001I'm going to be a Everybody find out. Hey, hey, hey. All right, I think we're ready now. Good evening. I would like to call this meeting to order at 6:02 p.m. We'll begin with our reflection provided by Mr. Johnson, followed by the pledge of allegiance by Spring Hill Elementary School. Uh, please, if every wouldn't mind standing. And uh, I just want to thank God that the cold weather in in Central Florida has ended and we now have to look forward to a beautiful spring and uh, let's have a moment of silence and pray that we make the right decisions for our our students tonight. Thank you to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. My name
002is Amaya Thomas. Oh, try again. Let's turn that on. My name is Amaya Thomas. I'm in fifth grade. I go to Spring Hill Elementary and I represent the House of Positivity. >> My name is Liam Williams. I'm in fifth grade. Um I safety and I'm in the house of respect. My name is Delaney German. Um, I'm in safety patrol student delegate and I'm in fifth grade and I represent the House of Optimism. I'm Estonia and I'm fifth grade. Um, I represent the House of Loyalty. >> Who is it? >> I'm Ver Wilson of the fifth grade of Spring Hill Elementary. I'm student delegate and safety patrol and I'm in the House of Positivity. >> I'm Naomi Ortiz. I'm Naomi Ortiz. I'm safety patrol on student council of Spring Elementary and I represent the House of
003Positivity. My name is Gavin Gosk and I'm in the House of Optimism and I'm in fifth grade. >> My name is Kylie Gordon and I am a safety patrol at Spring Hill Elementary and I rep the House of Wisdom. My name is Jaylen Padron and um my grade is fifth and I'm safety patrol and I go and um I represent uh wisdom. >> Thank you Spring Hill Elementary for coming out. student safety patrol and I think everybody's safety patrol. I think I see maybe everybody's safety patrol. Excellent. So, thank you for coming out. Uh the students will receive a um special gift from Chick-fil-A tonight. So, thank you for coming out and parents, thank you for bringing them. We hope you have a good evening. Thank you for coming. >> Um which house has the
004best house? Raise your hand if you live in the best house at Spring Hill Elementary. Yeah, >> I like the house of wisdom. That's a good house to house of wisdom, house of positivity. All of them were good. >> And I wish that we would have brought gold, you know, to to have you come to our house today. Yeah. >> Mr. Ror has some gold in the front office. Usually she makes you take pictures with it when you come in. [clears throat] >> Yes. Always. >> She always makes you take pictures. >> It's great. Give him a round of applause, guys. Great job. All right. We'll now have our school spotlight. Good evening. We are Spring Hill Elementary School, a learning community committed to student success, focused on academic achievement, data review, providing fun and
005engaging instruction, and accelerating the learning of all of our students. We believe in strong partnerships with our families and community stakeholders. And we have been blessed by the support of local organizations in providing school supplies, clothing, and mentorship for our students. We keep open lines of communication with our families and send out reminders and share instructional strategies often. [laughter] We love to host our families and community partners for events that engage them in the learning process and provide both students and families with exposure to college and career options. Local business owners, first responders, and middle school principles have all shared their wisdom and experience with our students. Our afterchool and evening events provide opportunities for local high school students to earn volunteer hours. And these events also allow us to learn more about our families
006and build relationships. We believe strongly in celebrating student success through positive behavior interventions. We celebrate positive behavior weekly at our Friday morning dance parties. We have monthly events and incentives students can purchase with their critter coins and quarterly pep rallies that celebrate student accomplishments and present opportunities for students to reach goals through literacy and math challenges. We promote community service and involvement through our house challenges. At Spring Hill Elementary, we are focused on literacy. Our media specialist has designed an inviting and interactive space for our students to develop their love of reading, to think critically, and to push themselves to a higher level academically. We even have a grant-f funded book vending machine in our media center. At Spring Hill Elementary, we believe in collective efficacy and our staff works together to do whatever it
007takes to ensure student success. This includes data analysis, collaborative planning, and ongoing professional development. We provide additional learning supports and opportunities for families to engage in the instructional program and discuss curriculum, standards, and assessment data with their children. Our staff provides just in time interventions and accommodations to ensure all of our students can meet their goals every day. Students expect to have daily opportunities to collaborate with their peers, share and justify their thinking, and engage in creative activities. All of this paired with loving and nurturing teachers and staff has led to our overall daily attendance rate of 93%. Spring Hill Elementary Thank you. Springh Hill Elementary is a great place for students and staff to learn, build relationships, and meet goals. This is because of our incredible staff, students, and stakeholders. And I am proud
008of them. I am grateful for them, and I am blessed to work with them every day. Thank you. And we're going to now have Mr. Pender with a special employee recognition for Spring Hill Elementary. I apologize. Mr. Elements, can I do it? >> Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, Superintendent Pender, honored guest, community members, students, faculty, and staff. At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District, I would like to recognize the following Spring Hill Elementary School employees for exemplary service for the district for more than 30 years. As I call your name, please receive your certificate and stay for a group photo. Robert Pickock in recognition of 30 years and principal Carrie Oor in recognition of 30 years. Thank you for your 30 years of service. All right, we'll move
009on to item number 126-3591. Approval to adopt the agenda dated February 10th, 2026. May I have a motion and a second? Any discussion? Please vote. And that motion passes. 50. Do we have any elected officials in the room who would like to speak tonight? No. Okay. Moving on to item number 226-3592. Student representative Jera Abdul Raheem of Springstead High School to share an update of school related activities and events with the board. Just >> good evening everyone. And today we're going to start off with a recap of literacy week. JD Floyd sent in many pictures celebrating with daily activities, family events, and a literature parade. Sun Coast Elementary celebrated with bingo for books family night. Guest readers went to kindergarten through second classrooms to read stories to students. They also celebrated the 100th day of
010school with many activities geared toward the number 100. EK's highlights was the literacy parade and Spring Hill Elementary had a lot of fun and exciting events. Literacy Under the Stars um under the lights, sorry, was a fun event for all of the schools in the county. Each of the high schools in Hernando County showed up with their mascots and represented reading and doing other fun activities with the younger kids. And here is a little collage of PBIS that took place throughout the district. I wanted to highlight some of the school partnerships and cross schools collaborations. Fox Chapel had a seventh grade intro to business business management that had exciting opportunities to participate in the VE prototype competition alongside students from Winding Waters. Chokatty Elementary and Nature Coast High School. Um, fifth graders recently visited Nature
011Coast to explore the CTE program strengthening cross school career awareness. DS parent middle school's leader and me students have spent time teaching the seven habit lessons and reading in classrooms at Eastside Motton and Brooksville Elementary. Central High School went to the Florida Commercial Diving Institute where welding students participated in on-site workforce exploration experiences and explore K through8 and challenger decided to do a co-hosting leader and me the seven habits of highly effective families parent workshop on February 18th. The elementary class also had their science fair over the past few weeks and congratulations to all the winners. And today is day two of numeracy week. So look out for photos from your students school on their social media pages in Parent Square. And then here's just a list of some fun upcoming events. One thing that
