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[A. CLOSED SESSION]
IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE LICHTER.I CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026.
THIS EVENING'S BOARD OF ED MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST, AND ON BCPS TV, COMCAST XFINITY, CHANNEL 1 0 7 3, AND VERIZON FIOS, CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO ON TO CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED BY THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AS FOUND IN THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE THREE DASH 3 0 5 B ONE 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 PERSONAL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
AND CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND DOKI.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE LICHTER.I NOW CALL A ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026.
I INVITE YOU TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO BE LED BY MS. CLAIRE JI.
WE WILL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
TODAY'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST ON BCPS TV, XFINITY CHANNEL 1 0 7 3 AND VERIZON FIOS, CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
[C. AGENDA (6:35 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 8TH AGENDA.HEISER, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO KNIGHT'S AGENDA? I AM UNAWARE OF ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA.
THE AGENDA STANDS AS PRESENTED EARLIER THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD MET ENC CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, AND CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
THE CLOSED SESSION SUMMARY AND THE OPEN SESSION INFORMATION SUMMARY CAN BE FOUND ON DILIGENT COMMUNITY UNDER THIS BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
[D. NEW BUSINESS - PERSONNEL MATTERS (Mr. McCall) (6:45 - 6:50 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PERSONNEL MATTERS, AND FOR THAT I CALL MR. MCCALL.CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR, YOUNG SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
HEISER AND OUR ILLUSTRIOUS BOARD MEMBERS.
TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING PERSONNEL MATTERS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, EDUCATED LICENSURE, APPOINTMENT, AND DECEASED RECOGNITION OF SERVICE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONAL MATTERS AS PRESENTED EXHIBITS D ONE THROUGH D FIVE.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM PONG.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[E. PUBLIC COMMENT (7:00 - 7:30 p.m.)]
IS PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE BOARD PROVIDES TO
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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 PUBLIC BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HOMELAND SECURITY UNIT AND OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY HAVE RECOMMENDED SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS, WHICH ARE POSTED IN THE BOARDROOM AND AVAILABLE IN THE DILIGENT COMMUNITY AND ON THE BOARD'S PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC WEBSITE.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT ON POLICIES, PROGRAMS, AND PRACTICES WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD AND THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, THIS IS NOT THE PROPER FORUM TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE MATTERS OR TO COME 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-B-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 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 OF THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD CHAIR.
WE'RE GONNA START WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AFFILIATED GROUPS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MS. LESLIE WEBER FROM THE PTA COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, AND SHE IS PRESENTING VIRTUALLY MS. WEBER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR YOUNG BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS AND DR.
HEISER FOR TAKING PART IN YOUR FIRST LEADERSHIP ROUND TABLE LAST WEEK.
WE ALSO APPRECIATE CHIEF OF STAFF CHU'S PARTICIPATION.
WE'RE GLAD YOU COULD HEAR DIRECTLY FROM PTA PRESIDENTS AND PRESIDENTS REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING THEIR SCHOOLS.
AT THE ROUND TABLE COUNCIL LEADERS ASKED ABOUT THE DIGITAL HALL PASS PILOT TO MONITOR STUDENTS' ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS, BUT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE PRIVACY INFRINGEMENTS STUDENT SURVEILLANCE, DATA TRACKING AND CREATING PERMANENT DIGITAL BEHAVIORAL BEHAVIORAL RECORDS.
WE HOPE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WILL RECEIVE A REPORT ON THIS PILOT SOON SO EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND THE PROS AND CONS OF STUDENTS BEING MONITORED IN THIS MANNER.
AT OUR ROUND TABLE, A PARTICIPANT RAISED THE ISSUE OF SCREEN TIME IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I SHARED THAT PTA COUNCIL ADVOCATED FOR YEARS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME LINKED TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, ONE-TO-ONE LAPTOP ROLLOUT KNOWN AS STAT, WHICH BEGAN, WHICH BEGAN IN FALL 2014 WITH OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
THIS ADVOCACY BEGAN UNDER THE LEADERSHIP EVENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT EMERY YOUNG.
IN ADDITION TO SCREEN TIME CONCERNS, WE REPEATEDLY QUESTIONED THE PROGRAM'S MASSIVE COSTS AND OPPORTUNITY COSTS.
CONSIDERING THIS AFTER OVER A DECADE, IT'S HEARTENING, HEARTENING TO KNOW THAT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA IS A SCREEN TIME REPORT.
WE APPRECIATE HOW QUICKLY THIS ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED.
PTA COUNCIL SAID THEN AND SAYS, NOW THAT WE'RE NOT ANTI-TECH, BUT ARE FOR THE SAFE AND APPROPRIATE USE OF TECH IN OUR SCHOOLS, WE SUPPORT A BALANCED APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY THAT PROMOTES DIGITAL LITERACY, STUDENT SAFETY, WELLNESS, AND RESILIENCE.
WE BEGAN PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN AUGUST, 2024 THROUGH OUR RESPONSIBLE CELL PHONE USE CAMPAIGN TO BUILD AWARENESS AND EDUCATE PARENTS AND FAMILIES ON THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF CELL PHONES AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CHILDREN.
WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP IS CONTINUING WITH YOU, DR.
HEISER, WHEN OUR VICE PRESIDENT, RAMONA BASILIO, WHO ALSO LEADS OUR RESPONSIBLE CELL PHONE AND TECHNOLOGY USE WORKING GROUP, WHICH MET WITH YOU RECENTLY.
YOU DISCUSSED HOW BCPS WILL PREPARE FOR NEW LEGISLATION.
MAN MANDATING STRICT DEVICE REGULATIONS STATEWIDE EFFECTIVE 2027 BCPS HAS BEEN HEAD OF THE GAME AND PROACTIVE WITH ITS OFTEN AWAY POLICY.
HOWEVER, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW BELL TO BELL RESTRICTIONS NEEDS TO BE INFORMED BY POSITIVE MESSAGING TO EDUCATE PARENTS AND FAMILIES ABOUT THE BAN AND SUPPORT ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS.
WE'RE READY TO COLLABORATE ON TOWN HALLS, WORKSHOPS AND COMPACTS WITH, WITH OUR 130 PARENT LED PTA AND PTSA UNITS, WE HOPE TO CONTINUE GATHERING AND SHARING AND EXPLORING PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND STUDENTS PERSPECTIVES TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM OFF AND AWAY TO BELL TO BELL, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOGISTICS AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. MARLENA PURCELL FROM THE SOUTHWEST AREA ADVISORY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY FOR THE RECORD.
MY NAME IS MARLENA COLTON PURCELL.
I'M THE, UH, SOUTHWEST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR.
GOOD EVENING BOARD PRESIDENT, VICE CHAIR, UM, ALL ON THE DESK AND MR. HEISER, CONGRATULATIONS
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ON YOUR, UM, START OF THE NEW YEAR.AND, UH, THIS IS JUST FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES TONIGHT.
UM, WE ARE IN THE, I GUESS WHAT YOU WOULD SAY MEMBERSHIP DRIVE SEASON.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO REITERATE HOW THE AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCILS, UM, ARE FORMED.
THERE ARE FIVE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
SOUTHWEST, NORTHWEST, CENTRAL, NORTHEAST AND SOUTHEAST RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO SERVE IN A VOLUNTARY CAPACITY, UM, TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT STUDENTS, FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND SCHOOLS.
I ASK TODAY, NEXT MONTH, I'LL BEG I ASK TODAY THAT YOU FIND, DID YOU GO TO BCPS UM.ORG, GO TO THE SEARCH BAR AND TYPE IN A EAC AFTER THIS MEETING.
ALL OF THE MEETING DATES AND LOCATIONS WILL BE ONLINE, SO PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOPICS THAT MAY INTEREST YOU.
UM, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BELONG IN THAT AREA, BUT WE DO ASK THAT IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN IN YOUR GEOGRAPHIC AREA THAT YOU DO ATTEND.
THE MEETING MEETINGS ARE GENERALLY HELD ONCE A MONTH AND, UM, THEY'RE ALSO MEETINGS NOT ONLY WITH TOPICS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BCPS STAFF.
AS I CONCLUDE, UM, WITH MY TIME, I JUST WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT FOR TAKING ON THIS DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, THE AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL ARE HERE FOR YOU, AND IF WE CAN SUPPORT IN ANY OTHER WAY BESIDES GIVING FEEDBACK, UM, PLEASE LET US KNOW AND WE ARE, UM, AVAILABLE.
AND OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUR PARTNER FROM THE NORTHWEST AREA ADVISORY COUNCIL.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SUPERINTENDENT INTO YOUR SECOND WEEK.
WHAT MY DAUGHTER'S ALWAYS SAID ABOUT A THREE DAY WEEKEND IS A FOUR DAY WEEK.
SO ANYWAY, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THIS TIME.
I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.
SOMETHING CAME UP THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE ON NORTHWEST.
THANKS, MARLENE, FOR THAT GENERAL UPDATE.
UM, ALL OUR PROGRAMS SHOULD BE SCHEDULED IF THEY'RE NOT ONLINE YET.
UM, TRACY'S WORKING ON THEM NOW.
THERE WILL BE A FEW JOINT SESSIONS WITH AT LEAST TWO OR THREE OF THE COUNCILS.
UM, WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY WHICH TOPICS YET, BUT THEY WILL BE GENERIC TO THE WHOLE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN NORTHWEST.
WE FOUND THAT SOME OF THE TOPICS, UM, WE COULD BETTER ADDRESS JUST, UM, STICKING TO THE NORTHWEST.
UM, AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES, IF WE NEED TO CHANGE ANY OF THE TOPICS, WE WILL DO THAT AT THE TIME.
WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE BUSINESS MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO USE THE TIME TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT, UH, POSSIBLE NEW MEMBERS ON THE COUNCIL.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO USE THIS FOR POLITICIANS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUSINESS LEADERS, PTA COUNCIL, ALL PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, EXPRESSED DESIRE TO HELP US, UM, BUILD THE MEMBERSHIP.
ANY OTHER IDEAS WOULD BE WONDERFUL OF WE CAN HELP, UM, INCREASE OUR MEMBERSHIP.
UM, WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR STARTING THE BUDGET COMMITTEE UP AGAIN.
HOPEFULLY THAT'LL EASE SOME OF THE PROBLEM AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT TIME.
THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT CAME UP.
HOUSEKEEPING, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE OR NOT, BUT, UM, I, I REALIZE THAT THE, UH, THE COORDINATOR POSITION FOR THE ADVISORY COUNCILS IS VACANT.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED THE CHAIRS TO, UM, COME BACK TO YOU WITH A PROPOSAL OF WHAT THEY THINK YOU POSSIBLY DO WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY.
TO GET WHAT THE CHAIRS IF YOU WANT.
AND ONCE AGAIN, I'M, I'M SORRY IF THIS IS INE POLICY 1230 BOARD POLICY 1230, I'VE HAD TO REFER TO IT THREE OR FOUR TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
IT DEALS WITH THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND IT SEEMS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE THE LAST TIME IT WAS UPDATED, WHATEVER SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE ITEMS MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT OF A MISMATCH TO WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON.
IF YOU'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT, IF YOU THINK IT'S PERFECT, THEN, THEN IT IS.
I OWE YOU TWO RESUMES FROM OUR STUDENT MEMBERS.
THEY'RE, UH, TOPNOTCH, I BELIEVE ONE'S FROM RANDALLSTOWN AND THE OTHER IS FROM MILFORD.
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WOW, OKAY.THAT WENT QUICKER THAN I THOUGHT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, HEALTHY NEW, WHOOPS, THOSE WHO, OH, FINISHED.
WHO FINISHED? UH, SEPTEMBER IS BOTH RECOVERING MONTH AND, UM, HOW LONG SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH, UH, IF ANY, THAT, AND FINALLY KEEP EVERYBODY PRAYERS FOR THOSE LOSS.
OUR NEXT CATEGORY ARE UNIONS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MS. KELLY OLDS REPRESENTING TAPCO.
CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR YOUNG DR.
HEISER AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
IT IS VERY EXCITING TO HAVE STUDENTS BACK IN SCHOOLS.
LAST WEEK WAS SUCH A JOY GETTING TO VISIT SCHOOLS WITH OTHER UNION LEADERS, DR.
HEISER, BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHER SYSTEM LEADERS AT THESE SCHOOLS.
I SAW STUDENTS WHO ARE EXCITED AND READY TO LEARN AND EDUCATORS WHO ARE READY TO TEACH THEM THE CAREFULLY PREPARED LESSONS, BROUGHT TOGETHER CURRICULAR CONTENT, SETTING OF EXPECTATIONS AND PURPOSE, ESTABLISHING ROUTINES AND CELEBRATING THE INDIVIDUALITY THAT EACH STUDENT BRINGS TO THE CLASSROOM.
THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS THROUGHOUT THE VISITS AND GENUINE INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SHARE EVERYTHING, BUT THAT WOULD TAKE A LOT LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES.
SO I JUST WANNA HIGHLIGHT A FEW.
IN ONE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT WE VISITED ON THE VERY FIRST DAY, WE WERE IN A SPANISH CLASS AND THEY WERE ONLY SPEAKING SPANISH.
UH, AND THEY WERE DOING SO WITH CONFIDENCE, UH, AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE THAT THEY WERE THERE.
THEY KNEW THE EXPECTATIONS AND THEY WERE READY.
AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE HAD STUDENT TOUR GUIDES AND THEY WERE WISE BEYOND THEIR YEARS ENGAGED AND EXCITED, PERFECT AMBASSADORS FOR THEIR SCHOOL AT WESTERN TECH, WE VISITED SEVERAL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS WHERE STUDENTS WERE DILIGENTLY PREPARING FOR THEIR POTENTIAL FUTURE CAREERS.
AMONG THEM WAS THE CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM WHERE I HAD THE CHANCE TO THANK THE YOUNG BAKERS WHO MADE DESSERTS FOR THE TABCO HOLIDAY RA LAST DECEMBER.
I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO GET TO SEE THEM AND THANK THEM IN PERSON.
THEN SPEAKING OF THE TABCO DECEMBER RA, THAT IS THE MEETING WHERE OUR LEADERS CALLED FOR BOARD POLICY 1250.
WE ARE GLAD THAT TRAINING IS PLANNED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL BCPS EMPLOYEES ARE AWARE OF OUR SHARED ROLE IN PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS AND LEARNING AND THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
SPEAKING OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, OUR BARGAINING BEGINS NEXT WEEK.
THE THEME FOR BARGAINING IS TIME AND DIGNITY, BUT THE GOAL AS ALWAYS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WORLD CLASS EDUCATORS WHO STAY IN BALTIMORE COUNTY THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS, SERVING OUR STUDENTS, AND TOGETHER PAVING THE WAY FOR THEIR GREAT FUTURES.
I LOOK FORWARD TO US WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS A FRUIT FRUITFUL ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS.
OUR NEXT CATEGORY IS NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS AMANDA GARRETT FROM SCHOOLS BEYOND SCREENS BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, I'M AMANDA GARRETT WITH SCHOOLS BEYOND SCREENS BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, AND FIRST I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT SCHOOLS BEYOND SCREENS IS NOT ANTI-TECHNOLOGY.
UM, WE ARE JUST SIMPLY ADVOCATING FOR THE RESPONSIBLE AND INTENTIONAL USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR CLASSROOMS. UM, DR.
HEISER, I APPRECIATED YOUR COMMENTS THE OTHER WEEK ABOUT HOW BIG TECH HAS USED OUR STUDENTS AS GUINEA PIGS AND NEEDING TO RETHINK HOW WE USE THESE TOOLS.
AND THIS RAISES AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
UM, SHOULDN'T WE UNDERSTAND HOW THESE TECHNOLOGIES AFFECT STUDENTS BEFORE INTRODUCING THEM AT SCALE? AND SO TODAY, I I WANT TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON AI.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF STUDENT AI USE.
AND THE RESEARCH WE DO HAVE IS RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT COGNITIVE OFFLOADING, RETENTION, AND CRITICAL THINKING WITH EVEN SMALL DOSES OF GENERATIVE AI USE.
NEW YORK CITY JUST INSTITUTED A MORATORIUM ON STUDENT FACING GENERATIVE AI THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE WHILE THEY EVALUATE THE EVIDENCE AND THEIR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL STILL
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LEARN ABOUT AI THROUGH INTENTIONAL AI LITERACY INSTRUCTION.AND THAT DISTINCTION I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
STUDENTS SHOULD LEARN ABOUT AI AT APPROPRIATE AGES, BUT INTENTIONALLY LEARNING ABOUT IT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM GIVING STUDENTS ROUTINE ACCESS TO TOOLS THAT GENERATE ANSWERS AND THINKING FOR THEM.
AND SCHOOLS AREN'T ALWAYS EVEN CHOOSING THESE TOOLS.
TECH COMPANIES KEEP ADDING AI FEATURES TO PLATFORMS OFTEN WITHOUT GIVING SCHOOLS THE ABILITY TO TURN THEM OFF.
AI OVERVIEW IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
I PROVIDED THE BOARD WITH THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF A 2026 COMMON SENSE MEDIA REPORT RATING, AI OVERVIEW, AND UNACCEPTABLE RISK TO STUDENTS.
IT ANSWERED 100% OF CLASSWORK QUESTIONS AND SUPPLIED SERIOUSLY INAPPROPRIATE RESPONSES TO VULNERABLE STUDENTS, BUT SCHOOLS CANNOT TURN IT OFF WHILE ALLOWING GOOGLE SEARCH.
OF COURSE WE CAN TELL STUDENTS NOT TO USE IT, BUT WHEN SOMETHING IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR KIDS, WE GENERALLY DON'T GIVE THEM UNRESTRICTED ACCESS AND RELY ON THEIR OWN SELF-CONTROL.
WE CREATE REASONABLE FRICTION.
LIGHTSPEED HELPS TEACHERS MONITOR STUDENT ACTIVITY IN CLASS, BUT TRYING TO MONITOR WHAT 30 STUDENTS ARE DOING ONLINE WHILE ALSO TEACHING IS QUITE AN ENORMOUS TASK.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT TWO THINGS REGARDING AI.
IF SEARCH ENGINES NOW AUTOMATICALLY PROVIDE AI GENERATED ANSWERS, SHOULD STUDENTS HAVE UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO THEM? AND IF STUDENTS NEED SEARCH ACCESS, WHAT ARE THE SAFER ALTERNATIVES? AND TWO, SHOULD BCPS FOLLOW NEW YORK AND ALSO LA AND TEMPORARILY PAUSE STUDENT FACING GENERATIVE AI.
WHILE WE BETTER UNDERSTAND ITS EFFECTS AND DECIDE WHERE AND WHEN IT BELONGS IN OUR SCHOOLS, IF WE HAVE LEARNED ANYTHING OVER THE SHOULD COME BEFORE EXPOSURE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIETTA ENGLISH FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY NAACP.
DIDN'T THINK I OH, THERE SHE'S GOOD EVENING.
CHAIR LECTER, VICE CHAIR, YOUNG MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DR.
MY NAME IS MARY MARIETTA ENGLISH AND I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IN A DUAL CAPACITY THAT REPRESENTS BOTH OUR RICH HISTORY AND OUR BOUNDLESS FUTURE.
I AM PROUD TO SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE FOR THE BALTIMORE COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP, AS WELL AS CHAIR OF THE AFRO ACADEMIC CULTURAL TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENTIFIC OLYMPICS COMMITTEE, BETTER KNOWN AS AXO.
ON BEHALF OF THE NAACP, I WANT TO EXTEND THAT VERY WARM AND ENTHUSIASTIC.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT, DR.
WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU AT THE LEADERSHIP AT THE HELM OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH YOU SOON.
AND PLEASED TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE OUR FULL SUPPORT AS WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO MOVE THIS DISTRICT FORWARD AND CHAMPION EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND EXCELLENCE FOR EVERY STUDENT.
TONIGHT I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THIS BOARD AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT FOR THE CONTINUED UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE AXO PROGRAM.
FOR DECADES, AX O HAS SERVED AS AN ESSENTIAL OLYMPICS OF THE MIND PROVIDING A VITAL PLATFORM FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, A OF AFRICAN DESCENT, TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ACADEMIC, SCIENTIFIC, AND ARTISTIC TALENT, YOUR INVESTMENT IN THESE BRILLIANT YOUNG MINDS YIELD INCREDIBLE FRUIT.
TO PROVE IT, WE JUST RETURNED FROM THE NATIONAL AXO COMPETITION IN CHICAGO AND I AM ECSTATIC TO SHARE THAT A PHENOMENAL STUDENT FROM OUR BRANCH WON THE NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL IN SCULPTURE, CYAN BLAZE FROM CARVER.
THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS A TESTAMENT TO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TALENT MEETS OPPORTUNITY, RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY ENCOURAGEMENT.
BUT TO KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING AND EXPAND THESE LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES TO MORE STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTY, WE NEED YOUR HELP TO STRENGTHEN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
A PROGRAM LIKE AXEL THRIVES ON YOUNG COM ON STRONG COMMUNICATION AND INTERNAL CHAMPIONS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL.
WE KNOW THE MAGIC THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE DEDICATED EDUCATORS ON THE GROUND AND WE CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT WITH THE WORK OF MS. MILLER AT WOODLAWN AND MS. POWELL AT CARVER.
HEISER, WE ARE FORMALLY ASKING THAT
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YOU DIRECT HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE US WITH THE NAME OF A DEDICATED STAFF MEMBER IN EACH SCHOOL WHO WILL SERVE AS OUR OFFICIAL AXEL POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT AND A FRESH SCHOOL YEAR AND A NATIONAL GOLD MEDAL WINNER UNDER OUR BELT.THE ENERGY IN OUR COUNTY IS UNMATCHED.
THE NAACP AND THE AXO COMMITTEE LOOK FORWARD TO AN ABSOLUTE OUTSTANDING YEAR OF PARTNERSHIP, GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, I HAVE SOME FLYERS.
THE NEXT SPEAKER IS VERNON FISHER FROM KAPPA ALPHA SIDE FRATERNITY INCORPORATED, THE TOWSON CATONSVILLE CHAPTER AND HE IS VIRTUAL.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
HE MEMBERS OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATORS, AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
MY NAME IS VERNON FISHER AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE TOWSON CATONSVILLE ALUMNI CHAPTER AWARD-WINNING GUIDE, RIGHT PROGRAMS CAPTAIN ALPHA SIDE FRATERNITY INCORPORATED GUIDE RIGHT IS A NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAM OF MORE THAN A CENTURY OF COMMITMENT TO THE EDUCATIONAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE.
OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL TO PLACE THE EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND INTEREST OF SUCCESSFUL MEN AT THE DISPOSAL OF YOUNG PEOPLE AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR FUTURES.
FOR MANY YEARS, OUR GUIDE RIGHT PROGRAM HAS BEEN PROUD TO PARTNER WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH STUDENTS AT DUNBARTON, MIDDLE, WOODLAWN, MIDDLE AND WESTERN SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM.
HOWEVER, CAPA LEADERS ALSO BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNG MEN FROM PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT BALTIMORE COUNTY, BEGINNING THE SIXTH GRADE, CONTINUING THROUGH COLLEGE.
OUR MODEL IS BE THE VERY BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF IN ALL OF YOUR ENDEAVORS.
WE BRING THAT MODEL TO LIFE THROUGH SEVEN PHASES OF CAPITAL LEAP ONE, SELF-IDENTITY AND PURPOSE.
TWO, TRAINING, THREE, COMPETITION, FOUR, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, FIVE, HEALTH EDUCATION, SIX, ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND EDUCATION.
AND SEVEN, COLLEGE AND CAREER PREPARATION.
WE ALSO EXPOSE OUR STUDENTS TO EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES IN AVIATION, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, CYBERSECURITY, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS WELL.
THESE ARE ALL FIELDS THAT WILL HELP ESCAPE THEIR FUTURE AND STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE HAVE WITNESSED REMARKABLE GROWTH IN THE YOUNG MEN.
WE SEE STRONGER PUBLIC SPEAKERS IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE, AND DEVELOPING LITERACY SKILLS THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS OUR ROOM TO READ PROGRAM.
OUR MENTEES HAVE BECOME MORE GOAL ORIENTED, ACADEMICALLY FOCUSED AND COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE.
AS A RESULT, MANY ARE ACHIEVING HONOR ROLL STATUS.
WE HAVE A WESTERN TECH STUDENT CURRENTLY MATRICULATING AT MORGAN IN PURSUIT OF AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE THROUGH ROOM TO READED AL DUNBAR STUDENTS VISIT NEIGHBORING ROGER FORDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE THEY READ TO MORE THAN 100 YOUNGER STUDENTS.
IN DOING SO, THEY ARE NOT ONLY STRENGTHENING THEIR OWN SKILLS, THEY'RE BECOMING ROLE MODELS AND MENTORS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEARNERS.
SUPERINTENDENT HEISER, WELCOME YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP.
TOMON CATONSVILLE ALUMNI CHAPTER GUIDE, RIGHT STANDS READY TO WORK ALONGSIDE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO INSPIRE, MENTOR, EDUCATE, PREPARE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FOR SUCCESS.
TOGETHER WE CAN HELP OUR STUDENTS DISCOVER THEIR PURPOSE, REACH THEIR POTENTIAL, AND BECOME THE VERY BEST VERSION OF THEMSELVES.
OUR NEXT CATEGORY ARE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OR STUDENTS.
AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS SHARON COFF.
ER'S FIRST WEEK AND A HALF OF SCHOOL HAS BEEN, UM, UNEVENTFUL AS FAR AS, UH, THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT HAPPENING, CONCERN ARE CONCERNED.
I PROMISED THE BOARD THAT I WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION AS FAR AS WAYS OF HELPING BALTIMORE COUNTY WITH THEIR SPECIAL ED IN IMPROVING.
[00:30:01]
BRING YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT TO, FIRST OF ALL, AND I KNOW THAT I'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.THIS IS A RELEASE OF INFORMATION FORM.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT IS, PART OF IT IS NOTED ON THIS FORM 52 30 FORM A.
YOU NEED THIS FORM TO GET STUDENT RECORDS FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
HOWEVER, IF A PARENT SIGNS THIS FORM, THE SCHOOL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE GONNA DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION TO WHOEVER THE PARENT WANTS.
THIS CAN HAMPER A PARENT'S ABILITY TO GET OUTSIDE ASSESSMENTS, OUTSIDE THERAPIES, OR YOU CAN TURN IT AROUND AND LET'S SAY THE PARENT SHARES SOMETHING WITH ME AND I DECIDE TO BE PETTY AND I DON'T WANNA HAND IT OVER TO YOU, BUT THE PARENT HAS SIGNED THIS LOVELY RELEASE FORM, SO I SHOULD HAND IT OVER COMMUNICATION AND I HAVE NO, AND IT'S NOTED ON HERE TWO WAY COMMUNICATION MEANS TWO WAY COMMUNICATION.
IF WE ARE TO WORK, COLLABORATE, LIVE, EXCUSE ME, COLLABORATIVELY AND HELP OUR STUDENTS DO BETTER, WE SHOULD FIRST BE WILLING TO SHARE INFORMATION AS A PARENT HAS REQUESTED, ANSWER QUESTIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND PROVIDE LOGICAL EXPLANATIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JILL SMITH.
I WATCHED THAT, RIGHT? WELL,
WELL THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MEME THAT HAD GONE VIRAL THROUGHOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS XA FEW WEEKS AGO WAS POSTED BY ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS MEME ASKED READERS TO CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAGA AND SHARIA LAW.
IT WAS NOT AN ANTI-MUSLIM MEME.
IT SUGGESTED SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS UNDER SHARIA LAW.
THE BOARD MEMBER REMOVED THE POST, BUT APPARENTLY THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR CERTAIN FACTIONS.
THIS BOARD ALLOWED OUT OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION IN THIS CASE CARE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN CONDEMNING YOUR OWN BOARD MEMBER, YOU DID NOT HANDLE THE INCIDENT INTERNALLY THAT I COULD SEE OR SUPPORT YOUR OWN MEMBER.
YOU ALLOWED ZA KNOB SHRI, THE MARYLAND DIRECTOR OF CARE TO PUBLICLY DEMAND AN APOLOGY OR A RESIGNATION FROM A MEMBER OF YOUR BOARD THAT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY ELECTED.
CARE HAS NO RIGHT TO COME INTO OUR COUNTY AND THREATEN OUR OWN ELECTED PUBLIC SERVANTS.
IN 2024, SHUD NEARLY GOT REMOVED FROM HER OWN POSITION ON THE MARYLAND COMMISSION OF HATE CRIME.
DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE SHE HAD MADE STATEMENTS THAT WERE REGARDED AS HATE SPEECH.
SHE COMPARED HAMAS TO FREEDOM FIGHTERS.
IN RESPONSE, SHE STATED, THIS IS A MANUFACTURED CONTROVERSY THAT'S DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE AND SILENCE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SIMPLY ASKING FOR JUSTICE.
I ASK, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE HERE? SHE CREATED A CONTROVERSY TO CONFLATE AN ANTI-REAL LAW MEME AS ANTI-MUSLIM AND ISLAMOPHOBIC THEREBY SHUTTING DOWN ANY CONVERSATION, DIALOGUE, OR DEBATE.
CARE MADE AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR OWN BOARD MEMBER IN ORDER TO INTIMIDATE AND SILENCE THE CITIZENS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY.
SHUDRA INVITED SHAEA SHAW, A MEMBER OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE WHO STATED THAT NOW SHE WILL ALWAYS VIEW YOUR BOARD MEMBER AS MAGA.
LIKE THAT WAS A BAD THING OF INTEREST IS SAID EARLIER THIS SUMMER.
SHE POSTED ON FACEBOOK IN SUPPORT OF ABDUL EL SAED WHO
[00:35:01]
WAS RUNNING FOR SENATOR IN MICHIGAN.HE'S AN OUTSPOKEN MUSLIM WHO ALIGNS HIMSELF WITH SHARIA LAW, INTERVIEWED BY JESSE WATERS.
ADDITIONALLY, ON JULY THE 12TH, 2026, SHE POSTED A MEME FEATURING LINDSEY GRAHAM AND STATED BURN IN HELL BETWEEN CARE AND
THE DOUBLE STANDARD AND HYPOCRISY HERE IS STUNNING.
YOU ALLOWED CARE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN NEARLY CRUCIFYING AND MAKING AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR MEMBER I ADD CARE HAS BEEN DESIGNATED A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN TEXAS AND FLORIDA.
AND LASTLY, I SPEAK TO MY CONCERNS ABOUT SQUASHING DEBATE AND CRITICAL THINKING AND HEALTHY DISCOURSE IN THE CLASSROOM.
I SAY THIS BECAUSE JUST AS PARENTS ARE ROLE MODELS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, THE BOARD'S CULTURE AND POLICY AROUND ALLOWING FOR OPEN DEBATE AND DISCOURSE WILL TRICKLE DOWN INTO THE CLASSROOM.
KIDS ARE GLUED TO SCREENS AND DEVICES AND AI AND THEY'RE NOT USING THEIR OWN GOD-GIVEN BRAINS.
THE BOARD'S ATTITUDE AND CULTURE WILL TRICK DOWN TO IN VERY NEGATIVE WAYS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHLEY STIVERS.
I BROUGHT WITH ME AND MY SON CALEB, WHICH IF YOU'RE, IF YOU GUYS ARE GONNA HOLD CA UH, MAGGIE ACCOUNTABLE, I'M GONNA HOLD EACH AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT KICKED ME OUTTA THE LAST BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.
MS. RS, CAN YOU SIT DOWN PLEASE? THANK YOU.
THAT KICKED ME AND MY SON, YOUR STUDENT AT A LAST BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING.
WHEN THERE'S PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS, WE DON'T DISRESPECT PARENTS.
WE DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CHILDREN.
WHETHER YOU GUYS LIKE TO HEAR IT OR NOT, I'M GONNA KEEP ON COMING BACK TILL SOMETHING'S DONE.
THIS CHRISTIAN CHILD WAS THREATENED WITH FURTHER ACTIONS.
I WORKED ALSO FOR YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
I SEEN KIDS ACT VIOLENT AND AGGRESSIVE AND NOTHING GETS DONE, BUT WE ATTACK THE CHRISTIAN.
I ALSO HAVE MUSLIM PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY AND WE SIT THERE AND WE TALK.
DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT SHARIA LAW IS? WOMEN GETTING RAPED, CHILDREN GETTING ABUSED.
IF YOU GUYS WANNA CUT ME OFF, THEN CUT ME OFF.
BUT I'M NOT GONNA STAY SILENT.
WHO CARES WHAT SOMEBODY'S VIEWS ARE? THEY HAVE THE RIGHT THAT FLAG.
STANDING BESIDE YOU, BEHIND YOU IS THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY FREEDOM OF SPEECH AWAY.
HOW DARE YOU NOT APOLOGIZE TO MY SON? HOW DARE YOU ATTACK THIS WOMAN.
I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR BELIEFS ARE.
WHEN I SIGN UP TO WORK IN A CLASSROOM, I TREAT CHILDREN WITH RESPECT REGARDLESS OF THEIR VIEWS.
I'VE HEARD CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY'RE BULLIES OR GIRLS.
NOW MY SON IS HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PRONOUNS.
NO WONDER WHY DONALD TRUMP HAS PUT SOMETHING OUT THAT IT'S CONSIDERED CHILD ABUSE.
AND FURTHERMORE, WHO'S GONNA STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS DISGUSTING TRASH THREATENING WHERE I HAD TO PUT OUT $2,000.
NOBODY REPAID ME FOR MY SON BEING THREATENED WITH FURTHER ACTIONS.
I'M SICK AND TIRED OF THE POLITICS.
I'M SICK AND TIRED THAT YOU GUYS WANNA SEAR THIS LADY.
THE NEWS DIDN'T STEP UP AND TAKE OUR STORY.
BUT YOU WANNA SIT THERE AND YOU WANNA ATTACK MY CHILD, YOU WANNA ATTACK HER? YOU NEED TO SIT THERE AND SET AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
ACCOUNTABILITY STARTS AT THE TOP AND IT STARTS WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND TO THE PEOPLE THAT EVER HAVE ATTACKED ME WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, HOW DARE YOU IF YOU DO NOT LIKE YOUR JOB, IF YOU DO NOT LIKE SERVING FAMILIES, THEN QUIT YOUR JOB AND I'LL TAKE OVER.
SOME OF US DON'T COME FROM PERFECT FAMILIES.
SOME OF US AREN'T GONNA BE BOUGHT WITH MONEY AND DIFFERENT THINGS.
SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE BLESSED TO BE ON THIS BOARD AND YOU COULD BE TAKEN OFF THIS BOARD IF YOU DON'T LIKE WORKING WITH KIDS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND YOU HAVE TO ATTACK HER AND BULLY HER AND ATTACK ME AND BULLY ME AND BULLY THIS CHILD, THEN QUIT AND I WILL TAKE OVER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SOMEBODY BELIEVES AND SUPERINTENDENT, IT'S YOUR JOB TO STEP UP AND TO TAKE THE PEOPLE OUT THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT OF POSITIONS THAT DISRESPECT FAMILIES.
IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MEGA, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME AND EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN.
AND GUESS WHAT? REALLY DO YOUR RESEARCH ON SHIRIA LAW.
DO YOU LIKE CHILDREN BEING RAPED AND ABUSED AND MURDERED AND CHRISTIANS? AND GUESS WHAT? THE PRONOUNS AND THE LGBT STUFF THAT'S NOT ALLOWED IN SHIRIA LAW.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THAT IN YOUR CLASSROOM EITHER.
SO MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR RESEARCH 'CAUSE YOU COULD HAVE A DEGREE AND STILL BE AN IDIOT.
LET'S SPEAK UP, LET'S MAKE EDUCATION GREAT AGAIN.
AND THAT'S SOLVING PROBLEMS. THAT'S COMMUNICATING.
AND THAT STARTS WITH THE RESPECT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THAT STARTS WITH SAYING SORRY TO HIM AND ME AND YOUR OWN COLLEAGUE.
OUR NEXT THANK YOU FOR WHAT SHE DOES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TATIANA SEKI, WHO IS VIRTUAL.
UH, I'M A-B-C-P-S PARENT AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT LATE WORK POLICY.
UH, THIS YEAR OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS MADE A DRASTIC CHANGE TO THEIR LATE WORK POLICIES.
PREVIOUSLY, STUDENTS COULD SUBMIT MISSING WORK ALMOST UNTIL THE END OF THE MARKING PERIOD UNDER THE NEW POLICY.
LATE WORK IS NOT ACCEPTED AT ALL UNLESS THERE IS AN EXCUSED, UH, REASON AND ASSIGNMENTS
[00:40:01]
SUBMITTED AFTER DUE DATE RECEIVE A PERMANENT ZERO.I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF DUE DATES.
STUDENTS SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THEIR WORK ON TIME AND SCHOOL SHOULD TEACH RESPONSIBILITY IN TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT A PERMANENT ZERO IS MATHEMATICALLY DESTRUCTIVE TO AN ACHIEVEMENT GRADE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF A STUDENT EARNS 95% ON SEVEN EQUALLY WEIGHTED ASSIGNMENTS AND RECEIVES ONE ZERO FOR LATE ASSIGNMENT, THE AVERAGE, UH, GRADE FALLS FROM 95% TO 83%.
SINCE MINOR ASSIGNMENTS ACCOUNT FOR 60 TO 70% OF THE MARKING PERIOD GRADE A PERMANENT ZERO IN THAT HEAVILY WEIGHTED CATEGORY, MOST OFTEN MEANS THAT THE OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT GRADE CAN DROP BY ENTIRE LETTER GRADE FROM JUST ONE ZERO.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT LATE WORK DOES NOT ALWAYS RESULT FROM DISREGARDING OF DEADLINES OR FROM UNEXCUSED ABSENCES.
AS THE SCHOOL YEAR GETS BUSY, STUDENTS MAY FACE HEAVY WORKLOAD, QUESTIONS ABOUT ASSIGNMENTS, CONFUSION ABOUT DUE DATES, OR MAY SIMPLY FORGET TO SUBMIT SOMETHING.
EVEN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE STUDENTS WHO NEVER MISS SCHOOL CAN MAKE OCCASIONAL MISTAKES AND BE LATE FOR AN ASSIGNMENT.
THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS SHOULD NOT BE PERMANENT, THAT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO RECOVER FROM.
MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECT OF ZERO GRADE POLICIES WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF BOTH OF OUR SCHOOLS BOTH INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE FOLLOWING A NEW DISTRICT GUIDANCE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE VCPS GRADING AND PROCEDURE MANUAL THAT I COULD FIND FOR THE YEARS 2023 THROUGH 25 STATE THAT MISSING WORK MAY BE SUBMITTED BEFORE THE END OF THE MARKING PERIOD.
IT ALSO STATES THAT MARKING PERIOD GRADES MUST BE BASED STRICTLY ON ACHIEVEMENT OF COURSE AND GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS.
AND THAT STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT GRADE SHOULD REFLECT DEMONSTRATED LEARNING, NOT CONDUCT NO TIMELINESS, AND NOT HOW WELL A STUDENT HAS MASTERED EXECUTIVE FUNCTION SKILLS.
THE POLICY THAT ASSIGNS PERMANENT ZERO FOR MISSING WORK CONTRADICTS ALL OF THAT GUIDANCE.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT TO THE BOARD THAT LATE WORK POLICIES SEEM TO VARY SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS PCPS.
SOME SCHOOLS ACCEPT LATE WORK WITHOUT AN ACADEMIC PENALTY.
OTHERS PROVIDE A GRACE PERIOD DURING WHICH LATE WORK IS NOT PENALIZED.
OUR SCHOOLS IMPOSE A HUNDRED PERCENT PENALTIES.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT STUDENTS WITHIN THE SAME SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO POLICIES THAT DIFFER SO DRAMATICALLY IN BOTH OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSEQUENCE.
THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD TO PLEASE REVIEW AND CLARIFY THE NEW DISTRICT GUIDANCE ON LATE WORK.
SPECIFICALLY WHETHER OR NOT A COMPLETED LATE WORK SHOULD BE ACCEPTED AND RECEIVE ACADEMIC CREDIT.
IF NEW GUIDANCE IS TO PENALIZE STUDENTS FOR LATE WORK, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD TO HELP ESTABLISH A BALANCED AND CONSISTENT SYSTEM-WIDE STANDARD FOR SUCH PENALTIES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE DUE DATES SHOULD MATTER, ONE LATE ASSIGNMENT SHOULD NOT CREATE A CONSEQUENCE THAT'S DIFFICULT TO OVERCOME.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS BS FARONE.
IT IS REALLY REFRESHING TO SEE DR.
HEISER, UM, ENGAGED WITH THE MEDIA, ENGAGED WITH THE STUDENTS, AND I THINK IN ONE CLIP, JUMPING UP AND DOWN, UH, WITH THE ROPE, UH, ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT.
SO I'M TRYING TO BE ENGAGED WITH YOU.
WE HAVE A GOOD SUPERINTENDENT.
I CAN SEE HIS VISION, BUT I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE VISION OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
IT'S NOT JUST THE SUPERINTENDENT.
WHAT PLANS? THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS TO TURN THIS FAILING SHIP FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
I SAW ONE SIGN ELECTING AN HONORABLE VICE CHAIR, WHICH I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS VISION EITHER.
AND IF WE DON'T KNOW THE VISION, WE DON'T KNOW YOUR PLAN, THEN HOW CAN YOU TURN A FAILING SCHOOL SYSTEM? SO I ATE IN MCDONALD BEFORE I CAME HERE.
THEY GIVE YOU A FAIR PRICE AND IF THEY ARE LATE, THEY GIVE YOU A SECOND SANDWICH, RIGHT? WHAT DOES THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DO? $3 BILLION A YEAR.
[00:45:01]
IF YOU ADD 25 OR 30 YEARS, THAT'S ALMOST A HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS.GRADUATING STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT REALLY READY TO MEET THE FINNISH, THE GERMAN, THE INDIAN, THE CHINESE.
WHAT DO YOU DO? THIS IS A GOVERNMENT ORIENTED SYSTEM THAT HAS NOT CHANGED FOR 25 YEARS, THINKING THE SAME WAY.
JUST REALLY VOTE, MOVE MORE POLICIES, MORE DIVERSITY.
YOU HAVE FIDUCIARY DUTY TO HAVE STUDENTS FREE FROM THE ILLITERACY THAT THEY HAVE TODAY.
THIS ONE IS ABOUT COOKING, YOU KNOW, FROM THE LIBRARY OUTSIDE, WHO CARES? YOU KNOW, SPORTS.
WHO CARES ABOUT SPORT? IT'S MATH, SCIENCE.
WHAT'S YOUR PLAN? I'M PAYING FOR YOU.
I'M 77 WORKING TO GENERATE TAXES.
[F. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (7:30 - 7:35 p.m.)]
OUR AGENDA IS SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, LICHTER, VICE CHAIR YOUNG AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO BEGIN MY REPORT WITH A BRIEF VIDEO THAT WE'LL TURN TO RIGHT NOW, AND THEN I'LL CONTINUE.
A DAY FILLED WITH EXCITEMENT, NEW BEGINNINGS AND ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES.
IT CAN BE AN AT-HOME ACHIEVEMENT, SOMETHING YOU ACHIEVE.
ACROSS BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STUDENTS ARE STEPPING INTO CLASSROOMS READY TO LEARN, GROW, AND DISCOVER WHAT THIS NEW YEAR HAS IN STORE.
I WANT YOU TO FINALIZE YOUR MATH ABOUT REWARD SHEET.
THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL WAS SO SPECIAL BECAUSE IT'S A NEW BEGINNING.
YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THE NEXT GRADE LEVEL AND YOU'RE LEARNING NEW THINGS.
YOU HAVE THAT TEACHER THAT YOU'VE BEEN SEEING ACROSS THE HALLWAY ALL LAST YEAR, AND OH, YOU FINALLY GET TO BE IN THEIR CLASS, NEW EXPECTATIONS, AND IT'S JUST A NEW BEGINNING.
I LOVE BEING WITH MY TEACHER FRIENDS.
I LOVE BEING WITH MY COWORKERS.
I LOVE BEING WITH MY LITTLE, UM, STUDENT FRIENDS.
UM, WE HAVE SO MUCH FUN, UM, AND ALL SUMMER LONG I MISS THEM SO MUCH.
SO I'M SO EXCITED TO BE BACK WITH THEM.
AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING DOWN INTO THE, UH, NITTY GRITTY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR IN FOURTH GRADE.
THE GOALS I HAVE FOR MY STUDENTS THIS YEAR IS TO ALLOW THEM TO BE A PART OF A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT IN MY CLASSROOM AND TO GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING.
