[Call to Order: Board President]
[00:00:13]
MEETING. WELCOME. THIS TIME I ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE MUTE YOUR DEVICE TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON MARCH 24TH, 2025 AT 6 P.M. THIS MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MRS. ALVAREZ. MRS. ALVAREZ. IF SHE'S HERE, LET THE RECORD REFLECT IT. OKAY, MISS BRUCE. HERE. MRS. COKER. HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER.
PRESENT. MISS PYZDROWSKI. HERE. MISS PERRY. HERE. MR. SEWELL. HERE. MISS STRAUSS. HERE. VICE PRESIDENT. HAHN. PRESENT. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. HERE. SUPERINTENDENT. WILSON. HERE.
THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. ALL RIGHT, SO MISS ALVAREZ IS STILL IN THE CLOSED SESSION. I GUESS THAT WAS A DIFFERENT A DIFFERENT LINK. YES. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. SHE JUST POPPED IN. SHE JUST POPPED IN. ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. THANKS. OKAY. MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE READ THIS EVENING'S STATEMENT IN PROCESS. OH. SORRY. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MUTE THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD YOUR 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 BOLTON WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL IN THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR A NO. THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU. CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA, PLEASE? THIS IS MELISSA AND I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE AGENDA. CAROL BRUCE, I SECOND. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. IS THERE ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. MISS HAHN, PLEASE LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE RISE AND JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL
[Public Comment]
RIGHT. LET'S PLEASE READ THIS EVENING'S RULES OF ORDER. GOOD EVENING. I'M DJ RAVAGE, REGIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. GRANT STANDING, WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS, AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE, THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES, OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. THE RULES OF ORDER REQUIRE COMMENTERS TO REFRAIN FROM IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND DO NOT SIT ON THE BOARD. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD, AND IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ADDRESS OR IDENTIFY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY NAME. IN THE CONTEXT OF A BOARD BUSINESS MEETING, THE PUBLIC 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 ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG IN OUR MEETINGS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS OR NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SHOULD AN ATTENDEE ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DETRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, THE ATTENDEE WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR. IF THE ATTENDEE DOES NOT CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR, THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE JUMP IN, JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS ON PUBLIC COMMENT. SO FIRST OF ALL, I THINK YOU SAID UPDATED. BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT ACTUALLY HASN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE LAST MEETING. I THINK THAT LANGUAGE WAS PUT IN THERE LAST TIME WE UPDATED IT, WHICH WAS PROBABLY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO BY NOW, SO MAYBE WE COULD REMOVE THAT. I'VE RECEIVED SOME FEEDBACK FROM FROM THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THIS EVENING. ON ONE HAND, THE PUBLIC COMMENT SHOULD BE FAIRLY SIMPLE. I THINK WE ALL AGREE ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS. AND ON THE OTHER HAND, IT CAN ACTUALLY BE QUITE NUANCED AND A LITTLE BIT TRICKY. YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BOARDS,
[00:05:06]
THEY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS GOOD FOR THE DISCOURSE OF THE COMMUNITY AND FOR EDUCATION. AND THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED A LIMITED PUBLIC FORUM, WHICH MEANS THAT ALTHOUGH FIRST AMENDMENT DOES APPLY, THE BOARD CAN PUT CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON SPEECH, SUCH AS TIME AND MANNER AND OTHER OTHER THINGS. WHICH IS WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE HERE'S WHAT WE PREFER THAT YOU SAY AND WHAT YOU DON'T SAY. AND HERE IS, YOU KNOW, TIME LIMITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, I DO MY BEST UP HERE ON THE DAIS. AND I THINK THE BOARD DOES THEIR BEST JOB HERE AS WELL TO BRING THINGS TO MY ATTENTION.I'M NOT PERFECT. COMMENTS COME AT YOU VERY QUICK WHEN YOU'RE UP HERE. AND THE RULES ARE ALWAYS CHANGING. AND TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S VERY IT'S VERY MURKY. AND THE CASE LAW ON THIS IS ALWAYS CHANGING WITH THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC AND FROM THE BOARD. I AM WORKING WITH THE BOARD'S COUNSEL NOW TO REVISE SOME OF THESE RULES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. BUT FOR TONIGHT, WE WILL FOLLOW THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE. SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE SLIP UP. SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN BE EMOTIONAL AND THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANT THINGS THAT AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY. BUT I WOULD ASK FOR CIVIL DISCOURSE. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU TALK ABOUT IDEAS AND NOT PEOPLE, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD AS THE RULES CHANGE, WILL GATHER MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND WE'LL UPDATE EVERYBODY IN A TIMELY MANNER. BUT I AND THIS BOARD, WE VALUE ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WE GET. I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROCESS. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START THIS EVENING WITH WE HAVE 13 IN-PERSON 12 OF 12. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. THIS EVENING WILL START WITH WILLIAM MARTINEAU. GOOD EVENING. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DEBATE OVER WHAT MATERIAL SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO THE CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE AND TRUTHFUL INFORMATION TO THE STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE MOST ACCURATE SOURCE OF HISTORY KNOWN TO HUMANITY IS THE CANONICAL CHRISTIAN BIBLE. IT MIRRORS MOST OF SECULAR HISTORY, AND WHERE THE BIBLE AND SECULAR HISTORY DEVIATE FROM EACH OTHER. THE BIBLE HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE CORRECT AND TRUSTWORTHY EVERY TIME. ARCHEOLOGISTS SUCH AS OXFORD TRAIN SIR WILLIAM RAMSAY SPENT DECADES TRYING TO DISPROVE SCRIPTURE. RAMSAY'S TARGET WAS THE GOSPEL OF LUKE AND THE BOOK OF ACTS. HE SPENT MORE THAN 30 YEARS DIGGING UP THE MIDDLE EAST, ONLY TO DISCOVER EVIDENCE PROVING THE BIBLICAL CLAIMS. HISTORICAL DISPUTES FOR THE NAMES OF CITIES, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONS WERE RESOLVED WHEN RAMSAY EXCAVATED THEM. EACH AND EVERY TIME THE BIBLE HAD IT CORRECT. FINALLY, RAMSAY MOVED FROM SKEPTIC TO ADVOCATE, AS HE PROVED THE NEW TESTAMENT IS GROUNDED IN LEGITIMATE HISTORICAL EVENTS RATHER THAN RELIGIOUS SPECULATION. SCRIPTURE WAS WRITTEN BY FIRST HAND EYEWITNESSES. THE DISCOVERY OF THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS PROVED THAT THE BIBLE HASN'T CHANGED AT ALL IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS. SO THE MOST ACCURATE SOURCE OF HISTORY KNOWN TO MANKIND IS NOT ALLOWED IN THE HISTORY CLASSROOMS. HOW DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? THE TEN COMMANDMENTS TEACH UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE PRODUCED EXCELLENT RESULTS FOR MANY CULTURES THROUGHOUT TIME. THESE PRINCIPLES ARE HARDWIRED, HARDWIRED INTO OUR SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE CONCEPTS SUCH AS NOT STEALING, KILLING, ADULTERY, BEARING FALSE WITNESS, BEING JEALOUS OF OTHERS, AND SO ON. THIS IS TRUE INFORMATION. THAT'S EXACTLY THE TYPE OF MORALS AND CHARACTER WE WANT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO HAVE. THE PROGRESSIVE LEFT WANTS TO TEACH THEIR MARXIST STATE RELIGION COMMANDMENTS, SUCH AS CHANGING GENDERS, CREATING ENTIRELY NEW GENDERS. MEN AND WOMEN ARE THE PHYSICALLY THE SAME, AND THEREFORE MEN CAN INVADE WOMEN'S SHOWERS AND SPORTS EQUITY OVER MERIT. ATHEISM THAT TEACHES EVERYTHING COMES OUT AND NOTHING. ALL OF THESE VIOLATE NUMEROUS SCIENTIFIC LAWS. THIS IS FAKE INFORMATION. A MEDIEVAL
[00:10:05]
KNIGHT CLAIMED THAT THE BIBLE WAS THE ANVIL THAT HAS WORN OUT MANY HAMMERS. THE HAMMERS COME AND GO, BUT THE ANVIL ALWAYS REMAINS. THE BIBLE HAS PROVIDED ACCURATE, TRUSTWORTHY AND RELIABLE HISTORY THROUGHOUT TIME. OUR KIDS HUNGER FOR ITS WISDOM. RETURN TO PROVIDING STUDENTS QUALITY RESOURCES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS REVEREND STEPHEN HOFMEISTER.PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. HE'S NOT HERE THIS EVENING. HE'S NOT. OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY GARY JOHNSON. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL ARE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT FUNDING WITH OUR STATE AND COUNTY OFFICIALS. ALTHOUGH MY COMMENTS TODAY ARE INSTEAD ABOUT DIE, BEGINNING WITH DIVERSITY, EACH CPS HAS A VERY DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION ACROSS MANY DIMENSIONS. SOME ARE IMMUTABLE, LIKE NATIONAL ORIGIN. SOME ARE NOT LIKE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS OR LANGUAGE SKILLS. WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, I WAS ACTUALLY IN SPEECH THERAPY FOR MANY YEARS, PROVIDED FREE BY THE SCHOOL. THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE OF EQUITY. THE ENTIRE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IS ABOUT EQUITY. WHEN I WAS IN KINDERGARTEN, WE HAD LESSONS ABOUT INCLUSION. I REMEMBER ONE SPECIFICALLY ON HOW TO BEHAVE AROUND AND PLAY WITH KIDS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. DIE ISN'T NEW. IT HAS BEEN AROUND A VERY LONG TIME. BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE FACING A LOT OF ATTACKS AGAINST THESE CONCEPTS, BOTH IN THIS ROOM AND NATIONALLY. SOME OF THOSE ATTACKS COME FROM SIMPLE IGNORANCE ABOUT WHAT DIE REALLY IS. SO QUOTE, DIE INITIATIVES WERE NOT PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE LOWER QUALIFIED MINORITIES COULD GET HIRED INSTEAD OF MORE HIGHLY QUALIFIED WHITE PEOPLE. IT WAS PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE LOWER QUALIFIED WHITE PEOPLE WERE NOT HIRED. INSTEAD OF MORE HIGHLY QUALIFIED MINORITIES. END QUOTE. THE HIGHEST UNIFORMED MILITARY POSITION IN THE USA IS THE CHAIR OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF. LAST MONTH, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF WAS FIRED.
THE FULLY QUALIFIED FOUR STAR GENERAL, WHO IS BLACK, WAS FIRED WITH THE ONLY ATTEMPTED JUSTIFICATION BEING SOME SILLY STATEMENTS ABOUT DIE. THE THREE STAR GENERAL THE ADMINISTRATION NOMINATED FOR THE JOB, ISN'T LEGALLY QUALIFIED. THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION ARE LITERALLY WRITTEN INTO LAW. TITLE TEN, SECTION 152. HE DOESN'T MEET THEM, BUT HE'S A WHITE GUY. THE ADMINISTRATION ALSO FIRED THE ONLY WOMAN MEMBER OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF AND THE COMMANDANT OF THE COAST GUARD, WHO WAS A PARTIAL MEMBER AND ALSO A WOMAN. THE ADMINISTRATION LEFT THE OTHERS, WHO ARE ALL WHITE MEN. WHENEVER YOU HEAR COMMENTS OPPOSING DEI, REMEMBER THAT OUR ANTI DEI CHEERLEADERS FIRED THESE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND FULLY, HIGHLY EXPERIENCED AND FULLY QUALIFIED MINORITIES AND. POINT COUNTERPOINT. MY NAME IS GARY JOHNSON. FOR YEARS, PARENTS GRANDPARENTS HAVE BEEN BEGGING SCHOOLS TO FOCUS ON TEACHING THEIR KIDS PRACTICAL SKILLS LIKE READING, WRITING, AND MATH. INSTEAD OF PUSHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, PERVERSE SEX EDUCATION, AND DIVISIVE IDEOLOGIES. BUT OUR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN BRUSHED OFF, MOCKED, OR SHUT DOWN ENTIRELY. BUT THOSE DAYS APPEAR TO BE OVER. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RECENTLY SENT A DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER TO PLACES OF EDUCATION THAT RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS. THIS LETTER STATES THAT RACE BASED DECISIONS ARE UNLAWFUL, AND THAT FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW MAY RESULT IN A SCHOOL OR AN ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT LOSING ITS FUNDING. FEDERAL LAW PROHIBITS COVERED ENTITIES FROM USING RACE IN DECISIONS PERTAINING TO ANY AND ALL ASPECTS OF STUDENT, ACADEMIC, AND CAMPUS LIFE. THIS IS DONE UNDER TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AS WELL AS THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE US CONSTITUTION. EDUCATIONAL
[00:15:06]
INSTITUTIONS LIKE CPS HAVE INDOCTRINATED STUDENTS WITH THE FALSE PREMISE THAT THE UNITED STATES IS BUILT UPON SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL RACISM, AND DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES AND PRACTICES. THIS HAS BEEN JUSTIFIED UNDER THE BANNER OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, INJECTING RACIAL STEREOTYPES AND RACE CONSCIOUSNESS INTO THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND CULTURE. SUCH INDOCTRINATION AND PRACTICES ARE IN FACT ILLEGAL, AS WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION IN STUDENTS FOR FAIR ADMISSIONS V HARVARD. AS THE COURT EXPLAINED, AN INDIVIDUAL'S RACE MAY NEVER BE USED AGAINST HIM AND MAY NOT BE USED AS A STEREOTYPE IN DECISION MAKING. DEI PROGRAMS OFTEN PREFERENCE SOME GROUPS OVER OTHERS OR BURDEN OTHERS WITH THE IDEA OF VICTIMHOOD. IF HE CONTINUES TO TREAT STUDENTS DIFFERENTLY ON THE BASIS OF RACE TO ACHIEVE NEBULOUS GOALS SUCH AS DIVERSITY, RACIAL BALANCING, SOCIAL JUSTICE, OR EQUITY, YOU WILL BE GUILTY OF VIOLATING THE LAW. MR. OLSON, YOU AND OTHERS HAVE RIGHTLY BEEN OFFENDED SOME YEARS AGO BY THE ACT OF ONE OR MORE STUDENTS USING A RACIAL SLUR. HOWEVER, TO USE THIS AS A JUSTIFICATION TO PROMOTE PROGRAMS THAT SERVE TO DIVIDE US AS AMERICANS BENEFITS NO ONE AND HURTS THE NATION. TWO WRONGS HAVE NEVER MADE THINGS RIGHT.THAT SLUR THAT SO OFFENDED YOU WAS WRONG, BUT THIS WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WRONG THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WHEREAS THE WRONG YOU HAVE COMMITTED BY PROMOTING THIS CULTURE OF SOCIAL VICTIMHOOD IS A CORPORATE ROLE WHICH HAS ONLY SERVED TO MAGNIFY THE SLUR AND MAKE IT THAT MUCH HARDER TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND ACHIEVE NATIONAL UNITY. DEI WILL BE THE FIRST STEP IN ENDING. DEI WILL BE THE FIRST STEP IN ACHIEVING THAT RESOLUTION. LET US PLEASE MOVE FORWARD. COMPLAINTS CAN BE FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CIVIL RIGHTS OFFICE.
THEY HAVE A LINK ON THEIR WEBSITE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TANISHA GANNON, FOLLOWED BY MELISSA WILLIAMS. MY NAME IS TANISHA GANNON. HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEE AND LOCAL 2471 ASKED ME PRESIDENT. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR OLSON AND BOARD MEMBERS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CUSTODIAL CONTRACT. BACK IN 2000 2009, THE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS GOT RID OF THE CUSTODIAL SUB POOL. WHO WERE NOT OFFERED BENEFITS. THESE POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED TO SAVE MONEY. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN IT DIDN'T HELP SAVE MONEY. CUSTODIANS WERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE HAD TO BE THE SUBS WHICH CAUSED A LOT OF HARDSHIP. CUSTODIANS WERE SENT OUT TO OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WERE SHORT STAFFED, LEAVING THE REMAINING CUSTODIANS BEHIND TO DO EXTRA WORK. AND IN THAT PROCESS, WE LOST A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE. BRINGING IN CONTRACTORS CAUSED A LOT OF CONFLICT. CONTRACTORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PASS THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECKS AS CURRENT EMPLOYEES. CONTRACTORS DO NOT FOLLOW THE SAME POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. WHEN CPS SUBS DIDN'T COME INTO WORK, HARFORD COUNTY GOT TO KEEP THE MONEY. WHEN CONTRACTORS DON'T COME INTO WORK, THE CONTRACT COMPANY KEEPS THAT MONEY. SPEAKING WITH OTHER SUPPORT STAFF IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. IT WAS SHARED WITH ME THAT OTHER STAFF MEMBERS DON'T MIND GOING INTO OTHER SCHOOLS TO HELP OUT. WHY NOT KEEP THAT MONEY WITHIN INSTEAD OF GIVING IT AWAY TO CONTRACT COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN NOT TO WORK? IT HAS CAUSED MORE CONFLICT THAN HELP. AND WE ALSO HAVE ADDED EMPLOYEES SUCH AS SS, WHO SHOULD BE PAID MORE MONEY FOR THE ADDED ON WORK THAT THEY HAVE TO DO. WE ALSO HAVE A GROUNDS CREW THAT ARE ALSO UNDERPAID. SO WHY BREAK SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE FIXED? FIX WHAT HAS BEEN BROKEN. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING,
[00:20:03]
SUPERINTENDENT PAULSEN, PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MELISSA WILLIAMS. I AM THE PRINCIPAL AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT. I WANT TO START OFF BY JUST RECOGNIZING THE COMMUNITY OF JOPPATOWNE. THE TEACHERS, THE FAMILIES, THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND PARTICULARLY THE STUDENTS FOR THE WAY THAT THEY'VE NAVIGATED A YEAR OF INCREDIBLE LOSS AND TRAGEDY. I'M BLESSED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WITNESS THE WAY THE COMMUNITY, THE SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, ALUMNI CAME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS AND OUR FAMILIES. WHETHER IT WAS WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT, DONATIONS OF RESOURCES, OF CLEAR BACKPACKS, OR SIMPLY VISITS FROM A FAMILIAR FACE. OUR COMMUNITY NAVIGATED WITH GRACE THE ADDITION OF A WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEM, TEACHERS REVISED PROTOCOLS.FAMILIES WERE PATIENT AS WE WORKED THROUGH WAYS TO DECREASE THE LINES OUTSIDE, AND THEN WE FACED ANOTHER LOSS OF OUR BELOVED COMMUNITY SCHOOL SPECIALIST. THE COMMUNITY ONCE AGAIN RALLIED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES. HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WAS ALSO A PART OF ALL OF THIS, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PART. HOWEVER, IT'S NOT OVER. BOOK BAGS, WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS, SEARCH POLICIES ARE ALL IMPORTANT. BUT AS WE APPROACH A BUDGET YEAR WHERE WE WILL SEE LESS. LESS SUPPORT. FEWER TEACHERS. LIMITED RESOURCES. I ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THAT WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS, BULK BAGS, SEARCH POLICIES ARE ALL INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT THEY ARE NOT EVERYTHING. IN 2004, BREAKING RANKS IDENTIFIED A TRUSTED ADULT ADVOCATE AS ONE OF THE MAJOR INDICATORS OF SCHOOL SUCCESS. WITH CLASS SIZES OF 35, 37, 39 AND HIGHER, HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT EACH OF OUR STUDENTS IS ABLE TO FIND THAT TRUSTED ADULT ADVOCATE? WE MUST CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS FEELS SEEN, HEARD, APPRECIATED, GUIDED, AND LOVED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FOCUS ON PHYSICAL SAFETY. PLEASE ALSO CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE PIECES THAT SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. OUR POLICIES ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY CAN NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF OUR TEACHERS, OF OUR MENTORING PROGRAMS, AND OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE PEOPLE AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL FOSTER THAT CULTURE OF SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSIE SCOTT.
PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU'LL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. SHE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JANINE CANEDO. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR BOLSON. MY NAME IS SUSIE SCOTT, AND I AM HONORED TO REPRESENT MOMS FOR LIBERTY, HARFORD COUNTY. TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA INCLUDES THE RATIFICATION OF THE TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THIS BOARD AND THE PLETHORA OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS RECOGNIZED BY CPS. THESE UNIONS EXIST TO PROTECT TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND SCHOOL STAFF'S INTERESTS, GIVING THEM SIGNIFICANT LEVERAGE TO NEGOTIATE BETTER PAY, BENEFITS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS. IN THEORY, THIS SHOULD LEAD TO HAPPIER, MORE MOTIVATED EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING. ANGRY TEACHERS UNION LEADERS COME BEFORE THIS BOARD WITH EVER INCREASING DEMANDS.
