[00:00:06]
THIS IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE RICHTER.
I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 18TH, 2023.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
YOU TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO BE LED BY ROA, MS. ROA HASSAN.WE WILL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I 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.
TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING HELD IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY AND BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING, BROADCAST AND BBCS COMCAST, CHANNEL 73 AND VERIZON CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I JUST WANNA WELCOME OUR THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AT B C PS.
SO WELCOME TO MS. BOOKER DWYER, MS. YOUNG, AND I'M SORRY, I JUST MESSED THAT UP.
MR. YOUNG AND MS. FRONG, WE REALLY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.
I KNOW THAT YOU STARTED THE PROCESS OVER A YEAR AGO AND I'VE HAD A LOT OF WAITING TIME, BUT WE'RE THRILLED THAT YOU'RE HERE.
UM, THANK YOU TO MS. GOR FOR ALL OF HER WORK TO GET YOU SEE SEATED HERE TONIGHT.
IT WAS A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND TIME, BUT UM, THANKS TO HER DILIGENCE, YOU ARE HERE.
YOU'VE BEEN SWORN IN AND WE HAVE OUR 11 MEMBERS OF THE BOARD RIGHT NOW.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU, YOU EACH BRING A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCES WHICH WILL ENHANCE AND BROADEN, UM, OUR EXPERTISE AND VOICE OF THE BOARD.
[C. AGENDA (6:35 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE APRIL 18TH AGENDA.WILLIAMS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES? TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THERE ARE NONE.
HEARING NONE, THE AGENDA STANDS AS PRESENTED.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? WHOOPS, I'M SORRY.
EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE AND CONDUCT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS OR CONSIDER MATTERS THAT RELATE TO THE NEGOTIATIONS.
THE SUMMARY OF THE CLOSED SESSION AND OPEN SESSION INFORMATION SUMMARY CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS UNDER THIS BOARD MEETING AGENDA DATE.
[D. NEW BUSINESS - PERSONNEL MATTERS (Mr. McCall) (6:45 - 6:50 p.m.)]
IS PERSONNEL MATTERS, AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON MR. MCCALL.CHAIR LECHLER, VICE CHAIR, HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
WILLIAMS, AND WELCOME, NEW AND RETURNING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING, PERSONNEL MATTERS, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES, NON-RENEWALS, DECEASED RECOGNITION OF SERVICE, AND CERTIFICATED APPOINTMENTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONAL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBITS D ONE THROUGH D SIX? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND PUMPY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALLED VOTE PLEASE? MS. MINOSKI? YES.
[E. NEW BUSINESS - ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS (Dr. Williams) (6:50 - 7:00 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS.WILLIAMS. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, LECHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M BRINGING FORWARD THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR APPROVAL WHOM? HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE OFFICER IN THE OFFICE OF STAFFING SPECIALIST ESAU, OFFICE OF WORLD LANGUAGES.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT E ONE? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, HASSAN.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[00:05:01]
MR. YOUNG? YES.OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT IS MICHELLE M. GIBBS AS THE NEW HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER IN THE OFFICE OF STAFFING.
SHE'S SEATED SHE CAN STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED.
CURRENTLY, SHE, SHE WAS SERVING AS THE HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST IN THE OFFICE OF STAFFING SINCE 2021.
AND PREVIOUSLY SHE SERVED AS A SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS, PARTNERED AT GREATER BALTIMORE MEDICAL CENTER.
AND PRIOR TO THAT, HUMAN RESOURCES BUSINESS PARTNER THREE AND PROJECT SERVICES SPECIALIST TEAM LEAD HUMAN RESOURCES AT AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING.
CONGRATULATIONS, MS. GIBB AND NOT IN ATTENDANCE, BUT OUR SECOND APPOINTMENT IS, UH, KORAN SANDHU.
AS THE SPECIALIST IN ESOL IN THE OFFICE OF WORLD LANGUAGES, WE WELCOME HER TO B P S.
UH, CURRENTLY SHE IS SERVING AS THE EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, TWO EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATE ESAW IN BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR SEVEN YEARS.
AND PREVIOUSLY SHE SERVED AS A ESAU TEACHER IN BALTIMORE CITY AND ARUNDO AND FAIRFAX COUNTY.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, KIRON SAND.
[F. PUBLIC COMMENT (7:00 - 7:50 p.m.)]
PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE BOARD PROVIDES TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND RECEIVE THE ADVICE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD APPRECIATE HEARING FROM INTERESTED CITIZENS AS APPROPRIATE.
WE REFER YOUR CONCERNS TO THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR FOLLOW UP BY HIS STAFF.
ONLINE REGISTRATION WAS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC ONE WEEK PRIOR TO TONIGHT'S BOARD MEETING AND WAS CLOSED AT 3:00 PM YESTERDAY FOR ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS EVENING'S MEETING BOARD PRACTICE LIMITS TO 10 IN THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING.
SPEAKERS ARE SELECTED RANDOMLY USING AN ELECTRONIC SELECTION PROCESS FROM ALL REGISTRATIONS RECEIVED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TIMEFRAME.
EACH SPEAKER'S ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
NO SPEAKER SUBSTITUTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT SELECTED THROUGH THE ONLINE REGISTRATION.
A WAIT LIST SIGNUP SHEET WAS AVAILABLE 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
IF A REGISTERED SPEAKER IS ABSENT, THE SPEAKER SLOTS WILL BE REASSIGNED FROM THE WAIT LIST SO THAT THE 10 SPEAKER SLOTS ARE ALLOCATED.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT ON POLICY PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE SPORT AND THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, THIS IS NOT THE PROPER FORUM TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE MATTERS OR TO COMMENT ON MATTERS THAT DO NOT RELATE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO UTILIZE EXISTING DISPUTE RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION PROCESSES AS APPROPRIATE.
I REMIND EVERYONE THAT INAPPROPRIATE PERSONNEL REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR THAT DISRUPTS OR INTERFERES WITH THE CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING OR OUT OF ORDER PERSONS USING LANGUAGE THAT IS THREATENING OR PROMOTES VIOLENCE AGAINST A B C S EMPLOYEE ARE SUBJECT TO LEGAL PENALTIES.
PERSONS WHO OTHERWISE DISRUPT OR DISTURB THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THEIR REMARKS AND WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE MEETING.
I ASK SPEAKERS TO OBSERVE THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK, WHICH WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
PLEASE CONCLUDE REMARKS WHEN YOU HEAR THE TONE OR SEE THE TIME HAS EXPIRED, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF AT THE END OF YOUR TIME AND IT COULD BE TURNED OFF IF A SPEAKER ADDRESSES SPECIFIC STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE MATTERS OR IS COMMENTING ON MATTERS NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
IF NOT SELECTED, THE PUBLIC MAY SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS VIA EMAIL@BOEBCS.ORG.
MORE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ON THE BOARD'S WEBSITE@BBCS.ORG UNDER BOARD OF ED PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC.
IT IS THE PRACTICE OF THE BOARD TO ALLOW ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD.
OH, GOOD EVENING, DELICATE PASTURE.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, EVEN SITTING ON THIS SIDE.
IT'S STILL A WONDERFUL THING TO BE HERE.
SO, GOOD EVENING, UH, TO THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW.
AS CHAIR LIQUOR SAID, WE HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR A TIME THAT SINGS FOREVER, LIKE FOREVER TO HAVE YOU.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE AN ALMOST FULL BOARD AGAIN, I WELCOME YOU AND THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND MAKING THE COMMITMENT ALONG WITH THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY ON THE BOARD, WHO RAN FOR THE BOARD, MAKING A COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN
[00:10:01]
AND THE FAMILIES IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.AS, AS THE NOVEL SAYS, IT'S THE BEST OF TIMES.
NOW, I, WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE WORST OF TIMES.
SO YOU COME AS WE TURN A CORNER AND MOVE INTO THE LIGHT.
SO PLEASE CARRY THAT LIGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND AGAIN, FOR OUR FAMILIES, DR.
WILLIAMS, ALTHOUGH I WILL SEE YOU MORE TIMES, A FEW MORE TIMES BECAUSE I WILL BE BACK.
UM, I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND I WANNA SAY IT WAS A PLEASURE.
IT WAS MY HONOR TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH YOU AND SOMETIMES TO STEP ACROSS A LINE AND HAVE TO PULL MY FOOT BACK.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND YOUR CONSIDERATION TO THE FULL BOARD.
I ASK YOU, UH, TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND I KNOW YOU'RE COMMITTED, BUT TO OPEN YOUR MINDS BECAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A VERY DAUNTING TASK AT BEST, MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT A SUPERINTENDENT TO REPLACE THIS YOUNG MAN.
AND I WILL, MAYBE REPLACE IS NOT THE WORD I WANT TO USE, BUT, UM, TO COME AFTER HIM.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S FITTING TO SAY WE HAVE THE COMPASS IN FRONT OF US.
SO I REALLY EMPLOY YOU TO TAKE THE TIME AND YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, BUT TAKE THE TIME, TIME, EVEN IF YOU HAVE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, I'M IMPLORING.
HAVE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AND THINK THROUGH WHAT YOU ARE DOING BECAUSE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THE ONES WHO WILL BE SENIORS IN MANY CASES, HAVE SEEN FOUR SUPERINTENDENTS OR WILL HAVE SEEN FOUR SUPERINTENDENTS.
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO AS YOU MAKE THESE DECISIONS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST POSSIBLE PERSON WHO KNOWS THE SYSTEM, WHO KNOWS THE CHILDREN, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR A DIVERSE POPULATION TO MAKE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, GLOBAL LEARNERS, GLOBAL THINKERS, GLOBAL CITIZENS.
THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.
THAT NOT THAT, NOT THAT ALL JUST MEANS ALL IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATION, BUT ALL MEANS ALL IN TERMS OF RESPECTING EACH OTHER AND THE HISTORIES AND THE PAST AND THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE AND WHAT IS NECESSARY SO THAT WE CAN AFFECT A STRONGER, A BETTER BALTIMORE COUNTY, STRONGER, BETTER STATE OF MARYLAND, STRONGER, BETTER COUNTRY AND WORLD.
SO YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR SHOULDERS THESE DAYS.
I NOW KNOW SINCE BEING A DELEGATE, DELEGATE, HAVING GONE THROUGH MY SES FIRST SESSION.
UM, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE PARTNERSHIP IS BETWEEN SCHOOL BOARDS, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS OUTSIDE AND APART FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITHOUT CHILDREN AND MAKE THEM THE VERY BEST.
I'M GONNA USE ONE OF BEN BROOKS'S LINE, SEND IT TO BROOKS'S LINE.
IF YOU CALL ME, I'M GONNA CALL YOU BACK.
IF YOU EMAIL ME, I'M GOING TO EMAIL BACK TO YOU.
IF YOU COME TO SEE ME, I'M GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO SEE YOU.
DID I MISS ANYTHING? AS YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA TEXT NO IDIOT.
OH, IF YOU TEXT ME, I WILL TEXT YOU BACK.
OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE ONE I FORGOT.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU WILL ALL SEE ME REGULARLY.
AND TO THE PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND ME, I AM HERE FOR YOU AS WELL.
PARENTS, RELATIVES, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, OPERATIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO JUST WEAR THIS LITTLE PEN JUST BECAUSE IT'S CUTE, BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES MESS UP MY OUTFITS, BUT I TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
HAVE A GREAT EVENING AND I'M GONNA STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE, JUST
[00:15:01]
FOR THE FUN OF IT.THANK YOU DELEGATE PE I WILL NOW CALL IN OUR ADVISORY AND STAKEHOLDER GROUP LEADERS TO SPEAK.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS BRIAN PPS FROM F SME.
UH, CHAIRWOMAN LECTOR, VICE CHAIR, HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
WILLIAMS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS BRIAN EPS AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF AFSCME, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SUPPORT STAFF HERE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, OPERATIONS, FACILITIES, FOOD SERVICE, LOGISTICS, AND A WHOLE, UH, LIST OF OTHERS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO HOPE THAT WE CAN GET TOGETHER SO I CAN SHARE WHAT MY PEOPLE DO SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND, HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORK THAT WE DO.
I CAME ESPECIALLY TO WELCOME YOU TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AND WELCOME YOU TO THE BOY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BILLY BURKE FROM CASE.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRWOMAN LECHTER, VICE CHAIRWOMAN, MRS. HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT DR.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ON BEHALF OF CASE, WHICH IS THE COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES.
I REPRESENT THE ADMINISTRATORS, THE PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, AND CENTRAL OFFICE SUPERVISORS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
UH, WE, UH, WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR JOINING THE BOARD.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS COMMITMENT AND WE ARE HUMBLED BY YOUR ADVOCACY AND WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.
ON THURSDAY, APRIL 13TH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET MESSAGE.
IT IS WITH THE DEEPEST GRATITUDE THAT I THANK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR AND HISTORIC BUDGET THAT ALLOCATED $71 MILLION OVER MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
THE ALLOCATION REPRESENTS THE LARGEST MOE INCREASE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY HISTORY AND THAT IS TO BE CELEBRATED.
YOU, THE BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE B C P S STAFF DESERVE TO BE, BE CELEBRATED AS WELL.
THE BUDGET YOU APPROVED PROVIDES MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND IMPROVEMENT, WHAT YOU REQUESTED, WHAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PROPOSED, AND ULTIMATELY WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL APPROVE ARE NOT COMPLETELY ALIGNED.
SOME OF YOUR PROPOSED BUDGET WILL BE CUT.
HOW WILL THOSE CUTS BE MADE? THERE WILL BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED.
HOW WILL YOU DECIDE THE PRIORITIES? IS THERE ROOM FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE UNIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS? CASE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING PRIORITY.
IN A SYSTEM THAT THIS LARGE, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE STAFFING FORMULAS AS A STARTING POINT, BUT STAFFING MUST BE ADJUSTED BASED ON THE UNIQUE PROGRAMS AND CHALLENGES AT EACH SCHOOL.
WORK TO RETURN AS MUCH STAFFING TO SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE.
THE CENTRAL OFFICE STAFFING THAT WAS CUT TO CREATE THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS DISPROPORTIONATELY UNION REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE WORKER BEES AND THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS WORK TO RETURN AS MUCH REPRESENTED CENTRAL OFFICE STAFFING AS POSSIBLE.
CASE WANTS TEACHERS TO HAVE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF PLANNING TIME, BUT THE EXTRA 15 MINUTES DOESN'T WORK WITHOUT ADDITIONAL STAFFING, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
APPROPRIATE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND STUDENT SUPPORT STAFFING MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO TEACH EACH CHILD TO THEIR POTENTIAL AND CHALLENGE APPROPRIATE STAFFING MAKES SCHOOLS SAFER.
THERE IS BETTER SUPERVISION AND WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
STUDENTS WILL ALWAYS MAKE MISTAKES, BREAK THE RULES AND PUSH BOUNDARIES.
APPROPRIATE STAFFING OPENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR DISCIPLINE TO BE ABOUT CORRECTIVE TEACHING.
DISCIPLINE NOT BASED IN CORRECTIVE TEACHING IS REVENGE.
WE DON'T WANT THAT FOR STUDENTS.
APPROPRIATE STAFFING WILL IMPROVE WORK-LIFE BALANCE FOR STAFF WHEN YOU ARE PROVIDING COVERAGE EVERY DAY OR DOING TWO JOBS OR ONE JOB DURING THE DAY AND THE REST OF YOUR WORK.
ONCE STUDENTS LEAVE, YOU END UP FEELING UNDERAPPRECIATED AND BURNED OUT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CASE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CINDY SEXTON, REPRESENTING TABCO.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR, LECTOR, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, DR.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WELCOME TO THE NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU
[00:20:01]
AND INDEED EVERY BOARD MEMBER AS WE ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT FACE US.YOU ARE STARTING YOUR TERM IN THE MIDST OF MANY ACTIONS.
THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH A NEW ELA CURRICULUM, CHALLENGING ACADEMIC RESULTS, DISCIPLINE CONCERNS AND MORE.
AND I ASK YOU TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO EDUCATORS TO GET INPUT FROM THOSE IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND WITH OUR STUDENT.
THERE IS TOO MUCH AT STAKE FOR ANY OF US TO BE BLASE, ARE NOT ENGAGED, AND THERE IS TOO MUCH AT STAKE FOR YOU TO NOT GET THAT VALUABLE INPUT.
AS I HAVE ALREADY SHARED WITH SOME OF THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS, WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE ON ACTIONS, BUT BY HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND LISTENING TO AND WORKING WITH EACH OTHER, WE CAN MAKE GREAT STRIDES TOWARDS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
PLEASE MAKE THE DECISION AND THE COMMITMENT TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE UNIONS FOR THE GOOD OF OUR STUDENTS.
OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE JUST ANNOUNCED HISTORIC FUNDING.
AS WE JUST HEARD, UH, HOW AND WHERE THAT MONEY GETS SPENT USED ALLOCATED IS A MONUMENTAL AND VITAL TASK.
AS I VISIT SCHOOLS AND WORK SITES, I ASK MYSELF IF WHAT I'M SEEING IS SOMETHING THAT IMPROVES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND OUTCOMES.
AND SOMETIMES I SEE THINGS THAT DO NOT.
AND AS I HAVE DONE PREVIOUSLY, I AGAIN ADVOCATE AND ASK FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY IN THE BUDGET SO WE CAN KNOW WHERE EVERY DOLLAR IS GOING.
IT CAN AND SHOULD BE SPENT IN THE WAY THAT BENEFITS OUR STUDENTS.
AND OF COURSE, RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUR EDUCATORS.
WHILE TABCO IS STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR OUR CONTRACT NEXT YEAR.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WITHOUT THOSE EDUCATORS IN THE CLASSROOM, WE CANNOT MEET AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE MONEY IS BEING DIRECTED APPROPRIATELY SO WE CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN EDUCATORS IN THIS CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.
AND NOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET WILL BE, UH, WE ASK THAT WE PLEASE QUICKLY FINISH OUR NEGOTIATIONS SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO OTHER IMPORTANT TOPICS.
AGAIN, I WISH THIS BOARD WELL AND I THANK THOSE WHO ARE NOT WITH US, WHO DID SERVE THOSE EXTRA MONTHS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THIS BOARD, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARLENA PEREL FROM THE SOUTHWEST AREA EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL.
ALL BOARD CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, LE, EXCUSE ME, BOARD CHAIR,
UM, AS FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MARLENA COLLINSON PERCE AND THIS MONTH IS FULL OF CELEBRATIONS.
I AM BRINGING THIS REPORT ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTHWEST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL AND WITH A LITTLE TAB TO, UM, NORTHWEST AS WELL.
SO KUDOS, SNAPS AND CHEERS FOR ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENE EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM THE PRODUCTION WOULD NOT GO ON.
OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND NEXT WEEK THANK YOU FOR OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE.
THIS YEAR'S FINALIST WHO REPRESENT THE SOUTHWEST AREA.
MS. FOLK OFF AT RELAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NAMED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
MS. CARRIE AT MAIDEN CHOICE AS B P S HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
THIS YEAR'S FINALIST AT UH, WESTTOWN ELEMENTARY.
MR. SCHWARTZ, I WILL BE REMISS TO NOT ADD FOR OUR NORTHWEST AREA.
MR. TOWERS BREL, WHO TEACHES MATH AT SUB MAGNET MIDDLE AND NAMED MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR, ALONG WITH OUR PRINCIPALS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS AND OUR PARENTS IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, MS. DARION AT CHAT WORK, I'M SORRY, CHATSWORTH AND MS. MILLER AT PIKESVILLE MIDDLE.
I NEED TO SAY ALL THREE FINALISTS ARE FROM THE WEST ZONE.
NONETHELESS, I WANNA ALSO JUST GIVE YOU SOME KUDOS, SNAPS AND CHEERS FOR COUNTY O FOR COMING CLOSE TO AS POSSIBLE AND HOPEFULLY OUR BOARD WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CUTS NECESSARY.
BUT UM, WE JUST WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO THE COUNTY COUNCILS.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR KUDOS SNAPS AND CHEERS GOES TO OUR NEW ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, AND I WILL BE REMISS NOT TO STAND IN THIS SEAT TO CONGRATULATE OUR VERY OWN.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'LL SAY TIFFANY, OUR FORMER NORTHEAST AREA EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR, YOU ARE ONE TO BE ADMIRED YOUR HEALTH CHALLENGES YOU HAVE OVERCOME THEM, YOUR TENACITY.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
[00:25:01]
YOU.I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE HAD A GREAT MEETING LAST EVENING.
THAT MEANS I HAVE TO COME BACK CUZ I'M NOT GONNA FINISH BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND THEY SHARED SO MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE THEM.
WE REALIZED BY COMBINING WITH THE CENTRAL AREA LAST NIGHT, UH, THAT OUR STUDENTS, UM, VOICES SHOULD BE HEARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
SO WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS AND MAKE IT A TRADITION AND WE ARE HOPING THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS, AS LAST NIGHT THREE OF YOU ATTENDED, WILL CONTINUE TO COME AND SUPPORT OUR MEETINGS.
I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TONIGHT AND KUDOS, CHEERS, AND WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW WITH MY BLUE CHEERING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEANETTE YOUNG FROM E S P B C.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR, VICTOR VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND DR.
PLEASURE TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK TO ALL OF YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AS MY NAME IS JEANETTE YOUNG.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, KNOWN AS THE E S PBC.
I REPRESENT THE HEALTH ASSISTANTS, THE PARAEDUCATORS SIGN, LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS, COMPUTER TECHNICIANS, OFFICE PROFESSIONALS, AND ANOTHER ARRAY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I APPRECIATE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH B C P S AND EACH OF YOU AND PROBLEM SOLVE, BRAINSTORMING MEANINGFUL LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS TO ELIMINATE UNDESIRABLE OUTCOMES.
TOGETHER OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES WORKS ACTIONS THAT WILL PROVIDE A QUALITATIVE, QUANTITATIVE SOLUTION, ROBUST SOLUTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND CREATE A MORE DESIRABLE OUTCOME WORKPLACE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
TOGETHER WE WILL CELEBRATE CHAMPION OUR STUDENTS AS THEY BECOME THE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WE DESIRE.
FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK DR.
WILLIAM AND HIS, UH, ADMINISTRATION TO CONSIDER THE E S PBC VOICE.
HIS ADMINISTRATION WAS THE FIRST ADMINISTRATION TO ALLOW US TO HAVE AN OPEN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND BE HEARD, BE SEEN ACROSS BALTIMORE COUNTY.
WILLIAMS, I APPLAUD YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR DOING THAT.
WHILE WE MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, THANK YOU FOR AT LEAST CONSIDERING OUR INPUT.
AS ALWAYS, I LOOK FORWARD TO GROWING A MUTUAL COLLECTIVE COLLABORATIVELY RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY MEMBER OF BALTIMORE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
IF YOU NEED A E S P P E S PBC VOICE, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME, AS I WILL YOU IN THE FUTURE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIETTA ENGLISH FROM THE NAACP OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN LECTOR, VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND DR.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW MEMBERS.
I AM THE AXL CHAIR FOR THE BALTIMORE COUNTY BRAND TO THE NAACP AND THEIR EDUCATION CHAIR, BUT ALWAYS COME HERE TO TALK ABOUT AXL BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP, DR.
WILLIAMS. HE'S SUPPORTED US FOREVER SINCE HE'S BEEN HERE, AND WE ARE SO THANKFUL TO YOU FOR THAT.
IF YOU, FOR THE NEW MEMBERS WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT AXO STANDS FOR, LET ME JUST LET YOU KNOW.
IT'S THE ACADEMIC, CULTURAL, TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENTIFIC OLYMPICS OF THE MINE.
OUR NINTH GRADE TO 12TH GRADE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN OVER 35 CATEGORIES AND THEY COMPETE FOR A GOLD MEDAL, A SILVER MEDAL, AND A BRONZE MEDAL BALD.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 17 YEARS PLUS, AND WE HAVE WON NATIONALLY EVERY YEAR.
WE EXPECT TO DO THE SAME THING THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR OUR COMPETITION WILL BE AT NEWTOWN HIGH SCHOOL ON APRIL THE 29TH FROM NINE TO ABOUT THREE.
AND WE ARE STILL SOLICITING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY NINTH GRADERS WHO THINK THEY HAVE SOME TALENT IN DANCE, WRITING, PAINTING, DRAWING, PLEASE LET THEM APPLY AND WE WILL SEE THEM ON THE 29TH.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE WILL INVITE YOU TO OUR AWARDS PROGRAM, WHICH WILL BE HELD ON MAY THE 12TH.
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YOU DR.THEY HAVE BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE IN HELPING US ACQUIRE A PLACE, HELPING US TO ADVERTISE THE IMPORTANCE OF AXO.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AS WE MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR.
AND WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING HOME SOME GOLD MEDALS AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA DINGLE FROM PSI.
BOARD CHAIR TER, UH, BOARD, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY ALLIANCE OF BLACK SCHOOL EDUCATORS, FINALLY KNOWN AS P CAPSI.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MS. BOOKER DWYER, MS. FONG AND MR. YOUNG.
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROUDLY SERVE BCPS FOR 31 YEARS IN SEVERAL CAPACITIES.
ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM TEACHER, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL, AND CURRENTLY AS THE COORDINATOR OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS. OUR MEMBERS INCLUDE TEACHERS, FRONT OFFICE STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, PARA-EDUCATORS, BUILDING SERVICE STAFF, RETIRED STAFF AND PARENTS.
THE CAPSI HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR OVER 25 YEARS, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REVIVING THE ORGANIZATION.
THE PURPOSE OF B CAPSI IS TO PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE EDUCATION OF ALL STUDENTS WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS.
ESTABLISH A COALITION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.
CREATE A FORUM FOR THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS, AND IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP AFRICAN-AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL ASSUME LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN EDUCATION AND INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY.
AND CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS A PART OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF BLACK SCHOOL EDUCATORS.
WE'VE BEEN CHARGED TO FOCUS ON NATIONAL PROGRAMMING PRIORITIES, WHICH INCLUDE IMPROVEMENT OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT, EDUCATOR RECOGNITION AND LEGISLA, LEGISLATIVE INVOLVEMENT IN ADVOCACY.
ACCORDING TO THE BCPS WEBSITE, APPROXIMATELY 66.5% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED STUDENTS OF COLOR.
ADDITIONALLY, BCPS STUDENTS REPRESENT 138 COUNTRIES AND 147 LANGUAGES.
AS GENERAL FOWLER AND A DEDICATED EDUCATOR ONCE STATED, IT SHOULD BE THE NORM THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN THIS COUNTRY IS GUARANTEED A QUALITY EDUCATION NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, WHICH TAX BRACKET THEIR FAMILY MIGHT FALL INTO OR THEIR RACE.
WILLIAMS, FOR YOUR SERVICE TO BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND YOUR SUPPORT.
WHILE WE REBUILD OUR ORGANIZATION, AS THE BOARD ENGAGES IN THE SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, BUT CAPSI IS ADAMANT THAT THE SELECTION MUST BE SOMEONE WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO WORKING TOWARDS THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE POPULATION OF STUDENTS.
I AM HERE TO SHARE THAT THE MEMBERS OF P CAPSI ARE HERE IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, COOPERATION, AND INNOVATION, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND CARRYING OUT THE VISION AS OUTLINED IN THE COMPASS, WE CAN PROVIDE A WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NTH, ARDUOUS FROM BBE, I'M SORRY, B C P S O P E.
BOARD CHAIR, LIQUOR VICE CHAIR, HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
ON BEHALF OF THE BCPS ORGANIZATION OR PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M NICK UROS, THE PRESIDENT OF O P E, AND I'M EXCITED TO HAVE OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS JOIN US IN OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO ALL STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT.