SO WHAT I OVERCOME THIS YEAR IS TO BE A GREAT MOTIVATOR AND LEADER FOR MY STUDENTS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
HELP THE STUDENTS BECOME BETTER INDIVIDUALS WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL AND OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL SO THEY CAN HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY.
THIS YEAR'S OPENING DAY ALSO MARKS A NEW CHAPTER FOR TEAM BCPS.
NEW SUPERINTENDENT DR. WILLIAM HEISER.
SPENT THE MORNING VISITING SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTY, GREETING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES ON THE OPENING DAY OF SCHOOL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, TO WELCOME ALL THOSE STUDENTS BACK.
108,000 STUDENTS THAT WILL HAVE JOINING BCPS, ALL AWESOME KIDS.
STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED AS TEACHERS INTRODUCED ROUTINES.
UM, FROM THERE I WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU DIRECTIONS AND SHOW YOU WHAT TO DO.
I'M EXCITED FOR NEW SUBJECTS, MEETING NEW PEOPLE.
I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO MY A CLASS.
UM, LAST YEAR IT WAS JUST, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
I LOVE READING AND WRITING SO MUCH.
I THINK IT TAKES ME AWAY FROM WHAT I'M DEALING WITH IN THE MOMENT AND IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT THING TO EXPERIENCE.
I RUN A CLUB, ECO KIND AND YOU KNOW, THIS LAST YEAR WE GOT OUR SCHOOL, GREEN SCHOOL CERTIFIED.
SO THIS YEAR WE'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A GARDEN HERE AT CATONSVILLE AND ACTUALLY GROW FOOD AND VEGETABLES TO USE IN THE CULINARY CLASSES.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M HOPING TO MOST ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT'S A MAJOR PROJECT THAT WE'RE TAKING ON.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO LIKE, HAVE FUN AND ENJOY HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND ENJOY THE TIME WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT YOU AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU.
I LIKE DOING MATH, SCIENCE HISTORY, AND I LIKE PRETTY MUCH DOING ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN CLASS.
TODAY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF NEW ADVENTURES, NEW CHALLENGES, AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO SUCCEED.
[00:50:02]
AND THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES AND ALL THE WORK TO PUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT TOGETHER.IT REALLY DOES ILLUSTRATE, UM, THE GREAT FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL THAT WE HAD.
UM, HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION STILL.
AND, AND SO THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE TEAM.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO GETTING THE SCHOOL YEAR READY.
UM, AND WHAT A FANTASTIC WEEK IT WAS.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK, UM, OUR BOARD MEMBERS HERE WHO TOOK TIME OUTTA THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO VISIT SCHOOLS.
UM, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR UNION LEADERS, SCHOOL LEADERS, PRINCIPALS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND MOST OF ALL, SO OUR TEACHERS.
UM, WE SAW RIGHT UP FROM THE FIRST DAY ON, WE SAW TEACHING AND LEARNING TAKING PLACE, AND WE SAW A CULTURE OF BELIEF, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO SET.
AND YOU SEE A LIST OF SCHOOLS THAT WE VISITED THERE AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT, UM, FINISHED VISITING SCHOOLS, BUT, UM, RIGHT THERE YOU SEE A LIST OF 22 SCHOOLS.
I ACTUALLY VISITED THREE ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS.
IT WAS 25 SCHOOLS IN FIVE DAYS.
AND WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE NUMBER, I THINK IS THE QUALITY OF THE VISIT THAT, UH, EACH OF US WERE ABLE TO SEE STUDENTS THAT WERE HAPPY, STUDENTS THAT WERE GETTING STARTED ON THE RIGHT FOOT, UM, TEACHERS THAT WERE SUPPORTED, AND SCHOOL CULTURES THAT WERE REALLY GOOD.
AND WE SAW LOTS OF FAMILY MEMBERS AND, AND BUS DRIVERS AND EVERYONE ELSE JUST HELPING STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO THANK YOU TO TEAM BCPS FOR A GREAT FIRST WEEK.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALISON, UM, ALISON KOVIC, UH, GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE, ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT TEACHER AT CHADWICK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SHE'S OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR HERE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SHE'S BEEN NAMED ONE OF SEVEN FINALISTS FOR THE 26 27 MARYLAND TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALLISON.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH HER AND, AND SHE WAS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS WHEN WE SAW HER.
AND, UH, THE KIDS WERE SO HAPPY FOR HER.
UM, NEXT I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS, CAREGIVERS, EVERYONE, STAKEHOLDERS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR 2026 BCPS CURRICULUM NIGHT ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 16TH AT PIKESVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS TO SPEAK ONE-ON-ONE WITH BCPF STAFF TO LEARN ALL ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS, UM, THROUGHOUT OUR CURRICULUM.
AND SO ATTENDEES, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO VIEW CLASSROOM MATERIAL, CONNECT WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND NONPROFITS, AND COLLECT RESOURCES AND TOOLS.
SO AGAIN, AN INVITATION TO EVERYONE TO JOIN US FOR THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT SEPTEMBER IS ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH.
IT'S A NATIONAL EVENT THAT ELEVATES THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE AND THE IMPACT OF REGULAR ATTENDANCE HAS ON ACADEMIC PROGRESS AND STUDENT SUCCESS.
AND WE'VE HAD LAST YEAR WAS QUITE THE SUCCESS IN TERMS OF, UM, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS WERE, WERE COMING TO SCHOOL AND ON TIME AND REALLY REDUCING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
AND SO WE HAVE ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND WE'RE REALLY GONNA PUSH STARTING FROM OUR SCHOOL SIDE AND ALL OF OUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING AWARENESS TO THIS AND THE IMPORTANCE.
AND SO I HAVE TO FIND SOME NEON BRIGHT COLORS FOR SEPTEMBER THE 11TH.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M SURE SOMEONE WILL FIND ME SOME.
I I CAN FIND SOME FOR SEPTEMBER 11TH.
UM, AND SO ON SEPTEMBER THE 18TH, WE HAVE SPORTS ATTIRE AND SEPTEMBER 25TH SPIRIT WEAR.
AND ALL OF THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES OBVIOUSLY TO SUPPORT AND TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO HAVE GOOD ATTENDANCE.
IT'S GONNA LEAD TO BRIGHT FUTURE FOR NEON DAY.
AND AGAIN, WEARING A TEAM OR SPORTS JERSEY HELPS YOU BECOME PART OF THE TEAM AND WEARING THOSE SCHOOL COLORS AND SPIRIT WEAR HELPS US SHOW PRIDE IN BCPS.
SO WITH THAT MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
[G. CHAIR'S REPORT (7:35 - 7:40 p.m.)]
HEISER AND MY CHAIR'S.REPORT'S GONNA BUILD ON YOUR SENTIMENTS AS WE BEGIN THE 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO WORKS SO HARD TO ENSURE A SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL OPENING OF OUR SCHOOLS.
OPENING A NEW SCHOOL YEAR TAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF PLANNING, PREPARATION, COLLABORATION, AND DEDICATION.
AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE OUR ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, TRANSPORTATION TEAMS, GROUND CREWS, CUSTODIAL STAFF, FOOD AND NUTRITION, AND EVERYONE ACROSS OUR SYSTEM WHO WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE WELCOMED BACK, READY TO LEARN.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE MANY PRINCIPALS WHO OPENED THEIR DOORS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL AND WELCOME BOARD MEMBERS, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MANY OTHERS INTO THEIR SCHOOLS.
THESE VISITS PROVIDED US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE EXCITEMENT OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR AND TO CONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SO VERY SPECIAL.
DURING MY VISITS, I SAW BUILDINGS THAT WERE SPARKLING FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE.
I SAW TEACHERS BUILDING, LEARNING COMMUNITIES, ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR STUDENTS, AND CREATING CLASSROOMS WHERE STUDENTS WERE EXCITED TO LEARN.
AT CHURCH LANE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I HEARD A PROUD PRINCIPAL EXPLAINING THE USE OF BRAINY BINDERS, A STRUCTURED APPROACH THAT HELPS STUDENTS DEVELOP EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS AND BECOME
[00:55:01]
MORE ORGANIZED AND INDEPENDENT LEADERS.AT HEREFORD HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE STUDENTS FLYING AND LANDING AIRPLANES THROUGH A FLIGHT STIMULATOR.
EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS DEMONSTRATE THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES OUR SCHOOLS ARE PROVIDING TO CONNECT CLASSROOM LEARNING WITH REAL WORLD SKILLS AND FUTURE CAREERS.
I SAW TALENTED ARTISTS ON DAY ONE AT BOTH COCKEYSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HEREFORD HIGH SCHOOL, AS THEIR DEDICATED TEACHERS ENCOURAGED THEIR TALENTS.
AND AT CATONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, I SAW ENTHUSIASTIC AND ENGAGED STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THE STEEL DRUM BAND.
THEIR ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT WERE A WONDERFUL REMINDER THAT EDUCATION IS ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN JUST ACADEMICS.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT DISCOVERING PASSIONS, BUILDING CONFIDENCE, AND FINDING A SENSE OF BELONGING.
AND MANY OF OUR SCHOOL STUDENTS TOOK THE TIME TO WELCOME US.
THEIR SMILES, THEIR ENTHUSIASM AND WILLINGNESS TO SHARE THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCES WITH US WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THESE VISITS.
I WAS ALSO FORTUNATE TO WITNESS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW DELANEY HIGH SCHOOL.
SEEING THAT BUILDING TAKE SHAPE WAS EXCITING AND IT'S CLEAR THAT OUR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY ARE GONNA HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY SCHOOL FACILITY.
IT REPRESENTS AN INVESTMENT NOT ONLY IN A BUILDING, BUT IN THE FUTURE OF THE STUDENTS WHO WILL LEARN THERE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS OUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT EXPERIENCING BCPS SCHOOLS FIRSTHAND.
WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS HIS GENUINE INTEREST IN LISTENING, LISTENING TO ADMINISTRATORS, TO TEACHERS, AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR STUDENTS.
HE WASN'T SIMPLY VISITING SCHOOLS, HE WAS ENGAGING WITH THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEM WHAT THEY ARE.
HIS PRIDE IN OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF IN OUR SCHOOLS WAS OBVIOUS AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO WITNESS.
OUR FIRST WEEK'S VISITS WERE ENCOURAGING.
STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED, TEACHERS WERE COMMITTED, ADMINISTRATORS WERE LEADING, AND SCHOOLS WERE READY TO BEGIN ANOTHER YEAR OF LEARNING.
THESE VISITS ALSO REINFORCE SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL.
EVERY STUDENT DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
AND AS A BOARD, OUR COMMITMENT IS TO CREATE SCHOOLS WHERE ALL STUDENTS ARE WELCOMED, SUPPORTED, AND GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY, DISCOVER THEIR STRENGTHS, PURSUE THEIR INTERESTS, AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
THERE IS ALWAYS WORK TO DO AND WE KNOW THAT OPENING A SCHOOL YEAR IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
BUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR S SCHOOL SYSTEM WHAT IT IS EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU TEAM BCPS FOR MAKING THE OPENING OF THE 26TH 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK EVERYONE FOR PUTTING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS FIRST.
[H. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER'S REPORT (7:40 - 7:45 p.m.)]
IS OUR STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD REPORT.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON MS. JI.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR YOUNG, DR.
HEISER AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU HOW I'VE SPENT MY PAST FEW WEEKS AS A STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
AT THE END OF AUGUST, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING AT AND ATTENDING THE NEW EDUCATORS ORIENTATION AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPERVISORY KICKOFF CELEBRATION.
I WAS ABLE TO MEET NEW AND INSPIRING PEOPLE AND LEARN FROM THOSE AROUND ME.
I'VE ALSO SPENT MUCH OF MY TIME IN THE SCHOOLS WITH STUDENTS.
I ATTENDED MY OWN HIGH SCHOOL, GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER CENTER'S FRESHMAN ORIENTATION AND PASSED ALONG ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR OUR NEW STUDENTS.
ADDITIONALLY, I VISITED SUD BROOKE MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE I ATTENDED MIDDLE SCHOOL TO SPEAK AT THEIR ANNUAL CONVOCATION.
I ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF JOINING DR.
THIS PAST WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND 17 SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH ALTERNATIVE, AND A PUBLIC SEPARATE DAY SCHOOL.
IT WAS MY FIRST TIME ATTENDING 14 OUT OF THESE 17 SCHOOLS.
IT WAS SO INSPIRING AND EDUCATIONAL TO BE IN NEW BUILDINGS WITH NEW PEOPLE AND SEE HOW EVERY SCHOOL FUNCTIONS DIFFERENTLY.
I WAS AMAZED BY THE EXCITEMENT AND THE PASSION THAT STUDENTS WERE ALREADY SHOWING DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.
WE WALK THROUGH SPANISH CLASSES, ART CLASSES, AVIATION LESSONS, BIOMEDICAL LECTURES AND MORE.
I'M INSPIRED AND EVEN MORE MOTIVATED IN MY OWN WORK BY THESE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
I KNOW THAT THESE STUDENTS HAVE A GREAT YEAR AHEAD OF THEM.
AS WE START THIS NEW YEAR, I WOULD OFF LIKE TO OFFER A PIECE OF ADVICE TO OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS.
WE CANNOT BECOME WHAT WE WANT BY REMAINING WHAT WE ARE.
THIS NEW YEAR MEANS THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE AND GROW.
WE ALL NEED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO DEVELOP AND EVOLVE.
NOT ONLY SHOULD WE STRIVE FOR GROWTH WITHIN OURSELVES, BUT WE NEED TO PUSH FOR GROWTH TOGETHER.
IN ORDER TO GROW, WE MUST TAKE RISKS, PUT OURSELVES IN NEW SITUATIONS AND IMAGINE NEW POSSIBILITIES.
WE NEED TO BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE.
I ENCOURAGE US TO, AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE SCHOOL YEAR, TO TAKE RISKS, PUSH OURSELVES TO GROW AND BE THE CHANGE YOU WANNA SEE.
[I. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - PROPOSED FY 2028 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET (Mr. McGuire and Mr. Tantleff) (7:45 - 8:00 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS[01:00:01]
PROPOSED FY 2028 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET.AND FOR THIS I CALL MR. MCGUIRE AND MR. TANIFF OR MR. MCGUIRE.
UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR, YOUNG, DR.
UH, I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SEEK YOUR APPROVAL ON, UH, AS WAS PRESENTED AT THE AUGUST 11TH BOARD MEETING, AND THEN AGAIN AT THE AUGUST 25TH BOARD MEETING, UH, THE, UH, PROPOSED FY 28 CAPITAL BUDGET.
OKAY, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSED FY 2028 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT I SO MOVE FITZPATRICK.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND JI THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, MAY I, OH, MS. FONG, MAYBE I MISSED SOMETHING.
SO I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON ITEMS THAT WERE NOT FUNDED.
I'M THE FOURTH, UM, ITEM DOWN.
YOU'RE OKAY? YEAH, BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE FIRST ITEM FY 2028, RIGHT? OR IS IT? WELL, THOSE ARE JUST ALL THE ATTACHMENTS IN PREPARATION FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON IS THE PROPOSED FFY 2028 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET.
CAN I JUST ASK SOME QUESTIONS THEN ON THE Y 2027 THAT, YES.
SO MY QUESTIONS ARE FROM THE FOURTH ITEM DOWN, WHICH IS THE FY 2027 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST VERSUS THE APPROVED.
UM, AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF AREAS WHERE THE STATE FUNDING WAS NOT APPROVED.
AND THEN I NOTICED THEN ALSO THEN FOR STATE FUNDING FY 2028, THERE'S ALSO NO REQUEST FOR THOSE ITEMS. SO WE HAVE FUNDING THAT WAS NOT APPROVED FOR THESE BOILERS, FOR SPARKS IN FRANKLIN.
AND I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATION THEN OF NOT HAVING THOSE ITEMS WERE PLACED.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE IF WE TALK ABOUT THE BOILER LIFE, WHERE ARE WE ON THE BOILER LIFE? UM, ARE WE, DO WE THINK WE'RE NEAR THE END OF IT? BECAUSE THE THING IS, IF THE BOILER GOES UP, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE ANY CHOICE BUT TO REPLACE IT.
SO WHERE DOES THAT MONEY COME FROM THEM IF WE'RE NOT GETTING IT FROM, UM, THIS REQUEST? SO I GOT MULTIPLE QUESTIONS IN THERE, I REALIZE.
YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS QUITE LAYERED.
UM, I'M GONNA ASK ACTUALLY MY COLLEAGUES, UM, MR. TAYLOR AND MR. WELSH TO JOIN ME.
UM, AND SO TO, TO KIND OF JUST START, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE TONIGHT.
AND ONE IS THIS FY 28 CAPITAL BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN THAT IS COMING UP LATER.
AND SO SOME OF THAT IS, IS TAKEN CARE OF IN THOSE BOILERS IN THAT COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS IN TERMS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, I'M GONNA LET, UH, MR. TAYLOR DISCUSS MAYBE WHAT WASN'T FUNDED IN 27 AND ADDRESSED THAT QUESTION.
UM, THE PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT FUNDED IN 27 WERE THEN PUT IN THE 28 BUDGET.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST, YOU'LL SEE THOSE PROJECTS.
THEY WERE SPARKS AND FRANKLIN, I BELIEVE.
SO THE SECOND TO LAST COLUMN FOR FY 2028, SPARKS AND FRANKLIN, IT STILL SAYS ZERO.
NO, WE'RE RE WE'RE REQUESTING THAT FUNDING THIS YEAR AS A PART OF THE FY 28 CAPITAL BUDGET, 1.2 MILLION FOR FRANKLIN AND 800,000 FOR SPARKS IT.
WHICH COLUMN IS THAT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THEN? THE, THE, THE AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE REQUESTING IN THE FY 28 ARE UNDER THE COLUMN THAT SAYS, UM, TOTAL STATE FUNDING SHARE.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT, I'M SORRY, GO TO THE FAR RIGHT SECOND TO THE RIGHT.
IN THE, IN THE TAN COLOR IT SAYS STATE FUNDING REQUEST FY 28.
THOSE ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IN FY 28
[01:05:03]
FOR THOSE PROJECTS.AND SO WHERE, WHERE YOU'RE SEEING THE PRIOR STATE FUNDING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ITEM NUMBER ONE, DELANEY HIGH SCHOOL WE'RE REQUESTING THIS YEAR, $17 MILLION WE RECEIVED, TO DATE $77.8 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND SO THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL 17 MILLION TO CONTINUE THAT PROJECT, WHEREAS THE FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SPARKS BOILER REPLACEMENTS WERE NOT REQUESTED TO BE FUNDED IN FY 27 AND ARE NOW A PART OF THE FY 28 THAT, UH, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOU TO APPROVE TONIGHT SO THAT THEY CAN BE REPLACED.
OOPS, SORRY, I JUST, I'M LOOKING AT THE SECOND TO LAST COLUMN AND IT SAYS ZERO.
SO WHERE, THAT'S WHY I, I DON'T KNOW.
ARE YOU IN THE SAME DOCUMENTS? WHICH DOCUMENT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? WHAT, WHICH ONE ARE YOU LOOKING AT? I'M LOOKING AT THE 1, 2, 3.
I'M LOOKING AT THE FOURTH DOCUMENT DOWN THE FOURTH ONE, WHICH IS FY 2027 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST VERSUS APPROVED, RIGHT? YES.
DO YOU HAVE THAT DOCUMENT TOO? WHAT? SHE HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT 27.
IS THIS THE DOCUMENT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? THAT'S WHAT SHE'S TALKING, RIGHT.
IF YOU GO TO THIS ONE, THEN THESE NUMBERS CHANGED.
WELL, SO WHAT HE'S SAYING IS LIKE, FRANKLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THEY GAVE US NOTHING.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE 28, YOU'LL SEE THEY PUT IT BACK ON THE LIST AND REQUESTING THIS YEAR.
OKAY, SO I THINK THEN SOME OF MY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I WAS STILL LOOKING AT THE FY 28 FROM THE PREVIOUS ONE, SO LET ME GO BACK TO MY QUESTIONS.
SO WE ARE ASKING FOR THE MONEY AGAIN, FOR THE BOILERS, FOR SPARKS AND FOR FRANKLIN.
THEN THE SPECIAL PROJECTS, I NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SAME THING.
SO THEN WHAT ABOUT OUR SPECIAL PROJECTS? THE PATAPSCO HIGH SCHOOL AND CENTER FOR THE ARTS, NORTHWEST AREA, CTE CENTER, WE'RE ASKING FOR FUNDS FOR THOSE PROJECTS AS WELL.
ARE, ARE YOU, IT'S JUST CUT OFF BECAUSE IT WAS 13 AND 14 AND IF I GO BACK TO THE FIRST PAGE, IT'S ONLY GOING TO 12.
AM I STILL ON THE WRONG THING? I'M SORRY.
ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE 27 1 THAT HAS THE GREEN COLOR ON IT THAT COMPARES MM-HMM
I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M LOOKING AT THE RIGHT DOCUMENT, MA'AM.
SO IF I GO BACK TO THE FIRST DOCUMENT THEN WHERE IT WAS UPDATED FOR FRANKLIN AND FOR SPARKS, THAT ONLY GOES TO 12, RIGHT? PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY? YEAH.
SO PATAPSCO HIGH SCHOOL AND CENTER FOR THE ARTS WAS 13 NORTHWEST AREA CTE CENTER WAS 13, WAS 14 AND FY 27
THE PRIORITY LISTING IS FOR THE PARTICULAR BUDGET REQUEST OF THAT YEAR THAT WE'RE ASKING.
THAT'S WHAT THE PRIORITY NUMBERS REPRESENT, THE REFERENCE NUMBERS.
SO WE HAVE, IF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS COME OFF THE LIST, 'CAUSE THEY HAVE FUNDING, WE'RE NOT REQUESTING THE SUBSEQUENT YEAR, THEN THE NUMBERS STAY THE SAME ONE THROUGH 12.
BUT THEY'RE JUST DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN THOSE AGAINST THOSE NUMBERS.
SO WHERE ARE PATAPSCO AND NORTHWEST AREA CTE? WE ARE STILL FUNDING.
SO, SO IN THE FY 28 BUDGET, PATAPSCO IS LISTED AS ITEM NUMBER TWO AT $17 MILLION AND THE NORTHWEST AREA CTE CENTER IS LISTED AS ITEM NUMBER THREE WITH A REQUEST OF $2.3 MILLION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS MS. RUMPA? NO, I THINK THIS TIME THE MORE INFORMATION COMPLETELY CONFUSED ME.
