[B. Presentation on Career and Technical Education Citizens Advisory Committee, Mr. Joe Connolly, Supervisor of CTE and Magnet Programs, and Miss Madisyn Bobb, Student at Harford Technical High School]

TO ITEM B PRESENTATION ON CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE LIKE TO WELCOME MR JOE CONNELLY, SUPERVISOR OF CTE AND MAGNET PROGRAMS, AND MISS MADISON, BOB STUDENT AT HARVARD TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. WELCOME.

THANK YOU. AND GOOD EVENING BOARD PRESIDENT PONTON VICE PRESIDENT. HAH! SUPERINTENDENT PAULSON. AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AGAIN. I'M JOE CONNELLY, SUPERVISOR OF CTE AND MAGNET PROGRAMS, AND I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT YOU INFORMATION. ON OUR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. WITH ME. TONIGHT IS MISS MADISON BOB. WHO ATTENDS HARTFORD TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. AS A JUNIOR AND AS OUR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE COMMITTEE.

AS YOU CAN SEE OUR CTE. CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP. IS AN ALL ENCOMPASSING GROUP REPRESENTING HARFORD COUNTY. AS MENTIONED. WE HAVE A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE. A TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE. ALONG WITH OUR HARFORD COUNTY OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MENTOR MEMBERS OF OUR CENTRAL OFFICE, STAFF AND SCHOOL STAFF. A MEMBER FROM OUR LOCAL PARTNERSHIP WITH HCC. OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD. SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK. AND MEMBERS FROM INDUSTRY. FOR THIS YEAR, OUR COMMITTEE WENT THROUGH A SELECTION PROCESS WITH THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA. INTEREST IN THE COMMITTEE. EXPERTISE IN AN AREA BURIED BACKGROUNDS AND REPRESENTING VARIOUS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS WITHIN OUR COUNTY TO GO ALONG WITH AVAILABILITY. OUR MEMBERS SERVE AS ADVOCATES AND ADVISORS FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE LOOK AT TRENDS IN DATA. EMERGING CAREERS AND HOW TO BEST SUPPORT OUR CTE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, WHILE BEST INVOLVING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

TO THAT END, WE LOOK FOR PARTICIPATION WITHIN OUR 10, MARYLAND CTE CAREER CLUSTERS. AS YOU CAN SEE, HERE ARE OUR 10, MARYLAND CTE CAREER CLUSTER AREAS. SO THOSE ARE ARTS, MEDIA

[00:30:01]

AND COMMUNICATIONS, CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. HUMAN RESOURCE SERVICES, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT. CONSUMER SERVICES, HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM, HEALTH AND BIOSCIENCES, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES. AND THESE REALLY HELP, UH, FROM OUR OUR CONTENT PERSPECTIVE, OUR PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OUR STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES IN APPRENTICESHIPS. RCTE COMMITTEE CHARGES ARE THAT WE EVALUATE THE CTE PROGRAMS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

AND WE'VE ALSO ADVOCATING FOR ALLOWING CHOICE FOR OUR CTE PROGRAMS WITHIN UNIFIED ARTS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS WITH OUR ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE TRACKS. WE LOOK AT LOCAL WORKFORCE NEEDS AND DATA FROM OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD. THEY ARE THE SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK. WE LOOK AT OUR GRANT PROGRAMS INVOLVING FUNDING AND WE WILL GET REPORTS ON OUR HARFORD YOUTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROGRAM AND OUR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AS IT IS MAKING PROGRESS IN TERMS OF EVENTS. BUSINESSES AND STUDENT PARTICIPATION. SOME OF THE TOPICS WE'VE COVERED THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE PERKINS GRANT. THIS IS THE PERKINS FIVE GRANT, WHICH ESSENTIALLY AFFORDS STATES. AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT A VISION FOR CTE THAT SUPPORTS THE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS. THROUGH EXPLORATION. FOR CAREERS AND BALANCES THOSE NEEDS OF LEARNERS WITHIN THE ECONOMY. OUR MARYLAND WORKS GRANT, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW UP TO OVER 100 AND 50 STUDENTS AND COUNTING. OUR HARTFORD YOUTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROGRAM. WHICH IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HC, WHERE STUDENTS EARN NON CREDIT THROUGH HCC, BUT CREDIT THROUGH HCPS FOR TRAINING THAT CAN LEAD TO CREDENTIALING. AND IMMEDIATE IMPORTANCE IN THE LOCAL WORKFORCE. RHC UPDATES ON NEW PROGRAMS, NEW LOCATIONS AND HOW TO FURTHER EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIP. DATA, WHETHER FROM OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD. BASED ON OUR PROGRAMS OF STUDY INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS, WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO REACH OUR 45% OF OUR BLUEPRINT GOAL. OUR COMPREHENSIVE LOCAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT. WHICH WAS JUST CONDUCTED WITH THE STATE ON FRIDAY. THIS TAKES THIS DICTATES GOALS AND CONNECTIONS TO OUR LOCAL APPLICATION SUBMITTED YEARLY THROUGH OUR PERKINS GRANT. AS WELL AS OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL INNOVATION. AND THE HIGHLIGHTING OR PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS OF EACH OF OUR MAGNET AND SIGN SIGNATURE PROGRAMS. AS FAR AS ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS YEAR . WE'VE LOOKED AT THE LOCAL JOB MARKET AND PRESENTED DATA REGARDING TOP JOBS IN HARTFORD COUNTY. WE'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF ALIGNING THOSE NEEDS TO OUR PROGRAMS OF STUDY AS WELL AS APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES. AS AN EXAMPLE. WE ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE COORDINATING WITH THE SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK. AND THE COLLEGE TO AFFORD THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR ITO A OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ORACLE ACADEMY STUDENTS. TO ATTEMPT JAVA AND DATABASE INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL.

IN ADDITION, WORKING TOWARDS AREAS OF NEED THAT AREN'T COVERED WITHIN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE COVERED WITH OUR NON CREDIT COURSE WORK THROUGH OUR HARFORD YOUTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROGRAM FOR OUR HCC PARTNERSHIP. ADDITIONALLY OUR COMMUNITY INITIATIVES AND DISCUSSIONS ARE VERY FRUITFUL. WE HAVE HAD A MEMBER, UM OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DISCUSS COUNTY PROGRESS AND HOW WE CAN ALIGN OUR PROGRAMMING AND APPRENTICESHIP TO AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT. AT THIS TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO REINTRODUCE MISS MADISON BOB STUDENT MEMBER OF OUR CT, AC, TEC AC COMMITTEE AND CURRENT JUNIOR IN THE WELDING PROGRAM AT HARTFORD TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. SO WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR ROLE AND HOW HAVE YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE COMMITTEE? I HAVE BEEN THE STUDENT VOICE FOR THIS COMMITTEE. I'VE SHARED SOME IDEAS TO THE COMMITTEE REGARDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES. I'VE ALSO SHARED WITH THE WORLD AND PROGRAM HAS TO OFFER. AND I ALSO ORGANIZE OTHER TECH AREAS LIKE THE TEACHERS. UM AND THEN INVITING THEM TO OUR MEETINGS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR PROGRAM HAS TO OFFER. GREAT AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH THAT THIS YEAR. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM BEING ON THE COMMITTEE? I LEARNED THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL

[00:35:05]

SYSTEM. UM, GOOD AND A BENEFIT THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS PROVIDING FREE TUTORING, APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WISH TO SHARE AT THIS TIME. I LIKE TO THANK, MISTER FOR PRESENTING THIS OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO ME TO BE THE STUDENT VOICE FOR THIS YEAR, AND I'M EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO BE THE STUDENT OF VOICE FOR NEXT YEAR OR TWO.

EXCELLENT AND AGAIN. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZING. UM SOME OF THE REPORTS THAT COME OUT. UM AND YOU'VE BEEN AN EXCELLENT MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE. SO THANK YOU.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION, AND WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION NEXT YEAR AS A SENIOR. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION, AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY ARE OPEN TO ANY, UH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL UH OPEN UP FOR THE BOARD. MISS COKER. GOOD JOB. THAT NO, THANK YOU. JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, AND GREAT JOB. I APPRECIATE YOU. JUMP. NO HARD QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS ARE OFF THE HOOK. YOU WERE THAT GOOD. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM C PRESENTATION OF ORACLE

[C. Presentation of Oracle Cloud Implementation, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Mr. Jose Peres, Sr. Director, Cherry Road Technologies, Stephen Lange, President & COO, Cherry Road Technologies, and Ms. Pamela Brown, Oracle Project Manager]

CLOUD IMPLEMENTATION WHICH WILL PROBABLY NOT GET A COLLAPSE. JUST A HEADS UP ON THAT. WELCOME MR DEBORAH JUDD, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS SERVICES. UH, WELCOME AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOUR TEAM. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR QUINTON. VICE PRESIDENT HO DOCTOR BOLSON AND BOARD MEMBERS WITH ME THIS EVENING. I HAVE JOSE PEREZ AND STEVE LANG, BOTH WITH CHERRY ROAD TECHNOLOGIES, WHO ARE WORKING WITH US TO IMPLEMENT, UM ORACLE CLOUD AND VIRTUALLY WE ALSO HAVE MISS PAM BROWN, WHO IS OUR ORACLE PROJECT MANAGER. SO WE WANTED TO COME BACK TO YOU AND SHARE AN UPDATE. UM, WE WERE HERE IN AUGUST SEEMS LIKE AGES AGO, UM, TO GIVE YOU A TIMELINE OF WHAT WE HAD DONE, AND, UH, WE ARE WELL INTO THE PROJECT. NOW OUR BUDGET MODULE WENT LIVE IN THE FALL AND OUR ER P SYSTEM, WHICH IS REALLY OUR BACK OFFICE ACCOUNTING FUNCTIONS WILL GO LIVE JULY 1ST AND JANUARY 1ST 2025 OUR HUMAN RESOURCES AND PAYROLL MODULES WILL GO LIVE.

THIS EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO DO A BRIEF, UM, MEETING RECAP FROM THE LAST TIME OUR OVERALL PROJECT STATUS. OUR FINANCE PHASE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. GOOD EVENING. UH, LAST TIME, UH, WE WERE HERE. UH, WE DID, UM, A PRESENTATION ABOUT, UM HOW, UM HARFORD PUBLIC COUNTY SCHOOLS SELECTED, UH, ORACLE AND THE PROCESS. UM THAT THE THAT THE COUNTY, UH, WENT THROUGH, UH, FOR THAT SELECTION. UH TODAY I'LL BE GIVING A QUICK UPDATE ON THE, UH, PROJECT. AND THE PROJECT IS, UH, IS SPLIT INTO THREE MAIN TRACKS. IS YEAH. SORRY THE PROJECT IS SPLIT INTO THREE MAIN TRACKS. THREE PHASES.

THE FIRST PHASE AS, UH AS, UH, DEBORAH JUST MENTIONED, UH, WENT LIVE. UM EARLIER. UM, YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY USING ORACLE. UH, PLANNING AND BUDGETING FOR YOUR, UH, BUDGETING. UH, PURPOSES. UH, WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT GOING LIVE, UH, WITH FINANCE IN JULY AT THAT PROJECT, NOW IS ABOUT TWO IN A FEW WEEKS AWAY FROM GOING LIVE AND WE'RE RIGHT IN THE TESTING SEGMENT. UH, SO THE TESTING SEGMENT HAS TWO MAJOR. MILESTONES THE FIRST MILESTONE IS TESTING THAT IS PERFORMED WITHIN THE PROJECT TEAM, AND NOW WE ARE TOWARDS THE END OF THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY MOVING AND PLANNING FOR THE SECOND MILESTONE OF TESTING, WHICH NOW WE ARE BRINGING IN, UH, INDIVIDUALS, UH, FROM, UH, THE DISTRICT AND IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO BE TRAINED AND THEN BE ABLE TO BE THE FIRST ONES TO ACTUALLY LOG INTO. UH THE ORACLE SOLUTION THE FINANCE SYSTEM AND BE ABLE TO TEST IT. UM IT'S A BIG MILESTONE , AND IT'S VERY VALUABLE. UH UH, STEP IN OUR THING. IT PROVIDES US A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THE PROJECT. THE UM HUMAN RESOURCES AND PAYROLL SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE THIRD. UH, TRACK. UH, STARTED TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR. UH, WE ARE STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES. IT HAS A GO LIVE OF JANUARY. UM BUT WE ARE WE'VE BEEN DOING, UH, SESSIONS AND MEETINGS TO BUILD THE SYSTEM. GET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, AND EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO DO AN END TO END TYPE OF WALKTHROUGH AND EVENTUALLY GET TO THE TESTING SEGMENT JUST LIKE FINANCE. UH, BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE TESTING SEGMENT, IT'LL BE AROUND THE JULY TIME FRAME. OK,

[00:40:08]

SO FOR THE FINANCE SYSTEM, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS, UH, THAT WE WANTED TO, UM, PROVIDE THE BUDGET PROCESS THAT HAS REALLY CHANGED THE WAY THAT WE WILL BUDGET SO WE ARE NOW ABLE TO A BUDGET DOWN TO THE BLUEPRINT REPORTING LEVELS THAT WE NEED TO. SO THAT IS NEW FOR US. WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT IN OUR PAST SYSTEM, SO THE FY 25 BUDGET WILL BE PREPARED IN THAT MANNER. UM, AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTING SYSTEM. SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IS OUR AUTOMATED INVOICE, SCANNING AND LOADING, UM THE BUDGETING CONTROLS THAT WILL BE PRESENT THE ONLINE AND MOBILE EXPENSE ENTRY AND APPROVAL. SO ALL OF THE WORKFLOW IN THE SYSTEM IS AUTOMATED, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCE PAPER SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE SYSTEM. UH, CONTRACT CONTRACTS, MANAGEMENT PIECE AND ALSO, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MARYLAND STATE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OUT OF THE ACTUAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM.

THAT WE'RE ALWAYS VERY OPTIMISTIC, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS CERTAIN, UH, ONGOING CHALLENGES AND RISKS IN EVERY PROJECT. UH, TO THAT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR. UM IS ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE WHICH EVERY PROJECT HAS IS CHANGE. UH, SO WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF STEPS. UM, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE STEPS THAT WE'RE TAKING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE CHANGE. BE ABLE TO PREPARE, UH, THE WHOLE, UH, DISTRICT FOR, UH, THAT CHANGE. UM OTHER ONES IS USING SHARED RESOURCES, SO THERE'S NO REALLY DEDICATED 100% PROJECT TEAM MEMBER. UH, FROM THE DISTRICT.

THAT'S IN THE PROJECT. UH THERE BALANCING THEIR DAY TO DAY WORK WITH, UM, WITH THE PROJECT ITSELF, SO IT'S A BALANCE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR, UH, TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE PROJECT. UM SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE DONE, UH, MOVING FORWARD. UM, FOR CHANGE IS WE CREATED A NETWORK. UH, CHAINS NETWORK. UH, IT MEETS EVERY MONTH. UH, WE HAVE AN IMPACT. UM WE IDENTIFY IMPACTS. UH, THERE ARE CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM. UH THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BUSINESS PROCESSES THAT ARE BEING CHANGED. UM SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IDENTIFY AND WE CREATE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PUSH IT OUT TO THE, UH TO THE END USERS, SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GONNA BE CHANGING. HOW IT'S GONNA IMPACT THEM AND THEN BE READY FOR THAT SPECIFIC, UH, CHANGE. UH, WE ARE USING A CHAMPIONS, UH, THAT ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO THEN PROMOTE THAT INFORMATION ON TO THEIR SPECIFIC AREAS. AS WE LOOK FORWARD, UM OUR NEXT STEPS IS IN PREPARING, UH, FOR TRAINING. SO AS WE GET THROUGH THE FINANCE, UH, TESTING SEGMENT THAT I MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL, UM, UM INDIVIDUALS FROM THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN THE DISTRICT. UM WE'LL START PREPARING FOR, UH, TRAINING AND THEN START COMMUNICATING THAT AND THEN DEPLOY, UH, FINANCE.

ALL RIGHT, SO THAT'S A VERY QUICK PRESENTATION. BUT WE WANTED TO SHARE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. UM THE COMPLETED THE FIRST ROUND OF TESTING. COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THE RESULTS WERE? THAT SO THE FIRST PHASE OF TESTING IS A IS A SYSTEM INTEGRATION. TESTING UH, WE DO EVERY TESTING FROM A TO Z IN THE SYSTEM. UH, SO THE PROJECT TEAM FROM HARTFORD, UH, DOES ALL THAT TESTING THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE THE END USER SIDE SO TRANSACTIONS AND SO ON SO ENTERING EXPENSES, UM I'LL BE ABLE TO DO PROCUREMENT AND PURCHASING. UM ALL THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE DONE IN THE SYSTEM. UM THE, UH I SAID WE WERE TOWARDS THE END, SO WE'RE AT A 96% PAST OF OUR TEST CASES WE HAD ABOUT, UH, 344 TOTAL TEST CASES THAT WERE PERFORMED. UM, AND WE'RE AT A 96% COMPLETION OF THOSE, UH, TEST CASES. WHO WRITES THE TEST CASES THAT STANDARD FROM SITE TO SITE OR DO YOU DO IT TAILORED FOR EACH SITE ? IT'S A TEMPLATE, BUT WE WALK THROUGH. WE GO THROUGH ALL THE TEST CASES. AND IT GETS, UH, SPECIFIC TO, UH, TO HARTFORD. FOR THAT BUSINESS FOR THOSE BUSINESS PROCESS, SIX MINUTES AND OUR STAFF TAKES THOSE TEST CASES AND THEY WALK STEP BY STEP , AND IF IT'S MISSING SOMETHING THERE, THEY'RE ON IT. SO AS WE KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL WITH WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S ACCURATE, SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD PROCESS. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO YOU'VE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED PART OF THIS . SO IS THAT BEING USED IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS THIS YEAR? YES, IT IS. THANK YOU. DOES IT MAKE IT EASIER TO ADJUST THINGS AS WE HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT? WE HAVEN'T MADE CHANGES YET. SO MORE TO COME, BUT SO FAR, UM, THE BUDGET TEAM ITSELF IS VERY HAPPY WITH, UM WHAT'S HAPPENED AND WE ACTUALLY CREATED MORE DETAILED REPORTS THAT I BELIEVE THE BOARD HAS HAD ACCESS TO. SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD, BUT EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED AND WHERE WE NEED TO GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANYBODY ELSE? MS

[00:45:07]

ALVAREZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? SORRY. I KEEP FORGETTING YOUR ONLINE. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING, PLEASE CHIME IN. YEAH, I DID HAVE, UM, JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. I KINDA WANTED TO GET A FEEL FOR. UM YOU KNOW WHAT THIS NEW SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE TO THE BOARD. UM SO WALKING THROUGH LIKE, UM, A SCENARIO WHEN WE MAKE IT AN APPROVED AND WHEN WE HAVE AN APPROVAL FOR, UM, FOR SOME CONTRACT, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE APPROVED, UM, BACK IN FEBRUARY. SOME PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, WILL WE BE ABLE TO TRACE AND THE APPROVAL WAS FOR OVER 100 K. UM WILL WE BE ABLE TO TRACE BACK TO THAT APPROVAL? HOW MUCH HAS BEEN EXPENDED AGAINST THAT APPROVAL? YES SO YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEE THE, UH, THE BUDGET THAT THAT'S THAT'S AVAILABLE, UM, YOU'D BE ABLE TO ALSO SEE THE HISTORY OF ANY TYPE OF APPROVAL ONLINE. UM AND IT USES ALL WORKFLOW. SO EVERYTHING IS ONLINE. UM SO WHENEVER YOU SUBMIT SOMETHING FOR APPROVAL, IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY. YOU EITHER GET AN EMAIL OR A NOTIFICATION IN THE SYSTEM. WE HAVE A LINK TO BE ABLE TO GO INSIDE THE SYSTEM AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT APPROVAL. AND IS THAT PRESENTLY AVAILABLE NOW? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THIS ROUND OF TESTING IS AN IMPLEMENTATION IS DONE. THAT WILL HAVE THAT WILL. THAT IS NOT READY NOW, SO WE'LL HAVE TO AGAIN THE ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM. UM, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT REPORTING WE PROVIDE. UM, WE HAVE REPORTING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TO PRINCIPALS. WE, UM LOOK AT WHAT REPORTING WE CAN PROVIDE TO THE BOARD, BUT IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE NOW FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO REVIEW YOU HAVE THE BUDGETS, UM, THAT WE HAVE, IF IT'S FOR, UM, PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT OR ANY CAPITAL PROJECT. YOU KNOW, WE PROVIDE THAT, UM SUMMARY OF CAPITAL PROJECT REPORTING TO YOU AND CERTAINLY THERE'S DETAILS UNDERNEATH THAT THAT WILL SUPPORT ANY PROJECT AND EXPENDITURE. OK, THANK YOU. MS JUDD. MY PRIMARY INITIAL CONCERN WAS THE ORGANIC RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE PROJECT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S PRETTY LABOR INTENSIVE. AND I THINK YOU EVEN MENTIONED THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES. I WON'T ASK IF YOU HAVE EVERYTHING BUT THAT YOU NEED BECAUSE I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN STICK TO THE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE. RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO CONCERN THAT WE WILL MISS THOSE DATES. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, AS MR PEREZ SAID. WE ARE WATCHING IT LIKE A HAWK. UM IT IS A LOT, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING FOR THE FINANCE TEAM AND ON BEHALF OF MR RICHARDSON FOR HR, OUR TEAMS ARE STRETCHED. UM AND IT IS A LOT OF WORK TO DO. BUT AT THIS POINT WE'RE MAKING THROUGH IT. UM IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO OUR STAFFING, YOU KNOW, ILLNESSES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW IT. IT COULD DEFINITELY IMPACT THE PROJECT, BUT SO FAR KNOCK ON WE'RE GOOD. GOOD WELL, IF YOU FORESEE ANY CHALLENGES, MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING THEM TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD'S ATTENTION AS

[Public Comments]

SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OK, MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. JUST A COUPLE OF, UM INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS. WE'RE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS EVENING. WE'RE GONNA DO PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. UM WE'RE GONNA EXPERIMENT. UH, WE'LL CHANGE IT BACK. NEXT BOARD MEETING IF WE FIND THAT EVERYBODY LEAVES AFTER YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR COMMENTS, SO WE HOPE THAT YOU STICK AROUND FOR AT LEAST THE UH, BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AFTERWARDS. THE SECOND THING IS, ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE CLAP FOR THE STUDENTS, WHICH WAS APPROPRIATE. UM JUST PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THERE'S NO TO MAINTAIN NEUTRALITY IN THE COMMENTS. THERE'S NO GRANDSTANDING, CLAPPING OR ANY OTHER SHOWS OF SUPPORT OR DISSENT FOR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND THEN, LASTLY, BECAUSE, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS SORRY, AND THEN, LASTLY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY, UM, SPEAKERS, IT WAS IN THE NOTICE THAT WE MAY DILUTE THE TIME DOWN FROM THREE MINUTES. SO BASED ON THIS EVENING'S SPEAKERS, WE WILL HAVE 2.5. AND IT'S FOR EACH SPEAKER. UM SO IF YOU REHEARSE FOR THREE MINUTES, I JUST SPEAK FAST OR JUST HIT THE MAIN POINTS. UM SO IN PERSON.

SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE 2.5 MINUTES TO SPEAK, UH, FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FOR GROUPS. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED WHEN AND MAYBE GIVE NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR 2.5 MINUTE MARK, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. MISS RAO. PLEASE BEGIN IN PERSON REGISTERED SPEAKERS. THIS EVENING. WE HAVE 32 REGISTERED SPEAKERS. UM WE WILL BEGIN WITH DANIEL BEDS, FOLLOWED BY MAX LESTER. GOOD EVENING DOCTOR BOLSON, DOCTOR PONTON AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DANIELLE BETZEL. AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CATS. THE ASSOCIATION OF HARFORD COUNTY, ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL AND SUPERVISORY PROFESSIONALS. WE ARE NOT SURPRISED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET AND LACK OF FUNDING FOR EDUCATION. HE MADE IT CLEAR LAST YEAR WHEN HE FUNDED US AT THE LOWEST LEGAL LIMIT. THE EDUCATION IS NOT A PRIORITY TO HIM. THE TWO THINGS

[00:50:06]

THAT PEOPLE VALUE THE MOST EDUCATION AND SAFETY AND HE APPEARS TO VALUE VALUE THEM THE LEAST. WE ARE NOT SURPRISED BY HIS BUDGET. WE ARE DISCOURAGED BY THE LACK OF ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT FROM SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS. SOME OF YOU HAD MADE COMMENTS THAT YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN THROWING MORE MONEY AT A PROBLEM. WHAT YOU FAIL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT WE NEED ADD THAT ADDITIONAL 40 MILLION TO SUSTAIN THE SYSTEM WE CURRENTLY HAVE. AND FOR THE MEMBERS WHO CLAIM WE NEED TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. WE HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT WE CERTAINLY CAN'T DO THAT, WITH LESS SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. SOME PEOPLE IN PUBLIC COMMENT RECENTLY HAVE STATED MANY TIMES THAT HCPS LOVES TO CELEBRATE THEMSELVES, AND WE'RE VERY GOOD AT IT TO THAT. OUR RESPONSE IS, YES, OF COURSE WE DO. OUR STUDENTS ARE AMAZING, AND WE LOVE TO CELEBRATE OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS. BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE MORE THAN JUST TEST SCORES. MOST RECENTLY, WE SHARED HOW OUR HARFORD TECH HIGH SCHOOL COSMETOLOGY STUDENTS GAVE MANICURES TO SOME OF OUR HARFORD ACADEMY STUDENTS. YOU CAN'T SEE THAT K AND COMPASSION AND SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND AN MCAT SCORE.

OUR STUDENTS ARE AWESOME. WE SAW THAT TONIGHT. AND YES, WE CELEBRATE OUR AMAZING TEACHERS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT STAFF BECAUSE EVEN WITH ALL THE ADDITIONAL NOISE ABOUT THEM INDOCTRINATING STUDENTS UM THE LACK OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND THE MOMS AGAINST EDUCATION, THE FLAG POLICY AND MUCH MORE. THEY CONTINUE TO TEACH AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS THE BEST THEY CAN, WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES THEY HAVE, AND THAT WE'LL BE LOSING SOME OF THOSE TEACHERS AND STAFF TO OTHER COUNTIES AND EVEN OTHER STATES. IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE TO GIVE OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT SOME OF YOU ARE OK WITH STAFF REDUCTIONS AND PUTTING EVEN MORE ON THE PLATES OF THE REMAINING STAFF. WHY PEOPLE ARE OK WITH GIVING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF THE BARE MINIMUM. WE WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. IT'S EVEN MORE DISCOURAGING WHEN IT APPEARS THAT SOME BOARD MEMBERS AGREE WITH THAT CONCEPT AND EVEN HAD SIDE DEALS OR CREATED THEIR OWN BUDGETS WITHOUT ACTUALLY KNOWING WHAT STAFF DO AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES TO RUN A SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND YOU'RE FAILING TO EVEN ASK OR INQUIRE ABOUT OUR ROLES. WE ARE PLEADING WITH YOU TO WORK WITH US AND NOT AGAINST US. WE'D SEEN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. YOU SAY YOU APPRECIATE IT. YOU APPRECIATE US. WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PROVE THAT YOU MEAN THAT AND WORK WITH US AND NOT AGAINST US. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR B AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MAX LISTER. I'M A SOPHOMORE AT HARTFORD TECH. I'M HERE TODAY FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS THE COUNSELING ALONG WITH THE POLICY FOR FLAGS. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THE SUMMER HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. THE START OF MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, I WAS STRUGGLING WITH GRADES. I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY ANXIETY. AND MY MOM CALLED MY COUNSELOR, MISS ROSIN TO HELP ME. AND MY SUPPORT IN SCHOOL. I MET WITH HER OFTEN AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO IF I HADN'T MET WITH HER COUNSELORS, ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS MATTER NOT JUST FOR MENTAL HEALTH BUT FOR SCHOOL ALSO. SCHOOL IS MORE THAN JUST GRADES. AS FOR THE FLAG POLICY, I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL STUDENTS TO FEEL INCLUDED. I'M A PATRIOT AND A CHRISTIAN. AND THE PLEDGE SAYS LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, NO MATTER THE BACKGROUND OR PERSON. I WOULD FORGET THE FLAG POLICY AND FOCUS ON THE BUDGET AND HELPING PEOPLE. KEEP THEIR JOBS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK HAMILTON, FOLLOWED BY MADISON BOB. EVENING DR BOLSON DOCTOR BOYNTON AND HONORED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. UM I'M HONORED TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING ON BEHALF OF HARVARD COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION AND AS A FATHER IN PRINCIPLE OF RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE BESEECH THIS BOARD, OUR COLLEAGUES AND ALL THE FAMILIES WHO CARE GREATLY FOR THE QUALITY OF SCHOOLS TO HELP SWAY THE COUNTY COUNCIL FROM DELIVERING THE CRUSHING BLOW TO OUR BUDGET THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS HAS PROPOSED THOUGH EVERY YEAR IT MIGHT FEEL AND SOUND LIKE A CRISIS. A VERY REAL ONE IS ON ITS WAY. IT'S BUILT FROM STATE MANDATES, WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER SPECIAL NEEDS SOCIAL CHALLENGES STUDENT TRANSIENCY FAMILY NEEDS AND A FIERCE COMPETITION. FOR FEWER AND FEWER PROFESSIONALS WILLING TO TACKLE THOSE CHALLENGES. AND WHILE A NEW SCHOOL IN BEL AIR IS ON THE HORIZON DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES TO SKYROCKET ALONG 95 CORRIDOR AND WE HAVE SCHOOLS THERE MINE. BUILT BEFORE THE MOON LANDING. MORE AND MORE EXPECT OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE'RE NOT DEAF TO THE CRITICISM LEVELED AGAINST OUR EFFORTS FROM THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CHILDREN FALLING BEHIND ACADEMICALLY. SO I ASK HOW CAN SLASHING OUR BUDGET HELP ADDRESS ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS? ANYONE WHO'S EVER RUN A BUSINESS KNOWS THAT COSTS RISE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT MAYBE THE RAVENS WILL GO TO THE SUPER BOWL IF THEY LOWER THEIR CAP AND THE OTHER TEAMS RAISE THEIR CAT. THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. IF WE PAY RECEIVERS LESS, MAYBE THEY WANNA CATCH MORE. WHEN YOU CUT THINGS

[00:55:08]

YOU HAVE LESS. YOU HAVE LESS PEOPLE LESS TRAINING, LESS SERVICES, LESS MATERIALS AND LESS SUPPORT THAT WE NEED IF WE TAKE AWAY WHAT'S BEEN WORKING BY BOTH STATE AND LOCAL MEASURES WOULD BE SERIOUSLY THREATENING A RISING ACHIEVEMENT AND, IN FACT WOULD BE INTENTIONALLY HINDERING IT. SO RATHER THAN SPENDING MORE TIME ON ENERGY, MORE TIME AND ENERGY AND OUTRAGE ON DEBATING ABOUT FLAGS, LIBRARY, BOOKS, PRONOUNS AND OTHER PET PROJECT ISSUES DRIVEN BY POLITICIANS WHO ARE NOT HERE, FIGHTING FOR OUR STUDENTS NEEDS WE NEED TO URGE OUR BOARD AND OUR FAMILIES TO FIGHT FOR US AND THE MISSION WE'RE ON TO SERVE EVERY SINGLE CHILD THAT COMES TO US NO MATTER THEIR BACKGROUND TRAUMA OR NEEDS. THE VERY BEST WE CAN. IT IS OUR WATCH NOW. AND WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MADISON, BOB. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SEAN ABEL, FOLLOWED BY SANDY EASTON. GOOD EVENING. I'M SEAN ABEL. PRINCIPAL PATTERSON MILL 30 YEARS HCPS 24 YEARS OF THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR. RE RETIRE IN JULY, 1 I'VE LIVED IN EDGEWOOD BELL CAMP. AND HICKORY. AND I'M AN INDEPENDENT. I'M HERE TO PROVIDE COMMENT ON THE UNFORTUNATE LEE COMMON SITUATION THAT A GPS FACES INADEQUATE AND TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE FUNDING.

MY QUESTION TO EXECUTIVE CAY. THE COUNTY COUNCIL, AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD IS SIMPLE QUESTION. WHAT TYPE OF SYSTEM DO YOU WANT? AND WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR OUR KIDS? IF THIS LEVEL OF FUNDING DOESN'T MEET WHAT YOU FEEL IS NEEDED. THEN I WOULD EXPECT AND I WOULD HOPE THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE. I UNDERSTAND THINGS GO BEHIND. MEETINGS OUTSIDE THE PUBLIC VIEW, BUT WE, THE CHILDREN. THE EMPLOYEE IS AC PS DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT IN A PUBLIC FORUM. IF THESE CUTS MAINTAIN PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING IN MIND. THIS SYSTEM TRIED NOT PROVIDING STEPS TO AN EMPLOYEES AND NONE OF YOU ARE ON THE DAIS THEN, BUT I WAS HERE AND IT WAS DISASTROUS AND IT IS NOT AN OPINION, BUT IT'S A FACT THAT UNIVERSITIES THAT TRAIN TEACHERS TOLD THEIR PEOPLE NOT TO COME TO HDPS, AND THEY WERE RIGHT TO DO SO. BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A PLACE TO WORK. KIDS ARE GREAT. THE ENVIRONMENT IS GREAT, BUT WE WERE NOT SUPPORTED BY PEOPLE DO NOT BALANCE PLEASE THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF PEOPLE WHO BARELY MAKE A LIVING WAGE NOW, SUCH AS OUR CUSTODIANS, INCLUSION, HELPERS AND AIR EDUCATORS. SECONDLY THE LACK OF TRUST THAT IS APPARENT THIS MEET THESE MEETINGS AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SOME OF YOU MET MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAVE WITH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IS DISTRESSING AND NOT NECESSARY. WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. I WANT TO THANK THE ONE MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHO SITS UP HERE NOW WHO HAS ACTUALLY REACHED OUT TO ME AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO WITH THE REST OF THE PRINCIPLES BECAUSE THERE'S 55 OTHER JUST LIKE ME WHO HAS HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE YOU CAN PROVIDE HELP. I GO BACK TO MY FIRST QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU WANT? HTPS FOR OUR KIDS. THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS NOT BEING HONEST ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE FUND BALANCE IS A POLITICAL PROBLEM THAT IS STARTING THINGS OFF ON A BAD FOOT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE POLITICAL. THIS SHOULD BE ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT FOR OUR KIDS. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M RETIRING. IT'S EXHAUSTING TO CUT DOZENS OF TEACHERS YEAR AFTER YEAR AND NOT BE SUPPORTED THE SAME WAY I SUPPORT MY KIDS AND IT BREAKS MY HEART. SO PLEASE PROVIDE FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. THANK YOU. HI. I'M SANDY EASTON. UM, THEY SAY TO START WITH POSITIVE FIRST. SO HERE WE GO. MEDINA. YOU'VE BEEN AN AMAZING STUDENT.

REP. YOUR PEERS ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU. I'M SURE YOU'VE BEEN POSITIVE, CONSISTENT AND YET FIRM ON YOUR POSITION EVEN WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO GO WITH THE ADULTS VOTING THE OTHER WAY. YOU AND YOUR PARENTS SHOULD BE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE. I KNOW YOU ALL ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS. THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING OUR STUDENTS. WELL, GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. TO THE REST OF THE BOARD. YOU OFTEN SPEAK ABOUT WANTING STUDENTS TO HAVE A PLACE TO FEEL WELCOMED INCLUDED CARED FOR IN OUR BUILDINGS. YEAH. WHEN I WATCH THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE I WATCH EVERY ONE OF THEM. I HEAR AND C. DIVISIVE COMMENTS UNKIND WORDS. AND MANY TIMES CARELESS ACTIONS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REMEMBER THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF

[01:00:03]

HARPER COUNTY. YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS SHOULD BE LEFT OUT THE DOOR. IN FACT, I ACTUALLY FEEL THAT SOMETIMES YOUR VOTE SHOULD GO AGAINST YOUR PERSONAL FEELING IN THE INTEREST OF THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE GOING INTO A REALLY HARD BUDGET SEASON. NO DOUBT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND THEIR DIRECT NEEDS. IT'S ABOUT SUPPORTING YOUR EMPLOYEES. IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO GET BACK A DISTRICT THAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEE KINDNESS, UNDERSTANDING TO BE OPEN TO OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN CREATING AND APPROVING POLICIES. ONE OTHER NOTE BEFORE I CLOSE YOU HAVE STAFF THAT COMES HERE EVERY MEETING AND THEY TALK ABOUT NOT FEELING APPRECIATED. THEY TALK ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND HOW THEY FEEL VERY UNSUPPORTED BY THE BOARD. YOU SHOULD WANT TO ADDRESS AND WORK ON THESE RELATIONSHIPS. I WANT TO SHARE A QUICK STORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AT MY WORK. MY BOSS IS DUE QUICK NOTES OF APPRECIATION. SMALL GESTURES JUST TO SAY YOU ARE SEEN AND YOU ARE APPRECIATED. IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT TO BOOST MORALE. THE BUDGET SEASON MAKES PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. IT MAKES THEM FEEL WORRIED. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT. TO RAISE MORALE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE BIG EXTREMES TO SAY WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WE SEE YOU. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU. SUPPORT YOUR STAFF. THOSE PEOPLE IN THE BUILDINGS. THEY'RE THE REAL HEROES IN THIS STORY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER WALTER, FOLLOWED BY WILLIAM MARTINO. GOOD EVENING. I HAVE STRUGGLED TO COME UP WITH THE RIGHT WORDS THAT WOULD HELP IN STILL CHANGE, HELP GAIN YOUR ATTENTION AND HELP LEAVE AN IMPRESSION WORDS THAT WOULD CARRY THE PASSION AND THE LOVE AND BELIEF I HAVE ALWAYS HAD IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AFTER YEARS OF TEACHING AT BALTIMORE COUNTY, MY HUSBAND AND I REALIZED THAT THE BEST EXPERIENCE WE COULD PROVIDE FOR OUR CHILDREN WOULD BE IF WE MOVED TO A COUNTY. MANY OF HER FRIENDS CHOSE TO STAY IN BALTIMORE AND SEND THE CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS. I NEEDED TO BELIEVE THE PUBLIC SYSTEM AND I NEEDED TO SUPPORT IT BY SENDING MY CHILDREN THERE. HARTFORD COUNTY HAD BETTER SCHOOLS AND I KNEW THIS BECAUSE MY PEERS OTHER EDUCATORS WHO HAD BEEN TEACHING POSITIONS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY MOVED HERE TO HARFORD COUNTY, MANY ACTUALLY TAUGHT HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. HE KNEW THAT THEY WOULD TAKE A PAY CUT, BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER. THEY KNEW HARPER COUNTY WAS THE BETTER SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT IS MY BELIEF IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND MY LOVE FOR TEACHING THAT HAS ME STANDING HERE TONIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE, BUT FINANCIALLY CUTTING BACK ON ON OUR SCHOOLS IS NOT THE ANSWER. WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO HELP SOMETHING GROW, WE PRUNE THE BRANCHES. WE DO NOT CUT THE ROOTS, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CHILDREN AND OUR YOUTH. THEY ARE OUR ROOTS. A TEACHING POSITION CUT NEEDS LARGER CLASSES. LET'S CLUBS, LESS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, FIELD TRIPS AND ATHLETICS, THE LACK OF SUCH AS WORLD LANGUAGE ARTS, MUSIC, CREATIVE WRITING AND JOURNALISM WILL NO BE OFFERED TO OUR STUDENTS, AND YOU KNOW THIS, BUT DO YOU REALIZE WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS? HOW IT WILL AFFECT YOUR CHILDREN? YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. THINK OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. WHAT STANDS OUT IN YOUR MIND? AN EVENT AND LAST A CLUB, A TEACHER. I'VE WATCHED THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM SUFFER FROM CUTS SINCE I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 93. I THINK OF THE TEACHERS. I HAD THE CLUBS I BELONG TO AND THE ELECTIVES. I TOOK MY EDUCATION AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED IN MY GROWTH IS THE ROCK THAT I STAND ON. BUT WHAT ROCK? ARE WE LEAVING FOR OUR CHILDREN TODAY TO STAND ON? WE ARE STILL SUFFERING FROM THE ISOLATION OF COVID. AND WE KNOW HOW CHALLENGING AND TERRIBLE THAT WAS FOR OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES. WE REALIZE NOT BY CUTTING THE SCHOOLS BUDGET BY LOSING TEACHERS AND PROGRAMS. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING ALL OVER AGAIN. WE ARE ISOLATING OUR CHILDREN. WE ARE HINDERING THEM FROM BEING READY FOR A GROWTH THAT WE'D LIKE TO FILL, CUTTING TEACHING POSITIONS AND OTHER PROGRAMS MEAN THAT WE ARE CHOOSING TO PIGEONHOLE OUR CHILDREN. THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE, ESPECIALLY IN A SOCIETY WHERE WE TELL OUR CHILDREN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE VARIETY TO FIND THEMSELVES TO EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE. WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO EXPERIENCE LIFE YET IF WE TAKE AWAY THEIR TEACHERS AND CUT THEIR PROGRAMS, HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THEIR GROWTH? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MORE THAN FOUR DECADES AGO, I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD ATTENDING A VERY IMPOVERISHED SCHOOL SYSTEM ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CAMDEN CITY IN WEST NEW JERSEY. MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YEARS MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS AND FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WERE SPENT IN ONE OF THE POOREST AREAS IN NEW JERSEY. BEFORE WE MOVE THE HARTFORD COUNTY THE STUDENT BODY WAS VERY IMPOVERISHED AND VERY DIVERSE.

THE HOUSEHOLD ANNUAL INCOME IN 2022 FOR CAMDEN WAS JUST OVER $36,000 COMPARED TO HARTFORD COUNTY BEING 100 AND $6000. THIS COUNTY IS WEALTHY COMPARED TO CAMDEN. YOUNG MEN ARE SCHOOL I

[01:05:05]

ATTENDED IN THE SEVENTIES WAS LACKING FUNDING AND WE HAD HALF DAYS OF SCHOOL FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE. AFTER THE STUDENTS WENT FROM 730 TO 12 AND THE OTHER HALF FROM 1230 TO 5.

NO LUNCH. EACH YEAR. WE WOULD WAIT FOR OUR CLASS SCHEDULE TO SEE IF WE WERE IN THE EARLY SESSION OR THE LATE SESSION. SO MY PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION CONSISTED OF A FEW RESOURCES. WE WERE USING TEXTBOOKS FROM THE WORLD WAR TWO ERA. AND ONLY ATTENDED SCHOOL FOR 4.5 HOURS A DAY. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? EVERY SINGLE KID IN OUR VERY SCHOOL POOR SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD READ AND WRITE. ALSO IN CURSIVE WAS PROFICIENT IN MATH AND KNEW THE UNITED STATES AND WORLD GEOGRAPHY. TEACHER WOULD HAND US BLANK PHOTOCOPIED MAPS. AND WE WOULD FILL IN THE PROVINCES OF CANADA, THE NATIONS OF AFRICA AND THE COUNTRIES OF EUROPE. 1/5 GRADE TEACHER TOLD US WE COULDN'T PROGRESS TO THE NEXT GRADE UNTIL WE KNEW MOST OF THE COUNTRIES. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A VEILED THREAT, BUT IT WORKED. NO ONE IS EVEN TEACHING CHILDREN GEOGRAPHY TODAY. DO WE? HOW DO WE TEACH HISTORY UNLESS WE 1ST 1ST TEACH GEOGRAPHY? IT IS A PREREQUISITE TO UNDERSTANDING HISTORY. MY POINT TO ALL OF THIS IS MONEY DOES NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL A GOOD EDUCATION. THE PROBLEM IS THE PROMOTION OF ACTIVIST MATERIAL. THE PUPILS ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO FILL THEIR DAYS WITH EXPRESSING THEIR OPINIONS AND FEELINGS ON POLITICAL TOPICS.

CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL CONCEPTS ARE WAY MORE INTERESTING THAN DOING FRACTIONS. PERSONNEL CUTS RECENTLY HIT HCPS. AND THE TEACHERS WERE THE VICTIMS. WAS ANYONE IN THE HIGH COMPENSATION CENTRAL OFFICE UNEMPLOYED. WE NEED TO RETURN TO THE FUNDAMENTALS AND TEACH ACADEMICS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSIE SCOTT, FOLLOWED BY DEBRA HEREDIA.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SUSIE SCOTT, CHAIR OF V FOR LIBERTY, HARTFORD COUNTY. AS TO THE PROPOSED LIBRARY BOOK RECONSIDERATION PROCEDURE. HOW EXACTLY WILL THIS PROCEDURE REMOVE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS THAT ARE ALREADY PRESENT OR PREVENT THE PURCHASE OF MORE INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT? THE QUICK ANSWER IS IT WILL NOT. IT IS JUST A REGURGITATION OF THE FORMER PROCEDURE. IT ALIGNS WITH THE VERY PARTISAN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND THEIR GUIDANCE AND THERE IN LIES THE PROBLEM. THE PROCEDURE STACKS THE DECK IN FAVOR OF HCPS STAFF, UTILIZING THE A L FOR COVER SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT THE SORTS OF BOOKS THAT PARENTS ARE OBJECTING TO. LET'S BE CLEAR. THE A IS A FAR LEFT ORGANIZATION AND HAS BEEN FOR DECADES. THE CURRENT PRESIDENT IS A SELF PROCLAIMED MARXIST SOCIALIST WHO HAS WRITTEN EXTENSIVELY ON HER MISSION TO QUEER THE LIBRARY. THE MATRIX YOU PROPOSE IN THE PROCEDURE, CONCEDES THAT THERE IS SOMEHOW APPROPRIATE SEXUAL CONTENT FOR EARLY LEARNERS. THE K TO FIVE MATRIX APPROVES OF WHAT YOU DETERMINE IS QUOTE, AGE APPROPRIATE ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS AND SCENES OF AFFECTION BETWEEN PARTNERS, UNQUOTE THAT IS JUST THE SORT OF LANGUAGE THAT HAS ALREADY PUT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS INTO THE HANDS OF CHILDREN. UNDER THIS FALSE FRAMING OF CULTURALLY RELEVANT, DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE. WE ARE NOW EXPOSING MINOR CHILDREN TO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL, INCLUDING GRAPHIC DEPICTIONS OF ORAL, AND VAGINAL INTERCOURSE. MASTURBATION CHILD RAPE, INCEST AND THE MOST PROFANE OF LANGUAGE. YOU ARE AWARE THAT THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT USURPS YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY IF WE'RE GOING TO CAVE TO THIS EXTORTION, AND THAT IS WHAT IT IS. THE STATE WILL DECIDE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE AND WE WILL COMPLY. OR ELSE WE WILL LOSE FUNDING. THEN WHY DO WE NEED SCHOOL BOARDS. THIS IS GOVERNMENT OVERREACH. IF YOU CONTINUE TO DEFER TO THE STATE ON THIS AND EVERY OTHER UNCONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE THEY HAND DOWN THEN YOU ARE NOW IRRELEVANT. ULTIMATELY THE PROCEDURE FAILS TO ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, WHICH IS THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY CURRENTLY OCCURRING PARENTS AND TAXPAYERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO VIEW THE CATALOG OF MATERIALS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I CAN GO TO ANY OTHER COUNTY IN MARYLAND AND I CAN ACCESS THE BOOK IN THEIR BOOKS IN THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARY. BUT I CAN'T DO THAT HERE IN MY OWN COUNTY. EVERY OTHER COUNTY IN THE STATE MAKES THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE. HARTFORD COUNTY IS THE ONLY COUNTY IN MARYLAND WHO HIDES THE BOOKS FROM THE PUBLIC. WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO HIDE? FINALLY I NEED TO ADDRESS THE ABSOLUTELY UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR, TONE AND RHETORIC SPEWED BY SOME MEMBERS OF TEACHERS UNIONS IN THIS ROOM. UH, IF A COMMUNITY MEMBER MEMBER WERE TO SPEAK IN THE DISRESPECTFUL WAY THAT UNION LEADERS HAVE SPOKEN, THEY COULD EXPECT TO BE CALLED OUT BY THE BOARD. INSTEAD WE'RE BEING HONORED THIS MONTH. THANK YOU. AS DEBORAH HEREDIA HERE.

