>>Susan Valdes: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THE BOARD MEETING OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 20th, 2015 WILL COME TO ORDER. IF YOU WOULD JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWED BY VICE-CHAIR MEMBER EDGECOMB. THANK YOU.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED. >>Susan Valdes: THANK YOU, MEMBER EDGECOMB. BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER EDGECOMB AND A SECOND BY MEMBER STUART.
ANY DISCUSSION? HAVING NONE, BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. CAN WE RESET THE BUTTONS, PLEASE? OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS. THEY ARE FLASHING. IT IS UNANIMOUS. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED APPROVAL OR A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF DECEMBER 9, 2014, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. DECEMBER 10th, 2014 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, DECEMBER 16th, SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING AND DECEMBER 18th, 2014 TERMINATION HEARING. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER STUART AND A SECOND BY MEMBER EDGECOMB TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THOSE DATES PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? HAVING NONE, PLEASE VOTE. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO THE BOARD GUIDELINES. MEMBER EDGECOMB, IF YOU WOULD KINDLY READ THOSE. >>Doretha Edgecomb: AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THE BOARD RECEIVES THE AGENDA AHEAD OF TIME IN ORDER TO REVIEW ITEMS BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING. MANY OF THE ITEMS APPROVED WITHOUT DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ARE ITEMS THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REVIEWED WITH STAFF. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE AGENDA DOES NOT CONTAIN ALL OF THE INFORMATION WHICH BOARD MEMBERS CONSIDER AS PART OF OUR DECISION MAKING. STAFF ATTEMPTS TO INCLUDE IN THE AGENDA AN AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT IS EXPLANATORY WITHOUT BEING EXCESSIVELY LONG. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, AND IT MAY BE CONSIDERED BY ALL BOARD MEMBERS. THIS INFORMATION COMES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING STAFF RESOURCES AND ONLINE INFORMATION.
THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON TELEVISION ON THE TAMPA BAY ARTS AND EDUCATION STATION, AND ON VIDEO MONITOR HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING LATER IN THE VIDEO ARCHIVE. DURING THE MEETING, THERE IS A TABLET THAT CAN BE USED TO VIEW THE LIVE WEBCAST WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING. THAT TABLET IS AVAILABLE AT REQUEST IF YOU WOULD LIKE AT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DESK. AT ANY TIME DURING THE MEETING, IF SOMEONE LEAVES THE DAIS TO GO TO THE BACK ROOM, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE NO LONGER ENGAGING IN THE MEETING OR SHOWING DISRESPECT. WE HAVE AUDIO SPEAKERS IN THE BACK ROOM, AND WE'RE ABLE TO HEAR EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SAID AT THE MEETING. THERE WILL BE A TOTAL OF 45 MINUTES ALLOWED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL SPEAKERS MUST CHECK WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF THE MEETING.
COMMENTS TO A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM WILL OCCUR PRIOR TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. SPEAKERS WILL BE GRANTED THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS A SINGLE AGENDA ITEM OR A TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES TO ADDRESS TWO OR MORE AGENDA ITEMS. WHEN TEN OR MORE SPEAKERS WISH TO SPEAK TO THE SAME AGENDA ITEM, SPEAKING TIME WILL BE REDUCED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER. DURING THE 45-MINUTE TIME ALLOTMENT, SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS AN AGENDA ITEM WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY OVER THOSE WISHING TO MAKE GENERAL COMMENTS. IF THERE ARE STILL SPEAKERS AFTER THE 45 MINUTES OF TIME ENDS, THE REMAINDER OF THE SPEAKERS WILL BE MOVED TO AN OVERFLOW TIME PRIOR TO THE VOTE ON ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. DURING THE OVERFLOW TIME, SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS AN AGENDA ITEM WILL ONCE AGAIN BE GIVEN PRIORITY. THE SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, BUT WE CANNOT TOLERATE BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING.
OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN EFFECT. >>Susan Valdes: THANK YOU, MEMBER EDGECOMB. BOARD MEMBERS, I WANTED TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE AGENDA HERE TODAY. WE'RE MOVING UP THE PROCLAMATIONS OF SECTION C. SO RECOGNITION NUMBER ONE 2R AND 609 WILL BE MOVED UP. AND THEN THEREAFTER, WE WILL GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS. PUBLIC COMMENTS, I WANT TO SEE ABOUT GETTING YOUR APPROVAL OR YOUR CONSENSUS TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE 45-MINUTE TIME ALLOTMENT AND ALLOW EVERYONE THAT IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO SPEAK TODAY, AND CONTINUE WITH, IF THERE'S SPECIFIC AMOUNTS OF FOLKS SPEAKING TO ONE PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM, RETAINED TO THE TWO-MINUTE RULE, AND THOSE WHO ARE SPEAKING TO TWO OR MORE AGENDA ITEMS MAINTAIN THAT TO THE FIVE-MINUTE RULE. DO I HAVE CONSENSUS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? >> MADAM CHAIR, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE AN OFFICIAL -- >> I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT.
SO MOVED. >>Susan Valdes: DO I HAVE A SECOND? >>Cindy Stuart: YES, I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. >>Susan Valdes: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE AND A SECOND. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER KURDELL. CAN YOU PRESS YOUR BUTTON, YOUR MIKE? THANK YOU. >>Carol Kurdell: COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE MOTION IS AGAIN? THERE WERE MULTIPLE PARTS. IT STARTED OUT ONE WAY BUT ENDED UP ANOTHER AND I WOULD APPRECIATE A CLARIFICATION. >>Susan Valdes: ABSOLUTELY. MEMBER GRIFFIN, WHAT IS YOUR MOTION? >>April Griffin: THAT WE SUSPEND THE RULES AND HOLD THE COMMENTS ON 9.03 TO TWO MINUTES BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY SPEAKERS, AND IF PEOPLE ARE SIGNED UP FOR MULTIPLE ITEMS, THAT THE REGULAR FIVE MINUTES REMAINS IN EFFECT. IS THAT CORRECT? >>Carol Kurdell: SO IT'S A SINGLE MOTION. >>Susan Valdes: YES, MA'AM. >>Carol Kurdell: AND THAT'S ALL. >>Susan Valdes: YES. >>Jim Porter: WELL, IT'S ALSO TO EXTEND THE TIME PAST 45 MINUTES THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY ALLOW.
>> TO SUSPEND THE RULES. >>Susan Valdes: IT'S GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. OTHERWISE, IF WE WERE TO LEAVE IT AT THE 45-MINUTE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE AN OVERFLOW OF SPEAKERS AT THE VERY END OF THE MEETING. AGAIN, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ONE TO RESPECT THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK, AND I WOULD REALLY WANT TO EXTEND THAT OPPORTUNITY SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THEIR OPPORTUNITY, REGARDLESS IF WE'RE HERE TWO OR THREE HOURS LISTENING TO SPEAKERS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. SO THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THAT. >>Carol Kurdell: WOULD YOU CLARIFY FOR ME IS THAT GOING TO BE AT NOW WHERE AUDIENCE COMMENTS IS ON THE AGENDA AND PUSH THE RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS BACK TO TWO OR THREE HOURS IF WE HEAR ALL SPEAKERS NOW? >>Susan Valdes: WHAT -- WHAT WE DISCUSSED DURING AGENDA REVIEW TODAY AND ALL WAS IN CONSENSUS, IS THAT WE WOULD BRING UP THE PROCLAMATIONS, SECTION C, AND BRING UP AGENDA ITEM 6.09, BECAUSE WE HAVE STUDENTS AND GUESTS HERE, THAT WERE HERE TO PRESENT AWARDS AND RECOGNITION TO, AND I WOULD LIKE TO RESPECT THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE HERE FOR THAT RECOGNITION, BRING THEM UP.
