTAR NATALIE HOLLOWAY.

UM, WHO HAS SPEARHEADED THIS WORK, NATALIE. GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. UM I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING PRESENT TONIGHT. I HOPE THIS EVENING IS GOING TO BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR EVENING. UM IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THIS, UH WITH MIDDLE SCHOOLS. I WANT TO START OFF. UH, THIS LAST 18 MONTHS WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MANY DEPARTMENTS AND BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVOLVED IN THIS WORK AND I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION. I WANT TO SHARE AN OVERVIEW VERY BRIEFLY OF KIND OF WE ALWAYS START OFF IN ASKING THE WHY. WHY IS IT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT

[02:05:04]

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

11 PARTICULAR MIDDLE SCHOOL MAY OFFER 45 MINUTES TO COVER THE READING AND WRITING AT ONE POINT , AND THEN SOME MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAD MORE TIME WITH THOSE COMPONENTS. ANOTHER CONSIDERING FACTOR IS THE ADDRESSING THE NEED FOR THIS SPECIFIC WRITING CURRICULUM, WHICH ALIGNS WITH OUR NORTH STAR LEARNING ATTRIBUTES AND WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE MORE EXTENSIVELY. UM, UH, LATER IN THE PRESENTATION. ARE UNIFIED ARTS WILL, WHICH I'LL ALSO BE SPEAKING ABOUT. UH, MORE SPECIFICALLY, IS OUR 10 WEEK PROGRAMS THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE, UH FOR QUARTERS, AND THEY IN THE PAST HAVE VARIED FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL. AN EXAMPLE UH, WOULD BE, UH, ONE PARTICULAR SCHOOL, UM, OFFERING DRAMA OR OR ANOTHER SCHOOL OFFERING ART, ETCETERA, SO WE REALLY WANTED TO SEE WHAT SCHOOLS WERE OFFERING. SO WE COULD REALLY NARROW THAT FOCUS.

AND SO WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS AT EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE UNIFIED ARTS ROTATION. AS MR O'BRIEN ALLUDED TO IN HIS OPENING, UH, STAFF CUTS HAVE BEEN A HUGE COMPONENT. UM THE, UH, I PUT MY PRINCIPAL HAT ON, UM, AT BELLA MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR NINE YEARS. UM WE DID HAVE SOME AUTONOMY AND WHAT THOSE CUTS LOOK LIKE, UM, WE WOULD COME TO THE TABLE AND HAVE YOU KNOW WE NEED THIS MANY CUTS AND WE WOULD TRY TO LOOK AT PROGRAMS WE WOULD TRY TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE RETIRING. SO WE DIDN'T LOSE FOLKS, UM, TRYING TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS, AND SO THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE BARRIER FOR US. INCONSISTENCIES ACROSS SOME OF THE OFFERINGS THAT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WORLD LANGUAGE IS ALSO AN AREA THAT WE HAVE CONTINUED, UM TO, UH, MONITOR AND WATCH ACROSS ALL OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS . UP UNTIL THIS YEAR, WE ONLY HAD TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT OFFERED WORLD LANGUAGE FOR CREDIT AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESSED THAT, UH AS WELL.

THE ORIGINAL INTERVENTION ENRICHMENT PERIOD. UM, LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT IN EACH SCHOOL.

UM, IN THE PAST, IT WAS A ROUGHLY A 25 MINUTE BLOCK OF TIME. OFTENTIMES IT WAS THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOLS WOULD ADDRESS OPPORTUNITIES TO PULL KIDS IF THEY NEEDED INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY NEEDED SOME ENRICHMENT. UM, OPPORTUNITIES OR THEY NEEDED TO INTER, UH, INTERVENTION, SO WE REALLY WANTED TO LOOK AT HOW WE COULD STREAMLINE THAT AND PROVIDE BOTH INTERVENTIONS AND ENRICHMENT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AND FINALLY, UM, IN THIS SLIDE.

I WANNA REALLY STRESS THIS THIS PIECE. UM SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE WORK AND TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE 10 TO 13 IT. IT IS A NOT THAT K TO 12 IS NOT IMPORTANT, BUT SPECIFICALLY, THE 10 TO 13 YEAR OLDS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN NOT ONLY THE ACADEMIC PIECE, BUT IN STRUGGLING THE ADOLESCENCE COMPONENT TO THE TRANSITION BETWEEN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND SO WE FEEL LIKE ALL OF THE ALL OF THE FOLKS HAVE COME TOGETHER THAT CONNECTEDNESS THAT FEELING OF SENSE OF BELONGING AND REALLY IMPROVING EXPOSURES AND EXPERIENCES, UH, FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AT ALL 10 MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WANT TO TAKE JUST A BRIEF MOMENT AND DISCUSSING THE ALIGNMENT TO, UH, OUR BLUEPRINT. UM, FOR OUR STUDENTS FUTURE, UH, WE DO ALIGN WITH THE NORTH STAR COMPONENT THAT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. UM AND WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, UM, IN BACKWARD MAPPING BACKWARD MAPPING WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN MIDDLE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN OFFERING WHAT WE CAN BRING STUDENTS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AS AN AWARENESS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE EXPOSED TO THINGS SO AS THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER IT'S A PROGRAM WHETHER THEY WANT TO STAY AT THEIR COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL, WE ARE AFFORDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN DOORS FOR STUDENTS BEFORE THEY GET INTO HIGH SCHOOL. UH, IT AT THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, UH, WANTED TO MAKE A POINT AND I EVEN HAVE SOME TEACHERS THAT ARE

[02:10:04]

ON MY GROUP IN THE CROWD TONIGHT. UM THESE ARE ALL OF THE , UH, COLLABORATORS AND THE PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE WORKED IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM EVERYBODY'S , UH, THAT WE HAVE MANY, UM FOLKS INVOLVED IN THIS WORK AT THE TOP IS OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN INTEGRAL PARTS. UM, IN THAT WORK. UM MY TEACHER COMMITTEE. UM I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU VERY IMPORTANT PIECE. I THINK THAT, UM THE NOT ONLY ARE ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS REPRESENTED ON MY TEACHER COMMITTEE GROUP. BUT EVERY SINGLE CONTENT IS ALSO, UM, A PART OF THAT GROUP. PHYSICAL EDUCATION, SPECIAL EDUCATION. UH, UNIFIED ARTS PE. UM, THEY'VE BEEN INTEGRAL MY PARENT GROUP I ACTUALLY MET WITH, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH UNDER MARY BETH STAPLETON. UM UH, DIVISION AND OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND FAMILY PARTNERSHIP. HAVE A WONDERFUL, DIVERSE POPULATION OF , UH, PARENTS, UM, HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE NEEDS ESPECIALLY THE TRANSITION FOR A PARENT OF A FIRST TIME MIDDLE SCHOOLER, SO THEY HAD A LOT A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS AND OFFERINGS AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE WORK. FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AS WELL. OUR CCR, UM BLUEPRINT BLUEPRINT COMMITTEE THAT COMPRISES OF MULTITUDE OF FOLKS. SPECIAL EDUCATION, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS. UM UH, CIA FOLKS CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT OFFICE AND ALSO, UM, SPECIALIST THAT HAVE SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE AND THEN FINALLY, THE FOUR POINT EDUCATION PARTNER IS OUR, UM, OUR PARTNERSHIP. UM AND OUR CONSULTANT WHO HAS ALSO DONE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE WORK ON PROVIDED A VERY COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. WHICH WE CAN. WE CAN MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL TO REVIEW THAT, UM, HAS TAKEN THE DEMOGRAPHICS HAS, UM, HELPED KIND OF DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT HARTFORD COUNTY LOOKS LIKE. IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, TO HELP GUIDE US, UM, IN THE WORK. ONE OF SEVERAL KEY INITIATIVES ASSOCIATED WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION HAS BEEN AN ACCELERATION OF OUR FOCUS ON GROWING OUR WRITERS. THIS WORK BEGAN IN 2019, AND DESPITE THE SIGNIFICANT INTERRUPTIONS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN A MEANINGFUL WRITING PROGRAM. THE EXPANSION OF THE WRITING CURRICULUM WAS APPROVED BY THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION IN APRIL, 2023. AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A STANDARDS ALIGNED COMPREHENSIVE WRITING PROGRAM FOR ALL STUDENTS AND ALL OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN GRADE SIX AND SEVEN. IN ADDITION TO RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR A COMPREHENSIVE WRITING PROGRAM, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME DEDICATED TO IT, WHICH MRS HOLLOWAY WILL NOW ADDRESS. THANK YOU, ANDY. WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FULL PERSPECTIVE. UM, AS STUDENTS ENTER, UM AS YOUNG SIXTH GRADERS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, CURRENTLY IN 4TH AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS RECEIVE ANYWHERE FROM 100 AND 50 TO 100 AND 60 MINUTES OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS. PRIOR TO THIS YEAR. THAT WAS QUITE A SHIFT IN IN WHAT WE WERE AFFORDED, UM, AS FAR AS MINUTES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL WHEN STUDENTS WOULD COME INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL MOST OF THE TIME, THE MINUTES UM, DEDICATED TO THAT IL A OFFERING WAS ONLY 50 MINUTES. WE REALLY FOUND THE NEED COLLECTIVELY THAT WE NEEDED TO SPEND MORE QUALITY TIME ON THE READING AND WRITING PIECES.

