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THIS IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE LICHTER.
I CALLED TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF ED OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 2023.
THIS EVENING'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE B C P SS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON B C P S T, XFINITY CHANNEL 73 AND VERIZON FIOS, CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
[A. CLOSED SESSION]
I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED BY THE OPENS MEETING ACT AS FOUND IN THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE THREE DASH 3 0 5 B ONE AND B SEVEN TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTERS THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.AND CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FRONG.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
HAITIAN OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 2023.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO BE LED BY MS. KAYLA DRUMMOND.WE WILL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE, 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 BROADCAST THROUGH THE B C P SS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON B C P S TV, XFINITY CHANNEL 73 AND VERIZON FIOS, 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.)]
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE OCTOBER 10 AGENDA.ROGERS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
HEARING NONE THE AGENDA STANDS AS PRESENTED EARLIER THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
AND CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
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 THAT, I CALL ON MR. MCCALL.
GOOD EVENING, GOOD CHAIR, LECHLER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT DR.
I'D LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING, PERSONNEL MATTERS, TERMINATIONS, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES, CERTIFICATE APPOINTMENTS, AND SOUTHEAST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL APPOINTMENT.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONAL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT D ONE? SO MOVED FROM PAUL.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONAL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBITS D TWO THROUGH D SIX? SO MOVE STALOWSKI.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM PONG.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[00:05:01]
YES.[E. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - PROPOSED 2024-2025 SCHOOL CALENDAR (Ms. Charley-Greene and Ms. Bielski) (6:50 - 7:00 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS.THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS PROPOSED 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. CHARLIE GREEN AND MS. BILSKI.
BOARD CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, UH, DR.
ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING WITH STAFF RELATIONS MANAGER, JULIE, I'M, I'M SORRY, JOEL BILSKI TO PRESENT FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION TWO ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR THE PROPOSED 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MS. BIELSKI TO SHARE, UM, THE OPTIONS THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH.
AND AT THE CLOSE OF THAT WE ARE CERTAINLY AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD WOULD HAVE.
AS A RESULT OF THE MOTION PUT FORTH BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, THE DEPARTMENT OF STAFF RELATIONS WAS TASKED WITH MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF HALF DAYS IN THE PROPOSED CALENDAR.
THE PROPOSED CALENDAR ENCOMPASSES 191 TEACHER DAYS, 181 ELEMENTARY STUDENT DAYS, AND 182 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DAYS WITH AN ADDITIONAL THREE DAYS BUILT INTO THE CALENDAR.
AS IN CLEMENT WEATHER DAYS, THE CALENDAR DOES NOT ALLOW ROOM FOR AN ADDED ONE FULL DAY CLOSURE AS A MENTAL HEALTH DAY BECAUSE IF B C P S WERE TO CLOSE ONE FULL DAY, THE TEACHER DAY TOTAL WOULD DROP TO 190 DAYS.
THE CURRENT CALENDAR EXCEEDS THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF STUDENT HOURS BUILT INTO THE SCHOOL CALENDAR SHOULD THE BOARD DECIDE TO REINSTATE HALF DAY MENTAL HEALTH DAYS.
HOWEVER, THE STUDENT TEACHER DAYS CANNOT BE ALTERED BECAUSE WE HAVE JUST MET THE REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE.
THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE WILL RESEARCH THE USE OF HALF DAYS FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR CALENDARS.
THIS SLIDE REFLECTS ATTENDANCE DATA FOR THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING AND THE DAY BEFORE WINTER BREAK FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.
HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MS. BOOKER DWYER.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THIS, UM, INFORMATION.
AND SO COULD YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE APPROACH FOR, TO MAKE HALF DAYS AS PRODUCTIVE AS POSSIBLE, AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR DR.
ROGERS, UM, SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST MOVIES OR, UM, MAKEUP ASSIGNMENTS.
MS. BEKI, ARE YOU FINISHED ALL THE SLIDES? I AM.
UM, SO ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO, UH, DISCUSS THAT.
SO PART OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, UM, FOR THE BOARD WAS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR HALF DAYS, UH, WERE PURPOSEFUL FOR ALL STUDENTS.
AND SO IN THE, UH, PAST, WE HAVE SHARED WITH OUR TEACHERS THAT HALF DAYS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR STUDENTS THAT NEED EXTRA TIME, FOR STUDENTS THAT NEED TO COMPLETE THE WORK.
UM, THAT THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE NEED DONE IN ADDITION TO THE THREE HALF DAYS THAT ARE BUILT IN FOR GRADING AND REPORTING.
UM, SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IS, UH, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR ADVISORY GROUPS, UH, THAT, UH, CONTAIN PRINCIPLES, UH, FEEDBACK FROM ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AS WELL AS TEACHERS AND SCHOOL-BASED STAFF TO, UM, IDENTIFY WHAT ARE SOME ROBUST ACTIVITIES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST IN SOME SCHOOLS.
SO WE CAN PROVIDE A SET OF GUIDELINES TO ALL, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF WHAT WE EXPECT TO HAPPEN ON THOSE DAYS.
UM, AND SO IT CAN LOOK LIKE ANYTHING FROM, UM, MAKE UP OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS, UH, IF, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT NORMALLY HAPPEN THAT DISRUPTS SCHEDULES, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAREER DAY, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A COLLEGE FAIR, UM, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, STUDENTS.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF WORK, UH, WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS BRINGING IN THEM IN ON THOSE DAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DAYS ARE WORTHWHILE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO WHETHER IT'S, UH, IF IT'S, UM, NOT TEACHING BELL TO BELL, UH, IS TEACHING SOME OF THOSE MEANINGFUL LESSONS THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY INCORPORATE ON A FULL DAY SO THAT WE'RE NOT DISRUPTING THOSE DAYS TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE AND MAXIMIZING THE USE OF THE HALF DAYS.
AND JUST ONE MORE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION BECAUSE WE GET A LOT OF EMAILS ABOUT THE POST LABOR DAY, UM, CALENDAR.
SO COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY, UM, WHY A POST LABOR DAY CALENDAR WASN'T SHOWN TO THE BOARD? SURE.
SO WE DID DISCUSS, WE DISCUSSED BOTH, BOTH A
[00:10:01]
PRE AND A POST.UM, THE DATA THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE STRONGLY SPOKE TO THE NEED FOR THE, THE MAXIMIZED AMOUNT OF ASSESSMENT DAYS.
UM, A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION WAS ABOUT KINDERGARTEN TESTING AND NEEDING AND THE DEADLINE FOR THAT AND NEEDING THAT TIME TO MEET THE DEADLINE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED 20 24, 20 25 SCHOOL CALENDAR IS THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM UNDER PUBLIC COMMENT MAY ALSO BE SENT TO BOARD, UM, TO THE BOARD MEMBERS@BOEATBCPS.ORG.
CONSIDERATION OF THE CALENDAR WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE BOARD'S NOVEMBER 7TH, 2023 MEETING.
[F. PUBLIC COMMENT (7:00 - 8:10 p.m.)]
IS PUBLIC COMMENT AND THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE BOARD HAS 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 HER STAFF.
IF NOT SELECTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS VIA EMAIL@BOEATBCPS.ORG.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HOMELAND SECURITY UNIT AND THE OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY HAS RECOMMENDED THE FOLLOWING SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS.
PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BE SEATED, SEATED IN THE ROOM DURING MEETINGS.
INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED TO STAND SHOULD GO OUT INTO THE HALLWAY TO DO SO.
PARTICIPANTS SHOULD NOT APPROACH THE TABLE UNLESS CALLED UPON TO SPEAK AND SHOULD NOT APPROACH.
THE DSS MATERIALS BROUGHT TO THE TABLE ARE LIMITED TO ELECTRONIC DEVICES, PRESENTATION PAPERS AND POSTERS NO LARGER THAN 11 BY 14 INCHES.
OTHER ITEMS SHOULD BE LEFT IN YOUR SEATS.
DOCUMENTS TO BE GIVEN TO THE BOARD ARE TO BE HANDED TO THE STAFF MEMBER WHO IS SEATED IN THE FRONT AREA OF THE MEETING SPACE.
INFORMATION FOR OTHER ATTENDEES IS TO BE LEFT ON THE DESIGNATED TABLE OUTSIDE IN THE HALL IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY THAT REQUIRES AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUCH AS A LOCKDOWN, LOCKOUT, OR EVACUATION.
STAFF FROM THE OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY WILL DIRECT PARTICIPANTS.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT ON POLICY PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS 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.
DISPARAGING OR DEROGATORY REMARKS TOWARDS STUDENTS AND STAFF WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN APPROPRIATE 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 B C P S EMPLOYEE ARE SUBJECT TO LEGAL PENALTIES.
PERSONS WHO OTHERWISE DISRUPT OR DISTURB THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THEIR REMARKS AND WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE MEETING.
PLEASE OBSERVE THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK, WHICH WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF AT THE END OF THE TIME AND IT COULD BE TURNED OFF IF A SPEAKER ADDRESSES SPECIFIC STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE MATTERS OR IS COMMENTING ON MATTERS NOW RELATED TO THE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
IT IS THE PRACTICE OF THE BOARD TO ALLOW ELECTED OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD.
AND OUR FIRST TO SPEAK IS DELICATE DELEGATE PASTOR.
CHAIR LITA, VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TONIGHT, PEOPLE ARE HURTING ALL OVER THE WORLD.
I HAVE BEEN IN DEEP CONTEMPLATION AND PRAYER FOR THE LAST 24 HOURS, WANTING TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BUT I REWIND AND I KNOW I PROBABLY WON'T BECAUSE I AM JUST ONE.
SO HERE I AM UPFRONT BECAUSE I'M AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT IN MY REALITY, KNOWING THAT TONIGHT I HAVE ONLY THE HEART OF A HUMAN BEING AND THE HEART OF A PERSON WHO LOVES CHILDREN.
WHILE IN MY CONTEMPLATIVE STATE, I WENT OVER A BOOK I READ MANY YEARS AGO WHILE GETTING MY SUPERVISORY CERTIFICATION IN EDUCATION OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN, I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW GOOD PEOPLE TO OFTEN BECOME AFRAID OF OTHERS FOR REASONS THAT SOMETIMES LACK RATIONAL THINKING OR KIND HEARTS.
THEY LOSE SIGHT OF INJUSTICES AND INEQUITIES.
OUR FEARS HAVE OFTEN BEEN TIED TO RACE AND RELIGION, CULTURE, ETHNICITY,
[00:15:01]
HISTORICAL TRUTHS, GEOGRAPHY, AND YES, GENDER AFFILIATION AND IDENTITIES TO YOU, THE BOARD MEMBERS.I AM SURE THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE LAW OF THE LAND IS CLEAR ABOUT WHO FALLS UNDER TITLE IX.
NOW, YOU MAY WELL CHALLENGE M S D E REGARDING THE RIGHTS OF THOSE WHO ARE TRANSGENDER, BUT AS THE CASE IN TALBOTT COUNTY PROVED TO BE SO, THE COURTS WILL SIDE WITH FEDERAL LAW AND YOU WILL LOSE.
BUT NOT ONLY WILL YOU LOSE THAT BATTLE, BUT WE WILL ALL LOSE OUR HUMANITY.
THERE'S ANOTHER BOOK WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO MIND.
THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE, HOW WE LASH OUT AT OUR CHILDREN AND VICTIMIZE THEM, MANIFEST THE DANGERS WE DO TO THEM EMOTIONALLY.
OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR PRESENT AND OUR FUTURE AND OUR SOCIETY DEPENDS ON HOW WE TREAT THEM.
TALK ABOUT THEM AND CHARACTERIZE THEM.
I WANT, LIKE I HOPE MOST OF YOU, IF NOT ALL OUR CHILDREN, TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES SO THEIR VOICES WILL RESOUND LOUDLY AND CLEARLY ABOUT THE INCLUSIVE SOCIETY WE CLAIM THIS COUNTRY TO BE.
AND AS A PERSON WHO GREW UP IN A SEGREGATED SOCIETY, STOKED BY FEAR, BIASES AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING, MY PARENTS RAISED ME TO BELIEVE OR PULLING FROM THE BOOK OR MOVIE THE HELP WHAT I WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE ABLE TO SAY WITH CONFIDENCE, I AM KIND, I AM SMART, I AM IMPORTANT.
LOST LAWS ARE MADE TO PROTECT.
SO IF WE DON'T LIKE THEM, WE SHOULD WORK CIVILLY WITH THOSE WHO MAKE THEM ALWAYS WITH THE GOOD OF CHILDREN IN MIND TO BUILD THEM UP NOT TO DESTROY.
SO FOLLOWING THE LAW, LET'S FIND CIVIL AND HUMANE WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF ALL CHILDREN.
USE THE LAW, SPEAK TO THOSE WHO MAKE THE LAWS NOT TO.
THOSE OF YOU WHOSE JOB IS TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN UNDER THE LAW.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DELEGATE SHEILA RUTH.
SO WELCOME MADAM CHAIR, MADAM.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM VICE CHAIR DR.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO SEE ALL OF YOU AND I I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CHILDREN OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I'VE HEARD THAT OF SMALL BUT VOCAL MINORITY IS PUSHING FOR POLICIES THAT THAT WOULD BE DISCRIMINATORY BATHROOM POLICIES.
I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
I KNOW THAT THE BALTIMORE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL DO THE RIGHT THING AND NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CHILDREN, NOT ENACT POLICIES THAT WILL DISCRIMINATE.
BUT I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAVE YOUR BACK.
AS YOU COULD PROBABLY TELL FROM THE LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOUTING, PROTECT TRANS KIDS, MOST PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY KNOW THAT THERE'S NO BASIS FOR DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES THAT FORCE CHILDREN TO USE A BATHROOM, UM, THAT, UM, FORCE CHILDREN TO USE A BATHROOM, UM, FOR WHOSE IDENTITY DOESN'T MATCH THEIR BIOLOGY, AND THAT SUCH POLICIES ARE HARMFUL TO THOSE CHILDREN.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE AT RISK OF VIOLENCE FROM TRANSGENDER PEOPLE.
TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE THAN PERPETRATORS.
[00:20:02]
THE SAFETY OF ALL CHILDREN IS IMPORTANT, INCLUDING THE SAFETY OF TRANS CHILDREN, FORCING THEM TO USE A BATHROOM THAT DOESN'T MATCH THEIR GENDER IDENTITY PUTS THEIR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT RISK.A SEPARATE GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOM IS ALSO NOT AN ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE AND IS INHERENTLY DISCRIMINATORY, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S MORE DISTANT FROM THE OTHER BATHROOMS. AND IT CAN ALSO OUT CHILDREN WHO ARE TRANS OR NON-BINARY CHILDREN AND MAKE THEM A TARGET OF STIGMA, HARASSMENT OR VIOLENCE DISCRIMINATORY BATHROOM POLICIES OR ALSO IMPACT A CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH ADOLESCENCE IS A FRAUGHT EMOTIONAL TIME ANYWAY, AND HAVING A BODY THAT DOESN'T MATCH YOUR IDENTITY CAN MAKE IT EVEN MORE STRESSFUL.
IMAGINE BEING A GIRL AND BEING FORCED TO USE THE BOYS' BATHROOM OR BEING A BOY AND BEING FORCED TO USE THE GIRLS' BATHROOM.
YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW HURTFUL THAT WOULD BE AND HOW DIFFICULT AND HOW THAT WOULD MAKE YOU A TARGET AS WELL.
THE, THE TREVOR PROJECT HAD A A 2022 NATIONAL SURVEY ON L G B T Q YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND FOUND THAT 45% OF L G B T Q L G B T Q YOUTH SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED ATTEMPTING SUICIDE IN THE PAST YEAR, INCLUDING MORE THAN HALF OF TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY YOUTH, MORE THAN HALF CONSIDERED SUICIDE.
UM, AND 59% OF BLACK TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY YOUTH REPORTED CONSIDERING SUICIDE WITH ONE IN FOUR ATTEMPTING SUICIDE IN THE PAST YEAR.
SO I I ASK YOU TO PLEASE IGNORE THE, THE MINORITY WHO ARE PUSHING FOR DISCRIMINATORY BATHROOM POLICIES AND, AND PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND ALLOW CHILDREN, UM, TO BE THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WISH TO SPEAK? OKAY, I DO SEE DELEGATE FORBES, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, UM, TONIGHT.
I'LL NOW CALL IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AFFILIATED GROUPS TO SPEAK AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS, IS SANE RYAN FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY JUNIOR COUNCILS AND THE BALTIMORE.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY JUNIOR COUNCILS.
AND DID I SAY YOUR NAME CORRECTLY? IT'S SAUN.
I'M AN EIGHTH GRADER AT DUN MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I'M THE CHAIR OF B C J C, THE BALTIMORE COUNTY JUNIOR COUNCILS.
WE ARE A STUDENT RUN ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I WOULD LIKE TO START THIS SPEECH BY EMPHASIZING THAT B C J C STRONGLY BELIEVES IN PROMOTING INCLUSIVITY AND ENSURING THAT THE RIGHTS OF EVERY STUDENT ARE RESPECTED AND PROTECTED.
WE STRIVE TO CREATE A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL INDIVIDUALS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR IDENTITY OR BACKGROUND, FEEL SAFE, SUPPORTED, AND HEARD.
I'M HERE TO UPDATE THE BOARD ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN B C J C SO FAR THIS YEAR.
B C J C HAS HAD ONE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING, WHICH WAS IN SEPTEMBER.
THESE MEETINGS ARE WHERE OUR MEMBERS COLLABORATE ON PROJECTS, GIVE REPORTS, PLAN EVENTS, AND LEARN EVEN MORE LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
WE HAVE OUR OCTOBER EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING TOMORROW, WHICH THE B C J C OFFICER TEAM HAS BEEN PREPARING FOR THESE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
B C J C AND B C S E ARE ALSO PREPARING FOR OUR WORKSHOP PRESENTER TRAINING, WHICH WILL BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH M A S C, THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS, STUDENTS WHO STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THIS WORKSHOP.
PRESENTER TRAINING WILL BECOME CERTIFIED BY M A S C AND B C S C AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT AT BOTH OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS EVENTS.
MOST OF OUR GOALS FOR THIS YEAR INVOLVE EXPANDING SCHOOL PARTICIPATION.
B C J C IS A FAIRLY NEW ORGANIZATION, SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLERS KNOW ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES IN B C J C AND BEYOND.
THIS YEAR, WE HAVE 14 MEMBERS WHO REPRESENT NINE DIFFERENT B C P S MIDDLE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THE VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM.
THIS HAS ALMOST DOUBLED THE AMOUNT OF MIDDLE SCHOOLS REPRESENTED LAST YEAR.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING TO EXPAND SCHOOL PARTICIPATION THROUGH OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLIES, WHICH ARE BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL.
AT THESE ASSEMBLIES ARE BCSC SLASH BCJC CERTIFIED PRESENTERS TEACH SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS LEADERSHIP SKILLS SUCH AS SPEECH WRITING, ENGAGING IN AUDIENCE, IDENTIFYING IMPLICIT BIAS AND MORE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EVERY BBCS MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS BY REACHING OUT TO SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCILS.
WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON EXPANDING BOSS, THE BOARD OF SELECTED STUDENTS BOSS MEETS MONTHLY ON GOOGLE MEETS AND HAS DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BETTER FOR STUDENTS.
IF THERE ARE MIDDLE SCHOOLS WITHOUT BOSS REPRESENTATIVES, WE WON'T REACH OUT TO THEM TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY INTERESTED STUDENTS.
IT'S BEEN A PRODUCTIVE SCHOOL YEAR THUS FAR,
[00:25:01]
AND WE ARE EAGER TO SEE WHAT THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WILL HOLD.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIA HEMLER, ALSO FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY JUNIOR COUNCIL.
UH, I'M JULIA HEMLER AND AS YOU, I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY JUNIOR COUNCIL SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE PLACE TO LEARN, BUT HOW CAN YOU LEARN WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL SAFE? ACCORDING TO G L SS E N, THE GAY LESBIAN STRAIGHT EDUCATION NETWORK, ON AVERAGE, AN L G B T Q STUDENT WILL HEAR 26 ANTI L G B T Q SLURS EVERY DAY.
ONE THIRD OF WHICH COME FROM A SCHOOL STAFF MEMBER.
DEROGATORY TERMS LIKE THE, THAT I CAN'T SAY HERE BEING NORMALIZED IN EVERYDAY CONVERSATION.
MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THESE WORDS MEAN OR HOW DETRIMENTAL HEARING THIS CAN BE TO AN L G B T Q PERSON'S MENTAL HEALTH, HOMOPHOBIC OR TRANSPHOBIC LANGUAGE ISN'T OKAY, AND PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THIS.
