[00:00:01]
THIS IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE LICHTER.
I CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 2ND, 2023.
THIS EVENING'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING HELD IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY AND BROADCAST THROUGH THE B C P S ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON B C P S TV, COMCAST CHANNEL 73 AND VERIZON CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING, ROLL CALL VOTE.
[A. CLOSED SESSION]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSE SESSION AS PERMITTED BY THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AS FOUND IN THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND GENERAL ARTICLE B ONECONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
CONSULT WITH STAFF, CONSULTANTS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS ABOUT PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION AND DISCUSS PUBLIC SECURITY.
IF THE BODY PUBLIC BODY DETERMINES THAT PUBLIC, WELL, THAT'S A NEW WORD.
DISSUASION WOULD CONSTITUTE A RISK TO THE PUBLIC OR TO PUBLIC SECURITY, INCLUDING THE DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES AND STAFF AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EMERGENCY PLANTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVE MINOSKI
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, HARVEY.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
THIS IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE LECHTER.
I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 2ND, 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 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 BBC P S ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON B C P S TV, 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.
[C. AGENDA (6:35 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE MAY 2ND AGENDA.WILLIAMS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CHANGES.
THE AGEN AGENDA STANDS AS PRESENTED EARLIER THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM AND HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE, CONSULT WITH STAFF, CONSULTANTS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS ABOUT PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION AND DISCUSS PUBLIC SECURITY.
IF THE PUBLIC BODY DETERMINES THE PUBLIC DISSUASION WOULD CONSTITUTE A RISK TO THE PUBLIC OR TO PUBLIC SECURITY, INCLUDING THE DEPLOYMENT OF FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES AND STAFF AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EMERGENCY PLANS.
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.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PERSONNEL MATTERS, AND FOR THIS I CALL ON MR. MCCALL.[00:05:07]
GOOD EVENING, MR. MCCALL.GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LECHLER, VICE CHAIR, HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING PERSONNEL MATTERS, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES, AND CERTIFICATED APPOINTMENTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONAL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBITS D ONE THROUGH D FOUR SORE.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. MINOSKI? YES.
[E. NEW BUSINESS - ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS (Dr. Williams) (6:50 - 7:00 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS, AND FOR THAT I CALL ON DR.WILLIAMS, MADAME CHAIR, LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M BRINGING FORWARD THE FOLLOWING ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
PRINCIPAL HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL HENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, BERKSHIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, COLGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT E ONE? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND SAVOY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL THOUGH, PLEASE? MS. MINOSKI? YES.
OUR FOR FIRST APPOINTMENT IS JENNIFER BURCH AS THE, AS AS THE PRINCIPAL OF HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ATTENDING WITH HER IS HER PARTNER, AMANDA COLLINS.
I'VE ASKED THAT THEY STAND AT THIS TIME, WHICH HAS OVER 21 YEARS OF SERVICE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PRIOR TO THIS APPOINTMENT, SHE SERVED AS THE ACTING PRINCIPAL AT HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UH, PRIOR TO THAT ROLE, SHE SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLESEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND DUNBAR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
PRIOR TO THOSE EXPERIENCES, SHE SERVED AS A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT DUNDALK MIDDLE SCHOOL IN PINE GROVE, AND FINALLY SHE SERVED AS A TEACHER SPECIAL ED AT SHADY SPRING ELEMENTARY AND RIVERVIEW ELEMENTARY.
NEXT WE HAVE TAMARA R HARRIS MURPHY AS THE PRINCIPAL OF HENWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
JOINING HER THIS EVENING, IT'S HER HUSBAND ERNEST MURPHY, PLEASE STAND AND HER SON CADEN.
OUR HARRIS MURPHY BRINGS OVER 18 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PRIOR TO THIS APPOINTMENT, MS. HARRIS MURPHY SERVED AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT EDMONDSON HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SHE SERVED AS A STAT TEACHER AT NEWTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A CLASSROOM TEACHER AT HALL STATE ACADEMY.
HER PRIOR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TUSCALOOSA COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
NEXT WE HAVE AMANDA KOLOWSKI AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT BERKSHIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
PLEASE STAND AN ATTENDING WITH HER.
IT'S HER HUSBAND, CHAD KALO AND PRINCIPAL CHRISTINA DAVIS AT SHADY SHADY PLAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHERE'S MS. DAVIS? IS SHE HERE? THERE SHE IS.
UM, AMANDA KALASKY BRINGS OVER 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PRIOR TO THIS APPOINTMENT, SHE SERVED AS A TEACHER STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEACHER AT, UH, SANDY PLAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEACHER IN THE OFFICE OF STAFF RELATIONS AND TEACHER OF CLASSROOM AT BENSON FARM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
NEXT, WE HAVE ALE D WOLF AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL.
PLEASE STAND AS SHE'S FIRST HER HUSBAND, TIMOTHY WOLF, PLEASE.
STAN WOLF BRINGS OVER 19 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
[00:10:01]
SHE SERVED AS A TEACHER, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, ENGLISH TEACHER, STAT TEACHER, AND SPECIAL ED TEACHER AT SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL.CONGRATULATIONS AND WATCHING VIRTUALLY IS LAURA L MARVIN BAA AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT COLGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SHE BRINGS OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
PRIOR TO THIS APPOINTMENT, LAURA SERVED AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATOR AT COLGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, CLASSROOM TEACHER AT COLGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND ART TEACHER AT COLGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, LAURA L MARVIN BAA.
THAT CONCLUDES THE APPOINTMENTS CONGRATULATE.
[F. PUBLIC COMMENT (7:00 - 7:40 p.m.)]
IS 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'LL 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 OF THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AT A REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING.
SPEAKERS ARE SELECTED RANDOMLY USING ELECTRONIC SELECTION PROCESS FROM ALL REGISTRATIONS RECEIVED WITHIN THE DESIGNATED TIMEFRAME.
EACH SPEAKER IS ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
NO SPEAKER SUBSTITUTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED FOR THOSE WHO WERE NOT SELECTED THROUGH THE ONLINE REGISTRATION.
A WAIT LIST SIGNUP SHEET WAS AVAILABLE 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE MEETING.
IF A REGISTERED SPEAKERS ABSENT 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 BOARD AND THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, THIS IS NOT THE PROPER FORM 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 PROCESSES AS APPROPRIATE.
I REMIND EVERYONE THAT INAPPROPRIATE PERSONNEL REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR THAT DISRUPTS OR INTERFERES WITH THE CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING ARE OUT OF ORDER.
PERSONS USING LANGUAGE THAT IS THREATENING OR PROMOTES VIOLENCE AGAINST A BCPS 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 I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE TONE OR SEE THE TIME IS EXPIRED, THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF AT THE END OF YOUR TIME AND IT COULD BE TURNED OFF OF A SPEAKER DRESS AS 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 AT BCPS B OE BCPS.ORG.
MORE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ON THE BOARD'S WEBSITE@BCS.ORG UNDER BOARD OF EDUCATION PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC.
I WILL NOW CALL IN OUR ADVISORY AND STAKEHOLDER GROUP LEADERS TO SPEAK.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CINDY SEXTON REPRESENTING TAP GO.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LECTOR, VICE CHAIR HARVEY.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, OUR EDUCATORS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY DESERVE MORE, MORE RESPECT, MORE RESOURCES, MORE SUPPORT, AND MORE COMPENSATION BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS DESERVE A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION AND THAT STARTS WITH OUR EDUCATORS WITH TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK NEXT WEEK, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OUR EDUCATORS WHO GIVE SO MUCH OF THEMSELVES EVERY SINGLE DAY BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR STUDENTS AND WE WANT THEM TO THRIVE AND GROW IN ALL ASPECTS ACADEMICALLY, CERTAINLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, EVERYTHING TO MAKE A WELL-ROUNDED, PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY, AND WE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THOSE EDUCATORS.
I TRULY WISH I DID NOT HAVE TO COME TO EVERY BOARD MEETING TALK ABOUT MONEY.
THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS WE COULD AND SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE THINGS STARTS WITH THE EDUCATOR USING DATA FROM THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN THE 2122 SCHOOL YEAR, BCPS ACTUALLY ENDED THE YEAR YEAR WITH MORE VACANCIES THAN THEY STARTED WITH AND STATEWIDE, THE REASON MOST TEACHERS ARE LEAVING ARE EITHER A VOLUNTARY RESIGNATION OR TAKING ANOTHER
[00:15:01]
EDUCATION RELATED JOB, I E GOING TO WORK AT ANOTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALSO WHILE WE REALIZE THAT WE NEED EDUCATORS WHO LOOK LIKE OUR STUDENTS, OUR BLACK AND HISPANIC TEACHERS ARE LEAVING AT HIGHER RATES THAN OUR WHITE TEACHERS.ALSO, ACCORDING TO THE DATA, TEACHER SHORTAGES ARE DRIVEN BY LOCAL CONDITIONS.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
WE NEED TO DIG DEEP AND HONESTLY AND THEN AUTHENTICALLY WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THESE LOCAL CONDITIONS THAT ARE DRIVING OUR EDUCATORS OUT.
WE KNOW SOME ARE FROM STATE AND NATIONAL DIRECTIVES.
OUR SPECIAL EDUCATORS AND RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE UNTENABLE WORKLOADS, BUT WE CAN AND MUST CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AND THE PRACTICE SO WE CAN KEEP OUR EDUCATORS.
AS WE GO INTO TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, I ASK THIS BOARD AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TWO THINGS.
FIRST, YES, CAN WE PLEASE FINISH OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH A COMPENSATION PACKAGE THAT WILL TRULY WORK TOWARDS RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUR EDUCATORS? AND SECOND, CAN WE HAVE THE AUTHENTIC CONVERSATIONS AND ACTIONS TO IDENTIFY AND IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS THAT ARE DRIVING EDUCATORS OUT OF THE PROFESSION.
IF WE REALLY WANT TO SHOW OUR TEACHERS OUR APPRECIATION, WE MUST DO THIS WORK BECAUSE OUR EDUCATORS ARE WORTH IT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS DESERVE IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL YEAGER, B C P S STUDENT.
MY NAME IS RACHEL YEAGER AND I'M A FIFTH GRADER AT HAMPTON ELEMENTARY.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THE STUDENTS OF HAMPTON ABOUT THE LUNCHES.
THE LUNCHES DON'T SEEM VERY HEALTHY OR FULFILLING, AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THE MILK, MILK AND YOGURT HAVE BEEN EXPIRED.
ANOTHER THING IS THAT THE LINE TAKES SO LONG BECAUSE OUR SCHOOL IS SO OVERCROWDED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO EAT.
ALSO, THE PIZZA WE USED TO GET WAS MUCH BETTER THAN THE NEW KIND WE HAVE HAVE BEEN GETTING THIS YEAR.
PLUS THE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE OFTEN MUSHY OR MOLDY.
MOST OF THE TIME THERE ARE ONLY TWO OR THREE ITEMS IN THE LUNCH.
LUNCH IS A VERY IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY, SO, SO WE CAN STAY FOCUSED AND LEARN.
THERE ARE KIDS THAT BUY LUNCH EVERY DAY AND IT IS VERY UNSATISFYING.
I BET IF YOU TRIED SOME OF THE LUNCHES, YOU WILL, YOU WOULDN'T LIKE THEM AT ALL.
WE WILL LOVE TO SEE DAIRY THAT IS NOT EXPIRED, PRODUCE THAT IS EDIBLE, MORE VARIETY AND BIGGER PORTIONS.
A BETTER LUNCH MAKES A BETTER DAY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARLENA COLTON PURCELL FROM THE SOUTHWEST AREA EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS.
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT ONE, MS. PEREL.
THAT FACE OF MINE GETS ME IN TROUBLE.
SO VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FOR YOU TONIGHT.
FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MARLENA COLTON PURCELL.
I AM THE CHAIR FOR THE SOUTHWEST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.
UM, TONIGHT I AM OF COURSE, STARTING OFF MY KUDOS, CLAPS AND CHEERS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO UM, HIGHLIGHT, UM, TODAY, UM, MS. MARJORIE WRIGHT.
UM, SHE IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, SECRETARY AT LAND SOUND HIGH SCHOOL, AND SHE WAS NAMED TONIGHT TODAY AS THE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR.
ANOTHER, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO CHEER.
WE ARE AGAIN HAVING OUR SECOND MONDAY MEETING, AND WE ARE COMBINING IT WITH NORTHWEST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, WHICH MEANS WE ARE COMING TOGETHER AS A WEST ZONE.
PLEASE TUNE IN VIA ZOOM ON NEXT MONDAY AT 7:00 PM IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FLYER AS OF YET, PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL AND OR EMAIL, UM, SOUTHWEST EMAIL ACCOUNT OR NORTHWEST EMAIL ACCOUNT.
I WAS GOING TO DIRECT IT HERE, BUT, UM, NOW FOR A REPORT FROM LAST MONTH'S JOINT MEETING, DURING OUR JOINT SOUTHWEST CENTRAL AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, WE HAD THE HONOR OF HOSTING A PANEL OF STUDENTS FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE STUDENT VOICES DO MATTER SO MUCH SO THEY HAD ARTICULATED IN THEIR EXPERIENCE, WHICH EXPRESSED THEIR APPRECIATION TO HAVING THEIR VOICES HEARD.
WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE THIS TYPE OF MEETING ANNUALLY WHERE STUDENTS' VOICES ARE HEARD.
WE ASK STUDENTS QUESTIONS ABOUT SAFETY, ABOUT THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, THEIR HOPES, UM, FOR THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT, WE, THROUGH THIS, WE LEARNED THAT THERE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS,
[00:20:01]
EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR ALICE TRAINING, ESPECIALLY DUE TO EXPERIENCES SUCH AS THE THREATS THAT OCCURRED AT TOWSON HIGH SCHOOL.THEY WORRY ABOUT THE ABILITY, UM, OF TEACHERS TO ENFORCE A RESPECT OR NON BULLYING ENVIRONMENT AND BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS, TEACHER STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS.
THEY ALSO EXPRESS CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR CLASS SIZES GREATER THAN 27 AS THEY EXPERIENCE CLASS SIZES AS MUCH AS 33 STUDENTS.
IN FACT, THEY NOTED THAT SMALL CLASS SIZES IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO FOCUS, THEIR ABILITY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR TEACHERS ALLOWS MORE TIME FOR STUDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS AND BE HEARD, AS WELL AS A POSSIBILITY OF GROUP COLLABORATION IN SMALLER CLASSES.
THEY ALSO BELIEVE SMALL CLASS SIZES ENFORCES CONSEQUENCES, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT TO REDUCE DISRUPTIVENESS TO IMPROVE THEIR UM, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
FINALLY, THE STUDENTS HOPE THAT THEIR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT WILL PRIORITIZE STUDENTS AND, UM, PRIORITIZE THEIR STUDENT VOICES AS WELL AS TEACHERS.
I THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYONE COMING OUT TO NEXT MONDAY'S MEETING, WHICH IS ABOUT SUMMER PROGRAMS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.
NEXT IS GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS KINAYA MACKENZIE.
UH, I HAVE A NEPHEW THAT ATTENDS DUN DOG HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, AND IN THAT HIGH SCHOOL THEY HAVE A BOOK CALLED PUSH, UH, BY SAPPHIRE.
UH, IT'S IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL, ALONG WITH NINE OTHERS THAT I KNOW OF IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UH, I'M, I'M HERE TODAY SIMPLY ASKING THAT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, VULGAR AND WARSTEIN MATERIALS NOT BE AVAILABLE WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE PARENTS HAVE DIMINISHED CONTROL OF WHAT OUR CHILDREN CAN ACCESS OR READ.
NOW, THIS BOOK, UH, MENTIONS THE N WORD 22 TIMES.
UH, IT MENTIONS THE F WORD, UH, ALSO IN THIS BOOK 83 TIMES, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PRI PRIOR SPEAKER TALKED ABOUT A, A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT OUR KIDS ARE EXPERIENCING SOCIALLY, UH, EDUCATIONALLY.
AND TO ME, THIS BOOK DOES NOT ADD TO THAT OR SHOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
I WANNA READ JUST A SMALL SNIPPET OF WHAT THIS BOOK, AGAIN, IT'S PUSH BY SAPPHIRE, UH, HAS IT'S PAGE 72 SAYS HERE, UM, I DON'T F**K BOYS, BUT I'M PREGNANT.
