Superintendent's Workshop 12 p.m. 12-1-25

001I'd like to call this workshop to order. The time is 12 noon. Wish to welcome you to the superintendent's workshop being held in the Joe and Idollet Jr. TEC. I ask out of respect to everyone, please silence all electronic devices at this time. Also, if you have any material you wish to share with any board member, please give that to our executive assistant, Miss Mor seated over there. We take a break every two hours if needed. But before we begin today's workshop, I ask everyone to join us in a moment of silence. We stand united with the United with the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, their dedicated staff, and their families. We extend our deepest support and solidarity to our partners in public safety and we remain committed to working alongside them as we support

002our community. Our prayers and thoughts are with the families and friends of Sergeant Terry Sweding Mashcow and David Long as well as the entire sheriff's office during this difficult time. Thank you. >> All right. I'd like to recognize the superintendent to explain the purpose of this workshop. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. The purpose of this workshop is to present items uh for discussion and feedback from the board that'll eventually come for approval uh during an upcoming board meeting. The first order of business, although it was not on the agenda, is to uh provide the the white hat. I have taken the burden and placed it upon myself to acknowledge our cabinet members for all of their hard work. And I'll say it as I say it every single time, every single month, every single cabinet

003member could could be uh issued the the white hat. So, um, the volume of work that we have thrusted upon ourselves and holding ourselves accountable and listening a to this board and b to the community regarding the innovation of our school system is a great deal of additional work, but it's the right work. Uh, and it's exciting work. Um, and we want to ensure the the academic outcome that has allowed us the opportunity to do this doesn't regress. And as I have told this board a number of times, now is the right time to do this innovation work because of the capacity that we've built because of the structures and the systems around academic integrity uh instructional leaders that are in that building. So, um, as we've pushed on to really innovate the system, um,

004me personally, even though so much additional time that didn't exist last year, focusing around new programming, new resources, new ways of meeting our communities needs are are changing, uh, have every level of of confidence in Miss Bura and her team in leading the instructional programming at our district to make sure at the end of the year, uh, we do continue along this rate of progress. Um, we're still coming in hot for that number one spot. So, in acknowledging I say Miss Purs and it sounds weird uh because it's Kelly. Um, just just the systems and the structures and and the ability to distribute leadership across her team uh has transformed how we're able to do this work. And if it wasn't for her, I don't know that we'd be able to engage in this innovation

005work that we're currently doing. uh she's actively involved in what programming will look like while at the same time leading a a number of committed individuals who are who are just making sure uh we're providing the highest level of support to our principles while at the same time uh uplifting them uh in order to make sure that we hit the outcome that our our community ultimately deserves. So I if you just pass that hat on down I don't know if you can do haircut. Oh it looks it looks good. It looks good. Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. Um, hi me. Uh, Mr. Alberte will present the the first item. >> Good afternoon, board members. Madam Chair, uh, the first item for review is the interlocal agreement between the Indian uh, Indian River County Sheriff's

006Office and the school district just to allow us to operate uh, for them to operate our buses in the event of a emergency such as a hurricane in case they need to transport uh, inmates from one facility to another. Any questions, board members? I have one. Um, I know this comes up what, every five years or so? >> It is new for us. >> Oh, okay. So, this is a five-year contract we're looking at. Um, will our bus drivers be trained in anything differently in order to fill in? I know they said they are going to supply drivers, but it also says that ours will fill in in an emergency. >> If there's any training to be had, um, for now, I'm being told that they will provide the drivers for their facility. I don't

007think they'll need that many. They won't have enough drivers for us to have to backfill. But the event we do, they would ride with a deputy. So all their focus would need to be just on driving. The deputies will take care of the rest. >> And how will we determine which bus drivers get to go or do this responsibility? >> So that will be depending on where I'll have to work with Miss Adellet to figure out how we would assign those perhaps on seniority. I'm really sure that's a contract >> just like we do for field trips and things like that. But they understand that this is a totally different thing than a field trip. >> It would be. >> Okay. Thank you. And not for nothing, Mr. Aert, but Mr. Seymour drove a bus

008for us in the past in the middle of a hurricane. So maybe >> I >> don't think I meet those high requirements. [laughter] >> All right, next. >> I have a question. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Oh, >> I have a question. Um, the question that I have is the priority in terms of emergency. So, if we had um a weather emergency, for example, um and there was mass flooding in our schools and mass flooding in the jail, let's just say, um I want to make sure that our school district and our students get priority over the uses of our buses um over this agreement. So can you talk a little bit about securing the priority with the with our school buses and this agreement? >> Yeah, absolutely. So in [clears throat] the event that

009there is a state of emergency, obviously we wouldn't have any school at the moment. Um so we wouldn't have that conflict that you're kind of trying to address the issue. In the event that there is a need for our buses and also a need for our school children to get uh transported, of course, we will become the priority and provided up on we'll have to work out the um the finer details of when and where when the incident happens and how that we're going to support them. They can probably do it after hours because I'm sure they can move after hours after school is open. >> Okay. But how is that captured in this contract? I don't have a contract in front of >> that's that's one of the questions that I had when we

010had our one-on-one that I wanted to make sure that this contract reflects the priority of our buses with our our our needs and our students um and have that codified in this agreement. But I'm not quite sure that I've seen it. You may have it in there, but I'm not sure if it's there. >> [clears throat] >> And if it isn't, I'd like to ask that um uh Miss Enville work together with you to make sure that we have some kind of language in there that secures the priority of our district um with these buses. >> Madam Chair, are we requesting to amend the contract? Is that what we're [clears throat] >> I thought I saw something formal action right now. >> Can Can we defer to the attorney because I think I saw something

011in there. Go ahead. >> I think Can you hear me? >> Mhm. >> Okay. I I think we put something in there and I think this is contemplated for when we probably won't be using our school buses. I think it's something when they will be doing it. Um I'm trying to pull it up right now so I could take a look. So if we can press pause. I know we talked about Mr. Albert and I talked about it already. So >> appreciate it. Thank you >> Dr. Shy. We'll we'll circle back. We won't leave that hanging chat. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Through the chair. The next item is review of school media center book orders for school year 2526. We bring this item before the board for consideration of approval two times

012annually. The first time we did it this year was in July. We're bringing forth three uh additional schools. The schools are Felmmeir, Liberty, and Oyola. As part of the backup, you will see that a meeting was noticed and convened publicly and [clears throat] the agenda and/or the minutes are with the book orders as well as members of the committee completed the Florida Department of Education library media training in preparation for their review. It is also important to note we're continuing the procedure of upon receipt, each of these books will be read cover to cover before being placed on the shelf for student checkout. board members. >> Miss Rosario. >> Um, thank you for this update. Uh, Dr. Shafty, there were some that were removed um that were originally supposed to be on today's agenda and

013then some were removed because they're still needing um some further vetting. I'm not sure exactly where what that status is, but I do appreciate that the caution uh that we are taking in removing some of these books before we're voting for them. Um, my question is, and I've had this, I brought this up, I don't know, several meetings ago. I think it's time that we have proper another update on our library system because there really shouldn't be a book on this list that was previously removed from our from other schools within our our our school district. Um, and so I would really like to know where we are with that, what the process is in terms of vetting the books, getting the books off the shelves that have been there for quite a while, which

014is part of the requirements um, per the statute. I want to make sure that everyone who is reviewing or recommending books um have received the proper training that they are supposed to have the library um materials training um not just the media center specialist but also if SAC committees are involved they're supposed to do that you you know all of that stuff. Um, so I'd like to really ask um if you could give us a little bit of an update and if you're not prepared now, I'd like the superintendent to add an item for a future workshop so that we can get an updated version. You're ready. You're okay. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> I'm prepared. Um, so we do we support our media specialists each year. They complete the training themselves. I

015will say the training hasn't changed since it was initiated in 2023. However, they complete it annually. The superintendent submits certification that each of our media specialists at all levels complete that training annually to the state to the instructional materials portal. Um, so I do have every level of confidence that our media specialists are completing that as well as we work with them constantly ongoing with that training. They are very well aware. I would even say that our media specialists are exemplars for knowing what the statutes, rules, and laws are, how they review the books. Um, even though we are engaging in a secondary review of one of the backup materials, um, I was made aware that three peer reviews were completed for each of those materials submitted and that is the case across the board.

