001HI. I'M KAREN PEREZ, CHAIR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I'M NADIA COMBS, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS 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 ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 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 E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL
00232. MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIAL CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. 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. Karen Perez: THE BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 27 IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER COMBS WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THANK YOU, PLEASE JOIN ME FOR
003A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Karen Perez: MEMBER COMBS, WOULD YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT. Nadia Combs: I WOULD HIKE TO THANK THE ROLAND PARK. ALONG WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND THE DIRECTOR. THE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING TODAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE STUDENTS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. WONDERFUL JOB. HELLO. MY NAME IS DONNA. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS GARY. I'M ALSO IN FIFTH GRADE. HELLO. MY NAME IS LEO. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS OWEN. I'M ALSO IN FIFTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS MATTHEW BENNETT. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS SONYA. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE. HI, MY NAME IS KATHLEEN. I'M
004IN FOURTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS DANE. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE ALSO. HI. MY NAME IS NAN. I'M ALSO IN FOURTH GRADE. HI. DYLAN. I'M IN THIRD GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS LAUREN. I'M IN THIRD GRADE AS WELL. HI. MY NAME IS REMINGTON. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS LANDIN. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE. HI. MY NAME IS RAYMOND. I'M THE ELEMENTARY STRINGS TEACHER. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND THANK YOU TO MRS. LESSEE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS SHERYL GUERRA. I AM THE PROUD ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL
005BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. DECEMBER 9, 2025 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND DECEMBER 16 SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WANT TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS 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. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE
006ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER COMBS WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Nadia Combs: AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV AND ON MONITORS IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN, 6 P.M. EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. WE WILL NOW READ THE RECOGNITIONS. WE HAVE A-1, RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS BEST KREWE AWARD. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE
007TO CALL UP ANN MARIE COURTNEY, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIP ENGAGEMENT, PHILANTHROPY, AND OUTREACH. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, CABINET MEMBERS, AND GUESTS. THE BUCS BEST KREWE PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY OUR AMAZING PARTNER, THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, WHO ARE CELEBRATING -- HAVE CELEBRATED -- THEIR 50th SEASON IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. THIS MONTHLY AWARD RECOGNIZES STANDOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE, OVERALL IMPACT ON STUDENTS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE BRIAN FORD, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HERE TO ANNOUNCE THIS MONTH'S AWARD RECIPIENTS. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR. OUR FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY. MADAM CHAIR, THE REST OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A GREAT WINTER BREAK. WELCOME. WE'RE
008GOING TO START THIS SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OFF ON SOMETHING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON. WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR THE STORIES. THIS MONTH ARE OVER THE TOP. FIRST OFF, MICHELLE SOTTO, THE PRINCIPAL AT FOREST HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU EVEN GOT YOUR BUC RED ON. I LIKE THAT. BUC RED. AGAIN, WE HAVE A TRADITION AT ONE BUC FOR ANYBODY THAT'S NEW THAT ANYBODY THAT GOES OVER AND ABOVE GETS A GAME BALL. WE DIDN'T HAND OUT ENOUGH OF THE GAME BALLS THIS SEASON, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY. WE'LL TURN THE PAGE. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE WAY THAT THE SEASON THROUGHOUT OUR 50th YEAR HISTORY BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP HERE WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL AND THE FOLKS THAT WE'VE RECOGNIZED. THE STORIES HAVE BEEN UNBELIEVABLE. THIS MONTH IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT. THESE COMMENTS
009ARE COMING FROM YOUR FACULTY, YOUR STUDENT BODY AND NOT ME. I JUST WAS AMAZED AT HEARING THESE. THESE ARE SUCH HEART-RIPPING STORIES AND THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE GLAZER FAMILY, OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE AND THANK ALL THREE OF THE WINNERS THIS MONTH FOR THEIR EXTENDED EFFORTS AND THEIR COMMITMENT AND PASSION TO EDUCATION, TO THE STUDENTS, AND TO THEIR FAMILIES. COMING FROM YOUR FACULTY, MICHELLE SOTTO'S LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO FOREST HILLS ELEMENTARY HAVE MADE A REAL DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FAMILIES. BECAUSE OF HER VISION AND HARD WORK, THE SCHOOL BUILT A STRONG CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE AND STUDENT SUCCESS CONTINUES TO GROW. YOU LEAD WITH YOUR, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT HAS RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY WITH STRONG GAINS IN PROFICIENCY AND LEARNING GROWTH, ESPECIALLY IN READING. SUPPORTED BY INTENTIONAL, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT STRENGTHENS
010INSTRUCTION ACROSS THE BUILDING AND CAMPUS. MS. SOTTO LEADS BY EXAMPLE. ATTENDING PLANNING SESSIONS, ENGAGING IN DATA CHARTS AND MAINTAINING A CONSISTENT PRESENCE IN THE CLASSROOMS EVERY SINGLE DAY. BEYOND ACADEMICS, SHE ALSO LED FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN RECORD-BREAKING PARTICIPATION AND MONTHLY SCHOOL EVENTS, STRENGTHENING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL. IT'S TREMENDOUS. MRS. SOTTO'S COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP HAS CREATED A JOYFUL, COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE PEOPLE FEEL VALUED AND SUPPORTED. HER IMPACT IS UNDENIABLE, AND SHE'S HELPED MAKE FOREST HILLS NOT JUST A SCHOOL BUT TRUE FAMILY. NEXT UP, KAYLA. COME ON UP HERE. CONGRATULATIONS. WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR THIS STORY. I'M GLAD I'M NOT PART OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THESE ARE AMAZING. AGAIN, THIS IS COMING FROM YOUR FACULTY, YOUR ADMINISTRATION, AND YOUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MS. BALMER IS A DEDICATED AND DEEPLY CARING LEADER
011WHOSE WORK MADE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE FOR STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND THE ENTIRE POTTER ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY. SHE LEADS BLOSSOMING MOTHERS, A PROGRAM THAT BRINGS MOTHERS TOGETHER AND STRENGTHENS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT BUT HER IMPACT GOES FAR BEYOND ANY SINGLE INITIATIVE. MS. BALMER WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER TO CONDUCT HOME VISITS THAT HELP ADDRESS ATTENDANCE CHALLENGES AND REMOVES BARRIERS THAT KEEPS STUDENTS FROM LEARNING. TALK ABOUT EXTENDED EFFORTS. WHEN STUDENTS ARE SICK AND FAMILIES CAN'T BE REACHED, SHE DOESN'T HESITATE TO CHECK ON THEM PERSONALLY BECAUSE STUDENT WELL-BEING ALWAYS COMES FIRST. THAT'S COMING FROM YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR FACULTY AND YOUR FAMILIES. AMAZING. SHE ALSO MANAGES THE CAMPUS FOOD PANTRY, ENSURING FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL RESOURCES AND BUILD STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT PROVIDE LASTING SUPPORT. MS. BALMER LEADS WITH EMPATHY, URGENCY, AND HEART. AND BECAUSE OF HER STUDENTS AND
012FAMILIES DON'T JUST RECEIVE HELP, THEY FEEL HOPE. YOU ARE AN INVALUABLE ASSET TO POTTER ELEMENTARY. THAT'S ASTOUNDING. CONGRATULATIONS. ON BEHALF OF THE GLAZER FAMILY AND OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT ONE IS KIND OF PERSONAL BECAUSE BOTH MY BOYS WENT TO STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL AND ACTUALLY GRADUATED FROM STEINBRENNER. THIS YOUNG LADY HAD AN IMPACT ON BOTH OF THEM. CONGRATULATIONS. COME ON OVER HERE. MARIE PUSKAS MATH TEACHER, STEINBRENNER HIGH SCHOOL. WOW. YES. WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR SOME STATS ON THIS AND THE AP CLASSES WE TEACH HERE. AGAIN, THIS IS COMING FROM YOUR ADMINISTRATION, YOUR FACULTY, AND YOUR STUDENT BODIES AND SOME RETIRED GRADUATED STUDENTS I'M SURE. HAVE YOU EVER MET A TEACHER WHO DOESN'T JUST TEACH THE SUBJECT BUT TRULY LIVES IT? MRS. MARIE PUSKAS IS THAT TYPE OF TEACHER. TEACHING ISN'T JUST
013HER JOB, IT'S WHO SHE IS, HER CALLING. THE SECOND STUDENTS WALK INTO HER CLASSROOM, THEY FEEL IT. THAT'S COMING FROM OTHERS. WHEN CLASS SIZES GROW AND MOST PEOPLE FEEL OVERWHELMED, MARIE'S RESPONSE IS ALWAYS "SEND ME MORE, SEND ME MORE." HER AP STATS CLASS ARE CONSTANTLY, CONSISTENTLY FILLED WITH CAPACITY BECAUSE STUDENTS KNOW THEY WILL BE SEEN, SUPPORTED, AND CHALLENGED BY A TEACHER WHO GENUINELY BELIEVES IN THEM AND THEY NEED IT FOR COLLEGE. MY KIDS WERE LIKE THAT. SHE GIVES ENDLESSLY OF HER TIME OFFERING TUTORING BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, ONLINE SUPPORT AND EVEN SUNDAY SESSIONS, PLEASE BECAUSE SHE WANTS HER STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. BECAUSE OF HER IMPACT, THE AP STATS PROGRAM AT STEINBRENNER HAS GROWN SO MUCH THAT SHE NOW TEACHES A FULL DAY COURSE, SOMETHING UNMATCHED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WHAT MAKES MARIE EVEN MORE SPECIAL IS
014SHE NEVER STOPS TRYING TO GET BETTER. SHE COMPLETELY REBUILT THE WAY SHE TEACHES AND COLLECTED STUDENT DATA TO MAKE SURE IT IS WORKING. THE RESULTS WEREN'T JUST ACADEMIC. STUDENTS FELT MORE CONFIDENT, MORE CAPABLE, AND MORE WILLING TO TRY. THAT IS THE KIND OF IMPACT YOU DON'T FORGET. THESE ARE ALL QUOTES FROM PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE AFFECTED. EVEN AS A DEVOTED MOTHER OF FOUR, SHE'S OFTEN AMONG THE FIRST TO RIVE IN THE MORNING AND THE LAST TO LEAVE AT NIGHT. ALWAYS SHOWING UP AND ALWAYS POURING INTO OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WITH HER HUSBAND BEING THE HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT THE SCHOOL. MARIE LEADS WITH HEART, EXCELLENCE, AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT IN OTHERS. THERE'S TRULY NO ONE MORE DESERVING OF THIS RECOGNITION. THOSE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS, AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE GLAZER FAMILY AND OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION, CONGRATULATIONS AND
015THANK YOU. BEFORE WE TAKE A QUICK PICTURE WITH EVERYBODY, I'M ALL ABOUT STATS. THAT'S WHAT FOOTBALL IS. THERE WAS A RECORD THAT WAS BROKEN HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. EVERYONE SITTING UP HERE ON THE BOARD IS PART OF THAT. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR DEDICATION, BUT THE RECORD THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE HIGHEST GRADUATION IN DISTRICT HISTORY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THIS IS SOMETHING FROM A LITTLE PRESS RELEASE THAT I CAME ACROSS, IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE DISTRICT'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE FOR THE 2024-25 ACADEMIC YEAR IS AN IMPRESSIVE 90.9%. THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 2.9 PERCENTAGE POINTS OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. AGAIN, THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN DISTRICT HISTORY. CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WITHIN THE DISTRICT. BUT THERE'S ONE GENTLEMAN THAT LEADS. WE HAVE A GAME BALL FOR YOU. THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER
016GENTLEMAN THAT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THIS PROGRAM ON YOUR SIDE AND REALLY HELPS -- THE WHOLE TEAM DOES A PHENOMENAL JOB. THIS GENTLEMAN HAS A BIG BIRTHDAY COMING UP ON FRIDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JEAN TAVARES, 40 FOREVER. HE'S REALLY NOT 40 AND HE IS MUCH OLDER THAN I AM. MUCH, MUCH OLDER. Karen Perez: THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND CONGRATULATIONS. TO ALL THE WINNERS. WE ARE GOING TO GO TO RECOGNITION A 02, BLACK HISTORY MONTH FOR FEBRUARY 2026. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. SINCE 1926, AMERICANS HAVE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED BLACK HISTORY MONTH. OBSERVANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH COMMEMORATES THE FACT THAT OUR COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CELEBRATE THEIR SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS ON LOCAL, STATE,
017AND NATIONAL LEVELS. DURING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, THE SCHOOL BOARD ENCOURAGES SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF TO PLAN SCHOOLWIDE ACTIVITIES AND LESSONS FOR STUDENTS TO HONOR THE CONTRIBUTION OF AFRICAN AMERICANS TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND TO OUR NATION. THE BOARD ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANCE OF HONORING THE SIGNIFICANT CULTURE AND HISTORICAL LEGACY OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE. IN CELEBRATION, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE VARYING DEPARTMENTS RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE CONTRIBUTION AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. OUR NEXT RECOGNITION IS A 03, RECOGNITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH. JANUARY 2026. MEMBER GRAY WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. HUMAN TRAFFICKING, ALIGNED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA, IMPACTS AND AFFECTS AS MANY AS 27.6 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING CHILDREN WHO ARE TRAFFICKED FOR
018LABOR AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE, FLORIDA RANKS THIRD IN THE NATION FOR THE NUMBERS OF REPORTED CASES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE AVERAGE AGE OF TRAFFICKED YOUTH IS 11 TO 13 YEARS OLD. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, SCHOOL COMMUNITY OFFICERS, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN HELPING VICTIMS ACCESS SPECIALIZED SERVICES. THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RECOGNIZES THE RISK FACTORS OF VULNERABLE YOUTH AND CHOOSES TO EDUCATE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE WARNING SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND INCREASED USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PLATFORM TO CONTACT, RECRUIT, AND GAIN INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR VICTIMS. THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RECOGNIZES THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CITY OF, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, LOCAL ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AND
019THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION OF TAMPA BAY TO TAKE AN ADVOCACY ROLE TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION TO STAKEHOLDERS SO THAT ALL STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFY AND REPORT HUMAN TRAFFICKING SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY FORM OF THIS CRIME. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. NOW I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. AYRES AT THIS TIME TO PRESENT YOUR SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. LAST THURSDAY NIGHT WAS ONE OF OUR BEST NIGHTS OF THE YEAR OVER AT THE STRAZ CENTER. OFF THE AGENDA A MINUTE, BUT I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE A FEW INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM TONIGHT. IT WAS TRULY A REMARKABLE EVENING TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL EDUCATORS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IN DOING SO, WE RECOGNIZE THREE AS
020ULTIMATE WINNERS OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR. BUT WE CAN'T MAKE ALL THAT HAPPEN WITHOUT THE INCREDIBLE SUPPORT OF HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION. ANA, COME ON UP. RECOGNIZE ANA CORPSMAN, WHO I KNOW YOU ALL WORK WITH QUITE A BIT. OUR CEO OF HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION THAT IS THE DRIVER BEHIND OUR EVENING THAT NIGHT. AND THAT NIGHT, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THREE OF OUR WINNERS. WE'VE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO FORMALLY AT A BOARD MEETING. I WANTED TO DO SO. IN DOING SO, WE SAY GOOD-BYE TO HENRY OUR TEACHER OF THE LAST YEAR. TO HENRY, ANTONIA, BONNIE, WE GET TO KNOW THEM ON A FIRST NAME BASIS BECAUSE WE WORK WITH THEM SO MUCH. THEY ARE THREE REMARKABLE MODELS OF TEACHERS OF THE YEAR, INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT AND DID A WONDERFUL
021JOB. THREE NEW WINNERS. MARY TORRES-CEREZO. COME ON UP NEXA THERE. WE HAD MARY AND CHE COUNCE AS IDA S. BAKER. COME ON UP. FINALLY, OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR, CHRISTIE ATKINSON FROM WHARTON. COME ON UP. THEY WILL START. WE BREAK THEM IN. THEY DID A GREAT JOB AT OUR CHILDREN'S GASPARILLA PARADE. THEY THREW -- I KNOW THEY HAD A GREAT TIME. YOU THREW SOME DUCKS THAT THE KIDS LOVED. I KNOW THAT FOR SURE. WE ALREADY HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY. THEY REPRESENTED THE DISTRICT AT THE GASPARILLA PARADE. CHILDREN'S GASPARILLA PARADE, AND WERE GREAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE DISTRICT. WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE THEM AS REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH OF THEIR AREAS AND LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM. I KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ALL WORK WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
022THEM THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. CONGRATULATIONS ONCE AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT WE WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL. THE BOARD WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU. I THINK YOU HAVE SOME GIFTS FOR THE BOARD. YES. HELLO, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US AND HIGHLIGHTING THESE AMAZING TEACHERS. HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION WE'RE REALLY HONORED EVERY YEAR TO WORK WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PUT ON EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION. IT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR YEAR. IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR DISTRICT COUNTERPARTS. SUPERINTENDENT, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR AMAZING STAFF WHO HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE TO WORK WITH. A LOT OF MONTHS THAT GO INTO PLANNING THE EVENT. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS BECAUSE OF THAT PARTNERSHIP. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. WE DO
023HAVE A LITTLE PIN FOR EACH OF YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE EVENT FROM LAST THURSDAY AS A TOKEN AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. Van Ayres: CAN WE DO A PICTURE REAL QUICK? Karen Perez: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR THREE WINNERS. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES THE INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL 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 THE TIME TO BE HERE. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT ANY ISSUE 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
024REQUEST THAT YOU TRY TO FOCUS ON ISSUES. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND HEAR A CHIME. A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. THIS IS GOING TO BE FAST. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JEANETTE SMITH. I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND MOTHER. I ALSO HAVE SERVED ON THE DISTRICT STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT COMMITTEE SINCE 2024, WHICH HAS GIVEN ME DIRECT INSIGHT INTO THE DISTRICT'S DISCIPLINE, DATA, POLICY AND PROCESSES. I'M HERE BECAUSE PARENTS ARE
025STRUGGLING TO NAVIGATE A SYSTEM THEY WERE NEVER TAUGHT TO UNDERSTAND. BECAUSE STUDENTS ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THE CONFUSION. IN THE LAST MONTH, I HEARD THE SAME STORY FROM FOUR DIFFERENT FAMILIES AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WITH THE SAME OUTCOMES. MANY OF THOSE FAMILIES ARE HESITANT TO SPEAK PUBLICLY SO I AM HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEM. THE DISTRICT'S OWN DATA SHOWS THAT BLACK STUDENTS ACCOUNT FOR A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF SUSPENSION DAYS FAR EXCEEDING THE SHARE OF THEIR ENROLLMENT. IT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE, IT IS A SYSTEM OUTCOME. BEHIND EVERY CHILD, EVERY DATA POINT REPRESENTS A CHILD. I WANT TO BRIEFLY SHARE ONE CASE TO SHOW HOW FAILURE OCCURRED LONG WILL EVER DISCIPLINE SENTED THE PICTURE. AFTER TRANSFERRING SCHOOLS, THE STUDENT MS. INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE PHYSICAL ALTERCATIONS. OSS OR ATOSS. WHEN I HELPED THE MOTHER GAIN ACCESS TO
026THE CORRECT ACCOUNT, AFTER MONTHS OF TRYING, WE SAW A TROUBLING PATTERN. ACADEMIC RECORD SHOWED THAT LEVEL ONE SCORES HE HAD THEM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN MATH AND READING AS WELL AS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND STILL TODAY IN HIGH SCHOOL AND HE IS NOT ESE. THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION OF HIS INTELLIGENCE. IT IS A FAILURE OF INTERVENTION. THIS SCHOOL YEAR ALONE, THIS STUDENT HAS MISSED 30 DAYS DUE TO SUSPENSIONS. THE LEVEL OF ABSENCES TELLS US THAT TIER ONE AND TIER TWO SYSTEMS HAVE FAILED. WHEN STUDENTS REPEATEDLY ARE REMOVED FROM INSTRUCTION, FRUSTRATION SHOWS UP IN THEIR BEHAVIOR. AND WHAT THE SYSTEM IS LABELING AS DISCIPLINE, OUR STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING AS ABANDONMENT. WHEN I ASKED THAT STUDENT WHAT HE WANTED ME TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TODAY, HE SAID, AND I QUOTE, LET ME BACK IN SCHOOL.
