05/05/2026 - Regular Meeting

001>>Karen Perez: HI, I AM KAREN PEREZ, CHAIR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME TO YOU HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. >>Nadia Combs: I AM NADIA COMBS, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. >>Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM AT SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU ARE WELCOME TO MOR E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN PUBLIC TV

002ON 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL 32. >>Stacy Hahn: MEETINGS ARE STREAMED ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL PAST BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. >>Patti Rendon: WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE WILL HAVE ITEMS FOR BEFORE ANY MEETING ITEM. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. >>Jessica Vaughn: OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE AND THIS MEANS ALL STUDENTS EVERY D DAY. >>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE SHAPING THE COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. [GAVEL SOUNDING] >>Karen Perez: BOARD MEETING OF MAY 5 IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBERS CLAIMS LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SIGH HELPS FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME IN

003A MOMENT OF SILENCE. THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER COMBS, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT. >>Nadia Combs: I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE AMAZING MARTINEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL JAZZ BAND ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL DR. ANTHONY JONES AND CHRISTOPHER JOHNS KLEIN, THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE STUDENTS UP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. >> HI, MY NAME IS JENAE, I AM IN THE 7th GRADE AND I PLAY THE ELECTRIC GUITAR. >>Nadia Combs: YOU GUYS WERE AWESOME. >> MY NAME IS SOPHIA AND I AM IN THE 7th GRADE AND I PLAY T THE ALTO SAXOPHONE. >> HI, MY NAME IS THEODORE. I AM IN THE 8th GRADE AND I

004PLAY THE DRUM SET. >> HI, I AM CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ. I AM IN THE 8th GRADE AND I PLAY THE TROMBONE. >> HI, MY NAME IS NOLAN BLACK AND I PLAY THE SAXOPHONE AND I AM IN THE 7th GRADE. >> HI, MY NAME IS WILLIAM COOK, AND I PLAY THE PIANO AND I AM IN 7th GRADE. >> HELLO, SILAS HAUCK. I AM IN THE 7th GRADE AND I PLAY THE TROMBONE. >> HI, MY NAME IS ADAM, AND I AM IN 7th GRADE AND I PLAY THE TRUM TRUMPET. >> HI, MY NAME IS CARTER, I AM IN THE SEVENTH GRADE AND I PLAY ALTO SAXOPHONE. >> HI, MY NAME IS CHRISTIAN STEVENS. I AM IN THE 7th GRADE. AND I PLAY THE TROMBONE. >> HELLO,ANISTON, I AM IN THE 8th GRADE AND I PLAY THE KEYBOARD. >>SPEAKER:

005HI, I AM ADELAIDE VASQUEZ AND I PLAY THE ALTO SACKS. >> I'M ROSE MORRIS. I AM IN THE 7th GRADE AND I POLICE THE TRUMP BET. >> I AM DIRUD, I PLAY IN THE CLARINET. AND I AM IN THE 8th GRADE. >> I AM ENZO. I AM IN THE 7th GREAT AND I PLAY THE TENOR SAXOPHONE. >> HI, MY NAME IS ANGEL. I PLAY TRUMPET, AND I AM IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. >> HI, MY NAME IS AMIR SILANI, I AM IN 8th GRADE AND I PLAY THE TENOR SAXOPHONE. >> I AM ASAN. I AM IN THE SEVENTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE TRUMPET. >> HI, MY NAME IS LEO. I PLAY THE TRUMPET AND I AM IN THE 8th GRADE. >> I AM MASON NETTLES. I AM IN THE 8th GRADE AND I PLAY BAR

006SAX. >> I AM YES RE-MOORE IN THE 7th GRADE AND I PLAY THE TUBE BAA. >> I AM CHRISTOPHER KLEIN BECAUSE THEY TOOK A CHANCE ON ME I AM THE PROUD BAND DIRECTOR AT MARTINEZ MIDDLE SCHOOL. [APPLAUSE] >> MY NAME IS ANTHONY JONES AND I AM A GROUPIE OF THE BEST JAZZ BAND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >>Karen Perez: YOU GUYS WERE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. >> EVERYONE, READY. 3, 2, 1. BIG SMILES. STAY RIGHT THERE. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GREAT JOB! >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. LYNN. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES

007TO BE APPROVED TODAY, APRIL 21, 2026 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, APRIL 28, 2026, SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. MAY I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS ARE A HE MIND DERR WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD THAT BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN, TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE FOR THAT UNDERSTANDING. PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT MISSION STAPLES, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.

008MEMBER COMBS WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. >>Nadia Combs: AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETINGS, PLEASE LET ME READDRESS THE FORMAT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SILENCE YOUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SPEAKERS BEHIND ME THAT WILL ALLOW THE BOARD MEMBERS TO VIEW. THIS MEETING WILL BE HELD WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCAST ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. REVIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. TWO ITEMS FOR PUBLIC HEARING. ONE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, SCIENCE, ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND HIGH SCHOOL READING. 6 P.M. EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. NOW GO ON TO RECOGN RECOGNRECOGNITIONS A.01. RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS BEST KREWE AWARD. AT THIS TIME CALL UP SHERRI BOLLINGER SUPERVISOR OF PHILANTHROPY AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND GUESTS.

009THE KREWE PROGRAM BY OUR TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ARE COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING AND UPLIFTING THE HEROES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS MONTHLY AWARD RECOGNIZES STANDOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATIVE AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE, OVERALL IMPACT ON SERVICE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. BRIAN FORD, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WITH US TO ANNOUNCE THIS MONTH'S AWARD RECIPIENTS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, SHERRI, FOR THAT WARM WELCOME. BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, AND EVERYBODY IN ATTENDANCE, GOOD AFTERNOON. WE ARE GETTING ALMOST TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. I AM VERY SAD THIS WILL BE OUR LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING UNTIL AUGUST TO HAVE OUR BUCS BEST KREWE, BUT WE HAVE SOME RECIPIENTS THAT ARE VERY WORTHY A AND VERY EXCITED SO SHARE SOME STORIES WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON. JUST AMAZING. WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF

010OF THE GLAZER FAMILY AND THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, WE WISH YOU ALL BEST AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ALLOWING US TO CARRY THIS PROGRAM FORWARD EACH MONTH. FOR THOSE OF HOW ARE NEW TO THE MEETING HERE, EVERY MONTH WE RECOGNIZE AND WE TRY TO QUICK OFF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING ON A POSITIVE NOTE, SOMETHING WE CAN ALL AGREE UPON AND RECOGNIZE A PRINCIPAL, A SUPPORT STAFF AND A TEACHER OF THE MONTH IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND WE HAVE A TRADITION AT ONE BUC AND WE KEEP PEOPLE GAME BALLS WHEN THEY GO OVER AND ABOVE. THE STORIES WITHER GOING TO HEAR TODAY ARE SO DESERVE OF THE GAME BALLS. LET ME GET UNDER WAY. FIRST YOUNG LADY, ONE YEAR WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MISS JESSICA LOVITT. THE ESP PARAPROFESSIONAL AT LITHIA SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WHAT HAPPENED A

011STORY. [APPLAUSE] I GOT TO READ YOUR STORY FIRST. ALL RIGHT, NOW THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT COMING FROM ME. THEY ARE COMING MORE IMPORTANTLY FROM THE STUDENTS THAT YOU SUPPORT, THE TEACHERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF YOUR SCHOOL. AND JUST AMAZING. AND HE I THANK YOU. YOU ARE A KIND PERSON WHO QUIETLY STEPS IN WHEREVER YOU ARE NEEDED MOST AND MAKES EXTRAORDINARY -- YOU MAKE AN EXTRAORDINARY DIFFERENCE EACH AND EVERY DAY. DURING AN ONGOING VACANCY YOU WENT FAR AND BEYOND OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF PARAPROFESSIONAL BETAKING ON INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO MAKE SURE STUDENTS WILL GET THE HIGH-QUALITY SUPPORT AND STABILITY THAT THEY DESERVED. AMAZING HOW YOU KIND OF FILLED IN THERE. YOU TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO LEARN THE CURRICULUM CREATING ENGAGING AND MEANINGFUL LESSONS THAT KEPT THE STUDENTS MOTIVATED, LEARNING AND MAKING ACADEMIC PROGRESS. TEAM, YOU THOUGHTFUL LEAVE

012SUPPORTED ROUTINES THAT SUPPORTED THE BEHAVIORAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS USING STRUCTURED BREAKS, SPECIALIZED CLASSROOM SPACES AND POTENTIAL RESET OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP STUDENTS. THAT IS, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THE BALL GOING. NEXT MAN UP, RIGHT. YOUR STEADY PRESENCE HAS NOT ONLY HELPED THE STUDENTS THRIVE ACADEMICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY BUT PROVIDED ESSENTIAL CONSISTENCY FOR COLLEAGUES AND STRENGTHENED THE ENTIRE ESE PROGRAM. FOR THAT YOUR BUCS BEST CREWMEMBER FOR MAY 2026. MAUS PLACE NEXT UP WE HAVE DANIELLE ACOSTA, THE GIFTED TEACHER AT LIMONIA ELEMENTARY. THIS AND IN YOUNG LADY --. [APPLAUSE] -- CONGRATULATION PIPS WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT 23 YEARS WITH THE DISTRICT. YOU STARTED WHEN YOU WERE 12. WE ARE FINE. THERE YOU GO. I AM HEARING THAT YOU ACTUALLY HELP OTHERS BECOME TEACHERS. SO WE WILL TALK ON THAT. AGAIN, THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT COMING FROM US. THEY ARE

013COMING FROM YOUR STUDENTS, YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND YOUR STUDENT FAMILY, THE COMMUNITY AT YOUR ELEMENTARY SC SCHOOL. THEY SAY HIGH TEMPERATURE THE HEART OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AS OUR GIFTED TEACHER, YOU CHALLENGE STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL WHILE TEACHING THEM SOMETHING EVEN GREATER, HOW TO LEAVE, SERVE AND CARE FOR OTHERS. THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ELEMENTARY HONOR SOCIETY, STUDENTS GIVE BACK IN MEANINGFUL WAYS FROM FOOD AND TOILETRY DRIVES TO TOY DONATIONS FOR CHILDREN AT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL, CAMPUS RECYCLING EFFORTS AND SERVICE PROJECTS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. FOR YEARS, YOU HAVE ALSO GUIDED STUDENTS IN CREATING CARE PACKAGES FILLED WITH STACKS AND ESSENTIALS, PARTNERING WITH THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DELIVER THOSE WHO NEED THEM. IT IS AMAZING. BUT YOUR GREATEST IMPACT IS THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOU BUILD. THIS IS WHAT REALLY KIND

014OF HIT HOME WITH ME. YOU TAUGHT STUDENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS. AND THEY RETURN TO SEE YOU AND THANK YOU AND SOME HAVE EVEN GONE ON TO BECOME TEACHERS BECAUSE OF YOUR INFLUENCE. FOR THAT, YOU ARE BUCS BEST KREWE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY AND CONGRATULATIONS AND WE HAVE YOUR GAME BALL HERE. [ APPLAUSE ] NEXT UP, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOU ARE OUR PRINCIPAL OF THE MONTH -- AND I LOVE A RED BLAZER. CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU. MANDY SIERRA, PRINCIPAL AT LAKE MAG /* MAG DA LINE ELEMENTARY, ARE 14 YEARS FROM THE DISTRICT. AGAIN, YOUR COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE HERE. YOU RESTORED THE HEART OF YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, QUOTE, UNQUOTE. THROUGH YOUR KINDNESS, CREATESTIFY AND GENUINE CARE FOR PEOPLE, YOU CREATED A CULTURE WHERE

015STAFF FEELS SCENE, VALUE AND SUPPORTED. HANGING OUT AT MANATEE MORALE, COUPONS FOR SMALL MOMENT OF RECOGNITION, PERSONALIZED BIRTHDAY AND THANK YOU CARD OR DRESSING UP IN -- I GOT TO SEE SOME PICTURES ON THIS -- DRESSING UP IN AN INFLATABLE COSTUME TO DELIVER HOLIDAY TREATS OR KEEPING THE DOOR OPEN FOR HONEST CONVERSATIONS. YOU MAKE EVERY PERSON FEEL WELCOME AND IMPORTANT. YOU LEAD WITH JOY, HUMILITY AND THE BELIEF THAT PEOPLE DO THEIR BEST WORK WHEN THEY KNOW THAT THEY MATTER. WOW. YOUR POST MEETINGS SUNRISE SERVICE SECTIONS WHERE EVERYONE CAN COME TO YOU TO DISCUSS THINGS THAT THEY LOVE, THINGS THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE OR THINGS THEY WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT. TELL ME WHAT I NEED TO HEAR. NOT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. BUS OF YOUR LEADERSHIP, THE SCHOOL

016FEELS LIKE FAMILY AGAIN. SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY RESULTS SHOWED A 44% INCREASE IN POSITIVE TONE OF LEADERSHIP AND 40% INCREASE IN CREATING A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT. YES, I DO NEED THAT. YOU HAVEN'T JUST IMPROVED MORALE, YOU HAVE REBUILT TRUST, STRENGTHENED THE CULTURE AND REMINDED EVERYONE WHAT IT FEEL LIKE TO LOVE WHERE YOU WORK. FOR THAT, YOU ARE OUR MAY PRINCIPAL OF THE MONTH, BUCS BEST KREWE. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> BEFORE WE STOP FOR A PICTURE THAT WE NORMALLY TAKE. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE -- THERE ARE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WITHOUT THEM, I GOT TO BE HONEST, THIS PROGRAM WOULDN'T EXIST. THEIR DEDICATION -- AND WE RECOGNIZE SOME OF YOU WHEN YOU ALL GOT YOUR GAME BALLS AND SOME PEOPLE. BUT THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS HAVE GONE OVER AND ABOVE. AND I CAN'T TELL

017YOU HOW GRATEFUL OUR ORGANIZATION AND THE GLAZER FAMILY IS TO THEIR COMMITMENT TO THIS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. IT IS VERY REFLECTIVE IN ALL THAT THEY DO. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP MR. GENE TAVARES, OUR PARTNERSHIP AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR AND SHERRI BOLLINGER, OUR PHILANTHROPIC SPECIAL PROGRAMS VERIER. [APPLAUSE] YOUR GAME BALL. THEY HELPED ME CREATE THOSE GAME BALLS FOR TWO YEARS. [ APPLAUSE ] PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES. YOU KNOW, WE WILL TAKE LITTLE PICTURE HERE. >> ROSES IN THE MIDDLE AND THORNS ON THE END. [LAU [LAUGHTER] EVERYONE READY, 3, 2, 1. GREAT JOB. [APPLAUSE] >> ALL RIGHT, I KNOW IS OUR LAST MEETING BUT ONE OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO RECOGNIZE. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND TIME TO COME OUT. A VERY SPECIAL GENTLEMAN THAT IS IN OUR AUDIENCE. AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT

018TRIES TO MAINTAIN SAFETY AT RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM AT EVERY EVENT. THING I WOULD THINK THAT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS THE SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS. THERE IS A GENTLEMAN AMONG US, MR. JOHN NEWMAN, IF YOU CAN COME UP HERE [CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] JUST TO SAY A FEW COMMENTS. WHEN I HEARD HIS STORY -- YOU KNOW HOW I AM ABOUT THESE GAME BALLS, BUT FROM WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SINCE 1962. THERE ARE ONLY SIX INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE GUIDED OUR SCHOOL SAFETY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND YOU TAKE IT PERSONAL. AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE MISSED. BUT JOIN ME -- A LEADER THAT HAS BEEN IMPACTFUL AND FELT NEVER SCHOOL, EVERY DAY, THE RESPONSIBILITY LEADING OUR SCHOOL SECURITY FOR THIS DISTRICT SENSE 2014. YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS GONE BEYOND POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, CREATED A SENSE OF SAFETY, TRUST

019IN EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. PRIMARY SYSTEMS LIKE CENTEX SHAPELY, SECURITY THROUGH THE DOUGLAS PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION, YOUR IMPACT REACHES FAR BEYOND OUR DISTRICT. NAMED FLORIDA SCHOOL SAFETY SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR. THIS IS NOT JUST AN AN AWARD, BUT REFLECTION OF THE LEAVES YOU PROTECT EACH AND OVER DAY. WE HONOR YOU TODAY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR VISION AND UNWAVE HE SHALLING COMMITMENT OF PROTECTING EVERY STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER THAT WE SERVE. CONTINUE TO BEHALF OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXTENDED SERVICE, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT. PLEASE JOIN ME. [ APPLAUSE ] EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON AND GREAT SUMMER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY IN AUGUST. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND OUR NEXT RECOGNITION I IS A.02.

020HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTION OFFICE 2026 HIGH SCHOOL VOTE HILLSBOROUGH VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD THICK CALL UP CRAIG LATIMER, SUPERVISOR OF SELECTIONS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNY AND KELLY BRANNON, SUPERVISOR OF 9-12 SOCIAL STUD STUDIES. >> WELL, GOOD I CAN'T HAVE TO EVERYBODY. AGAIN ESTEEMED CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, ONE OF THE FINAL GENERAL COUNSELS IN ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNY, SUPERINTENDENT. PLEASURE TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU. SECOND THEME YEAR, AND TODAY WE ARE HERE TO TALK OF VOTER REGISTRATION. I THINK THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE IN EVERY ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR. WE COORDINATE WITH THE SOCIAL STUDY LEAD IN THE SCHOOLS AND EITHER GO IN THE CLASSROOMS OR HAVE AN ASSEMBLY TO REREGISTER 16 AND 17 I DON'T REALLIES. BY LAW WE CAN REREGISTER 16

021AND 17-YEAR-OLDS AND 18-YEAR-OLDS TO REGISTER AND WE DO. WE HIT 62 DIFFERENT SESSION THIS LAST YEAR, AND I AM PROUD TO TELL YOU THAT WE REGISTERED OVER 3,000 STUDENTS THIS YEAR. MORE IMPORTANTLY, SINCE WE STARTED THIS PREP, WE REGISTERED OVER 1,000 STUDENTS, TO ME IS A GREAT NUMBER. YOU KNOW WHEN PEOPLE START VOTING AT A YOUNG AGENDA, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO KEEP VOTING IN EVERY ELECTION AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS EVIDENT IS SO BORP. PROUD OF THE ONGOING PREP THAT WE HAVE. I AM THERE REPORT THE SO THE SEVEN MOST CIVICALLY ENGAGED. GOES TO 25% OF THE SENIOR CLASS POPULATION ARE MORE THAN 250 STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE DURING OUR VISITS. WHEN I CALL YOUR SCHOOL, WHOEVER IS HERE TO REPRESENT, COME UP HERE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND STAY UP HOOKER TO

022GET AT THAT PICTURE OF EVERYONE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> ALISON WREATH, PRINCIPAL OF BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL. >> MATTHEW CASUS, SOCIAL STUDY, BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL. >> I TEACH ECONOMICS AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> NEXT, WE HAVE DURANT HIGH SCHOOL AND LET ME REMIND THAT YOU OUR ART CONTEST WINNER WAS ALSO FROM DURANT HIGH SCHOOL. >> TOM SNYDER, PRINCIPAL OF DURANT HIGH SCHOOL. >> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNEW, BUT WE INVITED THE WINNERS AND FINALISTS TO OUR OFFICE FOR THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR AND SEVERAL TEACHERS THAT CAME ALONG THAT AND A BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR AT THE LINKS OFFICE. EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HI, AMY COX, PROUD PRINCIPAL OF EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL. >> GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL. >> TERESA TRUMBACK, SOCIAL STUDIES, GAITHER

023HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> LEE McNULTY, GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL, U.S. GOVERNMENT TEACHER. >> JERRY HEIM, PROUD PRINCIPAL OF THE RANCH, GATHER HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> ELLIOTT INBULSTRUM AT LUTZ. I LOOKED AT MARTINEZ AND NOW GAITHER UP HERE TOO, RIGHT. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. >> JENNIFER CANADY, PROUD PRINCIPAL OF THE THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. >>SPEAKER: NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GRANT NUBAH, PRINCIPAL AT NEWSOME. >> HEAD OF SOCIAL AT NEWSOME GRAND CHAMPION REGISTERING OVER 321 STUDENTS WITH THE HIGHEST TOTAL NUMBER REGISTRATION AND HIGHEST PERCENTAGE IS SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL. AND THE IMPORTANT PART HERE IS, THEY ARE REPEATING. [APPLAUSE] >> TONY PERETA, SUMNERS HIGH SCHOOL. BEST SOCIAL PROGRAM IN THE COUNTY. THREE-TIME CHAMP. >> EDWARD LIFSID, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT SUMMER IN HIGH SCHOOL. >> IF WE CAN GET A PICTURE NOW AND IF

024YOU CAN JOIN US OUT IN THE BREEZEWAY, WE WILL TAKE SOME ADDITION ALE P-- ADDITIONAL PICTURES, OKAY. . [APPLAUSE] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. THE NEXT RECOGNITION IS A.03, TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK MAY 4-4, 2026. AND MEMBER RENDON WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AN AN HONOR FOR ME TO HIGHLIGHT TEACHER OF THE WEEK RECOGNITION. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK MAY 4-MAY 8, 2026 AND NATIONAL TEACHER DAY TODAY, MAY 5, BUNK. THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL WEEK FOR US AS A BOARD, AS A COMMUNITY AND AS PARENTS. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HONOR AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE MORE THAN 14,000 EDUCATORS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHO TEACH, MENTOR, PROBLEM SOLVE, CARE DEEPLY, AND CHAMPION OUR STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. TO OUR SEARTEACHER, THANK YOU

025FO PREPARING OUR NEXT GENERATION, OUR FUTURE AUTHORS, ARTISTS, DOCTORS R&D ENTREPRENEURS, AND, YES, TEACHERS CARRY YOUR MISSION FORWARD. AS WE CELEBRATE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR YOUR PASSION, PATIENCE AND WAVERING COMMITMENT TO EXCEL EDGES. WHAT YOU DO MAT ERRS AND MAKES A LASTING IMPACT EACH AND EVERY D DAY.DEDICATION IN THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS, SUPPORT FOR OUR FAMILIES AND STRENGTH IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOME COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR CLIENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED

026ABOUT RESPONSES. OUR BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT ANY ISSUE, AND YOU WILL NOT BE INTERRUPTED; HOW FAR, ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. WE REQUEST THAT YOU TOO TOY FOCUS ON ISSUES. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MY CROW PHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAK WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. REMINDER, YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THER30 SECOND LEFT, A YELLO LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND YOU WILL HEAR A CHIME. RED LIGHT AND A CHEMO WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEA SPEAKERS. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT

027AYRES, AND YOU WILL OF YOU FOLKS THAT ARE HERE TODAY. THIS IS A GOOD DAY TO TALK ABOUT VOTING WITH ALL THESE -- ALL THESE NEW REGISTERED VOTERS. SORRY, MISSING THE MICROPHONE HERE. THE ANNUAL RANKING OF THE STATE IN EDUCATION FUNDING HAS JUST COME OUT. WE NEED TO EDUCATE VOTERS WITH THE FACTS OF JUST HOW BAD STUDENT FUNDING IS IN FLORIDA COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE LONG DEPENDED ON THE NEA'S ANNUAL RANKING OF THE STATES TO PROVIDE THAT COMPARISON. AS YOU ALL KNOW, FLORIDA HAS BEEN 50th IN AVERAGE TEACHER SALARIES FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS AND NEAR THE BOTTOM FOR TWO DECADES. ON AN INFLATION-RELATED BASIS, TELLS US THAT SALARIES HAVE DECLINED 12.4% OVER THE PAST DECADE. HOW THEY CAN FLESH ALL THEY DO IS BEYOND ME. IN 230-'24, WE GOT

