Sep 14, 2026 Board Meeting

[Call to Order: Board President]

[00:01:18]

TODAY WE HAVE A WORK SESSION BREAK BOARD. I'M JUST GOING TO ASK IF YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK

[A. Budget Discussion, Ms. Deborah Judd, Chief Financial Officer ]

SO THAT WILL HAVE ACTUAL RESULTS FROM FY 24, 2526 AND THE BUDGET FOR 26 AND 27. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPARISONS THAT YOU CAN MAKE FROM THAT. SO EACH DEPARTMENT, EACH LINE, WHATEVER ANYONE WANTS TO LOOK AT, AND YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH US AT BUDGET@HTTPS.ORG WITH ANY QUESTIONS. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OKAY. I'VE HEARD EVERYTHING. OKAY. SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO TONIGHT IS REALLY GET INPUT FROM ALL OF YOU. AS FAR AS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE BUDGET, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT I CAN GO THROUGH, AND THEN ANYTHING THAT ISN'T COVERED WITHIN THAT, YOU ALL CAN CERTAINLY JUMP IN AT THAT POINT.

SO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT I WANTED TO ASK IS, WHERE DO YOU THINK WE ARE SPENDING MORE THAN WE SHOULD BE? BEFORE WE START THERE? I JUST I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IF YOU'LL GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE. SO FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC, THIS IS OUR LINE ITEM BUDGET. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE TO GET TO IT. IT'S WHAT WE START WITH AS WE LOOK TO APPROVING A BUDGET. IT'S EVERYTHING IN HERE. AND THEN WHAT IS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD IS JUST CHANGES. SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN ACCESS OUR LINE ITEM BUDGET.

HERE'S WHERE IT'S I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ACTUALLY CAN CLICK ON THAT LINK OR SOMEONE'S RUNNING THIS, BUT IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE. SO A LINE ITEM BUDGET EXISTS. THAT'S OUR STARTING POINT BOARD IN THE PUBLIC. AND THEN WHAT IS PRESENTED TO US, I GUESS YOU SAID DECEMBER. YES WILL BE THIS PLUS MINUS ANY CHANGES. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CLEAR. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS TO US, REACH OUT. BUT THIS IS OUR STARTING POINT. IT IS, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHAT A 300 PAGE DOCUMENT. BUT THIS IS OUR LINE ITEM BUDGET. SO THIS IS THIS IS WHERE WE START. AND WE ARE LOOKING AT FOR THE CHANGES THAT WE TALKED LAST YEAR ABOUT INCORPORATING THE PAGE NUMBER OR THE SECTION THAT THOSE CHANGES WOULD PERTAIN TO. SO IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO GO. SOME OF THE ITEMS WON'T BE EASY TO DO THAT. YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, THE WAGE PACKAGE, THE BENEFIT INCREASES, THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, BUT SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. AND IF YOU WANT TO REPEAT YOUR

[00:05:04]

AND IN TIMES WHEN WE'VE HAD BUDGET CONSTRAINTS IN 2019, 20, 18, 19, WE DOWNGRADED POSITIONS, COMBINED POSITIONS TO REALLY SHOW EARNEST EFFORT TO PRESERVE STUDENT FACING THINGS. AND SO I THINK WE GO BACK TO LOOKING ALL OF THAT. AND I KNOW THAT STAFFING, YOU KNOW, THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR BIGGEST CATEGORY. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALSO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, EVERY POSITION THAT WE CAN SALVAGE OR TRIM THAT WOULD WOULD HELP. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NUMBER OF ENROLLMENT BY AP CLASSES. THIS WAS A DISCUSSION WE PROBABLY HAD WHEN I WAS STILL EMPLOYED. AND WE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SECTIONS THAT HAVE ONLY 6 OR 7 STUDENTS, AND THERE ARE SCHOOLS LIKE JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL AND HAVE THE GRACE THAT IS SO SMALL THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE AP OFFERINGS FOR THAT. SO INSTEAD OF US NOT HAVING THOSE CLASSES FOR THOSE STUDENTS, WHICH THEN WOULD REQUIRE MAYBE A BOUNDARY REQUEST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS CERTAIN COURSES, WE LOOK AT THE MODELS THAT WE HAVE NOW, THE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE THAT WE CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS AN A B SCHEDULE

[00:10:05]

SO LET'S LOOK AT HOW WE CAN OPEN THAT UP ACROSS THE COUNTY. SO THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION TO, TO TRIM. AND THEN MY OTHER POINT IN TALKING ABOUT BUDGET SAVINGS, AND AGAIN, I'M THINKING ABOUT EVERY AREA THAT WE COULD TRIM A LITTLE BIT. SO AT THE LAST MEETING, WE TALKED ABOUT CONTRACTS FOR LIKE I STATION AND I READY OR PARDON ME IF I MISQUOTE THE NAMES OF THEM, BUT I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN MAYBE IT'S CHANGED. BUT WHEN I WAS IN THE BUILDING, RUNNING OUR BUILDING, WE HAD A CERTAIN, CERTAIN NUMBER OF LICENSES AND STUDENTS HAD TO MEET A CRITERIA TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE LICENSES. SO IT SEEMS LIKE NOW WE HAVE IT. IS IT FOR ALL STUDENTS AT A AT LIKE I HEAR ABOUT ALL THE KIDS GETTING ON FOR THE MATH, THIS OR THAT.

AND IF THAT'S NOT NECESSARY, THAT COULD BE AN AREA THAT WE TRIM. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT OCCURRED TO ME WAS IN MY FINAL YEARS IN CENTRAL OFFICE, IT'S LEARNING WAS OUR PLATFORM FOR VIRTUAL, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ONLINE TECHNOLOGY. NOW I HEAR CANVA AND THIS AND THAT ARE ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT OPTIONS BRING IN A HEAVY PRICE TAG FOR US. SO, YOU KNOW, BESIDES TRAINING ALL THE NEW PEOPLE TO ACCESS THAT. SO THOSE, THOSE ARE SOME OF MY RUNNING THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BUDGET. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE MY THOUGHTS WENT TO HOW CAN WE SAVE ON UTILITIES? AND THAT BECAUSE I KNOW ELECTRICITY, YOU'RE TALKING 10%, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONE UP QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY. AND SO WITH THE NUMBER OF BUILDINGS WE HAVE, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN MITIGATE OUR ENERGY COSTS. SO IT'S JUST INTERESTING. I'M THINKING DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU ARE. WELL, I THINK IN CONJUNCTION, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO EITHER OR WE COULD BE DOING NO. I KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING. RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. I WASN'T EVEN THINKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE DOING MORE AND MORE GREEN AS WE, YOU KNOW, CONVERT THINGS IN OUR BUILDING. SO THAT'S IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE WE'RE WINNING, GETTING ALL THOSE LEADS, AWARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO. I THINK. I THINK THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COST FOR THINGS THAT. LIKE THESE WOULD BE THOSE KINDS OF COST. YOU HAVE A CHOICE IN, IN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE THINGS THAT WOULD BECOME. SO WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND WE WILL GET TO THEM AND. AND I KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, AND I'M SURE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WHAT IT IS NOW BASED ON COST. SO THERE ARE SOME COSTS THAT JUST WE DON'T HAVE TO. I GUESS MY INPUT, BECAUSE BECAUSE OF OUR FUNDING IS COMING FROM OTHER GOVERNMENT SOURCES, OR WE'RE PARTNERING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ON A LOT OF WHAT WE DO. AND AGAIN, I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE ARE SHARING COSTS WITH WITH OTHER SCHOOLS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT JUST, I GUESS REALLY GOING THROUGH THE LIST OF ARE, ARE WE PAYING OUR FAIR SHARE? COULD WE EVEN ASK FOR A BETTER, YOU KNOW, A BETTER RATE? I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY DUAL ENROLLMENT IS ONE FOR SURE BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING MORE THAN TO OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND OTHER THAN OTHER COUNTIES ARE. BUT EVEN OTHER THINGS, ANY ANYTHING THAT WE PARTNER WITH ANOTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY, ANOTHER I'LL, YOU KNOW, SAY WITH THE FLEET MANAGEMENT FACILITY. AND THAT I WILL SAY HAS BEEN GREAT. I REALLY APPRECIATED THE TOUR. THEY HELPED ME JUMP MY CAR ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WHEN MY BATTERY DIED, SO I. I HAVE THE

[00:15:02]

