Feb 26, 2024 Board Meeting

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JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T JUST ME. THANK YOU THIS OPEN SESSION ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH 2024 AT THIS TIME, PLEASE MEET YOUR DEVICE TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON.

MISS RAO. PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. SO. SO FROM YOU. MISS BRUCE. HERE. OK HERE. HERE. OK? MHM. SEEN AS PARENTS. SEVERAL SAROSO IS ABSENT. SO LONG HERE. HERE. VICE PRESIDENT KN PRESENT.

PRESIDENT HERE. AWESOME. HERE, MISS DIANE ALS. HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE BOARD IS NOW AN OPEN SESSION. THE PURPOSE OF THIS OPEN SESSION IS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER POTENTIAL ACTION REGARDING A CLOSED SESSION BEFORE THE BOARD CONSIDERS THIS ACTION IT NEEDS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO PERMIT PUBLIC COMMENT. CHE ENTERTAIN A MOTION AWAY PUBLIC COMMENT IN ITS ENTIRE TO THE LIMITED NATURE OF THIS OPEN SESSION. MAY I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND, PLEASE? BRUSO MOVED. THANK YOU THERE. THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES. THERE ARE ANY

[Board Closed Session]

PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES. THERE ARE ANY OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME. AT THIS

[Call to Order]

SUPERINTENDENT BOLTON HERE. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. CAN YOU, UH, CONFIRM WHEN SHE'S CONNECTED? THANK YOU. UM OK. UH, LET'S PLEASE READ, UH, THIS EVENING'S RULES OF ORDER.

FOLLOW. YOUR SECURITY NOW, HUH? GOOD EVENING. I'M DJ RAVI, REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS.

DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. GRANDSTANDING WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES.

STANDING OVATIONS AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. SHOULD AN ATTENDEE ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DETRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, THE ATTENDEE WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITIVE BEHAVIOR. IF THE ATTENDEE DOES NOT CEASE THE PROHIBITIVE BEHAVIOR, THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. WE ASK THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE REFRAIN FROM APPROACHING THE DAY AS FOR ANY REASON DURING THE BOARD MEETING WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, WITH VICE PRESIDENT HO JOINING VIRTUALLY I'VE ASKED OUR STUDENT MEMBER MEDINA TO FILL IN FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT THIS EVENING, SO PLEASE READ THIS EVENING'S

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THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? THE 2ND 2ND. THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES IF ANY ARE OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. PLEASE LEAVE US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. SUCH ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHERE WE JUST STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD , INDIVISIBLE WITH A T AND INVESTORS FOR ALL. OK, WE'RE

[Board Member Comments]

MISS ST. ARE YOU READY? OK GOOD EVENING, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATION ON APPRENTICESHIPS THIS EVENING APPRENTICESHIPS ARE A GREAT OPTION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND A GREAT OPTION FOR EMPLOYERS. THIS MODEL PROVIDES A WIN WIN RELATIONSHIP. BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM THE APPRENTICES SKILLS WHILE APPRENTICES GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE TO HELP THEM ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS. I BELIEVE DR BOLTON BROUGHT IT UP LAST WEEK, BUT, UH IT WAS MENTIONED IN VERY FIGHTING TO SEE WELCOME. EIGHT JAT TOWN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE PART OF THE PATHWAYS IN TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. THESE STUDENTS GET TO WORK AT C COM FOR AN EIGHT WEEK PAID INTERNSHIP. THE WORKPLACE SETTING OF C. COM AND A PG NOT ONLY GIVE STUDENTS AN AVENUE TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH ARMY, CIVILIAN AND UNIFORMED PROFESSIONALS IN A FEDERAL DEFENSE BASED ATMOSPHERE, BUT IN TURN ALSO PROVIDES THE ARMY A WAY TO CONNECT WITH THE NEXT GENERATION OF EMPLOYEES. I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH A PG ON INITIATIVES LIKE THIS IS THEY ARE VITAL TO ENSURING OUR FEDERAL WORKPLACE IS A TRUE REFLECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND ENSURES OUR FUTURE EMPLOYEES ARE PREPARED AND READY TO DEFEND OUR NATION. WELL, THAT THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UM I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE HARPER COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING ON VALENTINE'S DAY AT PATTERSON MILL. UH, THAT WAS A GREAT FORUM. UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE STUDENTS THERE. UH, AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR FUTURE. UM I ENCOURAGE, UH, STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED WITH HC. UM. IT'S A GREAT IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED WITH. UH, ALSO ATTENDED THE IMPACT FEE. WORKGROUP UH, THAT IS A, UH. MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT'S BEING PUT TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE. THE COUNTY COUNCIL COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES AND ALSO, UH, HARVARD. HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, TO ASSESS THE IMPACT FEES THAT ARE CHARGED ON REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS. UH PARTICULARLY WITH NEW BUILDS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FUNDING NECESSARY TO SUPPORT SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE. UM I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO JOIN THEIR PTAS AND FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF OUR SCHOOLS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PT A LEADERSHIP IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND REALLY CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY. I WILL BE ATTENDING THE MABE TRAINING THIS WEEK ON EFFECTIVE POLICY MAKING AND MORE EFFECTIVE BOARD TEAMWORK. MUCH NEEDED. FOR ME PERSONALLY, I'M SURE. UM AND, UH, I WILL BE ATTENDING THE ENGAGED FOR EDUCATION FORUM ON MARCH 6TH AT 5:30 P.M. AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS EVER. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. LIKE MISTER SOUL POINTED OUT ON FEBRUARY 14TH HC HAD OUR THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING, WHICH WAS A HUGE SUCCESS IN MY OPINION , UH, ME AND JOSH ALTER ZEW SKI. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU GUYS KNOW HIM, BUT HE'S PROBABLY BACK THERE SOMEWHERE. HE WAS THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBER FOR THE 2018 2019 SCHOOL YEAR, AND HE DID FANTASTIC JOB SO HIM AND I DID A PRESENTATION TO ALL THE STUDENTS. IT WAS CALLED SB 101, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE BASIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBER POSITION, AND THREE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS CAME AND THEY PARTICIPATED. THE Q AND A PANEL DISCUSSION WITH THE STUDENTS ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS, AND THE QUESTIONS ASKED WERE SO SOPHISTICATED AND I THINK JUST OUR DISCUSSION REALLY SHOWED WHERE THE STUDENT BODY CONCERNS LAID. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR

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UNFORTUNATELY THEY KIND OF CHANGE THINGS AT THE LAST MINUTE, SO WE DIDN'T GET TO SEE IT, BUT WE DID GET TO SEE THE SENATE PRESENTATION. UM AND THAT WAS JUST A REALLY NICE HONOR TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I'VE GONE TO A BUNCH OF MEETINGS AND A BUNCH OF COMMITTEES AND DONE A LOT OF STUFF. BUT YOU REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT ALL THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MS GOKU, OK? YOUR MICROPHONE'S STILL BROKEN. MY MICROPHONE WAS BROKEN. NOT BY ME. WELCOME EVERYONE, UH, HERE AND THOSE LISTENING IN, UM YOU KNOW, I ALSO GOT TO ATTEND THE H CREST MEETING AND REALLY APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY. AND OUR STEWARD STUDENT BOARD MEMBER I GOTTA SAY, CONTINUES TO BE SUPER IMPRESSIVE. YOU WON'T BRAG ON YOURSELF. I KNOW YOU WERE BRAGGING ON THE OTHER STUDENTS, BUT SHE ORCHESTRATED THE WHOLE THING AND GAVE TRAINING AND MODERATED 100. PLUS UH, PERSON, UM, YOU KNOW, CONFERENCE BASICALLY IN EFFECT, SO YOU DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU, BUT, UM, I AGREE. THE STUDENTS REALLY WERE IMPRESSING. THEY WERE REALLY REACHING UP WITH THEIR QUESTIONS, VERY POISED AND SOPHISTICATED. ASKING ABOUT POLICY AND BUDGET. UM SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THAT, UM SO MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS PROBABLY. BUT I LEARNED SOMETHING RECENTLY THAT I WANNA SHARE. THERE'S MANY DRAFT LEGISLATIVE BILLS IN PROCESS AT OUR MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT COULD BECOME NEW LAWS AND A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM PERTAIN TO EDUCATION AND WHAT EACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PARENTS CAN OR CANNOT DO. SO IF YOU GO ONLINE AND LOOK UP MARYLAND LEGISLATURE, YOU CAN REGISTER FOR A MY MG A ACCOUNT. IT'S VERY EASY. IF I CAN DO IT, YOU COULD DO IT. UM AND JUST SEE WHERE THE BILLS ARE. READ THEM. YOU KNOW, GET YOUR OPINIONS ON THEM. UM SOME PARTICULAR BILLS RELEVANT TO EDUCATION ARE HOUSE HOUSE BILL 0558 THAT RESTRICTS PARENTS RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF A HEALTH AND FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION TOPIC. UH HOUSE BILL 785. SOME OF THEM ARE ARE DUAL. HOUSE BILL SENATE BILL, UM, PERTAINS TO STATE LIBRARY CONTROL FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES. HOUSE BILL 0047 GIRLS SPORTS HOUSE BILL 1441 PRE KINDERGARTEN AND A GENERAL ONE THAT I HOPE EVERYONE WOULD SUPPORT THERE'S HOUSE BILL 671, OR SENATE BILL 355 THAT PROHIBITS DISPLAY OF OBSCENE MATERIAL TO MINORS. SO SOME OF THEM ARE GENERAL. SOME OF THEM ARE EDUCATION. BUT YOU KNOW IF

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UNTIL THANK YOU, MISS BRUCE. THANKS EVERYONE. THAT'S IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT AS WE END BLACK HISTORY MONTH. I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF LOCAL BLACK EDUCATORS. 27 AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE IN THE HALL OF FAME. THE HARTFORD COUNTY HALL OF FAME. ONE OF THE ATTENDEES, MISS MABEL HART WILL BE 105 YEARS OLD ON MARCH, THE 27TH SHE RESIDES IN HER OWN HOME IN HAVERTY, GRACE, MARYLAND. SO, UM MS. HART WAS A MEMBER OF MY COMMUNITY, UM, HAD A GREAT DEAL OF IMPRESSION ON MY FAMILY. AND UM, THOSE ON THE STREET WHERE WE LIVE. SHE NOW LIVES ON UNION AVENUE ACROSS FROM WHERE HARTFORD MEMORIAL THREE AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE FORMER TEACHERS OF THE YEAR. UM M MULE AND I VISIT OUR DOCTOR MULE AND I VISITED, UH, OLD POST ELEMENTARY AND MR RONALD WOOTON WAS EXCITED BECAUSE HE SAID HE WAS THE FIRST TEACHER AND I SAID, NO, NO, NO. MISS ALBERTA PORTER WAS THE FIRST TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN 2001 AND 2002. SO I WANNA THANK THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR SERVICE AND DEDICATE DEDICATION TO THE STUDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY. I WAS ASKED BY THE PRINCIPAL, UM OF HICKORY ELEMENTARY, MISS MCCOY TO ASSIST WITH THE DISPLAY AT THE SCHOOL THAT RECOGNIZED THE FORMER CENTRAL CONSOLIDATED COLORED SCHOOL. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL GRADUATES TO ASSIST WITH THIS PROJECT. THEY WILL BE MEETING THE PRINCIPAL THIS WEEK. BUT DURING MY RESEARCH, I WENT TO ROY WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO GET A PICTURE OF DR PERCY WILLIAMS BECAUSE THEY HAD A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE OUT THERE. THERE'S A PLAQUE HONORING BOTH OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE TWO COLORED SCHOOLS THAT WERE HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. TO MY SURPRISE. THERE'S AN ERROR ON THE PLAQUE FOR MR LEON S, ROY. IT SAYS HE WAS THE PRINCIPAL OF THE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL FROM 1938 TO 1965. UM. SO I CALLED MRS MARTINO AND I SAID, DO YOU KNOW THE PLAQUE HAS AN ERA NOW? I DON'T ATTRIBUTE IT TO HER OR TO ANYBODY IN THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AS TO WHO PRINTED THE PLAQUE, BUT, UM, I SPOKE WITH HER, AND SHE SAID SHE NEVER NOTICED IT, SO WE AGREED THAT WE NEEDED TO CHANGE THE DATES OF 1954 TO 1965. SO I PLAN TO WORK THE COMMUNITY TO TRY TO CORRECT THIS INFORMATION AND TO GET AN ACCURATE DISPLAY UP AT HICKORY. THIS MORNING, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF VISITING SWAN CREEK. THIS I. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY IT WAS A SCHOOL BECAUSE SWAN CREEK IS AN INSTITUTION IN OF ITSELF, AND, UM, THE PRESIDENT WAS THERE AND VICE PRESIDENT AND, UM I KNOW THAT HE HAD HAD THEM COME AND DO A PRESENTATION. BUT I ENCOURAGE EACH AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER TO ATTEND THAT SCHOOL IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN THERE I MEAN, IT WAS JUST MIND BOGGLING WHAT THEY HAVE DONE THE ENERGY THAT THEY HAVE, AND YOU'RE THEY'RE RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY STATES CALL THEM. FOR THE INFORMATION ON WHAT THEY'RE DOING THERE. SO, I. I AM SO PROUD OF THEM. I AM SO PROUD OF MR TUSKS AND HIS STAFF AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS ALVAREZ. GOOD EVENING. HONORED TO BE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A QUOTE, UM, THAT I HEARD THIS WEEK. IT SAID LIST LISTENING IS AN ACT OF LOVE. AND HE WENT ON TO PROVIDE A VISUAL THAT EACH EAR IS HALF OF A HEART AND WHEN YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER, IT FORMS A FULL HEART. UM AND I SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL VISUAL. AND UM, IT IT KIND OF TOUCHED ME, SO I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU. UM ON FEBRUARY 14TH. I ATTENDED THE.

HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS. THANK YOU, ME MEDINA FOR INVITING ME. A FEW 100 STUDENTS WERE IN ATTENDANCE AND LINED UP TO ASK THE PANEL OF FOUR BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS. I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THE THEMES UM, THE USE OF A I WAS ONE BULLYING AND BEING PREPARED BEYOND SECONDARY SCHOOL. THE STUDENT HAS VERY GOOD,

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THAT THEY LEARN HOW TO LISTEN. UM IN OTHER WORDS, LISTENING BEYOND THE LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES OR THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES THAT THEY MAY, UM, FACE OUTSIDE OF COMMUNITY, UM AS THEY GET INTO THE WORKPLACE AS THEY GO ON TO UNIVERSITY, UM THEY WILL LIKELY BE IMMERSED IN IN A MORE DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT THAN WOULD EXIST HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. SO, UM. DEVELOP AND THEY WILL. ALSO WHEN THEY ENTER THE WORKFORCE, THEY WILL WORK WITH PEOPLE FROM THREE OR FOUR GENERATIONAL. UM. GROUPS AND NOT JUST THEIR PEERS. UM SO DEVELOPING THAT SELF-CONFIDENCE TO RISE ABOVE PERCEIVED INJUSTICES, I THINK IS WISE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO EMBRACE. UM AND IN THE END, THEY WILL SHINE. AND THE FACE OF ADVERSE LEARNING ADVERSARY. OH, MY GOODNESS. UM SO THE, UM. AND THEN ALSO RECORDING A I, UM USE AND MISUSE . UH THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, MENTION OF IT BEING USED TO CHEAT. UM SO I THINK THAT POLICY IS, UM, MAYBE IN OUR COUNTY IS LACKING. UM I ATTENDED THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE. SESSION TODAY. UM, WHERE THERE IS A BILL HB 1297 BEFORE THE LEGISLATORS, UM TO DEFINE, UM, USE OF A I IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. UM IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S AND YOU KNOW UP TO THE EDUCATORS TO ENFORCE. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE. UM, ACCORDING TO THE LEADER OF THAT COMMITTEE. UM PRESENTLY, THERE'S ONLY ONE COUNTY. UM IN HARTFORD COUNTY.

ARE, UH, IN THE STATE THAT HAS UH, POLICY. UM SO I THINK THAT WE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND IN THAT, BUT, UM AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE. UM, THAT REALLY, IF YOU USE SOMEONE ELSE'S A I TO CHEAT THAT YOU'RE REALLY JUST DEPRIVING YOURSELF OF YOUR EDUCATION. UM SO. LEARNING IS A AND I WANT TO END WITH LEARNING IS A PRIVILEGE AND EVERYBODY SHOULD TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT BECAUSE IT'S THEIR FUTURE. THANK YOU. SO DON'T HAVE CHAT GPT DO YOUR HOMEWORK. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE THERE. UH, MISS VICE PRESIDENT HAN. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THIS EVENING? YES UM, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING. UM FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY ABSENCE . I HAD HERNIA REPAIR SURGERY THREE WEEKS AGO, AND I'M STILL RECOVERING. UM I AM IMPROVING EVERY DAY AND I AM SO ANXIOUS TO GET BACK TO NORMAL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT HAVE FILLED IN FOR ME FOR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO ATTEND. LIKE TERRY.

I APPRECIATE YOU, YOU KNOW, BEING AVAILABLE TO FILL IN FOR ME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MY RECOVERY IS IT GOING AS QUICKLY AS I WOULD LIKE IT TO GO. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING. I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. UM BE SURE TO REACH OUT TO YOUR LEGISLATORS TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL THE BILLS THAT REPRESENT YOUR VIEWS AND YOUR BELIEFS IN ANNAPOLIS. UM IT IS VERY EASY TO DO THAT. UM IF YOU NEED HELP, YOU CAN LOOK UP ON THE WEBSITE, THE MARYLAND LEGISLATOR WEBSITE.

IT'S ACTUALLY VERY EASY. IT GIVES YOU PRETTY IN DEPTH DIRECTIONS. UM OUR NEXT LISTENING SESSION IS WEDNESDAY AT NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL FROM 530 TO 730. I HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. SO GOING LAST. ALL THE GOOD STUFF HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID. I'LL JUST, UH, FINISH HERE WITH TWO NOTES OF GRATITUDE. UH FIRST WHO? I DON'T SEE HERE, SARAH SACHS. UH, SHE IS OUR COORDINATOR FOR NORTH STAR AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INITIATIVES GOTTEN FEEDBACK THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS WITH THEIR SPA PLANS. UH AND SHE'S BEEN A MODEL OF SUPPORT FOR OUR SCHOOL. SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE BOARD APPRECIATES IT. AND THEN A SECOND SHOUT OUT TO DOCTOR PETER CARPENTER. UH, WHO. MY UH, OPPORTUNITY IN CYBER SECURITY FORUM LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS A REAL HIT WITH THOSE STUDENTS. UNFORTUNATELY I GOT THE FLU AND COULDN'T BE THERE.

[Public Comments]

[00:25:03]

THIS QUOTE IS FROM ASSOCIATE JUSTICE ABE FORTAS, AND THIS QUOTE, CEMENTS STUDENTS RIGHTS TO FREELY EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS AND THEMSELVES AND THEIR BELIEFS . REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE IN SCHOOL OR NOT. IT DOES NOT STATE THAT THIS FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT IS DEPENDENT ON AGE OR THE SO CALLED AGE APPROPRIATENESS OF A TOPIC. FURTHER I WOULD LIKE TO PIVOT TOWARDS YOUR DEFINED DEFINITION OF THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE. QUOTE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES MEANS A SUBJECT IN WHICH THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN OPINION, END QUOTE THIS IDEA THAT THIS IS THE DEFINITION THAT TEACHERS ARE TO AND I QUOTE, DISTRACT AND REFER STUDENTS TO PARENTS AND IT CAUGHT DISCUSSING ANYTHING THAT FALLS UNDER THIS CATEGORY. IT'S INSANE. THIS YEAR IN THE YEAR 2024. THIS POLICY IS REMINISCENT OF THE PAGES OF GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984. STUDENTS SHOULD FOCUS ON ENGLISH WITH A SECONDARY LANGUAGE OF FRENCH, SPANISH GERMAN, BUT THIS NEW POLICY WOULD ADD THE ADDITION TO NEW SPEECH TO THE EL A AND HISTORY CURRICULUM. THE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT IS ONE OF LEARNING ABOUT ONESELF, BELIEF, VALUES AND IDENTITY. THESE ATTRIBUTES ARE INEVITABLY SHAPED BY THOSE AROUND US. LIMITING EXPRESSION IN SCHOOL WOULD CAUSE THESE ATTRIBUTES TO DEVELOP OUTSIDE AREAS THAT GUARANTEE CIVILITY AND ORDER PLACES SUCH AS HOME AND THE INTERNET. ECHO CHAMBERS, MANY OF OURSELVES FIND OURSELVES IN, UH. UH, WE'LL MAKE ONE ONLY MORE RADICAL IN THEIR, UH, BELIEFS. BLINDED TO THE REAL WORLD CONDITIONS, CAUSING THEIR BELIEFS TO GROW WILD AND DANGEROUS SCHOOLHOUSE. UH, DEBATES AND DISCUSSIONS ALLOW STUDENTS TO FOCUS AND GROW FROM ONE ANOTHER IN A HEALTHY AND, UH IN A HEALTHY AND MORAL FRAMEWORK. I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE OFF WITH A QUOTE FROM JUSTICE ROBERT JACKSON. IF THERE IS A FIXED START IN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL CONSTELLATION THAT IT IS THAT NO OFFICIAL HIGH OR PETTY CAN PRESCRIBE WHAT SHALL BE ORTHODOX IN POLITICS, NATIONALISM OR OTHER MATTERS OF OPINION. AS MY TIME EXPIRES. I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOU ALL WITH THIS. WHY SHOULD SCHOOL BE A PLACE OF FEAR AND UNJUST CENSORSHIP FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND FACULTY? WHY SHOULD THE SENSIBILITIES OF OUR SOCIETY BE DETERMINED AT A LEVEL OF ATTENTION, AND, UH AND CONTROVERSY. A TOPIC HAS OR HOW IT IS COVERED IN THE WILDLIFE DOCUMENTARY THAT HAS BECOME OUR NEWS AND MISINFORMATION SPILLING IN THE ECHO CHAMBERS. WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES AT THE EPICENTER OF HOW WILL OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS BUILD NEW UNDERSTANDING? IF DOING SO VIOLATES THIS POLICY AND IS AND, UH, MAY LEAD TO PUNISHMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VICKY JONES. PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU'LL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. GOOD EVENING, VICKI JONES, THE HARPER COUNTY NAACP. GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS, FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE AND FAMILIES AT HOME. FOR THE FIRST PART OF MY COMMENTS. I'D LIKE TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AS MISS THIS MONTH COMES TO A CLOSE, WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE EXPERIENCES, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND VITAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO THE RICH FABRIC OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY. THIS MONTH IS NOT JUST ABOUT ACKNOWLEDGING THE PAST BUT ALSO ABOUT REFLECTING ON THE PRESENT AND CHARTING A PATH FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE FUTURE. AS EDUCATORS. WE HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE TO PLAY IN PROMOTING FAIRNESS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE CREATE SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPACES WHERE ALL STUDENTS FEEL SEEN VALUED AND HEARD. WE MUST ALSO WORK TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMS THAT PERPETRATE INEQUITIES IN EDUCATION AND SOCIETY. IN FACT, THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HEARING THESE EXACT WORDS FROM STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO DON'T WANT TO BE SILENT AND WHO ARE DEPENDING ON YOU TO SUPPORT AND CHANGE. IN OUR CURRICULUM. WE MUST INCLUDE THE VOICES, EXPERIENCES AND

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THIS COMMITTEE IS FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE DISPARITIES IN MENTAL HEALTH. MATERNAL HEALTH AND IN DIABETES WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. AND LASTLY , BOARD AN AUDIENCE. I'D LIKE TO INVITE ANY OF YOU TO REACH OUT TO US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO WE ARE. ENGAGE WITH US. AND HELP US CONTINUE TO BUILD A BETTER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BETH KOLCHAK.