028SOME GOOD NEWS. FLORIDA'S RANKING IN PER STUDENT FUNDING ROSE FROM 46th TO 33rd. IT SEEMED TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, AND IT WAS IF WE MAKE THE CALCULATION USING READILY AVAILABLE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REVENUE AND STUDENT ATTENDANCE NUMBERS, THE RANKINGS FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS IN FUNDING HAVE BEEN BETWEEN 48th AND 50th. THAT IS AS CLOSE TO LAST AS ANYONE WANTS TO GET. IF WE WERE TO SET A GOAL TO GET OUR FUNDING LEVEL TO THE MIDPOINT AMONG THE STATES, IN '24-'25, WOULD HAVE REQUIRED AN ASTONISHING ADDITIONAL $19 BILLION FROM THE STATE. A 42% INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. NOW I KNOW THAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE NUMBERS TELL US. IF VOTERS UNDERSTOOD THIS, SURELY THEY WILL DEMAND BETTER FROM THEIR LEGISLATORS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >>

029GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS DARYL HEIGHT. $ $6416 DAYS BETWEEN TWO CULTURES OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE LOST DAYS IN SCHOOL. BETWEEN 2023 AND 2025. PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. WHAT ARE WE PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR? I KNOW THAT IF THOSE TWO CULTURES WERE ANYTHING OTHER THAN BLACK AND HISPANIC, EVERY ENGINE IN THIS REGION WOULD BE SPINNING TO CORRECT THIS WRONG. THIS IS ABSURD TO READ SUCH NUMBERS, AND WE SIT BEFORE US AND RECEIVE ACCOLADES AND AWARDS FROM OUR FOOTBALL TEAM, TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY. 46,616 DAYS BETWEEN TWO CULTURES. THAT IS EMBARRASSING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT. YOU HAVE LACK OF TRAINING AND CLARITY, PROTOCOL AND PROCEDURES. YOU HAVE MR. RICK GRAYS AND MIKE ROLELAND NOT RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. YOU HAVE THE CODE OF CONDUCT THAT IS BEING MISINTERPRETED AND CAUSING THESE INFRACTIONS THAT

030ARE TAKING PLACE WITH OUR STUDENTS. THIS IS EMBARRASSING. WE ARE QUOTING STUDENTS AND ATTORNEY I LAST FORECAST A BOARD MEETING. THE ATTORNEY SAID THAT INTENTION DOES NOT MEAN INTENTION. HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND THAT INTENTION DOESN'T MEAN INTENTION. WHEN A STUDENT HAS AN ALTERCATION OR AN INFRACTION AND HITS A TEACHER UNINTENTIONALLY, BUT THIS KID GET 30 DAYS OUT OF SCHOOL. RENDERED TO THE STUDENT AND WE WERE TOLD IT IS NOT THE THING. WHEN I HAVE AN INSTRUCTOR, A LEADER CALLING ME FROM ANOTHER COUNTY SAYING, DARYL, HELP ME BETTER UNDERSTAND. WE TOOK CONTRACT WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS IN JANUARY. WHY DO WE HAVE OVER 200 KIDS IN OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAMS SINCE JANUARY? AND THEN I STARTED DOING THE RESEARCH. I SAID, THE MATH ISN'T MATHING. DR. CLAUDE ANDERSON IN HIS PRESENTATION OF POWERNOMICS, HE STATES THIS CLEARLY

031EVERY DAY. NOBODY CARES. WE SMILE. WE GRIN. BUT THIS LOOM SHOULD BE JAM-PACKED WITH EVERY BLACK AND LATINO FAMILY IN THIS REGION, BECAUSE 46,616 DAYS HAVE BEEN MISSED IN SCHOOL BY TWO CULTURES, BLACK AND HISPANIC. 46,616. EVERY AWARD AND ACCOLADE THAT WAS GIVEN TODAY NEEDS TO BE SHREDDED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. >>SPEAKER: GOOD AFTERNOON. TIME IN GIANI HUNT. AND A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, PEOPLE TO CARE DEEPLY OF PUBLIC EDUCATION. MESSAGE I AM CARRYING FORWARD TODAY IS WITH REGARDS TO THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX REFERENDUM AND WHY IT MATTERS TO THE COMMUNITY. AS MOST OF US KNOW, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HISTORICALLY, WE SHOW UP. WHEN VOTERS UNDERSTAND, WHEN TAXPAYERS UNDERSTANDED NEED, THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT THEY CONSISTENTLY SHOW UP AND SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION. WHEN I

032LOOKED AT THE AGENDA TODAY, THERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES, SOME OF THAT REFLECTION IN THERE, RIGHT. WE HAVE A DISTRICT WIDE -- AS FAR AS I COULD SEE DISTRICT-WIDE REPAIRS ON HVAC. THAT IS CLEARLY NEED. TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT HAD SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES. THAT IS AWESOME. 28 HIGH SCHOOLS UNDERGOING SOME IMPROVEMENTS. ALL OF THOSE ARE GREAT. REAL, TANGIBLE EXAMPLES OF THIS INVESTMENT. ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF THE TRUST THAT THE COMMUNITY IS PUTTING ON YOU GUYS, PUTTING ON YOU, SUPERINTENDENT, RIGHT. AND WITH THAT TRUST COMES AN EXPECTATION. WHEN VOTERS COMMIT TO INVEST, WHEN TAXPAYERS COMMIT, THERE IS A EXPECTATION OF TRANSPARENCY. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING. THEY WANT TO ENSURE THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO SERVE ALL STUDENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, REGARDLESS OF ZIP CODE, RIGHT. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT

033FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT JUST WHAT WE ARE LEADING WITH. WE ARE ALSO LEADING WITH THE INPUT OF THE -- OF THE PEOPLE WHO -- THE DECISIONS ARE IMPACTING THE MOST. THE FAMILIES, THE EDUCATORS, THOSE ADMINISTRATORS AT THOSE SCHOOLS. THE COMMUNITIES THAT SURROUND THOSE SCHOOLS, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT. SO THIS RESOLUTION IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT. IT IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT, WHY HE, WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. WHEN THEY INVEST, THE DISTRICT IS GOING TO COMMIT. THEY ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO CLEAR COMMUNICATION. THEY ARE GOING TO COMMIT TO ACCOUNTABILITY. THEY HAVE COMMIT TO GIVING THEM A SEAT AT THAT TABLE, RIGHT. AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS A REMINDER THAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE. THEY BELIEVE TO THE COMMUNITY. WHEN WE INVEST IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE INVEST IN ALL OF

034US. WE INVEST IN EVERY CHILD, EVERY STUDENT AND ENSURE THAT EVERY SHIELD OUT THIS HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN IN A SAFE, HEALTHY AND -- AND A MODERN ENVIRONMENT WHICH REFLECTS WHAT THEIR WORTH AND WHAT THEIR POTENTIAL IS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER CANNED THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKS PLEASE LINE UP. . >> HELLO, SIERRA SEIZEMORE. I'M HERE AS A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND COMMUNITY MEMBER. I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME SLEEPING AND I HAD TIME TO GO THROUGH YOUR AGENDA. AND ONE QUESTION STUCK OUT TO ME. SHOULD ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OCCUR BEFORE DECISIONS ARE FINALIZED. SIMPLY PUT, THE ANSWER IS, YES. I AM RELIEVED TO SEE THAT THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY SEEM TO AGREE THAT AT THE MOMENT, THIS PIPELINE IS MORE SO ONE OF NOTIFICATION MORE SO THAN

035CLEAR COMMUNICATION THAT REQUIRES A TWO-WAY STREET. AND THERE ISN'T -- EVEN THE OUTREACH PROCESS OF NOTIFYING PARENTS OF CHANGES IS LIMITED. AND WITH THE COMING CONCERNS WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS AND I SAW A NOTE ABOUT KEEPING THE STANDARDS OF CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY EQUAL FOR PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT ABOUT KIND OF ALL ON THE SAME PAGE THERE. AND, AGAIN, I WILL BE BRIEF BECAUSE STUFF YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY BEFORE. ALL THEY WANT IS CLARITY. ABOUT NOT UNDERSTANDING THE RUSH AROUND SCHOOL CLOSURES. THINGS OF THAT NATURE. I GUESS I WOULD HIKE TO END WITH THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST HOPING FOR CLARITY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HE. >> HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. ANY NAME IS JUAN HERNANDEZ AND

036THE DESIRE TO HAVE TO BE DEEXTENDED INTO A K-8. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL OF WELCOMING MEMBERS OF OUR PARENTS FROM THE TOBY EXPANSION TO TALK COUNTRY CURRENT'S SCHOOL JOURNEY AND TRANSFORMATION. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MEMBER GRAY FOR HELPING TO ORGANIZE THE MEETING AND APRIL GILARD, MATT ROMANO AND INPUT THROUGHOUT THE MEETING. AND VALUABLE EMPUT. AFTER THE MEETING WITH THE PRINCIPAL, A STRONG LEADER AND MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED. I WOULD LIKE NOW TO READ A STATEMENT FROM ONE OF THE PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY PROVIDED TO US. HELLO, ANY NAME IS NORA DEREK A RESIDENT OF IT APOLLO BEACH AND HAVE A CHILD THAT ATTENDS DOBY LEP AND WANT THE EXPANSION OF DOBY INTO A CAN-8. OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS A TOP-RATED MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT BUILDS BUILDS ON THE FOUNDATION.

037DOBY'S DEDICATED STAFF AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE THRIVE ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY. CONVENIENT LOCATION OF SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND MAKE IT AN IDEAL PLACE FOR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION DURING THESE IMPORTANT YEARS. MORE IMPORTANTLY MY CHILD IS THRIVING HERE AND EXTENDING THIS ENVIRONMENT THROUGH 8th GRADE WILL HAVE PRIDE VALUABLE CONTINUITY. I HAVE MANY CONCERNS OF MY CHILD ATTAN END TOING EISENHOWER, INAPPROPRIATE BE AVENUE AND LACK OF DISCIPLINE WITH STUDENTS. WE ARE COUNTING ON HAVING THE EXPANSION WITH DOBY TO AVOID HAVING TO MOVE AND AVOID OUR CHILDREN HAVING TO ATTEND EISENHOWER. SO AS YOU CAN HEAR IN THIS STATEMENT, I JUST READ, THE COMMUNITY PERCEPTION AND THE FACTS WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE SCHOOL WITH REGARDS TO PROGRESS IS NOT ALIGNED. WHILE WE MET ABOUT PRIN PRINPRIN PRINCIPAL DEMICK, SHE WAS ABLE TO GIVE US GREAT

038CONVERSATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC PROCESS BEING MADE AS WELL AS OF SAFETY. WE WERE TOLD IT HAS IMPROVED BY OVER 70%. THESE KIND OF WINS ARE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITIES KNOW MORE ABOUT. THE NEED FOR A VIABLE K-8 OPTION IS CLEARLY WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AS PARENTS DEMAND CHOICES. THE AREA NEEDS MORE OPTIONS FOR K-8 AS MORE PARENTS LOOK FOR THIS MODEL AND MAKE SURE THAT EISENHOWER IS GIVEN THE NECESSARY SUPPORT TO REALIZE ITS TRANSFORMATIONAL GOALS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> IF GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS LAURA GARCIA AND I LIVE IN THE WATERSET COMMUNITY OF APOLLO BEACH AND THE PARENT OF TWO BOYS, A KINDERGARTENER AND FIFTH GRADER. HERE TO READ A STATEMENT OF A PARENT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THE EXPANSION OF DOBY ELEMENTARY TO K-8 AND COULD NOT

039BE HERE THIS EVENING. IT READS AS FOLLOWS: DEAR MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, ME NAME IS CHRISTINE. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF APOLLO BEACH FOR 11 YEARS. AS A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, INCLUDING ONE CURRENTLY ATTENDING DOBY ELEMENTARY, I AM WRITING TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF THE SCHOOL TO CHU GRADES K-8. DOBY CREATED A STRONG ACADEMIC AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT HAS MADE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN MY CHILD'S GROWTH. TEACHERS AND STAFF KENT LY FROM CARE, DEDICATION AND QUALITIES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO CARRY FORWARD INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS. KEEPING STUDENTS IN A FAMILIAR HIGH-QUALITY ENVIRONMENT DURING THIS CRITICAL STLAEJ PROVIDE STABILITY AND CONTINUED ACADEMIC PROGRESS. STUDENTS LOCATION AND STRONG COMMUNITY TIES FURTHER REINFORCE ITS VALUE AS AN IDEAL SETTING FOR A K-8 MODEL. I DO HAVE CONCERNS OF THE PROSPECT

040OF MY CHILD ATTENDING EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL, PARTICULARLY REGARDING SCHOOL PERFORMANCE, STUDENT ENVIRONMENT, AND DISCIPLINE TRENDS. EXPANDING DOBY WOULD OFFER FAMILIES LIKE MINE A TRUSTED OPTION TO CONTINUE MY CHILDREN'S EDUCATION WITHOUT DISRUPTION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >>SPEAKER: GOOD AFTERNOON. WE DON'T HAVE AN ENROLLMENT PROBLEM. WE HAVE A RETENTION PROBLEM. MY NAME IS SUE BATIGLIARI AND A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN AT DOBY ELEMENTARY RECOMMENDING A GROUP OF ENGAGED.PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATING FOR THE EXPANSION OF DOBY ELEMENTARY INTO A K-8 SCHOOL. WE MET WITH PRINCIPAL OF EISENHOWER AND MEMBER GRAY AND DISTRICT STAFF. PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION AND WE LEARNED OF THE FOCUS ON SIXTH GRADE TRANSITION, THEIR BEHAVIORAL SYSTEM AND FIRSTHAND THE COMMITMENT TO REIN EISENHOWER IN A SCHOOL THAT FAMILIES WANT TO ATTEND. WE ADDRESSED REALITY OF

041PARENT ER EXCEPTION AND SCHOOL REPUTATION. THESE ARE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS BUT NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD. TODAY, I HAVE PROVIDED A HAPPENEDOUT FOR YOUR REVIEW. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST SECTION OF THE HANDOUT, YOU WILL SEE THAT EISENHOWER HAS CURRENTLY 1100 STUDENT WITH CAPACITY OF 1500. EVEN WITH PROJECTED GROWTH OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, 200 SEATS WILL REMAIN OPEN. GROWTH ALONE WILL NOT FELL THIS SCHOOL. WE MUST BRING FAMILIES BACK. LOOKING AT DOBY IN EXCEPTION TWO, YOU WILL SEE THAT 662 STUDENTS ARE ZONED FOR EISENHOWER AND ONLY 136 ARE ATTENDING THAT GAP SHOWS THAT FAMILIES ARE CHOOSING A DIFFERENT PATH THE. NOT JUST HAPPENING AT WITH UNSCHOOL. PART THREE, 11% OF STUDENTS ATTENDING ICEN SHOWER.TELLS US THAT IMPROVING EISENHOWER CAN HAVE A BROAD IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. ANOTHER TREND WE CAN NOT IGNORE. IN EXCEPTION

0424, UNFORTUNATELY SEE THAT 850 DOBY-ZONED STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED AT OTHER SCHOOLS, 35 THAT ARE HOME EDUCATION. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO NEARBY CHARTER AND K-8 SCHOOLS SHOWING THAT FAMILIES ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING THAT MODEL. THESE ARE FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT WAITING UNTIL MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY ARE MAKING DECISIONS EARLIER TO SECURE A K-8 PATHWAY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS TOGETHER, TWO THINGS BECOME CLEAR. IMPROVING EISENHOWER HELPS BRINGS FAMILIES BACK, BUT EXPANDING TO BE DETOW A NUPK-8 KEEPS FAMILIES FROM FROM LEAVING IN THE FIRST PLACE. NOT AN EITHER-OR DECISION. IT IS A BOTH SOLUTION. WITH CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN EISENHOWER AND EXPANSION OF TO BE DEKNEE A K-8, INCREASE ENROLLMENT, STRENGTHEN FUNDING AND PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH OPTIONS THAT WILL KEEP THEM THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND PAIRED WITH THE POTENTIAL RENEWAL OF THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX,

043A FORWARD-THINKING PLAN THAT MEETS THE NEED OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI, JOHN GREEN. I HAVE BEEN DOWN HERE ON SELF-OCCASIONS TALKING OF T THE NAACP HOLDING SPACE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY. AND NOW I AM PRESENTING YOU DOCUMENTATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, WHO IS A FELL, B -- A FELON, BASED UPON HER RECORD AND LET ME JUST READ IT. NEGLECT CHILD OR DEPRIVED NECESSITIES CAUSING PERMANENT, PHYSICAL OR MENTAL INJURY RESULTING IN GREAT BODILY HARM. I BELIEVE THAT THE -- THAT JESSICA LUNFORD ACT IS BEING VIOLATED. FROM BEING DOWN HERE, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE TORN SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT VIOLATING ANY CONTRACT -- I MEAN, ANY VIOLATION FROM THE CONTRACT. THE SECOND PAGE, ARTICLE I FROM THE CONTRACT -- I HIGHLIGHTED IT FOR YOU.

044OFFICE OF DIVERSITY ACTIVITIES INCLUDING -- INCLUDING SEEKING PARTICIPANTS OF NEW BUSINESS, BUSINESS OWNERS, PROVIDING TRAINING AND WORKFORCE. I WILL MOVE FORWARD REAL QUICK WITH THE SAKE OF TIME. PREPARING MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE -- BEING ON THE ADULT SCHOOL. YOU CAN'T USE IT BECAUSE YOU SAY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AT THE SAME TIME. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, THE NEXT PAGE IS, DON'T FORGET. SHE IS A FELON. YOU HAVE THE RECORD RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. SO IN TERMS OF INVESTIGATION AND DOING YOUR JOB, THIS IS IT. YOUR POLICY -- LONG-TERM USE, 75-10, USE DISTRICT FACILITY. LONG-TIME USE AGREEMENTS FOR SCHOOL FACILITY SHALL BE EXECUTE BY WRITTEN CONTRACT APPROVED BY THE BOARD. NOW THE BOARD IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN COMPLICIT IN ALLOWING

045FELONS TO BE ON OUR PROPERTY AND EVERY PARENT IN THE COUNTY SHOULD HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THIS BOARD LETTING FELONS BE ON THIS PROPERTY. NOW WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR TO YOU DO IS GET THEM OFF THERE IMMEDIATELY OR WAIT UNTIL THEY SWITCH ADMINISTRATION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL SAFE WITH THEIR CHILDREN GOING ON ANY PROPERTY, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT SECURITY AND SAFETY. AND Y'ALL LET IT HAPPEN FOR OVER FIVE YEARS. SO THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW, NOW MAKE NOTE. THIS IS WHAT THIS BOARD DOES IS ALLOW FELONS TO BE ON THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS NOT FAIR TO US 234 IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I AM GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. >> HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, YVETTE LIEUS WE, P PVT NAACP HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BRANCH. I COME HERE TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR

046ALLOWING THE NAACP TO CULTIVATE, CREATE, DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT MANY PROGRAMS THAT SHAPE -- >>Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER, PLE PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY. IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, YVETTE LEWIS, HAD DEMONSTRATED VIOLATING THE MOA THAT YOU HAVE WITH HER AT THE ADULT SCHOOL. THEY CAME WITH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WHO FURTHER SHOWED THAT THE MOA WAS BEING VIOLATED. INSTEAD OF THIS BOARD RECTIFYING THE PROBLEM, YOU INSTRUCTED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE GET INSURANCE. AS OF JANUARY, NOT ONE ORGANIZATION ACCORDING TO YOUR RECORDS HAS GOTTEN ANY INSUR INSURANCE. I ACTUALLY SENT ANOTHER REQUEST LAST MONTH ON THE 14th ASKING AGAIN FOR THE INFORMATION SHOWING WHERE THEY HAVE INSURANCE, BECAUSE IF ANYBODY IS HURT OR KILLED, THAT WILL COME BACK ON US, THE

047TAXPAYERS. WHAT HAPPENED AT THIS LAST GO-ROUND. I WAS IGNORED. I CONTACTED ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND STILL TO THIS DAY IT HAS BEEN IGNORED. NOW YOU SEE ON THE THIRD PAGE, ARE THEY ARE ALL HAVING -- ALL ORGANIZATIONS ARE UTILIZING THIS FACILITY OUT THERE, AND NOT ANY ONE OF US HAVE HAS ANY INSURANCE. THIS BOARD WE SEE NOW AFTER HEARING MR. HEIGHT IS MAKING IT VERY CLEAR WHY YOU ALL ARE TURNING A DEAF EAR WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS CHAPTER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE SEEMS TO BE A CONSPIRACY TO KEEP FAMILIES AND MEMBERS QUIET WHERE THEY CAN NOT -- AS HE SAID, THERE SHOULD BE STANDING ROOM IN HERE ONLY. ALSO A HIGH-RANKING MEMBER OF THE NAACP THAT IS A TEACHER AT CART ARE G. WOODSON SCHOOL. HE IS ON FACEBOOK

048BULLYING NOT ONLY THE MAYOR BUT INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS. HE WAS BULLYING WOULD IT A FEW OF YOU SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. ONE THE BOARD MEMBERS FOUND OUT WHO THIS PERSON WAS, THEY WENT TO HIM, BUT BECAUSE HE WAS NOT DOING IT ON SCHOOL TIME, THEY DIDN'T ANYTHING ABOUT IT BUT THAT SPEAKS TO HIS CHARACTER. HE IS TEACHING SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS. SO WHAT DOES THIS BULLY -- BEN BANAKER, YOU ARE IF A AM WITH THE FILTH, HATE AND DIVISION HE IS PUTTING OUT IN THIS COMMUNITY. WHY YOU ALL ALLOWING HIM TO CONTINUE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN. VERY CONCERNING TO ME AS A PARENT, AS A TAXPAYER THAT YOU ALL ALLOW CERTAIN THINGS TO HAPPEN. PERHAPS THE SUPERINTENDENT, COUNTY COMMISSION, WHOMEVER. PEOPLE NEED TO GET INVOLVED AND FIND OUT WHY THIS SCHOOL BOARD IS COMPLICIT WITH THE NAACP WHO

049IS MAKING A MOCKERY OUT OF THE ORGANIZATION IS THAT WAS STANDING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, THAT WAS BORN TO FEET FOR OUR FREEDOM AND OUR RIGHTS. AND THAT IS NOT BEING DONE. AND I AM GLAD THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE SOME CEASE UP. AND I'M GOING TO BE CHEERING AND ROOTING PEOPLE WHO WILL BE STANDING FOR TRANSPARENCY. STANDING FOR -- NOT FOR PEOPLE BUT CARING ABOUT ONE ANOTHER. BUT GOING TO BE SPEAKING THE TRUTH. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM TERESA POTTER AND CO-PRESIDENT OF THE SEEING OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH AND PASCO COUNTIES AND PROUD PARENT OF TWO YOUNG MEN WHO GRADUATED FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ONE. THIS 2020 AND ONE IN 2021. SOMEONE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AS OF YESTERDAY, AND THE OTHER SOMEONE HALFWAY THROUGH VET SCHOOL

050THANKS TO THE END CASE THEY RECEIVED HERE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY IN HELPING TO FIND FUNDING SOURCES TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE. AS WE ALL KNOW, FLORIDA RANKS IN THE BOTTOM OF TOTAL PER PUPIL FUNDING. A NUMBER SET BY OUR STATE. COUNTY HAS NOT RECEIVED FUNDING TO COVER THE GROWTH. THE NEW SCHOOLS, ADDITIONS LET ALONE THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE. WHILE THIS ADMINISTRATION AND SCHOOL BOARD WORK TO MAKE IT TOUGH DECISIONS TO REDUCE COSTS, RESIDENTS OF HISHG RECOGNIZED IN 2018 THAT MAINTAINS ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS PROPERLY ARE IMPERATIVE TO THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDING A PROPER LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. I WAS PART OF A VERY, VERY LARGE GROUP OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO FOUGHT HARD FOR THAT IN 20 CECIL. HALF-CENT SALES TAX PASSED IN