THEY BEHAVE LIKE PETULANT CHILDREN. I'VE PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE PUBLIC COMMENTS OF CERTAIN UNION LEADERS THAT WERE UNPROFESSIONAL AND THREATENING. YET THIS BOARD CONTINUES TO BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO THESE LOUD, IRRATIONAL VOICES. SO ARE THESE AGREEMENTS LEADING TO A HAPPIER WORKFORCE? ARE THESE AGREEMENTS CONTRIBUTING TO A POSITIVE CLASSROOM OUTCOMES? OUR ACADEMIC SCORES SAY EMPHATICALLY NO. ULTIMATELY, THESE EVER INCREASING AND UNREALISTIC DEMANDS LAND AT THE FEET OF THE HARFORD COUNTY TAXPAYER AND THE CHILDREN WHO ARE BEING DENIED A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION. THESE UNIONS SEE THE HARFORD COUNTY TAXPAYER AS THEIR PIGGY BANK AND HAVE NO REGARD FOR OUR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES OR OUR CONCERNS FOR THE ABYSMAL STATE OF EDUCATION IN THIS COUNTY AND IN THE COUNTRY AT LARGE. IF A PRIVATE SECTOR UNION DEMANDS MORE THAN THEIR EMPLOYER CAN AFFORD, THE BUSINESS RISKS GOING UNDER. BUT SINCE CPS IS FUNDED BY THE TAXPAYER, THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO STAY LEAN OR ACCOUNTABLE. THE TEACHERS
[00:25:01]
UNION'S DEMANDS ARE FUNDED BY US, THE TAXPAYERS. YET THERE IS NO TRANSPARENCY IN THE NEGOTIATING OF THESE CONTRACTS. THAT'S WHAT MY KIDS CALL SUS. WE'RE AT THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE THE UNIONS WILL BE MARCHING IN THE STREETS TO DEMAND THAT OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT RAISES TAXES TO MEET THEIR DEMANDS. THEY LOVE TO FLEX THEIR POLITICAL MUSCLE, THEIR JOB. THEIR PRIORITY IS JOB SECURITY AND BENEFITS, NOT OUR STUDENTS. ABOVE ALL, THEIR ULTIMATE PRIORITY IS MAINTAINING THIS BROKEN SYSTEM WHERE THEY WIELD ALL THE POWER AND INFLUENCE OVER OUR SCHOOLS POLICIES AND WE JUST HAND OVER OUR WALLETS. THIS SYSTEM IS BROKEN, AND WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS IN THIS STATE. WHILE THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE THAT HAS GIVEN US THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S BANKRUPTCY HAS PUSHED OUR STATE OFF A FINANCIAL CLIFF, THE GOVERNOR AND HIS PARTY HAVE DECIDED TO PASS THE COST ONTO OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. WE JUST RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THE ESTIMATES FOR BLUEPRINT ARE WOEFULLY INACCURATE, MASSIVELY SHORT OF INITIAL ESTIMATES. NOW IS THE TIME FOR THIS BOARD TO TAKE DECISIVE ACTION. STOP WAITING FOR THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE TO COME TO THEIR SENSES. STOP BOWING TO THE RIDICULOUS MANDATES COMING FROM MSD, THE AIB, MSA AND HCA. THE COMMUNITY IS COUNTING ON YOU TO BE THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM AND START PUSHING BACK AGAINST ALL THESE UNFUNDED EDUCATIONAL MANDATES THAT ARE BANKRUPTING OUR STATE AND FAILING OUR STUDENTS. YOU ARE THE FRONT LINES OF THE BATTLE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. SO IF YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN LOCAL CONTROL OF EDUCATION, ACT LIKE IT AND START TAKING CONTROL OF OUR FAILING SCHOOL. UNIONS ARGUE THEY ARE DEFENDING EDUCATION AGAINST OUR STINGY COUNTY EXECUTIVE. BUT WHEN THEIR DEMANDS ARE BANKRUPTING THE STATE AND THEIR POLICIES ARE LEADING TO EVER INCREASING VIOLENCE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND DECLINING ACADEMIC ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY, IT'S FAIR TO ASK WHO'S REALLY BEING SERVED? THE CORRUPTION ANGLE COMES INTO CLEARER FOCUS WHEN YOU SEE A TEACHER'S UNION LEADER ON OUR COUNTY COUNCIL. HOW IS COZYING UP TO THE POLITICIANS THEY LATER BARGAINED WITH, NOT THE HEIGHT OF CORRUPTION? AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL RECEIVES TEACHER UNION DONATIONS AND THEIR FAWNING ENDORSEMENT ON THEIR APPLE BALLOT. IT'S A RIGGED GAME. DATA BACKS THIS UP. STUDIES FROM THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH SHOW UNIONIZED DISTRICTS HAVE OFTEN HAVE HIGHER PER PUPIL SPENDING, BUT NOT ALWAYS BETTER TEST SCORES. YOU CAN'T GET MUCH WORSE INFLATED SPENDING FOR ABYSMAL OUTCOMES THAN BALTIMORE CITY SCHOOLS, WHICH OUR PRESIDENT RECENTLY CITED IN HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER DISMANTLING THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. YET OUR COUNTY MATH SCORES ARE BARELY ABOVE BALTIMORE CITY SCORES. SO WHERE DOES THIS BOARD STAND? ARE YOU GOING TO PRIORITIZE OUR STUDENTS OR THE UNIONS? YOU TALKED A GOOD GAME ABOUT YOUR PRIORITY TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT WE'RE NOT SEEING IT. TALK IS CHEAP, BUT THE TIME FOR TALK IS OVER. IT'S TIME FOR ACTION. IT'S EASY, I UNDERSTAND. BUT CONTINUING TO PLACATE THE TEACHERS UNIONS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO OUR BROKEN EDUCATION SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. AND FOR THE RECORD, PARENTS ARE THE LEADING INDICATOR OF STUDENT SUCCESS. PARENTS ARE THE TRUSTED ADULT.LET'S GET THAT STRAIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS LEFT TO EVEN SAY TO YOU ALL, BUT APRIL FOOLS. I ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
WHAT I'VE OBSERVED IS A LOT OF TALK AND GRAPHS ABOUT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? SORRY. ABOUT PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENT. YET I HAVE NEVER HEARD ONCE THIS BOARD PRESENT A PLAN AS TO HOW TO TEACH OUR KIDS BETTER SO THAT THEY DO BETTER. INSTEAD. THERE'S A LOT OF THESE. PROFESSIONAL.
PRESENTATIONS THAT DON'T MEAN ANYTHING IN THE LONG RUN. OUR KIDS ARE NOT LEARNING, AND WHETHER YOU WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT, THROWING MONEY AT IT DOES NOT WORK. JIMMY CARTER STARTED THE DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN 1979, AND THERE HAS BEEN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROWN AT THIS. YET HERE WE ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THIS. WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT
[00:30:03]
WAYS TO ENHANCE LEARNING VERSUS DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH TO ASSESS OUR KIDS LEARNING? CALL ME SUSPICIOUS, BUT I'M WONDERING WHY WE HAVE TO KEEP CHANGING THE ASSESSMENTS. THAT'S JUST ME. I WOULD EXPECT THE BOARD TO. HONESTLY PRESENT A GAME PLAN AS TO HOW TO IMPROVE THINGS. AND OH, BY THE WAY, IN TERMS OF CLASS SIZE, PRIVATE SCHOOLS HAVE LARGER CLASS SIZES WITH BETTER RESULTS. SO DON'T EVEN BUY INTO THAT. I KNOW ALL OF YOU RAN FOR OFFICE BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT YOUR INTENTIONS ARE GOOD, BUT MY GOD, YOU ARE FALLEN, SO MOST OF YOU ARE FALLING SO SHORT OF THAT IN TERMS OF DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR KIDS. AND SHAME ON YOU FOR THAT. AND I, I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE EARS TO HEAR AND PRACTICE SOME DISCERNMENT WHEN YOU RETURN HOME TONIGHT. THANKS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DELL SELLERS, FOLLOWED BY TINA GRAF. GOOD EVENING, BOARD DOCTOR PAULSEN. I FIRST WANT TO GET ON THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT THIS COUNTRY DOES HAVE A HISTORY OF RACISM. THE BOARD. I'M SORRY.THIS COUNTRY DOES HAVE A HISTORY OF RACISM AND THEIR POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS. SO THAT'S KIND OF FACT. BUT ANYONE WHO WANTS A MASTERCLASS ON RACE RELATIONS, I'LL GLADLY TALK TO THEM. WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS LEADERSHIP. WHEN I WAS A YOUNG CORPORAL IN THE ARMY, I WAS IN IRAQ. NORTHERN IRAQ TOOK SOME GUYS OUT. WE WERE JUST KILLING SOME TIME PERFORMING A JUST ROUTINE MISSION IN THE SPRING. IT RAINS A LOT, SO THERE'S POOLS OF WATER AROUND.
YOU WOULDN'T THINK THAT THERE WERE IN THE DESERT, BUT IT IS. SO WE'RE DRIVING THROUGH, HAVING A GOOD TIME. GO BACK, CALL IT A DAY. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, TEAM GOES OUT AGAIN. I GO WITH ANOTHER TEAM, AND THE TEAM THAT I WAS OUT WITH ORIGINALLY WENT ON THEIR OWN. GET A CALL ON THE RADIO. HEY, CORPORAL, WE GOT A PROBLEM. ALRIGHT. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? WE'RE STUCK. WE'RE STUCK WHERE? WE'RE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF A LAGOON. IN THE DESERT? YES, WE'RE KIND OF STUCK. THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THAT STORY IS BECAUSE ONCE THE RECORD CAME AND PULLED THE HUMVEE OUT, IT HAD TO BE ALL THE. THE HUBCAPS, ALL THE HYDRAULICS HAD TO BE CHANGED.
TIRES HAD TO BE SWITCHED OUT. SO A LOT OF WORK IN THE MOTOR POOL. NOW, I WASN'T WITH MY GUYS THAT TIME, BUT AS THE LEADER, THE FIRST TIME WE WENT OUT, THAT WAS ON ME. I SAID, IT'S OKAY TO DO THIS. SO WHEN THEY GOT IN TROUBLE, I WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN THE MOTOR POOL, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T WITH THEM, EVEN THOUGH I WASN'T DRIVING THE HUMVEE. THAT'S LEADERSHIP. WHEN YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE UNDERNEATH YOU AND THEY SCREW UP, YOU GOT TO ANSWER FOR THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE NOT ANSWERING FOR MESS UPS, AND THAT'S A SIGN OF BAD LEADERSHIP. AND SAFETY AND SECURITY, TO BE SPECIFIC, WE HAD A POSITION REGIONAL SUPERVISOR LEAVE AND SOMEONE WOULD JUST PUT IN THE POSITION OVER MORE OVERQUALIFIED PEOPLE WHO WANTED THAT POSITION. THAT'S ON YOU, DOCTOR BOLSON. IF PEOPLE ARE ACTING ON YOUR BEHALF, THAT'S THAT'S ON YOU. IF THEY'RE ACTING ON YOUR BEHALF, WITH YOUR AUTHORITY, THEN YOU GOT TO ANSWER FOR IT. YOU GOT TO BE TRANSPARENT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO QUESTION YOUR LEADERSHIP LIKE I'M DOING NOW. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? AND WE DON'T GET ANSWERS. SO WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO DO IS THINK ABOUT THEIR LEADERSHIP, THINK ABOUT WHAT'S BEING DONE UNDER THEIR NAME, AND THINK ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF LEGACY THEY WANT TO LEAVE. MY NAME IS TINA GRAF, AND I'M THE PROUD SSL AT FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL. I DID NOT PLAN ON SPEAKING TONIGHT, BUT WANTED TO SUPPORT AFSCME AND OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF. AS SOMEONE IN SAFETY AND SECURITY, I RELY ON MY CUSTODIANS TO BE THE EYES AND EARS OF MY BUILDING. THEY
[00:35:04]
OFTEN SEE MORE THAN I DO. ADDITIONALLY, OUR CUSTODIANS ARE A TRUSTED PART OF MY TEAM AND HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN OUR STUDENTS. WHEN YOU HAVE AN OUTSIDE VENDOR ENTER OUR SCHOOLS, YOU PUT YOUR ENTIRE BUILDING AT RISK. BY CONTRACTING OUT, WE LOSE ACCOUNTABILITY. WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR LOWER QUALITY OF SERVICE. EMPLOYEES LACK KNOWLEDGE OF THE SPECIFIC NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF OUR INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, AND ACTUALLY HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER COSTS. WHY NOT INVEST IN OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND ENGAGE THEM TO FIND OUT HOW THEY FEEL WHEN THEY ARE WORKING NEXT TO SOMEONE MAKING MORE MONEY THAN THEY ARE? OF COURSE, OUR BENEFITS ARE FAR SUPERIOR, BUT ENTRY LEVEL CUSTODIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PAYCHECKS.EMPLOYEE MORALE DECLINES AS WELL. BEFORE VOTING ON THIS CONTRACT TONIGHT, PLEASE DO A DETAILED COST ANALYSIS OF THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS. ALSO, IN THE MANY YEARS I'VE BEEN AT MY SCHOOL WITH A SUB POOL OR A CONTRACTED COMPANY, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE EVER HAD A SUBSTITUTE CUSTODIAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HIRE QUALITY EMPLOYEES WITHOUT JEOPARDIZING OUR SCHOOLS. THE SECOND ISSUE IS SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP LAST TIME I SPOKE, AND IT'S REGARDING ADDITIONAL DUTIES AS ASSIGNED. YOU'VE NOW TOSSED YOUR CELLS WITH MANNING METAL DETECTORS. I DID NOT SIGN UP TO BE A TSA AGENT. I DO NOT CARRY A GUN, NOR DO I WANT TO. IF YOU EXPECT US TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SCREENING FOR WEAPONS, WE SHOULD BE COMPENSATED ACCORDINGLY AS IT FALLS OUTSIDE OF OUR DUTIES. MY JOB IS PRIMARILY BEEN TO KEEP MY STUDENTS AND SCHOOL SAFE BY CREATING A POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE AND FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. YOU RECEIVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY, YET YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE PEOPLE IT WOULD AFFECT THE MOST. PLEASE MODIFY OUR SALARY BEFORE VOTING ON NEGOTIATED UNDER NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT OR ADDED AS AN LMC. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO THIS.
AND FINALLY, CONTRADICTORY TO COMMENTS TONIGHT, I LOVE MY JOB. OUR STUDENTS ARE MY PRIORITY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO SCHOOL EVERY SINGLE DAY. I JUST WANT TO BE COMPENSATED FAIRLY AND APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF MY UNION AND THE OTHER UNIONS THAT ARE IN CPS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA ANUSHA, FOLLOWED BY DAVE FABI. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. DEUTERONOMY EIGHT IF YOU FORGET THE LORD YOUR GOD AND GO AFTER OTHER GODS AND SERVE THEM AND WORSHIP THEM, I SOLEMNLY WARN YOU THIS DAY THAT YOU SHALL SURELY PERISH. SECOND JOHN ONE NINE. ANYONE WHO IS SO PROGRESSIVE AS NOT TO REMAIN IN THE TEACHING OF THE CHRIST DOES NOT HAVE GOD. WHOEVER REMAINS IN THE TEACHING HAS HAS THE FATHER AND THE SON. AS I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE, MANY SAY WE CANNOT HAVE RELIGION IN SCHOOLS AND THEY REFER TO SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. THE CONSTITUTION SAYS CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF. IF WE CANNOT HAVE RELIGION IN SCHOOLS, THEN WHY IS IT OKAY TO ESTABLISH AND MANDATE YOUR RELIGION? WHY IS THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGIO, SUCH AS PRAYER AND BIBLE READING BANNED IN SCHOOLS? YOU MAY NOT BE TEACHING THE TENETS OF A FORMAL RELIGION, BUT YOU ARE CERTAINLY TEACHING THE RELIGION THAT YOU WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE INDOCTRINATED INTO. ONLY PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN AND INDOCTRINATE THEM INTO THEIR CHOICE OF RELIGION. SCHOOLS ARE TEACHING THE VALUES THAT THEY WANT TAUGHT, SUCH AS TOLERANCE, DIVERSITY AND EQUITY. JUST AS THE FORMER RELIGIONS OF JUDAISM, JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY TEACH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WHICH ARE BANNED, OF COURSE. WHY IS IT THAT YOUR RELIGION IS THE ACCEPTABLE ONE AND THE ONE WE MUST BE OBEDIENT TO, AS OPPOSED TO ONES THAT HAVE BEEN TAUGHT OVER CENTURIES AND NOT JUST BEEN MADE UP IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. YOUR RELIGION DISPLAYS THE AGE OLD VALUES OF JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY UPON WHICH THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED. YOU TEACH GENDER IDEOLOGY VERSUS CHRISTIAN IDEOLOGY. GENESIS 127 SO GOD CREATED MANKIND IN HIS OWN IMAGE. IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, HE CREATED THEM MALE AND FEMALE. HE CREATED THEM. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE ONLY TWO GENDERS AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. YOU TEACH DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION RATHER THAN THE EQUALITY OF ALL IN GOD'S EYES. ACTS 1034 THEN PETER BEGAN TO SPEAK. I NOW REALIZE HOW TRUE IT IS THAT GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM, BUT ACCEPTS FROM EVERY NATION THE ONE WHO FEARS HIM AND DOES WHAT IS RIGHT. WE SHOULD BE GIVING ALL OUR CHILDREN EQUAL ACCESS IN EDUCATION, NEVER FAVORING BASED ON COLOR, RACE OR CREED, WHICH IS WHAT DEI DOES. I WOULD THINK THAT IN 2025 WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE REMINDED OF THIS, BUT HERE WE ARE. YOUR RELIGION OF GENDER, IDEOLOGY AND TRANSITIONS LEADS OUR CHILDREN DOWN A ROAD OF INFERTILITY, SELF-MUTILATION, LIFETIME HEALTH PROBLEMS, SELF DESTRUCTION, AND SELF-HATRED IN GENERAL. CHRISTIANITY TEACHES OUR CHILDREN THAT EACH IS A GIFT FROM GOD AND IS SPECIAL, JUST THE WAY HE OR SHE WAS BORN. THIS IS A BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. WE MUST BE TEACHING THE MORALS THAT WOULD LEAD OUR CHILDREN DOWN THE PATH TO SALVATION, NOT THE MORALS THAT LEAD TO SELF DESTRUCTION. MAY
[00:40:02]
GOD BLESS YOU ALL WITH WISDOM IN ALL OF YOUR DECISION MAKING. GOOD EVENING. VERSE 6563 DAYS INTO A NEW ADMINISTRATION AND YOU'RE AWARE OF A FEW CHANGES IN YOUR FUTURE. RESTORING TITLE NINE. NO MORE BOYS AND GIRLS SPORTS. NO MORE BOYS AND GIRLS BATHROOMS OR SHOWERS. AND FOR ALL THE PARENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY, IF YOU'RE AWARE OF ANY OF THIS OR SEE ANY OF THIS ON THE SPORTS FIELDS, YOU CAN REPORT IT TO A WEBSITE. AND. DI DOT ED.GOV. IT'S VERY SIMPLE, ONE PAGE FORM TO FILL OUT. LAST WEEK, THE PROCESS BEGAN TO ELIMINATE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. SO YOU PUT AT RISK FEDERAL DOLLARS AND IT WILL BE RETURNED TO THE STATE. SO IF YOU DON'T CONTINUE WITH LET ME FOLLOW ALONG. EXCUSE ME. SO AS FEDERAL DOLLARS RETURN TO THE STATES, HARFORD COUNTY HAS A CHANCE TO LEAD THE WAY TO IMPROVE THE CURRENT RESULTS WITH A 90% GRADUATION RATE, ONLY 27% OF THE STUDENTS ARE PROFICIENT IN MATH AND 50% ARE PROFICIENT IN READING. IT'S TIME FOR LESS ADMINISTRATION AND TO ADD MORE TEACHERS. WE ARE A SANCTUARY STATE AND YOU DO RISK LOSING THESE DOLLARS. MY HOPE IS YOU ASK YOURSELF, WHAT HAVE I DONE IN MY LIFETIME TO IMPROVE THE LIFE OF HARFORD COUNTY STUDENTS? THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. YOU'VE GOT THIS. PROVIDE SAFE SPACES FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER IDEOLOGY. I ASK YOU, WHERE IS THE SAFE SPACES FOR MALE AND FEMALES? PROTECT THEM FROM PROFESSIONAL GENDER PEDOPHILES, GROOMERS, NOT TO MENTION ILLEGAL GANG MEMBERS.WITH REGARD TO EVALUATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS, I TOOK A LOOK AT A FEW BOOKS THAT ARE ON THE LIST OF THE SCHOOLS LIBRARIES, AND THIS ONE HERE IS IN DISTRICT. SEE CAROL MILLER'S DISTRICT. DISTRICT A DENNIS DISTRICT. THERE E IS IN CAROL BRUCE BE WADE SOUL AND F DIANE ALVAREZ. SO THAT'S BEL AIR, PATTERSON AND ABERDEEN. SEE WILL WRIGHT AND FALLSTON. ONE OF THE PAGES IN THIS BOOK. HERE ARE BOYS AREN'T BLUE. IT STATES HE ASKED ME TO TURN IT OVER, AND WHILE HE SLIPPED THE CONDOM ON HIMSELF. BUT THIS WAS MY. AND I WAS STRUGGLING TO IMAGINE SOMEONE INSIDE OF ME. AND HE WAS LARGE. I HAD PREVIOUSLY TOPPED SOMEONE WHO CLEARLY ENJOYED IT, BUT HE HAD BEEN MORE ENJOYING SEX BEFORE I CAME ALONG. HE GOT ON TOP OF ME SLOWLY AND INSERTED HIMSELF. HE THEN ADDED MORE LUBRICANT AND TRIED AGAIN. IF I WERE TO SEND THIS STUFF IN A TEXT MESSAGE TO A SEVENTH GRADER, I'D BE LOOKING AT FEDERAL PRISON IF I WERE TO SPEAK THIS AROUND THE WATER COOLER WORK, THAT WOULD BE SEXUAL HARASSMENT. BUT TWO PEOPLE LET THIS IN THE BOOK IN THE SCHOOL'S LIBRARY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT AT ALL. PRESIDENT
[Board Member Comments]
POINT. THAT'S HOW THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING ARE. THERE STILL NO VIRTUAL SPEAKERS, CORRECT? OKAY.THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH MISS STRAUSS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE FROM A SAFETY AND SECURITY STANDPOINT. THE OPEN GATE DETECTION SYSTEMS ARE NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL. A BIG THANK YOU TO THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR TRAINING ALL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND THE SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISONS IN THE USE OF THE DEVICES AND THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. ANOTHER BIG THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNITY FOR YOUR COOPERATION IN ENSURING WE CAN PROVIDE A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE, ENJOYABLE ENVIRONMENT. IT TAKES ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE SAFE EVENTS, AND WE CONTINUE TO ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE GATHER FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR CPS. THESE SYSTEMS WILL BE USED RANDOMLY AT OUR SCHOOLS, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO REVIEW THE BAG POLICY FOR ENTERING STADIUMS AND EVENTS. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU CAN GO TO HTTPS ORG AND CLICK ON THE GREEN TAB AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR OPEN GATE. I WILL ALSO SAY THAT WE DO HAVE A BOOK REVIEW PROCEDURE. THE DIRECTIONS ARE ON OUR WEBSITE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS WITH THAT, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME, BUT WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE. WE OUR FIRST I GUESS COMMITTEE HAS MET AS WE DO HAVE A BOOK UNDER REVIEW. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT THAT PROCESS IS OUT THERE. SHOULD THOSE BOOKS BE IN OUR LIBRARY AND THERE'S A PROCESS TO REVIEW THEM? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SEWELL. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. QUICK UPDATE FROM THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE. WE ARE BUILDING WORKGROUPS TO FOCUS IN ON SPECIFIC CHALLENGES AROUND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND USE REDUCTION SO THAT WE CAN, YOU
[00:45:01]