CORRECT. THAT HAS DEFINITELY BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S ALLOWED US TO UTILIZE ECONOMIES OF SCALE. WE'RE ACTUALLY PARTNERING A LOT WITH HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AS I'M SURE EVERYONE HERE IS AWARE. SO IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE THINKING? YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, RESPONSE. I WOULD JUST SAY BEING AROUND FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE I'M AN OLD GUY. A LOT OF THIS STUFF WE DO LOOK AT CONSTANTLY. SO DON'T THINK THAT WE DON'T LOOK AT EFFICIENCIES WE DO ALL THE TIME. WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO DO THINGS BETTER, CHEAPER, FASTER, ELIMINATING PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUCCESS FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WE SEE NOW. SO WE DO LOOK AT A LOT OF THIS STUFF. SO I JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO LEAVE THIS MEETING THINKING THAT WE DON'T DO ANY OF THESE ALREADY, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT A FOCUS ON THEM AND WE CAN BRING THEM TO LIGHT TO THE THINGS THAT WE DO. I THINK THAT'S GOOD AS WE WORK TOWARDS WHAT IS THE 28TH OUR NEXT MEETING? JUST A WHOLE OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE SUPPORT, RIGHT? I, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYONE. HOW MANY SCHOOLS, WHAT'S THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF ONE ON ONE OF WHAT WE START WITH, I THINK WOULD BE GOOD TO MAYBE WE WORK TOWARDS THAT. ANY THOUGHTS FROM YOU? I WAS HEARING WHAT EVERYONE WAS SAYING, AND I DO THINK AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY BREAKING IT DOWN, BECAUSE LIKE YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT IT BEING REALLY LONG. SO HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD. SO ONE THING I HEARD WAS INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IN AP CLASSES. SO OBVIOUSLY BEING A STUDENT, I KIND OF HAVE A FIRSTHAND PERSPECTIVE INTO THIS. AND I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS LIKE BEING AT BEL AIR. WE HAVE FULL OFFERINGS FOR ALL OF OUR AP CLASSES. WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH EVERY CLASS THERE IS TO OFFER, AND EVEN WITHIN BEL AIR, THERE ARE SOME DISCREPANCIES WITH THAT. SO I'M IN A CLASS AND AP CLASS, AND WE ONLY HAVE LIKE 12 STUDENTS IN THE CLASS. SO MAYBE WORKING TO CONDENSE OR MAKING IT MORE EFFICIENT, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER CLASS WOULD MAYBE BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. AND KIND OF LIKE YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT JOPPATOWNE AND HAVRE DE GRACE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOLS, EVEN IN THE BEL AIR AREA. AND NEL DOESN'T HAVE NEARLY AS MANY CLASSES AS BEL AIR HAS TO OFFER. SO MAYBE FINDING A WAY THAT STUDENTS COULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE AP CLASSES OR CERTAIN CLASSES, LIKE EVEN SPECIALTY PROGRAMS IN A WAY WHERE THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE IT AT THEIR SCHOOL. BUT SOMEHOW WE CAN TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE CAN HAVE IT, MAYBE WHETHER THAT BE VIRTUALLY, MAYBE THAT MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT, I THINK EXTENSIVELY IN THE WAY THAT STUDENTS CAN HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE CLASSES THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE AT THEIR SCHOOL. KIND OF LIKE MR. MARK WAS SAYING, WITH ENERGY COSTS AND UTILITIES, I THINK THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO MITIGATE COSTS BECAUSE AS YOU'RE KIND OF SAYING, IT'S REALLY NOT UP TO US, BUT MAYBE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN TRY TO LESSEN OUR COSTS. I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING THEM FOR LIKE VERY, VERY CAREFUL REVIEW OF THAT. BUT IF THERE'S A WAY, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, IF WE CAN KIND OF LOOK MORE INTO IF WE HAVE CHEAPER COSTS, IF THERE'S PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH TO TRY TO LESSEN COST, THAT WOULD WORK VERY WELL. AND THEN, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR ME FROM THE STUDENT SIDE OF THINGS, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT AP CLASSES AND INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WOULD BE MY BIGGEST ONE. SO I WAS JUST KIND OF BROWSING THROUGH THE BUDGET BOOK. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STRUCK ME IS THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND WAYS TO LESSEN THE COSTS OF THE SPECIAL ED PROGRAMS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE SHOULDN'T OFFER THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO, BUT IF THERE'S ANY WAYS THAT WE CAN FIND CREATIVE WAYS BY LOOKING AT OTHER DISTRICTS AND THAT TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE COSTS WOULD BE GOOD. IF I COULD INTERJECT, I GOT A TEXT THAT, FOR PEOPLE AT HOME CAN'T HEAR

[00:20:02]

SO WE'RE NOT ASKING, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF TO TEACH IN PERSON AND THEN AND THEN HAVE A VIRTUAL MODEL THAT KIDS ARE DIALING IN. AT THE SAME TIME. I'M THINKING ABOUT THEIR PLANNING TIME WHERE ON THIS DAY, ALL THE KIDS THAT CAN ATTEND IN PERSON WOULD ATTEND IN PERSON.

AND THEN THAT SAME CONTENT ON THE B DAY WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE KIDS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY FROM THEIR HOME SCHOOL HOME BASE, WHERE IT COULD BE A PARTICULAR HOUR OF THE DAY WHERE THEY'RE ALL ONE PERSON IS SUPERVISING, AND THEY'RE LOGGING INTO THEIR DIFFERENT CLASSES FROM THIS SCHOOL, THAT SCHOOL. SO IT'S CREATIVE SCHEDULING FOR THEM, BUT IT WOULD SAVE US ON STAFFING, YOU KNOW, SO IF IT'S ADULT SUPERVISION, THAT COULD BE SINCE THE INSTRUCTOR IS THE ONE TEACHING, IT COULD BE AN ASSISTANT OR A PARENT, WHICH WOULD BE MONITORING THAT ONE SESSION. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT A FEW YEARS BACK WHEN I WAS IN, WHY COULDN'T THEY TEACH THE VIRTUAL CLASS AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY'RE TEACHING THE IN-PERSON CLASS? WELL, I'M BEING CONSIDERATE TO THE STAFFING. IF YOU HAVE A CLASS WITH 12 STUDENTS, WHY COULDN'T YOU PICK UP ANOTHER 12 ONLINE? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, BECAUSE THEN THEN THERE MIGHT BE CONTRACTUAL THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, OTHER TEACHERS ARE NOT BEING ASKED TO DO THE SAME. AND THAT'S WHY I WAS PROPOSING THE A B TODAY.

YOU'RE DOING THIS, YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT SMALL CLASS SIZES, BUT IT OPENS UP ACCESS FOR KIDS IN SMALLER SCHOOLS THAT WOULD NOT, YOU KNOW, SO IF THIS ADVANCED TRIGONOMETRY CLASS OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S OUT THERE AND A STUDENT IN HAVRE DE GRACE CANNOT ACCESS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE TEACHER, BECAUSE THIS PERSON IS TRAINED TO BE OVER FALLSTON, THEN THE STUDENT COULD BE REGISTERED FOR THAT CLASS AND, YOU KNOW, LOG IN AND ATTEND THAT CLASS ON B DAY AND THEN STILL HAVE THAT SAME COURSE AND THEN BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXAM. I GUESS MY ONLY QUESTION IS, I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU COULDN'T DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. OH, I'M WITH YOU. IT COULD BE, BUT OKAY, SAME FROM THE TEACHER SIDE THAT THEY MIGHT NOT WANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WORRY ABOUT ANSWERING STUDENTS AND MONITORING STUDENTS ONLINE WHILE THEY'RE TEACHING THAT LIVE LESSON. SO. IF I CAN, JUST TO, JUST TO KIND OF ADD THOUGHT TO IT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE INSTRUCTIONAL IMPACT THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE HAVING WITH THE STUDENTS. OUR AP CLASSES IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EXTENSIVELY RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS ARE THE ONES DRIVING THE OFFERINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING INSIDE OF SCHOOLS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COURSE REGISTRATION AND WHAT ARE THE COURSES THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN? MOSTLY TAKING? SOMETHING I'VE BEEN DIVING INTO IN TERMS OF WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESSES IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS FOR AP HONOR ROLL RECOGNITION FROM COLLEGE BOARD WITH. IN 2025, WE HAD FOUR OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS REACHED SILVER STATUS FOR AP HONORABLE. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESSES FROM THERE THAT WE WANT TO BUILD THE AP PROGRAM TO POTENTIALLY LESSEN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT MAY BE GOING TO HCC FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT. WHEN WE'RE HAVING A VERY STRONG AP PROGRAM INSIDE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL. SO WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUALLY BE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT TO INSTRUCTION WHEN WE'RE MAKING THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS, BECAUSE EVEN THE

[00:25:04]

AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN LIKE A VARIETY OF FACTORS. MY CLASS IS A VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE CLASS.