0512018 HAS DONE WHAT IT PROMISED. GOES SURELY TO FUNDING THE FACILITIES AND OTHER CAPITAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING REPLACING AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, REPLACING OLD ROOFS AND ENHANCING SECURITY SYSTEMS. EVERY SCHOOL RECEIVING THEIR FAIR SHARE OF IMPROVEMENT. OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND DISTRICT STAFF HAS ENSURED TRANSPARENCY, CONTINUING PROVIDING UPDATES ON THE EXACT DOLLARS SPENT ON COMPLETED PROJECTS AND UPCOMING PROJECTS ON DETAILS WHAT HAS BEEN DONE AT EACH SCHOOL. BEFORE THE 2018 REFERENDUM, THERE WAS A BACKLOG OF $1 BILLION OF NECESSARY MAINTENANCE. MOST NECESSARY REPAIRS WERE ADDRESSED FIRST AND ONGOING PROJECT LIST CONTINUING IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SNORE CONTINUING WITH THE HALF PEPE SALES TAX TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO LEARN IN A WELL-MAINTAINED ENVIRONMENT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO, PEOPLE IN MARIA NOVAK. THANK YOU SO

052MUCH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR HEARING ME OUT. HERE AS A MOTHER AND COMMUNITY MEMBER TO SPEAK UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD'S ACTIONS AGAIN. LAST TIME HE WAS HERE WHEN WE HAD THE DISTRICT BEING REZONED IN THE NONTRANSPARENT METHOD AFTER THE WINTER HOLIDAYS AND NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE POLICIES AND THE PEOPLE IT AFFECTED. FAILED OF WITH THEIR OWN BYLAWS WITH THE TIME AND MAN TER TOOK TO SPEED THROUGH THE PROCESS. IT WAS OUT OF TOUCH FOR THE ELECTED INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE THERE THERE AND WANTING TO FIGHT FOR -- AND CARING ABOUT THE CHILDREN. IF I CAN ASK YOU AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO LOOK BACK AT YOUR HISTORY WHEN YOU WERE BACK IN SCHOOL, EVEN BACK TO YOUR EARLIEST DAYS, WILL YOU REMEMBER HOW THOSE TEACHER, SCHOOL, COMMUNITY, BUILT YOU WHO YOU ARE TODAY. AS AN

053ADULT. HOW THAT SHAPED YOU. WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO RELOCATE CHILDREN, SHUT DOWN SCHOOLS. THEY OF YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD. SCHOOLS BEING SHUT DOWN. HOW WOULD THAT AFFECTED YOU? CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU ARE TODAY? WHAT ARE YOU CONTINUING TO DO ABOUT THAT FOR OUR CHILDREN. OUR LIVELIHOODS THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED. WHEN IT IS BEING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, IT IS ALMOST LIKE A OXYMORON. WHEN YOU ARE ACTIVELY CHOOSING TO CONTINUE TO DISRUPT CHILDREN'S LIVES -- CHILDREN HE IS LIVES AND THEIR WHOLE LIVELIHOODS THEY CREATED AND CULTIVATED AT THE BUILDING'S ENDLESS COMMUNITIES. AS A WHOLE, OUR COMMUNITY HAS TRIED TO SPEAK AND BE HERE AND REALLY JUST TELL YOU HOW WE FEEL IN THE MOST WAY THAT WE CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, ALL OF THAT HAS FALLEN ON TO DEAF EARS. COMMUNICATION BEING BROUGHT FORTH BY

054THIS BOARD IS -- I'M SORRY, BUT SHAME. SHAME. AND I AM SPEAKING RIGHT NOW. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION WHAT I AM SAYING, BECAUSE THIS IS CONTINUED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AS A PARENT WHO IS WANTING MY KIDS TO BE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, I DON'T FEEL LIKE THIS BOARD CARES ABOUT OUR CHILDREN. SO INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON MAYBE PHOTO OPS WITH THE SCHOOLS AND THE KIDS, I WOULD RATHER SEE PHOTOS AND HEADLINES OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD FIGHTING FOR TEACHER PAY AND FIGHTING TO KEEP PUBLIC FUNDS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND NOT RELOCATING IT TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE HAS BEEN BAD ENOUGH WITH THE ANONYMOUS OF THE STATE BOARD TO VOTE FOR THE DECLARATION. AS WE HONOR OUR TEMPS AND STAFF, I WANT OUR ACTIONS TO MATCH WHAT IS BEING SAID AND DONE TODAY. BRIGHT

055NOW THE MATH IS NOT ADDING UP. YOUR WORDS AND YOUR ACTIONS DO NOT ADD UP. PLEASE DO BETTER. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENT, WE ARE GOING TO GO -- >>Jim Porter: DO YOU HAVE A 5:01 TIME CERTAIN AND I WOULD SUGGEST GOING INTO YOUR PUBLIC HEARING AT 5:01. >>Karen Perez: I WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE COP SENT AGENDA. A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED. >>Jim Porter: NOW MADAM CHAIR, IF YOU GO TO PAGE 10 OF THE AGENDA OPINION THE HEARING ON PUBLIC POLICY AND BUSINESS. >>Karen Perez: PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONALAL MATERIALS FOR SCIENCE, ENGLISH, ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND HIGH SCHOOL

056READING. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ADOPTION PROCESS. THIS IS A REQUIREMENT PURSUANT TO THE LAW AND BOARD POLICY. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK ABOUT THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION AND TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD. THE MATERIALS WERE ADVERTISED AND HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. HE WILL NOW ASK GARY BRADY, CHIEF EX-DEMOCRATIC OFFICER TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. >>Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS IMPORTANT NOTE THAT YOU WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THIS. FIRST PUBLIC HEARING OF TWO. YOU WILL VOTE IN THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IN JUNE. AFTER MR. BRADY PRESENTS, THE CHAIR WILL ASK FOR ANY PUBLIC COMMENT SINCE IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING. >>>. >>> GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. A THIS TIME, THE BOARD IS CONDUCTING

057A PUBLIC HEARING ON INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS BEING RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. LIST OF MATERIALS ARE ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA ITEM AND INCLUDE MATERIALS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE, ENGLISH ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND HIGH SCHOOL READING. THESE MATERIALS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY DISTRICT ADOPTION COMMITTEE, REVIEWED AND VOTED ON TEACH /* BY TEACHERS AND RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION. PER PUBLIC STATUTE, PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED BEFORE THE COMBOORD VOTE ON THE ADOPTION. PUCK WELCOME REVIEW PROVIDES THAT THE DISTRICT PROVIDES DIGITAL ACCESS OF THE RECOMMENDED MATERIALS VIA THE DISTRICT'S WEB SITE. PUBLIC REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED APRIL 15, 2026 ENDING ON MAY 5, 2026. THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING IS TO SHARE COMMENTS OF THESE MATERIALS WITH THE BOARD. THE BOARD IT YOU NOT NEED TO TAKE ACTION A THIS TIME BUT ASKED TO VOTE AT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETING JUNE 2,

0582026. AT THIS TIME, YOU MAY CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. >>Karen Perez: THEY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK TO PROVIDE INPUT TO THE BOARD ON THE PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ADOPTION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS? SEEING NONE, HE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUB LAKE HEARING. >>Jim Porter: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT WILL BE APPROPRIATE TO GO BACK TO YOUR PUBLIC HEARING AGENDA, BEGIN WITH 6.01, THE BUDGET A.M. >>Karen Perez: CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTER TESTIFY APPOINTMENTS. >>Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THAT'S YOU, RIGHT. BOARD MEMBERS. WE HAVE TEN PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA JUST APPROVED SO THOSE PRINCIPALS ARE OUT THERE. BIG DAY TODAY! [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] IN IS A GREAT DAY TODAY. WE ANNOUNCED OUR TEN PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS

059DUE TO A NUMEROUS NUMBER RETIREES. CELEBRATE OUR PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS AND HONOR OUR RETIREES THAT ARE LEAVING OUR SCHOOLS. START WITH THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF MARSHAL MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND CHANDRA TODD. RHANDRA, IF YOU PLEASE STAND. STAY STANDING CHANDRA. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS AS A PE TEACHER AT PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL 230704, TRANSFERRED AS A V.E. AND MATH TEACHER. ED AT MARSHAL AS RESOURCE AND SUCCESS COAST FROM 2014-2015. MISS TODD WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT MARSHAL MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND AS OF TODAY, YOU ARE THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] ALSO IF I CAN HAVE ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH CHANDRA HERE TO CELEBRATE. FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH CHANDRA. ALL RIGHT. [ APPLAUSE ] EVERYONE CAN SIT DOWN S SO CHANDRA, CONGRATULATIONS. SHE IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF MARSHALL BECAUSE

060OF RETIRING PRINCIPAL DENNIS MAYO. LITTLE BIT ABOUT DENNIS. WAS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT IN,ANN MIDDLE SCHOOL. LATER TAUGHT AGRICULTURE AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL AND ADVANCE TO A.P. AND SUBSEQUENTLY A.P. FOR ADMINISTRATION. MR. MAYO SERVED AS PRINCIPAL AT TURKEY CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL AND LATER A PRINCIPAL COACH. FUN FACT, HE WAS MY PRINCIPAL COACH FOR A BIT OF TIME. THANK YOU, DES THIS, FOR ALL YOUR WISDOM. IT DOESN'T WORK. SOME WILL ARGUE YOU DIDN'T COACH ME VERY WELL. A PRINCIPAL AT MARSHALL SINCE 2020. WELCOME HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND MENTORSHIP OF SCHOOL LEADERS ACROSS THIS DISTRICT. WE WISH HIM WELL IN HER RETIREMENT. MR. MAYO. SO WE ALSO HAVE OUR NEW PRINCIPAL. SERGEANT SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL. KEVIN STEVESON. KEVIN, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND, KEVIN. [APPLAUSE] MR. STEVENSON BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC

061SCHOOLS IN 1999 AS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT WHARTON HIGH SCHOOL. APPOINTED A.P. OF STUDENTS AWARE AT WHARTON, AT 2012 A.P. AT WHARTON. 2015 PRINCIPAL AT FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL. AS OF TODAY MR. STEPHENSON THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF SERGEANT SMITH MIDDLE SCHOOL. CONGRATULATIONS. ANYBODY WITH KEVIN, FRIENDS AND FAMILY, PLEASE STAND. KEVIN, CONGRATULATIONS. MOVING ON. MOVING ON TO OUR NEW PRINCIPAL OF WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND I SAW HER SITTING RIGHT THERE. AND THIS IS MISS BROOKLYN CALLOWAY. BROOKLYN, PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ] MISS CALLOWAY BEGAN HER CAREER IN 2011 AS A MATH TEACHER IN EPPS, INDIANA. MR. FARKAS, DID YOU KNOW IS THAT? INDIANA FROM 2012 TO 2016, SERVED AT PIVOT SEMINOLE HEIGHTS. WAS A MATH TEACHER AT SPOTTO HIGH SCHOOL. A.P. AT LEONARD HIGH SCHOOL IN 2020. 2022, MISS CALLOWAY WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF WILLIAMS

062MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE SHE WAS CURRENTLY SERVING AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT WILLIAMS AND NOW NEW PRINCIPAL AT WILL WILLIAMS. I SEE A LOT OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THEY CAN STAND AS WELL. FAMILY AND FRIENDS. MISS CALLOWAY, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU CAN KEEP STANDING, SIR. EVERYONE ELSE CAN TAKE SEAT. BROOKLYN, CONGRATULATIONS, THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF WILLIAMS BECAUSE OF OUR RETIRING PRINCIPAL MR. JOHN HALEY. MR. HAYLEY STARTED WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A TEACHER AT TAMPA BAY TECH. A.P. AT OAK GROVE AND THEN PRINCIPAL AT MEMORIAL, MADISON AND FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOLS. MR. HAYLEY HAS BEEN A PRINCIPAL AT WILLIAMS SINCE 2025. WE ACKNOWLEDGE MR. HAILER FOR LONG STANDING COMMITMENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION AND STEADY LEADERSHIP ACROSS MULTIPLE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. MR. HAYLEY, WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. ALL RIGHT, MOVING

063ON. WE HAVE A NEW PRINCIPAL AT WILSON MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. CLESEL, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STAND. [ APPLAUSE ] HE BEGAN HIS YEAR WITH HCPS AS A SOCIAL TEACHERS WITH THE FLORIDA TROOPS TO TEACHER PROGRAM. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT. IN 2009, HE WAS APPOINTED A.P. AT HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SLIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND SERGEANT SMITH IN 2015. MR. KLEESATTEL WAS APPOINTED PRINCIPAL IN 2026 WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. CONGRATULATIONS. ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH MR. KLEESATTEL J VICE-CHAIR, COMBS, I KNOW YOU ARE PROBABLY UPSET HE IS MOVING FROM -- I KNOW YOU LOVE HIM AT SMITH, BUT WE NEED HIM AT WILSON. MR. KLEESATTEL, CONGRATULATIONS, SIR. CONGRATULATIONS. MOVING ON TO THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF APOLLO BEACH K-8. THAT IS LINDSEY NELSON. [ APPLAUSE ] MISS NELSON BEGAN HER CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH

064COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2006 AS TEACHER AT ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY TEACHING SECOND AND THIRD GRADE. TRANSFERRED TO COL S K-8 TEACHING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. REPORTED A.P. OF ELEMENTARY INSFLUNGS APOLLO BEACH IN 2021. THEN WHEN APOLLO BEACH MOVED TO K-8, SHE MOVED ON TO A.P. AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. 2025, AS I MENTIONED, APPOINTED A.P. AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING AND NOW SHE IS OUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT APOLLO BEACH K-8. CONGRATULATIONS. ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH MISS NELSON, PLEASE STAND WITH HER AS WELL. ALL RIGHT! A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE FOR APOLLO BEACH. AGAIN, WE HAVE RETIRING PRINCIPAL. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE KELLY McMILLIAM. WHERE IS KELLY? THERE HSHE IS. BEGAN TEACHING AT PALM RIVER. SERVED AT BOOKER B.T. WASHINGTON TAUGHT AND SERVED AS WRITING COACH. COACH AT SUMMERFIELD CROSSES. APPOINTED PRINCIPAL AT

065APOLLO BEACH K-8. 11 YEARS AT APOLLO BEACH. WE WANT TO THANK -- YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. KELLY, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF LEADERSHIP, WORK DEVELOPING FUTURE PRINCIPALS AND LASTING IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND STAFF. WE WISH -- KELLY, WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR 11 YEARS AT APOLLO BEACH. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] ON TO BAY CREST ELEMEAID HAN HANNAH WISEY. BEGAN HER CAREER IN 2007 AND SECOND-GRADE TEACHER AT BOUNDARY GRANT ELEMENTARY. TAUGHT SECOND, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE AT WOOD BRIM. TRANSFERRED TO DAVIS ELEMENTARY AND SERVED IN THE ROLE OF RESOURCE TEACHER. 2022, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT DAVIS ELEMENTARY. MISS WILSEY WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT BAYCREST ELEMENTARY. TO THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF BAY CREST ELEMENTARY. AGREE HANNAH WILSEY, CONGRATULATIONS. ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. MISS WILSEY, ANY

066FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT ARE WITH YOU. [APPLAUSE] WHERE IS LISA AT.IS SHE HERE? LISA MALTADOS, CURRENT PRINCIPAL RETIRING. PROUD PROJECT OF HILLSBOROUGH AREA SCHOOLS. HER EDUCATIONAL CAREER AT BUCKHORN AND MITCHELL ELEMENTARY. THIS 2005, SHE CAME BACK TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LED 2014. SHE WAS APPOINTED PRINCIPAL AT BAY CREST ELEMENTARY WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. SINCE 2015, THE PRINCIPAL OF BAY CREST. THANK HER FOR ALL HER SERVICE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IF YOU WERE LISTENING, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE. ON TO CHILES ELEMENTARY. AND KELLY WAKIS. KELLY, IF YOU CAN STAND UP. [ APPLAUSE ] SO MISS WITH,AKIS IS OUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT CHILES. BEGAN HER TEACHING CAREER IN 2015 TEACHING THIRD GRADE AT BING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. FROM 2017-2021. SERVES AT RESEARCH TEACHER AT LEWIS AND ROBLES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IN

0672021, MISS WACKES WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CLARK ELEMENTARY. KELLY WACKES. CONGRATULATIONS. OUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT CHILES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] I SEE SOME FAMILY WITH YOU. FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH KELLY, IF YOU ALSO PLEASE STAND. FAMILY AND FRIENDS. [ APPLAUSE ] AND IS TODD HERE? TODD CONLEY. ALL RIGHT. SO TODD IS OUR -- IS OUR RETIRING PRINCIPAL AT CHILES. MR. CONLEY SERVED IN A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL ROLES SINCE BEGINNING CAREER AT FREE THROWS HILL ELEMENTARY IN TEACHING AND RESOURCE POSITIONS. HELD LEADERSHIP IN FOLSOM, RIVERHILLS ELEMENTARY. 2022 APPOINTED PRINCIPAL OF CHEESE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. MR. CONLEY, RECOGNIZE YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE AND WISH YOU YOUR VERY SUCCESS AND RETIREMENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT, ON TO CIMINO. WHERE IS ANNIE

068FERLITA AT. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN EDUCATION AS A TEACHER IN MARYLAND AND NEW MEXICO. 2005, JOINED HILLSBOROUGH COUNY SCHOOLS TEACH AGENT LAMEMBER,ONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 2009 TRANSFER TO POI YET STRENGTHS TAUGHT FIRST GRADE, SECOND GRADE AND SERVE AS A PEER EVALUATOR AT BOYETTE SPRINGS. 2020, MISS FIORITA A.W. A AT CIMINO ELEMENTARY. TO OUT IN PRINCIPA PRINCIPAL, ANNIE FIORITA, CONGRATULATIONS. ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS, CONGRATULATIONS. MISS FIORITA, CONGRATULATIONS. JOANNE, DON'T YOU SIT DOWN. YOU KNOW THE RULES. IT IS A TREND HERE. SO WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE JOANNE GRIFFITH, THE RETIRING PRINCIPAL AT CIMINO. JOANNE BEGAN HER TEACHING CAREER IN QUEENS, NEW YORK AN JOINED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN 1919 AS A TEACHER IN TAMPA PALMS ELEMENTARY MOVING TO SHORE IN 1996. HELD APPOINTMENTS AS CURRICULUM SPECIALISTS IN '97. ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCE TEACHER FOR THE MAGNET SCHOOL DEPARTMENTS LET THEIR

069WEAR. THIS LEADERSHIP ROLES IN BERNIE AND CALHOUN ELEMENTARIES. SHE WAS APPOINTED PRINCIPAL AT CIMINO ELEMENTARY IN 2017. NEARLY TEN YEARS OF PRINCIPAL OF CIMINO ELEMENTARY. WELCOME HER FOR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO HCPS AND HER LEADERSHIP IN MAGNET AND TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SETTINGS. JOANNE, WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT, TWO MORE TO GO. WE ARE MOVING ON TO THE PRINCIPAL OF DESOTO ELEMENTARY. LINDSEY, I KNOW I SAW YOU SOMEWHERE. I LOVE ALL THE ENERGY IN THE ROOM. THIS IS AWESOME. SO LINDSEY BE PANDA HER TEACHING CAREER IN 2005 WITH ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS IN ORLANDO. 2009, BEGAN HER CAREER WITH HCPS AS A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER AT CALHOUN ELEMENTARY. 2014-25019 TAUT FIFTH GRADE AND READING COACH AND DISTRICT RESOURCE AT LEWIS, MORTGAGE AND BING ELEMENTARY FOR OUR TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS. ASSISTANT

070PRINCIPAL AT DESO HE ELEMENTARY. FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL TO THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT DESOTO ELEMENTARY, MISS LINDSEY ALLEN. CONGRATULATIONS. FAMILY AND FRIENDS, LINDSEY -- I SAW A BUNCH OF PEOPLE HOLLERING FOR YOU. HERE WE GO. IS EMILY HERE? EMILY? WHERE IS EMILY. EMILY, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF LEADERSHIP AT DESOTO ELEMENTARY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AT DESOTO. THANK YOU, EMILY. [ APPLAUSE ] OUR LAST PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT THAT WAS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS OUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY. SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] MEREDITH, WHERE ARE YOU AT? SO MEREDITH -- MISS SCREVENER BEGAN HER CAREER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 1994 TEACHING MUSIC AT WALDEN LEAK ELEMENTARY. TRANSFERRED TO JUNTA IN 2005 AND PROGRESS VILLAGE IN 2010. 2013, APPOINTED A ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT RODGERS MIDDLE SCHOOL. TRANSFERRED

071TO FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL IN 2017. AND 23025, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. MISS SCRIBNER, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY. FAMILY AND FRIENDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH YOU. IF YOU WANT TO STAND AS WELL. SUPPORTERS. [ APPLAUSE ] SEE IF DENISE CAN GET IT RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO THERE IS DENISE WHEATLEY, OUR SITTING PRINCIPAL AT ROOSEVELT WHO IS RETIRING. SO WE JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DENISE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2002. THOUGHT AT BEVIS ELEMENTARY FROM 2005 AND BECAME ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT TINKER INK.-8 IN 2015. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND PRINCIPAL OF ROOSEVELT FLORIDA 2019. FROM 2019 TO OF COURSE NOW, EVER WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP TO THE STUDENT AND STAFF AT ROOSEVELT AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST

072IN YOUR RETIREMENT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATED SERVICE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND AT ROOSEVELT AS THE PRINCIPAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THOSE ARE OUR PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS. >>Karen Perez: I FELT LIKE WE WERE ON THE "PRICE IS RIGHT" OR SOMETHING. >>Superintendent Ayres: THAT IS A GOOD THING. >>Karen Perez: CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE. WE WILL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO EXIT. >>Superintendent Ayres: NOW IS YOUR CHANCE. >>Karen Perez: UNLESS YOU WITH A TONIGHT CHEER US ON DURING THE BOARD MEETING. >>Karen Perez: ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET BACK TO THE MEETING. OKAY, THE FOG ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C 601, 602, 7.19, C.720, C 12.01. C 6.01, AMENDMENTS THROUGH MARCH 31 ALREADY 2026. JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS IT ITEM. >> ALL RIGHT, THANK

073YOU, CHAIR PEREZ AND THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU ON THE BUDGET TONIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO BE UPDATING ON BOTH THE FEBRUARY AND MARCH BUDGET AMENDMENTS. AS WE DISCUSSED WITH EACH OF YOU IN INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, MORE OF A SIMPLE TWO ITEMS HERE TONIGHT. BUT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS THAT TOOK PLACE IN BOTH OF THOSE MONTH. OVERALL, YOU WILL SEE SOME FUNDING ADJUSTMENTS AND WE HIGHLIGHTED THAT BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN WE HAD OUR LATEST BUDGET AMENDMENT, BUT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THOSE THINGS HERE TONIGHT. AND THAT PRETTY MUCH CENTERED AROUND THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. S WE LOOK BACK IN THE MONTH OF FISH AND AGAIN, WE HIGHLIGHTED THIS IN THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING AND WON'T GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT IT. BIGGEST CHANGE IN FEBRUARY WAS THE

