HI. I'M LYNN GRAY. CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH OUR ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. HI. I'M DR. STACY HAHN, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA, AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. WE ARE DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC IN WHAT WE DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV, ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32.
MEETINGS ARE STREAMED ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVES. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Lynn Gray: THE BOARD MEETING OF AUGUST 12th, 2021, IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER HAHN, WILL YOU DO US THE PLEASURE OF A MOMENT OF SILENCE OR A REFLECTION? Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. LORD, THANK YOU FOR EVERY SEAT THAT'S BEEN FILLED HERE TODAY, FOR EACH MIND AND HEART THAT FILLS THE PRESENCE OF THIS ROOM. WE HAVE IDEAS, VISIONS, HINTS AND INSPIRATIONS. NOTHING IS EVER IN VAIN FOR EVEN MISTAKES AND MISSTEPS ARE USED FOR GOOD. BLESS THIS MEETING TODAY, ALL THOSE PRESENT AS WELL AS THE LIVES WE'LL ENCOUNTER AFTERWARD AND READY US TO MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT. AMEN. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU.
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Lynn Gray: BOARD MEMBERS, LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EITHER IN THE BOARDROOM OR BY REMOTE. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS ARE ON. AND, BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN, IS THAT AN AFFIRMATIVE? Jessica Vaughn: YES. Lynn Gray: YES. OKAY.
THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. ON MAY 18, 2021, SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. ON JULY 27, 2021, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS ARE ON. AND ALL ARE AFFIRMATIVE. MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: YES. Lynn Gray: OKAY. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TONIGHT'S MEETING. FOR PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, WE ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE ASK THAT GUESTS IN THE BOARDROOM KEEP ONE CHAIR OPEN BETWEEN FAMILIES.
AS A REMINDER, THIS IS A NONPARTISAN BOARD, AND THE BOARD IS ASKED TO CONSIDER OUR CHILDREN'S INTERESTS AND NEEDS FIRST TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND AN EFFECTIVE AGENDA, STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE OR TO ASK STAFF AT A LATER TIME.
MEMBER HAHN, WILL YOU READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES? Stacy Hahn: YES. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, AND ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE.
Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, AND THAT IS A 6 P.M. EMPLOYEE INPUT. ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER, BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE, AND THAT INCLUDES APPLAUSE AND ANY OF THE SHOUTING THAT MAY OCCUR. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
AS A REMINDER OF OUR WAY OF WORK, WE HAVE ALLOTTED 45 MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AND AS THIS DAY HAS PROCEEDED, WE ARE NOW UP TO 60 MINUTES. THANK YOU, BOARD. WE HAVEN'T PASSED THAT POLICY YET. Lynn Gray: OH, OKAY. 45 MINUTES AT THIS POINT IN TIME. JUST RETRACE THAT ONE. AT TIMES LIKE TODAY, WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE OF GREAT INTEREST, WE COULD CHOOSE TO EXTEND THAT TIME TO AN HOUR. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN. A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL CALL UP THE FIRST SPEAKERS. BEFORE THAT, MR. PORTER, WE CAN DO A RECOGNITION, RIGHT? WE HAVE TIME. Jim Porter: YES, YOU CAN DO THAT IF YOU CHOOSE, MADAM CHAIR. Lynn Gray: AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST.
WELL, I'M GOING TO LET THE SPECIAL GUEST INTRODUCE THE PERSON. DOUG DODD FROM CITRUS COUNTY HAS COME. COME ON UP. UP TO OUR COUNTY. CITRUS PARK, IS THAT UP -- IT'S NORTH. OKAY. SO YOU CAME DOWN. I'M GOING TO ASK HOW THE WEATHER IS, BUT I WON'T AT THIS POINT. AT ANY RATE, THANKS, MR. DODD, FOR COMING. MEMBER DODD, OF COURSE, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND SHARE THE RECOGNITION AND THEN I'LL DOUBLE UP ON IT. SURE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. WE ARE IN THE TAMPA BAY NEWS MARKET UP THERE IN CITRUS COUNTY SO WE GET TO STAY UP ON ALL YOUR NEWS BECAUSE WE'RE JUST UP THERE, INVERNESS, CRYSTAL RIVER, HOMOSASSA AREA TO THE NORTH. SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME COME UP TODAY. I'M A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, LIKE I SAID, IN CITRUS COUNTY.