UM AND HENCE WHY YOU APPROVE THE READING AND WRITING BLOCK NEXT TO, UH, THIS PAST YEAR FOR 6TH AND 7TH GRADE. THREE THINGS STAND OUT THAT I REALLY WANTED TO RESONATE WITH EACH OF YOU ALL. NOT ONLY HAS THE HAVE THEY SEEN A HUGE GAINS IN THE STAMINA OF OUR STUDENTS WRITING OPPORTUNITIES BUT ALSO TIME FOR STUDENTS TO PRACTICE THE APPLICATION TIME FOR THAT SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION AND EVEN INDIVIDUAL, UM, HEALTH FOR STUDENTS WHO REALLY, UM, HAVE DEFICITS IN THAT WRITING COMPONENT, AND I'D LIKE DOCTOR MILLER IS GOING TO KIND OF SHARE HER PERSPECTIVE AS PRINCIPAL AT UM SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WHAT SHE HAS SEEN. I LOVE OUR WRITING CLASS I LOVE GOING IN AND SEEING THE STUDENTS THERE. BUT WHAT I LOVE EVEN MORE IS HEARING FROM OUR NON WRITING TEACHERS. HOW MUCH WRITING THAT THE STUDENTS ARE DOING AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN PROVE THROUGH EVIDENCE OF THE WRITING, AND THEY CAN HAVE THAT DEEPER UNDERSTANDING. IT'S BEEN TRULY EXCITING. THANK YOU. UM UP ON THE SCREEN. I WOULD, UH, WOULD LIKE TO JUST TAKE A JUST A MINUTE TO, UM REALLY, UM, SEPARATE EACH OF THE DATA SLIDES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU THIS EVENING, UM, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE. UH, IT IT IT DISCUSSES, UM, EXACTLY THE ENROLLMENT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR WORLD LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN HARTFORD COUNTY. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE INFORMATION 2002 AND 2003 I MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, THERE WERE ONLY A FEW MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT OFFERED WORLD LANGUAGE FOR CREDIT. THIS YEAR. ALL OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE OFFERING WORLD LANGUAGE FOR CREDIT. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, FROM THE INFORMATION UP ON THE SCREEN THAT APPROXIMATELY 55% OF OUR OF OUR STUDENTS, CURRENTLY IN EIGHTH GRADE ARE IN SOME FORM OF WORLD LANGUAGE FOR CREDIT. SPECIFICALLY UM THE, UH, THE

[02:15:07]

WORK THAT I'M DOING WITH THE OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, UM, SPECIFICALLY WITH MRS KRANTZ ON THE SPECI, UH, SPECIFIC HIGH SCHOOL SEAL OF BI LITERACY FOR STUDENTS. UM CURRENTLY, UM, WHAT STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING IS THE ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE TOWARDS PROFICIENCY IN LANGUAGE. LAST YEAR, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 130 STU 36 STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

TAKE THAT ASSESSMENT WITH 51% OF THEM, UM, PASS THE EXCUSE ME 51 STUDENTS. 38% OF OUR STUDENTS, UM, EARNED THE SEAL OF BI LITERACY AND I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKING, YOU KNOW, NATALIE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? EARNING THAT STAB BY LITERACY IS BEING PROFICIENT IN A DUAL LANGUAGE. UM, UH, MY FUTURE GOAL WOULD ABSOLUTELY BE TO REALLY LOOK AT EXPLORING DISTANT LEARNING LABS AND FOR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE LANGUAGE. THEIR CHOICE. WE HAVE? YES WE HAVE ABOUT 71% OF OUR EIGHTH GRADERS ARE EITHER IN FRENCH OR SPANISH, BUT WAS REALLY EXCITING IS AS THE YEAR STARTED, MORE STUDENTS STARTED TO TALK ABOUT THE LANGUAGES THAT THEY WERE IN IN MORE STUDENTS WANTED TO BE PART OF IT, SO WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT AND HAVE EVEN MORE STUDENTS PART OF IT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE EARNING THAT HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT, WHICH IS SO ESSENTIAL. CURRENTLY UH THE 50% GOAL IS REFLECTIVE ON, UH, STUDENTS ARE IN, UH, REGISTERING TO TAKE THE ASSESSMENT THIS YEAR , AND OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE 50% OF OUR STUDENTS BE CERTIFIED IN THAT DUAL LANGUAGE. UM AND THEN, AS THE WORK PROGRESSES IN EIGHTH GRADE, AND EVEN MORE AND MORE FROM THERE I JUST ADD FROM A HIGH SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE, YOU CAN GET TO A P WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL WITHOUT DOUBLING UP. UM, IF YOU DO THAT LEVEL ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, A P IS LEVEL FIVE, SO TO GET TO LEVEL FIVE BY THEIR SENIOR YEAR, IT MAKES IT MUCH EASIER FOR STUDENTS TO MATRICULATE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE A P. OTHERWISE, THEY HAVE TO DOUBLE UP WITH TWO YEARS OF LANGUAGE IN ONE YEAR, SO IT'S A REAL ADVANTAGE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, OUR FOCUS IN THE CAREER AND COLLEGE AWARENESS SPECIFICALLY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO DEFINE WHAT A UNIFIED ARTS CLASS LOOKS LIKE FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. UM AS MENTIONED, UH, EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION. THIS IS A 10 WEEK COURSE. UM, OFFERED EVERY QUARTER FOR STUDENTS, SO THEY'VE GOT FOUR QUARTERS AND THEY'RE EACH 10 WEEKS. UM SOME OF THE COURSES THAT WE OFFER DURING THAT UNIFIED ARTS BLOCK INCLUDE, UM ART. UM AND WE'RE VERY PROUD UNDER, UH, MR CONNOLLY'S, UH, DIRECTION. WE HAVE TWO PATHWAYS NOW FOR CTE COURSES. WE NOW HAVE A COMPUTER SCIENCE PATHWAY, AND WE HAVE AN ENGINEERING PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS TO CHOOSE FROM. WE ALSO ARE OFFERING DRAMA GENERAL MUSIC AND FLEX WHICH, UM, IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE, THE FLEX IS ALSO THE WORLD LANGUAGE, BUT IT'S MORE A DISCOVERY. IT'S ALL THREE LANGUAGES JUST KIND OF A AND, UM, AND EXPOSURE TO THREE LANGUAGES WITHIN ONE QUARTER THAT WE OFFER WHAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IN THIS PIECE IS, UM STUDENTS ARE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO RANK A FAVORITE COURSE. SO WHAT PRINCIPLES ARE OFFERING AS THEY WE ARE GIVING THEM A FORMS DOCUMENT, WHICH GIVES THEM THE ACTUAL, UH, SPECIFIC TITLE OF WHAT ART? WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE COVERING IN ART AS 1/6 GRADER? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE COVERING ART AS 1/7 GRADER, AND THEN STUDENTS ACTUALLY GET TO RANK THEIR CHOICE. UM WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ENSURE THAT THEY AT LEAST RECEIVE THEIR FIRST CHOICE. UM, IF THEY THEY WANT TO BE AN ARTIST, AND THEY WANT TO PURSUE IT IN HIGH SCHOOL. THEN WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THEIR UNIFIED ARTS ROTATION THAT THEY HAVE AN ART OFFERING UM, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE MOVING THIS DOWN TO FIFTH GRADE. FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS COMING INTO SIXTH GRADE WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. SO YOU WERE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE AMAZING WORK THAT'S TAKING PLACE WITHIN OUR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY, EDUCATION OFFICE AND MR SEWELL THE SHOUT OUT THAT YOU GAVE TO THE CT OFFICE EARLIER RELATED TO APPRENTICESHIPS WERE UP TO 120. AS OF TODAY, AND THAT'S OFTEN APPROXIMATELY 40 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF, THANKS TO THE WORK OF CTE OFFICE IN THE VERY HARD WORKING TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS. STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL AS EVERYBODY IS FAMILIAR, HAVE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO PERSONALIZE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER IN WAYS THAT MANY OF US HERE NEVER HAD. AND TO HELP OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT LIES BEFORE THEM . WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO BE EXPOSED TO POTENTIAL CAREERS IN AREAS SUCH AS ARTS AND MEDIA. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CONSTRUCTION. AGRICULTURE HOSPITALITY AND TECHNOLOGY JUST TO NAME A FEW.

