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THIS IS VICE CHAIRWOMAN CHRISTINA PUMPHREY.
IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR, I CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2024.
THIS EVENING'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON BCPS TV.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTER VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
[A. CLOSED SESSION]
INTO CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED BY THE OPENS MEETING.OPEN MEETINGS ACT AS FOUND IN THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND GENERAL 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.
IS THERE A SECOND SECONDS FROM PONG? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. LECTER.
WHAT'S UP LOUD? MS. CHICA? MS. LESKY? YES.
I THIS IS VICE CHAIRWOMAN CHRISTINA HUMPHREY.
IN THE ABSENCE OF THE CHAIR, I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2024.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO BE LED BY MS. CHICA KALU.WE'LL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH DELIBERATELY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON BCPS TV.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY A ROLL CALL VOTE AND I'M FROZEN AGAIN.
[C. AGENDA (6:35 p.m.)]
THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE OCTOBER 8TH AGENDA.DR. ROGERS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO I AM UNAWARE OF ANY CHANGES, BUT MS. HEN THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
I MOVE TO AMEND TONIGHT'S AGENDA TO INCLUDE AFTER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE A NEW AGENDA ITEM FOR QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.
AND DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND DOKI, ANY DISCUSSION? MS. N? THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
AS THERE ARE SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT TOPICS, UM, THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS MAY HAVE QUESTIONS ON, I WOULD APPRECIATE TIME TO BE ALLOTTED FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THOSE INCLUDE AN UPDATE ON THE CELL PHONE, UM, PILOT AND A MIRROR UPDATE AND A CODE OF CONDUCT UPDATE FOR STARTERS.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? CAN I GET A ROLL CALL VOTE MS. LICHTER? NO.
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 ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, EXCUSE ME, OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER
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THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.AND CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
THE CLOSED SESSION SUMMARY AND OPEN SESSION INFORMATION SUMMARY CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS UNDER THIS BOARD MEETING AGENDA DATES.
[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, VICE CHAIR, POEY, SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING, PERSONNEL MATTERS, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES DECEASED RECOGNITION OF SERVICE AND CERTIFICATE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBITS D ONE THROUGH D FIVE? SO MOVE LICHTER.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM PONG.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. LUTER? YES.
[E. PUBLIC COMMENT (6:50 - 7:30 p.m.)]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE BOARD PROVIDES TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND RECEIVE THE ADVICE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
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 HOME AND SECURITY UNIT AND OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY HAS RECOMMENDED SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS, WHICH ARE POSTED IN THE BOARDROOM AND AVAILABLE IN BOARD DOCS AND ON THE BOARD'S PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC WEBSITE.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT ON POLICY PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD AND THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, IT 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.
INAPPROPRIATE PERSONAL REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR SUCH AS LANGUAGE THAT PROMOTES VIOLENCE AGAINST A-P-C-P-S EMPLOYEE OR THAT DISRUPTS OR INTERFERES WITH THE CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING ARE OUT OF ORDER AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
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 TELL YOU, WHICH WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF AT THE END OF YOUR TIME OR PRIOR TO THAT TIME AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD CHAIR.
I NOW CALL ON OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AFFILIATED GROUPS TO SPEAK.
AND OUR FIRST SPEAKERS ARE JORDAN SAL AND SAM PARKER FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENT COUNCIL.
GOOD EVENING VICE CHAIRMAN, MS. EY, DR. ROGERS STUDENT MEMBER, MS. TK KLU, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M JORDAN SELD, THE BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK GIVING YOU ANOTHER UPDATE ON BC'S PROGRESS.
I'M THE BBC SC COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIRECTOR WHERE I OVERSEE ALL OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH WITHIN THE BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENT COUNCIL.
TOMORROW OCTOBER 9TH, WE HAVE OUR VERY FIRST VIRTUAL SEMINAR OF THE SCHOOL YEAR OPEN TO ALL BPS STUDENTS.
THIS SEMINAR IS FOCUSED ON ADVOCACY AND WILL BOTH TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES AND ALLOW AN OPEN SPACE FOR DISCUSSION ON PRE-PLANNED QUESTIONS RELATING TO ADV ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN BCPS.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE ACTIVITIES INCLUDING A VIRTUAL SCAVENGER HUNT.
WE ALSO HOPE THAT THIS SEMINAR WILL RESULT IN MORE STUDENTS ENGAGING WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WE WILL BE JOINED BY A SPECIAL GUEST FOR THIS TOPIC, OUR WONDERFUL SMA OMA WHO WILL SHARE HER ADVICE ON ADVOCACY AND STUDENT LEADERSHIP.
WE HOPE TO GET A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS TO ATTEND.
CHECK OUT THE BCSE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS FOR MORE INFO.
OUR NEXT SEMINAR WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 6TH WITH A THEME OF MENTAL HEALTH.
SO ASIDE FROM THE SEMINAR, WE ALSO RECENTLY INTRODUCED OUR VERY FIRST EDITION OF THE BCSE BUZZ, THE BCSE BUZZ AS OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT CONTAINS IMPORTANT UPDATES REGARDING BCSE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, UPDATES FROM EACH DEPARTMENT IN OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD, OUR UPCOMING EVENTS, AND MUCH MORE.
EACH MONTH OUR NEWSLETTER IS SHARED WITH EVERY STUDENT THROUGH THE BCPS.
SCHOOLOGY ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN AMAZING AND CONTINUES TO INCREASE WITH EACH ISSUE FLASHING BACK TO LAST MONTH.
WE ALSO HOSTED OUR FIRST EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING OF THE YEAR WITH OUR 40 PLUS EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS.
AT THIS MEETING, WE TOOK THE INITIAL STEPS IN PASSING OUR BYLAWS FOR THE 2024 TO
[00:10:01]
25 SCHOOL YEAR.STUDENTS CAN REVIEW OUR MINUTES ON OUR BCSC WEBSITE.
OUR NEXT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING IS ON OCTOBER 16TH.
ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE EXCITED TO BE PROMOTING THE BCPS VOTER EDUCATION SPIRIT WEEK, ALONG WITH THE PARKVILLE NAACP CHAPTER AND THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
STUDENTS SHOULD LOOK IN THEIR CAFETERIA DURING LUNCH FOR A TABLE WITH EITHER A STUDENT ORGANIZATION OR ANOTHER ADULT HELPING THEM TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
ONCE YOU REGISTER, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR EYE REGISTERED STICKER.
CHECK OUT BOTH OUR INSTAGRAM AND THE TEAM BCPS INSTAGRAM FOR DAILY POSTS ABOUT THE SPEAR WEEK.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, WE ARE ALSO SO VERY EXCITED TO ALREADY BE STARTING THE PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE BCSE DECEMBER GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND WE'LL BE BRINGING MORE UPDATES TO YOU LATER ON.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK HERE AGAIN TONIGHT AND FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE STUDENTS OF BCPS.
WE HAVE NO SPEAKER SIGN UP UNDER OUR UNIONS OR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUPS.
SO NEXT ARE OUR INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS AND STUDENT GROUPS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JEFFREY FRIEDMAN.
HELLO, DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS JEFF FRIEDMAN AND I'M AN 18 YEAR VETERAN TEACHER WITH BCPS.
WHEN DID YOU START SCHOOL EACH YEAR? I'M PRETTY CERTAIN IT WAS ALWAYS AFTER LABOR DAY.
SO WHY ARE WE BEING TOLD THAT WE HAVE TO BEGIN BEFORE? BECAUSE THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE SAYS THIS IS RIGHT BECAUSE THEY INSISTED FIVE DAYS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CALENDAR WILL ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HELPING OUR STUDENTS TAKE STANDARDIZED TESTS.
FIVE DAYS THAT ARE BEING USED FOR SYLLABI AND GETTING TO KNOW YOU ACTIVITIES.
WHERE IS THE DATA TO PROVE THIS PRACTICE MAKES SENSE AS HELPING STUDENTS? CAN YOU ACTUALLY PRODUCE THIS DATA? YOU CAN'T BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ANY.
AND WHY IS IT THAT OUR NEIGHBORING CARROLL IN HARTFORD COUNTY START AFTER LABOR DAY EVERY YEAR AND HAVE BETTER DATA AND TEST SCORES THAN WE DO? CLEARLY ITS ARGUMENT IS INVALID.
AND HOW ABOUT THE ARGUMENT THAT SUMMER CAMP STOPPED MID-AUGUST? THIS IS ONLY THE CASE BECAUSE WE WERE STARTING SCHOOL BEFORE LABOR DAY.
IF WE OPEN LATER, THE CAMPS WOULD ALSO STAY OPEN LATER.
SO DO THE PUBLIC A FAVOR AND DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE HEARING.
LOOK AT THE NUMEROUS POLLS THAT BCPS HAS CONDUCTED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS ASKING FAMILY, STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHEN THEY FEEL SCHOOL SHOULD START.
LOOK AT THE ONLINE PETITION FOR BCPS TO START AFTER LABOR DAY.
LOOK AT THE NUMEROUS PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAVE COME TO SPEAK AT THE BOARD MEETINGS EACH AND EVERY YEAR, MOST OF WHICH STOP SHOWING UP BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HEARD SINCE 2020.
THE OVERWHELMINGLY THEY OVERWHELMINGLY WANT SCHOOL TO START AFTER LABOR DAY.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE HAS A STRANGLEHOLD OVER THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VOTES.
THEY EVEN CLAIM THIS YEAR THAT THEY WOULDN'T EVEN ENTERTAIN A POST LABOR DAY OPTION AND WOULDN'T EVEN PROVIDE ONE TO THE BOARD WHEN MULTIPLE PEOPLE, MULTIPLE MEMBERS ASKED, DID YOU KNOW THAT OVER ONE THIRD OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE IS ACTUALLY IN FAVOR OF A POST-LAB DAY START? AND IT APPEARS THAT THE MAJORITY MEMBERS ARE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO QUIET THESE VOICES.
EVEN WORSE, MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON THIS CALENDAR COMMITTEE, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND NOT RENOMINATED.
ALL THESE PEOPLE STRONGLY PUSHED FOR A POST LABOR DAY START.
SO WHAT IS REALLY BETTER FOR STUDENTS? ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU'RE VOTING FOR? STUDENTS IN CAROL AND HARTFORD COUNTIES HAVE FOUND CONTINUED SUCCESS IN SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS, NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK, ALL OF WHICH START POST LABOR DAY ARE RANKED HIGHER THAN US BY THE US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT.
SO KNOW THE DATA CLEARLY SHOWS THAT STARTING SCHOOL FIVE DAYS BEFORE LABOR DAY DOES NOT HAVE ANY POSITIVE EFFECT.
THE CONSTANT CLOSURES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ARE ACTUALLY MORE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR STUDENTS' LEARNING.
INSTEAD PLACE THOSE FIVE DAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CALENDAR WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE ALREADY IN SCHOOL.
RETHINK THE HOLIDAY PROFESSIONAL DAYS AND KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN.
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CLOSE FOR EVERY SINGLE HOLIDAY PLACE, PROFESSIONAL DAYS ON NON HOLIDAYS SO ALL TEACHERS CAN GET THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT IS ILLEGAL TO CLOSE FOR RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY, WHICH IS WHAT THE FAVORED CALENDAR WOULD DO.
FOR ANYONE LISTENING TO THIS WHO AGREES WITH ME.
WE NEED TO PLACE MUCH PRESSURE ON OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO LISTEN TO THE MAJORITY START AFTER LABOR DAY AND MAKE THE CALENDAR WORK THE BATTLE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND MAKE SENSE WILL NOT END UNTIL THIS SITUATION IS RESOLVED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMY ADAMS. DR. FRY, WE'RE OKAY.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PARENTS STUDENT COALITION HASN'T PROVIDED PUBLIC COMMENT LATELY, BUT WE'VE STILL BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TONIGHT.
THERE ARE THREE TOPICS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEAVILY DISCUSSING IN OUR COALITION GROUP IN RECENT WEEKS.
THE LAST BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING CONCLUDED IN UNDER AN HOUR, WHICH IS GREAT FOR THE ADULTS SITTING HERE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS? THE AGENDA DIDN'T CONTAIN ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ACADEMIC SAFETY, THE BUDGET OR SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE GAPS CURRENTLY HAPPENING.
SO BOARD MEMBERS, WHY ARE YOU HERE? ALSO, WHAT'S THE GOAL OF THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION MEETINGS? THE FIRST SAFETY MEETING HAD ABOUT 40 ATTENDEES AND EIGHT PEOPLE WATCHING ONLINE.
THE FIRST CURRICULUM MEETING HAD ABOUT 20
[00:15:01]
ATTENDEES AND EIGHT PEOPLE ONLINE.WHY ARE SO MANY BCPS FAMILIES NOT ENGAGED? IS IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL HEARD? IS IT BECAUSE OF THE FORMAT WHICH CAN CONTROLS THE OUTCOME OF THE MEETINGS AND MINIMIZES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DISCUSSION? SECOND, WE HAVE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS COALITION FAMILIES AND CURRENT AND FORMER SLPS THAT ONCE AGAIN, BCPS HAS NOT PREPARED THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE LAW MANDATED SLP SERVICES.
CURRENT SLPS HAVE OVERLOAD CASES THAT ARE NOT EX EXECUTABLE.
KIDS ARE BEING GROUPED INSTEAD OF GETTING INDIVIDUAL SERVICES AS REQUIRED IN THEIR IEPS.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT PARENTS ARE GETTING LETTERS TELLING THEM THAT THERE ARE NO SLPS AT THEIR SCHOOLS? LAST YEAR A CONTRACT WAS APPROVED TO SOLVE THIS ONGOING SHORTAGE.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THAT TONIGHT? THERE'S ANOTHER CONTRAST TO CONTRACT TO HOPEFULLY SOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUE, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, HOW IS THE SYSTEM GOING TO MAKE UP THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF SPEECH SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN MISSED OVER THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO INFORM ALL WHO HAVE MISSED? IT SHOULD NOT ONLY BE PARENTS WITH ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES WHOSE CLIENTS GET COMP COMPETENCE SERVICES.
ON JUNE 4TH, A CONTRACT WAS BRIEFLY PRESENTED AND VOTED ON BY ALL FOUR CURRICULUM MEMBERS, ALL FIVE CURRICULUM MEMBERS.
THE CONTRACT WAS FOR $2 MILLION FOR A ONE YEAR PILOT OF TWO SECONDARY ELA CURRICULA WITH A FINAL EVALUATION IN MARCH, 2025.
DEDO STATED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT IT WOULD, STARTING THIS YEAR, PILOTS WOULD RUN FOR THE FULL SCHOOL YEAR BETTER TO TEST THE PRODUCT PRODUCT BETTER, TO GET FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS AND TO ASSURE IT WAS MAKING EDUCATIONAL IMPACT THAT OUR STUDENTS SO DESPERATELY NEED.