012I definitely wanted to highlight was the Brooksville Elementary School yard sale. That is all. Thank you. >> Thank you. Great job. Item number 326-3581, approve proclamation number P26005, recognizing February 2026 as Black History Month. May I have a motion and a second? Any discussion? Please vote. And that m that motion passes 5-0. Mr. Ilman. Good evening, Madam Chair, members of the board, Superintendent Pender, honored guests, community members, students, faculty, and staff. At this time, on behalf of the Hernando County School District, I would like to present a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month in the Hernando County School District. I preface this pro proclamation by mentioning that on this day exactly 50 years ago during the country's bicesentennial, President Gerald Ford publicly acknowledged February as Black History Month and encourage all Americans to read
013about and seize the opportunity to honor the too often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history. And without further ado, the proclamation reads, "Whereas the month of February is set aside each year to honor, celebrate, and remember the struggles, achievements, sacrifices, and contributions black Americans have made on behalf of the United States of America and the world. And whereas the recognition of Black History Month is an opportune time to salute the achievements of the past, gain insight for the present, inspire progress for the future, and teach the children about heroes of color. And whereas the honoring of black history in America dates back to 1926 and is now recognized and remember with month-long celebrations to honor and affirm the importance of black history throughout our American experience. And whereas
014Black History Month celebrates the achievements of African-Americans in the arts, civil rights, education, entertainment, government, history, law, literature, medicine, military, music, politics, science, sports, and other endeavors. And whereas black educators have played a prominent role in the history of education in Hernando County, serving in every capacity from bus driver to teacher to principal to schoolboard member. And whereas during Black History Month, all Americans are encouraged to reflect on the rich history and teaching of African-Americans and bear witness to the progress and achievements they have made throughout our region. Therefore, be it resolved that the Hernando County School Board is pleased to proclaim the month of February 2026 to be Black History Month in Hernando schools, adopted at the regular session of the school board meeting held on this 10th day of February, 2026. Alongside us
015today are representatives from the Black Educators Caucus, Gina Hall, chair, and Benise Black, treasurer, who would say a few words. [clears throat] Good evening. I am Gina Hall, chairperson of the Black Educators Caucus of Hernandez County, along with some of our members, which is an affiliate of the Hernando County Teachers Association. Thank you for this honor. As we gather in recognition of black history, I stand with deep gratitude for the generations whose courage, brilliance, and resilience made this moment possible. This acknowledgement is not just about the past. It is a reminder of the ongoing work to uplift truth, justice, and opportunity for all. Black history [clears throat] is American history. It is a story of innovators, educators, artists, leaders, and everyday people who push forward even when the world pushed back. Their sacrifices open doors
016that many of us now walk through and their legacy calls us to keep those doors open for others. I acknowledge this acknow I accept this acknowledgement with humility and with commitment to continue honoring the legacy through service, through advocacy, and through the way we show up for one another. May we keep learning, keep growing, and keep building a future worthy of those who came before us. Thank you. >> Thank you. You stay for a photo. Take a photo. >> Okay. Okay. Moving on to item number 4, 26-3593. Oh, sorry about that. May I have it? I'm sorry. We go back and we'll vote on that. I think I did it ahead of time. I kind of jumped the gun and had us vote, you know, newbie up here. Sorry, guys. >> We did vote. We
017did vote already on it. We voted before he read it, but truly they should have read it and then we voted. I messed up on that. Sorry, guys. All right. Is everybody okay, though? So, the motion still passes or the vote is 50. Correct? Okay. We'll move forward. Thank you. Item number 426-3593. Approval of the minutes from the workshop and regular schoolboard meeting of January 27th, 2026. Can I have a motion and a second? Any discussion? Please vote. And that motion carries. 50. Item number five, 26-3399. Public hearing and final approval of the Neola policy volume 25 number two and policies that include compliance officers by name. This item was tentedly approved at the January 13 2026 board workshop. Do we have any white speaker forms? None. Okay. May I have a motion and a
018second and then please vote? and that motion passes. 5-0. Item number 626-3563. Enter a final order expelling the student in case number E2026-01-03 for the remainder of the 2526 school year with educational services. Can I have a motion and a second? Please vote. And that passes 5. Moving on to item number seven, 26-3564. Enter a final order expelling the student in case number E2026104 for one year with educational services. Can I have a motion and a second? And please vote. And that passes 5-0. Moving on to our citizen input on agenda items, green speaker forms. Are there any green speaker forms? >> Mr. Myers, if you please could read the instructions. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. This is an opportunity for the public to address items on the board's agenda for this meeting. The agenda
019for this meeting is located by the entrance to the boardroom. 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 boardroom. You should have 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 this the pink citizen input form. The opportunity to speak on I on topics not on the agenda will be 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 to speaking. Each speaker will have three minutes during this segment of the agenda. Speakers will be called by by
020number 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. >> Thank you, Mr. Myers. I'll have speaker number one who's speaking on agenda item number 16, approval of calendar A as recommended by calendar committee. Please state your name for the record. Kimberly Morini Burksville. I just have some educational questions that I hope maybe y'all can answer. Um, who is on that committee that chooses the calendar? And I know a lot of times they send it out to the teachers to vote on and stuff like that or anybody I guess whoever works in the district. Um, so I want to know if like
021teachers, admin, district staff, non-instructional staff on that committee and is that voting um, if they do vote on it, um, is that information provided to the committee? I was just curious to see like what was chosen and if they did vote on it before it went to the committee, I hope I'm making sense. Um, if they did vote on it or if they did vote on said, "Oh, this is what we prefer." If the committee chooses what they preferred or the other one, just curious, just educational purposes. So, thank you. >> I can answer that if you want us to stay. Um, the committee is made up of teachers, um, just some some people from district, a board member. Am I leaving anyone out? And some non-instructional staff and the the committee works on the
022calendar and then they do send it out to the teachers and then they report back and let the committee know which calendar was voted yes or no and then they provide it to the board. Okay. Thank you. Okay, we're going to move on now to the adoption of the the consent agenda. Does anyone want to pull items from the consent agenda? That's items number 9 through 18. >> 9 through 18. >> 16. >> Number 16. Do I have any other items or board members that would like to pull anything? Okay. Right. Item number 16, 26-3513, approval of calendar A as recommended by the calendar committee. Oh, I apologize. I'm going to go back and adopt the consent agenda and then we'll pull that item. May I have a motion and a second to please vote