016Our media specialists are avid readers. They are aware. They have surveys with students that what they are asking for. There are books in series that the kids want to keep reading. So they are feverishly trying to purchase them and keep them on the shelves. Um and then each year our media specialists conduct an inventory. The inventory is submitted as well and it is up to them to complete that inventory based on circulation and checkouts. Schools will vary in that. There are some schools where certain series you can't keep them on the shelves long enough where there are other spaces where that may not be the interest as well as collections are unique to the schools and their programming. We've worked really hard that if it's a classical programming school, the books that are supporting classical

017education, those were the books we brought forth for Pelican Island Classical Magnet in July. Um Oyola's book list you'll see is very much steam oriented and they're preparing for the future. Um, but I have no doubt in our media specialists really um, knowing the process and adhering to the process that we have in place. Um, and when they go and they speak with colleagues in other districts across the state, our process is so well ingrained that people ask them, you know, how do you review it? How do you bring books for purchases? I mean, we are approaching year three of this, so it's not anything new for them this way of work. >> So, um, thank you for that. Uh so what about the weeding process? Because the weeding process is an ongoing process. Um

018we were guaranteed about a year or two ago when we kind of finished all of the details of our policy that we would have regular ongoing that there would be a period of time where there would be some heavy hard >> um weeding and then there would be periodic weeding. What is the process for the weeding? I think the the question really stems from the process from within, right? Our internal processes of what who does what, when, and where and who are they reporting to for accountability so that we can make sure that weeding is going on. uh media center specialist. It's it's such an important role and um and the heavy task of being responsible for reading all of the books that are in every library is kind of daunting. Um so I I

019do understand the three peer reviews but with but three peer reviews are not the only it's not actually codified in the statute nor is it codified in our policy. So we need to be able to make sure that there is the proper procedure as you know for the internal processes. So can you talk a little bit about the weeding and how that happens? >> So weeding is part of annual inventory. If when you think about our media specialists especially in the elementary space they are teaching like every other teacher all day long. So the expectation for weeding for them on a regular basis is at minimum once a year in that annual inventory. I can't say that a student will bring a book back that is so read or so much in circulation that it

020may be weeded because it is no longer staying together as a book. Um but I it is important to note that our our media specialists report to me. Um we stay in constant communication of the work but depending on the level and the schools that they serve they are scheduled to teach all day long. So weeding happens at minimum at the end of the school year when they are inventorying every single thing in the space. And I do have every level of confidence when you go on to insignia that inventory 100% is accurate of what's in that space um each year at any moment. >> So thank you for bringing up insignia. That was my next question. >> Um so insignia is the platform. I know uh Mr. Dyer uh wasn't here when we kind

021of when Insig maybe wasn't here when Insignia um when we started to use Insignia um as our media center platform um where all of our books are kind of listed in there per school and per topic and author and all of that. Um what what is the process for purchasing? That's the other thing that, you know, we're using a new platform now and I'm grateful that we are. Um, but when a media center specialist requests a book, I mean, the issue that we had quite a while ago was that there were these recommendations for, you know, the top 50 or the top 100, they would come in a bulk purchase and they wouldn't be vetted. >> Um, and so is that process still happening that way? Now that we have insignia, what is the process

022for purchasing the books in the first place so that we're not wasting taxpayer money by purchasing books that we're going to eventually return or not use? How does that work? >> So, this is the process. They come before you um as brand new titles or new acquisitions to the district. Um they know I spot check them that sometimes they provide books that um are not new. Um, but everything comes before you twice annually, July and December of each uh, calendar year and they go through the process of taking it before SAC typically. Um, every order we've brought forth is through SAC because it requires a committee of community members. It needs to be noticed and in the sunshine. So that committee instead of creating a brand new one, it just makes sense for our schools

023to use that. They send the meeting notices to Miss Morray. We get them as part of school district meeting notices. They send them out in their weekly communications. That committee is the one who watches the Florida Department of Education um library media training and then they review the book lists that are presented and curated by the media specialist who takes it through the principal who brings it the principal ultimately makes the decision if it is on the sack committee agenda and then we bring it forth to the board for consideration of approval. Like I said, we started this very first time, July of 2023, and we've been following the same procedure ever since that new acquisitions have to come to a board as a result of House Bill 1467, I believe, as a separate line

024item because they are considered an instructional material. >> Yeah, thank you for all of that. That wasn't what I was asking. What I was asking was from the school level. Is it the media center specialist? Because the title has to come from somewhere. >> Yes. Where does the title come from? Where that then the recommendation and then the entire process happens. >> It depends on the school. If you look at Oyola's minutes, they will say that the recommendation came from students or continuation of a series that has been requested by parents or community. So their agenda or their minutes will typically detail that. Um but ultimately it's the person with the media specialist certification that has to curate and bring forth the list to the school principal who is responsible for everything on the campus

025through the publicly noticed committee. >> Okay. So this is the this is where I think there is a gap between that process. Someone has an idea I like this book. Can we please purchase this book? media center specialist gets a list of books before it actually goes through sack and goes through all of that. How does that list of five books for example um connect with previous books that we agreed would be removed from our school district? where is the process for aligning cross-checking those new recommended titles with previous books that have been rejected by our school district. So anything >> that's where I think there is a gap. >> Anything that has been removed from this board has not come back as an as an item. I believe >> well there was one book

026that was on there now >> official formally removed by the board. I >> uh from what I understand it was form it was removed from the district. >> It was not I could not find any record of that. >> So Mexicid was not removed from any school. >> Not by action of this board. So if it was removed, it could be removed because it was discontinued or damaged as part of inventory, but it is not on any formal removal of action from this board. >> So what about action from the district? What about action from your office or from the superintendent's office? >> We use the list. Um, >> and if there's a book that you or the superintendent deem inappropriate, where what happens to that list? It hasn't come to us. It's just something

027that you all at your level have the ability to do because the the policy says that you can do that. >> We would work with our media specialist and look at the rules and laws and ultimately the media specialist with that certification based on state law would be the one to remove it. >> No, that's not what I'm saying. Um the gap is let's say you have decided this book is inappropriate. It doesn't >> I wouldn't I don't have that certificate to make that decision. >> Let's just say you have decided this book is being removed. >> The media center specialist wants a book that was previously deemed inappropriate. It has not come to us yet. What is the process there? That's where I'm wondering if there is a gap. Dr. Moore, can you look

028into this a little bit more? We don't have to get into it and spend a lot of time in it now. But if you understand what I'm trying to find the process, I don't think that we have a written process in at the district so that we can ensure books that have previously been deemed inappropriate are not going to inadvertently, it could be by mistake, you know, inadvertently reordered >> through the chair. So we can definitely look and provide additional information to the board. I think the redundancies that are built into a the policy and b the the procedures in which we follow. Um as an example, Vero Beach was initially on this list. It's not now um because of the safeguards that are in place. Uh sometimes it's just simple dialogue and conversation. Did

029you realize this or we learned this information uh out of an abundance of caution? Let's re relook at it. Um but in terms of kind of codifying it on on a piece of paper to to bring a level of clarity in terms of the checks and balances that are in uh that are in place to make sure uh a removed book is is not falling back on or a series of what whatever the case may be because at the end of the day um I think we're we're solid in our way of work. So it's just a matter of probably codifying it. >> But I do I do appreciate the review of it because it really wasn't the district's initiative to remove the high school level books. It was based on citizen concern over some