074IMPACT OF THE THIRD CALCULATION FROM THE FPFP PROGRAM. AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, DISTRICT HAD A $7.1 MILLION LOSS OF REVENUE MOSTLY DIRECTED FROM OUR CHANGE OF ENROLLMENT FROM THE PROJECTIONS THAT OCCURRED THAT WE WORK ON LAST SPRING TO WHAT THE ACTUAL ENROLLMENT THROUGH THE DITCH SURVEYS AS WE HIT THE MONTH OF DECEMBER OR JANUARY AND BE FEBRUARY. SO AS WE CONSIDER THAT, THAT IS UNPLANNED DECREASE IN REVENUE. AS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE DISTRICT IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN AT THIS POINT IN TIME DURING THE YEAR WHERE MOST THINGS ARE ALREADY SET TO OVERCOME THAT CHALLENGE, BUT NONETHELESS, A DECREASE IN FUNDING. FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, THERE WASN'T REALLY ANY CHANGES THAT OCCURRED. AS WE HIT THESE LATER MONTHS IN THE SPRING, IT KIND OF SLOWS DOWN FOR THE CHANGES. MOST OF THE FUNDING HAS BEEN RECEIVED

075BY THAT FAR. AS YOU REMEMBER OUR PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH IS OUR BIG REVENUE BOOST, PRETTY MUCH RECEIVED THROUGH THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. TRICKLES IN A LITTLE BIT AFTER THAT. BUT WE DO SEE MINIMAL CHANGES IN THE MONTH OF MARCH. AND WE ARE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THIS IMPACTS OUR FUND BALANCE. AS WE ENTER THROUGH THE YEAR, THE FUND BALANCE GOES UP AND DOWN KIND OF LIKE ROLLER COASTER. AS WE SEE, WE ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER IN THE SUMMERTIME AND GO HOW THAT OUR FUND BALANCE UNTIL THE CASH IS RECEIVED FOR PROPERTY TAXES, WE GO BACK UP AND GO BACK DOWN TO THE MONTH OF JUNE WHERE WE WILL RECEIVE ANOTHER INFLUX OF DOLLARS AND SEE IT KIND OF GO BACK UP AGAIN. YOU CAN SEE THREE DIFFERENT YEARS ON THE BOARD. WE SHOW EACH

076MONTH DURING THE BU AMENDMENT AND SEE THE DIFFERENT PATTERNS THAT HAPPEN EVERY YEAR AS WE ENTER DIFFERENT PERIODS OF TIME. BEYOND THAT AND AGAIN, WE SAID NOT ANY CHANGES THIS MONTH. ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT WE DO HAVE AND WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IN OUR INTERNAL SERVICES ACCOUNT. WE DON'T TALK OF THAT ACCOUNT AS MUCH. REALLY NO ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS -- MINIMUM ACTIVITY I SHOULD SAY. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL DO AND HIGHLIGHT SOME CHANGES OF FUNDS IN THERE. THOSE ARE PLANNED CHANGES. WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AS THE DISTRICT GOES TO SELL FUNDING FOR INSURANCE. AS THE DISTRICT RECEIVES THOSE BILLS, WE HAVE SET ASIDE FUNDING AND ALSO ADDITIONAL RESERVES OF $48 MILLION TO COVER THOSE INVOICES.NOW THAT WE ARE SELF-FUNDING WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT AND SEE THE INVOICES STARTING TO INFLOW IN

077THE COUNTY AND WHAT THE CHANGES IN INTERNAL SERVICE. IF YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, IT AS GREAT ADVANTAGE TO OUR DISTRICT GOING TO SELF-FUNDING AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS AND BE EXCITED TO BE AT WORK WITH IT AND IMPACT AS WE WILL TALK ABOUT IN FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. FINALLY AS I SAID A SIMPLE BOARD AMENDMENT TONIGHT, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO FISCAL YEARS. CURRENT FILLS CAL YEAR WE ARE WORKING AND TRYING TO CONTROL IN MARCH THE EXPENSES. HOW TO OVERCOME THE TLIERD CALCULATION LOSS WITH MOST EXPENDITURES ARE LOCKED IN TO FINISH THE SCHOOL YEAR AND MINIMIZE DISRUPTION IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEGAN THE END-OF-THE-YEAR PROCESS. WE ARE BUDGETING AND MODELING AND FORECASTING FOR NEXT YEAR. AND HAPPY TO REPORT AND EXCITED TO SEE THE STATE CONTINUE THE BUDGET PROCESS WHICH WILL BE GOING INTO SESSION ANY DAY

078NOW LAND GIVE US FEEDBACK WHERE THE SENATE AND HOUSE PROPOSALS ARE AND HOW THAT WILL IMPACT US NEXT YEAR TO. MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS OUR UPDATE FOR OUR UPDATE FOR TONIGHT. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >>Jessica Vaughn: ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO FIRST. THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. MY FIRST QUESTION, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CHANGES IN YOUR OFFICE, SPECIFICALLY AROUND T-PAY AND OUR IB TEACHERS AS FAR AS AREAS -- TIMES THAT THEY CAN CLAIM T-PAY FOR PREPARING FOR THEIR IB CLASSES. >> DON'T KNOW IF I'M READY TO ANSWER THAT ONE TONIGHT, BUT

079I'M NOT SURE. >>Jessica Vaughn: CAN YOU GET BACK TO ME ON THAT? >> YES, MA'AM. SURE CAN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS WITH THE CHANGES WE MADE IN THE UNIT ALLOCATIONS, HOW MUCH ARE WE PROJECTING TO RECOUP OR SAVE BASED ON THE UNIT ALLOCATION CHANGES FOR NEXT YEAR? >> DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HERE TONIGHT. BUT IT ALLOWED US TO DECREASE OUR RELIANCE ON CONTRACTUAL SERVICES THROUGH KELLY SERVICES BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO FILL MOST OF OUR VACANCIES WE HAD WITHIN OUR TEACHER POOL. SO WE'LL SEE THE SAVINGS MOSTLY THERE. SO I CAN'T QUOTE A NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I CAN GET THAT NUMBER TO YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: YOU CAN GET THAT AS WELL. MY LAST QUESTION IS, I HAD SENT YOU THE ARTICLE

080ABOUT ESCAMBIA COUNTY SCHOOLS BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE SCHOOL VOUCHER ROLES AND COMPARE IT WITH THEIR OWN -- WITH THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT'S ATTENDANCE TO MAKE SURE THERE WEREN'T STUDENTS WHO WERE GETTING PAID TWICE GETTING THE VOUCHER MONEY AS WELL AS ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS. AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED TALKING WITH I.T. TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB FOR REENROLLMENT FOR KIDS WHO HAVE TAKEN THE VOUCHERS. IS THERE A WAY OR DO WE HAVE A WAY THAT MIRRORS WHAT ESCAMBIA DID AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THE ROLE AND COMPARING IT TO OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE AS A SMALLER COUNTY, THEY ALREADY IDENTIFIED 330 STUDENTS THAT WERE GETTING BOTH THE VOUCHERS AND THEIR SCHOOLS WERE SERVING THAT. WHAT ARE WE DOING SIMILARLY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS WHO WE'RE SERVING, WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING THE PAYMENT

081FOR AND THEY'RE NOT ALSO GETTING THE VOUCHER MONEY. >> YEP. I THINK THE RESPONSE I GAVE YOU WAS -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF MIKE IS HERE TONIGHT, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE AS A DISTRICT IS THE RE-ENROLLMENT PROCESS AND BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT. I THINK FOCUS WILL BE A GREAT ASSET TO TRACK THAT. I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP US SHED LIGHT ON WHERE THOSE ARE. AS KIDS ENROLL AND LEAVE US, THAT ENROLLMENT DATA WILL BE HELPFUL AS WE ALIGN THAT TO WHERE THOSE STUDENTS ARE INSIDE THE STATE. SO WE CAN PROVIDE A MUCH DEEPER EXPLANATION OF THAT TO YOU. BUT THAT'S REALLY THE WAY THAT WE CAN TRACK THAT AND VERIFY WHERE THOSE STUDENTS ARE AND ARE WE RECEIVING THE RIGHT PAYMENT. >>Jessica Vaughn:

082LET ME SPEC MY MORE OF MY QUESTION. -- SPECIFY MORE OF MY QUESTION. DO WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE ROLES THAT ESCAMBIA USED? >> I'M NOT AWARE OF EXACTLY THE ACCESS THEY HAVE, BUT WE CAN CONTACT THEM AND SEE HOW THEY DID THAT. AND THEN REPORT BACK. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M OFFICIALLY ASKING FOR, IS TO FIND OUT HOW THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE VOUCHER ROLES. IF WE CAN GET THE SAME ACCESS AND AGAIN, COMPARE AND CONTRAST TO THE ENROLLMENT THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING, WE'RE GETTING THE PAYMENT FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M CONCERNED IF 335 KIDS WERE IDENTIFIED IN ESCAMBIA, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE

083ACCESSING, IF WE CAN ACCESS IT AND REPLICATE IT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING EVERY PENNY WE DESERVE. >> OF COURSE. WE'LL REACH OUT TO THEM. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND INDEED THOSE REMARKS ALLUDEING TO THE FLORIDA EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP WERE VERY WORRISWORRISOME. THE THIRD QUARTER LOSING IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER LOSSES. AND THE PROBLEM OF COURSE AND THE CHALLENGE LEGISLATIVELY, AND THIS GOES TO MS. DAVIS, WHEN YOU HAVE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT INTO A SYSTEM THAT IS INHERENTLY DEFUNDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IT'S EXTREMELY WORRISOME AND I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THAT WHEN WE MOVE ON TO THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM. IT'S TO EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST THAT WE HAVE MUCH MORE KNOWLEDGE, SO

084DOUBLE DIPPING SUCH AS YOU INDICATED, MEMBER VAUGHN, IN OTHER PRACTICES, NOT TO MENTION THE EFFICACY OF GOOD TEACHING AND LEARNING HAPPENING AMONG THOSE WHO ARE HAVING THE VOUCHERS VERY WORRISOME. MY QUESTION IS THIS, MR. LEWIS. WHEN WE HAVE THE LOSS OF THE MONEY FROM FLORIDA EMPOWERMENT STUDENTS THIRD QUARTER, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE DOING TO MITIGATE THE LOSS, AND I KNOW THIS IS A CONTINUAL CONVERSATION UNFORTUNATELY, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE NEED TO DIG DEEP AND TO WORKSMITH AND WORDSMITH HOW WE'RE GOING TO LESSON THE BLOW, THE FINANCIAL BLOW, AS THIS OCCURS FOR EVERY FINANCIAL QUARTER. >> YEP. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH THE HOW THE FUNDING WORKS IS THE TIMING. THE TIMING FOR THE THIRD CALCULATION WAS RELEASED IN

085FEBRUARY. AND ALTHOUGH THAT'S HELPFUL, THE TIMELINE BETWEEN THAT PERIOD OF TIME AND THE END OF OUR SCHOOL YEAR, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF TIME FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CHANGING THE CLASSROOM SETTING, WHICH WE DON'T WANT TO DO. THERE IS NOT A LOT OF TIME FOR US TO MANEUVER FROM THAT POINT OF TIME TO AFTER GRADUATION. AND SO WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO TRY TO MINIMIZE EXPENSES WHERE WE CAN, BUT OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT'S GUIDANCE IS WE DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT THE CLASSROOM AT ALL. SO WE'LL TRY OUR BEST TO OVERCOME THAT $7.1 MILLION AND READJUST FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS AND THE CALCULATIONS COME OUT, IS WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR

086CLASSROOMS AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WHAT'S THE CHANGES NEEDED. >>Lynn Gray: YOU KNOW, UPON REFLECTION, THE ANSWER IS GENERAL ISTIC BUT THE ANSWER IS VERY NECESSARY TO BE MORE FACKIAL, SO I WOULD ASK THAT AS WE KIND THESE WAYS, STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE THE LOSS, I WOULD ASK FOR DURING OUR MEETINGS WITH THE BOARD TO BE MORE SPECIFIC HOW WE'RE DOING THAT. I THINK THAT'S ONLY FAIR BECAUSE WE OUGHT TO GET A HANDLE ON THE LOSSES THAT WE'RE INCURRING. AND AT LEAST I THINK WE'LL SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT TO KNOW HOW ARE WE HANDLING IT. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, ARE YOU GRASPING WHAT I'M SAYING? >>Van Ayres: ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT KEEPS ME UP AND THE STAFF UP IS THE LOSS OF ENROLLMENT WE HAD AS THE SCHOOL YEAR PROGRESSED ON.

087IT'S SOMETHING THAT LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IT'S HARD TO PREDICT THE FUTURE AND ON DAY FIVE AND SEVEN OF WHAT NUMBER WE'RE GOING TO BE AT. SO OUR -- EXCUSE ME IS ALWAYS TO ENSURE THAT OUR STAFF ALLOCATIONS IS EQUIVALENT TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WE HAVE AND IT MATCHES UP. THAT'S SOMETHING WE STRONGLY CONSIDER, WORK THROUGH TO ENSURE OUR STAFFING NUMBERS AND ENROLLMENT, THAT THEY'RE LOINED UP TOGETHER. IT'S NOT AN EASY ANSWER BECAUSE NOBODY CAN PREDICT WHAT THE FUTURE IS AND WHAT THE NUMBER WILL BE. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND WHAT WE CAN FACTUALLY SAY IS AS THE YEAR HAS GONE ON, WE HAVE SEEN DROPS IN ENROLLMENT. FROM DAY SEVEN TO 160 WE HAVE SEEN A SLIGHT DROP IN ENROLLMENT. AND MOVING FORWARD, AS WE GO TO RUN A SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR NEXT

088YEAR, WE GOT TO KNOW WHAT OUR BUDGET WILL BE MOVING FORWARD AND WE DO THE BEST WE CAN AND ALIGNING OUR STAFF ALLOCATIONS TO OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT. WHAT YOU SAY IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY AND SOMETHING THIS BOARD WORRIES ABOUT, I WORRY ABOUT CONSTANTLY BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS CONTROL WHAT WE CAN CONTROL AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REALIZE THE VALUE AND WHAT WE HAVE IN HCPS THAT WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE FOR FAM HAYS. >>Lynn Gray: AND I WANT -- FAMILIES. >>Lynn Gray: AND I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ALSO TO OUR CFO, MR. LEWIS. YOU'RE DOING A VERY MAGNIFICENT JOB IN KEEPING US ABREAST AS TO ALL THE CHALLENGES, FINANCIAL CHALLENGES BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY STRESSFUL TIME FOR ALL BOARDS IN ALL

08967 COUNTIES. THE LOSSES ARE TREMENDOUS. AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE KEEPING A KEEN EYESIGHT AND KEEPING US INFORMED. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER COMBS? THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. >>Nadia Combs: I WANT TO ADD, WE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS QUITE A BIT, SUPERINTENDENT AND ALSO WITH YOUR CABINET. REALLY LOOKING AT HOW TO CAPTURE THAT STEP-UP SCHOLARSHIP. IF IT'S PART-TIME, STUDENTS COMING PART-TIME OR HALF THE DAY OR SUPPORTING HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS AND HOW DO WE DO THAT, REALLY THINKING OUT OF THE BOX BECAUSE THINGS ARE CHANGING SO MUCH IN EDUCATION. AND PARENTS WANT CHOICE AND THEY WANT DIFFERENT CHOICES. SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE CAPTURING THAT. I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT MORE ADVERTISED, KIND OF MORE OF A PLAN ON THAT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE

090REGIONALLY AND IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT. SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LOSS OF REVENUE, WHERE ALSO WANT TO LOOK -- I ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT HOW TO GENERATE REVENUE AND SUPPORT STUDENTS MORE IMPOR IMPORTANTLY. >>Van Ayres: SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE THAT. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. MR. MUR ILO AND BRADY AND MR. LEWIS, WE HAVE THAT PLAN THAT WE'LL GET OUT TO THE BOARD OF HOW WE'RE BEING INNOVATIVE AND TRYING TO INCREASE REVENUE INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER HAHN? >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU. PROBABLY A YEAR AGO WE STARTED A PARTNERSHIP WITH STEP UP TO KIND OF -- AND WE CREATED A REVENUE STREAM AS OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND THE STATE DID AS WELL WHERE WE NOW HAVE COURSES UP ON THE

091STEP UP WEBSITE. MOSTLY IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, I BELIEVE. AND WE WERE ABLE TO SET OUR OWN PRICE FOR THAT. WHICH WAS GREAT. WE DIDN'T HAVE TO GO BY THE STATE. SO THOSE REVENUE STREAMS EXIST. RIGHT NOW I THINK -- I KNOW WE CAN THINK ABOUT MAYBE PUTTING PROGRAMS UP THERE LIKE AS A PACKAGE. LIKE YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THIS PROGRAM, WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NEXT STEP WHERE IT'S NOT JUST A CLASS BY CLASS BUT WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY GET ALL OF THE SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS FOR STUDENTS. SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS PROBABLY STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO NOW ACTUALLY. AND WE'VE BEEN UP ON THAT WEBSITE FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S I THINK SOMETHING I'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST A COUPLE TIMES BUT WE NEVER FORMALLY WORKSHOPPED IT OR HAD A Q&A AROUND THAT.

092BUT I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF OOPPORTUNITIES TO -- LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BE COMPETITIVE AROUND GETTING THE SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS FOR THE DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING OPEN TO THAT, MR. LEWIS, AND REALLY GETTING THAT ONBOARDED. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT. I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW WELL WE'RE MARKETING THAT AT THIS POINT. BUT IT HAS BEEN AROUND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND IN THAT SPACE AS WELL. SO THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: YEAH. I WANTED TO COMMENT, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT FOR YEARS AND BEING INNOVATIVE AND LOOKING AT HOW TO SUPPORT HOME SCHOOLS. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR, DO MORE MARKETING, AND REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF

093IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MOST FAMILIES HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT. I THINK THAT WE JUST HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE. IF WE WANT TO GENERATE THAT REVENUE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE LOOKING AT IT IN MULTIPLE WAYS AND FACTORS AND DISCUSSING IT AND BEING PART OF OUR BUDGET, LOOKING AT THAT, THE GROWTH, WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT LOSS BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH AND BEING INNOVATIVE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND EVERY YEAR CONTINUE TO TRY TO GROW THAT AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. YOU HIT MY POINT. SO I GOT OUT OF THE QUEUE. MEMBER RENDON? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'D LIKE -- >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO EXPAND ON THAT.

094I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT INNOVATIVE WAYS OF EDUCATION TODAY. WE'RE PUT INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENT FROM A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM. THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY. IT CAN'T BE SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT. IT HAS TO BE A PRIORITY. SO I THINK I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF, BUT I'M ASKING FOR THE URGENCY OF IT. I'M ASKING FOR THE URGENCY OF HOW WE'RE MARKETING WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING GREAT THINGS WITH KIDS IN OUR DISTRICT AND WE'VE GOT GREAT OUTCOMES HAPPENING. WE HAVE TO MARKET OURSELVES BETTER AND WE'VE GOT TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS TO MARKET THEMSELVES. WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT THINGS LIKE HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL SCHOOL. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE EXPANDING AND MAKING SURE THAT'S THE FIRST

095CHOICE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, SHOULD BE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VIRTUAL SCHOOL AND WE'RE A YEAR AFTER WE SHOULD HAVE IMPLEMENTED IT. YES, THERE WERE BOUNDARIES AND BARRIERS TO OVERCOME BUT WE'VE TAKEN TOO MUCH TIME ON THIS. SO WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR THE LEADERSHIP TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE THE TABLE. WE WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE THE BEST PRODUCT. NOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT IN FRONT OF THE FAMILIES TO SHOW THEM, MOST OF THE TIME, FAMILIES MAKE THE DECISION BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA TOLD THEM THOSE WERE THE BEST SCHOOLS. NOT US. WE'RE NOT TELLING THEM WHAT'S OFFERED. WE'RE NOT OUT IN FRONT OF THEM LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SCHOOLS. SOCIAL MEDIA FACEBOOK PAGES ARE TELLING THE FAMILIES, I

096HAD A BETTER EXPERIENCE AT THIS CHARTER OR A BETTER EXPERIENCE THERE. THEY LISTEN TO THAT OVER WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE OFFER AT HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL. THE QUALITY OF TEACHERS, THE QUALITY OF EDUCATORS, THE QUALITY THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT IS SECOND TO NONE BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET IN FRONT OF IT. SO I THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT. WE ALSO -- I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE ANYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO STEP UP. YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR SCHOOLS. YOU NEED TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT GREAT THINGS WE'RE DOING AND WHAT OUR FUNDING LEVELS ARE AT. THEY NEED TO HEAR IT FROM YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE HEARING IT FROM THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT THE VOUCHERS. THAT'S WHY THEY MAKE THE DECISION

097BECAUSE THEY'RE HEARING FROM THE OTHER SIDE. WE ALL HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY SPEAKS UP FOR WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS. SO I THINK THAT'S MORE OF A PRIORITY THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I KNOW THIS IS OFTEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT JUST THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, SO I THINK MR. PORTER IS DOING VERY GOOD FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WITH THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL. I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB PROMOTING IT. I KNOW WE'VE PUSHED OUR STUDENTS GOING INTO IT. I'M SURE THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES TO HIGHLIGHT THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT IT TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, WHEN WE HAVE COMMUNICATIONS THAT GO OUT, I THINK FOR

098FAMILIES TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT. BUT I THINK THAT I'VE SEEN A CONVERTED EFFORT THROUGH THE DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE AND WE'RE MAKING SURE INSTEAD OF HILLSBOROUGH -- I MEAN, PEL VIRTUAL SCHOOL WE'RE -- FLORIDA VIRTUAL SCHOOL WE'RE ALWAYS PROMOTING HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL. BUT MAYBE PHYSICAL THINGS ON THE COMMUNICATIONS MIGHT BE MORE HELPFUL. THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS ALL THE TALK ABOUT GETTING OUR STUDENTS BACK, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE CONTINUALLY MAKING CHOICES AND CHANGING AND A LOT OF STUDENTS COMING BACK FROM MAKING OTHER CHOICES ARE PRETTY FAR BEHIND WHETHER IT'S HOME SCHOOLING OR CHARTER SCHOOLS. A LOT OF TIMES THEY COME BACK TO US WITH BIG DEFICIENCIES AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUST STAFFING A CLASSROOM TO MEET

099OUR TYPICAL STUDENTS' NEEDS, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC THAT AS THEY'RE COMING BACK, A LOT OF TIMES THEY NEED EXTRA SUPPORT AND OUR STANDARD MODELS AREN'T GOING TO BE THE MODELS THAT SET THE KIDS UP FOR SUCCESS. PART OF THE CONVERSATION HAS TO BE REALISTIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THROUGH ALL THESE CHOICES A LOT OF TIMES WHEN STUDENTS COME BACK, THEY'RE NOT PREPARED AND ON LEVEL AND WE HAVE TO OFFER REMEDIAL SERVICES TO GET THEM BACK. IT HAS TO BE A HOLISTIC CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT OUR TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM ARE DEALING WITH AND NOT JUST, THEY'VE COME BACK AND NOW WE HAVE THIS RATIO AND THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THERE IS HUGE DEFICIENCIES. I WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. AND THAT'S THE ONLY

100COMMENTS I HAVE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS 6.02, ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, ACFR, FOR FINANCIAL -- FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. IN JUST A FEW MINUTES YOU'LL HEAR FROM MR. LEWIS AND MR. WOLFE. IT'S A TWO-MINUTE UPDATE ON IT. THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS ISSUED AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN OPINION ON THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE AND INDICATES THE STATEMENTS ARE FAIRLY PRESENTED IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS. THAT'S A SUMMARY OF 6.02. MR. LEWIS, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU TO GET AN UPDATE FROM MR. WOLFE. . >>

101BOARD, I'M HAPPY TO HAVE OUR GUEST, MR. JEFF WOLFE. OUR ANNUAL AUDITOR FOR SOME TIME. AS HE MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM, I WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM HIM OF OUR UPDATE AND HE WORKS WITH -- AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THEM. >> GOOD EVENING. GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY AGAIN. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE YOU AS YOUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS. WE UNDERSTAND WE WORK FOR YOU. AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF AND RESPECTFUL OF YOUR TIME BUT I DON'T WANT TO UNDERSELL THE IMPORTANCE AND CONGRATULATIONS OF HAVING A SUCCESSFUL AUDIT. AS YOU HEARD, YOU RECEIVED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION. THAT'S A CLEAN OPINION. THE BEST OPINION YOU CAN RECEIVE THAT YOUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MATERIALLY CORRECT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT LARGE DOCUMENT IS A RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT.