GOOD EVENING. I'M BETH KOWALCZYK . AND I'M THE MEDIA TECHNICIAN AT BOTH MEADOWVALE AND HAVE A GRACE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS I'VE BEEN IN HCPS EMPLOYEE FOR 25 YEARS, THE LAST 11 AS A TECH THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I'M HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY MEDIA SPECIALIST TRACY PAPIN, CHALK AND AN ENGAGING EDUCATION EVENT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. TRACY SPOKE ABOUT THE NEED TO RETURN METEOR TECHNICIANS TO FULL TIME AT A SINGLE SCHOOL. THAT NIGHT. I LET TRACY KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATED HER BRINGING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. AND SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD NOT GOTTEN ACROSS JUST WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO AND WHY FULL TIME CHECKS ARE NEEDED. BEFORE I BEGIN. I'D LIKE TO MENTION THAT ALTHOUGH WE ARE E SPS, WE ARE TECHNICIANS, NOT POWER EDUCATORS IN THE SENSE THAT A PA'S WORK IS COMPLETELY UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A CERTIFIED TEACHER MEDIA TECHNICIANS, WHILE WORKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH SPECIALISTS HAVE THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT'S A LOT LIKE A VENN DIAGRAM. HAVING SAID THAT I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPLAIN THE DUTIES OF A MEDIA TECH FIRST, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT MY TWO SCHOOLS ARE AT A ELEMENTARY LEVEL. AT THIS TIME, THE MEDIA CENTER IS MOST DEFINITELY A CLASSROOM WHERE CURRICULUM IS TAUGHT FROM THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM TO LIBRARY ETIQUETTE RESEARCH METHODS TO DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND EVEN CODING WHERE EDUCATING STUDENTS FROM PRE K TO FIFTH GRADE. SO WHAT ARE A TAX RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK? BEYOND CHECKING BOOKS IN AND OUT AND SHELVING. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THE MEDIA CENTER AND ITS BOOKS CLEAN AND ORDERLY. WE GO THROUGH AN AVERAGE OF THOUSANDS OF BOOKS ON THE SHELF REGULARLY TO REMOVE BOOKS THAT ARE NO LONGER IN GOOD ENOUGH SHAPE TO CIRCULATE OR ARE TOO SORRY. TOO OLD FOR OUR COLLECTION. WE CREATE BOOK DISPLAYS, OFTEN SWITCHING THEM OUT EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS TO COINCIDE WITH WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE STUDYING WHICH

[00:35:05]

DISCUSSIONS EXCUSE ME, IT RISKS, INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND ALSO CRITICAL THINKING. AND OUR RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD. IT'S A SET ESSENTIAL FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND ENGAGE IN CONSTRUCTIVE DEBATES. THESE DISCUSSIONS NOT ONLY DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX ISSUES, BUT ALSO TEACH US HOW TO RESPECTFULLY ENGAGE WITH OTHERS WHO HOLD DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, FOR INSTANCE, IN MY A P GOVERNMENT CLASS LAST YEAR, WE ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL GLOBAL AND AMERICAN ISSUES FOR AROUND 10 TO 15 MINUTES EVERY DAY. THESE DISCUSSIONS WERE INVALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO EXPLORE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES. ANALYZE CURRENT EVENTS AND ALSO DOUBLE UP CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. THEY'RE NOT ONLY DEEPENED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX POLITICAL ISSUES, HOWEVER, ALSO TAUGHT US HOW TO RESPECTFULLY ENGAGE WITH DEFERRING VIEWPOINTS . THESE CLASSROOM DEBATES FOSTERED A SENSE OF INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY AND ENCOURAGE US TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US. AS A RESULT, I BELIEVE THAT OPEN DIALOGUE ON CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC IS ESSENTIAL FOR A WELL ROUNDED EDUCATION AND SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED RATHER THAN RESTRICTED. THESE EXPERIENCES HAVE BROADENED MY HORIZONS AND CHALLENGED MY PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS HELPING ME BECOME A MORE INFORMED AND THOUGHTFUL INDIVIDUAL. A RESTRICTING DISCUSSIONS ON CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS NOT ONLY UNDERMINES THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER, ALSO GOES AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE SPEECH AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM. AS STUDENTS. WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO QUESTION ANALYZE AND DEBATE IDEAS FREELY AND ALSO WITHOUT THE FEAR OF CENSORSHIP INSTEAD OF IMPOSING SUCH RIGID RESTRICTIONS. I URGE THE BOARD TO TRUST IN THE PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR EDUCATORS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS IN THE CLASSROOM. OUR TEACHERS ARE TRAINED TO CREATE INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. WE'RE ALL STUDENTS CAN FEEL FREE AND HEARD REGARDLESS OF THEIR OPINIONS. SO ULTIMATELY, IN CONCLUSION, I BELIEVE THAT THE PROPOSED CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE POLICY UNDERMINES THE PRINCIPLES OF ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND INTELLECTUAL INTELLECTUAL.

EXCUSE ME INQUIRY THAT ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR EDUCATION AS STUDENTS. WE DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN OPEN AND RESPECTFUL DIALOGUE ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES IN OUR SOCIETY.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CINDY POOPER. MHM. GOOD EVENING. I'D LIKE TO START BY THANKING

[00:40:04]

REGARDLESS OF WHICH SIDE YOU OF THE VOTE. YOU WERE ON THE HARD WORK BEGINS NOW. REMEMBER YOU ARE NONPARTISAN ADVOCATES. FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ADVOCATE IN A NONPARTISAN FASHION. LONG AND HARD, LOUDLY AND OFTEN. TO THOSE , INCLUDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THE BUDGET THAT YOU JUST PASSED. YOU NEED TO ADVOCATE WITH THE PUBLIC . YOU NEED TO BE READY AND ABLE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS IN A POSITIVE AND NONPARTISAN MANNER.

THERE IS NO PASSING THE BUCK. NO SKIRTING RESPONSIBILITY BY SAYING YOU DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED. IT PASSED AND NOW YOU OWN IT. ALL OF YOU. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY NOW IS TO THE STUDENTS AND STAFF OF HCPS TO FIGHT AND FIGHT HARD TO GET THE FUNDING WE NEED IN THIS SYSTEM DESERVES. AGAIN. NONPARTISAN ADVOCACY. REMEMBER, WE ARE WATCHING AND LISTENING.

WE EXPECT YOU TO BE THE NONPARTISAN ADVOCATES YOU NEED TO BE AND ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT ALL TIMES. I ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THE PROPOSED CELL PHONE POLICY. I WORK IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL. DAILY I SEE THE EFFECTS OF LIBERAL CELL PHONE POLICIES ON OUR STUDENTS. THE BULLYING HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, RECKLESS USE, AND THE CONSTANT NEED TO BE ACCESSING ACCESSING THEIR PHONES RATHER THAN DOING THE THINGS THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. I APPRECIATE THE POSITION YOU'VE TAKEN TO ALLEVIATE THIS NEXT YEAR. I WOULD ASK HOW WHATEVER THE POLICY BECOMES. PLEASE BE READY TO ENFORCE IT. WE CANNOT ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE A POLICY AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE SUPPORTED BY THOSE HIGHER UP THE LADDER. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT RESTRICTING CELL PHONES THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL WILL GREATLY HELP OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO AGREE WITH MS HAN ABOUT HAVING THE CELL PHONE POLICY AS AN AGREEMENT THAT IS SIGNED BY PARENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. MANY TIMES. THE INAPPROPRIATE USE OF PHONES IN SCHOOL IS DUE TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS THINKING IT'S OK TO CALL AND TEXT THEIR CHILD DURING THE SCHOOL DAY AND EXPECT AN ANSWER. PARENTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THIS HAS ON THEIR STUDENTS AS WELL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BENNETT. UM, I PUT DOWN THAT I'M REPRESENTING A GROUP. I'M SORRY.

THEY STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. PARK, UH JACOB BENNETT, HARTFORD COUNTY COUNCIL. UH A TRUE REVOLUTION OF VALUES WILL SOON CAUSE US TO QUESTION THE FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE OF MANY OF OUR PAST AND PRESENT POLICIES. ON THE ONE HAND, WE ARE CALLED TO PLAY THE GOOD SAMARITAN ON LIFE'S ROADSIDE, BUT THAT WILL ONLY BE AN INITIAL ACT ONE DAY WE MUST COME TO SEE THAT THE WHOLE JERICHO ROAD MUST BE TRANSFORMED SO THAT MEN AND WOMEN WILL NOT BE CONSTANTLY BEATEN AND ROBBED AS THEY MAKE THEIR JOURNEY ON LIFE'S HIGHWAY.

TRUE COMPASSION IS MORE THAN FLINGING A COIN TO A BEGGAR. IT COMES SEE THAT AN EDIFICE, WHICH PRODUCES BAKERS NEEDS RESTRUCTURING DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR IS A GOOD AND RIGHT THING THAT HCPS IS TRAINING MORE EDUCATORS THAN OG. PLUS THIS IS AN EVIDENCE BASED INTERVENTION THAT SUPPORTS CHILDREN IN READING MANY CHILDREN IN HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS STRUGGLE WITH READING WORDS NOT JUST OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS, BUT STUDENTS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS. HAVING AN INTERVENTION LIKE OG PLUS CAN HELP SAVE THOSE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOLERS AND THAT AND MAKING, UH, THAT MAKES FUNDING THE EXPANSION. OG PLUS A MUST. THAT BEING SAID AS A SYSTEM, WE SHOULD LOOK DOWN JERICHO ROAD AND ASK OURSELVES. WHY ARE THERE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND HIGH SCHOOLERS WHO CANNOT READ? IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO LIFT UP THE METAPHORICALLY BEATEN AND ROBBED . AT SOME POINT. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING SYSTEMATICALLY WRONG THAT MUST BE CORRECTED. WE CANNOT INTERVENTION OUR WAY OUT OF THE FACT THAT WE CONTINUE TO USE LUCY CAULKINS IN OUR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WE CANNOT OG PLUS OUR WAY OUT OF THE FACT THAT WE CONTINUE TO USE F MP AS AN ASSESSMENT THAT STILL THIS NOT ALL KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WERE ASSESSED IN DIBELS MID YEAR THAT LEVELED LITERACY INTERVENTION IS STILL AN APPROVED INTERVENTION MATERIAL.

YOU AS A BOARD NEED TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THE CHARGE OF IMPROVING ACHIEVEMENT. IMPROVING ACHIEVEMENT. UM. APPROVING THE INVESTMENT OG PLUS TONIGHT IS A GOOD STEP. IT IS NOT THE FINISH LINE AND IT DOES NOT FIX JERICHO ROAD. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ACHIEVEMENTS SERIOUSLY, YOU NEED

[00:45:03]

SUCH DISTRESS AND GENDER DYSPHORIA WAS ONLY INCLUDED AS A DIAGNOSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE MEDICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENT WOULD BE COVERED BY MEDICAL INSURANCE.

NUMBER THREE PRIDE, FLAGS AND SYMBOLS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO CONVINCE CHILDREN TO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE LGBT QI A COMMUNITY F. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT PRIDE FLAGS OR PRIDE SYMBOLS INFLUENCE CHILDREN'S GENDER IDENTITY IN ANY WAY. NUMBER FOUR, DISPLAYING SYMBOLS THAT DEMONSTRATE ACCEPTANCE OF MARGINALIZED GROUPS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR STUDENTS IN THOSE GROUPS. TRUE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THE STUDENTS SENSE OF BELONGING IMPROVES ACADEMIC OUTCOMES INCREASES ATTENDANCE AND IS PROTECTIVE FOR MENTAL HEALTH BOTH IN THE SHORT TERM AND THE LONG TERM. NUMBER FIVE.

HCPS IS LOCATED IN HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND. TRUE I ASKED THIS QUESTION, AS SOME BOARD MEMBERS SEEM TO THINK WE'RE IN CARROLL COUNTY, MARYLAND, EVEN CONSULTING WITH CARROLL COUNTY

[00:50:04]

LET'S BE HONEST HERE. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS FLAG POLICY IS PRIMARILY AIMED AT BANNING PRIDE FLAGS, AS EVIDENCED IN THE EMAIL DISCUSSION BETWEEN MISS AND MISS COKER OBTAINED THROUGH A FOIA REQUEST. AND SPEAKING OF BEING HONEST, I READ THE PROPOSED FLAG POLICY THURSDAY NIGHT AFTER SPENDING SEVERAL HOURS WITH A STUDENT IN SUICIDAL CRISIS AT WORK. WHILE READING EXPLETIVES THAT I RARELY USE CAME OUT OF MY MOUTH IN TEARS OF SADNESS AND FRUSTRATION FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ALREADY FIGHT SO HARD TO BE ACCEPTED AND FOR SCHOOL STAFF THAT WORK SO HARD TO MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE AND WELCOME. OUR STUDENTS ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO DO ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU PASS TONIGHT'S QUIZ OR NOT, IF YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS F FLAG POLICY, YOU WILL FAIL FAIL TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BONNIE NUDO. HI BONNIE NUDD AND BENSON. I PRONOUNCE MY OWN NAME WRONG. THE NAACP. I, TOO, AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE N, A AC P ON OUR OPINIONS OF THE FLAG POLICY, ALTHOUGH I DO AGREE THAT WE ARE WASTING TIME ON THINGS LIKE THIS WHEN WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ACADEMICS AND IMPROVING THAT HOWEVER, STAND BEFORE YOU TO EXPRESS OUR OPPOSITION TO THE FLAG POLICY. AND WHEN I SAY OUR I MEAN THE N A AC P. IT FALLS SHORT, ANY BOARD MEMBER WHO TAKES THE READING OF SECTION 7-105 A OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND. AND THEN SAYS IN QUOTES WE SHOULD FLY THE FLAG ON THE GROUNDS OF EVERY SCHOOL AND EVERY CLASSROOM CONFERENCE ROOM, SCHOOL OFFICE GYMNASIUM, AUDITORIUM STADIUM. OTHER ROOMS FREQUENTED BY STUDENTS, STAFF AND GUESTS IS ACTUALLY NOT INTERESTED IN DEMOCRACY. THIS IS FASCISM. THE FACT THAT WE SET ASIDE TIME TO CREATE THIS POLICY IS ABSURD AND OFFENSIVE JUST AS MUCH AS HAVING PORTRAITS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON IN EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT. A STUDY BY YOUGOV IN MARCH OF 2021 FOUND THAT WHITE AMERICANS AND THOSE OVER 55 ARE ESPECIALLY LIKELY TO SAY THAT THE US FLAGS MAKE THEM FEEL PROUD. WHILE BLACK AMERICANS ARE THE LEAST LIKELY TO SAY IT MAKES THEM FEEL PROUD. AND LET ME REMIND YOU THAT 40% OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE OF COLOR. DATA.

FURTHERMORE SHARES THAT BLACK AND HISPANIC AMERICANS ARE LESS LIKELY THAN WHITE AMERICANS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH LOTS OF US FLAGS ON DISPLAY. WHY BECAUSE NEITHER THE FLAG NOR THE ASTRONAUT ANTHEM AND I'LL ADD IN HERE. MY OWN OR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WERE CREATED WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR IN MIND, AND THE FREEDOM THEY SPEAK OF WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO THEIR ANCESTORS, AND IT'S HARD FOR MANY TO FIND RELEVANCE AND A CONNECTION TO THIS DAY. EVERYONE WANTS TO BELIEVE THOSE WORDS AND THOSE SYMBOLS. BUT HISTORY IS A PAINFUL REMINDER THAT NOT EVERYONE CAN NEGLIGENT. NO INTELLIGENT PERSON CAN DENY THAT PATRIOTISM OF THE AMERICAN FLAG IS ROOTED IN EXCLUSION RATHER THAN THE HOPE FOR INCLUSION.

ADDITIONALLY YOUR FLAG POLICY EXCLUDES OTHER CULTURES. FOR OUR CHILDREN'S SAKE. WE SAY WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING DIVERSITY, BUT WE SEE SOME MEMBERS ON THIS BOARD DENY THE DATA THAT SAYS THIS IS IMPORTANT TO THE WELL BEING OF ALL CHILDREN. AS THE COUNTY BECOMES MORE DIVERSE YOU AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATOR SHOULD LEAD BY EXAMPLE, IN CELEBRATING DIFFERENT CULTURES, AND WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT CHILDREN WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL AND FEEL SAFE AND WELCOME. AND THIS POLICY DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT. IN CLOSING, UH, WE AT THE HARTFORD COUNTY NAACP ARE ASKING YOU TO NOT APPROVE THIS POLICY. AND JUST A REMINDER. I FOUND TODAY THAT THE MARYLAND STATE GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS' RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES SAYS THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN OR OBSERVE PATRIOTIC EXERCISES IN THEIR SCHOOLS. THEY SHALL NOT, HOWEVER , BE REQUIRED TO TAKE PART IN THESE EXERCISES IF THEY CHOOSE NOT TO. AND I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT LEARNING IS NOT A PRIVILEGE. IT IS A RIGHT FOR ALL STUDENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOE RIEDEL. UH, GOOD EVENING. UM I'VE SPOKEN TO THESE MEETINGS SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

[00:55:03]

SORRY MY NAME IS JANINE CANO. UM I LIVE IN FOREST HILL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY.

TO SPEAK. YOU KIND OF TOOK ME BY SURPRISE. SO LET ME FIND MY PLACE HERE, UM I'M HERE TONIGHT TO COMMENT ON A FEW THINGS. ONE OF WHICH IS THAT EACH MEMBER PRESENTS THEIR IT POSITIVE. AND GLOWING EXPERIENCES AS THEY VENTURE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY FROM AWARDS TO DIAPER DRIVES.

UNFORTUNATELY NONE OF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CONCERNS PARENTS HAVE BEEN VOICING YEAR AFTER YEAR MONTH AFTER MONTH WEEK AFTER WEEK. DAY AFTER DAY WE ARE NOT BEING HEARD. OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS FAILING OUR KIDS ACADEMICALLY. WHAT WOULD BE VALUABLE WOULD BE MONTHLY UPDATES AS TO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO ACTIVELY ADDRESS THIS ACADEMIC DEBACLE. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS HARSH. YOU'RE SHARING MOMENTS IN THE FIRST PART OF THESE MEETINGS LITERALLY MAKE ME SICK. WHILE THEY ARE LOVELY. TO ME. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO PUT A PRETTY BOW ON A VERY DEFECTIVE PACKAGE. IT EITHER REFLECTS A BLATANT DISREGARD OF RELEVANT ISSUES OR AN OBLIVIOUSNESS THAT DEFIES COMPREHENSION. THESE PLATITUDES ARE NOT HELPING ANYONE. MY OTHER COMMENTS RELATE TO THE ORTON GILLESPIE APPROACH, WHICH IS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS CONTRACT HAS BEEN APPROVED OR WHAT? MAYBE I'M A DAYLIGHT. A DOLLAR SHORT. I'M NOT SURE. BUT I'M WONDERING HOW A BUSY MOM WHO TAKES A LUNCH BREAK TO LOOK UP AN AGENDA ITEM.

45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR COMES BACK WITH SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS, EVEN AFTER REVIEWING THE WEBSITE NEWSLETTER AND THE TRANSCRIPT OF A PODCAST THAT CLAIMS TO. SPEAK ITS VIRTUES. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT OG A APPROACH IS. WHAT WAS CLEAR WAS THAT THE OJ APPROACH IS A HUGE MONETARY COMMITMENT.

IT'S NOT A ONE AND DONE THEY STRESS TRAINING TRAINING TRAINING YEAR TO YEAR AFTER YEAR , AND ACCORDING TO THE AGENDA, THIS WOULD INITIALLY BE COVERED BY GRANT MONEY. BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT? ARE THE TAXPAYERS RESPONSIBLE FOR KEEPING THIS GOING? THIS APPROACH IS NOT EVIDENCE BASED, WHICH MEANS THERE'S NO RESEARCH TO SUPPORT ITS EFFICACY. RATHER, IT RESEARCH BASE, WHICH MEANS A BUNCH OF PEOPLE LOOKED AT COLLECTIVE RESEARCH AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVE A GREAT IDEA. IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN THE DIET SCAM INDUSTRY. UM WHAT I WOULD LIKE

[01:00:04]

THIS BOARD NEEDS TO FOCUS ON THE ACTUAL ISSUES. MANY OF YOUR STUDENTS ARE FAILING, AND INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM PROPER ACCOMMODATIONS AND INDIVIDUAL HELP, YOU ARE TRYING TO RESTRICT SUPPORT OF MARGINALIZED STUDENTS , WHICH WILL JUST HARM THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL MORE EVEN MORE ISOLATED. THE FLAG I'M HOLDING REPRESENTS MY STRUGGLE AS A TRANS WOMAN. MY GIRLFRIEND IS LUCKY IN THAT SHE FINALLY MANAGED TO COME OUT AS TRANS AFTER DROPPING OUT. NOT SO MANY ARE LUCKY. THERE ARE MANY TRANS PEOPLE STUCK IN HIDING OUT OF FEAR OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM IF THEY EXPECT THEM TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES BY REFUSING TO ALLOW THE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR STRUGGLES AND THE STRUGGLES OF THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. YOU WILL HURT THEM AND ISOLATE THEM EVEN FURTHER. YOU'LL PROVE THAT YOU THINK ANY DIFFERENCE IN YOUR SCHOOL SHOULD BE ELIMINATED, AND I TRULY HOPE THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT. IF YOU WANT GRADES TO IMPROVE AND STUDENTS TO SUCCEED, YOU NEED TO START RECOGNIZING THAT YOUR STUDENTS ARE NOT A MONOLITH. WE ARE DIVERSE GROUP WITH INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. AND YOU CANNOT STOP THAT START GIVING THE STUDENTS THE ACCOMMODATIONS THEY NEED AND START SUPPORTING THEM FOR THE DIFFERENCE. THAT'S WHAT FLAGS LIKE THIS ONE REPRESENT. WE ARE DIVERSE, AND THAT IS OK. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA FENDRICK.

UM. HI, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UM SO I MOVED BY ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT. UM, SO THANK YOU TO THOSE THAT ARE HERE AND WE ABLE TO SPEAK AND SHARE YOUR VOICE. I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS FOR ME. UM SO ON THAT NOTE. AS I'M STANDING HERE, I'M FIGHTING OFF PHYSICAL PAIN AND FATIGUE THAT CAN ONLY UM ONLY OTHER PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES CAN UNDERSTAND. BUT LIKE MANY IN THIS ROOM, I PUT THOSE IN A LITTLE BOX AND SET THEM ASIDE TO DO IT WITH LATER. BECAUSE STANDING UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT DOESN'T GET SICK DAYS.