NORMALLY I LIKE MORE DATA, BUT
SO I THINK ALL OF MY QUESTIONS THEN, NOW THAT I'M MERGING THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS, UM, YEP, THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTIONS.
DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY HEADER QUESTIONS? I DO.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION AND THAT'S
[01:10:01]
REGARDING THE PLANNING MONEY WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE FOR OVERLY HIGH SCHOOL.I KNOW THAT, UM, THAT PROJECT IS ON HOLD, HOWEVER, THERE'S A COLUMN FOR FY 29, UM, STATE FUNDS REQUESTED, AND I'M WONDERING IF THAT PROJECT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED ON THIS REQUEST AS WE INTEND TO USE THOSE FUNDS FOR, UM, THE NEW NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL ON THE OVERLY SITE.
UM, THOSE FUNDS, AS I UNDERSTAND, NEED TO BE USED WITHIN TWO YEARS, AND IF THEY WERE AWARDED FOR FY 27, I BELIEVE WE WOULD NEED TO USE THEM IN FY 29.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF MY QUESTION, IS WHETHER OR NOT THE, THAT PROJECT SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON THE FY 28 REQUEST WITH THAT AMOUNT LISTED FOR FY 29.
AND MY SECOND, UM, PART OF THIS QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT WE ANTICIPATE NEEDING ADDITIONAL PLANNING FUNDS IN FY 29 TO BEGIN THAT PROJECT.
THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS THE FUNDING WAS GOING TO, THE FUNDING HAS TO BE ENCUMBERED AGAINST A CONTRACT TWO YEARS AFTER AWARD.
AND THE IAC ADVISED US THAT WE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DEADLINE.
SO THEY ASKED US TO FORMALLY REQUEST THAT THAT MONDAY BE RESCINDED AND PUT IN A RESERVE FOR BCPS TO BE REQUESTED AGAIN AT ANOTHER TIME.
AND WE WERE NOT READY TO, UM, START THAT PROJECT AT OVERLY YET BECAUSE OF WHERE IT IS IN THE PRIORITY LIST.
AND WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING TO START MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT.
SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO USE THAT MONEY AT THIS TIME, BUT THAT MONEY IS STILL OURS TO BE USED FOR ANY PROJECT THAT WE REQUEST.
WELL, AND, AND ALSO IN ADDITION TO THAT, NOT JUST THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THE BOUNDARY STUDY IN THE NORTHEAST AREA, UH, IN ORDER TO THEN ACCESS THOSE FUNDS.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, FOR STATING THAT AND REMINDING ME OF THAT.
SO IS THAT TWO YEAR, DOES THAT TWO YEAR LIMIT STILL APPLY TO, UM, THOSE FUNDS IN THAT THEY CAN STAY IN RESERVE UNTIL WE HAVE SECURED THE FUNDING REQUIRED FOR THAT PROJECT? THAT IS CORRECT, MM-HMM
AND WHAT ACTION DOES THE BOARD NEED TO TAKE TO AIRMARK THOSE FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT? BECAUSE WE'VE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THEM FOR THE NEW NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT AND WE DID SO BY APPROVING PRIOR STATE CAPITAL REQUESTS.
EACH TIME, EACH YEAR WE'LL BRING FORWARD A NEW LIST FOR, UM, THE CAPITAL FUND REQUEST AND THEN WE'LL PUT THE PRODUCTS THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD WE SHOULD HAVE FOR THAT YEAR.
UM, OVERLY IS NOT DUE TO COME FORWARD BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN PRIORITIZED AHEAD OF OVERLY.
SO IF WE GET ENOUGH MONEY, ONCE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS, THEN WE'LL GET DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF OVERLY ON THAT PROJECT LIST.
BUT BEFORE YOU HAD ASKED ABOUT 29, 29 WAS JUST A COLUMN OF AN ANTICIPATED REQUEST TO FINISH OUT THAT PROJECT.
IT 29 DOES NOT REPRESENT ALL OF THE REQUESTS WE'RE GONNA MAKE IN 29.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THEN BECAUSE THE DEPRIORITIZATION OF OVERLY WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD DISCUSSED, AND I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT AND, AND DATA BEHIND IT.
UM, GIVEN THE NEED FOR SEATS AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE, UM, UNDERGOING A BOUNDARY STUDY AND, AND CHANGE TO ALLEVIATE, UM, THE OVERCROWDING AND OVERLY, HOWEVER, UM, THE BOARD DID NOT ACT TO DEPRIORITIZE THAT PROJECT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT AND TO TAKE FORMAL BOARD ACTION IF THAT IS THE BOARD'S, UM, WILL TO DEPRIORITIZE THAT BECAUSE THE LAST ACTION THAT THE BOARD TOOK WAS TO APPROVE THE STATE CAPITAL REQUEST, WHICH DID INCLUDE THE NEW NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL AT OVERLY.
AND WE DID SPECIFY THAT SITE LOCATION FOR A NEW HIGH SCHOOL ON THE OVERLY SITE.
SO, AND THE BOARD HAS NOT TAKEN ACTION TO CHANGE THAT, THAT PATH.
UM, THE PROJECTS THAT WERE PRIORITIZED, WE LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDING REQUESTS THAT WE PUT FORWARD TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE.
WE LIST THE PROJECTS IN PRIORITY ORDER AND THEN THE BOARD APPROVES IT.
[01:15:01]
THE PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ARE SCOTT EXPERIENCE.AND THIS IS LISTED, LISTED IN THE PRIORITY ON ALL THE BUDGET SHEETS THAT WERE APPROVED.
SCOTCH BRANCH, THEN TOWSON, THEN DELANEY, THEY'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THEN COMES PATAPSCO, CTE CENTER, AND THOSE TWO ARE LISTED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THEN COMES SPARROW'S POINT OVERLY AND THEN DEEP CREEK OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS.
THAT'S THE SEQUENCE THAT'S ON ALL THE BUDGET CHIEFS THAT WERE REQUESTED OVER THE YEARS.
AND AND MADAM CHAIR, I'LL BE REQUESTING FOLLOW UP, UM, DISCUSSION.
I DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS POINT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MS. HUMPHREY? THANK YOU.
MY QUESTIONS ARE SIMILAR TO MS. HENS.
SO YOU MENTIONED SPARROWS POINT OVERLY AND DEEP CREEK ARE NEXT ON THE LIST AFTER THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED HERE.
IS THAT WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY? CORRECT.
SO THE MONEY THAT'S THERE NOW THAT WE SENT, I DON'T WANNA SEND BACK IS THE WRONG WORD, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
IS THAT SPECIFICALLY HELD OUT FOR OVERLY OR CAN THAT BE USED, BE USED FOR OTHER PROJECTS AT THIS POINT? IT CAN BE USED FOR ANY PROJECT THAT BCPS REQUESTS TO BE USED FOR.
AND WHEN DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR US TO REQUEST THAT FUNDING FOR OVERLY HIGH SCHOOL WITH IT OR EVEN SPARROWS POINT AND OVERLY WITH THOSE BEING THE NEXT TWO ON THE LIST? I WOULD SAY AFTER THE BOUNDARY STUDY.
UM, I DO THINK FROM IT JUST ME LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, I DON'T THINK THE BOUNDARY STUDY'S GONNA SOLVE OUR PROBLEM IN THE CENTRAL AREA.
SO I DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO, YOU KNOW, GET ON TOP OF, UM, REBUILDING OVERLY OR, YOU KNOW, HAVING A NEW OVERLY BECAUSE THE SPACE NEEDS IN THE, IN THAT AREA ARE JUST SIGNIFICANT.
I THINK WE'RE AT, AT OVERLY ITSELF IS 142% CAPACITY, I BELIEVE 145% CAPACITY.
AND I KNOW LOCK RAVEN HAS SOME SPACE, BUT IT'S, IT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THOSE STUDENTS AND WE SAW THIS COMING HISTORICALLY.
UNFORTUNATELY WE DIDN'T DO TOO MUCH ABOUT IT BACK THEN AS WE NEEDED TO.
SO, UM, I THINK MS. HEN AND MIKE, WE HAD THE SAME CONCERNS THAT WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS DONE PROPERLY.
WE'VE, UM, ALLEVIATED OVERCROWDING IN OTHER AREAS AND THIS IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT'S KIND OF BEEN OUT THERE FOR A WHILE AND I THINK DOESN'T RECEIVE AS MUCH ATTENTION THAT IT AS IT SHOULD.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, THEN MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON APPROVING THE PROPOSED FY 2028 STATE CAPITAL BUDGET? YES.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONTRACT AWARDS.
AND FOR THAT I CALL MR. MCMILLIAN CHAIR OF THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.
I'M SORRY, WHAT HAPPENED? J YOU SKIPPED, I SKIPPED J I'M SORRY.
[J. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (8:00 - 8:05 p.m.)]
ON ONE SECOND.THE NEXT LINE ON THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN AND CLOSED SESSION.
AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. STUMP.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR YOUNG DR.
HEISER ARE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THIS EVENING ENCLOSED SESSION.
THE BOARD REVIEWED AND TOOK ACTION ON APPEALS HEA 26 DASH 0 3 9 HEA 26 DASH 0 4 4 AND HEA 26 DASH FIVE.
THIS WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR YOU TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLOSED SESSION.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLOSED SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER CASES HEA 26 DASH 0 3 9 HEA 26 DASH 0 4 4 IN HEA 26 DASH FIVE AND AUTHORIZED MS. GOR TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND THO ONE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[K. NEW BUSINESS - CONTRACT AWARDS (Mr. McGuire and Mr. Tantleff) (8:05 - 8:15 p.m.)]
AGENDA IS CONTRACT AWARDS.AND FOR THAT I CALL MR. MCMILLIAN, CHAIR OF THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD'S BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MET ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2026.
ITEM K THROUGH ONE, EXCUSE ME, ITEM K ONE THROUGH K SEVEN WERE FORWARDED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY SEPARATIONS
[01:20:01]
BEING REQUESTED? OKAY, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? K ONE THROUGH K SEVEN.SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. ONG? I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON K ONE AND K TWO.
SORRY,
HI, FOR THE RECORD, SCOTT MCGUIRE, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, WHIT TOWN OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FISCAL SERVICES, MS. FOP.
UM, FOR K ONE, WHICH IS THE EARTH SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS AND ANCILLARY MATERIALS, HOW MANY PHYSICAL TEXTBOOKS DOES THIS ACTUALLY COVER? 32.
SO IS IT WHERE EACH STUDENT IS AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN A TEXTBOOK OR DO THEY HAVE TO REQUEST ONE CLASS SETS? IT'LL BE CLASS SETS OF TEXTBOOKS.
SO, UM, HOW DO WE DECIDE, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THEN, BECAUSE WE DON'T GIVE THE PHYSICAL TEXTBOOKS ONE-TO-ONE TO THE STUDENTS, WE DO IT BASED ON THE CLASSES.
IS THAT WHAT IT IS? WHEN YOU SAY CLASS SETS OR YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS IN EACH SCHOOL THAT TEACH THAT THAT COURSE.
AND SO WE GIVE THEM ENOUGH BOOKS PLUS SOME EXTRAS, AND SO SOME SCHOOLS STUDENTS WILL SIGN 'EM OUT JUST BECAUSE THEY NEED 'EM FOR THAT TIME PERIOD.
'CAUSE THE CURRICULUM IS BASED ON USING THE BOOK PLUS OTHER RESOURCES THAT ARE PART OF THE CURRICULUM.
SO THEN DOES, DO WE ALSO HAVE LICENSES SO THAT WE CAN ACCESS LIKE THE DIGITAL VERSIONS OF THESE BOOKS? WE HAVE TEXTBOOKS ONLINE AS WELL.
WE HAVE TEACHER LICENSES FOR THE BOOKS, BUT WE, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN DIGITAL LICENSES FOR ALL STUDENTS AT THIS TIME.
BUT WE, WE FEEL LIKE, I GUESS THIS STILL IS ENOUGH AS FAR AS ACCESS.
I LIKE, I LIKE A GOOD TEXTBOOK AND WHEN I WAS A PARENT AND MY KID HAD TROUBLE, I WANNA BE ABLE TO GO TO THE TEXTBOOK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A MOVE AWAY FROM IT AND THERE'S COST SAVINGS.
BUT JUST UNDERSTANDING LIKE, WHAT IS THE WAY THEN THAT IF OUR STUDENTS OR PARENTS DON'T NEED ACCESS TO TEXTBOOKS, HOW DO THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON THAT? SO, WELL IN MOST CASES IF A PARENT REQUESTS THAT THE STUDENT BRING HOME THE TEXTBOOK, THEY TAKE THE TEXTBOOK HOME, DO THEY GET TO KEEP IT FOR THE YEAR? OR IS IT A LIMITED PERIOD OF TIME? I KNOW I'VE BEEN ABLE TO, I HAVE A GRANDDAUGHTER WHO'S IN SCHOOL, I'VE REQUESTED A TEXTBOOK.
IN MOST CASES THAT WOULD BE THE SAME CASE HERE.
AND THEN, UM, K TWO IS OUR CONTRACT WITH TALKSPACE.
AND I KNOW THIS IS, I'M VERY MUCH FOR THIS CONTRACT AND I DO HOPE THAT WE RENEW IT.
UM, THIS, UM, IS PRIMARILY FOR 13 PLUS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN, UM, FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, BUT AT 13, THAT'S ALSO EIGHTH GRADE.
ARE WE USING THIS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR EIGHTH GRADERS OR IS IT JUST PRIMARILY THE HIGH SCHOOL? SO I'LL ASK, UH, MY COLLEAGUE MS. UH, PATRICIA MUST DEFER TO JOIN US TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.
SHE KIND OF FIGURED THAT
WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY USING IT, UM, IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.
IT'S NINTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
WE'RE VERY CLEAR AND VERY EXPLICIT IN OUR DIRECTIONS TO NOT ONLY OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO TO OUR FAMILIES AS WELL.
ARE WE LOOKING AT RESOURCES FOR OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS OR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THE TALK SPACE AND FOR SOME OTHER, UH, SUPPORT SERVICES THAN FOR THEM? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THIS IS JUST ONE IN A CONTINUUM OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
SO, UM, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT IN THE PAST, THE CONSORTIUM, UNDER OUR BLUEPRINT FUNDING THAT REALLY ALLOWED US TO ENHANCE SERVICES FOR ALL GRADES AND ACCESS FOR STUDENTS.
SO THERE'S A RANGE OF SERVICES WITHIN THAT.
IN ADDITION TO, WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH PARTNERS, UM, THAT ARE SERVING IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND SOME OF THOSE SERVICES RANGE FROM INDIVIDUAL TO SMALL GROUP, UM, EVEN TO JUST EDUCATIONAL LESSONS WHERE THEY GO IN AND PARTNER WITH, UM, STAFF IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL.
SO THERE IS A RANGE, UM, AND EVERY SCHOOL, DEPENDING ON THEIR LEVEL OF NEED, UM, WE SUPPORT THEM IN IDENTIFYING
[01:25:01]
THAT RESOURCE THAT'S NEEDED AT THAT TIME.MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[L. REPORT - HIRING UPDATE (Mr. McCall, Ms. Stansbury, and Ms. Simons) (8:15 - 8:35 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON THE HIRING UPDATE.AND FOR THAT I CALL HIM MR. MCCALL, MS. STANSBERRY AND MS. SIMMONS.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING, CHAIR, TER, VICE CHAIR, YOUNG DR.
HEISER AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
TONIGHT WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING TO YOU THE HIRING UPDATE FOR THE 26TH 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
TONIGHT I HAVE WITH ME MS. SUSAN STANSBERRY, WHO'S THE COMPETENT, UH, DIRECTOR OF STAFFING FOR, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AND ALSO THE VERY COMPETENT, UH, MANAGER OF, UH, EDUCATOR LICENSURE, UH, MS. CARLA SIMONS, HE'S BEEN ADDING ADJECTIVES FOR EVERYBODY, SO THAT'S OKAY.
ADJECTIVES FOR EVERYONE STARTED IN CLOSED SESSION.
SO, WHEN IT COMES TO HUMAN RESOURCES, OF COURSE, WE TOUCH EVERY AREA OF THE FOUR PILLARS IN TEAM BCPS, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S INVESTING IN TEAM BCPS, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, OR IN ENGAGING AND COLLABORATING AND PARTNERING WITH OUR PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF TEAM BCPS.
BUT FOR TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION, WE WE FOCUS ON OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE MORE SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PRIORITIES, THOSE OF THE TALENT IDENTIFICATION.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SUSAN STANSBERRY.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE OPENED SCHOOLS THIS YEAR WITH OUR LOWEST NUMBER OF VACANCIES, UM, THAT WE'VE HAD IN SEVERAL YEARS.
WE HAD 28.2, UM, ON OUR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
OF THAT 28.2 VACANCIES, WE HAD 30 SCHOOLS THAT HAD LESS THAN TWO VACANCIES AND 144 SCHOOLS WITH ZERO VACANCIES.
I DO THINK THAT'S A RECORD TOO.
NEXT I'M GONNA TURN OVER, UM, THE PRESENTATION TO CARLA SIMONS, WHO IS GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THE WORK WITH THE CONDITIONALLY LICENSED TEACHERS.
UH, I'M GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS BODY OF WORK.
UM, SO ONE OF OUR KEY STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING TEACHER SHORTAGES WHILST BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE IS SUPPORTING EDUCATORS WHO ENTER THE PROFESSION THROUGH A CONDITIONAL LICENSURE PATHWAY.
A CONDITIONAL LICENSURE TEACHER IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT MINIMUM, A BACHELOR CONFERRED BACHELOR'S DEGREE, BUT HAS NOT COMPLETED A MARYLAND PATHWAY TO LICENSURE.
UH, TYPICALLY CONDITIONAL TEACHERS ARE CAREER CHANGERS.
UM, MEMBERS OF OUR BALTIMORE COMMUNITY, BALTIMORE COUNTY COMMUNITY, UM, CURRENT STAFF WHO WISH TO TRANSITION INTO A CLASSROOM.
UH, CONDITIONAL LICENSURE ALLOWS A MARYLAND SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HIRE AN INDIVIDUAL, UH, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPPORTS THEM WITH OBTAINING LICENSURE DURING THAT TIME.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HIRING CONDITIONAL TEACHERS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, HIRING DEMANDS IN RECENT YEARS HAVE CREATED A NEED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CONDITIONAL TEACHERS.
UH, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE CURRENTLY WE HAVE 88% OF OUR TEACHERS HOLDING PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE, WHILE 12% ARE SERVING UNDER CONDITIONAL LICENSES.
THESE EDUCATORS ARE IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR WORKFORCE, AND THEY'RE ACTIVELY PROGRESSING TOWARDS FULL LICENSURE TO SUPPORT THEIR SUCCESS.
WE HAVE A LIST OF, UH, RESOURCES THAT WE PROVIDE THESE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, WE PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE INFORMATION SESSIONS, UH, BOTH ON THE SCHOOL SITE AND VIRTUALLY.
UH, WE CONDUCT, UH, TO CONDUCT TEACHER SUPPORT TRAINING.
UH, AND LAST YEAR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TAPCO, WE WERE AWARDED $25,000 FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, UH, TO STIPEND EDUCATOR LICENSURE ADVISORS.
THESE ADVISORS WERE ASSIGNED TO SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A, SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF CONDITIONAL TEACHERS.
UM, THOSE ADVISORS WERE ON THE SITE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT DIRECTLY TO THESE
[01:30:01]
TEACHERS.THE ADVISORS WORKED DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
IN ADDITION, WE OFFER COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS, UH, TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFE FOR PRINCIPALS WHO SUPERVISE CONDITIONAL TEACHERS.
UH, AS MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, UH, ONE OF THE INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT OUR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS IS PARTNERING, PARTNERING WITH COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES.
UH, WE ESTABLISH A DIRECT BILLING MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THESE INSTITUTIONS.
UM, IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, WE REQUEST PROPOSALS BASED ON STAFFING, EXCUSE ME, DISTRICT INITIATIVES.
UH, WE SPECIFICALLY TARGET, UH, CRITICAL SUBJECT AREAS LIKE SPECIAL ED, ELEMENTARY, ESOL ADMINISTRATORS, AND GROW OUR OWN INITIATIVES AND NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.
ALL OF THESE ALSO ALIGN WITH THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND FUTURES PILLAR TWO PRIORITIES.
WE UTILIZE A COMMITTEE PROCESS TO REVIEW AND RANK SUBMISSIONS, UM, AND THE SUBMISSIONS ARE REVIEWED BY BCPS DIVISIONS OR REPRESENTATIVES FROM ACROSS BCPS.
UH, WE LOOK AT PROGRAM DETAILS, LENGTH OF TIME TO COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, UH, PARTICIPANT OUT OF POCKET COSTS AND BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS.
UH, ALL DIRECT BILLING PROGRAMS ARE APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
UH, THESE AGREEMENTS HELP REDUCE FINANCIAL BARRIERS FOR EMPLOYEES PURSUING LICENSURE OR ADVANCING THEIR DEGREES.
BY SIMPLIFYING THE PAYMENT PROCESS AND STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY PARTNERS, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR CURRENT AND FUTURE EDUCATORS TO CONTINUE THEIR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND REMAIN EMPLOYED WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UH, FIRST YOU'LL SEE, AND LET ME EMPHASIZE, THEY ARE NOT LISTED ANY PREFERENTIAL ORDER
UM, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TOWSON UNIVERSITY, WE SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN ADMINISTRATION AND SU SUPERVISION, UH, MARLIN AND GOUCHER COLLEGE.
THEY SUPPORT OUR CONDITIONAL TEACHERS IN ELEMENTARY
UM, NEW THIS YEAR WE EXPANDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS TO WORK WITH LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND ON NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.
IN ADDITION TO LOYOLA U UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, WE HAVE THE BALTIMORE TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, OR BTAP.
UH, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BCPS PARAEDUCATORS TO EARN A MASTER'S DEGREE, UH, IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND EARN THEIR TEACHER LICENSURE.
CLINICAL EXPERIENCES RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM MENTORS AND UNIVERSITY FA FA FACULTY THROUGH THIS TWO YEAR PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM CREATES A GROW OUR OWN PATHWAY FOR TALENT ALREADY WITHIN OUR BCPS COMMUNITY OR STAFF, UH, THOSE WHO ARE SERVING AS PARAEDUCATORS.
THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO UNIQUE IN THAT BCPS AND LOYOLA UNIVERSITY JOINED WITH THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR TEACHER RESIDENCIES.
UH, THROUGH THIS NETWORK'S BOUNDLESS EDUCATORS INITIATIVE.
OUR PARTNERSHIP RECEIVED $208,000 IN GRANT FUNDS AND AN INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDED FUNDING FOR OUR STAFF.
AND THESE FUNDS GO DIRECTLY TO OUR PARTICIPANTS AND SUPPORT THEM WITH TUITION, BOOKS, AND ASSESSMENT FEES.
CURRENT OFFERINGS THROUGH MCDANIEL COLLEGE INCLUDE PROGRAMS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION WORLD, WORLD LANGUAGES, AND ELEMENTARY EDUCATION FOR CONDITIONAL TEACHERS.
THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH UMBC, WE OFFER AN EDUCATOR FRIENDLY ELEMENTARY PROGRAM, AN MAT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FLEXIBLE PATHWAY FOR CONDITIONAL LICENSES FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS TO EARN A MASTER'S DEGREE.
AND THIS IS A TWO YEAR PROGRAM.
THE B-C-P-S-C-C-B-C PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF BALTIMORE COUNTY
[01:35:01]
IS AN MSCE PROGRAM.WE RECEIVED THIS, UH, PROGRAM APPROVAL IN SPRING OF THIS YEAR.
UH, IT PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY FOR TEACHERS SEEKING LICENSURE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.
IT IS A JOB EMBEDDED TEACHER RESIDENCY MODEL THAT ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO EARN LICENSURE WHILE THEY'RE WORKING FULL-TIME IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CLASSROOM FOR THE 26 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
WE HAVE ALSO ADDED NEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR TEACHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO EARN THEIR ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION LICENSURE.
AND THOSE CONDITIONAL TEACHERS HAVE AN OPTION TO JOIN THE ACCELERATED MAT OPTION FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION.
THE PROGRAMS JUST HIGHLIGHTED ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR DIRECT BILLING PARTNERSHIPS.
HOWEVER, WE SHARE WITH OUR EDUCATORS A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT THEY MAY CHOOSE TO ENROLL IN AND CAN LATER REQUEST TUITION REIMBURSEMENT FROM BCPS.
THE IMPACT OF THESE INITIATIVES IS BEST ILLUSTRATED THROUGH THE VOICES OF OUR EDUCATORS WHO HAVE BENEFITED FROM THEM.
UH, ONE PARTICIPANT IN OUR BALTIMORE TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM SHARED THAT THE TUITION SUPPORT AND GRANTS MADE THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE MANAGEABLE AND REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS AND CONCERNS AND ALLOWED THEM TO FOCUS ON THEIR ACADEMIC PROGRESS.
ANOTHER EDUCATOR DESCRIBED BCPS AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT, IN THAT INVESTED IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND INSPIRED THEM TO RETURN AND SERVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF STUDENTS.
THEIR STORIES HIGHLIGHT THE POWERFUL CYCLE OF RECRUITMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND RETENTION THAT OUR PROGRAMS HELP TO CREATE.
NOW I'LL TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO MS. SUSAN STANSBERRY.
WHEN WE INVEST IN PEOPLE, WE NOT ONLY FILL VACANCIES, WE'LL BUILD A STRONGER, MORE SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE FOR BCP, THIS IS DE DISPLAY DISPLAYED BY OUR TEACHER RESIGNATION HAVING DECREASED BY 36%.
THIS PAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE RETAINED 94% OF THE TEACHERS OF RECORD THE PARTNERSHIPS.
CARLA JUST SPOKE ABOUT OUR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO, EXCUSE ME, THE RETENTION OF TEACHERS.
IN ADDITION, THE GREAT WORK OF COLLEAGUES SUPPORTING TEACHERS THROUGH STAFF DEVELOPMENT, TEACHERS, EDUCATION RETENTION TEACHERS, AND THE CONSULTING TEACHERS PROGRAM PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE.
WE CONTINUE TO RECRUIT TEACHERS ALL YEAR.
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS SOME OF THE EVENTS WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN AS WELL AS THE ONLINE PLATFORMS WE UTILIZE.
LINKEDIN IS A PLATFORM WE USE TO ADVERTISE EVENTS WE HOST AND ALSO POST SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES.
WE PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS HOSTED BY DIVERSITY IN ED AND ALSO ACCESS A SIZABLE RESUME DATABASE.
INDEED IS A PLATFORM WE USE TO ADVERTISE AS WELL AS TO PARTNER FOR GAINING CANDIDATES TO ATTEND BCPS EVENTS AS WELL.
NOW I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO HOMER CALL.
SO LASTLY, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS SHARE WITH YOU A SHORT VIDEO THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS IN THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS WHO HAVE TO PUT THIS, THIS TOGETHER FROM SOME OF THE TEACHERS THAT WE RECRUITED THIS YEAR AT NEW EDUCATOR ORIENTATION.
YOU'LL SEE VARIOUS FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE AS WELL AS THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN WHICH THEY TEACH ACROSS DIFFERENT RACES, DIFFERENT GENDERS, UH, ACROSS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UH, DIVERSE AREAS.
SO IF WE COULD SHOW THE VIDEO AT THIS TIME, PLEASE.
WE FEEL, I FEEL EXTREMELY WELCOMED HERE.
I'M GLAD I CHOSE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THE HYPE IS THEY LIVING UP TO THE HYPE.
EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD BEFORE JOINING THE TEAM.
SO I LOOK, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING HERE.
I PICKED BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL JUST 'CAUSE I, I'M FAIRLY NEW TO, UH, MARYLAND.
SO WHEN I CAME TO MARYLAND, I LIVE IN, UH, HARTFORD COUNTY AND I KNOW SOME HARTFORD COUNTY PEOPLE WHO, UH, SPOKE VERY HIGHLY OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO THAT GAVE ME TO GO AHEAD TO JOIN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO JUST KIND OF WORD OF MOUTH, IT WAS A GOOD REFERRAL.
I CHOSE BCPS BECAUSE I WANTED TO STAY CLOSE TO BALTIMORE.
I'M FROM HERSHEY AND I WANTED TO STAY WITHIN A COMMUNITY THAT WAS VERY DIVERSE, UM, AND ALSO OFFERED A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AND JUST DIFFERENT PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS.
AND BCPS DEFINITELY HIT ALL THOSE LIKE MARKS.
I AM A PRODUCT OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR ALL OF MY YEARS.
AND I'M ALSO A PRODUCT OF THE VERY FIRST
[01:40:01]
CLASS OF MAGNET SCHOOL, UM, STUDENTS.SO I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SINCE IT HAS BEEN A CONTRIBUTOR TO MY PERSONAL SUCCESS IN MY CAREER.
I WAS LOOKING TO MOVE INTO THE AREA AND I HAVE HEARD OF A LOT OF GREAT THINGS ABOUT PCPS.
UM, I RECEIVED THE JOB OFFER ABOUT A WEEK AGO, OR MAYBE TWO WEEKS AGO NOW.
UM, AND JUST MOVED HERE ABOUT THREE DAYS AGO.
BEFORE I CAME HERE, I WAS A SPECIAL EDUCATOR PARA EDUCATOR AT CITY SCHOOLS IN BALTIMORE CITY.
I CHOSE BCPS BECAUSE IT SEEMS WELCOMING.
I LOVED THE, THE STAFF THAT I MET THERE.
I LOVED THE PRINCIPAL AND I ENJOYED MY INTERVIEW A LOT.
AND I JUST REALLY LOVE EDUCATION.
I WENT TO BCPS SCHOOLS MY ENTIRE LIFE.
I WAS AT GOLDEN RING AND PATAPSCO.
SO I'VE JUST KIND OF BEEN BORN AND BRED WITH BCPS AND I JUST LOVE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAD AT THE SCHOOLS WHEN I WAS GOING TO THE SCHOOLS THERE.
SO I JUST DECIDED THAT I WOULD JOIN AS A TEACHER, UM, MAINLY BECAUSE THAT'S A COUNTY THAT I LIVE IN AND GREW UP IN.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL, SO IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO WORK HERE AS WELL.
I CHOSE BCPS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY HAVE.
IT'S ALL ACROSS THE BALTIMORE AREA.
AND COMING FROM CHICAGO, LIKE I REALLY NEED THAT, LIKE DIVERSITY, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT I CAN CONNECT WITH ACROSS TOWN, DOWN THE BLOCK, WHEREVER.
SO I THINK THAT'S
AND WITH THAT, WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? MS. HUMPHREY? JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
FIRST, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONDITIONAL LICENSES.
UH, YOU SPOKE ABOUT SUPPORT FOR THOSE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM.
IS THERE ANY SUPPORT IF ANY OF THEM ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY FINISHING THEIR PATHWAY TO GET THAT FULL LICENSE FROM A COURSEWORK STANDPOINT? I GUESS SO SAY SOMEBODY HAS A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE MEETING, IS THERE A, I GUESS THAT THE FIRST QUESTION SHOULD BE, IS THERE A SPECIFIC CUTOFF DEADLINE WHERE THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT PROFESSIONAL LICENSE AND IF THEY MISS IT BY A LITTLE BIT, ARE WE, IS IT A STRICT CUTOFF? AND I'M NOT SAYING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, I'M JUST CURIOUS OVERALL HOW THAT WORKS.
WE, WE WORK VERY EARLY ON TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET STARTED.
'CAUSE YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE IS A VERY SPECIFIC TIMELINE AND IT, IT IS VERY STRICT PER THE LAW.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THEM EARLY AND GIVE THEM ALL THESE RESOURCES THAT YOU JUST HEARD.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS REGARDING THE, UH, THE PARTNERSHIPS.
HOW ARE WE CHOOSING WHICH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WE ARE MAKE MAKING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS WITH? OH, EARLIER I SHARED IT, IT DEPENDS ON OUR, UH, DISTRICT INITIATIVES, THE DETAILS OF THE PROGRAM, THE OUT-OF-POCKET COST, UM, OUR BUDGET.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU A A A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS LOOK AT THAT OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS.
UM, SO WE'LL SUPPORT THEM UP TO $900 FOR ONE THREE CREDIT COURSE.
BUT, UM, THAT OUT OF POCKET IS A HARD ONE.
ARE WE LOOKING AT ALL AT THE COURSEWORK TO MAKE SURE WHAT THEY'RE TRAINED IN IS WHAT WE NEED IN OUR SCHOOLS? SO SPECIFICALLY I'M THINKING OF SCIENCE OF READING IMMEDIATELY IS WHAT'S THE TOP FOREFRONT OF MY MIND? YEAH, SO THE PROGRAMS THAT WE, UH, WE ASK OUR PARTNERS TO BRING TO US, THEY HAVE TO BE MARYLAND APPROVED PROGRAMS. SO MSDE HAS DONE THAT WORK ALREADY.
AND IT'S, IT'S ALSO VETTED THROUGH NOT ONLY JUST HUMAN RESOURCES, BUT IT ALSO PARTNER WITH CNI, UM, TO OF COURSE VET THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THEY MEET THOSE PARTICULAR STANDARDS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST HUMAN RESOURCES THAT LOOKS AT THOSE PARTICULAR PARTNERSHIPS TO DECIDE ON WHICH ONE COMES IN.
UM, SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ALREADY ANSWERED, BUT, UM, OF THE 12.5 CONDITIONAL LICENSERS, DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHICH, LIKE, WHICH LICENSERS THEY'RE MOST COMMON OR WHICH EDUCATORS ARE SEEKING OR I, WE HAVE NU I DIDN'T COME PREPARED WITH THE NUMBERS, BUT, UM, EARLIER I SHARED THOSE HIGH NEED AREAS, YOU'LL SEE THE PERCENTAGE BROKEN OUT, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE SUBJECT AREAS THAT I SHARED.
COULD YOU, ELEMENTARY, SPECIAL ED, ESOL, MATH, ARE YOU A, I MEAN, NOT IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT NOW, THAT'S FINE, BUT ARE YOU ABLE TO GET THOSE NUMBERS MORE SPECIFIC? UH, I JUST TO SEE WHAT, HOW I'LL CONFER WITH, UH, MR. MCCALL AND MAKE SURE WE COULD GET THAT, WHAT, WE'LL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO GET THOSE NUMBERS, UH, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT
[01:45:01]
AND DECIDE WHETHER, HOW THAT'D BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.UM, AND THEN LASTLY, IT, IT GOES BACK TO THE, THE MONEY ASPECT OF THE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT AND THE DIRECT.
UM, IS THERE A REQUIREMENT OF, YOU KNOW, PASSING, WHAT'S THE, WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT IF A EDUCATOR IS, IF THEY'RE DOING THE DIRECT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAY, WE'RE PAYING FOR IT AS THEY GO ALONG.
LIKE, WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE DOESN'T COMPLETE THE COURSE OR DOESN'T PASS THE COURSE, THE PROGRAM? AND NOT THAT I'M WISHING ANYTHING OF THAT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING IS THERE, LIKE WHAT HAPPENS THEN? WELL, IT, IT HAPPENS.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IF THEY DO NOT EARN A GRADE OF C OR BETTER, WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE TUITION FROM A REIMBURSEMENT OR A DIRECT BILLING STANDPOINT.
THEY, THEY ARE ON THE HOOK FOR IT.
NO, YEAH, I MAY WE HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR AT MY WORK.
AND IT'S THE SAME WHERE IF YOU DON'T, SO I JUST WAS CHECKING.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MS. F? UM, MY QUESTION WAS ABOUT WITH THE, IF SOMEONE DOESN'T COMPLETE WITHIN THE TIME, WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT PERSON AND WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THEIR OPTIONS? UM, IT'S A HARD DECISION TO MAKE, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW AND, UM, WE, IN, IN HR HAVE OFFERED AN INDIVIDUAL, IF THEY'VE COME TO THAT POINT TO SERVE AS A LONG-TERM SUB OR FIND A POSITION WHICH THEY QUALIFY, UM, PARAEDUCATOR SOME OTHER POSITION WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UNTIL THEY CAN REGAIN THEIR LICENSURE, THEY'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO APPLY REAPPLY FOR TEACHING POSITION AT THAT POINT.
SO THEY DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
THEY HAVE TO KIND OF START OVER, BUT WELL, OR PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF.
SO ALL IS LIKE NOT FOR NOT IF THEY ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THEY, AND, AND WE HAVE THAT HAPPEN OFTEN.
IF A PERSON IS NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME OF THEIR LICENSE TO COME BACK TO US YES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS TOO WE WANNA KEEP IN MIND IS THAT A LOT OF THE, WELL, I SAY THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO AREN'T SUCCESSFUL, UM, THEY BUILT CONNECTIONS WITH THE STUDENTS, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH THE, UH, WITH THE SCHOOL ITSELF.
AND SO THEY JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T DISRUPT THAT CONTINUITY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE STUDENTS.
AND IF OF COURSE WE PROVIDE THOSE SUPPORTS TO GET THEM BACK ON TRACK.
AND, UM, KUDOS TO THE THREE OF YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE, YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
AND IT'S BIGGER THAN JUST THE THREE OF US TOO.
I'M SORRY IF YOU DIDN'T HEAR ME SAY THAT PIECE.
BUT THE THREE OF YOU ARE SITTING HERE AND I KNOW YOU'RE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S TOP DOWN RIGHT? WITH THAT VISION AND, AND GETTING PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK.
SO THANK YOU TO THE THREE OF YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
UM, I JUST WANT TO ASK, WITH THE 12.5% CONDITIONAL TEACHERS THAT YOU HAVE, UM, IF WHILE YOU'RE GATHERING NUMBERS, COULD YOU JUST, UM, SPEAK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DO NOT FINISH THE PROGRAM? LIKE THEY'VE ASKED, UM, IN MY EXPERIENCE THAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS EXTREMELY SMALL.
UM, SO IF YOU COULD JUST SHARE THAT NUMBER WHEN YOU SHARE THE NUMBERS.
I WOULD, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE OF ALL THE RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORTS AND THE COMMUNITY AND THE PRINCIPALS, ALL THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY GET.
I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THE NUMBERS RELATIVELY SMALL.
UM, SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND JUST SHARING THAT OUT OF THE PREVIOUS YEARS AND THE PERCENTAGE THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
IT IT'LL BE EXTREMELY SMALL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BECAUSE OF HOW MSD HAS ALLOWED ADDITIONAL LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES AT THE TIME TO BE ISSUED.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATES IN IN OKAY.
SO WE HAD SEVERAL YEARS, YEAH.
WE'RE IN A SPACE THAT WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN THEM.
BUT TO MS FROM PALM'S POINT, UM, MS. HUMPHREY, EXCUSE ME,
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO REPORT THOSE PEOPLE TO YOU.
I DON'T NECESSARILY WANT TO HAVE IT AS A REPORT.
I THINK FOR ME, UM, I KNOW THE HARD WORK THAT HR DOES.
I ALSO KNOW THE HARD WORK THAT TEACHERS DO, AND A LOT OF THEM COME IN WITH A LOT OF PASSION.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT NUMBER IS VERY, VERY SMALL.
ANYONE ELSE? DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? JUST A CLOSING COMMENT IF THAT'S OKAY? SURE.
I I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK, AND YOU MENTIONED THE THREE OF YOU AND YOUR TEAMS. UM, IT DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.
AND PEOPLE ALWAYS GO TO THE ONE NUMBER AND I ASK HOMER THIS NUMBER, IF IT, IT WASN'T EVERY DAY, BUT IT WAS EVERY WEEK
[01:50:01]
THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT.IT'S A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT.
ALL OF THE SYSTEMS ARE FIGHTING FOR A VERY LOW NUMBER OF TEACHERS ARE THOSE THAT WANT TO BE TEACHERS.
[M. REPORT - SCREEN TIME IN BALTIMORE COUNTY (Dr. Mullenax, Dr. Craft, and Dr. Staley) (8:35 - 8:55 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS REPORT ON SCREEN TIME IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.YOU DON'T? WELL, IF YOU WANNA GIVE 'EM GO AHEAD,
BOARD CHAIR, LICHTER, VICE CHAIR YOUNG AND DR.
STALEY AND I WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND SCREEN TIME IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
OUR FOCUS IS ON ENSURING THAT TECHNOLOGY SERVES, UH, A CLEAR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE, STRENGTHENING TEACHING, EXPANDING ACCESS, AND SUPPORTING STUDENT LEARNING.
WE WILL REVIEW THE POLICIES AND PROCESSES THAT GUIDE THE SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND DIGITAL RESOURCES, SHARE SCREEN TIME DATA ACROSS GRADE LEVELS, AND HIGHLIGHT THE SPECIFIC A APPLICATION STUDENTS USE MOST FREQUENTLY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE ACCURATE INFORMATION IS BEING SHARED WITH THE BOARD TO HELP DRIVE FUTURE DECISIONS REGARDING TECHNOLOGY USE IN OUR CLASSROOMS. THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL EMPHASIZE OUR SHARED COMMITMENT, EXCUSE ME, TO TECHNOLOGY USE THAT IS PURPOSEFUL, UH, I'M SORRY.
PURPOSEFUL, BALANCED, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE.
THIS INCLUDES HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP A DIGITAL LITERACY, MEDIA LITERACY, AND RESPONSIBLE ONLINE BEHAVIORS THAT NEED TO, THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.
WORKING TOGETHER WITH EDUCATORS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT TECHNOLOGY IS SUPPORTING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR EVERY STUDENT IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE NEXT THREE SLIDES, UM, ARE A QUICK REFERENCE BECAUSE THESE ARE SOME TOOLS THAT WE'LL BE REFERRING TO.
THIS IS A RESOURCE FOR YOU ALL TO GO BACK TO.
WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT IF THERE IS A TOOL THAT'S MENTIONED, UM, THERE, THAT'S A RESOURCE THERE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE AND DEFINE WHAT THE EACH OF THOSE TOOLS ARE.
SO TONIGHT WE HAVE ORGANIZED OUR PRESENTATION AROUND, UH, THE FOUR AREAS YOU SEE LISTED.
SO, PURPOSE, POLICY, PROCESS, AND PRACTICE.
SO WE'LL START WITH PURPOSE AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT THE INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE OF TECHNOLOGY IS.
NEXT, WE'LL ADDRESS THE POLICIES THAT ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS AND THE PROTECTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS.
THEN WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE PROCESS THAT BCPS USES AND HOW WE REVIEW, SELECT, AND IMPLEMENT RESOURCES THAT ARE SELECTED TO USE.
AND FINALLY, WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PRACTICES THAT WE USE, UH, IN THE CLASSROOM, THE DATA THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT, AND HOW WE, UH, USE A CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS TO STRENGTHEN, UH, THE PRACTICES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND CONT WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE GOING FORWARD.
AND SO WE WANNA MOVE AWAY FROM JUST THE QUESTION, ARE STUDENTS USING TECHNOLOGY? BUT TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHEN DOES TECHNOLOGY STRENGTHEN LEARNING? WHAT VALUE DOES IT ADD? AND WHAT SAFEGUARDS DO WE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE IT'S PURPOSEFUL, BALANCED, SAFE, AND ACCESSIBLE? AND SO ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS BEGINS WITH BEING CLEAR ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF TECHNOLOGY.
UH, SO ON THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE PURPOSES FOR USING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPHASIS IS ON INSTRUCTIONAL.
AND SO TECHNOLOGY IS A TOOL IN SERVICE OF LEARNING.
AND SO IT'S NOT THE LEARNING OUTCOME ITSELF.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO ALWAYS INTROSPECT HOW STUDENTS ARE USING TECHNOLOGY, WHAT THEY'RE DOING DURING THE TI THAT TIME, AND WHY THE TECHNOLOGY IS BEING USED AND THE VALUE IT ADDS TO THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE USED INTENTIONALLY.
TECHNOLOGY CAN EXPAND ACCESS FOR LEARNERS.
IT CAN REMOVE BARRIERS TO LEARNING.
IT CAN PERSONALIZE LEARNING BY ADJUSTING PACING AND DIFFERENT PATHWAYS AS WELL AS SCAFFOLDS.
IT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE TIMELY FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS.
IT FOSTERS INQUIRY, COLLABORATION, AND PROBLEM SOLVING, AND GIVE STUDENTS NEW WAYS TO CREATE AND COMMUNICATE.
