Jun 22, 2026 Board Meeting

[Call to Order: Board President]

[00:00:09]

THIS TIME, I ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE MUTE YOUR DEVICE TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD. BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON JUNE 22ND, 2026 AT 6:01 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MRS. PERRY, MRS. PERRY, ABSENT THIS EVENING. MISS NAKAI HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER HERE. MR. MCVICKER HERE, MISS MILLER, PRESENT. MRS. HAHN, PRESENT. MISS BRUCE HERE. MRS. ALVAREZ, PRESENT. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. PAGE HERE. INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT MACK, PRESENT, PLEASE. THE ROLL CALL.

THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WE USE THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MUTE THEIR DEVICE UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION. FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, PRESIDENT PAGE WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBER, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME 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 A YES OR A NO. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? SO MOVED. SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES.

ANY OPPOSED? THIS MOTION PASSES. ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. EXCITED TO START THIS

[A. Approval and Execution of the Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools Contract]

YES. MRS. HAHN. NO. MISS. BRUCE. YES. MRS. ALVAREZ. YES, MISS. MOTION PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU DIDN'T VOTE. YOU DIDN'T VOTE? YES, I GOT EXCITED. I GET THE FINAL WORD. YES. I'M SO SORRY. NOW THIS MOTION PASSES. CONGRATULATIONS. SO WE ARE A FEW OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS.

MYSELF, MISS BRUCE AND MR. MCVICKER HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO SAY BEFORE WE HEAD DOWN THERE TO OFFICIALLY SIGN THE CONTRACT. SO TONIGHT, IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR ON BEHALF OF HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, TO WELCOME DOCTOR DIANE MACK AS THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DOCTOR MAC'S STORY IS, IN MANY WAYS THE STORY OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SHE IS A PROUD GRADUATE OF JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL, WHO CHOSE TO DEDICATE HER CAREER TO SERVING THE VERY COMMUNITY THAT HELPED SHAPED HER. OVER NEARLY 30 YEARS, SHE HAS SERVED AS OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN VIRTUALLY EVERY CAPACITY. THROUGHOUT THAT JOURNEY, DOCTOR MACK HAS DEMONSTRATED AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES. SHE HAS LED EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN INSTRUCTION, EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS, SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE NEEDS, DEVELOP EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATORS, AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS. FEW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES, AND POTENTIAL OF HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS DEEPLY AS SHE DOES. I WOULD ALSO BE REMISS IF I DID NOT RECOGNIZE ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART OF DOCTOR MAC'S

[00:05:04]

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS BOARD TOOK THE HORRENDOUS STEP TO PROMOTE HER TO THIS POSITION, BUT NOW THE COMMUNITY HAS TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT THAT SHE NEEDS TO SUCCEED. SO I ASK ALL OF US TO THINK ABOUT HER, PRAY FOR HER FOREMOST, AND ALSO GIVE HER THE SUPPORT SHE NEEDS AND ALWAYS BE THERE WHEN SHE NEEDS IT. HER MOTHER IN LAW, MISS JONES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ROLE IN PROVIDING US THIS WONDERFUL DAUGHTER IN LAW AND DOCTOR MACK. THANK YOU FOR HER HUSBAND, WHO IS A PART OF THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FOR HER SON, WHO'S GOING. WE KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO WONDERFUL THINGS. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF DOCTOR MACK. AND THANK YOU FOR JUST BEING THERE AND ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THIS HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MCVICKER. SO SOME PEOPLE WALK INTO A ROOM AND YOU JUST KIND

[00:10:02]

IT WAS JUST HER FULLY PRESENT, FULLY INVESTED IN THE KIDS IN FRONT OF HER. AND I REMEMBER THINKING TO MYSELF, THAT'S A ROLE MODEL. THAT'S A FRIEND. AND I SHOWED THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO ME, I DON'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS, AND I SAID, THAT IS A LEADER. ALL THREE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME CAPTURED IN ONE PHOTO. IT'S NOT A ONE TIME MOMENT. THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE. EVERY TIME I'VE BEEN AROUND HER JOY, REALISM, PROFESSIONALISM, SHE DOESN'T PICK ONE AND SET THE OTHERS ASIDE. SHE BRINGS ALL THREE EVERY TIME TO EVERY ROOM, TO EVERY PERSON, WHETHER SHE'S TALKING TO A STUDENT, A STAFF MEMBER, OR THE BOARD, THAT MATTERS MORE THAN PEOPLE REALIZE. IT'S EASY TO BE PROFESSIONAL AND DISTANT. IT'S EASY TO BE WARM AND UNFOCUSED. IT'S RARE TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO CAN HOLD HONESTY AND HEART IN THE SAME HAND, AND WHO TELLS YOU THE TRUTH AND STILL MAKES YOU FEEL VALUED WHILE SHE'S DOING IT. DOCTOR MACK DOES THAT WITHOUT SEEMING TO TRY. THAT KIND OF PRESENCE CAN'T BE TAUGHT, AND IT CAN'T BE FAKED. IT CAN ONLY BE RECOGNIZED. AND TODAY WE'RE NOT JUST RECOGNIZING IT, WE'RE MAKING IT OFFICIAL. DOCTOR MACK, CONGRATULATIONS. THIS CONTRACT IS WELL EARNED AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.

THE FAMILY FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE BOARD. SO LET ME. YEAH. WE DON'T WANT US.

TO.

HAVE KNOWN THAT. I WOULD HAVE PUT ON A SUIT. YOU GUYS CAN FILL IN EVERYBODY. OKAY? PHOTOSHOP IS. RIGHT THERE. RIGHT THERE.

[Public Comment]

[00:15:11]

GOOD EVENING. 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 BOARD MEETINGS. DURING THE BUSINESS MEETING, ALL ATTENDEES ARE REMINDED TO CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER. GRANDSTANDING, WHICH INCLUDES APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS, AND SIMILAR DISTRACTING BEHAVIORS IS NOT PERMITTED. LIKEWISE, THREATENING WORDS, GESTURES OR BEHAVIORS ARE NOT PERMITTED. THE RULES OF ORDER REQUIRE COMMENTERS TO REFRAIN FROM IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND DO NOT SIT ON THE BOARD. COMMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE BOARD, AND IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ADDRESS OR IDENTIFY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BY NAME IN THE CONTEXT OF A BOARD BUSINESS MEETING. THE PUBLIC INCLUDES SCHOOL STAFF OTHER THAN THE SUPERINTENDENT. ADDITIONALLY, DISPARAGING COMMENTS, PERSONAL ATTACKS AND INFLAMMATORY REMARKS ABOUT SPECIFIC SCHOOLS, PERSONNEL, ANY PERSON OR GROUP ARE NOT PERMITTED. WE APPRECIATE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING A RESPECTFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG IN OUR MEETINGS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER CONCERNS OR NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. SHOULD AN ATTENDEE ENGAGE IN ONE OF THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIORS, THUS DISTRACTING FROM THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, THE ATTENDEE WILL RECEIVE A WARNING TO IMMEDIATELY CEASE THE PROHIBITED BEHAVIOR. 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.

ALL OF YOU WILL NOW BEGIN OUR IN-PERSON REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS PRESIDENT PAGE. THIS EVENING. WE HAVE 19 IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE WILL START OFF WITH HANNAH COSENTINO, FOLLOWED BY OLIVIA MELBOURNE AND ELIZABETH EEKS. IS THERE A HANNAH COSENTINO? OKAY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OLIVIA MALVERN. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS OLIVIA MALVERN. I'VE RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM HARFORD COUNTY. I'VE SERVED 600 HOURS AT HARFORD GLEN AND BECAUSE OF THIS, I BELIEVE I CAN PROVIDE AN INSIGHT TO YOU. ALL THAT WILL SAY WHY? IF IT IS REMOVED, IT WILL DIMINISH OUR COUNTY AS A WHOLE. I'LL START WITH MY TESTIMONY, THEN GO TO MY TEACHER AT HARFORD TEXT AT HARFORD COUNTY AG TEACHER. THEN THE STUDENTS AT HARTFORD GLEN WITH NEARLY 600 HOURS OF SERVICE, I CAN SAY THAT HARFORD GLEN IS THE BEST THING HARFORD COUNTY CAN OFFER. EVERY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AND JOB APPLICATION I'VE APPLIED TO SINCE MY SOPHOMORE YEAR HAVE INCLUDED HARFORD GLEN. NOT BECAUSE OF THE VOLUNTEER HOURS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY EFFICIENCY IN CONNECTION.

HARFORD GLEN PROVIDES AND HAS TAUGHT ME. WITHOUT HARFORD LAND, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE EVERY OTHER STUDENT. HARFORD COUNTY WITH AN 8.5 DAILY AVERAGE SCREEN TIME, NOT TO MENTION THE FRIENDS AND COUNSELORS I'VE MADE, THE ADVICE FROM STAFF I'VE RECEIVED AND THE EDUCATION I GOT FROM HARFORD LAND THAT ALLOWED ME TO PURSUE A CAREER IN AGRICULTURE EDUCATION WITH FULL, UNBRIDLED CONFIDENCE. FROM MY TEACHER AT HARFORD TECH. OUTDOOR EDUCATION IS MUCH LIKE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THAT IT IS VITAL TO THE STUDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY BECAUSE THEY BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE NATURAL WORLD. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS NEVER GET TO EXPERIENCE THIS BEFORE. HARFORD GLEN BY PROVIDING HANDS ON LEARNING IN THE BEAUTIFUL HARFORD LAND, THESE DISCIPLINES BUILD PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS, PROMOTE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING, AND PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION TO TACKLE GLOBAL CHALLENGES LIKE FOOD SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION THAT WE SO MUCH NEED THESE DAYS. LOSING HARFORD GLEN WOULD BE LIKE LOSING A PART OF MY OWN HEART AND SOUL, BECAUSE AN IMMEASURABLE DEFICIT AND DISSERVICE TO THE YOUTH OF HARFORD COUNTY. IF THERE IS ANYTHING WE CAN SAVE, IT MUST

[00:20:04]

IT GAVE EACH MEAL WORTH. THANK YOU, MISS OLIVIA, FOR TEACHING MY FRIENDS ABOUT MICROGREENS. I NEVER KNEW THAT WAS A THING BEFORE. HARFORD GLEN MICROGREENS ARE SMALL PLANTS.

THANK YOU FOR THE LESSON ABOUT MICROGREENS. IT WAS FUN LEARNING ABOUT MICROGREENS. IT MADE MY JAW DROP. LEARNING ABOUT THE NUTRIENTS IN EACH PLANT. IF HARVARD LAND IS LOST, SO IS THE HEART OF HARFORD COUNTY. I'M GOING TO END LIKE THIS BOARD. IF YOU'VE EVER ASKED YOUR KID TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU USED TO DO WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER, IF YOU WISH YOUR TEENAGER HAD LESS SCREEN TIME AND MORE VITAMIN D, IF YOU HAVE A HOPE FOR THE STUDENTS OF HARFORD COUNTY WHO WHO YOU CLAIM TO FIGHT FOR HAVE A BRIGHT AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE, HARFORD GLEN NEEDS TO STAY. AND IF IT DOESN'T, I ASK YOU, DO YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT WE ALL LIVE AND BREATHE IN. THANK YOU. ELIZABETH. HI, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH EAKES. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL MOTTO IS INSPIRE, PREPARE, ACHIEVE. WHEN I WAS A FIFTH GRADER AT NORTH HARFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I ATTENDED HARFORD GLENN AS A CAMPER. I REMEMBER HIKING TO A STREAM WITH MY CLASSMATES, SCOOPING WIDE NETS THROUGH THE WATER, IDENTIFYING MACROINVERTEBRATES BASED AND MEASURING THE HEALTH OF THE STREAM BASED ON WHICH SPECIES WE FOUND. HARFORD GLEN INSPIRED ME, AND TODAY I WORK FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL NONPROFIT THAT ORGANIZES STREAM CLEANUPS THROUGHOUT THE GUNPOWDER WATERSHED. WHEN I WAS A HIGH SCHOOLER IN NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL, I ATTENDED HARFORD GLEN AS A COUNSELOR. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE TO MENTOR AND LEAD THE FIFTH GRADERS AS THEY WERE IMMERSED IN LEARNING AND LOCAL HABITATS. VOLUNTEERING IN HARFORD GLEN PREPARED ME FOR MY CAREER IN EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY, AND WHEN I WAS A SECOND GRADE TEACHER FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT HICKORY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I BROUGHT MY SECOND GRADE CLASSES FOR FULL DAY FIELD TRIPS TO HARFORD GLEN. THE STUDENTS WERE AMAZED BY THE NUMBER OF FROGS IN THE VERNAL POOLS WE FOUND ON OUR HIKE, AND THEY ENGINEERED MANY BEAVER DAMS OUT OF WATER, MUD, AND STICKS MY STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ON THE MEANINGFUL WATERSHED EXPERIENCE CURRICULUM STANDARDS THANKS TO THEIR EXPERIENCE AT HARFORD GLEN. INSPIRE, PREPARE, ACHIEVE HARFORD GLEN INSPIRE STUDENTS TO CARE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND EXPOSES THEM TO UNIQUE NATURE ENCOUNTERS THEY MIGHT NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. HARFORD GLEN PREPARES STUDENTS FOR REAL WORLD PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH HANDS ON CRITICAL THINKING ACTIVITIES, AND HARFORD GLEN SUPPORTS STUDENT SUCCESS AND ALLOWS THEM TO ACHIEVE IN THEIR FUTURE. HARFORD GLEN IS AN EXTREMELY VALUABLE RESOURCE, AND IT'S A VERY SPECIAL PLACE TO COUNTLESS FORMER STUDENTS, AND IT WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL PLACE FOR STUDENTS IN THE FUTURE IF IT'S CONTINUED TO BE FUNDED. I HOPE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL ALLOW HARFORD GLEN TO CONTINUE EDUCATING AND INSPIRING STUDENTS OF ALL AGES.

THANK YOU. SO I HAVE TO ASK YOU NOT TO CLAP. IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, I HAVE TO ASK YOU TO FOLLOW THE RULES AND TO NOT CLAP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTY SMITH AND LUKE SMITH. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, BUT NOT AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT. I'M NOT HERE TO LOBBY FOR ONE ACCOUNT OR ANOTHER, ALTHOUGH ONE OF THE PROPOSED CUTS HITS MY FAMILY DIRECTLY. INSTEAD, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU ALL TO BE LOUD AND PERSISTENT OVER THE NEXT 9 TO 12 MONTHS, TALKING ABOUT THIS BUDGET, I DO FEEL BAD MAKING THIS REQUEST, BECAUSE I EXPECT SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY QUITE TIRED OF IT. YOU MAY WANT TO JUST BE DONE WITH IT. SAY IT'S DONE. IT'S THE ADMINISTRATION'S JOB, BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT. IF YOU THINK THE BUDGET SITUATION IS BAD RIGHT NOW, LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR WHEN ALL THE CUTS YOU MAKE NOW WON'T BE AVAILABLE AND THE FUND BALANCE WILL PROBABLY BE LOWER. COMMUNICATING THE MONETARY NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS TO BE A YEAR ROUND TASK. NOW, THE BROADER

[00:25:02]

TALK ABOUT THE $7 MILLION INCREASE IN NONPUBLIC PLACEMENT COSTS, WHICH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT SEEM TO RECOGNIZE IN THEIR DISCUSSION. EVEN IF YOU AREN'T PLANNING TO BE HERE NEXT JUNE IN ORDER TO DILIGENTLY AND FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE OFFICE YOU CURRENTLY HOLD, YOU NEED TO LOBBY FOR MORE FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THIS WHOLE TIME.

THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. HI, MY NAME IS CHRISTY SMITH. SINCE 1980, HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ATTENDING HARFORD GLEN, COMPLETING THE CAPSTONE OF THEIR ELEMENTARY SCIENCE EDUCATION, STRENGTHENING FRIENDSHIPS, GROWING THEIR INDEPENDENCE, CONNECTING WITH NATURE, AND LEAVING HARFORD GLEN A BETTER STEWARD OF THEIR COMMUNITY. FOR 46 YEARS, HARFORD GLEN HAS BEEN PROVIDING A POWERFUL, IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE THAT JUST MIGHT BE THE CATALYST FOR A STUDENT TO MOVE THROUGH THE WORLD MORE THOUGHTFULLY, WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR CONNECTION TO THIS COUNTY'S NATURAL SPACE AND ONE ANOTHER. 46 YEARS OF STEWARDSHIP LEGACY. AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU CAN PROBABLY ATTEST TO THE FLEETING TRENDS OF VARIOUS EDUCATION INITIATIVES. THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH HARFORD GLEN. IT REPRESENTS NEARLY A HALF CENTURY OF MEMORY MAKING AND LEAVES KIDS TRULY CARING ABOUT THEIR COUNTY EXACTLY AS IT DID FOR ME AT TEN YEARS OLD. I WAS SO EXCITED FOR MY TRIP TO HARFORD GLEN, I COULD BARELY SLEEP. I LEFT HARFORD GLEN DETERMINED TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE AND LEARN ALL I COULD ABOUT NATURE. SIX YEARS LATER, I RETURNED SEVERAL TIMES AS A CAMP COUNSELOR, AN EXPERIENCE THAT SHAPED ME SO MUCH. I DECIDED TO WORK AT SUMMER CAMPS AS A YOUNG ADULT, PURSUE AN ECOLOGY DEGREE, AND EVENTUALLY BECOME A SCIENCE TEACHER RIGHT HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND NOW I TEACH AT HARFORD GLEN. TRULY MY DREAM JOB, MY JOURNEY FROM CAMPER TO COUNSELOR TO TEACHER AND PARENT OF A FIFTH GRADE CAMPER IS NOT UNIQUE. HARFORD GLEN'S 46 YEAR TRADITION OF JOY FILLED LEARNING RUNS DEEP AND IT CHANGES LIVES. I'M SURE ALL OF YOU CAN THINK OF A SMALL MOMENT OR EXPERIENCE THAT IGNITED AN ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT TODAY. HARFORD GLEN PROVIDES THAT BUTTERFLY EFFECT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. MOVE TO HARFORD COUNTY FOR THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT MAKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM SHINE. ONLY FOUR OTHER COUNTIES IN MARYLAND PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS, AND ONLY ONE OTHER. PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY HAS A SCHOOL OPERATED ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER. THIS EXCEPTIONALITY DOES NOT MAKE HARFORD GLEN SOMETHING TO CUT. IT MAKES IT A SOURCE OF PRIDE TO BE CHERISHED AND CELEBRATED. 3000 STUDENTS THIS YEAR ALONE HAD A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE REAL INDEPENDENCE AWAY FROM HOME WHILE IMMERSED IN A BEAUTIFUL NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. AS THE WORLD TRENDS TO BE MORE DIGITAL, MORE BUSY, MORE DISCONNECTED, AND SUMMER CAMPS BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE, A CAMP EXPERIENCE FOR EVERY SINGLE KID THAT IS MONEY WELL SPENT AND A MAGIC THAT IS TRULY WORTH SAVING.