PROTECTING THE FEELING OF SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY OF HARTFORD COUNTY.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST COME BEFORE ANY OF OUR COMFORT. SO HERE I STAND. THIS FLAG POLICY IS A SHAMEFUL ATTEMPT TO MAKE SOME IN OUR COMMUNITY FEEL ALONE AND UNWELCOME. IS A POLITICAL ISSUE.

THE PLATFORM OF THE HATEFUL THAT HAVE BEEN LOUD IN THE RIGHT WING MEDIA AND IN POLITICS BROUGHT HERE INTO HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH NO BASIS IN OUR REALITY. PRIDE FLAGS SAVE LIVES.

BLACK LIVES MATTER. FLAGS SAVE LIVES, THIS POLICY WILL LEAD TO HARM AND PAIN. FOR THOSE THAT IT

[01:05:01]

MEANWHILE, THEY KEEP GETTING THEIR BLOATED BUDGETS. ALL WHILE KEEPING UNNECESSARY BUREAUCRACY.

I FEAR THAT HCPS IS DOING THE SAME THING. THE CENTRAL OFFICE CONTINUES TO BE FULLY STAFFED AND ENGAGING IN OPERATIONS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WHATSOEVER WITH IMPROVING OUR DISMAL ACADEMIC PROFICIENCIES. BALL. STANTON AND PETER CARPENTER PROMOTE DE. I SYSTEMS THAT DON'T IMPROVE BASIC ACADEMICS. THE COMMAND SALARIES WELL INTO SIX FIGURES THAT COULD HIRE UP TO FIVE OR SIX NEW TEACHERS THAT DO SUPPORT THE CORE MISSION. MANY SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTY WOULD DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING TO HAVE SIX MORE TEACHERS. ESPECIALLY SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.

MAYBE WE NEED TO START FROM GROUND ZERO WITH THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FOCUS ON THE FUNDAMENTALS, WHICH ARE STUDENT TEACHER, ACADEMIC MATERIALS AND PARENTS. ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT NEEDS TO BE STRONGLY JUSTIFIED. REDUCING THE ESSENTIALS WHILE FULLY FUNDING THE NONESSENTIALS EXPOSES YOUR TRUE INTENT. ACTIVISM OVER ACADEMICS. SWITCHING TOPICS. I DO SUPPORT THE NEW FLAG POLICY. ONE QUESTION I HAVE IS, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATING IT? THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HANGING A PRIDE FLAG OR A BLM FLAG IN THE CLASSROOMS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ACADEMICS. IN FACT, THEY PROMOTE RADICAL GLOBAL MARXISM. WHY WOULD CONSTITUTIONALLY LIBERAL LIBERALLY LIBERTY MINDED PARENTS WANT THEIR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO THAT? I COULDN'T IMAGINE THE OUTRAGE FROM THE LEFT IF THEY MAKE AMERICAN GREAT AGAIN, FLAG OR GASTON FLAG OR EVEN 1/5 CHRISTIAN FLAG WAS HUNG IN THE CLASSROOM. A RECENT NEWS STORY REVEALED THAT WILLIAM PENN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ISSUED BLACK LIVES MATTER COLORING BOOKS. IT ALSO PROMOTED TRANSGENDER AFFIRMATION. FLAGS ARE A GATEWAY DRUG TO INSANITY. YOU NEED TO STOP IT IN THE EARLY STAGES. IT IS THE JOB OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PRIORITIZE ACADEMICS AND STEER CLEAR OF INDOCTRINATION. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACKIE JOHNSON.

OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER IN A PRE K FOUR CLASSROOM A COUPLE OF DAYS EACH MONTH, DEPENDING ON THE DAY WE HAVE 7 TO 12 CHILDREN WITH THREE ADULTS . WE HAVE NO TEACHING CREDENTIALS. WE ARE CALLED TEACHERS, BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY BABYSITTERS. A TYPICAL TWO HOUR MORNING GOES AS FOLLOWS. AS THEY COME INTO THE CLASSROOM THREE OR FOUR WILL GO TO THE KITCHEN CENTER AND PLAY WELL TOGETHER. TWO BOYS COME IN AND HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME ENTERTAINING THEMSELVES, SO THEY BEGIN TO RUN AROUND THE ROOM ROLLING ON THE FLOOR, TAKING OFF THEIR SHOES. THROWING THEM AROUND. ANOTHER FOUR YEAR OLD BOY ENTERS WON'T LET GO OF HIS POP POP'S HAND. SO NOW WE HAVE POP POP. JOINING US. ANOTHER LITTLE GIRL ENTERS THE ROOM AFTER A FEW MINUTES NEEDS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. SO THE LITTLE GIRL REQUIRES ASSISTANCE IN THE BATHROOM. THE TWO BOYS RUNNING AROUND REQUIRE AN ADULT INTERVENTION TO DIVERT THEIR ATTENTION AND MAINTAIN ORDER, AND THE THIRD ADULT IS ENCOURAGING POP UP THAT HIS GRANDSON IS GOING TO BE OK AGAIN. WE'RE BABYSITTING, NOT TEACHING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF INTERACTING WITH OTHER CHILDREN, THE LITTLE BOY REALIZES HIS POP POP HAS GONE, SO NOW HE'S CURLED

[01:10:04]

IT'S LIKE HERDING CATS TRYING TO GET THEM ALL QUIET AND SEATED TO FOCUS ON STORY TIME. THIS IS ONLY A TWO HOUR MORNING. WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION OF FOUR YEAR OLDS IN A SIX HOUR SCHOOL DAY WHEN THE MAJORITY TEND TO NAP MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON? DOES THE CURRICULUM TO BE A SCHOOLTEACHER FOCUSED ON BABYSITTING? JUST AS IMPORTANT DOES THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION CALL FOR FUNDING BABYSITTING? I REFER YOU TO ARTICLE EIGHT, SECTION THREE OF THE MARYLAND CONSTITUTION, WHICH STATES THE SCHOOL FUND OF THE STATE SHALL BE KEPT IN VIOLATE AND APPROPRIATED ONLY TO THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION. ALL DAY CLASS FOR PRE K FOUR GIVES THE APPEARANCE OF FREE DAY CARE AT THE TAXPAYER'S EXPENSE, OR IS IT THE FOLLOWING THROUGH OF GEORGE SO DEMANDS TO INDOCTRINATE OUR YOUTH AS PAYMENT FOR FUNDING THE NE, A. HE FOLLOWS THE LEAD OF LENIN, A MARXIST WHO SAID GIVE ME FOUR YEARS TO TEACH THE CHILDREN AND THE SEED I HAVE SOWN WILL NEVER BE UPROOTED.

GIVE ME JUST ONE GENERATION OF YOUTH AND I'LL TRANSFORM THE WHOLE WORLD. GOD SAID, TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO. AND WHEN HE IS OLD, HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT. GOD WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS WAYS, NOT LENIN'S. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS IS A BATTLE OF GOOD AND EVIL.

AND YOU THE BOARD OF ED MEMBERS HAVE A LOT OF AUTHORITY. HOW WILL YOU USE THAT GOD ORDAINED AUTHORITY REGARDING THE PROPOSED 25 BUDGET WHERE YOU HAVE THE WISDOM TO USE YOUR AUTHORITY IN WAYS TO BE HONORING TO GOD GOOD WILL PREVAIL. IT ALWAYS DOES. AND IT DOES SO BY EXPOSING EVIL FOR WHAT IT IS. NEXT. SPEAKER AS TEAM NO.

YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN. OUR SCHOOLS NOT MANDATED GOD, BUT ALSO NOT THE PROHIBITION OF ANY TRACE OF HIM IN OUR SCHOOLS. NOT ONLY TURNING OUR BACKS ON OUR CREATOR GOD, BUT WE'RE PROMOTING THE EVILS OF EXPOSING OUR CHILDREN TO, SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS AND GENDER IDEOLOGY LIES PARENTS IN THEIR ROLE AS AS ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR GUIDANCE AND CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN DESERVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE BEING EXPOSED TO DURING THEIR LONG DAYS OF SCHOOL, EVERY ASPECT OF THE CHILDREN'S SCHOOLING FROM THE BASIC CURRICULUM AND EVERY LESSON PLAN. SO THE BOOKS BEING USED TO ALL THE BOOKS THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN, SHOULD BE MADE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO PARENTS. WE NEED TRANSPARENCY. SCHOOLS ARE CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEGRADATION OF MORAL VALUES.

THEY'RE ATTACKING THE FAMILY UNIT BY KEEPING SECRETS FROM THE PARENTS. THEY'VE ATTACKED TRUTH WITH THE GENDER IDEOLOGIES AND THE CRITICAL RACE THEORY. THEY HAVE ATTACKED FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY COERCING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE LIES ALL THE ABOVE. IT'S EXTREMELY HARMFUL TO OUR CHILDREN, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, MORALLY AND POSSIBLY, EVEN PHYSICALLY, YOU'RE ENCOURAGEMENT OF OUR CHILDREN MAKING GENDER TRANSITIONS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE EFFECTS OF THE HORMONE BLOCKERS AND THE SURGERIES ARE IRREVERSIBLE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX, THE PART OF THE BRAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING GOOD DECISIONS IS NOT EVEN FULLY FORMED UNTIL THE MID TO LATE TWENTIES. ANY DECISION THAT CAN HAVE DAMAGING AND OR IRREVERSIBLE EFFECTS TO THE BODY SHOULD NOT BE PUT INTO THE HANDS OF ANYONE, EXCEPT FOR AN ADULT MAKING THAT DECISION FOR HIM OR HERSELF, ACCORDING TO THE NUREMBERG CODE. ALSO ACCORDING TO THAT CODE, THE PERSON MUST BE FULLY INFORMED OF ANY AND ALL POSSIBLE EFFECTS UPON HIS HEALTH , WHICH MAY RESULT FROM THE PARTICIPATION IN AN EXPERIMENT AND IS WHAT THIS GENDER TRANSITIONING IS AN EXPERIMENT, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN PROVEN SAFE OR EFFECTIVE. A 529. WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN. FIRST CORINTHIANS. DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS GOD'S TEMPLE AND THAT GOD'S SPIRIT DWELLS IN YOU. IF ANYONE DESTROYS GOD'S TEMPLE, GOD WILL DESTROY HIM FOR GOD'S TEMPLE IS HOLY. AND YOU ARE THAT TEMPLE. MARK EIGHT.

WHAT DOES IT PROFIT A MAN TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND YET LOSE HIS VERY SOUL. REGARDING THE CONTRACT AWARDS FOR READING AND ALGEBRA. WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE OF PROVIDING MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENT IN MATH AND READING PROFICIENCY RATES? NO PROGRAM SHOULD BE CHOSEN WITHOUT PROOF OF POSITIVE RESULTS FOR OUR CHILDREN. OUR STUDENTS READING AND MATH PROFICIENCY RATES CONTINUE TO BE FAR BELOW EVEN ADEQUATE PROFICIENCY. WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? YOUR OWN BOARD OF EDUCATION STRATEGIC PLAN, GO, FOUR, SAYS PROVIDE SAFE, SECURE AND HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION. REMOVE THE EVIL FROM THE CURRICULUM AND CEASE TRYING TO BE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, AT LEAST UNTIL OUR SCHOOLS ARE SUCCESSFUL AND BEING COMMUNITY

[01:15:02]

ONE OF MY GOALS WHEN I TOOK THIS JOB WAS TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE WHILE PRIORITIZING ALL STUDENTS FEELING SAFE. THIS BOARD IS ALSO STATED REPEATEDLY THEY HAD THE SAME PRIORITIES. WHO ON THIS BOARD CREATED THIS POLICY. DO ALL OF YOU AGREE WITH IT. WHAT IS THIS BOARD SO SCARED OF THAT THEY NEEDED TO WASTE TIME WITH YET ANOTHER ANTI INCLUSIVITY POLICY. FLAG POLICY MUST HAVE BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO SOME OF YOU THAT YOU CARVED IT OUT OF THE EQUALLY DISTURBING CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES POLICY SO WE COULD STAND ALONE. INSTEAD OF ASKING HOW WE CAN BAN MORE THINGS, WOULD IT NOT BE MORE PRODUCTIVE TO PRIORITIZE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES THAT RESPECT DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND PROMOTE A SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG STUDENTS AND STAFF? I THINK SOME OF YOU FAIL TO REALIZE WE ARE ALL PROFESSIONALS, AND THERE ARE CERTAIN HATE FLAGS LIKE THE FLAG WOULD BE TAKEN DOWN AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. WE DON'T NEED A POLICY FOR THIS. JUST LIKE THE CALENDAR THAT SOME OF YOU MADE MORE TIME WILL NOW BE WASTED TO NIGHT SINCE YOU FAILED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NUMBER OF DAYS IN EACH QUARTER. MY SCHOOL HAS AMERICAN FLAGS ALL OVER, INCLUDING CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES . WE SAY THE PLEDGE EVERY MORNING. THERE'S NO LACK OF PATRIOTISM AND LOVE FOR OUR COUNTRY AT FOSTON, BUT THIS BLACK SEEMS TO PROMOTE THE AMERICAN FLAG AT THE EXPENSE OF EXCLUDING STUDENTS AND STAFF. I PROUDLY DISPLAY A SMALL GREEK FLAG IN MY OFFICE TO HONOR MY FATHER'S BIRTH COUNTRY AND MY LOVE FOR GREECE. FOR YOUR POLICY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN DOWN. SOME OF OUR STAFF HAVE SMALL PRIDE FLAG STICKERS IN THEIR ROOMS FOR THIS POLICY, THEY WOULD NEED TO COME DOWN.

OUR SRO HAS A THIN BLUE LINE FIVE IN HIS OFFICE FOR THIS POLICY, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME DOWN. ONE OF OUR SECRETARIES WAS DECORATING FOR SAINT PATRICK'S DAY TODAY, USING IRELAND FLAGS FOR THIS POLICY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. I'M QUITE SURE DOCTOR. BOLTON HAS BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN APPROVE OUR SAINT PATTY'S DAY BULLETIN BOARD.

YOU'RE NOW PUBLIC EMAILS REGARDING THE CREATION OF THIS POLICY. MAKE IT CLEAR YOU ARE TARGETING A SPECIFIC GROUP, WHICH MAKES IT NON NEUTRAL, BIASED AND FOR ME, ACTUALLY, JUST SAD AS IT CONTRADICTS ALL THAT I STAND FOR MISS HAHN WHEN BEGINNING THEIR DISCUSSIONS ON THE POLICY WITH MISS CROCKER AND DOCTOR PONTON WROTE, AND I QUOTE THIS SOUNDS GOOD TO ME EXCEPT ONLINE THAT A PRINCIPAL MAY APPROVE OTHER FLAGS OR BANNERS THAT TO ME, LEAVES A PRINCIPLE TO SAY SURE YOU CAN PUT THE LGBT Q FLAG UP IN YOUR CLASSROOM END QUOTE. SO NOW YOU'VE SAID THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD. YOU SIMPLY DON'T WANT PRIDE FLAGS IN OUR SCHOOL. THE PRIDE FLAG IS NOT POLITICAL. NOR IS IT AN IDEOLOGY. THE PLIED FIGHT REPRESENTS PEOPLE AND OUR CHILDREN. THE CONSTITUTION SAYS WE THE PEOPLE, NOT WE, THE PEOPLE EXCEPT SHOULD I ASK TODAY? I ASKED ONE OF MY COWORKERS THEIR OPINION ON THIS PROPOSED POLICY. HER IMMEDIATE REPLY WAS, DON'T THEY HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO? THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MACARONI JACK C. HELLO. MY NAME IS MAC JACKSON AND I USE THEY THEM PRONOUNCE. THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR OF BEING AN HCPS EDUCATOR. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A SMALL DISCLAIMER THAT THE WORDS THAT I'M ABOUT TO SPEAK ONLY APPLY WHEN A FLAG IS BEING DISPLAYED IN SITUATIONS WITH GOOD INTENTIONS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE ARE TIMES IN HISTORY, WHERE FLAGS HAVE BEEN USED TO SYMBOLIZE HARM TO OTHERS. BUT THIS SPEECH DOES NOT CONDONE THAT. BY YOUR OWN WORDS ON THE HCPS WEBSITE. THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS FOUR MAIN GOALS. ONE PREPARE STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN POST SECONDARY LIFE. TO ENGAGE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND STUDENTS EDUCATION. THREE HIGHER AND SUPPORT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STAFF. FOUR PROVIDE A SAFE, SECURE AND HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. YOUR NEW POLICIES THREATEN AT LEAST THREE OF THE GOALS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH ACHIEVING WITH TODAY'S PROPOSED POLICY ON FLAGS AND THE LIKELY UPCOMING PROPOSED POLICIES. YOU ARE DRIVING NOT ONLY ME, BUT MANY OF THE OTHER AMAZING STAFF IN HCPS AWAY. STAFF WHO HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF TIME CULTIVATING THEIR CRAFT TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. YOU ARE ALIENATING ALIENATING ME FROM MY SCHOOL COMMUNITY. YOU ARE DENYING THE STUDENTS THAT YOU HOLD NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR BEINGS, THE EDUCATION THAT I WILL PROVIDE. YOU ARE STANDING IN THE WAY OF MY ABILITY AS AN EDUCATOR TO CONNECT WITH THE STUDENTS THAT I INTERACT WITH. STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE AFFECTED BECAUSE THEY WILL NO LONGER HAVE A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN.

THEY WILL WITHDRAW FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BE DISENGAGED FROM THEIR LEARNING. THEY WILL BE BULLIED AND TARGETED MORE THAN THEY ALREADY ARE, IF THEY SPEAK OPENLY ABOUT THEMSELVES.

AND IF STUDENTS AREN'T TRUE TO THEMSELVES, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH WILL SUFFER. TRUST ME. I'VE BEEN THERE. WHAT WILL THEIR TEST SCORES LOOK LIKE THEN? IF WE CANNOT MEET THEIR MOST BASIC

[01:20:04]

THEY HOLD THE SAFETY AND HISTORY OF COMMUNITIES IN THEIR DESIGN. EVERY STITCH EVERY INKED AT A DOT EVERY FIBER YOU USE IN THE CREATION OF A FLAG. IS A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AS HUMANS. FLAGS ARE MEANT TO SHOW THAT WE ARE PROUD OF SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE IN IT AND THAT WE WANT TO SHARE IT WITH THOSE AROUND US. BY REMOVING THESE SYMBOLS.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT HCPS STUDENT SHOULD ALSO HAVE THESE QUALITIES THAT TEACHERS SHOULDN'T TEACH THESE IDEALS TO THEM? IN THE HOPES THAT YOU WILL REMEMBER THE VIRTUES THAT THE PRIDE FLAG AMPLIFIES. I HAVE CREATED THIS MINIATURE REPRESENTATION OF THE FLAG FOR EACH OF YOU THAT I WILL LEAVE HERE. THANK YOU. I WILL LEAVE THESE WITH THE SECURITY FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RENE DIBIASE. HELLO MY NAME IS RENEE DIASY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE. I WROTE DOWN A FEW BULLET POINTS. UM THE FIRST IS I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR INSTITUTING YOUR NEW POLICY OF NO CLAPPING. I THINK IT MAKES IT. UM A BETTER VENUE WHEN WE'RE ACTIVELY LISTENING TO EACH OTHER. UM I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S GREAT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY STUDENTS HERE, UM, SPEAKING OUT FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE, UM, EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, ONCE THEY LEAVE THE HOME, THEY NEED TO FIND THEIR VOICE AND I. I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE THIS FORUM HERE SO THAT THEY CAN SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS. UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM. THERE WAS A COMMENT AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE BUDGET. AND PERHAPS, UM, PARENTS PAYING FOR A P TESTS. UM IN MY FAMILY. WE PAY FOR THAT, SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S AN AREA OF COST SAVINGS. AND THEN, UM, FINALLY, I'M HERE TO ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WAYS TO GET PARENTS INVOLVED IN THEIR STUDENTS LEARNING TO SUPPORT STUDENT LEARNING. UM ONE OF MY IDEAS IS TO HAVE A SUMMER READING LIST FOR PARENTS. UM MAYBE AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO READ WHAT THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE READING IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. I KNOW THAT PERSONALLY IN MY FAMILY, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES WHERE MY CHILDREN HAVE HAD BOOKS LIKE TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD OR HAMLET, ROMEO AND JULIET THAT THEY'RE READING IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REALLY ENGAGE IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AND I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENTS TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN'S LEARNING. UM AND FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO EVERY EVERY BOARD MEETING. I ASK MY CHILDREN TO COME WITH ME. UM AND EVERY MEETING THEY SAY NO. UM BUT TODAY I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MY SON ISAAC, WHO CAME WITH ME AND HE WILL BE HERE FOR THE WHOLE MEETING TO LISTEN AND SEE. IT'S IMPORTANT. UM I'M GLAD HE'S HERE. AND I HOPE YOU ARE TOO. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHLEEN CURRY. PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU'LL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF DECODING DYSLEXIA, HARFORD COUNTY. MY NAME IS KATHLEEN COREY AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF DR BAUMAN'S ORTON GILLINGHAM PLUS READING INTERVENTION PROGRAM. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM'S 60 HOUR TRAINING. I COMPLETED A PRACTICUM AND BECAME A CERTIFIED STRUCTURED LITERACY, DYSLEXIA INTERVENTIONIST CERTIFIED BY THE CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE READING INSTRUCTION, WHICH IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION. SO I KNEW A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF READING. STRUCTURED LITERACY IS THE APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE FROM THE SCIENCE OF READING AND TEACHING CHILDREN TO READ IN AN EVIDENCE BASED AND SYSTEMATIC WAY, WHICH IS WHAT DOCTOR BAUMAN'S OG PLUS DOES FOR OUR DYSLEXIC CHILDREN IN HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MANY OF THE DEFINING FEATURES OF THE OG APPROACH ARE SUPPORTED BY EXTENSIVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, INCLUDING DIRECT AND EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION, WITH SCAFFOLDING

[01:25:04]

LET ME JUST SAY IN MY YEARS OF WORKSHOPS, TRAININGS AND GRADUATE LEVEL CLASSES, I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANY OF THESE AUTHORS. SO I DID WHAT WE DO NOWADAYS, AND I GOOGLED THE SIX AUTHORS, AND WHILE THEY ARE PROFESSORS AT SCHOOLS LIKE GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, NONE OF THOSE UNIVERSITIES HAVE GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN DYSLEXIA THAT ARE ACCREDITED BY THE INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL DYSLEXIA ASSOCIATION, MY GRADUATE SCHOOL ON WHICH I'M WORKING ON A MASTER'S OF SCIENCE IN LITERACY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS, IS AN ACCREDITED PROGRAM BY ID, A BUT STILL I READ THROUGH THE ARTICLE AND I WILL SAY SOME OF THE STATEMENTS DID CATCH MY ATTENTION, FOR EXAMPLE. QUOTE. WE FIRST WE EXPECTED TO IDENTIFY MORE STUDIES THAT MET OUR INCLUSION CRITERIA. BUT THESE FINDINGS WERE ONLY BASED ON 24 STUDIES. SECOND THE OVERALL STUDY QUALITY OF THE CORPUS WAS LOW, LIMITING CONFIDENCE IN THE FINDINGS AND POTENTIALLY LIMITING OUR ABILITY TO DETECT A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDY QUALITY AND THE EFFECTS OF OG INTERVENTIONS. QUOTE THE FINDINGS FROM THIS META ANALYSIS DO NOT DEFINE DEFINITIVELY PROVE THAT OG INTERVENTIONS ARE NOT IMPACTFUL FOR STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA. IN ADDITION, WE ARE NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE OTHER PROGRAMS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OG. INSTEAD FINDINGS FROM THIS META ANALYSIS INDICATE THAT WE DO NOT YET KNOW THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS. SO WHAT I TOOK AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE IS THAT THEY AREN'T SUGGESTED ANYTHING ANSWERING ANYTHING. I WISH I COULD GO BACK THE TIME I WASTED READING THAT. HARFORD COUNTY BEGAN USING OG PLUS WITH MY OLDEST DAUGHTER IN APRIL OF 2020 WHEN SHE WAS IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MY DOUBLE DEFICIT DYSLEXIC KID WHO AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS BEHIND HER NEUROTYPICAL CLASSMATES IN READING WAS STRUGGLING IN SCHOOL. THE TRANSFORMATION OF HER LITERACY SKILLS OVER THE YEARS HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING. TWO WEEKS AGO, THAT SAME CHILD WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE AT PATTERSON MILL HIGH SCHOOL TO RECEIVE THE PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR HER 3.875 GP. EXCUSE ME AS AN INTERVENTIONIST, AND AS A PARENT, I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR DR BAUMAN'S WORK. OG PLUS IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE SUCCESS OF HONEST, VULNERABLE STUDENTS AND A PROGRAM WITH THE FLEXIBILITY TO MEET ALL KIDS FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 12TH GRADE, WHERE THEY ARE. THE INVESTMENT IN THE TRAINING OF STAFF, ALONG WITH THE FIDELITY AND CORRECT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM IS TIED TO THE SUCCESS OF THESE STUDENTS. I HOPE THAT THE BOARD WILL CONTINUE WITH THIS EVIDENCE BASED, SEQUENTIAL, SYSTEMATIC MULTISENSORY READING INTERVENTION PROGRAM SO THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS CAN LEARN TO READ. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EMMA PELLER. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT WILSON. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPROVAL FOR THE PROPOSED BOARD POLICY ON THE DISPLAY OF FLAGS. IN ADDITION TO MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO FIND AND CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS. MANY GROUPS SUCH AS THE AC LU HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST SUCH FLAG BANDS IN OTHER SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS. OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DON'T LEAVE THEIR RIGHTS OR THEIR IDENTITIES AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE SCHOOL EVERY DAY. THEY CARRY THEM WITH THEM. THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN A PEACEFUL WAY, SUCH AS THE DISPLAY OF FLAGS. IN THE SUPREME COURT'S CASE. SUPREME COURT CASE, TINKER V DES MOINES IN 1969. THE COURT RULED THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT APPLIED TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS COULD NOT CENSOR STUDENT SPEECH UNLESS IT DISRUPTED THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. DO NOT VIOLATE THE STUDENT RIGHTS AND OPEN THE SYSTEM UP TO LIABILITY, WHICH COULD STRETCH THE ALREADY LIMITED BUDGET. BY PASSING THIS PROPOSED POLICY. THANK YOU.