SCHOOLS CAN HELP BY PROVIDING MORE AWARENESS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR USING THESE WORDS TO STUDENTS AND STAFF.
SCHOOL SUPPORT LIKE THIS WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO SOMEONE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH COMING OUT.
ANOTHER ISSUE FOR L G B T Q YOUTH IN SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THE GENDER SPECIFIC BATHROOMS. ACCORDING TO THE 2015 US TRANS SURVEY RELEASED BY THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSGENDER EQUALITY, 59% OF TRANSGENDER PEOPLE REPORTED THAT THEY HAD AVOIDED BATHROOMS IN THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF, UM, IN FOR FEAR OF CONFRONTATION, 8% REPORTED GETTING A KIDNEY OR URINARY TRACT INFECTION BECAUSE OF AVOIDING PUBLIC RESTROOMS. IF PEOPLE ARE GETTING HURT OVER THIS, IT'S A SIGN THAT THINGS NEED TO CHANGE.
ADDING GENERAL NEUTRAL BATHROOMS NOT, UM, JUST AS AN OPTION, WOULD GREATLY IMPROVE MANY TRANSGENDER OR NON-BINARY YOUTH LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AFTER ALL, IF YOU CAN'T EVEN GO TO THE BATHROOM, HOW ARE YOU GONNA BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON YOUR SCHOOLWORK? ALL OF THIS COMES DOWN TO SCHOOL SUPPORT.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO WHEN IT COMES TO COMFORT AND WITHIN THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IS ADDING A SAFE PLACE.
ACCORDING TO G L SS E N IN ONE STUDY, THEY FOUND THAT 28% OF L G B T Q YOUTH DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL DUE TO PEER HARASSMENT.
IF YOU LET EVERYONE KNOW WHERE TO FIND A STAFF MEMBER OR PLACE THAT IS A SAFE SPACE WHERE THEY CAN BE RESPECTED, THEN SCHOOL WILL REALLY BE A PLACE THAT EVERYONE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE LEARNING IN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROMAN RAMONA BA FROM THE P T A COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
IT'S A TOUGH EFFECT TO FOLLOW.
OUR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS.
I GREET YOU ON BEHALF OF THE PT COUNCIL, P T A COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY AND ALSO MEMBERS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE WORKING THROUGHOUT THE BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM ON KINDNESS WEEK.
KINDNESS WEEK IS SET UP FOR NEXT WEEK.
MIND OVER MATTERS ANTI-BULLYING.
THEIR THEMES ARE PROFOUND, CIVILITY, EQUITY, UNITY, KINDNESS, RESPECT, AND POSITIVITY.
A MESSAGE THAT WE HOPE THAT WE ALL HERE IN THIS ROOM WILL REMEMBER.
I ALSO, WE GREET YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR PRESIDENT OF OUR P T A COUNCIL.
THE P T A IS OVER 125 YEARS OLD.
IT IS THE LARGEST AND THE OLDEST VOLUNTEER CHILD ADVOCACY GROUP IN THE NATION.
IT HAS SURVIVED THROUGH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THROUGH JIM CROW, THROUGH DESEGREGATION, AND HAS STEAD STOOD SIDE BY SIDE WITH ALLIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN SUPPORT OF CHILDREN AND PROTECTING CHILDREN WITH ONE VOICE.
I COME TO YOU TODAY WITH THE WEIGHT OF 111,000 CHILDREN ON YOUR HEADS AND IN YOUR HEART AND SAY TO YOU THAT LIKE THE NATIONAL P T A COUNCIL, PROTECT, PROTECT, PROTECT, OUR GAY, LESBIAN, TRANSGENDER, AND BISEXUAL YOUTH.
I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT IN MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT MANY OF THOSE STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE HARASSED, ARE POINTED OUT, ARE HUMILIATED, ARE BEING CONFUSED TODAY.
IT WASN'T TOO LONG AGO THAT A CHILD, A PERSON LIKE ME, COULDN'T GO TO A BATHROOM
[00:30:01]
IN A PLACE CALLED HUSTLER'S DEPARTMENT STORE DOWNTOWN.AND I WONDERED WHY IT HAS OCCURRED TO ME THAT THEIR CHILDREN TODAY WHO ARE FALLING VICTIM TO THAT SAME THOUGHT.
WHY AM I TREATED DIFFERENTLY? WHY DID I WON'T SAY HIS NAME? A YOUNG BOY WHO GOT HARASSED AND BULLIED AT SCHOOL AND WAS CALLED THE F WORD, WENT HOME, TOLD HIS DAD, HIS DAD BEAT HIM AGAIN.
HE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL IN THE IN THE 12TH GRADE.
I WONDER WHY A YOUNG WOMAN AND HER MOTHER HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND SOMEBODY HELD THE HAND OF THAT MOTHER WHEN HER DAUGHTER DIED, AND AS HER DAUGHTER DIED ON THE GROUND, SHE WAS CALLED A D**E.
THAT WOMAN WAS MY MOTHER AND THAT GIRL WAS MY SISTER.
I SAY TO YOU, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
NEXT ARE OUR UNIONS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS HELEN GROVES.
UM, FROM TAPCO ON BEHALF OF CINDY SEXTON.
CHAIR LICHTER, SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS AND BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING.
ON BEHALF OF THE TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, A SMALL GROUP RECENTLY HAS REQUESTED THAT THE BOARD REEXAMINE GUIDANCE INFLUENCING POLICIES AFFECTING LGBTQIA PLUS STUDENTS AND STAFF.
IN MY ROLES ON THE TABCO BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATOR, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF REGULARLY CONVERSING AND INTERACTING WITH FAMILY, STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN DIVERSE SCHOOLS.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WHILE EXTREMELY VOCAL, THIS GROUP'S OPINIONS ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MAJORITY OF YOUR STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
AS A SPECIAL EDUCATOR, I AM CHARGED WITH ADVOCATING FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHILE ADHERING TO APPLICABLE FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND POLICIES.
WITH THAT IN MIND, HERE ARE A FEW GUIDING PRINCIPLES RELATED TO THE RIGHTS OF TRANS AND NON-BINARY BINARY STUDENTS.
ON A FEDERAL LEVEL, TITLE IX PROTECTS STUDENTS FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEX, INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.
DESPITE THESE PROTECTIONS, A 2023 STUDY FOUND THAT A MAJORITY OF L G B T Q STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS REPORTED VERBAL HARASSMENT DUE TO SEXUALITY OR GENDER.
M S D E, PUBLISHED GUIDELINES FOR INCLUSION AND NON-DISCRIMINATION FOR TRANS AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS, PRIORITIZING A SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT THAT MINIMIZES STIGMATIZATION, PROTECTS ALL STUDENTS AND DOES NOT SINGLE OUT STUDENTS BY GENDER.
SEVEN YEARS AFTER THIS STUDY, ONLY HALF OF THE STUDENTS SURVEYED FOUND THEIR SCHOOL TO BE GENDER AFFIRMING.
IN 20 23, 50 6% OF L G B T Q STUDENTS WERE UNABLE TO ACCESS APPROPRIATE MENTAL HEALTH CARE AS SELF-REPORTED MARYLAND GOVERNOR WES MOORE SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER LAST SPRING, RECOGNIZING THE UNIQUE HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF TRANS INDIVIDUALS PROCLAIMING TO ALL LGBTQIA PLUS MARYLANDERS, YOU DESERVE TO BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELVES TO LIVE SAFELY, OPENLY, AND FREELY.
WE KNOW THAT DATA SHOWS THAT ALL STUDENTS FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF SAFETY AND COMMUNITY WHEN THEY ARE WELCOMED IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.
IN 2020, MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD SIGNED RESOLUTION 20 22 0 1 AFFIRMING THE BOARD SUPPORTS THE DECISIONS OF STUDENTS FOR GENDER EXPRESSION, INCLUDING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES CORRESPONDING TO THE GENDER THEY CONSISTENTLY IDENTIFY TABCO SUPPORTS EDUCATORS.
AS WE ADVOCATE FOR THE PROTECTIONS AND RIGHTS OF ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS, WE RECOGNIZE A SENSE OF GREAT URGENCY TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR THOSE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO BECOMING VICTIMS OF HARM DUE TO THEIR GENDER OR SEXUAL IDENTITY.
YOU'VE HEARD THE STATISTICS ALREADY THIS EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS IN REVIEWING THE GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS, THE DATA CLEARLY SHOWS A CONTINUED NEED TO ENRICH OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO EMBRACE DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSIVITY FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF WITHIN N V C P F.
NEXT ARE OUR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CLARISSA TAYLOR
[00:35:01]
JACKSON FROM THE N P H C METROPOLITAN BALTIMORE.I'M JUST A LITTLE PREGNANT, SO
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, MADAME VICE AND MADAM SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ENTIRE BOARD.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I COME BEFORE YOU ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC COUNCIL METROPOLITAN BALTIMORE.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, THIS IS THE DIVINE NINE, THE NINE HISTORICALLY BLACK, UH, GREEK FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES WHO ARE OPERATING IN YOUR COUNTY.
BUT NOT ONLY THAT, WE ARE IN YOUR SCHOOLS TEACHING YOUR STUDENTS.
WE ARE AFTER SCHOOL AND YOUR OUTTA SCHOOL TIME BEING WITH YOUR CHILDREN, PRI PROVIDING SUPPORT ON THE PTAS, UM, WITH TO YOUR STUDENTS AND JUST TO THE SCHOOL IN GENERAL AND TO YOUR LOVELY PRINCIPALS AND ADMIN.
AND I'M HERE ONCE AGAIN JUST TO REMIND YOU OF A FEW THINGS THAT WE DO.
UM, SPECIFICALLY OUR FRATERNITIES SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO ACTUALLY ALL OF OUR FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO MENTOR STUDENTS GOING INTO THE SCHOOLS WHEN INVITED, OBVIOUSLY, UM, MENTORING YOUR STUDENTS, ALSO PROVIDING SUPPLIES FOR YOUR TEACHERS.
UM, WHAT IS MORE GOING BACK TO THE P T A PIECE? I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM THE P T A.
UM, OUR, WE GET REQUESTS ALL THE TIME FROM SCHOOLS, UM, PARTICULARLY PTAS ASKING FOR LITTLE, JUST EXTRA SUPPORT, ESPECIALLY IN THE TIMES THAT WE LIVE IN RIGHT NOW, UM, WHERE ALL THE GUIDANCE IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD IS NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY FOR LITTLE BLACK AND BROWN KIDS.
UM, AND SO I AM HAPPY TO REPORT AMONG THE OVER A THOUSAND MEMBERS OF THE N P H C WHO ARE LIVING AND WORKING AND SERVING IN BALTIMORE COUNTY AND WHO BELONG TO THEIR CHAPTERS THAT ARE OPERATING IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
THEY LITERALLY ARE ANSWERING THE CALL.
SO WE MIGHT DRESS UP IN OUR COLORS AND WE MIGHT STEP IN STROLL AND BE VERY LOUD.
UM, BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE STAND FOR OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE ONCE UPON A TIME WE WERE THOSE SAME KIDS LOOKING UP TO ANY ADULT WHO WOULD GIVE US THE TIME OF DAY.
AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO DO MORE THAN THAT NOW.
AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU ALL THAT WE ARE HERE.
WE WILL ETERNALLY BE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS DISTRICT, THIS LEADERSHIP, AND OF COURSE THE KIDS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIELLE SMITH FROM BLACK WOMEN FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.
OKAY, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZENIDA ROW FROM THE F T C TEAM METAL PIPE.
AND DID I PRONOUNCE YOUR FIRST NAME INCORRECTLY? UM, IT'S ZENIDA ZENIDA.
UM, GOOD EVENING TO THE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, SUPERINTENDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS ZENIDA ROWE AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE F FT C TEAM.
MY FRIEND NIA SPOKE HERE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT INTERDISCIPLINARY STEM.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT MAGNET PROGRAMS. I HAVE BEEN IN MAGNET PROGRAMS MY ENTIRE CAREER AS A B C P S STUDENT.
I'M NOW A SENIOR AT KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL IN THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE MAGNET PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, AT CROMWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS WHERE I BEGAN IN THE STEM MAGNET PROGRAM.
ATTENDING THIS SCHOOL AND BEING EDUCATED IN VARIOUS STEM SUBJECTS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON ME.
I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY WITHOUT THEM STREWN PARTS ACROSS THE TABLE, A MESS, NO.
THE BEGINNING OF MY JOURNEY, A NEW WINDOW THAT I COULD SEE AN INFINITE WORLD AHEAD OF ME.
HOURS SPENT REHEARSING OUR PRESENTATION REGARDING STEM EDUCATION.
I KNOW THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN A NAIVE VIEW, BUT THAT VERY PROGRAM INSTILLED WITHIN ME THE VALUES OF FINDING PLAY IN PROGRESS AND FURTHERMORE, FINDING SOLUTIONS AND ADVERSITY.
I'M HERE WITH MY FRIENDS TONIGHT WHO I MET THROUGH THE STEM PROGRAM AT CROMWELL.
OUR SHARED INTEREST IN BUILDING THE TECH OF THE FUTURE HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER.
NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE B C P S STEM MAGNET PROGRAM.
AT CROMWELL VALLEY ELEMENTARY MAGNET PROGRAMS PROVIDE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO STUDY THEIR INTERESTS AND HELP THEM IN THEIR EXPLORATION OF FUTURE CAREERS.
HOWEVER, IN THIS COUN IN THIS COUNTY, WE HAVE NEGLECTED ONE AREA.
STEM IS THE FUTURE OF OUR ECONOMY, AND WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT TO PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE, WE MUST GIVE THEM AMPLE RESOURCES TO EXPLORE THEIR INTERESTS IN STEM.
[00:40:01]
PRESENT, I AM RANKED SECOND IN MY CLASS AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS IS BECAUSE I WAS IN A MAGNET PROGRAM EARLY ON AND ALSO THAT IT WAS A STEM ONE.AND YET EVEN NOW, THERE'S TALK OF REMOVING THAT MAGNET PROGRAM FROM CALWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE ALREADY HAVE A VOID TO FILL IN TERMS OF STEM MAGNET PROGRAMS WITH ONLY TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, FIVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND 13 HIGH SCHOOLS WITH STEM MAGNET PROGRAMS. CURRENTLY, NOW IS THE TIME.
NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO NEGLECT THIS MATTER.
SWIFT ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO BRING MORE STEM MAGNET PROGRAMS TO OUR STUDENTS AT ALL LEVELS.
IF STEM IS THE FUTURE, THEN OUR STUDENTS WILL BE SORELY LEFT IN THE PAST DUE TO OUR NEGLECT IF WE DO NOT ACT NOW.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LYNN LONGINGS FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER OF CONTINENTAL SOCIETIES INC.
UM, MY NAME IS LYNN LOING AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF BALTIMORE COUNTY, UH, CHAPTER OF CONTINENTAL SOCIETIES HERE ALONG WITH MY CONTINENTAL SISTERS.
THE MISSION OF THE CONTINENTAL SOCIETY AND A BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER IS TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT EMPOWER CHILDREN TO HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY AND APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITIES TO REACH THEIR OPERABLE POTENTIAL.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PROGRAM YEAR STARTS 20, STARTED SEPTEMBER, 2023, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT INITIATIVES.
NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN READING, LITERACY DEVELOPMENT THANKS TO THE LATE DR.
SCOTT SCOTT, WHO WAS, IT WAS HER BRAINCHILD IDEA TO CREATE THE NATIONAL AFRICAN AMERICAN READING TO BECOME A PART OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WHICH IS IN FEBRUARY.
COBB'S VISION WAS FOR ALL OF US TO SEE OURSELVES IN BOOKS.
THIS INITIATIVE HAS REACHED MORE THAN 6 MILLION PARTICIPANTS AROUND THE WORLD.
THE PROGRAM ENCOURAGED STUDENTS TO READ BOOKS WRITTEN BY AFRICAN AMERICAN AUTHORS.
DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PARTICIPATED, WE CREATED A VIRTUAL LIBRARY PROJECT AND AFRICAN AMERICAN READ-IN THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
49 CHAPTERS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE ALL DRESSED IN THE COSTUMES OF THE STORIES AND WE VIDEOTAPED ALL THE CHAPTERS AND WE PARTICIPATED IN A RECORDING AND THEN WE SET UP A LINK TO SEND TO SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, DAYCARES.
AND THE LINK RAN FROM FEBRUARY THE FOURTH TO MARCH 3RD JUST TO KEEP THE INITIATIVE OF READING WITH ALL OUR CHILDREN'S.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY IS PROUD, UM, TO CONTINUE THIS NATIONAL INITIATIVE IN FEBRUARY WITH LITERACY AND DEVELOPMENT AT, FOR THE BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMITMENT ARE CONCERNED.
AND RIGHT NOW SOME OF MY MEMBERS ARE AT THE FEATHERBED ELEMENTARY PARTICIPATING IN A HISPANIC HA, HERITAGE AFRICAN, I MEAN HERITAGE HEALTH WELLNESS.
AND WE HAVE MEMBERS THERE AND WE HAVE, UH, DOCUMENTS IN SPANISH AND IN ENGLISH JUST TO KEEP OUR INITIATIVES GOING FORWARD.
OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMITMENT, OUR CONCERNED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLORIA MARROW FROM THE ISLANDERS.
ROGERS AND BOARD MEMBERS, THERE ARE MANY CHALLENGES TO OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION, TO THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY OVERSEE IN A CLIMATE OF SOCIOPOLITICAL DISCORD, CHANGES AND DIFFERENCES WHICH ALL OF US ARE EXPERIENCING OR WITNESSING TODAY, MANY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SOCIOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT ARE FORCING THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE SOME ARBITRARY AND ABUSIVE GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL AND MAYBE HAVE COME TO VOICE NEGATIVE OPINIONS ABOUT SUCH MATTERS AS SCHOOL SECURITY, A DIVERSIFIED AND EQUITABLE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN OUR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM ABOUT TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION AND OR RACIAL AND GENDER DIVERSITIES.
THESE ARE CHALLENGES THAT CREATE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS AND SITUATIONS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF OUR SCHOOLS AND
[00:45:01]
FOR THE BOARD.WE HOPE OUTSIDE INFLUENCES ALONG WITH THE OLD LINE, TRADITIONAL AND UNRESOLVED PREJUDICE CAN AND WILL BE MADE DIFFICULT TO GET INTO OUR SCHOOLS.
WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE MUST BE EQUITY AND A GENUINE ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE RACIAL, SOCIAL, AND HUMAN DIVERSITIES, WHICH NOW EXIST IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR SCHOOL PARAMETERS, IN OUR CLASSROOMS. AND OTHERWISE, THEY CERTAINLY ARE ALIVE IN THIS GENERAL SOCIETY.
ONLY IN OUR SCHOOL CLASSROOMS CAN ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF DIFFERENCES CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AND NOURISHED BY USING APPROPRIATE TEACHING TOOLS.
TEACHING WITH AN OPEN MIND AND MOVING TOWARD THE ACCEPTANCE OF DIFFERENCES TO PROMOTE POSITIVE LEARNING AND INTERACTION FOR AND BY THE LEARNERS.
TIMES HAVE CHANGED, THE ARC OF DEMOCRACY IS STILL BENDING FORWARD.
OUR OBSERVERS, PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND OTHERS MUST FIND ACCEPTANCE AND APPLY THEMSELVES TO DIFFERENT AND MEANINGFUL SOCIOPOLITICAL ARENAS.
WE CANNOT GO BACK TO THE OLD WAYS.
NEXT ARE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS AND STUDENT GROUPS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS EILEEN CHONG.
GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MY NAME IS EILEEN AND I HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I DIDN'T BRING A WRITTEN SPEECH TODAY, BUT I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH A QUOTE THAT I SAW ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBER POSTED ON HER PAGE.
SILENCE IS A FOUNDATION OF COMPLACENCY.
SO IMAGINE A GROUP OF 11 OR 12 YEAR OLD GIRLS COMPLAIN TO THEIR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OR PRINCIPAL THAT IS UNFAIR FOR THEM TO HAVE TO RUN OR SWIM AGAINST A MALE ATHLETE WHO SAY HE FEELS LIKE A GIRL.
THEY'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACKS OF FEMALE PRIVACY WHEN HAVING TO USE THE LOCKER ROOM WITH THIS MALE STUDENT.
THE SCHOOL OR THE PRINCIPAL OR THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MAY SYMPATHIZE WITH THE GIRL'S VALID CONCERN AND REASONING, BUT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE BOARD POLICY.
SO NOW THE GIRLS COME TO YOU LOOKING FOR A LOGICAL EXPLANATION.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM? ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM THAT THIS POLICY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE AND THAT THEIR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, THE RIGHTS TO SEX EQUALITY, THE RIGHT TO FAIRNESS IN SPORT, THE RIGHT TO HAVE SAFE FEMALE SPACE AT SCHOOL ARE NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE AND THAT THEIR FEELING AND CONCERN ARE ANNOUNCED SECONDS TO A MALE WHO SAY HE FEEL LIKE A GIRL.
