HI. I'M NADIA COMBS, 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 ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I'M HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA. OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS 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 ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. 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. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 20th, 2022, IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS WEEK STARTED WITH HELLO WEEK, A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM THAT TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO LOOK FOR SIGNS OF SOCIAL ISOLATION AND INCREASED INCLUSIVITY. WE HAVE BEEN REMINDED A NUMBER OF OUR TIMES IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY THIS SCHOOL YEAR ABOUT THE FRAGILE NATURE OF OUR STUDENTS' MENTAL WELL-BEING. STUDENTS' MENTAL HEALTH AFFECTS ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFE -- EMOTIONALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND SOCIALLY. WE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO MAKE THE CONNECTION. REACH OUT TO TRUST AN ADULT, AND CONNECT WITH OUR STUDENT SERVICE TEAM. OUR TEAMS COLLABORATE WITH PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO CREATE SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS. TODAY, I ASK THAT YOU JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE AS WE CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE STIGMA AROUND DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH, PRIORITIZING THE MENTAL WELLNESS OF OUR STUDENTS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE TWO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. 9.01, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, FLORIDA INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, CENTER FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. AND THEN 11.01, APPROVAL OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS FOUNDATION. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY, AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. AUGUST 30th, 2022, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING.
TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENT AND/OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK INTO THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. 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 LIVE WEBCASTS, ON CABLE TV, AND ON VIDEO MONITORS IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING WITH THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Nadia Combs: WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, AND THAT'S 6:00, EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO 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 THE TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD THE 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. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR TWO MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN, RED LIGHT AND CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FOUR SPEAKERS, IF YOU CAN PLEASE LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL. THANK YOU. HELLO.
JOEL McDANIEL. I'VE GOT TWO SCHOOL-AGED KIDS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND A SON IN 7th GRADE. AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST THE ADOPTION OF THE SEX ED CURRICULUM THAT IS LOOKING TO BE PASSED. AFTER READING THROUGH SOME OF THIS STUFF, SOME OF IT I FEEL IS PRETTY EGREGIOUS. A TERM I NEVER HEARD BEFORE, OUTER COURSE IS IN THE LITERATURE. IT TALKS ABOUT GIVE SEXUAL PLEASURE WITHOUT CAUSING PREGNANCY, MASTURBATION AND DRY HUMPING, BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR PARTNER'S BODY AND LEARN HOW YOU LIKE TO BE TOUCHED AND WHAT FEELS GOOD. TO ME IT BLOWS MY MIND THAT ANYBODY WOULD WANT THAT IN THE CLASSROOM FULL OF 12-YEAR-OLDS, 12, 13, 14-YEAR-OLD KIDS. ANOTHER ONE OF THEM WAS WHY DO 12-YEAR-OLDS NEED TO KNOW WHAT A CLITORIS IS? WHAT PURPOSE DOES THAT SERVE? I'M NOT REAL SURE HOW THAT IS RELEVANT TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FOR A KID OF THAT AGE, 7, 8, 9 GRADE KIDS.
IN THE PROGRAM, THERE IS A VIDEO CALLED THE AMAZE VIDEO. THERE IS A DISCUSSION ON MALE AND FEMALE ANATOMY, BIOLOGICAL SEX VERSUS GENDER. I WOULD ASK, IMPLORE EVEN, KEEP IT SCIENTIFIC AND KEEP POLITICS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. I MEAN, THAT SORT OF THING IS MORE OF A SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE THAN IT IS A SEXUAL HEALTH ISSUE. THE OPT-OUT QUESTIONNAIRE DOES NOT ADDRESS WHAT THE KIDS ARE GOING TO COVER. IT'S VERY VAGUE. THAT NEEDS TO BE WORKED ON. THE SEEKOUS CURRICULUM, WHICH IS VERY PLANNED PARENTHOOD CENTRIC HAS NO PLACE IN THE CLASSROOM AT ALL. IT IS AN ENTERTAINMENT AND IT SHOULD NOT BE IN THERE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. CARMEN EDMONDS. MR. WASHINGTON, THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT THIS IS MENTAL HEALTH, THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS OF OUR STUDENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND MY TOPIC HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT BECAUSE I AM THE STEPMOTHER OF A TRANSGENDER CHILD, AND I CAN TELL YOU FIRSTHAND THAT WHEN OUTSIDERS GET INVOLVED IN THE SEXUALITY AND THE INPUT INTO YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH AND SEXUAL HEALTH BECAUSE OUR HANDS WERE TIED, AND THE CHAOS AND CONFUSION THAT CAUSED TO OUR FAMILY AND DESTROYED OUR FAMILY AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR TRANSCHILD.
