[Call to Order: Board President]
          [00:00:13]
          EVERYONE PLEASE MUTE YOUR DEVICE TO AVOID INTERRUPTIONS UNTIL CALLED UPON. I CALL TO ORDER THIS BOARD BUSINESS MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF HARFORD COUNTY ON OCTOBER 26TH, 2026 AT 6 P.M. THIS BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FASHION. 
          MISS ROLLO, PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL. MR. CURTIS HERE. DOCTOR MUELLER PRESENT. MISS LANDRY HERE. MRS. MILLER PRESENT. MRS. HAHN PRESENT. MISS BRUCE HERE. MRS. ALVAREZ, PRESENT. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL HERE. PRESIDENT PAIGE, PRESIDENT PAIGE IS ABSENT. SUPERINTENDENT MACK PRESENT. THIS COMPLETES THE ROLL CALL. THE FOLLOWING PROCESS WILL BE USED THIS EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF WILL MUTE THEIR DEVEVEVEVV UNTIL CALLED UPON. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE HOLD COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS UNTIL THE END OF EACH PRESENTATION. 
          FOLLOWING THE PRESENTATION, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL WILL CALL ON EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD RESTATE THEIR NAME BEFORE SPEAKING. DOCTOR MACK WILL RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR CALL ON THE APPROPRIATE STAFF MEMBER TO DO SO. WHEN A ROLL CALL IS TAKEN FOR A MOTION, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE REPLY WITH A YES OR A NO. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. YOU HAVE THE AGENDA BEFORE YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA? I SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NO. THIS MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 
          PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. WELCOME, MISS 
          [A.HCPS Community Schools Partner Presentation, Ms. Mary Beth Stapleton, Manager of Family and Community Partnerships:]
MARYBETH STAPLETON, MANAGER OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, WHO INTRODUCE MR. PHIL HOSMER AND MISS LISA ROBBINS FOR THEIR NATURE PRESENTATION. EDUCATION. I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME MR. SARAH AND MR. ROBINSON, MR. BURKE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND MR. ROBBINS, THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS. NATURE WORKS IS A BEL AIR BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2017 THAT PROVIDES NATURE CENTERED PROGRAMING TO A VARIETY OF POPULATIONS, INCLUDING STUDENTS IN HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. NATURE WORKS BEGAN PARTNERING WITH CPS IN 2024 AFTER BEING SELECTED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION PROCESS ADMITTED ADMINISTERED BY MARYLAND'S COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCES COMMISSION. THIS WORK IS SUPPORTED THROUGH THE MARYLAND CONSORTIUM ON COORDINATED COMMUNITY SUPPORTS, ESTABLISHED UNDER THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE. THIS IS WORK TO EXPAND ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE IN HARFORD COUNTY. THE OFFICE ON MENTAL HEALTH CORE SERVICE AGENCY SERVES AS A DESIGNATED LOCAL HUB, MANAGING CONSORTIUM FUNDS AND COORDINATING SERVICES WITH COMMUNITY PROVIDERS. 
          NATURE WORKS IS ONE OF THE EIGHT PROGRAMS SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE. SINCE LAUNCHING IN HC, NATURE WORKS HAS DOCUMENTED POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR PARTICIPATING STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS THROUGH ITS REPORTING TO THE STATE. TONIGHT, MR. HOSMER AND MISS ROBINS WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PARTNERSHIP WITH CPS AND SHARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THEIR WORK AS THEY BEGIN THEIR THIRD YEAR. SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS. MR. HOSMER, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? I NEED TO STAND BY THE MIC. I SHOULD STAY BY THE MIC. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. SUPERINTENDENT MACK, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING IN NATURE WORKS HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK SOME PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. MARY BETH, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP. AND CHERYL FRANZ, IF YOU COULD SAY HI, PLEASE, FOR A MOMENT. SHE'S ONE OF OUR PARTNERS. SHE'S WITH EDGEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL. REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. AND THERE'S PARTNERS IN EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT I'D LIKE TO THANK, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE. SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. SO LET'S DIVE RIGHT IN. I WANTED TO PROVIDE A BACKDROP ON SOME 
          [00:05:06]
STATISTICS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH NATURE WORKS. OUR INTENT IS TO GET STUDENTS OUTSIDE SO THEY CAN GET THE BENEFITS OF SOME TIME OUTSIDE, SOME INTENTIONAL TIME SPENT OUTDOORS TO TAKE A BREAK. AND WE'RE DOING THIS AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THESE STATISTICS. ONE THING THAT'S STRIKING HERE, YOU LOOK AT THE THE REPORT BY CONSUMER OR THE SURVEY BY CONSUMER REPORTS, THAT WE CHECK OUR PHONES ON AVERAGE 200 TIMES A DAY. THAT'S ABOUT FIVE TIMES OR ONCE EVERY FIVE MINUTES. SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE VOLUME OF TIMES WE'RE INTERACTING WITH OUR DEVICES, IT'S IT'S TROUBLING. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT THE STATISTICS FOR CHILDREN SPECIFICALLY. AND THIS IS FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS. BY THE WAY. THIS SPRING, THE SURGEON GENERAL ISSUED A WARNING ABOUT EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME FOR CHILDREN AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACT IT CAN HAVE ON THEM. BUT THESE ARE SOME STATISTICS ABOUT THE AVERAGE USE OF SCREENS. AND THIS IS FOR NON-SCHOOL SCREEN TIME. OKAY. AND YOU SEE IT STARTS WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS, WHICH WAS REALLY SURPRISING TO ME TO LEARN THAT THAT TODDLERS ARE ON THEIR DEVICES AN HOUR A DAY, AND THEN IT JUST RAMPS UP AS THE AGE GETS HIGHER, THE SCREEN TIME GETS HIGHER. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, BY THE TIME WE'RE LOOKING AT TEENAGERS 13 TO 18, SOME OF THEM ARE ON THEIR DEVICES FOR MORE TIME THAN THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN SCHOOL. SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK WAS INTRODUCED TO ME BY ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES AT EDGEWOOD ELEMENTARY. THEY HAD A BOOK CLUB AT THEIR SCHOOL, AND THEY ALL READ THIS BOOK AND THEN TALKED ABOUT IT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH IT, HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS, THIS, THIS BOOK, IT'S BY JONATHAN HITE. HE'S A PHD FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA WHO'S BEEN STUDYING THE IMPACT OF DEVICES, ELECTRONIC SOCIAL MEDIA, AND SCREEN TIME ON CHILDREN. AND WHAT HE REALLY BOILS DOWN TO IS THAT CHILDHOOD USED TO BE PLAY BASED. IT'S NOW PHONE BASED. AND AS A RESULT, WE'RE SEEING ALL THESE EFFECTS ON DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG PEOPLE. HE ALSO REPORTS ABOUT WHAT CAN SCHOOL SYSTEMS DO ABOUT IT, AND HE COMES UP WITH SOME PRETTY SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. ONE IS TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF DEVICES AT SCHOOLS. THAT WAS HIS NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDATION. 
          THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE INCLUDING MORE UNSTRUCTURED TIME AND RECESS FOR CHILDREN. AND ANOTHER ONE OF HIS RECOMMENDATIONS TALKS ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE IN NATURE. 