NOW BY PARENTS SUGGESTING THAT THERE ARE SAFETY RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS POLICY.
WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT TRANS STUDENTS ARE DANGEROUS.
AS MATTER OF FACT, THESE LISTS ARE WRITTEN ON AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE POLICY ITSELF.
NOW, IF, IF WE ASK THAT ALL STUDENTS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SPORT BUT HAVE TO BE ON THE TEAM ALIGNED WITH THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX, DOES NOT DEPRIVE THE STUDENTS FROM IDENTIFY ANY GENDERS HE OR SHE WANTED.
AND IF YOU MAY NOT KNOW, THERE ARE MORE THAN TWO GENDERS.
GENDERS ARE NOW FLUID, ENDLESS.
THERE'S STUDENTS THAT IDENTIFY A GENDER, CIS, UH, OR NON-BINARY.
SO WHERE DO THEY BELONG? NOW, IF YOU CONTINUE WITH THIS POLICY, I MEAN THIS POLICY DOES NOT REFLECT INCLUSIVE EQUALITY OR ANYTHING.
IT'S ACTUALLY DOES THE OPPOSITE.
AND, UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY IS ROB OUT FEMALES THEIR MOST BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IF YOU CONTINUE WITH THIS? YOU ARE SHOWING THE MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE SCHOOL IS NO LONGER A PLACE TO EDUCATE, TEACH CRITICAL THINKING FACTS, SCIENCE, COMMON SENSE, WHAT'S RATHER ACT AS A VEHICLE THAT PUSH AND AGENDA AND IDEOLOGY THAT ONLY BENEFIT SELF-INTEREST.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BASH FERONE.
[00:50:05]
GOOD EVENING.GOOD EVENING TO ALL SPECIAL THANKS TO DELEGATE RUTH AND DELEGATE PASTOR AND ALL OTHERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN FOR EQUALITY, EQUITY, DIVERSITY.
THE AGENDA MEETINGS ARE BECOMING SHORTER, SO I REALLY WONDER WHETHER YOU THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ARE ABDICATING YOUR DUTIES TO DEL TO, UM, DEBATE AND DISCUSS.
UM, I I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE SHORT.
ONE TEACHER, P T A MEMBER, TABCO MEMBER CALENDAR COMMITTEE MEMBER, BASICALLY, UH, ADVERTISED FOR STAND FOR ISRAEL.
NOW EVERYBODY HAS THE FREEDOM OF CHOICE.
BUT MY WORRY IS WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL TEACHERS TEACHING OUR STUDENTS? SO I WANT TO REMIND YOU, IT TOOK ME AND MY FRIEND MOHAMMED JAMIL, 25 YEARS FROM DR.
BERGER, TIME TO CONVINCE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR EQUAL HOLIDAYS.
AND IT TOOK THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FIVE EXTRA YEARS TO CODIFY THAT PRINCIPLE IN A POLICY.
WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE THERE IS A BUILD IN DISCRIMINATION IN THE SYSTEM.
THE SYSTEM, THE WAY I SEE IT IS ABOUT BLACKS AND WHITES.
IT'S ABOUT JEWS AND CHRISTIANS.
BUT BALTIMORE COUNTY HAS DOZENS OF RELIGIONS AND HAVE, I DON'T KNOW, A HUNDRED ETHNICITIES OR IMMIGRANTS.
WHY JUST FOCUS ON ONE RELIGION, TWO, ONE COLOR OR TWO.
ALRIGHT, WHICH MEANS ALL OF US, IT SHOULD NOT REALLY BE THAT A JEWISH SUPERINTENDENT, LIKE DR.
BERGER COMES IN AND ADVOCATE ONLY FOR THE JEWISH HOLIDAYS AS HE DID SOME 30 PLUS YEARS AGO.
IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT A BLACK SUPERINTENDENT ADVOCATE ONLY FOR BLACKS.
IT SHOULDN'T BE SOMEBODY WHO IS HINDU ADVOCATING FOR INDIAN MATTERS.
ALL THE COLORS BEHIND ME, ALL THE RELIGIONS BEHIND ME.
AND NO TEACHER IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEEDS TO TEACH STUDENTS FALSE HISTORY ABOUT ISRAEL AND ARABS.
NONE SHOULD BE COMPLETE DISQUALIFICATION.
YOUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON EDUCATION.
FORD MAKES MANY CARS TO MAKE ONLY ONE PRODUCT, GRADUATING STUDENTS WHO ARE EDUCATED, WHO ARE READY TO MEET THE WHOLE WORLD.
THANK YOU NOT TO BE DISCRIMINATORY NOT TO SEND OUR NEW BOYS.
FERONE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FERGAL MULLY.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, VICE-CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I REGRET THAT I MUST FURTHER DISTRACT YOU FROM MORE PRESSING AND IMPORTANT BUSINESS IN THE EDUCATION OF WHERE STUDENTS TO DISCUSS THE PROTEST OUTSIDE THE DELEGATE'S.
PASTOR DELEGATE ROOT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ON THESE FACTS, UH, MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY AND ELOQUENTLY THAN I COULD.
SO I WANT TO RESTRICT MYSELF TO JUST ONE PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE.
THE SELF-DESCRIBED GROUP OF CONCERNED PARENTS OUTSIDE DO NOT SPEAK FOR THIS PARENT.
THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR MY CHILDREN.
IN FACT, THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR MY, MY FAMILY OR ANY OF THE FAMILIES THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
THEY'RE OUTSIDE SHOUTING ABOUT PROTECTING ALL CHILDREN.
AND LORD KNOWS MY CHILDREN NEED PROTECTION FROM AN AWFUL LOT OF THINGS.
THE LIST IS ENDLESS, BUT TRANSGENDER KIDS ARE NOT ON THAT LIST, NOT IN THE CLASSROOM, NOT IN THE BATHROOM, NOT ON THE SPORTS FIELD.
BOARD POLICY PLACES, INCLUSION AND EQUITY AMONG THE FOUNDATIONAL EDUCATIONAL GOALS.
AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CHILD FEELS WELCOME IN OUR SCHOOLS.
NEXT SPEAKER IS ROA HASSAN, OUR FORMER STUDENT
[00:55:01]
BOARD MEMBER.OKAY, OUR NEXT SHE'S, SHE'S VIRTUAL.
MR. ASAN, I THINK YOU MIGHT BE MUTED.
OKAY, I CAN I GO TO THE NEXT ONE AND THEN WE'LL CIRCLE.
THE PEOPLE ONLINE CAN HEAR EACH OTHER, BUT THEY CAN'T
OH, WE CAN HEAR RIGHT? WE CAN'T HEAR THEM.
WE JUST NEED TO UNMUTE ONE SINCE WE'RE ALL MUTED.
DO YOU WANT ME, DO YOU WANT, ARE YOU MUTED? TRACY? THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE PUTTING HER NEW SUPERINTENDENT TO THE TEST AS SHE TRIES TO NAVIGATE THIS OVER HERE.
YES, WE'RE GETTING THUMBS UP AND GESTURES, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE'RE IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT WORKING.
OH, I THINK SHE JUST GOT ON OUT.
MY NAME, I SERVED PAST YEAR THE 42ND AND I'M ALWAYS HONORED ON BEHALF HERE.
THEY CAME HERE OVER THE HEAVEN HEART THAT COMES BACK AND ADDRESS ALL YOU.
IN LIGHT OF A RECENT ATTACK ON OUR LGBTQ, AS WE ADDRESS EQUITY IN OUR SYSTEM, WE CANNOT ALLOW TRANS BIASES AND HATRED TO INFILTRATE OUR SYSTEM AND THREATEN THE VERY BEING OF SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS AND THE CHAMPION AND
[01:01:04]
THANK YOU.THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LLOYD ALLEN.
COME BACK IF HE'S STILL INTERVIEW WITH, OKAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE HIM A MINUTE TO LEAVE AND COME BACK BRO, IF YOU STILL HEAR ME, CAN YOU HANG UP? THANK YOU ALL.
WE CAN'T, THEY DON'T CAN IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHAT, MR. ALLEN, YOU CAN SPEAK.
[01:05:14]
I WONDER STATEMENT REMAINS, I WONDER WHETHER WE CAN OFFER A S L OURSELVES.IT'S TRUE THAT IMPLEMENTING A NEW PROGRAM FROM WHOLECLOTH WOULD REQUIRE CREATIVITY.
I WOULD CHARGE C C B C WITH EXAMINING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE A S L SEQUENCE.
AND IF ACCUPLACER IS IN FACT REQUIRED FOR SOME STUDENTS, THEN IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ECAP PUBLISH AN ADVERTISED P PROCEDURES FOR ACCESSING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS, BOTH FOR THAT ASSESSMENT AND FOR THE CLASSES.
NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED 20 24 20 25 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS IS JEFFREY FRIEDMAN.
MY NAME IS JEFFREY FRIEDMAN AND I'M A VETERAN B C P S EDUCATOR.
I'M HERE TONIGHT KINDLY ASKING YOU TO ADOPT A POST-LAB DAY CALENDAR FOR THE 24 TO 25 SCHOOL YEAR AND FOR EVERY YEAR MOVING FORWARD.
I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT ANY INQUIRIES RELATED TO STARTING AFTER LABOR DAY NEXT YEAR WERE QUICKLY DISMISSED AND NOT BROUGHT UP.
IF YOU DON'T CONSIDER A POST-LAB DAY CALENDAR, YOU ARE IGNORING THE MAJORITY WHO HAVE ASKED FOR ONE YEAR AFTER YEAR.
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THE MEMBERS OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE WHO HAVE BEEN PUSHING YEAR AFTER YEAR TO START POST-LAB DAY, WHOSE OPINIONS CONTINUE NOT TO BE HEARD? IF YOU ASK OUR BARGAINING UNITS WHAT THEIR MEMBERS FEEL THEY SHOULD DO, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT ALL OUR MOST WANNA START BEFORE LABOR DAY.
BUT HAVE YOU TRULY CONSIDERED IF THIS WAS THE CASE OR JUST BELIEVED WHAT YOU HEARD? BECAUSE THE MOST RECENT SURVEY DATA STATES THE OPPOSITE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS.
AND THIS SURVEY DATA WAS SHARED DURING THE NOVEMBER 9TH, 2022 BOARD MEETING AND A 2019 SURVEY OPENED TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF OVER 91,000 PEOPLE.
64.2% VOTED FOR A POST LABOR DAY START IN 2022.
5,000 B C P S EMPLOYEES VOTED AND 58.8% VOTED FOR A POST LABOR DAY START BY BARGAINING UNIT 81.9% OF ESME MEMBERS, 63.7% OF CASE MEMBERS, 69.1% OF E S P B C MEMBERS, 70.2% OF O P E MEMBERS, 52.9% OF TABCO MEMBERS AND 71% OF UNREPRESENTED MEMBERS ALL VOTED THAT THEY WANTED TO POST LABOR DAY START.
OUR BARGAINING UNITS WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT WE SHOULD DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS.
WE WILL ALSO BEGIN AFTER LABOR DAY, ALLOWING FOR A FULL SUMMER AND ELIMINATING THE CONSTANT INTERRUPTIONS WEEKLY TO INSTRUCTION STARTING ONE WEEK EARLIER AND THEN BREAKING FOR A LONG WEEKEND HAS NO EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT.
THERE ARE TOO MANY NON-INSTRUCTIONAL CLOSINGS, PD DAYS, HALF DAYS, AND OTHER RANDOM CLOSINGS.
THESE LENGTHEN THE YEAR AND MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN AND RETAIN CONTENT.
IF WE WANT TO INCREASE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ELIMINATE THE NUMBER OF CLOSURE DAYS.
SPEAKING OF LENGTHENING THE YEAR, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT YOU WOULD LIKELY LOSE A LARGE NUMBER OF FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO CHANGE TO YEAR ROUND SCHOOL.
SO AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'RE EXPECTED TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND VOTE FOR WHAT THEY WANT BASED ON THE DATA ALREADY PRESENT.
THEY'RE OVERWHELMINGLY ASKING YOU TO START SCHOOL AFTER LABOR DAY.
PLEASE LISTEN AND VOTE ACCORDINGLY THIS YEAR.
SINCE THERE ARE SPEAKER SPACE IS AVAILABLE, I'M GONNA NOW GO TO THE WAIT LIST BY CATEGORY AND WE HAD A SPACE OPEN FOR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUP AND THE FIRST SIGN UP IS BRENDA FER FROM THE DECODING DYSLEXIA OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
MY NAME IS BRENDA PIPER AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER OF DECODING DYSLEXIA, MARYLAND OR D D M D.
D D M D IS A PARENT-LED MOVEMENT DRIVEN BY FAMILIES CONCERNED ABOUT READING INSTRUCTION AND INTERVENTIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DYSLEXIA IN MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
OUR LOCAL BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER HAS HAD ALMOST A DECADE OF HISTORY WORKING WITH B C P SS BOARDS AND STAFF TO CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE AREA OF READING INSTRUCTION FOR ALL KIDS.
WE ADVOCATED FOR AND SUPPORTED BCP S'S INITIATIVES FOR BOWMAN'S OG PLUS 60 HOUR COURSE OPEN COURT LETTERS, WILSON READING SYSTEM CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND HAGGERTY.
AS FAR AS CURRICULUM ON THE STATEWIDE LEVEL, OUR GROUP WAS THE MAIN DRIVER BEHIND MARILYN'S READY TO READ SCREENING LAW.
AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING FOR OUR CHAPTER ATTENDED BY PARENTS FROM
[01:10:01]
ALL OVER THE COUNTY, SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS WERE SHARED.THE MOST PRESSING AND THE ONE I WANT TO ADDRESS TONIGHT IS ORTON-GILLINGHAM TRAINING FOR HISTORY'S SAKE.
WHEN B C P S WAS INITIALLY LOOKING AT OG TEACHER TRAINING, D D M D BALTIMORE COUNTY WAS ADAMANT THAT WE WOULD ONLY SUPPORT A CONTRACT WITH A MINIMUM 60 HOUR TRAINING.
IN FACT, WE WANTED MORE TO INCLUDE A PRACTICUM.
MOST RECENTLY IN AUGUST OF 2022, B C P SS SIGNED A NEW FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 60 HOUR OG TRAINING.
THIS IS THE ONLY CONTRACT WE CAN FIND FOR OG TRAINING IN THE B C P S CONTRACTS TABLE.
AND WE ARE UNAWARE OF ANY TRAINING COHORTS UNDER THIS CONTRACT SINCE THE LAST ONE ENDED IN MARCH, 2023.
WHILE STAFF ASSURED THE BOARD TWO MEETINGS AGO THAT OG TRAINING WAS ONGOING, THEY FAILED TO INFORM THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC THAT THE TRAINING HAS CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT VENDOR WHOSE OG TRAINING COURSE CUTS THE TRAINING HOURS IN HALF FROM 60 HOURS TO ONLY 30 AT A TIME IN OUR SYSTEM WHEN READING SCORES HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE CONCERNING.
WE FIND THIS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
WE ARE BEING CONTACTED BY STAKEHOLDERS WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THIS CHANGE TO THE LONGSTANDING OG INITIATIVE.
I E P CHAIRS ARE REPORTING TO D D M D BALTIMORE COUNTY THAT B C P S COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT IS SAYING THAT OG IS OVERUSED AND THAT WE NEED TO CUT BACK.
WHY AREN'T NEEDS DRIVING SERVICES? THEY SHOULD BE.
WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED BY RECENT DISCLOSURES OF A LACK OF ANY TIER THREE READING INTERVENTIONS AT DOZENS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
STAFF REPORTED TWO MEETINGS AGO THAT WE HAVE ONLY 32 TRAINED OG TEACHERS TO MEET THE GREAT NEED AT 55 SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
THIS SHOULD BE OF GREAT CONCERN TO THIS BOARD.
IN CLOSING, AT A TIME WHEN TEACHERS ARE LOOKING OUT INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS INTO A SEA OF NON-READERS, WHY HAS THE SYSTEM CHANGED ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY SUPPORTED LITERACY ENDEAVORS IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.
WE ARE REQUESTING A RESPONSE TO THESE CONCERNS AND WE HOPE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH YOU TO IMPROVE LITERACY INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS IN B C P S.
THANK YOU AND HAPPY DYSLEXIA AWARENESS MONTH.
THE NEXT SPEAKER FOR THE SCHOOL CALENDAR FROM THE WAIT LIST IS LATANYA LAIE AND I'M NOT SURE I HAVE YOUR LAST NAME RIGHT? OKAY, THE NEXT SPEAKER ON THE WAIT LIST FOR A CALENDAR IS STEPHANIE BARBER.
UM, I THINK THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP TWICE, CLARISSA TO TAYLOR JACKSON, UM, AND BS FARONE FOR THE CALENDAR.
DID YOU WANNA SPEAK ON THE CALENDAR OR DID YOU SPEAK ON THE CALENDAR? YOU, YOU HAD SIGNED UP ON THE WAIT LIST FOR THE CALENDAR.
I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY PREPARED REMARKS.
SO IF I MAKE A MISTAKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HOPEFULLY FORGIVE ME.
SO I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER SINCE DR.
BERGER AND ONE POINT ALL THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE MEETINGS FROM BERGER ALL THE WAY TO NOW THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE, ALWAYS MANAGED, ALWAYS MANAGED.
TAKE THIS, TAKE THAT HERE AND THERE.
SO MY WORRY IS I THINK THERE ARE TOO MANY DAYS PREPARATION BEFORE THE SCHOOL STARTS AGAIN.
I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT AUTOMATION.
I DON'T REALLY FIGURE OUT WHY STUDENTS HAVE TO WAIT EXTRA FIVE DAYS FOR THE TEACHERS TO PREPARE CLASSROOMS. WELL THE POINT IS THAT WAS QUOTED IN THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME REASON I THINK THE SCHOOL CALENDAR HAS TOO MANY DAYS AND TIMES OFF.
I THINK OUR HONORABLE BOARD MEMBER SCRATCHED THE SURFACE ON A LAST BOARD MEETING WHEN SHE ASKED ABOUT THE HALF DAYS.
SO MY THOUGHT TO YOU AS A TAXPAYER ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TEACHING, ALRIGHT? EVERYBODY AGREES THAT THE MORE HOURS AND DAYS THAT THE STUDENTS SPEND IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE MORE THEY LEARN.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, IT HAS TOO MANY DAYS OF TOO MANY PROFESSIONAL DAYS.
IN THE FIRST MEETING, NO MUSLIM HOLIDAYS WERE PUT IN AND I REALLY DON'T MIND TALKING ABOUT IT.
ALRIGHT? AND SOMEBODY TOLD ME IN THE COMMITTEE
[01:15:01]
THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY PROFESSIONALS, BUT IN THE SAME AND NEXT MEETING, TAPCO ADDED PROFESSIONAL DAY EXTRA AND EVERYBODY ACCEPTED IT WITHOUT EVEN A QUESTION, NOT EVEN ONE SINGLE QUESTION.SO WHAT AM I SAYING TO YOU? YOUR PRODUCT IS ONLY GRADUATING STUDENTS THAT CAN MEET THE WORLD.
YOU CANNOT DO IT WITH TOO MANY DAYS OFF.
AND GIVE HIM PERK FOR TABCO AND PERK FOR THIS GROUP AND THAT POLITICAL GROUP.
YOU GOT TO GET RID OF ALL THAT NOISE AND FOCUS ON THE STUDENTS.
[G. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (8:10 - 8:15 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM PLEASED TO SHARE WITH YOU MY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO CAME OUT THIS EVENING, AND I WANT TO AFFIRM ON BEHALF OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OUR COMMITMENT TO CREATING, WELCOMING, SAFE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS AND CULTURES IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS FOR ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS IN B C P S.
WANT TO SHARE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN, UH, REFERENCE TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS TEAM B C P SS? UM, HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR RECENT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AS WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, ENGAGE IN RESEARCH OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS WITH STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
WE ARE AWARE OF A THROUGH LINE THAT EXISTS IN ALL OF THOSE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, CURRICULUM, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, AND PLCS.
WE HAVE AFFIRMED OUR COMMITMENT TO ALL THREE AREAS, UH, AS A RESULT OF, UH, CONTRACTS THAT YOU HAVE APPROVED.
WE ARE NOW IN A SPACE WHERE WE HAVE HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM ALIGNED TO STANDARDS.
WE JUST BEGAN THE ROLLOUT OF H M H INTO READING FOR ELEMENTARY LITERACY.
OUR CURRICULUM IN THE AREAS OF MATHEMATICS AND LITERACY ARE EVIDENCE-BASED.
