[A. Student Presentation: "Fellowship of Christian Athletes" (FCA)", Mr. Tommy Schumacher, Area Director Harford County FCA, Mr. Isaiah Robinson, Graduate of Harford Community College and Havre de Grace HS Alum, Miss Elliana Haynes, C. Milton High School Student, Mr. Prince Morris, Edgewood High School Student, Mr. Gavin Trimble, North Harford High School Student, and Mr. Johnny Woods, Fallston High School Girl's Basketball Coach]

NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM A. I BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE INTRODUCING THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES FOR THEIR PRESENTATION. SO IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND COME ON UP. WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE YOU. I WILL TELL YOU THAT FOR I GUESS EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR HERE, FROM HERE ON OUT THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE'LL BE CALLING ON A STUDENT GROUP OR COMMUNITY GROUP TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC AND MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION. SO THANK YOU FOR KICKING US OFF. SO THANK YOU. TONIGHT, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES COME AND SHARE THEIR WORK WITHIN CPS. WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE AND THE DESIRE FROM OUR FROM MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO FAITH BASED OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN CPS. THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS PRESENT IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW AND HAS SERVED OUR COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME, AND THAT IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT ALLOWS OUR STUDENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR FAITH AND TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW FCA SHOWS UP IN THE MIDST OF OUR TRAGEDIES, AS WELL AS IN THE MIDST OF CELEBRATION FOR HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I CAN ALSO SAY, AS A MOM WHO HAS HAD STUDENTS GO THROUGH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF FCA AND HAVE CARRIED THAT ON TO THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCES. SO WHEN YOU ALL DECIDE TO GO ON TO WHATEVER IS NEXT, PLEASE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR THOSE FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY. SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO FCA. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT PAGE, FOR HAVING US HERE.

SUPERINTENDENT, DOCTOR MACK AND THE ENTIRE BOARD OF EDUCATION. MY NAME IS TOMMY SCHUMACHER AND

[00:05:04]

I AM THE AREA DIRECTOR FOR THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES. SO I AM ON STAFF FULL TIME HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY AND JUST SO, SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE. WE ARE A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, THAT USES SPORT AS A PLATFORM FOR GOOD. AND SO A BASKETBALL COACH BACK IN 1954 OUT OF THE MIDWEST WROTE A LETTER. IF ANYBODY'S SEEN THE MOVIE, 42, JACKIE ROBINSON. BRANCH RICKEY IS THE GUY THAT SIGNED HIM. HARRISON FORD PLAYED A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF WHO HE IS. AND THE LETTER WRITTEN TO HIM SAID, HEY, IF ATHLETES CAN PROMOTE CIGARETTES AND CARS AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS ON TV, WHY CAN'T THEY PROMOTE THE GOSPEL AND USE THEIR PLATFORM OF SPORT FOR GOOD? AND SO 1954, THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES WAS BORN. SO HERE WE ARE, 70 YEARS LATER, THERE'S NOW 3500 STAFF AND 100 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT USES THE PLATFORM OF SPORT TO SHARE THE MISSION. AND THE VISION THAT YOU SEE UP HERE. AND WHAT I LOVE AS A DIRECTOR AND NOW BEING CALLED ON TO STAFF EIGHT YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS JUST ME. NOW WE HAVE NINE STAFF AND WE HAVE A PRESENCE IN ALMOST EVERY HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. AND SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS A MAP THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER. AND MAYBE YOU'VE SEEN OUR HOUSE, WE CALL IT THE HQ OVER AT THE OAK GROVE CHURCH PARKING LOT RIGHT ACROSS FROM HARFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND YOU SEE ALL THESE LOGOS. AND WHEN I WAS FIRST LEARNING HOW TO SPELL FCA, WHEN I CAME ON EIGHT YEARS AGO, I WAS LIKE, WHAT? WHAT IS THIS THING? AND IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THESE STUDENTS TO LEAD A CLUB IN THEIR SCHOOLS. AND SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS A STUDENT SAYS, HEY, I'D LIKE TO BE THE FCA LEADER, AND THEY GET IN TOUCH WITH A STAFF MEMBER OR A TEACHER THAT SAYS, I'LL OPEN UP MY CLASSROOM OR THE GYM. AND JUST LIKE A FRENCH CLUB OR A CHESS CLUB, THEY'VE STARTED A CLUB AND IT IS ALL 100% STUDENT LED, WHICH IS REALLY ENCOURAGING FOR ME. THERE'S A GUY NAMED TIM TEBOW, HE PLAYED FOOTBALL AND HE SAID, IF YOU DON'T STAND FOR SOMETHING, YOU'RE GOING TO FALL FOR EVERYTHING. AND SO I JUST LOVE THAT THESE STUDENTS HAVE STEPPED UP AND SAID, HEY, WE WANT TO LIVE OUT THESE CORE VALUES OF INTEGRITY, SERVING TEAMWORK AND EXCELLENCE. AND SO BY THE NUMBERS WE GET TO SEE, SOMETIMES 5 OR 10 STUDENTS BEFORE SCHOOL OR THIS WAS ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL NOT TOO LONG AGO, 120 STUDENTS SHOWING UP BEFORE SCHOOL EVEN STARTS. YES, WE HAVE DONUTS. SO THAT DOES HELP A LITTLE BIT. BUT WE GET TO SEE THESE STUDENTS REALLY JUST SHARE HOPE WITH THEIR FELLOW STUDENTS. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE ATHLETES, AS YOU SEE HERE, THEY'RE ALL WEARING THEIR JERSEYS TODAY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM THEM IN A MINUTE ABOUT WHAT IT'S MEANT TO HAVE FCA IN THEIR CORNER. AND YES, WE HAVE A COUPLE MINUTES BEFORE SCHOOL, BUT TO SEE THEM ALSO ON THE SPORTS FIELD, TO KNOW THAT THEIR PURPOSE ISN'T DEFINED BY THEIR PERFORMANCE. AND I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THAT AT 16, I PLAYED SOCCER AT A HIGH LEVEL IN GERMANY, AND I WAS TOMMY, THE SOCCER GUY. AND SO WHEN I CAME FOR A FULL RIDE D1 SCHOLARSHIP HERE TO MARYLAND TO PLAY AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY, AND I WAS PLAYING SOCCER, AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE MAN AND 16TH IN THE COUNTRY. AND THEN BEFORE A TELEVISED GAME ON ESPN, I TEAR EVERY LIGAMENT IN MY FOOT RIGHT BEFORE THAT GAME. TOMMY, THE SOCCER GUY, IS NOT PLAYING SOCCER ANYMORE. WHO AM? I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF IDENTITY CRISIS. WELL, WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE IS THAT, HEY, YOU ARE WORTH SO MUCH MORE THAN YOUR PERFORMANCE. ELLIE JUST SCORED TWO GOALS AT SIEBOLD RIGHT NOW TONIGHT BEFORE HARFORD TECH AND LEFT AT HALFTIME TO BE HERE BECAUSE SHE SAID, I REALLY WANT TO SHARE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HERE. IT'S WORTH SO MUCH MORE THAN THE GOALS OR THE MINUTES I PLAY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE DO. WE POUR INTO THE LEADERS AND WE ARE JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THAT WE GET TO WORK WITH BECAUSE WE'RE HERE TO SERVE. WE'RE JUST HERE TO SERVE AND PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER. BECAUSE FCA IS FOR EVERYONE. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO BE A PART OF FCA.

AND THERE'S A QUOTE HERE FROM A REVEREND BILLY GRAHAM, IF YOU'VE HEARD OF HIM, IT SAID A COACH WILL IMPACT MORE PEOPLE IN ONE YEAR THAN AN AVERAGE PERSON WILL IN AN ENTIRE LIFETIME. AND THEN I SAW THIS QUOTE TODAY, WHICH IS FUNNY, HOW GOD WORKS SINCE I KNOW IN THE WORLD OF ACADEMIA, THERE'S ANGELA DUCKSWORTH, WHO STARTED A NONPROFIT, AND SHE'S REALLY WELL KNOWN IN THE ACADEMIA WORLD. SHE SAID OUTSIDE OF PARENTS, A COACH IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE GREATEST INFLUENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD. AND SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO SERVE THE COACHES, TO HAVE INFLUENCE? AND I'VE THE DAD OF A TEENAGER AS WELL. HE DOESN'T LISTEN TO DAD ANYMORE, BUT HE SAYS, YES, COACH. AND SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO COME ALONGSIDE THESE COACHES AND THESE TEACHERS AND THESE PARENTS AND JUST PROVIDE VALUE? AND SO I WANT TO INVITE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS UP HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE WHAT FCA HAS MEANT TO THEM. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

[00:10:04]

MY NAME IS PRINCIPAL MORRIS. I GO TO EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING THE STARTING LINEBACKER FOR THE EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM. AND I JUST WANT TO COME ON HERE AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT FCA IS ABOUT AND WHAT IT MEANS TO ME. FCA IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE MY FAITH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A HUGE PART OF WHO I AM. I GREW UP IN A CHRISTIAN HOUSEHOLD, SO MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, MY PARENTS, EVEN MY CHURCH COMMUNITY, WAS SHAPED BY MY VERY HOUSEHOLD. FCA TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF MY CHARACTER.

THANKFULLY, WE HAVE MY WONDERFUL CHARACTER, COACH PASTOR BROOKS, WHO IS ABLE TO COME INTO MY LIFE AND GIVE ME THAT GUIDANCE THAT A LOT OF KIDS MY AGE NEED. LUCKILY, I HAVE THE PLEASURE TO MEET A COUPLE OF GUYS ON MY TEAM. HAD THE PLEASURE TO GO TO THE COMPETITORS CAMP DOWN IN VIRGINIA, WHICH WAS A HUGE BLESSING. NICE D1 SCHOOL, D1 COACHES, AND WE HAD THE BLESSING TO GO DOWN THERE AND WORK OUR CRAFT AND SEE HOW OUR CRAFT FITS INTO OUR FAITH AND JUST HOW THAT WORKS IN WITH ONE ANOTHER. AND IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE WE DON'T GET TO DO THAT. LIKE THE BEING ABLE TO BEING GRANTED, THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING REALLY LIFE CHANGING. OVERNIGHT CAMP, FOUR DAYS, PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST WEEKENDS OF MY LIFE. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR PEOPLE LIKE PASTOR BROOKS AND TOMMY AND MISS KIERSTEN FOR ALL THAT THEY DO, BECAUSE FCA HAS JUST BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE OVER THESE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT FCA HAS OPENED UP FOR ME AND HOW THEY SPONSORED. A LOT OF MY TEAMMATES GO TO LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SO I COULD PURSUE MY FAITH AS WELL AS MY SPORT. PASTOR BROOKS, MY COACH, COACH BRINKMAN, TAUGHT ME ABOUT HOW MY FAITH FITS INTO MY SPORT AND OFFERED ME A LOT OF GUIDANCE THAT YOU DON'T GET FROM YOUR EVERYDAY COACH, YOUR EVERYDAY TEACHER, YOUR EVERYDAY GUARDIAN.

THEY ARE SO INVOLVED AND SO IMPORTANT TO MY EVERYDAY LIFE TODAY. AND HAVING A CHARACTER COACH WAS HELPFUL IN JUST SHAPING THE CULTURE OF OUR TEAM. PASTOR BROOKS, IT'S BEEN A RUNNING IT'S BEEN A RUNNING TREND THESE PAST COUPLE OF GAMES. WEEK FOR EVERY SINGLE GAME HE'S COME ON AND HE'S HE'S GIVEN US THE PEP TALK OF OUR LIFE. WE LIKE TO GOOF OFF IN THE IN THE LOCKER ROOM AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WHEN PASTOR BROOKS COME COMES DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, BRINGS EVERYBODY AROUND AND TALKS TO US ABOUT WHAT THIS SPORT MEANS TO US AND HOW OUR FAITH FITS INTO IT. EVERYBODY GETS SUPER GROUNDED, AND HE REALLY MAKES YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR AND WHAT GOD BROUGHT YOU TO DO. AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. I'M SUPER THANKFUL FOR FCA THAT DOES FOR US. AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO BE A PART OF FCA. BE A LEADER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. HI, MY NAME IS GAVIN TRIMBLE. I AM A JUNIOR AT NORTH HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL AND I PLAY SOCCER. I DO WRESTLING AND I DO TENNIS ON MY SCHOOL. I ALSO JUST REALLY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOW FCA HAS REALLY IMPACTED MY LIFE. SO TWO YEARS AGO I CAME TO FCA FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT I WAS JUST GOING TO BE AN ATTENDEE, JUST SHOW UP, EAT A DONUT OR TWO, AND HANG OUT WITH FRIENDS. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW. I REALLY WANTED TO GET CLOSER TO JESUS, SO I STARTED TO GET MORE INVOLVED. JUST AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, I STARTED TO BECOME A LEADER, MAKING THE MESSAGES AND SAYING THE PRAYERS. I'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN DOING IT. IT'S BEEN A COMPLETELY LIFE CHANGING THING IN MY LIFE, BECAUSE I NEVER USED TO JUST SIT DOWN AT MY HOUSE, WRITE A WHOLE MESSAGE OUT, AND JUST THINK ABOUT SCRIPTURE IN THE BIBLE ON HOW IT IMPACTS MY LIFE AND HOW IT CAN IMPACT OTHERS. SO GOD HAS, LIKE I SAID, GOD HAS REALLY COME INTO MY LIFE SO MUCH OVER THE PAST YEAR AND HAS OPENED SO MANY DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY. BEFORE I WAS REALLY LAID BACK AND I WAS JUST A GO WITH THE FLOW TYPE OF PERSON. BUT NOW I'M TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY THAT I GET. AND ONE OF THE WAYS THAT GOD HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IS ME TAKING THE IS ME TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY WITH ALL OF MY HEART AND FOR THE GLORY OF JESUS. AND NOW HERE I AM. GOD'S PLAN WAS WAY BETTER THAN MINE, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE THANKFUL. AND THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS TODAY. AND I TOOK IT, AND I'M TAKING IT WITH ALL OF MY HEART, AND I'M TAKING IT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY

[00:15:08]

TO SHARE TONIGHT. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AND JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT FCA HAS DONE FOR ME. MY NAME IS ISAIAH ROBINSON AND I AM A FORMER HAVRE DE GRACE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. AND AS OF THIS PAST SPRING 2026, I JUST GRADUATED FROM HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SO I'M FULLY THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND FORTUNATELY, I'VE MADE IT OUT ON THE OTHER END. YOU GUYS MIGHT BE WONDERING, KIND OF LIKE I WAS WHEN I INITIALLY GOT THE TEXT, LIKE, WHAT IS HE DOING UP HERE WITH ALL THESE HIGH SCHOOLERS? BUT IF YOU GUYS JUST GRANT ME THIS NEXT MINUTE IN 30S OR SO TO SHARE, KIND OF LIKE THE FULL FORMULA OF THE RESULT OF FCA, I'D LOVE TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS. SO MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH FCA WASN'T UNTIL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE MY FIRST YEAR WAS COVID, IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER THAT TERRIBLE YEAR. BUT I WAS INVITED TO A HUDDLE AND I HEARD THE WORDS FREE DONUTS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT WITH THOSE DONUTS. I'VE HEARD HIM MENTION WHAT, FOUR TIMES SO FAR? BUT YEAH, THEY MENTIONED THESE FREE DONUTS AND I WAS HOOKED.