023on adopting the consent agenda with item number 16 removed. And that passes 5-0. Okay. Item number 16, 263513. Approval of calendar A as recommended by the calendar committee. >> Can I have a motion and a second? >> All right. And then we're going to discuss. Mr. Johnson. >> Yeah. I I looked at both calendars and there's a couple dates in there we could change and end uh the teachers being in the classroom by May 31st. I'd rather see that than them carry over into June. So, for that reason, I I don't understand why we didn't get to see it until tonight. I would like to have the calendar changed where uh the last day for teachers would be the 31st. There's an opening or there was two openings I saw. Uh September 7th was one
024date we could move up and there was one other date I lost week where we could move it and have the calendar end on May 31st versus June 2nd. I don't care what calendar we look at. >> Hi, how are you? I'm Dana Blazik. For those who don't know, I'm the chair of the calendar committee. Uh September 7th is a paid holiday. So, it's Labor Day, so we can't add that as a teacher work day. Our 249s have a paid holiday day, as do our 180s, 186s, and 197s. >> But August 3rd is not a holiday, is it? >> August 3rd. The re um No, but then that would still only bump one day. You'd still have June 1st because May 31st is Memorial Day. I still like to bump it. The other question I
025had uh with the professional development days because it doesn't say in here are they half days or are they full days off? >> So the professional development days so on the calendar I don't know if you have a color copy on your screen the green ones are half days. >> So you have three half days in May one after another and and we have parents that are complaining. I hear a lot of parents complaining they have to make arrangements for uh daycare and babysitters. Why couldn't we have one day off and one day full? So you'd have two half days instead of that. That's another contention to the half days. >> So just to just touch on that. So if we condense any days into full days from half days to full days, the kids
026would have less than 180 days on the calendar. By law, when I write the calendar, there has to be 180 student days on the calendar. And then if per say a hurricane was to come through or something was to happen, we would then find a way to make up those minutes instead of adding days. But 180 is like the absolute minimum I can put on for students. >> But you don't get the number of complaints that we do from parents saying we got three half days in a row and that's a burden on some of these. >> But legally, are you hearing what she's saying? >> I hear what she says legally a day on to it and then end school a day later. Well, and as for the three half days, the 26th, 27th,
027and 28th of May, and then the three at the end of December, 16th, 17, 18th, that's not up to the calendar committee. That's a separate line in the contract that has been bargained in way before as long as I've been in this county, I've worked in this county for 20 years. And so that contract has been the same way that has to go to bargaining. The calendar committee cannot edit those days. It's a separate line in the contract that has to be bargained. >> So, you have no jurisdiction on those days? >> I do not. The jurisdiction of the early release days we do have is the placement of the ones that we use throughout the year for professional development. So that would be August 28th, September 25th, um sorry, uh January 29th, and then
028February 26. Three years ago when I started on the calendar committee, we had six of those days. We found that to be a lot. Um so we took away the one in March. And then after we've had the full day of teachers in action in October for the last few years or the beginning of November, it felt silly to have an early release day in October on top of already having a full day for PD because those four half days are used for professional development. Um those are recommended by the calendar committee. So what we do when we put them on is just make a recommendation. I could technically >> I I still I'm I'm you know the 31st of May. >> It's a paid holiday. >> Paid holiday. >> It's Memorial Day. >> So
029the other half days that she's mentioning, the only way to get out of those was just to make the kids go full day and then the teachers wouldn't have that professional development time. That would be the only way. And we did reduce the half days by one this year. >> Yes, we two years ago it was six. Last year it was five. And then this year we're all the way down to four. >> We're down to four. we we need to bring back and look at in the contract because having three half days in a row is horrible for the parents. A lot of them finding it's a burden to find babysitters. It's a burden for people to take off from work who can't afford it. Um I'm I'm really this this is this is
030horrible. >> All right, Miss Rodriguez, you want to add to that? Um my problem with ending in May and not going into June at all is for the teachers who have um worked here for years and years and years >> um if they are retiring if they work one day or more in June, let's just say um then we have to pay that month's insurance. So I understand from a financial point of view, Mr. Johnson, what you're saying, but I also like to keep in mind that the teachers who have put in their pound of salt for all these years, I think that it's unfair to for me to take that from them whenever they're going to retire and then they wouldn't get June for insurance. So, in good conscience and good faith, as much
031as I definitely am fiscally responsible and I want to do what's right, um when it comes to money, I'm big about savings. I think that there's certain things that um that we look at and we have to um be ethical about and so I feel like that that wouldn't be fair to take it from him. >> Yeah. We also we also have about 100 to 150 employees and Mr. Pinder can bear this out that don't come back that we lose that we end up paying the health insurance for and not from retirement people that that leave the district for one reason or another. But if we're going to go into June, then why not extend it a little further into June to the end of the month, get the two days we need, put two
032two full days of of professional development and extend the school year for the kids for two days. And then we'd have everything done in the and end in the same week. It would end on on June 4th, not June 2nd. We'd have two full days of school, two two full days of of professional development and two extra days of uh for the kids. And that would make less of a burden on our student on our our parents. >> You're saying extend You're saying extend the >> Yeah, extend it. >> Extend the school year. >> That's good. Extend the school year to the fourth. Add two more days to the end of the school year >> and and take four of these half days and turn them into two two full days of professional development. That
033would be easier on the parents. >> She wants to chime in really quick. >> That's a no for me. >> I'm calling for a vote, please. I have I'm almost finished with my comments. >> Okay, go ahead. >> But I I >> So, just referring back to what you just said that came up recently. We've talked with a couple district people and we understand the need for full PD days because like this year we needed a three-hour scaffolding training in elementary, at least it might have been in secondary as well, but I know we got it in elementary and the early release days throughout the school year loaned itself to that. If we were to I can I as someone who's worked in elementary and just in the district for 20 years, if you were
034to push that school year back two days just to have it for two more days after Memorial Day, you would see a terrible lack of attendance >> because you have a lack of attendance one half days because >> I work in elementary. We we do not our kids come. They are they are there. They can't babysit themselves. And then if you extend the teacher year by two more days, that's a negotiation of the contract. The teachers are 197s. So on this calendar there are 191 days highlighted and the other six days that are not highlighted are paid holidays. So that would have to be negotiated as well because we are 197s. >> And just for the record um I don't have a problem having this discussion for a few minutes. I think it's important especially
035if an official up here is asking questions and they want to know and they're concerned. By all means I think all of us should have a voice and be able to be heard just like I expect you guys to all be heard as well whenever you come up. So, no, I wouldn't say if it were me as chair, let's vote. I don't think that that's fair. I think that if he has reasons for how he feels, he should be able to be heard. >> Do we want to bring this back another time or do we have more questions? >> It's not like I'm going to get anywhere, so I'd rather not. >> What would the rest of the board like to do? >> Do you need I like to hear what you have to say.