WHY ARE WE HEARING FROM TEACHERS THAT FIVE WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, ONE OF THE PROGRAMS STUDY SYNC IS BEING HALTED AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER AND TEACHERS WILL NOW HAVE TO SHIFT TO THE ONE REMAINING PILOT PROGRAM? MY PERSPECTIVES TEACHERS HAVE BEEN TOLD IT'S A SCHOOL SCHOOLOGY COMPATIBILITY ISSUE.
BUT HOW CAN THAT BE WHEN OTHER SYSTEMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS PRODUCT WITH SCHOOLOGY? LAST MAY, THE INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT COMPLETED AN AUDIT OF THE ELA DEPARTMENT'S CURRICULUM REVIEW PROCESS AND DISCLOSED NO REPORTABLE ISSUES YET THE MY VIEW LITERACY PILOT WAS A DISASTER FOLLOWED BY HMH INTO LITERATURE AND NOW STUDY SYNC.
HOW WERE NO ISSUES FOUND AND WHAT ARE THE ACCURACY OF THESE AUDITS? THE LAST CURRICULUM COMMITTEE MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 19TH WAS CANCELED WITHOUT A REASON GIVEN OR RESCHEDULED DATE POSTED.
DR. ROGERS, ARE WE NOW LEFT WITH ONLY ONE OPTION FOR A SECONDARY ELA CURRICULUM? AFTER YEARS OF GREAT NEED, MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, THE VETTING PROCESS, MULTIPLE FAILED PILOTS AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCE TEACHERS SAYING IT WAS FAVORITE OF THE THREE OPTIONS, WHO IS VETTING THESE PROGRAMS? WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE SIGNING OFF ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOW HAS THIS PROCESS FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS? HOW WILL TEACHERS BE ADEQUATELY TRAINED AND YET ANOTHER PROGRAM MIDYEAR? IS ONE DAY OF PD ENOUGH ON THE DAY BEFORE LAUNCH OF A BRAND NEW CURRICULUM? WILL THEY HAVE MATERIALS ON DAY ONE? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT STUDENT OUTCOMES TO BE IF YOU KEEP CHANGING EVERYTHING ON BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AND PLEASE WHO IS IN CHARGE OF MAKING THESE DECISIONS? IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE TO BE SO CHAOTIC.
IT'S REALLY HARMING THE CHILDREN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. SHARON SOFF.
I'M BEGINNING TO FEEL LIKE A BROKEN RECORD.
YOU CANNOT FOLLOW AN IEP CORRECTLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOM.
I AM SEEING MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF SCHOOLS LOOKING AT AN IEP SEEING ADDITIONAL ADULT SUPPORT AND NOT BOTHERING TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THE KID NEEDS A ONE-ON-ONE.
I HAVE MULTIPLE CLIENTS WHO ARE ELOPING FROM CLASSROOMS IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MOST RECENTLY WAS YESTERDAY.
THAT'S A SAFETY AND SECURITY ISSUE.
IF A CHILD IS LEAVING THE BUILDING AND GOING DOWN THE STREET AND HAS TO BE CHASED, WHY? BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE PROPER SUPPORT FOR THAT CHILD AS PER THE IEP.
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE SUMMER.
I KNOW I'VE SAID THAT THIS YEAR.
I'M, SEE I'M HEARING SOMETHING NEW IN IEP MEETINGS, SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT A CALENDAR IS.
I WAS IN A MEETING YESTERDAY AND I HAD A SERVICE PROVIDER SAID TO ME THAT SHE HADN'T TAKEN A LOOK AT THE CHILD'S IEP.
SHE HADN'T SPOKEN TO THE TEACHER AND WE WERE ONLY IN WEEK FOUR.
I BELIEVE WE'RE IN WEEK SEVEN.
I BELIEVE WE'VE ALREADY PASSED INTERIMS. THAT'S NOT AN EXCUSE TO NOT FOLLOW.
[00:20:01]
IEPS ARE FOLLOWED FROM DAY ONE AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT'S REPORTING THIS.IF YOU LOOK ONLINE ON MULTIPLE FACEBOOK GROUPS, YOU HEAR IT FROM PARENTS WHO ARE SAYING THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TOLD.
SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE NOT PROVIDING SERVICES STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
NOW I HAVE CLIENTS WHO STILL AREN'T GETTING THEM.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND IN PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEARS, NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE IN A GENERAL EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT.
I REFER TO THAT AS INCLUSION DONE WRONG.
SOME KIDS DO NOT FUNCTION IN A GENERAL ED ENVIRONMENT AND NEED TO HAVE THEIR SCHOOLING SPECIAL ED, THEIR SERVICES OUTSIDE OF THAT GENERAL ED ENVIRONMENT.
SPECIAL EDUCATION IS NOT ABOUT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
THIS IS MY PART ONE ABOUT THE CALENDAR FOR YOU.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE CALENDAR, WHICH HAS BEEN OF INTEREST TO ME SINCE 1995, DR. BERGER TELLS ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TELLS ABOUT THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION, THE QUANTITY OF EDUCATION.
SO IN THE LAST MEETING, MS. BIELSKI PRESENTED AND STATED THAT THE PROPOSED CALENDAR HAS FIVE REASONS IT'LL HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON EDUCATION.
WELL, I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER SINCE 1995 WHEN DR. BERGER APPOINTED ME AND EVERYBODY APPOINTED ME EVER SINCE UNTIL THIS YEAR MY NAME WAS REMOVED.
THE SCHOOL MANAGES WHETHER IT IS PRE-LABOR OR POST LABOR.
IT'S REALLY THERE IS NO OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE THAT TELLS THAT THE CALENDAR BEFORE LABOR IS BETTER EDUCATION.
IT'S REALLY A PERSONAL PREFERENCE OF THE POWERS TO BE IN THE, UH, CALENDAR COMMITTEE.
AND I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DRAW TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT HARFORD COUNTY SCHOOL IS A GOOD SCHOOL AND KAREN COUNTY IS A GOOD SCHOOL AND THEY START POST LABOR.
SO DOES THAT MEAN THEY ARE HURTING THEIR STUDENTS' EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY ARE STARTING AFTER LABOR? WE ARE BETTER BECAUSE WE ARE STARTING BEFORE LABOR.
UH, DO WE MEAN THAT HARVARD COUNTY IS A DIFFERENT COUNTRY? CHINA, THEY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE, THE SAME RELIGION, THE SAME COLORS, THE SAME ETHNICITIES, SAME PROFESSIONS, AND UM, TO ME, I THINK MAKING IT ALWAYS POST LABOR IS COMMON SENSE NUMBER ONE.
AND WE NEED TO BE UNITED WITH DIFFERENT COUNTIES.
I KNOW LOCAL CONTROL IS IMPORTANT, BUT IN THIS ONE IT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER TO DO IT.
ABOVE ALL, THE COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN YOUR DECISION WHETHER IT'S PRE-LABOR OR POST LABOR, AND THEY GAVE YOU ONLY PRE-LABOR.
I THINK YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT YOU DECIDE SIDE.
YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE THAT DECIDES FOR THE COMMITTEE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO AHEAD OF HAND AND NOT REALLY BE BOXED IN BY RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU WILL HAVE HARD TIME CHANGING IT IN THE LAST MINUTE.
I THANK YOU AND I WILL CONTINUE AND THANK YOU.
DO I SET OR LEAVE? YOU CAN, YES.
WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER FROM OUR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUPS.
UM, IT'S BRIANNA NAVE FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY EDUCATION JUSTICE
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TABLE.HELLO DR. ROGERS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS BRIANNA NAVE AND I'M A DIGITAL STORYTELLER AND ADVOCATE FOR YOUTH JUSTICE AND EDUCATION.
WHILE DOCUMENTING THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, I NOTICED THERE WAS NOT ONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD WHO SPOKE UP FOR HB 200, A BILL THAT INCLUDED KEY AMENDMENTS TO STREAMLINE FUNDING AND RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS OUR COUNTY'S CHALLENGES AND ADVOCATE FOR THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED.
AND YOUR SILENCE SPOKE VOLUMES.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY EDUCATION JUSTICE TABLE TO EMPHASIZE THAT CREATING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS NOT JUST A POLICY DECISION.
IT'S AN ACT OF COMMITMENT TO OUR MOST UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
THESE SCHOOLS HAVE THE POWER TO TRANSFORM MARGINALIZED NEIGHBORHOODS BY PROVIDING EQUITABLE RESOURCES AND A SAFE, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY CHILD TO THRIVE.
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ARE BUILT ON SIX ESSENTIAL PILLARS, CULTURALLY RELEVANT CURRICULUMS, HIGH QUALITY TEACHING, RESTORATIVE DISCIPLINE, INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP, ROBUST FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES.
BUT BCPS NEEDS TO BACK THESE WORDS WITH ACTION BY BEING TRANSPARENT, PROACTIVE, AND BY TRULY PARTNERING WITH US.
WITHOUT LEADERSHIP THAT INCLUDES THE VOICES OF FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
WE ARE LEFT WITH EMPTY PROMISES IN A DISCONNECTED POLICY, I URGE THE BOARD TO MOVE BEYOND WORDS, BE THE ADVOCATE WE NEED TO INVEST IN A MODEL THAT ENSURES OUR CHILDREN'S WELLBEING AND SUCCESS.
ARE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS A TRUE PRIORITY OR ARE THEY JUST ANOTHER BOX THAT YOU CHECK WITHOUT REAL COMMITMENT? THANK YOU.
NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED 20 25 20 26 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JEFFREY FRIEDMAN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHARON SOFF.
I'M GONNA CHIME IN ON MORE OF THE SAME AS FAR AS WHAT YOU'VE BEEN HEARING TONIGHT.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF HAVING A CALENDAR THAT STARTS BEFORE LABOR DAY.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE.
WHAT I HAVE BEEN SEEING SINCE WE STARTED BEFORE LABOR DAY IS A CUT IN A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED TO STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
AND FRANKLY, IF YOU WANNA BE TECHNICAL ABOUT IT, THERE ARE OTHER STUDENTS WHO BENEFIT FROM HAVING ACCESS TO SUMMER SCHOOL THAT'S LONGER THAN A MONTH, OR IN THIS CASE THAT THIS PARTICULAR, UH, PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR, UM, AN EXCUSE FOR A MONTH BECAUSE IT REALLY WASN'T A MONTH.
UM, WHEN I KIDS STARTED IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM BACK IN 2024, EXCUSE ME, 20 2004, MY KIDS BOTH HAD IEPS AND THEY BOTH BENEFITED FROM EXTENDED YEAR SERVICES THAT WERE SIX WEEKS LONG.
AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED IN QUITE A WHILE.
WE NEED TO HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN A CALENDAR THAT SAYS I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL SUMMER AND GET SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I MISSED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, OR BE ABLE TO BACK UP AND NOT LOSE WHAT I HAD LEARNED IN THAT SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THAT GOES FOR BOTH SPECIAL NEEDS AND NON-SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS.
I COME FROM A STATE WHERE WE STARTED AFTER LABOR DAY, WE WENT TO THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, WE HAD A FEBRUARY BREAK.
I'M DYSLEXIC AND I GOT MY COLLEGE DEGREE BECAUSE I LEARNED WHAT I NEEDED TO LEARN.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I DIDN'T SEE HALF OF THE THINGS IN THAT SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT I'M SEEING NOW IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD, LOOK AT THE RESEARCH, RESEARCH AND GIVE EVERYONE A REAL CHOICE BETWEEN BEFORE AND AFTER LABOR DAY, MEANINGFUL BREAKS, MEANINGFUL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
AND NOT THAT I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN MY HOLLI, MY MOST
[00:30:03]
CONS, MY MOST IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS IN ORDER TO TAKE THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT I SO BADLY NEED.MADAM CHAIR, CAN I HAVE THE THREE MINUTES OF JEFF? 'CAUSE I REALLY DON'T WANT TO RUSH IT.
YOU SEE, I'M A LAW ABIDING CITIZEN.
ALRIGHT, SO KINDLY REALLY FOLLOW MY THOUGHTS ON WHAT I SENT YOU.
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM STARTS 10 DAYS IN AUGUST IN PREPARATION OF THE SCHOOLS.
I PERSONALLY, I HAVE THREE BOARDS UNDER MY BELT AND I LISTENED, LISTENED, LISTENED IN PAST YEARS, IT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER TO TAKE 10 DAYS TO PREPARE FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THERE ARE SOFTWARES, THERE ARE HARDWARES, THERE ARE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.
THEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE SEPTEMBER, 2025, THE SCHOOL CLOSES ON THE JEWISH NEW YEAR'S, A LATER ON SCHOOL CLOSE ON THE LUNAR NEW YEAR.
SO I WONDER WHY NOT CLOSE ON ISLAMIC NEW YEAR TWO, IT'S ABOUT EQUALITY.
AND IF NOT, THEN THAT'S DISPARITY.
THIS IS THE MOST WASTEFUL MONTH IN THE CALENDAR.
THERE ARE FOUR AND A HALF DAYS THAT THE SCHOOL IS CLOSED, AND IT IS REALLY NOTABLE THAT YO KIPPUR COMES NINE DAYS AFTER ROSH HASHANAH.
SO JUST REALLY IMAGINE THAT THE TEACHERS IN THE GO MODE, THE STUDENTS IN THE GO MODE, AND HERE COMES IN AND WE ARE OFF.
AND NOT ONLY WE ARE OFF FOR ONE DAY, FOUR AND A HALF DAYS.
THEN YOU GO INTO, AND BY THE WAY, OCTOBER 31ST IS CLOSURE THREE HOURS EARLY IN NOVEMBER.
I HAVE AN IDEA FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
I LOVE THANKSGIVING, BUT TRULY THAT'S A HOLIDAY WHERE ALL OUR ANCESTORS BASICALLY TOOK THE LAND FROM NATIVE AMERICANS.
AND I HONESTLY DON'T THINK IT IS REALLY FAIR THAT WE JUST TAKE OFF FOR HOLIDAYS.
WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE STUDENTS WHAT THEY ARE FOR AND WHAT THEY TRULY MEAN.
WINTER BREAK IS CALLED WINTER BREAK.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE CALLED WHAT IT IS.
I THINK YOU SHOULD CALL IT CHRISTMAS.
YOU SHOULD NOT CHANGE THE NAME AND I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF TIME.
I HOPE YOU READ THE REST OF IT.
AS I TOLD YOU, THE CALENDAR TELLS ABOUT THIS.
[F. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (7:30 - 7:35 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
THANK YOU VICE CHAIR PUMPHREY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M PLEASED TO PROVIDE THE OCTOBER REPORT.
UM, BEFORE I GET INTO THE OCTOBER REPORT, I DID WANT TO, UM, UH, CORRECT SOME ERRORS OF FACT.
I EXPECT AND RESPECT, UH, DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, BUT I AM COMPELLED TO CORRECT ERRORS OF FACT FOR THE MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING.