SHE KICKED ME IN MY HEAD WHEN I'M PREGNANT, I THINK MY DADDY, HE STINK THE WHITE S**T DRIP OFF HIS DICK LICK, LICK.
I HATE THAT, BUT THEN I FEEL THE HOT SAUCE, HOT CHA CHA FEELING WHEN HE BE F*****G ME.
I HATE HIM, BUT MY P***Y BE POPPING.
HE SAY THAT, BIFF, MOM, YOUR P***Y IS POPPING.
I HATE MYSELF WHEN I FEEL GOOD.
SO AGAIN, I I I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT, UH, CAPACITY THIS IS OR WOULD BE IN OUR CHILDREN'S, OUR BOYS AND GIRLS HIGH SCHOOLS LIBRARY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTION OF IT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WOULD ASSIST OR HELP OUR CHILDREN IN ANY SOCIAL OR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT.
UH, IT'S VULGAR, IT'S GROSS, AND I I'M SIMPLY ASKING THAT THIS, THESE MATERIALS WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY.
WE WONDER WHY OUR CHILDREN ARE EXHIBITING CERTAIN BEHAVIORS.
NOW, UH, WE ARE SEEING THIS AND THERE ARE BOOKS LIKE THIS WITHIN THEIR LIBRARIES THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO AND THEY SHOULDN'T.
AND I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME.
I DIDN'T EVEN WANNA READ IT HERE.
I HAVE A SON, I HAVE A NEPHEW.
I WOULDN'T EVEN PLAY A SONG ON THE RADIO WITH THEM IN THE CAR WITH THIS TYPE OF LANGUAGE.
GOOD EVENING HERE, MADAM CHAIR, MME. WISE, CHAIR DR.
WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
[00:25:01]
MY NAME IS SHIA AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF CHINESE AMERICAN PARENT ASSOCIATION WITH BALTIMORE IN SHORT, KAA PC.I CAME HERE LAST TIME AND SHARED WITH YOU THE, THAT MAY IS AITA HERITAGE DEMANDS.
ADA STANDS FOR ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER, THIS AMERICAN SINCE 1992.
AITA HERITAGE HAS BEEN CELEBRATED ANNUALLY IN MAY TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS ACHIEVEMENT AND CULTURES OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER IN THE UNITED STATES.
AS WE ALL KNOW, DIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE DI DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR COUNTRY, AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL GROUPS.
UNFORTUNATELY, FOR TUNA, THE HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE OF A P D A INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED OR OVERLOOKED IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM A MONTH IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO EXPLORE THE RICH HISTORY AND CULTURES OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDERS AND TO ANALYZE THE CHALLENGES AND THAT FACED BY THE AA COMMUNITY, FIRST OF ALL, AS WITH OTHER SIMILARLY SIMILAR DEMAND, IT IS IMPORTANT NOW TO LIMIT THE, THE EXPLORATION OF ATA HISTORY AND CULTURES INTO JUST ONE MONTH THROUGHOUT THE THE YEAR.
SO I RECOMMEND THE INCLUSION OF AITA HISTORY AND CULTURES IN THE BCPS CURRICULUM.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT TEACHERS RECEIVE ADEQUATE TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO AFFECTING YOU TEACH THOSE CONTENTS.
ONE IMMEDIATE IN ACTION OUR PARTNER SCHOOL COULD TAKE IS INCLUDE BOOKS ABOUT A HISTORY AND CULTURES IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOL LIBRARIES LAST TIME, AND ALSO INCLUDE THIS TIME, OTHER PARENTS CAME TO THE BUILDING MEETING AND STRONGLY OPPOSE THE INCLUSION OF THE BOOKS SUCH AS GENDER, QUEER, NON-VOICE OR PUSH.
YOU HAVE HEARD IN OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE SCHOOL IS TRYING TO TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITH THIS BOOKS.
HOWEVER, THE CONTENT OF THIS BOOK CAN POTENTIALLY PROMOTE GENDER CONFUSION AND THE PICTURES AND CON DESCRIPTION IN THIS BOOKS ARE HARMFUL TO IMMATURE YOUNG LINES.
THERE ARE SO MANY NON-CONTROVERSIAL WAYS TO EMBRACE DIVERSITY, INCLUDING BOOKS ABOUT IEDA HISTORY AND CULTURES.
WE FACILITATE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATION OF OUR DI DIVERSITY AS AA GROUP, NEARLY SIMPLE PERCENT OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
OUR ORGANIZATION IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING OUR PARTNERING SCHOOL EDUCATION AND PROMOTING A POSITIVE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH B OE AND TO DISCUSS PLANS TO WORK ON THOSE ISSUES, INCLUDING BOOK SELECTION.
THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LECHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I WANNA ESPECIALLY WELCOME OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS, UM, WHO HAVE TAKEN UP THE ESSENTIAL TASK OF FACILITATING A QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, I'M ONE OF OUR NEARLY 10,000 TEACHERS AND I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE EAGER TO SHARE WHAT WE KNOW TO COLLABORATE ON SOLUTIONS AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS AND CARE FOR ALL STUDENTS IN BCP S IN ALL THEIR DIVERSE EXPERIENCES, SKILLS, RACIAL IDENTITIES, LANGUAGES, CULTURES, AND GENDER EXPRESSIONS AND IDENTITIES.
MY NAME'S LENA AMICK AND I AM A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT PARKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.
I'VE BEEN TEACHING FOR SIX YEARS WITH B P S AND A CO-CHAIR OF THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, ADVOCACY AND SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE OF TABCO.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FAIRLY COMPENSATING EDUCATORS AND ALL SCHOOL STAFF IN CREATING A SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
CURRENTLY, BCPS RANKS NINTH IN THE STATE FOR TEACHER COMPENSATION.
THIS SPRING, BCPS HAS MADE GREAT MOVEMENT TOWARDS FULFILLING LAST YEAR'S AGREEMENT TO A SHORTER FAIRER SALARY SCALE.
BUT THE PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE IS STILL NOT COMPETITIVE WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
WHAT BCPS HAS PROPOSED IS INADEQUATE TO ADDRESS, TO ATTRACT SKILLED EDUCATORS IN OUR COUNTY AND KEEP OUR HARDWORKING TEACHERS HERE.
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION DIRECTLY LEADS TO HIGH TURNOVER AND HIGH TURNOVER LEADS TO WORSE SCHOOLS.
THAT MEANS POORER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, FAILURE TO PROVIDE FEDERALLY MANDATED SERVICES, INABILITY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS THROUGH NATIONWIDE EPIDEMIC OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
WHEN EMPLOYEES DON'T FEEL THEIR TIME, EFFORT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS REWARDED.
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THEY SEEK EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE.
AND WE CAN SEE THAT IN THE 621 EDUCATORS AND COUNTING THAT HAVE LEFT OUR DISTRICT THIS YEAR.
THAT IS EXPERTISE THAT WE ARE NOT EASILY GOING TO REPLACE OR GET BACK.
UM, I WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THOSE VACANT POSITIONS AND HIGH TURNOVER MEAN FOR OUR STUDENTS BY GIVING
[00:30:01]
YOU SOME EXAMPLES.ONE OF MY FRIENDS WHO TEACHES IN A WEST SIDE HIGH SCHOOL, SHE SAID HER SCHOOL HAD ARI THRIVING THEATER PROGRAM FOR FIVE YEARS BECAUSE OF ONE DRAMA TEACHER.
SHE LEFT FOR A PRIVATE SCHOOL LAST YEAR SEEKING A LESS STRESSFUL WORKLOAD, AND NOW THOSE STUDENTS DON'T TAKE DRAMA AT ALL.
A VETERAN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER POINTED OUT THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TEACHERS, STUDENTS ARE BEING TAUGHT BY TEACHERS WHO ARE MAXED OUT AND THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH, UM, ABILITY TO SUPPORT THOSE NEW TEACHERS TO LEARN THE SKILLS THEY NEED.
PATIENCE IS THINNER AND STUDENTS ARE GETTING MUCH LESS FEEDBACK ON THEIR WORK AND LESS INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION.
AND FOR ME, A PASSION OF MINE IS TEACHING ESOL AND THOSE STUDENTS NEED EXTRA SUPPORT THAT WE'RE SIMPLY NOT ABLE TO GIVE THEM.
I HAVE STUDENTS CRY IN MY ROOM EVERY WEEK AND I GIVE THEM A TISSUE AND A GRANOLA BAR BECAUSE THERE ARE NO COUNSELORS AVAILABLE CAUSE OUR COUNSELORS ARE WORKING SO HARD JUST TO SUPPORT OTHER STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING.
UM, I WANNA END WITH A REMARK FROM AN ENGLISH TEACHER AT PARKVILLE.
HE SAYS, AS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER IN B C P S, THE CURRENT SALARY SCALE IS DAUNTING.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING I'VE LEARNED THIS YEAR, I'M EXCITED TO TRY NEW THINGS TO LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES.
THAT EXCITEMENT IS DAMPENED BY FEELING LIKE MY SALARY SCALE WILL NOT BE IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HELENE GROVES.
I'M USED TO MUCH SMALLER CHAIRS, SO GOOD EVENING CHAIRWOMAN LIQUOR AND ESTEEMED BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS HELEN GROVES AND I AM AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATOR AND SEL L TEACHER AT THE FABULOUS CAMPFIELD EARLY LEARNING CENTER.
MY PRINCIPAL INSISTED I ADD THAT ADJECTIVE AT THE BEGINNING.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND TO ASK THAT YOU WORK WITH OUR EDUCATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO BUILD A BETTER FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FOR EDUCATORS, NURSES, COUNSELORS, AND ALL OTHER CERTIFIED STAFF REPRESENTED BY THE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY ARE ONGOING.
BCPS HAS MADE GREAT STRIDES TOWARD FULFILLMENT OF THE AGREEMENT APPROVED LAST YEAR TO COMPRESS OUR LENGTHY SALARY SCALES AND CREATE EQUITABLE STEP INCREASES.
WE RECOGNIZE THE EFFORTS OF THE BCPS UM, NEGOTIATIONS TEAM AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT.
HOWEVER, EVEN WITH THE CURRENT OFFERING, THE BCPS CONTRACT PROPOSAL DOES NOT, UM, PROPEL US INTO A COMPETITIVE PLACE AMONG NEIGHBORING COUNTIES.
THE EXODUS OF EDUCATORS, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH STAFF, NURSES, AND RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS IS EVIDENCE OF THE NEED FOR BCPS TO APPROVE MORE COMPETITIVE MEANS OF COMPENSATION.
THE LOSS OF VETERAN TEACHERS AND THE INABILITY TO RETAIN NEW TEACHERS WITHIN OUR COUNTY LEADS TO AN UNSTABLE AND STRESSFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND A STRAIN ON COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.
AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE ALL PLEDGED TO EMPOWER OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE AMONG THE HIGHEST PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE NATION BY RAISING THE BAR, CLOSING THE GAP AND PREPARING EVERY STUDENT FOR THE TEACHER ON THE WEBSITE.
UNDER CORE VALUES IS THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT.
WE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT LEARNS AND SUCCEEDS AND REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER ORIENTATION, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY, OR DISABILITY, EVERY STUDENT WILL BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN PROVIDED WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS.
ADDITIONALLY, IT NOTES THAT A HIGH PERFORMING WORKFORCE IS ESSENTIAL TO THE BCP S BECOMING A WORLD-CLASS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THE STATEMENT, POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ALL MEMBERS OF TEAM B C P S ARE BUILT THROUGH MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT, WHICH WE APPRECIATE AGREEING TO FUND THE COMPRESSED SALARY SCALE EMPOWERS OUR COUNTY TO RETAIN EXCELLENT EDUCATORS AND PROVIDES INCENTIVE FOR NEW EDUCATORS TO JOIN US.
THERE IS INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL WITHIN N TEAM B C P S.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT IN AFFIRMING THE VALUE OF BOTH OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WHICH IS VIRTUAL IS KENNETH BENJI'S.
THANK YOU BOARD FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND WELCOME NEW MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS KEN BENJIS, A TEACHER IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'D LIKE TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF CINDY SEXTON AND LENA AEK TO AMAZING LEADERS AND B C P S EDUCATORS.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE FUND THE NEW SALARY SCALE, UM, AND MAKE A STRONG EFFORT TO ATTRACT NEW AND VETERAN EDUCATORS.
YOU KNOW, A A LOT, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS ALL TALK, RIGHT? AND I'VE BROUGHT MY FAIR SHARE OF PEOPLE INTO THIS SYSTEM AND IT'S, IT'S
[00:35:01]
NOT A, IT'S NOT HAPPENING LIKE THAT ANYMORE.WE HAD AN AMAZING CURRICULUM AND THOSE TWO THINGS ARE NOT CURRENTLY THE SITUATION.
MY PAST FEW INTERNS, I'VE PROBABLY HAD SIX INTERNS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, ONE APPLIED TO BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SHE RESIGNED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, MY CURRENT INTERN FROM JUST THIS, UH, FEW MONTHS AGO DID NOT APPLY TO BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND EXPLICITLY CITED LOW PAY COMPARED TO SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
LAST YEAR WE HAD HUNDREDS OF OPENINGS AND THIS YEAR IS THE SAME.
STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING, TEACHERS ARE SUFFERING, BUT LET'S BE REAL, THE REAL, THE REAL PEOPLE SUFFERING HERE ARE THE STUDENTS.
UM, MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF OUR SUBSTITUTES, BUT WHEN THEY ARE TEACHING A COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, THEY, THE STUDENTS ARE NOT GETTING THE SAME LEVEL THAT THEY WOULD BE GETTING FROM A FULLY CERTIFIED TEACHER.
UM, IT, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR THE BOARD AND EVERYONE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO ATTRACT THE BEST EDUCATORS, BOTH NEW EDUCATORS AND TO KEEP THOSE VETERAN EDUCATORS IN ORDER TO REDUCE OUR TURNOVER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UM, YOUR TIME THIS EVENING AND I REALLY WISH THAT YOU CONSIDER THIS REQUEST.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAZARUS VOCUS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU CHAIR LECHTER AND THE REST OF THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO, UH, BE OPEN TO PUBLIC FEEDBACK REGARDING THE SCHOOLS IN IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, I, WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS THE SIZE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY AND BCPS.
UM, THERE'S OVER 175 SCHOOLS AND OVER 110,000 STUDENTS IN OUR COUNTY.
AND SO I TO SAY THIS IS VERY LARGE AND IN MY EXPERIENCE HAS RESULTED IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM THAT IS A BIT UNWIELDY.
OUR COUNTY IS VERY DIVERSE AND PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS NOT ONLY SOCIOECONOMICALLY, ETHNICALLY, RACIALLY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, GENDERS, BUT SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR GENERATIONS, SOME WHO ARE NEW TO THE STATE OR UM, EVEN IMMIGRANTS OR OUR COUNTRY.
UM, THE COUNTY GOES FROM THE VERY RURAL EDGE WITH PENNSYLVANIA, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, VERY URBAN AREAS ON THE CITY BORDER AND YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
UM, WE LITERALLY HAVE DIFFERENT SCHOOL CLOSURES DUE TO DIFFERENT WEATHER IN PARTS OF THE THE B C V S COUNTY.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S VERY DIVERSE WITH DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT NEEDS.
MY CONCERN IS THAT AS A RESULT OF THIS, UM, WE HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS TO ADDRESS AND COUNTYWIDE ONE SIZE FITS ALL IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES ENDS UP BEING SUBPAR FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF, OF INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS, INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE.
UM, AND IN MY EXPERIENCE THERE, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN, IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
THERE'S A TENDENCY TO PASS THE BUCK WHEN PEOPLE SAYING IT'S NOT THEIR ROLE, THEY'RE JUST FOLLOWING POLICY, THEIR HANDS ARE TIED, ET CETERA.
I BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE SMALLER DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP THAT CAN RAPIDLY ADDRESS LOCAL ISSUES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TAKE OWNERSHIP TO ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL OR LOCAL, YOU KNOW, COUPLE OF SCHOOLS' NEEDS.
WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE WHO CAN CLOSELY CONNECTED THE SCHOOLS WHO ARE BOTH WILLINGNESS, AUTHORITY AND FLEXIBILITY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITHOUT A LOT OF BUREAUCRACY.