027I'M A HUMAN. I WANT TO BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE. I CAN DO BETTER. THIS IS NOT DEFIANCE. THESE ARE CHILDREN ASKING FOR DIGNITY, BELONGING AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. HOW QUESTION EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO CATCH UP AND STAY ON TRACK WHEN DURING SUSPENSIONS AND ESPECIALLY LIKE PROGRAMS LIKE ATOSS 2 WHEN THEY ARE THERE ABOUT 20 DAYS. WHAT IS THE EXACT JOB DESCRIPTION AND ROLE OF TRANSITION COORDINATORS AND WHAT FIDELITY CHECKS ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOBS? FROM THIS BOARD, THIS IS WHAT WE WOULD LIKE, PLEASE COMMIT TO A MONTHLY RELEASE OF PUBLIC DATA AROUND THE DISCIPLINE DATA DISAGGREGATED BY RACE. ALSO REQUIRE EVERY SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE A PARENT DIGITAL AND HARD COPY STEP BY STEP GUIDE HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR YOUR CHILD WITH A QR CODE EVERY TIME A STUDENT RECEIVES
028ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT. COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT TYPE OF DATA IS COLLECTED AND HOW THAT INFORMATION IS BEING USED AND TRACKED. AND PLEASE PERFORM A SPECIAL TASK FORCE FOCUSED ON REDUCING DISCIPLINE DISPARITIES AND ENSURING A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR. AND CREATE A COMMUNITY SEAT AT THE CHANGE OF PLACEMENT AND APPEALS HEARINGS SO UNBIASED VOICES ARE PRESENT LONG BEFORE LIFE ALTERING DECISIONS ARE MADE. OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT DISPOSABLE. DISCIPLINE SHOULD NEVER MEAN DISAPPEARANCE. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. WELL, I NEED TO ISSUE AN EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING WHICH ACTUALLY SEEMS REALLY ODD BECAUSE WHEN I COME HERE I ONLY TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES HERE IN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO MINORS BUT NONETHELESS, PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN HERE, YOU WANT TO TAKE THEM OUT. TWO THINGS TODAY,
029FIRST, MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS THAT THE LIBRARIANS ARE DIGGING THEIR HEELS IN, MANY OF THEM AND MAKING THE BOOKS AT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FORCED TO BE PUT UNDER REVIEW, THEY ARE AVAILABLE AGAIN. SO THERE ARE EXPLICIT BOOKS, MANY OF THOSE ARE BACK IN THE LIBRARIES. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM. YOUR TWO HEAD LIBRARIANS SUPPORT THOSE BOOKS BY VOTES, BY VOTE SUPPORTED TWO OF THE BOOKS IN DIFFERENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS. AGAIN, WE HAVE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM AND YOU'VE BEEN IGNORING THIS PROBLEM FOR FIVE YEARS NOW SINCE I FIRST CAME. THE TRUTH IS, I WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO HERE IF MY 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WEREN'T SUBJECT TO READING ABOUT A PEDOPHILE'S MOUTH ON THE BREAST OF LITTLE GIRLS OR HER DAD, IN OWN WORDS, GENTLY F'D HER AND IMPREGNATED
030ELEMENTARY AGE DAUGHTER. IF MY DAUGHTER WASN'T SUPPOSED TO READ THAT, I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AT THE SCHOOL BOARD. YOU GUYS KNOW THAT. I REALLY WISH YOU DIDN'T KNOW MY NAME. I KNOW OVER THE FIVE YEARS, SADLY, YOU DO. SECOND THING, BOOK FOR TODAY, THIS BOOK IS A REPRESENTATION OF THOUSANDS MORE THAT ARE STILL AVAILABLE, SADLY, IN OUR SCHOOLS. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE THOSE BOOKS IF YOU WANT TO REACH OUT TO ME. SAVING SIX BY CHLOE WALSH. I'LL GIVE YOU A WORD COUNT FOR AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. ASS 200 TIMES. BASTARD 36. BREAST OR TIT 21, CLINT 7. DICK 81, THE F WORD IS IN THE BOOK 668 TIMES. IF THAT DOESN'T GIVE YOU AN INDICATION OF THE CONTENT OF THIS BOOK, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M THE ONE STILL
031DISCOVERING THE BOOKS FOR YOU. NOW A QUOTE FROM THE BOOK. F ME I HEARD MYSELF CROAK OUT URGING HIM TO CHASE AFTER THAT AMAZING SENSATION THAT ONLY GREW WITH EACH THRUST OF HIS COCK. I CLAWED AT HIS HIPS AND TRIED TO PULL HIM CLOSER. PLEASE, JOE, YOU ARE SO TIGHT AND I CAN FEEL YOU SO MUCH BETTER WITHOUT A CONDOM. I'M REALLY FING, I'M TRYING REALLY FING HARD NOT TO COME. BEYOND REASONING, I GRABBED THE BACK OF HIS HEAD AND DRAGGED HIS FACE. BITING AT MY BOTTOM LIP, F ME, JOE. F ME HARD AND FAST. JESUS, HE -- AS HIS HIPS BUCKED WILDLY AGAINST MY INNER THIGHS AS HE STRETCHED ME OUT TO THE POINT OF PAIN. THIS AUTHOR ON HER WEBSITE SAYS THIS, PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL OF CHLOE'S BOOKS ARE INTENDED FOR MATURE
032READERS OF 18 YEARS AND ABOVE. THE TOPICS OF CONVERSATIONS IN THESE STORIES ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR YOUNGER AUDIENCES. PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE DOES NOT INCLUDE THIS TYPE OF CONTENT. GOLLY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, AND SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS LUCINDA JOHNSON. I'M HERE TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN ADVOCATING FOR STUDENTS WITH INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS, 504 PLANS AND THE ONES WHO HAVEN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED. THESE PLANS EXIST BECAUSE ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. THE WORD INDIVIDUALIZED MATTERS. IEPs AND 504 PLANS ARE NOT SUGGESTIONS; THEY ARE LEGALLY REQUIRED SUPPORTS DESIGNED TO ENSURE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL. WHEN ACCOMMODATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTED CONSISTENTLY, STUDENTS ARE BETTER ABLE TO FOCUS, REGULATE AND LEARN WHEN THEY ARE NOT PARTICULARLY DURING STAFF ABSENCES OR WHEN SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
033ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH A STUDENT'S PLAN, STUDENTS CAN EXPERIENCE UNNECESSARY STRESS, CONFUSION, OR DISCIPLINARY OUTCOMES. THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THIS IS NOT ABOUT BLAME. IT'S ABOUT SYSTEMS AND CONSISTENCY. PARENTS OFTEN RECOGNIZE WHEN SUPPORTS ARE NOT BEING FOLLOWED. WE HEAR IT IN OUR CHILDREN'S CONVERSATION AFTER-SCHOOL. WE SEE IT IN CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR, EMOTIONAL REGULATION, ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT. THESE OBSERVATIONS MATTER AND PROVIDE IMPORTANT INSIGHT INTO WHETHER ACCOMMODATIONS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED AS INTENDED. CONSISTENCY IS CRITICAL. ACCOMMODATIONS MUST BE IMPLEMENTED DAILY, NOT SELECTIVELY, AND NOT ONLY WHEN AN IEP MEETING IS APPROACHING. TEACHERS AND SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS ALIKE BENEFIT FROM CLEAR EXPECTATIONS, ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION AND PRACTICAL TRAINING SO THAT INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTS ARE APPLIED ACROSS ALL CLASSROOMS. WHEN IEPs AND 504 PLANS ARE NOT FOLLOWED, FAMILIES KNOW IT IS REFLECTED IN OUR CHILDREN'S DAILY EXPERIENCES. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE BOARD TO ENSURE
034INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORTS ARE IMPLEMENTED FAITHFULLY AND CONSISTENTLY BY ALL STAFF EVERY DAY, NOT ONLY WHEN MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I GET SPEAKERS 6 THROUGH 10 TO LINE UP, PLEASE? NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. I'M RACHAEL DOYLE. I'M IN STACY HAHN'S DISTRICT. I WOULD LOVE IF SHE LISTENED WHILE I TALK TODAY. MY NINE-YEAR-OLD CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL WITH THIS. THIS IS AN A.I. GENERATED HANDOUT ENCOURAGING HIM TO USE A.I. GENERATED TECHNOLOGY TO WRITE STORIES. THIS WASN'T GIVEN TO HIM BY A TEACHER. THIS WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY AN ADULT DURING GREAT AMERICAN TEACH-IN. WE ARE NOT POLICING WHAT THE ADULTS ARE SAYING WHEN THEY GO INTO THE CLASSROOM. I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO I COULDN'T OPT OUT OF IT. THE
035PRINCIPAL AGREES IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. I'M NOT MAD AT THE PRINCIPAL OR TEACHER. I'M MAD AT YOU FOR NOT HAVING A POLICY TO PROHIBIT SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING TO MY CHILD IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE A.I. GENERATED PAPER SAYS YOUR A.I. WRITING FRIEND CAN HELP YOU GET STARTED OR EVEN WRITE A WHOLE PARAGRAPH WHEN YOU ARE STUCK. HAVING A.I. WRITE THINGS FOR YOU IS NOT YOU WRITING IT. I SUPPOSE IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO GET ANY OF YOU TO CARE CONSIDERING THAT MR. SUPERINTENDENT YOU SENT OUT A SLOPPY A.I. GENERATED IMAGE OF YOURSELF ENCOURAGING KIDS TO READ OVER CHRISTMAS BREAK. I GUESS GENRETIVE A.I. -- IF YOU ARE NOT MAKING YOUR OWN ART WHY WITH KIDS. WOULD IT REALLY TROUBLE YOU TO MAKE EVIDENCE-BASED POLICIES FOR THINGS LIKE HOW TO DEAL WITH A.I. IN OUR DISTRICT?
036REPORT RELEASED FROM THE CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY SAYS THAT A.I. IS HAVING EFFECTS ON STUDENTS, LIKE HURTING THEIR ABILITY TO DEVELOP MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH TEACHERS. MAJORITY OF TEACHERS SURVEYED WORRIED THAT A.I. WEAKENS CRITICAL THINKING AND RESEARCH SKILLS WHICH IS MY DEEP WORRY AS A NINE-YEAR-OLD'S PARENT. UNLIKE THE BOOKS, WHICH IS A PROBLEM BROUGHT UP TO YOU BY NONPUBLIC SCHOOL PARENTS, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS DATA PROVING THAT IT IS HARMING THE KIDS. HARMFUL TO MINORS IS THROWN AROUND CONSTANTLY. A.I. HARMS MINORS. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU DON'T HAVE A POLICY. IF YOU DON'T DO THE MORALLY CORRECT THING AND MAKE IT SO A.I. IS NOT AVAILABLE IN CLASSROOMS, TALKED ABOUT IN CLASSROOMS, AT LEAST MAKE IT I CAN OPT OUT. THOUGH AROUND TERMS PARTICIPANT RIGHTS OR THE GUY BREATHING DOWN YOUR NECK FROM
037TALLAHASSEE, AND YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT ACTUAL ISSUES THAT HARM KIDS AND SUBVERT PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE DISTRICT SHOULD NOT HAVE LAZY ADULTS WILLING TO USE A.I. I SHOULD NOT EXPLAIN THAT YOU SHOULD ALREADY HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE THAT TEACHES KIDS TO RELY ON THEIR OWN SKILLS AND NOT USE UNREGULATED GENERATED A.I. IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIX THE ISSUES, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE HAVE NONSENSE MEETINGS, MEETING AFTER MEETING ABOUT THE BOOKS. THESE ARE ACTUAL ISSUES. I COME TO YOU ABOUT THIS. I COME TO YOU ABOUT SUMMER PROGRAMMING. YOU DO NOT CARE. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU PAY ATTENTION MORE TO BOOK BANNERS THAN TO PARENTS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE HONORABLE BOARD AND ALL PRESENT. MY NAME IS SAYID. I LIVE
038IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MY SON ATTENDS STUART MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL. DURING THE PAST TWO WEEKS, STUART MOVED TO JUST ELEMENTARY WHICH SHARES A PARKING LOT WITH STUART. THIS MOVE WAS SUPPOSED TO OCCUR LAST SUMMER. BUT FOR REASONS UNKNOWN, THE MOVE ENDED UP BEING AFTER THE RETURN FROM THE WINTER BREAK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN THE MIDDLE OF CLASS. THIS MOVE HAS RESULTED IN DISRUPTIONS TO THE CLASS SCHEDULE. SOME TEACHERS WERE ABLE TO TEACH THEIR LESSONS WHILE OTHER TEACHERS WERE USING INSTRUCTION TIME AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO MOVE FURNITURE AND BOXES INSTEAD OF TEACHING, WHICH IS WHAT WE SENT OUR STUDENTS TO SCHOOL FOR. THANK GOODNESS WE HEAR THAT THE MOVE OCCURRED WITHOUT INCIDENT, BUT DID ANYONE STOP TO CONSIDER THE LIABILITY OF USING STUDENTS TO MOVE THINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
039SCHOOL DAY. THIS WEEK, ALREADY MOVED TO THE OTHER BUILDING. THIS WEEK, SINCE MANY OF THE PORTABLES ARE NOT READY, SOME TEACHERS DON'T HAVE A CLASSROOM TO ACCOMMODATE THEIR STUDENTS, SO THEY HAVE TO IMPROVISE. THEY ARE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST TO CONTINUE WITH THE CLASS. ALSO, SINCE ELECTRICAL WIRING AND THE NETWORK DROP INSTALLATION HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED, SOME CLASSES DO NOT HAVE COMPUTERS AVAILABLE TO FOLLOW THEIR LESSONS AND ASSIGNMENTS. WHAT IS WORSE, OUR SON IS BEING TOLD THAT THE TEACHERS DON'T KNOW WHEN THE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE READY OR COMPLETE. WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS PLANNING, AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO ASSIGN BLAME. BUT WE KNOW WITH CERTAINTY THAT IT HAS IMPACTED AND CONTINUES TO IMPACT THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS. ONE COULD ARGUE THAT THIS IS LIKE A HURRICANE WITHOUT THE MAKEUP
040DAYS. SOME TEACHERS WERE PROACTIVE AND THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO INCREASE THE WORKLOAD ON THE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE MOVE, ANTICIPATING THE DISRUPTION. OTHER TEACHERS DID NOT. IN THE END, WHAT I HAVE IS THAT MY SON WILL HAVE TO COME HOME TO MAKE UP THE WORK THAT HE'S NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO DURING CLASS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, BUT EXECUTING SCHOOL MOVE DURING CLASSES, A SCHOOL MOVE THAT HAD BEEN ANNOUNCED OVER A YEAR AGO SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE BOARD THAT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS MOVE BE DOCUMENTED AND BE USED AS THE CORNERSTONE DOCUMENT TO PLAN THE MOVE BACK TO THE NEW BUILDING, WHICH WILL OCCUR. STUART WILL MOVE BACK. MY SON WON'T BE THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON.