UM, WHILE, UH, SOME OF THE TOPICS ARE OPERATIONAL IN NATURE, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHARE, REITERATE OUR FOCUS AND COMMITMENT IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
OUR FOCUS AND OUR COMMITMENT TO IS TO OUR 111,000 STUDENTS.
AND WE CONSISTENTLY MAKE SURE THAT OUR DECISIONS AND OUR ACTIONS ARE ALIGNED WITH THAT, AND WE DEMONSTRATE THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UM, THERE WERE, UH, COMMENTS REGARDING MEETINGS AND ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS.
I WOULD URGE THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY TO THINK OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS CAN REFLECT THEIR COMMITMENT AND THEIR, UH, PRIORITIZING THEIR STUDENTS' EDUCATION.
[00:35:01]
UH, HIGH SCHOOL SAFETY MEETING, THAT WAS THE LARGEST TURNOUT THAT WE'VE HAD AT A SAFETY MEETING SINCE BEFORE COVID.UM, WE ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE GO BACK AND ACCESS THE, UH, VIDEOS AND THAT THEY PROVIDE DIRECT FEEDBACK, UH, TO US IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE MOVING IN FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
THE, UH, WHEN YOU HAVE A MEETING WITH THE GROUP OF PEOPLE, OUR AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD, THAT EVERYONE GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMUNICATE AS A PART OF THE MEETING.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE USE, UH, EVIDENCE-BASED DISCUSSION PROTOCOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT ONLY THE LOUDEST VOICE OR THE MOST DEMANDING VOICE THAT GETS HEARD, THAT EVERYONE GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH THEIR TABLE MATES AS WELL AS TO REPORT OUT ON BEHALF OF THE TABLE.
AND THEN WE ENGAGE IN A Q AND A.
UH, WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS, UH, REGARDING HOW WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND THE CONVERSATION IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM HOW WE HOLD CURRICULUM NIGHT.
CURRICULUM NIGHTS ARE VERY MUCH LIKE, UH, BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT.
YOU START OFF WITH A PARY SESSION, UH, WITH AN OVERVIEW, AND THEN EVERYONE IS FREE TO GO AND VISIT BY LEVEL, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UH, AREAS.
UH, I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT, UM, UH, PROVIDE, UH, IMMENSE GRATITUDE TO OUR STAFF MEMBERS, UM, WHO ARE NOT, UH, REQUIRED TO COME AND SPEND THEIR TIME IN THE EVENINGS AT THESE EVENTS WHO MAKE THE CHOICE AND THE COMMITMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE SO DEDICATED TO STUDENTS, UH, THAT THEY WANT TO SHOW UP TO THESE EVENTS.
AND MANY TIMES WHAT'S NOT TELEVISED AND LIVE STREAMED ARE THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO STAY ENGAGING 30 AND 40 MINUTES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS SHAKING THEIR HEADS.
'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THERE 30 AND 40 MINUTES AFTER THE SESSIONS WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES AROUND THEIR, UH, STUDENTS.
UH, SPECIFIC TO THE, UH, COMMENTS AROUND, UH, RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS, UH, WE HAVE SHARED OPENLY THAT THERE'S A NATIONAL SHORTAGE AND WE HAVE, UH, CONTINUED TO, UH, LOOK FOR BONAFIDE PROVIDERS AS WELL AS, UH, PURSUE BEST PRACTICES AROUND A DIFFERENTIATED MODEL.
WE HAVE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH OUR UNION LEADERS, OUR PRINCIPALS, AND OUR, UH, SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS TO BRING THEM DIRECTLY TO THE TABLE TO BE A PART OF THE PROBLEM SOLVING, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAXIMIZING THE SUPPORT THAT, UH, THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UH, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT TEACHERS HAVE TO GET READY FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, I DO WANT IT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE FIVE DAYS DURING A PRE-SERVICE WEEK, UH, TO GET READY FOR THE STUDENTS AND TO, UH, GET READY TO PLAN AND, UH, PREPARE, UH, THE ELA PILOT.
I I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THE PURPOSE OF A PILOT.
THE PURPOSE OF A PILOT IS FOR US TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT A PRODUCT MEETS THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS OUR TEACHERS WHO HAVE TO PROVIDE THE INSTRUCTION TO OUR STUDENTS.
UM, WE, UH, SHARED WITH OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE THREE PILOTS FOR THE ELA SECONDARY CURRICULUM.
WE, UH, COMPLETED ONE PILOT LAST SCHOOL YEAR AND TWO PILOTS THIS YEAR.
UM, WHILE IT IS OPERATIONAL IN NATURE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW EVERYONE WHO WAS AT THE TABLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
UH, WHEN OUR SCHOOL, UM, SYSTEM REPORTED SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE ELEMENTARY, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE SECONDARY ELA, UH, ONE OF THE PILOTS.
UM, ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OPERATIONAL, UM, AS APPROPRIATE BOARD LEADERSHIP WAS PROVIDED, UH, AN UPDATE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE, UH, TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE WAS AWARE FROM DAY ONE.
UH, WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS PER DAY WITH THE VENDOR.
THESE WERE OUR TEACHERS ON THE CALL, AS WELL AS OUR TEACHER LEADERS AND OUR CENTRAL OFFICE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH DIFFICULTIES MOVING BEYOND THAT.
UM, I MET WITH THE CEO OF THE COMPANY AND A TEAM FOR US TO, UM, SHARE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FROM OUR TEACHERS AND OUR DEPARTMENT LEADERS.
AND WE HAD AN ADVISORY COMPRISED OF, UH, DEPARTMENT CHAIRS FROM ELA CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF MEMBERS FROM ELA AND CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS PRINCIPALS ON THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
THEY WERE CHARGED TO GO BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS, TO THEIR TEACHERS TO RECEIVE DIRECT FEEDBACK.
[00:40:01]
TIMES PER DAY FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL WITH THE VENDOR TO WORK THROUGH, UH, THE TECHNICAL ISSUES.AND THEY PROVIDED THE VERY DIRECT FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.
UH, THE LETTER THAT WE SENT TO OUR TEACHERS WAS SENT IN SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER 26TH.
AND IT WAS NOT ONLY SIGNED BY BALTIMORE COUNTY, UH, CENTRAL OFFICE, IT WAS SIGNED BY OUR UNION PRESIDENTS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE TEACHER UNION, AS WELL AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ADMINISTRATOR'S UNION WHO WERE A PART OF THE DISCUSSIONS AND THE DECISION MAKING FROM THE ONSET.
UM, I DO NOT DOUBT THERE, THERE MIGHT BE A, UH, FEW TEACHERS WHO ARE UPSET THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO MAKE, UM, CHANGES.
UM, BUT WHAT I KNOW IS, UH, WE'VE RECEIVED OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS, UH, FROM THE UNION TEACHERS HUGGING THE VENDORS, SAYING THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THEM.
THANK YOU FOR NOT CHOOSING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING THAT'S NOT WORKING SIMPLY BECAUSE WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO, UM, TRY TO PILOT A SYSTEM AND, UM, NOT TO PUT TEACHERS IN THE POSITION WHERE THEY'VE PILOTED SOMETHING FOR A YEAR THAT WE KNOW IN GOOD FAITH WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE A RECOMMENDATION FORWARD.
UM, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO START FROM SCRATCH NEXT YEAR WITH A NEW PRODUCT.
UM, AND SO I, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE, UH, THOSE FACTS IN TERMS OF HOW THE DECISION WAS MADE, WHO WAS AT THE TABLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THAT THIS REFLECTS THE VOICE OF OUR, UH, TEACHERS, OUR TEACHER LEADERS, OUR PRINCIPALS WHO ARE CHARGED WITH IMPLEMENTATION AS WELL AS IT PRIORITIZES THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON IMPROVING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, UH, WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO HAVE OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, HOW THINGS ARE WORKING AND HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE, UM, TO MAKE THINGS WORK ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO I'LL MOVE INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT AT THIS TIME.
I AM PLEASED TO SHARE SOME, UM, REALLY SOME REMINDERS AND UPDATES WITH MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WE MOVE INTO THE MONTH OF OCTOBER.
UM, SO THE FIRST SLIDE IF WE PULL UP, IS AROUND ELEMENTARY LITERACY.
AND THIS IS REALLY A REMINDER FOR OUR FAMILIES.
UM, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION OUR FAMILIES HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
SO WE SHARE IT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, OUR DATA COMPARISON OF THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE END OF YEAR, THE PROGRESS THAT OUR STUDENTS MADE IN READING ON OR ABOVE GRADE LEVEL, WHICH IS THE PERCENTILE RANK AT, UH, 50 OR ABOVE.
AND WE ALSO SHARED THAT GRAPH ON, UH, HOW STUDENTS WHO ARE PRACTICING 30 MINUTES PER WEEK ON AMIRA WERE MAKING PROGRESS AT GREATER RATES THAN STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT.
AND SO THE REMINDER IS, AMIRA, WE HAVE STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR.
ALL STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE THEIR INFORMATION FOR LOG ON LOGINS.
AND SO WE'RE ASKING FAMILIES, UM, TO HELP WITH REMINDERS AND PROVIDING, UM, ANY, UH, SUPPORT THAT IS NECESSARY TO THE STUDENT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE, OUR STUDENTS ARE MEETING THEIR TARGET OF PRACTICING AMIRA FOR 30 MINUTES OF PRACTICE PER WEEK.
WE WILL AS THE, UH, AND MUCH OF THAT PRACTICE TAKES PLACE IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE DURING, UM, CENTERS DURING READING AS THERE ARE LITERACY BLOCKS ON A DAILY BASIS.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, WE HAVE A SCHEDULE FOR ELEMENTARY LITERACY REPORT WHERE NEW DATA WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, A ROBUST QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD.
JUST WANTED TO REMIND FAMILIES THAT AMIRA IS HERE.
IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE IN GRADES FOUR, IN FIVE.
AND, UM, TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SCHOOL, THAT THE TARGET IS 30 MINUTES OF PRACTICE PER WEEK, WHERE WE'VE SEEN, UM, SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN OUR STUDENTS.
WE MOVE TO ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS.
UM, THE BRIDGES IN MATHEMATICS PROGRAM.
AND THIS SLIDE AGAIN, IS A REMINDER FOR FAMILIES, A SCREENSHOT OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, THERE IS ELEMENTARY MATH AT HOME RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES, UH, NOT ONLY THE BRIDGES MATERIALS, BUT ALSO, UH, MATH GAMES AND MATH PRACTICE.
THERE IS A SAMPLE HERE OF A THIRD GRADE FAMILY WELCOME LETTER AND, UM, A GRAPH THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN BEFORE ABOUT HOW OUR STUDENTS HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS, UM, PARTICULARLY IN OUR ELEMENTARY, UH, GRADES IN MATH.
UH, THEIR PROGRESS IS NOT ONLY ON THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE AT THE 61ST PERCENTILE AND ABOVE, BUT ALSO PROGRESS ON STUDENTS MEETING THEIR WINTER GROWTH GOAL.
[00:45:01]
AND SO THIS IS A REMINDER FOR OUR FAMILIES.WE HAVE THE MATERIALS ON OUR WEBSITE THAT THEY CAN ACCESS IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL, UM, SUPPORT AT HOME FOR MATHEMATICS.
NEXT SLIDE IS THE CELL PHONE PILOT IN PROGRESS.
WE SHARED AT THE, UH, IN THE, UH, FALL WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THE CELL PHONE PILOT, THAT WE WOULD COME AND PROVIDE A FULL REPORT TO THE BOARD ABOUT THE, UH, CELL PHONE PILOT.
AND THAT WILL CONTINUE AFTER WE HAVE, UH, OUR DATA BECAUSE THE REPORT WILL ALSO INCLUDE, UM, ANECDOTAL DATA AS WELL AS, UM, QU QUANTITATIVE DATA WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE GOAL WAS FOR 16 SCHOOLS TO VOLUNTEER AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT.
IT WAS EXPANDED AS 19 MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS WANTED TO PARTICIPATE.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH, UM, THESE SCHOOLS.
AS WE'VE VISIT, WE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT MORE THAN 30 SCHOOLS.
AND WHAT WE SEE IN THE SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE PILOT ARE, UM, CELL PHONES ARE NOT OUT.
STUDENTS ARE SPEAKING WITH EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE DEEPLY ENGAGED IN INSTRUCTION.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, JUST SHARED WITH OUR PRINCIPALS LAST WEEK WHEN WE MET WITH THEM THAT WE ARE GOING TO, UM, ASK FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF PHASE TWO VOLUNTEERS FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO JOIN IN.
AND THE PRINCIPALS PROVIDED US FEEDBACK DIRECTLY BASED ON THEIR STUDENTS, UH, WHICH RESULTED IN EXPANDED CHOICES.
MEANING INSTEAD OF JUST HAVING THE CELL PHONE POUCHES IN THE BEGINNING OF THE, IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, SOME SCHOOLS OPT OPTED TO HAVE CLEAR, UM, SUPPLY BOXES THAT THE STUDENTS PUT IN FRONT OF THEM.
BUT THE PHONES ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THEM WHERE THEY FEEL SECURE, BUT THEY ARE AWAY.
AND THE STUDENTS FOCUS ON INSTRUCTION.
UM, AND SOME SCHOOLS ARE USING CLEAR ENVELOPES, UH, FOR THE SAME, UH, PURPOSE.
AND WE ARE ALLOWING SCHOOL TO IDENTIFY BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS, UH, WHAT THE BEST, UH, METHOD IS TO PUT THE PHONES OFF IN A WAY SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON INSTRUCTION.
AND THE ONLY NOTE ABOUT CLEAR BACKPACKS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS IT WAS RAISED AS A QUESTION IN A PRESS CONFERENCE AND IN COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WE HAD ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO ASKED WHETHER OR NOT WE HAD CONSIDERED CLEAR BACKPACKS.
AND LAST WEEK WHEN WE MET WITH ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS, UH, WE STARTED HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM, UM, ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE, UM, UH, INTERESTED IN, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH A PILOT AROUND CLEAR BACKPACKS.
AND SO WE WILL BE TAKING SOME NEXT STEPS AS A, UH, RESULT OF THAT, UH, THOSE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE THAT WE JUST STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UH, BASED ON SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THE CODE OF CONDUCT UPDATE, UH, THIS DOCUMENT SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH EVERYONE OR TO EVERYONE AS WE SHARED IT, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.
UM, REALLY CALLING TO ATTENTION BASED ON SOME OF THE TRENDS THAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, IN THE, UM, NATION, OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR POSITION AS A SCHOOL, UM, SYSTEM ON THESE FOUR SPECIFIC ITEMS. UH, SPECIFICALLY WEAPONS, UH, RECORDING OR STREAMING, UH, UH, SERIOUS INCIDENTS IN SCHOOLS, MAKING THREATS OF MASS VIOLENCE AND, UH, FIGHTING AND PHYSICAL ATTACKS, MAKING SURE WE BROUGHT BACK TO THE ATTENTION OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN MORE THAN ONE LANGUAGE.