UM, I GREW UP IN A DIFFERENT STATE WHERE I HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE BECAUSE WE HAD SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH A SINGLE HIGH SCHOOL AND ALL THE FEEDERS WENT INTO IT AND THIS AND, AND THAT HAD THEIR OWN SUPERINTENDENTS AND THEIR OWN SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE SMALL LOCAL GOVERNANCE ALLOWED FOR THOSE SCHOOLS TO REALLY BE DYNAMIC AND BE TAILOR MADE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WOULD ADVOCATE FOR VCPS TO BE DIVIDED INTO SMALLER UNITS.
I'M NOT SAYING EACH HIGH SCHOOL IS THEIR OWN UNIT, BUT PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT UH, YOU KNOW, ONCE THAT COULD BE MORE DYNAMIC AND MORE ATTUNED TO THEIR COMMUNITIES.
UM, MAYBE I WAS THINKING SOMETHING IN THE REALM OF MAYBE THE AREA ADVISORY COUNCILS COULD KIND OF BE A MODEL OF LIKE HOW TO KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN INTO SMALLER AREAS, UM, THAT COULD RUN SCHOOLS, UM, HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AUTHORITY AND CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITY AND THEN THERE COULD STILL BE A C A LARGER COUNTYWIDE UMBRELLA ADMINISTRATION FOR LARGER ISSUES, BUT MUCH FEWER ONES THAT WOULD NEED, YOU KNOW, QUITE SO ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO LOSE MANY STUDENTS TO PUBLIC TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND I THINK A BIG PART OF THAT IS A FAILURE TO ADJUST THE CONCERNS OF, UH, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, PARENTS AND FAMILIES AT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT THERE WE CAN DO BETTER WITH THAT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY ADAMS, JUST IN CASE I RUN OUT OF TIME.
TRY REALLY HARD TO SPEED TALK CLEARLY
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WELCOME TO OUR THREE NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS, UH, MR. YOUNG, MRS. BOOKER DWYER AND MRS. FONG.
YOU GUYS REALLY ENTERED AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, SO THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK.
[00:40:01]
MY NAME IS AMY ADAMS AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING, UH, 5,000 MEMBERS OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PARENT AND STUDENT COALITION.WE ARE BCPS PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, TAXPAYERS AND STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE FORMED A COMMUNITY THAT ADVOCATES FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL STUDENTS IN BCPS.
I WOULD LIKE TO USE MY TIME TO MENTION THREE TOPICS OF IMPORTANCE TO OUR COALITION MEMBERS.
FIRST, WITH SO MANY STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY BEHIND WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR SUMMER HELP? HOW DO PARENTS FIND THIS INFORMATION IN WRITING IN ORDER TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILD TO THEIR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL? SECOND, REGARDING THE LAST CURRICULUM MEETING, THERE WERE POOR GROWTH PERFORMANCE SLIDE USED THROUGHOUT THE PILOT TO PROMOTE MY VIEW LITERACY TO THIS BOARD AS A SELLING POINT UNTIL THEY WERE NOT A 1% GROWTH IN A SHOWCASE STATE IS CONCERNING.
WHAT DATA POINTS HAS THIS BOARD SEEN OTHER THAN THE REPORT THAT TEACHERS LIKE HMH INTO READING BETTER THAN MY VIEW TO FEEL CONFIDENT APPROVING A $10 MILLION CONTRACT AT.
REMEMBER THE FORMER BOARD WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH BCPS HAVING PILOTED MY VIEW FOR TWO MONTHS AND NOW WITH THE INFO GLEAMED FROM A LONGER PILOT, THE PILOT WAS DISCONTINUED AND NOT RECOMMENDED TO PROCEED FROM CNI.
IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT TEACHERS LIKE HMH, BUT IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT IT WORKS.
ED REPORTS DOESN'T SAY IT WORKS.
ED REPORTS TELLS YOU THAT A PRODUCT MEETS STANDARDS.
CLEARLY ED REPORTS RATING DID NOT MAKE MY VIEW A GREAT PROGRAM FOR OUR TEACHERS TO USE.
SO WHAT DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT HMH EXCEPT THAT IT ISN'T MY VIEW.
DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION EITHER FROM STAFF OR FROM DOING YOUR OWN RESEARCH TO SAY UNEQUIVOCALLY THAT HMH INTO READING IS WHAT WE NEED TO TO MOVE ALL STUDENTS IN A BETTER DIRECTION? PERHAPS THIS IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER, ASK FOR OR LOOK INTO PRIOR TO THE VOTE APPROVING THE CONTRACT.
OUR STUDENTS ARE DEPENDING ON YOU TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICE, NOT JUST THE ONE CHOICE THAT'S LEFT BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN BACKED INTO A CORNER TO CHOOSE SOMETHING.
FINALLY, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH.
YOU ARE MOSTLY A NEWLY SEATED BOARD MEMBERS WERE GIVEN FIVE MONTHS TO FIND A QUALIFIED SUPERINTENDENT TO LEAD THE 25TH LARGEST SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU HIRED A SEARCH FORM HELD COMMUNITY INPUT SESSIONS, REVIEWED 24 APPLICANTS TO THE POINT OF NARROWING IT DOWN TO FOUR INDIVIDUALS IN THREE MONTHS, ALL WHILE LEARNING YOUR RULES AND FULFILLING YOUR OWN RESPONSIBILITIES.
THE FINAL FOUR CANDIDATES WILL GO THROUGH INTERVIEW PROCESS NEXT WEEK.
SINCE THIS PROCESS IS NOT OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING PARENTS, OUR MEMBERS WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW HAS THE FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC HELPED YOU IDENTIFY WHAT TO ASK THE CANDIDATES? HAVE YOU TAKEN THE TIME TO READ THE HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF FEEDBACK? WHAT QUALITIES AND QUALIFICATIONS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN AFE POTENTIAL SUPERINTENDENT? HOW ARE YOU REPRESENTING YOUR COMMUNITIES AND MAKING YOUR DECISION? I CAN TELL YOU THAT COALITION MEMBERS ARE COUNTING ON AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS A CLEAR SHORT-TERM PLAN WITH MEASURABLE GOALS AND A TIMELINE.
SOMEONE WHO IS WILLING TO HOLD EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS TO HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AND WHO WILL MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES TO BETTER SERVE STUDENTS.
FIRST, SOMEONE WHO CAN CLEARLY IDENTIFY BBC'S SHORTCOMINGS WHEN FORMULATING THEIR SHORT AND LONG-TERM PLANS.
SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES THAT ALL CHILDREN ARE CAPABLE OF LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S PRIMARY MISSION, PURPOSE, AND RESPONSIBILITY TO TEACH THEM SO THEY CAN TRULY BE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.
I HOPE THAT YOU'LL PONDER THESE COALITION CONCERNS AND ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CHILDREN WHO DESPERATELY NEED YOU TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOANNE SEAWARD.
I'M FOLLOWING UP A LITTLE BIT, UH, ABOUT SOME OF THE BOOKS THAT ARE NOW IN THE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
I'M A CONCERNED MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, AND RETIRED TEACHER IN RELATION TO THE PORNOGRAPHIC BOOKS WITH EXPLICIT DETAILED SEXUAL ILLUSTRATIONS AND TITLES INCLUDING OFFENSIVE VOCABULARY THAT ARE CURRENTLY SITTING ON BOOKSHELVES IN HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, NAMELY THE BOOK GENDER QUEER.
IT'S BEEN STATED IN CORRESPONDENCES AND IN THE MEDIA THAT THESE BOOKS CONTAIN EDUCATIONAL VALUE.
SO THE QUESTION BECOMES WHERE IS THESE BOOKS? IS THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE WHERE THERE IS SAME SEX MUTUAL FONDLING OF GENITALIA AND HEAVY PETTING AND KISSING BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE SAME SEX? THE VULGAR LANGUAGE HAS NO EDUCATIONAL VALUE AS WELL THAT'S CONTAINED IN THESE BOOKS.
A CONSIDERATION NEEDS TO BE MADE ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEING DONE HERE.
THIS BOOK CAPTURES THE INNOCENCE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO MAY NEVER HAVE QUESTIONED THEIR SEXUAL IDENTITY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
CRITICS WRITING BOOK REVIEWS HEAP PRAISE ON THE BOOK, WHICH STOKES THE STUDENT'S CURIOSITY.
[00:45:02]
IT TRAPS AND TRICKS THEM IN AN UNDERHANDED MANNER TO CHECK IT OUT, READ IT, AND MOST LIKELY PASS IT AROUND TO FELLOW CLASSMATES.ALSO, THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY KIND OF FINGER POINTING AND ACCUSING THAT CONCERNED PARENTS AND CITIZENS OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY ARE CALLING FOR THE BANNING OF ALL BOOKS IN ALL THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.
BUT AFTER EXPOSING THE PORNOGRAPHIC PICTURES AND VULGAR VOCABULARY, IT HAS NOW BECOME OBVIOUS WHICH ONE SHOULD BE BANNED.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME TO EXPRESS WHAT IS BEING DONE HERE TO THE YOUTH INDOCTRINATION, THE RAPING OF YOUTH INNOCENCE AND RECRUITMENT AND TO A QUESTIONABLE LIFESTYLE STYLE.
NOW JUST OFF THE CUFF, I WAS READING A PORTION OF THIS AND SINCE I HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS, I'M NOT GONNA READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT JUST CUZ YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY.
THEN HE REACH OVER TO PRECIOUS STICK WITH HIS FINGER BETWEEN MY LEGS.
I SAY, CARL, WHAT YOU DOING? HE SAY, SHUT UP, YOU BIG FAT ASS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAIA CAMPBELL VIRTUAL.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR, LECTOR, SUPERINTENDENT WILLIAMS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS KAIA CAMPBELL AND YES, I'M THAT MEDIA SPECIALIST.
I HAVE PROUDLY SERVED HETFIELD ELEMENTARY FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND ALSO I AM THE NEWLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBER FOR TABCO AND I'M SERVING DISTRICT ONE.
FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, DR.
WILLIAMS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
WE AT HETFIELD, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SU YOUR SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAME TO OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND IN PERSON THIS EVENING BECAUSE I'M STILL AT WORK.
THIS IS WORK THAT I DON'T MIND DOING WITH MY SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
THIS EVENING, MY PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL FELDMAN, MS. SHEIN, OUR EDUCATORS AND OVER 200 STUDENTS AND PARENTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR SPRING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT NIGHT.
WE HAD TWO SESSIONS, OUR STUDENTS PRESENTED THEIR ARTWORK AND THE SECOND SESSION WAS CO-HOSTED BY OUR STAFF AND A FANTASTIC GROUP CALLED SUPPORT BY DESIGN.
OUR PARENTS RECEIVED INFORMATION ON OUR BLACK AND BROWN BOYS OF COLOR PROMISING PRACTICES FROM THE FIELDS.
THAT'S WHY I'M SPEAKING TO YOU VIRTUALLY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE LABOR THAT YOU PUT FORTH EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, OUR PROFESSIONS, AND ESPECIALLY OUR STUDENTS FOR BOARD MEMBERS.
I WANNA SAY TO YOU, YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.
AS A FORMER TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW THAT BEING AN EDUCATOR IS ONE OF THE THANKLESS JOBS ON THIS PLANET, BUT YOU ALSO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT IN IT FOR THE THANK YOUS OR THE ACCOLADES.
WE ARE HERE BECAUSE IT'S OUR TRUE LABOR OF LOVE.
MADAME CHAIR, MY TIME IS WINDING DOWN HERE AT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT UNTIL THEN I HAVE DECIDED TO USE MY VOICE TO SPEAK FOR THE YOUNG EDUCATORS WHO HAS TO WORK THREE JOBS TO PAY THEIR RENT FOR THAT YOUNG EDUCATOR WHO NEEDS A BALANCED LIFE, BUT THEY WORK ON THE WEEKENDS CREATING LESSON PLANS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THAT YOUNG EDUCATOR WHO DECIDED NOT TO DRIVE UBER TONIGHT, BUT TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR SPRING FAMILY ENGAGEMENT BOARD MEMBERS 1000 TONGUES WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE EDUCATORS AND ALL THAT WE DO, BUT PUTTING YOUR SUPPORT BEHIND FUNDING, RECRUITING, AND RETAINING GREAT EDUCATORS WILL SEND THE MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE NOT DONE YET.
YOUNG EDUCATORS DESERVE THE DIGNITY TO EARN A DECENT WAGE.
[00:50:01]
MS. CAMPBELL.OUR LAST SPEAKER IS TERESA MYERS.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU BOARD OF ED MEMBERS FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN.
I HAVE LIVED IN BALTIMORE COUNTY SINCE 1981 AND ATTENDED BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TILL 10TH GRADE.
SIX YEARS AGO, MY HUSBAND AND I MADE THE DECISION TO PULL BOTH OF OUR CHILDREN OUT OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND NOW MORE THAN EVER, I AM 100% CONFIDENT THAT MY HUSBAND AND I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.
AS BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE BECOMING MORE UNSAFE EVERY DAY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT SINCE 2018 THE PUBLICATION EDUCATION WEEK HAS BEEN TRACKING SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 160.
THERE ARE 51 INJURIES OR DEATHS IN 2022.
THE MOST SCHOOL SHOOTING SINCE 20 18, 20 21 HAD 35, 20 20 HEAD 10, 20 19, AND 2018 HAD 24.
WITH THE SAFETY OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND STAFF, WHY WOULD BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL LIBRARIES HAVE ASSASSINATION? CLASSROOM BOOK ONE STORY AND ART BY YESUM USI MATSUI.
THIS BOOK IS IN 13 BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM IS A SERIES.
A GROUP OF STUDENTS ATTEMPT TO KILL THEIR TEACHER WHO IS TEACHING THEM HOW TO BECOME ASSASSINS.
THIS IS ABOUT STUDENTS ATTEMPTING TO KILL THEIR TEACHER.
HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE IMAGES IN THIS SO-CALLED GRAPHIC NOVEL.
IT STARTS WITH CLASSROOM ONE, KILLING TIME IN HOMEROOM.
NOTICE ALL THE TYPES OF GUNS IN THIS STUDENT.
THE STUDENTS ARE HOLDING AND POINTING TOWARDS THE TEACHER.
THE NEXT PAGE IS A GUN THAT SAYS, START POINTING OVER TO A SMILING TEACHER AND STUDENTS HOLDING A GUN.
GUNS SAYING ASSASSINS, WE ARE THE NEXT PAGES.
THE CLASS CANNOT SAY THE PLEDGE BECAUSE GUNS ARE GOING OFF.
THE TEACHER TAKES ATTENDANCE WHILE GUNS ARE GOING OFF.
THE STUDENTS SAY, WE ARE ASSASSINS AND OUR TARGET IS OUR TEACHER.
LATER IN THE BOOK, OF COURSE THERE IS MORE SHOOTING GOING ON AND A STUDENT SAYS, IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, KILL MY PARENTS.
I'VE BEEN WANTING TO KILL A TEACHER.
WHY IS THIS BOOK IN BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL PUBLIC LIBRARIES? I'M SIMPLY ASKING THAT SEXUALLY EXPLICIT, VULGAR, AND OR OBSCENE MATERIALS NOT BE AVAILABLE WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE PARENTS HAVE DIMINISHED CONTROL OF WHAT THEIR CHILDREN'S HAVE ACCESS TO OR READ.
I WILL BE SUBMITTING A CITIZEN'S REVIEW OF MATERIALS FOR THIS BOOK TO YOUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, MARY MCCOMAS, TO REVIEW BY YOUR BOARD.
AND PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF YOUR, OF CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND STAFF.
OKAY, AND THAT ENDS OUR PUBLIC PORTION, PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING.
OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, OOPS.
[G. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (7:40 - 7:45 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, AND FOR THAT I CALL ON DR.GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LIQUOR, VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TO THE BOARD AND TEAM B P S ON BEHALF OF DR.
WILLIAMS. THIS REPORT INCLUDES CELEBRATIONS, UPDATES, AND EVIDENCE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE COMPASS, OUR PATHWAY TO EXCELLENCE IN ACTION.
YESTERDAY WAS NATIONAL PRINCIPALS DAY.
PLEASE JOIN US IN THANKING OUR AMAZING TEAM BCPS PRINCIPLES.
FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO, PLEASE
[00:55:01]
GIVE YOUR FAVORITE PRINCIPAL A SOCIAL MEDIA SHOUTOUT USING THE HASHTAG THANKS BCPS PRINCIPLES.MAY 1ST THROUGH FIFTH IS SUBSTITUTE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
THANK YOU, SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS FOR THE CRUCIAL ROLE THAT YOU PLAY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
LET'S HEAR IT FOR TEAM B C P S TEACHERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM, EXPERTISE, AND DEDICATION.
