[Call to Order: Board President] [00:00:05] AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD. BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON JULY 20TH, 2026 AT 6 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. MISS ROLLO, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MISS NAKAI HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER PRESENT. MISS NANDURI HERE. MRS. MILLER, PRESENT. MRS. HAHN, PRESENT. MISS BRUCE HERE. MISS ALVAREZ, PRESENT. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. PRESIDENT. PAGE HERE. SUPERINTENDENT. MECH. THAT'S IT. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. 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 MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. DOCTOR MACK WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL IN THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR A NO. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? I MOVE TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. ANY OPPOSED? 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. [A. 2026-2027 Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils (HCRASC) - Student Officers Swearing In Ceremony] ALRIGHT, WE HAVE AN EXCITING NIGHT. WE GOT TO START OFF A LITTLE BIT BEFORE BY SWEARING IN OUR NEW STUDENT MEMBER. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR H CREST HERE, THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS. AND WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SWEARING IN THE STUDENT OFFICERS. SO I WILL CALL MISS SHARIA SHAH, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT, TO INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING SWORN IN FOR THE 2026 2027 SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALL COMING HERE TO SUPPORT US. MY NAME IS SHRIYA SHAH. I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF LEADING THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS THIS PAST YEAR AS PRESIDENT, AND IT'S TRULY BEEN ONE OF THE MOST LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES EVER. AND I'M SO LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SERVE EVERYONE THIS YEAR. ONE THING I DO WANT TO DO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, THOUGH, IS THANK OUR WONDERFUL BOARD. THEY'VE REALLY BEEN WITH US THIS ENTIRE YEAR THROUGH MY PRESIDENCY, THROUGH LIKE FUNDING. A LOT OF THE MEMBERS SHOWED UP TO A LOT OF OUR FUNDRAISERS, OUR AWARD CEREMONIES, AND WE ARE JUST SO BEYOND THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THIS NEXT YEAR. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WANT TO THANK MISS KELLY. SHE COULDN'T MAKE IT HERE, BUT SHE HAS BEEN OUR ADVISOR, OUR TEACHER ADVISOR FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW, AND SHE'S REALLY BROUGHT US BACK TOGETHER AND ALLOWED US TO BECOME WHO WE ARE TODAY. AND OF COURSE, I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW OFFICERS. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO STAND UP, GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. BUT YEAH, NO, LOOKING AT OUR NEW OFFICERS IN THE ELECTIONS, I'M SUPER EXCITED. I'M SURE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE MAKING A GREAT IMPACT, AND I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THESE STUDENTS WILL DO NEXT YEAR. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY. SO IF YOU CHANGE THE SLIDES. YEAH. NO YOU'RE OKAY. YEAH. I THINK YOU'RE FIRST. RIGHT. DO YOU WANT TO COME? RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. AND I'M GOING TO READ A SEGMENT AND THEN REPEAT IT BACK TO ME. OKAY. FIRST I WANT TO INTRODUCE. THOSE FOR NOW AND THEN I'LL GET IT UP. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. OKAY. [00:05:02] PERFECT. OKAY, SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR SECOND VICE PRESIDENT. SO THIS PERSON SERVES AS THE LIAISON FOR ALL OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN HARFORD COUNTY. SO HIS NAME IS JACE GRIFFIN. HE IS A SEVENTH GRADER AT EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL. HE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE SECRETARY OF HIS SCHOOL'S STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AND AS ITS SECOND VICE PRESIDENT. JACE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY AND REPRESENTING THEIR VOICES OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. JACE ENJOYS TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP ROLES, LEARNING ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT AND SERVING HIS COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE NOW GOING TO SWEAR JACE IN. SO PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I, JACE GRIFFIN I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES, FAITHFULLY EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE OFFICE OF SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY, HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF STUDENT COUNCILS ASSOCIATION, AND DO FURTHER RESOLVE THAT I WILL UPHOLD, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES, THE MISSION OF. HAS AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES, CONSTITUTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES. ALL RIGHT. CAN WE GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE? ALL RIGHT. SO NEXT WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR TREASURE SERAFINA DOS. SO SERAFINA DOS IS A FRESHMAN IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL. OUTSIDE OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT, SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SPENDING TIME WITH HER PUPPY ROLO. SHE ALSO PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE SGA PRESIDENT AND IS EXCITED TO SERVE AS TREASURER THIS YEAR. SO PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL RIGHT, I, SERAFINA DOS, I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE, FAITHFULLY EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS, THE DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF TREASURER OF THE OFFICE OF TREASURER OF THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS OF HARFORD COUNTY, REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS, AND DO FURTHER RESOLVE AND DO FURTHER RESOLVE THAT I WILL UPHOLD TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES. I WILL UPHOLD TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY THE MISSION OF CREST AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES, AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES. OKAY, CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, PEARL LYNNE. PEARL LYNNE IS A SENIOR AT THE BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM. THIS IS HER THIRD YEAR INVOLVED IN IN HER SECOND YEAR ON THE ORGANIZATION'S EXECUTIVE TEAM AS VICE PRESIDENT. THIS YEAR, SHE HOPES TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND LEAD OUTREACH TO STUDENTS ACROSS THE HARFORD COUNTY. OUTSIDE OF STUDENT LEADERSHIP, PEARL IS ACTIVE IN VARIOUS EXTRACURRICULARS, WORKS AT A LOCAL BUSINESS, VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND SPENDS TIME WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. RAISE YOUR HAND. I, PEARL LYNN, DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES? PLEASE EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE OFFICE OF FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS OF HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS, AND DO FURTHER RESOLVE THAT I WILL UPHOLD TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES. THE MISSION OF CASC AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES, AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND OPERATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS, PEARL. YOU GET A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR PRESIDENT, ABBY LYNN. ABBY LYNN IS A SENIOR AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM. SHE'S EXCITED TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS. LAST YEAR, ABBY WAS TREASURER FOR CASC AND THIS YEAR SHE IS THE DIVISION THREE LIAISON FOR MASC. OUTSIDE OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT, ABBY ENJOYS VOLUNTEERING AND EMS, GOING TO CONCERTS AND SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY. THIS YEAR, SHE PLANS TO IMPLEMENT NEW MEASURES THAT GIVE ALL STUDENTS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO GET INVOLVED WITH STUDENT GOVERNMENT. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. I, ABBY LYNN, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO FAITHFULLY EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES, FAITHFULLY EXECUTE ALL THE DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS, OF THE HARFORD COUNTY REGIONAL ASSOCIATION, AND DO FURTHER RESOLVE THAT I WILL UPHOLD TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITIES THE MISSION OF CRASK AND ITS CONSTITUTION AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES. OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS, ABBY. OKAY. ACTUALLY, WE HAVE ONE MORE PERSON. SHE IS OUR CHIEF OF [00:10:03] STAFF. UNFORTUNATELY, SHE COULD NOT MAKE IT HERE TODAY, BUT HER NAME IS PAIGE MCALLISTER. SHE'S A SENIOR IN THE SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ACADEMY AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS HER FOURTH YEAR AT CRASK, AND SHE'S EXCITED TO SERVE AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF. SHE STARTED HER LEADERSHIP JOURNEY IN EIGHTH GRADE AND HAS, SERVES AND HAS SERVED AS THE SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER OF MASC. SHE HAS ALSO SERVED AS THE LIAISON FOR CRASK AND CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR MASC IN PAGES LAST YEAR, SHE'S GOING TO WORK TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN AND UNIFY CRASK AND THE ORGANIZATION FROM WITHIN. SHE'S NOT HERE, BUT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. YOU GUYS WANT TO COME UP? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH. DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB. THANK YOU. I SAW THAT. YEAH, I THINK SO TOO. I JUST WANT. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. [Public Comment] AND WE NOW HAVE A RULES OF ORDER VIDEO TO PLAY. SO IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO KICK THAT OFF AND THEN WE'LL MOVE. GOOD EVENING. I'M DJ RAVAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING AND WORK SESSION TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE MEETING REMAINS FOCUSED, RESPECTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY REVIEW THE EXPECTATIONS THAT GUIDE OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS EVENING AND TO FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. WE ASK THAT ALL ATTENDEES CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL AND CONSIDERATE MANNER TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING. BEHAVIORS SUCH AS APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS, OR OTHER ACTIONS THAT MAY DISRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS ARE DISCOURAGED. ADDITIONALLY, ANY LANGUAGE OR BEHAVIOR THAT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS THREATENING IS NOT APPROPRIATE. IF A DISRUPTION DOES OCCUR, A REMINDER WILL BE GIVEN SO THAT THE MEETING CAN CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. IF THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUES, ASSISTANCE FROM SECURITY MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE MEETING. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING, WE ASK THAT ALL ATTENDEES EXIT THE BOARDROOM IMMEDIATELY AND IN AN ORDERLY MANNER. WE APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION AND YOUR ROLE IN HELPING US MAINTAIN A RESPECTABLE ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. ALL RIGHT. SO IN PERSON, SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED ON BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, FIVE MINUTES FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTING A GROUP. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30S LEFT. WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR TIME LIMIT, THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. IF YOU WILL BEGIN WITH OUR FIRST SPEAKER THIS EVENING, WE HAVE TEN IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE WILL BEGIN WITH KENISHA MITCHELL, FOLLOWED BY EVELYN BRUSH AND PRISCILLA POOCHIE. HELLO. YOU CAN HEAR ME? DOES THIS WORK? I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WORKS. OKAY. WELL GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JUANITA MITCHELL AND I'M A PARENT, AUTISM ADVOCATE AND HOMESCHOOLING MOTHER TO A FIVE YEAR OLD SON WITH AUTISM AND SENSORY PROCESSING CHALLENGES. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT BECAUSE MANY PARENTS LIKE MYSELF, MY FAMILY JOURNEY HAS SHOWN ME BOTH INCREDIBLE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CHALLENGES FAMILIES FACE TRYING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH IT. WHEN A CHILD IS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A SPECIAL NEEDS, PARENTS ARE SUDDENLY EXPECTED TO UNDERSTAND EVALUATIONS, THERAPIES, ACCOMMODATIONS AND IEP MEETINGS AND EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS. IT CAN FEEL VERY OVERWHELMING TO MANY FAMILY MEMBERS. AND HERE I AM JUST TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO MORE, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATIONS. ONE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT PARENTS ARE NOT ALWAYS AWARE OF ALL THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY FAMILIES DO NOT KNOW THAT REFERRALS FROM SCHOOLS, REFERRALS TO SCHOOLS FROM. EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY, OBTAINING A REFERRAL FROM THE IEP SYSTEM IN THE SCHOOL SO THAT THEY CAN GO TO A SCHOOL THAT BETTER ACCOMMODATES THEM. MANY PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF AREN'T AWARE OF [00:15:01] THAT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING, TRYING TO GET THROUGH IT AND MAKE MEANS THROUGH ABA, MEETING OT THERAPIES AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS. I ALSO HOPE WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, THERAPIES, COMMUNITY RESOURCES. PARENTS SHOULD FEEL LIKE PARTNERS IN THIS PROCESS. NOT AN OUTSIDER, NOT LIKE THEY HAVE TO BECOME EXPERTS OVERNIGHT JUST TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR FAMILY. EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO BE SEEN, UNDERSTOOD, AND SUPPORTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. EVERY FAMILY DESERVES COMPASSION, TRANSPARENCY, ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED AND SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIND OUT DURING THEIR OWN LEGWORK. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR LISTENING, FOR THE VOICES OF MYSELF, FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR MANY FAMILIES IN NEED, AND FOR OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T STAND HERE TODAY ASKING FOR HELP FOR MY SON OR BETTER NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE FOR MY SON. I STAY HERE FOR EVERY PARENT WHO CROSSES THROUGH AND DEALS WITH DIFFERENT CHALLENGES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE OF THAT ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SCHOOL POLICIES. EXCUSE ME, AGAIN, I'M NERVOUS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY CHILD DESERVES A WAY TO SPEAK AND SOMEONE TO SPEAK FOR THEM. SO HERE I AM TODAY, JUST BEING AN ADVOCATE AND JUST HOPING THAT WE CAN OPEN MORE DOORS AND GET MORE ROOMS ABOARD FOR THESE CHILDREN, AND SO THAT THE PARENTS DON'T FEEL OVERWHELMED OR STRESSED OUT, JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY. SO I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND I HOPE WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS EVELYN BRUSH. I MISS TEEN 2026 AND A RISING SOPHOMORE AT NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL. AS MISS TEEN, I HAVE A COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVE WHICH IS BALANCED BEYOND STANDING, WHERE I FOCUS ON ADVOCATING FOR TEENS DIAGNOSED WITH POSTURAL ORTHOSTATIC TACHYCARDIA SYNDROME, AS WELL AS OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESSES. BECAUSE I MYSELF HAVE POTS, AND AS A STUDENT, I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW IT IS TO EXPERIENCE CERTAIN LACKS IN ACCOMMODATIONS BECAUSE IT'S VERY CHRONIC ILLNESSES. CHRONIC ILLNESSES ARE NOT VERY PREVALENT IN TEENS AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT. SO I REALLY JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON OVERLOOKED ABSENCES BECAUSE AS MYSELF, I HAVE HAD MANY ABSENCES AND HAVE EXCEEDED MY ABSENCE LIMITS SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, OR SOMETIMES I JUST PHYSICALLY CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL. AND THAT'S HOW IT IS FOR MANY CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. SORRY, I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO JUST SHIFT A SIMPLE QUESTION OF WHY THE STUDENT IS NOT AT SCHOOL TO HOW CAN YOU HELP THE STUDENT SUCCEED BY CREATING MORE LENIENCY IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL AS LATE WORK POLICY? BECAUSE AS A STUDENT, I KNOW THAT WITH LATE WORK POLICY, YOU ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS TO MAKE THAT UP, BUT THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES BECAUSE SCHOOL IS VERY DRAINING. IT'S A ALL DAY SORT OF THING, AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST WANT TO GO HOME AND RELAX. IT'S LIKE THAT FOR ANY PERSON THAT'S AT WORK OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO IT CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME FOR THEM TO GET THROUGH THE SCHOOL DAY AND THEIR WORK. AND THEN ADVOCACY ISN'T JUST LOWERING THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE STUDENT BECAUSE IT'S STILL FAIR TO THEM. IT MIGHT SEEM UNFAIR GIVING THEM MORE LENIENCY THAN OTHER STUDENTS, BUT IT'S LOWERING THE BARRIER SO THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO MEET THE EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU WANT THEM TO SUCCEED. TO SUCCEED. AS SEVERAL STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES OFTEN DROP OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ABLE TO PROPERLY SUCCEED, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO CREATE MORE LENIENCY, WHICH CAN ALLOW THEM TO HAVE PROPER SCHOOLING