I WATCHED HER SPIRAL INTO A DEEP DEPRESSION. SHE BEGAN USING DRUGS AND STARTED WITH MARIJUANA AND WENT TO HARDER THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, THE MORE SHE WENT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD WITH TRANSITIONING, THE MORE DEPRESSED SHE GOT, THE MORE INVOLVED IN DRUGS SHE GOT, THE MORE HIGH-RISK BEHAVIOR SHE GOT. IT DIDN'T SOLVE ANY OF HER PROBLEMS. IT MADE THINGS WORSE. I'M JUST AFRAID THAT YOUR SEX ED CURRICULUM THAT YOU ALL ARE TRYING TO PASS IS GOING TO CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS AND CONFUSION FOR THESE KIDS BECAUSE THEIR MINDS ARE NOT READY. I READ THROUGH SOME OF THE CURRICULUM. THEY ARE NOT READY, JUST LIKE THE MAN SAID, ABOUT OUTER SEX, ABOUT DRY HUMPING, WHO NEEDS TO LEARN THAT IN 7th GRADE? THEIR MINDS, SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE TEACHERS. YOU'VE HAD EARLY EDUCATION. SOME OF YOU ARE COUNSELORS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS, YOU KNOW AT THIS AGE THESE CHILDREN'S MINDS ARE NOT READY FOR THIS.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY YOU ARE ALLOWING THIS INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND EVEN CONSIDERING THIS CURRICULUM. AND THEN ALSO PARENTS ARE GIVEN THE OPT-OUT INSTEAD OF OPT-IN. THIS TYPE OF MATERIAL, PARENTS SHOULD BE VERY, VERY EDUCATED ON WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S BEING TAUGHT TO THEIR CHILDREN. I CAN'T EVEN FATHOM THAT. THESE KIDS ARE NOT READY FOR THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION AND WE'RE JUST DOING THEM MORE HARM THAN GOOD. I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO AND GET RID OF THIS CURRICULUM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO. I'M GOING TO BE HERE ONCE AGAIN. TINA WILLIAMS BREWSTER. ADDRESSING THE BOARD AS A VERY CONCERNED PARENT. TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO COME TO YOU, ONCE AGAIN, MY FAVORITE TOPIC, LEADERSHIP IN OUR SCHOOLS, OR THE LACK THEREOF. AS BOARD MEMBERS, YOU DO HAVE SOME TYPE OF SAY, I WOULD HOPE ON -- I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WHO PICKS THE LEADERSHIP OF THESE SCHOOLS? WHAT CRITERIA DO THEY HAVE TO MEET? WHAT I SEE ON A DAILY BASIS IS SOME OF OUR TOP ADMINISTRATORS, THEY NEED TRAINING, HOW TO BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS AND STUDENTS. AS A LEADER, IT IS PART OF YOUR JOB TO PROBLEM SOLVE. IF A PARENT COMES BEFORE YOU WITH A ISSUE, DON'T IGNORE THEM. THE PROBLEMS AREN'T GOING TO GO AWAY. PARENTS AREN'T GOING TO GO AWAY. LET'S LEARN TO BUILD POSITIVE PARENT-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS. LET'S LISTEN TO OUR STUDENTS. PARENTS ARE ADVOCATES. THE ONLY REASON I HAVE TO GET INVOLVED IS BECAUSE MY STUDENTS AREN'T HEARD. WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER. SO LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION. SOMETIMES WE BECOME SO BLIND, DYSFUNCTION BECOMES NORMAL. SO NOW WHEN SOMEONE COMPLAINS, IT'S LIKE WHATEVER. THIS IS THE NORMAL. WE'VE GOT TO WAKE UP. WE'VE GOT TO WAKE UP, FLORIDA. WHO WANTS TO BE GREAT IN FLORIDA?
WE HAVE TO STOP WITH BEING OKAY AT THE BOTTOM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. AND IF THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS WOULD LINE UP, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT, THANK YOU. HELLO, EVERYONE. ALAN BREWSTER. NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE SCHOOL WITH THEIR THOUGHTS AND WORDS AT 110 DEGREES. NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE TO COME TO THIS BOARD MEETING AND STAND AT THIS PODIUM WITH THEIR THOUGHTS AND THEIR WORDS 110 DEGREES BECAUSE THE LEADERSHIP AT THE SCHOOL, THE SECRETARY, THE TEACHERS, THE COUNSELORS ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB, OR WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING TO A STUDENT AND THEY DON'T ADDRESS IT IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER. MY DAUGHTER AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL, SHE'S AUTISTIC, AND SHE HAD A MELT-DOWN. THE TEACHER CALLED THE ASSISTANT, THE APC, TO COME ATTEND TO HER. SHE STATED, "OH, YOU LOOK PRETTY CRYING." THAT IS NOT PROFESSIONAL. THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE, AND I'M STANDING HERE TODAY ONCE AGAIN TELLING YOU THAT APC AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL IS NOT EFFECTIVE.