030of the books that were being reordered or ordered um and and my concerns because I emailed some concerns with some books that I saw on the list that were inappropriate. Um and so from that level, we shouldn't have to depend on citizens or board members. Um although that's our job, but you know, that's why I'm I appreciate if you can re look into those procedures so that we can make sure that it just doesn't happen again, >> please. Thank you. >> All right, we have another question over here. Doc Jones has had her hand up for a while. >> Um, first of all, thank you, U, Dr. Shafty. Has every media center ordered books this year? >> Okay. Do you know why? >> It it truly is up to them. Um, we really are just

031the conduit to bring it to the board. They all know that if they have the funds um and the desire to bring it forth, they we will bring it forth for them. We review it, we format it, we prep it for the board, but ultimately any one of our locations, if funding exists, can bring books forth. >> I guess the last statement I'd like to make, um I'm interested if kids are reading. And I did say this, I think a couple months ago to someone that I will ask for some data at the end of this semester, middle and high school, because I know that our elementary specialists, they're teaching every period except one, and they work with their elementary students quite a bit, and that's really nice. But our middle school and high school

032students reading and are they checking books out for enjoyment. You know, the wonderful transformation of our libraries at the high school has been wonderful. and I have visited them each uh a couple times. So, I'm interested to see if we're just getting a little bit more readers. I mean, there was a some kind of report a few months ago about, you know, reading for pleasure has gone down in adults, period. So, I'm concerned about our students. But, um, as far as the media center ordering books, Mr. Green, is that still categorical, the media services, or is that that wrapped into the I mean, we used to have a certain fund for media books. That's not categorical anymore, is it? So instructional materials used [clears throat] to have a category and now that's rolled in the

033general fund allocation. >> Do we know how much our schools give to our media centers or is that just >> based on >> depending on their budget? >> It it is based on enrollment number that >> Okay. Thank you. I just want to see >> why some of them maybe haven't done so. Thank you very much Dr. Pasca. >> Um yes. So my um there's been a lot of discussion on this topic. I guess my question is kind of just boils it down really simply. Um, Dr. Shafty, we have exemplar media specialists that know the process and have done the training and are excellent and, you know, the best. Um, I guess how is it that the Vero Beach High School list had a number of books that I would consider inappropriate for a kids

034library? >> Sure. Um, in reviewing the books, it looks at we went line by line for each of those books. there's an age gap for some of the books where it's recommended for ages 12 to 17. Um I think what we were able to find is depending on the peer review. I have I do have every level of confidence the peer review times three for each of those titles showed value in being added to the inventory of that campus. The safeguard that we have here is they would be read cover to cover um to be sure that a review without any level of detail just someone's opinion actually could be validated with the text that's in the book. And I think that's where we were in a unique space of without the text or the

035pages because many of them are new titles, we couldn't validate that somebody's summation of the book actually is captured in the book. There were instances where a text would be brought to our attention. you go, we go and look for that book and we have the student version of it and we don't have page 234 because our copy ends at page 220. So it is important that we have the actual text in front of us to then sit with the media specialist to say this is the statute that it that it violates. But a lot of the insights while very much appreciated are vague um and not this page contains this which allows us to then gauge it against the statute to confirm that is in fact accurate. >> Okay. So you guys are reviewing

036and and seeing if they're going to be appropriate or not. It's >> just to add on to that the process identified within the policy that additional safeguard which I don't think anybody really has to be honest with you is to have the book in hand cover to cover to say okay yeah all right now I'm seeing this on page 237 or whatever page you were referencing that's the that's the additional safeguard so the entire process we are yet to implement in order to ensure um that it's there I think another big reason we we pulled away from Vero Beach Senior High School is we're combining schools tools and we're going from two media specialists, two media libraries into to one space. Um, we should be more worried about weeding than maybe ordering at at this

037point to make sure as you're combining the ninth grade center with the main campus, um, there's a volume of books that we need to we need to, you know, not not compound our problem, but ultimately slim down. >> Okay. So, I just want to make a comment and a shout out to our um media specialist, my grandson who's only, well, now he's six, but he was five at the time. Um when we had Celebrate Freedom Week and um learning about he learned about his four fathers and all that, he was super excited that his media specialist um recommended a National Geographic book on um George Washington and so he brought it to show me. He was super excited about it and he asked I asked him if he knew who that was and he told

038me a whole bunch of stuff that I was shocked that a 5-year-old knew. Um, and he asked me about his teeth. So, I had actually bend him [laughter] >> teeth. I bent him out Vernon and I told him I had been to his house and he was just amazed by that. So, um I think that came that brought home to me that there's a real connection with what's happening um in the school and what the media specialists are helping the kids learn about. So, I appreciated that. >> Thank you. C. >> Good morning through the chair. Um, item C is just an addendum to our already established contract with AMN Healthcare, uh, asking for an increase to the spending authority for up to $150,000 to cover compensation for three school psychologists that are currently contracted

039with them that are filling vacancies. >> Board members, we're good. >> Okay. And item D, which is my pleasure to bring to you today, is a proposal for the naming of the Verb Beach High School WIT gymnasium floor in honor of Coach Loendic, uh, who, um, served for nearly three decades, not only shaping our championship caliber program, um, but also the lives of countless young men who proudly wore the Ver uniform. 29 remarkable seasons, four state final four appearances, 600 victories, and retired in 2017 as the winningest basketball coach in Treasure Coast history. So, the attached uh documents follow the schoolboard policy 7250 with um the community forum and the work group and all of the members that are necessary to be on that. I will note that there were a hundred people that attended

040the community forum. Um was such a large crowd and so many voices heard that 10 of them ended up leaving before the vote happened. So 90 people voted and it was a unanimous 90. Yes. >> Board members. >> I'd just like to say um I coached at the same time only 10 of those years not 30. Um, so I know Coach Lo and Dick, um, super super guy and it's nice that they're recognizing him like this. Uh, that is an consent agenda item. So I am going to move that to action tonight because I think that needs to be an action item. So um, there was a one mention in there when the fine print that it needs to be a super majority of the board. So that's why I felt like it needed to

041be an action item. >> So I didn't hear that. Needs to be what? >> A super majority of the board. >> M. >> Yes. Um, thank you, Miss Christopher Foley, and thank you to um, Principal Finnegan. Her letter really summarized his um, dedication to this school system. Uh, I met him when I was ger middle six principal and he was coach, but he was at Gford Middle 7. Um, and I think Miss Fitting really summarized it well. It was more than basketball and I knew many, many, many of his players that came up from Gford Middle. And, um, to say that he's retired, he still comes to the games. In fact, Mr. Dawson, who's a coach there now, used to be one of his players and was his assistant coach. So, you know, loyalty and

042coaching, those those things seem to go away. You don't get those 29 and 30-year coaches anymore in the school system. They'll stay for a few years and then leave. So, when we have someone like this, um, I think it's wonderful that this community u wanted to do this for him. So, thank you, Miss Chrisoy. Okay. Thank you, Madam Chair. The first item E is a um a charitable contribution agreement with Next Era Energy Foundation. And as we've uh briefed many times as we've worked through the Jimmy Graves Sports and Community Complex, we have um garnered vast amount of donations to provide that to the community. And one of them that we've been working on is through FPL. This is actually their the name of their foundation and their foundation working through our foundation for tax

043reasons as you can imagine. Um this agreement is a donation of $500,000 to the complex for the um inclusive playground. It's $100,000 this year and then $100,000 each four years after that um in recognition for the title of the FPL bright spot playland um which has a separate entrance from the complex um and a small little plaque um over on that side and then they'll be recognized on the front uh with all of the rest. So, this is an agreement that'll be coming uh this evening to account for that contribution. >> Board members. >> Yes. Um Mr. D. [clears throat] >> Uh first, I think it's uh it's it's terrific and uh that Jimmy Graves center is going to be terrific when it's finished and it's coming up with the what's the ribbon cutting is

