[Call to Order: Board President]
          [00:00:16]
          TO ORDER THIS BOARD BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON MAY 18TH, 2026 AT 6:03 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. 
          MISS ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MRS. PERRY. MRS. PERRY. MY MIC'S NOT WORKING. I CAN HEAR YOU NOW. THANK YOU. OKAY, OKAY. MR. ORCHITIS HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER, PRESENT. MR. MCVICKER HERE. MRS. HAHN PRESENT. MISS BRUCE HERE. MRS. ALVAREZ, PRESENT. MISS MILLER, PRESENT. 
          VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. PRESIDENT PAGE, PRESIDENT PAGE IS ABSENT. INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MACK PRESENT. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MEET. MUTE THEIR DEVICES 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 MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS, WHAT MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAMES BEFORE SPEAKING. DOCTOR MACK WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL ON THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH YES OR NO. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE AGENDA. BEFORE YOU DO. I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I SECOND THAT MOTION. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. ALL RIGHT. MISS BRUCE, WOULD YOU LEAD US? LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. EXCUSE ME, MR. SEWELL. I MUST 
          [A. Presentation from Edgewood Elementary School Students: Mentorship Programs]
SAY THAT WAS THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC PLEDGE I'VE HEARD IN A LONG TIME. THANK YOU. 
          WOULD REVEREND TILLMAN, AND MR. AND MRS. FRANCISCO FROM. WITH THE EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU KNOW. SO AS THEY'RE COMING FORWARD, WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE BOARD WAS TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS WITH MENTORING. AND SO THE CHEST AND CIVICS GROUP, AS WELL AS THE GEMS OF EDGEWOOD, IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY MENTORING PROGRAMS THAT IS OCCURRING ACROSS OUR COUNTY. AND SO WE WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING STUDENTS BACK TO THE BOARD, TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SHARE THE WORK THAT IS GOING ON AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SO, PASTOR TILLMAN, SO GOOD EVENING. BACK IN 2021, AME METHODIST CHURCH AND THE I THINK THEY CALLED THE COMING OF KING CHESS GROUP CAME TOGETHER TO DEVELOP WHAT'S CALLED NOW THE CIVICS AND CHESS MASTER'S PROGRAM, BECAUSE WE FELT LIKE OUR CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, WANT TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST UNDERSTANDING OF CIVICS SO THEY CAN BE MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO LEARN ABOUT CHESS SO THEY LEARN HOW TO STRATEGIZE, LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE PRACTICES THEY MIGHT LEARN AS THEY GO FORWARD IN THEIR EDUCATION. AS A RESULT, THINGS WILL PROGRESS. WE LOST COMING OF KING'S, BUT WE GAINED OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY BE PART OF THIS MENTORING PROGRAM. AND WE'RE JUST EXCITED ABOUT THE MENTORING ALLIANCE THAT WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION THAT SHOWED US, SHOWED US THAT WHEN WE CONNECT ONE EACH MENTORING PROGRAM TOGETHER, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ROBUST DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL OUR BOYS. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION IN, IN, IN A FEW SECONDS, BUT I'LL LET OUR REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE GEMS TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR BOYS COME UP. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M LOLA FRANCISCO, I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE GEMS OF EDGEWOOD. I'M ALSO THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER AT THE SCHOOL. SO THE GEMS. FIRST OF ALL, I'D PROBABLY TELL YOU WHAT IT STANDS FOR BECAUSE IT'S AN ACRONYM. SO THE GEM STANDS FOR 
          [00:05:02]
GIRLS EMPOWERING, EMPOWERMENT, MENTORING, SISTERHOOD. IT'S FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY. STUDENTS THAT ARE IN IT ARE NOMINATED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MENTORING PROGRAM BY THEIR TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, ALL THE STAFF AT THE THE SCHOOL, AND IT'S BASED ON THEIR ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE SCHOOL'S EAGLE NORMS OF BEING READY, RESPECTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE AND SAFE AND ACCOUNTABLE. STUDENTS ARE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM BASED ON THEIR NEED FOR MENTORSHIP OR THE ABILITY TO PEER MENTOR. AND THE GROUP IS LED BY MYSELF ALONG WITH. WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL MENTOR, ANAYA RUSSELL, AND WE HAVE STAFF MENTORS, INCLUDING OUR NURSE, MICHAELA SHAWVER, AND OUR PARAS, ANDRE JOHNSON AND COURTNEY WATKINS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE SLIDE, THE NEXT ONE. OUR MISSION AND GOAL IS REALLY TO JUST HELP DEVELOP OUR OUR GIRLS AT THIS IN THIS PROGRAM TO BE. LEADERS IN THE PRESENT AND IN THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO A COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE THE SKILLS THEY'VE LEARNED ONCE THEY LEAVE US AND GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL. SO I'M GOING TO THE SAME AS THE BOYS. WE HAVE OUR GEMS GROUP LEADERS HERE WHO WILL BE COMING UP TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM. SO WE HAVE OPALOLA, ARIELLA SOMMER AND OLIVIA. I KNOW THE GIRLS ARE GOING FIRST. YEAH. LADIES FIRST, LADIES FIRST, LADIES. WE STILL HAVE THAT RESPECT. JOIN ME LADIES. MY NAME IS OLIVIA AND I AM A GROUP LEADER OF THE GARNET GROUP. IN GEMS, WE EARN PENDANTS AS WE LEARN THE GEMS VALUES. FOR THE EXAMPLE, IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, WE LEARNED THE VALUE OF MONEY, THE VALUE OF THE MONTH. AS LEADERSHIP, WE LEARN TO BE LEADERS BY LEARNING. GET TO KNOW YOU GAMES, WRITING, LEADERSHIP SPEECHES AND BECOMING CLOSER AS A GROUP. IT WAS REALLY FUN AND ENCOURAGING LEARNING TO LOVE OUR GEMS. SISTERS. WE HAD A VESTING CEREMONY TO AWARD OUR SISTERS FOR HAVING GREAT LEADERSHIP SKILLS BY CHOOSING OUR FOUR GROUP MEMBERS AND LEADERS IN THEIR PEER MENTORING GROUPS. WE ALSO EARN PENDANTS FOR OUR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. WE LEARNED THAT HAVING CHRONIC ATTENDANCE MEANS MISSING MORE THAN ONE DAY OF SCHOOL IN A MONTH. IF WE HAVE LESS THAN ONE DAY OF SCHOOL MISSED IN A MONTH, WE EARN OUR ATTENDANCE FOR ATTENDANCE. MY NAME. MY NAME IS ARIELLA AND I AM THE GROUP LEADER FOR THE SAPPHIRE GROUP. THE VALUE OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER WAS COMMUNITY SERVICE. WE HAD AN ACTIVITY TO MAKE AN ENRICHMENT FOR THE ANIMALS. AT THE HUMANE SOCIETY. WE LEARNED TO USE TEAMWORK BY WORKING IN OUR GROUPS TO CREATE THE TOYS WE DONATED TO THE ANIMALS. WE WERE PROUD AS GROUP LEADERS THAT WE WERE LEARNING SKILLS TO SUPPORT OUR GROUP. IN FEBRUARY, WE. WE LEARNED ABOUT CIVICS ADVOCACY, COLLEGE AND. CAREER. 
          EXPLORATION. WE VISITED MARYLAND STATE HOUSE IN. I'M NOT THERE ON WEDNESDAY. THIS ONE. OH, ANNAPOLIS. WE LEARN ABOUT HISTORY OF MARYLAND AND MET. DELEGATE ANDREW JOHNSON AND DELICATE STEVE JOHNSON. IN APRIL. WE. ARE UNDER THE CREATIVITY, CREATIVITY PENDANT. 
          WE LEARNED. WE LEARNED A DANCE FROM BROADWAY STAR MICHELLE WEST. SHE TAUGHT US HER SIGNATURE DANCE MOVE. SHE. PERFORMED IN ALADDIN. IT WAS A FUN WORKOUT. 
          MY NAME IS SUMMER AND I AM A GROUP LEADER FOR MOONSTONE. IN NOVEMBER, WE EARNED A LEADERSHIP PENDANT. OUR GUEST SPEAKER WAS MISS WOMACK. MISS WOMACK SPOKE AT OUR VESTING CEREMONY. SHE TAUGHT US HOW SHE BECAME A LEADER AND HOW WE CAN BECOME A LEADER, TOO. IN MARCH, WE LEARNED SELF CARE WITH OUR GUEST SPEAKER, MISS CUNNINGHAM. 
          [00:10:05]
SHE TAUGHT US HOW SHE TAUGHT US ABOUT HER MORNING ROUTINE AND HOW SHE DOES YOGA. SHE TAUGHT US SOME YOGA POSES AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF CARE FOR THE FOR THE CREATIVITY PENDANT. 
          ALEX POITIER CAME TO OUR SCHOOL AND TAUGHT US HOW TO BE A TEN. HE TAUGHT US, TOLD US HOW TO. 
          HE TOLD US HOW TRYING OUT FOR AMERICA'S GOT TALENT TAUGHT HIM TO NEVER GIVE UP. HE SHARED HIS SONG THAT MADE. THAT HE MADE WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS AND TOLD US HOW MAKING THAT SONG MADE THEM BETTER STUDENTS. MY NAME IS MO OLA AND I'M THE GROUP LEADER FOR THE EMERALD GROUP. ACTIVITIES AND GEMS HELP US COME TOGETHER AND LEARN MORE ABOUT EACH OTHER. WE CONNECT AND GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR UNIQUE TALENTS AND SKILLS. THE ACTIVITIES AND GEMS GIVE US. GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FUN WITH OUR JAM SISTERS. MY FAVORITE GAME WAS THE NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. IT INVOLVED US ALL AND EVERYONE HAD A ROLE DURING THE GAME. WE ALSO HAVE ACTIVITIES TO EARN PENDANTS. WE LEARN ABOUT DIFFERENT COLLEGES AND CAREERS AND. AND IT GAVE US A PREVIEW OF WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE FUTURE. WE. WE WERE ABLE TO RESEARCH THE PROS AND THE CONS FOR EACH OF EACH COLLEGE CAREER WE LEARNED ABOUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND THIS IS ME SIGNING OFF. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS RICO PENA. I'LL BE INTRODUCING OUR TWO SPEAKERS FOR THE EVENING. I'M ACTUALLY MOST OF THEIR FORMAL MUSIC TEACHER AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY, CURRENTLY A SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISON HERE AT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF HARFORD COUNTY. SO I LOVE LOVE THE KIDS. EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT MY SCHOOL ANYMORE, I STILL DECIDED TO STICK WITH THE PROGRAM AND GLAD THAT TO WORK WITH DOCTOR T AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT IMPACT. SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TONIGHT, HIS NAME IS LARRY ROGERS. HE'S A FOURTH GRADER, AND I DO WANT TO GIVE HIM A HUGE SHOUT OUT IF YOU GUYS CAN GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. HE WAS STUDENT OF THE MONTH THIS MONTH. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND HOW IT'S IMPACTED THEM. AND THEN AFTER LARRY'S DONE, I'LL INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER. I'LL GIVE HIM HIS OWN HIS OWN SHINE. SO, LARRY. GOOD EVENING. BOARDS. OH, I MEAN, GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, TEACHERS, FAMILIES AND GUESTS. MY NAME IS LARRY AND I'M A FOURTH GRADE STUDENT AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. THIS YEAR, I WAS PART OF THE CHESS AND CIVICS MASTER PROGRAM AT OUR SCHOOL. THE PROGRAM TAUGHT ME MORE THAN JUST HOW TO PLAY CHESS. IT TAUGHT ME HOW TO THINK BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS, HOW TO STAY FOCUSED, AND HOW TO BE A LEADER. AND CHESS. I LEARNED THAT EVERY MOVE MATTERS. I'VE LEARNED TO BE PATIENT, SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND NEVER GIVE UP, EVEN WHEN THINGS GET DIFFICULT. THESE ARE SKILLS THAT HELP ME IN SCHOOL, AT HOME, AND WITH MY FRIENDS. THE PROGRAM ALSO TAUGHT US ABOUT CIVICS AND BEING INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE LEARN HOW LEADERS WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT HELP PEOPLE. ONE OF MY FAVORITE EXPERIENCES WAS VISITING THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING AND SEEING HOW IMPORTANT DECISIONS ARE MADE FOR STUDENTS JUST LIKE ME. WE ALSO TOOK FIELD TRIPS TO THE NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM AND MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY. THOSE TRIPS INSPIRED ME TO LEARN ABOUT HISTORY, LEADERSHIP, AND COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MY FUTURE. THE MENTORS IN THIS PROGRAM ENCOURAGE US TO DO OUR BEST. RESPECT OTHERS AND BELIEVE IN OURSELVES. THEY SHOW US THAT WE CAN GROW INTO STRONGER LEADERS AND MAKE POSITIVE DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M THANKFUL FOR THE CHESS AND CIVICS MASTER PROGRAM, MY MENTORS, MY SCHOOL, AND EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS MY OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS FOR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME TONIGHT. GOOD JOB LARRY. LARRY. HE IS ONLY IN 
          [00:15:05]
FOURTH GRADE AND IT'S HIS FIRST YEAR IN OUR PROGRAM. BUT LARRY'S A GREAT LEADER. HE'S ALWAYS WILLING TO STAND UP WHEN WE NEED HIM TO. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY WE ASKED HIM TO SPEAK TONIGHT. SO CAN WE JUST GIVE HIM ONE MORE HAND FOR SPEAKING? SO OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS A FIFTH GRADER. HIS NAME IS KINGSTON, KINGSTON. I WANT TO SHOUT HIM OUT BECAUSE HE HAS THE HIGHEST GPA OF THE BOYS, A 3.7, SO 3.75, I THINK SO. KINGSTON IS ALSO A LEADER. HE MIGHT NOT BE AS LIVELY AS LARRY, BUT HE'S DEFINITELY SUPER SMART. HE'S A SILENT LEADER. AND YEAH, WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO HEAR SOME SOME OF HIS EXPERIENCE AS WELL. SO GO AHEAD KINGSTON. 
          GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KINGSTON AND I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE AND I AM IN. WELL, I AM A FIFTH GRADE STUDENT AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I'M HONORED TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE IN THE CIVICS AND CHESS MASTER'S PROGRAM. AS A GRADUATING MEMBER OF THE PROGRAM, I CAN HONESTLY SAY IT HAS HELPED ME GROW IN MANY WAYS. WHEN I FIRST JOINED, I THOUGHT IT WOULD ONLY BE ABOUT LEARNING CHESS, BUT IT BECAME MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT. 
          THIS PROGRAM TAUGHT ME LEADERSHIP, RESPONSIBILITY, TEAMWORK, AND HOW TO THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE MAKING DECISION DECISIONS. CHESS HELPED ME LEARN PATIENCE AND STRATEGY. IT SHOWED ME THAT EVERY CHOICE HAD CONSEQUENCES, CONSEQUENCES, AND THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN, THINK AHEAD AND STAY CALM UNDER THE PRESSURE. THOSE LESSONS HAS HELPED ME BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. OUR FIELD TRIPS TO MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONAL GREAT BLACKS IN WAX MUSEUM ALSO INSPIRED ME. THEY TAUGHT ME ABOUT HISTORY, CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING GOALS FOR THE FUTURE. 
          VISITING A COLLEGE CAMPUS MADE ME FEEL LIKE GOING TO COLLEGE IS SOMETHING I CAN ACHIEVE ONE DAY. THE CIVICS PART OF THE PROGRAM TAUGHT TAUGHT US HOW. HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE INVOLVED IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND TO USE OUR VOICES IN POSITIVE WAYS. 
