05/09/2023 - Regular Meeting

001Nadia Combs: HI, I AM NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WELCOME TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 00,000 STUDENTS THAT INCLUDE STUDENTS IN PRESCHOOL AND ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORK FORCE PROGRAM. Henry "Shake" Washington: I AM HENRY "SHAKE" WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS SEVENTH LARGEST IN AMERICA AND MADE OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM AT SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT THEY DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE

002FROM HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32. MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCAST AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE WILL 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 WEB SITE, THE HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES. TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING MAY 9, 2023 IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER

003WASHINGTON WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] THANK YOU, YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: MEMBER WASHINGTON, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE TAMPA PALMS SPRING ORCHESTRA ALONG WITH BAND DIRECTOR STORY BURNHART AND PRINCIPAL ANGELA GLUTH, THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS POINT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. I AM VU. I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND IN THE 5th GRADE. TREY, I AM IN THE FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN.

004I AM BRYSON VIZZI, I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM ARNOLD AND IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM ZACHARY, IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM ZECHARIAH. I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND I AM ALSO THE PROUD SON OF MEMBER VAUGHN. Henry "Shake" Washington: ALL RIGHT, WHOO! I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS MIA. I AM IN FIFTH GRADE. AND IPLAY PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS DANIELLA, IN THE FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY VIOLIN. I AM DEE AND I AM IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AMMA ADRIENNE AND I PLAY VIOLA. I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE

005VIOLIN. MY NAME IS EVAN. I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE CELLO. ALSO, I AM THE -- I AM THE SON OF THE CONDUCTOR OF -- OF THE -- THIS GROUP, MRS. BURNHART. Henry "Shake" Washington: GOOD JOB. Nadia Combs: I LOVE IT. MY NAME IS OLIVIA IN THE FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM IN FOURTH GRADE. MY NAME IS SHANE AND I PLAY THE CELLO. MY NAME IS PRIJA, I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS MARIANNA AND I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS BRYCE, I AM IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. I AM RASHAWN IN FIFTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. MY NAME IS RYAN AND I AM IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY

006THE DRUMS. MY NAME IS MRS. BURNHART AND THE VERY PROUD MUSIC TEACHER OF THESE STUDENTS, WONDERFUL STUDENTS. Henry "Shake" Washington: GREAT JOB, STUDENTS. Nadia Combs: PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE A PICTURE. Henry "Shake" Washington: PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. AND WE LOVE THOSE T-SHIRTS. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE. WOULDN'T YOU THINK SO, BOARD MEMBERS? ALL RIGHT. Nadia Combs: DO YOU GUYS WANT TO STAND? Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY. Nadia Combs: ALL THESE PROUD CHILDREN. Addison Davis: EVERYBODY SMILE. ONE, TWO, THREE. HOLD THAT POSE. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR DRUMMER, YOU WANT TO LEAD US UP. THANK YOU. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MISS LISI FOR BRINGING ALL THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR AND

007LETTING US LISTEN TO THEIR BEAUTIFUL MUSIC. GREAT JOB. WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWN ITEM F TO 01 PUBLIC AMERICA FOR RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES. A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS A. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT TODAY. WE HAVE FOUR SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. MARCH 28, 2023, SPECIAL CALLED. APRIL 24 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. APRIL 11, SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING, APRIL 18, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS A. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A

008NONPARTISAN BOARD THAT ALL CHILDREN WILL BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND THAT DECISIONS MADE ABOUT THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR 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 FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU CAN GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM 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, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE USED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE

009ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN WHICH IS 6:00 AND EMPLOYEE INPUT. I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE BOARD'S GUIDELINES. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS, WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED OF THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE RIGHT OF THE ABOUT PUBLIC'S SPEAKING TO THE BOARD AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME BEING HERE. IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBERS OR STAFF MEMBER, BUT RATHER TO IT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR TO DISRUPT THIS MEETING IS NOT ALLOWED. ALL CIVILITY POLICIES IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESS THE BOARD, STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE. EACH SPEAK WILL

010HAVE TWO MINUTES. TWO MINUTES WHEN YOU START SPEAKING. 30 SECONDS LEFT, A YELLOW LIGHT AND RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS OUT. I WILL CALL UP THE FIRST SPEAKERS -- FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL. FIRST SPEAKER ONE, PLEASE. I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN SOMEONE DONATE THEIR TIME TO SPEAK? Nadia Combs: NO. THANK YOU. PLEASE BEGIN. HI, MY NAME IS DANIELLE IKEMAN AND I STAND HERE WITH MY WONDERFUL FELLOW INITIATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS. AND WE ARE JUST HERE TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR EACH OF YOU. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO KNOW EACH OF YOU OVER THE PAST YEAR, HAVE PHONE CALLS, MEET WITH YOU PERSONALLY. WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT

011TRANSITIONING CARROLLWOOD TO A K-8 IS THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT THING TO DO TO KEEP OUR KIDS FLOURISHING. ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR VOTING YES LAST MEETING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER YES VOTE TONIGHT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS STANLEY GRAY AND I REPRESENT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AFTER OUR LAST MEETING I VOTED TO BOARD MEMBERS. ONE NEVER RESPONDED. ONE WROTE SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO TALK TO ME AND DIDN'T LIKE THE TONE OF MY REQUEST. ONE DENIED WHEN ASKED FOR VIRTUAL MEETING. ONE SET UP UP A MEETING ON 5-8-23 AND ENDED UP NOT DOING THE MEETING AND WE TALKED ON THE PHONE. I AM NOT FROM TAMPA AND I HAVE NO TIES TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THE SCHOOL IS

012NAMED AFTER ONE OF MY FRATERNITY'S FOUNDING FATHERS. IT IS JUST ANOTHER SCHOOL TO ME. MY PROVERBIAL BONE TO PICK I AM ALL ABOUT EQUITY. I SEE FOR IT TO BE EXECUTED AND BEING TRAMPLED. EQUITY HAS NO SHADES OF GREY. AS THEY SAY IN RANGERS SCHOOL, ONE OF OUR NATION'S BEST LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS, IT IS A GO OR NO GO. I LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW ON THE RADIO ON OR ABOUT APRIL 19 AFTER THE LAST BOARD MEETING WITH MR. DAVIS. I HEARD HIM RESPOND WITH HIS INTENTION WITH THE CLOSING THAT HE HAD NO DEFINITE PLANS FOR THE BUILDING OR PROPERTY THAT WAS THOUGHT VACATED. 37 THE DISPOSITION OF THE SCHOOL NOT DICTATED BY STATE STATUTE. I DISTINCT TICKETSILY HEARD HIM SAY THE WORD MAYBE. I DOUBT THAT SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS GOT TO WHERE HE IS WITHOUT PLANNING THE

013ACTIONS OF WHAT HE INITIATED THE CLOSING OF GEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE MY WHOLE STATEMENT, BUT I SHARE THE FEELING THIS PROPOSED ACTION IS NOT ABOUT KIDS. EFFORTS BY THE PRINCIPAL TO GAIN PARENTAL SUPPORT ARE NOT EVIDENCED. EFFORTS BY THE PRINCIPAL TO GAIN COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR EITHER SETTING UP INFORMAL OR FORMAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL ARE NOT EVIDENCE. PURELY A NUMBERS GAME. WHY WASN'T IT CONSIDERED TO BE A ONE THROUGH EIGHT LIKE TINKER AND CARROLLWOOD. WHY WEREN'T THE ALLOCATED TITLE I FUNDS WHICH IS $194,000 -- Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ALVIN HAMILTON AND THE REASON WHY I'M HERE TO SPEAK TODAY BECAUSE I AM A GRADUATE OF GEST HIGH SCHOOL. YEARS AGO BACK IN THE 60s DURING SEGREGATION. THE FUNDAMENTAL SCHOOL SENDING KIDS

014TO BLAKE. FROM THERE WE WENT ON TO COLLEGE. NOW THAT WE ARE GOING TO DESTROY THAT, WHAT ARE THE KIDS GOING TO DO. I STOPPED BY WHEN THE KIDS WERE GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL AND LOOKING AT THE FACES OF THESE KIDS TO BE MOVED TO ANOTHER AREA -- AND I DON'T THINK IT IS BECAUSE THE LAND LAND IS SO VALUABLE. BUT I LOOKED BEHIND, AND THERE ARE ACRES OF LAND BACK THERE TO BE DEVELOPED. AND WHY DO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO DO IT AT THE PRICE OF OUR KIDS. WE COULD FIND A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS THAN CLOSING UP A SCHOOL. AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL COME UP WITH A BETTER DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MY NAME IS KJ ALLEN AND I WANTED TO STOP IN BECAUSE I AM

015A FORMER EDUCATOR. I TAUGHT SCHOOL IN VIRGINIA AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL. I TAUGHT ON EVERY LEVEL FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 12th. I MOVED DOWN HERE IN 2019, I CAME UNDER THE ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM. WE WERE INCENTIVIZED TO TEACH IN THE SCHOOLS. AND JUST HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND SEEING THAT THE -- THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SCHOOLS HAVE THAT F GRADES AND D GRADES AND C GRADES AND SEEING THEM MAKE THE JUMP. I FEEL LIKE ENTIRELY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY ARE STRUGGLING ACROSS THE BOARD. AND I HONESTLY FEEL THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WE CAN REALLY GET DOWN TO THIS GENERATION OF STUDENTS BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE WHEN IT COMES TO BOOKS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THIS IS A NEW GENERATION. WE NEED TO START OF WAYS OF

016EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING, MORE HANDS-ON, MORE STEM, NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, PRODUCE HIGH-LEVEL TEST GRADES BUT THE ONES AT THE BOOT TOMORROW OF THE PERCENTILE AS WELL. AND AS YOU HAVE SEEN, YOU PUT STUFF -- LET ME TAKE A SECOND. STUDENTS ARE NATURALLY INQUISITIVE. YOU PUT SOMETHING IN FRONT OF THEM, THEY WILL FIGURE IT OUT BUT YOU NEED TO SPARK THAT CURIOSITY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN YOU HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE UNDERSTAFFED AND THEN THE STUDENTS ARE UNDERPERFORMING, WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE RETENTION RATE IN A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS IS TERRIBLE. I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAD NEW PRINCIPALS. I HAVE BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAD -- WE BROUGHT IN SUBS WHETHER IT BE THROUGH KELLY SERVICES. AND THE SUBSTITUTE QUITS. NO ONE WILL STAND

017FOR IT. ALREADY HARD ENOUGH IN FLORIDA. ALREADY HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE A LIVING. WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR TIME, GIVING UP ON EDUCATION, IT REALLY -- YOU REALLY HAVE TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THE FACT WHAT YOU ARE DOING. IF IT TAKES ANOTHER PLAN, ANOTHER OPTION -- I AM RUNNING OUT OF TIME AT THIS POINT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. TELL ME WHEN IT IS TIME. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE MOST HIGH, I AM PASTOR TUCKER JOHNSON. I WAS DISTURBED OR DISMAYED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING WHEN YOU ALL VOTED. I WANT TO LEAVE A FEW NOTES. THIS WAS QUOTED FROM ONE OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS. WE KNOW OUR HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE THAT IF WE DON'T GET THEM UNDER CONTROL AND GET THEM INTO A PASSING STATE

018BY THE TIME THEY ARE IN FIFTH GRADE, IT IS A DOWNHILL SPIRAL FROM THERE AND IT KEEPS ROLLING. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS IN THAT PARTICULAR NATURE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THIS CONTROL WOULD INCLUDE THE NARRATIVE THAT THOSE WHO WROTE -- VOTED WITH THIS -- WITH THIS BOARD MEMBER. WHEN YOU MOVE AN INDIVIDUAL FROM THEIR CORE COMMUNITY WITH THE CONTROL OF SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE YOU, YOU CHANGE THE ALGORITHM OF THE DATA TO ACCOMPLISH CUTTING THE UMBILICAL CORD THAT ACTUALLY FEEDS YOU. I WILL ENDS WITH THIS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH TIME. I WILL CALL TO THOSE WHO STAND WITH US, REMEMBER THIS. WHEN THEY CUT THE CORD, THEY WRAP YOU IN A BLANK WHICH IS CALLED BLANKET. THEY REWRITE YOUR HISTORY AND GIVE THEMSELVES

019TOP RANK. YOU BUILD THE COMMUNITY. THEY GIVE YOU A LITTLE CLOUT. THEY TAKE CONTROL AND THEY MOVE YOU OUT. THEY ARE THE LITTLE RED RIDING THE HOOD OVER THE BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS WHERE OUR ANCESTORS STHOOD. TO THE COMMUNITY, BE STRONG. BECAUSE JUST LIKE THE DUST, IT MAY SEEM LONG, BUT THE JUST WILL RISE. AND I WANT TO THANK KAREN PEREZ, SHAKE WASHINGTON, JESSICA VAUGHN AND ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE, REMEMBER, YOU ALL WERE SELECTED TO BE OUR VOICE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. AMEN. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS PHILLIP TUCKER III. I AM 12 YEARS OLD. AND I ATTEND YOUNG MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF ONE WORD, THAT WORD IS "CONNECTION." I AM SPEAKING TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE TODAY

020WITH THE PASSION TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY. MANY OF YOU ARE HERE TO SHARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND YOUR INDIVIDUAL CONNECTIONS WITH JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BUT WHAT I DO UNDERSTAND IS WHY YOU ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR CONNECTION. YOU SEE, I HAD A MOTHER. SHE PASSED. I HAD A GRANDFATHER ON MY FATHER'S SIDE. HE PASSED. THOSE PEOPLE MADE UP MY COMMUNITY. WHEN I LOST THAT CONNECTION, I FELT LIKE I LOST A PIECE OF ME. I HEAR TEACHERS SAY ALL THE TIME, AND I QUOTE "IF I CAN SAVE AT LEAST ONE STUDENT, THEN I HAVE DONE MY JOB." WELL, HOW ABOUT SAVING 284. IF ALL 284 STUDENTS --. -- IF ALL 284 STUDENTS CAN SAVE AT LEAST ONE EACH, THAT IS 568. SCHOOL IS

021ABOUT BEING A PART OF A COMMUNITY. IT IS ABOUT MAKING CONNECTIONS. WHEN YOU CUT THE CONNECTION, THE LINE GOES DEAD. THIS IS NOT ABOUT AN OUTSIDE BUS. TO CONNECT US TO ANOTHER LINE OUTSIDE OF OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS ABOUT UNSCRAMBLING THE WORD BUS, MAKE GOING A USB LINE TO CONNECT TO OUR HEART. MAKING IT A HEART LINE -- TO CONNECT TO OUR BLOOD. MAKING BLOOD LINE WHICH MAKES IT THEN A DEFINING LINE. WHICH MAKES IT A BOTTOM LINE WHICH MAKES IT A ROUTE. AND THE ROUTE CONNECTS TO THE BOTTOM LINE THAT YOU SHOULD NOT CROSS. AND THAT IS THE BOUNDARY LINE. SAVE THE LINE. AND YOU SAVE THE COMMUNITY. YOU SAVE THE JUST Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE SPEAKERS 7-12 LINE-UP. GOOD AFTERNOON EDWIN COSTA, I AM THE LATINO AMERICAN STANDING WITH MY

022BLACK AND BROWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS WITH A PLEA TO SAVE JUST ELEMENTARY. I COME FROM WEST TAMPA AND MOVED TO EAST TAMPA AS A 8th GRADER ATTENDING MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL. I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTION WITH THE ROOTS, BUT WHEN YOU ARE THE MINORITY, THERE ARE CERTAIN WORDS THAT BECOME FAMILIAR NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE. WORDS LIKE STEAL AND OPPRESSION. CAN SOMEBODY TELL ME DOES THE OPPRESSION AND STEALING STOP? WORDS LIKE FIGHT. AND YOU WONDER WHY THERE IS SO MUCH GUN VIOLENCE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT EXAMINED THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. IT IS SYSTEMIC AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN TO SHUT DOWN AND SHUT UP A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT LOOK JUST LIKE ME. IT IS CALLED SELF-ESTEEM WHICH IS TIED TO MENTAL HEALTH. THERE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN A TIME IN

023THIS WORLD THAT PEOPLE NEED TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. I COME TO LET MY VOICE BE HEARD AND TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON CONTINUOUS OPPRESSION SYSTEMATICALLY PUT IN PLACE FOR THOSE WHO THINK THEY HAVE THE EDUCATION FOR MY GROWTH. WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR LAND? OPPRESSION AND STOLEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILIES? OPPRESSION AND STOLEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR MUSIC? OPPRESSION AND STOLEN. NOW WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR SCHOOLS? OPPRESSION AND STOLEN. STILL IN BONDAGE AND THE FIGHT CONTINUES. I AM BROWN WITH ROOTS. THE UNITY WHEREVER MY COMMUNITY GOES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT, STRENGTHEN OUR BANDS. WE JUST OPEN. OPPRESSION MUST CEASE. WHETHER IT IS JUST OR NO JUST, THERE WILL BE NO PEACE BECAUSE WE WILL RISE. I AM EDWIN COSTA, AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE. Nadia Combs:

024THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DEACON RON OF BAPTIST INSTITUTE CHURCH AND RETIRED OUT OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY MASTER SERGEANT E 8. I SPEAK FOR THE CHILDREN AND I HAD OPPORTUNITY SEVERAL TIMES TO GO TO JUST ELEMENTARY AND SEE THE HAPPINESS OF CHILDREN THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE 37. WHEN WE ARE TALKING OF RESOURCES, WE LOOK AT SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. 100% OF THEM ARE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. MY PARENTS DIDN'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION. THEY MADE SURE I LEARNED HOW TO READ AND WRITE. I WOULD NOT HAVE SPENT 22 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY WITHOUT THAT LEADERSHIP OF THIS BEING ABLE TO ENCOURAGE ME TO MOVE FROM AN E 1 AND RETIRE AS A E. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND HUMBLED TO THAT. I WILL ASK THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THESE

025CHILDREN. MY DAUGHTER WORKS FOR TIK TOK. SHE WENT TO -- SHE WENT TO LETO HIGH SCHOOL. GRADUATED FROM FLORIDA GULF COAST. HOWARD UNIVERSITY. SEVEN YEARS IN THE NFL AND I AM HUMBLED WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE TELL YOU CAN'T DO, AND YOU PUT THE TRUST IN THE LORD AND HE WILL HELP GUIDE YOU. THIS IS ABOUT THE CHILDREN. SO I AM ASKING THAT WE MAKE A -- PRAY ABOUT THIS AND THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES, RESOURCES. 100% OF SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS THAT CAN GO OTHER PLACES AND BE IN BETTER SITUATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTS, THAT IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MADAM CHAIRPERSON, HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS, MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH. AND FROM THE

026WEST TAMPA CAC. I AM ALSO THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE CENTER FOR NONPROFIT AND A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE NATION. MADAM CHAIRPERSON, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT IN AS PART OF A PRESENTATION. THE WEST TAMPA CAC COMES WITH A PUBLIC-PRIVATE DEAL TO SAVE JUST ELEMENTARY. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD FROM A SHOW THAT IS CALLED "LIVING IN COLOR." AND THE THEME THAT CAME UP IN "LIVING IN COLOR" IS HOMEY DON'T PLAY THAT. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR KIDS, WE DON'T PLAY. WE COME AS YOU SEE HERE. BUT THAT IS ONLY PART OF IT. WE ALSO BRING MONEY. AND THE CDC, WE ARE ABLE TO BRING IN DOLLARS THAT THE SCHOOL CAN'T BRING IN OR OTHER ENTITIES BECAUSE WE ARE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. WE HAVE A SPECIAL STATUS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

027MEANING WE GET SPECIAL PRIORITY IN TERMS OF BRINGING MONEY INTO THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR COMMITMENT IS TO TRAIN AT LEAST TWO TO THREE GRANT WRITERS WHOSE OWN PURPOSE WAS TO BRING MONEY INTO JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO WORK WITH WHAT IS KNOWN AS COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT. THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT WHENEVER A DEVELOPMENT OCCURS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE COMMUNITY WILL GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT MONEY TOWARD A JUST CAUSE. IN THIS WAY JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE BRING TO THE TABLE BEST PRACTICES. ALL ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED. WE BRING THE SCHOOL ZONE IN NEW YORK, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY BUILDING AND PARTNERSHIP. BOTH OF THESE INITIATIVES SHOW THAT WHEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MIXED WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE BRING IN ADDITIONAL DOLLARS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT

028PERSON -- Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM SORRY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. SPEAKER NUMBER 9. MISS JONES. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DEP HINE JONES. WHEN I WALK UP HERE, I FEEL THE WORD "BIAS." A GROUP UP HERE SAID THANK YOU FOR VOTING YES. SO IT IS YOUR DUTY TO VOTE YES FOR JUST ALSO. OUR CHILDREN IS IN OUR COMMUNITY. A COMMUNITY THAT WE WORK HARD TO MAINTAIN. I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS EFFORT FOR 28 YEARS WITH NO REST. THEY DESERVE WHAT EVERY OTHER SCHOOL DESERVE. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAME THE LAST TIME, OFFERED TO STEP IN AND TAKE OVER -- I THINK IT WAS SOME FRAT BROTHERS -- WHATEVER -- YOU KNOW WHAT WE CALL THEM. OUR FRAT BROTHERS, OMEGA. ROCKY. THEY OFFERED TO

029STEP IN. IF ANYTHING IS MORE VITAL THAN A MAN STEPPING IN TO HELP STUDENTS, A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS DON'T HAVE FATHERS. THAT IS A FATHER FIGURE. SO WHOEVER VOTED NO, IT IS TIME TO STEP UP AND VOTE YES Nadia Combs: SPEAKERS 13-17, PLEASE LINE UP. NEXT, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS LEE RAINER. I AM NEW TO THE TAMPA, FLORIDA AREA. I AM FROM HENRY "SHAKE" WASHINGTON -- I AM FROM THE WASHINGTON DC AREA. I HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND I NEVER BEEN IN A CITY WHERE I CHOSE THE SCHOOL WHERE CHILDREN ATTEND. I WANTED TO COVER A COUPLE OF THINGS. I AM NOT SPEAKING TONIGHT BECAUSE I HAVE KIDS OR RELATIVES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ATTENDING THIS SCHOOL. IT IS NOT FOR ANY PERSONAL OR FINANCIAL