044when? >> January January 22nd. >> So many people have given to this project. coordinating all of their schedules has been quite a chore. But January 22nd is is the scheduled at at 9:30 a.m. we'll do the official ribbon cutting which will be the um the complex as well as everything within the company. lower. And I think it points out, you know, something else that we ought to think about and even see how our policy is is really set as we get into this uh as as we know with schools being financially somewhat under siege, public education, uh seeking uh quality uh quality donors and giving them a chance to uh name something seems to be actually a very good way to go. And I would hope that we would consider that as we would uh

045go forward uh in uh in other things. And I don't know what's upcoming or what else could be but I think that there's two reasons for name. One like coach Lowendic which is welld deserved and others for people who want to contribute to uh our community and to our education and uh give some extra support from the private sector. I think that is not only warranted in the future, but something that we should probably be a little more aggressive about. >> Um, yeah, I think you were next to Dr. Jones. >> Oh, I just want to say I go by 16th Street. I live on 16th Street every day and that just looks fabulous. And Mr. Green, that new sign that says Bill Wilson track and field and then the Jimmy Graves, I mean, many

046people commented on that because he went by it before the football game. So they were very very excited and I'm excited for the opening and they have done a wonderful job and I agree with Mr. dire, you know, with uh schools of hope and other things kind of hitting us, maybe taking some of our funds. This community is there for us in more ways than one. So, in the naming that would help if we could, you know, get some names on some of these things to get donations. I think we're a unique community where others are thinking, how are we going to survive? We're looking how we can lead. Thank you, >> Mr. >> Uh, I think that's a great idea, Mr. Dyer. Um, something that just came to mind, you're you sit on the

047ed fund. Uh maybe you could recommend a process or a plan or something moving forward for fundraising. Uh and maybe purchasing a brick, you know, if you purchase some of those pavers or bricks in and around the um the Oh, you like that idea in or around the playground or walkway or something like that. I mean, that might be a good way of raising funds. Um, and I don't know if it should be something done I I guess through the Indian River Ed fund. I mean, that's why we have them. Um, or in another way. I see Dr. Moore is inching for the mic. >> I'm like, why stop at a brick? Um, is >> well, I I think a brick is something easy. I mean, we'll have plaques everywhere, which I love the plaque

048idea, but bricks are pretty, you know, you can engrave someone's name in it, you know, rec whatever. I I I I think probably in January we should do an update for the the total this board not necessarily the the ed fund board regarding uh the progress that they have made. I think that is the timing is is is perfect. >> Um we did have a a major event where we had the opportunity to highlight uh the classroom of the future. We're able to brought current practices uh furniture uh resources that are being that are in the hands of our children each and every single day uh to high level donors. And now we're in the process of of meeting with those individuals. We're taking some of the innovation work that we're doing. Um, as Mr.

049Green references, the moving of playgrounds, the retrofitting of of K8 middle school into an elementary classroom and working with them and saying, well, you know, if this is about innovation, let's get behind the the innovation. So there's a strong level of alignment specifically around our innovation work to say if there are opportunities to support this innovation. Uh it is a great way to to support the community a as a whole. So there has been a great deal of work and changing the the the mindset that that public education is everybody's responsibility. Um so I'm very very excited to come. But I do think I'll add an item in January so we can provide that update to the board. >> That would be great. I have another idea. My brain just >> floods with ideas. Dr.

050Moore is like, "No more ideas." >> Five minutes to wait about it for [laughter] >> No, I have another idea. I mean, we we have Disney right in our backyard. I mean, Disney the Walt Disney Resort. I mean, what's to say that Walt Disney Resort or the Walt Disney Company wouldn't want to give back to their own community as well? and maybe they could, you know, build a sandbox or, you know, build something in that space um for children and that could be another way that we can get donated funds. So, more ideas for the ED fund. >> I think that that's uh those are all good ideas. You know, one of the thing that kind of precipitated was not only this uh uh FPL donation, which I thought was uh terrific and certainly very

051helpful, but at the edund meeting, you know, they just it was just just general talk. And one person says, "Well, what do you need?" And you know, thinking like like bigg. And Dr. Moore said, "Well, when we're consolidating all these middle schools, we just found out we need like $350,000 worth of band instruments." Well, >> that's big. >> So, [laughter] you know, maybe we should ask somebody to help us and have a band room, you know. I don't know. >> 100%. I mean, there are orchestras all over the world. >> Oh, yeah. >> And we have I don't even remember what they're I think the Treasure Coast Orchestra or I don't know what their name. They come every year to Vero Beach um high school to perform. But yeah, we have orchestras all over the

052world. I mean the some of these philanthropies, you know, who who are musical musically focused would be willing to buy a room. >> Absolutely. >> You know, buy a wall, you know, do a guitar space or whatever. >> Yeah. >> And on this same topic, um, Mr. Dyer, when you go back and Dr. Moore, when you go back to the ed fund and you make these suggestions, um, we can actually have a fundraiser to bring at the Walt Disney Resort. they have space there, you know, and have some kind of reciprocal um agreement where, you know, if you donate, we can bring you some clientele or we can actually have I don't know how, you know, how it would work, but if we had anything there, we could actually create a really good uh uh

053partnership with Disney. I mean, why not? Yeah, I think this all open. >> So, since we're throwing out ideas here instead of our one to one, um I want to make two comments. One, I think um maybe perhaps you could go to the county and the city meetings in January, give them a short update and invite them as a on public um camera at their meeting uh for them to come out to our I know we've already we're going to invite them anyway, but publicly go invite them go to their meeting and do that. and then um perhaps have a field trip for some of our ESTD students maybe from Wabaso to come and open up the playground that day. >> Okay, thank you. >> Thank [clears throat] you. The next item is to review

054the charter school annual financial report. So each year the charter schools are required um to have a CPA or some other accountant review their financials. Charter schools just as the fund are component units to the school district meaning their financial um statements are of a vested interest to you the school board because they are tied in some way through governance. [clears throat] the um financial reports. There was only one Sebastian uh junior charter that had a uh material weakness and it was just around some teacher salary acruals at the end of the year that they needed to put back in the other month and a copier lease. Um Gadsby actually changed recently where if it's a liability and it's a 5-year lease, you need to put the whole 5-year liability all in the year one,

055not just year one of that. Um, looking through the financials, the fund balances are um, in good shape. The schools, they range from $2 to $4 million fund balance. Um, as you go through, I will highlight St. Peter's Academy did have a couple amendments to their um, financials. So, one of them you'll see they have a negative fund balance of about 8 $8,000 in their unrestricted. They had a prior period adjustment where they had a uh security officer that in their um financials they thought that the county was going to be paying for the county was not paying for it. It was their responsibility. So their 39 $38,000 fund balance they had to deduct $40,000 to cover the cost of that. Um their overall net position did decrease by about $98,000. is still over $900,000

056total, but it did decrease some. And I noticed their enrollment lately, as we were watching, they were funded on 121 FTE and their FTE right now is 99. So, we're going to make a probably a $200,000 adjustment for the fiscal year on their FTE. So, um I'll be reaching out to uh Miss Jefferson just to provide some support, make sure that um everything is anything that we can do to help support that I will be doing. Other than that, um, all of the financial reports look intact and, um, meet our statutory requirements. >> Hey, board members, comments, >> um, just thank you for answering all my questions. I specifically went through a bunch of things. So, thank you for highlighting that one issue that, um, I think you're going to follow up, correct? Yes. >>

057Go to the school and have conversations. Okay. >> Yes. >> Um, I just, uh, talked to a couple charter school principles. They're very grateful, Mr. screen to all the help that they're given through finance and um all the help they're given in general. So, just wanted to share that with you. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Um one other thing that came up um and I forgot to ask you this in my firing away of all those questions. I noticed that um like the school district hire has a a fee for administrative fee, right? And it's a different percentage of each of the different charter schools. Why is that? So the administrative fee by law is 5% unless the school the charter school is uh academically high performing and then it's 2% on the first