AND THE GOAL HERE IS TO SPARK AN EARLY INTEREST IN AWARENESS SO THAT WHEN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARRIVE TO HIGH SCHOOL, THEY ARE BETTER PREPARED TO ACCEPT AND ACHIEVE IN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE BEFORE THEM IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND. AND IF I COULD JUST BACKWARD JUST A LITTLE BIT THAT THAT SECOND PIECE UM THAT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS INDICATOR. UM

[02:20:03]

OUR GOAL FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IS TO LEAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH, UH, A CREDIT IN ALGEBRA ONE AND ACCREDITED AND WORLD LANGUAGE. IF POSSIBLE. WE ALL KNOW THAT, UM WE HAVE 20 STUDENTS MUST EARN 26 CREDITS TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. THIS DOES GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY. UM LATER IN THEIR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN CELEBRATING THE APPRENTICESHIPS. WORKFORCE AND OR DUAL ENROLLMENT. HAMPTON WE WERE ABLE TO ADD TWO SCRATCH COURSES, ONE IN SIXTH GRADE 1/7 GRADE AT CREATOR IN EIGHTH GRADE. WE BROUGHT BACK OUR GENERAL MUSIC CLASS, AND WE ADD A DRAMA, WHICH SOME STUDENTS WERE VERY NERVOUS ABOUT TAKING BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS JUST GONNA BE ACTING. AND NOW I HAVE STUDENTS SAYING IS THERE A DRAMA TOO? UH, CAN I TAKE IT AGAIN? SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT TO SEE. LIKE TO SHIFT OUR FOCUS A LITTLE BIT, UM, IN THE WORK OF THE STUDENT SERVICES OFFICE AND SPECIFICALLY THE OFFICE OF SCHOOL COUNSELING AS YOU CAN SEE THAT TRUE COLLABORATION BETWEEN MULTIPLE OFFICES TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GIVING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT I HOPE COMES ACROSS THIS EVENING AS EVIDENT. NAVI SPECIFICALLY IS OUR COMPREHENSIVE COLLEGE CAREER AND LIFE READINESS SOLUTION FOR 6 TO 12TH GRADE. IT REALLY FOCUSES AND HELPS STUDENTS ALIGN WITH THEIR INTEREST, AND SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SECONDARY GOALS. IT HELPS IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES AND CONNECTIONS TO LEARN TO LEARNING TO LIFE. WHAT IS, UH, ONE OF THE P THE PIECES THAT WERE REALLY WORKING ON? UM DOING BETTER? UM HIS PARENTS HAVE ACCESS PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO NAVIENT. UM EACH OF THE SCHOOLS PROVIDE, UH, THAT PARENT CONNECTED PIECE WHERE THEY CAN GO IN, AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE LESSONS THAT YOUR STUDENTS ARE DOING. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT'S 1/6 GRADE STUDENT THEY CAN SEE. OH WE DID GOAL SETTING AS AS OUR FIRST LESSON, THEN WE'RE DOING PERSONALITY ASSESSMENTS AND THAT BUILDS ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL ALL THE WAY. THE POINT WHERE STUDENTS CAN PUT IN THEIR, UH, COLLEGE CHOICES. IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO GO TO COLLEGE, AND THEY HAVE A CAREER PATHWAY. ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS PUT INTO THE SYSTEM. THEY WORK WITH THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELORS, BOTH AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE PARENTS HAVING ACCESS AND DOING BETTER WITH THAT. YOU ASK A QUESTION? SURE WHAT DOES THE PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT IS THAT LIKE LOOKING AT WHAT CAREERS THEY MIGHT BE SUITED FOR? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? AND SO, UM, DOCTOR MUELLER THINGS LIKE AND I'LL KIND OF GO IN IF I CAN GIVE YOU THE EXAMPLE OF THE HOLLINS CODE, SO THINGS LIKE INTEREST TYPES LIKE IF YOU'RE ARTISTIC, OR YOU'RE REALISTIC OR YOUR KIND OF, UH, YOUR SOCIAL, THEN IT IT ALIGNS WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT KIND OF FIT THAT DOES THAT HELP ANSWER TO MAKE SURE ABSOLUTELY. REALLY EXCITED. I KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE CAREER COACHES COMING INTO OUR BUILDING QUITE A BIT. AND SO, UH, THAT'S PROBABLY IS NOT NEW INFORMATION, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE PARTNERING WITH SHIN, UM AND HIRING OUR CAREER COACHES, UM TO BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, NOT ONLY TO THE ALIGNMENT WITH OUR NAVI LESSONS, BUT THEN THEY'RE GONNA BUILD OFF AN AVIANCE LESSONS AND BE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CAREER CONTINUUM THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. UM LIKE HAVING GUEST SPEAKERS, UM, BEING ABLE TO DO WEB CRUST ACTIVITIES, CAREER FAIRS. UM CURRENTLY WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY SEVEN COACHES HIRED. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON FIVE ADDITIONAL COACHES. THEY WILL BE FOCUSED, UM AT EACH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WILL SHARE THEM. THEIR FOCUS IS 6TH, 7TH AND 8TH GRADE AND THEN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN EIGHTH GRADE TO NINTH GRADE IN THE WORK. SO I KNOW YOU WANT TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT YOUR CAREER COACH, SO SOUTHAMPTON WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO HAVE THE CAREER COACH AND WE HAVE ROBERT HENDERSON, AND HE IS SUPER EXCITED. HE'S ALREADY BEEN MEETING WITH STUDENTS. HE'S GOT GREAT IDEAS. HE'S BEEN MEETING WITH TEACHERS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO ALIGN HIS, UM, PHILOSOPHIES OF CAREER EDUCATION TO WHAT WE WANNA DO HERE. ONE THING THAT HE'S THINKING ABOUT DOING WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT THING IS WE DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LUNCHTIME, SO HE'S GOING TO SET UP BOOTHS AND HE'S GONNA SET UP EQUIPMENT TO DEMONSTRATE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CAREERS SO THAT THE STUDENTS CAN COME OVER AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT, SO IT'LL BE DIFFERENT FOCUSES EVERY WEEK. SO I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT . I WANNA KIND OF I WANTED TO PUT THIS SLIDE TOGETHER SO EVERYONE COULD SEE THE OVERARCHING SPECIFIC POINT TO THIS WORK. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT NA VANCE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CAREER COACHES . WE ARE ALSO, UM, TALKING ABOUT OUR COLLEGE VISITS. SO WE ARE PARTNERED WITH HARVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS VISIT THE COLLEGE. NOT ONLY WILL THEY BE SEEING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DO WHAT DUAL ENROLLMENT LOOKS LIKE,

