001bid there was a huge emergency. >> I would like to uh explore what the options would be because I would imagine there's ways that this Rodriguez's concerns could be addressed with the technology. Even with the geo fencing, if that was on and the kids couldn't use their cell phones, if there was an emergency, there's a way to turn it off. >> It turns off when it when 911 is called that it turns it turns off and it turns off at different times. And then they can also set it for different areas like a safe zone like in the cafeteria they can have it for different areas that the kids could use their phones but in actual classrooms >> I I'd be willing to listen to more information. >> Yeah. And they have certain like I
002said apps that they could use on the class in the classroom that are appropriate to to be used. But I I valid point. I can see both sides >> because if something was happening they're not going to all of a sudden turn off this fake fence and all of a sudden give them the ability to be able to call their mom. So that's not happening at that moment. They're not even considering that at that moment they're dealing with the crisis. So no longer at that moment is my child going to be able to reach out to me because that's not turned on. So at that moment it's still turned off and it's still as if they don't have a phone and a way to be able to reach me. like the ability to to limit
003apps because if you if you listen to that uh Khan Academy and with the use of his his uh AI tutoring and part of the safeguards is to protect what outside sites the kids can access to put on their school systems. So if they have a school computer, they can only put certain programs on there that we know are not infected with bad viruses. So, they couldn't take a strange outside app, download, infect the whole school system, and blow it up. So, I I like the idea that there's that safeguard to it. But, I'd like to hear more of >> Thank you. Sorry. >> It's all right. Yes, I read it. And I think for any of us to jump to conclusions as to yes or no is not a wise thought process. Mr. Pender
004does need to check check it out. He needs to bring it to us. Um there were issues, legal issues when it years ago when it was brought up about quote jamming. It's not called jamming anymore. And so the school district never moved forward with it. Okay. >> This company sounds like it has put a lot of thought into what they're doing, how they're doing it, when they're doing it, and I do think it's something that should be looked at thoroughly, discussed thoroughly, and then the board makes a decision. >> So I just have a question because I don't have kids in middle school anymore. They're all in high school. In high school, they're only allowed them out during passing >> or cafeteria. They're not allowed out during instructional time. And it's up to the teacher
005to make sure if they don't want them out that they discipline them. Correct. And we have policy in place. >> It it it it would be and it would be to say you can't have them out just like middle school, right? Your your daughter is in middle school, Miss Hawkins. They're not allowed to have their cell phones out at any point in time on campus. Correct. But they can have them on them. >> So maybe we need to look at something like that. They can have them on them. They just can't have them out period in our classrooms. >> I think it's when it's teacher directed. I think they can have them out. >> Well, that's our statute. That's our law. But I'm saying as our policies. So guess what? No longer you forgot your
006computer. We give them computers. You don't need this out during instruction time. At any point in time, you should have a computer. Correct. >> Right. >> We're not one to one K to 8. >> Not in middle school. Middle school. >> Middle school already has it that you cannot have your phone out during any time you reach our campus. When you hit our campus, that phone better be in your book bag, stayed in your book bag, and mute. Correct. >> Let me take it. I'm not watching in the restroom with them, but what are they doing in the restroom with their phone? I don't want to know. Okay. [laughter] >> And if you if you speak to if you speak to teachers, they will tell you it's one of the the biggest headaches are the
007cell phone. Well, the cell phone just enforcing it and dealing with them >> and I agree. But so K through eight, we've elementary, middle school, we've already done it. >> So Michelle, >> and I don't know how well it's working. Are you willing to look at this and see what it what what >> of course I'm willing to look at it >> or have Mr. Pender just look at it and then let him decide it to the board and we can all look at it and decide whether or not to scramble. >> I I do agree with Miss Rodriguez that yes, if something major happens, I you know what, here's my thought. If something major happens, I want my child to at least be able to send me a text before something happens to them