SO I IMMEDIATELY STARTED SHOWING UP. AND ALTHOUGH GETTING TO SCHOOL BEFORE HOMEROOM WAS A CHALLENGE IN AND OF ITSELF, I SLOWLY BECAME FAMILIAR WITH FCA AND ITS MESSAGE AS I CONTINUED SHOWING UP. AT THAT TIME, I HADN'T REALLY DEVELOPED A FAITH OF MY OWN, AND I HAD GROWN UP WITH LESS THAN IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCES. I SUFFERED MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING WHERE YOUR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM OR NOT REALLY HAVING IDEAL PARENTAL SITUATIONS. IT WAS LIKE THESE THINGS WERE EATING AT MY SUBCONSCIOUS. WHETHER OR NOT I COULD KNOW THESE ARE LIKE YOUR DEVELOPMENTAL YEARS AND AS YOU'RE GROWING, IT'S LIKE, WHO ARE YOU TO KNOW? YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL GROWING UP FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE. SO FCA SHOWED UP IN LIKE A HUGE WAY FOR ME IN WAYS THAT I WASN'T EVEN ABLE TO GRASP IN THAT MOMENT. BUT YEAH, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A RESULT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT'S A REALITY OF THE BROKEN WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN. AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW DESPERATELY I NEEDED HOPE. BUT MAN, IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THAT FCA MET ME WHERE I WAS AT, AND THEY GAVE ME A HOPE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT I NEEDED SO BAD. FAST FORWARD TO MY SENIOR YEAR. THOSE SEEDS THAT FCA HAD PLANTED IN MY LIFE JUST THROUGH SHOWING UP, GIVING OUT DONUTS TO SOME RANDOM KID.

IT HELPED ME DEVELOP A SENSE OF IDENTITY. AND NOT JUST THAT DEVELOPED SOME SKILLS LIKE LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SPEAKING. SO MUCH SO THAT I BECAME A LEADER WITH FCA. I STARTED DEVELOPING A FAITH OF MY OWN, AND I STARTED INVITING MY OWN FRIENDS FROM THE FOOTBALL TEAM, FROM THE BASKETBALL TEAM, EVEN JUST NON-ATHLETES. IT'S AS MUCH AS IT'S AN ATHLETE FOCUSED MINISTRY. IT'S NOT LIMITED TO THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER JUST REALLY SPECIAL THING. YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T SAY YOU CAN'T COME, BUT IN RATHER THE SAME WAY THAT THE GOSPEL IS FOR EVERYONE. THEY SAY, NO, EVERYBODY IS WELCOME. SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY. AND I STEPPED INTO IT AND I WAS ABLE TO INVITE PEOPLE. IT WAS REALLY SPECIAL FOR ME PAST THAT.

I MEAN, IT DIDN'T STOP THERE. LIKE I SAID, I WENT TO HCC AFTER I GRADUATED FROM HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOL, AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE CONNECTION THAT I MADE WITH FCA WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WOULD LEAD TO ME RECONNECTING WITH THEM BACK IN HCC, SO MUCH SO THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR ME NOW THE RESOURCES AND THAT SAME HQ, THE HOUSE THAT THEY HAVE IN OAK GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH, I'M ABLE TO HOST A YOUNG ADULT BIBLE STUDY WHERE WE FUNCTION OUT OF HCC, AND THERE'S 60 PLUS YOUNG ADULTS WHO GET TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS AND HAVE THE SAME HOPE THAT I SO DESPERATELY NEEDED WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH I NEEDED IT. REALLY. SHORTLY, MATTHEW 514 SAYS, YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, A CITY SET ON A HILL THAT CANNOT BE HIDDEN.

I BELIEVE FCA HAS BEEN A LIGHT IN MY LIFE, AND I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY STUDENT WHO CAN SAY THAT. THANKS YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING FCA TO JUST HAVE A PRESENCE IN SCHOOL, AND IT REALLY DOES SHAPE KIDS LIVES FROM THE BEGINNING, ALL THE WAY TO THE END. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD REST OF YOUR NIGHT. GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INVITATION. MY NAME IS ELIANA HAINES AND I'M A SENIOR AT MILTON WRIGHT HIGH SCHOOL.

I'M A VARSITY CAPTAIN ON THE FIELD HOCKEY TEAM AND A HUDDLE LEADER FOR FCA. I SERVED FOR POWER CAMP LAST SUMMER, AND I REALLY LOVED WORKING WITH OTHER CHRISTIAN TEENS WHO WERE ALL STUDENT ATHLETES LIKE ME. THAT ALL WENT TO THE SAME HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND THEY ALSO REALLY CARED FOR PEOPLE. AND I REALLY LIKE THAT ASPECT ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF FCA. LAST YEAR, MY SCHOOL SUFFERED THE LOSS OF MY CLASSMATE, BLAKE ELLIOTT. THE SCHOOL WAS HIT HARD BY THIS, AND FCA WAS A PLACE THAT MANY STUDENTS COULD FIND COMFORT IN. WHILE THERE ARE NUMEROUS AMAZING SCHOOL COUNSELORS THERE TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENT BODY, THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR PEERS OFFERING YOU HELP. OFFERING PRAYERS AND SOMEONE JUST TO LISTEN AND FELLOWSHIP. WHEN YOU'RE A STUDENT, DID YOU REALLY WANT TO TELL YOUR TEACHERS YOUR MOST VULNERABLE FEELINGS? IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, PROBABLY NOT. BUT BECAUSE OF THIS PHENOMENON, FCA IMPACTED STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT ADULTS JUST COULDN'T. WE OFFERED A SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO HEAR GOOD NEWS WHEN LIFE HITS THEM WITH THE WORST SCENARIO EVER. NOW I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MY CLASSMATES IN A CHRIST CENTERED, RELATIONAL WAY. I GET TO PRESENT THE STORY OF THE BIBLE AND THE GIFT OF GOD'S LOVE TO PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED IT BEFORE. I GET TO OFFER THEM TRUE LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. I GET TO

[00:20:01]

SUPPORT THOSE ON MY FIELD HOCKEY TEAM AND TRACK TEAM. I GET TO ASK THEM ABOUT THEIR DAY WHEN NO ONE ELSE DOES. DURING OUR FIRST MEETING, WE HAD A WHOPPING NUMBER OF 60 STUDENTS AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN ONE ROOM. WE DID MENTION THERE WERE DONUTS, BUT I DID NOT EXPECT MORE THAN 36 PEOPLE TO SHOW UP. I'D ONLY BOUGHT THREE DOZEN DONUTS. WHILE SOME STUDENTS MAY STRUGGLE TALKING IN FRONT OF THAT MANY PEOPLE, I USED THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY AND TO LEAD. WITH THE HELP OF MY PEERS AND THE GUIDANCE FROM THE FCA STAFF. THIS ULTIMATELY HELPED ME DEVELOP MY LEADERSHIP SKILLS. NOW I'M CO-LEADING WITH THE PREPARATION OF FIELDS OF FAITH THIS YEAR, A COMMUNITY EVENT THAT IS BEING HOSTED AT SIMON WRIGHT ON OCTOBER 24TH.

THIS IS WHERE CHURCHES AROUND THE COUNTY GET TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO MORE CHILDREN, MORE FAMILIES, AND MORE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. WE HAVE A LIVE WORSHIP BAND COMPRISED OF CURRENT HARFORD COUNTY STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE HIGH SCHOOLERS SHARING TESTIMONIES. BECAUSE OF FCA, HARFORD COUNTY STUDENTS ARE CLOSER. THE SCHOOL RIVALRY STILL EXISTS, BUT MORE AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION IN SPORTING EVENTS ARE HAPPENING. MORE CONNECTIONS ARE BEING MADE. AND THIS IS HOW GOD'S LOVE IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH HARFORD COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLERS. I'M JUST A VESSEL WHO IS SHARING THE INVITATION. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. EVERYONE ELSE HERE THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS JOHNNY WOODS AND I'M A RETIRED ARMY COMBAT OFFICER, AND I'M CURRENTLY SERVING AS ASSISTANT BOYS FOOTBALL COACH AT BOSTON, AS WELL AS THE HEAD VARSITY BASKETBALL COACH. AND I'M ENTERING MY SEVENTH YEAR AS A COACH. FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, I'VE BEEN A PART OF FCA COACHING, SO WE MEET EVERY THURSDAY AT 6 A.M. DONUTS, OF COURSE. AND THESE HUDDLES HAVE BECOME A SAFE SPACE WHERE COACHES CAN BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE FACING AND TALK THROUGH HOW TO HANDLE CERTAIN SITUATIONS WITH INTEGRITY AND FAITH. IN THE ARMY, I LEARNED THAT EVEN THE STRONGEST LEADERS NEED A TEAM AROUND THEM, AND THIS HUDDLE HAS BECOME THAT TEAM FOR ME. LAST SEASON, I WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE SITUATION ON MY OWN STAFF. I DIDN'T FEEL OUR ATHLETES WERE GETTING ALL THE TOOLS THEY NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE HUDDLE AND THOSE COACHES HELPED ME WORK THROUGH THIS INCIDENT WITH PATIENCE AND WITH GRACE. BECAUSE OF THAT, I WAS ABLE TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION WITH MY COACHES AND BETTER YET, A BETTER SITUATION FOR OUR YOUNG STUDENT ATHLETES. ADDITIONALLY, OUR COACHES MAKE THE SAME KIND OF DIFFERENCE FOR OUR ATHLETES BECAUSE THEY'VE BUILT REAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR STUDENTS THAT CAN HELP THEM SUPPORT THEM IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. AS AN EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR WE LOST ONE OF OUR COACHES TO CANCER AND OUR KIDS NEEDED SOMEONE. OUR KIDS WERE HURTING AND OUR FCA LEADERS WERE THERE.

THEY WERE PRESENT AND THEY WERE AVAILABLE. THEY KNEW OUR KIDS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OUR KIDS ON A DEEPER LEVEL. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THERE HAS BEEN AN OUTPOUR OF GRATITUDE FOR ALL OF OUR FCA LEADERS, FROM THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS ALIKE. IN CONCLUSION, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERYONE FCA HAS IMPACTED, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS FCA HAS HELPED ME BECOME A BETTER VERSION OF MYSELF, BOTH AS A COACH AND AS A PERSON. SO I SAY THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING FCA TO ENTER OUR SCHOOLS AND BE A BETTER CASE AND A BETTER SERVE FOR OUR STUDENT ATHLETES. WELL, I KNOW WE HAVE A TIGHT SCHEDULE, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION, ALL OF YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR COACHES, YOUR AIDES, YOUR ATHLETES. BUT THERE'S JUST A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT'S HAPPENING WITH THESE STUDENT LEADERS. THEY ARE CREATING A SAFE PLACE.

LIKE SO MANY HAVE SAID, WE HAVE A VOLLEYBALL CLUB TEAM. WE HAVE ALL ABILITIES. WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT SERVING OPPORTUNITIES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO. WE'RE HERE TO SERVE FROM A CAMP AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL FOR A WEEK FOR 8 TO 12 YEAR OLDS. IT'S THE LEAST EXPENSIVE CAMP THAT I COULD FIND ANYWHERE IN THE BALTIMORE AREA, AND WE SCHOLARSHIP ABOUT 6,070% OF THE KIDS THAT COME. THESE ARE THE TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE THESE STUDENT ATHLETES, THESE HIGH SCHOOL LEADERS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN THEIR FAITH, TAKE A NEXT STEP IN THEIR FAITH, AND USE SPORT AS A PLATFORM FOR GOOD. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR BUT WE'RE THANKFUL. I WANT TO KNOW WHO BROUGHT THE DONUTS. I PROMISE WE'RE NOT SPONSORED BY DUNCAN, BUT THEY ARE A GREAT RESOURCE. SO THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR, YOU

[00:25:01]

KNOW, ALL THE TIME THAT YOU INVEST IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I WILL TELL YOU, I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER. AS A SON WHO'S NOW PLAYING SPORTS IN COLLEGE.

COACHES MAKE AN INCREDIBLE DIFFERENCE AND KEEP HIM GROUNDED. SO AND TO LEAVE A GAME TO BE HERE FOR THIS. KUDOS TO YOU. I MEAN, YOU TEACH THAT CHARACTER MATTERS MORE THAN THE SCOREBOARD. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M A CHRISTIAN AND NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN JESUS. JESUS ALWAYS COMES FIRST, AND I'M SO GRACIOUS AND I, LIKE YOU GUYS, ARE AMAZING AND YOUR TESTIMONY MATTERS TO EVERYBODY BELOW YOU, ABOVE YOU, AROUND YOU. AND WE ALL HAVE A PURPOSE AND YOU GUYS ARE FULFILLING THAT PURPOSE. SO GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND SHARING YOUR PROGRAM. AND I KNOW THAT AS AN EDGEWOOD RESIDENT, OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS FORWARD TO THAT SUMMER CAMP WITH THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR THE STUDENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRAM. AND I'M GOING TO ADD, AS A RETIRED EDUCATOR, THAT TEACHERS ARE RIGHT UP THERE WITH COACHES AND MAKING A LASTING IMPACT ON CHILDREN. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT GOD SAYS THAT IF YOU HAVE THE FAITH OF A MUSTARD SEED, YOU CAN MOVE A MOUNTAIN AND YOU GUYS ARE MOVING MOUNTAINS AND JUST KEEP LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DO WANT TO GET ONE PICTURE. THAT'S OKAY. MISS SLATER IS GOING TO COME FORWARD. SO ANYONE THAT CAME WITH FCA, IF YOU COULD JOIN US IN THE CENTER, WE WANT TO DO JUST ONE PICTURE SO THAT WE CAN JUST COMMEMORATE THIS MOMENT THAT YOU'RE HERE WITH US TODAY. RIGHT HERE. OKAY? OKAY. THANKS.