          VISITING THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUILDING HELPED ME UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES EVERY DAY. THANK YOU TO DOCTOR MAC FOR MEETING, FOR MEETING WITH US AND LISTENING TO OUR IDEAS AND CONCERNS. WHAT I WILL REMEMBER MOST ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IS THE MENTORSHIP. THE MENTORS BELIEVE IN US, ENCOURAGE US, AND CHALLENGE US TO BE TO BECOME BETTER YOUNG MEN. THEY TEACH US TO CARRY, CARRY OURSELVES WITH CONFIDENCE, RESPECT OTHERS, AND LEAD BY EXAMPLE. AS I PREPARE TO MOVE ON TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, I FEEL MORE CONFIDENT, MORE RESPONSIBLE, AND MORE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE. BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM, I HOPE MORE STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING THE CIVICS AND CHESS MASTER'S PROGRAM HAS TO OFFER. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE TONIGHT. BEFORE WE WRAP THINGS UP, I'M GOING TO HAVE OUR BOYS RECITE OUR CREED, WHICH I THINK DOCTOR MAC APPRECIATED THE MOST. BEFORE I SHARE THAT, WHAT I WANT TO WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT BECAUSE YOU ALL INVESTED IN US AND AND SAW THAT THIS MENTORING ALLIANCE CAN BE SO IMPACTFUL. OUR KIDS WHO GRADUATE FROM OUR PROGRAM HAVE ANOTHER PROGRAM TO GO INTO CALLED WILLPOWER. THEY'VE ALREADY MET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF WILLPOWER, AND THEY ALREADY HAVE A TRANSITION DIRECTLY FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND AFTER MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEY CAN GO UP TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THE BOYS TO MEN PROGRAM. WE HAVE A VERY CYCLICAL MODEL OF HOW OUR CHILDREN WILL DEVELOP, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN US AND WHAT THIS PROGRAM WILL DO. SO WE JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT OUT FIRST. ALL RIGHT, BOYS, STAND UP FOR A SECOND. YOU GUYS JUST STAY WHERE YOU ARE IF YOU DON'T KNOW. OKAY? READY? BESIDES THREE I. FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, I SHALL ENGAGE IN ALL THAT IS GOOD FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. I SHALL SEEK OUT THOSE WHO CAN HELP ME SUCCEED. I SHALL PREPARE FOR MY EDUCATION IN CIVICS AND CHESS. I SHALL EVALUATE MY CHOICES CAREFULLY BEFORE I ACT OR MOVE. I SHALL CHAMPION A CAUSE THAT BUILDS MY NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY. I SHALL TEACH OTHERS BY BEING A LOVING PERSON. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING PROGRAM FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, FOR THE STUDENTS INVOLVED AND. JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, REVEREND REVEREND 
          [00:20:04]
TILLMAN AND MR. PENA, JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US. BEFORE YOU LEAVE, SIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT AS A 51 YEAR RESIDENT OF EDGEWOOD AND CLASS OF 1978 FROM EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY, I AM SO PROUD TO SEE YOU STAND HERE AND IT WARMS MY HEART. AND WE HAVE A HASHTAG IN OUR COMMUNITY, EDGEWOOD STRONG AND EDGEWOOD PROUD. AND YOU CERTAINLY REPRESENTED TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MAYOR. I'M GOING TO TAKE OUR LEAD BECAUSE I PROMISE TO GIVE THEM PEACE AND CHICKEN. SO. THANK YOU AGAIN. VIJAY. ARE YOU READING THE RULES TONIGHT? YES, SIR. FANTASTIC. WHENEVER YOU GET A CHANCE. WHENEVER YOU GET A SECOND THERE. YOU'RE TOO MUCH. 
          OH, YEAH. IT'S MADE IT WORTHWHILE. THANK YOU. YOU SHOWED OUR PICTURE IN THAT. 
          GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING AND WORK SESSION TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE MEETING REMAINS FOCUSED, RESPECTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY REVIEW THE EXPECTATIONS THAT GUIDE OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS EVENING AND TO FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. WE ASK THAT ALL ATTENDEES CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL AND CONSIDERATE MANNER TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING. BEHAVIORS SUCH AS APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS OR OTHER ACTIONS THAT MAY DISRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS ARE DISCOURAGED. 
          ADDITIONALLY, ANY LANGUAGE OR BEHAVIOR THAT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS THREATENING IS NOT APPROPRIATE. IF A DISRUPTION DOES OCCUR, A REMINDER WILL BE GIVEN SO THAT THE MEETING CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. IF THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUES, ASSISTANCE FROM SECURITY MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE MEETING. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING, WE ASK THAT ALL ATTENDEES EXIT THE BOARD MEETING ROOM IMMEDIATELY AND IN AN ORDERLY MANNER. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION AND YOUR ROLE IN HELPING US MAINTAIN A RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DJ. THERE IS ONE SLIGHT MODIFICATION TO THE NORMAL RULES OF ORDER HERE THIS EVENING, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, AND THAT IS VERY PUBLIC. YOU KNOW, IN WITH REGARDS TO PUBLIC COMMENTARY, NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT ALLOW THE NAME OF ANYONE ELSE BESIDE BOARD MEMBERS AND INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, BUT DUE TO THAT VERY PUBLIC NATURE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, WE WILL 
          [Public Comment]
ALLOW THE USE OF EITHER CANDIDATES NAMES AND PUBLIC COMMENTS. RIGHT. SO IN SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS RECEIVED 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 BEGIN IN PERSON? REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, THIS EVENING WE HAVE NINE TOTAL IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE WILL START WITH MR. WILLIAM MARTINO. PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. WILLIAM MARTINO, MOMS FOR LIBERTY, HARFORD COUNTY CHAPTER. THIS ORGANIZATION IS ALSO FOR DUDES AS WELL. WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBER, MISS MILLER. THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO SERVE HARFORD COUNTY AND HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE NEXT GENERATION. 
          I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT HE SPENT OVER $35,000 IN TAXPAYER FUNDS TO THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION. THAT ONLY RESULTED IN TWO CANDIDATES FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION, ONE THAT IS ALREADY IN THE POSITION, AND THE OTHER ONE WHICH WAS RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD, WHICH IS A LONG TIME PRINCIPAL IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THERE IS NO WAY WE RECEIVED OUR MONEY'S 
          [00:25:04]
WORTH. HOWEVER, THAT IS CONSISTENT THEME WITH GOVERNMENT RUN SCHOOLS THESE DAYS. HC IN ITS QUEST TO FIND NEW LEADERSHIP TO FILL THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION, NEEDS TO STEER THE SHIP IN AN ENTIRELY NEW DIRECTION. THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT PLACED ACADEMICS ON THE BACK BURNER AND FOCUSED ON DEI AND OTHER ACTIVIST MATERIAL. THE FORMER REGIME BROUGHT HARFORD COUNTY LUCY CALKINS, SCIENCE OF READING. THAT HAS BEEN A PROVEN DISASTER. HE BUILT THE CENTRAL OFFICE WITH DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE TALENT PATHWAYS THAT SERVE NO ACADEMIC FUNCTION AND EXIST ONLY TO PROMOTE DEI. AND HE BROUGHT THIS COUNTY EXPLODING BUDGETS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY REDUCED ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY SCORES. HARFORD COUNTY ALSO EXPERIENCED MORE VIOLENCE AND AN UNRULY STUDENT BODY. LOOKING BACK, WE CAN FIRMLY SAY THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WAS A TOTAL FAILURE. HARFORD COUNTY NEEDS A NEW SUPERINTENDENT THAT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE. OR WE COULD END UP WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS ALL OVER AGAIN. HE NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD AND NOT RETURN TO THIS DISASTROUS SITUATION. I WOULD PREFER IF THIS BOARD WOULD KEEP THE CURRENT INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT IN HER POSITION UNTIL THE NEW BOARD IS ELECTED IN NOVEMBER. THIS WILL ALLOW THE NEW BOARD TO CHOOSE THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT THEY CAN WORK WITH AND HAS SIMILAR VALUES. IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR THE NEXT BOARD TO WORK WITH A SUPERINTENDENT THAT THIS BOARD HAS SELECTED. WE ALSO WOULD HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO FIND SOME NEW CANDIDATES. ON ANOTHER NOTE, THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER SPLC, WHO HAS SLANDERED CONSERVATIVE GROUPS, HAS BEEN EXPOSED AS A FRAUD. THEY WERE CONTRIVING RACIAL INJUSTICE ACTIONS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT RACIAL INJUSTICE AND JUSTICE. SO NOW THE SPLC HAS BEEN A PROVEN, CORRUPT ORGANIZATION. WILL THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STILL REQUIRE TEACHERS, SCHOOL BOARD AND ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN MARYLAND TO ENDURE THEIR ANTI-BIAS TRAINING? THIS TRAINING FORCES THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO SUFFER THROUGH SCENARIOS LIKE, QUOTE, CHLOE WEARS A HAIRSTYLE THAT IS TRADITIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BLACK CULTURE. IS CHLOE BEING CULTURALLY INSENSITIVE? END QUOTE. WHO CARES? CAN CHLOE READ, WRITE, AND PERFORM MATH PROBLEMS? THAT IS WHAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS TO FOCUS ON. STOP INDOCTRINATING INDOCTRINATING CHILDREN WITH ACTIVIST MATERIAL. YOU FILL THEIR DAYS WITH THIS NONSENSE. WHEN DO THEY HAVE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT ACADEMICS? WE NEED NEW LEADERS THAT WILL FOCUS TIME, ENERGY AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO TEACHING ACADEMICS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE. KARISSA NEVINS, GARY JOHNSON, AND DAVID BAUER. GOOD EVENING. I'M A PARENT TO AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT IN DISTRICT B. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE A RECENT MODIFIED LOCKDOWN AT MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL LED ME TO QUESTION HOW EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION IS HANDLED BETWEEN SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PARENTS. AFTER THE LOCKDOWN NOTIFICATION WAS SENT OUT, MANY PARENTS WERE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT OCCURRED AND WE WERE UPSET THAT THE SCHOOL COMMUNICATION DID NOT INCLUDE DETAILS ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE POLICE ACTIVITY. OVER THE PAST WEEK, I SPOKE WITH THE PRINCIPAL, THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY AND MEMBERS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THESE SYSTEMS WORK TOGETHER. I DISCOVERED THAT SCHOOLS OFTEN CANNOT COMMENT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES, EVEN WHEN SAFETY PROTOCOLS ARE ENACTED. THIS MADE ME REALIZE THAT THE REAL ISSUE IS A LACK OF CLARITY SURROUNDING THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS ITSELF. AS A PARENT, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING TO DETERMINE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNICATING WHAT, WHERE PARENTS SHOULD GO FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, WHAT TERMS LIKE MODIFIED LOCKDOWN MEAN, AND WHY SCHOOL COMMUNICATION FEELS VAGUE DURING THESE SITUATIONS. SO TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE A SIMPLE IMPROVEMENT WHEN SCHOOL IS IN LOCKDOWN OR EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION. I BELIEVE THOSE MESSAGES SHOULD INCLUDE A SHORT DISCLOSURE OR ATTACHMENT THAT CLARIFIES THE 
          [00:30:02]
FOLLOWING. A BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DIFFERENT LOCKDOWN MEASURES AND WHAT THEY MEAN. THE SCHOOL'S ROLE VERSUS LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ROLE IN COMMENTING ON INVESTIGATIONS, AND WHERE PARENTS CAN LEARN MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INCIDENT, SUCH AS LINKING THE APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACT INFORMATION. THIS WOULD NOT REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO DISCLOSE SENSITIVE DETAILS, BUT IT WOULD IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY SURROUNDING THE PROCESS ITSELF. 
          TO PARENTS, VAGUE COMMUNICATION WITH NO MEANINGFUL CONTEXT CAN FEEL LIKE CONCEALMENT, EVEN IF IT ISN'T, BUT VAGUE COMMUNICATION THAT ADDRESSES WHY IT'S VAGUE AND GIVES PARENTS A DIRECTION TO LEARN MORE FEELS TRANSPARENT. I BELIEVE THIS SIMPLE DISCLOSURE COULD REDUCE CONFUSION AND STRENGTHEN TRUST BETWEEN FAMILIES AND INSTITUTIONS, AND HELP PARENTS FEEL MORE INFORMED AND EMPOWERED DURING STRESSFUL SITUATIONS. I ALSO BELIEVE IT WILL HELP REDUCE FRICTION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS, BECAUSE PARENTS WILL BE BETTER INFORMED THAT ADMIN CAN'T PROVIDE THE TYPE OF DETAILS THAT THEY WANT. IN SUCH CASES, ADMIN CAN ATTACH THE DISCLOSURE AND ASSURE PARENTS THAT THE BEST AVENUE FORWARD IS WITH ENFORCEMENT. I PLAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH MY BOARD REPRESENTATIVE AND CONTINUE DISCUSSING WAYS A COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORK LIKE THIS COULD MOVE FORWARD IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. GOOD EVENING. IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR, BOB CASSILLY SENT A LETTER TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION REGARDING FIFTH GRADE OVERNIGHT CAMPS AT GLEN AT HARFORD GLEN. AT ISSUE WAS A LETTER THAT HAD BEEN SENT TO PARENTS STATING THAT LODGING WOULD BE ASSIGNED, ACCORDING TO THE STUDENTS PREFERRED GENDER IDENTITY, ECHOING GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STATING THAT NON-BINARY AND OTHER GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHOICE AS TO WHICH HOUSING ASSIGNMENT MAKES THEM FEEL THE MOST COMFORTABLE. NOWHERE DO THEY ADDRESS THE OBVIOUS DISCOMFORT THAT A TEN YEAR OLD GIRL MIGHT FEEL BEING FORCED TO SHARE A ROOM OVERNIGHT WITH A BIOLOGICAL BOY. 
          HOW MANY TIMES MUST WE HEAR OF THE TRAUMA THAT YOUNG GIRLS EXPERIENCE AS THEIR PRIVACY IS VIOLATED BY CONFUSED YOUNG BOYS? THEIR TRAUMA IS NOT LIMITED TO SIMPLE DISCOMFORT. IT SOMETIMES BECOMES A TRAUMATIC REALITY, SUCH AS HAVING THEIR PICTURES TAKEN, UNAWARE AND THEN PUT ONLINE, OR HAVING TO EXPERIENCE UNWANTED TOUCHING AND SOMETIMES EVEN RAPE. YOUNG GIRLS CAN LOSE NOT ONLY THEIR TROPHIES AND THEIR TITLES, BUT ALSO THEIR REPUTATIONS AND THEIR FUTURES. 
          I SUPPOSE TEN YEAR OLD BOYS MIGHT FEEL DISCOMFORT AS WELL, BUT YOUNG BOYS ARE WIRED DIFFERENTLY. THAT DISCOMFORT MIGHT QUICKLY CHANGE TO EXHILARATION. AND WHY WOULDN'T IT? WHEN THEY SEE HOW TEACHERS, WHEN THEY SEE WHAT TEACHERS ARE SOMETIMES DOING, NEWS REPORTS TELL US OF MALE TEACHERS VIOLATING YOUNG GIRLS AND OF FEMALE TEACHERS GROOMING YOUNG BOYS FOR SEXUAL PLEASURE. HOW ARE TEN YEAR OLDS SUPPOSED TO PROCESS SUCH REPORTS? REGARDLESS, THE PARENTS OF THESE STUDENTS SHOULD FEEL BETRAYED BY THIS SCHOOL BOARD AND THEIR STATE OVERLORDS. THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY SCHOOL BOARD MUST BE THE SAFETY AND INNOCENCE OF THESE YOUNG ONES. HAS THIS BOARD JOINED WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN FIGHTING THIS IDIOTIC, MONSTROUS IDEA? HAVE YOU CONTACTED THE MSD TO TELL THEM THAT THEIR GUIDANCE WILL NOT BE FOLLOWED IN HARFORD COUNTY? OR ARE YOU TOO AFRAID OF LOSING THEIR FUNDING? HOW MUCH EVIL WILL YOU ALLOW FOR THE WANT OF MONEY? MANY TEACHERS AGREE WITH ME, BUT THEY'RE TOO INTIMIDATED TO SPEAK OUT. THEY FEAR THE TEACHERS UNION AND THEIR RADICAL COWORKERS. MANY HAVE LEFT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THIS. 
          THEY'RE MAKING LESS MONEY NOW, BUT THEY SLEEP EASIER AT NIGHT. THIS UNION DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE TEACHERS OR THE STUDENTS. THEY CARE ONLY ABOUT MONEY AND POWER. IF THEY DON'T GET WHAT THEY WANT, THEY GO ON STRIKE AND REMAIN ON STRIKE UNTIL THE PUBLIC CAPITULATES. THIS UNION, LIKE ALL PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS, IS A THREAT NOT ONLY TO OUR KIDS BUT ALSO TO OUR REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT. STOP CATERING TO THEM AND TO THE LEFTWARD LEANING, RAINBOW HAIRED CROWD THAT APPLAUDS THEM. RIGHT IS RIGHT. IT IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE NUMBERS ATTENDING A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OR BY THE VOLUME OF THEIR ARGUMENTS. RIGHT SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY WHAT GOD SAYS. AND YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER. THIS EVENING I HAVE COMMENTS ON SEVERAL TOPICS. FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS TO MRS. MILLER ON YOUR APPOINTMENT TO THE BOARD. I HOPE IT IS A GOOD AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR YOU. SECOND, I COMPARED THE QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT TO THE ONE FROM A YEAR AGO. I 
          [00:35:01]
NOTICED THAT THE PROJECTED END OF YEAR FUND BALANCE IS BASICALLY UNCHANGED FROM A YEAR AGO, WHICH IS ARGUABLY GOOD BECAUSE IT SUGGESTS THAT THE DRAWDOWN OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS HAS STABILIZED. ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU INCREASE HOW MUCH FUND BALANCE YOU USE FOR THIS COMING YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU WILL AGAIN BE AT A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT. 