036It doesn't mean I shouldn't agree, but I do think you should be heard out. Um I don't agree with what you're saying, but it doesn't mean you're right or wrong. It just means we have different >> three half days in a row for the parents in this county is awful hard for them as far as to either taking time off work or finding a babysitter for three days for a lot of families who can't find it. >> Well, the >> there's another way that could be arranged and split those days up maybe in the middle of the one here, one there. I don't know. But I think it's a burden on the families of this county. And I really hear what you're saying, but like I'm sorry. >> The dates in December though are non-negotiable,
037right? >> One in December and May, they're separate. They have nothing to do with the calendar committee. I can't touch them even if I wanted to. To be fair, we've actually used those as hurricane makeup days a few times as well. The ones in December have been used for hurricane makeup minutes, >> which have those days wind up becoming full days. This year we did not. Knock on wood, we don't have any more hurricanes for a long time. But we did we have used them in the past for that. So it's not that we've never extended those days to full days. It's just had to be for makeup events. >> Let me ask what Mr. Johnson's proposing. I don't see a resolution to what he's asking. Do you? If there's a way right now, >>
038I can't resolve it. As the calendar committee chair, this is I can't resolve the three half days at the end of >> I would have appreciated is coming to a workshop. So, we could have looked at it before this. >> All you have to do is invite me to the workshop. I've never been invited to the workshop. I'm here on my own time for free. I I I realize we can't change things right now, >> but I'm not happy with three day half days in a row. I get complaint parents. >> What do you propose? >> They should be broken up either a week apart, two weeks apart, a month apart, not in a row. >> But they is the problem. >> They can't be broken up now. It's a negotiated issue. It's in the
039contract. It would have to be talked at the talked about at the table. those three and next year we should look at at separating those three half days because I think it's a waste. A lot of parents tell me they they want to keep the kids out because >> it have to be for the following year not next year 27 28. >> Let's vote on it. >> Okay. So, >> any more questions? Yes, I do. So, he's asking for next year for us to relook at this and separate the three days. >> So, those three days again would have to go through the bargain just because it's a separate contract line that the only portion I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> That's okay. So, what I'm saying is I'm proposing that at this moment there's nothing
040more to do. I don't see a way that we could rectify anything that would >> I I don't either. So, let's go ahead and vote on it. >> But what he's asking for for the board is for next year for us to look at this and be able to workshop it and at least have conversation. >> And I'd like to have that conversation before it comes to a vote. >> Well, that's never happened in as far as I know, it's never come to a workshop, but we can bring it to a workshop. That's just never been our process to bring it to a workshop. >> This is a very important issue. I think if I'm hearing if I'm hearing how he feels, I think he's saying he's getting feedback from parents possibly on the three
041days being so close together being half day that that is cumbersome and it presents a hardship on the parents if I'm hearing him right. So I don't think that we couldn't discuss that for next year and possibly spread those into a little different instead of um stacked on top of each other. >> Yeah. So again, as Mr. Pender was saying >> negotiated >> it has to be negotiated and I I can't say much more as the bargaining chair like it's just a thin line. So >> so that that process our superintendent can see about >> next year and we can go from there but for >> we have we have a lot of parents who when they don't work don't get paid. They don't they don't have the luxury of getting paid days off and
042it presents a hardship on them and it's just not right. >> Okay. >> So, let us go to a vote, please. >> All right. We can vote, please. >> And then real fast. Sorry, it's >> Hold on. Let me read the vote. Okay, that passed 41. >> Okay. Um, also what we didn't discuss was for the grading for when it comes to the semester, the way that the semester's end, separating them. I don't know if it does any good for the end of semester grading. So, we have to also consider that. >> So, um, so right now it does not. So, those three half days end the semester and then we have a teacher professional day, the first day back from break and they're just doing grades. all the work should be done minus students
043being absent before break. We did that a couple times. I was not the calendar committee person, but earlier in my teaching career, there was a couple times when the second semester dipped into January, and that was the complaint was it was a broken semester. >> So, we have to be mindful of that next year if we do look at anything. Yes. >> So, let's keep that in mind. Perfect. And thank you for all that you do. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Now, we'll move on to our citizen input on general topics. Pink speaker forms 26-3595 citizen input on Hernando County school issues on which the school board customarily takes action. Pink forum. Are there any pink forms? Yes. And Mr. Myers, if you could please read the instructions for this
044item. >> Uh, this is the opportunity for the public to address any general topic of relevance to the operation of Fernando County Schools. to speak at this time. You should have already completed a a pink citizen input speaker form located at tables at the entrance to the boardroom. 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 three 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 in input may be followed upon with the speaker and reported to the board by the superintendent or staff thereafter. Although the board encourages
045citizen participation, please understand that no immediate action will be taken on items presented during the public comment portion of the meeting. If followup by board action is required, then the matter may be placed on the agenda at a subsequent meeting in accordance with school board policy. >> Thank you, Mr. Myers. I'll have pink speaker form number one, please. Good uh evening board. My name is Melinda Cook. Uh I live in Brooksville, Florida. I am in my current third uh 23rd year teaching here in Hernando County. Uh I've been a member of HCTA since day one and I have been on the exec board in some capacity for at least 15 years. Um but I am speaking as an individual. So as you have heard we have come to impass and uh even I had to
046Google the last time that we came to Impass and the articles that I could find online were from 1995 and 1997 but we're going to talk about 1995. So 1995 when gallon when a gallon of gas was a dollar, Toy Story had just come out in theaters. Uh DVDs were invented and just for a context, I was starting my senior year of uh Hernando High School with Dr. Foster as my humanities teacher and I was working on the underassman section of the yearbook under Patrick Skipper. Um and now we're here 31 years later. We're looking at gas being triple the amount per gallon. most movies are going straight to streaming and DVDs are now considered retro, which hurts my heart a little bit. Um, so the article that I found was from October 27th, 1995,