008saying I love them. So, >> and that's not something I want to ever deal with in my life, right? But that option to be able to do that would be something that >> and and unfortunately the day and age that we're at, >> those things are happening and it's happening more and more and it doesn't look like it's going to go backwards, you know, to traditional times. It looks like the world's getting crazier. So with that being said, I just I think we already have just implemented, you know, through legislative and through our district where K through eight, they're not using their phones. So that's already done. They just have it with them. And so afterwards for sports, they can reach their parents. They just have it with them so that if, god forbid, something
009happened that was a tragic accident that they could reach their parent. And so we've already eliminated that from K through eight, it's already happening. those kids aren't using their phone. And if they do, then they have to suffer the consequence. Um, so I don't know if if if what if if what you're saying is at high school, you want to make it the same. I don't know. But I don't I just I I don't know. I guess we could ask all the teachers at all the schools and we could do some more extensive deeper dive and find out if K through eight since we have changed this and now they are not using their phones all day and those phones just stay inside in their backpack or in their purse or what whatever they bring
010and they're not coming out if that seems to be okay now and how things how they're adjusting. I guess that would be I would want to know from everybody how it seems to be and is it working. >> I would still like to hear what the has to offer in person. >> So, I will look into this. I'll assemble a team. I'm just writing things down as you guys are talking about this. It would have to be probably a team of TIS, safe schools, principles um to look at this because putting something like I don't know a lot about it from what you've said, but putting something in TIS would definitely have to be coordinated. Um safe schools would have to be in on the conversation. principles and then the price of the product and
011how much that we have a available to >> um >> well and then the other thing is you know yeah I was excited about it but I I love the input from everyone I can see both sides um if Mark and I are the only one interested is it worth wasting the time for him to do this with the team and move forward you're interested as well okay I just don't want to waste. >> Okay. >> Of course, if it's something that is always going to make it where children can actually learn in our schools, right? And teachers aren't fighting with a cell phone to get their attention. That's great because as we know, not everyone is got parents that discipline them at home and make it that, hey, if you take your cell phone
012out and you get in trouble, you're going to be a trouble home. Right. >> Right. they're going to be like, "Well, it's no big deal." So, again, yes, >> I will find out more information. I mean, just as you're saying that, I'm thinking if we're doing if if this works for students phone, it's going to work for employee phones, too. And there are some rules around what we could keep from from adults that work at our schools as far as communication. But I'm sure if this company is proposing this, they probably have something around an answer for that. But I will I will um look up the company, ask for a demo for me and then I will get a team of people to look at it and we can >> bring it back for
013information. >> Okay. And then I had one other thing that I want to explore. Um I talked a little bit to Beth Lostra about adding a dental program in our schools like um a dental assistant type program maybe at one of the schools. Um she said in the f there's only one other school in Florida that offers it and that's Citrus and it can be kind of costly but um with the connections that some of us have maybe some of the dentists that we know locally could possibly offer you know equipment or sponsor a lab or something we could get the community involved because there is a need. Um after speaking with my dentist that was one of her biggest asks. So, >> well, we can talk to Beth. I mean, she does have some
014money for programs and things like that. It's um and see where how that fits into a bigger picture of programs across the district. >> Okay. >> And you said you spoke to Beth about it already. >> She did. She said she was going to look at it a little bit more, but her first thought was cost and then she said only one other school in Florida in Citrus County does it. Mr. Ball, >> we did the board did look at this kind of a program several years ago and the two the two issues at that time were the cost and the fact that you had to have so many dentists involved in this program and they were having difficulty getting a commitment from our local Hernando County dentist in such numbers that are needed to