102THEY ENSURE INTERNAL CONTROLS ARE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE REASONABLE INSURANCE THAT THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE CORRECT. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO AUDIT THE FINANCIALS. I'LL BE REAL BRAVE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT AN AUDIT IS IN 30 SECONDS. JUST THINK ABOUT, IS THE CASH IN THE BANK. IS WHAT YOU SAY, IS IT REALLY THERE. SO WE'RE VERIFYING YOUR CASH AND INVESTMENT AT 630 AND MAKING SURE YOU FOLLOW YOUR INVESTMENT POLICY AND MAKING SURE DEBT IS PROPERLY RECORDED AND YOU'RE MAKING TIMELY DEBT PAYMENTS AND FOLLOWING COVENANCE AND IF YOU HAVE PROCEEDS, YOU'RE SPENDING THOSE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEBT DOCUMENTS. MAKING SURE THEY'RE BEING TRACKED PROPERLY AND PROPERLY RECORDED. CERTAINLY PAYROLL. MAKING SURE EXPENDITURES ARE REASONABLE AND BEING PROPERLY RECORDED. LOOKING AT REVENUE AND MAKING SURE IT'S RECOGNIZED IN THE PROPER PERIOD. IF IT'S RESTRICTED REVENUE, MAKING SURE IT'S

103BEING TRACKED PROPERLY. AND OF COURSE IF IT'S BEING SPENT PROPERLY. SO THAT'S A REALLY, REALLY HIGH LEVEL OF WHAT WE DO DURING THE AUDIT PROCESS. IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THAT AND A LONG PROCESS AND WANT TO THANK THE TEAM. IT'S REALLY A TEAM EFFORT TO GET TO THE END RESULT. BUT AGAIN, A CLEAN OPINION. A SUCCESSFUL AUDIT. AND JUST FOLLOW-UP LAST YEAR, YOU MAY REMEMBER WE HAD ONE FINDING AND TWO RECOMMENDATIONS. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THE FINDING WAS FULLY RESOLVED IN THE CURRENT YEAR AUDIT. THE LAST RECOMMENDATION IS STILL IN PROCESS AND THAT'S REALLY A SYSTEM ERP LIMITATION. SO AT THIS POINT THERE IS COMPENSATING CONTROLS THAT MANAGEMENT HAS INSTALLED TO MAKE SURE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE STILL CORRECT. BUT DUE TO THE LIMITATIONS OF THE SYSTEM THAT'S STILL IN PROCESS. THAT RECOMMENDATION IS STILL

104IN PLACE. BUT OVERALL, AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL AUDIT. I KNOW I WAS BRIEF BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE. >> THANK YOU, JEFF. WE APPRECIATE THAT. ANY QUESTIONS? >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C6.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. IT'S NOT REALLY OFF THE SUBJECT. IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BOND RATING AND WHEN WE REFLECT ON THIS VERY POSITIVE AUDIT, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION, WILL THIS HELP OUR BOND RATING, MR. LEWIS? >> A CLEAN AUDIT WILL HELP EVERYTHING WE DO. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY

105AREAS THAT ALMOST ANY GROUP OUTSIDE OF HILLSBOROUGH WILL LOOK AT, WHETHER IT'S A BOND AGENCY, US TRYING TO REFINANCE SOMETHING, ANYTHING THAT WE DO, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE AND WANT TO LOOK AT OUR FINANCIAL REPORTS AND SEE IF YOU HAVE A CLEAR AND CLEAN FINANCIAL REPORT OR DO YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES. AND I'M THANKFUL WE HAVE OUTSTANDING TRACK RECORD HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH OF HAVING A CLEAN AUDIT. I THINK THAT HELPS US AND I THINK THAT WILL DO NOTHING BUT IMPROVE EVERYTHING WE WORK WITH INCLUDING OUR BOND RATINGS. >>Lynn Gray: AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HAVE A BIG THANK YOU -- GIVE A BIG THANK YOU TO MIRANDA MUHAMMAD, MR. LEWIS, STEPHANIE HEATON AND YOUR FINANCE TEAM. YOU'RE WORKING WITH A VERY CORE GROUP BUT YOU'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK

106TO GET US TO THIS POINT. SO THIS IS A GREAT AUDIT AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE IT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 7.19, REAUTHORIZATION FOR THE HALF PENNY REFERENDUM. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, THIS ITEM BEGINS THE FORMAL REAUTHORIZATION PROCESS FOR THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX APPROVED IN 2018 AND SET TO EXPEER IN 2018. THIS HELPS AVOID A GAP IN FUNDING. IF APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD THE RESOLUTION MOVES NEXT TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR ITS CONSIDERATION. THE APPROVED BALLOT LANGUAGE MUST BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS IN TIME TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER 3 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT. THE

107TIMELINE IS TO HAVE THE MATERIALS TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS BY AUGUST 18, THE DAY OF THE PRIMARY TO ENSURE THIS CAN MOVE FORWARD TO THE GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT. THE DISTRICT COMPLETED 910 PROJECTS, HAS 225 PROJECTS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AND INVESTED MORE THAN 1.259 BILLION IN SCHOOL FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING HVAC, ROOFS, SAFETY AND SECURITY TECHNOLOGY, PLAYGROUNDS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. MORE THAN -- OF THAT MORE THAN 700 MILLION OF THAT HAS GONE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES. TODAY IS ULTIMATELY ABOUT ALLOWING OUR VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER TO CONTINUE PROVIDING FUNDING -- A FUNDING SOURCE THAT IS DELIVERED VISIBLE RESULTS AT SCHOOLS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SUPPORTED LOCAL BUSINESSES AND OPERATED WITH OVERSIGHT FROM THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS CHRIS FARKAS TO HIGHLIGHT THE ITEM. CRUS THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT

108AYRES. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WEREN'T HERE WHEN WE STARTED, EARL LEONARD WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS ON THAT COMMITTEE AND UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AWAY AND WE TRANSITIONED TO MS. CASTOR AND MR. CHRONISTER WHO YOU SAW -- THIS BOARD RECOGNIZED THEM AND THEY TALKED ABOUT THE FAITH THEY HAD IN THE STAFF AND PROJECT AND WHAT WE HAD. AND YOU HEARD BOTH OF THEM TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE AND HOW MUCH FAITH THEY HAD THAT THE MONEY WAS BEING USED LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE STUDENTS. CHAIR JOSE, BONNIE CARR, TOM LEE, RICK LOTT, ANDY ROSS TALKED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND WHAT THEY FOLLOW. I KNOW WE TALK ABOUT THAT COMMITTEE A LOT. IT IS NOT AN EASY COMMITTEE. MY STAFF WILL TELL

109YOU. THEY ASK THE QUESTIONS CONSISTENTLY AND PUSH US TO MAKE SURE WE'RE TRANSPARENT. THE PROJECTS ARE ON THE WEBSITE AND WE SAID FROM DAY ONE, TO MY STAFF FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS, THIS IS A RESUME TO REAUTHORIZE IT. NOW WE'RE AT THAT POINT. I THINK EVERY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE DIFFERENCES WE HAD. WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WE CONTINUED TO DO THAT. I WANT TO SAY ONE THING. WE'RE 80% OF THE WAY THROUGH AND THERE IS STILL 20% OF THE PROJECTS DONE. FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS WE'LL BE FINISHING WHAT WE PROMISED BUT WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE FOR THE TWO MAJOR AREAS, ROOFS AND AIR CONDITIONING. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER THOSE. >>Karen Perez:

110THANK YOU. >>Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, IF I CAN ADD, A FEW LEGAL POINTS TO MAKE. AS THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID, THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS IS THIS IS TRANSMITTED TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION WHO UNDER FLORIDA STATUTE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO SEND IT TO THE SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BOTH ENTITIES. THE SUPERINTENDENT NEEDS THIS BY THE DATE OF THE PRIMARY WHICH IS AUGUST 18. WE'LL ENSURE THAT'S THERE. I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT MR. FARKAS SAID ABOUT THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. IT'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF ENSURING THE INTEGRITY OF THIS TAX IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND GOING FORWARD. FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT I WANT TO SAY IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT THAT THEY DON'T MAKE THE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT. THAT'S INVESTED IN YOU AND ONLY YOU BUT THEY PROVIDE

111OVERSIGHT AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE THERE. THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHEN THE BORD AUTHORIZED THIS IN 2018 AND NOW IS THE LAW CHANGED AND CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE A SPECIFIC AMOUNT THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE BASED ON A FORMULA. UNDER 2018, THE CHARTER SCHOOLS DID RECEIVE FUNDS BUT THIS IS SPECIFIC NOW BECAUSE OF THE LAW. YOU'RE IN THE APPROPRIATE POSTURE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS AND DEBATE IT IF NECESSARY. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C7.19. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER VAUGHN PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: A LOT OF THE KEY POINTS YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN, SO I DON'T WANT TO REITERATE. THE MAIN REASON I PULLED THIS IS FOR TRANSPARENCY

112SO PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING AND I CAN'T IMAGINE LIKE RICK WARNER WAS TALKING TODAY, THE DISMAL FUNDING COMING FROM THE STATE LEVEL. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT WE'D BE DOING WITH OUR FACILITIES. I KNOW IT'S DIFFERENT ALLOCATIONS BUT OVERALL OURAL 62S ARE AGING AND WE NEED SO MUCH SUPPORT AND -- OUR SCHOOLS ARE AGING AND WE NEED SO MUCH SUPPORT. I WANT TO THANK MR. FARKAS. YOU DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND YOUR OPERATION TEAM DOES AN INCREDIBLE JOB LISTENING, WORKING WITH SO MANY OF THE THINGS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE AND I KNOW LOOKING AT -- YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED MORE THAN 1700 PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS. AND NEARLY 200 ARE TIED WITH SAFETY, SECURITY AND BUILDING INTE INTEGRITY. IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT OUR FACILITIES ARE SAFE. THAT IT'S PLEASANT TO GO

113IN. WE SEE THIS HUGE DROUGHT GOING ON NOW IN FLORIDA SO TO MAINTAIN THE FACILITIES, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR THE OPERATION OF OUR DISTRICT. AND I FULLY SUPPORT THIS. AND I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MEMBERS IN THE PAST AND PRESENT, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. YOU HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE. IT'S A REALLY BIPARTISAN TYPE OF VOTE THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS FUNDING ALSO HELPS A LOT OF OUR LO LOCAL ECONOMY. WE'RE REALLY TO SUPPORT AND HIRE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS AND THE ECONOMY. WE'RE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER AND WHEN WE'RE DOING PROJECTS, IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO HIRE LOCAL VENDORS WHO ARE SUPPORTING AND HELPING THE SCHOOLS ARE A/C. I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT AIR CONDITIONING AS MUCH AS I HAVE THE LAST SIX

114YEARS. WHEN IT'S REALLY HOT, I'M ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE I SAY TO PEOPLE, WHEN YOU HAVE ONE HOUSE AND YOUR A/C GOES DOWN, SOMETIMES IT TAKES A DAY OR TWO TO FIX IT. WHEN YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF SQUARE FEET IN A FACILITY, IT'S SO IMPORTANT. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PASSING THIS TODAY. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER HAHN? >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I THINK OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, WE DEMONSTRATE THAT A PROMISE WAS MADE AND KEPT. WE OPERATED WITH FISCAL DISCIPLINE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. WE ENGAGED UNLONG-TERM PLANNING. -- IN LONG-TERM PLANNING WHETHER THAN SHORT-TERM FIXES. EVEN IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS WE HAVE TAKEN STEPS TO STRENGTHEN OUR FINANCIAL POSITION BY INCREASING OUR RESERVES AND SAFEGUARDING OUR

115TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND ENSURING WE'RE PREPARED FOR FUTURE UNCERTAINTIES WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. AND THAT'S THE KIND OF STEWARDSHIP THAT OUR TAXPAYERS EXPECT AND DESERVE. AND I BELIEVE IT'S A STANDARD WE MUST CONTINUE TO UPHOLD AS WE MOVE FORWARD. EIGHT YEARS AGO WHEN THIS REFERENDUM WAS FIRST APPROVED, WE DID MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE DOLLARS WOULD BE USED RESPONSIBLY, TRANSPARENTLY, AND WITH CLEAR OVERSIGHT. WE JUST DIDN'T SAY THAT. WE PUT THE STRUCTURE IN PLACE AS MR. FARKAS MENTIONED TO ESTABLISH THE BIPARTISAN CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. AND I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK MR. FARKAS AND THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE, ALL WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE PAST AND THOSE CURRENTLY SERVING TODAY. WE HAD AMAZING COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUSINESS LEADERS SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. I APPRECIATE

116THEIR SUPPORT AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD TONIGHT. THEIR TIME AND DILIGENCE AND COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY IS WHAT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN STRENGTHENING THE TRUST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IN THIS WORK. AND BECAUSE OF THE COMMITTEE, AND THE SUPPORT, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY DEMONSTRATE THAT WE TAKE THIS RESPONSEABILITY VERY SERIOUSLY. AND THAT THE TRUST THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ESTABLISH HAS BEEN FOUNDATIONAL. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO REALLY REMEMBER WHERE WE WERE EIGHT YEARS AGO WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW FAR WE HAVE C COME. AND IN REGARDS TO THEIR TRUST AND A LOT OF THAT HAS BEEN BUILT AROUND THE REFERENDUM AND HOW THOSE DOLLARS CAN BE SPENT. IT'S -- THE REFERENDUM DOLLARS ARE SOMETHING VERY TANGIBLE. WE CAN SEE IT, TOUCH IT. EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS

117ARE EXPERIENCING IT. EVERY ONE OF OUR FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING IT. AND REALLY FROM DAY ONE, I MEAN, THIS WAS AUTHORIZED THE FIRST TIME AROUND BEFORE I WAS SWORN IN. IT WAS ON THE BALLOT THE SAME YEAR I WAS ON THE BALLOT FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO WE HAVE THAT IN COMMON. AND, YOU KNOW, I DO RECALL THE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING BACK THEN. IT WAS A VERY BIPARTISAN ISSUE. FAMILIES WERE EXPERIENCING THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN OUR SCHOOLS EVERY DAY. AND THEY REALLY WANTED THIS REFERENDUM AND THEY SUPPORTED IT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER TAXES AND REFERENDUMS, MR. FARKAS, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB REALLY KEEPING IT FRONT OF MIND WITH TAXPAYERS ON HOW THEIR DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S NEVER AN EASY DECISION, BUT TONIGHT, WITH

118THE SUPPORT OF SO MANY OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND PAST AND PRESENT AND INDIVIDUALS WE'VE HEARD FROM OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, IT'S REALLY AN EASY DECISION TO MAKE. SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AROUND THIS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS A VALIDATION TYPE OF REPLY AND RESPONSE AS YOU'RE HEARING FROM US BECAUSE IN 2017 IT TOOK -- AND MR. FARKAS REMEMBERS THIS, THE COLLAPSE OF THE PLANT HIGH SCHOOL ROOF COMING DOWN. AIR CONDITIONINGS NOT WORKING. WE HAD A HARD TIME PASSING THAT. WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS THAT DID NOT WANT THIS. AND I HAD TO PUT IT THROUGH THREE TIMES BEFORE WE HAD A COMMITMENT FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS, JUST SO YOU KNOW. FAST FORWARD, I THINK WHAT REALLY CHANGED

119IN ALL TRANSPARENCY IS THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THEY GAVE ALL THE CREDIBILITY, THE ACCOUNTABILITY, THE FINANCIAL REPORTS, THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IS WHAT REALLY MADE THIS COMMITTEE, THIS TAX REFERENDUM BECOME THE TRUSTWORTHY FORCE. AND AS MEMBER COMBS MENTIONED, YES, IT HAS GIVEN OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES A LOT OF WORK OPPORTUNITIES, BUT ALSO OUR VOCATIONAL TECH. WE HAD TO TRAIN THESE STUDENTS TO DO THE AIR CONDITIONING. TO DO ALL THE WORK THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR THE RENOVATIONS. AND WE'RE REMINDED THIS IS NOT -- MR. PORTER TOO, WE HAD TO CLARIFY IT. IT'S NOT JUST FOR DELAYED MAINTENANCE. THIS IS FOR RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION AS WELL. THAT'S HOW IT WAS WRITTEN. I THINK THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE NOW HAS RECKONED WITH THAT. BUT WE CAN'T THANK ENOUGH MR. FARKAS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT EVERY MEETING THAT I KNOW BUT

120JOSE, BONNIE, TOM, RICK LOTT, EDWIN, ANDY ROSS, PREVIOUSLY BETTER CASTOR, SHERIFF CHRONISTER, DAVE BROWN, LEONARD. I MEAN, WHAT A HISTORICAL PATH AND A SET OF LEADERS THAT HAVE REALLY PUT THIS INTO, I'D SAY ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE OVERSIGHT THAT THIS STATE OF FLORIDA EVER HAD. SO WE THANK THEM. BUT YEAH, THIS IS A GREAT SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN. AND I ALSO AGREE WITH MEMBER HAHN, IT IS UNIQUE. WE ARE UNIQUE BECAUSE WE HAD LOT OF DELAYED MAINTENANCE AND THIS HAS CHANGED IT GREATLY AND THE FACE LIFTS YOU'RE DOING, MR. FARKAS, REALLY DOES HELP ATTRACT STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AND ON AND ON IT GOES. WE THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING THIS IN THE PREVIOUS SENSE, AND WE HOPE THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER

121GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I KNOW WHEN WE SWITCHED TO THE NEW WEBSITE, THE BOARD HAD REQUESTED TO MAKE SURE WE STILL HAD THE LINK TO WHAT WE'D SPEND THE REFERENDUM ON THE FRONT PAGE SO ANYBODY COMING COULD TRACK THAT. WAS THAT CHANGE MADE? IS THAT STILL ON OUR FRONT PAGE? >>Christopher Farkas: LET ME CHECK. IT'S UP ON MY THING AS A SCREEN SAVER. IT'S IMPORTANT IN MY WORLD. IT WAS THE BOTTOM. DO YOU KNOW? I THINK THEY'RE WAITING FOR TONIGHT'S VOTE TO DO THAT PART TOO. IT WILL BE ON THERE AS SOON AS YOU GUYS VOTE. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I KNOW WE ASKED FOR THAT A WHILE AGO. THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO ASK IS SOMETIMES I SEE A DISCONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY FEELING

122FRUSTRATED BECAUSE PROJECTS AREN'T DONE WITH THEIR SCHOOLS, BUT THEN YOU GO BACK AND THE PRINCIPAL HASN'T EVEN REQUESTED THAT OR NOTIFIED THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE LIST. DO WE SEND ANYTHING OUT TO THE PRINCIPALS TO LET THEM KNOW THEY CAN ADD THINGS TO THE LIST BECAUSE I THINK THERE WAS A DISCONNECT. >>Christopher Farkas: THERE WAS ESPECIALLY THE FIRST TIME AROUND BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. A LOT OF THINGS ARE BROKEN BUT WHAT'S BROKEN THE WORST IS HOW IT STARTED. WE SENT A SURVEY OUT FOR THE SECOND REAUTHORIZATION TO OUR EXTERIOR, ONE OF THE THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS AND TO OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT AND PRINCIPALS. IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING AT YOUR SCHOOL, WHAT WOULD THAT BE. SPECIFICALLY ABOUT PROJECTS. IT MOST ASSUREDLY WAS A TESTIMONY TO WHAT

123THEY HADHAD -- AC WAS NUMBER ONE ON EVERYBODY'S LIST. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN FIXED BUT AC OVERALL WAS DOWN TO NUMBER FIVE. IT WAS MUCH MORE ABOUT THINGS THEY SAW. TURF. FURNITURE IN THEIR FRONT OFFICE. A MEDIA REFRESH. A CAFETERIA REFRESH. THINGS THE KIDS SEE. THE MILL WORKERS. THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT WAS THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE DID. EVERY PRINCIPAL FILLED THOUGHT SURVEY. PRINCIPALS CHANGE BUT THROUGH THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PROCESS, THEY CAN REQUEST THAT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PART OF IT TOO. >>Jessica Vaughn: ALL RIGHT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO SAY, AGREE WITH DR. HAHN THAT IT'S SO TANGIBLE TO SEE THE UPGRADES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO MANY SCHOOLS WERE BUILT SO LONG AGO. AND WE'RE SUCH A NEEDY DISTRICT. WE ALWAYS TALK

124ABOUT HOW WE'RE STUDENT RICH AND PROPERTY POOR. I KNOW YOUR TEAM HAS REALLY DONE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING FEEDBACK ABOUT WHICH SCHOOLS COULD USE A REFRESH AND ALWAYS BEING VERY RESPONSIVE WHEN I HAVE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS. BEING ABLE TO WATCH SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS BE COMPLETELY REVITALIZED AND AS YOU SAY, IT HAS SUCH AN IMPACT ON THE WAY STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT COMING TO SCHOOL AND EMPLOYEE MORALE. JUST THE SMALL UPDATES OR REFRESHES HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE PEOPLE ACTUALLY IN THE THE SCHOOLS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS SO IMPORTANT. WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT CURRICULUM AND BOOKS BUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IN OUR SCHOOLS IS SO PARAMOUNT. I WANT TO THANK THE VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR PRIORITIZING THIS AND ALWAYS PRIORITIZING EDUCATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MY

125ONLY CONCERN IS WE HAVE TO KEEP PASSING THESE REFERENDUMS AND I HOPE AT THE SAME TIME AS WE'VE MENTIONED, PEOPLE LIKE RICK WARNER AND OTHER ADVOCATES ARE PUSHING TO MAKE SURE OUR STATE LEADERS ARE FUNDING THESE THINGS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO LEVY AN EXTRA TAX ON THE TAXPAYERS TO MAKE SURE THAT EDUCATION IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING BECAUSE I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THIS TAX, BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WISH WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PUSH FOR IT BECAUSE OUR STATE LEADERS SAW THE VALUE AND FULLY FUNDING THE SCHOOLS THAT WE NEED AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR -- AND YOUR TEAM AND THE COMMITTEE FOR BEING VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT, FOR MAKING SURE THAT IT'S VISIBLE IN OUR

126SCHOOLS AND ALSO, I LOVE THE E-MAIL I GOT FROM MY PRINCIPAL TALKING ABOUT ALL THE UPGRADES THAT HAPPENED. AS A PARENT YOU SEE A NEW MARQUEE COME UP OR SOME NEW BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING. BUT YOU DON'T REALLY THINK ABOUT WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM. TO HAVE A LIST OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN MY CHILD'S SCHOOL OR THE SCHOOLS I'M ENGAGED WITH BECAUSE THE VOTERS WENT AHEAD AND VOTED FOR THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX IS VERY IMPACTFUL, AND I APPRECIATE THE DISTRICT DID THAT AND AS PARENTS WE HAVE A REMINDER OF WHERE THE TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING. SO AGAIN, I JUST APPRECIATE IT AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOTERS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE THIS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE

127LOOK OVER THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX THERE ARE MANY THINGS REALLY CRITICAL FOR OUR AREA TO RECOGNIZE. ONE, 40% OF THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX THAT GO BACK INTO THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT PAID BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS. I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE HIGH TOURISM AND PEOPLE VISITING OUR AREA. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY'RE GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S ONE WAY IN WHICH WE'LL BE UTILIZING THOSE VISITOR FUNDS TO BE SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW. IT'S A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN UTILIZE THE VISITORS COMING INTO OUR AREA AND MAKING SURE WE DO THAT. THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING, ABOUT 40% OF THE HALF PENNY IS COMING FROM OUTSIDE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE OTHER THING IS AS WE LOOK AT

128THE REDUCTION IN OUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX THAT WOULD GO DIRECTLY TO SCHOOLS. TWO YEARS AGO THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX WENT FROM 20% TO 5%. AT THIS POINT IN TIME EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUILD THEAL 62S WE NEED TO BUILD, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO IMPROVE THE SCHOOLS WE HAVE, IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS REOCCURRING INVESTMENT, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ONGOING MAINTENANCE LET ALONE ANY ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS. WE TALK ABOUT TURF AND PEOPLE HAVE THE QUESTION ABOUT TURF ALL THE TIME. IT'S A PRIME EXAMPLE THAT WE'D HAVE OUR LAWNS COMPLETELY RUINED, OUR TRACKS, STADIUMS WHERE WE'D HAVE TO INVEST THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REDO ALL OF OUR FIELDS IN ORDER FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY SPORTS AND DO OTHER THINGS, AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOLS.