AS PRESIDING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, YOU WILL PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR DISTRICT AND YOU, WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR NEW ROLE.
OUR DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES WORK BEHIND THE SCENES IN VIRTUALLY EVERY BUSINESS UNIT WITHIN BCPS TO ENSURE THAT THE BOARD ACHIEVES ITS VISION FOR STUDENT SUCCESS.
SOME OF THE BUSINESS UNITS IN WHICH ARE OP P EMPLOYEES WORK ARE TECHNOLOGY, ACCOUNTING, HR, LAW FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, BUDGET, PAYROLL,
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FOOD SERVICES, AND MANY MORE.ONCE AGAIN, WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU AS A MEMBER OF TEAM BCPS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS.
OUR NEXT IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JOLIE MCSHANE.
I'M A PARENT, A GRANDPARENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLICAN WOMEN OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
BALTIMORE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE HANDOUT, THE PORNOGRAPHIC AND OBSCENE EXAMPLES OF BOOKS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES IS QUITE SHOCKING.
REPUBLICAN WOMEN OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FILED A COMPLAINT IN JANUARY OF 2022 ABOUT THE BOOK GENDER QUEER.
MCCOMBS BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER RESPONDED TO OUR COMPLAINT IN NOVEMBER OF 2022.
SHE STATED, A COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE BOOK AND RECOMMENDED THAT BCPS RETAINED GENDER QUEER IN THE TWO HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
IT IS NOW IN FIVE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
ACCORDING TO MRS. MCCOMBS, PARENTS CAN FORBID THEIR CHILD FROM CHECKING OUT THE BOOK.
FIRST, HOW WOULD PARENTS KNOW THIS BOOK EXISTS AND WHY DOES THE CHILD NEED TO CHECK IT OUT? THE STUDENT CAN SIMPLY READ THE BOOK IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY.
MRS. MCCOMAS FURTHER JUSTIFIED THE BOOK SINCE IT IS A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS NON-BINARY AND A OR ASEXUAL.
WHY THIS PORN CENTERED BOOK? DELANEY HIGH SCHOOL HAS A CAROUSEL AND AN ENTIRE CORNER OF THE LIBRARY DEDICATED TO TRANSGENDER BOOKS.
ACCORDING TO THE FBI, ONE OUT OF SEVEN CHILDREN ARE SEXUALLY ABUSED.
THESE SEXUALLY ABUSED CHILDREN DO NOT HAVE A VOICE.
THE C D C REPORTS THAT EXPOSING THESE CHILDREN TO PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
THESE ARE CHILDREN THAT END UP WITH WEIGHT ISSUES, DEPRESSION, AND ARE SUICIDAL.
MRS. MCCOMBS FAILED TO CONSIDER THESE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THESE CHILDREN.
IN HER RESPONSE, REPUBLICAN WOMEN OF BALTIMORE COUNTY IN THE PATRIOT CLUB OF AMERICA SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS FOR THE BOOK LAWN BOY, IT IS 300 OH, THIS IS IT RIGHT HERE.
IT IS 312 PAGES LONG, INCLUDES THE WORD THAT RHYMES WITH DUCK 107 TIMES AND HAS 18 OBSCENE SEXUAL SCENES.
WE SUBMITTED A LETTER TO MRS. MCCOMAS ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2022.
TO DATE, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE.
A DELANEY DELANEY HIGH BANNED BOOKS LIST FROM THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION INCLUDED CATCHER IN THE RYE, THE HOLY BIBLE, GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984, AND WEARS WALDO WEARS WALDO.
IT WAS BANNED DUE A DUE TO A POSSIBLE DRAWING WITH GENITALIA.
LONG BOY HAS 18 OBSCENE SEXUAL SCENES DEPICTING GENITALIA.
YET IT SITS ON OUR HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY SHELVES.
IT IS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN.
EXPOSING OUR CHILDREN TO PORNOGRAPHY AND OBSCENE MATERIALS IS AGAINST THE LAW.
I HAVE YET TO MEET A BALTIMORE COUNTY TAXPAYER THAT THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JK MCDONALD.
GOOD EVENING, FELLOW CITIZENS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I ACTUALLY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I AM HERE FOR THIS TOPIC AND QUITE FRANKLY THAT THIS ROOM IS NOT OVERFLOWING.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO A LITTLE ROLE PLAY.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO IMAGINE WE ARE AT YOUR, YOUR DAUGHTER'S 14TH BIRTHDAY PARTY AND SHE WAS GIVEN LAWN BOY AND GIRL IN TRANSLATION AS GIFTS.
IT IS THEN SUGGESTED, SHE READS EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK.
AND BEFORE I READ THIS, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, BUT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
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MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, THIS IS WHAT IS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.AND UNLESS WE FORGET, HIGH SCHOOL STARTS WHEN ONE IS APPROXIMATELY 14 YEARS OLD.
IN FOURTH GRADE AT A CHURCH YOUTH GROUP MEETING OUT IN THE BUSHES, I TOUCHED GREG DOBEL GOBLES DICK, AND HE TOUCHED MINE.
IN FACT, THERE WAS EVEN SOME MOUTHS INVOLVED.
WHAT IF I TOLD YOU I TOUCHED ANOTHER GUY'S DICK? WHAT IF I TOLD YOU I SUCKED IT? I WAS 10 YEARS OLD.
I PUT DOUG GOBLES DICK IN MY MOUTH.
AND YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T TERRIBLE.
DO YOU WANNA SEE MY DICK? THE F**K HE TALKED ABOUT ALL THE TIMES AT THE CHURCH, BUT NEVER MENTIONED OUR PENISES OR THE FACT THAT HE SAID 10 WORDS TO ME AFTER OUR LITTLE FORAY IN THE BUSHES.
NOT A SINGLE REFERENCE TO HOLDING OR TUGGING OR SUCKING D***S.
ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WHILE HE WAS CHATTING ME UP WAS HIS LITTLE SALAMANDER BETWEEN MY FOURTH GRADE FINGERS RAPIDLY ENGORGING WITH BLOOD.
BUT WHAT'S A DOG GONNA DO? LICK PEANUT BUTTER OFF MY DICK? WHY WOULDN'T YOU ADMIT WE SUCKED EACH OTHER'S DICK? I'M NOT GONNA READ ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN SEE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
HOWEVER, I AM NOT SURE HOW THESE BOOKS ARE PREPARING OUR, OUR CHILDREN FOR LIFE OR LIFE SKILLS.
I'VE HEARD A LOT THIS EVENING ABOUT EDUCATION AND THE FACT THAT BALTIMORE COUNTY WANTS THE BEST EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN.
IS IT NOT ONE OF OUR PILLARS OF EDUCATION THAT WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO BE GOOD CITIZENS? PERHAPS IT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IF WE REPLACE LAWN BOY AND GIRL AND TRANS TRANSLATION WITH BOOKS SUCH AS MIRACLES IN AMERICAN HISTORY OR THE AMERICAN STORY BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, OUR HISTORY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS FAR MORE FASCINATING AND FAR MORE INCREDIBLE THAN FICTION.
LEST WE FORGET, UH, FEDERAL CODE 1466 PROHIBITS ENGAGING IN BUSINESS OF SELLING OR TRANSFERRING OBSCENE.
WILLIAMS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND ALSO WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS.
MY NAME ISIA, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CHINESE AMERICAN PARENT ASSOCIATION OF BALTIMORE.
OUR GOAL IS TO PROMOTE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OF OUR MEMBERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MISSION OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
FIRST, ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR GREAT APPRECIATION TO BUILD MEMBERS AND ALSO TO B P STAFF FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND YOUR PASSION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
MANY MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION ARE PARENTS OF STUDENTS IN BS.
TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PDA HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH IS PREVIOUS KNOWN AS A A P I HERITAGE MONTH PDA SPELL AS P I D A AND STANDS FOR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER BASIC AMERICAN.
SINCE 1992, THE A P I OR ADA HERITAGE MONTH HAS BEEN CELEBRATED ANNUALLY IN MAY TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND CULTURES OF ASIAN, SOUTHEAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
UNFORTUNATELY, FOR TOO LONG THE HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE OF PITA INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED OR OVERLOOKED IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AS A RESULT, MANY STUDENTS ARE NOT FULLY AWARE OF THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS THAT PITA INDIVIDUALS HAVE MADE TO OUR COUNTRY AND OF THE CHALLENGES AND STRUGGLES THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS FACED.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE INCLUSION OF ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC AND, AND HISTORY AND CULTURES IN THE B C P S CURRICULUM.
THIS CAN INCLUDE ADDING NEW COURSES OR UNI UNITS, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON PDA HISTORY AND CULTURES, AS WELL AS INTEGRATING PDA CONTENT INTO EXISTING, INTO EXISTING COURSES AND MATERIALS.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE A, WE ARE, WE ARE ROUNDED EDUCATION THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR SOCIETY.
BY INCORPORATING IN BETTER HE HISTORY AND CULTURES INTO THE B C PS CURRICULUM, WE CAN PROMOTE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF OUR DIVERSE
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COMMUNITIES.OUR ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORT B PS AND PROMOTING A POSITIVE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
WE WILL BE, WE ARE HAPPY TO WORK WITH BCPS AND BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DISCUSS PLANS TO WORK ON THESE ISSUES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOANNE SWORD, C WORD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BASH FARK.
WELCOME TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND THE VETERAN ONES TOO, THE SAME TIME.
AND I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, REMIND MYSELF THAT IT IS REALLY AN HONOR TO BE A BOARD MEMBER.
UH, IT'S A RESPONSIBILITY AND I KNOW YOU ARE NOT HERE BECAUSE OF THE LAVISH SALARY THAT YOU ARE PAID FOR.
MAYBE I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAL TO OUR DELEGATES TO RAISE YOUR SALARIES.
I HATE TO SEE YOU LEAVE, UM, IN YOUR EFFORT TO CHOOSE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
I THINK COMMUNICATION OF THE NEXT PERSON IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WITH TAXPAYERS.
HOWEVER, THE SECOND ATTRIBUTE, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION.
SHE NEEDS TO BE A BELIEVER AND KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH TWO LETTERS.
I HAVE BEEN HERE FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS.
THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH.
AND YOU HEARD THE TEACHERS NEED MONEY, AND I DON'T THINK REALLY IT IS JUST THAT THERE IS FATIGUE AND THE TEACHER PROFESSION AND OTHER EMPLOYEES, AND YOU COULD ADD A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY AND THAT WOULD NOT REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF FATIGUE AND FRUSTRATION.
SO IF YOU NEED MORE TEACHERS, WHICH WE DO, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WILL HELP YOU DOING THAT.
IF YOU NEED A BETTER SECURITY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WILL HELP YOU DO THAT WITH A CHEAPER WAY.
IF YOU NEED NEW SCHOOLS, DESIGN, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WILL HELP YOU DO THAT IN A BETTER COST EFFECTIVE WAY.
THE SOONER THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BELIEVES IN WHAT I AM TELLING YOU, THE BETTER FOR US.
WE COME NOW, FIGHT THE WAR OF EDUCATION WITH A BLACKBOARD, A TEACHER, A DESK, AND A CHAIR, AND A FEW LAPTOPS.
IF THE US ARMY IS NOT SUPPLIED WITH SOPHISTICATED WEAPONS AND INTELLIGENCE, WE WOULD BE IN BIG TROUBLE IN THIS WORLD.
AND EDUCATION IS NO DIFFERENT.
I, I REALLY APPRECIATE, THIS IS NOT REALLY WHAT I JUST WANT TO SAY, BUT ANYHOW, I I PERSONALLY FEEL STRONG ABOUT THAT.
UH, I SEE IT AND I HOPE YOU BELIEVE ME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JONATHAN ROLAND.
I ADMIRE EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE OF TIME AND TALENT TO SERVE THIS BOARD.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU LOVE STUDENTS.
I TEACH SCIENCE AT PERRY HALL HIGH SCHOOL YESTERDAY.
WE BEGAN THIS YEAR'S THIRD ROUND OF STATE EXAMS. THEY CONTINUE THROUGH MAY 22ND.
SOMETIME NEXT YEAR, MSD WILL ASSIGN EACH STUDENT A SINGLE SCALED SCORE NUMBER.
WE MAY BE FOLLOWING MSD REGULATIONS, BUT WE'RE VIOLATING FEDERAL LAW.
TITLE 34, SUBTITLED B CHAPTER TWO, PART 200 OF THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRES STATE TESTS TO PRODUCE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DIAGNOSTIC REPORT, UH, REPORTS WITH ITEMIZED SCORE ANALYSIS SO WE CAN ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC ACADE ACADEMIC NEEDS OF EACH STUDENT AND TO RETURN THE RESULTS AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE TELLING US THAT JORDAN SCORED A SEVEN 20 ON THE MESA MONTHS AFTER THE TEST, NEITHER MEETS THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS NOR BENEFITS OUR INSTRUCTION.
AND IT COMES AT AN EXTRAORDINARY COST TO OUR LIMITED TIME, ENERGY, AND FOCUS.
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WE USED TO GIVE USEFUL YEARLY ASSESSMENTS.REMEMBER THE IOWA BATTERY AND THE CALIFORNIA ACHIEVEMENT TESTS PAPER AND PENCIL TOOK A FEW HOURS ONE DAY A YEAR AND RETURN DETAILED ANALYSIS OF EACH STUDENT'S PERFORMANCE.
TWO WEEKS LATER, SENATORS KATHY KLAUSS MYER, CHRIS WEST AND JOAN CARTER INTRODUCED LEGISLATION TO RETURN THIS TYPE OF ONE DAY IN MAY TESTING TO MARYLAND, BUT IT WAS KILLED IN COMMITTEE BY LOBBYISTS FOR THE TESTING ESTABLISHMENT.
BUT YOU CAN ACT EVEN IF ANNAPOLIS DOESN'T, IN 2015, CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT GAVE YOU PERMISSION, NOTHING SHALL PROHIBIT A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY FROM ADMINISTERING A LOCALLY SUGGEST SELECTED ASSESSMENT IN LIEU OF THE STATE DESIGNATED ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT.
20 US CODE 63 11 MAYBE THE STATE TESTING PROGRAM IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS AND WE'RE LIVING IN THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS.
I APPEAL TO YOU, GO TO OUR SCHOOLS AND TALK WITH OUR STAFF, TALK WITH OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WHO REPEATEDLY MISS INSTRUCTIONAL TIME SO THEY CAN SIT FOR THE STATE EXAMS TO FULFILL A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT.
ASK THEM WHAT THEY THINK OF REPLACING MCAT MISA MAP WITH A ONE DAY IN MAY TYPE TEST.
NANCY GRASMICK, MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS RANKED FIRST IN THE NATION FOR THE FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW.
THEN THE HIGH STAKES PARK PEOPLE TOOK OVER M S D E AND OUR SCHOOLS SLIPPED TO THIRD IN 2015.
FOURTH IN 2016, FIFTH IN 2017, SIXTH AND 2018.
THE PAST 10 YEARS HAVE BEEN CRUEL TO THE STUDENTS.
PLEASE DON'T LET US CONTINUE WITH MORE OF THE SAME.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS WOULDN'T BE CAUGHT DEAD USING OUR STATE TESTS.
OUR STUDENTS DESERVE THE SAME RESPECT.
YOU ALONE HAVE THE STANDING THE CHALLENGE.
MS. D E CONGRESS AND PRESIDENT OBAMA GAVE YOU THAT STANDING AND I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY WOULD OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT YOU.
IF YOU DO, YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT THE WEBSITE ONE DAY IN MAY.ORG.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS CONCERN WITH YOU.
I'M A TEACHER, TABCO, MEMBER OF PARENT AND B CPS.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, THANK OUR, MY COLLEAGUE FROM PERRY HALL FOR BRINGING UP THE EXCELLENT POINT ABOUT TESTING.
WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME THIS MONTH.
I I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU, UM, THE AMOUNT OF TEACHING TIME THAT I AM LOSING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PROCTOR TESTS.
THAT IS NOT WHAT I CAME TO SPEAK ABOUT THOUGH.
SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO FIRST WELCOME ALL OF OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, IN PARTICULAR, THE THREE NEW MEMBERS AT LARGE.
WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE FINALLY SEATED.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, UM, AS A TEACHER, AS A TABCO MEMBER AND AS A PARENT IN B C P S TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS FOCUSED ON OUR STUDENTS, OUR SCHOOLS, AND OUR TEACHERS.
AS AN ESOL TEACHER, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF ED, SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL 36 ASSAULT TEACHERS AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET SO THAT MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOME SCHOOLS.
THIS WILL HELP THOSE STUDENTS AND MAINTAIN THEIR CONNECTIONS AND TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT WE'LL NOT BE ABLE TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS AS WELL AS HUNDREDS OF OTHERS THAT ARE AND WILL, WILL BECOME VACANT IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS.
YES, THERE'S A TEACHER SHORTAGE NATIONWIDE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A BBC SPECIFIC BCPS SPECIFIC SHORTAGE.
AS MOST OF YOU ARE NEW THROUGH THE BOARD, I WANT TO ASK YOU TO PLEA WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE OUR SALARY NEGOTIATIONS ARE COMPLETED IMMEDIATELY AND WITH THE GOAL OF RETAINING AND RECRUITING HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS AS YOUR FOCUS.
WHEN THE BUDGET WAS RELEASED LAST DECEMBER, THERE WAS NO COLA AND, AND NO NEW SALARY SCALE THAT WOULD KEEP US IN COMPETITION WITH SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
OTHER COUNTIES ANNOUNCED EARLY ON THAT THEY'D GIVE RAISES AND COLAS.
MEANWHILE, WE ARE CLOSING IN ON THE FINAL MONTHS OF SCHOOL STILL WITHOUT A NEGOTIATED SALARY SCALE OR CONFIRMED INCREASES.
MANY OF TEACHERS HAVE ALREADY LEFT AND MORE WILL FOLLOW.
IN 2000, TW IN 2023, WE HAVE HAD MORE THAN 15 RESIGNATIONS ANNOUNCED AT EACH BOARD MEETING, UH, AT THE STOCKS AFTER THE BOARD MEETING BEFORE SPRING BREAK, WE HAD NEARLY 50 RESIGNATIONS THAT WERE ANNOUNCED.
WE ARE CLOSING IN ON OVER 300 TEACHERS WHO HAVE LEFT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THOSE WHO PLAN TO PUT IN THE RESIGNATIONS FOR BY THE END OF THE YEAR AND LEAVE US FOR OTHER COUNTIES.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE TEACHERS FOR ANY REASON, BUT ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM IS SLOW AND LATE TO NEGOTIATING OUR SALARIES.
PLEASE FINISH THOSE NEGOTIATIONS NOW SO THAT SOME TEACHERS MAY RECONSIDER THEIR RESIGNATIONS.
I WANT TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO INCARCERATION FOR NEXT YEAR AND TO MAKE SURE WE PLAN LONG TERM IN THE DECEMBER BUDGET, TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS FROM MOVING ELSEWHERE TO BE PAID A COMPETITIVE WAGE.
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PERSONAL TIME, OUR FAMILY TIME FIGHTING FOR A SALARY TO KEEP US IN B CPS.AS A TEACHER, IT'S DISHEARTENING TO SEE TALENTED AND YOUNG TEACHERS LEAVE, BUT AS A PARENT OF WITH A JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, IT IS EVEN MORE DISTRESSING, DEPRESSING TO SEE THOSE QUALITY EXPERIENCED TEACHERS LEAVE FOR OTHER COUNTIES AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
AND AS I'M OUT OF TIME, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU.
NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD POLICIES.
UM, BEFORE I SAY THAT, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY, UM, SPEAKERS SIGNED UP ON THE WAITING LIST.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE DO NOT HAVE 10 SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
NEXT IS PUBLIC BOARD POLICY, OH 500 WORKPLACE BULLYING.
AM I DOING
SO WE'LL START WITH THE WORKPLACE BULLYING ONE.
I THINK POLICY ZERO 500 LINE 1214 STATES MISCONDUCT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
I THINK THE WORD SHALL WOULD BE BETTER.
SECOND, UH, NOTE ABOUT THE SAME POLICY LINE 1738, LINE 19.
IT SAYS HURTFUL MISTREATMENT, EITHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT.
I THINK MISTREATMENT NEEDS TO BE IN THE PLURAL.
AND NEXT TO THAT THE WORD INTERFERES.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE INTERFERE.
THIS POLICY IS A CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE BASICALLY
SO MY THOUGHT IS THAT THE POLICY NEEDS TO BE BALANCED.
IF SOMEONE MISBEHAVE AND IS ACCUSED IN THE POLICY, THE ACCUSED NEEDS TO HAVE THE PROCESS RIGHT THERE IN THE SAME POLICY TO HOW TO DEFEND AND PROTECT SELF FROM SHAM ACCUSATION.
THE, OKAY, THERE ARE OTHER TYPOS, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THEM, BUT THAT'S MY CONCERN ABOUT THE POLICY BEING IMBALANCED.
NEXT IS FOR POLICY 2310 ORGANIZATION CHARTS.
2310 IS ORGANIZATION CHART LINE SEVEN 10 READS TO ACHIEVE THE STATED MISSION AND GOALS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I THINK THIS WORD IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT IS GENERAL, IT'S NOT REALLY SPECIFIC.
SO BY NOT BEING SPECIFIC, I PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND SCHOOLS AND COMPANIES DON'T WANT TO BE SPECIFIC IN CERTAIN AREAS.
BUT TO TAKE THE CONTRARIAN ASPECT, I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER, UM, AND THE POLICY TO STATE THE MISSION AND THE GOALS.
THE SAME THING ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE.
THE PERFORMANCE IN THIS, UH, POLICY.
IT'S IN THE SINGULAR, IT SHOULD BE IN THE PLURAL PERFORMANCES.
AND THAT'S MY CRITIQUE FOR THIS POLICY.
BOARD POLICY 42 0 3, COMPENSATION BENEFITS, ASSAULT LEAVE AND RETIREMENT.
ALL RIGHT, SO THIS POLICY 42 0 3 ABOUT ASSAULT LEAVE LINE 2325 SAYS
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RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS IDENTIFIED ON MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.MADAM CHAIR, AM I CORRECT? IS THIS A POLICY 42 0 3, YES.
THEN IN THIS POLICY, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE, THE ABILITY TO GIVE A PERIOD OF ABSENCE FOR 90 DAYS.
ANYTHING ABOVE 90 DAYS, IT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I AM CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
I BELIEVE OUR TEACHERS NEEDS TO BE PAID MORE, BUT WHEN I LOOK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS POLICY AND IN MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, IF YOU GIVE LAVISH, UM, SICK LEAVE OR OTHER SIMILAR ITEMS, MOST LIKELY IT WOULD BE USED NOT NECESSARILY THAT IT IS TRULY NEEDED.
AND I BASICALLY ASK YOU TO DWELL ON IT AND THINK ON IT.
AGAIN, THIS IS NOT THAT I AM NOT SENSITIVE TO TEACHER REQUEST FOR BETTER PAY.
I THINK IT'LL BE POTENTIALLY ABUSED THEN ON LINE 42 43.
THAT'S THE END OF MY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS POLICY.
OKAY, SO I MUST HAVE REALLY MIXED THE TWO POLICIES.
BUT ANYHOW, OUTSIDE THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, SO THE 90 DAYS BELONGED TO 42 0 2 AND I ALREADY STATED THAT, UM, IN THIS SEPARATION LINE, 10 TO 12, UH, IT SAYS IF EMPLOYEE FAILS TO MEET REASONABLE PERFORMANCE OR CONDUCT EXPECTATIONS, MY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT IS THAT AGAIN, THESE WORDS ARE ROBBERY IN NATURE.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS A PLUS OF BEING NOT REALLY SPECIFIC FOR A COMPANY.
UH, BUT AGAIN, THERE IS A MINUS IN THAT, AT LEAST FROM MY END ON THIS SIDE, THAT IT REALLY CREATES MISINTERPRETATION BY DIFFERENT PARTIES, LAWYERS, ET CETERA.
I FEEL IT IS BETTER IF YOU DEFINE WHAT IS A REASONABLE PERFORMANCE, WHAT IS A REASONABLE CONDUCT, WHAT IS A REASONABLE EXPECTATION.
AND IF IT IS NOT, UH, POSSIBLE FOR SOME TECHNICAL REASON TO EXPLAIN IT IN THE POLICY, THEN YOU KNOW, MAKE SOME SORT OF HOT PORTAL.
SO THE READER WOULD CLICK ON THE HALF PORTAL AND WOULD GO INTO A SUPERINTENDENT RULE OR ANOTHER POLICY, ET CETERA AND SEE WHAT THESE WORDS MEANING.
BECAUSE BASICALLY THEY ARE REALLY INTERPRETED IN DIFFERENT WAYS, UH, DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE THE PERSON IS ON.
THE SECOND THING ABOUT THIS POLICY, AND I DID ACCESS THE SUPERINTENDENT RULE 44 0 2, IT STATES THAT THE EMPLOYEE, UH, MUST GIVE TWO WEEKS NOTICE.
SO THIS IS REALLY A QUESTION FOR YOU.
UH, AND THE LAW OFFICE, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I'M A PHYSICIAN.
I KNOW THE STATE OF MARYLAND IS AT WILL STATE.
SO A PERSON, AN EMPLOYEE CAN QUIT AT ANY TIME, WOULD NOTICE OR WITHOUT NOTICE, AND EMPLOYER CAN DO THE SAME THING.
I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WOULD WANT TWO WEEKS NOTICE.
ALSO, IN MY EXPERIENCE AND THE GRAY HAIR I HAVE, IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO IS A TROUBLE OR DOESN'T WANT TO BE THERE FOR WHATEVER REASON, KEEPING THEM FOR TWO WEEKS I THINK IS MORE RISK FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAN REALLY
[01:05:01]
A BENEFIT.UM, SO I WOULD ASK YOU BASICALLY TO, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR DEBATE TO EXPLAIN THAT RATIONALE OF TWO WEEKS.
AND BASICALLY I WANT TO CHIME ON THE CONCERN THAT, UM, UH, THE PERSON WOULD BE MORE TROUBLE REALLY IN ATTENDING TWO WEEKS, UH, THAN BENEFIT.
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO LEAVE.
THE NEXT ONE IS 63 0 1 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
NEXT 1 63 0 1 POLICY ABOUT SCHOOL CALENDAR.
UM, THIS SCHOOL CALENDAR, I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I'M REALLY DEEPLY TOUCHED TO READ IT AGAIN AND AGAIN BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I WORKED ON THE INCLUSION OF THE MUSLIM HOLIDAYS FOR, YOU KNOW, 25 YEARS.
MY, UM, TROUBLEMAKER COLLEAGUE JAMIL, WHEN HE USED TO COME, HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT EVEN BEFORE ME WHEN HE WAS A PTA PRESIDENT.
BUT UH, IT TOOK ME MORE THAN TWO DECADES TO CONVINCE BOARD OF EDUCATION LIKE YOURSELF TO MAKE IT REALITY.
AND OF COURSE IT OPENED THE DOOR FOR THE CHINESE LUNAR YEAR.
IT OPENED THE DOOR FOR DIWA, IT OPENED THE DOOR FOR OTHERS.
I THINK THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OWE IT TO US MINORITIES, UM, MINORITIES IN NUMBER BUT NOT IN CONTRIBUTIONS OWE IT TO US AND TO THE SYSTEM TO BE CLEAR THAT YOU WOULD NOT TOLERATE BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION FOR TWO DECADES TO MAKE IT RIGHT.
WHETHER IT IS RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION, WHETHER IT IS COLOR DISCRIMINATION, WHETHER IT IS GENDER DISCRIMINATION, DISCRIMINATION IS HATE.
IT'S PAINFUL, IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
AND IT TOOK ME TWO DECADES PLUS CLOSE 25 YEARS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR OUR MUSLIM HOLIDAYS.