AND PART OF OUR WORK THIS YEAR IS TO ENSURE FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS LEADERS, AND CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
RECENTLY, WE'VE HAD THE FIRST CENTRAL OFFICE PROFESSIONAL, UH, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR CENTRAL OFFICE PROFESSIONALS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD OUR PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WHERE THEY FOCUSED ON CURRICULUM, SPECIFICALLY ESOL, LITERACY, MATHEMATICS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.
KAREN CHENOWITH, AUTHOR AND RESEARCHER FROM DISTRICTS AND SCHOOLS THAT SUCCEED.
ALSO MET WITH OUR, UH, PRINCIPALS AND, UH, CENTRAL OFFICE PROFESSIONALS TO TALK ABOUT THOSE RAPID CYCLES OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT.
UH, WHAT IS NEEDED TO MOVE SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS FORWARD? UH, REALLY FOCUSING ON IMPROVEMENT, PRIORITIZING TEACHING AND LEARNING, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DEDICATING TIME AND RESOURCES, UH, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND LASTLY, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES ARE NECESSARY IN SCHOOLS AND OFFICES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ONGOING COLLABORATIVE CYCLES OF INQUIRY AND ACTION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE TODAY, UH, THE DEBUT OF BUDGET 1 0 1 ON OUR SCHOOL WEBSITE.
ALL STAKEHOLDERS, UH, MAY GO AND FIND A TAB THAT WILL TAKE THEM TO BUDGET 1 0 1 AS ONE OF OUR MEANS OF ENGAGING WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS TEAM B C P F IN BUDGET NUMBER, UH, 1 0 1.
YOU WILL LEARN ALL ABOUT OUR BUDGET, HOW OUR BUDGET IS DEVELOPED, WHAT DRIVES THE BUDGET, OUR DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AND MUCH MORE.
SO WE ENCOURAGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO TAKE A LOOK AND SHARE WITH US.
UH, FEEDBACK WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADD.
UH, BUT IT IS A ROBUST SITE THAT REALLY, UM, INTENDS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS TEAM B C P SS UNDERSTAND OUR BUDGET, THE PURPOSE, AND HOW WE WORK TOGETHER WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE SHARED WITH ALL MEMBERS OF TEAM B C P S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK ON OUR BUDGET.
WE ENCOURAGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO PARTICIPATE AS THE BUDGET DOES NOT CLOSE UNTIL, UM,
[01:20:01]
THE 13TH, I BELIEVE.AND WE ALSO INVITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OUT FOR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS STARTING THIS THURSDAY AT SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE PRIORITIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, AND REALLY GIVING STAKEHOLDERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROCESS AND SHARE WITH US THEIR FEEDBACK ON PRIORITIES FOR TEAM B C P S.
LASTLY, ASK THAT YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING AND CELEBRATING ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS.
AS OCTOBER IS NATIONAL PRINCIPALS MONTH.
WE APPRECIATE THEM AND ALL OF THE HARD WORK, UM, THAT THEY, UH, LEAD IN OUR BUILDINGS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ON BEHALF OF OVER A HUNDRED, 11,000 STUDENTS EACH AND EVERY DAY.
IT IS A HARD JOB AND THEY DO IT VERY WELL IN SERVICE TO STUDENTS.
AND SO WE WANNA CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE OUR PRINCIPLES.
LASTLY, WANNA THANK ALL MEMBERS OF TEAM B C P SS FOR CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH US.
WE EMPOWER YOU TO SHARE, UH, YOUR ACTUAL FEEDBACK WITH US ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING AND WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS.
[H. CHAIR'S REPORT (8:15 - 8:20 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS CHAIR'S REPORT.UM, I'D LIKE TO START MY REPORT BY WISHING A VERY HAPPY NATIONAL PRINCIPAL APPRECIATION MONTH TO ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL AND DEDICATED B C P S PRINCIPALS.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE HAD MANY POSITIONS IN B C P S, AND WHILE EACH OF THESE ROLES GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO POSITIVELY IMPACT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, THE ROLE OF SCHOOL PRINCIPAL WILL ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE POSITION.
UM, EVEN MORE THAN BOARD MEMBER.
BEING ABLE TO LEAD A SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MAXIMIZING THE POTENTIAL OF OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS WAS THE ULTIMATE PRIVILEGE.
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS PUT THEIR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION UNDER MY WATCH EACH DAY.
THEY PUT THEIR CHILDREN ON THE BUS, DROVE THEM IN A CAR, OR WALKED THEM TO THE FRONT DOOR.
AND THEN THEY TRUSTED ME AND MY STAFF TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEIR CHILDREN WERE SAFE, SECURE, AND LEARNING FROM WELCOMING STUDENTS EACH MORNING TO INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, TO ASSISTING TEACHERS IN PERFECTING THEIR CRAFT, TO PICKING UP TRASH IN THE CAFETERIA TO COUNTLESS LUNCH BUNCHES.
I LOVED BEING A PRINCIPAL, AND I KNOW I SPEAK FOR SO MANY, INCLUDING OUR SUPERINTENDENT.
ONCE A PRINCIPAL, ALWAYS A PRINCIPAL.
I ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SUPPORTING PRINCIPALS IN THEIR ROLE AS BUILDING LEADERS.
I KNOW THAT THE WORDS I'M SHARING ABOUT THE JAVA PRINCIPAL IS FELT BY OUR B C P S PRINCIPALS.
THEY RELISH THE ROLE AND ARE COMMITTED TO THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
I ALSO KNOW JUST HOW HARD THEY WORK AND HOW CONSUMING THE POSITION IS.
AS A PRINCIPAL, YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORK 24 7, WHETHER YOU'RE IN THE CAR, IN THE SHOWER, WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR ON YOUR VACATION, UM, YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL AND THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
YOUR GOAL IS YOUR EDUCATORS AND YOUR STUDENTS' SUCCESS.
NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT, BUT THE WORK IS HARD.
IT'S VERY CONSUMING, AND AT TIMES IT'S VERY LONELY.
YET, DAY AFTER DAY, OUR PRINCIPALS DO THE WORK.
THEY POUR OVER DATA, THEY CONSULT WITH COLLEAGUES, THEY PUT IDEAS INTO PRACTICE, ALL FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THEIR STUDENTS.
AND FOR THIS, WE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ARE GRATEFUL.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, VALUE YOU, AND WE CELEBRATE YOU THIS MONTH AND EVERY DAY OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR OR THE WHOLE YEAR, NOT JUST SCHOOL YEAR.
NEXT, I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON RECENT DISCUSSIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT GUIDELINES, POLICIES, AND SUPPORTS FOR THE LGBTQIA PLUS STUDENTS IN AN EFFORT TO LEVEL SET AND ENSURE WE ALL HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT POLICIES ARE AND WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
IN BCP S IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CLARIFY THAT A POLICY IS A STATEMENT OF THE VISION GOALS, PRINCIPLES, OR POSITION OF THE BOARD OF ED TO GUIDE AND DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF.
A RULE WHICH IS ISSUED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS IS TO IMPLEMENT THE POLICIES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND TO ESTABLISH THE MATTER IN WHICH BOARD POLICIES ARE TO BE EXECUTED.
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS A POLICY AND A REVIEW COMMITTEE CURRENTLY CHAIRED BY MS. HUMPHREY THAT WORKS ON THE CREATION AND REVIEW OF POLICIES.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REGULARLY WATCH OR ATTEND BOARD OF ED MEETINGS, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU, YOU SEE THE PROCESS OF POLICIES BEING PRESENTED, INPUT BEING PROVIDED, CHANGES BEING MADE, AND APPROVAL BEING GIVEN.
ONCE APPROVED BY THE FULL BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT THEN DIRECTS APPROPRIATE STAFF TO WORK ON CREATING THE ALIGNED RULES, WHICH FOCUS ON THE OPERATIONS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT POLICY INTO EVERYDAY PRACTICE.
ALL OF OUR B C P S BOARD POLICIES AND RULES CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS.
THE VERY FIRST POLICY INCLUDED IS POLICY ZERO 100.
THIS POLICY WAS MOST RECENTLY REVIEWED BY THE BOARD ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2021.
AND WHILE IT WAS APPROVED BY A PREVIOUS BOARD, ITS IMPORTANCE AND ITS
[01:25:01]
RELEVANCY ARE EXTREMELY AS IMPORTANT AS WE COLLECTIVELY NAVIGATE DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX ISSUES AND CONVERSATIONS.I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF THE B C P S COMMUNITY TO REVIEW THIS POLICY.
IT IS A VERY THOROUGH AND DETAILED POLICY THAT OUTLINES THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE BOARD OF ED AND CORE VALIUMS FOR OUR SYSTEM.
THE BEGINNING OF THE POLICY READS, THE BOARD OF ED OF BALTIMORE COUNTY BELIEVE THAT EVERY STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD RECEIVE AN EDUCATION THAT MAXIMIZES HIS OR HER POTENTIAL TO BECOME A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE GRADUATE.
THE BOARD IS COMMITTED TO FOSTERING THE SUCCESS OF EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY SCHOOL BY CREATING AND MAINTAINING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE SAFE, DIVERSE, AND INCLUSIVE FOR SUCCESS TO OCCUR FOR EACH STUDENT IN LIFELONG LEARNING AND THE WORLD OF WORK, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PRIORITIZE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY BY RECOGNIZING AND REMOVING INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS AND ENSURING THAT SOCIAL IDENTIFIERS ARE NOT OBSTACLES.
RAISING ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS AND CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AMONG OUR STUDENTS ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES OF THE BOARD.
ACHIEVING EQUITY MEANS IMPLICIT BIASES AND STUDENTS' IDENTITIES WILL NEITHER PREDICT NOR PREDETERMINE THEIR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL.
DISPARITIES ON THE BASIS OF RACE, SPECIAL EDUCATION STATUS, GENDER AUTHENTICITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, INCLUDING GENDER EXPRESSION, ENGLISH LANGUAGE STATUS, IMMIGRATION STATUS, OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND ARE DIRECTLY AT ODDS WITH THE BELIEF THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN ACHIEVE.
WHILE COMPLEX SOCIETAL AND HISTORICAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO THE INEQUITIES OUR STUDENTS FACE, RATHER THAN PERPETUATING DISPARITIES, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM MUST ADDRESS AND OVERCOME INEQUITY BY PROVIDING ALL STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
THE WORDS EACH AND EVERY ARE USED REPEATEDLY IN THIS POLICY.
BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTED TO ALL B C P S STUDENTS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO CREATING CONDITIONS THAT FOSTER INCLUSIVITY AND WELCOMING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
FOR ALL, I COMMEND THE PREVIOUS BOARD WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO CREATE AND APPROVE POLICY O 100 AND IMPLORE OUR CURRENT BOARD AND COMMUNITY TO KEEP THE BELIEFS IN THE POLICY IN THE FOREFRONT OF DECISION MAKING.
[I. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER'S REPORT (8:20 - 8:25 p.m.)]
OUR AGENDA IS OUR STUDENT MEMBERS REPORT.AND FOR THAT, I CALL HIM MS. DRUM FIRST.
AND FOR FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANTED TO SPEAK REGARDING THE LGBTQIA A PLUS COMMENTS CIRCULATING, CIRCULATING BY SAYING WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS AS THE EQUALS THEY ARE.
IS THERE MICROPHONE ANNOYING? IT'S GREEN.
JUST BRING IT CLOSER AND LOUDER.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANTED TO SPEAK REGARDING THE LGBTQIA A PLUS COMMENTS CIRCULATING BY SAYING THEY SHOULD.
WE SHOULD ALL CONTINUE TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE INDIVIDUALS AS THE EQUALS THEY ARE, AND NOT BY DISCOUNTING THEIR NEEDS AND WANTS AND EXPERIENCES.
JUST BECAUSE IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE AGREES WITH.
WE ALL SHOULD KEEP THE TREAT OTHERS HOW YOU WOULD WANNA BE TREATED, SAYING IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS, NO MATTER THE THOUGHTS YOU HAVE ON THE SUBJECT AND, AND INCLUSIVITY RESOLUTION, EVERYONE, EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS DESERVES TO BE TREATED WITH THE BASIC HUMAN DECENCY AND RESPECT.
WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, YOU MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT EVERYONE WILL BE SATISFIED WITH EACH DECISION MADE BY THE BOARD.
THANK YOU TO THE STUDENTS WHO CAME PREPARED WITH THIS WITH A SPEECH.
SO EVEN IF THEY DON'T WANNA LISTEN, MAKE EVERYONE HEAR YOUR VOICE MOVING FORWARD.
THOSE HOPING FOR A REDUCTION OF HALF AND OFF DAYS SHOULD KEEP IN MIND NOT ONLY THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THEM.
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE YOUNG MINDS STILL FIGURING OUT THE WORLD AND NOT, AND HOW TO FIC EFFICIENTLY NAVIGATE IT.
BELIEVING THAT THE MORE SCHOOLS STUDENTS HAVE, THE MORE THEY LEARN OR THE MORE, MORE PROFICIENT THEY ARE IS NOT TRUE.
FOR MANY STUDENTS, FIVE DAY SCHOOL WEEKS ARE JUST BEFORE THE BREAKING POINT.
WE WANT STUDENTS TO BE WELL-ROUNDED.
GETTING RID OF THE HALF AND OFF DAYS WOULD ADD MORE WEIGHT TO STUDENTS IN FIVE, IN FIVE DAY A WEEK.
SPORTS, ONCE A WEEK, CLUBS, ET CETERA.
HAVING FULL OR HALF OR HALF OFF DAYS GIVES STUDENTS A VERY HARD, VERY HARD EARNED BREAK.
HAVING DAYS BEING USED MOSTLY AS MAKEUP DAYS ARE EXTRAORDINARILY USEFUL FOR STUDENTS, GIVING THEM TIME TO CATCH UP ON WORK AND PROVING THEIR GRADES.
FURTHERMORE, HALF AND OFF DAYS SHOULD NOT BE REDUCED BECAUSE MORE, BECAUSE MORE SCHOOL MEANS MORE LEARNING.
WAIT, BECAUSE MORE SCHOOL MEANS MORE LEARNING WHEN MORE LEARNING MEANS NOTHING IF STUDENTS AREN'T MENTALLY PRESENT.
ON A LIGHTER NOTE, I PLAN TO BEGIN SCHOOL VISITS IN ORDER TO CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND MORE TO CONNECT WITH STUDENTS MORE SO, AND HAVE INFORMATION BASED ON A COLLECTIVE
[01:30:01]
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE.ALSO, IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WE'LL BE HOLDING TOWN SMALL TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO SHARE AND RECEIVE INFORMATION.
[J. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - BOARD POLICIES (Ms. Pumphrey) (8:25 - 8:40 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS CONSIDERATION OF BOARD POLICIES.THIS IS THE SECOND READER FOR THIS POLICY, AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. CHRISTINA PUMPHREY, CHAIR OF THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE ASKS THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING BOARD POLICIES, BOARD POLICY 1100 COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC BOARD POLICY 4,100 PERSONNEL CONDUCT, EMPLOYEE CONDUCT AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND BOARD POLICY 5,200 STUDENTS PROMOTION AND RETENTION.
THESE POLICIES ARE PRESENTED TO YOU ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS EXHIBIT J.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR BOARD POLICIES ONE ELEVEN HUNDRED FORTY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TWO HUNDRED.
SINCE YOUR RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
[K. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (8:40 - 8:45 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON MR. BURNS.
UH, AT THIS TIME, IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE BOARD TO AFFIRM THE PERSONNEL ACTION APPROVED ENCLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICY 2310.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENC CLOSED SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2023 REGARDING A PERSONNEL MATTER RELATED TO POLICY 2310.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND VOY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
ALSO, THIS TIME IT'D BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE BOARD TO AFFIRM THE ACTIONS TAKEN DURING CLOSED SESSION FOLLOWING ORAL ARGUMENTS IN HEARING EXAMINER CASES HE E 23 DASH 36 AND HE 23 DASH 17.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AFFIRM THE ACTIONS TAKEN DURING CLOSED SESSION FOLLOWING ORAL ARGUMENTS ON HEARING EXAMINER CASES E 23, 26, 23, 36, AND E 23 DASH 17 AND AUTHORIZED MS. GOR TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT? SO, MOVE SULASKI.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FONG.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[L. NEW BUSINESS - CONTRACT AWARDS (Mr. Hartlove and Mr. Dixit) (8:45 - 9:00 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONTRACT AWARDS.AND FOR THAT I CALL 'EM MS. HARVEY CHAIR OF THE BUILDING CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD'S BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MET ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 9TH, 2023.
ITEMS L ONE THROUGH L 19 ARE BEING FORWARDED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? L ONE THROUGH L 19 SOKI.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
COULD WE PULL, UM, L ONE FOR DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON THE YES.
THE REST OF THEM? SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS L TWO THROUGH L 19? SO MOVED.
[01:35:01]
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND KY.ANY DISCUSSION ON L TWO THROUGH L 19? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM L ONE? SO, SO MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSION? MS. DEBOWSKI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START SINCE YOU YES.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF, UM, IF, IF, IF STAFF WANTS TO COME FORWARD OR OKAY.
YOU WANNA ASK THE QUESTION THEN? WE'LL, YEAH.
GO AHEAD AND ASK THE QUESTION.
NATO, MS. SHEA, YOU CAN COME FORWARD PLEASE.
UH, I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH THIS ALREADY A LOT DURING CURRICULUM COMMITTEE, UM, BUT THERE'S SOME CONCERNS.
OUR PRESENTATION WASN'T UPLOADED TO US PRIOR TO THE, THE MEETING, AND THEN IT WAS GIVEN TO US DURING THE MEETING.
WE WEREN'T TOLD HOW MUCH YOU GUYS WERE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE, THE ORIGINAL SPENDING AUTHORITY WAS 10 MILLION AND WE'RE ONLY A FEW MONTHS INTO THIS CONTRACT, AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR 5 MILLION MORE FOR, AND I'M, I'M JUST QUOTING WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE SAID FOR, UM, CARDS AND BOOKS LIKE, UH, READING BOOK MANUALS, AND I'M SURE IT'S MORE THAN THAT.
BUT THAT WASN'T DETAILED IN YOUR, YOUR REQUEST.
SO COULD YOU SPEAK TO MORE OF WHY IT'S AN ADDITIONAL, BASICALLY 50% MORE OF THE CONTRACT, MS. DOKI, AS THE TEAM COMES FORWARD, I WILL JUST CALL ATTENTION TO, UH, PAGE THREE OF THE, UM, EXHIBIT FOR L ONE, UM, SPECIFICALLY WHERE YOU CAN, UH, SEE THE JUSTIFICATION FOR INCREASE THAT SPEAKS TO, UM, PROVIDING ACCESS TO GRADE LEVEL CONTENT FOR STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SEPARATE DAY SCHOOLS.
UM, UH, THAT WE, UM, SUPPORT OUR INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL, SO THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION, UH, FOR OUR YOUNGER LEARNERS, UH, VARIABILITY IN ENROLLMENT, MULTI-GRADE LEVEL PROGRAMS, UM, AS JUST, UH, SOME OF THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE INCREASED, UH, REQUESTS FOR, UH, SPENDING.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE TEAM TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL, UH, DETAILS, UH, TO RESPOND TO MS. DOMINO'S QUESTION.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE EXPLAINED DURING CURRICULUM COMMITTEE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL SPENDING FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET AND SPENDING AUTHORITY.
AND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT GO INTO SPENDING SO THAT THE SPENDING AUTHORITY ALLOWS LOTS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO MAKE PURCHASES.
SO IF THE OFFICE OF TITLE ONE WANTS TO PURCHASE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS, THEY'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT THEIR PURCHASE GOES AGAINST THE CONTRACT, WHICH THEN TAKES AWAY THE ABILITY FOR THE CURRICULAR OFFICE TO REORDER MATERIALS OR TO GET THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS OR TO, UM, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN, AND DR.
UH, ROGERS SPOKE TO, UH, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION REGIONAL PROGRAM.
SO SOME OF THOSE CLASSES ARE MULTI-GRADE LEVEL CLASSES.
A CURRICULUM TEACHER'S GUIDE IS ORDERED FOR THE PREDOMINANT GRADE LEVEL AS ENROLLMENT IN THOSE PROGRAMS FLUCTUATES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF A SCHOOL YEAR.
WE WANNA HAVE STUDENTS ACTUALLY USING THE CURRICULUM CONTENT AND THE TEACHER HAVING THE BOOK THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE GRADE LEVEL THAT THEY'RE TEACHING.
ALL THE MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE TO TEACHERS.
THEY CAN SEE THE OTHER GRADE LEVEL BOOKS.
HOWEVER, MOST TEACHERS WANT A TEACHER'S GUIDE.
THEY CAN WRITE IN IT, THEY PUT POST-IT NOTES IN IT.