041MY NAME IS GIANI HUNT. THE PARENT OF THREE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STUDENTS. I'M ALSO A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE. HAPPY NEW YEAR. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. FIRST, THE RECOGNITION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH. FLORIDA, AS WE KNOW, IS RANKED THIRD IN THE NATION FOR REPORTED HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES. AND SCHOOLS ARE A PRIME SPOT FOR INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION OF THIS. KUDOS TO YOU GUYS FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND KEEPING THAT AT THE FOREFRONT. IN THAT SAME SPIRIT OF STUDENT SAFETY, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE TOPIC OF BOOK REMOVALS. I WASN'T PLANNING TO, BUT I WILL IF IT COMES UP. WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY THAT CENSORSHIP OFTEN BEGINS WITH THE SHOCK FACTOR THAT WE JUST RECEIVED, BUT IT ALSO ALWAYS ENDS WITH THE UNEQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION. MANY OF THE INCLUSIVE BOOKS BEING TARGETED WHEN
042READ IN ITS ENTIRETY AND THAT IS THE POLICY, IN ITS ENTIRETY, ADDRESS DIFFICULT TOPICS LIKE SEXUAL TRAUMA, GROOMING, VIOLENCE, AND THEY ARE AGE APPROPRIATE IN THE CONTEXTUAL WAY. THESE ARE NOT A REQUIRED READING AND THE STORIES, IF READ, MAY HELP SOME STUDENTS RECOGNIZE UNSAFE BEHAVIOR AND MAY HELP THEM UNDERSTAND BOUNDARIES AND KNOW HOW TO SEEK HELP WHEN NEEDED. SILENCING THESE NARRATIVES DOESN'T PROTECT CHILDREN, IT REMOVES TOOLS THAT KEEP THEM SAFE, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS. THE OTHER ITEM THAT WE WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT OR REALLY UPLIFT IS THE OBSERVANCE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH AS FEBRUARY IS APPROACHING. THIS IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE PROFOUND CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES. WHEN WE SAY CONTRIBUTIONS, THAT MEANS THE SHAPING OF THE WEALTH OF THE NATION, THE CULTURE OF THE NATION AND ALSO JUST THE OVERALL
043DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION. IT IS ALSO A TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE COSTS OF THESE CONTRIBUTIONS. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE STILL LIVING WITH THE EFFECTS OF GENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES. HONORING BLACK HISTORY MEANS COMMITTING TO EQUITY FOR ALL HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND THAT MEANS DOING IT RIGHT NOW IN THE PRESENT DAY. THAT BRINGS ME TO A BUDGET QUESTION THAT IS BEING RAISED IN THE COMMUNITY. FLORIDA STATUTE AND SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 6220 REQUIRE THAT DISTRICT BUDGET PROVIDE FOR THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES. YET MOST A-RATED SCHOOLS IN OUR COUNTY ARE LOCATED IN HIGHER INCOME, HIGHER RESOURCE NEIGHBORHOODS, COMMUNITIES THAT ALREADY BENEFIT FROM STRONGER TAX BASES, FROM HIGHER, JUST FUND-RAISING CAPACITY OVERALL AND THE STATE'S SCHOOL RECOGNITION PROGRAM THEN ALSO AWARDS THESE SCHOOLS ADDITIONAL FUNDS. OUR QUESTIONS ARE THIS. HOW IS THE
044DISTRICT ENSURING EQUITY NOT ONLY IN FUNDING BUT ALSO IN ACCESS TO INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN BOOK REMOVAL EFFORTS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. WHAT FISCAL AND CURRICULAR SAFEGUARDS ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT BOTH OUR BUDGET AND BOOK POLICIES FROM UNINTENTIONALLY WIDENING THOSE OPPORTUNITY GAPS FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE WILL BE LISTENING FOR SOME CLARITY. GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE CHAIR, SUPERINTENDENT, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A COMMUNITY LEADER, A CONCERNED CITIZEN, PARENT, FORMAL LEGISLATIVE AIDE AND SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW SYSTEMS EITHER INTERVENE EARLY OR QUIETLY FAIL CHILDREN OVER TIME. WHAT WE ARE DISCUSSING TONIGHT IS NOT ISOLATED. IT IS PATTERNED. PATTERNS DO NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. THEY ARE THE RESULT OF POLICY, PRACTICE, AND PERMISSION. DISTRICT DATA SHOWS THAT BLACK AND LATINO STUDENTS EXPERIENCE DISCIPLINARY EXCLUSION AT DISPROPORTIONATELY
045HIGHER RATES THAN THEIR PEERS, NOT BECAUSE THEY MISBEHAVE MORE, BUT BECAUSE THE SYSTEM RESPONDS TO THEM DIFFERENTLY. THAT IS NOT COINCIDENCE. THAT IS OUTCOME. WE CONTINUE TO TREAT DISCIPLINE AS IF IT EXISTS SEPARATELY FROM ACADEMICS, BUT REMOVAL FROM INSTRUCTION IS AN ACADEMIC DECISION, WHETHER WE ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT. WHEN STUDENTS ARE REPEATEDLY REMOVED THROUGH OSS, ISS AND ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENTS, ATOSS, WITHOUT GUARANTEED ACCESS TO THEIR ACADEMIC WORK, WE ARE NOT CORRECTING BEHAVIOR; WE ARE COMPOUNDING FAILURE. WHEN ONE SCHOOL PROVIDES ASSIGNMENTS DURING SUSPENSION AND ANOTHER DOES NOT THAT IS NOT FLEXIBILITY. THAT IS INEQUITY. WHEN STUDENTS DISPROPORTIONATELY BLACK AND LATINO SPEND WEEKS IN PROGRAMS LIKE ATO, SS 2 WITHOUT CONSISTENT CREDIT BEARING WORK, THEY RETURN FRUSTRATED AND DISENGAGED. YOU CANNOT PUNISH A CHILD INTO ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND YOU CANNOT SUSPEND YOUR WAY TO EQUITY. BEHAVIOR IS THE
046SIGNAL. ACADEMIC STRUGGLE IS THE ROUTE. INCONSISTENCY IS THE ACCELERANT. I ASK THIS BOARD FOUR DIRECT QUESTIONS. WHY IS IT ACCEPTABLE THAT SOME SCHOOLS PROVIDE ACADEMIC WORK DURING SUSPENSIONS AND ATOSS PLACEMENTS WHILE OTHERS DO NOT. HOW CAN STUDENTS CATCH UP WHEN TEACHERS FAIL TO PROVIDE ASSIGNMENTS THEY CAN EARN CREDIT FOR. WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY ACROSS SCHOOLS AND REQUIRE THAT STUDENTS IN ATOSS 2 RECEIVE INSTRUCTIONAL WORK WITHOUT EXCEPTION. AND WHAT IS THE EXACT ROLE OF A TRANSITION COORDINATOR AND WHAT FIDELITY CHECKS ENSURE THAT ROLE IS BEING PERFORMED 37 BECAUSE EQUITY CANNOT DEPEND ON RACE, SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT OR ADULT DISCRETION. LEADERSHIP IS NOT PROVEN BY POLICY LANGUAGE. IT IS PROVEN BY OUTCOMES. I LIKE MOST OF YOU ON THIS BOARD AND I CHALLENGE YOU TO MAKE HISTORY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE SITTING IN THESE
047VERY SEATS AND YOU WERE VOTED BY A GROUP OF CONSTITUENTS THAT BELIEVED IN YOU. THE CHILDREN BELIEVE IN YOU. I'M ASKING YOU TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. OH, LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE SURVEY. WE WANT TO ENSURE THE COMMUNITY IS INFORMED AS DECISIONS ARE MADE. WE CREATED A BRIEF SURVEY TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION. YOU CAN FIND IT AT DASH MARKETING LLC.COM/CONNECTION SURVEY. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO. MY NAME IS ROBIN LOCKETT. I'M GOING BACK, BACK, BACK TO OLD SCHOOL, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. PEOPLE, KIDS WERE SUSPENDED, THEY STAYED ON CAMPUS. THE SYSTEM NOW IS NOT WORKING. THE YOUNG MAN THAT JEANETTE WAS TALKING ABOUT, I KNOW HIS MOM. 30 DAYS OUT OF SCHOOL. AND YOU ARE SUSPENDED -- YOU ARE AIMED TO FAIL. IF YOUR TEACHERS ARE NOT
048PROVIDING THE WORK. AS CT JUST OUTLINED, SOME DO AND SOME DON'T. THAT IS THE INCONSISTENCY OF SCHOOL. EVERYBODY SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME THING. IF ONE SCHOOL IS DOING IT, IT SHOULD BE MANDATED. MANDATED, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING ARE THE KIDS. SO WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE GO BACK TO OLD SCHOOL? IF IT WORKED, THEY ARE ON CAMPUS. ATOSS HAS NEVER WORKED JUST BECAUSE OF THAT. THE KIDS DO NOT GET THE WORK. AND WHEN A KID RETURNS BACK INTO SCHOOL, THEY ARE BEHIND THE 8 BALL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS. I GUESS THERE'S BEEN WORKSHOPS. THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATIONS, AND WE'RE STILL HERE. THE SURPRISING NUMBERS TO ME IN REGARDS TO DATA IS 9,000 SUSPENSIONS, 15,000 -- 15,000 DAYS, 9,000 DAYS WITH STUDENTS. I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE
049ATTACHED TO THOSE DAYS. BUT WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. 90.9% OF KIDS GRADUATED. IS THAT THE NUMBER? YOU ARE MISSING A WHOLE REALM OF KIDS IN THIS. I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO COME UP WITH A PLAN, A REAL PLAN TO EITHER START BACK TO WHERE IT ONCE WAS BECAUSE THAT IS THE SIMPLEST PROCESS. KIDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO -- IF THEY ARE SUSPENDED, THEY SHOULD -- I THINK THEY SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO CATCH THE BUS BECAUSE PARENTS DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION. WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A PARENT TRANSPORT KIDS SOMEWHERE ELSE OUTSIDE OF WHERE THEY POSSIBLY LIVE AND FURTHER, THAT BRINGS UP A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DILEMMA. AND WHO IS SUFFERING. IT IS THE KIDS SUFFERING. IT IS THE KIDS THAT ARE SUFFERING. SO LET'S START TALKING AND THINKING ABOUT THE KIDS AND PUTTING A GOOD PLAN OF
050ACTION TOGETHER FOR THESE KIDS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I GET 11 THROUGH 16 TO LINE UP, PLEASE? GOOD EVENING, CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. MY NAME IS SUBA TIGLIERI. I LIVE IN WATER SET, APOLLO BEACH. I AM A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION THAT GROWS WITH OUR COMMUNITY. THE AREA IS GROWING AND THE DEMAND FOR K-8 SCHOOLS IS CLEAR. STUDENTS ZONED FOR DOBY ARE CHOOSING OTHER SCHOOLS, PRIMARILY YORK MAGNET, WATER SET CHARTER, SLAM ACADEMY APOLLO BEACH, LLT ACADEMY AT SOUTH BAY AND HOME EDUCATION, ALL BUT ONE ARE K-8 SCHOOLS. CURRENTLY, OVER 495 STUDENTS ZONED FOR DOBY ARE ATTENDING CHARTER SCHOOLS. RECENT SURVEY, 80% OF THE FAMILIES SAID THEY WOULD POSSIBLY OR DEFINITELY RECONSIDER DOBY IF IT BECAME A K-8. FAMILIES WANT TO STAY IN PUBLIC EDUCATION WHEN THE OPTION FITS THEIR
051NEEDS. DOBY IS OPERATING AT 71% CAPACITY TODAY AND OUR PRINCIPAL HAS EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT WITHIN THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WE'LL EXCEED CAPACITY AND ALSO 7723 UNLEASED SEATS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE CONCERNS AROUND SCHOOLS OF HOPE AND CO-LOCATION IN UNDERCAPACITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT'S OBLIGATION. HOWEVER, WITH PROJECTED GROWTH, DOBY IS NOT UNDERUTILIZED LONG TERM AND PLANNING A K-8 NOW HELPS REDUCE FUTURE CO-LOCATION PRESSURES. WE SUPPORT THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER WATERSET K-5 SCHOOL WHICH HELPS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL BUT DOES NOT SOLVE MIDDLE SCHOOL DEMAND. EISENHOWER WILL ABSORB SOME GROWTH AND MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO ATTRACT FAMILIES BUT SHOULD NOT ABSORB ALL PROJECTED ENROLLMENT ALONE. I REGULARLY HEAR PARENTS, IN FACT, LAST NIGHT, WHO ARE FRUSTRATED WITH CHARTER OPTIONS, CONCERNS ABOUT ACADEMIC CHALLENGE, COMMUNICATION, AND PREPAREDNESS FOR THE NEXT GRADE. THESE ARE NOT ISOLATED STORIES. THEY REFLECT A
052BROADER COMMUNITY NEED. WE BELIEVE DOBY WILL FILL IF EXPANDED BECAUSE OF CONTINUED GROWTH, STRONG DEMAND FOR K-8 AND A DESIRE FOR A PUBLIC OPTION. IF DOBY BECOMES A CHOICE SCHOOL FOR MIDDLE GRADES IT WILL SERVE BOTH ZONED AND CHOICE FAMILIES. SCHOOL CHOICE MATTERS. AND WHEN OUR COMMUNITY CONSISTENTLY ASKS FOR DOBY K-8, WE MUST LISTEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICE. HI. MY NAME IS JOHNNY. I AM SIX YEARS OLD. I GO TO DOBY SCHOOL. I LOVE MY SCHOOL. I LIKE MY TEACHER. I HAVE FRIENDS HERE AND I AM HAPPY. MY SISTER GOES TO SCHOOL WITH ME. IF DOBY GETS BIGGER, MORE OF MY FRIENDS COULD COME HERE. THAT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LAURA GARCIA. I'M A PARENT OF
053TWO BOYS IN APOLLO BEACH. I'VE SPOKEN AT THE LAST TWO MEETINGS SHARING MY FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCES OF MANY DOBY FAMILIES WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH UNCERTAINTY AROUND SCHOOL PLACEMENT. TONIGHT, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS UNCERTAINTY AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE FOR FAMILIES AND WHY IT MATTERS. FOR MANY OF US, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT LOGISTICS. IT IS ABOUT THE STRESS OF NOT KNOWING WHERE OUR CHILDREN WILL LAND EACH YEAR. THE EMOTIONAL TOLL OF LONGER COMMUTES, SEPARATED SIBLINGS AND CHILDREN BEING ASKED TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY THEY FEEL SAFE IN. THESE AREN'T SMALL INCONVENIENCES. THEY SHAPE HOUR CHILDREN EXPERIENCE SCHOOL AND HOW FAMILIES BUILD TRUST IN A SYSTEM MEANT TO SUPPORT THEM. WHAT'S HAPPENING AT DOBY ISN'T UNEXPECTED GROWTH. IT IS UNMET PLANNING. WITHOUT A LONG-TERM SOLUTION, FAMILIES WILL ABSORB THE CONSEQUENCES YEAR AFTER
054YEAR. TEMPORARY FIXES LIKE REZONING AND BUSING MAY EASE PRESSURE ON PAPER BUT THEY DON'T CREATE STABILITY. A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN CAN GROW ROOTS, WHERE PARENTS CAN BE INVOLVED AND TEACHERS CAN FOCUS ON TEACHING, NOT ON MANAGING OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS AND CONSTANT CHANGE. THIS IS ALSO ABOUT EQUITY. THE FAMILIES WHO FEEL THESE DISRUPTIONS MOST DEEPLY ARE OFTEN THE ONES WITH THE LEAST FLEXIBILITY. WORKING PARENTS, FAMILIES WITH MULTIPLE CHILDREN AND STUDENTS WITH ADDITIONAL NEEDS. SO TONIGHT I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ASKING. WE ARE ASKING THIS BOARD TO MOVE DOBY'S EXPANSION FORWARD AS A REAL LONG-TERM COMMITMENT, WHETHER THAT MEANS PLACING IT ON THE CAPITAL PLANNING AGENDA, INITIATING A FEASIBILITY STUDY OR PROVIDING A CLEAR TIMELINE, FAMILIES NEED MORE THAN ACKNOWLEDGMENT. WE NEED DIRECTION. OUR CHILDREN DESERVE MORE THAN SHORT-TERM
055SOLUTIONS. THEY DESERVE STABILITY, CONSISTENCY, AND A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT PLANS FOR THEIR FUTURE, NOT ONE THAT REACTS AFTER FAMILIES ARE ALREADY STRETCHED THIN. THE BOARD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TURN UNCERTAINTY INTO SECURITY, AND THAT'S THE KIND OF DECISION FAMILIES REMEMBER FOR A LIFETIME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR LISTENING. HELLO. MY NAME IS BENJAMIN. I'M SIX YEARS OLD. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY BIG BROTHER. HE GOES TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL THAN ME, AND THAT MAKES ME FEEL SAD SOMETIMES. I WISH I COULD GO TO SCHOOL WITH HIM. HE HELPS ME FEEL BRAVE. I LEARN A LOT FROM HIM. IF DOBY COULD EXPAND MORE KIDS LIKE ME COULD GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. THAT WOULD MAKE SCHOOL HAPPIER AND LESS SCARIER FOR US. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. Karen Perez:
056THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. WHAT A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD AND CHAIR. MY NAME IS HOPE. I'M A MOM. I'M A NEIGHBOR, AND I'M SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN A COMMUNITY THAT SHE CARES DEEPLY ABOUT. IN FACT, I JUST LEFT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL AFTER SPENDING THE DAY VOLUNTEERING FOR THE 3DE BUSINESS CASE CHALLENGE AS A COACH. DO I HAVE A HIGH SCHOOLER AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL? NO, I DON'T. THIS ISN'T PER FORMATIVE FOR ME. OUR CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC ROAD MAP AND FUTURE IS A COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY. YOU SEE ADOBE ELEMENTARY IS PART OF MY DAILY LIFE. EVERY MORNING KIDS ON MY STREET HOP ON SCOOTERS OR WALK TOGETHER TOWARDS DOBY. JOYFUL MOMENT. BACK PACKS BOUNCING, CHATTING, SIBLINGS TAGGING ALONG. MY TWIN DAUGHTERS, HARPER AND HAZEL, THEY WATCH THE
057PARADE EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH SO MUCH PARTICIPATION. THEY WILL START KINDERGARTEN AT DOBY IN THE FALL. THEY ALREADY IMAGINE THEMSELVES JOINING THE BIG KIDS ON THAT WALK. AS A PARENT, I WANT THEM TO HAVE NOT JUST A GREAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUT A CLEAR, STRONG, STABLE PUBLIC SCHOOL PATH ALL THE WAY THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THEY HAVE GROWN UP. RIGHT NOW, FAMILIES IN APOLLO BEACH DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTIONS. WHEN PARENTS DON'T SEE A PATH, THEY START LOOKING ELSEWHERE. WE'RE ALREADY SEEING FAMILIES WHO LOVE DOBY CHOOSE K-8 OPTIONS OUTSIDE OF OUR ZONE BECAUSE CONTINUITY MATTERS TO THEM. IT MATTERS TO ME. I FEEL THAT DEEPLY. I WANT HAMPER AND HAZEL TO STAY ROOTED IN THE SAME COMMUNITY, THE SAME SIDEWALKS, SAME FRIENDS, SAME TEACHERS WHO KNOW THEM AND WATCHED