          AND THERE'S A QUOTE THAT I HAVE HERE ON THE SLIDE TALKING ABOUT. THERE IS ABUNDANT RESEARCH THAT SHOWS TIME IN NATURAL SETTINGS, BENEFITS CHILDREN'S SOCIAL, COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. SO NATURE WORKS. I TOLD YOU THAT OUR REAL MISSION IS TO TRY TO GET KIDS OUTSIDE, INSPIRE THEM TO WANT TO GO OUTSIDE MORE. WE WANT THEM TO SLOW DOWN, CONNECT WITH NATURE, GET A BREAK FROM THEIR SCREENS. AS YOU SAW THE STATISTICS, IT'S REALLY STAGGERING THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT CHILDREN ARE ON DEVICES AND THE RESEARCH FROM MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES, INCLUDING THE BOOK I MENTIONED EARLIER, TALKS ABOUT THE RESTORATIVE IMPACT OF TIME OUTDOORS ON THE ABILITY TO LEARN, ON RESETTING THE ATTENTION. THESE ARE THE SCHOOLS WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING WITH IN HARFORD COUNTY. WHEN WE STARTED IN 2024, WE WERE ONLY AT TWO SCHOOLS, AND WE'VE GROWN INCREMENTALLY EACH YEAR IN A VERY SORT OF SUSTAINABLE WAY TO REACH NOW EIGHT SCHOOLS FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH, DISTRIBUTED MOSTLY IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW. HERE'S HOW WE DO IT. FROM A LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT, THIS SLIDE IS PRETTY PACKED, BUT I WANTED TO REALLY WALK YOU THROUGH HOW WE DO THIS. SO AT EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS, WE HAVE ON SITE POINTS OF CONTACT WHO REALLY SERVE AS OUR PRIMARY COORDINATORS TO HELP US DELIVER OUR PROGRAM. AND THEY'RE OFTEN SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELORS, OR COMMUNITY SCHOOL SPECIALISTS AT EACH ONE OF OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS. AND THEY HELP US MANAGE DELIVER THE PROGRAM DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THEY WILL ACCOMPANY US ON THE PROGRAM. ALSO, OUR SESSIONS ARE TYPICALLY ABOUT 40 MINUTES TO FIT INTO THE BLOCKS. THEY'RE HELD ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, SO WE USUALLY HOLD THEM IN FLEX PERIODS LIKE ADVISORY PERIOD OR WIN BLOCK. SOMETIMES THEY'RE HELD DURING SPECIFIC CLASSES. HEALTH AND WELLNESS. FOR EXAMPLE, AT ONE OF OUR PARTNER SCHOOLS BIOLOGY CLASS AS WELL, TWO OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PARTNERS ASK US TO DELIVER OUR PROGRAM AFTER SCHOOL. SO IT'S PRESENTED AS A NATURE CLUB, IF YOU WILL, AND STUDENTS SIGN UP FOR IT AND PARTICIPATE. AFTER SCHOOL, ALL STUDENTS OPT INTO OUR PROGRAM, AND THAT'S THROUGH 
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PARENTAL PERMISSION FORMS THAT GO TO THE HOUSE. OUR STAFF, WE HAVE ABOUT 20 PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF, ALL TRAINED, VETTED, BACKGROUND CHECKED, OBVIOUSLY, WHO LEAD OUR PROGRAMS. AND THEY ACTUALLY ARE THE ONES WHO DELIVER THE DIFFERENT EXPERIENTIAL ACTIVITIES OUTDOORS. AND WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN A MINUTE. WE ALSO DELIVER A SURVEY AT THE END OF EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS, AND THIS HELPS US TO REPORT TO THE STATE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE, THE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, WHAT THEY LEARNED DURING OUR PROGRAM, AND WHAT THE OUTCOMES OF OUR PROGRAM ARE. AND WE ALSO SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL. AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THE REPORTS WITH ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FULL REPORT. AND AS MARYBETH MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY A GRANT FROM THE OFFICE ON MENTAL HEALTH. SO THE SURVEY I MENTIONED EARLIER HAS GENERATED OVER 2400 RESPONSES SINCE WE STARTED IN 2024. EIGHT SCHOOLS, 90% REPORTED AN IMPROVEMENT IN MOOD, 78% REPORTED THEY LEARNED HOW TIME IN NATURE CAN SUPPORT THEM. INTENTIONAL TIME IN NATURE. I TALKED ABOUT RESTORING OUR ATTENTION. THERE'S A THEORY CALLED ATTENTION RESTORATION THEORY FROM THE 1980S BY STEPHEN AND RACHEL KAPLAN, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ATTENTION WE WE NORMALLY ENGAGE IN. USUALLY WE'RE IN WHAT THEY CALL FOCUSED ATTENTION, WHICH IS HIGH INTENSITY, ANALYZING, PROCESSING INFORMATION. AND THAT GETS REALLY TIRING OVER TIME WHEN WE'RE CONSTANTLY DOING DIRECTED, FOCUSED ATTENTION. AND THEIR THEORY WAS THAT TAKING A BREAK FROM THAT DIRECTED, FOCUSED ATTENTION AND GETTING INTO SOMETHING CALLED FASCINATION ATTENTION, WHICH IS NOT FOCUSED ON ANY ONE GIVEN TASK, BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT GOING OUTSIDE AND NOTICING THE WAY THE TREES LOOK AGAINST THE SUN, OR NOTICING THE WAY THE BIRDSONG SOUNDS. THOSE ELEMENTS CAN HELP US RESTORE OUR ATTENTION AND FOCUS BY LITERALLY STEPPING OUT OF FOCUSED ATTENTION, RESTORING OUR ABILITY TO FOCUS, REGULATING STRESS, IMPROVING MOOD, RECONNECTING WITH OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER AND THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND US. GOING TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHAT OUR CORE FOCUSES ARE WHEN WE DO OUR PROGRAM. SO MINDFUL AWARENESS STUDENTS ARE CONSTANTLY BOMBARDED AS ADULTS ARE BY INFORMATION, BY, BY DATA, BY, BY VISUALS, VISUAL STIMULI. AND IT CAN BE HARD TO SLOW DOWN AND IT CAN BE HARD TO FOCUS. SO WHEN WE TAKE STUDENTS OUT, WE SLOW WAY DOWN. WE DON'T JAM A LOT OF PROGRAMS IN A, IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. WE REALLY TRY TO LET STUDENTS EXPERIENCE AND BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT BY GIVING THEM SIMPLE ACTIVITIES WHEN WE'RE OUTSIDE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY WE WERE WITH STUDENTS FROM FALLSTON HIGH AND WE WERE IN THE WOODS BEHIND THE SCHOOL, AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THERE. AND WE INVITED STUDENTS JUST TO GO AND FIND SOMETHING REALLY INTERESTING IN THE WOODS, SPEND SOME TIME JUST EXPLORING. AND THEY ALL WENT OFF IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS IN THE WOODS, AND THEY CAME BACK WITH ALL KINDS OF THINGS. YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE STUDENT HAD A WORM THAT SHE FOUND. SHE HAD IT ON HER HANDS. SHE WAS PROUD OF IT. ONE STUDENT HAD THIS REALLY INTERESTING ROCK THAT THEY FOUND IN THE STREAM. YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME REALLY GREAT LITTLE BUDS AND FLOWERS AND ALL KINDS OF BERRIES AND THINGS. SO THEY'RE JUST GOING OUT AND EXPLORING AND THEY'RE BEING CURIOUS AND THEY'RE ENGAGING THEIR SENSES. SO THESE ARE THE ASPECTS OF OF MINDFUL AWARENESS THAT CAN REALLY HELP RESTORE STUDENTS FOCUS. SO WHEN THEY COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY BETTER FOCUSED AND PREPARED TO LEARN. ANOTHER CORE CONCEPT TO WHAT WE DO IS THIS IDEA OF CONNECTION. WE KNOW FROM STUDIES ABOUT DIGITAL SCREEN TIME THAT BEING ONLINE CAN START TO FOSTER A SENSE OF DISCONNECTION, ACTUALLY, AND OF ISOLATION BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GETTING SOCIAL INTERACTION. SO WHEN WE'RE OUTDOORS IN NATURE, WE TRY TO SHOW STUDENTS THAT EVERYTHING OUT THERE, WE'RE ALL CONNECTED, THAT WE'RE ALL PART OF NATURE AND WE HAVE WAYS OF, OF INVITING STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE THAT FIRST HAND WHEN WE'RE RELATING TO THINGS OUTSIDE. SO WE FEEL LIKE WHEN WE'RE BUILDING A SENSE OF CONNECTION, IT'S SOMETHING THAT STUDENTS CAN TAKE WITH THEM. SO AN EXAMPLE OF A SPECIFIC INVITATION I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO THAT WE HAD STUDENTS JUST GO OUT AND FIND INTERESTING OBJECTS. THAT'S ONE THING WE DO. WE ALSO INTERACT WITH WHAT'S OUT THERE QUITE A BIT AND EXPLORE IT. SO TREES ARE PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE AND TREES HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM, WHETHER IT'S SENSORY, EXPLORATORY, CONTEMPLATIVE, OR CREATIVE. WE HAVE STUDENTS EXPLORE AND ENGAGE WITH THE TREE USING THEIR SENSES, ASKING THEM QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. HOW OLD DO YOU THINK IT IS? WHAT STORIES DO YOU THINK THIS TREE COULD TELL YOU ABOUT ITS LIFE? AND HOW ARE YOU SIMILAR TO A TREE? AND THIS ONE IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TREES AND HUMANS ARE VERY 
          [00:15:02]
SIMILAR IN HOW WE WE RELY ON EACH OTHER FOR OXYGEN AND CARBON DIOXIDE AND, AND TREES GIVE US SHADE AND THEY GIVE US WOOD AND PAPER AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT THEY PROVIDE TO US. 