129WITH THAT INCOMING TURF, IT'S BEEN ABLE TO SAVE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. THAT'S JUST ONE AREA. THE IRRIGATION CONSIST SYSTEMS. WE CONVERTED WELLS CONNECTING DIRECTLY TO COUNTY WATER. IT GOES ON AND ON. KITCHEN REFRESHES. WE HAD TWO KITCHENS CATCH ON FIRE THIS YEAR FROM ELECTRICAL BECAUSE SO MANY SCHOOLS ARE SO OLD AND WE HAVE SUCH ONGOING MAINTENANCE WE HAVE TO USE. THESE ARE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES FOR SCHOOLS TO FUNCTION. CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURES FOR SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN DAY IN AND DAY OUT. HAVING ROOFS THAT ARE FEASIBLE. SO THESE INFRASTRUCTURES WE PUT IN PLACE ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. I WANT TO THANK MEMBER GRAY FOR MENTIONING THE ENTIRE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THEY GAVE US CREDIBILITY AND SO THAT THEY VALUE THAT WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING. WE PROVEN WE'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE

130SAID. WE'VE SPENT THE MONEY EXACTLY HOW WE TOLD THE COMMUNITY WE WERE GOING TO DO IT. AND WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN A BIPARTISAN WAY JUSTIFYING AND PROVING WE HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT WE SAY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS UNIQUE, THAT WE HAVE THE OVERSIGHT TO MONITOR EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING. AS WE LOOK AT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX WE'VE BEEN REDUCED FROM 20% TO 5%. WITHOUT THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TOUCH ANY MAINTENANCE. THAT'S JUST MAINTAINING OUR PLUMBING IN OUR SYSTEMS. MAINTAINING OUR AIR CONDITIONING BECAUSE EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE TO REPLACE IT, WE HAVE TO SERVICE THEM. WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CHILDREN. IN ORDER FOR OUR CHILDREN TO BE FIRST, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENTS. ALTHOUGH THE STATE HAS PROVIDED

131HARDENING DOLLARS, WHAT THIS DISTRICT HAS DONE HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HARDEN THE SAFETY IN SCHOOLS. THE NUMBER OF CAMERAS. THE TYPES OF BULLET PROOF WINDOWS. AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOT SAFE VESTIBULES TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR OFFICE STAFF FOR ANY POSSIBILITY OF ANY KIND OF INTRUDER. SO WE HAVE TAKEN THIS COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX VETTED TO OUR STUDENTS. NUMBER ONE, GIVING THEM A HEALTHY AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT. ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE AN ENVIRONMENT TO FREELY LEARN AND BE EDUCATED. SO I'M 10% BEHIND THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX. I KNOW MYSELF AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE MADE SURE THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND DISTRICTS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE SPENT OUR MONEY IN AT OUR SCHOOLS. WE WANT FEEDBACK FROM THEM AND WANT TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO. WE NEED THIS. IT'S A

132CRITICAL PIECE IN ORDER FOR US TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. FARKAS AND YOUR COMMITTEE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT. IT'S SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT 5 BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF OLD BUILDINGS AND SO FORTH BEING RENOVATED. AIR CONDITIONING, MAN, I TELL YOU, YOU'RE A LIFE SAVER BECAUSE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, OUR AIR CONDITIONING WENT OUT IN DISTRICT 5. EVERY SUMMER WE HAD A ROUGH TIME. YOU AND THE COMMITTEE, BECAUSE LIKE EVERYBODY SAID, THE COMMITTEE GOT NAMES ON THERE WHO PEOPLE RESPECT AND TRUST. THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT COMMIT MACHE MR. FARKAS, THANK YOU BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE NEEDED SOMETHING, AIR CONDITIONING, WHATEVER IT IS, Y'ALL GOT ON IT. YOU DID A

133GREAT JOB. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THE TAX IS IMPORTANT. IT HELPS OUT A GREAT DEAL. OLD SCHOOLS, RENOVATIONS AND SO FORTH. AND, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU GOT MY VOTE. YOU GOT MY VOTE. 100%. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, CHRIS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. IT ALWAYS IS SAD TO GO LAST BECAUSE EVERYBODY SAID EVERYTHING. I'M JUST SAYING. BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE MEMBER RENDON TALKED ABOUT THE CIT TAX, I HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY LAST WEEK THAT OUR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS NEVER MOVED ANY OF OUR MONEY TO ANYTHING ELSE OTHER THAN IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS. IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR ALL OF US WHERE OTHER, YOU KNOW, AGENCIES MOVED TAX MONEY THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING TO DO OTHER THINGS. WE ARE VERY DILIGENT IN ENSURING THAT EVERY SINGLE PENNY FROM OUR REFERENDUM IS GOING

134DIRECTLY TO OUR STUDENTS AND IMPROVING THE SCHOOLS. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY, THE FACT THAT WE JUST -- WE WERE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR OUR SECURITY. WHEN WAS THAT, SUPERINTENDENT, THAT WE RECEIVED THAT NATIONAL RECOGNITION? JUST ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO? >>Van Ayres: YEAH. WHICH ONE? OH, YEAH. TWO, THREE WEEKS AGO. >>Karen Perez: COUPLE WEEKS AGO. THE FACT THAT WE'RE ON THAT LEVEL AND RICK WARNER, THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE I KNOW YOU SERVED ON THAT COMMITTEE. THAT WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT OUR IMPROVEMENTS THE WAY WE'RE DOING THE THINGS WE'RE DOING. AND TO HAVE THE RUG PULLED FROM UP UNDER US WITH THE CIT TAX TO GO FROM 25% TO 5%, YOU KNOW, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE NOT FUNDED THE WAY WE SHOULD BE ON THE LEVEL WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL OR STATE, BUT WE

135CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN NO MATTER WHAT. THEY'RE FIRST. WHENEVER WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM THIS DAIS, OUR STUDENTS COME FIRST. AND OUR SCHOOLS COME FIRST. AND IF ANYBODY HAS GONE TO SCHOOL WHERE THEY PUT OUT THE -- THE TARP TO MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE COVERED FROM THE SUN, THAT'S AMAZING BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURES HERE IN FLORIDA DURING THE SUMMER WHEN THEY HIT IN AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, WHEN THE TEMPERATURES HIT 100, 98, 99, AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE IN THE SAHARA DESERT, THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF OUR STUDENTS ALWAYS COME FIRST. AND TO MEMBER SHAKE'S POINT, THE FACT THAT WE'RE REALLY UPLIFTING YOUR SCHOOLS AND DOING THE AMAZING THINGS THAT WE ARE FOR THE SCHOOLS AND DISTRICT 5 IS JUST A WIN-WIN FOR EVERYONE. SO SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, VOTE WHEN

136YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. >>Christopher Farkas: CAN I SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICK? I WANT TO THANK YOU. A LOT OF ACCOLADES. MY NAME WAS USED A LOT. I'M NOT THE ONE OUT THERE DOING IT. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE TEAM. I KNOW YOU DEAL WITH IT. LAUREN OTAROT AND OUR OPERATIONS TEAM IS THE ONE THAT DOES ALL THE WORK. [APPLAUSE] UNEQUIVOCALLY SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND I WERE HAVING THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. WE HAVE A VERY STRONG -- BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD KNOWS, THERE IS OTHER DISTRICTS THAT HAVE TAXES THAT CAN'T SPEND THE MONEY BECAUSE THEIR BOARD CAN'T AGREE ON WHAT TO DO. IN FLORIDA. SO THE SUPPORT WE HAVE FROM THE BOARD, SOMETIMES WE FORGET WE HAVE 29 MILLION SQUARE FEET YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND MAKING SURE IT'S AIR CONDITIONED EVERY DAY. SO

137THINK ABOUT HAVING A 50-YEAR-OLD HOUSE AND A 2,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE AND WE HAVE 29 MILLION SQUARE FEET. I WANT TO THANK YOU. YOU GUYS HAVE MADE THAT POSSIBLE, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. I WANT TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT AIKENS AS WELL. HE WAS THE HELM AND GOT THAT PASSED TOO. SO TO JEFF AND THE TEAM, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE FAITH IN WHAT WE'RE DOING. IT MEANS A LOT TO OUR TEAM. THEY'RE UNFORTUNATELY CRAZY AND LISTEN TO THE BOARD MEETINGS AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU SAY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART FOR SUPPORTING US. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL TAKE EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS OF

138OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND THE MEETING AT 4:00. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD. INCLUDING UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS. AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE'RE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES AND THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ON YOUR MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD WITHOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I'LL NOW CALL THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS. >> GOOD

139EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE CABINET. I'M VALERIE, CHEMISTRY TEACHER SERVING AS SECOND-TREASURY FOR THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TEACHERS. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEGUN. EVEN THOUGH OUR STATE HAS NOT FINALIZED A BUDGET IT'S A BOOK YEAR FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL CONTRACT. AND AT SOME POINT, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAS RECOGNIZED THAT OUR STAFF HAS JUST TOO MUCH ON THEIR PLATES. WELL, YOU'RE IN LUCK. NOW IS THE TIME WHEN YOU GET TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. SO THE FLIER THAT YOU GUYS WERE HANDED IS A FLIER THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'VE MADE TO IMPROVE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THE PROCESS THAT WE USE TO GET TO THESE PROPOSALS. THIS WASN'T JUST HCTA LEADERSHIP DECIDING WHAT WE NEED. ROB GAVE YOU THE BARGAINING SURVEY RESULTS LAST TIME.

140WE ALSO HAD THESE CONTRACT ACTION TEAMS WHERE WE INVITED MEMBERS TO GIVE INPUT. THEY WENT THROUGH THE CONTRACT. THEY WERE IN GROUPS AND SUBGROUPS. WE HAD HIGH SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, K-8, EVEN ESE CENTERS, STUDENT SERVICES MEDIA SPECIALISTS. AND THEN ALL THEIR PROPOSALS WENT TO THE BARGAINING TEAM AND WE SYNTHESIZED THAT AND CAME UP WITH 98 PAGES OF CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT. SO WHILE THIS MAY LOOK LIKE A LOT TO YOU RIGHT NOW, AREN'T YOU HAPPY THAT I DIDN'T BRING YOU ALL 98 PAGES TO GO THROUGH? SO LAST NIGHT WE SENT THIS TO OUR MEMBERSHIP. AND WE ASKED THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. LET US KNOW WHAT THEY THOUGHT. AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK, MESSAGES THAT THEY'D GIVE TO YOU. AND IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, WE GOT LIKE, 200 RESPONSES JUST IN A FEW HOURS. AND

141I'M NOT GOING TO READ ALL 200 BUT I HAVE A COUPLE I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT. THESE ARE FROM OUR MEMBERS ABOUT THESE PROPOSALS. THESE PROPOSALS MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN TEACHER RETENTION, MORALE AND THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. EDUCATORS FACE MANY CHALLENGES. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO CREATE BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS, BOOST MORALE, IT MAKES TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EASIER. IT'S A WIN-WIN. PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF THE TIME EVERY ADDITIONAL SPREADSHEET, FORM AND DOCUMENT TAKES US. WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE OUR PLANNING TIME TO CREATE THE BEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE ARE DROWNING IN WORKLOAD. PLEASE HELP US. WOULD YOU HONESTLY OPPOSE ANY OF THESE REQUESTS IF YOU WERE IN OUR SHOES? TREAT US HOW YOU'D EXPECT TO BE TREATED. SO I'M ASKING YOU -- THIS IS ME AGAIN -- TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER

142OUR LANGUAGE PROPOSALS BECAUSE EACH ONE WILL HELP TAKE SOMETHING OFF OUR PLATES. AND IT WOULD BE REALLY A GREAT WAY TO TRULY SHOW OUR TEACHERS THAT WE APPRECIATE THEM ON THIS TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY. I CAME TO THE MEETING YOU HELD APRIL 7. I'D LIKE TO SAY FIRST YOU HAVE A QUOTE HERE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AT THAT WITH ANTHONY PIZZO K-8. YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB AND SET THE EXAMPLE. THE EXAMPLE THAT WE HAVE NOT SET FOR THE STUDENTS IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING AN ECONOMIC EVICTION ON THEM AND WE ARE PUTTING

143THE STUDENTS AT STAKE BY MOVING MORE THAN 300 STUDENTS TO TAMPA PALMS ELEMENTARY. THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE OVERCROWDING AND THE STUDENTS WILL NOT GET THE EDUCATION THEY NEED. SO I WOULD SAY PIZZO K-8 ALONG PROJECT PIZZO, WE'RE FILLING THE HOLE THAT'S BEEN CREATED SLOWLY AND SURELY. WE AS A DISTRICT HAVE CHOICES TO MAKE AND FIGHTS TO WIN. YOU AS OUR GUIDING SCHOOL BOARD -- I BELIEVE. I DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING I CAN'T CONFIRM. I BELIEVE YOU HAVE NOT THOUGHT THIS THROUGH AS CAREFULLY AS YOU SHOULD HAVE. MS. ANGELA ASKED YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR OPTIONS OR GET BACK IN THE SANDBOX. WE'RE NOT GRATEFUL FOR THE DECISION YOU MADE AND REQUEST A NEW OPTION. AN OUR COMMUNITY ONLY JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE NEGOTIATION AND HAVE NOT FOUND OUR FOOTING WITH THIS INFORMATION.

144SEE WHAT OTHER OPTIONS PISO HAS TO CONSIDERATION WITH BOARD MEMBER MS. JESSICA VAUGHN BROUGHT UP ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. SHE ASKED ABOUT MOVING US JUST FOUR MILES WEST. MR. CHRIS FARKAS SEEMS ONLY TO HAVE GIVEN THE INFORMATION THE DAY BEFORE THE VOTE TOOK PLACE MARCH 10. WE STILL HAVE TIME. YOUR FEAR THAT THERE ISN'T A BETTER OUTCOME IS NOT OURS. THERE IS NO FEAR IN OUR CROWD. WE'LL PERSEVERE. WE HAVE THE WILL TO KEEP ON. I KNOW PEOPLE HERE LONGER THAN I HAVE BEEN ALIVE ALONGSIDE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST RECENTLY JOINED US AND STILL FIGHT FOR PIZZO. YOU CAN DESTROY US INTO ASHES AND DUST BUT YOU CAN'T ERASE THE HOPE IT'S BROUGHT FOR SO MANY FAMILIES AND STUDENTS. IT WON'T BE SO EASY TO PUT US DOWN. IF YOU WON'T FIGHT WE WILL. WE AS

145A SCHOOL ARE STILL FIGHTING. MAYBE BECAUSE I'M A STUDENT YOU'LL LISTEN MORE. I, MYSELF, WILL FIGHT WHETHER IT'S WITH OR WITHOUT YOU. PIZZO WAS NOT DONE WITH THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP OUR COMMUNITY WITH US. PIZZO IS A FAMILY AND ALL OF US ARE PART OF THAT FAMILY AND THEY'RE RIGHT BEHIND ME. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANITA BLOOM. I'M A PROUD TEACHER AT PIZZO K-8 AND A PART OF PROJECT PUS. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED LAST WEEK THAT SHOULD CONCERN EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS BOARD. WHILE OUR FAMILY SAT IN CAR LINE AT PIZZO, ON A SIDE STREET, THE VERY PLACE WHERE THEY SHOULD FEEL SECURE, VALUED AND SUPPORTED A CHARTER SCHOOL WAS HANDING OUT FLIERS OFF THE SIDE STREET. NOT JUST

146ANY FLIERS. BUT ONES ADVERTISING A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, A SIMILAR CULTURE, A SIMILAR COMMUNITY. THEY ARE NOT GUESSING. THEY ARE WATCHING AND THEY'RE TARGETING. THEY SEE WHAT PIZZO IS. THEY SEE THE STRENGTH THIS COMMUNITY AND THEIR POSITIONING THEMSELVES TO TAKE IT. I NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR. THE CURRENT PLAN IN PLACE TO DISPERSE PIZZO STUDENTS INTO OTHER SCHOOLS TO FILL SEATS AND PREVENT CHARTER ENCROACHMENT WILL NOT STOP THIS. IT WILL ACCELERATE IT. BECAUSE FAMILIES ARE NOT ASKING WHICH SCHOOL HAS AN EMPTY SEAT. THEY'RE ASKING WHERE WILL MY CHILD BELONG. IF YOU DISMANTLE PIZZO'S COMMUNITY AND SCATTER STUDENTS, YOU'RE NOT PROTECTING DISTRICT SCHOOLS. YOU'RE CREATING A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR CHARTERS TO STEP IN AND SAY COME WITH US, STAY TOGETHER, KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY. FAMILIES WILL LISTEN. BECAUSE OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT SEAT FILLERS. THEY ARE NOT NUMBERS

147TO BALANCE ENROLLMENT SHEETS. THEY'RE PART OF A LIVING BREATHING COMMUNITY THAT TOOK YEARS TO BUILT. A COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS NOT JUST ACADEMICS BUT RELATIONSHIPS, STABILITY, AND BELONGING. IF YOU MOVE THEM SIMPLY TO OCCUPY SPACE, YOU ARE IGNORING WHAT ACTUALLY KEEPS FAMILIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND HERE IS THE PART THAT SHOULD RAISE SERIOUS CONCERNS. IF FAMILIES LEAVE TOGETHER, AND THEY WILL, WE WON'T LOSE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS. WE RISK HANDING OVER AN ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO A CHARTER OPERATOR. THAT MEANS THE FUNDING TIED TO EVERY ONE OF THE STUDENTS GOES WITH THEM. THE EXCEPTION ALSO IS THE STUDENTS WITH GREATEST NEEDS ARE EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION STUDENTS ARE THE ONES LEAST LIKELY TO BE SUPPORTED IN THE SETTINGS. SO WHAT ARE WE LEFT WITH? WE LOSE THE COMMUNITY. WE LOSE THE FUNDING. AND WE FAIL THE VERY STUDENTS WHO NEED

148US MOST. THAT'S NOT STRATEGY. THAT'S BACKFIRE. THIS MOMENT REQUIRES A DIFFERENT LENS. NOT ONE FOCUSED ON SEATS AND SPREADSHEETS BUT ONE FOCUSED ON PEOPLE. WHAT PIZZO FAMILIES ARE TELLING YOU IS SIMPLE. THEY WANT TO STAY TOGETHER, THEY WANT STABILITY, THEY WANT THEIR CHILDREN IN A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL KNOWN, SUPPORTED AND CONNECTED. AND IF WE CANNOT PROVIDE THAT WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SYSTEM, SOMEONE ELSE WILL. THIS IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL. IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING IN OUR CAR LINE THIS WEEK. I URGE YOU, DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF COMMUNITY OR REDUCE OUR STUDENTS TO NUMBERS OR MAKE A DECISION THAT UNINTENTIONALLY HANDS OVER TO SOMEONE WILLING TO TAKE IT. PROTECTING PUBLIC EDUCATION IS NOT ABOUT FILLING SEATS. IT'S ABOUT KEEPING COMMUNITIES INTACT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. ANGELA COLONELLO, A

149PIZZO K-8 TEACHER AND PROJECT PIZZO. I'M GOING TO REFER TO ELEMENTARY. THE SCHOOL IS IN THE PROCESS OF REOPENING WITH THE $77 MILLION RENOVATIONS THEY RECEIVED WHICH IS VERY EXCITING. EVERY STUDENT, EVERY CHILD SHOULD GET THAT INVESTMENT AND SHOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY WHICH IS VERY BEAUTIFUL. I'M GOING TO REFER TO THE TAMPA BAY TIMES ARTICLE WHERE I BELIEVE MR. SHAKE WAS ABLE TO SAY IT'S GREAT FOR THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP YOUR KIDS FOR 12 YEARS IN THE SAME PLACE WHICH IS A PLUS. WHICH IS AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL OF THAT SCHOOL WAS ABLE TO SAY IT'S EXCITING FOR THE COMMUNITY AND NEEDED IF WE POUR INTO THEM, TAKE CARE OF THEM, THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY. THESE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY THRIVING.