LET'S KEEP HARTFORD GLEN A HARFORD COUNTY TRADITION ALIVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M. A LITTLE. OH, I JUST COMPLETED FIFTH GRADE AND I'M SO HAPPY I

[00:30:12]

PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. SURE. CHRISTY CRAWFORD

[00:35:02]

GRANTED, WE WOULD STILL HAVE A COUNTY EXECUTIVE WHO VALUES CONTROL AND SURPLUS FUNDS MORE THAN HE DOES PUBLIC EDUCATION. BUT YOU COULD HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THIS DISTRICT. THIS BOARD COULD HAVE BEEN A UNIFIED FRONT AND COLLABORATED TO MAKE SURE THAT EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS FELT SUPPORTED. I KNOW THAT WAS THE GOAL FOR SOME OF YOU, AND SOME OF YOU REALLY DID TRY. BUT FOR OTHERS, THAT WASN'T A CHOICE THAT YOU WERE EVEN WILLING TO MAKE. BUT WE ALL WISH THAT IT WERE. WHILE THE PAST CANNOT BE CHANGED, WE CAN CHANGE THE FUTURE. DO BETTER. WORK TOGETHER, FIND COMMON GROUND, AND MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE.

THE STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS OF THIS COUNTY DESERVE NOTHING LESS. THANK YOU. MISS WHEELER.

PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. HARVARD GLENN FOUNDATION. I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING AT HARFORD GLENN FOR OVER ALMOST 20 YEARS. THIS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER IS A JEWEL IN THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

OTHER COUNTIES WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SUCH A PROPERTY AND THE CURRICULUM. HOW CAN YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT CUTTING IT? YOU'VE HEARD THESE CHILDREN HOW MUCH IT MEANT TO THEM. HARFORD COUNTY SCIENCE CURRICULUM HAS BEEN EMBEDDED IN HARFORD COUNTY HARFORD GLENN CURRICULUM SINCE 1980. THAT'S 46 YEARS. THE HARFORD GLENN EDUCATION CENTER FOCUSES ON PROMOTING AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT. THIS. THE PROGRAM ATTEMPTS TO ENGAGE EVERY FIFTH GRADER IN THE THREE DAY, TWO NIGHT RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM WHERE THEY ARE IMMERSED IN HANDS ON ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, WILDLIFE OBSERVATION, AND STREAM ECOLOGY.

THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT BELONGS TO THEM INTO THE FUTURE. IF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF IT, IT WILL BE LOST. THEY NEED TO LEARN THE VALUE OF IT. AND HOW CAN THEY VALUE IT IF THEY HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT? HARFORD COUNTY IS A BEAUTIFUL PROPERTY WITH LUSH FORESTS, WILDLANDS STREAMS AND 12 MILES OF TRAILS. THE PROGRAM IS AN EDUCATIONAL

[00:40:02]

THEN THERE IS THE PLANETARIUM. GROWING UP, I HAVE SEEN HOW STUDENTS IN THAT DARK DOMED ROOM COMPLETELY TRANSFORM HOW STUDENTS SEE THE WORLD. IT TEACHES US THAT WE ARE PART OF SOMETHING MASSIVE. I WILL ADMIT, I STILL SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH CONSTELLATION IS ACTUALLY THE BIG DIPPER, BUT THAT IS THE BEAUTY OF IT. IT FORCES US TO LOOK UP, ASK BIG QUESTIONS, AND DREAM BIG DREAMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS FACING TOUGH BUDGET DECISIONS DECISIONS. HOWEVER, CUTTING THESE TRIPS IS A MASSIVE MISTAKE. REPLACING REAL HANDS ON EXPERIENCES WITH VIRTUAL SIMULATIONS OR VIDEOS IS JUST LIKE LOOKING AT A PICTURE OF A CHEESEBURGER, BUT NOT ACTUALLY EATING ONE. IT JUST ISN'T THE SAME. WE CANNOT INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS, HORTICULTURISTS, AND MARINE BIOLOGISTS IF WE CONFINE THEM ENTIRELY TO FLUORESCENT LIGHT CLASSROOMS. BECAUSE OF HARFORD GLEN AND THE PLANETARIUM, I KNOW EXACTLY WHO I WANT TO BE. THESE TRIPS CREATE THE FUTURE SCIENTISTS AND CONSERVATIONISTS OUR WORLD DESPERATELY NEEDS. PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THESE DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS COMING AFTER ME. KEEP HARFORD GLEN OPEN, KEEP OUR EYES ON THE STARS AND KEEP FUNDING THE EXPERIENCES THAT INSPIRE ALL OF US. THANK YOU. ERICA BUSH. HI, MY NAME IS ERICA BUSH. I'M A PARENT OF FOUR CHILDREN WHO HAVE ATTENDED HARFORD GLEN. I'M ALSO A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER WHO HAS ACCOMPANIED OVER 400 STUDENTS TO HARFORD GLEN. IF YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN A FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM ON THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S A REAL TEAR JERKER. LAST WEEK, MY STUDENTS HAD AN IDEA THAT WE PLAY ONE LAST GAME OF SPEEDBALL BEFORE THEY GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. EVERY TIME SOMEONE CAUGHT THE BALL, THEY HAD TO SHARE A FAVORITE MEMORY FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ONLY ONE RULE NO REPEATS. AS A TEACHER WHO HAS BEEN AROUND THEIR ENTIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAREER, I EXPECTED TO HEAR THINGS LIKE FIELD DAY OR THE NUMEROUS TIMES THAT THEY GOT TO SMASH PIES IN THEIR TEACHER'S FACES. INSTEAD, HERE ARE SOME OF THE EXACT ANSWERS GIVEN BY MY 11 YEAR OLDS, WHICH INCLUDED LUKE SMITH GOING IN THE STREAM AT HARFORD GLEN, CAMPFIRE AT HARFORD GLEN, SEEING A NEST WITH REAL EGGS AT HARFORD GLEN, DIGGING THROUGH COMPOST AND TOUCHING LIVE WORMS AT HARFORD GLEN, SINGING SONGS AT HARFORD GLEN, EATING ORANGE CHICKEN AT HARFORD GLEN, HAVING MY FIRST SLEEPOVER EVER AT HARFORD GLEN, GETTING SPRAYED WITH A HOSE BY A TEACHER AT HARFORD GLEN. WHEN MY FRIEND DECIDED TO SPEND THE NIGHT AT HARFORD GLEN PARTICIPATING IN SKITS AT HARFORD GLEN, TRYING A BAKED POTATO FOR THE FIRST TIME AT HARFORD GLEN, HAVING A CARDINAL A FOOT AWAY FROM MY FACE AT HARFORD GLEN, GOING ON A SILENT HIKE AT HARFORD GLEN.

SEEING MY FRIEND BE BRAVE AND HOLD A FISH AT HARFORD GLEN. AND OF COURSE, PLAYING GAGA BALL AT HARFORD GLEN. THE LIST KEPT GOING UNTIL WE HAD TO LEAVE FOR DISMISSAL. THE SAME THING HAPPENS WHEN I SEE FORMER STUDENTS. MRS. BUSH, REMEMBER WHEN WE SAW THAT SNAKE AT HARFORD GLEN? REMEMBER THAT SONG WE SANG AT HARFORD GLEN? AS MR. X TOLD MY CLASS YEARS AGO, OUR KIDS HAVE THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO SLEEP OVER AT CAMP WITH 100 FRIENDS THAT YOU HAVE KNOWN SINCE YOU WERE FIVE YEARS OLD. OUR KIDS REMEMBER THIS TRIP FOREVER.

THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCE CANNOT HAPPEN IN ANY CLASSROOM. EVERY YEAR I TELL MY NEW FIFTH GRADE FAMILIES THAT HARFORD GLEN IS MY FAVORITE THREE DAYS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THE REASON THIS IS TRUE IS BECAUSE OF THE COUNTLESS SMALL VICTORIES I GET TO WITNESS WHILE I'M THERE. THE COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, CURIOSITY, AND TRUE CONNECTION THAT HAPPENS AT HARFORD GLEN CANNOT AND WILL NOT HAPPEN IN EVERYDAY LIFE. WHILE OUR KIDS ARE SURROUNDED BY DEVICES AND DISTRACTIONS. TONIGHT, YOU ARE NOT DECIDING WHETHER STUDENTS WILL MISS OUT ON A FIELD TRIP. YOU ARE DECIDING IF FUTURE FIFTH GRADERS WILL LOSE ONE OF THE

[00:45:04]

THE IDEA THAT YOU WOULD CUT HARFORD GLEN IS JUST ATROCIOUS IS RIDICULOUS. IT RUINED A SUPERINTENDENT AND A SCHOOL BOARD ALREADY. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR HISTORY ABOUT IT, I COULD TELL YOU THE WHOLE HISTORY OF HOW THAT HAPPENED. YOU DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THAT KIND OF STUFF, OR THE POOLS OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF EDUCATORS, SOME OF WHICH, MANY OF WHICH WERE RAISED IN HARFORD COUNTY, THEIR WHOLE DREAM WAS TO WORK IN HARFORD COUNTY IN THESE SELECT PROGRAMS THAT THEY WORK IN NOW AND ARE DEVELOPING. YOU CAN'T REPLACE THAT. YOU'D BE BETTER TO TAKE A BULLDOZER TO A SCHOOL AND START FRESH SOMEWHERE LIKE YOU CAN'T REPLACE THAT. IT'S JUST THEY'RE THERE, THESE NON-NEGOTIABLES, RIGHT? STAFF SALARIES AND YOUR BENEFITS, THESE ARE NON-NEGOTIABLES. THERE ARE VERY REAL, THERE ARE VERY FEW REAL FINANCIAL REASONS TO COME TO HARFORD COUNTY TO TEACH. OKAY. YOU YOU GET BY ON REPUTATION FOR AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A REPUTATION OF TAKING CARE OF STAFF AND OF PROMOTING PEOPLE.

THAT'S WHY DOCTOR MAC'S PROMOTION IS SO IMPORTANT, RIGHT? IT'S SO IMPORTANT. IT RAISES ALL SHIPS, RIGHT. BUT YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT IF YOU KEEP DEDICATED PEOPLE IN POSITIONS WHERE THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AND, AND WHERE THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK. RIGHT. YOU CAN ONLY GO SO FAR. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S NOT A LOT REALLY TO TALK ABOUT. THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL GIVE YOU A PLAN THAT WILL INVOLVE MASSIVE STAFF CUTS, AND THAT'S WHAT WILL HAVE TO HAPPEN. AND EVERYBODY HAS TO JUST GET TO THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMMENT. BUT THAT'S THE REALITY. THAT'S WHERE THE BUDGET MONEY IS. THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN GET THE MONEY. EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST TAKING ALL THE FLAVOR OUT THE CAKE. IF YOU'RE ONLY SERVING OATMEAL, THERE AIN'T A WHOLE LOT OF KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO EAT. AND FOR SOME KIDS, THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE, THE ONLY PLACE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO NURTURE THEIR MINDS, NURTURE THEIR SOULS, AND RAISE THEIR ASPIRATIONS. THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE DOWELL, FOLLOWED BY, I BELIEVE, THE MILHOLLAND FAMILY, ANDREW, ELIZABETH AND JODI. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE DOWELL. I AM AN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TECHNICIAN RIGHT HERE AT CENTRAL OFFICE. IN CURRICULUM.

SPECIFICALLY, I AM IN ATHLETICS, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND P.E. WHICH SO MANY OF THE CUTS FROM THAT YOU'VE PUT ON THE THE LIST FROM STAKEHOLDERS OR MY JOB. SO THIS IS OF IT IS VERY PERSONAL TO ME FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON. BUT I WANTED TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ED NEW SUPERINTENDENT MAC, OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY STAFF MEMBERS AND STUDENTS, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO EXPRESS A DEEP CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS TO HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEIR DEVASTATING IMPACT THAT THEY WILL HAVE ON OUR STUDENTS, OUR EDUCATORS AND ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS THREATEN TO UNDERMINE THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

THERE'S A $300 MILLION SURPLUS THAT THE COUNTY IS SITTING ON, YET WE'RE SITTING HERE CONSIDERING CUTTING THINGS THAT WILL AFFECT PEOPLE'S JOBS THAT WILL AFFECT OUR STUDENTS

[00:50:04]

THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY SPORTS FOR SOME MAY SEEM LIKE SOMETHING LITTLE, BUT TO TAKE AWAY ATHLETICS AND TO HAVE THAT PAY TO PLAY BARRIER TRULY WILL TAKE AWAY THAT OPPORTUNITY FROM OUR LOW INCOME STUDENTS. EXACERBATE EXISTING DISPARITIES AND POTENTIALLY LEAD TO INCREASED ISOLATION AMONG OUR STUDENTS, TRUANCY AND BAD LIFE CHOICES. THERE'S CONNECTION EVERYWHERE. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE PREVIOUSLY NEGOTIATED PACKAGES WITH ALL OF OUR EDUCATORS IN OUR UNIONS AS WELL, WITHOUT COMPETITIVE SALARIES, WITHOUT A LIVING WAGE, WE HAVE NOTHING. YOU CAN'T KEEP PEOPLE THAT ARE WORTH ANYTHING IN THIS COUNTY IF YOU DON'T PAY THEM. THE BEST THING, AND THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO IS TO NOT ASK, BUT DEMAND THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ALLOCATE THE NEEDED FUNDS AND TOMORROW VOTE.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ELIZABETH MILHOLLAND AND THIS IS MY TWIN BROTHER, ANDREW. WE ARE INCOMING FIFTH GRADERS AT RED PUMP ELEMENTARY. WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP TO SAVE HARFORD GLEN. THANK YOU. I'M I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE SPEAKER. THAT WAS THE FIRST ON THE LIST. HANNAH COSENTINO. IS SHE HERE? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE ROSE KUCHARZIK.

IF WHEN YOU COME UP. ACTUALLY, SOMEBODY ALREADY SPOKE ON THIS GROUP. SO YOU WILL ONLY RECEIVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO AND GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROSE KUCHARZIK AND I AM VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HARVARD GLENN FOUNDATION. I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE FOUNDATION NOW ON THE BOARD FOR OVER A DECADE, AND HAVE ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT OF SUPPORTING THIS WONDERFUL PROGRAM. I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE HARTFORD GLENN FOUNDATION BY MY FATHER IN LAW, DOC BAILEY, WHO WAS PROUD TO BE A FOUNDING MEMBER, AND IT IS MY DISTINCT HONOR TO CONTINUE HIS LEGACY OF SUPPORT. TONIGHT, YOU ARE FACED WITH TOUGH DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATION TO THE AMAZING STUDENTS OF HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND I AM HERE TO BEG YOU TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE HARTFORD GLENN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM. AS YOU KNOW, THE HARTFORD GLENN ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM PROVIDES SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FAR BEYOND THE SCIENCE, THE WAY THE STUDENTS CAN GET HANDS ON LEARNING GO BEYOND THE SCIENCE TO TEAMWORK, SOCIALIZING, AND PROBLEM SOLVING. THE OVERNIGHT PROGRAM BRINGS THAT CAMP EXPERIENCE THAT LEAVES LASTING MEMORIES. HONESTLY, I GREW UP IN BALTIMORE CITY AND DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SUCH A PROGRAM. SO THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN ALREADY TONIGHT ARE MUCH BETTER VERSED. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM. AS A MEMBER OF THE HARTFORD GLENN FOUNDATION BOARD, WE OURSELVES FOCUS ON COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND FUNDRAISING. WE HAVE FUNDED PROJECTS BIG AND SMALL THAT FELL OUTSIDE OF CPS FUNDING. LARGE PROJECTS SUCH AS THE ICE HOUSE RENOVATION AND RECENT PROJECTS LIKE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE GREENHOUSE. WE'VE PROVIDED EQUIPMENT LIKE THE KUBOTA RTV VEHICLE THAT IS USED FOR TRANSPORTING STUDENTS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FULLY PARTICIPATE. WE FUNDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS ON THE GROUNDS CONTRIBUTED TO THE GREEN SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS, AND WE CONTINUE TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE ROAD CLEANUPS AND SPRING OPEN HOUSES. WITH A 46 YEAR SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM. EVERY EVENT IS FILLED WITH PARENTS RECOUNTING THEIR HARTFORD GLENN EXPERIENCE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR OWN CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCE AT HARTFORD GLENN.