          AND WE AND STUDENTS START TO THINK ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TREE AND WITH NATURE. 
          AND WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S REALLY FOUNDATIONAL IS BUILDING THAT SENSE OF CONNECTION AND RELATIONSHIP TO NATURE. SO HERE'S SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF OUR SURVEYS. IN ADDITION TO HAVING STUDENTS CHECK LIKERT SCALE SURVEY RESPONSES, WE ALSO ASK THEM TO ANECDOTALLY REPORT IN A WRITTEN FORMAT THEIR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. SO I WON'T READ ALL OF THESE TO YOU, BUT YOU'LL SEE THERE'S A COMMON THEME HERE THAT STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO GET CALM OUTSIDE AND FIND SOME PEACE. AND BEING SILENT AND LISTENING TO NATURE. AND THESE ARE COMMENTS FROM SOME OF OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS. I MENTIONED MISS FRANZ HERE IN THE ROOM. SHE GAVE US ONE OF THESE COMMENTS, BUT YOU'LL SEE FROM SOME OTHER FOLKS IN THE COUNTY SOME OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. YOU SEE THE WORD CALMER HERE, MORE FOCUSED. THE FIRST COMMENT TALKS ABOUT STUDENTS BEING MORE FOCUSED AND READY TO FINISH THE DAY ON A POSITIVE NOTE. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM MAGNOLIA AND ABERDEEN. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. WE TRULY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOARD. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HI. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE PROGRAM. SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2024. AND I KNOW YOU LISTED THAT IT'S GROWN. AND I MY QUESTION IS, I MEAN, I LOVE THE WHOLE CONCEPT ABOUT CONNECTING WITH NATURE AND HOW IT CAN SOOTHE THE SOUL AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE ARE TRACKING THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM AS COMPARED TO OR CONNECTED TO THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT? IS IT HELPING THEM WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR? BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS LISTED THERE. AND SO IS THERE A WAY TO TRACK THAT TO SEE THE BENEFITS? SO SO AS MR. HOSMER MENTIONED, THROUGH THE CONSORTIUM GRANT, THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT METRICS THAT THEY HAVE TO COLLECT ON BEHALF OF THE GRANT. 
          I DO KNOW THAT CHRISTINA ALTON, SHE WORKS CLOSELY. SHE SUPERVISES THE SOCIAL WORKERS. 
          WE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL SPECIALISTS TO REALLY MONITOR BEHAVIOR THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. SO IT REALLY ALSO IS IMPACTFUL ON ATTENDANCE BECAUSE IF STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING IN NATURE WORKS, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO ATTEND THAT DAY. SO WE ARE TRACKING MORE OF THOSE KINDS OF METRICS. I CAN CIRCLE BACK WITH THE TEAM TO SEE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ANY OTHER DATA, BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT I'M AWARE OF. YEAH, BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN THAT. IF THERE'S A POSITIVE CORRELATION, THEN DEFINITELY WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND GROW THE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY ON OUR CORRIDOR SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, GETTING MORE KIDS OUT THERE THAT CAN SOOTHE THE MIND AND HELP REFOCUS INTO ANOTHER AREA. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IN ADDITION TO THE DATA THAT THE CONSORTIUM'S COLLECTING, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO SEE WHAT OTHER DATA WE'RE COLLECTING INTERNALLY TO, TO CHECK ON IMPACT. RIGHT? BECAUSE I'M THINKING IN THERE, EITHER IN PERFORMANCE MATTERS OR ONE OF OUR ROBUST DATA SYSTEM, THAT WE COULD ADD A CATEGORY OF, THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN A PARTICULAR PROGRAM BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT ROI ON WHAT WE'RE SPENDING. AND IF IT'S AGAIN, SOUNDS WONDERFUL, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT IN MORE SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE OTHER NEEDS. YOU KNOW, IF IT CAN BOOST ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, IF IT CAN BOOST BEHAVIOR, YOU KNOW, OR THE INVERSE, LOWER THE INCIDENCES OF BEHAVIOR, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO OUR STUDENTS. AS A SEGUE TO IF YOU'RE DONE, I'M FINISHED IS. 
          SO HOW WOULD A PARTICULAR SCHOOL BE ADDED TO THE LIST? WHAT IS THE PROCESS THAT THEY WOULD GO THROUGH TO, TO, TO GET THIS PROGRAM? SO CERTAINLY, WE'RE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ANY SCHOOL THAT'S INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US, BUT IT WILL BE A MATTER OF COORDINATING RESOURCES AND, AND FIGURING OUT THE SCHEDULING. BUT RIGHT NOW, OUR GRANT DOES HAVE SOME ROOM. IF THERE WAS A SCHOOL THAT WANTED TO ADD SOME PROGRAMS, WE COULD DO THAT. I ESPECIALLY BE INTERESTED IN SEEING YOU GO TO SOME OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS WHEN A LOT OF THE BEHAVIOR ISSUES AND STUFF START TO HAPPEN. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT. AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE NOTHING IN THE BEL AIR AREA. JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE. AND I WANTED TO JUST REITERATE IT IS A GRANT. AND SO I HEARD YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS NOT COMING OUT OF 
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THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT INSTEAD IT IS A GRANT THAT IS PROVIDED. THAT'S CORRECT. I HAVE I HAVE READ THE BOOK AND I'M REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU'RE EMBRACING SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND THAT THEY'RE COMING INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. FEEDBACK. GRANT COMES FROM THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH. IS THAT A HARFORD COUNTY OR STATE OF MARYLAND? SO THE OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS HARFORD COUNTY. 
          HOWEVER, THE CONSORTIUM GRANT COMES OUT OF THE BLUEPRINT, WHICH IS THE STATE GRANT. SO IT'S STATE THAT COMES TO LOCAL THAT COMES TO US. THE CONSORTIUM IS REALLY A PART OF A HUB OF OF BASICALLY PROVIDERS, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE THAT ARE OFFERING THESE SERVICES. AND REALLY THEY ARE TRACKING IMPACT. THEY HAVE A REPORT THAT JUST CAME OUT AND I CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD THAT REALLY SHOWS JUST STATEWIDE HOW THESE DOLLARS ARE, ARE IMPROVING STUDENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH. AND SORRY, I JUST HAD ONE MORE RECOMMENDATION FOR MR. HOSMER AND YOUR PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT AS A NONPROFIT, THEIR GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT GET RELEASED BY THE COUNTY. AND I THINK ONE OF THEM IS LIKE THE CANNABIS FUND. AND THERE WAS ONE MORE. BUT I THINK YOUR PROGRAM WOULD ALIGN NICELY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS IN THAT FOR ADDITIONAL GRANT SOURCE. THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION. I APPRECIATE THAT, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. I JUST WAS CURIOUS, AS A STUDENT FOR YOUR UPPERCLASSMEN, SO 11TH, 12TH, AND MAYBE EVEN 10TH GRADERS, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE LIKE ADVISORY PERIODS OR HEALTH, WELLNESS OR BIOLOGY CLASSES THAT THEY'RE TAKING THAT YEAR, AND IF AFTER SCHOOL ISN'T FEASIBLE AT THAT HIGH SCHOOL, HOW DO YOU PLAN ON BRINGING THAT SAME OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS WHO AREN'T IN THOSE CLASSES? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. AND THAT THAT WOULD BE A DISCUSSION WITH FOLKS AT THE SCHOOLS. I THINK WE'D HAVE TO REALLY TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SERVE STUDENTS IN ADDITIONAL WAYS. 
