Dec 02, 2024 Board Meeting

[Call to Order: Board President]

[00:00:11]

TO AVOID INTERRUPTION UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD OF BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON DECEMBER 2ND, 2024 AT 6:02 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MRS. ALVAREZ. PRESENT. MISS BRUCE. HERE. MRS. KOCHER. HERE. DOCTOR. MUELLER. PRESENT. MISS POZYCKI.

MISS. EVERLY. MISS PESEK IS ABSENT THIS EVENING, MRS. PERRY. HERE. MR. SEWELL. HERE. MISS STRAUSS. VICE PRESIDENT. HAHN. PRESENT. PRESIDENT. BLANTON. HERE. SUPERINTENDENT. WILSON.

HERE. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THANK YOU. MISS HAHN'S VIRTUAL THIS EVENING. SO, MISS KOCHER WILL BE FULFILLING THE DUTIES OF VICE PRESIDENT. MISS KOCHER, PLEASE READ THIS EVENING'S STATEMENT AND PROCESS. SURE. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MUTE THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION. FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, DOCTOR BOYNTON WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. DOCTOR WILSON WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL ON THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN

[Adoption of Agenda]

I MOVE, WE ADOPT THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? THIS IS DIANE. I SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO.

THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. MISS COOPER, PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE STAND AND JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH

[Public Comments]

GOOD EVENING. I'M MIKE STEVENS, REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE OUR UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND AT ALL. FUTURE WEEK. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING. ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED THAT GRANDSTANDING, WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE AND AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATION, AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE, THREATENING WORDS GESTURES OF NEIGHBORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. THE RULES OF ORDER REQUIRE COMMENTATORS TO REFRAIN FROM IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND DO NOT SIT ON THE BOARD. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD AND IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ADDRESS OR IDENTIFY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY NAME. THE CONTEXT OF A BOARD OF BUSINESS MEETING INCLUDES SCHOOL STAFF OTHER THAN THE SUPERINTENDENT. ADDITIONALLY, DISPARAGING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS, AND INFLAMMATORY REMARKS ABOUT SPECIFIC SCHOOLS, PERSONNEL, ANY PERSON OR GROUP ARE NOT PERMITTED. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND OUR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG IN OUR MEETINGS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR FURTHER CONCERNS. WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SHOULD AN ATTENDEE ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DISTRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING. THE ATTENDING WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS. IF THE ATTENDEE DOES NOT CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR, THE OFFENDING WILL BE ESCALATED TO THE SECURITY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU, MISS RILEY. DO WE HAVE 16 STILL 17? 17. HOW MANY GROUPS? AND DO WE HAVE ANY VIRTUAL? NO VIRTUAL THIS EVENING. OKAY.

WE'LL DO THE THREE FULL AND FULL AND FIVE. SORRY. SO IN PERSON, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK IF THEY'RE AN INDIVIDUAL AND FIVE MINUTES IF YOU'RE A GROUP. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND MAY BE GIVEN NOTICE WHEN YOU HAVE 30S LEFT. WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR 3 OR 5 MINUTE MARK, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. SO LET'S START WITH IN-PERSON. THIS EVENING WE WILL START WITH DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY JACKIE

[00:05:02]

CLOSING SWIMMING POOLS MAY NOT BE SOMETHING ANYBODY WANTS TO DO, BUT YOU SHOULD STILL DISCUSS IT AS AN OPTION. BACK IN 2018. THE BOARD DID NOT WANT TO DO THE CUTS THAT THEY ENDED UP DOING AGAIN IN 2019. THE BOARD DID NOT WANT TO MAKE THE CUTS. SEVERE STUDENT FACING CUTS THAT THEY ENDED UP MAKING. I'M GUESSING THAT YOU ALL HAVE NO IDEA HOW YOU WILL BALANCE THE BUDGET, SO DON'T TAKE ANYTHING OFF THE TABLE YET. CLOSING A SCHOOL WOULD BE UGLY. CHARGING FOR TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE UGLY. BUT WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE HAD BUS TICKETS. WE PAID FOR RIDING ON THE BUS. I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD DO THAT. I'M SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T DISCOUNT THE OPTION AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS. IF YOU CAN'T GET A MAJOR FIX FROM THE STATE AND COUNTY, YOU ARE LIKELY TO EXHAUST THE GOOD AND BAD OPTIONS AND HAVE TO DEBATE AMONG THE UGLY OPTIONS. PLEASE START THE DISCUSSION NOW SO THE COMMUNITY HAS TIME TO RESPOND.

FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE THE COUNTY DOES THEIR PUBLIC BUDGET INPUT SESSION, LIKELY IN JANUARY.

THANK YOU ALL. REGARDING THE UPCOMING BUDGET, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A COUPLE OF VERY INEXPENSIVE IDEAS. HERE'S A THIRD GRADE LEVEL SPELLING BOOK. IT HAS 36 UNITS, 20 WORDS PER UNIT, AND ONE UNIT CAN BE COMPLETED EACH WEEK. INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDE WRITING EACH WORD TWICE, COMPLETING THE SENTENCES WITH THE CORRECT WORD, AND ENDING WITH A UNIT TEST.

COST OF THE SPELLING BOOK $8.85. A SECOND BOOK IS FOR MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION.

THIS BOOK HAS A VARIETY OF STRATEGIES FOR MEMORIZATION, INCLUDING WORD PROBLEMS, COST $11.99. THERE ARE A WHOLE VARIETY OF WORKBOOKS FOR LEARNING. MANY OTHER SUBJECTS, SUCH AS HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND SCIENCE. TOTAL COST FOR ALL OF THESE WORKBOOKS PER CHILD PER YEAR 100 TO $125 AND DISCOUNTS ARE GIVEN WHEN YOU BUY IN BULK. SPELLING BEES ARE ANOTHER FUN OPTION TO TEACH AND CHALLENGE THE STUDENT. ONE ACCOMPLISHED CHALLENGE LEADS TO THE NEXT CHALLENGE AND TURNS INTO A LIFETIME OF A DESIRE TO LEARN. WHEN THE STUDENTS START OUT AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE WORKING AND RELYING ON COMPUTERS, THEY ARE BEING DENIED THE TRAINING AND ABILITY TO WRITE NEATLY AND PROPERLY, AND THEY LEARN TO DEPEND ON SPELL CHECK. HOW ARE THEY TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN TH E R AND T H E R E? COMPUTERS GET DROPPED AND BROKEN, COSTING MULTIPLE DOLLARS TO REPAIR OR REPLACE. IN ADDITION, THINGS POP UP TO TEMPT AND DISTRACT THEM FROM THEIR FROM THEIR ASSIGNMENTS. THE COMPUTER ALSO BECOMES AN ADDICTION TO THESE YOUNG MINDS. HAVING A WORKBOOK LEADS THEM TO FOCUS ON THE LESSON. THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS CAN BE SAVED BY A RETURN TO BOOKS. MANY OF US HERE, INCLUDING SEVERAL OF YOU ON THE BOARD, WERE EDUCATED USING WORKBOOKS. AND IT'S OBVIOUS YOU ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS. I REALIZE THE SUGGESTION TO USE BOOKS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BE RIDICULED, LAUGHED AT, AND BRUSHED OFF AS

[00:10:02]

HE WAS NEVER SELECTED AS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR, BUT HE DID FOUND FIVE UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING DICKINSON COLLEGE, FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

THUS, WE MIGHT PAY HIM SOME HEED AS TO HOW WE SHOULD BEST EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. HE SAID THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD HAVE THREE OBJECTIVES. FIRSTLY, THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO LOVE AND SERVE GOD. SECONDLY, TO LOVE AND SERVE THEIR COUNTRY, AND THIRDLY, TO LOVE AND SERVE THEIR FAMILY. WHY PUT COUNTRY AHEAD OF FAMILY? WELL, HE SAID, IF YOU EVER LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR COUNTRY, IT WILL BECOME THE ENEMY OF YOUR FAMILY. HOW TRUE THAT IS. PROVEN TO BE. HE ALSO SAID THAT EDUCATION WITHOUT THE BIBLE IS WORTHLESS AND THAT PATRIOTISM IS AS MUCH A VIRTUE AS IS JUSTICE. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE TENETS OF OUR FOUNDING ARE NO LONGER TAUGHT TO OUR CHILDREN. THEY MIGHT LEARN THIS FOR THEMSELVES, IF ONLY THEY COULD READ. BUT YOU DON'T TEACH THAT VERY WELL EITHER. TESTING HAS REPEATEDLY PROVEN THAT FUNDING FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DOES NOT EQUATE TO FUNDING EDUCATION. THERE ARE SOME WHO MIGHT URGE US TO DISREGARD DOCTOR RUSH. AFTER ALL, WASN'T HE ONE OF THOSE WHO PLANTED THE SEEDS OF SYSTEMIC RACISM? WELL, NO. ACTUALLY, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. RUSH BELIEVED THAT HUMAN BEINGS WERE NATURALLY DISPOSED TOWARD FREEDOM REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE. HE ONCE WROTE, I NEED SAY HARDLY ANYTHING IN FAVOR OF THE INTELLECT OF THE NEGROES, OR OF THEIR CAPACITIES FOR VIRTUE AND HAPPINESS, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SOME WHO SUPPOSE THEM TO BE INFERIOR TO EUROPEANS IN THIS REGARD. BUT THE ACCOUNTS OF TRAVELERS GIVE THEM THE ACCOUNTS WHICH TRAVELERS GIVE OF THEIR INGENUITY, HUMANITY, AND STRONG ATTACHMENT TO THEIR PARENTS, FRIENDS, AND COUNTRY AND COUNTRY. SHOW US THAT THEY ARE NOT INFERIOR, BUT THEY ARE INDEED EQUAL TO THE EUROPEANS. FOR RUSH, SLAVERY WAS NOT JUST SIMPLY UNJUST, IT WAS A TRANSGRESSION AGAINST NATURAL LAW AND A BLIGHT AGAINST GOD. HE BELIEVED THAT THE NEW NATION COULD NOT CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN SUCH A SCOURGE WITHOUT A RECKONING. THIS SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION AND MANY OTHERS OF OUR FOUNDERS, BELIEVE THAT ALL MEN WERE CREATED EQUAL, INCLUDING THOSE ENSLAVED AT THE TIME. OUR NATION WAS NOT FOUNDED ON SYSTEMIC RACISM AS YOUR AP BLACK HISTORY STUDY PROGRAM STATES. INDEED, OUR NATION DID ALL THAT IT COULD AND PAID A DREADFUL PRICE TO OVERCOME THIS EVIL. IF ONLY YOU WOULD TEACH THAT, THEN WE MIGHT BE TRULY ONE NATION UNDER GOD INSTEAD OF A HOUSE DIVIDED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM MARTINEAU, FOLLOWED BY CRYSTAL RUFENACHT AND MICHELLE SMITH. THANKS AND LET THE RECORD REFLECT. MR. HAS JOINED VIRTUALLY. GOOD EVENING. HE NEEDS TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT CUTTING PRESENT AND FUTURE SPENDING FROM THE BUDGET. THE SCHOOL BUDGET BECAME SWELLED AND DRUNK ON EXCESSIVE COVID FUNDS AND OVERSPENDING BY BARRY GLASSMAN. THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR FEDERAL ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO PROVIDE REMOTE LEARNING, SAFETY OF STAFF AND STUDENTS AND PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. THEY WERE NOT TO BE USED TO BUILD UP DEI AND OTHER ACTIVIST INITIATIVES. NOW THAT THE COVID FUNDS ARE DRYING UP AND THE RECKLESS SPENDING OF GLASSMAN IS GONE, SOMEHOW THE BUDGET CRISIS IS ALL BOB CASSERLY'S FAULT. THIS SEEMS TO BE TYPICAL LIBERAL PROGRESSIVE PLAYBOOK BUILD UP USELESS BUREAUCRATS THAT DO NOTHING TO SUPPORT THE CORE MISSION OF ACADEMICS DURING OVERSPENDING, AND THEN LEAN TIMES HIT THREATENED TO REDUCE THE ESSENTIALS. DISTRICTS ACROSS THE NATION THAT HAVE USED PANDEMIC MONEY TO BOLSTER STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS NOW

[00:15:01]

MICHIGAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD TO REDUCE 5100 POSITIONS TO RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. MANY SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE OFFERING MANAGEMENT LEVEL EMPLOYEES IN THEIR CENTRAL OFFICES, CLASSROOMS, POSITIONS AT LOWER PAY RATES OR THE PINK SLIP. CPS NEEDS TO FOLLOW THIS TREND.

COMBINE THIS ALL WITH THE FACT THAT SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS ARE TO FALL MORE THAN 10% BY 2030, LEAVING LESS FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. ONCE AGAIN, I GUESS THIS IS BOB CASSERLY'S FAULT.

THE STATE SUFFERING THE BIGGEST BUDGET CRISIS. OUR HAWAII, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO AND NEW YORK ALL DEEP BLUE STATES. PROGRESSIVES JUST CAN'T SEEM TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THEIR BUDGETS. THIS IS WHY DONALD TRUMP GOT $365 MILLION IN HIS CAMPAIGN, AND ONLY SPENT 340.