IN ADDITION TO THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE, WE HAVE A VAST NETWORK OF ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP US. THE HARTFORD BIRD CLUB, WHO VOLUNTEERS TIME AND EXPERTISE WORKING WITH THE

[00:55:01]

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE BRANDON STEINMETZ, TANISHA GANNON, CHRISTINA LANOKA, AND TINA GRAF. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND NEWLY APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR MATT. CONGRATULATIONS, BY THE WAY. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND KNOW THAT WHILE I AM NOT ENVIOUS OF YOUR POSITION, I. I RESPECT THE HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU CARRY IN MAKING OUR DECISIONS TO SHAPE OUR SCHOOLS. MY NAME IS DOCTOR BRANDON STEINMETZ AND I'M A RESIDENT OF BEL AIR, AND MY COMMENTS THIS EVENING ARE SOLELY MY OWN. I ALSO STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AS A COLLEGIATE DIRECTOR OF BANDS AND A LEADING EXPERT IN MUSIC EDUCATION AT A MAJOR STATE UNIVERSITY. BECAUSE OF MY POSITION, I HAVE THE DISTINCT PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH MUSIC PROGRAMS, TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND. I CAN TELL YOU OBJECTIVELY THAT HARFORD COUNTY IS CURRENTLY RECOGNIZED AS A STATEWIDE LEADER IN MUSIC EDUCATION. YOUR PROGRAMS ARE A BENCHMARK OF EXCELLENCE THAT OTHER DISTRICTS EMULATE. BUT THAT REPUTATION IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF A VERTICALLY ALIGNED K THROUGH 12, K THROUGH 12 PIPELINE. FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE WE ARE PREPARING THESE CHILDREN FOR. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE AI CAN INCREASINGLY AUTOMATE TASKS, WRITE TEXT, AND GENERATE CODE. IN THAT FUTURE, THE SKILLS THAT WILL BECOME MOST UNIQUELY VALUABLE AND THE MOST FIERCELY PROTECTED ARE RAW HUMAN CREATIVITY, EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION, AND REAL TIME COLLABORATION. THOSE SKILLS ARE FORGED THE EXACT MOMENT WHEN AN EIGHT YEAR OLD LEARNS TO CREATE ART WITH THEIR PEERS. WHEN YOU CUT EARLY MUSIC, YOU STARVE OUR CHILDREN OF THE EXACT HUMAN ENDEAVORS THAT MAKE THEM IRREPLACEABLE IN TOMORROW'S WORLD. AND I MAY REMIND YOU THAT THE NUMBER ONE GOAL LISTED ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WEBSITE IS TO PREPARE EVERY STUDENT FOR SUCCESS IN A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER. IF THIS BOARD APPROVED THE APPROVES THESE CUTS, IT WILL ALMOST GUARANTEE A RAPID AND UNDENIABLE DECLINE IN THE QUALITY OF OUR ENSEMBLES, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR COMMUNITY CULTURE. YOU WILL EFFECTIVELY SURRENDER HARFORD COUNTY'S STANDING AS A PREMIER SCHOOL DISTRICT, MAKING IT LESS REPUTABLE AND LESS ATTRACTIVE TO FAMILIES WHO VALUE EXCELLENCE. FOR MANY HERE, PUBLIC SCHOOL IS THE ONLY PLACE A CHILD WILL EVER HAVE ACCESS TO AN INSTRUMENT. DO NOT RATION THESE OPPORTUNITIES. DO NOT BALANCE THIS BUDGET BY DISMANTLING YOUR OWN SUCCESS AND SACRIFICING YOUR STUDENTS FUTURES. I URGE YOU TO THINK DEEPLY ABOUT THE RAMIFICATIONS AND THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS, AND NOT JUST THE SHORT TERM BAND AID THAT THEY MAY PROVIDE. AND TO PLEASE LEAD WITH GRACE AND EMPATHY IN YOUR UPCOMING DECISION MAKING. AND I MIGHT ALSO INCLUDE TO THINK OF THE FAMILIES AND THE TEACHERS WHO WILL BE LEFT WITHOUT A JOB BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THESE DECISIONS SHOULD YOU MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. MISS GANNON, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR MAC. MY NAME IS TANISHA GANNON. I'M A CPS EMPLOYEE AND ALSO LOCAL 2471 PRESIDENT OF ASMI FOR THE SUPPORT STAFF OF CPS. I RECEIVED THE EMAIL TODAY AND IT SHOWED AT THE BOTTOM NON-EDUCATORS AS CPS EMPLOYEE FOR 21 YEARS. I DISAGREE WITH THAT. WE ARE ALL EDUCATORS WORKING IN THIS SYSTEM. WE ALL PLAY A ROLE WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATING THE STUDENTS IN SOME SHAPE OR FORM. WE'RE MAKING THESE CUTS. THINK ABOUT THE CRACK THIS WILL PUT IN THE FOUNDATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THINK ABOUT THE BACKBONE THAT IS KEEPING THE FOUNDATION TOGETHER. THE BACKBONE IS NOT ALWAYS REPLACEABLE. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MAY BECOME UNORGANIZED AND MAY HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE CHILDREN, EMPLOYEES AND

[01:00:05]

THANK YOU. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. MATTHEW 1030 233. JESUS SAID, EVERYONE WHO ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE OTHERS, I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE BEFORE MY HEAVENLY FATHER. BUT WHOEVER DENIES ME BEFORE OTHERS, I WILL DENY BEFORE MY HEAVENLY FATHER. HE ALSO SAID, I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, AND NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. LET'S CONSIDER TEACHING OUR CHILDREN THE TRUTH SO AS TO NOT FURTHER THEIR CONFUSION, WHICH CAN BE A NATURAL SIDE EFFECT OF TRANSITIONING FROM CHILD TO ADULT. JUST BECAUSE A CHILD FEELS STRANGE OR WEIRD AS HE GOES THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT PHASE, DOESN'T MEAN THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH HIM OR HER, OR THAT IS HIS OR HER. CHROMOSOMES HAVE CHANGED. HE OR SHE WAS BORN A BOY OR A GIRL, A PROVABLE FACT, AND WILL REMAIN SO ALWAYS. WHEN A CHILD IS TOLD OTHERWISE, THAT CHILD IS BEING MENTALLY ABUSED. THESE CHILDREN NEED TO BE REASSURED AND COMFORTED IN KNOWING THAT WE HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH SIMILAR TIMES IN OUR PAST, AND WE GOT THROUGH IT AS THEY WILL TOO. WE NEED TO TELL THEM THAT WE ARE THERE FOR THEM, AND WE NEED TO GIVE THEM PLENTY OF BIG HUGS AND LOTS OF TIME AND ATTENTION. I'M SURE YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE COMPLICIT IN CHILD ABUSE OR ABUSE OF ANY KIND. THEREFORE, ALL GENDER IDEOLOGIES MUST IMMEDIATELY CEASE BEING TAUGHT ALL SPEECH COERCION IN THE FORM OF MANDATED PRONOUNS, WHICH DO NOT MATCH THE BIOLOGY OF THE PERSON BEING REFERENCED, MUST ALSO BE CEASED. THIS IS CLEARLY A VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT. IN ADDITION, POLICIES ALLOWING PERSONS INTO SPORTS OR PRIVATE SPACES MEANT FOR THE OPPOSITE SEX MUST BE FORMALLY VOTED DOWN. ALL CHILDREN DESERVE THEIR PRIVACY, THE COMFORT OF A VERY FEW DO NOT TRUMP THE COMFORT OF THE MAJORITY. NOT ONLY THAT, THESE POLICIES VIOLATE TITLE NINE AND TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF OUR YOUNG WOMEN NOT ONLY TO HAVE THEIR PRIVACY, BUT TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN FAIR SPORTS. HOW MANY WOMEN HAVE LATELY HAD THEIR HARD FOUGHT TOP PRIZES IN THEIR SPORTS TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE A MAN DECIDED HE WANTED TO PLAY AGAINST A WOMAN? MEN ARE PHYSICALLY VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM WOMEN, NOT JUST SEXUALLY. THEY ARE GENERALLY BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER THAN WOMEN. A MEDIOCRE MAN COMPETING IN HIS SPORT CAN EASILY COMPETE AND WIN IF HE COMPETES AGAINST A WOMAN. IS THAT FAIR? WE ALSO NEED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THE SEX EDUCATION, WHICH INCLUDES GROOMING, BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING TAUGHT AND SHOWN SPECIFICALLY THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SEX THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN. WE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT THIS. IT IS NORMALIZING SEX AT AGES WHERE THEY SHOULD NOT EVEN BE THINKING ABOUT SUCH THINGS.

JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN FIND IT ON THE INTERNET DOES NOT MEAN THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT GROOMING THEM IN OUR OWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SEX CONVERSATIONS SHOULD BE BETWEEN A PARENT AND THEIR CHILD AT A TIME THAT THE PARENT DEEMS APPROPRIATE. CHILDREN ARE NOT THOSE OF THE STATE. THEY ARE A GIFT FROM GOD TO THE PARENTS, AND HE GAVE THEM AUTHORITY OVER THEIR CARE, PROTECTION, AND UPBRINGING. ALL DECISIONS REGARDING THESE CHILDREN MUST BE MADE TRANSPARENT TO THE PARENTS, AND THE PARENTS MUST BE ABLE TO OPT OUT OF ANYTHING THAT IS AGAINST THEIR BELIEFS. ALL CURRICULUM AND ALL TEACHER PLANS SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO PARENTS PRIOR TO THEIR BEING TAUGHT. THEY SHOULD HAVE PLANS POSTED A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK AHEAD, SO THAT PARENTS MAY GO OVER THEM PRIOR TO THEIR BEING TAUGHT. I PRAY THAT GOD OPENS YOUR HEART TO THE TRUTH, AND THAT HE BLESSES AND GUIDES YOU IN ALL YOUR DECISION MAKING.

SEE IN THE GRAPH. MY NAME IS TINA AND I'M THE PROUD SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISON AT FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I JUST COMPLETED MY 17TH YEAR. I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET TONIGHT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WILL MATTER. IT JUST REALLY SUCKS THAT EVERY YEAR WE HAVE TO BEG OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO SEE OUR WORTH. SO INSTEAD, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY AND THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF WHAT SROS DO VERSUS WHAT SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISONS DO. MAKE NO MISTAKE, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR MY MYSELF AT THE EXPENSE OF SROS. THEY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR TEAM. HOWEVER, YOUR CELLS ARE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE WHEN IT COMES TO DE-ESCALATING A SITUATION AND DISCIPLINE. SROS, ON THE OTHER HAND, AND PER THEIR MOU, ARE TASKED WITH MAINTAINING A SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, INVESTIGATING CRIMINAL OFFENSES

[01:05:04]

I'M ASKING YOU TO REMEMBER WHO KEEPS OUR STUDENTS SAFE. LOOK AT PROGRAMS TO CUT AND NOT PEOPLE. I'LL END WITH AN EMAIL FROM MISS ALVAREZ, WHO SUMMED UP WHY STAFF NEEDS TO BE HEARD.

AND THIS BOARD NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH OF US CONTRIBUTES TO CPS. WHEN I QUESTIONED HER ATTENDING A COUNCIL MEETING WHERE INSTEAD OF ADVOCATING FOR A FULLY FUNDED BUDGET, SHE INSTEAD SPOKE ABOUT SWIFT HIRING OF A NEW BOARD MEMBER. SHE REPLIED, AND I QUOTE. I TOO HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED WITH THE BUDGETING PROCESS, WHICH HAS LEFT ME FEELING POWERLESS. I HOPE TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR ITEMS THAT WILL SUPPORT NICHE AREAS THAT I BELIEVE WILL MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. LAKE PLAYGROUNDS PLAYGROUNDS ARE CERTAINLY IMPORTANT, BUT PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR YOUR STAFF IN OUR POSITIONS. I AM YOUR NICHE ITEM. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT PAIGE. THAT'S ALL THE

[Board Member Comments]

NO. I WANT TO FIRST THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. WE HAVE SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE PRIOR TO JULY 1ST, AND I WOULD JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S TAKEN THE TIME TO SHARE THEIR PRIORITIES, THEIR COMMENTS AND THEIR CONCERNS WITH SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AN EFFORT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR STAFF, WHO HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN, JUST TO HELP US PREPARE FOR THIS DECISION. I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDER SUGGESTIONS UNTIL WE GET TO THAT ITEM IN THE AGENDA. BUT I DID WANT TO ALSO CONGRATULATE OUR STUDENTS ON A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR. OUR STUDENTS HAVE DEFINITELY EARNED A MUCH DESERVED SUMMER BREAK, BUT BEFORE OUR STUDENTS DEPARTED FOR SUMMER, I WAS ABLE TO VISIT A FEW OTHER SCHOOLS FOR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS. SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND. HAVING GRACE HIGH SCHOOL'S AP GOVERNMENT SHOWCASE TO SEE THEIR THOROUGH YEAR LONG PROJECTS. I HAD SOME VERY MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS WITH STUDENTS. I MAJORED IN GOVERNMENT IN COLLEGE, SO I CAN'T SAY I HAD EASY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, BUT THEY DID GREAT. I ALSO VISITED EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH MY COLLEAGUE MRS. MILLER FOR THEIR FAMILY BOOK FAIR NIGHT. SO MANY STUDENTS PURCHASE BOOKS AND IT WAS JUST REALLY. IT WAS AN AWESOME NIGHT AND I WISH THEM WELL IN ALL OF THEIR READING ADVENTURES THIS SUMMER. LAST SCHOOL I TOURED FALLSTON MIDDLE. IT'S MY OLD STOMPING GROUNDS, VISITED, TALKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT HOW THE SCHOOL IS OVERCOME, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES TO A GROWING POPULATION, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. AS SOME HAD POINTED OUT, TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY, SO MAKE SURE YOU VOTE. THE POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7 A.M. TO 8 P.M. AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR POLLING LOCATION, YOU CAN GO ON TO THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE AND FIND IT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU FOR A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR AND HAVE A GREAT SUMMER. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND FOR ALL YOUR COMMENTS. I WISH WE WEREN'T IN THIS POSITION AGAIN. WE'RE IN THIS POSITION EVERY YEAR, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE'VE CUT SO MANY POSITIONS. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE POSITIONS WE CAN CUT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK AT PROGRAMS. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE HARFORD COUNTY GREAT. BUT APPARENTLY OUR NOT EVERYBODY FEELS THAT THESE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT. AND BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY FEELS THEY'RE IMPORTANT, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING TO KEEP EVERYTHING. IT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO EVEN TALK ABOUT ENDING HARFORD GLEN OR TO TALK ABOUT CUTTING BACK ON THE MUSIC OR ART PROGRAMS. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD NEVER BE IN A POSITION OF HAVING TO DO. BUT WHAT I DID WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT IS THERE WERE 35 SCHOOLS THAT SAID GOODBYE TO THEIR FIFTH GRADERS. LAST THURSDAY, I HAD THE HONOR TO CELEBRATE WITH THE FACULTY, FAMILY AND STUDENTS OF DUBLIN ELEMENTARY. I SAW THE LOVE THAT THE TEACHERS HAD FOR THE

[01:10:05]

YOU KNOW, WE ALL THINK OF THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S THE BIG ONE. BUT THAT FIFTH GRADE GRADUATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF THOSE STUDENTS AS THEY MOVE ON TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. BEFORE I GET TO BOARD BUSINESS, I HAVE A FEW PERSONAL UPDATES. I OFFICIALLY GRADUATED FROM HARTFORD TECH LAST MONTH. THANKS. I HEARD SOME TEACHERS OUT THERE CHEERING TOO. OH. I ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO ATTEND PATTERSON MILL HIGH SCHOOL'S GRADUATION AND STAND ON STAGE SHAKING THE HANDS OF THEIR GRADUATES AS THEY CROSSED WHICH PATTERSON MILL WAS MY MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO THAT WAS VERY COOL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2026. THIS FALL, I'LL BE HEADED TO PURDUE UNIVERSITY TO STUDY CYBERSECURITY. I'M GOING TO MISS YOU GUYS SO MUCH HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY. BUT ON TO OTHER THINGS. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE STUDENTS WHO GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT. IT TAKES HEART TO STAND UP HERE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND SPEAK. YOU ALL DID AN EXCELLENT JOB REPRESENTING YOURSELVES AND YOUR PEERS. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. NOW, TWO THINGS I WANT TO ADDRESS DIRECTLY ARE FOR GLENN, IT IS A TOPIC, A VERY LARGE TOPIC. TONIGHT. I SERVED AS A COUNSELOR THERE TWICE THIS YEAR, ONE FOR ONCE FOR THREE DAYS AND ONCE FOR FIVE DAYS. AND I ALSO ATTENDED HARTFORD GLENN AS A FIFTH GRADER. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING. I STAND WITH HARTFORD GLENN COMPLETELY.

IT'S EMBEDDED DIRECTLY IN THE FIFTH GRADE CURRICULUM. IT'S CORE INSTRUCTION, NOT AN ADD ON.

THE DATA BACKS THAT UP. AS OF APRIL 24TH, OUT OF 1982 FIFTH GRADERS COUNTYWIDE, 1863 OF THEM, WHICH IS 94%, WERE BROUGHT TO HARTFORD GLENN AND 1521 77% OF EVERY FIFTH GRADER IN THIS COUNTY SPENT THE NIGHT THERE. OF STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED, 82% OF THEM STAYED THE NIGHT.

THAT'S NOT A NICHE PROGRAM A HANDFUL OF SCHOOLS OPT INTO. IT'S REACHING NEARLY EVERY FIFTH GRADER WE HAVE, AND THE NUMBERS SHOW FAMILIES AND SCHOOLS ARE SHOWING UP FOR IT.