058200 F 50 FTE. So there's a reduction of that admin fee for the first 200 FT. So it depends on the performance of the school. >> Okay. Thank you. >> The next item is the review the internal accounts. So every school internal accounts are designed to manage the donations uh fundraising events and things local to the school. These are not part of our budget as far as um their discretionary accounts that we talk about and their salary lines. These budgets um account for around $2 million and our bookkeepers and at elementary administrative assistants serve as the bookkeepers. they are the the guardians of that and they manage the stuff as book sales are coming in or uniforms are being sold or um fundraiser happening field trips. So as we look at this and if you

059go back several years you'll see maybe two schools having you know no findings in this particular year we had um six schools with only one finding. We had 11 schools with absolutely no findings in and the amount of transactions we do four trainings a year with our bookkeepers and I come and it's an all day training and when you see the complexity of what they actually do all day that's quite an accomplishment and we will be celebrating and recognizing those schools and those bookkeepers at this evening's um awards and presentations. But there were also um 13 schools that reduced their number of findings. Six schools had no change in the findings and there were four schools that increased their findings. Um, one of them had a correction and then one more finding. Three of them

060um had new bookkeepers. So, we had some uh turnover in bookkeepers at several schools, Dodgertown, Oyola Magnet. When you look at the um types of findings there, you will see, for example, they're going to go on a field trip and you want to get that bus early in the year and you go in and you secure the bus without going in and doing a purchase order for you should guess an amount. And some people that have been principles before will >> um >> drives you [clears throat] nuts. [laughter] >> They uh instead of going in doing a purchase order for maybe a gueststimate and then later doing a change order for that. Um, so it's called a confirming PO. You didn't have a purchase order before you got the bus for later in the year.

061Um, variety of things where maybe a teacher or someone collecting money held it overnight and didn't turn it into them the next day. So, um, nothing really unusual in findings at the schools that don't, you know, we haven't seen before. We have had all of the, no one is signing, none of the book uh, keepers are signing. um Ver Beach High School, who is the largest internal account that accounts for the majority of the fund. Um they still have their bookkeeper on the account because we haven't we're that's a lift that we've got to do. We just got Citrus off there on PNC Bank and you literally have to take me, Miss Chris Foley, the principal, the assistant principal, the bookkeeper. It took six of us with an in-person visit um to to get that

062done. But we got Citrus off. So none of them are signing and um all of them have been removed except for one. So, uh, the internal account audits are there for your review. >> Board members, anyone? I will say that particular boot bookkeeper pulled me aside when I was in the school and asked why and I explained why. So, it's still not happening there. Huh. Okay. Um, kudos to those schools that had no findings. I know how hard that is because there are teachers that'll do a fundraiser and they forget to give you paperwork and that means that bookkeeper has to hunt them down and get it done correctly, not backdate things. So, I appreciate that. Um, and extra kudo to Sebastian River High School because having a high school with no findings is incredible

063just because of the amount of um activities and fundraising that goes on in a high school. So, that's that's incredible. Kudos to them. and I know they'll be recognized tonight. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I just wanted to add one thing. >> A bookkeeper at a high school is like a bank. Is truly a bank. They are do doing a service every single day. And I understand those um little reports when you don't get the PO in before the whatever it it just something happens so quickly at a high school. But um and I've been the middle school and high school. Middle schools are tough too, but the high school's like a bank. So congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Just out of curiosity, is there any software that would help them do

064this that would give them a tenative or an initial PO or preliminary PO and and take care of all this? Any any help or is it I mean it sounds like it's a lot of forms. >> They do have um we do use school funds online which is a software. or they each have their own bank account, but some of these are, as you said, a physical a teacher collected the money or or an event for a t-shirt. They just held it. So, we have what's called an internal account manual. So when you see these things, these are the auditor takes our book that we write to make sure we have internal controls and they compare what they're doing to our book and there are just physical things sometimes where it wasn't turned in in

065that amount of days that we've set 5 days or 3 days. So um the software part we do have for them and they can run reports. It's just the physical management sometimes. Um the next item is AON. So as you know, as we've briefed, AON is our consultant for our healthc care. Um they had a fiveyear contract. It was a three-year with two one-year renewals that has expired. This is an additional three-year with two one-year renewals. It does have a 30-day um opt out for performance and a 60-day opt out for convenience, meaning for any reason. So, if we decide to do something different, if we want to go in a another direction, we um we have that it's using our standard contract, which Miss Invol has um reviewed, and we do not pay them

066directly. So, they receive their funding. It's around $270,000 a year. And that is through um rebates, if you will, and commissions through vendors. And most of it on our medical, it's only about $32,000. It's $2 per month per member. The majority of what they're making is on vision and cancer and long-term. Those vendors provide commissions to them for the work that they do. They do a laundry list of us stuff for us. HIPPA compliant um 112 safe harbor compliant COBRA a lot of complic uh complicated work to keep us in compliance with all of our regulatory as we are a self-funded insurance program. So this would be to renew their contract and services for a three-year period with two one-year optional renewals. Can I can I ask are we looking into um that conversation we

067had about um different they don't know so I'm going to finish it um about the districts that are kind of consolidating together to try to do some insurance bidding um with more power. >> Yes. So there is uh the fleet the Florida Educational Health Trust. I've met with them numerous times. I um coordinated event where St. Lucy Martin and Indian River. We all met with them. Um, as I shared before, AON's fee right now is $38,000. Well, it will be. It's 32 this year. Um, the fee for joining that is $25 per member per month. It comes out to about $425,000 a year. So, to do that, there's lots of things they would offset our stop-loss insurance and some other things. Unfortunately, right now, our and if you look on our financials, our health insurance

068fund over the last two years has experienced an extraordinary amount of high claims. So, very sick people getting some very expensive um procedures. So, we are looking at the timing of when that might be the right thing to do um or switch. And that's why I did want to make sure that we do have an opt out in the contract, a 60-day notice. So if and when our stop loss is already renewed until next summer and this contract um just happens to fall in December. So we would not want to go without someone that would be able to help us manage our our health system >> but we are still looking into fleet. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Are the commissions and rebates transparent from AI? >> Uh yes they and I uh >> you

069said about to I mean do they tell you exactly what they get and who they get it from? >> Yes. Um we're paying it one way or another. were paying. >> You are correct. And when I when I first got here, that was the first thing I required of them. I have it in an email and they send it to me every year and it lists what program and exactly how much. And that's why I know it's around $270,000 and I know which um which one of the areas it comes from. And the final item is um something that I had sent the board an email on um with a timing issue. So, the visitor side bleachers at the the Citrus Bowl Ver Beach High School, we've gone back and done some research. The original

070was 1967 or 68. I know these stands were there in '89 when I went to school or graduated there. So, they were installed prior to that. They're roughly 40 years old. Um, they are aluminum and they have a lengthy list of issues that need to be addressed. Um, one of them mainly is if you were to buy them today, they would not be up to code. They don't have anything that prevents sliding under the stands from the top. And you know, we've had that issue before. We had um so we have done things to address that. However, our team has welded everything they possibly can. They went out last spring and did it and then we had them go just before finals walkthrough. So, I want to um just give kudos to Mr. Michael's team,

071especially the welder, aluminum welder. They went through every single seam and that's if you've walked the stands there are a lot of them. However, we have had engineers um tell us over the years and the and their recent report says the board should strongly consider replacing those. um when we look at coming into graduation and next football season, um the future safety of them, our team is not going to be able to continue to maintain at that level just with some of the rusting that's coming on the the lags and the bolts. And basically the engineer statement was the pointless and extreme cost of trying to even repair them and not get them up to code would far outweigh um purchasing new ones. So, the reason we're bringing this forward now is there is a