IF I COULD SEE. YOU'RE GOOD, I CAN'T SEE.

OKAY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING. THANK YOU. LIMBO. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE

[Public Comment]

ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. AND IF WE COULD GO AHEAD AND HAVE MR. GREEN, IF YOU'LL PLAY THE RULES OF ORDER. GOOD EVENING. I'M DJ RAVITCH FROM THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY WITH HARTFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING AND WORK SESSION TO HELP ENSURE THAT THE MEETING REMAINS FOCUSED, RESPECTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO BRIEFLY REVIEW THE EXPECTATIONS THAT GUIDE OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS EVENING AND TO FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. WE ASK THAT ALL ATTENDEES CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN A RESPECTFUL AND CONSIDERATE MANNER TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESS PURPOSE OF THE MEETING. BEHAVIORS SUCH AS APPLAUSE, AUDIBLE COMMENTARY, EXCESSIVE GESTURES, STANDING OVATIONS, OR OTHER ACTIONS THAT MAY DISRUPT THE PROCEEDINGS ARE DISCOURAGED.

ADDITIONALLY, ANY LANGUAGE OR BEHAVIOR THAT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS THREATENING IS NOT APPROPRIATE. IF A DISRUPTION DOES OCCUR, A REMINDER WILL BE GIVEN SO 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. THE RULES FOR THIS EVENING. IN-PERSON SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED ON BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS, INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING GROUPS, WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TOTAL TO SPEAK. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30S LEFT. WHEN SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR TIME LIMIT, YOUR TIME WILL EXPIRE, MISS ROLLO. IF YOU WILL BEGIN. REGISTERED IN PERSON PUBLIC SPEAKERS. PRESIDENT PAIGE, WE HAVE NINE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE WILL START WITH DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY IRIS BAUER AND MADISON CLARK. GOOD EVENING, I'M DAVID BAUER. I WAS GLAD THAT THE BUDGET WAS ONE OF THE TOPICS OF THE WORK SESSION YOU HAD TWO WEEKS AGO. THE OPENING QUESTION WAS, QUOTE, WHERE DO YOU THINK WE ARE SPENDING MORE THAN WE SHOULD BE IN? QUOTE, IT IS A GOOD QUESTION, BUT I'M GOING TO ADDRESS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ONE. WHERE DO I THINK CPS IS

[00:30:01]

SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN IT SHOULD HAVE TO ANSWER? ADDRESSING SOCIETY'S PROBLEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE SAFETY AND SECURITY BUDGET THIS YEAR IS AROUND $5 MILLION. BACK IN FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR 2020, IT WAS ORIGINALLY UNDER 1,000,005 FOLD GROWTH IN JUST SEVEN YEARS. GIVEN THE RECENT INSTANCE OF CATCHING A STUDENT CARRYING A LOADED GUN, I'M GUESSING YOU AREN'T GOING TO CUT SECURITY. THIS IS A CASE WHERE OUR SOCIETY HAS A PROBLEM, AND IT TURNS INTO A FISCAL COST FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SIMILAR FOR PRE-K. THIS IS A MAJOR EXPENSE THAT THE STATE HAS GIVEN YOU TO TRY TO ADDRESS A SOCIETAL PROBLEM. KIDS NOT BEING READY FOR KINDERGARTEN. SPECIAL EDUCATION IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. THE NUMBERS ARE HARDER TO TRACK HERE BECAUSE OF HOW BENEFITS COSTS WERE MOVED ON THE BUDGET. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY DISPUTE THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION COSTS HAVE BEEN GOING UP QUICKLY, AND THEY ARE BIG. $120 MILLION THIS YEAR. BUT YOU CAN'T JUST CUT THAT. AND I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY BEEN WORKING FOR YEARS ON TRYING TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES HERE, LIKE EXPANDING, STRIVE TO AVOID NONPUBLIC PLACEMENT, AND DOING THE BURDENSOME PAPERWORK FOR THE MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT. LOOKING BROADER, WHERE ARE WE AS A COUNTY, SPENDING MORE MONEY THAN WE SHOULD BE? MY ANSWER IS POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. IN THE CURRENT ELECTION CYCLE, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S CAMPAIGN HAS RECEIVED AND SPENT OVER $1 MILLION. AS OF A MONTH AGO, HIS PRIMARY OPPONENT SPENT OVER $800,000. WHAT SOCIETAL BENEFIT CAME FROM THAT SPENDING? I WOULD ARGUE NONE. SO IN CONCLUSION, YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO FIX YOUR BUDGET PROBLEMS THROUGH CUTS BECAUSE YOUR FISCAL PROBLEMS AREN'T CAUSED BY SPENDING THAT YOU CAN CUT. GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU ALL. IRIS BAUER. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS IRIS BAUER AND I AM A STUDENT AT ABERDEEN HIGH SCHOOL. TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FOREIGN POLICY AND ABOUT THE BUDGET. FIRST, I WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE ON THE PHONE POLICY. I'D SAY IT PROBABLY REDUCED PHONE USAGE DURING CLASS BY HALF ISH. I'D COMPARE IT TO THE PROHIBITION HALF ACTUALLY CUT DOWN. HALF JUST PUT OPERATIONS UNDERGROUND. WHICH IS TO SAY THAT IF I HAD $1 MILLION FOR EVERY STUDENT'S PHONE I'D SEEN SO FAR THIS YEAR, I WOULD HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE TO FULLY FUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN CONTRAST, I'VE NOTICED A LOT MORE TIMES IN WHICH HAVING PHONES MIGHT HAVE BEEN USEFUL DURING CLASS, BUT WE COULDN'T TAKE ORCHESTRA CLASS. TUNER APPS WOULD BE USEFUL FOR TUNING OUR INSTRUMENTS OR CAMERAS WHENEVER WE NEED TO RECORD SOMETHING IN SRT. I THINK THIS HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE AN EFFECTIVE POLICY, BUT YOU FAILED TO CONSIDER THE LIMITATIONS IN CARRYING IT OUT, AND THUS IT BECAME MORE HINDRANCE THAN GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENT. NEXT, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD ON THE BUDGET. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AP CLASSES AND DUAL ENROLLMENT. AS SOMEONE WHO THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT. LAST YEAR I TOOK TWO AP CLASSES. THIS YEAR I'M TAKING THREE AND PLAN TO BE TAKING AT LEAST THREE NEXT YEAR AS WELL. I KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS CURRENTLY DUAL ENROLLED IN HCC, AND I'M CONSIDERING DOING SO NEXT YEAR TO FREE UP SPACE IN MY SCHEDULE. AP CLASSES ARE A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE HARDER CLASSES, NOT TO MENTION THE ABILITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO KEEP THEM AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE. HOWEVER, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT MUST BE INCREDIBLY HARD AND STRESSFUL MAKING EACH PENNY COVER MOST OF WHAT IT CURRENTLY NEEDS TO, AND STILL HAVING TO LIST TEN DIFFERENT HVAC PROJECTS AS PENDING FUNDING IN THE FY 2027 COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN.

WHEN SEVERAL SCHOOLS HAD FAILURES THIS YEAR. SO START ADVOCATING FOR THAT FUNDING NOW.

DO SO NOT JUST PRIVATELY, BUT ALSO PUBLICLY SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THE REALITY. MAYBE TRY TO GET THE EXECUTIVE'S BUDGET INPUT SESSION RECORDED NEXT APRIL. MAKE ADVOCACY YOUR POLICY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT CPS NEEDS. PLEASE CONSIDER LIMITATIONS ON POLICIES AND

[00:35:05]

ADVOCATE. THANK YOU. MADISON CLARK. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MADISON CLARK. I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT NORTH HARTFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO I'M USED TO TALKING IN FRONT OF 13 YEAR OLDS. SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS. BUT I AM ONE OF THOSE SPORTS FOR LIFE COACHES AND I'VE COACHED FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS. I'VE COACHED NINE SEASON IN OVER 50 ATHLETES, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT REGARDING THE DECISION TO ELIMINATE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS FOR LIFE PROGRAM FROM THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM'S BUDGET. I'M ALSO HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR MY SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. AS AN EDUCATOR AND COACH WHO HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES, I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE MEANINGFUL IMPACT THAT SPORTS FOR LIFE HAS HAD ON OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

WHILE MANY STUDENTS WITHOUT DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH TRAVEL TEAMS, CLUB SPORTS, AND RECREATIONAL LEAGUES, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES SIMPLY DON'T EXIST FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AT NORTH HARTFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, OUR COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN GREAT PRIDE IN BUILDING A PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS DEVELOP ATHLETIC AND SOCIAL SKILLS, BUILD FRIENDSHIPS, GAIN CONFIDENCE, AND EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF BELONGING THAT ONLY COMES FROM BEING PART OF A TEAM. THIS IMPACT EXTENDS FAR BEYOND MY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL. THE SPORTS FOR LIFE PROGRAM PROVIDES THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS ACROSS OUR COUNTY AND EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL. IT HAS CREATED INCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES WHERE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE THEIR ABILITIES. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING A SPORTS FOR LIFE TOURNAMENT, BUT IF YOU HAD, YOU'D UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN A SPORTS PROGRAMS FOR THESE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THE EXCITEMENT ON THESE CHILDREN'S FACES, WITNESSED THEM ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER, AND FELT THE PRIDE THAT THEY TOOK IN REPRESENTING THEIR SCHOOLS.

FAMILIES WHO THOUGHT FOR YEARS THAT THEIR CHILD WOULD NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF A TEAM BECAUSE OF A DISABILITY, NOW FIND THEMSELVES CHEERING THROUGH TEARS, WITNESSING MOMENTS THEY ONCE THOUGHT WERE IMPOSSIBLE, AND HAVING MEMORIES THAT THEY WILL CHERISH FOREVER. BECAUSE OF THE BUDGETING DECISIONS, YOU HAVE CUT OFF THEIR ACCESS AND ERASED THEIR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE THIS JOY. I UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFICULT DECISIONS MUST BE MADE WHEN DEVELOPING A SCHOOL SYSTEM BUDGET. HOWEVER, I'M ASKING THAT YOU, AS THE BOARD, CAN RECONSIDER THE ELIMINATION OF MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORTS FOR LIFE AND CONSIDER THE IMPACT THAT THIS DECISION HAS HAD ON STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHO RELY ON THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OPERATE OUR SPORTS FOR LIFE PROGRAM. EACH MIDDLE SCHOOL ONLY REQUIRES ONE BUS FOR TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE TOURNAMENT LOCATION. AT THE END OF EACH SEASON, PRACTICES ARE HELD ON SCHOOL GROUNDS AND UTILIZE EQUIPMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY INVESTED IN FOR MINIMAL COST. YOU CAN MAXIMIZE STUDENT EXPERIENCES.

OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY DESERVE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, CHALLENGE THEMSELVES, AND EXPERIENCE THE PRIDE OF BEING PART OF A TEAM. SPORTS FOR LIFE WAS AND STILL SHOULD BE THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE AND UNFORTUNATELY OFTEN FORGOTTEN STUDENT POPULATION. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CRYSTAL RUFENACHT, CHRISTINA AND DAVID FABI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CRYSTAL RUFENACHT AND I AM AN EDUCATOR. I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT THIS EVENING ABOUT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. I'M GLAD YOU HAD THE GROUP THAT YOU HAD FIRST. I THINK THEY WERE A GREAT GROUP TO START WITH, BUT WE HAVE MANY SIGNIFICANT PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN CPS. THERE'S AN ABUNDANCE OF CONNECTIONS THAT HELP FOSTER A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY, FROM FORMAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS TO OTHER PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE DEVELOPED.

THESE RELATIONSHIPS ENRICH THE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING AND RAISING A FAMILY IN HARTFORD. I SEE THIS IMPACT DAILY AS AN EDUCATOR AND AS SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN HARTFORD COUNTY. OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY TRUST US. ALL RIGHT? THEY, THEY, THEY PUT THEIR TRUST IN US. AND THEY SHOW THAT IN HOW THEY INTERACT WITH US EVERY DAY. THIS PAST WEEK, ONE OF MY STUDENTS, ONE OF MY FIRST GRADE STUDENTS, LOST HER FATHER. SHE CAME TO SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, NOT BECAUSE HER FAMILY NEEDED SPACE TO GRIEVE, BUT BECAUSE SHE CARED FOR. SHE KNEW SHE WAS CARED FOR DEEPLY, AND SHE WANTED TO BE AT SCHOOL. WE HEARD A LITTLE STORY BEHIND IT, BUT BASICALLY THEY SAID, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO GO? ABSOLUTELY. SO THERE WAS ADVOCACY TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE COULD BE IN SCHOOL THE NEXT DAY, MULTIPLE MULTIPLE SUPPORTS HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE SHE ATTENDED IN PRE-K TO HELP HER TO BE SUCCESSFUL. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. IT TAKES PLACE EVERY DAY WITH THE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE SERVED BY CPS. SHE ALSO ATTENDED HER CHURCH THAT SAME EVENING, AND HER CHURCH IS NOT ONLY COVERING THE COST OF THE SERVICE, BUT IS SCHEDULING SO HER SCHOOL FAMILY CAN ATTEND. I ALSO CAME TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE WORK THAT IS DONE BY EDUCATORS IN HARTFORD COUNTY. EVERY DAY. WE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. THIS IS TRUE OF THE

[00:40:05]

PROFESSION AND IT IS AMPLIFIED CURRENTLY IN HARTFORD. THE SUCCESS WE ARE HAVING IS OFTEN DUE TO SOMEONE WHO IS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND WE ARE MAKING MANY, MANY DECISIONS OVER THE COURSE OF OUR DAYS AND OUR WEEKS TO BEST SERVE OUR STUDENTS. THE SUCCESS WE ARE HAVING AGAIN, IS OFTEN DUE TO THE EXTRA WORK THAT IS BEING PUT IN BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

YOU WILL MAKE MANY DECISIONS THIS YEAR AS A BOARD MEMBER, AND THESE DECISIONS WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN DO THE WORK THAT WILL BRING US CLOSER TO ACHIEVING OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. ANY DECISION THAT ADDS TO THE PLATE OF EDUCATORS WILL RESULT IN SOMETHING BEING DROPPED, NOT BECAUSE WE WON'T, BUT BECAUSE WE NO LONGER CAN. EDUCATORS ARE MAKING DECISIONS DAILY THAT IMPACT OUR FAMILIES AND OUR HEALTH. WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO MEET THOSE NEEDS. MANY OF US CHOOSE TO WORK SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF TIME, SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER STAYING IN COMMUNICATION WITH EDUCATORS, EDUCATOR, WORKING CONDITIONS. OUR STUDENTS. YES, WE NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE BIBLE, THE NUMBER ONE BEST SELLING BOOK OF ALL TIME, IS NOT BEING TAUGHT BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT GOD. WHY? IT'S TOP LITERATURE, BUT IT'S NOT EVEN OFFERED AS AN ELECTIVE. WHY NOT? REGARDING GENDER IDEOLOGY, FEELINGS ARE NOT FACTS. IT'S OUR JOB TO HAVE COMPASSION ON OUR CHILDREN WHO ARE FEELING THAT THEY ARE THE OPPOSITE SEX.