AND THEN GO INTO SPECIFICALLY PUBLIC COMMENT. >> SO THAT WOULD LEAVE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA FOR TWO OR THREE HOURS OUT. >>Susan Valdes: YES. >> OKAY. SO THOSE PEOPLE CAN BE EXCUSED IF THEY NEED TO BE. >>Susan Valdes: SURE. IF THEY NEED TO BE EXCUSED. IF THEY WANT TO BE EXCUSED BEFORE THE APPOINTMENTS, THAT'S UP TO THEM. >> THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION. >>Susan Valdes: BY THE WAY, IF ANYONE IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM, AND THEY HAVE NOT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, PLEASE SEE THE COMMUNICATIONS STAFF OUTSIDE TO MY LEFT NOW SO THAT YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS LAST CALL FOR THAT. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE -- MEMBER EDGECOMB. >>Doretha Edgecomb: I CERTAINLY CAN SUPPORT A PORTION OF THE MOTION, BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT MAYBE IN RESPECT OF THOSE FAMILIES AND THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE COME FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CONSIDERATION TO MOVE THEM AFTER THE PROCLAMATIONS AND BEFORE AUDIENCE COMMENTS, BECAUSE AS IMPORTANT AS EVERY AGENDA ITEM IS ON HERE, I THINK IT IS SENSITIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE COME TO CELEBRATE THEIR APPOINTMENTS PRIOR TO THE OTHER BUSINESS OF OUR BOARD TODAY.
MRS. ELIA. >>Maryellen Elia: YES, BOARD MEMBERS. WHEN WE WERE IN AGENDA REVIEW, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION, AND MR. BRINSON ANTICIPATED THAT WE WOULD MOVE SOME OF THOSE AFTER THE SPEAKERS, SO WE MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PARKING TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE RAMPELLO LOT, AND HE ALSO CALLED TO ANY OF THOSE APPOINTMENTS THAT WERE COMING WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND ASKED THEM TO NOT COME UNTIL AT LEAST AFTER 4:00 OR 4:30 ON THE ANTICIPATION OF THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS THAT AT THAT TIME WE ALREADY HAD SIGNED UP. >>Doretha Edgecomb: OKAY. WITH THAT IN MIND AND IN CONSIDERATION OF THOSE PLANS ALREADY BEING MADE, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE IN THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. >>Susan Valdes: AND ALSO, FOR THOSE THAT MIGHT BE WAITING -- WAS MY MIKE ON? OKAY. FOR THOSE WAITING FOR A SEAT OUTSIDE, THIS OPPORTUNITY BRINGING THESE RECOGNITIONS FORWARD WILL ALSO ALLOW FOR MORE SEATING TO BE AVAILABLE IN THE AUDITORIUM.
SO, BOARD MEMBERS, MEMBER GRIFFIN, YOU HAD A COMMENT? SO, BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HAVING NONE, WOULD YOU PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IT IS UNANIMOUS. WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO THE PROCLAMATION SECTION, SECTION C. THE FIRST ONE ON THE AGENDA IS THE RECOGNITION OF THE LANCE N. BECATTI AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INCORPORATED FOR DONATIONS TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WHO WILL BE -- MS. BOWMAN, WOULD YOU PLEASE HIGHLIGHT THIS. >> BOARD MEMBERS, MS. ELIA, MS. VALDES, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE LANCE BECATTI FROM AMERICAN FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR THE DONATIONS HE'S MADE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, MR. BECATTI HAS PARTNERED WITH HCPS. ONE OF HIS CHILDREN-CENTERED CHARITIES INVOLVES AN ANNUAL HOLIDAY CARD CONTEST. I'D LIKE TO ASK LANCE TO COME TO OUR PODIUM AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT CONTEST AND ANNOUNCE OUR WINNERS.
>>Susan Valdes: WELCOME, MR. BECATTI. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE. GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU AGAIN. WE HAD AN EXCITING TIME LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE CONTEST AGAIN TO THREE OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE HAD MANGO ELEMENTARY. WE HAD DUNBAR ELEMENTARY AND JAMES ELEMENTARY THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR. AND THE INTENT WITH THIS IS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE ARTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE CHILDREN CREATE A HOLIDAY CARD OR HOLIDAY DRAWING THAT BASICALLY SAYS WHAT THE HOLIDAYS MEAN TO THEM AND THROUGH THAT THE ART TEACHER AND THE PRINCIPAL WILL THEN COLLECT AND CHOOSE FIVE TOP CARDS, FIVE TOP PIECES OF ART. IT IS BROUGHT TO OUR OFFICE THEN. AND THEN A FEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD DO COME ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO VOTE ON WHICH CARD WE WILL USE OR WHICH PIECE OF ART WILL BECOME OUR CARD.