058THEM GROW. DOBY K-8 WOULD GIVE THEM THAT STABILITY. IT WOULD GIVE HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES THE STABILITY AND KEEP MORE STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TODAY. WE ALSO KNOW GROWTH IN OUR AREA ISN'T SLOWING. THE DEVELOPMENTS BRING HUNDREDS OF NEW STUDENTS INTO DOBY ZONE. WHILE DOBY MAY BE AT 71% TODAY, THAT NUMBER IS TEMPORARY. THE GROWTH IS REAL. IT'S DOCUMENTED AND IT'S ACCELERATING. PLANNING FOR A K-8 NOW IS NOT JUST A GOOD IDEA, IT'S RESPONSIBILITY AND FORWARD THINKING PLANNING. I'M GRATEFUL THE DISTRICT IS ADDING ANOTHER WATERSIDE K-5 OR CONSIDERING. THAT WILL HELP RELIEVE ELEMENTARY CROWDING, BUT IT DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION A LOT OF US ARE ASKING, WHERE WILL OUR KIDS GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL? EISENHOWER IS DOING IMPORTANT WORK, AND THEY ARE OFFERING STRONG PROGRAMS, BUT IT CAN'T BE THE ONLY LONG-TERM SOLUTION FOR
059A COMMUNITY EXPANDING THIS QUICKLY. A SOLUTION THAT ALIGNS WITH WHAT FAMILIES ARE CHOOSING, WHAT THE DATA SUPPORTS AND WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING FOR, IT KEEPS STUDENTS CLOSE TO HOME. STRENGTHENS PUBLIC EDUCATION AND GIVES CHILDREN LIKE MY, HARPER AND HAZEL, A CLEAR, CONFIDENT PATH. I'M ASKING YOU TODAY TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY SERIOUSLY. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS READY. FAMILIES ARE READY AND OUR CHILDREN DESERVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT GROWS WITH THEM, NOT BEHIND THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME. PLEASURE TO BE HERE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I GET SPEAKERS 17 THROUGH 22 TO LINE UP, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, CHAIR. PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I'M ELVIS PIGGOTT TO TALK ABOUT JANUARY THE 8. JANUARY 8 ABOUT 10:30, A MOTHER RECEIVED NEWS THAT IS A MOTHER'S WORST NIGHTMARE. SHE RECEIVED NEWS FROM THE
060HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEPUTIES THAT HER SON HAD BEEN HIT BY A TRAIN AND HE HAD PASSED AWAY. IMMEDIATELY UPON THAT INFORMATION SHE RECEIVED, EVERYONE RUSHED DOWN TO TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL WHERE THEY PRONOUNCED HIM DEAD. AND IN THAT PROCESS OF TIME, I WAS CONTACTED AND CALLED. WHILE WE WAS CALLED, I WAS TOLD BY THE FRIENDS OF BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL THIS YOUNG MAN WENT TO BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL AND ALL MY YEARS I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED IT, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT GRADUATION PLANS. TALKING ABOUT GRADUATION AND HOW EXCITED THEY WERE. IMMEDIATELY OF HEARING THAT, MOM HUGGED ME AND SHE SAID, I JUST WANT TO SEE HIM GRADUATE. AS TEARS CAME DOWN MY FACE, I GOT THE PHONE, I GOT MY CELL PHONE AND I WAS WALKING TOWARDS MY CAR AND I SAID I WANT TO DO SOMETHING. I WANT
061TO MAKE SURE THIS MOTHER BE ABLE TO SEE HER SON GRADUATE OR HAVE THAT FEELING OF WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE. I IMMEDIATELY GOT MY PHONE AND CONTACTED LATE NIGHT, EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, LATE NIGHT, I CONTACTED THE CHAIR, KAREN PEREZ. THEN I CONTACTED OUR SUPERINTENDENT IMMEDIATELY TELLING THEM THE HEART DESIRE. I WANT TO SAY TO YOU ALL, THE PRINCIPAL, ALLISON WRIGHT OF BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT LARISSA, REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT ROB NELSON, OUR CHIEF OF SCHOOLS PULLED TOGETHER IN WEEKS OF TIME, CREATED A WHOLE GRADUATION FOR THAT FRIDAY NIGHT, CAPPED THAT MOTHER, GAVE THAT MOTHER THAT DIPLOMA. LET THAT MOM WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AS HER SON LAID THERE AT THE WAKE SERVICE THAT FRIDAY. I COME TO SAY AS EMOTIONAL CRAZY IN ALL MY YEARS, I'M NOT REALLY ONE TO TEAR UP OFTEN, BUT
062APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT YOU NEVER FORGET. AND YOU GUYS SHOWED HOW MUCH YOU CARE, HOW MUCH YOU LOVE OUR STUDENTS TO GO BEYOND AND GIVE THAT MOM WHAT SHE CAN NEVER, EVER FORGET. AND TO THIS DAY, THAT'S ALL THEY TALK ABOUT AS SHE HOLD THAT DIPLOMA, SAW MY SON GRADUATE. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: CAN I GET SPEAKERS 22 THROUGH 24 ALSO TO LINE UP? GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M WEARING SEVERAL HATS TODAY, BUT LET ME ALSO SAY I'M WEARING MY LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS HAT FIRST. MY SECOND HAT WOULD BE I'M A NATIVE TAMPANIAN, AND I'M ALSO A PRODUCT OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO BY SAYING THAT, LET ME SAY THAT IT MADE ME EXTREMELY HAPPY TO SEE THE SMILING FACES
063AND TIRED ARMS AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD FLOAT WAS IN THE PARADE. WHEN I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS ACTUALLY IN THOSE PARADES, IN THE BAND. I ONLY EVER SAW THE FLOAT IN FRONT AND THE FLOAT IN BACK. THAT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL THERE, WHICH LEADS ME TO MY SECOND POINT. WE NEED TO SEE YOU MORE. OUR CITIZENS, OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE YOU, WANTS TO HEAR YOU. LULAC DOES NOT SUPPORT THE SCHOOL FOR HOPES RELOCATION. WE WANT YOU TO BE THERE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. WE NEED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU GIVE THEM THAT SECURITY THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO COME INTO THE SCHOOLS EVERY SINGLE DAY. I WILL END WITH A CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE TEACHERS, ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF. YOU
064ALL, SUPERINTENDENT, THE GRADUATION RATES ARE UP. THAT IS A FABULOUS FIGURE. LET'S JUST KEEP THAT GOING ON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT. MY NAME IS TINA WILLIAMS BREWSTER. TODAY, I AM COMING TO YOU AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. I'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE DATA. I'M SURE MS. JEANETTE HAS GIVEN YOU HANDOUTS REFLECTING THE DATA THAT BROWN AND BLACK CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ARE THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO FACE SEVERE DISCIPLINARY ISSUES. I MYSELF AS A PARENT OF SIX, NUMBER FIVE IS GRADUATING THIS YEAR, HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THOSE THINGS. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I DID TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE FOCUS PORTAL. I'M ASKING THE SCHOOL BOARD SYSTEM TO GIVE PARENTS CONNECTIONS, NOT CONTACT, CONNECTIONS. WHAT EXACTLY IS THE DATA BEING COLLECTED ON THOSE FOCUS
065POINTS? MY SON RECEIVED A COMPUTER GENERATED REFERRAL. ON THE DAYS THE REFERRAL SUPPOSEDLY HAPPENED MY SON WAS NOT IN SCHOOL. WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. AT THE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS A.I. GENERATED THING. IT'S NOT WORKING. I'VE SAID IT BEFORE I'LL SAY IT AGAIN PUBLICLY, WE MOVED TOO QUICKLY ON THIS TIER ONE, TIER TWO DISCIPLINING, CODE OF CONDUCT. WE FORGOT IEP. WE FORGOT, THERE ARE CERTAIN SITUATIONS THAT ARE INDIVIDUALIZED. PRINCIPALS ARE NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. DATA IS NOT BEING CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED. EYEWITNESSES. I'VE BEEN IN THIS FIGHT FOR TEN YEARS. I CAN'T EVEN SIT DOWN BECAUSE WE STILL CONTINUE TO HAVE JUST NOT FOR THE INTEGRITY, BUT JUST FOR THE COLOR OF MY SKIN. I AM DEHUMANIZED. WE'RE STILL IN THE PIPELINE TO PRISON. WE HAVE ASKED FOR TWO YEARS,
066WHERE IS THE DATA? WE HAVE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS AND OTHERS ASKING FOR SPECIFIC DATA. YOU CAN USE SIX OF MY KIDS. I'VE BEEN IN TEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. I HAVE SAT. I HAVE FOUGHT. I HAVE DONE IT ALL, AND I STILL TO THIS DAY CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS. I AM A VERY STRONG ADVOCATE IN THE COMMUNITY, OUT OF THE COMMUNITY, UNDER THE COMMUNITY, BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE GOT TO CLOSE THE GAP. ONLY THING WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE SHUFFLING THE DECK. WE'RE REMOVING THEM FROM SUSPENDED, OUT OF SCHOOL, TO ALTERNATIVE METHODS. IT'S NOT WORKING. I'M ASKING FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE AN UNBIASED COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVE TO SIT AT THE TABLE DURING THESE HEARINGS. I'M GOING TO KEEP COMING. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. NOW IS THE TIME. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. ALAN BREWSTER.
067MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 2015. EACH YEAR HAD ITS OWN ISSUES. ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'VE BEEN AT, MAYBE TWO PRINCIPALS WORK WITH US TO RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES. AND ALL OF THESE ISSUES THAT THE CONCERNED CITIZENS HAS TALKED ABOUT, IT ALL STEMS WITH THE LEADERSHIP AT THE SCHOOL. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE. IT STARTS WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND IT TRICKLES DOWN. AND THE PRINCIPAL, WELL, LET ME DO THIS. WHAT PREVENTS THE PRINCIPAL, THE LEADERSHIP, THE STAFF, AND THE TEACHERS FROM VIOLATING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS POLICY? NOTHING. NOT ONE THING. THERE'S NO BARRIER THERE STOPPING FROM VIOLATING A POLICY. THEY DO IT EVERY DAY. THEY DONE IT TO MY KIDS. STILL CONTINUE TO DO IT. THERE'S NOTHING THERE TO STOP THEM, PREVENT THEM FROM VIOLATING THESE POLICIES PERSON IN HR SAY, OH, WE HAVE
068DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. THAT'S FOR WHEN THEY VIOLATED THE POLICY. I'M TALKING ABOUT STOP THEM FROM VIOLATING THE POLICY. WHAT'S GOING TO STOP THEM FROM VIOLATING? I'M ASKING YOU ALL, YOU TELL ME, WHAT'S IN PLACE. WHAT'S IN WRITING TO STOP THEM FROM DOING THIS? IF A STUDENT GOES TO THE PRINCIPAL AND SAYS, HEY, I'M BEING BULLIED AND THE PRINCIPAL CHOOSES NOT TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE, THEN WHAT HAPPENS? AND THAT'S HAPPENING. THAT IS REALLY HAPPENING. SO I BELIEVE THAT THE PROCESS NEEDS TO CHANGE. IT SHOULDN'T GO TO THE PRINCIPAL FIRST. IT NEEDS TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE FIRST. AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATES THE SITUATION. AND THEN IT'S BROUGHT BACK TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER THAT SHOULD BE A SUSPENSION OR NOT. THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS UPSIDE DOWN. THE PRINCIPALS ARE PROVING IT'S TOO
069MUCH FOR THEM. IT'S TOO MUCH BIAS THERE. WE'VE HAD PRINCIPALS WHERE THEY TRIED TO DO US IN BECAUSE WE WENT OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. THIS STUFF HAPPENS. I COULD TALK ALL DAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS, BUT IT NEEDS TO CHANGE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HI. MY NAME IS DREAMA WEGSON. I AM A MOM AND STUDENT OF A HIGH SCHOOLER IN SCHOOL SPORTS AND IN CLUBS. I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MANY PARENTS WHO ARE HESITANT TO SPEAK UP DUE TO RETALIATION AGAINST OUR STUDENTS. WE'RE ASKING FOR CLARITY AND SUPPORT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ON EXISTING POLICIES AS WELL AS POSSIBLY REFINING SOME POLICY WE KNOW ARE ALREADY IN PLACE THAT AREN'T BEING FOLLOWED. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY FOR SCHOOL SPORTS SO ALL STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE. SO WE'RE ASKING ARE THERE STANDARDIZED FEES FOR
070CLUBS AND SPORTS? IF NOT, WE'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT SO ALL STUDENTS CAN PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS. PAYING $2500 TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL SPORTS IS KIND OF OUTRAGEOUS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL. SORRY. SO I ALREADY KNOW THERE ARE STANDARDS IN PLACE FOR TRACKING PAYMENTS FOR SCHOOL SPORTS. THOSE RECEIPTS, VERIFICATION AND OVERSIGHT. WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP MAKE SURE THESE ARE ENFORCED TO AVOID CONFUSION AND FINANCIAL DISCREPANCIES IN THE FUTURE AND PROTECT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA HAVE BEEN REVIEWED WITH BOARD MEMBERS BY STAFF. ALL QUESTIONS RAISED WERE ADDRESSED AND ANY REQUESTED CLARIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND
071SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT -- THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED. I WILL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. Van Ayres: THE TIME IS HERE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THERE WERE TWO PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THEM. IF WE CAN GET OUR PowerPoint UP. WE'LL START ON THE LEFT WITH THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF BARRINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, CHRISTIAN FINCH. CHRISTIAN, COME ON DOWN, SIR. YOU ALL KNOW CHRISTIAN. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND, HE JOINED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2002 AS BAND DIRECTOR AT RANDALL. 2006, FIRST BAND DIRECTOR AT SPOTO HIGH SCHOOL. THEN TRANSFERRED TO NEWSOME HIGH
072SCHOOL IN 2013 WHERE HE TAUGHT BOTH BAND AND ORCHESTRA. HE WAS APPOINTED AP FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AT BRANDON SCHOOL AND THEN CURRICULUM AT BLAKE IN 2016. 2019 TRANSFERRED TO KING FOR AP FOR CURRICULUM. DISTRICT OFFICE A LITTLE BIT. SUPERVISOR OF ACCOUNTABILITY IMPROVEMENT IN 2021. AND IN 2023 HE WAS APPOINTED THE PRINCIPAL AT EISENHOWER MIDDLE WHERE HE CURRENTLY SERVE. NOW, AS OF TODAY, THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF BARRINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL. CONGRATULATIONS, SIR. WE ALSO HAVE ONE OTHER APPOINTMENT. CHARLENA SPICER. CHARLENA, IF YOU'LL COME ON DOWN. CHARLENA -- MS. SPICER IS NEW CHARLENA AT CORR ELEMENTARY. BEGAN IN 2001 AS CLASSROOM TEACHER AT DICKENSON. SHE WENT ON TO BECOME A FACILITATOR IN 2014 WHERE SHE SERVED TWO YEARS IN BOTH AREAS TWO AND SIX. 2016 MS. SPICER APPOINTED AP FOR ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION AT JACKSON ELEMENTARY. SHE WAS THEN
073APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CHARLENA ELEMENTARY IN 2019 WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. AS OF TODAY, SHE IS OUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT CORR ELEMENTARY. CHARLENA, CONGRATULATIONS. BOARD MEMBERS, SHE IS REPLACING CHRISTY LYNN RICKETS. CHRISTIE, IF YOU ARE HERE, COME ON DOWN REAL QUICK. CHRISTIE IS RELOCATING TO BEGIN A NEW CHAPTER. WE EXTEND OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE FOR HER SERVICE AND WISH CONTINUED SUCCESS. CHRISTIE HAS BEEN IN THE DISTRICT MORE THAN TWO DECADES. BOYETTE SPRINGS AS AP ELEMENTARY AT DUNBAR AND ANDERSON ELEMENTARY. IN 2017 APPOINTED PRINCIPAL OF CORR ELEMENTARY WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. ALMOST 8, 9 YEARS AT CORR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU IN THE FUTURE. SHE DID A GREAT JOB AT CORR. BIG SHOES TO FILL, CHARLENA. MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S IT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS, CHARLENAS. NOW
074WE WILL PAUSE FOR A MOMENT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXIT THE BOARDROOM. THE FOLLOWING ITEM WILL BE HEARD. C 6.01. Van Ayres: MR. LEWIS WILL DO THAT UPDATE. Karen Perez: C 6.01, BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 2025 AND DECEMBER 31, 2025. JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Jamie Lewis: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS PULLING THIS. I WANT TO SAY THAT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ON OUR ROW FEEL A LITTLE JEALOUS THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE PULLED TONIGHT. WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT. WE'LL GET STARTED FOR THIS EVENING. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA AS WE TALK ABOUT THE FINANCIALS OF THE DISTRICT AND AS THEY CHANGE OVER TIME AND WHY DO WE SEE CHANGES INSIDE THE BUDGET. TONIGHT WE WILL
