[Call to Order: Board President] [00:00:13] BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON TUESDAY, MAY 19TH, 2026 AT 5:01 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, IF YOU'LL PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MRS. PERRY. HERE, MISS. HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER, PRESENT. MR. MCVICKER HERE. MRS. HAHN PRESENT. MISS. BRUCE HERE. MRS. ALVAREZ, PRESENT. MRS. MILLER, PRESENT. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. PRESIDENT PAGE HERE. INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. MACK. PRESENT. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. I'M GOING TO READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT OF PROCESS. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WE USE THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS WILL MUTE THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF THE DISCUSSION. FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, PRESIDENT PAGE WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR. THERE'S ACTUALLY NO. NO DISCUSSION, BUT IF NEEDED AND THEN BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE. STATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR A NO. ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE GET TO THE ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA, I BELIEVE THAT. MR. BUTZEL, YOU HAVE SOME RULES OF ORDER THAT YOU'D LIKE TO READ. GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING. IN KEEPING WITH THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING, I'D LIKE TO SHARE UPDATED PRACTICES THAT WILL BE ENFORCED THIS EVENING AND FOR ALL FUTURE MEETINGS. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. GRANDSTANDING, WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS, AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE, THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES, OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG IN OUR MEETINGS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS OR NEED APPROPRIATE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SHOULD AN ATTENDEE ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DETRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, THE ATTENDEE WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR. IF THE ATTENDEE DOES NOT CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR, THE ATTENDEE WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE BUSINESS MEETING BY SECURITY. ONCE THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED, ALL ATTENDEES SHOULD EXIT THE BOARD MEETING ROOM. WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPECTFUL ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. YOU'LL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. YES. THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH [A. Decision on Superintendent for Harford County Public Schools, Ms. Lauren Paige, Board President] FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. OUR BOARD TOOK AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD BY SELECTING THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. FROM THE BEGINNING, OUR SEARCH FOCUSED ON FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PUTTING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FIRST. WHAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY CAST A DARK CLOUD OVER CPS, BUT NOW IT'S TIME TO MOVE FORWARD. WE'RE TURNING THE PAGE AND REFOCUSING ON THE VALUES THAT MAKE HARFORD COUNTY SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE LISTENED CLOSELY TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE PARENTS, FAMILIES, TAXPAYERS DESERVE A VOICE IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR SCHOOLS. THE BOARD REMAINED COMMITTED TO FINDING A LEADER WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT STRONG SCHOOLS ARE BUILT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTS, RESPECT FOR FAMILY VALUES, AND A COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. MARYLAND LAW ESTABLISHES THE EXPECTATION THAT A SUPERINTENDENT BE APPOINTED TO A FULL TERM AND IN PLACE BY JULY 1ST, SO THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY BEGIN THE FISCAL AND ACADEMIC YEAR WITH STABLE LEADERSHIP AND CLEAR ACCOUNTABILITY. OUR BOARD WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THIS PROCESS WAS CONDUCTED RESPONSIBLY AND WITH CAREFUL STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. IN MARCH, THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY SELECTED MAEVE AS OUR SEARCH PARTNER, CHOOSING A TRUSTED LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT ALSO OFFERED THE LOWEST COST TO TAXPAYERS. THIS SEARCH PRODUCED EIGHT OUTSTANDING CANDIDATES, MAKING THE TASK OF NARROWING THE FIELD INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. FROM THAT GROUP, THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY SELECTED TWO EXCEPTIONAL FINALISTS WHO TRULY REPRESENT THE VERY BEST IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. HE WILL BE WELL SERVED BY EITHER OF THESE TWO HIGHLY QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. YESTERDAY, BOTH [00:05:04] CANDIDATES SPENT THE DAY ENGAGING WITH MORE THAN 50 MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE, SERVE AND PROVIDE THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. AND THANK YOU TO OUR CANDIDATES WHO SO WILLINGLY ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS COUNTY GREAT. OUR PRIORITY HAS REMAINED CLEAR. LISTEN TO PARENTS, RESPECT TAXPAYERS, AND PUT STUDENTS AHEAD OF POLITICS. FAMILIES DESERVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. PARENTAL RIGHTS WILL ALWAYS MATTER IN OUR SCHOOLS. AT A TIME WHEN MANY COMMUNITIES ARE DEMANDING GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND A STRONGER FOCUS ON ACADEMICS, WE BELIEVE SCHOOLS MUST RETURN TO THE FUNDAMENTALS. ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, SCHOOL SAFETY, RESPECT FOR FAMILIES AND PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS. THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT REFLECTS THE VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES, SUPPORTS TEACHERS, AND KEEPS FAMILIES AT THE CENTER OF DECISION MAKING. WE ARE EXCITED TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER WITH STRONG LEADERSHIP AND A RENEWED FOCUS ON STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. SO WITH THAT, I MAKE THE FOLLOWING MOTION PURSUANT TO 4-201 OF THE EDUCATION ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND, I MOVE THAT THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPOINT DOCTOR MACK AS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EFFECTIVE 19TH MAY 2026, SUBJECT TO THE EXECUTION OF AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT APPROVED BY THE BOARD AND CONSISTENT WITH ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF MARYLAND LAW AND REGULATIONS OF THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. SECOND, WE WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE. MRS. PERRY. YES, MISS NAKAI? NO. DOCTOR. MUELLER. YES. MR. MCVICKER. YES, MRS. MILLER. BEFORE I CAST MY VOTE, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE. THAT MY VOTE DOES NOT REFLECT THE FACT THAT IT'S ABOUT THE CANDIDATES. IT'S ABOUT THE VOICES THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO OUR BOARD. WE HAVE SUPPORT AND WE HAVE NON-SUPPORTERS FROM ALL LEVELS. STAKEHOLDERS, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT STUDENTS, PARENTS AND AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR AN INTERIM EXTENSION ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. AND I WANTED MORE INFORMATION, AS WELL AS TO GIVE THE CANDIDATE A TIME TO APPROVE HER LEADERSHIP, WHICH I HAVE NO DOUBT SHE WOULD. AND IT WOULD KIND OF ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT'S OUT THERE, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT HAVING CONSENSUS. BUT RIGHT NOW IN THE DISTRICT AND OUT IN THE PUBLIC, WE DO NOT HAVE CONSENSUS. AND I FEEL THAT IF WE TOOK THIS STEP, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE CONSENSUS AND TO PROVE THAT WE'VE MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN THE LONG RUN. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MY VOTE WAS NO. MRS. HAHN, I ALSO AGREE WITH MISS MILLER. I HAD MANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW IT YOU KNOW, HOW THE PROCESS WENT. AND ACTUALLY, AFTER OUR CLOSED SESSION, I HAVE MANY, MANY MORE CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROCESS. LEGALLY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT I CAN DISCUSS AT THIS POINT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING MANIPULATED ON THIS BOARD AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE. SO AGAIN, MY VOTE IS NO. YES. MRS. ALVAREZ. YES. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. YES. PRESIDENT PAGE. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES SEVEN THREE. INCLUDES AN AFFIRMATIVE PREFERENTIAL VOTE FOR THE STUDENT MEMBER. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. AND WITH [Future Meetings Review] THAT, WE WILL CLOSE THIS OPEN MEETIN * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.