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK IS MAY 8TH THROUGH 12TH.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR E S P OF THE YEAR.
MARJORIE WRIGHT, ADMIN SECRETARY AT LANSDOWN HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE WAS HONOR AND RECOGNIZED TODAY.
ON APRIL 19TH, WE CELEBRATED OUR FIRST CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN EVENT DURING WHICH WE SHOWCASED EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING AFSCME EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, VANCE KELVINS, SUPERVISORY LEADER OF THE YEAR.
DENISE SALISBURY, TRANSPORTATION CHAMPION.
INGRID JOHNSON, SUP, SUPPORTING SERVICES EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR.
JOANNA CRANDAL, SICK VOLUNTEER CHAMPION.
RAMONA BASILIO, BUSINESS PARTNER CHAMPION SCOTT DORSEY AND RISING STAR TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, BRIAN POWELL.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR.
TOWSON HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL NICOLE BRIDGES.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING BCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
BEVERLY VOLKOV, A TEACHER FOR 16 YEARS.
HALF OF THEM AT RELAY ELEMENTARY.
MS. VOLKOV TEACHES STUDENTS IN THE FUNCTIONAL ACADEMIC LEARNING SUPPORT PROGRAM AT RELAY.
SHE IS A GRADUATE OF TOWSON UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
SHE WANTED ANYTHING BUT TO BECOME AN EDUCATOR UNTIL A HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP IN A SELF-CONTAINED KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM CONVINCED HER OF HER LIFELONG C CALLING.
SHE SAYS WITH THE STUDENTS, THE CHALLENGES, THE CREATIVITY, THE JOB REQUIRED, THE COLLABORATION AND PROBLEM SOLVING.
THE BCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR WILL REPRESENT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND IT'S MORE THAN 9,000 PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS IN THE MARYLAND STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR PROGRAM.
MS. VOLKOV IN HONOR OF THE CLASS OF 2023 B C P S WILL CONTINUE TO PROFILE ONE SENIOR FROM EACH HIGH SCHOOL.
A NEW PROFILE WILL BE POSTED DAILY UNTIL MAY 19TH, THE LAST DAY.
FOR SENIORS, THESE PROFILES HIGHLIGHT THE INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONAL STRENGTHS OF OUR SENIORS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2023.
THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT WATERSHED, PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL AND WINDSOR MILL IS AMONG THE 2023 US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GREEN WOMEN SCHOOLS WATERSHED.
PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL WAS NOMINATED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
THESE STUDENTS ARE STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS IS A PART OF THE SCHOOL CULTURE.
LAST SATURDAY, NAACP BALTIMORE COUNTY HOSTED THE ANNUAL AXO COMPETITION AT NEWTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, FEATURING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
STUDENTS COMPETED IN THE ARTS, SCIENCE, MATH, AND ENGINEERING.
GREAT JOB TO ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE AWARD WINNERS.
TEAM B C P S CELEBRATED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S CULTURE OF PROMOTING HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREER PREPARATION ON B P S COLLEGE AND CAREER DECISION DAY.
ALL GRADUATING SENIORS WHO HAVE COMMITTED TO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OR CAREER PLANS WERE ASKED TO SHARE THAT NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA USING THE HASHTAG B C P S DECISION DAY.
MAY IS THE SEASON OF CELEBRATION.
GRADUATIONS WILL BEGIN ON MAY 23RD AT RIDGE RUXIN.
WE WANNA CONGRATULATE ALL OF OUR SENIORS IN THE CLASS OF 2023.
WE ARE COLLABORATIVELY WORKING TO ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF THE NATIONWIDE STAFFING SHORTAGE.
UPCOMING JOB FAIRS FOR THIS MONTH AND THE MONTH OF JUNE ARE LISTED ON THE SLIDE.
WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN TEAM B C P S.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE BOARD, OUR COMMUNITY, AND TEAM BCPS.
[01:00:01]
FOR YOUR SUPPORT.[H. CHAIR'S REPORT (7:45 p.m. - 7:50 p.m.)]
REPORT AND I'M PLEASED TO PROVIDE ANOTHER UPDATE ON OUR NATIONAL SEARCH FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.ON APRIL 25TH, THE BOARD MET WITH MCPHERSON AND JACOBSON LLC, OUR EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM, TO DISCUSS AND REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS OF CANDIDATES.
OUR SEARCH FOR SUPERINTENDENT ATTRACTED INTEREST FROM 24 CANDIDATES, A DIVERSE POOL OF APPLICANTS WHO HAD A WIDE RA, A WIDE ARRAY OF EXPERIENCES AND EXPERTISE.
AS WE SHARED IN THE COMMUNITY UPDATE LAST WEEK, APPLICANTS CAME FROM 15 STATES AND WERE COMPRISED OF SUPERINTENDENTS BOTH CURRENT AND THOSE WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN THAT ROLE, CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHER LOCAL AND STATE EDUCATIONAL LEADERS.
OUR REVIEW AND CONVERSATIONS WERE GUIDED BY OUR BOARD'S CORE VALUES, STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, AND THE DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS.
HUNDREDS OF MEMBERS OF TEAM B C P S COMMUNITY SHARED DURING SIX COMMUNITY FORUMS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND BY AN ONLINE SURVEY ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS OF TEAM B C P S FOR THEIR WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AND PROVIDE INSIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PHASE OF THE PROCESS.
AFTER CAREFUL AND THOROUGH DELIBERATION, THE BOARD HAS SELECTED FOUR FINALISTS FOR A FINAL ROUND OF IN INTERVIEWS, WHICH ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE THE SECOND WEEK OF MAY.
THESE INTERVIEWS WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, THEIR VISION FOR THIS SYSTEM AND THE WORK AHEAD.
WE'LL TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THEIR APPLICATIONS, EXPERIENCES AND REFERENCES AND THOROUGHLY EVALUATE WHETHER THEY WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR OUR UNIQUE AND RICHLY DIVERSE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE FOUR FINALISTS WILL ALSO PARTICIPATE IN A SERIES OF PANEL INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS OF IDENTIFIED STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT REPRESENT STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATIONAL COUNCILS, MULTICULTURAL AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, EMPLOYEE ASSOCIATIONS AND AREA ADVISORY COUNCILS.
THE FULL LIST OF PARTICIPATING IDENTIFIED STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IS AVAILABLE ON THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH WEBSITE.
I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM A FEW STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW PARENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS ARE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FINAL ROUND OF INTERVIEWS AND WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PARENTS, STUDENT, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE FINAL INTERVIEWS OR REPRESENTATION OF THE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES AND LIVED EXPERIENCES OF TEAM TEAM B P S STAKEHOLDERS.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE PART OF SEVERAL IDENTIFIED STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN BCPS.
THE GROUPS PROVIDE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER B C P S STAKEHOLDERS TO CONNECT WITH THE BOARD AND SYSTEM LEADERSHIP TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE SYSTEM.
WE DEEPLY VALUE THE INPUT, TIME AND COMMITMENT OF MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS AND WE KNOW THEY WILL PROVIDE US WITH THEIR HONEST AND INSIGHTFUL INPUT ON THE FINALIST.
ONCE THE FINAL INTERVIEWS ARE COMPLETED, THE BOARD WILL REVIEW THE INPUT FROM EACH MEMBER OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM TO IDENTIFY THE PREFERRED CANDIDATE FOR SUPERINTENDENT.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF SELECTION OF THE PREFERRED CANDIDATE WILL TAKE PLACE THE THIRD OR FOURTH WEEK OF MAY.
UPON APRI UPON APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT, A SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR THE COMMUNITY TO MEET THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT.
THE MEETINGS WILL OFFER THE SUPERINTENDENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH PARENT BUSINESS EDUCATION, CIVIC COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
EVERY EFFORT IS BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS AND THE VIABILITY OF THE CANDIDATES.
THE BOARD ALSO REMAINS COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF CANDIDATES.
IN ORDER TO FIND THE BEST LEADER FOR B C P S, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES ON THE SEARCH PROCESS AND POST INFORMATION ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SEARCH WEBSITE.
ONCE AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK TEAM B C P S FOR BEING A PART OF THIS IMPORTANT PROCESS.
THE NEXT TOPIC I WANNA ADDRESS IS OUR AREA EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS.
WILLIAMS. I'M BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS ACTING CHIEF OF STAFF.
MULLEN, ACTING CHIEF OF SCHOOLS.
MULEX ALL HAD A CHANCE TO MEET LAST WEEK WITH THE COORDINATOR OF THE A EAC, CHAIRS OF THE COORDINATOR OF THE AAC, THE CHAIRS OF THE COUNCILS AND OTHER MEMBERS.
WE HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING FOCUSING ON HOW WE CAN STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BOARD AND OUR AREA.
EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS.
I WANNA READ THE POLICY STATEMENT AS OUTLINED IN POLICY 1230, THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCILS EXIST TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY AND TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE COMMUNITY BY SERVING AS INFORMED ADVISORS TO THE BOARD ON PUBLIC SCHOOL ISSUES.
AND BY PROMOTING INTEREST INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE BOARD ESTABLISHES THE A EACS AS STANDING COMMITTEES, WHICH REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD WITH CAREFUL ATTENTION TO INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
A EACS ARE CHARGED WITH ADVISING THE BOARD ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT STUDENTS, FAMILIES,
[01:05:01]
COMMUNITIES, AND SCHOOLS.THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE RIGHT NOW AFFECTING THE A EACS IS MEMBERSHIP.
ALL FIVE COUNCILS ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL MEMBERS AT THIS TIME.
MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD.
PLEASE CONSIDER ATTENDING AN UPCOMING MEETING.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE FIVE COUNCILS, PLEASE EMAIL THE CURRENT CHAIR FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND FOR NEXT STEPS.
EMAIL CONTACTS ARE INCLUDED ON THE BCPS WEBSITE ALONG WITH MEETING DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS, AND TOPICS.
SEARCH ADVISORY COUNCILS AND YOU WILL FIND THE INFORMATION.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MANY EVENTS TAKING PLACE DURING THE B C P S DURING THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WILL CELEBRATE THE MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
[I. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER'S REPORT (7:50 - 7:55 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS' REPORT.AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. HASSAN.
THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
IT IS AS ALWAYS AN HONOR TO BE GIVING YOU ALL MY SECOND TO LAST STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD REPORT.
AS I REFLECT ON THIS PAST YEAR, I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE WITH YOU THE WONDERFUL AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING LESSONS OUR STUDENTS AND SYSTEM HAS TAUGHT ME AS I FINISH OUT MY TERM AND PASSED THE TORCH ON TO MY SUCCESSOR.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME TODAY TO FORMALLY CONGRATULATE OUR NEXT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD ON MARCH 23RD, B C P S STUDENTS.
SECONDARY STUDENTS CASTED THEIR VOTES FOR THE NEXT STUDENT MEMBER AND SELECTED MY SUCCESSOR.
OUR 43RD STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD OR SMA IS KAYLA DRUMMOND, A CURRENT JUNIOR AT PARKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.
I CANNOT BE MORE EXCITED FOR KAYLA AND I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE WONDERFUL THINGS SHE ACCOMPLISHES DURING HER TERM.
KAYLA WILL UNDOUBTEDLY PAVE HER OWN PATH AS SHE FOLLOWS THE LEGACY OF OUR POWERFUL STUDENT MEMBERS.
I HOPE THAT YOU ALL VALUE HER VOICE AS ESSENTIAL TO OUR PROCESS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HONOR HER VOTE AS ONE THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR STUDENTS.
THE STORIES SHE WILL SHARE AND HER OPINIONS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY REFLECT MANY OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE MUST SEEK OUT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.
JUST YESTERDAY, UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, BCPS CELEBRATED DECISION DAY WHERE OUR SENIORS SHARED THEIR FUTURE PLANS.
AND I ONCE AGAIN CANNOT BE MORE PROUD OF MY CLASS.
OUR STUDENTS HAVE SHOWN THEIR EXCELLENCE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND WE MUST COLLECTIVELY TAKE THE TIME TO CELEBRATE EVERYTHING FROM THEIR DAY ONE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND FINALLY TO WALKING ACROSS THAT STAGE AND RECEIVING THEIR DIPLOMA.
THIS PAST MONTH, MENTAL HEALTH HAS REMAINED A STRONG FOCUS OF MINE AS BCPS SHOWCASED OUR MIND OVER MATTERS CAMPAIGN, WHERE WE HEARD FROM BCPS GRADUATES ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW THEY GREW INTO THEIR IDENTITY, AS WELL AS VIEWED WORKSHOPS FROM INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
I HEARD FEEDBACK FROM BCP S'S MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL REGARDING THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOLUTION AND NEXT STEPS AND LOOK FORWARD TO IMPLEMENTING THAT BEFORE THE END OF MY TENURE AND FILMED THE LET'S TALK ABOUT IT, EPISODES ON BCP S TV, TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES, WONDERFUL ESTABLISHED COMMUNITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE AS OF RIGHT NOW.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, HOW TO GET HELP IF YOU NEED IT.
I CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU MY PRIDE AND JOY IN SERVING THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR STUDENTS AND ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE MY BITTERSWEET FINAL STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD REPORT IN JUNE.
SO AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND LET'S GET IN GOOD TROUBLE.
[J. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Mr. Burns, Esq.) (7:55 - 8:00 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN AND CLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON MR. BURNS.
CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, DR.
WILLIAMS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
EARLIER TONIGHT, THE BOARD MET AND CLOSED SESSION AND TOOK ACTION ON THE FOLLOWING CASE, E 23 DASH 29.
NOW WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR THE BOARD TO CONFIRM THE ACTION THAT IT TOOK ON THAT ITEM.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASES E 2329 AND AUTHORIZED MS. GOVER TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, HASSAN.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[K. NEW BUSINESS - CONTRACT AWARDS (Mr. Hartlove and Mr. Dixit) (8:00 - 8:15 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONTRACT AWARDS, AND FOR THAT I CALL ON MS. HARVEY CHAIR OF THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD'S BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MET ON MONDAY, MAY 1ST, 2023 ITEMS, K ONE THROUGH K 10 ARE BEING FORWARDED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
[01:10:01]
ITEMS? K ONE THROUGH K 10.SINCE YOUR RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM THE COMMITTEE, ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY I DIDN'T GET THIS IN QUICKLY ENOUGH, BUT CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER TWO? I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO PULL THAT OUT SEPARATELY.
THE COLLEGE, THE WEB-BASED COLLEGE AND CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM PLATFORM.
YOU CAN ASK THE QUESTION UNLESS YOU'RE ASKING FOR IT TO BE PULLED OUT SEPARATELY.
I DON'T, I JUST DIDN'T WANNA ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONTRACT IN PARTICULAR.
NO, JUST A CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM, OR I RECEIVED AN EMAIL.
I'M ASSUMING OTHER WARMERS MAY HAVE, UM, SCHOOL LENGTHS.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE, UM, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN ZELLO AND NAVIAN AND SCHOOL LINKS AND NAVIANCE.
ARE THEY TWO SEPARATE? SO LET'S COMPLETELY SEPARATE.
LET'S SEE IF, LET'S, IF WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM COUNSELING, IF CAN RESPOND.
WE HAVE PEOPLE, WE HAVE STAFF IN THE BACK AND THEY'RE COMING UP, WE CAN BEGIN BY SAYING THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.
UM, THESE ARE ALL SEPARATE VENDORS THAT PROVIDE SIMILAR, UM, PRODUCTS FOR STUDENTS.
MARE, WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELVES? GOOD EVENING BOARD.
MY NAME IS MARE RAM AND I'M THE COORDINATOR IN THE OFFICE OF SCHOOL COUNSELING.
SO I GUESS MORE SPECIFICALLY, MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS CONTRACT FOR ZELLO REPLACING NAVIAN OR IS REPLACING SOMETHING IN ADDITION TO NAVIAN? IT IS REPLACING THE CONTRACT.
UM, IT WILL RUN SIMULTANEOUS FOR YEAR ONE, WHERE WE, UM, ARE ALLOWING OUR SENIORS TO GO THROUGH THEIR COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS WITH NAVIENT SO THAT, UM, THERE'S NO DISRUPTION IN THAT PLAN.