AND HARRIS RECEIVED OVER A BILLION AND ENDED UP TENS OF MILLIONS IN DEBT. WE ALL KNOW THE RESULTS. AMERICA FACED SIMILAR BUDGET PROBLEMS BACK IN THE 1970S. TEACHERS UNIONS PERSUADED PRESIDENT CARTER TO CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SHOVEL MILLIONS IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO ELIMINATE REDUCTIONS. WITH THE NATION HAVING A $35 TRILLION DEBT, WE CAN'T REPEAT THAT DISASTER AGAIN. FUND THE ESSENTIALS AND ELIMINATE THE NON. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. I AM CRYSTAL RUFFINI AND I'M A RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY AND AN EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I'M OFTEN DISHEARTENED AS I LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT. I WANTED TO SHARE SOME POSITIVE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH REGARDS TO OUR COMMUNITY. AT LARGE. EXCUSE ME. SO JUST TO START, I'M A MUSIC TEACHER AT HALLS CROSSROADS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND WE ARE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL WITH OVER 50 ACTIVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS. MANY OF OUR FAMILIES EXPERIENCED FOOD INSECURITY AND MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN CHURCH HAS PROVIDED WHAT THEY CALL THEIR BACKPACK BLESSINGS, WHICH ARE FOOD ITEMS THAT THEY PACKAGE IN A DRAWSTRING BACKPACK. THE FIRST YEAR IN THIS PROGRAM, THEY PROVIDED FOOD WEEKLY FOR 25 FAMILIES. THIS PROGRAM WAS EXPANDED TO 100 FAMILIES AND NOW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRESTON AUTOMOTIVE, PROVIDING FOOD FOR 115 FAMILIES A YEAR. IN ITS FOURTH YEAR, THE ABERDEEN BUFFALO SOLDIERS, A LOCAL MOTORCYCLE GROUP, DELIVER THEM TO OUR CLASSROOMS WEEKLY RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. ABERDEEN FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HAS AN ADOPT A TEACHER PROGRAM. WE RECEIVE MONTHLY CARDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, SWEET TREATS, OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH THEM AND TO SHARE PRAYER REQUESTS. OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO OFFER WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS LIKE EATING HEALTHY AND POTTY TRAINING. OUR CENTER PARTNERS WITH THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY OF HARFORD COUNTY TO PROVIDE A BOOK EACH MONTH FOR EVERY CHILD IN ABERDEEN. WE HAVE A FOOD PANTRY AND A CLOTHING CLOSET FOR FAMILIES AND ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS RECENTLY DONATED SLEEPING BAGS, JUST IN CASE ANY OF OUR FIFTH GRADERS NEEDED SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD BRING WITH THEM. WHEN THEY WENT TO HARFORD GLEN, SHIFTING FOCUS TO A STUDENT RUN EVENT. ON OCTOBER 19TH AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENT MEMBERS OF THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES HELD A NIGHT OF PRAYER, WORSHIP AND TESTIMONIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS BACKGROUNDS. THEY INVITED LOCAL CHURCHES TO BE AT THE EVENT TO CONNECT WITH FAMILIES. I WAS AWAY AT A CONFERENCE, BUT MY DAD ATTENDED ON BEHALF OF OUR CHURCH AND REPORTED AS. AS IS TYPICAL, OUR STUDENTS RAN THE EVENT VERY WELL. IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE EVENT. ONE MORE SHIFT IN FOCUS FOR MY COMMENTS TONIGHT. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON A BUDGET COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF EDUCATORS, CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP, PRINCIPALS, SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS, CUSTODIANS, BUS DRIVERS. RECENTLY, WE SPENT SOME TIME LOOKING OVER THE RESULTS THAT WE HAVE TO DATE FROM THE BUDGET SURVEY. THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE ALLOWED ME TO SEE FIRSTHAND THAT STAFF, PARENT AND COMMUNITY INPUT IS VALUED BY THE BOARD AND SENIOR LEADERSHIP. AS A THIRD GENERATION RESIDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY AND A THIRD GENERATION EMPLOYEE, I CAN TELL YOU THIS HAS NOT ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.

NOT ONLY IS OUR INPUT CONSIDERED, WE ARE AT THE TABLE WITH DECISION MAKERS. I WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD AND OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR VALUING US, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PRIORITIZING OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THAT POSITIVELY IMPACT THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. IS THERE A MICHELLE SMITH HERE? OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEREK

[00:20:06]

BUT HERE'S THE DIRTY LITTLE SECRET THE TEACHERS UNION IN MARYLAND OPERATES IN THE SAME WAY. YOU WON'T HEAR THIS FROM THEIR CRONIES IN THE MEDIA OR THEIR CORRUPT REPRESENTATIVES LIKE RYAN BURBY AND CHRISTIE CRAWFORD SMITH. SO HERE'S A COUPLE OF FACTS FOR YOU. IN 2013, MARYLAND'S TEACHERS UNION REVENUE WAS $19.8 MILLION. BY 2022, THAT NUMBER EXPLODED TO $26.5 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 31%. EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME. THIS ONE SECOND. YOU CANNOT MENTION PEOPLE'S NAMES. YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE'S NAMES. POINT OF ORDER. YOU'RE SORRY? YOUR CLOCK. HOLD ON. STOP. ONE SECOND. SO WE'LL GO BACK AND RESET THE CLOCK. ABOUT 10S. SO DOES THAT. IS THAT VIOLATION OF RULES OF ORDER FOR, I GUESS, A OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO CONSIDER THIS. CONSIDER THIS YOUR WARNING. WE'LL PUT 10S BACK ON THE CLOCK AND YOU CAN CONTINUE. SO AS I WAS SAYING, THE NUMBER EXPLODED TO 26.5 MILLION, AN INCREASE OF 34%. BUT IN THAT SAME TIME SPAN, READING AND MATH SCORES HAVE PLUMMETED BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. THE MORE MONEY THE UNIONS RECEIVE, THE WORSE OUR STUDENTS BECOME. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THE MARYLAND'S TEACHERS UNION HAS TRIPLED THEIR ASSETS FROM 16 TO $45 MILLION. SO WHERE IS THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE THAT UNION LEADERSHIP PROMISED TO DELIVER TO OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR MISSION STATEMENTS? BUT I HAVE A NEW PROPOSAL FOR THE UNION. UNLIMITED VACATION TIME. BY USING THAT MONEY TO CRAFT YOUR RESIGNATION LETTER THAT YOU WILL DISBAND AND REFRAIN FROM INFLUENCING CORRUPTION IN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. RELEASE THE SHACKLES OFF THE TEACHERS UNION, OFF THE TEACHERS BY RESTORING MERIT BASED PAY, NOT SENIORITY. BUT MY MESSAGE TO THE BOARD IS THIS THE TEACHERS UNION IS NOT A PARAGON OF WORKERS RIGHTS. THEY ARE TRYING TO SELL TO YOU THAT THIS ISSUE WITH THE BUDGET AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS A MATTER OF GOOD VERSUS EVIL. DON'T BUY IT, ESPECIALLY AN ORGANIZATION THAT ELECTED A PRESIDENT THAT WAS BANNED FROM EVERY HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING FOR ASSAULTING A MEMBER. SO MY MESSAGE IS THIS STAND STRONG AND SUPPORT A BUDGET THAT WILL NOT ONLY KEEP THE LEADERSHIP, BUT MAKE SURE ACTUAL EDUCATION. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. I'M HELEN MILLER, PRINCIPAL OF SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL TEACHERS. SOUTHAMPTON IS A PLACE OF HIGH EXPECTATIONS COUPLED WITH A RELATIONSHIP FOCUSED MINDSET. SOUTHAMPTON TEACHERS ARE DEDICATED AND UNDERSTAND THAT TIME IS A NONRENEWABLE RESOURCE. A FEW YEARS AGO, I APPROACHED THE TEACHERS WITH AN IDEA TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD IS VISIBLE AND HAS A VOICE. WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE IDEA WAS FOR TEAMS OF TEACHERS TO SPEND TEN MINUTES WITH AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT IN WHAT I TERMED A STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCE, TEN MINUTES MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF TIME, BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEACHING 130 PLUS STUDENTS EACH YEAR, THE MINUTES ADD UP THROUGH THE STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCES. TEACHERS ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE VULNERABLE IN THE PROCESS.

STUDENTS LEARN THAT THEIR TEACHERS ARE ACTUALLY HUMAN AND THAT THEY EVEN SHARE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. MANY STUDENTS ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THEY SHARE MUSIC AND MOVIE INTERESTS WITH AN ADULT. STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT THEIR TEACHERS, COLLEGE AND CAREER PATHS, AND TEACHERS LEARN ABOUT STUDENTS GOALS. BEYOND MIDDLE SCHOOL. I DO NOT ATTEND THE STUDENT SUCCESS CONFERENCES. IT'S VALUABLE TIME BETWEEN A STUDENT AND THEIR TEACHER. I DON'T WANT TO

[00:25:04]

I AM HONORED TO SERVE THE TEACHERS AT SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. BONNIE KNUTSON, I'M GOING TO GO COMPLETELY OFF SCRIPT. WHAT I PLAN TO SAY TONIGHT ABOUT THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF WHAT JUST HAPPENED. DOCTOR POINTON AND MELISSA HAHN, THIS IS MAINLY DIRECTED TO YOU TWO BECAUSE YOU ARE THE LEADERS OF THIS BOARD. AS PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT. AT THE LAST MEETING, A WOMAN APPROACHED AS SHE WAS SPEAKING, ASKED THE BOARD. SHE SAID, CAN I APPROACH THE TABLE WITH MY GRANDCHILD'S BACKPACK? AND FROM WHAT I COULD TELL, NOBODY ANSWERED. SO SHE FOLLOWED THROUGH AND WALKED AROUND HERE, SLAMMED IT ON THAT TABLE AND THEN PROCEEDED TO START TAKING THINGS OUT OF IT. NOW KEEP IN MIND THIS WAS JUST AFTER MANY TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS HAD COMMENTED ABOUT THE HORRIBLE MURDER THAT HAPPENED AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS ALLOWED TO CARRY A BACKPACK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH LOCKERS. SO THAT WAS KIND OF TRIGGERING FOR PEOPLE THAT THE WAY THAT SHE SLAMMED ON THE TABLE, IT ALL COULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED WITH A SIMPLE NO, BUT NOBODY SAID THAT, INCLUDING MELISSA HAHN, WHO WAS LEFT IN CHARGE BY DOCTOR BOYNTON FOR THE EVENING. I SENT A LETTER TO THE BOARD ABOUT THIS EXACT EVENT.

MISS HAHN TOOK THE TIME TO WRITE BACK TO ME, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT HER ONLY ANSWER WAS THAT SECURITY STEPPED IN AND TOOK CARE OF IT. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. MISS HAHN, THE POINT WAS ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SAY ONE TWO LETTER WORD NO TO STOP THAT FROM HAPPENING. SHE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO APPROACH THAT TABLE AND THROW A BACKPACK. AND THEN BEGIN TO UNPACK IT. I WONDER IF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE ELSE THAT HAD DONE THAT. IF SECURITY WOULD HAVE ACTED EVEN FASTER. BUT SHE WAS A GRANDMOTHER, SO I THINK WE GAVE HER A LITTLE LEEWAY. AND JUST NOW, TONIGHT, AFTER THE RULES ARE READ BEFORE EVERY MEETING AND SOMEONE WHO JUST SPOKE KNOWS THEM, HE COMES AND SPEAKS AT EVERY MEETING, SAT HERE AND CALL PEOPLE OUT BY NAME. AND NEITHER ONE OF YOU STOPPED HIM. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE LEADERS AND YOU'RE NOT LEADING. IT IS A SIMPLE RESPONSE. THE MINUTE HE SAID THAT PERSON'S NAME, YOU CUT OFF THE MIC AND YOU SEND HIM OUT. BUT NO, YOU LET HIM CONTINUE TO SPEAK AND BACKED UP AND GAVE HIM THE TIME THAT IT TOOK TO TELL HIM THAT HE WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG, WHICH HE KNEW HE WAS DOING WRONG. WITH MY LAST SECONDS, I WILL SAY I REWATCHED THE ENTIRE 2.5 HOUR BOARD BUDGET MEETING. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE, A LOT OF NUMBERS, A LOT OF FACTS. AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU ALL TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT.

THAT'S WHERE THE INFORMATION IS AND START ATTENDING COUNTY COUNCIL MEETINGS. BECAUSE YES, BOB CASSILLY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT FUNDING THE SCHOOL BUDGET. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RONNIE DAVIS, FOLLOWED BY JANINE CANEDO AND DEL SELLERS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RONNIE DAVIS, AND I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN, AN ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION AND SOMEONE DEEPLY INVESTED IN THE WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. KNOWING YOU'VE BEEN DELIBERATING ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET, I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. ABOVE ALL ELSE, SAFETY MUST BE THE FOUNDATION OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WITHOUT ITS STUDENTS CANNOT LEARN. TEACHERS CANNOT TEACH, AND FAMILIES CANNOT REST EASY WHILE WE ALL HOPE AND PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IS NOT ENOUGH. ACTION, FORESIGHT AND INVESTMENT ARE THE TOOLS THAT WILL PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND EDUCATORS FROM PREVENTABLE TRAGEDIES. THAT MEANS ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, IMPROVED SECURITY SYSTEMS AND CONTINUED TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT EQUIP THE FACULTY TO IDENTIFY AND RESPOND TO RISKS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE MUST NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF THE POWER OF EDUCATION.

