001Yeah. >> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Is that the thing? Good evening. We'll call this meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Tonight our reflection will be provided by Ms. Rodriguez followed by the Pledge of Allegiance by Chocachatti Elementary. If everyone can please stand for the reflection. >> Well, I'm I'm not Mrs. Rodriguez. >> Okay, I apologize. >> But I think it's we should all say a quiet prayer for peace in the Middle East. I think it's a possibly an agreement going on and uh it would be nice to have our uh sons and daughters in the military home safely. So, please just say something quietly that peace is restored and they come home. Thank you. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
002which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. You may be seated. >> Chocachatti students, thank you for saying the pledge and leading us in the pledge tonight. We appreciate you coming out. Um parents, we appreciate you bringing them here and there's a lot of parents here tonight for all the awards and uh great things that we're giving out. So, we appreciate all the parents being here. Are you guys excited about anything coming up? Middle school? Summer. Okay, yeah, that's first. Okay. So, you guys have a great summer and we'll see you next year. Okay. Oh, yes. And we want you to introduce yourselves. Sorry. >> Hi, I'm Aubrey Ball and I'm in fifth grade. >> Hi, I'm Gianna Pagano and I'm in fifth grade. >> Hi,
003I'm Jackson Johnson and I'm in fourth grade. >> Hi, I'm Brooklyn Brybeck and I'm in fourth grade. >> I'm Madison Servant and I'm in fourth grade. >> At this time, we'll have our school spotlight by Chocachatti Elementary School, Mr. Pagano. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Good evening, Madam Chair, board members and Superintendent Pinder. It's truly an honor to speak with you tonight about a very special place, Chocachatti Elementary. When people ask what Chocachatti is all about, the easiest answer is Chocachatti is all built on heart. Yes, we focus on academics. Yes, we push for achievement and growth. But, what truly makes Chascochatti special is the experience we create for children every single day. We believe schools should be a place where students feel safe, connected, inspired, challenged, and celebrated. At Chascochatti, learning is not
004confined to the four walls or a textbook. We create experiences that students remember for years to come. This year alone, our campus has been filled with opportunities for students to grow not only academically, but socially and emotionally, as well. From school-wide celebrations and family engagement nights to leadership opportunities, performances, clubs, services, projects, and themed events, our students are constantly encouraged to step outside their comfort zone and discover who they are. This year, our school's culture culture was grounded in grit, growing resilient, inspired trailblazers. This was more than just a slogan on a wall. It is something our students lived every day. We taught students that success is not about being perfect. It's about perseverance, resilience, kindness, courage, and effort. One of the most exciting examples is our micro society program. Micro society transforms our school
005into real student-run community where learning becomes where learning comes to life. Students has run businesses, manage banks, create products, provide services, and learn how an economy and societies function together. Instead of simply reading about concepts in textbooks, our students experience them firsthand. In micro society, students become entrepreneurs, leaders, problem solvers, and collaborators. They learn financial literacy, communication skills, teamwork, responsibility, and innovation in ways that feel meaningful and authentic. Whether they are operating a student business, participating in government roles, managing classroom finances, or creating marketing plans, students are learning skills that extend far beyond the classroom. Students are also developing real-world skills that will benefit them long after they leave elementary school. They learn how to create resumes, complete job applications, and participate in interviews as they apply for micro society jobs throughout campus. They practice
006professionalism, communication, and responsibility in authentic ways that prepare them for future opportunities. What makes it truly special is the students take ownership of their learning. They're not waiting for opportunities, they're creating them. The same sense of community and connection can be seen in the many events and traditions that fill our campus throughout the year. From our uniform exchange and open house that welcome families into our school community to favorites like Monster Mash, Wonderland Gift Shop, Winter Wonderland, our fun run, our campus is constantly alive with energy and engagement. We host events that celebrate both learning and relationships including parent science fair night, career day, Citizens Academy, our first annual school-wide art exhibit, and our microsociety family edition where families get to experience firsthand the incredible work our students doing firsthand on a daily basis. Our
007grade level performances and shows give students opportunities to shine on stage and build confidence while our senior callback reminds graduating seniors where their educational journey began. We celebrate important milestones through our kindergarten VPK celebrations, fifth grade graduation, and our first through fourth grade award ceremonies where students are recognized along with their teachers and classmates. These moments may seem simple, but they create lasting memories that help build the strong culture that makes Chocachatti feel like family. We also believe in celebrating hard work and growth in exciting and memorable ways. During mid-year testing, students who met specific growth goals earned the opportunity to visit a full-scale candy shop experience that we created by transforming our professional development room into an interactive candy store. It became a celebration of not only achievement, but perseverance and effort. For end
008of year testing, we continue to recognize student success with an ice cream social on Friday for our third through fifth grade students who met various achievement criteria followed by a full moon bubble party for students from pre-K through fifth grade today. Seeing hundreds of students laughing, celebrating, and simply enjoying being kids after working so hard throughout the year was a powerful reminder that school should be both meaningful and joyful. At Chocachatti, we intentionally create moments that bring people together. Our families are not spectators, they are partners. Our goal is always the same, to make school a place where children and families feel connected. One thing I'm most proud of is our students know they matter here. They're greeted in the morning with smiles, fist bumps, upbeat music, encouragement, and relationships. Our staff works tirelessly to
009create an environment where students feel seen and valued. Because meaningful learning can only happen when students know they belong. And while we're incredibly proud of our academic achieve accomplishments, what truly defines Chocachatti cannot be measured by test scores alone. We're not simply preparing students for the next grade level, we're helping shape future learners, leaders, performers, innovators, teammates, and compassionate human beings. We want our students to leave our campus believing they can take on challenges, use their voice, support others, and confidently step into whatever spotlight place placed before them. I cannot be prouder of our students, staff, families. The Thunderbird family is filled with passion, creativity, resilience, innovation, and heart. I'm grateful every day to be a part of it. Thank you for the opportunity to share our story tonight. >> Thank you. >> [applause] >>
010I just have to say that the students there feel like they belong because of your leadership and your staff. It is just an experience to walk into Chocachatti, it's truly a little family. So, thank you. >> Thanks, everybody. >> Thank you. At this time, we'll have Chocachatti school employee recognition by Mr. Ellermann. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, Superintendent Pender, community members, students, faculty, staff, and honored guests. At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District, I would like to recognize the following Chocachatti Elementary School employees for exemplary service with the district for more than 30 years. After hearing your name, please come and receive your certificate and stay for a group photo. Victoria Pichinich for 41 years. Nancy Kraus for 36 years. Kim Griffith for 33 years. Jody Ware
011for 31 years. Christine Wilkerson for 31 years. Deborah Berzamado for 30 years. And Amy Zack for 30 years. >> Mr. Pagano, you must be working them too hard. They're home. They're tired. They didn't come out tonight. Congratulations to all the Chocachatti teachers that we recognized tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you, Chocachatti, for being here tonight. You may be seated. Thank you. At this time, we'll move on to our adoption of the agenda. Item number one, 26-3795, approval to adopt the agenda dated 5/26/26. I have reviewed the revisions to the agenda and find that there is good cause to allow the revision of item number nine, 26-3803, approval of the personal personnel recommendations. Can I have a motion and a second? Please vote. And that passes 5-0. Do we have any elected officials in the room
012who would like to speak tonight? No? Okay. All right. Our student representative to the board, we're moving on to item number two, 26-3796, student representative Jasira Abdul-Rahim of Springstead High School, to share her last update of the school year. Thank you. Okay. Throughout this year, the delegates have experienced opportunities unlike ever before. One of the most exciting events was our election, held here in the board room. The election was designed to encourage delegates to interact with one another and connect with students they may not have had the chance to meet before. The senior delegates were able to further develop their public speaking skills through speeches they delivered. I'll share just a couple photos of us. >> [laughter] >> Um another event that we participated in as well was the college career and showcase. Uh where
013myself and two of my junior delegates explained the program and different ways it can help you become a stronger leader. In January, we had our own student delegate meeting where each of the senior representatives got to lead stations on different skills and share advice with the younger delegates that they could bring back to their peers. Some of the stations included middle school and high school survival, college and career tips, and readiness, as well as vision boards, and even an escape room. Lunch was then all donated by Wendy's on Commercial Way. And this was definitely a very fun experience for all of us to do. Just for us as um senior delegates getting to interact with the kids, and then for them, I know that they had fun hearing from us. Yeah. And then at Hernando
014Grown, the high school delegates were able to share with upcoming freshmen what each school offers in the different programs to set themselves up for success. And there are just a couple of my junior delegates. >> [laughter] >> Perfect. And then in February, a few of the senior delegates helped try and pick out different foods that might go on our lunch menu, which some of them tasted actually pretty decent. The churros, watch out for them next year. And tonight we had our final event, an ice cream social, where we got one last chance to thank each of the delegates for all of their hard work this year. I'd like to give a big shout-out to Herbert Sherbert for donating ice cream for the students. They just opened a new storefront at the Welcome Home Center off