[02:25:01]

BUT THAT IS NOT EVERYTHING. THEY'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT TRADES. THEY'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT H VA PROGRAM THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT IF THEY WANT TO BE A SWIM INSTRUCTOR. LIKE ALL OF THE PIECES THAT HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS TO OFFER. STUDENTS ARE GONNA BE EXPOSED TO THAT, AND INFORMATION WILL ALSO BE COMING HOME TO PARENTS AS WELL. AND FINALLY IN THE IN THE FUTURE ARE OUR HOPE IS TO HAVE A VERY, VERY, UM, FORMAL CAREER FAIR, UM, TO HIGHLIGHT ALL OF OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS AND THE REASON WE'RE COMING BACK TO A LARGER VENUE FOR THE CAREER FAIR IS, UM, UNDER MR CONLEY'S DIRECTION. UM HE DOES AN AMAZING JOB WITH THE MAGNET PROGRAM EVENINGS BY REGION IN THE FALL FOR EIGHTH GRADE. BUT GIVING THEM ENOUGH INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME AND BEING ABLE TO EXPOSE THEM TO THEY CAN. UH, IT'S A ONE STOP SHOP, THEY CAN SEE ALL OF THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE INVITED. SO THEY HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT STUDENTS CAN CAN, UH UH, BE ABLE TO BE A PART OF AND WE REALLY WANT TO CAPTURE THAT. SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THAT'S GONNA COME TO FRUITION IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OK AND SO NOW WE'RE GONNA AND WE'RE GO. WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR CLOSE TO THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. AND WE WANNA, UH, END THIS EVENING WITH KIND OF TALKING ABOUT OUR, UH, FOCUS AND COLLABORATION WITH CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENTS. UM, WE HAVE HAVE PROVIDED, UM, SOME FORMAL DEFINITIONS OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS. PART OF THE WORK AS DIRECTOR OF MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION. OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WITH, UH, CONTENT SUPERVISORS, TEACHERS, TEACHER SPECIALISTS, UM, PRINCIPALS, ETCETERA. SCHOOL BASED FOLKS. UM THAT, UH, REALLY FOCUS ON, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE MADE HUGE GAINS ACADEMICALLY, SO I WANT TO BE VERY PURPOSEFUL AND THAT AND IN THAT NOTE, UM THE COMMON FACTOR IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS WE HAVE VISITED ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN SOME FORM OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING. AND SO PART OF THAT WORK IN STUDENTS, UM, BEING MOTIVATED AND PARTICIPATING ACROSS THE BOARD IN THE SEVEN MIDDLE SCHOOLS WE HAVE VISITED WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT. AND I DEFINE IT AS THAT DEEP DIVE INTO A QUESTION. UM KIDS GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY. UM WE REALLY THINK THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WOULD BENEFIT AND MOTIVATE, UM THEIR INTEREST TO LEARN. SO AS A FORMER SCIENCE TEACHER PROJECT BASED LEARNING IS SOMETHING THAT DEEPLY RESONATES WITH ME. AND I'M VERY EXCITED THAT, UH, WE HAVE THIS COLLABORATION WITH ED SERVICES TO MAKE THIS A REALITY FOR EVEN MORE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. BUT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR VISION. OUR VISION IS TO ENGAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND AUTHENTIC REAL WORLD PROJECTS. HELP THEM SEE HOW THE CONTENT THEY'RE LEARNING CAN BE APPLIED IN REAL LIFE. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A STUDENT SCHOOL DAY AND HOW THEY MOVE FROM ONE PERIOD TO ANOTHER TO ANOTHER TO ANOTHER. TO AN ADOLESCENT LEARNING CAN SOMETIMES FEEL DISJOINTED AND DISCONNECTED. SO PART OF OUR VISION IS TO INTENTIONALLY DEVELOP INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECTS. THAT BLUR THE LINES BETWEEN SUBJECTS AND HELP STUDENTS SEE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING THROUGHOUT THEIR DAY. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT NEW CONTENT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO UNCOVERING CONTENT. SPECIFICALLY STUDENTS LEARNING THROUGH A PROJECT. LEARNING THROUGH A REAL WORLD PROBLEM OR DRIVING QUESTION. ONE WHICH DOESN'T HAVE AN EASILY GOOGLEABLE ANSWER IF YOU WILL. OUR CONTENT OFFICES IN THE DIVISION OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT SERVICES ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR IDENTIFYING NATURAL ENTRY POINTS INTO OUR CURRICULUM. OR INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS EXIST. WE ARE ALL VERY EXCITED TO TAKE SOME VERY IMPORTANT NEXT STEPS TO MAKE THIS COMPONENT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION REALITY. AND I'LL JUST, UH UM, FINALLY SAY THAT THE COLLABORATION AND THE CONNECTION THROUGH THE EXPERIENCES YOU KNOW, STUDENTS HAVE VOICE UM, THEY HAVE CHOICE.

IN THIS PROCESS. I TRULY BUILDS THE CAPACITY FOR THAT READING, WRITING, LISTENING AND SPEAKING ACROSS ALL CONTENTS, WHICH WE'RE LOOKING FOR CONSISTENTLY. WE ARE GOING TO BE OFFERING AN ADVISORY BLOCK OF TIME. ONE DAY A WEEK NEXT YEAR. UM THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE , UH UH, INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE MANY THAT ARE THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT. UM BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK, BUT WE ALSO HAD TO REMEMBER THAT WE NEEDED TO FIND SOME TIME DURING THE DAY THAT DID NOT IMPACT INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES DURING CONTENT TIME. UM PRIOR TO COMING UP WITH A WITH A SET OF MINUTES WE WOULD TAKE AND I'M GONNA GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF AN AMBIANCE LESSON WE WOULD TRY TO, UM, GO INTO SOCIAL SCIENCE CLASSES AND DO NAVI LESSONS DURING SOCIAL SCIENCE CONTENT TIME. WE ARE TAKING IT TO, UH, IEL A CLASSES AND EMBEDDING IT THERE. WE ARE

[02:30:03]

FINDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THE NAVI LESSONS. THE CAREER COACHES WILL BE COMING IN AND DOING LESSONS WITH THE STUDENTS. UM AND THIS TIME WOULD BE DEDICATED, NOT TAKING AWAY.