          THIS REALLY IS A GOOD YEAR TO LOBBY THE COUNTY FOR FULL FUNDING. NEXT ON THE PROPOSED FINANCIAL LITERACY GRADUATION REQUIREMENT POLICY. THE PROPOSAL IS TO REDUCE THE PE REQUIREMENT FROM ONE CREDIT TO A HALF A CREDIT, AS I HOPE YOU ALL KNOW. THE CURRENT TWO HALF CREDITS FOR PE ARE DIFFERENT. ONE CAN BE SATISFIED BY TAKING ONE OF SEVERAL CLASSES AT HC OR HCC AND POTENTIALLY OTHER EXTERNAL OPTIONS. THE OTHER HALF CREDIT CAN CURRENTLY ONLY BE SATISFIED BY A SPECIFIC HC CLASS. PE NINE FOUNDATIONS OF FITNESS. WHETHER OR NOT THE PROPOSED HALF CREDIT CAN BE COVERED BY AN HCC CLASS OR SIMILAR CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO SOME STUDENTS. THE HC SPECIFIC PE CLASS USED TO BE OFFERED DURING THE SUMMER, BUT SUMMER SCHOOL WAS CUT DUE TO ONGOING INADEQUATE FINANCE FUNDING. I WORRY THAT THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT MORE THINGS LIKE THAT, THINGS THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM USED TO HAVE FOR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH HAVE BEEN LOST DUE TO A LACK OF FUNDING. THINGS YOU MAY NOT BE TALKING ABOUT AT ALL. I COMPARED THE CLASS OPTIONS FOR 10TH THROUGH 12TH GRADERS AT MY LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL. PATTERSON MILL FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR TO THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR. 
          STUDENTS APPEAR TO HAVE LOST THE OPTION TO TAKE AP CHEMISTRY GEOHAZARDS ENGINEERING, AP SPANISH, AP FRENCH AND OTHERS. WHAT ADDITIONAL CLASSES THAT STUDENTS HAVE ALREADY REQUESTED FOR NEXT YEAR WILL BE UNAVAILABLE. IF YOUR FUNDING REQUEST TO THE COUNTY IS NOT FULLY FUNDED. THANK YOU ALL. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CINDY PEPPER, IRIS BAUER, AND CHRISTINA LANOKA. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR MAC. SINCE THE LAST TIME THIS BOARD MET, THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS HELD TWO BUDGET INPUT SESSIONS. MANY OF US WHO ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF $15 MILLION IN REQUESTED FUNDING TOOK TIME OUT OF OUR ALREADY BUSY SCHEDULES TO ATTEND THESE SESSIONS AND SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE COUNCIL. WE ARE FACING THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY OF DEVASTATING CUTS TO STAFF AND PROGRAMS. IF EVEN A SIZABLE PORTION OF THAT 15 MILLION IS NOT RESTORED. YET NOT A SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS BOARD FOUND IT APPROPRIATE TO ATTEND, LET ALONE SPEAK TO THE URGENCY AND SERIOUSNESS OF THIS SITUATION. AS A RESULT, NOT ONLY WAS THE OPPORTUNITY LOST TO REINFORCE THE SYSTEM'S NEEDS, BUT SO TOO WAS THE CHANCE TO INFORM AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT IS TRULY AT STAKE. WHAT IS EVEN MORE FRUSTRATING IS THAT SOME OF YOU DID FIND IT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO APPEAR IN PERSON TO URGE THE COUNCIL TO FILL A VACANCY ON THE BOARD BEFORE THE SUPERINTENDENT VOTE. BUT ADVOCATING TO RESTORE 15 MILLION TO AN ALREADY BARE BONES BUDGET DIDN'T SEEM TO WARRANT THE SAME LEVEL OF URGENCY. THAT RAISES SOME FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES. AND FRANKLY, WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR THE SAME FAMILIAR EXCUSES THAT ADVOCACY HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES, THAT PRIVATE COMMUNICATION IS TAKING PLACE, OR THAT THERE ARE OTHER METHODS OF ENGAGEMENT. THOSE EXPLANATIONS CONTINUE TO RING HOLLOW. THIS IS A MOMENT THAT CALLS FOR VISIBLE PUBLIC LEADERSHIP. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT YOU ARE FRONT AND CENTER IN THIS FIGHT. YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR STAFF NEED TO SEE YOU SHOWING UP IN PERSON, ADVOCATING FOR THEIR NEEDS AND THE FUTURE OF THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM. TIME AND AGAIN, WE'VE ASKED YOU TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION, NOT BE ABSENT FROM IT. WHEN WILL YOU TAKE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ADVOCATE FOR HC AS SERIOUSLY AS IT DESERVES? EDUCATORS IN THIS SYSTEM ARE EXHAUSTED FROM ALWAYS BEING THE ONES TO STEP FORWARD, TO CARRY THE MESSAGE, AND TO FIGHT FOR WHAT OUR SCHOOLS NEED. WE ARE TIRED OF STANDING ALONE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE VERY BOARD THAT SHOULD BE STANDING WITH US. 
          WHETHER YOU ARE NEARING THE END OF YOUR TENURE OR SEEKING REELECTION, YOUR RESPONSIBILITY REMAINS THE SAME. THIS WAS THE MOMENT TO LEAD. AND NOW THAT MOMENT HAS QUICKLY PASSED. IF 
          [00:40:07]
THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY RESTORES ANY PORTION OF THE FUNDING, IT WILL BE BECAUSE EDUCATORS IN THIS COUNTY CARED ENOUGH TO RAISE THEIR VOICES AND DEMAND ACTION. IT IS DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING THAT THE SAME CANNOT BE SAID FOR MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS IRIS BAUER AND I AM A STUDENT AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED POLICY REGARDING THE PE CREDIT AND THE FINANCIAL LITERACY HALF CREDIT AND ITS DETAILS. THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ME, BUT I DON'T WANT FUTURE STUDENTS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME HEADACHE THAT WAS HAMMERING OUT MY SCHEDULE. FIRST, THANK YOU, MR. VICKER, FOR PROPOSING THIS. WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS PROPOSED POLICY, I WENT, OOH, BECAUSE I AM A STUDENT IN THE SCIENCE AND MATH ACADEMY MAGNET PROGRAM AT AA, AND WE DON'T HAVE SPACE FOR PE IN OUR FRESHMAN YEAR. SUMMER PE BEFORE IT WAS CUT WITH SUCH A GREAT OPTION FOR US THAT WHEN I SURVEYED OVER 100 SMA STUDENTS, 88% OF THE STUDENTS EITHER TOOK SUMMER PE FOR THEIR PE NINE CREDIT OR IF THEY HAD THE CHANCE. I REACHED OUT TO THE IB PROGRAM AND WAS TOLD THAT ABOUT A QUARTER OF INCOMING STUDENTS USUALLY SIGN UP FOR SUMMER PE. THE OTHER HALF CREDIT PE TEN THROUGH 12 CAN BE GOTTEN THROUGH A VARIETY OF OPTIONS SUCH AS WELLNESS, WALKING AND WEIGHT TRAINING, EITHER THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL OR THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. 
          IF YOU'RE GOING TO CUT ONE OF THESE HALF CREDITS, PLEASE CUT THE PE NINE CREDIT. NOT ONLY IS IT HARD TO GET AFTER NINE YEARS OF THE SAME PE FROM KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, IT COMES AS YET ANOTHER SEMESTER OF SAME OLD, SAME OLD. HCC ALREADY OFFERS OPTIONS TO DO THE PE TEN THROUGH 12 CREDIT, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AS THE PE NINE. MARYLAND LAW NEVER SPECIFIES WHICH HALF THE STUDENTS NEED UNDERGRADUATE. 
          HOWEVER, ANOTHER THING THAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED IS WHETHER THE FINANCIAL LITERACY CREDIT WILL BE AS LIMITED AS THE PE NINE CREDIT IN ITS DIFFICULTY TO OBTAIN. 
          ESPECIALLY WITH SUMMER SCHOOL ALREADY CUT. AND YOU WON'T HAVE SPACE IN YOUR BUDGET TO BRING IT BACK. SO THAT'S OUT OF THE QUESTION. I WOULD BOTH RECOMMEND AND REQUEST THAT THE FINANCIAL LITERACY HALF CREDIT BE AVAILABLE AS SOMETHING SUCH AS AN HCC CLASS, NOT SOMETHING ONLY OBTAINABLE THROUGH A STANDARD HC CLASS. PLEASE MAKE STUDENTS AWARE AND FULLY THOUGHT OUT DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COUNTY. THANK YOU. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. GENESIS 12728 SO GOD CREATED MANKIND IN HIS OWN IMAGE, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, HE CREATED THEM MALE AND FEMALE. HE CREATED THEM. GOD BLESS THEM AND SAID TO THEM, BE FRUITFUL AND INCREASE IN NUMBER. FILL THE EARTH AND SUBDUE IT. YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BELIEVE IN GOD OR JESUS, BUT I DID FIND AN INTERESTING QUOTE REGARDING TOLERANCE WHICH RESONATED WITH ME. JESUS WARNS THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA AGAINST TOLERANCE, WHICH WAS LEADING THEM INTO A IMMORALITY AND IDOLATRY. OUR CULTURE OFTEN CONFUSES LOVE AND TOLERANCE. THE TWO COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT. LOVE SEEKS THE OTHER PERSON'S GOOD. TOLERANCE SEEKS TO BE THOUGHT OF AS GOOD IN OTHER PERSON'S EYES. LOVE COMES FROM FEARING GOD, UNQUOTE. 
          YOU HAVE ALLOWED OUR SCHOOLS TO NOT ONLY TOLERATE THAT WHICH IS AGAINST GOD, BUT ALSO TO TEACH IT AS GOOD AND WHOLESOME. YOU SAY THAT YOU BELIEVE IN THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. 
          YET YOU BREAK YOUR OWN RULES. YOU DO NOT ALLOW CHRISTIAN MORALITY TO BE TAUGHT, BUT YOU DO ALLOW YOUR BELIEF SYSTEMS REGARDING GENDER, IDEOLOGY AND LGBTQ TO BE TAUGHT. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN TOLERANCE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN TELLING THE TRUTH. THAT WILL BE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL OF OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EARTH THAT GOD GAVE US. BELIEF SYSTEM SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AMONG THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RETAIN THOSE BELIEFS WHILE IN SCHOOL. AS PER THE FIRST AMENDMENT, WHICH SAYS CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF. SCHOOLS SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE FACTS AND LONG LIFETIME SKILLS ARE TAUGHT SO THAT ALL ARE BENEFITING, WHILE NONE ARE BEING COERCED TO TAKE PART IN A BELIEF SYSTEM THAT THEY ARE, THEY VEHEMENTLY OPPOSE. THERE ARE SPIRITUAL AND MORAL CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING GOD, WHICH YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO DISCUSS HERE AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, EXCEPT THAT YOU ARE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN TO REJECT GOD IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS NEEDS TO STOP OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE WHO ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE. THOSE CONSEQUENCES ARE NOT KNOWN TO ME, BUT ONLY TO GOD. EVERY ONE OF US IS A SINNER, INCLUDING MYSELF, AND WE NEED TO REPENT 
          [00:45:03]
EVERY DAY FOR THE SINS THAT WE COMMIT. PLEASE TAKE SERIOUSLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO OUR CHILDREN. EXECUTIVE ORDER 14190 SIGNED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON JANUARY 29TH, 2025, CALLS ON FEDERAL AGENCIES TO RESCIND AND WITHDRAW, WITHHOLD FUNDING FROM K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS THAT SUPPORT USING PRONOUNS INCONSISTENT WITH BIOLOGICAL SEX, ALLOWING USE OF PRIVATE SPACES BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY RATHER THAN BIOLOGICAL SEX AND TEACHING GENDER IDEOLOGY. IT PROHIBITS THEM FROM PARTICIPATING IN SOCIAL TRANSITION, TRANSITION OF TRANSGENDER MINORS AND FROM TEACHING MATERIALS DEEMED ANTI AMERICAN, INCLUDING CRITICAL RACE THEORY. I LOVE YOU ALL. EACH AND EVERY PERSON I COME IN CONTACT WITH, AND I CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOU ON THE BOARD SPECIFICALLY, THAT YOU ARE GUIDED BY GOD'S WISDOM TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM HARM, TO MAINTAIN THEIR INNOCENCE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE, AS WELL AS TO GIVE THEM A SOLID EDUCATION THAT THEY ARE FULLY PREPARED TO GO INTO THE WORLD WITH MUCH TO OFFER. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE DOMINIC HEATH AND KATHY KOWALEWSKI. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS DOMINIC HEATH. SOME OF YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW ME AS I AM RUNNING TO UNSEAT MR. SEWELL. FIRST, CONGRATULATIONS. I'M NOT REALLY RUNNING. DON'T SEE HIM. 
          ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEWLY APPOINTED MISS MILLER AND TO. UNFORTUNATELY FOR MR. MCVICKER WOULD BE LETTING YOU GO SOON TO MR. MRS. NANDURI, IF I'M PRONOUNCING THAT CORRECTLY. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FIRST FOR PRIORITIZING A FULL TIME SUPERINTENDENT BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR BEGINS. CEMENTED LEADERSHIP WILL HELP KEEP THE DISTRICT RUNNING AS IT SHOULD BE. AS FOR THE CANDIDATES, I'VE HEARD THINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE. I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK ON THINGS OUTSIDE OF MY EXPERIENCE OR MY FACT SET. SO I AM STRICTLY SPEAKING ABOUT THE CANDIDATES ON PAPER AND SPEAKING STRICTLY TO RESUMES. DOCTOR GEHRINGER DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND LEADING A TEACHERS ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION. I'M SURE SHE HAS MANAGED TEAMS OF PEOPLE, BUT SHE HAS NEVER MANAGED ANYTHING CLOSE TO ONE OF OUR COUNCILMANIC DISTRICTS, LET ALONE THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT. TO PROMOTE SOMEONE FROM PRINCIPAL TO SUPERINTENDENT WOULD BE AKIN TO EQUIVALENT OF MYSELF. I AM A SENIOR MANAGER AT MY COMPANY. 
          THAT WOULD BE LIKE MAKING ME THE CEO TOMORROW. IT'S NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS. 
          I WOULDN'T EXPECT IT AT MY JOB. I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO SEE THAT KIND OF PROMOTION HERE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE RANKS. IN COMPARISON, DOCTOR BRAXTON RESUME IS WILDLY MORE SKILLED TO THE ROLE. SHE HAS BEEN A DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT AND CURRENTLY THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. AND I BELIEVE THAT EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE MATTERS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, DOCTOR GEHRINGER HAS NONE AT THIS LEVEL OR ANY OF THE LEVELS MENTIONED. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER DOCTOR GEHRINGER WOULD BE GOOD IN THIS ROLE OR NOT, ULTIMATELY, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT DOCTOR MACK HAS BEEN AND CAN BE PERFORMING IN THIS ROLE. THERE IS NO MYSTERY OF HOW SHE WILL PERFORM IN THIS POSITION. SO I ASK THIS OF THE BOARD TONIGHT. 
          YOU HAVE A PROVEN CANDIDATE THAT WANTS THE JOB. WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THE RISK ON THE UNKNOWN WITH THE OTHER? THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. WITHIN THE COMING DAYS, THIS BOARD HAS A CRITICAL DECISION TO MAKE REGARDING WHO OUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE. THIS PERSON WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT OVER THE 36,000 PLUS STUDENTS IN OUR SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE OVER 5500 EMPLOYEES. WHEN MAKING YOUR DECISION, I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING. WHICH PERSON WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD MORALE? EMPLOYEE MORALE PLAYS A DIRECT AND KEY ROLE IN TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS AND TEACHER RETENTION. WHICH PERSON WILL LISTEN ACTIVELY AND RESPOND THOUGHTFULLY TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING PARENTS, TEACHERS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE COMMUNITY. WHICH PERSON WILL PRIORITIZE EQUITY SO THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVE PRACTICES? WHICH PERSON WILL MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE RESPECTED AND PROTECTED, ESPECIALLY OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, OUR STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN POVERTY, OUR STUDENTS THAT IDENTIFY AS NON-BINARY AND OTHER MARGINALIZED GROUPS, WHICH PERSON WILL ENCOURAGE TEAMWORK AND SHARED DECISION MAKING, INCLUDING INVITING EDUCATORS TO THE TABLE WHEN IMPORTANT DECISIONS ARE NEED TO BE MADE THAT WILL DIRECTLY IMPACT THEM. 