015of Commercial Way, if you'd like to check them out. Thank you, guys, and have a great night. Thank you. At this time, we're going to move on to our presentations. I'm going to take presentation items out of order. I'm going to swap items number three and five. So, we're going to move on to number five right now. So, item 26-3810, we're going to recognize the 25-26 student delegates and student representatives to the school board. Mr. Ellermann. >> At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District, I would like to recognize the following Hernando County School District students for their service as a student delegate. When I call your name, please come and receive your certificate and stay for a group photo. Jazara Abdul-Raheem Emani Henderson Lilliana Robles Reagan Williams Patrick Polanco Bella Shields
016Crisandra Rogers Trisha Wynn Parker Moore Hugh Huddleston Hayley Diaz Maya Woods Colin Ray Arabelle Montaleone Hey Stevenson Titan Strickland Raylon Long Olivia Baldwin Brody Joiner Anthony Crane Cross Gleason Evan Lo Bianco Zoe Waterman Riley Kreger Jerome Gorney Noah Pakunko Maxwell Swanson Asa McCook Macy Bishop Emmalise Torrado Luke Brunner Ella Howard Quentin Duncan Feda Lambert Addison Coleman Carson Rodetsky Emily Marrero Luke Moody Fallen Gordon Julia Debamont Arabella Casanova Angel Pagan Jackson Johnson Giani Pagano Jaylen Ortiz Vargas Aubrey Mitchell Lilliana Norton Jackson Johnson And at this time, Amy Crisp, the Hernando School District Student Delegate Advisor, will now share a few words about the students and programs. >> All right. Tonight, we celebrate a remarkable group of student leaders from across our district. From our youngest elementary delegates to our high school representatives, every student recognized tonight
017was selected by their school to represent student voice, and we thank you for using your leadership to highlight your schools and all of the great things happening within them. I'm especially proud of our high school students for their continued commitment to this program. From participating in district initiatives and task forces to growing through public speaking and leadership opportunities, you have represented your schools with professionalism and maturity, as well as supported younger students with confidence and encouragement. Your growth has been incredible to watch, and I know this is only the beginning of the impact you will make. Congratulations to each of you, and thank you for leading with purpose and heart. I also want to sincerely thank our parents that are here tonight or watching online for their support in providing transportation and ensuring student participation
018in our events throughout the year, as well as our school advisors for their partnership, communication, and dedication. Your support has made this work possible. This time, we'll take a group photo. >> [applause] >> Seniors, stay back. If my seniors can stay. All right, so senior students, Reagan as well. All right, I know not everybody could be here tonight because you have a lot going on, but I'm thankful that the three of you are. Um, I just wanted to give a special shout-out to my senior representatives. I am so thankful to have gotten to know each of you over the course of the year, and I have a small gift for you tonight. A leadership pin featuring a lighthouse. A lighthouse stands firm through every storm, guiding others safely forward, and I cannot think [clears throat]
019of a better symbol for the leadership you have shown throughout your time in this program. So, for the three of you. You're welcome. All right, last one. All right, so what sets Jasira apart is not just the title she holds, but how she has chosen to carry it. Her dedication to this role and to the students of Hernando County demonstrates a genuine sense of pride, responsibility, and service. She has not only represented her peers, she has elevated the standard of what student leadership can look like. Even in the face of adversity, she continued to show up, to lead, and to represent her peers with dignity. I'm honored to present to you a plaque on behalf of the school board in recognition of your service this year. >> [applause] [applause] >> We have lots of fun
020awards tonight. So, we're moving on to item number four, 26-38-12, recognition of students for state and national achievements in career and technical student organizations. Ms. Lastra. Welcome. Thank you. Good evening, board chair, board members, and Mr. Pender. My name is Beth Lastra. I'm the super supervisor of college and career programs, and I'm honored to be here tonight to recognize students from our CTE programs who have participated and competed at the state and national level this year. Although we're at the end of the school year with many things going on both on and off campuses, I want to appreciate or I do appreciate the students that are being recognized as I know you all do. So, if you're here to be recognized and you hear your school and your organization, please join us up front, and
021advisors, that means you, too. Don't be hiding in the back, right? Um I'm going to start off you we know that they do that, right? So, I'm going to start off with CyberLaunch. CyberLaunch is Florida's one-of-a-kind statewide cybersecurity competition and it's hosted at USF. It introduces students to the world of cybersecurity careers through hands-on engaging challenges. On April 24th, qualifying teams gathered at the University of South Florida in Tampa for the in-person state championship showcasing technical skills, teamwork, and problem-solving under pressure. Students from Hernando and Nature Coast both qualified. They had to do pre-qualification work and they both qualified for this event. And Hernando High students um won actually. They had two teams that went and one of their teams won the state title in 2026 hacking competition. So, Mr. Lewis and your students. And
022if you all just stand right up here. The Future Business Leaders of America, FBLA, their high school competition is an academic awards program that allows students to apply classroom business concepts in real-world workforce simulated simulations or scenarios, sorry. Members compete at a local, state, and national level in objective tests, presentations, production events, and case study role-plays. Weeki Wachee High School had eight students qualify for states and they earned second place in game design and sixth place for public speaking. Three of their students are national qualifiers and are heading to Texas in June to compete in the game design and simulation competition. So, very exciting. Um if anyone here is from FBLA, please join us up here as well. Now, three students from Hernando High will be receiving their state FFA degree, which is the highest
023level of membership a student can earn, and an award that less than 5% of all FFA members receive. Now, there's over a million FFA members in the membership and less than 5% receive it and fought three of them come from Hernando High School. So, that's very, very impressive. And they have uh um one of their uh competitions they have several competitions coming up this summer as well. The Florida Department of Education provides assistance to schools in forming and maintaining pre-collegiate and collegiate teacher recruitment programs. Each year the department coordinates a state conference for post-secondary chapters and high school members or for high school members and their advisers. The conference provides an opportunity to hear from outstanding teachers and others working in the field of education and along with workshops focused on information helpful to becoming
024a successful teacher. They also the chapters also get to compete in a couple different areas. They've come in here before and talked to you guys about those. Um a Weeki Wachee High School student was recognized as a top 20 finalist in the state for the speech the public speaking competition. And then the chapter also won second place for their video inside our schools competition. They highlighted um their partnership with Winding Waters and they won second in the state. So, it's very, very exciting. SkillsUSA, if you're here from Skills. Competitions are industry-driven where career and technical education students showcase their trade and leadership skills. Starting locally, competitors advance through regional and state levels to qualify for the national championship earning medals, scholarships, and potential job offers. Nature Coast Technical High School had 24 students compete at
025the Florida SkillsUSA State Conference and Competition in Jacksonville this year. And they participated in the in the following areas: Crime Scene Investigation where they won gold, silver, silver, and medal. Gold, silver, and bronze. Sorry. So, they got all top three programs in the state. Criminal Justice, they won gold and silver. Graphics Imaging, they won gold and silver. They also competed in electrical construction wiring, first aid CPR, medical terminology, additive manufacturing, they won silver. Mobile robotics technology and robotics. So, definitely a round of applause for those students. If you guys will join us as like I know they're standing here. They're sitting down here. Please join us up here as well. The Student Television Network National Convention also known as STN is a premier annual conference for middle and high school film, broadcast journalism, and media
026production programs. The event is often referred to as the Super Bowl of student broadcasting and it's a multi-day event that attracts nearly 3,000 students from across the country for rigorous competitions, hands-on learning, and networking. So, students from both Nature Coast and Weeki Wachee attended this year and I just have to say I chaperoned the trip a couple years ago and it is crazy. I mean, there's kids they were from all over the country, from Hawaii, they were everywhere and these kids just they did amazing. It was awesome. So, Nature Coast actually got second place in division one for their movie trailer. And I want to talk about they had a group also get third place in crazy eight and I wanted to talk a little bit about that cuz I remember when I was there
027and I asked like what does this mean? Like what crazy eight? Like what is that? So, they have eight hours. They get a script, a prompt that's like a surprise and they get eight hours to write, shoot, edit, and submit the video project. If they don't make it at that eight-hour deadline, they're done, right, Mr. Wald? He wasn't paying attention. I'm kidding. >> [laughter] >> I was telling Kristen there's a middle school division that >> See, there you go. But, um they have that eight hours from start to finish and you see kids running through the convention center and they're pressing the button after they compete and it's just amazing. And so, they do have a team that received third place in that crazy eight competition as well, which is amazing. And then, Weeki Wachee
028also received second place in in short film. So, if anyone's here from SDN, please come up. Thank you, Mr. Wald. And additionally, last but certainly not least, Nature Coast and Weeki Wachee also participated in the national, I'm sorry, the All-American High School Film Festival, which is the world's largest student film festival. It's held annually in New York City and acts as a premier showcase, educational incubator, and networking hub for over 5,000 talented young filmmakers. Um they give out prizes, scholarships, and everything. Nature Coast uh had finalists in the 3-day complete experience competition and the 2-day claustrophobic. You can ask him what that is. I'm not really sure, but it sounds very exciting. But they were finalists, and then Weeki Wachee were finalists in um their respective competitions that they um competed in as well. And
029I bring that up because being a finalist in those areas actually equaled to being like 10 top 10 in the nation. So, it's very, very exciting. So, I would like to congratulate these students and their advisors for all their hard work and their dedication because it's not just the time that they're spending inside the classroom, right? It's outside of the classroom that you all are using to prepare and to go and compete and bring those accolades back here to Hernando County. So, thank you. >> [applause] >> If everyone can kind of And while you are taking the picture, I also want to mention that the students in criminal justice for skills, as well as um graphics imaging, they've made it they qualified for nationals. And so, that's the first time that we're aware that they