AND THEN, UM, SIMULTANEOUSLY WILL BE, UM, BRINGING OUR JUNIORS AND OTHER STUDENTS INTO THE NEW PLATFORM, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT K ONE THROUGH K 10? OKAY, THANK YOU.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALLED VOTE PLEASE? MS. MINOSKI? YES.
[L. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - BOARD POLICIES (Ms. Pumphrey) (8:15 - 8:30 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF BOARD POLICIES.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE CHAIR, MS. HUMPHREY.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE POLICY RE REVIEW COMMITTEE ASKS THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING BOARD POLICIES, POLICY ZERO 500 BOARD BASIC COMMITMENTS, WORKPLACE BULLYING POLICY 2310, AND ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION CHARTS, POLICY 42 0 3, PERSONNEL COMPENSATION BENEFITS, ASSAULT LEAVE AND RETIREMENT POLICY 44 0 2 PERSONNEL SEPARATION FROM EMPLOYMENT POLICY 72 60 FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION DESIGNING SCHOOL MARQUEE SIGNS AND POLICY 75 20 OCCUPYING NAMING OR RENAMING A SCHOOL AND DEDICATION.
THIS RECOMMENDATION IS PRESENTED TO YOU ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS EXHIBIT L.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE? SO MOVE TAAN? NO, THANK YOU.
SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IS MS. BOOKER DWYER? AND SO AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THIS WAS PULLED BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO REVISIT THE DEFINITION OF RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY.
SO COULD YOU JUST GIVE A LITTLE SUMMARY OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE, THAT DEFINITION IN, IN LIKE, JUST PRETTY MUCH WHAT HAPPENED? THAT POLICY ACTUALLY IS NOT PART OF THIS GROUPING.
IT'S, IT, THE NUMBER MAY BE, I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION WITH THE NUMBER, BUT THE, THE, UM, POLICY THAT YOU'RE, UM, SPEAKING TO IS NOT REFERENCING IS WE HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK AFTER DISCUSSION.
MADAM CHAIR, I CAN ASK, UM, LEGAL COUNSEL TO PROVIDE THANKS SOME CONTEXT IF NECESSARY.
MS. HOLLY, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME CLARITY THAT CAN BE PROVIDED.
BOARD MEMBERS, UH, AS MS. HUMPHREY INDICATED, POLICY 63 0 1 WAS RETURNED TO THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE AT YOUR LAST MEETING.
UH, NOT, UH, ANOTHER POLICY THAT IS ON THIS LIST.
AND AGAIN, AS MS. HUMPHREY INDICATED, THE DEFINITIONS ARE THE SAME, BUT IT WAS AT THE REQUEST OF THIS BOARD THAT THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE WILL BE REVIEWING
[01:15:01]
AGAIN, POLICY 6 3 0 1.SO THEN WOULD THAT CHANGE POLICY 4 203, THE DEFINITION OF RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY? NO.
THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANTED TO FIND OUT.
OTHER QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL THOUGH, PLEASE? MS. MINOSKI? YES.
[M. REPORT - CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL BOUNDARY STUDY (Mr. Dixit) (8:30 - 9:00 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL BOUNDARY STUDY.AND FOR THAT I CALL MR. DIXON AND FRIENDS.
UH, CHAIR LECTOR, VICE CHAIR, MS. HARVEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
WILLIAMS. SO TODAY WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL BOUNDARY STUDY.
JOINED WITH ME ARE MR. PAUL TAYLOR OF MY TEAM.
HE'S THE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PLANNING WHO COORDINATED AND FACILITATED THIS STUDY WITH MATT CROPPER, WHO IS THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL ASK MR. TAYLOR TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND OF WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT, WHAT LED TO THIS STUDY, AND THEN MR. CROPPER WILL GO INTO MORE DETAILS.
MR. TAYLOR? THANK YOU MR. DIXON.
AS PART OF, UH, THE ONGOING SCHOOLS FOR OUR FUTURE CAPITAL PROGRAM, TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY TO ADD CAPACITY AND IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES FOR STUDENTS, THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE RENOVATION OF PINE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOUNDARY STUDY WAS TO ESTABLISH AN ATTENDANCE AREA FOR THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL AND EXPAND THE ATTENDANCE AREA FOR PINE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
10 MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE REGION PARTICIPATED IN THE BOUNDARY PROCESS.
A MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THE BOUNDARY PROCESS WAS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INCREASED CAPACITY BY BALANCING ENROLLMENT AMONG SCHOOLS IN THE REGION.
THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A STATE RATED CAPACITY OF 1,364 STUDENTS.
AND PINE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE ITS CAPACITY FOR 1,197 STUDENTS TO 1,283 STUDENTS.
THE BOUNDARY STUDY ALSO FOCUSED ON ACCOMMODATING THE ESOL STRATEGIC PLAN OF RETURNING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS.
THE BOUNDARY PROCESS FOLLOWED BOARD POLICY AND SUPERINTENDENT'S RULE 1280, AND THE STUDY WAS FACILITATED BY OUR CONSULTANT CRAWFORD GIS.
EACH SCHOOL PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY ESTABLISHED A COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL, TWO TEACHERS, TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THE AREA EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY CHAIR.
PRINCIPALS FULLY PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY, BUT WERE NOT VOTING MEMBERS.
THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE WERE SUPPORTED BY VARIOUS BCPS OFFICES, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS, DIVISION OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, DIVISION OF BUSINESS SERVICES, DIVISION OF SCHOOL, CLIMATE AND SAFETY, DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND DIVISION OF RESEARCH, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSESSMENT.
THE TIMELINE OF THE PROCESS BEGAN WITH THE APPROVAL BY DR.
WILLIAMS TO ESTABLISH A BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE.
MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2023.
THE BOUNDARY STUDY TEAM MET FIVE TIMES FROM JANUARY TO MARCH AND PARTICIPATED IN TWO PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS TO ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC DIRECTLY TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK.
THE NEXT PHASE IN THIS PROCESS CONTINUES THIS EVENING WITH THE COMMITTEE'S FINAL RECOMMENDATION BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.
THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON MAY 17TH, LEADING TO A FINAL DECISION BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON JUNE 13TH.
THE STUDY COMMITTEE INCLUDED EQUAL REPRESENTATION FROM 10 AREA MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
THIS SLIDE OUTLINES THE SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS BOUNDARY STUDY AND THEIR LOCATION RELATIVE TO THE TWO PROJECT SCHOOLS, THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PINE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE MATT CROPPER OF CROPPER GIS TO PRESENT THE DETAILS OF THE BOUNDARY STUDY
[01:20:01]
PROCESS AND THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE.THANK YOU MR. TAYLOR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, IT'S HONORED TO BE HERE TONIGHT, UH, AND TO HELP DELIVER THIS RECOMMENDATION ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, MATTHEW CROPPER WITH CRAWFORD GIS.
UM, UH, JUST, JUST, UH, TOUCHING ON THIS SLIDE, YOU COULD SEE THAT THIS IS THE STUDY AREA, THE AREA THAT, UH, OF ALL SCHOOLS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR STUDY.
UM, AS YOU COULD SEE, IT'S A FAIR, FAIRLY LARGE AREA.
UM, IT COVERS A LARGE SWATH OF THE COUNTY AND, UM, AND THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL IS SHOWN THERE AS WITH THE RED DOT.
AND SO YOU COULD SEE THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS IN PLAY AS WELL AS PINE GROVE MIDDLE, THAT'S SHADED INSIDE THE MIDDLE OF THE STUDY AREA.
SO WE HAVE COMMUNICATED, HAD COMMUNICATED THE WHOLE TIME THAT ANYBODY IN THIS STUDY AREA COULD BE IMPACTED, ALTHOUGH THE, THE EFFORT AND THE GOAL WAS TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IMPACTED WHILE ACCOMPLISHING ALL OF OUR OBJECTIVES.
SO IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, SO THE COMMUNITY-BASED COMPREHENSIVE STUDY IS TA WAS TASKED WITH MEETING THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES TO ESTABLISH A TENSE AREA FOR THAT NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ALSO TO EXPAND THE ATTENDANCE AREA FOR PINE GROVE MIDDLE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ADDED CAPACITY AND FULLY LEVERAGE ALL THE SPACE THAT'S BEING ADDED TO THIS, TO THIS AREA.
WE ALWAYS ORIENT TO THE COMMITTEE AROUND THE RULES AND POLICIES THAT THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS IN PLACE.
IN PARTICULAR, RULE 1280 AND, UH, PART OF RULE 1280.
THERE ARE SOME PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS, WHICH, WHICH ARE TO MAKE EFFICIENT USE OF CAPACITY IN ALL AFFECTED SCHOOLS.
AND WHILE DOING THAT, MAINTAIN OR INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AMONG SCHOOLS TO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF THE REGION AND THE SYSTEM.
UM, IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THERE ARE SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY ALSO LOOK AT.
AND THESE ARE, UH, TO MAINTAIN THE CONTINUITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO TRY NOT TO DRAW THE LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES.
TRY TO KEEP RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES INTACT AND TOGETHER, AND IF THEY HAVE TO MOVE, THEY MOVE TOGETHER.
BUT DON'T SPLIT THE LINE DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
BE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PEDESTRIAN PATTERNS, UH, WHERE THEY GO TO SCHOOL NOW VERSUS WHERE THEY MAY GO IN ANY OPTION AND WHAT THOSE DIFFERENCES MAY BE.
UH, MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF TIMES ANY INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS ARE REASSIGNED.
NOT ONLY BE MINDFUL OF WHERE STUDENTS ARE RIGHT NOW, BUT BE MINDFUL OF WHERE FUTURE CONSTRUCTION IS, WHERE HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT, AND WHAT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS ARE INDICATING FOR SCHOOLS IN THIS AREA.
UH, LOCATION OF FEEDER SCHOOL BOUNDARIES AND CONTINUITY FEEDER PATTERNS.
SO THIS GROUP IS FOCUSED ONLY ON MIDDLE SCHOOL BOUNDARY CHANGES, BUT WITH THAT SAID, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT ALL THREE LEVELS AND WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE ON THOSE FEEDER PATTERNS AS THEY MOVE AS LINES.
SO WE, WE, WE SHOW THEM THE, UM, THE CURRENT NUMBER OF SPLITS AND HOW SCHOOLS ARE SPLIT FROM ELEMENT TO MIDDLE AND MIDDLE TO HIGH, AND THEN WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH ANY PARTICULAR OPTION.
SO THEY'RE MINDFUL OF THE IMPACT ON FEEDER PATTERNS AND, UH, AND THE CONTINUITY OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.
THEY ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT ALIGN WITH BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE TO USE GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES SUCH AS, UH, RAILROADS AND MAJOR ROADS, WATER BODIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, TO HELP DEFINE THE LINES AND WHERE THEY GO.
AND THEN ON TOP OF ALL OF THIS, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, EMBEDDING SUPPORT OF THE ESOL STRATEGIC PLAN OF RETURNING STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR HOMESCHOOL, UH, FROM ESOL CENTERS.
AND SO TAKING THOSE, UH, MORE FROM THE REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE, PUTTING THEM BACK IN THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WAS ALSO PART OF THIS.
SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE COMMITTEE.
UH, MR. TAYLOR, UH, TALKED ABOUT THEM A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S A, WE HAD A FAIRLY LARGE GROUP IN THIS EFFORT OF 41 TOTAL MEMBERS, BUT 31 OF THOSE WERE VOTING MEMBERS.
UH, THE PRINCIPALS ARE NON-VOTING MEMBERS.
THEY, THEY HELP PROVIDE A LOT OF VALUABLE INSIGHT AND CONVERSATION AROUND THE TABLES AND SMALL GROUP MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.
UH, WE HAD 10 TEACHER AND STAFF REPRESENTATIVES FROM EV FROM, FROM ACROSS THE STUDY AREA, 20 PARENTS FROM ACROSS THE ENTIRE STUDY AREA, TWO FROM EACH SCHOOL, AND THEN ED AREA, EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.
UM, SO WE HAD A GOOD BROAD-BASED GROUP THAT CA THAT LIVES AND WORKS AND, UH, KNOWS THE ENTIRE STEADY AREA AND ABLE TO GIVE US PERSPECTIVES FROM THE AREAS THAT THEY LIVE IN.
AND, UM, AS IT RELATES TO BOUNDARY CHANGES THAT WERE BEING CONSIDERED, WE ALWAYS TELL THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO TAKE OFF YOUR PARENT HAT.
AND WHEN YOU GET AROUND THE COMMITTEE TABLE TO PUT ON YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBER HAT AND FOCUS ON WHAT'S BEST FOR ALL CHILDREN IN THE STUDY AREA, EVEN IF IT MAY IMPACT YOUR STUDENT OR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR YOUR SCHOOL, UM, WE ASK 'EM, ATTEND ALL MEETINGS AND TO BE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY AND TELL US WHAT, WHAT THINGS ARE LIKE IN THEIR AREA AS IT RELATES TO TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND WHERE KIDS ARE WALKING, CROSSING GUARDS, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS IN ADDITION TO SUPPORT FROM TRANSPORTATION.
AND THEY REALLY COLLABORATE EXCLUSIVELY WITH EACH OTHER THAT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC, UH, OPEN.
IT'S AN OPEN PROCESS AND TRANSPARENT.
THE PUBLIC CAN OBSERVE THESE MEETINGS, BUT WE ASK THE PUBLIC TO, TO, TO NOT AND, UM,
[01:25:01]
GET, UM, PARTICIPATE IN THOSE MEETINGS.AND THOSE MEETINGS ARE REALLY DESIGNED FOR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO WORK EXCLUSIVELY WITH EACH OTHER IN SMALL GROUP SESSIONS.
AND ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, THEY WILL PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, VIA THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS.
THERE WAS A, A, A PRETTY, UH, EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT EFFORT TO, TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHAT WAS UPCOMING.
SO BEFORE THE PROCESS EVEN STARTED, THE LETTERS WERE SENT TO FAMILIES IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR REGARDING THE, THE PROCESS AND ADDITIONAL OUTREACH FROM SCHOOLS, UH, AT THE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UH, LIKE I SAID, THE, WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO COME WATCH ALL THESE MEETINGS, AND WHEN SMALL GROUP WORKS BEING DONE, I ALWAYS GO BACK AND TALK TO THE PUBLIC AND JUST GET SORT OF THEIR OPINIONS AND TALK CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR, THEIR THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS ARE AROUND THE WORK.
BUT, UM, WE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF PUBLIC OBSERVERS AT MOST OF THESE MEETINGS, AS IT WAS PRETTY WELL ATTENDED.
AND, AND, UH, THE PUBLIC WAS INTERESTED IN THIS PROCESS.
ALL THE MEETINGS WERE LIVE STREAMED ON BCPS T UH, TV.
AND SO, UH, THOSE MEETINGS ARE ALL RECORDED, SO WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND LOOK AT THEM.
IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT A PAST MEETING, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND LOOK AT THOSE.
UM, AND THEN ALL THE MATERIALS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEE, ALL THE HANDOUTS AND MAPS AND, UH, FIGURES AND EVERYTHING IS AVAILABLE ONLINE.
AND WE POST THAT ONLINE, UH, AT THE DAY OF THE MEETING SO THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT OFF ALL THE MATERIALS AS IF THEY WERE A COMMITTEE MEMBER.
SO THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT.
WE, UH, WE INVITED THE, THE PUBLIC TO, UH, PROVIDE INPUT THROUGH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT, UH, METHODS.
THERE WAS AN EMAIL THAT WAS OUT THERE, THERE WAS ALSO AN ONLINE COMMENT FORM THAT WAS KICKED OFF AT THE VERY BEGINNING SO THEY COULD PROVIDE INPUT AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME.
THAT INFORMATION WAS ALWAYS PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, UH, AS IT CAME THROUGH AT EACH MEETING.
UM, TRANSLATORS WERE AVAILABLE, UH, AT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION UPON SESSION UPON REQUEST.
AND LIKE MR. TAYLOR SAID, WE HAD TWO PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS.
WE NORMALLY, FOR THESE PROCESSES JUST DO ONE PUBLIC INFO SESSION, BUT SINCE IT'S SUCH A LARGE STUDY AREA, WE, WE HAD TWO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE COULD, UH, BE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO HOME AND MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT.
UM, THERE WAS AN ONLINE SURVEY THAT, THAT ACCOMPANIED THE PUBLIC INFO SESSION, UH, AND THAT WAS TRANSLATED IN MULTIPLE, UH, LANGUAGES.
