001Chairperson: HI, I'M KAREN PEREZ. WELCOME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I'M NADIA COMBS, THE SCHOOL BOARD VICE CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS SEVENTH LARGETHS IN AMERICA, MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4:00 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO MEET OR EMAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS. MEETINGS ARE TREATMENT LIVE ON OUR WEB SITE, CLOSED CAPTIONING IS OPEN ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME
002FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEB SITE. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS EVERY DAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Chairperson: THE BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 10th IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER COMBS WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THANK Nadia Combs: THAN PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [ MOMENT OF SILENCE ] THANK YOU. NOW, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [RECITING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Chairperson: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? Nadia Combs:
003THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK LOCKHART ELEMENTARY DRUM LINE ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL COREY JACKSON AND DIRECTOR KEVIN LYONS. THESE WOLF STUDENTS ENTERTAIN US PRIOR TO OUR BOARD MEETING. WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DRUM LINE. WE ENJOYED LISTENING TO ALL OF YOU THIS MORNING. IT WAS AMAZING. YEAH, THE BEST. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY BACK TO SOME OF YOU. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD, OUR FABULOUS BOARD, FOR INVITING US HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO PERFORM, AND I INTRODUCE TO SOME AND PRESENT TO OTHERS YOUR LOCKHART ELEMENTARY MAGNET SCHOOL COUGAR PRIDE MARCHING UNIT. I SEE "YOUR" BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE'RE FORGOTTEN ABOUT IN OUR CORNER ON LAKE AND 17th. OUR DRUM LINE CONSISTS OF STUDENTS FROM GRADES KINDERGARTEN -- WE HAVE ONE FROM KINDERGARTEN. RAISE YOUR HAND. TO FIFTH GRADE. ALL OF OUR
004FIFTH GRADE, WHICH MY WIFE LIKES TO CALL FIFTH GRADER SENIORS, SO ALL FIFTH GRADERS. ALL RIGHT. I WON'T PROLONG THE TIME BECAUSE I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOTTING US THE TIME. ONE THING, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I WAS DEALING WITH THROAT CANCER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING ON SPRING BREAK, AFTER NEXT WEEK, AT THAT TIME LAST YEAR, I WENT ON FMLA TO DEAL WITH MY THROAT CANCER. SO, AS OF 40 DAYS AGO NOW, I FOUND OUT THAT I'M CANCER-FREE. AND WHAT KEEPS ME GOING, THIS IS WHAT KEEPS ME GOING. IT KEEPS ME GOING. MY WIFE WANTS ME TO RETIRE. I SAID, I CAN'T. I HAVE TOO MUCH INVESTED BECAUSE SOME OF MY KIDS ARE ALSO IN MY LITTLE KIDS ROCK GROUP. ALL
005MY LITTLE KIDS ROCK, RAISE YOUR HANDS. SO NOT ONLY ARE THEY PLAYING DRUMS AND POM-POMs AND FLAGS BUT THEY'RE LEARNING BASS GUITAR, ELECTRIC GUITAR, KEYBOARDS, VOCALS. SO THEY'RE BUSY, 12 HOUR DAYS. ON BEHALF OF OUR PRINCIPAL, MR. JACKSON, FROM THE ENTIRE COUGAR FAMILY, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. PEREZ WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWAL ITEM, ITEM 205, CONTRACT APPROVAL FOR TERRACE ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE, INNOVATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. [ VOTING IN PROGRESS ] AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. I HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, FEBRUARY 24th, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED
006A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. [ VOTING IN PROGRESS ] AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NON-PARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN, SUCCEED, AND OUR DISCUSSIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER COMBS WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. AS WE BEGIN TODAY'S AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE
007ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SPEAKERS ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR AFTER STEPPING FROM THE DIAS. CAN BE VIEWED ON LIVE WEBCAST, CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS IN THE AWED CORYUM, CLOSED CAPTIONING AND ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. -- Chairperson: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN 6:00 P.M. EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. RECOGNITIONS, A01 RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS BEST KREWE AWARD AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP DIRECTOR ANN MARIE COURTNEY. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, CABINET MEMBERS AND GUESTS. THE BUCS BEST KREWE PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ARE COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING HEROES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES STANDOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE, OVERALL IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
008AND SCHOOL. WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE RIIAN FOR, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WITH US THIS EVEN TO ANNOUNCE THIS MONTH'S AWARD RECIPIENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AND EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE. COURTNEY SANCHEZ, OUR CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER, IS JOINING ME TODAY AS WELL, AND I JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY BRAGGING A LITTLE ABOUT FOUR LOCAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FLAG FOOTBALL TEAMS. WE HAD 400 PEOPLE WALK IN A 5K IN THE MORNING AND EIGHT TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE STATE PARTICIPATE IN OUR SHIA'S GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL CLASSIC -- LEONARD, STEINBRENNER, BLOOMINGDALE AND EAST BAY -- AND WHAT A PERFORMANCE, WHAT COMMITMENT, WHAT PROFESSIONALISM FROM THE TEACHERS, FROM THE SUPPORT, FROM THE FAMILIES. IT MADE US PROUD TO BE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BY THEIR PERFORMANCE. I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE LEONARD TOOK THE TROPHY. CONGRATULATIONS
009TO LEONARD HIGH SCHOOL AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION. NEXT YEAR WE HOPE THE EVENT, TO GET THAT MUCH BIGGER, COMES OFF THE HEELS OF THE FOOTBALL CLASSIC I MENTIONED LAST MONTH. RIGHT NOW, WE'RE HERE TO ANNOUNCE THREE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL THAT HAVE JOINED US HERE TODAY, AND THE STORIES KEEP GETTING BETTER EACH MONTH. THIS MONTH'S NO DIFFERENT. FIRST UP, I'D LIKE TO ASK RHONDA HERNANDEZ, USA PARAPROFESSIONAL FROM FOSTER ELEMENTARY TO JOIN ME. HOW ARE YOU? CONGRATULATIONS. RHONDA, THESE COMMENTS I'M ABOUT TO READ ARE COMING FROM YOUR PEERS, YOUR STUDENTS, THE STUDENTS' FAMILIES, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR ADMINISTRATION, AND, WOW, JUST AMAZING. SO, I ASKED HER WHILE WE WERE WAITING HOW LONG SHE'S BEEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ALMOST FOUR YEARS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR DO EVERY DAY. YOU TRULY EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF TEAMWORK, COMPASSION AND UNWAVERING
010SUPPORT. AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL, YOU CONSTANTLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR BOTH YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR COLLEAGUES, SERVING AS A STEADY, DEPENDABLE PRESENCE WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. EVERY MORNING, AS FOSTER, SHE SETS THE TONE OF THE ENTIRE DAY. SHE GREETS EACH CHILD BY NAME, WITH A GENUINE SMILE, WARMTH AND HEART FELT GOOD MORNING. FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARRIVE AFTER A DIFFICULT START TO THEIR DAY, THAT MOMENT OF KINDNESS MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE. SHE NOTICES AND SPEAKS I HAVE LI THEM WITH ENCOURAGING WORDS AND PATIENT UNDERSTANDING. TIME AND TIME AGAIN YOUR STAFF HAVE WATCHED YOU WALK INTO HER SPACE DISCOURAGED, UPSET AND RETURNED CALM, SMILING AND READY TO LEARN. THANK YOU. WHAT STANDS OUT EVEN MORE IS HOW YOU SUPPORT YOUR COLLEAGUES. THIS IS WHERE I COME IN, THE TEAMWORK AND THE TEAM
011PLAY. WHENEVER THEY ARE FACING A CHALLENGING MOMENT WITH A STUDENT, SHE STEPS IN WITHOUT HESITATION. YOU OFFER WISDOM, REASSURANCE AND PRACTICAL GUIDANCE. YOU STRENGTHEN NOT ONLY THE STUDENTS BUT ALSO THE STAFF AROUND YOU. THAT'S TREMENDOUS. PERHAPS THE MOST INSPIRING PART IS THAT YOU DO THIS VERY QUIETLY. YOU'RE NOT SEEKING RECOGNITION OR PRAISE. TODAY'S PROBABLY KILLING YOU RIGHT NOW. WE'RE HERE TO PRAISE YOU, SO ENJOY IT. MUCH DESERVED. YOU SIMPLY SERVE AS A CONSISTENT, COMPASSIONATE AND INTEGRITY BECAUSE YOU GENUINELY LOVE THE CHILDREN, STAFF AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND THAT IS WHY YOU ARE OUR BUCS BEST KREWE. NOW, THIS ONE AGAIN, YOU ALL KNOW MY KIDS BOTH WENT TO STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL. I MISS THIS YOUNG MAN. COME UP HERE, SIR. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. NOT ONLY DID HE SERVE IN THE
012ARMY BUT ALSO IN THE AIR FORCE. TALK ABOUT A HERO. STEPHEN NOTO, SFCR SERGEANT NOTO, ARMY ROTC INSTRUCTOR ADD STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL. AGAIN, THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR FACULTY, ADMINISTRATION, STUDENT BODY AND FAMILIES. AMAZING. YOU EXEMPLIFY A LIFETIME OF SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVING HONORABLY SERVED IN THE ARMY AND U.S. AIR FORCE. YOU CONTINUE THIS LEGACY OF SERVICE IN THE CLASSROOM AS A ARMY ROTC INSTRUCTOR. RETIREMENT DID NOT MARK THE END OF YOUR DEDICATION, IT REDEDICATE IT TOWARD SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. AT STEIN WRITTENNER, YOU ARE KNOWN AS BEING THE FIRST IN AND LAST OUT AT STEINBRENNER. THAT'S RECOGNIZED AND APPRECIATED. BEYOND FULL-TIME TEACHING RESPONSIBILITY, YOU DEVOTE COUNTLESS HOURS MORNINGS, NIGHTS, WEEKEND TO COACHING THE SCHOOL'S R.O.T.C. PROBIOTICS AND EXHIBITION DRILL TEAMS. YOU HAVE PRODUCED
013UNBELIEVABLE RESULTS. YOUR DRILL TEAM WERE IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2023. YOUR ROBOTIC TEAMS THREE TIME REIGNING R.O.T.C. ROBOTIC STATE CHAMPIONS AND IN 2023 STUDENTS PLACED FIRST AND SECOND IN THE ROBOTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS IN DALLAS, REFLECTING EXCELLENCE AND CONSISTENCY AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COMPETITION. HOWEVER, YOUR IMPACT REACHES FAR BEYOND TROPHIES. YOUR STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY EARN SOME OF THE HIGHEST EXAM SCORES IN THE DISTRICTS, AND THAT'S THE ROOF IN THE PUDDING THAT WE ALL ARE LOOKING FOR. YOU HAVE HELPED OTHER SCHOOLS ESTABLISH ROBOTICS PROGRAMS AND HOSTED MULTIPLE COMPETITIONS EACH YEAR INCLUDING REGIONAL AND STATE CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS AND EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S PUT HILLSBOROUGH ON THE MAP. THANK YOU. MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE BEYOND HIGH SCHOOL. LAST YEAR ALONE, THREE OF YOUR CADETS EARNED U.S. NAVY NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS. A TESTAMENT TO
014YOUR DISCIPLINE, THE LEADERSHIP AND THE CHARACTER THAT YOU INSTALL DAILY. YOU DO NOT SIMPLY TEACH -- THIS IS IT -- YOU TRANSFORM LIVES THROUGH SERVICE, MENTORSHIP AND EXAMPLE AND, FOR THAT, YOU'RE OUR BUCS BEST KREWE AWARD WINNER THIS MONTH. COME ON. RAKA ASSISTANT PRINCIPLE AT KINLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 24 YEARS WITH THE DISTRICT. AGAIN, THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATION, YOUR FACULTY AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. YOUR IMPACT ON THE EDUCATORS AROUND YOU IS BOTH PROFOUND AND LASTING. ONE TEACHER DESCRIBED MEETING YOU DURING A CHALLENGING FIRST YEAR IN THE CLASSROOM. YOU SERVED AS HER DISTRICT RESOURCE TEACHER, AND YOU STEPPED IN WITH A CALM PERSPECTIVE AND STEADY GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. YOU HELPED BREAK DOWN EACH CHALLENGE, FOCUSING ON WHAT WAS WITHIN REACH AND WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED. YOU CHECKED IN CONSISTENTLY,
015OFFERED ENCOURAGEMENT AND CELEBRATED GROWTH. BY THE END OF THAT YEAR, THAT TEACHER WAS THRIVING, CONFIDENT, CAPABLE AND FINALLY FEELING LIKE A TRUE PROFESSIONAL. LARGELY BECAUSE YOU NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING IN HER. NOW SERVING AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPLE AT KINLY ELEMENTARY, YOU CONTINUE TO LEAD WITH HEART. YOU ARE A CONSTANT SOURCE OF SUPPORT COACHING THROUGH READING STRATEGIES, ANALYZING STUDENT DATA, STRENGTHENING INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS AND MENTORING THROUGH NEW LEADERSHIP ROLES. YOUR FEEDBACK IS CLEAR, ACTIONABLE AND EMPOWERING. WHAT MORE COULD BE SAID ABOUT AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. YOU TRULY EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF THE BUCS BEST KREWE AWARD, AN UNWAVERING CHAMPION, MENTOR AND ULTIMATE HYPE WOMAN FOR YOUR TEAM. FOR THAT, I HAVE A (INAUDIBLE). Chairperson: THANK YOU ALWAYS. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FOR CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO
016YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE TODAY. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT ANY ISSUES YOU LIKE, AND YOU WILL NOT BE INTERRUPTED. HOWEVER, ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. WE DO REQUEST THAT YOU TRY TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUES. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. A REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECOND LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND HEAR A CHIME. A RED LIGHT
017AND CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. GOOD AFTERNOON, SUPERINTENDENT, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL TODAY. MY NAME IS NED HANS, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR FOR US SENDER ASHLEY MOODY, ON TOP OF THAT A PROUD FATHER OF A STUDENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. PROUD PRESIDENT OF THE DAD'S CLUB AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL AND MY WIFE IS AN EDUCATOR WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. ON TOP OF THAT, I'M HERE TODAY AND TAKING A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR ACHIEVING AN HISTORIC GRADUATION RATE, REFLECTING HARD WORK BY STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN HELPING THE YOUNG PEOPLE CROSS THE FINISH LINE. GRADUATION IS MORE THAN A STATISTIC. IT RENTS OPPORTUNITY. MORE STUDENTS ARE
018PREPARED TO PURSUE COLLEGE, CAREER TRAINING, MILITARY SERVICE, MEANINGFUL WORK B IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND ACROSS OUR ENTIRE STATE. IT ALSO SPEAKS TO THE DEDICATION OF TEACHERS WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY, DETERMINED TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS SUCCEED INTO THE SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT ENSURE NO STUDENT IS LEFT BEHIND. AND TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMUTE TO THE FUTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STUDENTS WHOSE PERSEVERANCE AND DETERMINATION MADE THIS ACHIEVEMENT POSSIBLE. WE AND SENATOR ASHLEY MOODY ARE PROUD OF YOU AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEE WHAT THE NEXT GENERATION WILL ACCOMPLISH. TODAY I BRING MBS OF THE BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYERS A LETTER. I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF GIVING IT TO YOU TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. Chairperson: THANK YOU SO
019MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. I'M RACHEL DOYLE. US PARENTS TOLD YOU LAST YEAR TO NOT SKIRT THE BOOK REVIEW POLICY. YOU DID IT YAINS BECAUSE YOU ARE A COWARD AND I HAD TO HEAR FROM A MEDIA SPECIALIST YOU DID IT AGAIN. SOMEONE SENT YOU A BAD LIST OF PDA BOOKS WITH NO CONTENTS EXPLAINING THEM, AND OUR TEAM INCLUDING A DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO GO OVER THE LIST AND YOU ARE ASKED TO REMOVE THE 88 BOOKS AGAIN. WHERE DID THE LIST COME FROM, WHO IS ON THE REVIEW TEAM, WHY DOESN'T THE REVIEW TEAM INCLUDE PARENTS. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL PARENTS THIS IS HAPPENING. I FOUND IT OUT FROM A MEDIA. IF THERE'S TWO THINGS YOU CAN BE COUNTED ON FOR US THE NOT COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS AND USING A.I. I AM SO SORRY I SAID YOU DON'T HAVE
020AN A.I. POLICY, THOUGH IT MAKES SENSE I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE NOT ONLY DID YOU NEVER COMMUNICATE IT TO PARENTS, YOUR FACULTY HAS NO IDEA IT EXISTS BECAUSE JEN A.I. WAS SHOWN IN CLASSROOMS. YOUR A.I. POLICY EXISTS AND IT'S TERRIBLE. IT MAKES SENSE IT'S TERRIBLE, WRITTEN BY COLLEEN FAUCETT WHICH ADVOCATED "WHAT A FUN OVERLAP." SHE POSTED HER POLICY TO HER LINKED IN WHERE AN EXPERT GAVE HER FEEDBACK ON THE GAPS YOU LEFT. HE TOLD COLLEEN IT'S DISTRESSED TO THINK OF CRITICAL THINKING AS DEFINED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO USE TECH THAT PRODUCES FALSE RESULTS AND TELLING THEM TO DOUBLE CHECK THE A.I. RESULTS AS IF THEY HAVE THE POLICY TO DO THAT. ETHICS IS NOT JUST ABOUT PERSONAL INTEGRITY LIKE USING IT TO CHEAT. SCHOOLS ENCOURAGING THIS AS A MODEL SHOULD DO SO WITH EYES OPEN OWING
021THAT IT HAS SIGNIFICANT GAPS, THIS BEING YOUR A.I. IMPLEMENTATION POLICY. WHAT WAS DONE WITH THE FEEDBACK FROM AN EXPERT? NOTHING. GAPS NOT FIXED. LIP SERVICE GIVEN AS TO HOW A.I. CAN BE INCORRECT BUT NOTHING IN THE POLICY THAT TEACHES STUDENTS HOW TO RECOGNIZE THESE THINGS WHICH PERPETUATE THE ISSUE AND I HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON THE FACT GEN A.I. IS BASED ON STOLEN WORK. YOU ARE OPENING YOURSELF UP TO LAWSUITS. YOU HAVE PROVEN TO ME I CANNOT COUNT ON YOU TO WRITE POLICY -- -- YOU CAN'T BE TRUSTED TO COMMUNICATE DISTRICT POLICY TO ME EVEN WHEN I ASK FOR IT. Chairperson: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAIMED GIANNI HUNT AND I AM HERE TO DISCUSS THE PROCESS FOR SCHOOL CLOSER, SPECIFICALLY THE PROPOSAL TO CLOSE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AT SULPHUR SPRINGS COMMUNITY SCHOOL, THE K-8 SCHOOL.
022THE CONCERN TONIGHT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THAT SPECIFIC PROPOSAL BUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS ITSELF, THE PROCESS THAT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, HAS CLEARLY FAILED PARENTS. TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE HELD, THE CLOSER OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AT SULPHUR SPRINGS. FIVE PARENTS SHOWED UP TO THE JOINT MEETING, SECOND MEETING THREE PARENTS SHOWED UP. FOR A SCHOOL WITH 30% HAVING HISPANIC FAMILIES NOT HAVING AN INTERPRETER IS A HUGE OVERSIGHT. OUT OF THREE PARENTS, ONE CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION. NOT ONLY A LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY BUT ALSO A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, AND, YOU KNOW, TRUST IN THE SYSTEM IS BEING BROKEN. WHEN I ASKED WHAT I CAN COME UP WITH IS THAT THE LOW TURNOUT IS NOT THAT THEY DO NOT CARE, IT'S THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO SHOW UP. THE LOW TURNOUT IS A SIGN THAT THE
023PROCESS ITSELF IS NOT WORKING. SO, TODAY, I AM URGING US TO KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT A BIT FURTHER. WHEN FAMILIES DON'T RECEIVE CLEAR INFORMATION, WHEN LANGUAGE ACCESS IS MISSING, WHEN MEETINGS ARE NOT STRUCTURED TO WORK AROUND WORKING PARENTS, OF COURSE, THE TURNOUT IS GOING TO BE LOW. THAT'S PREDICTABLE. PARENTS AT SULPHUR SPRINGS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERNS. WHAT THEY ARE REPORTING TO COMMUNITY ADVOCATES IS THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT SIBLINGS BEING SEPARATED IF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS CLOSED. WORRIED ABOUT MAKING DAILY ROUTINES HARDER. THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND SAFETY. ACCORDING TO THEM, REAL SAFETY CONCERNS, NOT JUST HYPOTHETICAL. ONE OF THE PARENTS MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON THEY ARE CONCERNED THEIR CHILD IS GOING TO HAVE TO CROSS THE TRAIN TRACKS OR THEY WILL HAVE TO TRAVEL THROUGH BUSH BOULEVARD. AGAIN, AS
024A PARENT, AND I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE PARENTS HERE, WE DON'T WANT OUR CHILDREN TO RISK THEMSELVES TO GET TO A NEW SCHOOL. DEFINITELY THE PARENTS AT SULPHUR SPRINGS ARE ASKING FOR SOME ANSWERS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR WHEN ASKED, THEY'RE ASKING FOR A PAUSE. THEY'RE ASKING FOR MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS CHANGE -- -- WOULD MEAN TO THEM AND FAMILIES, AND THEY ARE ALSO ASKING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS. I AM URGING THE BOARD TO PAUSE THE CULTURE OF THE SILVER SPRINGS SCHOOL AND OTHERS IN THIS SITUATION AND REENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY. IF IT'S KNOCKING ON DOORS, LET'S FIGURE IT OUT. THE PARENTS ARE SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO FEEL CONFIDENT IN THIS DECISION. SO, PLEASE, I'M ASKING THAT YOU REENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND YOU
025TAKE A STEP BACK WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL CLOSURES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SPEAKERS 6 THROUGH 9 COME UP. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH, A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT, WITH THE DISTRICT TWELVE YEARS. I'M HERE TO TALK TODAY ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED AT FOREIGNEL MIDDLE SCHOOL INVOLVING A TEACHER. MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME THE MOMENT SHE GOT INTO THE CAR AT SCHOOL, AN ACCOUNTING OF WHAT SHE HEARD AND SAW IN THE CLASSROOM. A COUPLE OF KIDS WERE MESSING WITH WATER BOTTLES, MAKING NOISE, NOT PAYING ATTENTION. THE TEACHER ASKED THE STUDENT STAND UP AND TEACH THE CLASS. THIS WAS A DEMONSTRATION TO REMAIN QUIET. THEY SAT DOWN. THEY STILL MESSED WITH THE WATER BOTTLES. THE TEACHER SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T MESS WITH WATER BOTTLES. THE TEACHER PICKED UP A
026WATER BOTTLE FROM A DESK OF A STUDENT NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG AND THREW IT ACROSS THE CLASSROOM 15 TO 20 FEET, HIT A CLASSMATE'S LEG SITTING TO THE RIGHT OF HER. THE WATER BOTTLE MADE CONTACT FIRST WITH HIS LEG, ROLLED UNDER A TABLE AND EXPLODED ON IMPACT TO THE WALL BEHIND HER. THE NOISE WAS EXTREMELY LOUD AND MADE HER JUMP. SHE SAID THERE WAS A MESS OF WATER ON THE FLOOR. THE TEACHER TOLD THE SAME STUDENT JUST HIT WITH THE WATER BOTTLE BY THE TEACHER TO CLEAN THE WATER UP AS THE TEACHER POINTED TO THE PAPER TOWELS, AND THE STUDENT CLEANED UP THE WATER. THE BELL RANG SOON AFTER AND AS MY DAUGHTER AND REMAINING STUDENTS ARE WALKING OUT OF THE CLASS THE TEACHER SAID, AND I QUOTE, YOU JUST SAW MY MENTAL BREAK, UNQUOTE.
027AND THE TEACHER SAID IT WITH A SMILE AND A LAUGH. MY DAUGHTER AND I IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK TO THE SCHOOL THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT AND SPOKE WITH THE PRINCIPAL. THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER HAD ALREADY LEFT FOR THE DAY SO I WAS TOLD I COULD COME IN THE NEXT MORNING AND SPEAK WITH THE DEPUTY. THE NEXT MORNING MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF TALKED WITH THE DEPUTY WHO WOULD FORWARD THIS INCIDENT ON TO SEE IF THIS WAS A CRIMINAL ACT. I WAS TOLD THEN I WOULD EVER FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT. I SPOKE WITH MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL COUNSELOR ABOUT THE FEAR OF HER ATTENDING HER SEVENTH PERIOD CLASS IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SAID TEACHER STILL TEACHING STUDENTS. MY DAUGHTER FILLED OUT A WITNESS STATEMENT THURSDAY THE 26th. I WAS INSURED A
028FULL INVESTIGATION WOULD BE DONE AND ALL KIDS WOULD BE PULLED FROM THE CLASS. I REACHED OUT TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT. I RECEIVED A VOICEMAIL FROM HIM ON FRIDAY. MY HUSBAND AND I SPOKE WITH HIM AND THE END RESULT WAS THE INVESTIGATION HAD BEEN COMPLETED BY THE PRINCIPAL. IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED MY DAUGHTER AND SELF SPOKE WITH DIFFERENT STUDENTS THAT WERE PRESENT AND I SPOKE WITH A FATHER DEEP WILL YOU UPSET NO COMMUNICATION WAS MADE FROM THE SCHOOL ABOUT THE INCIDENT. AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT, MY DAUGHTER WAS TRANSFERRED INTO ANOTHER CLASS. YOU MAY ASK WHY I'M HERE IF MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN MOVED FROM THAT CLASS. WELL, THERE ARE 20-PLUS OTHER STUDENTS -- PEL EL BELL IN THE CLASS WITH HER AND THE MAJORITY -- Chairperson: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND
029MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS SUE BATIGLIARI, A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN WHO ATTEND DOBY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN APOLLO BEACH. WE CHOOSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S CLOSE TO HOME AND ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE OUR KIDS ARE GROWING UP, OUR CHILDREN HAVE THRIVED THANKS TO DEDICATED TEACHERS AND A SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. AS PARTICIPANTS, WE'RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT. FOR MANY FAMILIES IN OUR AREA THE TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL MEANS LEAVING THE NEARBY SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND TRAVELING FAR AWAY, OFTEN CROSSING MAJOR ROADWAYS LIKE BIG BEND ROAD WHICH CONTINUES TO GROW BUSIER EVERY YEAR. FOR SOME FAMILIES, THAT TRANSITION BECOMES THE MOMENT WHERE THEY EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS NOT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO LEAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A SCHOOL MODEL THAT ALLOWS THEIR CHILDREN TO STAY IN A FAMILIAR
030ENVIRONMENT THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT FAMILIES AREN'T LEAVING PUBLIC EDUCATION, THEY'RE LEAVING THE TRADITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL MODELS. MANY ARE CHOOSING K-8 SCHOOLS. WHEN WE LOOKED AT WHERE STUDENTS ZONED FOR OUR LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE GOING WHEN THEY DON'T ATTEND THEIR ASSIGNED SCHOOLS, YORK AND TWO OTHERS THAT FOLLOW THE K-8 MODEL. FAMILIES VALUE CONTINUITY. THEY VALUE STABILITY THROUGH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO STAY IN A SCHOOL COMMUNITY THEY ALREADY KNOW. OUR PARENTS SURVEY REINFORCED THIS. WHEN FAMILIESER WERE ASKED ABOUT A K-8 OPTION IN OUR COMMUNITY, 70% SAID IF THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL WOULD HAVE BEEN K-8 WHEN THEY MADE THEIR DECISION THEY WOULD HAVE CHOSEN IT. 48% OF PARTS SAID THEY'D MOVE THE CHILD TO THE SCHOOL IF IT EXPANDED TO K-8 AND ANOTHER 23%
031SAID THEY'D LIKELY CONSIDER IT. THAT'S A CLARE SIGNAL ANT WHAT FAMILIES ARE LOOKING FOR AT A TIME WHEN MANY DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FACING ENROLLMENT CHALLENGES, THIS PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY. A K-8 OPTION ISN'T JUST A SCHOOL CONFIGURATION, IT CAN BE A RETENTION TOOL, A WAY TO KEEP FAMILIES WHO ALREADY WANT TO BE PART OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, A WAY TO PROVIDE THE CONTINUITY PARENTS ARE SEEKING WITHOUT THEM NEEDING TO LOOK ELSEWHERE. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE OUR COMMUNITY IS GROWING RAPIDLY. NEW TESTIMONY LIS ARE MOVING HERE EVERY DAY AND WITH THAT GROWTH COMES A RESPONSIBILITY AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN THOUGHTFULLY FOR THE FUTURE. GROWTH BRINGS OPPORTUNITY -- -- BUT ONLY AS WE PLAN FOR IT. AS THE DISTRICT CONTINUES EVALUATING FUTURE SCHOOL SITES AND CAPACITY NEEDS IN THE GROWING COMMUNITY, WE HOPE THE K-8
032MODEL IS CONSIDERED AS PART OF LONG-TERM PLANNING BECAUSE WHEN WE LISTEN TO FAMILIES, PLAN INTENTIONALLY, WE STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MIND EVERY ENROLLMENT NUMBER IS A CHILD. BEHIND EVERY DATA POINT IS A FAMILY, FAMILIES HO WANT STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND WHO WANT TO STAY IN THEM. SOMETIMES KEEPING FAMILIES -- IN PUBLIC EDUCATION DOESN'T REQUIRE CONVINCING THEM TO STAY. Chairperson: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Chairperson: NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS LAURA GARCIA AND I AM HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF A PARENT IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WANTED THEIR PERSPECTIVE SHARED REGARDING THE PROPOSED EXPANSION OF DOBY ELEMENTARY TO A K-8 SCHOOL. THEIR EXPERIENCE REFLECTS WHAT MANY FAMILIES FACE AS WE BALANCE ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION WITH THE REALITIES OF DAILY FAMILY LIFE. IT STATES, AS A PARENT, ONE OF
033THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY ROUTINE IS SIMPLY GETTING OUR KID TO AND FROM SCHOOL. RIGHT NOW, I DRIVE A SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE EACH DAY SO MY CHILDREN CAN ATTEND A SCHOOL THAT PROVIDE THE TYPE OF EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENT I WANT FOR THEM. WHILE I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE THAT OPTION, THE COMMUTE ADDS A LOT OF STRESS AND TIME TO OUR DAILY SCHEDULE. MORNINGS FEEL RUSHED. AFTERNOONS ARE SPENT IN THE CAR INSTEAD OF AT HOME. AND IT LIMITS HOW CONNECTED WE CAN BE TO A LOCAL SCHOOL COMMUNITY. HAVING A K-8 OPTION AT DOBY ELEMENTARY WOULD MAKE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE, ALLOWING CHILDREN TO STAY IN A FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT WITH TEACHERS AND PEERS THEY ALREADY KNOW AND GIVING PARENTS A PUBLIC SCHOOL OPTION CLOSE TO HOME. IT WOULD STRENGTHEN THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR FAMILIES
034IN THE AREA. FOR MY FAMILY, SPECIFICALLY, A K-8 OPTION AT DOBY WOULD REDUCE THE DAILY TRAVEL BURDEN WHILE STILL GIVING MY KIDS ACCESS TO THE KIND OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOL CULTURE WE ARE LOOKING FOR. IT WOULD MAKE OUR DAILY ROUTINE MORE MANAGEABLE AND ALLOW US MORE TIME TO FOCUS ON FAMILY, HOMEWORK AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES INSTEAD OF COMMUTING. I STRONGLY SUPPORT EXPANDING DOBY INTO A K-8 SCHOOL BECAUSE IT WOULD PROVIDE LOCAL FAMILIES WITH A PRACTICAL HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOL OPTION TO MEET THE NEEDS OF BOTH STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SINCERELY JENNIFER MERIGAN. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE HER PERSPECTIVE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTENED AND CONSIDERING HOW THIS EXPANSION COULD POSITIVELY IMPACT SO MANY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY LIKE MS. MERIGAN'S. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU
035FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS ANDREA THATCHER. I AM NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER BUT I TELL MYSELF IF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PARTICULAR DOBY EXPANSION, I AM HERE TONIGHT TO FACILITATE AND HOPE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN. I'VE LIVED IN APOLLO BEACH SINCE 2017. I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST, AND I'VE WORKED WITH MANY CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS AND FAMILIES, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT SCHOOLS ARE A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR LIVES. OUR SON LOUIE CURRENTLY ATTENDS AMONT A MONTESSORI SCHOOL AND WE ARE HOPING TO FIND SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS TO MEET HIS NEEDS. WE ARE ZONED FOR DOBY. THIS TALK CAME AT A PIVOTAL POINT IN OUR HIVES, A MOMENT OF REFLECTION, ONE THAT I CAN EITHER TRY TO PLAY A ROLE IN ADVOCATING FOR OUR COMMUNITY OR STAY SILENT. WHY DO I BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF
036THE DOBY EXPANSION? THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MIND IS WHY NOT. KIDS SHOULD BE A PRIORITY IN THIS DECISION. AS PARENTS, WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE HAPPY AND SUCCEED IN LIFE, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE. SCHOOL IS A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR DAY AND LIVES. IT IS A SECOND HOME. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN. WE SHOULD STRIVE TO MAKE THAT AS POSITIVE AND NURTURING FOR THEM AS POSSIBLE. A PLACE THEY WANT TO ATTEND, FEEL SPECIAL, HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS AND TEACHERS. IT COULD BE A PLACE THAT UPLIFTS THEM WHEN THEY'RE HAVING STRUGGLES AT HOME. WE SHOULD STRIVE AND KEEP PROGRESSING TO BETTER OUR SCHOOLS. EXPANDING DOBY, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, WOULD ADD TO THAT PROGRESSION. HAVING TO CHANGE SCHOOLS AFTER FIFTH GRADE WOULD BE CHALLENGING AND STRESSFUL FOR FAMILIES. THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED A COMMUNITY,
037A COMMUNITY OF TRUST WITH TEACHERS AND FAMILIES AT THE SCHOOL. THIS IS SOMETHING WE CERTAINLY CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT, WHERE OUR SON WILL GO FOR SECOND GRADE. WE ARE ZONED FOR DOBY, BUT WHERE DO WE GO AFTER DOBY? THE NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS ARE HARD TO GET INTO. THIS IS A KNOWN FACT, AS WE'VE TRIED TO GET INTO YORK MORE THAN ONCE WITH NO SUCCESS, AND WE'VE ALSO LOOKED INTO APOLLO BEACH ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS CLOSED DURING THIS APPLICATION TIME. I'VE HEARD MANY WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT DOBY FROM FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY. WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL HARM OF EXPANDING AND GROWING A WONDERFUL SCHOOL WHERE FAMILIES ALREADY FEEL SAFE AND NURTURED? NO DOUBT THIS WOULD HELP DECREASE THE STRESS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITHIN OUR FAMILIES. WE ARE A STRONG COMMUNITY. WE CAN TACKLE ANY BARRIERS IF IT
038SERVES THE GOOD OF OUR CHILDREN. WITH ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN THE WORLD, WE NEED GOOD SCHOOLS -- -- GOOD CHOICES -- Chairperson: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Chairperson: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. JUAN HERNANDEZ. AS LIFE LONG TAMPA BAY MAN, I'VE WATCHED THIS COMMUNITY AS A COMMUNITY PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO. THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA IS PEOPLE WILL CONTINUALLY MAKE THE DECISION AND MOVE TO OUR AREA. AS PARENTS, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST DECISIONS IS HOW AND WHERE OUR CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT. NOT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE SAME PATH TO SUCCESS. NOT I'VE I CHILD LEARNS OR SOCIALLY THRIVES IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENTS AND NOT EVERY CHILD HAS THE SAME NEEDS OR FOCUS. SCHOOLS LIKE THE EISENHOWER EXCEPTIONAL CENTER ARE PRIME EXAMPLES OF THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THE COMMUNITIES NEEDS AND
039BUILD ON IT AND ENSURE NEEDS TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY ARE MET. THE SOUTH SHORE COMMUNITY IS MAKING ITS FEELINGS KNOWN AS DESIRE TO PROVIDE MORE CHOICE OPTION ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY BY EXPANDING DOBY INTO K-8. LONG BEEN A SOURCE OF COMFORT IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUES TO GROW. NOT ALL PARENTS WILL BE COMFORTABLE WITH THE GAPS IN PROGRAM BUT NOT ALL PARENTS WANT A TRADITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR THEIR CHILD AS WELL. EVERY YEAR MORE AND MORE PARENTS ARE TURNING TO K-8s WHETHER IN PUBLIC, CHARTER SCHOOLS OR HOME SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE THEIR KIDS WHAT SCHOOL THEY FEEL BEST FITS THEIR NEEDS. THERE ARE COMPETING NEEDS FOR THE COUNTY AND EACH HAVE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE CONSTITUENTS. EVERY TIME WE WALK INTO THE BUILDING, THE MISSION IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE. THE PATH
040TO GET THERE CAN VARY, IS NOT ALWAYS CLEAR, BUT THE RESOLVE TO THAT MISSION IS WHETHER IT'S FIGHTING AGAINST THINGS LIKE SCHOOLS OF HOPE OR HELPING IDENTIFY WAYS TO SUPPORT TEACHERS WORKING WITH ESC STUDENTS AND TRADITIONAL OR UNTRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS. WE LOOK TO EACH OF YOU TO CHAMP ONE THE VOICES OF PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO STRENGTHEN AND DRIVE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY BACK TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. Chairperson: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MARK LARGO. THAT JUST TURNS MY STOMACH, ALL THIS ADULATION YOU GIVE IN THE MILITARY. WHAT DID THEY JUST DO? KILLED OVER 150 LITTLE GIRLS IN A SCHOOL. THEY'RE JUST SO WONDERFUL. WHAT DID WINSTON CHURCHILL SAY IN 1960? WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS, THEREAFTER THEY SHAPE US. I LOOK AT THIS AGENDA. YOU'RE GOING TO BEAUTIFY EISENHOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL. WELL, HERE'S THE HEADLINE