030qualified for nationals for skills. >> [applause] >> All right, before we move on, Ms. Rodriguez wants to add on something about the chess club. >> Good evening, everyone. Thank you for being here. So, at Western Avenue Middle School, Mr. Pender and I had the pleasure of visiting the school. And of all the wonderful things that we witnessed as we walked through the campus, there was one that stood out, and it was the chess club taught by Mr. Bekheet and his associate helper, Mrs. Lisa Studson. Am I saying that right? Studson? Okay. Um so, in the chess club, I had asked what exactly they do and how long, besides playing chess, how long this program has been. She was explaining that it provides a place for may not be athletic, musically oriented, or who struggle to
031find a place in school where they fit. She said that they accept all abilities and skill levels, so you do not have to know how to play chess. You come in never playing before, and they teach you. She said that this enables them to have a chance to learn a new skill and make new friends who have similar interest. Chess helps improve problem-solving, critical thinking, concentration, as well as how to plan ahead. She said that there was a student who joined chess club last year. He was very shy and he was very quiet. He didn't have any friends. He barely spoke to anyone and he would only play against people that he was comfortable with. This year, he's a leader in the club. He has become more confident and outgoing and he even steps outside
032his comfort zone. He participated in a chess tournament at another school, which is unheard of before, and it was against students that he had never met. His mother even noticed the change in his confidence and said he would have never gone previously. They have seen growth in many of the club members throughout this program. They bring chess boards to school to play during lunch or if they have time during the day. Last year was the first year of chess club and they had 35 students. This year, they had 50 students and unfortunately, because of the growth so fast and there's only two of them, um they had to turn a few students down because they didn't have enough room. They also provide every student with a club shirt and at the end of the club,
033each student was given a chess board with pieces that were made there in the classroom by Mr. Becude. They have students that have been with them for both years and they're looking forward to joining again next year. So, I just wanted to bring this to your attention. This is the board that they make at school. And they every child gets presented this chess board. On the back, they get to keep it. It says, "As you navigate life, let the lessons from chess club guide you. Be patient, think before you act, and grow from your mistakes. And when life feels like checkmate, remember to keep playing. Adapt and just enjoy playing the game." Mr. Becude. So. And then let [applause] me show you These are the chess pieces. So, they can keep these with them. And
034these were made in class. So, it's a bag. And then he makes the board as well. And then they all get a t-shirt. So, I just thought it was something that was very nice and I wanted to highlight that because he puts a lot of his time as well as uh Mrs. Dodson to do this for the children. These are the things that our teachers do that we don't see. You know, a lot of times we think they get there, teach, and go home, but they don't. They put in hours and hours, countless times, pouring into all of our students in this county. So, to me this was something wonderful and I get to keep this. So, this is something that I'll have as well as a treasure. And I think the verse on the
035back, everything that was stated, I think it's just something that you never forget. These are teachers who make a lasting impression and later in life you go back and you remember exactly what they did and how they helped bring you out of your shell or change something for you at the time exactly when [clears throat] you needed it. So, I just wanted to say that these students and these teachers are very lucky to have one another and it's what sets our county apart and makes us shine. Thank you. >> Thank you. I think it ties in with our CTE teachers, our career technical education programs that we offer. We're we try really hard to find a path for every child. It may not be sports, so maybe it's one of the career technical education programs
036that we have, or maybe it is chess, or maybe it's music. Um and those are things that we know as a district, if we can find a path that a child is engaged in or interested in, they're more likely to succeed academically, attendance will will improve, um and create a better all over child student. So, I also want to say that she's right with the teachers. It actually it really does take um a village in all of this and we appreciate all that our teachers are doing, the time, the effort. So, thank you. >> And one more thing, Chair. I would be remiss if I did not say since I've brought up West Hernando, our front office, Emily Haglin, she's our front office secretary, too. She's the attendance sub coordinator, volunteer coordinator. Last board meeting,
037I brought this up. I think it was during maybe the informal, but I wanted to just put it out there while we have a full house that the front line of a school is the face and that secretary sitting there and that changes everything of how you feel when you walk in the door. A lot of times you're coming there to pick up a sick child to go home or you're coming there because of um scheduling problems or just anything in general. And when you see that welcome and that warm face and somebody who greets you and makes you feel loved and makes you feel valued, it means everything. And me being a parent of three students in our school system, I've been in the system for a long time. And it definitely is the
038front face and I know that all those positions are not created equal. So, I wanted to say to Mrs. Haglin how much we appreciate that no matter what hat she wears, which is multiple, she always does it with a friendly face and she always does it with compassion and with kindness and that means a great deal to us as parents when we walk in that office and we have a lot of problems or something on our mind. So, those positions do not go unnoticed and I thank all of our people at the front desk of these schools because you make us shine. >> Thank you. I think we could spend all night talking and about the amazing things and awards for every person in our district, but we're going to move on at this point
039to item number 3, 26-3770, presentation of anti-bullying awareness video for our secondary schools contest. Moving on to more awards. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Good evening, Madam Chair, board members, and Superintendent Pender. My name is Angela Miller Royal. I'm the coordinator of student support services, and it is my pleasure to be here this evening and privilege to share some of the meaningful work that our students have been engaged in. Earlier this year, student services sponsored an anti-bullying video contest for our secondary schools centered around the theme be the difference, speak up, stand strong, stop bullying. The This initiative gave students the opportunity to use their voices to promote awareness, encourage kindness, and and and empower their peers to take a stand. All the students did a great job, and student services truly thanks them and
040their sponsors for participating. Each participant was recognized by student services with a certificate of appreciation, and our winning school received a pizza pizza lunch as well. So, at this time, I'd like to recognize each school. As I call your school, please come up and remain for a photograph. So, we have Winding Waters K-8. Okay. Uh Powell Middle School. Springstead High School. I'd like the administration and their sponsors to come up as well. Fox Chapel Middle School. And congratulations to Nature Coast Technical High School. They They were the creators of our winning video. >> Next picture first. >> Congratulations. >> Do you want to Do you want to say something? >> No. >> Yeah, you're fine. Thank you so much. I At this time, we will watch uh Nature Coast video. Um the other videos will
041be available and they have been put out on our website, but I um we'll be putting them out again and I encourage you to watch them. The students did an amazing job. They This is the second year we've done it and they have um absolutely exceeded our expectations. >> Bullying is not just a joke or drama. >> It's intentional, repeated, and meant to cause harm. It affects real people. >> Their confidence. >> Their mental health. >> And their sense of safety at school. >> It can happen in person or online. >> Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology >> like social media, text, or [music] games. >> To repeatedly hurt, embarrass, or target someone. >> [music] [music] >> Cyber bullying can happen anytime, anywhere. >> But so can kindness. >> If you see bullying, don't stay
042silent. >> Support the person being targeted. Report it and be a part of [music] the solution. >> Together we can create a safer >> more respectful school community. >> Be a difference. >> Speak up. >> Stand strong. >> Stop bullying. >> Great job. That's really impactful and hits home. So, thank you, Nature Coast. Great job. All right. We're going to move on to item number six, 26-3808. Recognition of the May Hernando County School District Veteran. >> At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District, I would like to recognize the May Hernando County School District Veteran of the Month, Dell O. Barnes, Sr. Mr. Barnes began his military journey in 1982, entering the United States Army Reserve and beginning his training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His first duty assignment was with the
0435th Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment, stationed at the historic Fort Tilden Army Reserve Post in Queens, New York. During his time with the unit, Mr. Barnes demonstrated exceptional discipline and leadership ability, eventually rising through the enlisted ranks. In 2000, then Staff Sergeant Barnes was promoted to the rank of Sergeant First Class. Shortly thereafter, he transitioned to the 623rd Transportation Company at Fort Totten, where he served as a section chief within one of the unit's transportation sections. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing transportation operations, personnel readiness, logistical coordination, and mission execution critical to military mobility and support operations. After earning his certification as a military instructor, First Sergeant Barnes continued his commitment to developing soldiers by transferring to the 9th Battalion, 98th Division, a United States Army Reserve training unit located in Connecticut. There
044he played an instrumental role in preparing soldiers for deployment through cross-trained military police as vehicle operators. His instruction and mentorship contributed significantly to the operational readiness and mission effectiveness during the initial stages of the global war on terror campaigns. Upon relocating to Hernando County, Mr. Barnes continued to support and train hundreds of soldiers in the effective movement and transportation of fuel, ammunition, supplies, and other combat necessities. After years of faithful and distinguished military service, Sergeant First Class Barnes made the decision to begin a new chapter with his family and begin his transition towards military retirement. One of the proudest moments of his military career came during Operation Nuevos Horizontes in 1997 in Panama, where he received official accolades for his outstanding service and support of Joint Task Force from 18 January to to 24 Jan-