AND THAT ONLINE SURVEY, UH, YIELDED 22,731 TOTAL RESPONDENTS.
UM, AND SO IT WAS VERY GOOD TURNOUT, VERY GOOD INPUT, AND, UH, VERY GOOD PARTICIPATION IN THE SURVEY THAT, UH, THAT WE SOLICITED TO THE PUBLIC.
THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERED NINE TOTAL OPTIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE STUDY.
UM, WE ALWAYS START WITH, UH, MAPS AND, AND WE TELL THE COMMITTEE, TRY TO THINK ABOUT ANY MAP THAT, THAT YOU THINK IS VIABLE ON THE TABLE SO THAT THE, IT STARTS WITH THE PROCESS OF, UH, WE START WITH A COUPLE MAPS THAT WE BRING TO THEM TO, TO HELP KICKSTART THE PROCESS.
THEY GIVE US FEEDBACK, AND USUALLY IT EXPANDS TO MORE MAPS, AND THEN WHEN WE GET TOWARD THE END OF THE PROCESS, WE START TO NARROW THINGS DOWN.
UM, BUT, UH, AS THE COMMITTEE WAS WORKING THROUGH THESE, THEY REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED, UH, SMALL GROUP WORK, ALL THE MATERIALS AND, AND, AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO THEM THAT WE WERE COLLECTING.
UM, AND IN THE END, THEY RECOGNIZE THAT DRAFT OPTION E SATISFIED THE MOST BOUNDARY STUDY CONSIDERATIONS.
ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT A PERFECT SCENARIO, UH, IT WAS ONE THAT THEY FELT BEST MET THE NEEDS OF ALL CHILDREN IN THE AREA AND BEST, UH, ADHERED TO THE OVERALL OBJECTIVES AND, UH, CONSIDERATIONS OF THIS STUDY, UM, BEFORE THEY GOT TO THAT VOTE.
PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD THOSE PUBLIC INFO SESSIONS, LIKE I SAID, WHERE WE NARROWED DOWN TO FOUR MAPS.
THERE WAS MAPS, A, B, C, AND D THAT WERE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AT THOSE PUBLIC INFO SESSIONS.
UM, AND IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
YOU CAN SEE HERE, UH, THESE ARE JUST SOME MAPS THAT WE, THAT WE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC AT THAT.
UH, AND THEN THE, AND THEN ALSO I'M GONNA SHOW YOU SOME MAPS THAT, SOME ITERATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE WERE CONSIDERING AT THE FINAL MEETING.
SO THIS IS THE CURRENT, UH, STUDY AREA, AND YOU CAN SEE THE BOUNDARIES.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU COULD SEE THIS IS DRAFT OPTION A, AND THE, THE OUTLINE IS THE CURRENT MAP, THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES, AND THEN THE BACKGROUND COLOR ARE THE, UM, UH, OPTION IS, WOULD BE THE OPTION.
AND SO THIS IS THE OPTION THAT DID RECEIVE THE MOST FAVOR FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS, UH, THE COMMITTEE.
UM, THEY LIKED THIS OPTION WITH, BUT THEY WANTED SOME CHANGES TO IT.
SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST OPTION WE BROUGHT TO THE COMMITTEE AND, AND THE BATCH OF DRAFT BASELINE SCENARIOS.
AND THE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT THIS AND EVALUATED, AND THROUGH THE COURSE OF THEIR STUDY, THEY MADE CHANGES TO THIS MAP
[01:30:01]
AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS MAP TO CLEAN UP FEEDER PATTERNS AND ADHERE TO OTHER CONCERNS THAT THEY WERE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC.UM, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT MAP, THIS IS OPTION B, WAS ANOTHER MAP THAT THEY FELT WAS VIABLE ENOUGH TO TAKE TO THE PUBLIC, UH, TO, TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM, UH, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT THE PUBLIC INFO SESSIONS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IS OPTION C.
AND YOU COULD SEE IT'S ANOTHER CONFIGURATION.
YOU, UM, THE ZONE COLORS IN THE BACKGROUND ARE DIFFERENT SHADES AND DIFFERENT AREAS WERE, WERE IMPACTED AND ALL THESE VARIOUS OPTIONS, BUT THEY ALL DID A FAIRLY GOOD JOB OF, OF, OF UTILIZATION AND OTHER DIFFERENT FACTORS.
UM, BUT THIS WAS MAP OPTION C.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, IS MAP OPTION D.
UM, ANOTHER, ANOTHER CONFIGURATION THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS CONSIDERING THE, OF THE FINAL FOUR MAPS THAT THEY HAD BROUGHT TO THE, UH, PUBLIC FOR THEIR IN, IN INPUT AT THE PUBLIC INFO SESSIONS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS MAP OPTION D ONE.
SO WHEN WE GET GOT TO THE FINAL MEETING, WE ALWAYS, WE SAY, OKAY, WE'VE GOT A THROUGH D ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW, AND WE, WE, WE OFFER THE, THE COMMITTEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOMINATE AN OPTION FOR RECOMMENDATION.
SO WE OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS AND, AND, UH, ANYBODY WHO NOMINATES AN OPTION GETS PUT ON THE WALL FOR VOTE AND FOR SUBJECT FOR VOTE AND APPROVAL.
UM, AND ANYBODY HAS THE OPTION, ALSO ANY COMMITTEE MEMBER TO ALTER OR MODIFY AN OPTION FOR NOMINATION.
SO THIS IS OPTION D ONE, WHICH BASICALLY A COMMITTEE MEMBER LOOKED AT D WITH CHANGES, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NOMINATED.
AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE MAPS THAT, UH, WAS PUT UP FOR CONSIDERATION FOR VOTE.
IT WAS NOT VERY, UH, POPULAR BY THE COMMITTEE.
UH, A FEW PEOPLE, UH, LIKED IT, BUT IT WAS NOT ONE THAT WAS, THAT WENT VERY FAR WITH THE COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY FELT WAS THE BEST MAP.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS DRAFT OPT, OPTION E, AND THIS IS THE MAP THAT ENDED UP BEING THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE MAP THAT WHERE WE STARTED WITH A AND WHAT WE DID WAS AFTER THE PUBLIC INFO SESSION, WE TOOK IN CONS, UH, CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAD RECEIVED FROM THE COMMITTEE THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE STUDY, AND INCORPORATED THOSE INTO A, UM, UH, A MAP THAT WE FELT THE COMMITTEE WOULD, UH, WOULD TRY TO ADHERE TO WHAT THE COMMITTEE WAS ASKING US OR WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY FELT WAS THE BEST MAP.
SO WE STARTED WITH A MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO CLEAN UP SOME SMALL FEEDER PATTERN SPLITS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN, UH, STRENGTHS OF THIS MAP THAT THE COMMITTEE FELT WERE, WERE, WERE, WERE VIABLE AND STRONG IN, THIS IS THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, IS DOWN IN THE SOUTH AND THE RED, AND YOU CAN SEE IT STRETCHES FROM THE CITY ALL THE WAY TO THE COUNTY.
UM, ALL OF THE GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL ZONE WOULD FEED INTO THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE FELT STRONGLY ABOUT.
UM, ALSO, COMMITTEE MEMBERS FELT LIKE AREAS AROUND PARKVILLE AND THAT GREEN AREA, THE, THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL SHOULD EXTEND INTO THAT A LITTLE MORE TO, TO GIVE STUDENTS THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT LIVED CLOSE TO THAT SCHOOL THAT WERE IN THAT PARKVILLE ZONE.
UM, AND THAT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT THAT WAS MADE THAT DIFFERED FROM A, THAT WE HAD PICKED UP FROM INPUT PROVIDED FROM THE PUBLIC.
ALSO MADE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO, TO ALIGN, UM, FEEDER PATTERNS AND BALANCE UTILIZATION BASE, BASICALLY TO INCORPORATE COMMENTS IN, IN, IN INPUT THAT HAD BEEN PROVIDED FROM THE COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE STUDY.
AND THIS WAS THE MAP THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE, UH, VOTED ON BY THE COMMITTEE.
AS YOU COULD SEE, OPTION E RECEIVED 66.7% OF THE VOTES.
UM, UH, UH, GOOD MAJORITY OF THE, OF APPROVAL FROM THE COMMITTEE FOR OPTION E.
UH, THERE WE HAD 21 VOTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
UH, SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS DID VOTE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER, OTHER MAPS, BUT OPTION E WAS THE CLEAR, UH, DOMINANT, UH, MAP THAT THE MOST OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ACROSS THE WHOLE STUDY AREA VOTED ON TO APPROVE FOR, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
AND THEY FELT THAT THIS MAP BEST, UH, BEST MET THE, THE NEEDS OF ALL CHILDREN AND, UM, BEST ADHERED TO THE OVERALL OBJECTIVES AND CONSIDERATIONS.
AND THEN, UH, AS YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE STATISTICS.
SO YOU COULD SEE IN THE, THE FAR RIGHT ARE THE, UH, ARE THE UTILIZATION.
WHAT, WHAT I LIKE TO LOOK AT IN THE YELLOW U THE, YOU COULD SEE THE UTILIZATION IMBALANCES
[01:35:01]
IN THE YELLOW, AND SOME SCHOOLS ARE AT 75 AND OTHERS ARE AT 111%.SO THERE IS AN IMBALANCE IN UTILIZATION WHEREIN THE RECOMMENDATION THAT UTILIZATION IS VERY BALANCED AND, UH, EQUITABLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE STUDY AREA.
THESE SHOW THE IMPACTS ON DEMOGRAPHICS FROM, UH, THE CURRENT TO THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEN IN, IN MOST CASES, UM, THE, UH, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SCHOOLS DREW CLOSER TO THE STUDY AREA AVERAGE.
UH, THERE WERE, UM, UH, UH, THE, THE SCHOOLS AS THEY WERE WORKING THROUGH ALL THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD BEEN LOOKING AT.
AND IN, IN MOST CASES, THE, THE, THE AVERAGES DO DRAW CLOSER TO THE OVERALL STUDY AREA, UM, AVERAGES FOR, FOR, FOR MOST SCHOOLS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, YOU COULD SEE THAT, UH, THERE WERE 1,625 STUDENTS IMPACTED AS A RESULT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS, SPEAKS HIGHLY ON THE COMMITTEE'S WORK OF TRYING TO, TRYING TO DO THIS IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER WITH O OPENING A NEW BUILDING.
AND, UM, AND REZONING STUDENTS, ONLY 1600 STUDENTS, 1625 HAVE BEEN IMPACTED AS A RESULT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
THIS IS THE FEEDER PATTERN DATA.
SO YOU COULD SEE CURRENTLY THERE WERE 27 TOTAL SPLITS FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THIS COMMITTEE WAS LOOKING A LOT AT THAT.
THEY WANTED TO, UH, MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF SPLITS AND BRING THAT DOWN AND BRING DOWN THE SMALL NUMBERS.
AND, UM, YOU COULD SEE THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION BRINGS THAT DOWN TO 16, AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL GOES FROM 10 TO 13.
SO, UM, TRYING TO BALANCE EVERYTHING OUT AND MINIMIZE THE OVERALL NUMBER OF SPLITS, BUT THEY DID DO A GOOD JOB IN MAKING THE SPLIT EFFICIENCY BETTER FOR THIS REGION.
UM, NO STUDENTS THAT CAN WALK TO SCHOOL WERE PUT ON ANY IN, PUT IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION, SO ALL STUDENTS, UH, THAT CAN WALK, WERE STILL ABLE TO WALK AS A RESULT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT TO, UH, MR. TAYLOR OR MR. DIXON.
THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS, THERE'LL BE A PUBLIC HEARING WEDNESDAY, MAY 17TH AT SIX 30 AT PARKVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, AND THEN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE BOUNDARY ON TUESDAY, JUNE 13TH AT SIX 30 HERE.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS, MS. DEBOWSKI? YES.
UM, YOU SAID YOU HAD ONE AREA EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBER THERE, FROM WHICH AREA? UH, THAT WOULD BE THE, UM, NORTHEAST, NORTHEAST, NORTHEAST AREA.
WAS THERE A CONSIDERATION IN, IN BRINGING IN THE CENTRAL SINCE THIS INVOLVED BOTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST AREAS, WE DID REACH OUT AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY SOMEONE TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, ALSO THERE WERE 21 OF THE 31 VOTING MEMBERS THAT VOTED ON THE FINAL OPTION.
WAS THERE A CONSIDER, IT'S LIKE THE THIRD OF THE VOTING MEMBERS WERE NOT PRESENT TO MAKE THAT VOTE.
WAS, WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OF ALL CHANGING TO WHEN MORE MEMBERS COULD BE THERE TO VOTE OR GIVE INPUT? NO, WE ADVISED ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO PLEASE COME.
WE TELL THEM WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT PARTICIPATION AT EVERY MEETING, SO WE FELT WE HAD A SUFFICIENT NUMBER TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE VOTE.
I THINK THAT THAT FINAL VOTE, THOUGH, WOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING FOR ALL, I MEAN, ALL MEMBERS TO BE A PART OF, CUZ THEY'RE MAKING A DECISION FOR A VERY LARGE PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
THE, IT'S MY CONCERN RIGHT THERE.
UH, ALSO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ESL.
I JUST WANNA REMIND, UM, PAUL, MR. TAYLOR, EXCUSE ME, AND MR. DIXON, THE TIMELINE.
WAS THE TIMELINE PRESENTED TO THE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE AND WHAT TIME WAS THAT TIMELINE THAT WAS A PART OF THIS PRESENTATION? WHEN WAS THAT SHARED WITH THE, THAT WAS SHARED WITH THEM UPFRONT.
UM, THEY RECEIVED THAT WHEN IN FACT THE PRINCIPALS HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHEN THEY IDENTIFY AND ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
SO THEY'RE AWARE OF THE SCHEDULE, THEY'RE AWARE OF THE TIMES AND THE DATES AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AT EACH MEETING.
MY, MY LAST QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK, UM, ABOUT THE ESL STRATEGIC PLANNING.
UM, I, I KNOW I WENT VISITED, PUT INTERNATIONAL AND THEY RECEIVED SEVERAL, UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS FROM IMMIGRATION STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, PLACING STUDENTS
[01:40:01]
THAT WERE JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SESSION, REGISTERING IN THE MIDDLE, AND TRYING.I MEAN, THEY, THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB THERE, BUT I, I FEEL THAT, IS THERE A, UM, WERE YOU ABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT MIGHT BE COMING DOWN THE LINE AS FAR AS NEXT YEAR OR PREVIOUS YEARS WITH, UM, BOBERG COUNTY RECEIVING MORE, UM, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRATION SCHOOL-AGED STUDENTS THAT ARE GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGE OF LEARNING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE CHALLENGE OF, YOU KNOW, ARE WE, ARE WE WORKING THEM INTO THIS PROCESS AS WELL? YES.
WE MET WITH THE, UM, OFFICE OF, UM, THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNINGS, THE, THE OFFICE THAT TAKES ESAW OFFICE AND THEY PROVIDED ESTIMATED COUNTS OF STUDENTS.
UM, AND WE BUILT THAT INTO THE AVAILABLE SEATS IN EACH SCHOOL SO THAT WE HAD ROOM FOR ALL THE STUDENTS THAT THEY ESTIMATED THAT THEY WOULD BE GETTING.
IS THAT JUST THE CURRENT STUDENTS NOW, OR IS THAT, WERE THEY TRYING TO, ARE THEY FORWARD THINKING AS FAR AS WHAT MIGHT BE COMING DOWN THE LINE AS WELL? I BELIEVE WE JUST USED THE CURRENT COUNTS.
IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GUYS, THIS MIGHT NOT BE A BOUNDARY QUESTION, BUT JUST BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S CONSIDERED AS PART OF YOUR PROCESS OF FIGURING THIS OUT, UM, IS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, AMOUNTS OF IMMIGRATION FAMILIES ARE COMING INTO OUR COUNTY AND THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE SERVICES FOR THESE CHILDREN THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE BASICALLY LEARNING A BRAND NEW LANGUAGE? SO THAT'S A PART OF OUR STAFFING ALLOCATION AND THAT'S THE WORK OF THE ESSO OFFICE, UM, WHERE THEY'RE ANALYZING AND IT'S ALL YEAR.
SO THERE'S A PATTERN, THERE'S A PART DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR WHERE WE MAY SEE AN INFLUX AND WE BUILT AROUND THAT TO PROVIDE THAT STAFFING TO THE SCHOOL.