[01:10:18]

GOOD EVENING. I'M DEBORAH HEREDIA. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS DRAFT. I'M NOT A PARENT OF A STUDENT OR PROFESSIONALLY AFFILIATED WITH THE HCPS SCHOOL SYSTEM. I AM, HOWEVER, A RETIRED HIGH PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, ENGLISH 34 YEARS AND A COLLEGE ACADEMIC PROGRAM ADVISOR AND FACILITATOR.

I ALSO SERVE ON A CITIZENS COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWED THE DRAFT. SO I'M SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF AS WELL. THE COMMITTEE'S GOALS WERE TO INCREASE PARENTAL PARTICIPATION AND TO ENSURE THAT YOUNG STUDENTS PREDOMINANTLY K THROUGH FIVE ARE NOT BEING EXPOSED TO INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL IN THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING CENSORSHIP FOR ADULTS AND OLDER TEENS. BEFORE DIVING INTO THE DETAILS OF THE DRAFT DOCUMENT AS A COMMITTEE. WE HAVE A QUESTION FOR DR OLSON AND THE SCHOOL BOARD. THIS CONCERNS HCP S'S INADEQUATE TRANSPARENCY. IN BUILDING TRUST BETWEEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. WHY DOES HCPS NOT OFFER AN ONLINE DATABASE THAT LISTS THE BOOKS AND MATERIALS THAT ARE AVAILABLE? PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES ARE FUNDED BY TAXPAYER DOLLARS. MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MARYLAND AND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ALLOW SUCH ACCESS. THE CONTENTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES MUST BE ACCESSIBLE WITHOUT HAVING TO RESORT TO AN MP I A REQUEST OR A COURT ORDER. WHAT IS BEING HIDDEN FROM THE PUBLIC. AND WHY. MUCH OF THE CONFLICT OVER BOOK SELECTION COULD BE ALLEVIATED IF THE COMMUNICATION LINES WERE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT. WE RECOGNIZE THE COMMITTEE FOR PRESENTING AN OVERALL DRAFT PROCEDURE AND WE SEE THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE MARYLAND FREEDOM TO READ ACT. HP 785. HOWEVER, HERE ARE OUR CONCERNS. WHO SELECTED THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND WHEN WAS IT DONE? WAS A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT TO SOLICIT APPLICATIONS FOR THOSE POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT RELEGATED TO SPECIFIC HCPS EMPLOYEES. IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS WERE NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE COMMITTEE UNTIL IT WAS ALREADY FORMED. REGARDING THE GREAT RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE PROCESS. WE RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PARENT MEMBERS. AS OF NOW, PARENTS COMPRISE TWO OF THE NINE COMMITTEE POSITIONS. AS A RESULT, THEY HAVE MINIMAL VOTING STRENGTH. WE WANT TO SEE INCREASED PARENTAL INPUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS. THE TIMELINE FOR RECONSTRUCTION RECONSIDERATION WILL TAKE ALMOST ONE SEMESTER AND CONCEIVABLY TWO SEMESTERS IF THERE IS A DELAY.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEBORAH FELLA, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTY CRAWFORD SMITH. WHILE THE NEXT SPEAKER IS COMING UP, I WILL SAY I KNOW WE SHORTEN THE TIME A LITTLE BIT. SO IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU DIDN'T GET ACROSS, YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND THEM TO US BY EMAIL AS WELL. JENNIFER BOAS. CHRISTY CRAWFORD SMITH. HELLO. BUDGETS ARE AN INDICATOR OF PRIORITIES. THE WAY WE ALLOCATE OUR MONEY SAYS A LOT ABOUT US. THEREFORE WHEN SOMEONE IN ELECTED LEADERSHIP SAYS THEY VALUE PUBLIC EDUCATION, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET. IN THIS CASE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FILED CASTING HAS USED HIS FY 25 BUDGET TO MAKE A BOLD STATEMENT THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS DO NOT MATTER YET AGAIN. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF US TO CLOSE A $40 MILLION GAP.

MEMBERS OF H CE A AP SATCH CATS AND ASKS ME ARE WORKING TIRELESSLY ADVOCATING FOR EACH CPS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING TOGETHER AND WE WILL NOT BE DIVIDED. FOR HCPS EMPLOYEE UNIONS ARE COMMITTED TO SEEING THIS THROUGH TOGETHER. BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE FIGHTING AMONGST OURSELVES, PEOPLE LIKE BOB CASSY SUCCEED. WHEN WE CHALLENGE OURSELVES. WE CHALLENGE EACH OTHER INTERNALLY. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS FIND SPACE TO USE MISINFORMATION TO ATTACK PUBLIC EDUCATION AND EDUCATORS. DISTRACTIONS WILL DESTROY US. COLLABORATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO WEATHER THIS STORM. BOARD MEMBERS. I'M ASKING YOU TO JOIN US. BE A UNITED FRONT STOP CREATING UNNECESSARY DISTRACTIONS AND WASTING YOUR SOCIAL CAPITAL ON POLICIES THAT ARE NOT EVEN NECESSARY IN THE FIRST PLACE. JUST BECAUSE OF BUDGET IDEA LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER.

IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'LL WORK. YOU NEED TO LEAN IN AND LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS. NONE OF US CAN DO THIS ALONE. HCPS NEEDS $40 MILLION MORE TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE SAME SYSTEM THAT IT HAS TODAY. AND IF YOU THINK IT'S BAD NOW, JUST WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR. STOP HAVING FAITH IN SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T DESERVE IT. STOP SUPPORTING SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T SUPPORT YOU. AND WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM. DO NOT LET PODCAST BACK YOU INTO A CORNER AND MAKE THE IRRESPONSIBLE DECISION TO EXHAUST ALL THE FUND BALLOTS OF THIS DISTRICT. YOU WILL BE

[01:15:02]

BEHOLDEN TO HIM FOR BEG FOR MONEY EVERY TIME SOMETHING BREAKS OR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

HE HAS PROVEN THAT HE CANNOT BE TRUSTED. AND AS I SAID, NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE WORSE. IF YOU'RE NOT AWARE OF WHAT'S COMING NEXT YEAR. JUST ASK ME AND I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BREAK IT DOWN FOR YOU. THIS ISN'T THE TIME TO CHALLENGE HCPS ADMINISTRATION, EITHER. IT IS THE TIME TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE TO SOLVE THE FUNDING ISSUES THAT BOBCAT HAS CREATED. REMEMBER HE IS THE VILLAIN HERE. YOU MUST PUT PERSONAL FEELINGS ASIDE, BECAUSE NONE OF THAT MATTERS RIGHT NOW. WE MUST PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND STAY FOCUSED FROM THIS POINT ON BOARD MEMBERS. YOU ARE ALL EDUCATORS AND OUR JOB AS EDUCATORS IS TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THE LIFE OF WHICH THEY DREAM. PUBLIC EDUCATION IS THE FOUNDATION OF DEMOCRACY, AND WE MUST DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT IT. YOU ARE WITH US, AND I HOPE YOU ARE. THEN LET'S GET TO WORK. AND IF YOU'RE NOT WITH US, THEN STEP ASIDE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY IMPORTANT WORK TO DO. THANK YOU. YVONNE I THINK WERE YOU THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER? MA'AM, ARE YOU MISS JENNIFER B? YOU ARE, YOU CAN GO AHEAD. HI. MY NAME IS JENNIFER BEALES. AND I'M JUST HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF. REGARDING THE DISPLAY OF FLAGS. I DISAGREE WITH ANY RESTRICTION ON THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN CLASSROOMS. YOU MAY MANDATE THE DISPLAY OF THE USA FLAG AND LEAVE THE REST UP TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS IF THERE'S A COMPLAINT REGARDING A SPECIFIC FLAG PRINCIPLES CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, JUST AS THEY DO FOR CLOTHING AND ARTWORK CURRENTLY TEACHERS SHOULD RETAIN THE ABILITY TO DISCERN FOR THEMSELVES THE BEST WAY TO WELCOME AND INSTRUCT STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND WHAT TO DISPLAY ON THEIR DESKS. THE SUPREME COURT HAS REPEATEDLY HELD THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS EXTEND TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, NEITHER OF WHOM SHED THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR EXPRESSION AT THE SCHOOLHOUSE, GEE THE US CONSTITUTION GUARANTEES ROBUST FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION RIGHTS UPON WHICH THIS FLAG AND UNLAWFULLY INFRINGES. POLICY DIRECTLY OPPOSES THE SECTION OF MARYLAND CODE REFERENCE THE LOVE OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY INSTEAD OF SUPPORTING IT. AUTHORITARIAN POLICIES ARE NOT WELCOME IN HCPS, AND FLAGS AND SYMBOLS HAVE LONG BEEN A PROTECTIVE FORM OF FREE SPEECH, INCLUDING IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. THE AC LU MAINTAINS THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROHIBITS CONTENT AND VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION. PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY PROHIBIT PRIVATE ON CAMPUS SPEECH ONLY INSOFAR AS IT SUBSTANTIALLY INTERFERES WITH OR DISRUPTS THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OR INFANT INTERFERES WITH THE RIGHTS OF OTHER STUDENTS. PUT SIMPLY, HCPS CANNOT ALLOW FLAGS FROM COLLEGES AND PROFESSIONAL TEAMS OF SPORTS WHILE PROHIBITING ALL FLAGS, INCLUDING THE HARTFORD SHERIFF YOUTH ACADEMY, CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION, NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY OF THE LIONS CLUB, THE BLACK STUDENT UNION, CHESAPEAKE, UM, BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL, AMY INTERNATIONAL. T FOR HUMANITY. RED CROSS UNICEF 4H FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA AUTISM AWARENESS OLYMPICS, SPECIAL OLYMPICS AND OUR MILITARY BRANCHES. THESE WOULD ALL BE BANNED BY THIS POLICY. I LIVED IN HARTFORD COUNTY. MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M A FORMER STUDENT. I'M A FORMER TEACHER HERE. I'M A PARENT OF STUDENTS HERE, AND THESE OVERREACHING POLICIES MAKE OUR CLASSROOMS LESS INCLUSIVE. IN REALITY, IT'S A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO BLOCK THE DISPLAY OF PRIDE FLAGS. AND IF I WERE A CLASSROOM TEACHER TODAY, I WOULD SIMPLY HANG IN ABUNDANCE OF PRIDE.

FLAGG POSTERS, ART BANNERS, PENNANTS, POMPOMS, GARLANDS, PARACHUTES, HOT AIR BALLOONS AND TAPESTRIES AS A RESPONSE TO THIS POLICY. I WOULD DISTRIBUTE PENS, LANYARDS, PENCIL STICKERS, BRACELETS, MAGNETS, STRESS BALLS AND RUBBER DUCKS TO STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BANNED BY THIS POLICY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OLIVER MICHAEL, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL RINAT.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS OLIVER. MICHAEL. TODAY I SORRY. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FLAG CONTROVERSY TONIGHT. I SPEAK BECAUSE I AM A STUDENT. I'M ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS THAT YOU MAKE DECISIONS FOR. WE AREN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOUNG GIRLS ARE TAUGHT TO COVER UP THEIR BODIES BECAUSE BOYS ARE NEVER TAUGHT SELF CONTROL, BUT YOU'RE BOTHERED BY A SEQUENCE OF COLORS ON A FLAG HUNG UP AROUND THE SCHOOL. WE AREN'T GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BULLYING AND THE BULLYING THAT GOES ON RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES, AND YOU WERE SURPRISED WHEN SOME WERE DRIVEN TO SUICIDE BECAUSE OF IT, BUT YOU ARE BOTHERED BY THE FACT. YOU YOU ARE BOTHERED THAT A FLAG FROM ANY OTHER COUNTRY WOULD BE LARGER THAN THE AMERICAN FLAG. YOU WILL NEVER SORRY. YOU WON'T EVER TALK ABOUT THE SUICIDE AND SUICIDE ATTEMPT RATES THAT CONTINUE TO RISE IN OUR GENERATION. BUT YOU. YOU. ANONYMOUS. PROPOSAL OF A POLICY THAT IS NOW SUBJECTED TO VOTES

[01:20:10]

TONIGHT. IS YOUR MAIN PRIORITY. I ASKED THIS WHEN DID IT START BEING ABOUT THE KIDS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN START BEING ABOUT POLITICAL VIEWS OF PARENTS. WHEN DID THE SAFETY OF YOUR STUDENTS STOP BEING YOUR TOP PRIORITY AND THE SATISFACTORY OF CONSERVATIVE PARENTS AND YOUR HIGHER UP START? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M CRYSTAL RUIN AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT PRIMARILY ON THE BUDGET AND YOUR ROLE AT THE STAGE. UM I FIRST WANNA ADDRESS UM, JUST THE BLUEPRINT. UM THERE'S BEEN MANY THINGS IN THE BLUEPRINT. OF COURSE, THAT YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY WILL TELL. YOU ARE VERY GOOD. UM, THINGS THAT COINCIDE WITH THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ANYWAY, THAT ARE ALREADY IN OUR BUDGET WOULD ALREADY BE IN OUR BUDGET. UM, HOWEVER, THE BLUEPRINT DOES NOT INCLUDE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE VALUE HERE, UM, IN HARTFORD COUNTY. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME NEGATIVE STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND BOARD MEMBERS. UM, AND MOST OF THOSE ARE UNPRODUCTIVE. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN THE BLUEPRINT AND UNLESS THERE'S LEGISLATIVE CHANGES WE ARE REQUIRED TO FUND THE BLUEPRINT. UM, THERE ARE ISSUES WITH THE NARRATIVE SURROUNDING THE BUDGET HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY, UM, INCLUDING THE MEDIA. WE HEAR FLAT FUNDING. THIS EQUATES TO BUDGET CUTS WITHOUT INCREASED FUNDING. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE SAME SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE HEAR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS SPENDING WHAT IS LEGALLY REQUIRED. YOU DON'T HEAR THAT OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED AND WHAT WE'VE RECEIVED IS OVER $200 MILLION THE BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS AND THE LACK OF LOCAL FUNDING. UM DWINDLES OUR ABILITY. TO CONTINUE THESE LOCAL INITIATIVES, THE THINGS THAT ARE VALUABLE TO HARTFORD. UM CITIZENS, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE LISTENING TONIGHT TO CONSIDER WHAT YOU MOST LOVE ABOUT SCHOOL. WHAT YOUR KIDS MOST LOVE ABOUT SCHOOL AND KNOW THAT IF IT IS NOT STRONGLY TIED TO WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE BLUEPRINT, IT IS IN JEOPARDY IF NOT THIS YEAR, BUT NEXT YEAR. I HEAR ALLEGATIONS OF INAPPROPRIATE USE OF DEPARTING GRANT MONEY. OUR DISTRICT PUT THIS MONEY TO USE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. I BELIEVE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. MOST OF THESE GRANTS HAD A LIMITED SCOPE. THE MONEY MASKS CHRONIC LOCAL UNDERFUNDING . WE DON'T NEED THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE WE ADDED THEM LAST YEAR AND BECAME DEPENDENT ON THEM. WE'VE NEEDED THESE POSITIONS FOR MANY YEARS. ITS MOST CRITICAL THAT YOU STAY FOCUSED ON THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES BEFORE US. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN? WE ARE HERE TO LISTEN. THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD WHO HAVE INCREDIBLE FOCUS YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR ACTIONS HELP EDUCATORS TO FEEL SUPPORTED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM. WE HAVE MEMBERS WHO ARE MAKING THIS ALREADY DIFFICULT TIME. EVEN MORE CHALLENGING. WE CALL ON YOU NOT TO CREATE UNNECESSARY DISTRACTIONS TO STAND TOGETHER WITH US. UM AND TO HELP US TO MOVE FORWARD AS A DISTRICT THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY TRACY PINCHUK. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER. AND THIS EVENING. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET.

HOWEVER FIRST I NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROPOSED FLAG POLICY. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA PASS. I RECOMMEND YOU JUST APOLOGIZE AND MOVE ON. NOW, SOME OF YOU MAY BE INCLINED TO ARGUE SOME OF YOU MAY SAY YOU'VE RECEIVED SO MANY EMAILS IN SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED FLAG POLICY. OK AND HOW MANY PEOPLE SIGNED THE PETITION TO RENAME OLD POST ROAD ELEMENTARY FOR WILLIAM PEER.

BECAUSE IN THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT IS PRIMARILY WHO IS SUPPORTING YOUR PROPOSED BY POLICY. THAT'S REALLY NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR YOU. STOP TRYING TO DEFEND PARANOID NATIONALISM AND BIGOTRY OF THE PROPOSAL. ON TO THE BUDGET. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS CHOSEN TO CREATE A CRISIS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE COUNTY. HE SET UP A FINANCIAL CLIFF LAST YEAR AND IS NOW DRIVING THE COUNTY STRAIGHT FOR IT. SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN RESPONSE? I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN HAVING SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT TRIAGE CAN BE DONE ON THE FUNDING SIDE.

I HOPE THAT THE BARGAINING UNITS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, EVEN WITH THE SENSITIVITIES FROM CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE STAYING ACTIVE ON THE POLITICAL SIDE. DID YOU SEE MR CASS'S INTERVIEW THIS MORNING? HE KEPT TALKING ABOUT

[01:25:06]

HOW THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS SITTING ON A HUGE MOUNTAIN OF MONEY. MORE THAN $90 MILLION. OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT TRUE. AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION KNOWS IT'S NOT TRUE. NOW IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S LAST ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, THERE IS A TABLE THAT LISTS OVER $90 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE. BY THE SAME METRIC LAST YEAR, THE COUNTY FUND BALANCE WOULD BE 211 MILLION. IN THIS MORNING'S INTERVIEW, MR CALY CLAIMED THE COUNTY VAN D WOULD BE AROUND 5 MILLION AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. THIS ISN'T A ATTACK ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THUS ON YOU. SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN RESPONSE? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TRACY PINCH AND I'M AT PATTERSON MILL. I WANT TO START BY INVITING YOU TO TAKE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE. SOME OF YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF HIGH SCHOOL. FOR ME. I'M THINKING ABOUT PERFORMING WITH MY SCHOOL SHOW CHOIR AND PLAYING SOCCER AGAINST OUR BIGGEST RIVALS. I ALSO REMEMBER MY FAVORITE TEACHERS LIKE MISSUS PLISKA, WHO INTRODUCED US TO CULTURES BEYOND MY SMALL TOWN. WELL, MAYBE NOT THE SAME. I BET YOUR STORIES AND OTHERS IN THIS ROOM ARE SIMILAR TO MINE. WHICH IS WHY THIS PROPOSED BUDGET BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS SO INSIDIOUS.

WITHOUT PROPER FUNDING. WE RISK LOSING THE VERY PROGRAMS WHICH MAKE SCHOOL MEMORABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES. OUR HARTFORD COUNTY CITIZENS VALUE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES A WELL ROUNDED EDUCATION. BUT THEY WILL STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATION OF $40 MILLION OF UNDERFUNDING. THIS IS WHERE WE NEED YOU. THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO HELP MOST OF THE PUBLIC AND MOST OF US WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE A FULL GRASP OF WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE FUNDED BY BLUEPRINT. UNFORTUNATELY PROGRAMS THAT WE PLACE A HIGH VALUE IN FOR OUR DISTRICT LIKE OUR ARTS, MUSIC, WORLD, LANGUAGES AND ATHLETICS ARE NOT REQUIRED BY BLUEPRINT FUNDING. WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE THESE PROGRAMS, WE NEED FUNDING FOR THEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. THIS IS WHERE WE NEED YOU. TO START APR CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENRY OF HARTFORD COUNTY ON THE REALITIES OF WHAT WE FACE GET OUT AHEAD OF THE MISINFORMATION. C POSTS AND VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. CALL THE WBL I TEAM AND GET ON TELEVISION. WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO THE AEGIS HOLDS COMMUNITY MEETINGS, CONTACT OUR LOCAL LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION AND TELL THEM HOW THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING MODEL IS NOT WORKING FOR HARTFORD COUNTY, HELP OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK AND ALL OF OUR ENERGY DEVOTED TO SAVING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WE KNOW IT TODAY. THAT 40 MILLION AND UNDERFUNDING IT ISN'T CUTTING FROM PROGRAMS REQUIRED BY BLUEPRINT. IT IS CUTTING FROM OUR MOST FUNDAMENTAL BEDROCK OF OUR COMMUNITY. OUR TEACHERS, OUR ARTS, MUSIC, ATHLETICS, IN ESSENCE, THE VERY PROGRAMS THAT GET OUR STUDENTS TO WANT TO COME TO SCHOOL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DELLA COLLINS, FOLLOWED BY KELLY FONGER. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME . MY NAME IS DELLA COLLINS, AND I AM THE GUARDIAN OF TWO STUDENTS THAT ATTEND SCHOOLS IN HARFORD COUNTY. I'M SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT AND FOLLOW UP REGARDING THE STATE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN HARTFORD COUNTY. BOTH OF MY CHILDREN HAVE LIKE THE IP S WITH SERVICES PROVIDED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, AND IT HAD SERVICES SINCE THE ENTER PUBLIC SCHOOL NEARLY SEVEN YEARS AGO. WHAT IS AN IP? YOU MIGHT ASK. IT'S AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM. IT'S A LEGAL CONTRACT BETWEEN YOU AND THE SCHOOL IS PUT IN PLACE WHEN YOUR CHILD HAS A DISABILITY OR DELAY THAT IS IMPACTING THEIR ABILITY TO LEARN. THE IEP DESCRIBES YOUR CHILD'S SPECIFIC GOALS AND THE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION AND SUPPORT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MUST LEGALLY PROVIDE YOUR CHILD THIS YEAR DUE TO THE CLIMATE OF TEACHING. OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER RESIGNED MIDYEAR. BEHIND THAT. THEIR SPEECH TEACHER RETIRED MID YEAR THIS LEFT MY CHILDREN IN A SPACE OF MISSING SERVICE HOURS HAVING SERVICE HOURS PROVIDED BY ADULTS NOT LICENSED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND NOW A TEACHER BEING HIRED WITH US WITHOUT THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEGREE. CURRENTLY WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF SEEKING COMPENSATORY SERVICES FOR THIS DEFICIT AS MY CHILDREN RECEIVE

[01:30:04]

94.86 AND 93.23% OF THEIR IP SERVICES FROM SOMEONE OTHER THAN THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER.

WOULD YOU BE OK WITH THAT? IF YOUR CHILDREN RECEIVED 93 AND 94% OF THEIR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES BY SOMEBODY OTHER THAN A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER. WHAT I NEED TO BRING AWARENESS TO IS THE PLIGHT OF MY CHILDREN'S FREE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS FA, P. MIDYEAR. OUR FAMILY WAS FACED WITH A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION. AND THAT WAS DO WE HIRE A LAWYER AND SUE YOU SUE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN HARTFORD COUNTY. WHERE WE WORK WITH HARTFORD COUNTY TO MAKE THIS RIGHT OUR FAMILY HAS CHOSEN THE LATTER. FOR THE TIME BEING.

THE REASON FOR MY PUBLIC COMMENT IS TO DRAW AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN THIS COUNTY NEEDS MORE HELP. AND NEEDS MORE SUPPORT. WITHOUT MORE SUPPORT.

FAMILIES SUCH AS MINE WILL BE FACING VERY TOUGH DECISIONS, WHETHER OR NOT WE SOOTHE BOARD.

AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO ELEVATE YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR. LAST SUMMER, ESY WAS CONSOLIDATED AND MY CHILDREN WERE ON THE BUS FOR THIR FOR 38 HOURS IN ONE MONTH. IS THAT ACCEPTABLE THIS YEAR? THEIR SCHOOL IS EVEN FURTHER, SO WE WILL NOT BE SENDING OUR KIDS TO ESY. SO WE'LL BE SEEKING COMPENSATORY SERVICES FOR THAT AS WELL. I'M ASKING YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. IS THERE A KELLY FONER? HELLO. MY NAME IS KELLY FONGER. I'M SPEAKING ON BOTH THE FLAG POLICY AND THE BUDGET. AS THE COUNTY HAS NOT REF REFUNDED THE REQUESTED BUDGET. WHY ARE WE ADDING A NEW POLICY POLICY TO THE BUDGET THAT WE CANNOT FIND? WHICH PERSON WILL WE CUT FOR THIS POLICY? PLEASE MEET WITH THE STAFF MEMBER TO TELL THEM THAT THIS POLICY IS WORTH THE PERSON LOSING THEIR JOB. IN THE DECISION, UM IN DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET. WE ARE GETTING WHAT WE PAY FOR. WE HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR THE LAST NINE OUT OF THE 12 BUDGET CYCLES. IN THE LAST 12 YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED BY OVER $200 MILLION WITH CALLS FOR US TO DO BETTER. WE HAVE DONE WHAT WE CAN WITH THESE LIMITATIONS. UH, I SEE YOUR POSTS AND HAVE HAD PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU. YOU NEED TO SUPPORT US. PLEASE SHOW US YOUR SUPPORT BY ST STANDING UP TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SHOW THAT YOU SUPPORT US INSTEAD OF SHOWING US YOUR CONTEMPT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BONNIE NUDO, FOLLOWED BY LIE, WHEATON HUGHES. HI. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UM, I CAME TONIGHT TO SPEAK MOSTLY ABOUT THE NEW LIBRARY REVIEW POLICY. I LOOKED AT THE ORIGINAL POLICY TODAY. UM WHICH BY THE WAY WAS ONE PAGE LONG AS OPPOSED TO THE NEW ONE IS EIGHT PAGES LONG. UM THE THING THAT STOOD OUT THE MOST TO ME. THE ORIGINAL POLICY, WHICH WAS AMENDED IN 2015. INCLUDED UH THIS IS PART OF THE PROCESS THAT SELECTING OF BOOKS MUST ENSURE RECOGNITION TO ALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS.

WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, SEX, AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, RELIGION, DISABILITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THE EIGHT PAGES OF THE NEW POLICY. NONE OF THESE WORDS ARE IN THERE. UM IT IT'S VERY KIND OF VAGUE AND CAN BE INTERPRETED, HOWEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO SO. UM THERE ARE PLACES THAT YOU CAN VERY EASILY ADD THIS IN AND, UH, SECTION THREE. NUMBER THREE SAYS A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS ON DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY AND REPRESENTING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEWS IS CRITICAL IN CREATING A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND OPPORTUNITY THAT NURTURE DISCUSSIONS AND CONVERSATIONS THAT RIGHT THERE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AND INCLUDE THINGS LIKE GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE , NATIONAL ORIGIN, ET CETERA, TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCISE. IN THE PAST, PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT BOOKS. UM, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH SOME PEOPLE ABOUT THE TRANSPARENCY THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN. I THINK IF A BOOK IS BEING BROUGHT TO THE BOARD UNDER WHATEVER POLICY THE OLD ONE, THE NEW ONE IT SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. TO US, WE SHOULD KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST A BOOK AND, YOU KNOW, DOES IT TAKE ONE COMPLAINT OR FIVE OR 10? I DON'T. THAT'S NOT CLEAR EITHER IN THE POLICY AND ALSO HOW MANY COPIES THE SCHOOL HAS AND WHAT

[01:35:01]

GRADE LEVEL SCHOOLS THAT IT'S IN. IN THE PAST, A VERY SPECIFIC BOOK HAS BEEN DISPLAYED AS PART OF A SHOW AND TELL UP HERE CALLED, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT. THERE ARE ONLY TWO COPIES OF THIS BOOK IN ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 38,000 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN HCPS THE ODDS OF A CHILD ACCIDENTALLY COMING ACROSS THIS BOOK IN THEIR LIBRARY. YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH SLIM TO ZERO. UM AND I ALSO NOTIFIED THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. UM WHICH IT WAS IN A WAITING LIST, BUT NOW IT IS NOT. BUT THERE ARE ONLY FOUR COPIES OF THIS BOOK IN THE WHOLE COUNTY. YOU'RE BRINGING MORE ATTENTION TO THINGS THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T AWARE OF. THANK YOU. HELLO. MY NAME IS ALI. WE AND HUGHES. I'M A PROUD SPECIAL EDUCATOR AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO YOU WAS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL, VERY ROUGH DRAFT OF THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES POLICY AND WHICH RAISED MAJOR CONCERNS ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE NIGHTMARE OF THAT POLICY AS RELATED TO CLASSROOM DECORATIONS AND DISPLAY OF FLAGS . APPARENTLY YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE. SO LIKE A GOOD SPECIAL EDUCATOR, I THOUGHT I'D DO A QUICK REVIEW AND PROVIDE SOME VISUAL SUPPORT. SO WE'RE GOING TO PLAY A GAME CALLED. DOES THIS COSTUME DECORATION VIOLATE THE PROPOSED POLICY? IS THAT A PROBLEM? I'M SORRY WE CAN. YEAH, WE CAN STOP THE TIME AT TWO MINUTES. IS IT REALLY THESE ARE THINGS ACTUALLY IN MY CLASSROOM. I KNOW, BUT THEY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT YOU AT THE DOOR. THEY DID. WE ACTUALLY DON'T ALLOW. UM ANY ITEMS. SO BASICALLY I WROTE THINGS FOR MY CLASSROOM FOR MY HALLWAY. QUICK WALK DOWN THE HALL. UM YOU WOULDN'T EVEN THINK THEY'RE PRETTY INNOCUOUS. THERE'S NO FLAG FOR THEY ARE ATTACHED TO POLES, WHICH PROBABLY YOU CAN GET IN TROUBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM WELL, THEY ARE PRETTY INNOCUOUS. WHEN I SAID SOMETHING TO MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT IT. I'M LIKE, OH, MY GOD, THAT'S GONNA VIOLATE THE POLICY NEXT YEAR.

POTENTIALLY THEY WERE COMPLETELY TAKEN BACK. THESE ARE 25 AND 30 YEAR EMPLOYEES. UM ONE OF THE THINGS I BROUGHT HUNG IT IN A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOM IN UPSTATE NEW YORK FOR 25 YEARS AND WAS PASSED ON TO HER DAUGHTER, WHO WAS PERSUADED IN HER ROOM FOR 25 YEARS. IT COVERS THE 2.5 FT BY 5 FT WINDOW SO THAT IF THERE'S EVER AN OCTOPUS SALANT, HER KIDS ARE SAFE OR PARTIALLY SAFE. UM ONE OF THE THINGS I BROUGHT, COVERS A HOLE IN THE WALL THAT WAS INHERITED.

WHEN ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MOVED IN ONE OF THE THINGS I BROUGHT FROM MY OWN PERSONAL CLASSROOM, A STUDENT GAVE TO ME AS A HOLIDAY PRESENT, UM, BECAUSE THEY SEE THEMSELVES IN IT BECAUSE THEIR FAVORITE FONT IS COOPER BLACK. AND THEY LIKE TO COME INTO MY CLASSROOM EVERY MORNING AND LOOK AT IT. SO OF COURSE, UM, THEY MAY BE QUESTIONABLE, SO I WOULD HAVE TO. MAYBE POSSIBLY. YOU KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT, MY PRINCIPAL DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL WHEN THEY HAD NOTHING ELSE TO DO IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. I'D HATE TO END MY CAREER OVER A DECORATION THAT'S MEANT TO KEEP ME AND MY KIDS SAFE OR BE IT SOMETHING THAT THEY SEE THEMSELVES IN. AT THE END OF THE DAY. THIS POLICY IS ABOUT CONTROL BECAUSE YOU DON'T TRUST EDUCATORS. I HAVE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THIS SPORTS THIRSTY CONTROLLED AND POLICE RECEIVE THE DISTRICT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY USING IRM PAYCHECKS TO MAKE LEARNING SPACES WELCOMING FOR OUR STUDENTS. WHILE YOU WERE DRAFTING THIS POLICY, I WAS SITTING IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR CERTIFICATED UNIT AND AT NO TIME WAS THERE ANY LANGUAGE IN COMING ACROSS THE TABLE OFFERING TO PAY FOR OUR APPROVED CLASSROOM DECORATION. HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T STOP YOU FROM DICTATING HOW WE SHOULD SPEND OUR PAYCHECKS TO DECORATE OUR YOUR CLASSROOMS. GOOD POLICY, SOLVE PROBLEMS AND BAD POLICIES CREATE THEM. THIS POLICY CREATES MORE ISSUES THAN IT SOLVES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDY REED, AND SHE FOLLOWED BY MELISSA WILLIAMS. HI. GOOD EVENING. UM. IN STOP THE CLERK, PLEASE. UH, IS IT HOW DO YOU CAN SOMEONE ASSIST HER? IT'S ON, OK. THANK YOU. YOU COULD RESTART THE CLOCK. SORRY. HI I'M ANDY WHEATON HUGHES. I'M A CROWD SCIENCE EDUCATOR AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE I'VE TAUGHT FOR SIX YEARS. AND THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SPEAKING. UM I HAVE COME TO YOU OR LISTENED TO EVERY BOARD MEETING.

FOR THIS YEAR AND EVERY OTHER YEAR AND IT'S TO THE POINT THAT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO SPEAK OUT.

THE POLICIES. THAT ARE PRESENTED. UM, THE AGENDAS THAT ARE MADE. THE ACTIONS OF SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND SOCIAL MEDIA. UM, THEY SEND A MESSAGE. BUT IT'S A DISTRACTING MESSAGE I TEACH AT ABERDEEN. OUR TECHNOLOGY. OUR BOARDS ARE OLDER THAN SOME OF THE TEACHERS. I

[01:40:02]

WORK WITH. WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED. TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT YOU DEMAND WE PROVIDE, BUT WE DO IT ANYWAY. ALL OF OUR ENERGY THIS THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR A BUDGET THAT GIVES OUR KIDS WHAT WE NEED. AND SCHOOLS LIKE MINE. A PLACE WHERE KIDS CAN LEARN IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, AN ENVIRONMENT WORTH WORKING H VAC. WE'RE ON THE LIST FOR AN IT FACTOR INNOVATION THAT WILL HAPPEN AT SOME POINT THIS CENTURY. MAYBE BECAUSE IT KEEPS GETTING PUSHED BACK WITH EVERYTHING. UM, BUT THAT ALSO DELAYS, ACCESS TO NEW TECHNOLOGY AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TEACH STUDENTS. I TEACH SCIENCE. MY SCIENCE DEPARTMENT. AS ONE CLASS SET OF TEXTBOOKS FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL. I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE I WAS HEARING THAT OUR SCIENCE DEPARTMENT WAS LOOKING AT NEW BOOKS. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT. WITH THE BUDGET. WE ARE GOING TO LOSE TEACHERS. OUR NEIGHBORS IN CECIL COUNTY HAVE A $13 MILLION DEFICIT, AND THEY ARE CUTTING 150 EDUCATORS AND ALL OF THEIR PROGRAMMING. WE'RE NEXT IF THIS CONTINUES, AND IT'S GOING TO BE WORSE, BECAUSE OUR DEFICIT IS WORSE, ALL OF OUR ENERGY SHOULD BE FIGHTING AND ADVOCATING FOR OUR KIDS. AND NOT DISTRACTING POLICIES THAT ARE NOT HELPING ISSUES BECAUSE THOSE ISSUES DON'T EXIST RIGHT NOW. OUR KIDS ARE THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS AND THEIR EDUCATION MATTERS.

THAT'S THE WHOLE FOCUS. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING BOARD PRESIDENT PONTON BOARD MEMBER SUPERINTENDENT BOLSON THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. UH, MY NAME IS MELISSA WILLIAMS. I AM UH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR PRINCIPALS AND SUPERVISORS OF HARTFORD COUNTY FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS OF COUNTY AND ALSO UM I AM A HARTFORD COUNTY PRINCIPAL, CURRENTLY LEARNING AND GROWING WITH THE COMMUNITY AT DAPT TOWN HIGH SCHOOL. TONIGHT I COME TO YOU WITH TWO REQUESTS. ONE IS TO NOT TO ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO PUBLICLY ADVOCATE FOR THE BUDGET THAT YOU APPROVED. AND ALSO TO KEEP THIS CONVERSATION GROUNDED IN REALITY. THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES REPRESENTATION OF THE HARVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FUND BALANCE THIS MORNING WAS INACCURATE AND MISLEADING. PLEASE CORRECT THIS INACCURATE NARRATIVE. AND CONTINUE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE THAT HARVARD COUNTY IS NOT SITTING ON A $90 MILLION FUND BALANCE AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INCUMBENT AND UNENCUMBERED FUNDS, INCLUDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, APPARENTLY SECOND FLAT FUNDING DOES NOT MEAN BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE CURRENT SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE BUDGET YOU APPROVED WOULD ALLOW THE SYSTEM TO HAVE THE SAME SERVICES AS LAST YEAR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW ENHANCEMENTS TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE LEARNERS. THERE'S NO LIKELY WAY TO MAKE UP FOR A $40 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WOULD NOT RESULT IN A DECREASE TO OUR SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER THAT BE IN A REDUCTION OF STUDENT FACING POSITIONS OR IN A REDUCTION OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT BRING THOSE STUDENTS TO SCHOOL SPORTS MUSIC ELECTIVES, DUAL ENROLLMENT ACT OPPORTUNITIES AND SO ON. THREE THE LOSS OF A TEACHING POSITION IS SO MUCH MORE THAN AN INCREASE IN CLASS SIZE, ALTHOUGH THAT IS TRUE. BESIDES THE LOSS OF A MENTOR, ADVOCATE AND INSPIRATION , MANY TEACHERS WEAR MANY HATS. AND THIS LOSS COULD ALSO MEAN THE LOSS OF A COACH, AN ADVISOR. OR A COMMITTEE HEAD. THE COSTS OF ONE POSITION IS SO MUCH MORE FINALLY DO NOT ALLOW THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO CREATE A NARRATIVE THAT PITS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AGAINST OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY INSTITUTIONS INSIST THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL FIND WAYS TO PUB TO FUND THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT TAKE AWAY FROM POLICE AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVICES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JASON KING, FOLLOWED BY KATHY KOWALESKI. GOOD EVENING . MY NAME IS JASON KING AND I'M, A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER IN HARTFORD COUNTY, AS WELL AS A PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ASK THE QUESTION. WHY? WHY ARE WE SO DIVIDED? I LOOK AROUND AND I SEE PARENTS, TEACHERS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ED AND MANY OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS IN MIND. DON'T WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS CAN HAVE THE ABILITY TO SUCCEED. WE CAN'T DO THAT IF WE ARE DIVIDED I'VE HEARD PEOPLE COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND ARGUE THAT THE AMERICAN FLAG SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. MY RESPONSE IS THAT NO ONE HAS EVER SUGGESTED TAKING THE AMERICAN STATE OR COUNTY

[01:45:04]

FLAG OUT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE USE THE WORD INDOCTRINATION THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TRYING TO INDOCTRINATE THEIR CHILDREN. HOW HOW AM I AS A TEACHER TRYING TO INDOCTRINATE YOUR CHILD? IN ALL MY YEARS AS A TEACHER, I HAVE NEVER HAD A STUDENT SAY TO ME. THANK YOU FOR FORCING ME TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE IN HOWEVER, I HAVE HAD MANY STUDENTS SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO FEEL SAFE AND RESPECTED IN YOUR CLASSROOM.

HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER SAT DOWN WITH ME OR ANY OTHER TEACHER TO DISCUSS WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, OR ARE YOU RELYING ON FALSE NARRATIVES? THEY'RE BEING PUSHED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. WHY DO YOU NOT TRUST EDUCATORS? WE HAVE DEDICATED OUR TIME AND MONEY TO PERFECTING OUR CRAFT. SOMETIMES AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR OWN FAMILY NEEDS, AND I AM SURE THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE DONE THE SAME THING. WHETHER YOU'RE A DOCTOR, MECHANIC OR BUSINESS OWNER. I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE MADE SACRIFICES AS WELL. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT I DON'T COME TO YOU TO TELL YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR BUSINESS WHERE YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT OR HOW TO TEACH MY CLASS. WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON IS WHAT WE ARE PREPARED TO DO TO MEET THE STRATEGIC PLAN DEVELOPED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT STATES OUR MISSION IS THAT EACH STUDENT WILL ATTAIN ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SUCCESS IN A SAFE AND CARING ENVIRONMENT THAT HONORS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND THE VISION THAT WE WILL INSPIRE AND PREPARE EACH STUDENT TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND CAREER. WE CAN NOT ATTAIN THE GOALS IF WE CONTINUE TO BE DIVIDED, AND IF WE CONTINUE TO ALLOW OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO UNDERFUNDED OUR BUDGET AND MAKE FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN OUR FUND BALANCE, UNDERFUNDING WILL LEAD TO THE LOSS OF TEACHERS, LOSS OF PROGRAMS AND INCREASED CLASS SIZES. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY RADICAL SUGGESTION IS THIS TALK. BE WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PEOPLE HERE IN THIS ROOM, EVEN IF IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. BECAUSE UNTIL WE PUT THIS PETTINESS ASIDE, WE WILL NEVER DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR NUMBER ONE STAKEHOLDER, AND THAT IS OUR CHILDREN. GOOD EVENING, GROWING UP IN BALTIMORE CITY IN THE LATE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, THERE WERE CERTAIN HOUSES THAT CONTAINED A BLOCK HOUSE SIGN IN THEIR FRONT WINDOWS TO SIGNAL IF A CHILD NEEDED HELP FOR ANY REASON THAT THEY COULD GO TO THAT HOUSE AND KNOW THEY WERE SAFE, MUCH LIKE THE BLOCK BLOCK HOUSE SIGN A TEACHER OR STAFF MEMBER. DISPLAYING A PRIME FLAG IS INDICATING THAT THEY ARE SAFE SPACE FOR AN LGBT Q PLUS STUDENT . THERE'S AMPLE EVIDENCE COLLECTED BY MANY RESEARCHERS OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, DECADES THAT CLEARLY SHOW THAT LGBT Q PLUS YOUTH DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN MANY SCHOOLS. THEY EXPERIENCE HIGHER RATES OF BULLYING HARASSMENT, DROPPING OUT AND LOWER FEELINGS OF SCHOOL SAFETY AND BELONGING. I WILL STATE IT AGAIN AS I'VE SAID IT BEFORE. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT PRIDE FLAGS MAKE SOMEONE TURN LGBT Q. PLUS NOR IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT PRIDE FLAGS ARE DIVISIVE OR DISTRACTING BY THEIR VERY PRESENCE. REGARDING STUDENT LEARNING. WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS WILL REFUSE TO LEARN AND DISENGAGE FROM ADULTS WHO DON'T SEE AND RESPECT THEM. WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS WILL STOP ATTENDING SCHOOL IF THEY AREN'T SAFE AND SUPPORTED IF WE WANT STUDENTS TO LEARN AND TEACHERS TO SUPPORT THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, THEN WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY BOTH PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. SOME HAVE SAID THAT THE PRIDE FLAG IS POLITICAL. THE PRIDE FLAG IS NOT A POLITICAL SYMBOL, BUT RATHER A HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN SYMBOL, AND NO ONE'S IDENTITY SHOULD EVER BE POLITICIZED. FIVE FLAGS DO NOT DIMINISH THE RIGHTS OR PRESENCE OF OTHER STUDENTS. RATHER THEY HIGHLIGHT OUR COMMITMENT AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SCHOOL CULTURES THAT EMBRACE DIVERSITY AND FOSTER EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING AMONG ALL STUDENTS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD. AND THE EDUCATION PROFESSOR PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE THE EXPERTS IN CURRICULUM, CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL SAFETY.

EQUITY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING BOTH PRIDE, FLAGS AND CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.

THE SPORT KEEPS STATING THAT YOU SUPPORT EDUCATORS YET SOME OF YOU KEEP TRYING TO REVISE OR IMPLEMENT POLICIES THAT SUGGEST THAT YOU DON'T TRUST EDUCATORS. SO WHICH ISN'T PART OF SUPPORTING EDUCATORS IS TRUSTING THEM TO DO THE JOB THAT THEY ARE TRAINED TO DO WITHOUT TRYING TO MICROMANAGE EVERY LITTLE THING THAT GOES ON IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR CLASSROOMS. AS FOR THE BUDGET, WE NEED TO HEAR YOUR VOICES STANDING UP FOR US. WE NEED YOU TO LISTEN. WE'RE THE ONES WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT KNOW WHAT WE NEED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACKIE JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY JANINE CANIDA. GOOD EVENING, TWO POINTS REGARDING THE LAST MEETING. FIRST THERE WAS A STATEMENT MADE AT THE LAST MEETING REGARDING THE BUDGET. THAT MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL TO BE ACCURATE. IT'S THE LOVE OF MONEY THAT IS

[01:50:01]

THE ROOT OF ALL KINDS OF EVIL. FIRST, TIMOTHY 610 AND SECOND DURING THE DISCUSSION OF THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE POLICY, THE WORD SHALL WAS SCRUTINIZED. IT WAS EVEN STATED BY A MEMBER.

THAT CHILD DOESN'T MEAN MUST, ACCORDING TO WEBSTER'S COLLEGE DICTIONARY, SHALL DOES MEAN MUST . IT'S A COMMAND A DIRECTIVE. IT'S USED IN LAW. IT'S IN THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, SO WHETHER YOU ARE TALKING FEDERAL STATE LOCAL OR GOD'S LAW SHALL ALWAYS MEANS MUST AND FINALLY, TONIGHT, YOU WILL BE VOTING ON THE FLAG POLICY. TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE CONTEMPLATING VOTING AGAINST THIS, YOU WILL BE VOTING TO ALLOW ALL TYPES OF FLAGS TO BE DISPLAYED IN THE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THE CHRISTIAN FLAG. TRUMP MALE GASCON, DON'T TREAD ON ME THE SECOND AMENDMENT, RIGHT? NR I FLAGS JUST TO NAME NR A FLAG JUST TO NAME A FEW. WE OFTEN HEAR YOU SPEAK ABOUT EQUALITY AND DE. I WILL YOU BE A SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE WHO IDENTIFY WITH AND CHOOSE TO DISPLAY THESE FLAGS AS YOU ARE WITH THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO DISPLAY PRIDE AND BLM FLAGS. IF NOT, THEN YOU WILL BE SHOWING YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN EQUALITY FOR EVERYONE, THUS CAUSING MORE DIVISION. AND ONCE THIS POLICY WHICHEVER WAY IT GOES, IS IN PLACE. WILL IT BE ENFORCED? WILL THERE BE CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT FOLLOW IT? DO YOU WANT TO CAUSE MORE DIVISION OR BRING ABOUT UNIFICATION OF THE STAFF AND STUDENTS FOR THE EDUCATION OF OUR FUTURE INDEPENDENT CITIZENS, AS TEACHERS USED TO SAY TO US WHEN WE HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS AND CHOICES? LET YOUR CONSCIENCE BE YOUR GUIDE. SO WHEN THE TIME COMES TO CAST YOUR VOTE, BE OF CLEAR, MIND AND THOUGHT AND LET YOUR CONSCIENCE BE YOUR GUIDE, AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE STUDENTS EARLIER WHO GAVE THAT WELL PREPARED PRESENTATION. THEY DID VERY WELL . THEY WERE VERY VERBALLY VERSED , WELL VERSED AND PROFESSIONAL IN THEIR APPEARANCE.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEANINE CONDO. UM MY GOAL IN THE NEXT 2.5 MINUTES IS TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT TO THE ISSUE INVOLVING THE EVALUATION OF BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. MY TARGET AUDIENCE IS WAS A NEW YORK ACCENT IS THE BOARD. UM YOU HAVE BEEN TASKED TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CHILDREN. I HOPE YOU TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. THE PHRASE BOOK BANNING IS NOT ONLY FALSE BUT GROSSLY DISINGENUOUS EITHER KNOWINGLY OR NOT. OR SOCIETY HAS USED WORDS AND PHRASES TO EITHER SOFTEN THE EFFECTS OF ISSUES OR USE THEM AS A WEAPON. WE ARE NOW IN THE POSITION OF BEING HELD HOSTAGE. HOSTAGE TO A MOVEMENT THAT PERTAINS TO A MINUTE PERCENTAGE OF, UH, OUR SOCIETY. YET WE FEEL THE NEED TO OVERALL COMPLETELY OVERHAUL THE EDUCATION SYSTEM TO INCLUDE EXPLICIT CONTENT IN AN ATTEMPT TO AGAIN, PLACATE AND MINUTE NUMBER OF OUR SOCIETY AND MAKE NO MISTAKE. HAVING SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARY.

