[Call to Order: Board President]
          [00:00:13]
          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 23RD, 2026 AT 6:10 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION AS. ROLLO. PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MRS. PERRY. I BELIEVE MRS. PERRY IS ABSENT THIS EVENING. MISS NAKAI HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER PRESENT. MR. MCVICKER HERE. MR. KORN, MR. KORN IS ABSENT THIS EVENING. MRS. HAHN, I'M PRESENT. AND I THINK THAT DENISE IS ON THE OTHER CLOSED SESSION LIVE LIKE THE STREAM THERE. BECAUSE WHEN I WAS THERE, WHEN I LEFT, SHE WAS STILL THERE. SHE HAD JOINED. OKAY. THANK YOU. I WILL, I WILL CHECK. THANK YOU, MISS BRUCE HERE. MRS. ALVAREZ. MISS ALVAREZ IS ABSENT THIS EVENING. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. 
          PRESIDENT PAGE. YES. PRESIDENT. PAGE. I BELIEVE SHE MAY BE TRYING TO LOG ON. INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, CAN YOU NOT HEAR ME NOW? I CAN, THANK YOU. OKAY. SORRY, SARAH. INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MAC, THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. CHRIS, THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MEET THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. 
          BOARD MEMBERS. PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION. 
          FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAMES BEFORE SPEAKING. DOCTOR MACK WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL ON THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO IN A ROLL. CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION. I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH YES OR NO. 
          GREAT. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU DO. I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY YES. YES YES YES YES YES. ANYONE ONLINE? ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. GREAT. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND ALLEGIANCE. 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. THANK YOU. 
          COULD I HAVE THE SECURITY REPRESENTATIVE READ OUR RULES OF ORDER? OKAY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT FOR THE BUSINESS MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER GRANDSTANDING WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE, THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES, OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. 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, THE DISPARAGING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS, AND INFLAMMATORY REMARKS ABOUT SPECIFIC SCHOOL'S 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 
          [00:05:02]
PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR, THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. ONCE THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED, ALL ATTENDEES SHOULD EXIT THE BOARD MEETING ROOM. WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A 
          [Public Comment]
PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. RULES WILL BE OBSERVED THIS EVENING IN PERSON. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND FIVE MINUTES FOR INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING GROUPS. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND BE GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30S LEFT. WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR 3 OR 5 MINUTE MARK, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. MISS ROLLO, WOULD YOU PLEASE BEGIN THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS? VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, WE HAVE SIX IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE WILL START OFF WITH CASSANDRA. 
          BEVERLY. MISS BEVERLY, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BEVERLY AND MY GROUP IS THE HARFORD COUNTY CAUCUS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LEADERS. THE MISSION OF OUR GROUP IS TO ADVOCATE FOR FAIRNESS, EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I'M SORRY. LET ME GO BACK. GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT MACK, BOARD PRESIDENT PAIGE AND MEMBERS OF THE OF THE BOARD. I ALSO HAVE SERVED AS ONE OF THE FIRST ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          SO I APPRECIATE THE POSITION THAT YOU'RE IN AND THE WORK THIS KEEPS GOING DOWN, THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE TO DO. THIS PAST SATURDAY, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE NAACP'S MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BANQUET, AND AT THE NAACP MARTIN LUTHER KING BANQUET, THE NAACP GAVE AWARDS TO A NUMBER OF OUTSTANDING LEADERS AND BUSINESSES, MOST OF WHOM WERE SELECTED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NAACP AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE CAUCUS WAS GRATIFIED, BUT NOT SURPRISED WHEN RONALD WOODEN, PRINCIPAL AT WILLIAM PACA OLD POST ROAD, RECEIVED THE CHANGEMAKER AWARD. MR. WOODEN WAS AN OUTSTANDING TEACHER BEFORE BECOMING A PRINCIPAL AND BEING NAMED PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR BY HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2024. HE IS WIDELY RESPECTED AND ADMIRED BY HIS PEERS, STUDENTS, PARENTS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY. AS YOU KNOW, WILLIAM PACA, OLD POST ROAD IS A TITLE ONE SCHOOL. THE STUDENTS HAVE ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES NOT FACED BY MOST HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. THEY NEED MORE SUPPORT AND A LEADER ATTUNED TO AND COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. 
          MR. WOODEN HAS PROVED HIMSELF TO BE JUST SUCH A LEADER. I REVIEWED SOME OF THE METRICS FOR THE SCHOOL DURING MR. WOODEN'S TENURE, AND THERE'S NO DENYING THE SIGNIFICANT, MEASURABLE, POSITIVE ACHIEVEMENTS ACADEMICALLY AND THE REDUCTION IN THE FACTORS THAT IMPEDE STUDENT PROGRESS, SUCH AS ABSENTEEISM AND ATTENDANCE. THE STUDENTS CLEARLY THRIVED IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT HE AND HIS STAFF CREATED. I WENT OVER THE METRICS THAT I COULD KIND OF FIND QUICKLY AND THE. AND OVERALL, I SAW AT LEAST A 20 PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE IN READING 20 TO 25% INCREASE IN MATH, 20 TO 40% INCREASE IN EARLY LITERACY. EXCUSE ME, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM THAT HAD BEEN DECREASED BY TEN, 14% AND ATTENDANCE INCREASED BY AT LEAST 3%. AND THE SCHOOL WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE A WELCOMING PLACE FOR FAMILIES. AS A CAUCUS, WE SUPPORT LEADERS WHO ARE WORKING TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE STUDENTS. WE ALSO WANT TO SEE MORE PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS OF COLOR IN THE SYSTEM. THAT'S AN AREA WHERE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS BEEN CHALLENGED FOR QUITE SOME TIME. 