THAT'S WORTH PROTECTING. NOW. I WANTED TO MOVE ON TO FINANCIAL LITERACY. I'VE REVIEWED ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MY PROPOSED POLICY AND COMPILED THAT DATA. I'LL BE PRESENTING IT TO THE BOARD IN SMALL GROUPS THIS WEEK. I HEAR THE CONCERNS, AND I'M GOING TO KEEP WORKING TO MAKE THIS AS GOOD AS IT CAN BE FOR EVERYBODY. ONE CONCERN I'VE HEARD REPEATEDLY, AND ONE I GENUINELY UNDERSTAND, IS THE HALF CREDIT REDUCTION TO PE. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO WALK THROUGH SOME DATA SPECIFIC TO HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE WHILE THE WORRY THAT LESS PE CREDIT MEANS LESS ACTIVITY OR LESS HEALTHY KIDS COMES FROM A GOOD PLACE, THE RESEARCH DOESN'T ACTUALLY FULLY SUPPORT THAT CONNECTION. THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN STUDIED DIRECTLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, USING CHANGES IN THE STATE PE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS AS THE BASIS FOR COMPARISON. IN 2007, A STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS LOOKED AT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS UNDER BINDING STATE PE REQUIREMENTS AND FOUND THAT WHILE A BINDING PE REQUIREMENT DID ADD ABOUT 31 MINUTES PER WEEK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PE CLASS, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT PE LOWERED BMI OR THE PROBABILITY THAT A STUDENT WAS OVERWEIGHT. THIS RESEARCH, THE RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT THEY COULD NOT REJECT THE NULL HYPOTHESIS HYPOTHESIS OF NO CAUSAL EFFECT OF PE ON THE PROBABILITY OF OBESITY AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. A MORE RECENT REANALYSIS USING UPDATED STATE LAW CHANGES AND NATIONAL SURVEY DATA FOUND THE SAME PATTERN. A ONE SEMESTER INCREASE IN PE REQUIREMENTS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A 10 TO 13% INCREASE IN MINUTES PER WEEK SPENT ACTIVE IN PE CLASS, BUT WITH NO CHANGE IN NET VIGOROUS EXERCISE AND LITTLE CHANGE IN BODY WEIGHT. THE RESEARCHERS EXPLAIN THIS BY POINTING TO SUBSTITUTION STUDENTS OFFSET IN SCHOOL ACTIVITY WITH LESS ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, RESULTING IN SMALL NET CHANGE IN ENERGY EXPENDITURE. SO ACROSS TWO SEPARATE STUDIES, LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT HIGH SCHOOL PE REQUIREMENTS, THAT CONCLUSION IS CONSISTENT. CHANGING THE CREDIT AMOUNT IN EITHER DIRECTION HAS BEEN SHOWN, HAS HASN'T BEEN SHOWN TO MEANINGFULLY MOVE BODY WEIGHT OR OBESITY OUTCOMES FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS. THAT'S NOT ME DISMISSING PE VALUES. IT HAS IT'S CLEAR BENEFITS, BUT THE HALF CREDIT NUMBER ITSELF ISN'T SUPPORTED BY THE RESEARCH AS THE DECIDING FACTOR IN STUDENT HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE TREATED AS THE REASON TO OPPOSE FINANCIAL LITERACY, WHICH AMERICANS NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER. I ALSO WANT TO SPECIFICALLY ADVOCATE FOR OUR PLANETARIUMS. THEY'RE A HANDS ON, STUDENT FACING RESOURCE THAT BRINGS SCIENCE TO LIFE IN A WAY A TEXTBOOK CANNOT.

AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE ON THE TABLE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR PLACES TO CUT. IF WE'RE PROTECTING STUDENT FACING PROGRAMS, THAT HAS TO INCLUDE THEM ON THE BUDGET, I'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO PRESERVE ANY STUDENT FACING POSITIONS OR PROGRAMS. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT FEEL THE IMPACT OF THIS SHORTFALL. WHATEVER CUTS ARE NECESSARY, THEY SHOULD COME

[01:15:01]

LASTLY, I WANT TO BRING UP PAY TO PLAY SPORTS. FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS, SPORTS ARE THE ANCHOR THAT KEEPS THEM TIED TO SCHOOL. IT'S THE REASON THEY SHOW UP EVERY DAY, THE REASON THEY TRY TO DO WELL IN CLASS, AND THE REASON SCHOOL FEELS WORTH SHOWING UP FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHEN WE PUT A PRICE TAG ON THAT, WE RISK PRICING OUT THE EXACT STUDENTS WHO NEED THAT ANCHOR THE MOST. IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT KEEPING KIDS ENGAGED IN SCHOOL, WE CANNOT TREAT ATHLETICS AS EXPENDABLE OR AS SOMETHING ONLY FAMILIES WHO CAN AFFORD, WHO CAN AFFORD IT GET TO ACCESS. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO DOCTOR MACK ON BEING NAMED SUPERINTENDENT. THAT'S IT FOR MY COMMENTS TONIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO START TONIGHT BY JUST EXPRESSING MY DEEP SADNESS AND CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF THE YOUNG STUDENT THAT PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK IN A SWIMMING ACCIDENT. AND SO JUST KNOW THAT MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY THAT'S ADDRESSING THAT. SO I'D LIKE TO TURN THAT TO A CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FOR DOCTOR MACK. I'VE KNOWN THE MACK FAMILY FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, AND SO I HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE THAT SHE WILL WORK, COLLABORATE WITH THE BOARD TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT'S GOING TO BE IN THE BEST INTEREST AND ALWAYS ANCHORED IN CHILDREN FIRST. SO I'M HAPPY TO BE A PARTNER IN THAT. WITH ALMOST 30 YEARS IN EDUCATION RIGHT HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SERVING EVERY POSITION FROM TEACHER TO BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR TO CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR, EVEN IN HR WITH CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIATIONS. SO I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE AHEAD OF US. AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THE COMMITMENT FROM ME AND FROM I BELIEVE, THIS BOARD, WE WILL LOOK AT EVERY SCENARIO TO PRESERVE, AS MR. MCVICKERS MENTIONED, THAT ANY PROGRAM THAT DIRECTLY BENEFITS STUDENTS SHOULD BE PRESERVED. THAT'S GOING TO BE MY COMMITMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OTHER OTHER PROGRAMS, POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT DIRECTLY. AND IN THAT, I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR SUPERINTENDENT TO REALLY. WE'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE STAFF IN HERE TO TALK TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WHO HAVE THE PRIMARY DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITY OF EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN AND KEEPING THEM SAFE, AND REALLY GET THEIR INPUT ABOUT HOW ELSE WE CAN MAKE THE BUDGET NUMBERS WORK. AND THAT'S THE REALITY. SO I'M A PRAGMATIC PERSON. I WORK WITH, I DEAL WITH WHAT'S BEEN HANDED TO US. SO DEFINITELY PRESERVING PROGRAMS THAT HAVE HEARD TONIGHT AND PROGRAMS THAT I KNOW FROM MY 30 YEARS AT OUR TRADEMARK FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO ABSOLUTELY, IT'S ABOUT THAT. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AT THIS TIME. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND NOT JUST AT BUDGET TIME. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I TURN THE MIC OVER. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU FOR ALL ALL FOR SPEAKING THIS EVENING ON WHAT YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, HOW SPECIFIC PROGRAMS HAVE IMPACTED YOUR LIVES, AND FOR GIVING US SUGGESTIONS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THE INFORMATION. I AM DEEPLY SADDENED TO HAVE LEARNED OF THE PASSING OF ONE OF OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS THIS PAST WEEK. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO THE FAMILY AND THOSE IMPACTED BY THIS DEVASTATING LOSS. THIS EVENING WE VOTED ON DOCTOR MAX CONTRACT TO SUPERINTENDENT. I VOTED NO AND I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN WHY. FIRST, LET ME SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO DOCTOR MACK. YOU'RE A PHENOMENAL CANDIDATE AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU OR YOUR QUALIFICATIONS. MY VOTE IS DUE TO THE FLAWED SEARCH PROCESS AND WHAT WAS USED TO APPOINT HER AS SUPERINTENDENT FROM START TO FINISH. THE PROCESS HAS CAUSED MANY QUESTIONS AND MANY CONCERNS. THE FACTS FOR ME THAT LED TO MY NO VOTE. I DO NOT STAND BEHIND THE PROCESS. WE DIDN'T DISCUSS THE OTHER FINALISTS, WHAT OCCURRED IN THE CLOSED SESSION AND THE LEGALITIES SURROUNDING THE CLOSED SESSION AND THE VOTE.

I'M NOT A GO ALONG TO GET ALONG CANDIDATE OR A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, AND I'M HERE TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR THE STUDENTS. I FEEL THAT THE PROCESS WAS FLAWED, AND I FEEL LIKE WE DIDN'T DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE. SO I DON'T FEEL LIKE

[01:20:01]

UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT I IT CERTAINLY SOUNDED LIKE YOU ENJOYED IT AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP GOING IN THE SCIENCE AREA. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND ENGAGED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND TAKING THE TIME, BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS BUSY, BUSY SCHEDULES TO BE HERE AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. AS A BOARD, WE HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO PLACE OUR SCHOOLS IN THE STRONGEST FINANCIAL POSITION POSSIBLE WHILE CONTINUING CONTINUING TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR EACH STUDENT. I SHOULD HAVE STARTED OFF WITH.

CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR MAC, YOU GOT A DIFFICULT JOB AHEAD OF YOU. WE DO STRUGGLE WITH THESE BUDGETS EVERY YEAR, AND WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. AND AND I DO WANT THE THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THESE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING ARE NOT EASY. OVER THE LAST WE'VE MET, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES OUR SCHOOLS ARE OFFERING, AND THEY'RE PHENOMENAL. I HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS JUST THIS WEEK AND IT'S WE DON'T WANT TO CUT ANY OF THEM. I MEAN, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT WANTING TO CUT ANY OF THESE. WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, AMAZING CAREER PATHWAYS THAT ARE OFFERED TO OUR STUDENTS, EXTRACURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES, THE HANDS ON LEARNING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WITH HARFORD GLEN AND A LOT OF THE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. THESE ARE IMPORTANT FOR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND SOCIALLY. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

AND WE SHOULD BE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AND CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES WITH HONESTY, ANALYSIS, RIGOR THAT CREATES THE BEST SOLUTION WE CAN GIVEN THE SITUATION THAT OR THE BOUNDARIES OF OUR FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN SOME AREAS. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE, WE DO HAVE LIKE A ALMOST A CRISIS SITUATION. WE GET EMAILS EVERY DAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THE CLASSROOMS ARE OVERCROWDED. SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A CONCERN THAT WE ALL HAVE AND WE'RE THERE. THE TEACHERS ARE STRUGGLING IN MANY AREAS. AND SO WE NEED THE PARENTS HELP AS WELL, YOU KNOW, TO CONNECT WITH THE WITH THE SCHOOLS AND TO BE UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT ARE TEACHERS HAVE. AND I WANT TO TURN TO A BOOK. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE

[01:25:02]

AND THAT HAS HELPED US TREMENDOUSLY AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, FROM WHEN I

[01:30:05]

[Dr. Dyann Mack, Superintendent's Report]

[01:35:04]

[B. Consent Agenda]

NUMBER EIGHT IS THE OFFICE OF INTERNAL AUDIT FISCAL YEAR 2027. AUDIT PLAN NUMBER NINE IS THE APPOINTMENT OF AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBER. AND NUMBER TEN IS MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. APRIL 20TH. APRIL 27TH. MARCH. I'M SORRY. MAY 6TH AND MAY 18TH, 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND PRESIDENT PAGE. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TO HAVE ITEM FOUR REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO I WILL ASK FOR A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITHOUT ITEM FOUR. SO THAT'S ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE AND TEN.

I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA. I SECOND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY YES YES YES.

[B.4. Contract Award: Student Chromebook Lease]

YEAH. ITEM FOUR IS FOR $10 MILLION FOR THE CHROMEBOOK LEASE FOR GRADES TWO THROUGH EIGHT. AND I THINK IN MY OPEN OPENING COMMENTS, I. I MADE SIGNIFICANT. OR ALLUDED TO KIND OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE IN THE TECHNOLOGY AREA. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A, A SMALL TASK FORCE TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOLS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE YOUNGER GRADES. I AM AN ENGINEER. SO I, YOU KNOW, I EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY AND I KNOW THAT WE NEED TECHNOLOGY. AND AT THE OLDER AGES AND THE OLDER GRADES, YOU

[01:40:03]

[01:45:05]

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE DO FACE IS THAT THE STATE APPROVED, EVIDENCE BASED INTERVENTIONS ARE PRIMARILY COMPUTER BASED, AND THOSE ARE REALLY GRADES ONE THROUGH ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. ALSO, THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING FROM THE STATE, THOSE APPROVED PLATFORMS ARE ALSO COMPUTER BASED. AND SO IT BEHOOVES US TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN THE SKILLS TO USE THE DEVICE SO THAT THE TEST ACTUALLY ACCURATELY MEASURES THEIR CONTENT KNOWLEDGE. SO WE DO, YOU KNOW, NEED THE DEVICES TO THAT EXTENT. HOWEVER, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED, MRS. ALVAREZ, ABOUT CONVENING A GROUP, CERTAINLY OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR, TO LOOK AT THAT PHASE OUT OF K AND ONE FOR A 1 TO 1 APPROACH. AND ALSO THAT MESSAGE TO OUR TEACHERS OF ANY PLATFORM, ANY INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL, WHICH WE DO HAVE A FINITE CONTROLLED LIST OF APPROVED, ESSENTIAL AND SUPPLEMENTAL TOOLS THAT WHEN THOSE ARE USED, THOSE ARE USED WITH INTENTION AND THAT THERE ARE SAFEGUARDS. WE'VE ALSO ALREADY MET WITH MR. MOORE TO TALK ABOUT ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS THAT COULD BE PUT INTO PLACE, WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW STUDENTS TO ACCESS THINGS OUTSIDE OF A VERY CONTAINED CURRICULUM TYPE OF PLATFORM. SO I DO THINK WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH MAINTAINING DEVICES SO THAT STUDENTS HAVE THAT SKILL FOR LIFE, BUT ALSO ONLY USING THEM IN A VERY INTENTIONAL WAY. SO IT IS LIMITED AND STAYS UNDER ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE SCREEN TIME. I HAVE A QUESTION, MISS BENDIS. SO IF WE DON'T RENEW THOSE ONE ON ONE, BECAUSE I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT MRS. ALVAREZ AND HER STANCE, BECAUSE I FEEL THE SAME WAY, I FEEL LIKE TECHNOLOGY IS TOO INTEGRATED IN EVERY DAY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO IF WE DON'T RENEW FOR K THROUGH ONE, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OUR SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING? BECAUSE THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT DOCTOR MUELLER BROUGHT UP. THAT'S THE BOTTOM I UNDERSTAND. BUT IF IF WE DON'T HAVE THOSE LAPTOPS HOW ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SYNCHRONOUS LEARNING IN THOSE. YEAH YOU WILL HAVE THEM. SO ESSENTIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE COMING OFF A LEASE WILL BUY THOSE FOR 50. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE MY NUMBERS HERE FOR YOU, 5500 OF THOSE. IT'S $165,000 APPROXIMATELY FOR K AND ONE. SO THAT WE'LL HAVE THOSE FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT THEY CAN THEN, YOU KNOW, TRANSITION TO A DIFFERENT MODEL FOR THAT. SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE PLAN FOR THAT. SO IT REALLY GIVES YOU A YEAR TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE. OKAY. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I HAVE TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, ONE SIX AND 111, VISITING ME FROM MISSISSIPPI.

AND THE SIX YEAR OLD HAD THE HIGHEST READING SCORES FOR HER COUNTY IN MISSISSIPPI. AND THEY HAD THOSE TABLETS THERE. I WAS ALL PREPARED TO TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THEM AND MAKE THEM DO ALL THESE OTHER. WELL, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THEY CAN MAKE PHONE CALLS. THEY DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS, PLAY GAMES WITH WITH PEOPLE IN MISSISSIPPI, ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING. I MEAN, IT'S SCREEN TIME AND I REALLY FEEL FEEL BAD ABOUT IT. BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. AND FOR ME TO TAKE THEM AWAY, FOR US TO TAKE THEM AWAY, THEN THIS IS GOING TO HAMSTRING THEM WHEN THEY GET READY TO TAKE THE TEST. BECAUSE SHE WAS TESTED WITH THESE TABLETS THAT THE BEFORE.

SO NOW SHE'S DOING IT ALL SUMMER. AND I DID MAKE HER BUY ONE BOOK. SO I MAYBE SHOULD SHOULD DO THAT BOOK. BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE FOLKS. AND I THINK WE NEED TO ENGAGE WITH PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GOING AND HAVE THAT PART OF THEM TO DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS WITH SCREEN TIME AT HOME, IF I MAY, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE BUYING THE LAPTOPS OUT FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR, ROUGHLY. IF I KNOW THE MATH, IT'S LIKE 30, MAYBE $35 APIECE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S A REALLY, YOU KNOW, SMALL INVESTMENT TO HAVE THOSE TO JUST KEEP THOSE LAPTOPS AND, AND NOT HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE WITH THE LEASE. AND REALLY, WHEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE WANTED TO APPROACH THIS BALANCE, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEPT IN MIND WHAT THE RESEARCH WAS SAYING. BUT ALSO WE HAVE EDUCATORS, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND SUPPORTS FOR EDUCATORS. AND THE DEVICES CAME OUT OF COVID. AND SO WE'VE WE'VE NOW TRAINED OUR EDUCATORS. THERE'S PLATFORMS, IF WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH, WE NEED TIME TO GET THERE. AND SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO SIMPLY SAY K ONE AND KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST

[01:50:06]

YOU SAID K AND ONE. CORRECT. YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE EARLY GRADES, THE EARLY ALL ELEMENTARY, ALL ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY. OKAY. CAN I JUST SHARE A COUPLE THINGS JUST TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU'RE PREPARING TO VOTE? ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HAD IS THE COST OF THE CHROMEBOOKS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE CHROMEBOOKS, IT LOOKS LIKE A LAPTOP, ■BUT THE CHIPS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY. SO THE PRICING HAS BEEN NOT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT. THE THREE YEAR COMMITMENT FOR THE SECOND THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE DOES NOT COMMIT YOU TO USING IT IN THE SAME MANNER THAT YOU'RE USING IT NOW. SO THAT'S JUST MAYBE SOMETHING WE CAN TALK THROUGH WITH THE TASK FORCE AS WELL. AND THEN IT KIND OF DOES GIVE YOU THAT OFF RAMP IN THE K THROUGH K AND ONE WHERE WE'RE NOT COMMITTING. SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE BUYING OUT THAT LEASE. AND THEN THAT WAY YOU'LL HAVE TIME FROM THE INSTRUCTIONAL SIDE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR FOR THOSE GRADES. DOES IT, DOES IT TIE US TO A QUANTITY OF LAPTOPS? IT DOES, YES. AND JUST AS A POINT OF CLARITY, THE BUYOUT IS A PART OF A CONTRACT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED.

SO WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING A BUYOUT TONIGHT. WE ARE ONLY DISCUSSING THE PURCHASE OF A NEW LEASE, A NEW LEASE FOR SECOND THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, THE BUY OUTS ON THE ON THE CONTRACT. YEAH. SO THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT WHAT WAS IN THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING. SO THIS LEASE WOULD ONLY BE FOR SECOND THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE A THREE YEAR LEASE BECAUSE THAT DOES GIVE YOU A BENEFIT IN TERMS OF PRICING. SO JUST THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION TO YOU, OBVIOUSLY WITH COVID, WE NO LONGER HAVE THOSE COMPUTER LABS AND TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN WOULD BE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE. SO AGAIN, THE THREE YEAR LEASE IS JUST COMMITTING TO THAT PRICING THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY COMMITTING TO HOW THAT IS GOING TO BE USED. BUT I THINK JUST GIVEN WHERE THE MARKET CONDITIONS ARE RIGHT NOW, I WOULD BE CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE PRICES ARE GOING DOWN. SO JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO BE THINKING ABOUT DEFINITELY WOULD NOT BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO WE PRESIDENT PAGE I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR THE STUDENT CHROMEBOOK LEASE. SECOND A ROLL CALL VOTE. MISS NAKAI YES. DOCTOR MUELLER.