KNOW, WORK TO CONTAIN COSTS HERE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT IS TAKING THEIR TIME TO SERVE ON THE OVERALL COMMITTEE AND IN THE WORK GROUPS THAT IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR ROLE AT CPS, AND I WANT TO SPECIFICALLY RECOGNIZE THE LEADERSHIP OF KATHY BENDIS AND HER TEAM IN WORKING QUICKLY AND THOROUGHLY TO SPIN UP THIS COMMITTEE. I AM ALSO SERVING ON THE ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES STUDY COMMITTEE AT THE COUNTY COUNCIL. THIS COMMITTEE RECENTLY MET AND IS WORKING TO UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S NEEDS FROM A FACILITIES PERSPECTIVE. LATER THIS YEAR, THE COMMITTEE WILL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL BEST SERVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE COUNTY. AND FINALLY, I JUST ENCOURAGE PARENTS, GUARDIANS, TEACHERS, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION TO SUPPORT THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES BY JOINING THEIR PTA, PTSA, OR PTO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS PERRY. WHERE ARE YOU CALLING ON ME? YES, MA'AM. OKAY, OKAY. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. I ATTENDED THE EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL PLAY THIS PAST WEEKEND. THE STUDENTS PUT ON A GREAT PERFORMANCE, BUT I TOOK AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS WAS THE IMPACT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION DISPLAYED IN THE PLAY? AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE ALL OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS PYZDROWSKI. GOOD EVENING. SO DURING MY CAMPAIGN, IT WAS ONE OF MY GOALS TO ENHANCE THE TRANSPARENCY FROM THE BOARD TO THE STUDENTS. AND WHEN SPEAKING TO THE STUDENTS, A LOT OF THEM VOICED CONCERNS IN OUR FOOD, NUTRITION AND THE CAFETERIA. AND SO TAKING THAT IN MIND, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE FOOD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT TO WORK AROUND THESE STUDENT TASTE TESTS BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY THEY'VE BEEN CONDUCTED AT LIKE MILTON AND FALLSTON. AND THE CONCERN WITH THAT WITH THE STUDENTS IS ONE THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS HAPPENING. SO THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS. AND TWO, THAT IT DIDN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE VARIETY OF TASTE PALATES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTY, AS A LOT OF STUDENTS COME FROM DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS. MAYBE SOME ARE ATHLETES, MAYBE SOME HAVE DIFFERENT DIETARY RESTRICTIONS, AND THAT IS A BIG PART OF WHAT WE INCORPORATE WHEN WE ARE CREATING OUR MEALS. SO WITH THIS, AGAIN, AS I WORKED WITH THE FOOD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT, WE ARE WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR REGIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT TO ADMINISTRATE THESE TASTE TESTS FOR OUR REGIONAL OR OUR COUNTY LEADERS AT EACH OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. SO NOT ONLY CAN WE MAKE AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS PRESENT TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE COUNTY, BUT ALSO ENCOURAGE THAT LEADERSHIP SO THEY CAN HAVE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS. AND THE REASON I'M SAYING THIS IS NOT TO UPDATE YOU ON MY CAMPAIGN, BECAUSE MY GOALS MAINLY CONCERN THE STUDENTS, BUT TO INFORM YOU OF HOW EASY IT IS TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER, AND NOT THAT IT ONLY CREATED A SOLUTION ON MY BEHALF, BUT ALSO WITH THE FOOD NUTRITION AS WELL. BECAUSE IT WASN'T THAT THEY WERE NEGLECTING OUR STUDENTS, BUT IT WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A GATEWAY. AND SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO REACH OUT AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS. WHEN YOU SEE A PROBLEM. AND BEING ON THE BOARD HAS REALLY OPENED MY MIND ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE AS A STUDENT, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES. AND BECAUSE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD CASUALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING, BUT NOT NECESSARILY KNOWING ALL THE DETAILS. AND WHEN BEING IN THIS POSITION, I FIND MYSELF KIND OF MAYBE HAVING A THOUGHT OF IGNORANCE, OF HEARING A STUDENT COMPLAIN AND BEING LIKE, WELL, THEY JUST THEY'RE JUST NOT AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES. BUT INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, FINDING THAT IGNORANCE, WE SHOULD BE EDUCATING THOSE WHO ARE UNAWARE BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY TO COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMEONE BEING UNEDUCATED, BUT TO REALLY WORK, TO GET THEM TO THE SAME UNDERSTANDING AS YOU IS SHOWING PASSION. AND SO WHEN WE WERE CREATING THESE DECISIONS ON THE BOARD, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICIES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIRECTLY WORK WITH THOSE WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED, NOT JUST THOSE WHO REPRESENT REPRESENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST WORKING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. BECAUSE I FIND STUDENT LEADERS DON'T NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE AVERAGE STUDENT, AND THAT APPLIES IN ALL AREAS OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. SO I REALLY WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, I JUST WANT TO KIND OF AGAIN HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT OUR REGIONAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT HAS DONE. AND WE ATTENDED A STUDENT RALLY WORKING FOR OUR OUR BUDGET AT THE STATE LEVEL. AND AGAIN, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THAT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR STUDENTS THE EDUCATION THAT WE'RE RECEIVING AND THAT WE HAVE STUDENT LEADERS WHO ARE GOING DOWN TO ANNAPOLIS ON A MONDAY NIGHT, NOT COMING BACK TILL 9 P.M. JUST TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR EDUCATION. AND NOT ALL THESE STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DIRECTLY TALK TO THEIR LEGISLATORS. BUT JUST BEING THERE, HOLDING A POSTER WAS MEANINGFUL TO THEM. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALL THINK ABOUT WHEN WE'RE ARE DISCUSSING OUR STUDENTS. AND YOU KNOW HOW THEIR EDUCATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,[00:50:03]
DOCTOR MUELLER. SO HOW MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A CAFE THAT'S RUN OUT OF HARTFORD TECH, THAT YOU CAN GO AND GET YOUR HAIR CUT? THEY'LL COLOR YOUR HAIR. THEY DO A LOT OF SERVICES FOR YOU. AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THAT UNTIL SHANAI, WHO WAS HERE LAST MEETING. MISS KENYA CAME UP TO ME AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND SAID, I CAN PUT HIGHLIGHTS IN YOUR HAIR IF YOU WANT ME TO. SO I WENT OVER THERE AND I SPENT FROM 11 UNTIL 230 WITH HER, AND SHE PUT SOME REALLY NICE HIGHLIGHTS IN MY HAIR. GREAT TIME. GOT TO KNOW ALL THE INSTRUCTORS THERE. MET A LOT OF THE OTHER GIRLS IN THE PROGRAM. I WAS TOLD SHE'S THE ONE WHO DOES ALL THE TEACHERS, SO THAT WAS PRETTY REASSURING TO ME THAT SHE DID THAT. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO DONATE A CAR IN THE PAST, AND WANT TO DONATE ANOTHER CAR TO THE AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM. THEY LIKE HIM BECAUSE MY HUSBAND ONLY DRIVES STICK SHIFTS, AND THEY NEED THOSE TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THE KIDS ABOUT THEM. SO I JUST WANT TO MENTION THESE THINGS SO THAT AS YOU THINK ABOUT THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, TAKE YOUR FRIEND OUT TO LUNCH AT THE CAFE, GO AND GET YOUR HAIR CUT OR YOUR NAILS DONE. THEY DO ALL THOSE THINGS AND THEY'RE VERY REASONABLY PRICED, SO I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT. I ALSO WANT TO MENTION MOST OF YOU KNOW OR HAVE HEARD THAT THE BOARD GETS A STIPEND FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO, AND THE STIPEND WE GET IS $300 A MONTH. AND THAT'S SUPPOSED TO HELP PAY FOR YOUR GAS AS YOU GO TO VISIT SCHOOLS AND YOU GO OUT AND DO THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY. AND HONESTLY, IT'S NOT THAT MUCH TO ME. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT MATTERS TO SOME OTHER PEOPLE, BUT ALL OF US TOGETHER IN A YEAR MAKE $32,400. SO IT'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT MIGHT BE ENOUGH TO AT LEAST THINK ABOUT HIRING ANOTHER CLASSROOM AIDE. AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CLASS SIZES GOING UP. ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE SAY IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. I THINK IF YOU'RE TRYING TO TEACH A CLASSROOM FULL OF 30 MOVING CHILDREN, HAVING ANOTHER PERSON THERE SO THAT YOU CAN WORK WITH SOME STUDENTS INDIVIDUALLY COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. SO I'M GOING TO ASK DOCTOR POINTON THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING HE PUTS ON THE AGENDA THE ITEM THAT THE BOARD IS WILLING TO GIVE BACK THEIR STIPEND TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND FOREGO IT FOR THIS NEXT YEAR WHILE WE'RE UNDERGOING THIS BUDGET CRISIS. IT MIGHT NOT BE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT I THINK IT'S STILL A GOOD GESTURE TO MAKE. SO I'M GOING TO ASK THAT, AND I HOPE THAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WILL CONSIDER GIVING UP THIS HUGE SALARY PACKAGE THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS KOCHER. OKAY, WELCOME AND THANKS, EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE OR FOR LISTENING IN.YOU KNOW, WE START THESE MEETINGS WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOR A REASON SO THAT WE KEEP OUR EYES ON THE BIG PICTURE. HOPEFULLY IT ORIENTS US TOWARD OUR VALUES AND WHY WE ARE HERE. ANOTHER THING WE NEED TO DO AND REMEMBER IS TO RESTATE OUR THREE GOALS THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, SAFETY AND TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST. WHEN THIS ROOM IS PRETTY FULL, THIS MEANS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS LISTENING AND CARES ABOUT HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION, WHICH IS HIGHLY VALUABLE. MANY TIMES, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS COULD BE A DISCUSSION THAT IS BEYOND OUR SCOPE AND PURPOSE HERE. WE CAN'T ANSWER THEM HERE. PERHAPS ONE APPROACH IS TO ALSO EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS WITH A SPECIFIC REQUEST OR QUESTION THAT WE CAN ANSWER, SO THAT THE APPROPRIATE PERSON CAN GET BACK TO YOU AND PROVIDE MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK. WE ALWAYS NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MEET THAT LAST GOAL FOR TRANSPARENCY. PROVIDE FOLLOW UP AND TOWARD PROMOTING TRUST THROUGH THAT TRANSPARENCY WITH GOOD RESPONSES, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE ARE A GOOD NUMBER OF ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT. PLEASE KNOW THAT FOR ALL THESE ITEMS, THE STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN HIGH LEVEL OF DUE DILIGENCE AND IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS AND SOLUTIONS TO SERVE OUR SCHOOLS FOR THESE ITEMS AND ENSURE THE MOST AFFORDABLE AND EFFECTIVE APPROACHES WERE SELECTED. ALSO, WE AS BOARD MEMBERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THESE ITEMS AND ENSURE OUR QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED. SO I, FOR ONE, FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THESE ITEMS TO FOLLOW UP ON ANOTHER ITEM THAT WAS DISCUSSED RECENTLY, THE PATRIOT PROGRAM. FEEDBACK INDICATES THAT SOME SCHOOLS DID DECIDE TO MAINTAIN THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE VOLUNTARY PROGRAM, AND OTHERS DID NOT, BUT THEY DID HAVE THE OPTION TO DECIDE THAT BASED ON WHAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SCHOOLS. HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR, ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO GET MORE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, SUCH AS OUR VETERANS, CAN BE PURSUED TO ALLOW THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS AS SUPPLEMENTARY EFFORTS TO THE CURRENT CIVICS CURRICULUM THAT THEY COULD DO THAT, ESPECIALLY IN GRADE FIVE.
SO IF YOU ARE A PARENT OR A STAFF MEMBER AT A SCHOOL FOR WHICH ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS WOULD HELP WITH THIS, PLEASE EMAIL US AS BOARD MEMBERS AND WE CAN LINK YOU UP WITH THE EFFORTS
[00:55:02]
TO DO THAT. AS ALWAYS, FOR ALL THE PARENTS OUT THERE, PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR STUDENTS IN BEING RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE IN SCHOOL AND FOLLOWING OUR SCHOOL RULES, AND TO FULLY FOCUS ON THEIR LEARNING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BRUCE. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT AND HAVING AN INTEREST IN OUR STUDENTS. I WANT TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I ANNOUNCED SOME TIME AGO THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING ELECTION OF OFFICERS. WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE IS A THE DIAGNOSIS FOR ADHD IS GOING UP AND THEY HAVE SOME FANTASTIC PROGRAMS. THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE APRIL THE 3RD. YOU CAN GO TO THE HARFORD COUNTY WEBSITE AND SCAN THE REGISTRATION VIA ZOOM AND GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY NEED TO HELP IN YOUR COMMUNITY. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR ELECTION ON MAY THE 1ST. ALL OF THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE. YOU CAN NOMINATE OFFICERS BEGINNING ON APRIL THE 3RD, AND THEY NEED THE BALLOTS BY THE 28TH OF APRIL. ANYONE WHO NEEDS MORE INFORMATION SHOULD GO TO THE WEBSITE AND SEE ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE. MAY THE 1ST, THEY HAVE THE BASICS OF SUPPORTING YOUR STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, SETTING MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW, BECAUSE IT'S A VERY ACTIVE COMMITTEE, AND THEY PUT ON SOME EXCELLENT PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ALVAREZ. YES. SORRY. YEAH. GOOD EVENING. I'M GLAD THAT I CAN JOIN YOU VIRTUALLY. I THESE MEETINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I WAS AWAY, AND I'M JUST. I WAS JUST GETTING BACK FROM MY. I FLEW IN THIS MORNING, SO THAT'S WHY I'M NOT ABLE TO BE THERE TONIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW OPENING COMMENTS WITH ABOUT A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH A COLLEGE PROFESSOR WHO STATED THAT A LOT OF HIS STUDENTS COMING IN ARE DISTRACTED BY THEIR CELL PHONES. HE STATED THAT HE BASICALLY JUST TELLS THEM, HEY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE YOUR CELL PHONE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GRASP THE MATERIAL. AND USUALLY IT'S SELF CORRECTS BECAUSE WHOEVER IS PAYING FOR THEIR EDUCATION IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE PAYING FOR THEIR EDUCATION IF THEY FAIL. SO THAT'S NOT THE CASE NECESSARILY WITH PUBLIC SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S BEING PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYERS. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS AND ASK PARENTS WHY WE DON'T HAVE A BELL TO BELL BELL POLICY YET. I'D LIKE PARENTS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR STUDENTS TO PUT THE PHONE AWAY, EITHER LOCK IT UP IN THEIR LOCKER IN THE MORNING AND JUST NOT HAVE THAT TEMPTATION WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY THEY NEED TO FOCUS ON THEIR PERFORMANCE AND REMOVING THAT DISTRACTION. I KNOW A LOT OF THE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THE POLICIES THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE, AND THERE'S BUT THERE ARE STILL SOME THAT THAT ARE NOT FOLLOWING IT, AND IT COULD BE CREATING DISTRACTIONS FOR THOSE OTHER STUDENTS THAT REALLY DO WANT TO FOLLOW THAT POLICY. SO THAT'S THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SHARE. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING HOW THE COLLEGE PROFESSORS COLLEGES ARE, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THIS ALSO. AND IF WE COULD KIND OF START ENFORCING IT EARLIER IN THEIR EDUCATION PROCESS, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS THEY WILL BE MORE PREPARED WHEN THEY ENTER COLLEGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT HAHN. GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING, THAT I ECHO LAUREN'S STATEMENTS ABOUT SAFETY AND TERRY'S COMMENTS AS WELL. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN LIEU OF OR WITH DOCTOR MUELLER'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, GIVING UP THEIR STIPEND, I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA AND MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL TO ALSO LOOK AT THE TRIBAL FUNDS FOR ANY AND ALL CPS EMPLOYEES IN CENTRAL OFFICE. THE SUPERINTENDENT, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS AND LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING THE DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITIONS FOR CONFERENCES AND ANY ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE TRAVEL AND ACCOMMODATIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA NEXT MEETING ALSO, SO THAT WE COULD ALSO EVALUATE THAT FOR THE NEXT YEAR AS WELL, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE MUCH MORE SUBSTANTIAL AS WELL IN SAVINGS.AND MAYBE WE CAN USE THAT MONEY TOWARDS KEEPING SOME OF OUR TEACHERS. THAT'S IT. DOES
[01:00:05]
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE AGENDA WHILE WE'RE AT IT FOR NEXT WEEK? ALL RIGHT. I'LL WRAP UP HERE WITH A COUPLE OF POINTS. FIRST, WITH A NOTE OF GRATITUDE, AS I ALWAYS DO, I'D LIKE TO THANK JOE COLLINS, THE PRINCIPAL OVER AT BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL. WE DID. YOU KNOW, THE BOARD USED TO DO I FORGET WHAT WE CALLED IT, BUT WE USED TO GO AROUND AND VISIT MANY OF THE MANY OF THE SCHOOLS. WHAT WAS THAT CALLED? ERIC, EDITOR, GRAD TOUR. WE CHANGED IT. WE REBRANDED IT. WE INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, HITTING 3 OR 4 SCHOOLS IN A PERIOD OF 2 OR 3 HOURS AND GETTING A SUPERFICIAL DIVE. WE DECIDED TO GO TO DO A DEEPER DIVE AND SPEND REALLY THE MOST OF A DAY AT A SCHOOL. AND WE HAD OUR FIRST ONE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. IT'S AMAZING TO SEE ALL THE UNIQUE STUFF THAT THEY'RE DOING OVER AT THAT SCHOOL, THE SPECIALTY PROGRAMS, AND WHAT GREAT LEADERSHIP THEY'VE GOT AT THAT SCHOOL. SO I WANT TO THANK ERIC FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER, AND I WANT TO THANK JOE FOR ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT HE'S DOING OVER AT FALLSTON. THE SECOND GROUP THAT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THIS EVENING FOR GRATITUDE, AND IT'S REALLY APPRECIATION AND EMPATHY FOR OUR EDUCATORS. I'D LIKE TO START BY SAYING, I'M SORRY THAT MANY OF YOU ARE IN THE POSITION THAT WE ARE PUTTING YOU IN. WE RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS LAST WEEK FROM CONCERNED STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL STAFF CHANGES THROUGHOUT CPS, WHICH WE'RE PREPARING FOR NOW FOR NEXT YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE BUDGET CHALLENGES. I'M SORRY BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AND THE BONDS THAT HAPPEN BETWEEN EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, THE PARENTS. MANY OF US HAD FAVORITE TEACHERS GROWING UP, AND SO TO HAVE THAT TAKEN FROM YOU IS IT'S LIKE A PILLAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT'S BEING MOVED TO A DIFFERENT COMMUNITY. IT'S A TOUGH POSITION TO BE IN FOR EVERYBODY, AND WE'RE SORRY THAT THIS HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S A REALITY OF THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN. THERE WAS A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING AND A LOT OF RUMORS THAT WERE CIRCLING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT WERE LOSING THEIR JOBS. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON A COUPLE OF THINGS. SO OF THE 150 TEACHING POSITIONS THAT WILL BE ELIMINATED NEXT YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 150. LAST WEEK, SOME OF THEIR STAFF AND EDUCATORS STARTED TO RECEIVE PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATIONS THAT THEY MAY NEED TO BE MOVED NEXT YEAR. AT THIS TIME, AND BASED ON CURRENT PROJECTIONS, WE EXPECT WE FULLY EXPECT THAT THESE REDUCTIONS CAN BE MANAGED THROUGH ATTRITION, WHICH MEANS MOSTLY RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS, NOT FROM LAYOFFS.THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WERE LAYING OFF TEACHERS, AND THAT PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE A JOB NEXT YEAR. AND SO WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ANXIETY AROUND THIS PROCESS, THE GOAL REMAINS CLEAR. EVERYONE WHO HAS A JOB THIS YEAR SHOULD HAVE A JOB NEXT YEAR. WHAT'S HAPPENING IS EDUCATORS AND SOME ADMINISTRATORS MAY BE MOVED TO DIFFERENT GRADES, MAY BE MOVED TO DIFFERENT CLASSES, OR MAY BE MOVED TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN AN EFFORT TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND TO REBALANCE OUR RESOURCES. SO AGAIN, I'M SORRY THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AS A COMMUNITY, BUT THIS IS THE REALITY OF THE FISCAL SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN. THOSE WHO ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME, THAT'S NOT REALLY PRODUCTIVE RIGHT NOW. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON SUPPORTING EACH OTHER, SUPPORTING OUR EDUCATORS, SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY. THE BUDGET THAT'S BEEN PUT FORTH THAT I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT THE COUNTY CAN FULLY FUND THIS YEAR, IS AN 8% INCREASE OVER THE FUNDING THAT WE'VE HAD THIS YEAR. THAT IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTY BUDGET, WHEN THE COUNTY REVENUES ARE GROWING AT 5%. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THIS WILL BE FUNDED FULLY, IN PART BECAUSE THIS IS PART OF A THREE YEAR PLAN THAT WE'VE CRAFTED TO GET THE GROWTH AND THE ASK OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN LINE WITH THE GROWTH OF THE COUNTY. WITH THAT SAID, AND IT WAS ALSO NOTED THIS EVENING, THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE COMING FROM THE STATE FINANCIALLY.
WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE FINAL NUMBERS TO COME IN, BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING WHILE WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. NEXT, I'D LIKE TO SAY, IN ADDITION TO THE SESSIONS THAT WE DO HERE, THE BOARD ALSO DOES LISTENING SESSIONS. WE DO THEM FOR THE
[01:05:04]
PUBLIC, BUT WE ALSO DO LISTENING SESSIONS SPECIFICALLY FOR EDUCATORS AND SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS. HAPPY TO SAY THAT WITH OUR STUDENT MEMBER, SUPERINTENDENT AND SOME OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, WE'LL BE DOING OUR FIRST LISTENING SESSION DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR STUDENTS THIS THURSDAY AT 530 HERE IN THIS BOARD ROOM. IT WILL ALSO BE BROADCASTED VIRTUALLY.ONE OF THE FEEDBACK THAT PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT LAST TIME WAS WE HAD LIMITED PARTICIPATION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN'T DRIVE AND THEY'VE GOT SPORTS AND THEY'RE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO IF YOU WANT TO COME HERE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME. IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INFORMAL. WE'RE GOING TO BE SITTING HERE IN FRONT OF THE DAIS. WE'LL PULL YOU CLOSE AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, THERE WON'T BE A CLOCK COUNTING DOWN ON THREE MINUTES. WE CAN KIND OF HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT EDUCATION WITH NO GROUP. THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS, OUR STUDENTS. IF IT'S ENTICING AS WELL, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO HAVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN HERE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO BE CHICK FIL A OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GRAB A SNACK WITH US WHILE WE WHILE WE TALK ABOUT EDUCATION. AND THERE'S LOTS OF IMPORTANT THINGS THAT THIS BOARD IS LOOKING AT REGARDING EDUCATION FROM POTENTIALLY CHANGING START TIMES TO MODIFYING THE CELL PHONE POLICY. SO WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICES. SO WITH THAT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING, BOTH THE PUBLIC
[A. Consent Agenda]
AND THE BOARD MEMBERS. AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON WITH THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING. THERE IS NO OLD BUSINESS, SO WE WILL GO STRAIGHT TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, PLEASE READ THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. NUMBER ONE, RATIFICATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL AND SUPERVISORY PROFESSIONALS, THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES, THE ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS OF HARFORD COUNTY, HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION CERTIFIED CERTIFICATED SORRY. HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS. NUMBER TWO CONTRACT AWARD. CUSTODIAL SERVICES NUMBER THREE CONTRACT AWARD. CUSTODIAL SUPPLIES, EQUIPMENT AND CUSTODIAL RELATED PRODUCTS.SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS. NUMBER FOUR CONTRACT AWARD. GROUNDS EQUIPMENT OEM PARTS AND SERVICE.