FROM INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES FOR ALL OF OUR CONTENTS. AND I'D LIKE TO END. UM, ON A MOST POSITIVE NOTE. UM MR O'BRIEN AND MR CARR HAVE REALLY SPEARHEADED THIS ALONG WITH MISS BASIL'S WORK. UM THE OUTPOURING OF POSITIVITY IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORTS HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. IN OUR DAY VISITS THAT WE VISIT REGULARLY WITH OUR WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, WELL, SPECIFICALLY MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT HIGH SCHOOL TALKS ABOUT IT AS WELL. WE ARE SEEING CHANGES IN STUDENTS AND NOT JUST THE STUDENTS ON THE COURT, NOT JUST STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING THE SPORTS, OR WE HAVE STUDENTS WANTING TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BECAUSE THEY'RE PART OF CHORUS. AT THESE GAMES. THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONCESSION STANDS. THEY WANT TO COME WITH THEIR FRIENDS, SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE DATA, THE NUMBER OF TURNOUTS FOR HOW MANY STUDENTS TRIED OUT ARE ROSTERS. OUR BASKETBALL SEASON JUST ENDED . UM HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL AND GETTING BACK TO THAT SENSE OF BELONGING AND A PART OF SOMETHING. THIS HAS BEEN DEFINITELY, UM, AN AREA THAT WE'D LIKE TO CELEBRATE. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRE FORMAL PRESENTATION FOR THE EVENING AND WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN FOR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. AMAZING WORK. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT, UM AND I'LL TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS BECAUSE I COULD GET INTO A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS. UM BUT JUST SOME VERY EXPLICIT. I'LL TRY TO STICK TO THAT. UM THERE. I I'M A NUMBERS PERSON, SO I SAW A LITTLE BIT IN THE TIME THAT WE ALLOCATE TO IL A, UM I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ON MATH, YOU KNOW, UM, IT THAT WAS LIKE SO IS DO. WHY WOULD IS THAT WAS THAT INTENTIONAL THAT THAT WAS NOT IN THERE LIKE SO, I. I THINK I CAN. I CAN HELP WITH THAT. ORIGINALLY WE, UM FOR MANY YEARS WE COMBINED THE READING GOALS AND WE EMBEDDED WRITING WITHIN THAT 50 MINUTE BLOCK. SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A DEDICATED 50 MINUTES WRITING BLOCK LIKE WE DO FOR MATH LIKE WE DO FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES, WE ONLY HAD APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS EMBEDDED IN THE READING STANDARDS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS WRITING. SO THE BLOCK OF READING IS IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE BLOCK OF WRITING. IT IS 2 50 MINUTE CLASSES. SOME OF THEM ARE INTEGRATED AND SOME SOME SCHOOLS. SOME TEACH READING . SOME TEACH WRITING, BUT IT IS ACTUALLY CONSISTENT MINUTES FOR ALL FIVE SUBJECTS IN 6TH AND 7TH GRADE. I GUESS MY QUESTION REALLY WAS, IT SEEMED THAT'S LIKE WE. WE DIDN'T FOCUS ON OTHER SUBJECTS. AND I GUESS IT AND I CAN GET OFFLINE AND TALK ABOUT THIS. UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MUCH TIME WE SPEND ON EACH SUBJECT. UM YOU KNOW, SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE EXPANDING ILA. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY MUCH NEEDED LIKE YOU MENTIONED. UM BUT YOU KNOW, ARE THE OTHER. HOW ARE THE OTHER SUBJECTS ALSO BEING ADDRESSED? APPROPRIATELY UM, AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION YOU MENTIONED A NEEDS ASSESSMENT. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S DONE PERIODICALLY, OR WAS THAT LIKE, ONCE AND DONE SO IT WAS IT. THIS WAS ONE. THIS WAS DONE ONE TIME SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WORK, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY.

WE DO HAVE THAT AND WE CAN, UH, UPLOAD THAT TO THE SITE SO YOU CAN VIEW ALL OF THAT. IT IS AN EXCELLENT THE THIRD, BUT THERE IS NO INTENTION TO DO THAT, LIKE EVERY THREE YEARS OR YOU KNOW, ON SOME KIND OF PERIODIC BASIS, OR IS THAT JUST SOMETHING? YOU JUST DID THIS ONE TIME OR IS ARE OUR OUTSIDE PARTNER? UM THE CONSULTING GROUP. AS SOON AS THEY CAME ON, THEY WANTED TO GET TO KNOW US, SO THEY DID AN IN DEPTH. UM LOOK INTO KIND OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND IT WAS PRETTY ENLIGHTENING. IT WAS A LOT OF WHAT WE KNEW, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO IT. UM SO YOU KNOW, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE TO COME BACK AND CONTINUE TO RE EVALUATE. UM, WORK. YEAH. SO WHEN THESE ASSESSMENTS ARE DONE, UM IS THERE A PLAN THAT COULD BE PROVIDED SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT? UM WHAT WE EXPECT TO GET FROM THE ASSESSMENTS. DO THEY WRITE A PLAN AND SUBMIT IT FOR APPROVAL? WHEN YOU SAY ASSESSMENT, WHICH WHICH THIS WAS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT, SO I WOULD SUSPECT THEY WOULD HAVE COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE LOOKING AT SOME CRITERIA. UM SOME DATA THAT THEY WERE PLANNING ON COLLECTING AND WRITE SOME KIND OF STRUCTURED PLAN SO THAT THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, UM DO THEIR ASSESSMENT. SO IS THERE A PLAN TYPICALLY PROVIDED FOR THESE ASSESSMENTS? NO THE NEEDS

[02:35:02]

ASSESSMENT. PRETTY MUCH SHOWED US, UM STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE DOOR. AND THEN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WAS WORKED ALONGSIDE US TO COME UP WITH THE PLAN. AND SO I KNOW THIS IS THE FIRST TIME REALLY COMING BEFORE THE BOARD EVEN THOUGH SOME OF SOME OF YOU ARE UNLIKE OUR BLUEPRINT, GROUPS AND STUFF, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK A NUMBER OF TIMES TO REALLY SHOW WE'RE REALLY ON THE FOREFRONT OF THE WORK AND WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE WORK BECAUSE IT WAS WORK THAT WE STARTED 23 YEARS AGO AND SOME OF THE SAME CORNERSTONE WORK. UM FOR THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN IS THE SAME THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW, BUT EVEN BETTER, AND, UM , WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE WORK. UM THAT WE CAN'T WAIT TO BRING BACK THE NEXT THE NEXT PART OF IT TO YOU GUYS AND HAVE YOU ASK QUESTIONS AND TEAR IT APART AND SAY, YOU KNOW, OK AND YEAH, MY BACKGROUND'S TNE SO UM, BUT SO THE NEXT QUESTION IS BASICALLY ON AN ASSESSMENT THING AGAIN. UM SO AND DOCTOR MUELLER, UM, ASKED ABOUT THE PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT. SO DO YOU USE A STANDARD ASSESSMENT? OR IS THIS SOME HOMEGROWN ASSESSMENT THAT YOU USE LIKE MYERS BREAKS FOR PERSONALITY? OR LIKE IS THERE A STANDARD ASSESSMENT THAT YOU'RE USING, OR SOMETHING ELSE. I KNOW . UH, OUR SUPERVISOR OF COUNSELING IS BEHIND US. WE CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ON NOW THE KIDS DO LITERALLY USE IT FROM FROM 6 TO 12 ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH, UM LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FROM COLLEGE. IT REALLY CONNECTS TO THEIR ENTIRE PORTFOLIO OF 6 TO 12 SO I COULD SAY THERE ARE A LOT OF PERSONALITY TEST OUT THERE IN THE MARKETPLACE. SO I, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS WHICH ONE ARE WE USING? IT'S ONE ELEMENT. REALLY COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM.

I'M SO I MEAN, WE COULD LOOK AT THAT. BUT WE ALSO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE PULLING FROM A LOT OF PLACES BECAUSE BEING ABLE TO DELIVER IT THROUGH THE PLATFORM, AND EVERYTHING IS A BIG PART OF IT. BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY GET EDUCATED ON AMBIANCE AND EVERYTHING THAT IT OFFERS.

THERE'S A LOT THERE TO SEE. UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAD. UM. I WAS, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BLURRING THE LINES AND EN DISCIPLINARY. THAT'S INTERESTING . I'VE LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YEAH 11. QUICK QUESTION. GOOD PRESENTATION. WELL ORGANIZED, OBVIOUSLY, UM, A COUPLE OF JUST, YOU KNOW. NON TECHNICAL THINGS.