041-- BIRD LOSSES AC EL RATE AND AN OMINOUS SIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. YEAH. AND IT'S SHOWING THAT THE SHARPEST, THE WORST OF THE DECLINE IS IN WARM AND WARMING AREAS, SUGGESTING THE CLIMATE CHANGE MAY PLAY A ROLE. WELL, I LOOK AT THE PAPER AN SEE WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE NORMAL HIGHS AND LOWS FOR THIS REGION AND WHAT WE GET FOR TEMPERATURES. OH, BOY... WHERE ARE WE? SO WHAT DOES IT SAY HERE UNDER THE PHOTO? THE STEEPEST DROPS FROM 87 TO 2021 WERE IN FLORIDA, TEXAS, LOUISIANA AND ARIZONA. THAT'S TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF BIRDS. WELL, YOU KNOW, COULD THERE BE A CORRELATION? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING AND HOW YOU'RE MAKING YOUR STUPID BUILDINGS. AND THAT AFFECTING THE CLIMATE. WHAT PART ARE YOU PLAYING IN THIS PICTURE? YOU KNOW, FOR HOW MANY YEARS
042HAVE I HAVE BEEN SAYING MAKE HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDINGS SO YOU WON'T BE BELCHING THE CARBON INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT? BEAUTIFY? I LOOK AT THE LANDSCAPING -- -- OUTSIDE THIS BUILDING, YOU DON'T -- Chairperson: THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. SUPERINTENDENT AYERS. Superintendent Van Ayres: THANK YOU. ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY BOARD MEMBERS BY STAFF. ALL QUESTIONS ADDRESSED AND CLARIFICATIONS PROVIDED FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. Chairperson: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. [ VOTING IN PROGRESS ] IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED. WE WILL NOW EAR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. C206, C207,
043C208, C601, C710, C711, C712, C713, C714, C715, C901 AND C1101. THE FIRST ITEM IS C206, RENEWAL TO HAVE THE PERFORMANCE-BASED AGREEMENT FOR IDEA HOPE. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYERS WILL HIGH LIGHT THE ITEM. Superintendent Van Ayres: THANK YOU. THE NEXT THREE ITEMS ARE FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS. ANGELA, WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN A WHILE BUT IS HERE TODAY. THE FIRST WITH THE RENEWAL OF PERFORMANCE BASED AGREEMENT FOR IDEA HOPE. FOR SUMMARY HOPE OPERATORS APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO OPERATE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. HCPS ENTERED INTO A PERFORMANCE BASED AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE APPROVED HOPE OPERATOR IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2021 FOR A FINAL TERM, STATUTE REQUIRES THE AGREEMENT SHALL BE RENEWED ON REQUEST OF THE HOPE OPERATOR UNLESS THE SCHOOL FAILS TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS OR STANDARD FOR PHYSICALS MANAGEMENT OR THE SCHOOL
044OF HOPE VIOLATES THE LAW OR TERMS OF AGREEMENT. A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF REPORT BEEN THE SCHOOL OF HOPE STATUTE IS INCLUDED EVALUATES THE EDUCATIONAL OPERATIONAL, FINANCIAL AND GOVERNING HER FORMS OF THE SCHOOL. THAT IS 206, WHICH IS IDEA HOPE. Chairperson: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C206. HAVE A MOTION BYMEMBER WASHINGTON AND SECOND BY RENDON. MEMBER COMBS AND GRAY YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTION? MEMBER GRAY? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR ANGELA FOR PREPARING THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THE DETAILS. I KNOW YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK IN IT. MY REMARKS ARE CONSISTENT FOR BOTH AGENDA ITEM. ONE IS IDEA HOPE AND ONE IS IDEA VICTORY. I HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS AND I WILL GIVE THEM TO YOU ONCE AND NOT TWICE IF YOU DON'T MIND. WHEN WE LOOK
045AT THE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS, HOW DO WE MONITOR -- HOW DO YOU MONITOR ALL THOSE EXPECTATIONS FROM IDEA? WE MONITOR THROUGH THE CHARTER LINKS, WE MONITOR THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, THEIR PERFORMANCE, AND COLLECT THOSE ANNUAL AUDIT REPORTS FOR THEM AND WE REVIEW THOSE REGULARLY AND WE ALSO INVITE THEM TO OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS SO THAT WE CAN SHARE UPDATED INFORMATION WITH THEM AND THEN KEEP THEM ABREAST OF CURRENT INFORMATION. SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUR EXPECTATIONS AS LISTED ARE NOT MET? SO, WE WOULD FOLLOW THE STATUTE. SO, IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN WITH SAFETY SECURITY OR IF THEY WERE A DOUBLE F, WE WOULD PURSUE SAME RULES FOR THE TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOL AND LOOK TO POSSIBLY CLOSE THEM DOWN. Chairperson: SO VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY OF WORK FOR OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS. FOR FINANCIAL AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, YES. I
046HAD A QUESTION ON ONE OF THE AUDITS. THERE WAS A LINE THAT SAID GOVERNMENT FUNDS. MIGHT HAVE BEEN WITH THE WOODMONT BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS. I CAN WAIT ON THAT ONE BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE IT IN PRINT. LET ME LOOK AT THAT ONE AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU. I'LL ASK IT AGAIN BECAUSE I KNOW ON THE AUDIT OF THE WOODMONT ONE IT MENTIONS GOVERNMENT FUNDS. LOOK AT THAT AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU. THAT LINE ITEM MIGHT BE THE FUNDS FOR THE GOVERNING BOARD. MAYBE THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, TO GO AND DO THINGS, LIKE TRAINING OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MAY BE WHAT THAT'S FOR BUT I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MENTIONED, THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTION. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER COMBS. THANK
047YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. THERE ARE SO MANY RULES FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS TODAY. THESE ARE THE TWO I PULLED AND I PULLED THEM FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. I THINK THE WAY THINGS ARE, PARENTS WANT DIFFERENT CHOICES. PARTS WILL CHOOSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, BUT I THINK THE OVERSIGHT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. MY BIGGEST CONCERN WITH THIS IS BECAUSE IF I LOOK AT ALL THE CHARTER SCHOOLS BY FAR IT'S THE LOWEST SCORING CHARTER SCHOOLS. BOTH WERE Ds AT ONE TIME, THEY WERE VERY LOW, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HOPE LAW JUST PASSED, IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE. VERY, VERY LITTLE CHANGE HAS THAPPED. SO YOU HAPPENED. YOU HAVE IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEY'RE SAYING LESS THAN FIVE SCHOOLS CO-LOCATING. I HAVE TWO SCHOOLS OF HOPE AND THEY ARE DOING WORSE THAN THE SCHOOLS
048IN THE SURROUNDING AREA AND YOU DON'T ETCH HAVE TO HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS. ETH IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE TO KNOW THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS GIVING THIS CO-LOCATION, THESE SCHOOLS OF HOPE AND THESE SCHOOLS ARE SCORING SO MUCH LOWER. WHAT I NOTICED IS THE CONTRACT RENEWAL FORM IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND WHY ARE THESE SCHOOLS NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD AS CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE BEING HELD TO? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS OPERATE UNDER A DIFFERENT STATUTE. THEY OPERATE UNDER 10002.33 WHEREAS SCHOOLS OF HOPE OPERATE UNDER 10002.33. THEIR STATUTE IS MAINLY AROUND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HOLD THEM TO THE SAME OPERATIONAL STANDARDS AND EXEC TAKES WE CAN PUT ON OUR TRADITIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO, OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T HOLD THEM TO THE SAME STANDARD BECAUSE
049I'M LOOKING AT IDEA HOPE IN 2021, D, SURROUNDING SCHOOLS C. 2022, D, SURROUNDING SCHOOLS SOME WERE Ds. 2023, ALL THE SCHOOLS SURROUNDING WERE C AND THEY WERE D AND THIS PAST YEAR A C. SO WE DON'T NEED TO HOLD THEM TO THE SAME STANDARD. WE ALLOW THESE SCHOOLS TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY, BE IN OUR BUILDINGS POSSIBLY FOR FREE, WITH A D, AND THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S OKAY FROM THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. I MEAN, THAT IS REALLY, REALLY -- I IT SHOULD BE OUTRAGEOUS TO TAXPAYERS AND SCHOOLS. NOW WITH THE NEW SCHOOLS OF HOPE LAW, IT IS REALLY LIMITING TO FIVE. I'M SATISFIED WITH TWO SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT DOING WELL AND NOW THIS YEAR THEY CAN COME WITH FIVE. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY LEARN ABOUT THIS, HEAR ABOUT THIS AND FIND
050OUT THAT YOU CAN COMPLETELY NOT CERTIFY TEACHERS. THE TURNOVER AT THESE TWO SCHOOLS IS INCREDIBLE, AND I DIDN'T ASK YOU THIS QUESTION AHEAD OF TIME AND NOT GOING TO ASK YOU NOW. THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE TURNOVER WITH ADMINISTRATION. AM I RIGHT OR WRONG ABOUT THAT? YOU ARE CORRECT, THEY HAVE HAD TURNOVER WITH ADMINISTRATION, PART OF IT IS BECAUSE THEY WERE THESE SCHOOLS BUT PART OF THE STATUTE REQUIRES THEM TO MAKE THE CHANGES. WE CHECKED WITH THE D.O.E. WHEN RENEWING THE PBAs AND WE ASKED ABOUT THE HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE AND CONTRACT RENEWAL RO PROCESS AND WE RENEGOTIATED THAT WITH THEM. WE ALSO SAID WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATUS, CURRENT GRADE AND FINANCIAL STABILITY. THE WAY I LOOK AT IT, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A SCHOOL OF HOPE AND NOT GOING TO HAVE
051CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND YOU'RE COMING TO THE BUILDINGS WITHOUT CO-LOCATION, YOU SHOULD BE AN A SCHOOL, YOU SHOULD HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS, YOU SHOULD HAVE SMALL CLASSES, YOU SHOULD HAVE GREAT CURRICULUM. IT SHOULD NOT BE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR STUDENTS. IT'S UNTHINKABLE AND FOR THIS TO CONTINUE AND AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I HAVE TO APPROVE IT BECAUSE, IF NOT, IT'S ILLEGAL. IS THAT CORRECT? MR. PORTER? IT IS A DIFFERENT STATUTE THAT APPLIES, UNLIKE REGULAR CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO, IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA UNDER THAT PARTICULAR STATUTE, YOU NEED TO APPROVE IT. PRETTY MUCH THEY DO FILL THE CRITERIA AND I DO HAVE TO APPROVE IT, IS THAT CORRECT? STAFF DID AN EVALUATION AND YOU HAVE TO RELY ON STAFF'S EVALUATION. IF YOU WANTED TO VOTE NO, YOU HAVE TO FORM YOUR OWN I WANT
052REASONS FOR DOING THAT AND IDENTIFY THEM ON THE RECORD WHICH IS VERY CHALLENGING FOR YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THE ACTUAL STAFF THAT DID THE RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS. AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER I AM GOING TO HAVE TO APPROVE A SCHOOL OF HOPE THAT'S WORKING AT A LEVEL BELOW THE SURROUNDING SCHOOLS. PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING. TWO NOW ARE DOING HORRIBLE AND WE'RE ABOUT TO OPEN FIVE MORE POSSIBLY FOR THIS COMING REAR OR IN THE FUTURE, AND CONTINUES, AND THE LAW HAS NOT CHANGED. MAYBE THE LEGISLATURE CHANGED A FEW THINGS AS FAR AS THEY ARE LIMITING TO FIVE LOCATIONS. IT CLARIFIES THE USAGE RATES BELOW 75%, BUT THIS IS VERY ALARMING AND SHOULD BE VERY ALARMING TO ALL TAXPAYERS. THANK THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER
053RENDON? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO I.D.E.A. SCHOOLS. BOTH WERE VERY WELCOMING FOR ME TO GO AND DO AN ON-SITE VISIT TO MONITOR AND SEE THE FACILITIES AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS, AS WELL AS THE CURRENT CURRICULUM AND EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE SCHOOLS. LIKE ANY ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY I'M CONCERNED WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT PROFICIENT WITHIN GRADE LEVEL. THIS CURRENT TIME THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL. WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT THAT HAVE SOME Ds, SOME Cs, SOME As AND EVERY SCHOOL HAS A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN STEPS WITHIN THEIR ADMINISTRATIONS TO IMPROVE THEIR SCHOOLS. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALL STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOTH CHARTER
054AND TRADITIONAL ARE HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE AS A BOARD HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE WE REPRESENT ALL STUDENTS. THE LAW IN WHICH WE HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO RECENTLY AS THE SCHOOL OF HOPE LAW IS ACTUALLY NOT. IT'S ACTUALLY A CO-LOCATION AND THESE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO WAS NAMED IN THAT LAW. THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THAT. SO THESE PARTICULAR SCHOOLS THAT WE ARE HERE UP AGAINST RIGHT NOW HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT PARTICULAR LEGISLATION ALLOWING CO-LOCATION WITHIN THE SCHOOLS. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE. HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE IS MY OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT ALL STUDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND TO MAKE SURE WE MONITOR ALL OF THAT. THAT IS WHY I DID MY OWN ON-SITE VISIT, MONITORED CLASSROOMS, MONITORED CURRICULUM
055THAT WAS GOING IN, WHAT CHANGES WERE HAPPENING AND REVIEWING ALL THE GUIDELINES. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OPENING YOUR DOORS AND ALLOWING ME TO DO THAT FREELY AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER HAHN? Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT THE SCHOOL GRADES, ONE THAT THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL OPENED DURING COVID WHICH WAS A RATHER DIFFICULT TIME, AND THAT IS REFLECTED IN THE SCHOOL GRADE DATA EVEN WITH OUR OWN SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE IN 2021-22, THEY OPENED -- THEY HAD A D. WE WERE OAK PARK, B. ROBLES, C. KENLY, B. FRANKLIN, C. THEY ALL PRETTY MUCH DIPPED EXCEPT FOR FRANKLIN ALL DOWN TO Ds. AND THEN THEY STARTED TO REBOUND. AND IF YOU LOOK AT PRESENT DAY, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS
056ARE Cs EXCEPT FOR KENLEY AND IDEA IS A "C." SO, YOU KNOW, IF THE C GRADE IS CONCERNING, THEN IT SHOULD BE VERY CONCERNING FOR THE THREE OTHER SCHOOLS AS WELL. THOSE ARE OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST SOME CLARITY AROUND THE TIMELINE AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME AND IT WAS OBVIOUSLY IMPACTING OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL. YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO HIGHLIGHT. SO, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE WORK TO DO IN OUR SCHOOLS. I'VE BEEN OUT TO THESE SCHOOLS AS WELL. IT'S A DIFFICULT POPULATION. IT'S CHALLENGING. A LOT OF CHALLENGES. AS IN OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL. SO, I JUST THOUGHT THAT SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER COMBS? Nadia Combs: I AGREE. ALL THE SCHOOLS HAVE
057CHALLENGES AND THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE, YOUEE SAID THE SCHOOLS ARE ALL THE SAME, MEMBER RENDON. THE DIFFERENCE IS THE TEACHERS AREN'T CERTIFIED. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME AS A LIFETIME EDUCATOR TO LEARN CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, MEASUREMENT. THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THE SCHOOLS -- THE TEACHERS DON'T NEED TO BE CERTIFIED. HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE TEACHERS HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED. SO THAT IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THINK THERE IS A VALID POINT THAT WHEN WE'RE COMPARING THE SCHOOLS, WE'RE LOOKING AT COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT OR ACCESS TO EARLY EDUCATION AND THEY STRUGGLE. BUT WHAT I THINK IS MISLEADING IS THAT SCHOOLS OF HOPE FROM THE WAY THAT I UNDERSTOOD THE LEGISLATION WAS CREATED WITH SEPARATE GUIDELINES THAT DON'T OPERATE BY THE
058SAME GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE. WHEN MEMBER COMBS MENTIONS THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S WRITTEN INTO LEGISLATION, SO I THINK THE POINT THAT SHE'D BE TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT IF THESE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO HAVE DIFFERENT LEDGE LEGISLATIVE -- LEGISLATIVE GUIDELINES TO OFFER MORE SUPPORT TO THESE STUDENTS YET THEY AREN'T, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH. WHETHER THESE SCHOOLS ARE NOT, IT'S STILL THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE CLASSIFICATION THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE CO-LOCATION. AND I THINK THAT IT'S MISLEADING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF PARENTS HEAR ABOUT SCHOOLS OF HOPE AND HERE THEY ARE, THEY'RE GOING TO OFFER DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, OPTIONS TO OUR STUDENTS THAT OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS DON'T, THAT SEEING THAT EVEN WITH EXTRA PICO DOLLARS OR NOT HAVING TO HAVE CERTIFIED
059NURSES ON CAMPUS OR DIFFERENT REGULATIONS AROUND THE SERVICES AROUND THEIR ESE OR THE STUDENTS THEY HAVE, THEY OPERATE WITH DIFFERENT GUIDELINES, AND SO I WOULD HOPE IF THEY WERE GIVEN THOSE GUIDELINES TO OPERATE THINKING THAT'S GOING TO ENHANCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, THAT WE WOULD SEE THAT IN THEIR LETTER GRADE. THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T MEANS WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. AND I THINK MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT I'VE GONE TO MEMBER -- TO DR. HAHN'S POINT BACK TO OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS THAT TAKE A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS WHERE THEY GET, YOU KNOW -- THEY ENROLL IN THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE THINKING IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT'S NOT. EITHER THEY'RE ESE STUDENT OR TRADITIONAL STUDENT IS UNDERSERVED. THEY COME BACK TO OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT THEY'RE VERY FAR BEHIND. THAT
060GAP IN TRYING TO MAKE UP FROM THE INSTRUCTION THEY MISSED. SOME OF THE RIGOR WE HAVE BUILT AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT THERE FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS, NOT ONLY -- THAT PUTS US AT EVEN MORE OF A DISADVANTAGE. THEN WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY CATCHUP THAT THEY HAVE FALLEN FURTHER BEHIND AT THESE SCHOOLS. I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE STUDENTS. I AGREE WITH YOU, MEMBER RENDON, BUT THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY HAVE THE CONVERSATION, ARE THESE SCHOOLS OF HOPE ACTUALLY DOING MORE OF A SERVICE OR DISSERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE POSSIBLY BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM. SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THE OTHER COMMENTS IN THE QUEUE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER VAUGHN? --
061MEMBER HAHN? Stacy Hahn: I KEEP HEARING THE DIFFERENTIATING FACTOR IS TEACHER CERTIFICATION. IF YOU'RE SAYING WE DON'T HAVE AS QUALIFIED TEACHERS AS WE DO, WHY DON'T THEY HAVE THE SAME SCHOOL GRADES? WELL, IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEIR TEACHERS ARE NOT AS QUALIFIED AND HAVE A C GRADE, ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS EXCEPT FOR KENLEY ALSO HAVE C GRADES. SO THAT'S NOT -- THAT'S NOT REALLY MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE, IS IT, IN -- IF YOU'RE USING THAT AS A DATA POINT. ALL THE OTHER -- OAK PARK IS A C. ROBLES IS A C. WELL, LET'S SEE. THE PREVIOUS YEAR, OAK PARK WAS A C, KENLEY WAS A C, FRANKLIN WAS A C. SO, YOU KNOW, I MEAN -- I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, INTERESTING THAT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT -- IF WE'RE USING TEACHER CERTIFICATION
062AS THE STANDARD AS, YOU KNOW, TO IMPACT SCHOOL GRADES, THEY'RE ALL AROUND THE SAME. THE OTHER PIECE THOUGH I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE ISSUE BEEN MENTIONED A FEW TIMES -- IT'S BEEN MENTIONED A FEW TIMES AND INSINUATED THAT THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL HAS ASKED TO CO-LOCATED. THEY HAVE NOT -- CO-LOCATED.. THEY HAVE NOT -- CO-LOCATE. IN TALKING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT THEY HAVE NO INTEREST RIGHT NOW IN CO-LOCATION. THEY'RE NOT ASKING. THEY NEVER HAVE ASKED TO CO-LOCATE IN OUR DISTRICT. SO I JUST THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE -- IT WAS A LITTLE BLURRED IN SOME OF THE COMMENTS. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEARED UP. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. HOW DID I GET BACK IN THE QUEUE SO QUICKLY? I THOUGHT THERE WAS A
063LINE. I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE CERTIFIED TEACHERS. TO ME THAT SPEAKS TO THE POINT THAT IF THE SCHOOLS AROUND THAT HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS ARE OPERATING AT A SIMILAR GRADE, WHICH THEY'RE NOT. KENLEY HAD A C BUT TWO YEARS BEFORE HAD A B AND NOW HAS AN A WHICH I THINK IS PHENOMENAL. FRANKLIN AS WELL. I THINK THERE IS ONE YEAR WHERE THEY DIDN'T PERFORM LOWER THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN 22-23 WHEN THEY WERE ALL A "D" BUT THAT LENDS TO THE QUESTION OF IF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GETTING THEM BACK WITH UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS, EVEN WITH OUR CERTIFIED EACHERS, ARE WE ABLE TO CLOSE THE GAPS IF THERE IS A YEAR OR TWO LEARNING LOSS. I GUESS WITH THESE QUESTIONS WE HAVE TO DO A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW MANY
064KIDS ARE TRANSFERRING BACK AND FORTH AND AT WHAT TIME TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DATA LOOKS LIKE. BUT I THINK IF WE HAVE SCHOOLS OF HOPE THAT ARE ABLE TO HAVE SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AND DIFFERENT ACCOUNTABILITY LEVELS, THEN WE SHOULD SEE SOME MEASURABLE GAINS WHERE THEY'RE OUTPERFORMING THE OTHER SCHOOLS AROUND THEM THAT ARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON IT. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, I THINK PHILOSOPHICALLY FOR THE SAKE OF THE HOPE BOARD, BE IT THE I.D.E.A. HOPE OR THE I.D.E.A. -- WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE, VICTORY, WHEN WE ENGAGE IN THIS KIND OF CONVERSATION WHICH IS IMPORTANT, MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER HAHN, YOU KNOW, WHY THE WE -- HOW CAN WE BE SATISFIED WITH A "C" SCHOOL TO EVEN
065BE -- TO EVOLVE INTO OUR DISTRICT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHO LOSES OUT? THE STUDENTS LOSE OUT. THE WRAP-AROUND SERVICES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE MATCHED BY THOSE CHARTER SCHOOLS. THEY SIMPLY DO NOT HAVE THE SAME, IF YOU HAVE APPLES TO APPLES, YOU WON'T SEE THAT. BE IT CERTIFIED TEACHERS, PROBABLY IN MY VIEW, BEING A TEACHER FOR MANY YEARS, THAT IS A HUGE ADVANTAGE VERSUS A SECRETARY TEACHING OR A CUSTODIAN OR WHATEVER ELSE THEY HAVE IN FRONT OF THEIR KIDS. SO, YOU KNOW, ARE WE SETTING -- IS I.D.E.A. SETTING UP STUDENTS FOR FAILURE WITH LESS THAN NECESSARY WRAP-AROUND SERVICES, CERTIFIED TEACHERS, WHATEVER THAT IS VERSUS THE PUBLIC SCHOOL WHICH, YES, THEY SHOULD DO BETTER, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. YES, ALL THE REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. BUT YEAH, WE NEED
066TO DO BETTER IN OUR PUBLIC AREA. THERE IS NO QUESTION. BUT WE HAVE THE RESOURCES BUILT INTO OUR DISTRICT TO HELP MITIGATE WHILE THE I.D.E.A. IS NOT SET UP TO MITIGATE AND TO HELP RAISE THE ACADEMIC SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL LEVEL OF THE STUDENTS. THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM. SO WE'RE BEATING A DEAD HORSE AS MEMBER WASHINGTON IS TELLING ME. WE HAVE TO DO IT ANYWAY. SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING MORE AND THAT'S ALL, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, NO DISCUSSIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY. ITEM C2.07, RENEWAL OF THE PERFORMANCE-BASED AGREEMENT FOR IDEA VICTORY. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS MEMBER GRAY MENTIONED, THIS IS 2.07 SO THIS IS IDEA VICTORY BUT ALL THE SAME APPLIES SO
067JUST GET TO THE POINT. HOPE OPERATORS OF COURSE THE SAME APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION. IN THIS PARTICULAR ONE, HOPE VICTORY AS IDEA HOPE DID WAS APPROVED TO A FIVE. YEAR TERM BACK IN 2021 SO THE SAME AND THEN A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT WITHIN THE LIMITATIONS OF THE SCHOOL OF HOPE STATUTE IS INCLUDED ADVISED THE BOARD WITH A SET OF CRITERIA EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SCHOOL. SO THAT IS THIS ITEM FOR IDEA VICTORY. AND THAT'S 2.07. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C2.07. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS AND MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. TO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NEITHER. SEEING NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR.
068AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY. ITEM C2.08. CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR WOODMONT CHARTER SCHOOLS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT. Van Ayres: HERE IS 2.08. SO NO SCHOOLS OF HOPE. THIS IS JUST A TRADITIONAL CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR WOODMONT CHARTER SCHOOL. FLORIDA STATUTE 1,002.33 PREVENTS A CHARTER TO BE RENEWED PROVIDED A PROGRAM REVIEW DEMONSTRATES THE CRITERIA IN THE STATUTE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHED AND NONOF THE GROUNDS FOR NONRENEWAL HAS BEEN EXPRESSLY FOUND. AGAIN, A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT IS INCLUDED WHICH PROVIDE THE BOARD ITS RATINGS ON ALL THE SAME EDUCATIONAL OPERATIONAL FINANCIAL AND GOVERNING PERFORMANCE OF THE SCHOOL AND THIS PARTICULAR 2.08 IS A FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL FOR WOODMONT CHARTER. THAT'S 2.08. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APP APPROVE ITEM 2.08. MOVE BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY,
069DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND MS. CROOKS. YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN ODD SITUATION WHEN I NOTIFIED YOU. I LOOKED AT THE NEW STATISTIC. LET ME FIND IT NOW. IT'S RIGHT ON THE BACK PAGE WHERE THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM IS NOW A 28% WHERE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, YEARS BEFORE IT WAS WAY HIGH, YET THEY'RE HAVING A C GRADE. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. WHAT STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE TO IMPROVE THE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENT SUBGROUPS. YOU KNOW, HOW WE DO WITH OUR LASER FOCUS, IF THEY'RE DOING POORLY IN ONE PART OF THE STATE ASSESSMENT, WE PAY ATTENTION. AND THEN WE SCAFFOLD UP, YOU KNOW, HIGHER TUTORING, WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO BRING THOSE GRADES UP. DO THEY HAVE THAT SO A CHILD GETS LOW, THEY HAVE THAT GRADE
070SCAFFOLDING TECHNIQUE THAT WE DO IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS? YES, THEY DO. THEY HAVE TO LOOK AT THEIR LOWER SUBGROUPS JUST LIKE OUR SCHOOL GROUP DOZE AND SUBMIT A SIT PLAN AND SUBMIT A REFLECTION SO THEY JUST SUBMITTED THEIR REFLECTION. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE THREE AREAS WHERE THEY -- WHERE THEY'RE PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING AND THAT'S THE WHITE STUDENTS, THE MULTIRACIAL STUDENTS AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. AND SO BECAUSE THEY DON'T TAKE THEIR I.D.E.A. FUNDS, THEY OPT TO RECEIVE SERVICES FROM US OR OUR DISTRICT TEACHERS ABLE TO SUPPORT WITH SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THE TRAINING IN THE DISTRICT AND THE COMPANY HAS ALSO COME IN AND THEY HAVE BROUGHT IN THEIR MANAGEMENT COMPANY WITH COACHES AND THEN THEY'VE ALSO CHANGED OUT THE PRINCIPAL AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE C, THE ONGOING C THERE
071AND SOME OF THE STRUGGLES THERE, THEY CHANGED OUT THE ADMINISTRATOR AS WELL. AND WE'RE SEEING SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE GAINS THIS YEAR. Lynn Gray: I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I KNOW THEY HAD -- SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD SEVERAL PRINCIPALS. THEY'RE MOVING THEIR BUILDING AS WELL, AREN'T THEY? CHANGING THE LOCATION? NO. THEY'RE NOT CHANGING THEIR LOCATION BUT THEY DID -- THEY ARE CHANGING THEIR BOARD. SO THE CURRENT BOARD IS TRANSITIONING TO A NEW BOARD WHICH IS ALLOWABLE UNDER STATUTE. AND SO THAT BOARD HAS OPTED TO HIRE NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING HANDS. IT JUST HAPPENED THAT IT CAME AROUND CONTRACT RENEWAL TIME SO WE WERE ABLE TO FOLD IT IN WITH THIS CONTRACT RENEWAL. THE CHANGES WILL GO INTO EFFECT JULY 1 SO IT WILL STAY IN
072PLACE UNTIL THE END OF THIS, UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. Lynn Gray: SO HAVE ANY MECHANISMS BEEN SET UP FOR THEIR FINANCIAL -- FUTURE FINANCIAL ENGAGEMENT OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE? SO YES, WE ARE MONITORING THAT. THEY'RE LOOKING AT DOING SOME RECRUITING. THEY'RE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY CO-LOCATING WITH ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL. SO THAT'S AN OPTION THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT BRINGING TO THE -- I'LL BE BRINGING THAT NEXT TIME AROUND WHICH WOULD BE GOOD FOR THEM BECAUSE IT WILL BE MORE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY -- YOU KNOW, MORE FISCALLY SOUND BEING ABLE TO SPLIT THAT MORTGAGE OR THE MONTHLY PAYMENT WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL. SO THEY HAVE SOME THINGS THAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT DOING. SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD NEXT TIME AROUND. BUT THE NEW MANAGEMENT COMPANY IS THE SAME MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT MANAGES THE EXCELSIOR SCHOOLS. Lynn
073Gray: WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PD, THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BUDGET, THE AUDIT, YOU SEE VERY PROPORTIONATELY SPEAKING, A LITTLE -- VERY LITTLE SPENT ON ENGAGING THE TEACHER FOR MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE FOR OUR TEACHERS, AI CLASSES AND WE HAVE ALL THESE SYSTEMS WHERE THE TEACHERS HAVE TO BE ENGAGED WITH THE NEWEST LEVELS AND, YOU KNOW, EXPECTATIONS OF ACADEMICS. DO THEY HAVE A PLAN -- THE BOARD HAVE A PLAN FOR AI AND SUCH NEW INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS OR ARE WE JUST TALKING THE BASICS? THEY DO. SO THEY ACTUALLY ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISTRICT'S TRAINING WITH THAT. SO THERE ARE AI TRAINING COMING OUT AND I WORKED WITH PD TO ENGAGE RDTs AS WELL BECAUSE THEY PAY FEES TO US AND THAT GOES TO THAT. SO RDRTs WILL BE ASSISTING WITH THE
074TRAINING SO WE DON'T TAKE SEATS AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS BUT WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS TOO. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH OUR PD DEPARTMENT TO OFFER THAT TRAINING TO THEM TOO. Lynn Gray: THAT'S VERY GOOD. AND MR. BRADY, ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE MORE JOBS TO DO WITH THIS? WITH THE AI TRAINING? OR ARE YOU OFF THE HOOK? WELL, I MEAN, WE ARE OFFERING AS ANGELA MENTIONED 14 TRAININGS THIS MONTH FOR TEACHERS AND TWO FOR ADMINISTRATORS THIS WEEK. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON. Lynn Gray: SO YOU'RE PART OF THE TRAINING, THE PD FOR THE -- RIGHT. IF IT'S OFFERED FOR US, THEY'RE OFFERED IT AS WELL. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MS. CROOKS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS
075APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY. NEXT IS 6.01, BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JANUARY 31. MR. JAMIE LEWIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. GOOD EVENING, BOARD. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR FINANCE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE THROUGH THE MONTH OF MARCH -- OR SORRY, THE MONTH OF JANUARY. REMEMBER ALWAYS A MEASURE, WE DO BUDGET AMENDMENTS FROM THE TIME IS TAKES OUT TO GET TO THE SCHEDULED BOARD MEETINGS. TONIGHT WE'LL GO BE GOING OVER JANUARY AND A COUPLE OTHER POINTS AS WE GO THROUGH THE YEAR LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR. SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT OF JANUARY AS WE SAID A MINUTE AGO. REALLY THE OVERALL MOVEMENT OR CHANGEOVERS IN JANUARY ARE MINIMUM. WE WANT TO GO OVER A COUPLE THINGS AS IT HIGHLIGHTS SOME THINGS HAPPENING FOR US IN JANUARY. THANK YOU,
076SIR. AND WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT TONIGHT. WE'LL SEE MINIMAL MOVEMENT IN THE GENERAL FUND. THIS IS JUST FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY. MOST OF THE CHANGES COME FROM SPECIAL REVENUE AND FOOD SERVICES WHICH WE'LL HIGHLIGHT. THE ONE AREA WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND IS EVEN THOUGH THERE ISN'T MANY CHANGES, WE ARE PROJECTING A STABLE FUND BALANCE AND STABLE GENERAL FUND AT THIS POINT. AND ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS WE WANT TO MAKE BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS WAS A CHALLENGE LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND HURRICANES IS WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB PARTNERING WITH OTHER AGENCIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THROUGH THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 91% OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE WAS COLLECTED WHICH IS ONE OF THE QUICKER POINTS IN TIME WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TO
077THAT IN RECENT YEARS. THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS OUT OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES, WE HAVE A REFERENDUM AND THAT'S HELPING A NUMBER OF OUR EMPLOYEES THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT. 23,644 EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL THAT WAS PASSED BY OUR COUNTY AND IMPLEMENTED BY THE DISTRICT. I THINK THAT'S A TREMENDOUS HELP TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO HAVE THAT AND BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS. AS WE MOVE ALONG, AGAIN, TALKING ABOUT THE GENERAL FUND. WE DON'T SEE A LOT BUT WE START TO SEE THE NATURAL DECLINE OF OUR FUND BALANCE AND SO IF YOU REMEMBER OUR FUND BALANCE WORKS AS A ROLLER COASTER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE HIT OUR HIGH POINTS AND THEN GO DOWN. SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS GRAPH TO EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT
078TO SHOW YOU, HOW IS OUR FUND BALANCE CHANGED EVERY YEAR AND ARE WE SEEING THE SAME SITUATION THIS YEAR. SO AS I WALK YOU THROUGH THIS, I THINK IT'S A GOOD ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT HAPPENED AND WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR AND THERE IS A REASON FOR IT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT COLORS, THE BLUE COLOR IS GOING TO BE FISCAL YEAR '24. THE ORANGE LINE IS FISCAL YEAR '25 AND THE GRAY LINE IS THIS YEAR WHICH WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH. AS YOU SEE AS WE GET TO AROUND THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND JANUARY WE SEE A NATURAL DECLINE IN THE FUND BALANCE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE REVENUE COMES IN. WE KIND OF WAIT FOR THAT AS PROPERTY TAXES COME IN. THEN WE GO RIGHT BACK UP. THE GRAY LINE
079FOR THIS YEAR, THE REASON YOU SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE IS BECAUSE WE ELECTED AS A DISTRICT TO GO AHEAD AND START PAYING THE REFERENDUM WHICH IS THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL, BUT THAT REVENUE DID NOT COME IN UNTIL THE MONTHS OF REALLY DECEMBER. A LITTLE BIT OF NOVEMBER AND THEN CAME IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY. AND AGAIN, THAT CAUSED A CHALLENGE FOR OUR DISTRICT TO MANAGE THROUGH FROM A CASH FLOW STANDPOINT. THE REVENUE DID COME IN. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIMING. I THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD THING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO AND BEGAN THE PAYMENTS IN JULY. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND PREVIOUS YEARS WHEN OUR FUND BALANCE DROPPING SO LOW. WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT AND STILL FIND OUT THE MEANS TO SUPPORT THAT
080FROM A CASH FLOW STANDPOINT AND NOW THAT THE REVENUE'S COME IN, WE KIND OF BOUNCE BACK UP. WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THESE UPDATES FOR THE FUND BALANCE. WE THINK IT'S A GOOD ILLUSTRATION OF WHERE WE'RE AT. IT ALSO INDICATES WHERE OUR FUND BALANCE HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. EVERY YEAR WE START A LITTLE LOWER. I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE FOR OUR FISCAL POLICY WE SET THAT HELPS US MANAGE WHERE THAT WILL BE ON A YEARLY BASIS. AS I MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, THE BIG CHANGES WE SAW FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY WE WERE TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. SPECIAL REVENUE. ONE OF THE THINGS WE CHANGED FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT THIS YEAR WAS WE WERE NOT GOING TO ADJUST THE BUDGET FOR ANY GRANTS WE GOT AWARDED THROUGH SPECIAL REVENUE UNTIL THEY WERE ACTUALLY RECEIVED.
081WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF SO MANY THINGS HAPPENING, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADJUSTED FOR WHEN THE ACTUAL AWARDS WERE APPROVED AND RECEIVED. TWO WERE AWARDED IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY FOR A LITTLE OVER $10 MILLION. THE FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT YOU SEE A $10 MILLION INCREASE THERE ALSO. THAT'S THE NORMAL CHANGES THAT HAPPEN EACH MONTH WITH OUR FOOD SERVICE AS THEY GO AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL REIMBURSEMENTS FOR BREAKFAST AND OUR SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM WHICH THEY'RE BEGINNING TO RAMP UP FOR. THE ONE AREA THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE JANUARY UPDATE BECAUSE OF WHEN THE THIRD CALCULATION WAS RECEIVED WILL APPEAR IN A DIFFERENT FUTURE AMENDMENT. WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THINGS ABOUT THE THIRD CALCULATION SINCE WE KNOW ABOUT IT AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR DISTRICT MOVING DOWN THE ROAD. FOR
082THE THIRD CALCULATION, HERE IS SUMMARY POINTS FOR THAT. THE OVERALL IMPACT IS THIS IS A SNAPSHOT OF TIME AND SPACE IN FALL OF 2025 WHERE WE TAKE THAT SURVEY AND IT LEADS INTO A CALCULATION THAT WE RECEIVED AT THE END OF JANUARY, EARLY FEBRUARY. OVERALL, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WILL HAVE TO SEE ADJUSTMENT OF A LOSS OF $7.15 MILLION. AND WE'LL GET INTO A MINUTE WHY THAT HAPPENED. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'LL SEE AS WE GET TO THE FEBRUARY AND MARCH AMENDMENTS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE THIRD CALC, THE DECREASE IN THE IMPACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN REVENUE AND HOW WE'LL TRY TO OVERCOME THAT. AGAIN, THAT WAS AN UNEXPECTED CHANGEOVER BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHERE WE SET OUR BUDGET. WE'RE CONTINUING TO MONITOR ENROLLMENT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS MOST
083OF THE STATE IS GOING THROUGH A UNIQUE SEASON OF ENROLLMENT CHANGE. AS WE LOOK DEEPER INTO THE THIRD CALCULATION THOUGH, WE DO SEE -- WE HAVE TO MANAGE AS WAS MENTIONED PREVIOUS YEAR, ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. OVERALL IT DID SEE A DECREASE IN THE TOTAL FTE FOR THE COUNTY OF 685.55 FTE. NOW WHAT ■THAT MEANS IS EVERY PART OF HILLSBOROUGH, NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF SCHOOL CHOICE THAT YOU'RE IN, WE'RE SEEING THE OVERALL COUNTY SHRINK. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO MONITOR. THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO HILLSBOROUGH. A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ARE EXPERIENCING THAT THROUGH THE ENTIRE STATE. AS WE LOOK DEEPER INTO THAT, WE SEE ONLY ONE CATEGORY ACTUALLY INCREASED IN THEIR FTE STANDING AND THAT WAS THE FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP. THEY WENT UP ABOUT 4%, 4.5% IN THIS THIRD CALCULATION. AGAIN, THAT
084WILL BE RIGHT SIZED IN THE FOURTH CALCULATION WHICH WILL HAPPEN LATER THIS SPRING. SO THEY WENT UP BUT WE DO SEE THAT CHARTERS WENT DOWN FROM WHAT THEY HAD PROJECTED AND EXPECTED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM THIS YEAR. THEY WENT DOWN BY ABOUT 4.7%. AND HILLSBOROUGH BECAUSE WE HAVE A MUCH LARGER POPULATION, WE DECREASED ABOUT 765 FTE, ONLY ABOUT .46%. SO THE THING THAT WE'RE MONITORING IS WE'RE SEEING AN OVERALL SHIFT IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE IN OUR COUNTY AND A PART OF THE SCHOOL CHOICE EDUCATION, WHAT WE CALL MARKETPLACE OR WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE TO CALL HAD THE GROUPS. WE'RE SEEING THAT FES CONTINUES TO GROW WHICH HAS BEEN AN INDICATOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT CHARTER HAS LOST AND SO HAS HILLSBOROUGH. WE'RE MONITORING ALL THOSE AS WE WORK
085TOWARD NEXT YEAR. AS FAR AS WE LOOK AT KEY DRIVERS, AGAIN, THE FTE DECREASE ALONE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S DIRECTLY TIED AS THE PRIMARY REVENUE DRIVER, WE LOST ABOUT 5.86 MILLION JUST RELATED TO FTE. CATEGORICAL AND PRIOR YEAR, THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING. WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM WHEN THEY LOWSED OUT LAST YEAR AND CATEGORICALS WERE ADJUSTED. THAT NETTED ABOUT $6.5 MILLION INCREASE FOR US. BUT THEN AGAIN, OUR FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES AND HOW THEY CALCULATED THAT, THAT NEGATIVELY AFFECTED US BY ABOUT $8 MILLION SO THE NET IS 7.15. I THINK THAT'S THE PART WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON. AS WE CONSIDER THIS, AS WE GO FORWARD INTO OUR NEXT STEPS, THIS CHANGEOVER, THIS LOSS OF REVENUE, THE $7 MILLION WAS UNEXPECTED. WE'VE BEEN HOPING WE'D SEE A
086CHANGE AND WE DID NOT. SO THE FY26 BUDGET WAS BUILT OFF THE SECOND CALCULATION THAT WAS AGREED TO OVER THE SUMMER WITH THE STATE. THE THIRD CALCULATION REPRESENTS AN UNPLANNED DECREASE IN OUR REVENUE STREAM FROM THE STATE. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'LL BE MONITORING THAT. THE FOURTH CALCULATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHEN WE SEE A LOT OF VIRTUAL DOLLARS START TO COME IN FROM THE BUDGET AND THEY'RE CONFIRMED. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT AS WE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES IS THE VIRTUAL DOLLARS, WE RECEIVED THEM AFTER THE STUDENT COMPLETES IT AND PASSES THE COURSE. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MEASURE FOR THAT. AS WE GO INTO WHAT ALL THIS MEANS, WE'RE TAKING THE INFORMATION AND MONITORING THE BUDGET AND PUTTING CONTROLS IN WHERE WE CAN TRY TO CAPTURE AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND COVER THE
087$7 MILLION. BUT IT WILL BE A CHALLENGE FOR US. WE BUILT A VERY TIGHT BUDGET IN COMPARISON TO HOW THE PROCESS WAS BEFORE. BUT WE'RE ALSO WAITING ON A COUPLE THINGS FOR US TO HELP US. AND SO THE FY27 BUDGET MODEL FROM THE STATE IS STILL BEING LOOKED AT. WE HAVE PROJECTED FROM THEM. SO WE'RE CONTINUING THAT WITH FORECASTS AND THEN OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT COST PROJECTIONS NEXT YEAR. ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVERS FOR COSTS FOR THE GENERAL FUND IS PEOPLE. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SALARIES AND BENEFITS AND WHAT THE ESCALATORS COULD BE AND WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE FOR NEXT YEAR. THE ONE THING WE ARE WAITING ON WHICH I THINK WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR PLANNING FOR FY27 WILL BE IS THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS. THEY HAD HOPED TO FINISH THAT UP
088THIS WEEK. WE DID GET WORD THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXTENDING SESSION. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DO NOT KNOW WHEN WE'LL HAVE FINAL NUMBERS FROM THE STATE. BUT WE'RE KEEPING CLOSE MONITORS ON THAT. THAT WOULD DETERMINE A LOT. WE'RE ALSO MEETING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS LIKE THE PROPERTY APPRAISER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH PROPERTY TAXES NEXT YEAR AS THAT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON US. AND WE HAVE AN UPCOMING FINANCIAL WORKSHOP. WE'LL BE SEEING YOU AGAIN AT THE END OF THE MONTH AS WE TALK MORE ABOUT THE STATE AND FINANCES. MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S THE PRESENTATION FOR TONIGHT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C SEAMA SEAMARKS -- C6.01. MEMBER COMBS AND MEMBER GRAY -- I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. MEMBER COMBS
089AND MEMBER GRAY PULLED THE ITEM. THE BOARD CLEARED. Jim Porter: MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR. NOW BOARD COMMENT. Karen Perez: SO MEMBER COMBS AND MEMBER GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS. NOT ONLY DID YOU PUT IT IN LARGE FONT SO I CAN READ IT. THAT WAS A BLESSING. YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE TRENDS AND YOU'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT OUR ENROLLMENT, WHICH THE FTE WEIGHTED AND NONWEIGHTED BOTH WILL SUBTRACT A LOT OF MONEY. AND WE DIDN'T EXACTLY YET FORECAST IT. BUT WE ARE EXPECTING THAT DECREASE. HAVING SAID THAT, JUST REMIND ME, WHAT IS THE -- HOW MANY CHRONITATIVE LAESTUDENTS ARE WE LACKING OR SEE THE DIFFERENCE FOR THE -- FOR THE SECOND QUARTER, POSSIBLY FOR THE THIRD QUARTER. -- QUANTITATIVELY. REMEMBER THIS IS
090A POINT IN TIME. OBVIOUSLY IT CHANGES AS WE GET TO THE FOURTH CALC AND THERE IS A FINAL CALCULATION. BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD CALC WE SEE A CHANGE FOR OUR TRADITIONAL SITES, OUR TRADITIONAL STUDENTS, 765 FTE LOSS BETWEEN THOSE TWO PERIODS OF TIME. Lynn Gray: THAT INCLUDES WEIGHTED AND UNWEIGHTED. THAT'S UNWEIGHTED. WEIGHTED IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE CATEGORICALS AND OTHER THINGS THAT COME INTO PLAY. UNWEIGHTED IS THE MOST REALISTIC FTE NUMBER CLOSEST TO OUR HEAD COUNT. Lynn Gray: SO WHEN WE GET INTO THE FISCAL PART OF IT, WHAT DOES THAT EQUATE AS FAR AS -- YOU SAID IT BUT I WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN. HOW MUCH MONEY. 7.15 MILLION DOLLAR LOSS? THE OVERALL, A LITTLE OVER 7.15 MILLION AND THEN FOR THE -- JUST THE PORTION OF OUR LOSS FOR REVENUE, IT WAS
0915.68 MILLION LOSS IN JUST FTE. THAT'S LOOKING AT OUR ALLOCATION WE GET FOR JUST OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT'S THE OVERALL NET DECREASE. Lynn Gray: THAT PROBABLY WILL MANIFEST ITSELF. THAT LOSS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND RECONFIGURATIONS AND SAVING MONEY, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THAT TREND, ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE, THE REASONS FOR THE LOSS, NOW YOU MENTIONED THE FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP. AND I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MUCH MONEY THAT EQUATES TO. I THINK IT WAS MAYBE EIGHT MILLION BUT I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT UNLESS YOU TELL ME. CORRECT. 8.02. Lynn Gray: AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE THE ELL POPULATION AND COMPARE IT TO MIAMI-DADE, OUR COUNT OR ESTIMATE COUNT, HOW MANY -- WHAT WAS THAT PERCENTAGE? 1%? 4% ELL THAT DECREASED? ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T
092HAVE THE DIRECT PERCENTAGE WITH ME NOW. WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN THE POPULATION, ELL STUDENTS THIS YEAR. THAT THE HAS BEEN SEEN IN MANY PLACES AROUND THE STATE. I THINK THERE IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING FOR US TO MONITOR AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN UNUSUAL FOR US HERE IN HUL COUNTY. AND AGAIN I THINK -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE MONITORING. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH ENROLLMENT. IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST. A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS AROUND THE STATE ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME CHALLENGE. Lynn Gray: THOSE TRENDS ARE VERY -- NOT EXCITING. THEY NEED TO BE FIRST APPRECIATED AND NOTE BECAUSE THERE IS OTHER REASONS WHY THERE IS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY LARGE DECREASE OF STUDENTS ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ALIKE. SO IS THERE ANY SILVER
093LINING THROUGHOUT ALL THE TALK OTHER THAN WE HAVE A WORKSHOP, FINANCIAL WORKSHOP WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PART OF A SILVER LINING. AT ANY RATE CAN YOU GIVE US ANY GOOD NEWS? YEAH. WE'RE WORKING ON IT. I DO THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET CREATIVE IN HOW WE LOOK AT ENROLLMENT. WE'RE LOOKING AT PARTNERS THAT WE'RE PARTNERING WITH TO HELP US GET STUDENTS OR RECRUIT THEM OR IDENTIFY WHERE THEY'RE AT. SO WE HAVE VENDORS THAT HAVE DONE THIS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER COUNTY. I THINK ANOTHER THING THE REFERENDUM IS ASSISTING US WITH IS COVERING THE OTHER PORTION OF OUR PRE-K PROGRAM. AS YOU DO WITH ENROLLMENT, WHERE ENROLLMENT IS, IT KIND OF STAYS WITH YOU THROUGH THE COURSE OF WHAT THAT STUDENT'S LIFE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF OUR KINDERGARTEN IS LOWER, THEN TYPICALLY
094THOSE STUDENTS WOULD HAVE STAYED THROUGH 12th GRADE OR A PORTION OF IT. I THINK THE REFERENDUM HELP THAT AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL FOCUS ON. THAT WAS A BENEFIT OF THE ADDITIONAL ONE MILL THAT WAS PASSED. SO WE CAN SEE THAT AND THAT FEEDS INTO OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASS AND HOPEFULLY INTO STRONGER FIRST GRADE, SECOND GRADE, THIRD GRADE, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE AREA AND MANY THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT. Lynn Gray: AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON THE YOUNG LEARNERS AND THE PRE-K FACT THAT IS GROWING IN QUANTITY. IT MAKES US FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO EVEN EXPAND PROGRAMS IF THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS. DO YOU HAVE ANY REMARKS REGARDING? Van Ayres: I'D SAY THAT WHAT MR. LEWIS MENTIONED IS OUR KINDERGARTEN NUMBERS FOR THIS YEAR IS LOWER THAN IN THE YEARS PAST. THAT'S
095A FACT. SO THE CONSCENTCENTRATION ON THE PROGRAMS TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT AND THE STUDENTS WILL HOPEFULLY STAY THROUGH THE REMAINDER. A LOT OF THE WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND VPK PROGRAMS, PROMOTION OF HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. GAU I WANT TO THANK MEMBER HAHN AND MEMBER COMBS BECAUSE THEY ARE LASER FOCUSED ON THE YOUNG READERS AND I THINK THAT'S -- TO ME, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THAT. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MR. LEWIS, AND THANK YOU, MS. SHOTWELL. THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND I KNOW WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT BUDGET AMENDMENTS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE AND THE BUDGET IN GENERAL, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE PIECES OF IT. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
096ENROLLMENT AND FTE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I KNOW THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MEET ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE, BUT BACK IN FEBRUARY WE MET BECAUSE IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAKING SOME OF THE CHANGES WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT M MAKE -- PUTTING SYSTEMS IN PLACE IS REALLOCATING UNITS INTO SCHOOLS. IT MEANS HOW MANY TEACHERS ARE IN A CLASSROOM PER KIDS BASED ON ENROLLMENT. AND I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING THROUGH FINANCIAL CHALLENGES WITH THE KIND OF ANXIETY WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE HAVE TO BE EXCEEDINGLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT ENTIRE PROCESS. I THINK THE IMPORTANT PIECE OF BEING TRANSPARENT IS BUILDING TRUST, RIGHT? TRUST THAT OUR FAMILIES KNOW THAT EVEN THROUGH THE GRAYING PAINS WE'RE BEING -- GROWING PAINS WE'RE BEING THOUGHTFUL AND STUDENT FOCUSED AND NOT JUST RESPONDING TOO QUICKLY
097WHERE WE'RE NOT BEING EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IT. WE NEED TO BUILD CONFIDENCE WITH OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND PEOPLE DOING THE WORK. I THINK BEING AS TRANSPARENT AND COMMUNICATIVE ABOUT THAT IS HOW WE ESTABLISH THAT TRUST. AND THINK THAT'S THE FIRST PIECE. AND I THINK ALSO BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WHERE ADMINISTRATORS OR TEACHERS CAN COME TO US AND ASK QUESTIONS AND UNDERSTAND THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING. AND I'M WORRIED THERE IS SO MANY CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING SO QUICKLY. AS YOU MENTIONED HERE WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THIS LOSS OF $7 MILLION. I'M STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THE PROCESS OF US GIVING OUR ENROLLMENT AND THE STATE COMING BACK AND SAYING THAT ENROLLMENT DOESN'T MATCH EVEN IF WE HAVE STUDENTS IN THE SEATS AND, YOU KNOW, WE ADVOCATED AS A BOARD FOR BETTER TRACKING MECHANISMS THROUGH LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE
098WE'RE TRACKING OUR STUDENTS IN REALTIMES BECAUSE I THINK THAT LAG CAUSES A REAL ISSUE WITH THE MONEY WARE EXPECTING. -- WE'RE EXPECTING. HOWEVER I THINK IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE OUR UNIT ALLOCATION, IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO BE EXCEEDINGLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT. WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE AND BOTTOM LINE, EVERY SINGLE TIME WE TAKE A TEACHER OUT OF A CLASSROOM OR MOVE A TEACHER AWAY FROM WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WITH THE TEAM THEY BUILT OR RELATIONSHIP THEY BUILT OR TAKING A TEACHER AWAY DOING A ROBOTICS CLUB OR SOMETHING IN THAT SCHOOL, IT CAUSES A HUGE AMOUNT OF ANXIETY IN THE SCHOOL. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE UNIT ALLOCATION PROCESS AND THE INFORMATION SHARED TO ME AND THE INFORMATION AS IT WAS SHARED IN OUR SCHOOLS TO OUR TEACHERS BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE
099A DISCONNECT FROM THE INFORMATION SHARED TO ME AND WHAT ACTUALLY WENT OUT INTO OUR SCHOOLS. AND I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING NEFARIOUS OR INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE TURN TO, IF I'M GIVING WRONG INFORMATION BECAUSE I WAS PRESENTED WITH WRONG INFORMATION, THAT CAUSES MISTRUST. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION THAT GOES OUT. I CAN GIVE YOU EXAMPLES BECAUSE I HAVE A SLIDESHOW OF WHAT I WAS PRESENTED COMPARED TO WHAT WENT OUT AND MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. PABLO, I DON'T KNOW. DO YOU HAVE IT UP? THIS IS WHAT YOU PRESENTED TO ME BACK IN FEBRUARY. IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT THE BOTTOM AND MAYBE I'M INTERPRETING IT WRONG, BUT IT HAS THE 26-26 FORMULA WITH ALLOCATION -- 25-26 FORMULA ALLOCATION
100WITH RATIOS. THIS IS WHAT YOU SAID WE USE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR RIGHT NOW. PRIMARY BEING 18. INTERMEDIATE 20. AND HIGH SCHOOL 25. SO THAT'S THE FORMULA THAT I KNOW. ALSO IT SAYS THAT USING THAT FORMULA, THAT SPECIFIC FORMULA, THAT WE HAD ALREADY OVERALLOCATED BY 375 UNITS FOR THIS YEAR. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, MA'AM. FOR THE -- FOR THE NUMBERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE? Jessica Vaughn: YEAH. THEN IN BLUE IT SAYS CURRENT INSTRUCTIONAL FTE IS OVERALLOCATED 375 UNITS. USING THEIFORMULA YOU'RE SAYING WHICH IS 18, 20, AND 25. YEAH. THE MODEL USED THIS YEAR. Jessica Vaughn: SO I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE I SPEND A LOT OF TIMES IN SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN TO ANY CLASSROOM WHERE THERE IS 18 KIDS. I'M NOT SAYING THERE AREN'T. BUT MY EXPERIENCE GOING IN CLASSROOMS
101FOR K-3 IS 19 TO 22 STUDENTS. SOMETIMES UPWARDS OF 24 DEPENDING ON HOW IT WORKED OUT. IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD -- I CAN GET BACK IN THE QUEUE FOR THAT. I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. ARE YOU SURE? OKAY. IF YOU COULD PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP. I'M SORRY. I ACTUALLY HAD A LOT MORE BUT I'M TRYING TO BE THOUGHTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S TIME. WE WERE TOLD THE ADJUSTED ALLOCATIONS THAT PRIMARY STAYS AT 18 WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A CHALLENGING YEAR. WE HAD KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL TEACHERS JUST COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND SOB. THEN WE HAVE PRIMARY WHICH IS ONE THROUGH THREE. THE INCREASE GOES FROM 18 TO 20. INTERMEDIATE, 22 TO 24. AND HIGH SCHOOL FROM 25 TO 27. THAT'S WHAT I
102WAS TOLD THE INCREASE IS. IF YOU COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SENT OUT THOUGH TO OUR STAFF. SO IF YOU LOOK, IT'S BASED ON ENROLLMENT BY HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE IN EACH GRADE. SO LET'S TAKE KINDERGARTEN FOR EXAMPLE. THAT VERY FIRST LINE WHERE IT SAYS YOU HAVE 1 TO 19 STUDENTS. YOU GET ALLOCATED ONE UNIT. WHICH MEANS THAT CLASS SIZE IS 19. THAT'S ALREADY OVER JUST BASED ON THE ONE STUDENT ALLOCATION -- THE ONE UNIT ALLOCATION, THAT ONE CLASS, OVER WHAT I WAS TOLD WE WERE CAPPING IT AT WHICH IS 18 AND WE WEREN'T GOING TO RAISE IT HIGHER. THEN IF YOU GO DOWN THE FORMULA AND DOWN TO THE BOTTOM WHERE IF YOU HAVE 190 KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, YOU HAVE -- SORRY. IT'S WHERE YOU HAVE EIGHT. AND YOU
103HAVE 1 KOY. AND DIVIDE -- 153 AND YOU DIVIDE THAT, IT DOESN'T EVEN CAP AT THE 18 OR GO TO THE 19. AND ALL SPRINKLED THROUGHOUT THE FORMULA, THE NUMBERS ARE CONSISTENTLY PER CLASS OR GRADE TWO HIGHER THAN YOU TOLD ME WE WERE ALREADY MAKING IT LARGER. THEN WHEN YOU DO THE NUMBERS, IT GOES UP HIGHER. WHEN YOU GET DOWN -- I THINK IT'S THE NEXT SLIDE, PABLO. WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO GRADES FIVE AND TO THAT 209 AT EIGHT UNITS, THAT'S LIKE, 24 -- OR 26. IT'S ALMOST 26.12 KIDS IN A FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM. SO ASIDE FROM THE CONCERNS AND WHAT I WAS PRESENTED PER WHAT GOES OUT, I HAVE A LIST OF OTHER QUESTIONS I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE FOR THAT I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO ANSWER NOW, BUT I
104WOULD LIKE ANSWERS TO BECAUSE I ASKED SOME OF THEM AFTER THIS MEETING AND I NEVER GOT FOLLOW-UP ABOUT IT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ASKING IT PUBLICLY SO THERE IS A RECORD IN CASE I DON'T GET THE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE AND WE CAN TALK WHEN WE GET BACK TO ME. ME? OH, GOSH. SO CAN YOU JUST ANSWER ABOUT THAT DISCREPANCY COMPARED TO WHAT WE WERE PRESENTED COMPARED TO WHAT WENT OUT TO OUR STAFF. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. SO THE ALLOCATION RATIO, WHICH LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WAS 18, 22, AND 25, THIS YEAR THE DATA STAFFING TEAM USED 18 FOR KINDERGARTEN, 20 FOR FIRST THROUGH THIRD, 24 FOR FOUR THROUGH EIGHT, AND THEN 27 FOR 9 THROUGH 12. THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AN ALLOCATION RATIO. IT'S NOT A CAP
105PER INDIVIDUAL CLASS SIZE. BECAUSE THE CLASS SIZE AMENDMENT IS A SCHOOL-WIDE AVERAGE. AS A PRINCIPAL, WHICH I'VE BEEN A MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY CLASS IS GOING TO BE CAPPED AT THAT AMOUNT. THERE WILL BE SOME CLASSES THAT ARE BELOW THAT AMOUNT AND SOME CLASSES ABOVE THAT AMOUNT. AND WE'RE ONLY TALKING CORE CLASSES. IT'S NOT OUR ELECTIVES. SO WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR MASTER SCHEDULE, YOU MAKE STRATEGIC DECISIONS AT THE SCHOOLWIDE LEVEL BECAUSE LET'S SAY AS A HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU'RE 27 TO 1 RATIO, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY CLASS WILL BE AT 27 TO 1. YOU MAY MAKE SOME STRATEGIC DECISIONS THAT YOU WANT YOUR INTENSIVE READING CLASS MAYBE TO BE MUCH LOWER WHICH MAY MEAN THE AVERAGE, SOME OTHER CLASS, IS HIGHER THAN THAT. SO THE ALLOCATION RATIO HAS
106NEVER BEEN A CAP ON INDIVIDUAL CLASSES. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A RATIO SO THAT SCHOOLS CAN MEET THE CLASS SIZE AVERAGE BASED ON THE SCHOOLWIDE AVERAGE. Jessica Vaughn: SURE, BUT THE CHART I GAVE YOU FACTORS THAT IN. IT'S AVERAGING THE NUMBER OF UNITS PER THE STUDENTS IN THE GRADE. IT'S NOT TALKING -- EVEN AT THE FIRST LINE, WHERE YOU HAVE ONE UNIT AT 19 STUDENTS, THAT'S A DISCONNECT FROM WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE ALLOCATION TOWARDS KINDERGARTEN UPWARDS OF 18 IN ANY WAY. LET ME SPEAK TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF PABLO -- THAT'S OKAY. WE DON'T NEED THAT UP THERE. HERE IS WHAT THEY DID. THE STAFFING TEAM -- THEY DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS IS ELEMENTARY. AND WHAT THEY SAW WAS THAT IN THE PAST, THEY WERE TAKING ■THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN ALL THE GLADE LEVELS
107AND DIVIDE -- GRADE LEVELS AND DIVIDING IT BY THE RATIO. WHAT WAS CREATING IS THEY HAD TO MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN A CERTAIN GRADE AND ANOTHER GRADE. ONE WOULD BE SUPER HIGH AND ONE WOULD BE LOW. FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE WERE 19 STUDENTS AT A SCHOOL, THEY WOULD ONLY GET ONE ALLOCATION IN THAT GRADE LEVEL. IF THERE IS 19 STUDENTS AT THE SCHOOL AND YOU GAVE THEM TWO, THEN THERE WOULD BE ONLY EIGHT AND A HALF STUDENTS -- WHAT AM I LOOKING AT. NINE AND A HALF STUDENTS IN EACH OF THE CLASSES. THIS IS WHERE THEY TRIED TO LOOK AT EACH GRADE BAND SO THEY'D MAKE SURE THAT NO GRADE BAND WAS OVERFILLED AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER. SO THIS IS WHY THEY USE THIS TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT THE AVERAGE WOULD BE. Jessica
108Vaughn: AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT FROM 1 TO 19 EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU PRESENTED TO US. IF THAT WAS THE CASE, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THAT KINDERGARTEN CAN GO UPWARDS -- WE HOPE TO KEEP IT AT 18, ALTHOUGH NOTHING IN THIS FORMULA LENDS ITSELF TO ANY KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM STAYING AT 18. BUT ONCE YOU GET DOWN TO 135, 153, YOU CAN JUSTIFY THE EXTRA 1.2 IN THAT MANY NUMBER OF CLASSROOMS TO MAKE -- TO FALL INTO THE LOWER RANGE YET YOU GUYS ROUND UP PUTTING ALMOST 20 KIDS IN KINDERGARTEN. WHY IT MAY LEND ITSELF 1 TO 19, THAT LOGIC DOESN'T FOLLOW THROUGH ONCE YOU START TO HIT THE LARGE GRADE BANDS. HIS IS SOMETHING WE -- THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING. -- THE DATA TEAM DID IN
109ORDER TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T -- Jessica Vaughn: I WANT TO MAKE SURE IF IT'S THAT COMPLICATED, THAT'S WHAT GETS PRESENTED TO BOARD MEMBERS INSTEAD OF SOMETHING ELSE. AGAIN WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE IN MY SCHOOL WHERES SHH THERE IS NOT A DISCONNECT FROM WHAT I TOLD THEM I WAS PRESENTED AND WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING ALLOCATED BECAUSE THAT CREATES MISTRUST. THE QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO ASK THAT IF YOU CAN GET THAT TO ME IS, WHAT SPECIFIC INFORMATION WAS USED TO FORECAST NEXT YEAR'S UNITS. THE MAGIC NUMBER, I NEVER ONCE GOT IT, WHAT WE'RE USING, HISTORICAL DATA, TRENDS, NEVER GOT IT. THE NEXT THING I'D LIKE TO ASK IS IT TALKS ABOUT -- I DIDN'T PULL UP THE WHOLE SLIDESHOW. WE'RE USING DIFFERENT FORMULAS FOR ESE, IB, GIFTED, ALL THESE DIFFERENT CLASSES. BUT WHEN I
110ASKED HOW THAT WAS FACTORED IN OR HOOT WHAT THE IT LOOKS LIKE I DIDN'T GET ANY INFORMATION. AND WHEN SCHOOLS ASKED, I GOT TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. SO I'M WONDERING ABOUT THAT. ALSO I'M CONFUSED ABOUT THE SCHOOLS LIKE STRUSTRAWBERRY -- STRAWBERRY CREST OR MIDDLETON WHERE WE'RE LOSING UNITS. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IF ENROLLMENT IS DOWN THAT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND AND OPEN THE MAGNET PROGRAMS LARGER BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE TURNING STUDENTS AWAY FROM THE SCHOOLS WHO WANT TO GET IN. WHY ARE WE NOT OPENING CHOICE UP FOR MORE AND NOT CUTTING THE UNITS AND EXPANDING THE SCHOOL TO PROVIDE -- WE TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY WANT. THEY WANT TO GET IN THE SCHOOLS. THEY'RE TOLD THEY CAN'T. WE'RE SAYING THEY'RE UNDER ENROLLED AND CUTTING UNITS FROM THERE.
111I'D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. ALSO, READJUSTMENT. THE MODELS. I HAVE A LIST OF OTHER QUESTIONS. ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS HAVE A WORKSHOP ABOUT THIS. IF WE CAN FIT SOMETHING INTO THE FINANCIAL WORKSHOP OR ALREADY HAVE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. IF NOT BECAUSE I KNOW ALL WORKED ON THAT, I'LL REQUEST ANOTHER ONE AND FROM THAT, I'D LIKE TO DEVELOP A POLICY THAT THE BOARD HAS SOME INPUT IN UNDERSTANDING OF UNIT ALLOCATION GOING FORWARD. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: I'LL SEND YOU A LIST OF THE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE TIME. Van Ayres: I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK. OUR PROCESS AND WHAT WE COMMUNICATE ON THE BOARD MOVING FORWARD. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK THE FINANCE TEAM, MY
112ENTIRE TEAM FOR THE WORK THEY DID AND THE FEEDBACK OF DISTRICT PERSONNEL, STAFF, OF HOW WE COMMUNICATED THAT OUT. IT'S BEEN ONE OF THE BEST YEARS YET. AND THIS IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. THIS IS A PROJECTION FOR THE FALL. WE DO UNITS IN THE SPRING TO PROJECT HOW MANY STUDENTS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE FALL AND NUMBER OF TEACHING UNITS WE NEED. SO JUST THIS PAST YEAR, THE STATE PROJECTION WAS AT 172 AND AS MR. LEWIS MENTIONED, WE DIDN'T REACH THAT NUMBER. WE HIT 170. SO THIS IS ASSUMING THAT EVERY STUDENT THAT WE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE THERE. THIS PAST YEAR, NOT EVERY STUDENT, YOU KNOW, SHOWED UP AS WE THOUGHT THEY WERE BASED ON PROJECTIONS. THIS IS A DIFFICULT PROCESS THAT WE ALLOCATE IN THE SPRING AS WE DO
113EVERY YEAR. WE LOOK AT IT IN THE FALL AND MAKE REJUSDWRSMENTS. -- READJUSTMENTS. IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO PROJECT AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT BUDGET WE'LL HAVE FROM THE STATE NEXT YEAR. THAT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. DEFINITELY LOUD AND CLEAR. I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. WE'LL DO BETTER IN HOW WE COMMUNICATE AND WE'D BE OPEN TO THAT WORKSHOP TO COMMUNICATE HOW THAT UNIT PROCESS WILL HAPPEN. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. AND THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. YOU PROBABLY WERE OSMOSING MY E-MAILS THAT WERE GOING OUT THE LAST WEEK. THOSE WERE THE SAME QUESTIONS I HAD IN MANY OF THE SITUATIONS AND GETTING CLARITY ON THE ALLOCATIONS OF OUR STAFF AND SCHOOLS. REALLY HAVING TRANSPARENCY ON WHAT THAT MEANS. NUMBERS DON'T REALLY
114SAY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS OR WHAT THE CHILDREN NEED OR WHETHER IT'S PARAS OR READING COACHES, IT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE A LARGER BROAD SCOPE OF THAT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING ATTENTION TO THAT. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I BELIEVE MOST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, I'D SAY MOST OF THEM ARE CONCERNED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING ALL OF OUR RESOURCES WE POSSIBLY CAN IN OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THAT'S OUR ABSOLUTE PRIORITY, OUR SCHOOLS. THEY'RE THE BACKBONE OF THE DISTRICT. THEY'RE THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR GRADUATION RATES AND STUDENTS. AND WITHOUT OUR SCHOOLS, NOTHING WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO THE GREATER FLORIDA CONSORTIUM FOR REALLY TAKING A STAND ON WHERE THE DECLINE OF ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA FROM DAY 10 TO DAY
115100 COUNT. UNLIKE -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS ALL OTHER COUNTIES AND SEEING THAT DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT. BUT THEY'RE ALSO NOT SEEING THAT INCREASE IN CHARTER SCHOLARSHIP OR HOME SCHOOL. THOSE STUDENTS SEEM TO BE -- HAVE REMOVED FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND WE BELIEVE THAT HAS TO DO WITH LEGISLATIVE DECISIONS BOTH AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL THAT ARE IMPACTING SOME STUDENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. SO THAT THEN IN TURN HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR FINANCIAL NEED BECAUSE THOSE WERE STUDENTS AT THE TEN-DAY COUNT AND NO LONGER AT THE 100-DAY COUNT. I WANT TO THANK THE GREATER FLORIDA CONSORTIUM TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO WORK WITH LEGISLATORS ON ADVOCATING FOR THAT IMPACT TO NOT BE AS DRAMATIC AS IT COULD BE ON OUR SCHOOLS. KNOWING THAT WE HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR CLASSROOMS, KNOWING
116WE HAVE TEACHERS ALREADY HIRE TO LET US FINISH THE YEAR WITH THE FUNDING WE HAVE. AND WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A FINANCE DEPARTMENT WHO HAS TAKEN A MAJOR STRIDE IN MAKING SURE WE'RE SECURE IN THAT. THERE ARE 5 OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA LOOKING AT POTENTIAL LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT, POTENTIAL NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE PAYROLL IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AS RESPONSIBLE AS WE HAVE. I WANT TO THANK OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR DOING THAT. IT'S A CRITICAL NEED THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF AS THIS BOARD MEMBER, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE ADVOCATING FOR OUR SCHOOLS FIRST AND FOREMOST. THEY WILL HAVE MY BIGGEST ATTENTION AND WHERE WE PUT OUR MONEY. IT BETTER BE RIGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS FOR
117OUR STUDENTS. IF WE DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT WITH OUR STUDENTS, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT MARKETING WE DO. AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE BEST PRODUCT. I KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR SCHOOLS. I KNOW WE'RE PROVIDING THE BEST PRODUCT, THE BEST CURRICULUM, THE BEST A VKT FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I NEED TEACHERS AND PARAS AND AIDES AND BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS AND SUPPORT IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO ABSOLUTELY THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE MY FIRST VOTE IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS? Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN AND RENDON AND GRAY AND EVERYBODY WHO SPOKE AHEAD. I MEAN, IT IS VERY, VERY CHALLENGING. I MEAN, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT, CALLING PRINCIPALS. I MADE SURE THAT I TALK
118-- CALLED QUITE A FEW PRINCIPALS. I GO VISIT SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME REALLY TALKING TO PRINCIPALS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. MOST OF THE PRINCIPALS SAID, WE HAVE SEEN THIS COMING. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. IT'S LOW BIRTH RATE. IT'S PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH. IT'S PARENTS MAKING DIFFERENT CHOICES. MAYBE PRIVATE, CHARTER, HOME SCHOOL, WHATEVER IT IS, THINGS ARE CHANGING AND THINGS ARE MOVING QUITE QUICKLY. AND THAT'S WHY TODAY WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT REPURPOSING SCHOOLS AND DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY TALKED TODAY IS THE DISMAL FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. I MEAN, YOU LOOKED LAST YEAR AT A $40 INCREASE PER STUDENT ALLOCATION. WHEN I LOOK AT THE ENERGY COST INCREASE, THE CONSTRUCTION, EVERY CONTRACT HAS GONE UP BY AT LEAST 20%. AND OUR
119TEACHERS DESERVE A RAISE NEXT YEAR. AND SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHEN THE STATE CONTINUES TO UNDERFUND US. IN 2023, 2024, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REMOVED THE FINANCIAL PENALTIES FOR CLASS SIZE. BUT THE COMPLIANCE IS STILL THERE BUT THEY REMOVED THE FINANCIAL PENALTIES BECAUSE INSTEAD OF INCREASING THE PER STUDENT ALLOCATION, THEY'D RATHER REMOVE THE PENALTIES BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT -- YOU CANNOT FISCALLY DO THIS. FOR MANY YEARS, I'VE BEEN SAYING, THE ENROLLMENT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO DOWN. WHATEVER THE REASON IS. IT DOESN'T MATTER. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO ADJUST. OUR SALARIES ARE $65 MILLION EVERY TWO WEEKS. AND FOR PEOPLE WHO SAY THE DISTRICT LEVEL POSITIONS IS LESS THAN 1.6%, I CAN GO TO ANY GROUP, IF IT'S ESE DEPARTMENT, THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT, ANY DEPARTMENT I GO TO, THEY SAY, I'M WORKING
120TWICE AS HARD AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND WE NEED MORE PEOPLE. AND SAME AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. EVERY SINGLE PLACE YOU GO, PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY. AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE TEACHER IN FRONT OF THE CHILD. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. TRYING TO KEEP THE CLASS SIZES. AT THE SAME TIME BEING ABLE TO GIVE TEACHERS A SALARY INCREASE NEXT YEAR. SO AT THE EPOF END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT A LOCAL ISSUE. IT'S A STATE ISSUE. TO BE AT A STATE WHERE IT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST INFLATIONS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHERE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO FEEDING TAMPA BAY TO GET FOOD. TEACHERS ARE WORKING TWO OR THREE JOBS. IT'S REALLY SAD AND WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS AND SEE AMAZON LOSING 30,000 JOBS, INTEL, VERIZON. I WAS LOOKING
121AT ALL THESE PLACES. BROWARD REDUCING A THOUSAND TEACHERS. PINELLAS COUNTY LAST YEAR, THEY STARTED THE YEAR AND THEN HAD TO LET TEACHERS GO. THE ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE IS TEACHERS HAVE THE SECURITY. I'M NOT HAPPY WITH CLASS SIZE. I REMEMBER IN THE '90S WHEN I TAUGHT, I HAD SO MANY STUDENTS IN MY CLASSROOM. IT WAS REALLY TOUGH. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR FTE HAS NOT REALLY IMPROVE A LOT FROM THE '90s. IT'S REALLY STAGGERED. AT THE SAME TIME WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VOUCHER SYSTEM, THEY OVERPAID LAST YEAR BY 4$400 MILLION AND THIS YEAR PROBABLY THE SAME. NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THAT. IF WE COULD EVEN GET A FRACTION WE'D BE ABLE TO HAVE A CLASS SIZE REDUCTION. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE REAL ISSUE WHICH IS THE STATE FUNDING. Henry
122"Shake" Washington: YOU KNOW, PROJECTION IS VERY DIFFICULT, JAMIE. YOU GUYS, IT'S DIFFICULT. I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE BEING AN AREA DIRECTOR AT ONE TIME, WE GAVE UNITS, CHRIS. REMEMBER WE USED TO GIVE OUT UNITS AND WE USED TO PROJECT THE UNITS. WE WERE NEVER, NEVER EXACT. IT'S EITHER OVER OR UNDER. AND MAINLY IT'S ALWAYS UNDER. YOU KNOW, AND WE USED TO GIVE OUT UNITS TO THE PRINCIPALS. WE NEED THIS AND NEED THAT. BUT WE HAD TO GO BY THE UNITS. THE WORKSHOP WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE. AGAIN, ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF TRYING TO CALCULATE, IT'S VERY HARD. ESPECIALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO IF YOU COME WITHIN THE BALLPARK, YOU'RE PRETTY GOOD. I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAVE DIFFERENT POINTS IN TIME TOO. WE OBVIOUSLY LOOK AT ENROLLMENT AND STUFF ALL THE TIME, CONTINUOUSLY. WE
123ALSO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SCHOOL STARTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN REALITY SINKS IN AND THEN WE WORK FOR ANY CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE DONE. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND AS WE LOOKED AT LAST YEAR, OUR PROJECTION WAS ONE THING. THEN WE STARTED SCHOOLS. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY LOWER. THEN WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE THE TREND. IT'S CHALLENGING BUT WE TRY TO DO IT AND LOOK AT IT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNEW WE NEVER STOP LOOKING AT ENROLLMENT. WE LOOK AT IT CONTINUOUSLY. WE PARTNER WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE CHOICE AND ALL THAT. THIS HAS BEEN A COLLECTIVE EFFORT BY MANY PEOPLE ON THIS CAB INT AND PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. WE'RE JUST TRY, TO YOUR POINT, TO DO THE BEST WE CAN PROJECT AND THEN WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS TO MAKE THE BEST PLAN POSSIBLE. Henry
124"Shake" Washington: THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORKSHOP. WHEN I WAS A PRINCIPAL THEY COULD NEVER GIVE ME ENOUGH PEOPLE. NEVER. ALL PRINCE PLEADS IN HERE YOU KNOW. -- PRINCIPALS KNOW THAT. RIGHT, MR. YOUNG? ALWAYS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I GO DOWN MEMORY LANE YEARS AGO AND THIS GOES TO MEMBER COMBS' POINT. AND THIS WAS EARL J. LEONARD, ONE OF MY TEACHERS. I REMEMBER WE HAD A HISTORY CLASS OF 52 STUDENTS, AND I REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS ALWAYS A SHOCK WAVE WHEN MORE STUDENTS CAME IN. YOU KNOW, TRENDS COME AND THEY HOPEFULLY GO. RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING THE TREND OF LOWER STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. NOT ONLY ENGAGEMENT BUT ACTUALLY COMING TO SCHOOL. SO WHAT I WANT
125TO SAY THOUGH, MR. LEWIS, YOUR TEAM, YOUR NUMBER ONE FOCUS WITH ALL THE REALLOCATION OF UNITS AND REALLOCATION OF SCHOOL SITES, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT SHORTLY. YOUR NUMBER ONE FOCUS, AND I KNOW IT MIRRORS SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, SO WE CAN HAVE THE MONEY DURING BARGAINING SESSION TO GIVE OUR TEACHERS AND OUR LEADERS A RAISE. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE HAVE TO CUT LOTS OF CORNERS. BUT THE NUMBER ONE INGREDIENT TO A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT IS HAVING TH THOSE -- HAVING THE ABILITY TO GIVE TEACHERS A RAISE THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE. THERE IS NO -- THEY CAN'T MAKE IT WITH WHAT THEY HAVE. AND ALSO OUR PRINCIPAL SITE LEADERS AND THEIR LEADERSHIP. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I APPR APPRECIATE WHAT'S GOING ON. AND AS MEMBER WASHINGTON SAID, WE SEE TIMES WHEN THINGS GET VERY TOUGH.