047and it states that the offer from the district at that time was a onetime lump sum of $250. To quote the article, this is what I found was interesting. today. Meaning the teachers say that they feel that they are low on the board's list of priorities because the board included no money for raises in the 9596 budget. Does that sound familiar? It's been 31 years and the same sad line admitting to not valuing the people who actually keep this district running is being used. 31 years and we're still not budgeting for the people who are in our schools with our students each and every day. The district has spent money to hire an outside service to try to lure families back to the schools, but they won't spend the money to keep highly qualified, certified
048teachers in the classroom. We may get a few kids back, but if teachers continue to leave for financial reasons and the perceived disrespect, who will be there to teach those students? Thank you. And just for the record, we're not at impass yet. paperwork has not been filed and submitted to us yet. Just for the record. Okay, I'm moving on to speaker number two. >> Hi, my name is Gracie Maroon. As you most of you know, I'm a fifth grade at CK Challenger. I just want to talk about how difficult is not it is not being able to check out or have a one two one device to bring at home like when we used to. I was out sick for the last week for three and a half days. I tried to get on my
049raid but was unable to get in three I used three different without I used three different device without no luck. One device wouldn't bring up my apps. Two, one was blank, a just a complete blank screen and one said unknown username password. This makes it difficult to make up work and plus to keep on going current work that I had to make up. Worked on computer stuff while I was sick. Please revisit the I2 one to one device. If a student has been sick out or needs to make up work, they can check out a laptop from classes. Thank you. >> Thank you. Speaker number three. >> All right, Kim Maroon, Brooksville. I just want to That was stressful last week. She was severely sick. It went through the whole house. Um she was out
050for three and a half days. Normally, this kid never misses a day, but she wanted to keep up on some of her I Ready and some of her computer work. And unfortunately, it would not let her on any of the devices. So, we need to figure we need to revisit that. And my understanding when we did have the one avoidant devices, it was actually the middle schoolers that were destroying them more than elementary and high schools. I'm not saying bring on them home every day because that's a pain in the tukus, but you know, when it's needed, if they can check it out for makeup work when they're out sick for that long, um it would just be very, very helpful because she wasn't able to get on it at all. Anyways, that's that. Um
051I just want to say happy Black History Month. Um, I love this time of year where I can teach my kids and and and kind of go back and what I learned and and and watch the same things. I have this VHS tape, which we don't have a VCR anymore, which I wish I could show them, of Martin Luther King. So, it's it's really an awesome time where we get to learn so many different things. Uh, congratulations on being Shel Shelby, right, for Steel Magnolia. >> I am Tr. >> Oh, Trouvy, I'm sorry. I couldn't remember. I know I read it, but I'm excited to see it. I'm gonna take Gracie because I think it's going to be an amazing thing to see. Um, it's one of my favorite movies. [sighs] Real quick, I want
052to backtrack to um teachers. Um, one of my ideas is making a a supplement and not a bonus because when you make it a bonus, it tax them higher. Maybe we can start there with a little bit more to negotiation. In 31 years, we still haven't changed. Wow, that's crazy. Um, I also want to know why we need 15 people in HR. Um, that's quite astronomical to me. Um, agenda items when they're pulled. Um, I find it a little frustrating and not trying to be um, negative. Um, but I come up here and I ask the questions, no problem. And then I see it's pulled or then somebody pulls it and then I'm like, well, now I have more questions. So that if maybe we can like if it's going to be pulled maybe have
053that comment for it after the fact it's talked about or if it's not going to be pulled somehow maybe we can figure that out. Um the schools aren't babysitters. What do parents do on summer break, winter break, spring break? I work too. My husband works. We both work full-time jobs. We figure it out. We do it. We go work on opposite end so that way we there is somebody there for the kids. Unfortunately, um they're not babysitters. They're there to teach our kids. Um I I get the stress of it. I've been there. But we figured it out. That's what we have to do as parents. We're there to parent and not to have the schools babysit our kids. But thank you. Have a great night. >> Thank you. Speaker number four. Hey, I got
054this on. It's me. Okay, it's me, Missy Lashot. I'm back. Hey. Um, I'm gonna repeat some stuff that I've repeated before and it's okay. I have been a teacher in this county for over 20 years. I was a parent and she's graduated. She may be the first astronaut from our county. Um, and I was a student in this county. So, I've been here when we've had the three half days since 1989. But that's not why I'm going to spy speaking. I wanted to give it my all in this speech, but I'm just gonna give it my sum because, as we have heard before, something is better than nothing. This wise man who said this used to sit on my side of the bargaining table, but he traded his long hair for and his values for
055a suit and a bigger paycheck. I am aware saying this will probably put me in hot water. I'm okay with it because it means I am being my true self. I understand we're in a budget crisis. I understand the best you can do is $470 and a $700 bonus that will be highly taxed. If it's a supplement, it gets highly taxed as well. Um, I just I've been without money, honestly. And I can do it again. One more day is not a big deal. I'm still going to be here for the kids. I'll show up every day. It's fine. Okay. I actually make less this year than I did the year before because of position changes. Um, I just remember I just want us to be honest and transparent in front of the kids. We
056are role models and to say that we didn't say something that we blatantly said in a meeting is um not okay in this county. We want to raise good, honest, true kids and we want them to be good people and we need to model that. So, uh I'm sorry I didn't give them my all, but something is better than nothing. Thank you. Right. Speaker number five. Okay, she uses to pass. All right, speaker number six. Good evening, Lisa Miserio, Brooksville, Florida. Um, tonight I am speaking as president of Hernando Classroom Teachers Association and I wanted to um, you know, echo the sentiments Mr. Johnson, you started the meeting with, we we hope that we will be blessed with making decisions in the best interest of our students. And that really resonated with me because what