WE SHOULD GIVE THEM OUR TIME, OUR LOVE, AND OUR GUIDANCE, TELLING THEM THAT WE SUPPORT THEM AS THEY GO THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD IN THEIR LIFE THAT ALL OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED.

WE SHOULD NOT BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO THINK THESE FEELINGS ARE FACT. THAT'S LIKE TELLING AN ANOREXIC THAT YES, YOU ARE FAT AND YOU SHOULD EAT LESS, OR LIKE TELLING YOUR MENTALLY UNSTABLE NEIGHBOR THAT YES, IF HE THINKS HE'S THE PRESIDENT, THEN THAT'S THE FACT. EPHESIANS 415 SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE. WE ARE TO GROW UP IN EVERY WAY INTO HIM WHO IS THE HEAD INTO CHRIST. GOD MADE US TO BE MALE AND FEMALE, AND HE GAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN TO THEIR PARENTS. REGARDING ACADEMICS, WE MAY HAVE A VERY HIGH GRADUATION RATE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE TRUTH IS THAT 50% OF OUR CHILDREN CANNOT READ OR DO MATH, AND THAT WE ARE GRADUATING THEM ANYWAY. MANY GO TO COLLEGE NEEDING TO TAKE REMEDIAL CLASSES BECAUSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE NOT DONE THEIR JOB. REGARDING SEX EDUCATION, WE ARE TEACHING OUR CHILDREN THINGS THAT THEY ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY, INTELLECTUALLY, OR MORALLY ABLE TO HANDLE. THE SEX ED PROGRAM OF TODAY IS BASICALLY THE TEXTBOOK DEFINITION OF GROOMING.

TEACHING OUR CHILDREN HOW TO HAVE SEX AND TEACHING THEM THE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF SEX THEY CAN ENGAGE IN IS NOT JUST INAPPROPRIATE, BUT MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE. WHY IS THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SO BAD? WHY ARE THE ACADEMICS SO POOR COMPARED TO THE PAST? MOST OF US WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ARE NOT IN CRISIS, AND WE DID LEARN TO READ AND WRITE. WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT THE ACADEMIC CURRICULUM FROM THE 60S AND 70S TO NOW? THE BAR USED TO BE MUCH HIGHER, AND WE SEEM TO CONTINUE LOWERING IT TO THE GREAT DETRIMENT OF OUR CHILDREN. WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN READING AND WRITING AND CRITICAL THINKING SO THAT THEY CAN BE HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY, THAT ALL THE REST IS BEING FORCED ON THEM IS THE REASON FOR THE DEPRESSION, THE CONFUSION AND THE ANXIETY. LET OUR CHILDREN BE INNOCENT AGAIN. PLEASE STAND UP FOR OUR CHILDREN AND KEEP THEM FROM EVIL. MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN YOUR DECISION MAKING FOR OUR PRECIOUS CHILDREN. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE QUESTION BEFORE THIS BOARD SHOULD BE SIMPLE ARE WE GIVING EVERY HARTFORD COUNTY STUDENT THE EDUCATION SAFETY OPPORTUNITY THAT OUR TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR? FIRST, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE STUDENT PRIVACY, SAFETY AND FEDERAL POLICY. IN JANUARY 2025, THE PRESIDENT ISSUED EXECUTIVE ORDER 14168 DEFENDING WOMEN FROM GENDER IDEOLOGY, EXTREMISM AND RESTORING BIOLOGICAL TRUTH TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THIS ORDER DIRECTS FEDERAL AGENCIES TO USE SEX BASED DEFINITIONS IN FEDERAL POLICY AND INSTRUCTS AGENCIES TO REVIEW FEDERAL FUNDING CONDITIONS. IN A SEPARATE JANUARY 2025 EXECUTIVE ORDER ADDRESSING K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION AND DIRECT FEDERAL ACTION CONCERNING WHAT IS CHARACTERIZED AS GENDER IDEOLOGY, THESE ACTIONS, THESE FEDERAL ACTIONS, AND THEIR EFFECT ON LOCAL SCHOOLS SHOULD BE EVALUATED CAREFULLY RATHER THAN ASSUMED. HARTFORD COUNTY HAS AN UNUSUAL, STRONG CONNECTION TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING FEDERAL CIVIL MILITARY EMPLOYMENT ASSOCIATED WITH ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND AND OTHER FEDERAL ACTIVITIES. THIS MAKES FEDERAL POLICY RELEVANT TO OUR COMMUNITY. SECOND, STUDENTS WELL-BEING MUST REMAIN A PRIORITY. WE HAVE HEARD CONCERNS FROM SOUTHAMPTON MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT AND FAMILIES ABOUT PRIVACY IN THE USE OF SCHOOL LOCKER ROOMS AND OTHER SHARED SPACES. ACCORDING TO TREVOR REPORT, MARYLAND'S POST COVID 2224 TRANSGENDER AND

[00:45:07]

NONBINARY YOUTH, 49% CONSIDER SUICIDE, 49% CONSIDER SUICIDE, 40 ARE BULLIED AND 25% SKIPPED SCHOOL. WHEN WILL THIS ALARMING REAL DANGER BE ADDRESSED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION? WHATEVER ONE'S VIEWS ON GENDER IDENTITY, STUDENTS DESERVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN LEARN WITHOUT INTIMIDATION, HARASSMENT, OR HUMILIATION. I ASK THE BOARD TO EXPLAIN THE POLICIES GOVERNING THESE SPACES, HOW COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED, AND HOW THE PRIVACY AND SAFETY OF CONCERNS OF ALL STUDENTS IS ADDRESSED. THIRD, ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. ON 3RD OF JUNE 26, CASTLE BOB CASTLES CALLED FOR GREATER EDUCATION BUDGET TRANSPARENCY AFTER RETIRED CPS SUPERVISOR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR. PHIL SCHNEIDER RAISED CONCERNS AT THE BOARD MEETING, INCLUDING ALMOST 400 000 BUDGETED FOR CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS TO ATTEND CONFERENCES. THIS IS DOCUMENTED PUBLIC CONCERN. I ASK THE BOARD TO PUBLISH THE SPENDING. THE PURPOSE OF THESE CONFERENCES, THE OUTCOMES EXPECTED AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY MR. SNYDER, ALONG WITH THE BOARD'S RESPONSE TO EACH ONE. NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT ACADEMIC RESULTS. HE CURRENTLY REPORTS 91% FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATE AT CLASS OF 2425. THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT GRADUATION IS ONLY ONE MEASUREMENT OF PREPARATION. THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AND I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE DOM HEATH, CATHY KOWALEWSKI, AND TANISHA GANNON. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND EVERYONE. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MR. ORCHITIS FOR TAKING ON THE TASK OF REVIEWING AND UPDATING THE HANDBOOK. THIS WORK IS WELL OVERDUE. THERE ARE PROVISIONS THAT NEED TO BE ALIGNED WITH CURRENT LAW. GRAMMATICAL ERRORS THAT NEED CORRECTION IN AREAS WHERE EXPECTATIONS AND ACCOUNTABILITY NEED TO BE CLEAR. BUT I WANT TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT A FEW OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES. I SUPPORT ESTABLISHING AN IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT. THE VALUE IS IN THE ROOM WITH FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. IF WE'RE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO SHOW UP TO US, THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW UP TO THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THAT REQUIREMENT SHOULD NOT BE ABSOLUTE JOBS, FAMILY ILLNESSES, THINGS HAPPEN. WE HAVE TECH THAT ALLOWS MEMBERS TO REMAIN ENGAGED. SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SORRY. SECTION B TWO. REFERENCES. GOOD CAUSE FOR MISSING A MEETING BUT DOESN'T DEFINE SHORT OF A SINGLE EXAMPLE WHAT QUALIFIES AS A GOOD CAUSE? WHAT IS A PROPER NOTICE? WHAT ARE THE NOTIFICATION AND APPROVAL TIMELINES AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ADVANCE NOTICE IS NOT GIVEN? CAN THE BOARD PRESIDENT APPROVE GOOD CAUSE FOR OTHER MEMBERS? IF SO, WHO APPROVES THE PRESIDENT? WHO APPROVES? GOOD CAUSE FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT? WE SHOULDN'T WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE FALLS BELOW THE ATTENDANCE THRESHOLD TO ACT. THERE SHOULD BE CHECKPOINTS AS A MEMBER APPROACHES IT. NOTIFICATION, DISCUSSION, WARNING AND REPRIMAND WHEN APPROPRIATE. I HAVE SIMILAR QUESTIONS ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY. WE. I DO SUPPORT MAKING CONFIDENTIALITY LANGUAGE TO MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT IS VIOLATED? WHO REVIEWS AN ALLEGED VIOLATION? WHO DETERMINES WHAT OCCURRED? THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SPELLED OUT IN THE HANDBOOK.

CURRENTLY, IF WE'RE CALLING SOMETHING A REQUIREMENT, THERE SHOULD BE AN ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM BEHIND IT. I REALLY LOVE THE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY. BOARD MEMBERS HOLD UP POSITIONS OF PUBLIC TRUST, AND RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA USE SHOULD BE A PART OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT'S VIOLATED AGAIN? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROGRESSIVE REPRIMAND PROCESS AND FOR SERIOUS OR REPEATED VIOLATIONS, CLARITY AROUND WHETHER THE CONDUCT MEETS ANROU, AND WHAT THAT PROCESS WOULD LOOK LIKE. AT THE HEART OF THE MATTER, I THINK THIS ENTIRE PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR A PERIODIC REVIEW OF ALL BOARD GOVERNING DOCUMENTS. I COULD BE WRONG. I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANYTHING ON THE CPS WEBSITE THAT SPOKE ABOUT A PERIODIC REVIEW POLICY. I RECOMMEND ESTABLISHING A BIANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS SO OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES HANDBOOKS REMAIN CURRENT, ACCURATE, AND ALIGNED WITH APPLICABLE LAW RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL THEY BECOME OUTDATED AND REACTING. FINALLY, THERE ARE 12 INSTANCES IN THE HANDBOOK OF HE, SHE, HIS, HER. THERE REALLY IS NO NEED FOR GENDERED LANGUAGE IN A POLICY THAT APPLIES EQUALLY TO EVERYONE USING THEY THEIR BOARD MEMBER OR SAID BOARD MEMBER MAKES THE DOCUMENT MORE INCLUSIVE, EASIER TO READ AND CLEARER WITHOUT CHANGING ITS MEANING. I RECOMMEND UPDATING THOSE REFERENCES THROUGHOUT THE HANDBOOK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TONIGHT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH FOR AGES 10 TO 14. SUICIDE RANKS AS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH, AND FOR AGES 15 TO 19, IT RANKS AS THE

[00:50:01]

THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NATIONWIDE, ROUGHLY 20% REPORT SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING SUICIDE AND 9.5% REPORT ATTEMPTING SUICIDE IN THE PAST YEAR. IF WE APPLY THOSE STATISTICS TO OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY, THAT WILL EQUATE TO ROUGHLY 2200 STUDENTS WHO HAVE CONTEMPLATED SUICIDE AND ROUGHLY 1000 WHO HAVE MADE AN ATTEMPT. AND THAT'S JUST OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS. MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE NOT IMMUNE. WHENEVER THERE IS A CONCERN ABOUT SUICIDE, THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS CONDUCT A THOROUGH RISK ASSESSMENT WITH THE STUDENT, AND WE INFORM PARENTS OF THE CONCERN AND THE LEVEL OF RISK DETERMINED BY THE ASSESSMENT.

NEXT STEPS ARE THEN DETERMINED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENT. IF THERE IS A COMPLETED SUICIDE.

WE HAVE OUR CRISIS TEAMS WHO RESPOND TO SCHOOLS IN THE AFTERMATH TO HELP OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF PROCESS THESE UNIMAGINABLE LOSSES. ALL SCHOOL STAFF, FROM TEACHERS TO FRONT OFFICE STAFF TO CAFETERIA WORKERS, ACT AS THE EYES AND EARS ON THE GROUND, LOOKING FOR WARNING SIGNS THAT A STUDENT MAY BE CONSIDERING SUICIDE OR STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WE COUNT ON TO RELAY CONCERNS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN THE BUILDING, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR STUDENTS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. WHILE REGULAR MEETINGS WILL BE OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

REGARDING THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERY TIME WE LOSE BUILDING BASE STAFF, WE LOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO NOTICE STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES TO PREVENT A SUICIDE. SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST A FAMILY MEMBER TO SUICIDE HAS SERVED ON OUR CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS FOR MANY YEARS AND HAS DONE MANY SUICIDE RISK ASSESSMENTS FOR STUDENTS. ONE MORE DEATH BY SUICIDE IS ONE TOO MANY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR MACK AND BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TANISHA GANNON, A CPS EMPLOYEE AND LOCAL 2471 ASKED ME PRESIDENT. THIS SUMMER WAS A VERY, VERY HOT AND SHORT SUMMER.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HEAT STRESS STANDARD. THE BUILDINGS ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT 74 DEGREES, AND WHEN IT'S 90 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND YOU'RE CLEANING THE BUILDING, YOU'RE STRIPPING FLOORS, YOU'RE BREATHING IN. CHEMICALS IS A RISK, AND IT CAUSES A LOT OF HARDSHIP ON THE WORKERS. IT CAUSES MOLD, THE FLOORS DOESN'T DRY PROPERLY. WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO THE WORK OVER, WHICH CAUSES STRESS ON THE EMPLOYEES, PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOLS. THIS YEAR ASKED FOR THE AIR TO BE TURNED ON ON SUNDAYS, JUST SO IT CAN BE COOL ON MONDAYS WHEN WE COME INTO WORK, MOST EMPLOYEES GO BACK ON NIGHT SHIFT TWO WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL START AND THE AIR IS SHUT OFF BETWEEN 430 AND 6 P.M. IF THEY DON'T HAVE ANY EVENING ACTIVITIES. AND ACCORDING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN, ASKED THE EMPLOYEES TO HELP SAVE MONEY. CUSTODIANS ARE REQUIRED TO COVER 16,700FT■!S PR PERSON. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE DONE 200 ZERO SQUARE FEET PER PERSON. LAST YEAR, IT WAS RAISED TO 2020 200 ZERO SQUARE FEET PER PERSON. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 311 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES, AND WE NEED 373. AS MANY EMPLOYEES WERE OFFERED A RAISE. THAT WAS NOT FULFILLED BECAUSE LACK OF FUNDING. FACILITIES, A SHORT STAFF, BUS DRIVERS, BUS ATTENDANTS, SSL RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE EXPANDED. IT TECHS AND OTHERS AS MANY EMPLOYEES AND ASP S ARE PAID LESS THAN SURROUNDING COUNTIES. CONSIDER SUPPORT STAFF ALSO WHEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BUDGET. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT PAGE. THAT'S ALL THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. THERE'S NO

[Board Member Comments]

VIRTUAL SPEAKERS. THERE IS NO VIRTUAL SPEAKERS. ALL RIGHT THEN WE WILL START WITH BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND MISS ALVAREZ, I'LL START WITH YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT PAGE.