          WHICH PERSON WILL BEST ADDRESS ACHIEVEMENT GAPS? WHICH PERSON HAS DEMONSTRATED STRONG LEADERSHIP SKILLS BEYOND THE BUILDING LEVEL? I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE KEPT THESE QUESTIONS IN MIND. IF YOU, AS YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD TO MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME MRS. MILLER. TOM AND I WORK TOGETHER. WHEN 
          [00:50:04]
SHE WAS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT DEERFIELD, AND SHE WAS A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS, AS I KNOW SHE WILL CONTINUE TO BE WHILE ON THIS BOARD. THANK YOU. VICE PRESIDENT. SO THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THANKS TO 
          [Board Member Comments]
EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT AND SPOKE BEFORE US. NOW I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND WE'LL START WITH MISS PERRY. GOOD EVENING. I'M GOING TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR EDUCATORS AND STAFF. I'M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING AND LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS THIS EVENING. THANK YOU SIR. HI EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. EVEN AS THE WEATHER IS WARMING UP, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE STAYS COOL. OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, I ATTENDED THE EMPLOYEE SERVICE RECOGNITION DINNER WITH SEVERAL OTHER COLLEAGUES TO RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE REACHED IMPORTANT MILESTONES OF SERVICE IN CPS, AND IT WAS ESPECIALLY GREAT TO WATCH. TWO TEACHERS I HAD AS A STUDENT REACH 30 YEARS OF SERVICE. I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A TAPING OF THIS MONTH'S EPISODE OF THE HARTFORD ACADEMIC CHALLENGE. THIS IS A GAME SHOW FILMED BY HARTFORD TV, WHERE CPS TOP STUDENTS COMPETE TO SHOWCASE THEIR ACADEMIC EXPERTISE ACROSS VARIOUS SUBJECTS. THIS MONTH'S EPISODE FEATURED A MATCHUP BETWEEN NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND PATTERSON MILL HIGH SCHOOL, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH THE EPISODE WHEN IT'S RELEASED. WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS ON THE ACADEMIC TEAM, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SORT OF COMPETITION COMPETITION WITH NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS. SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE OUR ACADEMIC TEAMS THRIVING IN THIS NEW WAY TO SHOWCASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE. AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MR. BENJAMIN WHITE, WHO IS MY ACADEMIC TEAM COACH, AND NOW SORT OF SPEARHEADING THE PROGRAM. SO AGAIN, AS WE WIND DOWN ANOTHER GREAT SCHOOL YEAR, I LOOK FORWARD TO CELEBRATING OUR SENIORS AT GRADUATION AND NEXT WEEK. STAY COOL, HAVE FUN, AND STAY STRONG DURING THESE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU CHANCELLOR. I HAVE NO COMMENTS. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. I HAVE QUITE A KIND OF A LONG COMMENT TONIGHT, SO BEAR WITH ME. I WANT TO START BY SHARING A FEW UPDATES FROM WHAT HAS BEEN A BUSY AND MEANINGFUL STRETCH. FINAL STRETCH OF MY TERM AS YOUR STUDENT MEMBER ON THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION. FIRST, ON SCHOOL VISITS. I HAVE NOW VISITED 42 OF OUR 54 SCHOOLS THIS YEAR. THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING PARTS OF THIS ROLE, AND I'M HOPING TO GET TO THE REST OF THEM BEFORE MY TERM CONCLUDES AT THE END OF JUNE. ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I'M GRADUATING ON FRIDAY, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR A LONG TIME. I'M GOING TO MISS YOU GUYS, BUT I WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING THE PATTERSON MILLS GRADUATION CEREMONY NEXT TUESDAY. THIS IS MY HOME SCHOOL, SO ATTEND THEIR COMMENCEMENT. 
          AND HONORING THEIR GRADUATING SENIORS IS SOMETHING THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO MISS. SHIFTING TO BOARD BUSINESS TODAY, I AM FORMALLY INTRODUCING A FINANCIAL LITERACY POLICY FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION. THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE INVESTED SIGNIFICANT TIME AND EFFORT INTO, AND I AM PROUD TO BRING THIS FORWARD FOR DISCUSSION. I'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE BOARD MEMBERS TO HELP REFINE THE WAY POLICY SUBMISSIONS MOVE THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS, AND I BELIEVE THE IMPROVEMENTS WE ARE WORKING TOWARD WILL MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT AND CONSISTENT FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. ON THE TOPIC OF MENTAL HEALTH, HC AND I RECENTLY COLLABORATED COLLABORATED ON A MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH VIDEO THAT IS NOW LIVE ON YOUTUBE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GO CHECK THAT OUT. AND BEYOND THE VIDEO, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE HERE TO CHECK IN WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND THEM. MENTAL HEALTH DESERVES OUR ATTENTION, NOT JUST IN MAY, BUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR. 
          AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY TERM OFFICIALLY CONCLUDES ON JUNE 30TH. WE WILL BE TAKING OVER AS SMOB STARTING JULY 1ST, AND I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED FOR HER. NEXT WEEK I WILL BE FILMING MY FINAL SMOB MONTHLY MINUTE BEFORE SHE TAKES OVER THE SERIES. IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE IN THIS ROLE, AND I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT SHE WILL BRING INCREDIBLE ENERGY AND DEDICATION TO THE POSITION. REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, I PARTICIPATED IN BOTH THE APPLICATION REVIEW AND CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS. I ALSO WORKED TO INCLUDE MEMBERS OF MY SMOB ADVISORY COUNCIL AS A FORMAL COMMUNITY GROUP IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS, BECAUSE I FELT STRONGLY THAT STUDENTS DESERVE A MEANINGFUL VOICE IN WHO WILL LEAD THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND I AM GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND FINALLY, WELL, NOT FINALLY. I WANT TO EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO MRS. MILLER ON JOINING THE BOARD. WE ARE VERY GLAD TO HAVE HER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCE SHE BRINGS TO THIS WORK. BEFORE I CLOSE, I NEED TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TONIGHT THAT I DON'T THINK SHOULD GO UNACKNOWLEDGED. I WAS NOT VOTED INTO THE CLOSED SESSION THIS EVENING, AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS, BECAUSE I THINK THIS BOARD NEEDS TO HEAR IT DIRECTLY. MY POSITION IS NOT INFORMAL. MY POSITION, BOTH OF 
          [00:55:04]
WHAT WILL BE THE POSITION NEXT YEAR AND THE POSITION OF STUDENT MEMBER. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THAT THIS BOARD GETS TO DECIDE THE BOUNDARIES OF ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. THE STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD IS WRITTEN INTO MARYLAND STATE LAW. MY ROLE, MY PRESENCE, AND MY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS EXISTS BECAUSE THE STATE OF MARYLAND DETERMINED THAT STUDENTS DESERVE A SEAT AT THIS TABLE. THAT IS NOT MY OPINION. THAT IS THE LAW. SO WHEN THIS BOARD VOTES TO EXCLUDE ME FROM CLOSED SESSION, THEY ARE NOT EXCLUDING JUST ME. 
          THEY ARE EXCLUDING AN APPROXIMATELY 38,000 STUDENTS THAT I REPRESENT. THEY ARE MAKING A DELIBERATE CHOICE TO SILENCE THE STUDENT VOICE IN A ROOM WHERE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT STUDENTS ARE BEING MADE. AND I THINK THAT DESERVES TO BE SAID OUT LOUD, IN PUBLIC AND ON THE RECORD. I SPENT THIS ENTIRE TERM SHOWING UP FOR THIS BOARD, FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND FOR THE STUDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY. I HAVE VISITED 42 SCHOOLS, SOMETHING MANY OF YOU CAN'T EVEN SAY YOU VISITED A SINGLE SCHOOL. I HAVE WORKED ON POLICY. I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN SUPERINTENDENT INTERVIEWS. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ASKED OF ME AND MORE. AND TONIGHT THE BOARD VOTED TO SHUT ME OUT. I HOPE EVERYONE WATCHING AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TAKES A MOMENT TO REFLECT ON WHAT HAPPENED HERE TONIGHT. I HOPE THE COMMUNITY ASKS QUESTIONS. I HOPE STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE PAYING ATTENTION BECAUSE A BOARD THAT CLAIMS TO REPRESENT STUDENTS WHILE ACTIVELY VOTING TO SILENCE THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT LIVING UP TO THAT CLAIM. AND THE PEOPLE OF HARFORD COUNTY DESERVE BETTER THAN THAT. THANK YOU. 
          MISS MILLER. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY. THANK YOU TO THE. THE INDIVIDUALS, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT I'VE RECEIVED. AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THE FACT THAT I'M SEATED WITH THIS BOARD IS A TESTAMENT TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY. I ARRIVED HERE AS A NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING STUDENT, AND THROUGH EDUCATION, I BECAME SUCCESSFUL AND PURSUED A CAREER IN EDUCATION AND THAT I COULD SERVE AS A TEACHER AND THEN AN ADMINISTRATOR IN MY COMMUNITY. 
          AND AND THAT WAS AT DEERFIELD AND THEN ONTO A POSITION IN CENTRAL OFFICE WHERE I GOT TO HIRE TEACHERS AND INTERVIEW CANDIDATES FOR OTHER POSITIONS AND WORKED WITH MANY, MANY INDIVIDUALS. AND YES, I'VE VISITED ALL 54 SCHOOLS IN MY ROLES IN CENTRAL OFFICE. AND SO I NOW BEING SEATED AT THIS BOARD IS FULL CIRCLE, AND ONLY IN AMERICA CAN THAT HAPPEN. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THAT. AND WITH MAY BEING TEACHER APPRECIATION MONTH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY VERY FIRST TEACHER, MRS. GUNTHER, MY THIRD GRADE TEACHER. WHEN I ARRIVED HERE, AND HER AID. BUT I ALWAYS CALLED HER MY TEACHER, MRS. B WORD, AND THOSE TWO PROVIDED SUCH A WARM AND INVITING ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING THAT IT MADE ME WANT TO PURSUE THE VERY CAREER AND SO ON TO MY VERY INFLUENTIAL PERSON THAT SHAPED MY EDUCATIONAL PATH. AND THAT WAS MY FIRST PRINCIPAL, BARBARA DOUGLASS. WITHOUT HER, I WOULD NOT SOLIDIFY THE CORE. YOU HEARD EARLIER THAT I'M A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR CHILDREN. SHE SHAPED THAT. AND THAT WAS SOMEONE THAT WALKED THAT TALK AND PUT CHILDREN FIRST. AND ANY OF US, INCLUDING MR. RICHARDSON, BACK THERE, THAT TAUGHT FOR MRS. FOR MRS. DOUGLASS WOULD KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT SHE PREACHED. SO KNOW THAT I AM HERE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR CHILDREN. AND THAT IS THE ONLY DECISION THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE MY, YOU KNOW, VOTES YES OR NO AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I AM PROUD TO SHINE WITH CPS AGAIN. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE WARM WELCOME. I LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH ALL OF YOU, AND TO DO THE HARD WORK OF MAKING DECISIONS IN THE BEST OF INTEREST FOR STUDENTS. THANK YOU JOHN. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEWEST MEMBER, MISS MILLER, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT HAS BEEN FOLLOWED IN THE HIRING OF THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. INITIALLY, I WAS ON BOARD WITH THE STREAMLINED PROCESS TO FIND THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT, BUT AS WE STARTED GETTING INTO THE PROCESS, MANY CONCERNS BEGAN TO SURFACE. THE APPLICATION WAS THE FIRST CONCERN. OUR APPLICATION WAS OPEN FOR A LITTLE OVER A WEEK. WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE APPLICATION, WE INCLUDED A THREE YEAR RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, WHICH AFTER THE APPLICATION WAS PUBLIC, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT IT WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, SO THAT REQUIREMENT WAS REMOVED AND THE APPLICATION DEADLINE WAS EXTENDED BY ONE WEEK. A COMMUNICATION WAS NOT SENT OUT 
          [01:00:01]
TO THE COMMUNITY OR TO THE MEDIA EXPLAINING WHY THE APPLICATION WAS EXTENDED. IT JUST WAS. IF SOMEONE HAD WANTED TO APPLY BUT FAILED TO MEET THAT REQUIREMENT. WITHOUT THAT INFORMATION BEING COMMUNICATED TO THE COMMUNITY, WE MAY HAVE MISSED SOME CANDIDATES THAT DIDN'T MEET THAT REQUIREMENT. THOSE CANDIDATES WOULD NOT APPLY SINCE THE REQUIREMENT WAS NOT MET AND THEY WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CHANGE. ANOTHER CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS ALSO SURROUNDING THE APPLICATION. WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION AND DISCUSSED THE CANDIDATES IN DEPTH. AFTER THAT DISCUSSION, WE WERE NOTIFIED THE ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED, BUT THEY WERE SENT TO THE WRONG PLACE. THOSE APPLICATIONS DIDN'T RECEIVE THE SAME DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION AS THE PRIOR DISCUSSED APPLICATIONS. AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, I BELIEVE THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED IS FLAWED IN MANY WAYS. 
          I JUST NAMED A FEW. I COULD GO ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION THAT ANY OF US ON THIS BOARD WILL MAKE WHILE SERVING IN THIS POSITION, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TAKE OUR TIME AND BE 100% CONFIDENT IN THAT DECISION. AND I AM NOT. 
          THE COMMUNITY CANNOT HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR DECISION AND A NEW SUPERINTENDENT IF WE ARE NOT TRANSPARENT AND IF WE HAVE A FLAWED PROCESS. I HAVE ALSO HEARD MANY CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES, WHICH I BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND ENSURE THAT WE CHOOSE THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND SCHOOL SYSTEM IN GENERAL. I'VE ALSO ASKED THAT WE BE PROVIDED ADDITIONAL TIME TO REVIEW THE INFORMATION WE HAVE AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT PARTICIPATED IN GROUPS TODAY. 
          THOSE REQUESTS WERE IGNORED AND WE WILL BE VOTING TOMORROW. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN, NOR IS THIS TIME FRAME TO VOTE ADEQUATE. IT HAS NOT BEEN AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF TIME. I FEEL AT THIS POINT WE HAVE BEEN RUSHED. WHEN YOU ARE RUSHED, YOU MAKE MISTAKES. THIS IS TOO IMPORTANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT VOTE ON A SUPERINTENDENT AT THIS TIME. I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE THIS AN INTERIM ONE YEAR APPOINTMENT AND CONTINUE TO SEARCH WHEN THIS NEW BOARD IS ELECTED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS DECISION IS WAY TOO IMPORTANT TO RUSH. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I VOTED NO TO ALLOW MR. MCVICKER TO PARTICIPATE, AS I BELIEVE THAT SOME ISSUES DO NOT NEED TO BE HEARD BY STUDENTS AND THEY ARE CLOSED. 
          FOR THAT REASON, THE STATE OF MARYLAND GAVE THE BOARD THE DECISION TO ALLOW THE STUDENT TO PARTICIPATE, OR TO FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES SET FORTH BY THE STATE. I STAND BY THAT DECISION. 
          WHILE I SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE RIGHT DECISION WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING SENSITIVE ITEMS. THANK YOU. MISS BRUCE. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS CONCERN AND OFFER A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE MOST RECENT SHOOTING HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AFFECTING SCHOOL CHILDREN. THE SYNAGOGUE IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, WITH TWO 200 STUDENT POPULATION. I HAD A SHOOTING INCIDENT, BUT WHEN I HEARD THE LAST NEWS REPORT, THEY HAD NOT IDENTIFIED THAT ANY STUDENTS HAD BEEN HARMED. BUT THERE WERE THREE DEATHS TO TWO TEACHERS AND THE SECURITY OFFICE. SO I WOULD ASK ALL OF US TO KEEP THAT SYNAGOGUE AND THOSE FAMILY MEMBERS IN YOUR PRAYERS. I ALSO WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PRINCIPAL AT GEORGE LISBY SCHOOL FOR 40 YEARS OF SERVICE TO CPS. AND GEORGE LISBY SCHOOL WAS ORIGINALLY NAMED BY A MEMBER WHO WAS A MEMBER OF THIS SCHOOL. CPS SERVED IN SEVERAL CAPACITIES AND IS ALSO. I'VE ALSO SUBMITTED HIS NAME FOR THE HALL OF FAME FOR OUR COUNTY. SO I'M ASKING THE MEMBERS OF THE RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION TO CONSIDER THAT CANDIDACY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT, HAVING BEEN. A PERSON WHO WORKED IN PERSONNEL FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR YEARS, I KNOW THAT THE PROCESS IS VERY DIFFICULT AND AGONIZING BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION. BUT I THINK WHEN WE VOTE, OUR VOTE BECOMES UNANIMOUS AND IT IS A BOARD. 