SO THAT KIND OF HAS TO DO WITH IT. BUT I THINK THE STUDENTS PASSION LEVELS IS SOMETHING THAT DETERMINES HOW MUCH ENROLLMENT YOU'RE SEEING IN AN AP CLASS. AND I DO THINK THAT IN TERMS OF ASYNCHRONOUS CLASSES AT HCC AND AP CLASSES, THAT'S SOMETHING WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO LOOK AT. I KNOW THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT THAT THE OTHER DAY, AND HOW YOU WERE SAYING THERE WAS WHEN YOU WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, THERE WAS NINE STUDENTS WHO DID FULL TIME DURING THEIR LAST YEAR, ONE OF THE ONE OF THE EDUCATORS AT FALLSTON HIGH HAD SAID THAT THERE WERE ONLY NINE STUDENTS IN THE ENTIRE SENIOR CLASS THAT STAYED FULL TIME IN THE BUILDING, WITH NO CLASSES THAT WERE AWAY OR ANY OF THE WORK OR ANY OR LIKE THE WORK SESSION, THE WORK PROGRAMS, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. YEAH. BUT IN 2022, THERE WAS LIKE NO ONE WHO DID DUAL ENROLLMENT. YEAH. SO THAT WAS SORT OF THE CONTRAST THAT IN JUST THOSE THREE YEARS, IT'S LIKE THERE'S NO SENIOR CLASS PRESENT ANYMORE. AND I THINK IT'S THE SAME FOR MY SCHOOL RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, I'M NOT DOING FULL SCHEDULE AND MOST OF MY CLASSMATES AREN'T. TO BE HONEST, I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THE NUMBERS WERE CLOSE TO NINE STUDENTS IN PERSON AS WELL. SO MAYBE LOOKING MORE INTO HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE DOING AP CLASSES AND HOW MANY ARE DOING HCC DUAL ENROLLMENT. AND I DO GET THE BENEFITS OF BOTH. I KNOW THAT HCC, OBVIOUSLY THE CREDITS TRANSFER TO MARYLAND UNIVERSITIES, BUT I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN TALKING TO A LOT OF MY TEACHERS, AND A LOT OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY AGAINST TAKING HCC COURSES, AND THEY'RE MORE AP CLASSES, AND THEY HAVE THEIR REASONINGS FOR THAT AS WELL. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO LOOK INTO WHY SOME STUDENTS ARE OPTING FOR ASYNCHRONOUS AND

[00:30:01]

KIND OF LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, THE CLASS ENGAGEMENT GOES DOWN A LOT, ESPECIALLY WITH ASYNCHRONOUS, NO MEETINGS, LIKE NO INSTRUCTIONAL TIME TYPE OF CLASSES. SO THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE SOMETHING I'D BE INTERESTED IN LOOKING INTO AS WELL. WELL, I THINK THE APPEAL TO FOR THE AP CLASS IS THAT YOUR GPA, IF YOU GET AN A, IT'S A 5.0 ON THE 4.0 SCALE. SO YOU CAN YOU CAN REALLY BOOST THE GPA REALLY HIGH, WHICH AGAIN, WE WERE SUPER COMPETITIVE. IT FALLS INTO. SO I, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS SOMETHING EVERYONE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO CHASE THE HIGHEST GPA. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THOSE DUAL ENROLLMENT, DUAL DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES DON'T DO. AND AT LEAST WHEN I HAD TRANSFERRED A BUNCH OF CREDITS, NOT THROUGH DUAL ENROLLMENT, BUT FROM HCC TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, THEY DIDN'T AND THEY DIDN'T IMPACT MY GPA IN ANY WAY. IT WAS IT WAS JUST SORT OF CONSIDERED THE CREDIT.

SO ONE SUGGESTION FOR MARKETING IT IS YOU CAN REALLY, REALLY BOOST THAT GPA TO, TO CRAZY LENGTHS IF YOU TAKE A LOT OF AP CLASSES. SO I KNOW I'VE HEARD AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STATISTIC COMES FROM, BUT THAT STUDENTS WHO DO AP COURSES DO BETTER IN COLLEGE THAN STUDENTS THAT DO THE DUAL ENROLLMENT THAT THE AP COURSES ARE BETTER PREPARATION. SO. I KNOW WE TOOK YOU OFF SORT OF THE BUDGET TOPIC, SO I'LL SORT OF REIN US BACK IN HERE. BUDGET COMMITTEE.

I KNOW WE HAD STARTED THAT. IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STILL DOING KIND OF WHERE ARE YOU AT ON THAT? WHO'S ON IT? AND YES, MEETING BATTLE RHYTHM. AND I'M PUTTING YOU I KNOW WE DIDN'T TALK. NO YOU'RE GOOD. NO. MISS PAGE AND I, WE WE HAD SORT OF SPOKE ABOUT JUST GETTING A, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PRESENTATION FROM YOU ALL. AND MAYBE THE BUDGET COMMITTEE IS A BETTER VESSEL TO DO THAT INSTEAD OF SORT OF THE FULL THE FULL BOARD AND WE CAN BRING OUR FINDINGS BACK. I KNOW DOCTOR MUELLER HAS EXPRESSED INTEREST AS WELL AS MISS MILLER. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR CAP FOR OUR THREE. AND WE CAN WE CAN START THOSE DISCUSSIONS. IF YOU GUYS THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER VESSEL AT LEAST JUST TO HEAR FROM THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS. WHAT AREAS YOU WANT US TO ABSOLUTELY KEEP AND MAINTAIN. AND JUST SOME, SOME IDEAS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE AND WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT US TO HAVE TO VOTE ON IN DECEMBER. YEAH. ANY FURTHER. CHECK MY NOTES. I THINK THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT AND WE REALLY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHERE SHOULD WE BE INVESTING MORE MONEY AND NOT REALLY FOR DECISION TODAY, OBVIOUSLY, BUT GIVEN THE LIMITED NUMBER OF FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE, IF WE'RE INVESTING MORE SOMEPLACE, WHAT ARE WE TAKING AWAY FROM? SO WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THAT TRADE OFF WOULD LOOK LIKE. DO WE HAVE NUMBERS YET JUST SORT OF BASED ON BLUEPRINT WHERE, WHERE WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO SPEND MORE AND WHAT AREAS WE WILL BE SORT OF REQUIRED TO, TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDS TO IS I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYTHING NEW WITH BLUEPRINT AT THIS POINT THAT WE HAVE TO INVEST MORE IN. I OUR BIGGEST CONCERNS ARE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, WILL INCREASE. THEY INCREASE EVERY YEAR. WE, YOU KNOW, HEARD ABOUT UTILITIES AND, YOU KNOW, FUEL. WE'RE IN CONSORTIUMS, WE, WE BUY AT THE SAME RATES. WE'RE BETTER THAN ANY OF OUR, YOU KNOW, LOCAL PARTNERS. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WHAT'S OUT THERE. BUT CERTAIN CONTRACTS HAVE CONTRACTUAL INCREASES EVERY YEAR. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO AND SOME OF THOSE COME LATER. SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF WE CAN GET AN ESTIMATE EARLIER TO HAVE THAT IN. YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET WHEN WE PREPARE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CONTRACTUAL COSTS. THOSE ARE THE BIG THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW. SPECIAL EDUCATION IS STILL A CONCERN. YOU KNOW, WE ADDED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE BUDGET LAST YEAR. YOU KNOW, WE WE DO BELIEVE WE MAY NEED MORE AGAIN THIS YEAR. SO WE'LL SEE AS WE GO. WE'RE, I THINK, STARTING OUT IN A BETTER PLACE THAN WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR, BUT WE TRANSFERRED SEVEN. YES, 7 MILLION FROM OTHER STATE CATEGORIES INTO THAT. AND BECAUSE OF THE CUTS THAT WE MADE LAST YEAR, WE WILL NOT HAVE 7 MILLION TO TRANSFER SOMEPLACE ELSE. SO HOPEFULLY THE BUDGET IS A BETTER STARTING POINT SO THAT WE AREN'T, AS YOU KNOW, OVERSPENT. BUT WE'LL SEE. YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR. AND I THINK IT STARTS WITH MISS BRUCE'S POINT ON STARTING ON THE COSTS THAT THAT ARE FIXED. RIGHT. HERE'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO PAY. HERE'S WHAT ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE. BECAUSE OUR WIGGLE ROOM OF WHAT WE CAN IMPACT IS VERY SMALL. SO I

[00:35:01]

ARE THEY GOING TO RAISE THAT TO. THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE MARYLAND MATTERS THIS MORNING.

GET READY. IT'S COMING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A $300 MILLION DEFICIT STARTING IN JANUARY. SO SORT OF THE ONLY WAYS TO DO THAT IS, OF COURSE TO CUT OR RAISE TAXES. IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A COMBINATION. THEY ARE TRYING THEIR BEST TO NOT CUT ANYTHING IN EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY. BUT IF YOU CUT EVERY OTHER AGENCY BY 10%, YOU WOULD STILL ONLY BE AT ABOUT 2.5 BILLION. SO. AGAIN, JUST BASED ON THE ARTICLE, THE STATE IS NOT THEY'RE TRYING THEIR BEST TO AVOID CUTTING EDUCATION FUNDING, BUT THERE'S THERE'S NO GUARANTEE. AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THE CONCERNS REGARDING THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, INCLUDING OUR OBVIOUSLY, OUR BUILDINGS BEING THE BIGGEST ISSUE THERE. SO WITH WHERE WE'VE BEEN ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO MAINTAIN, BUT WE'VE BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY TARIFFS. DIESEL FUEL PRICES ARE OBVIOUSLY DRIVING UP THE COST OF PARTS, AND IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING LONGER, LONGER TO REPAIR THINGS. SO WE ARE YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ON OUR SIDE OF THE HOUSE IN TERMS OF THE OPERATING SIDE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, STUDENT FACING POSITIONS, I DO WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE OPERATION SIDE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE KEEPING THE SYSTEM RUNNING, AND THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB FOR US, AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY WITHOUT THEM. SO I DO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND, BECAUSE WE ARE VERY LEAN AND WE ARE FACING EVERY DAY EMERGENCIES WHERE WE ARE STRUGGLING TO GET TO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE BECAUSE WE ARE DEALING WITH BUILDINGS THAT ARE SIMPLY VERY, VERY OLD PARTS THAT DON'T EXIST. AND IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF A STRUGGLE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HEARS THAT AND KEEPS THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND I, I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IN THE SPRING THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS THEY'RE CALLED LBI'S LEGISLATIVE BOND INITIATIVES. THERE ARE SOME LIMITED THINGS THAT SCHOOLS CAN RECEIVE FUNDS FOR, BUT THAT THAT PRE-FILING OPENS, I BELIEVE, IN OCTOBER.