          IN TERMS OF THE NUMBERS, WE SUPPORT HAVING HIGH STANDARDS FOR THOSE IN LEADERSHIP, BUT UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE IMPERFECT AND ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE PERSONAL OPINIONS. OVER THE 26 YEARS THAT PRINCIPAL WOODEN HAS DEVOTED TO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HE HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS COMMITMENT TO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO ITS STUDENTS. I WANT TO STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. PLEASE. WE PLEASE DON'T REFERENCE ANY SPECIFIC STAFF MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SORRY, IT'S A LITTLE LATE TO THE GAME, BUT EVEN THOUGH I'M FROM FROM THIS FROM THIS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. BECAUSE FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, DO NOT REFERENCE A SPECIFIC. ALRIGHT. I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE PERMITTED THE OLD POST ROAD COMMUNITY TO HAVE INPUT IN THE THE MATTER. THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION, HOWEVER, TO ASK IS WHETHER ANY DECISION MADE WITH REGARD TO HIM OR ANY OTHER LEADER, WHETHER IT SUPPORTS THE NEEDS 
          [00:10:04]
OF STUDENTS OR DOES IT SUPPORT SOMEONE'S POLITICAL AGENDA. I IMPLORE YOU NOT TO PERMIT STUDENTS TO BE THE UNINTENDED CASUALTIES IN THE BOARD WARS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. WILLIAM MARTINO. MR. MARTINO, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. WILLIAM MARTINO, MOMS FOR LIBERTY, HARFORD COUNTY CHAPTER. THIS IS THE LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING BEFORE THE EASTER HOLIDAY. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT JESUS TAUGHT HIS FOLLOWERS THE CRITICAL ROLE CHILDREN PLAY IN SOCIETY. IN JESUS'S DAY, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE SEVERELY NEGLECTED AND ABUSED. JESUS'S ACTIONS WERE UNIQUE AND REVOLUTIONARY TOWARDS CARING FOR WOMEN, CHILDREN, MINORITIES AND THE DISABLED. HIS ACTIONS INSPIRED POWERFUL MEN LATER IN TIME TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS FOR THEM, INCLUDING EDUCATION. 
          TODAY'S SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE A RESULT OF HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS TOWARD CHILDREN. JESUS IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL HISTORICAL FIGURE IN HISTORY, BUT THE SCHOOLS CHOOSE TO CENTER HIS HISTORICAL LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THIS IS IRONIC, SINCE THE SCHOOLS WOULDN'T EVEN EXIST WITHOUT HIM. DURING THE TRIAL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, PONTIUS PILATE, CORE RESPONSIBILITY WAS TO SEEK TRUTH AND JUSTICE ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY. THE GOSPELS ACCOUNT CLEARLY SHOW THAT PILATE WAS MORE FOCUSED ON SATISFYING POLITICAL GROUPS THAN HIS MAIN RESPONSIBILITY OF SEEKING TRUTH. HE IGNORED TRUTH TO SATISFY, SATISFY THE POLITICAL ELITES AND CONDEMN JESUS TO THE CROSS. THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT ALSO WANTED TO SATISFY THE POLITICAL ELITES, AND CAME IN WITH AN AGENDA OF INFUSING HARFORD COUNTY'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WITH FALSE RADICAL CONCEPTS SUCH AS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, PROMOTING QUEER THEORY, MARXIST CONCEPTS, AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING INTO ALL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION. HE WAS ENTERING A NEW ERA OF SUPPORTING POLITICAL IDEALS BY INDOCTRINATING THE NEXT GENERATION, AND TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS WERE GOING TO TAKE A BACK SEAT. WELL, THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT IS NOW GONE. JUST LIKE THE EASTER SEASON, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CLEAN SLATE AND NEW BEGINNINGS, JUST AS OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST CLEANSED THE SINS OF THE WORLD, THIS BOARD CAN MOVE ON AND CLEANSE THE CURRICULUM OF RADICAL LIBERAL AGENDAS BAKED INTO TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS. PURGE THE COURSES OF FALSE IDEALS PROMOTING MARXIST GOVERNMENT PRIDE, MATERIAL ANTI-AMERICAN SENTIMENT AND GENDER DYSPHORIA, RETURN TO GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, TO A TIME WHEN THE FOCUS WAS ON TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS AND PROMOTING TRUTH IN THE CLASSROOMS. THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT INSTITUTED THE LUCY CALKINS UNIT OF STUDY FOR READING IN THE CPS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. LUCY CALKINS MATERIAL HAS PRODUCED DISASTROUS RESULTS. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES HAVE AGREED UPON IS THAT LUCY CALKINS HAS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CURRICULUM. WHATEVER POSSESSED THE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE TO USE THIS PROGRAM? THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF POOR LEADERSHIP UNDER THE BOLSON ADMINISTRATION. 
          THIS SCIENCE OF READING STILL REMAINS IN SCHOOLS, INCLUDING YOUTH BENEFIT. TODAY. IT NEEDS TO BE ERADICATED IMMEDIATELY. MARYLAND HAS SLIPPED TO 20TH IN THIRD GRADE READING, WHILE SPENDING 19,000 PER STUDENT. IN 2013, MISSISSIPPI WAS 49TH IN THIRD GRADE READING PROFICIENCY. 