045May, 1997. During this humanitarian engineering mission, his exceptional performance contributed to the successful completion of the construction and refurbishment of six schools, the construction of three medical clinics, the drilling of six freshwater wells, the repair of 5 km of roadway, and support for three medical readiness training exercises conducted at six separate locations. The mission success brought tremendous benefit to communities throughout the Panama City area and received praise from the Panaman- Panamanian government, the United States Ambassador, and the US military services. His dedication and tireless labor positively impacted countless Panamanian students and civilians who benefited from these humanitarian efforts. Today, Mr. Barnes continues his life of service in the civilian sector, faithfully serving the Hernando County School District as the manager of family and community engagement. Where he continues to impact lives through leadership, mentorship, engagement,
046and community empowerment. Mr. Barnes, would you come to the front, please? You want to say a few words? Okay. Yeah? You want to talk? All right. I'll get you. >> Thank you. >> And I think what they what they failed to mention is he is the best saxophone player on the planet. He is amazing for anybody who's never heard him play. >> [applause] >> Mr. Barnes, you are a true gift to our schools, our students, anyone you meet. He truly is. He's a blessing to all. So, I thank you for your service and your dedication to our schools. All right, at this time we'll go on to item number 7, 26-3797, approval of the minutes from the informal workshop and regular school board meeting of May 12th, 2026. Can I have a motion and a
047second, please? Any discussion? Please vote. And that passes 5-0. Citizen input on agenda items, item number 8, 26-3798, citizen input on agenda items, green form. Are there any green speaker forms? Okay, Mr. Myers, can you please read instructions for the item? >> Thank you, Madam Chair. This is an opportunity for the public to address items on the board's agenda for this meeting. The agenda for this meeting is located by the entrance to the board room. To speak at this time, you should have already completed a green citizen input speaker form, also located on the tables at the entrance to the board room. You should indicate the item or items you wish to address on the citizen input form. Those speakers who wish to address general matters not on the agenda this evening should complete the
048pink citizen input form. The opportunity to speak on topics not on the agenda will be provided later in the meeting. If you have any attachments you wish to share with the board, please provide them to the board secretary prior to speaking. Each speaker will have 3 minutes during the segment of the agenda. Speakers will be called by number to come forward by the chair. Prior to making your remarks, please state your name and address for the record. Inquiries or comments made during citizen input may be followed up and reported to the board by the superintendent or staff thereafter. Those are the instructions. >> Thank you, Mr. Meyer. We'll have speaker number one who's going to be speaking on agenda item number nine. I will pass around um the attachment she just would like everyone to
049see. >> Good evening, Lisa Miserendino, current president of Hernando Classroom Teachers Association. I live in Brooksville. Good evening, board chair, board members, Mr. Pender. First and foremost, I wanted to say congratulations to our 20 retirees who are listed on this agenda under the personnel recommendations. Um it is quite an accomplishment to complete a career in education and um we just sincerely want to thank them for the service that they provided for our students and in our district. Um however, on the same agenda, we also have 19 resignations. >> [clears throat] >> That may not be the end. We see some that come through in June as well. So, when I looked back through agendas um since February 24th, there have been 33 resignations and 28 retirees for a total of 61. So, the concern um
050that I wanted to express um in addition to congratulations is that >> [clears throat] >> we have a lot of work to do with employee retention. I've been hearing from teachers also over this past week or two who have been in the situation of being non-reappointed. The stories that I hear a lot are ones that are you know, a lack of support, a lack of um clear direction of how to improve and how to make sure that you keep your position. So, that's a concern because employee retention, some of it is outside of our control, right? I know people who are moving out of state, they're changing, you know, they're moving to another area of the state. So, that's not within our control. But, whether or not, uh, people feel valued and whether or not
051they feel like this is a place they want to work is within our influence. It's within our sphere of influence. So, I want to encourage you to, please, when, um, the survey employee survey results are presented, um, dive into those, dive into the feedback. It has not been shared widely with employees yet. So, we have invested time in completing those surveys and generally it has been encouraged that those survey results are shared out with employees. And what I'm hearing from most sites is that it has not been at this point. So, that means that is our input valued? That's what it means. That's what it allows people to question if I take the time to fill it out because there's super, super, um, tracking of whether it's been completed or not, whether you've opened it
052or not, but we want to see on the results side that same level of attentiveness. Um, so, the other thing that I had as the attachment to present to you is these are almost 500 signatures that we collected within the time span of the week or two since when we declared impasse this spring. So, still people are asking the question, how important are we? I know that there's budget challenges, but there are a lot of ways we can show people that they're valued. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right, we're moving on to the adoption of our consent agenda, items number 9 through 28. Do we have anyone wanting to pull any items on the agenda? Yes. >> Number 12. Is that all? Mr. Johnson, you good? Okay. Do you have any items to pull
053on the agenda? Okay. Thank you. All right. All right. If I can If I can have a motion to adopt the agenda with item number 12 pulled. May I also have a second? Please vote. And that passes 5-0. Item number 12, 26-3767. Approval of the high-performing performing replication charter application for Pineapple Cove Classical Academy Brooksville. Can I have a motion and a second? Okay. And then Ms. Duval. We can have a discussion. Don, could you come up? >> Good evening, Don Williams. I Sorry. Good evening, Don Williams, supervisor school choice, madam chair, board members, Mr. Pender, um Ms. Duval. Couple of questions. >> [clears throat] >> Was there a committee that reviewed the application? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Uh how many people on the committee? Approximately doesn't >> 16. >> Okay. Can you share some
054of the concerns that the committee had? >> Sure. Um in section two of the application or of the evaluation instrument, um target population and student body, one of the concerns was anticipated fund balances based on revenue projections must rely on accurate enrollment projections. However, the application does not provide evidence to support the enrollment projections, which appear to be overly optimistic. Not only does the projected enrollment in year one exceed the total combined enrollment of all other charter schools in the county, but it is also questionable whether or not new housing planned in the vicinity will be completed in time to support the enrollment projected in year one. Additionally, the application does not contain a description of controls that will safeguard finances with respect to projected enrollment trends. Rather, the application states should enrollment come in
055lower than anticipated, the school will reevaluate budgets and enrollment projections early in the application period to best meet projections or make appropriate changes as needed. There is no clear indication of how long the applicant intends to wait to validate either the projected enrollment or the finances that depend on such enrollment. Another area of the evaluation application where the committee had concerns uh was education program design. Um both the application and interview did not clearly describe the charter's reading plan. The response provided during the capacity interview stated that they would use the district plan but use their own materials. This does not align with FDOE directives. The plan did not provide any explanation of how students would be provided instruction for intervention purposes, nor were the intervention resources rated as required by FDOE. Um section four
056of the evaluation instrument curriculum plan. Primary curriculum is based on common core benchmarks. Section six, exceptional students. Concern about one gifted teacher to support K-12 for all three Pineapple Cove charters. While secondary's easily addressed through advanced placement, elementary tends to require more direct service. This would be This would need to be addressed moving forward. Section 14, student recruitment and enrollment. While the plan for recruiting students is comprehensive and multi-faceted, it seems doubtful the projected enrollment for year one will be met for reasons cited under concerns in section two, target population and student body. Section 16, facilities. The application provides neither a cost estimate nor a basis for estimating the cost of the anticipated facility needs. The applicant stated in the capacity interview that the cost to build a 40-classroom school including land acquisition and construction
057is expected be approximately 13 million financed by tax-exempt bonds. The applicant further stated the school expects to construct in year five, 2031, a 16-classroom addition and a gymnasium for approximately 9 million. These estimates fall well below current market cost for typical school construction. The application contains no evidence of one, either the amount budgeted for debt service being adequate to fund the anticipated facility needs, or two, the financial history of the replicated charter school. Section 20, budget. The proposed budget raises questions about its practicality, adequacy, and how well it supports the school's operational needs. Several expense categories seem underestimated, particularly health insurance, staff and student technology, furniture and equipment, repairs and maintenance, and contingency funds. While some revenue assumptions, such as capital outlay and local tax revenues, are overestimated and premature. The projected enrollment figures, which
058directly affect revenue estimates, appear overly optimistic when compared to similar school openings and current district charter enrollments. They also rely heavily on anticipated future housing develops instead of current demographic numbers for the mostly rural area of the proposed location. Food service salaries appear significantly underestimated given the need to employ five workers as outlined in the staffing plan. Debt service projections for the cost of the tax-exempt bond issue are insufficiently explained. 21, financial management and oversight. There are inconsistencies for contracted accounting services, other budgetary responsibilities, and financial oversights described in section 21. The segregation of financial duties policy and the management agreement. Who is ultimately responsible financial reporting and oversight? So, they did indicate in responses subsequent to the capacity interview that um the governing board is ultimately responsible for the financial reporting and oversight. Um
059section 22 of the evaluation tool is startup plan. Although the applicant proposes reusing the design of an existing facility, limited time has been allotted for land acquisition, site adaptation/design, permitting, and construction. An accelerated construction schedule, possibly incurring additional costs, will likely be required to ensure a timely opening in 2027. And then addendum A1, the high-performing replication, concerns were while the replication plan is solidly based on on an existing high-performing school, the proposed business plan is questionable. It seems doubtful the projected enrollment for year one will be met for the reasons previously cited under concerns in section two, target population and student body. Standards alignment concern. The application references common core standards, which are not adopted in Florida, and does not clearly articulate alignment to the best standards. While this may be a terminology or documentation