UM, THAT WE TAKE THESE, UH, INFRACTIONS VERY SERIOUSLY.
AND, UH, THERE WILL BE SCHOOL CONSEQUENCES AS WELL AS, UH, CONSEQUENCES, UH, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE, UH, IN THESE INFRACTIONS.
UM, A REMINDER THAT EVERY SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO CREATE A POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN.
UM, THOSE ARE DUE AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
AND IN THOSE PLANS, THERE ARE, UH, SPECIFIC COMPONENTS, UM, AT CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, IDENTIFYING THE CONSEQUENCES, UM, INCENTIVIZING, UM, AND REWARDING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR FOR STUDENTS USING ONE OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED FRAMEWORKS THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS PROVIDED.
THIS IS A DECISION THAT THE LEADERSHIP TEAM MAKES WITH THE EDUCATORS, UH, COUNCIL IN EACH SCHOOL.
AND WE, WE EXPECT THAT SCHOOLS WILL FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT AND THEY WILL BE REVIEWED, UH, BY, UH, CENTRAL OFFICE AND FEEDBACK WILL BE PROVIDED.
UH, WE PROVIDE SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORTS, UM, TO HELP STUDENTS TO BE A PROACTIVE PRESENCE AS WELL AS A REACTIVE PRESIDENT.
WHEN, UM, UH, STUDENTS ARE IN NEED OF SUPPORT, UH, THEY'RE LISTED ON
[00:50:01]
THIS, UH, SLIDE COUNSELORS, OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, OUR PUPIL PERSONNEL WORKERS WHO WORK FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS FAMILIES.AND OUR, UH, MTSS TEACHERS THAT REALLY WORK ON SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORTS FOR SCHOOLS.
WE PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH, UM, SUPPORTS FOR OUR STUDENTS, UM, TALK SPACE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE AGES 13 AND ABOVE.
WHERE THERE ARE, THERE IS TALK SPACE GO, WHICH IS A CLASS THAT STUDENTS, UM, CAN TAKE OR TALK SPACE THERAPY, WHETHER THEY CHOOSE TO DO THAT, UM, UH, VIA TEXT OR, UH, VIA, UM, WHERE THE STUDENTS CAN, UH, SEE THE THERAPIST, UH, THROUGH THE PHONE.
AND LASTLY, THE BRAND NEW $8 MILLION GRANT THAT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS TO 111 SCHOOLS.
UM, REALLY SUPPORTING THE UNDERINSURED AND UNINSURED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS REALLY A, UH, REMINDER TO THE FAMILIES OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE SENT OUT, UM, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, SAFETY IN A COMPREHENSIVE LAYERED APPROACH IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE PROVIDING, UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UH, IN THE LAST SLIDE SPEAKS TO STAYING CONNECTED AND ENGAGED.
UM, CERTAINLY WE ACKNOWLEDGE AND WE LEVERAGE ALL OF TECHNOLOGY TO, UM, COMMUNICATE WITH OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE KNOW THERE ARE COM A COMPETING INTEREST AND EVERYONE IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING SCHOOL, UH, HOURS.
UH, BUT WE REALLY, UH, BASED ON, UH, FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD, UH, BEEN RECEIVING FROM OUR FAMILIES, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AT THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF WHO THEY SHOULD CALL WHEN THEY HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, WHETHER IT IS SCHOOL BASED, WHETHER YOU NEED TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL FROM THE SCHOOL, OR YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT ARE REALLY ABOUT CENTRAL OFFICE.
AND SO, UM, DIRECTLY AS A RESULT OF THAT, LAST WEEK WE SENT OUT TO OUR FAMILIES THIS DOCUMENT AND WHAT, UM, UH, IS UNIQUE ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST A LIST THAT ALL OF THOSE WORDS ARE HYPERLINKED AND IT TAKES YOU DIRECTLY TO THE RESOURCE, UM, TO IDENTIFY, UH, RESOURCES AT THE SCHOOL WHO'S, UH, ON STAFF.
UM, AND THEN BEYOND THE SCHOOL, WHO'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THAT SCHOOL, UM, WHO THEY CAN REACH OUT TO FOR SAFETY, SPECIFICALLY OUR CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, OUR, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND CLIMATE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE SAFETY MANAGERS AND THEN THE DIFFERENT OFFICES THAT FAMILIES WOULD WANT TO, UH, INTERACT WITH, WE PROVIDED THAT RESOURCE TO OUR FAMILIES.
AND WE ALSO HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT, UM, FAMILIES, UH, SOMETIMES STUDENTS COME HOME AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE TRAINING THAT THEY RECEIVED AND THEY WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, INFORMED CONVERSATIONS WITH THEIR STUDENTS AND USE THE SAME LANGUAGE, UM, TO HELP STUDENTS MOVE FORWARD AND WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD PROVIDE A KEY.
AND SO WE SENT THAT HOME AS WELL.
AND THIS IS, UH, JUST A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENT, UM, WHAT ARE OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROTOCOL TERMS, UM, SO THAT WE COULD BE ON THE SAME PAGE.
AND SO I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE, UM, HAVE SHOWN UP TO OUR MEETINGS AS WELL AS THE FAMILIES WHO STOP US IN, UM, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT SPACES TO PROVIDE DIRECT, UH, FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IN TEAM BCPS, AS WELL AS PARTNER WITH US TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND SHARE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE SO WE CAN, UH, MOVE FORWARD ON BEHALF OF, UH, OUR STUDENTS.
REALLY, UM, GRATEFUL FOR THE CONTINUED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, CONTINUING TO, UH, INTERACT.
I THINK OUR NEXT COMMUNITY CONVERSATION IS, UH, THIS THURSDAY EVENING AT KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
[G. CHAIR'S REPORT (7:35 - 7:40 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS THE CHAIR'S REPORT.THIS EVENING, CHAIR BOOKER DWYER ASKED THAT I SHARE BOARD MEMBERS PARTICIPATION IN RECENT EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY BOARD MEMBERS WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING EVENTS.
ON SEPTEMBER 26TH, THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ON SCHOOL SAFETY HELD BY THE SUPERINTENDENT ON SEPTEMBER 28TH, THE MAGNET EXPO HELD AT THE CCBC ESSEX CAMPUS ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, BOARD MEMBER CELEBRATED CHAPEL HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BEING RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL ON OCTOBER 1ST, THE BCPS CURRICULUM NIGHT WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT.
ON OCTOBER 9TH, NINE BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDED THE NOTTINGHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS WAS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS TO ATTEND A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY.
ON OCTOBER 4TH, THE MARYLAND TEACHER OF THE YEAR GALA IN SUPPORT OF BCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR, STEPHANIE GERAL, GERAL OF WOODLAWN MIDDLE SCHOOL YESTERDAY AND TODAY, BOARD
[00:55:01]
MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE SUP, AS WELL AS THE SUPERINTENDENT AND CHIEF OF STAFF ATTENDED THE MAB CONFERENCE IN ANNAPOLIS AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO ATTENDED THE MAB CONFERENCE YESTERDAY.AND TODAY, I WANTED TO SHARE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BOARD MEMBER PARTICIPATION IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
ATTENDING THE MA CONFERENCE IN PERSON YESTERDAY AND TODAY, PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY LISTEN TO PRESENTERS, BUT ALSO TO NETWORK AND ENGAGE WITH BOARD MEMBERS FROM OTHER LEAS SHARING CHALLENGES AS WELL AS BEST PRACTICES.
THIS CONTINUED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NETWORKING AND SHARING HELPS US TO FLOURISH AS INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS AND TOGETHER AS A BOARD.
[H. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER'S REPORT (7:40 - 7:45 p.m.)]
ON OUR AGENDA IS THE STUDENT MEMBERS REPORT.FOR THAT I CALL ON MS. CHICKY KALU.
OKAY, GOOD EVENING, VICE CHAIR EY, SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS BOARD MEMBERS DEDICATED STAFF ESTEEM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND OF COURSE STUDENTS OF BCPS.
AS YOUR STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD, IT IS AN HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SHARE THE REMARKABLE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING TO ELEVATE YOUR VOICES AND DRIVE PROGRESS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO I AM THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT I'VE BEEN APPOINTED AS THE NATIONAL POLICY DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL STUDENT BOARD MEMBER ASSOCIATION AND WILL SERVE ON THEIR BOARD OF ADVISORS.
THIS ROLE PLACES ME AT THE FOREFRONT OF A NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO AMPLIFY STUDENT VOICES AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF DECISION MAKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS, I WILL WORK ALONGSIDE STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS FROM VARIOUS STATES TO PUSH LEGISLATION THAT ESTABLISHES STUDENT BOARD MEMBER POSITIONS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS NATIONWIDE.
AND TO EXPAND THE RIGHTS AND INFLUENCE OF STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS WHERE THEY ALREADY EXIST.
OUR FOCUS WILL BE ON ENSURING STUDENTS WHO ARE THE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY EDUCATIONAL POLICIES HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND A VOTE THAT COUNTS LOCALLY.
I'M WORKING TIRELESSLY ON THE FORMATION OF THE STUDENT SCHOOL SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD ALONGSIDE MR. ERIC KNOX, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL SAFETY, AND MS. MUSTER, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES.
IN RESPONSE TO THE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY, ABOUT SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOL, THIS BOARD WILL GIVE BCPS STUDENTS A FORMAL PLATFORM TO SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON SCHOOL SAFETY.
WE'LL BE WORKING TO REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PARTICIPANT IN PARTICIPATING, AS WELL AS OTHER STUDENTS WHO ARE EAGER TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFETY BUT HAVEN'T HAD A MEANS TO DO SO.
WE KNOW THAT SAFETY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND WHEN RECENTLY SPEAKING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS, I RECALL THEM SAYING THAT WE DESERVE SCHOOLS WHERE FEAR IS REPLACED WITH FREEDOM, ALLOWING US TO LEARN AND GROW WITHOUT THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE.
THIS SIMPLE STATEMENT UN JUST UNDERSCORES THE URGENCY OF THIS WORK.
EVERY STUDENT DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE, SUPPORTED, AND SECURE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO WORK WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT IS A REALITY.
NEXT WEEK, THE BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENT COUNCILS WILL BE HOSTING A LEGISLATIVE SEMINAR ON ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATIVE ACTION TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR STUDENTS BY, OF THEIR FUTURES BY BECOMING POLITICALLY ACTIVE.
THIS SEMINAR WILL TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO TESTIFY FOR BILLS, ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES, AND GET INVOLVED IN LARGER STUDENT ADVOCACY GROUPS.
I'M ESPECIALLY EXCITED TO SERVE AS A GUEST SPEAKER AND ENGAGE WITH STUDENTS ON HOW TO ADVOCATE EFFECTIVELY AROUND ADULTS.
AND I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING ON THE STUDENT PANEL AT THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARD OF EDUCATION'S CONFERENCE WERE MA, WHERE I JOINED FELLOW STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS IN DISCUSSING SOME OF THE MOST PRESSING, PRESSING ISSUES IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM FROM CELL PHONE POLICY, THE POINTS OF COMMUNITY AND NURTURING, STUDENT GROWTH, MENTAL HEALTH, AND MANY OTHER TOPICS.
TWO KEY QUOTES I TOOK AWAY WERE NUMBER ONE, STUDENT VOICES ARE NOT AN ACCESSORY TO EDUCATION.
THEY'RE THE FOUNDATION FOR SHAPING IT.
WITHOUT THEM, WE BUILD FUTURES ON ASSUMPTIONS RATHER THAN ASPIRATIONS.
AND NUMBER TWO, EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING DONE TO STUDENTS, BUT SOMETHING CREATED WITH THEM.
TRUE PROGRESS HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS ARE A, ARE ARCHITECTS, NOT SIMPLY PARTICIPANTS.
ADDITIONALLY, I, ALONGSIDE MARILYN SMOS, ARE WORKING A, ARE WORKING ACTIVELY ON LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS THAT WILL ADDRESS STUDENT WELLNESS CREDITS, EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT, AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES DURING THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
AND OCTOBER'S BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH.
SO I'M CONTINUING THE PIECE BY PIECE CAMPAIGN THAT I LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH, WHICH IS AIMED AT BREAKING THE STIGMA AROUND BULLYING AND MENTAL HEALTH.
BY THIS DEMONSTRATING THAT THESE ISSUES ARE DEEPLY INTERCONNECTED, THE FOCUS WILL BE ON EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES, SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, AND RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF CREATING SAFE SPACES FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
AND I AM ALSO DOING A-B-C-P-S BREAKDOWN INITIATIVE, WHICH BREAKS DOWN POLICIES INTO LAYMAN'S TERMS FOR STUDENTS, MAKING THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE AND FOSTERING EQUAL UNDERSTANDING AND BRIDGING THAT COMMUNICATION GAP.
AND IF MS. GOLDBERG QUICKLY PLAY THAT VIDEO,
TODAY WE'RE HITTING THE HALLS AND HEARING FROM STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS MEANS TO THEM.
WHEN I'M STRESSED, I TRY TO TURN TO ACTIVITIES THAT
[01:00:01]
BRING ME JOY, WHETHER THAT'S LISTENING TO MUSIC OR LIKE EXERCISING OR GOING TO PLAY BASKETBALL.I JUST FIND THAT THOSE TYPE OF ACTIVITIES KIND OF HELP ME RELIEVE MY STRESS AND KIND OF LIKE DECOMPRESS A LITTLE BIT.
TO ME, MENTAL HEALTH IS ABOUT THE WAY A PERSON THINKS, FEELS AN ACTS.
MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN JUST ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS.
IT CAN DEAL WITH A PERSON'S SELF-CONFIDENCE, THE WAY THAT THEY DEAL WITH THEIR STRESS AND HOW THEY MANAGE THEIR DAY TO DAY LIFE.
I WOULD SHARE THAT NO MATTER, SORRY.
SO I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO BREAK DOWN SOME IMPORTANT CHANGES WITH THE NEW GRADING POLICY AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU MOVING FORWARD.
SO STARTING THIS YEAR, BCPS IS SHIFTING FROM STUDENTS EARNING ONE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE AT THE COMPLETION OF THE YEAR TO EARNING A HALF CREDIT OR A 0.5 CREDIT WHILE COMPLETING HALF OF THE COURSE.
SO THIS REFLECTS A LARGER SHIFT IN THE CULTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS MOVING AWAY FROM SIMPLY GETTING GRADES FOR ASSIGNMENTS TO FOCUSING ON CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND SO THOSE WERE JUST SNIPPETS.
I WON'T MAKE YOU WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO
I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER WILL BE MONUMENTAL MONTHS FILLED WITH LEGISLATIVE ACTION, SERVICE INITIATIVE AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WALK THE WALK THROUGH THE SAME HALLS AS YOU HEARING DIRECTLY FROM YOU AND WORKING ALONGSIDE YOU TO CREATE A SCHOOL SYSTEM WHERE EVERY VOICE IS HEARD, EVERY CONCERN IS ADDRESSED, AND EVERY PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE IS CELEBRATED.