          MISSISSIPPI RETURNED TO TRADITIONAL, TIME TESTED, SUCCESSFUL READING WITH PHONICS, AND NOW THEY ARE RATED NINTH IN THE COUNTRY, WHILE ONLY SPENDING 12 K PER STUDENT. IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY, IT'S ABOUT SOUND POLICY. WITH A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND ADDITIONAL NEW ONES COMING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT IS TIME TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY AND RIGHT THE SHIP AND GET THE SCHOOLS BACK TO TEACHING. ACADEMICS RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO PROMOTE PROGRESSIVE IDEAS, PROVIDE SOCIAL PROGRAM HANDOUTS, DELIVER MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS. THEY ARE NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FOCUS ON THE CORE MISSION OF TEACHING ACADEMICS. 
          [00:15:03]
HAVE A HAPPY EASTER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA LANOKA, FOLLOWED BY GARY JOHNSON AND DAVID FABI. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. OH COME, LET US WORSHIP GOD AND BOW LOW BEFORE THE GOD WHO MADE US, FOR HE IS THE LORD OUR GOD. PSALM 95. WE NEED TO GO TO OUR GOD AND FOLLOW HIS WILL. YOU HAVE A HEAVY LOAD AND GOD'S WISDOM IS REQUIRED. ACCORDING TO EDUCATOR AUTHOR EDI HURST JR, THE PRACTICE OF EMPHASIZING THE LEARNING PROCESS OVER THE FACTS TAUGHT HAS DONE GREAT HARM TO OUR CHILDREN. THESE PRACTICES HAVE DIMINISHED THEIR ABILITIES AND THEIR DESIRE TO LEARN. ACCORDING TO BETTER MARYLAND SCHOOLS, TRADITIONAL METHODS OF INSTRUCTION PRODUCE BETTER RESULTS THAN SO-CALLED STUDENT CENTERED METHODS, ESPECIALLY FOR LOWER INCOME CHILDREN. HARVARD EDUCATION PROFESSOR JEAN SCHALL REVIEWS 100 YEARS OF RESEARCH IN HER BOOK THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT CHALLENGE, SHE FINDS THAT A TRADITIONAL TEACHER CENTERED APPROACH RESULTS IN A MUCH HIGHER ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT COMPARED TO THE PROGRESSIVE, STUDENT CENTERED METHODS. THE TEACHER CENTERED APPROACH WAS HAS WAS PARTICULARLY BENEFICIAL FOR CHILDREN OF LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND THOSE WITH LEARNING CHALLENGES. MISS CHOW FOUND IN HER RESEARCH THAT REAL TEACHING, WHICH INCLUDES INSTRUCTION AND LEADERSHIP VERSUS STUDENT CENTERED GUIDANCE, WORKS THE BEST TO RAISE THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR CHILDREN. DOCTOR VICKI SNYDER IN HER BOOKS MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS CONCEPTIONS ABOUT TEACHING, DISCUSSES THE TEACHING MYTHS WHICH ARE PROCESSED, FUN, ECLECTIC INSTRUCTION, GOOD TEACHER LEARNING STYLE, AND DISABILITY. SHE EXPLAINS WHY THERE'S SUCH A RELUCTANCE TO EMBRACING THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING. DOCTOR SARAH HADDEN, CENTER FOR ADVANCED STUDY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, IN HER REVIEW OF SNYDER'S BOOK, SAID IT'S CRITICAL THAT SCHOOLS DELIVER THE MOST EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION THEY CAN IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER POSSIBLE. 
          DOCTOR HATTAN AS AN EDUCATOR AND HERSELF A PARENT OF A STRUGGLING STUDENT, SAW FIRSTHAND THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TEACHING MYTHS THAT DOCTOR SNYDER DISCUSSED IN HER BOOK REGARDING THE BUDGET FOR MARYLAND SCHOOLS. POINTS TO. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, SPENDING INCREASES SHOW AT BEST WEAK SLASH MIXED RELATIONSHIPS WITH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND THAT THAT ONLY TARGETED SPENDING CHANGES PAIRED WITH FINANCE REFORMS SHOW MORE LONG TERM BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. WITH THAT IN MIND, FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CHILDREN, I SUGGEST WE FIND AN ALREADY PROVEN CURRICULUM. IN ADDITION, I SUGGEST WE DO AN INDEPENDENT AUDIT SO WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE THE FUNDS WITH WHICH WE ARE PROVIDED. ON ANOTHER NOTE, I AGAIN EMPHASIZE THAT ACCORDING TO EXECUTIVE ORDER 14190 ENDING RADICAL INDOCTRINATION IN K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLING, GENDER IDEOLOGIES TEACHINGS ARE NOW PROHIBITED. STOP THE BOYS AND GIRLS BATHROOMS TO COERCE PRONOUNS. THE GENDER IDEOLOGY TEACHINGS. THIS BOARD HAS BEEN ALLOWING OUR CHILDREN TO BE HARMED AND IS NOW AT RISK OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING. THANK YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN YOUR DECISION MAKING. GARY JOHNSON ON FEBRUARY 10TH OF THIS YEAR, I SENT AN EMAIL TO EACH OF YOU EXPRESSING MY CONCERNS REGARDING HOW WE WERE TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER THE QUESTIONABLE DEPARTURE OF ALL OF THE TOP LEADERSHIP OF THE HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. AS NONE OF YOU EVER RESPONDED TO MY