AND THIS IS WHAT IT BECAME THIS YEAR. THIS ADORABLE CARD HERE. THAT IS THE AWARD THAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED TO SOMEBODY VERY SPECIAL HERE THAT WE'LL MEET IN JUST A SECOND. WITH THIS, NOT ONLY DOES THE CHILD GET THE AWARD THAT I'VE CREATED FOR THEM, BUT THERE'S ALSO AN AWARD THAT GOES TO THE SCHOOL AS A MATCH. IN FIRST PLACE, WE PROVIDE A $500 ART CERTIFICATE FOR THE ART SUPPLY COMPANY THAT GIVES THE TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SHOPPING AT GOVERNMENT RATES AND BE ABLE TO BRING AN AWFUL LOT OF ART SUPPLIES IN. FIRST PLACE GETS $500. SECOND PLACE GETS $250 IN THE ART CERTIFICATE. THIRD PRAISE, ALSO $250 ART CERTIFICATE. AND THEN THERE IS A MY CHOICE CARD WHICH BECOMES MY PRIVATE FAMILY CARD FOR THE AWARDS THAT THE CHILDREN HAVE DONE WELL. IN ADDITION TO THAT THIS YEAR, OUR PRACTICE DID A LARGE DRIVE FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
SINCE I HAD TWO PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND ME POKING ME GOING, HOW MUCH ARE WE GETTING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? THERE WILL BE A VERY LARGE SUV SHOWING UP IN FRONT OF THEIR OFFICE IN THE SCHOOL FOR JAMES, YES, THAT LAST TIME WE DID THIS WITH ROBLES ELEMENTARY, IT TOOK TWO CUSTODIANS AND SIX CARTS TO GET EVERYTHING INTO THE SCHOOL THAT WAS RAISED FOR SCHOOL SUPPLIES. THIS YEAR ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE OUTDONE THAT AND I THINK WE'RE HITTING SEVEN CARTS' WORTH OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES BETWEEN CLIENT DONATIONS AND OUR MATCH FOR THAT. IT'S A LOT OF FUN. WE BELIEVE IN SUPPORTING THE ARTS WITH THE CHILDREN. THERE IS A SPECIAL CONTEST I WILL ANNOUNCE RIGHT NOW THAT WE DID LAST YEAR. EVERYBODY TOOK A DEEP BREATH. I'LL PUT IT UP FRONT SO WE DON'T FORGET. ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATED AND THIS IS YEAR SIX. THERE ARE 18 OF YOU WHO SUCCESSFULLY ENJOYED THE OPPORTUNITY, THERE IS A CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE FOR THE STUDENTS, NOT THE TEACHERS.
THE STUDENTS. IF YOU CAN PROVE TO ME ONE THING THAT WAS CREATED BY MAN THAT DIDN'T BEGIN WITH A DRAWING TO SHOW THE VALUE OF THE ARTS, IF YOU CAN PROVE TO ME WHAT THAT ITEM IS THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD AND THEIR RESEARCH, THERE IS A $5,000 ART CERTIFICATE COMING TO THAT SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] IT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE TO HEART AND SPECIAL. THE ART CREATED BY THESE KIDS, IT'S AN AMAZING THING. TODAY I WANT TO START WITH THE SPECIAL ONES. CAN I HAVE JAMES ELEMENTARY COME UP HERE? THIRD PLACE, WE'VE GOT COTTMAN. NEXT IN LINE IS OUR LOVELY PRINCIPAL, MS. ROYAL AND MS. MANHERTZ ALL IN CHARGE OF DOING THESE WONDERFUL THINGS. [ APPLAUSE ] THAT WILL BE SHOWING UP AT THE SCHOOL AND MAKING A FULL PRESENTATION AT THE SCHOOL. SO WE'LL FUSS OVER YOU THERE AND GIVE YOU THE AWARDS AND YOU'LL BE ON THE MORNING SHOW AND A STAR, WHICH YOU ALREADY ARE.