060issue, explicit alignment is necessary to ensure compliance with Florida's instructional and accountability requirements. I can say in the post capacity responses to the questions that were asked and in the capacity interview, um Dr. Gunter did explain that they had Excel spreadsheets deep of crosswalks from their curriculum to the best standards that are tested annually. And as you can see um on the upload of the the school grade history, the the school they're replicating has been an A since 2017. They dipped to a B in 2022, and they've been an A ever since. So, I believe there's evidence that they do have they have crosswalked their curriculum to the bench standards. Our past standards, excuse me. Um and here it is, the lack of curriculum crosswalk. The proposal does not include a detailed crosswalk, which is
061true. They didn't include a detailed crosswalk. They explained how they do crosswalk the um their curriculum to the best standards. Demonstrating how instructional resources, including Singapore math, fully address best benchmarks. This limits the ability to verify that the pro- posed school will be substantially similar in academic rigor and outcomes within Florida system. And then clarity across plan components. The evaluation criteria criteria require substantial similarity to be supported across educational, organization, and business plans. While intent is stated, additional specificity would strengthen confidence in implementation fidelity, particularly related to curriculum alignment, teacher training, and instructional monitoring. Those were the concerns. >> Thank you. >> Madam Chair. >> Mike. >> I have a question. >> Yes, Mike. Okay. I think Mr. Val wanted to finish up really quick. I'm sorry. >> had your head down. I'm sorry, uh
062>> I was Go ahead, Mr. Val. >> Writing a question. Um given all of the concerns, because Pineapple Cove is a replication of another higher performing charter school, isn't this board required by the state to approve the application? >> Yes, ma'am. >> And that's where I have a problem. Um I also had a problem with with Youth Thrive for the same not the same reasons, uh but the fact that the state is telling not only this school district, but every school district what they can and can't do in terms of just about everything anymore. And I think that's wrong. I think the Board of County Commissioners in in this district and across the state also have been in many respects hung out to dry because we can't we can't do what we need to do
063for our own communities anymore. I understand a part of why the state does this. It's uniformity, but we're all different. Our communities are different. And as such, I I think we should have that ability to decide and make decisions based on what we need and what we think we should be doing and what's right for us. It's and please understand, it is not just education. It's everything that's being handed down from Tallahassee, which is kind of ironic for me because Tallahassee gets really ticked at Washington D.C. for being told what to do sometimes and how to do it. But then they turn around and do it to the state and collectively we have the ability and the dedication to do what's always best for our school district. Just like BOCC does the best they can
064for the county as they should. But sometimes we're just we're disregarded, disrespected for what we know can be done within our community and should be done. So, I understand. No matter what any of us might say, this is this is a this is a done deal. It's over. Whether we have concerns and there are concerns or not, doesn't matter. The board is expected to do this. Um and I will say to you, Jamie, I've known you a long time and I know the concerns that have been addressed, you you will deal with. That's my expectation of you. Uh you've come through time and again to do what's best for best and now you thrive. So, this is a different scenario. This is being told that another high-performing charter school can now just do what they
065want here. I just don't buy into it on many levels. So, I appreciate you sharing the concerns. I want the community to hear the concerns. So, thank you very much. Mark, you had a question. >> Yep, go ahead, Mark. >> two questions. First one, are charter schools limited to what area they can obtain students from? They can get a a child from anywhere in the county, isn't that right? >> Yes, they can draw from within county and they can draw from without county. Without a doubt. >> there in an area that's undeveloped, is it necessarily a detriment to them obtaining the the the uh student loads loads that they're projecting, correct? >> Not necessarily. >> Okay. Now, the other thing I other question I had that there were a number of concerns you listed, did
066they address those concerns when they were listed? >> They addressed some of the Yeah, they addressed the concerns. It was post capacity interview and it was after the the period in which I had to upload my items for Legistar. So, >> [clears throat] >> they are replicating their West Melbourne campus which as I said has been an A since 2017 with the exception of 2022 when they were B. They are using the same curriculum materials >> Mhm. >> that they use in all of their new classical prep schools. >> And in the other counties, they accept those curriculum as meeting state standards? >> Yes, charter schools have flexibility in the in the curriculum they they choose to use. They do have to however ensure that their students are attaining the best mastery of the best
067standards which their school grades indicate that they have mastered the best standards. >> So, that negates three quarters of the concerns then. >> To some extent, yes, sir. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. >> All right, Mr. Myers. >> I think it's important to sort of address some of the legal issues here and I think uh the first is to sort of recognize that when it comes to high performing replication charter applications, those are treated a little differently. Boards generally don't have much discretion if any discretion when it comes to those kind of applications. But a general application, you know, for a charter school, the board does have some discretion. But the board has to show good cause if they're going to deny deny the application. There's got to be clear and convincing evidence uh that
068there are there are reasons to deny and it's got to be in one of four categories. Material non-compliance, deficient reading curriculum, financial mismanagement, or material misrepresentation. Now, if you if you deny not not in this particular case, but in in a in an application that's going to come up later on the agenda, if if you can't show that uh uh then then what the applicant will do, the applicant will go to the Board of Education, request a hearing, and 99 times out of 100 will prevail. And because the district has to represent its position, and a legal counsel has to be hired, and there are situations where districts have spent $50,000 or more in a situation where they're not going to win. So, you do have some discretion with regular applications for charter schools, but
069like I say, you've got to demonstrate that the reason for denial fits into one of those four categories. But in this particular application, I I don't think you have much discretion because it's a replication, you know, of a high-performing school. >> Thank you. One last Ms. Tufall? >> One last question. Was this uh charter application ever submitted to the state previously? >> Yes, it was it was submitted to the state um >> What happened? >> It was um they were uh set to recommend uh denial to the State Board of Education, so Pineapple Cove withdrew the application and made some of the corrected um they they corrected some of the areas that the commission felt that they were deficient in. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Ms. Rodriguez? >> If the school underperforms, the
070board retains the oversight authority throughout the charter agreement and the renewal process. Ultimately, we remain accountable. The school does through academic performance standards. Is that not true? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, I guess I look at it a little different. I feel like competition can motivate systems to adapt and improve. And for me, I think that if families are already seeking charter, a private, a home school, or a neighboring county option, um having a high-demand charter can help retain our students locally. It can keep education dollars within the county. It can attract new families relocating to the area. I feel that having competition is not a bad thing. If they're going to go, they're going to do something different, you're not changing their mind. That's what That's a parent's Parents should have the ability to
071decide what fits their educational model. So, for me as a school board member, I embrace different options. I embrace schools. I embrace all different aspects. It just makes me want to be the best version that we can be as a public school system. So, I'm not scared of any of it. I'm okay with any of them coming in. I think that parents ultimately have the right to decide where their child goes. And I'm an advocate for that. And I think that that's up to us as parents to pick and choose what fits our family and our need. So, as much as I absolutely am behind our public schools, I wouldn't be sitting on the board if I was not, I'm also a big proponent of parent's choice. And parents do have that right. And therefore,
072once again, a competition is not a bad thing. It just makes us continue to get better and better and to stay the level of improvement that we need to keep seeing and keep reaching for. So, um for me, I don't have a problem with it. I am not worried about other schools coming in. I just know that we all have to do our part in this county with our public school system as a board and as a whole with teachers, with our district, with our administrators to be the best version that we can be so that we can capture and we can retain and keep those parents in our schools. So, just wanted to add that. >> Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez. Mr. Johnson. >> Yeah, thank you. I I agree with the competition is a
073healthy is healthy for the school district. It makes us up our game, as Mrs. Rodriguez was saying. And the other aspect of this is unlike Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco that are closing and consolidating schools, we don't have enough room. So, I see nothing wrong with creating more space for the students we have. What What are we at on concurrency at at high schools? It's close to 100%. What is wrong with opening up an avenue so that the students have a place to go and a seat to find? So, I I don't see anything wrong with this, personally. And I hope yours prevails, too. >> Mr. Myers. >> Yeah, one other point, if I may. I mean, you're This is approving an application. I understand at some point the charter comes before you that you have
074to approve. And the charter provides oversight by the district. So, to the extent to which a school is not abiding by the terms and conditions in the in the charter agreement, you know, you have the ability, you know, to to take action there. >> Which that's exactly what I was saying. >> That was my first comment, that if the school underperforms, then the board ultimately we have the ability to retain that oversight authority through the charter agreement in the renewal process. So, at the end of the day, I agree with Mr. Johnson when it comes to that charter school can help us relieve overcrowding without having to build new schools. It can carry all the capital construction costs. It expands our staffing immediately. There's just a lot of things that we have developments coming. We