YES. MR. MCVICAR. YES. MRS. MILLER. YES. MRS. HAHN. I'M GOING TO ABSTAIN. MISS BRUCE.

YES, MRS. ALVAREZ. OH. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. YES. PRESIDENT PAGE. YES. THIS MOTION

[C. Decision on Administrative and Supervisory Appointments, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources]

[01:55:02]

THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MISS MICHELLE E HOMAN. MISS HOMAN HAS OVER 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE BETWEEN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SERVING IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS. SHE IS A FORMER SCIENCE TEACHER, DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSON, CURRICULUM DEVELOPER, TECHNOLOGY LIAISON AND TEAM LEADER. MISS HOMAN IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE INSTRUCTIONAL DATA SPECIALIST FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SUPPORTING DISTRICT WIDE ACCOUNTABILITY INITIATIVES, ASSESSMENT OPERATIONS, STATE REPORTING AND DATA ANALYSIS BOARD. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS THE APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.

AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, AS WE DO WITH ALL PERSONNEL MATTERS, TO DISCUSS THIS IN CLOSED SESSION. SO THERE WILL BE NO DISCUSSION TONIGHT. BUT I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE. MICHELLE HOMAN FOR ASSISTANT SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY. SECOND THAT MOTION, MISS ROLLO, IF YOU WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL, VOTE. MISS. YES, DOCTOR. MUELLER. YES. MR. MCVICAR. YES. MRS. MILLER. YES, MISS. HAHN. NO. MISS. BRUCE. YES. MRS. ALVAREZ. NO. VICE PRESIDENT. SEWELL. YES. PRESIDENT. PAGE. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. OKAY.

BOARD. THE NEXT POSITION THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING IS FOR THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR ACADEMICS, THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES POSITION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOR PROVIDING LEADERSHIP AND DIRECTION FOR ALL ELEMENTARY AND ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS POSITION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLABORATING AND SUPPORTING THE OTHER ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS, DIRECTORS AND STAFF TO MEET THE OPERATIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND FOR OUR STUDENTS. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MISS, IS MR. BRIAN C POWELL. MR. POWELL HAS 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FROM BOTH ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MR. POWELL HAS SERVED AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER, SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION ADMINISTRATOR, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND DIRECTOR OF THE K-12 DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. MR. POWELL HAS WAS THE 2023 BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AND IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE WITH ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME. I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE, BRIAN POWELL, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. MISS ROLLO, IF YOU WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL, VOTE SECOND. OH, SORRY.

MR. YES. DOCTOR. MILLER. YES. MR. MCVICKER. YES. MISS. MILLER. NO. MRS. HAHN. NO. MISS. BRUCE.

YES. MISS. ALVAREZ, NO. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. YES. PRESIDENT. PAGE. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES FIVE THREE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AS WE MOVE TO THE LAST ITEM ON THE

[D. FY2027 Operating Budget Discussion, Ms. Deborah Judd, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services and Mr. Eric Clark, Director of Budget]

[02:00:03]

[02:05:03]

SO AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT CUTS TO OUR EXISTING BUDGET. THEY ARE EITHER REDUCTIONS OR REMOVAL PROPOSALS OF THE ASK. SO WE HAD WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE BUDGET TO THE COUNTY, WE HAD TEN ADDITIONAL TEACHERS FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. THAT AMOUNT WAS NOT GOING TO ADDRESS CLASS SIZE ISSUES, BUT IT WAS ADDITIONAL TEACHERS TO SUPPORT. WE BELIEVE WITH ENROLLMENT AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, WE WILL HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR SOME ADDITIONAL TEACHERS TO DEPLOY AS NEEDED IN THE FALL, SO WE BELIEVE WE CAN REMOVE THAT. ADDITIONAL TEN TEACHERS THAT WAS REQUESTED. LIKEWISE, WITH THE THREE MULTI LANGUAGE LEARNER TEACHERS, WE BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THOSE AS WELL. WE HAD ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS FOR STUDENT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DUE TO THE BUDGET ISSUES. WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO REMOVE THAT HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASES. WE LOOKED AT THE CURRENT BUDGET IN THE BUDGET LINE THAT WE HAVE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, LOOKED AT THE RATE INCREASES, AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THE REQUEST BY $1.3 MILLION, OUR INFLATIONARY INCREASES. THAT'S A REDUCTION OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAD IN THE BUDGET.

HARTFORD YOUTH FOR WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. WE HAD $350,000 IN THAT BUDGET. WE'RE PROPOSING TO REMOVE 200,000 BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET FUNDED FOR THE THREE BUSSES THAT WE ASKED FOR, FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, NON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WE ARE PROPOSING TO REMOVE ONE DRIVER AND ONE ATTENDANT FROM THE REQUEST. THE OTHER TWO WERE LOOKING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MAY BE ABLE TO FIND ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION. LIKEWISE, WHEN WE LOOK TO REDUCE THE BUDGET AS NEEDED AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THERE ARE QUITE OFTEN ADDITIONS AND OTHER REDUCTIONS. WE LOOK AT THE SCHOOL ALLOCATED BUDGETS, WE TALKED TO OUR SCHOOLS, AND OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WE HAVE REMOVED COSTS FROM THE SCHOOLS WHERE CENTRAL OFFICE WAS PAYING THOSE, AND WE'VE NOT REALLY FINE TUNED THEIR BUDGET. SO OUR SERVICES AREA WORKED WITH OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEY IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY A 10% BUDGET OUT OF THE SCHOOLS. WE ARE PROPOSING TO FREEZE CONFERENCES FOR A YEAR. THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP. MANY OF OUR CONFERENCES ARE REQUIRED FOR CERTIFICATION, MAINTENANCE AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT DIFFERENT

[02:10:01]

BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, I WOULD JUST ASK THE BOARD, I KNOW YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS, BUT ANY CONVERSATION QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SUPERINTENDENT IDENTIFIED? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REDUCTION TO INFLATIONARY INCREASES. WAS THAT YOU THOUGHT THINGS WERE GOING TO GO UP MORE THAN THEY. NOW IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE BUDGET. SO WHAT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO DO IS LEAVE US WHERE WE DON'T QUITE HAVE ENOUGH FOR ELECTRIC BILLS AND GAS BILLS AND. CORRECT. OKAY. KIND OF FIGURED THAT, BUT I THOUGHT I'D ASK. YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO ADD IS THAT WE'VE HEARD THE PUBLIC, WE'VE HEARD BOARD MEMBERS TALK ABOUT THE CENTRAL OFFICE PIECE. AND SO ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THINGS THAT WE DID WAS TOOK A LOOK AT OUR CENTRAL OFFICE POSITIONS AND SEE WHERE WE COULD IDENTIFY CUTS. AND SO THESE ARE THE CUTS THAT WE MADE. AND I WANT TO MAKE NOTE THAT ONE OF THOSE CUTS ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE. THAT'S THAT'S HOW COMMITTED I AM. THAT'S HOW COMMITTED OUR TEAM IS TO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING ACROSS THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION FROM THE TOP TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE CONTRIBUTING OUR FAIR SHARE TO SOLVING THIS DEFICIT. I JUST I HAVE A QUESTION OR CONCERN, DOCTOR MATKINS, CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE GET. SO WE'VE BEEN GETTING SO MANY EMAILS ABOUT THE. ELEMENTARY LEVEL CLASSROOMS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE OVER OR THE. THEY'RE LARGE AND UNMANAGEABLE. IS THERE A PLAN IN PLACE TO TRY TO BALANCE WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN THESE, LIKE THE REMOVAL OF THE TEN ADDITIONAL TEACHERS, WOULD HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY USED TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT. SO THE TEN ADDITIONAL TEACHERS WAS GOING TO BE USED TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEXITY FACTOR. SO. THE, THE UNIQUE BEHAVIORS THAT SOMETIMES TIMES COME INTO OUR CLASSROOMS, CHILDREN THAT HAVE DIFFICULTY REGULATING SOME OF OUR CLASS SIZES THAT ARE LARGE, JUST TO HAVE AN EXTRA PAIR OF HANDS. WE DID NOT HAVE THE STAFFING TO TAKE OUR CLASS SIZE CAPS DOWN THAT WE MADE THAT CUT LAST YEAR.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT TO GET US BACK TO THE CLASS SIZES THAT WE HAD BEFORE LAST YEAR'S CUTS.

THE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS THAT WE WERE HOPING TO EMBED INTO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR WAS REALLY GOING TO GIVE OUR SCHOOLS SOME FLEXIBILITY TO DEAL WITH THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS, SOME OF THE CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH DEREGULATION THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS NEED. IT WAS GOING TO BE PAIRED WITH LINE NUMBER THREE, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT STUDENT EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SUPPORT. A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, AND SOME OF WHAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON OUR STUDENTS. WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE ON DEVICES ALL THE TIME, WHEN THEY GET IN FRONT OF HUMANS, SOMETIMES THEY STRUGGLE BECAUSE WE MAY NOT BE AS EXCITING. AND SO WE WERE REALLY LOOKING AT PUTTING IN SOME UNIQUE SUPPORTS FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS. WHAT THESE BUDGET CUTS SAY IS THAT WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE DO KNOW THAT OUR KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT IS DOWN. SO THERE MAY BE SOME EXCESS TEACHERS THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME INNOVATION TO ADDRESS THE CLASS SIZES TO THE INTENSITY OF SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS GOING ON IN OUR CLASS, AND SOME OF THE EMOTIONAL REGULATION CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE. BUT IT WILL IT WILL NOT BE AS INNOVATIVE AND AS CREATIVE AS THE PLAN THAT I HAD WITH OUR ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. AND I KNOW MRS. MUMBY

[02:15:03]

SO I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO FEEL LIKE THE KIDS, THE STUDENTS WOULD BE DENIED THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKFORCE TRAINING WHEN IT'S OUT THERE. I KNOW IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE'RE ALWAYS HELPING TO FILL THOSE SEATS EVERY FALL AND SPRING SEMESTER SO THAT THE COURSES COULD RUN, SO WE COULD HELP REDIRECT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THAT. I THINK MR. CONNOLLY COULD PROBABLY SPEAK MORE DIRECTLY TO THE LEADING EDGE CENTER, BUT I KNOW THAT WE DO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP. AND AS I SAID, THE HARTFORD YOUTH WORK WORK YOUTH WORKFORCE INVESTMENT PROGRAM IS WITH HCC, SO THEY ARE PART OF THE PROCESS IN TERMS OF WHAT SEATS WERE OFFERED, HOW OUR MOU IS ESTABLISHED, ETCETERA. AND SO PART OF THE REDUCTION OF THE 200 IS BY TRYING TO LEVERAGE MORE OF ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES TO STILL PROVIDE SOMETHING TO STUDENTS, BUT IT WILL JUST CHANGE THE NATURE OF HOW THAT THAT GETS PROVIDED. RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT PART. I WAS JUST MAKING A SUGGESTION THAT WE FULLY UTILIZE THE FUNDS FROM THE RADCLIFFE FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT THAT PROGRAM FOR OUR YOUTH, OUR STUDENTS THAT WANT TO ENGAGE AND PURSUE THE CAREER PATHWAYS. THAT'S ALL. I MADE A NOTE. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE FTE LISTED ON THIS. THAT IS, SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR EACH OF THOSE POSITIONS. SO WE STARTED OUT WITH A VARIANCE OF $12.6 MILLION SAVINGS THAT WE NEED TO IDENTIFY. SO THIS LIST GIVES US $5.2 MILLION. THEN AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE OFTEN HAVE ADDITIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO THE BUDGET. SO FOR A TOTAL OF $3.2 MILLION, WE ARE RECOMMENDING AN ADDITIONAL PORTION BE ASSIGNED TO

[02:20:02]

BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT CONTINUE TO TO BUBBLE UP. WE HAVE ELEMENTARY ORCHESTRA AND BAND FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE, WHICH IS $3.2 MILLION. I UNDERSTAND IN SPEAKING WITH THE SUPERVISOR OF FINE ARTS, THAT WE REALLY CAN'T DIFFERENTIATE AND PULL OUT JUST FOURTH GRADE BECAUSE THE TEACHERS ARE USED ACROSS BOTH GRADES AND SCHOOLS. SO THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CHALLENGE IF WE NEEDED TO EXPLORE THAT. THE HARFORD GLENN DAY PROGRAM IS $1 MILLION. THE TRANSPORTATION FOR MAGNET PROGRAMS IS $315,000. THE OVERNIGHT PROGRAM AT HARFORD GLENN, SEPARATELY FROM THE DAY PROGRAM IS $300,000. PLANETARIUMS ARE 200,000 DUAL ENROLLMENT. THIS WOULD REDUCE THE ALLOWANCE OF CLASSES FROM 5 TO 4. IT'S A SMALL SAVINGS OF $80,000. GRADUATION FACILITY RENTALS. WE DO RENT FACILITIES AT HCC. DURING COVID, WE RENTED RIPKEN STADIUM. SO THAT WOULD SAVE $85,000. AND I BELIEVE THE THOUGHT IS THAT STUDENTS WOULD GRADUATE IN THEIR HOME HIGH SCHOOLS AS OPPOSED TO AT HCC ATHLETIC POTENTIAL ATHLETIC CHANGES. AGAIN, SOME OF THESE ARE LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNTS. HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS IN TOTAL IS $3.7 MILLION PAY TO PLAY REVENUE. WE DID SOME CALCULATIONS. WE HAVE $800,000 AS A HOLDING PLACE IN THERE. AGAIN, WE COULD LOOK AT DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FOR PAY TO PLAY THE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC TRAINERS. THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE STATE. SO THAT IS REFLECTED HERE AS A POTENTIAL CONSIDERATION. CLOSURE OF THE POOLS $370,000

[02:25:02]

AGAIN, THE POSITIONS ARE IN TOTAL. OUR POSITIONS ARE THE LARGEST PART OF OUR BUDGET. SO TEACHING IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT IS THE BULK OF THE BUDGET. HOWEVER, NONTEACHING POSITIONS WAS SOMETHING SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO LOOK AT. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION FOR MAGNET PROGRAMS. WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT ENTAIL? AND IF WE WERE TO REDUCE THAT $315,000, DOES THAT MEAN WE WON'T HAVE BUSSES TO GO TO? LIKE HOW WOULD STUDENTS STILL GET THERE? WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. IF IF WE WERE TO SAY WE WOULD NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION FOR MAGNET PROGRAMS, IT WOULD BE UP TO FAMILIES TO GET THEIR STUDENTS TO THEIR MAGNET PROGRAM. THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER. AGAIN, I DON'T SEE THIS ONE AS BEING SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PUT INTO PLACE FOR THIS FALL, BECAUSE WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE FAMILIES NOTICE THAT WE WERE DOING THAT. BUT AGAIN, IT IS A LARGE DOLLAR AMOUNT. IT IS AN EXTRA THAT WE PROVIDE THAT WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE. SO IT'S ON THIS LIST. HOW WOULD AND THAT INCLUDES HARTFORD TECH. WE HAVEN'T SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT HARTFORD TECH. IT'S THAT'S THAT'S A WHOLE SCHOOL PROGRAM, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW IF IT LIKE FELL INTO THE SAME. NOT THE SAME. NO. BUT WITH THAT, THAT'S A GOOD POINT THAT YOU BRING UP. YOU KNOW, THE COST FOR OUR FOR US IS ROUGHLY $315,000. BUT IF WE WERE TO GET RID OF THAT, THE COST ISN'T GOING TO GO AWAY. MAYBE COST TO US, BUT THE COST THAT THERE WILL STILL BE THAT COST TO THE FAMILIES AND PROBABLY WOULD BE TWICE THAT, THREE TIMES THAT FOR THEM TO PAY. AND OF COURSE, THEN IT'S LOST TIME ON THEIR PART, YOU KNOW, LOST TIME GOING TO WORK, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. BUT THE SOCIETAL COST NO DOUBT BE A MULTIPLE OF THAT. IF IT WOULD COME OUT OF OUR BOTTOM LINE, CAN WE CAN WE PICK A LITTLE BIT AT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT HERE, THOUGH? I MEAN, COULD WE ALL SAY THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES TO FOUR FROM FIVE? NOT THAT I WANT TO DO THAT. NOT THAT I THINK THAT'S IDEAL, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S AN $80,000 DROP IN THE BUCKET. WHY DON'T WE START WITH SOMETHING MAYBE THAT WE COULD AGREE ON? I AGREE WITH THAT COMPLETELY. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT LIKE WHAT WE WOULD WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, LIKE IF WE TOOK AWAY THE, THE ORCHESTRA AND BAND IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WOULD THE CHILDREN STILL HAVE EXPOSURE TO ANY KIND OF MUSICAL EDUCATION OR, YOU KNOW, IS, IS, IS THAT IS THAT AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH JUST THE, THE BAND AND LIKE, WOULD THEY HAVE ANY? THAT'S MY QUESTION. WOULD THEY HAVE ANY EXPOSURE TO MUSICAL EDUCATION IN THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL? SO THEY WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO MUSIC AS A PART OF THEIR SPECIAL. BUT I'M GOING TO ASK MR. WARFIELD TO COME FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT. JUMP. OH, YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH HERE. BE CAREFUL WITH THAT ONE. IT'S SNAPPED ON ME BEFORE. HERE YOU GO, MR. WINFIELD. MR. CLARK, MISS ALVAREZ. YES. THEY WOULD STILL HAVE THEIR ELEMENTARY VOCAL EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY COMAR, BUT THEY JUST WOULDN'T HAVE ANY INSTRUMENTAL PROGRAM. AND THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE DEVASTATING TO MANY STUDENTS. YEAH, I AGREE, MY, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS THAT WOULD AFFECT. I WOULD YES, YES, YES. YEAH. I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THOSE FIGURES. YOU YOU'RE PREPARED THIS YEAR IN 25, 26, THERE WERE 3418 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE ELEMENTARY INSTRUMENT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. OUT OF 5727 TOTAL FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS, WHICH REPRESENTS APPROXIMATELY 60% OF OUR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS. AND I MIGHT ADD, THAT ALSO AFFECTS THE 68,000 PARENTS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THOSE 34,000

[02:30:07]

WE WOULD THERE WOULD BE NO TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE THEY'RE JUST SO MANY STUDENTS. THE BEAUTY OF THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL IS THAT THEY HAVE THAT SMALL GROUP TO WORK WITH THE PROFESSIONAL AND TO LEARN ALL THE RUDIMENTS, ALL THE SKILLS THAT ARE CRITICAL. PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT IS HARD.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO AN ELEMENTARY CONCERT? THEY CAN BE PRETTY SCARY. ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. YOU HAVE TO START AT THAT VERY BEGINNING AND THEY HAVE FOURTH GRADE IN ORCHESTRA. THEY'RE PLUCKING. THEY CAN ONLY PLUCK BY THE THEIR WINTER CONCERT DATE, BUT THAT GETS THEM SET UP FOR, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY'RE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. I WENT TO THE, THE ELEMENTARY MUSIC PROGRAM AT BELLAIRE ELEMENTARY, AND THE STRINGS IN THE BAND FROM FOURTH GRADE WERE TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANIMALS. I HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE THE SAME STUDENTS. SO IT REALLY DOES.