I BASICALLY, WHEN I READ IT, WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG? WHY PEOPLE WHO ARE REASONABLE EDUCATED PEOPLE AND LOOK SO MUCH TUNED UP TOWARDS EDUCATION AND TOWARDS THE COUNTY WOULD REALLY TOLERATE SUCH BIASED TREATMENT OF MINORITIES.
AT THIS POINT I'M GONNA ASK MS. SEXTON TO COME UP AND GIVE HER COMMENTS ON 63 0 1 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK JUST WELL, YOU CAN JUST MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE OR, OH, THANK YOU MS. SEXTON.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, I'M FRUSTRATED AND QUITE FRANKLY ANGERED WITH THE IDEA OF DEFINING RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY IN A BOARD POLICY.
AND I QUESTION THE LEGALITY OF SUCH A DEFINITION AS WELL THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION.
E E O C DEFINES RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, QUOTE TO INCLUDE THEISTIC BELIEFS, THOSE THAT INCLUDE A BELIEF IN GOD AS WELL AS NON-THEISTIC MORAL OR ETHICAL BELIEFS ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG THAT ARE SINCERELY HELD WITH THE STRENGTH OF TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS VIEWS.
IN MOST CASES, WHETHER OR NOT A PRACTICE OR BELIEF IS RELIGIOUS IS NOT AN ISSUE.
THIS CANNOT BE CODIFIED IN A POLICY BASED ON TESTING DATES.
AND YET IN THIS PROPOSED POLICY, A RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY IS BEING DEFINED AS A DAY OR DAYS WHEN STATEWIDE PRIMARY TEST ADMINISTRATIONS ARE NOT TO BE SCHEDULED.
EVEN IF WE SAY THAT DEFINING RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS IS LEGAL, WHICH ACCORDING TO OUR LEGAL COUNSEL IT IS NOT HAVING SUCH A DEFINITION FLIES IN THE FACE OF EQUITY.
THE BCPS COMPASS STATES B C PS MUST REMAIN FOCUSED ON ITS EQUITY IMPERATIVE FROM BOARD POLICY OH 100 LETTER G.
WE RESPECT THE WORTH OF ALL INDIVIDUALS, VALUE, DIVERSITY, AND VIGOROUSLY ADDRESS EQUITY ISSUES.
THIS PROPOSED POLICY VIOLATES BOARD POLICY OH 100.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE SOME PEOPLE MAY ADHERE TO CERTAIN PRACTICES THAT OTHERS DO NOT WITHIN THE SAME RELIGION AND THE E E O C SPECIFICALLY DISCOURAGES REQUESTS FOR DOCUMENTATION UNLESS THERE IS SOME OBJECTIVE
[01:10:01]
BASIS TO QUESTION THIS.THEREFORE, AS WE EXPLORE THIS, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO CHANGE LANGUAGE AND OUR MASTER AGREEMENTS AS WELL.
BUT THE FIRST STEP IS TO NOT PUT THIS POLICY FORWARD AS WRITTEN.
SPEAKING OF MASTER AGREEMENTS, ANY LANGUAGE AROUND RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS SHOULD BE NEGOTIATED AND NOT MANDATED BY A POLICY.
AS THIS PERTAINS TO OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS INDEED A MANDATORY SUBJECT OF BARGAINING.
AND EVEN RIGHT NOW THERE IS AN OPEN GRIEVANCE ON THIS VERY TOPIC, I URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS POLICY BACK TO COMMITTEE ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS.
TO DO SO OTHERWISE WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF B P S'S OWN CORE VALUE, WHICH STATES B C P S IS COMMITTED TO EQUITY.
POLICY 72 60 SCHOOL MARQUE SIGNS.
KINDLY CONSIDER MY THOUGHT TO YOU.
SOMETIME CONTRARIANS ARE RIGHT.
THIS POLICY TALKS ABOUT MARQUEE SCIENCE WHICH ENHANCE THE SCHOOL IDENTITY.
AND THEN LINE B ITEM UNDER A, UH, TALKS ABOUT THE SIGN FUNDED BY PRIVATE DONATION SHALL NOT, SHALL NOT INCLUDE THE DAUGHTER'S NAME OR LOGO.
SO MY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE MARQUEE SIGN SHOULD BE AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR EDUCATION FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND KNOWING THAT YOU NEED MONEY TO SOLVE THE MYRIADS OF THE PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE DEALING WITH AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AND THE COUNTY AND THE STATE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE YOU, I THINK IT IS TIME FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND ALLOW DECENT COMPANIES TO ADVERTISE.
SO MY CLINIC IS, AS YOU KNOW, IN ROSWELL BOULEVARD, FOUR HOUSES FROM ROSWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I PROPOSED ROSWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO HAVE THE NAME OF ONE OF THE FOUNDING FATHERS.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I WAS A MINORITY AND WAS NOT REALLY PICKED UP.
SO THE SIGN THAT READS, FOR INSTANCE, ROSEVILLE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN IT'S A STREET, RIGHT? BUT IF YOU ALLOW ON THE NAME OF THAT SCHOOL TO BE AN ADVERTISEMENT BY MICROSOFT APPLE OR MAYBE THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OF TOWSON UNIVERSITY, OR MAYBE MY BASE USED TO BE G B M C OR MAYBE ST.
NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE HERSHEY COMPANY ADVERTISE FOR CHOCOLATE, WHICH EVERYBODY EATS, EVEN THOUGH THE DOCTOR SAYS DON'T EAT IT.
BUT YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY EATS IT.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ADVERTISING FOR ALCOHOL OR CIGARETTES OR PORNO OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU GET THE MONEY AND THEN YOU PUT THAT MONEY IN A GOOD USE.
I THINK IF YOU THINK OF ME, YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, IF I GAVE YOU $10,000 FOR A MARQUEE SIGN AND YOU DON'T ALLOW ME TO PUT MY PRACTICE THERE, I HAVE NO REASON TO GIVE IT TO YOU.
YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO LOOK FOR PRIVATE SOURCES OF FUNDING BECAUSE THE COUNTY AND THE STATE WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE MONEY YOU NEED.
AND THE LAST FOUR POLICY 75 20, NAMING OR RENAMING A SCHOOL AND DEDICATION.
THIS POLICY STRIKES IN ME A NATIONALISTIC THOUGHT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, I CAME HERE 50 YEARS AGO, THIS IS MY HOME.
I TRULY FEEL THAT IT'S NOT ADVERTISEMENT WHEN I GO OVERSEAS AND COME BACK, THIS IS HOME.
SO I SEE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NAMING SCHOOLS, AS I MENTIONED, ROSWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, BY COMMUNITIES, SUBDIVISION, ET CETERA.
I THINK EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD BE NAMED BY AN IMPORTANT AMERICAN HERO.
[01:15:01]
THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT NORTH POINT MEANS.YOU KNOW, THE BATTLE OF NORTH POINT, THE 1812, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP, PEOPLE WHO FINISHED SCHOOL YOUNG OR MORE MATURE, DON'T KNOW OTHER MORE IMPORTANT PARTS OF OUR HISTORY THAT MADE US WHAT WE ARE, MADE US THE ENVY OF THE WORLD.
AND PEOPLE RISK THEIR LIVES TO COME HERE.
THEY DON'T RISK THEIR LIVES TO GO TO RUSSIA OR CHINA.
YOU KNOW, EVERY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A NAME THAT MEANS SOMETHING IMPORTANT, SOME HERO, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE CARVER WASHINGTON SCHOOL, THAT'S REALLY GREAT NAME, BUT VILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL,
YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TEACH THE STUDENTS OUR HISTORY.
AND THIS IS ONE EASY WAY THAT COST YOU NOTHING.
YOU KNOW, MAY WE NEED SCHOOLS ALSO IN THE NAME OF THOSE WHO DISCOVERED IMPORTANT THINGS.
WHO DISCOVERED THE TELEPHONE? HOW MANY OF OUR STUDENTS KNOW THE FIRST PERSON WHO DISCOVERED THE TELEPHONE, OR THE PERSON WHO DISCOVERED THE TV? WHERE WAS THE FIRST AUTOMOBILE WAS INVENTED AND BUILT? WHICH COUNTRY IT WAS ALRIGHT, BUT DON'T NAME IT, AFTER GERMANY.
GERMANY WAS THE FIRST ONE THAT BUILT THIS SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING EDUCATIONAL.
MUCH BETTER THAN ROSWELL IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND
YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES RED LION SCHOOL MEAN? DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
DOESN'T TEACH STUDENTS ANYTHING.
THAT'S MY, MY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS POLICY, I HOPE YOU WOULD CONSIDER.
I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST ONE, REALLY? YES.
DO I HAVE MORE TIME? NO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE FINISHED.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
[G. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (7:50 - 7:55 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.WILLIAMS. SO, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT MY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TO THE BOARD IN TEAM D C P S.
THIS REPORT INCLUDES CELEBRATIONS, UPDATES, AND EVIDENCE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, THE COMPASS, OUR PATHWAY TO EXCELLENCE IN ACTION.
FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR NEWLY APPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS, MS. TIERRA BOOKER DWYER, MS. TIFFANY LASHON, FRONG, AND MR. EMORY YOUNG ALREADY YOU HAVE JUMPED IN AND STARTED TO DO THE WORK.
WE APPRECIATE THAT AND WELCOME YOU.
PLEASE, PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING TEAM, B C P S, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
IF YOU DIDN'T CELEBRATE THEM DURING SPRING BREAK, PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE YOUR FAVORITE TEAM, BCPS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL A SHOUTOUT USING THE HASHTAG BCPS AP WEEK ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
WE HONOR AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR SUPPORTIVE STUDENTS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, YOUR ADVOCACY AND PASSION IN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU BRING TO YOUR WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.
APRIL IS AN EXCITING MONTH, SO PLEASE JOIN ME IN HIGHLIGHTING NATIONAL POETRY MONTH SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MONTH.
ADDITIONALLY, WE BRING AWARENESS TO THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AS WE RECOGNIZE WORLD AUTISM MONTH.
THE FIRST CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN EVENT WILL BE HELD TOMORROW AFTERNOON, APRIL 19TH AT 4 45 AT GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER CENTER FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY.
THE BCP S TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR WILL BE ANNOUNCED.
IN ADDITION, THE GALA WILL ALSO CELEBRATE A VARIETY OF OTHER ALL-STAR SCHOOL SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING A RISING STAR TEACHER OF THE YEAR, SUPERVISORY LEADER OF THE YEAR SUPPORTING SERVICES, EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, TRANSPORTATION CHAMPION, ASHBY, EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, VOLUNTEER CHAMPION, AND BUSINESS PARTNER CHAMPION.
WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
SO GOOD LUCK TO ALL NOMINEES WHO'S
[01:20:01]
ATTENDING THE EVENT TOMORROW.I WAS WONDERING IF YOU GONNA REALLY RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THANK YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING TOMORROW.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023, 2024 BALTIMORE COUNTY PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FINALIST CHATSWORTH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
D UH, DARIEN IS B C PS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, PIKESVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
MILLER IS THE B C P S MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
AND KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL POWELL IS THE B C P S HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 2024 BALTIMORE COUNTY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FINALIST WET STONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
ANTHONY SCHULTZ IS THE B C P S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
GENERAL JOHN STRICKER MIDDLE SCHOOL, AP JODI PASQUALE IS THE BCPS MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
AND TOWSON HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
NICOLE BRIDGES IS THE BCPS HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 2024 BBC PS TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
BEVERLY FOLK OFF GRADES THREE TO FIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT RELAY ELEMENTARY FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
TALVIN PEREL MATH TEACHER AT SUD BROOK MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
AND ABIGAIL CAREY, VOCATIONAL LIFE SKILLS TEACHER AT MAIDEN CHOICE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
WE ARE EXCITED TO RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE IN TEAM B C S AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR FINALS.
LET'S ACKNOWLEDGE THESE LAST THREE TEACHER OF YEAR FINALISTS ON APRIL 17TH INTERNATIONAL HIGH COOL POETRY DAY.
WE WERE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE 2023 TEAM B C PS HIGH COOL CONTESTS.
NEARLY 2,200 ENTRIES WERE RECEIVED FROM 111 SCHOOL CENTERS AND PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM.
THIS YEAR'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WINNER IS ELIANA CUNNINGHAM, GRADE FIVE SPARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH HER TEACHER, UH, TALTON, UH, CORLIA J TALTON CLASSROOM TEACHER.
OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL WINNER IS GRAHAM TURK, GRADE SEVEN, DUNBAR DUNBARTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH THE TEACHER ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER CHRISTIE PLE.
THE HIGH SCHOOL WINNER IS PAGE MATHIAS, GRADE 11 EASTERN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL WITH A TEACHER, ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER BEING MORGAN PHILLIPS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS.
IN HONOR OF THE CLASS OF 2023.
BCPS IS PROFILING ONE SENIOR FROM EACH HIGH SCHOOL.
A NEW PROFILE WILL BE POSTED EACH DAY UNTIL MAY 19TH, THE LAST DAY FOR SENIORS.
WHAT'S THE LAST DAY OF FOR SENIORS ROWA MAY 19TH.
THESE PROFILE HIGHLIGHTS THE INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONAL STRENGTHS OF OUR SENIORS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2023.
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL INCLUDE A WELCOMING EVENT AND FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR FOR MULTILINGUAL STUDENTS AT NORTH NORTHWEST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOLS ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19TH FROM SIX TO 7:30 PM AT DEER PARK MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL, HOSTED BY THE BALTIMORE COUNTY COUNCIL PTA.
THIS EVENT IS ALSO SPONSORED BY THE BALTIMORE COUNTY EXECUTIVES OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT OUTREACH SERVICES.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NORTHWEST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SYSTEM-WIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED FOR STUDENTS ON FRIDAY, APRIL 21ST.
NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WEEK IS ON SUNDAY, BEGINNING SUNDAY, APRIL 23RD THROUGH SATURDAY, APRIL 29TH.
PRE-K CONFERENCE DAY, NO PRE-SCHOOL GRADE THREE, UH, NO PRESCHOOL AGE THREE OR PRE-K SESSIONS HELD ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26TH.
THE PTA COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY GENERAL MEETING IS THURSDAY, APRIL 27TH AT 7:00 PM NEXT SLIDE.
MINE OVER MATTERS KICKOFF EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY, APRIL 29TH FROM 10:00 AM TO 1:00 PM AT GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER CENTER FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY.
STUDENTS, PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS AND VISIT VENDORS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AND
[01:25:01]
SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION.TEAM B C P S IS COLLABORATIVELY WORKING TO ADDRESS THE, THE EFFECTS OF THE NATIONWIDE STAFFING SHORTAGE.
UPCOMING JOB FAIRS THIS MONTH ARE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE.
WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN B C P S.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE BOARD, OUR COMMUNITY, AND TEAM B P S.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
[H. CHAIR'S REPORT (7:55 - 8:00 p.m.)]
AGENDA IS CHAIR'S REPORT, WHICH I'M KEEPING BRIEF DUE TO OUR PACKED AGENDA.UM, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S PRESENTATION OF HIS FY 24 BUDGET.
IT WAS EXCITING TO SEE THE HISTORICAL FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE INCLUDED FOR BCP S I'D AGAIN LIKE TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF FOR ALL OF THE WORK ON THE BUDGET AND ALSO THANKS TO THE BOARD OF ED MEMBERS FOR THE WORK YOU DID TO LEARN AND STUDY THE BUDGET BEFORE APPROVING IT.
ON FEBRUARY 28TH LAST NIGHT, THERE WERE SEVERAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETINGS, UM, INCLUDING A COMBINED SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL AREA, UM, ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THE NORTHEAST HAD ONE AND THE SOUTHEAST HAD ONE AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
UM, SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE CHAIRS OF THOSE COMMITTEES FOR ORGANIZING THESE MEETINGS AND FOR THE STAFF THAT PRESENTED, I, ALONG WITH VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND MS. DOKI HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND.
THE COMBINED SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL MEETING WE'RE APPROXIMATELY FIVE OR SIX STUDENTS SPOKE ON THE TOPICS OF SAFETY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH.
IT WAS TRULY WONDERFUL TO HEAR THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS AT THIS MEETING.
THE POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THOSE THAT ATTENDED CLEARLY INDICATES THE NEED FOR STUDENTS VOICE TO BE INCLUDED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR IN EACH OF THE DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, THE BOARD IS MEETING WITH THE AREA ADVISORY COUNCILS NEXT WEEK, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I HOPE WE CAN BRING UP BECAUSE IT WAS, UM, CLEARLY A POSITIVE, UM, MEETING FOR US.
ALL THE UPDATE ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH, WHICH I USUALLY INCLUDE IN THE CHAIR'S REPORT, WILL CLEAR, WILL OCCUR LATER IN THE AGENDA WHEN REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SEARCH FIRM JOIN US.
SO THAT IS MY REPORT FOR TONIGHT, AND AT THIS TIME, IT
[I. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER'S REPORT (8:00 - 8:05 p.m.)]
IS NOW THE STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD REPORT.AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. HASSAN.
WILLIAMS FOR THE REMINDER THAT MY TIME AS A STUDENT IN B C P S ENDS IN A MONTH BEYOND UNREAL TO THINK ABOUT THE PAST 13 YEARS WITH THIS SYSTEM.
UM, BUT ON THAT NOTE, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
IT IS AS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE SHARING WITH YOU, MY STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD REPORT IN THE MONTH OF APRIL.
AND ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE REPRESENTING THE STUDENTS OF V C P S AS WE.
NEAR THE END OF MY TERM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SYSTEM FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND THE STRENGTH OF THEIR VOICES AS I CONTINUE TO REPRESENT THEIR VOICES.
I REMIND YOU THAT MY ROLE IS TO SERVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE TO OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO AS A CONDUIT BETWEEN THIS ROOM AND OUR LARGEST CONSTITUENCY.
MY VOICE IS ONE THAT AMPLIFIES THEIRS.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO GIVE AWARD WARM WELCOME TO OUR THREE NEW APPOINTED MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR COLLABORATION AND WATCHING YOU ALL DO SO MUCH GOOD FOR OUR SYSTEM THIS MONTH.
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE MONTH OF RAMADAN, WE PRACTICE PATIENCE, HUMILITY, AND EMPATHY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND LATER THIS WEEK, THE CELEBRATION OF FIFTH REPRESENTS MORE THAN FASTING.
THIS MONTH SIGNIFIES THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO HAVE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE ACCESS TO, BUT TO ALSO SEE THE GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND WORK TO FILL THOSE.
THIS MONTH SERVES AS A RECOMMITMENT, NOT ONLY TO SPIRITUALITY, BUT TO OURSELVES AND TO THOSE WE LOVE.
IF YOU'RE HERE IN THIS ROOM, IT IS BECAUSE YOU HOLD LOVE FOR OUR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND OUR SYSTEM.
I IMPLORE YOU TO PRACTICE EMPATHY THIS MONTH AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO BUILD OUR SYSTEM JUST AS IT HAS BUILT ALL OF YOUR COMMUNITIES.
JUST YESTERDAY I CONCLUDED MY OFFICIAL SMA SCHOOL VISITS WITH SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT I VISITED EVERY SINGLE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL IN THE COUNTY IN ADDITION TO VARIOUS ELEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS.
MY SCHOOL VISITS HAVE BEEN A MONUMENTAL PART OF MY TENURE AS I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY SEAT WITH STUDENTS, TO INTERACT WITH STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY, HEAR THEIR NEEDS WORK, TO BRAINSTORM SOLUTIONS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, AND CONNECT THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES OF OUR SYSTEM.
THESE STUDENTS HAVE TAUGHT ME AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY'S PASSIONS AND THE GAPS.
THESE STUDENTS HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING WITH YOU A FUTURE PRESENTATION POSSIBLY REGARDING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.
IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR NEW THIS YEAR'S STUDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR, MR. MAURICE OWENS AND OUR BILINGUAL SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, MRS. DAVINA HARDEN.
THESE TWO WONDERFUL PEOPLE HAVE SHOWED ME THAT HOME IS RIGHT HERE AND THAT OUR PEOPLE IS FAMILY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE WORK WITH THEM AS WE WORK TO GUARANTEE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY, CREATE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS AND DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO ADVOCATE FOR PROSPEROUS ENGAGEMENT FOR EVERY STUDENT IN B C P S BECAUSE OF THEIR UNIQUE PASSIONS, BACKGROUNDS,
[01:30:01]
INTERESTS, AND CHARACTER.THANK YOU BCPS FOR WELCOMING ME UNCONDITIONALLY INTO YOUR SCHOOLS, FOR YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT, YOUR KIND STAFF, AND YOUR COURAGEOUS AND BEYOND WONDERFUL STUDENTS.
AND I CANNOT THANK MR. OWENS AND MRS. HARDEN ENOUGH FOR TAGGING ALONG WITH ME THIS YEAR AND BEING A PART OF MY SPA FAMILY.
AS A LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR, I'M BEYOND HAPPY TO SAY THAT OUR 2023 SESSION HAS COME TO A CLOSE.
ON APRIL 10TH, 2023, THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY ADJOURNED SIGN DIME WITH MONUMENTAL LEGISLATION FOR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS. UNDER AGENDA ITEM S, YOU'LL SEE A SUMMARY OF KEY SCHOOL LEGISLATION, BUT A PERSONAL ENDEAVOR AND PRIDE OF MINE IS HOUSE BILL 1 75 REGARDING MY SUCCESSORS VOTING RIGHTS ON THE CAPITOL AND OPERATING BUDGETS.
HOUSE BILL 1 75 PASSED IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND IS HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.
THIS BILL IS TRULY THE WORK OF DELEGATE ERIC EBERSOL, MYSELF, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, MY PREDECESSORS.
TWO YEARS AGO, STUDENT MEMBER JOSH MOZA ASKED THAT STUDENT MEMBER OF VOTING RIGHTS BE HIS LEGACY.
ONE YEAR AGO I WORKED ALONGSIDE CHRISTIAN THOMAS TO GET THIS BILL TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, AND HE PASSED THE TORCH TO ME TO CONTINUE THE LEGISLATIVE WORK AND A ADVOCACY FOR NOT ONLY THE STUDENT VOICE BUT THE STUDENT VOTE.
IT IS AN HONOR TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS PROCESS AND TO ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE THAT IS LONG OVERDUE.
AS I CONCLUDE TONIGHT'S REMARKS, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL A TRADITION OF MINE AT EVERY BOARD MEETING.
I MUST ALWAYS QUOTE LATE CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS AND REMIND US ALL, LET'S GET IN GOOD TROUBLE.
[J. NEW BUSINESS - BOARD POLICIES (Ms. Pumphrey) (8:05 - 8:20 p.m.)]
AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON BOARD POLICIES.THIS IS THE FIRST READER FOR THESE POLICIES AND FOR THAT I CALL ON A MS. CHRISTINA HUMPHREY CHAIR OF THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE, ASK THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THIS REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING BOARD POLICIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M DOING THIS PROPERLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO REMOVE 63 0 1 63 0 1 FROM THIS CURRENT PART OF MY REPORT.
SO WE JUST NEED SOME GUIDANCE ON, UM, SEPARATING 63.
SO WE WILL, UM, VOTE ON THE, UH, THE OTHER ONES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE YES, PLEASE.
SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR BOARD POLICIES? OH 523 10 42 0 3.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? OH, NO SECOND IS NEEDED.
SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. TAKI? YES.
UM, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO, UM, YES.
EITHER A MOTION VOTE ON THAT SIX PENALTY 63 0 1 OR MOTION TO SEND IT BACK TO TODAY.
SO I WILL, MAY I MAKE THAT MOTION OR YES, GO AHEAD.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO, UM, REFER POLICY 63 0 1 BACK TO COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL THOUGH? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL QUICKLY JUST SPEAK TO MY MOTION.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, BASED UPON, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT THIS EVENING, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UH, REFER 60 ZERO AND BACK TO THE PRC COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. DOKI? UH, IS THIS, IS THIS A NEW BOARD POLICY? NO, THIS IS AN AMENDMENTS TO A CURRENT POLICY.
WERE THE, WAS THE WORDING THE SAME BEFORE? WAS THAT, WAS THE RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS ADDED WORDING WAS ADDED TO THE POLICY? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? OKAY.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL THOUGH, PLEASE? MS. DOKI? YES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR YOUR WORK MS. PALMY ON THAT COMMITTEE.
[K. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (8:20 - 8:25 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON MR. MEUSER.
UH, EARLIER TONIGHT THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION AND TOOK ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING CASE, E 23 DASH 20.
NOW WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO CONFIRM THE ACTION
[01:35:01]
PREVIOUSLY TAKEN ON THAT ITEM.AND JUST FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE NOTE ON YOUR WAY OUT THIS EVENING, THE ORDER WILL BE ON THE TABLE TO MY LEFT.
IF YOU COULD ALL SIGN THAT BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THIS EVENING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN AND CLOSED SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASE E 23 DASH 20 AND AUTHORIZED MS. GOVER TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND PUMP FREE.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
THE NEXT ITEM, I MEAN, THE NEXT ITEM
[L. NEW BUSINESS - CONTRACT AWARDS (Mr. Hartlove and Mr. Dixit) (8:25 - 8:40 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS CONTRACT AWARDS.AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. HARVEY, VICE CHAIR OF THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD'S BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MET ON MONDAY, APRIL 17TH, 2023.
ITEMS L DASH ONE THROUGH L DASH 16 ARE BEING FORWARDED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS L ONE THROUGH L 16.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE YOUR RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
I HAVE A, A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THE CONTRACTS, UM, TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HARDWARE.
UM, I THINK I BROUGHT THIS UP, UH, BEFORE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UH, BUDGET FOR TECHNOLOGY.
UH, AS FAR AS THE OVER, YOU KNOW, THE STUDENTS ON THEIR DEVICES SO MUCH IN SCHOOLS THESE DAYS AND BEING ABLE TO ACCESS SITES THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ACCESSING.
HOW ARE WE, ARE SOME OF THESE UPGRADES THAT YOU'RE, THAT THIS CONTRACT YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE MONEY WILL, IS IT GOING TOWARDS LOOKING INTO THOSE, UM, WHATEVER FIREWALLS IN THE SCHOOLS TO GET THE STUDENTS OFF THOSE SITES? SURE.
THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NETWORKING EQUIPMENT.
SO THIS IS FOR, UM, FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THE NETWORKING, UM, EQUIPMENT THAT'S GOING FOR THOSE IS GOING FOR REPLACING AGING EQUIPMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, VOICEOVER IP PHONES AND AND SO FORTH.
UM, THE, IT WAS WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, I THINK WE WROTE A RESPONSE.
SO THE, UM, IN TERMS OF FILTER CONT CONTENT FILTERING THAT IS AT THE DEVICE LEVEL.
AND WE DO HAVE TOOLS IN PLACE TO HELP WITH CONTENT FILTERING.
UM, AND WE'VE DONE SO FOR, UM, SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU HAD BROUGHT UP.
UH, THE OTHER ONE THAT WE WILL LOOK AT IS FOR THE FIREWALLS, CUZ WHAT THAT'LL ALLOW US TO ALSO DO SOME FILTERING OF, OF, OF INFORMATION.
UM, BUT THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS FOR THE NETWORKING HARD, THE HARDWARE FOR THE, UH, OUTFIT OF THE SCHOOLS AND FOR REPLACEMENT OF AGING EQUIPMENT.
I'M JUST CON UH, I I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WHEN I, UM, ON MY PHONE AND I TRY TO GET ON MY GMAIL ACCOUNT MM-HMM.
SO THERE'S NOT A A LIKE A SERVICE THAT YOU CAN INSTALL WHERE IF YOU'RE ON THE, YOU KNOW, B BP, BCP S'S OR THE STUDENT ACCESS INTERNET, I, THE, THE NETWORK AS A SERVICE.