EMAIL, I FIND THAT I MUST MAKE MY THOUGHTS KNOWN NOW IN THIS PUBLIC FORUM. SEAN OLSON, AARON BOYNTON AND ERIC DAVIS ARE ALL NOW GONE. NONE OF THEM HAS EVER BEEN CHARGED WITH COMMITTING A CRIME, YET SUDDENLY THEY ARE ALL GONE. WHY WAS MR. OLSON LET GO IF HIS. I'M GOING TO STOP YOU RIGHT THERE AGAIN, WE CANNOT MENTION PEOPLE BY NAME. I FORGOT HE'S HE'S NOT HERE. MY APOLOGIES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WHY WAS THAT OTHER GUY? WHY IS HE GONE? IF HIS CONDUCT WAS CRIMINAL, WHY WASN'T HE CHARGED WITH A CRIME? AND YET WE KNOW OF NO SUCH CHARGE. IF, ON THE OTHER HAND, HIS CONDUCT WAS SIMPLY EMBARRASSING, IS THAT A SUFFICIENT REASON TO REPLACE SOMEONE? SOME SAY THAT HIS CONDUCT VIOLATED THE MORALS CLAUSE OF HIS CONTRACT. IF THAT IS SO, AND IF THAT WAS THE REASON FOR HIS DEPARTURE, THEN WHY IS HE STILL BEING PAID? IS THE COUNTY SO FLUSH WITH MONEY THAT IT CAN AFFORD TO PAY SUPERINTENDENTS WHO ARE NOT ON THE JOB? DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS A WISE USE OF TAX DOLLARS? IF SO, WE NEED TO KNOW WHY. AND WHY WASN'T THE OTHER GENTLEMAN WHO USED TO BE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ELEVATED TO FILL THE POSITION? ISN'T THAT WHAT WE HAD AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR? DID HE COMMIT A CRIME OR DID HE EMBARRASS HIMSELF? WE DON'T HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF A TAPE RECORDING SUCH AS WE HAD WITH THE OTHER GUY, SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT LED TO HIS DEPARTURE. WAS HE FIRED? DID HE RESIGN? IS HE 
          [00:20:06]
STILL GETTING PAID? WE NEED TO KNOW. THERE ARE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW ORLEANS IN APRIL OF 2024. AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE THE TAWDRY CONDUCT OF. MR. YOU KNOW WHO. THERE ARE ALSO QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. INVESTIGATE HOW THIS INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AND WHY ALL OF ITS FINDINGS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE PUBLIC. MUCH OF WHAT WE DO KNOW LACKS ANY REAL SPECIFICITY. IF YOU WERE AT THE EDUCATION CONFERENCE, YOU LIKELY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED WITHIN 24 HOURS OF ITS OCCURRENCE. WE NOW KNOW THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHO WAS NOT IN NEW ORLEANS AT THE TIME, BUT I'D WAGER SHE KNEW MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE OTHERS EVEN RETURNED TO MARYLAND. MOST OF YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, BUT SAID NOTHING. WHY ARE WE TO TRUST YOU NOW? I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT 1 OR 2 MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ACTUALLY TRIED TO BRING THIS INFORMATION TO LIGHT, BUT THAT THEY WERE STOPPED IN THEIR EFFORTS BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. WHY? WHAT POSSIBLE REASON COULD THERE BE FOR SUCH OBFUSCATION? COULD IT BE THAT THERE'S MORE TO BE KNOWN THAT HAS BEEN MADE PUBLIC? COULD IT BE THAT WHAT HAS BEEN COVERED UP MIGHT THREATEN OTHER MEMBERS WHO CURRENTLY SIT ON THIS BOARD? ONLY A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION BY AN OUTSIDE AGENCY, SOMEONE NOT CONNECTED TO HARFORD COUNTY IN ANY WAY WILL BRING THE CLEANSING THAT THIS SCANDAL REQUIRES. SO AS LONG AS YOU'RE THROWING OUR MONEY AROUND, WHY NOT THROW IT TOWARD THAT? SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PRINCIPLE. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. BOARD MEMBERS, ACTING SUPERINTENDENT. UNDER HARFORD COUNTY BOARD POLICY, THIS BOARD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FISCAL OVERSIGHT AND BUDGET APPROVAL. THE RESPONSIBILITY REQUIRES TRANSPARENCY AND SUFFICIENT DETAIL TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. SO MY QUESTION TONIGHT IS SIMPLE. WHO AMONG YOU WILL MAKE A MOTION TO REQUIRE THAT A DETAILED LINE ITEM BUDGET BREAKDOWN BE PROVIDED TO EACH BOARD MEMBER BEFORE VOTING ON MAJOR BUDGET APPROVALS? AND JUST IMPORTANTLY, WHO WILL SECOND IT AND WHO WILL SUPPORT IT. BECAUSE, TRUST US, MAY WORK IN GROUP PROJECTS, BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE THE STANDARD FOR PUBLIC DOLLARS. AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, $38,000 WAS APPROVED FOR M A B E TO CONDUCT A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. WERE ANY COMPETITIVE VENDORS CONSIDERED? AND KNOWING THAT THERE WOULD BE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH. ASSOCIATED WITH REPLACING PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT B U L S O N. WAS THERE ANY EFFORT TO OFFSET THE COST, SUCH AS REDUCING THE B U L S O N BUYOUT ACCORDINGLY? I'M SORRY SIR. SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP TRANSITION, PLEASE STOP. YES. NO NAMES, SPELLED OR OTHERWISE, CAN BE