030GAIN ON MY PART. AND ALSO NOT TO ARGUE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF REDEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, BECAUSE AS I SEE, THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER AREAS IN TAMPA THAT COULD BE REDEVELOPED INTO A MORE GENEROUS AND PROSPEROUS AREAS. MY REASONS FOR SPEAKING TONIGHT IS I FEEL IT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY WRONG TO CLOSE A SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS ATTEND TO GET AN EDUCATION. NOBODY CLOSED THE SCHOOL THAT I ATTENDED. NOBODY EVER TALKED OF CLOSING A SCHOOL THAT I ATTENDED. AND I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD IN THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT THERE WAS SCHOOLS BEING CLOSED IN CHINA AND RUSH SHAH AND KOREA OR PLACES OF THAT NATURE ONLY IN AMERICA. SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED IN AMERICA. THEY SHOULD BE FUNDED. TEACHERS SHOULD BE PAID AND STUDENTS, YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN NEED TO

031GO TO SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW TO BECOME PROSPEROUS IN THEIR LIVES. CLOSING EDUCATIONAL FACILITY FOR POLITICAL GAIN IS WRONG. CLOSING AN EDUCATIONAL FACILITY FOR ANY REASON IS WRONG. I LOOKED AROUND THIS ROOM, AND I SAW PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. HOW ASK CAN CAN YOU DO THAT WHEN YOU CLOSE A SCHOOL? WHAT LIFE? PROSPEROUS LIFE IS WHAT WE WANT TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR. LET'S REWRITE THAT AND SAY PREPARING STUDENTS FOR A PROSPEROUS AND COURAGEOUS LIFE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, ADMINISTRATION. MY NAME IS FRED AMERICANS. I AM A MEMBER OF THE OMEG OMEGA SI PHI WITH ALL OF THE OMEGA MEN. PLEASE STAND HERE WITH ME AS I JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION WITH YOU. I BROUGHT WITH ME A BOOK

032THAT IS TITLED "THE BEST OF THAT WORLD." THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN 2006 BY DR. BARBARA SURECLIFF AND TALKS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN 1971 WHEN GEORGE S. MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL AND HOWARD W. BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL WAS PULLED FROM THE STUDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND REDUCED DOWN TO 7th AND 8th AND 9th GRADE CENTERS. THAT WAS TRAUMA. THAT MANY OF US STILL FEEL TODAY. ALL THESE YEARS LATER. AND HERE WE ARE 52 YEARS LATER, AND NOW WE ARE TALKING OF CLOSING EARNEST JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. DR. EARNEST JUST, A BRILLIANT SCHOLAR. A MAN WHO GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITIES AND DID WORK OVERSEAS BECAUSE HE COULD NOT GET A JOB AT A MAJOR UNIVERSITY IN THE UNITED STATES. HE COULD ONLY WORK AT HBCUs AND THAT WAS A GOOD THING BECAUSE OUR BLACK STUDENTS BENEFITED,

033BUT WHAT THIS BOOK SAYS, IN SUMMARY, IT IS A MAJOR THEME FOCUSING ON THE POWER OF WHITE PRIVILEGE, HOW IT IS SHAPING POLICIES REPORTED DESIGNED TO EXTEND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN. DRAWING ON CRITICAL RACE THEORY, THE BOOK EXPOSES HOW DESEGREGATION POLICY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS. IT WAS TRUE IN 1971. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE TRUE TODAY. THIS IS A LEGACY THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH, HOW YOU VOTE TODAY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JENNETTE HORSESMITH. THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR CORNERSTONE FAMILY MINISTRIES. THE LAST TIME HE SPOKE FOR YOU I SAID I SPOKE TO 65 ZERO TO FIVE-YEAR-OLDS. I SPEAK 536 SIGNATURES ON THE PETITION THAT YOU JUST RECEIVED. AS THE AUTHOR OF THAT PETITION, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I SAY

034THIS VERY CLEARLY, THERE ARE SOME VERY CLEAR STRATEGIES THAT I THINK YOU ALL AS A EDUCATORS FAILED TO CONSIDER, AT LEAST THOSE THAT DID NOT VOTE NO. ONE, KEEPING A SCHOOL OPEN AS A SCHOOL IS CRITICAL. BECAUSE WHAT WE UNDERSTAND BY LAW, IF YOU REPURPOSE THAT BUILDING IT MAKES IT VULNERABLE FOR SELLING. THAT'S WHY, MR. SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THAT IS NOT AN OPTION. ALSO, WE THINK THAT YOU ALL NEED TO INCREASE THE TRANSPARENCY AROUND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AROUND DECISION MAKING. BY DEVELOPING A PRESENT PLAN TO RECALL RECENT TEACHER TRANSFERS THAT WERE RECENTLY DONE BY TEACHERS AT JUST ELEMENTARY BEFORE THE VOTE HAPPENED. WHY ARE THEY TRANSFERRING OUT? IS THAT IS AN ALARM. WE THINK YOU NEED TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN TO RECRUIT MORE QUALIFIED TEACHERS. BEING INTENTIONAL AROUND ENGAGING COLLEGES AND

035UNIVERSITIES SPECIFICALLY HBCUs AND ENCOURAGING THEIR GRADUATES TO TEACH AT JUST ELEMENTARY. PARTNER WITH PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE TEACHER INCENTIVE STRUCTURE SO IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CURRENT NEEDS OF JUST ELEMENTARY. SO WE WANT TO ASK THAT A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD TONIGHT PUTS A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO EXTEND THE DECISION SO YOU ALL, AS A EDUCATORS, CAN MAKE A EDUCATED DECISION AND CALL A SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO HAVE A SCHOOL INVESTMENT PLAN FOR VIABILITY AND HOW RESOURCES WERE HAD TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT PLAN WAS SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT THE ONGOING. WE KNOW A 2040 CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE KNOW JUST'S REMOVAL IS PART OF THE PLAN. IT IS NOT A PART OF OUR PLAN, SIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HI, MY NAME IS JAMAL. I AM FIVE AND A HALF YEARS

036OLD. DON'T CLOSE DOWN THE SCHOOLS SO ALL THE LITTLE BOYS GO DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE SO FAR AND STAY WITH THEIR FRIENDS. THANK YOU Nadia Combs: NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. DR. ELIZABETH HORSE FREEMAN. I COME TO YOU AS A FOURTH GENERATION NATIVE OF WEST TAMPA. PRODUCT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. GRADUATE OF CORNELL AND DUKE. AND A MEMBER OF DELTA SI SIGMA THETA SORORITY AND AN EDUCATOR AND WIFE AND MOTHER OF TWO. I ASK YOU VOTE NO TO CLOSE JUST ELEMENTARY, A SCHOOL THAT CARRIES HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE COMMUNITY. I INVITE TO YOU WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHAT RESOURCE, SOLUTIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR JUST ELEMENTARY TO THRIVE. WE KNOW FIRSTHAND THE IMPACT THAT A SCHOOL CLOSURE WILL HAVE ON OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW IT BECAUSE MY PARENTS AND MANY PEOPLE HERE LIVED IT 50 YEARS

037AGO WITH THE CLOSURE OF BLAKE AND MIDDLETON. BACK THEN IT TOOK COURAGE FROM THE THEN SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER LEADERS TO ENSURE THAT THE SCHOOLS COULD BE PRESERVED AND LATER REOPENED. CLOSURES LIKE THESE ARE NOT COINCIDENTAL. IT IS BY DESIGN. I REVIEWED THE WEST RIVER MASTER PLAN WRITTEN EIGHT YEARS AGO THAT ALREADY REMOVED JUST AND STEWART, ERASED THEM FROM THE MAP AS A CALCULATED DECISION WITH MINIMAL CONSULTATION FROM THE COMMUNITY. THAT WAS WRONG. BUT IT IS ALSO SALVAGEABLE. LET'S RIGHT THIS WRONG BY PRO CREATING A COLLECTIVE VISION TOGETHER. I URGE TO YOU MAKE A MOTION TO PAUSE THIS DECISION IN ORDER TO HEAR OUR IDEAS ABOUT PROACTIVE TEACHER RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES. TO LAUNCH A SPECIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE AND ASSESS THE STATUS TO COMMIT TO TRANSPARENCY AROUND DECISION MAKING AND INVEST THE RESOURCES WITH CORPORATE PARTNERS. OVER 500

038PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED OUR PETITION. WE STAND HERE IN SUPPORT, NOT ONLY OF JUST BUT OF JUSTICE IN ALL OF ITS FORMS. THANK YOU, VOTE NO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. IF WE COULD HAVE SPEAKERS 17-22, PLEASE LINE UP. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PAUL JOHNSON. I LIVE IN WEST TAMPA RIGHT NOW. AND I LIVE RIGHT IN FRONT OF JUST HIGH SCHOOL PRACTICALLY. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS GROWN. AND YOU ARE -- YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIG GROWTH. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL THESE KIDS? PUT THEM ON A BUS EVERY DAY? ENDANGER THEIR LIVES? YOU HAVE MOTHERS AND FATHERS WHO ARE THERE -- WHOEVER IS TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS AND KIDS KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE. YOU PUT THEM ON A BUS, YOU WILL NOT KNOW

039WHERE THEY LIVE. SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN. I DON'T KNOW. BUT ANYWAY, THAT -- THE THING -- WHAT'S GOING ON. THIS BOARD RIGHT HERE AT THE OTHER MEETING SENT A TEXT TO TELL US TO STAY OUT -- LET THE KIDS OUT OF THE BUILDING AND LET THEM DO SOME REPAIRING. DON'T PUT KIDS IN THERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. YOU COUNSELORS -- AND I KNOW YOU -- A FEW OF YOU IN HERE THAT ARE DEEP POCKETING MONEY, ALL RIGHT. AND THAT IS NOT RIGHT. YOU GOT TO BE GETTING PAID TO DO WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. BUT DON'T GET PAID FROM DOING SOMETHING WRONG. DO THE RIGHT THING. YOU KNOW. FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN, YOU GUYS -- SOME OF YOU GUYS ARE POCKETING MONEY SOMEWHERE. YOU ARE GETTING PAID TO DO SOMETHING UNDER THE TABLE. BUT YOU

040KNOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND ME? LET ME TELL YOU WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS. I PRAY TO GOD TO HELP GOD. I DON'T PRAY TO GOD FOR MONEY. YOU GO AND PRAY GOD FOR MONEY ALL THE TIME. AND I DON'T LIKE THAT. GOD AIN'T GOT TO ANSWER YOU. HE WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE MONEY. YOU CAN GET ALL THE MONEY YOU WANT. BUT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND GET IT. YOU KNOW. LEAVE JUST ELEMENTARY ALONE. PEOPLE LIKE HIM RIGHT THERE, VETERAN. YOU HAVE A LOT OF VETERANS DOWN THERE. THEY NEED HELP TO COME AND MEET. DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THAT? SEND A BUS AROUND TO PICK UP THE VETERANS THAT CAN'T MAKE IT HERE? Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. REVEREND GLEN DANE, PASTOR OF THE ALLEN TEMPLE CHURCH AND REPRESENT THE

041COALITION OF PASTORS. I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING. NO JUSTICE. NO PEACE. IF JUSTICE IS NOT OPEN, YOU SHOULD NOT EXPECT PEACE. BECAUSE JUST IS A PIECE OF US AND A PIECE OF OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO US. IF WE CAN'T HAVE IT, WE WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE VOTE TO. NOT ONLY DO WE VOTE, BUT WE GOT MONEY TOO. AND WE KNOW HOW TO PUT THAT TOGETHER AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD. BECAUSE JUST IS IMPORTANT. YOU THINK IT IS HARD FOR PARENTS TO GET TO MEETINGS NOW. YOU START BUSING THOSE CHILDREN, HOW DO YOU EXPECT THOSE PARENTS TO BE A PART OF THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL LIFE. WE CAN'T. THINK MA'AM AND SIR TO THINK HARD AND C IT CAL ABOUT YOUR BOAT AND KNOW THAT A LOT OF

042FOLK WHO ARE WATCHING, NOT JUST THE FOLK YOU SEE HERE. THERE ARE FOLK THAT ARE NOT HERE THAT WE REPRESENT TODAY AND WE ARE WATCHING. NOT ONLY ARE WE WATCHING, BUT WE ARE READY TO WORK, AGAINST YOU IF WE HAVE TO. GOD BLESS YOU AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON, I AM BISHOP MICHELLE B. PATTY. THIS BOARD HAS TOTALLY DISRESPECTED THE CITIZENS OF WEST TAMPA, THE PARENTS OF EARNEST C. JUST. I STAND AS A FORMER STUDENT. YOU HAVE NOT COME INTO THE COMMUNITY TO SPEAK TO THEM LIKE YOU DID DOWN AT PLANT. YOU WENT TO EVERY OTHER SCHOOL WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BORDERS AND YOU TALKED TO THOSE PARENTS. YOU ASKED THEM WHAT THEY WANTED. HERE YOU ARE ACTING LIKE WE ARE STILL SLAVES AND YOU KNOW

043WHAT IS BEST FOR US. WE ARE HERE TO SAY THAT JUST SHOULD NOT BE CLOSED. THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN PRESIDENT NATION. AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN, 283 CHILDREN FAILED. THAT IS A SYSTEMATIC THING. AN INDICTMENT ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. YOU HAVE ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU WANT THAT LAND. THAT IS WATERFRONT LAND. WE ARE NOT FOOLISH. WE KNOW WHAT IT IS. WE KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS. YOU POURED RESOURCES INTO THOSE SCHOOLS AND YOU BROUGHT THOSE SCHOOLS UP. SO NOW IF YOU WILL TAKE A MOMENT TO GO INTO THE COMMUNITY, YOU WILL SEE ROME YARD. YOU WILL SEE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS. THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING INTO THOSE AREAS, THEY WILL NEED A SCHOOL THAT IS WALKABLE, SO IT MAKES NO GOOD SENSE, ONLY IF

044YOU ARE AN INVESTOR TO SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN. SO WE ARE NOT HERE BEGGING. WE ARE NOT HERE PLEADING BECAUSE WE ARE FREE PEOPLE AND WE ARE SAYING AT THIS TIME HAS COME THAT THIS BOARD DO THE RIGHT THING. THOSE WHO DON'T CARE, YOU CONTINUE ON. BUT THOSE WHO DO CARE, I AM LOOKING FOR YOU TO STAND UP AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THIS COMMUNITY. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE EARNEST C. JUST COMMUNITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MADAM CHAIRPERSON, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. MY NAME IS MICHELLE DENARD, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. A FORMER STUDENT OF JUST JUNE, WHY HIGH AND HOWARD W. BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. AND AS A RETIRED EDUCATOR. IN MY ROLE, I AM A CONCERNED CITIZEN SPEAKING OF

045THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK OR VOTE FOR THEMSELVES. I AM SPEAKING IN OPPOSITION TO THE RECENT DECISION BY THE BOARD TO CLOSE JUST ELEMENTARY. HAVING SPENT 39 YEARS IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HERE IN FLORIDA, I AM KEENLY AWARE OF THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS PROCESS, THE GRADING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTED AND THE PLIGHT DISTRICTS HAD TO FACE TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS COMING FROM THE STATE, AS WELL AS THE INADEQUATE FUNDING COMING FROM THE STATE. I HAVE REVIEWED THE SCHOOL'S IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND I AM AWARE OF THE STRATEGIES PUT IN PLACE WITH REGARDS TO MOVING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE STUDENTS. I HAVE ALSO LOOKED AT THE AREAS WHERE THE STUDENTS WERE LACKING IN ACHIEVEMENT. AS A DESIGNATED TITLE 1 SCHOOL, QUALIFYING ON THE BASIS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, IT WAS NOT EVIDENCE TO ME WHAT RESEARCH-BASED PRACTICES

046WERE PUT IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS OR HAVE TITLE 1 DOLLARS WERE UTILIZED FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE EDUCATION OF THE STUDENTS OF JUST ELEMENTARY. AS I REVIEWED THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, IT DID NOT MENTION AS A STRATEGY FOR IMPROVEMENT OR PERFORMANCE THAT THEY SHOULD CLOSE THEIR SCHOOL. I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE BOARD VOID THAT WILL BE LEFT IN THE COMMUNITY AS PARENTS WILL HAVE ONE LESS CHOICE TO NAVIGATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COME WITH THEIR CHILDREN BEING BUSED AWAY FROM THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF WEST TAMPA AND THE FAMILIES MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHY ARE WE CLOSING THE SCHOOL? WHY ARE WE DOWNSIZING WHEN THE AREA IS GROWING? THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR. THOSE FAMILIES MOVING IN, THAT THERE IS SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEM. Nadia Combs: THANK

047YOU. IF I CAN HAVE SPEAKERS 23-28 TO LINE UP. SPEAKERS 23-28. GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU HAVE SEEN ME BEFORE. TERRY ROCK. I AM A GRADUATE OF HB PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. I WENT THROUGH SEGREGATION. I DIDN'T COME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT JUST BEING CLOSED. I CAME HERE TO READ YOU SOME MORE NASTY PORN. MY HEART HAS LED ME TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT MY YEARS AT HB PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. AND WHAT HI SAW HAPPEN TO FRIENDS. I DID MAKE FRIENDS THAT CAME FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I SAW THEM LOSE A PIECE OF THEMSELVES AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT FAIR AND CAN'T HAPPEN TO THE CHILDREN. YOU HAVE TO TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THIS. GETTING RID OF THESE SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY IN A GROWING COMMUNITY, IS SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED. I

048AM SORRY, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE LONG TODAY. BUT, PLEASE, PLEASE, FOR THE CHILDREN'S SAKE, KEEP THEM IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IS -- WHAT IS GOING TO SUPPORT THEM. AND DON'T SHOVE THEM OUT WHEN THEY ARE BUSED FOR 45 MINUTES TO HALF HOUR, WHATEVER IT IS. KEEP THEM WHERE THEIR WORLD IS. THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. I AM TERESA MILLER AND MY KIDS WENT TO MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL AND TAMPA BAY TECH. BUT I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE HAD PARENTS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY AND I AM SO GLAD TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA SOME OF THE BOOKS THAT ARE IN OUR MEDIA CENTERS THAT ARE HORRIFIC THAT I AS AN ADULT WOULDN'T EVEN READ. I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE READING THIS, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR WHAT IS

049IN OUR SCHOOLS. GROUPS OF PEOPLE COMING HERE AND TWO YEARS AND WE HAVE GOTTEN ONE BOOK REMOVED. IF WE WANT TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE, SOME COUNTY BOOKS IN THERE IS PREPARING THEM A LIFE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, POLE DANCING AND PROSTITUTION. THE BOOKS ARE HORRIFIC AND NEED TO BE REMOVED. TAKEN OUT. AND OUR KIDS NEED TO FOCUS ON MATH, ENGLISH, AND LEARNING TO WRITE. NOT THESE BOOKS. SO ONE OF THE BOOKS IS COLLATERAL. IT IS CLEARLY NOT FOR MINORS. I OPEN MY LEGS WIDE, PUSHED HAD IS FACE. HAD HIS TONGUE INSIDE ME AND ASK HIS FINGERS TO FOLLOW. LIFTED HIS HIPS, SLID IN BACKWARDS -- I MEAN I -- I KISSED HIS EYES, NECK, DOWN HIS CHEST. SO ON. THIS IS HORRIFIC AND THESE BOOKS ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE NEED TO CHANGE OUR POLICIES

050FOR HAVING THEM IN OUR SCHOOLS. IT IS INCONCEIVABLE AFTER PARENTS HAVE BEEN HERE SPEAKING FOR TWO YEARS. I HOPE SOME OF YOU GUYS JOIN US. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND WE NEED TO HAVE THESE BOOKS REPLACED WITH GOOD BOOKS SO OR KIDS CAN LEARN HOW TO GROW AS ADULTS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND FELLOW CONCERNED CITIZENS, GOOD EVENING. CHARLES BENJAMIN HOUSTON, A CONSTITUENT OF 33621. 17-YEAR ARMY VETERAN AND A BUILT CAL ACTION CHIEF FOR ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. IF MY BROTHERS COULD PLEASE STAND. MORE IMPORTANTLY AND MORE PROUDLY, I AM THE FATHER OF 11-YEAR-OLD MADISON. EIGHT-YEAR-OLD MIKALA. SEVEN-YEAR-OLD TWINS MALACHI AND McKENZIE. OUR CHILDREN ARE NAMES, NOT NUMBERS. TONIGHT, I SPEAK AS PART OF THE 536 ON THE PETITION

051ON BEHALF OF WE, THE PEOPLE. WE ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO VOTE NO TO BUSING STUDENTS FROM JUST ELEMENTARY. WE, THE PEOPLE, ASK THAT YOU KEEP THE SCHOOL OPEN AS A SCHOOL AND DO NOT ALLOW IT TO BE REPURPOSED SO IT DOESN'T BECOME VULNERABLE TO BEING SOLD. WE THE PEOPLE ASK FOR INCREASED TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND DECISION MAKING. THAT WE DEVELOP AND PRESENT A PLAN TO RECALL THE TEACHER TRANSFERS FROM JUST, DEVELOP A STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN TO RECRUIT MORE QUALIFIED TEACHERS WITH AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ENGAGING STUDENTS FROM COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, HBCUs AND OTHER SCHOOLS. WE THE PEOPLE ASK THAT YOU PARTNER WITH PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS TO RE-EVALUATE THE EXISTING TEACHER INCENTIVE STRUCTURE THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CURRENT NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL. FINALLY, WE, THE PEOPLE, WILL REMEMBER WHY YOU ARE ACTION THIS AND

052EVERY ELECTION SEASON GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE ARE BACK. OF COURSE YOU GUYS KNOW I AM THE FRATERNITY INC. ERNEST JUST. I SHARED THE HISTORY WITH EVERYONE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME. ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS. WE DO NOT SUPPORT THE CURRENT VISION THAT IS IN PLACE. WE WERE DISAPPOINTED BY THE VOTE. WE DO HAVE A VOTE AS WELL. I THINK YOU GUYS WORK FOR US. I THINK YOU DO. BECAUSE WE ARE -- I AM A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE ALL ARE. AND WE WILL WORK OUR BUTTS OFF TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THESE SEATS -- SEE, I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS THAT GO TO SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ALL THESE BROTHERS DO TOO. WE HAVE DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS. WE SHOULDN'T BE GOING THROUGH

053SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. YOU HEARD DIFFERENT SIDES IN THE COMMUNITY. YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY. CAN WE STAND UP, PLEASE. COMMUNITY WHAT YOU SAID WE DIDN'T HAVE, WE DO HAVE. WE HAVE KIDS. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TALK TOO MUCH. YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T SEE THE KIDS. I CALLED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAID NO OR REACHED OUT TO YOU RESPECTFULLY. WE WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE ASKED FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND ALLOWING US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND HOPEFULLY YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES FOR US, NOT AGAINST US. THANK YOU Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, I AM A PARENT WHOSE STUDENT IS AT JUST ELEMENTARY. THESE ARE MY KIDS. I AM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

054I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU CLOSING THE SCHOOL DUE TO THE FACT I HAVE OTHER KIDS THAT WENT TO JUST AS WELL. WE HAVE BEEN IN COLUMBUS COURT. THE ONLY SCHOOL WE CAN RELY ON. A LOT OF LOW INCOME WHERE WE STAY AT. A LOT OF SINGLE PARENTS. TRANSPORTATION IS THE BIGGEST ISSUE. AND I DON'T RECOMMEND BUSING THE KIDS TO ANOTHER SCHOOL DUE TO THE FACT -- I HAVE ONE THAT IS ADHD, ONE THAT GETS SEIZURES. TOO MUCH GOING ON THE SCHOOL BUSES. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO TRUST. THEY ARE LITTLE. THEY DON'T KNOW THEIR WAY AROUND. THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE FAIR ON THEM. IT IS TOO MUCH. THEN WITH THE MEETINGS AND ALL THIS STUFF BEING FAR OUT, HOW DO YOU EXPECT PARENTS TO SHOW THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE KIDS WHEN EVERYTHING IS

055FAR OUT. LAST-MINUTE INFORMATION -- HALF OF US DIDN'T KNOW JUST WAS CLOSING. WE DIDN'T GET NO INFORMATION. SO HOW DO YOU DO THIS? HOW -- SCHOOL BOARD EDUCATION. YOU PUSH EDUCATION. YOU ARE TAKING THE ONE THING THESE KIDS RELY ON. A BUNCH OF TEACHERS WENT TO JUST AND MY OLDER KID WENT TO JUST. HAD RESEARCH TO HELP AND PARENTS WITH CERTAIN THINGS AND NOW IT IS LIKE -- EVERYTHING IS JUST FALLING APART DUE TO THE SCHOOL CLOSING. THERE IS NO DIFFERENT RESOURCES. WE HAVE ADHD, WE HAVE AUTISM. WE HAVE DIFFERENT STUFF PARENTS NEED HELP WITH. AND JUST ELEMENTARY. COME ON, Y'ALL. . YOU DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? I DON'T WANT YOU TO CLOSE MY SCHOOL. MY NAME IS DEANDE. I DON'T WANT TO YOU CLOSE THE SC SCHOOL. Nadia Combs: NEXT SPEAKER. OK OKAY.