[00:30:04]

THEY CAN FIND SCHOOLS WITHIN HARFORD COUNTY THAT TEACH THAT AS PART OF THE CURRICULUM, BUT IT IS NOT PART OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND NEVER HAS BEEN. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS JANINE CANEDO. TONIGHT I HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE PROPOSED EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS BASED ON THE AGENDA, THE AMERICAN EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT AND MEDIA HAVE CREATED A GASLIGHTING NARRATIVE, CALLING ANY PARENT WHO OBJECTS TO SEXUALLY EXPLICIT CONTENT AS BOOK BANNERS, EVEN SUGGESTING THAT THEY ARE RACIST. TRANSPHOBES, OR AKIN TO NAZIS. HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF SUCH A DISTORTED VIEWPOINT. RANDI WEINGARTEN, PRESIDENT OF AMERICA'S SECOND LARGEST TEACHERS UNION, POSTED ON X TEXAS TEACHER FIRED FOR READING DIARY OF ANNE FRANK TO CLASS.

THIS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. EXCLAMATION POINT TIMES THREE. THE BOOK IN QUESTION WAS NOT ANNE FRANK'S CLASSIC DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL, BUT A GRAPHIC ADAPTATION CALLED ANNE FRANK'S DIARY THAT EMPHASIZED AND INFLATES SEXUAL PASSAGES IN THE ORIGINAL DIARY, CONCERNED PARENTS ARE NOT JUST WILLY NILLY ASKING FOR BOOKS TO BE REMOVED, JUST THE ONES CONTAINING DISTURBINGLY, DISTURBINGLY EXPLICIT PASSAGES ABOUT SEX. FOR EXAMPLE, GENDERQUEER, A GRAPHIC NOVEL THAT FEATURES A PICTURE OF ORAL SEX BEING PERFORMED ON A SEX TOY. THIS BOOK OF GAY THIS BOOK IS GAY PROVIDES A HOW TO GUIDE TO FIND STRANGERS FOR SEX ON GAY SEX APPS. OUT OF DARKNESS. DARKNESS CONTAINS A RAPE. ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE CONTAINS UNDERAGE INCEST. IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL, CONTAINS DRAWINGS OF CHILDREN MASTURBATING. LOMBOY CONTAINS A PASSAGE ABOUT TEN YEAR OLD BOYS PERFORMING ORAL SEX ON EACH OTHER. JACK OF HEARTS TALKS ABOUT A COMBINATION, A CONDOM THAT IS COVERED IN SEMEN, AND THAT'S JUST SOME OF THEM. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IF ANY PARENTS DO UP NEXT THAT IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH THAT KIND OF BOOK IN OUR SCHOOLS, PLEASE STATE THAT IMPLICITLY BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR AT LEAST MYSELF TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST. AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR IT OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS. I SUSPECT WE WON'T, BUT PLEASE, SOMEONE RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. FIRST I WANT TO SAY I HOPE YOU HAD A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE HOLIDAY WITH YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES. MY NAME IS DEL SELLERS. I AM A STAFF MEMBER. I WORK AT THE MIGHTY MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HOME OF THE MUSTANGS, AND I UNDERSTAND I'M. I'VE BEEN WITH

[00:35:07]

SO EVERYBODY HAS TO DO THEIR PART. BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE LOOK TO YOU GUYS TO MAKE SURE THIS MACHINE RUNS SMOOTHLY. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT BUDGETS AND MONEY. LET'S FIX THE SMALL PROBLEMS FIRST. WEAPON DETECTION SYSTEMS ARE GREAT. I JUST WANT A FENCE AROUND MY SCHOOL SO PEOPLE DON'T RIDE THEIR BIKES THROUGH AND BUMP INTO KIDS. I JUST WANT TINTED WINDOWS SO YOU CAN'T LOOK INTO THE SCHOOL OFF THE STREETS. SIMPLE THINGS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA LANZA, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BENNETT AND COURTNEY BOUNDS. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS.

EPHESIANS FIVE 1920. SING AND MAKE MUSIC TO THE LORD IN YOUR HEARTS, ALWAYS THANKING GOD THE FATHER FOR ALL THINGS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO AGAIN CALL FOR THE RESIGNATION OF SUPERINTENDENT OLSON. PROFICIENCY RATES OF BETWEEN 20 AND 57% FOR MATH AND READING IS NOT, AND SHOULD NEVER BE ACCEPTABLE. IN ADDITION, THE CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING DISCIPLINED, SO THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE BOTH IN DANGER OF VIOLENCE. THAT HAS NO CONSEQUENCES. WE NEED TO FIND SOMEONE WITH A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO TAKE OVER. PREFERABLY SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL FROM THEIR HOME IN ANOTHER COUNTY TO BE HERE. THE PROCESS FOR SELECTION OF THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT, AND THE RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE INPUT IN THE CHOICE OF CANDIDATES. SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE BEING TRUMPED WITH A STUDENT VOTE BEING COUNTED IN AN OFFICIAL VOTE. YES, THE STUDENTS ARE THE MOST AFFECTED BY DECISIONS MADE BY THIS BOARD, BUT PARENTS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE THE RIGHT TO DIRECT THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN.

CHILDREN MAY AND SHOULD VOICE THEIR OPINIONS, BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS UP TO THE PARENTS HOW THE CHILDREN ARE EDUCATED. NOT ONLY DO THE PARENTS HAVE THAT INNATE RIGHT, BUT IN ADDITION, THEY ARE PAYING TAXES FOR THE SCHOOLS. AND OTHER THAN THE STUDENT MEMBER, THE BOARD IS MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ELECTED BY THOSE TAXPAYERS TO REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE CITIZENS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THE STUDENT VOTE SHOULD BE HEARD, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE COUNTED FOR ALL THE REASONS GIVEN ABOVE. FINALLY, I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THE BIBLE BE PART OF THE ELECTIVE CURRICULUM IN OUR SCHOOLS, CONSIDERING THAT IT WAS INTEGRAL TO OUR COUNTRY'S FOUNDING AND THAT IT REMAINS TO THIS DAY THE NUMBER ONE BEST SELLING BOOK, I WONDER WHY THIS ISN'T THE CASE ALREADY. IT SHOULD AT LEAST BE TAUGHT AS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF LITERATURE IN OUR WORLD'S HISTORY. WHAT COULD BE THE ARGUMENT AGAINST THAT? YOU ARE ALLOWING AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS IN ADDITION TO COERCED LIES REGARDING GENDER IDEOLOGY, THE BIBLE WOULD BE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE EVILS AND THE BIBLE WOULD NOT BE COERCED AS YOUR GENDER

[00:40:01]

[00:45:04]

I WANT TO HEAR THOSE KIND OF WORDS. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE DEI TO ME, AND I FEEL THAT MONEY SPENT ON DEI, GENDER STUDIES AND CRT WILL NOT PREPARE STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE OR CAREER PATHS THAT YOU CLAIM THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO EACH DAY. WHY TEACH DIVERSITY VERSUS UNITY? THIS IS THE ONLY NATION UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THAT IS A MULTIRACIAL DEMOCRACY. IT'S THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD. WE HAVE A COMMON CULTURE VERSUS DIVERSITY. AND SO DENTAL DIFFERENCES ARE MINOR COMPARED TO COMMON AMERICANISM. WHY STRIVE FOR EQUALITY OF RESULT? DO YOU NOT LIKE PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD AND ARE SUCCESSFUL? I THINK FURTHER ALONG IN THE POLICY HERE, EACH. AND PROVIDE A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AND PROMOTE DIVERSITY. THERE IT IS AGAIN.

WHY NOT PROMOTE UNITY VERSUS DIVERSITY? A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE. YOU GOT DIVERSITY AS A POSITIVE.

I THINK THAT'S WRONG. TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, UNION REPS PROMOTING DEI SHOULD BE REMOVED.

ACADEMIC TEST SCORES ARE NOT BEING MET. MANY OTHER PARENTS AND FOLKS HERE TONIGHT HAVE SAID THAT. HOW IS THIS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A CAREER OR COLLEG? IT APPEARS THIS POLICY REINFORCES WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM. DEI, CRT, GENDER STUDIES. PARENTS SPOKE ABOUT THE IN THE LIBRARY BOOKS. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU GUYS CAN'T HEAR THIS. HOW IS THIS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR CAREERS OR COLLEGE? LET'S SEE. IT APPEARS THIS POLICY JUST REINFORCES AND EVEN DOUBLED DOWN. THANK YOU SIR. IF THERE WAS MORE THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY, YOU CAN FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ARAVINDA AMARI. WE'VE HEARD SOME VERY INTERESTING QUESTIONS HERE TODAY. SHOULD IN SCHOOLS SHOULD WE USE COMPUTERS OR ONLY BOOKS? SHOULD WE USE GRAPHIC NOVELS OR ONLY PLAIN TEXT? WHICH IS MORE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT? THE BIBLE OR GENDERQUEER? THESE COULD BE FASCINATING DEBATE TOPICS. IF APPROACHED WITH A SINCERE DESIRE TO HEAR A VARIETY OF VIEWPOINTS AND CONSIDER THEM. BUT ALL TOO OFTEN WE HEAR THEM IN THE CONTEXT OF DISTRUSTING TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS, MISUNDERSTANDING STUDENTS, AND THROUGH THE LENS OF A DEEP SEATED INSECURITY ABOUT EFFORTS THAT WOULD MAKE OUR SCHOOLS MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF DIVERSITY. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A WELL-FUNDED AND HIGHLY ORCHESTRATED PUSH AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO DEFUND PUBLIC EDUCATION, SUCH A POLICY WOULD BE DISASTROUS. AND ANY MONEY SAVED TODAY WOULD DEPRIVE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF VITAL SUPPORT THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO EXCEL. THERE IS NO REASON OUR STUDENTS SHOULD BE DEPRIVED AND PAY FUTURE GENERATIONS, AND THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS SHOULD BE LEFT TO PAY THE PRICE IN THE FORM OF RISING COSTS RESULTING FROM A SOCIETY THAT IS UNDEREDUCATED AND UNDEREMPLOYED. YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE SAYING, IF YOU THINK EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE, YOU SHOULD TRY IGNORANCE. OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO SEE AND HEAR OUR BOARD MEMBERS ADVOCATE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. TEACHERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME HERE AFTER WORKING ALL DAY IN SCHOOL AND MANY HOURS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL TO COME AND TELL US ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN THEIR SCHOOL. YOU SHOULD BE ADVOCATES

[00:50:04]

YOU KNOW, NO ONE SHOULD BE MORE COGNIZANT AND VOCAL ABOUT THAT THAN THE BOARD. THEN WE WOULD KNOW THAT YOU WERE DEFENDING PUBLIC EDUCATION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TENDENCY TODAY IS PUTTING THIS BASIC GOAL AT RISK. CUTTING THE BUDGET WILL HAVE DISASTROUS EFFECTS ON OUR CHILDREN AND THE COMMUNITY. SAFETY IN SCHOOL DERIVES FROM A TRUSTING ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS ARE FREE TO BE THEMSELVES AND REDUCING. I MEAN, THE BUDGET CUTS OBVIOUSLY WOULD RESULT IN REDUCTION OF TEACHING STAFF, INCREASE OF CLASS SIZES, ALL MEASURES THAT WOULD MAKE IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO BUILD THAT TRUST. PRESIDENT POINT, THAT'S ALL THE IN-PERSON

[Board Member Comments]

SO THOSE DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPEN. WE LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SAFETY IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY AND WHEN WE DO THIS BUDGET, WE WILL BE PRIORITIZING THAT. SO KNOW THAT THAT WE ARE COMMITTED. PRESIDENT BOYNTON SET UP A SAFETY COMMITTEE BECAUSE OF HE WANTED TO. HE WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW COMMITTED WE ARE TO THAT. SO AND I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THE ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH. AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE GONE INTO PUTTING THINGS ON THE CALENDAR, LIKE WHAT WAS DONE LAST MEETING WITH THE CTE GROUP THAT THAT BRIEFED, BRIEFED WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE SCHOOLS TO SHOW HOW HOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE REALLY OFFERING DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO OUR STUDENTS. SO AND I JUST WANT TO CLOSE WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME SEASON GREETINGS. I MEAN, WE'RE IN IN A SEASON OF THANKSGIVING AND FESTIVITIES. SO MAY WE ABOUND IN CHARITY AND GOODWILL TO ALL OUR FELLOW MEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BRUCE. YES. LAST WEEK I TALKED ABOUT LAST MEETING. I TALKED ABOUT THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL. SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS THURSDAY THEY'RE HAVING ANOTHER SESSION. AND THE SESSION IS GOING TO FOCUS ON AUTISM, AUTISTIC CHILDREN. MOLLY JOHNSON IS AN AUTISTIC CONSULTANT WITH TEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU, IF YOU YOU CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND YOU CAN CLICK ON REGISTER AND IT'S ALL VIRTUAL AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION. THIS GROUP IS DOING SOME GREAT THINGS FOR OUR CHILDREN. AS I SAID LAST WEEK, WE HAD LAST MEETING. WE HAD A PARENT WHO CAME ON, WHO HAD A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT THAT RECEIVED SERVICES. I ALSO MET WITH THE CURRICULUM ON READING AND I WOULD I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND THERE IS A BLUEPRINT 2020 FOR COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY PLAN THAT WILL GIVE YOU SOME MORE INSIGHT AND INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN TERMS OF THE READING CURRICULUM. IT'S WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUDGET PROCESS, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS. AND AS A MEMBER OF THIS BODY, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD, I WENT OUT AND VISITED SCHOOLS AND ENCOURAGED THE BOARD TO PROVIDE THE BOOKS FOR THEM. AND SO AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO BE PREPARED SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING IN TERMS OF THE CURRICULUM FOR READING. SO THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR COMING, AND I HOPE THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONTINUE TO GO TO THE CPS WEBSITE. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD

[00:55:05]

AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE EVERY DAY MEETING THE CHALLENGE WITH THE STUDENTS AND ALSO HAVING TO DEAL WITH ADMINISTRATIVE SITUATIONS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS KOCHER. YEAH, WELCOME EVERYONE HERE. AND THANKS AS WELL TO THOSE LISTENING IN. I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A RELAXING AND ENJOYABLE THANKSGIVING SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO PRINCIPAL WILLIAMS AND MR. HARRIS FOR OUR VISIT TO JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL TODAY. I WAS ABLE TO VISIT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN AP COURSE AND SAW AN EXCELLENT CLASS BY A VERY SKILLED TEACHER. MR. HARRIS HAD A GREAT RAPPORT WITH THE STUDENTS AND A USER FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING, SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE A CLASS LIKE THAT. AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK TOWARD THE BUDGET. WE'VE HAD OUR BUDGET REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS CONTINUE. TWO OF THEM ACTUALLY, SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING. WE'RE MEETING WITH DIRECTORS AND OTHERS AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE TO TRY TO FIND AREAS WHERE WE CAN FIND EFFICIENCY AND THUS REDUCE THE BUDGET NEEDS. WE HAVE NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO FINDING SUFFICIENT AREAS TO ACHIEVE $60 MILLION IN SAVINGS. WE HAVE COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT TO CONTINUE TO MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF BLUEPRINT AND SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT CUTS WILL NEED TO BE MADE IN EXPENSES THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED BY LAW. THE NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS. AND AS DOCTOR BOYNTON SAID AT THE OPEN BUDGET MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THOSE AREAS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO OUR CORE PURPOSE OF ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, EVEN IF WE REDUCE THE BUDGET FOR EXPENSES SUCH AS TRAVEL CONFERENCES AND CONSULTANTS, WE ARE NOT EVEN CLOSE TO MAKING UP OUR EXPECTED FUNDING SHORTFALL.