BIG THINGS ARE IN THE WORKS AND I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU AS THEY UNFOLD.
[I. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (7:45 - 7:50 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT I CALL HIM MS. DSTI JONES.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE BOARD, UM, CON ENCLOSED SESSION TOOK ACTION ON HE 24 35.
NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO, UM, CONFIRM THAT ACTION IN DURING THIS OPEN SESSION.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASE 24 TO 35 AND AUTHORIZE MS. GROVER TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. SELECTER? YES.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLOSED SESSION IN WHICH ORAL ARGUMENT WAS HEARD ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASE IS 24 TO 34 AND SD 20 23, 20 24 0 8.
AND AUTHORIZE MS. GROVER TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. LICHTER? YES.
[J. NEW BUSINESS - CONTRACT AWARDS (Mr. Hartlove and Dr. Grim) (7:50 - 8:05 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONTRACT AWARDS.AND FOR THAT I CALL HIM MR. YOUNG CHAIR OF THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD'S BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MET ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2024.
ITEMS J ONE THROUGH J 15 WERE FORWARDED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY SEPARATIONS REQUESTED? MS. HEN? THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? GIMME JUST A SECOND.
DO WE HAVE A CAN I HAVE A MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS J ONE THROUGH J 14.
TH SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? 15.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM.
ARE STAFF AVAILABLE PLEASE? THANK YOU.
UM, I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT THIS
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RECOMMENDATION, UM, REGARDING SPARES POINT SCHOOLS WAS BASED ON THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THOSE FEASIBILITY STUDIES.UM, I WAS LOOKING FOR THOSE STUDIES AND WANTED TO ASK IF THOSE WERE PROVIDED TO THE CONTRACT COMMITTEE.
UH, NO, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED TO THE CONTRACT COMMITTEE.
COULD THE BOARD RECEIVE THOSE FEASIBILITY STUDIES, PARTICULARLY THE COST ANALYSIS FOR THE FOUR OPTIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED, THAT WERE THE BASIS OF THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NEW MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS? UH, YES.
WE CAN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM FOR THE BOARD'S APPROVAL PENDING THE BOARD'S RECEIPT OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES, INCLUDING THE COST ANALYSIS FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION SO THAT THE BOARD MAY RECEIVE THE FULL INFORMATION, UM, THAT IS THE BASIS OF THIS RECOMMENDATION.
THE CONTRACT EXHIBIT INCLUDES A REFERENCE TO THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT TALKS ABOUT THE FINANCIALS THAT FORMED THE BASIS OF THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AS THE FISCAL IMPACT WAS NOT PROVIDED.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT FIRST.
AM I CORRECT? I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR IF I AMEND SINCE.
OH, YOUR MOTION WAS TO POSTPONE.
UM, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND DOKI ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION MS. HAN? UM, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT I SUPPORT, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION, HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE, I'D LIKE TO SEE THE FISCAL IMPACT FOR ALL FOUR OPTIONS THAT WERE, UM, CONSIDERED.
AND THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IN THE PAST ON OTHER SIMILAR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE AS THEY'VE DISCUSSED THE OPTIONS THAT WERE STUDIED AND WOULD PROVIDE THE BOARD, UM, MORE INFORMATION TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION.
UM, BUT I DO SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION WITH THE LIMITED INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED.
I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO RECEIVE THIS, AND IF IT'S NOT ULTRA TIME SENSITIVE, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND, UM, MAKE THIS VOTE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND THEN A COMMENT.
UM, IF WE POSTPONE THIS, HOW WILL IT DELAY THE PROJECT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
UH, AT THIS TIME, IT WOULD NOT DELAY THE PROJECT.
AND JUST A COMMENT, LOOKING AT THE, UH, CONTRACT ON PAGE TWO, IT SHOWS ZERO FISCAL IMPACT ZERO ALL THE WAY STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE.
SO THAT, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT? CERTAINLY.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY AN INFORMATION ITEM.
IT'S NOT TECHNICALLY A CONTRACT.
UM, IT IS SEEKING THE BOARD'S PERMISSION FOR, UH, FACILITIES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PLANNING AND DESIGN FOR TWO, UM, REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS RATHER THAN FOR A RENOVATION OF EITHER THE HIGH SCHOOL OR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO IT REALLY IS STILL ALL ABOUT THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE FACILITY FACILITIES IN THIS CASE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE MS. HEN? THANK YOU.
UM, FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION, UM, I'LL READ FROM THE CONTRACT EXHIBIT.
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY EXAMINED FOUR APPROACHES.
GRIM STATED, RENOVATE THE EXISTING BUILDING FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, BUILD NEW REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, RENOVATE THE EXISTING BUILDING FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND BUILD A NEW REPLACEMENT SCHOOL FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND FOUR, RENOVATE THE EXISTING BUILDING FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL AND BUILD A NEW REPLACEMENT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO AS WE'VE BUILT, UM, UH, LIKE NEW, UM, REPLACEMENTS IN THE PAST, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN READING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AS IT EXAMINES ALL FOUR APPROACHES PRIOR TO APPROVING, UM, NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR BOTH THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL.
AS I SAID, I SUPPORT THIS APPROACH, UM, BUT AM INTERESTED IN SEEING THE FISCAL IMPACT FOR THIS APPROACH PRIOR TO THE BOARD'S APPROVAL OF THIS, IF THIS IS THE PATH WE WE PURSUE.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET MORE INFORMATION BEFORE, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S NOT AS TIME SENSITIVE.
DR. ROGERS, AS YOU WANT TO COMMENT? YES, UH, WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THOSE FEASIBILITY STUDIES TO THE BOARD.
THE ONLY THING THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON THE RECORD IS DIRECTLY UNDER THAT SECTION.
UM, IT DID HIGHLIGHT THAT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY CONCLUDED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW HIGH SCHOOL AND A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AS THE MOST ADVANTAGEOUS APPROACH FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.
IT LISTS, I THINK, SIX DIFFERENT REASONS, BUT ONE OF THEM, UH, BEING THAT IT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION COST.
UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S ENTERED INTO, UH, THE RECORD, BUT HAPPY TO PROVIDE, UH, THE DETAILS ABOUT THE FOUR OPTIONS AND THE COSTS
[01:10:01]
AND WHY SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE.SO, YES, UM, DR. ROGERS REFERENCED SOMETHING THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT.
GRIM, THERE ARE SIX REASONS THAT ARE LISTED HERE.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THEM IS COST.
UM, I GUESS WITH THESE SIX DIFFERENT FACTORS, IS THERE, WERE THEY GIVEN EQUAL WEIGHT, OR FOR EXAMPLE, WAS COST CONSIDERED MORE WEIGHTED THAN THE OTHER FACTORS? UM, SO THAT, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
I, IN THEIR TOTALITY, THE SIX FACTORS WERE LOOKED AT TOGETHER.
UM, THE, UH, AND I, AND I DON'T WANNA SPEAK OUTTA TURN WITHOUT THE FIGURES IN FRONT OF ME, UM, THE, UH, RENOVATION, THE RENOVATION COSTS FOR EITHER THE HIGH SCHOOL OR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT ACTUALLY WOULD COST US MORE IN TIME AND MONEY THAN IT WOULD BE TO REPLACE BOTH SCHOOLS.
UM, I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT CONCLUSION AS WELL AS, AND WHAT THE ESTIMATES WERE.
UM, BUT, BUT AGAIN, BASED ON THE TIME THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO BUILD AND THE WAY THAT, UM, THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS WOULD BE LAID OUT, THAT WAS THE CONCLUSION.
UM, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MOST SPECIFICALLY, THE, THE TOTALITY OF THE SIXTH WERE GAUGED TOGETHER.
AND THESE, THESE REALLY WERE THE REASONS IN, IN COMPLETE FORM, IT WASN'T, UH, MORE ABOUT MONEY OR MORE ABOUT THE, UH, CRITICAL AREA COMMISSION.
ALL OF THESE FACTS WERE, WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.
CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN, UH, WHAT LEWIS LIFECYCLE COSTS IS? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, PART OF THE PROJECTIONS THAT, UH, THAT WE DO WHEN DOING NEW CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATING A BUILDING IS WHAT IT WILL COST US, UM, IN ENERGY, IN MAINTENANCE COSTS OVER THE, OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE FACILITY.
SO IN THIS CASE, UM, IN LOOKING AT NEW BUILDS VERSUS RENOVATIONS OR ADDITIONS, IT IS PROJECTED THAT ULTIMATELY ANY TYPE OF RENOVATION OR ADDITION WOULD COST US MORE THAN IF WE WERE TO BUILD, THAN WE WERE TO BUILD NEW OVER THE LIFE OF THE FACILITY, THE PROJECTED LIFE OF THE FACILITY.
UM, WHEN IT WAS LOOKING OVER HOW TO BUILD THE REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS, WAS IT REBUILDING ON THE SAME PROPERTY WHERE
UM, WE RECEIVED THE BOARD'S APPROVAL TO WORK WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND AN ADJOINING PROPERTY CALLED THE CARL TRUST PROPERTY, WHICH IS THE POSSESSION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
USING THOSE TWO PIECES OF PROPERTY TOGETHER, THIS PROJECT COULD ONLY MOVE FORWARD IN THAT VEIN BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE AND SCOPE.
MR. YOUNG, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP, DR. GRAHAM? I, UH, I KNOW YOU PROBABLY CAN'T DEFINITIVELY ANSWER THIS QUESTION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THIS ISN'T APPROVED AND YOU HAVEN'T STARTED THE PLANNING PROCESS.
BUT BASED ON WHAT YOU, UM, SAID TO BOARD MEMBER HARVEY, THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT SIMILAR TO OUR NEW BUILDINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT, THERE WOULD BE, UM, THINGS LIKE LEAD CERTIFICATION IN THERE THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THIS LIFECYCLE, LOWER LIFECYCLE COSTS.
UH, YEAH, SO WHAT, WHAT I CAN SPEAK TO ON THAT, YOU ARE CORRECT THAT, THAT OUR, OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION WOULD MEET, UM, THOSE HIGHER ENERGY EFFICIENT CERTIFICATIONS, WHETHER IT'S GREEN GLOBES OR, OR WHETHER IT'S, UM, GOING FOR ANY TYPE OF A LEAD CERTIFICATION.
UM, AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT, UM, WHILE SOME OF OUR, OUR OLDER BUILDINGS ARE, UM, ARE, ARE CONSTRUCTED VERY WELL AND HAVE HAVE GREAT BONES, SO TO SPEAK, THE, UM, THE, THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS WITHIN THEM, UM, CAN OFTEN BECOME TROUBLESOME.
AND ANYTIME WE DO ANY TYPE OF A RENOVATION OR ADDITION PROJECT, WE ARE CONTENDING WITH THOSE OLDER MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, AND THAT OFTEN DRIVES THE COST, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LIFE OF THE BUILDING AFTER A RENOVATION OR ADDITION IS COMPLETE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT VENTILATION, THAT WOULD INCLUDE, I GUESS THE, UM, THE, THE WAY THAT THEY'RE BUILT, THEY'RE MORE, MUCH MORE AIRTIGHT THAN WHAT, UM, YOUR CURRENT BUILDINGS WOULD BE.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO IN CONSIDERATION? YES, SIR.
THEY'RE, THEY ARE, THEY ARE MORE, MORE
[01:15:01]
EFFICIENTLY BUILT.THEY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, MORE MODERN HVAC TECHNIQUES, PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL, UM, AND, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
OFTEN, EVEN WHEN DOING A, A RENOVATION OR ADDITION, WE HAVE TO, UM, WORK WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE, THE STRUCTURE, THE, THE, THE, THE WAY THAT THE STRUCTURE WAS DESIGNED.
AND CERTAINLY WE CAN CHANGE THAT WITH THE RENOVATION OR ADDITION.
UM, BUT THAT CAN BECOME MORE COSTLY IN SOME OF OUR OLDER BUILDINGS.
SORRY MR. MCMILLION, THAT THAT'S OKAY.
UH, YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT, I'M ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE OF COUNCIL MADOCK SEVEN, THESE SCHOOLS.
THIS PROJECT FALLS IN MY COUNCIL MEDIC DISTRICT.
I SUPPORT TWO NEW SCHOOLS, AND I ALSO AM AWARE THAT TRANSPARENCY HAS, DEPENDING UPON WHO YOU TALK TO, IS TRANSPARENCY, HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS.
IT APPEARS TO ME I'M IN SUPPORT OF, OF FULL DISCLOSURE.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF TRANSPARENCY.
I'M IN SUPPORT OF SEEING THESE FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
SO WE ARE NOW VOTING ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE THE VOTE TO APPROVE J 15 UNTIL AFTER THE BOARD IS PROVIDED WITH THE FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
AND MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. TER? YES.
[K. NEW BUSINESS - SPECIAL PROJECT REQUESTS (Dr. Jones) (8:05 - 8:20 p.m.)]
OKAY.THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL PROJECT REQUESTS.
THE FIRST PROJECT IS FOR BALTIMORE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON DR. JONES.
VICE CHAIR HUMPHREY MS. LICHTER, DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND I'M REPRESENTING THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS AND IN COLLABORATION WITH DR.
GRIM OPERATIONS AND FACILITIES.
I BRING BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, THE CONSIDERATION OF THE 73 30 SPECIAL PROJECT REQUEST FOR BALTIMORE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, NATIVE POLLINATOR, GARDEN AND TREE REPLACEMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH DEAF AND SOES DE LAKA.
PERMISSION IS BEING SOUGHT TO PLANT A NATIVE PERENNIAL PLANT GARDEN AND AN EASTERN RED BUT TREE.
THE RED BUD WILL BE LOCATED INSIDE THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS THE PERENNIAL, UM, GARDEN, WHICH WILL BE, ACTUALLY BOTH WILL BE IN THE SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL COURTYARD, EXCUSE ME.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB IS GOING TO BE CREATED TO MANAGE THE WEEDING AND THE PRUNING.
AGAIN, I AM HERE TO REQUEST THE APPROVAL OF THE 73 30 FOR BALTIMORE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PRIVATELY FUNDED 73 30 PROJECT REQUEST FOR BALTIMORE HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS POLLINATOR GARDEN AND TREE REPLACEMENT PROJECT AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT K ONE? SO MOVE LESKI.
ONG, ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. LECTER? YES.
THE SECOND PROJECT IS FOR SPARROWS POINT HIGH SCHOOL, AND I, AGAIN, I AGAIN CALL ON DR. JONES.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DIVISION OF OPERATIONS AND DR.
GRIM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES AND DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS, I BRING BEFORE YOU THE, FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE 73 30 SPECIAL PROJECTS, SPAR POINT HIGH SCHOOL, BEACON OF HOPE, PHASE THREE.