NUMBER FIVE CONTRACT AWARD. RENTAL EQUIPMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RELATED FACILITIES OPERATIONS NUMBER SIX CONTRACT AWARD. FACILITY UTILIZATION AND PROGRAM ADEQUACY ASSESSMENT. NUMBER SEVEN CONTRACT AWARD. PROSPECT MILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMPREHENSIVE ROOF REPLACEMENT AND NUMBER EIGHT MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. JANUARY 13TH THROUGH 27TH, FIFTH, FEBRUARY 5TH, FEBRUARY 10TH AND FEBRUARY 24TH, 2025. OKAY. THANK YOU. MISS ALVAREZ HAD INDICATED THAT SHE LIKES TO PULL OFF ITEM ONE AS A SEPARATE VOTE. SO IS THAT STILL CORRECT, MISS ALVAREZ? ITEM ONE. AN ITEM TWO AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ITEM ONE AND ITEM TWO WILL BE PULLED OFF FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH ARE ITEMS THREE THROUGH EIGHT, PLEASE? CAROL. BRUCE. SO MOVED.
THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES. IS THERE ANY
[A.1. Ratification of AHCATSP, AFSCME, APSASHC, HCEA-Certificated, and HCEA-ESP Tentative Agreements]
OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. ITEMS THREE THROUGH EIGHT ARE APPROVED. WE'LL START LIMITED DISCUSSION ON ITEM ONE, MISS ALVAREZ. YES, I'D LIKE TO DRAW THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION TO.PARTICULARLY TO THE APSAC CONTRACT, WHICH IS THE BARGAINING UNIT FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS. THIS BARGAINING UNIT HAS A BOTTOM FLOOR OF 121,000. THAT MEANS THAT ANYBODY WHO STARTS OR MOVES INTO THIS BARGAINING UNIT WOULD HAVE A MINIMUM STARTING SALARY OF $121,000. THIS IS PRIMARILY BECAUSE THE CONTRACT TIES THE SALARY TO THE STEP ZERO POSITION OF THE TEACHER'S PAY. THE OTHER THING THAT THAT CREATES THIS LEVEL IS BY THE ME TOO CLAUSE, WHICH WHICH MEANS THAT ANYBODY WHO OR ANY IF THE TEACHERS RECEIVE A COLA OR A PAY INCREASE, THAT THE THAT THE SUPERVISORS SUPERVISORS ALSO RECEIVE THAT AS WELL. AND AS WE ATTEMPT TO MEET THE BLUEPRINT MANDATES, THIS WILL ALSO INCREASE THAT BARGAINING UNIT AS WELL, JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CONTRACT IS, IS WRITTEN. AND FOR THAT REASON, I AND THIS CONTRACT IS BEING RENEWED FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS. SO IF LANGUAGE DOESN'T GET IN THERE TO HELP REDUCE THE HIGH PAY THAT THESE THAT THE THAT THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS UNIT RECEIVE
[01:10:08]
THAT WE WON'T HAVE A WAY TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THIS BARGAINING UNIT AT A AT A, AT A MORE AFFORDABLE RATE, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT COME INTO THIS BARGAINING UNIT FROM OTHER AREAS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THEY COME, YOU KNOW, AT A BIG JUMP IN PAY BECAUSE THERE'S NO PLACE TO PUT THEM EXCEPT AT THAT 121 SALARY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BOTTOM END OF THAT BARGAINING UNIT. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO THAT WAS JUST A COMMENT FOR PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.YOU DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. OR ANYTHING? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST YOU KNOW, I WANTED A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. OKAY. FOR THE FOR THE CONTRACTS, FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE CONTRACTS. OKAY. ON ON EVERY CONTRACT OR ON THE BLOCK. WELL, I, I ONLY REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE, WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY THE BARGAINING UNIT, THE OTHER BARGAINING UNITS I MEAN THESE ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC'S VIEW ON OUR WEBSITE.
AND MOST OF THE SALARIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, IN THE OTHER BARGAINING UNITS ARE, ARE VERY SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY VERY LOW, EXCEPT FOR THIS ONE BARGAINING UNIT. SO I DID I WANTED TO REQUEST A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. YOU CAN LUMP ALL OF THEM AGAIN TOGETHER EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE BARGAINING UNIT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MISS. MISS ROLLO, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE ON THE FIRST, AND THEN LET'S DO AN ORDINARY VOTE ON ALL OF THE REST AS A BLOCK. I HAVE UNREADINESS. OH. I'M SORRY. WHAT? UNREADINESS. BEFORE WE DO THE VOTE, YOU'RE. WHAT? HAVE UNREADINESS. I HAVE A QUESTION. OH, SURE. YEAH. AT THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED IS THAT THE BOARD IS BRIEFED AS THESE AGREEMENTS ARE BEING MADE AND WE PROVIDE TO THE STAFF THE INFORMATION THAT WE AS A BOARD HAVE TO APPROVE. AND THERE'S A TIMELINE THAT THAT WE MEET IN ORDER TO DO THE NEGOTIATIONS. SO TO BRING THIS UP NOW, WHAT IMPACT IS THAT GOING TO HAVE IF THE UNION THEN COMES BACK AND WE HAVE IMPASSE AND THERE WE ARE WITH THESE THESE CONTRACTS, WE ALREADY APPROVED THIS PREVIOUSLY. SO ALL EACH STEP OF THE WAY. SO NOW I HAVE A I AM THINKING THAT WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION THAT ONE PERSON ON THE BOARD IS SPEAKING FOR WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED BY THIS BOARD. SO JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS. SO THIS IS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY LENGTHY PROCESS, WHICH IS COMING TO A CULMINATING POINT TONIGHT. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE AGREEMENTS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND IN THE SORT OF GROUND RULES WHEN WE BARGAIN WITH THE VARIOUS UNIONS, THEY GENERALLY ARE CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL THEY'RE RATIFIED. WE HOLD THESE IN CLOSED SESSION. SO WE'VE HAD MANY WE'VE HELD MANY CLOSED SESSIONS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT'S OKAY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER TO REQUEST A ROLL CALL AND TO SAY THAT THEY MAY BE AGREE OR DON'T AGREE WITH AN ASPECT OF IT, BUT THE BOARD WILL SPEAK AS A WHOLE BASED ON THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTE OF THE BOARD. SO I MEAN, WITH THAT, I THINK EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROCESS. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN FOLLOWED, AND WE'RE READY TO BRING IT TO A VOTE AT THIS POINT. SO IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE? I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE THE COMMENT THAT PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THAT WHEN A PERSON IS PROMOTED FROM A TEACHING POSITION UP INTO AN ADMINISTRATIVE POSITION, THEY ARE GOING FROM A TEN MONTH POSITION TO A 12 MONTH POSITION.
AND SO THERE SHOULD BE AN INCREASE IN SALARY AT THAT POINT. THEY'RE WORKING TWO MORE MONTHS EVERY YEAR. AND IN FACT, IN MANY CASES THEY'RE ACTUALLY MAKING A LOWER WAGE ON A PER HOUR BASIS AFTER THE FACT OF TAKING THE JOB. OKAY. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, LET'S DO A ROLL CALL. VOTE ON THE FIRST ONE, PLEASE. MISS ALVAREZ, NO, MISS BRUCE. YES, MISS KOCHER? YES, DOCTOR MUELLER. YES, MISS BOUZOUKI? YES. THAT'S PREFERENTIAL. ONLY MISS PERRY.
YES. MR. SEWELL? YES, MISS STRAUSS? YES, VICE PRESIDENT HAHN. NO. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON.
[01:15:11]
YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. OKAY. THANK YOU. LET'S DO JUST A BLOCK VOTE ON THE SECOND. MRS. ALVAREZ. YES, MISS. BRUCE? YES, MRS. KOCHER? YES, DOCTOR. MUELLER. YES, MISS. MIZUKI? YES, MISS. PERRY? YES, MR. SEWELL? YES, MISS. STRAUSS. YES, VICE PRESIDENT. HAHN. YES. PRESIDENT.[A.2. Contract Award: Custodial Services]
BOYNTON. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. ITEM ONE PASSES IN ITS ENTIRETY. MOVING ON TO NUMBER TWO. CONTRACT AWARD FOR CUSTODIAL SERVICES. MISS ALVAREZ. YES, I HAD SOME. I WOULD LIKE TO ACTUALLY REQUEST THAT THIS CONTRACT BE POSTPONED. VOTING ON THIS CONTRACT BE POSTPONED UNTIL WE'RE FURTHER ALONG IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. BECAUSE THIS, THIS THIS CONTRACT, CUSTODIAL SERVICE CONTRACT IS THE YEARS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE IMPACTED WILL BE INTO THE BUDGETING NEXT YEAR'S BUDGETING YEAR. AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE VOTING ON THIS CONTRACT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR OVERALL BUDGET AS THINGS COME UP. OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET APPROVAL OR THE ACTUAL FUNDING BACK FROM THE COUNTY AND THE STATE AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS WOULD BE AN AREA THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. SO I'M JUST REQUESTING THAT WE MOVE THIS TO THE MAY TIME FRAME AND, AND VOTE ON IT IN THE MAY TIME FRAME AS TO AS OPPOSED TO NOW. THANKS. I PULLED THIS UP TO THE DAIS HERE FOR ANY FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS.SO I KNOW YOU HAVE A QUESTION, BUT COULD YOU RESPOND BACK TO HER IF YOU HAD ANYTHING? AND THEN ALSO, CAN THE BOARD UNDERSTAND THAT THE TIMELINESS OF THIS AND, YOU KNOW, WOULD THERE BE AN ISSUE IF THAT WERE THE CASE? SURE. SO THERE IS SOME CONCERN REGARDING DELAY. THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW VENDOR FOR US, THIS VENDOR THAT WAS SELECTED THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WHICH WENT OUT TO BID, IS A NEW VENDOR IN THE AREA. SO THEY ARE GOING TO NEED SOME TIME TO RAMP UP. SO DELAYING THAT MAY DELAY THEIR ABILITY TO HIRE. IT IS ALSO GOING TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO CLEAN FOR THE SUMMER. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, SUMMER CLEANING IS A CRITICAL TIME FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO PLAN FOR THAT APPROPRIATELY. THIS IS ACTUALLY A CONTRACT THAT WAS A SOMEWHAT OF A CONTINUATION OF OUR PHILOSOPHY, WHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SUBS COMING IN TO ASSIST WITH CERTAIN POSITIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FILL. ABOUT 3400 HOURS A MONTH IS WHAT WE WERE FORECASTING FOR. WE HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING FOR SERVICES THAT WERE NOT RENDERED. IF THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET THAT AS THE VENDOR, AND THAT WOULD CONTINUE WITH THIS CONTRACT. SO I DID HEAR THAT THIS EVENING. I DID WANT TO CLEAR THAT UP. SO YEAH, THIS WOULD PUT US IN A SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SCHOOLS PREPARED FOR THE SCHOOL START. SO, SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THIS EVENING FROM THE ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT WAS, WAS THERE A COST ANALYSIS DONE OF THE SAVINGS THAT WE WOULD GET BY HIRING THE SUBCONTRACTOR OR, YOU KNOW, USING CPS CURRENT STAFF TO DO THAT, THE JOB, THE SUBBING? SO THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FILL THESE POSITIONS. SO THESE WERE PREVIOUSLY WHAT THEY CALL KIND OF AN ON CALL SUB POSITION.
AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FILL, WHICH IS WHERE THESE ACTUALLY CAME FROM. AND IT WAS A BASICALLY PHILOSOPHICAL MOVE SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT CONTRACTED SERVICES TO FILL SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL THROUGH OUR OWN STAFFING. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO HIRE FOR. WE CURRENTLY HAVE VACANCIES STILL, EVEN IN OUR OWN CUSTODIAL RANKS SEPARATE FROM THESE POSITIONS. SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRY TO HIRE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO. OUR HOPE WOULD BE AT SOME POINT, MAYBE WE WOULDN'T NEED THESE SERVICES, BUT WE'RE NOT AT THAT POINT YET, AND I THINK WE WOULD BE PUTTING OURSELVES IN AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION IF WE WEREN'T ABLE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL CLEANING SERVICES AVAILABLE TO US. IF I COULD ADD A LITTLE BIT TO THAT, WHEN WE WENT TO OUR FIRST EFFORT WITH THIS, WITH A COMPANY THAT WE ARE FINISHING WITH NOW, IT WAS THIS CONSIDERATION THAT WE HAD ALL THESE POSITIONS, AS MR. BENDER SAID, THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL. WE'VE TRADITIONALLY HAD 30 TO 40 VACANCIES FOR CUSTODIANS, AND THAT HAS NOT GOTTEN EASIER. AND SO WHEN YOU PUT THAT IN CONTEXT WITH WHAT AND I KNOW YOU'VE YOU'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OF A BRIEFING OF THE WORK THAT H.R. AND BUDGET ARE DOING
[01:20:03]
ON THE ORACLE ROLLOUT AND THE TIME THEY'RE SPENDING RIGHT NOW DOING THAT WORK. YOU ADD TO THAT THE FACT IF WE WERE TO NOT BRING IN THESE THESE CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES, ESSENTIALLY TO REPLACE THE CONTRACTORS WE HAVE IN PLACE ALREADY, WHICH IS ABOUT 25 TO 30 ISH, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER 25 POSITIONS THAT HR WOULD NEED TO HIRE FOR THAT. AGAIN, OVER YEARS WE'RE NEVER ABLE TO HIRE FOR. AND YOU ADD THAT INTO THE MIX OF THE WORK ON ORACLE, THE WORK ON TRYING TO SORT OUT THE PLACEMENTS THAT NEED TO OCCUR WITH THE WITH THE POSITIONS THAT WE'VE CUT ALREADY. IT ADDS A WORKLOAD TO A TEAM THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS IT. AND WHAT THAT WOULD LEAD TO IS THE SAME SITUATION WE WERE IN A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE WE JUST HAD VACANCIES.AND SO WHEN MISS BENNIS TALKS ABOUT THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO CHALLENGES CLEANING FOR THE SUMMER, IT WOULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO CHALLENGES OF STAFFING OUR SCHOOLS WITH CUSTODIANS DURING THE YEAR AND AGAIN, CONTRACTING UNFORTUNATELY, IS IT'S NOT IDEAL, BUT IT ALSO ISN'T SOMETHING THAT'S NEW TO US. WE'VE CONTRACTED FOR POSITIONS FOR MANY YEARS, IN SOME CASES FOR PARTICULARLY IN THE SPECIAL ED REALM, FOR POSITIONS THAT ARE THAT WE'VE HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY HIRING FOR. AND IN THOSE CASES, VERY OFTEN WE HAVE TO PAY A PREMIUM WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE PAY OUR ACTUAL EMPLOYEES IN THOSE ROLES. BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE AND THE WORKFORCE DOESN'T EXIST FOR THAT. SO THIS IS LESS ABOUT MONEY SAVINGS AND MORE ABOUT ACTUALLY FILLING VACANT POSITIONS, WHICH WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS. I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. WHEN THERE IS A SPACE THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED, IS THAT OFFERED TO ANY AND ALL CPS, CURRENT CUSTODIANS, STAFF BEFORE IT'S FILLED WITH A CONTRACT EMPLOYEE? SO THERE IS A PROCESS FOR VOLUNTARY TRANSFERS. THERE'S ALSO A PROCESS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO'S LOOKING TO BE PROMOTED OR IF THEY WOULD LIKE A DIFFERENT SHIFT. SO YES, IF WE ARE LOOKING TO HIRE FOR SPECIFIC POSITIONS WITHIN SCHOOLS, THESE ARE MORE FOR WHAT WE WOULD CALL LIKE AN ON CALL FILL IN TYPE ROLE. SO WHEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S OUT ON LEAVE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, WE WOULD PREVIOUSLY USE A SUB POOL TO BRING THEM IN TO CLEAN. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT RIGHT NOW. SO YES, IF YOU'RE THERE LOOKING FOR A POSITION, THERE ARE PLENTY OF CUSTODIAL VACANCIES. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED TO GO TO CPS. ORG ON EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. AND AGAIN, THE VOLUNTARY TRANSFER PROCESS FOR OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES IS IN PLACE. AND THERE'S OTHER PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM AS WELL. WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A LOT OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO CAME IN WITH OUR CURRENT CONTRACTOR DO END UP BEING EMPLOYED WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SO THAT'S BEEN A GREAT BENEFIT TO US AS WELL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS? I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. ONE OF THE THINGS I HEARD ONE OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS SAY IS THAT THEY WEREN'T REQUIRED TO DO THE SAME BACKGROUND CHECKS, WHICH WAS NOT MY UNDERSTANDING. HAS THAT CHANGED? THAT IS NOT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE. OKAY.
THANK YOU. THERE WAS ALSO SOME CONCERNS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY OR THE CONTRACTORS KNOWING WHAT TO DO. WHAT EFFORTS DO WE HAVE TO KIND OF MAKE A FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE CONTRACTORS WORKING BESIDE THEM, SO IT CAN BE A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN THE SAME SPACE, MOST OF OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE OUR EVENING STAFF THAT'S COMING IN TO ASSIST. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TRAINING PROGRAM THAT THEY MAKE AVAILABLE TO US, SO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE BEING TOLD.
AND THEN OUR CUSTODIAL COORDINATORS ARE PART OF THAT TRAINING AS WELL, SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT CPS IS. EXPECTATIONS ARE IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD. THE EVENING NUMBER TWO, WHO'S OUR EMPLOYEE WOULD BRING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION OR THE CHIEF OF THE BUILDING, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION DURING THE DAY.
OKAY. JUST SOMETHING TO PAY ATTENTION TO I GUESS, AS NEW PEOPLE COME IN. YES. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS ON THE TABLE? IF NOT, I MADE A MOTION TO DEFER VOTING ON THE CONTRACT TO THE MAY TIME FRAME. UNTIL WHAT? TILL TO MAY. MAY? OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT ONE? THIS IS MELISSA AND I SECOND THE MOTION. OKAY. ROLL CALL. MISS ALVAREZ. YES, MISS. BRUCE? NO. MISS KOCHER. NO. DOCTOR MUELLER, NO. MISS. OKAY. NO. MISS PERRY, NO. MR. SEWELL. NO. STRAUSS. NO.