015help with this kind of program. Yes, the clinicals especially were an issue. >> Is the Crescent Clinic still open? >> Is the >> Crescent Clinic? It was on 19. >> It was it was a hospital or or offered hospital services for people that were indigent, couldn't afford it. They didn't charge, but they had >> eight or 10 dentists that came in twice, three times a week. I remember that. Um, they were there was another business in that development where they were. I think they were up by the horse and crown if I remember right. >> Okay. >> I don't remember location. >> Yeah, >> I don't remember the location, but yes, they I thought they were still around, but I do not know. >> They they would they would have they have multiple dentists who
016come in and they offer their services free. that would be the an ideal place to to have a hygienist or or a technician there. >> I think we could definitely reach out to the community and see who would maybe be first need to find out, you know, cost and such. >> Go ahead. So, so Beth's going to do >> that's going to look into look at it and get back to you. >> Correct. I have one more thing, Miss >> So, I wanted to say something when you're talking about the CTS. >> Okay, go ahead. So just for the CTS, my understanding is also when because I've been working with Beth to get fire an EMT into one of our high schools. So we're looking at either putting Winding Waters or Wikiwatchi High or um
017Central I think is the other school that could take the CTE. So when we were looking at it and we were talking to fire rescue and stuff, the biggest thing with the CTE is that you got to make sure that you can show the pass rate or they will cut our funding. So Pasco has it and Citrus both have the fire EMT now. Well, EMS, it's not EMT, EMS into their high schools and they're doing well. So that's what we're trying to work on also putting in. >> Love that. Thank you. All right. Um the other thing I have now as board chair um I have to approve legal fees and such. So they'll send over for me to have approval on that. And I guess in the future, you know, the chair just looks
018it over and approves it. I just want to make sure with the board, does everyone want to see those legal fees? Do you want me to have Kelly forward you to know what we're spending in legal fees? Any of the documents that I am approving on behalf of the board? I just want to make sure you guys are fine with me approving it or if you would like Kelly to also forward it to you, I can have her do that for items such as just to see I don't know if you want if you have interest in knowing. >> I I I would the only thing that would even be remotely interested would be a summary of the individual legal fees that we're paying, you know, to each to each firm. I don't think we
019I I wouldn't need a breakdown unless it's an amount, in which case I could always go back and ask But even with that, a quarterly at the end of the quarter would be fine. >> I feel like that's once again something that any of us at any time can ask for >> can ask for. So I think it's just putting more work for it's unnecessary in my opinion. Thank you for considering that. >> But I also feel like um being chair um people select the chair thinking that you can handle the position. So I think that I feel fine with you looking it over and you approving something. I think if you see something you don't like that you wouldn't approve it. So, I'm good with leaving it as is. And I think we're in
020a good place. If any of us want that information at any moment, all we have to do is call Kelly and Kelly will give it to us. >> Okay. Do you guys feel the same way? >> Yeah, I'm fine with it. >> Okay. All right. Any other comments >> pleasure this week to I just want to do a shout out to the district team um the school admin administration and the teachers for all the amazing work that I saw during the walkthroughs. I witnessed instructional practices being utilized and students engaging. Um I feel we have amazing students and teachers and I'm proud of all the hard work and dedication. So thank you for having me. U Mrs. Michaela and uh Mrs. Cropley. I really enjoyed going through the rooms and seeing how uh you guys
021uh assess and how you um tally it all up and I think that was very eye opening. So, thank you. >> Okay. I also have one more suggestion or comment to make. Um I love now that we're seeing the the prek marketing, we're we're marketing for prek. I also want to suggest some marketing for the homeschool families to know that we do offer um homeschool options like curriculum for them to do their own homeschool through I believe it's through eh school. Well, it's not just that they take e school. We actually they can be a part and use our curriculum and homeschool at home. >> Yeah, there's a couple different avenues I think that we have that they can use for curriculum. I I would like to see that advertised for them because we still
022we still get money from it if if they can choose to buy their own homeschool material or they can come and use ours and be held accountable and we actually get funding from it. >> Well, we they'll get funding if they use eh school or egenuity or a platform that we have and then we would get the FTE if we're I mean the I don't think the curriculum we would get money for but they would have to be registered and take one of the there is an avenue that we can get FTE yes for that but >> yes >> right well that's what I would yes that's what I'm saying >> so and going on that too >> go ahead >> um I want to explore the idea I was talking to um Gina last