I'M ALSO CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TODAY TO HELP RECOGNIZE AND HONOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S LAUREN OTERO, WHO WAS THE 2020-2021 PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. SO I'D LIKE LAUREN TO STEP UP -- COME ON UP, IF SHE CAN, JUST FOR A MINUTE BECAUSE WE REALLY APPRECIATE HER SERVICE. THE FHSAA HAS A UNIQUE GOVERNING MODEL IN THAT A REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISED OF 67 DELEGATES MEETS ANNUALLY AND SETS THE BYLAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION, WHILE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMPRISED OF 16 MEMBERS MEETS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SETS OPERATIONAL POLICIES AND SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY OF THE ASSOCIATION. LAUREN OTERO WAS ELECTED BY THE BOARD TO SERVE AS OUR PRESIDENT, AND SHE JUST FINISHED THIS ROLE ON JUNE 30th OF THIS YEAR. AND SHE BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT IN 100-YEAR HISTORY OF THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
Lynn Gray: WOW. FACED WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, IT WAS A VERY BUSY YEAR FOR THE ASSOCIATION, TO SAY THE LEAST, AS I KNOW ALL SCHOOL BOARDS IN FLORIDA SAW THAT. MS. OTERO WORKED DILIGENTLY TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS CHALLENGE. SHE CALLED ZOOM MEETINGS. WE HAD SPECIAL-CALLED MEETINGS AND WE DEALT WITH A LOT OF E-MAILS FROM STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC OF CONCERN. YOU KNOW, WE MADE IT THROUGH. WE HAD INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORTS. WE PUSHED THROUGH THAT. AND A LOT OF THAT IS A TRIBUTE TO MS. OTERO'S LEADERSHIP, AND WE THANK HER FOR THAT. AT OUR LAST FHSAA BOARD MEETING IN GAINESVILLE, THAT'S WHERE THE FHSAA OFFICE IS, GEORGE TOMAN, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRESENTED HER WITH A PLAQUE OF APPRECIATION. IT'S SO NEAT TO SEE YOU AS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNIZING ONE OF YOUR OWN FOR HER DEDICATION. SO THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR DOING THIS TODAY.
AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND WORK WITH THE FHSAA, YOUR INVOLVEMENT THERE IS VERY IMPORTANT. LAUREN, THANK YOU FOR A JOB WELL DONE. Lynn Gray: SO HOLD ON. CLAP, CLAP, CLAP. LAUREN, WOULD YOU MIND SHARING WITH US, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE FIRST WOMAN -- AND THANK YOU, MR. DODD, FOR TAKING THAT THUNDER, BY THE WAY, -- FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE IN THIS POSITION IN THE WHOLE HUNDRED-YEAR HISTORY? SO YOUR TURN. IT WAS QUITE AN HONOR. OBVIOUSLY, JUST TO BE ELECTED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, BUT THEN TO BE ELECTED BY THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT, OBVIOUSLY IN A 16-MEMBER BOARD, NOT EVERYONE GETS THAT OPPORTUNITY IN A THREE-YEAR TERM. BEING THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT CAREER AND DEFINITELY PRESENTED SOME CHALLENGES BEING GOING THROUGH A COVID YEAR AND PANDEMIC AND NOT KNOWING WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO.