SOME ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES MAY NEED TO BECOME FEE BASED. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT WE MUST LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN AFFORD WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH THE NICE TO HAVE AREAS AND AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND GET DOWN TO A CORE BUDGET, THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO DEFEND OUR REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO. SO I JUST WANT TO DESCRIBE WHERE WE ARE NOW. DOCTOR MUELLER PARTICIPATING IN THAT COMMITTEE WILL ALSO MAY SAY SOMETHING BUT MORE TO FOLLOW. AND AS ALWAYS, I WANT TO NOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS AND ENCOURAGING THEIR KIDS TO WORK HARD IN SCHOOL AND BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MUELLER. I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT ANYTHING, BUT I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO A HARD HAT TOUR OF HOMESTEAD WAKEFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE PROGRESS THAT'S GOING ON THERE. THAT WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I GOT ON THIS BOARD. I WAS INVITED TO COME AND TAKE A TOUR AND THAT WAS DURING COVID. SO THERE WEREN'T ANY STUDENTS THERE, AND I WALKED IN THE DOOR AND HAD A CEILING TILE FALL DOWN IN FRONT OF ME. AND THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE REPAIRS THAT WERE NEEDED THERE WERE PRETTY URGENT TO GET THEM DONE. AND SO SEEING THE BUILDING COME ALONG, THIS FAR HAS BEEN EXTREME. AND IT'S NOT BEEN EASY.

IT'S NOT BEEN AN EASY ROAD, AS SOME OF YOU MAY REALIZE OR REMEMBER. TOWN OF BEL AIR WANTED TO RUN A RUN. MCPHAIL ROAD RIGHT THROUGH THE CAMPUS AND AS YOU MIGHT GATHER, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY CONDUCIVE TO A AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SO REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK EVERYBODY HAS DONE. AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE IT COME ALONG THE WAY IT'S HAPPENING. I ALSO WANTED TO MENTION I VISITED JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL ON FRIDAY AND SPOKE QUITE A BIT WITH MELISSA AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING DONE. SHE WAS SHOWING ME HAVEN'T GOTTEN DONE. WHOEVER SPOKE ABOUT THE WALKIE TALKIES ACTUALLY MISSPOKE BECAUSE THEY DID HAVE THE WALKIE TALKIES THEY NEEDED. WHEN I WENT THERE. ALSO, WE DID HAVE THE TWO BUDGET BOARD MEETINGS, TWO BOARD BUDGET REVIEW MEETINGS. EXCUSE ME, TRYING TO SAY IT CORRECTLY AND THAT WAS MISS COKER AND I ARE THE CO-CHAIRS, AND THERE'S TWO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ALSO ON THAT COMMITTEE. SO PLEASE, IF YOU COME UP WITH IDEAS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SENT ME SOME IDEAS NOW OF THINGS THAT THEY THINK CAN BE CUT. BY ALL MEANS. WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT EVERYTHING. NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE YET AT THIS POINT. SO FAR, WE'VE PRETTY EASILY IDENTIFIED ABOUT 8 MILLION. BUT 8 MILLION IS NOT 60 MILLION. SO WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON CURRICULUM ACCESS FOR BOARD MEMBERS. I SUPPOSE YOU REMEMBER SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAD SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM. SO WE'VE BEEN MAKING SURE WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT'S TAKING A LOOK AT THAT AND TO SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ACCESS FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS. SO THAT'S ABOUT IT FOR RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS VIRTUALLY.

SHE'S STILL HERE. SHE IS. GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? SURE CAN. GREAT. SO I'M GOING TO KEEP

[01:00:10]

AT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL, HAVE A GREAT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. HOWDY, GRACE, AND IT WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HARFORD COUNTY HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO HOST OR PARTICIPATE IN. AND OVER TEN YEARS. SO WE'VE BEEN REALLY TRYING TO GET THAT COUNTY SPOTLIGHT. AND IT WAS AMAZING HAVING ALL STUDENTS HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AROUND THE STATE COME AND SEE OUR BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL AND HAVE THESE GREAT DISCUSSIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH THESE DIFFERENT ROUNDTABLE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAD. AND I ALSO WANT TO CLOSE OFF THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE SEASON OF GIVING, I WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TWO COUNTY CHARITIES THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK TO, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME OF SEASON. ONE OF THEM IS THE BEL AIR LIBRARIES CHILDREN'S CHARITY BOOK SALE, AND THAT IS ON DECEMBER 13TH TO 14TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M. FOR BOTH DAYS AT THE BEL AIR LIBRARY, AND ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD AT $0.50, WHICH ALL PROCEEDS ARE GOING TO THE CHILDREN'S LITERACY PROGRAMS. AND THIS IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT, JUST AS THE OTHER ONE CALLED BOOTS AND BOW TIES. SO IT'S A CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTY DECEMBER 6TH, 6 P.M. TO 10 P.M. IT'S LOCATED IN HARFORD COUNTY HERE AT HAVRE DE GRACE, AND THIS IS A FUNDRAISER HOSTED BY THE HARFORD FAMILY HOUSE, WHICH SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. AND THIS EVENT FEATURES FARM TO TABLE CUISINE, A BOURBON BAR, LIVE MUSIC AND A SILENT AUCTION. AND THE TICKETS START AT $150. THANK YOU AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT AND SAFE HOLIDAY. THANK YOU, MISS PERRY. GOOD EVENING. I ALSO ATTENDED THE EVENT AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, THE AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES COURSE. THE TEACHER THERE WAS VERY DYNAMIC, DYNAMIC AND HE HAD THE ENGAGEMENT OF ALL OF THE STUDENTS THERE. AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THEM TALKING ABOUT ENSLAVED PEOPLE AND RECONSTRUCTION AND ALL THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. THAT IS PART OF OUR HISTORY, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. BUT THAT IS US. AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE TEACHER AND THE WAY HE INTERACTED WITH THE STUDENTS. YOU CAN TRULY, TRULY TELL THAT HE HAD THEIR CONCERNS AT HAND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SOUL. YEAH, SO I WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE THAT WORKS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU AND I VALUE YOU. TOMORROW IS GIVING TUESDAY, AND IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION. THEY PROVIDE FUNDING FOR STUDENTS IN NEED FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES. ALSO FOR PROGRAMS IN OUR IN OUR CLASSROOMS THAT TEACHERS CAN APPLY FOR GRANTS FOR AND CELEBRATE OUR EDUCATORS AS WELL. SO IT'S A GREAT WELL RUN ORGANIZATION. AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD DO THAT. IF YOU'RE ABLE TO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MISS STRAUSS. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO COMMENTS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MISS HAHN.

HEY, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY COMMENTS SHORT ALSO, BECAUSE I'M SICK AND I'M GOING TO SAY GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND FOR BRINGING YOUR CONCERNS TO THE BOARD. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD A NICE THANKSGIVING. BE SURE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK ON THE EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS. YOUR FEEDBACK IS VERY IMPORTANT. I'D ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A DISCUSSION TO THIS EVENING TO. I WANT TO SUGGEST THAT WE FORMULATE A LETTER TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING THE IMPACT FEES BASED ON JACOB BENNETT'S PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ADD, SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO GET BEHIND THAT AND SEND THAT OVER TO THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR MEETING TOMORROW. OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU GUYS. AND THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS LAST WEEK.

SO I ACTUALLY AM GOING TO GO A BIT LONG TONIGHT. BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. SO FIRST OF ALL GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE'S COMMENTS AND ALL THE BOARD'S COMMENTS TONIGHT. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL TAKE A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN MAKING OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SAFER AND MORE SECURE, WHICH REMAINS A TOP BOARD PRIORITY. I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE COURAGEOUS STAFF FROM JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL WHO ADDRESSED THEIR CONCERNS TWO WEEKS AGO. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR CONCERNS HAVE NOT FALLEN ON DEAF EARS. THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TO IDENTIFY AND IMPLEMENT OPTIMAL SOLUTIONS TO

[01:05:05]

WE PUT CAREFUL CONSIDERATION INTO SELECTING SOLUTIONS THAT WILL REMAIN MOSTLY NONINVASIVE, TRANSPARENT, AND THAT WILL NOT DISRUPT SCHOOL OPERATIONS. THESE UPGRADES INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS TO SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS, THE DEPLOYMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, SENSORS FOR WEAPONS AND ANOMALY DETECTION, AND ADVANCED WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS UTILIZING MILLIMETER WAVE AND MAGNETOMETERS. WE'RE ALSO INTRODUCING NONINVASIVE RADAR SENSORS FOR BATHROOMS, WHICH WILL MONITOR OCCUPANCY AND DETECT IF INDIVIDUALS ARE LINGERING LONGER THAN EXTENDED PERIODS. THESE SENSORS WILL ALSO LISTEN FOR DISTRESS SIGNALS LIKE HELP OR STOP, AND THEY'LL ALSO USE NANOTECHNOLOGY TO DETECT VAPING, SMOKING AND OTHER DRUGS. THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES OF THE MEASURES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED, AND THERE ARE MANY MORE IN THIS COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE. I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED TREMENDOUS SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE. MUCH OF THIS INITIATIVE WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE, WHICH IS ALSO COMMITTED TO DEDICATING THREE ADDITIONAL SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS TO OUR SCHOOLS. ADDITIONALLY, THE BOARD WILL BE APPROVING TEN NEW SAFETY LIAISON OFFICERS WHO WILL BE DEPLOYED COUNTY WIDE WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO PROVIDING ADDITIONAL COVERAGE AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AS A PART OF OUR LONG TERM COMMITMENT.

FURTHER SECURITY UPGRADES WILL REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET. THESE MEASURES, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY PASS THE BOARD TONIGHT, ARE ROOTED IN OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT SAFETY AND SECURITY ARE FOUNDATIONAL. IF OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND WELCOMED, IF THEY COME TO SCHOOL WITH FEAR OR ANXIETY, WE CANNOT ACHIEVE OUR PRIMARY GOAL OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECURITY PACKAGE, INCLUDING DREW MOORE AND HIS TEAM, DONOVAN BROOKS AND HIS TEAM, DOCTOR ERIC DAVIS, LAUREN STRAUSS, DENISE PERRY ALL MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC SAFETY COMMITTEE THAT WE STOOD UP, AND DOCTOR SEAN PAULSON FOR HIS STUDY LEADER. STEADY LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.

WITH THAT SAID, I MUST ACKNOWLEDGE AN ISSUE THAT CANNOT BE SOLVED WITH SECURITY SYSTEMS ALONE. THE SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS THAT EXIST IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS BOARD IS FULLY COMMITTED TO ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES WITH THE SAME SERIOUSNESS AS PHYSICAL SECURIT.

TO OUR PARENTS, WE NEED YOUR COOPERATION. WE CANNOT ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES WITHOUT YOUR PARTNERSHIP. YOU PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN ENSURING YOUR CHILD'S BEHAVIOR REFLECTS THE STANDARDS THAT WE ARE STRIVING TO UPHOLD IN OUR SCHOOLS. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE DOING.

YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO YOUR CHILDREN ARE SPENDING TIME WITH. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S ON THEIR PHONES. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THEIR ROOMS, IN THEIR BAGS. IF YOUR CHILD ENGAGES IN HARMFUL BEHAVIOR, YOU MAY BE LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY CIVILLY, BUT POTENTIALLY CRIMINALLY. AS WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER CASES, SUCH AS THE RECENT INCIDENT IN GEORGIA, WHERE THE PARENTS OF A STUDENT INVOLVED IN SCHOOL VIOLENCE WERE HELD CRIMINALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S ACTIONS. DO NOT LET THIS BE YOU.

YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND YOUR VIGILANCE ARE CRITICAL TO ENSURING THAT YOUR CHILDREN, OUR STUDENTS, ARE MAKING CHOICES THAT UPHOLD SAFETY AND SECURITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR SCHOOL.

ON THE ISSUE OF DISCIPLINE, THIS BOARD HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE ARE RISE. WE ARE RAISING THE STANDARDS. WHILE THIS SECURITY PACKAGE WILL GO A LONG WAY, WE WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. FIGHTS, VIOLENCE, BULLYING OR DISRESPECT TOWARDS OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STAFF AND OUR SCHOOLS. THE CELL PHONE POLICY, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED EARLIER THIS YEAR,

[01:10:05]

WHILE THIS BOARD HAS BEEN TOLERANT IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION DUE TO OTHER POLICIES AND PRIORITIES, THIS POLICY ALIGNS WITH THE BOARD'S BROADER EFFORTS TO ELEVATE STANDARDS ACROSS THE BOARD. MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THERE WILL BE AN EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM IN PLACE FOR THE DRESS CODE POLICY AT THE START OF THE NEW YEAR IN JANUARY. THIS BOARD HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE LACK OF ADHERENCE TO DRESS CODE. DRESS CODE HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON BEHAVIOR. IN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE IS CRITICAL FOR FOSTERING A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE BOARD AND THERE IS STRONG SUPPORT FOR RIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT OF THE DRESS CODE POLICY THAT WAS PASSED. EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION TO DULY ENFORCE PAST BOARD POLICIES. IT IS NOT A SUGGESTION. WE TRUST THAT YOU WILL UPHOLD THE STANDARDS THAT THIS BOARD HAS SET FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND LASTLY, TO OUR EDUCATORS, WE HEAR YOU. WE HAVE YOUR BACKS. WE UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU FACE EVERY DAY, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING YOU EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS A BETTER

[A. Consent Agenda]

[B. Decision on Proposed New Boards Policy 22-0018-000 Appeals and Hearings to the Board of Education, and Deletion of Current Board Policy 22-0018-000 Hearings Before the Board of Education of Harford County or the Hearing Examiner, Kimberly H. Neal, Esq., General Counsel and Gregory A. Szoka, Esq., Board Counsel ]

[01:15:05]

AND I THINK THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE AMENDMENT TO THE POLICY IS TO REALLY TO BRING IT UP TO DATE AND TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT WITH THE MARYLAND ANNOTATED CODE AND RULES AND PROCEDURES. AND IN THE DOCUMENT WE COVER, REALLY FOUR DIFFERENT APPEAL PROCEDURES. AND THEY DEAL WITH 4 TO 5 APPEALS AND SEVEN, 305 APPEALS DEALING WITH STUDENTS, AS WELL AS SIX 202 APPEALS DEALING WITH TEACHER AND TEACHER APPEALS. WE WANTED SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PUT PUT OUT THERE SO THAT SOMEONE LOOKING AT THIS WOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE THE TIME FRAME FOR NOTING AN APPEAL AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE APPEAL WOULD BE HEARD. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TAKING REALLY AN OLD APPEAL THAT HAD HAD REALLY CEASED TO BE USEFUL AND TO MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT WE ALL CAN WORK WITH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. JUST ONE QUICK POINT. SO THE LINK TO THE PROCEDURES IS THE ONE DATED OCTOBER 21ST, 2024. IS THAT THE THAT'S THE VERSION. OKAY. GOT I. ALL RIGHT. BOARD, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? I HAVE A CONCERN.

I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY STATE. ARE THERE ANY MAJOR DIFFERENCES? DID YOU CHANGE THE TIMELINES? DID YOU CHANGE THE LEVELS OF APPEALS OR ANYTHING, OR DID YOU JUST BETTER DESCRIBE THE I THINK IN PARTICULAR UNDER THE OLD POLICY, AN APPEAL TO AN A LIVE HEARING, AS WE WOULD CALL IT, BEFORE A BOARD PANEL, REALLY ONLY REQUIRED THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATING FOR A LONG TIME AND REALLY HAVE HAD IT IN PLACE THAT WE NEED A MAJORITY OF BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND THESE APPEALS SO THAT DECISIONS MADE WOULD ACTUALLY REFLECT THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD. AND SO THAT'S BEEN EMBODIED IN THIS POLICY. SO WE'VE UPDATED THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. PRACTICALLY WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT. CORRECT.

THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE'VE IT NOW ALIGNS WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS. YES. IT ALSO GIVES SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S NOT APPEALABLE BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DO HAVE THAT MISUNDERSTANDING, I GUESS, OF WHAT MAYBE CAN BE HANDLED LIKE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL THROUGH CONFERENCES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE VERSUS SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO COME UP TO THE BOARD. OKAY. THANK YOU. WAS THERE ANY PUBLIC FEEDBACK RECEIVED? THERE WAS ONE COMMENT THAT WAS RECEIVED SHORTLY, I THINK THE WEEK AFTER THAT BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS FORWARDED TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION, AND THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE. THE OTHER THING IS, IS PROCEDURES CAN BE CHANGED MUCH MORE EASILY. NEEDLESS TO SAY. SO IF LAWS CHANGE OR WHATNOT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO UPDATE OUR PROCEDURE. AND THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE FORMAT FOR THIS PARTICULAR POLICY THAT LINKS THE PROCEDURES SO THAT THAT WE CAN STAY CURRENT AND WE DON'T LET IT GET STALE. I THINK THAT IS THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE BOARD HAS OVERSIGHT ON POLICIES, BUT THE BOARD DOESN'T HAVE OVERSIGHT ON PROCEDURES. SO IF THERE'S CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE TO A PRACTICE THAT THE BOARD IS DOING THAT I FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS AND TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, INSTEAD OF JUST DOING IT WITHOUT THE BOARD EVEN BEING AWARE OF THOSE CHANGES BEING MADE. SO IT WOULD IT WOULD REALLY BE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, MISS HAHN. THIS WOULD BE IN A SITUATION. AND MR. ZUCKER CAN CAN BACK ME UP HERE. BUT IT'S THERE ARE FOUR BODIES OF LAW THAT TELL US HOW THE APPEALS NEED TO BE. SO IT WOULD BE MORE IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE TO THE LAW. THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY REASON TO CHANGE THE PROCEDURE OTHERWISE, FRANKLY. AND THE SECTIONS IN THE EDUCATION ARTICLE THAT MR. SZOKA MENTIONED, WHICH ARE STATED WITHIN THE POLICY AND WITHIN THE PROCEDURE FOR 20562027305. AND THEN THERE'S A REFERENCE AS WELL. SO THAT'S REALLY WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL. SO AS LONG AS WE'RE FOLLOWING THOSE AREAS OF THE LAW, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE PROCEDURE IS REALLY SIMPLY TO JUST KIND OF GUIDE SOMEBODY THROUGH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPEALS AND GIVE A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT,

[01:20:02]

ANYWAY, THIS IS ALL LAW. WELL, IF YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THIS POLICY HAS BEEN IN

[01:25:03]

CORRECT. OKAY. SO WE CAN MAKE THAT ONE CHANGE AND ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. OKAY.

I'LL TAKE A MOTION IN A SECOND TO APPROVE. I'LL JUST NEED TO DELETE THE OTHER ONE FIRST. OH YEAH. SO THIS WILL BE TWO DIFFERENT MOTIONS RIGHT. SO OR CAN WE DO IT IN ONE MOTION. WE CAN DO DELETE AND REPLACE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL DO IT IN A SINGLE MOTION. WE'LL DO A DELETE THE EXISTING CURRENT BOARD POLICY 22-0018 AND REPLACE IT WITH THE PROPOSED NEW BOARD POLICY 22-0018. A MOTION AND A SECOND, PLEASE. I MOVE THAT. THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? BRUCE? SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. IS THERE ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. OKAY. WE HAVE YOU UP AGAIN. ANOTHER MINUTE OR TWO.

[C. Presentation on FY 2026 Capital Improvement Program - Local Priorities, Ms. Cathy Bendis, Assistant Superintendent for Operations, Ms. Patti Jo Beard, Executive Director of Facilities Management, Mr. Chris Morton, Supervisor of Planning and Construction, and Ms. Missy Valentino, Facilities Planner ]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT BOYNTON. IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME? THIS IS. OKAY, I GOT IT OUT LAST TIME. SO HERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. SPOTLIGHT'S ON YOU. NO PRESSURE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. THIS EVENING. THANKS SO MUCH. WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LOCAL PRIORITY FUNDING REQUEST. WE WILL NOT BE REQUESTING ANY ACTION THIS EVENING. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO MISSY IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE PRIORITIZED SAFETY IN GOING OVER WHAT THE BOARD'S PRIORITY LIST WERE. SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THIS PRESENTATION. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MISS VALENTINO. THANK YOU. SO I WILL KIND OF PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF. WE HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH OUR STATE SUBMISSION. WE MADE THAT SUBMISSION IN OCTOBER. THE BOARD APPROVED THAT IN SEPTEMBER. WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE STATE TO FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH FUNDING WE CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE, AND OUR LOCAL PLANNING APPROVALS FOR THOSE. BUT TODAY, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THOSE COUNTY ONLY FUNDED THOSE LOCAL PROJECTS. WE HAVE TWO MAIN SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT COME FROM OUR COUNTY. ONE IS BONDS BASICALLY BORROWING MONEY AND THE OTHER IS PAY. AS YOU GO. OR BASICALLY IF YOU THINK OF YOUR OWN BUDGET GOING OUT AND PAYING IN CASH MONEY THAT YOU HAVE IN HAND. FOR THOSE TYPES OF SMALLER PROJECTS. WHEN WE GET INTO THIS, I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE SAFETY AND SECURITY GRANT. THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH. THIS WAS PASSED IN LEGISLATION IN 2018, AND IT ACTUALLY CAME FORWARD. FOR FY 2019 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF FUNDING FOR THAT. IT IS A STATE NONCOMPETITIVE GRANT. SO THEY SET UP AN AMOUNT THAT EACH LEA RECEIVES. WE RECEIVE ABOUT $350,000 ANNUALLY FOR THAT. AND THAT IS ISSUED

[01:30:06]

COULDN'T REALLY FIGURE OUT WHO WAS STANDING AT THE DOOR AND ASKING TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUILDING. THIS ENABLED THEM TO ENGAGE THEM FACE TO FACE AND BE ABLE TO SEE WHO'S ACTUALLY THERE, AND ASK THEM WHY THEY NEED TO ENTER THE BUILDING. WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THE CISCO PHONE SYSTEM UPGRADES. WE HAVE SINCE MOVED OVER AND PARTNERED WITH THE COUNTY, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO UPGRADE THOSE SYSTEMS AT A FEW OF OUR SCHOOLS UTILIZING THIS THIS SOURCE OF FUNDING POINT OF INFORMATION. MR. PRESIDENT, SHOULD WE HOLD OUR QUESTIONS UNTIL WE GO BACK TO THE CHARTS, OR WOULD YOU PREFER YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS? HAPPY TO ANSWER ON THE CAMERA REPLACEMENT. YOU SAID 17 SCHOOLS. DOES THAT MEAN THEY OTHER SCHOOLS DON'T NEED IT? OR HOW MANY SCHOOLS HAVE WE. SO THEY ARE PRIORITIZED BASED ON THE AGE AND THE LEVEL OF THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE. SOME SCHOOLS WERE HIGHER PRIORITY AT THAT TIME. WE HAVE CAMERAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT END OF LIFE, AND WHEN WE USE THAT FRAME, THAT TERM, WE WERE REALLY REFERRING TO CAMERAS THAT AREN'T SUPPORTED ANYMORE BY BY THEIR MAKER. SO NOT ONLY ARE THEY OUT OF A WARRANTY, BUT YOU CAN'T REALLY GET PARTS FOR THEM. YOU CAN'T UPGRADE THEM, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING. SO YOU REALLY NEED TO GO THROUGH AND REFRESH AND REPLACE PLACE. SO OKAY. GO AHEAD. NO. YOU FIRST. I'M SORRY. I WAS GOING TO SAY SO 17 SCHOOLS. WHAT WILL YOU PUT THEM IN PRIORITY. SO WHAT WOULD BE THE NUMBERS THAT WOULD STILL NEED IT. WE HAVE IN OUR CAPITAL A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT STILL NEED IT. AND WE COULD PROVIDE THE LIST. DONOVAN'S OFFICE WE'VE WORKED WITH HIS OFFICE TO KIND OF PULL TOGETHER THOSE LISTS OF CAMERAS. WHEN WE'RE PUTTING CAMERAS IN, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE MAY HAVE EARLY ON IN THE PROCESS, PUT A FEW CAMERAS IN KEY LOCATIONS. AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR SECURITY PROTOCOLS AND SECURITY SYSTEMS, WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND THE COVERAGE OF THOSE CAMERAS. SO SOME MAY HAVE SOME CAMERAS THAT ARE OLDER, SOME THAT ARE NEWER, AND WE DON'T NEED TO UPGRADE THOSE.