UM, AS STATED IN THE, UM, THE NOTES, THIS IS PHASE THREE OF THE JOINT PROJECTS BETWEEN BCPS AND SPARROW POINT, NORTH POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
AND, UM, THE OTHER PHASES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD WITH YOUR APPROVAL.
AGAIN, WE ARE ASKING FOR, UM, CONSIDERATION OF THE 73 30 PROJECT FOR SPARROW POINT HIGH SCHOOL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PRIVATELY FUNDED
[01:20:01]
SEVEN 30, EXCUSE ME, I'M ON THE WRONG ONE.DOKI, MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
UM, EXCUSE ME, MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
[L. REPORT - BUDGET (Dr. Rogers and Mr. Hartlove) (8:20 - 8:40 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON BUDGET FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BLUEPRINT PILLARS THREE AND FOUR.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
GOOD EVENING AGAIN, VICE CHAIR POEY AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MR. HARTLOVE, UH, TO TALK ABOUT PILLARS THREE AND FOUR.
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
AS WE KNOW, UH, BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE REQUIRES ALL SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADVANCING THESE, UH, FOUR PRIMARY AREAS, UH, WITH A GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD.
THIS EVENING, WE'LL FOCUS ON COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, WHICH IS PILLAR THREE AND MORE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
UH, WE HAVE PROVIDED PROGRAMMATIC UPDATES AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ROBUST, UM, ENGAGEMENT, UH, WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON BEHALF OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
ON THESE PILLARS, WE REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON, UH, THE BUDGET, UH, BUDGETARY IMPACT AND, UM, COSTS FOR SOME OF THESE MEASURES AS WE, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF PILLAR THREE AND PILLAR FOUR, AS A REMINDER OF PILLAR THREE IS FOCUSED ON COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, REALLY FOCUSING ON PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH INCREASED ACCESS TO REC RIGOROUS ACADEMIC COURSES, UM, CTE, WHICH IS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION, AS WELL AS COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELING.
ONE OF THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF PILLAR THREE IS TO IMPLEMENT CCR PATHWAYS, MEANING STUDENTS WHO ARE IN GRADE 11 AND 12, WHO DEMONSTRATE, UM, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO CCBC, DUAL ENROLLMENT, P-TECH PROGRAMS, ECAP, UM, TECHNICAL SKILL ASSESSMENTS OR ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS. PILLAR FOUR LOOKS AT PROVIDING MORE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
ADDITIONAL ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY, SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS THE PILLAR THAT SPEAKS TO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY GRANT.
UM, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON EXPANDING SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
UM, TARGETING SUPPORTS BASED ON NEED, UH, WHICH WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME, UH, REVIEWING THE 75 25, UH, FORMULA AND STRENGTHENING OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
UM, THIS FOR BCPS IS YEAR SIX OF IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
AND TO DATE, WE HAVE 91 COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, UH, ACROSS OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, PILLAR FOUR ALSO SPEAKS TO EXPANSION OF SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS AND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE RESOURCES RIGHT THERE AT THE SCHOOL WHERE IT IS CONVENIENT, UM, TO SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS.
UH, PART OF THIS WORK INCLUDES THE SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER PLANNING GRANT, WHICH ALLOWED US TO, UH, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR EXPAND BY OPENING THREE NEW WELLNESS CENTER SITES.
THEY'RE LISTED ON THE, UH, SLIDE BERKSHIRE, BERKSHIRE, CHADWICK, AND P PADONIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
AND I, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
THE DESIGNATION AND IDENTIFICATION IS MADE BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND THERE'S A PHASE IN PROP, UH, PROCESS FOR BOTH ELIGIBILITY AND FUNDING, UM, BASED ON THREE YEAR POVERTY AVERAGES.
UH, MR. HARTLOVE IS GOING TO, UH, TAKE OVER AND WALK US THROUGH THE NUMBERS, THE FISCAL COST OF THESE, UH, PROGRAMS. SURE.
UH, SO WE'LL GO BACK TO PILLAR THREE, COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.
UH, UH, SO THE CCR PATHWAYS, THERE ARE THREE, UH, MAIN PROGRAMS HERE.
THERE'S THE, UM, THE CCBC DUAL ENROLLMENT.
[01:25:01]
THE, UM, CTE CREDENTIALS, UH, UH, PROGRAM, AND THE AP EXAMS, UH, PROGRAMS. AND YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, ANTICIPATED COST FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.UM, 1.25 MILLION FOR, UH, DUAL ENROLLMENT, 225,000 FOR CTE CREDENTIALS, AND $1 MILLION FOR AP EXAMS. AND YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS, UH, OF, OF THE STUDENTS THAT WERE REACHING.
UM, UH, FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT 2,500, UH, STUDENTS LAST YEAR, 6,200, ALMOST 63, NO, 6,200, UH, COURSES.
WE HAD 2,426 STUDENTS TOOK AN ASSESSMENT FOR AN INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL, AND THEN AP EXAMS, UH, 15,000 OVER OVER 15,000 WERE TAKEN, UM, IN, UH, UH, AT THESE, AT THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, UH, PICKED UP THE COST FOR THAT.
UH, WE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT, UH, REFERENCED THE, UH, SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
UM, WE HAVE, UM, UM, SOME SHARED COST HERE WITH THE BALTIMORE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
THE, WE HAVE CURRENT CURRENTLY, UH, 13 SITES SERVING 16 SCHOOLS.
UH, THE COST IS APPROXIMATELY $100,000 PER, UH, SITE ANNUALLY.
THAT'S FOR STAFF MEDICINE AND EQUIPMENT.
AND GOOD THINGS ARE HAPPENING THERE, LIKE VACCINES, PHYSICALS, AND STUDENT VISITS.
AND THESE ARE ALL, UH, FY 25, UH, NUMBERS.
WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UH, WE'RE OPENING THREE, UH, THREE NEW SITES, BERKSHIRE, CHADWICK, AND PADONIA.
AND THEN, UM, IN 26, UH, BALTIMORE HIGHLANDS.
UM, IT'S AN, UH, RENO, UH, EXPANSION RENOVATION, UM, AS WELL.
SO THE, UH, COP GRANT, WHICH IS ALSO, AND I DUNNO IF I MENTIONED THAT, WAS, THAT WAS PILLAR FOUR THAT WE WERE, WE WERE SHIFTED TO PILLAR FOUR.
ALSO UNDER PILLAR FOUR IS THE COP CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, UH, GRANT.
AND, UH, MANY THINGS ARE, ARE, ARE GOING ON HERE.
THIS IS A, A FAIRLY, UH, SIZABLE DOLLAR FIGURE FOR FY 25.
WE'RE LOOKING AT $37.2 MILLION.
UH, MANY POSITIONS THAT ARE EITHER CENTRALLY, UH, FUNDED PERSONNEL OR SCHOOL-BASED PERSONNEL, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, SCHOOL-BASED PER PUPIL FUNDING.
UM, AND THE, UH, SUPPORTS THE WRAPAROUND, UH, SERVICES ARE THINGS SUCH AS, UH, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, DANCE, VOCAL MUSIC, ART, ELEMENTARY COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT TEACHERS, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD SUPPORTS, SCHOOL FISCAL SUPPORTS BECAUSE THE FISCAL, UH, UH, IT'S MORE COMPLICATED.
THE SCHOOLS GETTING THESE DOLLARS NEED SOME SUPPORT, UH, FISCALLY, UM, TO MANAGE THE DOLLARS.
AND THEN THERE'S A COMMUNITY SCHOOL OFFICES AS WELL ON THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
AND THEN, UM, PROBABLY THE MOST COMPLICATED OF THE SLIDES THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, IS THE 75, UH, PERCENT OF, OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE TO, UM, THAT, THAT ARE REQUIRED BY BLUEPRINT TO, UH, TO FOLLOW THE STUDENT TO THEIR SCHOOLS.
THAT'S ACCOUNTABILITY THAT'S BEEN ADDED THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT TO MAKE SURE THE DOLLARS ARE GETTING TO WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO OUT IN THE SCHOOLS AS OPPOSED, AS OPPOSED TO IN CENTRAL OFFICE.
UM, SO BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE HOW, THE, THE STRUCTURE OF THE, OF THE, UH, SLIDE HERE, THE TABLE IS SET UP, TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE FIR THE FIRST CHALLENGE WITH THIS, AND IT'S REALLY, I THINK SYSTEMS, UM, STATEWIDE ARE, ARE, ARE HAVING, IS IN ORDER TO, TO DO THIS, YOU HAVE TO CHARGE YOUR EXPENSES TO SCHOOLS.
SO YOU CAN, YOU, YOU, YOU, UM, SO YOU CAN VERIFY THAT YOUR, THAT 75% OF THE DOLLARS ARE GOING TO, TO SCHOOLS.
AND THE WAY I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT IS CURRENTLY USED AT A SCHOOL BUT IS NOT AN EXPENSE AT A SCHOOL.
IT'D BE THINGS LIKE MAYBE TEXTBOOKS.
WE MAY BUY A LARGE TEXTBOOK ORDER CENTRALLY OUT OF THE CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION BUDGET, AND THEN THOSE BOOKS WOULD BE MOVED OUT TO THE SCHOOLS.
SO THE ACTUAL EXPENSE DIDN'T OCCUR IN THE SCHOOL, EVEN THOUGH THE, THE, THE BOOKS ARE GOING TO THE SCHOOLS, UM, THE EXPENSES IS, IS BEING RECORDED CENTRALLY CURRENTLY.
UM, SAME THING WITH COMPUTERS.
WE BUY THE COMPUTER CENTRALLY, AND THEN WE ALLOCATE THOSE OUT TO STUDENT COMPUTERS, OUT TO, UM, TO, TO SCHOOLS.
BUT THE CHARGES, THE EXPENSES ARE, UH, BEING CAPTURED CENTRALLY.
SAME THING WITH SOME OF OUR FRINGE BENEFITS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING CHARGED CENTRALLY.
AND, AND THE SCHOOLS AREN'T BEING, THE, THE CHARGE COSTS AREN'T BEING HIT HITTING THE SCHOOLS.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS IS YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF IS WE'RE PUTTING IN A NEW ERP SYSTEM, AND PART
[01:30:01]
OF THAT ERP SYSTEM WILL BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UM, THAT COSTS CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOLS.SO WE REALLY SEE WHAT COSTS ARE GOING TO SCHOOLS.
UM, AND THIS IS A, A, A CHALLENGE STATEWIDE.
THIS WE WEREN'T, BECAUSE THIS WASN'T A, A REQUIREMENT IN THE PAST, SYSTEMS DIDN'T SET UP THEIR ERP SYSTEMS TO REALLY RECORD EXPENSES THAT, THAT WAY.
WE CAN SAY WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UM, TAKEN THOSE, THOSE COSTS AND ALLOCATED THEM OUT JUST TO KIND OF GET A GAUGE ON WHERE WE ARE.
AND WE BELIEVE, AGAIN, THESE ARE WITH ALLOCATIONS.
WE BELIEVE MOST, IF NOT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY MEETING THE 75, UH, PERCENT THEY'RE AT OR ABOVE.
UM, SO, SO THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD NEWS THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S AN, AN ESTIMATE BASED UPON ALLOCATIONS OF EXPENSES.
UM, BUT WE, WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT, ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO NOW THE ACTUAL, THE ACTUAL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TABLE A LITTLE BIT.
UM, SO THE WAY THIS TABLE IS STRUCTURED IS WE HAVE TWO SCHOOLS, UM, THAT ARE SET UP.
AND IN THE, IN THIS EXAMPLE, UH, BOTH SCHOOLS HAVE THE SAME OVERALL ENROLLMENT.
THE THREE YEAR AVERAGE ENROLLMENT OF 469 STUDENTS, SCHOOL A AND SCHOOL B, SCHOOL B.
SO THE WAY, UH, THIS, THIS, UH, REQUIREMENT WORKS IS WE GET FUNDS FOR, UH, THE FOUND FROM, FOR FOUNDATION FUNDING.
AND THE WAY THIS IS CALCULATED IS, IS YOU TAKE ALL THE STUDENTS 469.3 MULTIPLIED BY THE FOUNDATION AMOUNT, WHICH IS, UM, $8,789 PER STUDENT TAKES 75% OF THAT.
AND THAT IS THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT NEEDS TO GO TO SCHOOL A.
SCHOOL B IS THE SAME 'CAUSE IT HAS THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
THE NEXT LINE DOWN, THEY, UH, SCHOOL A HAS 63 STUDENTS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, UH, SCHOOL A IS GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE 411,000 VERSUS 3 52.
NOT GETTING THE MINIMUM IS SET A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AT SCHOOL A THAN IT IS AT SCHOOL B.
UH, WHERE YOU REALLY START SEEING A DIFFERENCE IS IN THIS EXAMPLE, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS 273 AT SCHOOL A AND ZERO AT SCHOOL B.
SO SCHOOL A WOULD BE GETTING, UH, $1.8 MILLION FOR THOSE, THOSE, UH, UH, STUDENTS, AGAIN, WE SHOULDN'T SAY GETTING, THAT'S THE MINIMUM THAT'S, THAT'S BEING SET.
THIS IS NOT AN ACTUAL ALLOCATION.
UH, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED 366 STUDENTS VERSUS 27.
SO YOU SEE SCHOOL A IS GETTING 2,074,000, SCHOOL B IS GETTING 153.
SO I WON'T STEP YOU THROUGH EACH ONE OF THESE, BUT THAT'S KIND OF HOW THIS WORKS.
AND WHAT YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM.
AND I'LL, I WILL DO THE LAST LINE THERE.
CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY THAT'S ALLOCATED ON A PER SCHOOL ON AT, AT SCHOOLS, NOT AT A PER STUDENT BASIS.
SO YOU SEE, UH, SCHOOL A IS A, A CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY COP SCHOOL.
SCHOOL B IS NOT GETTING ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A COP SCHOOL.
SO YOU CAN SEE FOR THIS EXAMPLE, WHEN WE GET TO FISCAL YEAR 20, UH, 27, WHICH IS WHEN THE, WHEN THIS ACTUALLY KICKS IN AS AND IS A TRUE REQUIREMENT, WE WOULD HAVE TO, AT A MINIMUM, GIVE SCHOOL FUND SCHOOL A $8,232,414, AND SCHOOL B 3,000,714, UH, THOUSAND $927.
SO, AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS AT THE BOTTOM ARE, ARE THE AVERAGE.
IT'S THE TOTAL FUNDING DIVIDED BY, UH, THE NUMBER OF, OF STUDENTS.
UM, NOW THE, THE GOOD NEWS WITH THIS IS, UM, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S MINIMUMS. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY GIVE SCHOOL B IF WE'RE LOOKING AT EQUITY.
WE CERTAINLY COULD PUT MORE FUNDING WITH SCHOOL B.
THIS IS JUST THE, THE, THE MINIMUM.