SO LET'S SIDEBAR. AND WE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN AT LEAST GET, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE SMALL PROJECTS, AT LEAST AT LEAST TALKED ABOUT. AND THOSE, THOSE FUNDS, IF, IF APPROVED, WILL LAST, I THINK IT'S SEVEN YEARS. SO IF IT'S NOT A PROJECT THAT IS DONE IMMEDIATELY, IT CAN AT LEAST BE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF APPROVED. AND WHEN, WHEN ABLE TO DO IT, WE CAN DO IT.

THAT'D BE GREAT. UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER THOUGHTS. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING RIGHT NOW. WE'LL

[B. 2027-2028 School Calendar Discussion, Ms. Jillian Lader, Manager of Communications]

[00:40:04]

ARE WE DOING A SURVEY THIS YEAR LIKE WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL? I AM NOT AWARE OF ONE OF THOSE BEING ON THE SCHEDULE. IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN DO? LIKE I GUESS WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND OUR TIMELINE IF WE'RE TOO LATE FOR THAT. I KNOW WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING JUST JUST TO THINK ABOUT. I KNOW WE HAD THAT PUBLIC SESSION ONLY MAYBE FIVE COMMENTS, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE US FIND A WAY TO, TO OPEN THAT UP TO MORE OF OUR COMMUNITY. WHAT WOULD BE THE TYPES OF THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IN THAT SURVEY? SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, I GREAT QUESTIONS.

OUR START DATE, SMALLER SPRING BREAK VERSUS GETTING OUT EARLIER, JUST JUST THOSE KIND OF THINGS, THE TRADE OFFS, WHERE'S OUR DECISION SPACE? OKAY, ASKING THE COMMUNITY THAT.

AND ONE THING MAYBE TO THINK ABOUT, I GET THE CONSISTENCY. AND I KNOW THAT COUNTIES LIKE CECIL COUNTY JUST PICK 1ST SEPTEMBER. THAT'S OUR START DATE. NO MATTER WHAT YOU KNOW, IS, IS THAT WHERE WE WANT TO GET FROM A CONSISTENCY PERSPECTIVE THAT WE PICK A DATE AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THAT'S WHERE WE GET. SO EVERYONE KNOWS, RIGHT, THAT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STARTING SCHOOL. AND THEN AS ALWAYS, I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT HAVING VETERANS DAY OFF. SO I ASK THAT YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS YOU BUILD THE CALENDAR. YEAH, I'LL CHIME IN. I THINK EVERYTHING FROM THE LISTENING SESSION WAS VERY REASONABLE CONSISTENCY. ABSOLUTELY. FOR A LOT OF SCHOOL SYSTEMS, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL THEY HAVE IT AND THEY STICK TO IT. AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP US AS A BOARD, JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO DON'T HAVE TO KEEP HAVING THE DISCUSSION EVERY YEAR. IF WE JUST SORT OF FIND SOMETHING THAT WORKS AND WE STICK TO IT. I DO LIKE THE STARTING THE MONDAY PRIOR TO LABOR DAY, AND I THINK IN THAT INSTANCE, IT HELPS US PRESERVE SPRING BREAK.

THAT IS SORT OF THE ONE THEME THAT, YOU KNOW, OUT OF THOSE WHO DID SPEAK, I DO JUST HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT AND NOW WITH MY

[00:45:03]

LOOK, I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WAS BASICALLY NO BREAK WHEN YOU GOT JUST FRIDAY AND MONDAY, DIDN'T EVEN GET HOLY THURSDAY. BUT I THINK THAT I THINK THAT WEEK IS GOOD JUST FOR OUR STUDENTS TO DECOMPRESS A LITTLE BIT, BUT AGAIN, SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES THAT THAT THEY DON'T USUALLY OTHERWISE GET TO DO SO. THOSE ARE MY PRIORITIES. AND YES, I, IF WE CAN FIT VETERANS DAY IN, THEN YES, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS A GOOD IDEA. SO WHAT WOULD YOUR THOUGHTS BE ON HAVING A CONSISTENT SPRING BREAK? THAT SPRING BREAK WOULD BE, I DON'T KNOW WHEN HCC IS DOING THEIRS, BUT THE THIRD WEEK OF MARCH OR THE YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S WHAT WE ALWAYS DID WHEN I WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS IN THE SCHOOLS THERE, IT WAS ALWAYS THE THIRD WEEK OF MARCH. SO WHAT WOULD YOU THINK ABOUT DOING A CONSISTENT SPRING BREAK RATHER THAN. AND I WILL TELL YOU, IT'S THE ONLY PLACE I'VE EVER LIVED WHERE YOU GET EASTER MONDAY. I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE. SO THAT'S JUST A WEIRD ONE TO ME. AND USUALLY YOU DIDN'T GET GOOD FRIDAY EITHER. YOU JUST IT WASN'T A CALENDAR BASED AROUND THE CHRISTIAN HOLIDAYS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT. MAYBE HAVING A CONSISTENT SPRING BREAK ALSO. YEAH. AND IF IT WORKS WITH SOME OF THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND, YOU KNOW, HCC, ESPECIALLY WITH DUAL AND WE HAVE ALL THESE DUAL ENROLLED STUDENTS NOW, AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY HAD THE SAME TIME OFF. SO I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON THAT. I MEAN, I, I LIKE THE IDEA FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR US TO PLAN CONSISTENTLY THAT WE'RE GOING TO START ON THE FIRST MONDAY BEFORE MEMORIAL, BEFORE LABOR DAY. BECAUSE IF WE PICKED A DATE LIKE SEPTEMBER 1ST, THAT COULD FALL ON A FRIDAY, RIGHT? SO THEN WOULD WE OPEN SCHOOL FOR ONE DAY? AND THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. OR WE WOULD END UP WAVING IT TO START ON THE MONDAY. SO I LIKE THE IDEA OF KNOWING THAT WHATEVER THAT MONDAY BEFORE LABOR DAY, THAT'S THE START OF SCHOOL. AND THAT HELPS THE PUBLIC. AS FAR AS MY PRIORITIES. AND I'M THINKING ABOUT MY TIME AS AN INSTRUCTOR, MY TIME AS AN ADMINISTRATOR. YOU KNOW, KIDS NEED TO GET INTO A ROUTINE, AND I WANT TO SEE US GET A CALENDAR THAT PRIORITIZES MAXIMIZES CONTINUITY OF FIVE DAY LEARNING. BECAUSE FROM THE AREA IN OUR SOUTHERN COUNTY, MANY OF OUR PARENTS ARE WORKING TWO JOBS. AND TO HAVE A WEEK OFF OR TO HAVE A PLANNING EARLY DISMISSAL IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN A HOLIDAY WITH THAT BREAK.

IT'S VERY CHALLENGING FOR THEM TO FIND DAYCARE. AND SO THE THOUGHT FOR FOR OUR FAMILIES THAT I'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY IS THAT HAVING TO FIND SOMEBODY TO WATCH THE KIDS FOR A WHOLE WEEK DURING SPRING BREAK IS, YOU KNOW, IT HURTS. THEY'RE WORKING BASICALLY TO PAY FOR CHILDCARE.