SUSIE SCOTT, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU'LL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS SUSIE SCOTT. I'M THE CHAPTER CHAIR OF MOMS FOR LIBERTY. UH, HARTFORD COUNTY. I'M ALSO SERVING AS THE MOMS FOR LIBERTY, MARYLAND LEGISLATIVE CHAIR. UM SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK UH MS COKER AND, UH, MS HO FOR HIGHLIGHTING WHAT'S GOING ON IN ANNAPOLIS. RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE SOME VERY SEVERE ATTEMPTS TO USURP PARENTAL RIGHTS. UM I ALSO WANTED TO THANK UH, COUNCILMAN BENNETT FOR COMING AND ADVOCATING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, FOR, UM A READING PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY TEACHES OUR KIDS TO READ. UM AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE THINGS, HE SAYS, AND I'M GLAD HE'S ADVOCATING. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE THAT ARE REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH OUR PROFICIENCY SCORES IN READING, AND THEY SHOULD BE AS EQUALLY OUTRAGED AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN MATH. UM SO, YEAH, WE'RE JUST STARTING TO

[01:30:05]

I'VE GOT THIS BOOK AT THE HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY. SO ANY PARENT WHO THINKS THAT THEIR CHILDREN SHOULD BE LEARNING HOW TO PLEASURE THEMSELVES IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY.

THEY COULD GO GET IT AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. THEY CAN ALSO BUY THIS BOOK. THIS IS JUST SUCH AAA TERRIBLE NARRATIVE THAT IS BEING SPREAD ABOUT. YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, MOMS FOR LIBERTY IS DOING. THEY WANT TO BAN BOOKS. NOW WE WANT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARY. WE'D BEEN WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING. WHAT'S GOING ON? SO HOW DO THESE BOOKS GET THERE? I LOOKED AT THE PO, WHICH IS VERY OUTDATED. UM, THE LIBRARY POLICY FOR, UM HARFORD COUNTY TALKS ABOUT UM. HAVING TWO POSITIVE SOURCES REVIEWS THAT THE A L A, UH, RECOGNIZES SO A BOOK LIKE THIS OR LIKE THIS HAS TWO POSITIVE REVIEWS FROM A L A APPROVED SOURCES. BUT WHEN I TRIED TO DONATE LAST, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH WHEN I TRIED TO DONATE TWO BOXES OF SENATOR TIM SCOTT'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY CALLED AMERICA A REDEMPTION STORY, I WAS TOLD NO, MISS SCOTT, WE WILL NOT ACCEPT YOUR DONATION OF THOSE BOOKS OF A SITTING US SENATOR BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TWO POSITIVE REVIEWS FROM THE A L, A OK, BUT BUT THIS DOES OK. UM IT WAS JUST IT WAS DISCOVERED, UM THAT THE, UM WHAT'S HER NAME? THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION HAS A WOMAN NAMED DEBORAH CALDWELL STONE. SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF THE A L A'S OFFICE FOR INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM. AND THERE'S UH, YOU CAN FIND THIS ON YOUTUBE, SHE SAYS, UM BUT ULTIMATE. THIS IS HOW SHE'S UH UM TELLING PEOPLE TO GET AROUND TO REFRAME THE ARGUMENT. SO WHEN SOMEBODY COMES UP AND SAYS WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, SHE SAYS, BUT ULTIMATELY WE FOUND THAT THE THING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN MOST THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THESE BILLS, LIKE THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT ARE INTRODUCED IS SUSTAINED MESSAGING THAT REFRAMES THE ISSUE THAT TAKES IT AWAY FROM THE IDEA THAT THESE BOOKS ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR MINORS OR SEXUALLY INAPPROPRIATE FOR MINORS AND PROMOTE THEM AS DIVERSE MATERIALS AND THAT IS ABOUT INCLUSION AND FAIRNESS AND PROTECTION OF EVERYBODY'S RIGHT TO SEE THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES REFLECTED IN, UH, BOOKS IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. SO YOU KNOW, TELL ME WHAT FAMILY DOES THIS REPRESENT? OK THIS DOES NOT BELONG IN A SCHOOL LIBRARY, AND WE HAVE BEGGED AND PLEADED FOR YOU TO GIVE US A PROCESS THAT WE COULD CHALLENGE BOOKS THAT WE COULD TAKE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS OUT OF OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES AND WE'RE STILL WAITING AND WE'RE LOSING PATIENCE SO I WOULD ASK FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO OBJECT TO IT. IF IT IS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, AND WE DEMAND THAT YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SOME POINT, AND THAT'S ALL THAT IN PERSON. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY, UM OK, THANK YOU. YES, WE HAVE ONE VIRTUAL SPEAKER THIS EVENING. I WILL GO AHEAD AND ADMIT THEM AT THIS 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 BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER. THIS EVENING. I'M ADDRESSING THE PROPOSED POLICY DISPLAY OF FLAGS. TO BEGIN. WHEN YOU GET TO THIS ITEM ON THE

[01:35:05]

THERE'S A DOCUMENT ON THE HCPS WEBSITE TITLED A GUIDE TO NEW STUDENT SUCCESS, WHICH IS FOCUSED ON NEW ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. STUDENTS IT TALKS ABOUT CREATING A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT IN THE CLASSROOM. AND ONE OF ITS SUGGESTIONS IS QUOTE DISPLAY A MAP FLAGS AND OTHER SYMBOLS FROM THE STUDENTS HOME COUNTRY. THE PROPOSED POLICY APPEARS TO BAN THAT. WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, I TOOK SPANISH IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AND WE ALWAYS HAD FLAGS FROM SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES AS PART OF THE CLASSROOM DECORATIONS. THE PROPOSED POLICY APPEARS TO BAN THAT. DOES HAVE A GRACE HIGH SCHOOL DISPLAY THE C'S FLAG ANYWHERE. THE PROPOSED POLICY APPEARS TO BAN THAT. AND WHAT IS THE BENEFIT? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY? I FIRST SCORE IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY APPEARS TO BE TO ATTACK THE LGBT Q COMMUNITY. SERIOUSLY I MEAN, WE SAW THIS IN ARUNDEL AND CARROLL COUNTIES. THAT IS THE PURPOSE. SHAME ON YOU. BUT IT GETS WORSE. THE POLICY CITES A SECTION OF STATE LAW WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO ENCOURAGE PATRIOTISM. THE LAW SAYS YOU NEED TO DISPLAY THE AMERICAN FLAG, OK? NOW LOOK AT THE PROPOSED POLICY. IT SAYS. YOU MUST DISPLAY THE AMERICAN FLAG EVERYWHERE. THAT IS OVER THE TOP. AND THEN IT SAYS, YOU MAY NOT DISPLAY ANY FLAGS NOR A BANNERS OUTSIDE OF THIS SHORT LIST. WHAT'S NEXT? THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME. NO THAT'S TOO GENEROUS. IT LEAVES THE OPTION OF HAVING OTHERS AFTER THE PROPOSED POLICY IS MORE LIKE THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER FLAGS PERIOD. THAT IS NOT PATRIOTISM. THAT IS A PARANOID NATIONALISM. THAT IS EXPLICIT EXCLUSION FOR THE SAKE OF EXCLUSION. SO WHAT'S HAPPENED ON THIS DISCUSSION? WHO AND WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO EXCLUDE WITH THIS PROPOSED POLICY? THANK YOU ALL. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR VIRTUAL PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS

[A. Consent Agenda]

STILL, WAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FURNITURE OMNIUM. NUMBER FOUR CONTRACT AWARD PORTABLE 208 RADIOS AND NUMBER FIVE CANDIDATES FOR A BOARD OF EDUCATION ETHICS PANEL POSITIONS. THANK YOU BOARD. MAY I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I MOVE AND. TO THERE A SECOND A SECOND. THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES. ANY

[B. Contract Award: Professional Development for Reading Instruction]

[01:40:02]

UM. IT IS A YEAH. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT THE EDUCATORS TAKE PART IN IT'S 60 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS, UM SYSTEMATIC. IT'S SEQUENTIAL TO, UM IT BUILDS UPON EACH STEP THAT THE TEACHERS GO THROUGH IS NOT ONE THAT WE CAN DO A TRAIN THE TRAINER, UM, FOUNDATIONS. WE DO HAVE SOMEONE THAT'S CERTIFIED IN HARTFORD COUNTY THAT SHE'S ABLE TO TRAIN OTHERS. BUT FOR OG, PLUS, IT IS AN INTENSIVE MAYBE TWO YEAR LONG, AND I'M JUST GRASPING BECAUSE I'M NOT CERTAIN EXACTLY HOW LONG TO GET SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO BE A TRAINER WITHIN OUR COUNTY. YOU KNOW WHAT THE COST DIFFERENCES WOULD BE IN IN TRAINING SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, AS OPPOSED TO TRAINING? UM BECAUSE WE'LL BE LOOKING AT 200. 200 TEACHERS TRAINED SO AND WITH OG, PLUS IT, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE THREE STUDENTS OR LESS IN IN INSTRUCTIONAL GROUP. AND SO THAT'S A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT ONE TEACHER IS ABLE TO WORK WITH . IT'S TYPICALLY WE ARE WORKING WITH, UM STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING THEIR AT RISK OR THEY HAVE DYSLEXIA. UM THEY MAY MOST HAVE, IEPS. UM, BUT NOT ALL BECAUSE WHAT WE WANNA DO IS GET THOSE STUDENTS EARLY. SO THAT BEING SAID THERE ARE 178, BUT THAT ISN'T. UM WE NEED THEM ACROSS THE SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE TEACHERS WHO, UM, HAVE LEFT AND GONE TO OTHER. UM SO MY QUESTION PERTAINS TO THE EDUCATIONAL COSTS OF THE TEACHERS. UM, NOT THE STUDENTS.

SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO GET SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO TRAIN OTHERS FOR OG. PLUS AT THIS MOMENT. I CAN'T ANSWER THAT. IT'S NOT TRAIN THE TRAINER. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. SO IF THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUEUING TOT WHICH I FIND INTERESTING BECAUSE QUEUING AND MAYBE YOU SHOULD EXPLAIN IT. I DON'T WANT TO. TAKE WORDS YOU KNOW, USE. I'M SCIENCE. I'M NOT READING. BUT IF THERE WAS NO QUEUING TALK WITH THAT CURE DYSLEXIA IN THE COUNTY SO THAT WE WOULD NOT NEED OTHER INTERVENTIONS. SO RIGHT SO . BACK IN DECEMBER. WE DID PRESENT, UM TO THE BOARD AND WE SPOKE TO, UM STUDENTS WHO ARE AT RISK OR SHOWING AT RISK OR IDENTIFY WITH HAVING DYSLEXIA. UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN COMPONENTS THAT THEY WILL NEED. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO NEED THAT EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION THAT STRUCTURED UM, INSTRUCTION AND A LOT OF TIMES IT HAS TO DO WITH ALSO HAVING THAT MULTISENSORY PIECE TOO, SO KNOW THAT WOULDN'T TAKE AWAY WE ARE GONNA HAVE OUR STUDENTS. IT'S A SMALL AMOUNT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO SHOULD REQUIRE THE INTENSIVE TIER THREE PRACTICES. THANK YOU. MR SOUL.

SO, UM. I LIKE WHERE YOUR HEAD'S AT MS ALVAREZ, UH, YOU'RE LOOKING AT CREATIVE WAYS TO TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. UM YOU KNOW TO GROW OUR OWN AND JUST SAVE COSTS, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE SOME LICENSING ISSUES. UH, IF WE WERE , UH TO TRAIN OUR OWN FOLKS IN HOUSE WITH OG, PLUS RIGHT, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO TRAIN AROUND SO AND THEN I JUST HAVE A QUICK

[01:45:05]

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T AND THEY STAY? I ALWAYS FIND THAT TO BE A VERY POWERFUL CONCEPT. YOU KNOW WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN INVESTMENT THAT WE MAKE IN OUR PEOPLE IN THE 60 HOUR TRAINING.

YES THERE IS THE COMPONENT THAT GOES INTO, UM, THE CHILDREN THAT ARE IN FRONT OF US AND USING THE APPROACH WITH THE CHILDREN FOR THE PROGRAM, BUT THE 60 HOURS THE INSTRUCTION THAT READING SPECIALISTS HAVE RECEIVED TEACHERS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THEY I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS INSTRUCTION OUTWEIGHS WHAT THEY RECEIVED IN THEIR READING SPECIALIST THROUGH, UM, ACCREDITED COLLEGES THAT THAT'S THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS HAVING. I CAN I CAN SURVEY AND GET MORE INFORMATION. FOR YOU FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED. BUT UM, EVERYONE HAS SAID THAT THIS HAS BEEN, UM BY FAR THE BEST TRAINING THAT THEY'VE HAD ON HOW TO TEACH READING, AND THAT'S NOT JUST WITH OG. PLUS THAT'S WITH ANY PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE GIVEN BECAUSE TEACHERS CAN THEN USE THOSE STRATEGIES BECAUSE IT'S AN APPROACH. OG IS AN APPROACH. MARTIN GILLINGHAM IS AN APPROACH SO USING AN INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH THAT CAN GO WITH ANY PROGRAM, WHETHER WHATEVER PROGRAM THE COUNTY MAY AND BRING IN OUR TEACHERS WILL HAVE THE SKILL SET THEN TO IMPLEMENT THESE APPROACHES. THANK YOU GREAT QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. AND THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSES.

SORRY FOR PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT. SO UM, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN A SECOND TO OH, ABSOLUTELY CHIME IN. I'M SORRY. SORRY YOU FORGET YOU'RE HERE WHEN YOU'RE NOT HERE, OK? I WAS WE DIDN'T SEE IT'S OK. UM I WAS GOING TO VOTE NO TO THIS CONTRACT, BUT AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION, AND AFTER MANY DISCUSSIONS, I HAVE DECIDED TO VOTE YES. AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY OUR STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO READ. THEY DO NEED HELP. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MANY TEACHERS CERTIFIED IN THIS INTERVENTION PROGRAM, WE STILL NEED MORE BECAUSE THE READING PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE USING UNITS OF STUDY FOR LUCY HAWKINS DO NOT USE THE SCIENCE OF READING TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO READ AND TO USE PHONICS. WE CAN KEEP OFFERING MORE AND MORE INTERVENTIONS AND KEEP TRAINING MORE. BUT THAT IS JUST A BAND AID. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT BOTH OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY MATERIALS AND THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE THOROUGHLY TRAINED IN TEACHING THAT CURRICULUM. WE WILL KEEP HAVING THESE ISSUES WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING AND NEED INTERVENTIONS. PER THE STATE OF MARYLAND MANDATE. WE ARE NOW REQUIRED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE AND TO BE TEACHING A SCIENCE OF READING APPROVED CURRICULUM BY THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR. MY QUESTION IS, HOW DO WE PLAN TO GET INTO THE COMPLIANCE FOR THIS MANDATE? CAN ANYONE TO THAT QUESTION THIS EVENING. AS I DID ASK THROUGH EMAIL, BUT NOBODY RESPONDED. SO I. I FEEL LIKE IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED. THANK YOU. GIVE A PRELIMINARY ANSWER, BUT, UM THE RESOLUTION PASSED BY THE STATE BOARD. REQUIRES US TO INCORPORATE SCIENCE OF READING. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FROM MS DE ABOUT HOW THAT WILL LOOK, I HAVE SPOKEN AT LENGTH WITH THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT ABOUT IT, UH, THE INTERIM STATE SUPERINTENDENT, DR WRIGHT, WHO INDICATED THAT HER APPROACH IS NOT AT ALL. HER FIRST. I GUESS WHAT SHE SAID WAS , UM, SHE WAS CURRICULUM AGNOSTIC. IN OTHER WORDS, SHE'S NOT LOOKING AT THE SPECIFIC CURRICULUM. SHE'S LOOKING FOR THE ELEMENTS OF THE SCIENCE OF READING IN THE INSTRUCTION PROVIDING AND WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN. THAT WE HAVE THE SCIENCE OF READING VERY WELL INTEGRATED THROUGHOUT THE INSTRUCTION, WHICH HELP CONTRIBUTE TO THE FACT THAT AGAIN, HARFORD COUNTY HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST READING GROWTH IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND LAST YEAR IN ELEMENTARY UM SO. WHILE WE WAIT ON ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE TO SEE IF THERE IS MORE WE'D BE REQUIRED TO DO. THERE'S NOTHING FROM MY PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT. INDICATING THAT THERE IS A REQUIREMENT TO WHOLESALE CHANGE CURRICULUM. AND WE WILL. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE PILOT FOR BENCHMARK, ADVANCED IN PLACE, UM AT A NUMBER OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THOSE SCHOOLS PERFORM. COMPARED TO THE SCHOOLS. USING UNIT OF STUDY BECAUSE WE HAVE SIMILAR TYPES OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, DOING ONE OR THE OTHER, SO

[01:50:03]

ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES, FOR NOW. THANK YOU. OK THANK YOU. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE CONTRACT AWARD PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR READING INSTRUCTION. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR READING INSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? NICE SECOND.

THANK YOU, UH, SECOND AND A THIRD. THEY'RE ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES, YES.

[C. Contract Award: Algebra 1 Resources]

WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THAT THIS IS A $418,000. FOR I SEE SOMEBODY NODDING THEIR HEAD BACK THERE. UM, THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE A LOT. I KNOW WE HAVE THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR TEXTBOOKS. I SAW THAT. HOWEVER, THIS IS FOR ALGEBRA ONE. THEN YOU HAVE ALGEBRA TWO AND YOU HAVE GEOMETRY AND THE RATIONALE GIVEN WAS THAT THIS IS NEEDED TT ARE MOVING SOME ELEMENTS FROM ALGEBRA ONE DOWN TO X GRADE MATH . SOME ALGEBRA TWO ELEMENTS DOWN TO ALGEBRA ONE. SO I GET ALL THAT AND THAT THAT ALL SOUNDS GREAT. BUT YOU STILL HAVE BOOKS NOW THAT WERE BOUGHT IN 2019 THAT DO COVER ALL THOSE ELEMENTS . THEY MAY NOT COVER. UH UM, EVERYTHING IN ALGEBRA ONE. YOU MAY NEED TO REFER TO THE ALGEBRA TWO BOOK. AND I'M JUST WONDERING . THIS IS A BUDGET ISSUE FOR ME FOR THE TIGHTNESS OF THE BUDGET. DO WE REALLY WANT TO SPEND $418,000 RIGHT NOW? AND KNOWING THAT THIS IS ONLY PART OF THE COST TO ACHIEVE THE WHOLE PROGRAM? BECAUSE IT ONLY COVERS ALGEBRA ONE. IT DOESN'T COVER ALGEBRA TWO AND GEOMETRY. SO THAT COULD BE 1.5 MILLION. SO MAYBE I'M CONFUSED, BUT I THOUGHT WE ALREADY BOUGHT THE ALGEBRA TWO BOOKS. IS THAT CORRECT? OK SO THE ALGEBRA TWO BOOKS WERE BOUGHT OUT TWO. YES, THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. OH, OK.