AND HAVE PROPER SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. AS SOMEONE WHO LIVES WITH THESE, WITH THIS REALITY, EVERY DAY I ASK YOU TO CONTINUE STRENGTHENING THE POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES, ENSURING THAT NO STUDENT SUCCESS IS LIMITED BY THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THEIR CAPABILITY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PRISCILA BUCCI, AND UNTIL JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, I SERVED AS A SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT TEACHER SPECIALIST AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL. TONIGHT, I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I LOST OR HOW THIS INVOLUNTARY DEMOTION HAS AFFECTED ME. RATHER, I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OUR STUDENTS LOST. BEFORE I DO THAT, THOUGH, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING THAT MIGHT NOT THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT. ABERDEEN AND OTHER SCHOOLS WITH SCHOOL PERFORMANCE TEACHER SPECIALISTS. OUR SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE AS PRIORITY SCHOOLS. I RECOGNIZE THAT MANY MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD COME FROM DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS. SO UNLESS YOU'VE WORKED IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT OR IN A SCHOOL AT ALL, THE PHRASE PRIORITY SCHOOL MAY SOUND LIKE JUST ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL LABEL, BUT IT IS NOT. MORE SPECIFICALLY, THESE SCHOOLS ARE A T. S SCHOOLS. SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. BECAUSE SPECIFIC GROUPS OF STUDENTS NEED ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND TARGETED SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, THESE DESIGNATIONS SERVE AS [00:20:03] PROMISES TO OUR STUDENTS A PROMISE THAT WHEN STUDENTS NEED MORE, WE WILL PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT, A PROMISE THAT RESOURCES FOLLOW NEED A PROMISE THAT OUR HIGHEST NEED STUDENTS REMAIN OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. IT WAS A COMMITMENT TO THEM, WHICH IS WHY I STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND THIS DECISION TO ELIMINATE OUR POSITIONS. THE VERY SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED AS NEEDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WERE THE SCHOOLS THAT LOST THE POSITION CREATED TO HELP PROVIDE THAT PRIORITY. SCHOOLS DESERVE PRIORITY DECISIONS. WHEN OUR POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED, STUDENTS LOST SOMETHING. STUDENTS LOST A DEDICATED ADVOCATE. STUDENTS LOST SOMEONE WHO HELPED TEACHERS USE DATA TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS. THEY LOST SOMEONE WHO COORDINATED INTERVENTIONS IN SCHOOLWIDE IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS AND SO MUCH MORE. THIS YEAR, OUR STUDENTS MADE MEANINGFUL GROWTH TOWARD THEIR LITERACY, NUMERACY, AND ATTENDANCE GOALS AS ESTABLISHED THROUGH OUR SPOT PLAN, WHICH DOCUMENTS THE PROGRESS STUDENTS MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND THE PROCESS WE USE TO ACHIEVE IT. AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT DOES NOT END IN JUNE. IT'S A CONTINUOUS CYCLE OF IMPROVEMENT, BUT THIS CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT CYCLE IS NOW INTERRUPTED. THIS IMPROVEMENT IS WHAT MOVES SCHOOLS FORWARD YEAR AFTER YEAR. BUT WHEN THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING, COORDINATING AND SUSTAINING THOSE SYSTEMS IS REMOVED, THE WORK DOESN'T SIMPLY CONTINUE AS BEFORE, THE MOMENTUM WILL SLOW AND THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT CYCLE THAT OUR STUDENTS DEPEND ON BECOMES MUCH HARDER TO SUSTAIN. THAT IS WHAT STUDENTS LOST. EVERY BUDGET IS A STATEMENT OF A DISTRICT'S PRIORITIES. IF THESE SCHOOLS ARE TRULY OUR PRIORITY SCHOOLS, WHY WEREN'T THEY PRIORITIZED WHEN THE BUDGET WAS BUILT? THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WILLIAM MARTINO. MR. MARTINO, PLEASE STATE THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP AND YOU WILL RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES. WILLIAM MARTINEAU, MOMS FOR LIBERTY. HARTFORD COUNTY CHAPTER. HAPPY SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY TO AMERICA. PRAYERS THAT THE LORD WILL BLESS US ANOTHER 250 YEARS. THE THREE C'S CHRISTIANITY, CONSTITUTION, AND CAPITALISM BUILT THE GREATEST PROSPERITY AND STANDARD OF LIVING IN THE WORLD. THERE IS MUCH TO BE CELEBRATED AND THANKFUL FOR IN THIS WONDERFUL COUNTRY. SADLY, THE LIBERAL LEFT AND THE SCHOOLS ARE TELLING STUDENTS OTHERWISE. FOCUSING ON THE BUDGET, THE TEACHERS UNION, CENTRAL OFFICE AND SUPERINTENDENT KEEP SCREAMING FOR MORE AND MORE MONEY TO BE POURED INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THEIR TARGET FOR THIS MONEY IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. HARFORD COUNTY CONTINUES TO INCREASE SCHOOL FUNDING AT A PACE DOUBLE OF ITS REVENUES, BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR CPS. HOWEVER, THE STATE IS. FUNDING INCREASES ARE LESS THAN HALF OF THE COUNTIES, SO THE UNIONS AND LIBERALS SHOULD BE AT THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION REQUESTING THE STATE PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. BECAUSE GOVERNOR MOORE IS A RADICAL LIBERAL. THEY LEAVE HIM ALONE AND GO AFTER THE CONSERVATIVE. THE STATE FUNDS $22,000 PER STUDENT IN BALTIMORE CITY WITH POOR RESULTS FOR THEIR MONEY. THE STATE ONLY GIVES HARFORD COUNTY 10,000 PER STUDENT, WITH MUCH BETTER RESULTS FOR THEIR INVESTMENT. THE STATE POURS ENDLESS FUNDS INTO BALTIMORE AND NEGLECTS THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES. LIKE HARFORD, ANNAPOLIS IS WHERE CPS NEEDS TO REQUEST FUNDS AND LEAVE THE COUNTY ALONE. GET THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE NO IMPACT ON TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS OUT OF THE OFFICE AND TELEWORKING, AND TRANSFER THEM TO THE CLASSROOMS. THAT IS WHERE THE ACTION IS. WE NEED LESS BUREAUCRATS AND MORE TEACHERS AND PARAEDUCATORS SHIFTING TO LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOMS. A QUARTER CENTURY AGO, PARENTS WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT ANOTHER GREAT AMERICAN SUCCESS STORY WAS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOLS. DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY WAS REVOLUTIONIZING LEARNING WITH LAPTOPS, TABLETS, AND INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARDS THAT WERE GOING TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. TODAY, 55% OF PUPILS SPEND OVER FOUR HOURS A DAY ON SCREENS IN THE CLASSROOM. THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS HAS REPORTED A STEADY DECLINE IN IQS FOR THE US AND 80 OTHER COUNTRIES WHO USE SCREENS FOR EDUCATION, IN ADDITION TO LOWER IQ SCORES. THE DATA SHOWS A DECLINE IN LITERACY, COGNITIVE ABILITY AND CONCENTRATION LEVELS. THE DIGITAL EXPANSION HAS WEAKENED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS RATHER THAN [00:25:03] STRENGTHENED THEM. THIS ISN'T A SUCCESS STORY. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE, MASSIVE FAILURE. IT IS TIME TO PURGE SCREENS FROM THE CLASSROOM AND USE OLD SCHOOL PENCIL, PAPER AND TEXTBOOKS. RETURN TO TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS WITH CURSIVE WRITING, REAL GEOGRAPHY, TRUE HISTORY. FOCUSING ON OUR FOREFATHERS MATH THAT PARENTS CAN HELP THEIR CHILDREN WITH, AND PHONICS READING. EVERYTHING THAT HAS DEVIATED FROM TRADITIONAL METHODS AND ACADEMICS HAS BEEN DESTRUCTIVE. RESTORE EDUCATION THAT PRODUCED THE BEST RESULTS WITH TRADITIONAL METHODS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CHERYL AURICCHIO, DAVID BAUER, AND ASHLEY WILSON. ON JUNE 29TH AT 7:50 P.M. 11 TEACHER SPECIALIST JOBS WERE ELIMINATED, INCLUDING MINE. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION, NO NOTICE, NO OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR POSITIONS. WHILE AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF TIME WAS SPENT AGONIZING OVER HARFORD GLEN OR PAY TO PLAY. THIS DECISION WAS SO RUSHED THAT EVEN THE NEXT MORNING HR WAS STILL NOT AWARE. A FEW HOURS LATER, THOUGH, THEY OFFERED ME A PLACEMENT, A DEMOTION, AND PRESSURED ME TO DECIDE IMMEDIATELY. AN EMAIL FOLLOWED SAYING DUE TO STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE 2627 SCHOOL YEAR, THE POSITION YOU OCCUPY AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN ELIMINATED. YOU HAVE BEEN ACCESSED FROM YOUR CURRENT LOCATION AND WILL BE ADMINISTRATIVELY TRANSFERRED TO A MATH POSITION AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE 2627 SCHOOL YEAR. IF YOU CHOOSE TO DECLINE THE OFFERED POSITION, HC WILL ACCEPT YOUR VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION WITHOUT PREJUDICE. IF RECEIVED BY JULY 15TH, 2026. EXCESSED. SO 21 YEARS OF HC SERVICE, A MASTER'S PLUS 34 CERTIFICATION AREAS. 