WE'RE JUST GOING IN AND REPLACING THE ONES THAT NEED TO BE UPGRADED. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT JUST THE INVENTORY NUMBER THAT THOSE THAT MAY BE STILL THERE, THAT WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, AND WE HAVE THEM IN OUR CAPITAL REQUEST, AND WE CAN PROVIDE A LIST OF THE ONES THAT WERE REPLACED AND THE ONES THROUGH THE GRANT PROGRAM, AND THEN ALSO JUST NEEDED NUMBERS IN THAT SPECIFIC. OKAY, THANKS. BUT ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT, MISS BRUCE, THIS IS THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WERE PURCHASED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MIX. GRANT. SO YOU KNOW, WITH ALL OUR CAPITAL, LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS. SO THE ONE AT HARFORD TECH, THE ONE AT HOMESTEAD, WAKEFIELD, THE ONE AT ALL THOSE PROJECTS INCLUDE THOSE UPGRADES AND THOSE CAMERAS AS PART OF THE OVERALL PROJECT. SO THIS ISN'T AN ALL EXTENSIVE LIST. THIS IS JUST A LIST OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE DONE THROUGH THE GRANT. OKAY. OTHER SYSTEMS ARE GETTING UPDATED AND REPLACED. YOU KNOW, WITH THE MAJOR PROJECTS AS WELL. SO THAT INFORMATION TO THE WHOLE BOARD. I'M SORRY I DIDN'T INTERRUPT YOU. I DIDN'T HEAR I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. COULD YOU PLEASE SEND THAT INFORMATION TO THE WHOLE BOARD? SURE. YES, I AGREE, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS BE EQUALLY, YOU KNOW, FEATURE EQUALLY. THE SAME THINGS TO PROTECT ALL THE STUDENTS EQUALLY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT. SURE. SO OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY REQUESTS THIS YEAR IN THE CAPITAL IS JUST EXPANDING ON THAT MULTI-LAYERED SECURITY

[01:35:02]

AND THE RFQ IS ACTUALLY ON THE STREET. SO WAS THE TOTAL 26 FUNDING WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THIS GRANT. THIS IS NOT THE GRANT. THIS ONE HERE IS FOR OUR CIP. THE PRIOR ONE WAS THE GRANT. THIS HERE IS THE GRANT FUNDING IS THESE THE SSP. SO THIS HERE ARE THE TOPICS. THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE INCLUDING IN OUR CAPITAL. FY 26. QUESTION. HAVE THERE BEEN SECURITY ISSUES AT THE HICKORY ANNEX WITH PEOPLE GETTING IN THE BUSSES OR SOMETHING? YES. OKAY.

MR. SELLERS HAD MENTIONED THE NEED FOR A FENCE AT MAGNOLIA. YEAH. HAS THAT BEEN ON YOUR RADAR AT ALL? MOST OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE FENCES AROUND THE CAMPUSES DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT. YEAH, YES I DID. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP TO ME A FENCE.

WE TYPICALLY WOULDN'T FENCE AN ENTIRE CAMPUS, MORE OF AN AREA. IT'S SOMETHING THERE MIGHT BE OTHER THINGS WE CAN LOOK AT TO, TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HE BROUGHT UP THAT AREN'T ADDRESSED IN THIS PRESENTATION, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I KNOW THE TEAM HEARD THAT TODAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WAS GOING TO ASK THE SAME THING. SO PREVIOUSLY WE WERE ASKED TO LOOK AT HOW THIS PRIORITY SCORING PRIORITIZES OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY ITEMS. SO WE TOOK A SECOND LOOK AT OUR SCORING CATEGORIES. WE ADDED THE SAFETY AND SECURITY CATEGORY WITH THAT HIGHEST LEVEL CATEGORY THREE WHICH IS RIGHT THERE WITH THOSE COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS, THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO BY LA. AND THEN WE HAVE THAT LEVEL OF NEED AND THAT LEVEL OF NEED IS REALLY WHAT CAN BUMP SOMETHING UP, BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S GROUPED BY THAT LEVEL OF NEED. SO IF SOMETHING'S AT HIGHEST LEVEL OF NEED, NO MATTER WHAT, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY BROUGHT UP TO THAT HIGHER CATEGORY. SO THEN I SHOW HERE ANYTHING THAT IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY AND SECURITY ITEM WOULD AUTOMATICALLY GO UP TO THE TOP. NO MATTER WHAT THE SCORING IS BASED OFF OF THE GRID. AND THEN IT WOULD BE PRIORITIZED WITHIN THERE BASED ON THAT TOTAL SCORE. AND WITH THAT, THAT PUTS SAFETY AND SECURITY MEASURES AT THE VERY TOP. THIS IS THE LIST OF CURRENTLY CRITICAL LEVEL FOUR SCORED NEEDS. THERE'S ALSO YOU'LL SEE OUR PFAS REMEDIATION IN THERE. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BROUGHT UP TO THE TOP. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT WAS MOVED UP TO THIS CATEGORY AS WELL. HERE WE HAVE THE CTE MAJOR, HVAC AND EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE AND THAT POTENTIALLY CRITICAL CATEGORY. AND THEN WE HAVE THAT NECESSARY LEVEL OF NEED. THAT SCORE TWO AND ALL THE WORKSHEETS HAVE BEEN UPLOADED ONLINE. I'M JUST NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH ALL OF THESE. IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS. IF WE CAN'T ANSWER IT NOW, WE'LL DEFINITELY GET YOU AN ANSWER. SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK AT ANY POINT. THE LAST ARE THOSE RECOMMENDED? THAT'S THE LOWEST CATEGORY THAT WE HAVE THAT LEVEL THERE. AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE THAT FY 26

[01:40:04]

AND THEN IN EARLY 25, THAT'S WHEN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE SUBMITTED. GREAT. THANK YOU. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS ON THE YOUR LEVEL OF NEED SCORE ONE. IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT WHAT SCHOOLS NEED LOCKERS, WHAT SCHOOLS NEED, AND WHAT SCHOOLS NEED? THE BLEACHER REPLACEMENT TO SAY THAT AGAIN. COULD YOU BE SPECIFIC TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? SO THEY ARE LISTED TYPICALLY IN THE WORKSHEETS THAT'S BEHIND IT ALL.

AND THEN THEY ALSO WILL HAVE A SMALLER I USUALLY TRY TO INCLUDE THOSE PRICES IN THERE BECAUSE IF ONLY WE'RE ONLY PARTIALLY FUNDED, I'D RATHER SEE SOMETHING ACTUALLY GET FULLY FUNDED IN THAT WHOLE AREA. SO I KIND OF TRY TO PUT AS MUCH INFORMATION IN ONE SHEET OF PAPER. SO IT MAY BE HARDER TO READ A LITTLE MAGNIFYING GLASS TO SEE IT, BUT I DO TRY TO DO THAT. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON AN ITEM THAT MAYBE ISN'T LISTED OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE CAN WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT. TYPICALLY, IF IT'S JUST FOR OVERALL SCHOOLS, I LIST THAT AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, ALL SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. SO I DO TRY TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL. SO IF YOU LOOK ONLINE, THE FULL EXHIBIT IS 41 PAGES WITH MOST OF THE SPREADSHEETS IN THERE WITH THE DETAILS. YEAH. JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, YOU CAN GET BACK TO ME AS A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WAS REQUESTED ON BOTH THE STATE AND LOCAL SIDE LAST YEAR. WHAT DID WE GET? WELL, I DID A HISTORICAL LOOK AT THE LAST TEN YEARS OF OUR LOCAL ONLY REQUEST, AND WE'VE ONLY BEEN HISTORICALLY FUNDED FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS AT ABOUT 12.9%, 12 POINT. AND WHAT ABOUT THE STATE? DO YOU KNOW, I DO NOT HAVE THE STATE INFORMATION, BUT WE DID LOOK AT THE LOCAL ONLY PERCENTAGE. I WILL SAY WITH THE STATE, WE HAVE A BETTER, MORE CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE STATE. MORE RECENTLY, SOME OF THAT HAS CHANGED WITH SOME OF THE BUILD TO LEARN AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THINGS AROUND AND ADAPT TO THAT. BUT TYPICALLY WE TRY TO GO FORWARD A LITTLE ABOVE WHAT WE TYPICALLY GET, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS THEY WILL GO THROUGH WITH THAT. SO AND THAT WE DO WORK WITH THE STATE THROUGH THAT PROCESS. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES. I THINK, THAT WE ARE HAVING JUST BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EVERY YEAR THE AMOUNTS GOING TO GET LARGER BECAUSE WE'RE SO FAR BEHIND ON CERTAIN PROJECTS, SO THEY BECOME MORE CRITICAL BECAUSE WE HADN'T RECEIVED THE FUNDING IN PREVIOUS YEARS. AND SO IF I'M DOING LIKE BACK OF THE ENVELOPE MATH HERE, RIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GET DOWN TO WHAT, LIKE NOT EVEN THROUGH THE ENTIRE FIRST CATEGORY OF REQUESTS, MORE THAN LIKELY BASED ON HISTORICAL AND THE PFAS, THEY'RE AT NUMBER EIGHT AT LIKE 5 MILLION. THAT'S LIKE A BIG A HUGE CHUNK OF WHAT'S NEEDED. YES. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THESE, LIKE PFAS, THAT REALLY WASN'T EVEN INCLUDED LAST YEAR. THAT'S WHAT I MEAN. IT WAS LIKE KIND OF POPPED UP ON US AND IT'S LIKE, AND THERE'S YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH IT, RIGHT? LIKE, WE NEED WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DRINK. BUT YES, YES. SO AS THESE THINGS KIND OF COME UP WHEN WE STARTED DOING THIS, SCORING AND PRIORITIZING, THIS LEVEL FOUR CATEGORY DID NOT HAVE THIS MANY NEEDS IN IT. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME INITIAL TALK ABOUT GETTING SOME STATE FUNDING TO ADDRESS PFAS. IS ANYBODY ELSE FAMILIAR WITH THAT ON THAT. SO WE HAD A FALL ASBO CONFERENCE AND PART OF THAT WAS A DISCUSSION WITH MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

THEY REFERENCED SOME MONIES THAT WILL BE IT'S A FEDERAL FUNDS THAT THEY WILL BE ADMINISTERING.

SO THEY BRIEFLY REVIEWED THAT. THERE IS ALSO REPRESENTATIVES FROM MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT THAT IS GOING TO COME TO THE PFAS TASK FORCE. I BELIEVE IT'S LATER THIS WEEK. SO THEY WILL BE PRESENTING THAT AGAIN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY JURISDICTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT WILL BE AVAILABLE. ANY IDEA OF THE TIMING, LIKELIHOOD OR THEY REFERENCED DECEMBER, JANUARY TIME FRAME THIS YEAR? YES. THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ASK FOR THAT. WE'RE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE REQUIREMENTS

[01:45:02]

THERE'S YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS. WE TALK ABOUT TEXTBOOKS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MANY PLACES HAVE IN THEIR OPERATING BUDGET INSTRUMENTS FOR MUSIC PROGRAMS. THAT AGAIN IS SITTING HERE. SO THESE ARE ALL AREAS THAT WE DEFINITELY HAVE LOOKED AT, TALKED ABOUT THE CONCERN IS LOSING TRACK OF THEM AND LOSING TRACK OF THEIR NEEDS. SO WE'RE TRACKING THEM UNTIL WE CAN FIND A WAY TO SHIFT OVER. AND I MEAN AND YEAH, AND I MEAN THE BOARD HAS A SAY IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE PRIORITIES. AND WHAT WE ACTUALLY PUT FORWARD IN THE REQUEST. SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT A PLACE LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPERATING INSTEAD OF CAPITAL. BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME NUANCES THERE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. YES. I, I WAS I, I TALKED ABOUT THE WHAT IS IT FAST ABERDEEN. THE TOWN OF ABERDEEN HAS HAS PUT OUT INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS IN REGARDS TO THE WATER ISSUE. IS THAT COMING FORWARD FOR THE SCHOOLS THAT WAS SENT, SOME WAS SENT RIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL, SOME WAS SENT AT THE START OF SCHOOL. SO THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WERE AFFECTED, THAT WAS SENT. WE'VE ALSO SHARED THAT WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY TASK FORCE, AND THEY'VE SHARED THEIR NOTICES WITH US. SO IT'S MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL AND OUR DISCUSSIONS, AND THEY CREATED A WEB PAGE. YEAH. BECAUSE I MEAN, THEY SENT LETTERS TO ALL OF THE RESIDENTS IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUE. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHOOLS WERE ON TARGET FOR THOSE. I DID SEE COMMUNICATIONS GOING OUT. I WASN'T SURE MY CHILD ATTENDS ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS, SO I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS JUST TARGETED TO THE SPECIFIC SCHOOLS THAT IT AFFECTED, OR IF IT WAS COUNTYWIDE. IT WAS TO THE ONES THAT HAD THE ELEVATED NUMBERS.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. OKAY. SO YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN IT IF YOU WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, ATTENDING ONE OF THE SCHOOLS. DID YOU DO AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST JUST TO KEEP DOING BOTTLED WATER? I KNOW WHAT WE CREATED. WE CREATED A PO FOR THIS YEAR FOR 80,000. SO THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE IT WILL COST FOR THIS YEAR, 80,000 PER YEAR FOR ALL SCHOOLS, FOR THE TOTAL.