I KNOW WE'RE, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO MM-HMM.
IS, IS THERE SOME, I I'M SO TECHNOLOGY, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR IS, BUT IS THERE SOMETHING WITH THAT TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN ADD TO THE, THE BCP S'S WIFI AND INTERNET ACCESS THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY, IF THE KIDS TRY TO TYPE IN A CERTAIN SITE, IT'LL WON'T LET 'EM GO, WHETHER, WHATEVER DEVICE THEY'RE ON.
SO ONE IS FOR EQUIPMENT THAT IS ISSUED BY BCPS TWO STUDENTS, THAT'S OUR EQUIPMENT.
UM, IF THEY'RE USING THEIR OWN, UM, DEVICES TO GET ON OUR NETWORK, THE TRAFFIC THAT DOES COME THROUGH IS MONITORED.
UM, BECAUSE PART OF THE, UM, AGREEMENT IS IF YOU'RE USING A DEVICE ON OUR NETWORK, IT'S, IT'S REGISTERED WITHIN THE NETWORK.
SO WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO START LOOKING AT THAT.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS FOR PARTICULAR SITES, UM, THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE IF YOU'RE GOING TO A PARTICULAR SITE, WE DO HAVE SITE CONTENT FILTERING.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT DEVICE YOU'RE USING, IT'S, THAT'S STILL GONNA BE BLOCKED.
[01:40:01]
BUT, UM, IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC, IF YOU WANT SPECIFIC INFORMATION, I THINK YOU HAVE, MAYBE WERE ASKING ABOUT A PARTICULAR SITE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL LIST THEM AND AS WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PARTICULAR SITES, WHETHER THEY'RE KNOWN TO BE, UH, SITES WHERE YOU CAN GO OUT INTO THE DARK WEB OR GO TO, UM, PULL INFORMATION, UM, WE'LL BLOCK THOSE SITES.
NOW THOSE CHANGE PERIODICALLY.
SO, WE'LL, I MEAN, IT'S A CONSTANT, UH, BATTLE FOR US TO IDENTIFY AND BLOCK THAT, UM, THOSE SITES AND THAT INFORMATION.
AND I, I THINK THIS WOULD ALSO GO MAYBE TO A POLICY CHANGE FOR BCPS AS FAR AS WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO USE THEIR SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICES ONLY DURING SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL TIME INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING FULL ACCESS DURING THE DAY, BRINGING THEM HOME.
I, I KNOW PARENTS ARE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THAT.
I'M, I'M NOT DIRECTING THIS AT YOU GUYS.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD SHOULD, SHOULD TRY DISCUSSING IN THE FUTURE.
OVER FOUR YEARS AGO, I BROUGHT UP THE SOFTWARE PIECE SIPHON, AND BACK IN THE DAY, THE TEENAGERS WERE USING THAT TO CIRCUMVENT THE FIREWALLS.
SO FOUR YEARS AGO, THE ANSWER WAS THAT, AND, AND YOU TOUCHED UPON IT, THAT THAT'S AN EVER-CHANGING THING, THAT ONCE WE GET A GRIP ON IT, IT'S BEING CHANGED AS WE'RE TRYING TO GET A GRIP ON IT, BUT THE TEENAGERS ARE STAYING IN TUNED TO WHAT IT IS THERE SO THAT THEY CAN DO THAT.
SO ARE, HAVE WE GOTTEN ANY BETTER AT THAT? UH, YES.
SO WE ARE, UM, IN, IN POST CYBER TECH, UM, WE, WE HAVE INVESTED IN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH ADDITION OF, UH, FIREWALLS TO PROTECT OUR NETWORK.
UM, WE ALSO GO THROUGH, YOU MAY BE AWARE, WE GO THROUGH PHISHING SIMULATIONS, UM, TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP SECURITY AWARENESS IN EVERYONE'S MINDS.
AND, UH, WHAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED NOW, UM, WITH THE, WITH THE FISHING SIMULATIONS, IF YOU, UM, CLICK ON THE BUTTON YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, WE'LL ALERT YOU AND WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING ABOVE AND BEYOND THE, THE ANNUAL SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING.
SO, UM, AND WE GET ALERTS FROM THE VARIOUS SECURITY ENTITIES, UM, GOVERNMENT AND OTHER SITES.
UH, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THE ALERTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE THREATS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND WE'RE, UM, HARDENING OUR SYSTEMS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GETTING.
AND NEW BOARD MEMBERS, THEY WILL SEND US THAT BAIT.
CAUSE I'VE BEEN CAUGHT A TIME OR TWO
UM, BUT STILL THE BEST DETERRENT IS ENGAGING INSTRUCTION.
I MEAN, OUR STUDENTS WILL ALWAYS BE ONE STEP AHEAD OF US.
I MEAN, TECHNOLOGY IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.
IF WE, WE WANT THEM OFF, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING THINGS THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING, IT'S TO ENGAGE THEM IN INSTRUCTION AND THAT THAT SHOULD BE OUR GOAL IS TO THE, TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING MORE ENTERTAINING THAN THE SITES THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM ON.
AND THAT'S REALLY FROM AN IT PERSPECTIVE, UM, WE CAN CHASE THIS ALL WE WANT WITH OUR P SAFE AND Q SAFE AND OUR SIPHON.
WE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, AND DR.
MCCOMBS HAS SPOKEN TO THIS, WHICH I APPRECIATE, UM, MAKE SURE THAT OUR INSTRUCTION IS ENGAGING AND WE KEEP THEM FOCUSED ON WHERE THEY NEED TO BE FOCUSED.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME AMAZING TEACHERS THAT ARE DOING JUST THAT AND THEY REPORT THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS AND, AND THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND I, I ALSO APPRECIATE THE CHALLENGES WITH STAYING ON TOP OF IT BECAUSE AS SOON AS WE DO, THERE'S SOMETHING NEW THAT, THAT WE'RE CHASING.
SO WE WERE, IT'S A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE THAT'S BEING WASTED IN THIS WORLD.
THE, THE AMOUNT OF SMARTS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE AND THEY'RE USING IT TO HACK INTO SYSTEMS. THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CONTRACTS? MS. HARVEY? UH, MADAME CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO A MOTION TO, UH, BRING L ONE THROUGH L SIX AND L NINE THROUGH L 16, SEPARATING OUT L SEVEN AND L EIGHT, UH, TO THE BOARD.
IS THERE A SECOND? NO SECOND NEEDED.
SO DO WE NEED A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS YOU JUST MADE THAT MOVE? L SEVEN L L SEVEN AND L EIGHT.
IS THE SECOND NEEDED FOR THIS ONE?
[01:45:01]
NO, NO SECOND IS NEEDED.ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL THOUGH, PLEASE? MR. MINOSKI? YES.
I GOTTA GET THROUGH THESE CONTRACTS.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T THINK WE VOTED ON L ONE THROUGH.
WE VOTED ON THE AMENDMENT TO SEPARATE, BUT WE DIDN'T VOTE ON THE MOTION TO PASS, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE DID THOUGH.
WELL, THE LAWYERS ARE TALKING.
I'LL, I'LL SIT BACK AFTER THE LAWYERS TALK.
SO WE NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE ON L ONE THROUGH SIX AND L NINE THROUGH 16.
THANKS FOR EVERYBODY'S PATIENCE ON THAT ONE.
[M. NEW BUSINESS - GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM CLOSURE (Dr. Yarbrough and Mr. Dixit) (8:40 - 8:55 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS REPORT ON THE GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM EN CLOSURE.AND MR. DIXON, AS THE TEAM IS COMING UP, I WANT TO CORRECT SOMETHING IN THE NOTES.
THE CHAMPIONS FOR CHILDREN PROGRAM BEGINS AT 4:00 PM NOT 4 45.
I HOPE THE NOTES CAN REFLECT THAT.
EVENING, CHAIR LECHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS. SPECIAL WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MS. BOOKER DWYER, MR. YOUNG AND MS. FEM PONK.
THIS EVENING I'M JOINED BY MR. PETE DIXON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND MR. PAUL TAYLOR, DIRECTOR FOR OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.
THIS EVENING, WE'RE HERE TO PRESENT THE FORMAL RECOMMENDATION FOR PROGRAM CLOSURE OF GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AS A FOLLOW UP TO THE 2020 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, C I P, THE TEAM WILL REVIEW THE CLOSURE PROCESS, NEXT STEPS FOR REPURPOSING AND OUR TIMELINE.
AT THIS TIME, I TURN IT OVER TO MR. DIXON.
GOOD EVENING, UH, CHAIR VICTOR WEISS, CHAIR HARVEY, DR.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MEMBER.
LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
ARBOR INDICATED, THE SCHOOL PROCESS IS GUIDED BY BOARD POLICY AND SUPERINTENDENT'S RULES.
THE DECISION TO DISCONTINUE USE OF THE GOLDEN RING BUILDING AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS MADE AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 22 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
AND THAT WAS TO SUPPORT THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE FUTURE USE OF THE BUILDING, THE EXISTING BUILDING OF GOLDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED, AND THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PROCESS.
[01:50:01]
THE FACILITY TO MEET BCPS DEMANDS FOR ADDITIONAL SPACE.THE PROCESS FOR REPURPOSING THE BUILDING INCLUDES, UH, DEVELOPING A SCOPE OF WORK, DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTION FOR WHATEVER NEED.
THAT BUILDING IS GOING TO BE, UH, REPURPOSED FOR IDENTIFYING FUNDING AND THEN GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT COULD TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 12 TO 18 MONTHS.
UM, THE PROGRAM CLOSURE TIMELINE, UH, FOR THE GOLDEN RING MILL TODAY, WE ARE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU, TO THE BOARD ON MAY 3RD, UH, BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 16TH.
BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, WILL BE, UH, MAKING THE FINAL DECISION.
WITH THAT, WE ARE OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? UM, MS. HUMPHREY, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION.
IS THAT APPROPRIATE NOW? YEAH, THE COMMUNICATION IS SEPARATE ATTACHMENT FOR COMMUNICATION.
I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT LIST.
SO THE COMMUNICATION WILL BE DONE CONSISTENT WITH WHATEVER IS REQUIRED IN THE BOARD POLICY? YES.
SO, UM, IT SAYS SUPERINTENDENT RULE 76 10, AND IT SAYS AT MINIMUM WITH THE FOLLOWING LIST.
SO MY QUESTION IS, COULD WE, UNDER NUMBER FOUR, A, COMMUNITIES IN ATTENDANCE AREA OF SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND, UH, CLOSINGS AND RECEIVING, COULD WE ADD THAT GROUP ALSO TO NUMBER THREE FOR THE BOARD PUBLIC HEARING? DO YOU SEE? OR IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH DOING THAT? YES.
MR. PETE, ON ITEM M THERE'S TWO ATTACHMENTS ON WHAT I'M LOOKING AT, AND THE TOP ONE SAYS THREE FACILITIES, C A B 4 11, 23, GOLDEN RING, MIDDLE SCHOOL CLOSURE.
THAT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE DETAIL THAN WHAT YOU'RE SHARED, WHAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH US.
THAT WAS ONLY FOUR PAGES, I THINK.
IS THERE A REASON YOU'RE NOT GOING INTO THE DETAIL? I'M TRYING TO FIND THE QUESTION WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION, PREPARED PRESENTATION FOR YOU WHAT DOCUMENT YOU ARE REFERRING TO.
WELL, UNDER ITEM M ON MY SCREEN, THERE'S TWO ATTACHMENTS.
THERE'S THE ONE THAT YOU WENT OVER IS THE BOTTOM ATTACHMENT, AND THEN THERE'S A TOP ATTACHMENT THAT SAYS THREE FACILITIES.
AND I STUDIED THAT IN BETWEEN THE MEETINGS.
AND IT'S DATED, IT'S A DRAFT, IT'S DATED APRIL 11TH, UH, GOLD, IT'S TITLED GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM CLOSURE PROPOSAL.
IT GOES INTO, TO RE REAL DETAIL, IT'S 16 PAGES.
SO AS PART OF THE POLICY, THAT PROPOSAL IS, UH, PREPARED AND IS SHARED WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT BASED ON THAT PROPOSAL, IS WHAT WE ARE DOING CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY TODAY.
BUT IT'S, THERE'S A REASON THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, IT TALKS ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION, THE NOTICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSAL, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD, THE NOTICE OF THE BOARD PUBLIC HEARING.
THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL IN THAT.
AND THOSE DETAILS HAVE COME FROM THE BOARD POLICY.
SO THEY HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THAT.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE PUBLIC COULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM SAYING THAT.
SO, SO THE BOARD POLICIES ON OUR WEBSITE, SO IF THERE'S ANY DETAIL NEEDED BY THE PUBLIC, IT'S ON THE BCPS WEBSITE.
AND, AND SOMETHING I'VE GOTTA GRIPE WITH IS THE TIMING OF THIS.
AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 20 OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, TO GET THE FUNDING FOR THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL GOLDEN RING WAS, WAS THE TALK WAS WE'RE GONNA CLOSE GOLDEN RING AND THOSE SEATS WERE GOING TO OR ARE, ARE GONNA HELP TOWARD THE FUNDING OF THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THEN WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WHEN THE NORTHEAST BOUNDARY STUDY COMES OUT, THEN PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR THEY'RE GONNA REPURPOSE GOLDEN RING.
AND I JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, WHY WASN'T THAT TALKED ABOUT BACK A WHILE AGO? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SO I WENT AROUND AND I'M, I'M GONNA BE HONEST, I ASKED SEVERAL DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHY WASN'T THAT DISCUSSED? AND SOMEBODY SAID TO ME, MR. MCMILLAN, IT WAS AN ELECTION YEAR LAST YEAR, AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT CONTROVERSIAL DURING THE ELECTION PROCESS BECAUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A STAND ON IT.
PEOPLE THERE ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, AND THEN THERE WAS, AND, AND THEN BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING A STAND ON SOMETHING, OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING TO QUESTION THEIR STANCE.
SO I JUST, I DON'T LIKE THE TIMING OF THIS, I JUST DON'T LIKE THE TIMING.
[01:55:02]
THANK YOU.OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MS. HEN? THANK YOU.
UM, I SHARE MR. MCMILLAN'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE DETAILS NOT BEING PUBLICIZED AND IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT THE BOARD HAS AROUND THE CLOSURE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN 2017, AUGUST 22ND TO BE PRECISE, THAT GOLD, THAT THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD BECOME THE NEW HOME FOR GOLDEN RING MIDDLE, IT WAS ANNOUNCED, AND THEN FUNDING WAS PLACED ON HOLD WHEN THE BUILT TO LEARN ACT, UM, WAS NOT PASSED FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
SO I THINK THAT LED TO SOME CONFUSION BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WAS EXPECTING THE SCHOOL TO CLOSE AT THAT POINT.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW, UM, NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS DELAYED.
SO THE COMMUNICATION DID NOT MOVE FORWARD AT THAT POINT.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE POLICY NOW AND IT STATES THAT AT MINIMUM, WHICH MS. HUMPHREY REFERENCED THAT THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD RECEIVE THAT COMMUNICATION.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY FAMILIES WHO HAVE SINS, UM, RISEN TO, TO BECOME GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILIES WHO WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, EITHER PAYING ATTENTION OR WEREN'T IN THE SYSTEM, WEREN'T THINKING ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT MANY YEARS AGO, WHO ARE NOW HEARING ABOUT THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.
THEY HEARD ABOUT IT THROUGH THE BOUNDARY PROCESS FOR THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THEY'RE JUST HEARING, YOU KNOW, LEARNING ABOUT IT NOW.
AND OUR POLICY DOESN'T REFLECT THAT THEY WOULD'VE RECEIVED A COMMUNICATION AT ALL.
SO IT, IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE A GAP ONE IN OUR POLICY THAT IS REFLECTING OUR COMMUNICATION PRACTICES.
SO I'M WONDERING HOW WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT.
I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SEND THIS POLICY BACK TO COMMITTEE TO REVISIT THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A CLEAR NEED, BUT ALSO WANNA UNDERSTAND WHERE THE BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION WAS, WHAT OUR PLANS ARE FOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE ELEMENTARY FEEDER SCHOOLS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE, IF WE DIDN'T GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, WE SURE AS HECK NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS ON THE SAME PAGE NOW AND UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S GOING ON.
BECAUSE IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THOSE FAMILIES WERE NOT, MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE BOUNDARY STUDY PROCESS AND NOT REALIZING THAT GOLDEN RING MIDDLE WAS GOING TO BE REPURPOSED BECAUSE THEY, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN.
MR. DIXIE, CAN YOU ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE POINTS? SO I'M JUST GONNA MAKE GENERAL COMMENTS BECAUSE THERE'S SOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ADVOCACY OF SOME OF THE OLDER BOARD MEMBERS TO, TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR, UH, NEW SEATS.
UH, AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT.
SO, SO THERE WAS EXTENSIVE CONVERSATION DURING BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SEATS.
THE SECOND THING WAS WHENEVER WE SUBMITTED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THE NEW SCHOOL WAS INCLUDED AND GOLDEN RING WAS PART OF THAT JUSTIFICATION.
SO WHENEVER WE CREATE, WHEN, WHENEVER WE DESIGN AND BUILD A NEW SCHOOL, WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE EXISTING STUDENTS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND ADDITIONAL STUDENTS, IN THIS CASE, ADDITIONAL SEATS THAT ARE NEEDED IN THAT AREA.
AND MY I PASS ADDED ANOTHER DIMENSION TO THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.
SO THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF MY I PASS, IT WAS VERY CLEAR AS TO WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THIS SCHOOL AND WE AND OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE PART OF THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
SO THERE WAS NEVER IN OUR MIND ANY, ANY GAP IN COMMUNICATION.
AND AS THE PRESENTATION SH IS SHARED WITH YOU, WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE BOARD POLICY.
SO THAT'S THE GENERAL COMMENTS THAT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE.
SO THANK, THANK YOU MR. DIXON.
AND IN RESPONSE TO MY IPAS, I TO SAY THAT THE, UM, AVERAGE COMMUNITY MEMBER IS FAMILIAR WITH THE INS AND OUTS OF MY IPAS.
I KNOW MEMBERS THAT SERVED ON THE MY IPAS TASK FORCES WHO WEREN'T AWARE OF THE PLANS.
I'VE ASKED FOR THE PLANS FOR, UM, GOLDEN RING MIDDLE.
YARBOROUGH WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THAT.
MY CONCERN IS MS. PORES AND MR. MCMILLANS, HIS COMMUNICATION.
UM, SO I HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK AND APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THAT.
AND SO WITH RESPECT SPECIFICALLY TO SHARING THIS DOCUMENT WITH DR.
WILLIAMS PERMISSION, UH, WE WILL REVIEW IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
BEYOND THAT, UM, YOU'VE MADE SOME COM, UH, COMMENTS AROUND BROAD COMMUNICATION BEYOND THE STUDENTS THAT CURRENTLY, OR THOSE FAMILIES THAT CURRENTLY GO TO GOLDEN RING, ANYBODY THAT MIGHT BE IMPACTED NOW THAT PERHAPS WAS NOT IMPACTED IN 2017 OR LIFE HAPPENED WITH THE GAPS THAT PREVENTED THEM FROM FOLLOWING THIS ALONG.
AND SO THAT, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT.
AND WHAT WE CAN DO IS WORK NOT ONLY WITH THE PRINCIPAL OF GOLD AND RING MS. MALL, WE CAN ALSO WORK WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO FIND OUT WHICH FAMILIES, UH, MIGHT BE IMPACTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE RECEIVED
[02:00:01]
THE COMMUNICATION.SO I KNOW THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL IS NEVER EASY.
AND, AND I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS GOLDEN RING WAS A SCHOOL THAT I WENT TO FOR THREE YEARS AND GOT A WONDERFUL MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION THERE.
UM, AND SO, SO TO HAVE MY FIRST BOARD MEETING AND THIS BE ON THE AGENDA, IT WAS LIKE, OH, THAT BREAKS MY HEART.
BUT, UM, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO, TO CLOSE SCHOOLS AND I DO, UM, UNDERSTAND HOW HARD THE COMMUNITY COULD TAKE IT.
AND SO WHEN I LISTEN TO, UM, THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UH, TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION FED IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN THE COMMUNITY HERE THAT A SCHOOL IS CLOSING, IT'S ALWAYS LOOKED AT AS NEGATIVE.
AND SO I REALLY DO THINK WE NEED TO GET IN FRONT OF THIS AND, UM, AND TAKE THAT COMMUNICATION VERY SERIOUSLY AND LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL AROUND THE CAPACITY AND THAT IT COULD CREATE BETTER OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS.
SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAS DONE, UM, IN THIS.
AND AND I DO THINK THAT, UM, THAT THE COMMUNICATION COULD BE STRENGTHENED AND ESPECIALLY WITH HOW WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT STUDENTS IN THAT TRANSITION.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS A TOUGH TIME AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO A SCHOOL, UM, THAT CAN DEFINITELY BE TOUGH.
MS. HUMPHREY, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT JUST QUICKLY ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION? I'M NOT, I, I THINK THE, MY OPINION, THE ISSUE HERE WAS JUST THE TIMEFRAME AND THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THIS, UM, IT TOOK FOR THIS ALL TO KIND OF GO DOWN THE LINE UP UNTIL THE NORTHEAST BOUNDARY STUDY.
AND I THINK BETWEEN THAT TIME PERIOD, THERE DEFINITELY WAS A GAP IN COMMUNICATION SIMILARLY BECAUSE OF THAT TIMEFRAME.
SO IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE JUST NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF AND THINK OF IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE ARE, UM, DOING THE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S NECESSARILY A POLICY CHANGE, BUT WE HAVE TO, UM, ADD LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME TO BE SURE THAT STUDENTS WHO MAYBE WEREN'T THOUGHT ABOUT YEARS AGO, WE NOW KNOW THEIR FAMILIES ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNICATION.
I WANNA THANK THE BOARD FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT THAT EVERY YEAR WE CLOSED SCHOOLS AND AS YOU SAID, THIS IS, UM, THE COMMUNICATION, SOME OF THAT COMMUNICATION WAS PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL AND SOME DECISIONS WERE MADE AND SOME DECISIONS WEREN'T MADE.
SO, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER PART OF THE PUZZLE IN TERMS OF OPENING A BRAND NEW SCHOOL AND THAT ASPECT AND THAT WORK.
SO ALMOST LIKE TWO DIFFERENT TRACKS.
SO WE APPRECIATE THIS FEEDBACK.
DEFINITELY WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FAMILIES KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING.
MORE IMPORTANT, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE IMPACTED KNOW THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED.
THEY MAY BE GOING TO A BRAND NEW SCHOOL, THEY WILL FEEL WELCOME.
THAT'S THE WORK OF OUR STAFF AND OUR LEADERS OF THE BUILDING.
SO I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT.
MS. PROFY, IT MAY NOT BE ABOUT JUST THE COMMUNICATION, BUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
MR. MCMILLAN, MS. BOOKER, DO DWYER AND MS. HEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.
YARO SAID, THE DOCUMENT, IT SAYS DRAFT FOR US TO JUST LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T DO THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD THING OR NOT SO GOOD THING, BUT WE'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD SO THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE THE INFORMATION.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS.
WILLIAMS. MS. DEBOWSKI, I'LL JUST BE REALLY QUICK CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GONE OVER THIS SEVERAL TIMES.
UM, AS FAR AS THE NORTHEAST AND CENTRAL BOUNDARY SURVEY AND WHERE THIS CAME INTO PLAY, UM, A LOT OF PARENTS IN THE CENTRAL AREA WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE THAT THEY WERE BEING INCLUDED IN THIS NORTHEAST SCHOOL, THE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE GOLDEN RING CLOSING.
AND I, IT GOES WITH MS. HEN SAID AT POLICY CHANGE AS FAR AS INCLUDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, UM, FEEDER SCHOOLS, CUZ UM, PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION, I MEAN IN ELEMENTARY IT DIDN'T GO OUT TO THEM.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT WHERE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL IS, WAS CHANGING.
UM, ESPECIALLY IN THAT SMALL AREA OF THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM CUZ I LIVE THERE.
SO I UNDERSTAND IT AND UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND RIGHTFULLY SO.
BUT ALSO IF THE COMMUNICATION HAD BEEN BETTER TO THEM, I DON'T THINK, I THINK IT WOULD'VE GONE A LOT SMOOTHER AND, UM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD AS MANY PEOPLE HERE TALKING AS WE DID A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
SO I AGREE WITH MS THAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THESE STUDIES.
SO WHEN ARE WE GONNA FIND OUT WHAT'S GONNA BE DONE WITH THE BUILDING? BECAUSE THAT IS A, A COST, SO WE'LL HAVE A BUILDING THAT'S SITTING EMPTY.
UM, AND SO WHEN WILL THE WORK TO START TO IDENTIFY WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THAT BUILDING, UM, BEGIN OR HAS IT STARTED? SO AT THIS TIME, OUR FOCUS IS COMPLETING THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND, UM, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY CONVERSATION, SERIOUS CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE COUNTY, UH, ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE BUILDING.
BUT WE'LL DEFINITELY KEEP BOARD POSTED ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING THERE.
[02:05:01]
AND SO THEN, SO JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WHENEVER YOU COME TO THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT THAT PART.JUST WHAT WILL BE THE FISCAL IMPACT OF HAVING THAT EMPTY BUILDING THAT WOULD, THAT THE COUNTY HAS TO PAY FOR.
UM, AND SO I, SO THE SOONER WE CAN START THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THAT BUILDING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UM, THAT WILL BE HELPFUL.
WE, I WILL SHARE YOUR CONCERN.
I WILL JUST SAY ABSOLUTELY AND KEEP IN MIND THE TIMEFRAME THAT YOU ALL HAVE A BIG DECISION TO MAKE NEXT MONTH.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND, UM, WE ARE STILL DISCUSSING WHETHER THAT SHOULD HAPPEN UNDER THIS CURRENT LEADERSHIP OR THE NEW LEADERSHIP.
AGAIN, IT'S 12 TO 18 MONTHS IN TERMS OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
WE WILL NEVER ALLOW A BUILDING THAT WE OWN TO BE IDLE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF NEEDS OUT THERE, A LOT OF CREATIVE IDEAS OUT THERE.
YOU ALL HAVE OPTIONS AS A BOARD AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, JUST THINK ABOUT THE TIMING OF WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MONTH.
I CAN PROVIDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, BUT EVENTUALLY SOMEONE ELSE WILL BE MAKING THAT DECISION.
BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSITIVE IN THIS, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE A NEW SCHOOL OPENING.
AND IT'S YES, IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING RIGHT? AND IF YOU VISIT GOLDEN RING AND IT'S, IT'S SO AMAZING FOR THE NORTHEAST AND, AND I'M JUST SO THRILLED.
SO MR. DIXON, THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE ADDITIONAL SEATS, THE CAPACITY.
YOU AND I BOTH KNOW HOW LONG THIS, THE COMMUNITY HAS AWAITED THIS SCHOOL.
SO THANKS, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE EXTRA, EXTRA TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE.
AND I DIDN'T MENTION YOUR NAME, BUT YOU ARE THE PERSON WHO DID THE ADVOCACY AND I WANTED NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO KNOW THAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[N. NEW BUSINESS - PROPOSED BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2023-2024 (Ms. Lichter) (8:55 - 9:10 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2023 TO 2024.PURSUANT TO THE BOARD POLICY 83 11 EACH APRIL, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL ADOPT A SCHEDULE OF ITS REGULAR MEETINGS FOR THE SUCCEEDING SCHOOL YEAR.
THE ATTACHED DATES AND TIMES ARE FOR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS, WORK SESSIONS, AND PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE 2324 SCHOOL YEAR.
ALL REGULARLY SCHEDULED OPEN MEETINGS WILL BEGIN AT 6:30 PM AT THE GREENWOOD CAMPUS BUILDING EE.