126AND I KNOW MEMBER HAHN, YOU REMEMBER WHEN THE FUND BALANCE WAS BELOW. WE WERE TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM A PAYCHECK. THOSE ARE TIMES THAT WE ARE GETTING KIND OF NEAR. AND THE PRINCIPALS ARE VERY AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. I APPRECIATE THE ABSOLUTE PHILOSOPHY, AND I'LL CALL IT THAT, PAYING OUR TEACHERS, BEING ABLE TO GIVE THEM THEIR DUE SALARY WHEN WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS. AND OUR PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP. SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THAT'S MY REMARKS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHTFUL FEEDBACK FROM MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. AGAIN, THESE ARE HARD TIMES AND HARD DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE. I THINK EVERYONE WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE DEPENDING ON WHO THEY'RE HEARING FROM AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHILE THERE IS PROBABLY, YOU
127KNOW, NOT ONE -- I'M AN ABSOLUTE JICAPITAAGE ADVOCATE UNAPOLOGETICALLY ABOUT PAYING OUR TEACHERS A LIVABLE WAGE AT ANY CHANCE I GET. I THINK THAT EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CLASS SIZES THAT ARE MANAGEABLE AND THAT TEACHERS WON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT THE PAY IF THEY'RE GIVEN OUT OF THE CLASSES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. AND I THINK THE FACT THAT WE EVEN HAVE CLASS SIZE AMENDMENT IS A REFERENDUM FROM THE PUBLIC TO TELL US THAT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE PRIORITIZING. WHEN WE LOOK AT NAVIGATING SCHOOL CHOICE AND WHAT ARE WE COMPETING WITH, THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES AND I'M TELLING YOU STRAIGHT UP THAT I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO WILL CHOOSE CHARTER SCHOOLS SIMPLY BASED ON CLASS SIZE ALONE. THEY THINK THE SIZES WILL BE SMALLER AND KIDS WILL GET
128MORE INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION FROM THAT. SO MY POINT IS WHILE ABSOLUTELY WE'RE IN A FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THESE AREN'T EASY, I THINK WE HAVE TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT EVERY SINGLE DECISION WE MAKE AND BALANCING THE NEEDS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF TEACHERS WERE POSED WITH THE QUESTION, WITH YOU PREFER A LARGER STEP OR SMALLER CLASS SIZE, I'D LOVE TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY BECAUSE IN HERE WHERE IT SAYS IT'S BUILT IN FOR GETTING FEEDBACK FROM PRINCIPALS WHICH IS A WHOLE OTHER PIECE I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, BUT WE BELABOR THE POINT AND TALK ABOUT IT SO MUCH, THE ENGAGEMENT FROM PRINCIPALS WITH THE ALLOCATION AND FEEDBACK WHICH WAS NOT BUILT INTO THE PROCESS OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS BEING SO DISCONNECTED FROM THE
129SCHOOL SITES, IS THE FACT THAT TEACHERS DON'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. MAYBE THE PRINCIPALS DO. MAYBE THE PRINCIPALS HAVE A MUCH LARGER CONNECTION TO THE FACT OF THE DECISIONS BEING MADE AND LEGISLATION AND MAYBE THEY WATCH THE BOARD MEETINGS OR HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS. BUT IF WE'RE NOT OUT THERE DOING THE PRESENTATIONS AND GIVING THE INFORMATION TO PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS WHO DON'T HAVE TIME TO WATCH THE NEWS OR MAYBE DEPENDING ON THE PRINCIPAL IT'S GETTING DOWN TO THEM OR NOT, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THIS AND WHEN THEY SEE UNITS ARE GETTING CUT, THEY THINK IT'S PEOPLE AT THE DISTRICT WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM WHO ARE DISCONNECTED AND MAKING DECISIONS. WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT STAYING IN A JOB THAT'S GOING TO UNDERPAY ME AND LEAVE MY
130SCHOOL WHERE I BUILT RELATIONSHIPS AND DRIVE ACROSS TOWN AND SIT IN TRAFFIC TO A NEW SCHOOL WHERE I DON'T HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, THAT'S A GOOD CHANCE WE'LL LOSE THE TEACHER AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A STEP. THAT'S THE CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO BE HAVING. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I AGREE. THERE WAS A REASON THE CLASS SIZE AMENDMENTS WENT INTO EFFECT. IT WAS THE PUBLIC WANTING TO DO THAT. AND LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR. I THINK MEMBER VAUGHN BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT. PEOPLE WILL SAY IF I CAN GO TO A CHARTER SCHOOL AND GET A SMALLER CLASS SIZE, I'M GOING TO DO THAT. DON'T FORGET THEY'RE GETTING THE SAME FTE AS WE ARE. IF THEY'RE PROVIDING
131THAT SAME PRODUCT THAT WE ARE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WARE LOOKING UNDER EVERY STONE. MAKE SURE WE HAVE TO ANSWER TO EVERYTHING. WHY? AND I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER. BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE AS A DISTRICT HAVE TO LOOK AT. SUPERINTENDENT, THAT'S WHY -- I'M SURE YOU HEARD IT FROM MORE THAN MYSELF. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EVERY ANGLE, EVERY STONE UNTURN. THEY'RE GETTING THE SAME FTE. WE SHOULD BE BETTER. WE ARE BETTER. WITHOUT A DOUBT IN MY MIND, WE ARE. SO WE HAVE TO -- IF WE ARE HAVING TO REDUCE -- HAVING STUDENTS GO TO A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF AN AP CLASS AT 34 IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING. THOSE CLASSES, WE WANT TO GIVE EVERY STUDENT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ACE CLASS. NOT JUST THE FOURS AND FIVES.
132WE WANT EVERY STUDENT TO LEARN TO CRITICALLY THINK. THAT WAS THE BIG THING ABOUT ACE THAT WE GAVE EVERY STUDENT. WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THESE ASPECTS AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT HOW WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY. IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR SCHOOL STAFF ARE 100% FI FIRST. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS? Nadia Combs: I WANT TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON FOR SAYING CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE THE SAME FTE. THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEIR CLASSROOMS ARE NOT SMALLER. I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. I'VE BEEN TO HENDERSON HAMMOCK AND MANY CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THE CLASSES ARE JUST THE SAME AND HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. THE REASON THE CLASS SIZE AMENDMENT WENT AWAY IS BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAN'T HAVE THAT AND
133NOT PAY US. YOU CAN'T SAY YOU NEED TO HAVE A SMALLER CLASS SIZE BUT YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO GIVE ME A $40 INCREASE BY FTE. DO THE MATH. AT THE OPEDF THE DAY IT ALL COMES TO FINANCIAL. THE FTE RIGHT NOW TO BE IN THE MIDDLE WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE BY ABOUT $12,000 TO BE WITH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE, $40 OR $60. IT'S RIDICULOUS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. FINALLY, I GET TO SAY SOMETHING. I HAVE A QUESTION. DO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE HOME SCHOOLED RIGHT N NOW? Van Ayres: I CAN GET THAT. I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. Karen Perez: DO WE HAVE A CORELATION WITH THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS WE'RE DOWN AND THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY
134BEING HOME SCHOOLED? WE'D HAVE TO GET THE NUMBERS FOR YOU. Karen Perez: WHY HAVEN'T WE DONE THAT TO DATE? Van Ayres: SO OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE ACCEPTING THE FES SCHOLARSHIP AND HOMESCHOOLED MAY NEVER HAVE BEEN WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH. IT'S HARD TO TRACK HOW MANY STUDENTS WE WOULD HAVE LOST TO HOME SCHOOL IF THEY NEVER ENTERED THE SYSTEM TO BEGIN WITH. WE CAN ABSOLUTELY GET THE NUMBERS, WHAT THE HOME SCHOOL NUMBERS ARE. I KNOW IT'S BEEN ON THE RISE AS WITH THE VOUCHERS AS WELL. I HEAR YOU. WE'LL GET THAT NUMBER FOR YOU. Karen Perez: THAT TREND, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE THE REASONS FOR OUR DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT. BUT WE NEVER -- NOT THAT I'VE HEARD, AT LEAST THIS BOARD MEMBER HAS NOT BEEN INFORMED OF HOW WE'RE TRYING TO BRING
135THE STUDENTS BACK TO BRICK AND MORTAR. AM I CORRECT? Van Ayres: WE'LL TELL YOU IN -- IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS GO TO COMPETE, IT IS DIFFICULT TO COMPETE WITH A HOME SCHOOL IF A PARENT OR FAMILY CHOOSES THAT HOME SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, THEY'RE TYPICALLY CHOOSING THAT ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL, TRADITIONAL SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. WE CAN DEFINITELY GET OUR EFFORTS OUT AND LET YOU KNOW OUR MARKETING AND WHAT WE'VE DONE TO PROMOTE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BUT THE HOME SCHOOL PIECE OF THAT, THAT'S NOT OUR -- THAT'S NOT OUR BUSINESS. Karen Perez: I GET THAT. CAN WE CONSIDER LOOKING TO SEE WHAT THE DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT WITH US AND THE INCREASE IN HOME SCHOOLING AND WHAT THEY HAVE -- THE CORELATION BETWEEN THE TWO AND THE POSSIBILITY OF -- SO WE'VE BEEN
136MONITORING THE NUMBERS. LAST YEAR WE WERE AROUND 9,000 STUDENTS. THAT DOESN'T AFFECT DIRECTLY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT'S ALL AROUND. WE'RE MONITORING THE PIECES AROUND HOME ED, THE FES, THE PEP, AND THE UNIQUE ABILITY STUDENTS AS WELL. SO WE HAVE BEEN MEETING -- WE HAD A MEETING WITH SPADE AND STEP UP AND TRYING TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AND HOW DO WE GET INTO A PLAN TO BE MORE OF THE MARKETING LEVEL. SO WE HAVE MET AND WE'RE BUILDING PLANS AROUND ALL THESE PIECES WE NEED TO BRING MORE STUDENTS BACK AS WELL AS WE HAVE CHASE AT ONE OF OUR COMPANIES, ONE OF THE VEPERS APPROVE BY THE BOARD. THEY'RE ALREADY GENTLY COMMUNICATING WITH FAMILIES. MEMBER RENDON SAID WE HAVE THE BEST PRODUCT OUT THERE WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRAMS AND INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE. WE'RE SHARING
137MORE OF THAT. WE'RE BEING MORE CONSISTENT AND WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THE CONSISTENCY BUT WE'RE ALSO MONITORING THOSE NUMBERS ALL THE TIME AND COMMUNICATING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND GETTING TO A BETTER PLACE AROUND WHAT NEXT STEPS WILL LOOK LIKE. Karen Perez: MAYBE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING OUT A SURVEY TO FIND OUT WHY THEY CHOSE INSTEAD OF BRICK AND MORTAR. MAYBE IT'S FIXABLE THINGS WE CAN ADJUST. I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO THE REASON WHY. Van Ayres: I DON'T KNOW IF WE'D HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE HOME SCHOOLED. WE CAN FIND OUT. GREAT POINTS AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THEM. Karen Perez: NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EMPLOYEE COMMENT. OH, I'M SORRY. WE NEED TO VOTE. I'M SORRY. Jim Porter: MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND SECOND BY -- NO. MOTION BY
138MEMBER GRAY AND SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. Karen Perez: SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT COMMENT. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE COMMENT, EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT 4:00. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT. 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 OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES ON
139YOUR MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TODAY'S AGENDA BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I'LL NOW CALL THE ONLY EMPLOYEE THAT'S HERE. THANKS. HI. ANGELA COLLENELLO FROM PIZZO. I HEARD YOU SHOULD ALWAYS STAND EVEN IF YOU STAND ALONE. I KNOW MY BACKBONE IS BEHIND ME AND MANY OTHER BACKBONE ARE HOME WITH THEIR 7-MONTH-OLD BABIES OR COACHING VOLLEYBALL RIGHT NOW OR THEY ARE WRITING CURRICULUM FOR YOU. SO I AM HERE REPRESENTING AS MANY AS I POSSIBLY CAN. I COME FROM PIZZO ELEMENTARY. FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MS. VAUGHN, FOR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA THIS WEEK AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MS. PEREZ AND MS.
140COMBS AND GRAY TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WHICH HAS BEEN KIND OF RIPPED FROM US AS WELL. SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ADVOCATING FOR US. TRYING TO FIT A LOT INTO OUR THREE MINUTES HERE. SO I SAT UP HERE AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IDEA VICTORY AND WOODMONT ALL BEING RENEWED, ALL THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND IN MY MIND I HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, WELL HERE WE'RE AT PIZZO. CAN WE RENEW TOO? WE ALL KNOW WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN AFTER NEXT SCHOOL YEAR FOR PIZZO ELEMENTARY. WE ALSO MET OUR GOALS. WE'RE KIND OF ASKING AND I'M ASKING FOR ALL OF US, PLEASE DON'T CLOSE US DOWN IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. WE ALL KNOW OR SPECULATE REASONS WHY BUT WE WANT TO ASK FOR RENEGOTIATIONS. WE WANT MORE TEACHER AND FAMILY INPUT. THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILY
141TO GIVE INPUT WAS NEARLY ZERO. IT WAS A VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL MEETING. VERY UNADVERTISED. I DON'T KNOW IF OUR PARENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY HAD ENOUGH TIME TO ACTUALLY GIVE THEIR INPUT AND SHARE WHAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR STUDENTS. WITH THAT, I CONSTANTLY IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, I THINK ABOUT JUST ELEMENTARY AND STUART MAGNET GETTING THEIR $77 MILLION TO REBUILD THEIR BUILDING. SO MY QUESTION IS WHERE IS OUR $77 MILLION? CAN WE HAVE SOME TOO? SO WE'RE GOING TO SIT UP HERE AND WE CRY ABOUT THE $8 MILLION THAT WILL EVENTUALLY COST US TO KEEP PIZZO OPEN. SO THROW US SOME BONES OR SOMETHING. I WOULD LIKE US TO REEVALUATE THAT AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN CLOSE THAT GAP AND NOT HAVE SUCH A DISCREPANCY. THERE IS 77 MILLION SET ASIDE FOR
142ONE SCHOOL AND WE'RE KIND OF, AS I SAID, CRYING ABOUT THIS 8 MILLION THAT WE'LL EVENTUALLY START COSTING US IN THE LONG RUN. AGAIN, WE UNDERSTAND BUDGET AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND WHATNOT. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR SOME HELP AND WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU DON'T CLOSE US DOWN. WE DON'T THINK THE PLAN IS READY. SHIFTING 200 KIDS TO EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALL AROUND IS NOT GOING TO GO INTO THAT ALLOCATION NUMBER. IT'S NOT GOING TO SERVE THE STUDENTS AND PREPARE THEM FOR L LIFE. I'M JUST ASKING THAT WE RENEGOTIATE AND REEVALUATE AND KIND OF NEED ANOTHER YEAR BECAUSE I DON'T THINK OUR PLAN IS SET AND READY YET. AND I THINK THAT IT'S NOT FAIR AND NOT TIME. I JUST NEED TO REAL QUICK MATH. 200 STUDENTS DIVIDED INTO MAYBE SIX GRADE
143LEVELS WITHIN FIVE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IS ABOUT 33 KIDS GOING TO EACH GRADE LEVEL ATTHIES FIVE SCHOOLS THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO PUSH OUR KIDS INTO. AND IF YOU'RE NOT PUTTING ANOTHER UNIT THERE, CAN I SAY, THAT'S SIX OR SEVEN CHILDREN GOING INTO EACH CLASSROOM. WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING SIX OR SEVEN MORE CHILDREN INTO A CLASSROOM, IMAGINE THE EFFECT THAT'S HAVING ON THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THANK YOU ALL. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NOW WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO ITEM C7.10. MIDDLE SCHOOL VV ESTABLISHING AN ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND BEFORE I GET INTO EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE, 7.10 TO 7.15, THE NEXT SIX ITEMS, YOU'LL HEAR THEM AGAIN -- THIS IS THE FIRST READING. YOU'LL HEAR THE SAME SIX ITEMS AGAIN ON APRIL 7. SO JUST IN SUMMARY WITH
144THESE SIX ITEMS, THEY REPRESENT A COORDINATED SET OF ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY AND GRADE CONFIGURATION ACTIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE DISTRICT'S LONGER RANGE MANNING FOR THE 27-28 SCHOOL YEAR -- PLANNING. THIS IS NOT FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. THIS IS FOR THE 27-28 SCHOOL YEAR. STAFF DEVELOPED THE PROPOSALS THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF ENROLLMENT TRENDS, SCHOOL CAPACITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT INCLUDED SCHOOL-BASED MEETING, STAKEHOLDER INPUT, DIRECT FAMILY NOTIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION SHARED PUBLICLY. THESE REPRESENT OUR FISCAL AND STEWARDSHIP FOR OUR VISION PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. WE'LL GO TO 7.10. THAT'S THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL VVV WHICH IS WHAT WOULD THE GMP JUST APPROVED A MONTH OR SO BACK. THIS IS THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY FOR THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL VV. THE SOUTH COUNTY AREA CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE GROWTH RESULTING IN INCREASING ENROLLMENTS. MIDDLE SCHOOL VV WILL PROVIDE
145AND ALLEVIATE OVERCROWDING IN SOUTH COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOLS. COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE HELD ON DECEMBER 11 AND JANUARY 15 TO GATHER PUBLIC INPUT. ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES FOR SHIELDS, BARRINGTON, AND TURKEY CREEK AND EISENHOWER BE AD ADJUSTED. MR. FARKAS IS HERE AND ANDREA AND OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND DECIDING AND PLANNING AND MICHELLE ORTEN, THE GENERAL MANAGER IS HERE AS WELL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. WE'LL START WITH 7.10 WHICH IS THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDRY. YOU'LL HEAR ALL SIX OF THESE AGAIN ON APRIL 7. THIS IS THE FIRST READING. Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DID WANT TO -- AND I APOLOGIZE, BOARD MEMBERS, BUT I DID WANT EACH OF
146THE CHANGES TO BE SAID AND UNDERSTOOD IN THE FULL PUBLIC DOMAIN. 7.10 MIDDLE SCHOOL IN WIMAUMA. 7.11, PIZZO. 7.12, GRAHAM, STUDENTS GOING TO BROWARD. 7.13, MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL TO INCLUDE MONROE MIDDLE. 7.14, EXPANDING BOUNDARIES FOR YOUNG MAGNET MIDDLE SCHOOL AND 7.15, SULFUR SPRINGS RECONFIGURATION FROM K-8 TO K-5. MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE ARE NOW -- OR SHOULD ALWAYS BE MAXIMIZING OUR FINANCIAL MEANS. AND THOSE ARE VERY TOUGH CHOICES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TOUGH CHOICES TONIGHT BECAUSE HERE IS SOME MORE. IT'S GOING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SOME. IT'S LIKE RIPPING BAND-AIDS OFF. WE HAVE TO AT THIS POINT IN TERMS OF WHAT I'M SEEING ON THE VARIOUS FINANCE REPORTS. I ALSO THINK VERY MUCH -- I LIVE OUT IN SOUTHEAST COUNTY. THE GROWTH THERE IS TREMENDOUS WHILE OTHER PART OF THE COUNTY, IT'S DECREASING. I KNOW MEMBER WASHINGTON,
147YOU KNOW THAT IN YOUR DISTRICT. THE HOPE IS THESE CHANGES WILL REFLECT THE CHANGES OF RESIDENTIAL PLACES WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING. ALSO, I DO KNOW WHEN WE DID THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS LONG AGO WITH MARY ELLEN, SUPERINTENDENT, WE DID HAVE TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND BOY OH, BOY, THEY WERE CROWDED BECAUSE THE PUBLIC WERE OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNED WHERE THERE STUDENTS AND CHILDREN WOULD GO. LATELY, FROM 2020 ONWARD TO 2026, I HAD TOWN HALLS EVERYWHERE, AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU KNOW THAT, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND I CAN'T GET PARENTS TO COME. AND IT'S NOT JUST ME. IT'S GETTING PARENTS TO SPEND TIME IN THE EVENING BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ARE WORKING, MANY TWO TO THREE JOBS. THEY'RE PUTTING THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH SOCCER, THROUGH BASEBALL. I THINK MR. FARKAS, YOU PUT YOUR CHILD AND WERE SPENDING -- FOOTBALL? SOCCER.
148THERE IS SO MANY DEMANDS ON PARENTS NOW THAT ARE J JUST -- THEY'RE RELENTLESS. SO I THINK ALSO THAT MIGHT BE A TELLING REASON -- I KNOW WE HAD A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M SORRY. I DON'T REMEMBER YOUR NAME. BUT THE PARENTS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME COMING TO THESE MEETINGS. IT'S NOT LIKE 1985 WHEN WE HAD MARY ELLENILIA TOWN HALLS. I REMEMBER THEM CLEARLY BECAUSE I HAD TO GO. I KNOW YOU'RE HAVING PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER ONE APRIL 7. I KNOW YOU HAD TWO TO THREE TOWN HALL MEETINGS. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO -- WHEN YOU HAVE THE TOWN HALLS, YOU LEARN MAYBE THAT SOMETHING ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR COMMUNICATION SAKE. WE HAVE PLENTY OF TIME. 2027-28 TO EXPAND THAT COMMUNICATION. SO ALL THAT IS
149TO BE SAID, I -- MR. FARKAS, REALLY IT'S YOUR TURN TO -- MAYBE IT'S SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES' TURN TO GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE -- I DON'T KNOW. YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH EACH AND HAVE A VOTE ON EACH? Jim Porter: FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT THESE ARE ALL INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEMS AND NEED TO BE DISCUSSED AND VOTED ON SEPARATELY. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THEM HOLISTICALLY BUT EACH ONE NEEDS TO BE DONE SEPARATELY. Lynn Gray: I'M INCLUDING MY REMARKS. I PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. I HAVE A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE ANY ADDITIONAL MEETINGS ON ANY OF THESE AGENDA ITEMS. ARE WE HAVING ADDITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS? Christopher Farkas: WE'RE NOT. WE STILL HAVE THE WEBSITE UP WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK THERE.
150THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE BEFORE THE FIRST VOTE. Patti Rendon: AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND HAVE THOSE, I FEEL LIKE AS A BOARD MEMBER I CAN NOT ONLY BE ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING BUT I FEEL LIKE WE CAN BE A RESOURCE. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO KNOW WHEN THE MEETINGS WERE TO GO MYSELF. SO EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT A PARENT AT THE SCHOOL I RESPECT THOSE SCHOOLS AND REPRESENT THOSE STUDENTS. SO I THINK WE CAN BE A RESOURCE TO GET THAT WORD OUT EVEN MORE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. WHEREVER WE'RE AT. IT WASN'T ON THE SCHOOL SOCIAL MEDIA BECAUSE I GET THAT ON MINE AND WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE IT ON A LARGER SCALE. THIS PARTICULAR BOUNDARY SHIFT IS SO VAST AND SO LARGE. SO IT REALLY DOES ENCOMPASS SO MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN
151PART AND SOUTHEAST PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE BECAUSE IT'S OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN FORT LONESOME THE KIDS ARE STILL GOING TO TURKEY CREEK. IT WILL BE CLOSER TO GO TO THE NEW SCHOOL. I THINK IT WITH BE VITALLY IMPORTANT AND FOR THEM TO GET TO EISENHOWER AT 6:00 IS AN HOUR. IF NOT AN HOUR AND A HALF. THAT'S ON A TWO-LANE ROAD IF YOU GET BEHIND A TRACTOR. LET'S BE CLEAR THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE FAMILIES ARE VERY CLEAR BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE GROWTH AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE OF WHERE THE DEVELOPMENT IS. I WANT TO PUT ON RECORD WHEN WE VOTED ON THE ITEM I DID ASK FOR K-8 BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THE FAMILIES WANT OUT THERE. AND I THINK THAT'S
152HOW WE'RE GOING TO FILL OUR SCHOOLS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RECORD OF THAT. BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU SITTING DOWN WITH ME AND REALLY LOOKING AT ROAD BY ROAD SO WE MAKE CLEAN LINES. SO 672 OR 674, WE'LL HAVE A CLEAN LINE SO FAMILIES UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT JIGGING ON THE NEXT STREET. IT'S CLEAN LINES. MAJOR ROADWAYS SO THAT WE HAVE -- THEY GET CLEAR UNDERSTANDINGS OF WHERE THE BOUNDARIES ARE AT. I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE GOOD CLEAR UNDERSTANDING IF YOU'RE ON THIS SIDE OR THAT SIZE, THIS IS WHEREIOAGO. THANK YOU SO MUCH VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MEMBER GRAY AWAY FROM THE DAIS. NEXT ITEM IS C7.11, PIZZO
153C8 REASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE SCHOOL YEAR 27-28. Van Ayres: THANK YOU. SO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS INITIATING A STUDENT REASSIGNMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TERMINATION OF THE PIZZO K-8 SCHOOL LEASE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THE LEASE INTRODUCES SUBSTANTIAL ANNUAL COSTS. RENT OF $550,000 WITH AN INCREASE EACH YEAR AND MAINTENANCE FOR PARKING AND SECURITY. OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS THE EXPENSES ARE TO TOTAL $16.5 MILLION. IT'S ESSENTIAL TO STEWARD DISTRICT RESOURCES RESPONSIBLY TO ENSURE THE GREATEST BENEFIT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. STUDENTS IN GRADE K-5 WILL BE REASSIGNED TO LEWIS MORT AND WITTER. IT'S PART OF THE PROCESS. A COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD FEBRUARY 19 TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT. STUDENT REASSIGNMENTS WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE THE 27-28 SCHOOL YEAR. SO THAT IS ITEM 7.11. THE PIZZO K-8 REASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE 2027-28. Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND
154A SECOND TO APPROVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. I HAVE MEMBER COMBS, GRAY AND VAUGHN PULL THIS ITEM. MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I WANT TO GO FIRST BECAUSE I ANTICIPATE I'LL NEED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. I APPRECIATE THE TEACHER THAT SPOKE. SOME OF THE CONCERNS MATCH SOME OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE. WE'LL START WITH JUST WHAT I SPOKE ABOUT AT THE LAST AGENDA ITEM WHEN I SPOKE A LOT IS TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST. AND I HEAR FROM MEMBER GRAY THAT IT'S HARDER TO GET FAMILIES TO MEETINGS. BUT THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE THAT WE CAN'T HAVE MULTIPLE MEETINGS OR OFFER A VIRTUAL MEETING IF TRANSPORTATION IS A CHALLENGE. TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, I WAS INTRODUCED TO THIS. WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. I HAD
155FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. I COMMUNICATED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. NONE OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED. I DIDN'T GET ANY FURTHER CLARIFICATION. I DID SEE SOMETHING COME THROUGH THAT WAS NOT A DIRECT MESSAGE TO BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT MEETING THAT WAS JUST A PUBLIC NOTICE OF ALL THE MEETINGS TO WHICH I RESPONDED THAT I HAD CONCERNS AND I WAS CONCERNED THIS WAS MOVING SO QUICKLY BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE MY QUESTIONS ADDRESSED AT ALL TO WHERE I GOT NO RESPONSE, OR ELSE I'D HAVE GONE TO THE MEETING. I ASSUMED THERE WOULD BE MORE CONVERSATION THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED TO ME. I DO HAVE CONCERNS NOT ONLY ABOUT PIZZO AS A BOARD MEMBER WHO SITS ON -- WHOSE DISTRICT ITS IN AND ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS EXCEPT FOR WITTER WILL BE AFFECTED. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MY DISTRICT.
156BUT AS SOMEBODY WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE WHEN I WAS EARNING MY DEGREE THROUGH USF. THEY HAD A RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. I DID MANY LESSONS AND SPENT A LOT OF TIMES ALMOST TO A FULL INTERNSHIP THERE. I'M VERY INTIMATE WITH PIZZO AND THE BENEFITS. AGAIN WITH THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION RIGHT THERE, HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO GO OVER THERE AND ENGAGE. I'M CONCERNED THAT FAMILIES DON'T WANT THIS AND WHY WE'RE HAVING MEETINGS TO GATHER FEEDBACK THAT WHEN WE GET THE FEEDBACK, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT RESPONSIVE TO IT. AS FAR AS A WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO GIVE INPUT, I DIDN'T KNOW WE HAD A WEBSITE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INPUT WE'RE GETTING. I NEVER GOT ANY FEEDBACK ON THE INPUT WE'RE GETTING. THE FIST TIME
157I SAW INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THE MEETINGS WENT OR WHAT PEOPLE WANTED WAS WHEN IT POPPED UP ON MY AGENDA REVIEW WITH NO WARNING IT WOULD BE THERE AND IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA. I NEVER GOT A SUMMARY OF PER THE MEETING THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY CONCERNS ARE. AND I AGREE WITH THE TEACHER THAT ONE, WE'RE BUILDING ALL THESE SCHOOLS. WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO REFURBISH SCHOOLS AND BUILD SCHOOLS BUT THEN WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL $8 MILLION. I'M NOT SAYING IT SHOULDN'T BE A CONCERN. WE JUSTED ABOUT DEATHS KEEPING SCHOOLS TOGETHER AND NOT INTERRUPTING A CHILD'S EXPERIENCE. HAVE EMPTY SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSER THAT ARE MUCH CLOSER EVEN FROM THE MOST CONVENIENT PART OF ONE BOUNDARY TO THE OTHER. SO GIVE YOU EXAMPLE. WE'RE TALKING AT TAMPA PALMS ELEMENTARY OF REZONING ALMOST
158300 KIDS THERE. THAT'S THE SIZE OF A SMALL SCHOOL. WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT HAS LESS THAN THAT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MOORE ELEMENTARY WHICH BOTH ARE BARELY HANGING ON TO THEIR LETTER GRADE. THEY'RE FRAGILE SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THEIR ELL POPULATION. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AT MOORE ELEMENTARY WHICH HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB BEING SUCCESSFUL DESPITE CHALLENGES OF PUTTING ALMOST 260 KIDS AT THAT SCHOOL. ANOTHER PIECE THAT I'VE ASKED FOR THAT I'VE GOTTEN ZERO FEEDBACK ON IS WHAT SUPPORT SYSTEMS WILL WE PUT IN THERE. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT TRANSITIONING THE KIDS, ALMOST 300 KIDS TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE THOSE SCHOOLS AND PUT IN THE SUPPORTS. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ALLOCATING MORE TRANSITION, CULTURE AND CLIMATE, READING CULTURE. MANY OF THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN WITH
159AGAIN ELL POPULATION OR BELOW LEVEL. I'VE GOTTEN ZERO FEEDBACK FROM SIX WEEKS AGO ABOUT ANY SUPPORT SYSTEMS WE'D BE PUTTING IN. WE TALK ABOUT JUST AND THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PUTTING THEM AT TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD. I -- I'LL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. NO. IT'S OKAY. I ASKED AT THAT POINT WHAT SUPPORTS WE'D PUT IN THE SCHOOL. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE SUPPORTED. IT WASN'T. WE SAW THE TRANSITION OF THAT. WE SAW THE -- THERE IS SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH MONROE AND MADISON WHICH IS WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THE FIRST TIME BUT WE RUSHED THROUGH THAT AND DIDN'T LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK OF THE COMMUNITY. NOW WE'RE RUSHING TO UNDO THAT. I AGREE THAT A LOT OF THIS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN -- I'LL GET BACK IN THE
160QUEUE. OH, MY GOSH. I'M SORRY. THAT IN MY DISTRICT WHERE I HAD TIME TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM TO TRUST THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS ON THE EXISTING SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST. AGAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TEACHERS. I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO MAKE A SECONDARY MOTION TO TABLE PIZZO FOR NOW UNTIL WE HAVE MORE TIME TO DISCUSS IT AND AT LEAST GET MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED ON IT. I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS AND BRING IT BACK SO I CAN GET MORE ANSWERS. Jim Porter: SO MS. VAUGHN MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS OR CONTINUE IT TO A FUTURE DATE. YOU NEED A SECOND BEFORE THE BOARD CAN DISCUSS
161IT. IS THERE A SECOND FOR THE MOTION? Karen Perez: IS THERE A SECOND FOR THIS MOTION FOR MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: IT'S OKAY. I DIDN'T EXPECT ONE. Jim Porter: BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SECOND, THE MOTION DIES. YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR COMMENTS. Jessica Vaughn: I GET FOUR MINUTES AND 48 SECONDS? NICE. OKAY. SO I DIDN'T EXPECT FOR THAT MOTION TO PASS BUT I AT LEAST GOT TO GIVE IT A TRY. SO WITH THE LACK OF RESPONSE TO MY CONCERNS, THE LACK OF DOING EVALUATIONS TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE CLOSER, AGAIN, WE HAVE ADAMS WHICH IS SITTING RIGHT THERE EMPTY. WE'RE TAKE ABOUT 900 STUDENTS IN PIZZO. THE REASON IS WE CAN'T BRING THEM TO ADAMS BECAUSE WE'RE WORRIED IT WILL BE UNDERUTILIZE. WE HAVEN'T EVEN EXPLORED THAT. I WORRY THIS IS RUSHED. I WORRY IT WILL IMPACT
162THE STUDENTS THERE AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS YOU'RE MOVING INTO THE BUILDINGS. AND I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, WHAT SUPPORTS ARE YOU GOING TO DO -- GIVE TO THE SCHOOLS AS YOU PUT AN ENTIRE NEW SCHOOL INTO THEM? Van Ayres: WE'LL START WITH MS. McRAE. Shay McRae: WHEN WE DO THE BOUNDARY MEETINGS AND MEETINGS THAT SUPPORT SCHOOLS, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY WHAT STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO GO TO THE SCHOOLS WHEN YOU ARE PUTTING SUPPORTS, YOU WANT TO DO IT TO THE STUDENT NEEDS. WE CAN'T DICTATE THAT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT IT WILL BE. WE DON'T KNOW. ARE THERE ACADEMIC ISSUES OR BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL YOU IDENTIFY WHAT KIDS ARE GOING TO WHAT SCHOOL. NEXT YEAR WHEN WE GET THE UNIT ALLOCATION PROCESS AND IDENTIFY WHAT STUDENTS ARE GOING
163TO BE ENROLLED WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ALL THAT DATA TO DETERMINE WHAT THE SUPPORTS WILL BE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. Jessica Vaughn: DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STICK TO THE VERY TIGHT UNIT ALLOCATION WHERE THERE IS NO ROOM FOR WIGGLE AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS AND WHEN THAT COMES UP NEXT YEAR, IF THAT MEANS THEY NEED AN EXTRA READING COACH OR A CULTURE AND CLIMATE TEACHER YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT. Shay McRae: ON TOP OF, YES, FOR THE RECORD. Jessica Vaughn: WHY DID THAT TAKE SIX WEEKS TO GET THAT RESPONSE? Shay McRae: I THINK THIS WAS DISCUSSED WHEN WE HAD OUR BOARD WORKSHOP ABOUT MAKING SURE WE GET SOME SUPPORTS IN THE SCHOOLS. WE DID THAT FOR THIS LAST ROUND OF BOUNDARY MEETINGS. Jessica Vaughn: I WOULD
164HAVE APPRECIATE THATED THAT WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION IN AN E-MAIL. Van Ayres: SO WE'LL ENSURE, YOU KNOW, ON THE RECORD HERE THAT WE GET THE SUPPORTS IN PLACE FOR THE SCHOOLS RECEIVING STUDENTS. I WANT TO ALSO ADD IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, HOW WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT IS IF WE WERE TO TAKE PIZZO AND MOVE TO ADAMS, YOU WOULD KEEP GOING WITH THE OPERATIONAL COSTS OF ABOUT $800,000 A YEAR WHEN YOU FIGURE A PRINCIPAL, TWO APs, DOWN THE LINE OF PEOPLE STAFFING PIZZO. BY DOING THIS BOUNDARY REASSIGNMENT, YOU HAVE A CAPITAL SAVINGS AND YOU'RE ALSO GETTING AN $800,000 OPERATIONAL AND EFFICIENCY SAVINGS AS WELL. Jessica Vaughn: I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE NEED
165TO DEMONSTRATE AS WE GO INTO OUR SCHOOLS AND CUT UNITS THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE. WHILE I DON'T SAY THAT MONEY IS MINUSCULE BY ANY MEANS, WHEN YOU HAVE A TEACHER COMING HERE AND TALKING ABOUT OTHER EXPENSES, AND I CAN POINT OUT FIVE THINGS FROM THE LAST AGENDA WHEN WE BOUGHT COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR THAT AMOUNT AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DISRUPTING AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE THE KIDS ARE GOING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL BY THE WAY. ARE WE PUTTING THEM TO TAMPA PALMS AND RIPPING THEM AWAY FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'LL GO TO ANOTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL. WHAT'S THE FEEDING PATTERN? Christopher Farkas: WHERE THEY'RE LIVING, THEY'LL CONTINUE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT. Jessica Vaughn: FOR A MAJORITY, WHAT'S THAT? IT'S NOT LIBERT AY. Christopher Farkas: STUDENTS AT PIZZO ARE THEIR OWN CHOICE. Jessica Vaughn:
166SURE. BUT THE KIDS IN FIFTH GRADE THAT WILL GO TO TAMPA PALMS OR MORT. WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL? IT'S NOT LIBERTY. Christopher Farkas: I'LL GET YOU THE ANSWER IN A SECOND. Jessica Vaughn: I BELABORED THE POINT. YOU PROBABLY KNOW HOW I'LL VOTE. I DID MY BEST. THANKS. Nadia Combs: I HAVE TO SAY, THESE DAYS, THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO MAKE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. I THINK ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO WHEN I WENT TO CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR A SCHOOL I WORKED AT 25 YEARS AGO, AND 100 PEOPLE WERE THERE. SCHOOLS ARE LIKE FAMILIES. I REALIZE THAT. LOOKING OVER THERE MAKES ME VERY SATHINKING ABOUT -- SAD THINKING ABOUT CLOSING SCHOOLS, MOVING FAMILIES, MOVING CHILDREN. THAT'S VERY CHALLENGING.