17 YEARS AS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE DEPARTMENT CHAIR TEACHER SPECIALIST. BUT I'M EXCESS DEMOTED ASSIGNED A NEW SUBJECT. NEW AGE GROUP, NEW SCHOOL. BASICALLY, I'M A FIRST YEAR TEACHER AND TOLD TO ACCEPT IT OR RESIGN. INSULTING DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE TONE OF THIS PROCESS. AND IT'S NOT NEW. IT HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOL BASED STAFF LAST YEAR. YES, THERE ARE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THAT REQUIRE DIFFICULT DECISIONS, BUT THIS IS NOT A BUDGET PROBLEM. IT'S AN HC PRIORITY PROBLEM. YOU'VE RANDOMLY LABELED US EXCESS. SO WHILE THIS MAY BE A DON QUIXOTE MOMENT FOR ME, I'LL SHARE SOME OF WHAT THIS EXCESS HAS CONTRIBUTED. AS A SPA SPECIALIST, I WORK WITH THE TEAM TO ADDRESS THE BIGGEST ROADBLOCK. ABERDEEN HIGH FACED FOR STUDENT PROGRESS. INSTRUCTIONAL SEAT TIME. WITH MY DIRECTION, WE REDUCE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM BY 35% AND CUT LATENESS IN HALF. IMPROVING ATTENDANCE IS STRONGLY CORRELATED TO SCHOOL SUCCESS. ABERDEEN HIGH ROSE LAST YEAR TO WITHIN HALF A POINT OF A FOUR STAR RATING ON MARYLAND REPORT CARD, IMPROVING IN ATTENDANCE AND GRADUATION RATE, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, GRADUATE OUTCOMES AND RIGOR AND CURRICULUM. I HELPED MAKE THAT A REALITY. MY WORK PROVIDED THE RIGHT INTERVENTION TO THE RIGHT STUDENT AT THE RIGHT TIME. I AM THE TIER TWO SUPPORT SYSTEM REALITY. WHENEVER PRINCIPALS ARE ALLOTTED ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. THEY RELENTLESSLY WORK TO UTILIZE THAT STAFF TO ENSURE MAXIMUM BENEFIT TO THEIR STUDENTS. WE ARE NOT ACCESS TO OUR SCHOOLS. WE ARE VITAL TO STUDENT SUCCESS. CAN THE MANY OTHER PET POSITIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT WERE NOT ARBITRARILY AND CAPRICIOUSLY DEEMED EXCESS CLAIM THE SAME? I THINK NOT, BECAUSE THERE IS STILL EXCESS IN THIS BUDGET. IT'S JUST NOT US. AND YOU WOULD KNOW THAT IF YOU HAD ASKED. I HAVE TO ASK YOU NOT. I HAVE TO ASK YOU NOT TO CLAP. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER WITH THE STUDENT WITH THE NEW STUDENT MEMBER STARTING THIS EVENING. I WANTED TO ADDRESS THE DISRESPECT SOME PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN TO THE POSITION. WE'VE HAD. SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE SHOULD HAVE LESS VOTING RIGHTS. FOR EXAMPLE, AT BOTH THE JANUARY 12TH AND FEBRUARY 9TH MEETINGS, WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT THE STUDENT MEMBER SHOULDN'T BE VOTING BECAUSE THE PREFRONTAL FRONTAL CORTEX AREA OF THE BRAIN IS STILL DEVELOPING. I'VE WATCHED NINE STUDENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, NOT COUNTING THE NEWEST ONE. FOR THE MAJORITY OF THOSE, I'VE WATCHED LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE PUBLIC BUSINESS MEETING THEY HAVE BEEN IN, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OF THEM DEMONSTRATE AS BAD OF JUDGMENT [00:30:06] AS SOME OF THE FULL VOTING BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED THIS CALENDAR YEAR ALONE. BACK ON JANUARY 7TH, WE HAD A FULL VOTING MEMBER MAKE A MOTION TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND EVERY ASSOCIATED CONTRACTOR LOOKING FOR ANY ACTS OF QUOTE, MALFEASANCE, MISFEASANCE, AND OR NONFEASANCE, END QUOTE. THE MEMBER MAKING THE MOTION SPECIFICALLY REJECTED PUTTING ANY TYPE OF COST LIMIT ON THIS INSANELY OPEN ENDED INVESTIGATION. IN ADDITION TO ALREADY BEING FAR OUTSIDE ANY BOUNDS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. THIS MOTION WAS MADE DURING A SPECIAL OPEN SESSION AND LIKELY WAS AN OPEN MEETINGS ACT VIOLATION. NEXT EXAMPLE. ON FEBRUARY 25TH, WE HAD A FULL VOTING MEMBER MAKE A MOTION TO BLINDLY CUT $12.3 MILLION FROM THE BUDGET IN A WAY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN SOMEWHERE ON THE SCALE FROM IMPOSSIBLE TO HORRENDOUSLY DESTRUCTIVE. BOTH OF THESE ABSURD MOTIONS WERE MADE, SECONDED BY AND VOTED FOR BY FULL VOTING MEMBERS. BY CONTRAST, EVERY STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD I HAVE SEEN HAS TAKEN THE JOB SERIOUSLY AND EXERCISED BETTER JUDGMENT BASED ON HISTORIC JUDGMENTS. WE SHOULD BE INCREASING THE SCOPE OF THE STUDENT MEMBERS VOTE. AND ANOTHER QUICK NOTE. I BELIEVE WE ARE STARTING THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR WITH FEWER K THROUGH 12 TEACHERS THAN LAST YEAR. PLEASE TALK ABOUT THIS AND THE OTHER BUDGET IMPACTS ALL YEAR ROUND. THE TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOL FUNDING IS EVERY TIME YOU GET. THANK YOU ALL. AND GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ASHLEY WILSON AND UNTIL RECENTLY I SERVED AS A SCHOOL PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT TEACHER SPECIALIST AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS LOST, NOT FOR ME, BUT FOR THE STUDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. WHEN THESE POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED, THERE WAS NEVER A CONVERSATION WITH THOSE OF US DOING THE WORK. NO ONE ACTUALLY ASKED US WHAT WE DID. NO ONE ASKED US WHETHER WE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS. WELL, I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WE DID. EVERY DAY WE MET WITH STUDENTS, WE ANALYZED THE ACHIEVEMENT DATA. WE PARTNERED WITH TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND ADMINISTRATORS. WE IDENTIFIED BARRIERS TO LEARNING, AND WE IMPLEMENTED STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS FOR THE STUDENTS WHO NEEDED THEM THE MOST. MY WORK CENTERED ON HELPING MOVE A STATE IDENTIFIED SCHOOL FOR ADDITIONAL TARGETED SUPPORT AND IMPROVEMENT. IMPROVEMENT. EXCUSE ME, OR ATS STATUS FORWARD BY IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WHO HAD HISTORICALLY STRUGGLED TO SUCCEED IN EDUCATION, WE OFTEN HEAR THAT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY. BUT WHEN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT BECOMES EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY, IT CAN QUICKLY BECOME NO ONE'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE SPA TEACHER SPECIALIST EXISTED TO ENSURE SOMEONE OWNED THAT WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. SINCE NO ONE BOTHERED TO ASK. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT JUST ONE YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENT LOOKED LIKE AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH. THE PERCENTAGE OF NINTH GRADE STUDENTS ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION INCREASED FROM 23.13% TO 42.7%. THAT EXCEEDED OUR GOAL BY 150%. NINTH GRADE STUDENTS EARNING THE CREDIT THEY NEEDED INCREASED FROM 35.7% TO 60.6%. CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM DROPPED FROM 40.1% TO 32.1%, AN EIGHT POINT REDUCTION. THESE AREN'T JUST NUMBERS ON A DASHBOARD, THEY ARE SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS. THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE THE RESULT OF AN INCREDIBLE TEAM EFFORT, AND I WAS PROUD TO HELP LEAD THAT WORK. THEN, WITH LESS THAN FOUR HOURS NOTICE, WE WERE TOLD OUR POSITIONS NO LONGER EXISTED. ALL OF THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED AND THE WORK STILL YET TO COME WAS GONE. THE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND AS NEEDING THE GREATEST SUPPORT HAVE NOT DISAPPEARED. THEIR NEEDS REMAIN AND YOU HAVE REMOVED A VITAL SUPPORT WITHOUT SO MUCH AS A CONVERSATION. MY HOPE IS THAT GOING FORWARD, WE CONTINUE ASKING NOT JUST WHAT POSITIONS COST ON A LINE ITEM, BUT WE [00:35:02] LOOK AT THE VALUE OF THE POSITION TO OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GARY JOHNSON, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINA LANOKA AND DAVID FABI. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS THAT AMERICA'S FOUNDING BEFORE GOD UTTERED HIS TEN COMMANDMENTS IN EXODUS 20, HE SAID, I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF SLAVERY. GOD WANTED HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHO THEIR GOD WAS, AND HE DID SO IN A WAY THAT THEY WOULD SURELY REMEMBER, CONSIDERING HOW LONG THEY HAD SUFFERED UNDER PHARAOH. HOWEVER, ONCE PROVED NOT ENOUGH. GOD'S PEOPLE HAD SHORT MEMORIES. BY MY ACCOUNT, GOD FOUND IT NECESSARY TO REMIND THEM OF THEIR RESCUE 86 TIMES AND IN JUDGES. IN THE SECOND CHAPTER HE TOLD THEM WHY HE HAD DONE SO. IT WAS BECAUSE HE WANTED TO LEAD HIS PEOPLE INTO THE LAND THAT HE HAD SWORN TO GIVE THEIR ANCESTORS, THUS FULFILLING THE COVENANT THAT HE HAD MADE WITH THEM. SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH AMERICA'S FOUNDING AND OUR RECENT SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF IT? AFTER SIGNING OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND TAKING OUR PLACE AMONG THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH, ONE OF THE FIRST ACTS OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS WAS TO CREATE AN OFFICIAL SEAL FOR THE UNITED STATES. A COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED MADE UP OF JOHN ADAMS, THOMAS JEFFERSON, AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, THE LAST TWO OF WHICH WE HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE, WERE DEISTS. DIAZ. BELIEVE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT AFTER GOD CREATED THE UNIVERSE, HE THEN REFRAINED FROM FURTHER DIRECT INTERFERENCE IN EITHER NATURAL OR HUMAN AFFAIRS. SO WHAT DID THESE TWO DEISTS PUT FORTH AS A SYMBOL OF WHAT BEST REPRESENTED OUR NEW NATION? FRANKLIN DEPICTED MOSES AND THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL STANDING SAFELY ON DRY GROUND, LED THERE BY A PILLAR OF FIRE AND SMOKE, WHILE PHARAOH AND HIS CHARIOTS WERE DROWNING IN THE RED SEA. SURROUNDING THE IMAGE WAS THE INSCRIPTION REBELLION TO TYRANTS IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD. JEFFERSON'S OFFERING ALSO CAME FROM THE BOOK OF EXODUS. HE IMAGINED AMERICANS AS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS, LED BY A PILLAR OF FIRE. BY NIGHT, IT APPEARS THAT GOD WAS USING TWO DEISTS TO REMIND AMERICANS OF HOW HE HAD BEEN WITH THEM SINCE THE DAY THAT THEIR FOREFATHERS HAD LEFT ENGLAND FOR THE NEW WORLD, A LAND OF PROMISE FOR THOSE WHO HAD DESIRED BUT HAD BEEN DENIED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. JUSTICE FRANKLIN AND JEFFERSON HAD SEEN GOD IN AMERICA'S PAST. THEY NOW WANTED THE WORLD TO KNOW THAT THEY WERE TRUSTING IN HIM FOR THEIR FUTURE. GOD REMINDED HIS PEOPLE OF WHO HE WAS 86 TIMES BECAUSE THEY OFTEN FORGOT. AMERICANS, LIKEWISE, HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO IT WAS THAT ESTABLISHED US AND HAS PRESERVED US A NATION. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS NO LONGER TEACH HISTORY IN A WAY THAT IS BALANCED, PROVIDING CONTEXT ALONG WITH FACTS. INSTEAD, IT TEACHES ONLY A BIASED VIEW THAT OUR FOUNDERS OWNED SLAVES AND THAT OUR NATION WAS RACIST FROM ITS FOUNDING. WHAT HAS SUCH TEACHING ACCOMPLISHED OTHER THAN A DISRESPECT FOR OUR FLAG, THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR STATUES AND MONUMENTS, AND THE RECENT ASCENDANCY OF COMMUNISM IN AMERICA? SHAME ON 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. IN JOHN 146, HE SAID, I'M THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. LET'S CONSIDER THE IMMORALITY OF TEACHING OUR CHILDREN LIES, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT WE ARE FURTHERING THEIR ADOLESCENT CONFUSION, WHICH OFTEN IS A NATURAL SIDE EFFECT OF TRANSITIONING FROM CHILD TO ADULT. JUST BECAUSE A CHILD FEELS STRANGE OR WEIRD AS SHE GOES, HE OR SHE GOES THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT PHASE DOESN'T MEAN THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH HIM OR HER, OR THAT HIS OR HER CHROMOSOMES HAVE CHANGED. HE OR SHE WAS BORN A BOY OR GIRL, A PROVABLE FACT, AND WILL REMAIN SO ALWAYS. WHEN A CHILD IS TOLD OTHERWISE, THE CHILD IS BEING GASLIT AND MENTALLY ABUSED. THESE CHILDREN NEED TO BE REASSURED AND COMFORTED IN KNOWING THAT WE ALL HAVE GONE THROUGH SIMILAR TIMES IN OUR PAST, AND WE GOT THROUGH IT AS THEY WILL TOO. WE NEED TO TELL THEM WE ARE THERE FOR THEM AND AND THAT WE WILL BE THERE FOR THEM. 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 TO BE 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 [00:40:04] YOUNG WOMEN NOT ONLY TO 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 A 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 THAT DIFFERENT KINDS OF SEX, THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN THESE THINGS THAT ARE BEING TAUGHT AND SHOWN TO OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO BE ON REGULAR TV. WE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT THIS. IT IS NORMALIZING SEX AT AGES WHERE THEY SHOULDN'T EVEN BE THINKING ABOUT SUCH THINGS. JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN FIND IT ON THE INTERNET DOESN'T MEAN THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT GROOMING THEM IN OUR OWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SEX CONVERSATIONS SHOULD BE BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN 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. PARENTS MUST BE ABLE TO OPT OUT OF ANYTHING THAT IS AGAINST THEIR BELIEFS, AND ALL CURRICULUM AND PLANS SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO PARENTS PRIOR TO BEING TAUGHT. THEY SHOULD HAVE THEM POSTED A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK AHEAD, SO PARENTS MAY GO OVER THEM BEFORE THEY'RE BEING TAUGHT. SO I PRAY GOD OPENS YOUR HEARTS TO THE TRUTH, AND HE BLESSES AND GUIDES YOU IN ALL YOUR DECISION MAKING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. ACCORDING TO THE HC WEBSITE REGARDING FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ENCOURAGES ANY CONCERNED INDIVIDUAL TO REPORT FINANCIAL FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE VIOLATIONS OF BOARD EDUCATION POLICY, HC PROCEDURES OR ANY INSTANCE WHERE HEALTH OR SAFETY OF AN EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT HAS BEEN JEOPARDIZED. FINANCIAL FRAUD CONSISTS OF WAYS WHICH HC EMPLOYEES OR VENDORS USE THEIR EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT STATUS OR VENDOR RELATIONSHIP TO TAKE FUNDS FOR THEMSELVES OR OTHERS AT THE EXPENSE OF HC. FINANCIAL WASTE OR ABUSE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES INCLUDES WAYS THAT HC EMPLOYEES OR VENDORS IMPROPERLY, CARELESSLY OR EXCESSIVELY SPEND, CONSUME, MISMANAGED OR MISUSED HC RESOURCES. WASTE ALSO INCLUDES SPENDING UNNECESSARILY AS A RESULT OF INEFFICIENT OR INEFFECTIVE PRACTICES. NOT LONG AGO, PHIL SCHNEIDER POINTED OUT THE WASTEFUL SPENDING OF $379,361 ON OUR STATE CONFERENCES AND THE COST OF AIR TRAVEL, HOTELS, MEALS AND PAY INCREASES FOR CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATION OF 40 52, 58, 82, 96 AND 116%. THAT'S PAY INCREASES. ALSO, DOCTOR MACK REFUSES TO RESCIND BOLZANO'S WORK FROM HOME POLICY NOT AVAILABLE TO TEACHERS OR PRINCIPALS, AND EFFICIENT. NOW, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, BOB CASSILLY, IS CALLING FOR A FULL EDUCATION BUDGET TRANSPARENCY. FOLLOWING THE COMMENTS BY PHIL SCHNEIDER, THE RETIRED SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS. I'VE MADE COMMENTS IN THE PAST WHO AMONG YOU WILL MAKE A MOTION FOR A FULL BUDGET BREAKDOWN BE PROVIDED TO EACH BOARD MEMBER, AND WHO AMONG YOU WILL SECOND THAT MOTION? THE BUDGET CAN'T BE BALANCED ON THE BACKS OF PARENTS. THE TIME IS NOW TO DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP. I'LL BE WATCHING. I'LL BE WAITING. I'LL BE PRAYING FOR YOU THAT YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, AND WE'LL FIND AND FINDS. THE WILL TO COMPLETE THE DIFFICULT JOB IN FRONT OF YOU. THOMAS SOUL CITED. THERE IS USUALLY ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF DAMAGE THAT CAN BE DONE BY DULL OR STUPID PEOPLE FOR CREATING A TRULY MONUMENTAL DISASTER. YOU NEED PEOPLE WITH HIGH IQS. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT PAGE. THAT'S THE END OF OUR IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE HAD ONE VIRTUAL REGISTERED, BUT I'M NOT SURE THEY'RE ON. KYLE ANDERSON IS HOW DO WE DO WE HAVE A VIRTUAL SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING, [Board Member Comments] PRESIDENT PAGE. NOW, THE VIRTUAL SPEAKER IS NOT LOGGED IN. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND, MISS ALVAREZ, I WILL START WITH YOU. WELL, I'LL BE BRIEF, BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M GLAD TO BE HERE TODAY WITH EVERYBODY. WANT TO [00:45:05] JUST WELCOME OUR NEW STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD TO THE DAIS AND LOOK FORWARD TO A A GOOD SUMMER. AND I START PLANNING FOR OUR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU. CAN I START TO COUGH? HELLO, EVERYONE. WELCOME. AND AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. I WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE STAFF ON THE UNPLUGGED TO CONNECT A COMMUNITY WIDE CAMPAIGN THAT ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY TO PUT DOWN DEVICES DURING MEALS. IT ENCOURAGES THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS TO TALK WITH EACH OTHER. THIS IS ON THE BOARD WEBSITE, AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU GO OUT AND LOOK AT IT AND AT LEAST TAKE THE TIME TO TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN WHEN YOU PUT DOWN DEVICES. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE TWO OF MY GREAT GRANDDAUGHTERS HERE TO VISIT ME FOR A MONTH, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I DID TELL THEM TO PUT DOWN THEIR DEVICES BEFORE I READ THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE. THEY HAD IPADS AND COULD CALL AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR FAMILY BACK IN MISSISSIPPI, AND THEY WERE QUITE. UP TO DATE IN WHAT I DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE CALLS ON IPADS, BUT THEY WERE DOING THAT. I PARTICIPATED IN THE VIRTUAL EQUITY MAB MEETING. THE MEMBERS ARE PREPARING FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING, AND ONE OF THE WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IS EDUCATIONAL EQUITY TRAINING MODULE FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND ORIENTATION. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO LOOK OUT FOR THAT TRAINING, BECAUSE IT'S VERY INTERESTING. THEY ALSO HAD A DISCUSSION THAT WAS LED BY THE MEMBER FROM CARROLL COUNTY ON THE GIFTED AND TALENTED COMMITTEE, WHERE THEY'RE CHANGING THAT TITLE. CARROLL COUNTY IS BECAUSE WHAT THEY TO AT THE NAME OF IT'S GOING TO BE ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMMITTEE ON THE ISSUES IS, IS THAT YOU CAN'T MEASURE GIFTED AND TALENTED IN TERMS OF SUCCESS, BUT YOU CAN LOOK AT WAYS TO DETERMINE HOW SUCCESSFUL THOSE STUDENTS ARE BEING. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING WITH THE STAFF BECAUSE I AM ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THE GIFTED AND TALENTED, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO. WHAT CARROLL COUNTY DID WAS CENTER AROUND TESTING RESTRICTIONS AND LABELING CONCERNS. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU LABEL A CHILD AS GIFTED AND TALENTED AND HOW IS IT MEASURED? SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING YOU WITH MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. I TALKED TO THE STAFF AND THEY THEY ARE WILLING TO INCLUDE ME IN THE MEETINGS. WE OFTEN GET COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC IN REGARDS TO MEASURING HOW WE'RE DOING AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. THERE WE WERE PROVIDED THE DISTRICT PERFORMANCE DATA FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATION SCHOOL BOARD FOR CPS, AND I WENT THROUGH THAT DATA. AND THE THREE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT EIGHT CPS TEST SCORES ARE HIGHER THAN THE US AVERAGE. LEARNING RATES ARE FASTER THAN THE US AVERAGE. TEST SCORES ARE IMPROVING FASTER OVER TIME. SO I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONGRATULATE THE STAFF ON ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEING DONE FOR US TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE HER FUTURE BUSINESS OF AMERICA STUDENTS. THEY JOINED 16,000 STUDENTS IN COMPETITION. EACH OF THE FIVE STUDENTS LEARNED THE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION, BUSINESS ETHICS CERTIFICATES THAT HIGHLIGHTS INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. THE BEL AIR CHAPTER RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A NATIONAL SILVER CHAMPION CHAPTER. I PARTICIPATED IN DOING SOME OF THE REVIEWS AND LOOKING AT THE STUDENTS IN THE BUSINESS IN THAT PROGRAM, AND IT WAS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE HOW STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER MARYLAND WERE COMPETING. AND I HOPE THAT THE CHIEF OF STAFF WILL TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND INCLUDE ME IN THAT NEXT YEAR, EVEN THOUGH I WON'T BE SITTING ON THE BOARD, BECAUSE THEY DO NEED VOLUNTEERS FOR THAT ENDEAVOR. I ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO SUPPORT THE STUFF THE BUS SUPPLY DRIVE. I'M SURE THAT MAYBE A THE HEAD DOWN THERE, [00:50:06] THIS WAS YOUR COMMENTS, BUT I'M ALSO GOING TO. TALK ABOUT THAT. THAT'S BEING HELD FROM JULY THE 20TH 7TH TO SEPTEMBER 11TH. INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE REGARDING THE LOCATIONS WHERE YOU CAN PARTICIPATE. I ALSO WANT TO OFFER SOME INFORMATION ON MOUNT CALVARY. YOU. A M CHURCH AT 123 MOUNT CALVARY CHURCH ROAD WILL BE HOSTING A GIVEAWAY ON AUGUST THE 8TH FROM 9 TO 3:00 3:00. THEY'LL BE GIVING AWAY BACKPACKS. NONPERISHABLE FOODS, CLOTHING FOR SHOES, AND FOR ALL AGES. AND THEY SAID, TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO AS I GET INFORMATION FROM COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, I WILL PASS IT ALONG. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE THAT SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW STUDENT OFFICERS THAT WERE SWORN IN FOR H CRESTS. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW STUDENT BOARD MEMBER. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU. AND I HOPE EVERYONE CONTINUES TO HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER. THAT'S IT. GOOD EVENING. EVERYONE HAS SAID THINGS THAT HAVE WRITTEN DOWN TO SHARE TONIGHT, BUT I STILL WANTED TO TAKE TIME TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE COMPETING AGAINST MANY SUMMER ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE FARM FAIR, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US TONIGHT FOR THIS BOARD MEETING. AND THAT I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE TIME TO CONGRATULATE MISS NANDURI FOR HER SEAT AT THE BOARD HERE, AND THEN ALSO TO THE NEWLY ELECTED H CLASS MEMBERS WHO WILL SERVE THE AS THEY PURSUE AND EMBARK ON A FUTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE. SO I CONGRATULATE THEM. AND THEN PLEASE TAKE TIME TO ENJOY SUMMER BREAK, BECAUSE JULY IS GOING TO COME AND GO, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, YOU'RE PREPARING TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL AND WE WILL BE WORKING HARD HERE FOR YOU. GOOD EVENING, STAFF, STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR THE WARM WELCOME. MY NAME IS VIBHA NANDURI, AND I'M TRULY HONORED TO SERVE AS YOUR NEXT STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M A PROUD SENIOR AT BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE I'M ENROLLED IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES PROGRAM. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, I'VE DEDICATED MYSELF TO STUDENT LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY, WORKING TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS A VOICE AND IS REPRESENTED AT EVERY LEVEL OF DECISION MAKING. I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF FREQUENTLY SPEAKING WITH OUR PREVIOUS STUDENT MEMBER, SASHA AND TREY, WHERE I'VE LEARNED A LOT SURROUNDING THIS ROLE AS A VOICE FOR STUDENTS WITHIN H. OR HARFORD COUNTY STUDENT COUNCILS, I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING IN MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP ROLES, INCLUDING FIRST VICE PRESIDENT AND SECOND VICE PRESIDENT. THROUGH THESE EXPERIENCES, I'VE WORKED ALONGSIDE STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES THAT BENEFIT STUDENTS AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. I ALSO CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL ISSUES FOR MARYLAND STUDENT COUNCILS, WHERE I OVERSEE STATEWIDE INITIATIVES IN ENVIRONMENT, SERVICE AND STUDENT WELLNESS. THIS ROLE HAS ALLOWED ME TO COLLABORATE WITH LEADERS FROM ACROSS MARYLAND AND ADVOCATE FOR ISSUES THAT AFFECT STUDENTS ON THE STATEWIDE LEVEL. AS STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD, I HOPE TO BRING THAT SAME DEDICATION AND COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT TO THIS ROLE. MY GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT FEELS HEARD AND EMPOWERED THROUGHOUT MY TERM. I LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS ADVOCATING FOR INVESTMENT IN THE MARYLAND BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE SCHOOLS, AND PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. MY CRUCIAL CONTINUED GOAL WILL BE TO ADVOCATE FOR SMALL VOTING RIGHTS. AS I HEARD TODAY, AND ADDRESSING STUDENTS ISSUES THAT THEY FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYONE IN THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU ALL AT THE STUFF THE BUS AND BACK TO SCHOOL FEST WITH THE IRONBIRDS. PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS. THANK YOU. SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO INCLUDE. SOMETHING HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN SAID, BUT THIS LAST WEEK WE DID HAVE OUR SUMMER SCHOOL GRADUATION. SO FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE MAYBE ONE CREDIT AWAY FROM GRADUATING. AND FROM THE TIME OUR OTHER SENIORS GRADUATED, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THAT LAST CREDIT OR LAST COUPLE OF CREDITS SO THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GRADUATE. SO THEY THEY ARE REALLY GREAT EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE THAT PERSEVERE UNDER ADVERSITY. BECAUSE THINK ABOUT IT, ALL THEIR FRIENDS HAVE ALREADY GRADUATED, AND NOW THEY'RE [00:55:02] GOING BACK TO SCHOOL TO TRY TO FINISH. AND THEY DID, AND THEY MADE IT THROUGH. AND WE HAD 14 GRADUATES THAT DID THAT THIS YEAR. AND SO I WANT TO GIVE CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM BECAUSE IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEM DO THAT AND TO SEE HOW PROUD THEIR PARENTS WERE OF THEM. SO THANK YOU. DOCTOR MILLER WAS SPOT ON. IT WAS IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL CEREMONY WITH THERE BEING SO FEW STUDENTS, THERE WAS MORE TIME FOR THEM TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, GET PICTURES LIKE THAT. SO IT WAS REALLY GREAT. AND I WISH GREAT LUCK TO THOSE STUDENTS. YES, WE HAVE COVERED A LOT OF THE TOPICS THAT I HAD WRITTEN DOWN, BUT THAT'S OKAY. AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW STUDENT MEMBER, MISS NANDURI. I'M VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE NEXT YEAR. I HOPE EVERYONE'S HAD A GREAT SUMMER SO FAR, AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING. DID WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE THINGS. IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO SORT OF UNPLUG A FUN ACTIVITY, THE TOWN OF BELLAIRS HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION IS RUNNING A FIND OUR HISTORY CONTEST. THIS IS SCAVENGER HUNT STYLE WALKING TOUR, WHICH WHEN YOU COMPLETE THE LIST, YOU CAN TURN IN FOR A PRIZE. THIS CONTEST RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, BUT GET A HEAD START THIS SUMMER. WHILE THE WEATHER'S NICE, THE ENTIRE FAMILY CAN PARTICIPATE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, YOU CAN GO TO BEL AIR, MD.ORG AND YOU CAN PRINT OUT THE PAPER AND AND LOOK FOR LOOK