UM IS SEXUAL EDUCATION. DR THOMAS SEWELL IN 93, YEAR OLD BLACK ECONOMIST RESEARCHER SOCIAL COMMENTATOR FOR DECADES, AUTHOR OF OVER 40 BOOKS UNPACKED AND PRESENTED THE CASE AND EVIDENCE AGAINST SEX ED. PRIOR TO THE SEX ED INITIATIVE, TEAM, PREGNANCY RATES AND SEXUAL DISEASES WERE GOING DOWN YET SOMEBODY THOUGHT WE NEEDED A SOLUTION TO THESE POSITIVE TRENDS. THE OUTCOME INCREASE IN TEEN PREGNANT PREGNANCIES AND INCREASE IN VENEREAL DISEASE. SO TEACHING KIDS ABOUT SEX. IS NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST AND YOU ALL HAVE YOU'VE BEEN TASKED TO DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE VERSUS SIMPLY COMPLY WITH A LOUD MOB. NOT BASED IN FACTS. LOOK AT THE FACTS. EMOTIONS ARE NOT FACTS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CRISTINA LANOS, FOLLOWED BY THOMAS PADDINGTON. YES WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE MUST MAKE HIM AND

[01:55:01]

HIS WILL NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES. WE'RE NOT ONLY TURNING OUR BACKS ON OUR CREATOR GOD, BUT WE ARE PROMOTING EVIL. AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BOOKS IN FRONT OF OUR CHILDREN IS EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF HIS WILL. TELLING OUR CHILDREN LIES ABOUT THEIR BODIES IS EXACTLY OPPOSITE OF HIS WILL. WE SHOULD BE PUTTING ONLY PURE AND GOOD BOOKS IN FRONT OF OUR INNOCENT CHILDREN. SHOULD ONLY BE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN THAT THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL AND PRECIOUS AS THEY WERE GIVEN TO US. BY GOD. WE SHOULD NOT BE AGREEING WITH THEM THAT THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE NOT ROMANS. 12 2 DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. THEN YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TEST AND APPROVE WHAT GOD'S WILL IS HIS GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL. PARENTS IN THEIR ROLE AS THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GUIDANCE AND CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN DESERVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE BEING EXPOSED TO DURING THEIR LONG DAYS AT SCHOOL , EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOLING FROM THE BASIC CURRICULUM IN EVERY LESSON PLAN TO 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 . WHY IS IT THAT SO MUCH IS HIDDEN FROM PARENTS REGARDING THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN? THE SCHOOLS ARE CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEGRADATION OF MORAL VALUES. THEY'RE ATTACKING THE FAMILY UNIT BY KEEPING SECRETS FROM THE PARENTS . THEY HAVE ATTACKED TRUTH WITH THE GENDER IDEOLOGIES AND THEIR CRITICAL RACE THEORY. THEY HAVE ATTACKED FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY COERCING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE LIES ALL THE ABOVE IS EXTREMELY HARMFUL TO OUR CHILDREN, PSYCHOLOGICALLY , SPIRITUALLY, MORALLY AND POSSIBLY EVEN PHYSICALLY. YOU ARE ENCOURAGEMENT OF OUR CHILDREN MAKES GENDER TRANSITIONS 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 IRREVERSIBLE EFFECTS OF THE BODY SHOULD NOT BE PUT IN THE HANDS OF ANYONE, EXCEPT FOR AN ADULT MAKING THAT DECISION FOR HIM OR HERSELF, ACCORDING TO NUREMBERG CODE.

ALSO ACCORDING TO THAT CODE, THE PERSON MUST BE FULLY AND FULLY INFORMED OF ANY AND ALL POSSIBLE EFFECTS UPON HIS HEALTH, WHICH MAY RESULT FROM PARTICIPATION IN AN EXPERIMENT AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS. PLEASE. LET'S REMOVE THE EVIL EVIL FROM THE CURRICULUM AND CEASE TRYING TO BE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS, AT LEAST UNTIL OUR SCHOOLS ARE SUCCESSFUL, AND THE COMMUNITY ACADEMIC CENTERS. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND GUIDE YOU IN ALL YOUR DECISION MAKING.

GOOD EVENING. WELL I FIGURE I'D, UH, RESPOND TO SOME OF WHAT WAS SAID HERE AND SOME GOOD POINTS.

I. I UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT WHAT THE EDUCATORS HERE ARE SAYING. BUT IT COMES WITH QUESTIONS AND I DON'T HEAR ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS. I'M JUST A PARENT, A TAXPAYER. 51% OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE PAY TO HARTFORD COUNTY TAXES GOES TO THE EDUCATION BUDGET. THAT'S NOT INCLUDING WHAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE. THAT'S NOT INCLUDING WHAT'S COMING FROM THE FEDS. HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? I DON'T KNOW THAT. BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A DISASTER PLAN COMING, BUT THEY CALL IT KERWIN. I THINK NOW IT'S THE BLUEPRINT. BUT WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO MANDATE MORE MONEY. I DON'T UNDER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIX IS FOR THAT. UH, EDUCATORS SPOKE EARLIER AND SAID HE DOESN'T INDOCTRINATE AND I BELIEVE HIM. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF INDOCTRINATION HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN THE SCHOOL IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, LOOK IT UP BECAUSE IT'S ON VIDEO. A YOUNG LADY CAME UP FROM THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM RIGHT HERE STOOD UP AND SAID HER FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH WAS READING THE BIBLE. WHEN I HEARD THAT MY HEART SANK. BECAUSE I KNEW THAT THAT WASN'T TRUE. AND I KNOW THAT NO. AND ANYBODY WHO READS THE BIBLE KNOWS THAT. COMMON SENSE. NOBODY REASONABLY IS GOING TO THINK THAT ANYTHING IN THE BIBLE IS, BUT THAT YOUNG LADY IS PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO READ THE BIBLE AGAIN AND WHERE I COME FROM, THAT'S A LOST SOUL, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WORST THINGS WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE.

THAT'S IT. THERE'S A POLICY THAT GREATLY CONCERNS ME THAT THAT IS RIGHT ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WEBSITE. IT'S A WAS WRITTEN IN 2015 CALLED PROVIDING SAFE SPACES FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER, NON CONFORMING YOUTH GUIDELINES FOR GENDER IDENTITY, NON DISCRIMINATION. AND IT READS IN PART NOTE, WHILE THE BALANCE BETWEEN STUDENTS RIGHTS TO PRIVACY AND PARENTS' RIGHTS TO INFORMATION IN THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT IS VITAL, NO PROVISION OF STATE OR FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES SCHOOLS TO AFFIRMATIVELY DISCLOSE THE SENSITIVE INFORMATION OF PARENTS . COURTS HAVE RECOGNIZED THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO MEDICAL CONFIDENTIALITY CONCERNING ONE'S STATUS AS A TRANSSEXUAL. PERSON AND THEY REFERENCE A COURT CASE OF POWELL V DRIVER SO THE LEGAL COMMUNITY WITHIN HARTFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS OR HARTFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS IS, UH DOING REALLY WORKING HARD HERE. POWELL VERSUS SRI IN THIS LEGAL OPINION SET FORTH BY THE SECOND CIRCUIT COURT. IT RECOGNIZES THAT A CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS DISCLOSURE OF AN INMATE'S HIV STATUS AND

[02:00:03]

TRANSGENDER STATUS MAY VIOLATE THE INMATES CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. SINCE WHEN ARE WE TREATING CHILDREN LIKE THEY'RE INCARCERATED WHEN COMING TO OUR PARENTS BEEN COMING BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH TRUST. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BENNETT, FOLLOWED BY TISHA GANNON. HELLO GOOD EVENING, JACOB BENNETT. UM, I FIRST WANNA JUST, UH, RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE ALL THOSE EDUCATORS AND STAFF WHO ARE CELEBRATED LAST WEEK AT THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION EVENT. UM I ESPECIALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE TWO ADMINISTRATORS. MR RONALD WOODEN, WHO WON PRINCIPLE OF THE YEAR AND HIRED ME NINE YEARS AGO AS A 20 YEAR OLD IN A SUIT THREE SIZES TOO BIG AND, UM , MISS LAURIE NAY, WHO TOOK A BIG RISK, SAYING THAT A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER COULD TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE LAST YEAR.

IT WAS ALSO A NOMINEE FOR PRIN. OF THE YEAR. I GUESS THE LESSON LEARNED IS HIRING ME AS GOOD LEADERSHIP. I ALSO JUST WANT REAL QUICKLY. UH, SPEAK ON THE FLAG POLICY. MS. KU M. KER AND I SPOKE ON THE PHONE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I SHARED WITH HER IS THAT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CONCERN IS NOT GROMIT AND CLOTH, BUT RATHER THE SYMBOLS THAT GO UPON THEM. SO I'M THINKING OF THAT AND RECOGNIZING THAT SYMBOLS CAN GO ON ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT AREN'T GRAMS AND CLOTH BUT ARE POSTERS AND STICKERS AND MURALS AND T-SHIRTS AND SO ON. I'M AFRAID THAT WHILE THIS POLICY WILL UPSET THOSE WHO DON'T WANT TO SEE PASS, IT WILL ALSO UPSET THOSE WHO DO WANT TO SEE IT PASS AND REALIZE IT DOESN'T HAVE THE END EFFECT THAT YOU THEY WANT IT TO HAVE. UH, SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I JUST ASK YOU TO CONSIDER, ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEND THAT SOCIAL CAPITAL AND UPSETTING SO MANY BY PASSING IT, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T GAIN THE END EFFECT THAT YOU WANT NEXT FALL.

UM LASTLY, ON THE BUDGET. I JUST WANT TO SHARE AS THE BOARD OF ED LIAISON FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

UM THAT I'M GONNA BE HERE TAKING DETAILED NOTES TONIGHT DURING THE PRESENTATION TO SHARE BACK WITH MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. UH I RECOGNIZE THE CONCERNS OF THE BUDGET AND HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS MYSELF. UH, NOT JUST FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, AND I LOOK AT FLAT FUNDING THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW. I LOOK AT FLAT FUNDING. UH, THE LIBRARIES FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW. AND I ALSO WANT TO JUST, UH, PUBLICLY CLARIFY THAT WHEN WE SAY WE SPEND 52% OF OUR BUDGET ON EDUCATION, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE LIBRARIES AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALL BUNDLED TOGETHER LABELED AS EDUCATION, NOT JUST HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH, INCLUDING PAYGO, AND ALL THAT IS ABOUT 45% OF THE BUDGET, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT. BUT I'LL BE LISTENING TONIGHT TO, UH, JUST MAKE SURE I HEAR AND CAN SHARE BACK WITH MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. WHAT IS THE PLAN FROM HERE TO JUNE 15? FROM THE BUDGET IS PASSED. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. SPEAKING FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. MY CHILDREN ARE GRADUATES OF AC PS.

I'VE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE FOR ALMOST 19 YEARS. ETHNIC PRESIDENT FOR THE SUPPORT STAFF OF HCPS. AND NOW I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN WHO ATTEND HCPS. COMING TO THESE MEETINGS AND LISTENING TO EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS BEGGING FOR SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED. WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE CHILDREN. ASKING YOU ALL TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. I SEE TEACHERS ARRIVING, ARRIVING TWO HOURS BEFORE THAT DAY START.

AND STAYING LATE. TO SUPPORT THE EVENING EVENTS THEY DON'T GET PAID FOR. THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND. BECAUSE WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE CHILDREN. ALL A CPS STAFF SEE THE FUTURE POLITICIANS, LAWYERS. JUDGES. PRESIDENTS DOCTORS, NURSES, TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS.

FIREFIGHTERS CUSTODIANS, BUS DRIVERS, ETCETERA. THAT MAKE UP AC PS. WE WANT TO SEE THE CHILDREN BE SUCCESSFUL NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS REID SCOTT. IT'S BEEN APPARENT FROM THE GET GO THAT THIS FLAG POLICY IS GEARED TOWARD A SPECIFIC FLAG.

CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU FOR TRYING TO PASS IT BEFORE PRIDE MONTH, TOO. WHAT A GREAT TIME TO MAKE PEOPLE THAT ALREADY FEEL INVISIBLE IN OUR COUNTY FEEL WORSE. YOU DO THIS UNDER THE GUISE OF CARING ABOUT THE CHILDREN AND ELIMINATING DISTRACTIONS, BUT WHOSE CHILDREN BECAUSE IT SURELY ISN'T THE ONES I KNOW, IF ANYTHING, I'D SAY YOU'RE CAUSING DISTRACTIONS. FOR

[02:05:02]

THE MOST PART, STUDENTS IN HCPS DON'T THINK A PRIDE FLAG IS DIVISIVE. IT'S THE ADULTS AND IT'S THE ADULTS THAT WANT TO CONTROL THAT WANT CONTROL. OVER NOT ONLY THEIR OWN CHILDREN BUT MY CHILDREN. WE'RE NOT BLIND. WE SEE WHAT THIS IS. WE KNOW WHO YOU'RE AFFILIATED WITH. AND A TIME WHEN WE HAVE A NATIONAL TEACHER SHORTAGE, YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE SOME OF OUR BEST TEACHERS TO LEAVE THROUGH YOUR PASSING OF DRACONIAN POLICIES. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND NEGLIGENT. WE CAN'T EVEN FIND UNCREDENTIALED TEACHERS TO FILL POSITIONS AND WE HAVE PEOPLE GETTING UP HERE AT BOARD MEETINGS, TELLING THEM TO LEAVE. GUESS WHAT? I'M NOT A TEACHER.

I'M A PARENT. WE NEED THESE TEACHERS. I WANT YOU HERE. THE THING THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE YOUTH DON'T SUPPORT YOUR VIEWS. MANY OF THE STUDENTS IN HCPS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF GAY RIGHTS. YOU WANT TO SHELTER YOUR KIDS BY MAKING EVERYONE LIVE UNDER YOUR RULES? LAST TIME I CHECKED, THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY. THE SAD FACT IN THIS COUNTRY IS THAT WE ARE ALLOWING A VOCAL MINORITY TO TAKE OVER SCHOOL BOARDS LIKE THIS. IF HISTORY HAS SHOWN ANYTHING, THOUGH, IT'S THAT IF YOU PUSH PEOPLE AROUND LONG ENOUGH, THEY WILL ORGANIZE AGAINST YOU. WELL, MANY STUDENT, WHILE MANY SCHOOL BOARDS ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME UNDERSTANDING AND INCLUDING ALL OF THEIR THIS BOARD IS CONCENTRATING ON MAKING PEOPLE UNSEEN. IT'S PRETTY EASY TO SEE THAT THIS IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. OUR CHILDREN DON'T NEED POLITICS. THEY NEED EDUCATION. THEY NEED A SCHOOL BOARD THAT PUTS THEM FIRST. I ALSO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME LEFT, SO I WANT TO CLEAR UP A FEW MISCONCEPTIONS AND COMMENTS MADE EARLIER. STATES THAT TEACH ABSTINENCE ONLY HAVE THE HIGHEST RATE OF STD S IN TEEN PREGNANCY.

THERE'S ALSO A LIBRARY CATALOG THAT'S VERY EASILY ACCESSED A ACCESSIBLE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.

IT'S CALLED DESTINY. IT'S REALLY NOT HARD IF YOU LOOK FOR IT, AND IF PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A BOOK, THEN THEY CAN CHALLENGE IT. SO FEW BOOKS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN BANNED THAT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED. AND THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN POLITICS. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT POINT AND THAT'S ALL THE IN PERSON SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER STILL IN THE LOBBY? WE DO. AND I WILL 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 2.5 MINUTES. YOU WILL HEAR A BELL RING WHEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS REMAINING, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOU MAY BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW.

YOU MAY BE MUTED. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MELISSA FRY. I WOULD LIKE TO DESCRIBE ONE OF THE GENERATIONS YOU'RE CURRENTLY SERVING. ARE ENGAGED CONSCIENTIOUS OF OUR WORLD. BY BEING SOCIALLY MINDED, INDEPENDENT THINKERS WHO RECOGNIZE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY IN SHAPING A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE FOR ALL. NEARLY 40% OF ALL AC PS STUDENTS ARE CHILDREN OF COLOR AND 8.6 IDENTIFIES AS HISPANIC. THEY'RE MORE LIKELY THAN PREVIOUS GENERATIONS TO HAVE LIVED. AT LEAST ONE FOREIGN BORN PARENT HAVE GROWN UP IN MORE DIVERSE SETTINGS THAN FUTURE GENERATIONS AND HAVE HIGHER PERCENTAGES OF SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. NEXT GREAT FAMILIES AND LGBT Q PLUS PARENTS. I LEGALLY RECOGNIZED PARTNERSHIPS. WHEN IT COMES TO RACE RELATIONS DENIER THAN MILLENNIALS ARE ABOUT EQUALLY LIKELY TO THINK. THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE TREATED LESS FAIRLY THAN WHITES IN THIS COUNTRY. HEARING. SOME OF YOU SAY PEOPLE SHOULD NOT NEED A FLAG TO FEEL WELCOME AND SUPPORTED IN OUR SCHOOLS, OR WE SHOULDN'T BE TRAINING PEOPLE TO HAVE A FLAG TO FEEL WELCOME. WAS MIND BOGGLING SO ALL THAT TO A SOLDIER WHO HAS BEEN SERVING HIS COUNTRY IN A FOREIGN LAND AND A FLAG MAKES THEM FEEL HOME AND SAFE. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH AN IMMIGRANT STUDENT, A FIRST GENERATION STUDENT OR A THIRD CULTURE STUDENT? STATEMENTS LIKE THE UNITED STATES FLAG. THE MARYLAND FLAG IN HARPER COUNTY FLAG REPRESENT AN ENCOMPASS EVERY SINGLE STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER THAT ATTENDS AND WORKS IN HD BS SHOWS YOU HAVE LITTLE TO NONE EXPERIENCE, BUT WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE SOMEONE WITH THE BROADER CONNECTIONS TO ANOTHER COUNTRY. BECOMING A US CITIZEN OR MARYLAND RESIDENT DOESN'T MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU BELONG AS SOON AS YOU GET THAT ID OR YOU RAISE YOUR HAND TO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IT IS THE ACTIONS OF THIS COUNTRY, THE COMMUNITY THE EXPERIENCES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE PART OF HOW CAN THESE STUDENTS FEEL WELCOME IN OUR SCHOOLS WHEN YOU DO LITTLE TO NOTHING TO RECOGNIZE THEIR CULTURES OR INTERESTS BY BANNING FLAG THAT SPEAKS TO UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND BLACKS OF OTHER COUNTRIES? YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO SILENCE THIS GENERATION'S ESSENCE. SCHOOLS ARE THE PLACE WHERE CHILDHOOD HAPPENS, ALL KIDS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR COLOR, NATIONALITY, BACKGROUND OR GENDER IDENTITY MUST BE RESPECTED, VALUED AND SEEN HAVING THE RIGHT TO GREAT EDUCATION, ALLOWING THEM TO EXPRESS THEIR INDIVIDUALITY BY USING FLAGS THAT REPRESENT THEM AND PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE WILL MAKE THEM RESPECT AND VALUE EVEN MORE. THE FLAG THAT HANGS IN

[02:10:04]

FRONT OF THEIR OWN SCHOOL. NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL, THESE MAY BE. I REQUEST THE BOARD TO VOTE AGAINST THIS POLICY. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK

[Board Member Comments]

YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH MS ALVAREZ, VIRTUALLY GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING ENGAGED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. UM YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING THERE TONIGHT IN PERSON. UM WE I KNOW WE DO HAVE SOME HEAVY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING. I WANT TO CLEAR CLARE CLARIFY THAT FLAG POLICY IS NOT OUR TOP PRIORITY.

UM WE SPEND MUCH OF OUR TIME ON A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES. UM, MOST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS RECENTLY ATTENDED THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE WHERE SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY CONVENE TO SHARE SUCCESSES. UM SO WE SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME ON OTHER THINGS. UM THAT SAID THE FLIGHT POLICY IS AN EFFORT TO REMOVE WHAT IS VIEWED BY MANY AS A DISTRACTION AND CREATE A MORE POLITICALLY NEUTRAL ENVIRONMENT. THERE WERE OVER 800 COMMENTS, UM , SENT IN ON THE FLAG POLICY, AND I READ EACH ONE OF THEM IN SUMMARY. THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS WERE IN SUPPORT OF A FLAG POLICY. WE EVEN HAD SEVERAL STUDENTS, COMMENT AND SUPPORT IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY. THAT SAID WE RE WE DID RECEIVE SOME COMMENTS REQUESTING CLARIFICATIONS. NOTWITHSTANDING THOSE CLARIFICATION REQUEST THAT THERE WAS STILL PREDOMINANT SUPPORT OF THE POLICY. NOW MOVING ON CONCERNING THE BUDGET. GIVEN THE GAP BETWEEN THE REQUEST AND THE FUNDING, THE BOARD WILL REALLY HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, AND I WANT MY POSITION TO BE CLEAR. I SUPPORTED THE BOARD I ADVOCATED FOR FUNDING THAT WOULD ALLOW HCPS TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF TEACHERS PRESENTLY EMPLOYED. SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. THAT SAID WHATEVER LEVEL OF FUNDING HPS RECEIVES. IT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO USE THAT FUNDING WISELY.

IT'S OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. THE BRIEFING ON JANUARY 22ND, TITLED THE BLUEPRINT AND BUDGET INCLUDED TEACHERS TEACHER CUTS WOULD BE NECESSARY TO FUND BLUEPRINT. I DISAGREE IN PART IF REDUCTIONS ARE NECESSARY. WHAT ABOUT REDUCING COSTLY EXPENDITURES ON PREPACKAGE CURRICULUM? SETTING SOME SPENDING CAPS ON APPROVALS. PERHAPS COMBINING ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF RESOURCES THAT ARE ADJACENT OFFICES OR SHARE FUNCTIONS OVER ELIMINATING TEACHERS. A FOCUS ON SATISFYING BLUEPRINT MANDATES HAS NOT INCLUDED ASSESSMENT OF REDUNDANCIES CREATED BY INSTALLATION OF BLUEPRINT MANDATES. I CONTEND THAT WE HAVE ST REQUIREMENTS ON TOP OF EXISTING RESOURCES ALREADY IN PLACE, AND I WILL PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW I AGREE WITH THE SPEAKER WHO STATED, LET'S NOT CUT PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE A STUDENT'S DESIRE TO COME TO SCHOOL LIKE MUSIC, SPORTS AND ARTS. A REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES $47 MILLION IN NEW STAFF POSITIONS THAT ARE EITHER CONVERSIONS FROM GRANT POSITIONS OR NEW HIRES, AND MOST OF THEM ARE NOT TEACHERS. WE HAVE ALLOCATED 21 MILLION IN TEXTBOOKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES. ANOTHER 10 MILLION OF UM, COUNSELING, WHICH WAS THE SAME LEVEL AS LAST YEAR, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOW RECEIVING COUNSELING SUPPORT FROM SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK AS PART OF THE BLUEPRINT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REDUNDANCIES THAT I MENTIONED ABOVE. I MADE MORE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEADERSHIP AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ASK QUESTIONS, SOME OF WHICH GO UNANSWERED ON FEBRUARY 17TH IAHCPS TO WALK ME THROUGH THE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT TO SEE THE CONDITION OF THE EXPENDABLE EXPENDABLE, SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT IN FY 2025. AS HCPS CONTINUES THE BUDGET PROCESS. I DO PRAY THAT IT WILL RESULT IN MORE FUNDING. BUT LET'S LOOK AT WHAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE. THANK YOU, MS COKER. OK WELCOME. AND THANKS EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE OR FOR LISTENING IN, ASMA ALVAREZ NOTED. WE A BUNCH OF BOARD MEMBERS DID ATTEND THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AND I WANTED TO PASS ON SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THERE. UM SEVERAL SESSIONS CENTERED AROUND THE CRITICALITY OF RESPECTFUL COMMUNICATIONS TRANSPARENCIES

[02:15:04]

AND HAVING SPECIFIC GOALS AN EXAMPLE OF A SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO INCREASED READING ON OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL IN GRADE 32 X PERCENT SAY 70% WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE, AFFECTIVE SCHOOL BOARDS, ALIGN AND SUSTAINED RESOURCES TO MEET THOSE GOALS. ONE SESSION NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF BOARD MEMBERS STAYING THE RATIONALE FOR THEIR POSITIONS AND VOTES AND OF THE INFORMATION SHARING AND TRANSPARENCY BY BOTH THE STAFF AND THE BOARD. POLICY SHOULD INCLUDE THE MEANS TO ENFORCE THEM. BUT THE MAIN SESSION I WANTED TO PASS ON WAS BY TIMOTHY SHRIVER, WHO SOME OF YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THE NAME. HE GAVE AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION ON CONTEMPT AND DIGNITY AND GAVE THE STATISTIC THAT 69% OF YOUNG AMERICANS HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO SHARE THEIR OPINIONS. BECAUSE THEY WERE AFRAID OF BEING PUNISHED IN SOME WAY. MULTIPLE DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND EIGHTH TO 12TH GRADE STUDENTS. ALL STUDENTS HAVE RISEN EACH RISEN OVER 15% SINCE 2020. THIS IS NOT JUST IN ONE GROUP. THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WITH LOTS OF FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THAT. SHRIVER SEES THE ROOT OF THE POLARIZATION IN OUR COUNTRY AS CONTEMPT. OUR COUNTRY IS MORE DIVIDED THAN ANY OTHER TIME AND WE SEE THIS IN OUR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE WILL SELF CENSOR BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP. IT IS UNIVERSAL AT EVERYONE YEARNS TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY, THE OPPOSITE OF CONTEMPT. TRIBAL DEVELOPED THE DIGNITY DIGNITY INDEX, WHICH MS ALVAREZ HAD MENTIONED AT AN EARLIER MEETING.