AND WE WANNA EMPHASIZE IT'S NOT ABOUT ADDING MORE TECHNOLOGY, BUT REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT TOOL IS FOR
[01:55:01]
THE RIGHT LEARNING GOAL.UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS, TECHNOLOGY IS A TOOL IN SERVICE OF LEARNING, NOT THE OUTCOME ITSELF.
SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE OF TECHNOLOGY, THE NEXT QUESTION BECOMES, HOW DO WE ENSURE THE RESOURCES WE PLACE IN FRONT OF STUDENTS? MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR QUALITY, SAFETY, AND RESPONSIBLE USE.
ONCE WE ESTABLISH INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE, WE TURN TO PROTECTION.
PURPOSE ALONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
TECHNOLOGY USE MUST OPERATE WITHIN CLEAR FEDERAL, FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL REQUIREMENTS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE POLICY SHOWN HERE, WORK TOGETHER.
POLICY AND RULE 6,002, ADDRESS THE SELECTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, POLICY AND RULES 62 0 2, ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS FOR ACCOUNTABLE TECHNOLOGY USE BY STUDENTS.
POLICY 4,008 ESTABLISHES THE FRAMEWORK FOR DATA GOVERNANCE.
TOGETHER, THESE POLICIES ADDRESS THREE DIFFERENT BUT CONNECTED QUESTIONS.
WHAT MAY BE SELECTED, HOW MAY IT BE USED, AND HOW MUST INFORMATION AND DATA BE GOVERNED? POLICY CANNOT BE TREATED AS A COMPLIANCE STEP COMPLETED AFTER PRODUCT HAS ALREADY BEEN SELECTED.
THESE REQUIREMENTS MUST INFORM DECISIONS FROM THE BEGINNING, INCLUDING RESOURCE SELECTION, ACCESS, PRIVACY, SECURITY, IMPLEMENTATION, AND ONGOING SUPPORT.
THE SAFE SCHOOLS TRAINING SHOWN HERE ON THIS SLIDE IS ONE WAY BALTIMORE COUNTY TRANSLATES POLICY INTO DAY-TO-DAY PRACTICE.
POLICIES ARE MEANINGFUL ONLY WHEN EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND HAVE PROCEDURES FOR CARRYING THEM OUT.
A RESOURCE SHOULD NOT ENTER CLASSROOM SOLELY BECAUSE IT IS POPULAR, CONVENIENT, INEXPENSIVE, OR VISUALLY ENGAGING.
IT MUST MEET BCPS EXPECTATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL VALUE, RESPONSIBLE USE DATA GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONAL READINESS.
THESE, THERE ARE TWO CORE PROCESSES THAT ARE USED WHEN SELECTING INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS THAT ARE PRINT OR DIGITAL.
THE FIRST PROCESS USED FOR THE SELECTION OF CURRICULUM MATERIALS IS BASED ON POLICY 6,002.
THIS PROCESS BEGINS WITH CENTRAL OFFICE AND SCHOOL-BASED STAFF EXAMINING THE MATERIALS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL ALIGNMENT, QUALITY, USABILITY, AND THE NEEDS OF LEARNERS.
PRINT RESOURCES ARE THEN USED IN THE CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS TO CHECK USABILITY.
IF THE RESOURCE HAS DIGITAL FEATURES, IT IS ALSO PUT THROUGH A DIGITAL RESOURCE EXAMINATION WITH A SOFTWARE REVIEW PROCESS BEFORE WE PROCEED TO APPROVAL FOR PURCHASE EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND CAREGIVERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN PROVIDE THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND FEEDBACK DURING THE PUBLIC REVIEW PHASE.
WHEN FORMAL CURRICULUM APPROVAL IS REQUIRED, THE RECOMMENDATION MOVES THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE GOVERNANCE PROCESS, INCLUDING THE BOARD CURRICULUM COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THE SOFTWARE REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS IS A RIGOROUS REVIEW PROCESS USED FOR ANY CURRICULUM THAT HAS A DIGITAL COMPONENT, SOFTWARE OR TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE TO BE USED IN THE CLASSROOM BY TEACHERS OR STUDENTS.
THE PROCESS BEGINS WHEN A CONTENT OFFICE HAS IDENTIFIED A RESOURCE THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR USE IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE REVIEW ASKS WHETHER THE SOFTWARE IS NOT ONLY CONTENT APPROPRIATE, BUT ALSO TECHNICALLY AND OPERATIONALLY READY.
THAT INCLUDES PRIVACY, SECURITY, TECHNICAL INTEGRATION, VENDOR COORDINATION, IMPLEMENTATION, PLANNING, AND SUPPORT.
THE DETAILED WORKFLOW SHOWN HERE CAN BE SUMMARIZED IN FOUR PHASES, COLLABORATE, EVALUATE, IMPLEMENT, AND SUPPORT.
STEPS ONE THROUGH NINE ARE ALL CRITICAL FOR THE REVIEW PROCESS.
AND PRODUCT SHOULD NOT REACH CLASSROOMS BEFORE IT IS SUBMITTED.
AS A CONTENT TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCE, THE RESOURCE MAY BE INSTRUCTIONALLY APPEALING, BUT CREATE UNACCEPTABLE PRIVACY, SECURITY, OR IMPLEMENTATION CONCERNS.
OR IT MAY BE TECHNICALLY SECURE, BUT INSTRUCTIONALLY WEAK APPROVAL IS ALSO NOT THE END PROCESS.
IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING, WHICH ARE STEPS 10 THROUGH 14, INVOLVES STAFF PREPARATION, TECHNICAL SUPPORT, MONITORING AND PERIODIC REVIEW ARE PART OF THE RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY USE FOR SOME SOFTWARE PROGRAMS. GUIDELINES ARE PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS FOR HOW MANY MINUTES AND HOW OFTEN STUDENTS SHOULD USE THE PROGRAM IN A WEEK.
THE GOAL IS INTENTIONAL DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE TEACHERS ARE ASKED TO INTEGRATE A TECHNOLOGY RESOURCE INTO THE CLASSROOM WITH STUDENTS.
UM, THIS IS WHAT WORK LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO REAL LIFE IN CLASSROOMS. AND SOME OF THESE PICTURES, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM OUR FIRST WEEK IN SCHOOL ACROSS B-C-B-S-T.
TECHNOLOGY IS BEING USED TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION, NOT SIMPLY
[02:00:01]
FOR THE SAKE OF USING TECHNOLOGY, BUT TO CREATE MORE ENGAGING, INTERACTIVE AND MEANINGFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS.AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE THREE EXAMPLES, STUDENTS ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN THEIR LEARNING.
TEACHERS ARE USING TECHNOLOGY TO BRING CONTENT TO LIFE, AND OUR STAFF ARE SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN IMPLEMENTING THESE TOOLS EFFECTIVELY.
ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT TECHNOLOGY STRENGTHENS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO COLLABORATE, CREATE, EXPLORE, AND ENGAGE IN WAYS THAT DEEPEN THEIR LEARNING.
THIS, THESE PICTURES HERE REPRESENT MULTIPLE WAYS THAT WE'VE SAW THE, JUST THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.
UM, ON FAR LEFT, THAT'S WHERE THE STUDENT IS USING A FLIGHT SIMULATOR TO ACTUALLY FLY A PLANE.
WE WATCHED HIM LAND VERY GRACEFULLY.
UH, AND THE SECOND PICTURE IS, WAS FROM S'S POINT WHERE THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED A CROSS SECTION OF THE INSIDE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S BODY SO THAT THEY CAN DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A DISEASE OR IF THERE WERE ISSUES WITHIN IT.
SO THE TECHNOLOGY HERE IN THESE TWO.
UM, THE NEXT ONE WAS FROM AN AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES CLASS.
AND THE STUDENTS WERE FOLLOWING ALONG ON THE PRESENTATION ON THEIR, ON THEIR, SOME OF THE STUDENTS, NOT ALL OF THE STUDENTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THIS PICTURE.
AND LASTLY, STUDENTS IN THE LAST PICTURE WERE USING THE TECHNOLOGY TO HAVE A BRAIN BREAK WITH THEIR TEACHER.
INTENTIONAL TECHNOLOGY USED INVOLVES MONITORING BOTH PROGRAMS WITH RECOMMENDED USAGE TARGETS TO ENSURE FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION AND STUDENTS OVERALL USE SUB DIGITAL APPLICATIONS.
THIS TABLE DISPLAYS THE AVERAGE DAILY STUDENT SCREEN TIME ACROSS GRADE LEVELS DURING THE LAST FOUR MONTHS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
YOU SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS IS ALSO THE WINDOW DURING STATE ASSESSMENT TIME.
IT PROVIDES ONE MEASURE OF THE VICE USAGE THAT CAN NOW BE MONITORED THROUGH RECENT ENHANCEMENTS TO THE LIGHTSPEED PLATFORM THAT WE USE.
WE CAN ALSO MONITOR THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE USED BY OUR STUDENTS.
THE TOP 10 APPLICATIONS ARE LISTED HERE FOR EACH GRADE BAND.
THE CHART INCLUDES HOW EACH APPLICATION IS USED ACROSS COURSES OR FOR SPECIFIC CONTENT AREAS.
AND SO AS WE THINK ABOUT THE USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY TO UTILITY IN THE CLASSROOM, WE WANNA THINK ABOUT IT INTERSECTING BETWEEN THE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS THAT ARE CHOSEN TO BE USED IN THE CLASSROOM THAT STUDENTS DO NEED MEDIA LITERACY, BEING ABLE TO ANALYZE AND EVALUATE MEDIA MESSAGES, UH, AS WELL AS DIGITAL LITERACY.
UM, BEING ABLE TO FIND, USE, CREATE, AND COMMUNICATE INFORMATION DIGITALLY, AS WELL AS DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, WHICH IS THE SAFE, ETHICAL, AND RESPONSIBLE PARTICIPATION OF TOOLS.
AND TOGETHER, COLLECTIVELY, WE'RE PREPARING STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS, ANALYZE, CREATE, COMMUNICATE, AND PARTICIPATE RESPONSIBLY IN AN INCREASINGLY DIGITAL WORLD AS WE START TO THINK ABOUT NOT ONLY THEIR WORK IN SCHOOL, BUT AS THEY LEAVE SCHOOL.
AND SO WE WANNA SAY THAT TECHNOLOGY IS ONE PATHWAY FOR LEARNING, BUT NOT THE OUTCOME STUDENT.
ULTIMATELY STUDENT LEARNING AND IMPROVED ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IS THE GOAL.
OUR NEXT STEPS FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AND STRENGTHENING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TECHNOLOGY IS BEING USED IN SCHOOLS.
THIS INCLUDES DEVELOPING A SCREEN TIME POLICY TO GUIDE PURPOSEFUL BALANCED USE AND AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE POLICY ALIGNED WITH THE MSDE GUIDELINES.
TOGETHER THESE POLICIES WILL HELP CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS FOR EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND FAMILIES, WHILE SUPPORTING SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY USE.
WE'LL ALSO CONTINUE TO MONITOR TECHNOLOGY USE WITHIN SCHOOLS, EXAMINING WHEN AND FOR HOW LONG STUDENTS ARE USING DEVICES, WHICH TOOLS THEY ARE ACCESSING, AND THE INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE BEHIND THE USE.
UNDERSTANDING THESE PATTERNS WILL HELP US IDENTIFY WHERE ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE OR SUPPORT IS NEEDED.
OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION WHILE PRESERVING MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISCUSSION, COLLABORATION, HANDS-ON LEARNING AND PERSONAL INTERACTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, THE, I I LOST THE, UM, PRESENTATION IN MY, IF WE COULD PULL UP THE, THE SCREEN TIME SLIDE.
THEY, THEY TOOK TRACY, GOTTA PUT IT BACK UP.
THE GRID WITH THE TIMES WITH THE MINUTES ON IT WITH THE TIME.
[02:05:01]
SO THIS RANGE OF TIME BETWEEN, UM, MARCH 24 AND JUNE 24, WHY WAS THIS TIMEFRAME CHOSEN? THE, THE, THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM GIVES US A SIX MONTH TIMEFRAME.AND SO WE CHOSE NOT TO INCLUDE THE SUMMER MONTHS, SO IT ONLY BACKED UP TO MARCH 24TH.
SO WHAT, WHAT WAS IT, HOW DID, WHAT WAS IT MONITORING? LIKE WHAT DID IT, HOW DID IT, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THOSE NUMBERS? THE NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN HERE MM-HMM
FOR EACH GRADE BAND, IT GAVE, UM, AVERAGE NUMBER OF MINUTES.
AND SO THE RANGES THAT YOU SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, THIRD GRADE, 50 MINUTES TO ONE HOUR WERE THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT THEY GAVE ON THE, ON EACH GRADE BAND.
SO THE LIGHTSPEED TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO DISAGGREGATE IT DOWN TO THIS LEVEL.
NOW, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE WE RESTATE THAT THIS WAS DURING STATE TESTING TIME TOO, SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS AND WE WILL OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE BOARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO WE CAN THEN TAKE IT TO THE NEXT SIX MONTH, UM, AT, AFTER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
AND WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
WE CAN SHARE IT ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE CAN SHARE IT, UM, PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT.
SO THIS WOULD BE IN ONE DAY THEY SPENT 50 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.
IT'S THE AVERAGE TIME ACROSS MARCH 24TH TO JUNE 24TH.
THEY'VE SPENT AN HOUR ANYWHERE FROM 50 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.
THAT WOULD JUST BE WITH THEIR SCREEN OPEN.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE, IT WOULD LOOK AT SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS THAT WERE IN THERE.
THEY COULD HAVE BEEN TESTING, THEY COULD HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG TO A PRESENTATION.
THEY COULD BE USING ONE OF THE TECHNOLOGY TOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
SO IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF THINGS.
THAT'S WHY WE PROVIDED FOR YOU THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE IT SHOWS WHAT THE TOP ACTUAL APPLICATIONS WERE BEING ACCESSED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ABLE TO SHOW THIS DEEP DIVE OR YOU CAN SHOW IT TO DR.
HEISER, BUT JUST HOW YOU CAME UP WITH THAT AVERAGE.
AND I'M NOT TRYING TO QUESTION YOU IN ANY WAY.
I'M JUST HAVING A FOURTH GRADER AND HEARING WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH, THAT NUMBER SEEMS AWFULLY LOW AND I'M NOT, IT COULD BE ANECDOTAL.
IT'S JUST, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE KIND OF A, A MORE DEEP DIVE INTO HOW YOU LIKE, WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE ON THE SCREEN, THAT DATA.
UH, I, I, I KNOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND, AND, AND GETTING AWAY FROM THAT, BUT I JUST, I I HAD THOSE.
YEAH, WE CAN PULL THE REPORT FROM LIGHTSPEED AND PROVIDE IT.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, UM, THE SOFTWARE REVIEW PROCESS, HOW DOES IT, LIKE WAS WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WERE USING, LIKE BOOKLET, LIKE WAS ONE THAT WASN'T SANCTIONED BY US OR APPROVED BY US.
SO HOW DID THAT GET THROUGH THE SOFTWARE REVIEW PROCESS? SO IT DID NOT GET THROUGH THE SOFTWARE REVIEW PROCESS.
SO WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, IS THAT IF STUDENTS ACCESS SOMETHING OR A TEACHER ACCESS SOMETHING THAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT THROUGH THE SOFTWARE REVIEW PROCESS, IT COMES TO US, ACTUALLY IT GOES TO DOIT, THEY REVIEW IT TO SEE IF IT ADHERES TO THE LAWS, AND THEN THEY COME TO CNI AND SAY, IS THIS AN ACCESSIBLE TOOL? SO BOOKLET WAS JUST BROUGHT TO US THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BEING USED IN SCHOOL.
SO NOW WE HAVE TO REVIEW IT TO DETERMINE A, IF IT IT ADHERES TO, UM, THE, I KNOW I'M GONNA MESS IT UP, JIM, IT JUST GO AHEAD.
IS CIPA, UM, CIPA THE CHILD CHILDRENS INTERNET, UM, PROTECTION, INTERNET PROTECTION ACT.
UM, SO IF IT ADHERES TO THAT, THEN IT COMES TO CURRICULUM INSTRUCTIONS TO SEE IF THERE IS SOME VIABLE USE FOR IT.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO MOVE THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THAT.
IF IT DOES NOT PASS THAT CI, ARARA, CIPA, CIPA, UM, THEN WE CANNOT, THEN IT, IT JUST GETS BLOCKED FROM THE, FROM THE STUDENTS ACCESSING IT.
SO IF STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT BEFORE IT WENT THROUGH THE SOFTWARE PROCESS, HOW ARE WE BLOCKING THEM FROM ACCESSING OTHER THINGS THAT HAVEN'T GONE THROUGH THE SOFTWARE PROCESS? AGAIN, REVIEW PROCESS.
SO THEY WERE ABLE TO USE BOOKLET, BUT, AND THEY'VE STARTED USING, AND THEN IT CAME TO YOU FOR THE SOFTWARE REVIEW PROCESS, BUT IT WAS ALREADY BEING USED.
SO HOW ARE WE PREVENTING THAT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE? SHOULDN'T THAT, SHOULDN'T IT COME TO YOU FIRST AND THEN BEING USED IN THE CLASSROOM? I IDEALLY IT WOULD, RIGHT? BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD THAT WE CAN'T, IT WOULD BE VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE INTERNET AND BLOCK EVERYTHING.
SO WHEN WE GET THAT INFORMATION, THEN WE ACT ON IT, UM, AND BLOCK IT.
UM, MR. KOS CAN TALK SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, THE ACTUAL PROCESS AND DOIT.
UH, SO, UM, THE, THE REAL KEY WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS WHAT DO WE DO IN THE REVIEW? SO ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT WE, UH, CHASE DOWN IN OUR UR REVIEW PROCESS IS ALL AROUND OUR FERPA OBLIGATIONS, THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT.
SO THE MAIN GOAL THAT WE, UM, ARE WORKING TOWARDS IS KEEPING OUR TEACHERS FROM ROSTERING DATA INTO APPLICATIONS THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO THIS, UH, THESE TOOLS THAT WE FIND ON THE INTERNET, UM, THEY'RE, AS DR.
MULLINAX HAS EXPLAINED, THEY'RE WIDE AND VARIED.
SO, UH, WHERE WE GET A VERY INTERESTING GRAY AREA IS, UM, CNN OR IS FOX NEWS OR IS WIKIPEDIA A TOOL OR A WEBSITE? STUDENTS ACCESS THOSE ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE NOT REVIEWED ANY OF THEM, SO WE CANNOT ROSTER DATA INTO THOSE.
SO THEY ARE ANONYMOUS ACCESS, JUST
[02:10:01]
LIKE ANY OTHER WEB BROWSING.SO THE USE OF MANY TOOLS THAT APPEAR AS TOOLS, UH, DON'T ACTUALLY FALL INTO THE CRITERIA OF WHERE WE WOULD BE CONCERNED AROUND STUDENT DATA BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ROSTERED WITH ANY DATA GOING OUT.
SO OUR TEACHERS HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF TOOLS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE.
AND SO WHEN, UH, RESOURCES THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD, THEY, WE HAVE REVIEWED BOTH FREE AS WELL AS PAID AND ARE INCLUDED AS REQUIREMENTS IN THE CURRICULUM ARE FULLY REVIEWED.
THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY HIT THAT, THAT MARK.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THESE APPS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE FINDING, UM, THEY MAY FIND A READING APPLICATION THAT REQUIRES NO STUDENT DATA BE EX TO BE EXCHANGED BACK AND FORTH.
SO THAT IS NOT DEEMED AS AN INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THAT.
MULLINAX POINTED OUT, IF IT VIOLATES THE CHILDREN'S INTERNET PROTECTION ACT, MEANING IT'S EITHER OBSCENE, PORNOGRAPHIC CONTAINS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OR IS DEEMED HARMFUL TO STUDENTS, WE WILL OUTRIGHT BLOCK THOSE, UH, WEBSITE OR TOOL.
BUT OTHERWISE, TEACHERS HAVE A WIDE DISCRETION AS WHAT THEY CAN USE IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
UM, WHEN A, WHEN AN APPLICATION COMES ACROSS THAT A LOT OF TEACHERS ARE USING, MANY TIMES C AND I WILL REVIEW IT FOR ITS FUNCTIONAL, UH, UH, PROCESS.
UH, GREAT EXAMPLE IN THE PAST WAS, UM, CLASS DOJO, UH, WILDLY POPULAR WITH TEACHERS.
IT WAS A BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT TOOL, BUT WE BLOCKED IT BECAUSE TEACHERS WERE CROSSING THAT LINE AND PUTTING STUDENTS' NAMES IN IT.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A LONG ROUNDABOUT WAY OF SAYING, WE, WE REALLY LEAN IN HEAVILY ON IS IT ACCESSIBLE FROM AN A DA COMPLIANCE? ARE YOU EXCHANGING STUDENT DATA WITH IT AND IS IT INSTRUCTIONALLY SOUND? AND THAT'S WHAT THE REVIEW PROCESS IS REALLY DESIGNED TO DO, IS TO KEEP THE STUDENTS' DATA SAFE WHILE ALSO GIVING A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY.
AND THAT ALSO, JUST TO SPEAK TO THAT TRAINING THAT DR.
SALLY TALKED ABOUT, THE SAFE SCHOOLS, ALL TEACHERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE, WHAT OUR PRACTICES ARE, WHY THEY CAN'T JUST GO OUT AND ACCESS CLASS DOJO, UM, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS SO THAT THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROCESS TO GET THINGS IMPROVED.
AND I, I APPRECIATE ALL, ALL OF YOUR HONEST CANDOR AND, AND BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
AND I, IT MIGHT GO BACK TO WITH POLICY AND, AND GOING THROUGH THIS AND, UM, DIGITAL LITERACY AND MEDIA AND, AND, UH, VIRTUAL REALITY AI LITERACY.
I THINK IT'S, UM, I DUNNO IF WE, WE'VE ALREADY LET THE, YOU KNOW, THE BEANS OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE JAR, SO WE CAN'T PUT 'EM BACK IN AS FAR AS, OR STUFF, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE WORMS OUTTA THE CAN AND THEY CAN'T GET 'EM BACK IN.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
UM, BUT, UH, WE DO NEED TO, I, I FEEL LIKE WE DO NEED TO REVIEW IT BECAUSE WE'VE KIND OF, WE'VE GONE TO THAT ONE-TO-ONE.