057we are experiencing right now with employees is this feeling of not being valued, right? And that is something that ultimately undermines whether or not we have the ability to make decisions in the best interest of students. Right? So I I really hope that we all follow Mr. Johnson's advice and we think about that in every decision that we're making and in every dollar we're spending. Frank, frankly, every dollar we're spending, that should be the focus because we want what's best for our students in our schools. I want what's best for my kid in our classrooms, right? And I know parents feel the same. So, if we have that mindset of every dollar we spend in this district, we're going to keep at the forefront, how does this benefit our students? How does this benefit my
058children? then there's no doubt we'll be on the same page because we would be putting at the forefront having certified qualified teachers in every classroom and keeping them there. So tonight's agenda I could have spoken on a green form but I decided to do pink so that I could cover all of those um because tonight's agenda actually represents a a time where we had more people coming into the district than leaving. So, last time I spoke on the green form, I talked about more people leaving than staying or more people leaving than we recruited. So, tonight's agenda shows something different, but it also shows that was from last month in January and at least one of those people doesn't work here anymore. That's how short the tenure was working in Hernando County. We have to
059take that very seriously. That's we're we're approaching a crisis level when it comes to employee retention. And the other aspect other than anything compensation related is employees need to be heard. We want to be heard. That's a way that you value us because we are individuals who went into this with an intellectual capability. That's our greatest asset. That's what we offer to our students in our classrooms. So if we're not harnessing that by listening to employees and listening when we need to be heard, when concerns are being raised, that they are received in a way that values that person coming forward in the first place because they are dealt with in a timely manner. That's what we need to to see as an improvement right now. Thank you. Thank you. Speaker number seven. Hi, good
060evening board members. Um, Tina Vieiraa. Um, I live in Brooksville, Florida. Ricky watch, whichever one you call want to call it. Um, really hard to follow up like everybody else that's been up here, but I come with the same sentiments. uh we really need to start looking at valuing our educators. I'm really concerned that um educators are eventually going to start walking away and it's going to be happening more and more. Um and it's not going to be because they stop caring. It's going to be because at some point the desire to stay is going to be outweighed by the need to be valued. Um, if we continue to ask teachers to sacrifice over to choose sacrifice over sustainability, we are going to continue to lose them. And with them, we're going to lose the
061strength of our entire system. Programs are going to weaken. Mentorship is going to weaken. Um, students are going to lose the very people that are in front of them day in and day out building this machine that we have created here. Um, so I urge you to really consider uh some of these things that are being said today, especially in light of the fact that we may not be in past, but we're supposed to go to it. Uh, somebody else said that they had to Google when we did it. I had to Google what it meant because I don't even know. But the reality is from my understanding it's that somebody else is going to decide our worth who doesn't have a clue what we do. Um, I invite all of you to come and
062shadow me and see all of the things that I do, see my tireless, my endless list of tasks that I have to do as an educator in this district and understand that there are so many opportunities afforded to me every single day where I will be valued, I will be respected, and I will be acknowledged as an intellectual person and I will be compensated for that. So, we have to be creative in how we're spending our money. And if that means that we have to find other avenues where we can cut things so we can compensate the people that are impacting children and their education, um, then that's what we're doing. Because the reality is you can't put students first if you don't put teachers first. You can't have students be the focal point of
063our system when you're not worried about who is in front of them and who is putting the information into their mind and making sure that they are getting a quality education. Um, and just some food for thought that card stock and color ink is pretty costly. So that might be somewhere we could cut. Thank you. Speaker number eight. >> My name is Kathleen Robinson and I am a transportation employee. Spring Hill. Um, first of all, I have three things and I'm going to say it really quick because I want to get it all in. The word touch in our uh rules and regulations, it's got to be specified because I'm going to tell you that every day that I get on my bus to deal with my elementary, I have to touch them. I have
064to wipe their face. They've got green boogies hanging out of their face and they're wiping it all on the windows and on the chairs. And if they're not eating that another thing, I'm cleaning their faces. I'm they're hugging me. I mean, you have to touch them. And when a bus driver gets accused of touching because some child goes home and says to their parent, "Oh, well, I you know, the bus driver or the attendant touched um well, the parent doesn't say, "In what manner? What do you mean touched?" They just freak out. Oh, she's touching the child. Oh, you know, we we all touch when they get on the bus. We touch we I'm I'm large, okay? I'm hippie. So when I get on, I'm touching everybody as I'm going down the aisle. There's no
065way that I can't touch them, you know? And if they're not reaching out to touch me, I'm reaching to, you know, acknowledge them. We have got to specify that word if that is the right way to say it. We've got to change that wording because it makes it a big it's a big open thing. Touch. What do you mean? Because if somebody asked me, did I touch a kid and I was going up in front of the panel, I would say, in what manner are you speaking of? Because we all touch. Number two, um when are we going to build some schools? I mean, we need some schools, people. We've got the east area of uh Hernando growing like bad. That place over there by Mc M something another uh is like 850 developments are
066going to go in there. And almost every week I get a child off of Kittinger over by the Walmart distribution center. And we cannot we're not going to be able to handle it if we we need to have another school so that those kids can go to another school and we will have we have one elementary and we need a high school and a middle school. Your your area is growing. You need to acknowledge that. And the third thing is sometimes coming from another county, another place, another state, I um tend to look their differences and I don't think that Florida school system treats their employees very nicely. I don't think that they're um they look at them as equal. I don't know, you know the old saying of um how do they say it?