ANY STATEMENT CAN BE ANALYZED IN TERMS OF THE STATE LEVEL SCALE. WE SHOULD ALL STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT OUR STATEMENTS REFLECT AT LEAST A LEVEL FIVE, WHICH IS THAT EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO BE HERE AND TO BE HEARD. SHRIVER'S WORK INCLUDES HOW TO EVALUATE STATEMENTS FOR WHETHER THEY ARE TREATING PEOPLE WITH DIGNITY, AND HE FOUND THAT ONCE PEOPLE START TO EVALUATE OTHER STATEMENTS, THEY QUICKLY START EVALUATING THEIR OWN STATEMENTS, WHICH HELPS THEM GET OUT OF THE HABIT OF REFLECTING CONTEMPT OTHERS THAT THEY DISAGREE WITH. I ALSO ATTENDED THIS CEREMONY TO OUR GREAT EMPLOYEES NOMINATE FOR THE PROFESSIONALS CUSTODIAN SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL AND TEACHER OF THE YEAR WAS A GREAT CEREMONY. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES. THE WINNERS AND THE STAFF ARE PUTTING ON A GREAT CEREMONY. DR STANTON AND DR CARPENTER WERE EXCELLENT. EMC S THANK YOU. ALSO TO THE MANY EVENTS SPONSORS MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH. JONES TRIO RICHARDSON, FLORIST AND MANY OTHERS. IT WAS AN HONOR TO ATTEND THE UM HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS H CRASS MEETING LAST THURSDAY IN WHICH THE NEW STUDENT BOARD MEMBER WAS ELECTED FOR THE NEXT YEAR. WE'LL MISS MEDINA. BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES WHO WERE ALL EXCELLENT AND TO SASHA IS OKAY WHO WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION NEXT YEAR, AND I'LL RESERVE COMMENTS ON THE FLAG AND BUDGET FOR WHEN THOSE TOPICS COME UP. AS ALWAYS, WE ASK PARENTS TO SUPPORT THEIR KIDS BEING PRESENT IN SCHOOL AND LEARNING AND IN TREATING EVERYONE WITH RESPECT. THANK YOU, DR MUELLER. JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I ALSO ATTENDED THE WE HAD THE LUNCH LADY OF THE YEAR AND THE CUSTODIAN OF THE YEAR FACILITIES , WORKER TECHNICIAN, ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES MY COMPUTER AND LOCKED OUT RIGHT NOW, SO I DON'T HAVE THE LIST IN FRONT OF ME AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. FORGOT MY PASSWORD WHEN I GOT HERE CAUSED ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE NEVER HAD TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES . RIGHT SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. BUT SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU THE ONE THAT REALLY STRUCK ME THE MOST WAS THE LUNCH LADY OF THE YEAR WHO WAS SO WONDERFUL AND DESCRIBED ME HERE JOB AND WHAT IT MEANT TO HER. AND IT WAS AMAZING OR INTERACTIONS WITH THE STUDENTS AND HOW SHE FELT ABOUT IT. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, I SEE A FEW OF OUR AWARDEES. I CAN ALMOST SEE RUN BACK. THERE IS KIND OF HIDING, BUT OUR PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, SO IT'S JUST REALLY BEEN A GREAT HONOR TO GET TO KNOW ALL OF YOU AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, UM AS FAR AS THE POLICIES GO, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF CHASING TAILS HERE. MAYBE SOMEDAY SOMETHING WILL PASS. I DON'T KNOW. I HOPE NOT THE FORM THAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, BUT I AM RESERVING OPINIONS UNTIL I HEAR EVERYTHING. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND FOR WORKING TO HAVE YOUR OPINIONS NOTED. I APPRECIATE THAT. I REALLY DO. AND I ALSO DO APPRECIATE THE TEACHERS. UM I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION MY ENTIRE CAREER AND I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK. I KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU PUT INTO YOUR OWN ROOMS BECAUSE I'VE DONE IT AND I GET IT. UM AND SO WE DO APPRECIATE YOU AND I WISH WE HAD MORE FUNDS TO SUPPORT YOU. BUT WE WILL TRY TO MAKE THOSE FUNDS GO AS FAR AS WE CAN WITH WHAT WE GET AVAILABLE AND WE ARE ADVOCATING TO GET MORE FUNDING. I KNOW I FELT LIKE MR ABLED JUST

[02:20:03]

BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALWAYS VISUAL FELT LIKE IT NEEDED TO BE MORE VISUAL. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE'S ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN THE DAY SOMETIMES, TOO. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MR VERONA. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UM I WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT, UM DR PAUL IS SAND AND AZMAN OUR PROGRAM ABOUT EVALUATION SPECIALISTS REACHED OUT TO ME TO HELP LAUNCH THE RACISM AND IMPLICIT BIAS SURVEY FOR STUDENTS GRADES FIVE THROUGH 12 THIS YEAR, AND YOU KNOW THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT SURVEY THAT GIVES YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO REALLY LOOKS AT THE RESULTS. AN INSIGHT ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUR SCHOOLS, SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGED EVERY STUDENT WHO GOT THAT IN THEIR EMAIL WITH MY NAME ON IT TO PLEASE TAKE THAT SURVEY. TAKE THE TIME TO WE HAVEN'T LAUNCHED THE SURVEY. SINCE I BELIEVE 2020 2021, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME UPDATED RESULTS. SECONDLY I'D LIKE TO ECHO MISS COKER AND SAYING THAT WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ELECTED OUR 46TH STUDENT MEMBER ON THE BOARD. LAST THURSDAY.

SASHA WAS ERKKI FROM ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. SHE IS A FANTASTIC CANDIDATE. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING HER SINCE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WORKED CLOSELY WITH HER THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE BOTH INVOLVED IN THIS YEAR. AND YOU KNOW, I'M VERY CONFIDENT THE PASSING THE POSITION TO HER HANDS AT THE END OF MY TERM, SO YEAH, I'M REALLY EXCITED AND REGARDING THE POLICIES. I'LL KEEP MY COMMENT UNTIL IT COMES UP. BUT THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. YOU MISSED YOUR SOUL. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EDUCATORS AND OTHER HCPS EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT.

UH, YOUR ENGAGEMENT IS APPRECIATED. AND VERY MUCH WELCOME. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE EVERYONE THAT WORKS AT HTTPS AND FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. TO PROVIDE A POSITIVE, SAFE, HEALTHY AND ENGAGING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. FOR THE 38,000 PLUS STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE. YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION. TO THOSE THAT WORK WITH YOU AND AROUND YOU. WE ARE BETTER WITH YOU. I PARTICULARLY WANT TO CONGRATULATE THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED AT THE CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND EDUCATION EVENT LAST WEEK. FIRST OFF ERICA RICHARDSON FROM JOPPATOWNE HIGH.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR. BETH AND PERRY. FROM FOREST HILL ELEMENTARY EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS THE YEAR RON WOODEN. FROM OLD POST ELEMENTARY. PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR. TERRACE SAMPLE. RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR. AND GARNER. EMERSON ELEMENTARY. FOOD SERVICE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR. DJ SMACKER. FACILITIES PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR. TODD FLUOROSIS. TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AND HARVEY CAGE. CUSTODIAN OF THE YEAR. THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU FOR BEING AN OUTSTANDING INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US. I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD. TO CELEBRATE IN THE BUS DRIVER AND BUS DRIVER ATTENDED OF THE YEAR AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THANK YOU TO OUR BUS DRIVERS ARE BUS. DRIVER. ATTENDANCE ARE DEDICATED CONTRACTORS WHO RUN THE BUS FLEETS AND EVERYONE THAT WORKS SO HARD TO KEEP OUR BUSSES WELL MAINTAINED. I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MYSPACE. OKEY NEWLY ELECTED STUDENT BOARD MEMBER WHEN SHE JOINS US FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. I WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS AND CRAFTS THAT CONSIDER THE ROLE AND ENGAGE EVERY WEEK TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BETTER. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL BAND COMPETED AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND EARNED FIRST PLACE IN BOTH THE JAZZ AND CONCERT BAND DIVISIONS. IN THE NATION. THEY ARE ON THE TITLE OF OVERALL GRAND CHAMPION AND TWO OF OUR STUDENTS EARNED THE OUTSTANDING SOLOIST AWARD. THANK YOU TO THEIR INSTRUCTORS AND CHAMPIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS WHO INSPIRED AND HELP THEM ACHIEVE THIS LEVEL OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. I WANT TO THANK MACY'S WAREHOUSE FOR DONATING 10 PALLETS OF CLOSED TO SUPPORT FAMILIES IN OUR DISTRICT. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT. THE LATEST EPISODE OF COOL HARTFORD SCHOOLS, WHICH FEATURES NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL IS AVAILABLE AT HARFORD TV .ORG. THIS EPISODE SHOWCASES THE VETERINARY SCIENCES PROGRAM. IT'S PRETTY COOL. CHECK IT OUT.

HARTFORD TV .ORG. MIDDLE SCHOOLS FROM AROUND OUR COUNTY ARE PUTTING ON MUSICALS. I LOVE TO SEE THIS. MY OWN. UH, ONE OF MY OWN CHILDREN AT PFOSTEN MIDDLE. UM YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THIS SHOW A VERY SHORTLY THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THEY'RE THEY'RE PUTTING ON ANY JUNIOR. SOUTHAMPTON IS PUTTING ON SEUSSICAL JR STARTING NEXT WEDNESDAY. THE 24TH THROUGH THAT WEEKEND. PATTERSON MILL MIDDLE IS PUTTING ON SHREK JUNIOR STARTING NEXT FRIDAY. THE 26TH

[02:25:03]

THROUGH SUNDAY. BELLER MIDDLES PUTTING ON SPONGEBOB JUNIOR, THE WEEKEND OF MAY, 3RD AND ABERDEEN MIDDLES PUTTING ON FROZEN THE WEEKEND OF MAY 17TH, SO CHECK IT OUT. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE STUDENTS WHO PUT SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT INTO THEIR SCHOOLWORK. AND THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WHO SUPPORT THEM. THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WHO ENCOURAGE THEIR STUDENTS TO PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS, RESPECT THEIR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND TO WORK HARD. THANK YOU TO STUDENTS WHO SIT IN AN EXCELLENT ROMA. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU TO STUDENTS WHO SAID AN EXCELLENT ROLE MODEL TO YOUR PEERS. THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND LIFT OUR STUDENTS UP AND SET THEM UP FOR SUCCESS. YOU ARE HEROES. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMAN PENMAN FOR HIS OVER THE TOP ENGAGEMENT, VISITING SIX SCHOOLS WITH ME OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO GET A PULSE ON THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. I THINK IT IS CLEAR. BOTH COUNCIL AND PENMAN AND MYSELF THAT HCPS DOES NOT HAVE. AN OVER ABUNDANCE OF STAFF OR CAPITAL FUNDING AND THAT WE ARE FACING CHALLENGES WHICH CANNOT BE ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED WITH OUR CURRENT FUNDING LEVEL. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET SESSIONS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUDGET IMPACTS AND TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK DIRECTLY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT THIS WEDNESDAY FROM 530 TO 732 EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL OR NEXT MONDAY AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. SAME TIME. PLEASE JOIN AND ENGAGE IN YOUR LOCAL PTA, OR P.

T S A PRINCIPLES. PLEASE OPEN YOUR DOORS TO EUROPE TO S AND P T ESSAYS. THEY ARE THERE TO HELP YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY THRIVE. FINALLY EDUCATORS. ADMINISTRATORS. SUPPORT STAFF FACILITIES. TRANSPORTATION CPS FAMILIES, PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND STUDENTS. I SEE YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE BEDROCK OF THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM. I ALSO KNOW THAT HCPS IS THE FOUNDATION OF HARFORD COUNTY. I BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN HARVARD COUNTY AND OUR FUTURE. YOUR FUTURE. I AM AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU AND FIGHT FOR OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR ALLISON. SO I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT LIBRARY REVIEW PROCEDURE. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SUBMITTING THOSE COMMENTS AND THAT FEEDBACK ONLINE. OUR WORK GROUP IS MEETING THIS WEEK AND WE WILL BE REVIEWING THEM AND ACTION IN THE FEEDBACK. WE RECEIVE. THE DEADLINE DEADLINE FOR COMMENT IS MIDNIGHT ON THE 19TH OF APRIL. SO PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THROUGH THIS PROCEDURE AND PROVIDE YOUR INPUT. ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR AN APPLICATION THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MAY, AS WE ARE LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE. I AGREE THAT A LIST OF BOOKS IN THE LIBRARY SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE AND THERE HAVE BEEN INITIAL DISCUSSIONS ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN. I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT THIS COMES TO FRUITION. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT APRIL IS THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD. MILITARY CHILDREN FACE MANY CHALLENGES AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES AS A RESULT OF THEIR PARENTS SERVICE WE HAVE OVER 800 STUDENTS WITH AN ACTIVE MILITARY CONNECTION AND OVER 2700 STUDENTS WHO HAVE A PARENT WORKING ON FEDERAL PROPERTY. WE ARE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO PURPLE UP AND WE'RE PURPLE TO CELEBRATE OUR MILITARY STUDENTS PURPLE COMBINE EACH BRANCH COLORS INTO ONE. THE MILITARY CHILD EDUCATION COALITION, OR EEC, CELEBRATES PURPLE UP THIS YEAR ON THE 19TH OF APRIL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU THREE POINTS THIS EVENING. SO FIRST OF ALL THE PLEASURE OF JOINING OH, NO, I FORGOT ABOUT YOU. I'M SORRY. I'M EAGER TO GET THE BREAK. YEAH I SKIPPED HIM LAST MEETING. SO THIS MEETING AT YOUR TURN. SORRY GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING. IT'S OKAY. ON TUESDAY, I ATTENDED THE CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND AN EDUCATION PROGRAM AND I'M NOT GOING TO NAME ALL THE NAMES BECAUSE I HAD THEM ALL LISTED AS WELL. THANK YOU, MR SULFUR. THEM UP. UM THERE ARE MANY MORE INDIVIDUALS NOMINATED AND AWARDED FOR THEIR AMAZING CONTRIBUTIONS TO ATTRIBUTE HCPS.

I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU THAT WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. ON THURSDAY. I ALSO ATTENDED THE PRESS MEETING AND WAS ABLE TO MEET UM, THE NEW STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD AND TO WITNESS THE ELECTION OF THE 2024 2025 STUDENT MEMBER. ALL OF THE CANDIDATES DID A FANTASTIC JOB.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR APPLYING TO BE THE NEXT SMILE. EACH CANDIDATE WAS ABLE TO SPEAK AND ANSWER QUESTIONS FORMULATED BY THE ATTENDING MEMBERS, AND THEN THE MEMBERS VOTED. I'D LIKE TO ALSO CONGRATULATE OUR NEW STUDENT MEMBER. SASHA PAYS OKI WHO IS, UM, WHO WILL TAKE OVER IN JULY WHEN MEDINA LEAVES US. WE LOVE YOU, MEDINA DONE AN AMAZING JOB. UM I AM LOOKING

[02:30:04]

FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW HER AND WORKING WITH MYSPACE OKEY NEXT YEAR. UM LAST WEEK, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE NSB A CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS' FROM APRIL 5TH THROUGH EIGHTH, AND I LEARNED A LOT OF VALUABLE INFORMATION. I ATTENDED MANY INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING THOSE AND DISCUSSING THAT INFORMATION WITH FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD LEARNED WAS FROM A KEYNOTE SPEAKER, DR TIMOTHY SHRIVER. MS COKER WAS ALSO SPEAKING OF WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE GAVE HIS SPEECH HE SPOKE ABOUT HOW DIVIDED WE ARE AS A COUNTRY AND HOW THAT DIVISION IMPACTS OUR RELATIONSHIPS. 43% OF THOSE WHO CUT TIES WITH SOMEONE DID IT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL DIVISIONS AND DID SO AGAINST A MEMBER OF THEIR OWN FAMILY. ALMOST HALF OF OUR YOUNGER AMERICANS 47% HAVE CUT TIES WITH THE FAMILY MEMBER OF A POLITICS. WHILE ONLY 29% OF OLDER AMERICANS HAVE DONE THE SAME. 69% OF YOUNGER AMERICANS CENSOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF BEING PUNISHED IN SOME WAY BECAUSE OF SHARING THEIR OPINION. THERE ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS LIKELY AS OLDER AMERICANS TO CENTER THEMSELVES, ALMOST HALF OF EIGHTH 10TH AND 12TH GRADERS POLLED IN 2020 BEFORE THE COVID SHUTDOWN STATED THAT THEY DIDN'T ENJOY LIFE. THEY FELT THEIR LIFE WAS NOT USEFUL, AND THEY FELT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING, RIGHT. AS ADULTS. WE MUST REALIZE THAT THE THINGS THAT WE DO SAY AND PRACTICE HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR MENTAL STATE. THIS DIVISION AND IS DETRIMENTAL AND HAS DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON OUR CHILDREN IS IMPORTANT AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT NO MATTER THEIR RACE, NATIONALITY OR GENDER FEEL SUPPORTED IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS, WANT A CHILD WALKS INTO A SCHOOL OR A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT THAT ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE FREE FROM POLITICS, BIAS, PERSONAL OPINION AND DIVISIVE MATERIAL. WE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD BE NEUTRAL AND SUPPORT ALL CHILDREN EQUALLY BY DISPLAYING FLAGS OTHER THAN THE US FLAG, THE MARYLAND FLAG AND THE HARFORD COUNTY FLAG WERE CAUSING DIVISION IN OUR SCHOOLS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE SHOULD BE UNITING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHING THEM TO RESPECT ONE ANOTHER, AND THAT IT IS OKAY TO NOT AGREE WITH SOMEONE OR LIKE SOMETHING THAT THEY DO, BUT WE MUST RESPECT ONE ANOTHER. HERE'S OUR JOB AS A SCHOOL BOARD TO ENACT POLICIES THAT SUPPORT AND PROTECT ALL CHILDREN. THIS FLAG POLICY IS DOING EXACTLY THAT. WE CANNOT ALLOW DISTRACTIONS IN OUR CLASSROOMS SUCH AS FLAGS AND CELL PHONES. WE MUST ADDRESS THE BULLYING AND THE DISRESPECT. WE MUST TEACH OUR CHILDREN THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO AGREE. BUT WE MUST RESPECT ONE ANOTHER. YOU DON'T NEED A FLAG HANGING IN YOUR CLASSROOM FOR CHILDREN TO FEEL LOVE AND SUPPORT IT. YOU ARE THE REASON THAT A CHILD FEELS LOVED AND SUPPORTED NOT A FLAG HANGING IN A CLASSROOM. ANY FLAG HANGING IN A CLASSROOM OR SCHOOL. OTHER THAN THOSE FLAGS MENTIONED IS OFFENSIVE TO SOME CHILDREN IN THAT CLASSROOM AND TO SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS. WE CANNOT JUST JOE SUPPORT FOR CERTAIN GROUPS OF STUDENTS LIKE THE STATISTICS STATED ABOVE 69% OF YOUNG AMERICANS CENSORED THEMSELVES FOR FEAR OF CONSEQUENCES THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT IS OUR JOB TO EDUCATE AND SUPPORT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN HCPS, NOT JUST A SELECT FEW.

I HAVE READ EVERY SINGLE COMMENT AND WE HAVE RISKED THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE FLAG POLICY WE HAVE AROUND 504 AND 400 AGAINST IT. THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WE AS ADULTS CANNOT AGREE, AND THE DIVISIVENESS THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS POLICY IS CAUSING SHOWS THE EXACT REASON THAT WE NEED THIS FLAG POLICY IN PLACE. WE WILL BE SUGGESTING SOME ADDITIONS AND CHANGES IN LANGUAGE FOR THIS POLICY THIS EVENING, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE DID RECEIVE CONCERNING THE BUDGET. I HEAR ALL THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE BUDGET AND I ALSO SHARE MANY OF THOSE SAME CONCERNS I HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS TO DISCUSS AND ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE THAT I MISSED, RIGHT? CONTINUE UM, THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. JUST THREE COMMENTS THIS EVENING. I HATE BEING REDUNDANT, BUT IT'S WORTH REPEATING. SO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING THE CELEBRATION EXCELLENCE AND EDUCATION AWARDS CEREMONY. I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES AND ALL THE WINNERS AND A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MISS ERICA RICHARDSON. WHO IS NOW DRIVING AROUND AND AWESOME SET OF NEW WHEELS, UM, SOCIAL STUDY TEACHER AT JOPPATOWNE, UM, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE. AND YOU KNOW, I EVEN SEE SOME SOME OF THEM HERE TONIGHT, INCLUDING OUR PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR. YOU KNOW, YOU FIGURED IF YOU WIN A BIG AWARD, YOU'D KICK BACK FOR A WHILE AND JUST RELAX. HERE IT IS. MONDAY NIGHT. HERE HE IS AT A BOARD MEETING. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION, EVERYONE. SECOND COMMENT IS I SPENT SOME TIME IN ANNAPOLIS. SO DID THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS OVER THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAS ENDED. I MUST EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE LACK OF CHANGES MADE TO BLUEPRINT. WHILE I SUPPORT THE INTENT OF BLUEPRINT TO IMPROVE EDUCATION, IT IS SEVERELY FLAWED USURPS LOCAL LOCAL CONTROL AND DISCRETION TO DIRECT EDUCATION. IT. INEFFICIENTLY USES LIMITED TAXPAYER DOLLARS. IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, AND IT IS NOT FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE. IN THE

[02:35:03]

COMING YEARS. UNLESS CHANGES ARE MADE BY THE LEGISLATURE, WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF BLUEPRINT, SOME OF WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.

I'VE ALSO INVITED THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAYBE TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING TO DISCUSS BLUEPRINT. I HOPE THAT OVER THE COMING LEGISLATIVE OFF SESSION, THE COUNTY BOARDS OF EDUCATION CAN WORK PRODUCTIVELY WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY TO INCLUDE IMPROVED BLUEPRINT. MY FINAL COMMENT THIS EVENING HAS TO DO WITH THE BUDGET. ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA WILL REVIEW A REVISED VERSION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET THAT'S BEEN ADJUSTED FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET TODAY. WHILE ON THE SURFACE OF FLAT LINE BUDGET APPEARS OMINOUS TODAY. WE ALSO LEARNED THAT THE COUNTY WOULD RETURN $16 MILLION TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND ACCESS HEALTHCARE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BOARD, THEREFORE BOOSTING ARE UNASSIGNED FUN BALANCE. WE WILL ALSO AS A BOARD CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL DOLLARS AND PUT MORE MONEY WHERE IT'S NEEDED, MAKING SOMETIMES TOUGH DECISIONS. THIS DEVELOPMENT WOULD BRING OUR NEW FUND BALANCE TO A ROBUST POSITION, WHICH COULD IF THE BOARD DESIRES FULLY FUND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S INITIAL REQUEST, WHILE MAINTAINING A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED YET HISTORICALLY HEALTHY BALANCE. IN THE UPCOMING WEEKS, THE BOARD WILL HOST ADDITIONAL LISTENING SESSIONS IN THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL CONDUCT TO INPUT SESSIONS. THE THRESHOLD QUESTION AT THESE MEETINGS WILL BE TO GET FEEDBACK ON HOW MUCH FUN BALANCE SHOULD BE USED. FOR THE 2025 OPERATING BUDGET. AND IF THE BOARD DETERMINES NOT TO FULLY FUND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET FROM THE FUND BALANCE. WHERE SHOULD THESE CUTS COME FROM? REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, I WANT TO QUELL ANY CONCERNS OF INVOLUNTARY PERSONNEL LOSSES. WHILE THE BOARD MAY CHOOSE TO ELIMINATE SOME POSITIONS, I EXPECT THESE CHANGES TO BE MINIMAL AND OCCUR THROUGH NATURAL TURNOVER AND NUTRITION. FURTHERMORE I WILL AIM TO ENSURE THAT IF ANY POSITION REDUCTIONS OCCUR, THEY WILL BE DONE WHILE ENSURING MINIMAL IMPACT TO OUR CLASSROOM AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING ENGAGEMENT AS WE IN YOUR PATIENTS AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS PROCESS. WE ARE NOW TO MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS. BUT BOARD ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS IF WE MOVE THE BREAK UP FROM LATER IN THE MEETING TO NOW, UH, I HAVE THIS.