167AND TONIGHT THE BIG CONVERSATION HAS BEEN CLASS SIZES. MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN PAY OUR TEACHERS. MAKING SURE WE CAN HAVE THE NEWEST PRODUCTS IN FRONT OF STUDENTS. GREAT MATERIALS. ALL OF THAT -- ALL THAT IS CONNECTED TO FUNDING AND SADLY IT'S A STATE ISSUE. IT'S NOT A LOCAL ISSUE. IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. IT'S JUST FINANCIALLY WE ARE UNABLE TO DO THAT. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SUPPORT PIZZO WHEN I SEE -- LISTEN. I LOVE USF. I WENT UNDERGRAD, GRADUATE SCHOOL. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT USF AND LOVE PIZZO ELEMENTARY. IT'S A GREAT SCHOOL. BUT TO LOOK AT THE USF60,000 ANNUALLY AND THE NEW LEASE $555,000, THEY OBVIOUSLY DON'T WANT US THERE. THERE IS 900 STUDENTS. WE'D NEVER MOVE FROM THERE. I'M LOOKING AT A SCHOOL LIKE BROWARD WHERE THERE
168IS LESS THAN 120 STUDENTS. I WOULD NEVER EVEN CONSIDER MOVING OUT OF PIZZO WITH 900 STUDENTS. I MEAN, IT'S A SCHOOL THAT'S THRIVING. 900 STUDENTS. THE TEACHERS ARE THERE. BUT WE CANNOT CONTINUE. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT 235 SCHOOLS. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE OVERALL DISTRICT AND SAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 60,000 AND 550,000, THAT'S QUITE A FEW TEACHERS. THAT'S A LOT OF SUPPORT. THAT'S A LOT OF PARAPROFESSIONALS AND MATERIALS. SO FOR ME TONIGHT, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I HAVE TO REPURPOSE OR, YOU KNOW, REPURPOSE SOME SCHOOLS AND ALSO HAVE TO CLOSE PIZZO NOT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO -- IT'S BECAUSE AS MUCH AS I LOVE USF THEY MADE IT VERY CLEAR, EVEN WITH THE PARKING, THEY'RE CHARGING A ONE-TIME PARKING FEE OF A MILLION DOLLARS? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T WANT US
169THERE. THEY HAVE A BIG PLAN FOR STADIUMS. THINGS ARE CHANGING. USF IS CHANGING. OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T WANT US THERE. IF THEY DID, WE WOULDN'T BE DISCUSSING THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE 200, 300. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME WE'LL REPURPOSE. THIS HAPPENED ONE TIME, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. I ANTICIPATE IN A YEAR OR TWO WE'LL CONTINUE TALKING ABOUT THIS. IT'S 2027 WHICH IS GIVING PEOPLE ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF NOTICE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OTHER SCHOOLS. I LOOK AT ALL MY SCHOOLS. I LOOK AT ENROLLMENT CONSTANTLY OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY SCHOOLS. WHERE IS THE ENROLLMENT. I ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS AGAIN. IT'S A VERY HARD DECISION. IT'S VERY HEARTBREAKING AND I UNDERSTAND LIKE YOU'RE A FEM AALLY AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT
170FOR THE STUDENTS. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF FAMILIES. OBVIOUSLY LET'S CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHERE THE STUDENTS GO. WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM. AND THE BIGGEST THING IS I THINK THAT WE DID LEARN FROM TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD, THOSE FAMILIES DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH SUPPORT. AT THE END OF THE DAY I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A QUALIFIED CARING TEACHER WITH A GOOD CLASS SIZE WITH MATERIALS IN FRONT OF STUDENTS. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I SAID THIS MANY TIMES. YOU CAN BE IN A TENT OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN AND A CHILD CAN BECOME A DOCTOR. YOU CAN BE IN THE TAJ MAHAL WITHOUT THE RIGHT PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU AND THE CHILD CAN BECOME HOMELESS. I
171HATE THE IMPACT. I HATE THE TRAVEL THAT KIDS HAVE TO TRAVEL HARD. BUT WITH PIZZO IT'S VERY CLEAR THAT USF NO LONGER UNFORTUNATELY WANTS US THERE. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN VERY CLEAR IS I THINK WE'D LIKE TO SEE A BETTER CONCRETE PROCEDURE FOR HOW WE'RE MAKING TRANSITIONS WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS WITH SCHOOLS. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS A BOARD WE'RE UNCLEAR OF. HOW YOU COME UP WITH WHAT THE PROCEDURES ARE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD. WHATEVER THE TIMELINE IS, IF IT NEEDS TO BE IN AUGUST OR JULY. WHATEVER THE TIMELINE IS, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE KNOW WHAT YOUR PROCEDURES ARE TO ENSURE THE STUDENTS HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED. I
172THINK IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A TRANSITION PLAN WHEN WE DO THIS AND EITHER CLOSE A SCHOOL OR COMBINE A SCHOOL, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE, IF YOU GUYS COULD COME UP WITH A SET OF PROCEDURES THAT YOUR STAFF USE, I THINK IT'S NOT ONLY GOOD FOR TODAY BUT GOOD IN THE YEARS TO COME AS WE MAKE TRANSITIONS BECAUSE I THINK LIKE WE TALK ABOUT, WE TALK ABOUT TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD. THAT WAS A CRITICAL SITUATION WHERE I BELIEVE WE HAD UNIT ALLOCATIONS BUT NOT STAFF. SO I THINK THAT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT TRANSITION OCCURRED WITHOUT THAT CRITICAL STAFF IN PLACE. IT STILL DIDN'T PROVIDE THE STUDENTS WITH THE NEEDS. SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT. I'D ASK THAT. I'D ALSO ASK THAT PART OF THE PROCEDURES BE A WAY IN WHICH WE
173ARE MAKING SURE THOSE FAMILIES KNOW THE CHOICE WINDOWS. THAT WE GO AND MAKE SURE MAYBE THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE THOSE MAGNET FAIRS. HAVE THOSE CHOICE OPTIONS SO THAT FAMILIES, IT'S IN THEIR BACK DOOR, THEY UNDERSTAND SINCE THEY'RE BEING CRITICALLY DONE. AND LASTLY, I'M VERY SADDENED BY THIS TRANSITION FOR US. NOT ONLY BECAUSE PIZZO HAS BEEN A GREAT SCHOOL AND IT'S BEEN IN A GREAT LOCATION AND WE'VE GOT PHENOMENAL TEACHERS AND STAFF AT PIZZO AND I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED MY TIME THAT I WENT OUT THERE AND WAS ABLE TO TAKE LEGISLATORS OUT THERE. BUT I'M VERY SAD AT THE FACT THAT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA IS A DRIVING ECONOMIC SOURCE AS WELL AS AN EDUCATION FACILITY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE FACT THAT COLLABORATION BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND USF CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUTURE EDUCATE
174AND CREATE THE FUTURE EDUCATORS OF TOMORROW IS SAD. I SAID IT WHEN WE HAD THIS DECISION LAST TIME WHEN WE HAD TO RE92 ATHE LEASE -- HAD TO RENEW THE LEASE. THIS IS A SAD DAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT ONE OF THE LARGEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA IS NOT PARTNERING WITH THE SEVENTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY TO DEVELOP FUTURE EDUCATORS FOR THIS COUNTRY. AND THAT IS SAD FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IT'S SAD FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND WE NEED TO DO BETTER. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEEDS TO DO BETTER. USF NEEDS TO DO BETTER WORKING WITH US. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A PHENOMENAL SCHOOL LIKE THE LAB SCHOOL AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING THE NEXT LEVEL OF EDUCATORS FROM A TECHNOLOGY POINT OF VIEW, EDUCATION STANDPOINT SO IT'S
175SAD THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS DECISIONS BECAUSE THE RENEWAL OF THE LEASE AND THE UNCOOPERATION OF USF AND WORKING AND PARTNERING WITH US. I FIND IT TO BE A SAD DAY THAT WE HAVE TO COME TO THIS PLACE. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANKS. I HAD ONE LAST QUESTION. YOU SAID IT WILL COME BACK IN APRIL. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROCESS. SO IS THERE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT OPENING UP A MEETING FOR FAMILY -- Jim Porter: BOUNDARY CHANGES IN FLORIDA REQUIRE TWO MEETINGS OR TWO HEARINGS. SO THIS IS THE FIRST HEARING. YOU'LL HAVE A SECOND HEARING. SO YOU'LL HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS TWICE. Jessica Vaughn: SO FAMILIES, WITHOUT US HOSTING A MEETING, IF THEY WANTED TO OR PEOPLE WHO HAD CONCERNS HAVE TIME BEFORE
176A SECOND MEETING BEFORE THIS DECISION IS FINALIZED TO ADVOCATE AND MAKE THEIR THOUGHTS CLEAR. Christopher Farkas: YES, MA'AM. AND THEY GO TO GRECO MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE PIZZO KIDS THAT WILL BE SENT TO TAMPA PALMS WILL GO DOWN THE STREET TO GRECO. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M WATCHING MS. McRAE AND MR. FARKAS WRITE NOTES DOWN. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THERE IS A LEARNING CURVE AND YOU'RE APPRECIATING THE LEARNING CURVE BY TAKING NOTES AND THE REMARKS. AND I CAN APPRECIATE MEMBER VAUGHN'S -- THEIR AMOUNT OF CLOSENESS, THE FACULTY WITH HER BEING -- THAT'S HER DISTRICT, IT'S VERY REAL AND HER REMARKS NEED TO BE NOTED EXTREMELY, YOU KNOW, CLOSELY. WHAT I THINK ALSO IN THIS PROCEDURE THAT MEMBER RENDON SAID OR ASKED FOR,
177I'D HIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT -- I'D LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT MOSY ALSO AS ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. MOSY HAS A LOT OF ASSETS AND IN THE FINAL SCHEME, PERHAPS THAT'S A PIECE THAT CAN BE INCLUDED. MR. FARKAS, WHAT DO YOU THINK? Christopher Farkas: WE HAD A SCHOOL THERE. THE FIRST TIME THEY KIND OF KICKED US OUT. I THINK THERE IS MORE PLANS ON THE COUNTY. I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION. IF YOU DON'T MIND, ONE SECOND, MS. GRAY. THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED WITH PIZZO THE LAST FEW YEARS WHETHER IT'S MS. CRONIN OR FLANDERS WORKED THEIR TAILS OFF. THE TEACHERS THERE WORKED VERY HARD. THAT'S A GOOD SCHOOL. WE'RE NOT HERE BECAUSE WE RANDOMLY PICKED THAT. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN MS. CASTOR AND THE LEADERSHIP IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY -- BECAUSE MS. CASTOR
178WAS THE PRESIDENT OF USF THAT WE SIGNED THAT. THE IDEA WAS THIS WOULD BE A SCHOOL WE WORKED IN FOREVER. UNFORTUNATELY THINGS CHANGE AND THAT'S WHY YOU USUALLY DON'T DO A CAPITAL BUILD ON A 30-YEAR LEASE. USUALLY WHEN WE TALK -- IT'S A 99-YEAR LEASE OR A LONGER LEASE TO DO THAT, THEY HAVE US OVER THE BARREL FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CHOICES OF WHAT THEY DO. IT'S NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION. IN FACT I THINK IT SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE ETCH TOERS WE HAVE -- TO THE TEACHERS AT THE SCHOOL IS THERE IS SUCH PASSION THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE. I VALUE THE INPUT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD KNOWS, WE VALUE INPUT AND WHEN THINGS HAPPEN THAT AREN'T GOING THE
179WAY PEOPLE WANT THEM TO GO, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT THE INPUT. THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION WITH A SCHOOL WE DON'T OWN. WHETHER IT'S THE COMMUNITY MEETING OR MR. AYRES GOING OUT WITH THE FACULTY AND HAVING THE CONVERSATION ONE ON ONE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THIS IS NOT AN IDEAL SITUATION. THIS IS A LITTLE UNIQUE COMPARED TO THE OTHER BOUNDARY CHANGES YOU'LL SEE AROUND HERE. IT HELPS US FILL UP THE OTHER SCHOOLS BUT THE SITUATION AT PIZZO, I AGREE WITH MS. RENDON. I THINK SAD IS A WAY TO DESCRIBE THE WAY WE FEEL ABOUT HAD SCENARIO AND I THINK THE FACULTY SAW THAT. IT WASN'T OUTRAGE. IT WAS SADNESS BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCH PASSION FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THAT'S THE FEELING MY STAFF HAS AS WELL. Van Ayres: I WANT US TO REMEMBER
180WE HAD A DISTRICTWIDE REBOUNDARY. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IN WHICH THE BOUNDARY TAKES PLACE. AS WE TALK ABOUT THE SUPPORTS AND TAMPA BAY, WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER THERE. I WANT THIS BOARD TO KNOW THAT THIS TEAM AND THAT DISTRICT WIDE REBOUNDARY, I DON'T THINK YOU HEARD MUCH WHEN THAT TOOK PLACE BECAUSE THE SUPPORTS AND MS. McRAE AND THE TEAM WOULD GO INTO SCHOOLS AND TALK TO PRINCIPALS WHEN THEY'D BE RECEIVING STUDENTS AND CAME UP WITH AN EXACT PLAN AND SUPPORTS WE'D GIVE. THIS IS AN EXPERIENCED TEAM THAT'S ALREADY BEEN THROUGH IT ONE. AN ENTIRE DISTRICTWIDE REBOUNDRY AND PROVIDED SUPPORTS TO SCHOOLS DOWN THE LINE THAT RECEIVED SUPPORTS. IS THAT CORRECT, MS. McRAE? THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: MY FINAL REMARKS IS ANOTHER ONE ON ONE AS WE -- AS YOU'RE ABSORBING THE VARIOUS CONVERSATIONS
181AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO HAVE THE ONE ON ONES BE SOLUTION-BASED ALSO. WE WANT TO MAKE -- THE BOARD IS VERY ACTIVE AND VERY REAL WITHIN THESE SCHOOLS SO I'D LIKE FOR THOSE ONE ON ONES TO BE, YOU KNOW, SOLUTION-BASED AS WELL. AND THAT'S MY REMARKS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I'M GOING TO, YOU KNOW, COSIGN ON EVERYTHING THAT MY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID. FIRST, IF YOU COULD PROVIDE ALL OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WITH INFORMATION THAT WE CAN POST AND SEND TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND PARENTS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO THEM WHEN IT COMES TO -- BECAUSE I KNOW I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANYTHING. AND I'M COUNTY WIDE. WHEN IT COMES TO ANY MEETINGS COMING UP TO APRIL, THE APRIL MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU DON'T MIND.
182THAT WAY WE CAN INFORM PARENTS AND THEY CAN COME AND PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK OR WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO. BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO ALSO SPEAK TO WHAT MEMBER RENDON SAID. WHEN YOU HAVE A UNIVERSITY, ESPECIALLY A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, I CAN'T IMAGINE A MESSAGE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING SEEING THAT THE UNIVERSITY IS GIVING US WHAT'S CALLED AN ECONOMIC EVICTION. AN ECONOMIC EVICTION IS WHEN THE RENT IS PUT SO HIGH THAT WE HAVE TO LEAVE. HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN ON THAT SCHOOL CAMPUS? Christopher Farkas: 32 YEARS. WE HAD A 30-YEAR LEASE AND WE WERE ABLE TO SIGN A ONE-YEAR EXTENSION. THIS IS OUR 33RD YEAR. Van Ayres: FROM 97 TO 2008, THAT WAS A $10 PER YEAR LEASE. IN 2008, IT WENT TO $60,000 A YEAR. THEN IN EARLY 2024, FROM $10 TO
183$60,000 TO $550,000 FOR THE 3% INCREASE EVERY YEAR ON TOP OF TH THAT. Karen Perez: SO ALL OF A SUDDEN EDUCATION IS NOT THE ANSWER. IT'S FINANCIAL. CORRECT? YEAH. SO OUR CHILDREN ARE NO LONGER ABOUT EDUCATION. IT'S ABOUT A FINANCIAL MOTIVE FOR OUR STUDENTS ON THAT CAMPUS. SO IT SEEMS. THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT'S BEING SENT. SO, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, AND I ALSO COSIGN ON WHAT MEMBER VAUGHN IS SAYING, THAT IT'S SA. IT'S SAD TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF WHAT THIS WILL HAVE. SOME PARENTS ARE SAYING 30 YEARS. SOME PARENTS PROBABLY WENT TO THE SCHOOL AND NOW HAVE THEIR STUDENTS GOING TO THE SCHOOL AND PROBABLY SOME GRANDPARENTS NOW HAVING GRANDCHILDREN GOING TO THE SCHOOL. IT'S VERY SAD. IT'S A VERY SAD DAY WHEN WE'RE FIGHTING OVER, YOU KNOW, KEEPING CHILDREN IN A SCHOOL REGARDING
184FINANCIAL ISSUES. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD GET INFORMATION TO US THAT WE COULD PROVIDE THE PARENTS, IT WOULD BE GREAT. WITH THAT SAID, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH MEMBER VAUGHN DISSENTING FROM THE VOTE. THE NEXT ITEM IS C7.12, GRAHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BROWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REASSIGNMENT BEGINNING SCHOOL YEAR 27 TO 28. AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Van Ayres: THIS IS OUR GRAHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO BROWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REASSIGNMENT BEGINNING AGAIN, ALL THESE ARE 2027-28 SCHOOL YEAR. WE HAVE UNDERUTILIZATION AT TWO SCHOOLS. WE'RE MERGING GRAHAM AND BROWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. ALL STUDENTS WITHIN THE COMBINED BOUNDARY WILL ATTEND BROWARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHICH HAS ADEQUATE CAPACITY TO ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS FROM BOTH SCHOOLS AND REASSIGNMENTS WILL TAKE EFFECT IN THE 27-28 SCHOOL YEAR. AS PART OF
185THE BOUNDARY CHANGE PROCESS, A COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD FEBRUARY 17, 2026, TO GATHER PUBLIC INPUT AND THIS IS THE BOUNDARY FOR GRAHAM MERGING WITH BROWARD SO GRAHAM TO BROWARD CONSOLIDATION. AND THAT IS 7.12. Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C7.12. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER COMBS AND GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS SPH--QUY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Nadia Combs: I JUST HAD A REALLY QUICK COMMENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BROWARD DOES FALL IN DISTRICT ONE. ALL THE SCHOOLS FALL FOR ALL OF US. SAME THING AND I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON EVERY ONE OF THESE IITTIMES BUT THE SAME THING. IT'S VERY HARD BUT I DO REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO GOING TO BROWARD AND I WAS THINKING,
186WOW, I REMEMBER -- I THINK I TOLD MS. McRAE, WOW, THESE FLOORS ARE AMAZING. THEY'RE SO SHINY. BUT THEN I REALIZED BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A LOT OF FEET ON THEM. I WAS LIKE, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF STUDENTS. THAT SCHOOL FALLS. I THINK THERE IS ABOUT 120 STUDENTS, IS THAT CORRECT, MR. FARKAS? AND THEN GRAHAM -- HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE AT GRAHAM? ABOUT -- YEAH. SAME. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT TWO VERY, VERY UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS AND AS I SAID THIS, DOES THAT MEAN OTHER SCHOOLS WILL BE REPURPOSED IN THE FUTURE IF THEY'RE UNDERENROLLED? YES, MOST LIKELY. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT. AND YOU HAVE TO SAY, WHO WANTS TO MOVE STUDENTS BUT WE HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS. IF YOU -- I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO SCHOOL. YOU
187DON'T WANT TO GO INTO A SCHOOL WHERE THERE IS SUBSTITUTES. WE'VE GOT TO FIND TEACHERS AND WE HAVE TO PUT THE MONEY WITH THE STAFF. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OVER 80% OF OUR ALLOCATION IS PAYROLL. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE TWO SUCH SMALL SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA, AND YOU'RE STILL, EVEN WHEN YOU COMBINE TWO SCHOOLS, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE VERY SMALL SCHOOLS. IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A VERY SMALL SCHOOL. SO LUCKILY WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. HAVING SOMEONE REALLY LOOK AT EVERY PIECE OF OUR PROPERTY WHICH WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW AND REALLY MAKING THOSE HARD DECISIONS AND THAT'S WHAT BEING ON THE BOARD AND HAVING THIS TYPE OF POSITION, SOMETIMES MAKING HARD DECISIONS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TWO SMALL SCHOOLS, AND I THINK IT WILL BE
188GOOD. I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT. BOTH SCHOOLS ARE BEAUTIFUL. BROWARD IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOOKING THERE FROM THAT. I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT. AND I SPOKE TO, YOU KNOW, THE PRINCIPAL AT BROWARD TALKING TO HER AND SEEING HOW SHE FELT ABOUT IT. IT IS VERY, VERY CHALLENGING TIMES. AND I THINK THIS IS ONCE AGAIN THE RIGHT DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. WHAT REPLANNING TO DO WITH GRAHAM NOW. WE DON'T WANT TO BE PRESUMPTIVE WHAT WE WILL DO. A BOARD DECISION WHETHER TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. DO WE WANT TO SELL IT? DO WE WANT TO REPURPOSE IT? LOOK FOR RENTALS AND THAT PART
189OF IT TOO. AS WE TALKED TO A LOT OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, JAL IS HERE. PORTFOLIO. THEY ARE DOING THIS SITE WITH THE EXTENSIVE LOOK. PROVIDE YOU A DATA OF THE DECISION WHAT OUR CHOICES ARE. 100% A BOARD DECISION. Jessica Vaughn: ARE YOU CONCERNED IF THIS IS EMPTY, VULNERABLE FOR SCHOOLS OF HOPE GOING FORWARD. Christopher Farkas: YES, I AM ALWAYS CONCERNS WHAT IS OPEN FOR SCHOOLS OF HOPE. IF THERE IS NO SCHOOL THAT IS CURRENTLY THERE, THEY WILL HAVE TO ABSORB THE COST AND CURRENTLY NOT AT THE SCHOOL SITE. DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THAT AND THE EXISTING SCHOOL BUT ALWAYS WORRIED OF COLLOCATION. Jessica Vaughn: IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE FEEDBACK YOU GOT FROM THE PARENT MEETING AND ALL THE FEEDBACK. ONLY FEEDBACK I SEE HERE, NO PARENTS OR CONCERNED AND ASKING YOU TO KEEP THE SCHOOL
190OPEN. JUST CONCERNED OVER INCREASED TRAFFIC IN THE CITY. Christopher Farkas: THE BIGGEST PUSH-BACK WE GOT, YES, MA'AM. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY, THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MR. FARKAS, I HAD THAT SCHOOL -- WHEN I WAS AREA DIRECTOR AID THOSE TWO SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS. THE POPULATION HAS DECREASED. STUDENT POPULATION IS NOT IN THAT AREA AT ALL. I GO BY THERE QUITE OFTEN BECAUSE I HAD BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS. AT ONE TIME, FAMILIES HAD PLENTY OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT AREA. BUT NOW THEY DON'T. PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT. THAT IS GOING TO HURT OUR SCHOOLS, PEOPLE. WE GOT TO REALIZE THAT. PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT OF THE INNER CITY AREAS. AND IT IS GOING TO HURT A LOT OF MY SCHOOLS. AND THERE IS
191NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO. BECAUSE WE CAN'T MAKE THEM MOVE BACK, YOU KNOW. THAT IS FOR DAMN SURE. WE CAN'T MAKE THEM MOVE BACK. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE GOING TO -- YOU KNOW, I REALLY FEEL BAD. I MEAN, I REALLY DO. BECAUSE IT IS NOTHING THAT WE CAN TO DO MAKE IT HAPPEN. NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE -- LOOK, THIS -- THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. WE DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE NO SCHOOLS. WE DON'T HAVE TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND. HEY, WE HAVE HOPE COMING IN. WE GOT ALL THIS COMING IN AND WE GOT TO MAKE THIS TOUGH DECISION. YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS BOARD, WE ARE CAPABLE. WE MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS. FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN MAKING HARD DECISIONS. VERY HARD.
192SO I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, AND I WANT PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND, HEY, I LOVE GRAHAM AND BROWARD, BUT AT THIS PERIOD OF TIME, WE GOT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. TIME HAS CHANGED. TIMES HAVE CHANGED. SO I AM -- I AM GOING TO VOTE FOR THE MOVE. BECAUSE I -- I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. Superintendent Ayres: MR. WASHINGTON, WITH GRAHAM AND BROWARD, A TON OF WORK AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO SCHOOLS. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS MISS McCREA. THEY ARE BOTH WORKING TOGETHER. BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS SIT UNDER REGENT SUPERINTENDENT SHARON WAITE. THEY SHARE A READING AND MATH COACH. THOSE SCHOOLS GET TOGETHER AND DO THEIR PLANNING TOGETHER AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. CAMPUSES -- THE TEACHERS ALREADY KNOW EACH OTHER AND HAVE A RELATIONSHIP. WE HOPE FOR A VERY SMOOTH TRANSITION WHEN WE MERGE THE TWO SCHOOLS TOGETHER.
193Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU KNOW GRAHAM HAS BEEN THERE FOR 100 YEARS OR MORE. SO WE RENOVATED THAT -- I GUESS YOU RENOVATED THAT ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO. AND IT IS A BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL, BUT IT IS OLD, YOU KNOW. AND NOBODY -- AND NO KIDS AROUND IN THAT AREA AT ALL. SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE A QUESTION AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS SAID WE ARE LOOKING AT LESS THAN 50 STUDENTS BETWEEN WHEN WE COMBINED. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE, HAVE WE MADE A PLAN OF WHAT'S NEXT? WE TALKED OF PIZZO. PUTTING $71 MILLION IN THE REBUILD OF JUSTIN STEWART. AND 200 SEATS. IF YOU FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE OTHER PLANS. I FEEL WE ARE DOING ONE MOVE NOW AND TWO
194YEARS AGO WE ARE GOING TO TELL THEM WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THEM AGAIN. I LIKE TO GIVE A FULL OUT PLAN SO WE DON'T LOOK LIKE WE ARE GOING OH, THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR. LET'S TRY TO LOOK AT IT FROM A -- BECAUSE WE KNOW -- WE CAN'T SUSTAIN 250 STUDENTS. THIS A SCHOOL. Christopher Farkas: A SMALLER SCHOOL, BUT 500 STUDENT STATIONS. POPULARITY RATES IS BETWEEN 20 AND 30%. AND ARE KIDS NOT GOING THERE? YES, POPULATION HAS GONE DOWN. YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, MR. WASHINGTON. BUT A SCHOOL, 30% TO 40% POPULARITY RATE, WE HAVE TO FIGURE WHAT WE ARE NOT DOING IN THAT COMMUNITY TO NOT SERVE THOSE NEEDS. PART OF THAT YOU DON'T GET A READING COACH ALL DAY. YOU HAVE TO SPLIT. YOU GET THE ELECTIVES. YOU GET THEM CERTAIN DAYS OF
195A WEEK. WE ARE ABLE TO PUT MONEY WHERE KIDS ARE. AND YOU SAID IT A FEW TIMES. GETTING IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT DO THEY NEED AND WHY ARE THEY GOING TO OTHER SCHOOLS IS THE BIGGEST PART. WE TRY TO FORECAST OUT A FEW YEARS AND WE TALKED TO ABOUT THE SCHOOLS WE TALKED ABOUT. LOMAX, FOLKS. AT THAT WONDERFUL SCHOOL BUT UNDER POPULATION. WE HAVE A LIST OF TIERS OF WHAT IT IS. BUT THE POPULATION IS STILL SHIFTING. A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND MR. WASHINGTON'S AREA WHERE WE ARE GETTING MORE DOGS KIDS. NOT JUST CHOOSING OTHER OPTIONS. IF YOU LOOK AT FLORIDA IN GENERAL, THE DEATH RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE BIRTHRATE. NUMBER OF KIDS ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA THERE. PEOPLE WHO ARE DEMOGRAPHICS AND LIVE THE Ph.d.s. NOT JUST SOMEONE FAILING FROM A
196SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE. NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FROM AN ADJUSTMENT STANDPOINT. MISS RENDON, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT AND MAKE SURE STUDENTS FIND WHAT THEY WANT TO COME TO OUR SCHOOL. 40% ATTENDANCE IS MORE ALARMING THAN 250 OUT OF 40. WHY DO OUR KIDS NOT WANT TO GO TO OUR SCHOOLS? AN EFFORT -- BEING ON CABINET FOR 12 YEARS. I NEVER HAVE BEEN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN RICK AND SHAY'S SHOP IS AS CLOSE AS IT EVER HAS BEEN WITH OURS. WE HAVE OUR CONVERSATION WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK. THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE IT HAPPENED. I KNOW IT SOUNDS CLICHE. HAVE A SURVEY PART OF IT AND WE WILL
197HEAR ABOUT THAT LATER ON THIS IN MEETING, BUT WE ARE NOT SERVE SOMETHING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. DAY LOW US TO DO IT BETTER ABOUT YOU WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHY KIDS ARE NOT COMING TO OUR SCHOOL. Patti Rendon: I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT INPUT, BUT NOT ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS ARE WE PLANNING AHEAD. Christopher Farkas: YES. Patti Rendon: I DON'T HEAR THAT FROM MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DISTRICT. WHAT IS THAT PLAN AHEAD? BECAUSE I DISAGREE THAT THEY ARE -- ACTUALLY IN THE LAW IT SAYS NO HARM TO THAT COLLOCATING SCHOOL WITH. EVEN THOUGH THE RULING HAS CHANGED WHERE THERE IS A NEXT BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE COLLOCATING SCHOOL, THE ACTUAL LAW STILL STATES AT NO HARM TO THE COLLOCATING SCHOOL. SO I DO BELIEVE THAT OPEN BUILDINGS -- I
198DO BELIEVE THAT 50% CAPACITY DOES LEAVE OPEN FOR CO-LOCATIONS. SO WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, BECAUSE 2027 IS COMING. AND THE RULINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED AND THE CHANGE OF THE RULE DOES NOT PROTECT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO MAKE THESE DECISIONS. AND WE HAVE MADE A MOVE TO DO THAT, BUT IT DOES NOT PROTECT BROWARD -- EITHER ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE NOT PROTECTED. WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AND MAKE THEM BETTER. I WOULD PREFER TO KNOW THE PLAN IS WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO HERE AND MOVE HERE. BECAUSE IF I WAS A PARENT HAD MY KID GOING THERE AT KINDERGARTEN. YOU CAME BACK TO ME WHEN I KNEW I WAS GOING ONE WAY AND GOING SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR
199KINDERGARTEN. THIRD GRADE, TELLING ME THAT I AM MOVING AGAIN. I AM NOT GOING WITH YOUR SCHOOL. I CAN GO DOWN THE STREET AND STAY WITH THEM K-8. I DON'T THINK PARENTS ARE GIVEN A SERVICE WHEN WE ARE NOT GIVING THEM A TRANSITION WHEN WE KNOW WE CAN'T SUSTAIN 250 STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL. WE LONG-TERM CANNOT SUSTAIN A 40%, A 50% IN A SCHOOL. SO IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT CHANGE-AROUND IN A YEAR, WE HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM. AND I THINK WE ARE DOING A DISSERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BY NOT GIVING THEM A LONG-TERM PLAN. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MR. FARKAS, WHAT ABOUT TAMPA HEIGHTS? ISN'T THAT A GROWING AREA. THE ARCHITECT, I MEAN, SHE -- SHE WRITES ME ONCE IN A WHILE. BUT
200THERE IS A LOT OF NEW RESIDENTS AND A LOT OF MONEY BEING SPENT IN THAT AREA, WHICH COULD MITIGATE THE QUESTION MARK ABOUT 250 OR THE GROWTH. YOUR COMMENTS? Christopher Farkas: YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT. A LOT OF FAMILIES MOVING INTO THAT AREA, YOUNG ADULTS MOVING INTO THAT AREA. MR. YOUNG CAN SPEAK TO IT. HE LIVES IN THAT AREA. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT YES THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE THERE. ARE WE GOING TO BE THEIR DESTINATION? SPEAKS TO MARKETING AND SPEAKS WHETHER IT WILL BE A CHOICE FOR THEM. MORE KIDS MOVED OUT. IT AGED OUT OF AND REGENTRIFIED AND KNOCKED DOWN, REBUILD, AND WORTH A LOT MORE MONEY. AND WE ARE GOING TO BE THE ANSWER AND THE IMPORTANT PART OF MISS McCREA'S SHOP AND RICK'S SHOP. OUR RESPONSIBILITY. NOT THE ONLY GAME
201IN TOWN. WE ARE IN COMPETITION NOW. Lynn Gray: SO TRUE. BECAUSE I GET THOSE LETTERS, YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE GO? WHERE CAN WE GO? THEY WANT TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE FIRM CHOICES. SO THAT COMMUNICATION PIECE -- SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, THIS BOARD -- FOUR BOARD MEMBERS WROTE ON THEIR EVALUATION THE NEED FOR ASTUTE COMMUNICATIONS. SO WHETHER WE HAVE A DEDICATED COMMUNICATION PERSON THAT IS INVOLVED WITH AND INTERFACING MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM ON THIS OUTREACH. IT MAY BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. A DEDICATED COMMUNICATIONS PERSON. AND ANYWAY, THESE ARE IDEAS, AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE MORE BEFORE THE NIGHT IS OUT. THANK YOU, MR. FARKAS. MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I THINK WHAT WE WILL
202SEE IN 2027 IS SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED IN SOUTH TAMPA. AND THE REASON I DIDN'T WANT ALL THOSE BOUNDARIES CHANGED A FEW YEARS AGO, ONCE WE BUILT ODOM, THEY CHOSE TO CHOICE OUT AND THE OVERCROWDING WENT DOWN. AND EVERYTHING KIND OF LEVELED OUT. AND I THINK ONCE JUSTIN STEWART, THAT CAMPUS OPENS IN 2027, YOU WILL SEE THE PARENTS AT BROWARD ORGANICALLY CHOOSE TO MOVE TO THE BRAND-NEW SCHOOL, AND, YEAH, YOU MIGHT WERE IN ANOTHER DIFFICULT SITUATION, BUT AT LEAST IT IS ORGANICALLY HAPPENING. IT IS NOT FORCING PEOPLE THERE, AND THAT IS THE HEALTHIEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR A COMMUNITY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER COMBS. Nadia Combs: JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS. I THINK -- YOU KNOW I SAID THIS THREE OR FOUR YEARS WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD, WE
203HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE REALLY LOOKING AT THESE PROPERTIES ARE, BECAUSE I COULD SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL AND THE LAWS CHANGING AND ASKED THAT THE SECOND YEAR AND EXCITED IT IS FINALLY HAPPENING. LOOKING AT THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. ANOTHER THING AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT. SAID THIS OVER AND OVER THAT WHEN WE TALK OF COMMUNICATIONS, I AM NOT TALKING OF ADDING AN EXTRA PERSON TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM. I AM TALKING OF HAVING REAL BUDGET. A REAL MARKETING BUDGET. AND SOMETHING THAT IS MORE TARGETED. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, I DON'T NEED TO TARGET AND MARKET IN SOUTH COUNTY BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH SCHOOLS THERE. AND I -- IF I LOOK AT MY AREA, THERE ARE CERTAIN POCKETS OF AREA. NOT EVERYWHERE WHERE WE REALLY DO HAVE TO DO THAT MARKETING. I OFTEN
204HAVE TO GET A POSTCARD FROM A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT AS MUCH LESS -- YOU KNOW THE GRADE -- NOT AS STRONG -- THE GRADES AREN'T GREAT AND MARKETING. I LOOK AT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS IN MY AREA AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS OVER. SCHOOLS -- ONE CHARTER SCHOOL IN PARTICULAR THAT HAS INCREASED IN ENROLLMENT WHICH IS A C SCHOOL. AND ALL AROUND THEM ARE B SCHOOLS, AND WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AND MARKETING THOSE SCHOOLS. AND WE NEED TO HAVE A REAL BUDGET. WE ARE A $4.4 BILLION ORGANIZATION. AND THE MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS TO HAVE A REALLY STRONG BUDGET. AND WE NEED TO SPECIFICALLY TARGET. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, AND NECESSARY CA -- MEMBER VAUGHN'S IT DISTRICT. IT IS VERY HARD. YOU WILL NOT COMPETE WITH TERRACE COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL. FEW YEARS AGO, THE