THE PROPOSED MEETING SCHEDULE WAS PROVIDED TO BOARD MEMBERS FOR REVIEW.
MAY I HAVE A, A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE FOR 2023.
2024 AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT N.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
[O. NEW BUSINESS - FY2023 BUDGET APPROPRIATION TRANSFER (Mr. Hartlove) (9:10 - 9:25 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSED FY 2023 BUDGET APPROPRIATION TRANSFER.AND FOR THAT I CALL MR. HARLO.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR LECHTER, UH, VICE CHAIR HARVEY.
UH, TONIGHT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD THE ANNUAL BUDGET APPROPRIATION TRANSFER.
UH, UH, SEATED BY INTO MY RIGHT, MY RIGHT HAND MAN AS YOU WOULD SAY IS MR. WHIT THE DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND REPORTING.
AND HE WILL GO THROUGH, UH, GIVE IT A LITTLE OVERVIEW OF THE, OF THE, UH, BUDGET APPROPRIATION TRANSFER.
IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU'LL FIND A BUDGET APPROPRIATION TRANSFER, WHAT WE CALL A BAT REQUEST.
THE BCPS BUDGET CONSISTS OF 13 SEPARATE APPROPRIATIONS BY ACTIVITIES PRESCRIBED BY THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
TRANSFERS OF FUNDS BETWEEN ACTIVITIES REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM THE BOARD OF ED AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL BASED ON CLOSE MONITORING OF EXPENDITURES THROUGH THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF FY 23.
OUR CURRENT FULL YEAR EXPENSE PROJECTIONS SHOW AN OVERALL SURPLUS, BUT WITH SHORTFALL AND SOME ACTIVITIES AND SURPLUSES AND OTHERS BECAUSE BCPS CARRIES NO CONTINGENCY BUDGET, THE ONLY WAY TO MANAGE UNANTICIPATED EXPENSES DURING THE YEAR IS VIA AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET.
WE'LL FINISH THE YEAR APPROXIMATELY 35 MILLION UNDER BUDGET EACH QUARTER.
ALL BUDGET LINE TRANSFERS THAT MAKE UP THIS BAT WERE REVIEWED WITH THE BUDGET COMMITTEE TO ADDRESS CONCERNS PREVIOUSLY RAISED IN THE EFFICIENCY STUDY.
WE ALSO REVIEWED THE BAT ITSELF AT BUDGET COMMITTEE LAST WEEK.
ADDITIONALLY, THE BACK CONTAINS, UH, TWO REQUESTS THAT ARE CONTINGENT ON BOARD BAT
[02:10:01]
APPROVAL TO MAKE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THESE PURCHASES.INCLUDED IS $800,000 TO PURCHASE SPARE STUDENT CHROMEBOOKS AND $767,000 TO COVER THE SECOND YEAR LEASE FOR DISPLAY PANELS.
UH, WHOSE CONTRACT THE BOARD APPROVED LAST YEAR.
AVAILABLE FUNDS OF 33.7 MILLION ARE COMING FROM ACTIVITY THREE INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES DUE TO SALARY SAVINGS DUE TO VACANCIES IN A CHALLENGING HIGHER ENVIRONMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, 22.8 MILLION IN ACTIVITY THREE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED IN SUBSTITUTE SALARIES NOW NEEDS TO BE MOVED TO THE KELLY SERVICES SUBSTITUTE CONTRACT, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED IN FY 20 23, 4 0.4 MILLIONS COMING FROM MID-LEVEL ADMINISTRATION DUE TO VACANCIES AND A CHALLENGING HIRING ENVIRONMENT.
A REQUESTED TRANSFER OF 40 MIL 4 MILLION INTO ACTIVITY FOUR INSTRUCTIONAL TEXTBOOKS AND SUPPLIES WILL PROVIDE FUNDS REQUIRED FOR THE PURCHASE OF SOCIAL STUDIES TEXTBOOKS.
414,000 FURNITURE AND SUPPLIES FOR EXPANSION OF PRE-KINDERGARTEN 959,000 SPARE CHROMEBOOKS FOR STUDENTS.
$800,000 AND PRINCIPALS REALLOCATION OF BUDGET TO SCHOOL LEVEL OF 1.8 MILLION.
A TRANSFER OF 23.6 MILLION INTO ACTIVITY FIVE WILL MAINLY COVER 22.8 MILLION FOR THE KELLY SUBSTITUTE CONTRACT.
SUBSTITUTES HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY PLANNED IN SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES B ARE PAID FOR ON A CONTRACT IN FY 2023.
THE TRANSFER ALSO COVER YEAR TWO OF A SIX YEAR, UM, LEASE FOR DISPLAY PANEL SEVEN 67,000 AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
AND A TRANSFER OF 2.5 MILLION INTO ACTIVITY SIX.
SPECIAL ED WILL COVER INCREASED COSTS FOR NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENTS.
A TRANSFER OF 5 MILLION INTO ACTIVITY 11.
MAINTENANCE OF PLANT WILL PROVIDE FUNDS REQUIRED FOR MAINTENANCE SERVICE CONTRACTS CAUSED BY EXCESS VACANCIES AND FACILITIES OF 4.5 MILLION AND CONSTRUCTION OF A DANCE STUDIO AT DEEP CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL OF $500,000.
A TRANSFER OF 3 MILLION INTO ACTIVITY 12 FIXED CHARGES WILL COVER THE UNPLANNED INCREASE IN STATE RETIREMENT COSTS.
WILL NOW TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION THAT I DIDN'T ASK IN BUDGET COMMITTEE.
UM, WILL THE TRANSFER FOR THE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL CHROMEBOOKS COVER ALL OUTSTANDING REQUESTS, UM, FOR INVENTORY OF CHROMEBOOKS AS WELL AS SUFFICIENT ALLOTMENT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR? IS THAT, DO WE HAVE, CAN MR. AUGUSTO ADDRESS THAT? SURE.
THE ADDITIONAL CHROME OF 800,000, UM, IN THE BAT WE'LL COVER AN ADDITIONAL 2,400 OR 2,500 CHROMEBOOKS.
WE HAVE 2,500 RIGHT NOW, UM, IN INVENTORY.
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER 14,500 THAT ARE COMING IN.
THE FIRST OF THOSE SHIPMENTS IS STARTING THIS WEEK.
SO, UH, THAT'S GONNA COVER THE OUTSTANDING REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT WE WILL BE MONITORING VERY CLOSELY ANY SWAP POOL REQUESTS THAT COME FROM NOW THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO THIS SHOULD BE ADEQUATE FROM NOW.
YEAH, FOR, FOR THE, FOR ANY OF THE OPEN REQUESTS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW FOR THE OPEN REQUEST MM-HMM.
SO WILL THIS BE ADEQUATE? THIS IS GOING TO, THIS SHOULD COVER US THROUGH THE YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA BE MONITORING IT NOW, IN ADDITION TO LOOKING AT THE, UM, OR PURCHASING ADDITIONAL INVENTORY, WE ARE LOOKING AT WAYS TO MINIMIZE BREAKAGE RATE, WHICH IS WHAT'S CAUSING PROBLEM.
SO FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, ANY OF THE SHIPMENTS THAT COME IN THE CHROMEBOOKS ARE GONNA COME WITH THE HARDCOVER SHELF.
THAT SHOULD BRING DOWN OUR BREAKAGE RATE.
SO WE'RE SYSTEMATICALLY LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE, UM, THE LONGEVITY OF THOSE CHROME CHROMEBOOK DEVICES.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT WAYS TO, UM, BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING THE EQUIPMENT AT THE SCHOOL HOUSES AS WELL.
ARE WE DOING ANY TYPE OF CAMPAIGN, COMMUNICATION CAMPAIGN OR EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS ON BEST PRACTICES FOR MAINTAINING THE DEVICE OR, UM, BREAKAGE? DETERRENCE? YEAH.
SO, UH, WHAT I, SO IN ADDITION TO THE HARD COVER SHELL THAT I MENTIONED, UM, THIS WEEK WE INITIATED OUR, WE KICKED OFF A, A TRUE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF BRINGING DOWN THE BREAKAGE RATE.
SO PART OF THAT'S GONNA INCLUDE COMMUNICATIONS, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING IT AS A VERY SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURED PROJECT TO, WITH AN OUTCOME OF, OF DECREASING OUR BREAKAGE
[02:15:01]
RATE.JUST WANNA MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED, ESPECIALLY WITH TESTING AND REQUIRING TO USE THE DEVICES.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST THANK THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF IN IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
THESE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS HAPPEN IN DECEMBER AS WE WERE PREPARING FOR THE UPCOMING ASSESSMENT WINDOW.
AND THAT'S WHAT, UM, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR PRINCIPALS WORKING WITH OUR CHIEF, WORKING WITH OUR DEPUTY TO GIVE US THAT INFORMATION AND ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, MRO AND HIS TEAM BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, WE WERE PREPARING FOR SECOND SEMESTER AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY HAPPEN WITH THESE DEVICES.
BUT AS MRO SHARED, THERE'S SOME NEXT STEPS AND SOME UPGRADES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE LONGEVITY OF THOSE DEVICES.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE BAT? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED FY 2023 BUDGET APPROPRIATION TRANSFER AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT O? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND PALM FREE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS UN THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.
[P. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - BOARD POLICIES (Ms. Pumphrey) (9:25 - 9:35 p.m.)]
IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF BOARD POLICIES.AND FOR THAT I AGAIN CALL ON POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE CHAIR MS. HUMPHREY.
THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE ASKS THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING BOARD POLICIES.
POLICY 31 28 NON-INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES BOARD AND VEHICLES POLICY 31 70 NONS INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT RENAMED FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT POLICY 40 0 5 PERSONNEL, GENERAL TUTORING, EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND POLICY 52 30 STUDENTS PROMOTION AND RETENTION STUDENT RECORDS.
THIS RECOMMENDATION IS PRESENTED TO YOU ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS EXHIBIT P.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE? SO MOVED.
SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
LET ME SCROLL THROUGH THE, OOPS, THERE WE ARE.
[Q. REPORT - SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH (Ms. Lichter, Dr. Grover, and Dr. Sclair-Stein) (9:35 - 9:55 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS REPORT ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK.JUDY SINCLAIR STEIN, THEY ARE VIRTUAL, CORRECT? THEY ARE.
YES, WE ARE QUITE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, SO THAT IS WHY THEY ARE NOT, THEY'RE SIGNING IN RIGHT NOW.
SO WE CAN TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO.
THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE COMMUNITY SESSIONS, THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE FOCUS GROUPS, AND THOSE WHO SENT IN THE, COMPLETED THE SURVEY AND SENT IT IN THAT INFORMATION, THERE WAS A LOT OF RESPONSES FOR THE SEARCH FIRM TO GO THROUGH.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MS. GROVER FOR ALL HER WORK ON HELPING US SET UP ALL OF THOSE, UM, DIFFERENT VENUES AND OTHER LOGISTICS.
SO NOW AT THIS POINT, UM, I WILL CALL ON DR.
SINCLAIR STEIN TO, UM, FOR THE PRESENTATION ON THE FEEDBACK.
UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR.
AND I DO ALSO, UH, THIS IS DR.
BEFORE I GET STARTED WITH THE OFFICIAL REPORTS.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, TRACY FOR ALL OF HER SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
UH, SHE DEFINITELY WAS THE GLUE, UH, TO HELPING KEEP EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND ALL OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS OUT AT THE CAMPUSES, THE PRINCIPALS, THE SUPPORT STAFF, THE FACILITIES FOLKS, UH, THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM.
UM, EVERYONE WAS JUST MARVELOUS, UM, IN MAKING THIS A SUCCESS FOR US AND JUST IN ADVANCE, THANKING SO MANY, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, PEOPLE FROM ACROSS YOUR COUNTY THAT CAME OUT, UH, TO PROVIDE VOICE AND INSIGHT TO THE PROCESS.
[02:20:01]
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, AND WE ARE ELATED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO PRESENT THE STAKE, THE FINDINGS FROM THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PHASE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AS YOU KNOW, CONTRACTED WITH MCPHERSON AND JACOBSON, SO WE ARE REPRESENTING THE FIRM TONIGHT TO LEAD THE SEARCH.
ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL PARTS OF THE PROCESS IS ALLOWING FOR AUTHENTIC FEEDBACK FROM A DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS.
DURING OUR FOUR DAYS OF THIS PHASE, WHEN WE WERE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, WE HOSTED A NUMBER OF SESSIONS TO HEAR INPUT FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR PARTNERING WITH US AND CREATING SUCH AN INCLUSIVE AND INTENTIONAL PROCESS.
I THINK YOU ALL TRY TO THINK OF EVERY CORNER OF THE COMMUNITY, THE DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, UM, THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED.
UM, JUST SO MUCH INTENTIONALITY, AND WE JUST APPRECIATE HOW YOU PROVIDED, UH, ACCESS TO US FROM THE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
THROUGHOUT OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, WE UTILIZE FOUR QUESTIONS, AND THESE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN TRIED AND TRUE, UH, FOR THE MCPHERSON AND JACOBSON TEAM.
AND THROUGHOUT THE QUESTIONING, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO HEAR SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY.
UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE NOT ONLY DO THEY SERVE WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY ALSO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTEERISM, AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY, UH, THE DIFFERENT AMENITIES AS WELL AS MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS.
WE ALSO LIKE TO GAUGE, UM, THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITHIN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN BUILD UPON, UH, A LOT OF PRIDE AND TRADITION, UM, TO HONOR.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
WE ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT A NEW SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHEN THEY COME, SO THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE LAST QUESTION.
IT REALLY POINTS TO THE SKILLS, QUALITIES, AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT THE COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS THEY FEEL ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THIS REALLY IS HELPFUL, UH, THROUGHOUT THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, WE CAN POINT BACK TO WHAT WAS SHARED TO, UH, THAT WAS SHARED WITH US FROM YOUR STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN ORDER TO FIND THAT FIT FACTOR.
UM, AS YOU GO THROUGH YOUR INTERVIEW PROCESS.
IN ADDITION TO THE FOCUS GROUPS, UM, THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT WAS ALSO LAUNCHED.
THE SURVEY WAS OPEN FROM MARCH 20TH THROUGH APRIL THE FIRST.
THERE WERE 593 RESPONSES COLLECTED FROM THE SURVEY.
AND TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF MACPHERSON AND JACOBSON, I AM HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, DR.
JUDY SLAINE, AND WE WILL SHARE THE COMMON THEMES FROM ACROSS ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND THE SURVEY RESULTS AFTER THE PRESENTATION, UM, TO YOU TONIGHT AT THE BOARD MEETING.
THIS REPORT WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION.
I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WITH YOU.
AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, I DO WANT AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, JUDI, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME ON AND SAY HELLO, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
WELL, I WAS THINKING SHE WAS ON HERE.
SHE'S DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SEARCHES, UH, AND SHE WAS ALSO A PART OF THE TEAM.
SO I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
SO, MCPHERSON AND JACOBSON, WE HAD A TEAM OF FOUR PEOPLE AND MOVED ACROSS, UM, DIFFERENT CAMPUSES AND LOCATIONS THAT YOU PROVIDED TO US, UH, DURING OUR TIME THERE.
UM, ALONG WITH MYSELF, WE ALSO HAD, UH, AGAIN, DR.
HE HAD ALSO, UM, BEEN IN YOUR DISTRICT DURING, UM, THE TIME WHEN YOU HELD YOUR EFFICIENCY STUDY.
AND HE ALREADY HAD SOME CONTACT WITH THE DISTRICT ALONG WITH ROBERT COPELAND.
WE WERE THERE FROM MARCH 20TH, UH, THROUGH 23RD.
AND ALSO WE HOSTED AN A MAKEUP MEETING ON APRIL THE FIRST, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, YOU SCHEDULED A TOTAL OF 25 FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS IN SIX TOWN HALL MEETINGS, UM, FROM A DIVERSE GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AND JUDY, JUST LET ME KNOW WHENEVER YOU GET SETTLED.
UM, THE GROUPS THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH, THEY INCLUDED ADMINISTRATORS, BARGAINING UNITS, UM, BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, PARENTS SUPPORT STAFF LEADERS FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS STUDENTS AND TEACHER UNION REPRESENTATIVES.
UM, THE COMPLETE SCHEDULE, UH, FROM INCEPTION WAS AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEBSITE.
AGAIN, JUST APPRECIATE HOW MUCH TRANSPARENCY,
[02:25:01]
UH, THE BOARD PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.INPUT WAS GATHERED IT REGARDING THE SELECTION OF THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT AND PEOPLE, ALL GROUPS.
THEY RESPONDED TO THE SAME FOUR QUESTIONS.
AND SO TONIGHT, UH, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH IS TO SHARE WITH YOU THOSE THEMES, UM, THAT WE KIND OF HEARD ACROSS ALL OF THE GROUPS.
AND AS YOU WILL SEE WHEN YOU GET THE COMPLETE REPORT, UM, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PAGES FOR YOU TO REVIEW.
WE'VE PROVIDED ALL OF THE NOTES, UH, THAT WERE COLLECTED ALONG WITH ALL OF THE OPEN-ENDED RESPONSES TO THE SURVEY.
AND SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO READ A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.
AND SO TONIGHT, WE JUST WANNA BE ABLE TO HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS, UM, THAT POINT TO THE MOST COMMON THEMES.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, ON THE FIRST QUESTION, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND I WAS QUITE, UH, INTRIGUED BY THIS AS WELL.
MANY PEOPLE, THEY SPOKE ABOUT JUST THE DIVERSITY AND DIVERSITY IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, UM, AS IT RELATED TO THE DIFFERENT CULTURES, UM, AS WELL AS JUST THE UNIQUENESS OF THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTY.
WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING A URBAN FEEL, IF YOU LIKE, THAT A SUBURBAN, A RURAL FILM.
MANY PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT THE PROXIMITY, UH, TO POPULAR DESTINATIONS SUCH AS WASHINGTON, DC, PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK.
BASICALLY, THEY FELT LIKE YOU COULD GET ANYWHERE, UM, FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY IN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
UM, PEOPLE WERE VERY PROUD OF THE RICH HISTORY AFFORDED TO BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND OF COURSE, THERE WAS A LOVE FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL SPORTING LEAGUE, UM, AS WELL AS THE RECREATIONAL OFFERINGS INCLUDING, UM, HIKING, BOATING, FISHING, SO OUTDOORS, UM, JUST A LOT OF ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS AND JUST, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING, UH, FOR ANYONE AND EVERYONE, UH, TO DO.
UM, THERE WAS A HUGE FOCUS ON THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY WITHIN YOUR AREA, AS WELL AS HIGHER EDUCATION OPTIONS AND CONNECTIONS TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND OF COURSE, UM, PEOPLE HAD TO TALK ABOUT, UH, THE INFAMOUS MARYLAND CRABS.
AND I HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, HAVE SOME WHILE I WAS THERE.
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO ANY SHOPPING, BUT PEOPLE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE MINI SHOPPING VENUES AS WELL.
SO A LOT, UH, TO, UH, OFFER WITHIN THE COUNTY.
SO NOW I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, UM, DR.
AND SO SHE WILL MOVE US TO HEARING SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING IN BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOLS THAT PEOPLE WERE PROUD OF.
UM, CAN EVERYBODY HEAR ME? I APOLOGIZE THAT I WAS A LITTLE LATE JOINING YOU.
AND, UH, YES, WE GO TECH TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES HERE.
SO WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED OUR TIME IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, HAD WONDERFUL VISITS WITH YOUR STAKEHOLDERS AND HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOUR SCHOOLS.
UM, PEOPLE ARE VERY PROUD OF, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF.
AND REALLY, UM, WE HEARD VERY CONSISTENTLY THAT ALL OF THE EDUCATORS AND, UM, STAFF MEMBERS ARE VERY COMMITTED TO YOUR STUDENTS.
UM, WE HEARD ABOUT MANY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH TREMENDOUS WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED, UM, THAT WAS ALSO VERY CONSISTENT.
GROVER SAID, WHEN YOU, UM, SIT DOWN AND READ THE FULL STAKEHOLDER REPORT, WE THINK THAT YOU WILL SEE THAT AS YOU READ THROUGH THE FULL REPORT.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HEARD VERY CONGRUENT THROUGHOUT THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP.
OF COURSE, UM, UH, YOU WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT WE HEARD ABOUT VERY TALENTED STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
AND, UH, IT'S ALWAYS MY FAVORITE TO MEET WITH KIDS.
UM, AND WE HAD THE JOY OF MEETING WITH MANY OF YOUR KIDS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
AND, UM, WE HEARD ABOUT YOUR TALENTED STUDENTS, NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR DISTRICT FOR STUDENT VOICE AND LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND WE HEARD THAT AS WE MET WITH YOUR VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS.
ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH AS EDUCATIONAL LEADERS OURSELVES WERE THE VARIETY OF PROGRAM AND CHOICE OFFERINGS.
LOTS OF THINGS FOR KIDS TO BE INVOLVED IN WITH DUAL ENROLLMENT.
UM, WE HEARD THAT, UH, THROUGHOUT THE KIDS COULD START COLLEGE WITH A COUPLE OF YEARS ALREADY UNDER THEIR BELTS, UM, WHICH IS PHENOMENAL.
WE HEARD ABOUT ADVANCED PLACEMENT MAGNET SCHOOLS AND THE AMAZING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION OFFERINGS THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, KUDOS TO YOU FOR DOING THAT BECAUSE, UM, ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT
[02:30:01]
ALL FOR KIDS.IT'S NOT LIKE WHEN MANY OF US WERE HEADING TO COLLEGE OR HEADING OFF, UH, BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE WAS WHAT WE ALL HEARD DRUMMED INTO OUR HEADS, AND THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT FOR ALL KIDS ANYMORE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO PROVIDE MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR KIDS.
UM, MULTIPLE WORLD LANGUAGES ARE REPRESENTED IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, YOU'RE A VERY DIVERSE COMMUNITY, AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN YOUR SCHOOLS.
UM, YOU HAVE A STRONG EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
GROVER MENTIONED, THERE WERE FOUR OF US AS CONSULTANTS, UM, VISITING IN YOUR DISTRICT.
AND I HAD THE, UM, HONOR OF MEETING WITH YOUR EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
AND OH MY GOSH, WHAT A LOVELY GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SO COMMITTED TO YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, JUST HAD A PHENOMENAL VISIT WITH THEM.
UH, THEY ARE JUST SO EAGER TO PLEASE AND TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN LOTS OF PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR STAFF.
SO CERTAINLY WHEN YOU READ THE REPORT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MANY, MANY MORE AMAZING THINGS AND GOOD THINGS ABOUT YOUR, UM, SCHOOLS THAT YOUR PATRONS AND YOUR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, SAID.
BUT THESE WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS.
I WOULD SAY THAT WERE PRETTY CONSISTENT AND PRETTY COMMON THEMES ACROSS THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
AND NOW I'LL TURN IT BACK TO DR.
GROVER, WHO'S GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS, HE OR SHE COMES INTO THE DISTRICT.
SO AS WE HAD THE DISCUSSION HERE, THERE'S, WE CERTAINLY ALWAYS LIKE TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE ISSUES.
WE BELIEVE THAT HAVING THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION WILL SET THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT ON THE GROUND TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IN REAL TIME WHAT MATTERS TO THE FOLKS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THERE WAS A HUGE CONCERN AROUND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, WANTING TO SEE SOME AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT.
ALSO, PEOPLE SPOKE TO ENROLLMENT, AND SPECIFICALLY, THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE AT THE COM, ESPECIALLY AT THE COMMUNITY TOWN HALLS, WHO TALKED ABOUT THEIR DESIRE, WHERE THEY WANTED TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO THE COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR A PUBLIC EDUCATION.
MANY FOLKS, UM, HAD LONGSTANDING TIES AND RELATIONSHIPS, UH, WITH THE DISTRICT.
AND, UM, THEY EXPRESSED OPENLY THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN OR TO SEE ANYONE ELSE SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
THEY WANT THE COUNTY SCHOOLS TO BE THE DISTRICT OF CHOICE IN YOUR AREA.
UM, THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS AROUND CAPACITY, WHERE SOME OF THE BUILDINGS MAY BE EXPERIENCING OVERCROWDED.
MAYBE THERE'S SOME SHIFTING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTIES, OR WHERE SOME OF THE FACILITIES NEED SOME ATTENTION.
UM, THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS AROUND EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS FOR DIVERSE SETS OF NEEDS FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY.
SO I WANNA UNPACK THAT JUST A LITTLE.
UM, AS PEOPLE SPOKE ABOUT THIS, AS I MENTIONED, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE.
THEY LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE RURAL AND SUBURBAN AND URBAN AREAS.
AND I THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE USED, UM, A SITUATION WHERE AT THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO CALL A SNOW DAY IN ONE PART OF THE COUNTY, AND MAYBE THE OTHER STUDENTS WERE COMING TO SCHOOLS JUST TO KIND OF PAINT THAT PICTURE.
WELL, YOU TAKE SOMETHING LIKE THE WEATHER, BUT PEOPLE WERE ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS AND THE DESIRES OF THE FAMILIES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOUR COUNTY.
AND SO HOW DO YOU DESIGN THE SYSTEM, CREATE A SYSTEM WHERE YOUR EQUITABLE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE SOME DIFFERENCES, UM, WHERE IT SUPPORTS THE INTEREST AND PASSIONS OF PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, THERE WERE OF COURSE, AND THIS IS, UM, NOTHING THAT'S ONLY HAPPENING IN, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY.
WE'RE SEEING THIS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT TEACHER AND STAFFING SHORTAGES.
UM, BUT THEY SPOKE, UH, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT COMPETITIVE PAY, UH, WHERE, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY NOW SITS IN TERMS OF BEING COMPETITIVE WITH SURROUNDING DISTRICTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN STAFF.
THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM OFFERINGS.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE SOME AMAZING CTE OFFERINGS.
UM, BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ONE PARENT SHARED ABOUT SHE HAD TO DRIVE FROM ACROSS TOWN TO GET HER CHILD INTO A CHOICE PROGRAM.
SO THERE SEEMS TO BE A, A DESIRE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE COUNTY SO THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL OR HAVE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, UH, FOR DIFFERENT SERVICES.
UM, THERE WERE CONCERNS AND, UM, AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
AND WHAT I APPRECIATED ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE MENTAL HEALTH IS PEOPLE, THEY TALKED ABOUT STUDENTS AND STAFF.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT, UM, BOTH, UM, OF THE SECTORS, THAT THEY NEEDED SOME SUPPORT AND SERVICES TO BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.
UM, SAFETY AND DISCIPLINE ISSUES
[02:35:01]
IN THE SCHOOLS.UM, THERE SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MAYBE, UM, SOME ADOPTION OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, MAYBE AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, UM, AND MAYBE WHERE SOMETIMES IT'S ENFORCED, SOMETIMES NOT.
UM, BUT PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SCHOOLS ARE SAFE, UM, AND THAT THEY HAVE THE PROPER STRUCTURES IN PLACE SO THAT STUDENTS CAN LEARN.
UM, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FACILITIES, UM, OF COURSE, UM, THERE WERE SOME FACILITIES THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE UPGRADED, THEY WERE NEW.
I KNOW I SAW SOME PHENOMENAL, UH, BUILDINGS, UM, THAT I WAS IN.
AND SO THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE, ALTHOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPROVEMENTS, THEY LIKE TO SEE IT CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
UM, MAYBE WHERE THERE ARE SOME BUILDINGS WHERE THEY JUST NEED SOME REPAIRS AND, UM, SOME SPACES THAT THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO UTILIZE RIGHT NOW, UM, BECAUSE OF FACILITY CONCERNS.
UM, MOVING ALONG, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, IMPROVEMENTS.