AND AS FAR AS THERE NEEDS TO BE KIND OF A STRUCTURED AREA OF TIME WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING WHAT IS APPROPRIATE CONTENT WHEN IT'S NOT JUST IN THEIR NORMAL SETTING CLASSROOM, LIKE MORE FORMAL, LIKE COMPUTER LAB OR, OR SOMETHING, WHERE BEFORE THEY GET TO THAT, WE HAVE IT IN OUR CLASSROOMS ALL THE TIME.
SO WE CAN DO OUR WORK LIKE IT, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WEBSITES ARE, ARE ABLE, 'CAUSE LIKE WE WERE SAYING WITH GOOGLE, WITH, UM, GOOGLE AI, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU COULD DO IT.
MY DAUGHTER TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO IT, AND SHE CAN GO IN THERE AND CREATE PICTURES AND PUT ME IN PICTURES.
AND I WAS LIKE, OH GOD, HOW DID YOU DO THIS? HOW DID YOU, SHE LEARNED IT ON HER, LIKE, 'CAUSE SHE COULD USE IT ON HER GOOGLE CHAT, GBT, AND IT JUST, IT, I USE IT ALL.
I, IT SAVES ME A LOT OF TIME, BUT I THINK WHAT OUR KIDS NEED TO LEARN WHAT CAN, AND WE DO HAVE CURRICULUM THAT'S BUILT OUT TO TEACH DIGITAL LIT, UM, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, SORRY.
UM, SO WE DO HAVE THOSE LESSONS.
THAT'S INCLUDING LIKE COPYRIGHTS AND ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A CURRICULUM THAT STUDENTS GO THROUGH TO DO THAT.
WHAT WE ALSO NEED IS TO PARTNER WITH OUR FAMILIES BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LEARN ARE COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE INTO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING AT, IN THEIR HOMES, YOU KNOW, IN FRONT OF THEIR PARENTS.
BUT WE DO PROVIDE THAT CURRICULUM AND THAT EDUCATION THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT.
AND, AND IT DOES, YOU'RE RIGHT.
AND MY KIDS LEARN STUFF FROM THE KIDS AT SCHOOL THAT THEY PROBABLY LEARNED AT HOME AND CAME BACK.
BUT ALSO IT'S JUST HAVING THAT UNLIMITED ACCESS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS ALL THE TIME IS VERY DISTRACTING.
I, I WOULD LIKE IT TO WORK WITH POLICIES WHERE LIKE, SCREENS DOWN OFTEN AWAY.
WE'RE LEARNING THIS WAY NOW, LIKE WE'RE NOT GONNA SEARCH IT.
AND I, I JUST, IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH TIME IS BEING ACTUALLY SPENT IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FACE TO FACE LEARNING.
AND I THINK JUST TO, UM, JUST TO PIG BACK ON THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP, AND WE ACTUALLY JUST MET TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND LOOKING AT THE INSTRUCTION THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
UM, THOSE ARE PRACTICES THAT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
WHEN TEACHERS TELL THEM TO PUT THEIR, THEIR TABLETS AWAY OR THEIR CLOSE THEIR SCREENS CLAM SHELL, THEY HAVE ALL THESE VARIOUS TOOLS THAT THEY USE.
SO THAT IS AN EXPECTATION, UM, WHILE WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, PLAN A PLAN TO ADDRESS MIDDLE SCHOOL INSTRUCTION, THAT OBVIOUSLY IS GONNA BE PART OF IT.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MS. HUMPHREY? UH, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE THREE PAGE
[02:15:01]
LIST OF THE DIFFERENT SOFTWARE.IS THAT ALSO, AND I THINK MR. CORN'S ADDRESSED SOME OF THAT WITH CLASS DOJO, IS THAT, HOW OFTEN IS THAT REVIEW? WHAT IS THAT PROCESS WHEN IT'S ALREADY THERE? AND WHAT BRINGS TO MIND IS THE GOOGLE SOFTWARE FOR THAT, BECAUSE WE HAD A SPEAKER TAPE TODAY TALK, BRING UP THE, UM, GOOGLE AI OVERVIEW MM-HMM
SO HOW DO WE DECIDE WHEN WE'RE GONNA REVIEW THAT AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THOSE ITEMS ON THAT LIST SHOULD STILL BE APPROVED FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FOR OUR STUDENTS? UH, THANK YOU MS. POPER.
WE, WE ACTUALLY REVIEW, UH, ALL SOFTWARE ANNUALLY.
UH, SO THERE'S A, A, A REVIEW PROCESS AND DR. MULLEN CAN SPEAK TO IT, WHERE MY, MY STAFF ACTUALLY, UH, INITIATES THE, THE, UM, THE ANNUAL REVIEW.
WE SEND OUT, UH, QUESTIONNAIRES TO THE OWNING OFFICE TO SAY, IS THE SOFTWARE STILL BEING USED IN THE SAME WAY? HAS THERE BEEN ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE WAY THE SOFTWARE INTERACTS? IS THERE ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN THE WAY YOU'RE GOING TO, UH, DEPLOY IT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR? ARE YOU STILL GOING TO USE IT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR? WE HAVE A, A, UM, WE'VE HAD A RATHER HEALTHY AMOUNT OF STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT OF SOFTWARE AS IT HAS GONE, UM, UH, PASSE.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION, JUST SO I HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE LIGHTSPEED TECHNOLOGY, IS THAT ALSO WHAT TEACHERS USE TO MONITOR WITH THEIR STUDENTS? AND, AND JUST CAN YOU JUST TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT WORKS? SURE.
SO LIGHT LIGHTSPEED IS A COMPANY, AND SO THEY SELL OUR WEB FILTER THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE, UH, THROUGH SIPA.
MULLINAX AND I HAVE HAD A SIDEBAR ABOUT CIPA JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE GET THE LETTERS RIGHT.
AND WE'VE OFFERED, UM, UH, IT'S VOLUNTARY TRAINING, UH, WHERE, UH, TEACHER, UH, MY STAFF ROSTERS LIGHTSPEED CLASSROOM SO THAT, UH, WHEN A TEACHER LOOKS AT THEIR INTER THEIR INTERFACE, THEY SEE ALL THEIR CLASSES WITH THEIR STUDENTS ALREADY IN THERE.
SO THERE'S NO REAL WORK TO DO.
AND IT GIVES THE TEACHER ABILITIES TO DO CERTAIN THINGS TO THE CLASSES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF THEM.
UM, THEY CAN CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT THE INTERNET IS ACCESSIBLE FOR, FOR THE CLASS PERIOD OF TIME.
THEY CAN DEPLOY WEBPAGES OUT TO THE STUDENTS.
THEY CAN GET VERY SHORT, UM, RESPONSES.
LIKE, UH, I CAN SEND A, A MESSAGE TO A, A STUDENT, DO YOU NEED HELP? AND THEY'RE CANNED RESPONSES AND THE STUDENT CAN CANNED RESPONSE BACK, YES, I DO.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO REAL HEAVY PACKAGES THAT WE'VE GOT.
THE THIRD PACKAGE THAT WE'RE, UH, UTILIZING THAT MUCH OF THIS POWERPOINT CAME FROM IS CALLED LIGHTSPEED INSIGHTS, WHICH IS A, AN ADMINISTRATIVE TOOL THAT ALLOWS US TO MONITOR WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING BECAUSE THE FILTER IS CATCHING EVERY WEB REQUEST.
WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHERE THOSE WEB REQUESTS ARE GOING.
WHILE CPA DOES NOT REQUIRE US TO MAINTAIN, UH, LISTS OF, UM, ACCESS WEBSITES, THIS GIVES US HIGH OVERVIEW OF, UM, AGGREGATE DATA SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AND SAY, WELL, HERE, HERE'S WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING, HERE'S HOW LONG THEY SPENT ON THAT PAGE.
ALL BECAUSE THEY'RE HEADING THROUGH THE FILTER.
THE POR PORTION THAT YOU MENTIONED IS VOLUNTARY FOR TEACHERS.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPATION PARTICIPATION IS AT THIS POINT FOR HOW, HOW MANY TEACHERS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT? I, I'M HAPPY TO RESEARCH THAT NUMBER AND PROVIDE IT BACK TO DI DR.
HEISER FOR HIS DISSEMINATION TO THE BOARD OF CHU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND, UM, CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE THAT DOES HAVE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THE STUDENTS ARE SPENDING? OKAY.
SO FOR THIS TIME, IS THIS ONLY CALCULATING WHAT'S CONSIDERED TO BE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME ON THE SCREEN OR JUST ANY SCREEN TIME? ANY SCREEN TIME.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF STUDENTS ARE, UM, THEY COMPLETE THEIR WORK AND THEN THEY'RE JUST ALLOWED TIME TO BE AS A REWARD, THEY'RE ALLOWED TIME TO BE ON THEIR SCREEN.
UM, SO IS IT ANY INTERNET, ANYTHING THAT'S INTERNET BASED? SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF I'LL JUST SAY BRAINPOP, I CAN'T THINK OF ONE, BUT I'LL THROW OUT BRAIN PROP.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A STUDENT WANTED TO GO ON BRAINPOP, UM, SOMETHING LIKE THAT APPLICATION AS WELL, THIS CAPTURES THAT, CAPTURES THAT INFORMATION? YES, MA'AM.
UM, ON THE PROCESS SLIDE, ONE OF THE STEPS IN THE PROCESS WAS, UM, EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? LIKE IN IMPLEMENTATION? IS THAT IN A ACTUAL CLASSROOM OR HOW, WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? SO THE EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS, ONES, WHEN WE'RE PILOTING IN A CURRICULUM, BOOKS GO OUT IN THE SCHOOLS.
A DIGITAL SOFTWARE IS USED OUT IN SCHOOLS, AND IT'S A SHORT TIME PERIOD THAT WE USE IT OUT THERE PHYSICALLY WITH EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS.
THE SECOND PHASE OF IT, IF IT'S GOING THROUGH THAT PROCUREMENT
[02:20:01]
PROCESS, WE ALSO PUT IT ON PUBLIC REVIEW.SO IF IT'S A DIGITAL TOOL, WE GET LICENSES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, IF IT'S A PRINT RESOURCE, THAT THOSE BOOKS WILL SIT DOWN HERE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT IT.
AND SO THAT'S THE PROCESS THERE.
AND CLAIRE, DURING THAT, DURING THAT PILOT TIME, WE GET FEEDBACK FROM THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS ON, ON THEIR THOUGHTS AROUND IT.
WAS IT EASY TO ACCESS? DID IT, DID IT, UM, SERVE THE PURPOSE THAT IT WAS INTENDED? ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND YOU DO THAT AT ALL AGES? DEPENDS ON, DEPENDING ON THE RESOURCE.
DEPENDS ON THE RESOURCE, YEAH.
SO LIKE THE, THE TEXTBOOK THAT WE PURCHASED TONIGHT, THAT WAS A HIGH SCHOOL BOOK, SO IT WAS IN HIGH SCHOOLS.
MR. MS. PATRICK, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, JUST REAL QUICK, AS WE MOVE INTO THE DEVELOPING THIS SCREEN TIME POLICY, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR YOUR ROLE THERE? UM, I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT I SEE IS IT TECHNOLOGY HAS TO BE USED TO ENHANCE INSTRUCTION.
SO TO DEFINE IT BY, UM, GRADE BANDS SHOULD ONLY BE ON THE COMPUTER FOR THIS AMOUNT OF TIME.
THAT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE, UM, BECAUSE WE NEED TO ALLOW TEACHERS ALSO THE AUTONOMY TO IDENTIFY HOW STUDENTS LEARN BEST AND WHAT CAN SUPPORT THEM, AND HOW DO THEY USE IT.
SO I THINK IT'S THE EDUCATION PART FOR TEACHERS ON HOW ARE THEY USING THE TOOLS.
AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE IDEA OF MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND LOOKING AT THE INSTRUCTION.
SO I JUST THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE COME ACROSS.
BUT I THINK IF WE CAN BUILD IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRAINING, UM, REALLY CLEAR EXPECTATIONS OF WHY AND HOW TOOLS SHOULD BE USED, I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD REMEDY THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT AND PUBLIC SUPPORTED, UM, ENDEAVOR.
UM, GOING BACK TO THE TECH USE WITH THE AMOUNT OF MINUTES PER DAY, UM, DOES THAT INCLUDE, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF EXAMPLES.
LIKE IF A TEACHER SHOWS A MOVIE AND THE WHOLE CLASS IS WATCHING A 10 MINUTE MOVIE, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE TECH USE? NO, IT'S THE STUFF THAT IS ON THE STUDENT'S COMPUTER.
SO WHAT STUDENTS WERE USING THEIR COMPUTERS TO DO.
SO IF A TEACHER PUT, UM, BRAIN UP UP ON THE SCREEN, UM, THAT WOULD NOT BE REGISTERED IN IT.
NOW, IF STUDENTS GOT ON IT ON THEIR OWN DEVICE, THEN THAT WOULD BE REGISTERED IN THIS TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THE CLASS WOULD USE THE TECHNOLOGY FOR COLLECTIVELY, YOU KNOW, RIGHT.
WHERE THE STUDENT IS STILL LEARNING WITH THAT MEDIUM.
SO THAT MIGHT JUST BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER GOING FORWARD AS WE, AS WE TRY TO FIGURE THIS ALL OUT.
I THINK THAT ALSO SPEAKS TO QUALITY INSTRUCTION, RIGHT? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
AS A TEACHER, IF I CAN PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN, DO MY STUDENTS REALLY NEED TO? NOW THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS THAT MAY NEED TO, RIGHT.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT'S ACCESSIBLE TO THEM AND ALLOWS 'EM TO
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO DEPENDENT UPON STUDENTS IN CLASSROOMS. OH, 100%.
AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION, UM, IN TERMS OF, AND, AND I'M SURE THIS IS IN YOUR PLAN, BUT JUST SOME THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP IS LOOKING AT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AS A REWARD.
I KNOW AMIRA HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP.
UM, WHEN STUDENTS FINISH WORK EARLY, ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS BESIDES GOING ON A COMPUTER THAT CAN BE PROVIDED? UM, INDOOR RECESS.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT IS THAT THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO, TO PLAY AND TRULY GET A BREAK FROM TECHNOLOGY.
SO LOOKING AT, UM, HOW WE CAN RESTRICT THAT DURING THE INDOOR RECESS TIME.
AND THEN FINALLY WITH, UM, MY NEXT QUESTION WITH YOUTUBE, HOW IS THAT MONITORED? 'CAUSE JUST LIKE WITH THE, UM, THE ONE THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT THE STUDENT NAMES WERE LISTED THAT IT HAD TO BE BANNED DOJO.
SO LIKE, WITH YOUTUBE, STUDENTS CAN GET LOTS OF VIDEO FOOTAGE THAT WOULD BE DANGEROUS.
AND SO, SO HOW IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS MONITORED? THANK YOU.
UH, UH, UH, SO LIGHTSPEED, UM, OUR, OUR FILTER HAS ACTUALLY JUST ROLLED OUT A NEW MORE, UM, UH, UH, STRONGLY SUPPORTED, UH, YOUTUBE FILTERING, UH, THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO, UM, REALLY DIG IN ON, UM, UH, YOUTUBE VIDEOS THAT ARE, UH, KIND OF ON THAT FRINGE OF, THEY'RE NOT VERY VALUABLE FOR, UH, INSTRUCTION.
UM, WE, WE TEND TO MONITOR, UM, UH, TICKETS.
WE GET, UH, THROUGH OUR, OUR, UH, HELP DESK SYSTEM TO, UH, LOOK FOR, UM, TRENDS THAT TEACHERS ARE ASKING.
UM, I KIND OF GAUGE THAT THE FILTER IS WORKING, UM, AS EXPECTED BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A, A SLIGHT UPTICK IN, UM, TEACHERS SAYING, THE VIDEO I USED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS IS ON INACCESSIBLE NOW BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME REASON IT WASN'T, UH, CORRECTLY MON, UH, UH, TAGGED IN YOUTUBE.
UM, YOUTUBE AND, UM, GOOGLE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTHRIGHT IN, UM, WANTING TO BE,
[02:25:01]
UH, VERY PRESCRIPTIVE IN HOW THEY DO WORK.UM, THERE IS A, AND WE'VE, WE'VE ADVERTISED THIS OUT, UH, AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO, BUT GOING FORWARD, UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY, UH, IMPLEMENTED A, UM, REQUIREMENT OF GOOGLE TO ALLOW OUR PARENTS TO OPT OUT OF THEIR STUDENTS HAVING ACCESS TO YOUTUBE THROUGH THE FOCUS STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM.
PARENT CAN LOG IN AND UNCHECK A BOX AND SAYS, I WANT MY STUDENT TO HAVE NO ACCESS TO YOUTUBE.
AND IT PULLS THEM RIGHT OUT OF THE ROSTER, AND IT BECOMES A BLOCKED SITE FOR THAT STUDENT.
UM, IT POSES, UH, SOME CHALLENGES FOR OUR TEACHERS TO FIND, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, METHODOLOGIES FOR DOING INSTRUCTION.
BUT, UM, THAT WAS A, THAT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH YOUTUBE TO ALLOW PARENTS SOME AUTONOMY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOUTUBE IS SOMETHING THEY WANT, THEY WANT TO HAVE IN THEIR STUDENT'S LIFE.
UM, YOUTUBE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE ELEMENTARY GRADES.
IT IS, UH, OUTRIGHT BLOCKED THERE.
UM, THE ONLY WAY THAT A YOUTUBE VIDEO IS EXPOSED TO AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT IS IF, IN THAT EXAMPLE OF A WHOLE GROUP INSTRUCTION WHERE THE TEACHER HAS VETTED THE VIDEO TO SHOW FOR THE CLASS.
AND THEN ONE WONDERFUL THING WE SAW LAST WEEK WITH BACK TO SCHOOL, UM, VISITS WAS A TEACHER VERY PURPOSELY HAVING STUDENTS CLOSE THEIR DEVICES.
AND YOU COULD SEE HOW THAT SET THE STAGE FOR A WONDERFUL LEVEL OF, OF INSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU, MR. MCWILLIAMS, MR. KORN.
AND, UH, I WAS SWORN IN IN DECEMBER OF 2018.
YOU AND I WERE ENGAGED IN THE CONVERSATION SHORTLY THEREAFTER ABOUT PEACE SIPHON MM-HMM
AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, P STIPEND WAS A SOFTWARE THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS WERE DOWNLOADING THAT THEY COULD CIRCUMVENT THE FIREWALLS.
AND YOU AND I HAD THIS CONVERSATION, AND, AND I'M NOT, I DON'T MEAN TO PUT WORDS IN YOUR MOUTH IF, IF I SAY SOMETHING THAT YOU, YOU DIDN'T SAY, YOU, YOU CORRECT ME, PLEASE.
UH, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT, THAT THEY COULD GO ON THESE SITES AND THEY SHARED THAT INFORMATION AMONG THEMSELVES ON HOW THEY COULD CIRCUMVENT OUR FIREWALLS.
AND THEN, UH, YOU SAID THAT THESE COMPANIES WERE LIKE ONE STEP AHEAD OF US, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE GOT, YOU KNOW, FIGURED OUT WHAT THEY WERE DOING, THEN THEY HAD CHANGED THEIR NAME, THEY HAD CHANGED THEIR FORMAT OR WHATEVER.
AND SO, BUT THE KIDS WEREN'T TUNED TO THAT, BUT WE WEREN'T IN TUNED TO IT.
HAVE WE GOTTEN BETTER AT KEEPING THE KIDS OFF OF THOSE SITES AND KEEPING, YOU KNOW, IT, IT JUST, IT'S SAD TO ME THAT A TAXPAYER DOLLARS GOES TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS AND THEN THEY CAN GO WHEREVER THEY WANT TO ON OUR, ON OUR COMPUTERS THAT WE PAY FOR.
UH, ARE WE BETTER AT THAT NOW THAN WE WERE AT EIGHT YEARS AGO? UM, SO TO YOUR FIRST POINT, MR.
UM, SO, UM, PP SIPHON IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE'VE MOVED TO CHROMEBOOKS, AND THAT WAS AN EXCLUSIVE PC THING, SO WE CAN SET THAT ASIDE.
MULLINAX AND I HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER, I WILL CHANGE ONE BIT OF LANGUAGE.
UH, OUR STUDENTS, UM, DO NOT INTERACT WITH OUR FIREWALL THAT WAY.
THEY'RE GETTING AROUND OUR FILTER, OUR FIREWALL IS THE MAIN BLOCK THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP BAD ACTORS OUT.
SO IT'S JUST A, A SEMANTIC THING.
UM, SO THE, THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION QUESTION, THOUGH, MRM MR. MCMILLIAN, IS THAT PROXY SITES AND METHODOLOGIES TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE OUR FILTER ARE ALWAYS BEING SHARED WITH OUR KIDS.
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THEM VORACIOUSLY, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THEM VORACIOUSLY FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.
SO, UM, WE BLOCK PROXY SITES, UM, THOSE SITES THAT ALLOW A STUDENT TO GO TO THAT SITE, AND THEN THE SITE INTERACTS FOR THE STUDENT TO GO TO THE CONTENT THEY WANT TO SEE.
SO WE BLOCK THEM AS SOON AS WE FIND THEM.
BUT AS YOU'RE SAYING, IT'S KIND OF, UM, I THINK THE COLLOQUIALISM I'LL USE IS WE PLAY A LITTLE BIT OF WHACK-A-MOLE TO FIND THESE SITES AS THEY COME UP.
THE STUDENTS ARE EXCHANGING THESE BACK AND FORTH MM-HMM
SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO RELY ON.
ONE, ONE OF WHICH IS OUR MECHANICAL FILTER, WHICH DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF BLOCKING INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT FROM GETTING THROUGH.
AND THE OTHER THING HAS TO COME BACK TO THE ETHICAL USE AND THE APPROPRIATE USE THAT STUDENTS SIGN OFF ON IN 62 0 2, THE ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY FOR STUDENTS THAT SAYS, PLAINLY, YOU WILL NOT CIRCUMNAVIGATE OUR FILTER.
IT IS A CATEGORY TWO, UH, OFFENSE IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK TO DO SO.
SO WE WORK ON BOTH SIDES OF THAT EQUATION.
WE EDUCATE STUDENTS ON WHY THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT.
THE TEACHERS ARE GIVING GOOD INSTRUCTION TO KEEP THEM OCCUPIED IN CLASS.