ALL RIGHT, I IT'S NEW INFORMATION. COME ON UP. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, PLEASE. YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. JOAN IN MATHEMATICS. OK? EXECUTIVE. SO DID YOU CAPTURE THAT QUESTION? SO THE PURCHASES WERE APPROVED BY THE BOARD THAT TEXT THEMSELVES BOTH OF THEM WERE APPROVED IN APRIL OF 2023 BY THIS BOARD. UM HOWEVER, UM, WITH THE MATH OFFICES LEADERSHIP, IT WAS DECIDED TO JUST PURCHASE ALGEBRA TWO LAST YEAR, AND SO WE ARE COMING BACK WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE ALGEBRA ONE, BUT THAT TEXT ITSELF WAS APPROVED BY THIS BOARD. BUT WILL THERE BE ANOTHER CHUNK FOR GEOMETRY THEN TO ALIGN THE SERIES? UM AFTER WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE ALGEBRA ONE. OUR NEXT NEED WOULD BE ALGEBRA TWO TO LOOK FOR A NEW RESOURCE OR A NEW NEWER RESOURCE . THAT WOULD BE MORE TIGHTLY ALIGNED. YES I'M SORRY. WOULD BE WHAT I JUST SAY. YES, OK. SO THAT WOULD BE ABOUT THE SAME FOUR YEAR LICENSE FOR ALL THE TOOLS AND SO FORTH ANOTHER HALF MILLION DOLLARS. SO THE BOX THE BOOKS FROM ALGEBRA, TWO THAT WERE REPLACED WHAT WAS DONE WITH THOSE BOOKS? WITH THE OLD BOOKS, THE BOOKS. UM SOME OF THOSE WERE , UH, DONATED. WE ACTUALLY HAD, UM, SOMEONE REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WAS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS AND TO DONATE TO SCHOOLS, UH, ACTUALLY IN A IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, UM AND THE OTHERS, UM ARE DISPOSED OF, ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES. AND THE NEW BOOKS THAT WERE PURCHASING WILL ENCOMPASS, UM, THE REQUIREMENTS TO ALIGN WITH CCR AND ROUGHLY LIKE YEAH. WHAT IS NOT CONTAINED IN THE EXISTING

[01:55:04]

ALGEBRA ONE IS ONLY IN HIGH SCHOOL, NOT MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE ALSO HAVE HIGH SCHOOL. I MEAN ALGEBRA IN IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS , BUT THAT COURSE LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S AN ACCELERATED COURSE. SO IT INCLUDES SOME MIDDLE SCHOOL STANDARDS AS WELL AS THE ALGEBRA STANDARDS. OK, THANK YOU. THOSE STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY HAVING, UM, INSTRUCTION ALIGNED TO MORE THAN ONE GRADE LEVEL OF STANDARDS. THANK YOU. SO OH, YES . I WAS JUST GONNA ASK ABOUT THAT, UH, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO, UM, WHEN DID WE UPDATE THE CONTENT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT THE AL THE ALGEBRA UM RESOURCES THAT WE USE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM SOME OF THEM ARE FROM U, CS AND P ALGEBRA ONE, AND SOME IS ALSO FROM THE CARNEGIE LEARNING BECAUSE IT'S THAT ACCELERATED COURSE. UM, AND IT'S PULLING STANDARDS IN ALGEBRA IN SEVENTH GRADE. IT'S POINT 7TH AND 8TH GRADE AS WELL AS ALGEBRA STANDARDS AND AN EIGHTH GRADE. IT'S SOME ALGEBRA STANDARDS FOR GRADE EIGHT STANDARDS AS WELL AS ALGEBRA STANDARDS, SO THEY'RE PULLING FROM A COUPLE DIFFERENT RESOURCES SO THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS ALL OF THE STANDARDS FOR THOSE ACCELERATED COURSES. SO HOW DO THOSE RESOURCES THAT ARE USED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL? UH, LIKE HOW? HOW DO THEY, UM, MEET THE MC P? UH, WE ACTUALLY, UM, PULL FROM SEVERAL RESOURCES AND THEN, UM, TYPICALLY DURING THE SUMMER, WE HAVE SOME CURRICULUM WRITERS THAT ACTUALLY ALSO WRITE LESSONS THAT THEY USE TO SUPPORT THOSE ADDITIONAL STANDARDS. SO NOTHING IS NEEDED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AT THIS POINT FOR NOT AT THIS TIME. IT'S ALSO YOU KNOW. ACCELERATED COURSE ACCELERATED STUDENTS THAT ARE, UM, YOU KNOW. MUCH MORE RIGOROUS IN IN THEIR ACADEMICS. UM YOU KNOW, A AS A STUDENT, SO THE. THE TEACHERS DO A WONDERFUL JOB. UM AND WE HAVE GREAT CURRICULUM WRITERS THAT HELPS TO SUPPORT THAT IN IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO KIND OF PULL OVER THOSE PIECES TOGETHER. THANK YOU . UH, JUST ONE QUESTION AFTER FOUR YEARS. DO WE HAVE TO REPURCHASE THE LICENSE? UM IF THE CONTRACT IS FOR FOUR YEARS, UM, IN IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, THE A G A SEQUENCE THE ALGEBRA ONE GEOMETRY. ALGEBRA TWO. THE TEXT FROM S. LEARNING IS A HARDBACK TEXTBOOK. SO IT HAS A PRETTY LONG SHELF LIFE. AND AS FAR AS DURABILITY, UM WE WOULD HAVE TO BE RENEWED WOULD BE THE ONLINE SEAT LICENSES FOR THE STUDENTS TO HAVE ACCESS FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, SO THAT WOULD COME TO THE BOARD FOUR YEARS IF WE WANT. TO CONTINUE THAT ASPECT OF CORRECT. APPROXIMATELY WHAT IS THE COST OF THE ONLINE RESOURCES AS OPPOSED TO THE COST OF THE BOOKS. UM. RIGHT NOW THE ONLINE IF IT WAS JUST THE ONLINE IT WOULD RUN ABOUT 20 TO $30 A STUDENT. OF COURSE, THIS WOULD BE FOUR YEARS OUT. UM, BUT THE HARDBACK TEXT IS THE BULK OF THE COST. THAT'S YEAH. AND IT'S A SEPARATE ONLINE LICENSING FOR THE SERIES AS ONE AFTER TWO JUMP THROUGH, SO IT'S THREE TIMES.

IT'S PER STUDENT. IT'S JUST PER STUDENT, RIGHT? AND IT'S UM ALL OF THEIR ONLINE RESOURCES ARE HOUSED ON THE SAME PLATFORM. OK, THANK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OK SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL UH MISS HO. DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING? I DON'T WANT TO PASS OVER YOU AGAIN? I CAN'T SEE IF YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP. I WAS ASKING BASICALLY THE SAME QUESTION. UM, THAT WERE ASKED, UM. SO I, I GUESS NOT AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MS HAN. SO THIS TIME, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE CONTRACT AWARD ALGEBRA ONE RESOURCES I MOVE TO PERU CONTRACT AWARD ALGEBRA ONE RESOURCE IN THE MOTION. THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. ABSTAINING. BE OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO. PLEASE NOTE THAT ONE ABSTENTION. OK THANK

[D. Presentation on the Harford County Public Schools Apprenticeship Maryland Program, Mr. Joe Connolly, Supervisor of CTE and Magnet Programs, Mr. Matt Johnstone, Coordinator of Apprenticeships and Workforce Development, Ms. Chloe Gauthier, Student at Havre de Grace High School, and Mr. Dondre Lawson, CEO Emerald Technical Solutions]

[02:00:13]

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT PONTON. VICE PRESIDENT HAN SUPERINTENDENT PAULSON. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS JOE CONNELLY, SUPERVISOR OF CTE AND MAGNET PROGRAMS AND WITH ME THIS EVENING IS MATT JOHNSTONE, COORDINATOR OF APPRENTICESHIPS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. CHLOE GAUTIER. SENIOR STUDENT. AND HAVING GRACE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE ORACLE MAGNET PROGRAM, AN APPRENTICE IT AT DEFENSE INTERNS. MR DRE LAWSON CEO OF EMERALD TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND FOUNDER OF DEFENSE INTERNS. THIS EVENING. WE BRING IN INFORMATIONAL REPORT ON SOMETHING. VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART. THE HCHCPS APPRENTICESHIP MARYLAND PROGRAM.

OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OFFICE IS COMPRISED OF SEVERAL KEY FIGURES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CONTENT DELIVERY. PROGRAM DELIVERY. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AND WORKING TOWARDS ENSURING STUDENT SUCCESS. STUDENTS TRY. TO ME. INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS. AND OR APPRENTICESHIPS AS PER THE MARYLAND BLUEPRINT. YOU'VE MET MATT JOHNSTONE AND I BUT KATIE ECKSTEIN, SARAH PAQUIN. ANDREW THOMPSON AND OUR SEVEN TEACHER SPECIALIST ASSIGNED TO VARIOUS SCHOOLS. THROUGH THE MARYLAND WORKS GRANT. PLAY INTEGRAL, INTEGRAL ROLES WITHIN OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OFFICE. OUR APPRENTICESHIP. AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TEACHER SPECIALISTS EITHER SUPPORT ONE OR MORE SCHOOLS. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART. THEY ARE ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS. THEY CONNECT WITH STUDENTS. ON A DAILY BASIS, HELPING TO PAIR STUDENT INTEREST. WITH EMPLOYERS FOR AN APPRENTICESHIP. THEY ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. OF WORKING WITH STUDENTS. WORKING WITHIN SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. AND WORKING WITH BUILDING PRINCIPLES.

SPEAKING OF EXCELLENCE. PLEASE LET ME REINTRODUCE MATT JOHNSTONE. WHO HAS DONE A TRULY REMARKABLE JOB OF WORKING WITH BUSINESSES. WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND OUR SCHOOL BASED SPECIALISTS ON A DAILY BASIS.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT ON THE APPRENTICESHIP BALLOT PROGRAM COMMONLY CALLED AMP. THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION. TONIGHT I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY OF AUNT BOOTH FROM THE STATE LEVEL AND FROM THE HCPS LOCAL LEVEL WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE WITH THEM AND WHERE WE PLAN TO GO WITH THEM. CAMP STARTED AS A HOUSE BILL IN 2015 AND THEN IN 2016 FREDERICK IN WASHINGTON COUNTY BECAME PILOT ES FOR APPRENTICESHIP MARYLAND PROGRAM. THEN IN 2018 BECAME A STATEWIDE PROGRAM AS AC TE PROGRAM OF STUDY THAT CAN BE USED AS A COMPLETER FOR GRADUATION. ALL GRADUATING SENIORS MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE COMPLETER PROGRAM OF STUDY THAT COULD BE TWO YEARS OF THE SAME LANGUAGE AND OTHER UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY OR CTE PROGRAMS. SOME OF OUR COMPLETES INCLUDE TO NAME A FEW FOODS OUR FOODS PROGRAM EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEACHER ACADEMY IN MARYLAND AND DIFFERENT BUSINESS PROGRAMS, MAGNET PROGRAMS AND NOW AS A COMPUTER PROGRAM. ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN.

YOU COULD SEE ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK TOGETHER WITH THIS IS TRULY A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN ALL PARTIES AND I WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MS DE AND MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ON A REGULAR BASIS. JUST SOME INFO GENERAL AND AMP. INFORMATION FOR YOU APPRENTICESHIP MARYLAND, UH, STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE 450 HOURS OF WORK EXPERIENCE BEFORE GRADUATION, AND THEY MUST BE PAID AT LEAST MINIMUM WAGE FOR THAT WORK. EVERY 150 HOURS. THE STUDENTS EARN ONE HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT. STUDENTS ARE WORKING WITH A MENTOR THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES SUPERVISION AND STRUCTURE TO THE APPRENTICESHIP EXPERIENCE.

ANOTHER PART OF IS RELATED INSTRUCTION. RELATED DESTRUCTION PROPORTION. A PORTION MUST BE DIRECTLY TIED TO THE OCCUPATION IN WHICH THE STUDENT IS EMPLOYED. THE COMPANY AND HCPS

[02:05:01]

THESE SPECIALISTS ARE DOING DAY IN AND DAY OUT AT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN SPEAKING WITH BUSINESS OWNERS. I'M GETTING VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE QUALITY OF THE APPLICANTS. FROM THE QUALITY OF THE RESUME TO THE PREPAREDNESS OF THE INTERVIEW, WHICH SHOWS AGAIN THE POSITIVE IMPACT SPECIALISTS ARE HAVING ON THIS PROGRAM. WE WILL HAVE AT LEAST 125 APPROVED BUSINESS PARTNERS AFTER THE MARCH APPRENTICE, MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COUNCIL MEETING. WHICH HAPPENS IN TWO WEEKS. THE NEXT SLIDE.

HERE IS THE STATE HISTORY OF AMP AND YOU CAN SEE IN 2018 WHEN IT BECAME A, UH, A STATE PROGRAM.

THERE WAS 27 LAST YEAR, ALL THE WAY UP TO 608. THOSE ARE THE STATE NUMBERS THROUGHOUT AND THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE. IS WHAT WE WHERE WE ARE IN FEBRUARY. WE ARE NEARING 1000 APPRENTICESHIP STUDENTS AND WHEN I SAY AROUND IS BECAUSE AT OUR DEPARTMENT OF LABOR MEETING LAST WEEK THEY WERE NEARING 1000 STUDENTS, BUT THEY WERE STILL ENTERING. AN AMP . AGREEMENTS AS WE SPOKE, SO THE NUMBER THEY HAD WAS NOT EXACT AS OF LAST WEEK, SO NEXT MONTH, WE'LL HAVE A MORE EXACT NUMBER.

UM WITH OUR 125 STUDENTS, EIGHT CPS, A HAS OVER 10% OF THE TOTAL STUDENTS STATEWIDE. AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT AT LEAST ONE AMP STUDENT IS REPRESENTED AT EVERY HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL. ON THE BOTTOM IS BLUEPRINT INFORMATION. UM WITH THE GOAL OF 45% AND HOW APPRENTICESHIP MARYLAND IS TIED DIRECTLY TO PILLAR THREE. WE WANT FOR THE GOAL IS 45% OF GRADUATING SENIORS COMPLETE AN APPRENTICESHIP OR ACHIEVING RECOGNIZED INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CERTIFICATIONS. AS WE THINK ABOUT THE BENEFITS FOR THE BUSINESS WITH COMPANIES NOW HAVE DIRECT CONTACT AT EVERY HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEY CAN SHARE THEIR HIRING NEEDS AND THEIR EMPLOYMENT NEEDS ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH OUR SPECIALIST OR WITH MYSELF. BY EMPLOYING HCPS STUDENTS. COMPANIES ARE TRAINING FOR POTENTIALLY A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE DIRECTLY AFTER GRADUATION OR A TRAINED INTERN WHILE THE STUDENT IS AT COLLEGE. THE PROCESS OF THE COMPANIES TO BECOME AN APPROVED AMP. EMPLOYER IS AN INITIAL MEETING BETWEEN EIGHT CPS AND THE COMPANY. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE DISCUSS WHAT THE JOB TITLE WOULD BE THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND WHAT WE WOULD BE USING FOR RELATED INSTRUCTION. COMPANIES THEN SUBMIT AN ONLINE APPLICATION OF THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND THEN AN OPPRESSIVE NAVIGATOR SETS UP A SITE VISIT WITH THE COMPANY, WHICH I ALSO ACCOMPANIED THEM ON TO MAKE SURE IT'S A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS. THE NA NAVIGATOR THEN PRESENTS THE COMPANY TO THE MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL. THAT COUNCIL MEETS EVERY OTHER MONTH. AND ONCE THE COMPANY IS

[02:10:01]

STUDENTS ARE EARNING HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT AN HOURLY WAGE. AND THEIR LEARNING FROM AN INDUSTRY EXPERT EACH AND EVERY DAY. I'M EXCITED IN A MINUTE FOR YOU TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHLOE'S EXPERIENCE AND DON DRE'S EXPERIENCE AS A BUSINESS OWNER. SO STUDENTS OFTEN ASK WHERE THEY CAN FIND THESE JOBS. IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. NOW ON THE LEFT SIDE IS THE ICON THAT YOU CAN FIND ON THE HOME PAGE OF HCPS.ORG, WHICH WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO OUR SITE UNDER THE CTE PAGE, AND THERE YOU WILL FIND THE 10 CAREER CLUSTER AREAS IDENTIFIED BY MS DE. IF A STUDENT HAS AN INTEREST AREA AND ONE OF THOSE CLUSTER AREAS, THEY SIMPLY CLICK ON THAT. AND IT WILL GIVE A DROP DROP DOWN OF COMPANIES THAT ARE APPROVED. THE WAGE AND THE JOB DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THEY WOULD BE DOING SO STUDENTS CAN EXPLORE THIS AT ANY POINT IN TIME PARENTS CAN EXPLORE. COM CAN EXPLORE. IT'S THERE, AND IT GETS UPDATED, UH, AFTER EVERY MARYLAND APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING COUNCIL APPROVAL MEETING. NEXT SLIDE IS AN EXCITING PROJECT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON WITH THE TALENTED STUDENTS OF NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL'S GIS TWO PROGRAM WITH A HEAT MAP. THESE STUDENTS WILL THIS MAP WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW ALL OF OUR EMPLOYERS AND WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS WORKING. WE WANT TO THANK MR POLII, PRINCIPAL OF NORTH HARFORD, MR. BOROUGH GIS TWO TEACHER. AND ALSO MAGNET COORDINATOR AT NORTH HARTFORD FOR ALLOWING THE STUDENTS TO PARTNER WITH THE CTE OFFICE AND CREATE THE HEAT MAP. AND OF COURSE WE WANT TO THANK THE GIS. STUDENTS SO IMPRESSED NOT ONLY WITH THIS PROJECT, BUT WITH OTHER PROJECTS. THEY ARE ALSO WORKING AND SUPPORTING THEIR OWN RESEARCH ON. HCPS HAS TWO UPCOMING EVENTS REGARDING APPRENTICESHIPS. UH, THE FIRST ONE WILL BE HAPPENING IN MARCH 20TH AT THE TWO SOUTHERN TSON UNIVERSITY NORTHEAST. THAT'S WHERE WE WILL HAVE OVER 40 OF OUR EMPLOYERS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ABLE TO BE TAKE A BUS TO THE TUNE CENTER MEET WITH THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES PROVIDE RESUMES AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH WITH THE BUSINESSES. AND THEN ON MARCH 8TH WE HAVE A HARTFORD COUNTY APPRENTICESHIP SUMMIT AGAIN AT THE CENTER. THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE PLANNING STAGES WITH HARFORD BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE , HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HARTFORD COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. LOCAL BUSINESSES WILL BE INVITED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUTH AND ADULT APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT HARTFORD COUNTY. AT THIS TIME, PLEASE LET ME REINTRODUCE MISS CHLOE GAUTIER. ORACLE ACADEMY MAGNET PROGRAM STUDENT HOWARD GRACE HIGH SCHOOL AND PART OF THE HCPS APPRENTICESHIP MARYLAND PROGRAM. CHLOE. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. CHLOE CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR SKILLS LEARNED AND YOUR EXPERIENCES AS AN APPRENTICE WITH THE FOUR COMPANIES THAT MAKE UP DEFENSE INTERNS? GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AS HE SAID, MY NAME IS CHLOE GAUTHIER. I AM CURRENTLY A SENIOR AT HARVARD GRACE HIGH SCHOOL. I'M PART OF THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ORACLE ACADEMY MAGNET PROGRAM.

UM I HAVE HAD GREAT EXPERIENCES AS A DEFENSE INTERN THROUGH DEFENSE INTERNS. I HAVE GOTTEN TO BE INVOLVED IN THINGS THAT ARE NOT USUALLY SOMEONE SOMETHING SOME ONE OF MY AGE IS INVOLVED, AND I WAS JUST RECENTLY AT U NBC DOING AN INTERVIEW FOR THEIR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AND ONE OF MY INTERVIEWERS WAS SOMEONE WHO WORKS FOR THE DOD. AND SHE ASKED ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I WAS WORKING AT WITH MY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, AND I TOLD HER A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I WAS DOING. I'M WORKING ON OUR SYSTEM SECURITY PLAN AND SHE WAS LIKE, OH, WOW. DO YOU HAVE TO BE A CLEARED INDIVIDUAL TO DO THAT? AND I WAS LIKE, NO, I'M 17. I CAN'T GET A SECURITY CLEARANCE. SHE WAS LIKE, OH, THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING. AND SO IT'S

[02:15:01]

THAT DID HAPPEN ONCE I CAN TELL YOU THAT, AND HE, UH BUT THEN HELPING TO SUBMIT PAPERWORK THAT WILL BE GOING ON TO THE GOVERNMENT. I HAVE HELPED WORK WITH OUR COMPANIES TO CREATE.

IT'S CALLED THE CYBER SECURITY MATURATION MODEL CERTIFICATION. IT'S BEEN A BIG DEAL IN THE WORLD OF TECH LATELY. UM, I'VE HELPED THEM CREATE PLANNERS AS TO HOW WE'RE GOING. TACKLE ALL OF THE CERTIFICATION AND SO REALLY, IT'S JUST IT'S PROVIDED ME GREAT SKILLS THAT ARE EASILY TRANSFERABLE. SOME OF IT IS STUFF THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY LEARN IN SCHOOLS. BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY HELPFUL IN OUR DAY TO DAY LIVES, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO LEARN STUFF ABOUT HARDWARE STUFF. I KNOW THAT NOT EVERYONE IS THINKING ABOUT LIKE, WHAT KIND OF COOL SERVER SET UP THEY'RE GONNA HAVE IN THEIR BASEMENT. BUT SOME PEOPLE DO AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO JUST LEARN MORE ABOUT, AND I'VE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN FROM THESE WONDERFUL MENTORS RAGING RANGING FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE ONLY A FEW YEARS OLDER, OLDER THAN ME THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THIS FIELD FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT'S JUST BEEN WONDERFUL TO HAVE A VARIETY OF LESSONS TAUGHT TO ME THROUGH THIS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND THROUGH DEFENSE INTERNS. THANK YOU ALSO. HOW DO YOU BELIEVE THIS PROGRAM? EXPERIENCE WILL HELP YOU AFTER YOU GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL. SO I. I HAVE ALREADY HAD PLANS GOING GOING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL I AM CURRENTLY COMMITTED TO THE ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY UP IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, UM, BUT THEY HAVE THEY HAVE A CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM AND PART OF PART OF THE APPRENTICESHIP FOR ME WAS DO I ACTUALLY, LIKE ALL OF THE CYBER STUFF? DO I LIKE ALL OF THIS COMPUTER STUFF? THE ANSWER.