150WE ASK FOR FEEDBACK AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP LETTING US KNOW HOW PIZZO CAN EMULATE WEST TAMPA AND JUST ELEMENTARY SO WE CAN HAVE A FAIR CHANCE AS WELL. WE DON'T DESERVE TO BE TORN DOWN SO THAT OTHERS CAN RISE UP. WHETHER IT BE USF, JUST, OR ANY OTHER ENTITY. WE'RE ASKING IF YOU CAN RISE UP OUR COMMUNITY AND KEEP THEM TOGETHER AS WELL. WITH THAT, JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT PIZZO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IT, IT'S A PERFECTLY SAFE AND SOUND SCHOOLHOUSE OPERATING FUNCTIONALLY AND THRIVING AND AT FULL CAPACITY. IT DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE BROKEN DOWN AND WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE TO AGAIN KEEP YOUR IDEAS AND OPTIONS OPEN AND HELP US TO RENEGOTIATE THAT THOUGHT. WITH THAT, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR STRATEGIES TO FIGHT THE LOSS OF INCOME AND WE

151TALK ABOUT THE LOSS OF PROFIT -- OR LOSS OF FUNDS COMING INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND MY QUESTION IS WHY AREN'T WE ALL UP IN TALLAHASSEE ASKING FOR MORE MONEY. WHEN I SPEAK TO THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES, THEY SAY I CAN'T ATTEND THAT. I'LL BE IN TALLAHASSEE: WHEN I SPEAK TO PEOPLE, THEY SAY I CAN'T ATTEND THAT, I'LL BE IN TALLAHASSEE. WHO FROM THE DISTRICT IS MAKING THEIR WAY UP TO TALLAHASSEE? AND IF WE ARE, WE CAN SAY THANK YOU. CAN YOU INVITE US AND CAN WE KIND OF ALL GO TOGETHER POTENTIALLY. AS TEACHERS WE'RE HAPPY TO GO WITH YOU. THERE IS MORE -- SORRY. WHAT AM I TRYING TO SAY. TEACHER TIRED HERE. THERE IS MORE FIGHT IN NUMBERS, RIGHT? SO I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND AS AN ENTITY

152AND ASKING THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR MONEY. MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ASKING UP FOR MONEY AND NOT ALONG THE SIDES. SO IF WE CAN REMEMBER THAT, PROTECT PIZZO, WORK WITH US AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL FIGHTING TOGETHER AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HELP. WE JUST WANT TO GET TO TALLAHASSEE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ERIN MICHAELSON AND I'M THE ESE SPECIALIST AT LEVOY EXCEPTIONAL CENTER AND A MEMBER THROUGH HCTA. I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF THE CENTER' BASED STAFF AND HIGHLIGHT HOW THE WORKING CONDITIONS DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENT OUTCOMES. EVERY DAY ESE CENTER STAFF MANAGE HIGH STAKES RESPONSIBILITIES THAT GO FAR BOUND TYPICAL CLASSROOM TEACHING. WE MASTER BEHAVIORAL PLANS AND DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES TAILORED TO EACH STUDENT. IEP, BUS PLANS AND CRISIS PROTOCOLS AND STAFF SAFETY

153DURING PHYSICAL AGGRESSION. SIMULTANEOUS MANAGEMENT OF MULTIPLE CRISES WHILE PROTECTING OTHER STUDENTS AND GATHERING CRITICAL DATA. WE PRIORITIZE STUDENT SAFETY CONSTANTLY. WHEN WE REACH OUT FOR DISTRICT-LEVEL SUPPORT, WE OFTEN RECEIVE RESPONSES THAT DON'T MATCH THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATIONS WE'RE MANAGING. THIS GAP EXISTS LARGELY BECAUSE DISTRICT SUPPORT STAFF RARELY HAVE CENTER EXPERIENCE. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DAILY REALITY OF WHAT WE FACE. HERE IS WHAT FRUSTRATES US THE MOST. CENTER STAFF HAVE BECOME TRUE EXPERTS THROUGH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND PROBLEM SOLVEING. WHEN CURRICULA DIDN'T WORK, WE RESEARCHED ALTERNATIVES. WHEN PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT WAS NOT ADEQUATE, WE IDENTIFIED BETTER PROPOSALS. WE DESIGNED CENTER SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THIS EXPERTISE IS REAL, VALUABLE AND LARGELY UNACKNOWLEDGED BY DISTRICT LEADERSHIP. LET ME BE CLEAR. OUR STAFF WANT TO BE HERE. THEY CHOOSE THE WORK BECAUSE THEY'RE EAGER TO SERVE THE STUDENT POPULATION. THEY

154BUILD DEEP RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS, UNDERSTAND THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND PROVIDE THE CONSISTENCY AND TRUST THESE YOUNG PEOPLE DEMAND -- DEPEND ON. WHEN WE LOSE STAFF, WE LOSE FAR MORE THAN A POSITION TO FILL. WE LOSE SOMEONE THAT CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THE STUDENTS. WE LOSE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HELP OUR MOST VULIABLE STUDENTS FEEL SAFE AND SEEN. EVERY STAFF MEMBER WHO LEAVES WHETHER DUE TO INJURY, BURNOUT OR SIMPLY UNABLE TO SUSTAIN UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS IS ONE LESS PERSON IN THE BUILDING THAT ADVOCATES FOR STUDENTS. THIS IS NOT JUST A STAFFING PROBLEM. THIS IS A STUDENT WELFARE PROBLEM. WE DO THIS WORK BECAUSE WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS BUT CARING SHOULD NEVER REQUIRE UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS. THE DISTRICT'S BARGAINING TEAM DENIED THIS REQUEST. SINCE THEN CONDITIONS HAVE NOT IMPROVED. THEY'VE OFTEN WORSENED. THIS AFFECTS

155STUDENTS DIRECTLY. WHEN STAFF LEAVE THESE POSITIONS, CLASSROOMS, LEAVE THESE POSITIONS, CLASSROOMS LOSE CONSISTENCY AND TRUST THAT OUR STUDENTS DESPERATELY NEED. WE'RE NOT LOSING WORKERS. WE'RE LOSING MENTORS, ADVOCATES AND THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE STUDENTS BEST. WE REQUEST THIS BOARD COMMIT TO MEANINGFUL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS IN ESE CENTER SETTINGS, HAZARD PAY OR SUPPLEMENTED FOR ALL STAFF AT CENTERS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE WORK AND SERVE THE STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT COMMENT, WE'LL CONTINUE. ITEM 7.20, RESOLUTION 26-02 AND THE PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT FOR 25 PLUS ACRES LOCATED SOUTH HIGHWAY 674 AND EAST COUNTY ROAD 579, WIMAUMA FOR FUTURE SCHOOL SITE. CHRIS FARKAS, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Christopher Farkas: I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE ITEM. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW WHEN THEY DO

156DEVELOPMENT AND NEW NEIGHBORHOODS THEY PLAN THROUGH THE CUN O. THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS. THIS IS A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WILL HAVE 8,000 HOMES IN IT. WHEN THEY BREAK GROUND AND HIT, IT'S JUST SOUTHEAST OF MORGAN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE. AS PART OF THE DEDICATION, WE HAVE 25 ACRES AND WE GO THROUGH FAIR MARKET VALUE AND LOOK AT THE APPRAISALS AND THAT FAIR MARKET VALUE IS $5 MILLION AND THAT'S TO PURCHASE THE 25 ACRES IN SOUTHERN WIMAUMA. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE ITEM. C7.20. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON AND GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: MEMBER GRAY, DID YOU WANT TO GO? OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO

157HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PRIORITY. WE ARE PLANNING. WE HAVE ALWAYS -- PEOPLE SAID THIS FREQUENTLY THAT WE'RE NOT PLANNING AHEAD OF WHAT WE NEED AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GROWTH. THESE ARE HOMES THAT HAVE BEEN ALREADY PREAPPROVED FOR BUILD BY THE COUNTY, AND WE ARE HAVING TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS BASED UPON WHAT THE COUNTY HAS DECIDED. NOT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GOVERNMENT. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN THEY REMOVE THE CIT FROM 20% TO 5%, THEY'RE NOT TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT THEY ARE APPROVING. THIS IS ONE OF THEM THAT IS -- ONE OF THE SITUATIONS WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO PUT OUT NOT ONLY MONEY FOR THE PROPERTY BUT MONEY TO PURCHASE AND BUILD THE SCHOOL. SO THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE

158DIFFERENT AVENUES THAT WE'RE HAVING ADDITIONAL CAPITAL FUNDS IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN DOING THAT. AND IT'S, AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER REASON FOR OUR HALF PENNY SALES TAX SO WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE FUNDS TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWTH AND BUILD THE NECESSARY NEEDED SCHOOLS. I'M DEFINITELY FOR THIS. THE GROWTH OUT IN THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY IS EXPONENTIAL. BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE MAY HAVE THE PROPERTY, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE SCHOOLS IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX AND WE ARE NOT PROPERLY FIGURING OUT WHEN WE BUILD SCHOOLS. SO THIS IS A DECISION THAT AS A BOARD WE HAVE TO MAKE TO MAKE SURE THE SCHOOLS ARE LINED UP TO BE ABLE TO BUILD IN

159A TIMELY MANNER. AND WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE PREPARING US WITH THE PROPERTY IN ORDER FOR US TO DO THAT. >>Christopher Farkas: IF I CAN DOVETAIL, IT WILL TAKE US FIVE YEARS OF REDUCED CIT TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. FIVE YEARS OF THAT BASICALLY JUST UNDER $8 MILLION JUST TO DO THAT. WE HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS TO BUILD. I WANT TO REITERATE. YOU'RE RIGHT. >>Patti Rendon: THE PROBLEM IS, IS RIGHT NOW THAT CIT MONEY IS ONLY ENOUGH TO BUILD THE CURRENT HIGH SCHOOL THAT JUST FINISHED. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT'S UNDERWAY. AND THE RICK LOTT TECHNICAL COLLEGE. THOSE THREE WERE FUNDED UNDER THE CURRENT TEN-YEAR CIT MINUS THE IMPACT FEES. ANY NEW BUILDS ABOVE THAT ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF OUR POSSIBILITY. WE ARE NOT GETTING COVERED BY THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

160TAX. WE HAVE ON THE DOCKET RIGHT NOW THREE -- FOUR, I'M SORRY. FOUR NEW SCHOOLS AND THIS MAKES NUMBER FIVE THAT WE'LL STILL NEED TO BUILD IN A 10-YEAR PERIOD WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX MONEY. ALL FROM APPROVED BUILDING PLANS BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT. NOT BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE ARE HAVING TO BACKTRACK WITH MONEY THEY DID NOT PROVIDE US THAT WE NEED TO BUILD. THEY'RE IN CONTROL OF THE IMPACT FEES AND HOW MUCH THAT WE GET FOR THOSE WHICH ARE NOT ENOUGH TO COVER OUR SCHOOLS. WE'RE NOW AT FIVE NEW SCHOOLS WE'LL HAVE TO BUILD IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS THAT ARE NOT COVERED ON THE CURRENT COMMUNITY INTESTAMENT TAX. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE LAND AS WE'RE PREPARED FOR IT, BUT WE AGAIN -- THE COUNTY

161NEEDS TO STEP UP FOR WHAT THEY NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPROVALS OF THE DEVELOPMENT THEY MADE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY ONLY REMARK IS IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO SUSTAIN THIS DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GET THE PROPERTY AT THE BEST PRICE WE CAN AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE -- AND I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD -- BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ASKING FOR THE MONEY, THE CIT WAS SO DETRIMENTAL TO US, THAT DECREASE. BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WANTS THIS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TO THRIVE. WE CAN'T THRIVE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUILD THE VERY SCHOOLS FOR THE -- TO MITIGATE THE GROWTH THAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR

162NEIGHBORHOODS, EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY SOUTH COUNTY. SO AT ANY RATE, MY ONLY REMARK, I GUESS WOULD BE YES, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY AND FUTURE OF OUR DISTRICT. THANKS YOU, CHRIS FARKAS AND YOUR TEAM. BUT THIS IS JUST ONE PIECE OF THE LONG PUZZLE AND SO WE HAVE TO KEEP ON ASKING AND HOPING THAT THEY'LL GIVE US THE MONEY NEEDED. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM IS 12.01, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNUAL GROWTH MANAGEMENT, PLANNING, AND CITING REPORT. THIS IS -- CITING REPORT. IT'S AN INFORMATION ITEM AND DOESN'T REQUIRE A VOTE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. VEEP THIS IS A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT STUDENT ENROLLMENT, SCHOOL CITING AND SCHOOL CAPACITY NEEDS. THIS IS JUST AN

163INFORMATIONAL ITEM. >>Christopher Farkas: WE COVERED IT. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. THAT'S 12.01. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM? >>Patti Rendon: YES, I DID. I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE LOOKING AT A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE 8,000 NEW HOMES BEING BUILT IN PLANT CITY. I'VE GOT PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL AT OVER 120% CAPACITY. I'VE GOT CLASSROOMS THAT ARE OVERFLOWING. I'VE GOT AREAS OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OUT IN THE PLANT CITY AREA THAT ARE FULL, GETTING MORE AND MORE FULL AS MORE PROPERTY IS BUILT. I LOOK AT THIS PLAN AND I SEE THE VERY FIRST HIGH SCHOOL -- THE VERY FIRST BUILDINGS BUILT IN OUR PROPERTY AT PLOPPED PLANT CITY IS IN 2930 SCHOOL YEAR. THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT OUT THERE. I NEED TO PUBLICLY

164STATE THAT I'M ASKING FOR THIS TO BE RECONSIDERED AND MOVE THE NECESSARY BUILDS UP EARLIER THAN WHAT WE HAVE ANTICIPATED HERE BECAUSE I'VE GOT OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS AND I NEED TO HAVE SUFFICIENT SCHOOLS FOR OUR STUDENTS OUT IN THE PLANT CITY AREA. WHETHER WE MAKE A K-8 OUT OF THE POTENTIAL MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BUILD AS MANY SCHOOLS. I'M OPEN FOR SUGGESTIONS. I'M OPEN FOR OFFERINGS. BUT WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE NEEDS AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW WITH -- WE KNOW WE NEED THESE SCHOOLS. WE ALREADY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AND KNOW WE NEED THEM. WE PUSHED BACK TWO YEARS WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE GONE. WE'RE TWO YEARS LATER THAN WHERE WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO. I'D BE REMISS IF I DID NOT ADVOCATE FOR THESE THREE NEW SCHOOLS IN PLANT CITY

165TO BE ADDRESSED AND MEET THE NEEDS OF CONSTITUENTS OUT IN THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION MEMBER RENDON THAT THEY'RE NOT YOUR SCHOOLS. THEY'RE ALL OUR SCHOOLS. THIS ENTIRE BOARD. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE. I ALSO WOULD RECOMMEND AND I WILL PUT IT THROUGH IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD, SINCE IT'S A HUGE SUBJECT AREA, A WORKSHOP TO BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE TO DELVE INTO THIS, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE LOOKING AT NEW SCHOOLS BEING BUILT. NEW RENOVATIONS AND OTHER MOMENTOUS OCCASIONS. EVEN THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE GETTING. SO I'LL PUT FORTH THAT AND SEE IF THE BOARD WILL ALLOW THAT WORKSHOP. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I

166ALSO HAVE TO AGREE WITH MEMBER RENDON. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS IN PLANT CITY WHO ARE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE THERE ARE NOT MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY SINCE I THINK TECHNICALLY THERE IS ONLY ONE HIGH SCHOOL THERE AND SO I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD AGREE IF MEMBER GRAY WANTED TO HAVE A WORKSHOP, SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, AND UNDERSTANDING GROWTH MANAGEMENT SPECIFICALLY IN PLANT CITY BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT MORE KNOWLEDGE THAN I DID ABOUT IT A FEW DAYS AGO. ALSO, I'M GLAD YOU BRING UP THAT THE SCHOOLS ARE ALL OUR SCHOOLS. SIMILAR TO WHERE I THINK THE BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BLOW BELODGE LONGS TO ALL US OF US. NONE OF US SHOULD BE TAKING OWNERSHIP OF ONE

167THING. I UNDERSTAND THAT MEMBER RENDON, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOLS IN YOUR DISTRICT, THAT'S THE WAY SOMETIMES WE USE THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE WE AS BEING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY GET THE MOST FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES? >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO THE SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES. IN THE RECOGNITION, IT'S TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. IT'S BEEN A FUN WEEK BEGINNING YESTERDAY AS WE WERE ALL OUT CELEBRATING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK FROM THE UNIQUE SENIORS AND CELEBRATING TEACHERS. OUR TEACHERS MAKE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS. THEY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE. WE'RE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH TALENTED AND CARING PROFESSIONALS IN THE SCHOOLS. I'M

168EXCITED TO VISIT TEACHERS ALL THIS WEEK TO THANK THEM FOR WHAT THEY DO. NOT JUST THIS WEEK BUT EVERY DAY. IT'S ALWAYS ONE OF THE BEST WEEKS OF THE YEAR, TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND BE ABLE TO SHOW SUPPORT OF ALL THE TEACHERS. THE GREAT TEACHERS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO JUST SOME PHOTOS THERE. AND I JOINED SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS YESTERDAY DOING THE UNIQUE SENIOR VISITS AND WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT SOME OF THE CLASSROOMS WE WERE THERE TO RECOGNIZE TEACHERS. THIS MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS, I SENT OUT AN E-MAIL EVERY SINGLE MORNING AND WE HAVE A GIVEAWAY SO WE SENT OUT -- SENT IT OUT MONDAY MORNING, WE HAD ALMOST 4,000 TEACHERS THAT APPLIED TO WIN OUR LIGHTNING GIVEAWAY WHICH IS FOUR TICKETS TO THE TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING IN THE LOWER LEVEL.

169THEY GAVE AWAY A SIGNED HOCKEY PUCK, HOCKEY STICKS AND THIS MORNING I SURPRISED JENNIFER THERE WITH JOSH ON THE SCREEN THERE, FOURTH GRADE TEACHER AT LUDES K-8 AND SHE GOT THE LIGHTNING PRIZE PACK. WE'LL DO ONE EVERY SINGLE MORNING AND WE'LL BE AT THE SCHOOL WITH THE WINNER TOMORROW. I'LL BE VISITING SCHOOLS ALL WEEK WITH APPRECIATION GIFTS. I WANT TO THANK SOME OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELPED US WITH THIS. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING, RAYS, SUNS, THE STRAZ, THE EDITION HOTEL. THE BIG PRIZE TOMORROW IS A $200 GIFT CARD TO THE AZURA GIFT CARD AT THE EDITION. PUBLIX RACE TRACK AND THE AQUASONIC CAR WASH. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS SO SPECIAL FOR THE TEACHERS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST OF THE WEEK AND SURPRISING TEACHERS. MAY IS DESIGNATED MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. THE STUDENT SERVICES

170TEAM COMPRISED OF SCHOOL PSYCH, SOCIAL WORK AND OUR AVAILABLE AT EVERY SCHOOL. THESE TEAMS PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS BY ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND PROMOTING INITIATIVES THAT EMPHASIZE OVERALL WELLNESS. WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERSHIP THAT INCLUDES MANAGING ENTITIES, CENTRAL FLORIDA, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK, CONTRACT AT COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES AND MEMBERS OF THE LOCAL PLANNING TEAM THAT SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH OF FAMILIES AND STUDENTS. SEVERAL ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE TO PROMOTE RESOURCES AND INCREASE REWILL HAVESILIENCY WITH OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. WE WERE RECOGNIZED AND EARNED THE BELL SEAL FOR WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH. AND BOARD MEMBERS, HERE WE GO. IT'S MAY. IT'S GRADUATIONS WILL BEGIN NEXT WEEK. HARD TO BELIEVE. NEXT WEEK WE'LL BEGIN OUR GRADUATIONS. FIRST UP OUR GRADUATES AT OUR EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION CENTERS. THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE BEGIN THE TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

171CEREMONIES AT THE FAIRGROUNDS THAT RUN THROUGH MAY 30. THE LAST GRADUATION IS BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL ON MAY 30. WE WERE AT THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE TRIVIA QUESTIONS IS BRANDON ON MAY 30. WE'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF 37 CEREMONIES AND AS YOU KNOW, OVER 14,000 STUDENTS THAT WILL BE GRADUATING THIS YEAR. IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT GRADUATING THIS YEAR, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR E-MAIL FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING CEREMONY DETAILS, TICKETS, AND MORE FROM YOUR SCHOOL'S ADMINISTRATION. TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF CEREMONIES VISIT THE DISTRICT WEBSITE. GRADUATIONS BEGINNING NEXT WEEK. THE MONTH OF MAY IS ALWAYS A GREAT WEEK AS WE CELEBRATE OUR SENIORS THAT ARE GRADUATING AND MOVING ON. SO AS MENTIONED EARLIER, AS SUPERINTENDENT, ONE OF THE BEST DAYS OF THE YEAR FOR ME IS I GET

172THE OPPORTUNITY OF OVER THE 14,000 SENIORS THAT WE HAVE, I GET THE REALLY COOL OPPORTUNITY OF PICKING THREE FOR A FULL PREPAID TWO-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP SO THEY WIN TWO YEARS, UP TO $8,000, FLORIDA PREPAID AND ALL RUNS THROUGH THE UNIQUE SENIOR PROGRAM. I GET TO CHOOSE THREE. SO YESTERDAY I HAD THE PLEASURE OF JOINING STAFF AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO VISIT THE SENIORS AT THE SCHOOLS. THESE GRADUATING SENIORS HAVE OVERCOME SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES AND DEMONSTRATED PERSEVERANCE, HARD WORK AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS EARNING THEM THE HONOR OF BEING SELECTED OF MORE THAN 14,000 GRADUATES DISTRICTWIDE. HERE THEY ARE. IT WAS ALEXANDER PEREZ FROM KING HIGH SCHOOL. THERE IS ALEXANDER TO THE LEFT. THAT WAS I THINK MS. RENDON AND MR. WASHINGTON THERE WITH ME OVER THERE. AND THEN WE HAVE THE TAINTED TO RUN OVER TO ALONSO AND CONGRATULATE

173ISAIAH RODRIGUEZ WITH HIS TWO-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP. MS. RENDON AND MS. COMBS WERE THERE TO HELP CELEBRATE ISAIAH AS WELL. THEN WE HEADED OVER TO BRANDON, OUR LAST STOP OF THE DAY TO GIVE THE SCHOLARSHIP TO KLOVER SOLOMON. MS. RENDON AND MS. GRAY AND MR. WASHINGTON WERE THERE TO CELEBRATE THE THREE SENIORS. TWO YEARS FULL PREPAID FOR TWO YEARS OF THE 14,000. ONE OF THE BEST DAYS FOR ME TO CELEBRATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS. SO HERE IS WHAT'S ALSO NEAT. IN ADDITION TO THE UNIQUE SENIORS, TWO INCOMING HCPS KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM FAMILIES WHO PAR TIT PACED IN OPEN -- PARTICIPATED IN OPEN HOUSES AND WILL ALSO RECEIVE A TWO-YEAR SUPERINTENDENT SCHOLARSHIP. SO THOSE THAT HAVE KINDERGARTENS FOR NEXT YEAR, GET THEM REGISTERED. WE'LL SELECT TWO THAT WILL RECEIVE TWO PREPAID. THREE SENIORS AND TWO UPCOMING KIND

174KINDERGARTNERS GOT THE TWO-YEAR FLORIDA PREPAID. AND THIS WE KNOW. WE SELECTED AG AGAIN -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN NAMED BEST COMMUNITY FOR MUSIC EDUCATION BY THE NAEM FOUNDATION. THIS IS A NATIONAL HONOR THAT RECOGNIZES SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT DEMONSTRATES A STRONG COMMITMENT TO HIGH QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS. BEING RECOGNIZED AT A NATIONAL LEVEL IS A TESTIMONY OF THE MUSIC EDUCATORS. STUDENTS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT EXPERIENCE HIGH QUALITY MUSIC EDUCATION FOSTER COLLABORATION. MR. BRADY, THAT'S A LOT OF YOUR TEAM AND BOARD MEMBERS, ALL OF YOU GO TO MANY OF OUR MUSIC EVENTS AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS A MUSIC PROGRAM ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY THAT COMES CLOSE TO US AND WHAT WE PROVIDE. WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS TEAM OF TEACHERS ACROSS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS. IT'S NICE WE

175KNOW WE DO IT. NOW WE HAVE AN AWARD THAT PROVES IT. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. BRADY. A LOT OF YOUR TEAMWORK AND CONGRATULATIONS, SIR. THEN WE HAD OUR EXCELLENCE IN ACTION AWARDS ON APRIL 22. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS JOINED THE STAFF AT ROBINSON FOR THE 27th ANNUAL EXCELLENCE IN ACTION AWARD CEREMONY. I WANT TO -- THESE EXCELLENCE IN ACTION AWARDS WERE ESTABLISHED FOR IT PARENTS TO RECOGNIZE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF THEIR CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WHO RECEIVE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION SERVICES. FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS, FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE STUDENTS HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO SUBMIT HUNDREDS OF NOMINATIONS FOR ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHER SUPPORT STAFF, TRANSPORTATION STAFF, THERAPISTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO HAVE TOUCHED THEIR LIVES. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WHO WERE RECOGNIZED AT THIS EVENT. I KNOW MEMBER HAHN --

176I KNOW YOU AND MEMBER RENDON WERE THERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE TO RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENTS AT THE EXCELLENCE IN ACTION AWARDS. THEN WE HAD A BIG HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE. I WANT TO CONGRATULATION COACH JOSH SANDERS. HE FROM ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR BEING INDUCTED INTO THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME. COACH SAUNDERS HAS BEEN HEAD COACH OF ROBINSON FOR 18 YEARS. FLAG FOOTBALL. WON 13 DISTRICT TITLES AND 13 STRAIGHT STATE FINAL APPEARANCES WINNING THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2014, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 AND 24 AND 25 AND THEY'RE STILL PLAYING THIS YEAR. HE'LL BE FORMALLY INDUCTED IN SEPTEMBER AT THE BANQUET. CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH SAUNDERS AND GOOD LUCK TO HIS TEAM WHO ARE THERE CURRENTLY IN THE PLAYOFFS AS WE SPEAK. AND A SPECIAL CONGRATS TO CONGRESSMAN BUCHANAN WITH