THEY, YOU KNOW, JOT DOWN THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO FOLLOW UP AND ASK.
UM, SO WE BELIEVE THAT MATERIAL IS IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO HAVE.
AND JUST TO ADD, YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND JUST TO ADD TO THAT, UM, IT'S ALSO ABOUT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
SO THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT OF THE 10 MILLION INCLUDED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE ITEMIZED ON PAGE THREE OF THE EXHIBIT.
THIS IS ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FUNDING IN THE SPENDING AUTHORITY, AGAIN, TO DR.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'LL NECESSARILY SPEND THE 5 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE THE AUTHORITY SO THAT WE ARE POISED TO CONTINUE OUR INVESTMENT IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN YEARS THREE THROUGH FIVE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, AND THEN, SO, SO SOME OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN CURRICULUM COMMITTEE WERE JUST SOME OF THE SPECIFIC MATERIALS THAT SCHOOLS ARE REQUESTING TO PURCHASE RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE DETAILED THINGS LIKE THE VOCABULARY CARDS, SUPPORTING OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND SOME OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES LIKE THE WRITER'S NOTEBOOK AND THAT, UM, READ AND RESPOND JOURNAL, THE KNOW IT, SHOW IT.
BUT LONG TERM OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, UM, SPECIFICALLY WHAT DR.
DOTA REFERENCED, UM, TEACHERS THAT MOVE GRADE LEVELS WHILE OVERALL ENROLLMENT SHIFTS MAY, UM, HAPPEN IN THE SYSTEM.
WHEN YOU SUPPORT, UH, LEARNERS IN THOSE INTEGRATED SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS, AGAIN, YOU MAY PURCHASE MULTIPLE GRADE LEVELS FOR THE SAME CLASSROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS THAT ARE SERVICED IN A MULTI-AGE GROUP HAVE ACCESS
[01:40:01]
TO THEIR GRADE LEVEL CONTENT.WE ALSO FOUND THAT WHEN WE DID THE INITIAL PURCHASE, WE PURCHASED A SET OF PRINTED MATERIALS FOR RESOURCE STAFF.
SO READING SPECIALISTS, SPECIAL EDUCATORS, STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS, MANY SCHOOLS AS PART OF THEIR SERVICE, UM, IN TRYING TO PROVIDE DIFFERENTIATED SUPPORT IN SOME OF OUR C S I SCHOOLS.
AND SOME OF OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS WANNA PROVIDE, UM, MULTIPLE SETS TO MULTIPLE TEAMS SO THAT THEY CAN WORK WITH MULTIPLE GRADE LEVELS CONCURRENTLY.
SO YES, IT'S ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS LIKE THOSE WE TALKED ABOUT IN CURRICULUM COMMITTEE.
BUT THE POTENTIAL SPENDING AUTHORITY IS ALSO TO GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING, INCREASED, UM, TEACHER GRADE LEVEL MATERIALS, AS WELL AS THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS THAT MIGHT BE PURCHASED WITH GRANT FUNDS LIKE DR.
AND WE KIND OF TALKED, TOUCHED ON THIS IN THE COMMITTEE TOO, AS FAR AS, SO WHERE'S THE ACCOUNTABILITY WITH THESE PURCHASES? HOW MANY OF THESE ARE, UM, ONE-TIME PURCHASES? HOW MANY THINGS ARE THESE GOING TO BE? YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO REFILL, RESTOCK, BUY AGAIN, AND HOW ARE WE, UM, WEIGHING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T SO THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND BUYING CURRICULUMS THAT AREN'T WORKING? SO I CAN SPEAK TO THE PURCHASING PROCESS FOR TITLE I SCHOOLS AS WELL AS, UM, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
THOSE ALL HAVE GO THROUGH A MULTI-LEVEL APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO IT'S NOT ONLY THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL APPROVING THEM, THE OFFICE OF TITLE ONE APPROVES AND REVIEWS THOSE.
UM, SO THERE'S A MULTI-LEVEL AND THERE'S DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR THOSE.
SO IF THEY'RE USING IT AS A MATERIAL THAT WILL BE GIVEN TO PARENTS AT A PARENT ENGAGEMENT EVENT, SO LET'S SAY THEY'RE ORDERING EXTRA VOCABULARY CARDS, ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED IN THEIR RESOURCES THAT THEY SUBMIT TO TITLE ONE FOR THE JUSTIFICATION OF PER OF THE PURCHASE.
SO THEY KNOW HOW MANY FAMILIES ATTENDED AN EVENT, HOW MANY SETS OF CARDS MIGHT HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUT.
UM, SO THEY, THEY REQUIRE A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT, UH, UH, EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF DOCUMENTATION FOR, UM, OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WHO PURCHASE THOSE MATERIALS.
AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING WHAT WORKS WHEN YOU BUY A PROGRAM THAT HAS LOTS OF PARTS AND PIECES, LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS ARE GONNA INFLUENCE A STUDENT'S ABILITY AND MAKING PROGRESS WITH SOMETHING.
SO OVERALL, WE CAN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DO WE THINK IT WAS THE VOCABULARY CARDS THAT MADE THE ABSOLUTE DIFFERENCE WITH THE STUDENT'S LEARNING? IN THE END, IT'S GONNA BE THE TEACHER PRACTICES AND PEDAGOGY AND THE WAY THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH STUDENTS, THAT'S GONNA MAKE THE ULTIMATE DIFFERENCE.
THOSE RESOURCES MIGHT MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE TEACHER TO DO THAT MAY MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE STUDENT TO ACQUIRE SOMETHING.
'CAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING TANGIBLE IN THEIR HANDS VERSUS LIKE LOOKING AT SOMETHING ONLINE.
SO THE EXACT ONE THING THAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, I THINK IN THE END, WHAT WE'LL SEE OVER TIME IS OUR STUDENTS' OVERALL TEST SCORE AND READING ACHIEVEMENT CHANGE.
AND SO THAT, THAT UPSIDE DOWN TRIANGLE THAT WE SHOWED YOU SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WILL NO LONGER LOOK LIKE THAT.
THAT WILL BE THE ULTIMATE MEASURE.
AND AS FAR AS I, I BELIEVE YOU'RE RIGHT, AS FAR AS TEACHERS, UM, TEACHING THE CURRICULUM CORRECTLY, HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT THEY'RE GETTING THAT I, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE INVESTING IN THAT, WE'RE GIVING THEM THE TIME, BUT IN THE END, LIKE HOW DO WE REALLY MAKE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S, WE WORK TOGETHER, LIKE THIS CURRICULUM, WE NEED YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO TEACH IT SO THAT OUR KIDS CAN LEARN TOO.
I, I WAS JUST GONNA PIGGYBACK ON, UM, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND THANK YOU FOR FRAMING IT THAT WAY, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT TEACHER IS THE DECIDING FACTOR.
UM, WE'RE TRYING TO ALSO TRANSITION FROM TRAINING VERSUS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
TRAINING IS HOW DOES ALL THIS WORK? WHAT ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT PARTS? LEARNING ALL THE MATERIALS, ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING HAS TO BE IN CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE TO BE, WE ARE GOING WITH, UM, PRINCIPALS ON LEADERSHIP WALKS, TRAINING PRINCIPALS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE FEEDBACK SO THAT THEY CAN, UM, BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE CHAIR TALKED ABOUT PRINCIPALS MONTH AND WHAT A CRITICAL ROLE THEY PLAY INVESTING IN OUR LEADERS SO THAT THEY CAN GIVE, UH, FEEDBACK TO TEACHERS ABOUT THAT.
TEACHER PRACTICE IS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR WORK THAT WE'RE DOING EVERY MONTH IN OUR PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, PARTNERING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS AND THEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS.
WE ALSO ARE TRAINING OUR READING SPECIALISTS AND OUR STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS.
AND PART OF THE PROFESSIONAL WITH H M H, WHICH IS UNIQUE TO THIS CONTRACT, IS WE ACTUALLY ARE BRINGING CONSULTANTS INTO SCHOOLS DOING MODEL LESSONS AND CREATING PLCS WITH CLUSTERS OF SCHOOLS WORKING TOGETHER.
UM, SO THAT THE EXPECTATION IS THE CURRICULUM IS THAT FLOOR, THAT'S THE BASELINE AND MATERIALS, BUT THE TEACHER PRACTICE.
AND WHAT ARE THOSE STRONG MODELS OF INSTRUCTION, THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES THAT HELP SUPPORT TEACHERS WITH PLANNING.
AND THEN HOW ARE WE TRAINING OUR LEADERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT ACTIONABLE FEEDBACK FOR THE INTEGRITY OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, IT'S WITH THAT CLOSE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN C N I AND DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS AND INVESTING IN LEADERS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THAT REAL TIME FEEDBACK THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN CHANGE THAT PRACTICE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT L ONE? OKAY.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[01:45:01]
MS. DRUMMOND? YES.LET ME JUST SCROLL THROUGH ALL THESE CONTRACTS.
THERE WAS QUITE A NUMBER OF 'EM.
GRAHAM CAN MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE TABLE.
[M. NEW BUSINESS - SPECIAL PROJECT REQUEST (Dr. Jones and Dr. Grim) (9:00 - 9:10 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS NEW BUSINESS SPECIAL PROJECT REQUEST.BOARD CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND DR.
UM, AND I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, DR.
WE COME BEFORE YOU ASKING FOR CONSIDERATION OF A PRIVATELY FUNDED CAPITAL PROJECT FOR MADE IN CHOICE.
UM, SCHOOL MADE IN CHOICE WAS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A SIGNIFICANT NEED FOR WHERE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOL COULD FOCUS ON FUNCTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES.
THE ADDITION OF A CHICK KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY AREA IN THE NEWLY DEVELOPED VOCATIONAL CENTER AT THE SCHOOL WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT SPECIAL NEEDS, AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTAIN NEW SKILLS IN THESE AREAS.
THE STUDENT BENEFIT IS IMMEASURABLE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT HAVING THE KITCHEN AND THE LAUNDRY ROOM ON SITE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT STUDENTS' LIVES, BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND IN THE WORKPLACE.
THIS INITIATIVE PROVIDES AN AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE THAT WILL PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH CONTINUOUS LEARNING TO ENHANCE THEIR INDEPENDENCE WHEN THEY EXIT V C P S.
UM, ANO ON ANOTHER NOTE, WE BELIEVE THAT BEING ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY PRACTICE, LEARN, AND DEVELOP NEWLY ATTAINED SKILLS ALLOWS US TO EQUITABLY PREPARE OUR STUDENTS AT MADEN CHOICE FOR THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF V C P S.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION REVIEW AND APPROVE PROJECT 73 30, THE ADDITION OF A KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY AREA TO THE VOCATION CENTER LOCATED AT MADEN CHOICE SCHOOL.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PRIVATELY FUNDED CAPITAL PROJECT FOR A KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY SCHOOLS AREA AT MADEN? MADEN CHOICE SCHOOL MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND HUMPHREY.
ANY DISCUSSION MR. MCMILLIAN? OH, SORRY.
WHY AREN'T WE FUNDING THIS THROUGH THE CAPITAL PROJECT BUDGET AND USING THIS MONEY? I'M NOT SURE OF THE GROUP THAT'S EARNED THIS MONEY AND IS DONATING IT TO US, BUT IF WE BUILT THAT IN WITHIN OUR BUDGET AND THEN WE USE THAT MONEY IN ANOTHER WAY FOR THAT SCHOOL, WHY AREN'T WE DOING THAT? SO, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MR. MCMILLIAN.
AND ACTUALLY THIS 73 30, THIS IS THE FIRST OF TWO THAT YOU'LL RECEIVE ON THIS PROJECT.
THIS, UH, PARTICULAR DONATION IS STRICTLY FOR CABINETRY AND APPLIANCES BEING DONATED BY IKEA.
SO THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND WITH IKEA TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND LEARNING THESE SKILLS.
UM, IKEA AND WHITE MARSH WANTED TO DO SOMETHING, UH, SPECIAL AND SPECIFIC FOR THE, FOR THE KIDS.
SO THEY WANT TO DONATE THIS EQUIPMENT.
OUR STAFF WILL THEN BE ASSESSING WHAT IT TAKES TO INSTALL IT AND WHAT IT TAKES TO PROPERLY TURN THE ROOM OVER.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL DONATION THAT'LL COME IN THE FORM OF A 73 30 TO INSTALL BOTH THE CABINETRY AND THE APPLIANCES ONCE WE RECEIVE THE GOODS.
SO I, HE IS RESPONSIBLE, THEY'RE GONNA DONATE THE ALL THE MATERIALS THEY ARE DONATING, THEY'RE DONATING THE CABINETRY, THEY'RE DONATING THE APPLIANCES, AND THEY ARE DONATING THE LABOR TO INSTALL A A NUM, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT ANY OTHER WORK, UM, WILL BE WORKING THROUGH FACILITIES TO IDENTIFY ANY OTHER NEEDS FOR THE SPECIFIC CLASSROOM.
SO, I CAN'T ADMIT MY QUESTION WAS VERY DUMB, SO NO, IT WASN'T.
THIS IS, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL PROJECT IN THAT IT'S BEING SPLIT.
NORMALLY WE BRING THE FULL PROJECT TO YOU, UM, BUT THE WAY THAT, UH, IKEA HAS WANTED TO HANDLE THIS PARTICULAR DONATION AND THEIR TIMETABLE, WE NEED TO SPLIT IT INTO TWO.
SO WE NEED, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA ACCEPT THESE GOODS AND SERVICES BEFORE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO A FULL SITE SURVEY OF THE REST OF THE PROJECT.
SO IT WAS ACTUALLY A VERY TIMELY QUESTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
I REALLY JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT I'VE BEEN TO MADE IN CHOICE.
UH, MADE IN CHOICE IS A SCHOOL THAT'S IN THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT, AND THE WORK THAT PRINCIPAL WESTS AND HER TEAM ARE DOING THERE IS
[01:50:01]
EXTRAORDINARY.WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION TONIGHT ABOUT EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UH, AND MADE IN CHOICE, UH, HAS, UH, IS IS A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE DIFFERENTLY ABLED AND WHO HAVE LEARNING CHALLENGES AND DIFFERENCES.
AND SO THIS PROJECT IS EXEMPLARY OF OUR COMMITMENT AS A DISTRICT, AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING A QUALITY AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION.
AND I URGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT IT.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS A, A GREAT IDEA.
I WISH MORE COMPANIES WOULD STEP UP AND, AND DO THIS TYPE OF DONATION.
UM, MY QUESTION IS MORE AROUND THE, UM, SUSTAINABILITY OF THIS.
SO IKEA FURNITURE, UM, IS IT GOING TO LAST WITH THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS KNOWING HOW, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS, THEY, WHEN I THINK ABOUT IKEA CABINETRY,
WILL IT, WILL IT LAST? THAT'S, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
AND DO WE HAVE THE, THE STAFF THAT CAN, UM, UPKEEP IT? SO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S UNDER OUR PURVIEW TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF THE CABINETRY THAT, THAT THEY'RE DONATING.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT, UH, AS PART OF THE 73 30 PROCESS, OUR ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS, UM, ASSESS THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY WANT TO DONATE, MAKE SURE THAT IT IS EDUCATIONALLY SUFFICIENT.
AND SO, UH, AS, AS PART OF THE PROCESS, ONCE WE ACCEPT THE DONATION AS B C P SS, WE TYPICALLY ACCEPT SOME LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY IN TERMS OF MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP AT THAT POINT.
AND THE SAME THING WILL HAPPEN IN TERMS OF THE APPLIANCES THAT ARE IN.
AND THEN IS THERE GONNA BE IKEA BRANDING? SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE SCOREBOARD THAT WAS PURCHASED BY COCA-COLA, AND THEN THERE'S COCA-COLA EVERYWHERE.
SO IS THIS, WHEN WE GO INTO THE MATEEN CHOICE KITCHEN, IS IT GONNA BE IKEA EVERYWHERE? IS IT GONNA BE LIKE THIS BRAND PROMOTION? THAT WAS NOT A REQUIREMENT.
I, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT WOULD SUGGEST THAT FROM THEM.
AND IN FACT, THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY LOW KEY IN, IN THIS DONATION, IN THIS PROCESS TO DATE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? YES, MS. LESKI.
UM, BUT JUST IN LIGHT OF THEIR VERY GENEROUS DONATION, IT MIGHT BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LITTLE PLAQUE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING IN THE, IN THE NEW KITCHEN AREA, JUST THANKING THEM AND HONORING THEM FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATION.
THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND WE ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION THAT ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER.
UM, IT WAS THROUGH THEIR WORK THAT, THAT THIS HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MAY WE HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. GO.
[N. REPORT - INFRASTRUCTURE (Dr. Grim and Dr. Jones) (9:10 - 9:30 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON INFRASTRUCTURE BOUNDARY PROCESS UPDATE.AND, AND FOR THAT, WE HAVE DR.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING IS TO PROVIDE EVERYONE WITH AN UPDATE REGARDING OUR TWO BOUNDARY STUDIES THAT BEGAN, UH, LAST MONTH.
MOST RECENTLY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PROVIDED FEEDBACK TO OUR TEAM ON IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR BOUNDARY STUDY PROCESS PROCESS.
UM, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK SPOKE DIRECTLY TO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGING OUR FULL COMMUNITY AND REPRESENTING THE VOICE AND VIEWPOINTS OF ALL COMMUNITIES AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH CHANGING BOUNDARIES.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ALSO RECEIVE FEEDBACK, UM, FROM A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS, UH, INCLUDING, UH, ABSOLUTELY OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION AND FAMILIES ABOUT BALTIMORE COUNTY, TAKING A, UH, FORWARD LOOK AT ALL OF OUR, UH, SCHOOL BUILDINGS, LOOKING AT CAPACITY AND, UH, PERHAPS, UH, TAKING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESS OVERCROWDING, UH, ISSUES IN OUR SCHOOLS.
UH, AS EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH, WHEN WE HAVE, UH, OVERCROWDING IN SCHOOLS, UH, TWO OF OUR LONG RANGE OPTIONS ARE REDISTRICTING IN CAPITAL PROJECTS, MEANING ADDITIONS, NEW BUILDINGS, UH, RENOVATIONS, AND THINGS OF THOSE, OF THAT SORT.
UH, BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED, WE CONVENED A TEAM OF B C P S STAFF MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT SCHOOLS, EQUITY FACILITIES, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING TO NAME A FEW TO THOROUGHLY ADDRESS
[01:55:01]
ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD.UM, AS, UH, THE, UH, BOTH OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND CHIEF OF SCHOOLS WILL SHARE, UM, PRIMARY TO, UH, SUPERINTENDENTS RULE 1280, UH, ARE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH A BOUNDARY STUDY THAT WE ARE FOCUSING, UH, NOT ONLY ON OVERCROWDING, BUT ALSO FOCUSING ON DIVERSITY IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UM, OUR EQUITY BELIEFS IN, UH, RULE, I'M SORRY, IN POLICY ZERO 100.
JONES WILL TAKE US THROUGH, UH, THE UPGRADES TO THE PROCESS.
AND AT THE END, WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
AS A REMINDER, BOUNDARY CHANGES ARE COVERED IN BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY AND SUPERINTENDENTS RULE 1280.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS POLICY AND RULE ARE PART OF THE 1000 SERIES COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND ARE IN FACT, PART OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SUBHEADING.
THEY ARE NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE 7,000 SERIES OF POLICIES AND RULES, FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION.
THUS, THE BOUNDARY STUDY PROCESS IS ROOTED IN COMMUNITY THROUGH POLICY 1280.
THE BOARD RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE, IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN ITS DELIBERATIONS AND DECISIONS RELATED TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AREAS.
AND THE BOARD SHALL DETERMINE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE GEOGRAPHICAL ATTENDANCE AREA FOR EACH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
ROGERS SAID, TO IMPLEMENT POLICY 1280.
RULE 1280 STATES THAT THE BOUNDARY STUDY IS COORDINATED BY THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.
AND PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS ARE THE EFFICIENT, EFFICIENT USE OF CAPACITY AND DIVERSITY WITH SECONDARY CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING CONTINUITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS TRANSPORTATION, MINIMIZING SCHOOL MOVES FOR STUDENTS, LONG-TERM ENROLLMENT CAPACITY TRENDS IN CAPITAL PLANS, FEEDER SCHOOL CONTINUITY AND BOUNDARIES, AND PHASING CHANGES BY GRADE LEVELS IN HIGH SCHOOLS.
A BOUNDARY STUDY IS INITIATED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THE PROCESS OF THE BOUNDARY STUDY IS COORDINATED BY THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.
THE PROCESS IS FACILITATED BY AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT AND IS DRIVEN BY COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
MEETINGS ARE PUBLICLY ADVERTISED.
THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE MEETINGS AS AN OBSERVER.
BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE LIVE STREAMED AND ARE RECORDED, AND ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE IS POSTED ON THE B C P S WEBSITE.
FOLLOWING EACH MEETING FURTHER, PRIOR TO THE BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE'S FINAL RECOMMENDATION, THEY'LL PRESENT OPTIONS IN A PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION, AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY REGARDING OPTIONS PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION.
IN TERMS OF BOARD OF EDUCATION ACTIONS, THEY RECEIVED THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION AT A REGULAR SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK ON THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, AS WELL AS EVALUATING THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION AND FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN THEY APPROVE, DENY, OR REVISE THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION AT A REGULAR, REGULARLY SCHEDULED SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING.
THIS SHOWS, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE TWO BOUNDARY STUDIES THAT WE BEGAN LAST MONTH IN SEPTEMBER, AND THE ACTIONS THAT WE'VE TAKEN TO DATE.
I'M NOT GONNA READ THROUGH ALL THE DATES THAT ARE ON THERE, BUT WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS TO DATE AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PLANNED.
THE PURPOSE OF THE NORTHWEST ELEMENTARY BOUNDARY SCHOOL STUDY NUMBER ONE IS TO EXPAND THE ATTENDANCE AREA FOR BEDFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPLACEMENT.
ANTICIPATED THE OPEN IN FALL 2024 EXPAND ATTENDANCE AREA FOR SUMMIT PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPLACEMENT.
ANTICIPATED THE OPEN IN FALL 2024.
PROVIDE CAPACITY RELIEF TO PARTICIPATING NORTHWEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND FACILITATE THE MOVE OF STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTENDING CAMPFIELD E L C TO ATTEND THEIR HOMESCHOOL OR OTHER NEARBY PROGRAMS. THE CENTRAL AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAPACITY RELIEF BOUNDARY STUDY HAS A PURPOSE TO RELIEVE SCHOOLS PROJECTED TO BE OVERCROWDED AND TO MAXIMIZE USE OF AVAILABLE SPACE AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE REGION.
AT THIS TIME, WE'D LIKE TO SHARE OUR NEW FOCUS AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ENHANCEMENTS WITH OUR BOUNDARY STUDY.
UM, WE'VE KIND OF CATEGORIZED THEM INTO THREE BROAD AREAS, THE BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY NOTIFICATIONS, AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AS A PART OF THIS PROCESS, B C P S IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING THE BOUNDARY CHANGE PROCESS AS A RESULT OF FEEDBACK AND REFLECTION.
THE FOLLOWING ENHANCEMENTS ARE PLANNED OR ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY AS PART OF THE CURRENT PLANNING STAGE.
BOUNDARY STUDIES, AS I STATED, BOUNDARY STUDY COMMITTEE, IT'S ENSURING DIVERSITY OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
[02:00:01]
ENGAGING IN AN EXERCISE TO EVALUATE BOUNDARY STUDY CONSIDERATIONS, CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF EQUITY AND CULTURAL PROFICIENCY, AND ESTABLISHING PARAMETER PARAMETERS FOR TAKING OPTIONS TO PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS.IN REGARDS TO COMMUNITY NOTIFICATIONS, OUR PURPOSE IS TO ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AT SCHOOL INFORMATION MEETINGS TO ASSIST SCHOOLS WITH COMMUNICATIONS.
AND OUR GOAL IS LEVERAGING BCP S'S PARTNERSHIPS WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES AND CONSTITUENTS IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
WE'RE LEVERAGING SCHOOL LIAISONS, ESOL EQUITY, AND FAMILY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
OUR GOAL IS TO LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS, H O A RECREATION COUNCILS AND THE ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATE, THE A E A C, THE ADVI, THE ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCILS TO ENGAGE COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING UPDATES TO KEY STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO PUBLIC INFORMATION SENTENCE SESSIONS FOR SCHOOL SITES TO CREATE AS ACCESSIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY IMPROVING OUR ONLINE SURVEY AND ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION IN THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSIONS.
WE WANT YOU ALL TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE BELIEVE THAT SCHOOLS ARE VERY INSTRUMENTAL ENGA IN ENGAGING THEIR COMMUNITY IN THIS BOUNDARY STUDY PROCESS.
THIS SLIDE DEP DEPICTS OUR ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THERE IS A RENEWED FOCUS ON JUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, BUT MULTIPLE WAYS IN WHICH OUR COMMUNITY CAN STAY INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS.
EACH BOUNDARY STUDIES WEBSITE INCLUDES THE FUNCTIONALITY TO PROVIDE ONLINE COMMENTS, WHICH ARE REVIEWED AND POSTED ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE SLIDE, ALTHOUGH IT'S KIND OF SMALL, THERE'S A, THERE'S A QR CODE THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN ACCESS AND PROVIDE US WITH THEIR ONGOING FEEDBACK.
A COMMUNICATION TOOLKIT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO PRINCIPALS WHO HAVE SCHEDULED TIMELY MESSAGES TO PARENTS REGARDING THE PROCESS MEETINGS AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SENSE SESSIONS.
INFORMATION FLYERS FOR EACH BOUNDARY STUDY CLEARLY LIST THE DATES OF THE MEETINGS AND REMINDERS ARE SENT IN TERMS OF THE ACTION AND THE DATES COM COMMITTEE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN LIVE STREAMED.
AND AFTER THE MEETINGS, THEY ARE POSTED TO YOUTUBE WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF CLOSED CAPTION IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN POSTED, POSTING BOUNDARY STUDY INFORMATION VIA FACEBOOK X AND INSTAGRAM, AS WELL AS TO PARENT UNIVERSITY.
COMMUNICATIONS HAS ALSO SENT MESSAGES TO ALL OF THE IMPACTED SCHOOL COMMUNITIES DIRECTLY VIA SCHOOL MESSENGER.
STRATEGIC PLANNING HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PARTNER AND HAS INCLUDED INTERACTIVE MAPS AND OTHER INFORMATION THAT IS PROVIDED TO OR REQUESTED BY THE COMMI COMMITTEE ON ITS WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW.
UH, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT UPDATES ON OUR NEW FOCUS REGARDING THE BOUNDARY STUDY PROCESS.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR MEMBER QUESTIONS.
MS. PUMPHREY, JUST HAVE A COMMENT.
UM, FIRST THANK YOU FOR THIS RENEWED FOCUS.
IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO REACH COMMUNITIES THAT, UM, WE MAY, MAY NOT OFTEN REACH, OR WE MAY, WE MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH PARTICIPATION AS WE WOULD LIKE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT AS WE ARE PROGRESSING, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT WHERE WE MAY HAVE HOLES, WHERE WE ARE NOT REACHING COMMUNITIES, UM, AS WE, AS WE PROGRESS, INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THAT, THOSE NUMBERS AT THE END.
BECAUSE THOSE NUMBERS ALWAYS CONCERN ME, AND I WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE REACHING EVERY COMMUNITY AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE AN UPDATE OF THOSE NUMBERS OR FEEDBACK FROM EACH COMMUNITY, UM, AS WE MOVE ALONG SO THAT WE CAN INTENTIONALLY REACH SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT MAYBE WE AREN'T REACHING IF WE NOTICE THAT ALONG THE WAY.
AND WE APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK.
GRIM AND I ARE COMMITTED TO IS MAKING, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, STAFF FROM OUR DIVISIONS ARE REPRESENTED AT THE MEETINGS.
AND THEN WE DEBRIEF THOSE MEETINGS TO GET A SENSE OF, UM, WHO ATTENDED, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE TOPICS.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT BECOMES AN ONGOING PROCESS.
AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST REPRESENTATION.
I, TO PIGGYBACK WHAT SHE SAID, WHAT IDENTIFYING INFORMATION GOES ON WHEN SOMEONE, UM, SUBMITS A COMMENT ONLINE.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHAT COMMUNITY, WHAT SCHOOL THEY'RE FROM? OR IS IT COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS? SO THERE, THERE'S, I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME IDENTIFYING INFORMATION IN THE, IN THE BACKGROUND THAT'S NOT POSTED.
HOWEVER, UM, WE, IT SAYS RIGHT ON THE WEBSITE, DO NOT INCLUDE NAMES AS PART OF THE POST AND OTHER INFORMATION.
SO I, I DO THINK WE, WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, BUT I WILL DOUBLE CHECK THAT TO MAKE SURE.
SO EVEN IF IT JUST HAD A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING SO THAT WE WOULD KNOW WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE WE NOT, AND WE'RE ALSO TAKING, AND I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN OKAY.
UM, WE'RE ALSO TAKING EMAILS AND, AND COMMENTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE PUBLIC.
UM, THEY ARE, UH, BEING INCLUDED AS, AS NEEDED.
WE'RE ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO, TO LIST THOSE COMMENTS ON THE WEBSITE.
UM, WE'VE ALSO BROADENED OUR SCOPE TO ENSURE THAT AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS, HOAS HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH CONCERNS.
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WE'RE HAVING VARIOUS, UM, STAFF FROM OUR OFFICES AND FROM THE OFFICE OF EQUITY, OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS REACH OUT TO THOSE STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS A FOLLOW UP.DO PRINCIPALS KIND OF GET A PACKAGE OF LIKE, OR REMINDERS OF HOW TO KEEP THEIR, UM, SCHOOL COMMUNITY INFORMED THAT THERE'S AN UPCOMING MEETING OR, OR JUST THIS ONGOING REMINDERS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN, I KNOW WE'RE GETTING MESSAGES FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T RE WHO THINK THE RECOMMENDATION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE OR THAT WE'RE RECEIVED, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
SO DO PRINCIPALS GET UPDATES ON HOW TO INFORM THEIR COMMUNITY AS THE PROCESS GOES ON? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THEY, THEY'VE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A TOOLKIT OKAY.
WITH VARIOUS COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE PRE-MADE THAT THEY CAN SEND OUT VIA MESSENGER.
BUT ALSO OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE REMINDERS ARE GOING OUT, UH, COMMUNITY WIDE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY LEVERAGING NOT ONLY, UM, THOSE SOCIAL MEDIA PIECES THAT DR.
JONES NOTED, BUT THEY'RE SENDING OUT MESSAGES TO EACH SCHOOL COMMUNITY VIA SCHOOL MESSENGER.
SO, IN FACT, I THINK WE'RE GETTING SOME SATURATION
IN SOME WAYS, SOON THEY'LL TELL US, STOP, STOP.
WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE THE, THE, THAT'S CORRECT.
YOU KNOW, TOO MUCH INFORMATION, TOO MANY REMINDERS.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE RIGHT.
WE'RE REALLY GETTING THE WORD OUT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UH, MS. BOOGER DWYER, I, I LOVE THIS, UM, APPROACH.
AND MY ONLY QUESTION IS JUST AROUND LIKE THAT MULTI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION.
AND SO ARE YOU ALL, I KNOW IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO RESPOND TO EVERY SINGLE, YOU KNOW, MESSAGE, BUT ARE YOU CREATING SOME TYPE OF HANDOUT OR SUMMARY OF, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE HEARD AND NOW THIS IS WHAT WE DID.
AND EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, IF YOU JUST HEARD IT AND SAID, OKAY, WE DIDN'T ACT ON THIS, BECAUSE IS THERE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT'S GOING OUT SO THAT YOU COULD TAKE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEY KNOW THAT YOU'VE LISTENED AND THAT YOU'VE RESPONDED IN SOME WAY? I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU TAKE THAT ONE.
WE'VE DONE, SO I, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE PARTS TO THAT QUESTION.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN TRYING TO DO IS TO, UH, IMPROVE THE WEB, THE WEBPAGE THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY THE INTERACTIVE MAPS, BUT THE QR CODE WITH THE COMMENTS ONLINE AND TRY TO DRIVE, UM, FOLKS THAT, THAT EMAIL US OR CALL US MM-HMM.
AND SOME PEOPLE ARE, ARE COMFORTABLE DOING THAT, OTHERS ARE NOT.
BUT IF THEY PUBLICLY COMMENT THERE IT IS, IT BECOMES A PART OF THE RECORD.
UM, AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING COORDINATES THIS PROCESS.
SO THEIR ROLE ISN'T TO, TO TO HEAR ONE COMMUNITY OR ONE GROUP OVER ANOTHER, AS, AS THE COORDINATOR.
THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE FACILITATOR, OUR, OUR OUTSIDE CONSULTANT, IS ABLE TO SEE THAT AND TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO IT.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UM, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE COLLECTING AND DRIVING THOSE FOLKS TO THE WEBSITE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE THERE.
AND ON THE BACKEND STRATEGIC PLANNING, THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS, OUR OTHER OFFICES, WHETHER IT'S TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, UH, CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, ARE PREPARING MATERIALS FROM MEETING TO MEETING TO, TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS THAT COME UP THROUGH THE COMMITTEE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF, UM, AN ADDITIONAL MAP OR RENDERING IS NEEDED, OR A SUGGESTION IS MADE AT ONE OF THE STUDIES, AS DR.
JONES SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO REGROUP AFTER AND SAY, THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM TO MAKE A, A ANOTHER DECISION OR JUST TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION.
AND THEN IS THERE ANY, UM, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN MEETING DATES SCHEDULED, BUT ARE THERE ANY, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THESE THINGS AT SCHOOLS, PEOPLE DON'T COME.
SO IS THERE A PLAN TO KIND OF HIT THE STREET SOMETIME OR TO, YOU KNOW, SET UP IN FRONT OF A GROCERY STORE TO GO TO A CHURCH OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE YOU'RE ANNOUNCING LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY ORGANICALLY GO TO? UM, BECAUSE SOMETIMES TO, TO HAVE IT AT A SCHOOL, YOU DON'T, YOU WON'T GET THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT USED TO GO INTO THE SCHOOL OR WHO MAY WORK SHIFT WORK OR, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
BUT IF YOU EVEN JUST PUT A TABLE OUT IN FRONT OF THE WEGMANS OR THE FOOD LION OR WHERE WHATEVER'S IN THEIR COMMUNITY, UM, JUST TO SPREAD THE WORD BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GO THERE OR, YOU KNOW, AT, AT THEIR CHURCH OR WHEREVER, UM, JUST TO GET THE WORD OUT, THAT JUST MAY BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
MS. BOOKER DWYER, IF I COULD RESPOND TO THAT ONE.
CURRENTLY, UH, IN EARNEST THERE ARE NO, UH, SET OUT PLANS TO, UH, GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAKE BACK AND MAYBE WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY EXIST.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE INFORMATION IS OUT IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER MM-HMM.
SO I'M NOT SURE WITH THESE TWO STUDIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OCCURRING, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, HOWEVER, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PLAN FOR IN THE FUTURE, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER TO LEVERAGE SOME OF OUR
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EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS IN THAT WAY.MS. HARVEY? THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
I HAVE, UM, I TOO APPRECIATE THE EXPANDED OUTREACH.
UH, I AM, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY HEAR ME SAY THIS 20 TIMES, A BELIEVER IN MAKING THE THING YOU WANT PEOPLE TO DO, THE EASIEST THING TO DO.
AND SO I'VE HEARD YOU SAY WEBSITE, WEBSITE, WEBSITE, BUT I AM FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE ON THE B C P S WEBSITE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN CONSIDER A LINK ON THE HOMEPAGE THAT WILL, THAT WHEN PARENTS GO TO THE WEBSITE, THEY CAN SEE THAT LINK, YOU KNOW, BOUNDARY STUDY, CLICK IT AND IT'LL TAKE THEM THROUGH DIRECTLY THERE, RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS TO GET TO STRATEGIC PLANNING TO GET TO HERE, TO GET TO, TO THERE.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE, UH, RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING THE WORK AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO NOT GET DISCOURAGED AROUND, I'M LOOKING FOR IT, BUT I CAN'T FIND IT.
WE WANT IT TO BE A BREADCRUMB RIGHT THERE FOR THEM.
AND ALSO, ARE ANY OF THE SCHOOLS, UH, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, AND HAVE WE CONSIDERED HOW WE MIGHT USE THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATOR WHOSE JOB IT IS TO DO OUTREACH, TO PERFORM SOME OF THOSE ROLES IN TERMS OF GETTING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, UH, AND TALKING TO PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE? SO AGAIN, I, I WOULD SAY AND UM, REITERATE WHAT DR.
ROGERS HAS SHARED, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY EVEN TO MS. BOOKER DWYER.
UM, WE APPRECIATE THE, THE SUGGESTIONS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN EXPAND OUR OUTREACH.
AND WE'RE DEFINITELY TAKING THAT DOWN AS SOMETHING FOR CONSIDERATION, UM, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO SAY WE THINK THAT'S HAPPENING, BUT WE CAN OFFER THAT AS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE KNOW IS HAPPENING WITHIN OUR SCHOOL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
MS. DOKI, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU GUYS CAN ANSWER, BUT WHEN WILL THE, UM, COMMITTEES BE UPDATED WITH THE SEPTEMBER 30TH ENROLLMENTS SO THAT THEY HAVE THE UPDATED STUDENT ENROLLMENTS FOR THE SCHOOLS? OR WILL THEY BE WORKING OFF THOSE FROM THIS YEAR? SO THE, THE FINAL SEPTEMBER 30TH ENROLLMENTS WON'T BE AVAILABLE UNTIL NOVEMBER.
UM, BY THE WAY, THAT THE, BY THE WAY, THE, UM, BY THE WAY THAT THEY'RE VERIFIED, WE ARE CONTINUALLY UPDATING THEM AND WILL CONTINUALLY PROVIDE THEM WITH UPDATED NUMBERS AND FIGURES.
BUT THE OFFICIAL, UH, SEPTEMBER 30TH ENROLLMENT DOES, DOES NOT BECOME VALIDATED UNTIL NOVEMBER.
BUT DON'T YOU HAVE TO, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINES TO THE STATE, LIKE THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT NUMBER CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT, BUT THAT'S NOT SUBMITTED ACTUALLY UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER.
SO THE SEPTEMBER 30TH ENROLLMENT FOR THIS YEAR YEAH.
DOESN'T ACTUALLY GO TO THE STATE UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER.
I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT YEAH, WE'RE USING OUTDATED INFORMATION WHEN WE HAVE UPDATED INFORMATION.
AND, AND I THINK THAT THAT PROVIDING THE, PROVIDING THOSE UPDATES, UM, IS VERY REASONABLE AND IS A SUGGESTION THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN THE WORKS.
UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE OFFICIAL M S D DATA, WE, WE DON'T PROVIDE THAT FOR ANOTHER MONTH.
BUT I MEAN, I'M, IT'S THE DATA THAT YOU ARE WORKING FOR MIGHT BE VERIFIED FOR LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT VERIFIED FOR THIS YEAR YEAR.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE OF USING THE MS. DOKI? I CERTAINLY HEAR THE, UH, CONCERN THAT YOU'RE RAISING.
UH, ONCE WE, UH, SUBMIT THE DATA TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND ONCE WE RELEASE IT TO BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, THIS COMMITTEE WILL ALSO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, IT, IT'S NOT LIKELY THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE HUGE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF VARIANCES, UH, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE, UH, STUDENT COUNTS HANDBOOK WITH WHAT THE ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS ARE FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, AS WELL AS ACTUALS FOR THE, UH, FEW YEARS PROCEEDING.
AND SO, UM, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THEM RECEIVING THAT INFORMATION WITHIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY SIX WEEKS FROM NOW, THEY HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS AS UH, NECESSARY.
AND WE'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT A FEW PERCENTAGE, A FEW PERCENTAGE POINTS IN THE, UH, SPECIFIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS BOUNDARY STUDY.
IT'S JUST THAT A FEW PERCENTAGE POINTS MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS.
SO THAT'S WHY I WOULD, I WAS WORKING, WOULD LIKE TO GET AS MUCH, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO THE NUMBERS AS WE CAN.
AND YOU HAVE OUR COMMITMENT THAT WE'LL CREATE SPACE FOR THOSE COMMITTEES TO ADJUST WHATEVER THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON THE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. LESKI? THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
UM, ONE THOUGHT THAT I HAD WITH THE LUXURY THAT THE STUDY IS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
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AND SINCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE A TAKE HOME FOLDER TO REACH FAMILIES THAT MIGHT NOT BE TECHNOLOGICALLY INCLINED, WHAT ABOUT A, A FLYER, ONE FOR THE CENTRAL BOUNDARY STUDY FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES AND ONE FOR THE NORTHWEST AND THAT WAY IT'S JUST ANOTHER MEANS OF MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS REACHED THANK YOU.SO THANKS FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WE, WE ACTUALLY ON THE SLIDE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE.
THERE IS A FLYER THAT WE DO HAVE AND WAS PROVIDED AS PART OF THE TOOLKIT.
HOWEVER WE CAN FOLLOW UP TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED.