AND THAT'S JUST IN IN ONE YEAR, LIKE THE FOURTH GRADERS, BY THE END OF THE FOURTH GRADE YEAR, THEY'RE TOTALLY DIFFERENT STUDENTS. AND THEN THEY HAVE THAT IN FIFTH GRADE. SO TO TAKE THAT AWAY, I MEAN, IT'S JUST GOING TO IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE BECAUSE THAT WHOLE PIPELINE OF RUNNING FROM ELEMENTARY. ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL, THEN HIGH SCHOOL, OUR HONOR, OUR HONOR ENSEMBLES, OUR COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY ARTS, ALL OF THAT WILL SUFFER.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET TO THE LEVEL THAT WE ARE STUDENTS IN. THE ALL HONORS BANDS AND ORCHESTRAS IN HIGH SCHOOLS ARE PLAYING LEVEL FIVE MUSIC. IT ONLY GOES TO LEVEL SIX, AND THAT'S WHERE IT TOPS OUT. AND SOMETIMES WE DO SIX, BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT'S FIVE. AND THEY CAN'T DO THAT IN THEIR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS AT THAT LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO, TO PERFORM A GRADE FIVE MUSIC. SO WE'RE GIVING THOSE STUDENTS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE THAT THEY CAN THEN TAKE INTO COLLEGE. MANY OF THEM ARE INTERESTED IN MUSIC. AND YEAH, IT WOULD, IT WOULD HAVE A BIG SNOWBALL EFFECT IF WE CUT ELEMENTARY MUSIC. WHAT WHAT ARE THE WHAT'S INCLUDED? IS IT MOSTLY LIKE STAFFING OR WHAT IS WHAT IS THE, THE BIG 100% STAFFING. IT'S 100% STAFFING. OKAY. WE HAVE WE HAVE FULL TIME ELEMENTARY INSTRUMENTAL TEACHERS IN ALL 33 OF OUR SCHOOLS, OR THEY ARE ITINERANTS WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE SMALLER, LIKE, OR THE PROGRAMS ARE SMALLER, LIKE BAKERSFIELD, CHURCHVILLE, ROY WILLIAMS, DUBLIN, DARLINGTON, DUBLIN, DARLINGTON. WELL, DARLINGTON'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A MUSIC TEACHER THAT DOES THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE, THE WHOLE SCHOOL, AND SO DOES.

I DON'T MEAN THAT AS A DEVASTATING OR DECLAMATORY. NO, I DIDN'T MEAN THAT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, BUT IT'S THE TRUTH. AND THEN MORRISVILLE IS LIKE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE TIMES TWO, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY 12 CLASSROOMS AND THEY ONLY HAVE ONE MUSIC TEACHER FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL WHO DOES INSTRUMENTAL, AND THEY'RE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT INSTRUMENTAL, VOCAL AND ORCHESTRA AS WELL. BUT OUR OTHER SCHOOLS HAVE. EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY IS ALSO ANOTHER ONE THAT HAS A PART TIME, BUT THEY ARE ABLE TO SERVICE ALL THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THEIR SCHOOLS. SO WE'RE SAYING THAT THAT'S ALL STAFF. THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN? LET'S SAY WE DID GET RID OF MUSIC. FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE. THOSE STUDENTS ARE

[02:35:04]

CERTAINLY WHEN WE HAVE HAD UNFORTUNATELY, WITH WITH BUDGET CUTS IN RECENT YEARS, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, NOT SPECIFICALLY IN THE AREA OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, THE BOARD HAD A COMMITMENT TO, YOU KNOW, RETAINING CURRENT EMPLOYEES. SO THOSE EMPLOYEE THERE WERE EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ESSENTIALLY REASSIGNED OR MISASSIGNED INTO POSITIONS THAT MAYBE THEY WERE NOT CERTIFICATED IN. THEY ARE A LICENSED TEACHER. SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD BE REASSIGNING INSTRUMENTALLY TRAINED TEACHERS INTO POSITIONS THAT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY CERTIFICATED FOR. THERE ARE ALSO OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, BUT I'M NOT FULLY PREPARED TO DISCUSS THIS THIS EVENING. THAT'S THE PERFECT PATH. THAT'S ONE PATH THAT WE COULD TAKE. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IS EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD AS TO WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION. THIS THIS COULD HAPPEN. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE WERE TO MAKE THAT DECISION AND WE HAD AND WE DECIDED TO KEEP 30 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TEACHERS AND PLACE THEM OUT OF THEIR CONTENT AREA, THEY COULD BE TEACHING ALGEBRA TWO.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS THE BEST DECISION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC, IT'S ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. AND SO IT'S JUST THE BIGGEST PICTURE. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE CONNECT ALL THOSE DOTS BECAUSE WE CAN'T MAKE ONE DECISION IN ISOLATION. THANK YOU, MR. RICHARDSON. PERFECT EXAMPLE. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ALSO. SO STATE WIDE, HOW MANY OTHER COUNTIES HAVE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC? ALL OF THEM. RIGHT NOW IT'S ALWAYS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK HOWARD COUNTY JUST WENT THROUGH. THEY ACTUALLY START STRINGS IN THIRD GRADE. I BELIEVE THEY'RE KEEPING THAT. BUT MANY OF THE FOURTH GRADE PROGRAMS ARE PUT ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK FIRST. BUT OFTEN, THANK GOODNESS THEY DON'T COME THROUGH. OH, I CAN LOOK FOR YOU TO TO HAVE SPECIFICS. I DON'T KNOW ALL 24 LEAH'S, BUT I BELIEVE THEY ALL HAVE INSTRUMENTAL PROGRAMS FOUR AND FIVE, FOUR AND FIVE. AND IF WE WERE TO DO JUST THE FOURTH GRADE, YOU KNOW, ORCHESTRA AND BAND, COULD WE SEPARATE THOSE OUT AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WOULD DO THAT BECAUSE IN, IN FOURTH GRADE, THEY ARE THE INSTRUMENTAL TEACHERS START OR THEY HAVE ALREADY BEGUN IN THIRD GRADE TRYING TO THEY CALL IT LIKE A PETTING ZOO, AND THEY'LL TAKE THE DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS AROUND TO THEIR CLASSROOMS AND HELP STUDENTS DECIDE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN WHATEVER INSTRUMENT. AND THAT STARTS. IF IT'S NOT DONE IN THIRD GRADE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEN THE FIRST PART OF FOURTH GRADE IS WHEN THAT'S DONE. AND THAT TEACHER ALSO DOES ALL I MEAN, THEY START LESSONS WITH FIFTH GRADERS RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY FINISHED OUT IN FOURTH GRADE AND THEY'RE JUST PICKING UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? IT'S REALLY IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE IT TO HAVE ONE TEACHER BECAUSE THEN THEN WHERE DOES THE THE I CALL IT GLAMOURING, WHERE YOU INTEREST A STUDENT IN, IN AN

[02:40:06]

THEY ARE ATHLETES. THEY ARE. THEY ARE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS. THEY ARE IN ALL THE AP CLASSES.

THEY'RE IN THE MUSICAL. THEY'RE IN NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. THEY'RE IN EVERYTHING BECAUSE THEY LEARN. THEY LEARN SO MUCH SPATIALLY. AND LIKE THE LITERACY OF MUSIC AND HOW IT CONNECTS TO READING. WE READ DOTS AND LINES WELL, BUT THAT'S A BIG TRANSFER. THAT'S A LOT OF CODING THAT HAS TO GO ON AND A STUDENT'S BRAIN. BUT IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN PUTTING WORDS TOGETHER AND THEN DECIDING WHICH HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW IT MOVES FORWARD. SO THERE ARE SO MANY CONNECTIONS. AND ACTUALLY, AS MUSIC TEACHERS, WE WERE EXPECTED TO SHOW HOW WE WERE SUPPORTING READING IN OUR CLASSROOMS AT ALL TIMES, GOING BACK TO COMMON CORE. AND THAT WAS WHAT IN THE 90S. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THERE ARE. I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE. I KNOW YOU KNOW A LOT OF THEM, BUT I MEAN, HOW THEY UNDERSTAND SCIENCE, HOW THEY PROCESS THEIR METHODOLOGY, THEY THEY JUST HAVE THOSE. THEY'RE THEY'RE GIVEN TO THEM BY WHAT THEY LEARN IN BAND AND ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS AS WELL. IT'S THE SAME THING. AND THAT WORKING TOGETHER, THAT IS HUGE.

GETTING THEM INTO GROUPS BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY GET INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START MAKING DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN OF WHAT CLASSES THEY WOULD LIKE. THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT. WELL, THEY THEY DO HAVE, I THINK MAYBE THE OPPORTUNITY OF WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE IN CHORUS OR NOT. BUT I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY IT AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. THANK YOU. I ASKED THAT QUESTION ON PURPOSE BECAUSE I WANT TO SAY TO THE BOARD HERE, WITH OUR INCREASING PERCENTAGES OF DIVERSE POPULATION, AND I CAN TELL YOU AS AN ELL STUDENT, BEFORE THERE WAS SUCH A TERM FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS THAT MUSIC AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC AND MATHEMATICS, THOSE NUMBERS, THEY ARE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGES. SO YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SPEAK THIS LANGUAGE TO BE ABLE TO FIT IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GO TO THE MUSIC CLASS. SO I WOULD SAY IF WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING ELIMINATING FOREIGN LANGUAGE FROM OUR SCHOOL INSTRUCTION, THEN WE SHOULDN'T CONSIDER THE INSTRUMENTAL BECAUSE IT DOES SUPPORT THE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND CROSS LEARNING IN MANY, MANY DIFFERENT SKILLS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE AND CODE THESE LITTLE STICKS AND, AND CIRCLES INTO, INTO SYMBOLS TO PLAY ON THE INSTRUMENT AND THEN THE RHYTHM. YOU'RE DOING MULTIPLE THINGS. AND THEN IT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT REDUCING SCREEN TIME FOR KIDS. WELL, HAVING THEM IN INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC THAT WE OFFERED SCHOOL BECAUSE FOR SOME FAMILIES LIKE OURS OF SEVEN CHILDREN, WE COULDN'T HAVE AFFORDED TO HAVE PRIVATE LESSONS. SO TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE EITHER IN A LOANER INSTRUMENT AT SCHOOL OR TO A RENTAL, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT ALLOWS THAT. AND SO IT REDUCES THE SCREEN TIME, BUT IT PROMOTES OR INCREASES THAT MENTAL THINKING, PROCESSING AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF PLAYING THOSE INSTRUMENTS. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AS A LANGUAGE LEARNER. THERE'S SO MUCH INTERNAL THAT'S GOING ON, AND THERE'S A HUGE CORRELATION TO MATH. MANY STUDENTS THAT ARE ADVANCED MUSICIANS ARE ALSO TAKING STATISTICS ADVANCED. GEEZ, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT CALCULUS CALCULUS. THANK YOU.

AP CALCULUS. I MEAN, THEY'RE TAKING ALL OF THOSE CLASSES AND THEY, THEY DO. I MEAN, IT, IT'S

[02:45:02]

WE LEARN IT AS A CHILD AND BECAUSE WE LEARN IT AS A CHILD, IT STAYS WITH US. I STARTED TAKING PIANO LESSONS IN THIRD GRADE IN MY MY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN BALTIMORE COUNTY. AND I REMEMBER TO THIS DAY MY VERY SCARY TEACHER. BUT SHE WAS REALLY GOOD AND I, I, I LEARNED AND, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER HOW I LEARNED. AND THAT'S THE DIFFICULTY AS A TEACHER TO BREAK IT DOWN THEN AS A MUSICIAN, TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THIS IS HOW YOU DO THIS. INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, HOW COME YOU CAN'T DO THAT? WE NEVER SAY THAT. AT LEAST I NEVER SAY THAT. YEAH. IF I MAY CHIME IN, MISS MILLER, YOU, YOU KNOW, ASKED ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESS STORIES, AND I'M ONE OF THEM. MUSIC AND ORCHESTRA WAS MY FAVORITE BY FAR MY FAVORITE PROGRAM THAT HE OFFERED WHEN I WAS A STUDENT. I STARTED PLAYING THE CELLO IN FIFTH GRADE. I DID SKIP OUT ON FOURTH GRADE, BUT THEN I WAS LIKE, OH, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE LEARNING COOL INSTRUMENTS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SO SHOULD I. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I JOINED THE ORCHESTRA IN FIFTH GRADE, LEARNED THE CELLO. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT ONE OF, ONE OF THE POINTS THAT MR. WINFIELD MADE IS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW PROGRAMS WHERE THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR IS THE STAFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I MEAN, MY MOM WAS NOT THRILLED WHEN I TOLD HER I WANTED TO PLAY THE CELLO BECAUSE I PICKED THE BIGGEST INSTRUMENT AND ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE. AND SO WE ALREADY HAVE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT BURDEN OF PAYING FOR THE INSTRUMENTS, PAYING FOR THE BOWS, THE ROSIN, THE, THE METRONOMES, EVERYTHING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT. AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD VERY MUCH PREFER TO SEE THIS PROGRAM STAY BECAUSE I THINK IT OFFERS SUCH A BENEFIT. ANOTHER NOTE, IF I COULD JUST ADD ANOTHER NO COST TO HARFORD COUNTY IS OUR BAND TOGETHER PROGRAM. WE RECEIVED 335 APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT INSTRUMENTS IN KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. WE. WE GAVE THEM 301 INSTRUMENTS LIKE. AND THAT'S NO COST TO US BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS ARE VOLUNTEERING AND THEY CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS. IT'S HUGE. TWO OF THOSE VIOLINS CAME FROM ME, AND WE THANK YOU. AND WE TAKE CARE OF THEM, AND WE COLLECT THEM AT THE END. AND WE HAVE A PROCESS TO GET THEM OUT TO STUDENTS THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, THAT DON'T HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO TAKE PRIVATE LESSONS. IT'S HUGE. AND IT BUILDS SUCH SELF-ESTEEM.

WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR PLUCKING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE PLAYING A STRING AND YOU'RE MAKING A SOUND, IT'S AMAZING. AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT'S BUILDING THAT SELF-ESTEEM HELPS THE LEARNER BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A LOSER. IF THEY MAY FEEL THAT WAY ABOUT THEMSELVES. NOT THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT EVER, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REAL. I SPEAK REAL. YEAH. AND FOR THE RECORD, I, I HAVE BEEN I'VE BEEN SEEING MR. WINFIELD AT EVENTS SINCE SIXTH GRADE WHEN WE DID ASSESSMENTS, AND HE WOULD ALWAYS COME OUT ON THE STAGE. WE'D ALWAYS WELCOME EVERYONE. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE FINE ARTS PROGRAMS HERE IN HTTPS. IT HAS BEEN IT'S BEEN A GREAT JOURNEY ALL THE TIME. YEAH. SO I, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I'M LOOKING AT THIS WRONG, BUT WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT THE THINGS WE CAN GET RID OF? THANK YOU. I THINK WE I KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HARD TO COME UP WITH 10 MILLION. OKAY, I GOT THAT. BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT, AM I WRONG THAT WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD KEEP THE ORCHESTRA AND BAND FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE? IS THAT WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S WORTH SAVING? THAT'S A YES FOR ME, YES I AGREE. SO WHY DON'T WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I JUST STARTED WITH THE DUAL ENROLLMENT. THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK WE CAN AGREE. WE CAN CUT DOWN TO FOUR CLASSES INSTEAD OF FIVE THAT WE'RE DOING NOW AND SAVE 80,000. I KNOW IT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET. WHAT ABOUT GRADUATION FACILITY RENTAL? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET RID OF AND JUST HAVE STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM THEIR OWN HIGH SCHOOL? I MEAN, LET'S LOOK AT THE THINGS WE CAN DO FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT JUST FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD. MR. RIDGEWAY, ANY THOUGHTS CONCERNS THERE? ARE WE COVERED? OKAY. THANK YOU.

CAN WE CAN WE TAKE A VOTE ON THAT JUST SO WE CAN COLLECTIVELY COME TOGETHER? TONIGHT IS NOT THE NIGHT FOR THE VOTE. TONIGHT IS JUST FOR DISCUSSION. IT'S ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO GIVE US FEEDBACK. BUT TO THIS POINT IT IS ABOUT BUILDING CONSENSUS, RIGHT? I MEAN, SO WE DO HAVE TO COME TO A MAJORITY VOTE ON ANYTHING THAT. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME BACK ANYTIME. I THOUGHT ALL THE TIME DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE TO COME. FAVORITE HE SPEAKS REAL. YES. I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS GRADUATION FACILITY RENTAL LINE ITEM. AND

[02:50:06]

FIVE EXECUTIVE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE INVESTING BACK IN THE COUNTY AND SHOULD COME UP WITH A $84,000, SO ■WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THAT. I TOTALLY AGREE, I TOTALLY AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE FUNDING, BUT WE DIDN'T. YEAH, WELL, THERE'S STILL A CHANCE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAN DO ANYTHING. UP UNTIL JUNE 30TH. COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAN COMPLETELY FILL THIS $10.573 MILLION. IF. BUT WE HAVE TO OPERATE ON THE. HE WON'T. RIGHT, RIGHT. YOU'RE RIGHT, BECAUSE WE'VE ONLY GOT TILL JULY 1ST. AND SO I WAS JUST PUTTING THIS PERSPECTIVE.