BUT KEEP IN MIND THE REASON WHY WE ARE DECENTRALIZING THE CENTERS, WE HAD THIS OTHER PHENOMENON WHERE SOME FAMILIES WERE NOT SEEKING THE ESOL LANGUAGE OR RESOURCES CUZ BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO STAY IN THEIR HOMESCHOOL.
SO, UM, THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE DO AROUND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND THE WORK THAT WE DO WITH OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THE ADDED BONUSES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AS I MENTIONED, DECENTRALIZING THE CENTER SO THE STUDENTS CAN BE IN THEIR HOMESCHOOL.
SO WE ARE PREPARING FOR JUST WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.
WE WON'T SAY IT'S PERFECT BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE JUST DON'T KNOW THE NUMBERS.
UM, AS I PRESENTED THE BUDGET IN JANUARY ABOUT THE GROWTH OF OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT.
SO I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT, UM, THIS IN, IN TERMS OF SPACE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ESTIMATED UTILIZATION FOR AFTER, UH, OPTION E, YOU'LL SEE THAT MOST OF THESE NUMBERS ARE 84 90, 80 7% INDICATING THAT FROM THE CAPACITY POINT OF VIEW, THERE WILL STILL BE SEATS AVAILABLE THERE.
HOW WERE THE PARENTS SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN THE PROCESS? THERE'S TWO PARENTS FROM EACH SCHOOL.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THAT SELECTION PROCESS WAS? AND I'LL JUST ASK MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION NOW ALSO, UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT BEST PRACTICES AND ATTEMPTING TO KEEP COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.
AS YOU SET THESE BOUNDARIES, HOW ARE, HOW ARE YOU DEFINING COMMUNITY OR HOW DID THE COMMITTEE DEFINE COMMUNITY? IS IT INTACT NEIGHBORHOODS A COLLECTION OF NEIGHBORHOODS? CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? I'LL ADDRESS THE FIRST QUESTION FIRST.
UM, AND THEN I MAY REFER TO, UM, MR. CROCKER TALK MORE ABOUT THE PLANNING BLOCK PROCESS.
WHAT WE DO IS WE IDENTIFY THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE.
WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH THE PRINCIPALS.
AND THE PRINCIPALS ARE THE ONES THAT KNOW THEIR COMMUNITIES BEST.
SO WE ASK THEM TO GO OUT AND FIND PARENTS AND TEACHERS THAT CAN PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMITTEE.
WE SEND LETTERS TO ALL OF THE, UM, PARENTS AND HOUSEHOLDS IN THE ZONE OF THE SCHOOL.
SO EVERY HOUSEHOLD GETS A LETTER THAT INVITES THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN HOW TO PARTICIPATE.
BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S UP TO THE PRINCIPAL TO TAKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO SELF-NOMINATE AND THEN COME UP WITH A LIST THAT GETS, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LEVEL TO DECIDE WHICH ONES WOULD BE ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO DO IS HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP.
UM, SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THIS PROCESS, UH, WE MADE SURE THAT, UM, FIRST ISSUES WERE CONSIDERED IN THE MAKEUP OF THE COMMITTEE.
I CAN, I CAN, OH, I'LL, SORRY, SORRY.
UM, SO THE, WHEN MOST IMPORTANTLY WE DON'T WANT TO DIVIDE
[01:45:01]
THE LINE DOWN RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE AIM TO, TO, TO AVOID.AND WHAT WE DO TO ENABLE THE COMMITTEE TO DO THIS KIND OF WORK WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE ALL THE TECHNICAL, UM, EX EXPERTISE LIKE WE HAVE, IS WE DEVELOP WHAT WE CALL PLANNING BLOCKS.
AND SO WE LOOK AT THE DISTRICT OR THE STUDY AREA AND WE BREAK IT UP INTO SMALL PIECES, LIKE THINK OF IT AS PIECES OF A PUZZLE.
AND WHEN WE DEVELOP THOSE PLANNING BLOCKS BASED OFF OF WHERE WE SEE HOW THE ROADS ARE CONFIGURED AROUND AND WHERE STUDENTS ARE.
AND SO OFTEN IF, IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S A COMMUNITY WHERE THERE'S JUST ONE ROAD EXIT, ONE ROADWAY INTO IT AND ONE ROADWAY OUT, WE'LL KEEP THAT IN ITS OWN PLANNING BLOCK.
UM, WE TRY TO KEEP THEM AT A CERTAIN SIZE SO THAT WE HAVE SOME VARIABILITY IN, IN THE ABILITY TO MAKE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
BUT, UM, EVERYBODY HAS A DIFFERENT DEFINITION FOR COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S KIND OF MORE OF A FLUID, UM, IT'S MORE OF A FLUID DEFINITION.
SO WE DON'T, DON'T ALIGN WITH ANY FORMAL DEFINITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY WHEN WE DEVELOP THESE, BUT WE DO IT WITH A MIND OF TRYING TO KEEP STUDENTS WHO PLAY TOGETHER AND AFTER SCHOOL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO, WHO SOCIALIZE TOGETHER WITHIN THEIR, THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, KEEP THEM TOGETHER.
SO WE DON'T DIVIDE NEIGHBORHOODS IN MULTIPLE PARTS.
THAT'S WHAT WE TRY TO DO, UM, AT, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
IF I COULD ADD, UM, THE, AT THE FIRST MEETING THAT WE HAVE WITH THE COMMITTEE, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE ASK THEM TO DO IS REVIEW THE PLANNING BLOCKS AND TO TELL US SINCE THEY KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY'S BEST, DO THEY THINK ANY CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE TO THESE CUZ THEY KNOW WHICH NEIGHBORHOODS ARE MAKE SENSE TO BE KEPT TOGETHER.
MS. HUMPHREY, FIRST I JUST, UM, WANTED TO THANK THE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE, UM, FOR THE BANNER STUDY COMMITTEE BECAUSE I OBSERVED ONE OF THE MEETINGS SIMPLY BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN THE PROCESS BEFORE.
SO I THOUGHT AS A BOARD MEMBER, I SHOULD OBSERVE THAT PROCESS.
AND, UM, YOU MENTIONED HOW YOU ASKED THE MEMBERS TO TAKE THEIR PARENT HAT OFF, AND I ACTUALLY OBSERVED A PARENT WHO DID NOT LIKE THE IDEA OF THEIR STUDENT NEEDING TO GO TO A DIFFERENT MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT SHE CHOSE THAT OPTION BECAUSE IT BENEFITED MORE STUDENTS.
SO, UM, I, I THOUGHT THAT SPOKE A LOT AS FAR AS, UM, THE COMMITMENT OF THE COMMITTEE ITSELF.
UM, AND I ALSO JUST, NOT AS A CRITICISM AT ALL, BUT I, FOR THE FU FOR FUTURE THOUGHTS, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK, UM, ABOUT HOW WE MAY INTENTIONALLY SEEK OUT SOME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE, SEEM TO NOT BE RESPONDING TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT OR INQUIRIES OR QUESTIONS OR SURVEYS.
UM, I THINK THE COMMITTEE ITSELF WAS MADE UP OF ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT, UM, COMMUNITIES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PARENT INPUT, THE SURVEY RESPONSES, EVEN THE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE AT SOME OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, UM, I THINK SOME OF OUR COMMUNITIES WERE UNDERREPRESENTED UN UNDERREPRESENTED.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY, BUT I THINK AS A COMMIT COMMITMENT FROM THE BOARD AND ALSO STAFF THAT WE SHOULD IN THE FUTURE THINK OF WAYS TO INTENTIONALLY REACH OUT TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
I KNOW WE'RE SENDING LETTERS, I KNOW WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT JUST BASED ON THE NUMBERS, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO DO MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING THE UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, I WANT TO ECHO MS. HUMPHREY'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I ATTENDED ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS AND THOSE PEOPLE, THEY WERE DILIGENTLY BROKEN, BROKEN UP INTO THEIR GROUPS AND TRIED TO HELP THE PUBLIC ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
MR. K CROWDER, HOW MANY YEARS HAS YOUR COMPANY BEEN IN BUSINESS? UM, SINCE 2005.
HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN, IN THE BOUNDARY STUDIES ALL ALONG 18 YEARS? UM, IT'S, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN ABOUT 15 OR 16 YEARS THAT I'VE DONE, UH, DIFFERENT STUDIES FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND SO YOU'VE DONE BOUNDARY STUDIES FOR US, FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR HOW MANY YEARS? I WOULD SAY NO, I, I'M SORRY.
I HAVE BEEN DOING BOUNDARY STUDIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR THE WHOLE TIME WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS, BUT FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY IT'S BEEN ABOUT 16.
DID YOU DESIGN A PRESENTATION THAT WAS SHOWN WITH US TO, TO US JUST NOW? IT'S, THE PRESENTATION IS, UH, HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE WORK ON COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE OFFICE OF OF STRATEGIC PLANNING TO DEVELOP.
SO, SO THERE WERE 11 MIDDLE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? I BELIEVE SO, YES, SIR.
THERE WERE THE TWO GOING THROUGH RENOVATION OR NEW AND THEN NINE MORE.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED FEEDER SCHOOLS AND THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SLIDES ABOUT HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ONE SLIDE ABOUT ELE AND MAYBE I OVERLOOKED IT AND TELL ME IF I DID ANY ELEMENTARY SLIDES PERTAINING
[01:50:01]
TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND WHERE THOSE KIDS WERE GONNA GO.THE FEEDER PATTERN TABLES DO SHOW THE ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRESSION.
DID I SOMEHOW MISS THAT? LET'S SEE, IF YOU LOOK ON SLIDE, THE FEEDER PATTERN SLIDE ON SLIDE 26.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE IT IN, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY, UM, IN THIS PRESENT PRESENTATION.
BUT IT IS IN THE HANDOUT THAT TALKS ABOUT ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE.
IS IT CORRECTED? THERE'S 46 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS INVOLVED IN THIS.
THERE'S A GOOD NUMBER OF, OKAY, SO TOTALS 57 SCHOOLS.
THAT JUST SEEMS IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, ARE YOU, OR HAVE YOU, DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE OR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH VAL STUDIES WITH THAT MANY SCHOOLS? IT JUST SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT'S A LOT OF SCHOOLS.
IT IS, IT IS A LOT OF SCHOOLS.
IT'S PROBABLY THE LARGEST STUDY WE'VE DONE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT THE LARGEST STUDY WE'VE DONE, UH, AS A COMPANY AT CRAWFORD GIS.
WE'VE DONE, WE HAVE DONE COUNTY AND DIVISIONWIDE STUDIES THAT, THAT FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
WHEN, WHEN YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT THIS STUDY, DID YOU, DID YOU TALK ABOUT QUADRANTS LIKE BREAKING UP THE 57 SCHOOLS INTO SMALLER QUADRANTS? THAT MIGHT BE MORE, AND YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COULD, COULD, COULD UNDERSTAND THAT INFORMATION MORE.
DID YOU TALK ABOUT THAT MR. MCMILLAN? THANK YOU.
BUT YOUR TIME, YOUR IS UP NOW.
I I GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I KNOW WE GOT A NEW GUY DOING THE TIME.
IS IS THAT, IS THAT, IS IS THAT MY TIME OR IS THAT HIS ANSWERS INCLUDED IN THAT? MR. BURNS.
MSME, I DO STOP AT ANY TIME YOU FINISHED UP.
YEAH, I MAY FINISH THE, UH, TALKING.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS WHAT, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A QUESTION.
I THINK HE WAS JUST ASKING A, THEY COULD STILL RESPOND TO HIS QUESTION.
OH, NO, I I I THOUGHT HE ASKED WHETHER I'M STOPPING THE CLOCK WHENEVER HE FINISHES.
YEAH, YOU ARE STOPPING THE CLOCK WHEN, WHEN A BOARD MEMBER ANSWER.
RIGHT? WHEN A BOARD MEMBER STOPS YOU ONLY TIME US NOT THE RESPONSES.
JUSTIN, I THINK IT WAS THE QUESTION YOU ASKED, BUT HE CAN STILL RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.
SO, GENTLEMEN, CAN YOU PLEASE RESPOND TO MR. MCMILLAN'S QUESTION? WELL, I, WHEN WE DO OUR WORK, UH, TYPICALLY BCPS PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE BOUNDARY STUDY THAT WE, THAT WE, UH, FACILITATE.
AND SO, UM, THE DIS THE DISTRICT WORKS THROUGH THE EVALUATION AND DETERMINATION OF WHAT, OF, OF THE STUDY AREA BASED OFF OF THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOLS AND IDENTIFYING NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS AND ADJACENT SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE NEED AND, AND THOSE THAT COULD HELP AS WELL.
UM, SO I'M TYPICALLY NOT A, UH, A PART OF THE, OF THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS, THE PLANNING PROCESS AROUND HOW THE STUDY AREA LOOKS.
I WORK WITH THE STUDY AREA THAT'S BEEN DETERMINED, UM, BY BCPS.
AND, AND THEN I WORK WITH THAT TO FACILITATE THAT GROUP.
AND AT, AT THE END, IF ALL THE QUE I'VE GOT TWO CRITICAL QUESTIONS AT THE END.
MAYBE IF PEOPLE ARE DONE, WOULD YOU CONSIDER MY TWO CRITICAL QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.
MAYBE ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS WILL ASK YOUR QUESTION AROUND YOU IF THEY'RE NOT PLANNING ON ASKING QUESTIONS, SO WE CAN STICK WITH THE TIME LIMIT.
MISS FROM P DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DID.
UM, I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ON THESE BOUNDARY STUDIES SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT'S ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I THINK THE PROCESS ITSELF IS VERY THOROUGH.
UM, MY CONCERN IN PARTICULAR WITH THIS ONE, AND THEN JUST EVEN OTHER BOUNDARY STUDIES THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE THE, UM, PUBLIC INPUT, IT CAN BE VERY SKEWED TO JUST HEAR FROM ONE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S SOME OF WHAT, UM, MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WERE SAYING.
UM, THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE BOUNDARY STUDY ARE EFFICIENT USE OF CAPACITY IN EFFECT IN AFFECTED SCHOOLS AND MAINTAINING OR INCREASING THE DIVERSITY AMONG THE SCHOOLS.
BUT IF WE LOOK AT THIS FINAL OPTION, UM, ONE SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR GOES FROM 84% TO 90% JUST TO ALLOW A COMMUNITY TO STAY TOGETHER.
UM, AND THAT'S A SECONDARY CONCERN, MAINTAINING THE CONTINUITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IS WITH THE ESOL, UM, BEING REMOVED FROM, UM, IS THAT MY TIME? OH, SORRY,
UM, WITH ESOL BEING REMOVED FROM DUNBARTON AS A CENTER, ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT CAME UP OR COMMENTS FROM A PARENT WAS ABOUT, UM, HAVING HALSTED ACADEMY AS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEING ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, DUNBARTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING BROUGHT UP AS A PARENT AND, BUT WE NEVER CAME BACK TO THAT.
SO I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE VOICES THAT WE HEAR.
[01:55:01]
OVERWHELMINGLY ONE GROUP, ONE POPULATION.UM, AND THEN TO BE FAIR, MR. CROPPER, THE D ONE OPTION THAT WAS PRESENTED IS PRESENTED VERY CLEANLY HERE.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REALLY SEE ALL THE THINGS THAT I JUST SAW.
IT WAS DIFFERENT SEEING IT THERE THAN SEEING IT HERE.
AND ALSO WE DIDN'T HAVE, UM, NUMBERS AS FAR AS HOW THAT STARTED AFFECTING THINGS.
SO I JUST THINK, UM, IT'S A GREAT PROCESS.
BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY CONSIDERATE REACHING OUT TO THAT COMMUNITY, UM, THAT WE MAY NOT HEAR THEIR VOICES.
MAYBE THEY'RE NOT ONLINE, MAYBE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO COME TO THESE PUBLIC INPUT BECAUSE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION WORK, ET CETERA.
AND THEIR VOICES IS IMPORTANT AS WELL, NOT JUST ONE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY.
AND WE DO HAVE TO REMEMBER THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS OF THESE, OF THE BOUNDARY STUDY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, HOW IS SCHOOL DIVERSITY FACTORED INTO THE SELECTION OF AN OPTION AND THE OVERALL BOUNDARY STUDY? IT'S ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF DATA THAT WE, UH, ANALYZE AND REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE IN ADDITION TO UTILIZATION AND, UM, FEEDER PATTERNS AND WALKABILITY AND IMPACTS.