SO I'M LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE GO BACK TO WHAT IT WAS, WHICH WAS THAT FRIDAY AND MONDAY THAT AND TEACHERS, WE HEARD FROM THE STAFF THAT SAID THEY WOULD GO WITH A SHORTER BREAK. AND FROM MY ADMINISTRATIVE AND TEACHER SIDE, I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONCE THE KIDS HAVE THAT, IF WE THINK ABOUT CHRISTMAS BREAK OR THE WINTER BREAK, THE KIDS COME BACK. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AGAIN. WE'RE TEACHING ROUTINES AND THIS AND THAT BECAUSE THEY'VE FORGOTTEN, RIGHT? SO THAT'S NOT A BIG DEAL IN JANUARY, EXCEPT THAT FOR THE ESOL WORLD, THEIR ASSESSMENT STARTS WHEN THEY COME BACK. SO THAT'S A BIG DISRUPTION. BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT SPRING BREAK, THAT LONG BREAK, THE STUDENTS ARE OUT OF THEIR LEARNING MODE. AND SO IT TAKES TIME TO GET BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS. AND THAT'S WHEN OUR TESTING WINDOWS ARE POPPING UP WITH THE SCIENCE ASSESSMENTS AND THEN THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD. SO I WOULD JUST THINK THAT FOR THE HARDSHIP OF FAMILIES HAVING TO FIND DAYCARE FOR THAT INTERRUPT, I'D LIKE TO SEE A CALENDAR THAT MAXIMIZES PRESERVES FIVE DAY LEARNING WEEK AS MUCH AS WE CAN, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ON THE PLANNING DAY, I AGREE THAT OUR ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS NEED THAT PLANNING TIME TO BALANCE OUT WITH WHAT SECONDARY HAS. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF IT SAYS 8 TO 10, THEN LET'S LOOK AT EIGHT, BECAUSE SOME OF THE ONES THAT HAPPEN AT THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL AND THAT THE LAST MONTH, IT JUST IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS. SO THE PURPOSEFUL PLANNING FOR THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE EIGHT MONTHS IN BETWEEN. SO THAT WOULD BE A NICE COMPROMISE TO GIVE THEM BACK SOME OF THAT, BUT ALSO TO TRIM IT BACK. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CALENDAR. OH, YOU'RE MAKING ME SORRY. WE HAVE TO GIVE A WINTER BREAK. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY WINTER BREAK EITHER, BUT WE'RE REQUIRED TO BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO FIND BABYSITTING FOR THEM.

[00:50:04]

WHAT WE HEARD FROM ALL THE PEOPLE LAST YEAR. SO ALL FIVE OF YOU. SAID THAT THEY WANT A THREE DAY. AMEN TO THAT. I MEAN, THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT DOING THE SURVEY, TOO. IF YOU WEREN'T INTERESTED IN COMING ON, SELL THIS TRUCK. WHY? WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL THESE ZOOM. YEARS. WHAT THEY WANT IS WHATEVER IT IS, WE NEED TO STICK WITH IT. I DON'T GET IT. I WAS JUST I WAS SO SURPRISED WE WERE DOING THIS. ALL FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD AND DECIDED, YOU KNOW, I. SAID, YOU KNOW, SET IN STONE AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND FREE LABOR DAY SHOULD BE THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT ARE DOING IT, LIKE THE THIRD WEEK OF THE MONDAY OR THE THIRD WEEK IN AUGUST. YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF A THEY BECAUSE THEY DO BELIEVE IN THAT INSTRUCTION BEFORE THE TESTING INSTEAD OF INSTRUCTION AFTER THE TESTING. AND I HAVE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WHO GO BACK TO SCHOOL. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY'RE OUT EARLY. THEY GET OUT THERE EARLY AND THEN THEY COME BACK OUT AND THEN MAYBE THEY GET OUT AND THEY AND THE MOTHERS PREPARE FOR THEM. THAT'S WHERE THEY LIVE. YEAH. A LOT OF PLACES THEY'VE GOT 2 OR 3 WEEKS IN BEFORE WE START. I, I SUPPORT PUTTING OUT A SURVEY JUST IN GOOD FAITH BECAUSE WE ONLY HAD LESS THAN TEN PEOPLE, YOU KNOW THAT. SO FOR THIS CALENDAR, I'M SORRY, BUT I MEAN, WHY, WHY WEREN'T THEY HERE? IF THEY REALLY HAVE, THEY COULD BE WORKING. THEY COULD BE WORKING A DAY AFTER LABOR DAY. I OUR COMMUNITY, THE BETTER DOESN'T HURT ANYTHING. RIGHT. AND I, WE SEE SO MANY SURVEYS. WE'VE DONE SURVEYS EVERY YEAR AND WE COME BACK TO SOMEBODY WANTS IT THIS WAY AND SOMEBODY WANTS ANOTHER ONE AND WE DO SURVEYS. I THINK THE FEEDBACK. YEAH, I AGREE, I THINK THE FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT. AND I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY IS CONSISTENCY. AND I THINK IF WE CAN GET TO THAT, THAT'S OUR GOAL, AT LEAST IF WE HAVE LAST YEAR WAS RESULTS FOR JUST OUR SAKE ON THIS SIDE OF THE BOARDS, OUR FIRST TIME WITH, YOU KNOW, VOTING ON A CALENDAR. SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD AT LEAST JUST SEE THOSE RESULTS. SO THEY HAVE THOSE RESULTS. DO WE DO WE HAVE RESULTS? AND MAYBE YOU SEND THOSE OUT. I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH YEARS WE DID SURVEYS, BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO PULL THOSE UP. WE HAVE ONE. THERE'S 143 PAGES OF PUBLIC COMMENT FROM LAST YEAR. AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH THAT, THAT'S GREAT. CHATGPT. YEAH, YEAH. SO THE SURVEY THAT WENT OUT LAST YEAR, I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO BE 90% OF OUR STILL CURRENT PARENTS. SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT. WE CAN DISAGGREGATE THAT. WE RESURFACED THAT. OKAY, I DON'T KNOW IF WE PUT OUT, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF FEEDBACK. WE DON'T DO A SURVEY TO GIVE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE YOUR PREFERENCE, EMAIL US AND, AND WE'LL TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION. AND WE HAVE BEEN INCLUDING THAT INFORMATION WITH LIKE THE COMMUNITY SESSION. IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT THEY COULD ALSO SEND EMAILS WITH FEEDBACK AS WELL IF THEY COULDN'T MAKE IT TO THE EVENT. SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE'LL START WITH SHARING LAST YEAR'S DATA. AND IF THAT SEEMS TO SATISFY, IF NOT, WE CAN REVISIT THE IDEA OF HAVING ANOTHER SURVEY. BUT IF IF YOU FEEL THE DATA WE RECEIVED IS SPEAKING TO WHAT YOU WANT, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. AND THEN IF I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY WE DO HAVE POPULATIONS OF PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN COMING IN THAT ARE NEW TO THE SYSTEM. SO I THINK THE MORE THAT WE REACH OUT, THEN WE CAN SAY INSTEAD OF, WE MADE THE CALENDAR FOR YOU BASED ON THIS HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT GAVE INPUT, WE COULD SAY WE HAD A PUBLIC SESSION IN PERSON. WE SENT OUT TWO SURVEYS, AND THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BACK, RIGHT? SO THAT BUILDS OUR CASE SO THAT WE TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC BEFORE WE JUST SET THAT CALENDAR. AND I BELIEVE OUR POLICY DOES SPEAK TO THAT. IT GOES OUT FOR 30 DAYS FOR COMMENT. THAT WILL BE DETERMINED ON IF IT PASSES. RIGHT. SO IT'S EITHER 30 OR 60 DAYS. YEAH, THAT'S ONCE WE HAVE THE DRAFT. SO THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS AND THEN COMMENT ON THAT, WHICH MIGHT MIGHT BE SUFFICIENT FOR WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO ACHIEVE, WHICH FRANKLY, I THINK IS A BETTER MODEL BECAUSE IF PEOPLE

[00:55:02]

AND THEN SPRING BREAK, I THINK THOSE TWO TOPICS, YOU KNOW, WOULD WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEIR OPINIONS, AT LEAST TRY YOUR THOUGHTS. SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH OF A VOTE ON THE CALENDAR. BUT FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR BEFORE, LABOR DAY SEEMS LIKE THE MOST IDEAL START TIME, NOT ONLY FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT FROM THE STUDENTS I'VE SPOKEN WITH. I THINK THE BIGGEST THING, LIKE EVERYONE'S BEEN SAYING IS CONSISTENCY. OBVIOUSLY KEEPING A CONSISTENT DATE SO THAT STUDENTS ARE AWARE AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS SO THAT EVERYONE'S KIND OF IN THE SAME LINE. AND SO THAT WE'RE NOT ALTERING IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR WOULD BE OUR BEST CASE SCENARIO. AND I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE VETERANS DAY OFF AND COMING TO SPRING BREAK. I THINK THAT IT WOULD. I HONESTLY AM MEETING WITH A LOT OF STUDENTS THIS WEEK, SO IT COULD BE SOMETHING I BRING UP TO STUDENTS. BUT THERE I HEAR LIKE PERSPECTIVES FROM BOTH SIDES WHERE A LONG SPRING BREAK WOULD BE GOOD FOR REJUVENATION AND RELAXATION, ESPECIALLY TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILIES. BUT THEN FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE, IT'S CONTENT RETENTION FOR STUDENTS. SO HOW MUCH OF THAT MATERIAL OUR STUDENTS REALLY PRESERVING OVER SPRING BREAK IS SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. AND I'VE HEARD BOTH WAYS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M VERY SPLIT BETWEEN THE LONG SPRING BREAK OR A SHORT SPRING BREAK. FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH OF AN EFFECT. I PROBABLY WOULD PREFER A SHORTER SPRING BREAK JUST BECAUSE I THINK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A SOPHOMORE OR JUNIOR SENIOR AND YOU HAVE 5 OR 6 AP COURSES, IT CAN BE A LOT, ESPECIALLY WITH ONE BREAK THAT WE HAVE WITH WHICH IS WINTER BREAK, AND THEN HAVING TO GO TO SPRING BREAK AND THEN COME BACK AGAIN. AND YOU'RE KIND OF MISSING A LOT OF TIME, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SPRING BREAK IS IN MARCH OR APRIL TYPICALLY, AND THAT'S THE MONTH OR TWO BEFORE AP EXAM SEASON. SO IT'S A PRETTY CRUCIAL TIME, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS. SO I THINK THINKING ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF A LONG OR SHORT SPRING BREAK IS, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE WE HAVE OUR DRAFT OF THE CALENDAR. SO, SO I THINK WE'LL END UP WITH REALLY TWO DOCUMENTS. WE'LL END UP WITH A CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR AND THEN A LIST OF COMMITMENTS. HOPEFULLY THAT POTENTIALLY WE'RE GOING TO SAY WE WILL START THE FIRST MONDAY. WE WILL DO VIRTUAL LEARNING. WE WILL BE OFF ON VETERANS DAY. SO WE HAVE THAT LIST OF COMMITMENTS. THAT'S THE CONSISTENCY BECAUSE THE THE CALENDAR CHANGES EVERY YEAR. BUT AND SO WE COULD END UP THEN WITH THAT LIST OF COMMITMENTS, WHICH IS THE CONSISTENCY PIECE AND THEN AN ACTUAL CALENDAR, AND MAYBE IT'S A BOARD RESOLUTION OR, OR HITTING POLICY ON THOSE, THOSE THINGS. DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE? SO IF THE POLICY PASSES, WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE FOR WHEN. RIGHT. SO THAT WILL DEPEND ON THE POLICY. IF THAT POLICY PASSES, THEN WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT PRESENTING THE CALENDAR AS QUICKLY THEREAFTER TO THEN GIVE YOU 30 DAYS OF PUBLIC COMMENT. DO YOU THINK OCTOBER TIMELINE, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE CORRECT. OKAY. I THINK THAT THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL GOAL.