075BE REVIEWING BOTH THE NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER ACTIVITY. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT BEFORE WE GET STARTED. IN EACH MONTH, THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY AND MAINTAIN OUR FISCAL GOALS. THAT IS A BALANCED BUDGET. IN EACH MONTH THAT WE HAVE CHANGES, WE EVALUATE THAT AND THEN WE MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO PROVIDE A BALANCED BUDGET TO THE BOARD. TONIGHT, YOU'LL SEE ACTIVITY WHERE WE SEE ADJUSTMENTS IN REVENUE RECEIVED, ADJUSTMENTS AND BASED OFF OUR PROJECTIONS FOR THE YEAR. YOU'LL ALSO SEE VARIOUS CHANGES IN OUR EXPENSES THAT WE'LL GO OVER. I DON'T EVERY ALL, WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS OUR FUND BALANCE AND HOW IT NAVIGATES THROUGH THE YEAR. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BOTH US AS A DISTRICT AND THE PUBLIC KNOWS THAT WE MONITOR OUR FUND
076BALANCE ON A MONTHLY BASIS. IT'S ULTIMATELY LOOKED AT AS A END OF THE YEAR FUND BALANCE BUT ALSO HAVE TO MANAGE THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WE MANAGE OUR CASH FLOWS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN OPERATE ON A SUSTAINABLE PATHWAY. SO TONIGHT, WE'LL BE COVERING THAT AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. MONTH OF NOVEMBER, MINIMAL CHANGES FROM THE GENERAL FUND. WE HAVE ONE THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, WHICH IS A HIGHLIGHT FOR OUR DISTRICT AND IT SHOWS THE STRENGTH AS WE TALK ABOUT GRADUATION RATES HERE TONIGHT, ALSO SHOWS OUR STRENGTH IN HOW OUR SCHOOLS ARE. IN NOVEMBER, $9.5 MILLION WAS RECEIVED FOR SCHOOL RECOGNITION FUNDS. AND JUST AS A BRIEF EXPLAINING TO EVERYONE, A REMINDER OF WHAT THOSE ARE, THE PROGRAM, THE STATE OF FLORIDA PROGRAM RECOGNIZES AND FINANCIALLY AWARDS TO SCHOOLS
077THAT HAS SUSTAINED A HIGH STUDENT PERFORMANCE FOR SCHOOLS THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE A-RATED SCHOOL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THESE FUNDS. THIS SHOWS THE STRENGTH OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WHEN THE FUNDS COME IN AFTER AN APPROVAL PERIOD OF TIME AND IN NOVEMBER, WE RECEIVED THE 9.5 MILLION THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED TO 134 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. 34 OF THOSE WERE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND A HUNDRED OF THOSE WERE PART OF THE HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. AGAIN, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THAT SHOWS STRENGTH THROUGH OUR DISTRICT AND HOW WE MAINTAIN A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND THAT THESE ARE THE FUNDS THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED. AND THEY ARE DISTRIBUTED AND ALLOCATED TO THE INSTRUCTION FUNCTION AND THEY ARE HANDLED AT EACH SCHOOL SITE BASED ON THE PARAMETER OF HOW THE PROGRAM
078ALLOWS US TO SPEND THOSE FUNDS. OUR OTHER FUND CATEGORY, REALLY MINIMUM ACTIVITY. WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AS YOU REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE APPROVED THE BUDGET IN SEPTEMBER, OUR GOAL WAS TO ADJUST SPECIAL REVENUE OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF FUND WHERE AWARDS ARE GRANTED. WE WANT TO AWARD THAT AS THE FUNDS COME IN. WE THINK THAT IS BEING -- OUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW, NOT ALWAYS ENSURED THOSE FUNDS ARE RECEIVED. NOVEMBER, $3.9 MILLION RECEIVED IN GRANTS FROM SPECIAL REVENUE AND THOSE WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS AREAS. AGAIN, IT'S SHOWING THAT OUR DISTRICT IS VERY ACTIVE IN SEEKING OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING RESOURCES ALLOWING US TO APPLY THOSE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. TO SUMMARIZE, AGAIN, THERE WASN'T MUCH ACTIVITY IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, BUT THE ONE THING THAT WE
079DO WANT TO NOTE IS THAT AS YOU SEE OUR FUND BALANCE IS ALMOST NEGATIVE $15.8 MILLION. JUST TO BRING AWARENESS TO THAT, THAT HAPPENS ON A YEARLY BASIS. AS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR FUNDING IS RECEIVED THROUGH PROPERTY TAXES. AND PROPERTY TAXES ARE RECEIVED BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND MARCH WITH THE BULK OF THAT ACTIVITY HAPPENING IN DECEMBER. THE ONE THING THAT'S UNIQUE FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THIS YEAR, WE HAD THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR REFERENDUM. AS YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THIS IS A HIGHLIGHT TO PRIORITIZING OUR EMPLOYEES HERE AT THE DISTRICT, OUR DISTRICT HAS DECIDED THAT WE WOULD START THAT REFERENDUM PAYMENT TO BOTH OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND TO OUR EMPLOYEES BEGINNING IN JULY. SO WE DID THAT, BUT THE REVENUE IN NOVEMBER WITH THE BULK OF IT
080IN DECEMBER TO KIND OF SHOW WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WE MONITOR THAT AND WHY, HELP EXPLAIN WHY OUR FUND BALANCE IS NEGATIVE FOR NOVEMBER. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR REFERENDUM, WE SPENT $71 MILLION THROUGH THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, BUT ONLY HAD RECEIVED $23 MILLION FOR THAT PART. SO WE HAD TO CARRY A $48 MILLION DEFICIT IN OUR REFERENDUM. WE HAD PLANNED ON THAT, AND WE HAD PLANNED AROUND THAT FROM A CASH FLOW AND OPERATIONS STANDPOINT. BUT AGAIN, IT JUST HIGHLIGHTS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHEN OUR REVENUE DOES COME IN, THE SCHOOLS WE HAVE TO OPERATE OUT OF TO MAKE SURE WE RUN AN EFFICIENT DISTRICT. BUT I DO THINK THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD THING THAT OUR DISTRICT DID AND MADE THE INITIATIVES TO GET THAT DONE EARLY UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT'S GUIDANCE AND THAT HELPED ALL OF
081OUR EMPLOYEES ALONG WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. THAT MOVES TO US DECEMBER, SPEND A FEW MINUTES ON, QUITE A BIT OF CHANGES THERE WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THIS MONTH. IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR REVENUE FOR THE DECEMBER, WE SEE THAT THE FINAL CALCULATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 WAS RECEIVED. IF YOU REMEMBER, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY FROM CALCULATIONS FROM THE STATE LAST YEAR. WE DID RECEIVE THE FINAL CALCULATION, AND THAT WAS $3.5 MILLION INCREASE IN REVENUE. SO THAT FINISHED US OUT FOR THAT YEAR. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE FINANCE TEAM AND SEVERAL OTHER DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAVE BEEN WORKING ON PROJECTIONS TO MAKE SURE, IS OUR PROJECTION MEETING WHERE WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE FOR THIS YEAR. TWO GOOD NOTES SHOWS OUR STRENGTH IN HOW WE'RE GROWING, VOLUNTARY
082PRE-K PROGRAM. INCREASED THAT BUDGET BY $600,000. AGAIN, THAT HIGHLIGHT OUR EXPECTED GROWTH THAT WE HAVE THERE AND WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEING. SO WE'RE SEEING THAT AND WE ADJUSTED THAT BECAUSE WE SEE THE GROWTH IN THE ENROLLMENT AND THAT PROGRAM. SAME GOES FOR POST SECONDARY CAREER COURSE FEES. WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THAT $1.8 MILLION. SO WE MONITOR THAT THROUGH THE YEAR. WE PUT A NUMBER OUT THAT WE THINK MIGHT BE WHERE WE NEED TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR OUR BUDGET BASED ON DATA WE HAVE AND THEN ACTIVITY OCCURS. WE REEVALUATE THAT ON A MONTHLY BASIS. AGAIN, I THINK YOU SEE TWO GROWTH FACTORS THAT WE HAVE PRIORITIZED IN OUR DISTRICT. I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE RESULT OF IT. THAT WAS FOR A NET INCREASE OF $5.1 MILLION -- $5.9 MILLION FOR DECEMBER. NOW, THE GENERAL FUND
083FOR EXPENSES FOR DECEMBER HAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY AND WE WANT TO TAKE A SECOND TO EXPLAIN THAT. AS WE STARTED WITH THE REFERENDUM, A NEW INITIATIVE FOR OUR DISTRICT, MOST OF THAT EXPENSES WAS JUST NATURALLY PUT IN INSTRUCTION, WHERE THE BULK OF THAT FUNDING WILL BE EXPENSED OUT OF. AS WE CONTINUE TO FINE TUNE OUR BUDGET AND APPROPRIATELY PLACE THE FUNDING WHERE THE ACTUAL EXPENSE WILL OCCUR, WE HAVE REALLOCATED $40 MILLION IN THE BUDGET FROM INSTRUCTION TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THIS IS NOT A NEW EXPENSE. THIS IS MOVING THE MONEY AROUND TO MAKE SURE IT IS IN THE RIGHT BUCKET FOR US. SO WE REALLOCATED $40 MILLION TO APPROPRIATELY PUT IT IN THE RIGHT BUCKET. THAT WOULD BE ANY OF THE AREAS THAT YOU SEE ON
084THE PowerPoint HERE TONIGHT, ANY OF OUR BUDGET AREAS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, IF YOU REMEMBER, WHEN WE APPROVED THE FINAL BUDGET, WE WERE NOT -- WE HAD NOT COMPLETED OUR BARGAINING CONVERSATIONS AT THAT POINT. WE HAD TOLD THE BOARD WE WERE GOING TO PUT ONE STEP INTO THE BUDGET, BUT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL BARGAINING AGREEMENTS WE ANTICIPATED HAPPENING AND WE LATER PUT THE EXPENSES INTO THE BUDGET. THAT TIME HAS ARRIVED, AND WE HAVE PUT THOSE EXPENSES INTO THE BUDGET BUT THAT CREATED $10.1 MILLION ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. BACK IN SEPTEMBER, WE KNEW THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD PLANNED ON. WHEN THAT HAPPENED, WE WOULD DO TWO THINGS, ADJUST IT BY ANY REVENUE THAT WAS RECEIVED AND THAT THE DISTRICT HAD ALREADY COMMITTED THAT DISTRICT OFFICES WOULD REDUCE THEIR BUDGETS IF NECESSARY TO COVER THE BUDGET AND
085PROVIDE A BALANCED BUDGET PER OUR FISCAL POLICY. SO WE HAVE DONE THAT. SO TO OFFSET THE $10.1 MILLION, WE DID THAT BY THE 5.9 MILLION ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT. DISTRICT DEPARTMENTS CUT A TOTAL OF $4.2 MILLION. WE JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS IS A CONTINUING INITIATIVE TO STREAMLINE OUR DISTRICT OPERATIONS. REDUCE THAT, BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. REDUCED ALMOST $10 MILLION FROM OUR DISTRICT OPERATIONS AND THEN LAST YEAR, WE REDUCED DISTRICT VACANCIES TO AVOID THOSE COSTS, AND THAT ALSO HELPED US LEAD TO SAVINGS THIS YEAR FROM VACANCY RATES. SO AS WE CONSIDER ALL OF THAT, THAT DOES IMPACT OUR FUND BALANCE. OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER DID INCREASE BY QUITE A BIT AS WE SEE A LOT OF GRANTS STARTING TO ROLL IN TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR. SPECIAL
086REVENUE, WE RECEIVED $39.8 MILLION FOR VARIOUS GRANTS ACROSS VARIOUS DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. WE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH OTHER CHIEFS AND OTHER DEPARTMENT HEADS ABOUT ALLOCATING THAT AND USING THAT. WE ALSO SEE SOME CHANGES IN CAPITAL, BUT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THERE'S NO NET CHANGES. THAT IS REALIGNING TO OUR PRIORITIES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE DISTRICT FOR THIS YEAR. THAT FINALLY LEADS US TO WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF DECEMBER IS A POSITIVE -- REMEMBER, IT WAS A NEGATIVE BACK IN NOVEMBER -- BUT NOW A POSITIVE OF $535 MILLION. THAT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECEIPT OF PROPERTY TAXES. SO THROUGH THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, 86% OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. THAT'S VERY TYPICAL. THAT'S WHAT WE ANTICIPATE. AND THAT KIND OF SHOWS YOU THE ROLLER COASTER OF OUR
087FUND BALANCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS WILL BE THE HIGH POINT. AT THIS POINT, TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR AND GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, WE'LL START TO SEE IT SLOWLY DECREASE UNTIL WE HIT THIS AGAIN IN END OF 2026 AND HEADING INTO 27. WITH THAT, WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT. BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS, WHICH I THINK WILL BE SOMETHING WE START TO DO IS HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S COMING IN OUR BUDGET PLANNING. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN FINANCE AS WE MOVE DOWN THE ROAD. SURVEY TWO WAS COMPLETED BACK IN OCTOBER. THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER. THIS PAST WEEKEND, THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RELEASED THEIR THIRD CALCULATION. SO WE WILL BE BRINGING THOSE RESULTS TO YOU SOON. THAT WAS RELEASED THIS PAST WEEKEND. SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS BECAUSE THAT MEANS IT'S ON THE
088TIMELINE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT. THAT'S ALLOWING DISTRICTS TO NAVIGATE AND PARTNER WITH FLORIDA AND WORK INTERNALLY TO MANAGE THEIR BUDGETS. SO THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS. WE'LL SEE THE RESULTS OF THOSE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN UNDERWAY SINCE OCTOBER FOR PLANNING FOR FISCAL YEAR '27, BUT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO REMEMBER, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC KNEW, STATE OF FLORIDA, THEIR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY. THAT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THAT WILL HELP US HOPEFULLY GIVE US EARLY NEWS ABOUT WHERE OUR SUPPORT AND BUDGET WILL BE FOR NEXT YEAR. HILLSBOROUGH HAS ALREADY BEGAN FORECASTING DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FOR 2027 AS WE LOOK AT DATA AND WE WORK WITH VARIOUS FOLKS AROUND THE DISTRICT IN TRYING TO SEE
089WHERE THE DISTRICT WOULD BE. HUNDREDTH DAY JUST PASSED AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, SO WE'RE TAKING THAT IN AS PART OF OUR ANALYSIS. HOW HAS ENROLLMENT CHANGED THIS YEAR, BUT ALSO HOW IT HAS CHANGED THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND WHERE WE HAVE SEEN GROWTH POCKETS. ALSO CREATED BUDGET SCENARIOS THAT OUR TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING WITH WITH VARIOUS CHIEFS AND OTHER AREAS ACROSS THE DISTRICT, REVIEWING THOSE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE THINK MIGHT HAPPEN FOR NEXT YEAR, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TO SEE AND MANAGE THAT AS WE FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION FROM THE STATE AND FROM THE THIRD CALCULATION. AS ALL THE DATA POINTS COME IN THAT HELPS US REFINE THE PROCESS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE APPROPRIATE BUDGET WOULD BE. FINALLY, PARTNERSHIPS, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS, WE HAVE BEGAN PARTNERSHIPS WITH
090BOTH DISTRICT LEVEL AND SCHOOL LEVELS TO SEE HOW WE CAN MANAGE OUR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. WE'RE EXCITED THAT THOSE CONFERRINGS ARE UNDERWAY. THEY WILL CONTINUE AND INTENSIFY OVER THE COMING WEEKS. MADAM CHAIR AND SUPERINTENDENT, THAT IS THE BUDGET UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER VAUGHN AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER VAUGHN, AND MEMBER COMBS, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: MEMBER VAUGHN, DID YOU WANT TO GO FIRST? Karen Perez: MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO I APPRECIATE THIS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND WHAT HAPPENED WITH DECEMBER WITH ALL THOSE TRANSFERS WAS A LONG AND LABORIOUS
091PROCESS THAT WE SLOWLY WORKED THROUGH UNTIL I UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE. BUT I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS NOTEWORTHY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THAT TIME. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT A LOT OF THE TIMES AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FINDING WAYS TO PAY OUR TEACHERS, ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT MAKING CUTS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. A LOT OF TIMES WE THINK THAT MEANS PEOPLE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. I KNOW THAT THROUGH THE PAST, SUPERINTENDENT, AND THROUGH YOUR LEADERSHIP, WE HAVE ALWAYS LOOKED FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO ADJUST THE UNIT ALLOCATION OF THE DISTRICT AND CUT AS LITTLE FROM OUR SCHOOLS, BUT REALLY WHAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS THE FACT INSTEAD OF CUTTING PEOPLE, WHAT YOU GUYS DID WAS