SHE IS NOT. SHE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. SHE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO WORK, INTERACT AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE PARENTS. IT'S AN ISSUE. IT'S AN ONGOING ISSUE, AND I'M GOING TO KEEP COMING HERE UNTIL THE DISTRICT STRAIGHTEN IT OUT. SHE IS NOT EFFECTIVE. I'M TELLING YOU ALL AGAIN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. SHE IS NOT EFFECTIVE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO. I AM KRISTA MILLS. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS, MR. FARKAS AND MR. ROMERO MEETING US ON THE 7th. WE PROPOSED MAKING CARROLLWOOD A K-8. WE ADDRESSED OUR NEEDS, THE DISTRICT'S NEEDS AND A PLAN ON HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION TO A K-8 STARTING NEXT YEAR. TODAY, WE HAVE ANOTHER GROUP OF STRONG ADVOCATES FROM OUR COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT CARROLLWOOD IN THE K-8 INITIATIVE. AS YOU CONTINUE TO RECEIVE E-MAILS FROM OUR COMMUNITY, TODAY YOU WILL HEAR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT WHY THIS INITIATIVE IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED.
MOST OF US AS CONCERNED PARENTS TURNED INTO THE PHASE ONE COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETING FOR A ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS. DURING THE PRESENTATION, WE HEARD ABOUT WHY THIS ANALYSIS IS NEEDED BUT AGAIN, IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE OUR ASK TO MAKE CARROLLWOOD A K-8. DURING THE ANALYSIS, WE HEARD ABOUT THE KEY PARAMETERS AND CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE BEING FOCUSED ON. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THESE FACTORS ARE ALL FEATURES WHICH CARROLLWOOD ALREADY HAS. DISTANCE TO SCHOOL AND TRANSPORTATION. SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY. FACILITY AGE AND CONDITION, ASSIGNMENT AND COMMUNITY STABILITY, AND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE. OUR REQUEST FOR K-8 DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF UNDERUTILIZATION. OUR K-8 ASK WILL HELP KEEP STUDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND CONTINUE TO FOSTER COMMUNITY STABILITY WHILE PREPARING KIDS FOR CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL. CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY IS READY TO TRANSITION TO A K-8 MODEL FOR NEXT YEAR. WE HAVE THE SPACE AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER OUR PLAN IN DETAIL. CARROLLWOOD FAMILIES ARE IN FIERCE SUPPORT OF THIS CHANGE AND NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SARAH WEAVING. MY FAMILY AND I LIVE LESS THAN ONE MILE FROM CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY WHERE MY TWO BOYS ARE IN SECOND GRADE AND KINDERGARTEN. MY CHILDREN'S CURRENT COMMUTE TO SCHOOL INCLUDES THEM EITHER WALKING OR RIDING THEIR BIKES WHERE THEY ARE GREETED BY MORE THAN TWO DOZEN STUDENTS WHO HAVE ALSO WALKED OR BIKED TO SCHOOL. ON MY CHILDREN'S COMMUTE, THERE IS NOT ONE TRAFFIC LIGHT OR MAJOR ROAD THAT THEY HAVE TO CROSS. MY CHILDREN PASS MORE THAN TEN HOUSES OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEM BY NAME AND HAVE WATCHED THEM GROW UP. ONE OF THEM BEING THEIR GRANDPARENTS. THEIR ROUND TRIP TO SCHOOL TAKES LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES.
I KNOW MOST, IF NOT ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM, WOULD BE OVERJOYED IF OUR MORNING AND AFTERNOON COMMUTES WERE TRIPLE THAT. MAKING CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY INTO A K-8 WOULD ALLOW A GREAT DEAL OF FAMILIES TO WORRY LESS ABOUT HOW TO GET THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN ORIGINAL CARROLLWOOD. AND ALTHOUGH I ATTENDED A CATHOLIC SCHOOL GROWING UP, WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE KNEW WE WOULD SEND OUR CHILDREN TO CARROLLWOOD FOR ITS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, SELFLESS TEACHERS, SENSE OF COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO ITS CONVENIENCE. MY HUSBAND IS A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER, AND I AM A VA PHYSICAL THERAPIST. WE BOTH WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME AND RELY HEAVILY ON GRANDPARENTS AND FRIENDS TO GET OUR CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL EVERY DAY. MAKING CARROLLWOOD INTO A K-8 REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDENTS SPEND TRAVELING TO SCHOOL AND DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION SPENDING.
THE BOUNDARY ANALYSIS STATED 1.2 MILLION ESTIMATED MILES ARE TRAVELED BY STUDENTS EVERY DAY. IF EVERY STUDENT ATTENDED THEIR NEAREST SCHOOL AT THE SAME LEVEL, 22% FEWER MILES WOULD BE TRAVELED. A SHORTER DISTANCE TO SCHOOL WOULD REDUCE DAILY CHILD AND PARENTAL STRESS AND INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF QUALITY TIME FAMILIES GET TO SPEND TOGETHER. HAVING CARROLLWOOD K-8 WOULD BE AN ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR SCHOOLS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. AND IF THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS WILL LINE UP, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS RYAN NELL. MY WIFE AND I ARE PROUD PARENTS OF A CURRENT CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY STUDENT ALONG WITH ANOTHER FUTURE OWL. LIKE SARAH, MY FAMILY AND I LIVE IN ORIGINAL CARROLLWOOD. WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE ON THE SAME STREET AS THE BACK ENTRANCE TO THE SCHOOL, AND WE LOVE BEING ABLE TO WALK OUR SON DAILY.