067Trickle down theory. I think that what happens up there comes down on us and it's not kind and they need to realize that without all of us teachers, transportation, maintenance, you wouldn't have you wouldn't have a job. Thank you. And that concludes our citizen input. General counsel, Mr. Myers, do you have any closing comments? >> Yeah, I I guess I do. Uh I'll try to keep it short, but since there's been some discussion about bargaining, let me let me sort of explain explain like the the foundational principle in public sector collective bargaining is that two parties are expected to bargain in good faith. But if the parties are are deadlocked, uh there's an obligation uh there has to be a contract approved otherwise it throws things in complete disarray. So if there is a deadlock
068then the only option is to go to impass and either party can declare impass. The way it works is there has to be something in writing submitted by the party declaring an impass. Uh it gets submitted to the public employee relations commission and also to the other side. But if like I say if the parties are deadlocked you have no choice but to go to impact because you have a legal obligation to enter into some sort of agreement at some point in time during the contract period. Thank you for that clarification. Right. We're actually going to start with Miss Duval tonight for closing comments. None. Miss Bonszik. Thank you all for coming out. I appreciate all of you guys getting up here and talking. We do hear you. We are trying. Um and I wish
069you all a good night. Sarah. >> Um, I wanted to thank you all for coming out and speaking. I also did want to quickly mention the fact that the Cinderella Boutique is open over by the new >> by West Side. Um, it's actually very wonderful there. Um, I would go if you're in need of any sort of dress or any sort of formal wear. They also have men's attire. >> Have a lovely evening, guys. >> That's the Hernando County Education Foundation over Westside. >> Yes. >> Perfect. Thank you, >> Mr. Johnson. >> Yeah. Um yeah, this afternoon we we we had some interesting discussions. If you have a chance, you should look up the workshops um in two separate areas. We were talking about establishing AI guidelines to advance our school district into the unknown
070where AI can be used in the classrooms and what guidelines we need to have to protect our systems and to help the students grow rather than to use it as a crutch to get over if you know what I'm talking about. You know, plagiarism, whatnot. Use it as a research tool. Use it as an educational tool. And to that end, we were also talking um about East Side Elementary. Somebody mentioned about the overcrowding. I have been trying to get a high school and a middle school out and east end of the county for god knows how long. And if you think about it, I'm in district one, which is on the other side. I live in Timber Pines. I'm by Spring Hill Drive in 19. But I see the need. One of the things we're
071considering and we're looking into and probably is going to happen in the very near future is East Side's going to be converted into a K8 with an emphasis on um aerospace industry and leadership development. It's going to be a very unique opportunity and we hope it grows. We're hoping that it takes up some of the space and retains some of those students. We know we're losing when they leave the K5s and they go into the middle schools where the parents are looking for a better education for their for their children. I don't blame the parents, but we have to do a better job and we're trying to do a better job. So, we're creating an environment where we're going to look at outer space through aerospace development and we're going to go into the unknown
072with AI and try to stay ahead of the curve and keep pe our students and have them engaged and get the knowledge they need for those jobs that we have no clue what they're going to be. I don't think anybody in this room has a clue what they're going to be. So, we are looking to the future. We do look after the children. These are things we can do that are not as costly as it sounds. Um, right now, or last year I should say, I don't know what the current rate is. We were spending about $100,000 a year for fuel to transport the students that live in east side of the county to Hernando High School and Parrot Elementary, uh, Parrot Middle, I'm sorry. If we can cut that transportation in half, we can
073save a ton of money and we can save an hour an hour and a half a day of these kids being on a bus, which is ridiculous. So, we're looking at ways to solve these problems. So, yes, we do care about the kids. They come first, and that's what we're trying to accomplish. We have goals in mind. Um, and we really do try our best. You know, there's only so many pennies in a dollar and we're doing our best to make it all work out. uh and some of the yes there are ways we can save money in other areas. I agree with that. Um that program for uh student retention, there's no expense if they don't bring anybody in. It it it's it's basically if they bring a student back into the fold then
074then they get rewarded. So it's not costing us for doing nothing. I don't necessarily agree with it. Maybe that's something we should be doing internally in my mind. board made a decision and I'm one of five. The board made it. I'll stand by it. Um, other than that, I wish everybody a good night and as I said earlier, thank God the cold weather is gone. We can now get into the beautiful weather we deserve. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Rodriguez. >> So, I hear everything everyone is saying. I always listen and I agree. I think that teachers are the foundation. Without teachers, we have no district. Without a district, we have no schools. So, teachers are at the top. And I feel that we work for you. And I'll always feel that way. I
075feel you guys wear a lot of hats and you do a lot of things above and beyond. And I don't know how you do it. Truly, I don't. I think it's angels out there that are doing this job. So, I just want to make it clear that your value is not up for debate with me. It's us versus the math, not board versus the teachers. And I know it seems to be like five of us hold your future in our hands. We're the ones that can say yes or no. I wish it was that easy. I really do. Um so I just want to be very clear that you know that the teachers are the single most important investment that this district makes. Um student success rises and falls with the people in the classroom.