          YEAH. MY UNDERSTANDING IS IN HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S PRIMARILY IN THE HEALTH I MEAN, THE BIOLOGY CLASS AND OTHER CLASSES, HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND ZOOLOGY BIOLOGY. SO THAT'S A GREAT POINT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. ONE HOUR HALF DAYS. THERE'S THE EXACT TERM, BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE A MENTAL HEALTH DAY OR LIKE MENTAL, LIKE THE ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THAT HALF DAY ARE FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH, LIKE A WELLNESS DAY. SO POSSIBLY, I MEAN, THAT'S THERE'S NOT MANY OF THEM, BUT IT WOULD BE AT LEAST A START. GREAT. THANK YOU. SURE. WHERE ARE YOU SEEING THOSE? GOSH, THAT'S A REALLY HARD ONE TO ANSWER. WHAT DO YOU THINK? MAYBE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE. YEAH. THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS ARE ALWAYS THEY'RE HAPPY TO GO OUTSIDE AND THEY'RE LIKE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE FIRST. THEY DON'T HAVE RECESS ANYMORE AT THAT AGE. SO LIKE THEIR CHANCE TO GET OUTSIDE DURING THE DAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST STARTED WITH ELEMENTARY THIS YEAR AND THAT'S REALLY EXCITING. AND THEN THE HIGH SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, I THINK ALL THE KIDS ARE, THEY REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUTSIDE. AND I FOUND MYSELF ON THREE DIFFERENT SCREENS. I'M. ON. 
          THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND IF I, IF I COULD JUST SAY TOO THAT WE LIKE, WE REALLY ARE PROUD OF HARFORD COUNTY FOR BEING LIKE LEADERS IN THIS, YOU KNOW, AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS SAY WE'D LIKE THIS TO BECOME A MOVEMENT ACROSS THE NATION BECAUSE WE WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE LOST THAT CONNECTION WITH NATURE BECAUSE OF OUR MODERN SOCIETY. AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO INTRODUCE THAT, REINTRODUCE THAT IDEA TO KIDS SO THEY CAN BE INTENTIONAL AND THINK ABOUT LIKE, OH, I WILL FEEL BETTER IF I GO OUTSIDE. IT'S VERY SIMPLE, BUT IT'S JUST THEY NEED TO REALLY BE, YOU KNOW, SHOWN THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AND THEY, THEY, THEY JUST APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. THANKS, EVERYONE. 
          [Public Comment]
LIKE TO ASK MR. GREEN TO PLAY THE RULES OF ORDER VIDEO. GOOD EVENING. I'M DJ RAVITCH FROM THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY WITH HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION, 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 PURPOSES 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 
          [00:25:06]
BEHAVIOR THAT CAN 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. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO READ THE FOLLOWING RULES THAT WE FOLLOWED TONIGHT IN PERSON. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED BY THE BOARD SECRETARY. ALL SPEAKERS WILL RECEIVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. SPEAKERS MAY BE INTERRUPTED AND BE GIVEN NOTICE WHEN THEY HAVE 30S LEFT. SPEAKERS HAVE REACHED THEIR TIME LIMIT. THEIR TIME WILL EXPIRE. MR. ROLLO, PLEASE BEGIN WITH THE REGISTERED IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL, THIS EVENING WE HAVE FIVE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS. WE WILL START WITH MR. DAVID BAUER, FOLLOWED BY ALISON MCCORD. GOOD EVENING. I'M DAVID BAUER, BEGINNING WITH A BRIEF COMMENT ON THE CALENDAR, 180 DAYS IS THE MINIMUM. IF YOU'RE DOING A DEDICATED ENTRY FOR GRADES SIX AND NINE, THEY SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 181 DAYS. PLEASE CHECK. I SENT YOU AN EMAIL WITH MY BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT MUCH OF IT IS LONG TERM, NOT FOR FISCAL YEAR 28. I WOULD SAY THAT ON THE BUDGET YOU'RE BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, BUT THAT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR THE CONTINUAL SQUEEZING YOU'RE UNDER. YOU CAN'T FIX YOUR BUDGET THROUGH CUTS BECAUSE YOUR FISCAL PROBLEMS AREN'T CAUSED BY THINGS THAT YOU CAN CUT. AND I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE AREAS OF THE BUDGET THAT HAVE BEEN GROWING FASTEST WILL STABILIZE. FOR EXAMPLE, SPECIAL EDUCATION. I'M ALSO PESSIMISTIC ABOUT WHAT HELP WE WILL GET FROM THE STATE, AND ESPECIALLY FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THE CURRENT RESIDENTS OF THE WHITE HOUSE HAVE BEEN SO DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR ECONOMY, TO OUR SOCIETY AND TO OUR NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT EVEN IF WE GET THE CHANGEOVER OF CONGRESS THAT THE COUNTRY DESPERATELY NEEDS, AND WHICH APPEARS VERY LIKELY, THINGS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL STILL WON'T BE FIXED ANY TIME SOON. BROOKINGS RELEASED A REPORT THIS SUMMER THAT FOUND AROUND 30,000 MARYLAND FEDERAL JOBS WERE LOST IN 2025. THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF 2026, THE STATE IS REPORTING A HUGE DROP IN TAX REVENUE FROM FEDERAL CONTRACTORS AS WELL. SO WE NEED OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO STEP UP AND FUND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PROPERLY, WHICH THEY HAVE FAILED TO DO EVERY YEAR UNDER THE CURRENT COUNTY EXECUTIVE. MAYBE THINGS WILL CHANGE. SO THERE ARE AROUND 200,000 PEOPLE CURRENTLY REGISTERED TO VOTE IN HARFORD COUNTY. ONLY AROUND HALF THAT MANY EVEN VOTED AT ALL IN THE 2022 ELECTION. SO EVERY RACE ON THE BALLOT IS WINNABLE. IF WE GET INCREASED TURNOUT, AND YOU CAN EVEN REGISTER TO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY AT THE POLLS. LASTLY, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN DONATING MORE MONEY TO THE LEGAL PROFESSION, PLEASE LOOK INTO WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THE ACCOUNTING ADMINISTRATION. 
          DEFAMING HER IN THEIR OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THE BOOK FLAMER. THANK YOU ALL. ALISON MCCORD. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I'M ALISON MCCORD, I AM THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN, AND I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM KNOWS ABOUT THE GREAT WORK WE'RE DOING. IN THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE DONE SOME THINGS, SUCH AS HAVING A BABY SHOWER FOR CHOOSE HOPE TO HELP SUPPORT THEM. WE ALSO HAD TERESA WALTER, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS, COME AND DO A PRESENTATION ON PERSONAL SAFETY FOR WOMEN, AND IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED. AND WE HAD PEOPLE FROM MANY COUNTIES COME TO, TO, TO BE THERE. THE MAIN THING THAT'S GOING ON IS WE HAVE OUR LEADING WOMEN EVENT, WHICH DOCTOR MACK WAS ABLE TO ATTEND LAST YEAR, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT. 
          AND, AND THAT THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE EVERYONE, ALL THE SCHOOL COUNSELORS CAN GET THIS OUT TO ALL THE YOUNG WOMEN WHO COULD APPLY FOR TO BE A LEADING WOMAN. 