056MY NAME IS MONICA MORROW. I STAY IN WEST TAMPA. I STAY IN COLUMBUS COURT. I HAVE TWO HEAD START BABIES. ONE IN KINDERGARTEN AND OTHER COMPLETING HEAD START. IF I SPLIT MY BABIES, DIFFICULT TO GET HIM ON TIME FOR HEAD START AND TAKE A CITY BUS BECAUSE HE IS UNDER AGE. SHE DOESN'T QUALIFY AND DIFFICULT FOR ME AND MY KIDS FOR EDUCATION. OTHER PARENTS WHERE I STAY AT WHO CAN'T GET OUT HERE. THEY HAVE WORK HOURS FOR THEM AND MYSELF AND MY KIDS. I DON'T WANT JUST TO CLOSE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. AND THEN IF WE CAN GET SPEAKRS 29-33, PLEASE, LINED UP. YVETTE LEWIS, PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BRANCH. YOU SAY PAIRING KIDS FOR LIFE, STUDENTS FOR LIFE. I QUESTION THAT STATEMENT. I QUESTION WHY ON THE NEWS CHANNEL

05710 REPORTED LAST NIGHT THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS JUST AND STEWART WERE NOT IN THE OVERLAY OF THIS WHOLE WEST RIVER ROME YARD PROJECT. I QUESTION THAT. I QUESTION WHY TRANSFORMATION DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE TO COME OUT TO THE SCHOOL UNTIL AUGUST AND THEN START IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING TO THESE STUDENTS UNTIL OCTOBER. I QUESTION WHY THE LEADERSHIP CONSTANTLY STATED SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE AND TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL DOWN. I QUESTION WHY YOU HAVE A STEM PROGRAM AS A WINDOW-DRESSING AND THEN DON'T HAVE NOTHING IN THERE FOR THOSE KIDS. I QUESTION WHY ALL OF YOU COME OUT HERE AND ASK US FOR OUR VOTE, BUT NOW I GOT TO STAND HERE AND ASK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE. YOU KNOW THE SLOGAN, YOU SAY PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. I ASK THIS QUESTION HERE. WHAT TYPE OF

058QUALITY OF LIFE ARE YOU PREPARING THESE STUDENTS FOR? YOU ARE RIPPING APART THEM AND CREATING UNDUE TRAUMA ALREADY INFLICTED ON THEM BY THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR FRIENDS AND EVERYBODY MOVING OUT FROM -- ON THE SIDE OF THEM. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW, BECAUSE I COME HERE TO TELL YOU HAVE WROTE THESE KIDS AN INSUFFICIENT CHECK THAT IS NO GOOD TO THEM FOR THEIR LIFE. JUST ELEMENTARY STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER AND DESERVE MORE. THIS RIGHT HERE IS AWFUL. UNBELIEVABLE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. CONNIE BURTON. YOUR OTHER PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT, THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL, WROTE A RESOLUTION '05, '06, 2020. NOT 1820, BUT 2020 ACKNOWLEDGING COMPANY'S PAST HISTORICAL LEGACY OF RACISM AND SEGREGATION THAT CONTINUES ON TO THIS DAY. IN THE RESOLUTION, IT TALKS ABOUT THE HARM THAT HAVE BEEN

059DONE AND THE MISEDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE NOT EDUCATORS, THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE PRODUCED. AND WHAT YOU HAVE PRODUCED IS AN INFERIOR QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR BLACK STUDENTS. YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE IN AN OVERT WAY AS IF YOU CARE. BUT IF YOU CARE, BLACK CHILDREN WOULDN'T BE LOOKING THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MAGNET SCHOOLS. AND HIGHER EDUCATION PERFORMANCE SCHOOL AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, WE CAN'T EVEN PARTICIPATE. WE CALL ON THIS BOARD TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY LOVE CHILDREN AND YOU ARE DOING IT FOR THE GOODNESS AND KINDNESS OF THE CHILDREN. TO INVEST SO WE CAN HAVE A REAL HEALING PROCESS IN THIS CITY. WE SAY INVEST IN JUST NOW. GIVE THE CHILDREN IN THAT COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY. WE ARE WATCHING -- THE DEMOLITION

060OF THAT COMMUNITY THAT IS TRANSFORMING, BUT WHAT WE SAY THAT IF YOU MOVE FORWARD AND MOVE THOSE CHILDREN OUT, YOU CONTINUE THE HISTORICAL LEGACY OF SLAVERY. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNTY COMMISSIONER GWEN MYERS REPRESENTING DISTRICT 3 REPRESENTING THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION. WEST TAMPA PROUD OF EARNEST JUST HIGH SCHOOL. I ASK YOU TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. I SIT IN A SEAT JUST LIKE YOU. WHEN WE HEAR ALL THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC COMMENTS, IT SHOULD CHANGE OUR MIND HOW WE SHOULD VOTE. BECAUSE YOU ARE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT NOW. BUT MOST OF ALL, IT IS A LEGACY WITH JUST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. A PART OF WEST TAMPA. JUST HAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS AND THINK OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED. AND WENT

061ON TO BLAKE LIKE I DID FOR ONE YEAR AND END UP GRADUATING FROM HENRY B. PLANT IN 1972. I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO CLOSE A SCHOOL AND GO TO A SCHOOL THAT IS NOT IN YOUR COMMUNITY. WE STOOD THE TASK. WE GRADUATED. BUT TODAY YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY -- THIS BOARD, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD, TO MAKE A DECISION, CHANGE YOUR VOTE AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT. DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE. DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF WEST TAMPA DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. VERY SELDOM THAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY TOMORROW TOGETHER, BUT TODAY ALL OF US, SOMETIME THIS WE DISAGREE, BUT WE ARE TOGETHER TODAY TO STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT FOR JUST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, BUT TODAY IT IS JUST ELEMENTARY. I ASK YOU TO DO

062WHAT IS RIGHT. DO WHAT IS RIGHT. I AM AN ELECTED OFFICIAL JUST LIKE YOU. BUT WHEN I LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE, AND I RAN ON A THEME. IT IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE COME FIRST. AND THAT IS WHAT YOU ALL SHOULD BE ABOUT TODAY. WE ARE HERE. AND I ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR JUST ELEMENTARY AND FOR ME AS A GRADUATE OF JUST JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: NEXT SPEAKER, PLE PLEASE. GREETINGS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I AM SANDRA DAYS OF MIERS, A RETIRED TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR WITH 37 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. I LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO KEEP JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPEN. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE 4-3 VOTE FROM

063SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO CLOSE JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. I AM AWARE THAT JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS UNDER CAPACITY AND HAS A SCHOOL GRADE DESIGNATION OF F AND HAS MANY SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, ALL OF WHICH ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ITS CURRENT PLIGHT. BUT WHICH OF THESE FACTORS CAN BE IMPROVED UPON OR ELIMINATED TO AVOID DISPLACING AND INCONVENIENCING HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS AND FAMILY AND HELPING TO RETURN THIS SCHOOL TO A SOUGHT-AFTER ACADEMIC LEARNING SITE. ARTICLES FROM PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS PRESENT STATISTICS DATA SUPPORTING DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR STUDENTS. HAVE THE BOARD CREATED OR OFFERED EXTRA EARNING INCENTIVES AS A MEANS OF ATTRACTING TEACHERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR THIS SCHOOL? HAS THE BOARD CONSIDERED REDEFINING OR CHANGING THE TYPE OF CHOICE ASSIGNMENT

064TO ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE DISTRICT FOR THIS SCHOOL? PERHAPS IT IS PROXIMITY TO STEWARD MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL A NATURALLY RECOGNIZED NASA EXPLORER SKOO SCHOOL AND LOCATED JUST STEPS A-- STEPS AWAY FROM JUST COULD BE AN ATTRACTION. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT OUR STUDENTS DO WELL IN PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAM. MERGE JUST WITH DUNBAR MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL. IT IS A SCHOOL OF THE ARTS A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM JUST. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER [APP. GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I AM DR. LARRY SHANNON. I REPRESENT THE SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST GROUP. I WANT TO SAY RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT AT LEAST SIX OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO OUR SATURDAY MORNING BREAKFAST GROUP MEETINGS. AT THE MEETINGS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ASK IS,

065WHAT CAN WE TO DO HELP YOU? AND WE ALSO SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN TO DO HELP US. MOST OF THE TIME THAT COMES WHEN YOU ARE OUT SEEKING VOTES. TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS TALK TO DO HELP US AS YOU SEEK VOTES IS TO VOTE NO ON CLOSING E. JUST. NOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY, TOO, IS THAT E.E. JUST IS CONSIDERED A LOW GRADE SCHOOL. AND WHY IS THAT? IT IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOT PUT THE NECESSARY RESOURCES THERE TO MAKE IT THE KIND OF SCHOOL THAT IT SHOULD BE. CERTIFIED TEACHERS. I TAUGHT A NUMBER. YEARS IN PRESIDENT -- IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I AM A FORMER UNIVERSITY DEAN. AND I WORK WITH A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT BACK IN

066THE DAY, LATE '60s, I WORKED ON SCHOOL DE-GSEGREGATION FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF WELFWELFARE. WHAT I AM SEEING IS AKIN TO WHAT I SAW IN MANY OF THE SOUTHERN STATES BACK THEN. WE WENT TO -- WE BEING THE TEAM -- TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND WE SAW THE LACK OF RESOURCES NECESSARY. DO WHAT IS RIGHT. AND DO NOT VOTE TO CLOSE E.E. JUST. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON OR EVENING, WHICHEVER IS APPROPRIATE. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD CONTRACTED WITH WX ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN TO ANALYZE HOW TO ADDRESS OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT. THE CONSULTANTS PRESENTED THREE UNBIASED RECOMMENDATIONSES THAT COULD SAVE THE DISTRICT BETWEEN $15 MILLION TO $30 MILLION. AT THE COMMUNITY INPUT, THE BOARD SELECTED SUPERINTENDENTS DAVIS'S RECOMMENDATION THAT FAILS

067TO ADDRESS SCHOOL OVERCROWDING. IF THE GOAL OR THE OBJECTIVE IS TO RELIEVE OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS, WHEN DID THE EMPHASIS CHANGE. OR WAS IT YOUR ORIGINAL PLAN TO REPURPOSE AND CLOSE TITLE I SCHOOLS AND MOSTLY URBAN AND LOW INCOME AREAS. I HAVE TO EXCLUDE SOME OF THIS, SO FORGIVE ME. I AM IN COMPLETE OPPOSITION TO THE DISTRICT CLOSING JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, REPURPOSING TITLE I SCHOOLS, AND CHANGING THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES. THIS ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SCHOOLS. WHAT PLEASURES DID YOU TAKE TO ENSURE JUSTICE JUST STUDENT'S SUCCESS. NATIONAL OR LOCAL SEARCHES TO HIRE TEACHERS? THEIR STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR JUST SCHOOL FAILURE, BUT THE ADMINISTRATION FAILED THE STUDENTS. HOW CAN YOU EXPECT THE CHILDREN TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY WITH SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS. WHEN IT COMES TO UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS, THERE IS

068A SIMPLE REMEDY TO THAT PROBLEM. FOR INSTANCE, WESTSHORE ELEMENTARY IS 148% OVERCROWDED. WHY DIDN'T YOU TRANSFER 30% OF THOSE STUDENTS TO JUST ELEMENTARY OR OTHER UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS. DAWSON ELEMENTARY, SUMNER HIGH SCHOOL, OVERCAPACITY TOO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: IF I COULD HAVE SPEAKERS 33-38 TO PLEASE LINE UP. 33-38. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, SANDRA SAHAGEN. I STAND HERE BEFORE YOU ASKING TO REVISIT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSAL. THE THEME IS COMMUNITY AND I AM MOVED BY ALL OF THESE PEOPLE THAT CAME UP. MY SITUATION IS DIFFERENT IN ANY COMMUNITY THAT ARE BEING TAKEN FROM OUR FEEDER SCHOOLS WHICH ARE BROOKER ELEMENTARY, BURNS MIDDLE AND BEING MOVED TO BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL. THAT IS COMPLETELY DISRUPTIVE. BREAKING APART FAMILIES, SIBLINGS CAN NO LONGER GO TO THE SAME SCHOOLS. FRIENDS HAVE TO BE SEPARATED AT THE

069MOST ADOLESCENT PERIOD OF THEIR LIVES. I STARTED A PETITION ONLINE. I HAVE E-MAILED EACH OF YOU SO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT. OVER 600 SIGNATURES TO DATE OF FOLKS THAT OPPOSE THE CHANGE OF MOVING THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES FROM BLOOMINGDALE TO BURNS. AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSAL THAT CAME OUT LATE ONE FRIDAY EVENING, THERE WAS ONE CHANGE FOR RIVERHILLS THAT MOVED THEM FROM NEWSOM TO BLOOMINGDALE THAT WAS QUICKLY REVERSED. AND I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHY. IS IT ONLY THE INFLUENTIAL WHO HAVE A VOICE? IS IT ONLY THE POWERFUL WHO HAVE A VOICE? AND CAN MAKE CHANGE? IT IS NOT OKAY. THIS NEEDS TO BE AN EQUITABLE AND FAIR PROCESS. WE NEED TO DO WHAT MATTERS. WE NEED TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND ACTUALLY MAKE THE SCHOOLS GOOD FOR THESE CHILDREN.

070THEY ARE NOT NUMBERS. THEY ARE NOT BOUNDARIES. THEY ARE NOT BUILDINGS. THEY ARE NOT BUDGETS. THEY ARE PEOPLE. AND YOUR JOB IS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THEM IN AN EQUITABLE MANNER. OUR COMMUNITIES NEED TO STAND TOGETHER. I ASK THAT YOU REVISIT YOUR PROPOSAL. AND ACTUALLY MAKE CHANGES THAT MAKE SENSE INSTEAD OF CREATING BAND-AIDS THAT WILL ONLY MAKE THE SITUATION KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND CONTINUE TO HAVE THE PROBLEMS EXIST. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. I HEARD ME. I AM ALWAYS HERE EVERY SINGLE TIME. YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO I AM. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT -- ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE, EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO JUST GOT BORN, LIKE RIGHT THIS SECOND, WHO JUST GOT BORN IN THOSE AREAS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR THOSE PEOPLE. BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE MATTER.

071EVERY PERSON MATTERS. I SEE HUMAN RIGHTS. AND HUMAN RIGHTS IS WHAT MATTERS. I SEE HUMAN RIGHTS. HUMAN RIGHTS IS THE SAME RIGHTS. EVERYONE HAS RIGHTS. BY MEAN ANIMALS HAVE RIGHTS. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE HAS RIGHTS. SO I'M HERE TO JUST MAKE SURE THOSE RECEIPTS ARE FULFILLED BECAUSE RIGHTS MATTER AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE -- WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON'T HAVE HUMAN RIGHTS? WELL, LOTS OF BAD ENOUGH. I AM NOT GOING TO LIST IT BECAUSE I JUST DON'T WANT TO LIST IT. HUMAN RIGHTS MATTER. I'M HERE AS YOUR CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FOLLOW THOSE RIGHTS. TO MAKE SURE EVERY VOICE IS HEARD. I REALLY AM INCLUDING EVERY VOICE. EVERY SINGLE VOICE. EVEN PEOPLE LIVING OFF SAW DUST. SO EVERY SINGLE VOICE MATTERS AND INCLUDED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE WE NEED EVERY SINGLE VOICE. EVERYBODY NEEDS

072A VOICE. I MEAN WHAT HAPPENS IF NO ONE HAS A VOICE? THEN NOTHING HAPPENS. IF NOTHING HAPPENS, HOW WILL WE MAKE PROGRESS. IF HOW TO MAKE PROGRESS, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SOLVE ISSUE. A DOWNWARD SPIRAL, OKAY. I'M HERE TO MAKE SURE THOSE RIGHTS ARE FOLLOWED IN EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING IS HERE. AND I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU, EVERY HUMAN BEING IS BEING AFFECT BY THIS. BECAUSE ONE KID YOU MIGHT THINK IS JUST A KID MIGHT CURE CANCER, FOR EXAMPLE. WHO WENT TO ONE OF THESE SCHOOLS. SO THESE DECISIONS REALLY, REALLY Addison Davis: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MY NAME IS DEBRA WESTTYPE AND I AM HERE FOR ONE BECAUSE I THINK YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. IT CREATES ALL KINDS OF HAVOC FOR A FAMILY LIKE THE ONE LADY SAID, BEING ABLE TO

073HAVE FAMILY MEALS, ET CETERA. IT'S A NIGHTMARE. SO PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THE SECOND REASON WITH HEALTHY LANGUAGE THAT'S BEING READ, I HEAR SOME PEOPLE SAY WHY IS SHE READING THAT? WHY IS THAT HAPPENING? IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THESE ARE BOOKS. THE YOUNG MAN SAID WE HAVE A USBE TO COMMUNITY EVERY DAY. ONCE YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN THE SCHOOLS YOU WANT THEM TO -- WHAT ARE THEY LEARNING THERE? THAT'S THE QUESTION. SO YOU APOLOGIZE, CHILDREN NEED TO COVER YOUR EARS. PARENTS, YOU NEED TO OPEN. THESE ARE DIRECT EXPERTS FROM BOOKS IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE DON'T HAVE TO GET RID OF ALL THE BOOKS. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS CREATE A SYSTEM. PG, PG, ET CETERA, EVEN RIDES AT CARNIVAL HAVE A SYSTEM FOR AGE. SO HERE IS THE FIRST ONE AND

074I WOULD ASK WHAT BENEFIT, WHAT BENEFIT IS DERIVED FROM THESE BOOKS? THANKS DADDY. DADDY SENT ME BUT SETS ME UP. NOTCHES IN MY STOMACH BUT AND I THINK I WANT IT BET, HE SLAPPED MY VICE TILL IT HURT. HE BITE ME HARD. PUMP PUMP. I SCREAMED PAIN. THE NEXT ONE. REACHED BETWEEN US, HIS FINGER SNAPPING FROM THE FRONT OF MY BRITCHES. AND IT GOES ON AND ON. THESE ARE ALL BOOKS THAT YOUR CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, GET INVOLVED. HAVE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM DO WHAT THEY CAN. RIGHT NOW IT'S TAKEN EIGHT MONTHS TO GETS ONE BOOK LIKE THIS OUT. I APOLOGIZE FOR MY LANGUAGE. Addison Davis: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. MY NAME IS HOLACE ROE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENT. ALSO FOLLOWING UP, IT SOUNDS LIKE

075THERE'S SOME PROBLEMS WITH DECISIONS. WE HAVE DECIDED TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL BUT THE PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY WITH IT. SO HERE WE ARE. BECAUSE WE ARE CLOSING A SCHOOL. I'M HERE BECAUSE IN THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE OPEN, THERE ARE BOOKS THAT HAVE STORIES AND LANGUAGE AND MENTAL IMAGES THAT WOULD BE FOUND IN A PENTHOUSE OR PLAYBOY FORUM IN THE FRONT OF THE BOOK. EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT HOW THEY ENJOYED THE ARTICLES IN THE BOOKS AND NOT PICTURES. AND NOW WE HAVE GOT THE BOOKS, AND THE ARTICLES IN OUR SCHOOLS. THESE SHOULD BE PREPARING THE CHILDREN FOR THE FUTURE, BUT THE LANGUAGE IN THESE BOOKS, I'M WONDERING WHAT THEY ARE PREPARING THEM FOR. ANOTHER MAN SAID THE CHILDREN ARE VERY CURIOUS, AND WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT IT'S THERE, THEY WILL GO FOR IT. AND WHEN THEY FIND

076OUT THINGS LIKE WHAT'S IN THIS DAVID STEELE BOOK, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A PEDOPHILE. HE'S TALKING ABOUT YOU DON'T LOOK MUCH OLDER THAN 15 NOW, YOU KNOW? HE SAID ALMOST SHYLY AND PULLED HER GENTLY INTO BED WITH HIM. SHE CAME EASILY TO HIM AND HE SLOWLY UNBUTTONED HER BLOUSE AS SHE SLID OFF HER VELVET SKIRT. SHE WONDERED FOR CHRISTMAS, I LOVE YOU, LISA, HE SAID, WHISPERED INTO HER NECK, AS SHE FELT AND DESIRED FOR HIS MOUTH. AND HIS HANDS. IS THIS WHAT WE NEED IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR LIBRARIES? I DON'T THINK SO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE PUT RATINGS ON THESE BOOKS. ALLOW CHILDREN TO ATTEND SCHOOL, BUT ALSO ALLOW THEM NOT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THINGS THAT SHOULD BE IN A PLAYBOY, PENTHOUSE FORUM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Addison Davis: THANK YOU.