YOU MENTIONED SEVEN CAREER COACHES PARTNERING WITH SHWIN. SO WE HAVE CONTRACTOR SUPPORT TO DO THIS. IS THAT WHAT I HEARD CORRECTLY AND YOU WANT TO HIRE FIVE MORE? NO IT'S PART OF OUR BLUEPRINT. MONEY UM, THAT WAS ALREADY ALLOCATED TO SHUAN. THEY ARE THE, UM, GROUP ACTUALLY HIRING THE CAREER COACHES ARE HIRED COMPLETELY FOR I KNOW. I WAS JUST THINKING BICYCLES, I. I HEARD SWIM. THEY HAD SEVEN IN PLACE. SORRY. IT'S NINE O'CLOCK. THEY'RE HIRING ON THEIR LAST FIVE. OK SW OK, SORRY ABOUT THAT . OK SO AND THIS IS ALL BLUEPRINT. GRANT MONEY IS THAT THE ONE THAT'S EXPIRING THIS YEAR OR YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS WAS PASSED. SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE BLUEPRINT. IT WASN'T SOMETHING WE HAD A CHOICE IN. IT WAS MONEY THAT WAS SENT TO US AS A PASS THROUGH. SO IT WAS $2.6 MILLION THAT WAS PUT IN OUR BUDGET AND THEN HAD TO GO DIRECTLY TO THEM. SO THIS IS PART OF SO PART OF WHAT THEY'RE USING THAT MONEY FOR IS TO HIRE THESE CAREER COACHES AND I THOUGHT THOSE WENT TO HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT THEY GO TO NO. UM THE HIGH SCHOOL FOLKS ARE WITH THE, UM THE APPRENTICESHIP GRANT. AND SO THOSE SO THE PEOPLE IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE BLUEPRINT MONEY WAS SPECIFICALLY WAS NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED TO RUN THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. DON'T ASK ME WHY? BECAUSE IT MAKES NO SENSE BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES ALIGN. UM SO WE GOT THE APPRENTICESHIP GRANT TO DRIVE THE RECRUITMENT FOR THE APPRENTICESHIPS. SEPARATE AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT WORKFORCE NETWORK FUNDS, WHICH THAT WAS PART OF THE STATEWIDE THING WHERE MONEY PASSED THROUGH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DIRECTLY TO THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION BOARDS AND THEN WE HAD TO COME UP WITH A PLAN, ALONG WITH THE WORKFORCE INNOVATION BOARD TO, UM, ESSENTIALLY DO CAREER. I THINK THEY USE CAREER COUNSELING IN THE LAW WAS THE WORD. I MEAN, WE CALLED THEM CAREER COACHES. UM, BUT THAT'S THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANDATES OF BLUEPRINT. IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY HAD A LOT OF CHOICE ON, BUT I THINK I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE WE SEE A LOT OF GREAT OPPORTUNITY IN IT. MISS COOPER, THE ALSO THE CAREER COACH WILL BE THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH NINTH GRADE TRANSITIONING AND WILL WORK WITH THE APPRENTICE FOLKS AS WELL IN THAT COLLABORATION. SO THAT'LL BE THAT'LL BE A PLUS TOO. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT RESEARCH ON THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN EVERYTHING, IS THERE. ANYTHING IN THERE, YOU KNOW? ARE WE PUTTING A LOT ON KIDS SO EARLY? THAT THAT'S JUST KIND OF ONE THING THAT THAT IS BEEN A CONCERN. IT'S LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IN SIXTH GRADE, SO DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IN HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE YET, YOU KNOW, LIKE, HOW DO THEY LIKE CHOICE AND EXPLORATION? THAT'S EVERYTHING

[02:40:01]

WE'RE TRYING TO DO. YOU KNOW OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS NEVER REALLY HAD A CHOICE IN ANY PART OF THEIR SCHEDULE, AND WE'RE EXCITED THAT NOW THEY DO, UM, EVEN TO THE POINT BY EIGHTH GRADE, THEY CAN EARN THREE HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS. UM, IF THEY WANT TO UM, WE'RE JUST SO EXCITED FOR THE WORK. UM BECAUSE THE EXPLORATION AND OPPORTUNITY CONNECTS KIDS. TO SCHOOL AND WHEN THEY'RE CONNECTED, AND YOU KNOW, ATHLETICS CONNECTS KIDS TO SCHOOL, TOO. WHEN WE WERE AT EDGEWOOD, MIDDLE FOR THEIR LAST BASKETBALL GAME. THE STEP TEAM WAS THERE, TOO. AND YOU KNOW WE'VE SEEN CHEERLEADERS AND SO THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT'S GROWN OUT OF IT AGAIN WITH JUST THAT CONNECTING, CONNECTING TO SCHOOL FEELING SMART, FEELING CONNECTED. UM, HAVING GOOD SELF ESTEEM. KIND OF GO TOGETHER. ABSOLUTELY I WAS AT YOUR SCHOOL THE FIRST DAY THAT DID SOCCER LAST FALL. NOT LAST YEAR, BUT THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, AND IT WAS AMAZING. THE GROUND WAS COVERED WITH STUDENTS. IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DENSE, MISS COKER, IF I COULD SHARE TO JUST IN MY CAREER , I MEAN, MY 29TH YEAR AND 28 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN IN MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE OF MY PASSION FOR THE FOR THE AGE GROUP. THE EXPLORATION IS, MR O'BRIEN EXPLAINED. WE DEFINITELY DON'T EVER DON'T WANNA APPROACH IT, AND WE DON'T APPROACH IT AS FORCING KIDS THAT AS AS AS FORCED OPPORTUNITIES JUST THAT EXPLORATION AND EVEN GOING LIKE FOR SOME STUDENTS, THEY'VE NEVER GONE STEPPED FOOT ON A HARVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, YOU KNOW, EVER SO JUST EVEN PLANTING SEEDS . THERE'S NOTHING YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT FORCING AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE THAT THE WORLD LANGUAGE CREDITS.

IF THERE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY PARENTS THAT HAVE VOICED, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T I DON'T WANT MY CHILD. AND WORLD LANGUAGE AND HIGH OR IN EIGHTH GRADE, BECAUSE , UH, THEY NEED MORE HELP IN IN LANGUAGE ARTS, SO WE'RE ADJUSTING THOSE AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE PARENT CONVERSATIONS, TOO, WITH THE PRINCIPAL. SO I JUST WANNA ADD THAT AS WELL. OK, THANK YOU. THIS IS THE TIME THAT THE FOR YOU TO START. IN THE ELEMENTARY YEARS. YOU'VE GOT THE GENERAL THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT STUDENTS GATHERING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND STARTING IN THE PREADOLESCENT, THEY START PRUNING AND BECOMING SPECIALIZED , SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT WAS GOING TO BENEFIT THEM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOME SPECIALIZATIONS, AND NOW WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR INTEREST. OK, THANK YOU. I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT AS WE MOVE CAREER EXPLORATION, YOUNGER AND YOUNGER AND YOUNGER IS THAT WE ARE FORCING KIDS INTO A MOLD.

YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE A TRADE PERSON. YOU'RE GONNA GO TO COLLEGE AND SO FORTH, SO I LIKE THE APPROACH YOU'RE TAKING. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT WITH US. UM I STARTED OUT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL WELL, ACTUALLY STARTED OUT IN ELEMENTARY BUT IN TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL IS WHERE I STARTED OUT TEACHING AND I ENJOY THE WAY THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE, UM A LOT OF INTEREST IN A LOT OF THINGS IN A LOT OF EXPLORING AS YOU WERE SAYING BEFORE, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. YES. SO I JUST AGAIN WANNA ECHO DR MILLER'S COMMENTS? UM REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. CHANGE IS HARD, RIGHT? UM WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS. SIGNIFICANT IT'S YOU KNOW, YOU'RE YOU'RE REWRITING MIDDLE SCHOOL HERE, SO UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THAT ON. AND I KNOW THAT, UH REALLY, THAT EXTENDS OUT THROUGH THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE PRINCIPAL, YOU KNOW, VICE PRINCIPALS. UH, THE TEACHERS WHO ARE DOING THIS. UH, I KNOW YOU ARE FLYING THE PLANE AND WE ARE CHANGING IT. MID AIR.