072timeline. GT Grains uh stands are the ones that did the ones at the Jimmy Graves. They did a great job. It's a piggyback bid, but the lead time to be able to design, order, build, and get them in before graduation requires that we would get it done now, and that way we can get that B uh ball rolling. That is uh $620,626. We have a $56,000 contingency built in. So the actual cost is 564,000 and you um as we talk about the capital plan that contingency if we don't need it that's what we save for contingencies. Remember when the light fell and we were able to fix the lights that's how we um use those funds when things come up we're able to uh address safety issues with um rollover capital dollars contingency from prior

073years. >> Hey board members anything? Yes. I think they've been there since 1980 because that's when I came and I do not think they've changed. So, um, thank you for doing this. Um, it's going to be, you know, needed for safety. >> Well, will they be okay for Friday night if that's a huge group? >> We have. I can assure you, my team has gone through every single one that was loose and welded and doublech checked and verified. We had a team out last week of four people. Um, and they are they are good. >> Okay. We have two board member items. >> Yes. All right. Our first board member item is schools of hope safety and security concerns. Mr. Rosario. >> Yes. Let me get my So, I um before the vacation uh Thanksgiving

074vacation uh break, I was made aware of a situation that was very very concerning to me. Um, at our last meeting, uh, Miss Enville mentioned something around safety and security concerns that she had some questions about. I followed up with her on my um concerns and um I was very very disturbed that we would have responded to the schools of hope letter of interest um with our uh blueprints with the floor plans of our school of the school in which they requested um interest in. So, um, as as Miss Enville walked me through, you know, what the statute is and how it looks and, um, all of that, um, what was originally going to be a possibility would be to allow them to sign a, um, confidentiality agreement. Um but for me as I looked

075at the statute the confidentiality agreement um it was it's it's just it's not written in there. It's not an allowable way to transfer um building uh floor plans or uh blueprints for our school buildings. So, and um according to 119, Florida statute um 071 regarding safety, security, and fire safety uh with specific regard to uh public records, building plans, blueprints, schematic drawings, diagrams, including draft, preliminary, and final format and everything of the like are exempt from public records for this exact reason because it is our responsibility as board members and as district personnel to be able to secure our um blueprints and our floor plans. Um so there's really no um I don't know if there's an easy fix for this. I'm opening this up for board discussion. Um the board rule, the department of

076education rule for schools of hope um actually says that blue that floor plans should be provided uh through secure methods. So if there was a password protected portal, we could go ahead and we can do it through password protected portal. That's what the board rule says. That's not what the statute says. The statute says that there are very few times in which we can share our blueprints. The statute says that our blueprints can be shared and can be disclosed uh for official duties and responsibilities within our agency. So let's say for example we needed to hire a plumber. And of course Miss Enville and and Dr. more. Please correct me and interrupt me if I say anything incorrect. Um, uh, if we had a a flood and we needed to hire a plumber, of course,

077we would share our blueprint with the plumber because that's for internal purposes and that's what we need, um, to be able to do from from within, right, in our own capacity. um for the capacity uh we could share it to another local, state or federal agency in furtherance of that agency's official duties and responsibilities. In this particular case, schools of hope are not um local, state or federal agencies. Uh the other way in which we can share it is if there is a court order. If a court decided that they were going to um you know mandate us to share it for some other way then um this is in very simple plain language. Those are really the reason the the ways in which we can share it. The toss up here is do you

078follow the rule the DOE rule? Do you follow the statute? It's like which it's like Russian roulette with this whole thing. Uh which one do you choose? which is the better of of of the two evils. Um and at either rate, um I was willing and I I did share this with Miss Enville. Uh um I believe I shared it with Dr. Moore. Um as far as I am concerned, I am willing in this particular case to follow the statute, not the board rule, not the DOE rule. Um because in my opinion, once those blueprints are released, uh that's it. There's no picking up spilled milk at that point. You know, you you can't retrieve it back. Once it is in the hands of someone else that you don't even know if they're really going

079to be in our community or not, safety and security works. um you we don't even know if they're actually going to be in our community or not, you know, at this point. It's just an interest form. Um again, but once our blueprints are out there, that's it. It's out there. And who they share the blueprints with is another story alto together. Sure, we can have assurances from the Department of Ed that says that they've already been through some training on how to secure blueprints and not share it with whomever. But of course, they're going to be shared. You know, that's the whole point of them wanting to colllocate so that they can utilize the facility and know which classrooms and where and when and how they want to format it. So, it really is um

080something that's very concerning for me. I am willing to not put at risk our school building. Um I'm not suggesting at all that we not follow the DOE rule, but in this particular case there's there's just there's two. It's like you know which one we're required to follow both. One conflicts with the other. Um and so statute to me statute are the golden rule. statute rules. Statute trumps any other board rule because that comes first obviously the stat the the constitution statute uh board rule and then uh board our our board policy. I say board rule I mean the department of ed um executive orders too. >> Executive orders I'm sorry what >> executive orders from the govern >> the governor. Yes, the governor's executive orders. Um so yes so so we have so it's

081it's a quandry um at this point we do not have I was willing to even come you know call a special meeting so we could discuss this before the Friday uh because the the pressing the pressing moment was how are we going to respond by that Friday which was the day before our vacation break. Um thankfully we did not thankfully we ended up with um responding the way that we did. Um, but you know, it it's still concerning. It is a concerning thing. I want to open it up for the board to discuss this. Um, I would like for Miss Enville to kind of chime in and just correct anything that I said that was misinterpreted or misstated in any way, shape, or form. If I was on the right track, that's fine. And then

082we'll let the board discuss it. Thank you, ma'am. through the chair. This is another example of how sometimes the rules over interterpret statutes and how it's a little bit more a lot more broad than what the statute is. And I think the best thing that you all can do is contact your legislators and see if we can get something fixed with respect to the rule. Um in this case, it turns out we did not have to provide those floor plans. Districts are doing it in a number of different ways. Um, and so we would really like to have some clarity in that respect because of course we won't give it up pursuant to a request for public records, but then the rule specifically requires us to give them access to them via a secure method

083within 10 days of their request. And so managing how to do that is was the trick. Um, and so in this case, you did did a good job. Um, but this is a perfect example of sometimes our statutes and our rules conflict with each other. And I don't know necessarily, I went back and looked through the legislative history. I didn't see where there was discussion of the floor plans and how they were considering our safety and security um responsibilities along with that schools of hope collocation request. So >> all right board members, anybody want to respond? >> Um so is there any kind of stipulation that they have to keep our floor plans um private and not share them and not make them public? there there's not right now through the rule. Um and that's

084why we were going to go to the confidentiality agreement basically saying that we you have to hold them confidential. If anything happens, we're coming after you kind of thing. Um that's the best >> that's the best protection that I could give you all um in reading the plain language of the rule in the statute. So um I mean that's kind of you know like when we do our like our videos and stuff, we request a subpoena or court order. We don't just willy-nilly give them away because we're not allowed to under this statute. Um, but that's our even when we do provide videos, we make sure to let everybody know these are confidential and you can't further disseminate them. And that's what the confidentiality agreement was. Um, I drafted it already. We just didn't end

085up having to use it. >> Okay. Yeah. And I I personally I would not recommend um sharing our floor plans with any of these organizations without an agreement that they will not share it and be liable for it. Uh, Dr. Jones, >> have we heard back from the two that we wrote to? Anything? Nothing. I just didn't know. >> No. >> And obviously we didn't send the floor plans because we told them no. >> Do you know if other districts sent their floor plans? >> I I know some were talking about um providing them with access where meaning because it's not real clear. Um it says specifically that we have to provide them via secure access, whatever whatever that means, a secure method. um some districts were having them make an appointment with um whoever