077CAN WE HAVE SPEAKERS 39 TO 43 TO PLEASE LINE UP? 39 TO 43. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DR. DANA GLYNN AND I AM A BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY PRACTICE PHYSICIAN. I LIVE AND WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I LIVE WITH MY HUSBAND AND TWO CHILDREN. AND I REGULARLY ATTEND YOU'LL A BAPTIST INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH. I AM DEEPLY HONORED AND HUMBLED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. I AM SPEAKING STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF KEEPING JUST ELEMENTARY OPEN, TO HELP ME EXPLAIN MY POSITION, I LOOKED TO THE AMAZING LEGACY OF THE ONE AND ONLY ERNEST EVERETT JUST. DR. ERNEST EVEREST JUST WAS A LEADING AMERICAN BIOLOGIST BORN IN 1883. HE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELDS OF INVERT LAY SEROLOGY AND EMBRYOLOGY. HIS SIGNATURES WORK WAS ONE OF HIS TWO WORKS CALLED THE

078BIOLOGY OF THE CELL SURFACE. AND AS PART OF HIS WORK IN BIOLOGY, HE TRIED HIS BEST TO STIMULATE A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STUDY OF THE WHOLE CELLS INSTEAD OF BREAKING THEM DOWN IN LABORATORY CONDITIONS. SO TODAY, I ASK, LET US KEEP JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OPEN TO STIMULATE THE 284 FUTURE STUDENT LEADERS AND NOT BREAK THEM AWAY FROM THEIR NURTURING, NATURAL, NEARBY FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY SYSTEMS. NUMBER ONE, KEEP THE KIDS IDENTIFIED BY SOME AS EXPERIENCING CRISIS CLOSE TO THEIR HOME AND CLOSE TO THEIR COMMUNITY. AND THE SAME WAY THERE ARE SOME IN-HOME CRISIS STABILIZATION PROGRAMS THAT HAVE WORKED, SCHOOL STABILIZATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE STRONG AND HAVE THE PROPER RESOURCES CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE. PLEASE GIVE THE STUDENTS MORE RESOURCES. YES, THERE ARE RISKS, BUT RESOURCE RICH ENVIRONMENTS CAN HELP MITIGATE BAD OUTCOMES. IN MY OPINION-OH.

079Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. I'M ALEXANDRIA GILMORE, THE MOTHER TWO OF BLACK BOYS HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THE NEW TAMPA PALMS AREA. MY SON PLAYED THE VIOLIN JUST OUTSIDE. I HAVE AN OLDEST ONE WHO PLAYSVILLE OH LIEN. NECE TENTH GRADE FIRST CHAIR. AND WHAT I HAVE SEEN AS A BLACK MOTHER ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE HEAR FOR JUST ELEMENTARY AND I CAPTAIN STAND THE FACT THAT IT ALWAYS COMES TO US THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TO FIGHT. WE ALWAYS HAVE TO GO THROUGH HOOPS AND HURDLES. MR. DAVIS, YOU KNOW MY E-MAIL. I E-MAIL YOU CONSTANTLY. NADIA, LYNN. I GET IGNORED ON MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS THAT I MAKE WHEN IT COMES TO DISCRIMINATION, RETALIATION FOR MY TWO BOYS. AND WHAT I SEE IS THERE ARE A LOT OF

080PEOPLE THAT RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, WHEN I RAN FOR SCHOOL BOARD IN 2020 AND THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO THINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND WHAT HAVE WE SEEN WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS? SCHOOLS CLOSING. KIDS BEING FAILED. KIDS NOT BEING ABLE TO GRADUATE. I SEE EVEN WITH STACY HAHN, SHE HAD HER FACE COVERED AND I RECORDED IT TO SHOW HOW IT'S LITERALLY WHEN WE COME UP AND SPEAK NO ONE CARES, RIGHT? WE GET DEAF EARS, RIGHT? SO I AM SAYING THAT CLEARLY MY KIDS JUST LIKE ALL THESE OTHER KIDS THAT I AM FIGHTING FOR ARE ABLE TO BE EDUCATED, THESE TEST SCORES DO NOT MEAN ANYTHING, HE'S A VIOLINIST, HE'S IN AP CLASSES SO WE KNOW THESE ARE RELYING ON OUR CHILDREN BUT WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT OUR BLACK CHILDREN CANNOT READ

081AND WE ARE TIRED OF IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JULIE GEBHARDT AND I WANT TO START BY SAYING I MOVED TO SEE THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT EXPRESSED HERE TODAY. WHILE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF ALL THESE DECISIONS THE HEART TO PROTECT THEIR COMMUNITY SO I DO HOPE THE BOARD IS ABLE TO FIND A WAY THAT ADDRESSINGES EVERYONE'S NEEDS. THREE YEARS AGO MY DAUGHTER TOOK AN AP WORLD HISTORY CLASS AT NEWSOME, CAME HOME AFTER LEARNING ABOUT COMMUNIST CHINA UNDER MAO WITH A FAVORABLE VIEW OF COMMUNISM BUT BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER IS TRAINED TO THINK FOR HERSELF SHE RESEARCHED ON HER OWN AND LEARNED THAT 60 MILLION PEOPLE HAD DIED UNDER THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION UNDER MAO. NOT ONCE WAS THIS FACT PRESENTED IN HER CLASS. LOSS OF FREEDOM, UNSPEAKABLE

082TORTURE, OPPRESSION, CONTROL, ET CETERA, THE DEATHS ALONE NOT WORTH MENTIONING IN HER CLASS? THIS IS THE EPITOME OF CHANGING HISTORY TO SERVE AN IDEOLOGICAL END. I HOPE THAT THE REJECTION OF COMMUNISM SEW BIG ISSUE THAT GARNERS WIDESPREAD SUPPORT BECAUSE I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS WILL STAND FIRMLY AGAINST COMMUNE I HAVE AND ITS TRACK RECORD OF TERROR. COMMUNIST REJIMES AROUND THE WORLD ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR UPWARDS OF 100 MILLION DEATHS. COMMUNISM IS A GLOBAL THREAT AND ANY CURRICULUM SUCH AS McGRAW-HILL WAY WAS ON THE AGENDA TO BE ADOPTED IS A THREAT MISINFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNISM AND EXCLUDES OR GLOSSES OVER THE HORRENDOUS ATROCITIES THAT HAVE ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED COMMUNISM. THIS CURRICULUM PROMOTES PAVES THE WAY FOR KIDS LIKE MY DAUGHTER TO COMB HOME FROM SCHOOL OF THE MOST DEADLY POLITICAL REGIME OF THE 20th CENTURY. YOU RECEIVED

083AN E NAIL FROM THE FLORIDA CITIZENS AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO TAKE TIME TO LOOK INTO THAT. THE CURRICULUM PROMOTING COMMUNISM MUST BE REJECTED AND PUT WHERE IT BELONGS, IN THE TRASH. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. COULD I HAVE SPEAKERS 44 TO 49 TO PLEASE LINE UP. WE'LL HAVE SPEAKER 44 NOW. MY NAME IS STACEY BALK. I WAS ALSO MOVED TODAY BY EVERYTHING WE HAVE BEEN HEARING. I DO -- FROM WHAT I HEARD TODAY AND I WOULD ALSO REQUEST YOU THINK AGAIN IN TERMS OF YOUR VOTE. IN TERMS OF WHAT I AM ALSO HERE FOR TODAY IS THE SCHOOL BOUNDARY PLAN, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, I LIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH IN VALRICO TWINS LIKE COMMUNITY AND WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS ON FEBRUARY 24th, AND AFTER ALL THE MEETINGS HAD BEEN HELD, SO

084THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT ME HERE TODAY. IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE SAME THINGS SAID FOR US AS FAR AS DISRUPTING SCHOOL FEEDER PATTERNS, WITH THE CHANGES, DISRUPTING STUDENTS BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, IN PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE, SCHOLARSHIPS. AS FAR AS MOVING STUDENTS TO UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS THAT ARE LARGELY IN THAT STATE THROUGH THE PARENTS DISENROLLMENT OR CHOICE. YOU ARE NOT REALLY PUTTING THE INVESTMENTS IN THE SCHOOLS. SO PEOPLE LEAVING. REALLY, AS FAR AS HAVING IMPACT SPECIFICALLY TO MY AREA, THE 1561 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BEING REZONED OUT OF NEWSOME, BLOOMINGDALE AND RIVERVIEW, AND UNFORTUNATELY NOT ONE OF THEM IS GOING TO SEE A POSITIVE SCHOOL RANKING IMPACT. ALL OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DROPPED IN

085SCHOOL RANKING, AND THE AVERAGE DROP IS ABOUT 30 IN TERMS OF SCHOOL RANKING. OUTSIDE OF THAT, AND I WOULD REALLY JUST RECOMMEND THIS GROUP THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THESE DECISIONS. I WOULD ALSO ASK IF YOU DO PUSH FORWARD ON IT, I WOULD ASK AS FAR AS A GRANDFATHER EXCEPTION AS WELL FOR SIBLINGS. IF A CHILD IS IN A SCHOOL AND THEIR SIBLING IS IN THE SCHOOL THEY SHOULD BOTH BE ABLE TO BE GRANDFATHERED IN. MY OWN SON COULD ACTUALLY STAY AT NEWSOME, BUT MY DAUGHTER WILL NEED TO MOVE TO BLOOMINGDALE SO SHE WON'T BE WITH HER BIG BROTHER. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MY NAME IS ROBIN LOCKETT. AND I'M BEFORE YOU TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT LENS YOU ARE LOOKING THROUGH. YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND -- I HEAR CARROLLWOOD, I WAS

086HERE WHEN SOUTH TAMPA WAS TALKING TO YOU GUYS, AND YOU RELATED TO THAT. YOU GUYS WERE PAYING ATTENTION, RIGHT? GIVING THEM YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION. BUT WHAT LENS ARE YOU LOOKING THROUGH? YOU CAN'T LOOK THROUGH OUR LENS BECAUSE ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAS HAPPENED TODAY, I HEAR HURT, MISTRUST, I HEAR DECEIT. HOW DO YOU LOOK THROUGH THOSE LENS? HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT? YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS GOING THROUGH BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO WALK THROUGH SOMEBODY'S SHOES, RIGHT? SO WHAT LENS? THE ONLY THING TO DO IS RESPECT WHAT THEY ARE SAYING AND TRY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT. JUST ELEMENTARY. EVERYBODY IS HERE ABOUT JUST. I AGREE WITH IT NOT BEING CLOSED. I THINK THAT JUST NEEDS TO HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES. YOU ALLOW THE SUPERINTENDENT TO PUT THE CART

087BEFORE THE HORSE. YOU ARE HIS BOSS AND YOU ARE OUR BOSS. SO WITH HIM PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE WITH MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY PERSUADED TEACHERS TO DISENROLL OR TRANSFER EARLY. SO YOU ARE SETTING THE PRINCIPAL THERE HASN'T BEEN FORTHCOMING. SO YOU ARE SETTING THE SCHOOL UP FOR FAILURE. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT US AND SAYING, WELL, THEY ARE FAILING. THERE HAS TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT. THERE HAS TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE EXPECTATION. YOU HAVE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATES THAT YOU ARE NOT EVEN USING. IF YOU ARE THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, YOU WILL BE UTILIZING THOSE COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR PARTNERS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, BOARD

088MEMBERS, MR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. MY NAME IS JAMES RON SON. I REPRESENT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF TOBA. WE HAVE BEEN HARRISON WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 44 YEARS. EVERY YEAR WE AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC STUDENTS AND WE HAVE DONE ABOUT 400 A DAY WITHIN OUR HISTORY. WE JUST WANT YOU TO NOW KNOW THAT BECAUSE YOU VOTED THE WAY YOU DID, ALL OF US HAD TO COME TOGETHER AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CONVINCE YOU THAT WE CARE LIKE YOU ALL DO ABOUT 100% OF THE STUDENTS GRADUATING FROM SCHOOL. THIS CONCENTRATION OF CHALLENGING STUDENTS AT ONE SCHOOL REQUIRES CERTAIN TYPES OF TEACHERS AT THAT SCHOOL. THE PRINCIPAL TOLD US THAT THERAPISTS AND READING COACHES ARE NEEDED AT THE SCHOOL THEY DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE. SO THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN SOME RESOURCE FROM THE DISTRICT

089OFFICE, KELLY SERVICES, AND YOU HAVE DONE SOME THINGS OVER THERE TO TRY TO HELP WITH THE STEM, CHANGING THE NAME AND ALL THESE THINGS, BUT TO BUS THEM OUT AND SAY THEY WILL GET A BETTER EDUCATION IN A DIFFERENT BUILDING IS NOT THE SAME THING AS EDUCATING THEM WHERE THEY LIVE. SO YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS AND SLOW THIS PROCESS DOWN AND FIND A WAY TO BEING THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO THESE STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE. THE COMMUNITY IS BEHIND THIS. 284 PARENTS HAVE STUDENTS AT THAT SCHOOL AND NOT ONE OF THEM CAME TO THE LAST MEETING. WE ASKED THE QUESTION WHY IS THAT POSSIBLE? YOU KNOW WHY? THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING. THERE WAS NO MEETING WITH THE PARENTS. THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN EFFORT BUT THERE WAS NO MEETING WITH THE PARENTS

090AND WITH THE COMMUNITY IN WEST TAMPA. SO NOW YOU SEE THE PEOPLE CONSUME OUT. AND NOW WHAT ELSE BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT NOW, MADAM CHAIR, AND MR. DAVIS? THIS AGENDA ITEM SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR AGENDA, NOT THE BOTTOM OF THE AGENDA. I STAYED FROM 3:30 IN THE AFTERNOON TILL 10:00 AT NIGHT. LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE OUT HERE. YOU SHOULD BE RESPECTING THE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THIS MEETING TO HAVE THIS AGENDA ITEM AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA, MR. DAVIS. YOU SHOULD HAVE IT AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDA. AND THIS MAN WORKS FOR YOU. YOU SHOULD HAVE THIS AGENDA FOR THE PEOPLE COMING BEFORE YOU TO GIVE THEIR FAIR TIME TO YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND MAKE THEMSELVES HEARD BY THIS BOARD. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU.

091SPEAKERS 5050th TO 55 PLEASE LINE UP. 50 TO 55. MY NAME IS MICHAEL SPENCER. I'M GOING TO REITERATE MY CONCERNS FROM THE PROVE PUBLIC COMMENTS SINCE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED. WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NULL AND VOID BECAUSE IT CHANGEDWAYS BASED ON A PERSONAL PHONE CALL. YOU SEE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCENARIO 4 AND SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION INCLUDED MOVING BOTH THE TWIN LAKES BRANDON AND RIVERHILLS NEIGHBORHOOD FROM NEWSOME MIDDLE SCHOOL TO BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL. I LIVE IN THE TWIN LAKES BRANDON NEIGHBORHOOD AND I NOTICE FIRSTHAND THAT OUR TWO NEIGHBORHOODS ARE CONNECTED NOT JUST BUILT SAME BUS ROUTE BUT THE SAME NEWSOME BUSES SERVICE BOTH NEIGHBORHOODS. OUR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN GOING TO SCHOOL TOGETHER, RIDING THE BUS TOGETHER, RIDING BIKES BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS TO PLAY, ENJOYING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TOGETHER SINCE BEFORE KINDERGARTEN. HOWEVER, THE DAY AFTER

092THE SUPERINTENDENT'S ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION CAME OUT TO CHANGE BOTH NEIGHBORHOODS NEIGHBORHOODS, BRENDA WEIGHED, A PROMINENT REAL ESTATE AGENT BASED ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE THAT SHE PERSONALLY SPOKE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HAD THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGED BACK TO NEWSOME. SO WE HAVE ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED CHANGING BOTH NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THEN CHANGED HIS MIND AFTER A PHONE CALL. NOT A BOARD MEETING. NOT A WORKING GROUP. BUT A PERSON TO PERSON PHONE CALL. WE AS TAXPAYERS PAY FOR AN UNBIASED ANALYSIS THAT RESULTED FOR SCENARIO 4. NOW THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TRYING TO MAKEUP LATERAL CHANGE, DISRUPTING TWO INTERTWINED NEIGHBORHOODS. WE PAID FOR SCENARIO 4, NOT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION. FROM THE A R A HOLISTIC STANDPOINT THE SCHOOL BOARD HASN'T ADDRESSED THE FACT THAT NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES GOING IN NORTH AND SOUTH, OF THE

093COUNTY AND THE A GRADE HIGH SCHOOL ZONES WHICH ARE NOW OVERCROWDED AND THE BOARD'S SOLUTION IS TO DOMINO THE EXISTING STUDENTS FROM THOSE STUDENTS VERSUS BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS. YOU ARE IGNORING YOUR EXISTING CONSTITUENTS AND PANDEMICKERING TO THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO KEEP MOVING TO FLORIDA NO MATTER WHAT THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, RESIDENT OF VALRICO, ALSO LIVE IN TWIN LAKES IN BRANDON, HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO SCHOOL BOUNDARIES. I UNDERSTAND THE DISTRICT IS FACING CHALLENGES BUT CONSIDER THE EFFECT THESE CHANGES WILL HAVE ON OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY. CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT OUR TWIN LAKES NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD REMAIN WITH THE CURRENT SCHOOLS. THE ONLY WATT RECONSIDERED IS BECAUSE MEMBERS LOBBIED TO HAVE US MOVE WITH THEM. TWIN

094LAKES DOES NOT WANT TO BE MOVED. THEY WERE WRONG TO SAY WE DO. TWIN LAKES FAMILIES DESIRE TO KEEP THEIR CURRENT SCHOOLS. THERE WILL BE NO LINE OF TWIN LAKES RESIDENTS ASKING FOR SCHOOLS TO CHANGE. FOR THE FAMILIES AFFECTED I CALL ON REPRESENTATIVES TO STAND UP AND REPRESENT US, ESPECIALLY PATTI RENDON, GO BULLS, FOR DISTRICTS 2, 3, 4, 5. PLEASE HEAR MY WORDS AND THE WORDS OF MY NEIGHBORS. WE BOUGHT OUR HOMES FOR THE BEST RATED SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. TWIN LAKES IS A BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE WALK TO SCHOOLS. IF WE WANTED BOOMING DALE WE WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A HOME THERE. I WOULD EVER FEEL LIKE MY CHOICE WAS STOLEN. WE ARE NOT NUMBERS. WE ARE PEOPLE. WE ARE FAMILIES. WE ARE COMMUNITIES. TWIN LAKES IS UNIQUE. IT'S LOCATED AT THE DEAD-END OF BLOOMINGDALE

095AVENUE, AN EXTENSION OF RIVERHILLS SHOULD GO TO THE SAME SCHOOLS. THE LARGE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NOT EVEN CLOSELY CLOSE TO US. IT IS LITERALLY ACROSS THE STREET. RIVERHILLS IS NOT MOVING WITH US AND SO TWIN LAKES CHILDREN WILL NO LONGER INTERACT WITH THEM FOR SCHOOLS OR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, IN. I'M CONCERNED THAT MY CHILDREN WILL BECOME SOCIALLY ISOLATED AND ONLY CONNECT WITH THEIR FRIENDS THROUGH SCREENS. STUDENTS WILL PERISH. THIS IS NOT FAIR TO OUR CHILDREN AND WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE MENTAL HEALTH. TO DISRUPT THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN AND CAUSE UNNECESSARY STRESS AND ANXIETY. I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS WITHOUT CAUSING HARM TO OUR CHILDREN. IT DOESN'T SAVE MONEY. IT'S THE SAME NUMBER OF POVERTYABLES. IT'S THE SAME DISTANCE. IT DOESN'T CHANGE BUSING -- THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. ALAN BREWSTER, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT.