VICE PRESIDENT. HAHN. YES. PRESIDENT. BOYNTON. NO. THIS MOTION FAILS. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE? ITEM TWO, CONTRACT AWARD. THIS IS WADE, AND I MOVE
[01:25:06]
TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT. SECOND CUSTODIAL SERVICES. THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES.YES, YES, YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. NO, NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YO
[B. Presentation of Mentorship Program "boys2MEN, WillPower, and Civics and Chess", Pastor A.L. Reeves, Mr. William Howard, and Reverend Dr. Marlon B. Tilghman]
BACK. I USUALLY CHOOSE I USUALLY CHOOSE 510 OR 520. ALRIGHT. WELCOME BACK EVERYONE. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO NEW BUSINESS. ITEM B PRESENTATION OF MENTOR MENTORSHIP PROGRAM. BOYS TO MEN, WILLPOWER AND CIVICS AND CHESS. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME PASTOR AL REEVES, MR. WILLIAM HOWARD, AND REVEREND TILLMAN FOR YOUR PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING. WELCOME. WHERE'S MY MUSIC? I ASKED FOR BOYZ II MEN MOTOWNPHILLY TO PLAY. I DID. DID THEY NOT GET THEIR REQUEST? I LITERALLY ASKED FOR THAT SONG TO PLAY, AS YOU GUYS MADE SURE WE DIDN'T USE THE ONE WITH THE BIG ROMAN, NUMERAL. YES, I KNOW, ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU TO MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MISS VICE PRESIDENT, TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND TO DOCTOR BOLSON AS WELL. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. YOU'VE GOT TWO PREACHERS UP HERE AND YOU ALSO HAVE A WORSHIP LEADER. SO WE MIGHT BE HERE TILL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT, BUT I PROMISE YOU THAT WON'T HAPPEN. AND WE'RE ALSO NOT GOING TO TAKE UP AN OFFERING PLATE. BUT IF YOU SO MIND AND BE SO KIND. TONIGHT IS A SERIOUS NIGHT. IT'S A SERIOUS MOMENT. WE TAKE IT TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING.LET ME FIRST BEGIN BY SAYING THESE WORDS. THE OPERATING BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE AMASSED AND ARE WORKING WITH. THIS MENTORING PROGRAM HAS NO USE OR NO NEED FOR WE'RE NOT COMING HERE ASKING FOR MONEY. WE ARE COMING HERE TONIGHT AS THE CAVALRY OVER TOP OF THE HILL TO HELP SUPPORT, TO FILL IN IN AREAS WHERE YOU NEED HELP IN, AND MOST SPECIFICALLY TO CHANGE THE GAME THAT WE'RE IN. THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO US ABOUT THE NEED AND THE ESSENCE FOR ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD. WE'RE PRESENTING THE GOOD TONIGHT. THERE'S NO ARGUMENT HERE. THERE'S NO BARRIERS HERE. WE'RE HERE AS MEN WHO WANT TO WORK IN OUR SCHOOLS AS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOLARS THAT PASS THROUGH OUR DOORS. SO TONIGHT, WE'RE CHANGING THE GAME. I'M PASTOR REEVES, DIRECTOR OF THE BOYS TO MEN MENTORING PROGRAM. IT'S RUN FOR OVER 20 SOME YEARS. TONIGHT I HAVE WITH ME IN THE AUDIENCE MR. JAMES FULTON, WHO STARTED THE PROGRAM UNDER DOCTOR JACKIE HAWS. AND I WAS SO BLESSED TO BE ONE OF HIS MENTEES, AND HE LED ME AND GUIDED ME AND DIRECTED ME. AND ALSO TONIGHT, WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE OUR MENTOR IN THE MIDST, DOCTOR ERIC DAVIS, WHO IS SO KINDLY OFFERED HIS SUPPORT, HELP, LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE. WHY AM I SAYING THIS? I'M SAYING THAT BECAUSE EVERYONE NEEDS A MENTOR. I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU COME FROM IN LIFE. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS. SOMEBODY MENTORS YOU. SOMEBODY HELPED YOU GET TO YOUR SPOT. WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THE SCHOLARS THAT WE SERVE. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I WILL HAVE MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE SO ILLUSTRIOUS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS WILLIAM HOWARD. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF WILLPOWER, WHICH IS A MENTORING GROUP. I KNOW IT IS A PLAY ON WORDS OF MY NAME, BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAVE GONE THROUGH AS A ADOLESCENT. AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. I AM A HARFORD COUNTY NATIVE, AND I TOO ALSO HAVE STRUGGLED AS A STUDENT. AND SO MY EXPERIENCE OVERCOMING THOSE ISSUES AND THOSE STRUGGLES AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE INSIGHTS THAT I'VE GAINED AS AN ADULT, HAVE REALLY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CULMINATE THAT INTO A PROGRAM CALLED WILLPOWER, WHICH I AM INSTILLING THOSE VALUES THAT I'VE LEARNED INTO THE YOUNG MEN THAT ARE IN THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND IN HIGH SCHOOLS. SO I REALLY ENJOY BEING HERE AGAIN BECAUSE I AM A NATIVE OF THIS AREA. AND SO I SEE THE PLIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THE EXPERIENCES THAT A LOT OF OUR YOUNG MEN FACE. AND I OFTEN THINK BACK TO WHAT I DID NOT RECEIVE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE GIVEN. AND SO I REALLY AM LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
[01:30:07]
FOCUSING ON THE EQUITY THAT IS NEEDED AMONGST OUR YOUNG MEN, NOT JUST GIVING EVERYBODY THE SAME THING, BUT MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS WHAT THEY NEED. REVEREND DOCTOR MARLIN TILLMAN BEEN PASTORING NOW FOR ALMOST 19 YEARS TO BE 19 YEARS JULY 1ST. I'VE BEEN MENTORING FOR OVER 30 YEARS. I STARTED WITH BLACK PROFESSIONAL MEN INCORPORATED BACK IN 1992 WHEN I MET WHEN I LED THE MENTORING PROGRAM AT LOMBARD MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BALTIMORE CITY. I WOULD THEN DO SOME OTHER MENTORING WORK THROUGH BRIDGE, MARYLAND INCORPORATED, WHICH IS AN ADVOCACY GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE. I MEAN, ADULTS WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE MENTOR. AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, I STARTED A MENTORING PROGRAM CALLED CIVICS AND CHESS AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.IN HIS FOURTH YEAR. AGAIN, VOLUNTEERS THAT COME WITH THEIR HEARTS TO SHARE WITH THEIR HEARTS WITH THESE CHILDREN. AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE DO IN THE CIVICS AND CHESS PROGRAM, WE TEACH CHESS TO TEACH THEM STRATEGY, TO THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT THE THOUGHTS, THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE. AND THE SIXTH PIECE PRETTY MUCH LOOKS LIKE SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK. WE JUST BRING IT BACK WITH A TWIST, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR 30 YEARS. THE MENTORING PROGRAM THROUGH AIMS HAS BEEN DOING IT NOW FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, AND WE'RE JUST EXCITED ABOUT BEING IN PRESENCE OF THESE, THESE CHILDREN, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL THEY REALLY WANTED SOMEONE TO SAY, TODAY, I CARE ABOUT YOU AND THAT I'M HERE TO FILL THAT GAP, THAT WHATEVER MIGHT BE MISSING EITHER AT HOME OR AT SCHOOL, WE'RE HERE TO FILL THE GAP. SO YOU HEAR THE BRIDGE. THE BRIDGE IS OBVIOUS. THE WORK IS OBVIOUS. WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO IS OBVIOUS. THE KEY PART THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH OVER THE YEARS IN THE MENTORING PROGRAMS ACROSS THIS COUNTY IS THAT WE NEVER HAVE ENOUGH MENTORS. WE NEVER HAVE A WAY OF BUILDING A POOL. SUSTAINABILITY. WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE CAN DO THAT. WILL HAS ALREADY SPOKE ABOUT. HE'S WORKING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ALONG WITH PASTOR. I'M WORKING IN THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS. OUR GOAL IS WHAT WE DID AT BOYS TO MEN OVER TIME, WHICH IS THIS VERY SIMPLE. THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE BRING TO OUR PROGRAMS, WE REVOLVE THEM RIGHT BACK INTO OUR PROGRAMS. RIGHT NOW, I'VE GOT 175 YOUNG MEN WHO ARE READY TO GO TO WORK AS VOLUNTEERS, NOT AFTER SCHOOL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, GIVING UP THEIR TIME IN THE MORNINGS, IN THE AFTERNOONS, CAFETERIA, HALLWAYS, BALL GAMES, SHOWING UP AND MAKING THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO THESE YOUNG MEN. THE WORK IS EXTENSIVE AND IT'S HARD, BUT WE GOT MEN WHO ARE READY TO LIFT AND DO THE WORK, SO ALL WE ASK FOR IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND WE'RE ALREADY DOING IT. AS WILL SAID IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AS PASTOR IS DOING AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AS I'M BEGINNING TO DO AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL IN MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND WHY THOSE SCHOOLS? WELL, THE EPICENTER HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEM GOING TO THE FIGHT. WILL. SO FIRST, I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THIS QUOTE THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS UP THE NEED FOR MENTORSHIP DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, AS PASTOR REEVES JUST ALLUDED TO. SO THE QUOTE SAYS, IT'S UNFAIR TO SILENTLY EXPECT TEACHERS TO EXCEL AS MENTORS AND EDUCATORS WHEN THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT ROLES WITH TWO DIFFERENT PRIORITIES, TWO DIFFERENT AREAS OF FOCUS, TWO SEPARATE LISTS. OKAY. AND I JUST WANT TO GO TO SHOWING YOU THE COMPARISON, YOU KNOW, TO BRING THAT MORE TO LIFE. SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME, BUT THERE ARE SOME DISTINCT DIFFERENCES. AS A MENTOR. RESPONSIBILITIES ARE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS, MENTAL MAINTENANCE AND STILL VALUES NURTURE LIFE SKILLS, CRISIS INTERVENTION. SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE MENTORS PRIMARILY FOCUS ON. VERSUS AN EDUCATOR'S RESPONSIBILITY IS MORE SO ON ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, SCHOOL DISTRICT EXPECTATIONS, A SAFE AND RESPECTFUL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE.
SO THEY'RE BOTH IMPORTANT. BUT THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE AREAS OF FOCUS. THE SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES ARE COMPREHENSION. WE BOTH WANT CONCEPTS TO BE COMPREHENDED THE COMPETENCE, THE RETENTION AND THE GOAL SETTING. BUT JUST IN TWO DIFFERENT AREAS OF FOCUS.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TO DISPLAY JUST A STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. SO WHAT WE ARE THE THREE OF US THAT YOU SEE HERE WE ARE WHAT YOU WOULD CALL SPECIALIST. WE ARE MENTOR SPECIALISTS. A SPECIALIST IS A PERSON WHO CONCENTRATES PRIMARILY ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT OR ACTIVITY, HIGHLY
[01:35:01]
SKILLED IN A SPECIFIC AND RESTRICTED FIELD. YOU'VE HEARD THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BETWEEN US. I ALSO FAILED TO SHARE THAT I WAS A HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOL EMPLOYEE AS A PEER EDUCATOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THEN I DIRECTED BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS BETWEEN HARFORD COUNTY AND BALTIMORE CITY AS WELL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND SO I'M HERE TO GIVE BACK TO AGAIN THE PLACE THAT I WAS BORN AND RAISED. AND SO AGAIN, WE ARE MENTORSHIP SPECIALISTS. SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GIVE SPACE TO DIVE MORE INTO WHAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE AND THE CAPACITIES OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO WE'LL PASS IT BACK TO PASTOR REEVES. SO PASTOR REECE AGAIN, BOYS TO MEN MENTORING PROGRAM, WHICH HAS BEEN OPERATIONAL IN HARFORD COUNTY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. IT STARTED UNDER DOCTOR JACKIE HOLLIS, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. JAMES FULTON. BACK IN ABERDEEN. AT ONE TIME WE HAD BOYS TO MEN STRETCHING FROM JOPPATOWNE TO HAVRE DE GRACE. WE HAD OVER 500 YOUNG MEN IN OUR PROGRAM. WE HAVE GRADUATED SOME OVER 4000 YOUNG MEN FROM OUR BOYS TO MEN MENTORING PROGRAM, WHO WENT ON TO LEAD SUCCESSFUL LIVES. BUT THE KEY I WANT TO TOUCH INTO IS IT'S NOT ONLY JUST WHAT HAPPENS IN SCHOOL. IF YOU NOTICE THERE WE DO SUMMER WORK PROGRAMS, SUMMER WORK PROGRAMS ARE HUGE. WE PARTNERED WITH SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK TO BUILD A COALITION TO HAVE THESE YOUNG MEN WORK DURING THE SUMMER. THAT'S A GAME CHANGER, PUTTING MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO A STEP FURTHER THIS YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO GET THESE YOUNG MEN JOBS, EVEN DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THROUGH SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE NETWORK. WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING YOUNG MEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE JOBS AND DO WORK THAT WILL BENEFIT NOT ONLY THEM, BUT THEIR FAMILIES. YOU DON'T KNOW THE IMPACT OF WATCHING A YOUNG MAN STAND IN THE GROCERY LINE, AND HIS MOM GOES TO PAY FOR THE GROCERIES, AND HE PULLS OUT HIS CARD AND SAYS, MOM, I GOT THIS. OR TO PAY FOR A BILL. THAT'S OUR HOOK IN BOYS TO MEN. WE HOOK THEM WITH THAT TO TIE THEM BACK INTO ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS. ALL OF US KNOW THAT WE KNOW SONGS, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE SONG. YOU JUST KNOW THE HOOK. WE ARE THE ONES THAT BRING THE HOOK, THE HOOK TO GET THESE KIDS TIED INTO THE ACADEMIC PROCESS AND ALSO LEAD INTO THE WORK WORLD, WHICH IS HUGE. SO CIVICS AND CHESS. I TOLD YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM. WE TEACH THEM HOW TO DEVELOP STRATEGY THROUGH LEARNING THE GAME OF CHESS, AND WE TEACH THEM ABOUT CIVICS THROUGH, AGAIN, BRINGING BACK SOME OF THE OLD SCHOOL TRADITIONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT HOW TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO EXPOSE OUR CHILDREN TO COLLEGE. ALREADY. WE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE ATMOSPHERE MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND GOING TO COLLEGE, BECAUSE I KNOW AT ONE TIME WHEN WE FIRST GOT OUR BOYS INTO THE PROGRAM, EVERYBODY WANTED TO BE AN ATHLETE. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THE THING. THAT'S HOW THEY WANT TO GET THEMSELVES OUT OF THIS THING. WE TOOK THEM ON MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY'S CAMPUS, AND AFTERWARDS SOME OF THEM SAID, NO, I WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE AS THEIR PRIMARY GOAL. WE ALSO HAVE ATHLETICS. WE DO PLAY GYM AND OTHER SPORTS JUST TO KEEP THEM ACTIVE, BECAUSE I LEARNED THAT SOME OF THESE KIDS GOT TOO MUCH TIME IN FRONT OF THOSE BOARD GAMES, OR SHOULD I SAY HANDHELD GAMES, AND THEY NEED SOME EXERCISE. ANYTIME I CAN OUTRUN IT. I'M ALMOST 60 YEARS OLD. THAT'S PRETTY BAD. AND SO THOSE, THOSE, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE DO WITH OUR BOYS. BUT THE MAIN THING WE TRY TO INSTILL IN THEM IS THIS WE CARE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? ONCE SOME, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A HUG, SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A CONVERSATION. AND WE USUALLY HAVE WE HAVE THESE POWWOWS BEFORE EVERY SESSION. HOW ARE YOU DOING AND HOW CAN WE HELP? OUR LATEST GOAL HAS BEEN BECAUSE OF THE STATS THAT ARE GOING ON IN HARFORD COUNTY, IS TO START MORE TUTORING OF THE BOYS THAT HAVE THE MOST CHALLENGES, JUST SETTING THEM ASIDE AND SAY, LOOK, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU IN YOUR MATH AND READING AND HOW EFFECTIVE FOR YOU? AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S THE THING THAT WE DO AT CIVICS AND JUST WE JUST WANT TO BE HOLISTIC IN OUR LOVE FOR THEM AND CONSTANTLY REMINDING THEM WE DO THIS OUT OF OUR HEARTS. NONE OF US ARE GETTING PAID TO BE HERE. WE DO THIS EVERY TUESDAY, AND WE'D LIKE TO DO IT A WHOLE LOT MORE IF WE GET THE SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GET. OKAY, FINALLY BACK TO ME AGAIN. LIKE I SAID, MY NAME IS WILL HOWARD AND THE PROGRAM THAT I LEAD IS WILL POWER. I KIND OF EXPLAINED ALREADY WHAT THE BACKGROUND WAS WITH THE NAME OF THAT, BUT WE FOCUS PRIMARILY ON CHARACTER, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS. WE ARE, LIKE PASTOR REEVES ALLUDED TO, WE ARE IN THE SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY SERVING MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY HALLS, CROSSROADS ELEMENTARY AND EDGEWOOD MIDDLE. AND DURING THAT TIME IN THE MORNING, WE COME IN AT ARRIVAL AND WE DO A CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT LESSON. AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WE OFFER ONE ON ONE SUPPORT AND MENTORSHIP TO THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL, PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON THE BARRIERS THAT WOULD IMPACT THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS AS IT RELATES
[01:40:05]
TO CHARACTER AND JUST EMOTIONAL WELLNESS. SO WE PRIMARILY FOCUS ON THOSE BARRIERS THAT KIND OF KEEPS THEM FROM BEING IN THE CLASSROOM, MAY CAUSE THEM TO HAVE TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM AND NOT BE ABLE TO RECOVER. SO WE JUST HELP WITH THAT SELF-AWARENESS, YOU KNOW, THEM UNDERSTANDING THEMSELVES BETTER AND LEARNING HOW THEY CAN WIN THEIR DAY. AND SO THIS MAP JUST SPEAKS TO WHAT WE JUST EXPLAINED WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT. WILLPOWER IS IN EDGEWOOD, MIDDLE MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY HALLS, CROSSROADS, ELEMENTARY CIVICS, AND CHESS IS AT THE EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND BOYS AND MEN IS AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL AND MAGNOLIA MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRENTLY. AND WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND AND BUILD AND REALLY FILL IN THE GAPS. AND YOU'LL SEE KIND OF WHAT OUR MODEL IS, WHAT OUR GOAL IS. PASTOR HAS ALREADY SAID WE WANT TO GET KIDS THROUGH THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO WE WANT MENTORSHIP TO BE AS A FEEDER SYSTEM WHERE WE, THE KIDS, KNOW THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE ONE SCHOOL LEVEL ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THEY KNOW THAT WHEN THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY STILL ARE COVERED WITH MENTORSHIP. THEY KNOW WHEN THEY GO TO HIGH SCHOOL, THEY'RE STILL COVERED WITH MENTORSHIP. SO WE WANT TO KIND OF FILL THE GAPS CURRENTLY WHERE THERE'S NO SUPPORT. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING OUT MR. ZENO JONES, WHO HAS A MENTOR PROGRAM AT ABERDEEN AS WELL, AND HE'S DOING A FANTASTIC JOB WITH THAT PROGRAM AS WELL. SO WHY ARE WE NECESSARY? MENTORS ENCOURAGE PERSISTENCE AND RESILIENCE. THEY GIVE EXPERIENTIAL PERSPECTIVE AND ADVICE. THEY BOOST CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM. THEY REDUCE DISCIPLINE ISSUES. THEY INSPIRE CAREER AND LIFE GOALS. THEY AID IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION.THEY GIVE A SENSE OF AFFIRMATION, INCLUSION AND BELONGING. AND THEY BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES BETWEEN STUDENTS, PARENTS AND SCHOOLS. SO SIMPLY, WE DO FILL THE GAP. THIS IS THE MENTORSHIP MODEL THAT WE SPOKE OF. SO IT'S A COHESIVE AND ASCENDED COLLABORATIVE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM THAT BUILDS ON SKILLS, CONCEPTS AND VALUES THAT PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE UPCOMING CHALLENGES IN THEIR NEXT SCHOOL. AND SO I THINK THE KEY WORD IN THAT IS THE BUILDING IT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD. IT'S A HANDOFF BETWEEN MALE STUDENTS AND MENTORS AT EACH LEVEL. THEY GRADUATE AT TO ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND THEN HIGH, CULTIVATING A FULLY SUPPORTED AND MATURED YOUNG MAN. OKAY, SO LET ME TAKE THE SCHOOL CULTURE. SO SCHOOL SCHOOL CULTURE, REALLY THE DEPTH OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND I HAVE TO GO BACK TO THIS, THE SITUATION THAT BROUGHT US HERE WAS OUR WATCH. THE YOUNG MAN WHO PASSED AWAY WAS MURDERED AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, WAS ON OUR WATCH. THAT CAN'T HAPPEN EVER AGAIN. NOT ON OUR WATCH. SO THE SCHOOL CULTURE IS IMPORTANT TO US IN THE FRAMEWORK OF. IT'S MORE THAN JUST A METAL DETECTOR.
IT'S GETTING INVOLVED IN THE STUDENT'S LIFE, THE SCHOLAR'S LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY, BRIDGING THAT GAP INTO THE SCHOOL SO THAT WE WANT THAT STUDENT THINKING ABOUT WHEN THEY WALK INTO THE HALLWAYS OF JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY, EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOCUSED ON THE ACADEMIC ASCENT, FOCUSED ON CAREERS AND GOALS AND PURPOSE, NOT MINDFUL AND NOT CARING ABOUT WHAT SOMEBODY IS WEARING, WHAT SOMEBODY LOOKS LIKE, BUT FOCUSED ON READING, WRITING, AND MATH. GRADUATION. THE PURPOSE TO GO TO THAT NEXT LEVEL. BUT DON'T STOP THERE. BUT BUILDING THE CULTURE TO THE COMMUNITY SO PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S A GPA. I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS MORE ACRONYMS THAN ANYBODY ON THE PLANET, AND IT'S AMAZING HOW PARENTS CAN EVEN TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY ARE OR WHO THEY ARE. WHAT'S OUR JOB AS MENTORS TO BUILD THAT CULTURE WHERE WE CAN MAKE THAT ACCESSIBLE SO THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE SAME LANGUAGE. SO THE PARENTS WALK IN WITH THE SAME KNOWLEDGE BASE AS THEIR SCHOLARS, WHICH BUILDS THAT ATTITUDE OF SUCCESS ALL THE WAY AROUND. LISTEN, IT TAKES A VILLAGE. MENTORS CAN'T DO IT BY OURSELVES. WE NEED PARENTS. WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER, OUR CHURCHES TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL. IN THE ROUND THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, OUR CULTURE BEGINS AND ENDS WITH ALL OF US, NOT JUST THE MENTORS. IT BEGINS WITH ALL OF US. TO FURTHER ADD ON WHAT PASTOR REEVES IS SAYING TO MENTOR IS ALSO THEY SET THE CLIMATE. THEY HELP SET THE CLIMATE IN THE SCHOOL. THEY GIVE PERSPECTIVE, THEY REFOCUS PERSPECTIVE THAT THE TEENS OR KIDS MAY HAVE LOST.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE THERE. WE BOOST MORALE BECAUSE THE KIDS KNOW WHAT WE STAND FOR. SO WHEN THEY SEE US, OUR PRESENCE ALONE JUST CREATES A DIFFERENT MOOD. IT CREATES A
[01:45:01]
DIFFERENT AND JUST THEIR, THEIR, THEIR OVERALL FEELING IN THE DAY. SO IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED INSIDE THE SCHOOL CURRENTLY. AS AS STATED, WE WOULD LOVE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE MENTORSHIP IS NOT JUST AFTER SCHOOL, BUT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY BECAUSE WE WANT TO FOCUS ON BEING PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE. AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE GREAT AS WELL BECAUSE IT GIVES SOME CHILDREN A PLACE TO GO THAT THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO. BUT ALSO DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, WE CAN KIND OF GET AHEAD AND BE RIGHT ON THE GROUNDS OF CERTAIN CRISIS AND KIND OF INTERVENE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT. WE CAN TALK ABOUT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. LIKE I SPOKE ON PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A SPECIFIC MODEL THAT HELPS US ATTAIN THIS. SO OUR MENTORS THAT ARE IN THE PROGRAM, WE DO MEET WITH STUDENTS THROUGH ONE ON ONE CHECK INS. WE ALSO COLLABORATE WITH TEACHERS AND PARENTS TO KIND OF SUPPORT WHAT THOSE ACADEMIC GOALS ARE. WE STAY IN COMMUNICATION SO THAT WE CAN HELP THE KIDS COME UP WITH A GOAL SETTING MAP, COME UP WITH A WAY TO TRACK GROWTH, AND SO THAT IS A WAY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FURTHER SUPPORT THEM. SOME KIDS LOSE HOPE AND ACCOMPLISHING SOME ACADEMIC GOALS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO USED TO COMING SHORT AND WITH THEIR ACADEMIC ASPIRATIONS ARE.AND SO THE MENTOR HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PUT A SPECIFIC PLAN TOGETHER TO HELP THEM ACCOMPLISH THOSE THINGS. AND THEY CAN ADVOCATE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD, WHERE THE CHILD MAY HAVE KIND OF IMPACTED OR MESSED UP THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR TEACHERS. YOU KNOW, THE MENTOR CAN KIND OF COME IN AND ADVOCATE FOR WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, KIND OF EXPLAIN WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, AND JUST KIND OF, AGAIN, FILL THE GAPS AND PROVIDE THAT EQUITY THAT IS NEEDED IN A SITUATION WHERE A CHILD MAY FEEL HELPLESS, WHICH WE HAVE ALL HAVE OUR OWN PERSONAL STORIES THAT WE'VE HAD TO STEP UP WHERE A CHILD HAS FELT HELPLESS. AND SO IT'S DEFINITELY NEEDED. AGAIN, WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS, WITH TEACHERS, AND WE'RE DOING THIS ON A CONSISTENT BASIS SO THAT NO CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND, ESSENTIALLY, OUR AREAS OF SUPPORT THAT WE FIND ARE IMPORTANT, AND YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT ON THE ACTUAL SCREEN. BUT RECOVERY AND HOPELESSNESS. SO A LOT OF TIMES STUDENTS HAVE BREAKDOWNS AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF CERTAIN REASONS, BUT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO RECOVER. THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO KIND OF TURN THEIR DAY AROUND. AND SO US AS MENTORS, WE KIND OF GET IN THEIR EAR. WE KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN SHOW THEM A PLAN OF REDIRECTION, THAT ALL IS NOT LOST BECAUSE THEY HAD A CERTAIN MOMENT IN THEIR DAY WHERE THEY MAY HAVE FELT LIKE THEY FAILED. AND THEN THE HOPELESSNESS AGAIN.