THERE'S JANINE CANINO, LIAM. ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK, SO IT'S HAPPENING. THAT WAS HER SHIRT ON TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO OLD BUSINESS

[D. Consent Agenda]

. WE HAVE NO OLD BUSINESS FOR THIS EVENING ITEM. D CONSENT AGENDA. MR VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE READ THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA NUMBER ONE. APPROVED PROPOSAL FOR HARFORD ACADEMY CONCEPT REVIEW AND PRELIMINARY SITE NUMBER TWO CONTRACTOR BOARD INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL AUDIT FIRM NUMBER THREE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. JANUARY 8TH 2024 JANUARY 1820 24 JANUARY 22ND 2024, FEBRUARY 1ST 2024 AND FEBRUARY 1220 24. THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBERS. MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? THIS IS MELISSA AND I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA. THIS IS TERRY. OUR I THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES YES. ANY OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES.

[E. Approval of: English Digital License Renewal]

MOVING ON TO ITEM E ACTION ITEM APPROVAL OF ENGLISH DIGITAL LICENSE RENEWAL. THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA , BUT PULL OFF A BOARD MEMBERS REQUEST. UH, WE WILL, UM, OPEN THIS UP FOR BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. OK SOME COMMENTS. DIANE UH, DIANE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME. MS COKER. UH, YEAH. UM JUST SOME COMMENTS. GIVEN OUR BUDGET POSITION. THIS IS A HUGE EXPENSE. WE SHOULD DO WHAT WE CAN TO CONSERVE IN FY 24 TO HELP US IN FY 25 THE LINKS ON THE DIGITAL PLATFORM, GO TO THIRD PARTY SITES AND UNVETTED MATERIALS. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. THIS IS A CONCERN. AND THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER WAYS SUCH AS CANVAS TO ACCOMPLISH THE DESIRABLE FEATURES OF THE DIGITAL PLATFORM, WHICH SHOULD BE PURSUED. I DO HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM ARE ARE DETAILED, AND I DIDN'T GET TO SEND THEM IN ADVANCE. UM BUT I JUST HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT ABOUT THIS ITEM. WELCOME. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND YOUR TEAM. SO GOOD

[02:40:05]

EVENING. I'M HEATHER KUTCHER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT, AND I HAVE, UM, THE LEADERS OF OUR READING ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS OFFICE WITH ME TONIGHT. THIS IS CHRIS CARRY OUR SUPERVISOR UM AND ANNE MARIE STELTER, OUR ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR. UM THEY HAVE GREAT DETAILS ABOUT THIS PLATFORM. UM, HOW IT'S GOING TO BE USED. I'M GONNA ASK THEM TO ADDRESS MS COKER'S QUESTIONS. YOU. YOU WANT TO GET INTO YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? I'M NOT SURE. SURE SO THE DIGITAL PLATFORM IS TO, UM DO SOME HOMEWORK AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT MAYBE DOESN'T GET DONE IN THE CLASSROOM. AND THEN SOME RESOURCES AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS ARE ON THERE WHERE YOU CLICK ON IT BECAUSE I WENT ON THE HMS H WEBSITE. AND THEN THAT SENDS YOU TO THIRD PARTY SITES, WHICH SAY, HM. H DOES NOT SUPPORT THESE SITES. THEIR SEPARATE SITES AND HAVE THOSE BEEN VETTED? WERE THEY WERE THEY VETTED AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL CURRICULUM ADOPTION? THE HMH PLATFORM THAT WE'RE USING FOR OUR STUDENTS IS REALLY TO BE A DIGITAL TEXTBOOK FOR THE KIDS WHEN WE PURCHASED THE TEXTBOOK SERIES. IT'S A 2017 EDITION. AND SO WE ONLY PURCHASED, UM, CLASSROOM SETS, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 25. TEXTBOOK ANTHOLOGIES PER TEACHER. OUR TEACHERS HAVE MORE THAN 25 STUDENTS. UM AND SO THE STUDENTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR TEXTBOOK WITH ALL OF THE SHORT STORIES, THE NONFICTION PIECES, THE POETRY THE PLAYS. ALL OF THE TEXTBOOK. IS ONLINE FOR THE STUDENTS. SO WHEN YOU, UM WHEN A STUDENT TO READ IT BEYOND THE CLASS. THEN THE ONLY WAY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT WOULD BE IF THEY HAD THE ONLINE PLATFORM AS WELL AS IT GIVES FEATURES. THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT ONLINE IN THEIR TEXTBOOK THEY'RE ABLE TO ANNOTATE TEACHERS ARE ABLE TO GO ON TO EACH STUDENT'S BOOK ONLINE IN ORDER TO EVALUATE AND ASSESS. HOW ARE THE STUDENTS DOING ON THEIR ASSIGNMENTS FROM THEIR ONLINE? UM HE SAYS. AS WELL AS, UM JUST GIVING STUDENTS ACCESS TO TEXT THAT THEY CAN, UM ENLARGE IT AND, UM, HAVE ACCESS THE VIDEO SITES THAT YOU'RE KIND OF REFERRING TO ARE ADDITIONAL. UM RESOURCES THAT WE DON'T BUILD INTO THE CURRICULUM. THE IDEA IS IF KIDS ARE DOING RESEARCH ON A CERTAIN TOPIC AND WANNA READ BEYOND THE ONE ARTICLE THAT'S IN THEIR TEXTBOOK. THAT THAT MIGHT BE A PLATFORM THEY COULD GO TO IN ORDER TO DO RESEARCH, BUT IT'S NOT WRITTEN INTO OUR CURRICULUM. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA EXPAND AT ALL. SURE. IF WE ARE UNABLE TO SUPPORT THE DASHBOARD, THERE WILL BE GAPS. POLLS IN OUR CURRICULUM. UH, SOME OF THE T. SOME OF THE TEACHERS USE THE MOST. THE LEVEL UP TUTORIALS, THE INTERACTIVE, UH, READING AND WRITING TUTORIALS AND THE CLOSE READ, SCREENCAST. UM THESE ARE FEATURES THAT YOU CAN ONLY ACCESS TO THE DIGITAL PLATFORM. FOR INSTANCE, IF THEY'RE READING A SHORT STORY, AND THEY ARE WORKING ON SYMBOLISM. THE LEVEL OF TUTORIAL IS THERE SOMETIMES FOR THE WHOLE CLASS IF THE WHOLE CLASS NEEDS TO INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL, UM OR GROUPS OF STUDENTS. UH SO TEACHERS WILL TYPICALLY USE THAT THEY'LL USE THE INTERACTIVE SPEAKING AND LISTENING TUTORIALS AS WELL AND CLOSE. READ SCREENCAST, THE CLOSE READ SCREENCAST ARE USED OFTEN, UM, THEY ARE POP UPS OF A PORTION OF THE CORTEX. AND WHAT YOU HEAR ARE TWO VERY SKILLFUL READERS ANALYZING AND INTERPRETING AND ANNOTATING. YOU SEE THEIR ANNOTATIONS, UH, THE TEACHERS USE IT INSTRUCTION TO SHOW THE STUDENTS HOW YOU PEEL BACK THE LAYERS OF A COMPLEX PIECE OF TEXT. AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER PORTIONS THAT ARE FOLLOW UPS THAT CLOSE READ SCREENCAST THAT GIVE THE STUDENTS ANOTHER PORTION OF THE TEXT TO IMITATE THAT WORK THAT THEY, UM SAW MODELS FOR THEM. SO THAT PIECE WOULD BE LOST. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE H MH TEXTBOOKS. THE CLASS SETS. THEY ALSO CAME WITH A CONSUMABLE CLOSE READER.

THERE ARE SCHOOLS NOW SOME HAVE STOCKPILED, BUT SOME HAVE IT. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS IN THE CLOSE READERS. THERE ARE TEXTS THAT ARE IN OUR CURRICULUM THAT ARE IN THOSE CLOSE READERS THAT NOW YOU CAN ONLY ACCESS THROUGH THAT DASHBOARD. UM AND SOME OF THESE TEXTS ARE COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. UH, THE HH COLLECTIONS ANTHOLOGY HAS A COMBINATION OF TEXTS THAT ARE LIKE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND SOME, BUT SOME ARE PRETTY CONTEMPORARY

[02:45:01]

PIECES AS WELL. AND SO WE WOULD LOSE THOSE PIECES OF TEXT. WHEN THE CURRICULUM WAS ADOPTED IN 17. WERE ALL THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES VETTED. UM, SO IT WAS A PURCHASED. UH, PROGRAM. UM THE VETTED RESOURCE RESOURCES WOULD BE THINGS LIKE WHAT I'M SAYING. THAT LEVEL OF TUTORIAL, SO IT'S A TUTORIAL ABOUT SYMBOLISM. UM IT WOULD BE, UM, AN INTERACTIVE ABOUT HOW YOU C RESOURCES. UM IT WOULD BE THE CLOSE ROOTS SCREENCAST, WHICH IS THAT PORTION OF THAT TEXT? THAT IS JUST BEING ANALYZED. UM MUCH JUST QUESTIONS OF THE TEXT. I GUESS THE ANSWER IS NO. THE LINKS AND SO FORTH WERE NOT VETTED. YOU JUST BOUGHT THE IT'S EMBEDDED RESOURCES IS NOT SO MUCH LINKS. IT'S THE EMBEDDED RESOURCES WHEN YOU GO ON THE DIGITAL PLATFORM. THE LINKS. I THINK, UM, WHICH YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS WHAT? UM MISS GARY'S BROUGHT UP WHICH WAS THE FY I SITE, WHICH IS A PLACE THAT STUDENTS CAN GO TO SEARCH FOR ARTICLES THAT ARE IN THE UNIT.

SO IF THE UNIT IS, FOR INSTANCE, THE NINTH GRADE UNIT THEY'RE FINISHING UP RIGHT NOW, UM, IS THE BONDS BETWEEN US AND IT'S A UNIT ABOUT LOVE AND RELATIONSHIPS. UM THE BONDS IN A COMMUNITY OR IN A FAMILY, UM AND THEY WOULD GO TO BONDS BETWEEN US, AND THEY WOULD MAYBE DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ABOUT THAT TOPIC. THAT IT WOULD TAKE THEM. FEW DIFFERENT SITES. LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE DASHBOARD IS, UM ADDITIONAL TEXTS. AND SOME OF THOSE TUTORIALS AND RESOURCES WHEN THEY READ OFTEN, THE TEACHERS WILL TALK ABOUT HOW HAVING THE DASHBOARD ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO PREPARE FOR THE STATE TEST. BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES THAT MISS GARY SPOKE OF SO THE ENLARGEMENT THE HIGHLIGHTING, UM THE ANNOTATING BUT YOU KNOW IT IS. IT IS AN EQUITABLE PIECE AS WELL. BECAUSE IF OUR STUDENTS NEED TO MAKE UP WORK. IF THEY NEED TO DO HOMEWORK. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE DASHBOARD. I'M NOT QUITE SURE IT WILL HANDICAP SOME OF OUR TEACHERS AND WITHOUT HAVING THE DASHBOARD. IT WILL CREATE A SITUATION FOR OUR TEACHERS WHERE THEY WILL NEED TO FIND SUBSTITUTES AND ALTERNATIVES. WHAT WAS ONCE THERE, RIGHT? RIGHT AND SO IS THIS AMOUNT IN THE BUDGET AND FY 24. I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? IS THIS AMOUNT IN THE BUDGET IN FY 24. YES. WE'VE WORKED WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE ON THE FUNDS FOR THIS. I WASN'T ORIGINALLY YOU HAD TO WORK WITH IT AND FIND IT. WHAT? I GUESS WHAT WE'VE SAID ABOUT THE NO. WE'RE IN 24 THE WHAT? WHAT WE YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE AS WELL THAT YOU KNOW. ALL OF THE CURRICULUM PRODUCTS PRICES HAVE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY. UM AND. THOSE ARE NOT ALL SETTLED WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DEVELOP THE BUDGET. AND SO IT'S VERY REGULAR PRACTICE. AS FOR FINDING OUT WHAT RENEWALS NEED TO HAPPEN, AND HOW MUCH THOSE PRICES ARE GOING TO BE. THAT WE NEED TO FIND THE FUNDS WITHIN EXISTING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES WITHIN EXISTING SURPLUSES. WITHIN THE OPERATING YEAR WITHIN THE EXISTING BUDGET.

TO MAKE PURCHASES LIKE THIS, UM AND SO YOU KNOW, IS IT IN THE BUDGET? WE HAVE THE FUNDS TO COVER THIS, UM, WITH WITH THIS YEAR'S FUNDS BUT AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY EXPENDITURE AND A THREE QUARTERS OF A BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET ISN'T YOU KNOW? LINE ITEMS IN THERE. UM, BUT WE DO HAVE TO SUPPORT THE MATERIALS FOR OUR STUDENTS OR IN THIS CASE. YOU KNOW THE ALTERNATIVE.

I KNOW YOU ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT VETTED CONTENT. BUT YOU KNOW THIS IS A RESOURCE FOR THEM TO USE FOR RESEARCH. UM I MEAN, ONE ALTERNATIVE THAT MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WOULD TURN TO IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A RESOURCE LIKE THIS WOULD BE GOOGLE, WHICH IS FAR LESS VETTED. UM, AND SO IT'S NOT A YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T A, UH THERE IS NO WAY TO ENTIRELY CONTROL WHAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO, AND WE KNOW THAT SO THIS DOES LINK TO OUTSIDE SOURCES, BUT AGAIN, THE MATERIALS THAT WE WRITE IN AS EXPECTED PARTS OF OUR CURRICULUM . IF I HEARD THIS CORRECTLY, FY I SITE IS NOT THE CURRICULUM LESSONS OR SIGNED TEXT THAT THE STUDENTS READ IN THE PROGRAM. IT WOULDN'T BE WHAT'S IN THEIR TEXTBOOK. IT'S EXACTLY HOW DOCTOR WILSON SAID IF STUDENTS NEED TO DO RESEARCH ON A TOPIC. IT'S A SITE THEY CAN GO TO. IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING. SO WHEN YOU BUY

[02:50:01]

A TEXTBOOK, WHATEVER SELECTIONS ARE IN THAT HARD BOUND BOOK. THAT'S WHAT'S IN THERE. SO A LOT OF TEXTBOOK COMPANIES HAVE OTHER SITES LIKE THE FY I SITE SO THAT IF A NEW PIECE OR NEW ARTICLE OR THE NEWS SOMETHING IN THE NEWS IS HAPPENING, YOU COULD GO TO THE FY I SITE BECAUSE YOUR TEXTBOOK ISN'T GOING TO HAVE SO A BRAND NEW ARTICLE, BUT WE HAVE A CURRICULUM OF LESSONS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE THE FY I SITE THAT THEY MORE OF A RESEARCH. I GUESS. ONE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY WITH THIS IS AND I KNOW I SHARED THIS IN ANOTHER SETTING. ALSO. THIS IS NOT OUR IDEAL PRODUCT TO PURCHASE THIS IS EXTENDING ACCESS TO A DASHBOARD OR TEACHERS HAVE A RESOURCE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WHO BECAUSE TO DO ANY ALTERNATIVE. TO PURCHASE HARD, HARD COPY TEXTBOOKS, FOR EXAMPLE. WOULD BE 3510 TIMES THE COST. UM IT WAS 2.4 MILLION WAS THE ESTIMATE OF THE NEW PROGRAM THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AS A COMMITTEE. SO OK, 67 TIMES THE COST. UM AND SO WE WOULD RATHER BE IN A PLACE TO BE BUYING. NEW CURRICULUM. UM OR FOR THAT MATTER, EVEN IF WE WERE WRITING OUR OWN CURRICULUM, WE WOULD STILL NEED TO SOMETHING TO PROVIDE STUDENTS TO A WIDER ARRAY OF MATERIALS. UM, AND SO THESE TYPES OF COLLECTIONS AGAIN . THIS IS AN OLD PRODUCT, A 2017 PRODUCT. SORT OF DO SOMETHING CURRENT. WOULD BE MUCH MORE UM, BUT YOU KNOW, OVER TIME. THE DISTRICT HAS GOTTEN AWAY FROM BUYING. ONE HEAVY TEXTBOOK FOR EVERY STUDENT, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT. I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE HEARD PARENTS TALK ABOUT. I REMEMBER THE WEIGHTS OF THOSE BACKPACKS. UH, WHEN KIDS HAD THEM, I REMEMBER SEEING YOU KNOW, AN £80 KID CARRYING A £40 BACKPACK. UM AND THAT WAS SOMETHING. WE HAD A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON OVER THE YEARS, MUCH OF IT BEFORE I ARRIVED ACTUALLY. UM AND SO GOING TO YOU KNOW, DIGITAL RESOURCES WAS ONE WAY TO HELP ALLEVIATE THAT. UM SO, YES, WE'D RATHER BE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT PRODUCT. BUT THIS IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THE MATERIALS.

OK, THANK YOU FOR ONE YEAR. NOW WE HAVE TO SPEND THIS AGAIN THEN AND WE WILL HAVE TO CONFRONT THE YEAH, THIS IS, UM AND AS WE SAID, THE COST OF CURRICULUM HAS GOTTEN INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE. UM I THINK BETWEEN THERE ARE THINGS WE COULD BE WRITING OURSELVES, BUT BUT EVEN IF YOU'RE WRITING YOUR OWN CURRICULUM YOU PARTICULARLY IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS CLASS, YOU NEED ACCESS TO TEXTS. AND SO THE COST OF THOSE IS GONNA ADD UP ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHETHER YOU'RE BUYING ACCESS TO A DASHBOARD OR WHETHER YOU'RE BUYING ACTUAL HARD COPIES, UM IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO. WITH A PARTICULARLY INEXPENSIVE APPROACH. UM AND FRANKLY, I THINK WE SAW UNUSUALLY LARGE JUMP IN TEXTBOOK. CURRICULUM COSTS, UH, THIS YEAR. UM, I'M HOPING THAT LEVELS OUT. I SUSPECT THEY WERE CAPITALIZING TO SOME DEGREE ON THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL MONEY THAT WAS OUT THERE AND THEY FELT THEY COULD JACK PRICES UP BECAUSE THEY CAN, BECAUSE DISTRICTS HAD HAD THE FUNDS BUT, YOU KNOW, NOW DISTRICTS DON'T AND SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE IN THAT TRAJECTORY. OK, ONE MORE QUESTION. THANK YOU, UM , HAVE YOU HAD ANY PARENT COMPLAINTS FOR SOME OF THE SITES THAT THE STUDENTS GOT REFERRED TO WHEN THEY CLICKED ON THE LINKS? IN THIS PRODUCT. NOT THAT WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF I WILL SHARE ACTUALLY WITH A SMALL GROUP THAT I WAS TOLD BY BOARD MEMBERS THAT THAT YOU HAD RECEIVED SOME, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PASSED ON TO US SO THAT WOULD I WOULD APPRECIATE GIVING THEM OK, THANK YOU, DOCTOR MUELLER. NO I'M FINE WITH THIS. JUST OPEN IT UP FOR ANYONE ELSE. SO MY CONCERN WITH THIS IS THAT SEVERAL OF THE LINKS THAT ARE ON THE FY I SITE THAT ARE ATTACHED WITH THE HH. UM THERE ARE IN THE SIXTH GRADE CURRICULUM IF YOU CLICK ON SOME OF THOSE TOPICS, UM, THERE ARE THERE'S ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT I, UM IT CLEARLY TELLS THE KIDS THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BREAK LAWS IN ORDER TO, UM YOU KNOW, PROTEST I. I FIND IT VERY CONCERNING AND THERE'S OTHER ONES THAT ARE IN THERE. SO I. I THE LINKS THAT WERE PROVIDING AS A CURRICULUM THAT'S VERY CONCERNING, UM, THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING. THAT'S THE WAY THAT I TAKE. THIS IS THAT IF I IF I IF I'M PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO A STUDENT THAT I'M ENCOURAGING THAT TYPE OF BEHAVIOR BY I'M ENDORSING THAT IF I VOTE FOR THIS, SO THAT'S MY

[02:55:05]

CONCERN, AND THERE'S MANY OTHER LINKS, NOT JUST THAT ONE THAT ARE ARE QUITE CONCERNING WITH THIS. HMH FYI LINK. ANYONE ELSE IT TAKES YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SPENT TIME GOING THROUGH THOSE LINKS. IT TAKES YOU TO A THIRD PARTY WEBSITE, AND THEN YOU DON'T CONTROL THE ADS AND SOME OF THE ADS POP UP AND THEY'RE ASKING KIDS TO TAKE SURVEYS THAT ARE ON THEIR SEXUALITY LIKE IT'S. AND IF YOU'RE SIXTH GRADE, IT'S THIS IS JUST INAPPROPRIATE. AND SO I DON'T THINK IT'S THE CURRICULUM. IT IS THIS ACCESS TO THIS FY I THAT THAT CAUSES HEARTBURN IN THIS VOTE. UM WHICH I KNOW IS PROBABLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF WHAT KIDS ARE ACCESSING. BUT HOW CAN WE PROTECT THEM? RIGHT? SOME OF THE STUFF IS IN APP. UM, SO IF THERE'S A WAY TO REMOVE THAT ACCESS UM OR NOT IF WE WERE NOT USING IT, RIGHT? WHY ARE WE HAVING THIS AVAILABLE TO KIDS.

IT'S TYPICALLY OFFERED AS ONE SOURCE WHEN STUDENTS DO BRIEF RESEARCH. UM, THERE ARE OTHER, UH SOURCES THAT THEY USE GALE. DISCOVERY THEY USE OTHER SOURCES FOR THEIR RESEARCH. IT'S JUST ONE COMPONENT OF THAT. UM AND OFTEN, THE TEACHER WILL ASK THEM TO RESEARCH SOMETHING THAT'S VERY SPECIFIC. YEAH, UM FOR INSTANCE, IN THE SEVENTH GRADE CURRICULUM, THEY RESEARCH WHETHER, UM THE GREATEST FRONTIER IS SPACE OR OUR OCEANS. AND SO IT'S VERY IT'S VERY, UM I SAY CONTROL, BUT IT'S STRUCTURED. IT'S NOT A FREE FOR ALL. UM AND SO SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE DO. L ON OUR TEACHERS BEST JUDGMENT. UM THE FY I SITE IS CHRIS GARY HAD STATED IS IT'S EVER CHANGING. UM BUT IT IS JUST ONE SOURCE FOR THIS FOR THEIR RESEARCH. UM IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY SPEND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME IN THE TEXT ON THE CURRICULUM MAP. UM, AND THOSE PIECES SO THE FY I IS SUCH A SMALL PORTION OF THIS UM, THAT I HOPE THAT THAT WOULDN'T BE THE ONE DECISION BECAUSE IT'S JUST A TINY PORTION OF A VERY BIG PICTURE. UM THERE'S NOTHING IN THE FBI TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT'S IN THE CURRICULUM ON OUR CURRICULUM MAPS. AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THERE'S CONTEXT AND SUPERVISION DURING THE USE OF THESE, SO IT ISN'T YOU KNOW, FREE FOR ALL? AS AS MRS STELZER STATED, THERE'S A LOT OF CONTROL AROUND THIS AND MISS SCARY, SHE STATED IN OTHER VENUES IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT RAISES A CONCERN AND IT'S REVIEWED THEN IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CURRICULUM. WHEN IS THE LICENSE EXPIRE? HOW MUCH TIME DO WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION? THE CONCLUSION OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR SCHOOL YEAR. OK UM I ALSO HAD SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS BRINGING CONCERNS, UM TO ME AS WELL. WHICH I THINK ARE SHOULD YOU KNOW SHOULD BE LOOKED AT ONE OF THEM WAS, UM ONE THAT WAS ALREADY MENTIONED. AND OF COURSE THEY LOST IT NOW. BUT IT SAID ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN BE AN ACTIVIST IS TO BREAK THE LAW.