096I SAID AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING THAT I'M NOT FROM FLORIDA. AND I SAID THAT THIS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS. IT'S LOPSIDED WHEN IT COMES TO THE RESOURCES, WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION, THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING IN THE SCHOOLS, AND IT'S VERY SAD THAT THIS IS GOING ON WITH JUST ELEMENTARY. WE ARE TALKING STUDENTS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE SIX KIDS IN THE SYSTEM AND WE ARE ALLOCATING HARD FOR EIGHT YEARS FOR CHANGE IN THIS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. AND I KEEP ASKING, WHAT'S THE STANDARD FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATION, AND WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION? I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN ANSWER. BUT JUST ELEMENTARY IS AN INDICTMENT ON THE STANDARD. IT'S AN INDICTMENT. AND IT'S A TRAVESTY THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? BECAUSE CHANGE NEEDS TO HAPPEN. AND THAT THEY'RE NEEDS TO

097BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ON ALL FRONTS, ALL LEADERS, THOSE WHO CAN MAKE A DECISION. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO LITTLE KIDS. IT SHOULDN'T. AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED FOR A LIFETIME IF THIS SCHOOL CLOSES. IT JUST SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. TINA WILLIAMS BREWSTER, PROUD MOM OF 6. WE HAVE OUR CONGRATULATING SENIOR NUMBER 4. WHEW! OKAY, YOU GUYS. I AM HERE FOR ESP EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION, JUST TO FOLLOW WHAT MY HUSBAND SAID. WHAT IS THE STANDARD? WE CHILDREN. THEY ARE ALL EXCEPTIONAL. WE HAVE THE FORTUNE DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO. THE MISFORTUNE OF WE HAVE CHILDREN FROM ALL ASPECTS, FROM THE HIGHLY GIFTED TO THE EXCEPTIONAL. I HAVE AUTISTIC CHILDREN, CHILDREN WITH ANXIETY, ADHD, SOME WHO IT'S EASY FOR THEM

098TO BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, NO, WE ARE NOT FROM FLORIDA. SO I KNOW WHAT FILET MIGNON IS. TO GO FROM FILET MIGNON TO BOLOGNA AND NOT EVEN THE GOOD KIND. YOU REMEMBER THE CAR WITH THE RED RIM THAT YOU HAD TO FIND? WELCOME DO FLORIDA. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO FOLLOW MY HUSBAND, WHAT IS THE STANDARD? YOU ALL CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE AT JUST? WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE AT GAITHER, JEFFERSON, PLANT, RIVERVIEW? WHY IS IT NOT FAIR? YOU SAY THERE ARE RESOURCES BUS THEY ARE NOT EQUITABLE. AND WE NO, NOT ONLY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT FLORIDA HAS A LONGSTANDING OF THIS PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES. IT'S TIME. ALL THESE PEOPLE, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE BUT IT BE THE RIGHT CHANGE? PARENTS, I CALL ON

099YOU, GET INVOLVED. SCHOOLS CAN'T DO IT ALL. I'M A MOM OF SIX, FROM 23 TO 13. AT ONE POINT I WAS AT SIX SCHOOLS. IF I CAN DO IT, SO CAN YOU. Nadia Combs: NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO. AMY WHO ARE NECK, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PTA PRESIDENT. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PTA BELIEVES IN LIGHT THE DISTRICT HAS A CONTINUING OBLIGATION TO LOOK OUT FOR MINORITY STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE DISTRICT HAS A PLAN TO CLOSE AND CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE ITS FINANCIAL STATUS, BUT THIS FINANCIAL IMPROVEMENT SHOULD NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF MINORITY STUDENTS. ERNEST EVERETT JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS ONE EXAMPLE OF A MINORITY SCHOOLS ARE DISPRO PORTION A ATLY IMPACTED BY THE PLAN. HISTORICALLY JUST ELEMENTARY SERVED AS ONE OF THE FIRST SCHOOLS FOR AFRICAN STUDENTS AND WAS A HUB FOR THE COMMUNITY. EVEN TODAY

100IT IS OVERPOPULATED WITH STUDENTS WHO WILL BE MOVED TO NEW SCHOOLS UNDER THE RECOMMENDATION. JUST ELEMENTARY STUDENTS MAY NO LONGER BE ABLE TO WALK TO SCHOOL. RATHER CURRENT STUDENTS MAY BE BUSSED TWO MILES AWAY OR BUSSED 2.3 MILES AWAY TO BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY. EACH STUDENTS WILL SPEND EIGHT TO TEN MORE MINUTES ON THE DAY ON A BUS, B TUTORING OR CLUBS WITHOUT ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION. ADDITIONALLY THE CHANGE WILL LIKELY AFFECT CAREGIVER INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION TO SCHOOL FUNCTIONS. NO YEAR WHEN THE DISTRICT IS TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF BUS MILES DRIVEN TOGETHER AND REDUCE TIME CHILDREN SPEND ON BUSES IT SEEMS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO SHORTEN BUS RIDES EXCEPT FOR THE MINORITY KIDS WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS LIKE JUST ELEMENTARY. DURING THIS PROCESS THE ONE THING EVERY COMMUNITY IS AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE URGE THE DISTRICT TO GO

101TO JUST ELEMENTARY AND THE OTHER AFFECTED SCHOOLS, AND MEET CAREGIVERS WHERE THEY ARE AND TALK ABOUT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION FOR STUDENTS, CLOSING SCHOOLS, OR EXTEND COMMUNITY SUPPORT WON'T NECESSARILY HELP STUDENTS. LET'S BE SURE THAT MOVE IS RIGHT. HILLSBOROUGH PTA SUPPORTS THE DISTRICT IN ITS EFFORTS TO BE PRUDENT FINANCIAL STEWARDS AND CONCERNED WITH THE GREATER EQUITY OF -- THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. MY NAME IS KRISTIN MALAGREEN ON THE PROPOSED CLOSING OF CLEVELAND ELEMENTARY. CONCERN ABOUT THE INEQUITY OF THESE PLANS AND IN PARTICULAR THE SCHOOLS SLATED FOR CLOSURE HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED IN CLEVELAND, AND ADD THAT RESEARCH HAS SHOWN NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF SCHOOL CLOSURES INCLUDE DECREASED ACHIEVEMENT AND ATTENDANCE AS WELL AS FRACTURES TO BOTH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IT HAS BEEN STATED THAT COMMUNITY INPUT IS VALUED. I WOULD

102ASK YOU WHETHER THE DATA YOU HAVE ESPECIALLY FROM THE TOOL INDICATES SUPPORT. WOO DID THAT DATA SAY ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL? FROM MY PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT, MANY HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT LOSS OF HISTORY, THE SCHOOL TIES AND LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY. ADDITIONALLY, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF A PETITION ORGANIZED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO COULDN'T GET TO THE MEETING TODAY TO NOT CLOSE CLEVELAND WHICH STATES IN PART, CLEVELAND HAS BEEN A VITAL RESOURCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH A SIEVE HAVEN TO LIVE AND GROW AND FOR THEIR CAREGIVERS, IT HAS BEEN A BEACON OF HOPE NOR MANY CAREGIVERS. IT'S NOT JUST A PLACE OF LEARNING BUT A COMMUNITY HUB. IT'S CLOSURE WILL BE DEVASTATING. WE URGE TO YOU RECONSIDER 2 DECISION TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL AND. BY SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL YOU ARE INVESTING IN THE

103FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CHILDREN. THIS PETITION HAS OVER 300 SIGNATURES. SO I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH JUST COMMENTS FROM CLEVELAND FAMILIES. CLEVELAND HAS PROVIDED A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR MY FAMILY. THEY HAVE COME TO FOOD, CLOTHES AND CHRISTMAS GIFTS. YOU GET A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE SCHOOL NOT ONLY LEARN. THE KIDS AROUND HERE NEED THE SCHOOL. IT'S SAFE AND CLOSE BY. I DO NOT FEEL THE VOICES HAVE BEEN HEARD IN THIS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. I DO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF REMOVING THE REPURPOSED SCHOOLS TO THE INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS SO THEY CAN GO AND SPEAK TO THESE SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF FUTURE PURPOSING. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND IF I COULD GET THE LAST 56 TO 60 SPEAKERS TO PLEASE LINE UP. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT

104DAVIS, I'M SYLVIA SALTER, I AM A LIFE-LONG RESIDENT OF WEST TAMPA. IT BRINGS TO MY MIND SOMETHING THAT I READ IN THE COLOR PURPLE. ALICE WALKER SAID, ALL MY LIFE, I HAD TO FIGHT. I AM FIGHTING NOW FOR ERNEST EVERETT JUST. WHY? IT'S IN MY HEART. GREW UP AND WAS RAISED IN THAT COMMUNITY. I WAS IN THE FIRST CLASS TO ENTER JUST AND I WAS IN THE CLASS THAT WENT ON TO BLAKE. THERE'S ALIGN THAT SAYS EVERYTHING I LEARNED, I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN. I LEARNED A LOT AT JUST AND MORE AT BLAKE. GOING TO GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND WITH A BACHELORS. A MASTERS FROM NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY. FINISHED ALL OF THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PH.D. DEGREE AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA WRITE SERVED AS A FACULTY MEMBER ADMINISTRATOR. I ASK THAT YOU

105GIVE THOSE KIDS A CHANCE. THEY DESERVE. THEY NEED TO IN THEIR COMMUNITY. NOW, THE COMMUNITY IS IN FLUX RIGHT NOW. AND IT'S NOT BY THEIR DESIGN. THEY HAD NO CHOICE IN IT. THE COMMUNITY WILL COME BACK. WE KNOW THAT. GIVE THEM A CHANCE. PUT THE RESOURCES THERE. AND I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE SPENT FIVE YEARS BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WAS ACTUALLY LIKE. YES, I SPENT FIVE YEARS AS A SUBFOR KELLY. SOPHIE KNOW THE RESOURCES AT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS. IF YOU GO TO BALLAST POINT ELEMENTARY, IT'S NOT OVERLY POPULATED. IT'S A SMALL SCHOOL. BUT IT'S WONDERFULLY RESOURCED. GIVE US THAT AT JUST. WE DESERVE THAT MUCH. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SHERYL PATTERSON. I REPRESENT THE WEST TAMPA HISTORIC WEST

106TAMPA COMMUNITY. I GREW UP AT 947 UNION STREET IN THE PROJECTS. ALTHOUGH I WAS LIVING IN THE PROJECTS, MY DAD CHOSE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS BUT ALL OF MY FRIENDS WENT TO JUST. AND IT BECAME A PART OF WHO I AM. NOW, I HAD EXPERIENCES LEAVING MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOLS OUTSIDE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I WAS EXPOSED TO ALL KIND OF THINGS THAT I DIDN'T SEE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I CAN REMEMBER BRINGING THINGS HOME TO MY DAD, SAID LOOK YOU SENT ME TALL WAY HERE TO PAY FOR THIS WHEN I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THE ONLY THING I AM ASKING YOU GUYS TO DO IS KEEP OUR BABIES CLOSE. THAT DIDN'T WORK FOR US IN THE 70s. MY PARENTS CAME BACK TALKING ABOUT ROBINSON, PLANT, AND

107ALL THE SCHOOLS THEY WERE DISBURSED TO. I DON'T WANT OUR BABES HAVING TO GO DEAL WITH SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH. YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING? EVERY SCHOOL HAS A CULTURE. I'M A RETIRED EDUCATOR OF 47 YEARS, AS A MATTER OF FACT. I TAUGHT AT THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE I RELOCATED. I TAUGHT AT BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL IN ATLANTA. I TAUGHT ALL OVER. I TAUGHT K-12 GRADES. I S MY SPECIALTY WAS FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS AND I'M A READ BEING SPECIALISTS. OUR BABIES NEED TO BE WITH THEIR FAMILY. WE DO NOT NEED TO SEND OUR BABIES ON BUSES TO GET UP SO EARLY IN THE MORNING. NOT A MORNING PERSON. YOU UNDERSTAND THAT? FOE GET UP AT FOUR OR FIVE TO BE ON A BUS. BUT MY FIRST REASON IS

108THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE THAT IT WILL DO TO OUR CHILDREN. THE NEXT REASON IS THE COMMUNITY DON'T WANT IT. AND THE THIRD REASON IS, WITH THE GROWTH OF THE HISTORICAL WEST TAMPA, WE NEED TO LEAVE JUST ALONE. AND ALL I'M ASKING, I PRAY IN GOD'S NAME, DON'T MESS WITH OUR BABIES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. PERSUADE THE BOARD TO REQUIRE SCHOOLS TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT WHEN IT COMES TO REPORTING TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS. I WENT TO MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL TO ASK ABOUT HER SCIENCE TEACHER'S QUALIFICATIONS, AND WENT TO A SCHOOL SECRETARY NAMED TINA AND SAID I WOULD FIND THE INFORMATION I WAS LOOKING FOR ON THE SCHOOL'S WEBSITE UNDER OUT OF FIELD TEACHING ASSIGNMENTS. WHEW, SO HELPFUL. IF THAT HAD BEEN MY FIRST TRIP I HE WOULD BE MILDLY UPSET. I TOLD HER I ALREADY DID

109THAT, NOT MY FIRST TRIP, AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY INFORMATION WHATSOEVER ON THIS PARTICULAR TEACHER. SHE THEN SWEAT R SWEETLY INFORMED ME THAT SHE WAS NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION BUT I COULD E-MAIL THE SCHOOL. I THINK SHE WAS TRYING TO PROVOKE ME AND IT WORKED. I LOST MY SCHOOL AND I WILL NEVER FOR GET THE SMISHING ON HER FACE WHEN SHE PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED THE SRO COP. NEEDLESS TO SAY I GOT OUT OF THERE. I WOULD HATE TO THINK IF SRO COP CALLED ME, SAID I LOOKED NERVOUS AND DECIDES TO SEARCH ME THEN HE CAN ARREST ME FOR A FOLDING KNIFE ON SCHOOL GROUNDS, EVEN IF I DID GET THE CASE THROWN OUT OF COURT, THE COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING COULD STILL SUSPEND MY LICENSE FOR TEN DAYS PERMANENTLY

110STAINING MY RECORD AND REQUIRING ME TO ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHY WAS I ARRESTED FOR CARRYING A KNIFE ON SCHOOL GROUNDS? BELIEVE ME, I KNOW. BECAUSE THIS EXACT THING HAPPENED TO ME. JUST AS I DESCRIBED IT WHEN I WAS TEACHING IN CALIFORNIA. I EVEN KNOW THE COP LIKE NOW. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO. DIANE WILLIAMSON. SOME OF YOU REMEMBER ME FROM BEFORE. I HATE PUBLIC SPEAKING. I'M ONLY UP HERE BECAUSE I WANT JUSTICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING FIRST OF ALL, SOMEBODY ASKED ME ONE OF THE SCHOOL MEMBERS, WHO AM I? LIKE SEVEN TIMES. AND I JUST 2022 SAY I'M A GRADUATE OF USF. THAT'S WHO I AM. MAGNA CUM LAUDE. I HAVE AN ACCOUNTING DEGREE, FINANCE DEGREE, AND I DO HELP CONSULT WITH

111SMALL BUSINESSES. I LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. DISTRICT FIVE WAS MY ORIGINAL DISTRICT. IT WAS ORIGINALLY DISTRICT ONE. I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS SCHOOL BOARD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, I HAVE WATCHED PROBABLY EVERY SINGLE EPISODE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE, EPISODES. I WENT THROUGH A CLOSING OF A SCHOOL. I ACTUALLY GATHERED MANY PEOPLE TO FIGHT AGAINST IT, AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SCHOOL, WHILE BY CHILD WAS ATTENDING THAT SCHOOL SCHOOL, THEY CAME TO THE SCHOOL AND THEY TOLD THE TEACHERS YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB NEXT YEAR. ALL OF THE TEACHERS RAN OUT OF THE SCHOOL, AND THEY KIND OF TALKED TO THE DISTRICT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS IN THE DISTRICT. BUT THEY WENT TO OTHER SCHOOLS. AND THEY CLOSED THE SCHOOL DOWN. AND IRONICALLY THE SCHOOL WAS AN A-GRADED SCHOOL FOR DENY YEARS

112MAYBE, BUT THE YEAR BEFORE, THEY GOT NOMINATED OR GRADED AS A D SCHOOL. AND OF COURSE THIS ALL HAPPENED, IT CAME IN WHEN THEY WERE TESTING SO THAT REALLY HAD AN EFFECT ON THE STUDENTS. ANYWAY, I HAVE BEEN COMING UP HERE TELLING YOU ABOUT THE STUDENTS IN CENTRAL TAMPA, HOW THEY HAVE BEEN SCATTERED ACROSS THE CITY, 45 MILES, AND I'M THINKING, WOW, IT'S GREAT, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO BOUNDARY CHANGES, YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY. YOU ARE NOT MAKING A DIFFERENCE. YOU ARE CLOSING SCHOOLS. TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY, YOU HAVE CLEVELAND, YOU HAVE TAMPA HOUSING AUTHORITY PROPERTY RIGHT THERE, YOU DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY EARLIER SAID THERE WERE VACANCIES. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF VACANCIES, ABOUT 120. AND YOU GUYS HAVE THE STATISTICS BECAUSE YOU GUYS WORKED WITH THE TAMPA HOUSING

113AUTHORITY. AND ALSO 892 OF THOSE PEOPLE -- THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HI NAME IS BOBBY EWING, A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE PARTY FOR LIBERATION AND I AM HERE TO OPPOSE THE REDISTRICTING PLAN WHICH WOULD CLOSE OR FULLY REPURPOSE SIX SCHOOLS INCLUDING JUST ELEMENTARY. CLOSING THESE SCHOOLS WITH WOULD DISPOSITIVE PORTION ATLY IMPACT BLACK COMMUNITIES. IF THESE SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED THOSE WOULD BE PRIVATIZED AND TURNED INTO PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHICH COST SUFFICIENT AS MUCH, LESS PUBLIC OVERSIGHT AND HAVE THE PROFITS GOING TO ULTRA WEALTHY OWNERS OF THESE SCHOOLS. THIS COUNTRY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF STEALING RESOURCES FROM THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO LINE THE PROFITS OF THE WEALTHIEST MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY FROM SLAVERY ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL TODAY, AND THIS PLAN IS ONLY ONE PART OF THAT LEGACY. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE

114THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD CLOSE ANY SCHOOLS AT A TIME WHEN OUR RIGHT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IS UNDER ATTACK, BOTH HERE IN FLORIDA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND SCHOOLS ARE BEING WEAPONIZED BY THE FAR RIGHT TO SPEARHEAD REACTIONARY ANTI-BLACK, ANTI-LGBT AND ANTI-WORKING CLASS AGENDA. HERE IN FLORIDA THEY HAVE ALREADY BANNED ANY DISCUSSION OF BLACK HISTORY IN SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE BANNED AP AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES, THEY'VE BANNED ANY DISCUSSION OF LGBT IDENTITIES, AND ALL OF THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE SO-CALLED TEACHERS BILL OF RIGHTS WHICH IS ONLY MEANT TO RESTRICT TEACHERS UNIONS AND RESTRICT THEIR RIGHT TO ORGANIZE. THE FAR RIGHT IN THIS COUNTRY IS DRYING TO CRIMINALIZE ANY HONOR DISCUSSION OF THE HISTORY OF WHITE SUPREMACY IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY ARE TRYING TO CRIMINALIZE ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THEIR RACIST PRO CAPITALIST PROPAGANDA. THEY

115ARE TRYING TO ROLL BACK EVERY SINGLE RIGHT OF WORKING CLASS AND OH PROSE PRESSED PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY FOUGHT FOR AND WON OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS. IF YOU ARE A TEACHER OR PARENT OR STUDENT AND YOU ARE NOT ALREADY INVOLVED IN THIS FIGHT, PLEASE GET INVOLVED. ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE RIGHTS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, ABOUT RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AND ABOUT IMPROVING THE LIVES OF WORKING CLASS AND OPPRESSED PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR TONIGHT. WE GO TO EMPLOYEE INPUT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NIBITI, AN ATTORNEY. I AM SO AFRAID OF EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE THERE'S A REP RECEIPTRY DOES FOR PUNISHING BLACK ATTORNEYS. ATTORNEY CAROLYN STEWART TOLD ME TO WALK IN LIKE I HAD SOME SENSE BUT I WILL SAY THE GENTLEMAN SPEAKING BEFORE

116WE TALKED ABOUT -- I'M SORRY, THANK YOU, WHITE MOD RATS. I WILL SAY THE GENTLEMAN HAS TALKED ABOUT CRIMINALIZING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. WE HAVE ALL THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT JUSTICE, AND THE YOUNG LADY WHO IS READING ABOUT, PARDON ME, COLLATERAL. BOY, WAS THAT SOME COLLATERAL. BUT CAN WE LEAVE OUR FAILING SCHOOLS ALONE? WE HAD JUST FAILING AND THRIVING BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS, AND NOW THAT WE ARE FLOURISHING IN THAT COMMUNITY YOU NOW HAVE INVESTORS THAT WISH TO TAKE FROM US AS THEY ALWAYS DO. PLEASE LEAVE US ALONE. OUR BLACK CHILDREN ARE SCREAMING. IF WE LEAVE THEM TO THE STREETS THEY WILL BE WHAT? PRO PROFIT HE WILL TIESED AND CONVICTED. WE HAVE SISTER JEANETTE SMITH WHO HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR US, WE HAVE URBAN LEAGUE DOING THINGS FOR US, I HAVE EMAILED ALL OF YOU,

117IF THERE'S ONE BRAVE SOUL AMONGST YOU, ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, AND INTO WILL SAY I MOVE FOR A MOTION FOR THIS TO BE ABLED TABLED AND SOMEONE SECONDS IT, IT WILL OCCUR, AND THEN SOMEONE SAY CAN WE SECOND THE AMENDMENT AND HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE DR. FREEMAN THERE AS WELL AN OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY BUILT STEWARDSHIP. I HAVE NO CHILD. I HAVE NO RIGHT. AND I HAD A DESTINATION AND DESIRE TO BE PERNICIOUS HERE, AND I AM FEARFUL AS ALL OF YOU BUT I WATCH TIM TikTok AWAY, WE ARE CLAMORING AND WE WANT YOUR ASSISTANCE TO BE LEFT ALONE. THE ROME PROJECT SEEMS TO BE COMING AND THE INDIVIDUAL TO MADE THE COMMENT FROM THE COLOR PURPLE, WHEN THEY KEPT GOING TO THE OCEANS, THEY REALIZED THEY

118HELL BENT THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION. WE DO NOT WANT TO ATIST THEM. LEAVE US BE AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THESE WORDS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO EMPLOYEE INPUT, WHICH IS 6:00 TIME CERTAIN. WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES IN OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT 4:00. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD INCLUDING THEIR UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THEIR BOARD. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT

119ANY 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, AND WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT. THE FIRST SPEAKER PLEASE COME UP. HI. IT'S ME. GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL. FIRST, I WANT TO MENTION THAT IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION AT MY SCHOOL THAT TWO AT LEAST WERE KIND OF LEFT OAF AND I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT. IF IT'S NOT ON THE RADAR THAT DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY KIND OF INCREASE OF PAY. THE ADMINISTRATOR, THANKFULLY THE TEACHER, THE SUPPORT PERSONNEL DID, NOT THAT SOME OF THOSE GOT ANYTHING, THERE WERE DEFINITELY ISSUES WITHIN THAT, BUT ONE OF THE

120THINGS WAS I GUESS CUSTODIANS DIDN'T, AND OUR HEAD CUSTODIAN IS WORTH HER WEIGHT IN GOLD AND SHE DESERVES EVERYTHING. AND THEN PRINCIPAL'S SECRETARY APPARENTLY WERE ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP JUST IN CASE IT GOT OVERLOOKED, BECAUSE THOSE ARE BOTH NONREPRESENTED PARTIES. SECOND IS EVALUATION TIME. AND THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR WITH THIS KIND OF NEW EVALUATION SYSTEM WHERE WE AREN'T GETTING OUR INDIVIDUAL OBSERVATIONS. THEY ARE JUST OBSERVATIONS AND THEN WE GET EVALUATED AT THE END. THIS IS BECOMING AN ISSUE WITH SOME OF US, BECAUSE SOME OF US ARE GETTING DINGED ON THINGS THAT WEREN'T EVER SPOKEN ABOUT BEFORE. THERE'S ALSO ISSUES, MAY MAY 5th WAS THE LAST DAY TO DO OBSERVATIONS AND THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE AT LEAST AT MY SCHOOL THAT ONLY HAD ONE OBSERVATION

121SO WHAT ARE THEY GETTING JUDGED ON, RIGHT THIS SO THERE ARE SOME REAL ISSUES THERE THAT I KNOW ARE NOT GOING TO BE JUST A SINGLE ISSUE. IT IS GOING TO BE A DISTRICT-WIDE ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THESE WERE ALL THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP WHEN CTA TALKED WITH JUST I CAN A ABOUT THAT INITIALLY. SO JUST SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN THINK ABOUT, AND MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WHAT WAS TOLD TO US. WHAT WAS TOLD TO US WAS THAT THERE SHOULD BE GROWTH SHOWN. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO -- I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAS GOT IMPROVEMENT, RIGHT? SO IF THERE'S IMPROVEMENT TO BE MADE WE NEED TO BE TOLD THAT SO WE CAN ACTUALLY USE THAT TO GROW. AND I JUST THINK THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE JUST A GAITHER ISSUE. IT'S

122GOING TO BE A DISTRICT WIDE ISSUE. THANKS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KENNETH HILL AND I'M A PRODUCT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I FOUND MY PASSION FOR METEOROLOGY WHICH POWER MED TO OBTAIN JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY TO PURSUE A DEGREE IN METEOROLOGY. I CAME BACK HOME TO GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SO MUCH. AS A BLACK MALE I KNOW THE TRAUMAS OF ABSENT FATHERS, BROKEN FAMILIES AND LIVING IN POST. I OPPORTUNITY CURRENTLY TEACH MATH AND SCIENCE AND I KNOW THE WORK IT TAKES TO MOVE A SCHOOL GRADE. I HEARD TALK OF RESOURCES, BUT WHAT WORTH ARE RESOURCE IFS YOU DON'T ALLOW THE RIGHT TEACHERS TO GO TO THE SCHOOL, ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DO WHAT IT TAKES FOR THE CHILDREN. I

123KNOW THE COMMITMENT IT TAKES TO GET THE JOB DONE. PLEASE ALLOW TO THE TAKE PLACE. I CAME IN 2019 WITH THE SAME STIPULATESES FROM THE STATE WITH THE THREAT OF CLOSING YET WE ROLLED UP OUR SLEEVES AND PUT IN THE WORK. AGAIN I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES AND I WELCOME THE CHALLENGE OF TEACHING AT E.E.JUST. I URGE TO YOU VOTE NO AGAINST CLOSING JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. GREAT TEACHERS AREN'T HARD TO FIND. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. ROGER MISELY FROM LIS FROM BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. I HE MAILED YOU LAST WEEK. GREAT NEWS, WIKIPEDIA IS NOT WORKING AT MY SCHOOL SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. IF YOU ARE WORKING ON IT, I APPRECIATE IT STILL HOPING THAT WE CAN GET SOME THINGS GOING ON. BUT I AM HERE TODAY NOT TO TALK ABOUT

124THAT. I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT CHANGING THE WAY THAT WE DO ATTENDANCE. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ATTENDANCE AT OUR PARENTS GET NOTIFIED ONCE PER DAY. I THINK IF POSSIBLE, AND I THINK IT'S TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE THAT WE SHOULD DO IT EVERY SINGLE CLASS PERIOD BECAUSE IT WILL ALLOW FOR SEVERAL -- IMPLEMENTING THE SYSTEM WILL HELP SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS SO ONE IS GOING TO BE IMPROVED PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. WE DO HAVE PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION ACT. MAYBE WE SHOULD MAKE USE OF THAT. PARENTS WANTS TO BE INVOLVED. TEACHERS WANT PARENTS INVOLVED. LET'S GET THEM MORE INVOLVED. BY DOING SO THEY WILL BE MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION, AND TO THAT INSIGHT WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THEIR CHILD'S PROGRESS MORE EFFECTIVELY. THIS WOULD ALSO HELP WITH STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY, SO MONITORING THEIR ATTENDANCE

125ON A PER-CLASS BASIS PROMOTES GREATER RESPONSIBILITY. AMONG THE STUDENTS, THEY WILL BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE IMPACT OF THEIR ATTENDANCE ON THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND TO BE MOTIVATED TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CLASSES. IT WILL ALSO HELP ADMINISTRATORS AND HELP OTHER SUPPORT STAFF, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, ET CETERA, BY DIAGNOSE EARLY INTRACONVENTION OPPORTUNITIES. THE CLASS PERIOD ATTENDANCE WILL HELP THEM IDENTIFY PATTERNS OF ABSENTEEISM AND HARDINESS MORE QUICKLY AND THIS WILL ALLOW FOR EARLY INTERVENTION SO THOSE STUDENTS DO NOT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS. IT WILL ENHANCE COMMUNICATION. PARENTS WILL BE GIVEN DAILY ATTENDANCE, PERIOD BY PERIOD ATTENDANCE, THAT WILL ENCOURAGE MORE MEANINGFUL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO REACH US ON CAMPUS. HEY, I NOTICED YOU SAID MY KID WAS NOT HERE AT SCHOOL TODAY. HE IS. SO HE MUST BE

126SKIPPING. AND THAT WILL ALLOW FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION TO INTERVENE RIGHT AWAY. IT WILL ALSO HELP ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, THE STUDENTS WHO DO THE BEST IN SCHOOL ARE THE ONES WHO ARE AT SCHOOL AND ARE IN CLASS ALL IS THE TIME. AND THEN FINALLY IT WILL PROVIDE GREATER INSTITUTIONAL TRANSPARENCY. I KNOW A LOT OF PARENTS WOULD LIKE TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR STUDENTS' LIFE. THIS IS THE GOING TO BE AN EASY WAY FOR US TO HELP THEM BECOME MORE INVOLVED. SO I HOPE THAT THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD HELP EVERYONE, ADMINISTRATORS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND OF COURSE PARENTS. H. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR TODAY. GOOD EVENING TO ALL OUR ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT. HIEDI GLICK HERE FROM ALONZO HIGH

127SCHOOL, THE NUMBER ONE FLAG FOOTBALL TEAM IN THE STATE GOING TO STATE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS WEEKEND, AND OUR TRACK TEAM GOING TO STATE IN TWO WEEKENDS. YES, I AM VERY EXCITED. I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF IT. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO LOOK FORWARD NOW. I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO START THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE BOARD IS GOING DOUGH AND WHAT THE NEGOTIATING TEAM IS GOING TO DO WITH THE UPCOMING TEACHER AND FARRAH PROFESSIONAL CONTACT. WE NEED TO BE PAID FOR WHAT WE WORK SO FROM THAT STATEMENT AND EVER IN AGREEMENT THAT EVERYTHING HE SAID IN HIS DECISION WAS CORRECT. I AM GOING TO CONCLUDE, NOT ASSUME, CONCLUDE BASED ON MY BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE AND THE INFORMATION I HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AT THE LAST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, THAT

128THE AUTOMATIC MOVEMENT OF TEACHERS AND ESPs TO THE NEXT STEP WILL OCCUR IMMEDIATELY UPON THE BEGINNING OF NEGOTIATIONS. MS. COMBS AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT, YOU ALL BOTH WROTE HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATED US, YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT HOW NECESSARY WE ARE, AND I REALIZE THAT THE PROBLEM IS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE NOT GIVING US ENOUGH MONEY. I HAVE A LOT OF OTHER PAGES HERE TO SPEAK WITH TODAY ABOUT THAT BUT I THINK IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT SOMEONE MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE THE CLOSING OF THE SCHOOLS ESPECIALLY NOT CLOSING OF JUST ELEMENTARY AT THE BEGINNING TO THE BEGINNING OF YOUR AGENDA AS SOON AS I AM DONE SPEAKING BECAUSE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE FOR YOU TONIGHT AND I AM SEEING THEM GO OUT AND BUY SNACKS FOR THEIR CHILDREN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN HERE SO

129LONG. AND I DON'T THINK THEY ARE LEAVING UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD THAT MEETING. SO I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT SOMEONE MAKE THAT A MOTION AS SOON AS I'M DONE, SOMEONE SECOND IT, AND I WOULD HOPE TO SEE A UNANIMOUS VOTE ON IT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. WELK GO AHEAD AND MOVE, MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO MOVE JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL UP TO BE THE FIRST ITEM TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS AND ALSO BY USING -- Jim Porter: THROUGH CONSENT AGENDA DO THAT. IS THE. Nadia Combs: SO WE WILL DO CONSENT AGENDA, THEN JUST, THEN BACK TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS. Jim Porter: THAT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. I HAVE A SECOND BY

130MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASS PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I WILL BE MOVING ON TO 7.11. JUST THAT ITEM AND THEN WE WILL GO BACK TO PROCLAMATIONS. BOOKER T. WASHINGTON AND TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHANGES AND JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REPURPOSING. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: THIS IS THE SECOND READING FOR THE RECOMMENDATION TO CLOSE JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WE LAUNCH THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR. FIRST AND FOREMOST I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMUNITY COME OUT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, SUPPORT JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WE KNOW HOW PRECIOUS OUR STUDENTS ARE EVERY SINGLE DAY, FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND REALLY IGNITE THE SUPPORT PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY, IS SO REFRESHING AS A LEADER. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS ROLE SOME

131DIFFICULT DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE. IN THIS PROCESS AS WE LOOK AT JUST, ONE THING WE WILL ALWAYS DO IS CONTINUE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE FOCUS ON THE LEGACY OF ERNEST EVERETT JUST AND HOW HE WAS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN PIONEER AS HE TRANSITIONED PHYSIOLOGICALLY IN DEVELOPMENT ESPECIALLY AS HE FOCUSED ON FERTILE FELTIZATION AND THAT NAME WILL CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF WHAT DECISION IS MADE THIS EVENING, NEEDS TO BE CELEBRATED AND ACKNOWLEDGED IN THIS COMMUNITY AND CONTINUE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT IT'S IN THE FOREFRONT AS WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT HE HAS GIVEN NOT ONLY TO OUR COMMUNITY BUT GLOBALLY IN HIS IMPLEMENTATION AS A BIOLOGIST. I AM ASKING FOR THE PRESENTATION, AND I WANT TO DO A LITTLE SHORT PRESENTATION THAT IDENTIFIES AND REITERATES SOME OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS

132FOR THE BOARD AND ALSO THE COMMUNITY. THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SECOND APPROVAL CLOSING OF JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR, REQUEST THIS SAID THIS WILL MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION WAS TO MOVE THE 284 STUDENTS TO TWO SCHOOLS, THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS GOING TO BOOKER T. WASHINGTON, AND THEN A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS AROUND 55 STUDENTS GOING TO TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD. AFTER CONVERSATION AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY LAST MEETING, WE DID ASK FOR THE COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY FROM MADAM PRESIDENT WAS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE OPEN UP THREE SCHOOLS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY LESS THAN TWO MILES, AND THOSE WERE IDENTIFIED AS DUNBAR, LOCKHART, AND TAMPA HEIGHTS. THESE THREE SCHOOLS ARE MAGNET SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, HISTORICALLY WE DO NOT OPEN THESE THREE SCHOOLS UP TO STUDENTS IN

133CHOICE, SO BRINGING THIS TO FIVE SCHOOLS TO ALLOWING THE 285 STUDENTS TO SELECT WHERE THEY WILL ATTEND IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT PARENTS HAVE A CONTINUOUS SAY OF WHERE THEIR CHILD CONTINUES TO BE EDUCATED WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION. WITH THIS SAID, THE DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE, IF APPROVED THIS EVENING, WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, FAITH BASED PARTNERS, NAACP, PARENTS OF HOW TO REDESIGN THE SCHOOL WHETHER THAT TAKES ONE YEAR, TWO YEARS, TO BE DETERMINED ON THE OVERARCHING THEME OF WHAT WE MOVE FORWARD AS AN ORGANIZATION. MY CURRENT RECOMMENDATION IS TO TRANSITION JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INTO A MONTESSORI FOCUS, AND STARTLE TO FOCUS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS THE INDEPENDENCE TO WORK IN MULTI-GRADE LEVELS AND REALLY LEAD IN EDUCATION UPON THEIR PACE AND HAVE A LOT OF KIN STATIC LEARNING IN

134THAT APPROACH AND TO HAVE A STAGGERED APPROACH AS WE REBUILD AND WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY IN AN EFFORT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. WE WILL ALSO WORK TO COORDINATE WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY WHAT MENTORING SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN THIS SCHOOL. AND WHILE WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT HAS CONTINUED TO BE VOLUNTEERS AND SHOWS UP WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS TO HELP OUR CHILDREN, WE TRULY NEEDED TO FIND WHAT MENTORSHIP IS AND HOW THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE GOING, AND THAT'S 360 ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, DISTRICT STAFF, SCHOOL-BASED STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, PARENTS, STUDENTS, ALL TO HAVE 360 OWNERSHIP ABOUT WHAT WE DO TO BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE LEARNING AND PUSH ACHIEVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IF APPROVED THIS EVENING WE WILL GO WITHIN A WEEK AND HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH PARENTS AT THAT

135PARTICULAR SCHOOL, AND ALLOW THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, THE FIVE SCHOOLS TO REALLY SHOWCASE WHAT THEY OFFER, AND AT THE SAME TOKEN ALLOW PARENTS A FEW-WEEK WINDOW TO DETERMINE WHAT SCHOOL WILL BE BEST FOR THEIR LEARNNER THIS PROCESS. I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHILE THIS IS AN INITIAL RECOMMENDATION, WE GO BACK TO LOOKING AT THE OVERALL THIS YEAR'S PROGRESS OF JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENT 1, 2 AND 3. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU SEE THAT THE THING THAT'S IN THE GREENS, THE BLUES AND THE PURPLES, RECOGNIZES STUDENTS HORRIFIEDFIED FROM THE PROGRESS MONITOR AND ASSESSMENT BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAVE BEEN EXTENDED AS BEING PROFICIENT IN THAT SCHOOL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT LITERACY THIS YEAR IN THIRD GRADE AND THE THIRD GRADE PMA IS ALREADY COMPLETED,

136IT'S IN THE MIDYEAR, END OF THE YEAR PROGRESS MONITORING, 46 STUDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED TO PROFICIENT AS OUTLINED BY THE STATE'S PROGRESS MONITORING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FOURTH GRADE, FIFTH GRADE, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE LAST THIRD PROGRESS MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT FOURTH GRADE, 41 STUDENTS ARE PROFICIENT IN PROGRESS MONITORING, AND FIFTH GRADE, TWO OF THE 35 STUDENTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS PROFICIENT AS WELL. WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE AREA OF MATH MAT MIX IT CONTINUES TO BE CONCERNING. IN THE THIRD GRADE OUT OF 46 STUDENTS HAVE BEEN -- 4 OF 36 HAVE BEEN PROFICIENT SINCE THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. AS YOU LOOK AT THE FOURTH GRADE AND THE FIFTH GRADE, WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THAT ASSESSMENT TO FINALIZE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FOURTH GRADE, TWO OF

13741 IN PROGRESS MONITORING 2, AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT FIFTH GRADE, NO STUDENT WAS IDENTIFIED AS PROFICIENT IN PROGRESS MONITORING IN THE MIDYEAR ASSESSMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY TALKED ABOUT WRAP AROUND -- EXCUSE ME, SUPERINTENDENT. EXCUSE ME, AUDIENCE. PLEASE, WE NEED TO BE QUIET SO SUPERINTENDENT, EVERYBODY CAN SPEAK. IF NOT, WE MOVED THIS ITEM UP. WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL AND STOP SCREAMING OUT. IF NOT WE WILL HAVE TO REMOVE PEOPLE BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN HEAR. SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU PEOPLE WOULD STOP SCREAMING OUT. Addison Davis: I APPRECIATE THE PASSION BEHIND IT AND I APPRECIATE WHEN SPEAKERS WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS THIS MORNING AND MEETING WITH INDIVIDUAL FAITH BASED PARTNERS, OUR CIVIC LEADERS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS, IS

138THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WRAP AROUND SERVICES. THTHIS IS A MULTIYEAR CHART THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, DONATIONS, MENTORSHIPS, ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENT, THIS HAS BEEN A MULTI-PHASED APPROACH. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THIS YEAR, YOU SEE IN THE LAST COLUMN, THERE'S BEEN A LITANY OF CONTINUUM OF SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, AND WHEN YOU CORRELATE THIS WITH THE OVERARCHING IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRESS MONITORING, YOU SEE THERE HASN'T BEEN ADEQUATE PROGRESS MADE, WHICH IS CONCERN FOR ME, AND WHY I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP CHILDREN IN THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL. FOR ME AND MY HEART BREAKS THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEM IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE CONTINUED HIGHLY QUALIFIED SKILLED TEACHERS EVERY SINGLE DAY WITHIN

139THIS ORGANIZATION. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES, THIS YEAR, THERE'S ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE STATE, A TOTAL OF 462,000, BUT HISTORICALLY TITLE 1 DOLLARS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED ALONG WITH OTHER DONATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY CONTINUED PARTNERS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE STAFFING AND NOTE THAT A TEACHER BONUSES RANGE FROM 7500 TO $15,000 ON TOP OF SNARE CURRENT SALARY, WE HAVE 18 POSITIONS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OFFERED, ALLOCATION, GENERATED BY STUDENTS. 11 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN FILLED AND 7 ARE VACANCIES MEANING A NUMBER OF OUR STUDENTS HAVEN'T BEING SERVED DAILY BY A HIGHLY QUALIFIED SKILLED TEACHER. ALL OF THESE SCHOOLS HAVE HAD ACADEMIC COACHES, RESOURCE TEACHERS, BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN PUSHED IN THE CLASSROOM TO BE ABLE TO CREATE STABILITY FOR OUR CHILDREN. THE ISSUE HAS

140BECOME A VERY HARD TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE INDIVIDUALS FOR THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL. MY ASK OF THIS BOARD IS TO ALLOW THIS SCHOOL TO SIT FOR A CALENDAR YEAR AT MINIMUM, ALLOW ME TO WORK WITH EVERY ONE OF OUR CIVIC LEADERS AND PUT A TASK FORCE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT, IN AN EFFORT TO MOVE FORWARD COLLECTIVELY AND MAERSK CERTAIN THAT EVERYONE HERE THIS EVENING HAS NOT ONLY A VOICE THIS EVENING BUT A VOICE IN MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE MOVE FORWARD COLLECTIVELY AND BE VERY SURGICAL AND INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE SERVE CHILDREN AS WE GET A CHANCE TO REBOOT AND REBOOST ERNEST EVERETT JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-7.11. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN,

141AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER WASHINGTON, AND MYSELF WE PULLED THIS ITEM. IF WE WILL GO AHEAD AND LINE UP THE SPEAKER LIST. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: FIRS T OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT. THE ORGANIZATIONS, THE COMMUNITY PEOPLE, THE PARENTS, AND THE STUDENTS, BECAUSE THIS IS TRULY SOMETHING IMPORTANT. IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE HEARD THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. BECAUSE WE ARE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE. IT'S BEEN HARD FOR ME DEALING WITH THIS, BECAUSE I'M PART OF THE PEOPLE. AND I BELIEVE -- I BELIEVE WE SHOULD NOT CLOSE JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. I AM GOING TO BE HONEST. FIRST, THE REASON WHY, WE NEVER HAD A MEETING IN WEST TAMPA. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE SOMEBODY WILL COME IN AND CLOSE YOUR HOUSE

142BUT THEY NEVER MET WITH YOU. NEVER HAD A MEETING IN WEST TAMPA. WE HAD MEETINGS ALL OVER BUT NEVER IN WEST TAMPA. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US NOT TO CLOSE JUST BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. HAVE YOU DRIVEN PAST JUST IN THE LAST DAYS OR SO? LOOK AT ALL THE HOUSES THAT ARE BEING BUILT THERE. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE BE BELIEVABLE THAT THE HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT IN THAT COMMUNITY. INTENTIONS ARE GOOD, BUT THE PLAN IS FLAWED. THERE'S NO GOOD PLAN. AND THE REASON WHY THERE'S NO GOOD PLAN, BECAUSE WE KEEP CHANGING. WHEN YOU KEEP CHANGING THE PLAN, PEOPLE DON'T BELIEVE IN IT. I'M PART OF THE BOARD. WE DO NOT HAVE A GOOD PLAN. WE KEEP CHANGING EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING FOR JUST. WE WANT TO CHANGE IT, DO THIS AND