023night regarding hybrid options I know that there's not very many public schools that offer a hybrid option um a lot of our charter and public or private schools are offering hybrid options where the student does a 32. They attend brick and mortar three days and they do virtual two days. And it's very appealing to parents um a lot when speaking with a few parents that are actually doing the hybrid model um are choosing to do that because they want the flexibility and just a thought of maybe something to look at to explore. >> Does that go with our voucher? Yeah, I think there's a lot of details to that that >> there are, but I would like to maybe look at it >> for financially for us as well. So, I think Mrs. Michael Licka
024would probably be able to help us figure that out. >> She's going to start researching. I I brought that to her. What what I do know though is I will tell you that watching since RVPK has been >> um now advertised uh I see people jumping on it left and right and talking like they're going to line up at 3:00 a.m. to get into our schools, which is a very plus thing. Um and I have talked to Mr. Pender about Sunost not having one and liking to see Sunost to get one and be zoned and I think he might want to chime in on that one. But um to me getting them in VPK and and having that zoned school, even if we have to charge most parents and they don't understand that, hey, you
025get to go to school on the on the voucher from this time to this time and then if you want to stay until the end of school, you get the you paid 100 bucks. Most parents are like, oh, I thought we were paying 100 bucks for the whole No, you're only paying to keep them. If you don't want to keep them in our school, you don't pay, right? And parents are very very um I see a lot of good in that and and making sure we have VPKs in our schools in all our schools that that you can get into. >> Gina, you want to come up and talk about what we talked about yesterday? Mike, it wasn't a planned uh announcement, but I guess we can talk about it. >> So, we had we've
026been talking about this and expanding VPK. So, um, the first part of this is yesterday, um, last week, I think Gina had a meeting with her team and she was developing a plan about how to expand it because what we talked about before is expanding it is good. Um, the data that we get back from our students that attend our BPK in kindergarten is great. The we have a good return rate on those students that come back that are in our BPKs that metriculate into our own kindergartens. But the other side of that is we have to balance that with cost because there's a cost to the program. So um you want to talk a little bit about that? >> Yes. So good afternoon. Um to start some of my team members will be doing
027a workshop at our next meeting on VPK. So every year um around this time we meet to look at how we can expand VPK. So, off the top of my head, I don't have everything in front of me. We're looking at adding between um six and seven new VPK classrooms for next year and uh possibly two being at Sunost Elementary. Um so, we also talked about, you know, the marketing piece around VPK and one of the things that I was sharing with Mr. Pender. This is the time where families get the VPK voucher, right? It starts in January. Um, and we usually share out and market and communicate. Um, but we don't, yes, it's out there, but we don't have to communicate the entire year about BPK because our programs fill up on March 1st
028when, you know, parents can register and that kind of thing. The majority of our schools um, fill up very quickly and we have waiting lists at all of our um, schools that have BPK. So, um, the parents have one year to use that voucher. That's the year before kindergarten. And then if they don't take advantage of that, they can use it during the summer during summer VPK. And we offer summer VPK as well. Um so we're really excited. We actually have a meeting with principles on Friday um to talk about those next steps. Um, one of the other things that we're doing, um, Connie and Kelly who, you know, oversee the details of VPK, they have been calling, they've started to call all of our families that are currently enrolled in VPK. and they have
029a series of questions that they're asking them um pretty much to find out if they plan on returning in kindergarten and if not really talking to them about the wise gathering the data around that and then from there the principles will reach out to certain families if there's you know we want to stay here but it's not our zone school and we didn't get in for school choice or whatever the situation is then the principal is going to all and then um they will problem solve with the family and then of course the district to see you know what we can do to keep as many of those families as we can um in our district. So that's uh pretty much in a nutshell when it comes to VPK our plans for next year like