092GO BACK AND ASK EACH INDIVIDUAL DIVISION TO READJUST THEIR BUDGET AND TO TIGHTEN THAT SO THAT WE COULD MAKE UP FOR THAT MONEY WITHOUT NECESSARILY BEING A LOSS OF PEOPLE OR JOBS. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION A LOT OF TIMES AROUND THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING, AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET THAT OUT THERE AND BE CLEAR THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY GETS PASSED ON TO OUR SCHOOLS AND THERE'S MORE MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT DOESN'T JUST NECESSARILY LEAD TO CUTTING POSITIONS AND PEOPLE. I APPRECIATE THAT APPROACH. I HAVEN'T SEEN THAT FROM OUR PREVIOUS CFO THAT I KNOW OF. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT AND JUST SAY THANK
093YOU FOR THAT. THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK MR. LEWIS AND HIS TEAM FOR NOT ONLY THE BALANCED BUDGET, BUT FOR A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AND HEARING THAT WE HAVE SPECIAL REVENUE OF 39 POINT MILLION IN GRANTS WAS DEFINITELY GREAT NEWS. MY QUESTION IS THIS, IT MAY GO TO TRACYE BROWN. WE AS A BOARD AGREE THAT EARLY LEARNING VPK IS CRITICAL FOR FUTURE SUCCESS, MEASURED MUCH MORE CAREFULLY LEGISLATIVELY IN THE THIRD GRADE. SO IF WE GO ON THE CONTEXT THAT PRE-K IS A GREAT CONDUIT FOR EARLY LEARNING LITERACY AND NUMERACY, CAN WE OR HAVE WE OR WILL WE USE MORE -- I KNOW PAGE ONE YOU HAVE SIX MILLION FOR VPK. BUT CAN WE EXPAND THAT AMOUNT OF
094MONEY WHICH WOULD THEN EQUATE POSSIBLY TO FURTHER PREPARATION FOR OUR EARLY LEARNERS WHEN THEY GET TO KINDERGARTEN. SO THAT IS A MONEY QUESTION, AND PERHAPS A TRACYE BROWN QUESTION. I'LL LET TRACYE GO FIRST. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. IT'S ALWAYS REALLY NICE TO TALK ABOUT EARLY LEARNING BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A GREAT START LEADS TO A GREAT FINISH, RIGHT? MOST OFTEN. WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE A BOARD AND A SUPERINTENDENT THAT REALLY SUPPORTS AND ENCOURAGES EARLY LEARNING AND APPRECIATES THE WORK THAT GOES INTO ENSURING THAT OUR KIDS ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN. WE KNOW THAT WHEN THEY ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN, THEY ARE ON TRACK FOR THIRD GRADE, VERY LIKELY TO GRADUATE ON TIME WITH THEIR COHORT. WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THE REFERENDUM THAT SHOWS WE
095ARE REALLY COMMITTED IS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SET ASIDE SOME DOLLARS FOR THE REFERENDUM TO MAKE VPK FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS THAT ARE IN OUR VPK PROGRAM. JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, CURRENTLY, VPK IS REALLY A THREE-HOUR PROGRAM. FOR KIDS TO STAY FOR A FULL DAY, PARENTS ARE ASSESSED A COST, A FEE, AND THAT IS ANYWHERE FROM $25 TO A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR KIDS TO STAY ALL DAY. THE REFERENDUM WILL ALLOW THOSE PARENTS TO NOT HAVE TO PAY. THE REFERENDUM WILL PAY FOR THAT. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE QUALITY INSTRUCTION FOR OUR KIDS ALL DAY, WHICH HELPS THEM GET READY FOR KINDERGARTEN. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING. Lynn Gray: CAN WE EXPECT WE WILL HAVE MORE
096OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND IT TO FULL-TIME VERSUS THREE HOURS? SO, CURRENTLY, THE STATE ONLY FUNDS FOR THREE HOURS. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE STATE FUND US FOR A FULL DAY, BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, WE'RE GOING TO USE THE REFERENDUM DELORES AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO REALLY PROVIDE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO COME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, VPK PROGRAM. WE ARE ONE OF MANY, MANY, MANY VPK PROVIDERS. THEY ARE PROVIDERS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WORK THROUGH THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION. THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION ALSO GIVES US THE REIMBURSEMENT DOLLARS THAT FLOWS FROM THE STATE. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A QUALITY PROGRAM NO MATTER WHERE KIDS ATTEND. WE ARE
097JUST ABLE TO CONTROL WHAT WE DO AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON QUALITY PROGRAMMING FOR ALL OF OUR VPK STUDENTS. Lynn Gray: WE HAVE THE SUBJECT. WE NEED THE PREDICATE, WHICH IS THE STATE GIVING US MORE. MR. LEWIS, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? Jamie Lewis: I THINK IT IS A GREAT PROGRAM AS HIGHLIGHTED BY MS. BROWN. I THINK THAT WAS IN THE FORETHOUGHT OF THE REFERENDUM WHEN WE DID THAT. THE REFERENDUM WAS THERE TO SUPPORT OUR PEOPLE. 92% OF THAT REFERENDUM IS GOING TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES. BUT 8% WAS GOING TO SUPPORT ENHANCING OUR ACADEMIC EFFORTS. MY COLLEAGUES CAN TALK ABOUT IT BETTER THAN I COULD. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT 8%, WE'RE TRYING TO IMPACT THE WHOLE STUDENT AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF THEIR TIME
098WITH HILLSBOROUGH. PRE-K IS ONE OF THE EARLIER POINTS OF TIME THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM. WE BELIEVE THAT IS AN INITIATIVE TO HELP THEM STAY WITH US, GET WITH US. AND I THINK THAT IS AN INITIATIVE AND EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE BENEFITS WILL BE DOWN THE ROAD. Lynn Gray: MS. BROWN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATIONS OR THE EXPLANATIONS IN THE EXPLANATIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WE VALUE EARLY LEARNING, THE EDUCATION, AND IT STARTS WHEN THEY ARE VERY, VERY YOUNG. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. Lynn Gray: YOU'RE WELCOME. MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S ALL. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I APPRECIATE THE FORMAT YOU PRESENTED THIS INFORMATION IN TONIGHT. I THINK IT'S VERY DIGESTIBLE
099FOR THE PUBLIC AND FOR THE BOARD, DIFFERENT FORMAT. I REALLY LIKE THAT. JUST TO PIGGY BACK ON WHAT MEMBER GRAY SAID, YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US SERVE MORE THAN 12%, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A FINANCIAL PIECE TO THAT. I THINK WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN IN UTILIZING THE MONEY IN WAYS THAT CAN REALLY SUPPORT FAMILIES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. I LOVE THE EXTENDED DAY. I THINK THE BEST WAY FOR US TO KIND OF ENSURE HIGH-QUALITY PRE-K EXPERIENCES FOR ALL KIDS, WHETHER THEY ARE IN THEIR SCHOOLS OR NOT, BECAUSE REMEMBER, WE ONLY SERVE ABOUT 12%. 88% IS SERVED THROUGH THE ELC, IS TO REALLY TOUCH ON -- EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND HOW WE'RE CREATING COMMUNITIES OF LEARNING WITH THE PRIVATE VPK PROVIDERS AND TO REALLY HELP RAISE THE QUALITY OF WHAT THEY ARE PROVIDING
100ON THE PRIVATE SIDE BY OFFERING SHARED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW YOU'RE DOING SOME OF THIS BUT -- AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT EXPANDING PARTNERSHIPS IS ON THIS BECAUSE EVEN IF WE SAID, OH -- WE CAN'T EXPAND FAST ENOUGH TO REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE FAST ENOUGH, BUT WE CAN MOVE THE NEEDLE FASTER THROUGH PARTNERING WITH THESE PRIVATE PROVIDERS SINCE THEY ARE PROVIDING THE MAJORITY OF THE SERVICES TO OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS AND HELP THEM GROW IN THEIR PROGRAMS AS FAR AS -- THEY DO NOT HAVE FULLY CERTIFIED EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS WHERE WE DO. SO, HENCE, OUR OUTCOMES ARE REALLY PHENOMENAL BECAUSE WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS AND SPECIALIZING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL TEACHERS THAT ARE TOUCHING OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS ACADEMICALLY CAN HAVE
101THEIR SKILLS ENHANCED. IF WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, I THINK WE'LL SEE REALLY GOOD OUTCOMES PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY. DR. HAHN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAYING THAT. WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS TO LEARN, THAT WE LEAVE SOME SPACE FOR OUR PRIVATE PROVIDERS ALSO. THERE ARE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE WHERE WE HAVE OUR PRIVATE AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL FOLKS WORKING TOGETHER AND LEARNING TOGETHER, AND THAT'S REALLY POWERFUL. AS YOU MENTIONED, WE SERVE ABOUT 12%. THAT MEANS THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS THAT COME TO US IN KINDERGARTEN THAT WE NEVER TOUCH BEFORE THEY GET TO US. SO THE MORE WE PARTNER AND THE MORE WE HELP THEM HAVE QUALITY PROGRAM AND QUALITY INSTRUCTION, THE BETTER OUR KINDERGARTEN READINESS WILL BE.
102THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT. WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR WAYS THAT WE CAN GROW THAT PARTNERSHIP AND DO GREAT THINGS FOR ALL OF THE KIDS THAT ARE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL COME TO US AT KINDERGARTEN. Stacy Hahn: WE KNOW THEY COME FOR KINDERGARTEN. YOU GUYS ARE DOING GREAT WORK. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND REMIND THE COMMUNITY, TOO, THAT WE'RE NOT SERVING THE MAJORITY OF KIDS IN THE SPACE AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LIKE TO. I KNOW WE'RE GROWING. OUR VPK PROGRAM, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT, THE BOARD IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN'T GROW FROM 12% TO 90% OVERNIGHT. SO THAT'S WHY THOSE COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE BIG PICTURE OF A STRONG START FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU,
103MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER COMBS. Nadia Combs: I ALSO WANTED TO -- SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EARLY LEARNING AND TALK ABOUT THAT OFTEN. OFTEN THE BOOK ENDS THAT ARE THE BIGGEST IMPACT. DOESN'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE COLLEGE. CAREER READY, MILITARY READY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT READY, THAT WAY THEY CAN MAKE OTHER CHOICES AND THEN THAT EARLY LEARNING PART. SINCE WE SERVE SO FEW PEOPLE, SO FEW STUDENTS, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, I APPRECIATE YOU, TRACYE, THE EARLY LEARNING TASK FORCE WE'VE HAD SEVERAL YEARS. AND WE ARE DOING SOME OF THOSE THINGS. IT'S YOU GUYS DOING SOME OF THE THINGS, WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS, TARGETING NOW FOR FEBRUARY, LIKE 50 PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND THEN HAVING THEM COME FOR A DAY SO WE CAN ALSO TALK ABOUT TRAINING AND WORKING, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PROVIDERS, THEY
104DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS OR DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. ALSO BEING ON BOARD. HAVING THE CHILDREN BOARD, THE EARLY LEARNING COALITION, KHAN ACADEMY, ALL THE INDIVIDUALS IN ONE ROOM WORKING ALL TOGETHER, THRIVE BY FIVE. THERE ARE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS, OF COURSE, YOU, TRACYE, AND EVERYONE. I THINK EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER. I WISH THAT THE STATE WOULD SEE THAT. IF YOU PUT A SMALLER, LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE EARLY LEARNING AND A LOT OF THE ISSUES WE HEARD ABOUT TODAY WHEN PEOPLE COME AND TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE OR DISRUPTIVE OR LEVEL ONE, A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES BECOME BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY. ATOSS OR SUSPENSION RATES, THOSE ARE DIRECTLY LINKED TO LEVEL ONES AND TWOS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SUCCESS CENTERS, THOSE ARE LINKED TO CHILDREN STRUGGLING ACADEMICALLY AND THEN THEY
105STRUGGLE BEHAVIORALLY. I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THAT A PRIORITY IN THE DISTRICT. I KNOW THIS ENENTIRE, DR. HAHN, YOUR ENTIRE LIFE HAS BEEN ABOUT THAT. REALLY, ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER FOR EARLY LEARNING AND PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND PROVIDING A LOT MORE ASSISTANCE TO THE PRIVATE PROVIDERS AND COMING IN AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT IMPACT. I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S SO IMPORTANT, SO CRITICAL, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE. THAT'S WHY WHEN I THINK OF HILLSBOROUGH, I DON'T THINK OF K-8, BIRD THROUGH 8, PRE-K THROUGH AFTER, BECAUSE OUR ERWIN TECH PROGRAMS ARE SO AMAZING, TOO. WE CAN PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, A GREAT LIFE FROM SOMEONE FROM THE TIME THEY ARE BORN IN THE HOSPITAL ALL THE WAY UNTIL THEY START THEIR CAREER. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK
106YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO ON RECORD TO KNOW THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL TIME IN OUR BUDGET, RIGHT? WE'VE GOTTEN OUR TAX DOLLARS IN. WE'VE GOTTEN OUR REFERENDUM DOLLARS IN, WHICH WE ALREADY HAVE DIRECT PLACES WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO GO. I DON'T WANT ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND GO, OH, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS DOING PHENOMENAL. THEIR BUDGET LOOKS GREAT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR SCHOOLS ARE STILL NOT GETTING THE BENEFITS THAT THEY NEED. OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT PAID TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE PAID. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS JUST A SIMPLE MONTH IN THE PROCESS OF AN ENTIRE YEAR AND IT'S NOT -- WE'RE STABLE BECAUSE WE MADE HARD DECISIONS, BUT WE'RE NOT HEALTHY BECAUSE WE STILL NEED TO
107FUND THINGS THROUGHOUT OUR DISTRICT. I THINK IT'S ALSO MEANT TO TELL THAT AS FAR AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, OUR GRADUATION RATE IS ACTUALLY 92.2%. IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GRADUATION RATE WHEN COMBINED WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS IS ACTUALLY 90%. CONSEQUENTLY, RIGHT NOW, THE BEST PLACE YOU COULD PUT YOUR CHILD IS IN HILLSBOROUGH TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS. AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE PUT THE TIME IN IN EARLY LEARNING. WE PUT THE TIME IN TO THE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. WE PUT THE TIME IN TO MAKE SURE THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS AT THE FOREFRONT. PUT THE TIME INTO TEACHERS AND INTO STAFF. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S THE PRIORITY. WE ARE ON A SHOESTRING OF A BUDGET. THIS DATE IS ONLY A SHADOW AND A VERY SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF THE ENTIRE YEAR. I DON'T WANT THE COMMUNITY TO THINK THEY
108ARE HEAVY. THEY'VE GOT IT GREAT. WE DO NOT. WE ARE ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET. AT ANY POINT IN CHANGE, WITH ANY PIECE OF INFLATION, THOSE TEACHERS WILL NOT HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE. MANY OF THEM DON'T TODAY WHEN THEY ARE SINGLE PARENTS WITH CHILDREN, TRYING TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALTHOUGH WE ARE DOING A GOOD JOB OF MANAGING OUR BUDGET, WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PROVIDING EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STAFF TO HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE, FOR US TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT ACADEMICS AND CURRICULUM FOR OUR STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO FUNCTION OUTSIDE OF OUR SCHOOLS AFTER GRADUATION. I JUST WANT THAT TO BE SAID THAT THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT IN TIME, BUT WE STILL ARE IN GREAT NEED.