SOME STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY JUST CANNOT ACHIEVE GREATNESS, SO THEY GIVE UP. AND SO THEY NEED TO SEE THAT GLIMMER OF HOPE. THIS PAST WEEK, I HAD A KID THAT WAS REALLY CONCERNED THAT HE MAY HAVE TO TRANSFER INTO A CSP PROGRAM, AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO, AND HE FELT THAT THE TEAM AROUND HIM, HIS DOCTORS, HIS PARENTS, THE SCHOOL STAFF, HE FELT LIKE THEY ALL WANTED HIM TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL AND HE REALLY DIDN'T SEE A WAY OUT. AND BECAUSE I WAS PRESENT THERE IN THE MEETING, I WAS INVITED INTO THE MEETING BY HIS PARENTS AND WELCOMED BY THE STAFF. I WAS ABLE TO LET HIM KNOW THAT FOR ONE, CSP DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERMANENT. IT'S A TEMPORARY. IT CAN BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION IF YOU WORK HARD. BUT ALSO ONE REASON WHY THE CSP PROGRAM IS THERE IS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO RECOVER AFTER A BREAKDOWN. SO YOU'RE LOSING A LOT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. YOU'RE LOSING A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TURN IN ASSIGNMENTS. AND SO JUST HAVING MY VOICE THERE, HE WAS ABLE TO KIND OF SEE AND MAKE IT MAKE SENSE, BECAUSE HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS BEING POSSIBLY REFERRED INTO THE CSP PROGRAM. AND SO THAT JUST SPEAKS TO, YOU KNOW, WHY OUR PRESENCE IS, IS NECESSARY. AND THEN FROM THAT CONVERSATION, WE WERE ABLE TO SET A GOAL. SO WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OKAY, YOU HAVE TWO WEEKS LEFT IN THE QUARTER. SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO SHOOT FOR HONOR ROLL, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SHOOT TO RAISE JUST ONE GRADE LEVEL UP. YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE SHOW THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON YOUR RECOVERY SKILLS. SO JUST JUST THAT FACT ALONE, JUST SHOWING A WAY OUT WHERE HE MAY HAVE FELT HOPELESS AND THAT HE COULD NOT RECOVER. SO IT'S VERY VITAL THAT WE INCLUDE OUR PARENTS IN THIS CONVERSATION ON MORE THAN ONE LEVEL. AND I'LL GIVE YOU I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXACT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I'M GOING TO BYPASS THAT FOR A SECOND. THERE WAS A SITUATION WITH ONE OF MY ONE OF MY ONE OF MY STUDENTS WAS TERRIBLY UPSET BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO MISS AN APPOINTMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THE APPOINTMENT WAS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS KIND OF TRIVIAL TO HIM. HE'S GOT A TRIBUTE TO ME, BUT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM THAT HE NEEDED TO NOT HE NEEDED TO MISS OUR MENTORING PROGRAM THAT DAY TO BE HOME FOR AN APPOINTMENT. WELL, THE ADMINISTRATORS WERE THEY TRIED TO LOOK UP HIS PHONE NUMBER AND SO FORTH AND SO ON, BUT THEY SEEMED LIKE THEY JUST COULDN'T GET ANYTHING THROUGH UNTIL THEY KEPT LOOKING. BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT SOME OF THE PHONE NUMBERS THAT WERE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES WERE NOT THE SAME NUMBERS THAT WERE IN THE NURSE'S OFFICE. SO BUT OVER, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, WE ACTUALLY DID GET A PHONE NUMBER TO THE GRANDPARENT OF THIS, THIS YOUNG BOY. WE FINALLY GOT THE
[01:50:01]
GRANDPARENT ON THE PHONE, AND THE GRANDPARENT HAD THE NEW NUMBER FOR THE PARENT, BECAUSE IT TURNS OUT THAT THE NUMBERS CHANGED. LONG STORY SHORT, HE WAS BAWLING. I MEAN, LITERALLY, HE WAS JUST IN TEARS BECAUSE HE WAS GOING TO MISS THIS APPOINTMENT THAT HE WAS ONLY GOING TO MISS BECAUSE HE HAD TO BE IN OUR MENTORING PROGRAM BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PERMISSION SLIP THAT WAS GIVEN AHEAD OF TIME. LONG STORY SHORT, GOT THE GRANDMOTHER ON THE PHONE. WE TALKED FOR A LITTLE WHILE. SHE GOT THE MOTHER ON THE PHONE. SHE TALKED FOR A WHILE AND THE TEARS STOPPED. FILLING THE GAP. YEAH, HE'S AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT FOR THEM. YOU JUST STAY HERE UNTIL IT'S DONE FOR ME. IT'S TO STOP THE TEARS, RIGHT? IT'S FOR ME. IT'S TO STOP THE TEARS. SO THAT'S HOW YOU GET THE PARENTS INVOLVED. YOU ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE A PART OF THIS CONVERSATION. I WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. ALTHOUGH THAT'S IMPORTANT. THESE THREE, THESE ARE THE THREE MAIN TOPICS THAT I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR PURPOSE, UNDERSTANDS THEIR POTENTIAL, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE PROMISE THAT GOD HAS FOR THEM. RIGHT. AND I WANT TO SUM THAT UP WITH THIS.IT'S BEEN SAID YOU CAN LAST SEVEN WEEKS WITHOUT FOOD. YOU CAN LAST ABOUT SEVEN HOURS.
WITHOUT WATER. YOU CAN LAST ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES WITHOUT OXYGEN, BUT YOU WON'T LAST A SINGLE SECOND WITHOUT HOPE. THAT'S WHAT WE BRING TO THE TABLE. HOPE. WE'RE BRINGING HOPE TO THE TABLE. SO. SO BEFORE WE GO AHEAD. YES, SIR. SO BEFORE WE JUST HAVE PASTOR REEVES CLOSE, I JUST DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE THING I KNOW TODAY. YOU SEE BLACK LEADERSHIP HERE, BUT WE ARE NOT PRIMARILY BLACK FOCUSED. WE'RE HERE FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, NO MATTER THE CULTURE, NO MATTER THE RACE. ABSOLUTELY. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT WE HAVE SOME RELATABLE EXPERIENCES AND WE IT HAS SPARKED A PASSION FOR US TO REACH BACK. BUT WE'RE NOT BLACK FOCUSED. WE ARE FOCUSED ON ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY AT ALL. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD AND KNOWN.
ALL OF OUR SCHOLARS. AND WE'RE CONCLUDING WITH THIS. AND BOY, THAT'S A GOOD PICTURE OF ME BACK IN THE DAY. THE GENTLEMAN YOU SEE, THERE ARE A GENTLEMAN THAT WORKED WITH BOYS AND MEN FROM THE COMMUNITY, ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINESS LEADERS. WE'RE PULLING THEM IN. AND YOU'VE HEARD US A LITTLE BIT. WE LEVERAGE PRETTY GOOD. WE GET PEOPLE ACTIVELY INVOLVED. THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE TO BE INVOLVED. JOPPATOWNE, EDGEWOOD, ABERDEEN, ACROSS THIS COUNTY, BEL AIR, NORTH, HARFORD BUSINESS LEADERS WANT TO BE INVOLVED. THEY JUST NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND DO IT. WE LEVERAGE THEM, WE BRING THEM IN. WE PROVIDE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO OUR TO OUR SCHOLARS ON WHERE THEY'RE GOING, THEIR BACKGROUNDS, THEIR HISTORY. AND I GOT TO SAY THIS, SOME OF THE MEN THAT YOU SEE PICTURED THERE, A COUPLE OF THEM ARE STARBUCKS OWNERS, AND THEY CAME INTO THE SCHOOL AND DID SOMETHING GREAT FOR ALL THE STAFF THAT DAY, AND THE STAFF LOVED IT SO MUCH. SO THEY JUST KEEP COMING BACK EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS AND PROVIDING COFFEE. IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T REPLACE THE TEACHERS, WE'RE JUST AN AIDE TO THEM. WE DON'T REPLACE THE ADMINISTRATORS, WE'RE AN AIDE TO THEM. WE DON'T REPLACE THE PARENTS. WE'RE JUST AN AIDE TO THEM. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING BRIDGES AND OUR BRIDGES THAT WE BUILD LAST.
THEY DON'T GO ANYWHERE. THEY KEEP LETTING OUR SCHOLARS PASS THROUGH. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY AND YOUR EFFORT IN ALL OF THIS WORK. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, I AM SO IMPRESSED. NOT JUST WITH THE PROGRAM, BUT THE FACT THAT THREE OF YOU STUCK TO YOUR 20 MINUTES. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER. I SAID, COME ON IN HERE. GET IT IN THERE. SO, MAN, WE GOT THREE PREACHERS COMING IN. WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT. BUT JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY FOR EVERYONE, THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC. THIS ISN'T NEW. IN FACT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. I THINK STARTING LAST YEAR, YOU AND I SAT DOWN A COFFEE, REVEREND DOCTOR TILLMAN, AND SAID, HEY, LET'S PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. AND YOU SAID, WELL, SOMETHING ALREADY EXISTS. THEN KIND OF LIFE GOT IN THE WAY AND SOME THINGS HAPPENED AND HERE WE ARE. SO IT'S A PRIORITY OF MINE. WHEN I JOINED THE BOARD, I IMAGINE PUTTING TOGETHER A PROGRAM LIKE THIS BECAUSE WE NEED IT NOW MORE THAN EVER. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD, AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
SO I WILL OPEN IT TO THE BOARD FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. WHAT ABOUT THE GIRLS? YOU KNOW, WHAT A GREAT POINT. AND DOCTOR OLSON AND DOCTOR DAVIS, IF YOU WILL BE SO KIND. HERE IS THE GIRLS
[01:55:04]
PROGRAM, I BELIEVE AT EDGEWOOD SAID EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY. YEP, YEP. EDGEWOOD. EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY HAS ONE TOO. OKAY. YEAH, OKAY. AND I BELIEVE THE GIRLS PROGRAM AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL IS FIRST LADIES OF EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. YEAH, BUT MISS SHARON WEBSTER, VERY GOOD. AND THERE ARE SO MANY MORE COMING FORWARD. MISS MCGEE IS AGREEING. TREASURE. JEWELS, WHICH HAS BEEN ALL OVER THE COUNTY AS WELL. BUT THAT LIST IS GROWING TOO AS WELL. WE ARE JUST A SMALL NUMBER OF POSITIVE MENTORS WHO ARE OUT HERE IN THIS COUNTY DOING GREAT WORK. WE'RE REPRESENTING THEM TONIGHT. BUT BUT THE LIST IS LONG, AND OUR GOAL IS FOR US TO WORK MORE COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. BE NICE. MISS BRUCE, BE NICE. AND I'M I'M SO ENCOURAGED BECAUSE WE HEAR SO MANY TIMES ABOUT GOD IN SCHOOL AND TEACHING FROM THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE. AND I'M SO PLEASED TO HAVE THREE AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN OUT HERE BECAUSE IT IS OFTEN SAID, WE'RE NOT THERE, BUT WE'RE THERE, AND YOU'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. YOU KNOW, I KNOW TWO OF YOU. I'VE KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME, THE YOUNG MAN IN THE MIDDLE I JUST MET TONIGHT. BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND ANYTHING THAT I CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU. I'M HERE. AND I KNOW THAT MISS PERRY IS ON THE MIC, AND SHE IS THERE TO HELP YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK. YOU GUYS KNOW I SUPPORT YOU. I MEAN, I HAVEN'T HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YOU WILL, WHICH I'D LOVE TO MEET YOU. I WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP. YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM 100%. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING BOTH OF THE GENTLEMEN ON THE OUTSIDE AND MR. FULTON, AND SEEING THE AMAZING THINGS THAT YOU GUYS DO. AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WHAT YOU DO FOR THE KIDS. I LOVE THAT YOU GUYS BE THERE. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? ONE WORD THAT YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE IN YOUR PRESENTATION? TRUST. TRUST. THAT'S A HUGE ONE. BIG BECAUSE BIG YOU THE WHOLE TIME I WAS LIKE, WHERE IS THAT? BECAUSE THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. BECAUSE THEY A LOT OF THESE KIDS DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY THAT THEY TRUST. AND WHEN THERE'S A SITUATION AT SCHOOL, SOMETHING'S GOING ON.THEY HEAR SOME KIND OF BUZZ. THEY LOOK FOR THAT TRUSTED PERSON. RIGHT. SO YOU DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE FOR IT. I LOVE YOU GUYS. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. AND WHATEVER I CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOU, WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. YOU KNOW, YOU HIT ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES, WHICH IS JEREMIAH 2911. RIGHT? I KNOW THE PLANS FOR YOU. TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU IF YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US? SO YOU TALK ABOUT BEING PRESENT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. IS THERE A DECISION BEFORE THIS BOARD, DOCTOR BOYNTON, OR YOU KNOW, SOME SOMETHING YOU NEED FROM US TO INCREASE YOUR LEADERSHIP? AND THEN THE OTHER THING I'LL ASK MY SON'S GETTING READY TO GO INTO HIS SENIOR YEAR. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS HE CAN SIGN UP FOR IS A MENTORSHIP. ABSOLUTELY. SO ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, TAPPING INTO THAT BECAUSE HE COULD DRIVE TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL. HE HAS HIS LICENSE, YOU KNOW, USING THAT AGE GROUP OF BOYS TO COME INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THAT'D BE PERFECT. YEAH. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONNECTING THOSE DOTS, TOO, BECAUSE THEY GET SCHOOL CREDIT FOR IT. ABSOLUTELY. HUGE SERVICE HOURS. YEP. HE'D BE AWESOME.
YEAH. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALL STAND IN NEED OF IS THE MAKING SURE THAT OUR MENTORS GET THROUGH QUICKLY IN THE PROCESS. FINGERPRINTING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HOLDING ISSUE.
THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A BARRIER. OF COURSE, WE KNOW IT HAS TO HAPPEN FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT GO BEFORE US, OUR SCHOLARS. SO THAT PROCESS ALONE IS A BIG STEPPING STONE FOR US TO GET THROUGH AND PAST. SO ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN GIVE US ON THAT WOULD BE TREMENDOUS. GETTING THOSE MENTORS IN AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CLEAR AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THE OTHER PROCESS IS WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH DOCTOR DAVIS AND HIS WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY AND PARENTS AND ANY BARRIERS THAT WE CAN TEAR DOWN THROUGH THAT AVENUE AS WELL. IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN ADDITIVE, ESPECIALLY IN A LOT OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE. SO WE WANT RECOGNITION, GET NAMES OUT. I'VE RECRUITED SOME PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT. SO THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE LOOK. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. HE SHOOK HIS HEAD. THERE HE GOES. SO I'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE ON THE OFF TONIGHT. SO WE'RE PULLING NUMBERS IN ALL THE TIME. AND THAT'S OUR GOAL. THAT'S OUR GOAL. AND LET'S NOT LIMIT IT TO JUST THE MEN, BECAUSE WE KNOW Y'ALL LADIES HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. SO WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GUEST SPEAKERS, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SPEAK. YEAH. THAT'S ALWAYS A POWERFUL
[02:00:01]
TOOL. ALWAYS A POWERFUL TOOL. SO ALWAYS BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE CLEAR YOUR CALENDARS AND COME ON IN AND TALK TO OUR YOUNG MEN. I APPRECIATE IT. SO. BAZOUKI. YES. YEAH. PERFECT. OKAY. YOU'RE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE MENU FOR WHAT OUR KIDS ARE EATING. THAT'S YOUR STUFF. WHATEVER. MORE OPTIONS YOU CAN PROVIDE. THAT WOULD BE. THAT WOULD BE NICE BECAUSE WE HAVE A WE HAVE THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. RIGHT. THEY DO DAYTIME, I DO AFTER SCHOOL AND SOMETIMES WITH THEIR WITH THEIR FEEDING THESE KIDS I'M LIKE, I WOULDN'T EVEN EAT IT. I WOULDN'T EVEN NEED IT. SO WHATEVER YOU ALL CAN DO TO CHANGE THE MENU A LITTLE BIT WOULD BE NICE. YEAH. THANK YOU.YES I WILL WORK TOWARDS THAT. YEAH. WELL THANK YOU, THANK YOU GENTLEMEN, YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT TO YOUR QUESTION, MISS STRAUSS. WE'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE DETAILS. BUT I THINK FROM WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE BOARD ON THIS ISSUE, AT LEAST WE'RE NOT DIVIDED. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO I'LL JUST SAY AMEN. AMEN. UNANIMOUS. UNANIMOUS SUPPORT. WHY DON'T WE SPEND THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MONTH OR SO REALLY PUTTING TOGETHER THE DETAILS AND BUILDING A WORLD CLASS PROGRAM THAT OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE CAN EVEN LOOK AT AND TRY AND REPLICATE.
IT'S ALREADY MARCH. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO WORK THROUGH THE DETAILS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO FULLY LAUNCH THIS AT THE START OF NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SOUNDS GOOD. AWESOME. THAT SOUNDS FANTASTIC. THAT SOUNDS FANTASTIC. YOU CAN REACH OUT TO OUR MENTOR. HE'S GOT US UNDER CONTROL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
[C. Decision on Administrative and Supervisory Appointments, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources]
ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM C, DECISION ITEM ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENTS.MR. BEN RICHARDSON ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. WELCOME. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT BOYNTON, VICE PRESIDENT HAHN, SUPERINTENDENT OLSON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. I BRING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING THREE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITION PERSONNEL DECISIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER. THE FIRST POSITION THAT I WISH TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL POOL AND THE SECONDARY PRINCIPAL POOL. WE CREATE A THREE YEAR POOL OF BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED CANDIDATES SO THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS ACCESS TO APPROVED AND VIABLE CANDIDATES AS NEEDS ARISE THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. THE PRINCIPAL IS THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER OF THE SCHOOL. THEY PROVIDE LEADERSHIP IN THE OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL AND SERVE AS A LEADER FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION WITHIN THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THE PRINCIPAL IMPLEMENTS PRACTICES BASED ON DATA TO ADDRESS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND INITIATES AND MAINTAINS AN EFFECTIVE, WELL BALANCED INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM. THE PRINCIPAL ASSUMES THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIRING, ASSIGNING, SUPERVISING, ASSISTING, AND EVALUATING PERSONNEL, INCLUDING ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL WHO ARE DIRECT DIRECT REPORTS. THERE ARE THREE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL POOL CANDIDATES AND THREE SECONDARY PRINCIPAL POOL CANDIDATES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL THIS EVENING. AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, THE THREE CANDIDATES ARE TARA R SAMPLE, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT RIVERSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. KELLY A SAYER, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT FOREST LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND KATIE L SHARP, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT GEORGE D LISBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THERE ARE ALSO THREE SECONDARY PRINCIPAL POOL CANDIDATES TO INCLUDE MICHAEL J. CUNEO, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL CHRISTINA J. MARZULLO, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL, AND DOCTOR RICHARD A MCCARTHY, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. AND I BELIEVE DOCTOR POINT, WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE BEFORE WE TAKE A BOARD VOTE, IS THAT CORRECT? I HAVE THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND DPW. WE'LL DO A BLOCK VOTE. YES. OKAY. THE NEXT POSITION I WISH TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING BOARD IS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POOL. THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITION SUPPORTS THE PRINCIPAL AND WORKS WITH THE OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS OF THE BUILDING TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL. THEY ASSIST THE PRINCIPAL AND OTHER PERSONNEL IN DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ASSUMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SCHOOL IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PRINCIPAL. THE CANDIDATES BEING PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING FOR THE APPOINTMENT INTO THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. POOL, BROKEN DOWN BY ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS ARE STARTING AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. DOCTOR GREGORY E GULLEY, CURRENTLY A TEACHER AT WILLIAM S JAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. CHRISTY L HORNE, CURRENTLY AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH. DONNA DE LOUIS, CURRENTLY AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACH. HEATHER R MCCAULEY, CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IN FREDERICK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ROBERT L POWNER, CURRENTLY A TEACHER AT FOREST LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LISA L REDDING, CURRENTLY AN
[02:05:05]
INSTRUCTIONAL COACH. JORDAN E STEINER, CURRENTLY A TITLE ONE TEACHER SPECIALIST AT MAGNOLIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL WE HAVE DEREK J. BAKER, CURRENTLY A PRINCIPAL IN AMHERST, NEW YORK. DOCTOR BRIGITTE G. BELL, CURRENTLY A TEACHER SPECIALIST AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL. JAMIE L CHILDS, CURRENTLY A TEACHER SPECIALIST AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CAITLIN L CUSTIS, CURRENTLY A TEACHER AT EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL JASON M KING, CURRENTLY ACTING ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL. AND TERRENCE E ROBINSON SENIOR, CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE LAST POSITION I WISH TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS THE PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER. THE ROLE OF THE PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER POSITION SERVES AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND HOME. THIS POSITION WORKS CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS, PARENTS, SCHOOL PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES, PROVIDING NECESSARY SUPPORTS IN ORDER TO MEET STUDENTS BASIC NEEDS. THE CANDIDATES BEING PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING FOR APPOINTMENT INTO THE PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER POOL ARE LAUREN M CODY, CURRENTLY ASSISTANT AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT MILTON WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL. ERIKA M JONES, CURRENTLY A COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SPECIALIST AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND DWAYNE A MCNAIR, CURRENTLY A PP, W AND FREDERICK COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DOCTOR. APPOINTMENT IN THE BOARD. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS YOUR APPROVAL OF ALL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU SIR. THE BOARD'S HAD TIME TO REVIEW, ASK QUESTIONS AND REVIEW THE CANDIDATES IN CLOSED SESSION. SO I THINK THIS IS RIPE FOR A VOTE UNLESS THERE'S ANYTHING FROM THE BOARD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POOL APPOINTMENTS. I SO MOVE, MISS TERRY, I SECOND, SECOND. THANK YOU GUYS. FIGHTING THAT ONE OVER. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE[D. Presentation of Harford County Public Schools Academic Performance: Local Assessments, Ms. Heather Kutcher, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Mr. Phillip Snyder, Supervisor of Accountability, and Ms. Colleen Sasdelli, Director of Special Education]
APPLICANTS. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR APPLICANTS. AND THANK YOU BOARD. APPRECIATE IT. MOVING ON TO ITEM D THIS EVENING PRESENTATION OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE LOCAL ASSESSMENTS. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MISS HEATHER KUSHNER, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION. MISS COLLEEN DELL DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.MR. PHILIP SNYDER, SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY. WELCOME FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. GOOD EVENING.
BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT TO THIS EVENING. MR. SNYDER, MISS CASTELLI AND I ARE HERE TO SHARE DATA RELATED TO THE DISTRICT'S WORK TOWARDS BOARD OF ED. GOAL NUMBER ONE, PREPARING EVERY STUDENT FOR SUCCESS IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER. TONIGHT WE WILL UPDATE YOU ON MID-YEAR DATA FROM OUR LOCAL ASSESSMENTS, SPECIFICALLY THE LITERACY SCREENER DIBELS AND A NEW ONE FOR US THIS YEAR, I-READY, WHICH INCLUDES DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS IN BOTH READING AND MATHEMATICS. YOU MAY YOU MAY REMEMBER US BRINGING THAT I-READY CONTRACT TO THE BOARD AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE READING INVENTORY AND MATHEMATICS INVENTORY, WHICH WERE DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT TOOLS USED FOR MANY YEARS ACROSS MANY DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, WHICH SUNSET AT THE CLOSE OF THE PRIOR SCHOOL YEAR. WE'LL TAKE YOU THROUGH SOME BACKGROUND ON BOTH ASSESSMENTS. SHARE MID-YEAR DATA TO COMPARE TO OUR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR DATA. DISCUSS NEXT STEPS AROUND I-READY AND CONNECT TO IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS AT THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEVEL. MR. SNYDER WILL START US OFF. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. WE'RE GOING TO START BY LOOKING AT DIBELS. AND JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD UNIVERSAL READING SCREENER. WE ADMINISTER THAT TO ALL KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS THREE TIMES A YEAR, REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY PERFORM IN GRADE ONE. WE ADMINISTER IT TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE FALL AND SUBSEQUENT ADMINISTRATIONS IF THEY ARE BELOW THE BENCHMARK, AND STUDENTS IN GRADES 2 TO 3, IF THEY'RE NEW TO US OR IF THEY'RE BELOW THE BENCHMARK, WE ALSO SCREEN THOSE STUDENTS. MRS. DASTOLI IS GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT A CHANGE IN POPULATION THIS YEAR, SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HER FOR A BRIEF MOMENT OR TWO, AND I'M GOING TO COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT I-READY. YES. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT FOURTH BULLET THERE, WE DID JUST WANT TO KNOW, AND IF YOU RECALL FROM THE PREVIOUS BOARD PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT, CPS DID CHANGE OUR, I GUESS, PROCEDURES FOR ASSESSING OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND INCLUDING THEM IN THE DIBELS DATA. SO PRIOR TO THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WERE ALIGNING WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FROM THE READY TO READ ACT. AND THE READY TO READ ACT ALLOWS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REPORT DATA, BUT TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WITH IEPS WHO HAVE READING GOALS IN THAT IEP,
[02:10:01]
SEPARATE FROM THE DATA THAT'S REPORTED TO THE STATE. BUT BEGINNING WITH THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR, WE FELT THAT IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO INCLUDE OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THIS DATA SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A GLOBAL AND SYSTEMIC LOOK AT HOW WE WERE PROGRESSING. SO AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL KNOW THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, FLAGS ON EACH SLIDE, JUST KIND OF REMINDING ABOUT THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDED IN THAT POPULATION. AND WE CAN ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AS YOU GO THROUGH THAT. AND AS FAR AS OUR IREADY, JUST A REMINDER THAT IS OUR THOSE ARE OUR DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS THAT WE ADMINISTER TO STUDENTS IN BOTH READING AND MATHEMATICS. THEY ARE COMPUTER ADAPTIVE. SO DEPENDING UPON HOW A STUDENT PERFORMS, THEY MAY HAVE MORE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS. IF THEY'RE GETTING A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS INCORRECT, THEY MAY HAVE SOME EASIER ITEMS. AND IT COULD GO UP OR DOWN BELOW SEVERAL GRADE LEVELS. WE ADMINISTER THAT TO MAJORITY OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 TO 9, DEPENDING ON HOW A STUDENT PERFORMS ON THE DIBELS ASSESSMENT IN KINDERGARTEN, THEY MAY ACTUALLY ADVANCED. IF THAT'S THE TEACHER'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE IREADY PLATFORM. WE DO HAVE SOME LIMITED TESTING IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR READING IN GRADE NINE. IN MATH AND MATHEMATICS, WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN ALGEBRA ONE OR PRIOR COURSES. SO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR DIBELS DATA FOR GRADE K. AND THESE ARE STUDENTS COMPARED TO THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WOULD BE IN BLUE AND THE GREEN BAR WOULD BE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO WE HAVE LAST THE DATA FOR THE LAST THREE SCHOOL YEARS. I JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE WHAT MISS SASSATELLI SAID, THAT THIS REALLY IS A NEW BASELINE, SINCE PRIOR YEARS DID NOT INCLUDE SOME OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE ASSESSED. NOW, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD THE DATA FROM THE VENDOR TO SEE WHERE WE STAND NATIONWIDE. AND SO THEY HAVE ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION STUDENTS AT EACH GRADE LEVEL. ASSESS. AND AT WE FOUND OUT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THE NATIONAL PERCENTAGE OF PROFICIENCY OR ADVANCED STUDENTS WAS 36%, COMPARED TO OUR 53% IN MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. DATA FOR THE NATION IS 52% COMPARED TO OUR PERFORMANCE AT 63%. IN GRADE ONE, WE AGAIN HAVE A NEW BASELINE COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT JUST PUTTING IT THERE FOR A REFERENCE FOR YOU AND NATIONWIDE DATA WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, 51% AGAIN, ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION STUDENTS TESTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND AT 53% COMPARED TO OUR 69% WHERE WE STAND CURRENTLY. AND WE ARE AIMING FOR 100%, THAT IS CERTAINLY OUR GOAL TO HAVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS LEAVE THESE GRADE LEVELS AS PROFICIENT OR ADVANCED READERS. WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT DATA TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS THEN PUBLISHED ON THEIR WEBSITE. AND HERE ARE THE DATA FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS. JUST TO KIND OF SEE YOU AS A REFERENCE POINT. SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE STARTED IN 21, 22, ONE OF OUR FIRST ADMINISTRATIONS, I WAS ACTUALLY OUR FIRST ADMINISTRATION IN THE FALL WAS AT 40% STUDENTS AT RISK. AND THIS SCHOOL YEAR IN 2425, WE HAD ABOUT 28 STUDENTS AT RISK. AND WE'VE ELIMINATED THAT NUMBER DOWN TO ABOUT 18.2%. WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO DRIVE THAT NUMBER DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND WE KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES ACROSS ALL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, REALLY TO ADDRESS THESE STUDENTS. IN GRADE ONE, WE WERE LOOKING AT ABOUT 15% IN THE FALL, AND IT DID SLIGHTLY UPTICK A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND. ONE IS WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVING NEW STUDENTS COME IN. AND IF THEY'RE NOT SCREENED, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO SCREEN THEM. AND WE ALSO SEE A CHALLENGE IN THE WINTER ADMINISTRATION FOR GRADE ONE. IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGOROUS FOR THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE NEWLY OR NEW TO HAVING A READING ASSESSMENT. SO WE'RE AT 16%. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT NUMBER DOWN INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS WITH THE HARD WORK OF OUR EMPLOYEES. GRADE TWO AT RISK AGAIN IN THE OUR ONE OF OUR FIRST ADMINISTRATIONS IN THE FALL WAS AT 25%. WE STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR AT ABOUT 14 AND DOWN TO ABOUT 12.5% IN GRADE TWO. AND FINALLY IN GRADE THREE, WE'RE IN REMAINING ABOUT 10% OF STUDENTS AT RISK. AND AGAIN, WORKING VERY HARD TO GET THOSE STUDENTS THOSE NUMBERS DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT TO THE IREADY ASSESSMENT SO WE CAN SEE SOME DATA HERE. AND I DISCUSSED TO YOU THE PURPOSE OF THE ASSESSMENT. THIS IS REALLY IT IS A LITTLE LENGTHIER ASSESSMENT AS A REMINDER THAN WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY. BUT THE[02:15:04]
NEWS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THAT IS THE DATA THAT WE'RE GETTING BACK THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM. THERE ARE SO MANY REPORTS AVAILABLE TO THEM, THEY CAN SEE THESE ITEMS ALIGNED TO THE MARYLAND COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS. THEY CAN SEE GROWTH REPORTS. THEY CAN DIG OUT DOWN INTO DRILLING DATA DOWN INTO MANY STUDENT OR EXCUSE ME, STUDENT SCORES AND SUB SCORES THAT REALLY PROVIDE THE TEACHER. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NOW SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE STUDENTS? SO WITH ALL OF THAT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE IREADY FAMILY CENTER. AND IT OPENED MARCH 12TH. SO THIS IS EXCITING. WE NOW HAVE AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES A WAY TO SEE THE REPORTS. AND WE SEND OUT AN EMAIL COUNTY WIDE ON MARCH 12TH SAID THEY I-READY FAMILY REPORT IS NOW OPEN. THE FAMILIES LOG ON TO THEIR STUDENTS DEVICE. THEY GO INTO THE IREADY PORTAL AND THEY CAN PULL UP VERY EASILY THEIR STUDENTS REPORTS, AND THIS WILL CONTINUE AFTER EACH ADMINISTRATION SO THEY CAN SEE EXACTLY HOW THE STUDENT IS PERFORMING ON THEIR ASSESSMENT AND COMPARE THAT TO PRIOR ASSESSMENTS. OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T READ ALL OF IT AT THE BOTTOM THERE, BUT FOR THE READING STUDENTS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS DO RECEIVE A LEXILE AND THAT WILL BE GREAT FOR SUMMER READING PROGRAMS SO THEY CAN GO TO THEIR NEAREST LIBRARY AND GET A GET SOME TEXTS THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO THEIR THEIR LEXILE RANGE. I'M JUST GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PLACEMENT LEVELS. SO WHEN WE WERE HERE PRESENTING IN THE FALL, WE LOOKED AT DATA AND YOU SAW DATA THAT WAS CONSIDERED PROFICIENCY IN THE FALL. AND THAT MEANS ONE YEAR BELOW. SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD GRADE STUDENT IN THE FALL, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE THIRD GRADE STANDARDS YET. SO IF THEY ARE SCORING AT THE END OF SECOND GRADE LEVEL, WE CONSIDER THAT PROFICIENCY AS WELL AS THE VENDOR CONSIDERS THAT PROFICIENCY. BUT FOR TONIGHT'S PURPOSES, WE'RE GOING TO COMPARE THE BLUE AND THE GREEN WHICH ARE THE MID GRADE MID GRADE LEVEL AND AT OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL PROFICIENCY RANGES. SO THAT WAY WE CAN COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES. AND OBVIOUSLY WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE TO GROW THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH OUR THREE ADMINISTRATIONS. SO COMPARING TO WHERE WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, THE GRADES ARE LISTED ACROSS THE BOTTOM, STARTING WITH THIRD SECOND GRADE AT 34% AND AT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR THEY'RE AT 52%. SO THAT'S ACTUALLY OUR OUR GRADE LEVEL ON THIS SLIDE THAT HAD THE LARGEST GAIN OF ABOUT 18%, OUR SMALLEST GAIN WOULD BE ABOUT 10% OF STUDENTS IN GRADE FIVE. I WANT TO CAUTION YOU, WE YET DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THIS MEANS IN TERMS OF MCAP. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON. WE KNOW IT IS A RIGOROUS ASSESSMENT. IT IS ALIGNED TO MCAP BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE ARE ALIGNED TO THE MARYLAND COLLEGE AND CAREER READY STANDARDS. AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DO WANT A HIGH BAR FOR OUR STUDENTS, BECAUSE IF STUDENTS CAN ACHIEVE THIS ASSESSMENT, WE KNOW THAT THEY WILL HOPEFULLY BE SUCCESSFUL ON OUR STATE ASSESSMENTS. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY DOING A LOT OF DATA ANALYSIS LATER THIS SUMMER. SO THAT WAS IN THE AREA OF READING. AND LET'S SWITCH TO MATH HERE. AND OUR LARGEST GAIN WAS IN THIRD GRADE. 19% OF STUDENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR HAD ALREADY MET THE MID OR THE END OF THE GRADE LEVEL OR ABOVE. WE'RE NOW AT 36%, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO CLIMB WHEN WE HAVE OUR LAST ADMINISTRATION IN THE SPRING. FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, GRADE SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT, WE HAD ABOUT A 3 OR 4 POINT PERCENTAGE GAIN FROM WHERE WE WERE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. AND AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE ONE MORE ADMINISTRATION COMING UP THIS SPRING. AND OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS, WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM A 6 TO 9% GAIN. AND ACTUALLY GRADE EIGHT WAS OUR LARGEST GAIN THERE AT ABOUT 9%.SO AS I TALKED ABOUT THEN SOME NEXT STEPS. ONE IS US PARTNERING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT IREADY.
CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES IS THE VENDOR FOR THAT. THERE MAY BE SOME POSSIBLE POSSIBILITY OF DOING SOME DATA SHARING AND COMBINING OUR DATA WITH OTHER SYSTEMS TO DO A REALLY A LINKING STUDY. IF THAT DOESN'T FALL THROUGH, WE WILL CERTAINLY DO THAT INTERNALLY. AND SO LINKING STUDY REALLY WILL HELP US TO DETERMINE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN BOTH THE IREADY ASSESSMENTS PER GRADE LEVEL OR BY GRADE LEVEL, AS WELL AS THE CAP. AND OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO DRILL DOWN TO WHAT IS A LIKELY SCORE IF A STUDENT SCORES X ON THE FALL, THE WINTER, THE SPRING AND ADMINISTRATION OF IREADY, WILL THEY BE LIKELY TO PASS A CAP? SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT DIGGING INTO SOME OF THAT DATA THIS SUMMER. ONCE WE HAVE ALL THE SCORES FINALIZED, WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. SO THAT WAY THEY WE KNOW WE ARE PREPARING. AND WITH
[02:20:05]
THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO MRS. KOCHER. SO AS ALWAYS, INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS, AS WELL AS OUR SPA TEAMS AND OUR DISTRICT OFFICES DO USE THIS DATA TO MAKE INSTRUCTIONAL DECISIONS, TO SET GOALS, TO MONITOR PROGRESS, AND ALSO TO CREATE TAILORED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. YOU ALSO SAW TONIGHT THE ABILITY FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS TO ENGAGE FAMILIES WITH THE I-READY FAMILY CENTER, WHICH PARTNERS SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES TOGETHER FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS. IN ADDITION, TONIGHT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TWO OTHER STRATEGIES WE'VE USED THIS YEAR. ONE IS THE USE OF SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONAL WALKTHROUGHS. SO CENTRAL OFFICE CONTENT OFFICES, ALONG WITH THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES OFFICES AND THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, WE WALK THROUGH CONTENT SPECIFIC LESSONS ACROSS A SCHOOL, AND WE USE A SHARED RUBRIC TO LOOK FOR BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES IN AREAS LIKE SCIENCE OF READING OR OTHER AREAS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE VERY SPECIFIC CONTENT FEEDBACK TO SCHOOLS AND TO TEACHERS. IN ADDITION, THE MATHEMATICS OFFICE BEGAN A NEW PROGRAM THIS YEAR THAT THEY'RE CALLING THE MATH AMBASSADORS. THIS ALLOWS TEACHER LEADERS IN MATHEMATICS AT EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR ON HIGH LEVERAGE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT CAN BE INFUSED IN MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION. THE AMBASSADORS TAKE THIS LEARNING BACK TO ALL OF THE THEIR TEACHERS WITHIN THE BUILDING TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE I-READY RESOURCES, AS WELL AS THE TESTING CALENDAR FOR CPS, YOU CAN VISIT THE LINKS INCLUDED IN THE SLIDES SHARED FOR THIS PRESENTATION. WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND HEATHER, SORRY FOR BUTCHERING YOUR NAME. I'VE ONLY KNOWN YOU FOR TWO YEARS. THAT'S OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATION. ON SLIDE NUMBER FOUR FOR THIS YEAR, WE ARE 14% LOWER THAN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR, AND 11% LOWER FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR. WHAT ARE YOU ATTRIBUTING THAT DECLINE TO AND HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IMPROVING THOSE NUMBERS? YEAH, I THINK LOOKING AT WHERE THOSE NUMBERS FALL, I WOULD NOT SUGGEST THAT THAT'S A DECLINE. BUT THE NEW STUDENT GROUP INCLUDED IN THAT DATA. SO AS WE SHARED THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR, NOW INCLUDES OUR STUDENTS WITH WITH IEPS AND IEPS IN READING IN THAT DATA. SO OUR PROCESS AT THE BUILDING LEVEL.AND HEATHER, YOU CAN JUMP IN. BUT OUR OUR READING SPECIALISTS ASSIST AT AT EVERY BUILDING TO MONITOR THE DATA AND TEND TO WORK WITH THE TEACHERS WITHIN THE BUILDING TO DETERMINE WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION FOR STUDENTS. THEY COLLABORATE WITH BOTH THEIR GENERAL ED AND OUR SPECIAL EDUCATORS TO DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, WHICH WHICH INTERVENTION IS GOING TO BE MOST APPROPRIATE. AND WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WE HAVE A FULL CONTINUUM OF INTERVENTIONS DEPENDING ON NEEDS OF STUDENTS, STARTING WITH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL DOSES OF WHAT WE CALL FOUNDATIONS, WHICH IS A PHONEMIC AWARENESS AND PHONICS PROGRAM. AND THEN ALL THE WAY UP TO OUR MOST INTENSIVE INTERVENTION AND READING PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD BE THE OG PLUS. SO THAT IS IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE SYSTEM. AND THE DIBELS DATA IS REALLY A BIG KEY IN THOSE DECISIONS AND KIND OF THE PROGRESSION AND INTERVENTION THAT A STUDENT MAY EXPERIENCE AND ADJUST TO THAT. OKAY, MISS HAN'S POINT, IF YOU EXTRACTED THE IEPS OUT OF 24, 25, WOULD IT SHOW YOU ANY IDEAS WHERE THAT WOULD LAND? SO WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THERE WERE 209 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WITH READING GOALS THAT WERE IN THAT FIRST GRADE GROUP. THERE'S 469 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES TOTAL IN THAT POPULATION, BUT 209 OF THEM HAD READING GOALS OR HAVE READING GOALS IN THE IEP. SO THAT IS ABOUT THE POPULATION THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REPORTED, YOU KNOW, IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS ABOUT THAT 200 STUDENTS. SO IF WE DID NOT INCLUDE THEM, WHAT WOULD THOSE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE. AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RERUN THE DATA. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO. OKAY. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT FOR THIS YEAR SOME WAY IF WE COULD HAVE THE THAT, THAT THAT INFORMATION PULLED OUT IN SOME WAY, LABEL IT ON THE SLIDE, WHICH WOULD SHOW WITH AND WITHOUT THE IEP STUDENT JUST TO GIVE MORE LIKE AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON. SURE. THANK YOU. I MEAN, JUST UNTIL WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE KNOW, YOU
[02:25:04]
KNOW, WE'RE CAPTURING IT CORRECTLY, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO JUST FOR THIS YEAR SINCE IT'S JUST STARTING. I ALSO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. ARE WE COMPARING THE STUDENTS FROM 2324 THE FOLLOWING YEAR? SO IF THEY'RE IN FIRST GRADE THIS YEAR, ARE WE LOOKING AT THEM IN SECOND GRADE YEAR USING THE SAME KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TESTING THE SKILLS, EVERYTHING SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE WHAT THEY'VE RETAINED AND THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE LEARNED? YES. SO STUDENTS, IF THEY ARE PERFORMING BELOW BENCHMARK OR WELL BELOW BENCHMARK, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO REASSESS. IF THE STUDENTS WE TEST EVERYBODY IN GRADE ONE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THAT WAS A DECISION MADE BECAUSE THEY'RE SUCH YOUNG LEARNERS AT THAT POINT. AND EVEN IF THEY WERE PROFICIENT AT THE END OF KINDERGARTEN YEAR, WE WANT TO REASSESS THEM IN THE FALL. BUT FOR GRADES TWO AND THREE, WE'RE REASSESSING THEM IF IT'S NEEDED. AND CERTAINLY OUR TEACHERS, OUR READING SPECIALISTS, WORK CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS. IF THERE IS A STUDENT THAT FEELS LIKE MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO SLIDE, OR MAYBE THEY PERFORM PROFICIENT, BUT THEY'RE HAVING SOME SLIDE, THEY'LL GO AHEAD AND REASSESS THE MANDIBLES AND JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY TRYING TO FIND OUT WHERE WHERE THEIR LEVEL IS WITH JUST THE DATA THAT'S HERE. IF YOU TOGGLE BETWEEN SLIDES THREE AND FOUR. YEAH, I MEAN, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE REALLY HAVE APPLES TO APPLES FOR AND APPLES TO APPLES IS MAYBE THE WRONG TERM BECAUSE IT'S DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS, DIFFERENT GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS. BUT YOU LOOK AT THE 2223 K STUDENTS ON SLIDE THREE, AND IF YOU SLIDE DOWN TO THE 23, 24 FIRST GRADERS, THAT'S THE SAME GROUP OF STUDENTS. YOU SEE THEM SUSTAINING THEIR PERFORMANCE. BUT IT'S HARD TO GO FROM 2324 TO 2425 BECAUSE OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, COLLEEN ACKNOWLEDGED WITH WITH THE STUDENTS, WITH THE READING GOALS. SO WE'LL GET THOSE DATA TO SEE IF YOU SEE A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF SORT OF RETENTION OF THE PROFICIENCY THERE. AND DESPITE THE FACT THAT, AGAIN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT GRADE LEVELS STANDARDS, BUT.THANK YOU. WELCOME. I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. HOW DO THE PERCENT PROFICIENT RELATE TO THE PERCENT AT RISK. SO YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE SLIDES ON, YOU KNOW SHOWS PERCENT PROFICIENCY IN THE 63 TO 69%. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE AT RISK AND IT'S 18 OR 16. SO THERE'S NO IT DOESN'T ADD UP TO 100. SO THERE'S A MIDDLE CATEGORY I GUESS THERE ARE FOUR LEVELS OKAY. THERE IS PROFICIENT IS WHAT THE DIBBLE'S ASSESSMENT CALLS AT BENCHMARK. THERE IS ABOVE BENCHMARK WHICH WE CALL ADVANCED. THERE ARE THERE IS SORT OF LIKE A YELLOW WHICH IS BELOW BENCHMARK. AND THEN THERE'S WELL BELOW BENCHMARK IN THE AT RISK IS DEFINED BY THE STATE AS STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THAT LAST CATEGORY WELL BELOW BENCHMARK. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU. HOW MANY TIMES DO THEY DO EACH I-READY ASSESSMENT. ONLY THREE TIMES. JUST FALL, WINTER AND SPRING. CORRECT. AND THE NUMBERS THAT YOU WERE KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME BEFORE THE MEETING? EACH ONE TAKES ABOUT 70 MINUTES DEPENDING ON THE GRADE LEVEL. SO YES IT DID. IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE LONGER. HOWEVER.