075have a lot of growth. And I think that there's room for everybody. I just think that we just have to know that we have to be the best version, and we have to up our game, and we have to continue striving to be the best public schools that we can be so that parents do not want to pull their child out, and that they don't have a reason to. So, that's what we have to focus on and look at. Also, the last thing I want to say is Pineapple Cove, they have they are A-rated for every school. I think they have three that are already existing. And their grade level there is top tier, very high performance. So with that, I don't see why we're going to have a school here in our county that's
076not going to be the same. They're not going to make us look bad. I think that they're going to be just as well equipped as the rest of our schools in Challenger and Chocachatti and Nature Coast and we're just we're we're all different in different ways and I just think it gives a good format for parents to pick and choose of what works for their family. So, I welcome it. >> And charter schools are a public school. It's considered a version of a a public school. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, yes. All right. Any further discussion? Questions? Okay. At this time, if we please could vote. And that passes 4-1. Thank you. At this time, we're going to move on to items removed from the consent agenda for action, speaking of charter schools. Item number
07729, 26-3830, approval of the charter application for Youth Thrive Elementary Academy for Creative Excellence. I am making a motion at this time to please reconsider the board action on May 12th denying the application for Youth Thrive Elementary Academy for Creative Excellence. May I have a second on my motion? >> And it would be verbal. >> I will second it. >> Okay. Miss Rodriguez seconded. >> Thank you. Any discussion on that? >> No. >> Do Please vote. >> Is that verbal as well? >> Verbal vote? >> Yes, please. >> Okay. I'm a yay. >> Yes. >> Mr. Duval. >> Just to be clear, you're just voting on the motion for reconsideration right now. You're not voting on approving the the application. If you approve the motion if the motion for reconsideration passes, then you go to
078the actual application. >> that passes. 5-0. Okay. Can I have a motion to now approve the charter application for Youth Thrive Elementary Academy for Creative Excellence at at this time? We will vote on the computer. >> I Oh, is it the computer? >> Have a motion and a second and then we can vote. Did we want to have any discussion on that? I kind of ran past that. No? Okay. She's waiting. >> [snorts] >> No, I haven't voted. I want you all to understand it's not about you and nor the charter. It's about my objections with the state and how they have made this process taken taken the process and really done things to it that I think should be reconsidered. But I know full well the state won't do that. >> [laughter] >> They're
079not about to. Um so I'm going to vote no. But I hope you know why and understand why because I do believe you will still do a good job. There you go. >> Ms. Rodriguez, do you want to comment before I read them? It's already posted. >> I do. I don't think that >> That passed 4-1, sorry. >> I don't think though that because the state or anyone else does something that someone might not like, I don't think that any of you should be held accountable for that. And I don't think you should be punished for it. I'm not saying Ms. Deval is doing that by no means, but when it's out of certain things are out of our control and we have to be able to vote on what is in our control and
080have that partnership with you and be able to continue in this county to where all of us thrive and it's all once again for the students. So, you have my support. >> Okay. I'm going to move on now to item number 30, 26-3829, approval of the charter application for Uthrive Elementary School for Brooksville STEM. I'm making a motion to reconsider the board action at May 12th meeting denying the application for Uthrive Elementary School of Brooksville STEM. Can I have a second? And this is verbal. Just need a verbal. >> I second. >> Okay. Any discussion? Please vote on that. Verbal. >> Yes. >> Just for the motion. >> Yes. >> Okay, that's 5-0. >> Yes. >> All right. And at this time, can I have a motion to approve the charter application for Uthrive Elementary
081School of Brooksville STEM? May I have a second? >> Yes. >> Any discussion on this one? Nope. Okay, please vote. And that passes 4-1. Thank you. At this time, we'll move to our citizen input. Item number 31, 26-3799, citizen input on Hernando County school issues on which the school board customarily takes action. Do we have any pink forms? Mr. Myers, if you please could read the instructions for the item. >> Sure. This is an opportunity for the public to address any general topic of relevance to the operation of Hernando County schools. To speak at this time, you should have already completed a pink citizen input speaker form located on the tables at the entrance to the board room. If you have any attachments you wish to share with the board, please provide them to the
082board secretary prior to speaking. Each speaker will have 3 minutes during the segment of the agenda. Speakers will be called by number to come forward by the chair. Prior to making your remarks, please state your name and address for the record. Inquiries or comments made during citizen input may be followed upon with the speaker and reported to the board by the superintendent or staff thereafter. Those are the instructions. >> Thank you, Mr. Myers. At this time, we'll have speaker number one come forward, please. >> Good evening. >> Oh, but can you push your button? Sorry. Please state your name for the record. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, board members and Superintendent Pinder. My name is Holly Record. I live in Weeki Wachee, Florida. I'm a parent to three children in Hernando County schools. I'm a
083teacher and I'm also a product of Hernando schools myself. I'm here tonight to voice my support for keeping the student representative position seated on the dais as part of the Hernando County School Board. As a student government advisor at Fox Chapel Middle School, I had the pleasure of meeting with Jessira when she was campaigning for her position. She met with our student representatives and spoke to them about the issues that are impacting them every day. That's the benefit of having a student representative sit on the dais. Students are directly impacted by every decision made here, from school safety to mental health to academics. Their perspective matters, and having a student seated on the dais shows that students across the district that their voices are truly valued. It's a visual reminder that we care about their
084opinions. The answer for an adult choosing to bully and harass a student representative online should not be removing student leadership opportunities. We should be addressing the bullying itself. Nearly 250 years ago, our nation declared independence because people refused to be controlled by intimidation and abuse of power. We celebrate the courage to stand up to bullies in our history. We should not be teaching students today that the response to bullying is to step aside and become quieter. Student voice should not be welcomed only when it's easy or comfortable. If we want students to become engaged citizens and future leaders, we must give them opportunities to lead while they are still students. As a civics teacher, I believe the role this role is one of the most authentic examples of civic engagement that we can offer young
085people today. It teaches leadership, responsibility, and public service in a real and meaningful way. Having a student sit on the dais shows that students are valued and their voices matter in the discussions that ultimately affect them more than anyone else. While I appreciate the concern that the well-being of any student that is elected to student representative is a concern, uh they could possibly face criticism whether they are sitting up there with all of you at the back of the room or not invited to participate at all. This is the reality of being a young person today in this digital age. We must teach our future leaders the tools needed to handle adversity rather than to run from it. We should not cower to bullies. I encourage the board to strengthen protections and support for student
086representatives, not eliminate their seat at the table. Thank you. Thank you. We'll have speaker number two at this time. >> [clears throat] >> Diane Lambright, Brooksville. For three reasons, I would like to ask the board to re- return to a moment of silence instead of a prayer at the beginning of the school board meeting. First reason is, most people will agree that the issues that Gus Ara has faced are mostly political. The issues mentioned were her nationality, her family's assumed religion, and that the el- election was rigged. What does that sound like? I hope we aren't allowing this political agenda of these people that are involved in this to filter into the board meetings. For months, a moment of silence was asked for, usually led by Mr. Johnson, and many times he asked for consideration
087of a specific situation that might be going on. No problem there. All of a sudden, the last three board meetings we started having prayers again. Why? Just coincidental? Second, when a person leads a prayer and asks for specific things, they should not totally disregard, within a 2-hour time limit, what they have asked for. That's very hypocritical. Third, I've had people from several schools asked me why they can't have prayer in school, they have to have a moment of silence if it can be done here at the school board. Something else I would like to address are the constant remind- reminders about being so concerned about the mental well-being and safety of Gus Ara. Several times during her time on the board, Mrs. Rodriguez has stated that her children were bullied and harassed at their schools
088because of her standing on situations, and her children are much younger than Gus Ara is. She was also so concerned for their safety because people were driving by her house. Was she ever concerned enough for her own children to resign her position? Obviously not. We have six people sitting up here in front of us. It seems like two of them have already made up their minds that they don't want the student representative sitting up there next year. It's not the same when it's on video tape. I hope the rest of you will think long and hard on this. This is something that these students have worked for and it means a lot to them. And Jesara, you have done an outstanding job this year. You have Your tenure has been with dignity and poise and
089you should be very proud of the job that you have done. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Speaker number three. >> Good morning, my name is Daniel Norine. I live in Brooksville, 9276 Long Island Road. Um I'm here to address a concern that I have with my son. Uh for the last two years he's been going to West Hernando Middle School. I live 2 and 1/2 minutes from the school, right over the bridge. Uh Forrester Road. Um right on the other grove. And this year he's graduating from eighth going into high school. He is now currently scheduled now on Saturday got a note here to go to Hernando High School which is 20 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. Uh my cousins lived in the same house. They all went to Central High. He is signed
090up for classes. He went to open house at Central High. I've tried everything. Called everywhere. Got no notice. And all his friends, everybody he went to school with is now going to Central. And he's got to go here. So, I just didn't know They told me to come speak to you guys tonight to figure out if there's a possibility to change my son to that school. >> Ms. Bondzic, do you want to respond really? >> have an address? >> 9276 Long Island Road. Brooksville, Florida 34613. >> I have his Can he walk to school? >> Yes. He don't He don't He don't need no transportation. >> County transportation. >> My uncle picks him up. >> Mr. Pender. >> If that you would like to uh speak to Ms. Cropley back there, she can help you.