AND THEN THAT WAY THIS BOARD CAN VOTE ON IT PRIOR TO THE END OF NOVEMBER, ESSENTIALLY. AND THAT WAY FAMILIES WILL GET THAT CALENDAR, THE 2728 AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE NORMALLY I THINK WE'VE EVEN GONE INTO JANUARY, FEBRUARY BEFORE THEY'VE HAD A CALENDAR IN FRONT OF THEM. OKAY. ALL GOOD FEEDBACK. ANYTHING ELSE?

[C. Board Handbook Discussion, Ms. Lauren Paige, Board President and Ms. Liliana Norkaitis, Board Member]

[01:00:07]

THE TERMS THAT WE WILL USE. BOARD OF EDUCATION CPS THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT. THERE WAS A SUGGESTION TO TAKE OUT THAT RECEIVED MOST OF OUR FUNDING FROM HARVARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND JUST KEEPING IT. PRETTY MUCH ALL OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE COUNTY AND THE STATE. SO THAT WAS AGAIN, A SUGGESTION FROM FROM STAFF.

THEN SPECIFYING THAT MSD ADMINISTRATOR ADMINISTERS THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S POLICIES AND ADDING ANOTHER OXFORD COMMA. I MISSED ONE, SO THANK YOU, MISS DRIVER. UNDER BOARD POLICY, THERE WAS A SUGGESTION COMPLYING WITH LAW THAT WE WE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE EDUCATION POLICIES, BUT WITH THE ADVICE OF THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT. SO JUST USING SIMILAR LANGUAGE TO WHAT COMER HAS. ADDING AN APOSTROPHE S TO BOARDS UP THERE. AND THEN PREVIOUSLY IT HAD EXPRESSED A CERTAIN DAY IN SEPTEMBER. SO THIS WAS A SUGGESTION FROM MISS JUDD TO JUST SAY IN SEPTEMBER, AGAIN, JUST HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF WIGGLE ROOM. SO IT'S NOT AS SPECIFIC TIME IN SEPTEMBER IN WHICH WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE HAVE THAT BUDGET READY.

SIMILARLY, THE ORIGINAL THE LANGUAGE AS IT READS NOW SAYS THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY, MY MY PROPOSAL WAS JUST IN THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, BUT THE THE CHARTER AND COMER SAYS MARCH 1ST AS THE ABSOLUTE DEADLINE. SO THAT WAS JUST AGAIN, A SUGGESTION TO COMPLY WITH COMER.

AGAIN, JUST SPECIFYING THE APPOINTMENT OF CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL. AND THEN THE SUGGESTION THAT WE WILL BE ADVISED IN ADVANCE. BUT THAT SORT OF EVERYTHING AFTER THAT IS JUST NOT REALLY NECESSARY. COMMENTARY FOR FOR OUR BYLAWS HANDBOOK. THIS IS AN UPDATE TO OUR BARGAINING UNITS. I FORGET WHICH ONE WAS LISTED, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE DO NOT CURRENTLY USE. SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT ALL UPDATED. AND THEN DOWN IN THE NEXT SECTION, JUST SPECIFYING WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. IT'S ONLY CHANGED SLIGHTLY, BUT IT'S A

[01:05:02]

AND THEN THIS ONE HERE WAS JUST A SPECIFICATION THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME. INSTEAD OF HAVING IT SAY WHAT HAPPENED IN 2014, JUST BRING IT TO THIS IS HOW THE BOARD OPERATES. AND THAT IS THE MAKEUP. INSTEAD OF WHAT WAS THE MAKEUP? THIS AGAIN, I DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING WITH IT. WE CAN HAVE MORE DISCUSSION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IS THAT THIS DOES SOMEWHAT CONFLICT WITH COMAR NOW, BECAUSE COMAR DOESN'T SPECIFY ANYTHING ABOUT THE JULY AND AUGUST, AND THAT COMAR DOESN'T REALLY SAY THAT WE CAN RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF A BOARD MEMBER FOR NOT ATTENDING IN PERSON. IT ONLY STATES ABOUT ATTENDANCE IN GENERAL, SO WE CAN ASK MISS DRIVER ABOUT CLARIFICATION ON THAT. BUT FOR FOR THIS TO MAKE SENSE, I GUESS, WHAT DO WE DO? I, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC IN ACCEPTING JULY AND AUGUST. THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM A BOARD MEMBER. BUT BUT WHY? I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT. YEAH. I MEAN, 75% OF THE MEETINGS IS PRETTY LOW, RIGHT? THAT'S PRETTY LOW. NO, I AND I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT. WHY DID YOU LIE IN AUGUST NOT MATTER.

THERE'S ONLY TWO MEETINGS IN JULY AND AUGUST. EACH OF THEM ONLY HAVE ONE. SO WHY LIKE I, I DON'T AGREE WITH THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, BUT IF I AGAIN, I WAS, YOU KNOW, HOPING THAT WE'D HAVE A COUPLE MORE, YOU KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, FINISH THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. BUT I THINK IT'S ONLY ONE BOARD MEMBER THAT WANTS THAT.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO COME IN PERSON. SO FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE VOTE THAT WE REMOVED, JULY, AUGUST, OKAY. BUT WHERE'S THE THE CONFLICT IS THE 75% OF ALL. IT'S SO THAT COMAR STATES THAT IT'S JUST FAILURE TO ATTEND. COMAR DOESN'T SPECIFY THAT FAILURE TO ATTEND IN PERSON. KUMAR KUMAR DOESN'T SPECIFY THAT ATTENDING VIRTUALLY WOULD BE A VIOLATION.

[01:10:05]

SO KUMAR READS 75%. AND THEN THERE'S AN THE ALLOWANCE FOR THE STATE BOARD TO REMOVE FOR FAILURE TO ATTEND THOSE 75%. YOU ALL CAN AGREE TO GO A STEP FURTHER THAN THAT. BUT THEN THE ABILITY, LIKE YOU FLAGGED, THE STATE BOARD PROBABLY WON'T REMOVE SOMEBODY FOR THAT. SO IT'S MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IF YOU WANT TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE 75% THAT KUMAR ALLOWS, THERE'S SOMETHING DISCIPLINARY SHORT OF REMOVAL THAT THE BOARD CAN ENACT ON ITS OWN MEMBERS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. CENSURE. FINE, FINE WOULD BE GREAT. REVENUE BOOSTER. NO, YOU DON'T GET EVERY MEETING YOU MISS. YOU PAY 100 BUCKS. YEAH. BUT YEAH, BECAUSE THE STATE BOARD HAS THE ENFORCEMENT POWER FOR REMOVAL, FOR ABSENTEEISM. THEY WILL THEY JUST WON'T AGREE TO REMOVE SOMEBODY FOR BREACHING THIS CLAUSE. BUT YOU ALL I THINK I MEAN MY RECOMMENDATION IS YOU JUST DO AWAY WITH VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE. AND THEN IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT HERE IN PERSON, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO CUT INTO YOUR 25% OF ABSENTEE ALLOWANCE.