          [00:30:01]
SO I THINK THAT MAYBE OUR STUDENT MEMBER HERE WAS A FORMER WINNER OF THIS AWARD. SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR BEING PART OF THAT. SO EVERY YEAR WE, WE, WE GET THESE NOMINATIONS. WE GIVE OUT AWARDS TO, TO YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAVE A LOT OF PROMISE. WE ALSO HONOR A WOMAN OF THE PRESENT WHO IS THE PRIOR YEAR'S ATHENA AWARD WINNER AT HARVARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND WE ALSO HONOR A WOMAN OF THE PAST, WHICH IS SOMEONE WHO'S CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO THE COUNTY BUT IS DECEASED. SO THIS PAST YEAR, WE WERE VERY HAPPY TO HONOR DOCTOR JACKIE HAAS. AND WE HAD HAD HER HONORED. AND NANCY GRASMICK CAME UP AND GAVE THAT AWARD OR ACCEPTED THE AWARD ON HER BEHALF. SO I'M I HAVE SOME FLIERS HERE TO GIVE TO ALL OF YOU. PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT. THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE HAVING IS ON NOVEMBER THE 14TH, WE'RE HAVING OUR FIRST EVER WOMEN'S RESOURCE FAIR AT THE HIGHLANDS SCHOOL, AND WE ARE HAVING A LOT OF HEALTH, WELLNESS, EDUCATION, ENTERTAINMENT, NON-PROFITS FOR PROFITS ORGANIZATIONS. WE LIKE EVERYBODY TO KNOW ABOUT THAT AND COME OUT AND SEE US AT THAT EVENT. THAT'S OUR FIRST EVER EVENT, AND WE HAVE VERY HIGH HOPES FOR THAT. GOING BACK TO THE LEADING WOMEN, THESE THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE WILL. THEY'LL BE POSTED VERY SHORTLY, STARTING RIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING. YOU CAN FILL OUT THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN THEIR APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY JANUARY. 
          AND THE EVENT IS THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MARCH. SO THAT'S OUR TIME TIMELINE. AND WE HOPE WE GET A LOT OF GREAT YOUNG WOMEN THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN HONOR AT THAT TIME. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION. I HAVE FLIERS IN THIS FOLDER ON BOTH OF THESE EVENTS FOR EVERYBODY HERE. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE CHRISTINA LANOKA, FOLLOWED BY DAVID, PHOEBE AND DON HEATH. YES, WE DO NEED GOD BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS, SO OUR CHILDREN OFF ON THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO. AND EVEN WHEN THEY ARE OLD, THEY WILL NOT TURN FROM IT. UNDER THE FREEDOM TO READ ACT, LIBRARY, MATERIALS AND RESOURCES REMAIN ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AND CANNOT BE REMOVED SOLELY BECAUSE SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH THE VIEWPOINT ALONE. IN ADDITION, THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS NUMBER IS SKEWED ON THE SIDE OF THE SCHOOL SO THAT NO BOOK CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE LIBRARY SHELVES, EVEN WITH GREAT PARENTAL AND PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. ALSO, THERE ARE NO GUIDELINES FOR THOSE THAT CHOOSE THE BOOKS FOR OUR INNOCENT CHILDREN TO READ IN MAKING THOSE SELECTIONS. 
          WHY ARE BOOKS WITH SUCH CRUDE LANGUAGE CURSING EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT, WHETHER THAT BE HETEROSEXUAL OR HOMOSEXUAL, BE ALLOWED TO BE SELECTED AND PUT ON OUR SHELVES FOR OUR CHILDREN TO READ? SOME WHO DO NOT WANT THESE BOOKS REMOVED TELL US THAT. WHO DON'T? THOSE WHO DON'T LIKE THESE BOOKS JUST TO ALLOW THEIR OWN CHILDREN NOT TO READ THEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE OFTEN BECAUSE THE WAY FREE READING TIME IN SCHOOL WORKS IS THAT CHILDREN HAVE FREE REIN IN SELECTION. PARENTS AREN'T ABLE TO CHECK UP ON THE BOOKS THAT THEY'RE READING WHILE THEY'RE AT SCHOOL. CHILDREN ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENTS, AND THE PARENTS HAVE FIRST SAY IN HOW THEIR CHILDREN ARE RAISED, WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT, AND WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE EXPOSED TO AT A CERTAIN AGE. THE SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO OVERRIDE THAT RIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE PARENTS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE TAXPAYERS AND HAVE A SAY IN HOW THEIR TAXES ARE BEING SPENT ON THEIR CHILDREN. PLEASE FIND A WAY TO HAVE THE RECONSIDERATION COMMITTEE BE WEIGHTED ON THE SIDE OF THE PARENTS, SINCE IT IS THEIR CHILDREN WE ARE CONSIDERING IN THESE DECISIONS. 
          PLEASE WORK ON MAKING THE GUIDELINES THAT PARENTS FIND ACCEPTABLE IN SELECTION OF THESE BOOKS FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES, AND THEN HAVE THE LIBRARIANS TRAINED IN THAT. 
          WHEN THOSE GUIDELINES ARE CREATED, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BOOKS IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES ARE ADHERING TO THOSE GUIDELINES. SO MANY OF THESE BOOKS, IF MADE INTO MOVIES, WOULD BE RATED R OR X, EVEN. THERE'S A REASON THAT MOVIE RATINGS EXIST. PEOPLE. PARENTS WANT A WAY TO DECIDE WHETHER A MOVIE IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, AND APPARENTLY WE NEED THAT FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES. ALSO, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE INAPPROPRIATE BOOKS, THEY CAN ALWAYS GO TO THE LIBRARY OR TO THE BOOKSTORE. 
          THESE ARE NOT BANNED BOOKS. WE JUST WANT THOUGHTFULLY CURATED SCHOOL LIBRARY SELECTIONS APPROPRIATE FOR OUR INNOCENT CHILDREN. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU IN ALL YOUR DECISION MAKING. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE QUESTION BEFORE THIS BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD BE SIMPLE ARE WE GIVEN EVERY HARFORD COUNTY STUDENT THE EDUCATION, SAFETY AND OPPORTUNITY THAT THE HARD WORKING TAXPAYERS OF HARFORD 
          [00:35:03]
COUNTY ARE PAYING FOR? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THE PARENTS GETTING WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR? TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR EVERY TAXPAYER DOLLARS MATTER? ON JUNE 3RD, 2026, COUNTY EXECUTIVE BOB CASSILLY CALLED FOR GREATER EDUCATIONAL BUDGET TRANSPARENCY AFTER RETIRED SUPERVISOR ACCOUNTABILITY PHIL SCHNEIDER RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT. AT A BOARD MEETING, INCLUDING $379,000 BUDGETED FOR CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS TO ATTEND CONFERENCES. THIS IS A DOCUMENTED PUBLIC CONCERN. I ASKED THE BOARD TO PUBLISH THE SPENDING AND THE PURPOSE OF THESE CONFERENCES AND THE OUTCOMES EXPECTED. ALSO, THE RECOMMENDATIONS RAISED BY MR. SCHNEIDER, ALONG WITH THE BOARD'S RESPONSE TO EACH ONE'S PARENTS, ARE LEARNING WHAT THE BOARD HAS KNOWN FOR YEARS. IT WAS RECENTLY REPORTED BY PROJECT BALTIMORE THAT MARYLAND IS SPENDING BILLIONS ON MARYLAND'S BLUEPRINT. BUT SENATOR JOANNE BENSON SAYS THE BLUEPRINT IS MISSING ONE CRITICAL PIECE MAKING SURE TEACHERS ARE PREPARED FOR THE CLASSROOM. BENSON SAYS TOO MANY EDUCATORS ENTER THE SCHOOLS WITHOUT TRAINING AND SKILLS NEEDED TO BE EFFECTIVE. HOW CAN THIS GO ON WHEN TEACHERS ARE REQUIRED TO HOLD A VALID CERTIFICATE OR LICENSE, INSTEAD OF HIRING MORE ETHICS POSITIONS THREE YEARS TOO LATE? WELL, AN AUDIT BE PERFORMED WITHIN CPS. HIS OWN CERTIFICATION DEPARTMENT. VERIFYING THAT INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD NOT BE AFTERTHOUGHTS. THE TREVOR PROJECT HAS PUBLISHED REPORTS EXAMINING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE RISK AMONG LGBTQ AGES 13 THROUGH 24 SINCE THE START OF COVID, SHOWING ELEVATED RATES OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IDEATION AT 49%, DRIVEN BY ISOLATION AND MORE. 
          WHY WOULD A HOW TO BOOK ON SUICIDE NAMED FLAMER BE IN THE CLASSROOMS OF HARFORD COUNTY? AND IF YOU ALL DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, HERE'S A PHOTOGRAPH WITHIN THE BOOK THAT SOME PEOPLE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE. HERE IT IS, RIGHT HERE FOR EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT. 