I GOT ONE THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED.
I THOUGHT SHE MEANT ANOTHER QUESTION.
YOU GOT A FLYER? OKAY, WONDERFUL.
UM, MS. FONG, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT? SO WE ARE CURRENTLY STILL USING THE SAME CONTRACTOR THAT WE USED FOR THE PREVIOUS BOUNDARY STUDY FOR THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE.
FOR THIS PROCESS WE ARE USING CROPPER G I S.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO INCREASE THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH.
UM, AND THE COMMITTEE ITSELF ALWAYS, IT'S, IT'S HARD WORK.
AND SO, HA ARE THERE GONNA BE ANY PARAMETERS THAT ARE CHANGED AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF RESPONSES THAT ARE COMING IN BEFORE FINALLY MAKING A RECOMMENDATION SO THAT WE SEE THAT THERE'S MORE EVEN DISTRIBUTION AMONG ALL OF THE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES THAT ARE AFFECTED.
SO THE FIRST THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY IS WE'VE, UM, STAFF HAVE, HAVE ACTUALLY MET WITH CROPPER PRIOR TO THESE TWO STUDIES BEGINNING IN SEPTEMBER.
AND WE'VE CHANGED SOME OF THE PARAMETERS AND HOW WE'VE ASKED THEM TO FACILITATE THE PROCESS FOR THESE TWO, UH, GIVEN THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD.
SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.
UM, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT THE SURVEY, WE'VE, WE'VE ACTUALLY, UM, WE'RE WE'RE PUSHING ANOTHER MORE COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SURVEY AROUND WHAT THOSE RESPONSES ARE.
AND I THINK, UM, YOUR POINT ABOUT US INTERROGATING THOSE DATA AS WE RECEIVE THEM BEFORE WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION IS ON POINT.
ANY OTHER, UM, QUESTIONS? I, I PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF BOUNDARY STUDIES AND I THINK HAVING THAT EXTRA STAFF THERE IS HUGE.
SOMETIMES THERE'S NUANCES AND DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE LOST WHEN IT WAS, UM, JUST KIND OF ONE OFFICE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE MEETINGS AFTERWARDS AND REALLY LISTENING, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THE LAST ONE, IS THAT THIS SUGGESTION WAS MADE BUT SOMEHOW NOT HEARD AND NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH ON.
SO I THINK THE MORE STAFF THAT YOU HAVE THERE THAT CAN REALLY LISTEN, UM, WILL ALSO LEND VOICE TO THOSE THAT MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, BE THE LOUDEST VOICES IN THE ROOM.
SO THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT COMPONENT.
YOU TWO STILL STAY THERE BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE UP NEXT.
ALL RIGHT, I GOTTA GET MY SCRIPT BACK UP HERE.
OKAY, SO NEXT ON THE AGENDA, WELL, OKAY, NEVERMIND.
[O. REPORT - ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STAFF (Dr. Yarbrough, Dr. DiDonato, Dr. Jones, and Dr. Grim) (9:30 - 10:00 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A REPORT ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE STAFF BLUEPRINT.UM, AND THIS IS GONNA BE FOCUSED ON EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
AND FOR THAT, I THINK MY NAMES AREN'T QUITE ACCURATE.
ROGERS, ARE YOU BEGINNING THIS ONE? YES.
UH, THIS EVENING WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE A REPORT ON PILLAR ONE, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
THIS IS THE FIRST INSTALLATION IN A SERIES OF REPORTS REGARDING THE BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION AND SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE IMPACT IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, OUR PROGRESS AND OUR NEXT STEPS.
PILLAR ONE IS FOCUSED ON INCREASED AC INCREASING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS, UH, SPECIFICALLY ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY FULL DAY PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHERS AND ECONOMISTS CONTINUE TO AFFIRM THE IMPACT AND VALUE OF HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL EDUCATION TO STUDENTS.
SPECIFICALLY, 50% OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN HIGH SCHOOL IS ATTRIBUTED TO EARLY LEARNING DIFFERENCES IN SCHOOLS.
PRESCHOOL ATTENDANCE ALMOST ALWAYS RESULTS IN ADDITIONAL LEARNING.
ANYWHERE FROM FOUR MONTHS TO ONE ADDITIONAL YEAR OF LEARNING THE IMPACT OF PRESCHOOL IS FELT AS FAR AWAY AS HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND CAREER ATTAINMENT
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AND HIGHER ADULT EARNINGS FOR ALL STUDENTS.SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO DR.
WITTED, UH, FOR THEM TO DIG INTO PILLAR ONE, SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IT'S ABOUT, EACH TENANT OF PILLAR ONE AND THE CURRENT STATE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND OUR NEXT STEPS TO EXPAND HAND.
UH, SO PILLAR ONE SPECIFICALLY IN THAT LEGISLATION THAT DR.
ROGERS WAS TALKING ABOUT, IT WAS PASSED IN 2021.
PILLAR ONE SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE HAVE INITIATIVES TO, UM, HAVE ALL FAMILIES ACCESS FULL DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN AT NO COST OR REDUCED COST.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROVIDERS SO THAT THERE'S PARTNERSHIPS AND ALSO EXPANDING THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
IT TALKS ABOUT EXPANDING THE PUBLICLY FUNDED FULL DAY PRE-K FOR ALL FOUR-YEAR-OLDS, AND THEN LOW INCOME THREE-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS.
AGAIN, IN THAT PUBLIC SLASH PRIVATE, UM, SYSTEM, IT'S ALSO LOOKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGH QUALITY EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING EDUCATORS AND THE PARA-EDUCATOR OR TEACHING ASSISTANT THAT'S IN THE CLASSROOM.
IT EXPANDS SUPPORTS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE READINESS, UM, FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN.
PART OF THAT ALSO TALKS ABOUT LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT HALF DAY SESSIONS AND EXPANDING THEM TO FULL DAY SESSIONS, WHILE ALSO BRINGING ON MORE FULL DAY SESSIONS.
THIS ONE TALKS ABOUT THE TIERS THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO WHEN WE HAVE FAMILIES REGISTER, THERE'S A NEW REQUIREMENT THAT WE, UM, COLLECT INCOME INFORMATION FROM THEM TO UNDERSTAND IF THEY'RE TIER ONE, TIER TWO, OR TIER THREE.
SO OUR TIER ONE, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE OFFERED A FULL DAY PROGRAM IF THEY HAVE AN INCOME LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 300% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, WHICH RIGHT NOW IS JUST UNDER $80,000 A YEAR.
AND OTHER AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS ARE STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, STUDENTS, UH, QUALIFYING AS POTENTIAL ENGLISH LEARNERS, STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ARE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.
UM, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IMPLEMENTED CURRENTLY AS WE SPEAK.
AND TIER TWO IS FOCUSED ON FOUR YEAR OLDS.
AGAIN, THE FAMILY INCOME LEVEL CHANGES SLIGHTLY, WHERE IT'S BETWEEN 300 AND NOT MORE THAN 600% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
UM, AGAIN, FAMILIES HAVE THAT CHOICE TO ENROLL OR NOT.
UH, IN JULY OF 2024, WE HAVE TO DISCUSS AND DECIDE WHAT OUR SLIDING SCALE ELIGIBILITY WILL BE.
'CAUSE WE DO HAVE THE OPTION TO CHARGE FAMILIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE TIER TWO.
AND THEN FINALLY, TIER THREE IS, AGAIN, FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAMS FOR A FAMILY INCOME THAT IS MORE THAN 600% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
AND, UM, IT IS ALWAYS THE FAMILY'S OPTION WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO ENROLL THEIR CHILD.
SO HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'VE DONE THIS IN B C P S.
UH, YOU MAY RECALL I MENTIONED HOW WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR HALF DAY SLOTS AND CONVERT THEM TO FULL DAY, AS WELL AS BRING ON MORE FULL DAY SLOTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE OPTION TO SERVE ALL OF OUR FAMILIES.
CURRENTLY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE HAVE A CROSS-DIVISIONAL AND OFFICE GROUP WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR HALF DAY SESSIONS, OUR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE SPACE, WE WORK WITH TRANSPORTATION, WE WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF BUDGETING.
WE WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF STAFFING, WHERE WE LOOK AT IF THERE'S A SCHOOL, FOR INSTANCE, THAT HAS TWO HALF DAY SESSIONS.
WE DON'T WANNA REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE.
THAT'S TYPICALLY 40 STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING.
SO THEN WE'RE LOOKING FOR TWO LOCATIONS, RIGHT? TWO CLASSROOMS WHERE THOSE TWO HALF DAY SESSIONS USED TO BE IN ONE CLASSROOM.
NOW THEY HAVE TO BE IN TWO CLASSROOMS. SO THAT'S THE PATTERN WE'VE BEEN USING TO TRY TO EXPAND.
AND YOU SEE THAT IN, UM, F Y 23, WE EXPANDED TO SIX DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.
AND, UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE FULL DAY SESSIONS AT THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS.
OUR BEUS, BERKSHIRE, CHESAPEAKE TERRACE, CHASE CHURCH LANE, FRANKLIN, GLEN MAR, HALSTED, HARTFORD HILLS, HAWTHORNE, JOA VIEW, LANDSDOWN MAIDEN CHOICE, MARTIN BOULEVARD, MCCORMICK MIDDLESEX, OLIVER BEACH, PERRY HALL, PO HATIN, RIVERVIEW, ROSSVILLE, SANDALWOOD, SANDY PLAINS, SENECA SHADY, SPRING VICTORY, VILLA WHITE, OAK AND WINFIELD.
AND WE HAVE A GOAL TO ADD EVEN MORE SECTIONS FOR THE F Y 25 YEAR HERE.
[02:25:01]
PLUS ADDITIONAL SECTIONS.WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT NUMBER'S GONNA BE LARGER, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE IN THOSE FINAL STAGES OF MEETING WITH THE TEAM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH STAFFING, TRANSPORTATION, SPACE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE LAYERS.
UM, ALSO WHAT WE DO IS WHEN, UH, FAMILIES ENROLL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SERVING MORE THAN JUST TIER ONE STUDENTS CURRENTLY.
SO WHEN FAMILIES ENROLL, UH, WE REQUEST THAT SCHOOLS HOLD, UH, A WAITING LIST.
SO IF YOU ARE NOT A TIER ONE STUDENT OR A FAMILY, YOU'RE ON A WAITING LIST UNTIL AUGUST 25TH.
BUT THEY STILL HOLD FOUR ADDITIONAL SPOTS IN EACH SESSION FOR FAMILIES THAT MAY BE AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS.
AND THEN WE WAIT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15TH, IN WHICH CASE, THEN WE CONTACT THE REST OF THE FAMILIES ON THE WAITING LIST.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE SERVING MORE THAN JUST OUR TIER ONE FAMILIES.
SO, PART OF PILLAR ONE ALSO TALKS ABOUT, UM, TRANSFORMING SOME OF OUR SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
SO WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PROVIDE MORE INCLUSIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
SO AS WE ARE OPENING THESE FULL DAY PROGRAMS, THEY'RE BEING STAFFED WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF STAFFING FORMULA.
SO THEY HAVE A FULL-TIME TEACHER, A FULL-TIME PARA EDUCATOR, AND ADDITIONAL DOLLED ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS A 0.5 SPECIAL EDUCATOR.
THAT'S REALLY FOCUSING ON THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS.
WHAT WE WANNA DO IS, WHILE WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS PROVIDING FULL DAY, UH, PRESCHOOL AND PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOR OUR STUDENTS, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO BRING MORE STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE, INCLUSIVE, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN CURRENTLY IN OUR SERVICE MODEL IS WE, UM, SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE PRE-K, WE WILL IDENTIFY A DIFFERENT SCHOOL WITH PRE-K FOR THEM.
SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE, UH, INTENSIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR OUR EARLY LEARNERS, WE WILL IDENTIFY A DIFFERENT SCHOOL TO SEND TO.
SO WITH THE IDEA OF REALLY BRINGING STUDENTS BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, BE WITH THEIR PEERS, RIDE A NEIGHBORHOOD BUS, WALK TO SCHOOL, OR DRIVE TO SCHOOL, UM, WE ARE REALLY OPTIMIZING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS.
UM, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE'RE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEING DONE IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE OFFICES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE OFFICES OF BIRTH TO FIVE, REALLY LOOKING AT THOSE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES WITH UNIVERSAL DESIGN, UM, EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, AS WELL AS, UM, UTILIZATION OF OUR NEW PRE-K CURRICULUM, WHICH WAS, UH, IMPLEMENTED, UH, PURCHASE LAST YEAR, IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR.
WITTED SPOKE ABOUT THE IDEA OF, UH, PUBLIC, PRIVATE, UH, PARTNERSHIPS WITH PRE-KINDERGARTEN.
THE IDEA IS THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE SEATS FOR ALL STUDENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PRE-K SERVICES.
SO PRIVATE PRE-K PROVIDERS ARE ABLE TO APPLY AND GET APPROVED BY M S D E AS APPROVED PRE-K PROVIDERS.
IF THAT'S THE CASE, AND A FAMILY DECIDES TO, UM, COME TO A BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL, IT MIGHT BE ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT ONLY HAS A HALF DAY PROGRAM CURRENTLY, WE ARE POISED TO TRY TO CONNECT THEM WITH, IF POSSIBLE, A LOCAL PROVIDER WHO IS APPROVED BY M S D E, WHO CAN OFFER A FULL DAY PRE-K PROGRAM, AGAIN, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP, THAT IT IS A COLLECTIVE GOAL FOR THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE, UM, FULL DAY PRE-K AND PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE ON THE GRAPHIC IS THAT, UM, LAST SCHOOL YEAR, 2223, UM, IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, THERE WERE FOUR M S D E SPONSORED, UM, PRIVATE PROVIDERS.
THEY HAD A TOTAL OF 150 SEATS.
THAT MEANS HOW MANY SEATS THEIR WHOLE CHILDCARE CENTERS HAD AVAILABLE.
SO THAT COULD BE THEN WITH STUDENTS FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC OR POSSIBLE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.
IT COULD ALSO BE A STUDENT FROM ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.
THOSE ARE JUST THE ONE, THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE WITHIN THE BALTIMORE COUNTY BOUNDARY FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.
THERE ARE SIX M S D PROVIDERS, WHICH THEN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SEATS WITHIN THEIR PROGRAMS TO 217.
PART OF PILLAR 1.1 REALLY ALSO TALKS ABOUT THE ABILITY OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT PRI PROVIDED PROVIDERS TO CREATE CONTINUITY FOR STUDENTS.
THE IDEA IS THAT YOU MIGHT GO TO A PRESCHOOL IN A PRIVATE PROVIDER, YOU MIGHT GO TO PRE-K, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU MIGHT COME TO US FOR KINDERGARTEN.
AND WE WANNA CREATE THAT COHESIVE PATHWAY.
SO WE WILL PROVIDE, UH, TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TANDEM WITH THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS.
WE, THROUGH A JUDY CENTER GRANT, WE'LL PROVIDE CURRICULUM.
SO THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE SAME CURRICULUM AT THOSE PRIVATE PROVIDERS AS WE'RE OFFERING IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE DO CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE TRAINING FOR THEIR STAFF, AND WE REALLY DO TRY TO CREATE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.
PART OF THE, UH, PILLAR ONE ALSO TALKS ABOUT OUR KINDERGARTEN, KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.
[02:30:01]
THAT ALL THIS WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS IS GONNA PAY DIVIDENDS WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.SO THE K R A IS ADMINISTERED IN THE FALL OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR.
ANY STUDENT ENROLLED IN KINDERGARTEN ON SEPTEMBER 1ST IS ADMINISTERED THE ASSESSMENT.
UM, THIS IS A TEACHER-DRIVEN ASSESSMENT.
SO THEY DO A LOT OF INDIVIDUALIZED ASSESSMENT, UH, COMPONENTS WITH STUDENTS, AS WELL AS SOME GROUP OBSERVATIONAL, UH, DATA COLLECTION.
IT'S ENTERED INTO A SYSTEM, UM, TO M SS D E.
WE USUALLY DON'T GET OUR RESULTS BACK UNTIL DECEMBER OR BEGINNING OF JANUARY.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE DO RECEIVE THEM, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE OTHER MEASURES ALONG THE WAY TO SEE HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE DOING, WE USE THAT AS ALMOST A OKAY, THEY WERE HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
WHAT ARE OUR OTHER MEASURES? TELL US ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE NOW.
WE DO ADMINISTER THE MAP ASSESSMENT IN KINDERGARTEN IN THE WINTER FOR OUR STUDENTS.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S A REALLY GREAT THING FOR TEACHERS TO SEE BECAUSE WHEN WE DO GET THE K R E DATA BACK, THEY CAN SEE WHERE THE STUDENTS WERE AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE AT THE MIDDLE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO YOU CAN START SEEING THE PROGRESS THAT STUDENTS ARE MAKING.
UM, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD OFFICE, AS WELL AS, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSESSMENT PROVIDES TRAINING FOR THE TEACHERS ON HOW TO ADMINISTER THE ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S CONSTANT MONITORING ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ASSESSMENT, THE COMPLETION OF ASSESSMENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADMINISTERING ALL PARTS TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE, THAT FULL PICTURE OF OUR STUDENTS AT WHEN WE RECEIVE THOSE SCORES.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'RE SEEING A THEME WITH, UM, PILLAR ONE.
IT'S REALLY WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR THE WHOLE YOUNG LEARNER FROM, UM, AS EARLY AS BIRTH TO FIVE TO KINDERGARTEN AGE.
SO WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SERVICES FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
UM, OUR EXPANDED FAMILY SUPPORTS ARE REALLY LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE SUPPORTS AND SERVICES FOR OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE THREE, OR UNTIL THEY START IN A SCHOOL SETTING.
SO WE HAVE SOMETHING CALLED JUDY CENTERS.
BALTIMORE COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS FOUR OF THEM AT, UH, CAMPFIELD BEDFORD, HAWTHORNE, UH, BEDFORD LOCATED AT CAMPFIELD, SORRY, HAWTHORNE ELEMENTARY.
JUDY CENTERS, UH, STRIVE TO PROVIDE POSITIVE EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT STUDENTS FIRST TEACHERS ARE THEIR PARENTS, THEIR CAREGIVERS, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
SO JUDY CENTERS PROVIDE THOSE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS AND SERVICES TO FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THEIR YOUNG LEARNERS AT HOME.
THEY DO THINGS LIKE COLLABORATIVE PLAYGROUPS, UM, PARENTING WORKSHOPS, UH, CONNECT FAMILY WITH RESOURCES, CONNECT FAMILIES WITH RESOURCES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
SO IF A PARENT OR CAREGIVER HAS, UH, A NEED FOR, UH, DENTAL ASSISTANCE OR MENTAL HEALTH, UM, SERVICES, EVEN FOR THEIR YOUNGEST CHILDREN, THE DUTY CENTERS SERVE AS A CONDUIT TO HELP PROVIDE THEM ACCESS AND MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THOSE PROGRAMS. THE OTHER EARLY CHILDHOOD, UH, EARLY EARLY SUPPORT OFFERED IS FOR OUR, THROUGH OUR INFANTS AND TODDLERS PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS, UM, STUDENTS WHO, PARENTS, CAREGIVERS WHO HAVE, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT MAYBE THE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES OF THEIR STUDENTS CAN CONTACT OUR OFFICE AND MAKE A REFERRAL FOR THEIR STUDENT TO BE ASSESSED BY INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
INFANTS AND TODDLERS PROVIDE SERVICES TO FAMILIES IN THE MOST NATURAL SETTING.
SO IT COULD BE IN THEIR HOME, IT COULD BE IN THEIR DAYCARE, IT COULD BE AT A LIBRARY, IT COULD BE AT A LOCAL CHURCH.
UM, WE DO HAVE SOME INFANTS AND TODDLER GROUPS THAT MEET IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE GROUP SETTINGS OF THE KIDS TOGETHER.
AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICES TO STUDENTS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE IDEA WITH INFANTS AND TODDLERS IS REALLY THAT FAMILY SUPPORT AND THAT FAMILY AND PARENT TRAINING, SO THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING STUDENTS WORKING ON THOSE DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES, AND AT THE SAME TIME PROVIDING FAMILIES WITH THOSE RESOURCES, TOOLS, AND STRATEGIES TO PROVIDE THOSE EXTRA SUPPORTS FOR THEM.
WE WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
QUESTIONS MR. MCMILLION? UH, DR.
WINSTON, YOU SAID THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, DID YOU SAY $80,000? IT'S, IT'S JUST UNDER THAT.
SO IF I DID MY MATH RIGHT, LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 300% OF THAT, IS THAT 24,000? NO, NO.
THE, THE UP TO 300% POVERTY LEVEL IS A FAMILY INCOME OF JUST UNDER $80,000.
SO 300% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL IS JUST UNDER 80, $80,000.