PEOPLE DID TALK ABOUT SOME IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, DEPARTMENT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S BEEN A FOCUS THERE.
UM, BUT DUE TO THE STAFFING CONCERNS, THEY FEEL LIKE THE PROGRAMMING IS SOMEWHAT THERE, BUT DUE TO STAFFING, UM, IT IS CAUSING SOME CHALLENGES IN REGARDS TO MEETING SOME OF THE I E P NEEDS.
UM, AND THE CONVERSATIONS JUST, UM, PEOPLE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STAFF AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.
THEY WANNA BE ABLE TO, TO TRUST DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN TERMS OF THE MESSAGES THAT THEY RECEIVE.
THEY WANNA BE TRUSTED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOBS, AND JUST TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A CULTURE, UM, OF UNITY AND WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO BE.
UM, SOME PEOPLE STILL WERE RECOVERING FROM THE CYBER ATTACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SECURITY ISSUES OR JUST KNOWING THE IMPACT OF IT, THAT THERE'S STILL SOME RECOVERY AND HEALING THAT'S OCCURRING BEHIND THE CYBER ATTACK.
AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS PROBABLY KUDOS TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE YOU WENT OUT AND CONDUCTED THIS EFFICIENCY STUDY, THEY REALLY FELT LIKE THERE WAS GREAT INFORMATION IN THE EFFICIENCY STUDY THAT COULD BE USEFUL TO A NEW SUPERINTENDENT COMING IN, UNDERSTANDING IT, STUDYING IT, EVALUATING THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'VE MADE SO FAR, AND MAKING SOME ADDITIONAL STEPS FORWARD.
AND I HAVE THE, UH, FOURTH QUESTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD FOR A BOARD, UM, AND A COMMUNITY TO HEAR THE, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES A NEW SUPERINTENDENT SHOULD BE AWARE OF BECAUSE, AND WHEN YOU READ THE REPORT, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU READ MAY STING A LITTLE BIT.
WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL LOOK AT IT WITH AN OPEN EYE BECAUSE ALL OF THIS IS DESIGNED TO HELP YOU LOOK FORWARD WITH YOUR NEW LEADER, UM, TOGETHER AS YOU WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO TRY TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
UM, YOUR LEADERS WHO WELCOMED US TO THE VARIOUS BUILDINGS WE WENT TO WERE, UM, EXTREMELY, UM, KIND AND HOSPITABLE.
UM, I THINK THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT EVEN AT THE EVENING, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, MANY, UH, PEOPLE WHO WEAR MULTIPLE HATS, YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY CAME TO THOSE MEETINGS.
THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF, UM, COMMITMENT TO THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE FINAL QUESTION THAT WE ASKED WAS, WHAT SKILLS, QUALITIES, OR CHARACTERISTICS SHOULD THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT POSSESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL HERE? AND WE HEARD A LOT OF THINGS.
UM, IT'S A REALLY, I THINK, RICH LIST THAT WAS GENERATED, UM, IN TERMS OF THIS SUMMARY.
AND OF COURSE, YOU'LL SEE MORE DETAIL WHEN YOU REALLY DELVE INTO THE FULL REPORT.
BUT HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD, UM, THAT SEEM TO CROSS OVER ALL OF THE VARIOUS GROUPS WITH WHOM WE MET.
ONE, SOMEBODY WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN A LARGE COMPLEX SYSTEM BECAUSE YOU ARE LARGE, AND AS DR.
GROVER SAID, YOU CROSS OVER JUST EVEN GEOGRAPHICALLY, VERY DIFFERENT, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT, UH, ARE SERVED BY THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SOMEONE WHO'S VISIONARY AND COURAGEOUS, SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO COME IN AND BE TRANSPARENT, SOMEBODY WHO'S HONEST AND HAS HIGH INTEGRITY, SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO BE VERY VISIBLE, WHICH IS NO MEAN FEAT IN A COMMUNITY AS LARGE IN A DISTRICT AS LARGE AS YOURS.
BUT, UM, SOMEONE WHO'S GONNA MAKE THAT COMMITMENT TO GET OUT THERE INTO THE SCHOOLS AND BE VISIBLE AND GET TO CONNECT WITH YOUR, UM, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR STUDENTS, YOUR STAFF, UM, YOUR COMMUNITY.
[02:40:01]
THEY WANT TO SEE SOMEBODY WHO HAS A TRACK RECORD OF LEADING STUDENT SUCCESS, WHO'S PASSIONATE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND ITS DIVERSITY, WHO'S INCLUSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE.THEY ALSO, UM, VOICED THE IMPORTANCE OF SOMEONE WHO COMES IN WITH POLITICAL SAVVINESS AND THE ABILITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AT THE COUNTY AND STATE LEVEL.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH VARIOUS INTEREST GROUPS AND EXPERIENCE DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING POLICIES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT.
AND THAT WOULD BE KEY WITH YOU AS A BOARD WORKING WITH YOUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
UM, SIMILARLY, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WITH STRONG EXPERIENCE WITH BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONS.
UH, THEY'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE A PROACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS THINKER, AND SOMEONE WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS FUNDING AND BUILDING SOLID BUDGETING MODELS.
THERE'S A HOPE THAT THIS PERSON WILL ALSO BE A GOOD LISTENER AND BE BOLD AND FEARLESS, SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO, EVEN IF IT'S UNPOPULAR, THIS PERSON'S GONNA STAND UP AND DO ALWAYS WHAT'S RIGHT FOR KIDS.
THIS PERSON WILL BE A RELATIONSHIP BUILDER.
SOMEBODY'S GONNA STRIVE TO BUILD CONSENSUS AND IS GOING TO SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, INCLUDING HIM OR HERSELF.
THIS PERSON'S GOING TO BE AN INSPIRATIONAL COMMUNICATOR, WILLING TO HELP BUILD STABILITY AND MAKE A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT.
THEY WANT SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO COME AND STAY AND BE PART OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, THEY WANT SOMEBODY WHO HAS MULTIFACETED CRISIS MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SEEMS TO BE, UM, UH, SOMETHING OUR SUPERINTENDENTS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE BECOMING ALL TOO FAMILIAR WITH.
BUT CERTAINLY THAT'S GOING TO BE KEY FOR YOUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
AND ABOVE ALL, SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO BE AN APPROACHABLE SERVANT LEADER, SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE TO SERVE THE, UM, CHILDREN, THE STAFF, AND THE PATRONS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AGAIN, THESE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS IN TERMS OF THE COMMON THEMES WE HEARD.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE EVEN MORE DETAILS WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND READ THAT.
UM, VERY LENGTHY, BUT VERY INFORMATIVE STAKEHOLDER REPORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUDY, UH, FOR THAT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THEY HAVE HIGH HOPES, UH, FOR THEIR NEXT LEADER, AND IT IS OUR HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP GUIDE YOU IN YOUR NEXT PHASE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH AS YOU ARE NARROWING DOWN THE LIST OF CANDIDATES AND LOOKING AT THEIR CREDENTIALS AND WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER.
AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED.
WE REALLY DO FEEL THAT PEOPLE WERE OPEN, THAT THEY WERE AUTHENTIC, UM, IN SHARING.
AND I MUST SAY THAT ALTHOUGH PEOPLE POINTED TO, UM, CONCERNS, THERE WAS A DEEP LOVE FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UM, THEY CERTAINLY, UH, RECOGNIZE, UH, THE UNIQUENESS, AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE THAT UNDERSTANDS THOSE UNIQUE CHALLENGES AND READY TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GET IN THERE AND WORK ALONGSIDE YOU, THE COUNTY AND THE ENTIRE BALTIMORE, UH, COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, ALL OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, THIS WILL CONCLUDE OUR OFFICIAL REPORT FOR TONIGHT, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY, UH, ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE FOR US AT THIS TIME.
SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING US WITH THAT, UM, DETAILED INFORMATION AND FOR THE WORK YOU DID WHEN YOU WERE, UM, VISITING THE COUNTY.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TO THE CONSULTANTS, MR. MCMILLAN? I'M JUST CURIOUS, WOULD YOU REPEAT WHEN THIS DOCUMENT'S GONNA BE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE? UH, YES.
UH, TRACY, UH, SHE HAS THE INFORMATION AND AFTER YOU CONCLUDE YOUR BOARD MEETING TONIGHT, WHETHER THAT'S SOMETIME TONIGHT OR FIRST THING TOMORROW, UM, SHE WILL MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
YES, MS. BOOKER DWYER, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO.
SO I, I APPRECIATE, UM, THE 172 PAGE REPORT, AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT WHEN QUALITATIVE DATA IS PRESENTED.
I'M HAVING A, I'M STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WHAT I, WHAT I WANNA BE ABLE TO SHOW AS A BOARD IS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAVE SAID, AND WE, WE CAN CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE HOW WE HAVE SELECTED OR CRAFTED, UM, HOW WE SELECTED THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT BASED OFF OF THAT COMMUNITY INPUT.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT THIS REPORT, I'M JUST WONDERING, HOW DID YOU, UM, IN THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO THE ANALYTICS THAT YOU USED TO, UM,
[02:45:01]
TO SURFACE THE BULLET POINTS THAT YOU HAVE IN THIS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY? UH, YES.DUE TO WHERE YOU'RE GONNA START, YOU CAN START IF YOU LIKE.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND I, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU A, UH, SCIENTIFIC ANSWER.
IT'S MORE WE LOOK AT COMMON THEMES THAT WE HEARD.
THERE WERE FOUR OF US THERE MEETING WITH GROUPS.
COPELAND WERE PARTNERS IN THEIR, UM, TEAMS, BECAUSE YOU'RE SUCH A LARGE DISTRICT, WE HAD TO KIND OF SPLIT UP AND MAKE SURE THAT WE MET WITH EVERYBODY OVER THE COURSE OF FOUR DAYS.
HARRIS AND I MET WITH OTHER GROUPS, AND THEN WE, UM, UH, GOT TOGETHER AND PUT OUR NOTES TOGETHER WITH EVERY EFFORT BEING THAT WE TRIED TO CAPTURE VERBATIM WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE LOOK FOR COMMON THEMES TO EACH OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT JUST SEEM TO EMERGE AS COMMON, WHICH IS WHAT WE SHARED TONIGHT.
GROVER IS OUR, UM, FACILITATOR AS OUR LEAD, UM, CONSULTANT, UH, FOR THE STAKEHOLDER WORK.
SHE PUT TOGETHER, UM, KIND OF A FIRST DRAFT, AND THEN WE ALL TOOK OUR NOTES AND LOOKED AT THAT, AND THEN MADE SUGGESTIONS TO HER.
THIS SEEMED TO BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EMERGED THAT WE HEARD.
AND TOGETHER THE FOUR OF US WORKED TOGETHER TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURED THOSE COMMON THEMES.
SO IT WAS REALLY VERY MUCH A QUALITATIVE APPROACH, NOT A QUANTITATIVE APPROACH, IN TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED THOSE THINGS THAT THE FOUR OF US HEARD AS WE WENT FROM GROUP TO GROUP.
I, SO, IWAN, WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY OUR APPROACH WAS TO, UM, CAPTURING THE THEMES? I, I HOPE I'M ANSWERING THE QUESTION THAT THE BOARD MEMBER RAISED.
I, I HEAR, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M JUST WONDERING BECAUSE I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE, UM, TRUST IN THIS DATA.
AND SO WHEN WE USE TERMS LIKE, WELL, MANY PEOPLE SAID THIS, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN QUANTIFY THE QUALITATIVE DATA, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, ASSIGNING, UM, YOU COULD ASSIGN WEIGHTS TO THEM AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT BUBBLED UP AND X NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS SAID THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT, UM, IN A SUPERINTENDENT AND X NUMBER OF PARENTS SAID, THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT IN THE SUPERINTENDENT.
I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE PUT OUT A 172 PAGE REPORT TO THE PUBLIC, AND THEN WE HAVE TO SHOW HOW WE CONNECTED TO WHAT WAS IN THIS 172 PAGE REPORT.
ARE PEOPLE REALLY GONNA READ IT? ARE THEY GONNA BE ABLE TO DIGEST IT? IS THERE A BETTER WAY TO PRESENT THIS DATA SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN HAVE CONFIDENCE IN WHAT WAS DONE AND THAT THEIR VOICES WERE HEARD? UM, SO, SO THAT'S, UH, WHAT I WANNA JUST PUT ON THE TABLE FOR CONSIDERATION.
IF, AND IF THERE'S ANOTHER WAY SO THAT WHEN WE'RE SPEAKING, WE CAN SPEAK IN NUMBERS AND NOT, WITH, MANY PEOPLE SAID THIS, SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT WE CAN CLEARLY SAY, THIS IS WHAT THE STUDENTS WANTED FROM A, FROM A SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE CAN EVEN BREAK THAT DOWN BY DEMOGRAPHICS, UM, IF WE CAN, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, BUT JUST TO GET CL UH, MORE CLARITY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT JUST FEELS KIND OF FUZZY.
LIKE MANY PEOPLE SAID THIS AND SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT, WHO SAID WHAT? HOW MANY PEOPLE SAID IT? AND, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WOULD WANNA GET MORE GRANULAR WITH, JUST SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE TRUST OF THE PUBLIC WITH THIS REPORT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR THAT.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY, UM, USING A NUMBER SYSTEM, UH, THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SHARE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
I THINK THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER TO IT.
BUT AS FAR AS HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THE THEMES, UM, I MEAN, YOU CAN GO BEHIND US IF YOU LIKE, ON THE 172 PAGES, BUT I THINK WE HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE, WE DO HAVE GREAT CONFIDENCE IN THE THEMES.
AND, AND I CAN SAY FOR ME, I'M KIND OF LOOKING OVER HERE AT MY DESK, UH, AT ALL OF MY WORKSHEETS, UH, THAT I PERSONALLY USE.
NOW, THE COMPANY THEMSELVES, THEY DON'T HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, A PARTICULAR SOFTWARE THAT THEY ASK US TO USE.
AND WE'VE DONE THIS PROCESS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT MAYBE YOU ARE GIVING US GOOD FEEDBACK THAT WE CAN TAKE BACK TO THE COMPANY.
JUDY AND I, WE WERE TALKING EARLIER TODAY, YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT SOME TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
BUT I WILL TELL YOU, AS I WENT THROUGH THE REPORTS, I START WITH EVERYTHING, AND LAST JUDY SAID, EMERGING, UH, THE DIFFERENT REPORTS.
WE LOOK FOR ITEMS THAT WERE PRESENTED MULTIPLE TIMES, AND SOMETIMES IT'S PRESENTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IN UTILIZING THE THEMES AND BUBBLING UP TO THE HIGH LEVEL, UH, TERMINOLOGY OR THE GROUPINGS OF THE INFORMATION, AND OF COURSE, WE CAN ONLY GIVE SO MUCH.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHARACTERISTICS, RIGHT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BULLET POINTS THERE, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE PUT
[02:50:01]
A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION, AND A LOT OF IT, UM, WAS REPEATED MULTIPLE TIMES.AND SO THE WAY THAT, UH, WE PRESENT, UH, THE CONTRACT AS WELL AS OUR PROCESS IS TO SURFACE THE THEMES THAT WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND YOU DO HAVE THE REPORTS IN THE FULL REPORTS, YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT EACH STAKEHOLDER GROUP STATED.
SO THE REPORT IS GIVEN TO YOU, UH, BY THE EXACT GROUPS THAT WE MET WITH, WHETHER IT WAS STUDENTS, WHETHER IT WAS COUNTY PEOPLE, WHETHER IT WAS YOUR ADMINISTRATORS, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
UM, SO TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE REPORT OR SOMETHING THAT IS DIGESTIBLE, THAT IS WHY THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS PROVIDED, UM, FOR TRANSPARENCY OF THE REPORT AND TO BE AUTHENTIC.
THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE ALL OF THE ADDITIONAL PAGES.
BUT I DO RESPECT, UH, YOUR FEEDBACK, AND I DO THINK THAT IS INFORMATION WE CAN PASS ALONG TO THE COMPANY.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS, UM, THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT IS OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WE SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME WITH YOUR COMMUNITY FOCUSING ON IT, AND YOU HAVE THIS MAJOR REPORT.
IT, IT IS ONE TOOL IN ADDITION TO THE CRITERIA THAT YOU AND THE BOARD, YOU AS A BOARD HAVE DEVELOPED WITH THE CONSULTANTS THAT THE FIRM WILL USE IN TRYING TO CONSIDER CANDIDATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THE BEST MATCH FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT IN ANOTHER WAY.
IT IS A TOOL THAT HELPS YOU LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
I THINK YOUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT WILL FIND THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT EXCEPTIONALLY BENEFICIAL AND HELPFUL AS YOU, AS A BOARD AND YOUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT LOOK TO MOVE FORWARD AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE GOALS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON? HOW DOES THIS HELP US WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN? HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD BASED ON THE FEEDBACK OF OUR COMMUNITY? AND SO YOUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO KNOW IF YOU'VE LISTENED CAREFULLY TO THEM BASED ON THINGS THAT THEY SEE YOU DO AS A BOARD AND A SUPERINTENDENT AND A COMMUNITY, A AS SCHOOL COMMUNITY AS YOU MOVE FORWARD BASED ON WHAT'S IN THAT REPORT.
UM, I, I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU QUITE HONESTLY, THERE WAS ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT WE ATTENDED, AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THAT AND WERE VERY SUSPECT OF US.
UM, AS WE STARTED THE MEETING AND WANTED TO TALK ABOUT GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE DISTRICT, UM, THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN WHO WANTED TO, UH, TAKE THE MEETING OVER FOR A MINUTE AND SUGGESTED, YOU KNOW, I MOVED THAT WE GET PAST THIS AND LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE CONCERNS.
AND I SAID, WELL, SIR, WE'RE GONNA GET THERE, BUT LET'S GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE OUTLINED HERE.
BY THE END OF THE MEETING, HE WAS MY BEST FRIEND AND ACTUALLY STAYED LATE TO SUGGEST SOME, UH, A NEW PROGRAM TO ME THAT WOULD HELP WITH TRANSLATING, UM, OTHER LANGUAGES THAT WAS BETTER THAN, UM, GOOGLE TRANSLATE.
HE WAS WONDERFUL, AND HE STAYED, AND HE AND A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE WERE VERY INFORMATIVE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
I, I SHARE THAT ANECDOTE WITH YOU TO SAY THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE BIT SUSPECT, BUT WHEN THEY SEE THAT YOUR INTENT IS TRANSPARENT, AS OURS IS AT MACK AND JAKE, THEY WANNA DO EVERYTHING OUT IN THE SUNSHINE.
AND I THINK THAT SOME OF WHAT YOUR QUESTION RAISED IS HOW DO WE CONVINCE OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE SINCERE AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE VERY, UM, OPEN AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AS YOU CONTINUE TO COME BACK TO THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT, AND IF YOU REFER TO IT TO YOUR COMMUNITY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE, I'M, I'M VOICING IS IF I'M A BOARD MEMBER, ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED FROM THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT THAT WE DID THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT PROCESS WAS X, Y, Z I, I THINK THAT WILL SPEAK VOLUMES TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO FORGIVE ME CUZ I'M GOING ON A LITTLE BIT, BUT I HOPE, UM, THE RESPONSES THAT DR.
GROVER AND I HAVE GIVEN YOU, UM, HELP TO EXPLAIN SOME OF THE EXTRA HELP THAT YOU CAN GET FROM THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT BEYOND JUST THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH THAT HELPED TO CONVEY TO YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU ARE IN FACT TRYING TO BE VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT ITS USE.
I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER QUESTION, MS. HEN? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, TO FOLLOW UP ON MS. BOOKER DWYER'S COMMENTS, THE STAKEHOLDER REPORT IN ITS CURRENT FORM IS OF LIMITED USE.
AND, AND I AGREE WITH HER COMMENTS THAT A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS WOULD BE MORE USEFUL AS THE BOARD DELIBERATES AND TRIES TO MAKE DATA-DRIVEN
[02:55:01]
DECISIONS.AND IF I, I WERE TO BE ASKED BY A CONSTITUENT, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE SUMMARY? YOU KNOW, SUMMARIZE THIS, WHAT DATA ARE YOU USING TO PRIORITIZE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN YOUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT? I HAVE VERY LOW CONFIDENCE THAT I COULD DO SO WITH THIS REPORT IN THE CURRENT FORMAT.
UM, THERE ARE NO WAITINGS, UM, AS MS. BOOKER DWYER SAID, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND TO COMPILE IT IN THAT FASHION IS, WOULD BE VERY TIME INTENSIVE.
UM, HOWEVER, I THINK WE NEED THAT LEVEL OF, UM, ANALYSIS PERFORMED.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S QUALITATIVE, BUT AS SHE INDICATED THERE, YOU CAN, UM, QUANTIFY IT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WERE, WHAT ARE THE FREQUENCIES, WHICH GROUPS, UM, STATED WHAT, AND YOU HAVE THAT BROKEN DOWN VERY NICELY IN THE REPORT, BUT IT'S NOT SUMMARIZED IN A WAY THAT IS HELPFUL FOR DATA-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD CLIENTS REQUEST THIS OF YOU BEFORE, BUT I'M, I AGREE WITH HER COMMENTS THAT IN ITS CURRENT FORM, ITS USEFULNESS IS LIMITED.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MORE DATA-DRIVEN ANALYSIS OF THIS BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, IT, IT, IT WAS VERY THOROUGH, IT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
YOU SPOKE TO A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS AND I THINK THE DATA'S VERY, UM, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE VERY USEFUL TO US IN GUIDING OUR PRIORITIES.
I'M NOT SURE HOW I WOULD PRIORITIZE WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN US IN THE FORMAT THAT IT'S IN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MS. HARVEY? UH, JUST VERY QUICKLY, I APPRECIATE ALL OF, UH, THE FEEDBACK THAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE GIVING, AND I THINK THERE IS, UH, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE THAT WE NEED TO MEET.
UH, BECAUSE WE HAD, UH, NUMEROUS RESPONSES.
MY CONCERN WOULD BE MOVING TO A STRICTLY QUANTITATIVE DATA SOURCE WOULD NOT GIVE US A MA.
WE MIGHT NOT SEE THE THEMES EXPRESSED AS WE WOULD SO RICHLY WITH THE QUALITATIVE, UH, ANALYSIS.
I ACTUALLY THINK THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
UH, NOT ONLY LOOKING AT NUMBERS, BUT LOOKING AT THE QUALITY AND THE COMMENTS THAT, UH, UH, PEOPLE WERE GIVEN.
AND BECAUSE IT WASN'T OPEN CONVERSATION, UH, WE WOULD BE LEANING ON THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FIRM TO SAY, WHEN THIS PERSON SAID THIS, THEY MEANT THAT.
AND THAT'S THE SAME AS WHEN THIS PERSON SAID THIS, THEY MEANT THE SAME THING.
AND I WOULD BE, UH, HESITANT TO OFFER THOSE INTERPRETATIONS AND SPEAK FOR WHAT PEOPLE SAID WHEN WE HAVE THE ACTUAL DATA, UH, FOR WHAT PEOPLE SAID.
I DO AGREE THAT 172 PAGE REPORT, UH, WHICH IS REALLY RAW DATA, IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, TO THE PUBLIC MAY NOT BE AS USEFUL TO OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY IN LOOKING AT HOW WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE SEARCH.
BUT I DO THINK THERE IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE WHERE WE CAN, UH, VALUE BOTH THE QUALITATIVE INFORMATION AND GET SOME QUANTITATIVE.
THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO MADE THE COMMENTS.
GLASTEIN FOR YOUR, UM, FEEDBACK WITH US TONIGHT.
SO THEN WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? WE'RE WE'RE GONNA, THIS IS THE REPORT THAT'LL BE PUBLISHED OR ARE WE GONNA, WELL, THE TRY TO, SO IF SOMEONE, SO I'M JUST WONDERING LIKE WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS WITH THIS REPORT? IS THIS, IS IT, IS THIS IT AND THIS GOES OUT? UM, MS. GROVER, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS? DR.
GROVER, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS WITH THE REPORT? WELL, YES, I, WELL, YES.
UH, WELL THIS IS THE FORMAT THAT MAC, PETERSON AND JACOBSON U UTILIZES.
THIS IS WHAT THEY'VE UTILIZED WITH ALL OF THEIR CLIENTS, UM, BEFORE, SO NOTHING IS DIFFERENT HERE, UH, BUT WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TRY TO HONOR, UH, YOUR NEEDS TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH DR.
JOEL AND MAYBE WE CAN SCHEDULE A PHONE CALL, UH, WITH YOU TO TRY TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ANY NEXT STEPS BASED ON THE REQUEST.
DOES THAT SEEM FAIR ENOUGH? YES, PLEASE.
DO WE NEED A MOTION TO, UM, MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS TO GAIN A QUANTITATIVE SUMMARY OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED? WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE TO MAKE THAT AT THIS TIME? I DON'T THINK SO.
WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PROPOSAL THAT WE, UM, SIGNED WITH THE SEARCH FIRM.
GIVEN THAT THERE MAY BE AN, AN ADDITIONAL COST.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PURSUED FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION? WELL, YEAH.
JOEL, WHO IS THE RELIEF CONSULTANT.
[03:00:03]
OKAY, THANK YOU AGAIN.[R. REPORT - 2022 GRADUATION AND DROP OUT RATES (Dr. McComas, Dr. Zarchin, and Ms. Caster) (9:55 - 10:20 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THANK YOU FOR WAITING, IS THE REPORT ON THE 2022 GRADUATION AND DROPOUT RATES.ZIN, AND MS. CASTOR, YOU GET TO SIT IN THE CENTER.
GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING.
BOARD LECHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, DR.
WILLIAMS AND BOARD MEMBERS, AND A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS.
MCCOMAS AND I WILL BE PRESENTING THE FOUR AND FIVE YEAR ADJUSTED BCPS GRADUATION RATE AND DROPOUT RATES.
THIS IS PART OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE REPORTING FOR THE COMPASS FOCUS AREA.
ONE, LEARNING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND RESULTS.
FOR EVERY SCHOOL GRADUATION IS A PRIORITY.
THIS PRIORITY IS EVIDENT IN THE WORK OF STAFF, STUDENTS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERS WHO STRIVE TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS.
DEVELOPING STUDENTS WHO ARE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY PROVIDES ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO A VARIETY OF PATHWAYS THAT ENGAGE STUDENTS AND MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES AND ENRICH THEIR SCHOOL LEARNING AND FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
THE COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS PATHWAY ON THE SLIDE YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW ILLUSTRATES MILESTONE BENCHMARKS AND PROVIDES DIRECTION FOR THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO.
IT ALSO HELPS US FOCUS ON AREAS OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE WORK OCCURS ACROSS LEVELS AND ACROSS SCHOOLS.
FROM THE MOMENT STUDENTS ENTER BCPS TO THE DAY THEY GRADUATE, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FOCUS IN ALL THAT WE DO.
WHEN THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE OUTLINE OF THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION.
WE'LL FIRST TALK ABOUT THE FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATE, OUR FIVE YEAR ADJUSTED GRADUATION RATE, UH, OUR DROPOUT RATE, AND WE OF COURSE, WILL PROBABLY SHOWCASE ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO TO GET STUDENTS ACROSS THE GRADUATION LINE.
THE DATA THAT WE WILL SOON LOOK AT HAS SERVED AS A CALL FOR ACTION.
THE NUMBERS AND GRAPHS ARE MUCH MORE THAN FACTS AND FIGURES.
WE KNOW THE RAMIFICATIONS OF STUDENTS WHO DO NOT GRADUATE, AND WE WORK HARD TO ENSURE THAT WE GIVE EACH AND EVERY STUDENT THE SUPPORTS AND ATTENTION THEY NEED TO GET TO THAT POINT.