          SINCE I GOT 40S LEFT, I'LL SHARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED A BEDTIME STORY FOR YOUR GRANDCHILDREN IF THEY HAPPEN TO BE GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. HERE'S A COUPLE KIDS GOING TO A CAMPOUT IN A CAMPGROUND. ONE KID WANTS TO ENTER THE TENT. CAN I COME IN NOW? NO, YOU'RE TOO YOUNG. NO, I'M NOT FINE. BUT YOU HAVE TO PROVE IT. I WILL WONDERING WHAT THAT MEANS. THINK I'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS MEANS. WE EACH ARE BUSTING THE LOAD INTO THIS BOTTLE. IF YOU DON'T COME, YOU HAVE TO DRINK IT. HA HA HA! KID DROPS HIS PANTS. CAROL MILLER, IT'S IN YOUR DISTRICT. RAISE YOUR HEAD. HERE IT IS. FLAMER. 
          DOCTOR MACK, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE THIS BOOK OUT. OF YOUR TIME IS UP, SIR. YOUR TIME. YOUR TIME IS UP. PLEASE CUT THE MIC. THANK YOU. BOYS DOING OUT THERE? YEAH. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DOMINIC HEATH. TONIGHT I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT A FEW ISSUES I THINK DESERVE ATTENTION. THURSDAY I WAS PRESENT AT THE CIRCUIT COURT. COURT AS WE AFFIRM THE STATE BOARD'S EDUCATIONAL DECISION. CONTRARY TO WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE, THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE BOOK ITSELF. IT RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT ESTABLISHED POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THOSE GOVERNING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 
          AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO YOUR ■PERSONAL OPINIONS AND BELIEFS. HOWEVER, THOSE BELIEFS CANNOT BE TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER POLICY AND LAW. WHEN PROCEDURES ARE DISREGARDED AND DECISIONS ARE MADE IN BACKROOM, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THE COMMUNITY'S TRUST. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO REFLECT ON THE RULING, EVALUATE THE PROCESSES THAT LED TO THIS SITUATION, AND PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY REGARDING THE LEGAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY THIS BOARD, ALONG WITH ANY AND ALL CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND MEASURES THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO END UP NOT HERE. 
          AGAIN, ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT A PUNISHMENT. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, IMPROVE AND PREVENT SIMILAR SITUATIONS IN THE FUTURE. MOVING ON TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, I'M HAPPY TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN MCAT PERFORMANCE AND OUR STUDENTS DESERVE. OUR TEACHERS DESERVE CREDIT FOR THAT EFFORTS. OUR STUDENTS AS WELL. HOW EFFECTIVELY, THOUGH, DOES STANDARDIZED TESTING MEASURE STUDENTS SUCCESS WHEN STUDENTS HAVE LITTLE TO DIRECT INCENTIVE TO PERFORM? THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION HAS RAISED CONCERN THAT TEST SCORES CORRELATING WITH FAMILY INCOME, RACE AND EDUCATION, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT. ARE WE MEASURING SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS, OR ARE WE MEASURING THE SOCIO ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES AND OR DISADVANTAGES THE STUDENTS BRING TO THE CLASSROOM? AS MARYLAND TRANSITIONS TO M STAR FOR GRADES THREE THROUGH EIGHT WHILE CONTINUING M CAP IN HIGH SCHOOL, HOW WILL THIS BOARD ENSURE THE METRICS PRODUCED BY BOTH ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS PROVIDE MEANINGFUL EDUCATIONAL VALUE? HOW WILL YOU EVALUATE EVALUATE WHETHER THESE RESULTS ACCURATELY MEASURE INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC GROWTH, ACCOUNT FOR SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES, AND LEAD TO ACTUAL IMPROVEMENTS? AND HOW WILL YOU DETERMINE WHETHER THE TIME AND EFFORT OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING AND 
          [00:40:01]
INVESTING INTO THESE ASSESSMENTS PRODUCE A MEANINGFUL RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT? STANDARDIZED TESTING IS ONE TOOL, BUT CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE, ACADEMIC GROWTH, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND READINESS FOR LIFE BEYOND GRADUATION MUST ALSO DEFINE SUCCESS. I DO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK DOCTOR MACK FOR THE PROPOSED 2020 728 CALENDAR. 
          I THINK IT'S A GREAT ONE. I'M GOING TO BE HAPPIER WITH A SHORTER SPRING BREAK AND MORE TIME IN THE SUMMER. IN CONCLUSION, WHETHER DISCUSSING LIBRARY POLICIES, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, TECHNOLOGY OR CALENDARS, OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES SHOULD REMAIN TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, CONSISTENCY AND STUDENT SUCCESS. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES A BOARD THAT FOLLOWS ITS PROCEDURES AND ITS POLICIES, MAKES EVIDENCE BASED DECISION, AND PUTS EVERY STUDENT FIRST. AS I HAVE A FEW SECONDS TODAY, THE ELECTION IS THIS WEEK, COMING NEXT WEEK. 
          EARLY VOTING CLOSES ON WEDNESDAY. IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT B, VOTE FOR ME. WHY NOT? I GOT 15 SECONDS TO SAY IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, VICE PRESIDENT SEWELL. THAT'S ALL 
          [Board Member Comments]
THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING. GREAT. THANK YOU. NOW, WE'D LIKE TO PROCEED WITH BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. GREAT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. ON THURSDAY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT FALLSTON HIGH SCHOOL. THEY HELD, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER AN IMPORTANCE OF VOTING ASSEMBLY. IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SPEAK TO THE SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS AND SENIORS, MOST OF WHICH CANNOT VOTE IN THIS ELECTION, BUT THIS WAS ENCOURAGING THEM TO REGISTER TO VOTE, TO VOTE IN FUTURE ELECTIONS. AND YES, AS AUDIENCE MEMBERS HAVE REMINDED US, EARLY VOTING IS NOW UNTIL OCTOBER 29TH. WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN QUITE AN INCREASE IN VOTER TURNOUT IN THIS GENERAL ELECTION THAN COMPARED TO OTHERS, ESPECIALLY IN A GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE YOU GO VOTE. I DON'T IMAGINE OUR MEETING WILL LAST UNTIL 8:00. SO YOU CAN GO HIT THE MCFALL CENTER IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK THANK TAKE THE TIME TO THANK MISS MCCORD FOR SPEAKING TO THE GREAT WORK OF THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN. I SPENT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS ON THE COMMISSION BEFORE TAKING THIS POST AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THEY REALLY DO INCREDIBLE WORK, AND I THINK THEY COULD BE AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER FOR CPS, NOT JUST FOR THE LEADING WOMEN'S AWARDS, BUT BEYOND. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE GREAT WORK OF THE COMMISSION FOR WOMEN. THAT'S ALL. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS BUSY TIME OF THE YEAR. WITH THE HOLIDAY SEASON APPROACHING, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO. ON OCTOBER 19TH AND 20TH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONFERENCE WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, AND THIS WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE WHERE I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER STUDENT MEMBERS FROM ACROSS MARYLAND. SO WE SHARED IDEAS AND LEARNED MORE ABOUT WHAT'S WORKING WELL IN OTHER COUNTIES. SO SOME OF THE THINGS WE DISCUSSED DURING OUR STUDENT PANEL WERE BIG ISSUES THAT AFFECT STUDENTS AROUND OUR STATE. AND THIS CONVERSATION REALLY HIGHLIGHTED THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT HARFORD COUNTY STUDENTS FACE, NOTABLY SCHOOL SAFETY, MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETICS, AND SMALL VOTING RIGHTS. SO RECENTLY, I'VE BEEN UP TO WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN MOBS AROUND THE STATE TO DISCUSS MY VOTING RIGHTS AS A STUDENT MEMBER AND WORK TOWARDS BRINGING CHANGE ON WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T VOTE ON. AND LIKE LILIANA WAS SAYING WITH THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION, I MYSELF LAST YEAR WAS A LEADING WOMAN. AND I THINK IT'S SUCH AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG WOMEN AND FEMALES ACROSS OUR COUNTY, BUT ALSO BRINGING THIS INITIATIVE EVEN TO THE STATE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HAPPEN. I THINK IT'S SUCH A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS ATTENDING TONIGHT AND ENGAGING WITH THE BOARD. WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE AND WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS, AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK THOSE THAT 650 PLUS PARTICIPANTS VIRTUALLY TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR 2728. SO THAT'S A MUCH APPRECIATED. THERE'S STILL TIME FOR INPUT UNTIL I THINK THE 14TH OF NOVEMBER. AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO TAKE TIME TO CONGRATULATE DOCTOR MACK ON HER RECENT RECOGNITION BY THE BALTIMORE SUN AS THE 25 WOMEN TO WATCH. SO I JUST WANTED TO DO THAT. AND THEN ALSO RECENTLY I SAW AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE NATURE WORKS GROUP IF THEIR STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THAT. BUT CONGRATULATE THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRUST TREE PLANTING THAT TOOK PLACE AT EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL. AND THAT COMPLIMENTS A PREVIOUS GROUP'S WORK OF PLANTING THE TREES ALONG THE ENTRANCE OF THE SCHOOL. SO. AND THEN MY FINAL NOTE IS, YES, THIS IS ELECTION SEASON. SO I 