086had the floor plans to come in and look at them, but then also that required staff to sit with them so that they weren't taking pictures or videos of those floor plans. But that's that's one um I think that's a a way of complying with the rule uh to have someone sit there with them and they can look to see what they want and then without >> your recommendation contacting legislators. I think a lot of people have contacted legislators on schools of hope in general, but >> you know, as a board member, as a parent, community member, I don't want those four plans out there. They may come after another school. We don't know, right? >> So, I guess in the meantime, we push that to make sure um we can bring it up at

087FSBA tomorrow. We need to fight for these things as far as keeping our school and our students safe. >> We're responsible for safety and security, so I would concur that I would would not release them. And even the confidentiality, I'm not sure exactly protects us very well. I mean, I know that when you're doing uh M&A work, sometimes you'll have a document room that is, you know, that's that to to get in it, you get in it and uh everything is tracked and everything has a dig digital signature to it so you can understand what they've looked at, what where they've gone and who it's been shared with or how it's been shared. So, you know, there there's a lot of security, but I think again it points to it was a kind of a

088flawed law and uh and uh rule that was done in the dark of night and here we go. It continues to be a gift that keeps giving, >> right? And there have been some recent articles about that. So, it's it's it's across the state. Everybody's kind of concerned about it. Um you're not the only one, Mr. Rosario, that was concerned about the floor plans being shared. Um, I had a big concern about that as well. And, um, back in the day when I was a principal, we didn't have electronic floor plans. They were in a locked safe in my office. And I remember I had to take them out one time because they wanted to do a SWAT, you know, practice in my school, which is huge to to be in that meeting and have

089our floor plans out there. So, um, now that we're electronic and everything's digital and everything else and you worry about things like that, I wouldn't think we'd want to give those away until we're close to, okay, we have to have them colllocate. Um, I would hang on to that as long as I can. Um, so much so that the advocacy meeting tomorrow in uh, Tampa, we have um, changed the agenda and we've added this as one of our concerns. So this is going to be at the state level as a major priority of a concern that we are giving up a safety and security responsibility that we shouldn't be giving up. >> Thank you, Miss Unville. I appreciate it. Dr. Moore, do you have anything that you'd like to add to this topic? >> Um,

090no. Ju just as a a point of clarity, we did respond telling them that there the availability of space in that specific school is just not a reality. I I think is an extremely strong case when the board this board took action um this time last year and addressing that underenrolled school by converting it to a districtwide magnet uh open to anyone within the community uh and converting it a a small K5 space into a small K8 space. Uh we did add sixth grade next year, adding seventh grade um next year and then eighth the the the next year. So the reality of of of having any available space in this particular school because of the change of programming, the change of grade configuration just is not a reality. So rather than notify them that

091we are in receipt of their letter and here are our floor plans, we were just proactive in saying um it's just not a reality. What is it? A practical >> material impracticability. >> That's what it is. Um, so we thought it was forefront just letting them know that to I mean it's been I think almost two weeks we we haven't heard anything um to this point but in my mind we provided them a a a answer of thanks but no thanks. >> But I I think I think in addition to that um I think we're going to learn a lot this week in terms of both the state superintendents being together as well as the state uh all board members across the state. So there'll be a lot of direction >> attorneys attorneys >> and

092and attorneys but um so if there's any changes or shifts I I will keep the board notified me I I think the same as all of you in regards of of sharing this information. Um so I'll make sure if anything changes whether it is in receipt um or we need to reconvene to discuss a next step where we're putting ourselves in the crosshairs of somebody uh then maybe we would reconvene. >> Yeah. Thank you. Um and just to um to segue into potentially an ending to this um conversation, the School of Hope Department of Education rule says specifically an entity that has been designated as a HOPE operator pursuant to section 10002.33 in parenthesis 2 subsection 2. um and subsection um two of this rule may establish a school of hope in a Florida opportunity

093zone or in an attendance zone or within a fivem radius of a school and this is the the the kicker of a school identified as a persistently low performing public school. Thankfully, we do not have persistently lowperforming public schools in our district. So, I think moving forward, our objection to any request could be very simply, we object because we do not have persistently low performing schools. So, it has to be of a school identified as a persistently low performing school. For us, I think that is um the beacon call for future objections. Um not maybe not the case obviously for districts um in other areas. Um but for us, I just want to reiterate um that we are in a much better place than many of our um our colleagues across the state, many of

094other districts uh because we are um just a a a succeeding district academically and I'm grateful for uh the leadership and the guidance um and the board direction around um academics and the focus and putting us in this position right now um is I'm grateful for that opportunity. >> Dr. Johnson, >> question. Mr. Green, Dr. Moore, I remember asking this at one of our meetings. We don't have a low performing school, but the opportunity zone how does that fit in? I mean, do they have to be in low performing in the opportunity zone or isn't that a different I'm a little confused here right now. I know we don't have any low performing but I when I asked about that said we should be off the market because we don't have any but then the

095opportunity zone >> to yeah that was added later initially was a persistently low performing school so it' be within the location of a particular site or school the economic opportunity zone that was added is regardless of a school a zone which for us is everything west of I95 from Bvard to St. Lucy County. So, anything within a 5mi radius driving down I95 would be serving students who could live in that zone. I use the CVS factory out past Cracker Bell as an example. There's some subdivisions just west of 95. If you were to drive five miles, you'd hit Glendale and Citrus and all they're within the five miles. >> They're within the five miles of that opportunity zone regardless of Felsmere. It's not about a school. Yeah, I would still I would still because you

096ask five different lawyers and five different attorneys will give you five different interpretations. >> The language here says uh they may establish designated as a hope operator. um establish a school of hope in an opportunity zone or an attendance zone or within a five mile radius of a school identified as a persistently low performing school district public school. So maybe there could be a stretch of an interpretation um you know from from an attorney and I see ours has uh a smile on her face. But I mean maybe that could be an interpretation that the the the latter part of that sentence incorporates all of those elements within. Just throwing that out there. >> Miss Invol you >> I don't I don't think we'll be successful okay if we did that but certainly. Yeah, because

097when I first read it, I thought, "Oh, we're we're done. We don't need any of this because and then I saw opportunity zone." So would >> I I do think through the chair, I'm sorry. I I do think that there is going to be some clarification. I think the state has already actually in one of their meetings they had, they actually clarified that it was one or the other. >> That's what I'm bringing up right now. >> Yeah. They clarified it was one or the other. Um, but I do I'm hoping that that addition of Florida opportunity zone is addressed and maybe removed again. Um, and that would put us um on stronger footing. >> I do know um give you a little legislative update here um that this is being spoken about um in

098different committees for sure. Uh there is a committee member I want to say on the Senate side, Mr. perhaps Gates um that said he's going to be bringing forward a bill. So, it'll be interesting. Or it might be about vouchers. I don't know. I've been following those two very very closely. So, there's one on voucher um scholarship um uh accountability and that's kind of coming forward. And then there's one on uh the schools of hope initiative and as [clears throat] an adjustment. Remember last year when I was bringing up all these different bills and we were watching and schools of hope was out there. That was one I've talked about and it was different in the House than the Senate, >> right? >> And as often happens at the very end they merge something and

099somebody wants their way and says this is my bill. I want to get it in and it becomes a train and and the train is lots of different cars on the on the line and then a caboose. And so it was in the line at the very end and it be became part of one of these big bills that happened at the very end. They took those two bills, they merged them and that's what we got. And we did get it on the very last day. So um that happens a lot where you'll see a bill that almost looks like it's dead and then somebody's in somebody else's office and screaming, yelling, I I need my bill. I need my bill to go through and then something a version of that bill somehow shows up

100in another bill. So, um, this was in a result of that. And it's quite interesting how that works sometimes when you're tracking some things you're concerned about and you say, "Oh, well, it died maybe." So, not necessarily. And this was one of those times where that happened. So, um, I'm I'm looking and watching and there are those conversations are definitely occurring in Tallahassee. Um, they're also in um um lots of different newspapers are doing lots of articles. There was one just a couple days ago that came out of Hillsboro, I think it was really interesting article um on accountability of scholarships too. So um lots of talk about what's happening with schools of hope and this scholarship opportunity accountability for those dollars. Um you know we put down accountability for VPK years ago and I

