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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. AND 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.
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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 MATERIAL 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 OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2023, IS CALLED TO ORDER.
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MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW 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.
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PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: MEMBER WASHINGTON, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? Henry "Shake" Washington: YES, MADAM CHAIR. ARE THEY COMING IN? WELL, THEY SHOULD BE APPROACHING IN ONE MINUTE. HERE THEY COME. OKAY. GOOD. ALL RIGHT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE STEINBRENNER ORCHESTRA ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL MS. EWELL. SHE USED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST STUDENTS IN MY CLASS. I TAUGHT HER DRIVER'S ED. SHE WAS A GREAT DRIVER'S ED STUDENT AND MUSIC DIRECTOR ANDRE ZOLOWITZ. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENT ENTERTAINERS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE BOARD MEETING, AT THIS TIME, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE AUDIENCE? FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF MUSIC EDUCATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I HOPE THAT CONTINUES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
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ANDREA ZOROWITZ, DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA AT STEINBRENNER. VERY PROUD TO BE THERE. THESE ARE MY WONDERFUL KIDS. AIDEN. I'M IN 10th GRADE. COLIN, 12th GRADE. I'M IN 12th GRADE. CADEN, 12th GRADE. MORRIS, 11th GRADE. JAMES, 12th GRADE. ANDY, 10th GRADE. ELIJAH, 10th GRADE. EVAN, 10th GRADE. CONNOR, 12th GRADE. ELLA, 12th GRADE. ZOEY, 12th GRADE. ALEXANDER, 12th GRADE. CANAAN, 11th GRADE. PAYER, 12th GRADE. 9th GRADE. 12th GRADE. MADELEINE, 12th GRADE. OLIVIA, 9th GRADE. ESSA, 9th GRADE. MAYA, 12th GRADE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. PARENTS, IF WE WANT TO TAKE PICTURES, PLEASE COME UP CLOSER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU DID A GREAT JOB ALSO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: YES, THANK YOU ALL. OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THAT WAS REALLY OUTSTANDING FOR THOSE OF YOU ABLE TO HEAR IT. WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
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I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. 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 ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, AUGUST 15, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
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I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE 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 STATEMENTS AND/OR 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'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
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MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW GO OVER THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THE MEETING, LET ME 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 WEBCAST ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES. Nadia Combs: WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, 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.
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OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC 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 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.
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THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LIFE, YOU'LL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN, A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN THE TIME IS UP. I'LL CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS, IF THEY CAN PLEASE LINE UP. GOOD EVENING. ANT AVILA, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH EQUALITY FLORIDA. AND I AM SO PLEASED TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK THE DISTRICT STAFF AND THE BOARD FOR RELEASING THE LGBTQ GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION TO PROPERLY SUPPORT AND PROTECT EVERY STUDENT AND THE ABILITY FOR EVERY FAMILY TO REQUEST PRONOUNS AND PROPER MESSAGE FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR MAKING A COMMITMENT NOT TO UTILIZE THE CLEARLY PARTISAN MATERIALS, PRAGER U IN CLASSROOMS AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE GOOD DECISION MADE BY PLANT HIGH SCHOOL ON NOT BANNING BOOKS BASED ON HATE.
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WE ASK AND CONTINUE TO ASK THAT THE BOARD PROVIDE A CLEAR AND THOROUGH, TRANSPARENT PROCESS FOR REVIEW OF ANY MATERIALS AND THAT BOOK BANNINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN HILLSBOROUGH BASED ON HATE. WE ALSO ASK THE BOARD TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS HAD FOR OUR TEACHERS HERE IN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME FOR THOSE TEACHERS TO RECRUIT MEMBERSHIP. WE ALSO ASK THE BOARD TO SEND A COLLECTIVE SIGN-ON LETTER AS A BOARD TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO REMOVE THE ERRONEOUS AND RACIST LANGUAGE THAT IS NOW A PART OF THOSE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULA. THAT IS ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS MATTHEW JOHNSON. I'M THE FATHER OF TWO STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT AND THE HUSBAND OF A TEACHER ALSO IN THE DISTRICT. I'M HERE FIRST TO JUST QUICKLY COSIGN THE THING ANT SAID BUT PRIMARILY TALK ABOUT MY SON.
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HE IS THE MOST ARTISTIC ONE OF, IF NOT THE SMARTEST AND ABOVE ALL THE KINDEST KID IN HIS CLASS. I SAY THAT NOT JUST TO BRAG ABOUT HIM, BUT I AM, BUT REALLY JUST TO MAKE THE POINT THAT HE'S THE TYPE OF KID THAT SHOULD MAKE IT REALLY EASY TO BE A TEACHER IN THIS DISTRICT. BUT HE ALSO HAPPENS TO BE TRANSGENDERED. SO THIS SCHOOL YEAR KIND OF BEGAN WITH SOME FEAR THAT HIS TEACHERS WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR JOBS AND TREATING HIM WITH RESPECT. I'M JUST HERE TODAY TO ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PROTECT OUR TRANSCHILDREN AND THEIR TEACHERS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THEIR GUIDANCE FOR TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION ON LGBTQ STUDENTS AND THEIR SUPPORT.