SO, AND THEN AT A COUPLE PRESENTATIONS THAT PREVIOUSLY YOU TALKED ABOUT, THERE'D BE PRIVATE PROVIDERS MM-HMM.
[02:35:01]
BECOMING CERTIFIED M S D E CER CERTIFIED.SO YOU TALKED ABOUT THERE WAS, THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT MAKING FUNDING AVAILABLE, WHETHER LOANS OR WHATEVER TO THOSE.
SO THE, DID THAT EVER, EVER PROGRESS? SO WHAT, IT'S THROUGH M S D E, SO THE PRIVATE PROVIDER MUST APPLY FOR A GRANT THROUGH THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
AND IF THEY MEET ALL THE CREDENTIALING AND FOLLOW ALL THE SAME REQUIREMENTS THAT PUBLICLY WE'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW, THEY RECEIVE THE FUNDING, THE PER PUPIL ALLOCATION FOR THE FULL DAY STUDENT, AS WE DO AS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION.
BUT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE SAME RULES, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THAT WE FOLLOW IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE FUNDING.
AND YOU WERE CONCERNED AT ONE POINT THAT THERE MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH SEATS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY DIDN'T PURSUE MM-HMM.
THERE WOULD BE SOME COMMUNITIES AND, AND SOME OF MY COMMUNITIES MIGHT BE THERE.
DATO TALKED ABOUT HOW MANY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THAT NUMBER WAS, WE HAVE SIX DIFFERENT PROVIDERS ONLY PROVIDING US WITH 217 SEATS.
SO PART OF THE GOAL IS THAT OUTREACH FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD OFFICE, TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THOSE OTHER LOCAL PROVIDERS WHO MIGHT NOT YET HAVE TAKEN THE LEAP TO APPLY FOR, UM, THEIR M S D CREDENTIALS.
SO WHEN WE ENROLL STUDENTS IN SCHOOL AS KINDERGARTNERS, UM, WE IDENTIFY SOMETHING CALLED PRIOR CARE.
SO WE KNOW WHAT PRESCHOOLS, DAYCARES, CHILDCARE STUDENTS WENT TO AS FOUR YEAR OLDS.
SO LOOKING AT THAT INFORMATION, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, IF, UM, THAT'S A FAMILIES IN A CERTAIN COMMUNITY MIGHT GO TO A B C CHILDCARE CENTER, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SUPPORT A B C CHILDCARE CENTER IN BECOMING AN M S D APPROVED PRIVATE PROVIDER? SO, REACHING OUT TO THEM, PROVIDING THAT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO CONSCIOUS DISCIPLINE TRAINING? WHAT ARE THE, UH, CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE WITH ACCREDITATION? WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN TRY TO DO TO HELP? BECAUSE, AND AGAIN, THE GOAL IS THAT IT'S A MIXED DELIVERY MODEL.
UM, AND WE NEED ALL, NOT JUST THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT ALL PRIVATE PROVIDERS TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR ALL THE STUDENTS.
OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MS. HUMPHREY, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, THE K R A SLIDE.
UM, YOU MENTIONED OTHER TWO QUESTIONS, ACTUALLY.
YOU, ME MENTIONED OTHER MEASURES.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT SOME OF THOSE OTHER MEASURES ARE? AND SECONDLY, ONCE YOU HAVE THAT DATA REGARDING THE K R A AND THE, UM, MEASURES THAT YOU HAVE PRIOR, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT DATA? SO, UM, IN ADDITION TO K R A, WE ADMINISTER THE MAP ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS THE SAME ASSESSMENT WE USE, UM, THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, FOR BOTH READING AND MATH.
UM, WE DO IT FOR KINDERGARTNERS IN THE WINTER AND THEN AGAIN IN THE SPRING.
SO ESSENTIALLY OVER TIME WE'LL HAVE THE K R A, WHICH WOULD BE OUR START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR DATA, OUR MATH, READING AND MATH DATA FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
AND THEN AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, WE ALSO, FOR OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS, DO SOMETHING CALLED THE EARLY LEARNING ASSESSMENT, WHICH WE DO WITH PRE KINDERGARTNERS AS WELL AS KINDERGARTNERS, WHICH IS, AGAIN, A MONITORING OF SOME OF THOSE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS.
SO WE LOOK AT IT ALL TOGETHER.
SO WHEN MAP DATA IS AVAILABLE, BECAUSE DEPENDING ON THE MAP WINDOW, 'CAUSE IT'S A LONG WINDOW, KNOWING THAT SCHOOLS HAVE TO TEST KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS, UM, IF THEY ADMINISTERED EARLY TO THEIR KINDERGARTNERS, UM, THEY MIGHT HAVE THAT DATA AVAILABLE BEFORE THEY EVEN RECEIVE THEIR K R A DATA.
SO AGAIN, UM, SCHOOL TEAMS WILL WORK TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THAT.
WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO, UM, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS, UM, AND OUR RESOURCE TEACHERS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL BUILDING ON HOW TO DISAGGREGATE THAT, TO REALLY LOOK AT, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE SKILLS WHERE STUDENTS ARE SHOWING STRENGTHS? WHERE ARE THE AREAS OF NEED? HOW DOES THAT, AGAIN, COINCIDE WITH WHAT WE SEE GOING ON IN CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY? SO WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON IN A ROOM? HOW DO WE SEE THEM GROUPING STUDENTS? HOW ARE TEACHERS FOLLOWING UP WITH STUDENTS BASED ON THE DATA? UM, AND SO THE K R A, ALTHOUGH WHILE IT'S LAGGING DATA, IT DOES PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MS. BOOKER? DWYER, I JUST HAD A QUESTION REGARDING THE MIXED DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PRE-K AND THE, THE RESOURCE SHARING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO I KNOW THAT THEY GET THE PER PUPIL FUNDING FROM M S D E.
SO IF THEY'RE USING, SO ARE THEY PURCHASING THE CURRICULUM THAT WE'RE USING OR ARE WE ALLOWING THEM ACCESS TO, TO OUR CURRICULUM? UM, OR WE INVITING THEM TO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEY'RE PAYING FOR TO GO? LIKE, COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT, WHO'S PAYING FOR THEM
IT IS NOT COMING FROM B C P S OPERATING BUDGET.
IT IS COMING FROM M S D GRANTS THAT WE MAY APPLY FOR.
THAT IS TO REALLY BUILD THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP.
SO BALTIMORE COUNTY IS AT THE LEAD OF IT HELPING PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES AND
[02:40:01]
THOSE TRAININGS.SO YES, THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS WOULD BE INVITED TO PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
SO AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD A WEEK LONG PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR OUR PRE-K TEACHERS.
PRIVATE PROVIDERS WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE.
UM, SO WE DO TRY TO, AND THERE'S SOME PROVIDERS WHO SAY, WE HAVE OUR OWN PROGRAM, WE DON'T WANT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE OFFER OF THE COLLABORATION AND THE PARTNERSHIP AND REALLY TRYING TO SUPPORT AND LOOKING AT MAYBE SMALLER PROVIDERS WHO DON'T HAVE ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES IN PLACE.
THIS COULD BE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING THEM TO BECOMING M S D ACCREDITED.
AND SO THERE'S NO REAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEM TO, SO THEY, THEY BECOME M S D ACCREDITED, BUT THEN THERE'S NO REAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR B C P S.
WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OVER THEM.
I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS WHAT I'M SAYING, FOR THEM TO IMPLEMENT THE SOUND CURRICULUM FOR THEM TO ENGAGE IN THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MM-HMM.
SO WE STILL CAN'T BE 100% SURE THAT THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS ARE PROVIDING AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT'S COMPARABLE TO B C P S.
BUT ONE OF THE YEAH, I MEAN THEY, THEY DO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION RIGHT.
ACCREDITATION PROCESS, WHICH THEY'RE MONITORED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE THE ENROLLMENT, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE THE STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED, WILL THEY HAVE ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, ENROLL THEIR STUDENTS? DO WE KNOW, I, I GET AFTER THE FACT WHEN THEY COME INTO B C P S, WE KNOW WHICH ONES THEY, THE PRE-KS THAT THEY WENT TO.
UM, BUT WHILE THEY'RE IN PRE-K, IS THERE ANY TYPE OF MONITORING OR, UM, ENROLLMENT THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THEM ON THE B CCP SS SIDE SO THAT WE KNOW, OR IS ALL THAT DATA JUST COMING AFTERWARDS? SO YOU'RE VERY FORWARD THINKING RIGHT NOW? IT IS, UM, NOT VERY SOPHISTICATED.
WE'RE USING EXCEL SPREADSHEETS, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE A CENTRALIZED SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN ACCOUNT FOR THE STUDENTS IN THIS WAY.
WHEN THEY COME TO US, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY'VE BEEN BEFORE, WE ALREADY HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
IS THERE A WAY TO GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT HAD THE NUMBERS OF SEATS? IT WAS LIKE TOWARDS THE BEGINNING IF YOU STILL HAVE IT UP.
SO THAT SLIDE, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
YOU'VE GOT LIKE THE PAST ON THERE AND YOU GOT UP TO LIKE NEXT YEAR MM-HMM.
SO DO WE HAVE A, DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY SEATS WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED? I MEAN, I KNOW THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS, WE JUST WENT TO A STATE CONFERENCE AND THAT IT'S NOT A COUNTY ISSUE.
THE PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE ARE JUST NOT THERE.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY SEATS WE ARE GONNA NEED AND HOW MANY WERE SHORT? UM, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE YES.
SO WE HAVE, UM, WORKED WITH STRATEGIC PLANNING AND THEY WORKED WITH, UM, AN OUTSIDE PROVIDER, SAGE TO COME UP WITH A NUMBER FOR OUR UP TO 300%, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
THAT NUMBER IS 8,000 APPROXIMATELY.
UM, IF WE WANNA SERVE EVERYONE, YOU CAN ASSUME WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 8,000 STUDENTS PER GRADE LEVEL.
SO IF WE WANNA SERVE EVERYONE, THAT WOULD BE 16,000 FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
AND SO HOW MANY FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 YOU HAD ON THAT SLIDE? CORRECT.
WE'RE HOPING WE HAVE 1700 MORE OR WE HAD 1700 TOTAL.
SO 1700 TOTAL FULL DAY, BUT EVENTUALLY FULL DAY.
BUT EVENTUALLY WE MIGHT NEED 8,000 FOR UP TO 300% POVERTY.
WE STILL HAVE THE HALF DAY PROGRAMS ALSO.
SO IT'S NOT THAT IT'S JUST THIS FULL DAY AND THESE ARE THE ONLY WE SERVE.
WE DO HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HALF DAY PROGRAMS, BUT MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE TO OPEN TWO CLASSROOMS AND WE DON'T WANNA LOSE 20 SEATS.
SO WE KEEP THE TWO HALF DAY PROGRAMS. SO THIS ISN'T A TOTALITY OF THIS IS THE TOTALITY OF FULL DAY.
AND I SHOULD KNOW, BUT THE PILLAR SAYS FULL DAY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
SO WE'RE STILL SHORT LOTS OF SEATS.
SO THE 8,000 WOULD BE THE MOST, IF EVERYBODY THAT WE THINK IS OUT THERE DECIDED WE'RE GONNA COME TO SCHOOLS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CLARIFICATION MS. FONG? SO, UM, I, YOU HAD MENTIONED ON THE, UM, ONE SLIDE ABOUT WHERE THE JUDY SCHOOLS ARE THE JUDY CENTERS.
SO I GUESS I WAS THINKING AS FAR AS LIKE THE SERVICES THAT THEY DO, AND I UNDERSTAND WE'RE TRYING TO EXPAND, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE THINGS LIKE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, I GUESS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY THOUGHT GIVEN TO PARTNERING OR PUTTING MORE OF THOSE JUDY CENTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY? OH, IN THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, UM, JUDY CENTERS ARE LOCATED IN OUR TITLE
[02:45:01]
ONE SCHOOLS, WHICH OFTENTIMES ARE ALSO OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, UM, TO EXPAND THOSE PROGRAMS. 'CAUSE THEY DO REQUIRE STAFFING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.WE DO RELY ON AN M S D GRANT TO DO THAT.
UM, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF PACING ALONG WITH WHAT'S AVAILABLE FROM M S D FOR US TO DO THAT.
IT IS ABSOLUTELY A PLAN OF OURS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND IT.
THE, UM, M S D GRANT INFORMATION FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WILL COME OUT IN, UM, BETWEEN APRIL AND MAY.
WHAT WE CAN SAY IS THAT THE WHOLE CONCEPT WITH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, WHICH IS ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, OUT BIRTH OF, OF BLUEPRINT, IS REALLY TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, RESOURCES, CONNECTIONS WITHIN THAT WHOLE COMMUNITY.
SO WHILE A JUDY CENTER HAS A MORE CONCENTRATED FOCUS ON OUR EARLIEST YOUNGEST STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN A COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATORS AND FACILITATORS ARE DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO IT'S NOT JUST THE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND THAT SCHOOL, IT'S TO FUTURE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT ATTEND THAT SCHOOL AND FAMILIES.
SO THE ONE SLIDE WHERE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND I BELIEVE THERE WERE THREE ADULTS.
AND YOU MENTIONED FULL-TIME, FULL-TIME, FULL-TIME, I THINK YOU SAID 0.5 SPECIAL EDUCATORS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE IN A CLASSROOM? SO A 0.5 SPECIAL EDUCATOR SCHOOLS CAN USE IN A VERY VARIOUS WAYS.
SO IF YOU CHOSE TO USE IT, UH, TWO FULL DAYS AND A HALF DAY IS THE EQUIVALENT, OR FIVE HALF DAYS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S THE, THEIR ONLY SPECIAL EDUCATION ALLOCATION.
THIS WAS JUST AN ADDITIONAL WHAT ABOVE, UM, WHAT IS THE STAFFING RATIO FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION? SO IF A SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, THEIR STAFFING RATIO FOR INCLUSION TEACHERS MIGHT BE 2.5.
WE ARE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 0.5 SO THAT THEY HAVE THREE FULL-TIME SPECIAL EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE.
IN SOME CASES, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PROVIDE THAT EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES FOR STUDENTS, BUT IT ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES AS STUDENTS MAY NEED THEM.
AND THEN FOR THE, UM, INDEPENDENTS AND TODDLERS PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A PARENT HAS CONCERNS, SO YOU KIND OF ANSWERED THIS I GUESS, WITH COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATORS GETTING THE WORD OUT, BUT HOW OTHERWISE DOES THE WORD GET OUT THAT THERE'S RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR THESE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND, AND INFANT ISSUES? SO, INFANTS AND TODDLERS, UM, A LOT OF COMMUNICATION COMES OUT FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, SOMETIMES, UH, CHILDREN'S, UM, PEDIATRICIANS MAY RECOMMEND OR REFER THEM OR COMPLETE THE REFERRAL.
UM, STUDENTS WHO ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN PREMATURELY ARE MORE LIKELY AUTOMATICALLY, UM, RECOMMENDED FOR INFANTS AND TODDLER SERVICES, AT LEAST FOR THE PARENTS TO EXPLORE THAT.
UM, SO, UH, LAST SCHOOL YEAR, UM, THERE WERE, UH, 2,700 REFERRALS TO INFANTS AND TODDLERS.
UM, AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THEY ENDED UP SERVING, UM, 3,215 STUDENTS CHILDREN, UM, AGES, BIRTH TO THREE.
SO INFANTS AND TODDLERS DOES PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, A VARIETY OF SERVICES AND THERE'S VARIOUS PROVI UH, WAYS THAT WE SUPPORT FAMILIES IN ACCESSING THOSE.
AND THEN LAST PIECE RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO BLUEPRINT, UM, AND THE FULL-TIME DAYCARE.
SO THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS CAN GET TRAINED BY US, BUT IS THERE, UH, SO TWO QUESTIONS THEN, I GUESS.
DO THEY HAVE ANY REQUIREMENT THEN TO SERVE B C P S STUDENTS? BECAUSE RIGHT IN THE FACILITY, IT COULD BE OTHER AREAS, BUT IF B C P S IS PAYING FOR THAT TRAINING OR APPLYING FOR THE GRANT, I GUESS, SO THAT, UM, THEY CAN GET THE TRAINING, IS THERE TYPE, ANY TYPE OF COMMITMENT THEN THAT WE RESERVE THE, THE PROVIDER WILL RESERVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SEATS FOR B C P S STUDENTS.
AND THEN HOW MANY ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMS WHEN YOU PUT IT OUT THERE TO THEM.
SO THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT THEY, UM, HOLD SEATS FOR US TO, TO ANSWER THAT PART OF THE QUESTION.
UM, AND THEN AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS OF OUR STUDENTS, AGAIN, WE JUST HAVE EXCEL SPREADSHEETS.
WE DON'T HAVE A REALLY SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM, UM, TO FIND THAT OUT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT WE PROVIDED TO YOU THAT THERE WERE, THAT THE 200 SEATS FOR THIS YEAR AND IT WAS A HUNDRED AND I FORGET WHAT LAST YEAR.
SO IS THAT THE NUMBER OF PROVIDERS? THAT'S THE NUMBER OF SEATS.
WE HAD FOUR PROVIDERS LAST YEAR AND SIX PROVIDERS THIS YEAR.
SO IF IT'S A CHILDCARE CENTER THAT HAS, UM, YOU KNOW, FIVE PRESCHOOL CLASSROOMS AND FIVE PRE-K CLASSROOMS, IT WOULD BE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CHILDREN THEY COULD ENROLL IN THAT CHILDCARE CENTER.
SO, AND AS FAR AS YOUR QUESTION, AS FAR AS THE, YOU KNOW, ENROLLING A BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENT, SO IF THEY ENROLL A BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENT THAT MEETS THE, UM, TIER ONE ELIGIBILITY, THEY GET THE EQUIVALENT OF THE PER PUPIL ALLOCATION
[02:50:01]
FUNDING FOR THAT STUDENT.SO THERE IS A FISCAL MOTIVATION MM-HMM.
AND THEN, JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THE RESPONSE, SO WHAT YOU'RE PROVIDING IS THE NUMBER OF, OF SEATS THAT THE PROVIDER HAS, BUT MY QUESTION WAS HOW MANY PROVIDERS? SO WE'RE NOT SURE PROVIDERS.
IT WAS FOUR PROVIDERS LAST YEAR AND SIX PROVIDERS THIS YEAR.
YEAH, THAT WAS, I CANNOT ANSWER THAT LINE.
UM, I'M JUST LAUGHING 'CAUSE WE WENT TO A, A STATE CONFERENCE AND THE POOR PRESENTERS WERE GETTING KIND OF BEAT UP WITH, 'CAUSE IT ALL ADDS UP.
AND THIS IS JUST PILLAR ONE WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT.
SO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING ALL THAT INFORMATION, FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.
[P. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING (10:00 - 10:15 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING.SO, UM, AGAIN, FEEL FREE TO PASS IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
UH, UM, MR. DESI, CAN I START? YOU'RE GOOD.
OKAY, MS. LESKI, I, I REALLY LIKE THAT SOMEBODY MENTIONED NEXT WEEK IS KINDNESS WEEK, SO THAT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO REMEMBER.
UM, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE BRAVERY OF OUR STUDENT SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
I AM GRATEFUL THAT THEY CAME TO SPEAK THIS EVENING BECAUSE THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS ARE SO IMPORTANT.
I ENCOURAGE US, ENCOURAGE US AS A BOARD TO PROHIBIT POLITICAL NOISE FROM DROWNING OUT THE VOICES OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OR ABILITY TO SPEAK UP FOR THEMSELVES.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE US TO PROHIBIT POLITICAL NOISE FROM DISTRACTING US, FROM OUR FOCUS ON STUDENT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, PUTTING OUR STUDENT FIRST AND OUR DECISION MAKING AND LOOKING TO DATA WHEN MAKING DECISIONS TO SUPPORT EACH AND EVERY STUDENT.
I JUST WANT TO, UH, LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE IS MEETING NEXT MONTH, NOVEMBER 6TH, MONDAY AT 5:00 PM AND WE ENCOURAGE, UH, THE COMMUNITY TO PLEASE ATTEND.
UM, AND I JUST, WE HAD A VERY LONG WAITING LIST TONIGHT, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
SO THOSE SPEAKERS, IF YOU'RE STILL LISTENING, UM, CAN SEND US THEIR COMMENTS.
WE DO GET ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT YOU SEND TO THE BOE@BCPS.ORG.
SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT, UM, AND TRYING TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
AND THE LAST THING ARE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
MS. HEN MS. I'M SORRY, MS. HEN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR AGENDA ITEMS? NO.
I'LL JUST SAY GOODNIGHT AND PASS.
[Q. ANNOUNCEMENTS (10:15 p.m.)]
LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, 2023 AT 6:30 PM THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.