GOOD EVENING. I'M GLAD TO BE BACK, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I MISSED A FEW MEETINGS AND I WAS

[00:55:01]

HERE VIRTUALLY FOR A FEW. SO IT'S REALLY GOOD TO BE HERE. AND I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING ENGAGED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. I KNOW THAT YOU COULD BE ELSEWHERE, AND COMING HERE REALLY SHOWS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THIS, THIS. ELEMENT IN OUR SOCIETY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES. I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY I'M HERE. I PRAY EVERY DAY FOR OUR STUDENTS PROTECTION AND GROWTH TOWARDS MATURITY THAT EMBRACES ALL THE VIRTUES OUR LOVING CREATOR DESIRES. AS WE ENTRUST OUR EDUCATORS WITH THIS GREAT RESPONSIBILITY, I PRAY THAT THEY WILL DISCERN A PATH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT EMBRACE THE VALUES OF THIS COUNTRY. FREEDOM TO PURSUE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL WITHOUT THE HINDRANCE OF BEHAVIORAL DISRUPTIONS THAT OUR CLASSROOMS WILL CONTAIN. THE ORDER NECESSARY FOR EDUCATORS TO IMPART AN EDUCATION FILLED WITH ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE THAT IS NOT OVERCOME BY THE TEMPTATION TO RELY ON TECHNOLOGIES THAT EXIST. THAT AI WILL BECOME A TOOL FOR HUMAN ENHANCEMENT AND NOT AN ADDICTION THAT REDUCES HUMANNESS AND AND INTERPERSONAL CONNECTEDNESS, OR REDUCES COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT. I PRAY FOR OUR SUPERINTENDENT STRENGTH AND COURAGE TO LEAD OUR DISTRICT SCHOOL TO ENSURE TO ACHIEVE THE EXCELLENCE THAT ALIGN WITH THE COMMUNITY CULTURE. I GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE FOR THE MUSIC PROGRAM, ESPECIALLY AT HAVRE DE GRACE HIGH SCHOOL THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED, PROVIDING THAT HAS PROVIDED FELLOWSHIP FOR MY CHILDREN AND CONTINUES TODAY WITH THAT SAME COMMITMENT AS THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE IN THE 12 YEAR CELEBRATION AT THE TOWSON UNIVERSITY TOWN CENTER. AND FINALLY, I PRAY THAT WE WILL HAVE A PRODUCTIVE MEETING. AMEN. CHRIS. YES. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT TO US IN REGARDS TO EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND THANK YOU AND I APPRECIATE IT. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT AS WELL. AND OF COURSE, WE WELCOME YOUR INPUT AT EVERY MEETING, WHETHER IT'S IN PERSON OR ONLINE. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ABERDEEN FEEDER SCHOOLS. DURING THE MOST RECENT AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION, ABOUT 352 STUDENTS, 336 STUDENTS IN THOSE FEEDER SCHOOLS COMPLETED A TILE FOR THAT AMERICA 250 MURAL THAT'S DISPLAYED PROUDLY IN THE ABERDEEN FESTIVAL PARK. AND THOSE. THERE WAS, I THINK, SEVEN STUDENTS THAT WON THE ESSAYS ABOUT THE AMERICA 250 AND WHAT IT MEANT TO THEM. SO THAT WAS A. IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE, GO SEE THE MURAL AND HOW EACH STUDENT. TILE ASSEMBLED TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL MURAL REPRESENTING OUR HERITAGE.

AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE TIME TO CONGRATULATE DOCTOR MAC AND HER SIGNIFICANT OTHER, KILO MAC, FOR THEIR RECENT INDUCTION INTO JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL'S HALL OF FAME. SO I KNOW THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THEM AND IN THE COMMUNITY. SO AND THEN ALSO CONGRATULATE EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL'S BAND FOR THEIR GREAT PERFORMANCE AT THE AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION THAT WE HELD AT THE EQUESTRIAN CENTER. JUST A FINE EXAMPLE OF HOW THE ARTS, YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC JUST MADE THE PROGRAM. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THOSE SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I HOPE EVERYONE HAS HAD A GREAT START TO THE SCHOOL YEAR. PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN VERY BUSY WITH CLASSES AND COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AS A SENIOR, BUT I'M SO GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT. I LOVE HEARING EVERYONE'S COMMENTS TODAY AS IT HELPS ME FOCUS ON AREAS I WANT TO COMMIT TO AS STUDENT MEMBER. AND SPECIAL THANK YOU TO IRIS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SPEAK TODAY. IT TAKES COURAGE TO SPEAK AND SHARING STUDENT PERSPECTIVE HELPED SHAPE MY DECISIONS AND GROUPS THAT I PLAN TO MEET WITH NEXT. I ENJOYED HEARING FROM OUR STUDENT GROUP FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES. TODAY. THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AT MY SCHOOL AND I'VE ATTENDED SOME OF THEIR MEETINGS. AND SO HEARING FROM THEM WAS SUCH A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FOR NOT JUST MYSELF, BUT OTHER STUDENTS. AT BEL AIR. LAST WEEK I MET

[01:00:01]

WITH TWO STUDENT GROUPS. SO I MET WITH EDUCATORS RISING, WHICH IS OUR TEACHER GROUP, AND OUR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION FOR HARFORD COUNTY. I WAS ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CALENDAR POLICY AND DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR SEPTEMBER 14TH WORK SESSION, AND I PLAN ON SHARING THESE THOUGHTS THAT I GATHERED FROM STUDENTS TO DOCTOR MAC AND HER TEAM SHORTLY. TOMORROW, I'M SPEAKING WITH MORE GROUPS ABOUT A NEW POLICY THAT OUR CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT IS PLANNING TO INTRODUCE. SO THANK YOU FOR MEETING WITH ME TO TALK ABOUT THAT. THIS PAST WEEK, IN THE MIDST OF OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, I'VE ALSO BEEN ENGAGING MORE STUDENT GROUPS, OPINIONS, AND THOUGHTS ON OUR BUDGET AND MEETING WITH THEM FREQUENTLY. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO MEET WITH MORE GROUPS AND START MY SCHOOL VISITS TO ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN NOVEMBER. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I JUST WANT TO ECHO ALL THE SENTIMENTS THAT HAS BEEN SUCH A FUN FEW WEEKS AS WE'VE KICKED OFF ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR. SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE JOINED THE FLEET MANAGEMENT FACILITY AND BEL AIR ELEMENTARY TO KICK OFF THE YEAR. IT WAS REALLY FUN SEEING ALL OF OUR SMALLEST LEARNERS BACK IN THE BUILDINGS, BUT ALSO TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK OUR TRANSPORTATION PERSONNEL WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARRIVE SAFELY TO SCHOOL ON TIME. AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THOSE STAFF WHO ARE NOT IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEM RUNS SMOOTHLY. I WAS ALSO ABLE TO SUPPORT OLD POST ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THEIR BACK TO SCHOOL PICNIC, SERVING LUNCHES TO THE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. I WAS SO GREAT TO SEE STUDENTS EXCITED TO BE BACK IN THE BUILDING, BUT ALSO FOR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR CHILD'S LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. LASTLY, THIS MORNING I VISITED JOPPATOWNE HIGH SCHOOL AND SAW SOME OF THEIR AMAZING PROGRAMS LIKE JROTC WHO WAS HERE IN THE SPRING, THE P-TECH PROGRAM, AND THE HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF FOR WELCOMING ME, AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DESPITE THE HARDSHIPS THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS FACED, THERE ARE INCREDIBLE THINGS HAPPENING AT JOPPATOWNE HIGH AND THE LEARNING HAS NOT STOPPED. I LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING MORE SCHOOLS SOON, AND I DO WANT TO JUST COMMENT THAT I WROTE DOWN AS MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS AS I COULD FROM THE AUDIENCE MEMBER WHO SPOKE REGARDING THE HANDBOOK TONIGHT, AND I WILL SAVE THE ANSWERS FOR THAT POINT OF THE AGENDA. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. AND YEAH, THAT'S ALL MUCH. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I HAVE NO

[Dr. Dyann Mack, Superintendent 's Report]

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS THIS EVENING, SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. IT IS GREAT TO BE IN AND OUT OF OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND OUR DEPARTMENTS, TO SEE THE ENERGY THAT ONLY COMES WITH THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THAT AND FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE ACROSS THE SYSTEM. WE DID INTENTIONALLY START THE SCHOOL YEAR AT A SCHOOL AND IN OUR OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU, MR. CURTIS, BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING HAPPENS IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. SO WE WERE REALLY INTENTIONAL IN PARTNERING WITH MR. CASSIDY AND HIS TEAM TO GO OVER TO FLEET MANAGEMENT TO KICK OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN ALSO BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A SLEW OF OTHER SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THAT DAY. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR THAT. HUGE THANK YOU TO THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES. THE IMPACT THAT THAT GROUP HAS ON OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF AND OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES IS UNDENIABLE, AND THEY ARE TRULY A PART OF OUR STORY. AND SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE IMPACT THAT THEY HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO SHARE SOME BRIGHT SPOTS THAT ARE OCCURRING RECENTLY, THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION BOARD RECOGNIZED HALLS CROSSROADS FOR THEIR WORK WITH THEIR ATTENDANCE. AND SO TOMORROW, HALLS CROSSROADS COMMUNITY, THEIR PRINCIPAL AND THEIR STAFF, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AT THE STATE BOARD OF ED TOMORROW TO TO HIGHLIGHT THE LESSONS THAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND SOME OF THE GREAT INITIATIVES THAT THEY HAVE GOING ON TO COMBAT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. I WILL ALSO BE AT THE STATE BOARD TOMORROW PROVIDING UPDATES ON OUR LOCAL VISIONING AND HOW WE'LL SUPPORT THE STATE'S GOALS FOR LITERACY AND MATH IN EDUCATION SERVICES. THEY ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS, VISITING WITH THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERING WITH OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, OUR CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT, OUR STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND REALLY GOING TOGETHER SIDE BY SIDE TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS AND TO SEE HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND OUR ACADEMIC GROWTH, AND WORKING WITH OUR SCHOOL BASED ADMINISTRATORS ON STUDENT SUCCESS. SO I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. THIS PAST WEEK, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND SO THEY ARE ON A TOUR OF ALL HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC. I'M SORRY, ALL MARYLAND STATE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT WITH US AND TALK TO US ABOUT SOME OF

[01:05:04]

THE WORK THAT THEY'VE HAD WITH US AND WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY WAS THAT THEY MADE A COMMENT THAT OUR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT COULD TEACH A CLASS ON PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT HTTPS EXEMPLIFIES HOW IT IS DONE. THAT IS A VERY PROUD AND MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION FOR A TEAM THAT WORKS REALLY HARD TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND FIND SAVINGS WHENEVER THEY CAN AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO REALLY WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE PUBLICLY THE WORK THAT OUR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT DOES AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THE O. IGE HAS SEEN THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND APPLAUDED THAT WORK. WE'RE ALSO PLEASED TO RECOGNIZE MICHAEL QUIGG, THE PRINCIPAL AT NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS CHRISTINA ZULLO, THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL. THEY ARE OUR LEADERS OF THE YEAR AS IT RELATES TO PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR. AND SO WE WORK WITH THE HARFORD COUNTY ED FOUNDATION IN RECOGNIZING LEADERS EACH YEAR. THIS YEAR, BOTH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE NOMINATED.

BOTH OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WERE SELECTED, AND THEY WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT THE ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS SHOWCASE THAT WILL OCCUR AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE COMING WEEKS. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO NORTH HARFORD. THEY ALSO HAVE A MARYLAND TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALIST. SO THERE'S SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS GOING ON AT NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL. QUICK REMINDER WEDNESDAY WIRE. READ THAT SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IN TERMS OF IMPORTANT UPDATES. ALSO, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHEN YOU SEE THOSE FLASHING LIGHTS ON A BUS, THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO STOP. UNFORTUNATELY, 534 CITATIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO DRIVERS SINCE THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL. THAT THAT NUMBER IS JUST STRIKINGLY CONCERNING, GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING WITHIN OUR REALM OF CONTROL. SO MY ASK TO YOU TONIGHT IS TO JUST DO YOUR PART WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE. AND FINALLY, IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO UNVEIL OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND GET COMMUNITY INPUT AND GET INPUT ON THE BUDGET FROM OUR COMMUNITY, OUR PARENTS, OUR STUDENTS. AND THAT WILL BE AT OUR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. AND SO PLEASE CHECK OUT SOCIAL MEDIA. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR THOSE DATES. THEY ARE COMING UP REGIONALLY AND WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. WE HAVE A LOT TO BE PROUD OF IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITING WORK AHEAD OF US AND I'M EXCITED TO DO IT WITH

[B. Consent Agenda]

YOU. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, OLD BUSINESS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS EVENING. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM B, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND IF MISS NANDURI, IF YOU WILL READ THE NINE ITEMS, I'D APPRECIATE. PRESIDENT PAGE, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST NUMBER FOUR TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. OKAY. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE HER READ THEM ALL. OKAY? OKAY. THANKS. FIRST, WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY REPORT ON CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL FOR AUGUST 2026. SECOND, WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT AWARD FOR ON CALL ELECTRICAL SERVICES. THIRD, WE HAVE OUR CONTRACT AWARD FOR COMPUTER SERVERS, NETWORK HARDWARE AND RELATED PERIPHERALS AND ACCESSORIES. FOURTH, WE HAVE THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR THE RENEWAL OF LIBRARY AUTOMATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. FIFTH, WE HAVE THE CONTRACT AWARD FOR LOCAL TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES. SIX WE HAVE THE 2027 COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN. SEVENTH, WE HAVE OUR FISCAL YEAR 2028 STATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. EIGHTH, WE HAVE OUR CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S MEMBERSHIP FOR THE 2026 2027 SCHOOL YEAR. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE OUR CANDIDATE FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT THE PANEL POSITION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO MISS ALVAREZ HAS ASKED THAT WE REMOVE NUMBER FOUR. SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ONE THROUGH NINE, REMOVING FOUR. SO EVERYTHING BEFORE I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, MISS DIANA? SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES YES YES. ANY OPPOSED? THE 123456789 HAVE BEEN APPROVED.

