Nadia Combs: HI, I AM NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WELCOME TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 00,000 STUDENTS THAT INCLUDE STUDENTS IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORK FORCE PROGRAM. Henry "Shake" Washington: I AM HENRY "SHAKE" WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND MADE OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. Lynn Gray: 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 AND COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT THEY 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 FROM 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 BROADCAST 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, THE 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 MAY 9, 2023 IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] THANK YOU, YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: MEMBER WASHINGTON, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE TAMPA PALMS SPRING ORCHESTRA ALONG WITH BAND DIRECTOR STORY BURNHART AND PRINCIPAL ANGELA GLUTH, THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS POINT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. I AM VU. I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND IN THE 5th GRADE. TREY, I AM IN THE FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM BRYSON VIZZI, I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM ARNOLD AND IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM ZACHARY, IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM ZECHARIAH.
I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND I AM ALSO THE PROUD SON OF MEMBER VAUGHN. Henry "Shake" Washington: ALL RIGHT, WHOO! I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS MIA. I AM IN FIFTH GRADE. AND IPLAY PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS DANIELLA, IN THE FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY VIOLIN. I AM DEE AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AMMA ADRIENNE AND I PLAY VIOLA. I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS EVAN. I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE CELLO. ALSO, I AM THE -- I AM THE SON OF THE CONDUCTOR OF -- OF THE -- THIS GROUP, MRS. BURNHART. Henry "Shake" Washington: GOOD JOB. Nadia Combs: I LOVE IT. MY NAME IS OLIVIA IN THE FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN.
I AM IN FOURTH GRADE. MY NAME IS SHANE AND I PLAY THE CELLO. MY NAME IS PRIJA, I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS MARIANNA AND I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS BRYCE, I AM IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM RASHAWN IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS RYAN AND I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE DRUMS. MY NAME IS MRS. BURNHART AND THE VERY PROUD MUSIC TEACHER OF THESE STUDENTS, WONDERFUL STUDENTS. Henry "Shake" Washington: GREAT JOB, STUDENTS. Nadia Combs: PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE. Henry "Shake" Washington: PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. AND WE LOVE THOSE T-SHIRTS. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE. WOULDN'T YOU THINK SO, BOARD MEMBERS?
ALL RIGHT. Nadia Combs: DO YOU GUYS WANT TO STAND? Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY. Nadia Combs: ALL THESE PROUD CHILDREN. Addison Davis: EVERYBODY SMILE. ONE, TWO, THREE. HOLD THAT POSE. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR DRUMMER, YOU WANT TO LEAD US UP. THANK YOU. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MISS LISI FOR BRINGING ALL THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR AND LETTING US LISTEN TO THEIR BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. GREAT JOB. WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWN ITEM F TO 01 PUBLIC AMERICA FOR RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES.
A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS A. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT TODAY. WE HAVE FOUR SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. MARCH 28, 2023, SPECIAL CALLED. APRIL 24 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. APRIL 11, SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING, APRIL 18, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.
A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS A. AND 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 ALL CHILDREN WILL BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND THAT DECISIONS MADE ABOUT THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU CAN 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 SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE USED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN WHICH IS 6:00 AND EMPLOYEE INPUT. I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE BOARD'S GUIDELINES. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS, WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED OF THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE RIGHT OF THE ABOUT PUBLIC'S SPEAKING TO THE BOARD AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME BEING HERE. IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBERS OR STAFF MEMBER, BUT RATHER TO IT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR TO DISRUPT THIS MEETING IS NOT ALLOWED. ALL CIVILITY POLICIES IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESS THE BOARD, STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE. EACH SPEAK WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. TWO MINUTES WHEN YOU START SPEAKING. 30 SECONDS LEFT, A YELLOW LIGHT AND RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS OUT.
I WILL CALL UP THE FIRST SPEAKERS -- FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL. FIRST SPEAKER ONE, PLEASE. I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN SOMEONE DONATE THEIR TIME TO SPEAK? Nadia Combs: NO. THANK YOU. PLEASE BEGIN. HI, MY NAME IS DANIELLE IKEMAN AND I STAND HERE WITH MY WONDERFUL FELLOW INITIATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. AND WE ARE JUST HERE TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR EACH OF YOU. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OF YOU OVER THE PAST YEAR, HAVE PHONE CALLS, MEET WITH YOU PERSONALLY. WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT TRANSITIONING CARROLLWOOD TO A K-8 IS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT THING TO DO TO KEEP OUR KIDS FLOURISHING. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR VOTING YES LAST MEETING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER YES VOTE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU.
NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS STANLEY GRAY AND I REPRESENT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AFTER OUR LAST MEETING I VOTED TO BOARD MEMBERS. ONE NEVER RESPONDED. ONE WROTE SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TALK TO ME AND DIDN'T LIKE THE TONE OF MY REQUEST. ONE DENIED WHEN ASKED FOR VIRTUAL MEETING. ONE SET UP UP A MEETING ON 5-8-23 AND ENDED UP NOT DOING THE MEETING AND WE TALKED ON THE PHONE. I AM NOT FROM TAMPA AND I HAVE NO TIES TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE SCHOOL IS NAMED AFTER ONE OF MY FRATERNITY'S FOUNDING FATHERS. IT IS JUST ANOTHER SCHOOL TO ME. MY PROVERBIAL BONE TO PICK I AM ALL ABOUT EQUITY. I SEE FOR IT TO BE EXECUTED AND BEING TRAMPLED. EQUITY HAS NO SHADES OF GREY. AS THEY SAY IN RANGERS SCHOOL, ONE OF OUR NATION'S BEST LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS, IT IS A GO OR NO GO.
I LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW ON THE RADIO ON OR ABOUT APRIL 19 AFTER THE LAST BOARD MEETING WITH MR. DAVIS. I HEARD HIM RESPOND WITH HIS INTENTION WITH THE CLOSING THAT HE HAD NO DEFINITE PLANS FOR THE BUILDING OR PROPERTY THAT WAS THOUGHT VACATED. 37 THE DISPOSITION OF THE SCHOOL NOT DICTATED BY STATE STATUTE. I DISTINCT TICKETSILY HEARD HIM SAY THE WORD MAYBE. I DOUBT THAT SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS GOT TO WHERE HE IS WITHOUT PLANNING THE ACTIONS OF WHAT HE INITIATED THE CLOSING OF GEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MY WHOLE STATEMENT, BUT I SHARE THE FEELING THIS PROPOSED ACTION IS NOT ABOUT KIDS. EFFORTS BY THE PRINCIPAL TO GAIN PARENTAL SUPPORT ARE NOT EVIDENCED. EFFORTS BY THE PRINCIPAL TO GAIN COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR EITHER SETTING UP INFORMAL OR FORMAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL ARE NOT EVIDENCE. PURELY A NUMBERS GAME. WHY WASN'T IT CONSIDERED TO BE A ONE THROUGH EIGHT LIKE TINKER AND CARROLLWOOD.
WHY WEREN'T THE ALLOCATED TITLE I FUNDS WHICH IS $194,000 -- Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ALVIN HAMILTON AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TO SPEAK TODAY BECAUSE I AM A GRADUATE OF GEST HIGH SCHOOL. YEARS AGO BACK IN THE 60s DURING SEGREGATION. THE FUNDAMENTAL SCHOOL SENDING KIDS TO BLAKE. FROM THERE WE WENT ON TO COLLEGE. NOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO DESTROY THAT, WHAT ARE THE KIDS GOING TO DO. I STOPPED BY WHEN THE KIDS WERE GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL AND LOOKING AT THE FACES OF THESE KIDS TO BE MOVED TO ANOTHER AREA -- AND I DON'T THINK IT IS BECAUSE THE LAND LAND IS SO VALUABLE. BUT I LOOKED BEHIND, AND THERE ARE ACRES OF LAND BACK THERE TO BE DEVELOPED. AND WHY DO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO DO IT AT THE PRICE OF OUR KIDS. WE COULD FIND A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS THAN CLOSING UP A SCHOOL.
AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL COME UP WITH A BETTER DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MY NAME IS KJ ALLEN AND I WANTED TO STOP IN BECAUSE I AM A FORMER EDUCATOR. I TAUGHT SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL. I TAUGHT ON EVERY LEVEL FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 12th. I MOVED DOWN HERE IN 2019, I CAME UNDER THE ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM. WE WERE INCENTIVIZED TO TEACH IN THE SCHOOLS. AND JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SEEING THAT THE -- THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SCHOOLS HAVE THAT F GRADES AND D GRADES AND C GRADES AND SEEING THEM MAKE THE JUMP. I FEEL LIKE ENTIRELY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY ARE STRUGGLING ACROSS THE BOARD. AND I HONESTLY FEEL THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN REALLY GET DOWN TO THIS GENERATION OF STUDENTS BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO BOOKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THIS IS A NEW GENERATION.