RIGHT? OKAY. MIGHT BE THE ANSWE. MISS ALVAREZ, YOU WERE NEXT. YEAH, YEAH. JUST CONCERNING THE TWO WAY RADIOS, THE 300. WOULD THAT BRING US TO ALLOW EACH TEACHER TO HAVE ONE, OR IS THAT TO ALLOW FOR BACKUPS AND I'LL DEFER TO MR. BROOKS ON THAT. YEAH, THAT WOULD PROVIDE US WITH ADDITIONAL RADIOS SHOULD WE NEED TO SEND THEM OUT TO SCHOOLS IF FOR RADIO, YOU KNOW, GOES BAD BREAKS OR WHATEVER, WE CAN REPLACE THAT WITH THAT. NOW, IN THAT NUMBER, THERE ARE SOME THAT WOULD FILL GAPS IMMEDIATELY AND THEN THE REST WE WOULD HAVE AN INVENTORY BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE

[01:50:01]

THERE IS A SCORING MATRIX. AND I BELIEVE THE SCORES FOR ALL OF THAT WAS PROVIDED. IF THERE'S A QUESTION FOR AN INDIVIDUAL SCORE, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK THAT WOULD BRING SOMETHING UP WOULD BE A THE CAPACITY FOR THE CONSULTING SERVICES. THAT IS A TIME THING. THAT'S ALSO RELATED TO OUR FUNDING FOR THE NEW SCHOOL. SO THAT WE CAN FILL THOSE SEATS, BECAUSE THE STATE'S NOT GOING TO FUND ANYTHING IF WE'RE NOT FILLING SEATS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THAT AHEAD OF TIME TO GO THROUGH THE WORK, GET THE PROCESS, GET THEM ON BOARD AND START WORKING THROUGH THAT. IT IMPACTS THINGS LIKE STATE CAPACITY FUNDING, SO IT HITS ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES. SO I WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL SCORING, I'M SORRY. I MEAN I'D BE ABLE TO PROBABLY ANSWER THAT. YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHY THAT'S A HIGH PRIORITY I GET THAT. SO THEN THE BLUEPRINT QUESTION PROBABLY START NEXT YEAR. SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THAT'S A HIGH PRIORITY. RELATED TO ALL THOSE THE NEW SCHOOL FUNDING. YEAH OKAY. AND THEN IN TERMS OF FALLS I CAN UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. BUT THE FALLS REGULATIONS, YOU KNOW, DON'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL 2029. SO THEY'RE KIND OF OUT IN FRONT OF THIS. AND THE TREATMENT FACILITIES HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS. THEY'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS AND BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS FROM A FROM THE LARGER MUNICIPALITIES WITH THE TREATMENT PLANTS FOR SOME TIME. IT'S REALLY THE WELL SYSTEMS THAT ARE GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE CURRENT AND IT WHICH COMPLICATES IT. SO IF THAT.

THERE'S NO DRINKABLE WATER THAT'S THAT'S BAD OKAY. AND THE BLUEPRINT SPECIAL ED IS THAT FOR REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE OR FUTURE BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS. SO BLUEPRINT FACILITY REQUIREMENTS THE ONE FOR THAT IS JARRETTSVILLE ELEMENTARY TRYING TO ADD A PRE-K PROGRAM THERE. AND IT'S REALLY PREPARING US WITH THE FACILITY UPDATE. SO IT'S A PROCESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT. WE CAN'T DO IT ALL IN ONE YEAR. SO IT'S JUST GOING IN AND ADDING A BATHROOM TO THAT CLASSROOM THERE. SO THEY HAVE THE CLASSROOM SPACE READY TO GO. WE ALSO HAVE PORTABLES IN THAT CATEGORY. WE HAVE THE ONES THAT ALREADY HAVE FULL DAY PRE-K.

SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY SITTING HIGH UP IN THE CAPACITY ARENA. AND THEN ADDING

[01:55:01]

WE INSTEAD OF DOING MULTIPLE CLASSES A YEAR AND CAPITAL WAS A YEAR AHEAD OF ANY OPERATING DECISIONS. SO IF WE REQUEST FUNDING HERE TO ADD I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TIMELINE WISE THAT PEOPLE MISUNDERSTAND. WE HAVE IT HERE. WE GET THE FUNDING JULY 1ST. WE CAN GO INTO DESIGN.

WE MAY BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT FOLLOWING SUMMER. SO THEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FY 27 OPERATING BUDGET IMPACT. IF THE DECISION IS MADE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN THAT YOU DO OR DO NOT WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDING PRE-K, THERE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADD THAT TO THAT SCHOOL. BUT THEY ARE CLOSELY TIED. IT'S JUST THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE SPACE READY BEFORE THEY CAN MAKE THE DECISION TO ADD. THEN YOU'VE SPENT THE MONEY ALREADY. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE FLEET REPLACEMENT. IT SAYS THAT REPLACE THE AGING NON-BUS FLEET AND THAT IS 4.498 $4.5 MILLION. WHAT IS WHAT IS THAT? WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT DUE TO OUR BUDGET CRISIS, THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AT THE MOMENT, THAT WE CAN PUSH OFF FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO, OR ARE THERE CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT DO NOT HAVE TO BE INCLUDED IN THAT? YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S A THAT'S A PRETTY LARGE NUMBER, CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW WHAT OUR BUDGET LOOKS LIKE. SO I WILL SAY WHAT THEY ARE, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KATHY BECAUSE SHE HAS ALL THE TRANSPORTATION. BUT OUR FACILITIES, TRUCKS. SO THE GUYS GOING OUT TO THE SCHOOL WITH THEIR TOOLS, THE PLUMBERS, THE ELECTRICIANS, THEY NEED A WAY TO GET THERE. THEY NEED SOMEWHERE TO CARRY THEIR TOOLS. ALSO, WE HAVE PLOWS AND EQUIPMENT LIKE THAT THAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAINTAIN OUR FACILITIES. THAT'S THE TYPE OF VEHICLES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THIS BUDGET LINE. AND I CAN TURN IT OVER TO KATHY. SO THAT'S PROBABLY A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THINGS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR PREVIOUSLY. THE COUNTY ACTUALLY DID A STUDY THAT WE WERE PART OF SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS AT WHEN YOU SHOULD BE REPLACING VEHICLES, WHAT IS THE END OF LIFE? AND WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND THAT. SO YOU COULD SEE IF YOU LOOKED, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS REQUESTS FOR VEHICLE REPLACEMENT. WE ARE MAN, MANY YEARS BEHIND SCHEDULE FOR THAT, WHICH IS WHY THAT NUMBER IS SO SIGNIFICANT. WE HAVE SOME VEHICLES THAT WERE PROBABLY A GOOD 15, 16 YEARS BEHIND WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT TIMES IT'S COSTING US MORE TO ACTUALLY DO THE REPAIR WORK ON THAT THAN THE VEHICLES ACTUALLY WORTH. SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REPLACE VEHICLES, BUT THAT IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW BASED ON THE COUNTY STUDY, WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACING VEHICLES.

AND AGAIN, IT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT WE HAVEN'T REPLACED FOR SO MANY YEARS THAT THAT NUMBER IS SO SIGNIFICANT AND THERE'S SO MANY VEHICLES THAT ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. CENTRAL SPACE MODIFICATIONS. THAT'S $950,000. AGAIN, CONSIDERING OUR BUDGET SHORTFALLS THIS YEAR, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN POSTPONE? BECAUSE I SEE THAT IT SAYS THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, TO RECONFIGURE OFFICE SPACE AT CENTRAL OFFICE TO I'M SORRY. TO. YOU MAY BE HEARING FEEDBACK FROM THE AREA, BUT NOBODY WAS TALKING. OH, I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT SOMEBODY WAS TALKING. IT SOUNDED LIKE PEOPLE WERE TALKING. AND I THOUGHT I WAS TALKING OVER SOMEONE. I'M SORRY. SO, YEAH, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, LIKE, IS THAT SOMETHING? BECAUSE $950,000, AGAIN, IS A IS A GOOD CHUNK OF MONEY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT BUDGET SHORTFALLS TO DO RENOVATIONS TO CENTRAL OFFICE IN THE NAME OF PRIVACY. WHEN WE HAVE WE HAVE SPACES THAT COULD BE UTILIZED AT, AT THE TIME FOR THE TIME BEING UNTIL, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY OUR BUDGET SHORTFALLS CAN BE ADDRESSED. SO MISS HAHN, THE PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN OUR OFFICE IS TO WORK WITH ALL THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS

[02:00:01]

SO MY QUESTION I'M SORRY. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. MY QUESTION IS IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD FEELS THAT SHOULDN'T BE ADDRESSED THIS YEAR OR SHOULDN'T BE A PRIORITY DURING THIS BUDGET SESSION OR THIS BUDGET SEASON, HOW IS IT THAT WE WOULD HAVE SOMETHING REMOVED? WOULD THAT BE BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE CAPITAL BUDGET, THAT WE MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE SUCH AND SUCH ITEM FROM THE BUDGET? CORRECT. YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO REMOVE IT. YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO HAVE SMALL GROUPS BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING AND THAT DECISION IS MADE THERE TO KIND OF EVALUATE IT, WE COULD PUT FORWARD MULTIPLE OPTIONS OR LOOK AT DIFFERENT SCENARIOS. IT'S BROKEN OUT NOW INTO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CATEGORY. IF THE BOARD WOULD JUST SAY WE ONLY WANT TO PUT FORWARD THE CURRENTLY CRITICAL LEVEL NEED, OR WE ONLY WANT TO PUT TOGETHER THE CURRENTLY CRITICAL, BUT WE WANT TO REMOVE THE CONSULTING SERVICES FROM THAT, THAT THAT IS ALL ACCEPTABLE MEANS TO DO THAT. WE PRESENT ALL OF THE NEEDS TO THE BOARD AND IT IS THE BOARD'S DECISION ON WHAT WE SUBMIT TO THE COUNTY FOR A REQUEST. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. OKAY. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE APPRECIATE IT.

[D. Presentation of Proposed New Board Policy 04-0024-000 Evaluation and Selection of School Library Materials, Kimberly H. Neal, Esq., General Counsel and Dr. Martha Barwick, Supervisor of Innovation in Learning ]

[02:05:02]

I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT LETTER E, WHICH REFERENCES THAT WE ARE LOOKING IN PROFESSIONAL REVIEW SOURCES TO ENSURE THAT OUR LIBRARY MATERIAL HAS A FAVORABLE REVIEWS. THOSE FAVORABLE REVIEWS OFTEN SUGGEST A OR ALWAYS SUGGEST AN AGE. AN APPROPRIATE AGE RANGE AS WELL. AND OUR LIBRARIANS WORK TOGETHER TO REVIEW THAT REVIEW THE MATERIAL, AND WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD THAT COLLECTION. THAT IS AGE APPROPRIATE AND THE POLICIES AND THE PROCEDURE IS UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF THE DIVISION OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT, AS WELL AS THE RECONSIDERATION PROCESS. A RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE IS HAS BEEN FORMED AND THAT COMMITTEE COMES TOGETHER TO ADDRESS ANY RECONSIDERATION, REQUEST OR BOOK CHALLENGES THAT ARE SUBMITTED FROM ANY PARENT. GUARDIAN STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE. AND IF I COULD ALSO, I KNOW THERE'S THERE WAS SOME PUBLIC COMMENT AND AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN SOME BOARD FEEDBACK ALREADY ABOUT THIS POLICY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE RELATED TO THE CONCEPT OF EQUITY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS WAS PRESENTED TO OUR BOARD POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE BACK IN OCTOBER, AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AND WHAT THAT A LOT OF WHAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH IS MAKING SURE, LIKE, NOT ALL STUDENTS HAVE PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS OR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS OR NEIGHBORS THAT PROVIDE THEM WITH BOOKS, WITH ACCESS TO BOOKS AND THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF OUR SCHOOL LIBRARY. SO A LOT OF THOSE TYPES OF REFERENCES ARE REALLY WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS AS WELL. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LIKE HOLIDAY TIMES OR WHATEVER. SOME, SOME STUDENTS MIGHT GET BOOKS UNDER THE TREE OR, YOU KNOW, AND OTHERS DON'T. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WHAT THE NATURE OF THAT DISCUSSION WAS. BUT IF THERE'S WAYS THAT WE CAN CLEAR UP ANY LANGUAGE OR WHATNOT, YOU KNOW, TO ADDRESS CONCERNS, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THA. AND THE BEST WAY TO PROVIDE THE FEEDBACK IS IN WRITING, YOU KNOW, TO THE BOARD, ONCE THIS IS POSTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO THEN WE CAN EVALUATE IN WRITING, YOU KNOW, AND SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE CHANGES. NON-SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES WOULD NOT REQUIRE IT TO GO BACK OUT, BUT SUBSTANTIVE WOULD, AS YOU ALL KNOW. SOUNDS GOOD. WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION WHERE IT SAYS THINGS LIKE PROVIDES A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE AND WE WANT TO WE MIGHT WE MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A BOOK THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, BASED ON AMERICAN HISTORY. AND IT'S NOT A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE. SO

[02:10:03]

SO IN ADDITION TO SOME WORDING CHANGES, WHICH I'LL, I'LL KEEP SENDING TO YOU, I SENT YOU SOME INITIAL ONES, YOU KNOW, DOES THE POLICY THEN PERTAIN TO NOT ONLY THE RECONSIDERATION BUT OF THE BUYING OF BOOKS OR INTRODUCING, YOU KNOW, THE BOOKS FOR THE FIRST TIME INTO THE LIBRARY LIBRARIES? YES. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROCEDURE SUPPORTS THE POLICY, BUT THE PROCEDURE IS JUST FOR RECONSIDERATION. SO HOW CAN THAT? I THINK WE NEED TO RELOOK THE PROCEDURE IN LIGHT OF THE POLICY. MAKE SURE IT'S ALL SYNCED AND COVERING EVERYTHING TOGETHER. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AT THE POLICY LEVEL TO STATE SOME OF THESE THINGS CLEARLY, AND I MEAN, I GET IN THE LAST POLICY WHERE MOST OF THE LAWS AND SO FORTH WERE IN THE PROCEDURE, BECAUSE THOSE WERE THE DETAILS AND THAT MADE SENSE. BUT FOR THIS ONE, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, SOME CLEAR STATEMENTS AND PUT THEM IN THE POLICY AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT WE SHOULD ALL AGREE THAT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE IN SCHOOLS, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO DEFINE THOSE A LITTLE BETTER. AND SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU SAY APPROPRIATE MATERIALS TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS, THAT'S GREAT. YOU SAY THAT IN THE POLICY, YOU SAY IT IN THE PROCEDURE, BUT THEN SOME OF THE OTHER LANGUAGE DOESN'T QUITE MATCH THAT. SO ANYWAY, MORE INPUT TO FOLLOW. BUT SO ANY CHANGES THAT WE REALLY WANT THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO THOSE NOW BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST ABOUT TO GO OUT FOR THE 30 DAY PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT? TO THE POLICY. YES. BUT MOST OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS IS IN THE PROCEDURE.