[B.4. Contract Award: Renewal of Library Automation and Management System]

AS ALVAREZ OVER TO YOU FOR NUMBER FOUR. OKAY. THANK YOU CHAIR, AS OUR DISTRICT REVIEWS THE SOLE SOURCE RENEWAL REQUEST FOR OUR LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE WITH FOLLETT DESTINY, I WANT TO BRIEFLY SHARE SOME FINDINGS REGARDING OUR LONG, LONG TERM FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BY FOLLETT. DESTINY HAS SERVED OUR SCHOOLS WELL OPERATIONALLY. DATA AND VENDOR COMPARISONS SHOW THAT IT REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE OPTIONS ON THE MARKET, WITH RECURRING ANNUAL LICENSING AND MODULE ADD ON AVERAGING. PRICING ACROSS LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SERVICE, SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER. AS OUR DISTRICT. WHY? LET'S SEE. DURING OUR RECENT SMALL GROUP

[01:10:08]

SESSION, WE DISCUSSED THE NECESSITY. NECESSITY OF CALCULATING A FULL TOTAL LIFE CYCLE COST, ONE THAT WEIGHS OUR ONGOING LICENSING FEES AGAINST THE ONE TIME TRANSITION COST, INCLUDING DATA MIGRATION, STAFF RETRAINING, AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION. WITHOUT A COMPREHENSIVE LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS, WE CANNOT DEFINITIVELY DETERMINE WHETHER TRANSITIONING TO A LOWER COST VENDOR WOULD GENERATE MEANINGFUL LONG TERM SAVINGS.

SERVE SAVINGS FOR OUR DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT WE EXERCISE PROPER FIDUCIARY FIDUCIARY CARE AND THOROUGH EVALUATION. THESE PUBLIC FUNDS BEFORE COMMITTING TO A MULTI-YEAR SOLE SOURCE APPROVAL. I BELIEVE THIS MATTER WARRANTS A FOCUSED REVIEW. SO I MAKE A MOTION, MADAM CHAIR, THAT I MOVE TO REFER THE SELECTION AND PROCUREMENT OF THE DISTRICT'S LIBRARY CURATION AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, INCLUDING A FULL TOTAL LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS COMPARING FOLLETT DESTINY WITH ALTERNATIVE VENDOR VENDORS TO THE POLICY OR OR TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO REPORT BACK TO THE FULL BOARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 25TH, WHICH IS TWO MEETINGS FROM NOW. I HAVE A SECOND. WOULD IT HAVE A QUESTION? WOULD IT GO TO THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THAT? IT COULD GO. IT COULD GO TO AN AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT'S ESTABLISHED JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE? DO YOU WANT ME TO REPEAT THE MOTION? CAN WE, BEFORE WE DO A MOTION AND BEFORE WE VOTE ON SOMETHING, CAN WE LISTEN TO TO THE OFFICE OF CURRICULUM? I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO SOME OF WHAT YOU SAID. I THINK WE NEED A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION. I'M GOING TO ASK MY PARLIAMENTARIAN, DO I TABLE THE MOTION? SO YOU WOULD NEED A SECOND. OKAY, IN ORDER TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION. MISS MELISSA AND I SECOND. AND AS YOU ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, I HAVE ONE THING THAT'S NOT ON HERE. NORMALLY WE HAVE A CONTRACT PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. SO IS THIS APPROVAL FOR A ONE YEAR TWO YEAR? IF YOU COULD ANSWER THAT I'D APPRECIATE IT TO I THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK OUR PROCUREMENT OFFICE IS ON LINE AND CAN ANSWER THE TERMS OF THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT. I IT'S. JEN HORNER, SUPERVISOR, PROCUREMENT. WHAT WE'VE DONE PREVIOUSLY IS THAT IT'S IT IT CONTINUES UNTIL THE DISTRICT DECIDES THAT WE NO LONGER WANT TO UTILIZE IT. I'M LOOKING AT THE RENEWAL AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW AND I BELIEVE IT IS FOR ONE YEAR. BUT LET ME DOUBLE CHECK AND I'LL GET LET ME LET ME JUST DOUBLE CHECK AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE IT. THIS ISN'T NEW. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING.

CORRECT. SO DOES IT COME BEFORE THE BOARD EVERY YEAR I GUESS IS MY QUESTION. IT HAS NOT. IT SAYS IN THE COMMENT OR IN THE DESCRIPTION SECTION THAT IT WILL BE RENEWED ANNUALLY UNTIL IT IS TERMINATED BY THE DISTRICT. SO MY ASSUMPTION IS ONCE IT'S APPROVED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KEEP BRINGING IT BACK UP. CORRECT. I GUESS WHY ARE WE BRINGING IT BACK UP IF THAT'S BEEN THE CASE? IT HAS NOT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE COME TO YOU ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE IT HASN'T GONE OVER $100,000. THANK YOU. MAKES SENSE. BEFORE THEY VOTE, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF DELAYING AND WHAT. AND IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS THAT MRS. ALVAREZ BROUGHT FORTH TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY IN THIS MOMENT? OF COURSE, DESTINY HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE APPROXIMATELY 2017 2018. IT HAS BEEN A ROBUST LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, ALLOWING US TO MANAGE THE COLLECTIONS IN OUR LIBRARY. AND THEN WHEN 1 TO 1, THE 1 TO 1 INITIATIVE, WHAT WE ENGAGED IN A FEW YEARS AGO, DESTINY RESOURCE MANAGER, WAS ADDED TO THAT WHICH PROVIDES THAT ONE COUNTY WIDE RESOURCE THAT BOTH THE THE SCHOOLS AND THE LIBRARIES AND THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ALL RELY ON FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES. IS IT ALSO THE PLATFORM THAT PARENTS CAN GO ON TO SEE? SO SO, MISS ALVAREZ, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WORKED ON SO THAT YOU CAN NOW SEE EVERY BOOK IN YOUR CHILD'S LIBRARY. AND THIS SERVICE DOES PROVIDE IT. NOT THAT ANOTHER SERVICE DOESN'T, BUT I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS, FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO SEE VIRTUALLY WHAT'S IN THEIR LIBRARY. SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE. AND I, AND I, LIKE I SAID, I, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS A VERY ROBUST SYSTEM AND IT IS IN PLACE AND THAT THIS HAS BEEN USED. BUT LOOKING AT THE COST COMPARISON WITH OTHER VENDORS, IT'S

[01:15:04]

SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE. SO WHAT WHAT MY ASK IS, IS THAT WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THOSE OTHER VENDORS PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED. AND IF WE COULD HAVE SOME REDUCTION IN, IN COSTS BY SWITCHING TO A VENDOR THAT'S LESS COSTLY. AND THE, THE NUMBERS THAT I PULLED OFF, I MEAN, BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT IT, IT IS BASICALLY EACH. CLIENT, I GUESS, IS NEGOTIATED THROUGH A CUSTOMIZED CONTRACT. SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE STAND WITH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SPENDING, BUT THERE THE, THE RANGE OF EXPENSE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PLATFORM WENT UP TO $4,000, WHERE THE OTHER PLATFORMS ONLY WENT AS HIGH AS 1000. SO WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, IT LOOKED LIKE THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANTLY MORE EXPENSIVE PLATFORM. IF IT'S WHAT WE NEED, I, I GOT THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I ALSO LIKE TO ASK, LIKE, WHAT HAVE WE SPENT OVER THE. SO I GUESS IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS. HOW MUCH HAS HAS THE DISTRICT SPENT ON SUPPORTING THIS SYSTEM? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU TONIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK ABOUT WHEN I'M LISTENING TO THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE POSING, AND I'M WONDERING TO THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE, WOULD THAT REQUIRE US TO GO OUT FOR AN RFP TO BID OTHER COMPANIES AND THEN BRING OTHER COMPANIES IN TO SIT BEFORE US IN ORDER TO DO THIS LEVEL OF EVALUATION BEFORE SIGNING A CONTRACT? SO THIS IS JEN HORNER, AGAIN, SUPERVISOR, PROCUREMENT, WHAT WE DID PREVIOUSLY. AND THEN I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT WE YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO IN THE FUTURE. WE WE HAVE DONE THIS.

THIS IS NOT A SOLE SOURCE. THIS IS A SINGLE SOURCE. AND WE DID RESEARCH AND COMPARED SIX, SIX COMPANIES TOGETHER AND CREATED A CHECKLIST. YES. NO. OF WHAT THEY COULD OFFER AND WHAT THEY COULDN'T. DESTINY WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD OFFER ALL OF THE AREAS THAT WE NEEDED, THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR AT THAT TIME. IF WE WANT TO CHANGE IT AND NEED TO LOOK AT ANOTHER VENDOR OR SEE HOW WHAT PRODUCT TO GET, WE WOULD NEED TO DO AN RFP, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 6 TO 8 MONTHS OUT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THE FULL EVALUATION AND MAKE A DETERMINATION ON WHO WE WOULD WANT TO GO WITH NEXT. BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, I CAN WITHDRAW MY MOTION. THAT WAS MY INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED WITH ME AT THE SMALL GROUP IN PREPARATION FOR THE FOR THE MEETING. SO I'LL WITHDRAW MY MOTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THEN I MOVE TO PASS CONTRACT NUMBER FOUR. YES, WE HAVE TO DO THAT. OTHERWISE, YES, THAT WOULDN'T BE APPROVED. SO GO AHEAD. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY YES. YES YES YES YES. WE OPPOSED. OKAY. NUMBER FOUR PASSES. SINCE WE ARE A LITTLE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

[C. Decision on Proposed Revisions to Board Policy: 20-0002-000 School Calendar, Ms. Lauren Paige, Board President]

BOARD, I'M GOING TO KEEP MOVING ON. AND SO I WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM C AND NEW BUSINESS DECISION ON PROPOSED REVISION TO BOARD POLICY 20-002-000 SCHOOL CALENDAR. ANYTHING TO BRING UP FOR FOR THAT. BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT I THINK IT WAS TWO MEETINGS AGO.

A FEW UPDATES TO THAT POLICY WENT OUT FOR 30 DAYS. WE RECEIVED MAYBE ABOUT 20 TO 30 COMMENTS. MOST OF THE COMMENTS WERE JUST ABOUT PARTICULAR BEING CONSISTENT ON SCHOOLS. IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM. SCHOOL START DATE, SPRING BREAK. NOT NECESSARILY ON THE POLICY ITSELF, BUT THERE'S I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE BOARD POLICY 20-002-000 SCHOOL CALENDAR. I MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? I'M JUST GOING TO BE FORTHCOMING AND SAY I'M I'M GOING TO VOTE NO TO THIS POLICY BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD BE THE PERSON THAT DEVELOPS THE THE CALENDAR, BECAUSE ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ELECTED BOARD IS TO DEVELOP AND APPROVE THE CALENDAR. SO I DON'T SUPPORT DELEGATING THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE BOARD. SO I JUST I WANTED TO ADD, MAYBE ADD A COMMENT. MOST OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE, I THINK ALL OF THE COMMENTS WE GOT ON THE CALENDAR WERE, WERE BASICALLY OPINIONS ON HOW THE CALENDAR SHOULD BE STRUCTURED. AND I JUST ASK THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN SHE'S

[01:20:03]

DEVELOPING THE CALENDAR. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD COMMENTS THAT WHILE WE LOOK AT THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO DEVELOP AND APPROVE THAT CALENDAR, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT ELIMINATING THAT. YOU KNOW, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. WE'RE TRYING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT IN THAT.

THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER TEAM, THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD SAVE US A LOT OF TIME IN TERMS OF THE REQUIRED HOLIDAYS, THE REQUIRED CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS, THE TESTING CALENDAR THAT THEY HAVE TO FIT IN. AND SO AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THEIR DESIRES FOR A CONSISTENT START DATE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT TO HAVE OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND HER TEAM PUT THAT TOGETHER AND PRESENT IT TO THE BOARD, AND THEN WE HAVE THE FINAL SAY. SO IT'S JUST TO ME COMPARABLE TO US GIVING PARAMETERS FOR NEGOTIATIONS. AND THAT'S A EQUALLY IMPORTANT TASK. AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, BY BY HANDING IT OFF TO DOCTOR MACK'S TEAM TO DEVELOP IT, IT'S JUST TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND TIME TO GET IT BACK TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT. SO WE WILL STILL HAVE OUR OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YAY OR NAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ONE OF THE CHANGES WE DID MAKE BEFORE IT WENT OUT WAS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT IS DIRECTED TO HOST AN OPEN PUBLIC FORUM FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO PROVIDE THEIR PRIORITIES. SO I THINK THAT ALSO GIVES A FORUM FOR FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. MR. PAUL, IF YOU WILL TAKE A ROLL CALL, VOTE. WHICH IS CORRECT. YES. DOCTOR MUELLER. YES. MISS NANDURI YES.

MRS. MILLER YES. MISS HAHN NO. MISS BRUCE. YES. MRS. ALVAREZ. YES. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. YES.

[D. Decision on Proposed Amendments to the Board Handbook, Ms. Lauren Paige, Board President and Ms. Lillana Norkaitis, Board Member]

PRESIDENT. PAIGE. YES. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO DECISION ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BOARD HANDBOOK. BOARD. WE HAVE GONE OVER THESE A FEW TIMES.

THE INTENT IS TO VOTE ON THEM AS A WHOLE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING BEFORE THERE'S A MOTION. I WILL MAKE THE MOTION SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS IT. OKAY. I MOVE THE APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BOARD HANDBOOK. CAROL BRUCE AS SECOND.