AND WE ARE, WE'RE ALSO FORTUNATE WE'RE IN A COUNTY WHERE WE'RE FUNDED ABOVE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
SO THOSE DOLLARS ARE, WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO GO TOWARDS SCHOOL B.
THERE'S ALSO NOT ALL OF THE STATE FUNDING IS INCLUDED IN THIS, IN, IN THE, UH, IN THIS, UH, 75%, UH, FIGURE.
SO THOSE DOLLARS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO BE MOVED TO ONE SCHOOL TO KIND OF, TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE.
UM, YOU ALSO THEN HAVE THE 25% THAT'S AVAILABLE THAT COULD BE ALLOCATED TO A SCHOOL TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE.
UM, BUT UH, THAT'S KIND OF, UH, THE, HOW THE 75% WORKED.
SO MAYBE I'LL TAKE A PAUSE AND LET THE SUPERINTENDENT JUMP IN AS WELL.
SO, UM, I SEE MANY OF YOUR FACES,
UM, WE DO HAVE ONE COLUMN LISTED, AND IT'S AROUND THE CONCERN.
SO AS MR. HARLO SHARED, UH, CURRENTLY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS, WE'RE IN AN OKAY POSITION.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, UM, IN MANY OUT YEARS, WE SHARE THE SAME CONCERNS WITH
[01:35:01]
NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.UM, NUMBER ONE, THERE'S A FINITE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES.
AND SO WHEN THERE'S A FINITE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES, AND WE CAN'T PREDICT, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCIAL OUTLOOK 10 YEARS FROM NOW, IF THIS WERE TO BE THE MODEL THAT WAS FOLLOWED, UM, THE IMPLICATIONS ARE THAT YOU WOULD BE MOVING RESOURCES.
AND THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR US IN, UH, TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
NUMBER ONE, UH, INSTABILITY IN COMMUNITIES.
AND, UM, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES WHERE STUDENTS ARE DOING WELL IN BEING SUCCESSFUL WITH THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE.
AND YOU REMOVE THOSE RESOURCES, UM, SEND THEM TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, AND THEN YOU SEE A, UH, DOWNWARD DECLINE IN THE SCHOOLS THAT HAD SOME.
THE CURRENT WAY THAT WE FUND OUR SCHOOLS IS WE START WITH THE ENROLLMENT AS THE BASE, AND THEN WE WILL ADD ON TOP FOR, UM, SPECIFIC PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE'LL ADD ON TOP FOR AREAS OF NEED.
UM, THIS ONE IS A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT.
I WILL SHARE THAT WE AS, UH, SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE ADVOCATED, UH, WITH OUR STATE SUPERINTENDENT, DR. WRIGHT, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, THE, UM, ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES ON, UH, PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE A IB, AROUND, UH, THE IMPACT OF THIS, UH, THE 25, 20 FISCAL YEAR 25, WHERE WE'RE NOW IS NOW A BASELINE YEAR AS OPPOSED TO FULL IMPLEMENTATION THAT WAS MOVED TO 27.
BUT WE STILL KNOW THAT EVEN WITH 27, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE SOME WIDESPREAD CONCERN ACROSS THE STATE.
AND SO WE WANTED TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU AS A PART OF TODAY'S BUDGET.
UM, PRESENTATION AS WE GOT INTO THE PILLAR AS THIS FOR PILLAR FOUR, I WOULD SAY IS, UH, ONE OF THE TOP CONCERNS ACROSS THE STATE.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE OUR ADVOCACY AS, UM, SESSION COMES FORWARD, BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAD A, UH, FIRM UNDERSTANDING, KNOW WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY IN FY 25 AND HAD THE ABILITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT, UH, YOU MIGHT WANNA ASK RELATIVE TO THIS, I WOULD LIKE JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UM, IRONICALLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE BREAKOUT SESSIONS THAT I ATTENDED, AND IT'S NOT JUST US THAT'S GOING THROUGH THIS DIFFICULTY.
UM, IT WAS EXPRESS DIFFICULTY THAT OUR CFOS AND YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS THAT'S TRYING TO COME UP WITH THESE ALLOCATIONS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE CALCULATIONS.
AND IT'S SMALL LEAS, LARGE LEAS, URBAN, SUBURBAN, EVERYONE'S HAVING THE SAME DIFFICULTY.
AND, UM, ALSO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, FOR ME, WE DISCUSSED ADVOCATING FOR SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THIS IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE THE 75, 20 5%, IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT.
IT LOOKS GREAT ON PAPER, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT.
SO I I, IT'S IRONIC THAT I WENT TO THAT BREAKOUT SESSION AND JUST NOW AND I'M SEEING THE SAME THINGS AND JUST, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT JUST US.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, MS. JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.
SO, 'CAUSE YOU HAD SAID THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PROVIDE MORE TO SCHOOLS UPFRONT.
FOR INSTANCE, IF WE DECIDED TO PURCHASE A NEW READING SERIES, THEN SCHOOLS THAT GET THE 75, IT WOULD NEED TO COME OUT OF THE BUDGET THAT WE WOULD GIVE THEM.
BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT? 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT, SO, LET, LET ME SHARE THE, THE EXPECTATION FOR A CURRICULUM ROLLOUT WOULD BE THAT EVERY STUDENT WOULD RECEIVE THAT CURRICULUM.
BUT THE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS, UM, THAT SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE RAISED, UH, IS THESE ARE EXTRA SCOOPS ON TOP OF, AND THAT YOU'VE RUN OUT OF THINGS TO PURCHASE OR PEOPLE TO PURCHASE AND SEE, YOU KNOW, A RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF GAINS, UH, IN STUDENT ACADEMICS.
SO WE WOULDN'T BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD ONLY BE ROLLING OUT NEW CURRICULUM TO THE 70, THE SCHOOLS WITH THE 75, BUT WE WOULD BE IN A SITUATION WHERE EVERYONE WOULD RECEIVE IT.
BUT THE SCHOOLS WITH 75, YOU'RE THEN ABOVE ADDING, YEAH, ADDING ANCILLARY RESOURCES, ADDING ADDITIONAL PEOPLE AND ET CETERA, TO, YOU KNOW, FILL IN THAT GAP OF THE EXTRA FUNDING THAT YOU RECEIVE.
SO THE FUND, SO THE ROLLOUT COULD STILL BE UNEVEN BASED ON WHAT SUPPORT WE COULD PROVIDE TO THE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE 75, BUT NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IT TO THE 25.
SO THEY ALL MIGHT GET BASELINE, BUT SOME WOULD GET A LOT MORE SERVICE.
AND, AND, AND JUST TO, UH, CLARIFY, MY EXAMPLE WAS REALLY MORE TOWARDS THE, UM, RECORDING OF EXPENSES.
WE, WE, WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO GET CREDIT FOR THOSE, THOSE BOOKS THAT WE'RE BUYING RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A CENTRAL OFFICE COST.
WE, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS REALLY MAKES US LOOK BAD ON PAPER.
WE BUY THESE, THESE BOOKS AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE BUYING THINGS FOR CENTRAL OFFICE AND WE GIVE THEM ALL OUT TO SCHOOLS.
SO IN THE FUTURE, WE WANT THOSE EXPENSES TO SHOW UP ON THE SCHOOL'S BOOKS, BECAUSE THAT'S A COST OF HAVING A, A TEXTBOOK.
[01:40:01]
ARGUE THAT THAT'S A CENTRAL OFFICE, UH, EXPENSE.THAT'S A, THAT'S A SCHOOL EXPENSE.
MS. DOKI, I'M NOT SURE THAT IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT IS THIS BASED OFF OF RESEARCH THAT SAYS, UM, GIVING MORE MONEY TO PEOPLE, TO GROUPS THAT HAVE THESE WILL DO BETTER AND IN SCHOOL OR GET BETTER STUDENT STUDENT OUTCOMES? YEAH, IT, IT IS, AND I'M NOT THE, THE, THE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERT, BUT THIS WAS ALL GO, ALL GO ALL GOES BACK TO STUDIES AND RESEARCH OF, OF, UH, THE BLUEPRINT WAS BASED UPON A STUDY AND THEN, UH, IT WAS IMPLEMENTED, UH, BASED UPON RESEARCH AND, AND, AND STATISTICS.
MR. UH, MR. HART LI THINK WE WOULD DEFER TO THE KERWIN COMMISSION ON THAT.
SO IS THERE CURRENTLY ANY LATITUDE FOR EXCESS TO REDISTRIBUTE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE 75 HAS EXPENDITURES OF 65 TO REALLOCATE THOSE TO THE 25 SCHOOLS? AND I'M THINKING FUND BALANCE HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SIMILAR AT THE SCHOOL BUDGET LEVEL.
AND LET ME VERIFY, UH, ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE 70.
ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE, 75% OF THE FUNDING HAS TO GO TO ALL SCHOOLS.
BUT SOME SCHOOLS HAVE MORE STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR POCKETS WHERE THEY'RE GETTING MORE MONEY.
SO EVERY SCHOOL IS GETTING 75, UH, UH, PERCENT.
THE EXAMPLE HERE IS JUST THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME OVERALL ENROLLMENT.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE SAME ENROLLMENT OF SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS.
SO, UM, AS FAR AS THE FLEXIBILITY WE HAVE, THESE ARE MINIMUMS. SO WE COULD, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND I'M SAYING IT'S GONNA, IT MAYBE IT, UM, THIS IS A PRETTY BIG, UH, SWING.
AND MAYBE WE, IN ORDER TO MAKE THE SCHOOLS EQUITABLE AND NOT HAVE, HAVE TO PULL RESOURCES FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, WHERE WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY MAY, WE MAY MOVE IT TOWARDS SCHOOL B.
IT WOULDN'T BE TAKING IT FROM A TO B, IT WOULD BE IN THE 25% THAT'S NOT ALLOCATED TO SCHOOLS.
THAT DOESN'T ALL HAVE TO BE SPENT AT CENTRAL OFFICE THAT CAN BE SPENT AT SCHOOL.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN SPEND MORE THAN 75% OF YOUR DOLLARS AT THE SCHOOL.
SO WE COULD TAKE SOME OF THE 25 AND MOVE IT TOWARDS, UH, SCHOOL B.
WE COULD TAKE SOME OF THE MOE THAT WE GET, UH, THE DOLLARS ABOVE MOE THAT WE GET FROM THE COUNTY.
THOSE DOLLARS ARE BASICALLY NOT REALLY IN THE FORMULA.
SO THOSE DOLLARS ABOVE COULD GO TO B TO TO EQUAL IT OUT.
I MEAN, WE THEORETICALLY, IF WE HAD THE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS, WE COULD MAKE 'EM FUNDED AT THE EXACT SAME LEVEL.
UM, WE COULD, I MEAN, WE'D HAVE TO AND, AND THESE ARE ALL THEORETICAL DISCUSSIONS AT THIS POINT.
NOT LIKELY THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL THAT EXTRA MONEY.
MR. HART LOVE, I'M, I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED, RIGHT? RIGHT.
YOU THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I ALSO WAS AT THE, UM, THE MAE, THE STATE BOARD CONFERENCE, UM, SESSION ON THE BLUEPRINT.
AND IT WAS PRESENTED IN A VERY USER FRIENDLY, UH, LAYMAN'S TERMS, SO TO SPEAK.
AND, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
'CAUSE THIS IS VERY USER FRIENDLY AS WELL.
UM, THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, UM, I KNOW THAT IT'S BY SCHOOL RATHER THAN BY INDIVIDUAL, UNLIKE SOME OF THE OTHER FACTORS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
THE 627 PLUS THOUSAND, IS THAT BASED ON LIKE DIVIDED BY STUDENT OR IS THERE A CERTAIN FORMULA FOR THAT? AND THAT IS, AND THANK YOU.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALLOCATED AT A PER SCHOOL BASIS.
AND THEN HOW IT'S USED, IT CAN BE USED, YOU KNOW, FOR MULTIPLE THINGS.
AND THEN WE HAD THAT CHART EARLIER WHERE, WHERE IT LISTED THE THINGS, THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT CAN BE.
SO IT'S REALLY USED FOR SERVICES, LESS FOR SPECIFIC STUDENTS AND MORE FOR OVERALL SERVICES.
THE BUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, IS THAT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALLOCATED BY SCHOOL, IS THE NUMBER DETERMINED BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS? OR IS IT, I BELIEVE IT'S A, IT'S, YEAH, AS IT IT IS, IT IS BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
SO I'LL BE THE THIRD MEMBER BOARD MEMBER TO ECHO.
THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION TODAY AT MAPE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALSO DID COME UP IN CONVERSATION, UM, WAS ABOUT THE IDEA OF A WAIVER, UM, IF THE 75, 25 IS NOT MET.
UM, AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE JUST, UM, AS THE CFO FROM THAT PARTICULAR LEA WAS SPEAKING, HE SPOKE ABOUT THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE BOARD, AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL, AND HELPING TO MAKE THIS, UH, A MORE SEAMLESS PROCESS.
IF, YOU KNOW, WE AS BALTIMORE COUNTY CAN DO THAT, THEN I THINK WE'LL
[01:45:01]
BE IN A BETTER POSITION AS WELL.AND I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT BASICALLY, I THINK SHE, WHEN YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE FUTURE, IS REALLY THE CONCERN.
AND I THINK WE HAVE TIME TO ADVOCATE FOR SOME CHANGES AND SOME FLEXIBILITY.
BUT YOU KNOW, AS THESE AMOUNTS RAMP UP, THE LAW HAS THE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS RAMPING UP, THIS DIFFERENCE COULD BECOME MORE, UH, UH, EXAGGERATED, MORE, UH, SIGNIFICANT AND HARDER TO OVERCOME.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE WOULDN'T BE, UM, IF THE LAW'S NOT CHANGED MS. LICHTER? WELL, WHILE I KNOW IT'S GONNA HAVE A LOT OF CONSTRAINTS ON IT, I JUST DON'T WANT US TO LOSE, I THINK WHAT THE PREMISE OF THIS IS, AND THAT IS TO PROVIDE THE MONEY TO WHERE THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE.
SO, UM, I THINK WHEN YOU, WE KEEP USING THE WORD EQUITABLE, I THINK IT'S, WE'RE GETTING MIXED UP WITH EQUAL.
LIKE IF WE KEEP GIVING IT TO THE SCHOOLS THAT IF WE GAVE IT TO SCHOOL B MORE AND MORE, TO MAKE THAT MORE EQUAL TO SCHOOL A, BUT THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT EQUAL.
SO THE INTENT, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULDN'T FORGET THAT THE KIDS THAT, OR THE POPULATIONS THAT NEED THINGS SHOULD BE GETTING 'EM.
SO WHILE IT 75, 25 TO ME SOUNDS VERY, VERY DISCREPANT, THE INTENT OF IT, I THINK IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF.
SO IT'S A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION.