101think it's important that when you give tax dollars that people [snorts] know when you get that money that you need to be accountable for it. So, it's important that we watch that like um watchd dogs on taxpayer associations watch our tax dollars and how we um use them. I think we should be watching our government and how they are taking those tax dollars and using them for our benefit or are they and so that's the question. All right, next item. Food insecurity and communication. Dr. Jones, >> just want to make one comment. Miss Rosario was correct that bill can be it can be interpreted in so many ways. So, when we get to FSBA, we've got to be a little bit more clear on it because it's open. Um, I brought this up for two

102reasons. Um, United Way did a presentation powered by purpose on food insecurity in our community. And I'm waiting to get some slides to share with board members, but it was very, very good. And then, uh, my husband and I volunteered it up the first day that SNAP was not available. Uh there was a kind and generous donation from the community foundation that gave people some coupons to shop in the store to get a few things. And while I was checking people in, I saw many of our parents and several of our employees. Um this comes back to cafeteria. Now I know that we are now in the green with Mr. O'Keefe getting parents to fill out these free and reduced lunch form. I think I heard from Miss Chris Foley this morning it was 2500.

103We're down to 412. making sure that they complete these applications so they don't have any bills and so forth. Um I think I told you at the high school level the kids kind of stopped doing that for some reason. They just don't like to be targeted. Um and then the letter went out that all board members received from the PTAs that uh a letter went home to all students in some of our schools and I think it was just supposed to go home to those who owed money and people became very concerned but it showed me what this community is all about. some PTAs have already worked with principles to pay off these meals. And the one reason I brought it up to Dr. Moore and I know it's in our board policy. Um, you

104know what we want to do for our children. It's just not ostracizing or taking them out of extracurriculars and I understand as a former principal if you haven't paid your cafeteria bill, you're not going to get a dance ticket. We understand all that. But to my knowledge, these kids are not being taken out of extracurriculars because I don't want to ostracize a child. But um the PTAs, I think at three or four of them so far are looking at this to see how they can help. They're looking at the debt. Um in fact, in our board policy, it says that community organizations can help like the PTA. So, I just wanted to make the board uh aware of that, that they're working hard on that. Um I I don't think anyone in this room wants

105to make a a student feel um left out, if you will. We all know the bills have to be paid. We all know that and that we're working hard on that and Sean O'Keefe has just done a great job. But I think I got the guarantee that um we don't have a principal out there that's just going to ostracize a kid or take away from extracurricular activities because I don't want to punish the kids. That's the main thing. But our PTAs are there to help. They can do that by board policy. And um I think the letters um talking to Dr. more they would just go to the you know the letters that went to everybody at least the PTAs were made aware and they wanted to help so I just I wanted to say

106kudos to them they've done a great job for us our PTAs our sack teams all of our parents and athletic groups they are here for this school district and community and I wanted to say thank you >> anyone else I asked a couple questions about this because I said you know where are these debts coming from if if the parent doesn't fill out the form farm, right? Then they're expected to pay for their child's lunch or pack a lunch and send the child with a lunch. And so I was told that we wait until $30, I believe, was was um kind of in the in the rear, right? Um and then the child was given an alternative food. So it's not like we're telling them they can't eat anything that we are giving them alternative

107food, which of course the child wants what everybody else got. So in a way that's, you know, kind of not good for the kid. My concern was that we're not reaching out early enough and telling the parent, hey, you know, this is what's happening. Your child's getting this because do you need help and if so, here's the form. We need you to fill it out. I know when I was a principal to get it, that form was the toughest thing. They couldn't get the name of their teacher at my school until they filled out the form or said, "No, we don't need the form." And they had to sign a form. So, um, it was imperative that we made sure that the parents understood how important it was because, you know, it cost the district

108money to to pay for the food and give the kids food. You go to the grocery store, you buy food, you're expected to pay for it when you go out or you might have a card that you were able to fill out forms and get assistance, right? And so, we just want to encourage parents to do that if they need to. Sometimes it's hard because they don't want to admit that. Um, but that's [clears throat] when we don't send a letter to everybody. we just reach out with a guidance counselor and say, "What can I do to help you?" Um, so I think that's that's the avenue we need to take and it's I'm sorry that that happened. I know I I checked with my daughter, she got it as an email, not as a

109letter. So, um, and she looked at it and she says, "Well, I assumed that we were good because we don't have that problem." But, um, I can see where that was hurtful. So, we need to be careful with things like that. Yes. >> How much has Mr. will keep taking us out of debt. I know I had that somewhere. But [laughter] >> so as as the board knows last year and looking at food service a as a whole, Mr. Green can go in the specifics, uh the additional cost around salary, providing benefits, significant increase, which is a decision we made two years ago to provide additional benefits and salary to those individuals within the cafeteria, even though they're not completely full-time, right? Uh provided those services. um what Mr. O'Keefe has done over the last

110two years, which is very operational decision that we need uh the ability to make sure children are filling out those forms to go from 2,000 not being filled out down to 400. Uh the efficient the systems of of operating a a what is the largest restaurant in any river county. Shifting personnel, reestablishing procedures, uh allowed us to to move from what is a negative to a posit um to what will be a positive. Mr. Green, you want to talk to those? >> Yes. The u the inter fund transfer was $55,000 to support the program. Um when you looked at the approved budget currently, as of today, he's raised an additional $500,000 above last year and kept the expenses at the same level. So that would say um he has the ability to pay that back.

111We're collecting that back in $50,000 per month increments as we collect that back. Um but his projections and we meet weekly. Um Mr. Caswell, the but new budget analyst, myself and Miss Copman meet with food service weekly and with Miss Chris Foley. Um right now he's on a projection to increase about a million dollar um additional revenue over last year. >> And the PR he's done at the schools and I've seen it at the schools. It's it's really made a difference. So good job, Mr. O'Keefe. >> All right. Um, anything else? And I'd like to adjourn this meeting at 1:28. I'll see you in a few. >> Did we before we >> Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. >> We want to go back to items. Sorry. >> Back to the first item. [laughter]

112You have an agreement with the sheriff's office. >> Yes. So, um I'm just going back through. We had intentionally I remember when we had this discussion. We were looking at this a couple months ago. We had intentionally um chosen the phrase sufficient number of buses because we didn't want to lock in. We wanted the flexibility to be able to use some but not all. Maybe they need two, maybe they need 10, maybe they need one, maybe they need none. Um and so in the purpose and intent um subsection 2 and subsection 4A, we use the same phrase, sufficient number of buses. So um we could I have to get with the sheriff's office. We could add if we wanted to, I have proposed language to add to those particular sections. Such you shall be subject

113to the school board's discretion and availability of buses with priority given to the safety and welfare of students and school operations >> if the board is that's okay. That would be my proposition. Um and then we would have to Mr. Albertie and I would have to quickly get together with them to make sure that just that gives us the discretion. Like I said, most of the time it's going to be for like a hurricane or something where we're not going to have our buses on the road anyway, but it's I think it's a good it's good to have us have control of that discretion. >> Thank you. I >> think everybody happy with that. >> Oh, sorry. >> I think that's a great suggestion. >> All right, Dr. Moore. >> Um, no, no issues with

114it, but there the logistics of of the the funeral that they're planning tomorrow. We may not be able to to get the okay from them at the end of the day. This is a contract in which two parties agree. They haven't agreed to it yet. So, if we can't get that confirmation from them, we'll just simply pull it because I'm not going to stress them with with the logistics of of what they're trying to plan for tomorrow. >> Sure. No. Yeah, they got a big I spoke to Eric Flowers on my way here today. Um, so I I can't imagine we can get this done right away, but thank you for adding that. All right. So, I'd like to adjourn the meeting then at 1:30.