HI, I AM NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME TO YOU HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE 200,000 STUDENTS CHILDREN THROUGH PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH TOWER WORK FORCE PROGRAM. Henry "Shake" Washington: I AM HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND MADE UP OF 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 AT SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN 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 MEETING ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32. MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEB SITE 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 WILL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS, OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIAL CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEB SITE 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 ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF FEBRUARY 21, 2023 IS COME CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALY FANS. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU.
NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HOWARD W. BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL YELLOW JACKETS DANCE TEAM ALONG WITH DANCE INSTRUCTOR KELLY RAIL AND PRINCIPAL VALERIE NEWTON. NOW THESE WONDERFUL LADIES DID A GREAT JOB PERFORMING. AND NOW I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO ALL THE WONDERFUL AUDIENCE WE HAVE. HELLO, ANGELICA REYES IN THE 12th GRADE. KELLY SMALL AND I AM IN THE 12th GRADE. MADISON SHARIF IN THE 12th GRADE. CHARISMA GARCIA. I AM JOSLYN IN THE 12th GRADE. I AM DEMOR SHORTER IN THE 12th GRADE. SOPHIA PATINA IN THE 12th GRADE. TALULA IN THE 11th GRADE. RACHEL JONES AND I'M IN THE 11th GRADE. MY NAME IS KADEN REAL AND IN THE 10th GRADE.
I AM LILY AND IN THE 10th GRADE. MY NAME IS AUDREY MORGAN AND I AM 10th GRADE. MY NAME IS DAHLIA IN THE 9th GRADE. MY NAME IS McKENZIE AND I AM IN THE 9th GRADE. ALICIA BROOKS AND I AM IN THE 9th GRADE. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF TEACHING BALLET. .AND HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON, EL RAIL, AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF TEACHING MODERN DANCE AND CHOREOGRAPHY. GOOD EVENING, I AM NIKITA WILLIAMS AND I AM THE PRINCIPAL'S SECRETARY. WAIT A MINUTE. GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM VALLEY NEWTON AND THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF THIS BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GROUP OF STUDENTSND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY Henry "Shake" Washington: PARENTS, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND PLEASE TAKE PICTURES. Nadia Combs: CAN WE STAND UP SO THEY CAN SEE US. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. GOOD JOB Henry "Shake" Washington: GREAT JOB. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, LADIES, AMAZING, AMAZING JOB.
JUST A GREAT WAY TO START OUR BOARD MEETING TO SEE ALL THE TALENT. CONGRATULATIONS. GRACIAS. THANK YOU TO THE INSTRUCTORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. 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 THREE SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. JANUARY 12, 2023, SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING. JANUARY 24, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. FEBRUARY 9, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD THAT BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO PROCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING TO PAVE A WAY FOR EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL 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. SILENCE ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM THAT ALLOW THE BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AAWAY FROM THE DAIS. CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITOR WHY . IT CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, 6:00 EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE WILL BEGIN PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED OF THE RESPONSES. WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE; HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY TO A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT ON THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR THAT INTERRUPTS THIS MEETING IS NOT ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY PROCESS IS IN PLACE. STATE CLEARLY YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE.
THREE MINUTES BEGIN WHEN YOU START SPEAKING. 30 SECONDS, YELLOW LIGHT IN THE LECTERN AND A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME TO INDICATE YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. FIRST SPEAKER. PLEASE COME UP. THANK YOU. HELLO, GILI BIRACHI. AND I WANT TO THANK MR. DAVIS FOR TAKING THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND PROPOSING SCENARIO 4 THAT WORKS FOR NORTH BON AIR FOR MY NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR THE NEW SCHOOL BOUNDARIES. NOW I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSE BY SOME REACTIONS I SAW ON THE WORKSHOP LAST WEEK. WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK. WE WERE ASKED TO ENGAGE, TO COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND SPEAK. AND AFTER DOING SO IT FELT LIKE WE WERE TARGETED FOR COMING HERE AND SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OUR KIDS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND THINGS GOT A LITTLE PERSONAL. SO THAT GOT ME A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE, FOLLOWING THE PROCESS WE WERE ASKED FOR, AND THEN GETTING THINGS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I WANTED TO BRING IT BACK -- I WANTED TO BRING THE DISCUSSION BACK TO THE POINTS OF THE PROCESS HAS PROPOSED. FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL OTHERS, THE POINTS WERE SCHOOL UTILIZATION, DISTANCE TO SCHOOL, COMMUNITY STABILITY, AND FINANCIALS. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE POINTS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, NORTH BONN AIR AND SCENARIO TWO, BECAUSE IT WAS BROUGHT UP DURING THE WORKSHOP. NUMBER ONE, UTILIZATION. SO FOR OUR AREA, THERE ARE THREE INITIATIVES THAT MIGHT HELP WITH THAT ISSUE. AND THOSE ARE THE RECERTIFICATION OF ADDRESSES FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. THE NEW K-8 SCHOOL BEING BUILT MANHATTAN AVENUE AND WHAT MIGHT ATTRACT STUDENTS TO THAT SCHOOL. NUMBER TWO IS DISTANCE. FOR THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL, IN SCENARIO TWO, DISTANCE WILL INCREASE BY THREEFOLD FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM WHERE WE HAVE NOW. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL, BUT MIDDLE SCHOOL WOULD BE OVER THREE TIMES THE DISTANCE IT IS TODAY.