SO I GUESS MY, I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY COME IN HERE SICK AND COUGHING ALL OVER ME. I, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT IF SOMEBODY IS ILL AND THEY CAN STILL ATTEND VIRTUALLY, THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO. SO KUMAR ALLOWS FOR THE WITHOUT GOOD CAUSE. SO WE DON'T DEFINE WHAT GOOD CAUSE IS. BUT IF YOU WANT TO ALLOW VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE FOR EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU ALL CAN. AS LONG AS TERMS ARE DEFINED WITH CLARITY AND YOU ALL ARE PREPARED TO ENFORCE THEM, I THINK YOU CAN DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT TO DO AS A BOARD. I DON'T KNOW, I JUST AND THERE ARE BOARD MEMBERS THAT DO MUCH BETTER ON VIRTUAL THAN OTHERS. I WILL SAY THAT SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T. IF THEY DO VIRTUAL, THEY ZONE OUT OR SOMETHING. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE'S THERE'S OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH A PART OF THE MEETING, AND THEY'RE VIRTUAL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. I, I WOULD AGREE THAT THE EXCEPTION FOR JULY AND AUGUST SHOULD BE REMOVED BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MEET.

IT SHOULD BE 75% OF THE MEETINGS YOU'RE EXPECTED TO ATTEND. AND SO WE DO HAVE A MECHANISM THAT I HAVE SOME. JUST CAUSE THAT I CAN'T ATTEND, THEN WE MIGHT SAY, OKAY, SO MAYBE THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO PUT IN IS AN ALLOWANCE FOR VIRTUAL. BUT IF I DEMONSTRATE ON THE FIRST VIRTUAL CALL THAT I'M ZONING OUT AND I AM NOT PRODUCTIVE, THEN THAT WOULD BE THE BASIS THAT DOWN THE ROAD. I'M SORRY, MRS. MILLER, YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT. SO WE WOULD NOT APPROVE. SO I THINK THERE'S SOME APPROVAL, BUT I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT. WHEN YOU GET A HANDBOOK THAT SAYS YOU MUST BE PRESENT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GO INTO THIS ROLE, KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SERVE. AND THE EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU ATTEND MEETINGS. NOW, WE'RE NOT HEARTLESS. SO IF YOU HAVE SOME SITUATION, THEN THE, YOU KNOW,

[01:15:05]

BUT THE NO RESPONSE CANNOT BE ACCEPTABLE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD SAY AS A BOARD. SHOULD WE ADD IN THERE? SO I THINK, JULIANA, FOR THE VOTE THAT WE REMOVED JULY AND AUGUST, BUT SHOULD WE ADD OUT A THREE HOUR NOTIFICATION TO THE BOARD TO BOARD LEADERSHIP? WHO ARE YOU NOTIFYING? I'VE ALWAYS TALKED TO OUR OUR ADMIN, BUT. BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION WHICH WHICH TALKS ABOUT REMOVAL, LET ME JUST CHECK TO SEE IF. BEFORE YOU GO IN THERE ON THE PODCAST, I HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY, SO YOU SAID YOU CAN'T WE CAN'T REMOVE THEM. NO, WE CAN MAKE THE YOU CAN RECOMMEND A STATE BOARD TO THE STATE. WELL, THEY DIDN'T SAY THAT. CAN'T WE SAY FOR RECOMMENDATION REMOVAL RECOMMENDATION TO THE STATE AS OPPOSED TO SAYING AS A BASIS FOR THE UNION, WHICH THAT IS ON ANOTHER PAGE, PAGE 22, I CAN SCROLL DOWN TO THERE IF WE WANT TO. AND YEAH, I WILL, I WILL STRIKE THE REMOVE JULY AND AUGUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T.

THERE'S DEFINITELY CLEAR CONSENSUS ON THAT NOT BEING THERE. LET ME LET ME SCROLL DOWN BECAUSE THAT THERE IS A SECTION WHICH SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT HERE IT IS.

SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT THE REMOVAL OF A BOARD MEMBER. AND THIS IS WHERE, BECAUSE WE HAD MADE THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE DID, WE JUST ADDED THAT ITS FAILURE TO ATTEND IN PERSON IS THAT WE WOULD SEND THAT RECOMMENDATION FOR REMOVAL TO MSPB. FOR ANY OF THESE REASONS, WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE IT FROM THE SENTENCE BEFORE. NO, I THINK I THINK YOU LEAVE IT THERE, BUT YOU SAY RECOMMENDATION TO MSD FOR REMOVAL IN THE PERIPHERY. SO LIKE MAYBE RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVAL FROM OFFICE. OKAY, I CAN'T EDIT ON THIS ONE, BUT I WILL, I WILL EDIT ON BOTH AREAS.

BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION TO THE STATE. YEAH. BUT THE ONE BEFORE WHERE IT SAYS WE CAN ADD THAT WE RECOMMENDED. OKAY, OKAY. I WILL TELL YOU, I, I'M AWARE OF ANOTHER COUNTY THAT TRIED TO REMOVE A BOARD MEMBER AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. YEAH. IF WE IF THIS SECTION HERE ON REMOVAL IS CODIFIED. SO AS IT SAYS, PURSUANT TO MARYLAND LAW, ADDING LANGUAGE TO THOSE BULLETS IS NOT GOING TO HELP YOU. I HEAR YOU. IF YOU'RE ADDING LANGUAGE ABOUT IT, YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO A RECOMMENDATION FOR REMOVAL BY THE STATE BOARD, BUT THE STATE BOARD WILL NEVER REMOVE A BOARD MEMBER FOR FAILURE TO ATTEND AN IN-PERSON MEETING. THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO DO IT. YEAH, I DID READ WHERE THERE WAS A THAT ISSUE IN BALTIMORE CITY. AND THE PERSON, IF THE PERSON WAS REMOVED BASED ON BRINGING OUT THIS, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THE RESULTS OF THE PERSON WAS REMOVED AND THEY ARE TRYING TO CODIFY OR, I GUESS, ELIMINATE VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE THAT FAILED AT THE LAST ATTEMPT BY THE STATE BOARD. BUT THERE IS DISCUSSION TO MANDATE IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE FOR LEE BOARDS. IT JUST HASN'T PASSED YET. THE ONE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, THAT WAS DURING THE SESSION BETWEEN VIRTUAL AND THEY HAD A LIST OF THE DATES THAT THE PERSON HAD NOT ATTENDED, THE MEETINGS THAT DIDN'T SAY VIRTUAL OR IN PERSON, BUT IT WAS IN THERE THAT THEY WERE USED BASED ON ATTENDANCE. IT MIGHT BE GENERAL FOR OTHER AREAS, BUT I KNOW IN COMAR, UNDER THE EDUCATION CODE, THEY HAVE CARVE OUTS. AND IF YOU'RE IN PG, IF YOU'RE IN MONTGOMERY. SO THAT MIGHT BE A SPECIFIC CARVE OUT FOR THE CITY THAT THEY CAN DO A, B, C, BUT FOR THE REST OF THE LEAS, THESE RULES APPLY. AND IF THAT'S

[01:20:03]

OH, I JUST THINK IT'S GOOD TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO SHOW UP. OKAY.

THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION THAT UNDER BOARD MEMBER ORIENTATION TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP, SPECIFYING THAT THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE WITHIN THE MEANS OF OUR BOARD BUDGET. I DO YOU DO REALIZE NOW THAT ALL THE TRAININGS ARE NOW FREE AND ONLINE? YEAH, THEY'RE ALL THEY'RE ALL FREE NOW. OH, OKAY. THEY USED TO THEY USED TO CHARGE FOR THEM, BUT THEY QUIT DOING THAT LIKE THREE YEARS AGO. SO THE TRAININGS ARE FREE. THAT GOES THE SAME FOR THE ORIENTATION OR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. OR IS THAT SEPARATE FROM ME? NO, THAT'S THAT'S ALL. NONE OF THE THE ONLY THING THAT COSTS IS THE CONFERENCES. OKAY. SO YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD CONFERENCES IN, IN ORIENTATION TRAINING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, CONFERENCE CONFERENCES ARE WHAT ARE CALLED. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? THAT'D BE FINE. BUT REALLY THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT COSTS ANY MONEY. THE REST IS FREE BECAUSE I WOULD NEVER WANT TO DISCOURAGE ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS FROM LOOKING AT THE TRAININGS, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL FREE NOW. AND THEY'RE GOOD. IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANY OF THEM, THEY'RE REALLY GOOD.

THEIR TRAININGS ARE GOOD. AND THEN PREVIOUSLY THIS JUST SAID THAT BOARD MEMBERS ALSO SERVE AS MEMBERS OF COMMITTEES OR ENTITIES. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT BOARD MEMBERS MAY SERVE ON THOSE COMMITTEES. HOPEFULLY THEY DO, BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SAY AT THE STATE LEVEL, WHICH IS WE SAY BOARD MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED. THAT'D BE GOOD.