WE STRIVE TO HAVE EACH AND EVERY STUDENT MEET ACADEMIC, CAREER, AND PERSONAL POTENTIAL.
THEREFORE, WE'RE DRIVEN TO SUPPLY, SUPPLY AND PROVIDE NECESSARY AND TIMELY SUPPORTS SO EACH AND EVERY STUDENT CAN EARN THE CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION.
ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO CELEBRATE OUR GRADUATION AND DROPOUT RATES AS THEY STAND TONIGHT, THERE IS PROMISE IN THE CURRENT WORK AND AREAS OF PROGRESS THAT WE CAN HIGHLIGHT.
THE FOUR YEAR ADJUSTED GRADUATION RATE FOR THE 20 19 20 22 COHORT OF STUDENTS WAS 84.5%.
OVERALL, THIS REPRESENTS A ONE YEAR DECREASE OF 1.7% FROM THE 2021 TO THE 2022 SCHOOL YEAR FOR ALL STUDENTS, WHILE ALSO SHOWING AN INCREASE OF 0.8% GRADUATION RATE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE FARMS ELIGIBLE DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD.
OUR TREND DATA INDICATES A DROP IN GRADUATE RATES FOR ALL STUDENT GROUPS FROM PRE PANDEMIC IN 2019 TO 2022.
B C P S GRADUATED APPROXIMATELY 500 MORE STUDENTS WHILE EXPERIENCING MANY CHALLENGES DUE TO THE COVID 19, UH, DISRUPTION COMPARED TO THE 2019, UH, EXCUSE ME, COMPARED TO 2019, THE 2022 GRADUATING CLASS HAD INCREASED NUMBERS OF STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING 29% MORE STUDENTS WHO WERE ELIGIBLE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE SERVICES, 25% MORE FARMS ELIGIBLE STUDENTS, AND 13% MORE STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
SOME OF THE RESPONSIVE ACTIONS CURRENTLY IN PLACE INCLUDE MONTHLY PROJECT GRADUATION MEETINGS WHERE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, COUNSELORS, DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, PWS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DIVISION OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION WORK TOGETHER
[03:05:01]
TO EXAMINE STUDENT GRADES, ATTENDANCE AND CREDITS EARNED ON TRACK.LETTERS TO PARENTS ARE ALSO SENT AROUND DECEMBER FROM SCHOOL TEAMS AND ARE FOLLOWED UP BY STAFF AND STUDENT MEETINGS TO DEVELOP ACTION PLANS FOR STUDENTS WHO GET OFF COURSE ON THE PATH TO GRADUATION.
WE ALSO HAVE STUDENT SUPPORT TEAMS IN SCHOOL AND ONGOING PARENT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK COLLABORATIVELY SO WE CAN SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS.
ALSO PRIOR TO HIGH SCHOOL, THE SIXTH YEAR PLAN DEVELOPED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE WORK ALONG THE WAY FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS.
BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HIGH SCHOOLS WHO HAVE CLOSED THE GRADUATION GAPS.
FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE FARMS ELIGIBLE, THOSE SCHOOLS INCLUDE DUN DOCK, EASTERN CARVER, LANDSDOWN, NEWTOWN, PIKESVILLE, AND WOODLAWN.
THE 2018 TO 2021 COHORT OF STUDENTS REPRESENTS STUDENTS ENTERING GRADE NINE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 2018 SCHOOL YEAR AND EXPECTED TO GRADUATE ON TIME IN 2021.
WE DO KNOW SOME STUDENTS, HOWEVER, NEED ADDITIONAL TIME AND PREPARATION TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND TO GRADUATE THE FIVE YEAR GRADUATION RATE TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THE 20 18 20 21 COHORT TO SEE HOW MANY MORE STUDENTS DID BENEFIT FROM EXTRA YEAR OF SCHOOL, AN EXTRA YEAR OF SCHOOL SUPPORT.
OUR FIFTH YEAR GRADUATION RATE REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF AN ADDITIONAL 1.4% OF OUR STUDENT GRADUATES, OR MORE SPECIFICALLY, 118 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS GRADUATED FROM THAT 2018 TO 2021.
COHORT ONE PROVIDED WITH THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT RESPONSIVE ACTIONS TO SUPPORT STUDENT GRADUATION IN THE FOUR AND FIVE YEAR COHORTS THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION INCLUDE SOME STUDENTS NEED ADDITIONAL TIME TO PREPARE THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND GRADUATE.
SOME STUDENTS RECEIVE SPECIAL SERVICES SUCH AS ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSES, WHICH MAY IMPACT ON-TIME GRADUATION.
THERE ARE ALSO OPTIONS FOR CREDIT RECOVERY THROUGH ALTERNATIVE EXTENDED DAY, EXTENDED YEAR LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SELF-BASED BLENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH E D L P OR OUR EXTENDED DAY LEARNING PROGRAM.
AS WE CLOSE THIS SLIDE, I'D LIKE TO IDENTIFY SCHOOLS WHO HAVE MOVED TWO TO FOUR PERCENTAGE POINTS OF INCREASED GRADUATION RATES FOR THE FOUR AND FIVE YEAR RESULTS.
THOSE HIGH SCHOOLS INCLUDE CATONSVILLE, DUN, DOCK, LANDSDOWN, NEWTOWN, OVERLY, OWENS MILLS, PARKVILLE, TERRY HALL, RANDALLSTOWN, AND WOODLAWN.
ACROSS THE SYSTEM, OUR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TEAM RUNS CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAMS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY IN THE EVENING ON SATURDAYS AND IN THE SUMMER TO PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS A CONTINUOUS ON-RAMP TO CATCH UP ON CREDIT OR TO ACCELERATE.
WE WORK WITH SCHOOL TEAMS TO PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES TO STUDENTS AND TO ENGAGE IN OUTREACH, REACH, AND FAMILIES, UH, WHEN STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY IN SCHOOL OR TO REACH GRADUATION.
RESPONSIVE STRATEGIES THAT GO BEYOND THE ONES ALREADY MENTIONED INCLUDE CREDIT RECOVERY PROGRAMS, SCHOOL DAY SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS, COUNSELING SERVICES, FAMILY OUTREACH, ESAU, STRATEGIC PLANNING.
THERE ARE ALSO SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER STUDENTS, WHICH INCLUDE EXAMINING AND IMPROVING SCHOOL EFFORTS TO WELCOME STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE THOSE SERVICES.
EXPLICIT ACCOUNTABILITY DISCUSSIONS DURING SCHOOL SUPERVISORY VISITS CONDUCTED BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS READING REGARDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE ACHIEVEMENT AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
THERE'S ALSO INCREASED COLLABORATION BETWEEN CENTRAL OFFICES THAT FOCUS ON GAPS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER ACHIEVEMENT AND BELONGINGNESS, AS EVIDENCED BY STATE AND LOCAL ASSESSMENTS TO INCLUDE STUDENT VOICE SURVEYS.
BY RETURNING STUDENTS TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS ARE MULTILINGUAL LANGUAGE STUDENTS.
THEY WILL HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO ALL EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND RELATED TRANSPORTATION.
THIS INCLUDES COACH CLASS CLUBS, SPORTS DANCES, ACCESS FOR PARENTS TO ATTEND MEETINGS.
UH, THEY WILL ALSO BE CLOSER TO THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND WORK.
SO BOTH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WILL HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT.
FAMILIES ARE SHARING THAT THEY ARE CHOOSING TO WAIVE SERVICES IN ORDER TO REMAIN IN, IN THEIR HOME SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.
AND THIS EFFORT WILL RESOLVE THAT, UH, WAIVER.
IN ADDITION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS
[03:10:01]
MADE IN THE EFFICIENCY AUDIT, MOVING OUR MULTILINGUAL LANGUAGE STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS WILL ALLOW FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY AND ENGAGEMENT.THE EFFICIENCY AUDIT CONCLUDED THAT THE SECONDARY ESL PROGRAM WAS INEFFECTIVE, INEFFICIENT, AND IS CAUSING MAY PARENTS TO WITHDRAW THEIR CHILDREN FROM ESL SERVICES.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SCHOOL TEAMS ORGANIZE AND IMPLEMENT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ON INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
SCHOOLS ARE DEVELOPING SCHEDULES THAT STRATEGICALLY INCORPORATE ESL TEACHERS AND SERVICES.
NATIONAL AND RESEARCH-BASED PRACTICES ARE EXAMINED TO ENSURE A WIDE RANGE OF ACTIONS THAT SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS.
THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THERE'S BEEN AN INTENSE FOCUS ON MONITORING STUDENT PROGRESS TOWARDS GRADUATION AND PROVIDING SUPPORTS THAT ENSURE ALL STUDENTS GRADUATE AND ARE PREPARED FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND CAREER.
BEFORE WE TAKE A CLOSER WORK, LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK IN SCHOOLS, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, MS. CURIA, JOSEPH, AND SAM MUSTER.
THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE WORK IN SCHOOLS.
THEY MOTIVATE AND ENCOURAGE SCHOOL STAFF AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE AND GET DOWN TO AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LEVEL TO SEE WHERE THERE ARE GAPS AND HOW WE CAN FILL THOSE NEEDS SO STUDENTS CAN CROSS THE STAGE AT GRADUATION IN A TIMELY WAY.
SO AT THIS POINT, I AM VERY PROUD TO WELCOME MS. CASTOR, PRINCIPAL OF SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU, ZACH ARCHEN, AND GOOD EVENING SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL IS A COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL WITH A SPECIALIZED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE MAGNET PROGRAM CALLED SPECIES, WHICH STANDS FOR SPARROWS POINT EDUCATIONAL CENTER IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE.
WE ARE LOCATED IN THE EDGEMERE COMMUNITY IN SOUTHEAST BALTIMORE COUNTY AND PROUDLY SERVE 1,146 STUDENTS FROM THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTHEAST AREAS OF BCPS.
THE RACIAL DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENT BODY ARE AS FOLLOWS, 881 WHITE STUDENTS, 104 BLACK STUDENTS, 63 HISPANIC STUDENTS, 41 MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS, 18 ASIAN STUDENTS, EIGHT NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS, AND TWO PACIFIC ISLAND STUDENTS OF OUR 1,146 STUDENTS 94 HAVE A SECTION 5 0 4 PLAN AND 107 HAVE AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN.
430 STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED AS PART OF OUR MAGNET PROGRAM.
AS WE REVIEW THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, YOU WILL SEE HOW SPARS POINT HIGH SCHOOL HAS IMPLEMENTED A COMPREHENSIVE MULTI-YEAR PLAN, ENGAGING OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF TO ENSURE EVERY POINTER HAS THE SUPPORT SYSTEM NEEDED TO EARN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
SPARS POINT HIGH SCHOOL HAS MAINTAINED ONE OF THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATES AMONG COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS WITH AN AVERAGE RATE OF 94.24% BETWEEN 2018 AND 2022.
ONE OF THE WAYS WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS IS THROUGH A MULTI-YEAR SUPPORT PLAN.
OUR STUDENTS BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY TO GRADUATION, BEGINNING WITH THE ARTICULATION PROCESS WITH OUR FEEDER MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
ARTICULATION INCLUDES HIGH SCHOOL STAFF VISITS TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO MEET OUR INCOMING STUDENTS AND STAFF PLANNING AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.
DURING THE EIGHTH GRADE YEAR, DURING THE SUMMER BEFORE THEIR NINTH GRADE YEAR, OUR STAFF, PTS A AND ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, CONDUCT HOME VISITS FOR EVERY LOCALLY ZONED INCOMING NINTH GRADE STUDENT.
THROUGH THESE VISITS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO BEGIN LEARNING ABOUT OUR NEW STUDENTS AND MAKE VALUABLE CONNECTIONS WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
RECOGNIZING THAT A NUMBER OF RESEARCH STUDIES SUBSTANTIATE THAT STUDENTS WHO DO NOT FINISH THEIR NINTH GRADE YEAR ON TRACK ARE MORE LIKELY TO DROP OUT.
WE HAVE CREATED THE ON POINT FRESHMAN PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND PROGRESS MONITORING FOR NINTH GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WITH A GOAL OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF NINTH GRADERS WHO END THE SCHOOL YEAR ON TRACK BY EARNING SIX
[03:15:01]
OR MORE CREDITS.AS STUDENTS PROGRESS THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE, THEY HAVE ACCESS TO MULTIPLE PATHWAYS AND PROGRAMS, INCLUDING EARLY COLLEGE ACCESS AND DUAL ENROLLMENT MAGNET COURSEWORK AND FIELD EXPERIENCES, ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES, VIRTUAL AND HYBRID LEARNING, CTE PROGRAMS, INTERNSHIPS AND PAID WORK EXPERIENCES.
THE PROJECT GRADUATION TEAM IS ANOTHER TOOL USED TO SUPPORT ON TIME GRADUATION.
THE TEAM IS COMPRISED OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, COUNSELORS, PUPIL, PERSONNEL WORKER, AND DEPARTMENT CHAIRPERSONS AT SPARES POINT HIGH SCHOOL.
THIS TEAM MEETS WEEKLY TO REVIEW THE STATUS OF EACH SENIOR AND DETERMINE IF ANY INTERVENTIONS OR SUPPORTS ARE NEEDED.
WE ALSO CONFERENCE WITH OUR SENIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE SENIOR YEAR TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS REMAIN ON TRACK AND HAVE DEVELOPED ROBUST POST-SECONDARY PLANS.
DURING THE SPRING OF 2021, SPARS POINT HIGH SCHOOL LAUNCHED A SATURDAY SCHOOL TUTORING PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM NOW TAKES PLACE EVERY SATURDAY FOR THREE AND A HALF HOURS, AND IS STAFFED BY A LEAD TEACHER, COUNSELOR, SPECIAL EDUCATOR AND CORE AREA TEACHERS.
ALL STAFF MEMBERS AT SPARES POINT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN BE REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM BY THEIR TEACHER COUNSELOR, OR BY THEIR PARENT OR GUARDIAN.
WE ARE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER BUS TRANSPORTATION AND MEALS.
STUDENTS RECEIVE SMALL GROUP TUTORING OR ONE-TO-ONE ASSISTANCE COMPLETING SPECIFIC ASSIGNMENTS TO IMPROVE THEIR GRADES.
STUDENTS MAY ALSO MEET WITH THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELOR TO REVIEW THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS.
AND FOR A SOCIAL EMOTIONAL CHECK-IN, THIS IS TRULY A PROGRAM FOR ALL STUDENTS.
IT INCLUDES ALL GRADE LEVELS FROM STANDARD LEVEL TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT.
THE DATA AND RESULTS FROM SATURDAY SCHOOL TUTORING ARE AS FOLLOWS.
DURING THE SPRING OF 2021 WHEN SCHOOLS REOPENED IN PERSON, AN AVERAGE OF JUST 15 STUDENTS ATTENDED OVER SIX SESSIONS.
THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR, WE HELD 20 SESSIONS SERVING 349 UNIQUE STUDENTS WITH 79.6% OF THOSE STUDENTS EARNING A PASSING GRADE IN THE COURSE THEY ATTENDED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH.
DURING JUST SEMESTER ONE OF THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAVE HELD 16 SESSIONS WITH 329 UNIQUE STUDENTS WITH 77.8% OF THOSE STUDENTS EARNING AT LEAST A PASSING GRADE OR BETTER FOR THE COURSE THEY ATTENDED FOR ASSISTANCE WITH SATURDAY SCHOOL.
AND VIRTUAL TUTORING PROGRAMS HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON COURSE PERFORMANCE AND THEREFORE STUDENTS REMAINING ON TRACK TO GRADUATE ON TIME.
DURING THE 20 20 21 SCHOOL YEAR, 24.43% OF SPARS POINT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAD EARNED A FINAL GRADE OR D OF D OR E COMPARED TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR WITH 16.64% A REDUCTION OF 7.79%.
IN ADDITION, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS EARNING AN E AND THEREFORE NOT EARNING COURSE CREDIT WAS 10.86% IN 20 20 21 AND REDUCED TO 4.93% THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
IN REVIEWING HISTORICAL DATA, CURRENT COURSE COMPLETIONS ARE HIGHER NOW THAN IN PRE PANDEMIC YEARS.
WITH ALL THE SUPPORTS FROM SCHOOLS, SCHOOL, STAFF, AND THE COMMUNITY, IT'S REALLY NOT ENOUGH.
WE STRIVE TO HAVE A PARENT AND SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP, AND WE WANT PARENTS TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS, NOT PASSIVE RECIPIENTS IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.
WHEN A STUDENT CROSSES THE STAGE AND RECEIVES A DIPLOMA, THERE'S NO GREATER SIGHT THAN THE STAFF AND THE FAMILIES CELEBRATING THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND REALLY FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED.
SO HERE ON THE SCREEN, UH, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT FAMILIES CAN DO TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED, UH, AS, AS WE TRY TO GET EVERYONE TO THAT POINT THAT WE'RE SO PROUD OF.
UH, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND ON THE SLIDE IN FRONT OF YOU, IS THERE A SCHEDULE OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT REPORTS? AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[03:20:01]
FOR BEING HERE AND TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR SCHOOL AND YOUR GRADUATION, UM, EFFORTS.ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MS. DOKI? YES.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THE ANSWERS.
UM, IS THERE ANY DATA ON THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT NEITHER GRADUATED OR DROPPED OUT? LIKE THEY, THEY STAYED ON OR THEY, THEY DIDN'T REACH GRADUATION RATE, BUT THEY ALSO DIDN'T DROP OUT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO THAT, THAT TYPICALLY WOULD BE OUR FIFTH YEAR DATA THAT YOU SAW ON THERE.
THE STUDENTS THAT TAKE EXTRA TIME TO GET TO GRADUATION.
CUZ EITHER THEY'RE, THEY DO GRADUATE OR THEY DROP OUT.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MAYBE PERHAPS STUDENTS WHO TRANSFER OUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND GO ELSEWHERE? NO, NO.
MORE OF LIKE, I GUESS DO YOU CONSIDER SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T GRADUATE A DROPOUT? SO LIKE THEY MADE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH SCHOOL, BUT THEY DIDN'T GRAD LIKE SCHOOL'S OVER, BUT THEY DIDN'T DROP OUT.
I GUESS IF THEY DIDN'T, IF THEY DON'T GO TO THE FIFTH YEAR, THEY'RE CONSIDERED A DROPOUT CUZ THEY DIDN'T GRADUATE.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, YOU HAVE TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS TO GRADUATE.
SO, UH, TYPICALLY STUDENTS CONTINUE TO PERSIST OR WORK THROUGH ALL THOSE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AND ONCE THEY'VE REACHED THOSE CREDIT REQUIREMENTS, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO GRADUATE OR THEY'VE MET THE CRITERIA FOR GRADUATION.
RATHER THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE CEREMONY OR NOT.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO DOES A STUDENT MEET THOSE CRITERIA TO GET THEIR DIPLOMA OR, OR NOT, AND FOR THE CREDITS, ARE THEY JUST EARNED BY, YOU KNOW, IS IT, IS IT CREDIT BASED OR IS IT ACTUALLY, UM, THE KNOWING THE CONCEPT OR SHOWING THAT SUBJECT WITH EXPERTISE TO A CERTAIN LEVEL RATHER THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, COMPLETING THE COURSE? RIGHT.
SO IT, OUR GRADUATION CREDITS ARE, UM, OUR SYSTEM, OUR REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION, UM, ARE BASED ON CREDITS AND THERE'S COMMUNITY SERVICE INVOLVED.
THEY'RE, YOU CAN, I, I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN IN FRONT OF ME TO BE GENUINE, BUT ON OUR WEBSITE YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ARE.
UM, STUDENTS DO NEED TO MEET THOSE.
YOU, UH, YOU POSE AN, A GREAT QUESTION AROUND, UH, MASTERY OF, OF STANDARDS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT IS THE INTENT.
UH, AND THAT IS OUR, OUR INTENT IS WHEN STUDENTS ARE, ARE WORKING THROUGH THEIR COURSEWORK AND THEY ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL AND THEY'RE PASSING.
AND THEN OF COURSE THEY HAVE THE STATE, UH, ASSESSMENTS AS THAT, UM, COUNTER DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT THEY KNOW AND CAN DO, UM, IS WHERE WE LOOK AT THE BODY OF EVIDENCE TO SAY THAT THEY'VE MET THE, THE STANDARDS.
UH, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR RAISING THE POINT OF MASTERY OF STANDARDS IS, IS THE GOAL FOR EVERYTHING.
THANK YOU FOR FINDING THE PERFECT WORDS FOR THAT
UM, MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT ANY DATA WHERE, YOU KNOW, ARE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL AND THEY'RE PROCEEDING ON IT AND AS SHE SAID, THE NINTH GRADE IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, CATCH IT THAN THEY'RE LIKELY MORE LIKELY TO DROP OUT.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE THEM FOR THE NINTH GRADE? ONE OF THE, THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IS THE RESPONSE OF MIDDLE SCHOOL WORK, WHERE WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT DIP.
FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU LOOK MANY TIMES WHERE STUDENTS ARE AT THE END OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT CAN BE A PREDICTOR OF SUCCESS OR YOU CAN STRUGGLE THAT FIRST YEAR.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT MIDDLE SCHOOLS INSTRUCTION THAT'S ENGAGING AND, AND INTERESTING TO THE STUDENTS.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE PERFORMING TO POTENTIAL.
SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE DEFINITELY MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT IF THERE WAS AN EMPHASIS AT THE SIXTH GRADE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A MASTERY OF THE ELEMENTARY AND THEY SHOULD, THAT THEY'RE PLACED CORRECTLY IN THE SIXTH GRADE THAT WAY WHERE THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GETTING TO THE EIGHTH GRADE AND WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM MAKING IT TO THE NINTH GRADE.
SO PART OF THAT, IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY YEAH.
IS, IS THE SCHEDULING PROCESS WHERE OUR ELEMENTARY COUNSELORS AND STAFF TALK TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT IT'S, IT'S ALSO THE ARTICULATION.
IT'S HAVING ELEMENTARY STAFF HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT'S EXPECTED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN WORKING TOGETHER.
SO THERE'S A BRIDGE AND NOT JUST A, A A QUICK CHANGE IN EXPECTATIONS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD EXPAND ON OR, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE NOT COMMUNICATING.
THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD RIGHT NOW IN THE, THE RESPONSIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
HELLO? I JUST WANNA, I HAVE A QUESTION.
EVERY, EVERY SCHOOL HAS AN ARTICULATION PROCESS.
A PRINCIPAL CASTOR SHARED THAT SHE'S IN A UNIQUE SITUATION, CUZ SHE PROBABLY CAN GO UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, THAT'S HAPPENING IN EVERY SCHOOL, THAT THERE'S THAT CONVERSATION, ARTICULATION CONVERSATION WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE TRANS WHO ARE TRANSITIONING FROM FIFTH TO SIX.
[03:25:01]
ADOLESCENT LEARNER, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS YEAR TWO.ZIN ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SUMMIT, IF YOU HAVEN'T REALLY UNPACKED THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL AND THE ADOLESCENT LEARNER, THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK AROUND THAT.
JUST THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHOICE AND OPTIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND THOSE MIDDLE SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS, THEY HAVE TEAM LEADERS, THEY HAVE COUNSELORS, AND THEY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO EXPLORE AND TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MANY OPTIONS JUST RELATED TO THAT STAFFING PIECE.
BUT ALSO OPTIONS IN TERMS OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AS WELL.
BUT THE ARTICULATION PR, UH, PROCESS AS DR.
ZIN IS HAPPENING, UM, IS HAPPENING IN, AS STUDENTS ARE TRANSITIONING NOW, WE DO HAVE A UNIQUE CHOICE BECAUSE OF MAGNET SCHOOLS WHERE KIDS ARE GOING FROM MAYBE NOT THEIR FEEDER SCHOOL TO ANOTHER DIFFERENT SCHOOL.
ALL THAT DOES IS PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CH CHALLENGES FOR THE SCHOOL.
BUT AGAIN, CAPTURING THAT DATA AND REALLY TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS IS AN EXPECTATION AND IS HAPPENING.
I'M ALSO NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COUNSELORS.
WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT THE WORK OF OUR COUNSELORS WHO ARE HAVING MEETINGS WITH STUDENTS AND WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATIONS AROUND THE ARTICULATION PATTERNS.
GOOD EVENING, PRINCIPAL, PASTOR.
UM, I HAVE TWO RELATED QUESTIONS.
MY FIRST IS, SINCE BRIDGE PLANS ARE NO LONGER IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS WHO CAN'T DEMONSTRATE MASTERY OF THE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION, WHAT ARE THEY USING INSTEAD? ESPECIALLY SINCE EXTENDED, UM, LEARNING IS NOT REQUIRED.
DO YOU WANT I DON'T, I WILL, GO AHEAD.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE IT COMES DOWN TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL CAPACITY IN A CLASSROOM, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS STUDENTS WHO ARE, AND IT GETS BACK TO THE POINT AROUND MASTERY OF STANDARDS, RIGHT? WHEN WE'RE NOT, UM, I SHOULDN'T SAY WHEN WE'RE NOT, BUT WHEN WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHICH STANDARDS THE STUDENTS ARE NOT SUCCEEDING IN, THAT'S REALLY INCUMBENT UPON US INSTRUCTIONALLY TO COME BACK AND WORK WITH THOSE STUDENTS IN SMALL GROUPS THAT CAN, THAT CAN FUNCTION BOTH IN THE CLASSROOM OR AS OUR PRINCIPAL DESCRIBES SOME OF THE STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS THAT SHE'S PUT IN PLACE TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT EXTENDED TIME FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE PRACTICE, TO HAVE MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEACHER, TO HELP THEM UNPACK WHETHER IT'S A SKILL, A KNOWLEDGE, OR A SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO, TO DEMONSTRATE.
UH, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.
IT'S, IT'S THAT TIME IN PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED MORE SMALL GROUP TARGETED INSTRUCTION ON.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING EITHER OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WAS DIRECTED TO YOU.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SHARE.
SO IF, IF THEY DO, MY FOLLOW UP IS IF THEY DO NEED MORE TIME, SAY ANOTHER YEAR, THEY'VE REACHED JUNE AND THEY'RE NOT READY.
AND IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY DON'T MEET THE, THE REQUIREMENTS EITHER THROUGH CREDIT OR, UM, MASTERY OF THOSE STANDARDS, THEN WHAT? AND HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL BE READY, IF IT'S THEIR DESIRE TO GRADUATE AND TO FINISH? IT'S THE PARENTS' DESIRE, IT'S THEIR DESIRE.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S THEIR DESIRE, RIGHT? HOW DO WE KEEP THEM? AND BECAUSE THAT'S OUR, THAT'S OUR DESIRE TOO.
I, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE QUESTIONING.
VERSUS PUSHING THEM OUT AND SAYING, YOU CAN JUST GET YOUR G E D.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE WORK ALONG THE WAY.
UM, AND I'M GONNA DEFER TO OUR, OUR RESIDENT AND CURRENT PRINCIPAL HERE TO SPEAK.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT REALLY, UM, DEPENDS ON EACH STUDENT TRULY.
I'VE WORKED WITH SO MANY STUDENTS OVER THE YEARS, AND IF THEY'RE RETURNING FOR A FIFTH YEAR, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS GOING TO DEPEND ON WHAT, UM, REALLY THEY, HOW QUICKLY THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH EARNING THEIR DIPLOMA.
SO SOME STUDENTS MAY RETURN FOR A FULL DAY PROGRAM AND TAKE ADDITIONAL CREDITS IN THE EVENING OR ON WEEKENDS.
SOME MAY, UM, LET US KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO ALSO BEGIN WORKING.
SO THEY MAY JUST DO SOME OF THOSE EVENING OR WEEKEND PROGRAMS. SO WE REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO SIT DOWN WITH EACH STUDENT IN THAT FAMILY AND DETERMINE WHAT'S GOING TO WORK BEST.