205NUMBER ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE ENTIRE STATE. BUT THERE ARE OTHER PLACES, OTHER AREAS WHERE WE CAN BE SPECIFICALLY MARKETING AND WORKING ON THAT. DOESN'T MEAN AN EXTRA PERSON IN COMMUNICATIONS. BUT IT MEANS REALLY LOOKING AT EACH POCKET, EACH DISTRICT AND BEING A LOT MORE SPECIFIC AND HAVING A SET BUDGET. SO I SAID THIS 20 TIMES, AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW FOR ME TO SAY IT PUBLICLY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT. AND I AM TALKING A TRUE BUDGET FOR A $4.4 BILLION ORGANIZATION. THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU SPENT, YOU KNOW, $100,000. IF YOU HAD TEN STUDENTS BACK, YOU ALREADY PAID THAT. SO THE GNAT IS -- MATH IS VERY SIMPLE. COULD CAN BE HUNDRED, TEN OF THOUSANDS AND STRATEGIC MARKETING. GOOD TO HAVE THEM COMING
206IN ABOUT YOU WE NEED TO DO MORE. MEMBER RENDON SAID WE HAVE A SUPERIOR PRODUCT. WE ARE NOT GOING TO COMPARE TO SOMEBODY LIKE BERKELEY. $30,000 THAT IS AMAZING AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO COMPETE WITH A KID LIKE THAT. KIDS GRADUATING FROM MY LOCAL SCHOOLS ARE GRADUATING JUST AS A GOOD SCHOOL AS A SCHOOL THAT COSTS $30,000. I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE DOING THE MARKETING AND BEING VERY STRATEGIC AND CREATING A LARGE MARKETING BUDGET. Superintendent Ayres: MEMBER COAST COMBS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK.WE HAVE A MARKETING BUDGET. TO HAVE THEM SIT DOWN AND SEND THINGS OUT TO THE BOARD OF THE FEEDBACK AND WHAT THAT BUDGET LOOKS LIKE AND GET THAT BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR
207QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM ISC 7. 13, MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY REASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE SCHOOL YEAR 2027-'28. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. Superintendent Ayres: THIS WAS PART OUR DISTRICT-WIDE REBOUNDARY IN 2024-'25. STUDENTS FROM MONROE WERE TEMPORARILY CONSOLIDATED WITH MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND MOVED OVER TO THE MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS. DUE TO ONGOING FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, THE DISTRICT SOMEBODY PROPOSING TO RELOCATE THE PORTION OF THE MADISON ATTENDANCE TO A MONROE ON A PERMANENT BASIS. THOSE EAST OF DATABASE AND NORTH OF STATE ROAD 60 WILL BE REASSIGNED TO STEWART MAGNET MIDDLE TO BE CLOSER TO THEIR SCHOOL. AS PART OF BOUNDARY CHANGE PROCESS, A COMMUNITY MEETING HELD FEBRUARY 23, 2026 TO RECEIVE PUBLIC INPUT TO MAXIMIZE FISCAL EFFICIENCY, THE PROPOSED STUDENT ASSIGNMENT FOR THE '27-'28 SCHOOL YEAR AND MADISON BOUNDARY REASSIGNMENT
208OVER TO MONROE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 7. 13. A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN. SECONDED FROM MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER HAHN? Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD TONIGHT. IT HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE BEEN -- THAT I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH STAFF AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND THE PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE I NEVER AGREED WITH THE DECISION IN THE FIRST MPLACE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR FOR US TO CREATE A K-8 CAMPUS EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE BUILDING AROUND, BUT THE K-8 FEEL FOR FAMILIES THAT THEY WANT SO MUCH. IT HAS A BEAUTIFUL INDOOR AIR-CONDITIONED GYM. IT HAS AN AMAZING STEM LAB. IT'S
209HUGE. AND AERONAUTAL LAB AS WELL. AND SCIENCE LABS. AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THAT CAN-8 CAMPUS THAT PARENTS REALLY WANT WITHOUT HAVING TO BUILD A BRAND-NEW SCHOOL OR ADDING ADDITIONS. AND WHEN MEETING WAS HELD OUT THERE, IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE STAFF OF SCHOOLS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. YOU KNOW, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL FACILITY. THE FIELDS, LABS, THE GYM. YOU KNOW NEEDS A LITTLE TLC, BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S -- THAT'S SMALL COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO CREATE SOME OTHER K-8 CAMPUSES. AND IT IS REALLY -- IT IS LOCATED WHERE THE GROWTH IS HAPPENING IN SOUTH TAMPA RIGHT NOW WHICH IS THAT SOUTH OF GANDY AREA. YOU KNOW, MADISON WAS REALLY -- IT IS JUST A FEW BLOCKS FR FROM ADOM RIGHT NOW AND A SMALLER
210CAMPUS. SMALLER SCHOOL. AND DOESN'T HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT MONROE HAS. HE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD, THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SUPERINTENDENT, ALTHOUGH YOU WERE NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME WE MADE THAT ORIGINAL DECISION OF THAT BOUNDARY CHANGE, I DO WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF ONLY BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR FIVE MONTHS WHEN ALL OF THIS WAS GOING ON I REALLY RELIED ON STAFF FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND EDUCATION ON SPECIFIC PIECES. YOU KNOW BECAUSE OF OUR RULES ON THE BOARD, WE CAN'T TALK TO EACH OTHER. SO IT IS REALLY UP TO STAFF TO GIVE US THE INSIGHT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. I DON'T LIKE WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DAY DAYS TODAY FOR ITS -- DAIS
211THAT IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE WE WERE TO THE MAKING GOOD DECISIONS AND BRINGING IT BACK AGAIN. THAT IS ON YOU GUYS, LAID ON THE STAFF. Stacy Hahn: THEY WERE NOT THE STAFF AT THE TIME. Patti Rendon: ANYWAYS, THERE WERE STAFF THAT WERE HERE DURING THOSE BOUNDARY CHANGES THAT ARE CURRENTLY HERE NOW THAT WANT NOT AWARE WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT POSITION. I DID NOT HAVE THAT. MY POINT IS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE CHANGES, WE RECOGNIZE AS A BOARD WE WANT TO MAKE GOOD CHANGES TO THE COMMUNITY. MY WHOLE POINT ON THIS THAT WE WANT TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND WE RELY ON STAFF FOR THAT INFORMATION. IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS THINK ABOUT THIS DECISION HERE AND THE RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT WHAT INFORMATION WE ARE PROVIDED
212LEADS TO OUR DECISION. I DON'T WANT TO BE IN A POSITION AGAIN WHERE I HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE I AGREE. I NOW KNOW WHERE THAT IS LOCATED IN A BETTER SENSE BECAUSE IT IS NOT MY DISTRICT. WASN'T IN AN AREA I WAS AS FAMILIAR WITH. I COULDN'T GET IN THE MEETINGS AROUND THE DISTRICT AT THAT TIME. SO I AM THANKFUL THAT YOU GUYS -- THAT WE HAVE THAT, THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION, WE ARE CORRECTING A WRONG. I AM ALL IN FOR THAT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND, PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH THE BEST INFORMATION UPON SO WE DON'T COME BACK TO THIS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. Christopher Farkas: IF YOU DON'T MIND AS THE ONE STAFF MEMBER WHEN ALL THAT WENT DOWN. YOU ARE 100% CORRECT. AND DEFINITELY A
213FEELING THAT IS NOT REAL FUN TO HAVE, BUT NOT BECAUSE OF LACK OF FEEDBACK TO THE INDIVIDUAL THAT MADE THAT DECISION. NOT THROWING ANYONE UNDER THE BUS, BUT CLEAR TO BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF ABOUT THAT DECISION. AND NOT FAIR TO YOU THAT YOU WERE NOT GIVEN THAT INFORMATION. I APOLOGIZE EVEN THOUGH THAT WASN'T MY THING. I AGREE WITH YOU. WHEN YOU ARE CHANGING A DECISION MID-STROKE, NOT THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE. MORE IMPORTANT TO GET IT RIGHT AS YOU SAID. THAT PART TOO. BUT WE STRIVE TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE INFORMED TO MAKE EDUCATED DECISIONS TO DO THAT RIGHT THROUGH. MANY THERE ARE SO MANY BUT YOU DID NOT HAVE ALL INFORMATION AT THAT TIME TO DO IT. YOU ARE RIGHT, MISS RENDON. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn
214Gray: YEAH. I AM VERY -- THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR -- EXCITED. I KNOW THAT MR. EVANS, I AM SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR, MEMBER HAHN, WITH THE PTA WARNING THAT WITH K-8 -- I USED TO GO TO MONROE. I LIVED OFF OF BALLAST POINT WHERE THE PIER IS. A BEAUTIFUL AREA. A WELL-ESTABLISHED AREA. AND I THINK THIS SCHOOL WILL BE VERY SUCCESSFUL. I REALLY DO. WE ARE GOING -- WE DID A PRETTY GOOD FACELIFT ON MONROE SO FAR? IT LOOKS GOOD TO SEE. AND YOU HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY BUY-IN. AND MEMBER HAHN, I AM GLAD YOU PURSUED THIS BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG ASK. I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE MORE D-8s THROUGH THAT AREA AT FIRST YOU REMEMBER MR. FARKAS, I ASKED YOU IF WE DO THAT. K-8 RICH WITH NILLADUM AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. AS
215TIME GOES ON, NOW WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. WHEN WE WERE ORIGINALLY HAVING THIS DISCUSSION WHEN DOING THE BOUNDARIES, NOT THAT THE STAFF DIDN'T WANT TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT I WAS REQUESTING. IT WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME REFUSED TO LET THEM DO THAT AND REFUSED TO EVEN CONSIDER IT. SO IT NEVER GOT TO THE LEVEL WHERE STAFF COULD SHARE IT OTHERWISE THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS AND GOING AGAINST THE TSUNSUPERINTENDENT'S WISHES. BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS EVEN WILLING TO BE CONSIDERED. NOBODY WAS HOLDING BACK INFORMATION, IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS CONSIDERED. AND I AM GLAD WE ARE DOING IT NOW. AND RESPONDING TO
216-- YOU KNOW WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MEMBER WASHINGTON AWAY FROM THE DAIS. NEXT ITEM IS C 7.14, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY FOR YOUNG MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL AND STUDENT REASSIGNMENTS FOR ADJACENT SCHOOLS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT IN ITEM. Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOUNG MIDDLE MAGNET. RIGHT NOW JUST FOR THE BOARD'S AWARENESS AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW IT ALREADY, YOUNG DOES CURRENTLY HAVE AN ATTENDANCE AREA BOUNDARY. WE ARE PROPOSING AN ATTEND DAN BOUNDARY FOR YOUNG MAGNET MIDDLE WILL PROVIDE A COMMUNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTION FOR STUDENTS IN WEST TAMPA STUDENTS WITHIN THE BOUNDARY WILL COME FROM GRECO, JENNINGS, SLIGH AND STEWART MIDDLE SCHOOLS. A COMMUNITY MEETING WAS HELD ON FEBRUARY
21718 TO GATHER PUBLIC INPUT. STUDENT REASSIGNMENTS I MENTIONED EARLIER ALL FOR THE '27-'28 SCHOOL YEAR, 7. 14, THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY FOR YOUNG MAGNET MIDDLE. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE C 7.14. A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND FROM MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Lynn Gray: NO. Karen Perez: SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT ITEM IS C 7. 15 SULPHUR SPRINGS, K-8, SCHOOL GRADE CONFIGURATION EFFECTIVE YEAR 2027-2028. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS -- MICHELL PARKER MISS PEREZ IF YOU LET THE BOARD TO INDULGE. MISS COLSON AT YOUNG. YOU HAVE 250 STUDENTS TO EMBRACE WHAT SHE IS DOING. I HAD TO GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT. IT WAS REFRESHING TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT LOOKED
218AT IT AND SAID I WANT THESE KIDS. GIVE ME MORE. GIVE ME AS MANY KIDS AS I CAN. I WANT THESE KIDS. SHE SHOWS THIS IS A CHALLENGE. REACHED OUT TO SHAY AND RICK. ONE OF THOSE REFRESHING THINGS. AS A PRINCIPAL, IT WAS REFRESHING TO SEE HOW EXCITED SHE WAS TO HAVE THESE KIDS FROM THAT COMMUNITY ALL BE IN HER SCHOOL. I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AND IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIORS BECAUSE THE KIND OF LEADERS WE HAVE IN THE SCHOOLS. Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU MR. FARKAS. SHOUT OUT TO MISS COLSON AND SHE IS REMARKABLE AND HER WORK. 7.15, SULPHUR SPRINGS GRADE CONFIGURATION. THE SIX I MENTIONED, THIS IS NUMBER SIX THE BOARD WILL HEAR IT DURING SECOND READING. WE ARE EXPECTING A GRADE RECONFIGURATION OF SULPHUR SPRINGS OF AN ELEMENTARY
219SCHOOL SERVING GRADES 5-5. SULPHUR SPRINGS WAS A K-5. EXPANDED TO A K-8 AND BACK TO K-5. STUDENTS 6 TO 8 ASSIGNED TO MEMORIAL, SLIGH AND WOODSON. AS PART OF A BOUNDARY CHANGE, MEETING FEBRUARY 18, 2026 TO RECEIVE INPUT AND ASSIGNMENTS AS ALL HAVE BEEN THE PRIOR FIVE, THE 2027-'28 SCHOOL YEAR. 7.15, RECONFIGURATION TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 17.15. A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, SECONDED. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Jessica Vaughn: I HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT. IT WENT FASTER THAN I WAS EXPECTING. Karen Perez: MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT IS PROMPTING THIS. WHY WE ARE MAKING THIS DECISION. I LISTENED TO DR. HAHN, AND SO GLAD WE CAN CREATE K-8s IN HER COMMUNITY
220AND WE HEAR PARENTS COMING FROM EVERY SINGLE. TONIGHT, YOU ARE ABSOLVING TWO K-8s. PIZZO. WE HAVEN'T TALKED OF TRANSITIONING FROM ENTIRE K-8 TO ADAMS. I AM NOT SURE, ONE, WHAT IS PUSHING THIS. THE ONLY OTHER SCHOOL I GOTTEN E-MAILS AND FEEDBACK ABOUT TAMPA FUNNY ENOUGH WHERE I DID MY FINAL INTERNSHIP. I HAVE A CONNECTION WITH THIS AS I DID FOR PIZZO. I AM CURIOUS WHAT PROMPTEDED THIS FIRST OF ALL. Superintendent Ayres: MISS McCREA WILL GIVE INPUT INTO THE SULPHUR SPRINGS. AS A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT FOR THAT, I KNOW THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE ONLY K-8 SCHOOLS THAT IS NOT A SCHOOL THAT WILL IS THRIVING LIKE THE OTHER K-8s. YOU THINK OF THE TRANSITION FROM THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE FIFTH GRADERS ARE NOT TRANSITIONING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SPACE. THAT K-8
221HAS 120 KIDS ACROSS THREE GRADE LEVELS. LITERALLY 40 KIDS A GRADE LEVEL. BECAUSE THOSE KIDS ARE SO SMALL AND UNIT ALLOCATIONS, THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE EXPANSIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE ELECTIVES. THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AS EVERYONE ELSE. WE WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF KIDS. WE WANT THE STUDENTS IN SULPHUR SPRINGS TO HAVE A MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. IN THIS CASE, THE REASON WE CAN'T TO GO BACK TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITE, BECAUSE PARENTS ARE CHOOSING OTHER OPTION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY ARE NOT STAYING AT SULPHUR SPRINGS K-8 AND SO FEW STUDENTS THEY ARE NOT HAVING A TRUE MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. WOULD LIKE TO SHARE SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS OF SULPHUR SPRINGS K-8 AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE PARENTS. BECAUSE OF SULPHUR SPRINGS COMMUNITY, WE HAD EXTRA
222CARE AND THOUGHT HOW WE HANDLED SULPHUR SPRINGS. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE MOST TO MAKE SOME CLARIFICATIONS. ORIGINAL MEETING FOR OUR K-8 PARENTS WERE DONE IN CONSTRUCTION WITH THE YOUNG MAGNET -- SO ARY THE YOUNG REBOUNDARY. SA K-8 TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE PARENT MEETINGS AT YOUNG. BECAUSE NOT THAT MANY PARENTS AT THAT MEETING, THE PRINCIPAL K-8 REQUESTED THAT THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT TEAM COME TO THE CONFERENCE NIGHT, WHICH WAS THE VERY NEXT NIGHT ON FEBRUARY 19. OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT TEAM CAME TO THEIR CONFERENCE NIGHT. TWO SPANISH INTERPRETERS THAT WERE THERE. WE ALSO HAD FROM THAT CONFERENCE NIGHT AND THE PARENT MEETING SOME CONCERN BECAUSE A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP SCHOOL AND MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE FEEDING INTO THIS SCHOOL THAT SHARE CONCERNS. AND SO I PERSONALLY CALLED A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON
223MARCH 4. AND WE INVITED EVERY COMMUNITY PARTNER THAT IS TAKING PART IN THAT COMMUNITY SCHOOL. AND SO THAT COMMUNITY PARTNER MEETING, THERE WAS ABOUT TEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS SERVING THE SULPHUR SPRINGS COMMUNITY. A VERY THOUGHTFUL MEETING. A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACK AND TAKE HEED TO THESE SUGGESTIONS AND FEEDBACK. AFTER THAT MEETING, WE HAD ANOTHER PARENT MEETING ON 3-9. MARCH 9. AT THE PARENTS ASK AS WELL AS THE PRINCIPAL REQUEST. A LOT OF TEXT MESSAGES GOING OUT TO FAMILIES SO THEY KNEW THIS MEETING WAS HAPPENING AGAIN LAST NIGHT. SOME OF THE THINGS I PICKED UP ON WITH OUR COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMUNITY. TWO MAJOR CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE THAT I THINK WE DO HAVE A CIRCLE BACK AN ADDRESS. ONE IS FOR STUDENTS' SAFETY. AND GETTING TO SCHOOL, TRANSPORTATION. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT WILL BE
224TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, IF HE CANNILY F-- PARTICULARLY FOR THE STUDENTS GOING TO WOODSON. OTHER THINGS WE NEED TO ADDRESS, FAMILIES WITH SIBLING. SIBLING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A ANOTHER STUDENT GOING TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. HOW TO KEEP THE FAMILIES AND SIBLINGS TOGETHER. TWO ISSUES AS A DISTRICT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER ON AND HAVE A MEETING AND ADDRESS THAT BEFORE OUR APRIL MEETING. I DID WANT YOU TO KNOW WE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS -- NOT JUST OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS, BUT WE ALSO MET WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNER SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE IT IS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL. AND THERE ARE SO MANY COMMUNITY PARTNERS POURING INTO THAT SC SCHOOL. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, YOU ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS PREEMPTIVELY. APPRECIATE THAT. WITH THE FAMILIES, KEEP THING THE COHORT TOGETHER. 290 KIDS WHEN TALKING OF TAMPA PALMS AND MORE AND YOU
225MENTION SUCH SMALL GRADE BANDS. WHY NOT MORE OF AN EFFORT TO KEEP THE COHORT TO ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL. Christopher Farkas: WE SPENT A LOT TIME ON THAT, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD MAKING SURE COMMUNITIES WORK TOGETHER. COHORTS AND NEIGHBORS THAT WERE THERE. WE TOOK MISS McCREA, WE TOOK REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT FOR THAT AREA WHO KNOWS THAT AREA VERY WELL AND PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE DISTRICT IN THE SPACE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD STANDPOINT TO NOT SET THESE STUDENTS UP FOR FAILURE WHEN THEY GO TO A NEW SCHOOL. NEIGHBORHOODS THAT GO TOGETHER. WE INVITED THEM INTENTIONALLY. SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO KNOW THEY WERE DIVIDED OUT INTENTIONALLY WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN NEXT ROUND. AS MUCH TIME SPENT TO
226THAN SPLIT FOR 120 KIDS MAKING SURE THEY STAYED TOGETHER WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AS ANY PRESIDENT OF OTHER ONES WE HAVE. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT IN THAT SMALL SPACE. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. SEEMS LIKE WE SHOULD BE RESPONSIVE TO THE FAMILIES AND AT LEAST HAVE A BETTER OF EXPLAINING THAT TO THEM BECAUSE DOING A BETTER JOB TO COMMUNICATE. I AM FOLLOWING VOTE YES ON THIS GOING FORWARD, AND THE THING IDENTIFIED THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANSWERS WHEN WE REDO IT THE SECOND TIME, I WILL BE A NO VOTE ON THAT. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU MET WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WELL. DOES THAT MEAN THAT SULPHUR SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL -- BECAUSE IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN
227ELEMENTARY SCHOOL -- WILL CONTINUE TO BE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL? WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT THE MEETING -- THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BACK UP, MISS RENDON. TWO THINGS THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THIS MEETING. THERE IS GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL AND A COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THOSE SCHOOLS. EVERY COMMUNITY PARTER IN CURRENTLY WORKING HAS MADE A COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW THE STUDENTS WHATEVER ITS THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE CONTINUATION OF SERVICE. IT WAS A WONDERFUL MEETING. THEY ARE COMMITTED TO THE STUDENTS IN THE SFK-8 AREA. CAME UP WITH GREAT YFDZ TO KEEP THAT PARTNERSHIP GOING INCLUDING UTILIZING THAT VACANT SPACE AS AN ADULT EDUCATION SPACE. THAT SPACE THAT WAS MIDDLE SCHOOL PROVIDING G.E.D. AND E.S.O.L. SERVICES TO THE FAMILIES IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING. WE TALKED OF VPK. AND THE
228CONTINUAL OF VPK FROM SSK-8 INTO KINDERGARTEN TO MAKE SURE PARENTS FROMVPK INTO KINDERGARTEN. THAT SAME COMMITTEE, INCLUDING ME, HAVE COMMITTED TO HAVE ONGOING MEETINGS ALL YEAR. BEFORE WE HAVE THE TRANSITION OF STUDENT TO ANY SCHOOL THAT WE HAVE A THOUGHTFUL PLAN HOW WITHER GOING TO SUPPORT THOSE STUDENTS MOVING FORWARD. A FANTASTIC MEETING. FANTASTIC COMMITMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO ARE ALREADY THERE SERVING THE STUDENTS. Patti Rendon: ONE OTHER QUESTION IS, I REMEMBER WHEN DOING THE BOUNDARIES PREVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE DID NOT RESOLVE WAS THE TRANSPORTATION AND THE LENGTH OF TIME STUDENTS ARE ON BUSES FOR TRANSPORTATION. ARE WE FIXING PART OF THAT WITH THIS CHANGE? WITH THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS? RIGHT NOW SULPHUR SPRINGS DOESN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION. WE ARE WORK ON TRANSPORTATION FOR ANY OF THE THREE MIDDLE SCHOOLS THEY ARE GOING TO. RIGHT
229NOW THEY ARE A WALKING SCHOOL. Patti Rendon: OKAY, THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER WASHINGTON? Henry "Shake" Washington: WE -- I THINK WE MADE THAT A COMMUNITY SCHOOL MAYBE 2007. BECAUSE I WAS THE AREA DIRECTOR. TRACY, YOU HAD JUST LEFT. YEAH, SHE HAD JUST LEFT. I THINK IT WAS AROUND 2017. Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY. IT WAS LATER? 20, OR 2015, AND SULFUR STRENGTHS CAME AFTERWARDS. Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY, OKAY. WE MADE IT A COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE PARENTS IN THAT COMMUNITY WANTED THEIR KIDS TO STAY THERE. THEY DIDN'T WANT THEM TO LEAVE THE COMMUNITY. WE MADE IT WORK, BUT BIGGEST PROBLEM WE HAD THEN -- WAS THE POINT THAT MOST OF THE KIDS, EVEN THEN, DID NOT GO TO K -- DID NOT GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY WANTED TO GO TO A
230AHTRA ELNASHAR ADDITIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY ENDED UP NOT GOING THERE AND WE HAD A LOW ENROLLMENT FOR YEARS WITH THAT K-8. Christopher Farkas: MR. WASHINGTON, IF YOU REMEMBER THAT MEETING. 20 COMMUNITY PARTNER -- I WAS AT THAT MEETING. 20 COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ONE PARENT. THEIR INTENTIONS WAS A GOOD. NEVER A CHOICE. AS MISS McCREA ELEGANTLY PUT SERVE WHAT WE NEED TO AND USE THAT SPACE FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. Henry "Shake" Washington: I AM AGREE WITH THAT. AND I AM BEHIND MISS McCREA. I THINK THAT IS A GOOD CHOICE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL LISTEN TO ITEM C 9.01. APPROVE THE SERVICE ORDER FOR P PANORAMA FOR PAN RAM THAT TEACHER AND STAFF AND FAMILY SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP
231SURVEY ALONG THE WITH THE PANORAMA STUDENT LIFE SKILLS SURVEY. Superintendent Ayres: YOU SAID IT ALL. I DON'T NEED TO SAY IT. Karen Perez: SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS. Superintendent Ayres: YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH PANORAMA, THE SURVEYS THAT THE LAST FOUR YEARS WE USED PANORAMA. RESEARCH-BACKED SURVEYS AND ACTIONAL DATA SUPPORT TO MEASURE STUDENT LIFE SKILLS AND A STUDENT ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS THRIVE ROAR PROFESSIONAL WELL-BEING, IMPROVING SCHOOL CLIMATE AND CULTURE AND SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS AND EDUCATORS AND STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEAGUES, LEADERSHIP, STUDENTS AND FAMILY. SUPPORTS MEASUREMENTS ACROSS INITIATIVES. SIXTH -- I WAS WRONG -- SIXTH FOR STUD TENT PERCEPTION SURVEY AND SECOND AGREEMENT INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS. KIANA WILLIAMS THAT IS HERE AND OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT OFFICE AND MR. YOUNG CHIEF OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING 9.01, PANORAMA. Karen Perez: THANK
232YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 9.0 01. A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON AND MEMBER GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A PERCEPTION SURVEY, FULL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I -- AND THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS FOR BEING HERE. AND I DID HAVE MR. YOUNG GIVE A FEW STATS ON AREA OF GROWTH AND NEED AND FOCUS SCHOOL PRINCIPALS -- I WILL SPEAK FOR PRINCIPALS, THEY SHOULD KNOW THE PULSE OF THE SCHOOL. BECAUSE PULSE OF THE STUDENTS, IF THEY ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH KNOWING HOW STUDENTS FEEL, WHAT KIND OF CLUBS THEY WANT TO HAVE, WHAT KIND OF AFTERSCHOOL ACTI ACTIVITIES. IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT IS REALLY REPLICATES THE NEED AND
233THE MENTAL WELFARE OF THE STUDENTS ITS HIKE A SHIP NOT KNOWING WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY ARARE OF WHAT STUDENTS THINK. IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN A PRINCIPAL OR A TEACHER AT ONE TIME, YOU MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE TO GET A FEELING OF HOW THAT SCHOOL IS AND WHAT STUDENTS WANT AND WHAT DO THEY NEED. THAT IS THE EFFECT OF DOMAIN. EFFECT THEY NEED FOOD AND A LOT OF TRAUMA-BASED SITUATIONS AND THAT IS ALL TRUE. WANT TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE AND MR. YOUNG AND MISS WILLIAMS, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND LEAD THE CHARGE OF AN AREA OF GROWTH AND AREAS OF NEED. THE IDEA OF EMOTIONAL REGULATION WHICH IS ONE OF THE TENETS THAT PANORAMA DETAILS, IT IS PRINCIPAL AS AND TEACHERS DON'T UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONALITIES
234IN THEIR SCHOOLS. AND YOU HAD AN EXAMPLE RECENTLY OF STUDENT ASSEMBLIES FROM WHAT THEY WERE DOING. KIDS WERE TALKING. THEY ARE GOING TO. SOME WERE MORE RADICAL AND SOME WERE NOT. THE POINT IS PRINCIPALS DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF MEASURING THE EFFECTIVE WAYS THAT STUDENTS WANTED TO ASSEMBLE KIND OF MODERATE THEM AND NOT OUT OF PROPORTION. THOSE PRINCIPALS, AND I DON'T WANT TO NAME THEM ALL, THEY HAD A REALLY GOOD FEEL AS WHAT WAS WRITTEN, THE EMOTIONAL REGULATION OF THE STUDENT BODY AND MEMBER PEREZ,U PROBABLY SAY IT MORE THAN MYSELF. THE MENTAL WELL BEING OF A STUDENT, IF THAT IS NOT YOU TACT, STUDENTS HAVE A LOWER WAY OF LEARNING. IF WE DON'T KNOW THE STATUS OF HOW STUDENTS ARE DOING EMOTIONALLY, THEN A LOT OF THOSE DECISIONS PUTTING THEM IN CERTAIN -- ASKING THEM
235TO JOIN CERTAIN CLUBS. ASKING THEM TO PERHAPS SEE THEIR GUIDANCE COUNSELOR. YOU KNOW A LOT OF THINGS GET MISSED AND LAST, THIS WAS MENTIONEDED FROM A DOBY PARENT. WHAT DOES A CHILD SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME IN? AND ITS IN SCHOOL. SCHOOLS REALLY NOT AWARE OF HOW THE STUDENTS LEARN AND FEEL. THAT BIG PART OF THE DAY, HOW DO YOU GUIDE THAT CHILD? SO PANORAMA SURVEYS HAVE BEEN DONE. USED TO TEACH JESUIT IN ANOTHER FORM. DONE IN MOST SCHOOLS -- MOST SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND ITS SO TELLING AND SO NECESSARY. SO I THINK BEFORE MY TIME IS UP. LET ME GIVE IT TO YOU MR. YOUNG. YOU CALL IT AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES. CALL THEM CHALLENGE AREAS. I AM NOT A DEBBY DOWNER. PERHAPS YOU CAN GIVE ONE EXAMPLE OF A CHALLENGE AND ONE EXAMPLE OF A
236SUCCESS OF THE PAN ORAMA SURVEY. MEMBER GRAY, I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT PERSPECTIVE. AS THE SUPERINTENDENT SHARED SIX YEARS. LOOK AT A LOT OF OUR DATA, IT REQUIRED THIS CABINET TO MAKE A DECISION AROUND HOW WE SHARE THIS INFORMATION AND WHAT IS OUR EXPECTATION AND MOVED IT FROM A SURVEY TO AN IDEA OR A THOUGHT OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT VERSUS JUST BEING A SURVEY. PART OUR MESSAGING AROUND THIS SURVEY IS WE HAVE TO OWN IT. I REMEMBER WHEN JIMMY CASIS SAID WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ANONYMOUS, IT SAYS SOMETHING OF YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. NAY NOT GO FROM AN ANONYMOUS WHERE WE KNOW WHO IS GIVING IT. BUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT HOW IMPORTANT THE FEEDBACK IS. YOU TALK OF EMOTIONAL REGULATION. IT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT THAT DATA FROM LAST YEAR. LOOK AT ELEMENTARY
237SCHOOLS WITH EMOTIONAL REGULATION. THAT WASN'T ONE OF THE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY LAST YEAR. LAST YEAR WE TALKED A LOT OF SENSE OF BELONGING. I APPRECIATE THIS BOARD BECAUSE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES DURING OUR BOARD MEETING WE WOULD TALK OF SENSE OF BELONGING. YOU LOOK AT THIS, SENSE OF BELONGING CUT ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS NOW FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IT IS ONE OF THE TOP TWO, RIGHT. SO OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE DOING AN ABSOLUTE AWESOME JOB IN ENSURING THAT KIDS FEEL -- BELONG AT THAT SCHOOL. WHETHER IT IS A YOUNG PERSON TIED TO AN ADULT. A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS A CLUB OR ORGANIZATION. AND WHEN LOOK AT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, YOU LOOK AT THE TOPICS AND AREA MEASURED FROM LAST YEAR. WE HAD A SENSE OF BELONGING THAT ALSO WENT UP BUT YOU SEE IN MIDDLE
238AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT GROWTH MIND SET SLIPPED DOWN. IDEA OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND TALK OF PRINCIPALS HAVING THEIR FINGER ON PULSE, GIVES PRINCIPALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE REFL REFLECTIVE. WE WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL OF MOVING THE SURVEY TO THE JANUARY TIME FRAME. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SPRING BREAK, STUD HAVE TO THINK OF THEIR CNA, COMPREHENSIVE NEED ASSESSMENT PLANS. THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE FROM MISS BROWN'S DEPARTMENT, TITLE I DOLLARS. AND FEEDBACK GIVES SCHOOLS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST AND PIVOT. WHAT WE HAD AND PURCHASE LAST YEAR MAY NOT BE WHAT WE NEED FOR NEXT YEAR. WHILE WE BELIEVE COULD, SO ARE SO EMPHATICALLY ABOUT THIS AND TRANSFORMING LIVES AND TEACHERS AND ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS. YOU MENTIONED A SENSE OF BELONGING AND A REPORT IN 2022 ABOUT 23 MERRYDALE MAYBE IT WAS 22% USED AI
239FOR CONTENT. IN 2025, IT WAS UP TO 72% THE STUDENTS USE IT FOR COMPANIONSHIP. THOSE ARE BIG DATA POINTS AND MARKERS WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO. OUR STUDENTS WANT TO BE LISTENED TO. THEY HAVE FEELINGS, OF COURSE. THEY HAVE TO HAVE HELP NAVIGATING LIFE DECISIONS, MORE NOW THAN BEFORE. AND I -- I BRING UP AI BECAUSE WE ADDED THAT AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT FOR THE PERCEPTION SURVEY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MEMBER -- MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER GRAY, I 100% AGREE WITH YOU. THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE SURVEY I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IS REALLY EXACTLY WHAT MEMBER GRAY WAS SAYING. WE ALL HAVE TIMES IN OUR LIVES WHERE WE DON'T FEEL A SENSE OF BELONGING, BUT LIKE MEMBER GRAY SAID, THE
240GAGGLE IS SHOWING THAT IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE UTILIZING THAT FEATURE AND UTILIZING THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA AS A SENSE OF BELONGING. ONE OF MY ISSUES I HAVE WITH THIS SURVEY, WE DON'T IT IG INTO THAT. WE SAY THEY DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING. AND GO, AGAIN, THOSE NUMBERS INCREASED SINCE 2020 WHICH IS COVID. WE ARE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO SEE THOSE INCREASES. WE HAVE A SURVEY THAT HAS 47 QUESTIONS FOR A STUDENT, THEY HAVE STOPPED AFTER 15. I STOPPED AFTER 15 AS A PARENT, I DON'T KNOW IF ACCURACY IN THIS. EVERY TIME WE WANT TO SEE IMPROVEMENT ARE, IT IS IN COMMUNICATION. NOT A SURVEY THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT SAID WE NEED IMPROVEMENT IN COMMUNICATION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SURVEY DIRECT TO MY SCHOOL. DID YOU SEE MY NEWSLETTER? ARE YOU RESPONDING
241TO MY NEWSLETTER? ARE YOU SEEING THE WEEK ELCHC DIGS ON E-MAIL. THAT IS THE PROBLEM OF SURVEY. NOT THE FACT WE ARE NOT GATHERING DATA. I WANT TO GATHER DATA. WE NEED IT SPECIFIC AND MAKE SPECIFICS CHANGE. ALL I KNOW STUDENTS DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF BELONGING AT 60%. HOW AM I ADDRESSING THE STUD INCIDENTS THEMSELVES THANK WANT TO HAVE A SENSE BELONGING. I HAVE OF A SURVEY LOOK THAT, ALL I AM ADDRESS SOMETHING A GLOBAL NEED TO IMPROVE ON A GLOBAL SENSE. WANT TO KNOW FOR THAT SCHOOL WHERE IS THAT GROUP OF KIDS THAT DON'T FEEL BELONG. BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ORGANIZATION OR FRIENDS? WHAT IS IT. I FEEL WE ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM ACTUAL ISSUES WITH AN SCHOOL THAT WE CONSTANTLY MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND ONE UP THE ISSUES THAT STAFF