091>> you. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you, sir. >> See what we can do. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right, speaker number four. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, Superintendent Pender, and members of the board. My name is Logan Westlake, and I'm a student in the Hernando County School District. I'm here today to talk about an issue that deeply impacts student mental health and our learning environment. The lack of respectful communication from some staff and administration. The district has a code of conduct that requires respect and professional behavior. While most teachers are incredible, there are times when comments made cross the line. To give you an exact idea of what students are experiencing, here are some direct quotes said by said to a class by an educator this school year
092in my first period. "Never turn out to be like him. Do you have any brains in your head? I don't care what you have to say." And he's just standing there like a weirdo. Unfortunately, this doesn't stop in the classroom. At Winding Waters K-8, we also see administration raising their voices at students rather than handling situations calmly. Yelling and making harm- harmful comments doesn't teach a lesson. It only makes school feel like a hostile place. It is terrifying for a student to report an adult because we fear retaliation. To fix this, I ask the board to implement two concrete solutions. One, place an anonymous reporting form directly on ClassLink for students to access at any time to report safety, quote, to safely report quotes, dates, and times. Two, provide mandatory professional training for all teachers
093and staff on how to communicate with students respectfully without resorting to yelling or humiliation. Thank you for your time and listening to the student's perspective. >> Thank you, Logan, for coming up and advocating. We will follow up with your request. Thank you. Speaker number five. >> [cough] >> Hi. You know what I noticed in these meetings that there's not a lot of black people >> Can you start with your name? Yeah, and your name. >> I go by Niani. I would prefer to be called that being that my father died and that's what he calls me, okay? >> Sure. >> I noticed there's not a lot of faces here that look like mine outside of these earrings. And Ms. Rodriguez, the meeting that I heard you say that you weren't trying to get rid of
094the position, although I remember you saying the motion was to eliminate the student the student delegate position due to safety concerns. So, to that I have to say, in the black community and the diaspora, we do not teach our kids to hide. Instead, we teach them to face injustice, insults, judgments, and challenge through strength. We have to teach them that there are people in this world that will not treat them right simply because of the way they look or their religion. Okay? We don't teach them to run from this. They react to face the reality with their heads up, chin up, and eyes focused. To this I say, we have an unspoken code passed down through our communities. Move through life with dignity, prepared for these biases you may face, but never be broken by
095them. To Zera, when the world tells you to shrink, you expand. And that is the words of Elaine Welteroth, I believe, in the book More Than Enough. You are the change, and you never forget that. Okay? That's all. Thank you. Speaker number six. >> Good evening, Madam Chair, school board members, and Mr. Bender. Sorry. I am Zera Smalls. Um I want to thank the school board for allowing my daughter to sit on the dais as a student representative for Hernando County. I am thankful that she had the opportunity to be the voice for the students that chose her out of all of these delegates that chose saw tonight. They chose her, not anybody else, because of what she did for everybody in this school and for what she does for the students. Um This is
096an an amazing opportunity for any student in the district to hold because it allows the other students to feel like they are heard, which is so important. This county is growing and all these children need to be heard. I feel this position gives a student the opportunity to see the beginnings of how politics works and how their voice can be the difference for others. This role is important because it shows that the students' voices matter. In a county that is continuously growing and there are more young people coming, it shows growth. This role helps form our future leaders and it shows adults supporting students. As a parent, I want to acknowledge the support we've experienced over the last few months and I respectfully ask that parent input continue to be considered as the board explores
097any potential changes to the program as our perspectives are an important part of supporting student success. I want to personally thank Mrs. Hawkins, Ms. Bosnak, and Ms. Duval for fully supporting Josera this year in and out of this room. So, thank you guys. >> Thank you. Speaker number seven. >> Good evening, board, Madam Chair, and Superintendent Pender. My name is Arley Canifer. I'm a sixth grader at Challenger K-8 in Spring Hill. I received fives on my state assessments this year and tonight I'm here to talk about something I think deserves this board's attention, boys volleyball in Hernando County. I play volleyball. I do I-9 here in Hernando, and I attend drill camps when I can. I love this sport, and I put real work into it. But, I've run into a wall that boys in
098every other sport don't face. There's no competitive path for boys volleyball in Hernando County public schools. No club team, no middle school team, nothing. I did some research. The only school in the entire county that offers boys volleyball is Hernando Christian Academy, a private high school. So, I'm a sixth grader who loves the sport, and my only option is years away and requires leaving the public school system entirely. That's not a pathway. That's a dead end. Every other sport has a way to grow. Club teams, school teams, something to work toward. Boys volleyball has nothing, and the interest is already here. I'm playing. Other boys want to play. We just have nowhere to go. I'm not asking for a lot. We already have the gyms. We already play volleyball in them. A co-ed club team
099would be a great first step, something low-cost that gets boys on the court and competing alongside their classmates. I'd take that in a heartbeat. But, right now, I think this needs to change. I'm asking the board to explore adding volleyball opportunities for boys at the middle school level. Even a co-ed option to start. Girls volleyball already runs great in our schools. We just need a foot in the door. Next year, I'll be a seventh grader. I'd like to be still playing volleyball in a Hernando County jersey. Thank you. >> Thank you. And that concludes all of our speakers tonight. This time, Mr. Myers, do you have any closing comments? >> I do not, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. All right, school board members. I'll come back around to mine, but I just want to talk
100about the volleyball. I agree with that. A couple months ago, I started looking into that, and I also think that that is something that's very easy to do. It's minimal cost and I've always wondered why we don't have that. So, a few months ago I started delving into trying to figure that out. So, you and I are on the same page and I appreciate you coming up and advocating for you and for the rest of your students and your peers. So, Mr. Pender, I think that that's something we should look at. >> I agree 100%. You spoke that really well. Great job speaking and advocating. Good job. >> All right. Want to start with Ms. Deval for closing comments? No? All right. Mr. Johnson? >> Thank you. Mrs. Limbaugh brought up prayer in at the
101beginning of the meetings. There's a long history of that. Back at the First Continental Congress that started September 5th in 1774. The meeting opened with a prayer. And it continued through the 13 Continental Congresses that occurred. The last one being in 1787. Um Ben Franklin was 81 years old. And they were had resolved most of the issues to start what is that now the United States of America. Before that it was the Confederacy of American States. >> [snorts] >> It failed. So, they're debating on how to move forward. And two of the issues that were hanging up that Congress, that meeting were how to develop the representation of the people in the government. Whether it would be a Senate or a House of Representatives or a combination of both. The second issue was over slavery
102and how much was a slave worth. They were at a loggerhead. They were making no progress. Benjamin Franklin on June 28th gave a speech where he reminded the people at that Congress that every day when they met prior Congress is they open the session with a prayer. They prayed for divine intervention and guidance to do it was best in God's country America. >> There was no mention of Christianity. There was no mention of Judaism or even Muslim. There was no mention. It was an open prayer to God to give them the for for divine intervention to take the proper course. He brought that up as a resolution. It passed. We have separation of church and state. Which means there is no state sponsored religion. You don't have to belong to a specific religion to live
103in this country. You can worship the way you wish. It's accepted. So, prayer at the beginning of the meeting and invoking divine intervention was set forth by our founding fathers. And within 4 weeks the Constitution had come to a conclusion and was resolved and it went out for vote for the 13 states. The only holdout was New York which finally came around cuz they knew that all 13 colonies had to agree or this country was going to fail. So, yes. I believe in prayer in school. I believe it in school. I believe it at this meeting. Thank you. Oh, by the way, be careful because kids aren't going to be aware that school's over. They're going to be excited. They're going to go out and dart into the streets. So, please drive carefully the next
104couple weeks until they get adjusted to being out of school and they get used to their new found freedom. Thank you. >> All right. I'm going to go back over to Ms. Bonzak. like over. I apologize. Thank you. So, first I want to say a shout-out to Nature Coast having their graduation back on the field was amazing. Um not only that, I didn't see anybody asking for tickets. And I seen plenty of family members taking pictures and posting pictures, and it wasn't just mom and dad, it was grandma, grandpa, it was sisters and brothers, it was family. A big day. So, I really want to give a shout-out to Nature Coast for putting it back on. Um Mr. Westlake West Did I say it right? Westlake? Um after the board, if you don't want to
105give up the teacher's name of first period, because I noticed you didn't call her name out up there, and if you don't want to put it out on record, could you please give that to us? I'd appreciate that. Um and to everybody else, I wish everybody a wonderful summer. Summer's here. The kids are out, and um teachers have three more days with kids. Enjoy, and thank you all for coming out and speaking. We appreciate it. Okay. To Sarah. Not yet? You want me to come back to you? Do you want to see who's Okay. What was your name that came up, if you don't mind? Okay. Diane. Okay. Mrs. Limbrick. Limbrick? Okay. So, the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate, they open their daily sessions with a prayer. So, I mean, you're welcome
106to your opinion by all means, and we're welcome That's what makes it great is that all of us have an opinion. Um but you probably need to go there as well, and probably hit everywhere that's doing this, because that's what people do. Um it's also common in many government bodies across the country, and including here in our county, our city councils, our county commissions, our school boards, our state legislators, and even the United States Congress. The prayer is voluntary, it's ceremonial in nature, and it's intended as a reflection before conducting public business. Courts have upheld legislative prayer when it's not used to coerce participation or promote discrimination against differing beliefs. So, the key point is that attendees are not required to participate. And when I say their prayer, I don't pray for all of you
107with my prayer being what you're asking as well. I pray for it coming from me. And when I pray, I don't pray from the board. I do not say we as a board as I pray. You can go back and listen to any of my prayers. I say I. So, by all means, you have every right to express your opinions. You have every right to what you choose to do. For me, I will serve my God. I will serve God all the days of my life, and I will never waver on that, and I will never stop. So, and yes, you're right. In schools, they don't pray, and how sad that is. And if they did pray, this world would be different, and it would be way better. So, so if so if I Excuse
108me, can you please be quiet? Be quiet, please. I am not speaking to you. Man, you need Yeah, you need to Would you please get her to stop speaking out? Thank you. Okay, could you get her to stop speaking? You need to go. Stop speaking. Thank you. You need to go. You need to have respect. Okay, you have to have respect. We're not letting you speak. Have respect. Have respect. When you come up here, be respectful. Thank you. Have respect. Mr. Myers, did you want to chime in really quick while she reconvenes? >> Yeah, yeah, just in in terms of what the statute the state statute says about prayer. So, the the the state statute talks about, you know, that there is a moment of silence prior to, you know, a a school board meeting
109and it talks about silent prayer. That's been interpreted a number of different ways, but the bottom line is if you can pray, but it's supposed to be silent prayer and it is supposed to be a moment of silence in terms of how that's been interpreted by different courts and by different, you know, government, you know, lawyers, you know, they're they're all over the map. But what the statute says is prayer is allowed as long as it's silent and it's really supposed to be a moment of silence. If you're going to do it during a board meeting or during a commission meeting, but there's nothing that stops people from praying before a meeting or after meeting. During a meeting that becomes a little more problematic, but we get into a a discuss discussion of what really
110is prayer. And so like I say, I think the board members are correct in one respect. I think that I think that the speaker is correct. I'm happy to provide more information in a in a memo, but bottom line is this is an unresolved issue and and we have differences all over the place as was mentioned by, you know, uh Ms. Rodriguez, you have, you know, government institutions that open with a prayer, but when it comes to school board meetings for some reason, you know, the courts have kind of come down hard on, you know, something that's considered other than silent prayer. But in the state of Florida, it's supposed to be a moment of silence. The prayer is supposed to be silent. >> Thank you. Ms. Rodriguez. >> I guess would you You want
111to continue? >> I'll come back to me, please. >> Just Sarah. >> Um first off, Logan, I appreciate you speaking. It truly does mean a lot that you chose to stand up here and bravely speak to help your fellow students. This is truly something a lot of students struggle with that goes unnoticed or untalked about. And I hope that the board takes your suggestions and concerns very seriously. Also, Arlo, I hope that you get the boys volleyball team. It is very inspiring that you got up here and advocated for yourself. That's it's important and I'm glad that you did that. Um I want to take a moment to truly express how appreciative I am of this program. It has helped me grow in ways I didn't even know was possible. I want to thank Ms.