          [00:45:04]
WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO HASN'T DONE SO. I TYPICALLY WAIT FOR THE ELECTION DAY BECAUSE IT'S A TIME FOR MY MOM AND I TO GO OUT AND CAST OUR VOTE. AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RIGHTS THAT WE HAVE AND RESPONSIBILITY AS CITIZENS. AND SO PLEASE VOTE AND DO YOUR RESEARCH AS YOU ARE CASTING THOSE VOTES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. YEAH, JUST THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT, ESPECIALLY. THANK YOU, MISS MCCOY. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, MISS MCCOY AND I SERVED ON THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT AND GIVING US THAT INFORMATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR BEING HERE AND BEING ENGAGED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. SO THIS IS THE THE LAST MEETING BEFORE WE'LL KNOW WHO IS GOING TO BE SITTING HERE NEXT TERM. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S BEEN AN HONOR SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, SERVING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING. I'VE LEARNED A LOT. IT'S BEEN EYE OPENING TO TO LEARN SOME OF THE THINGS. I AM HONORED THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PLACE IN THE SEAT OF SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR MACK. I THINK SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR SCHOOL, AND I KNOW THAT SHE IS VERY CONNECTED WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. HAVING BEEN A STUDENT HERE AND A GRADUATE HERE. SO I THINK THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF GREAT THINGS TO COME. I DID WANT TO ADDRESS ONE THING THAT CAME UP IN PUBLIC COMMENT, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY'S AWARE, BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE AN APPEAL SYSTEM AND THAT APPLIES TO SUPERINTENDENT DECISIONS THAT THAT PARENTS OR STAFF MEMBERS MAY DISAGREE WITH. THEY CAN. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE RIGHT TO APPEAL THOSE DECISIONS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS JUST A RIGHT THAT YOU HAVE AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THE APPEAL PROCESS IS THE RIGHT OF EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MISS HAHN ON SHE IS. YES. I JUST WANTED TO I'M HERE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR COMING OUT AND PARTICIPATING IN THE MEETING. YOUR FEEDBACK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US AND THANK YOU. THAT'S IT DOCTOR MUELLER. YES. OKAY. WELL I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOTE. I 
          [Dr. Dyann Mack, Superintendent's Report]
THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO THIS WEEK. AND I WANT TO TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR MACK FOR HER SUPERINTENDENT. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. SO AS IT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK, I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HONORED BY THE BALTIMORE SUN AS A CHANGE MAKER IN THEIR 13TH ANNUAL WOMAN TO WATCH CELEBRATION. IT WAS INDEED AN HONOR TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AND BE RECOGNIZED. BUT I THINK WHAT WAS MOST EXCITING IS THE FACT THAT I WAS ABLE TO REPRESENT HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND SO WE ARE ALL CHANGE MAKERS, AND WE HAVE THAT ABILITY. AND THAT'S WHAT MY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT CHANGE MAKERS AND WHAT CHANGE HAS OCCURRED, I THINK WE HAVE TO START WITH THE WORK HAPPENING AT HOMESTEAD, WAKEFIELD AND RED PUMP ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THEY WERE RECENTLY NAMED AS MARYLAND BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS. AND SO THAT IS A STATE DESIGNATION GIVEN TO US FROM MSD. WE'RE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE LEADERS AT THAT SCHOOL HAVE ENGAGED IN. EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, THE TEACHERS AND OUR CENTRAL OFFICE. IT IS A WORK THAT EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES TO, AND THESE TWO SCHOOLS HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS IN THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. AS A FOOTBALL MOM, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING BACK UNDERNEATH FOR THE LIGHTS THAT HAVE A DISGRACE DURING THEIR HOMECOMING GAME AS THEY PLAYED NORTH HARFORD HIGH SCHOOL, I JOINED MAYOR MARTIN AND THE TEAM CAPTAINS PALMER, SPENCE AND BRYSON WERE THE FOR THE COIN TOSS, AND SO I'M USED TO BEING ON THE SIDELINES CHEERING FOR MY SON. AND IN THAT MOMENT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND WITH THOSE YOUNG MEN AT THE KICK OF THAT GAME, KICKOFF OF THAT GAME. AND SO THAT WAS REALLY EXCITING. AND IT'S JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER. 
          AND SO IT WAS NICE BEING IN THE MIDST OF THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES ON THAT FOOTBALL FIELD. WE'VE WE'VE COMPLETED TWO OF OUR FOUR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE IN SOME CHANGE. AND SO WHEN WE ASK WHAT CHANGE HAS OCCURRED, I WANT YOU TO 
          [00:50:01]
THINK ABOUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT YOU'VE HAD THE COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, TALKING ABOUT BUDGET PRIORITIES, TALKING ABOUT THE PRIORITIES AND ENGAGING IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STAFF. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE COME OUT AND FROM ALL AREAS OF THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE NUMBER OF STAFF, THE TEACHERS, THE SUPPORT STAFF, THE FACILITY WORKERS, ALL OF OUR COUNTY HAVE BEEN REPRESENTED IN EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT CHANGE HAS HAPPENED, WE'RE CHANGING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING AT THE TABLE AND WE'RE CHANGING THE CONVERSATION. AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS A PRIORITIZATION, A PRIORITIZATION OF WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND REALLY LOOKING AT STUDENT SUPPORTS. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY CLEAR TO ME IS THAT OUR FAMILIES WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS A VOICE AT THE TABLE, AND THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FILTERING OUR DECISIONS THROUGH WHAT OUR STUDENTS, WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED. IN HARFORD COUNTY, OUR NEXT COMMUNITY SESSION IS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER THE 5TH, AND IT IS AT PATTERSON MILL. I ALSO WANT TO JUST KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING. GOING THROUGH THIS BUDGET SEASON. WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY. WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEED OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING EFFICIENT. AND I AGREE ON BOTH OF THOSE. ON BOTH OF THOSE FRONTS. I WANT TO BE CANDID ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD. WE WILL FACE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS, AND IT WILL REQUIRE SOME SHIFTS IN RESOURCES AND CHANGES INTO HOW WE DO BUSINESS. WE CAN'T KEEP DOING BUSINESS THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT ALREADY THIS YEAR. SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, SOME OF OUR FAMILIES, SOME OF OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY REDUCTIONS. AND I RECOGNIZE THAT FURTHER CHANGE WILL BE HARD. BUT WE DO NOT MAKE THOSE DECISIONS LIGHTLY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE BUDGET, SURVEY THE COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS, AND MAKE SURE YOU MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE FOR THIS UPCOMING BUDGET SEASON. WE CAN'T PROMISE TO PRESERVE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO PROTECT, BUT WE CAN PROMISE TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND TO BE TRANSPARENT AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING OUR STUDENTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. AND SO YOU TOO, CAN BE A CHANGE MAKER. I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT CONSIDERING GIVING THROUGH THE UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN. ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING IS OUR HARFORD COUNTY ED FOUNDATION. THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER WITH US. THEY SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, THEY SUPPORT OUR EDUCATORS, AND THEY CAN BE HIGHLIGHTED. YOU CAN PICK THEM AS AN ORGANIZATION TO GIVE TO THROUGH UNITED WAY. I'M ALSO ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT JOINING A PTA. THE PTA IS OPEN TO OUR PARENTS. IT'S OPEN TO OUR STUDENTS, IT'S OPEN TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND IT'S OPEN TO OUR LEADERS THROUGHOUT OUR HARFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE KEPT IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR LEADERS IS A DESIRE FOR THEM TO CONSIDER JOINING A LOCAL PTA. 