I'M NOT SURE WE'RE SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE THERE LIVING IN A DEMOCRACY WHEN THERE'S SO MANY OTHER WAYS TO DO IT, AND SO MY CONCERN ABOUT SHUTTING THIS DOWN WITH A VOTE RIGHT NOW IS THERE'S PROBABLY NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AND SO RATHER THAN REINVENTING THE WHEEL. UM I WOULD BE INCLINED TO POSSIBLY TABLE THIS AND HAVE ALL OF THE ISSUES FROM THE BOARD MEMBER IS BROUGHT TO YOU TO SEE IF THERE COULD BE CHANGES MADE TO THE EXISTING CURRICULUM. YOU KNOW IT'S COPYRIGHTED, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW MANY TIMES THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE DISCRETION TO SORT OF PICK OR CHOOSE WHAT PIECES YOU WANNA USE OR NOT USE. OR MAYBE THEY COULD BE INCLINED TO MAKE CERTAIN PARTICULAR CHANGES. I DON'T KNOW. UM BUT MY SENSE IS IF WE HOLD A VOTE ON THIS NOW THAT THERE'S A BIG HOLE TO FILL. AND WE HAVE TIME, SO I DON'T WANNA RUSH IT. SO WITH MY COMMENTS THERE, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. UM DOCTOR POINT. UM I DO HAVE A QUESTION CONCERNING THE ASSIGNMENTS. UM, ARE THE ASSIGNMENTS OUT OF THE TEXTBOOKS. UM OR ARE THEY ARE THEY ARE THERE SOME ASSIGNMENTS THAT IT CAN ONLY BE OBTAINED FROM, UM FROM THE DIGITAL VERSION. SO UM THE TEACHER MIGHT CREATE AN ASSIGNMENT THAT'S LINKED TO SOME OF THE READINGS IN FROM THE CURRICULUM TEXT THAT'S FOUND ON THE DIGITAL PLATFORM, THEY MIGHT CREATE THAT ASSIGNMENT IN CANVAS. BUT THE WHOLE ASSIGNMENT WOULD CENTER ON

[03:00:02]

THE TEXT AND SOMETIMES THE RESOURCES IN IN THE, UH, DIGITAL DASHBOARD. IN THE CURRICULUM, NOT FROM THE FY I SITE RIGHT? SO WHEN DOING RESEARCH, THEY WOULD HAVE, UM, AVAILABILITY OF DATABASES. UM TO DO THEIR RESEARCH AS WELL. UM, WE'RE YOU KNOW, LIKE, UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED G, UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, DATABASES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM AS WELL AS THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU. YOU STATED THAT, UM WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH BOOKS. LIKE WHAT IT WHEN WE PURCHASE THE TEXTBOOKS. UM DO WE ? TYPICAL I'M I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T PURCHASE ENOUGH TEXTBOOKS FOR THE STUDENTS. IT'S BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING IN OTHER APPROVALS THAT WE PURCHASED TEXTBOOKS AS WELL AS THE DIGITAL CONTENT. SO UM, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE YOU KNOW IF THERE'S A GAP IN THE AMOUNT OF TEXTBOOKS WE HAVE WITH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WERE SUPPORTING I'LL SAY IN THE YEAR 2000 WHEN WE FIRST PURCHASED THE MACDOUGALL LAEL ENGLISH CURRICULUM FOR HARTFORD COUNTY. EVERY STUDENT WAS PURCHASED A TEXTBOOK THERE WAS NOT THE MOVEMENT OF ONLINE TEXTBOOKS AT THAT TIME. AS SOON AS PUBLISHERS SAW THE MOVEMENT TO HAVE ONLINE.

TEXTBOOKS FOR STUDENTS. THAT BECAME THE WAY OF PURCHASING. UM WHEN WE GOT PRICE QUOTES BACK IN 2016 IF WE WERE TO PURCHASE ONE HARD ANTHOLOGY BOOK FOR EVERY STUDENT. IT WAS, UM, EXTREMELY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GETTING CLASS DOING THE CLASS SET AND THE ONLINE TEXTBOOK OPTION. AND SO THAT REALLY WAS EVEN AS DR BOLSON SAID, THE WAY OF THE FUTURE KIDS WEREN'T BRINGING HOME. TEXTBOOKS FOR EVERY SINGLE SUBJECT ANYMORE. THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCESS THEM ONLINE. AND SO IT WAS ACTUALLY A BETTER COST. UM PROPOSAL BACK WHEN WE PURCHASED IT TO BUY A CLASS SET. FOR EVERY ENGLISH TEACHER, AND THEN EVERY STUDENT WOULD STILL HAVE THEIR TEXTBOOK, BUT THEIR TEXTBOOK WOULD BE ONLINE. AND SO, UM EVEN POLLING AND SPEAKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, FOR EXAMPLE, AT EDWARD MIDDLE SCHOOL. DEPARTMENT CHAIR SAID TO US WE WERE ONLY ABLE TO GET 100 PHYSICAL COPIES OF COLLECTIONS TEXTBOOK FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL, WHICH WOULD EQUATE TO ABOUT THREE CLASSROOM SETS PER GRADE FOR EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS MEANS 300 TEXTBOOKS FOR AROUND 1100 PLUS STUDENTS, SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR ONLINE TEXTBOOK THE ONLY TIME THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS MATERIAL WOULD BE WHEN THEY WERE IN THE CLASSROOM. UM BECAUSE OF THE TEACHERS NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE THE BOOK TO THE STUDENT. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE NEXT PERIOD COME IN, THAT WOULD NEED THE BOOK AS WELL AS TEACHERS ONLINE FEATURES THE TEACHERS, UM RECEIVE FOR HAVING THE DIGITAL ACCESS. IT'S INTERESTING BEING IN OUR SECONDARY CLASSROOMS. UM TEACHERS WILL SOMETIMES SAY TO THE STUDENTS, YOU HAVE A CHOICE. YOU CAN USE THE HARD BOUND BOOK OR YOU CAN USE THE DIGITAL PLATFORM. AND IT'S OFTEN SPLIT. THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS, ALTHOUGH I MIGHT PREFER THE HARDBOUND HAVING THAT BOOK IN MY HAND. WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO PREFER TO READ THE TEXT AND BE ABLE TO, UM EVEN LISTEN TO A PORTION OF THE AUDIO TO HAVE ACCESS. IF THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND A WORD TO CLICK ON IT, IT'LL GIVE THEM THE PRONUNCIATION AND THE DEFINITION. UM SOME OF OUR STUDENTS JUST PREFER TO READ IN THAT DIGITAL FORMAT. AND ONE LAST QUESTION. WHAT ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE, UM ON THE DIGITAL ACCESS IS IT A LICENSED, UM, FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF STUDENTS AND, UM, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ACCESS IT, SO IS IT SCALED BASED ON? UM THE QUANTITY OF, UH OF CLIENTS. UNLIMITED SO, HOWEVER MANY STUDENTS WE HAVE THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE DASHBOARD. RIGHT. WE SUPPLY THE COMPANY WITH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT EACH GRADE LEVEL GRADE 6 TO 10, AND THEY PROVIDE THE PRICE QUOTE PER STUDENT. THANK YOU. SORRY. SORRY. GO AHEAD. ARE YOU DONE? DIANE? YEAH, I WAS. I WAS JUST, UM I WAS SPEAKING WHEN I WAS ON MUTE. SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO SOME SITE LICENSE ALLOW, UM, SO MANY PEOPLE TO BE ONE ONLINE AND SO THEY CAN SOMEWHAT SHARE THE LICENSE. UM, IS THAT OPTION

[03:05:01]

AVAILABLE? TO REDUCE COST. NO. EVERY STUDENT HAS AN INDIVIDUAL LICENSE. OK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MUELLER. SO MY QUESTION IS IF WE TABLE THIS AND WE WAIT BECAUSE THE ONE PIECE THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN BLOCK THIS FY I SECTION OF IT. IF WE CAN'T THEN WE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THIS RESOURCE AND THEN WE AREN'T GOING TO HAVE THE READING CURRICULUM AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS. BUT WE'RE GONNA GO OUT AND SPEND THE 1.2 MILLION AND BUY A WHOLE NEW CURRICULUM. THAT'S MY QUESTION, BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO TABLE IT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING I WANT TO KNOW WHAT WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO? WHAT ARE WE GONNA BE? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? GONNA BE WAITING IN ANOTHER MEETING TO DO IT? ARE YOU ASKING ME? I'M ASKING WHY WE WILL TABLE IT. UM WELL, I THINK IT WOULD GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS TO ADDRESS THEIR CONCERNS TO THE CURRICULUM FOLKS TO DETERMINE IF CHANGES COULD BE MADE. AND IF THEY CAN'T , THEN WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE CURRICULUM. WE KNOW THAT WE WOULD NO, WE WOULD PULL A VOTE ON IT BASED ON HOW IT HOW IT IS. BUT LET'S SAY WORST CASE SCENARIO, THEY CAN'T DO IT. SO THEN WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE THE CURRICULUM. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND 1.2 MILLION TO DO SOMETHING ELSE IF THE BOARD DID NOT PASS IT, YES. WHAT? EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY. I WASN'T MAKING IT HIGH ENOUGH. THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVE THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED AS OF RIGHT NOW, SO I'D RATHER THAN REINVENTING THE WHEEL. YOU KNOW, IF WE WERE TO DO A VOTE NOW, MY SENSE IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, RIGHT? SO, UM WE'RE NOT UNDER ANY TIME PRESSURE. RIGHT I WILL JUST SAY AS YOU'VE HEARD, UH, MRS SCARRY SHARE WITH WHEN WE ARE PILOTING BENCHMARK. AS YOU KNOW THE PROCESS FOR REVIEWING AND BRINGING IN A TEAM DOES TAKE IT IS A HALF A YEAR IS A QUICK TURNAROUND TO GET PUBLISHERS TO COME OUT, DO PRESENTATIONS AND TO HAVE A DIVERSE STAKEHOLDER GROUP REALLY GO THROUGH THE RESOURCES, VET EVERYTHING AND MAKE A DECISION. UM AFTER THAT PROCESS, THERE'S THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET A CONTRACT. UM, SO IT IS ACTUALLY RATHER A LENGTH. PROCESS UM TO DO A FULL VETTING. IF WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE IF WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE IF YOU WERE GOING TO CHANGE TO A NEW PROGRAM, RIGHT, SO THE PATH OF LIKE MOST EFFICIENT PATH, THE LEAST RESISTANCE HERE IS TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUES THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THEM TO HAVE A NO VOTE ON THIS IF WE WERE TO DO IT NOW AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THOSE MINOR TWEAKS AND VOTE ON IT AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, SINCE THERE'S NO TIME PRESSURE OTHERWISE, WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE IT COULD PASS. IT COULD NOT PASS. I TRULY DON'T KNOW. AND THEN WE'RE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD DOING WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING. RIGHT? SO I MEAN, AT THIS POINT, I'LL ENTERTAIN. ANY MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD. ONE MORE. JUST NOTE THERE WITHOUT THE DASHBOARD PIECE. YOU WOULD STILL HAVE THE TEXTBOOKS IN CLASSROOMS, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES NOT ENOUGH, UM, BUT TEACHERS CAN STILL PUT ASSIGNMENTS ON CANVAS AND KIDS CAN USE THE CANVAS TO DO THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AND SO FORTH DIGITAL DIGITALLY. THIS WOULD NOT HAVE. YOU CANNOT TAKE THE TEST THAT THE KIDS NEED TO READ AND PUT IT ON CANVAS WITHOUT THE COPYRIGHT PRIVILEGE OF HAVING IT FROM THE H MH PLATFORM PUT INTO CANVAS WE CAN LINK FROM CANVAS INTO H MH BECAUSE OF OUR LICENSE, BUT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT, THEN YOU CAN'T PUT THE TEXT THERE WITHOUT THE ALL OF THOSE LINKS WOULD BE DEAD THEN. WHAT'S THE CONSUMABLES? RIGHT? WE WOULDN'T HAVE CONSUMABLES FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT. SO THEREFORE WHAT ARE WE SURE HOW MANY TEXTBOOKS ARE WE SHORT? I MEAN, SO WE HAVE ONE CLASS SET PER TEACHER, SO LET'S SAY 25. TEACHERS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL HAVE ANYWHERE LIKE, LET'S SAY AROUND 100 STUDENTS. SO AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE TEXTBOOKS CAN BE PURCHASED STILL. I I'M NOT. I'M NOT YOU'RE OUT OF OUT OF PRINT. THERE'S SO THEY NO LONGER SUPPORT, SO THAT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY. THIS IS THIS WAS, UM ONE MORE YEAR. THIS PROGRAM. ACTUALLY YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND THIS ON THEIR WEBSITE BECAUSE IT IT WILL NOT EXIST ANYMORE. SO WE DID DO A WHOLE VETTING PROCESS TO CHOOSE A NEW PROGRAM. BUT BECAUSE OF THE COST, WE'RE COMING WITH JUST ONE MORE YEAR TO FILL THE GAP AND GIVE THIS TEAM AND TEACHERS TIME TO REVISE A CURRICULUM MOVING FORWARD.

THERE ARE ARTICLES LIKE YOU MENTIONED, UM AND SO WHEN THAT DID COME TO OUR ATTENTION, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE BEGINNING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. WE DID. THE LESSONS AROUND THAT THE INTENT OF THAT ONE ARTICLE IS NOT TO TEACH CHILDREN TO BREAK THE LAW. IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION AND TEACHING AROUND THAT PARTICULAR PIECE, UM , NOT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO

[03:10:04]

BREAK THE LAW. THAT'S JUST ONE IT WAS TO HELP STUDENTS ANALYZE TEXT. UM AND OTHER TEXTS WERE READ IN CONJUNCTION, SO I THINK ANYTHING OUT OF CONTEXT. UM, IT'S IT, IT COULD LOOK CERTAINLY INAPPROPRIATE, BUT THERE ARE PIECES AROUND THAT THAT ARE USED TO THE CHILDREN, SO JUST TO ADD TO THAT PICTURE OF THIS PROGRAM. SO I'M KIND OF GOING BACK TO MY POINT IS MY POINT IS WE CAN WAIT ANOTHER TWO WEEKS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, OR WHATEVER TO LOOK AT THIS IF WE DON'T PASS IT THEY WON'T HAVE ANYTHING AVAILABLE TO USE THIS YEAR. COMING UP. THEY WON'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR COMING UP, SO IF WE DON'T PASS IT, THEY HAVE NO PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO USE. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. SO IS WAITING TWO MORE WEEKS GOING TO GIVE THEM A PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO USE FOR NEXT YEAR. AND THAT ANSWERS? NO SO I GUESS THAT'S THAT'S MY POINT, AND YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT, BUT THAT'S MY POINT. AND THEY'VE BEEN USING IT SINCE 2017. UM, I HAVE A QUESTION CONCERNING OUR OUR TWO YEAR FIVE YEAR 10 YEAR PLAN. UM IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE NOT REAL HAPPY WITH THIS PROGRAM THERE. THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH IT. UM WE'RE LOOKING TO REPLACE IT. UM, THIS IS A JUST A, UM, A SOMETHING TO FILL THE GAP. UM AND SO NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN ANY BETTER POSITION THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW. WE'VE IDENTIFIED, UM, A PROGRAM. WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT IT TO THE BOARD BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SEEKING PURCHASE BECAUSE OF THE COST, BUT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A DIFFERENT PROGRAM. SO CERTAINLY THAT'S GOT BUDGETARY ISSUES WITH IT. UM BUT THAT IS WHERE OUR CURRICULUM PERSPECTIVE. WE ARE DID WE PUT THAT IN THE FY 25 BUDGET. WE DID NOT BRING IT FORTH BECAUSE OF THE COST. I'M CONCERNED THAT WE NEED TO DO BE A LITTLE MORE FORWARD LOOKING AND KNOWING WHEN SOME OF THESE THINGS EXPIRES AND WHEN A NEW CURRICULUM IS GOING TO BE BOUGHT AND CONSIDER THAT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS LIKE KIND OF LIFE CYCLE PLANNING, IN EFFECT. WE SHOULDN'T ALWAYS BE BEHIND THE CURVE AND FACING THESE KIND OF THINGS. NOT HAVING MONEY. WITH THIS NEW CURRICULUM HAVE SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS ARE BRINGING UP. IT'LL COME WITH THE DIGITAL PLATFORM. THERE WILL BE HARDBOUND BOOKS. UM THE THERE WAS A COMMITTEE, A COMMITTEE OF STAKEHOLDERS. WHO SELECTED IT.

UM THEY WERE PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT. UM SO. WAS COST AND THE LINKS AND ALL THE DIGITAL THINGS WHERE THEY VETTED AS PART OF THAT. PROCESS. WHEN WE PUT THE COMMITTEE TOGETHER, WE USE THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED CURRICULUM VETTING RUBRIC, WHICH REALLY HAS UM, CRITERIA AROUND. THE TEXT, THE TEXT COMPLEXITY THE TYPES OF RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS, UM WHETHER OR NOT THE MATERIALS PROVIDE FOR, UM DIFFERENTIATION. ASSESSMENT PIECES. WHAT ARE THE DIGITAL PIECES? THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DON'T LOOK AT THE COST, AND WE DON'T AS FOR THE COST OF THE PRODUCT UNTIL THE FINAL SELECTION IS MADE, BECAUSE THE RUBRIC DOESN'T JUDGE THE PROGRAM BY THE COST. I GUESS THE REAL QUESTION IS IF WE WANTED TO. COULD WE MOVE? WOULD IT BE PRUDENT? TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A BRAND NEW CURRICULUM AT THIS TIME. BACK. I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO MY PART OF AGENDA TONIGHT. UM BUT YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE FINANCIALLY. I MEAN, GIVEN THE CHANCE, KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE IN A TIGHT BUDGET, BUT NOT KNOWING HOW TIGHT TO NOT BRING FORWARD A $2.4 MILLION PROPOSAL FOR THIS, UM SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MORE CURRICULUM. IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH THE $40 MILLION GAP. UM THAT WASN'T SOMETHING WE WERE GOING TO BRING FORWARD THIS YEAR. THIS IS THE LAST YEAR WE CAN USE IT NEXT YEAR IS THE LAST YEAR WE CAN USE IT ANYWAY. RIGHT CORRECT. THAT IS CORRECT. AND I MIGHT ADD THAT, UM, IN THE TIME AFTER THE FALL, UM, COMMITTEE CONVENED AND IT WAS A LENGTHY PROCESS IN DEPTH PROCESS TO LOOK AT NEW PROGRAMS. AFTER THE START OF THE NEW YEAR. ARE CURRENT INTERIM STATE SUPERINTENDENT HAS, UM, DISCUSSED AT EL A LEVEL

[03:15:06]

THAT THE STATE MAYBE RE RE LOOKING REVIEWING OUR CURRENT STATE STANDARDS. AND SO, UM, WHEN I HEARD THAT, I THOUGHT, OK , UM WE ARE RENEWING H MH. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT. IT'LL BE ONE MORE YEAR. UM IT WILL BE MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND IT ALSO MIGHT GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY JUST TO SEE IF SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU PICK A CURRICULUM PRODUCT. IT ALIGNS TO THE STANDARDS THAT THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO NEED TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION. AND THEN THE STANDARDS ARE ALSO WHAT KIDS ARE ASSESSED ON ON OUR STATE ASSESSMENT. I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT. WHAT THAT REVIEW OR REVISION MIGHT ENTAIL, OR, UM, LOOK LIKE, BUT IT HAS BEEN SET AT OUR STATE MEETING. SO IT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY AT FIRST I WAS YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW PROGRAM AS WELL. BUT I FELT LIKE, UM, COST WISE AS WELL AS WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT ONE MORE YEAR OF H MH, UM, COLLECTIONS. WAS A WAS AN OPTION FOR US. SO THAT SOUNDS REALLY PRUDENT TO ME, THEN TO STICK WITH WHAT WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT NEXT YEAR, WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO ADOPT COMPLETELY ALIGNS WITH THE STATE STANDARDS BECAUSE WHEN WE WHEN WE ADOPT A NEW CURRICULUM. WE WANT TO USE IT FOR FIVE PLUS YEARS. WE DON'T HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER ONE. SO REALLY, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A BRIDGE HERE, UH, TO GET US TO THAT POINT. I WILL AGREE WITH, UM IN MY EXPERIENCE WHENEVER YOU PURCHASE UM PUBLISHED PROGRAM.

THEY WILL GIVE YOU DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR PURCHASING. A ONE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION A FIVE YEAR SIX YEAR AND, UM MOST UM TIMES. IT'S MORE PRUDENT THEY WANT THE FIVE YEAR OR SIX YEAR, UH, COMMITMENT AND THEY'LL MAKE IT COST. WE WANT THAT TOO, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA HAVE LIKE CURRICULUM APPEALING TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION, AND SO YOU'LL SEE. THAT'S WHY WE ARE WITH OUR 2017 H MH. WE ARE AT THE END. OF OUR ORIGINAL FIVE YEAR SUBSCRIPTION THAT WE HAD I'M NOT TRYING TO RE INVENT THE WHEEL HERE, AND I DO THINK THAT WE DO NEED NEW CURRICULUM. OBVIOUSLY AFTER THIS YEAR, WE'RE WE'RE GONNA BE FORCED INTO IT. UM BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THE TWO WEEKS IT'S NOT TO, YOU KNOW, GO FIND SOMETHING NEW IS JUST TO SEE IF THESE CONCERNS CAN BE, UH MITIGATED AT ALL. SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, WE NEED SIX VOTES. WE HAVE TWO MISSING TONIGHT. UM SO THAT'S THAT'S HOW THE CARDS ARE LAYING THIS EVENING. SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL ENTERTAIN ANY MOTION FROM ANY BOARD MEMBER TO EITHER PULL A VOTE. AND I JUST WANNA, UM MEDINA'S VOTE WILL BE PREFERENTIAL. ON THIS. IT'S CURRICULUM. OH, OK. THERE YOU GO. OK, A MOVE THAT WE TABLE THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING TO GET MORE INFORMATION. THIS IS MELISSA AND I SECOND THE MOTION. THANK YOU ALL IN FAVOR. PLEASE SAY YES YES. THERE ARE ANY OPPOSED. PLEASE SAY NO, NO. NO. THANK YOU FOR THE RECORD REFLECT. WE WILL TABLE THIS UNTIL TWO WEEKS. IN THE MEANTIME , THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE CONCERNS COULD YOU PLEASE EMAIL

[F. Preliminary Response to the County Executive's Budget Announcement, Dr. Sean Bulson, Superintendent, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, and Mr. Eric Clark, Director of Budget]

ME YOUR CONCERNS? THANK YOU. YOU OK? MOVING ON TO STAR PRESENTATION OF THE EVENING.

THEY ALL EVERYBODY LEFT, THOUGH. WELCOME SUPERINTENDENT TO DISCUSS THE PRELIMINARY RESPONSE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT. WELCOME DOCTOR SEAN BOLSON. YOU. LOOKING UP THERE. ALL RIGHT, UM LET ME JUST CHECK JEREMY AS WELL. OH, YES, IT IS LOOKING WONDERFUL. WE'RE GOOD. UM SO, AS WAS ANTICIPATED. WE RECEIVED. PROPOSAL FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TODAY FOR UM, THAT. THE FUNDING FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND THAT'S THE PROPOSAL THAT THAT NOW GOES TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. UM AS A AS ANTICIPATED THE FUNDING LEVEL. UH, IS THE SAME NUMBER AS LAST YEAR FOR THE UM CURRENT EXPENSE FUND. AND SO I

[03:20:03]