WHAT CLASSES DO THEY NEED, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ACCOMPLISH OBTAINING THOSE CREDITS TO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
SO THAT'S ULTIMATELY THEIR CHOICE AND THEY'RE GIVEN THOSE OPTIONS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S REALLY DEPENDENT ON EACH STUDENT AND ANY OTHER CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THEY MAY HAVE GOING ON.
UH, FIRST LET ME SAY IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO HEAR THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON AT SPARROW'S POINT.
I I HOPE THAT THE SYSTEM IS LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DUPLICATE IT, REPLICATE IT ACROSS SCHOOLS, UH, BECAUSE I APPRECIATE,
[03:30:01]
UH, THE ENGAGEMENT, THE HIGH LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY, UH, AND THE PROBLEM SOLVING AROUND HOW WE GET STUDENTS ENGAGED WITH BEING INVESTED IN THEIR OWN GRADUATION THROUGH SATURDAY SCHOOL, UH, AND THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS.MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE DROPOUT RATE.
SO IN MARYLAND, STUDENTS CAN DROP OUTTA AGE 18 UNLESS THEY FIT INTO A FEW CATEGORIES.
MARRIAGE, MILITARY, UH, OR PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
IS THIS DATA BASED ON STUDENTS WHO, ALL STUDENTS WHO'VE DROPPED OUT? OR IS IT STUDENTS WHO DROPPED OUT AT AGE 18? I WILL HAVE TO INVITE MR. CONLEY, OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF D R A A.
SO I DON'T GIVE THE WRONG TECHNICAL COR ANSWER HERE.
UM, SO WHAT WE, UH, BEGIN WITH IS THE COHORT.
AND THE COHORT IS FIRST TIME NINTH GRADERS FOR THAT YEAR.
UM, THAT COHORT THEN GETS EXTRAPOLATED INTO MULTIPLE DATA POINTS OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE FOUR YEARS OF SCHOOL EXPERIENCE TO POSSIBLY A FIFTH YEAR WITH THAT FIFTH YEAR RATE.
SO YOU HAVE A, A NUMBER, LET'S SAY A NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THAT COHORT.
YOU HAVE TRANSFER IN, YOU HAVE TRANSFER OUT.
SO THAT'S, UH, THAT CAN ADJUST THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITHIN THAT GROUP.
YOU ALSO HAVE STUDENTS THAT, UM, YOU SEE THAT ARE ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION AND THEY BECOME YOUR GRADUATES AND THEY CREATE THAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR GRAD RATE.
YOU ALSO HAVE WITHIN THAT GROUP, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME STUDENTS WHO, UM, ARE DECEASED YOU AS PART OF THAT COHORT, WHICH IS A, A, A VERY LOW NUMBER, BUT A VERY UNFORTUNATE NUMBER.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE CERTIFICATE BOUND.
AND SO STUDENTS WHO ARE CERTIFICATE BOUND ARE NOT CONSIDERED GRADUATES WITH A DIPLOMA.
UM, THEY'RE CONSIDERED NON-GRADUATES.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER CLUSTER OF KIDS THAT ARE FACTORED INTO PART OF THAT COHORT.
WITHIN YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR, UH, DROPOUT, IT'S ANY STUDENT THAT WE CANNOT ACCOUNT FOR OR WHO IS FORMALLY DROPPED OUT.
A NON GRADUATE IS A STUDENT WHO CONTINUES THROUGH A SCHOOL PROGRAM AND THEN DOESN'T COMPLETE THE SCHOOL PROGRAM.
SO A DROPOUT IS A FORMALIZED PROCESS THAT A STUDENT CAN DO BEGINNING AT AGE 16 WITHOUT THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAD TALKED ABOUT, UH, AS WELL AS WHAT THEY CAN DO AT AGE 18 WITH THOSE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ACROSS AGE AND WHY IF STUDENTS ARE DROPPING OUT AT AGE 18 OR OR PRIOR TO 18, FOR WHAT REASONS THEY'RE DROPPING OUT.
AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT I RARELY SEE IN, IN THE DATA, UH, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THIS KIND OF DATA, IT SEEMS THAT IT WOULD BE, UH, IMPACTFUL IS HOW STUDENTS WHO ARE IN SCHOOL UNDER MCKINNEY VETO OR WHO ARE EXPERIENCING OUT-OF-HOME PLACEMENT, WHAT THOSE OUTCOMES ARE WITH REGARD TO GRADUATION AND DROPOUT RATES FOR THOSE PARTICULAR POPULATIONS.
MS. FRONG, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UM, SO I HAVE A GROUP OF QUESTIONS FIRST RELATING TO, UM, THE GENERAL WAY THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE TRACKING DATA AND THEN FOR MS. CASTOR, SOME SPECIFIC ONES WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING AT S SPARROW'S POINT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S FANTASTIC.
UM, SO THE FIRST THING IS, OR THE FIRST GROUP OF QUESTIONS.
SO YOU SPOKE ABOUT DECEMBER OF THE SENIOR YEAR THAT THESE LETTERS ARE SENT OUT.
HOW FAR OFF ARE THE STUDENTS FROM GRADUATING? LIKE DO WE KNOW IF THEY'RE ONE CLASS OFF, TWO CLASSES OFF, OR IS IT THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PIECE? BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS WHEN YOU SEND A LETTER IN DECEMBER OF THE SENIOR YEAR, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO RECOVER MM-HMM.
UM, BECAUSE IF WE COULD START THAT PROCESS EARLIER, MAYBE WE COULD START SOME OF THOSE RECOVERIES EARLIER.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE IS WITH THE SIX YEAR PLAN STARTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT CHECK-INS, SO I HEARD ABOUT IS SIX YEAR PLAN IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN I HEARD ABOUT DECEMBER OF SENIOR YEAR.
SO ARE THERE CHECK-INS ALONG THE WAY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL TRACKING LIKE WE SHOULD BE? SURE.
SO I'LL GET US STARTED AND THEN I'LL INVITE, UH, MY COLLEAGUES IF THEY WANNA ADD.
SO WE DO, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP THIS SIX YEAR PLAN.
SO WE DO BEGINNING, UM, IN, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HAVE OUR STUDENTS, UM, WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS AROUND DEVELOPING THEIR SIX YEAR PLAN WITH THE INTENT OF GETTING THEM TO GRADUATION.
AND SO EVERY YEAR OUR COUN AT A MINIMUM, OUR COUNSELORS ARE DOING MORE THAN THE MINIMUM, BUT AT A MINIMUM EVERY YEAR OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR MEETS WITH THE STUDENT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE IN THAT SIX YEAR PLAN.
ARE THEY ON TRACK, UH, TO, UM, MAKE GRADUATION ON SCHEDULE? THERE'S ALSO THOSE ONGOING
[03:35:01]
CONVERSATIONS WITH PARENTS AROUND THINGS.UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEIR STUDENT IS OFF TRACK.
UM, AND SO THAT THAT LETTER IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR IS NOT THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THAT THERE'S COMMUNICATION GOING HOME.
THAT IS ONE THAT WE DO DOCUMENT, UM, BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO, THAT'S SORT OF LIKE THE KIND OF THAT LAST URGENT WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO, WE STILL HAVE A SEMESTER, WE NEED TO GET THIS IN ORDER.
UM, BUT THERE IS THE INTENT AND THE PRACTICE IS ONGOING COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS, AND I THINK OUR EXEMPLARY PRINCIPAL HERE TALKED ABOUT HOW IT'S HEARD NINTH GRADE PROGRAM REALLY THAT THAT HAS MADE THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE KNOW EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION IS THE GAME CHANGER.
AND SO, UH, TO YOUR POINT, THE EARLIER WE'RE TALKING TO FAMILIES AND SAYING, WE'RE CONCERNED, RIGHT? WE, A STUDENT MAY HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON A CREDIT, UM, AND THESE ARE THE THREE WAYS THAT WE CAN GET THEM CAUGHT UP ON CREDIT.
IT CAN BE AFTER SCHOOL, IT CAN BE DURING THE SUMMER, IT CAN BE NEXT YEAR DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, IF THAT, UM, IF EITHER OF THOSE OTHER ONES DON'T WORK.
UM, AND WE HAVE, WE CREATE LOTS OF, UM, CUSTOMIZED PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS WHERE THEY MAY BE IN SCHOOL DURING THE DAY, TAKING AN IN-PERSON EVENING CLASS, AND THEN ALSO DOING AN ONLINE PROGRAM INDEPENDENTLY, UH, TO, TO TRULY TRY AND MEET THEIR NEEDS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AND GIVE THEM THE LONGEST, UM, ONE RAMP TO GRADUATION, IF YOU WILL.
BUT IT, TO OUR PRINCIPAL'S POINT, IT, IT COMES DOWN TO THAT TRULY TALKING WITH EACH CHILD.
AND FORGIVE ME CUZ I, I STILL CALL 17 YEAR OLDS CHILDREN, UH, EACH YOUNG PERSON AND THEIR PARENT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT THEY'RE FACING AND WHAT IS IT THAT WE DO TO DISMANTLE THOSE BARRIERS, GET THEM THOSE CREDITS SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM TO GRADUATION AND ONE TO THE NEXT GREAT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIFE.
SO IF, IF, AGAIN, IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT, I WOULD ADD, UM, JUST SPEAKING TO THE LETTER, THOSE REALLY, THOSE TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS, AS MARY SAID DR.
OMA SAID, REALLY HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL PROCESS.
THEY DEFINITELY ACCELERATE AN INCREASE IN FREQUENCY IN THE JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR.
AND I CAN SPEAK ON MYSELF ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND MY HIGH SCHOOL COLLEAGUES THROUGHOUT THE SENIOR YEAR.
THERE ARE SO MANY COMMUNICATIONS HOME TO FAMILIES, CONFERENCES, LETTERS, HOME VISITS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO DO WE KNOW HOW FAR OFF STUDENTS ARE WHEN IT COMES TO GRADUATING? LIKE IS IT, IS IT MAYBE JUST ONE OR TWO CLASSES, OR DO WE SEE IT'S A LOT.
SO EVEN KIND OF AGGREGATING THAT DATA A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO I GO AHEAD BY STUDENT, IT IT, IT'S PART OF THE COUNSELING SCOPE AND SEQUENCE YEARLY WHEN THEY, THEY GO THROUGH SCHEDULING CLASSES, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT CERTAINLY SENIOR YEAR THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT ON A MORE REGULAR BASIS, BUT FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S BEING REVIEWED.
UH, SO THOSE LETTERS, IT'S NOT A, A ONE TIME, IT'S ONGOING WORK.
THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF TRACKING THINGS.
TEACHERS MAY SEE, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS DISENGAGED AND, AND BRING THE, BRINGS THE COUNSELOR AND BRINGS OTHER TEACHERS IN, UM, IN A MEETING AND SAYS, OKAY, WHAT'S GOING ON? ARE YOU SEEING THE SAME THING IN YOUR CLASS THAT I'M SEEING IN MINE? AND, AND WHAT CAN WE DO? SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A MOMENT IN TIME.
IT'S, IT'S FREQUENT AND ALONG THE WAY FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, AND LET ME TRY TO REPHRASE IT, IS IF IT WAS 20 CREDITS THAT WERE NEEDED TO GRADUATE, DO WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE LIKE AT 19? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW FAR RIGHT.
I DO, I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
SO YOU'RE ASKING WHAT ARE THOSE TRENDS, RIGHT? WHAT, HOW IS IT TYPICAL THAT A STUDENT, MOST STUDENTS, IF THEY'RE FALLING SHORT AS AS ONE OR TWO CREDITS VERSUS A STUDENT WHO MAYBE ONLY HAS HALF THEIR CREDITS ACCOMPLISHED? SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION.
WHAT I DON'T WANNA DO IS, IS MAKE UP NUMBERS HERE FOR YOU.
UM, AND SO THAT IS TREND DATA THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT.
UH, I WOULD SAY CERTAINLY WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO IT MAY JUST BE ONE OR TWO CREDITS, RIGHT? UM, AND I AM TALKING BROADLY CUZ I'M TALKING ACROSS 25 HIGH SCHOOLS.
UM, BUT WE CERTAINLY HAVE STUDENTS WHO LIFE HAS TAKEN THEM DOWN A PATH THAT THEY NEED SIGNIFICANT RECOVERY.
AND SO WE, WE HAVE STUDENTS AT BOTH ENDS.
I GUESS I WOULD JUST SAY, AND AGAIN, I I DON'T WANNA MAKE UP A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, IT'S A CREDITOR TWO, A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE.
IT'S MORE THAN 50% OF THE CREDITS.
KIN'S POINT THAT, UM, AND, AND TO OUR PRINCIPAL'S POINT THAT, AGAIN, I KNOW WE KEEP COMING BACK TO TRULY UNDERSTANDING WHAT EACH YOUNG PERSON NEEDS, WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR JOURNEY'S BEEN, WHAT'S THE BARRIERS, AND HOW DO WE DISMANTLE THOSE BARRIERS AND GET THEM CONNECTED WITH THE PROGRAM THAT'S GONNA WORK FOR THEM.
SO THAT LEADS TO THE NEXT GROUP OF QUESTIONS, WHICH IS WHAT MS. CASTOR IS
[03:40:01]
DOING.AND SO, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SATURDAY TUTORING, IS IT DISCRETIONARY AS FAR AS WHEN THESE TEACHERS OR COUNSELORS OR PARENTS SEND A STUDENT? OR DO YOU HAVE SOME STANDARDS, LIKE IF THIS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS STUDENT HAS FAILED TO TEST, THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY SENT.
UM, WE FIND STUDENTS THEMSELVES OPT IN.
THEY, THEY DETERMINE THAT IT'S, IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO HAVE, UM, SOME EXTRA ASSISTANCE.
I'D SAY THE PRIMARY SOURCE, UH, IT IS OUR TEACHERS REFERRING STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE NOTICING THAT THEY COULD USE THAT EXTRA BOOST, THAT SMALL GROUP TIME, THAT ONE-ON-ONE TIME.
AND THEN ONCE THEY ARE IN THERE, ARE THEY ABLE TO GET OTHER, UH, SUBJECTS AS WELL? THEY ARE.
SO IT'S A THREE AND A HALF HOUR PROGRAM.
WE HAVE IT SET UP WITH, UM, CONTENT BASED CLASSROOMS. SO SOME STUDENTS WILL MOVE BETWEEN TWO, MAYBE EVEN THREE DIFFERENT CLASSES WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MR. YOUNG, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE, UM, LETTER THAT SENT OUT, PARTICULARLY IN DECEMBER, IS THERE ANY KIND OF CONFIRMATION BACK FROM THE PARENTS THAT THEY RECEIVED IT? BECAUSE I KNOW I HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER WITH A PARENT, UM, AT ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY MADE THE STATEMENT THAT A LOT OF THEIR PARENTS WERE MADE THE STATEMENT ABOUT, I WISH SOMEBODY HAD TOLD ME THAT MY CHILD IS AT RISK FOR NOT GRADUATING.
BUT YES, IF A LETTER IS GOING OUT BUT THERE'S NO CONFIRMATION BACK, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY REALLY RECEIVING IT? DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE? SURE.
I I ACTUALLY WILL INVITE OUR PRINCIPAL SINCE YOU, YOU, YOU DO THIS DIRECTLY AND THAT WAY I'M NOT SPEAKING CONCEPTUALLY.
UM, SO THE LETTER IS ONE TOOL I WOULD SAY IN THE CASE WHERE WE HAVEN'T BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CONNECTING WITH THAT FAMILY.
THAT'S WHERE WE WORK WITH OUR P W OUR PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKER TO CONSIDER HOME VISITS.
CERTAINLY PHONE CALLS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, EMAILS.
BUT WE, WE CERTAINLY ARE, ARE PERSISTENT CAUSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE PARTNER WITH THAT PARENT, UM, AND DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET THAT STUDENT ACROSS THE STAGE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AGAIN, MS. CASTOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR, UM, HIGHLIGHTING YOUR SCHOOL.
[S. INFORMATION (10:20 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, WHICH INCLUDE THE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE MONTH ENDING FEBRUARY, 2023.THE REVISED 20 22 23 SCHOOL CALENDAR WILL END THE UPDATE ON KEY SCHOOL LEGISLATION.
[T. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, COMMITTEE UPDATES, AND AGENDA SETTING (10:20 - 10:35 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES, UM, BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS IF THERE ARE SOME, AND AGENDA SETTING.THE LINKS TO THE APRIL COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO DATE CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS UNDER THIS AGENDA ITEM.
UM, SO AUDIT COMMITTEE, MR. MCMILLAN, ANY UPDATES? UH, WE'RE GONNA MEET ON TUESDAY, MAY 23RD AT FOUR 30.
SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, IF YOU HAVEN'T TUNED INTO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT.
UM, CUZ I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD WORK THAT THESE PEOPLE DO AND THEY NEED AND THEY SHARE IT AND, AND PEOPLE NEED, I THINK NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT GOES ON IN THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
UH, MS. DEBOWSKI BUDGET COMMITTEE.
UH, OUR NEXT BUDGET MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 10TH AT FIVE 30.
OUR NEXT BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON MONDAY, MAY 1ST AT 5:00 PM VIRTUALLY.
UM, CURRICULUM COMMITTEE IS ME AND OUR MEETING IS NEXT THURSDAY.
WE ARE HAVING AN IN-PERSON MEETING WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, LOOK AT THE MATERIALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING PILOTED FOR ELA IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO MS. HASSAN WITH THE LEGISLATIVE AND GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
[03:45:01]
COMMITTEE, THE 19TH.IT WILL BE AN IN THE EQUITY, ME EQUITY MEETING WILL BE IN MAY.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE, BUT IT WILL BE AN IN-PERSON MEETING.
THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE AND GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE WILL BE HELD THIS THURSDAY FROM 4:00 PM TO 5:00 PM AND MS. HUMPHREY, YOU'VE HAD A LOT WITH THE POLICY TONIGHT, BUT ANY UPDATES FOR YOUR COMMITTEE? OUR NEXT MEETING IS APRIL 24TH AT FOUR 30.
AND, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO JUST, UH, REITERATE WHAT MR. MCMILLAN SAID.
IF YOU, UM, YOU CAN TUNE INTO THE MEETINGS, BUT, UM, I SHOULDN'T MENTIONED YOUR NAME.
OUR OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SAID, UM, IF YOU TUNE INTO THE MEETINGS OR THEY'RE ALSO RECORDED.
SO IF YOU SEE POLICIES COMING UP AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAME UP WITH SOME OF THE REASONING FOR OUR AMENDMENTS, YOU CAN GO BACK AND WATCH THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO SEE, UM, OUR THOUGHT PROCESS BEFORE WE BROUGHT THOSE TO YOU.
NEXT IS ANY BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS OR AGENDA ITEMS. AND FOR OUR NEW MEMBERS, YOU DON'T FEEL OR AGENDA ITEMS, YOU CAN ALWAYS ALSO SEND THEM TO US.
UM, MS. DAMASK, ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD AT THIS TIME? THANK YOU EVERYONE.
OKAY, MR. YOUNG, CAN YOU FILE THAT
THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
THREE STRIKES, FIGURE OUT I HAVE SOMETHING.
I, I I WASN'T SURE WHETHER OR NOT TO BRING THIS UP DURING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH DURING THE REPORT BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO THE PORT, BUT THE REPORT, BUT IT KIND OF IS.
SO I JUST, UM, I GUESS I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS SOME CONCERNS.
I KNOW WE'RE DEALING WITH A, A VERY SHORTENED AND CONDENSED TIMEFRAME, UM, FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH.
AND SO, UM, IS YOUR MIC ON? IT IS.
WE HEARD, I HEARD YOU GO AHEAD.
FOLKS WERE TELLING ME THAT YOUR MIC WASN'T ON, SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS OR WASN'T.
SO, UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE THOROUGHNESS OF THIS, UM, SEARCH FIRM AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ALSO TO BE COGNIZANT OR AWARE OF IS, UM, WE HAVE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY SPEAKING UP.
WE HAVE 111,000 STUDENTS IN, UM, BALTIMORE COUNTY.
SO I JUST THINK AS WE'RE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF DETERMINING OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT, UM, WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING UP IN THAT VOICE.
AND SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SAY WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT IS SOMEONE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, IS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND AND WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, SEEK OUT, UM, AND TRY AND LISTEN TO THOSE VOICES THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING UP IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
UM, OR JUST LOOKING OUT FOR, UM, FOR ALL STUDENTS.
WILLIAMS ACTUALLY AS AN EXAMPLE FOR SOMETHING THAT, I MEAN, UM, THERE'S THE, FROM ME WORKING WITH THE EQUITY COMMITTEE, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED BLACK BOY JOY GENIUS.
UM, AND THAT WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE STATE.
AND ORIGINALLY IT WAS ONLY, UM, FOR THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
WILLIAMS, HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS SAY, WELL, I DON'T WANNA BE A PART OF THAT OR DO WANNA BE A PART OF THAT.
BUT HE EXPANDED THE PROGRAM BEYOND JUST THE THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO BE AT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
SO AGAIN, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SUPERINTENDENT WHO'S LISTENING TO EVERYBODY'S NEEDS, UM, EVEN FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT ALWAYS FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING UP.
AND ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THAT PROGRAM WE SPOKE WITH, UM, THE PRINCIPAL, UM, FROM ONE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND HE TALKED ABOUT THERE'S BEEN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TRIED BEFORE, BUT THIS IS ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT'S STICKING, THAT'S WORKING, THAT'S BEING EFFECTIVE FOR THE STUDENTS AND HOW, UM, THE YOUNG BOYS ARE ACTUALLY, IT'S LIKE A BROTHERHOOD.
UM, AND THEY REALLY HAVE A SENSE OF PRIDE IN THIS PROGRAM THAT THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN.
SO, JUST, UM, THAT'S MY COMMENT.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY WELCOMING OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS, UM, MS. BOOKER DWYER, MS. FRONG, AND MR. YOUNG.
AND WELCOME BACK TO MR. YOUNG.
I'M GLAD YOU SIGNED UP FOR A SECOND TOUR DUTY AND IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK.
UM, NEXT I'D LIKE TO THANK TWO GROUPS IN PARTICULAR.
ONE OUR SCHOOL BOARD NOMINATING COMMISSION, UM, FOR THE WORK THEY DO.
UM, THEY, THEY DESERVE A SHOUT OUT AND A MENTION.
UM, THEY WORK VERY HARD THROUGH A, A VERY LONG PROCESS.
UM, BUT THE WORK IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY DO IN BRINGING OUR APPOINTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO US.
UM, OVER MANY MONTHS, AND I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT, HOW LONG WE'VE WAITED FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO COME.
WHAT WAS NOT MENTIONED WAS ALL OF THE WORK THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES.
SO I WANTED TO MENTION OUR COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD NOMINATING COMMISSION, AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK.
LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK, UM, THE VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVED ON THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREA
[03:50:01]
BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE.UM, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO THAT PROCESS, UM, TO SAY IT WAS, UM, IT UNDER A MICROSCOPE WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
UM, THEY SERVED AGAIN MANY LONG HOURS, UM, AND RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND MET.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A DIFFICULT PROCESS.
THEY'VE BEEN, UM, MEETING SINCE THE FALL AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AS WELL AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.
UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY AGENDA ITEMS TO ADD.
WE ARE CERTAINLY GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
AND, UH, TO REITERATE, UH, THE WORDS OF MS. MINOSKI.
UM, I ALSO HAVE NO AGENDA ITEMS AND I THINK, I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THE TRAIN OF SAYING THANK YOU AND GOODNIGHT.
OKAY, MS. HUMPHREY, I'M GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS.
OH, I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS THAT I WAS THRILLED REGARDING THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT A PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS IS A TREMENDOUS STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, STUDENTS WHO COME TO SCHOOL HUNGRY HAVE DIFFICULTY FOCUSING AND LEARNING TO THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL.
MANY ADVOCATES, INCLUDING MY BELOVED STUDENT SUPPORT NETWORK, HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO HELP ENSURE OUR STUDENTS IN NEED ARE PROVIDED WITH BASIC NECESSITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO ATTEND SCHOOL READY TO LEARN.
AND I THANK THEM FOR ALL I, I THANK THEM FOR THEIR RELENTLESSNESS AND RELENTLESS, EXCUSE ME, AND CONTINUING WORK.
WHILE I KNOW THE WORK OF THESE, THESE ADVOCATES IS NOT DONE, I AM THRILLED THAT WE HAVE MADE THIS STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
YORRO AND OTHER B CPS STAFF MEMBERS FOR THEIR WORK AND MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
WHILE I WOULD LOVE FOR THE LEVEL OF POVERTY IN BALTIMORE COUNTY TO DECREASE TO A LEVEL THAT MAKES THIS UNNECESSARY, UNFORTUNATELY THAT IS NOT LIKELY SOMETHING THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
THEREFORE, I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THROUGH FUTURE GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION AS WELL AS OUR EFFORTS AS A BOARD TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH IN FUTURE YEARS.
SAVOY, DO YOU HAVE ANY FINAL COMMENTS? NOPE.
UM, MR. MCMILLAN, I KNOW WE WERE TOLD NOT TO, UH, WE DON'T NEED TO BRING UP AN AGENDA ITEM A SECOND TIME.
I KNOW WE'VE TOLD THAT, BUT I'M GONNA DO IT.
UH, THE SUSSEX CAUSEWAY, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PRESENTATION OR MAYBE THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR A, A CLOSED SESSION, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
AND SO PEOPLE, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
SO I, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I THINK A PUBLIC OR, YOU KNOW, A PRESENTATION ON IT.
CUZ I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE SITTING HERE, RIGHT HERE.
WHAT, WHAT'S HE TALKING ABOUT? THE SUSSEX CAUSEWAY.
SO YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CONCERNS WITH THE CAUSEWAY, THE, THE RESIDENT'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE CAUSEWAY? IS THAT THE YEAH.
AND WHETHER WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, HAS IT HAS ITS, UH, OUT SERVED ITS PURPOSE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THAT WAS A, AN EASEMENT THAT WAS SIGNED BETWEEN TWO PROPERTY OWNERS FOR A DOLLAR, I THINK IT WAS A DOLLAR OR $4 IN 1956 THEY GAVE, AND IT WAS A DOLLAR, THEY GAVE UP FOUR FEET OF EACH OF 'EM GAVE UP FOUR FEET OF THEIR PROPERTY FOR AN EIGHT FOOT TRAIL.
AND IT, ORIGINALLY IT WAS A FOOTBRIDGE AND THEN IT WENT FROM A FOOT, THEY TORE THE FOOTPRINT DOWN AND THEY BUILT A, LIKE AN ASPHALT KIND OF TRAIL.
IT WAS, IT, IT WAS MADE SO STUDENTS COULD WALK THROUGH THIS ACROSS DUCK CREEK TO SUSSEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT HASN'T SERVED ITS PURPOSE.
IT'S A 24 7 THOROUGHFARE AND THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THERE'S MOTORCYCLES AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES THROUGH THERE.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE, WE GIVE IT TO THE STATE AND THEN THE STATE GIVES IT TO THE COUNTY OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ON IT, IS MY OPINION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY, ESPECIALLY OUR THREE NEW ONES WHO JUMPED RIGHT IN HERE WITH, UM, THEIR ORIENTATION IS NOT UNTIL THE END OF THIS WEEK.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU JUMPING IN, UM, AND ALSO THE VERY THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS THAT EVERYONE POSED TONIGHT.
UM, AND THAT MUST BE MY TIMER AND GOODNIGHT.
[U. ANNOUNCEMENTS (10:35 p.m.)]
ANNOUNCEMENT.THE BOARDS NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 2ND, 2023 AT SIX 30.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.