          IT'S NOT INDIVIDUALS. SO I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING READY TO GRADUATE. I HAVE ATTENDED THREE GRADUATIONS FOR MY FAMILY. I ONE IN ALABAMA, ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND MOST RECENTLY IN TOWSON. AND SOME INTERESTING TIMES FOR ME. AND I APPRECIATE MY BOARD MEMBERS COVERING AND TAKING CARE OF MY ABSENCE. SO THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. AS WE BEGIN OUR WORK TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO START 
          [01:05:04]
WITH A MOMENT OF REFLECTION AND PRAYER FOR OUR TIME TOGETHER. LET'S GIVE THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TONIGHT AND ASK FOR A SPIRIT OF UNITY IN OUR SINGULAR PURPOSE, TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS. MAY THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED IN THE CLASSROOMS BE USED AS A TOOL TO SHINE LIGHT OF LOVE INTO A WORLD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS IT. MAY WE BE GUIDED BY WISDOM AND COMPASSION IN EVERY DECISION WE MAKE. AMEN. BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE MEETING, I FIRST WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND ALL MEMBERS IN SWEARING IN OUR NEWEST MEMBER TO THE DAIS, MISS TAMBANG MILLER. I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH HER, AND I'M EAGER FOR THIS, THE PERSPECTIVE THAT SHE WILL BRING AND IN HER EXPERIENCE. NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE ALL THE PARENTS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE SCHOOL STAFF, THE UNION MEMBERS THAT STEPPED UP TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATE INTERVIEWS. I KNOW IT WAS A. 
          ARDUOUS DAY. WHILE THE POOL OF CANDIDATES WAS SMALL, THE. THE CANDIDATES THAT WE WE RECEIVED WERE. HAD HAD, WERE WELL QUALIFIED, AND THEY'RE EXCEPTIONAL. SO YOUR FEEDBACK AND ALSO WE GOT MANY EMAILS. SO THE FEEDBACK WAS WAS REALLY INVALUABLE. AS FOR THIS PROCESS, THE DECISION TONIGHT IS OR TOMORROW IS AT 5:00. I DO SUPPORT MELISSA'S MISS HAHN'S OUR COLLEAGUE MISS HAHN'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE NATURE OF HOW RAPID THE PROCESS WAS AND. 
          BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE ADDRESSED TOMORROW, AND NOT NECESSARILY THIS EVENING. I. 
          ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT I DID I WANTED TO SPEAK ON IS THE. I ATTENDED THE PARENTS CONNECTION COMMITTEE MEETING, AND I THINK THAT I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN TRYING TO STABILIZE OUR SCHOOL SOCIALIZATION AND TO BRING MORE FACE TO FACE INTERACTIONS WITH OUR STUDENTS. BECAUSE AS WE READ, YOU KNOW, THE STUDIES THAT PLAYTIME IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR CHILDREN'S GROWTH IN SOCIAL SKILLS AND MENTAL HEALTH. SO I APPLAUD THEM FOR ALL THE EFFORTS THAT THEY'RE MAKING IN THAT AREA. WE RECEIVED MANY COMMENTS ABOUT CLASS SIZE GROWTH, AND I WANT TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ON THAT. AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET CONCERNS, WE WE LOSE TEACHERS THROUGH ATTRITION TONIGHT ON THE AGENDA. THERE IS A DECISION TO FILL POSITIONS IN THE SUPERVISORY STAFF THAT ARE ESSENTIAL AND NEEDED, BUT WE DON'T HAVE AN ATTRITION FOR THE UPPER AREA. WE ONLY ATTRACT, IT SEEMS, TEACHERS. AND SO THAT'S A CONCERN. AND I YOU KNOW, THAT CONVERSATION I GUESS, WILL COME AS THE BUDGET COMES BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE, BUT ATTRITION, WE CAN'T KEEP CONTINUING TO ATTRACT TEACHERS. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE OUR CLASS SIZES ARE BEYOND MANAGEABLE. AND I PRAY DAILY FOR ALL THE TEACHERS THAT ARE TRYING TO MANAGE A CLASS THAT IS OVER WHAT THEY SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO DO. AND OH, AND I JUST WANTED TO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE TWO THINGS THAT WE CELEBRATE THIS MONTH. ONE IS MOTHERS AND THE OTHER ONE IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS. SO TO ALL THE MOMS WE. I KNOW THAT THE JOB IS HARD, BUT THE REWARD IS PRICELESS. WE WANT TO BE A DISTRICT THAT STANDS BEHIND OUR PARENTS. IF YOU ENCOUNTER AN ISSUE THAT CANNOT BE RESOLVED AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, PLEASE DO BRING IT TO THE BOARD. WE ARE COPIED ON ALL THE CORRESPONDENCES AND OUR COMMUNICATION EXECUTOR ENSURES EVERY MESSAGE IS FUNNELED TO THE RIGHT OFFICE FOR FOLLOW UP. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESOLVE 
          [01:10:06]
THE PROBLEM, BUT WE WANT TO HAVE AWARENESS AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THOSE TO THE BOARDS, BUT ALSO BRING THE GOOD THINGS TO. WE'D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT THEM. WE WANT TO KNOW THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE HALLWAYS AS WELL. AND REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH, I, WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES ARE ON THE RISE. MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE ON THE RISE TODAY. BULLYING ISN'T CONFINED TO THE PLAYGROUND. IT FOLLOWS OUR YOUTH INTO VIRTUAL SPACES. THE VIRTUAL SPACES THEY OCCUPY. I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A LINE FROM A MOVIE THAT I WATCHED THIS WEEK. IT WAS TALL GIRL TWO AND THE MAIN CHARACTER, SISTER. IT. WHAT SHE SAID REALLY STUCK WITH ME AND IT SAID THERE IS NO WORSE BULLY THAN THE ONE CREATED IN OUR HEAD. WE CANNOT LET THE VOICES OF OTHERS, OR THOSE INTERNAL CRITICS CONTROL WHO WE ARE TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR BEING EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE, AND THANK YOU FOR STAYING ENGAGED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. THANK YOU. I YIELD THE FLOOR. THANK YOU BOARD FOR YOUR COMMENTS TONIGHT. I WANT TO FIRST WELCOME MISS MILLER TO THE BOARD. I'M EXCITED FOR THE EXPERIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU BRING, AND I VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MCVICKER, FOR BRINGING YOUR CONCERNS FORWARD REGARDING YOUR INCLUSION IN THIS BOARD'S CLOSED SESSIONS. I HAVE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED THE STUDENT MEMBERS INVOLVEMENT IN EVERY ASPECT OF THIS BOARD'S BUSINESS. I WELCOME, ENCOURAGE AND CHAMPION THE STUDENT VOICE IN EVERY DECISION THIS BOARD MAKES AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PATIENCE LAST WEEK AS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NAVIGATED A VERY CHALLENGING SOFTWARE OUTAGE. THANK YOU TO THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM. I'M BACK THERE IN THE BACK, WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE SURE OUR NETWORK IS SAFE, AND WE WERE UP AND OPERATIONAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 
          AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT HAS ADVOCATED AND CONTINUES TO ADVOCATE FOR THE FUNDING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. OUR NEW FISCAL YEAR STARTS IN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH, SO IT'S NOT THAT FAR AWAY. OUR FISCAL YEAR DOES NOT START IN SEPTEMBER. IT STARTS IN JULY, SO THAT'S ABOUT A MONTH, NOT EVEN A MONTH AND A HALF AWAY. SO THIS IS LOOMING. 
          WE ARE HEARING FROM MANY PARENTS WITH CONCERNS ABOUT GROWING, GROWING AND LARGE CLASS SIZES. PLEASE KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDED TO INCREASE CLASS SIZES THIS YEAR, AS THE FUNDING WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR DID NOT ALLOW US TO KEEP ALL THE POSITIONS WE HAD THAT PREVIOUS YEAR. WE CUT ROUGHLY 100 EDUCATORS OUT OF THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM LAST YEAR, AND THAT RESULTED IN A ROUGHLY TWO STUDENT PER CLASS INCREASE. OF COURSE, SOME MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LARGER THAN THAT. IT'S ALL IT'S AN AVERAGE. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND LET THEM KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO YOU THAT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS FULLY FUNDED. WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE SAME BOAT AS WE WERE LAST YEAR WITH POSITION CUTS. I KNOW OUR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR MACK, IS TURNING OVER LOTS OF STONES. HE'S ALREADY FIGURED OUT SIGNIFICANT COST SAVINGS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO FIND $15 MILLION WORTH OF SAVINGS WITHOUT RESORTING TO BUDGET CUTS OR POSITION CUTS. SO PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR A FULLY FUNDED BUDGET. I WANT TO CELEBRATE OUR GRADUATING SENIORS. OUR FIRST GRADUATIONS OCCUR AT THE END OF THIS WEEK AND EXTEND INTO THE BEGINNING OF JUNE. PLEASE CELEBRATE SAFELY AND BEST WISHES. YOU KNOW, AS YOU MOVE ON TO WHAT'S NEXT, WHETHER THAT'S CAREER, COLLEGE, MILITARY SERVICE OR OTHER, I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PROCESS AND TIMELINES THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN SEE, THE TOTALITY OF THE WORK AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. FROM THE BEGINNING, THE BOARD HAS WORKED TO BALANCE TRANSPARENCY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND STATE TIMELINES WHILE IDENTIFYING THE NEXT LEADER OF CPS. IN FEBRUARY, BOARD LEADERSHIP WORKED WITH THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THAT IS GOING TO BE ABBREVIATED MSBE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES YOU HEAR MSDE, BUT THIS IS MSBE. SO MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, TO CLARIFY THE LEGAL AND PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO ACTING INTERIM AND CONTRACTED SUPERINTENDENT APPOINTMENTS. 
          DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS, MSBE ADVISED THAT A CONTRACT AS SUPERINTENDENT MUST BEGIN SERVICE BY JULY 1ST, 2026. PREVIOUSLY, THE THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT FOR A LONGER TIME PERIOD, BUT MSP MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. SO WE MOVED FORWARD WITH THE PROCESSES NECESSARY TO CONDUCT A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. ON MARCH 9TH, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HELD A PUBLIC BUSINESS MEETING THAT INCLUDED A PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION WITH THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION REGARDING THE SEARCH PROCESS AND TIMELINE. AT THE END OF MARCH, A COMMUNITY WIDE SURVEY WAS LAUNCHED TO 
          [01:15:03]
GATHER FEEDBACK ABOUT THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. THE BOARD RECEIVED 573 RESPONSES TO THE STUDENT EMPLOYEE SURVEY AND 630 RESPONSES TO THE COMMUNITY SURVEY. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THE BOARD HELD PUBLIC MEETINGS, PUBLIC BUSINESS MEETINGS THAT INCLUDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON MARCH 9TH, MARCH 23RD, APRIL 7TH, APRIL 27TH, AND TONIGHT ON APRIL 7TH, THE BOARD VOTED IN CLOSED SESSION ON THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS AND ESTABLISHED THE SCHEDULE FOR APPLICATIONS, INTERVIEWS, DELIBERATIONS AND NEXT STEPS IN THE PROCESS. ON APRIL 8TH, THE SUPERINTENDENT APPLICATION WAS OFFICIALLY POSTED FOR INTERESTED CANDIDATES. APRIL 8TH. ON APRIL 17TH, ALMOST. YOU KNOW. WHAT IS THAT? NINE DAYS LATER, THE BOARD REOPENED THE APPLICATION PERIOD AND ADJUSTED THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT. ON APRIL 22ND, CPS ISSUED A SOCIAL MEDIA REMINDER ENCOURAGING INTERESTED CANDIDATES TO APPLY BEFORE THE DEADLINE AND FURTHER EMPHASIZING THE CHANGE IN RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS. THE SUPERINTENDENT APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSED ON APRIL 24TH. 
          THAT WAS ACTUALLY 17 DAY WINDOW. ON MAY 6TH, BOARD MEMBERS CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS WITH SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES. ON MAY 7TH, CPS ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE AND SOCIAL MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT IDENTIFYING THE TWO FINALISTS SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROCESS. ON MAY 12TH, A NEW BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER WAS OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND JOINED THE BOARD DURING THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PROCESS. TODAY, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATED DIRECTLY IN PANEL INTERVIEWS. THIS ENTIRE DAY WAS FILLED WITH THAT, WITH BOTH SUPERINTENDENT FINALISTS PROVIDING ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK. IN ADDITION TO FORMAL MEETINGS AND STAKEHOLDER PANELS, THE BOARD AND CPS HAVE RECEIVED ALMOST TWO DOZEN EMAILS AND INQUIRIES FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH BOARD CORRESPONDENCE AND ASK CPS REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND CANDIDATES FROM THE OUTSET. A CLOSED SESSION FOR BOARD DELIBERATIONS AND DECISION MAKING WAS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW, MAY 19TH, IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE ACTIVE BOARD MEMBER SCHEDULES AND TO MEET STATE REQUIRED TIMELINES. LAST WEEK, MAY IB ADVISED THE BOARD THAT THE FINAL SUPERINTENDENT APPOINTMENT WOULD REQUIRE A PUBLIC VOTE. AS A RESULT, THE BOARD WILL HOLD THE PUBLIC VOTE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE CLOSED THE SCHEDULED CLOSED SESSION DELIBERATIONS TOMORROW AT 5 P.M. WHICH PROTECTS THE CONFIDENTIALITY AND INTEGRITY OF THE CANDIDATE PROCESS. WE APPRECIATE THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THIS 
          [Dr. Dyann Mack, Interim Superintendent's Report]
PROCESS AND LOOK FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER WITH THE NEXT LEADER OF CPS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND I'D LIKE TO NOW CALL ON DOCTOR MACK FOR HER INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. 
          THANK YOU. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK MISS TOM MILLER AND WELCOME HER TO OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION. I'M EXCITED TO SEE ONE OF OUR HTTPS EDUCATORS COME BACK TO SERVE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THIS CAPACITY. I THINK WE BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT. THANK YOU TO EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY VOLUNTEERS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND THANK YOU TO MRS. HAHN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT WITH THE MENTOR ALLIANCE PROGRAM AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR THIS WORK. I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN TONIGHT BY THANKING OUR TEACHERS, STAFF AND TECHNOLOGY TEAMS FOR THEIR QUICK RESPONSE DURING LAST WEEK'S CAMPUS SHUTDOWN. WHILE THE DISRUPTION WAS UNEXPECTED, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR EDUCATORS, MOVED QUICKLY TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES TO ENSURE THAT INSTRUCTION COULD CONTINUE WITH LITTLE TO NO INTERRUPTION AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FLEXIBILITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS. I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR SCIENCE OFFICE FOR BRINGING A LITTLE EXTRA JOY INTO OUR CENTRAL OFFICE, INTO OUR SCHOOLS. LAST WEEK, THROUGH THEIR ANNUAL BABY CHICK HATCHING PROJECT. KAREN MEEKINS, THE CURRICULUM SPECIALIST IN THAT DEPARTMENT, HELPED TO COORDINATE THIS WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR SEVENTH GRADERS IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. 
          IT IS A MEANINGFUL, HANDS ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITY THAT CONNECTS OUR STUDENTS WITH SCIENCE, WHILE ALSO HIGHLIGHTING THE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR HARFORD COUNTY FARMING COMMUNITY. THESE CHICKS BROUGHT JOY TO CENTRAL OFFICE AND TO OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU KAREN. 
          LAST WEEK, YOUR MIND MATTERS FAMILY WELLNESS EVENT WAS HELD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT. IT WAS A FANTASTIC COMMUNITY COLLABORATION. IT WAS A WONDERFUL TO SEE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS COMING TOGETHER AT RIPKEN STADIUM FOR AN EVENING OF WELLNESS, FITNESS AND FUN. I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING OUR ANNUAL SERVICE RECOGNITION, WHERE WE HONORED MORE THAN 700 EMPLOYEES. THIS YEAR'S HONOREES REPRESENTED SERVICE MILESTONES, MILESTONES RANGING FROM FIVE YEARS TO 40 YEARS OF DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS AND TO OUR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COMMUNITY. COLLECTIVELY, THESE EMPLOYEES HAVE CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 8200 YEARS OF SERVICE TO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          THAT LEVEL OF DEDICATION SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE TO SHOW UP AND SERVE OUR STUDENTS EACH DAY. THIS IS ONE OF THE BUSIEST TIMES AND THE MOST EXCITING TIMES ACROSS 
          [01:20:02]
HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OUR SCHOOLS ARE HOSTING BAND CONCERTS. THEY'RE HOSTING ORCHESTRA CONCERTS, AWARD CEREMONIES, HONOR SOCIETY INTRODUCTIONS, INDUCTIONS, EXCUSE ME, CAPSTONE NIGHTS, FIELD TRIPS AND MANY OTHER CELEBRATIONS, ALL WHILE COMPETING AT STATE AND NATIONAL TESTING AND ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND NATIONALLY. AS WE CLOSE OUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, I WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS WHO ARE PERFORMING AND PARTICIPATING IN THESE WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AND FOR THE PARENTS FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AS WELL AS THE TEACHERS WHO MAKE THESE EVENTS POSSIBLE, AND FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE AND TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. THE MAIN EVENT FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IS GRADUATIONS THAT BEGIN THIS WEEK, AND IT WILL BE AN HONOR OF A LIFETIME TO JOIN THE CLASS OF 2026 ON STAGE AND WISH THEM WELL AS THEY GO OUT INTO THEIR EXCITING FUTURES. I TOO WILL BE CELEBRATING A CLASS OF 2026 GRADUATE. MY SON IS GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE AS A MOM AND AS AN EDUCATOR, I KNOW HOW SPECIAL MOMENTS LIKE THESE ARE. CHERISH THEM. FINALLY, AS HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PREPARES FOR THE 2026 2027 SCHOOL YEAR, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH OUR BUDGET CHALLENGES, OUR STAFFING NEEDS, OUR BOARD PRIORITIES, OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS. IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AND LEAD THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THIS COMMUNITY. I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE TIME, THE ENGAGEMENT, THE COLLABORATION THAT EACH OF YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED SINCE JANUARY. 
          THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AND WHO HAVE PROVIDED INPUT. THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST, MOST IMPORTANT DECISIONS THAT OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL MAKE, AND I APPRECIATE THE CONSIDERATION OF ME AS A CANDIDATE. I HAVE SERVED AS THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE JANUARY, AND I HAVE SERVED WELL. YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR COMMITMENT TO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO TEACHING AND LEARNING, BECAUSE TEACHING 
          [B. Consent Agenda]
AND LEARNING IS HAPPENING IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS OLD BUSINESS. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. MISS BRUCE, WOULD YOU MIND READING THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, PLEASE? AND ONE, THE MONTHLY REPORT ON CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL IN MARCH AND APRIL 2026. TWO CONTRACT AWARD OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL THREE CONTRACT AWARD, PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS OR CONTRACT AWARD TECHNOLOGY, EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE AND SERVICES FIVE CONTRACT AWARD FIRE ALARM, SPRINKLER AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS INSPECTIONS AND ON CALL SERVICES. SIX CONTRACT AWARD THE CONSTRUCTION, MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES FOR THE NEW COMBINATION. HARTFORD ACADEMY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SEVEN CONTRACT AWARD. JARRETTSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRE-K EXPANSION. HICKORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STRIVES TO EAT AND ROY WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SENSORY ROOM. EIGHT CONTRACT AWARD. SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL SECURITY VESTIBULE, NINE CONTRACT AWARD. NEW COMBINATION. HARTFORD ACADEMY AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MODIFIED ODE TO A SITE PACKAGE 11 CONTRACT AWARD. COGENT COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED INTERNET CIRCUITS 11 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. FEBRUARY 25TH. FEBRUARY 27TH, MARCH THE 9TH AND MARCH 23RD, 26. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND, CAROL, I SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES, YES. 
          [C. Decision on Administrative and Supervisory Appointments, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources]
ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM C DECISION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENTS. MR. BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES. I SAW THAT. GOOD EVENING, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MAC AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AND AS WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THIS EVENING, WELCOME, MISS MILLER. MY NAME IS BEN RICHARDSON, AND I'M THE ASSISTANT 
          [01:25:02]
SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES BOARD. THERE ARE THREE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITION PERSONNEL ACTION ITEMS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THIS EVENING. THE ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF SCIENCE, THE SUPERVISOR OF READING, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND THE SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY. I WILL GO THROUGH EACH OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS TIME. 
          THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF SCIENCE. POSITION UNDER THE DIRECTION. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SUPERVISOR OF SCIENCE. THIS POSITION ASSISTS IN ADMINISTERING AND ENHANCING ALL ASPECTS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE SCIENCE SCIENCE PROGRAM. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MISS JENNIFER A KNOLL. MISS KNOLL BRINGS OVER 16 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS. SHE IS A FORMER ELEMENTARY TEACHER AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER, AND ONE OF OUR 2020 TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST. MISS KNOLL HAS LED ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INITIATIVES, INCLUDING GREEN SCHOOL CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION AND ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMING. MISS KNOLL IS NOT ONLY SERVED IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT SHE'S ALSO SERVED AS A SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT TEACHER, SPECIALIST AND A SECONDARY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT BOTH EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL AND CURRENTLY AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT PATTERSON MILL MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL. BOARD MEMBERS. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME. ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT AND IT TIES TO MY OPENING COMMENTS. WE HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATE HERE, WELL QUALIFIED. BUT LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE ARE ATTRACTING TEACHERS AND WE'RE NOT DOING THE SAME TO OTHER POSITIONS, AND THAT I HAVE A CONCERN AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD WE SHOULD HAVE PAUSED DECISIONS UNTIL WE KNOW WHERE THE BUDGET IS GOING. I DO HOPE THAT WE WILL GET ALL OF OUR FUNDING, BUT. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE CONTINUING TO FILL POSITIONS WITH THE THREAT TO OUR TEACHERS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. I HAVE I WOULD LIKE FOR MR. RICHARDSON TO EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF NOT, YOU KNOW, FILLING THIS POSITION ON THE TEACHERS POSITIONS. AND I'M I'M SURE A LOT OF THIS DEALS WITH TENURE AND THE STATUS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE ON BOARD. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT BECAUSE OF THE PAUSE THAT WAS DISCUSSED? I'LL DEFER TO WADE. I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO TO BEST ADDRESS THAT, MISS BRUCE, WITHOUT I MEAN, GETTING INTO SPECIFICS OF INDIVIDUALS. WELL, I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WE WHAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING INFORMATION THAT IF THIS POSITION IS NOT FILLED, IT'S A GREATER IMPACT TO THE WHOLE PROGRAM, THAT THIS WOULD NOT NECESSARILY EQUATE TO A TEACHER. IS THAT CORRECT? THE LOSS OF A TEACHER? THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. 
          THANK YOU. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE. JENNIFER NULL AS THE ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF SCIENCE. 
          I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. LET'S TAKE A ROLL CALL, MR. BARLOW. MRS. PERRY, YES. MR. CURTIS. 
          YES, DOCTOR. MUELLER. YES. MR. MCVICKER. YES. MRS. MILLER. YES. MISS. HAHN. YES. MISS. BRUCE. 
          YES, MRS. ALVAREZ. NO. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES WITH ONE PREFERENTIAL STUDENT MEMBER. VOTE. OKAY. BOARD. THE NEXT POSITION I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS THE SUPERVISOR OF READING ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT. THIS POSITION PROVIDES ADMINISTRATIVE, INSTRUCTIONAL, AND PROGRAMMATIC LEADERSHIP FOR READING ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MR. GIDEON L TWIG. MR. TWIG BRINGS 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A DEDICATED EDUCATOR IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HE IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM SPECIALIST, BUT ALSO HAS SERVED IN ROLES INCLUDING SECONDARY LITERACY COACH, 
          [01:30:02]
INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, SECONDARY ENGLISH TEACHER, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON, AS WELL AS AN ELEMENTARY, GIFTED AND TALENTED, TALENTED TEACHER AND CLASSROOM TEACHER. MR. TWIG HAS PRESENTED AT LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES ON BEST PRACTICES IN LITERACY INSTRUCTION AND WAS NAMED THE WINNER OF THE GOUCHER COLLEGE ACTION RESEARCH PRIZE. BOARD MEMBERS. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME, QUESTION. I HAVE ONE QUESTION. IS THIS SUPERVISOR OF READING ENGLISH AND LANGUAGE ARTS OR ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR? THIS IS SUPERVISOR. BRUCE. SO MOVED. SECOND. 
          FANTASTIC. LET'S JUST DO ALL IN FAVOR. SAY YES, YES YES YES. ANY OPPOSED? GREAT. BOARD. THE FINAL POSITION I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS THE SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF. THE SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY POSITION DIRECTS THE ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, WHICH OBTAINS AND PROVIDES USEFUL, ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION AND DATA TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGHOUT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS POSITION ALSO SERVES AS THE LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY COORDINATOR WHO OVERSEES ALL STATE, LOCAL AND NATIONAL ASSESSMENTS FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MR. JAMES ANDY WALKER. MR. WALKER BRINGS 22 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WHILE SERVING IN A VARIETY OF ROLES THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MR. WALKER IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE ACTING SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND HAS SERVED AS THE ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. PRIOR TO JOINING THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY, MR. WALKER SERVED AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL, JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE DEGREES HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON AT BOTH JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE DEGREES HIGH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME. ANY DISCUSSION? I MOVE THAT WE APPOINT SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION. SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES, YES. ANY OPPOSED? FANTASTIC. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT. OKAY, SO THE NEXT UP IS THE 
          [D. Presentation of Recommendation on Proposed New Board Policy: Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement, Mr. James McVicker III, Student Member of the Board]
PRESENTATION OF RECOMMENDATION AND PROPOSED NEW BOARD POLICY, FINANCIAL LITERACY, GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. MR. JAMES MACVICAR II, YOU ARE UP. THANK YOU, MR. WADE SEWELL. THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANYTHING AT THE END. NO. OH, OKAY. WELL, GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. I COME TO YOU TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE MY BOARD POLICY, FINANCIAL LITERACY AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. REMEMBER THAT AFTER THIS, AFTER I INTRODUCED THE POLICY, WE'LL GO OUT FOR 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. AND I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO REACH OUT BECAUSE I REALLY DO. WE REALLY DO WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE POLICY. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, IRON OUT ALL THE KINKS AND MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME DATA ON HOW HIGH SCHOOL ISN'T PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE AFTER THEIR EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO THIS ISN'T JUST FOR HC. THIS IS ALSO THIS IS FOR ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. SO I'M NOT GOING TO HIT ON EVERY SINGLE DATA POINT THAT I HAVE HERE. AND OF COURSE, THESE ARE ALL ESTIMATES, BUT 88% OF U.S. ADULTS SAY HIGH SCHOOL DID NOT FULLY PREPARE THEM TO HANDLE MONEY. THAT WAS A 2023 STUDY, AND ONLY 17% OF U.S. ADULTS TOOK A PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO PART OF MY RATIONALE BEHIND PROPOSING THIS AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT IS THE FACT THAT IT IS ALREADY OFFERED IN MANY, IF NOT ALL, OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS HAVE THE CHOICE TO TAKE IT, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. HOWEVER, I AM HOPING THAT EVERY STUDENT SEES THE MATERIAL AND GETS THE FULL SCOPE OF WHAT IT TEACHES. BECAUSE AGAIN, WHEN PRESENTED WITH THE CHOICE, ACCORDING TO THE DATA, ONLY 17% OF U.S. ADULTS TOOK A PERSONAL FINANCE CLASS. LET ME SEE. SORRY. SO YEAH. AND 35% OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES SCORE FINANCIALLY, FINANCIALLY LITERATE ON ASSESSMENTS, AND 63% OF COLLEGE GRADS SCORE FINANCIALLY LITERATE. SO WE ARE SENDING STUDENTS DOWN MANY DIFFERENT PATHS IN BOTH CPS AND AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHETHER THAT'S COLLEGE OR THE TRADES, OR DIRECTLY INTO WORK OR OTHER OTHER EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH 
          [01:35:01]
SCHOOL, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. THAT'S AWESOME BECAUSE AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THERE IS NOT, YOU KNOW, A COLLEGE DEGREE ISN'T REQUIRED TO BE SUCCESSFUL ANYMORE IN, IN THE, IN THE WORLD. SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT HIGH SCHOOL GRADS AND THEY'RE ONLY SCORING A 35 OR 35% OF THEM ARE ONLY SCORING FINANCIALLY LITERATE, THEN WE NEED TO WE NEED TO GET THAT NUMBER UP TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE MANAGING THEIR FINANCES WELL. IF WE GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS TALKS ABOUT HOW MARYLAND AND THE STATE DOES NOT HAVE A STATEWIDE FINANCIAL LITERACY GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. THE STATE DOES REQUIRE EACH SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE A PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION, BUT THERE IS NO MANDATE THAT STUDENTS COMPLETE IT AS A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. ONLY EIGHT OF THE 24 SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN HARFORD OR IN MARYLAND HAD MADE PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY A LOCAL GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. THAT WAS AS OF 2022 TO 2023. THAT INCLUDES ALLEGHANY, CALVERT, CAROLINE CARROLL, CHARLES, FREDERICK, GARRETT, PRINCE GEORGE'S, AND THEN NEWLY. THAT ALSO INCLUDES ANNE ARUNDEL. 
          HARFORD COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE THIS REQUIREMENT, AND THAT IS WHAT THE PROPOSED POLICY ADDRESSES. WE GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE. MARYLAND HAS THE STANDARDS FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY AND WHAT QUALIFIES AS A FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE. SO MAKING INFORMED AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS RELATING CAREERS, EDUCATION AND INCOME PLANNING AND MANAGING PERSONAL FINANCES, MANAGING CREDIT AND DEBT, CREATING AND BUILDING PERSONAL WEALTH AND MANAGING RISKS AND PRESERVING THAT WEALTH. THESE AREN'T NEW STANDARDS THEY'VE BEEN AROUND. 
          THE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2011, AND THE GAP IS THAT THERE IS NO GRADUATION REQUIREMENT THAT ENSURES STUDENTS ACTUALLY COMPLETE IT. SO I BUILT THE FOUNDATION OF THIS PROPOSED POLICY ON THESE SIX PILLARS OF WHAT MAKES A FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE, FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE. SO IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT THE POLICY ACTUALLY INCLUDES. AND I WHILE I CAN'T SAY NAMES, I DO THANK THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT AND TO ADDRESS, AND I WANTED TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS. SO STARTING OFF WITH WHAT THE POLICY DOES, IT WOULD REQUIRE ALL STUDENTS PURSUING A MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA FROM CPS TO COMPLETE A MINIMUM OF A HALF OF CREDIT OF PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY. THIS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE FOR STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE 9 IN 20 28 TO 2029. THAT IS THE CLASS OF 2032. SO EFFECTIVELY, TWO YEARS FROM NOW, THERE WOULD ALSO BE A CREDIT ADJUSTMENT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CREDIT ADJUSTMENT CAN CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF TENSION IN, YOU KNOW, WHERE THIS SHOULD BE PLACED. BUT CURRENTLY THE POLICY READS THAT THAT THE PE REQUIREMENT FROM HARFORD COUNTY WILL BE REDUCED FROM ONE CREDIT TO A HALF OF A CREDIT, WHICH IS ALIGNED WITH THE MARYLAND STATE MINIMUM. SO MARYLAND STATE CURRENTLY REQUIRES STUDENTS TO GRADUATE WITH A HALF OF CREDIT OF PE. THAT WOULD ALSO BE EFFECTIVE WITH THE SAME COHORT IN 2029, 2028, 2029. THE NET RESULT IS THAT TOTAL GRADUATION CREDITS REMAIN AT 26. THERE IS AN EQUITY PROVISION, OF COURSE, FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. 
          WORKING TOWARDS A MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA WILL HAVE EQUAL ACCESS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR IEP. KEY CONTEXT IS THAT THIS ALIGNS WITH COMAR AND MARYLAND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS. THE SUPERINTENDENT MUST BEGIN ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS AND COURSE APPROVAL PROCESSES NO LATER THAN THE 2728 SCHOOL YEAR, AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS WILL INFORM INCOMING NINTH GRADERS AND FAMILIES, STARTING WITH THE 2829 COHORT. SO THIS IS KIND OF THE BIG PART OF THE POLICY, WHICH ARE THE FOUR APPROVED PATHWAYS TO ACHIEVE THIS CREDIT REQUIREMENT. SO FIRST OF ALL, STUDENTS CAN COMPLETE A STANDALONE PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE AS LISTED IN THE CPS STUDENT EDUCATION PLANNING GUIDE. THEY CAN ALSO COMPLETE AN APPROVED CTE COURSE OR PATHWAY MEETING. THOSE SIX MMSD FINANCIAL LITERACY STANDARDS. STUDENTS CAN ALSO TRANSFER THE CREDIT FROM ANOTHER ACCREDITED SCHOOL SYSTEM. THIS INCLUDES HCC OR, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT YOU CAN TRANSFER FROM. AND THEN LAST IS A SUBJECT AREA COURSE WITH SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL LITERACY CONTENT APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO THIS IS THE BIG ONE THAT I WANTED TO INCLUDE BECAUSE AS MENTIONED EARLIER, SOME OF OUR COURSES, THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. 
          HOWEVER, I DIDN'T WANT THAT TO BE A LIMITING FACTOR FOR THIS REQUIREMENT. SO I ADDED THAT PROVISION TO WHERE, SAY, A STUDENT TAKES A BUSINESS COURSE, RIGHT. AND THAT COURSE HITS ON ALL SIX OF THOSE FINANCIAL LITERACY CONTENT GUIDELINES AS APPROVED BY MARYLAND STATE, THEN THAT WOULD FULFILL THAT GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. SO THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO TAKE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COURSES, AS LONG AS THEY HIT ON THOSE SIX PILLARS AND ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT CREDIT REQUIREMENT. I THINK THAT'S IT. IF WE MOVE ON TO THE LAST SLIDE, IT'S JUST A QUICK WRAP UP. EVERY STUDENT DESERVES TO GRADUATE KNOWING HOW TO BUDGET, MANAGE CREDIT, UNDERSTAND DEBT, AND BUILD WEALTH. THE TOOLS ALREADY EXIST. COMAR PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK. 