AND FOR HIGH SCHOOL, IT WOULD BE MARGINALLY CLOSER TO THE SCHOOL THAT IS ACROSS THE INTERSTATE. NUMBER THREE IS COMMUNITY STABILITY. MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL PUT OUR KIDS IN TWO -- TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN BETWEEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND LASTLY, THE FINANCIALS. OUR MOVE WAS CONSIDERED BASED ON UTILIZATION, BUT SCENARIO TWO SAVINGS WERE NOT CERTIFIED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STAFF WHILE NUMBER FOUR WAS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. TOEWS AND SAY NUMBER FOUR WORKS FOR NORTH BONN AIR. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON AN IT TONE YO ANICI. .CASE YOU HAVE NOT READ THE E-MAIL FROM DEBBY HUNT OF THE RENAISSANCE myON APP YOU ARE DISCUSSING AND VOTING ON TODAY. ASSERTION THAT 79,000 BOOKS HAVE BEEN READ IN 30,000 HOURS AS NOTED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE. THIS EQUATES TO LESS THAN 30 MINUTES PER BOOK ON AVERAGE.
THERE ARE VERY FEW BOOKS IN ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES THAT CAN BE READ IN LESS THAN 30 MINUTES. MOST LIKELY MEANS THAT THE STUDENTS AREN'T READING THE BACK. MORE LIKELY THEY ARE FLIPPING THROUGH THE PAGES TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT IS READ. TO OR THE APPS TRACKING IS FLAWED. EITHER WAY, USING THIS AS A GAUGE OF SUCCESS OF IMPROVING READING LITERACY IS INACCURATE. MY SECOND CONCERN THE EASE OF A STUDENT TO ACCESS BOOK TITLES IN OTHER DISTRICTS AND. STATES. THEY CAN NOT PHYSICALLY READ THOSE BOOKS, ONE ACCESS COUNTIES IN FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN. MY FINAL CONCERN IS THE NUMBER OF BOOKS WITH PORNOGRAPHY IN THEM THAT OTHER COUNTIES ARE REMOVING BASED ON FLORIDA STATUTES DUE TO EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT. IN OUR COUNTY YOU ARE NOT REMOVING THE BOOKS IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARIES THAT ARE IN CLEAR VIOLATION OF THOSE FLORIDA STATUTES. THIS BOARD IS QUICK TO INTERRUPT PARENTS WHEN THEY READ A PORTION OF THOSE BOOKS ALOUD AT BOARD MEETINGS BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE PRESENT AND MAY LISTEN TO THE BOARD MEETING LATER.
IF NOT APPROPRIATE TO BE READ OUT LOUD BY THE PUBLIC, IT SHOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE FOR A STUDENT. THE myON APP SHOULD BE STOPPED UNTIL THE BOOKS FOLLOW FLORIDA STATUTES. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. DEAR BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, MY NAME IS EMMA ROJI AND I LIVE IN THE NORTH BONN AIR AREA. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR SCENARIO 4. AS A PARENT AND A TAXPAYER WHO SUPPORTS THE SCHOOL, IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE YOU MY INPUT TO HELP MAKE THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE FOR MY CHILDREN. I AM PROUD TO BE HERE, TO MAKE A STAND FOR MY KIDS' EDUCATION THAT CAN NOT BE HERE BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO BE AT A SCHOOL. AND I ALSO AM HERE TO REPRESENT MY NEIGHBORS WHO CANNOT BE HERE BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF US NEED TO BE AT WORK ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT 4:00.
AND IT IS NOT EASY FOR US TO BE HERE TO SPEAK AND TO EVEN JUST BE PRESENT. BECAUSE WORKING-CLASS FAMILY WILL HAVE TO MAKE A LIVING. AND, AGAIN, WE WILL HAVE TO WORK HARD TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILY. OUR FAMILY MOVED TO NORTH BONN AIR AREA ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO TO GET IN PRESIDENT SCHOOLS OF THE CHOICE. GRADY ELEMENTARY, COLEMAN MIDDLE AND PLANT HIGH, LIKE ALL OUR NEIGHBORS, WE INVESTED 100% IN OUR KIDS' EDUCATION, NOT BECAUSE WE ARE RICH, BUT BECAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS' EDUCATION. TODAY MY 16-YEAR-OLD IS A SOPHOMORE AT PLANT HIGH, AND HE IS A ACTIVE MEMBER AT PLANT PAY AT THAT HONOR CLUB. AND HE IS AN ATHLETE IN ROWING. MY 13-YEAR-OLD SON IS A SEVENTH GRADER AT COLEMAN WHO LOVES THE SCHOOL. LET ME ASSURE YOU. THEY WILL NOT LEAVE THEIR SCHOOL. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT RACIAL EQUITY FROM OTHER DISTRICTS.