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EVERY STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BE THEMSELVES AT SCHOOL, AND THAT EXTENDS TO THE LIBRARIES. THE LIBRARIES SHOULD REFLECT AND RESPECT THE DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION THAT THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM SERVES. SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU FOLKS, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, THAT I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN REAL GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE YET ON LIBRARIES, BUT THE STATE HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THAT DON'T SAY GAY DOES NOT APPLY TO THE LIBRARIES IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. JUST LAST MONTH OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL, ASHLEY MOODY, STATED IN A BRIEF ASKING TO DISMISS A LAWSUIT, THAT THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL DOES NOT APPLY TO LIBRARIES. IT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO HAVE A SCHOOL LIBRARY THAN IT IS TO HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM. SHE ALSO SAID IN A PREVIOUS LAWSUIT THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL DO NOT MEAN THAT LIBRARIES HAVE TO REMOVE ALL LGBTQ CONTENT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE A BOOK HAS GAY CHARACTERISTICS, GAY COUPLES, GAY MARRIAGES, DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE CONTENT IS SEXUALIZED ANY MORE THAN HAVING STRAIGHT COUPLES OR STRAIGHT MARRIAGES AUTOMATICALLY MAKES A BOOK SEXUALIZED.
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I'M ASKING TO YOU PLEASE REMEMBER BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF BOOK CHALLENGES THIS YEAR THAT THE LIBRARIES ARE NOT UNDER GUIDANCE THAT THE STATE HAS PROVIDED ON CURRICULUM. HOWEVER UNFORTUNATE THAT GUIDANCE IS IT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE LIBRARIES. PLEASE KEEP THE LIBRARIES AS A PLACE THAT REFLECT AND RESPECT ALL OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. IF I COULD HAVE SPEAKERS 6 THROUGH 10 TO PLEASE COME UP, AND THEN OUR NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES AND STAFF. A PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE OF 37 YEARS. YES, MY DAD DEDICATED LITERALLY HALF OF HIS LIFE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, MY DAD'S FORMER COLLEAGUES AS WELL AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MANY WHO ARE PRESENT TODAY, TO SEEK THIS BOARD'S CONSIDERATION IN NAMING THE NEW PRE-K TO 8 MAGNET SCHOOL OPENING IN SOUTH TAMPA IN DISTRICT 2 AFTER MY FATHER, KEN ADAM.
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EDUCATION WAS HIS LIFE. HE LOVED AND IT SHOWED. LOOK AT HIS RESUMÉ OF PROGRAMS AND INCENTIVES THAT HE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS. HE WANTED STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. INCREDIBLE HARD WORKER, DISCIPLINED, ETHICAL, PASSIONATE, FAIR, AND EXTRAORDINARY LEADER. MANY OF HIS MENTEED WENT ON TO BECOME DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCIPALS AND EVEN FLORIDA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, ALTHOUGH HE WOULD NEVER WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR ANY OF THAT. I WILL NEVER KNOW THE DEPTH OF THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF THAT HE ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED DURING HIS TENURE. I STILL CONTINUE TO MEET PEOPLE HE TOUCH. LIKE I MET SUE BURKETT LAST YEAR. I DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD THAT CONNECTION. BOTH MY SISTER AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING SCHOOL UNDER HIS PRINCIPALSHIP. HE WAS MY PRINCIPAL AT ADAMS AND MY SISTER'S AT GAITHER. MAYBE WE WEREN'T SURE THAT WAS A PRIVILEGE AT THE TIME BECAUSE WE WERE TEENAGERS BUT IT WAS VERY EVIDENT THAT HE VALUED EVERY MEMBER OF HIS STAFF, FROM CUSTODIANS TO TEACHERS, TO ADMINISTRATION, TO CAFETERIA WORKERS, THE BUS DRIVERS, HE VALUED EVERYONE'S ROLE AND THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT IN ESTABLISHING AND RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL.
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MY DAD'S LEGACY DID NOT END WHEN HE RETIRED FROM HIS FINAL APPOINTMENT AS AREA 7 DIRECTOR. INSTEAD LIVES ON IN FORMER STUDENTS, MENTEES, STAFF, FACULTY, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHERE HE LIVED AND WORKED. I WILL NEVER KNOW THE FULL IMPACT HE HAD ON OTHERS' LIVES, YET AS CURRENT HCPS EMPLOYEE, I CONTINUALLY MEET OTHERS WHOSE LIVES WERE TOUCHED BY MY FATHER. MY SISTER ALLISON AND I BOTH NOW IN OUR 19th YEAR IN EDUCATION STRIVE TO CARRY ON DAD'S LEGACY AND PASSION FOR EDUCATION. MY MOM LINDA WAS ALWAYS BY MY DAD'S SIDE, WHETHER IT WAS AT A FOOTBALL GAME OR ACADEMIC EVENT OR A CONCERT, INCLUDING MADISON, WHICH IS DOWN THE STREET FROM THE NEW PREK-8 SCHOOL BUT SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE WITH THEM, SERVING TEACHERS DINNER. AT ANY RATE, PLEASE STRONGLY CONSIDER THIS NEW SCHOOL TO BE NAMED AFTER MY FATHER. LET HIS LEGACY CONTINUE AND NAME BRING HONOR TO YET ANOTHER GENERATION OF STUDENTS AND STAFF, JUST AS DAD WAS A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN, LET THE ADAM FAMILY WOULD BE HONORED TO BE PART OF THE NEW MAGNET SCHOOL FAMILY, DEVOTING OUR TIME AND CONTINUED SUPPORT.