109AND WHAT WE DO WITH -- WHAT THE STATE DOES AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR STUDENT SUCCESS. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT WE ARE FAT AND HAPPY BECAUSE WE ARE ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET RIGHT NOW. AND OUR SCHOOLS FEEL IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE STILL NEED TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR FAMILIES, MAKING SURE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CONTINUES TO HAVE THE SUCCESS THAT IT'S HAD. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT
1104 P.M. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD, INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, AND PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ON YOUR MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I WILL NOW CALL ROB. ROB KRIETE, PRESIDENT OF CTA. BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU
111FOR YOUR SERVICE TO STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES. AND THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S REALLY RICH. I THINK WHAT MEMBER RENDON IS SPEAKING ABOUT WITH THE BUDGET I THINK IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND CLEAR. WHEN YOU GET ONE PAYCHECK A YEAR AND TRY TO STRETCH IT A WHOLE YEAR, DOESN'T LOOK GREAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR BUT LOOKS GREAT ON THE DAY YOU ARE CASHING THE CHECK. ALSO THE DISCUSSION ABOUT EARLY LEARNING. WE FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT EARLY LEARNING. IN A BETTER WORLD, EVERY FOUR-YEAR-OLD WOULD BE IN PRE-K. THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM. I APPRECIATE THAT WE'RE TAKING STEPS TO IMPROVE UPON AND BUILD ON WHAT WE'RE DOING UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. BROWN. THANK YOU AS WELL. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A.I. SOME SPOKE ABOUT IT
112IN PUBLIC COMMENT. I HAVEN'T HEARD OF A.I. WRITING REFERRALS YET, BUT I'LL LOOK INTO THAT. MR. BRADY IS DOING REALLY GOOD WORK IN TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT IS A GOOD TOOL WE CAN USE AS A DISTRICT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK COLLABORATIVELY WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY WORK AT AND LOOK AT. RIGHT NOW, TEACHERS ARE NOT CLAMORING FOR TOOLS TO WRITE LESSONS AND DELIVER THOSE LESSONS, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE UPON THEM. WE THINK THEY ARE THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE STANDARDS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE ABOUT HOW WE ARE REALLY GOING TO APPLY A.I. IT REALLY COMES IN THE CHORES OF THE JOB. A.I. IS NOT GOING TO REPLACE OUR TEACHERS. THAT WE KNOW. IT'S TOO NUANCED. TOO PERSONAL. TOO ONE ON ONE. WE
113LEARNED THAT IN THE PANDEMIC HOW IMPORTANT CLASSROOM TEACHERS ARE. NO ONE GOES TO COLLEGE TO BE A TEACHER TO SAY, HEY, I'M REALLY LOOKING INTO DOING THE DATA INTEGRATION WITH MY STUDENTS OR LOOKING AT ALL THE DATA, SEE WHO IS NAUGHTY AND NICE IN THIRD PERIOD. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO. SO WE WANT TO FIND A TOOL EVENTUALLY THAT WILL INTEGRATE WITH THE ASSESSMENTS AND THE THINGS WE'RE ALREADY DOING SO TEACHERS CAN FOCUS ON THAT WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT IN MEETING THOSE NEEDS. NOW, A.I. IS GOING TO HELP US WITH THAT. SO THAT BEING SAID, ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS I HAVE, I KNOW SUPERINTENDENT POSEIDON HAS A GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT HE WORKS WITH, AND WHAT I WOULD ALWAYS DO IS MAYBE GO AND ASK THE STUDENTS, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW
114AS EDUCATORS WITH A.I. WHAT DO THEY ALREADY KNOW? WHAT ARE THEY ALREADY USING IT WITH? BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL HELP PREPARE TEACHERS TO HELP STUDENTS. AND THEN YOU GUYS COULD ALWAYS RELY ON ME TO GO TO TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO ASK WHAT THEY NEED AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING WITH IT. I WILL ALWAYS POLL THEM ANYTIME YOU WANT. I KNOW I DID AN INFORMAL POLL AT LAST REP COUNCIL. THAT'S NOT COMPREHENSIVE. THAT'S GETTING NOTES ABOUT WHO IS USING IT AND WHAT THEY ARE FEELING. SO FAR FEELING PRETTY GOOD ABOUT IT. SO MANY THINGS OUT THERE. BY THE TIME YOU HAVE YOUR NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, A.I. WILL BE SMARTER THAN IT IS TODAY. WE KNOW THAT ALREADY. I APPRECIATE WE'LL TRY TO GET AHEAD OF IT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT, BECAUSE OUR
115STUDENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES RELY ON US TO DO THAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATING EVEN FURTHER AROUND ALL OF IT. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HELLO. MY NAME IS FINLEY ALLEN. I'M HERE FROM MADISON MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY, IN SEPTEMBER I CAME HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE DRESS CODE. AND HOW I WAS, MY OPINION ON THE DRESS CODE ON THE SHORTS LENGTH RULE. I'M HERE TO THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING IT. NEXT YEAR'S STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT CHANGE. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, I DO HAVE SOME SLIDES TO UPDATE YOU ON. THE FIRST ONE, AS MENTIONED IN OUR BOARD RETREAT WE'VE HAD THE LAST
116COUPLE OF WEEKS, CORE VALUES, STUDENT GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT. AS YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE ULTIMATE INDICATOR, THE FINAL MILESTONE OF GRADUATION RATE. JUST WANTED TO AS WE HEARD TONIGHT TO ANNOUNCE THE HIGH SCHOOL'S GRADUATION 24-25, OF 90.9%. AGAIN, A 2.9% INCREASE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. HISTORICAL ACHIEVEMENT FOR OUR DISTRICT, WHICH HONESTLY REFLECTS YEARS OF HARD WORK, ALIGNING RESOURCES, EXPANDING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND STRENGTHENING SUPPORT PROTECTION TO ENSURE EVERY STUDENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED. TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, WHEN THE GOAL OF 90% WAS SET BACK IN 2015, OUR DISTRICT, 74% GRADUATION RATE ON FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION RATE. ALL THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST TEN YEARS IS THE METRICS AND WHAT IT TAKES TO GRADUATE, IT HAS BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO DO THAT. IN DOING SO, LOOK BACK FROM 2015 AT 74%, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF
117THE INDICATORS OVER TIME FROM 74, FINALLY THE MILESTONE OF 90.9. HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT. PROUD OF EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THE DISTRICT. THIS IS OUR ULTIMATE, ULTIMATE INDICATOR, MILESTONE. WHAT DOES THAT ACTUAL MEAN? IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT MEANS 910 MORE STUDENTS GRADUATED 24-25 YEAR THAN THE YEAR PRIOR. TRULY REMARKABLE. AS MEMBER RENDON MENTIONED, IF YOU LOOK AT THE 90.9 PERCENT, OUR TRADITIONAL GRADUATION RATE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS WAS A 92.8%. SO THE 90.9 INCLUDES OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS, BUT 92.8% AMONGST ALL OF OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. JUST A GREAT HONOR. IF I NAME THE FOLKS BEHIND IT, WE WOULD BE HERE ALL NIGHT. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THIS IS OUR ULTIMATE MILESTONE. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT INCREASES BY SUBGROUP, THIS IS
118THE ONE, YOU KNOW, THAT OUR DISTRICT ACHIEVEMENT GAP CONTINUES TO CLOSE ENSURING MORE STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR LIFE. SIGNIFICANTLY PROUD OF THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN AMONG SOME OF OUR STUDENT GROUPS. AS YOU CAN SEE LISTED UP THERE NOW WITH OUR BLACK DEMOGRAPHIC LEADING THE WAY WITH 6.6% INCREASE. HISPANIC 2.8%. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE ONES LISTED BELOW, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, ACROSS THE BOARD YOU LOOK AT CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, DISPARITIES. YOU CAN SEE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP CLOSING. JUST SO PROUD OF OUR DISTRICT IN THIS HONOR AND BOARD THIS GOES TO YOU SETTING THE VISION FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO REACH THAT GOAL. SO THANK YOU. WITH THAT NOTE, WE HAD OUR 31st ANNUAL GRADUATION WALK TO HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. ON JANUARY 8, I JOINED SEMINOLE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, 31st ANNUAL GRADUATION ROCK. DURING THIS EVENT,
119WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW, YOU REMEMBER HOLLY SAIA. HOLLY WAS A GUIDANCE COUNSELOR AT SEMINOLE HEIGHTS WHO STARTED THIS 30 YEARS AGO, BECAUSE IT IS 12 BLOCKS FROM SEMINOLE HEIGHTS ALL THE WAY TO HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. 12 BLOCKS FOR 12 YEARS. MAKE THAT WALK, BOARD MEMBERS, OPPORTUNITY NEXT YEAR TO DO IT, A WALK THAT ALL THE SEMINOLE HEIGHTS STUDENTS TAKE AND TRADITION THERE. IT WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL TO MAKE THAT WALK. LAST WEEK, WE PARTICIPATED IN EVENTS TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. FIRST ON SUNDAY, PLANT CITY MLK BREAKFAST, THREE OF OUR STUDENTS RECOGNIZED AS SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS. BRIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY, BUNCH OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS WERE THERE. WE JOINED OVER 1300 AT TOBA MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BREAKFAST. LATER THAT DAY JOINED THE COMMUNITY FOR TAMPA BAY'S MLK
120PARADE. FORTUNATELY, IT WASN'T TOO COLD THEN AND WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE WITH SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. ON THAT NOTE, TWO WEEKENDS OF PARADES. A LOT OF BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN THERE WITH ME. I DON'T REMEMBER TWO WEEKENDS IN A ROW LIKE THAT WHERE THAT MANY FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE JUST HAPPY TO BE HAPPY TO SEE US, HAPPY TO BE OUT AND ABOUT. IT'S PROBABLY TWO OF THE BEST PARADES WE'VE EVER HAD. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR BEING OUT THERE. AS ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS MENTIONED, GOOD TO SEE US OUT THERE. THANK YOU. TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS FUN. MOVING ON TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. CONGRATULATIONS TO 21 OF OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS MAGNET SCHOOLS OF AMERICA NATIONAL MER THE AWARD WINNERS. MAGNET SCHOOLS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR DEMONSTRATING COMMITMENT TO HIGH
121ACADEMIC STANDARDS, CURRICULAR INNOVATION, STRONG PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. TO BE CONSIDERED, MAGNET SCHOOLS MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION SCORED BY A PANEL OF EDUCATORS. SPECIAL CONGRATS TO LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL, THE TOP MAGNET SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER. TAKING THE HIGHEST WINNER. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PRINCIPAL AND TEAM. CONGRATULATIONS TO ARMWOOD, YORK PREK-8, FRANKLIN BOYS PREP AND MIDDLE MAGNET. DISTINCTION SCHOOLS YOU CAN SEE LISTED THERE. MAGNET SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION AWARD LISTED THERE. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL SCHOOLS, ALL 21. LENNARD AT THE TOP, OTHER EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION WINNERS, TREMENDOUS AWARD FOR THEM. HERE ARE -- HERE IS EXCITING NEWS AS WELL. THREE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE REGISTERED TO COMPETE IN THE FLORIDA EDUCATION FUND REGIONAL BLACK HISTORY CULTURE BRAIN BOWL. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, AT STRAWBERRY CREST. ALL THREE TEAMS COMPETING IN THE REGIONAL EVENT ARE HCPS SCHOOLS, WE ARE
122GUARANTEED ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL ADVANCE TO THE STATE COMPETITION WHICH WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY SOMETIME IN MARCH. WE'LL HAVE A FINALIST THERE IN MARCH. RIVERVIEW, ROBINSON OR STRAWBERRY CREST. GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS TO EXPAND OUR PARTICIPATION. BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL I THINK STARTED TODAY OVER AT BRANDON. MS. GRAY, AGAIN, THANK YOU. OUR BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL, YOU HAVE BEEN A BIG ONE BEHIND THAT TO HELP US PUSH THAT. AND MR. SHAKE WASHINGTON AS WELL AND THE ENTIRE BOARD THAT REALLY PUSHES US TO DO GREAT THINGS. THIS IS ANOTHER SHINING EXAMPLE FOR US. EXCEPTIONAL TALENT, AS MENTIONED EARLY, THREE WINNERS, CHRISTI, MARY AND CHE. AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. WE GOT THEM, LIKE I MENTIONED, WE GOT THEM GOING AT THE CHILDREN'S PARADE SO THEY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THAT AS WELL. AGAIN,
123CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. WE TALKED ABOUT JUST AN AMAZING, AMAZING NIGHT. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO JOINED US AT THE EVENT. ALL OF OUR SPONSORS HAVE SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION: SPECIAL THANKS TO STUDENT REPORTERS FROM BLAKE AND OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS FROM BRANDON AND EXTRA SPECIAL THANKS TO CULINARY TEAMS. BOARD MEMBERS, A LOT OF YOU WERE MENTIONING THE CULINARY TEAMS FOR THEIR DELICIOUS APPETIZERS AND DESSERTS, SHOWCASING HILLSBOROUGH TREASURES. IT'S A FULL-COURT PRESS WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. THE CULINARY WAS OUTSTANDING. SPECIAL THANKS ALSO TO ANN MARIE AND SHERRY BOLLINGER WHO WORKED FROM OUR DISTRICT SIDE, HELPED COORDINATE THE ENTIRE EVENT ALONG WITH HEF. SHOUT-OUT TO ANN MARIE AND SHERRY. I HAD THE JACKET ON TO WEAR. MR. PORTER TOLD ME I COULDN'T WEAR IT. THAT'S WHY I WAS LATE COMING IN. Jim Porter: TRYING TO KEEP
124HIM -- IS A FULL-TIME JOB. Van Ayres: SUPERINTENDENTS WINTER BREAK CHALLENGE. BOARD MEMBERS, FEW MORE. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, I KNOW MANY OF YOU WERE WITH ME. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR CHAIR PEREZ, YOU HAD THE IDEA, YOU CALLED ME, YOU HAD SEEN ANOTHER STORY ABOUT A READING CHALLENGE. CHAIR PEREZ CAME FORWARD WITH THE IDEA. WE BRAINSTORMED WITH MR. BRADY'S TEAM AND CAME UP WITH THE WINTER BREAK READING CHALLENGE. I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE CHALLENGE. STUDENTS LOGGED NEARLY HALF A MILLION MINUTES OF READING OVER THE BREAK. JUST COMPARED TO THE 24-25 BREAK, THERE WAS A 5% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE CHALLENGE. 244% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING AND A 330% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MINUTES READ DURING THE WINTER BREAK CHALLENGE. WINTER BREAK LAST YEAR,
125330% INCREASE IN NUMBER OF MINUTES READ. SCHOOLS RECEIVED A TROPHY AND $500 TO ADD BOOKS TO THEIR MEDIA CENTER. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THEM THERE FROM TODAY. WE WERE OVER AT JEFFERSON THIS MORNING. DR. HAHN, MS. RENDON, YOU WERE WITH ME THERE. MS. RENDON AND OVER AT LINCOLN, MS. RENDON -- MS. PEREZ, YOU WERE AT BURNS AS WELL. BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT. GOING INTO THAT WITH THAT CHALLENGE I WAS TELLING SOME OF OUR TEAM TODAY, JUST SEEING THE EXCITEMENT BEHIND THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE ABLE TO WIN THE AWARDS WAS PRETTY NEAT. YEAH, IT WAS EXCITING. THE LAST, WE'RE FINALLY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF BRAND-NEW DISTRICT PODCAST. THIS IS A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PODCAST THAT WILL BE STARTING. THEY HAD THE FIRST GUEST. TAKE A GUESS WHO THAT WAS.
126FIRST GUEST, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PODCAST. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DEBORAH WHO IS COORDINATING THAT. THIS PODCAST TAKES LISTENERS AND VIEWERS BEHIND THE SCENES SPOTLIGHTING STORIES, VOICES, IDEAS, SHAPING OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITY. FOURTH EPISODE COMING SOON. A SPECIAL THANK YOU AGAIN TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR CREATING THIS NEW PLATFORM TO SHARE THE INCREDIBLE WORK HAPPENING ACROSS OUR DISTRICT AND OUR OWN DEB VALENTA IS THE HOST. HERE IS A QUICK PREVIEW OF OUR FIRST PODCAST. ♪ HELLO, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE VERY FIRST EPISODE OF OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PODCAST. I'M DEBRA, I'LL BE YOUR HOST AS WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE STORIES, VOICES, IDEAS THAT ARE SHAPING OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION. SUPERINTENDENT,
127WELCOME TO THE PODCAST. WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AS OUR VERY FIRST GUEST. THIS WILL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET OUR VISION OUT AND MISSION FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GET OUT. OUR CHALLENGE IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IS GETTING THE GREAT STORIES OUT THERE. I NEVER FORGET THAT TIME OF MY LIFE FROM BEING A CLASSROOM TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL. IT AFFECTS EVERY SINGLE DECISION I MAKE TODAY. I SAY THIS ALL THE TIME. THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GREAT TAMPA BAY, GREAT COMMUNITY THAN HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THIS HAS BEEN MORE TO THE STORY WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. Van Ayres: BE ON THE LOOKOUT. IT WILL BE SOMETHING IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, MS. ARJA, MS. BELLANTI ARE BEHIND. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN DISTRICT PODCAST.
128I THINK 15 MINUTES MAX. GET EVERYTHING IN IN 15 MINUTES AND HIGHLIGHT BEHIND-THE-SCENES -- IT WILL BE TOUGH FOR SOME OF YOU. HARD FOR ME. THE 15 MINUTES WAS OVER. WENT FAST. ALSO FOR OUR DISTRICT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS. GET A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT HCPS. PRETTY NEAT AND EXCITED FOR WHAT'S TO COME WITH THE PODCAST. THOSE ARE MY UPDATES. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. Van Ayres: I'M SORRY. ONE MORE. BENNIE THE BEANIE, SO THIS WAS PART OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S READING CHALLENGE. ALL THE STUDENTS THAT WERE TOP READERS RECEIVED THE BEANIE. GIFT FROM KIM AND JOHN IN MEDIA SERVICES. THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE EACH BOARD MEMBER HAD ONE. ALL OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVED THIS TODAY. BENNIE THE BEANIE. HE WAS RECEIVED TODAY AND WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GUYS HAVE THEM. IT'S A
129GIFT. ALSO, YOU HAVE YOUR PIN FROM MS. CORPSMAN EARLIER TODAY. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WHAT EXCITING TIMES IT IS TO BE IN HILLSBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT. WE'RE GOING TO START OUT WITH THE MENTORING PROGRAM, THE ANNUAL MENTORING MIX. THAT'S IT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK MR. YOUNG. PHENOMENAL. WE HAD ALL THE MENTORS OUT THERE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. MONICA PULLED IT TOGETHER AND THEY PLAYED GAMES. WE DISCUSSED VARIOUS SITUATIONS ABOUT MENTORING YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AND SO FORTH. THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT. I HAD 50 SOME YEARS AGO WHEN SOMEBODY WAS MENTORING ME. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. AND GAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY
130A FEW WORDS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT, WE WENT TO THE MLK TOBA. IT WAS PHENOMENAL. WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE. MOST ATTENDANCE WE HAD. I THINK 1300. 1300 PEOPLE AT THE BREAKFAST. I THOUGHT -- I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD BE THAT MANY BECAUSE IT WAS COLD. THEY CAME OUT ON A COLD DAY AND IT WAS REALLY NICE. THOSE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WE HAD, THAT PARTICIPATED UP ON THE DAIS. IT WAS NICE. WE REALLY HAD A GOOD TIME. I THANK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT CAME OUT AND SUPERINTENDENT AND SO FORTH FOR COMING OUT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE IT, BECAUSE JAMES DOES A GOOD JOB. HE REALLY DOES A GOOD JOB. HE'S REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND THAT'S A BLESSING IN ITSELF. AND THEN WE HAD THE NEXT ONE.