076So, I agree completely and wholeheartedly with you. Um, it's not a reflection of your worth. It's just a limitation of the dollars legally and that are practically available to us. A little over half of a term that I have been on this board um to untangle finances and to be able to be robust where it matters. That's not a lot to work with. So, I just want you to know that I am here for you and I will fight for you and I will continue to try to do everything in my power that would be correct and that would be right. So, and thank you for everything that each of you do for our students and our children of this county. So, thank you and thank you for everyone who comes out tonight and shows
077your support that speaks whether it be um any of us agreeing or disagreeing. your voice does matter and that's what this country is made of that we're able to have a voice and that means a lot and for Black History Month I am very honored and very proud to be able to celebrate that and thank you guys for all that you do and for coming here tonight and supporting us as well that means a lot so I hope you guys have a wonderful evening God bless each and every one of you and have a wonderful and safe trip home >> thank you Mr. Rodriguez Mr. offender. >> Yes, I did want to mention Jazer mentioned it, but this week is numeracy week. Numeracy mean numbers. So the was it LA a couple weeks ago it
078was literacy week. So I want to make sure that we're celebr celebrating as a former math teacher numeracy week uh as well. So, I want to put that out there into the universe that this is numeracy. We're celebrating numeracy week. And also, Jazera mentioned the Ed Foundation. We were there for their ground their grand opening. Uh the tools for teacher store is back open. The bus, I think, is ready to start traveling back to schools. It was closed during their um moving from one building to another. And that um what is it called the shop? The >> Cinderella is really not just Cinderella. There are >> there's a rack of guys clothes in there too among the 15 racks of gowns and stuff. No, there's there there is quite a few. When I looked, I
079was surprised at for the guys there is a lot of um opportunities for them, too. So, if you're in need of that, please contact the foundation. And don't forget about the foundation for um teacher grants um and student scholarships. We're coming up to the part where seniors are going to be looking at scholarships towards the end of the year. There is a lot of scholarships on the foundation website that um are not difficult to get. You know, if the it takes an hour and you can get $500, that's pretty good hourly ra wage. So, um, apply for those scholarships and, uh, use them because some of them go un unused at the end of the year. Hope everyone has a great evening. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Pender. Um, I do have a question.
080Um, when Gracie came up and asked about the onetoone device, um, is there availability for the students to there's not for them to rent them out or to check them out because I thought we had the option that they could check them out if needed. We have we pulled them back and they're in the classrooms and then they remained onetoone for high school and there's not enough to have them in the classrooms and be able to check them out at the same time. >> Mrs. Hawkins thought that they Yeah, but I thought that they were able >> if they're broken they there's like this I think they can go trade one in for another one, >> but I mean in elementary if the need if they had a need to >> I'm not aware of
081them being able. Lisa, no. Are you aware? I don't I'm not aware of that. But I do want to hold on Miss Rodriguez. >> I do want to say I think that if I'm hearing you right, Gracie, it's not a fact that she didn't have a device. I think you tried two or three devices. >> She wasn't able to get >> Were not able to get on and >> Yeah. Right. So with that problem, we can troubleshoot that so that in the future on your device, you can get on. We can look at that and see because you should be able to sign in to the single sign on from home on your device and get to that part that you wanted, which I assume is semi- ready work and things like that. But most
082of the work for makeup would still you'd has have to still get from the school. But you could do something if you felt like it when you're sick. >> Well, it would be nice if we had a few in the media center that kids could check out. I don't know what >> my stash >> my children can get on on our own devices and we can still see everything and catch up on work. So, Mrs. Maroon, is yours is it a mobile device? Can you bring it here or is it >> Are they laptops? >> Okay. >> But but the ones that you have that you cannot get on at home, we're able to get on ours. So, what I would like to do is make sure we put you with somebody and you could
083bring that device here and that we could um set it up >> for the future, right? >> Yes. So that you're not in this position again, >> right, Mr. Johnson? >> School computer. We're talking about >> school computer. Your personal. Your personal because my children don't don't take them home either. They can't. We use personal and we're able to get on. So, I'd like to rectify that problem with you bringing it in and us being able to >> get that fixed for you. >> Mr. Johnson, real quick. >> Yeah. I I don't know what the availability is, but I know that if people get in touch with it Hernando Computer Club, at times they have devices for people in need, okay? >> And they can supply them. They've supplied them to the school in the
084past and different organizations. I don't know. I don't have their contact information, but I do do know that they refurbish computers and make them available to students. >> Mr. Pry, you had more >> and you don't necessarily have to bring the computer in here. You can bring it to CK8 and then they can work. >> They can help you troubleshoot getting on your device if you want to or call and they may be able to do it over the phone. >> Yeah, you can call over the phone. They might be able to walk you through it. >> Thank you. And I also want to add that I inquired about the color ink also. Um and was told that it's one price whether you use color or black ink when we're printing here. that the price
085is the same. I'm not sure about the card stock, but the I did ask about the colored copies, >> the cost >> the copy the copy machine that you use to color to print color is costs more to rent that copy machine, but it's the it's the same >> price once you >> print >> rent it. So I guess we have a colored one here at district and it's the same price if we print colored or black on that copy machine >> of the question. >> So the question was you >> save money by not >> by not printing in color. Okay, >> we could save money by not printing in color. >> I had asked as that before and that's what I was told the money was >> but I can look into it
086a little bit further. >> Yeah, >> we can do that too. All right. Thank you. Um, so in writing my clo I wanted to write because I was so compelled with everything that's going on um, and really the world. Um, and I wrote this a couple of times and then so hopefully I'm won't make it too long. So just wanted to say as we approach Valentine's Day, it's a reminder that love often shows up in quiet, consistent ways, especially in our schools. Our teachers demonstrate that love every day through their dedication to students, their professionalism, and the commitment to their profession and all that's asked of them. As we close tonight, I want to acknowledge that the reality of this world around us. Our country feels deeply divided at times and those divisions find their
087way in our communities and in our classroom. In that climate, it's important to recognize the challenges our education educators are facing. Too often our teachers are targeted or spoken about in ways that overlook the care and the effort they bring to our students every single day. And that saddens me and it's untolerable. Shouldn't be tolerated. When when this continues, it makes a divide between our community. We are here for our students. We are here for our teachers, staff, and families. While we may not always agree on every issue, we share a common responsibility to ensure every child in Hernando County has the opportunity to learn, feel safe, and succeed. Thank you for our educators, our families, and the community. Have a good night. And this meeting is adjourned at 7. >> Don't adjourn yet. >>
088Okay, last thing. >> This meeting's almost adjourned. Miss Rodriguez has one more comment. So, with this being numeracy week, um I would be remissed if I did not say that I feel that our superintendent being new in this position as well, um I feel a lot of this is um him having to untangle things in the past and we're having to revamp and structure. So, I think that from the conversations I have been having with him, he's working towards that. Um hopefully as we continue to to move forward things will not be like they are now and we're going to see a significant difference but it takes a little bit of time. So him coming in right now um from everything that I'm seeing and what we're trying to do is do things that we've
089not done in the past and we're trying to make it better to where we will not be in this position. So thank you guys. >> Thank you. And with that our meeting is adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Thank you.