          I'VE JOINED MY PTA. I'VE I'VE IDENTIFIED TWO PTAS, ACTUALLY, THAT I DECIDED TO JOIN, AND I'M CHALLENGING YOU TO DO THE SAME. OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES RELY ON THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND SO THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CAN BE CHANGE MAKERS. JOINING THE PTA IS A CHALLENGE I PUT TOWARDS YOU TODAY. THANK YOU. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP ON THE 
          [B. Consent Agenda]
AGENDA IS OLD BUSINESS. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS EVENING. NEXT ITEM IS THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO THERE'S TWO ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE FIRST IS A MONTHLY PERSONNEL REPORT FROM SEPTEMBER 2026. AND THE SECOND IS THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS. AUGUST 17TH, SEPTEMBER 8TH, SEPTEMBER 14TH AND SEPTEMBER 28TH OF 2026. MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. SO MOVED. SECOND. YOU GOT IT. 
          OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY YES. YES. YES. YES. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NO. GREAT. THIS PASSES. NEW 
          [C. Presentation on Harford County Public Schools Intentional and Purposeful Use of Classroom Technology, Ms. Heather Kutcher, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, and Dr. Martha Barwick, Supervisor of Innovation in Learning]
BUSINESS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS. REALLY? BUT WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE HARFORD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. INTENTIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL USE OF CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY. I CALL ON MISS HEATHER KUTCHER, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, AND DOCTOR MARTHA BARWICK, SUPERVISOR OF INNOVATION LEARNING, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. 
          THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, VICE PRESIDENT, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT MACK. WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO SHARE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO SUPPORT THAT INTENTIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL USE OF TECHNOLOGY ACROSS OUR DISTRICT, AS WELL AS SUPPORT THE DIGITAL WELLBEING OF ALL OF 
          [00:55:01]
OUR STUDENTS. SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR BARWICK TO SHARE ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. GOOD EVENING. HCPCS PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH DISTRICT MANAGED DEVICES TO TO SUPPORT US TEACHING AND LEARNING. AND WITH THAT COMES A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THEM WELL. 
          THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS EMPHASIZES THAT THE QUALITY OF CHILDREN'S MEDIA USE MATTERS MORE THAN TOTAL SCREEN TIME, BUT. AND THAT SCREEN TIME SHOULD NOT DISPLACE HEALTHY ROUTINES SUCH AS SLEEP AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. GUIDED BY THIS PRINCIPLE, WE REVIEWED STUDENT DEVICE SETTINGS AND PRACTICES TO ENSURE TECHNOLOGY IS USED PURPOSEFULLY AND TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTION AT ALL LEVELS. DEVICES MAY ONLY BE USED FOR CLEAR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE WHEN WHEN TEACHER DIRECTED AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. WE ALSO DISABLED YOUTUBE AND WEB SEARCHING. WE ARE ALSO PILOTING OVERNIGHT RESTRICTIONS AT TWO SCHOOLS USING GOOGLE'S DEVICE RESTRICTION SCHEDULE AT OUR ELEMENTARY PILOT USE BENEFIT ELEMENTARY ACTIVE SESSIONS ON THE CHROMEBOOKS WERE CLOSED AND SIGN INS PREVENTED FROM 9 P.M. TO 6 A.M. 
          OUR STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES TEAM PROVIDED UNPLUGGED TO UNWIND POSTS AND FLIERS TO ACCOMPANY FAMILY COMMUNICATION. THE PILOT WILL EXPAND TO TEN ADDITIONAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AT THE BEGINNING OF SECOND QUARTER, THE SAME INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE EXPECTATION APPLIES TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL CURRICULUM. SUPERVISORS, LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE INSTRUCTIONAL USE OF YOUTUBE TO DETERMINE WHETHER FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ARE APPROPRIATE AT ABERDEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BEGINNING WITH OVERNIGHT RESTRICTIONS ON NOVEMBER 4TH. DEVICES ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE FROM 11 P.M. TO 5 A.M. WE WILL GATHER LESSONS FROM THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE OVERNIGHT RESTRICTIONS TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE ARE READY FOR A FULL SYSTEM WIDE ROLLOUT LATER THIS YEAR. SETTINGS ALONE DO NOT CHANGE PRACTICE, SO THIS EXPECTATION WAS PAIRED WITH THE INTENTIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL USE OF TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH SUPPORTS TEACHERS IN MAKING PURPOSEFUL DECISIONS ABOUT CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY. THESE ARE ONLY OUR INITIAL EFFORTS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND PLAN FOR THE DISCONTINUATION OF 1 TO 1 DEVICES IN KINDERGARTEN AND GRADE ONE FOR THE 2728 SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS WORK. WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. START OVER HERE. YEAH, I GUESS THE QUESTION FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIMITATIONS STARTING AT 11 P.M. IS THERE ARE STUDENTS TYPICALLY ON THEIR LAPTOPS AT THAT TIME OR IS, WAS, WAS THE TIME PICKED JUST TO SORT OF SEE HOW IT WORKED AND HOW IT WORKED FOR THE STUDENTS? YEAH, WE COLLABORATED AND, AND ATTEMPTED TO PICK A TIME THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD WORK THE BEST AND ARE ENGAGING WITH THE SCHOOLS TO HEAR ANY FEEDBACK. AND IF AT THAT TIME IS APPROPRIATE. OKAY. AND JUST TO BE CORRECT, THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS OF TIME FOR FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL LAPTOPS. CORRECT. OKAY. THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR NOW. THANK YOU. I HAVE A QUESTION NOT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS, BUT WILL YOU BE PREPARING TO PROVIDE SOME BRIEFING TO US ON, ON THE IMPACT OF AI OR HOW THE SYSTEM IS, IS PLANNING TO DEAL WITH AI? OKAY. I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. AT WHAT AGE DO THEY START HAVING THE STATE TESTING ON THE COMPUTERS? THIRD GRADE. SO STARTING AT SECOND GRADE GIVES THEM TIME TO BECOME COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. THANK YOU. THIS IS MELISSA. I HAVE A QUESTION I SAW ON THERE THAT IT IT RESTRICTED THE USE OF LIKE GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE. WHAT ABOUT WIKIPEDIA? I BELIEVE WIKIPEDIA IS BLOCKED ON ALL DEVICES, ALL STUDENT DEVICES AND HTTPS. YEAH, IT'S BLOCKED ON ALL AGE LEVELS K THROUGH 12. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS RECENTLY DONE, YOU KNOW, WITH THERE WERE COMPLAINTS THAT THERE WERE SOME INAPPROPRIATE THINGS THAT KIDS WERE ABLE TO RESEARCH AND LOOK UP THINGS ON WIKIPEDIA. I BELIEVE IT WAS LIKE 6 OR 7 MONTHS AGO. I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN BLOCKED SINCE. THERE WERE CONCERNS AFTER WE'VE HAD 
          [01:00:03]
INCIDENCES THAT OCCURRED, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY RESPONSIVE TO THOSE. THOSE CONCERNS AS THE SITES WERE IDENTIFIED. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I JUST HAVE ONE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS. TIME FRAME OF RESTRICTION FROM 11 TO 5 A.M. THAT'S LIKE SIX HOURS. AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE'S CONSIDERATION TO INCREASE THAT TIME SO THAT STUDENTS GET THE RECOMMENDED EIGHT HOUR SLEEP. SO WE ARE TAKING FEEDBACK. WE HOPE THAT STUDENTS AREN'T ON THEIR DEVICES FOR LONGER THAN THAT, BUT THAT WAS TO ACCOMMODATE SPORTS AND DRAMA PRODUCTIONS THAT MAY NECESSITATE SOME KIDS DOING HOMEWORK LATER INTO THE EVENING. 
          BUT WE WOULD NOT ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BE ON THEIR DEVICES ALL TIMES OF DAY EXCEPT FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.