RESOUNDINGLY HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY YES. I LOVE IT AND I IT HAS BEEN GREAT TO KNOW THAT I AM GOING INTO A FIELD DOING SOMETHING THAT I LOVE AND GETTING TO WORK WITH PEOPLE. WHO ARE JUST SO BRILLIANT AND IT IS VERY MUCH HELPED ME FOR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL, BECAUSE I'M ALREADY DOING THINGS THAT PEOPLE FIVE YEARS OLDER THAN ME ARE DOING. AND SO IT'S KIND OF. IT'S A LITTLE BIT STRANGE BEING A TEENAGER AND HAVING TO BE LIKE, WOW, I HAVE I HAVE, LIKE SO MANY WORK DEADLINES THIS WEEK. LIKE I HAVE A LOT OF STUFF. I GOTTA GET SUBMITTED. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I THOUGHT I'D BE SAYING. I I'M 17. I JUST GOT MY CAR BEFORE MY APPRENTICESHIP, BUT IT'S STILL IT PROVIDES ME WITH ALL OF THESE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. WE WERE ACTUALLY DOING THE MATH DRE AND I FEW DAYS AGO, AND WE REALIZED THAT WHEN WE COUNT DEFENSE INTERNS AS A YEAR OF EXPERIENCE, AND THEN WHEN I DO INTERNSHIPS THROUGHOUT COLLEGE, THOSE ALSO COUNT AS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

THERE IS A VERY LIKELY POSSIBILITY THAT ONCE I GRADUATE COLLEGE, I WILL BE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE WITH FIVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS COMPLETELY INVALUABLE IN THE CYBERSECURITY FIELD AND IS JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TO HAVE SO OVERALL, IT IS TRULY PREPARED ME FOR COLLEGE , AND IT HAS TAUGHT ME THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME AND STEM. OFTENTIMES WE HEAR ABOUT WOMEN IN STEM AND IT'S LIKE OH, YEAH, THERE'S NOT THAT MANY OF THEM, BUT IT HAS TAUGHT ME THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR WOMEN TO BELONG IN A STEM FIELD AND WE CAN TRULY MAKE MAKE OUR HOME THERE. SO OVERALL, IT'S JUST BEEN. IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, AND I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE GROWTH OF THE PROGRAM AND SEE HOW I CAN HELP. EVEN WHEN I AM IN I AM IN COLLEGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHLOE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. PLEASE LET ME INTRODUCE MR DRE LAWSON CEO OF EMERALD TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS AND CREATOR OF DEFENSE INTERNS. ANDRE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. MUCH APPRECIATED. AS A COMPANY. CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A YOUTH BASED APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDER? UM. IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO AFTER AFTER CHLOE, UH, THE PROCESS, WASN'T IT. IT WASN'T REALLY THAT DIFFICULT, RIGHT? YOU GUYS CAME INTO OUR JOB SITE TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS TO WORK IN AND THEN YOU KNOW, ACCESS WHAT WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE TEACHING AND WHAT THEY WILL BE LEARNING. OBVIOUSLY THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM EACH DIFFERENT DEFENSE CONTRACTOR THAT THE STUDENTS DO GET TO VISIT FOR THAT QUARTER THAT THEY'RE THERE. BUT OVERALL, THE PROGRAM IS IT'S BEEN FAIRLY EASY AS AN EMPLOYER, ESPECIALLY A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR TO GET INVOLVED WITH HARPER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TRADITIONALLY A LOT OF DEFENSE CONTRACTORS BELIEVE THAT THE PROCESS IS DIFFICULT AND SO THAT YOU KNOW, SCARES THEM EARLY AND THEN YOU YOU DON'T YOU DON'T GET THEM RIGHT AS AS PARTICIPANTS TO BE INVOLVED, BUT I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT THAT HELPED KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, CULMINATE WHEN WE STARTED WORKING WITH ZEAL, AND ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO, RIGHT TO START THE PROCESS AND SAY YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS EASY TO START DIFFICULT FOR US, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO HAVE GOING ON. THANK YOU. DON DRE. AND CAN YOU DESCRIBE IN GENERAL? UH, WHAT HAVE BEEN THE, UH, BENEFITS OF PARTNERING WITH

[02:20:02]

UM WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP. I KNOW OUR STUDENTS DO. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE, UM, THE PARTNERSHIP FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH APPRENTICESHIPS. UH, BUT YOU'VE COME INTO THE SCHOOL INTO CLASSROOMS TO SPEAK, UH, YOU'VE DONE YOU'VE VISITED. UM, UM WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH TEACHERS, SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THE, UM, ALL THE ENDEAVORS THAT YOU PARTICIPATE IN FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SO THANK YOU. WELCOME. AND THE LAST SIDE SLIDE IS JUST THREE QR CODES. FIRST ONE, I WILL TAKE YOU TO OUR LISTING OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.

SECOND ONE IS JUST MORE AMP. INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND THEN THE THIRD ONE IS AMP. INFORMATION FROM M SDS POINT OF VIEW. AND AT THIS TIME THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.

AND WE CERTAINLY OPEN. UH, THE FLOOR TO ANY COMMENT. AND OR QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE GREAT. THANK YOU. WE'LL JUST OPEN IT UP. DR MUELLER. SO, I, I HAVE SEVERAL, OK FIRST, AND I HAD, UH SOMEONE TALKING IN MY EAR A MINUTE AGO. UH CHLOE, HOW MANY COLLEGES DO YOU GET ACCEPTED TO, UM I ONLY APPLIED TO SEX OR SEVEN AND I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED INTO ALL BUT ONE WHICH I'M CURRENTLY WAITING ON MY DECISION. OK JUST JUST THOUGHT I'D GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY AND OUR STUDENTS ACTUALLY OBTAINING CERTIFICATIONS. I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT WAS A GOAL.

UH, HOW IS THAT WORKING OUT? ARE THERE A LOT OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OBTAINED OR WILL BE OBTAINED BY THE END OF THE YEAR? OH, DEFINITELY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALL STUDENT APPRENTICES GET IS A MARYLAND STATE SKILLS CERTIFICATE, UH, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A CREDENTIAL AND IT'S PORTABLE. HOW ARE WE DOING ON RETAINING INTEREST FROM COMPANIES THAT ARE HOSTING THE INTERNS? SO I COULD SPEAK ON BOTH OF THE LAST TWO QUESTIONS. SO UH, DEFENSE INTERNS ALSO WENT INTO A PROGRAM WITH S, WHICH IS THE WORKFORCE NETWORK. AND THERE WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM AND NETCOM LEARNING TO HELP FOR TECHNICAL CERTIFICATIONS. SO WHILE THE STUDENTS MAY BE ABLE TO TECHNICALLY CERTIFY WHAT THE SCHOOLS THEY'LL ALSO BE ABLE TO CERTIFY IT THROUGH US, RIGHT, AND THAT'S THAT'S FREE TO THEM, RIGHT AND CALL IS ACTUALLY GONNA START GOING THROUGH IT SO WE CAN GET HER CERTIFIED FOR HER SECURITY PLUS AND BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT THE INTERNS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. FOR THE COMPANIES. THE INTEREST NOW IS INCREASING EVERY DAY. UM PERSONALLY, PEOPLE EMAILING ME SAYING, HEY, HOW DO WE GET INVOLVED? WHAT'S THE PROCESS LOOK LIKE FOR THIS, SO YOU KNOW, BABY STEPS AND GROWTH, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY GETTING THERE, MA'AM.

SO YOU JUST KIND OF ANSWERED. MY NEXT QUESTION WAS, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO RECRUIT MORE INTERNS, SO PEOPLE ARE ACTIVELY COMING TO YOU ASKING ABOUT GETTING INTERNSHIPS. SO THE INTERNS AREN'T THE FINDING THE TALENT AND THE INDIVIDUALS AREN'T THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM? WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THE PROBLEM, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. IS THE CONTRACTOR INVOLVEMENT RIGHT ON THE, UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE FOR IN THE DEFENSE SECTOR. WE HAVE 38 RESUMES THAT YOU GOT SUBMITTED TO ME WHEN WE STARTED THE PROGRAM AND EACH HONESTLY, EACH RESUME WAS EXEMPLARY. IT

[02:25:05]

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M A HUGE, HUGE FAN OF WHAT ALL OF YOU ARE DOING HERE. I'M JUST A HUGE ADVOCATE OF HANDS ON REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS GETTING OUT THERE, SEEING WHAT THE REWARDS WILL REAL WORLDS ABOUT, UM YOU KNOW, EXPLORING. DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE FINDING YOU KNOW WHAT THEY MAY LIKE, OR MAY NOT LIKE, UM AND WHAT BETTER WAY FOR BUSINESSES TO ALSO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT YOUNG MIND RIGHT TO BRING NEW IDEAS. NEW ENERGY. UM TO THAT BUSINESS, SO I JUST COMMEND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I WANT TO SEE THIS JUST GROW LEAPS AND BOUNDS. UM, YOU GOT MY FULL SUPPORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I CAN ECHO THOSE COMMENTS AS WELL. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH CHLOE AND SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN AWAY. BUT UM, ONE THING THAT I HAVE CONSISTENTLY HEARD FROM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS POSITION WAS TWO CONCERNS ONE BEING, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITIES STUDENTS ARE GIVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL AND TO HOW DO WE HELP STUDENTS AT THE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND GOING INTO THE REAL WORLD? AND YOU KNOW, THIS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM KILLS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE AND IT'S WHERE WE SHOULD ALWAYS FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON SUPPORT.

SO THANK YOU GUYS. SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND I HOPE IT GROWS. THANK YOU. YEAH I. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO SWAN CREEK AND I MET WITH RO TOLD RYAN THERE TODAY AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY POINTED OUT TO ME WAS HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE STUDENTS AT THAT LEVEL THAT THAT REALLY IN IN IN THE YOUNGER STUDENTS TO SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE AND EXPOSING THEM TO THE POTENTIALS? AND I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE EXCELLENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS NOT COLLEGE MATERIAL. THIS IS THIS IS THE WAY WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON IT. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.

THANK YOU. I WILL. I WILL ECHO THE THING. THE THINGS CHLOE, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND DEANDRE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO INVEST IN STUDENTS. I KNOW YOU'RE A BUSY MAN. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU IN INVESTING IN THEM AND GIVING THEM THIS OPPORTUNITY CAN CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR GROWTH. I MEAN, BEING 10% OF HARTFORD COUNTY IS WONDERFUL. AND YOU KNOW, I SECONDED IN MY OPENING COMMENTS TO PARTNER WITH A PG HARFORD COUNTER'S LARGEST EMPLOYERS, LIKE I JUST I'M EXCITED ABOUT SEEING US CONTINUE TO PARTNER THERE AND YOU'VE YOU'VE GOT A GOOD GOOD PARTNER IN EMERALD SOLUTIONS, SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OK? UM JUST A WHAT'S THAT? UH, MS HAN. YES, THANK YOU . I JUST WANTED TO ECHO ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE WERE SAYING, UH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THESE PROGRAMS. WHAT AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS AND , UM, THANK YOU FOR FINDING ALL THE EMPLOYERS AND THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY THAT IT PROVIDES. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. THANK YOU. SO IF YOU, UM LOOK AT A 10 CLUSTER AREAS THAT YOU HAVE, WHERE DO YOU NEED HELP ATTRACTING SPECIFIC TYPES OF BUSINESSES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A GAP? SURE UM, CERTAINLY IN, UM, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY, I THINK, UH, THE STATE STATISTIC, UM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, UH, WITH YOUTH APPRENTICESHIPS WITH 1.6% OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES. UM SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE ABOVE THAT, UM, CERTAINLY PART AND THANKS TO, UH, DRE AND HIS COMPANY. UM BUT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR, UM, THOSE OP UM IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. OK, GREAT. WELL, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN HELP WITH THAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN, UM WHAT'S THE TYPICAL PATH OR IS THERE? NOT A TYPICAL PATH? UH, A COLLEGE VERSUS DIRECT CAREER. OR OR HOW'S THAT MIX? WE HAVE UH, A WIDE VARIETY OF STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THE APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. WE HAVE STUDENTS IN CYBERSECURITY TO OUR TRADITIONAL TRADES TO EDUCATION TO, UM RESTAURANT, INDUSTRY LINE , COOK AND FOOD PREP. SO WE ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE WITH, UH STUDENTS AND WHAT THEY POST SECONDARY PLANS ARE, UM YOU KNOW, I CAN GET YOU EXACT NUMBERS OF I WAS JUST CURIOUS IS IT IS IT IS IT. I GUESS IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SPECIFIC CLUSTER AREA AND WHETHER OR NOT ADDITIONAL COLLEGES NEED IT FOR THAT. I CAN SPEAK ON THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR, RIGHT? I WE DON'T REALLY NECESSARILY UNLESS YOU ARE IN MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? THE DEGREE NOT SAYING THAT IT ISN'T IMPORTANT. BUT SOMEONE

[02:30:04]

[E. Decision on Proposed 2024-2025 HCPS Calendar Edits, Ms. Jillian Lader, Manager of Communications and Dr. Peter Carpenter, Director of Organizational Development]

[02:35:01]

AND THEN YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN AUGUST WE ADDED A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY BACK TO THE 26TH BECAUSE THERE WAS CONVERSATION AROUND HAVING THOSE FIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS FOR ALL STAFF AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THEN I WE DO STILL HAVE THAT EARLY DISMISSAL MOVE FROM MAY 9TH TO DECEMBER 6TH AND THAT DECEMBER 20TH EARLY DISMISSAL FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF. SO I'M GOING TO STOP TALKING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT AND LET YOU ALL ABSORB THAT. AND IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, UM OR ANY OTHER CONCERNS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADDRESS GREAT. THANK YOU. OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, DR MUELLER, SO YOU PUT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY BACK ON THE 26TH . DID WE REMOVE ONE SOMEWHERE ELSE? NO. SO IS THAT CONTRACTUAL THEN WITH YOU STILL HAVE 10 FULL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS. OH, I'M SORRY. YES I'M SORRY.

THERE WERE THERE WERE TWO IN APRIL. I APOLOGIZE. NO NO, THAT'S OK. I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T MESSING UP OUR NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS. SO ONE SUGGESTION FOR THE ALTERNATIVE CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR NEXT YEAR. THERE ARE SEVEN STRAIGHT WEEKS. IN FEBRUARY. RE MARCH. AND INTO APRIL, WHERE THE STAFF HAVE FIVE DAY WEEKS. SEVEN STRAIGHT FIVE DAY WEEKS. IT'S REALLY TOUGH ON MORALE. STAFF BURNOUT. UM, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER BREAKING THAT UP A LITTLE BIT. UH ALSO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE SPRING BREAK. IS BROKEN UP THE WAY IT IS. WHY WE DIDN'T GET A FULL WEEK OFF. I THINK PEOPLE WERE REALLY LOVING. A FULL WEEK. FOR SPRING BREAK.

AND WILL CONTINUOUS WEEK. UM. YOU CAN DRESS THAT? YEAH, GO AHEAD. YEAH, THAT WAS A GREAT RUNDOWN. BY THE WAY. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. UM THE REASON WHY WE ACTUALLY DID. LET'S SEE ONE. THE SLIDE THAT'S UP THERE. NOW THE SPRING BREAK THAT WAY WAS TO GIVE WHAT IS IT? 12345 THE IT ENDS UP BEING 6.5 DAYS. UH, FOR FAMILIES. 5.5 DAYS FOR TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY COME BACK TO ONE PD DAY ON THE 22ND. SO YEAH, ONE OF THE OVERWHELMING COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WASN'T ACTUAL REAL COMMENT WAS TO HAVE THE LONGEST SPRING BREAK POSSIBLE SO THAT I WOULD I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS CALENDAR LIKE IT IS HERE. UH, I APPRECIATE THE ADJUSTED QUARTER DATES BECAUSE WE YOU KNOW, HAD SOME TYPOS ON THAT. IT'S GOOD TO CORRECT THOSE. UM, BUT I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS CALENDAR WITH THE FIVE PD DAYS BEFORE SCHOOL AND THE LONGER SPRING BREAK WELL, BEFORE WE MOVE CAN WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION, PLEASE? OH, YEAH, SURE. SO RIGHT NOW. WE'RE LESS AT LEAST LAST TWO YEARS WE'VE HAD NINE DAYS. NINE PLUS DAYS.

ACTUALLY IT'S 10 DAYS. I BELIEVE SPRING FOR SPRING BREAK, SPRING BREAK AND THERE'S GOING TO BE A WHOLE LOT OF ABSENCES THAT WEEK GUARANTEE IT. LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THAT FOR A WEEK. THEY'RE PLANNING THEY'RE GONNA PLAN VACATIONS AROUND THAT, UM YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE ALTERNATIVE CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE SHOULD LOOK AT NEXT YEAR. MHM. MR SO MAY I ASK A QUESTION WHEN YOU WHEN YOU WERE REFERRING TO THE SEVEN WEEKS IN FEBRUARY, MARCH THROUGH APRIL, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S CALENDAR. IS THAT CORRECT? OK, NOT THIS ONE. WE DO HAVE EARLY DISMISSAL SPRINKLED IN THERE IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH, SO I JUST WANT THOSE ARE JUST FOR STUDENTS, RIGHT? MHM. YES.

WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT STAFF. BUT THEY DO BREAK UP THE WEEK THE INSTRUCTIONAL WEEK. TRUE, YEAH. BUT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO BE THERE THE WHOLE DAY. CORRECT? YEAH. THAT'S MY POINT. YEAH. CAN I COME IN FOR A MOMENT? SO IN MARCH, UM BEING ON THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE ON IN MARCH. I BELIEVE

[02:40:03]

THANK YOU. ANY OPPOSED? I'M SORRY, THREE ABSTENTIONS. UH, M. ROLLO, PLEASE IMPLEMENT A ROLL CALL VOTE. MISS ALVAREZ? YES. MISS BRUCE. I'VE BEEN MISS COKER? YES. DR MILLER ABSTAINED.

MRS PERRY. I'M STAYING. SEROVA HER FRIEND. MR SEWELL STING. MISS STRAUSS? YES. MISS HAN.

YES. MR SEWELL. I'M SORRY. UM PRESIDENT PON. DON'T GIVE HIM TWO VOTES. WHY NOT PASS THAT? YES OK, IT'S UM. HAVE FIVE. MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOVING ON TO ITEM F.

[F. Decision on Site for Combination Harford Academy and New Elementary School Project, Mr. Cornell Brown, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, Mr. Chris Morton, Supervisor of Planning and Construction, and Ms. Missy Valentino, Facilities Planner]

[02:45:03]

UM THAT IS THE SITE THAT WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO DISCUSS, UM THERE WERE OTHER SITES THAT WERE POTENTIAL, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE REQUIRED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COUNTY INVESTMENT. UM IN SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE LEADING UP TO THE SITE. UM SOME OF THE AREAS WERE NOT ACCESSED BY PAVED ROADS , THINGS LIKE THAT, SO THAT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT FROM THE COUNTY. UM SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE NARROWED IT DOWN TO THIS ONE SITE. UM THERE ISN'T A LOT OF INVENTORY IN THE AREA. UM, OTHER PRIORITY FUNDING AREA THAT'S ALSO CENTRALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY, UM, AVAILABLE AND THE SITE IS, UH, REFERRED TO AND WE CALL IT. THE EVEN MORE SITE IS ADJACENT TO THE EVA MAR COMMUNITY OFFER A 543. AND YOU CAN SEE THE SITE IS INSIDE OF THAT PRIORITY FUNDING AREA. UM, JUST DOWN THE ROAD, A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILE AND A HALF FROM THE CURRENT SITE. UM, AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU LOOK, WE HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THE CURRENT EXISTING HARFORD ACADEMY AND HARVARD TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, SO SOME OF THOSE PARTNERSHIPS CAN REMAIN. UM. SO WITH THAT WE DO COME TO THE BOARD AND ASK FOR SITE APPROVAL FOR THIS SITE TO UTILIZE THIS SITE, UM AS A SITE FOR THE SCHOOL, UM, THAT WE ARE PLANNING. THIS INFORMATION IS THEN SUBMITTED TO THE STATE AND HAS TO GO THROUGH AN APPROVAL PROCESS AT THE STATE LEVEL AS WELL. UM, BUT WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS SITE AND THE LOCATION OF THE NEW HARVARD ACADEMY SCHOOL. GREAT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? NO. SO THE RECOMMENDATION? UM THAT WE HAVE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT IS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED THE SITE LOCATED AT 301. NORTH FOUND GREEN ROAD, BELLA. 21015 AND THAT'S MADE UP OF TWO PARCELS. UM PLAT BOOK NUMBER 210 , POLIO. 89 AND PLATT. BOOK NUMBER 203 FOLIO 20. UM AS THE LOCATION FOR THE NEW HARTFORD ACADEMY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMBINATION FACILITY. THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION. WE HAVE, UH BEFORE THE BOARD, UM AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION. UM, AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AROUND THAT OK, GREAT. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. THIS IS MELISSA. UM FIRST LET ME SAY THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO APPROVE. UM THIS LOCATION TO VOTE TO APPROVE THIS LOCATION FOR THE NEW HARVARD ACADEMY SCHOOL. I THINK THIS IS THE PERFECT LOCATION. I DO THINK THAT AFTER TOURING THE EXISTING HARVARD ACADEMY SCHOOL AND SEEING HOW NECESSARY SUPPORT ITEMS AND EDUCATIONAL TOOLS LINE THE HALLWAYS AND NECESSARY SUPPLIES OVERFLOW INTO THE HALLWAYS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADD ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS AND STORAGE AREAS TO THE NEW BUILDING DESIGN. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE PRINCIPAL AND VICE PRINCIPAL OF HARVARD ACADEMY, UM, THEY HAD ONLY ADDED TWO ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS, UM THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE THE ONLY TWO THAT ARE BEING ADDED TO THE FACILITY IN THE NEW SCHOOL, AND I THINK THAT BY THE TIME WE'RE FINISHED BUILDING THE NEW FACILITY WELL, ONCE AGAIN BE DEALING WITH CAPACITY ISSUES AT THAT POINT, SO I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S EASIER TO ADD CLASSROOMS IN SPACE DURING PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION. SO UM , YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN ADDING

[02:50:01]

THANK YOU, MS ANN. ANY OTHER QUE? DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT? I WAS JUST GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT. THAT ONCE WE, UM HAVE COPRO AND WE MOVE FORWARD INTO THE NEXT PHASE, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR THE SCHOOL. UM, WE ARE PREVIOUS APPROVAL. UM, THAT WE SUBMITTED WITH THE, UM SCOPE STUDY. WE WILL BE UPDATING THAT FOR THIS PROPERTY THAT WAS SPECIFIC TO THAT PROPERTY AND SOME OF THE CONFINEMENTS OF THAT PROPERTY. UM SO WE CAN TALK IN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. AND ALSO WORKING WITH OUR STATE PARTNERS, UM, WITH THEIR FUNDING FORMULAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT COME THROUGH YEAH, THE BEAUTY. THE BEAUTY HERE IS, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT AND WITH MS D AND UM, AND RECENT WEEKS, UH, WE'VE OBTAINED THE APPROVAL OF THE STATE ON OUR EDUCATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS. SO NOW THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE IDENTIFIED, YOU KNOW, SITE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE ASPECTS . TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CONCEPTS AND THEN MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE FEEL ARE NECESSARY GIVEN THAT WE NOW HAVE, UM, A SITE THAT WILL OPEN IT. UP A LITTLE BIT FOR A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY IN HOW THE FLOOR PLAN AND LAYOUTS COULD OCCUR. UM, BECAUSE THIS IS THE LARGER SITE. AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL, UM, TO IDENTIFY THOSE STORAGE NEEDS, AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER NEEDS THAT. UM SOME OF THE STAFF DON'T HAVE THE SPACE THEY NEED TO, UM, PERFORM THEIR TASK ON A DAILY BASIS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE THOSE SPACES IDENTIFIED. THANK YOU. THE OTHER THING WE CAN DO IS WE LOOK AT THIS IS WE CAN CREATE ALTERNATES LIKE IF WE WANNA LOOK AT ADDING SPACE CAUSE CHANCES ARE THAT'S GONNA COME IN A LOCAL COST ONLY, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT AND ALSO DESIGN IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT IF YOU WANT TO EXPAND OR ADD TO IT IN THE FUTURE, YOU CAN DO THAT AS WELL. SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. YOU CURIOUS ABOUT THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THESE TWO PARCELS? UM HOW HOW WAS THAT CONDUCIVE TO THE BUILDING, IS IT? EARLY, FLAT OR. SO WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO ANY OF THE SITE DESIGN YET, CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN APPROVED PROPERTY. UH I CAN JUST TELL YOU JUST FROM LOOKING AT IT IT IT APPEARS TO BE A BETTER SITE THAN THE UH, SHUCKS ROAD SITE. HAVING SAID THAT WITH WITH THE, UH, SCOPE STUDY AFTER IT WAS SELECTED IT KIND OF FORCED ALMOST LIKE A WALKOUT BASEMENT LIKE FOREST LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH THE TOPOGRAPHY, SO THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT. YOU KNOW, WITH OUR DESIGN TEAM WITH THE CIVIL ENGINEER I. I THINK THERE'S BETTER OPPORTUNITIES ON THE SITE FROM A SITE DEVELOPMENT. YEAH, BUT THAT . SO THE STRUCTURE OF PROPERTY.