UH, AND MY COMMENT WOULD BE, I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THAT'S WHY OUR FIRST BUDGET PRESENTATION WAS AROUND EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AND HOW WE'VE SHIFTED HOW WE'RE USING OUR GRANT FUNDING AS THERE AREN'T THESE EXTRA SOURCES.
SO THAT'S TOTALLY, THE INTENT IS TOTALLY ALIGNED WITH OUR PRACTICES.
AND AS THE NUMBERS GET LARGER, UH, BECAUSE THE PERCENTAGE IS GOING TO DOUBLE NEXT YEAR OF BLUEPRINT FROM WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, LOOKING AT WHAT THAT MEAN FOR US, UH, WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR US AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE DOING THE ADVOCACY WORK.
MS. DOKI, THIS IS MORE OF A CLARIFYING QUESTION TO MAKE SURE I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THIS.
THE 75, 25, SO THE 75 THAT FOLLOWS, A STUDENT ISN'T NECESSARILY FOLLOWING THAT STUDENT TO THEIR SCHOOLS.
AND JUST HEAR ME OUT FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE 75% IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT NEEDS TO GO TO ALL SCHOOLS OF THE STUDENTS, CORRECT? SO STUDENT B, THE STUDENTS AND STUDENT B ARE NOT GETTING THEIR TOTAL 75% OR, AND THAT ARE, OR ARE THEY GETTING THE 75% AND THEN THE STUDENT A IS GETTING 75 PLUS MORE? IT'S 75% OF EACH ONE OF THE BUCKETS OF DOLLARS.
SO YEAH, EVERYBODY'S GETTING 75%.
THESE, THERE'S THE, UH, MULTI, UH, THE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, THE SPECIAL ED, UH, THOSE, THOSE ARE 75% AS WELL.
SO IT'S 75% FOR YOUR OVERALL, IT'S 75% FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE, UH, BUCKETS OF DOLLARS.
AND THAT'S WHY, UM, YOU'RE GETTING MORE AT THESE AT, AT, AT, UH, AT SCHOOL A BECAUSE THEY HAVE, UH, THEY'RE HAVING ADD-ONS OF THESE, THESE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
SO WHY, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN THIS, BUT IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT 75 25 IMPACT IS THAT THE CENTRAL OFFICE CAN'T GET MORE THAN 25% OF, OF HOW MANY BUCKETS, 25% COULD BE SPENT NOT AT THE SCHOOL.
IT COULD BE SPENT AT CENTRAL OF ALL THE BUCKETS BECAUSE THERE'S, WE HAVE LIKE SPECIAL ED FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE SPECIAL ED, CENTRAL STAFF, THEY HAVE TO BE COVERED.
WE HAVE COSTS THAT ARE CENTRAL, UM, THAT HAVE TO BE, THAT HAVE TO BE COVERED IN EACH ONE OF THESE BUCKETS.
UM, SO, SO IT'S 70, IT'S 75% OF ALL THE BUCKETS HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOLS, 25% CAN REMAIN AT CENTRAL OFFICE.
OF ALL THE BUCKETS OF ALL THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF, OF FUNDING, I GUESS I'M JUST CONFUSED AS HOW THAT EQUATES TO BEING 70.
LIKE, 'CAUSE IF YOU JUST EVEN LOOK AT THE TOTAL 3.7 MILLION IS LIKE 25% OF 8.2.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, ROUND NUMBERS TWO SCHOOLS, 200 STUDENTS IN EACH SCHOOL.
SO THEY GET THE SAME BASELINE FUNDING FOR THOSE 200 STUDENTS.
BUT ONE SCHOOL HAS A HUNDRED SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
THEY GET A MULTIPLIER ON TOP OF THAT FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THAT BUILDING.
THE OTHER SCHOOL HAS ZERO SPECIAL ED STUDENTS, SO THEY'RE STILL AT THAT BASELINE FROM SCHOOL.
ONE, THE OTHER A HUNDRED STUDENTS AT THAT SAME SCHOOL WITH A HUNDRED SPECIAL ED STUDENTS HAS A HUNDRED MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.
THERE'S AN EXTRA MULTIPLIER ON THAT.
AND THEN YOU COMPARE THOSE NUMBERS.
SO IF BOTH SCHOOLS STARTED AT 3 MILLION, THE SCHOOL WITH HALF THE POPULATION MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, AND HALF THE POPULATION SPECIAL ED STUDENTS RECEIVES $5 MILLION WHERE THE SCHOOL WITH A HOMOGENEOUS POPULATION
[01:50:01]
OF NO STUDENTS, UM, IN THOSE SERVICE GROUPS RECEIVES 3 MILLION.SO I GUESS IT'S, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY RECEIVING DOUBLE BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR BASELINE PLUS THEY'RE GETTING AN EXTRA 75% ON TOP OF, FOR THE SAME STUDENT.
AND SO THE MONEY FOLLOWS THE STUDENT.
AND SO SOME OF THE CONCERNS ARE IF THE STUDENT CHOOSES TO UP AND MOVE TO A NEW COMMUNITY, THAT MONEY HAS TO ESSENTIALLY FOR THE, 'CAUSE THE, THE STUDENTS STUDENT GROUPS ARE GONNA MOVE AS WELL.
IT ALSO ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW, UH, THE STUDENT, WHICH IS WHY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CONCERN AROUND THE INSTABILITY IN COMMUNITIES.
UM, AS, UH, UH, MS. LICHTER SHARED, WE AGREE IN DIFFERENTIATED EQUITABLE RESOURCE ALLOCATION.
UM, IT'S JUST THIS PARTICULAR FORMULA, WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AS WE CONTINUE TO, UM, RAMP UP OUR EFFORTS WITH THE BLUEPRINT, WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR US, ARE WE ABLE TO MEET THIS IN THE SAME WAY TWO YEARS FROM NOW AS WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THESE NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS NOW? OKAY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? THANK YOU.
[M. INFORMATION (8:40 p.m.)]
AGENDA IS INFORMATION, WHICH IS REVISED SUPERINTENDENT'S RULE 4, 2 0 4.[N. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING (8:40 - 8:50 p.m.)]
COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING.WE'LL START WITH MS. TER, I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS, UM, EXCEPT HAPPY PRINCIPAL MONTH TO ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, MS. CHIU.
UM, WELL TO STUDENTS, WELL, I WOULDN'T SAY HAPPY BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH, BUT
JUST TO ALWAYS BE MINDFUL AND JUST KEEP YOURSELF GROUNDED AS STUDENTS.
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK, I THINK.
NO COMMENTS MR. MCMILLIAN? I HAVE TWO COMMENTS.
UH, AS I SAID EARLIER, I SUPPORT THE SPARES POINT COMPLEX, TWO NEW SCHOOLS FOR SPARES POINT.
HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START NOW TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY TO GET THE INNER AGENCY COMMISSION ON SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION TO REEVALUATE THE STATE READY CAPACITIES FOR THE SPARES POINT PROJECT.
AND I'M GONNA USE DON DOC HIGH SCHOOL AS AN EXAMPLE.
IT OPENED UP IN BRAND NEW HIGH SCHOOL, OPENED UP IN 2013, 2014, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
WE'VE STARTED A, AN ADDITION PROJECT RIGHT THERE OVER THERE.
NOW, 10 YEARS LATER, 2024, WE'VE STARTED THIS EDITION.
THEY HAVE A TRAILER COMPLEX, SO THEY GREW FROM A COUPLE TRAILERS TO THIS TRAILER COMPLEX.
HOPEFULLY THE ADDITIONS ARE GONNA SOLVE, IT'S, IT'S TWO ADDITIONS ON THE CORNER OF THE BUILDING ON THE, UH, NORTHEAST CORNER IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
HOPEFULLY THAT'S GOING TO, UH, IS GOING TO ADJUST THE OVERCROWDING.
HOWEVER, THEY'VE BEEN OVERCROWDED FOR 10, 10 YEARS.
MY GUT FEELING IS WE'RE GONNA STILL NEED THOSE, THOSE TRAILERS WHEN WE OPEN UP THOSE NEW WINGS.
SO MY EXAMPLE WITH SPARES POINT IS WE NEED TO, RATHER THAN WAIT AND DO AN ADDITION IN 10 YEARS, LET'S DO THIS.
BUILD IT RIGHT NOW FOR THE CAPACITY, FOR AN ACCURATE CAPACITY SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THERE THAT ARE COMING UP.
SO LET'S REEVALUATE THOSE NUMBERS.
SECONDLY, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TOPIC.
THERE'S AN OLD PHRASE IN YOUR EAR AND OUT YOUR MOUTH.
NOBODY'S GOT MY EAR ON THIS, THIS, THESE ARE MY THOUGHTS.
I THINK OUR MEETINGS, WE GET ALL THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE NEED TO DIVE DEEPER INTO TOPICS THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.
THE, THE 12 MIDNIGHT AND THE ONE O'CLOCK MEETINGS BACK A FEW YEARS AGO, I WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR STUDENTS, TO OUR PARENTS, TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR VIEWING PUBLIC, TO DIVE DEEPER AND GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION THAN WE'RE SHARING WITH THEM.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM VICE CHAIR.
I I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, UH, ONE TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS AND HER TEAM FOR, UH, DELVING INTO THIS COMPLICATED BLUEPRINT AND ADVOCATING FOR WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF EACH AND EVERY STUDENT.
UH, OUR MORAL IMPERATIVE STATES THAT WE BELIEVE THAT EACH AND EVERY STUDENT CAN AND WILL LEARN.
AND IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO EACH AND EVERY STUDENT TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS NO COOKIE CUTTER PROCESS.
[01:55:01]
WHILE WE STRUGGLE WITH BUDGET, UH, I BELIEVE IT IS A WORTHWHILE STRUGGLE IF WE CAN MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE, UH, LEARNING DIFFERENCES, STUDENTS WHO HAVE LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES, UH, STUDENTS WHO HAVE ECONOMIC AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHALLENGES, UH, RECEIVE THE SAME LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND COMMITMENT THAT STUDENTS WHO DO NOT, UH, HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS HAPPENS AT BCPS.SO I APPRECIATE KEEPING THAT IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS.
I ALSO, UH, WANT TO EXPRESS THAT, UM, WHILE THIS BOARD CONTINUES TO DO OUR WORK, THAT IT IS MY HOPE THAT WE STAY FOCUSED ON OUR, OUR MISSION OF EDUCATING STUDENTS, AND THAT WE DO NOT, UH, GET DISTRACTED, UH, BY, BY, UH, ANCILLARY, UH, ISSUES AND TOPICS THAT DISTRACT US FROM MAKING SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY STUDENT, UH, HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THEIR TIME IS NOT OUR TIME.
OUR STUDENTS ARE IN CLASS NOW, GRADUATING NOW.
AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT WE MOVE WITH THAT URGENCY ON THIS BOARD AS WE, UH, GENERATE OUR AGENDAS, OUR TOPICS, MAKE OUR MOTIONS AND PRIORITIZE THE WORK WE'RE GOING TO GET DONE ON THIS BOARD.
I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR A JOB WELL DONE TODAY AT THE STUDENT PANEL AT THE MA CONFERENCE.
UH, I HAVE SOME TOPICS, BUT SOME OF THEM HAVE ALREADY COVERED TONIGHT THIS EVENING.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO FOLLOW UP ON, UM, GETTING A FULL UPDATE ON THE MCGRAW HILL, UM, STUDY SYN AND THE SA LEARNING MY PERSPECTIVES.
I REALIZED I JUST, I KNOW THAT WE'VE, BOARD LEADERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE FULL BOARD HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON, ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
I'D ALSO, UM, LIKE TO GET AN, A FURTHER UPDATE ON THE CELL PHONE POUCH PILOT.
UM, HOW'S IT GOING? WE GOT A LOT OF DETAILS TONIGHT, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE AFTER THE MID-NOVEMBER MEETING WITH EDUCATION ADVISORS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY, UH, JUST AN UPDATE ON THAT.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A, A SMALL REQUEST TO OUR BUDGET IF WE COULD GET THOSE PRESENTATIONS A LITTLE SOONER, UM, SO THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TIME TO PREPARE AND MAKE, UM, MEANINGFUL QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
WE RECEIVED OUR, UM, PRESENTATION PRETTY CLOSE TO MEETING TIME.
I WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE MORE IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS.
AND LASTLY, I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE THAT WE ARE HOLDING OUR SECOND COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON SCHOOL SAFETY NEXT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17TH AT KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AT 6:00 PM I HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE.
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY CONGRATULATING AGAIN, CHAPEL HILL ELEMENTARY ON A TREMENDOUS HONOR OF BEING NAMED A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL.
I WAS HONORED TO ATTEND THE CELEBRATION, UM, AND ENJOYED THAT TREMENDOUSLY.
THAT WAS SOMETHING, AS A PARENT OF AN ALUMNI CHAPEL HILL, I WAS TREMENDOUSLY HAPPY TO BE A PART OF AND CONGRATULATE THE ENTIRE CHAPEL HILL FAMILY.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, UM, CONGRATULATIONS.
AND SECONDLY, A TOPIC I WOULD LIKE IS AN UPDATE ON THE VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM AND THE LOTTERY ADMISSIONS PROCESS THAT, UM, IS A CHANGE TO THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS WE OFFER.
AND GENERALLY THAT COMES TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION.
SO I WOULD APPRECIATE, UM, A DISCUSSION OF THAT BEFORE THE BOARD.
UM, I'D LIKE TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE SENTIMENTS WITH CHAPEL HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE ONES THAT I WAS GONNA MENTION AS WELL.
UM, JUST BEING ABLE TO BE THERE AND BE A PART OF IT, UM, FROM BEING A PARENT WHO WAS AT THAT SCHOOL WAS A SUPER EXCITING MOMENT TO SEE, UM, CHAPEL HILL RECEIVE THAT HONOR.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT NOTTINGHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, THE RIBBON CUTTING WAS LAST WEEK, AND WE WERE ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT.
UM, BUT ALSO I WANTED TO GIVE, UM, KUDOS TO OUR, UM, ADVISORY COUNCILS IN GENERAL, THE ADVISORY COUNCILS, THE EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCILS DO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, HELPING TO, UM, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE BEING SHARED WITH US AS THE BOARD.
AND SO, UM, FOR NOTTINGHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL ESPECIALLY, WANNA SHOUT OUT THE NORTHEAST AREA.
UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, SOME INDIVIDUALS
[02:00:01]
THT, KRIS B, UM, LILY, L UM, RYAN, B.AND, UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ANITA B.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT AFTER ATTENDING THE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION ON SCHOOL SAFETY AND HEARING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TONIGHT, UM, THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE SUPERINTENDENT SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT DIRECTLY REFLECTS THE FEEDBACK THAT WAS PROVIDED BY STAKEHOLDERS IN THAT COMMUNITY CONVERSATION.
UM, AND IT'S APPARENT, UM, THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF ARE LISTENING TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND TAKING ACTION BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK.
[O. ANNOUNCEMENTS (8:50 p.m.)]
LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 2024 AT 6:30 PM THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT, AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.