ALL RIGHT. YEAH. SO THIS DOCUMENT HAS OTHERWISE BEEN DISCUSSED AT TWO SEPARATE MEETINGS. NOW, A LOT OF THE CHANGES IN THERE HAVE HAVE BEEN CARRIED OVER FROM THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPT TO AMEND THE DOCUMENT. THERE ARE THERE ARE JUST A FEW SPECIFIC INSTANCES IN WHICH THESE ARE NEW CHANGES THAT THIS BOARD WILL, YOU KNOW, BE VOTING ON TONIGHT. I DID WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS, AGAIN, FROM THE MEMBER, FROM THE COMMUNITY. AS IT WAS DISCUSSED LAST TIME, THERE REALLY IS NO STATE LAW FOR WHAT GOOD CAUSES. AND CURRENTLY UNDER THE HANDBOOK, THERE IS NO DEFINITION FOR IT. SO THAT THAT WOULD BASICALLY BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT FOR WHAT WHAT THAT WOULD DETERMINE. NOW, WE WENT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN ESTABLISHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT GOOD CAUSE WITH NOT HAVING GOOD CAUSE OR SORRY, THAT GOOD CAUSE IS EITHER PROPER NOTICE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD PRESIDENT FOR ILLNESSES OR FAMILY EMERGENCIES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. ON THAT NOTE, ON THAT POINT OF PROPER NOTICE, BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME LISTED. AND MISS DRIVER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT IT'S AMBIGUOUS, MEANING THAT IT COULD BE A MINUTE BEFORE, AN HOUR BEFORE REALLY ANYTHING IN WHICH IT'S RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING IN WHICH THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED.

NOTICE. I THINK IT'S DISCRETIONARY. IT'S UP TO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD LEADERSHIP WHAT THEY WANT TO CONSIDER SUFFICIENT NOTICE. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. THERE'S NOTHING IN THE LAW THAT PRESCRIBES WHAT SUFFICIENT NOTICE IS. SO IT'S DISCRETIONARY TO THIS BOARD.

YEAH. AND AND WE DIDN'T GO WITH A TIME SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE ARE DIFFERENT INSTANCES THAT ARE GOING TO REQUIRE CERTAIN NOTICE OVER OTHER OTHER INSTANCES. I ALSO WANT TO ADVISE THAT THIS,

[01:25:09]

THIS MECHANISM THERE, THERE IS SOME ROOM AND THAT THERE WILL BE TIME FOR THE BOARD MEMBER.

AGAIN, I HOPE NO BOARD MEMBER WOULD EVER, YOU KNOW, MISS, YOU KNOW, 25% OF MEETINGS. BUT IF IT DOES COME TO THAT POINT, THERE WOULD BE A TIME IN WHICH THE BOARD MEMBER WOULD BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY MAKE THEIR CASE. THE WE'RE WE'RE CHANGING THIS SO THAT IT'S A RECOMMENDATION. SO THE BOARD AND AGAIN, MR. DRIVER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BECAUSE I RECALL SEEING IT WITHIN MSBA DOCUMENTS THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WOULD HANDLE THE REMOVAL.

SO THIS IS JUST US. THE BOARD WOULD VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATION FOR REMOVAL.

THAT WOULD THEN GO TO THE MSB. IT WOULD NOT BE US MAKING THE VOTE TO REMOVE, BECAUSE ALL WE CAN DO IS VOTE TO RECOMMEND BECAUSE IT IS NOT IN OUR DUTY. IT IS NOT IN OUR AUTHORITY AS A BOARD TO REMOVE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS. CORRECT. OKAY. YES. AND THEN ON THE CONFIDENTIALITY COMPONENT OF IT, THERE ARE OTHER ENTITIES OUTSIDE OF THIS BOARD THAT HAVE SOME CONTROL OF THAT. THERE'S THINGS WITHIN STATE LAW, THE ETHICS PANEL. CORRECT. WOULD THAT BE ONE OF THE PERFECT. SO THERE ARE SOME ENTITIES WHICH HANDLE THAT ALREADY OUTSIDE OF OUR SCOPE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S IT'S AN OUTSIDE ENTITY VOTING ON VOTING ON OUR. OUR DECISIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT WITHIN CONFIDENTIALITY. SO THAT IS AGAIN, WHY THERE IS NOTHING SPECIFIC TO CONSEQUENCES OF BREACHING CONFIDENTIALITY, BECAUSE THERE ARE DOCUMENTS WHICH ARE ALREADY STATE SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS. BUT YEAH. I THINK I THINK THAT MOSTLY COVERED ALL OF THEM AT THAT POINT. ANY BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING FURTHER? I'LL JUST SAY THIS IS PHASE ONE OF UPDATING THIS.

RIGHT. WE WILL COME BACK AND MAKE MORE CHANGES. I THINK THIS WILL NEED TO BE MADE SO THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITIES TO, TO PUT INPUT ON ON THINGS. AGAIN. SO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK GETTING US MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ON THINGS THAT ABSOLUTELY NEEDED TO BE UPDATED AND CHANGED. AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT THE ADDITION OF THE LANGUAGE THAT REQUIRES THE ATTENDANCE PIECE. AND WITH THE CLEAR CHANGE THAT'S COMING WITH LOTS OF NEW MEMBERS, WHETHER AFTER THE ELECTION, WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MEMBERS ARE CLEAR THAT YOU'RE SEEKING A POSITION. YOU'RE EXPECTED TO BE HERE TO PERFORM A VERY IMPORTANT JOB. AND SO THAT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE WITH THAT. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE NOTICE, I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU. SO NO RESPONSE.

THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE. I MEAN, WE DID WORRY ABOUT MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S OUT OF THE ORDINARY. SO WE JUST WANT TO HEAR, I CAN MAKE IT, I CAN'T MAKE IT. AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE REST OF THAT. BUT 25% IS A A BIG WINDOW THAT THEY CAN MISS. BEFORE WE WOULD EVEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. SO IT'S JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK TO BE HERE, IF YOU'VE WORKED HARD TO BE HERE, THEN PLEASE BE HERE. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY. I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT.

NOT ON THE HANDBOOK. OKAY. AND I FOR THE RECORD, AND WE KNOW WE HAVE A VACANCY, AND I KNOW THAT I KNEW SOMEBODY WHO HAD SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION AND WAS TOLD BY THE COUNTY THAT THE POSITION WILL NOT BE FILLED. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO GO ON THE RECORD TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THAT POSITION WILL NOT BE FILLED. MISS PERRY RESIGNED AND THAT POSITION WON'T BE FILLED.

NO REASON WAS GIVEN TO THE INDIVIDUAL, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS BOARD HAS RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION FROM THE COUNTY COUNCIL. NO. ANYTHING FURTHER ON THE HANDBOOK? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE A VOTE, MISS, IF YOU WILL CALL. ROLL CALL, VOTE, MISS. YES, DOCTOR. MUELLER. YES. MISS. NANDURI YES. MRS. MILLER. YES. MRS. HAHN. NO. MISS. BRUCE. YES.

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MRS. ALVAREZ. YES. VICE PRESIDENT. SEWELL. YES. PRESIDENT. PAGE. YES. THIS

[E. Decision on Inclement Weather Learning Plan, Mr. Bernard Hennigan, Deputy Superintendent for Schools, Ms. Heather Kutcher, Assitant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Martha Barwick, Supervisor or Innovation in Learning, and Ms. Rebecca Pensero, Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction and Career Programs]

MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM E DECISION ON INCLEMENT WEATHER LEARNING PLAN. MR. BERNARD HENNIGAN, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOLS, WELCOME YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IF YOU WILL INTRODUCE THE STAFF WHO ARE JOINING YOU. WELCOME. OKAY.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT PAIGE, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, DOCTOR MACK AND BOARD MEMBERS COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, ALONG WITH MISS BECKY PENSIERO, THE COORDINATOR OF SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION AND CAREER PROGRAMS. MISS MARTHA BARWICK, OUR SUPERVISOR IN INNOVATION AND LEARNING. AND MISS HEATHER KUTCHER, OUR ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT. SO WE'RE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE INCLEMENT WEATHER LEARNING PLAN THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE SUBSEQUENT TO THE DECISION, SEVERAL MONTHS BACK, TO HAVE THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR REFLECT THAT, WE WILL BE GOING INTO VIRTUAL LEARNING AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR IF THE WEATHER REQUIRES IT. SO TONIGHT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THAT PLAN. THE DECISION FOR TONIGHT WOULD BE FOR THE BOARD TO DECIDE IF THEY'RE GOING TO APPROVE THAT PLAN, AT WHICH POINT THAT WILL GO TO THE STATE. THE STATE DOES NOT HAVE A DECISION ON THE PLAN. THEY DON'T REVIEW THE PLAN NECESSARILY. THEY JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT THE BOARD HAS APPROVED IT. AND THEN WE WILL BE POISED AND READY TO DO VIRTUAL LEARNING. IF WE HAVE WEATHER THAT REQUIRES IT. SO AGAIN, WE'LL DO AN OVERVIEW TONIGHT AND THEN HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. AND THEN THE ACTUAL PLAN HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU IN THE BOARD AGENDA. SO THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN IS TO MAINTAIN CONTINUITY WITH LEARNING THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR AND TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE REGULATIONS. GIVEN THE CALENDAR THAT WE HAVE APPROVED FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THE VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION WILL GO INTO PLACE AFTER WE'VE HAD THREE DAYS OF THREE DAYS OF WEATHER THAT REQUIRE US TO BE OFF FROM SCHOOL. SO JUST TO REVIEW THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF INCLEMENT WEATHER WHERE WE HAVE TO SHUT SCHOOLS DOWN, STUDENTS WILL BE OFF COMPLETELY. THERE'LL BE NO VIRTUAL LEARNING AFTER THAT. THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY REQUIRE THAT WE CLOSE SCHOOLS, BUT WE GO INTO VIRTUAL LEARNING FOR STUDENTS. THIS VIRTUAL LEARNING THROUGH THE STATE REQUIRES FOUR HOURS OF SYNCHRONOUS LIVE INSTRUCTION, AND ALSO REQUIRES US TO MONITOR ATTENDANCE AND PROVIDE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE UP THE WORK IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET ONLINE OR THEIR TEACHER IS UNABLE TO GET ONLINE. SO OUR ADMINISTRATORS, WHO WE MET WITH LAST WEEK TO REVIEW THIS PLAN, HAVE SEVERAL THINGS THAT THEY WILL BE IN CHARGE OF. ONE IS TO COORDINATE THE SCHOOL BASED INSTRUCTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEACHERS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, AND THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS OCCURRING ON THAT DAY ALSO TO WORK WITH THEIR STAFF ON ALL THEIR VARIOUS ROLES. SO WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE STAFF THAT AREN'T CLASSROOM TEACHERS. SO MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE THAT DAY AND THEIR ABILITY TO BE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS. WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MONITORING ATTENDANCE ON THESE DAYS, THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR FAMILIES, AND THAT WE'RE REINFORCING WITH ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT EVERYBODY HAS A ROLE ON THAT DAY, WHETHER YOU'RE A TEACHER, A PSYCHOLOGIST, A COUNSELOR, WHAT HAVE YOU. FOR OUR TEACHERS, THEY WILL BE PREPARED FOR TO GO INTO THIS DAY KNOWING HOW TO HAVE HAVE THEIR TEAMS LINKS PROVIDED TO FAMILIES AND STUDENTS TO HAVE THEIR LESSONS IN CANVAS, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT LIVE INDEPENDENT INSTRUCTION THE WAY THAT THEY DO IN THE CLASSROOM. BUT THROUGH THE TEAMS APP, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THERE ARE LESSONS ARE ENGAGING, THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONS TO STUDENTS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE FOR SAFETY IS IF YOU'VE EVER USED TEAMS, YOU CAN GO INTO BREAKOUT ROOMS WHERE SMALLER GROUPS OF, OF, OF PEOPLE CAN GATHER THAT NO BREAKOUT ROOMS WILL OCCUR WITHOUT AN ADULT GOING INTO THAT BREAKOUT ROOM. SO CURRENTLY AT OUR SWANS CREEK SCHOOL, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT VIRTUAL, WE HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATORS WHO DO THIS EVERY DAY. THEY GO INTO A LESSON, THE TEACHER TEACHES A LESSON, THEN THEY GO INTO BREAKOUT ROOM WITH SEVERAL OTHER STUDENTS THAT THEY WANT TO WORK WITH INDIVIDUALLY. SO THAT CAN OCCUR. BUT AN ADULT MUST BE IN THAT BREAKOUT ROOM WITH STUDENTS. AT THIS TIME, MISS BARWICK IS GOING TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE TEACHERS WILL BE GIVEN IN PREPARATION FOR THIS DAY. INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF WILL BE PROVIDED A SERIES OF RESOURCES THAT WILL SUPPORT THEM AS THEY PREPARE FOR SYNCHRONOUS INSTRUCTION AND MEET THE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPECTATIONS. THESE RESOURCES WILL SPECIFICALLY GUIDE THE TEACHERS THROUGH CREATING A MODULE IN CANVAS, LINKING THE MODULE TO AN INCLEMENT WEATHER TILE ON THE HOME PAGE, AND ADDING A TEAMS MEETING LINK AND DEFINING THE SPECIFIC SETTINGS

[01:35:04]

SO THAT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS HAVE THE BEST VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE IN THE MICROSOFT TEAMS ENVIRONMENT. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF IDEAS FOR STRUCTURING THE LEARNING TIME, MAXIMIZING THE SYNCHRONOUS EXPERIENCE WHILE CONSIDERING VARIOUS ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND THE ONLINE EXPERIENCE, ACCOMPANIED BY VIDEOS WITH SUGGESTIONS FROM OUR SWAN CREEK SCHOOL VIRTUAL TEACHERS. THESE POSSIBLE STRUCTURES SHOW THE TEACHERS HOW TO BALANCE THE DIRECT INSTRUCTION WITH OTHER TRADITIONAL OR DIGITAL EXPERIENCES, BOTH ON SCREEN AND OFF SCREEN, IN WHOLE GROUPS AND SMALL GROUPS, ENHANCING THE INCLEMENT WEATHER LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THANK YOU MARTHA.

SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS SORT OF OUTLINE SOME OF THE EXPECTATIONS THAT SOME OF OUR STAFF WILL HAVE THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY CLASSROOM TEACHERS. SO MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENT SERVICES STAFF, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATORS, INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES AND SPECIALIST SPECIALISTS, AS WELL AS OUR PARAEDUCATORS AND I ALL HAVE A ROLE ON THAT DAY, THE THE SCHOOL DAY FOR STUDENTS WILL BE A FOUR HOUR EXPERIENCE. BUT YET FOR OUR SCHOOL STAFF, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE A FULL WORKDAY. SO THEY'LL THEY WILL BE STARTING THE SAME TIME THEY WOULD BE IN PERSON, BUT THEIR THEIR DAY WHERE THEY'RE WORKING WITH STUDENTS WILL BE TRUNCATED TO THAT FOUR HOUR BLOCK. FOR OUR PRE-K TO GRADE ONE STUDENTS. WE WILL NOT BE DOING VIRTUAL LIVE INSTRUCTION. SO THEY WILL BE PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION PRIOR TO THAT FOURTH DAY OF, OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, SO THAT THEY HAVE WORK THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE IN. AND OUR EXPECTATION IS GOING TO BE THAT THOSE TEACHERS ARE AVAILABLE AND ABLE TO HELP FAMILIES. WHILE THOSE STUDENTS MAY NOT HAVE A DEVICE, THEIR PARENTS MAY AND MAY HAVE THE TEAMS LINK WHERE THEY CAN ENGAGE WITH THOSE TEACHERS DURING THAT FOUR HOUR BLOCK. IF THERE'S HELP THAT'S NEEDED IN GRADES 2 TO 5, WE WILL HAVE STANDARD SCHEDULES, BUT ALLOWING THOSE GRADE LEVELS TO HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN HOW THEY SCHEDULE THEIR DAY, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY WITH THE SAME TEACHER ALL DAY. SO WE NEED TO ALLOW SOME FLEXIBILITY FOR OUR ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES TO PLAN OUT THOSE SCHEDULES. THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WILL BE A SET SCHEDULE OF FOUR BLOCKS, PROVIDING, WELL, FOUR BLOCKS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, MORE BLOCKS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO ALLOWING FOR SOME A LUNCH PERIOD IN THERE, BUT BREAKING, BREAKING THOSE SCHEDULES DOWN. SO THE STUDENTS HAVE EACH CLASS THE SAME WAY THEY WOULD DURING A TYPICAL SCHOOL DAY IN PERSON. FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE IN SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS SUCH AS DUAL ENROLLMENT, WE'RE EXPECTING THEM TO FOLLOW WHATEVER THAT WHATEVER THAT PROGRAM IS ENGAGED IN THAT DAY. SO FOR INSTANCE, IF HCC IS AVAILABLE OR OPEN RATHER, AND THEY FEEL IT'S SAFE TO GO TO THEIR CLASS, OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN ENGAGE IN THAT. IF THEY DON'T, WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THEM TO. BUT THIS IS WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OPERATING INDEPENDENT OF US. SO WE JUST WANT OUR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR DECISION ON THAT DAY WHAT TO DO. AND THEN FOR HARTFORD ACADEMY AND OUR REGIONAL PROGRAMS THAT WILL MIMIC OUR PRE-K TO GRADE ONE, WHERE IT WON'T BE VIRTUAL LIVE INSTRUCTION DURING THAT TIME. A FEW NOTES AGAIN, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND MISS SARAH HAS BEEN WORKING ON WITH THEM, SORT OF REVISITING SOME OF WHAT WE DID DURING COVID WITH REGARDS TO CLICKING A BUTTON TO SAY THAT YOU'RE PRESENT, BUT I BELIEVE WE'LL BE HAVING THE TEACHERS CLICK THAT BUTTON TO NOTE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE PRESENT THAT DAY, AND ALSO MAKING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE UNABLE TO BE PRESENT DUE TO TECHNOLOGY RELATED ISSUES, AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF THEIR NEEDS TO HAVE COMPUTERS CHARGED AND READY. THIS IS ALL PREDICATED ON OUR ABILITY TO PREDICT THE WEATHER.

UNFORTUNATELY, MSDS TIED OUR HANDS A LITTLE BIT IN SAYING THAT THE FIRST THREE DAYS HAVE TO BE CLOSURES, WHERE MAYBE THOSE FIRST THREE DAYS ARE MORE PREDICTABLE THAN THE FOURTH DAY AND FIFTH DAY. BUT THAT'S THOSE ARE THE CARDS WERE GIVEN. SO WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO BE PREPARED AND TO PREPARE OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR FAMILIES IF WE KNOW THAT INCLEMENT WEATHER IS COMING, MUCH LIKE WE DID THIS WEEKEND. AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION.

SO IF THIS BOARD APPROVES THIS PLAN TONIGHT, THE PLAN WILL BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND FAMILIES. FAMILIES WILL BE NOTIFIED. AND THEN AS WE GO THROUGH THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND HAVE OUR INITIAL, IF WE HAVE OUR INITIAL CLOSURE, REMINDING FAMILIES THAT AS A TRUE CLOSURE.

SAME WITH THE SECOND ONE, SAME WITH THE THIRD ONE. AND THEN AFTER THAT THIRD ONE, BEING ABLE TO SEND HOME THOSE PACKETS IN PREPARATION FOR THE FOURTH ONE AND REMINDING FAMILIES THAT NOW WE'RE INTO THE VIRTUAL LEARNING PLAN, SHOULD WE NEED TO FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH, OR ANY SUBSEQUENT DAYS BEYOND THAT. SO MISS LATER, MR. ANDERSON, HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON PREPPING COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO GO HOME IN VARIOUS MODES, TO FAMILIES AND TO STUDENTS AND STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY AWARE AND READY AND PREPARED FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING ON EACH DAY. WE DID BREAK DOWN INTO SUBCOMMITTEES, AND THE PLAN THAT YOU'LL SEE

[01:40:06]

BEFORE YOU IN THE AGENDA DOES NOT COVER EVERY NUANCE FOR THIS DAY, OR ELSE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT 100 PAGE PLAN. SO WE DO HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE PREPPING GUIDANCE FOR STAFF, PREPPING GUIDANCE FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES FOR OUR, OUR OPERATION STAFF.

SO EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE A ROLE THAT DAY AND THOSE ROLES ARE GOING TO CHANGE BASED ON WHAT BASED ON THEIR ROLE, BUT ALSO BASED ON THE FACT THAT IF IF OUR BUILDINGS ARE OPEN STILL AT CENTRAL OFFICE. SO EVERYBODY'S GOING TO NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEIR EXPECTATIONS ARE FOR THAT DAY. AND THESE ARE THE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT ARE WORKING ON THOSE TRAININGS. AND LASTLY, MOVING FORWARD, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE OUR BOARD MEETING TONIGHT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR SUBCOMMITTEE GUIDANCE, PROVIDE COMMUNICATIONS TO FAMILIES AND STAFF. WE'RE GOING TO SET UP TRAINING FOR OUR STAFF. AS MISS BARWICK ALLUDED, TO IMPLEMENT A PRACTICE DAY AT HOME AND ALSO PRACTICE DAY IN OUR BUILDINGS, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT HAVE NEVER TAUGHT ON TEAMS AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN, LEARN THE WAYS WITH THAT, AND THEN CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND GET THAT CONTINUOUS FEEDBACK LOOP, AS MISS PAIGE HAD ASKED US TO IN OUR SMALL GROUPS, MAKING SURE, HOW DID WE DO? HOW IS IT GOING? AND ARE THERE CHANGES WE NEED TO MAKE? SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY DO THINGS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENTLY ON DAY SIX, AND WE DID ON DAY FOUR BECAUSE WE LEARNED SOME LESSONS FROM IT. SO THIS IS THE PRESENTATION. AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE THE PLAN IN YOUR AGENDA.

SO I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR MYSELF OR MY COLLEAGUES. OKAY.

WELL, GIVEN NO QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO PUT SOME POINTS FOR CONSIDERATION AS YOU MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR WORK, BECAUSE THIS IS AN INITIAL PLAN. AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I RAISED IS ABOUT, YES, WE'RE TAKING ATTENDANCE FOR STUDENTS, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST IN THE LIVE IN PERSON SITUATION, WHEN A TEACHER IS ABSENT, THEN WHAT IS THE PLAN? SO IF YOU COULD CONSIDER THAT IN YOUR DETAILS, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER'S ABSENCE ON A VIRTUAL DAY, THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO LEARNING FOR THE STUDENTS? AND THEN THE, OF COURSE, COMMUNICATION TO THE IMPACTED CLASSROOMS. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE GRADES, PRE-K TO ONE WITH IT BEING PRINTED MATERIALS ONLY. AND THOSE TEACHERS ARE ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.

THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS, WHETHER IT'S A MODULE TO WALK THEM THROUGH WHAT THOSE PRINTED MATERIAL, INSTRUCTIONS, REQUIREMENTS, JUST SOME EXPLANATION THAT AT LEAST THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, CALL IN AND ASK AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND THEN MY LAST POINT FOR CONSIDERATION IS IT IS A FOUR HOUR LEARNING DAY. THAT'S THE REQUIREMENT FROM THE STATE. BUT WITH THE STAFF BEING ON DUTY FOR THE FULL REGULAR DAY, BECAUSE ONLY THE ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING, RIGHT. THE FORMAT THEN WOULD SPECIAL AREA CLASSES AND SPECIAL SERVICES LIKE OUR COUNSELORS AND OUR GIFTED AND OTHER GROUPS, WOULD THAT OCCUR AFTER THE FOUR HOURS OF REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, THE SYNCHRONOUS ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT OR THOUGHTS. SURE. AND YOUR PLAN YOU BRING UP SOME GOOD POINTS. SO FOR INSTANCE, OUR SST MEETINGS OR IEP MEETINGS, THOSE ARE ALL GOING TO STILL OCCUR. SO IF THERE WAS AN SST MEETING SCHEDULED FOR 830 BUT THE STUDENT DAY DOESN'T START TILL TEN, THOSE MEETINGS WILL STILL OCCUR. IF A SCHOOL COUNSELOR HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH A STUDENT, THEY CAN STILL MEET VIRTUALLY. OBVIOUSLY, IF IT'S OUTSIDE THAT FOUR HOURS, THE STUDENTS GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION IF THEY'RE GOING TO ATTEND OR NOT. BUT OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE. ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE WORKING THEIR TYPICAL DUTY DAY. THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT ONE OTHER THING TOO, BECAUSE IT DOES KIND OF GET CONFUSING. SO WE HAVE THREE DAYS BUILT INTO THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR MARCH 1ST, JUNE 1ST, AND APRIL 12TH. AND I SENT THEM OUT OF ORDER BECAUSE WE'RE USING THEM OUT OF ORDER. SO IF WE HAVE AN INCLEMENT WEATHER DAY TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, THAT MEANS WE WILL GO TO SCHOOL ON MARCH 1ST. IF WE HAVE NO INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS THIS WHOLE YEAR, THEN WE'RE OFF ON MARCH 1ST, AND THEN THE SECOND DAY WOULD BE NOW WE'RE GOING TO SCHOOL ON JUNE 1ST, AND THEN THE THIRD DAY WE'RE GOING TO SCHOOL ON APRIL 12TH. SO IF WE HAVE THREE DAYS THIS YEAR OF INCLEMENT WEATHER, THEN THOSE THREE DAYS WILL BE DAYS WHERE STAFF COME TO SCHOOL, STUDENTS COME TO SCHOOL. IF WE HAVE 0 TO 2, THEN ONE OF THOSE DAYS OR MORE WILL BE DAYS OFF. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS CALENDAR, WHILE THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE VIRTUAL LEARNING, IS EVERYBODY KNOWS RIGHT NOW WHEN OUR LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WILL BE, IT WILL NOT CHANGE. AND SO THAT'S A POSITIVE THAT PEOPLE CAN PLAN AROUND THAT BECAUSE AFTER DAY THREE, WE WILL BE VIRTUAL LEARNING, WHETHER IT'S ONE MORE DAY OR 20 MORE DAYS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, SO THAT WE WILL HAVE A DEFINITIVE END TO OUR SCHOOL DAY. SO WHILE THERE ARE AGAIN, SOME CHALLENGES TO THE

[01:45:02]

VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS A POSITIVE THAT THAT THIS CALENDAR AFFORDS EVERYBODY. AND I JUST HAD A QUESTION DURING OUR SMALL GROUPS, WE WERE DISCUSSING THAT YOU WERE GOING TO URGE TEACHERS TO NOT INTRODUCE NEW INFORMATION DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT THE IDEAL PLACE TO DO THAT. CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE ON THAT JUST TO KIND OF EXPLAIN? SO OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE DO THEIR BEST, AND I GUESS IT REALLY WILL DEPEND ON HOW MANY DAYS WE HAVE. SO IF WE IF WE HAVE 1 OR 2 DAYS OF VIRTUAL LEARNING, THEN TRYING TO DO, REVISITING SOME OF THE CONTENT THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR, FOR EXAMS, GIVING THEM SOME INFORMATION THAT BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T KNOW IS HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE IN ATTENDANCE ON THESE DAYS, OR HOW MANY STAFF WON'T HAVE, WON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE ON. SO WE'LL DO OUR BEST. BUT IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE USING THREE, FOUR, FIVE VIRTUAL LEARNING DAYS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INTRODUCE NEW CONTENT BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING TOO MUCH TIME. SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MONITOR AND SEE. BUT I WOULD SAY ON DAY ONE, DAY TWO, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO JUST DOING SOME REINFORCEMENT OF SOME OF THE LEARNING THAT'S ALREADY OCCURRED. THANK YOU. I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. ARE WE REQUIRING STUDENTS TO HAVE THEIR CAMERA TURNED ON? AT SWAN CREEK? IT'S IT'S ENCOURAGED. I WOULD SAY IT HAPPENS MOST OF THE TIME, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW.

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE REMARKING STUDENTS ABSENT IF THEIR CAMERAS OFF. SO I THINK WE WILL WE WILL ENCOURAGE IT. BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT MANDATES GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I DO WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE, BUT ALSO SO MANY MORE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON PLANS, GIVING US ADVICE, GIVING US INPUT, TELLING US WHAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE DOING IN THE COUNTIES THEY LIVE IN. SO IT REALLY HAS BEEN A HUGE, HERCULEAN TEAM EFFORT, AND WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. BUT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE THIS AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE AND CREATE THAT CONTINUITY LEARNING FOR OUR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR. AND AGAIN, THAT WILL BE A DECISION WE NEED TO MAKE ABOUT NEXT YEAR'S CALENDAR. UNFORTUNATELY, BEFORE WE GET TO SEE THE FRUITS OF OUR LABOR HERE. BUT THANK YOU ALL, AND I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO TURN IT FOR A BOARD VOTE. WELL, I SEE UP THERE IT SAYS BOARD MEETING. WE ARE ASKING FOR OUR APPROVAL.

CORRECT. I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION. YES. OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

[F. Decision of Proposed Revisions to Board Policy: 02-0058-000 Student Elopement, Lauren R. Driver, Esq., General Counsel and Ms. Colleen Sasdelli, Director of Special Education]