UM, IS IT'S ONE COMPONENT OF DATA THAT IS PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THEIR REVIEW AND STUDY.
IS THERE ANY TYPE OF RUBRIC OR RATING OR WEIGHT GIVEN TO CERTAIN FACTORS? SO YOU, SO IT'S JUST EVERYTHING JUST PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEE AND THEN THEY DECIDE, OR IS THERE CERTAIN FACTORS THAT HAVE A HEAVIER WEIGHT THAN OTHERS? WE DON'T WEIGHT ANY OF THE FACTORS, UH, UH, IN B IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, UH, WE, UH, BASICALLY WE, WE TELL THE COMMITTEE THE BEST PLAN IS ONE THAT ADHERES TO ALL OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
UM, WITH, WITH THE, AS, AS THE RULES ARE, ARE STATED.
UM, AND SO THERE IS NO RUBRIC OR METRIC THAT WEIGHTS THE DIFFERENT, UH, CRITERIA.
SO WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS LEARN BEST IN A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT OPTION E AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THIS SCHOOL, IT, IT IS NOT, IT, IT'S NOT TRULY REFLECTIVE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING, ESPECIALLY WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS, IT JUST FEELS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENTS, A CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHIC OF STUDENTS THAT WILL BE IN THIS SCHOOL COMPARED TO SOME OF THE NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS.
AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE HOW IS THAT ADDRESSED AND HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENTS ARE LEARNING IN TRULY DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS.
AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE CERTAIN GROUPS OF STUDENTS ARE ALL BEING PLACED IN A SCHOOL THAT HAS OVER A THOUSAND STUDENTS.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER SCHOOLS, IT'S NOT THAT MANY STUDENTS.
ARE YOU REFERRING TO THE NEW SCHOOL, THE NEW NORTHEAST SCHOOLS? I'M LOOKING, I'M LOOKING RIGHT FOR THE NEW, FOR OPTION E YES.
AT, AT THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND, AND I I THE DEMOGRAPHIC PERCENTAGE? YEAH.
UM, I HAD STUDIED THESE, UH, EXTENSIVELY AS WELL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL, YOU'LL NOTICE IS THAT THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL ENCOMPASSES ALL OF GOLDEN RING.
UM, AND SO GOLDEN RING IS, DOES NOT HAVE A ZONE IN THIS PARTICULAR PLAN.
UM, AND SO, BUT, AND IF YOU LOOK AT GOLDEN RING, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF GOLDEN RING ARE SKEWED EVEN GREATER THAN WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION HAS.
UM, AND THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NEW NORTHEAST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL DOES EXTEND, UM, ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE COUNTY.
AND SO THE, THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE WAS LOOKING AT WAYS TO, TO DO AS BEST AS THEY COULD WITH, UH, BUT THERE ARE LIMITATIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH WHERE COMMUNITIES ARE AND THE, THE DEMOGRAPHIC COMPOSITION OF COMMUNITIES AND RELATIVE TO THE SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT TRYING TO MAKE THINGS EVEN MORE BALANCED.
YOU START TO DEVIATE GREATLY FROM OTHERS IN SUCH AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION, UH, EFFICIENCY OR POTENTIALLY OVERCROWDING A BUILDING OR UNDERUTILIZING A BUILDING AND TRYING TO GET, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC PERCENTAGES TO A EVEN BETTER, MORE FAVORABLE TO MATCH WHAT THE STUDY AREA IS.
IT'S A LARGE STUDY AREA, AND IT DOES HAVE A VERY WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITIES AND DEMOGRAPHICS AND SOCIOECONOMICS AND, UM, SO, BUT THAT'S THAT ONE OF MY OBSERVATION WAS, WAS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEW SCHOOL, GIVEN THAT IT DOES PICK UP ALL OF GOLDEN RING AND THEN SOME, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S AN IMPROVEMENT FROM DEMOGRAPHIC, UH, COMPOSITION PERSPECTIVE COM.
THE NEW SCHOOL IS, IS MORE DEMOGRAPHICALLY DIVERSE THAN GOLDEN RING IS AS IT CURRENTLY SETS.
UM, BUT IT'S NO PLAN IS PERFECT.
[02:00:01]
UM, THERE ARE STILL CHALLENGES AND, UH, IMBALANCES, BUT THE COMMITTEE FELT LIKE THIS, THIS PLAN WAS THE ONE THAT BEST ADHERED TO THOSE CONSIDERATIONS AS, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH REDLINING? I AM.
YOUR PRESENTATION SUGGESTS THAT YOU ARE ENGAGING IN REDLINING, SEPARATING NEIGHBORHOODS ACCORDING TO SOCIOECONOMICS AND MAYBE SOME OTHER THINGS.
IS THIS WHAT'S HAPPENING? UH, NO MA'AM.
UH, WE ARE, WE ARE NOT REDLINING IN THIS PROCESS.
HOW ARE YOU DETERMINING, UM, WHO'S GOING TO WHAT SCHOOLS? WE LOOK AT THE LOCATION OF STUDENTS TO THEIR SCHOOLS.
WE LOOK AT SCHOOL UTILIZATION AND, UM, HOW MANY SEATS EACH SCHOOL HAS AND HOW MANY STUDENTS CAN FIT IN THEM.
UM, AND WE LOOK AT, UM, THE, ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS THAT I HAD SHOWED TO THE DATA POINTS MM-HMM.
BUT YOU DID MENTION SOCIOECONOMICS.
SOCIOECONOMICS IS PART OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT WE EXAMINE IN TERMS OF THE IMPACTS, UH, FOR LOOKING AT CURRENT SCHOOLS AND WHAT THE OPTIONS MAY BE.
UM, JUST ECHOING THE CONCERNS OF NOT HEARING FROM EVERY COMMUNITY, WHY WAS IT JUST DETERMINED TO MAKE THIS BO BOUNDARY STUDY SO LARGE? THE SCHOOLS WE SELECTED WERE THOSE THAT WERE SURROUNDING THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE GETTING THE ADDITIONAL SEATS.
SO IF PINE GROVE MIDDLE WAS GETTING ADDITIONAL SEATS, ALL THAT MEANS ANY EDGE OF THAT SCHOOL BOUNDARY COULD CHANGE.
SO THE SCHOOLS THAT SHARED THAT BOUNDARY SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
AND WITH THE NEW NORTHEAST, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE IN THAT AREA SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
SO THAT'S, IT WAS GEOGRAPHIC DECISION.
THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THAT IS THAT LIKE BALTIMORE COUNTY IS THAT AREAS ARE SO DIVERSE IN THEM, YOU SUBSET THEM SMALLER, THEY'RE SO DIVERSE, SO THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME PORTIONS OF THAT AREA THAT ARE GONNA, ARE GONNA COME OUT AND SPEAK RIGHT AWAY.
AND THEN THOSE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT AREN'T AS, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING AS CLOSELY ARE GONNA GET SWEPT UNDER THE RUG AND BE OUTSPOKEN BY THE ONES THAT ARE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE MISS THE MARK IN THIS BOUNDARY STUDY.
AND WE'RE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, EXAMINING THAT WHOLE IT, I MEAN, IT JUST SHOWS WITH THE WHOLE WITH CENTRAL, NOT HAVING A CENTRAL AREA ADVISORY PERSON THERE AND THEN CONCENTRATING ON NORTHEAST.
I, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT IN THIS STUDY AND THE FACT THAT IT'S SO LARGE AND, UM, WE'RE LOSING SIGHT OF THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES WITHIN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, MS. HUMPHREY, TWO VERY QUICK QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION, BUT, UM, SO ALL OF GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL, EVERYONE'S ZONE FOR GOLDEN RING IS GOING TO ATTEND THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, CORRECT? YES, MA'AM.
UM, AND JUST ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
UM, AS FAR AS RED HOUSE RUN ELEMENTARY, DO WE KNOW IF ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING NORTHEAST OR STEMMERS RUN OR A COMBINATION? I DON'T, UH, KNOW THAT OFFHAND, BUT I CAN, UH, FIND THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU.
WHAT WAS, CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? RED HOUSE RUN RED HOUSE RUN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND, UH, AND FEEDING, YOU WERE ASKING IF THEY FEED INTO WHICH SCHOOL? YEAH, UH, UH, WELL, ACTUALLY, WHICH ARE THEY, WHAT IS, ARE THEY ALL GOING TO THE NOI NORTHEAST, NEW NORTHEAST, UM, MIDDLE SCHOOL OR STEMMERS RUN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM, I WAS TRYING TO BRING UP THE POLICY REAL FAST, BUT I CAN'T DO IT WITH NAVIGATING EVERYTHING ELSE.
DOES THE POLICY TALK ABOUT USING ALL SCHOOLS THAT TOUCH THE EFFECT THE SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO WORK ON WITH BOUNDARY? DOES POLICY TALK ABOUT PULLING ALL THE ONES THAT TOUCH IT, LIKE THE, THE AFFECTED BOUNDARIES, THE, TO MS. DOSSEY'S POINT ABOUT WHY WE HAD SO MANY THIS TIME? SO YOU HAD TWO SCHOOLS THAT YOU WERE TRYING TO WORK ON, PINE GROVE MIDDLE AND THE NEW NORTHEAST, AND THEN WERE ALL THOSE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THOSE ALL HAVE BOUNDARIES
[02:05:01]
THAT WOULD TOUCH THE NEW, THOSE TWO SCHOOLS? THAT'S CORRECT.IS THAT PER POLICY? NO, I, OKAY.
12? NO, THE POLICY DOES NOT STATE THAT.
UM, JUST TO FOLLOW UP, UH, ALL OF RED HOUSE RUN, UH, FEEDS INTO THE NEW, THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE RECOMMENDATION? YES, MA'AM.
WILLIAMS, IF YOU WANNA, UH, I JUST WANT TO REMIND THE BOARD, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK, UM, AND THE QUESTIONS, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, I JUST WANNA REITERATE WHAT THE TEAM SAID.
YOU KNOW, WHEN DO WE GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN UP A BRAND NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL? AND IF YOU LOOK AT SLIDE 23 AND SEE ALL OF THE OVERCROWDED MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE HAD TO EXPAND SO IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO JUST TOUCH ONE ASPECT OF THAT PART OF THE COUNTY AND NOT TRY TO ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE FEEDBACK AND I, I WILL ALSO WANNA ASSOCIATE THE BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE AND THE WORK OF THE PRINCIPLES TO GET MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE, UM, ON THE TIMELINE AND TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
IT'S, IT'S NEVER EASY AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PRESENTING THIS, BUT I THINK SOME OF WHAT WAS SHARED IN THE PRESENTATION ANSWERED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
WE HAD TO LOOK AT A BROADER SPAN BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE NORTHEAST AREA SIDE.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS HOW, HOW OFTEN DO WE OPEN UP A BRAND NEW SCHOOL? I JUST, I JUST HAVE TO GO, GO THERE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS, UM, I THINK MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT THEY HAD AND NOW WHAT THEY POTENTIALLY WILL HAVE WITH THE WORK PART TWO OF WHAT THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE.
SO, UM, I THINK YOU'VE GIVEN US A LOT OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AND YOUR INVESTMENT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ATTENDING THE BOUNDARY STUDY MEETINGS AND ACTUALLY OBSERVING THE, THE PROCESS.
UM, WE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO WITH OUR FACILITIES.
UM, AND I WANT TO THANK THE TEAM, UM, LED BY MR. DIXON AND THANK YOU MR. TAYLOR.
UM, BUT I THINK YOU'VE GIVEN US A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, UM, THERE, THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS WE WILL LOOK AT.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF QUESTION ABOUT WHY THIS, THE SCOPE, BUT IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT JUST THE UTILIZATION AND WHERE WE WERE AS A SYSTEM ON THAT SIDE, IT MADE SENSE.
SOME MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT IT MADE SENSE.
WE HAD TO EXPAND BECAUSE WHEN YOU OPEN UP A BRAND NEW SCHOOL, PEOPLE WANT TO ATTEND.
AND SO I, I JUST APPRECIATE SOME OF THESE HARD DECISIONS AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO KIND OF RECEIVE THE FEEDBACK AND MAKE AMENDMENTS AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS TIMELINE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT SOMETHING BACK TO THE BOARD.
WILLIAMS. UM, AND THANK YOU, UM, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND I KNOW IT'S A MAMMOTH AMOUNT OF WORK TO DO A BOUNDARY STUDY.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL.
SO, UM, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, IT IS A LOT OF NIGHTS, IT'S A LOT OF TEDIOUS WORK, IT'S A LOT OF ANALYZING, UM, AND IT'S A LOT OF DECISION MAKING, UM, WITH COMPETING PRIORITIES.
UM, WE ARE NOT FINISHED THE PROCESS, AS YOU STATED IN THE BEGINNING.
WE STILL HAVE THE, UM, COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THERE'S A WORD HEARING, AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK IN JUNE AS A BOARD AND VOTE, UM, ON THE OPTION.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED.
[N. INFORMATION (9:00 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS INFORMATION ITEMS, INCLUDING THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 27TH AND MARCH 27TH FOR THE SOUTHEAST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCILS.I KNOW MS. BREWSTER WATCHES OUR MEETING, SO THANK YOU MS. BREWSTER FOR THOSE, UM, VERY DETAILED NOTES.
[O. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING (9:00 - 9:15 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS, UM, BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS FOR ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE THEM, AS WELL AS AGENDA SETTING.IF YOU ARE GIVING AN AGENDA TOPIC, PLEASE STATE, UM, ALSO EXPLAIN YOUR WHY BEHIND IT TO HELP US AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN SETTING FUTURE AGENDAS.
UM, I'LL START ON THIS SIDE AGAIN, IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, NO WORRIES.
SO, MS. BOOKER DWYER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING AT THIS POINT? NO, NOT AT THIS POINT.
DID YOU WANT THAT OR THIS WOULD BE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR AGENDA ITEMS, WE'LL DO, UM, COMMITTEE REPORTS NEXT TIME.
NO, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.
JUST A QUICK, UM, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS.
I KNOW NEXT WEEK IS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, UM, AND, UM, THROUGHOUT MY OBSERVA VISITING OF SCHOOLS, UM, I'VE COME INTO CONTACT WITH
[02:10:01]
MANY TEACHERS AND OBSERVED MANY TEACHERS WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, UM, WHAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO IN THE CLASSROOM.AND JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND TO THANK OUR TEACHERS.
NO AGENDA ITEMS. JUST A REMINDER THAT THE NEXT BUILDING AND CONTRACTS MEETING IS MONDAY, JUNE 12TH AT 5:00 PM THANK YOU.
AND MS. FONG, UM, I'M GONNA ECHO CHRISTINA.
SO, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR TEACHERS FOR WHAT THEY DO.
UM, FOR THIS WEEK, WE HAVE SUBSTITUTE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, THANK YOU TO THE SUBSTITUTES.
THAT'S PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO COME IN AND, AND BE TEACHER FOR THE DAY OR FOR THE WEEK OR, BUT JUST TO COME IN AND TRY AND, UM, FILL THE SHOES OF THE TEACHER.
UM, AND THANK YOU TO OUR PRINCIPALS FROM YESTERDAY WITH PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION DAY.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE, UM, POLICY I'D LIKE US TO REVIEW.
UM, POLICY RULE 1280 AS MY REASONING FOR 10 IS BASED ON TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE ALL FEEDER SCHOOLS OR DEF OR DEFINED THE DEFINITION OF AFFECTED SCHOOLS TO NOT JUST INCLUDE, UM, IF YOU HAVE A MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT SHOULD INCLUDE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT, THOSE THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL FEEDS INTO HIGH SCHOOL, SAME THING, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SO THAT ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE REPRESENTED.
SO THAT WOULD BE A POLICY AND REVIEW.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO ECHO AND THANK OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR SUBSTITUTES, UM, AND EVERYONE WHO, UM, CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.
[P. ANNOUNCEMENTS (9:15 p.m.)]
LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ANNOUNCEMENTS AS WE SET, OH NO, TOMORROW, MAY 3RD IS THE BOARD'S PUBLIC HEARING ON THE GOLDEN RING MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM CLOSURE, WHICH WILL BE HELD AT EASTERN TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL AT THE CAFETERIA.SIGN UP FOR SPEAKERS BEGINS AT FIVE 30 AND THE HEARING WILL BEGIN AT SIX 30.
THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 16TH AT 6:30 PM THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, AND THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.