THE PAYOFF IS WE GET SO MUCH RICHER DATA FROM IT. WHEN YOU HAVE AN ASSESSMENT THAT WE DID PREVIOUSLY, THAT WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES COMPARED TO WHAT WE USE NOW FOR ABOUT 70 MINUTES, WE JUST DIDN'T GET THE RICH DATA. WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE REPORTS DOWN TO THE STANDARD, BECAUSE THE DATA WOULD NOT BE VALID IF IT'S ONLY A 30 MINUTE ASSESSMENT. SO IT'S LONGER.
HOWEVER, AS I ADDRESSED, THAT ASSESSMENT IS BROKEN UP OVER 2 OR 3 DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE STUDENT, HOW WELL THEY CAN HANDLE THAT ASSESSMENT. CERTAINLY OUR YOUNG ONES ARE PROBABLY TAKING IT OVER THREE OR MORE ADMINISTRATIONS, AND THEY'RE DOING MAYBE TEN, 15 MINUTES AT A TIME. SOME OF OUR OLDER STUDENTS OBVIOUSLY CAN DO THAT IN TWO TIMES TWO OVER TWO DAYS. SO IT'S 2 OR 3 DAYS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND IN THE WINTER, AND THEN AGAIN IN THE SPRING. SO THE 70 80 MINUTES HERE TIMES THREE. WELL THEY'RE ADDITIVE. SO THEY'RE DOING LIKE 150 OR SO MINUTES. SO THAT 70 MINUTES WOULD BE FOR THE FALL BLOCK. AND THEY MAY TAKE THAT 70 MINUTES AND DO TWO 35 MINUTE SESSIONS. OH I'M SORRY. SO IS THIS PER BLOCK PER BLOCK.
CORRECT. SO THE TOTAL TIME IS LIKE 150 MINUTES OR SO IN THE FALL, IN THE WINTER AND IN THE SPRING. SO THAT'S 450 MINUTES. JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOT. I DIDN'T I DIDN'T WHEN WE APPROVED I-READY, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GOING TO TAKE. SO LET ME HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THE IMPACT ON THE STATE THAT IF IT'S IF IT'S 70 MINUTES IN THE FALL, IT WOULD BE 70 MINUTES AGAIN IN THE
[02:30:05]
SPRING, 70 AGAIN IN THE WINTER. SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT 210 MINUTES MAXIMUM FOR A GRADE LEVEL. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER NUMBER FOR MATH, CORRECT. YES. OKAY. SO DOUBLE THAT AS YOU KNOW, TO INCLUDE ALL THE ASSESSMENTS. YEAH. AND AGAIN THAT'S AVERAGE. SOME STUDENTS MAY FINISH IT YOU KNOW QUICKER. SO THAT THAT'S OUR BEST ESTIMATE BASED UPON ALL THE DATA WE HAVE. RIGHT. WHAT'S BEEN THE FEEDBACK FROM THE TEACHERS AS FAR AS THAT IMPACTING ON THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. HAVING THEIR STUDENTS, THEY MAKE A WORK. THEY THEY KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO GET THE DATA THAT IT REALLY HELPS THEM GROUP STUDENTS TO HELP ANALYZE THEIR STUDENT'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT LESSONS THEY CAN DO THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE PLATFORM. YES, IT IS A LITTLE LENGTHIER OBVIOUSLY, THAN PREVIOUSLY, BUT THEY'VE GOTTEN USED TO IT AND WE'VE HAD GREAT FEEDBACK FROM ALL THE REPORTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM. AND THERE ARE STATE RULES AROUND HOW MANY MINUTES PER YEAR CHILDREN CAN BE ASSESSED AND IN ASSESSMENTS. AND SO MR. SNYDER MONITORS THAT CLOSELY, AND WE REMAIN BELOW THAT THRESHOLD EVEN WITH THE I ASSESSMENTS. OKAY.THANK YOU. SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ON SLIDE FIVE. SO I'M LOOKING AT THE 2122 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND IT'S REALLY LOW OR THE HIGH NUMBER FOR AT RISK STUDENTS LOW PROFICIENCY. SO WHAT CAUSED THAT. WHY ARE THEY COMING IN SO LOW ON THAT YEAR. DID WE HAVE DIBELS ASSESSMENTS THEN. WERE WE USING THEM PRIOR TO 2020. AND THEN OF COURSE, I GUESS WE'D LOSE DATA THERE FOR A YEAR OR SO, BUT I'M GOING TO ATTRIBUTE THAT TO OUR OUR COVID PANDEMIC AS WE COME. WE CAME OUT OF THAT, YOU KNOW, VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. AND CERTAINLY THERE WERE CHALLENGES WITH THAT. AND SO SOME STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE GONE TO PRE-K OR HAD OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN PRE-K OR CHILDCARE MAY NOT HAVE HAD THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY DO. NOW. I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THAT WAS THAT. I MEAN, THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT WAS THE WAY YOU WERE LOOKING AT IT. ALSO. BUT THEN IF YOU LOOK AT SECOND GRADE, THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE HIT QUITE AS BADLY. SO IF YOU GO KINDERGARTEN, THE NUMBER AT RISK WAS 40%. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, FIRST GRADE WAS 30. AND THEN YOU GET TO KINDERGARTEN. IT'S 24, SO IT DIDN'T SEEM TO AFFECT THEM AS MUCH. SO I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING BEFORE KINDERGARTEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE PRE-K OR ANYTHING THEN. CORRECT? OKAY. THANK YOU. I WAS JUST LOOKING AT IT GOING.
I GUESS ONE MORE COMMENT. YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THE DATA WILL HELP TARGETED INSTRUCTION AND TOWARD OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE ALL THE CHANGES HERE ARE STILL JUST SLIGHT. AND WE STILL SHOW THAT WE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF IMPROVEMENT NEEDED IS, YOU KNOW WHAT I GET OUT OF IT. GOT IT. SO MATH SEEMS TO BE A REAL STRUGGLE JUST ACROSS THE BOARD. YOU KNOW, OUR IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE GRADES. ACROSS THE YEARS. WHERE ARE WE COMPARED TO.
I MEAN, I GUESS WE'VE SEEN OTHER DATA THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT HERE, BUT WHICH COMPARES THIS TO THE REST OF THE STATE AND WHATNOT. BUT. WHAT'S YOUR WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE WHERE I KNOW WE'RE WE'RE STARTING TO PUT MORE FOCUS, MORE EMPHASIS ON MATH. WELL, WE'VE KIND OF BEEN IN THIS. WE ARE FOCUSING RESOURCES ON MATH CHALLENGES. WE ARE NOW STRUGGLING WITH THE ABILITY TO ADD MORE SUPPORTS THERE WITH THE SPECIALIST POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE. THAT'S A CONCERN A LITTLE BIT. WE'VE BEEN ON HOLD WITH ADOPTING NEW RESOURCES, PARTLY BECAUSE THE STATE IS TALKING ABOUT. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE MATH PLAN COMING, WHICH THEY'VE ACTUALLY PUT OUT FOR COMMENTS. WE'VE PROVIDED FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT. SO WE HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO WITH THAT IN THE LIGHT OF EVERYTHING ELSE WE'RE DOING. BUT THE OTHER THING IS I'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING APPROVED RESOURCES FOR THAT, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT. SO WHILE WE'RE WORKING ON THE MATH STRATEGIES INTERNALLY, AGAIN, WE HAVE, I THINK, A FANTASTIC NEW
[02:35:04]
MATH SPECIALIST OR SUPERVISOR WHO HAS PUT A LOT OF INTERESTING IDEAS ON THE TABLE. AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE SEEING SOME IMPACT FROM HER WORK. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS FROM THE FIELD ABOUT THE WORK SHE'S DOING. BUT WITH THAT SAID, WE'RE ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF A HOLDING PATTERN WAITING ON MSD IF THEY'RE GOING TO ROLL OUT A NEW PLAN. I DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT IN KIND OF THE SAME SPOT WE WERE BEFORE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE PUT SOMETHING OUT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE FIND OURSELVES ON THE WRONG SIDE OF, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS TO USE. SO THAT SAID, THAT'S NOT STOPPING US FROM DOING THE WORK. AND I-READY WAS A BIG PART, YOU KNOW, HAVING AN ASSESSMENT THAT ACTUALLY GIVES THE TEACHERS ACTIONABLE DATA ACTUALLY GIVES THE TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION ABOUT THE STANDARDS THAT THEY CAN THEN WORK TOWARD IS PART OF MAKING, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRESS TOWARD THESE STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO PASS THE ASSESSMENTS AT THE STATE, ASSESSMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN SO PROBLEMATIC. SO. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, MR. SEWELL. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK, RIGHT? IT'S NOT SIMPLE. THERE'S NO SIMPLE ANSWER TO THIS. BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE, YOU KNOW, MOVE THAT NEEDLE BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO MOVE QUITE A LOT. I MEAN, OUR, OUR STUDENTS, JUST OUR STUDENTS NOT ENGAGED IN MATH, LIKE IN THE DISTRICT, LIKE. WHAT? WHAT IS THE WHAT IS THE PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH THEM GETTING TO PROFICIENCY, YOU KNOW, IS IT WE DO HAVE MRS. POTTER VIRTUALLY WITH US WHO IS OUR SUPERVISOR OF MATHEMATICS AND SHE MAY SHE OBVIOUSLY HAS BEEN FOLLOWING WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE STATE VERY CLOSELY. SO SHE MIGHT HAVE SOME OTHER WORDS OF WISDOM FOR US. IF SHE IS THERE. SO I APPRECIATE IT. WE ARE WORKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. SO THAT IS OUR MAIN FOCUS RIGHT NOW IN HELPING TO SUPPORT OUR MATH ACHIEVEMENT. AND YOU KNOW, MISS CRUTCHER TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MATH AMBASSADOR WORK THAT'S HAPPENING AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN AN IMPACTFUL WAY TO SUPPORT TEACHERS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRICULUM. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT INSTRUCTION IS ALIGNED TO THE STANDARDS THAT STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED ON, AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE HIGH LEVELS OF ENGAGEMENT DURING MATH INSTRUCTION. THE MATH ACHIEVEMENT GAP IS A REALLY COMPLEX ISSUE, AND I CAN'T NECESSARILY POINT TO ONE FACTOR THAT'S ITS MAIN CAUSE. AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY DIG INTO THE PROBLEM AND IDENTIFY WHICH FACTORS ARE GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTFUL FOR OUR CHANGE. SO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY THAT OUR DISTRICT WE HAVE ADVANCED MATH FOR SOME STUDENTS WHERE OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T. RIGHT. LIKE I THINK IT'S I HAVEN'T KEPT TRACK TOTALLY. BUT I KNOW IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, LIKE WE OFFER SOME CLASSES THAT OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T LIKE ADVANCED I GUESS. GEOMETRY. SO DOES THAT HURT US AT ALL IN THIS, OR WOULD THAT HELP US? I KNOW IT HURTS US IN LIKE I MEAN, THERE'S VARYING PHILOSOPHIES AND I HAVE THIS IS ONE I'VE TALKED TO MISS POTTER ABOUT OR ANYONE UP HERE. I THINK THERE ARE COMPETING THEORIES ABOUT HOW TO HOW TO MOVE THAT DIFFERENTLY, SOME WOULD SAY SLOW DOWN AND. SOME WOULD SAY THAT THE ACCELERATION OF MATH AT ALL GRADE LEVELS IS A PROBLEM.OTHERS WOULD SAY THAT IT'S NOT RIGOROUS ENOUGH. ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M QUESTIONING.
WHAT I'M QUESTIONING IS, DOES IT HURT OUR TESTING? I DON'T I DON'T I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE'RE PUSHING KIDS TOO FAST. ONE ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH THE ACCELERATION IS IT DOESN'T ALWAYS ALIGN TO THE TESTING. SO THE TESTS THAT A STUDENT TAKE AT CERTAIN GRADE LEVELS MAY NOT NECESSARILY MEASURE SOMETHING THEY'VE HAD A WHOLE YEAR TO STUDY AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND MR. SNYDER COULD PROBABLY TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THAT MISALIGNMENT HAPPENS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VES WHICH TESTED KIDS TAKE AND HOW MANY OF THEM PASSED THAT TEST AND WHAT ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE RATED ON? BECAUSE, I MEAN, KEEPING TRACK OF MIDDLE SCHOOL MATH IS WITH THE STATE. ASSESSMENT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW. BUT BEHIND THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF A STRUCTURAL ISSUE WITH THE STATE. AND FRANKLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEW APPROACH THAT THE STATE IS ALSO LOOKING AT KIND OF REALIGNING ALL THESE COURSES AND CREATING A WHOLE DIFFERENT STRUCTURE TO MATH, WHICH, AGAIN, WE MAY HAVE A BUNCH OF OPINIONS ABOUT IN THIS DISTRICT AMONG OUR MATH TEACHERS. AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN AMONG OUR NON-EDUCATORS.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ABOUT TO HIT. AND THEN THE CHALLENGE WILL BE, HOW DO WE
[02:40:02]
PROVIDE MATERIALS THAT ALIGN TO THAT? SO THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS COMING OUR WAY BASED ON THE CHANGES THAT THE STATE IS ROLLING OUT. AND SO AGAIN WE DO NEED TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THEIR LEAD. BECAUSE IF WE GET CROSSWISE WITH THE STATE, YOU KNOW, WE PUT A NEW PROGRAM IN AND THEN WE'RE NOT SORT OF ALIGNED WITH THEIR STANDARDS. WE'LL BE IN A DIFFICULT SPOT.BUT. WE NEED A LITTLE MORE CERTAINTY. IF IT'S GOING TO BE THIS PRESCRIPTIVE FROM THE STATE, THEN WE NEED THE CLARITY TO COME WITH IT. SO CAN WE GET THE DATA THEN COMPARING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, JUST US AGAINST THE REST OF THE STATE OR MAYBE NATIONALLY FOR MATH, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I-READY SPECIFICALLY. YEAH. SO WE CAN'T COMPARE TO OUR PEERS THAT OTHER COUNTIES WON'T RELEASE THAT DATA TO THEM UNLESS THEY REPORT IT PUBLICLY, WHICH I'M NOT AWARE OF. ANYBODY THAT ACTUALLY DOES. I CAN GO BACK TO OUR VENDOR TO SEE IF WE CAN HAVE THE DATA FROM OUR NATIONAL WHERE WE WHERE WE STAND NATIONWIDE. THAT'D BE GREAT. AND NOT EVERYONE USES I-READY ACROSS THE STATE. SO DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS. YEAH, THERE IS ABOUT EIGHT COUNTIES LAST I CHECKED. SO ABOUT A THIRD OF THE COUNTIES IN MARYLAND USE I-READY. AND IT IS AN EXCITING TIME TO BE A MATHEMATICS TEACHER. HOWEVER, I MEAN, JUST WITH ALL OF THIS BEING SAID, I MEAN, WITH THE CHANGES AT THE STATE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE MRS. POTTER'S LEADERSHIP, VERY DETAILED CHANGES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL AND THE WAY THAT WE TEACH, KIND OF THE ACCELERATED STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING ALGEBRA IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHO ARE TAKING GEOMETRY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THOSE COURSES WILL BE SHIFTING AND LOOKING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND THEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIFFERENT MATHEMATICS PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. AND THEN KIND OF LIKE WE SAW WITH LITERACY, THERE WAS A THERE WAS A BIG FOCUS ON THE SCIENCE OF READING AND TEACHING TEACHERS HOW TO BE TEACHERS OF LITERACY. THERE'S THAT SHIFT HAPPENING IN MATHEMATICS AS WELL. AND SO HER TEAM HAS DONE SOME TRAININGS AT THE STATE LEVEL ON GAP TRAINING. I THINK THAT'S THE ONGOING ASSESSMENT PROJECT, AND THAT'S A KIND OF SIMILAR IN THAT IT'S WAYS TO TEACH FOR TEACHERS, TO LEARN HOW TO BREAK DOWN WHERE THEIR STUDENTS HAVE DIFFICULTIES AND ADJUST THEIR TEACHING TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY NEED THAT ADDITIONAL HELP. SO KIND OF LIKE, I GUESS, SIMILAR MAYBE TO AN EQUIVALENT OF LIKE A SCIENCE OF LEARNING FOR THEM. SO WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF THESE NEW THINGS HAPPENING. SO WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO WITH ALL OF THE DATA AND THE IMPACT ON OUR KIDS. YEAH, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ASK THAT IF THERE WAS LIKE AN EQUIVALENT FROM READING STANDPOINT. IT'S INTERESTING IN WHICH 2025 AND THIS IS JUST HAPPENING NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST BOGGLES MY MIND THAT THIS IS TAKING THIS LONG TO GET HERE. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. MOVE
[E. Superintendent's Report]
ON TO THE FINAL ITEM THIS EVENING. ITEM E SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. DOCTOR BALSAM. ALL RIGHT. JUST A WE'LL GO WITH JUST A COUPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS. MARYLAND CENTER FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PUBLISHED A RESEARCH BRIEF TITLED FROM ABSENCE TO ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO REDUCING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND INCREASING ATTENDANCE. IT'S A VERY LONG TITLE. NICE THING ABOUT THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN THERE. THEY THEY IDENTIFIED STRATEGIES FROM VARIOUS SCHOOLS IN BAKERSFIELD ELEMENTARY WHO WE'VE HEARD QUITE A LOT ABOUT.PRINCIPAL MRS. DIDO. THEY WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS BAKERSFIELD USES A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESS DIRECT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH, AND PROVIDE TARGETED INTERVENTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCENTIVES AND REWARDS. AND SO IT'S NICE TO SEE THEM HIGHLIGHTED IN WORK COMING FROM THE STATE. ANOTHER THING TODAY, IT'S FUNNY, WE WERE HEARING ABOUT THE TRAIN DERAILMENT, WHICH OF COURSE WASN'T A REAL THING. IT WAS A AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXERCISE THAT OCCURRED AT THE EOC, AND A NUMBER OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WERE THERE AND PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
BUT ONE OF THOSE, THOSE COUNTY ACTIVITIES, AND I THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC THING THE COUNTY DOES AND INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS, YOU KNOW, WHEN A BIG CRISIS OCCURS IN THE COUNTY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE THINKS LIKE, WELL, HOW COULD THAT AFFECT THE SCHOOLS? WELL, WHEN YOU PUT A BUNCH OF SCHOOL PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE, THEY CAN TELL YOU THE WAYS IT WOULD AFFECT THE SCHOOLS. AND SO IT'S NICE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT. SO WE
[Future Meetings Review]
APPRECIATE THE COUNTY FOR CONTINUALLY ENGAGING IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES LIKE THIS. I MEAN, EVERY TIME WE DO THAT, IT STRENGTHENS. IT STRENGTHENS THE RELATIONSHIP, BUILDS TRUST, BUT ALSO BUILDS PREPARATION. SO WITH THAT SAID, COMING UP IN FUTURE MEETINGS, I KNOW IN THE NEXT MEETING AND ONE OF THE THINGS I JUST WANT TO PUT THIS OUT AS A PREVIEW, ONE OF THE WE HAVE ANOTHER DATA PRESENTATION. AND MISTER HANNIGAN WILL BE BRINGING DATA ON CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE. AND ONE OF THE NOTABLE TRENDS IN[02:45:05]
THERE NOT TO STEAL THUNDER FROM THE PRESENTATION. BUT, YOU KNOW, BOTH WE'RE SEEING IMPROVEMENTS, BOTH IN THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND IN REDUCING STUDENT BEHAVIORS, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAD QUITE A SPIKE FOR A BIT. BUT ANECDOTALLY, TALKING TO PRINCIPALS, AND I'M GOING TO ASK A FEW MORE BEFORE WE MEET AGAIN, THEY REALLY DO BELIEVE IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING WITH, YOU KNOW, REDUCING CELL PHONE USE IN THE SCHOOLS AND ALL THAT. THEY'RE SEEING THAT MAKING, YOU KNOW, AN ABSOLUTE IMPACT ON THE WORK. SO WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK MORE AT THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND AS I SHARED, WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME GOOD NEWS COMING OUR WAY ABOUT THE NORTH STAR WORK BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A NICE BUMP IN OUR IN OUR PERFORMANCE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE COHORT FROM THE CLASS OF 24. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S IN THE NEXT MEETING, BUT WE'LL BE SHARING THAT WITH YOU SOON. SO ON THAT NOTE, THANK YOU ALL* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.