THAT IS EXCELLENT POINT. AS A MINORITY MYSELF, I CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT RACHEL EQUITY AND THE DIVERSITY. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.WEST SHORE PALMS AND NORTH BONN AIR HAVE SOME OF THE MOST DIVERSE WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES AT PLANT. ALSO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS A MIX OF LOW-INCOME AND MEDIUM INCOME, NOT FAMILIES. SO AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE A WORKING-CLASS FAMILY. IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO KEEP MY COMMUNITY IN THE PLANT FEED. TO MAKE THE PLAN DIVERSE AND TO ACHIEVE RACIAL EQUITY. PLEASE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY IN THE PLAN. PLEASE VOTE FOR SCENARIO 4 IF YOU CARE.OUR KIDS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. AND IF THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS CAN LINE UP, PLEASE. THANK YOU. HI, DANIELLE COJI. I WILL REGO DUES MYSELF. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN TAMPA. MY FAMILY, WHO IS HISPANIC GREW UP IN WEST TAMPA AND MOVED AROUND TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF BOUNDARY CHANGES BACK IN THE DAY BUT ENDED UP ATTENDING LETO AND JEFFERSON.
MY HUSBAND AND I GRADUATED FROM PLANT. WE ARE HOPING THAT OUR DAUGHTER WILL BE ABLE TO FOLLOW IN THE SAME FOOTSTEPS AS US AND ATTEND PLANT AND ITS FEEDER SCHOOLS. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO SHOWED UP AND LISTEN ED TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, ESPECIALLY THE DIVERSE WORKING-CLASS IN NORTH BONN AIR AND PALM COUNTY WHERE I AM FROM. IT WAS REALLY HARD LISTENING AND DISHEARTENING TO LISTEN TO THAT WORKSHOP LAST WEEK. SOME WERE SEEMINGLY CRITICIZED FOR STANDING UP FOR OUR CHILDREN AND TALK OF GOING BACK TO OTHER SCENARIOS THAT DIDN'T HAVE BROAD COMMUNITY SUPPORT. AND THEY WERE AGHAST AT COST SAVINGS AND.SCENARIO FOUR IS THE ONLY ONE REVIEWED BY THE CFO. YOU ASKED FOR COMMUNITY INPUT. AND IT WAS A SHORT TIME FRAME, I KNOW. FAMILIES E-MAILED. WE SHOWED UP AT THESE BOARD MEETING. WE COMMENTED ON THE BOUNDARY MAP TOOL LIKE YOU GUYS ASKED.
NOT JUST FAMILIES FROM SOUTH TAMPA BUT ALL OVER FROM CARROLLWOOD AND TOWN AND COUNTRY AND NORTH TAMPA AND BEYOND. SCENARIO FOUR WAS BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK. SO MIGHT NOT BE PERFECT, BUT IT CAN QUICKLY ADDRESS CAPACITY AND FINANCIAL ISSUES WHILE HOPEFULLY ENSURING THAT TEACHERS STAY HERE AND ARE MAYBE PAID MORE APPROPRIATELY. NOT TO MENTION NOT VOTING FOR SCENARIO FOUR NOW A WASTE OF $567,000 FOR THE STUDY AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR TAXPAYERS AND MOST OF ALL OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR TEACHERS. MORE WORK MAY NEED TO BE DONE IN THE FUTURE BUT LISTEN, PLEASE LISTEN, TO THE FAMILIES SPEAKING OUT AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR RIGHT NOW AND VOTE FOR SCENARIO 4. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, HOLLY THOMPSON AND PARENT OF SELF-CHILDREN FOR TURNER BARTEL K-8 TO PASCO. A PTSA VICE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND ADVOCATE FOR OTHER CHIRP AND FAMILIES AT OUR SCHOOL.
I AM SO THANKFUL FOR OUR DISTRICT 3 REPRESENTATION. YOU PEACE SUCH ATTENTION TO US IN RECENT TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND THE WORKSHOP. I AM A PROUD PRODUCT OF DISTRICT 3 EDUCATION. A GRADUATE OF CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL AND SO MANY AMAZING SCHOOLS IN OUR AREA. I E-MAILED YOU LAST WEEK TO BRING ATTENTION TO 200 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS BEING TRANSPORTED TO OUR SCHOOL UP ON COUNTY LINE ALL THE WAY FROM THE FLETCHER AND USF AREA. THEY ARE SPENDING SOME DAYS 45 MINUTES ON THE BUS EACH WAY. AND IF SCENARIO 4 GOES FORWARD, THEY WILL STAY DOING THAT. THEY PASS SEVERAL OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND THEY ARE DROPPED OFF AT OUR LAST STOP RIGHT THERE. THEY ARE BEING UPROOTED FROM FOUR TRANSFORMATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THEY ARE LOSING ALL THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THAT THEY GOT AT THOSE SCHOOLS. THEY ARE NOT BEING GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TOP STAY WITH THEIR FRIENDS OR WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.