YEAH, WE'RE JUST TAKING OUT OF SOME OUT OF ANOTHER COUNTY GOVERNMENT POCKET. I UNDERSTAND SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, LET'S OUT OF THIS LIST, WHICH ARE THE MOST PALATABLE THINGS THAT WE CAN GET RID OF, AND WE CAN LOOK AT, OKAY, YOU WANT TO HAVE TICKETS TO GRADUATION, WE'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOU FOR THEM. MAYBE TWO FREE FOR MOM AND DAD AND EVERYBODY ELSE PAYS. YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO SOMETHING ELSE TO RAISE THAT MONEY IF THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO. BUT WE DON'T HAVE IT. WE DON'T HAVE IT. COULD WE CHARGE FOR GRADUATION TICKETS? I DON'T SEE WHY NOT. SO HOW MANY? HOW MANY? ROUGHLY? HOW MANY FOLKS ATTEND GRADUATIONS? WELL, LET'S LOOK AT FOR EXAMPLE, I GOT TEN TICKETS LIKE I PERSONALLY FOR MY GRADUATION FOR TECH, I GOT TEN TICKETS. I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT OUT LOUD. OH. I'M SORRY.

NO, EVERYBODY GOT TEN TICKETS. OH, OH, THAT'S MY BAD. BUT ANYWAY, TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE OF THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL. YES. AND THEN I, AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH MY FRIENDS FOR HOW MANY SCHOOLS YOU USE? HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THEIR GRADUATIONS? ALL OF THEM. EVERYONE. SO THAT'S YOU HAVE TO COUNT THE HIGH SCHOOLS. 13. HOW MANY HOW MANY STUDENTS DO WE. DOCTOR. MACK YES, DOCTOR MACK, IT'S NATALEE HOLLOWAY. SORRY IF IT'S OKAY IF I COULD ADD TO THE CONVERSATION. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. GOOD EVENING. WE DO. WE DO. OTHER THAN HARTFORD ACADEMY. WE DO USE HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR ALL GRADUATIONS. I WILL YES AND FUTURE LINK. I WILL SAY THAT AS FAR AS TICKETS GO, WE DON'T CHARGE FOR TICKETS. HOWEVER, IT VARIES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, DEPENDING ON, OF COURSE, THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL. AS MR. MACVICAR SAID, HIM BEING ABLE TO GET TEN TICKETS MAY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN LIKE BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, SO. BUT WE DO NOT CHARGE AT THIS TIME. AND ROUGHLY WE ARE UNDER CONTRACT FOR ONE MORE YEAR WITH HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. IT ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH, YES, JUST FOR ONE MORE YEAR. CORRECT. AT THIS POINT, UNTIL WE GO BACK TO THE TABLE WE ROUGHLY SPENT I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME, BUT OUR BILL WAS APPROXIMATELY $50,000, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY LESS THAN WHAT WAS QUOTED AT THE BEGINNING. SO THEY DO WORK WITH US ON PRICE. I HOPE THAT HELPS. THANK YOU FOR THAT, BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THIS YEAR. IT'S STILL CHARGE WE COULD CHARGE.

YEAH, WE COULD STILL CHARGE, MISS. OH, I'M SORRY, MISS HOLLOWAY. HOW ROUGHLY HOW MANY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ARE THERE THAT ATTEND GRADUATION? IT IT VARIES ROUGHLY FOR A BEL AIR HIGH. I THINK IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 335, 340. OR YOU HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL SUCH AS HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 200. SO IT VARIES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.

DO YOU KNOW, LIKE A I MEAN, I KNOW THIS IS PROBABLY ASKING A LITTLE MUCH, BUT DO YOU KNOW THE TOTAL ACROSS ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY? YOU CAN GET THAT. OKAY. YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GET THAT.

OKAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE IF I WAS JUST GOING TO DO QUICK MATH ON LIKE IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, X AMOUNT OF STUDENTS TIMES, WE CHARGED $10 A TICKET OR WHATEVER, HOW MUCH WOULD

[02:55:03]

[03:00:03]

CORRECT? THEY WOULD HAVE THERE WOULD BE NO PLACE FOR THEM TO SWIM. HCC, BECAUSE OF THEIR PROGRAMING, WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MEET THE HIGH SCHOOL COMPETITION SCHEDULE. IT'S ALSO NOT A COMPETITION POOL. THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD USE. WELL, THE OTHER THING THAT WE CONSIDER IS A IS A PAY TO PARTICIPATE, RIGHT? SO NOT TOO LONG AGO, YOU FAMILIES PAID $100 PER SPORT. I THINK BEFORE WE GO THERE, I DID JUST WANT TO THROW MY SUPPORT IN FOR CUTTING MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS. I THINK AGAIN, AS, AS DOCTOR MUELLER HAD SAID, JUST FINDING FINDING WAYS THAT WE CAN SORT OF BITE AT THIS APPLE. IT IS NOT AS INSTITUTIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS OUR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS. AND I THINK THAT BY AT LEAST CUTTING IT THERE, WE ARE STILL DOING WHAT WE CAN TO PRESERVE THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WHICH DO TRANSLATE TO SCHOLARSHIPS AND COLLEGIATE PROGRAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. JUST JUST TOSSING OUT THE FACT, THOUGH, THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET COMPARED TO HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS. JUST, JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AN ALTERNATIVE TO JUST ELIMINATING MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS. LIKE PRESIDENT PAGE HAD MENTIONED, WE COULD LOOK AT HAVING THE SPORTS JUST IN THE SCHOOL, RIGHT? HAVE ENOUGH TEAMS IN THE SCHOOL SO THAT THEY CAN THEY DON'T WE DON'T NEED THE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE THE BULK OF THIS IS TRANSPORTATION AND THEN STIPENDS FOR THE. SO THERE'S THREE THINGS. IT'S TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS BY FAR THE MOST. THEN IT'S STIPENDS FOR THE COACHES AND THEN IT'S UNIFORMS. SO, YOU KNOW, PARENTS ALREADY HAVE TO PAY FOR UNIFORMS FOR FOR GYM. SO I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THE IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, THERE'S NO REASON WE CAN'T PASS ON THAT COST TO THE PARENTS. THEN IF WE ELIMINATE THE TRANSPORTATION PIECE, WE'VE NOW MADE THAT $340,000 LINE ITEM, PROBABLY CLOSER TO 40 WITH THE WITH JUST THE STIPENDS. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THAT WILL WORK OUT, BUT YOU COULD STILL YOU COULD SAVE THE PROGRAM, BUT REDUCE IT TO LIKE 10% OF ITS COST. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING PROGRAMING CUTS, IF THERE'S SOME ALTERNATIVE OR SOMETHING TO SUBSTITUTE. SO FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, I AGREE I COULD SUPPORT THAT ELIMINATION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL INTRAMURAL SPORTS, WHICH IS WITHIN THE SCHOOL. I THINK SOMEBODY JUST TALKED ABOUT HAVING THEM JUST COMPETE IN THE SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD SAVE THEM SOME OTHER THINGS. SO THERE IS AN OPTION, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FOR THE POOL. YOU KNOW, JUST THE THOUGHT OF HAVING POOL CLOSURES. I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, THE SOUTHERN HARTFORD. WE ARE JUST LINED BY BEAUTIFUL WATER BODIES AND MILES AND MILES OF THAT. AND SO MANY OF OUR KIDS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO POOLS. AND SO THEY FIND THEMSELVES GOING INTO THESE CREEKS. AND TO ME, THAT IS A A LIFE DANGER FOR THEM. AND SO HAVING MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HAVING SOME KIND OF SWIMMING PROGRAM ACCESS WOULD BE A SAFETY NET. AND THERE'S NO OTHER SUBSTITUTE. YOU CAN'T PRACTICE THAT IN DRY AREA, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD SAY IF WE COULD PRESERVE THAT AND ELIMINATE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, BECAUSE THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE. AND FOR ME, MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS IS A IS A NEWER PROGRAM. WE'D STILL, LIKE YOU SAID, WE STILL HAVE INTRAMURAL SPORTS AT EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY SEASON. THEY OFFER A DIFFERENT SPORTS WHERE CHILDREN PLAY AGAINST EACH OTHER AT THE SCHOOL. SO I THINK THIS 340 IS SPECIFICALLY, LIKE YOU SAID, TRANSPORTATION CHARGES TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. SO I ALSO SUPPORT, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE HARD DECISIONS, I THINK THIS AFFECTS LESS CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING INTRAMURAL SPORTS. SO, MISS JUDD, COULD YOU GIVE US A NUMBER? NOT INSTANTLY. I'M JUST SAYING, IN THE FUTURE, GIVE US A NUMBER OF HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO KEEP THE SPORTS AT THE SCHOOL, BUT ELIMINATE THE TRANSPORTATION

[03:05:02]

AND THEN YOU HAVE SUPPLIES. I THINK THE THE ASK WOULD BE THE TRANSPORTATION COST. AND THEN TO KEEP IT AT THE SCHOOL, WHAT WOULD THE COST BE TO COVER THOSE THE THE STIPENDS AND THE.

IF WE WERE ASKING FAMILIES TO PAY, WHAT WOULD WE NEED TO ASK FOR IN ORDER TO BREAK EVEN? WHAT ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC TRAINERS? I KNOW THAT THEY'RE IMPORTANT, AND I KNOW THAT THEY HELP TAKE CARE OF INJURIES AND SUCH, BUT $600,000, WE SAW THAT INCREASE. SO THIS IS A. THIS IS A TOUGH ONE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT ALSO DIDN'T EXIST 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. I KNOW WE HAVE EMERGENCY VEHICLES SHOW UP TO FOOTBALL GAMES. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT FOR ME, I COULD SEE REMOVED. ISN'T THERE A REGULATORY REQUIREMENT? MELISSA. I DON'T THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT. I WILL SAY THAT WE DO HAVE SOME LEGISLATION THAT'S COME DOWN AS IT RELATES TO HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES THAT WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

I LOOK AT IT, IT'S IT'S A SAFETY PIECE. IT IT DOES CONCERN ME THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER IT ALL CONCERNS ME. BUT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY, I MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAL FROM THAT. BUT IT DOES CONCERN ME TO HAVE ATHLETES OUT THERE WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL FOR THE EXTRA LEVEL OF SUPPORT THAT THEY MIGHT NEED. SO THAT IS PRESIDENT PAGE. DOCTOR MACK, COULD I SPEAK ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP SPECIFICALLY TO SPECIFIC EXAMPLES LAST YEAR ALONE THAT THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS, WE HAD TWO INCIDENTS DURING PRACTICE PRIOR TO THE FOOTBALL SEASON, STARTING IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST.

AND I CANNOT ARTICULATE THE EXACT FORMULA IN WHAT THEY DID, BUT THEY WERE LIFE SAVING MEASURES FOR TWO STUDENTS THAT HAD HAD HAD HEAT INCIDENTS DURING PRACTICE. AND IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS AND THE COACHES THERE ON STAFF, YOU KNOW, THAT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY. BUT THEY WERE MEASURES TO HELP SAVE THE STUDENTS LIFE. SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IT AS YOU SAID, DOCTOR MACK, THOSE ARE THOSE ARE CRITICAL PIECES IN PARTS OF THE COUNTY, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF COACHES, ETC.

FOR EACH GIVEN SPORT. I THINK THAT JUST SPEAKING FROM, YOU KNOW, I WAS A HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE AND I HAD MY FAIR SHARE OF, YOU KNOW, TIMES WHERE I NEEDED TO YOU NEEDED ACCESS TO THE ATHLETIC TRAINER. I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE PLACED PRETTY FAR DOWN ON OUR LIST IN TERMS OF THINGS TO CUT BECAUSE OF THE I MEAN, THEY PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS ALL THE WAY FROM ASSISTING THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS IN DETERMINING IF IT'S LIKE DOCTOR MACK HAD JUST SAID, IF IT'S SAFE TO PLAY. HELPING ATHLETES WITH INJURIES, REFERRING THEM TO THE CORRECT PLACES TO GO, HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T INJURE THEMSELVES WITH CORRECT PRACTICES ON HOW THEY SHOULD STRETCH AND DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS. SO I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE PLACED VERY LOW ON OUR LIST IN TERMS OF JUST SAFETY IN OUR SPORTS. BUT LOOKING AT OUR LIST, AND I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO BE LOOKING AT OUR LIST RIGHT NOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT 8000 FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT. OKAY. WE GOT THAT ONE. MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, MAYBE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND. SO WE'RE MAYBE AT $280,000. WE NEED 10 MILLION. WE NEED 10 MILLION. AND TAKING I MEAN, YOU STILL GOT AND I DON'T MEAN THIS IN ANY WAY, BUT IF I MEAN, WE COULD REDUCE IT. SURE. BUT IF WE SAY WE REDUCE IT DOWN TO FIVE, YOU STILL NEED ANOTHER 9.5 MILLION. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING ELSE OTHER THAN REMOVING POTENTIALLY LIFE SAVING OR SAFETY MEASURES FROM OUR SPORTS. THERE HAS TO BE LIKE, THERE HAS TO BE SEL. HARFORD, GLENN. OKAY, WAIT. HOLD ON. CAN WE CLOSE DOWN THE PLANETARIUMS THAT YOU'RE STILL NOT AT YOUR 10 MILLION? I KNOW, BUT THIS IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK IS MY POINT. IT'S. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU. I'M I WAS JUST MY POINT. I WASN'T I WAS JUST GIVING MY PERSPECTIVE AS I HAVE BEEN IN THE CLOSEST PROXIMITY TO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO CLOSE DOWN HARFORD GLENN AND I DON'T WANT TO CLOSE DOWN PLANETARIUMS. I DON'T KNOW.

YOU'RE STARTING TO. DON'T DON'T GIVE ME HATE MAIL. I MIGHT HAVE TO ME, MR. X MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. SO OUR PREVIOUS PRESIDENT TALKED ABOUT DOING A GALA, A FUNDRAISER TO RAISE

[03:10:01]

RIGHT. THAT'S MY BACK POCKET. SO IN ESSENCE, IN ESSENCE OF TIME, AS WE'RE APPROACHING 930, I THINK THIS IS ALL GOOD CONVERSATION. I'LL JUST KIND OF DO ONE FINAL ROUND TO EACH BOARD MEMBER KNOWING THAT WE HAVE THE NEXT WEEK, WE HAVE SMALL GROUPS TO TRY TO COME TO CONSENSUS. IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S NOT ON HERE. TREY, TO YOUR POINT THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND YOU, YOU WANT TO HAVE COSTED OUT THAT YOU REACH OUT. I ASKED THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT, FOR YOUR INPUT AND FEEDBACK AS WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE TOUGH DECISIONS. WHAT CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT? NONE OF US, AS YOU CAN SEE, CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION. SO WE NEED YOUR HELP. SO NEXT WEEK, THE NEXT MEETING WILL GO TILL LIKE 230 IN THE MORNING. IT COULD HOPEFULLY THOUGH DOCTOR MUELLER WE WILL FIND SOME CONSENSUS OVER THE NEXT WEEK. AND IF WE DON'T WE WILL STAY HERE UNTIL WE GET IT FIGURED OUT. WHEN DO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT FIGURED OUT? ON THE 29TH I GUESS. I GUESS IT'S BY THE 30TH OR THE JULY 1ST, RIGHT? YES. OKAY. SO WE CAN JUST STAY HERE FROM THE 29TH TILL WE FINISH. WELL, SOME OF US. MR. CURTIS, ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? ALWAYS START ON THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM. NO. I'M SORRY. AS WE DID, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HAVE THE DISCUSSION HERE. I THINK, YOU KNOW, OUR BEST PATH FORWARD IS WHAT IS GOING TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAVE THE LEAST IMPACT ON THE MOST AMOUNT OF STUDENTS. SO AGAIN, THINGS LIKE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT SWIM LIKE THERE ARE JUST PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T, AREN'T GOING TO HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON EVERY STUDENT. THINGS THAT WE, WE NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, EDUCATION TO, TO HAVE THE CLASSROOM MOVE AS IT SHOULD AND RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE EXTRACURRICULARS ARE NOT REQUIREMENTS. AND SO MUCH OF OUR BUDGET IS EVEN FROM THE STATE AND, AND REQUIREMENTS FROM THE BLUEPRINT WE ARE, WE ARE FORCED TO PAY THOSE. AND UNTIL WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE LEEWAY IN IN WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT SPEND, WE HAVE TO GO TO THE THINGS THAT THAT WE'VE ADDED BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. AND UNTIL WE GET MORE, MORE FUNDING FROM WHETHER THAT BE THE STATE OR SOME OF THESE MANDATES ARE NOT ARE NOT PASSED DOWN TO US OR, YOU KNOW, OR LESSENED A LITTLE BIT. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN GO TO CUT OTHER THAN THINGS THAT THAT ARE EXTRA. AND EVERYTHING ON THIS LIST IS EXTRA. I'M PASSING. I'VE SAID ENOUGH. I REALLY HAVE.