KEEPING TRACK OF EVERYBODY TODAY. THIS IS FUN. NEXT IN LINE, DUNBAR ELEMENTARY, WHICH WAS IN SECOND PLACE. THAT WOULD BE TIANA BOLES. THERE WE GO. WITH HER DAD. HOW WONDERFUL. THE PRINCIPAL JACOBSEN-CAPPS. AND THE ART TEACHER JONKE. [ APPLAUSE ] WE'LL BE AT THE SCHOOL FOR PRESENTATIONS OF THE AWARDS TO THE CHILDREN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FIRST PLACE WAS MANGO ELEMENTARY. WE HAVE MATTHEW SHIRK. AND WE HAVE THE HONORABLE MENTION CARD, WHICH IS CHRISTIAN FREEMAN. I DON'T KNOW IF CHRISTIAN MADE IT ALSO. AND WE'VE GOT OUR LOVELY PRINCIPAL, MS. DAVIS AS WELL AS MS. CASKE, WHO IS THE ART TEACHER. [ APPLAUSE ] ONCE AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LETTING ME HAVE FUN WITH KIDS. IT'S A TERRIFIC CHANCE. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THIS EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS. I PRESENTED IT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL WITH OUR COMPANY. WE'LL SEE HOW FAR WE CAN PUSH THIS INTO OTHER SCHOOLS.
>>Susan Valdes: IT'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] MEMBER KURDELL. >>Carol Kurdell: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST HAVE TO SAY. WE ALL KNOW HOW IT HURT WHEN WE HAD TO CUT THE ARTS PROGRAM BECAUSE OF FISCAL REASONS OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, SO WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY WHO STEPS UP, WHO HAS DONE WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY AND GIVES BACK TO SOMETHING LIKE THE ARTS, WHICH ARE SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR CHILDREN, AND WE ALL KNOW THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARTS AND MATH AND SCIENCE AND THAT KIND OF THING, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. JUST EXPANDING WHAT YOU STARTED OUT IN A VERY SMALL WAY. I HOPE IT CATCHES ON NATIONALLY, BECAUSE THE ARTS NEED TO BE CONTINUED AND RECOGNIZED AND EXPANDED. AND YOU HAVE DONE THAT. I AM VERY GRATEFUL.
THANK YOU. >>Susan Valdes: THANK YOU, MEMBER KURDELL. MS. ELIA. >>Maryellen Elia: MR. BECATTI, I'VE GOT TO SAY, THIS WOULD BE LIKE THE HOLIDAYS AT ANY SINGLE DAY THAT YOU DO THAT DELIVERY. OUR TEACHERS, AS OUR BOARD IS AWARE AND WAS VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE KEPT ART TEACHERS IN EVERY SCHOOL AND EVERY CLASSROOM SERVING OUR STUDENTS, ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS THAT THEY NEVER HAVE ENOUGH OF THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED TO HELP STUDENTS BE CREATIVE. THE KIND OF WORK YOU'VE DONE IS REALLY WELL RECEIVED BY ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND I AM SURE AS THIS EXPANDS AND I PERHAPS HOPE THAT OTHER COMPANIES IN THIS AREA CHOOSE TO HAVE OUR STUDENTS BE THE DESIGNERS OF THEIR HOLIDAY CARDS, THAT THIS ALSO CAN ROLL OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REALLY EXTREME EFFORTS IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. >>Susan Valdes: MEMBER EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU. LET ME ADD MY KUDOS FOR GIVING OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TALENTED STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEIR LIVE AND THEIR -- SHOW THEIR LOVE AND THEIR GIFTS TO OUR COMMUNITY. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR BEING SO GENEROUS. THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR AS A JUDGE, ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THE STUDENTS ARE BETTER. THE ART IS PHENOMENAL, AND IT JUST MAKES THE JUDGING MORE DIFFICULT. BEFORE WE LEAVE, I, AGAIN, WANT TO THANK THOSE GREAT ART TEACHERS WHO REALLY, REALLY GIVE SO MUCH OF THEMSELVES THROUGH THE GREAT SACRIFICES THEY'VE HAD TO MAKE TO ART EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT BEYOND THAT, THEY STILL MAKE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE FOR OUR STUDENTS. I'M GOING TO ASK THE STUDENT ARTISTS FIRST TO STAND, AND THEN OUR GREAT DEDICATED ART TEACHERS TO STAND ONE MORE TIME SO THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE THEM.