USED IN PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS, WHEN WILL THE FORMER SUPERINTENDENTS PORTRAIT BE REMOVED FROM THIS BOARDROOM BEHIND ME HERE? I ASK BECAUSE CONSISTENCY MATTERS AND THE PUBLIC NOTICES THESE THINGS. I'D ALSO APPRECIATE CLARIFICATION ON THE DISTRICT ISSUED EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS THE LAPTOP AND THE CELL PHONE, TIED TO THE PRIOR LEADERSHIP OF, YOU KNOW, WHO. SPECIFICALLY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND CURRENT STATUS. MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT REPORT. I HOPE TO HEAR UPDATES ON HIRING PRACTICES, PARTICULARLY IN LIGHT OF THE LEGISLATION SUCH AS MARYLAND HOUSE BILL 1418, MOVING THROUGH ANNAPOLIS WITH. WILL THIS BOARD ADOPT ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITH SERIOUS CRIMINAL HISTORIES OR PENDING CHARGES NOT BE PLACED IN POSITIONS WITH DIRECT, UNSUPERVISED ACCESS TO STUDENTS? ADDITIONALLY, I WELCOME UPDATES ON WEAPONS DETECTION SYSTEMS FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, CONSISTENT DISCIPLINARY STANDARDS ACROSS SCHOOLS, AND POLICIES AND POLICIES THAT ENSURE PARENTS REMAIN APPROPRIATELY INFORMED AND INVOLVED IN DECISIONS AFFECTING THEIR CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH. 
          GENDER TRANSITION NORMALIZING MUST BE STOPPED. RECENT LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING MAHOUD VERSUS TAYLOR, UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION. CLEAR COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPARENCY WITH FAMILIES SHOULD REMAIN A PRIORITY, EVEN WITH AI IMPLEMENTATION. THANK YOU. MR. PHIL HUNTER. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. I DON'T HAVE A 
          [00:25:01]
PREPARED SPEECH. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF OUR ATTORNEY, CASANDRA BEVERLY WHITE. IN HER SUPPORT OF THE. THE PRINCIPAL THAT IS ON LEAVE. ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE AT OLD POST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM I'M SORRY SIR, THAT IS A PERSONNEL MATTER. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DISCUSS THAT THIS EVENING. I'M SORRY. THAT IS A PERSONNEL MATTER THAT YOU ARE SPEAKING TOWARDS AND THAT IS NOT TO BE DISCUSSED, NOT TO BE DISCUSSED. CAN I HAVE LEGAL OPINION ON THAT? SO FAR, HE HASN'T SAID ANYTHING THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS SAID. HE HASN'T MENTIONED THE EMPLOYEE'S NAME. BUT I THINK THE THE ADMONITION IS APPROPRIATE AT THIS POINT. 
          PERSONNEL MATTERS ARE NOT FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION OR PUBLIC DISCUSSION. IF WE CAN KEEP SUPPORT AND DISTASTE FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES AT A MINIMUM, I THINK THAT'S STANDARD PRACTICE MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. MY BACKGROUND IS I'M FROM ALABAMA, ORIGINALLY INVOLVED IN THE INFAMOUS EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE MARCH IN MARCH OF 1965. I HAVE SEEN DISCRIMINATION FIRSTHAND. AND SO I HATE TO PUT IT IN CRUDE TERMS. I'M A RETIRED LAWYER FROM ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND. I THANK MR. WOOTEN HAS BEEN UNFAIRLY TREATED WITHOUT CHARGES BEING LODGED AGAINST HIM. AND SO I ASK, SIR, WE DO NOT YOU CANNOT SAY NAMES OF OF ANYONE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          THE ONLY PERSON PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS ARE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT BY NAME, PLEASE. I THINK I THINK THIS PERSON WHO'S THE EX PRESIDENT, PRINCIPAL OF OH PACA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SHOULD BE REINSTATED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT IS, IN MY OPINION, AN ACT OF RACISM, BECAUSE HE MENTIONED A CERTAIN PERSON THAT IS A TRUMP SUPPORTER THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS BOARD. HE SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY REINSTATED. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL THAT'S ALL THE IN PERSON SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. GREAT. THANK YOU, MISS SLATER, OUR MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS. 
          ARE THERE ANY VIRTUAL SPEAKERS THIS EVENING? YES, WE HAVE ONE VIRTUAL SPEAKER THIS EVENING. 
          AND LET ME I AM TRYING TO BRING THEM INTO THE MEETING. PHONE NUMBER ENDING IN 5844. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY, I APOLOGIZE, I AM LOOKING TO BRING THEM IN FOR YOU AND I'M HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES WITH THAT PHONE NUMBER ENDING IN 5844. CAN YOU HEAR US? MR. GREEN? OR MISS ROLLO, WOULD YOU MIND LOOKING TO SEE IF YOU ARE ABLE TO BRING THAT PERSON INTO THE MEETING? I DEFER TO MR. GREEN. I'M NOT ABLE TO LET THEM IN. PHONE NUMBER ENDING IN 5844. 
          IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, YOUR PHONE MAY BE MUTED, SO YOU MAY NEED TO PRESS STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. CAN YOU? GOOD EVENING. YOU ARE NOW IN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. YOU WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES. YOUR TIME WILL CONCLUDE IN THREE MINUTES. IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND BEGIN YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS MEGAN BAKER AND I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT REGARDING THE FY 27 BUDGET. AND IN TERMS OF THE SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME OF WHEN OUR MOST RECENT SUPERINTENDENT WAS WHEN WE SEPARATED FROM HIM, HE WAS MAKING TWO, ALMOST $300,000 A YEAR, AND AS A HARFORD COUNTY TAXPAYER, I FIND IT VERY 
          [00:30:09]
DISTURBING THAT SOMEONE IS MAKING THAT KIND OF MONEY WHEN EVERY SINGLE BUDGET SEASON. IT IS A FIGHT TRYING TO GET THE SCHOOL MORE MONEY. AND THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS LIMITED JUST TO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS OCCURRING IN MORE PLACES THAN NOT THESE DAYS, WHERE PEOPLE IN VERY HIGH POSITIONS ARE MAKING CONSIDERABLE SALARIES, WHILE THOSE WHO ARE. ON THE FRONTLINE STAFF, SUCH AS OUR TEACHERS. 
          THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE BALTIMORE SUN ON THE 19TH OF MARCH SAYING THAT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE ONLY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE BALTIMORE AREA THAT HAS NOT REACHED THE STATE'S REQUIREMENT OF A 60,000 MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY. THAT IS A PROBLEM IF HARFORD COUNTY HAS THE MONEY TO PAY A SUPERINTENDENT ALMOST $300,000 A YEAR, BUT CANNOT PAY THE TEACHERS A LIVABLE WAGE OR 60,000 IS WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IN ORDER TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE. THAT IS A PROBLEM. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE UNDERPAYING THE PEOPLE AT THE LOWER PART OF THEIR PAY SCALE AND OVERPAYING THOSE AT THE TOP. SO AS A HARFORD COUNTY TAXPAYER, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GO AND ADVOCATE FOR MORE MONEY FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF FUNDING, NOT A QUESTION OF MORE FUNDING. IT'S A QUESTION OF WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING PRIORITIES ARE BECAUSE WE ARE TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, GO AND TALK TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES, TALK TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WITH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE GIVES THE SCHOOLS MONEY. THE SCHOOLS DECIDE HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE SPENT. THAT'S THE SAME FOR THE SHERIFF. 
          THAT'S THE SAME FOR THE THREE MINUTE MARK. SO THAT HAS TO CONCLUDE YOUR COMMENTS. YOU'RE WELCOME TO SEND THE ADDITIONAL ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS INTO THE BOARD DIRECTLY VIA EMAIL. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. YOU, MISTER. SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR 
          [Board Member Comments]
VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED WITH BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. START DOWN THERE WITH MISS NAKATA. ACTUALLY IS MISS PERRY ONLINE OKAY. MISS PERRY, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR THIS EVENING? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. OKAY. 
          WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I HAVE DEFINITELY REALLY ENJOYED THE LAST FEW WEEKS. BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT TO SOME SCHOOLS SEEING YOU KNOW HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN SINCE I, SINCE I GRADUATED. SO LAST WEEK I VISITED FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL AND HELPED RECOGNIZE STUDENTS AT THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE CELEBRATION, WHICH WAS SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. THESE STUDENTS HAVE REALLY WORKED HARD TO MAINTAIN EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND AS AN ALUM, IT WAS GREAT TO BE BACK IN MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS. TODAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE SWAN CREEK SCHOOL. TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, I REALLY RECOMMEND SEEING THE FACILITY. 
          IT WAS REALLY UNIQUE TO SEE AN ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM IN THE HALLWAY. BUT I, I, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE STAFF TAKING THE TIME TO, TO SHOW ME AROUND THE FACILITY. I ENJOYED THE TOUR. AND LASTLY, WITH SPRING BREAK BEING NEXT WEEK, BE SAFE, HAVE FUN AND HAPPY EASTER. THANK YOU. EVERYONE. SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION BINGO LAST FRIDAY WITH A FEW OF MY OTHER FRIENDS UP HERE ON THE DAIS, AND IT WAS REALLY A GREAT TIME. AND IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENT ASSOCIATION. AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. WE HAD A GOOD TIME, SO APPRECIATE THAT. I WON TWICE. 
          SO HEY, HAD TO BE GOOD. AND THEN I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT BOTH NORTH HARFORD MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL THIS WEEK. GREAT PRINCIPLES THERE. REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED THE TIME THAT I GOT TO SPEND THERE. SO SHOUT OUT TO BOTH OF THEM FOR BEING SO WARM AND WELCOMING TO ME. THANK YOU. I HAVE NO COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YES. I WANT TO 
          [00:35:06]
PIGGYBACK ON SOMETHING THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN SAYING ABOUT THE NEED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PTA, PARENT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. I, I JOINED THE ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL PTA, AND THEY HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK. AND IT WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING. THEY HAD VERY LOW PARENTAL TURNOUT, BUT THE PRINCIPAL AT THE SCHOOL WAS ON THE LINE AND HE IT WAS ENCOURAGING FOR HIM TO TAKE HIS TIME. I WAS GOING TO CALL HIS NAME, BUT I IT'S IT'S REALLY I DIDN'T WANT TO MESS IT UP. IT'S CUNEO. CUNEO. YES. AND HE WAS HE WAS VERY IN ENGAGED WITH THE PRESIDENT AND THE, THE OTHER PARENT THAT WAS ON THE ON THE CALL. SO I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO JOIN THE PARENT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO HAVE THE PARENTS ENGAGED TO SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS. AND. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. MISS HAHN, ARE YOU ONLINE WITH US? YES. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING. HAVE A SAFE AND RESTFUL SPRING BREAK AND A HAPPY EASTER. THAT'S IT. 