YEAH, WE CAN DO THAT. THAT WAS GOOD, CAROL. I KNOW. TO ME, IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET IT DONE BEFORE YOU EXPIRE. YES. THAT'S IT. YEAH. FOUR YEARS WAS THE LONGEST. AND SO THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS TO COME WITH THIS. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO VOTE ON WHAT WE HAVE JUST SO THAT WE HAVE CHANGES. AND THEN WE CERTAINLY CAN STILL GO FOR FOR MORE AFTER THAT. I HAVE MY LITTLE GUARANTEE. WE'LL SEE THIS SECTION. AS WE TALKED ABOUT, I WILL I WILL SPECIFY MAYBE RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVAL. I'LL STOP HERE JUST FOR A SECOND WITH THE COMMUNICATION SECTION. I THINK I THOUGHT WE WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN FOR TONIGHT, SOMETHING THAT DOCTOR MACK AND DOCTOR RIDGEWAY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.

BUT DOCTOR MUELLER HAD SENT OUT TO US A SOCIAL MEDIA RECOMMENDATION. IF IF THAT IF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH I. I DO REALLY LIKE IF THEY DON'T SEEM TO FIT WELL IN THE HANDBOOK, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INCORPORATING THEM SOMEHOW. IF IT DOES GO IN

[01:25:02]

SO I THINK THOSE ARE GREAT REMINDERS IN HERE THAT CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC FORUM OR THIS OR THAT, BUT THAT IS IN AN EARLIER SECTION FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF. WE JUST SPELL IT OUT THAT IT'S WITH MEDIA, WHETHER IT'S IN PERSON OR SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE GUIDELINES AND THINGS THAT'S ABOUT BOARD POLICY THAT ARE NOT TO BE DISCUSSED BECAUSE THEN, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU SPEAKING FOR THE BOARD, THEN YOU'RE NOT PERMITTED TO DO THAT. I THINK THAT WOULD JUST BE IN OUR HANDBOOK, YOU KNOW? YEAH, I DO THINK IT SHOULD BE IN THE HANDBOOK. YEAH. I THINK TAKING SOME OF THOSE POINTS FROM THAT OTHER DOCUMENT AND PUT IT IN HERE BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED A SEPARATE GUIDANCE. THIS IS HOW YOU SHOULD COMMUNICATE AS A BOARD MEMBER. I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I CAN GET THAT DONE THIS WEEK. LET ME SCROLL DOWN.

THIS WAS SPECIFYING UNDER THE BOARD STAFF COMMUNICATIONS THAT THAT MISS ROLLO WILL ALSO BE SHOULD BE COPIED ON COMMUNICATIONS. JUST SO THERE IS A RECORD OF A QUESTION THAT IS ASKED THAT IF ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER ASKS IT, WE HAVE RECORD, WE HAVE RECORD OF OF THE ANSWER.

I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS SECTION HERE ABOUT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION. SO WHEN THEY'RE REQUESTING, DO WE SAY WHAT TIMELINE THAT WE WOULD RESPOND OR JUST WHENEVER WE GET TO IT? I BELIEVE THERE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS. THERE'S THERE'S GUIDANCE IN COMAR ABOUT THAT. BUT MISS DRIVER MIGHT HAVE THE MPIA PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST. YEAH. IF THEY REQUEST THAT, DO WE TELL THEM THAT THIS WILL TAKE YOU SIX MONTHS. THIS WILL TAKE US A MONTH. IT GOES THROUGH HER OFFICE, RIGHT? RIGHT. AND WE HAVE 30 DAYS. 30 DAYS. OKAY.

CORRECT. AND WE HAVE MORE THAN WE CAN HANDLE. SO WE DO GO UP TO THE 30 DAYS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, BUT WE TRY TO RECEIVE, WE GET THEM. AND THEN WITHIN THE TEN DAY MARK, WE'RE REQUIRED TO ALERT THE REQUESTER WHETHER THERE WILL BE A FEE OR NOT AND TRY TO WORK WITH THEM TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO GATHER THE DOCUMENTS. AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE A SOLIDIFIED REQUEST, WE HAVE UP TO 30 DAYS. ONCE THE REQUEST IS FINALIZED TO PRODUCE RESPONSIVE DOCUMENTS.

I WAS JUST THINKING THAT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A FULL POLICY AND A FULL PROCEDURE, I WAS THINKING THAT BECAUSE IN COMMUNICATION AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL FOR EMPLOYEES, WE SAY THAT WITHIN 48 HOURS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE EXPECT SOME KIND OF RESPONSE BACK TO PARENTS OR STUFF LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S THE COURTESY. SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING. IT JUST MADE ME THINK, THANK YOU. THE ONLY OTHER CHANGE I HAVE TEMPORARILY. PUT A PAUSE ON THE PROCESS FOR AMENDING THE LANGUAGE, I THINK JUST NEEDS CLEANED UP A LITTLE MORE. AND I ALSO WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH, LOOKING AT OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO SEE WHAT THEIR AMENDMENT PROCESSES ARE, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WE HAVE ADEQUATE TIMING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. HAVE YOU TALKED TO ME BECAUSE THEY USUALLY CAN GIVE YOU THOSE ANSWERS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY SORT OF RECORD LIKE THAT. SORRY. NO IT'S OKAY.

[01:30:05]

BUT YES, THAT THAT HOPEFULLY BY ROUND TWO, ONCE WE MAKE MAKE AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, THESE CHANGES THAT WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH CONSENSUS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DOCUMENT THAT THAT IS WORTH SOLIDIFYING WITH THE SUPERMAJORITY. BUT LIKE I SAID, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE IT NOT SIMILAR TO, BUT AT LEAST LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER, SOME OF THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS SO THAT WE'RE NOT TOO RESTRICTIVE OR. OR EVEN TOO LENIENT. BUT YEAH, OTHER THAN THAT, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE AMENDMENTS? THANK YOU FOR THE WORK. PUTTING IT FORWARD. BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT ONE OF THE FIRST CAME ON WAS REALLY ON.

PERSPECTIVE. YEAH. I MEAN, I'VE NEVER GONE THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT. AND THEN HE WANTED TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL. I THINK THAT COMES BACK TO THE PURPOSE OF THE VISIT. RIGHT. SO IF I IF I'M VISITING BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING A BOOK FAIR OR THEY'RE HAVING A SHOWCASE OF STUDENT WORK OR SOMETHING, AND THEY'VE PUT AN OPEN INVITATION OUT, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD NEED TO NOTIFY ANYBODY. BUT IF I'M COMING TO TALK TO CARROLL'S SCHOOL DOCTOR, MUELLER SCHOOL, ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S IN HER SCHOOL, I THINK THAT WARRANTS A COURTESY NOTIFICATION THAT I'M SPECIFICALLY GOING THERE TO TALK ABOUT A, B, C I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS WAS EVEN PUT IN HERE ORIGINALLY IS BECAUSE THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO JUST STOP OFF AT SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, JUST DROP IN AND YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE, THAT THE PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE THERE, ESPECIALLY FROM A SECURITY PERSPECTIVE NOW. YEAH, NO, DEFINITELY. I KNOW LIKE, I GO TO YVONNE AND BOND NORMALLY, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE PRINCIPAL AND I RECENTLY WANTED TO GO AND DROP SOMETHING OFF AT THE SCHOOL. AND THEY GAVE ME A SPECIFIC TIME BECAUSE THEY WERE TRAINING. SO I THINK OUT OF COURTESY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS GOING TO GO TO ONE TODAY. I'M GOING TO CALL YVONNE. I WANT TO MAKE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I THINK OUT OF COURTESY IS, YEAH, I CAN CERTAINLY ADD, I CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE'S THE BEST PLACE TO PUT IT. BUT IT JUST IT ALERTING THE, THE BOARD'S ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT. BUT I DO THINK THAT THE COURTESY OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, KNOWING THAT WE ARE VISITING SCHOOLS, I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

BUT CERTAINLY GOING THROUGH. YVONNE, MISS ROLLO IS CERTAINLY WORTH ADDING. I CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT. OKAY. WELL, I DON'T WANT TO PRESENT THESE ANYMORE. I THINK WE'VE DONE ENOUGH. ONCE YOU SEND THIS OUT, IS YOUR INTENT TO VOTE ON ALL THESE CHANGES AT ONCE? IS THAT HOW YOU SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO. OKAY. YES. ON THE DOCUMENT ITSELF. AND THERE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE WANTS TO BE A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE, YOU KNOW, PULL ONE FROM CONSIDERATION, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. LIKE I SAID, AT THIS POINT, I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT WON'T BE UNANIMOUS IS THE VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE ONE, BUT THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD WE'VE HAD WE HAVE NOT HAD MAJOR CONTENTION WITH WITH ANY OF THE OTHERS. WELL, THANK YOU. I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN ISSUE EITHER. THIS WILL HAPPEN UNDER YOUR WATCH. CAROL. YES. WE'D LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE RIGHT. GIVE US AS A PARTING GIFT, SHOE PRINT YOU OFF A COPY OF BIND IT AND SAY, HERE YOU GO, GIRL. YES, I WILL HAVE I WILL HAVE THIS DOCUMENT TO YOU GUYS BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK.

JUST THAT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME BEFORE. YES, INSTEAD OF THIS MORNING. BUT YOU WILL. YOU WILL HAVE MORE TIME. AWESOME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THAT ENDS OUR MEETING FOR THIS EVENING. OUR

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.