WE HAVE FIVE REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETINGS. WE HAD FOUR SPECIAL BOARD MEETINGS BEFORE OUR FIRST-EVER ONE THAT WAS TO BE SCHEDULED. IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY DO IT AGAIN IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. Lynn Gray: WE'RE JUST BLESSED TO HAVE YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PHOTO. OH, I'M SORRY. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. I'M SORRY, I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. I HAVE TO SAY SHE HAS BEEN A TRUE CHAMPION. MR. ROBINSON, I THINK HE'S HERE AS WELL, CONTINUES TO SUPPORT HER EFFORTS. AND WHEN WE HAD REALLY HARD ISSUES TO DISCUSS, ME AND MS. OTERO WERE SOMETIMES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE, AND SHE WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT TO THE BOARD WHERE I WAS A SUPERINTENDENT, BUT SHE WOULD ALWAYS STAY STRONG TO WHERE SHE WAS IN HER HEART. THAT TO ME IS ALL ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO NOT ONLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT WHAT YOU DID FOR THE STATE. YOU ARE A TRAILBLAZER. LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING BESIDE YOU. LEGEND TONIGHT, FORMER DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT KEN OTERO HERE, MANY, MANY YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR ENERGY AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: THAT MEANS, KEN, YOU MUST COME UP, TOO, BECAUSE WE WANT OUR FAMILY ALSO. AND THE MOM IS HERE AS WELL. ABSOLUTELY, MR. AND MRS. OTERO, PLEASE JOIN US. MOM WHO IS PRINCIPAL AT TURNER -- MOM, WHO WAS A SUPERVISOR IN GUIDANCE. Lynn Gray: MR. BUSH, PRINCIPAL BUSH, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND VICE PRINCIPAL. I'M SORRY, BOARD MEMBERS. WE DO HAVE A COMMENT.
KEEP STANDING -- MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: LAUREN MADE MY CAREER. WHEN I CAME TO CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL I WAS A ROCKY AP. -- ROOKIE AP 1 AND LAUREN WAS MY ASSISTANT. AND SHE HELPED ME OUT A LOT. KEPT ME ORGANIZED. SHE WAS MY STUDENT ASSISTANT. YOU STARTED MY CAREER. I WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT. SO I KNOW YOU ARE VERY, VERY ORGANIZED, BELIEVE ME. THANK YOU, MR. WASHINGTON. Lynn Gray: QUITE HISTORICAL.
THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE'RE GOING TO GO AND TAKE A PHOTO, A FEW. THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME FOR THIS RECOGNITION. I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A LOT ON YOUR OWN AGENDAS. OKAY. FROM OUR BEHALF AND THANK YOU, VAN AYRES AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND OUR WONDERFUL BOARD MEMBERS AND MR. DODD, WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH, OBVIOUSLY, WITH ALL TYPES OF MONETARY AWARDS, AND YOU UNDERSTAND, BUT WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION, WHICH YOU'LL SHARE WITH YOUR WONDERFUL PARENTS, ALL EDUCATORS, FOR YOUR SERVICE AS THE 2021-2021 PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND THE FIRST FEMALE -- THIS IS IN WRITING -- IN HISTORY TO PRESIDE OVER THE FHSAA. WHAT A WONDERFUL HONOR. Lynn Gray: BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE BACK IN SESSION. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE TO DO PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
Lynn Gray: WE'LL DO PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST, SO WE'LL BUMP IT UP. PUBLIC COMMENT AND TWO MINUTES EACH FOR EACH OF THE INDIVIDUALS. WE THANK EACH OF YOU FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US. PAULA CASTAÑO, PAT HALL, LUANN TOLBERT. JESSICA DUBOY. TWO MINUTES EACH. GOOD EVENING. PAULA CASTAÑO, HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCATES. PLEASE REVIEW OUR RESEARCH FINDER THAT WE LEFT TO YOU AT YOUR LEISURE. I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT A FIRE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. OUR TRANSFORMATION NETWORK, OUR UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS. I SAW THE AUGUST 3rd PRESS RELEASE. A BIG THANK YOU TO SHEA McCRAY, TO ADDISON AND ALL THE HARDWORKING ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS. WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE SCHOOL ON THAT LIST WENT FROM A D TO A C, HAS ONLY 11% THIRD-GRADE PROFICIENCY ON THE ELA. AND THAT IS JUST ONE OF THEM I'M MENTIONING. OUR GROUP HAS BEEN RESEARCHING AND SPEAKING TO NATIONAL EXPERTS ON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, ONE THAT EXISTS IN NEW YORK CITY CHILDREN'S AID AND ANOTHER ONE I KNOW ADDISON THAT YOU KNOW, AMY ELLIS, WHO IS FLORIDA'S COMMUNITY SCHOOL INNOVATOR AND ALEX GREGORY, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER HER.