UM SO JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE ENTIRE TEAM. WORKING HARD TO GET THIS DONE FOR I I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING. MISS HAN. JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. UM VERY INFORMATIVE. AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT YOU GUYS ARE PUTTING INTO IT. THANK YOU. UH, SUPERINTENDENT WANTED TO SAY A FEW QUICK WORDS, BUT BEFORE I PASS IT OVER TO HIM, I LOVE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. IT'S AMAZING. I LOVE UM STARTING LANGUAGES EARLY. I THINK IF WE COULD DO IT EVEN BEFORE EIGHTH GRADE, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING. I LOVE THE CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS, AND I THINK BRINGING SPORTS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS AWESOME. THERE'S SO MANY KIDS THAT GO TO SCHOOL TO PLAY SPORTS AND KEEP THEIR GRADES UP TO PLAY SPORTS, SO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLOSE WITH A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS ON THIS, UM SO YOU'VE HEARD THE STORY. IT'S BEEN A LONG STORY SINCE THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM. UM NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, HARFORD OVER THAT TIME EVOLVED DIDN'T REALLY REFORM AND WHAT WHEN? WHEN MISS HOLLOWAY TOOK OVER, UH, THIS PROJECT WE HAD MANY DIFFERENT. TYPES OF SCHOOLS. THEY ALL HAD DIFFERENT PLANS, AND YOU COULD GO BACK TO SOME REFORM EFFORT THAT HAPPENED IN ONE YEAR THAT GOT ONE SCHOOL AND ANOTHER REFORM EFFORT TO HAVE ANOTHER YEAR. THEY GOT ANOTHER SCHOOL, WHICH MEANT THEY WERE ALL

[02:45:01]

DIFFERENT. WE WEREN'T OFFERING THE FOREIGN LANGUAGES. WE WEREN'T OFFERING A CONSISTENT PROGRAM THAT LIKE BENEFITED ALL CHI CHILDREN AND GAVE SIMILAR OPPORTUNITIES. I VIEW THE WORK SHE'S DOING IN TWO PARTS, AND WE ARE KIND OF AT THE END OF PART ONE UM, WHICH IS REALLY IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE CLEAN UP. IT'S GETTING THINGS BACK ON THE SAME PAGE IT IT'S A SORT OF IDENTIFYING VALUES. UM IT'S INTRODUCING THIS WORK OF INTERDISCIPLINARY WORK OF REALLY ALLOWING MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TO REFORM AND WE'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT THE CHALLENGE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IS UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S WHEN WE LOSE THEIR ATTENTION. UM BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE BIG QUESTION WHICH WE'VE HEARD 1000 TIMES YOU'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS, YOU KNOW? WHY DO I HAVE TO KNOW THIS? AND WE'RE WE'RE IN AN AGE NOW WHERE OUR STUDENTS. MORE AND MORE NEED TO BE ENTERTAINED. AND OUR JOB ISN'T TO ENTERTAIN US TO EDUCATE . BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE WE'RE DEALING WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF, UM AND KEEPING THEM ENGAGED. UH, IS A BIG PART OF IT, BUT ALSO SHOWING THEM THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS THEY COULD BE INVOLVED IN. BECAUSE IN EIGHTH GRADE, WE ASKED THEM TO PICK A MAGNET PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHEN THE APPLICATIONS GO OUT, BUT THEY HAVE VERY, VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES DIFFERENT PROGRAMS MIGHT LEAD TO. SO JUST BY APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM. THEY'RE PICKING A COURSE BUT REALLY, WITHOUT A LOT OF INFORMATION, SO THE GOAL HERE WAS TO BACK THIS UP TO CREATE MUCH MORE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE TO ENSURE THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL IS BOTH. ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS BUT ALSO INTELLECTUALLY ENGAGING. AND BY DOING THAT, I THINK WE PUT THEM ON A BETTER FOOTING TO BE, UM MORE PREPARED TO CHOOSE A PATH AT SOME POINT DURING HIGH SCHOOL, OR AT LEAST KIND OF HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHERE THEY WANNA GO. AND AS WE OFFER MORE OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL WE NEED TO EQUIP THEM FOR THAT. BUT LIKE I SAID, PART TWO OF THIS WORK REALLY STARTS ROLLING OUT NEXT YEAR INTO THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR WHERE WE CAN START DIGGING INTO THE PROJECT BASED LEARNING, WHICH I THINK IS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY WHERE STUDENTS ARE EXPLORING SOMETHING AT GREAT DEPTH ACROSS THE CURRICULUM, UM AND AGAIN APPLYING THESE DIFFERENT SKILLS, SO A LOT MORE WORK TO DO IN THIS AREA, UM, HAVING SOMEONE FOCUSED. ON THIS WORK IN PARTICULAR IS ESSENTIAL.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. IT EVOLVED NOT TRANSFORMED, AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSFORMATION. UM SO WE NEED TO STAY ON THIS COURSE A BIT LONGER, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND, UM I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER. THANK YOU, BOY. OK, MOVING ON TO ITEM. E DECISION ON SUPERINTENDENT IS

[E. Decision on Superintendent's Proposed FY2025 Budget, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Mr. Eric Clark, Director of Budget, and Ms. Mary Edmunds, Budget Analyst]

PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET, PLEASE WELCOME MISS DE JUDD, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS SERVICES, MR. ERIC CLARK, DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND MISS MARY EMMONS. UM, BUDGET ANALYSIS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT HAH BOARD MEMBERS AND DR BOLSON. WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING TO BRIEFLY REVIEW THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL ON THIS EVENING. UM I WILL GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE IT REALLY HASN'T CHANGED EXCEPT FOR TWO ITEMS WHICH WE WILL SHARE IT HAS TO DO WITH, UM, CHANGES IN STATE REVENUE, AND THEN WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND ASK FOR YOUR, UM CONSIDERATION OF THE BUDGET. SO THE REVENUE UM, FOR ALL FUNDS IS LISTED HERE. WE DO HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE RESTRICTED FUND, WHICH INDICATES, UM A DOLLAR CHANGE WILL GO THROUGH THE DETAIL OF THAT. THE UNRESTRICTED FUND IS NOT HIGHLIGHTED. HOWEVER THERE IS A CHANGE, AND IT'S A FLIP BETWEEN THE LOCAL AND STATE FUNDING. SO THE STATE UM PRELIMINARY NUMBERS CAME OUT AND WE HAD $1.6 MILLION ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM THE STATE. SO WE'VE REFLECTED THAT REVENUE IN THE MARYLAND STATE LINE, AND WE'VE REDUCED THE LOCAL ASK BY THE 1.6 MILLION. DOLLARS. THIS IS THE SAME SUMMARY THAT WE'VE PRESENTED BEFORE, UM BY THE, UM, LARGER CATEGORIES, AND THEN THESE ARE ALL OF THE DETAILS. WE'RE HAPPY TO GO BACK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO ANY OF THESE PARTICULAR LINE ITEMS. NO CHANGES AT THIS TIME.

OUR POSITION SUMMARY AGAIN. NO CHANGES. SO OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET FEDERAL GRANTS THERE WAS NO CHANGE. STATE GRANTS. EACH OF THOSE LINE ITEMS RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN STATE RESTRICTED REVENUE. TOTAL OF $623,000. SO WE'VE ADDED A CHART HERE. THAT IS JUST THAT PORTION OF THOSE STATE GRANTS WITH THE REVENUE JUST SO YOU CAN SEE IT A LITTLE BIT BETTER. NO CHANGES IN FOOD

[02:50:02]

AND NUTRITION. AND AGAIN THE CAPITAL BUDGET WAS APPROVED PREVIOUSLY. SO WE ARE ASKING THIS EVENING FOR THE, UM APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE UNRESTRICTED FUND RESTRICTED FUND WITH THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE DISCUSSED, UM, AND APPROVAL OF THE FOOD AND NUTRITION FUND AS WELL. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO PRESENT? NOT UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. YEAH, WE'LL OPEN IT. UM FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU. UM I DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS EARLIER , BUT I'LL MAKE SOME SOME COMMENTS RIGHT NOW, IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTS FROM OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. FOLLOWING THIS, I'LL BE SEEKING A MOTION IN A SECOND TO ADOPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET, INCORPORATING SOME NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS. BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH THESE STEPS. LET ME PLEASE SHARE SOME COMMENTARY ON OUR BUDGET AND OUR CURRENT STANDING IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. FIRST I WISH TO EXTEND MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. THE ENTIRE BOARD. ARE DEDICATED STAFF. AND MEMBERS OF BOTH THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE. THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE ENGAGED IN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL.