030Mr. Pender said as well. Um, every time we have our STAR assessment, you know, our district VPK team, um, we meet to review that data. We also are tracking our VPK students that, you know, were in VPK last year and the year before to look at that trend data. Um, and you know, it it looks really really good. those students that we've had in BPK that are now in kindergarten, first grade, um their data looks really amazing because they've, you know, they have a certified teacher for BPK, not just, you know, anybody teaching BPK. They have a certified teacher. Um some of the rooms have the certified teacher in the CDA or certified teacher in a para. So, um definitely getting a really good education there. And then just to share also tomorrow we have
031a meeting with elementary and middle school. Um we are doing the same thing with our fifth grade families. So we've created a survey that principles will be pushing out to all fifth grade families. Um we've also created a timeline. Um they are going to push that out. families. They're going to take the survey so that we can get information around how many of our fifth grade families plan on, you know, transitioning in the public in our schools for middle school and any barriers that come up within that survey, principles will be calling getting with us. So again, you know, we can do our best to um you know, help support our families in staying. So, >> and I do want to say on you that what you said about having our kids >> starting them
032in our VPKs with certified teachers. I will tell you my grandson tested at the beginning of the year 22% 81% above average now. >> It makes a difference for sure. Is he is he >> because I was talking to his teachers and they were actually talking about him. So, yeah. >> So, that's awesome. That's a big jump. >> Big jump. That's a big jump. >> Absolutely. Thank you. I also want to ask, do we have our kindergarten availability at our magnet schools open to the 100% capacity? >> Have we opened that to make sure? >> Yeah, they're they're they're always, as you know, that's most of the time where people enter magnet schools if they're a K8 is in kindergarten um or elementary um for our magnet schools. So, that capacity is maximized, >> okay,
033>> for the room that we have. Um, also I'd just like to say to put a kind of a plug in for this that the only way right now that we're able to expand BPK is through millillage dollars. So just want to let people be aware that that is funded right now through millillage. >> Okay. >> And probably in the future any future expansion will be funded through millillage. >> Thank you board for the discussion today. I always appreciate um a different viewpoint and hearing um from each of you. So with that, do we have anything else? Oh, I think Miss Rodriguez has one more thing before we close. We have five minutes. Go ahead, Miss Rodriguez and then Mr. Johnson. >> Okay, I had to pull up the gentleman's name. So my daughter plays
034basketball for Waters and we're all over the county and in the gyms constantly. The other night we played Hernando High School and I had to um text Mrs. Booker at the moment that we were sitting there because the bleachers were so clean. It was beautiful. And I asked her, I said, "Who in the world cleans these bleachers?" Because I'm in schools three to four nights a week for games and I have never seen something that was so clean. And she said, "His name is Robert Panel. Pen ne L." if I'm saying that right, he's the custodian in the gym. So, I just wanted to say that this gentleman is doing his job and then some because it just it looked brand new and that's our oldest school in the county and I just couldn't believe
035it. So, it was I guess because we're sitting there, our purses go there, our bags, our coats, our jackets. So, you naturally see it all and usually what I see is not at all what I like seeing. So, this was just unbelievable. So, I had to call Mrs. Booker and tell her that hats off that I was extremely proud and I didn't know who she had behind cleaning this. So, she's texted back this gentleman's name. So, I just want to say um and I'll go tell him as well. I plan on paying a visit over there, but Robert Panel um he could probably go around and um do a tutorial on how to clean those. >> I was just about to say maybe we could use him to train others. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Thank
036you, Miss Rodriguez. Mr. Johnson. >> Yeah, I I'll bring this up again in the future, but we were talking about hybrid classes and I remember back in the late 60s, early 70s, there was a federal program, I think it was called CEDA, CTA, where students went to with A and B students. They alternated weeks in school and on a job. So if they were trained to be a dental technician, they'd work one week in dental office, go to school the following week, you know, be somebody else with the reverse schedule. So they both shared the same job and they both shared the same teacher. It's just something we should maybe we can explore in the future. >> All right. Thank you. All right. With that, I'm going to call for this meeting to be adjourned
037at 1:57 p.m.