          [01:40:05]
PEER COUNTIES HAVE SHOWN THAT IT WORKS AND THE DATA IS CLEAR. THIS POLICY ENSURES NO STUDENT CROSSES THE STAGE WITHOUT THE FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE THEY'LL NEED ON DAY ONE. THANK YOU GUYS, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE THE DESIGN OF THE POWERPOINT. THAT'S NOT MY THAT'S NOT MY FORTE. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. AND THIS WILL GO OUT FOR 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. I THINK IF THE BOARD IS IS WILLING TO DO THAT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR GUYS'S FEEDBACK IF PE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING YOUR GUYS'S FEEDBACK. IF PE ISN'T WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO DO IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS, THEN WE ARE OPEN TO OTHER OPTIONS. AND IF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, THEN PLEASE COME FORWARD AND TELL US THAT. AND ALSO, IF YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, WE WANT TO HEAR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE TO SAY. 
          SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO ACTUALLY, I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR WHAT THE NEXT STEP HERE IS. ARE WE SENDING THIS OUT FOR 30 DAYS. 
          DO WE NEED TO. I THINK IT HAS TO BE VOTED ON TO BE PUT OUT ON. THAT'S HOW IT'S TYPICALLY DONE AT THIS POINT. IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS ON IT BEFORE YOU VOTE. YEAH, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. 
          GREAT, I ALWAYS DO. GO FOR IT. WE'RE READY. SO THE OTHER COUNTIES, HOW DID THEY INCORPORATE IT? DID DID THEY TAKE FROM PE OR. SO I'M NOT. AND THAT'S I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT. I'M NOT 100% CLEAR ON HOW THEY WORKED THAT INTO THEIR DIFFERENT GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS. I DO KNOW THAT HARFORD COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MOST RIGOROUS COUNTIES TO GRADUATE FROM. WE REQUIRE 26 CREDITS TO GRADUATE IN COMPARISON TO THE 22 CREDITS THAT THE STATE REQUIRES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS GREAT. YOU KNOW, OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED. SO THE HOLD ON REAL QUICK. SO OTHER COUNTIES HAVE DONE A FULL CREDIT OF FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED BY A STANDALONE COURSE. AND OTHER COUNTIES HAVE ALSO DONE KIND OF WHAT I HAD STRUCTURED WHEN I CREATED THE POLICY, WHICH WAS A HALF OF CREDIT. AND IT KIND OF IT'S BASED OFF OF THE CONTENT THAT THE COURSE TEACHES, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, A STUDENT HAS TO TAKE THIS SPECIFIC ONE FINANCIAL LITERACY, GRADUATION REQUIREMENT OR CLASS. THEY JUST HAVE TO FULFILL THOSE SIX KEY CONTENTS THAT ARE IN THE MARYLAND STATE REQUIREMENT. AND THAT'S HOW THEY CAN ACHIEVE THE THE GRADUATION CREDIT. BUT I WILL GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT FIRST. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STARTED OUT WITH APPLAUDING YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE I THINK FINANCIAL LITERACY IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND FINANCIAL LITERACY. THAT SAID, I DO I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS THAT WE MAY BE STEPPING INTO THE BOUNDARIES OF OPERATIONALIZING IT, INTO HOW IT'S INCORPORATED INTO THE SCHOOL, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S PE OR SOME OTHER AREA. SO, YOU KNOW, SO I, I, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SCHOOL ACTUALLY DECIDE HOW THEY CAN INCORPORATE IT IN WITH, WITH WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF WHAT THEY ALREADY DO. OKAY. SO I MEAN, TYPICALLY OTHER POLICIES THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT, WE'VE REDLINED THEM BEFORE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE APPROVAL PROCESS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO PRESIDENT OR SITTING IN PRESIDENT, IF THAT'S OR HOW WE WILL APPROACH THIS AS WELL. OF COURSE. I MEAN, I'M WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT GOES OUT FOR 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THEN AFTER THAT COMES BACK AND WE HEAR ALL THOSE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, COMMUNITY SUPERINTENDENT AND HER STAFF, THEN WE CAN WE CAN OBVIOUSLY MAKE CHANGES TO THE POLICY BEFORE IT'S PASSED. AND, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE IT FITS, YOU KNOW, IF IF IT IS IN THE APPETITE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE BOARD, WE CAN MAKE CHANGES TO IT AND THEN PASS A POLICY THAT IS COHESIVE WITH BOTH WHAT THE WHAT SUPERINTENDENT AND HER STAFF WANTS, WHAT THE BOARD WANTS, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. AND THAT WAY WE'RE ALL INCLUSIVE AND THAT WE HAVE THE BEST POLICY MOVING FORWARD. SO YEAH, I MEAN, WE CAN WE CAN REVISIT IT AND MAKE CHANGES. 
          BUT I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED TO GET IT OUT THERE SO THAT WE HAVE THE 30 DAYS FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT AND WE CAN HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO MOVE IT BACK, TO PUSH THE POLICY BACK TO COMMITTEE AND NOT SEND IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, TO ALLOW THEM TO DECIDE WHERE IT GOES IN THE CURRICULUM. OKAY, SO I APPRECIATE YOU'VE JUST MADE A MOTION, BUT IF WE COULD JUST PAUSE THERE JUST FOR A SECOND TO DISCUSS THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT. IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T MIND. FOR ONE THING, I WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR FIRST QUESTION. YOU HAD ASKED SPECIFICALLY WHERE OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS FIT THIS IN. AND SO WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HARFORD COUNTY IS THAT WE'RE WE'RE VERY RIGOROUS IN WHAT WE REQUIRE FOR GRADUATION. I BELIEVE WE ARE AMONG THE MOST RIGOROUS, IF NOT THE MOST RIGOROUS WE HAVE. WE REQUIRE 26 CREDITS TO GRADUATE, WHEREAS THE STATE, I BELIEVE, REQUIRES 22.5. SORRY, 22, FLAT 22. SO AND LIKE FOR INSTANCE, ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY HAD ALSO USED TO 
          [01:45:03]
REQUIRE. 26. BUT THEY JUST MOVED IT BACK TO. 23 BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THERE'S SO MANY CHANGES HAPPENING TO EDUCATION, INCLUDING LIKE APPRENTICESHIPS AND INTERNSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS ROOM AND STUDENT SCHEDULES TO ACCOMMODATE THIS TYPE OF, OF LEARNING. SO BECAUSE WE ARE SO RIGOROUS AND WHAT WE DO HERE, AND I PROBABLY YOU SHOULD BE SPEAKING THIS MORE THAN ME, I DON'T. OKAY. YEAH, YOU'RE YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. OKAY. IT'S A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING, RIGHT TO, TO TRY TO FIT THIS IN. 
          AND THAT'S WHY MR. MCVICKER HAS WORKED SO HARD WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT FOLKS, ADMINISTRATION, WHATNOT, TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT AND WHERE THIS COULD FIT IN MOST NEATLY, POTENTIALLY. SO GETTING BACK TO YOUR MOTION, SUPPOSE WE SHOULD ASK FOR A SECOND AT THIS POINT. BUT I WOULD I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GREAT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD. SO KIND OF GOING BACK TO THAT, WHERE WE DECIDED TO PLACE THE HALF CREDIT IN AND WHERE WE DECIDED THAT NOT REALLY DECIDED, BUT WHERE WE SUGGESTED THAT IT GO IN, YOU KNOW, THAT BEING PE IS, WAS KIND OF A COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION. BUT THE MAIN KEY POINT WAS WE HAVE SOME REALLY AMAZING PROGRAMS IN THIS COUNTY, LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM. SCIENCE AND MATH ACADEMY AND THE P-TECH PROGRAM, WHICH THEIR SCHEDULES ARE EXTREMELY RIGOROUS OUTSIDE OF JUST THE 26. I'VE JUST THIS. 26 HTTPS CREDITS. THEY ALSO TAKE COLLEGE COURSES AND SOME OF WHICH GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL WITH ALSO AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SO IN LOOKING AT WHERE THIS COULD FIT IN, ADDING ANOTHER CREDIT ON TOP OF THE 26 ALREADY OR TAKE OR, YOU KNOW, FITTING IT IN SOMEWHERE LIKE AN ELECTIVE CREDIT WASN'T REALLY A WHOLE LOT OF AN OPTION JUST BECAUSE IF WE DID IT ANY WAY DIFFERENTLY, THEN IT WOULDN'T FIT IN WITH THOSE STUDENTS SCHEDULES. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY I WROTE THE POLICY. THE WAY I DID WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS IT WAS BEST FITTED FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, NO MATTER THE PROGRAM THEY'RE IN. SO THAT'S I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THAT AS WELL. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE BRING JUST ONE? SORRY. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD, MISS MILLER. WELL, I JUST WANTED TO ASK MR. MCVICKERS IF YOU MENTIONED THAT STAFF INPUT TOOK PLACE. I MEAN, YOU SOUGHT THEIR OPINIONS AND THINGS. SO ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS I WOULD ASK ABOUT WOULD BE HAS OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT WEIGHED IN ON THIS POLICY? YES, YES. I'VE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM FROM A LOT OF IF NOT, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE EXECUTIVE STAFF AND I'LL, I'LL DEFER THAT TO TO DOCTOR MACK. BUT YES, I'VE HAD VARIOUS MEETINGS WITH MANY, MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE. I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS A MEETING HELD WHEN THEY DID A SMALL GROUP, AND I KNOW THAT CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION WAS INVOLVED. I'M NOT SURE IF THE OFFICER'S ASSESSMENT WAS INVOLVED OR NOT. ACCOUNTABILITY. I DON'T THINK ACCOUNTABILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY STILL CIA. SO MISS KUTCHER WAS ON THAT SMALL GROUP AS WELL AS. MR. O'BRIEN. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND THEY THEY WERE BOTH ON THE SMALL GROUP AND PROVIDED FEEDBACK. MAIN THINGS ARE CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPACT OF STAFFING SCHEDULES AND THE VIABILITY OF, OF, OF DOING THAT IN THIS WAY. RIGHT. SO I FIRST, I APPLAUD MR. MCVICKERS FOR DRAFTING THE POLICY AND PRESENTING IT, BUT I WILL SHARE THAT FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST, WHEN MSDE PROPOSES THINGS AND AS THE ACCOUNTABILITY COORDINATOR AND IN COMPLIANCE, MANY TIMES THEY WOULD SEND DOWN REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS. AND WE'VE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY FLESH OUT ALL THE IMPLICATIONS AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, STAFFING IMPLICATIONS AND HIRING, BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO FILL CERTAIN NICHE CONTENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I WANTED TO ASK IF THAT TYPICALLY AFTER THAT COMMITTEE MAKES THAT RECOMMENDATION, THEN THEY WOULD PUT FORTH SOME POLICY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. SO I'VE NOT HAD THAT. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT IF THEY WERE INVOLVED IN PRESENTING THAT, BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WOULD FIT IN. THEY WOULD HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT. WHERE WOULD IT FIT IN, HOW WE WOULD STAFF AND ETC. AND THEN WHEN IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED. AND THEN AS I SEARCHED ON THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, I JUST RECENTLY STARTED LOOKING AT THE AGENDA AND DOING MY HOMEWORK, IT WAS COULD BE FULFILLED FROM GRADES THREE THROUGH 12. SO COULD WE LOOK AT 
          [01:50:05]
THAT IN A SYSTEMIC WAY WHERE WE'RE NOT PUTTING IT INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULE? BECAUSE I DO, I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT PHYSICAL EDUCATION. AND JUST LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AT A TIME WHEN HEALTH, INDIVIDUAL HEALTH IS, YOU KNOW, A CONCERN. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE LIVING HEALTHY, FIT LIVES. SO THAT'S MY MY THOUGHTS ON THAT TOPIC. YEAH, I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR, ALL YOUR COMMENTS AND INPUT. IT'LL DEFINITELY, I TOOK NOTE WHILE YOU WERE, WHILE YOU WERE TALKING AND I'LL DEFINITELY PUT THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. OF COURSE. YEAH, YEAH. SO I MEAN, WE, THE DOCTOR MAX STAFF, THIS HERE AT CPS HAS BEEN EXTREMELY COLLABORATIVE AND HELPFUL IN MAKING THE IN HELPING ME FORM MY IDEAS AND, AND THOUGHTS AND STUFF TO PUT THAT FORWARD TO YOU GUYS. I WANTED TO PRESENT IT JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF BEEN MY, MY BRAINCHILD HERE, SOMETHING THAT I RAN ON IN MY CAMPAIGN TO BECOME STUDENT MEMBER, SOMETHING A CLASS THAT I TOOK FRESHMAN YEAR. 
          AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE IDEA STEMMED FROM TO KIND OF LOOK AT AND, AND TO YOUR POINT OF, YOU KNOW, ALLOW, I THINK, I THINK I DON'T REMEMBER IF YOU SAID IT OR IF, IF MISS ALVAREZ HAD SAID IT, BUT THE ABILITY TO FLUSH OUT KIND OF THE DIFFERENT IMPLICATIONS. I THINK THAT WAS YOU, RIGHT? YEAH. SO I IN THE POLICY AND OF COURSE, MY SCREEN TURNS OFF RIGHT WHEN I SAY THAT IN THE POLICY, I SAY THAT I WANT TO IT SAYS IMPLEMENTATION WOULD TAKE PLACE. IT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IN SCHOOL YEAR 2829, WHICH EFFECTIVELY ALLOWS IT'S TWO YEARS FOR IMPLEMENTATION, BUT EFFECTIVELY A YEAR AND A HALF. IF YOU LOOK AT RECEIVING THE BUDGET IN, IN, IN A, YOU KNOW, MID WINTER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DECEMBER TIMELINE, AS WE HAD SPOKEN ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. SO THERE'S, I, I ALLOWED FOR AND THAT WAS COLLABORATION WITH, WITH STAFF. 
          SO THEY HAD SAID THAT MY ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN 27, 28, WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO QUICK. AND I WAS VERY COLLABORATIVE. AND I SAID, OKAY, WELL, LET'S DO 28, 29, WHICH ALLOWS MORE TIME FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND ALSO BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS AND STAFFING CONSIDERATIONS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT THAT CAN ALL CHANGE ON A DIME. SO, AND, AND YEAH, I MEAN, PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT THE, YOU KNOW, THE STATE DOES SEND DOWN GUIDELINES AND THEY SENT DOWN A HALF CREDIT IS WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS, IS, IS GOOD. AND SO I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS OBVIOUSLY THIS POLICY HAS TO ALIGN WITH THAT. SO I THINK ALIGNING THAT WITH THAT HALF CREDIT. AND THEN BECAUSE STUDENTS WILL STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE VARIOUS CLASSES, RIGHT? SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AT MY SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT OFFERINGS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S WEIGHTLIFTING OR TRAINING OR ALL OF THAT. SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, THEY GET THE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF IT IN THEIR, THEIR, THEIR HALF CREDIT OF REQUIRED FROM THE STATE. AND THEN IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO CONTINUE DOWN, THEN THEY CAN TAKE EXTRA ELECTIVE CREDITS FOR, FOR THAT, JUST AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD TAKE AN ELECTIVE CREDIT FOR FINANCE OR BUSINESS OR, OR MARKETING. WE KIND OF OFFER, WE OFFER A LOT HERE AT CPS. AND THAT'S A WONDERFUL THING. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. MCVICKERS FOR THE THE PROPOSAL, THE POLICY. I THINK THERE'S AGREEMENT ON THE CONTENT. 
          THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO BE FINANCIALLY, FINANCIALLY LITERATE. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COLLABORATION AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POLICY, AND THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF DISCUSSION OF THE CHALLENGES. WE KNOW THAT IF WE BRING THE POLICY IN, THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE AN IMPACT ON OUR STAFF. AND SO REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THE POLICY IS GOING TO BE VIABLE IS GOING TO REALLY BE UP TO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND SO, AS MR. MCVICKER SAID, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO GIVE INPUT. OUR TEAM HAS WORKED CLOSELY WITH MR. MCVICKERS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STAFFING IMPLICATIONS. AND SO WE NEVER WANT TO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE IDENTIFYING ANY GROUP OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT MIGHT HAVE TO SHIFT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, OR WE HAVE TO CONSIDER CUTTING. SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME VERY VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO WHERE OR HOW AND WHERE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, SO THAT THERE WOULD BE MINIMAL IMPACT TO OUR STAFF. AND SO THOSE CREATIVE IDEAS ARE WELCOMED, AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US ULTIMATELY MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS THE APPETITE FOR IT RIGHT NOW. I DO APPRECIATE THE SHIFT AND THE RESPONSIVENESS OF SHIFTING IT TO THE 2020 829 SCHOOL YEAR, BECAUSE THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO BE CREATIVE AND TO THINK ABOUT IT. AND THEN ALSO JUST TO GET THE INPUT THAT WE NEED. AND SO LET'S UTILIZE THAT PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS FOR WHAT IT'S DESIGNED FOR, SO THAT WE CAN GET THE MOST INFORMATION THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND WE'LL KEEP WORKING ON IT UNTIL WE CAN GET IT RIGHT. IF WE CAN'T WORK, IF WE CAN'T GET IT RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST ITERATION, THEN WE'LL KEEP WORKING. BUT THAT INPUT THERE IS A COMMITMENT TO LOOK 
          [01:55:02]
AT IT AND TO REVIEW IT, AND TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND ALSO SUPPORT OUR STAFF IN TRYING TO FIND THAT WIN WIN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLICY ADDING AN EXTRA BURDEN TO OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS. BECAUSE THERE'S NO EXCEPTION FOR THEM. AND WHAT DOES THAT REQUIREMENT LOOK LIKE. YOU KNOW, FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT EXEMPT. SO THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, FULFILL THIS REQUIREMENT AS WELL. AND THAT'S A CONCERN. WELL, IN THE POLICY, IT DOES SPEAK TO IEPS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE PROVIDED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS THE MATERIAL. YOU KNOW I CAN READ THE LANGUAGE. STUDENTS. I MEAN JUST WHAT I HAD IN MY PRESENTATION. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WORKING TOWARDS A MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA WILL HAVE EQUAL ACCESS. CONSISTENT WITH THEIR IEP. JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE ANY OF OUR OTHER COURSES THAT WE TAKE, THEY WOULD HAVE EQUAL ACCESS BASED ON THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN. REGARDLESS OF, YOU KNOW, THAT DIFFERENT ACCOMMODATIONS AND STUFF THAT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. SO I STILL HAVE THE LIKE, I THINK THAT IT'S AN EXTRA BURDEN, NOT THAT I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY COURSE. THERE'S SO MANY STUDENTS AND INSTANCES THAT I'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY WITH MY OWN CHILDREN AND OTHER CHILDREN THAT I'VE INTERACTED WITH IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, SO IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I JUST WORRY ABOUT THE. LOGISTICS OF IT ALL. THAT'S ALL THAT'S FAIR. I HAVE A FOLLOW UP COMMENT. SO HAVING BEEN AN ADMINISTRATOR AND I KNOW DOCTOR MACK'S ALSO BEEN AN ADMINISTRATOR AT THE BUILDING LEVEL, AND HAVING BEEN AT THE STAFFING LEVEL, KNOWING THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS SUCH A CRITICAL SHORTAGE. AND SO POTENTIALLY, YES, I APPRECIATE THAT THERE'S A THE ABILITY FOR THE IEP TO ACCOMMODATE. BUT THAT PUTS THE BURDEN OF WORK ON THAT SPECIAL EDUCATOR TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS AND ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE STUDENT NEED. RIGHT. SO THAT THEY CAN MEET THAT REQUIREMENT. AND AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE HAVING A CRITICAL SHORTAGE AND THEY'RE WORKING SO HARD. I JUST AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE EXTRA WORK THAT'S PLACED ON THAT EDUCATOR TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT AND MAKE WHATEVER ACCOMMODATION ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED FOR THAT STUDENT. AND THEN I ALSO WORRY ABOUT THE STAFFING IMPLICATION. 
          YES, THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, TO FULFILL THIS AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THOSE HARD CHOICES FROM THE FROM CENTRAL OFFICE AND THEN ROLL IT OUT TO PEOPLE. AND THEN I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTION. AND I THINK BEFORE WE MOVE TO PUBLIC INPUT, WE SHOULD BE PREPARED WITH A LITTLE MORE ANSWERS ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS. SO CENTRAL OFFICE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE TIME TO SAY TO US, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO A, B, C WE'RE RECRUITING FOR THESE TEACHERS AND THESE POSITIONS. AND THEN SPECIAL EDUCATORS WILL HAVE WHATEVER TRAINING TO HELP WITH THIS MODIFICATION THAT'S NEEDED FOR THE STUDENTS. SO I JUST HAVE THOSE CONCERNS. APPRECIATE YOU THAT. I APPRECIATE YOU RAISING THOSE CONCERNS. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT I AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO. 
          AND I ASKED DOCTOR MACK IF, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN HAVE OUR DEPARTMENT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT MAYBE THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS COULD BE. 
          I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE DATA ON THAT AND SEE WHERE THAT CAN COME FROM. I THINK THE WHOLE BOARD, IF THAT COULD BE SENT TO THE WHOLE BOARD, THAT'D BE GREAT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SENDING IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS OPEN TO STUDENTS. IT'S OPEN TO STAFF, IT'S OPEN TO TEACHERS. AND SO IF IT'S OPEN TO COMMUNITY AND FAMILY MEMBERS. SO I THINK THAT SENDING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC IS, IS THE FIRST STEP TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM EVEN HAS AN APPETITE FOR, RIGHT? AND LIKE I SAID AT THE BEGINNING AS I WAS PRESENTING, OR IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AT THE END THAT I'M COMPLETELY OPEN TO AND HEARING COMMUNITY SUGGESTIONS AND STAFF SUGGESTIONS AND CHANGES TO BE MADE. BECAUSE IF, IF THIS IS A POLICY THAT MAYBE DOESN'T WORK AS PRESENTED, THEN WE I'M MORE THAN WILLING, AND I KNOW EVERY BOARD MEMBER HERE IS MORE THAN WILLING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT FITS FOR EVERYBODY, BUT SENDING IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND LETTING PEOPLE PROVIDE THEIR OPINION IS THE FIRST STEP TO ENSURING THAT THE POLICY IS ALIGNED WITH EVERYBODY'S WANTS AND THEIR NEEDS. AND OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS, WE, YOU KNOW, I AND WE ALL CAN WORK WITH STAFF JUST LIKE I HAVE BEEN AND, AND SEEING THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS OF, OF DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT THAT POSSIBLY COULD BE MADE, WHETHER THAT BE SPECIAL EDUCATION OR STAFFING OR, YOU KNOW, BUDGET OR, YOU KNOW, MASTER SCHEDULING AT THE SCHOOLS. THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE, WE NEED TO CONSIDER. AND WITH CPS, THIS HAS BEEN BEING CONSIDERED FOR A WHILE. I MEAN, CPS HAS ONE OF THE MOST RIGOROUS GRADUATION CREDIT REQUIREMENTS IN THE STATE. SO WE'RE DOING IT NOW. I'M NOT INCREASING THAT. 
          [02:00:02]
AND SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE PUBLIC'S OPINION ON THIS. SO THANK YOU. IF I MAY JUST ASK MY QUESTIONS REALLY QUICK. SO I WANT TO FIRST START OFF AND SAY THAT I AM, AGAIN, ABSOLUTELY IN SUPPORT OF A FINANCIAL LITERACY CURRICULUM. WHEN I WAS AT FALLSTON, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CLASS LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, AND AS SOMEONE WHO IN THE LAST YEAR HAS FIGURED OUT INVESTMENTS, A MORTGAGE, PAYING MY COLLEGE, MY COLLEGE CLASSES, IT'S ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE HELPFUL THAN GOOGLE WAS. BUT YEAH, SO AGAIN, I, I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THE MISSION AND I, I HOPE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO IMPLEMENT THIS CURRICULUM. I DO HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS AS WE SORT OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THE STAFFING AND, AND THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE FOR THAT. SO SORT OF ONE IS HOW MANY CLASSES DO WE HAVE ALREADY THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE THE, THE, THE, THE GUIDELINES THAT ARE IN THE POLICY? AND I GUESS THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY SCHOOLS WOULD WE WE HAVE TO PROVIDE TEACHERS FOR THAT WOULD EITHER NEED TO BE TRAINED IN THE IN THE CLASS OR WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR ADDING TEACHERS? AND THEN BECAUSE IT WAS MENTIONED IN PUBLIC COMMENT, IS THERE AN EQUIVALENT AT HCC OR ANOTHER NEARBY INSTITUTION THAT COULD COULD QUALIFY AS SORT OF SUPPORT FOR THIS CLASS? IF SOMEONE IS NOT ABLE TO FIT IT INTO THEIR THEIR SCHEDULE? I THINK, AGAIN, THOSE WOULD SORT OF HELP ANSWERING SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS TO SEE HOW THIS MIGHT WORK. BUT I OVERALL FULLY SUPPORT BRINGING THIS TO PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND WORKING WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS HAPPENS. 
          PERFECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR KIND WORDS FOR THE FIRST QUESTION. CURRENT NUMBER OF CLASSES THAT WOULD POSSIBLY FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT. I WOULD DEFER TO TO DOCTOR MACK FIRST. BUT AND IF YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN'T ANSWER, WE'RE DEFINITELY GET BACK TO YOU AND BACK TO THE WHOLE BOARD. YOUR SECOND QUESTION ON WHETHER OR NOT HCC OR, YOU KNOW, SURROUNDING KIND OF INSTITUTIONS WOULD BE ABLE TO, TO FULFILL THAT, MY FOURTH KIND OF APPROVED PATHWAY TO OBTAIN THE CREDIT WOULD BE, WELL, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO. SO THE FOURTH ONE IS A SUBJECT AREA COURSE WITH SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL LITERACY CONTENT. SO THAT COULD BE OTHER COURSES WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THAT WOULD BE NUMBER THREE WHICH IS TRANSFER CREDIT FROM ANOTHER ACCREDITED SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO WHETHER THAT IS HCC, I THINK THAT THEY OFFER, I'M SURE THEY DO FINANCIAL CLASSES OR IF THAT'S FROM OTHER AREAS IN THE OTHER AREAS IN THE STATE OR ELSEWHERE, I WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE APPROVED BY COUNSELOR, PRINCIPAL, SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE, STUFF LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. OF COURSE. GREAT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION OR I WOULD, MR. SEWELL, IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE VOTED ON TO PUT IT OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. IT'S BEEN PRESENTED AND IT WILL GO OUT FOR 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO VOTE TO DO THAT. BUT 
          [E. Presentation of Quarterly Financial Report for the Period Ending March 31, 2026, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services]
IT GOES OUT ANYWAY. YEAH, LET'S NOT DO THAT. LET'S NOT LET'S TAKE THE WIN. YES. ALRIGHT. 
          FANTASTIC. SO MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. THAT IS THE PRESENTATION OF QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31ST, 2026. MISS DEBORAH JUDD, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR BUSINESS SERVICES. THANK YOU, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. DOCTOR MACK BOARD. I THINK MR. GREEN IS PULLING UP. YES. SO THIS IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE THIRD QUARTER FINANCIALS. IT DOES GIVE US A BETTER VIEW FOR THE PROJECTION TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE NINE MONTHS BEHIND US COMPARED TO WHAT WE DID IN DECEMBER. SO DECEMBER IS ALWAYS A LITTLE TRICKY. WE ARE NOW BEHIND THE SNOW. I THINK WE CAN SAY SO. FOR REVENUES. WE ARE ON TRACK PRETTY MUCH WITH OUR BUDGET. WE'RE LOOKING TO HAVE ABOUT $3.3 MILLION OVER OUR BUDGET. THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS RELATED TO OUR OTHER REVENUE, WHICH REALLY IS THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY SENT OVER FROM OUR RATE STABILIZATION ACCOUNT. 
          SO THERE WAS A SURPLUS IN THERE FOR OUR RATE STABILIZATION RELATED TO OUR HEALTH CARE. AND THEY SENT THAT MONEY TO US. SO WE ARE EXPECTING ABOVE BUDGET FOR INTEREST REVENUE AS WELL. 
          BUT REGARDLESS, WE SHOULD HAVE A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION BY THE END OF THE YEAR IN EXCESS OF OUR BUDGET. FOR OUR EXPENDITURES. WE DO HAVE A PROJECTED SURPLUS OF $4 MILLION IN TOTAL, THAT IS POINT 6% OF OUR BUDGET, WHICH AGAIN, $4 MILLION LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET, IT'S VERY CONCERNING. AS YOU GO 
          [02:05:05]
DOWN THAT LIST, YOU CAN SEE THE LARGEST DEFICIT IS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. WE'RE LOOKING TO BE ALMOST $6 MILLION OVER BUDGET IN SPECIAL ED DUE TO OUR NONPUBLIC PLACEMENTS. WE HAVE REQUESTED 5 MILLION IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. SO MOST LIKELY WE'RE ENTERING THE YEAR ALREADY KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SHORT IF WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT BUDGET WITH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE REQUESTED THE OTHER AREAS OVER, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. 
          GET BACK TO YOU. WE DO HAVE A SURPLUS IN OUR FIXED CHARGES, WHICH IS ALL OF OUR INSURANCES, THAT WILL OFFSET IF THAT HOLDS, WHICH WE ARE EXPECTING IT TO, THAT WILL OFFSET THOSE DEFICITS THAT WE HAVE TO GET US TO THE 4 MILLION. SO AT THIS POINT, IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE WE WILL HAVE TO ASK FOR ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION OF REVENUE LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR, BUT WE WILL NEED TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND DO AN INTER CATEGORY TRANSFER, WHICH IF WE DON'T DO IT THE 1ST OF JUNE, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE WILL, I KIND OF WANT TO SEE ANOTHER MONTH BECAUSE WE HAD TO DO TWO TRANSFERS LAST YEAR, SO WE MIGHT DO THAT THE SECOND MEETING IN JUNE AND ASK FOR THAT APPROVAL. THEN WE'LL GO TO THE COUNTY FOR THEIR APPROVAL FOR THAT AS WELL. AND THEN FINALLY, OUR PROJECTED EXCESS OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES. 
          AGAIN, THE 3 MILLION FROM THE REVENUES, THE 4 MILLION FROM EXPENDITURES, HAS A SURPLUS OF 7.4 MILLION. WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH A TOTAL FUND BALANCE OF 45 MILLION. WHEN WE REMOVE THE ASSIGNMENTS, WE COME DOWN TO A PROJECTED UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE AT JUNE 30TH THIS YEAR OF $19.9 MILLION. SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. GO OVER THE REPORTS THAT WERE SHARED IN THE AGENDA, IF THERE ARE ANY. JUST JUST A QUESTION ABOUT FUND BALANCE, WHAT SHOULD FUND BALANCE BE FOR AN ORGANIZATION WITH A BUDGET LIKE OURS? SO THE 19.9 IS 3% OF THE BUDGET. AGAIN, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIABLE VARIABLES THAT GO INTO THAT QUESTION. SOME GUIDANCE IS 10%, WHICH MAKES ME COMFORTABLE AS A FINANCIAL PERSON. SOME IS THREE MONTHS OF EXPENDITURES, WHICH WE WOULD NEVER GET TO. SO IT ALL DEPENDS ON MANY THINGS. ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IS OUR AGING BUILDINGS, AGING EQUIPMENT THAT'S NOT IN OUR BUDGET. WE ARE NOT BEING FUNDED FOR A LOT OF THAT EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEED TO REPLACE. SO THIS POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE THINGS. AND SOME OF THOSE LARGE TICKET ITEMS COULD EAT UP THAT $19.9 MILLION VERY QUICKLY. SO, YOU KNOW, 3% IS SMALL AND IT'S FINE IF EVERYTHING'S GOING OKAY, BUT IT COULD NOT BE FINE VERY QUICKLY. THANK YOU. MA'AM, I HAVE A QUESTION ON PAGE NINE UNDER THE CATEGORY MISS MISCELLANEOUS. OUR BUDGET. IT SAYS OUR AMENDED BUDGET IS 1,259,500. AND I'M SORRY, WHICH PAGE? NINE. YES. I'M SORRY. THE MISCELLANEOUS LINE. YES, YES. IT SAYS WE'RE AT 268.1% OF THE BUDGET. YES. WHAT WHAT IS THE MISCELLANEOUS CATEGORY? THAT'S IT. IT IS MISCELLANEOUS. SO IT'S REALLY FOR ITEMS THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LINE ITEM FOR. SO WE MAY GET. FUNDS FROM AN ESTATE SOMETIMES WHERE THE RECIPIENT OF THOSE FUNDS THAT COULD GO IN THERE. BUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS THE $3 MILLION THAT THE COUNTY SENT OVER FOR THE RATE STABILIZATION. WE DON'T HAVE A SEPARATE ACCOUNT SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE THAT 3 MILLION IS RECORDED. THANK YOU. SURE. ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT. OKAY. 
          WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THIS EITHER. THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE THEY ARE WHAT THEY ARE. YOU CAN. 
          KENNETH. NO MORE QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. WELL THAT BRINGS US TO THE CONCLUSION OF THIS BOARD 
          [Future Meetings Review]
MEETING. THE NEXT BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.