242HAS THAT WE ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING CHANGES TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL SITES AND WE NEVER ANSWER QUESTIONS. BECAUSE WHAT MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER PEREZ AND MYSELF, WHAT GOING TO TAKE FOR EACH ONE OF US TO FEEL BELONGING IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT. YET THIS SURVEY DOESN'T DO THAT SO THAT IS WHAT MY PRB IS. WHOEVER HAD PANORAMA CALL ME, APPRECIATE IT. BUT I SAID THE EXACT SAME THING TO THEM. WE ARE NOT DIGGING DEEP WITH THIS SURVEY TO REALLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL. WE ARE GIVING A WORLDWIDE VIEW INSTEAD OF COMING DOWN. IF WE HAVE 1,000 STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO NARROW DOWN A LITTLE BIT BETTER. 3% -- THAT IS THE STANDARD OF ERROR, RIGHT? I MEAN WHEN WE INCREASE BY 3%, THAT
243COULD BE THE MARGIN OF ERROR. IF YOU WERE GIVING A STUDENT 47 QUESTIONS IN A SURVEY, THAT IS CRAZY. I CAN TELL YOU AS A PARENT. I AM NOT SPENDING THAT TIME ON A SURVEY. I DON'T KNOW BUT, BUT -- I MEAN, FOR WHAT? RIGHT. SO I DON'T KNOW THE LEVEL OF ACCURACY ALL THEY SAID YOU NEED TO COMPLETE IT. THEY ARE CHRISTMAS TREEING IT. HE CAN TELL THAT YOU PM 1 DATA, NO NINTH-GRADER. THEY ARE CHRISTMAS TREEING OF A OF IT. IF I GIVE THEM A SURVEY, THEY ARE CHRISTMAS TREEING IT TO GET OUT THE DOOR TO GO TO LUNCH. I WOULD LIKE THE SURVEY AND THE QUESTIONS REALLY DIG INTO THE NEEDS OF A SCHOOL. NOT FROM A BROADER SCOPE, BUT REALLY DIG IN. BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF LAST FIVE YEARS, WE
244ARE ASKING THE SAME QUESTIONS AND WE ARE CHANGING I HAVE A PRINCIPAL CHANGE HERE AND HERE. IF I GO TO GAIT OTHER ARE BRANDON, THEY ARE GETTING SAME PERCENTAGES OF THE SENSE OF BELONGING, RIGHT. THEY STILL HAVE A VERY SIMILAR PERCENTAGE OF HOW MANY STUDENTS FEEL BELONGING BUT YET, WHY DOES THAT SCHOOL DIFFER FROM THAT SCHOOL. THEY ARE GO TO HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES. WE ARE NOT ADDRESS BIG SCHOOL TO KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENT ISSUES IS. WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF A PERSONALIZED SURVEY TO TRULY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF IN THE AREA AND THAT IS WHERE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. WE DON'T HAVE A SURVEY THAT IS RE REALLY DOWN DIRTY WHAT IS GOING ON. HOW DO I KNOW MY PRINCIPAL IS NOT SENDING OUT WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS. ASKED DO THEY
245FEEL LIKE THEY ARE COMMUNICATING WITH. WHY AREN'T THEY GETTING IT. WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEY ARE GETTING THEIR NEWS LETTER EVERY WEEK. JUST ASKING IF THEY FEEL COMMUNICATED WITH DOESN'T ANSWER WITH THAT SCHOOL IS IT SUFFICIENT OR NOT. THAT'S WHAT HI WANT TO GET DOWN TO. ARE WE DOING THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: OH, BOY, I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ON THIS. NUMBER ONE, I LOVE DATA. NUMBER TWO, I HAVE DONE A DEEP DIVE INTO THESE SURVEYS AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH MR. YOUNG AND THANK YOU FOR SETTING UP THE MEETING WITH THE GENTLEMAN FROM PANORAMA. IF I DID NOT HAVE THAT MEETING I WOULD BE ECHOING MUCH OF WHAT MEMBER RENDON SAID. I THINK WHAT
246I LEARNED FROM THAT, THERE IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY IN THE DEPTH OF WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE SURVEY AND HOW WE ARE ACTUALLY USING IT. BECAUSE THANKS TO THAT OVERLY ENTHUSIASTIC GENTLEMAN FROM PANORAMA. I DON'T KNOW WHO IS HERE WITH THEM, BUT THAT GUY -- HE LOVES YOUR COMPANY. BUT FOR HIM -- FOR MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, WHAT YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN GO INTO A GRADE BAND AND EVEN IDENTIFY WHAT RAISE, WHAT SUBCATEGORY IF THEY ARE EXCEL OR ESE, THOSE STUDENTS ARE ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS TO NAIL DOWN THAT MAYBE THERE ISN'T A PERCENTAGE OF KIDS WHO ARE FEELING THAT SENSE OF BELONGING. YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO UTILIZE THE DATA. IT IS SO COMPLEX AND OFFERS US SO MUCH CUSTOMIZED OPTIONS, I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS, ONE, WE ARE NOT REALLY
247EXPLORING IT OR USING IN A WAY THAT IT TACKLING THE INFORMATION WE GET. AND TWO, WE ARE NOT FINE ONNING OUR PRINCIPLES OF HOW TO USE IT AS WELL TALKING TO IT FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE AND A SENSE OF BELONG SOMETHING IMPORTANT. CAPTURES WHAT OUR FAMILIES AND TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOLS THINK. A REALISTIC TOOL. AFTER I LEARNED HOW TO USE IT, I SEE THE VALUE IN IT. WORRY, THOUGH, ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO HONE IN, USE IT IN THE WAY WE CAN AND GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE PRINCIPALS. I WILL SAY ONE THING I HAVE SEEN A DIFFERENCE FROM LAST YEAR. I HAVE GONE INTO A LOT OF SCHOOLS RECENTLY. PREPARED TO TALK OF THE PANORAMA DATA. THEY HAVE KNOWN IT, SEEN IT, LOOKED AT IT AND THEY ARE READY TO TALK ABOUT THAT. A HUGE
248SUCCESS RATE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR WHEN I STARTED TALKING OF PANORAMA SURVEY. AND THEY ARE EVEN LOOKING IN COMPARISON TO THE YEAR BEFORE AND MEASURING GROWTH WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT LOOKING AT. BECAUSE THE WAY THEIR RESULTS ARE PRESENTED TO ME, I DON'T SEE THAT. I DON'T SEE THE GROWTH AND THE COMPARISONS FROM ITS YEAR BEFORE. THEY ARE EVEN LIKE, LOOK AT THIS LAST SECTION. LAST YEAR 43 AND NOW AT 58. THIS TELLS YOU THEY ARE MAKING GAINS ON THIS. I THINK THIS IS A VALUABLE TOOL. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO RE-EVALUATE THE QUESTIONS ON IT. DON'T TAKE THE STUDENT PART OF IT. ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I THOUGHT THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH QUESTIONS AS A PARENT AND TOOK IT IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. YOU THOUGHT IT
249WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GO TO THE COMMUNITIES AND CUSTOMIZE EACH ONE. WE WANT TO KEEP SOME CONSISTENCY WITH THE QUESTIONS TO MEASURE THAT DATA AND REDO THE QUESTION EVERY YEAR AND CAN'T AUTO US IT AS A DATA POINT TO MEASURE GROWTH. BUT I THINK IT CAN BE A THOUGHTFUL MIX OF KEEPING SOME QUESTIONS FOR CONSISTENCY AND MESHABILITY AND ADDING OTHER QUESTIONS TO REFLECT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE YEAR AND YOU AND I -- IN THE TIMES YOU AND I HAD CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. BUT I THINK IT IS A GREAT TOOL FROM BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SEEN. I JUST DON'T THINK WE ARE USING TO THE FULL POTENTIAL AND I THINK THAT IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. YOU WOULD LOVE TO HEAR THOUGHTS ON THAT. I REALLY, AGAIN, APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION. WE NEED TO HAVE
250THIS DISCUSSION AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT. FICTION THING I SHARED IS WE ARE TRYING TO -- FIRST THING I SHARED TRYING TO TRANSITION FROM COMPLIANCE TO IMPACT. I HAD THE SUPERINTENDENT CALL ME -- I WAS ON MY WAY BACK FROM SOMEWHERE AND WE HAD A ROBUST DISCUSSION OF USE OF PANORAMA. IT SPEAKS TO YOUR POINT. EVERYONE IS BEING RETRAINED AND WE ARE REIMAGINING HOW AND WHAT THIS CAN DO IN TRANSFORMING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. I THINK IF YOU THINK OF ALL OF DISCUSSIONS WE HAD TODAY FROM CHILDREN NOT BEING IN OUR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES LEAVING THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO USE THE SURVEY IN THE SENSE THAT THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO FROM A NORM REFERENCE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN DATASES TO COLLECT AS AN AGGREGATE. I WILL GIVE YOU AN
251EXAMPLE. RIGHT NOW AS SOON AS WE COME BACK FROM SPRING BREAK, WE WILL GO THROUGH OUR ACCREDITATION, OUR MID-CYCLE AND PROGRESS REPORT. YOU LOOK AT THE STANDARDS IN THE PLATFORM, IT TIES DIRECTLY TO INTO SOME OF WHAT WE WILL HAVE TO CONNECT WITH PANORAMA. EQUALLY AS WE LOOK AT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, THE BEAUTY OF -- WE HAVE NOT SCRATCHED THE SURFACE. MEMBER GRAY MADE THE SUGGESTION OF AI. PANORAMA HAS THAT CAPABILITY. HAVING A DISCUSSION WITH MEMBER PEREZ WANTED TO SEE HOW OTHER THINGS COULD FOLD IN. PANORAMA HAS THAT CAPABILITY. CAPTURE DETAILED ASPECT OF THE SCHOOL. IT IS A TRAINING PROCESS. REIMAGINING HOW WE ARE USING THE SURVEY TO GET TO THOSE PLACES. I THINK WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT QUESTIONING AND TO GET FOLKS TOGETHER AND THINK ABOUT THE QUESTIONS. WE DO WANT
252TO KEEP IT IN A SPACE WHERE WE CAN LOOK AT OURSELVES ACROSS OTHER BIG SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO SAY, HEY, WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER. TO THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO -- TO DO THAT. WE CALL THAT HILLSBOROUGH-IZING THE SURVEY. SO THOSE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE. Jessica Vaughn: AGAIN, A MINUTE AND 37 SECONDS LEFT. MY REQUEST ASIDE FROM SOME OF OTHER THINGS I POINTED OUT, TO UTILIZE THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE. PARTNER WITH THEM. UNDERSTAND THE CAPABILITY MORE THOROUGHLY. HAVE THEM DO MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPING AND TRAINING AND PUT SOME OF EMPHASIS ON PANORAMA TO SUPPORT US AND UNDERSTANDING -- OKAY. UNDERSTANDING AND BEING ABLE TO UTILIZE THE FUNCTIONAL INITY OF THE WAY WE PAID FOR IT. I THINK THEY ARE EAGER TO DO IT BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE WE NEED THE SUPPORT. OVERALL
253THE COMMUNICATION AND EXPECT TAKES NEED TO BE REVISITEDED TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THAT PIECE -- PIECE OF DATA EQUIPMENT. IF I CAN ADD TO THE QUESTION THAT YOU ASKED EARLIER IN REGARDS TO TRAINING. SO AS YOU KNOW, THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AMBASSADORS. WE HAVE 220-PLUS INDIVIDUALS AT OUR DIFFERENT SCHOOL SITES. EACH MONTH, WE PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO THEM AROUND A VARIETY OF BEST PRACTICES AS IT RELATES TO FAMILY ENGAGEMENTS. SO WHEN THEY ARE ENGAGING WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP COMMITTEES AT THE SCHOOL SITE, THAT THEY CAN ADVOCATE FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND THEY CAN SHARE DIFFERENT THINGS. SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR TWICE THIS YEAR, WE HAD PANORAMA COME OUT AND PROVIDED TRAINING TO FAITH AMBASSADORS.THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SURVEY ADMINISTRATION, BUT THEY KNOW FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES,
254SO, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE A PART OF THAT. THEY HAVE PROVIDED TRAINING NOVEMBER 2025 SO THAT AMBASSADORS HAD AN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE SURVEY IS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING AT SURVEY DATA. THEY CAME BACK AGAIN IN FEBRUARY TO GO THROUGH GETTING THE SURVEY PROCESS HAD ALREADY FINISHED. THEY TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DATA REPORTS THAT COME BACK, HOW TO ACCESS THE PLATFORM AND DIFFERENT THINGS THEY CAN DO. YESTERDAY, WE ALSO HAD THAT YOU ARE MARCH SPACE AMBASSADOR TRAINING. WHAT WE DID IN THIS PARTICULAR SESSION. WE TYPICALLY START OUR MEETINGS WITH BEST PRACTICES AND VIRTUAL PLCs. IN THEIR PLCs THEY WENT BACK TO THEIR 2026 REPORT AND THEY STARTED, AGAIN, LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE TRENDS AND WHAT THINGS THEY CAN DO GOING FORWARD DIFFERENTLY. SO WE HAVE TAKEN TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO DIRECTLY UTILIZE THE
255PANORAMA COMPANY COMING OUT. Jessica Vaughn: AND APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I SEE MORE VALUE IN TRAINING THE ADMINISTRATORSES WHO ARE BEING EVALUATED AND WHOSE LEADERSHIP ADDS TO THAT. NOT TOO TAKE AWAY FROM OUR FACE AMBASSADORS. I AM GLAD THEY ARE THERE AND GLAD THEY ARE SUPPORT, BUT TO ME ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OF TRAINING FACE AMBASSADORS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO UTILIZE IT AND UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONALITY ARE THE ADMINISTRATORS AND PRINCIPALS IN THE SCHOOL. I WANT THE SAME TRAINING TO BE PRESENTED TO PRINCIPALS. EVEN IF THEY HAD IT, DIFFERENT SYSTEMS, THEY NEED IT AGAIN. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: LET MOO HE ADDRESS A FEW MISCONCEPTIONS. NUMBER ONE, NOT. Justin: FOR STUDENTS BUT FOR STAFF, IS THAT CORRECT? SECONDLY, THE RELEVANCY OF THIS PICK SURVEY CAN BE MODIFIED OR CHANGED
256WITH THE AI EDITION. I THINK MEMBER VAUGHN'S POINT IS PRETTY MUCH ON SPOT, WE HAVE TO KEEP IT RELEVANT. BECAUSE TRENDS, AGAIN, STUDENTS' MOOD, THEIR PERCEPTION ALSO CHANGE. BUT THE MISCONCEPTION OF THE DATA IS VERY TROUBLING TO ME. BECAUSE I SEE DATA ON EVERY ONE OF THESE ELEMENTS. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. HOW DO STUDENTS RECEIVE THEIR OWN LIFE SKILLS OF SAFETY. SCHOOL SAFETY, 74%. AROUND THE 90th PERCENTAGE. TWO POINTS BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR. SENSE OF BELONGING, 59%. CHANGE WAS TWO POINTS. SCHOOL CLIMATE, 55%. THE CHANGE WAS ONE POINT. IT WAS AROUND THE 60th PERCENTILE. SOCIAL AWARENESS, 53%. ON EVERY STUDENT, EVERY SCHOOL, THAT STUDENT, THAT PERCEPTION SURVEY IS IDENTIFIED, AM I RIGHT, DR. GRACE? YOU CAN GO TO THE PRINCIPAL MANY TIMES AND VERY PROUD TO SHOW HOW THEIR STUDENTS FEEL,
257HOW THEIR STAFF FEELS ON ISSUES SUCH AS SCHOOL SAFETY, SENSE OF BELONGING, SCHOOL CLIMATE, SOCIAL AWARENESS, EMOTIONAL REGULATION. THOSE PRINCIPALS ARE AN BE A FINE TUNED INTO SHOWING THEIR RESULTS, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THANK YOU, MRS. GRAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU POINTED OUT AND MR. YOUNG HAS SAID IT AS WELL, IN ALMOST SINGLE CATEGORY WE GO UP AS A DISTRICT. AS YOU THINK OF ANY TIME NEW DATA IS SHARED WITH PRINCIPALS THEY ARE GOING TO GET MORE REFINED AND BETTER AT UTILIZING THE DATA AND YOU HAVE SEEN THE EVIDENCE BECAUSE OF THE INCREASES WITH THE THIS YEAR. ANOTHER THING WE ARE FOCUSED AND EACH SUPERINTENDENT BY GRADE BAND HAVE COME TOGETHER AND PLANS GRADE BAND FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS OF HOW TO ENGAGE PRINCIPAL LOOKING AT THE STRENGTH AND OPPORTUNITIES DIGGING
258DEEP INTO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS TO REVEAL WHAT THE DATA POINTS ARE SHARING. OTHER THINGS THAT WE WILL FOCUS ON AS WELL, YOU KNOW, IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, SENSE OF BELONGING. AS AN ADULT, A GEN-X, SENSE OF BELONGING TO ME IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT OUR STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WILL FOCUS ON, AS WELL, IS HOW DO YOU COLLECT SOME OF THAT QUICK DATA TO SEE WHAT A SENSE OF BELONGING REALLY MEANS TO THOSE STUDENT AND COMES THROUGH CONVERSATIONS. NOT ALWAYS ANOTHER SURVEY IT TAKES, BUT TO HAVE SMALL GROUP CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS TO TEASE OUT A SENSE OF BELONGING LOOKS LIKE TO THEM. WE WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE THIS PROCESS, BUT WE HAVE A SOLID PROCESS OF HOW REGION SUPERINTENDENTS WILL ENGAGE THOSE
259PRINCIPALS IN LOOKING AT THE DATA. Lynn Gray: I NEVER MET WITH THE PANORAMA FOLKS, I NEVER HAVE. I KNOW THIS VERY WELL -- BECAUSE WHEN WE GO TO SCHOOL, BOARD MEMBERS, DON'T YOU ASK, HOW YOUR TEACHERS ARE GOING. I MEAN, HOW ARE YOUR STUDENTS DOING. YOU ASK BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT THE WELL BEING OF THAT SCHOOL. PRINCIPALS WILL MANY TIMES BRING OUT THEIR SURVEY. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING. AND THAT IS DATA. THOSE ARE REAL NUMBERS. NOT EFFECTIVE TYPE OF DESCRIPTIONS NECESSARILY. I WANT TO MAKE THAT IS CLEAR. BECAUSE THIS IS A DATA-DRIVEN TYPE OF SURVEY AND I THINK THAT -- I AM VERY -- OBVIOUSLY I AM A BIG PROPONENT OF THAT, BUT I THINK IT IS VERY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE WE HAVE VERY CARING BOARD MEMBERS AND THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW THEIR
260STAFF IS DOING OF SCHOOL, AM I RIGHT, MEMBER COMBS? THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO THAT IS ENOUGH OF THAT. OKAY. I THINK WE ARE FINISHED. THANK YOU, OWEN AND MISS WILLIAMS, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I WANTED TO MAKE SHE WAS PAYING ATTENTION. Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: MADAM GRAY SAID IT VERY ELOQUENTLY BECAUSE WE ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE UNDERUTILIZING THE CAPABILITIES OF PANORAMA. BEFORE WE VOTE ON IN, WHAT IS YOUR TEAM'S EXPECTATIONS IMPROVING THE CAPABILITIES OF WHAT PANORAMA CAN DO. BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I AM AT. I AM AT -- I HAD THESE SAME CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, SAME EXACT THING. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPROVE IT AND DIG DEEPER? SO PANORAMA HAS THE ABILITY TO DO IT, BUT WE ARE
261DICTATING WHAT WE WANT FROM THEM. SO WE ARE IN CONTROL OF IS THAT. AND NET WE DON'T SEEM TO CHANGE THAT. AND WHAT WE ARE DOING. ARE WE PLANNING ON MAKING ANY KIND OF DIGGING DEEPER AND GETTING SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? I AM ALL ABOUT THE DATA. NOT THAT I DISAGREE WITH THE DATA. JUST RECOGNIZE IF IT IS A 1% OR 2%, IT IS A MARV ERROR AND WE CAN'T -- MARGIN OF ERROR AND WE CAN'T BELIEVE THAT TO BE ACCURATE, AND I TALK TO PRINCIPAL AS AND THEY SAY STUDENTS CHRISTMAS TREE IT. NOT A MATTER OF NOT WANTING GOOD DATA. I TOTALLY DO. MEMBER GRAY -- SOMETHING THAT ANYONE WANTS TO SAY? OKAY, SO I JUST WANT TO KNOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE UTILIZING PANORAMA BETTER TO ARE CONTINUE WHAT WE ARE DOING. THAT
262IS WHY I WANT TO MAKE SURE, WE ARE UTILIZING THE PRODUCT WE ARE PAYING FOR FOR THE BEST ABILITY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS THE BEST. MEMBER RENDON, I APPRECIATE YOUR ASK. FOR A BOARD MEMBER TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBILITY AND TO EXERCISE ANYTHING WE BUY. I WILL GO BACK TO WHAT I FIRST STARTED OUT WITH. I BELIEVE THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING WE DID. AS YOU CAN SEE AND EVERYONE CHIMING IN, THIS HAS BECOME CROSS DIVISIONAL WORK WHERE WE ARE ALL SITTING DOWN LOOKING AT WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT, HOW DOES THIS DATA MAKE SENSE TO US IN SUPPORTING SCHOOLS AND ENSURING THAT WE ARE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE. I THINK WE ARE HAVING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF DISCUSSION NOW AROUND A SURVEY AND WHAT PANORAMA CAN ACTUALLY DO FOR US. AND, AGAIN, I REFERENCE
263MEMBER GRAY SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE AN AI, HOW DO WE LOOK AT HILLSBOROUGH'S READINESS AND HOW WE EXERCISE AND ENGAGE THIS COMPANY TO MAKE SURE WE PRODUCE A PRODUCT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO MEASURE THAT. TYPE OF APPROACHES THAT WE WILL BE USING NOW THAT WILL BRING US THE DATA THAT WE NEED. WE CAN RELOOK AT QUESTIONS. THEY ARE OPEN TO THAT. WE HAD THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM. WE WANT TO CURTAIL IT TO SOMETHING BENEFICIAL FOR ALL COUNTRY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MEASURE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH MEMBER RENDON DISSENTING FROM THE VOTE. NEXT ITEM IS ITEM C 11.01. FIRST AMENDMENT TO -- TO EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, HILLSBOROUGH
264COUNTY, FLORIDA. MR. PORTER, SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY, WILL HIGHLIGHT IN ITEM. Jim Porter: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT. CURRENTLY THE CONTRACT ENDS ON DECEMBER 31, 2027. THIS AMOUNTS TO A PROPOSED ONE-YEAR AND TWO-DAY EXTENSION TO JANUARY 2, 2029. AND SO THERE ARE NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT BEING PROPOSED. AS I ADVISED THE BOARD WHEN YOU ENTERED INTO THE CONTRACT WITNESS SUPERINTENDENT, THIS CONTRACT HEAVILY FAVORS THE BOARD IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO TERMINATE THE SUPERINTENDENT BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY VOTE IN AN AGENDA ITEM. IT IS NOT COMPLEX. IT IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. AND THE POWER REALLY RESIDES IN THE BOARD ON THAT. SO ITS EXTENSION DATE FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE DOESN'T CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT, BECAUSE YOU CAN TERMINATE THE CONTRACT AT
265ANY TIME. AND THAT IS THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO -- I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 11.01. A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS. A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER COMBS AND MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE NO QUESTION AT THIS TIME. Karen Perez: MEMBER COMBS? Nadia Combs: OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. YOU KNOW A COUPLE OF THINGS. BEFORE I GO OVER SOME OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS LOOKING AT IS RIGHT NOW WE ARE GOING TO RENEW YOUR CONTRACT FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR. OBVIOUSLY A WHILE AGO, WE
266TALKED ABOUT EXTENDING IT EVEN LONGER. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT I HAVE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO PABLO, YOU KNOW THIS IS CURRENTLY IN -- BE THIS IS CURRENTLY ON SENATE FLOOR AS A CONSENSUS PART. SO PABLO, IF YOU WILL DO THE POWERPOINT. WHY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHOULD KEEP AN APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT, OKAY. SO RIGHT NOW ON THE SENATE, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, WHICH WILL PROBABLY BE APPROVED IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE POSSIBLY AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT. SO THE NATIONAL STANDARD. ITS VAST MAJORITY OF U.S. SCHOOL DISTRICTS USE APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENTS. 48 OUT OF 50 STATES USE APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENTS. ONLY TWO STATES THAT DON'T DO THAT. THAT IS ALABAMA AND FLORIDA. IT IS EXTREMELY
267RARE NATIONWIDE. FEWER THAN 1% OF DISSTRIJTS -- LESS THAN 1% OF THE NATION HAS AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT. OUT OF 13,800 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YOU ARE LOOKING AT LESS THAN 1%. THE LARGEST DISTRICTS APPOINTS -- FLORIDA'S LARGEST DISTRICT ALL ACROSS. TOE, MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, ORANGE, A PALM BEACH, DUVAL, PALM BEACH, PINELLAS. ALL OF THESE HAVE APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENTS. IT ENSURES MOST QUALIFIED LEADER. AN PINTED SYSTEM ALLOW SCHOOL BOARDS TO CONDUCT A NATIONAL SEARCH FOR ITS BEST AND MOST EXPERIENCED EDUCATOR. ITS ELECTIONS POLITICIZE EDUCATION. ELECTING A SUPERINTENDENT ALLOWS FOR THEM TO RUN FOR CAMPAIGNS AND RAISING MONEY AND INSTEAD OF BEING CHOSEN BY PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS. AND THEN ITS VOTERS ALREADY HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY. OKAY. THE VOTERS ELECT THE SCHOOL BOARD WHICH THEN HIRES AND EVALUATES ITS SUPERINTENDENT. AND FINALLY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN AMERICA, OKAY.
268SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT. WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN EDUCATIONAL CCEO, WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A CAMPAIGN WINNER. SO IMPORTANT THAT WE LOOK AT THIS AND WONDER ACROSS THE STATE, WHY ARE IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THE ONLY ONE THAT IS ASKING TO DO AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT INSTEAD OF APPOINTED? WHY IS THAT HAPPENING? WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU -- IF I WANT TO FIRE YOU NEXT WEEK, I CAN FIRE YOU. IF YOU WERE ELECT, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH THE -- WITH THE SCHOOLS, WITH THE CONTRACTS, WITH THE VENDORS, WITH THE PROPERTY THAT WE TALK ABOUT. EVERYONE, DO THE MATH AND THINK ABOUT IT. WHY IS HILLSBOROUGH THE ONLY ONE BEING TARGETED IN THIS STATES? THAT IS A BIG ISSUE. VOTERS NEED TO WAKE UP AND LOOK AT THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHY THIS IS HAPPENING.
269WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY WHO WILL LEAD THIS DISTRICT. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. I AM AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. I WAS CHOSEN BY THE VOTERS. I WAS REELECTED BY THE VOTERS. AND SO WERE ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE SIT BIGAMY. AND SON WILL THREE OTHERS WHEN THEY HAVE TO BE ELECTED IN A YEAR AND A HALF. SO, PLEASE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE THAT MAY BE SOME DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN WHO HAS NEVER WALKED INTO A SCHOOL MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN TURN THAT OFF, PABLO, YOU LED THE DISTRICT TO ACHIEVE 98% OF SCHOOLS EARNING A, B OR C. INCREASE THE GRADUATION RATES TO 92.9 WITHOUT CHARTERS INCLUDED. 74% INCREASE OF COLLEGE ACCELERATION RATE. 3% INCREASE. YOU SIGNIFICANTLY
270DECREASED THE DISCIPLINE DATA. AND YOU HAVE ALSO BROUGHT THIS MILLAGE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE WHEN THE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT COULD NOT DO THAT. THAT MEANS MORE MONEY IN EVERYONE'S POCKET. IF I HAVE A POLITICAL TSUNAMI, I AM NOT GOING TO SEE THESE AMAZING PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME. I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM GOING TO SEE IT IN FRONT OF ME. IF IT IS HOPE SCHOOLS OR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THIS STATE, PEOPLE NEED TO WAKE UP AND LOOK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, EDUCATION IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN'T TAKE AWAY FROM A CHILD. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING SOMETHING IN THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS, IT IS ABOUT STUDENTS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TO YOUR POINT, MEMBER
271COMBS, I THINK YOU ARE ASKING THE QUESTION OF WHY WE ARE ONLY DISTRICT BEING TARGETED TO HAVE AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT. AND I THINK ITS ANSWER IS EX-E EXCEEDINGLY CLEAR. THEY COULDN'T BEAT US AT THE BALLOT BOX, THEY ARE HOPING TO SUPERSEDE US BY PUT AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT ON THE BALLOT AND HOPING TO PUT IT THERE AND OVERRIDE WHICH MANY OF US WERE ELECTED BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY. WE ARE NOT JUST TALKING OF CLOSE RACES HERE. WE ARE TALKING AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY. FACT IS THAT TALLAHASSEE FEELS LIKE THEY DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THIS DISTRICT. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT I GOT IN THE QUEUE. AND I DID WANT TO RESPOND AND NOT LEAVE YOUR QUESTION UNANSWER. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A CONFLICTION FOR ME NOT THAT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD RENEW YOUR CONTRACT.
272WHEN I THINK OF THE ALTERNATIVE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT I HAD PREVIOUS TO YOU. YOU KNOW MY EXPERIENCE UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT, MORE ENGAGED, MORE CONNECTED. I DON'T WANT TO TALK BAD ABOUT OUR PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENTS, BUT A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE TO BE ABLE TO BE SERVE ALONGSIDE OF YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK THAT YOU ARE CONNECTED TO HILLSBOROUGH AND EDUCATION IN A WAY THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE. AND I THINK THAT YOUR HEART IS WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALMOST EVERY DECISION THAT YOU MAKE. AND TO MEMBER COMBS' POINT. IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN ELECTED SUPERINTENDENT, YOU WOULDN'T FIND THAT. WOULD YOU FIND PEOPLE MOTIVATED BY POLITICAL REASONS AND NOT BECAUSE THEY DEEPLY CARE OF OUR DISTRICT, CHILDREN AND SCHOOL DISTRICT. HOWEVER, I DO THINK THERE ARE AREAS OF IMFLOOCHPROVEMENT
273THAT TO LIGHT AND I WANTED TO GET ON RECORD. SO MANY FEW OPPORTUNITIES AS BOARD MEMBERS TO EXPRESS OUR AREA OF CONCERN OR TALK ABOUT IT. AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAY LOVE AND HATE MY POLITICS, BUT ONE THING THEY CAN'T SAY THAT I AM NOT TRANSPARENT OF WHAT I FEEL AND WHAT MY EXPECTATIONS AND WHAT I FEEL OF THINGS AND WHY I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. I THINK SO MUCH OF YOUR LEADERSHIP, 85 TO 90s% IS SO GREAT. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AN MAYBE NOT BE YOUR LEADERSHIP BUT HILLSBOROUGH IN GENERAL, AS WE MOVE IN THESE UNCHARTERED TERRITORIES WHERE WE HAVE FIRE HOSES COMING AT US. DIFFERENT POSTURING BY THE STATE THAT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND FINANCIAL LOSSES THAT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE WHERE THE STATE CAN COULD AM IN AND TAKE
274MONEY WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION BECAUSE THEY OVERFUNDED VOUCHERS AND HAD THESE NONTRADITIONAL THINGS. I THINK THE RESPONSE FOR THEM MOVE QUICKLY SOMETIMES. AND ALTHOUGH WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIVE BECAUSE A LOSS OF FUND AGO A THREAT FROM AN ATTORNEY GENERAL IS VERY REAL. AND IT WE WANT TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR US. I NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WE ARE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND EVERY SINGLE ATTACK ON OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER MINES OUR COMMUNITY, COUNTY AND CITY BECAUSE WE ARE SUCH AN EMPLOYER. I DO THINK I HAVE TO HAVE SAY GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE SOME MORE THOUGHTFULNESS IN SOME OF THE BIGGER ISSUES. WHETHER WE ARE TALKING OF OUR RESPONSE TO BOOK. WHETHER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL LOSSES AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS WHAT
275IS GOING ON WHEN IT COMES TO UNIT. WHETHER IT TALKS OF COMMUNICATION AND MAKING SURE OUR COMMUNITIES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE HEARD WHEN WE ARE TALKING OF BOUNDARY CHANGES. AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS ANY MISINTENT, BUT I DO THINK THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR WHEN I TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW -- BECAUSE RENEWING YOUR CONTRACT. IT IS -- IT IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP, WHICH, I THINK, FOR THE MOST PART IS FANTASTIC ESPECIALLY FROM WHERE WE HAVE BEEN. BUT I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE STILL, ASIDE FROM MY EVALUATION, AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT WHERE THERE COULD BE PETTER COMMUNICATION, BROADCAST TO PEOPLE GETTING THOSE DECISIONS AND GETTING THAT BUY-IN AND TRANSPARENCY. AND I WANTED TO GIVEN YOU THAT FEEDBACK BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT. ALL WANTED TO
276SAY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, SUPE, I THINK SUR A GREAT LEADER. THIS IN A SENSE -- YOU KNOW WHY I THINK YOU ARE A GREAT LEAD HER IN BECAUSE YOU LISTEN TO PEOPLE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO LISTEN AND NOT TALK ALL THE TIME. LISTEN SOMETIMES. AND DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE HAD BEFORE BECAUSE I JUDGE PEOPLE ON HOW THEY RESPOND. AND YOU RESPOND POSITIVE TO A LOT OF THINGS THAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE ABOUT. IN UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE. YOU HAVE THAT QUALITY. CAN WE IMPROVE? WE ALL CAN IMPROVE. NOBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT IS PERFECT. SO WE CAN ALL IMPROVE. AND YOU ARE DEDICATED. YOU ARE DEDICATED TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE
277SUCCESS OF A PERSON. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE DEDICATED. YOU ARE A DEDICATED TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. HEY, YOU HAVE BEEN A STUDENT HERE. ALL YOUR FAMILY IS HERE. SO YOU ARE DEDICATED. AND YOU -- YOU WORK HARD EVERY DAY. YOU HIRE PEOPLE THAT YOU -- THAT YOU FEEL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU. AND THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD BE. IT SHOULD BE. WE HAVE A YOUNG CABINET HERE. EXCEPT FOR CHRIS. MACHINE B-- BUT WE A YOUNG CABINET. CHRIS IS MY RIGHT-HAND MAN. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT. HARD WORK. OUR HARD WORKER. YOU ARE ALWAYS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT. COMMUNITY LIKES YOU MORE THAN YOU THINK THEY DO. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE SOME PLACES, THEY MAY NOT KNOW YOU, BUT THEY KNOW YOUR NAME. BECAUSE WHEN I GO TO PLACES, THEY SAY
278BUT -- Y'ALL GOT A GOOD SUPERIN SUPERINTENDENT, DON'T YOU, YEAH, WE DO. ALL THE TIME. YOU CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF AS A OUTSTANDING PERSON. AND THAN IS WHAT WE DO HERE. WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU. WE ARE THERE DO BEST WE CAN AND DO WHAT IT TAKES NO MATTER WHAT STATE SAYS. THEY PROBABLY WILL COME OUT WITH IT. THEY PROBABLY WILL. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU ARE BEST -- YOU ARE THE BEST PERSON FOR THIS JOB IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS OF NOW. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYBODY ELSE I WOULD WANT TO BE WORKING WITH. STARTED TO SAY WORKING FOR, BUT YOU ARE WORKING WITH ME NOW -- TO BE BETTER THAN YOU. AND YOU GOT ME -- HEY, I'M HERE. I AM 100%. I AM A FLORIDIAN. I AM A TAMPANIAN. 100%.
279HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, ALL MY LIFE. THREE YEARS I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 62 YEARS. AS A STUDENTS, AS AN EMPLOYEE AND AS A BOARD MEMBER. AND I AM DEDICATED TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND DEDICATED TO YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. SOME YOU -- HEY, 100% WHO -- NO MATTER WHO IT IS, I AM BACKING YOU. IF YOU WERE RIGHT. AND MOST OF TIME YOU ARE RIGHT IN YOUR DECISIONS. AND SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK SO, BUT I THINK SO, BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPINION. SO I JUST WANT TO YOU KNOW I RESPECT YOU -- I RESPECT YOU A LOT. YOU CAME FROM A GREAT FAMILY. AND I REALLY RESPECT YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. ONE THING I GOT TO SAY, YOU KNOW HE CRACKED A JOKE ON ME
280AT THE 100-YEAR -- -- HE BUSTED MY CHOPS. Lynn Gray: WHAT DID HE SAY? Henry "Shake" Washington: HE SAID I HAVE BEEN HERE AS LONG AS BREWSTER HAS. BUT I ENJOY IT. IT WAS GREAT. I ENJOYED IT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO GREAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO NOT ONLY ENDORSE YOU, BUT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE VALUE THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO THIS DISTRICT, VALUE OFF THOSE CABINET BET MEMBERS THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED. MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU MENTIONED COMMUNITY. AND I THINK ONE OF THE REFLECTION THAT I HAVE -- WE KNOW THE SAYING "COMMUNITY MAKES OUR SCHOOLS, AND SCHOOLS MAKE COMMUNITY." SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF COMMUNITY LEADER YOU ARE AND THIS IS FROM AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD
281MEMBERS. WE SEE THE AMOUNT OF FORUMS YOU HAVE ALLOWED ME TO HAVE THAT REFLECTED NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES. IT IS OUTSTANDING THE HISPANIC FORUM, AFRICAN-AMERICAN. MUSEUM TRAFFICKING. HOW MANY SUPERINTENDENT WOULD HAVE THIS WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA. WOULD YOU HAVE GIVEN GIVEN THE COMMUNITY WHAT THEY WANTED BECAUSE SUBJECT AREAS THERE ARE CONCERNS IN OR QUESTION MARKS. MEMBER WASHINGTON, HOW WE CAN AN EMBLEMIC, CAPITAL BASED SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST THERE WITH HIM. AND WE ARE NOT -- I KNOW WE ARE YOUR BOSS, BUT NOT REALLY. WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS DISTRICT THE BEST IT CAN BE. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY. CHRIS FARKAS, YOU SAID SOMETHING A FEW YEARS AGO. YOU SAID THIS JOB IS TOUGH ENOUGH. IT ONLY TAKES ONE BOARD MEMBER, MAYBE A CABINET NOBODY MAKE THINGS SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. AND
282THEN IT COULD BREAK THIS TEAM UP. SO MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU SPEAK OF TEAMWORK ALL THE TIME. AND IT IS -- YOU HAVE BROUGHT TEAM TOGETHER, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. SO THIS IDEA OF ELECT, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T HAVE MY COMMITTEES. WE WOULD -- SOME OF OUR TOWN HALLS THAT THE -- THAT THE MEMBERS LOVE TO HAVE, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT ABILITY. SO YOUR VALUE IS JUST WAY UP THERE. AND I AM GLAD -- AND MEMBER COMBS, I AM GLAD THAT YOU MADE STATEMENTS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IT GAVE EACH OF US -- AND GIVES EACH OF US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRAG ON OUR SUPERINTENDENT. Henry "Shake" Washington: THAT'S RIGHT. Lynn Gray: I CAN THAT IS THE SPACE THAT WE ARE IN. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER
283HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I ECHO EVERYTHING THAT MY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SAID. YOU KNOW IN SPITE OF CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE WITHIN EDUCATION RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU SET TONE FOR A VERY POSITIVE CLIMATES AND CULTURE. WE SEE THAT WHEN WITH GO OUT TO SCHOOLS OR WITH I AT CERTAIN EVENTS. WE SEE THE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE COMMUNITY. YOU BUILT A LOT OF TRUST IN THIS COMMUNITIES AND BECAUSE OF OF WHAT SHAKE SAID, DEDICATION YOU HAD TO THIS DISTRICT SINCE YOU WERE A STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICTS. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU -- POTENTIALLY, MAYBE, MAYBE, YES, GOING OUT FOR REAUTHORIZATION OF THE HALF PENNY. A AND. YOU KNOW, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO POSITIONED HIMSELF TOE SHARE THAT MESSAGE, A PROMISE MADE IS A PROMISE KEPT. YOU CAN SHARE THAT MESSAGE WHOLEHEARTEDLY BECAUSE
284PEOPLE DO TRUST YOU, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THIS DISTRICT. THIS IS A TIME TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE STABLE LEADERSHIP MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS REAUTHORIZATION. YOU KNOW, AND IT IS -- WHAT, A TEN-YEAR, MAYBE, REAUTHORIZATION. SO STABILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO SHOW IN OUR LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE HAD AN AWFUL LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPEN. WE MOVED NEEDLE A GOOD DEAL IN THE LAST YEAR AND THIS WILL ALL GO A LONG WAY IN MESSAGING OF WHAT WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO TRUST US WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS. SO, YOU KNOW, I -- I AM GOING TO SUPPORT THIS CONTRACT BEING EXTENDED TONIGHT. BECAUSE I THINK IT IS MORE THAN JUST WHAT YOU DO. THIS IS GOING TO HAVE MORE MEANING THAN JUST WHAT YOU DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. THIS IS
285REALLY ABOUT TAKING THAT NEXT MOVE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE TO CONTINUE TO STABILIZE OUR FINANCES FOR LONGEVITY IN THIS -- IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. I AM GOING TO ECHO BASICALLY WHAT EVERYBODY SAID. YOU KNOW, YOU BRING -- BECAUSE YOU WERE HERE IN OF THIS DISTRICT NOT JUST AS TEACHER, BUT, YOU KNOW AN EDUCATOR, BUT ALSO AS A PRINCIPAL, AS LOPE IN OUR SCHOOLS, YOU BRING THAT EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP TO TABLE. SP SO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR PRINCIPALS ARE GOING THROUGH. BUT AND STAND THEIR NEEDS. THAT IS WHAT YOU BRING TO TABLE. BUT YOU -- YOU FOCUS AND SPECIFIC SKILLS RELEVANT TO OUR DISTRICT'S NEEDS, YOU KNOW. YOU ARE NOT THINKING OUTSIDE WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE -- YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SEVENth LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS AND REQUIRES TO
286-- TO SUSTAIN IT. AND ALSO, YOUR FOCUS ON OUR EDUCATION OUTCOMES. LOOK AT WHERE THE WE ARE. 92.8% GRADUATION RATE. YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE NEED TO MOVE OUR STUDENTS FORWARD. AND THEN WHAT MATTERS. BUT KEEPING YOU WHERE YOU ARE WILL MEAN STABILITIES AND CONTINUITY FOR THIS DISTRICT. I THINK RIGHT NOW WHERE WE ARE WE NEEDS THAT AND I AM TAKING FOR MYSELF BUT WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT IS WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THEM AS WELL. SOME. THAN WORK TOWARD A LITTLE MORE LONG-TERM WITH REGARD TO OUR EDUCATIONAL STRATEGY AND WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED TODAY YOU KNOW FOR STABILITY. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I THANK YOU FOR OPENING UP THE POSSIBILITIES FOR US TO SPEAK TO YOUR CABINET DIRECTLY. THEY PROBABLY DON'T APPRECIATE WHEN I CALL
287THEM. SOMETIMES SO EARLY IN THE MORNING. BUT I APPRECIATE IT SO. BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AND SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. SGLI AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. Superintendent Ayres: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR TO VOTES OF CONFIDENCE. I HAVE AN OUTSTANDING, AMAZING TEAM OF 23,000 THAT ARE BEHIND ME EVERY DAY THAT I HONOR AND WORK ALONG SIDES. I KNOW THE CABINET THAT YOU SPEAK OF THAT ARE HERE AT 8:30 AT NIGHT, I COULD NOT ASK FOR A BET TEAM. LOVE EVERY ONE OF THEM AND THE WORK THEY DO AND THEIR DEDICATION. YOU SPOKE A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MY DEDICATION. I WILL TELL YOU THIS, EVERY ONE OF THEM ACROSS THAT FRONT THERE HAS THAT SAME DEDICATION TO THE WORK AND ALL EXPERIENCED
288IN WHAT THEY DO AND AN INCREDIBLE TEAM AND MY HONOR TO WORK ALONGSIDE OF THEM, DECISIONS WE MAKE WITH 29 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I SAY IT ALL THE TIME, I CAN'T IMAGINE RUNNING THIS DISTRICTS WITHOUT THE 29 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, CHIEF OFFICER. I GO BACK TO TIME I SPENT AS A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND A.P. KNOWING WHAT THOSE DECISIONS AND IMPACTS WILL BE. APPRECIATE THIS BOARD'S CONFIDENCE IN ME AND KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AND ACCOMPLISHED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND MYSELF WE HAVE BIGGER THINGS AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AND MR. WASHINGTON, YOU TALKED OF WORKING HARD. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK HARD FOR IN SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CONTINUE TO BE BETTER AND BEST SCHOOL DISTRICT
289IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THAT. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NOW WE WILL MOVE INTO SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. Superintendent Ayres: ALL RIGHT, BEFORE I GET INTO SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATES. I WANT TO SHARE I DID SOME RESEARCH AND THE LONGEST BUDGET AMENDMENT UPDATE THAT WE HAD. CAN WIN AN AWARD. BUDGET APPLICATION. LONGEST ONE WE EVER HAD. CEMENT GOING. SO MY UPDATES THIS EVENING ARE SOME OF THE UPDATES AND I KNOW THAT I WILL SEE A BUNCH OF YOU TOMORROW EVENING. MARCH IS THEATRE ARTS AND MUSIC MONTH. TEAMWORK AND CREATIVITY. THIS MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE PROGRAMS IN OUR SCHOOL. TOMORROW IS OUR 2026 ELEMENTARY FINE ARTS FESTIVAL. THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN TWO PARTS BEGINNING WITNESS VISUAL ARTS EXHIBITION AT THE TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART FROM
2904 TO 6:30. AND HEAD OVER TOTS ASTRAZENECA CENTER FOR STUDENT PERFORMANCES AT MUSIC AND DANCE AT ITS ASTRA U STRAZ. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EACH OF OUR STUDENTS PERFORMANCE. WE ALL KNOW WHAT GREAT THEATRE ARTS AND PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. NO DOUBT THE VERY, VERY BEST ANYWHERE AND TO SHOWCASE WITH OUR ART AND OUR THEATRE. OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FINE ARTS TOMORROW. TWO OF OUR BASKETBALL TEAMS -- TALK SPORTS A MINUTE. TWO OF OUR BASKETBALL TEAMS ARE IN STATE FINAL FOUR. WE HAVE SICKLES. MEMBER COMBS. AND MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU GOT STEINBRENNER. THERE YOU ARE. SICKLES BOYS TEAM A DOMINATING PERFORMANCE AGAINST PAR REQUIRES AND STEINBRENNER GIRLS FOR WINNING OVER SUNLAKE TO HEAD TO THE STATE FINAL FOUR THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 12 AND OUR NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WILL BE IN JACKSON. MISS RENDON,
291ARE YOU GOING? Patti Rendon: NOPE. Superintendent Ayres: YOU USED TO GO TO EVERYTHING. I KNOW -- ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. EVERYONE IS SHOCKED. SO THAT IS -- GOOD LUCK TO THOSE TWO TEAMS. STATE FINAL FOUR. BRING HOME A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO WRESTLING STATE CHAMPIONS. A NEAT ONE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ISABELLA McFAR LAND FROM KING AND IS SASS BELLA TO ARETIZ FROM STEINBRENNER FOR WINNING STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS -- ALREADY WON THIS KISSISSIMEE IN PAST WEEKENDS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM BOTH. OUR WRESTLING STATE CHAMPION THERE IS. ON TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. I KNOW MANY OF ARE YOU AWARE OF STRAWBERRY CREST AND THEIR CULINARY. CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM WALKED OUT THE 25th ANNUAL PRO START COMPETITION IN FEBRUARY WITH FIRST-PLACE OVERALL, FIRST PLACE IN CULINARY AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT. COMPLETE SWEEP OF THE TWO CATEGORIES THAT SENDS WINNERS TO THE
292NATIONAL PRO START INVITATIONAL IN D.C. MORE THAN 330 STUDS FRIENDS 40 SCHOOLS MADE ITS TRIP TO ORLANDO NOT FOR A FIELD TRIP BUT TO COMPETE UNDER PRESSURE IN FRONT OF INDUSTRY JUDGES FOR REAL SCHOLARSHIP MONEY. I KNOW YOU KNOW CHEF AT STRAWBERRY CHEST, NEXT TIME YOU SEE HIM, CONGRATULATES HIM. BOTH TEAMS HEADED TO NATIONALSES TO REPRESENTS FLORIDA, AND THEY WILL BE GOING IN APRIL. AND GAITHER WINS IT AGAIN. GAITHER WINS THE 2026 U.S. NAVY JOTRC ATHLETIC DRILL STATE AT SPOTO. HEADED TO NATIONALS MARCH 25 TO COMPETE AGAINST THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. I GOT TEXT MESSAGES FROM SOME OF THE INSTRUCTOR AND FAMILIES AND PARENTS THAT WERE THERE. GAITHER'S NINTH STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN A ROW. THAT ROTC PROGRAM IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. I SPENT TIME WITH THEM AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING DOMINATING NINTH STATE TITLE
293AND SEE WHAT THIS THEY DO IN NATIONALS. BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW YOU WERE AT OUR STEM. SOME HERE ARE OUR WINNERS, MARCH 4, WINNERS OF 2026 STEM FAIR WERE ANNOUNCED OPINION CON GRALG GRATULATIONS TO THOSE TOOK BEST OF FAIR AWARDS. ELEMENTARY, BEST OF FAIR WAS THIRD GRADE MARLEY McCOY FROM MULLER. FOURTH GRADE ROVER FROM STOWERS ELEMENTARY AND MASON OLIVER FROM ROLAND PARK. MIDDLE SCHOOL, ZOYA PUNJANI AND OLIVIA RIVAS MADEIROS ROLAND PARK K-8. HIGH SCHOOL, DANIEL PARK FROM KING HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE BEST OF FAIR WINNER. DANIEL JOINED BY K WORKSANA FROM MIDDLETON AND TENISQUA FROM STRAWBERRY CREST TO BE INVITED TO THE INTERNEIGHBORSAL SCIENCE FAIR LATER THIS YEAR. SO JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS. WE ACKNOWLEDGED OUR -- OUR STEM FAIR LAST TIME AND NOW WINNERS WE HAVE ANNOUNCED.MORE AWARDS. KING WAS ANNOUNCED THE
294CAMBRIDGE LEARNING AWARDS. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THIS INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF EXCEPTIONAL ACADEMIC AGREEMENT FROM CAMBRIDGE. ACROSS OUR 19 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. STUDENTS EARNED 200 CAMBRIDGE LEARNER REFLECTING THE OF OUR ACCELERATED PROGRAMS. AND COLLECTIVELY, OUR SCHOOLS EARNED 154 SCHOLAR, 41 SCHOLAR WITH MERIT, FOUR SCHOLAR WITH DISTINCTIONS ONE TOP IN USA EARNED BY A STUDENT FROM CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL AT CAMBRIDGE AS THINKING SKILLS. CLIFFORD SELMON WHO GRADUATED LAST MAY. CONGRATULATION TO OUR CAMBRIDGE STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND COMMUNITIES ON THIS WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION. SUMNER HAD THE MOST RECIPIENT THERE IS WITH 40. ALL RIGHT, MISS McCREA AND YOU WERE HERE AND MEMBER RENDON YOU WERE HERE WITH FLORIDA TAXWATCH. THURSDAY MARCH 5. I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO OUT THERE BUT MISS McCREA AND DR. GRACE. RECOGNIZED 15 OF FLORIDA'S MOST SUCCESSFUL PRINCIPALS FROM K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AWARD RECOGNIZES EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
295CREATING MEANINGFUL CHANGES IN STUDENTS LIVES WHILE PROMOTE THEIR EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AMONG THEIR PEERS. LIPPY DELIV AND GINA LANGTON FOR BEING SEND FOR THIS AWARD. WE HAVE YEARS WHERE PRINCIPALS DON'T WIN. SECOND YEAR IN A ROW TWO PRINCIPALS FROM OUR DISTRICT. WE TALKED A LOT OF DATA. DATA IN THE SCHOOL AND THEY BASICALLY CALL US AND SAY THIS DATA FOR THIS PRINCIPAL IS OUTSTANDING. ARE THEY AS GOOD AS THIS DATA SAYS, WE ARE SAID YES, THEY ARE. WE WERE OUT THERE TO RECOGNIZE THEM. WITH THE RECOGNITION, EACH PRINCIPAL -- EACH GETS TO NOMINATE A DESERVING STUDENTS FOR AN AGENCY DEMEANOR I CAN A PLUS CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP. STUDENTS SELECTED FROM NICHOLAS STEMPOLIS AND FROM WOODSON K, ISAAC BERNADIN REFRESHING ARMWOOD. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TWO STUDENTS AND PRINCIPALS OF ITS HONOR. SPEAKING OF MISS McCREA. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT SHALE
296LA McCREA INTO KING HIGH SCHOOL. CONGRATULATIONS. THE WALL OF PRIDE RECOGNIZES ALUMNI OF KING HIGH SCHOOL. EVERYBODY KNOW YOU GRADUATED FROM KING, WHO MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. NOMINEES MUST HAVE ATTENDED KHS FOR TWO YEARS AND MUCH HAVE GRADUATED FROM KING HIGH SCHOOL AT LEAST TEN YEARS PRIOR TO THEIR NOMINATION. SHE WAS --SHEA WAS NOMINATE TODAY ARE HER BACK FOR 27 YEARS AN TRANSFORMATION. WE KNOW GREAT WORK SHE DOES. FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL DISTRICT HISTORY SINCE THE STATE OF FLORIDA BEGAN GRADING SCHOOLS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. AN CONGRATULATIONS. AND THAT IS ALL PUT ON BY THE ALUMNI OF KING HIGH SCHOOL. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY SATURDAY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GOLF TOURNAMENT OVER AT TEMPLE TERRACE WITH THE ALUMNI OF KING. AND I KNOW YOU SAW IT FIRST HAND THE TREMENDOUS
297SUPPORT OF ALUMNI FROM KING OUT IN FORCE FOR THE GOLF TOURNAMENT. ALL THE MONEY FROM THE PRIDE AND THE GOLF TOURNAMENT GOES BACK TO STUDENTS A KING HIGH SCHOOL. SO MISS McCREA, CONGRATULATIONS. AND OUR MAGNET SCHOOL CHOICE WINDOW APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSES MARCH 27th. AND OUR SECOND WINDOW ANOTHER TUNE FOR FAMILIES TO CHOOSE FOR THE 2026-'27 SCHOOL YEAR. FYI THE SPRING EXPO AT CHAMBERLAIN OF THE MANY OPTIONS WE HAVE FOR STUDENTS. A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF FAMILIES OUT THERE, FEEDBACK I RECEIVED. GOOD FAIR HELD OVER -- EXPO HELD OVER AT CHAMBERLAIN. BEST ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DAY IS, SPRING BREAK NEXT WEEK. SO I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL AND SAFE SPRING BREAK NEXT WEEK. HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS. BOARD, YOU APPROVED THE CALENDAR. ON THE MONDAY IS NO SCHOOL. SO WE GOT AN EXTRA DAY. A
298WEEK AND A DAY. STUDENTS DON'T COME BACK TO SCHOOL UNTIL TUESDAY, MARCH 24. AN EXTRA DAY FOR SPRING BREAK FOR THE STUDENTS AND WE WILL ALL COME BACK AND COME BACK FROM SPRING BREAK AN HUSTLING GETTING READY FOR TESTING. ENJOY YOUR BREAK, AND WHEN WE COME BACK, A RACE TO THE FINISH LINE. GET OUR STUDENTS READY FOR OUR END OF THE YEAR. AND THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. NOW WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO -- WE WILL MOVE INTO BOARD COMM COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, JUST AS A REMINDER 30 MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS. Nadia Combs: I AM GOING TO BE BRIEF BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE LONGEST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WE EVER HAD BEFORE. FIRST, I WANT
299TO SAY, FIRST, THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT. I AM EXCITED OF RENEWING YOUR CONTRACT. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PEOPLE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME. ALL OF YOU ARE SOME OF BEST PEOPLE THAT I EVER MET IN MY LIFE. I HAVE SHOWN SHEA BACK IN THE DAY, I DON'T KNOW 25 -- 25 YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE TEACHERS. SO I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU, SUPERINTENDENTS, AS YOU SAID, YOU COULD NOT BE WHO YOU ARE WITHOUT THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF YOU AND SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING HARD-WORKING CARING PEOPLE THAT I EVER MET. WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU AS WELL. JUST QUICKLY, CONGRATULATIONS TO WOMAN OF DISTINCTION, WHICH IS HELD BY THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA. AND WE KNOW GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME. SO MAKE SURE ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT. I WANT
300TO THANK MARY PAT KING BECAUSE SHE DOES SO MUCH FOR THE GIRL SCOUTS. I HAVE THESE AMAZING SPECIAL BADGES TO GIVE GIRL SCOUTS HERE AND THERE. IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. A GREAT ORGANIZATION. WE ARE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THEM IN SO MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS. IF KIDS -- CHILDREN CAN'T AFFORD TO GO IN THE GIRL SCOUTS, THEY ARE ABLE TO CREATE THESE TROOPS. THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR SENSE OF BELONGING OPINION JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARD CONGRATULATIONS SUPERINTENDENT FOR BEING RECOGNIZED FOR T THE BRONZE AWARD FOR JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT. A GREAT EVENING. CONGRATULATE SCOTT PRICE WHO I HAVE KNOWN FOREVER WHO RECEIVED A GOLD AWARD. PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THAT WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT MAKES SUCH AN IMPACT AND WE CAN'T DO THIS EYE LOAN AND THE COMMUNITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART FOR THE DISTRICT.
301FINALLY HISTORY FAIR DAY. I WANT TO THANK ERIC GAVIN WHO DID SUCH A GREAT JOB. I WAS OUT THERE SEEING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, CHARTER SCHOOLS AND GARY BRADY WAS OUT THERE, TOO, WITH ME. PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPETING WITH HISTORIES. I WAS A FORMER SOCIAL MEDIA TEACHER AND SO GREAT TO SEE SO MANY KIDS EXCITED. A BIG THANK YOU TO BRANDON, AUSTIN AND KELLY BRENNAN AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. FORMER SUPERVISOR MARTHA FORD COMING IN AND JUDGING. EVERYONE WAS INVOLVED.SO MANY PEOPLE ENGAGE.VERY EXCITING TO SEE STUDENTS SO EXCITED ABOUT HISTORIES. FINALLY I JUST HOPE EVERYONE HAS A GREAT SPRING BREAK. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. PABLO, ALL THE NAMES ARE -- THE PROGRAM WENT ON SPRING BREAK? OKAY. PROGRAM -- YEAH, WE WILL GO WITH SHAKE AND THEN COME DOWN THE ROW. GO AHEAD, SHAKE. MEMBER WASHINGTON.
302THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST I WANT TO THANK RICK. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. WE HAD THE GENTLEMAN BREAKFAST -- MORE LIKE LUNCHTIME, BUT I KNEW YOU WERE SMART, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE AN ATHLETE TOO. YEAH, I FOUND OUT THAT YOU WERE A WEIGHT LIFTER. YEAH, POWER WEIGHT LIFTER. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. KIDS HAVE QUESTIONS AND WE JUST ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS. WE HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THE KIDS AS YOU CAN SEE, YOUNG MEN AND I REALLY ENJOYED. ANTHONY DOES A GREAT JOB WITH YOUNG MAN AT HORACE MANN. BREWSTER TECHNICAL COLLEGE 100 YEAR CELEBRATION WITH THE PRINCIPAL. IT WAS VERY NICE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME THERE. I KNOW WE SKIPPED BUT WILL COME BACK TO THAT ONE. A GREAT TIME THERE AND 100 YEARS PHENOMENAL. QUITE A GOOD CROWD. DIDN'T WE.
303QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THERE AND GREAT AND REALLY GOOD. THANK PRINCIPAL NEAL FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THE 100 YEAR REUNION. ON THE MONTH. WITH FRED HEARD WITH THE TAMPA BAY MUSEUM. AND THANK FOR DOING A WONDERFUL JOB FOR UNBELIEVE ME AND DONE A GREAT JOB. REALLY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO THANK THE HARD WORK ALISON HAS DONE AND LYNN, THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. WE ARE ON THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU, PATTY, FOR BEING THERE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. CONGRATULATIONS TO RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL ON THURSDAY GOOD MARSHAL HISTORY CLUB CHAPTER. PRINCIPAL BRIAN SPARROW TO RECEIVE THE MONEY AND THE AWARD. CLUB SPONSOR TO TAMILA SMITH AND THE CLUB PRESIDENT WHO WON, ALICIA JACKSON. THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB AN CONGRATULATIONS WENT TO CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL AN WITH
304ONE OF MY FORMER EMPLOYEES, LINDA WILLIAMS. A GREAT TIME. DIVINE NINE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA ON PROGRAM. OF KIDS PARTICIPATED. VERY DISCIPLINED AND I REALLY ENJOYED. MOVING ALONG, WE HAVE -- I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PRINCIPALS FOR THE FLORIDA TAXWATCH CARTERWOODSON, CONGRATULATIONS AND ARMWOOD DENA LANGSTON. I HAD A BUSY WEEKEND. -- WEEK. AN THEN ACHIEVEMENT DINNER WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. WELL DESERVED, SUPERINTENDENT. WELL DESERVED.IT WAS REALLY NICE. IT WAS REALLY NICE. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. DID I GO OVER MY SUMMIT? NO, I DIDN'T GO OVER MY SUMMIT. WE HAD THE SUMMIT. WHICH USED TO BE NATIONAL BLACK AND BROWN COLLEGE BOUND SUMMIT. HAS BEEN THERE FOR 19 YEARS PROMOTING THE SUCCESS AND QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION. WE HAD KEYNOTE SPEAKERS THERE. BLAIR UNDERWOOD CAME AND A MOVIE STAR. HE
305WAS THERE. AND THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER WAS SYLVIA CALLIE. PERSON THAT HAD PUT IT ON ALL THOSE YEARS. SHE WORKED FOR HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE. YOU KNOW WHY WE ARE UNIQUE, WE HAD THE CEO OF RED LOBSTER A YOUNG GUY, LIKE 39 YEARS OLD. UNBELIEVABLE. HIS NAME -- HE WAS AN INVESTOR. INVESTOR AS A YOUNG PERSON. DIMOL AMAGU. HE WAS PHENOMENAL -- A PHENOMENAL SPEAKER. HE DID A GREAT JOB. HE REALLY DID. TO BE 39 OVER RED LOBSTER. MAN. HE TOLD US A STORY, WHEN HE WAS 15 YEARS OLD, HE INVESTED -- HE INVESTED IN SOME CORPORATION -- I MEAN, UNBELIEVABLE. A GREAT GUY. OUTSTANDING SPEAKERS. BESIDE THAT I HAD A GREAT TIME. WE REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME. THANK YOU, ALL AND HAVE A GREAT BREAK. MY BREAK STARTS TONIGHT. I HAD TO SAY THAT AND
306GET THAT OUT MY BREAK STARTED TONIGHT BECAUSE I AM BABYSITTING FOR THE NEXT FOUR DAYS. YEAH, A LOT OF WORK. MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW -- WHERE DID THEY GO? THEY WENT TO JAPAN FOR VACATION. SO I GOT THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PABLO, DO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THE VIDEO OR WHATEVER I HAVE? THANK YOU, YOU LAURA CROSS WHEREVER IT IS. I WILL JUST WAIT FOR A MOMENT. TODAY WE ARE A PANEL AND STUDENT SAFETY HAVE KWIVEN THEIR TIME ON A SATURDAY MORNING TO SPEAK TO ABOUT 50 STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL VERY, VERY SHARP AND PART OF THE MAYOR CASTER STUDENT ADVISORY GROUP. THESE ARE SUBJECTS. AND WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR YOUTH NOT ONLY KNOW ABOUT BASICS, BUT HOW CAN
307THEY FIND HELP AND HOW CAN THEY HELP OTHERS. THE PERCENTAGE OF STUFF THAT HAPPENS HERE IS INSANE. USED TO DO SNAPCHAT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I DON'T USE IT ANYMORE. I DELETE IT. BUT THE FACT THEY OWN ALL OF THE PICTURES YOU TAKE ON THERE. THAT IS INSANE. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO CAN GET INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT. Lynn Gray: HEY, IT IS REALLY HAPPENING. HAPPENING IN SCHOOL. IF I AM BE A RESOURCE AND HAVE THESE PANELISTS COULD AM AND MAKE OTHER GROUPS AWARE, THEN I SHALL DO THAT AS AN ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, PABLO. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR -- WELL THE MAYOR STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL, MISS B AND MAYOR JANE. WE HAD OUR EXPERT PANELIST TAKE PART IN THIS HUMAN TRAFFICKING STUDENT ONLINE
308SAFETY PRESENTATION. THESE STUDENTS ARE SHARP -- SHARPER THAN TACKS. I WANTS TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO PANELIST AND HEAD PERSON INVOLVED DRUCY DIAZ IS OUR CHAIR. WE HAD AMANDA SANCHEZ FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES, BETSY CONLEY FROM FBI, SERGEANT DANIELS FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, CHRISTIAN SANTOS AND FRAN JULIAN FROM DECLARED NO MORE FOUNDATION. AND JAN EDWARD FROM PAVING THE WAY. AND CONNIE ROSE FROM THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING, ALL OF WHICH MADE MANY MORE STUDENTS AWARE. A LOT OF STATISTICS AND INTERACTION. YOU KNOW, MEMBER WASHINGTON, WE DID GO TO BREWSTER. AND WE WERE ON THE STAGE, BUT WHAT REALLY CAPTURED MY ATTENTION WHILE WE ARE AT THE 100th ANNIVERSARY WERE THE TESTIMONY Y'-- TESTIMONIALS OF T STUDENTS GOING THERE AND THE ALUMNI. THEY LOVED THE SCHOOLS. HAD GREAT EXPERIENCES. 100
309YEARS OF DIFFERENT TESTIMONIALS. IT WAS FABULOUS. BIG THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, SHAKE, FOR MENTIONING IT. BUT WE HAD FRED AMERICANS, ICONIC BLACK HISTORY -- LET'S JUST SAY EDUCATORS OF ALL TIME. WE WERE AT THAT AMAZING. WHAT DO WE WANT TO CALL IT, SHAKE, HE MADE A BIG EVENING OF IT. WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE CHURCH. THE MUSEUM. BY PERRY HARVEY PARK. AND HE HAD GIN GIVEN THE HONOR OF ITS ALISON EDGECOMB AWARD. I THINK IT WAS $1,000 -- THANKS, RED -- FOR THE HISTORY CENTER WITH BRIAN FROM RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL. ALISON EDGECOMB FROM THREE YEARS FROM ZERO THURGOOD MARSHAL CLUBS WHICH BY THE WAY WAS FRED AMERICANS' IDEA TO 89 CLUBS AND MIGHT EVEN BE MORE SO I WILL BE CORRECTED. SHE HAS DONE AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF WORK ALL THE TIME. AND
310THANK YOU, ALISON FOR HEARING THIS. WE JUST APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE IN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN TASK FORCE AND SHAKE YOUR COMMITMENT ON THAT TASK FORCE HAS BEEN STELLAR AND APPRECIATED. I TAKE A NOTE -- I KNOW SUPERINTENDENT AYRES ALREADY SAID IT, BUT THE STUDENTS FROM STRAWBERRY CREST HIGH SCHOOL EARNED STATEWIDE RECOGNITION IN THEIR CULINARY -- NORTHWEST JUST CULINARY BUT RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT. I WANT TO CALL OUT THE NAMES BECAUSE WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD OF THEM. RILEY CLARK. THIS IS CULINARY TEAM. BRINLEY MIRANDA. EMAN IN, JESSIE, AND SAMANTHA. THEY EARNED FIRST PLACE IN THE CULINARY DIVISION. AND NOW RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT TEAM -- BOY, TIME GOES BY QUICK. ABIGAIL, DIANA, MACY, TOBY, ABIGAIL -- I THINK I SAID HER AND PRUSHA -- SORRY, CAPTURED FIRST PLACE IN THE MANAGEMENT COMPETITION. I WISH EVERYONE OUR GREAT CABINET,
311YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL RELAXING SPRING BREAK. OUR TEACHERS AND ALL STAFF AND OUR WONDERFUL BOARD MEMBERS, I HOPE WE ALL HAVE, COME BACK RENEW AND REFRESH $IN OUR SUPERINTENDENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: MEMBER HAHN. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WELL, I WANT TO THANK SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT ON OUR ESE GAMES. I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK PRINCIPAL BRITTANY WELLHAM WITH MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL GETTING A BRAND-NEW SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON BRAND-NEW KNELLESC GAMES A FEAT AHEAD OF HER, I BELIEVE, NINE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS CALLED THE SOUTH SHORE SHOWDOWN. HEATHER HOLLOWAY AND MEGAN KENNEDY. JEREMY KLEIN FOR GAITHER'S STAMPEDE. MARCUS AND KATIE FOR THE INCREDIBLE GAMES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE HIGHLIGHT NOT ONLY
312OUR ESE STUDENTS, BUT ALL THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE -- SHALL THAT ARE N NONDISABLED STUDENTS OUT THERE SUPPORTING OUR DISABLED STUDENTS OPINION WHERE OUR BEST BUDDY PROGRAM THRIVES. SEEING VALUE IN ANOTHER PERSON WHO MAY NOT LOOK SAME OR ACT THE SAME, BUT BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR ANOTHER PERSON. BECAUSE OF THAT, THAT IS SO MEANINGFUL FOR ME AND THANK ALL BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE THERE. ALL BOARD MEMBERS THAT SUPPORTED IT WITH DIFFERENT THINGS. I WANT TO THAT AETNA, BUS PATROL, AND MY MIND WENT TOTALLY BLANK. AETNA AND -- AND BRINKS FOUNDATION AS WELL FOR SO MANY THEIR THEIR SUPPORT THIS LAST YEAR AND EVERYTHING -- OH, TECO. THE TECO FOUNDATION SUPPORTED GAMES AS WELL -- I KNOW PANERA BREAD DID. TIJUANA FLATS DID. POP UP BAGEL DID. ROUGH RIDER. I WON'T
313ABLE TO MENTION EVERYONE. BUT SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT SEE VALUE IN ALL YOU HAVE OUR STUDENTS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS AN EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL EVENTS, REALLY OUT THERE SUPPORTING OUR FAA STUDENTS THAT SHOWED BETWEEN ITS LAMBS, THE SWINES, THE STHEER, THE CATTLE, AS WELL AS OUR GARDEN. SO MANY OF OUR FAA ADVISORS WERE THERE ALL DURING THE WEEK OF THESE SHOWINGS AND ANIMALS AND THEIR PLANTS. AND WHAT THEY PUT INTO THESE STUDENTS IS JUST PHENOMENAL. I WANT TO THANK OUR FAA PARTNERS THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT THEY DO AGRICULTURE IS THE SECOND LARGEST WORK FORCE INDUSTRY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND ONE THING WE ALL NEED THREE TIMES A DAY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
314WE CONTINUE CULTIVATING THAT WITHIN OUR STUDENTS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE CRISIS CENTER. MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU TO MR. PORTER FOR ALLOWING TO COME AND SUPPORT THAT. THE CRISIS CENTER IS SUCH A SPORE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS MAKING SURE THEY HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO LAND EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN THEY ARE IN CRISIS. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT. STARTING RIGHT NOW, ANOTHER PROGRAM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR OUR UNACCOMPANIED MINORS REALLY FINDING THEM A SAFE PLACE TO SHOW THEM HOUSING SUPPORT AS THEY MOVE FORWARD THEIR LIFE. MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THERE OUR STAFF HAS BEEN THERE TO SUPPORT THEM ALONG WAY SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER WASHINGTON FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY RECEPTION. A WONDERFUL EVENT. GREAT COMMUNITY ATTENDED AS WELL AS EVERYTHING ELSE.
315SUPERINTENDENT, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR BRONZE AWARD WITH J.A. AS WELL AS YOUR CONTRACT RENEWAL. AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH YOU BY YOUR SIDE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS CHALLENGING TIME IN OUR STATE AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO BRING STUDENTS' SUCCESSES TO THE FOREFRONT IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO. APPRECIATE THAT. TO THE CABINET, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. A WELL-DESERVED SPRING BREAK AS YOU MOVE FORWARD. OUR TEACHERS, OFFICE STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCIPALS, YOUR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS ARE SECOND NOTON. WE CAN'T THANK YOU FOR THE DEDICATION YOU PUT OUT THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE APPRECIATE YOU. WE SEE YOU. WE HEAR YOU. AND WE TAKE REALLY GOOD THOUGHT AND TIME IN MAKING SURE THAT EVERY DECISION PUTS YOU FIRST ALONG WITH OUR STUDENTS SO WE HOPE YOU HAVE A SAFE AND
316WONDERFUL SPRING BREAK. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: I WAS GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I TALKED A LOT TONIGHT, BUT SO MANY DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS TOUCHED ON THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND SAY, ONE, THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUE. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT HILLSBOROUGH -- THE IN AM ONE IF NOT ONE OF THE HIGHEST. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOUR DEDICATION AND WORK ON THAT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. ALSO SPEAKING OF THE CONDITIONING ALUMNI, CONGRATULATIONS OF BEING ADDED TO THE HALL OF FAME. I SPOKE WITH CHRIS CHAMBERS ON THE CITY COUNCIL THERE. WE ATTENDED A RAMADAN IFTAR DANGER AND HE
317SAID YOU ARE NEVER ALLOWED BACK ON THE GOLF COURSE AGAIN AND DO NOT SEND OUR SUPERINTENDENT OUT THERE. HE DOES NOT WANT TO PLAY WITH YOU AGAIN. YOU ARE TOO GOOD. BUT THAT HE DID HAVE A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT SCHOOLS AND THINGS HAPPENING IN TEMPLE TERRACE THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT THAT. THE -- THE ESE EVENT AT GAITHER, THE STAMPEDE WAS PHENOMENAL. THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR THOSE EVENTS AND ESE STUDENTS. WE SPOKE OF THE BUDDIES AND THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES SOME EXCITED TO SHOWCASE WHAT THEY CAN DO. SO ENTHUSIASTIC. EVEN THEIR TEACHERS TO SHOW OFF WHAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE DOING AND BEING SO PROUD ADVOCATING FOR THEM.
318AND SUCH A GREAT EVENT. AND I FEEL HONORED EVERY TIME I GET TO ATTENDS THAT, ESPECIALLY SINCE GAITER IS THE LONGEST. -- GAITHER IS THE LONGEST. NOT THAT IT IS COMPETING. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. TAMPA HAS BEEN A REALLY BUSY WEEK FOR ME. I TOO I TO SPEND AS MUCH TIME IN MY SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE. WITHIN THE LAST WEEK OR SO, CHAMBERLAIN, FREEDOM, GRECO, LEWIS, FOLSOM AND GAITHER. WHEN WE TALK OF SPRING BREAK, THE WORK WORK THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE GOING IN SCHOOLS WITH ENTHUSE INTO THE MEDIA CENTER AND LIBRARIANS TO SHOW OFF WHAT BOOKS THEY SHOWCASED AND CLASSROOMS AND TEACHERS HAVE TAKEN CARE DECORATING THEIR ROOMS AND DATA WALLS. WHICH STUDENTS ARE EX-SEAT WHERE. MUCH AS I TALK OF THE CHALLENGES, I CAN'T UNDERSCORE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOMS. TOP MEMBER RENDON'S POINTS,
319THE TEACHERS THE ADMINISTRATORS, ITS PARAS. THE CAFETERIA STAFF. I ECHO YOUR SENTIMENT AND HAVING SO MUC GRATITUDE FOR THAT AND WISHING EVERYONE A GREAT SPRING BREAK. STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL ARE GOING STRONG. THEY SHOW UP AND BRING FORTH CHALLENGES IN THE SCHOOL. THEY ARE RESPECTFUL OF EACH OTHER. ENGAGE NOTICE MEETING AND UTILIZE NO STAFF IN SCHOOLS. AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO THEM. WE MAY HAVE A POLICY TO BRING FORWARD IN THE NEXT POLICY CYCLE. WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT I THINK THAT IS ALL THAT I HAVE. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TALKED A LOT. AGAIN, I AM WISHING EVERYBODY JUST A REALLY NICE SPRING BREAK AS A CHANCE TO RECHARGE BECAUSE WORK NEVER STORMS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN JUST
320HECTIC CRAZY BUSY. I GOT AN TUNE ALONG WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SPEAK TO THE CHAMBER, THE TAMPA CHAMBER ABOUT THE INCREDIBLENESS THAT IS GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL. BAND THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN LIFTING OUR SCHOOLS. AND THEN ALSO WE WERE AT THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL ALONG WITH -- I THINK ALL OF US. AND MEMBER RENDON, MY FAVORITE PART OF THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL IS THE STRAWBERRIES. SO I AM JUST SAYING. OKAY. THEN ALSO I ATTENDED THE -- THE SCHOLARSHIP, THE BLACK HISTORY SCHOL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT -- THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT BREAKFAST OR LUNCH. A BRUNCH TYPE THING. AND THAT TOOK PLACE -- IT WAS A LEGACY IN BLOOM HISTORY BRUNCH. THAT WAS VERY WELL-ATTENDED AS WELL. AND ALSO -- WHERE ELSE DID WE G GO? WE DID A FEW THINGS AND I THINK
321THERE IS A PICTURE -- YES. AND OUR -- YES, OUR AMAZING SUPERINTENDENT. YOU KNOW I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU SOUP SUPERINTENDENT OF BEING AWARDED THE NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT BRONZE LEADERSHIP AWARD ALL DUE TO YOUR DEDICATION OF PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENCES THEY NEEDS TO BE WORK FORCE READY AFTER GRADUATION. YOUR LEADERSHIP PLAY AS KEY ROLE IN BRINGING J.A.'S PROGRAMS TO FOR OUR STUDENTS INCLUDING ENTREPRENEURIALSHIP, FINANCIAL LITERACY AND WORK READINESS. SOME CONGRATULATIONS. AND IT IS A VERY DESERVED AWARD. AND EAT MORE CHICKEN. AND -- AND OTHERWISE -- OH, AND THEN WE HAD THE BACK TO SCHOOL AT BLAKE SCHOOL FOR HELP. WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS THAT SUPPORTED THERE AND BLAKE. AND -- AND WHAT ELSE DID I DO? AND, OH, AND WE WERE AT THE -- AT -- AT DURANT. IT WAS AN AMAZING -- STUDENTS
322DID A CULINARY LUNCHEON. YES. IT WAS AWESOME. ME AND MEMBER RENDON AND HER HUBBY, YES, WERE THERE. AND -- AND IT WAS GREAT. AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. AND WANT TO MENTION TO YOU, I DID A PODCAST WITH ONE OF OUR LIBRARIANS ABOUT -- SHE WAS EDUCATING THE PARENTS HOW TO COUNTS THEIR MINUTES, YOU KNOW FOR ITS READING, YES. AND SO FAR, THAT PODCAST HAS RECEIVED A LITTLE OVER 8,000 VIEWS. Jessica Vaughn: WOW, THAT IS AWESOME. Karen Perez: YES. SO WHAT IT IS LETTING ME KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES IS THAT OUR PARENTS NEED SOME GUIDANCE AND THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THAT GUIDANCE. AND SO I AM GOING TO CONTINUE DOING THOSE PODCASTS TO -- AND, YOU KNOW, TO -- TO HELP OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE. AND I ALSO BROUGHT THEM ON THE RADIO
323TO EXPLAIN, BECAUSE THE VIDEO HAS THE -- HAS OUR HISPANIC FAMILIES. THAT LISTEN IN ENGLISH AS WELL. AND, YES, ALMOST 8,000 AN COUNTING. SO WE WILL CONTINUE EDUCATE AGO YOU ARE FAMILIES. EVERY WAY POSSIBLE AN EVERY PLATFORM. AND SUPPORTING THIS DISTRICT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. EVERYONE, HAVE A WONDERFUL SPRING BREAK. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND REST, BECAUSE THERE IS STILL MORE TO COME. AND WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.