131EIE I THINK. WE HAD A GREAT TIME. THAT'S AT THE PARADE. OH, WE HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE PARADE. I WAS A DEEJAY. WE WERE ROCKING AND ROLLING. WE HAD A GOOD TIME. I WAS SHAKING AND BAKING. WE HAD A GOOD TIME. I ENJOYED. WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE. YOU CAN TELL WHEN SUCCESS COMES AROUND US, WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE PICTURES, COME OUT, SHAKE YOUR HAND, TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOLS, THE JOB YOU'RE DOING. WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. WE GOT TO CONTINUE. I KNOW WE HAVE A LONG WAYS TO GO BUT WE GOT TO CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB. THAT'S ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT THIS BOARD. WE WORK HARD FOR STUDENTS. YOU MAY CRITICIZE ON SOME OF THE POINTS, BUT WE WORK HARD AS HELL FOR STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THIS
132BOARD DOES. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR STAFF AND EVERYBODY, WE WORK HARD FOR STUDENTS. I JUST HAD TO GET THAT OUT. EXCUSE MY EXPRESSION. NEXT, PABLO. DID WE RUN OUT? OKAY. NO MORE. THAT'S GOOD. BUT I WANT TO SAY CONTINUE -- SUPERINTENDENT, CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU AND YOUR STAFF. LIKE I SAID EARLIER, YOU ALL ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. IT'S GOING TO BE HARD, YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAVE OVERCOME A LOT. YOU THINK ABOUT THE LAST SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, BOARD, WE HAVE OVERCOME A LOT. I MEAN, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE ARE SO GREAT. IT'S BECAUSE WE LOVE KIDS. WE LOVE STUDENTS AND WE WORK REALLY HARD TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS. AS LONG AS YOU DO WHAT IS BEST FOR STUDENTS, YOU WILL NEVER FAIL. FEW MINUTES AGO,
133WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD. WE'RE ALWAYS CONCENTRATING ON STUDENTS BECAUSE THAT IS SO IMPORTANT IN LIFE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S IT, PABLO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Karen Perez: TH THANK YOU, MEM WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO, BECAUSE I ALREADY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS, DISCUSS WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR ELL STUDENTS, RIGHT, THE CHANGES OR ANYTHING WE'RE DOING TO SUPPORT THOSE, BECAUSE I'VE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT I AM THE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR PROGRESS ON THIS NEW ADAPTIVE TESTING AND WHERE I SEE THE BIGGEST NEED FOR SUPPORT. IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN GET ME ANYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT OUR ELL STUDENTS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT CHEZ DID
134-- I DID GET THE E-MAIL THAT HAS ALL OF OUR TIERED ELL STUDENTS TO SEE WHICH SCHOOL HAS THE HIGHEST POPULATION OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST WITH READING AND ACADEMICS DUE TO THE LANGUAGE ACQUISITION. WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS LOOKING AT THOSE SCHOOLS, MAYBE PICKING THE TOP TEN AND BRINGING THOSE ADDITIONAL HEAD SETS FOR OUR AUDIO ENHANCEMENT SYSTEMS TO ALLOW INSTRUCTION IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE TO HELP WITH SOME OF THE ACQUISITION. I DID GET THAT E-MAIL. I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS. SURPRISINGLY, THEY ARE NOT JUST IN MEMBER COMBS DISTRICT. THERE WERE A LOT OF SHAKES AND A GOOD FEW OF MINE THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. I WANTED TO KIND OF GET THAT SO ALL BOARD MEMBERS CAN HEAR IT AND NOT JUST SOMETHING I'M
135ASKING ABOUT. I CAN ASK TO PUT IT ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA. IF YOU GUYS WANT TO DO IT, WE CAN DO IT. I JUST WANT TO GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY. I DID WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS. IT WAS FANTASTIC. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE WINNERS. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EVENT. IT'S SO NICE TO COME TOGETHER AND REALLY BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO. I FEEL LIKE OURS IS THE BEST. WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND. I FEEL LIKE IT IS THE OSCARS THE WAY EVERYBODY IS DRESSED UP, THE CULINARY, AND I THINK IT REALLY SPEAKS TO HOW OUR EMPLOYEES, EVEN THE ONES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY NOMINATED ARE THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL -- HEARTS OF OUR SCHOOLS AND REALLY
136THE BACKBONE OF THIS DISTRICT. WE CAN SIT UP HERE ALL DAY AND TALK ABOUT IT AND TAKE CREDIT, BUT IT'S REALLY OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WE GET TO HONOR. I JUST WANTED TO AGAIN HIGHLIGHT WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE THAT WAS. I DO HAVE A LITTLE TINY PICTURE WHICH IS EMBARRASSING, BUT I WANT TO PUT IT UP ANYWAY, PABLO, IF YOU HAVE IT. I'LL TALK ABOUT IT UNTIL THE PICTURE COMES UP BECAUSE YOU DON'T REALLY NEED THE PICTURE. YESTERDAY, I HOSTED MY VERY FIRST DISTRICT 3 STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HOW MANY KIDS SHOWED UP AND HOW SERIOUS THEY WOULD TAKE IT. JUST REALLY INSPIRED BY HOW QUICK THEY THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE, THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE, HOW ENGAGED THEY WANT TO BE, AND JUST BEING ABLE TO REALLY TALK
137TO THE PEOPLE WHO OUR DECISIONS IMPACT THE MOST. I ALWAYS SAY THAT I FEEL LIKE WE MAKE A LOT OF DECISIONS AS ADULTS, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST IMPACTED OUR STUDENTS HAVE SO LITTLE INPUT IN THE DECISIONS WE MAKE. BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THEM WAS REALLY AMAZING. I DON'T THINK THE PICTURE IS EVER GOING TO COME UP, THOUGH. IT WASN'T THAT FLATTERING BUT IT WAS A CUTE PICTURE. I DID WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. THINKING BACK ON BOTH OF THOSE EVENTS, HOW GREAT THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD WAS AND HOW WONDERFUL IT WAS JUST TO BE WITH OUR STUDENTS, IT REALLY MAKES ME THINK ABOUT, AGAIN, I KNOW AT ONE POINT OUR MOTTO WAS STRONGER TOGETHER. IN EDUCATION, WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND WE COLLABORATE AND WE GIVE EACH OTHER THE BENEFIT OF
138THE DOUBT, HOW MUCH PROGRESS THAT WE CAN MAKE, EVEN IF WE HAVE DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS. I THINK RIGHT NOW, WE SEE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTRY SO COMPLETELY DIVIDED AND PEOPLE NOT HEARING EACH OTHER. AND I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND WHO ARE UPSET, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING IS A MICROCOSM WHERE IT'S EDUCATION, IT'S NONPARTISAN. YOU SEE PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE COMING TOGETHER TO FOCUS ON OUR KIDS, HAVE CONVERSATIONS, DO THE WORK TOGETHER, IN A TIME WHERE WE FEEL VERY DIVIDED, IT'S A NICE BEACON OF HOPE. I REALLY WISH THAT SEEING THE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING IN EDUCATION WOULD INSPIRE OUR COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER MORE, TALK MORE, BE LESS DIVIDED, BE LESS HATEFUL BECAUSE IT'S REALLY TAKING A TOLL, I
139THINK, ON OUR CHILDREN AT THE END OF THE DAY. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE A MESSAGE TO COME TOGETHER. WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S IT. I APPRECIATE IT. WHO IS NEXT? MEMBER GRAY. WE HAVE THE PHOTO, IN MY 14 SECONDS. LOOK AT THOSE KIDS. LOOK HOW CUTE THEY ARE. I'LL TELL YOU, THEY ALL HAVE BRIGHT FUTURES AHEAD OF THEM. THANKS, PABLO. THANKS FOR FINALLY GETTING THAT. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU MENTIONED THE ELL POPULATION, I'D LOVE TO INVITE YOU TO OUR HISPANIC FORUM BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN A DEEP DIVE INTO THE ELL POPULATION, AND WE'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS. THERE'S ABOUT 30 OF US IN THAT FORUM. WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET AN
140INVITE. I WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD, TOO, EACH BOARD MEMBER FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE RENOVATION OF THE TURKEY CREEK MULTIPURPOSE BUILDING DEDICATED FOR AGRICULTURAL CLASSES AND FOR GETTING THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING UP TO CODE. I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW IT TOOK TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY, THE ONE ON ONE. I ALSO WANT TO LEND MY APPRECIATION AND RESPECT TO THOSE PARTNERS OF OURS IN THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY. SINCE MY MEMORY IS NOT GOING TO LET ME LIST THEM ALL, I'LL GO AND LIST THEM FROM THE PHONE. SO WE HAD THE FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, KYLE ROBINSON, SOME OF YOU MIGHT KNOW HIM. FLORIDA STRAWBERRY GROWERS ASSOCIATION, KEN PARKER. THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF CARDIOLOGY EDUCATORS. FARRAH JOHNSON. THE FLORIDA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION, JEB SMITH, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FARM BUREAU, KAYLIE. GREATER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION, SUSAN HOLCOMBE AND THE FLORIDA
141STATE FAIR AUTHORITY, SHERYL FLOOD. ASTON FARMS, SAM THE THIRD. COUNTY COMMISSIONER CHRISTINE MILLER, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. FANCY FARMS, WISH FARMS. WE HAVE ALSO A LETTER, VERY EMBLEMATIC OF THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE TO THE SOUTH COUNTY, SOUTHEAST COUNTY. I GREW UP IN THAT AREA OF THE RUSKIN. USED TO PICK TOMATOES, BUT NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART WAS EARLY J. LENNARD, ONE OF MY TEACHERS. I DO HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY AND CONCENTRATION IN THIS AREA. WHAT AGRICULTURAL COMMISSIONER SIMPSON WROTE, HE SAYS I UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL'S CURRENT AGRICULTURE BUILDING IS OFF CAMPUS AND NOT UP TO CODE, PRESENTING BOTH LOGISTICAL AND SAFETY CHALLENGES. HOWEVER, RENOVATING THE TWO STORY BUILDING WOULD NOT ONLY REMEDY THE ISSUES BUT ALSO PLACE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AT THE HEART OF THE CAMPUS, SYMBOLICALLY AND PRACTICALLY. WE HAVE A LOT
142OF STRONG COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS I READ, AND THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THEM. CERTAINLY, THERE ARE SCORES OF OTHERS. I WANTED TO JUST JUMP SUBJECTS. I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB ANN MARIE COURTNEY DID PUTTING THE EXCELLENCE IN AWARDS. IT WAS MAGNIFICENT. TO YOUR COMMENTS, MEMBER VAUGHN, YES, IT WAS LIKE A REGULAR AWARD ACADEMY. IT GETS BETTER EVERY YEAR. KUDOS TO HER AND HER STAFF. I WANTED TO ALSO -- WE HAVE A LITTLE VIDEO. ACTUALLY, WE SHOULD HAVE MORE VIDEOS, BUT JUST LET'S DO THE ONE WITH DINA MARSHALL, THE ONE WITH THE WELL-BEING. LET ME GO AHEAD AND SAY SOMETHING FIRST AND THEN YOU SHOW. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WELL-BEING SPOTLIGHT AWARDS GIVEN TO BURNS MIDDLE SCHOOL BY OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL WELL-BEING DIRECTOR DINA MARSHALL ON BEHALF OF OUR HILLSBOROUGH
143HEALTHY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE AND MAYOR CASTOR'S TAMPA WELL. MEET AMBER AND THEN WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER AWARD FOR BURNS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT NUTRITION MANAGER WHO DOES A WALK AND TALK WITH HER EMPLOYEES EVERY WEDNESDAY, AND OUR STUDENT WINNER IS BOOKMAN, A BIG TIME COACH AND MENTOR FOR THOSE STUDENTS ASPIRING TO BE PART OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. AND WHAT HAPPENS NOW, WE HAD A FEW HUNDRED FOLKS COME OUT FOR THAT HEALTH WALK OF ALL AGES AND STAFF MEMBERS, THANK YOU, SHAY McRAE AND TRACY SCHATZBERG FOR A LOT OF THAT SUPPORT. AT ANY RATE, WE ARE NOW GETTING MONEY, WE HAVE STAY-CATIONS FROM REALLY NICE PLACES TO GIVE TO OUR FACULTY MEMBERS AND TO OUR STUDENTS. SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP OF TAMPA WELL, TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL, AND, OF COURSE, OUR ONE AND ONLY DINA MARSHALL
144FROM OUR AETNA GROUP WHO SUPPORTS THIS. SO THAT'S ALL THE TIME I HAVE. I'M GOING TO STOP RIGHT NOW. THANKS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M GOING TO KIND OF ADD TO EVERYTHING THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. LAST WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK AND WELCOME, ACTUALLY GIVE WELCOMING REMARKS TO LEADERSHIP TAMPA BAY AT ADUM K-8. PRINCIPAL WEAVER WAS KIND ENOUGH TO HOST US. WE PROVIDED THEM WITH BREAKFAST. BUSINESS LEADERS THAT ARE IN THIS PROGRAM GOT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TOUR THE SCHOOL. SO THAT WAS A FUN MORNING. I ALSO SPENT AN AFTERNOON AT THE JUROR ACHIEVEMENT AND POWER HER EVENT AT EMBARK COLLECTIVE, WHERE THEY BROUGHT IN THE
145GIRLS THAT ARE IN THE 3DE PROGRAM IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS PINELLAS COUNTY. THE GIRLS GOT TO PITCH THEIR BUSINESSES IN SMALL GROUP AND THEN GO UP ON THE STAGE AND PITCH TO THE LARGER GROUP. AND THEY WERE PHENOMENAL. THE CONFIDENCE THAT THESE YOUNG GIRLS HAVE, OH, MY GOSH, VERY IMPRESSIVE. THEN I SPENT AN EVENING CELEBRATING BOTH THE USF PRESIDENT AND OUR WONDERFUL TAMPA BAY. WE CELEBRATED PRESIDENTRRHEA LAW'S SERVICE TO MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE. SHE WON -- AWARDED THE TAMPA BAY TROPHY FOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WORK USF DOES WITH OUR VETERANS AND WITH MacDILL. AND AT THE SAME EVENT, WE ALSO PRESENTED THE MAYOR WITH THE ABILENE TROPHY. AND THAT TROPHY IS A TOP NATIONAL AWARD THAT WE WON FOR THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT WE GIVE TO MacDILL, WHICH IS AN
146AIR MOBILITY COMMAND BASE. SO BOTH OF THESE AWARDS WERE VERY SPECIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTED AND SHOWED THE STRENGTH OF SUPPORT BOTH AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY FOR MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE AND THE FAMILIES THAT SERVE OUR COUNTRY. IT'S A VERY MEANINGFUL NIGHT FOR ME PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY. LOVED ATTENDING THE WINTER BREAK CHALLENGE THIS MORNING AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. THE MEDIA SPECIALIST WAS SO EXCITED AND A LOT OF HER STUDENTS WERE IN THE SCHOOL LIBRARY, WHICH LOOKED PHENOMENAL, BY THE WAY. IT HAD A BIG REFRESH. AND THEY WERE EXCITED BECAUSE THEY PLANNED ON USING THIS MONEY TO PURCHASE BOOKS FOR THEIR BOOK CLUB. SO THAT WAS REALLY GREAT AND FUN. I REALLY THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING LITERACY AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. I
147JUST WANT US TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY AT EVERY LEVEL OF OUR ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IT IS REALLY THE FOUNDATION FOR NOT ONLY CHILDREN SUCCESS WHILE THEY ARE IN PRE-K-12 BUT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. WITHOUT THAT FOUNDATION OF BEING STRONG IN READING AND LITERACY IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR THEIR SUCCESS AND MEETING THEIR GOALS AND DREAMS. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I APPRECIATE THE BEAN. I ALSO WANT TO THANK HEFF AND EMERY COURTNEY FOR ALL THE WORK IN THE EXCELLENCE FOR EDUCATION AWARDS. THEY ARE JUST -- IT'S AN AMAZING EVENING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF THEM THIS YEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXCITING YEAR FOR THEM. ANYWAY, THANK YOU. Karen Perez:
148THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. EVERYBODY HAS SHOWN ALL THE PICTURES. I HAVE NO PICTURES TO SHOW. BUT I DO WANT TO THANK -- ANN MARIE AND SHERRY, BUT I GOT TO REALLY POINT OUT SHERRY. SHE WAS ON THOSE FLOATS. SHE WAS WITH US IN THE PARADES. SHE WAS REALLY A BIG SUPPORT FOR US IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. SHE REALLY HAS BEEN. AND ANN MARIE, HEF, AND SHERRY, WITH THAT EXCELLENCE OF EDUCATION. BUT SUPERINTENDENT, OUR STUDENTS, OUR CULINARY STUDENTS WERE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I WANT TO RAISE MY VOICE FOR OUR TEACHERS, OUR CULINARY TEACHERS THAT WERE THERE SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AS WELL. THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH OUR STUDENTS EVERY YEAR. I WAS SPEAKING TO A STUDENT WHO WAS TELLING ME WHAT THE CULINARY CLASS DOES FOR HER. AND SHE GOES HOME, AND SHE COOKS FOR
149HER FAMILY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT GIVES HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH SOMETHING TO HER TWO SISTERS. ONE DAY HER MOM SENT ME A PICTURE OF THE THREE OF THEM IN THE KITCHEN COOKING. IT JUST DOESN'T LIFT OUR STUDENTS, BUT IT LIFTS THEIR FAMILIES. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO OUR CULINARY TEACHERS AS WELL. BUT I WANT TO REALLY ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT. WITH THE ATOSS PROGRAM AND THE CONCERNS. THERE WERE SEVERAL SPEAKERS HERE TONIGHT THAT EXPRESSED BIG CONCERNS. AND SOMETHING THAT I HAD EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT AS WELL WITH THIS ATOSS. IF YOU RECALL, I EXPRESSED SIMILAR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS ATOSS PROGRAM. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT HEARING OFFICERS WERE ASSIGNED TO STUDENTS TO AN ATOSS 2 PROGRAM. I'M GOING TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS PUBLICLY AND I WOULD JUST LIKE YOUR STAFF TO
150RESPOND TO THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW I DON'T HAVE TIME. WHAT IS THE ROLL OF THE TRANSITION COORDINATORS WHILE THEY ARE AT THESE HEARINGS? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE HEARINGS? AND WHO MONITORS AND GUIDES THE WORK OF THE TRANSITION COORDINATOR? I NEED THAT ANSWER. AND THEN ALSO, WHEN DID THEY START? I KNOW THEY WERE PROMOTING THE ATOSS 2 PROGRAM, BUT WHEN DID THE STUDENTS START GOING TO ATOSS. I NEED TO KNOW THAT AS WELL. I UNDERSTAND THAT ATOSS IS FROM ONE TO FIVE DAYS, BUT HOW LONG ARE THE STUDENTS REALLY ASSIGNED TO ATOSS PROGRAMS, BECAUSE I KEEP HEARING TEN DAYS, MORE THAN TEN DAYS. I KEEP HEARING THIS. ALSO, WHAT ARE THE -- WHEN ADDISON DAVIS WAS HERE, AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK IN THE SCHOOLS, REALLY CLEANING
151UP THE SCHOOLS, DOING A LOT OF WORK, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING DISPARITIES IN THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC MEASURES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS THOSE DISPARITIES? HOW DO WE MEASURE? I KNOW A LOT CAME TO LIGHT DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE REALLY SAW THOSE DISPARITIES COME TO THE SURFACE DURING THE PANDEMIC. WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE TO BUILD THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN THE GAPS, FROM THE SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE THAT EQUITY FOR THOSE SCHOOLS, AND HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING THOSE TEACHERS IN THOSE SCHOOLS. I KNOW WE HAVE HEF IN PLACE, BUT WHAT OTHER MEANS ARE WE DOING. Van Ayres: I APPRECIATE THOSE QUESTIONS. WE'LL GET ALL THAT BACK TO YOU. THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE DONE TREMENDOUS WORK AND HAVE TREMENDOUS DATA TO SUPPORT, THE REDUCTION IN DISPARITIES
152AMONGST OUR SUBGROUPS. VERY HAPPY TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE ENTIRE BOARD. MR. GRAVES WILL GET THAT OUT. BUT, YEAH, WE WILL GET EVERY ANSWER TO EVERY QUESTION TO YOU BECAUSE WE'RE PROUD TO SHARE SOME OF THE DATA WE HAVE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE DISTRICT. Karen Perez: FABULOUS. NOW THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT, HOW ARE WE MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SUPPORT? WITH THAT SAID AND SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.