WE NEED TO START OF WAYS OF EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING, MORE HANDS-ON, MORE STEM, NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, PRODUCE HIGH-LEVEL TEST GRADES BUT THE ONES AT THE BOOT TOMORROW OF THE PERCENTILE AS WELL. AND AS YOU HAVE SEEN, YOU PUT STUFF -- LET ME TAKE A SECOND. STUDENTS ARE NATURALLY INQUISITIVE. YOU PUT SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THEM, THEY WILL FIGURE IT OUT BUT YOU NEED TO SPARK THAT CURIOSITY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND THEN THE STUDENTS ARE UNDERPERFORMING, WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE RETENTION RATE IN A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS IS TERRIBLE. I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAD NEW PRINCIPALS. I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAD -- WE BROUGHT IN SUBS WHETHER IT BE THROUGH KELLY SERVICES. AND THE SUBSTITUTE QUITS. NO ONE WILL STAND FOR IT. ALREADY HARD ENOUGH IN FLORIDA.
ALREADY HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE A LIVING. WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR TIME, GIVING UP ON EDUCATION, IT REALLY -- YOU REALLY HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE FACT WHAT YOU ARE DOING. IF IT TAKES ANOTHER PLAN, ANOTHER OPTION -- I AM RUNNING OUT OF TIME AT THIS POINT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. TELL ME WHEN IT IS TIME. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE MOST HIGH, I AM PASTOR TUCKER JOHNSON. I WAS DISTURBED OR DISMAYED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING WHEN YOU ALL VOTED. I WANT TO LEAVE A FEW NOTES. THIS WAS QUOTED FROM ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS. WE KNOW OUR HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE THAT IF WE DON'T GET THEM UNDER CONTROL AND GET THEM INTO A PASSING STATE BY THE TIME THEY ARE IN FIFTH GRADE, IT IS A DOWNHILL SPIRAL FROM THERE AND IT KEEPS ROLLING.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS IN THAT PARTICULAR NATURE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS CONTROL WOULD INCLUDE THE NARRATIVE THAT THOSE WHO WROTE -- VOTED WITH THIS -- WITH THIS BOARD MEMBER. WHEN YOU MOVE AN INDIVIDUAL FROM THEIR CORE COMMUNITY WITH THE CONTROL OF SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE YOU, YOU CHANGE THE ALGORITHM OF THE DATA TO ACCOMPLISH CUTTING THE UMBILICAL CORD THAT ACTUALLY FEEDS YOU. I WILL ENDS WITH THIS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME. I WILL CALL TO THOSE WHO STAND WITH US, REMEMBER THIS. WHEN THEY CUT THE CORD, THEY WRAP YOU IN A BLANK WHICH IS CALLED BLANKET. THEY REWRITE YOUR HISTORY AND GIVE THEMSELVES TOP RANK. YOU BUILD THE COMMUNITY. THEY GIVE YOU A LITTLE CLOUT. THEY TAKE CONTROL AND THEY MOVE YOU OUT. THEY ARE THE LITTLE RED RIDING THE HOOD OVER THE BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS WHERE OUR ANCESTORS STHOOD.
TO THE COMMUNITY, BE STRONG. BECAUSE JUST LIKE THE DUST, IT MAY SEEM LONG, BUT THE JUST WILL RISE. AND I WANT TO THANK KAREN PEREZ, SHAKE WASHINGTON, JESSICA VAUGHN AND ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE, REMEMBER, YOU ALL WERE SELECTED TO BE OUR VOICE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. AMEN. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PHILLIP TUCKER III. I AM 12 YEARS OLD. AND I ATTEND YOUNG MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF ONE WORD, THAT WORD IS "CONNECTION." I AM SPEAKING TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY WITH THE PASSION TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY. MANY OF YOU ARE HERE TO SHARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND YOUR INDIVIDUAL CONNECTIONS WITH JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BUT WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND IS WHY YOU ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CONNECTION.