HOW MANY ACRES WAS THAT? I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA JESUS. UH, THE SHUCKS ROAD PROPERTY WAS 31.15 ACRES. THIS ONE IS 44.49. SO IT'S ABOUT 13 ACRES AND THERE'S LIMITING FACTORS WITH THAT, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, THE DISCHARGE PERMIT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON PUBLIC WATER AND SO ON.

SO YOU GOT ALL THE SEPTIC RESERVE AREAS SO YOU LOSE SPACE. SO THIS SITE, WE HAVE PUBLIC WATER AN RIGHT AND THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUT INTO THE PROPERTY OR WE HAVE TO WE STILL UM THAT'S THE SECOND PIECE WE'RE GONNA GET INTO. YOU KNOW, SO RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO BOARD TO APPROVE THE SITE FOR, UM, CONSTRUCTION. FOR A NEW SCHOOL, AND NOW WE CAN GET INTO THE PROPERTY AND THE SECOND PIECE, BUT IF WE COULD OBTAIN THE BOARD'S APPROVAL FOR THE SITE ITSELF AND I THINK WE CAN GET INTO SOME OF THE WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SITE. AT THIS POINT, IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE COMING UP IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, SO IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS ON THE SITE ITSELF, I'LL ENTERTAIN EMOTION. AND AS MA'AM I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE THE SITE.

THANK YOU VERY SECOND. THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES. YES, OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO.

THANK YOU. THE SITE IS APPROVED. MOVING ON TO THE PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS. CORRECT. UM, SO THE NEXT. SO GOING THROUGH THE PURCHASING PROCESS, I GUESS I'M GOING TO WALK BACKWARDS A LITTLE BIT. UM HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, SO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES NOT BUY OR SELL. WE DO NOT BUY OR SELL PROPERTY THAT ALL GOES THROUGH HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT. UM SO HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATED AND REACHED AN AGREEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY. UM PRESBYTERIAN HOME HAD MADE SOME UPGRADES TO THE PROPERTY AND WANT TO RECOUP

[02:55:01]

THAT PLANT WAS ABOUT 3.5 $4 MILLION. FOR THE PROJECT JUST FOR THE PLAN ITSELF. SO AND THAT WAS YEARS AGO. THAT BUILDING'S ABOUT 150,000 SQUARE FEET. THIS BUILDING ARE BEING OVER 200,000 SQUARE FEET AND INFLATION AND TIME, SO I'M I'M JUST GIVING YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE AND YOU HAVE TO KEEP ABOUT THE THIRD OR CORE OF THE PROPERTY ON RESERVE FOR WELL AND SOMETHING. SO IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE, UM YOU KNOW, COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES. UM THEY THEY AGREED TO OBTAIN ENGINEERING DRAWINGS FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER. SHOW THE WORK THAT THEY'VE, UM ACTUALLY COMPLETED. UM THE WORK ON 543 WITH THE ROADS. THE UM THE INTERSECTION, THE ENTRANCE ON TO, UM, THE PROPERTY. UM THE SIGN IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY'VE MADE, UH, WILL GET THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT WE CAN PASS ON TO OUR CONSULTANTS. ONCE WE GET THEM ON BOARD. UM NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING CLOSER TO HAVING A SITE THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY SECURE THE ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS TO WORK TO DESIGN A FACILITY UM, THEY'LL HAVE THOSE, UM, CIVIL DRAWINGS TO LOOK AND SEE. UM WHAT OF THAT WORK COULD ACTUALLY BENEFIT US. SO WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE'LL SAVE YOU KNOW, IN EXCESS OF $5 MILLION BY NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND SOME OF THE OTHER SITE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE WOULD NEED, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ON PUBLIC UTILITIES. SO THERE IS A NET SAVINGS, UM, FOR THE COUNTY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS PROPERTY, EVEN WITH THAT $1.6 MILLION INVESTMENT. UH, BUT WE HAVE TO, UM, TAKE A LOOK AT THE DOCUMENTS TO DETERMINE WHAT CAN WE REUSE? UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY DESIGN THE BUILDING SITUATED ON THE PROPERTY, DETERMINE HOW WE'RE GONNA EGRESS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ACCESS THE SITE WHERE THE UM UTILITY LINES ARE INSTALLED. HOW CAN WE CONNECT TO THEM? ALL OF THAT STUFF NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED THE SIDE AMENITIES WITH THE, UM STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FEATURES WHERE THEY ARE. WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. HOW WILL IT SERVE OUR SCHOOL? UM WE'LL HAVE TO DO THAT EVALUATION AND WE RECEIVED CORRESPONDENCE FROM, UM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE SAYING THAT THEY WORK WITH US IN PRESBYTERIAN TO GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN PASS IT ON TO OUR CONSULTANT SO WE CAN COMPLETE THAT EVALUATION. UM SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS. SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU WERE ASKING. GOT A WHOLE BUNCH MORE OK, THAT'S HELPFUL. RIGHT OK, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PRESENT BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS, OK, WE'LL OPEN IT TO

[03:00:05]

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THE SAME HERE. I'M NOT EXPECTING ANY LIKE BUT WE GOTTA DO THE WE GOTTA DO THE WHY? WHY COULDN'T PRESBYTERIAN HOME USE THIS? I MEAN, THEY THEY'VE HAD THIS FOR HOW MANY YEARS AND THEY WANTED TO BUILD THEIR FACILITY THERE AND WHATNOT. AND WHAT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WHAT HAPPENED THERE? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO DO A PHASE ONE SITE ASSESSMENT AS A PRIVATE I. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. I KNOW WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO, AND THE CURIOUSLY WHAT STOPPED THEM IN THEIR TRACKS BECAUSE THEY WERE CLEARLY MOVING FORWARD WITH USING THIS PLAN FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC, AND NOW THEY CAN'T USE IT. THEY THEY CANNOT USE IT AND THEY NEED TO SELL IT SO DO WE KNOW MY UNDERSTANDING IS PEOPLE WERE STARTING TO INVEST IN THIS AS A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, AND THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH INTEREST FOR THEM TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. SO IT WASN'T LIKE A SHOWSTOPPER FOR US, THEN, RIGHT, OK. SO MY OTHER QUESTION IS MORE LAND. THEN WE NECESSARILY MAY NEED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS SCHOOL. UM, IS THERE ANY, UH. THOUGHT OF WHAT ELSE WE WOULD USE THE PROPERTY FOR OR WHETHER IT MIGHT BE LIKE A LOT OF OUR SCHOOL PROPERTIES. WE KIND OF PARTNER WITH PARKS AND REC OR PARKS AND REC MAY OWN A PIECE OF IT. SO THEY PUT, YOU KNOW FIELDS, YOU KNOW, SOCCER FIELDS NOT COMPLETED ANY EVALUATION OF THE PROPERTY WE JUST APPROVED. COME ON. YOU GOT, LIKE, FIVE MINUTES. WE UM WE NEED TO HAVE THE PROPERTY APPROVED. WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HA HAVE THE PROPERTY AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. UM, BEFORE WE, UM, CAN GO UNDER CONTRACT AND WE WILL BE BACK TO THE BOARD TO GO UNDER CONTRACT FOR THOSE CONSULTING SERVICES. UM BUT YOU DON'T. WE DID NOT WANT TO ENTER INTO ANY CONSULTING SERVICES UNTIL WE HAD A PROPERTY. I USED TO KNOW IF LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES, HARVARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT ARE AND MAYBE I SHOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT THAT UP. MAYBE PARKS AND REC DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD THIS AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, MY GOSH. ARE WE DOING SOME OF THAT PROPERTY NOW? UM, YOU KNOW, I, I SO WE ARE PARTNER AND WE PARTNER WITH PARKS AND REX. EVERY PROJECT AND ACTUALLY THEY THEY WERE PARTNERING WITH US FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GYM. BUT AS WE GOT INTO IT AND MOVED AWAY FROM THE, UH UH, THERAPY, THE THERAPY THANK YOU, THE THERAPY POOL AND AN ADDITIONAL GYM FOR ALL THE STUDENTS AT HARVARD ACADEMY. WELL, I'M SORRY FOR. JOHN OR I DON'T YOU KNOW, FOR THE SPECIAL ED SIDE AND WE DID THE JAM WITH THE THEY'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT ALSO PARTNERING WITH THAT AS WELL. SO WE'RE GONNA GO BACK SO THEY ACTUALLY MIGHT CONTRIBUTE LIKE TWICE WHAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD WANNA, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE TWO GEMS SO NOW THAT WE DO, WE WILL SHARE AND IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THEY WILL SHARE WITH US, SO YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE'RE BETTER BE SHARED BACK . BUT IN ALL OF OUR SPECS MEETINGS TALKING ABOUT THE SPACES SO. I DON'T KNOW IT. HAS IT BEEN TWO WEEKS SINCE WE'VE GOTTEN THE HIT. NO, THAT THEY'VE MOVED ON. IT'S I GUESS IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. UM SINCE THEY'VE COME BACK TO US AND SAID, OK, UM, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, UM, THE 1.6 RECOUPMENT FEE. THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. SO NOW, UM, WE ARE INTERESTED IN, UH, WORKING, UM, WITH ALL OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO MOVE THIS PROJECT FORWARD FOR ONE PURPOSE ONLY SO WE CAN ENGAGE OUR DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, UM, TO DO THE ENGINEERING WORK, SO THAT THIS TIME AROUND NEXT YEAR? UM, WE WOULD HAVE, UM CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS ON THE STREET. AND BIDS RECEIVED SO THAT IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, WE CAN START CONSTRUCTION. THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT IS IF WE, UM, CAN GO INTO A CONTRACT WITH OUR ENGINEERING. UM CONSULTANTS. TO START DOING THE WORK AND TALKING WITH OUR, UM CONSULTANTS. AND I MEAN OUR, UM STAKEHOLDERS LIKE PARKS AND REC. EVALUATING THE SITE, SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. MOVING FROM OUR SPEC INTO THE DESIGN PHASE. WE'VE BEEN AT A SCREECHING HALT FOR OVER A YEAR. WITH WORKING THROUGH, UM, PROGRAM. UM, YOU KNOW ISSUES WITH THE STATE. AND UM, C ISSUES WITH THE STATE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN A DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE AND NOT

[03:05:04]

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. I. I CAN TELL YOU WE'RE GONNA YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE GONNA TRY AND REUSE AS MUCH OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE. TO SAVE MONEY. THAT'S WHAT WE DO, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO.

YOU KNOW, I PRELIMINARY I THOUGHT WE HAD TO PAY FOR SOMEBODY ELSE'S IMPROVEMENTS WHEN THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE THE IMPROVEMENTS WE WOULD DO UNDERSTOOD. THAT THAT IS A RISK.

CAN YOU? I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, MELISSA. I DON'T. I NEVER KNOW WHEN TO CUT IN BECAUSE I CAN'T LIKE, UM SO THE ZONING THE PREVIOUS ZONING THAT I SAW IT WAS ZONED AS R ONE OR YOU GET SPECIAL PERMISSION. UM HAVE WE OBTAINED SPECIAL PERMISSION DO WE ARE WE ABLE TO USE IT FOR OTHER THAN THE R ONE AND THEN ALSO WHEN THIS RECOUPMENT PAYMENT, UM, SLIDE, IT SAYS HTPS COULD UTILIZE FISCAL YEAR 2024 FUNDING TO PAY FOR RECRUITMENT COSTS. UM WHY WOULD WE NOT TAKE THAT OUT OF THE 16 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED? I KNOW THAT IT SAYS PLANNING AND DESIGN. UM BUT IT WAS ALREADY. BASICALLY I MEAN THE RECRUITMENT FEE. COULD YOU JUST ASK WHY? IT'S NOT COMING OUT? ANSWER WHY? IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF THE 16 MILLION THAT WE RECEIVED FROM, UM, THE HARPER COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IN REFERENCE TO. THE THAT'S IN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ALREADY IT IS. THAT'S THE FY 24 FUNDING IS THE 16 MILLION. THAT'S THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM, AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS FALL WITHIN A RESIDENTIAL ZONE AREA BECAUSE THAT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE, SO THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES WITH US. UM MOVING FORWARD IN THAT AREA. THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES WITH THE FREE ZONING. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? NO YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BE REZONED. WE WOULDN'T NEED TO BE. WE WOULD NEED TO BE REZONED BECAUSE WE BUILD WITHIN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES. YOU CAN BORROW SCHOOL ON OUR ONE. YES. STRAUSS.

OK, THANK YOU. YEAH. UM. OVERALL, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THIS PROJECT. HOWEVER I FEEL THAT THERE ARE SO MANY UNKNOWNS AND WERE WERE SPEEDING TOWARDS OBLIGATING FUNDING. WHEN WE JUST DON'T HAVE INFORMATION TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. UM. I WOULD HAVE REALLY LIKED TO HAVE SEEN AS THE TOPIC IN OUR SMALL GROUPS, RIGHT? WE TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS. THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT HERE. UM SO A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS PURCHASE STILL HAS TO MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE BOARD OF ESTIMATES. PERHAPS THE COUNTY COUNCIL I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE NECESSARY APPROVALS IN PLACE BEFORE WE PUT FORWARD THE 1.6. UM MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT'S THE IMPACT? SO WE GAVE THE COUNTY AN ESTIMATE OF 16 MILLION. WHAT'S THE IMPACT ? IF WE NOW GIVE THEM 1.6, AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE DON'T SEE FUNDING AGAIN UNTIL FY 26. SO

[03:10:06]

THEN THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD GO. AND UM, OBLIGATE, UM YOU KNOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WHAT? THEY, UM, BOARD'S APPROVAL. FOR THE FCM SERVICES AND FOR CONSTRUCTION RELATED SERVICES, OK? I SAW THAT WE GOT A COPY OF THE CONTRACT LATE FRIDAY NIGHT. I DON'T KNOW. MISS NEIL, IF YOU'VE HAD TIME TO LOOK AT THAT. I HAVE UM I WAS OUT LAST WEEK, BUT BEFORE I WAS WENT AWAY, UH, MADE SOME AN ADDITIONAL INITIAL MARKUPS, UM, BUT HAVE NOT YET CONSULTED WITH PRESBYTERIANS COUNCIL. UM SO I DID SUGGEST EARLIER TO DOCTOR POINT AND DOCTOR BIN SOME SLIGHTLY MODIFIED LANGUAGE FOR EMOTION THIS EVENING. UM THAT WOULD CONTEMPLATE ACTUALLY GETTING THAT AGREEMENT REVIEWED, NEGOTIATED AND IN PLACE, SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION IS FOR US AS WE'VE APPROVED THE SITE TO MAKE THE FUNDING CONTINGENT ON THE COUNTY EVEN THE NECESSARY APPROVALS FOR THE PURCHASE. SO WHAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION? SO UM WITH COUNCILS, UH, RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS RECOMMENDS THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE ITS AUTHORITY TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WITH PRESBYTERIAN IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,000,606 $660,000 FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE SITE LOCATED AT 301 NORTH FOUNTAIN, GREEN ROAD, BELLA 21015, MADE UP OF. TWO PLAT BOOK NUMBER 210, FOLIO 89 AND PLAT BOOK NUMBER 203 F 20. FEELS LIKE IT'S MISSED SOMETHING. COUNCILOR COUNCILOR. WHAT WAS YOUR RECOMMENDATION TO THAT? THEN AS UH, MR BROWN WORDED IT, UM AND THEN ALSO ADDING THAT, UM, IT WOULD BE CONTINGENT ON HARTFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT'S PURCHASE OF THE PROPERTY FOR THE HARTFORD ACADEMY USE I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION. OK I THOUGHT LAWRENCE SAID SHE WAS. DID YOU SAY YOU WERE MAKING THAT MOTION? THAT WAS MY RECOMMENDATION RECOMMENDATION? OK, SO SORRY. NO I MEAN THAT RECOMMENDATION. SO CARRY YOUR EMOTIONS IN ORDER. I JUST THOUGHT WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. IS THERE A SECOND? THE LESS THAT IN A 2ND, 2ND 3RD AND 4TH M. ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE. ALVAREZ. YES.

MISS BRUCE? YES. MISS COKER? YES. DR MILLER. YES, MISS PERRY. THE SABO? YES. MR SEWELL? YES.

MS STRAUSS? YES. VICE PRESIDENT. HAH! YES. PRESIDENT PLATON THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. THANK

[03:15:04]

[G. Presentation on Quarterly Financial Report for the Period Ending December 31, 2023, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services]

THANK YOU. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON THE, UM CAPITAL PROJECTS ON PAGE 18. AND I KNOW THAT I, UM, HAD TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS TO YOU. I JUST WANTED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE, UM. THE HOW THEY, UM. UM SO WE HAD THE HOMESTEAD HOMESTEAD WAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY PROJECT. AND IT SHOWS THAT IT'S IN AN OVERRUN, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE MONEY. SO DO WE HAVE AN OUTLAY OF MONEY? AND THEN WE WAIT TO GET REIMBURSED. FIRST IT OR IS THIS SHOWING JUST AN AN OBLIGATION? AND OBLIGATE OBLIGATED AMOUNT AND NOT AN EXPENDITURE. SO WHAT DOES THIS SHOW SO THE REASON IT'S SHOWING AS A NEGATIVE RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE THE ENCUMBRANCE IS COMPLETELY. RECORDED SO THE CONTRACT IS RECORDED AS AN ENCUMBRANCE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL, AND I DON'T HAVE THOSE DETAILS IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAPITAL PROJECT APPROVAL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FUNDING IN MULTIPLE YEARS, SO WE DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT FUNDING UNTIL THE BEGINNING OF THE BUDGET YEAR THAT IT APPLIES TO SO JULY 1ST 2025, WE WILL BE GETTING MORE MONEY. APPROPRIATED AND THAT BUDGET WILL INCREASE. AND THEN THAT WILL BRING THAT IN LINE WITH WHERE WE EXPECT TO BE CORRECT. USUALLY BY THE SECOND YEAR OF THE PROJECT, I BELIEVE WE USUALLY ARE THERE BECAUSE THE END OF THE FUNDING IS SMALLER,

[03:20:04]

THE BUDGET ON THE PROJECT. EVERYTHING IS APPROVED THE STATE AWARDS THE COUNTY AWARDS. THEY PROVIDE THIS MONEY. SO WE HAVE THIS BUCKET OF MONEY THAT HAS TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE MR BROWN CAN SPEAK TO EVEN BEFORE THAT. WE'VE NEVER GONE OVER WE CAN'T. WE DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO SPEND MORE THAN WHAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT FOR US AND APPROVED BY THE STATE AND THE COUNTY. SO THE EXPENDITURES ARE LISTED HERE. WHAT WE'VE SPENT SO FAR IN THE ENCUMBRANCE IS THE CONTRACT THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE APPROVED. AND AGAIN, THE BUDGETS WILL CHANGE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK THESE BUDGETS TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED AND APPROVED AS WELL BY THE STATE AND THE COUNTY. THAT'S IN OUR BUDGET BOOK, SO YOU WOULD SEE THAT BUDGET GROW AS THE FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE AT THE FIRST OF EACH. OK? YEAH. OK, THANK YOU. THE 5.2 EXPECTED SURPLUS INCLUDES THE 2.6. OF THE TALK ABOUT. REVENUE SURPLUS 2.6 DUE TO INTEREST, RIGHT? YES YES. SO IT'S 2.5 MILLION IN, UM EXPENDITURES AND 2.5 MILLION IN REVENUE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UM ON SLIDE. SIX IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GOING INTO A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL WITH THAT, UM, BECAUSE IT STATES WHERE TRANSFERRING A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE RESTRICTED FUND. WE ARE, UM, TRANSFERRING 20,681,642. TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND 1 MILLION TO THE EMERGENCY FUEL FUND. UM LEASE PAYMENT FOR DEVICES IS $4 MILLION, AND THEN NON INVENTORY. COULD YOU BREAK

[03:25:04]

[H. Presentation on Proposed New Board Policy Display of Flags, Kimberly H. Neal, Esq., General Counsel ]

HOME STRETCH. GOOD EVENING. UM I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT, UM, A NEW POLICY THAT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED, UM, TO THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE ON OCTOBER THE 18TH AND THEN WAS AGAIN DISCUSSED ON DECEMBER THE 13TH AT OUR MEETING. UM ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CONSENSUS REACHED, UM, BY THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE, UM THIS BOARD DID ELECT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS VERSION THAT HAS BEEN UPLOADED, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION TO GO OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, AND I CAN JUST WALK THROUGH THAT. UM, SO THIS POLICY, THE PURPOSE WAS TO ESTABLISH A UNIFORM COUNTYWIDE POLICY IN REGARD TO THE DISPLAY OF FLAGS. WE DID ADD , UM TWO DEFINITIONS TO KEEP INFORMED WITH, UM WHAT OUR TYPICAL POLICIES LOOK LIKE, UM, HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, AND, UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN REFERENCED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE EVENING, BUT, UM THE STATEMENT OF POLICY DOES INCLUDE A REFERENCE TO THE STATUTE THAT SPEAKS TO, UM, PATRIOTIC OBSERVANCES, AND I DO HAVE A COPY OF IT IN CASE THERE'S QUESTIONS. RELATED TO THE STATUTE, BUT IT IS IN THE EDUCATION ARTICLE IN SECTION 17-105. A UM, SPEAKING TO, UM PATRIOTISM AND AMERICANS AND THEIR FLAGS, UM AND COUNTRY, SO THIS PARTICULAR STATEMENT OF POLICY ALSO GOES ON TO, UM, EXPLAIN THE FLAGS THAT WOULD BE APPROVED ALREADY BY THE BOARD.

UM WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE CURRENT MARYLAND FLAG? THE CURRENT HARTFORD COUNTY FLAG, UM , FLAGS THAT ARE USED AS PART OF A TEMPORARY UNIT OF STUDY WITHIN THE APPROVED CURRICULUM FLAGS OR BANNERS THAT DENOTE A RECOGNITION OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ARE APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO. BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL. GREEN SCHOOL PBS SCHOOL, ET CETERA. UM MP SSA A OR OTHER SIMILAR SPORT TOURNAMENT BANNERS RECOGNIZING THE PARTICIPATION OF A SCHOOL TEAM BANNERS FROM COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES OR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM AND FLAGS OF COUNTRIES REPRESENTING THE MANY NATIONS OF THE WORLD MAY BE SHOWN IN THE COMMON AREAS OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING AS A MULTINATIONAL DISPLAY IN A MANNER FOR PURPOSES APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. SUPERINTENDENT PROVIDED THAT NO SUCH FLAGS MAY BE AS LARGE OR AS PROMINENT AS THE CURRENT AMERICAN FLAG. UM THAT IS, IT'S A PRETTY SHORT PAGE AND A HALF.

UM AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE, UM, OBVIOUSLY, THERE CAN BE A DISCUSSION THIS EVENING AND WHATEVER VERSION COMES OUT OF THIS EVENING WOULD BE POSTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR 30 DAYS.