SO THEY'RE, THE, THE IDLE HANDS AREN'T PRESENT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THAT FINAL STANCE THAT SAYS, PART OF THIS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT STUDENT AS WELL TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE GOOD CHOICES IN SCHOOL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
[02:30:01]
THE, THE, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT QUALITY OF EDUCATION.SO WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, IT IS GONNA COME DOWN TO THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHER AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CURRICULUM.
SO WE JUST, UM, HAVE DONE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH OUR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, AND THAT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THE TEACHING THAT'S TAKING PLACE SO THAT WE'RE NOT RELYING ON THE TECHNOLOGY AND THAT OUR STUDENTS AREN'T HAVING EXTRA TIME TO DO THINGS, YOU KNOW, THAT HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED.
SO I APPRECIATE US ALSO FOCUSING ON THE IDEA OF THAT QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION CHAIR.
MAY I ASK? OH, EVERYBODY SIT BACK NOW, MS. HEN.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUICK FOLLOW UP TO THE TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY.
THAT MR. CORS MENTIONED, HOW ARE WE ENFORCING THAT POLICY? AND, AND SPECIFICALLY I ASK BECAUSE, UM, TEACHERS HAVE A REALLY HARD TIME JUST REMOVING DEVICES, REMOVING CELL PHONES FROM, FROM STUDENTS, AND WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS ARE FINDING WAYS AROUND, WHETHER IT BE P SIPHON OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE FINDING THESE PROXY SITES.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW ARE WE ENFORCING THAT POLICY? AND, AND I'M AWARE THAT IT, IT EXISTS AND THANK YOU MR. KOS FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
BUT POLICIES ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE TOOLS WE GIVE OUR EDUCATORS TO ENFORCE THEM.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN SPEAK TO? I WOULD SAY, AND MR. MR. KOS CAN ADD TO THIS, BUT I THINK LIGHTSPEED IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT'S HELPING TO ENFORCE THAT BECAUSE WE CAN GET ON AND SEE WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING.
TEACHERS CAN GET ON AND SEE WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING.
I ALSO THINK IT SPEAKS TO STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN CLASSROOMS. SO IF STUDENTS ARE ON DEVICES, A TEACHER SHOULD BE STILL CIRCULATING THROUGHOUT THE CLASSROOM.
THE TEACHER SHOULDN'T BE SITTING BEHIND A DESK AND JUST GRADING PAPERS OR WHATNOT.
SO THAT SHOULDN'T BE A SITUATION.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO RELY ON TEACHERS TO SET UP SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES AND EXPECTATIONS.
WE ALSO NEED STUDENTS TO BE RE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE COMPUTERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THIS NOW TECHNOLOGY THAT EVERY, IT SEEMS TO ME, BASED ON MY CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. QUAS, IT'S CHANGING AND UPDATING SO FREQUENTLY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO THEN ACCESS IT.
UM, AND SOME OF IT DOES COME FROM HOME WHEN WE GET PHONE CALLS FROM FAMILIES THAT THEIR STUDENTS USING X, Y, Z OR THEY KNOW THAT ANOTHER CHILD HAS GIVEN THEM ACCESS TO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO WE OBVIOUSLY RELY ON THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FAMILIES.
SO, OKAY, SO WE ARE ENFORCING IT.
I MEAN, MR. CORN'S MENTIONED IT'S A CATEGORY TO OFFENSE.
SO YEAH, WE, THAT'S GREAT THAT IT'S, IT'S COVERED, BUT REALISTICALLY, WE, WE CAN'T EXPECT TEACHERS TO KNOW WHICH SITES EVERY, YOU KNOW, STUDENT IS VISITING.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO DETECT IT, AND WE HAVE LOGS, BUT 108,000 STUDENTS, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE STAFF POWER TO MONITOR ALL OF THAT TRAFFIC, TO DETECT THAT, TO ASK OUR ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO ENFORCE THAT AND, AND ISSUE CONSEQUENCES TO ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE PLACES THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE.
I MEAN, REALISTICALLY, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A REALISTIC ASK.
SO WHAT ARE WE DOING AND WHO ARE WE ASKING TO DO IT TO, UM, ENFORCE THIS POLICY? BECAUSE IT, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE HAVE A, A REALISTIC APPROACH TO, TO ISSUE CONSEQUENCES.
AND, AND IT'S GREAT THAT I, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE, UM, CURRICULUM THAT COVERS HOW TO BE A RESPONSIBLE DIGITAL CITIZEN, AND THAT'S FANTASTIC AND, AND VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT ALSO THOSE STUDENTS THAT VIOLATE THAT, THAT CODE OF CONDUCT NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES AND, AND WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT THEM CONSISTENTLY SYSTEM-WIDE.
SO HOW ARE WE DOING THAT? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. HE, THIS IS DR.
I JUST THOUGHT I'D I'D CHIME IN HERE.
UM, I THINK IF WE'RE BEING HONEST, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS A CHALLENGE, WHETHER IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL DEVICE OR WHETHER IT'S A A CELL PHONE.
I WAS JUST DOING THE MATH, I DON'T KNOW, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 55,000, RIGHT? MIDDLE SCHOOL PLUS HIGH SCHOOL KIDS IN OUR SYSTEM.
IS THAT ROUGHLY, IS THAT, IS IT MORE YEAH, JIM, YOU KNOW, IS IT MORE? THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.
AND SO TO THINK THAT 55,000 STUDENTS, FOR THE MOST PART HAVE A CELL PHONE IN THEIR HAND, AND HOW DO YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE THERE'S SOME SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADERS THAT DON'T HAVE IT YET, BUT MANY, MANY DO.
AND SO ADMINISTRATORS, UM, DO THE BEST THAT THEY CAN WITH THE RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE.
AND I CAN TURN TO, UH, MR. MCMILLION WHO'S WORKED A LONG TIME IN HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE PICK AND CHOOSE OUR BATTLES.
SOME OF OUR KIDS, MANY OF OUR KIDS MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS AND SOME DON'T.
AND I WILL GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THE COLLECTIVE WILL AS A SYSTEM TO TAKE KIDS THROUGH THE PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT DON'T WANT TO ADHERE TO
[02:35:01]
IT AND END UP SUSPENDING KIDS FOR A DEVICE INFRACTION.I'VE SEEN IT FOR THE LAST 15 OR 20 YEARS.
WE'D BE LYING IF WE SAID IT WASN'T A CHALLENGE.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET SOME CLEARER EXPECTATIONS AND GUIDELINES.
WHAT I'VE HEAR TONIGHT, AND I WAS ENCOURAGED BY OUR VISITS TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN PARTICULAR, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR TEACHERS WERE DOING, I WAS VERY ENCOURAGED FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, BUT I WAS REALLY ENCOURAGED.
AND ONE QUESTION I ASKED OUR TEACHERS, AND I ASKED THE PRINCIPALS ON THE SIDE WAS, TALK TO ME ABOUT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR SCHOOL.
WHEN ARE YOU USING, HOW OFTEN ARE YOU USING IT? AND IT, AND IT VARIED A LITTLE BIT, HOWEVER, MOST, MOST, IF NOT ALL, SAID THAT THEY PREFER NOT TO USE TECHNOLOGY OR TO USE IT LIMITED, AND THEY'D LIKE TO USE IT FOR INTERVENTION PURPOSES.
UM, AND ENHANCEMENT, ENHANCING LEARNING.
SO THOSE WERE THE TWO, I WAS ENCOURAGED BY THAT.
BUT MS. HEN, THAT'S KIND OF A CLEAR DIRECT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, PARTICULARLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
UM, EXTREMELY CHALLENGING, VERY DIFFICULT FOR TEACHERS.
UM, AND YOU SEE A VARIETY PROBABLY OF REFERRAL RATES THAT RUN THE GAMUT FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL THAT ARE PROBABLY INCONSISTENT.
AND THAT IS NOT A SHOT AT OUR ADMINISTRATORS OR TEACHERS.
AND, AND WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA PUT MORE ON OUR ADMINISTRATORS OR OUR TEACHERS.
AND, AND I WAS ENCOURAGED BY OUR VISITS AS WELL.
AND IT'S PUTTING THE, THE DEVICES AWAY IS, IS SIMPLY THE, THE CLEANEST AND, AND EASIEST, MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACH TO THIS.
AND AS YOU SAID, SEEING LEARNERS EN ENGAGED IN, IN THAT LEARNING IS, IS BEST AND, AND OUR TE AND WE SAW PLENTY OF THAT.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE ANSWER.
UM, YES, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, THIS IS A NICE, RICH DISCUSSION, BUT I ALSO WANT TO JUST REITERATE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED.
I APOLOGIZE, UM, FOR NOT KNOWING YOUR NAME, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DO HAVE, UM, A CONCERN ABOUT, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS IN REFERENCE TO SCREEN TIME, BUT I REALLY WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BALANCING AND GETTING THIS RIGHT BECAUSE SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, UM, ARE NOT REALLY BEING PREPARED FOR THE WORKPLACE.
AND I THINK THAT REMOVING TECHNOLOGY AND SCREEN TIME AND NOT GIVING THE TEACHERS THAT AUTONOMY CAN TAKE AWAY FROM HOW COMPETITIVE OUR STUDENTS CAN BE FOR THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANTED US TO TAKE THAT, THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO SCREEN TIME FOR STUDENTS.
MR. COYS, UM, IF YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS, UH, SORRY.
WHEN YOU SPEAK OF LIGHTSPEED, WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THE FILTERS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THOSE ARE TIED MORE SO TO THE DEVICE AND IT'S NOT A, NOT IMPACTED BY WHERE THE USERS LOG ON, WHETHER IT'S IN THEIR SCHOOL OR AT HOME.
MS. YOUNG, WE, WE'VE ACTUALLY MOVED TO A, UM, UH, BECAUSE OF THE CHROMEBOOKS, UH, LIGHTSPEED IS VERY INTEGRATED WITH THE CHROMEBOOK OPERATING SYSTEM.
SO WHEREVER YOU TAKE THAT CHROMEBOOK, YOU GET THE SAME FILTERING EXPERIENCE, UH, WHETHER IT BE HERE OR, UM, I MEAN, MY, MY FAVORITE.
DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE ACTUALLY SENT A CHROMEBOOK TO AFGHANISTAN FOR ONE OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WAS, UH, STUCK WHILE VISITING FAMILIES.
THEY HAD THE SAME LIGHTSPEED EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAD IF THEY WERE SITTING, UH, IN ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, IT IS TIED DIRECTLY TO THE DEVICE, AND IT IS ALSO TIED DIRECTLY TO THE USER OF THAT DEVICE.
SO IF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT LOGS INTO THE CHROMEBOOK, THEY GET AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FILTER.
IF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT LOGS INTO THE SAME CHROMEBOOK, THEY GET A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL FILTER, A STAFF MEMBER GETS A STAFF MEMBER LEVEL FILTER, SAME DEVICE.
SO IT'S RESPONSIVE TO WHO LOGS IN, AND IT IS TIED DIRECTLY TO THE DEVICE WITHOUT REQUIREMENT OF BEING ON OUR NETWORK.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ANNOUNCEMENT.
[N. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING (8:55 - 9:05 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND ANY AGENDA SETTING, UM, REQUESTS.SO IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR AGENDA SETTING REQUEST, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
UM, YES, ONE, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED A COUPLE OF EMAILS AND I WAS WONDERING IF DR.
HEISER, YOU COULD FOLLOW UP ON, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH DELANEY AND THEIR SPORTS AND HAVING TRANSPORTATION.
THEY'RE DISPLACED BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION THERE, AND THEY'RE HAVING TO GO TO COCKEYSVILLE AND IT'S ABOUT TWO MILES.
SO WE COULD GET AN UPDATE ON THAT AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP THEM.
SECOND, UM, TO GO BACK TO THE PERSONAL DEVICE USE, I'M A MOM.
MY EIGHTH GRADER HAS A CELL PHONE.
I'M MAKING HIM KEEP IT AT HOME.
UM, MY OTHER KIDS HAVE HAD IPADS.
[02:40:01]
IPADS DURING THE, THE SCHOOL WEEK, NO MORE VIDEO GAMES DURING THE SCHOOL WEEK.WE DO NEED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WITH OUR TEACHERS AND WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS.
IF WE DON'T WANT OUR KIDS TO USE THE STUFF IN SCHOOL, WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, HELP THEM AT HOME TOO.
AND, AND SAY, THIS IS, THIS IS SCHOOL TIME, UM, TIME AND PLACE.
UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
LIKE, WE ALL NEED TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.
IT'S NOT JUST OUR TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
IT'S OUR, OUR PARENTS AT HOME TOO.
UH, SENT A PICTURE OVER IN THE CHAT, UM, WITH THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF NINE 11 ATTACKS COMING UP ON FRIDAY, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, HONOR ELIZABETH WAO.
UH, MS. WAO, UH, LIZ TO HER FRIENDS WAS A 1991 GRADUATE OF CATONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WAS ACTIVE IN SPORTS ARTS AND STUDENT GOVERNMENT.
SHE IS TO THE EXTENT MY RESEARCH HAS BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE THE ONLY BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS GRADUATE TO DIE IN THE NINE 11 ATTACKS.
THIS IS A PASSENGER ON UNITED FLIGHT 93 AND WAS KILLED WHEN THE HIJACKERS CRASHED THE PLANE.
AS THE PASSENGERS ATTEMPTED TO RETAKE THE AIRCRAFT, THE ACTION AND SACRIFICE OF THOSE PASSENGERS PREVENTED THE HIJACKERS FROM REACHING THEIR PLAN.
TARGET BELIEVED TO BE THE US CAPITOL BUILDING AND IS CREDIT.
PRIOR TO THE PASSENGER'S REVOLT, LIZ WAS ABLE TO MAKE A PHONE CALL TO HER STEPMOTHER.
ESTHER ENDING THAT CALL, LIZ SAID TO HER, STEPMOTHER, IT JUST HURTS ME MOST THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH HARDER FOR YOU THAN IT IS FOR ME.
I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS MOMENT TO HONOR THE COURAGE.
LISTEN, OUR FELLOW PASSENGERS, UH, DEMONSTRATED AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE SO, THE COMPASSION, THOUGHT AND CARE FOR OTHERS.
SHE SHOWED IN A MOMENT OF ULTIMATE CRISIS.
AND CERTAINLY THESE ARE TRAITS THAT SHE NURTURED THROUGHOUT HER SHORT LIFE, BUT THEY WERE NO DOUBT HONED DURING HER TIMES.
AS STUDENT ATHLETE AND LEADER IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND PERSONALLY, UH, I THINK THEY REPRESENT THE FINEST QUALITIES THAT OUR SCHOOLS STRIVE TO AND SUCCEED IN IMPARTING UPON EACH OF OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY.
THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US, MS. STALOWSKI.
THANK YOU FOR, UM, THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, MR. FITZPATRICK, I ALSO WAS GOING TO SAY THAT OF COURSE, AS WE HONOR THOSE THAT SACRIFICE THEIR LIVES ON, UH, SEPTEMBER 11, 25 YEARS AGO, AND ALL OF THE HEROIC, HEROIC HEROES THAT WORK TO SAVE LIVES, UM, OUR HEARTS ARE WITH THEM ALL.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TODAY, HOPE, HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BRING US ALL TOGETHER.
UM, SO THE WEEKEND BEFORE SCHOOL BEGAN THIS YEAR, I ATTENDED THE VIEWING WAKE OF FUNERAL SERVICES OF MS. JADA SELLERS, A RISING MILLFORD MILL SR.
THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE FOR MS. SELLERS FIELD TWO CHURCHES IS FAMILY AND FRIENDS GATHERED TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO HER FAMILY AND TO CELEBRATE HER LIFE THAT SHE PASSED AT A YOUNG AGE OF 17.
THE TURNOUT WAS A TESTAMENT TO THE POSITIVE IMPACT JOY THAT SHE BROUGHT TO EVERYONE AROUND HER ATTENDEES OF SATURDAY'S HOMEGOING SERVICES HEARD A POWERFUL MESSAGE ABOUT SEEKING HELP WHEN STRUGGLING WITH GRIEF AND OTHER DIFFICULT EMOTIONS, AND ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS OUT IN THE OPEN BECAUSE DECISIONS DETERMINE DESTINATION.
SO FROM THIS EXPERIENCE, I'D LIKE TO, UM, BRING FORTH AGENDA ITEMS OF OUR GRIEF PROTOCOL AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, I'D ASK THAT WE, UH, UNDERTAKE A REVIEW OF OUR CURRENT GRIEF PROTOCOLS SYSTEM WIDE AND BUILDING WIDE TO IDENTIFY WHERE THERE CAN BE STRENGTHENED AND MADE MORE CONSISTENT FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
UM, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WERE AT, UM, THE SERVICES AND JUST DISTRAUGHT, UM, I THANK, UM, DR.
HEISER AND MS. CHES FOR THEIR WORK AGAIN, IN HELPING TO, UM, PROVIDE, UM, THE INFORMATION ABOUT TALK SPACE AND OTHER GRIEF RESOURCES TO THOSE STUDENTS.
UM, BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR CHILDREN, IT'S TOO IMPORTANT TO LEAVE IT TO CHANCE.
AND THEIR ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM TRAUMA DEPENDS ON THE ADULTS AROUND THEM ACTING WITH URGENCY AND FOLLOW THROUGH.
SO I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT WE MOVE BEYOND A REACTIVE POSTURE WHERE WE SIMPLY STATE THAT COUNSELORS WERE MADE AVAILABLE TOWARDS A GENUINELY PROACTIVE ONE IN WHICH SCHOOLS AND STAFF ACTIVELY REACH OUT.
WE CHECK IN WITH AND WE ENGAGE STUDENTS WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING.
RATHER THAN WAITING FOR STUDENTS TO COME FORTH ON THEIR OWN, WE OWE IT TO OUR STUDENTS TO SAFEGUARD THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, MS. FRUMP.
ANYONE ELSE AT THIS POINT? MS. DR.
HEISER? JUST A QUICK RESPONSE IN REGARDS TO DELANEY.
UM, QUESTIONED OUR TEAM HAS WORKED ON THAT AND SENT, UH, A MESSAGE TO APOLOGIZE TO THOSE STUDENT ATHLETES AT DELANEY WHO DIDN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
AND SO OUR DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS WORKED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
[02:45:02]
AND A-B-C-P-S TRANSPORTATION DRIVER HAS BEEN ASSIGNED NOW TO TAKE STUDENT ATHLETES TO COUNTY HOME PARK AND VILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR PRACTICES.AND THERE'LL BE AN OVERFLOW BUS THAT WILL TAKE STUDENT ATHLETES THAT DID NOT FIT ON THE FIRST BUS.
I JUST NEED, FEEL THE NEED TO RE REITERATE THAT STUDENTS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, ALL RACES, ALL RELIGIONS BELONG IN OUR SCHOOLS.
OUR STUDENTS ARE LISTENING TO WHAT THE ADULTS SAY AND HOW WE SAY IT.
AND SO I FIND IT NECESSARY AT THIS TIME TO REITERATE THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN IN MY ROLE TO ENSURE THAT EACH STUDENT FEELS WELCOME IN OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, SO LAST TUESDAY I JOINED DR.
HEISER AND MANY OTHERS ON FOR SCHOOL VISITS.
AND THE LAST STOP OF OUR MORNING WAS TO DELANEY.
AND A MOMENT STAYED WITH ME, UM, FROM THAT VISIT, AND IT WAS AT THE END OF OUR VISIT TO DELANEY.
HEISER, OUR WONDERFUL STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD, CLAIRE JI AND I WERE TALKING WITH A GROUP OF STUDENTS AS WE CROSSED THE PARKING LOT TO OUR CARS.
AND THE CONVERSATION JUST KEPT GOING AS WE REACHED OUR CARS.
UM, DELANEY, AS I MENTIONED, WAS THE LAST STOP OF OUR MORNING.
HEISER IS STILL A VERY BUSY, UM, PERSON.
HE COULD HAVE EASILY SAID GOODBYE AND HEADED TO WHATEVER WAS NEXT IN HIS SCHEDULE, BUT INSTEAD HE STAYED.
IT WASN'T A LONG CONVERSATION, IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE, BUT IT WAS THE QUALITY OF THE TIME, NOT THE QUANTITY THAT MATTERED.
THE STUDENTS WERE VERY INTERESTED IN DR.
HEISER AND HE WAS JUST AS INTERESTED IN THEM.
IT WAS A LIGHTHEARTED CONVERSATION THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED BETWEEN ANY GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SIMPLY ENJOYED TALKING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THERE WAS LAUGHTER, THERE WERE QUESTIONS, AND THERE WAS A LITTLE GOOD NATURED TEASING, AND THERE WAS A LITTLE GLIMPSE BEHIND THE CURTAIN AS THE STUDENTS GOT TO KNOW THE PERSON BEHIND THE TITLE.
NO PRESENTATION, NO SCRIPT, JUST TALKING, LAUGHING AND CONNECTING.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT MOSTLY I FOUND MYSELF NOTICING WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE STUDENTS REALIZED HOW RARE THAT MOMENT WAS, BUT I DID.
AND WOW, OVER THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL AND AND BEYOND, I'VE WATCHED DR.
HEISER SEEK OUT STUDENTS EVERYWHERE WE'VE GONE.
HE TALKS WITH THEM, LISTENS TO THEM, LAUGHS WITH THEM, AND GENUINELY ENJOYS BEING WITH THEM.
MOST OF THOSE INTERACTIONS ARE PRIVATE, AS THEY SHOULD BE.
THEY AREN'T FOR SHOW, THEY'RE GENUINE.
WE KNOW CONNECTIONS MATTER TO OUR STUDENTS, AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT THEY RECOGNIZE REAL WHEN THEY SEE IT.
I THINK THEY DID, AND I DID TOO.
THESE ARE THE MOMENTS YOU DON'T PLAN FOR AND YOU CERTAINLY DON'T FORGET.
I'M THANKFUL I GOT TO BE PART OF THIS ONE.
AND I'M THANKFUL FOR A SUPERINTENDENT WHO TRULY ENJOYS AND APPRECIATES OUR WONDERFUL STUDENTS BECAUSE KNOWING OUR STUDENTS, LISTENING TO THEM AND APPRECIATING WHO THEY ARE, HELPS US DO THIS WORK BETTER AND SERVE THEM BETTER.
[O. ANNOUNCEMENTS (9:05 p.m.)]
NOTE, OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.AND OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, 2026 AT 6, 6 30.
THANK TO ALL THE STAFF THAT, UM, PRESENTED TO US TONIGHT.
AND THANK YOU TO THE PUBLIC FOR JOINING US.