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND STAFF. MY NAME IS RENEE CARTIER, TEACHER AND COUNSELOR FOR 42 YEARS, FORMERLY RETIRED FROM THE DISTRICT IN 2016. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK UNDER KEN AIDEM WHILE THE ADMINISTRATOR AS HIS COUNSELOR. TODAY, I HAVE THE HONOR TO READ TO YOU A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE NAMING OF THE NEW PREK-8 SCHOOL FROM ONE OF MR. AIDEM'S FORMER STUDENTS, SERENA NELSON, WHO VERY MUCH WANTED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING. SERENA, WHO ATTENDED MADISON JUNIOR HIGH FROM 1977 TO 1979 DURING KEN'S TENURE WRITES: I GREW UP IN SOUTH TAMPA AREA AND ATTENDED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM FIRST GRADE UNTIL GRADUATION FROM PLANT HIGH SCHOOL IN 1982. I HAVE LIVED ON BAY VILLA AVENUE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM MADISON JUNIOR HIGH AND WHERE THE NEW PREK-8 MAGNET SCHOOL IS BEING BUILT.
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WHILE ATTENDING MADISON, I WAS KEN AIDEM'S STUDENT ASSISTANT. MY YEARS AT MADISON CHANGED MY LIFE. I WAS LIVING IN A SINGLE-PARENT HOME, THE YOUNGEST OF FOUR AND DEALING WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF CEREBRAL PALSY. AS A YOUNG STUDENT -- MAKES ME CRY -- AS A YOUNG STUDENT, DEAN AIDEM AND HIS WIFE LINDA TOOK AN INTEREST IN ME AND MADE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE GIVING ME ENCOURAGEMENT AND CONFIDENCE THAT I WAS LACKING. KEN AIDEM, ALONG WITH HIS FAMILY, BECAME A LIFELONG MENTOR AND FRIEND. THERE ISN'T ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME THAT HAS NOT HEARD OF KEN AIDEM. AND HIS INFLUENCE ON MY LIFE. HIS INFLUENCE ALSO MOVED ME IN THE DIRECTION OF GETTING A TEACHING DEGREE. I STILL LIVE IN THE AREA OF SOUTH TAMPA. I EVEN ATTENDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THE FORMER MANHATTAN ELEMENTARY STARTING IN FIRST GRADE UNTIL GOING ON TO LEE 6th GRADE CENTER.
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IT WOULD BE SUCH AN HONOR FOR THE NEW PRE-K 8 MAGNET SCHOOL THAT NOW SITS ON THE PROPERTY WHERE THE ORIGINAL MANHATTAN ELEMENTARY WAS LOCATED TO BE NAMED AFTER KEN AIDEM. A MAN THAT SPENT HIS LIFE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN STUDENTS' LIVES AS WELL AS THE FACULTY THAT SERVED UNDER HIS AMAZING LEADERSHIP. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE BY THIS SCHOOL AND SEE HIS NAME, KEN AIDEM, OVER THE DOOR. THANK YOU, SERENA NELSON. AND THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. MY NAME IS GEORGE GAFFNEY. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MR. AIDEM AND WOULD LIKE YOU TO SINCERELY CONSIDER NAMING THE NEW K-8 AFTER MR. KEN AIDEM. I WILL TELL YOU, I MET MR. AIDEM ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE HE BECAME PRINCIPAL ADAMS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. AND DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG TO FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF PERSON HE WAS.
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WHEN YOU PUT THE NAME ON THE SCHOOL, WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE IS SOMETHING THAT REPRESENTS INTEGRITY, CHARACTER, A OF ALTHOUGH OF CHILDREN -- A LOVE OF CHILDREN AND COMMITMENT. WHEN YOU SEE THAT ON THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL, MR. KEN AIDEM, THAT WILL MEAN A GREAT DEAL TO THE COMMUNITY. IT WILL BE A GREAT STEPPING-STONE FOR THAT NEW PRINCIPAL THAT YOU APPOINT TO LEARN WHO HE IS AND BUILD ON THE COMMITMENT AND CHARACTER AND TRAITS OF MR. KEN AIDEM. I PROMISE YOU, YOU WILL NOT MAKE A MISTAKE BY DOING THIS. THERE'S NOT MANY PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME DOWN HERE. I WORKED FOR A LOT OF GREAT ADMINISTRATORS. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, WORK FOR, WORK UNDER MANY, MANY ADMINISTRATORS IN THIS COUNTY, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU, THERE'S NONE BETTER THAN MR. AIDEM WAS. I FEEL VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN A PART OF HIS LIFE.
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