TOGETHER WE'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO FULLY UNDERSTAND OUR CURRENT FISCAL STANCE AND ALIGN TOWARDS A SOLUTION. FOR RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION IS TO APPROVE AN ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. THIS TASK INVOLVES CRAFTING A BUDGET THAT NOT ONLY REFLECTS OUR EDUCATIONAL GOALS BUT ALSO ACTIVELY ENGAGES OUR PRIMARY FUNDING PARTNERS WHO ARE THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

WE EMBARK ON A MISSION TO EDUCATE, ENGAGE AND PROMOTE OUR BUDGET. WITH THE AIM OF SECURING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES. IN RECENT WEEKS, WE'VE RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF EMAILS, MANY FROM TEACHERS. URGING THIS BOARD TO FULLY FUND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET. THIS BOARD IS NOT THE FUNDING AUTHORITY, NOR DO WE POSSESS THE ABILITY TO RAISE REVENUES. OUR CAPACITY TO SECURE THE NEEDED RESOURCES STEMS DIRECTLY. FROM OUR ABILITY TO COLLABORATE EFFECTIVELY. WITH OUR FUNDING PARTNERS. AND TO IDENTIFY THE MOST OPTIMAL SOLUTIONS. CONSIDERING ALL LIKELY SCENARIOS. THE UPCOMING PROPOSED BUDGET MODIFICATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO YIELD THE BEST OUTCOME FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. THIS YEAR. WE HAVE ADOPTED A NEW APPROACH TO OUR BUDGET RESPONSIBILITIES AND A NEW APPROACH TO OUR PROCESS. WE HAVE ENGAGED EARLY AND OFTEN WITH THEIR FUNDING PARTNERS AIM TO DEVELOP A BUDGET THAT WE BELIEVE COULD BE FULLY SUPPORTED BY THEM. IN THESE DISCUSSIONS. IT REVEALED A SIGNIFICANT GAP BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET. AND THE AVAILABLE AND THE AVAILABLE FUNDING. LEADING US TO THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT I WILL BE PROPOSING TONIGHT. THESE ADJUSTMENTS WILL STILL ENSURE THAT OUR BUDGET REMAINS ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS AND VISIONS SET FORTH BY THE BOARD. AND THE SUPERINTENDENTS ORIGINAL BUDGET REQUEST. AS PRESENTED EARLIER AND LAST MONTH, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS PROPOSED A BUDGET THAT SEEKS TO INCREASE APPROXIMATELY $40 MILLION ACROSS FOUR KEY AREAS. ONE WAGE ADJUSTMENTS TO RECOGNIZE OUR DEDICATED STAFF AND EDUCATORS.

TO TRANSITIONING FEDERALLY GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. TO LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOLLOWING A ONE TIME COVID RELIEF GRANTS. THREE ADDRESSING MANDATORY INCREASES IN PENSION AND HEALTH CARE COSTS. FOR ENHANCING OUR RESOURCES TO SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION. THE FORTHCOMING PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS WILL REMAIN COMMITTED TO THESE FOUR PRIORITY AREAS. THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS WILL FOCUS ON FOLLOWING KEY AREAS. ONE REDUCING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REQUEST BY $1.6 MILLION, AS DISCUSSED. DUE TO AN INCREASE IN STATE CONTRIBUTION. TO IDENTIFYING $5 MILLION IN SAVINGS THROUGH OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES WHILE ENSURING A NEGLIGIBLE IMPACT ON STUDENT FACING POSITIONS. THREE ALLOCATING AN ADDITIONAL $11.5 MILLION FROM OUR FUND BALANCE TO THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET. IT'S ESSENTIAL TO CLARIFY THAT THE TERM CUTS HAVE BEEN USED TO DESCRIBE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S INITIAL PROPOSAL. THE $5 MILLION IS NOT A REDUCTION IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET. IN FACT, UNDER THIS SCENARIO, OUR OPERATING BUDGET WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE YEAR PRIOR. INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL $24 MILLION FROM THE COUNTY'S PORTION ALONE. IF FULLY FUNDED. THIS INCREASE

[02:55:02]

DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY BY TAPPING FURTHER INTO OUR FUND BALANCE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE SCHOOL'S STRUCTURAL DEFICIT. YET WE MAY CHOOSE TO INVEST THESE FUNDS DIRECTLY INTO THE CLASSROOM. BELIEVING THAT THIS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE USE OF RESOURCES AT THIS TIME. WE'RE COMMITTED TO OVERCOMING THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT IN THE COMING BUDGET CYCLES THROUGH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INNOVATION. FOR NOW , THIS APPROACH BALANCES OUR IMMEDIATE NEEDS WITH OUR LONG TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY. THE DECISION WE MAKE, INCLUDING TONIGHT'S BUDGET BUDGET MODIFICATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO OPTIMIZE OUR RESOURCES AND ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOME POSSIBLE. OUR GOAL IS TO SEEK THE BEST FISCAL SOLUTION ACROSS A RANGE OF VIABLE OPTIONS. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO OUR SHARED MISSION. I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR COLLABORATION IN THE POSITIVE IMPACTS THAT THE SITE TONIGHT'S DECISION WILL HAVE. I NOW OPEN THE FLOOR FOR COMMENTS.

I THE FIRST I. I JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND GOING THROUGH THOSE SLIDES SO QUICKLY WAS GREAT BECAUSE I SO COMMENTS OVER HERE. THAT SAID, OH, MY GOSH. SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, GETTING THROUGH THEM, AND I KNOW WE'VE ALL HAD A LOT OF OP OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THEM AND TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS. AND I APPRECIATE YOU, UM, RESPONDING TO OUR QUESTIONS. I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT, UM ONE SLIDE. UM. 28 AND JUST A GENERAL COMMENT AND IN GENERAL ABOUT, UM, AN AREA THAT IT'S EXPANDED NEED SLIDES. I'VE ONLY GOT 2122 IN LINE. 2815 MIGHT BE LINE 28 SLIDE. EIGHT SLIDE EIGHT BLIND 28 UM, AND BASICALLY, IT'S A GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF PSYCHOLOGISTS, UM, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE DON'T NEED SUPPORT FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS. UM BUT THERE'S BEEN A AN EXPANSION IN THAT AREA. AND. AND I MY QUESTION IS HAVE WE RECEIVED REVENUE TO SUPPORT THAT EXPANSION? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT LINE 28 THE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE RECLASSIFICATION. YES YEAH, IT'S A $4 MILLION LINE ITEM. SO AS WE DISCUSSED WHEN WE PRESENTED THE BUDGET, THIS IS REALLY JUST AN ACCOUNTING CHANGE. WE IT USED TO BE IN THE RESTRICTED BUDGET AND REMOVING IT, AND THE REVENUE IS FOLLOWING THAT SO INCLUDED IN THE STATE REVENUE. IT DIRECTLY OFFSETS THAT $4 MILLION, SO THERE IS NO IMPACT TO THE OPERATING BUDGET. BUT WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE IT HERE BECAUSE WE'LL BE RECORDING WITHIN THE BUDGET. YEAH, I JUST NOT. WE'RE EXPANDING SOMETHING. I JUST THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT YOU KNOW IF IT'S IF THERE'S BEING A REQUEST FROM THE STATE, YOU KNOW , THEY SHOULD BE FUNDING. SOME OF THAT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ANYWAY, SO THAT THAT WAS MY QUESTION. AND IF WE, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S OK. NO EXCITE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. I HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE YOU JUST SAID A WHOLE LOT OF STUFF AND DIDN'T OFFER ME A VISUAL OR ANYTHING TO GO ALONG WITH IT, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT. YEAH, UM. THE KEY AREA. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST THE KEY AREAS, RIGHT? SO RECOGNITION OF APPROXIMATELY $1.6 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL STATE CONTRIBUTION. TRANSFER OF AN ADDITIONAL 11.5 MILLION FROM THE FUND BALANCE OF THE OPERATING BUDGET. AND REDUCTION OF THE BUDGET REQUEST BY $5 MILLION THROUGH OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I READ THE FULL DRAFTED MOTION WITH A PRIORITY OF ENSURING MINIMAL IMPACT ON EDUCATOR POSITIONS AND NO INCREASE IN AVERAGE CLASSROOM SIZES. ACKNOWLEDGING. THAT THE DEFINITIVE DEFINITIVE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES REMAIN CONTINGENT UPON THE BOARD'S FINAL APPROVAL VOTE.