          THANK YOU. MR. CORN IS NOT ON TONIGHT. CORRECT. HE'S NOT HERE. SO IS THAT JUST ME LEFT, I GUESS. OKAY, ALRIGHT. WELL, I'LL RESERVE MINE TO THE END. MADAM PRESIDENT. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING. I AM SORRY I AM NOT THERE IN PERSON. I AM UNDER THE WEATHER, BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS JOINED IN. I'LL JUST GIVE A QUICK HEADS UP TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A SURVEY THAT WILL COME OUT TOMORROW. COMMUNITY INPUT, PARENT INPUT. STUDENT INPUT STAFF, TEACHERS, EVERYONE'S. ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY'S INPUT IS VERY VALUABLE HERE. WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR INPUT AS WE BEGIN OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. AND SO YOU WILL SEE A SURVEY COME OUT. I'LL BE OPEN FOR A LITTLE OVER A WEEK AND REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO TO GETTING THOSE RESULTS. SO JUST A HEADS UP TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT TOMORROW. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING IN FOR ME TONIGHT, MR. SEWELL AND MISS BRUCE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YES. SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF MISS BRUCE STEPPING UP TO HELP ME LEAD THIS MEETING. AND I JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT FOR A MINUTE AND OTHER WAYS TO REACH OUT TO THE BOARD. THE BOARD ABSOLUTELY WELCOMES ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY TO US. YOU'RE WELCOME TO REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO US THROUGH EMAIL. 
          ALL OF OUR EMAILS ARE ON THE WEBSITE, AND PLEASE SUBMIT ANY COMMENTS IN FULL TO US THERE. 
          IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE TO. THERE ARE SOME RULES WHICH LIMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS IN THIS SETTING, BUT PLEASE DO REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY THROUGH EMAIL. I KNOW ALL OF US READ OUR EMAILS AND WHAT WE WELCOME THAT. AND THEN WITH THAT, I JUST WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY RESTFUL AND REJUVENATING REJUVINATIVE HOLIDAY BREAK. YOU KNOW, SPRING BREAK THIS, THAT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO MISS BRUCE JUST REMINDED ME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS RIGHT NOW FOR SELECTING OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT SUPERINTENDENT IN PLACE BY JULY 1ST. AND WITH THAT, THERE THERE IS DIFFERENT PIECES OF THAT. THE SURVEY WAS MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LAUNCHING TOMORROW TO HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT IN MANY ASPECTS OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING FOR, FOR IN THE SUPERINTENDENT. BUT BEYOND THAT, WE ARE GOING TO BE ENGAGING THE PUBLIC WITH FORUMS FOR THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE SELECTED, AND THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION COMING. THIS IS A VERY FAST PACED PROCESS. WE WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL ANNOUNCE A SCHEDULE FOR THAT AT SOME POINT, BUT THERE WILL BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN A IN AN ACTUAL 
          [Dr. Dyann Mack, Interim Superintendent's Report]
IN-PERSON THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I JUST LIKE TO CALL ON DOCTOR MAC FOR HER REPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR 
          [00:40:01]
PARTICIPATION AND FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU AND TO HAVE YOU ENGAGED IN THIS WORK THAT WE DO. I, TOO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO HAS BINGO THE OTHER NIGHT, HAD A GREAT TIME. SO I WANT TO THANK TREY FOR HIS WORK. AND THEN THE PRESIDENT, SHREYA SHAH, AS WELL AS THE VICE PRESIDENT, VIBHA NIVRUTTI, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? NANDURI FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP THAT NIGHT IN BRINGING EVERYONE TOGETHER, WE TOOK MEMBERS OF OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM AND WE HAD A GOOD TIME THAT NIGHT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, TREY. WE ALSO HAVE KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION THAT IS OPEN RIGHT NOW. WE DO PREFER THAT YOU DO EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION. AND SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS FIVE BY SEPTEMBER 1ST, YOU HAVE A NEIGHBOR OR GRANDCHILD, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU FIND OUT WHAT SCHOOL THEY NEED TO ATTEND AND YOU REGISTER. REGISTER THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THAT GIVES US AN IDEA TO PLAN FOR CLASS SIZE AND STAFFING, AND JUST TO CREATE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR THOSE LITTLE ONES AS THEY COME IN. ON APRIL THE 12TH FROM 1 TO 4 P.M. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A REMINDER ABOUT THE CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS THAT IS BEING THAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION FOUNDATION. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE THE WORK OF OUR STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY. THERE WILL BE LIVE PERFORMANCES, ARTIST DEMONSTRATION AND HANDS ON ACTIVITIES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. AND IT IS FREE. I WANT TO DRAW SPECIAL ATTENTION TO AN EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING ON APRIL THE 8TH AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL. DOCTOR SHREYA HESSLER IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND SHE WILL BE AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE IS GOING TO DO A SESSION ON RAISING HEALTHY KIDS IN A DIGITAL AGE. SHE'S GOING TO SHARE A PRACTICAL, RESEARCH BASED STRATEGIES TO HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE, SCREEN USE AND ENCOURAGE HEALTHY HABITS. 
          SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LET ANY PARENT THAT YOU KNOW OR COMMUNITY MEMBER KNOW THAT IS INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO COME OUT FOR THAT EVENT. THERE'S MORE INFORMATION ON HTTPS ORG. AND THEN AS WE APPROACH SPRING BREAK, WHICH RUNS FROM MARCH 30TH TO APRIL THE 6TH, IT IS MY HOPE THAT YOU WILL USE THIS TIME TO RELAX, REST, RECHARGE, AND CONNECT WITH THOSE WHO YOU MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH DURING THE HURRIED BUSYNESS OF THE WINTER. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'M GOING TO HAVE A 25 YEAR OLD, WHICH I CANNOT BELIEVE CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY. AND SO WE'LL BE SPENDING TIME WITH HER AND CELEBRATING WITH OUR FAMILY. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, OUR STAFF, OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITY TO JUST TAKE TIME TO PAUSE, CONNECT WHERE YOU CAN CONNECT AND DISCONNECT, WHERE YOU CAN CONNECT AND REALLY FOCUS ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. SO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS 
          [A. Consent Agenda]
OLD BUSINESS. AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS EVENING. SO I'LL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM A, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. MISS BRUCE, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THAT FOR US? AGAIN? ITEM NUMBER ONE, MONTHLY PERSONNEL REPORT, FEBRUARY 2026. ITEM NUMBER TWO. 
          SCHOOL SPONSORED PROJECT. THE JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, TAYLOR CREEK STREAM RESTORATION. ITEM NUMBER THREE, SURPLUS D CAMPUS HILLS SCHUCK'S ROAD. PROPERTY ITEM NUMBER FOUR SURPLUS D WOODBRIDGE CENTER. PROPERTY ITEM NUMBER FIVE CAPITAL BUDGET TRANSFER ITEM NUMBER SIX MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. JANUARY THE 27TH AND FEBRUARY 20TH. FEBRUARY THE 9TH, 2026. GREAT. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES YES YES YES YES YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. GREAT PASSES. GREAT. LET'S GO TO NEW BUSINESS. AND 
          [B. Decision on Administrative and Supervisory Appointments, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources]
THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM B, A DECISION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENTS. WE HAVE MR. BEN RICHARDSON HERE, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, TO PROVIDE HIS PRESENTATION TO US. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT PAGE, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MAC AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I AM BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. I BRING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING SEVERAL 
          [00:45:02]
ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITION APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR APPROVAL. HAVING A HEALTHY POOL OF CANDIDATES VETTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, STAFF AND ULTIMATELY APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, ALLOWS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER EXECUTIVE TEAM TO MAKE PLACEMENTS AS WARRANTED BY THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ON BEHALF OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, I WILL BE SEEKING THE BOARD'S APPROVAL ON THE FOLLOWING POOL POSITIONS, INCLUDING ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL, SECONDARY PRINCIPAL, ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, SECONDARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER. I WILL NOW SHARE THE POSITIONS AND THE CANDIDATES BEING RECOMMENDED FOR EACH POSITION TO THE POOL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WE'LL START WITH THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL POOL. YOUR CANDIDATES FOR CONSIDERATION ARE EMILY S HEISEY, HEATHER R MCCAULEY, AARON T MOORING, CAITLIN L SARA.K AND COREY P STACK. YOUR CANDIDATES FOR THE PRINCIPAL POOL AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL ARE JOSHUA T KLEMMER, TERI L COHEE, BRITTANY J. HORNE. YOUR CANDIDATES FOR THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, POOL R KELLY A CROSS. KRISTEN B DA ROCHA, STEPHANIE L GUZMAN, CHRISTINA N MCGEE, ELIZABETH P POLACK AND LAUREN M WEAVER, YOUR CANDIDATES FOR THE SECONDARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POOL INCLUDE TIFFANY L BOBLITZ, ERIC F BOGGIO, KYLE D BROWN, LEIGH G. EDMONDS, DANIELLE MONTELEONE, AND LAURA N WILHELM. AND FINALLY, YOUR CANDIDATES FOR THE PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER POOL ARE RAYMOND D ANDERSON AND JESSICA B MALLEY AND. THE SUPERINTENDENT. RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME. I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SECOND. BRUCE, I'M SORRY, I'M GETTING A SECOND. GO AHEAD. ANY DISCUSSION? ANYONE ONLINE? ANY DISCUSSION? GREAT. MISS RILEY, WOULD YOU TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE, PLEASE, MRS. PERRY? YES, MISS NAKAI. YES, DOCTOR MUELLER. 
          YES, MR. MCVICKER. YES. MRS. HAHN. YES, MISS BRUCE. YES. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. YES. 
          PRESIDENT PAGE. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CANDIDATES AND THANK YOU. BOARD. WELL, THAT IS ACTUALLY OUR ENTIRE MEETING. OKAY, SO OUR 
          [Future Meetings Review]
NEXT MEETING, OUR NEXT BOARD BUSINESS MEETING IS MONDAY, APRIL 20TH AT 6 P.M. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.