[03:30:01]

OK, AND I THINK SOME OF THE EARLIER PROPOSALS FOR THIS POLICY DID NOT PRECLUDE STUDENTS FROM WEARING LIKE T-SHIRTS THAT HAD FLAGS ON THEM AND WOULD NOT LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO SUPPORT A FLAG IN. AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, LIKE A T SHIRT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT. UM SO THERE WERE. THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED IN POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND I DON'T RECALL EITHER ONE SPEAKING TO SHIRTS. I DO THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS RAISED AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, UM, BASED ON THIS POLICY AND HOW HOW IT MIGHT BE INTERPRETED, BUT, UM, BECAUSE WE HEARD A LOT, UM TONIGHT IN PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD LIMIT, UM, FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF THE STUDENTS, BUT, UM, NOT SURE THAT THAT THAT THIS POLICY WOULD DO THAT. I MEAN, I SEE THIS POLICY AS A AS A, UM I AM. TO HELP. CREATE NEUTRALITY AND TO WE ALSO HEARD A LOT ABOUT NONPARTISAN, UM. THERE THE SCHOOLS THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE AND YOU KNOW, HAVE A PARTISAN, UM, ENVIRONMENT. UM SO, I, I SUPPORT THIS POLICY. I DO THINK THIS POLICY IS SPEAKING TO FLYING A FLAG OR BANNER OR A FIXING IT SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT POSTING OR FIXING IT TO GROUNDS OF THE SCHOOL, UM, AND LOCATIONS IN THE SCHOOL, SO JUST , YOU KNOW, RIGHT SITTING HERE RIGHT HERE LOOKING AT IT. UM, I WOULD WOULD NOT THINK THIS WOULD EXTEND TO THE SHIRTS AS YOU'VE MENTIONED, BUT I DON'T RECALL A PRIOR VERSION THAT SPECIFICALLY SPOKE TO THAT. YEAH, AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME POLICIES THAT I'VE SEEN IN OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT MENTIONED THAT UM SO CAN I SAY THANK YOU? YES, MA'AM. I HAVE, UH OH. OK? UM. I DON'T WANNA BEAT AROUND THE BUSH WITH THIS POLICY BECAUSE ANYONE WHO READS IT OR ANY STUDENT WHO READS IT, IT IS CLEARLY TARGETING A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN OUR SYSTEM AND YOU KNOW IT REALLY JUST SHOWS. WHAT THE TRUE INTENTIONS OF YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE FOR THE BOARD, YOU KNOW? ARE WE REALLY TRYING TO BETTER THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS IN SCHOOLS? I MEAN, OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, YOU KNOW WHAT ARE WHERE ARE OUR TRUE INCENTIVES? LYING UM, MULTIPLE STUDENTS JUST TODAY CAME AND EXPRESSED HOW THIS WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL FOR THEIR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS, AND I'M SURE MANY WOULD FEEL THE SAME. ALREADY. WE HAVE STUDENTS REACHING OUT AND SAYING THEY CAN'T CONNECT, OR THEY DON'T SEE A STAFF MEMBER, A TEACHER. THEY CAN RESONATE WITH OR THEY, UM OR THEY, UM. THEY COULD RESONATE WITH AND THEY CAN AGREE TO ON CERTAIN THINGS, SO JUST LIMITING THIS FOR TEACHERS AND HOW THEY CAN DISPLAY THEIR, UM PRIDE IN THEIR NATIONALITIES AND THEIR FLAGS. YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD ONLY BE WORSE FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT. SO I CAN'T STAND BEHIND A POLICY LIKE THIS. AND IN ANY BOARD MEMBER WHO DOES IT REALLY JUST SHOWS. WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO FOR OUR STUDENTS, BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY NOT HELPING UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BRUCE. YES, UM I GUESS I HAD A QUESTION. UM ABOUT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICY MAINTENANCE. IT'S A REFERENCE.

AND IT LISTS THE BOARD PRESIDENT. SO YOU KNOW, IN TWO YEARS OR THE NEXT BOARD PRESIDENT WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS. BECAUSE I HAVE NOT SEEN YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF CONFUSING TO ME. I SEE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD SIGN IT. APPROVE IT. BUT I I'M I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. BUT THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS UM, DOCTOR MULE AND I WITH THE OLD POST ROAD. AND MR WOOTON HAD A. A BEAUTIFUL BLACK HISTORY. I MEAN, IT WAS. IT'S HUGE. AS YOU COME INTO THE SCHOOL. AND IT HAD ALL KINDS OF FACTS ON IT. AND I EVEN ASK, YOU KNOW, WHERE DID HE

[03:35:06]

UM. I'M SURE THAT'S THE CASE IN A LOT OF CASES, BUT THAT'S SEPARATE FROM A FLAG POLICY. I THINK YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S A SEPARATE THE OK BECAUSE AN AMERICAN FLAG IS THERE. THEY WON'T FIND A TEACHER THAT THEY RESONATE WITH I. I JUST SEE THAT AS TWO SEPARATE THINGS. OK ANY OTHER FLAG THAT SO A STUDENT IS MARGINALIZED OR MIGHT IS A MINORITY OR MARGINALIZED STUDENT. AND THEY ALREADY CAN'T FIND A TEACHER. THAT IS. MAYBE I DON'T KNOW THE SAME ETHNICITY.

MAYBE THEY CAN RELATE TO THEM AND AS ANOTHER FLAG, ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT THEY HAVE A COMMON INTEREST IN, YOU KNOW, LIMITING THIS LIMITS TEACHER EXPRESSION AND STUDENTS KNOW LESS ABOUT THEIR TEACHERS AND WHO'S TEACHING THEM AND THEY CAN'T YOU RELATED THEM ON OTHER THINGS THAT THEY ALSO PARTICIPATE IN JUST NOT SURE LIMITS TEACHER EXPRESSION BECAUSE AGAIN WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT DISPLAYS. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING ANYBODY WEARS OR SAYS ON ON IN THIS POLICY. UM I JUST I THINK IT'S VALUABLE BECAUSE IT UNITES US ALL UNDER THE FLAG AND BE CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE. WE DON'T WANT TO OPEN OURSELVES TO GRIEVANCES FROM, SHOULD WE? WE CANNOT POST EVERY SINGLE FLAG THAT THERE IS. I KNOW EVERYBODY'S SHAKING THEIR HEADS. BUT YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO SOMEONE COMES IN WITH A FLAG THAT YOU DON'T LIKE. CAN YOU POST THAT TOO? HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO ONE FLAG AND NOT ANOTHER FLAG THAT THAT'S THE PROBLEM YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP FOR, YOU KNOW A LOT OF OTHER FLAG REQUESTS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT WANT ALL THOSE FLAGS. UM AND YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY NOW THE FLAGS IN THE BATHROOMS. I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT WASN'T THE INTENT OF THAT LANGUAGE, BUT WE CAN EDIT THE LANGUAGE. OBVIOUSLY THE LANGUAGE HAS TO BE SO THAT THE FIRST IS PRESENTED IN THE POLICY COMMITTEE TOO. I DID I. I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT ONE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CAUSE DIVISION HONESTLY. UM YOU KNOW WHEN SOMEONE COMES IN, AND THERE'S THAT FLAG, JUST AS MANY PEOPLE MIGHT FEEL, UM NOT INCLUDED BECAUSE OF A PARTICULAR FLAG, SO YOU'VE GOT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE INCLUDED. YOU WANNA INCLUDE EVERYONE? UNDER THE AMERICAN FLAG. THAT'S WHY WE SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETINGS. UM SO REAL, THE INTENT. EVERYBODY'S ASSUMING SOME NEFARIOUS INTENT. THAT'S NOT THE INTENT AT ALL.

IT'S CONTRADICTORY. WE MAKE EVERYONE FEEL WELCOME EVERY DAY THROUGH OUR ACTIONS THROUGH OUR BEHAVIORS. IF YOU NEED A FLAG TO FEEL WELCOME. I THINK YOU NEED TO KIND OF THINK. WE SHOULDN'T BE TRAINING PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A FLAG TO FEEL WELCOME. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE TRAINED. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TURN TO A FLAG TO FEEL WELCOME. BUT AT OUR SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS WERE ALREADY THAT INCLUSIVE FOR THOSE SPECIFIC STUDENTS, THEN THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO TURN FULL FLAG. BUT A FLAG IS ALL THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW. THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE TO EXPRESS THEIR PRIDE COMFORTABLY, AND SOME DON'T EVEN CAN'T EVEN DO THAT COMFORTABLY. AND WE'RE ALREADY TAKING THAT AWAY FROM THEM. UH, YOU KNOW, I AGREE. WE SHOULDN'T CAUSE DIVISION OR ANYTHING, BUT

[03:40:04]

[03:45:01]

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING WE CAN REFER TO, UM OUR LEGAL SUPPORT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR YEARS, AND I THINK TO THIS POINT QUITE SUCCESSFULLY. YES, THAT'S THAT.

THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING WE'RE CREATING SOMETHING THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL OH, I'M NOT SURE WHY WE FEEL WE HAVE TO PUT THE POLICY OUT IF, AS I SAID BEFORE, A BIG FLAG THAT WAS DOWN AT OLD POST ROAD. IF HE HAD, HE WOULD THEN HAVE TO COME TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ASK FOR APPROVAL TO PUT IT UP. IT'S A BANNER SOMEBODY COULD COME AND SAY OK, I WANT TO PUT IT UP. I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT IF IT WOULD BE RELEVANT TO A LESSON THAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOL WITH APPROVED CURRICULUM, THEN IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE UM, APPROVED FROM WHAT I THIS WAS IN THE CLASSROOM. THIS IS IN THE HALLWAY OF THE SCHOOL. EVERYBODY SEES IT WHEN THEY COME IN. IT'S NOT A CURRICULUM. IT'S A BLACK HISTORY BANNER. HUGE. THAT HANGS THERE. SO I'M SAYING. IF NOW, NEXT YEAR HE'D HAVE TO COME TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO GET PERMISSION TO PUT IT UP. JUST AS HE GETS PERMISSION. WOULD IT NOT BE THAT SOMEONE WOULD GO AND SAY OK, I WANT THE GAY FRIED FLAG HUNG HERE THEY COME TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SAY WHY I CAN I CAN WE PUT THAT UP? NOW WHEN YOU GET TO THE PART WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT TRUMP VERSUS DEMOCRAT . WE SAID IT'S NONPARTISAN. SO THOSE ARE POLITICAL THINGS, AND I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD MAKE A DECISION ON THAT'S NOT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT THAT'S YOUR OPINION, AND SOMEBODY ELSE'S OPINION COULD BE DIFFERENT. IF I IS A FLAG, YOU YOU GAVE YOUR OPINION AND WE LISTENED, AND I'M ENTITLED TO MINE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO WE VOTE BASED ON THAT. I THINK SOME OF THESE FLAGS ARE CONSIDERED POLITICAL ISSUES, AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM. IT CREATES DIVISION BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT, UM SUPPORT THE FLAGS AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T SUPPORT THE FLAGS. UM AND SO YOU KNOW, THEY DO BECOME POLITICAL ISSUES. AND WE REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, NEED TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE'RE NOT, UM, POLITICIZING THE STUDENTS. JUST LIKE IT IS. I'M SORRY, JUST LIKE IT'S DIVISIVE RIGHT HERE ON THE BOARD. IT'S DIVISIVE IN A HALLWAY IN A CLASSROOM OR ANYWHERE IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND OUR JOB AS A BOARD AND AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TO SUPPORT EACH AND EVERY CHILD IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE SHOULDN'T BE TRYING TO CAUSE DIVISION IN OUR HALLWAYS. OK BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS BOARD AND OUR HALLWAYS IS THAT WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER, BUT COMPLETELY ELIMINATING THE OPTION OF INTRODUCING THE CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE. HOW IS THAT ANY BENEFICIAL TOWARDS OUR STUDENTS? YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING PROBLEM SKILLS AND HEARING OTHER PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVES AND POLITICAL OPINIONS. HOW WOULD THAT BE BETTER LIMITING THIS ISN'T LIMITING CONVERSATION, AND IT'S

[03:50:05]

THE IDEA OF LEGISLATING IT DOWN TO THE SPECIFICITY. I DON'T SEE. MAKING THIS PROCESSING EASIER.

IT'S MORE LIKELY IN MY MIND TO CREATE EVEN MORE CHALLENGES. UM, AND THEN WHAT'S THE CONSEQUENCES? SO I MEAN, IT'S I MEAN, I THINK THIS CAN APPLY IN MANY DIFFERENT PLACES. I MEAN, WE STRUGGLE WITH THINGS LIKE DRESS CODES. YOU KNOW THEY'RE A GUIDE. YOU CAN NEVER GET THEM DOWN TO THE VERY FINEST DETAIL TO MAKE. SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE SITUATION CAN BE CAPTURED IN THE POLICY. BECAUSE THERE ARE ALWAYS . ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO IS CREATIVE ENOUGH TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T QUITE FIT. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THIS QUESTION OF WHAT'S A FLAG. AND WHAT ISN'T A FLAG. IS IT A BANNER? IS IT A FLAG? THE POSTER. UM AND SO. YOU KNOW, WE FIND OURSELVES AT THE END OF THE DAY. THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A LINE WHERE WERE ALLOWED TO USE OUR DISCRETION.

REQUIRED TO USE OUR DISCRETION AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS PERFECT. UM, BUT. IT'S WORKED QUITE WELL UP TO THIS POINT AGAIN. HAVE THERE BEEN CHALLENGES? SURE, MINOR ONES. BUT I SOMEHOW SUSPECT THAT THIS WOULD AMPLIFY THEM AS OPPOSED TO DIMINISH THEM. SO THAT'S. THANK YOU TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COUNTIES. AT LEAST ONE I'M FAMILIAR WITH THAT HAS IMPLEMENTED A SIMILAR POLICY WHICH PASSED, YOU KNOW SOME FAILED SOME PASSED. DO YOU KNOW WHY THEY IMPLEMENTED IT? WERE THEY TRYING TO SOLVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT SOME BOARD MEMBERS HERE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE? OR WAS IT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS? I BELIEVE IT WAS SIMILAR. BUT UM, I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE, BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN THE TRANSCRIPT. BUT I DO. I DO KNOW THAT CARROLL COUNTY HAS, UM, ON THEIR BOOKS, A SIMILAR POLICY. AND I CAN SPEAK TO THE PROCESS IN AN ARUNDEL COUNTY. I HAD THE CHANCE TO SEE THIS. PRESENTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT RECENTLY, UM IN THE COUNTY. THEY CONSIDERED A FLAG POLICY SIMILAR TO THIS BUT IT DID NOT RECEIVE THE SUPPORT OF ITS POLICY COMMITTEE AND THUS WAS NOT BROUGHT FORWARD FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AN ARUNDEL SAID BONA FIDE EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. FOR THE FLAG. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO. WE'RE TRYING TO STOP ANY KIND OF DIVISIVE. SYMBOLISM IN OUR SCHOOLS BY ANY FLAGS THAT DON'T SUPPORT EVERY STUDENT IN THE IN THE BUILDING, SO THE BONA FIDE EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE THAT'S WHAT AN ARUNDEL SAID. AND AS OF NOW, OUR POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE DOESN'T HAVE ANY CRITERIA THAT

[03:55:03]

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IS, UM NO FLAGS CAN BE AS LARGE OR AS PROMINENT AS THE CURRENT AMERICAN FLAG. WHICH MAKES ME WONDER. IN A CLASSROOM. MAYBE THEY HAVE A SMALLER FLAG.

SOMEBODY BRINGS IN A FLAG LIKE, UM MRS BRUCE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH BANNER, WHICH WAS GORGEOUS. BY THE WAY. UM AND THAT'S BIG. IT WAS BIG AND SO THEY COULD NOT DISPLAY THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD BE MORE PROMINENT THAN THE CURRENT AMERICAN FLAG. I'M NOT CERTAIN, BUT I THINK THAT LANGUAGE THAT WAS IN THERE IS FROM THE GUIDANCE ON HOW THE AMERICAN FLAG IS SUPPOSED TO BE DISPLAYED WHEN DISPLAYED WITH OTHER FLAGS IN A FORMAL SETTING. SO NOT WHAT IT ACTUALLY SAYS. I GUESS I GUESS IT'S PROBABLY THE PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THIS. IT'S MAYBE YOU WERE THINKING ONE THING, BUT SAID SOMETHING ELSE. WHAT IF IT SAID PERMANENT, OBVIOUSLY IS THE FLAG WHEN YOU PUT UP A FLAG? THAT'S THAT'S PER AMERICAN FLAG LIKE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THAT'S A UNIT OF STUDY. SO THAT'S THE IT WASN'T. IT WASN'T IN THE CLASSROOM. IT WAS IN THE HALLWAY , AND THIS IS ONLY OTHER FLAGS OR BANNERS THAT MAY BE FLOWN, POSTED OR FIXED TO THE GROUND STADIUM FENCE WALL DOORS AND THIS WAS HUNG IN THE HALLWAY FROM THE CEILING. WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THAT'S PART OF OUR CURRICULUM. THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE CELEBRATE, SO WHY WOULD THAT NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE CURRICULUM? AMERICAN FLAG? YES SO JUST CHANGE THAT LAST WORD TO PERMANENT. I THINK THAT THAT'S THAT'S IT LIKE LIKE IS SAYING IF IT'S IF IT'S IF IT IS SEVERAL FLAGS DISPLAYED TOGETHER , NONE SHOULD BE AS LARGE AS THE MARYLAND. I MEAN THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND THAT IS ACTUALLY MARILYN KUMAR CODE THAT SAYS THAT YEAH, AND THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD APPLY TO BANNERS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS WAS A BANNER. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME LANGUAGE. THAT KIND OF LOOKS AT BANNERS BECAUSE BANNERS WOULD TYPICALLY BE BIGGER THAN A FLAG. THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD TYPICALLY BE LARGER BANNERS OR SO THERE IS. WE SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK. THERE IS SO THAT LANGUAGE CAME FROM PUBLIC LAW 94344 FEDERAL FLAG CODE, WHICH CONTAINS RULES FOR DISPLAYING THE US FLAG AGAINST OTHER FLAGS. I HAVE A QUESTION WHEN THIS GOES OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IS IT GOING TO BE COUNTED? HOW MANY FOUR AGAINST THE POLICY? YOU KNOW I CAN RECOUNT. OR IS IT JUST GONNA BE PUBLIC COMMENT? WELL I MEAN, IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A SURVEY. WELL OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL RECEIVE EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC. WE CAN TRY TO IF IT BECAUSE TONIGHT WE'VE HAD PEOPLE IN OPPOSITION AND WHO SUPPORT IT. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING THE QUESTION. IF WE LOOK AT HOW MANY OPPOSITION HOW MANY SUPPORT THEN WE WOULD BE GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT. I GET THE WORLD RECORD ON A NUMBER OF COMMENTS RECEIVED THAT'S GOOD. THE CALENDAR THE CALENDAR IS GOING TO BE HARD TO BEAR. ALL RIGHT, ARE THERE ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND SO WE DO WANT TO MAKE THE CHANGE THAT MS ALVAREZ PROPOSED BEFORE POSTING CORRECT. NO FLAGS IN THE

[I. Superintendent's Report]

[04:00:06]

ALL RIGHT. UM COME IN QUICKLY, UH, KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE FRIDAY MARCH 1 2024 SO UM. AGAIN. IT'S HARD TO PUT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OUT TO PROSPECTIVE KINDERGARTEN FAMILIES IF THEY DON'T HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL, SO IF YOU KNOW ANYBODY WHO IS LOOKING TO REGISTER, PLEASE, UH, GET THE WORD OUT ANY WAY YOU CAN, UM SO LEARNING TO GATHER APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN. ALSO BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THIS AFTERNOON. IF YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS THREE OR FOUR YEARS OLD IS ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE THE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS AND GUARDIANS, A FORMER PARTICIPANTS ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, SO IT'S THAT'S KIND OF A UNIQUE PROGRAM. AND UM, SO AGAIN , GET THE WORD OUT IF WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR YEAR OLD OLDS OUT THERE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, UM MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN, UM REGISTERING FOR LEARNING TOGETHER. WANT TO PUT A THANK YOU OUT TO THE HARTFORD EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR THE SUPPORT OF LITTLE'S UNIVERSITY AND TO THE HCPS STAFF. THE DUTY CENTERS LAST WEEK. THEY WELCOMED MS LATER TO READ THE BOOK. THE FEBRUARY BOOK, UH, TO THEIR PLAYGROUPS AT DEERFIELD, WJZZWJZ JOINED THEM AND SHARED THE TWO PROGRAMS IN A STORY LAST WEEK. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU CAN FIND THE LINK ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. UM AND SO NOW TO OUR BIGGER STUDENTS, UH, I THINK, UM MS STRAUSS MENTIONED I THINK I MENTIONED LAST UM TIME I WAS HERE, OUR P TECH STUDENTS WHO WERE SWORN INTO THEIR INTERNSHIPS AT C COM HEADQUARTERS AT A PG. UM THAT PAID INTERNSHIP IS PART OF THEIR CAPSTONE. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THOSE STUDENTS. UM AN UPDATE SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING. I THINK I MENTIONED THAT TRACY, UH, PINCH WAS NOMINATED BY HARTFORD COUNTY FOR, UM, MARYLAND. UH, LIBRARIAN OF THE YEAR. UH, SO SHE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE 11 FINALISTS IN THE STATE FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY OF THE YEAR AND BY THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIES. UM THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN MAY, UM THIS AWARD RECOGNIZED FOR EXEMPLARY SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HER, UM, FEBRUARY 15TH, THE, UM JPA TOWN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, UM, HAD A WHO WERE PART OF THE OPPORTUNITIES IN CYBERSECURITY EVENT. HEARD FROM BRIGADIER GENERAL BARKER UM DOUG RIZAL AND LIEUTENANT GENERAL CHARLES L. MOORE I, UM, HEARD THAT WAS A VERY ENGAGING EVENT. I DID NOT.

I WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THAT ONE. BUT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE AREA OF CYBERSECURITY HERE FROM SUCH EXPERTS IN THAT FIELD, AND FINALLY, THE MONTH OF MARCH IS DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH. UH, NEXT WEEK, MARCH 3RD THROUGH NINE. HIS SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK WEEK, SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING AND THANKING OUR GET A GROUP OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND ALL THEY DO TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. UM WHERE'S THIS FROM? THIS WAS HANDED TO ME . IN ADDITION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT NEED A LAPTOP SO HARTFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS AND VETERANS MAY QUALIFY FOR A FREE LAPTOP THROUGH THE MARYLAND CONNECTED DEVICES PROGRAM TO HELP LOW INCOME FAMILIES CONNECT TO THE INTERNET. UM THE DISTRIBUTION EVENT IS SATURDAY MARCH 9TH 2024 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. AT EDGEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY AT 629 EDGEWOOD ROAD. SO, UM. I GUESS. SPREAD THE WORD ON THAT ONE AS WELL. BUT FOR ANYONE INTERESTED MARCH 9TH AT EDWARD PUBLIC LIBRARY, 10 TO 2. AND THAT COMPLETES MY REPORT. WE WILL SEE YOU AT THE NEXT ONE. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING IN PURSUIT OF HAVING THE BEST EDUCATION SYSTEM I

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.