FOR THE FUN SPOTS AROUND AROUND BEL AIR. AS MISS MILLER SAID, THE FARM FAIR IS GOING ON. THERE'S SOME GREAT VENDORS THIS YEAR. I'LL BE CHECKING IT OUT ON WEDNESDAY. LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING. SIMILARLY TO THE STUFF THE BUS PROGRAMS, A FEW OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE AN ADOPT A SCHOLAR PROGRAM. THIS IS JUST ENSURING THAT EVERY STUDENT IS IS READY TO LEARN AND SUCCEED FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SO YOU GET A LIST. YOU BUY SOME SCHOOL SUPPLIES, YOU GET THE GENDER AND AGE OF THE STUDENT. I'VE ADOPTED ONE SO FAR, LOOKING FOR A COUPLE MORE, BUT THERE AGAIN ARE SEVERAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING, SO REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOLS IN YOUR AREA. IT REALLY IS SUCH A GREAT PROGRAM. AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, ON JULY 4TH I GOT ENGAGED. SO IF IT'S IN THE BUDGET, I'M GOING TO NEED A NEW NAMEPLATE NEXT YEAR. THE NAME WILL GET A LITTLE BIT EASIER FOR YOU GUYS, DON'T WORRY. SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MISS TANDOORI VERY MUCH. LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU THIS YEAR AND ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE NEW OFFICERS FOR. VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND ALL OF THIS YEAR. AND JUST SIMPLY WANTED TO EXPRESS MY WELL WISHES TO OUR ALCORN GOING BOARD MEMBER, MISS PERRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. I HAVE A FEW QUICK UPDATES. FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME, MISS. WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE YOU. AND ON KIND OF FOLLOWING YOU, MISS BRUCE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND TELL THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE GET KUDOS. SO I WANTED TO READ A LITTLE BIT OF A LETTER THAT WE JUST RECEIVED LAST WEEK FROM THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION BOARD, ADDRESSED TO DOCTOR MACK. AND IT SAYS ON BEHALF OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION BOARD, CONGRATULATIONS ON EARNING THE DESIGNATION OF A DISTRICT ON THE RISE FROM THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION, POLICY AND RESEARCH. WE COMMEND YOUR DISTRICT'S NOTABLE STUDENT ACADEMIC GROWTH AND READING. THE REPORT ALSO NOTES GOOD NEWS RELATED TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, AND WE APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS METRIC, WHICH HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE. ACHIEVING THESE OUTCOMES DURING HISTORICALLY CHALLENGING TIMES IS A TESTAMENT TO YOUR COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP THE GOOD WORK YOU MENTIONED, MISS PERRY. WE DID HAVE A BOARD MEMBER RESIGN, AND SO WHAT HAPPENS NOW IS IT GOES OVER TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL. THEY WILL PROBABLY BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, EARLY NEXT WEEK, PUT OUT AN APPLICATION FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN DISTRICT A TO APPLY. THE HOPE IS THAT THEY WILL HAVE SOMEONE SELECTED AT THEIR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER. SO IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE IN DISTRICT A WHO IS WILLING TO SERVE FOR JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION TAKES PLACE AND WE RECEIPT IN DECEMBER, PLEASE LET US KNOW. LET THE COUNCIL KNOW AND LET THEM APPLY. BUT JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT SEAT. AND [Superintendent's Report] WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR WELCOMING ME TO THE STORYTIME THAT I DID LAST WEEK AT ABINGDON. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO SEE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS, AND WE HAD MANY TEACHERS THAT CAME OUT TO LISTEN TO THE STORIES AND ENJOY OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM. IT WAS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO START THE WEEK. I LOOK FORWARD TO JOINING STORYTIME TOMORROW AT THE JOPPA BRANCH. YOU CAN FIND MY MEET THE SUPERINTENDENT SCHEDULE ON HTTPS ORG AND FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I ALSO WANT TO THANK MISS PAGE FOR RECOGNIZING AND READING A PORTION OF THE [01:00:05] LETTER FROM THE A I B. THAT LETTER IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I THINK IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN WHAT HAPPENS NATIONALLY AND THROUGHOUT THE STATES, BUT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT HERE. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU HIGHLIGHTING THAT WORK. I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS HAVE ENGAGED IN IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS POSSIBLE. AND IT JUST REALLY REFLECTS THE WORK OF OUR FAMILIES, OUR TEACHERS, OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS. AND SO IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE A RECOGNITION FROM THE STATE TO SHOW HOW HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS SHINING ON JUNE. ON JULY 5TH, MY FAMILY AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE GUEST AT THE HABITAT GRACE PARADE, THE CITY OF HABITAT. GRACE HAD AN OUTSTANDING CELEBRATION FOR THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICA, AND I WAS REALLY PROUD TO BE THERE AND SEE OUR HIGH SCHOOL BANDS CELEBRATING, AND TO SEE SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN SCOUTING AND DANCE TEAMS AND OUR MENTORING PROGRAMS. AND THEN ALSO THE MEADOWVALE PTA WAS OUT THERE CELEBRATING THE PATRIOT PROGRAM. AND SO IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL DAY. AND I THINK HAVING THE GRACE FOR THEIR HOSPITALITY SCHOOL IS OUT. HOWEVER, MANY OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS ARE VERY ENGAGED IN ALL THINGS HAPPENING IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND SO WE HAVE MANY STUDENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN OUR LAST SUMMER CAMP. WE HAVE STUDENTS ENGAGED IN OUR EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR, CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND SUSQUEHANNA WORKFORCE. WE HAVE OUR EDUCATORS ARE SUPPORTING MEAL DISTRIBUTIONS AND MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT THE DEDICATION OF OUR FACILITIES, OUR TRANSPORTATION, OUR FOOD AND NUTRITION TECHNOLOGY, AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF. AND AT THE SAME TIME, OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING CLEANED AND PREPARED FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. OUR SCHEDULES ARE BEING FINALIZED, AND THERE ARE TEAMS WORKING THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT GETTING US READY FOR THE START OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THAT SUMMER WORK. CONGRATULATIONS. IT HAS BEEN SAID TO OUR SUMMER GRADUATES, EACH OF THESE STUDENTS DEMONSTRATES THE PERSEVERANCE AND THE DETERMINATION THAT IS NEEDED TO REACH SUCH A MILESTONE. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THEM AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WELCOME TO MISS NANDURI, OUR NEW STUDENT BOARD MEMBER. WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOUR VOICE AT THE TABLE AND TO HAVE YOUR PERSPECTIVES. YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE GOING TO HELP TO INFORM OUR WORK AND KEEP THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE FRONT AND CENTER IN ALL OF OUR DECISIONS. ADDITIONALLY, CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR OFFICERS. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE TONIGHT. AND THEN FINALLY, AS WE PREPARE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR AHEAD OF US, I WANT TO REMIND FAMILIES THAT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL IS AUGUST THE 31ST. AND FOR OUR KINDERGARTEN FAMILIES, OUR GRADUATE ENTRANTS WILL BEGIN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST. SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE CONNECTING WITH THE SCHOOL SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THAT BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR LOOKS LIKE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO AN INCREDIBLE YEAR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. ALL BUSINESS. WE HAVE NO, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OLD [B. Consent Agenda] BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS EVENING. SO FOR ITEM B CONSENT AGENDA, MR. SEWELL, IF YOU WILL READ THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. SURE. NUMBER ONE IS THE RATIFICATION OF RENEGOTIATED HCA CERTIFICATE IN HCA SP TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS. HARVARD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION CERTIFICATED, RENEGOTIATED AND THE HARVARD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS RENEGOTIATED. NUMBER TWO IS CONTRACT AWARD FOR PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT ASSESSMENTS AND INSPECTIONS. NUMBER THREE IS THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR SCHOOL FACILITY MAPPING CONSULTING. NUMBER FOUR IS THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR NEW BUS CONTRACTOR NASH TRANSPORTATION, LLC. NUMBER FIVE IS CONTRACT AWARD. NEW BUS CONTRACTOR BILLI SUE TRANSPORTATION LLC. NUMBER SIX IS CONTRACT AWARD. NEW BUS CONTRACTOR HUBBARD TRANSPORTATION LLC. NUMBER SEVEN IS. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS MAY 19TH. JUNE 1ST. JUNE 9TH. JUNE AND JUNE 16TH, 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. ANY OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA PASSES. BOARD. SINCE WE ARE AHEAD OF [C. Decision on Administrative and Supervisory Appointment, Mr. Ben Richardson, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources] SCHEDULE, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM C DECISION ON ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY APPOINTMENT. I'LL CALL ON DOCTOR BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I DID YES. YOU GOT A PROMOTION ON YOUR WAY UP HERE. THANK YOU. DID. ALRIGHT. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT PAGE, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, SUPERINTENDENT MACK AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I AM BEN RICHARDSON, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. I BRING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING ONE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY POSITION FOR YOUR APPROVAL. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOLS, THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOLS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FOR PROVIDING VISIONARY LEADERSHIP [01:05:04] AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION FOR THE CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WITHIN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS POSITION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. SERVICES, SUPPORTS, ASSESSMENTS, TEACHER AND LEADER, PREPARATION AND CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT ENHANCE STUDENT LEARNING AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS. THE DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOLS WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH DISTRICT LEADERS, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE A COHESIVE APPROACH TO EDUCATION THAT MEETS THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. THE CANDIDATE BEING BROUGHT FORWARD THIS EVENING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL IS MR. BERNARD P HENNIGAN, CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE ACTING DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOLS. MR. HENNIGAN BRINGS 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SERVING IN ROLES THAT INCLUDE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR STUDENT SERVICES, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES, PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER, HOMELESS LIAISON, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND CLASSROOM TEACHER BOARD. THE SUPERINTENDENT RESPECTFULLY REQUEST YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AT THIS TIME. WITH THAT, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. HENNIGAN. I MOVE TO APPOINT MR. HENNIGAN AS DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOLS. I SECOND ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I I ANY OPPOSED PASSES. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. ITEM D PRESENTATION ON PROPOSED [D. Presentation on Proposed Revisions to Board Policy: 02-0058-000 Student Elopement, Lauren R. Driver, Esq., General Counsel and Ms. Colleen Sasdelli, Director of Special Education] REVISIONS TO BOARD POLICY 02-0058-000. STUDENT ELOPEMENT. IF I CAN HAVE MISS LAUREN DRIVER, GENERAL COUNSEL, AND MISS COLLEEN FEDELI, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR YOU PRESENT. THANK YOU. YOU CAN COME UP TO. GOOD EVENING BOARD. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. THIS SHOULD BE BRIEF AND EASY. HOPEFULLY FOR ALL OF YOU. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT AMENDMENTS TO ONE OF OUR POLICIES. THE POLICY IS CURRENTLY ENTITLED STUDENT ELOPEMENT. THIS POLICY WAS FIRST PRESENTED TO OUR POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE LAST SUMMER. IT WAS BROUGHT BEFORE THE BOARD IN JULY OF LAST YEAR, PRESENTED TO FOR 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT AND PASSED IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A RELATED STATE COMPLAINT PROCESS WITH MSD, CERTAIN ISSUES WITH THE EXISTING POLICY WERE FLAGGED FOR US AND AS PART AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION OF THAT COMPLAINT, WE'RE PROPOSING THESE POLICY AMENDMENTS. REALLY, WHAT IT DOES IS BRING THE POLICY INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE EDUCATION ARTICLE. IT BROADENS THE DEFINITION OF WHAT A STUDENT IS. SO THE ORIGINAL POLICY, AS IT WAS ENACTED LAST SUMMER, NEGATED THE NEED TO NOTIFY PARENTS OF STUDENTS WHO HAD IEPS OF ELOPEMENTS OR ATTEMPTED ELOPEMENTS. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WILL ERADICATE THAT, AND WE WILL NOW BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE NOTIFICATION TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR IEP STATUS OR BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION INTERVENTION PLAN STATUS. SO AS IT READS NOW, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS WILL REQUIRE HCPS TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF ALL STUDENTS OF EITHER ATTEMPTED ELOPEMENT OR SUCCESSFUL ELOPEMENTS. AS SOON AS WE BECOME AWARE OF IT. TYPICALLY THAT'S THE SAME DAY, SAME SCHOOL DAY AS THE EVENT. HOWEVER, OFTEN BECAUSE OF THE DEFINITION OF ELOPEMENT FOR SOME OF OUR OLDER STUDENTS, THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE WHERE HCPS MAY NOT BE AWARE OF IT. IF IT'S A STUDENT LEAVING THE SCHOOL GROUNDS AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE BECOME AWARE OF IT THE NEXT SCHOOL DAY, THE POLICY WILL READ THAT WE NOTIFY THE PARENT AND GUARDIAN THAT NEXT DAY. THE SECOND CHANGE REALLY IS FOCUSED AROUND DATA MAINTENANCE AND DATA PRESENTATION. SO THE ORIGINAL POLICY AS IT WAS PRESENTED AND PASSED LAST YEAR, REQUIRED DATA COLLECTION AND DATA PRESENTATION BOTH TO THE BOARD, THE LOCAL BOARD AND TO THE STATE BOARD. SO MISS CASTELLI IS HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT LAST YEAR'S DATA TO YOU. HOWEVER, THAT REQUIREMENT IS NO LONGER PART OF THE LAW, SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO REMOVE THAT FROM OUR POLICY. HCPS WILL STILL TRACK AND MAINTAIN ALL OF OUR DATA ON STUDENT ELOPEMENT, AND OF COURSE, MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY VIA MPIA IF IT'S REQUESTED. BUT WE WILL NOT REQUIRE OURSELVES OR YOU TO SIT THROUGH A PRESENTATION ON THE NUMBERS OF STUDENT ELOPEMENT MOVING FORWARD, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED TO UNDER THE LAW. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO IF WE NEED TO. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO KIND OF GROUPS. WE'RE REDEFINING WHAT A STUDENT IS AND WHAT THE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT APPLIES TO, AND REMOVING THE UNNECESSARY DATA PRESENTATION [01:10:02] PIECE FROM THE POLICY. SO THIS WILL GO OUT AFTER TONIGHT FOR 30 DAYS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AND THEN WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A VOTE AND ASK YOU ALL TO PASS IT SO WE CAN ENACT IT AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING AFTER THE 30 DAYS RUNS. AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN THEM. AND IF NOT, WE CAN LET MISS CASTELLI PRESENT HER DATA FOR YOU. OKAY. AND I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP IT VERY BROAD AND VERY BASIC. WE HAD A TOTAL OF 235 REPORTED ELOPEMENTS IN THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR. 52 OF THOSE WERE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, TEN AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL AND 173 AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. WE ARE SEEING THE GREATEST NUMBER OF REPORTED ELOPEMENTS OF GRADE 12 STUDENTS, AND I THINK THE DEFINITION OF LEAVING CAMPUS WITHOUT PERMISSION IS, YOU KNOW, MORE ALIGNED WITH SOME OF OUR CLASS CUTTING AND ACTUALLY CUTTING SCHOOLS. SO I DO HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN IN, IN ALL THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. WE'RE LOOKING AT GENERAL ED STUDENTS. WE HAD 163 OF THOSE, 235 WERE FOR GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, 72 FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. AND OF THAT, 235, 141 REPORTED ELOPEMENTS WERE FOR MALE STUDENTS AND 94 FOR FEMALE. BUT IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DATA, I CAN ALSO KIND OF PROVIDE THAT BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME. SO TO TELL HOW IT'S TRENDING YEAR TO YEAR. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE GATHERED AND WE HAD THE REQUIREMENT THAT SCHOOLS WOULD REPORT ELOPEMENTS. SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO TRACK THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME. BUT THIS WOULD THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN OUR BASELINE YEAR. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THAT IS IT FOR THIS EVENING. THE NEXT BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY, * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.