YEAH. SO IT'S LIKE THE ONE THAT WE JUST HAD WHERE IT WAS SORT OF AN OVERARCHING POLICY TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW. BUT THE DETAILS WERE IN THE PROCEDURE. SO. AND WHAT'S LINKED IN THE POLICY IS THE PROCEDURE THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THE BOARD VOTED ON IT, BUT I MEAN, THE BOARD WAS INFORMED THAT WE DID WE DID VOTE, WHICH WAS UNUSUAL. BUT YEAH, OKAY. SO WE DON'T NORMALLY DO THAT, BUT WE DID. BUT THIS WAS JUST FOR RECONSIDERATION. SO THIS NO, NO, THIS WAS THIS WAS THIS WAS THE ENTIRE THING. IT WAS THE WHOLE PROCEDURE. ALL NINE PAGES, THE PROCEDURE REFERENCES THE BOTH THE EVALUATION SELECTION AND RECONSIDERATION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS. YOU WERE YOU WERE YOU BRINGS UP SOME SOME GOOD POINTS AND THAT WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE PROCEDURE, WE WEREN'T NECESSARILY FOCUSED ON THE POLICY. RIGHT. WE WERE JUST WORKING. AND SO NOW WE'RE KIND OF BECAUSE OF SOME LAW CHANGES. WE WANT TO PUT A POLICY IN PLACE. SO THERE COULD BE THINGS IN THE PROCEDURE THAT WE FEEL IS APPROPRIATE TO PUT IN THE POLICY. I THINK THAT'S WORTH LOOKING AT AT THIS POINT. I AGREE WITH BOTH. WE KIND OF WENT BACKWARDS NOT KNOWING THAT WE WERE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE POLICY. THE PROCEDURE WAS A START. WE STARTED FROM SCRATCH, RIGHT, WITH A LOT OF DIVERSE. YEAH. MY ONLY SUGGESTION WOULD BE IF THERE'S THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE FROM THE FROM THE PROCEDURE TO THE POLICY, YOU SHOULD, YOU KNOW, NEXT 30 DAYS IS YOUR TIME TO DO IT. IT WILL LIKELY BE SUBSTANTIVE FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, WHICH MEANS IT WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS AND WOULD THEREFORE BE SUBJECT TO SUPERMAJORITY VOTE OF THE BOARD. SO AND I THINK THAT'S OKAY. BUT. RIGHT. BUT THE PROCEDURE REMAINS IN PLACE. SO IF THERE'S A BOOK THAT YOU KNOW, THAT'S STILL A PROCEDURE IN PLACE, IT DOESN'T HOLD ANYTHING UP. IF WE TAKE MORE THAN 30 DAYS TO GET THIS POLICY, IF YOU WANT TO GET IT RIGHT, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE. THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. SO AND WE DID DO IT IN A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL ORDER, NOT REALIZING WE WERE GOING TO ULTIMATELY BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A POLICY TOO. BUT IT WAS SUCH GOOD WORK WITH THAT COMMITTEE. AND IN ESTABLISHING THE PROCEDURE, IT'S STILL A REALLY GOOD JUMPING OFF POINT, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY AHEAD OF MOST OF THE OTHER COUNTIES, FRANKLY, WHEN IT COMES TO ALL OF THESE THINGS. SO IT'S REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION TO HAVE. AND YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE LANGUAGE AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT WHAT IT MEANS. BUT MY SUGGESTION WAS GOING TO BE YOU COULD ALSO CHANGE THE PROCEDURE WITHOUT CHANGING THE POLICY. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT MAY BE A BETTER ROUTE TO TAKE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. BUT I THINK FOR CLARITY AND REALLY TO TELL THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE STAND FOR, LIKE THE LAST

[02:15:02]

HOW MANY TIMES? BUT NONE OF THOSE OTHER THINGS ARE. AND SO WHY NOT HAVE WHAT WE STAND FOR IN THERE TOO? AND I ALSO YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING SEXUAL MATERIALS IN SCHOOLS AND CAN WE SHOULD WE VOTE ON THAT RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, IS IT WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING TONIGHT. OKA.

I DO AGREE THAT THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. AND I ALSO AGREE I HAD CONCERNS BROUGHT TO ME FROM ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT THE BOOK FLAMER. SHE WANTED TO GO TO THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE. SHE WENT TO THE LIBRARIAN AND SHE GOT NO RESPONSE. SO THEN SHE WAS TRYING TO GO UP THE LADDER. IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE SHE WANTED TO FILL OUT THE FORM AND IT ASKED FOR HER STUDENTS INFORMATION. NOBODY WANTS TO PUT THEIR STUDENTS INFORMATION ON THESE FORMS. THEY DON'T WANT TO INCLUDE THEIR STUDENT IN THE CONVERSATION OR IN THE IN THE PROCESS. SO I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING GO OVER. WE NEED TO GO OVER THE PROCESS OF THE REEVALUATION COMMITTEE AND THE PROCESS OF HOW THAT IS ACTUALLY PUT FORWARD AS WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT INCONVENIENT HERE FOR PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, PUT A BOOK UP TO BE RECONSIDERED. THE PURPOSE IS, IF YOU FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS INAPPROPRIATE, YOU SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME TO THE SCHOOL AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS A PROBLEM. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MY CHILD IN SCHOOL. LIKE THE PARENT THAT SPOKE AT OUR AT OUR, YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS EVENING, THEY SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME TO THE BOARD AND SAY OR THE COMMITTEE AND SAY THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE, PLEASE REEVALUATE THIS BOOK BASED ON THESE PARAMETERS OR WHATEVER. AND I FEEL LIKE AS A BOARD, IT'S OUR JOB TO DICTATE WHAT WE EXPECT AND OUR EXPECTATIONS, WHAT WE THINK IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN OUR POLICY. SO THIS IS THE PROCEDURE HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE LATE LAST YEAR, RIGHT? YES. AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAVE BEEN I MEAN, DESPITE EVERYONE COMING HERE SAYING THAT THEY WANT THESE BOOKS OUT, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FORMAL OR HAS THERE BEEN ONE? THERE HAS BEEN ONE. THERE WAS ONE. OKAY. JUST IN THE LAST WELL, IN THE LAST ONE THAT'S BEEN. SO WHY AREN'T WE WHY AREN'T MORE PEOPLE DOING IT? IS IT BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE ANONYMITY ISSUE THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, OR IS IT WHAT IT MIGHT BE THAT THE BOOK IS NOT ACTUALLY IN THE LIBRARY? OKAY, I MEAN, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT IN THE LIBRARY, IT'S LISTED IN THE LIBRARY. THE WHOLE POINT IS PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO COME FORWARD AND REPORT BOOKS BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THE BACKLASH ASSOCIATED WITH BRINGING A BOOK FORWARD FOR EVALUATION THROUGH THE COMMITTEE. I MEAN, IT'S PROBABLY A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE. AND THIS MAY NOT BE THE CASE, AND IT MAY ONLY BE ME, BUT THE LINK DOES NOT TAKE ME TO THE FORM. AND I DID FIND THE FORM WAS DIFFICULT TO FIND. YVONNE HELPED ME ACTUALLY LOCATE THE FORM, BUT THE LINK DOESN'T TAKE ME TO THE FORM, SO I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE PROCEDURE, THE LINK IN THE PROCEDURE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT THAT'S BEEN AN ISSUE OR IF THAT WOULD PRECLUDE SOMEBODY FROM ACTUALLY PUTTING A BOOK IN FOR RECONSIDERATION, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND THE FORM. IT DOESN'T TAKE YOU TO THE MAIN WEBSITE, AND I'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT TOMORROW. I, I RECENTLY CHECKED THE LINK FROM THE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA PAGE ON HTTPS DOI.ORG. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS ALL CONSISTENT AND EVERYTHING IS WORKING TECHNOLOGICALLY, AND WE WOULD WANT THE LINK TO BE IN THE PROCEDURE. YEAH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. GO TO THIS LINK AND IT'LL TAKE YOU THERE. BUT IT JUST TAKES YOU TO THE HTTPS WEBSITE, NOT TO THE FORM. ALL RIGHT. SO A LOT TO CONSIDER HERE. THE PROCEDURE WILL BE THE POLICY WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD FOR 30 DAYS. LET'S COLLECT THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC'S FEEDBACK. AND THEN WE'LL RECONVENE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST APPROACH WILL BE. SOUNDS GOOD OKAY. POINT OF INFORMATION. YES, MA'AM. DID I HEAR MELISSA SAY THAT A LETTER SHOULD GO FROM THE BOARD IN REGARDS TO THE IMPACT FEES? I SAID, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM THIS EVENING SO THAT WE COULD SEND A LETTER TO SUPPORT IT IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO DO SO, SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT IT FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING TOMORROW. WELL, I HAVE HERE IN MY HAND A LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT DATED NOVEMBER THE 28TH. DID YOU DID YOU DID YOU TYPE IT UP THAT FAST OVER BREAK? I WAS LIKE, OKAY, SO

[02:20:02]

OH, I THOUGHT THEY WERE FINISHED. OKAY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL SEE YOU GUYS IN A MONTH. TO YOUR POINT OF ORDER, TO YOUR POINT OF ORDER, A POINT OF INFORMATION.

SORRY. YES, THAT'S I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE OF THIS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. PRESIDENT. AND MOVING OUT ON THAT, I THINK THAT IT'S WORTH PUSHING THAT OUT AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU WANT TONIGHT, I CAN CREATE ANOTHER COPY OF IT AND COLLECT ALL OF THE BOARD SIGNATURES, IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE SENT OVER. I'M FINE WITH IT, SIR. OKAY.

YES, YES, PLEASE. I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL VOICE OUR SUPPORT FOR THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN WE ARE. OH, ONE, ONE FINAL THING. I LET YOU OUT OF THE HOT SEAT BEFORE I WAS DONE EMBARRASSING YOU. I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE. RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

IN CASE YOU'RE NOT AWARE, GOVERNOR MORE RECENTLY APPOINTED 13 MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

13 LAWYERS TO SERVE ON THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT IT SOUNDS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT YOU WERE ONE OF THE 13 THAT THE GOVERNOR SELECTED, SO CONGRATULATIONS. I THINK THAT WE GET TO HELP SELECT OR MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR

[E. Superintendent's Report ]

AND I KNOW WE HAVE A TEAM THAT'S BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON THAT. AND ACTUALLY LET ME FIND IT HERE. WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS AND I JUST WANT TO LIST I KIND OF WANT TO CALL OUT THESE FIVE SCHOOLS WHO ACTUALLY HAD THE GREATEST IMPROVEMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, REDUCING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. SO THE OUR SCHOOLS WITH OUR FIVE SCHOOLS WITH THE MOST IMPROVEMENT WERE HALLS, CROSSROADS ELEMENTARY, MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY, MAGNOLIA MIDDLE, HARFORD TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, AND HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOL. THEY THEY ALL MADE DOUBLE DIGIT IMPROVEMENTS IN CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, AND I JUST HAD THE BENEFIT OF HEARING A PRESENTATION ON KIND OF THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THERE'S ACTUALLY A NATIONAL, I WOULD SAY, COMMISSION, BUT THERE'S SORT OF THREE MAJOR ENTITIES WHO ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON THIS AND THE ONE OF THEIR SORT OF AMBITIOUS GOALS IS REDUCING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IN OUR SCHOOLS BY 50% IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND I THINK THREE OF THESE FIVE SCHOOLS ACTUALLY REDUCED IT BY 50% IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE. NOW WE AS A DISTRICT, WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS. I THINK WE'VE WE'VE AGAIN OUTPERFORMED THE STATE IN TERMS OF OUR PROGRESS WITH THIS. BUT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING WELL, IT'S BEEN AROUND. IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'VE REALLY FOCUSED ON FOR MANY YEARS. IT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT'S TAKEN A LOT OF IT'S GOTTEN A LOT MORE ATTENTION SINCE THE PANDEMIC. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, IT REALLY IS THE COMBINATION OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCES, EXCUSED ABSENCES AND SUSPENSIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL THEY'RE KIND OF THE THREE REASONS WHY STUDENTS MISS SCHOOL. AND ONE OF THE MOST STUBBORN ISSUES WITH CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IS THE EXCUSED ABSENCES. IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPALS TALK FREQUENTLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH FAMILIES ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S CHEAPER TO TAKE VACATION THIS

[02:25:04]

WILSON. COULD WE BRING TOYS HERE IN NEXT MEETING AND THEY'D GET THEM OVER TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE I HAVE NO CLUE WHERE IT IS. DID WE LOSE THEIR EVER. YOU HAVE A YEAH.

WELL, I MEAN, WE COULD BRING IT HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. IT'S REQUIRED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN

[Future Meetings Review]