I THINK THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY. DOCTOR BACK. GOOD. THANK YOU. I JUST REALLY WANT TO ECHO WHAT JUST REALLY I MEAN, YOU SUMMED IT UP PERFECTLY. THANK YOU. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT. I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL WHAT WE CALL EXTRAS. BUT IF WE'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, THE STUDENTS, THEN SOME OF THOSE THINGS ON THAT LIST ARE THEY'VE COME HERE TO TELL US THAT PLEASE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO THOSE PROGRAMS. SO THE I GUESS IF I COULD SAY THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT POSITIONS AND THINGS THAT IN IN THE LAST CATEGORY THERE, IT TALKS ABOUT NONTEACHING POSITIONS. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CLARIFY MY PERSPECTIVE ON THAT. AND IT WOULD BE POSITIONS THAT ARE NON-SCHOOL BASED. AND, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE COMMENT ABOUT SOME OF THE SPECIALIST POSITIONS. AND IF THEY ARE DIRECTLY SERVICING SCHOOL, I MEAN, IN SCHOOL, THEN THAT THEN WE TRY TO PRESERVE THOSE. BUT FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT TIED TO A HOMEROOM, MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT REALLOCATING THAT TO IN THE CLASSROOMS TO REDUCE SOME OF THE CLASS SIZE. AND IF YOU HAVE THINK ABOUT SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOX, YOU KNOW, HAVING TWO TEACHERS IN A ROOM, YOU'VE IMMEDIATELY REDUCED CLASS SIZE IN HALF AND THE WORKLOAD, RIGHT? SO JUST THINGS LIKE THAT. INSTEAD OF HAVING THE FLOATING STAFF, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE, CONSIDER PEOPLE THAT ARE TIED TO THE BUILDINGS AND SUPPORTING. AND AGAIN, I THINK A CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS IS TO TALK TO OUR PRINCIPALS WHO RUN THOSE BUILDINGS, WHO KNOW WHAT THEY NEED. I WAS A BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR, AND I COULD TELL YOU THEIR POSITIONS THAT WERE FLOATING THAT I WOULD HAVE RATHER HAD IN MY BUILDING TO MAKE THAT CLASS SIZE SMALLER OR TO SUPPORT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS IF THEY WERE GIVEN THAT CHOICE. SO THAT'S MY TAKE. AND, AND THE OTHER COMMENT I HAVE IS, YOU

[03:15:02]

THERE ARE ALSO SOME THAT COME OUT OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION OFFICE. SO ALTHOUGH THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO CENTRAL OFFICE, THEY IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR SCHEDULES ACROSS 180 STUDENT DAYS, THEY ARE PROBABLY IN SCHOOLS, 170 OF THOSE. AND SO THEY WILL GROUND THEMSELVES OFTENTIMES IN ONE SCHOOL, MAYBE THAT NEEDS A LOT OF SUPPORT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FOR 2 TO 3 WEEKS, AND THEN THEY'RE DEPLOYED OUT TO BUILDINGS CONSTANTLY, THEIR SCHEDULES THAT WE NEVER SEE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT IN SCHOOLS. SO THEY'RE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO PERHAPS A CONTENT OFFICE, ALTHOUGH THAT'S A VERY SMALL NUMBER. I THINK IT'S AROUND, I'M GOING TO SAY 13. IT'S AROUND THAT IN OUR OFFICE. THEY'RE FLEXIBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO A CONTENT OFFICE. SO THEN THAT SUPERVISOR CAN DEPLOY THEM TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT NEED THEM THE MOST. PERHAPS IT'S A SCHOOL THAT HAS A HIGHER NUMBER OF NEW TEACHERS IN THAT CONTENT AREA. PERHAPS IT'S A SCHOOL WHERE THERE'S BEEN TURNOVER WITH THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR. IT'S A SCHOOL WHERE PERHAPS THERE'S A TEACHER ON A PLAN FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH. SO THEY ARE OUT AND ABOUT SUPPORTING. BUT IT MAKES US VERY NIMBLE. WE HAVE OUR LARGEST NUMBER OF SPECIALISTS REALLY ARE ASSIGNED TO SCHOOL. SO TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, SPECIFICALLY SUPPORTING LITERACY AND MATHEMATICS OR EARLY CHILDHOOD.

AND SO THOSE POSITIONS ARE FULL TIME EMBEDDED WITHIN THOSE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. WE ARE DOWN TO TEN INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES. AND SO THEY ARE ASSIGNED ACROSS MULTIPLE SCHOOLS JUST BASED ON WHERE THE NEW HIRES ARE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR. BUT THEY SPEND, AGAIN, LIKE OUR TEACHER SPECIALISTS WITHIN OUR CURRICULUM OFFICE, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME IS IS IN THE BUILDINGS. WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT SOME OF THEM ARE 11 MONTHS, WHICH ALLOWS US REALLY, AT SUCH AN INCREDIBLY LOW COST TO THE DISTRICT, RIGHT CURRICULUM IN-HOUSE, BECAUSE THEY WILL LEAD THAT WRITING, THEY WILL LEAD THE TEAMS, AND THEN THEY ARE THE ONES PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PROVIDING THAT IN TIME SUPPORT TO SEE HOW IMPLEMENTATION IS GOING. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE COACHES, BECAUSE THEY ARE A PART OF OUR INDUCTION PROGRAM FOR OUR NEW EDUCATORS, THAT IS ALSO A REQUIREMENT THAT OUR NEW TEACHERS, OUR NEW EDUCATORS THAT COME IN HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM AND THAT THAT OCCURS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. AND SO I ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SPECIALISTS, THAT WE'RE CLEAR ON WHO, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I HEARD MISS KUTCHER SAY THERE'S 13. THERE COULD BE LIKE 13 CONTENT SPECIALISTS, AND THEN THERE'S TEN COACHES. THAT'S 23 POSITIONS. AND HOW THEY'RE SERVICING OUR TEACHERS. AND THEN WHEN YOU HEAR SPA SPECIALISTS, TEACHER SPECIALISTS, I ADD IN SOME OF THE OTHER SPECIALISTS, THEY ARE ATTACHED TO THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND THEY'RE SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITHIN THAT SCHOOL COMMUNITY. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHETHER THEY AS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS WANT THEM OR NOT, THEY HIRED THEM. SO THEY WANT THEM BECAUSE THEY HIRED THEM, AND THEY WANT THEM BECAUSE THEY KEEP THEM. AND SO I THINK BY HOW THEY'RE BEING USED IN THE SCHOOL, BY THE FACT THAT OUR ADMINISTRATORS HAVE SECURED THE POSITION, THEY'VE ADVOCATED FOR THE POSITION. THAT'S KIND OF THEIR VOICE. BUT WE HAVE NO

[03:20:01]

I KNOW YOU SAID YOU WERE WORKING ON THIS, BUT I DIDN'T GET YOU SAID YESTERDAY THAT YOU WERE SENDING OUT AN EMAIL WITH THE LISTED ITEMS BECAUSE I ASKED FOR SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT I DON'T SEE ON HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO RESEND IT SO THAT YOU CAN SEE THAT OR KNOW THAT THE ONLY THING THAT I REMEMBER THAT YOU SENT IN ADDITION TO THIS WAS THE RECENT PROGRAMS. IT'S A LIST OF ALL THE PROGRAMS AND POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND THE COST OF EACH PROGRAM AND POSITION. I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT I TALKED ABOUT, CAME IN PROBABLY ABOUT WEDNESDAY, AND WE NEEDED CLARITY ON BECAUSE WHEN WE SAY PROGRAM, I THINK WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND, ARE WE TALKING CLASSES? ARE WE TALKING PROGRAMS? ARE WE TALKING? WE NEEDED CLARITY. SO I'M TALKING LIKE PROGRAMS, NEW THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDED THAT ARE NICE TO HAVES. LIKE IF WE HAD UNLIMITED FUNDING, WE COULD PROVIDE SO MANY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES. THOSE KIND OF THINGS LIKE THIS IS LIKE, WHAT IS A WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO OUR ROOTS. WE CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT TEACHERS. WE NEED TO FOCUS OUR FINANCES ON THINGS THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS, ATHLETIC TRAINERS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN ADDED. YES. MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS. YES. ATHLETIC TRAINERS HAVE BEEN IN HTTPS. THEY WERE FREE. THEY WERE FREE. YES. BUT THINGS WE'VE STARTED TO PAY FOR IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. YES. BECAUSE THOSE THINGS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE. JROROTCU. I DIDN'T MENTION THAT I SUPPORT SOMEBODY. THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE A NEW IT'S A NEW THAT'S A NEW PROGRAM. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I TALKED TO HEATHER ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, AND WE BOTH QUICKLY WERE SCRATCHING OUR HEADS LIKE, WHAT, WHAT IS NEW AND WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER PROGRAMS? SO IT IT'S NOT ANYTHING AND ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN ADDED TO THE BUDGET THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE EXISTING PREVIOUS. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THAT IN A WEEK. I MEAN, TO GO THROUGH I MEAN, OFF OUR HEADS, YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT BECAUSE WE TALKED TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, THAT THERE REALLY ISN'T I MEAN, OTHER THAN THE MANDATED PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE STATE, I'M TALKING ABOUT LIKE MAJOR PROGRAMS WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, OH, THIS COSTS US, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, THIS KIND OF THING. BECAUSE IF WE'VE JUST ADDED THEM IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T WE DON'T WANT TO OFFER IT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT. WE DIDN'T HAVE IT FIVE YEARS AGO. MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO HOLD OFF ON PAUSE, YOU KNOW, FUNDING BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE OTHER THINGS GOING ON. WE WE JUST HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED THINGS. IF THERE IS SOMETHING AND THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL, IF YOU CAN HELP US GENERATE A LIST, LIKE IF YOU'RE THINKING, OH, I KNOW THIS IS NEW, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR, BECAUSE SOMETIMES OUR, OUR PLANNING MIGHT BE YEARS IN ADVANCE. WE DON'T WANT TO MISS SOMETHING.

SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN KNOWING, WAS THIS WITHIN THE LAST FOUR YEARS OR WHETHER IT'S BEEN HERE SIX YEARS AND YOU THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT. IF YOU GIVE US SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC, WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE NEXT. WE HAVE TWO, TWO WORK DAYS BEFORE THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. I MEAN, WE'RE WE WILL WE WILL DO SOME DIGGING AND WE WILL TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ELSE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD TO THE LIST THAT FITS THAT CRITERIA. BUT I DON'T WANT TO COME ON MONDAY NIGHT AND HAVE MISSED SOMETHING. SO, I MEAN, WE JUMP IN AS WELL, BUT THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW THAT IT IS REQUIRED BY THE BLUEPRINT. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT SEE THAT IS NEW, PERHAPS SOME OF THE, THE PRE-K OR DUAL ENROLLMENT OR THINGS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM OR WE WON'T GET OUR STATE FUNDING. SO WE'LL HAVE TO WE HAVE TO DO AN ANALYSIS ON WHAT'S CONSIDERED NEW, BUT WHAT'S ALSO REQUIRED BY THE BLUEPRINT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THE PRE-K PROGRAM THAT WAS JUST ADDED AT A PARTICULAR SCHOOL, BUT THAT WOULD BE NEW. AND I WOULDN'T THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IF THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC, I THINK THAT'LL HELP US AND WE CAN WORK COLLABORATIVELY ON THAT. THE OTHER THING I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A NEW PROGRAM, IT PROBABLY INVOLVES STAFFING. AND SO IN THIS 11TH HOUR, SORRY, MRS. ALVAREZ, WE'RE ALWAYS AT THE 11TH HOUR, RIGHT? IT'S JUST TRUE. BUT IN THIS 11TH HOUR, IF WE CUT PROGRAMS, WE THEN HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW OUR STAFF, THEIR HOME. AND SO NOW THAT PUTS A RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR BOARD OF OUR OUR HR DEPARTMENT. WE THEN NEED TO COME IN PERHAPS ON WEDNESDAY AND PUT A HIRING

[03:25:03]

LET'S PUSH THAT OFF TO NEXT YEAR. SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO, RIGHT? BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, THE PRE-K IS REQUIRED FOR THE ONE THAT WE HAVE 24 POSITIONS. I KNOW IT'S REQUIRED AND I UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO GUIDELINES THAT DICTATE TIME FRAMES. SO ARE WE ON BOARD? LIKE, ARE WE ON THE SAME TIMELINE AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE, OR ARE WE TWO YEARS AHEAD? ARE WE? SO I'M GOING TO UNOFFICIALLY SAY THIS. I THINK WE MIGHT BE KIND OF SORT OF POSSIBLY FINISHED WITH ADDING PRE-K OFF THE RECORD BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. SO THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF YOU KNOWING, OKAY, I DON'T WE MAY NOT ADD ADDITIONAL ONES BECAUSE WE'RE AT A REALLY GOOD THRESHOLD FOR HARFORD COUNTY AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW MOVING FORWARD. I'M NOT SAYING OFFICIALLY, BUT IT MIGHT BE IT MAY NOT BE AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO EXPLORE BEYOND THIS YEAR. WE DO KNOW THAT THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOW MIGHT HAVE TO ROLL OVER TO THE NEXT BUDGET, BUT THEN WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY, WE'VE SATISFIED THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE BLUEPRINT FOR FOR PRE-K. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS EVEN FOR ANYTHING THAT WE DO DECIDE, MAYBE JUST PAUSING SOMETHING BEFORE WE TELL OUR COMMUNITY IT'S GONE, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE THAT TRANSITION, KIND OF LIKE WE'RE SAYING WITH THE DEVICES, WE COULD VERY EASILY SAY WE'RE NOT DOING DEVICES K AND TWO, BUT THAT WOULD BE REALLY DISRUPTIVE. SO WE'RE HAVING A PRACTICE YEAR. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN KIND OF PHASE OUT CERTAIN THINGS. I'M GOING TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S NEW. I THINK THIS CONVERSATION WAS HELPFUL. WE JUST HAVE TO NOW FIGURE OUT WHAT MIGHT MAKE THE LIST. JROTC MIGHT BE A GOOD EXAMPLE. I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IN MY WORLD, WE'VE BEEN DOING JROTC FOR YEARS IN PREPARATION. SO THAT'S WHERE IT JUST HELPS TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. JROTC WOULD THEN GO AGAINST SOMETHING THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR TO SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE FOR OUR STUDENTS. AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IT BEING A PRIORITY FOR ENLISTED. BUT THAT'S HOW WE FILTER OUR DECISIONS. IS IT A BOARD PRIORITY? IS IT THE ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITY? AND THEN IT CAN'T ALL BE PRIORITIES.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE TOUGH PART, THE DECISION COMES IN. BUT I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. THE STAKEHOLDER SUGGESTIONS AND THE SLIDE BEFORE THAT. THAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT. HOW THOSE DOLLAR FIGURES IN THE BUBBLE, ARE THEY TWO TOGETHER OR SAME? THE TEN. THE LAST SLIDE IS WHAT WE NEED TO FIND AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO THE 10 MILLION IS WHAT THE BOARD HAS TO COME UP WITH AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENT ADDS THE 10.6 INCLUDES THE FIRST TWO SLIDES. SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO FIND. SO IN OTHER WORDS, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS GONE THROUGH, MADE THE SCRUB AND GAVE THE SUGGESTIONS CORRECT OF WHAT THEY WHAT. AND BECAUSE I'M MISS MILLER WAS SAYING, LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY ARE THE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.

SO WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE THE STAKEHOLDERS SUGGESTIONS. IS THAT THAT THE DIFFERENCE. YES. AND BOTH OF THESE THINGS. CAN WE GO BACK AND FORTH AND TAKE AWAY FROM THE SUPERINTENDENTS? I WOULD NOT THINK SO, BECAUSE WE WOULD TAKE A VOTE ON MONDAY NIGHT FOR

[03:30:06]

BUT DO WE DO WE EVERYBODY ELSE, THE TEAM, DO WE NEED AN A PLUS LIKE SOME AREAS. I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY EXCEEDING THE REQUIREMENTS. SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND, AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TEMPER WHAT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE KEEP, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BUDGETING THAT WE GET OR THE FUNDING THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC WITH WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO. ANOTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP, YOU KNOW, I HAVE VOTED AGAINST MANY OF THE ASSISTANT POSITIONS, NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THOSE SKILLS, YOU KNOW, OR THAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE NEEDED. BUT I THINK AS WE LOOK AT WHAT THE SCHOOLS NEED NOW AND IN TERMS OF SKILL SETS, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH HIGH REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA SCIENCES, COULD WE LOOK AT CONTRACTING OUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS RATHER THAN HAVING AN EMPLOYEE DO THEM? LIKE, COULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT CONTRACTING OUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE PRESENTLY PAYING A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE ON? AND THEN THE LAST THING, AND I DID NOT WANT TO BE THE ONE TO BRING THIS UP, BUT DOCTOR MUELLER DID. SO DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT SHUTTING DOWN DUBLIN. DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS. DARLINGTON. DARLINGTON. SORRY. YEAH. DARLINGTON. DARLINGTON. DUBLIN. YES.

DARLINGTON. YOU KNOW I MEAN THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO DO. BUT THOSE MIGHT BE HIGH TICKET ITEMS THAT WOULD HELP GET US TO THE 10 MILLION BECAUSE OF REDUCING DUAL ENROLLMENTS. NOT GOING TO GET US THERE. COULD I JUST MAKE A FINAL COMMENT IF YOU'RE FINISHED, I AM. OKAY. SO I KEEP HEARING US SAY THE LITTLE DROPS, LITTLE DROPS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT ALL THESE LITTLE DROPS WILL ADD UP TO HELP US FIND THOSE CUTS SOMEWHERE. SO THEY, THEY SINGLE DROPS START TO FILL THE BUCKET. BUT I WILL SAY THAT IF, IF YOU TOOK AWAY THE 2026 DISCUSSION, THE SAME DISCUSSION WE HAVE TONIGHT OR HAVE HAD OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, I WOULD SAY GO BACK TO 2018. WE HAD SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS AND SIMILAR BUDGET CRISIS, AND WE SURVIVED IT. AND HOW DID WE SURVIVE THAT? BY REDUCING SOME CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF ALONG WITH THE POSITION CUTS THAT FREEZES. WE JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. THERE WERE POSITION DOWNGRADED AND COMBINED. I KNOW BECAUSE I ACCEPTED ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, SO I KNOW IT CAN HAPPEN IF WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT SHAVING OFF DOLLARS TO PRESERVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FRONT FACING WITH STUDENTS AND PROGRAMS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO. IF I CAN JUST CLARIFY, THOUGH, AT THE YEARS THAT WE REDUCE CENTRAL OFFICE, THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN TEACHING POSITIONS. SO I DON'T WANT IT. I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT WE CAN SIMPLY JUST CUT CENTRAL OFFICE POSITIONS AND BALANCE THIS. SO ANYTIME WE'VE DONE CENTRAL OFFICE, THERE HAVE BEEN TEACHING POSITIONS IN ADDITION. YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT. THAT'S WHY I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FREEZE AND THEN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DISPLACED, WE WOULD HAVE PRIORITY TO PLACE THEM. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE. AND THEN SO WE WHEN WE

[03:35:05]

[Future Meetings Review]