112Crisp who has Oh, who has spent countless hours helping this program and ensuring that all of us are set up for success, including me. I wouldn't have been able to do this without her and I also want to thank Ms. Earls, my student advisor, for everything she does to help this program as well. They have both played such a huge part in this year and I really wanted to take a moment to appreciate them. I want to personally thank Ms. Croft and Ms. Lori Campbell for playing such a big part in supporting me and always lending an lending an ear to me while I was dealing with everything, as well as everyone who has come up and supported me throughout this year. It has surely made a difference. I want to congratulate Chris Andrew Rogers
113for taking over the senior representative position at Springstead High School next year. The discussion of my mental health is an ongoing topic, well at least the mental health of the students sitting up here. I want you all to know that the discussion to eliminate the student represent representative position has as originally stated to now trying to make them take it off of the dais has affected my mental health far greater than anything else that has been said to me by the public. Everything that I have done has been to better the situation for the students after me, but truly what is the point if I am the last? The world has not gotten worse, to be honest, it has always been nasty and rooted in hate, but that is why you have to believe in
114hope and and have the faith that tomorrow will be better and in ways it will. But that change is never going to happen and that growth is never going to happen if you remove the position now out of fear of anything else. I have been in positions of power and sat on boards outside of this room. I know what it's like to have to make choices and I also know how easy it is to be so caught up in the fine print you forget who it is that is actively being affected by the decisions you make. If you take the student representative position off of the dais, you will no longer have that physical reminder that what you do affects students. The common question I have been asked is why are you fighting for this
115position if it won't affect you? You already have it. To that, I always tell them the same thing. I'm always trying to do what's best for the students moving forward. Just because it won't affect me, doesn't mean it won't affect them. And that is why I look at you all and beg of you to try and open your minds and truly listen to what everyone is saying from students to the elders of our community. For just a moment, don't try to think of how to respond. Just think of especially the words of the students who this will be affecting. At the beginning of this whole situation, I never thought it would result in me being the last to sit up here on the dais and to have to fight for the board to keep the
116seat. With that, it's truly was an incredible honor to sit on this board and represent all of the students in this county this year. This year has truly reconstructed my mindset in a plethora of ways. I pray that there will be future leaders sitting right here in this seat moving forward. If not, I am proud that I was able to do what I could to try to give everyone that opportunity. Thank you for allowing me to be here tonight. Good night. Everyone, please get home safe. Thank you, Jazera. >> And it's been a true honor to sit on the board with you. You are a leader and I'm excited to see what your future holds. >> Thank you. >> Right. Ms. Rodriguez? Ms. Duval, did you want to have or are you good tonight? She's
117good tonight. She's finished. It's just you and me and Superintendent Bender. Do you want Bender to go? >> Would you like to? >> Okay. >> So, Jazera, I that was a good lead-in for um what I was going to say tonight. So, the first thing I'd like to say is for our students, Logan and Arlo, um we do appreciate you coming forward um for both of your concerns, which are vastly different. But, it is refreshing to hear from students directly their concerns. Um and we will follow up on both. So, I have your names and I'll get a copy of your information so we can get back with you and follow up privately and see what we can do about those. Also, leading into that, I wanted to um give something to to just Sarah.
118Um when we had the recognition for the Springstead students about a month ago or so, um I maybe it was last board meeting. It seems like about a month ago though, but um when we had the recognition, I kind of unveiled my Superintendent's Leadership Award pin. Um they were presented to a few students from Springstead High School and I would like to present that pin to you today for your true leadership as a student leader in our system and for all of the work that you've done as a student representative on the board. So, as part of the tradition that I'm just starting cuz you're the second person, I wear the pin, I take the pin off, and I present that to you. You can wear it on your book bag. You can wear it
119well, for the next Oh, never mind. Your book bag's over. You can wear it Well, I am going to college, so right. You college, you can wear it at graduation, wherever you like, but this is the um I'd like to present that to you. So, thank you for your leadership. >> Thank you. I would also like to add in real quick, I know that at the last meeting I said that I was taking a gap year. I uh reconsidered that and I will be attending Florida Southern in the fall. >> Yay! >> Good decision. >> Congratulations on that. >> Um also, I would like to say to all of our employees that are retiring, congratulations. Um you deserve it. I'm sure of it. Every single one of you and we will miss you but enjoy
120your retirement. I also wish to all of our students that you have a great safe summer whether that's already started as seniors and maybe you're taking the summer off before you go to college. Some I've heard are going right into college. Like they're already there. But whatever you do, we hope that you have a great summer and we see you again next year. So thank you and everybody have a great summer and a safe ride home. >> Thank you. Correct me if I'm wrong. Were we not going to recognize the retirees? I think at the end of summer we talked about doing a recognition of and bringing them up. >> Yes, we were we work with the retired teachers association and they're going we're going to have I don't know if it's the first or
121second meeting second meeting in June to see if they can come out of retirement to be recognized. At a board meeting so. >> Thank you. All right, Miss Rodriguez. So from the board meeting I originally had called this vote on the student delegate position. From that moment to now, I have never changed my stance. I've had I think you maybe I don't know who. I guess I shouldn't say you but I'm not sure who. Someone come up and say I was a liar that I wanted to eliminate the student delegate position. That is not correct. From day one from day one, I want to remove the student delegate position seated on the dais not remove the student delegate position as far as eliminate student voice. It was intended to revamp the program to something whatever
122it comes up. We don't know what it would look like to a student advisor position something to do away with delegate elected putting them up here to have to take the same heat that an elected official has to take. So I want to emphasize that this is one of the more difficult conversations because I truly do value student involvement. I do believe students deserve a seat at the table. They deserve to be heard, and they deserve opportunities to grow as leaders. That has never changed for me. I have three daughters that are 10, 13, and 15. It would be a pleasure, and it would be an honor to have any one of them sitting [clears throat] on this dais. But unfortunately, things change. But what has changed at this moment is the climate surrounding this
123position. We are no longer talking about students simply participating in meetings. We are talking about minors becoming the focus of adult criticism, online attacks, which is happening, and public hostility, simply because they're seated up on this dais, because they have a chair. When adults in the community begin targeting students on social media, criticizing them personally, or placing them in the middle of political disagreements, we as elected officials cannot ignore it. At some point, we have to ask ourselves whether we are truly protecting the students that we claim to support. As board members, we both have we have both a moral responsibility and a duty of care to safeguard students from foreseeable harm. That is our job. No student should feel anxious, intimidated, or emotionally burdened because they volunteered to serve their district. No parent should
124have to worry that their child will become a target because they participated in a leadership program sponsored by this board. Supporting the student delegate program, it does not require us to keep the structure exactly the same forever. I understand for 12 years we've had it. But unfortunately, the climate has changed, and sometimes we have to revamp and restructure something. Programs do evolve, policies evolve, and when circumstances show us that a portion of a program may no longer be in the best interest of student well-being, it is our responsibility to re-evaluate it. I do believe that there are ways to preserve student voice without placing students in the direct line of public attacks. Students can still present reports, they can participate in discussions, they can engage with board members, they can provide valuable input without being
125put in a position that unintentionally paints a target on them. This discussion is not about politics. It's not about removing opportunities. It's about recognizing that these are children. They're not elected officials. They should not be expected to endure the kind of treatment that even adults struggle with in the public arena. At the end of the day, if we know there is a risk to a student's emotional well-being and we choose to do nothing simply because this is how it's always been, then we are failing in our responsibility as leaders. I will always support student leadership. My child [clears throat] is also in student leadership, but I will also always support protecting students first. And when you brought up my children, yes, as a mother, I will protect them first and foremost. I would not put
126them in the line of fire. I will not put them in a position that they would have to endure this type of pain, this type of mental abuse. So, but everyone has a choice and as a board member, my decision will not waver. My decision will not change. I was put here first and foremost to protect the children and the safety of the children is my priority. So, thank you. I thank each of you for coming out tonight. I thank all of you for having a voice, whether it be different than my opinion, I still welcome you. I think that that's the beauty of us all being able to be in a community and be here to be respectful to one another and it is a a honor to have all of you take time
127out of your life your night to come up here and to sit with us and to be involved in our county and be involved in our students all of our students lives in this county. So thank you for always being here for all of us and I hope you guys have an amazing night drive careful and God bless each and every one of you. Thank you. >> Thank you Miss Rodriguez. Look and I want to start by saying I love the idea of the anonymous post you see on class link is that where you said to I'm going to look into seeing what we can do because I love that idea. I think that's that's a good idea. So thank you for bringing that up. All right. As we close another successful school year, I
128want to thank our students, our employees, families and the community for all your hard work. Congratulations to all of our graduates. I look forward to going to Springstead on their 50th year anniversary and they're graduating on their field and just Sarah is walking. Right? >> Yes, ma'am. >> I'll also be doing our alma mater and with another group of kids doing the national anthem. >> Awesome. That's very exciting. I know um all of our graduates are are excited watching the families. It's it's an emotional time but an exciting time and as a board that is our goal. That is at the end of the day all of us are here to help these students succeed and the goal is to grad for them to graduate and be prepared for the real world whether that's to
129go to college learn a trade or start a job right away. So with that I want to say everyone have a safe and relaxing well deserved summer and we look forward to welcoming everyone back next school year. Good night and at 8:07 p.m. this meeting is adjourned.