177THE AWARDS IN 2014 TO GIVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO THE OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF IN FLORIDA'S 16th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM BUCHANAN'S OFFICE STOPPED BY LAST WEEK TO SURPRISE, WE ALL BOW AIKEN WITH THIS DISTINGUISHED AWARD. SO JOHAN, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS YOU DO. CONGRATS. AND FINALLY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE DISTRICT WAS NAMED THE MOST IMPROVED FASFA COMPLETION WINNER AS PART OF THE ACCESS NETWORK. FLORIDA FAFSA CHALLENGE. A STATEWIDE EFFORT TO HELP MORE STUDENTS ACCESS FINANCIAL AID FOR EDUCATION BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL. WE ACHIEVE -- AND THIS IS IMPORTANT. WE ACHIEVE THE LARGEST INCREASE IN FAFSA BETWEEN MARCH OF 2025 AND MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD A 13.4 PERCENTAGE POINT COMPLETION. MR. COLON FROM THE FLORIDA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK CAME

178OVER, NOTIFIED ME. THERE WILL BE A RECEPTION THAT I'LL BE AT THIS THURSDAY AND MR. MURILLO WILL REPRESENT THE DISTRICT NEXT MONDAY AT NOON. SORRY, I'LL BE AT THE RECEPTION THURSDAY. THEN FRIDAY AFTERNOON, IT WILL BE A LUNCH WHERE WE'LL RECEIVE AN AWARD, MR. MURILLO WILL ACCEPT THAT ON THE DISTRICT'S BEHALF. THIS RECOGNITION REFLECTS THE COMMISSION OF OUR SCHOOL, COUNSELORS, AND TEAMS TO OPENING DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENT. COMPLETING THE FASFA IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD COLLEGE, CAREER TRAINING OR TECHNICAL EDUCATION. WE'RE PROUD OF THE PROGRESS OUR STUDENTS HAVE MADE. AND MADAM CHAIR, THOSE ARE MY UPDATES. >> KAREN PEREZ: THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES EACH TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL COMMENTS. MEMBER GRAY? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

179YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR DISTRICT. ONE OF THE BIG PREREQUISITES AS ALWAYS ARE TEACHERS. TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, DAY, YEAR, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS, WE DO APPRECIATE YOU AND AS THE LATE EARL SAID, YOU INDEED ARE THE TRAIN THAT KEEPS THE SCHOOLS MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU, ALL, TEACHERS. NEXT IS THE CITY OF TAMPA MAYORS HISPANIC ADVISORY COUNCIL. I WANT TO THANK BIG TIME MAYOR CASTOR FOR RECOGNIZING OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITIES WITH HER COUNCIL. THIS COUNCIL HAS REPRESENTED OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE TAMPA BAY REGION FOR 43 YEARS. HISPANIC LEADERS AND COMMITTEES SUCH AS MAYOR BELL, DONNA PERINO, DONNA RODRIGUEZ, WHO SERVE ON OUR FORUM, PLUS ELECTED OFFICIALS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES SUPPORT THIS 43-YEAR-OLD COUNCIL AND GAVE OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL WONDERFUL AND MEANINGFUL AND WORTHY SCHOLARSHIPS. SO THANK YOU FOR

180THAT. NEXT, I DON'T KNOW, CAN YOU PUT THE PHOTO ON FOR THE HALO? IT'S -- OKAY. LET ME -- I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS THEN. WE'LL DO THAT NEXT. I WANT TO THANK LAUREN HOPE DAWSON, PRINCIPAL, MY LADY, MARIA GONZALEZ, TEACHERS MS. SANDY, AND MS. LOPEZ, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THE BOOK, INSPIRING STORIES FOR KIDS DURING THIS CELEBRATION. THOSE DUAL-LANGUAGE STUDENTS ARE SO KEEN FROM KINDERGARTEN, 2nd, AND 3rd, THERE WAS NOT ONE STUDENT, NOT ANY OF THEM THAT WERE NOT, I MEAN, THEY WERE JUST PAYING ATTENTION TO EVERY WORD I WAS SAYING. IN FRONT OF YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE, THOSE ARE KINDERGARTNERS. THEY'RE ALERT. THE DUAL LANGUAGE HAS SO MANY ADVANTAGES. NOT TO MENTION THEY'RE ACADEMICALLY MORE SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL. SO I APPLY MELISSA, OUR HISPANIC FORUM, AND ALL OF OUR HISPANIC TEAM, WORLD

181LANGUAGES SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE I GET THAT FROM. IT'S A FLASHBACK. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR ALSO SUPPORTING THEM FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH OUR STAFF. DON'T LAUGH, MEMBER WASHINGTON, BECAUSE YOU MAY DO THE SAME. ALL RIGHT. THE HALO, THAT'S THE NEXT PICTURE, PABLO. OH, RIGHT. THERE WE GO. YOU KNOW, WE HEARD SOME THINGS THAT WERE NOT POSITIVE ABOUT PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL. AND I JUST WANTED TO WIPE SOME OF THAT OUT. I KNOW THE SAFETY IS BEING VERY HIGH, YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL. BUT THEY ARE ONE OF THE PILOTS THAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK DR. GRAY, WE MIGHT HAVE SIX PILOTS. I KNOW BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL IS A PILOT FOR THE VAPING. I MIGHT BE WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE HALO IN SOME OF THEIR RESTROOMS. BUT

182WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE HAVING THAT INSTALLATION THAT WILL SENSE SMOKING INDOOR VAPING AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VIDEO TECHNOLOGY CAPABLE OF DETECTING VAPING SCENTS IN RESTROOMS IS EXPECTED TO DISCOURAGE STUDENTS FROM VAPING ACTIVITIES. SO ALONG WITH THAT IN PLANT CITY AND FIVE OTHER SCHOOLS, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE NO-VAPING SIGNS. THAT'S COMING UP. THANK YOU, MR. FARKAS, FOR GETTING THAT ARRANGED. BY THE WAY, VAPING IS AGAINST THE LAW. AND THAT'S THE END OF THAT CONVERSATION. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL TRACY DURANTS AND MR. HUMPHREY AP, FOR ALSO GOING A STEP FURTHER AND HAVING PLASTIC BACKPACKS SO EVERYTHING IN THE BACKPACK IS VISIBLE. THAT IS ANOTHER GREAT SAFETY INITIATIVE. AND LAST, AND I THINK I'M GOING TO LET BOARD MEMBER WASHINGTON SHARE THE GREAT GROUNDBREAKING EXPERIENCE WE HAD BECAUSE I KNOW THAT HE

183HAS BEEN SO BEHIND THE SCENES WORKING WITH THIS INITIATIVE. SO BOARD MEMBER WASHINGTON, WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR TURN I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU YOUR EXPERIENCE AND YOUR SHARE. THANK YOU. >> KAREN PEREZ: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. THIS IS THE BEST AND REALLY SUCH A REWARDING TIME OF THE YEAR. SO MANY WONDERFUL EVENTS CELEBRATING OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, AND OUR STUDENTS. I'M NOT SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THE MUSIC AWARD. ONE OF THE BEST, YOU KNOW, BANQUETS IS ALWAYS THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BANQUET MUSIC AWARD. I KNOW MEMBER VAUGHN, MEMBER RENDON, AND I, WENT TO THAT. TRACY IS SUCH A PHENOMENAL LEADER INSPIRING KIDS FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE TO LOVE MUSIC. THAT BANQUET IS SO WONDERFUL. TO BE IN A ROOM FULL OF ARTISTS IS JUST WONDERFUL. ALSO

184JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON THE BANQUET. OUR SCHOOL LEADER OF THE YEAR, CHRISTINA VEGA FROM TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD, CARRIE FRANKLIN FROM NEWSOM, AND OUR OWN DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR, ANNMARIE COURTNEY. THAT'S A GREAT EVENT. BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE ALL THE WORK THAT ANNMARIE DOES IS JUST WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AND MR. WASHINGTON FOR THAT JUST GROUNDBREAKING TO SEE THAT STUDENTS WITH ILL BE ABLE TO GO PRE-K ALL THE WAY THROUGH 12th GRADE AND BE ABLE TO MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IS JUST AMAZING. JUST A COUPLE THINGS. 100-YEAR CELEBRATION AT McFARLAND PARK IN WEST TAMPA. IT'S GREAT TO BE THERE IN SUCH A HISTORICAL TIME. AND TO HEAR ABOUT THE STORY OF WEST TAMPA AND TO REALLY KNOW MORE ABOUT WHY THE STREETS ARE NAMED THAT, WHAT HAPPENED, AND TO HEAR FROM THE McFARLAND FAMILY AND ALSO EJ

185SALSINAS. TO HEAR THAT HISTORICAL PART WAS REALLY AMAZING. I WANT TO SPOTLIGHT A FEW THINGS WITH OUR STUDENTS. THE FIRST ONE IS THE "WE SEE YOU." PABLO. THIS IS A NON-PROFIT. MR. WASHINGTON AND I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THIS. I THINK THIS IS THE SIXTH OR SEVENTH YEAR. TANYA LEWIS AND DAVE KIMBLE. THEY HAVE STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE BAY AREA. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS WHEN KIDS GO OFF TO COLLEGE, YOU DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY NEED. ME, HAVING A SINGLE MOM, I HAD A GARBAGE CAN FULL OF STUFF. MY MOM DIDN'T EVEN DROP ME OFF. TO HAVE THE PREPARATION, THEY CREATE EVERYTHING THE CHILD MIGHT NEED FROM THE COMPUTERS, TO BEDROOM STUFF, DORM THINGS. THEN THEY INDIVIDUALIZE THAT FOR EVERY STUDENT. WE HAD SO MANY STUDENTS BE CELEBRATED. AT THE BOTTOM CORNER, YOU CAN

186SEE THEY DO THAT FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD. MEN IN VISION WAS THERE. IT WAS AMAZING. ALL THESE STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO GET THAT. I ALREADY HAVE ONE STUDENT ALREADY TEXT ME TODAY BECAUSE SHE'S GOING TO FSU AND SHE HAS QUESTIONS. SO A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS ARE FIRST GENERATION GOING TO COLLEGE. OR GETTING THAT SUPPORT. THIS IS JUST SUCH A GREAT ORGANIZATION. AND I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW, YOU FEEL INSPIRED THE ENTIRE TIME. NEXT IS YESTERDAY I WAS ABLE TO GO TO MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE. REPRESENTATIVE CATHIE CASTOR AND REPRESENTATIVE LAURA LEE, THEIR MILITARY SERVICE ACADEMY SENDOFF CELEBRATION. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE WHOLE TAMPA BAY AREA WHICH IS REALLY AMAZING. WE HAD TWO STUDENTS FROM SICKLES, ONE FROM STEINBRENNER, A STUDENT FROM MIDDLETON, SEVERAL STUDENTS FROM JESUIT. IT'S

187AN AMAZING CELEBRATION, AN AMAZING EVENT TO SEND OFF AND TO HEAR THOSE SPEECHES WAS REALLY, GOSH, IT'S JUST IT WAS REALLY IMPACTFUL. MEETING THE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WAS JUST A WONDERFUL SESSION. FINALLY, YOU KNOW, IT IS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. AND AT EL DIA DEL NINO, I WANT TO THANK VERONICA SCHMIDT GOMEZ, THEIR DUAL-LANGUAGE PROGRAM. THIS CLASS IS WHAT SCHOOL IS ALL ABOUT. THESE KIDS, EVERY SINGLE CHILD HERE WAS READING A LARGE BOOK, A VERY LARGE -- A LOT WERE READING. YOU CAN SEE THEIR TIES BECAUSE THEY READ "HARRY POTTER." SHE HAD KIDS WHO READ OVER A MILLION BOOKS, A MILLION WORDS. EVERY CHILD THERE WAS A LIFELONG READER. THAT'S REALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING AND COMPUTERS, THESE KIDS LOVE, L LOVE, LOVE LITERACY. THEY'RE READING "NARNIA" IN SPANISH. A BOOK

188THAT'S COMPLETELY BILINGUAL. IT WAS POWERFUL TO SEE MS. SORENSEN AT DEER PARK. I CAN'T DESCRIBE TO YOU. SHE SENT ME PICTURES AFTER I LEFT WITH KIDS WITH THEIR STACKS OF BOOKS WITH THEIR TEACHERS SHOWING HOW MUCH THEY LOVED READING. THIS IS -- EVERY ONE OF THEM, SHE WAS LIKE THIS PERSON'S GOING TO BE A LAWYER, THIS PERSON'S GOING TO BE THIS AND THAT. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MOVED I WAS WHEN I LEFT THE CLASS AND HOW POWERFUL IT WAS. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND ALL OUR ADMINISTRATORS WHO SUPPORT THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. >> KAREN PEREZ: THANK YOU, MEMBER. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >> HENRY WASHINGTON: I WANT TO SAY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK SHOULD BE EVERY DAY FOR TEACHER APPRECIATION. THANK

189YOU FOR ALL THAT TEACHERS DO HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE STUDENTS. FIRST, WE HAD THE -- I'M GOING TO APRIL 24th, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BEST THIRD ANNUAL WHITE COAT. IT WAS AN OUTSTANDING PROGRAM. DR. HAHN WAS THERE. WE ENJOYED -- IT WAS REALLY NICE. THE STUDENTS WERE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO PUT ON THAT WHITE COAT. AND IT WAS REALLY NICE. LET'S MOVE ON NOW TO -- LET ME, OH, LET ME GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO VAUGHN AIKEN. HE'S NOT HERE? CONGRATULATIONS FOR WINNING THE CONGRESSIONAL EDUCATION AWARD. REALLY OUTSTANDING PERSON. VERY GOOD PERSON. VERY OUTSTANDING. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HIM. NEXT IS APRIL THE 28th WHICH WAS A GROUNDBREAKING. WE HAD A GREAT CROWD THERE AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR STAFF. WE HAD TWO BOARD MEMBERS THERE. WE HAD MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER COMBS. WE

190JUST HAD A GREAT TIME. WE HAD QUITE A FEW -- WE HAD A FEW -- QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THERE WHO WAS VERY IMPORTANT. IT WAS GREAT. I THANK THE STAFF FOR COMING OUT AND THE CABINET. IT'S A NEW CHAPTER. IT WAS A NEW CHAPTER. WE BROKE GROUND ON A CAMPUS FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND STUART MAGNATE SCHOOL. IT'S POWERFUL. THAT'S MEANS SCHOOLS GROWING TOGETHER. SCHOOLS CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER. AND FAMILIES ROOTED IN THEIR COMMUNITY FROM DAY ONE TO GRADUATION. TALK ABOUT 12 YEARS A PERSON CAN GO TO SCHOOL THERE AND NEVER LEAVE THAT COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY YOU TALK ABOUT NEVER LEAVE THE COMMUNITY, TALK ABOUT FOUR FOOTBALL FIELDS APART GOING FROM JUST TO STEWART TO HOWARD W. BLAKE. THAT'S GREAT. WE REALLY ENJOYED -- WE HAD OUTSTANDING SPEAKERS. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. DR. COLLINS. WE ALSO

191HAD YVETTE FROM THE NAACP TO SPEAK. YOU CAN SEE HOW THE SCHOOLS ARE BEING BUILT THERE. THE HOUSING AREA OVER THERE IS PHENOMENAL. IT'S REALLY NICE. YOU CAN WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND GO -- AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THEY DON'T HAVE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THE KIDS -- IT WILL BE REALLY GREAT. WE'RE PROUD. THE COMMUNITY IS PROUD. IT'S ALWAYS GREAT WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMUNITY TO PUT IN REAL HARD FOR A SCHOOL. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND PARTICIPATION TO HELP THIS WORK. IT'S NOT A -- IT'S FOR EVERYBODY. IT'S FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO "WE SEE YOU." COLLEGE BOUND SCHOLARSHIP WINNER IS FROM BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME. NADIA, THANK YOU FOR COMING. IT

192WAS REALLY EXCITING. WE HAD A YOUNG LADY THERE, SHE'S GOING TO FAMU. GOING TO THE RATTLERS FROM BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. RECIPIENT. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE WHATEVER THEIR WISH LIST. WE GIVE THEM A WISH LIST. WE DONATE MONEY. YOU KNOW, I SAY THIS QUITE OFTEN. WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED, MY WIFE AND I, TO BE ABLE TO GIVE. GROWING UP, WE HAD NOTHING. IT FEELS GOOD TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. IT REALLY IS A GREAT FEELING. WE DO IT EVERY YEAR. WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS. AND THE KIDS ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE, TOO. BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE KIDS HAVE A HARD TIME. YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE. SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO GIVE. WHENEVER GOD BLESSES YOU TO BE ABLE TO GIVE, YOU GIVE. SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY FOR VANIYA.

193I TOLD HER WHEN SHE WRITES, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE HER MORE MONEY, SO SHE BETTER GET HER HANDWRITING GOING SO SHE CAN HAVE MORE MONEY. SO I HAVE 29 SECONDS LEFT. I TELL YOU. THANK YOU, ALL. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT, YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. YOU WORK HARD. YOU GET BEAT UP SOMETIMES. THAT'S A PART OF LIFE. YOU REALLY WORK HARD AND DO A GREAT JOB. BOY, WE GET BEAT UP BAD, TOO. YOU KNOW WHAT, WE MAKE HARD DECISIONS AND DO WHAT WE THINK IS RIGHT FOR PEOPLE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> KAREN PEREZ: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I GUESS I NEED TO GET BETTER AT MY PICTURE SLIDESHOW GAME. YOU GUYS ARE KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK. I'VE GOT NOTHING TO SHOW. EVEN

194THOUGH I'VE BEEN RUNNING ALL OVER THE PLACE. BUT REALLY I WANT TO USE THIS TIME TO ECHO WHAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID. SO MANY GREAT EVENTS. WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO AT THE END OF THE YEAR. IT'S ALWAYS AN EXCITING TIME OF THE YEAR TO CELEBRATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND I KNOW IT COINCIDES WITH TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. SO I JUST WANT TO REALLY TAKE THE TIME, YOU KNOW, I PUT OUT A POST TO ASK TEACHERS WHAT THEY REALLY WANT FOR TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. AND REALLY WHAT THEY WANT IS, ONE, A LIVABLE WAGE, BUT, TWO, ALSO JUST TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE VALUED AND RESPECTED AND HEARD MOST OF ALL. SO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR

195TEACHERS, YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE BEING HEARD AND RESPECTED. I RESPECT AND HEAR YOU SO MUCH. WE TALK ABOUT TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, BUT THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK TO MAKE SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SUCCESSFUL. YOU KNOW, THERE'S OUR BUS DRIVERS, CAFETERIA WORKERS, OUR SECURITY TEAMS, RESOURCE OFFICERS, PARAS. SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS EVERY SINGLE DAY. I WISH WE HAD EVERY SINGLE WEEK TO APPRECIATE AND CELEBRATE ALL OF THOSE. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING NICE FOR YOUR TEACHERS THIS WEEK, IT DOESN'T HURT TO DROP IN A NICE CARD OR SOMETHING FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS WHO DON'T NECESSARILY GET RECOGNIZED FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. ALSO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT I KNOW I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT

196A LOT, BUT I'M CONCLUDING MY FIRST YEAR OF HAVING MY STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. AND THE LAST MEETING I ACTUALLY TOOK SOME OF THE CONSTITUENT PROBLEMS AND LETTERS AND E-MAILS THAT I'VE GOTTEN AND KIND OF CHANGED THE NAMES AND DETAILS TO PROTECT EVERYBODY'S PRIVACY BUT ASKED THEM WHAT THEIR RESPONSES WOULD BE. AND SOME OF THE TEAMWORK AND RESPONSES THAT I GOT FROM THE STUDENTS ARE OUTSTANDING. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M COMING WITH A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR STUDENTS AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. BUT IT'S BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY TALK WITH THEM AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK AND WATCH THEM PROBLEM SOLVE IDEAS AND REALLY BECOME LEADERS AND THINK OF SOLUTIONS IN WAY THAT I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF. SO I THINK IT JUST HIGHLIGHTS WHEN WE

197MAKE OURSELVES ACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS FOR, HOW MUCH GETTING THAT FEEDBACK REALLY HELPS US BECOME STRONGER LEADERS. I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. WHETHER IT'S GOING IN SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT'S CONNECTING WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR TALKING TO OUR STUDENTS. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND GRATEFUL FOR OUR STAFF AND GRATEFUL WE HAVE 17 DAYS LEFT OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND GRATEFUL WE CAN END ON A POSITIVE NOTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> KAREN PEREZ: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. SO I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SHOW A PICTURE OF US READING. YES. SO BOARD MEMBERS, SO I WENT TO READ WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT. SURPRISINGLY, HE READ SPANISH. I READ THE ENGLISH PART. HE DID AMAZINGLY. WE HAVE NO PICTURES TO PROVE IT. NOTHING HAPPENED HERE. SO I DO HAVE ONE, ONE PICTURE.

198I'M LIKE YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN, I DON'T --. SO, YOU KNOW, WE CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY ON SUNDAY. BUT A LOT OF CULTURES CELEBRATE IT DIFFERENT DAYS. SO (SPEAKING SPANISH) AND, YOU KNOW, THE INFORMATION IS RIGHT HERE. SO THE DOMINICAN COMMUNITY, THEY CELEBRATE MOTHER'S DAY ON THE 30th OF MAY. WHILE WE CELEBRATE IT ON MAY 10th, 9th? 10th. YEAH. THE 10th. UH-HUH. SO, YEAH. SO AND, YOU KNOW, AS MAY MARKS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH, I JUST AM REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIORITIZING MENTAL WELLBEING IN OUR SCHOOLS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE SEVENTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NATION. YOU KNOW, AS A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER AND A CERTIFIED TRAUMATOLOGIST, I'M COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE EMOTIONALLY, ACADEMICALLY, AND THAT TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEM.

199ALSO HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE AMAZING TEACHERS AND STAFF HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU GO HOME SOMETIMES TO YOUR KIDS, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A MOM TO THE STUDENTS IN YOUR CLASSROOMS. SO YOUR DEDICATION AND CARE SHAPE THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT AND THE NURTURING SPIRIT YOU BRING TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN AS WE CELEBRATE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE INCREDIBLE TEACHERS WHO MAKE A PROFOUND IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS' LIVES EVERY DAY. OUR TEACHERS ARE THE HEART OF OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION. THEY INSPIRE CURIOSITY, NURTURE GROWTH, AND EMPOWER STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT ARE EVIDENT IN EVERY LESSON YOU PLAN, EVERY CHALLENGE YOU EMBRACE, AND EVERY

200MOMENT THAT YOU SPEND SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS' DREAMS. DURING THIS SPECIAL WEEK, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE TOUCHED YOUR LIVES. SHAKE, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO DRIVE. AND -- (LAUGHTER) JUST SAYING. I HAVEN'T GOT PULLED OVER YET. IF I EVER GET PULLED OVER I'M GOING TO TELL THEM TO SPEAK TO SHAKE WASHINGTON. VAN, THANK YOU FOR TEACHING MY CHILDREN. I HAVE BOOKENDS OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE AFFECTED MY LIFE. AND WHETHER THROUGH A HEARTFELT NOTE, A SMALL TOKEN OF APPRECIATION, OR SIMPLY A KIND WORD, YOUR GESTURES OF THANKS CAN BRIGHTEN A TEACHER'S DAY AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT THEY DO ON A DAILY BASIS. THANK YOU, TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR YOUR UNWAVERING PASSION AND DEDICATION. WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE

201THIS REMARKABLE EDUCATORS GUIDING OUR STUDENTS TOWARD A BRIGHT FUTURE. AND WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.