143DO THAT. SO I SEE WHY THE COMMUNITY DON'T BELIEVE IN IT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE STABILITY IN OUR PLAN. A PLAN IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH A SITUATION LIKE JUST. AND NOT ONLY AT JUST BUT IT'S THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE MOVING PEOPLE OUT TO SEND THEM TO TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD AND SENDING THEM TO BT WASHINGTON. THEY GOT TO MOVE OUT THE COMMUNITY. HEY, OUR COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE COME BY AND SAY, I WANT MY KIDS MOVED, AND WE DON'T WANT OUR KIDS MOVED. AT THE END OF THE DAY WE DON'T WANT OUR KIDS MOVED. WE WANT OUR KIDS TO STAY IN THE COMMUNITY, TOO. WE JUST LOST TRUST. YOU KNOW ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE LOST

144TRUST? WE MOVE PEOPLE OUT OF PEOPLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND THEY SAID, WELL, THE COMMUNITY HAVE LOST TRUST. WE ARE GOING TO BUILD MEACHUM BACK, WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS. HAVE BEEN, FINE, THAT'S GREAT. WE AIN'T HEARD NOTHING ABOUT MEACHUM. NOT A WORD. WE HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT MEACHUM. WHY ARE TEACHERS LEAVING JUST? DO WE KNOW? WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE LEAVING. WE KNOW WHY THEY ARE LEAVING BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE LEAVING. BECAUSE I THINK AT THE VERY END, WE DID NOT PUT FORTH AN EFFORT INTO JUST. NOW, SOME OF THE WORST SCHOOLS, THE WORST SCHOOLS, AND I HAVE BEEN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR 42 YEARS, THE WORST SCHOOL I EVER SEEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THAT WE GAVE HELP TO WAS POTTER. POTTER WAS THE ONLY SCHOOL I EVER

145SEEN. JUST DON'T EVEN COMPARE WITH POTTER. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? WE PUT A GREAT LEADER IN THERE, AND TRACYE BROWN DID A GOOD JOB. TURNING IT AROUND. WE HAD A DOWNFALL OF PEOPLE. WE HAD A DOWNFALL. WHO DID WE PUT THERE? SHAY McRAE. TURNED IT AROUND. WE HAD A DOWNFALL AT CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL. WHO DID THEY PUT THERE? SHAKE WASHINGTON. AT THE END OF THE DAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU GOT TO HAVE LEADERS IN THAT SCHOOL TO TURN IT AROUND. I MEAN, THAT'S AT THE END OF THE DAY. WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE WE GOING TO -- TO HAVE TO HELP THESE KIDS? WE HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. ARE WE GOING TO MAKE TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL? BECAUSE WE ARE SENDING 200 KIDS OVER THERE. SO ARE WE GOING TO HAVE

146HALF TRANSFORMATION AND HALF REGULAR? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO PLAN FOR. AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. WHEN WE MOVE TO BT WASHINGTON -- HOW MUCH TIME I GOT? 36 SECONDS, OKAY. I CAN GET BACK IN THE QUEUE, THOUGH. ARE WE HELPING BOOKER T. WASHINGTON? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? I'M GOING TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND BY THE WAY, MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU HAD 23 MORE SECONDS. SO THERE. BUT ANYWAY, HE WILL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE AND I APPRECIATE THOSE VOICES FROM FRED HEARNS, SIGMA PSY-PI, MICHELLE PATT, REVEREND JAMES, JAMES RANSOM, MANY OF THE LEADERS WHO SPOKE FROM THEIR HEARTS AND THEIR MINDS THIS EVENING. AND IT HAS MADE

147AN IMPACT. BECAUSE NOW WE SEE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HEARD, WE SEE THAT THERE WILL BE AN ADVISORY, A COMMITTEE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A WHILE AGO, AND IT FINALLY IS BEING DONE. THAT PARTICULAR ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE HOPE IS THAT THEY WILL PLAN FOR THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR FUTURE STUDENTS. I DID WANT AN EARLY LEARNING CENTER. BEFORE THAT I WANTED THE JUST K-8 WITH STEWART FOR THE EARLY LEARNING CENTER HAS SEEN TO CAPTURE AT LEAST MANY OF THE INTERESTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, WHETHER IT'S MONTESSORI, I'M NOT SURE. AGAIN THIS WILL COME BACK TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. IS THAT THE RIGHT FIT? IS THAT THE SOLUTION? WILL WE CLOSE THE SCHOOL? WE ARE NOT CLOSING THE SCHOOL. IN FACT, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE SCHOOL WILL BE TURNED INTO AN EMBLEMATIC EARNING

148EARLY LEARNING CENTER THAT WE ALL SHOULD BE EXTREMELY PROUD OF AND WE SHOULD ALL WORK WITH THAT INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING TEACHERS THAT ARE CERTIFIED. WE CAN'T CONTINUE RUNNING A SCHOOL -- AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS-WITH CHILDREN BEING TAUGHT BY SUBSTITUTES. SOME OF THEM HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A FULL-TIME TEACHER THE ENTIRE YEAR. IT IS TRUE THAT WHEN WE LOOKED AT, RIGHT BEFORE COVID, THE 2020, 2019, AND THEN FROM THAT POINT ON, UNTIL THE TRANSFORMATION KNELT WORK TOOK PLACE, WE DID NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE HUMAN AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. I HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH JUST, THE PRINCIPAL THERE AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I KNOW, IT IS TRUE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN IN FACT MANY, MANY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN LET DOWN. I DON'T THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT PAST. I LOOK FORWARD TO

149THE FUTURE. I LOOK AT ALL OF YOU. YOU SPOKE TONIGHT. MANY OF YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF JUST. BUT I KNOW THAT -- I SHOULD SAY E.E. JUST. I KNOW FRED HEARNS, AND CERTAINLY OMEGA PSI-SI AS OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT IS BONDED, BONDED BY THE CHALLENGE OF MAKING SURE THE CHILDREN HAVE THE BEST EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME. I DO BELIEVE THAT TRANSPORTATION, I AGREE, I DID WORK ON THAT, THE HEAD START, MAKING SURE THOSE BABIES GET TAKEN CARE OF ON NEW SCHOOLS, AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS VALIDATED THAT. BUT THE BUSING, I CAN'T ARGUE, I CAN'T SAY THAT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT. BUT THE BETTERMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WILL HAVE THESE STUDENTS GEARED TOWARDS SUCCESS. NOT ONLY ACT CLEMICALLY BUT SOCIALLY EMOTION ALLY.

150WE CAN'T PROVE THAT TONIGHT. BUT I BELIEVE WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE OWNED AND EXCUSE ME FOR USING THAT SAME TITLE. I'M SURE YOU WILL COME UP WITH ANOTHER TITLE EMBLEMATIC OF THIS GROUP. BUT I DO BELIEVE THROUGH THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT'S FORM, THAT YOU WILL MAKE SHUSH THAT THE BEST OUTCOMES DO COME FROM THESE BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL CHILDREN. AND I KNOW THE SENSITIVITY OF HAVING THINGS TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU TIME IN AND TIME OUT. I WAS TEACHING SINCE THE 80s, 7th GRADE CENTERS, YOUNG, CERTAIN CENTERS WERE DEFINITELY SEGREGATED, AND THIS DAY AND AGE IT SHOULD NEVER EVEN HAPPEN. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE A SCHOOL TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM. BUT ANYWAY, I TALKED WAY TOO MUCH. AND I DEFINITELY SAY THAT I'M VERY PLEASED AND PROUD OF EVERY ONE OF THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS

151AND EDUCATORS WHO SPOKE FROM THEIR HEARTS, AND THEIR MINDS, FOR THE WELFARE OF THESE CHILDREN NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I TAKE GREAT ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS BEING ENGAGED AFTER THE FACT. I TAKE GREAT ISSUE WITH THE FACT THAT LEE ELEMENTARY, WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS REBUILT, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS NOWHERE NEAR FULL, AND IT WAS A MAGNET SCHOOL, NOT A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. AND WE CONTINUED TO SPEAK OF COMMUNITY SCHOOL. BUT LEE ELEMENTARY IS NOT A COMMUNITY SCHOOL. YOYO MANN IS AN ASIAN-AMERICAN WHO SAID WHEN YOU LEARN SOMETHING FROM PEOPLE OR FROM A CULTURE YOU ACCEPT IT AS A GIFT. AND YOU SEE A LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT TO PRESERVE IT AND BIBUILD ON

152IT. JUST ELEMENTARY, THAT AREA, WE HAVE 644 STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA. IN TOWER ONE WE HAVE 186 STUDENTS. IN TOWER 2 TWO WE HAVE 1710 STUDENTS. IN TOWER THREE WE HAVE 151 STUDENTS. IN TOWER FOUR WE HAVE 137 STUDENTS. WHAT HAS THIS DISTRICT DONE TO ENGAGE THOSE STUDENTS? AS OF TODAY, WHAT I AM HEARING IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. WE HAVE TITLE 1 ALLOCATION MONEYS. WE HAVE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT MONEYS. WE HAVE TURNAROUND SCHOOLS, SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOCATION MONEY. AND ALL THAT FUNDING HAS NOT TOTALLY BEEN USED. TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN THAT SCHOOL. BECAUSE OF POOR LEADERSHIP. THAT CONTINUES TO ALLOW TO BE IN THAT SCHOOL AND ALLOWED OUR STUDENTS TO REMAIN WITHOUT THE EDUCATION THAT THEY NEEDED. YOU KNOW, THE DEFINITION OF GENTRIFICATION IS FAR TOO FAMILIAR TO OUR STUDENTS TODAY.

153THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE RECONFIGURATION OF THEIR URBAN LANDSCAPE THAT IS SHRINKING, AND THEY WATCHED THEIR RESIDENTIAL SPACE AND OPTIONS WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITIES SHRINK. AS THE SPACE FOR MORE ADVANTAGED RESIDENTS EXPANDS. AND THEY WATCH BEFORE THEIR EYES THEIR WORLD DISAPPEAR. YOU KNOW, IN SOME OF OUR COUNTRY'S LARGEST CITY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CLOSURES HAVE BECOME A FAMILIAR CRISIS AS IT IS HERE IN TAMPA. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION, SUPERINTENDENT. WHAT ARE WE DOING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS TO MAKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE FOR OUR PARENTS? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. EVERY SINGLE DAY WE HAVE, THAT OUR WORK WORK THAT WE DO AS THIS IS VERY EVIDENT THROUGH THE LAST THREE YEARS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS PUT FORTH, LOOKING AT -- WHEN I CAME IN REMEMBER WE HAD 38 HISTORICAL

154D AND F SCHOOLS AND NOW WE HAVE 18. SORRY, UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS. WE HAD 28 HISTORICAL D AND F SCHOOLS THAT MOVED TO 5. WE HAVE CUT THE D AND F SCHOOLS IN HALF. WE HAVE ACCELERATED THROUGH THE STATE IN FT HES, CTE CLASSROOMS. WE HAD THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE WE HAVE HAD IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO BECOME FULL OPTION GRADUATES, WHETHER THEY COME TO THE WORKFORCE, POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, OR GO TO THE MILITARY. WE DO THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY. Karen Perez: UNFORTUNATELY, TOO MANY CHILDREN HERE IN TAMPA, THEY ARE DESTINY IS DETERMINED BY THEIR ZIP CODE. BECAUSE TOO MANY KIDS MUST WALK TO SCHOOL WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE A MEANINGFUL CHANCE TO SUCCEED. AND THE IRONY HERE IS THAT WE SPEAK OF CHOICE, AND WE PREACH

155OF CHOICE, MEANWHILE WE ARE PUSHING OUR OPINION ON A COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE TAKING AWAY THIS COMMUNITY'S CHOICE. WE ARE TELLING THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF JUST ELEMENTARY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. AND UNLIKE THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS, IF YOU ARE WHITE, YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF ATTENDING A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL THAT YOU CAN WALK TO. AND IF YOU ARE BLACK, YOU HAVE LITTLE CHANCE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBER PEREZ, I AGREE WITH YOU IN REGARDS TO WE CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT PARENTAL CHOICE. AND WE HAVE A COMMUNITY OF MORE SPEAKERS THAN WE HAD IN A LONG TIME, ALL COMING TOGETHER, TELL US THEIR CHOICE IS TO KEEP JUST OPEN, AND TO INVEST IN THEIR SCHOOL. YOU KNOW,

156I WAS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER BEFORE I GOT ELECTED, AND I WORKED WITH MULTIPLE GROUPS IN EAST AND WEST TAMPA, AND TO SEE THIS ROOM FULL OF SO MANY GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY WOULDN'T COME TOGETHER AROUND ANOTHER ISSUE, ALL COMING TOGETHER TO SAY THAT THEY WANT OUR SCHOOL, THIS SCHOOL TO STAY OPEN, IS MEANINGFUL. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE COMING TO SPEAK UNDERSTAND WHAT A MEANINGFUL EVENT THIS IS RIGHT NOW, TO HAVE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND SPEAK UP AND SAY THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEIR SCHOOL CLOSED. AND TO ME, THAT UNDERSCORES PARENTAL CHOICE, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY. I APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS ABOUT REDESIGNING THE SCHOOL. I'M A LOVER OF MONTESSORI. I THINK MONTESSORI WILL BE SPECTACULAR ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES THAT STRUGGLE. WE TALK

157ABOUT READING READINESS AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT MONTESSORI FOR HOURS. AND I APPRECIATE AN EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE. HOWEVER, WHERE I DISAGREE IS I DON'T THINK THAT WE NEED TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THOSE THINGS, AND INFORM THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST TIME, WAY HEARD OVERWHELMINGLY WAS, WE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE QUALIFIED TEACHERS. AND THAT'S AVAILED CONCERN, ABSOLUTELY. HOWEVER, WHEN I HAVE DONE SOME MORE RESEARCH, TO ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND WHY TEACHERS SEEM TO BE LEAVING IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO BE CLOSED. AND TEACHERS WANT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE A CHOICE INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A SCHOOL TO CLOSE AND FOR THE TRANSFER PERIOD TO SHALL LAID SO THEY ARE LEAVING BECAUSE WE HAVE

158DANGLED THE SCHOOL CLOSURE FOR SO LONG THAT HAS BEEN THEIR CHOICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN HAVE SOME SAY IN THEIR -- IN THEIR ACADEMIC CHOICE GOING FORWARD. SO, AGAIN, I STILL HAVEN'T GOT OHEN ANY INFORMATION OTHER THAN THAT OF WHY WE CAN'T KEEP TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND IF THAT IS THE DRIVING FORCE, AND I DISAGREE THAT WE HAVE TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL IN ORDER TO FOCUS ON THAT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS, AND WE TABLE THIS IN ORDER TO ALLOW 2 COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT TO GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK. I DON'T THINK THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS -- OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ENGAGED ENOUGH. I SAID THAT AT THE LAST MEETING WHEN WE

159TALKED ABOUT WHERE OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS WERE. WHEN WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT BOUNDARY CHANGES, I ASKED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT LETTING COMMUNITIES KNOW THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITIES, PUTTING STREET SIGNS OUT LIKE THEY DID FOR TRANSPORTATION MEETINGS, SENDING INFORMATION HOME WITH PARENTS LIKE WE DO ADVERTISING ANYTHING ELSE AND I DON'T SEE THAT WAS DONE WITH FIDELITY. SO I THINK THIS COMMUNITY IS SAYING GIVE US SOME MORE TIME. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT FROM THE LAST MEETING. BOARD MEMBERS ARE CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE SCHOOLS IN MY DISTRICT THAT DON'T HAVE MEMBERS THAT ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN JUST. AND THOSE STUDENTS NEED SUPPORT JUST LIKE THE STUDENTS IN JUST. AND WE ARE NOT TALK BEING THOSE SCHOOLS THAT THEY ARE IN CRISIS AND ON THE VERGE OF CLOSING. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GAINING TRUST IN

160COMMUNITIES, IDENTIFYING CERTAIN SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN CRISIS AND NOT TALKING ABOUT OTHER SCHOOLS WITH THE SAME PASSION, THAT LENDS OUR COMMUNITIES TO BE SUSPICIOUS. AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND WHAT MEMBER MY MISSION SINCE BEING ELECTED IS TO REGAIN THE TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR SCHOOL BOARD. SO AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS IN ORDER TO LET THE EXPLORATORY COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT COME FORTH WITH SOME MORE RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. THANK YOU. Jim Porter: SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR THAT NEEDS TO BE SECONDED. SO IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY MEMBER VAUGHN. IF YOU CAN CLEAR THE BOARD, PLEASE. SO BOARD MEMBERS AND MADAM CHAIR, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO CONTINUE. OR TO TABLE. WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF NEWER

161FAVOR OF NOT MAKING A DECISION TONIGHT, WOULD YOU VOTE YES. IF YOU WANT TO VOTE TONIGHT ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION, YOU WOULD VOTE NO. YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONTINUANCE, BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW. NOT WHETHER TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL, WHETHER TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM UNTIL ANOTHER BOARD MEETING. Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE. IF YOU VOTE YES, THAT MEANS YOU WILL NOT DECIDE WHETHER TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL. IT WILL BE DECIDED AT ANOTHER MEETING. IF YOU VOTE NO, YOU WILL MAKE A DECISION TONIGHT. YES MEANS A CONTINUANCE TO ANOTHER BOARD DATE. Nadia Combs: AND IT FAILS 3 YES, MEMBER WASHINGTON, MEMBER VAUGHN, MEMBER PEREZ. VOTED YES. AND BOARD MEMBERS GRAY, RENDON, HAHN AND MYSELF VOTED NO. SO WE WILL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION FOR JUST. SO WE ARE BACK TO

162THE MAIN MOTION. OKAY, YOU WILL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. IF WE COULD PLEASE SET UP THE QUEUE AGAIN. I THINK MEMBER HAHN YOU WERE NEXT TO SPEAK IF I AM CORRECT. Stacy Hahn: YES, MA'AM. Nadia Combs: OTHER MEMBERS, IF YOU WILL PLEASE SIGNAL IF YOU WILL SPEAK. MEMBER HAHN? Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. SO FIRST, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT THIS EVENING. I KNOW MANY OF YOU CAME FROM A LONG WAY, AND IT'S BEEN A LONG AFTERNOON FOR ALL OF YOU. AS I SAID TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS, I HAVE LOOKED AT THIS THROUGH THE STUDENT LENS. MY CONCERN IS ON 284 STUDENTS RIGHT NOW. WE ARE OFTEN CALLED AS BOARD MEMBERS TO LOWER THE DROPOUT RATES AND INCREASE MINORITY GRADUATION RATES AND INCREASE LITERACY AND MATH RATES AND

163DECREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS GOING TO THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN AP AND IB COURSES. YOU KNOW, WHEN I AM THINKING ABOUT THESE CHILDREN, I THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TALK AS A 30-YEAR EDUCATOR NOW AND NOT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. EVERYTHING I KNOW EDUCATION SAYS THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE IN CRISIS. AND THAT'S WHAT KEEPS GNAWING AT ME. I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS IN THIS ROOM, AND THEY WANT TO WRAP THEIR ARMS AROUND THIS SCHOOL. I JUST KEEP FOCUSING ON THESE KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND FACTS ARE STUBBORN THINGS, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, WHETHER IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO OR TONIGHT, AND WE LOOK AT IT AND WE SEE THAT FOUR OF TEN THIRD GRADERS ARE PROFICIENT IN READING,

164FOUR FOURTH GRADERS, AM I RIGHT? I'M SORRY. FOUR FOURTH GRADERS ARE PROFICIENT IN READING. TEN THIRD IN READING. TWO FOURTH GRADERS ARE PROFICIENT IN MATH. TWO. AND EVERY FOURTH GRADER IN THE SCHOOL, FOUR OUT OF EVERY THIRD GRADER, TWO FIFTH GRADERS IN THE SCHOOL ARE PROFICIENT IN LANGUAGE, ARTS AND READING. AND ZERO PROFICIENCY IN MATH. THAT IS INCREDIBLY ALARMING. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU ARE RIGHT, MEMBER VAUGHN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT EVERY SCHOOL THAT HAS SCORES LIKE THIS. AND WE DON'T TALK ABOUT STUDENTS ENOUGH. I THINK COVID HAS REALLY TAKEN UP SO MUCH OF THE CONVERSATION, AND WE NEED TO SHIFT THAT. SO THE DATA TELLS THE STORY OF THESE STUDENTS. HAVE THEY BEEN STRUGGLING SINCE KINDERGARTEN. THINK ABOUT KINDERGARTEN. IMAGINE STUDENTS ENTERING THE SCHOOL AT FIVE OR SIX NOT KNOWING THEIR ALPHABET, THEIR

165NUMBERS. FIRST AND SECOND GRADERS STRUGGLING TO READ AND RECOGNIZE WORDS, UNABLE TO COUNT TO 100. HOW DO I, HOW DO ANY OF US TURN A BLIND EYE TO THEIR STORY? I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE WANT TO REIMAGINE AND RECREATE THIS SCHOOL. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M TRYING TO FIND A WIN-WIN HERE WHERE THESE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO WIN. THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE EXPOSURE TO HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE LISTED ON THIS FORM. THAT FOR ME EXISTS IN THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS. IT'S DUNBAR, TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD, LOCKHART, TAMPA HEIGHTS AND BOOKER T. BUT TO LEAVE THEM IN A TRIPLE F SCHOOL KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW, LOOKING AT THE DATA, THAT IS HEART BREAKING TO ME. AND IT'S HEART BREAKING THAT IT GOT TO THIS POINT. ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN'T TURN

166BACK TIME. WE CAN'T REDO WHAT'S BEEN DONE. WE CAN DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD. WE TALK ABOUT HOW TO REIMAGINE JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BUT FROM THOSE KIDS THE DECISION HAS TO BE MADE NOW. THEY DON'T HAVE ANOTHER YEAR. THEY DON'T. I JUST -- IF WE WANT TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT BY THESE STUDENTS TONIGHT. AND THEN WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO REIMAGINE JUST. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE OVER THE NEXT YEAR A PRINCIPAL HIRED, LEAD TEACHERS HIRED, MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET THAT GOING. I'LL GET BACK IN THE DEW QUEUE. SORRY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. EXCUSE ME, EVERYONE. PLEASE, IF YOU CAN GIVE EVERYBODY THEIR ATTENTION. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: I HAVEN'T BEEN A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR VERY LONG. BUT I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY. 4

167A.M. IN THE MORNING, MANY OF THESE GUYS WILL HAVE E-MAILS. YOU WILL SEE E-MAILS RESPONDING TO YOU. MIDNIGHT. 4 A.M. I SHOWED UP AT JUST. JUST WANTED TO SEE THE KIDS. I WANTED TO TALK TO THE TEACHERS. I WANT TO TALK TO THE PRINCIPALS, THE APs. I WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY WERE, HOW THEY FELT ABOUT THINGS. BECAUSE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE THERE, WALKED RIGHT BY ME. AND I UNDERSTAND THEY MAY NOT HAVE SEEN MOW. AND THAT'S OKAY. BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE FOR A REASON OTHER THAN THE KIDS AND THE TEACHERS. I TALKED TO MS. SNIVELY, MEMBER SNIVELY, BECAUSE SHE'S BEEN AROUND A LITTLE LONGER. IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR HER HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THINGS THAT SHE'S DONE AND VOTED FOR OVER THE COURSE OF TIME BECAUSE IT'S

168IMPORTANT. BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT SHE HAS. I HAVE THE RESEARCH. I TALKED TO OUR STAFF THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AND GOT THEIR EXPERTISE, KNOWLEDGE AND EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE FOR KIDS. THERE'S NOT A PARENT OUT THERE THAT DOESN'T THINK THAT A CRITICAL TIME IN THEIR STUDENT'S EDUCATION IS K-5. IT IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING THEY NEED FOR THE REST OF THEIR EDUCATION. WHAT THEY GET WRONG AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO MAKE IT UP IS DOUBLE AND TRIPLE THE TIME. SOMEONE SAID TO ME THIS MORNING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN VOTE FROM A PRETTY SCHOOL POINT OF VIEW. I WON'T DO THAT. NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR A POLITICAL VOTE. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AS LONG AS I AM SILTING HERE AND MY VOTE COUNTS. I WILL ONLY

169VOTE WHEN THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IS THE STUDENT. AND I CANNOT SLEEP AT NIGHT NOT KNOWING THAT I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN FROM THE EXPERTS, FROM THE SCHOOL, THE PRINCIPAL, THE AP, WHO I DO HIGHLY RESPECT, AND GO TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY, THAT PROTECT THESE CHILDREN. THEY DISMISS SEVERAL CHILDREN AT DIFFERENT TIMES BECAUSE THEY ARE PROTECTING THE CHILDREN. THEY SIT THERE AFTER SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY ARE PROTECTING THE CHILDREN. THEY ARE THERE HOURS AFTER SCHOOL. THEY ARE THERE BY THE WAY AT CAREER FAIRS. THEY ARE OUT THERE RECRUITING TEACHERS AS BEST THEY CAN. THAT CURRENT PRINCIPAL BROUGHT TEACHERS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS, AND THEY ARE STILL THERE. AND TEACHERS HAVE NOT LEFT TODAY AND WILL BE THERE THAT HAVE BEEN THERE ALL YEAR UNTIL THE END. NOBODY HAS LEFT AND TRANSFERRED OUT AS OF TODAY.

170THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE LOOKED INTO POSITIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THEY HAVE NOT TRANSFERRED OUT TODAY. THE AP AND THE PRINCIPAL SAT THERE WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES WHEN I ASKED THEM, DO YOU FEEL THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I OR ANY BOARD MEMBER OR ANY OF THIS DISTRICT COULD DO RIGHT NOW TO CHANGE ITS TRAJECTORY FOR NEXT YEAR? THEY BELIEVE THEY HAVE ALL GIVEN 150% TOWARDS THEIR STUDENTS. AND I RESPECT THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE PUTTING IN THE TIME. THEY ARE PUTTING IN THE WORK. THESE PARENTS THAT CAME HERE TODAY WANT JUST OPEN BECAUSE THEY TRUST THOSE TEACHERS, THEY TRUST THAT AP. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I RESPECT THEM. AND I ASKED THEM, HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOUR STAFF? IT'S NOT EASY FOR THEM. AT ALL. BUT THEY HAVE DONE

171THE TIME. THEY HAVE PUT THE EFFORT. AND THEY WANT THEIR STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. I WILL CLOSE YOU WITH THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT I LEFT WITH FROM THAT SCHOOL IS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE FACULTY MEMBERS WANT TO MAKE SURE PERSONALLY WHAT GOES ON WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS. I ALSO WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S COME OUT HERE. EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S REACHED OUT TO EVERY BOARD MEMBER. THEY HAVE TAKEN THE TIME. I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK THE OMEGA PSIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT ONLY COME OUT BUT THEY HAVE PUT TIME INTO THAT SCHOOL ON AN ONGOING BASIS AND I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALL OF THAT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I HAVE A LOT

172OF THE SAME SENTIMENTS. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT I LOOK AROUND THAT CAME TODAY AND SPOKE, I MEAN, I DIDN'T KNOW THREE YEARS AGO UNTIL I GOT ELECTED, AND WHEN I CAME IN, MY HEART IS IN THE SAME PLACE THAT IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO. FOR ME, ALL OF IT COMES DOWN TO STUDENTS. WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS? I JUST WANT TO KNOW THAT I DID COMMUNICATE WITH ANYBODY WHO REACHED OUT TO ME WHO WANTED TO TALK TOCK ME AND I RESPECT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO COMES OUT HERE. AND I KNOW THAT WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, WE ARE IN SUCH A HUGE CRISIS HERE IN FLORIDA. IT IS LIKE THE WORST OF ALL. HERE WE ARE, OUR VETERAN TEACHERS ARE PAID 47th OR 48th, CAN'T LIVE HERE. WE HAVE THE HIGHEST INFLATION IN THE

173STATE -- IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE ARE GETTING THE PER PUPIL ALLOCATION OF LESS THAN 8500 DOLLARS TO GO TO ANY PRIVATE SCHOOL IN THIS CITY IS 20,000. WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO AS BOARD MEMBERS WHEN WE ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE RESOURCES AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES WHO ARE NOT GETTING THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT THAT WE NEED? WE ARE THE ONLY DISTRICT IN THE STATE THAT DID NOT PASS A REFERENDUM. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PAY PEOPLE WHEN YOU OFFER PEOPLE $15,000 BUT THEY STILL DON'T WANT TO GO TO CERTAIN SCHOOLS? WHY? BECAUSE WE ARE 1500 TEACHERS SHORT. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM AT JUST. IT'S A PROBLEM EVERYWHERE. AND ON TOP OF THAT, WHAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT, AND I OH WOULD LOVE FOR EVERYONE

174TO SEE THIS, IS WHAT I SHARED WITH MY BOARD MEMBERS AND WAIL SHARE, IS WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR DISTRICTS AND YOU LOOK AT THE ENROLLMENT OF THE LAST 15 YEARS, WHAT YOU SEE IS THE ENROLLMENT HAS GONE DOWN. WHY? BECAUSE PARENTS WANT CHOICE. AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT CHOICE. BUT HOW DO WE REACT WHEN THE ENROLLMENT HAS GONE DOWN? IN MR. WASHINGTON'S DISTRICT OR MY DISTRICT, IN MY DISTRICT'S DISTRICT HAS HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF LOSSES. IN 49 SCHOOLS, 44 OF MR. WASHINGTON'S SCHOOLS HAVE GONE DOWN IN ENROLLMENT. AND INCLUDING MY SCHOOLS. A LOT OF MY SCHOOLS. 30 SCHOOLS HAVE GONE DOWN AND ONLY 13 OF ENROLLMENT HAS GONE UP. WE HAVE LOST THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, AT JUST, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, 300 PARENTS DON'T CHOOSING TO GO TO

175JUST. OKAY. FROM CHOICE. SO WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND WHEN WE LOOK AT BOUNDARIES AND WE LOOK AT CLOSING SCHOOLS, IT'S GOING TO REPURPOSING SCHOOL, IT'S GOING LEAVE MUCH MORE THAN FIVE. WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT 10 OR 20. NEXT YEAR WE ARE LOOKING AT HOUSE BILL 1 COME UP IN JULY. DO NOT THINK THE ENROLLMENT IS GOING TO GO DOWN MORE. WHAT AM I TO DO, NOT PAY TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS, NOT HAVE GUIDANCE COUNSELORS IN THONOTOSASSA OF THOSE STUDENTS? THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN. YES. SO WHAT YOU SEE IS -- AND I AM GOING TO SPEAK NOW AS AN EDUCATOR. I HAVE BEEN AN EDUCATOR SINCE I WAS 19 YEARS OLD. I TAUGHT AT FRANKLIN. I TAUGHT AT SLIGH. I USED TO BRING STUDENTS UP TWO

176OR THREE LEVELS. STUDENTS LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER. WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE STUDENTS WORKING AT A LOW LEVEL, AND YOU HAVE ALL THESE SUBSTITUTES, YOU HAVE A RECIPE FOR STUDENTS NOT TO BE ABLE TO SUCCEED. I AM R AM I SUPPOSED TO SIT HERE AND WAIT FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND HOPE THAT THE STUDENTS, THERE WILL BE A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, ORB WE HOPE THAT WE HAVE MORE VOLUNTEERS? NO. I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT STUDENTS FIRST. AND SO FOR ME, FOR ME I HAVE TO PUT STUDENTS FIRST. AND THEN I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESOURCES ARE IN FRONT OF THE STUDENTS. SO FOR ME, I FEEL THAT WHEN THOSE STUDENTS END UP, WHEN WE REPURPOSE THAT SCHOOL FOR A YEAR OR LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO, WE CAN REVIVE THAT AND BRING THAT BACK

177FOR EARLY LEARNING OR K-8. WE HAVE TO BE INNOVATIVE. BUT FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE FIRST. THANK YOU. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THAN K YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT LENSES. AND MY LENS ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM MY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AT SOME POINT. WHY DON'T WE HAVE ADVISORY COMMITTEE? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY TYPE OF COMMUNICATIONS OVER IN WEST TAMPA. WHY DON'T WE FORMULATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEFORE WE CLOSE? WE WANT TO CLOSE AND THEN FORM AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. LET'S FORMULATE ONE BEFORE WE CLOSE. AND PUT PEOPLE ON THERE THAT KNOWS THE COMMUNITY AND CAN GIVE SOME INPUT HOW WE CAN HELP. I ALSO SPOKE WITH SOME TEACHERS. AND THAT'S NOT THE REPORT THEY GAVE ME. I MEAN, I'M NOT BEING DEROGATORY. I'M NOT BEING NEGATIVE. BUT I SPOKE WITH

178SOME TEACHERS. AND THEY FEEL WE HAVE NOT DID WHAT WE SHOULD DO FOR JUST. I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAS MACHINES JUST LIKE A DOORKNOB. EVER GOT ONE. GOT TO TURN. WHEN THEY SPOKE AND SAID, YOU KNOW, MR. WASHINGTON, I DON'T FEEL THAT WE HAVE HAD A FAIR OPPORTUNITY LIKE OTHER SCHOOLS. IT MAY NOT BE. I MEAN, IT MAY NOT BE. BUT THAT'S THEIR PER SPENCE ACCEPTING, AND THEIR PERCEPTION IS A REALITY. AND THEIR PERCEPTION IS YOU HAVEN'T DONE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AT OTHER SCHOOLS. NUMBER TWO. I THINK IF WE CAN GET ADVISORY PEOPLE, WE HAVE OMEGA, WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE HELPING. LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN WORK AND HELP. GIVE US A CHANCE. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE AND THEN GIVE US A CHANCE BECAUSE IT MAY NOT OPEN AGAIN. IT

179HAPPENED BEFORE AND I AM NOT SAYING IT WON'T, BECAUSE I HAVE TRUST IN YOU. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S HAPPENED MANY TIMES. WE CLOSE SCHOOLS AND NEVER OPEN. HOW ABOUT CARVER ONE TIME? THEY SAID WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE CARVER. WE DON'T DO IT. WE DON'T HAVE CARVER MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW. SO WE HAVE LOST A LOT. I THINK WE NEED -- WE REALLY NEED TO STEP BACK BEFORE WE JUMP CONCLUSION. KEEP THE SCHOOL OPEN. AND WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY. LET'S DRAW SOMETHING UP. LET'S DRAW UP A CONTRACT. WE GOT SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY HERE. WE GOT OTHER ATTORNEYS HERE. WELK DO SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN KEEP OUR WORD, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT KEEPING YOUR WORD. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOST OUR WORD. AND WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR

180WORD, YOU HAVE LOST EVERYTHING IN LIFE. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE RESPECT YOU WHEN YOU DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO. AND I THINK IF WE CAN SET BACK AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, DON'T RUSH TO CLOSE IT DOWN. JUST GET ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO COME UP WITH SOME IMPORTANT PEOPLE, PUT THEM ON THERE AND LET'S COME UP WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS SO WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM. THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO. BECAUSE I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IN JUST CLOSING ANYTHING. YOU KNOW, LET'S TRY TO WORK IT OUT. JUST LIKE WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT -- JUST LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SAY THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO. FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HOLDS A PARENT MEETING AND INVITES ALL SCHOOLS LISTED ABOVE,

181WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE SCHOOL LIST IT BEFORE WE CLOSE? WHY DON'T WE DO IT BEFORE WE CLOSE IT? AND LET THEM COME IN, AND SEE WHAT THE PARENTS THINK ABOUT IT. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ARE MAKING THE DECISION. AND, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND, WE ARE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS. BUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PARENT INPUT. LET THE PARENTS COME IN AND SAY, OKAY, WE WANT TO OPEN UP UNBAR AND OPEN UP LOCKHART AND NIP OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS. LET THE PARENTS DECIDE AND THEN WE CAN TELL IF THE PARENTS WANT THE SCHOOL OPEN OR NOT. BECAUSE ONCE YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOL AND THEY CHOOSE, THEY ARE OUT OF LUCK. SO MY SUGGESTION IS NOT TO CLOSE IT. LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. AND KEEP IT OPEN. AND I UNDERSTAND

182ABOUT ACADEMICS. IT'S ALL ABOUT ACADEMICS. IT'S ALL ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, TOO. IT'S NOT ALL ACADEMIC. BECAUSE YOU CAN MOVE A KID. I K KID CAN BE THE SMARTEST KID IN THE MOVE, AND AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY SHALL NOT A EXCUSE TOLD TO WORKING WITH. TWO YEARS, IT COULD BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE MENTAL HEALTH IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO WE GOT TO FEED THE MIND, TOO. FEED THE MIND WITH SOMETHING THEY REALLY LIKE. BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THEIR FRIENDS AND SO LET'S LOOK AT THAT. THAT'S A SUGGESTION THAT I MAKE. LET'S LOOK AT IT. LET'S TRY IT. WE TRIED EVERYTHING. LET'S TRY IT BEFORE WE SHUT IT DOWN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SHAY McRAE, AND

183IN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, WHY DON'T WE KEEP IT OPEN FOR ANOTHER YEAR, OR THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE ACADEMIC DEFICITS IN READING AND MATH, YOU ALL SAW THE STATISTICS. BUT EVERY TIME WE HAVE A CHILD THAT CANNOT READ, BECAUSE OF SUCH THINGS AS TESTING, WHICH IS AN ARTIFICIAL WAY OF SAYING TO A CHILD THAT THEIR SUCCESSFUL OR NOT SUCCESSFUL, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO READ, THEN WE SAY LET'S WAIT ANOTHER YEAR, THAT'S COMPOUNDING LOWER SCORES AND LOWER SUCCESS RATES. SO MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU ARE VERY EXPECTED IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND YOU SHOULD BE. YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR EVERY ONE OF THE AUDIENCE AND THE CHILDREN. BUT I DEFINITELY CAN'T AGREE WITH WAITING AT THE EDUCATIONAL EXPENSE OF THE CHILDREN. AND I KNOW

184THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND I SEE THEY ARE HERE AND VERY CLEARLY, THEY WILL -- THEY WILL STEP UP, AND THEY WILL COMMIT TO HELPING THESE CHILDREN. BUT THAT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS COMMITTEE BEING EXTREMELY INFLUENTIAL AND DETERMINING -- AND THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A COMMITMENT FROM EVERY ONE OF US INCLUDING YOU ALL, TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THE KIDS, NO MATTER WHAT SCHOOL THEY ARE GOING TO. AND I DON'T SAY THAT LIGHTLY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE BUSING. SO SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A NIGHTMARE FOR MOST PARENTS, TO HAVE THEIR CHILD BUSSED IN THIS DAY AND TIME, MAYBE EVEN YEARS AGO. SAFETY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO HOW MANY CHILDREN ARE WE -- DO ABSOLUTELY WALK FROM THEIR

185HOUSE TO THIS SCHOOL? DO WE KNOW? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, I HAVE TO GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. I DO KNOW WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FOUR SCHOOLS, THE MAJORITY -- WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY WILL SELECT OF THE FIVE SCHOOLS TO DETERMINE HOW MANY WOULD RIDE A BUS, AND LOOK AT HAZARDOUS RIDING, HAZARDOUS ROAD ISSUES, WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION, AND THEN IDENTIFY THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE TWO MILES. AS RELATES TO INTERNALLY RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS ACTUALLY RIDE THE BUS CURRENTLY. Lynn Gray: AND WE HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THE HOUSING WILL PROMISE TO EVEN PUT MORE CHILDREN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WALKWAYS, ET CETERA. I WOULD SAY ALSO THE FIRST BULLET POINT, TRYING TO PUT IT TOGETHER, THE THINGS TO

186DO FOR AN ADVISORY, IS TO MAKE SURE SIGNAGE AND SAFETY AREAS, SIDEWALKS, ARE DEFINITELY BUILT WITHIN THE INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU HAVE BOCC GWEN MYERS ON THE COUNTY COMMISSION. I'M SURE SHE WILL BE AN ASSET. BUT THOSE ARE REAL CONCERNS THAT NEED TO BE MET FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN. WE HAVE A QUESTION -- I HAVE TWO MORE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS EMBLEMATIC MONTY SORRY, AND SOME OF US MAY OR MAY NOT -- MONTESSORI. BUT I WANT TO KNOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT IN THE REAL WORLD THAT WE ARE LIVING IN, WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED IN TERMS OF OUR FINANCES? Addison Davis: THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEVERAGE FEDERAL DOLLARS, TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT WHETHER IT'S TITLE 2 FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER LOOKING AT CAPITAL TO BE ABLE

187TO PURCHASE FURNITURE, AND THEN WE CAN USE A NUMBER OF OTHER RECOGNITIONS OF TITLE 1 FUNDING FOR ONGOING RECRUITMENT TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CAPITAL FOR FURNITURE. SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF FUNDING SOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE CAN REALLOCATE FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AND STAND UP AND THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF APPROACH TO THE COMMUNITY SELECTS THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT TO THAT SCHOOL THAT MAKES SENSE FOR THOSE CHILDREN. WE CAN ALLEVIATE GENERAL FUNDS AS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE AND INCENTIVIZE THE TEACHERS AS THEY TRANSITION TO SERVE OUR CHILDREN. Lynn Gray: WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT'S REAL ADVERTISE I CAN ADVERTISE -- REALISTIC. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT CAN BE DONE, AND MONETARILY, THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL. THE OTHER

188QUESTION I HAVE, AND PERHAPS SHAY McRAE, WE ARE HEARING THAT TEACHERS, THEY ARE LEAVING. WELL, AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE SEEING THIS ON THE SCREEN HERE THAT THESE TEACHERS NOW UNDER TRANSFORMATION CAN RECEIVE UP TO $15,000 JUST TO STAY THERE. SO MY QUESTION IS, WHY ARE TEACHERS LEAVING IF THAT WERE THE CASE? DO WE KNOW? Shay McRae: I AM NOT THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION BECAUSE IT'S NOT MAKING SENSE TO ME RIGHT NOW SHOO. Addison Davis: I WANT TO BE CLEAR THE 15 Z 15000 IS A STATE RECOGNITION FUNDING FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY TO BE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE FOR THEIR QUALIFICATIONS. ANYONE THAT IS EFFECTIVE UP THERE THEIR EVALUATION THROUGH THE STATE QUALIFIES FOR THE 7500 DOLLARS RELATED TO BEING ABLE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL PHASE. SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE THOSE TWO QUALIFIERS.

189WHEN WE WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH THE STATE, OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAKE CERTAIN WE ONLY HIRE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE OR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IN TRANSITION TO THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THE OVERARCHING NEEDS OF STUDENTS TO STUDENTS HONOR MAYUNDER PERFORM AND WE WANTS TO PUT THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST TO ACCELERATE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND FULL ACADEMIC POTENTIAL. OUR TRANSITION TO MS. McRAE IF SHE WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE. Shay McRae: YES, Lynn Gray: YES, THERE'S A LOT OF IN AND OUT THIS ROOM WHY ARE TEACHERS LEAVING, WHY AREN'T THEY HIGHLY SKILLED? WE HAVE SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS TEACHING THESE CHILDREN. AND WE HAVE TEACHERS LEAVING. AND YET WE HAVE THE UMBRELLA OF MONETARY BENEFITS. SO DO WE KNOW WHY THE TEACHERS ARE LEAVING? Addison Davis: LET ME SAY THROUGH THE CHAIR, ANYONE I HAVE EVER MET IN EDUCATION, THEY

190ALWAYS WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB. NO ONE GOES TO EDUCATION TO DO A POOR JOB FOR CHILDREN. WHEN I WALK JUST AND I HAVE CONVERSATIONS -- AND I AM SORRY THAT WE HAD DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES, BECAUSE I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH EMPLOYEES AT JUST THAT ARE THANKING US, THEY NEED THE TRANSITION TO GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, THEY THINK IT'S BEST TO SERVE CHILDREN, AND WE WON'T SAY NAMES. WE APPRECIATE THEM BEING ENTRUSTED TO US AND I'M SORRY THERE MAY BE MIXED MESSAGES, AND EVIDENTLY THERE HAVE BEEN, BUB WHEN YOU LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THERE, THEY ARE EXHAUSTED, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO COVER CLASSROOMS. I MEAN, WE ARE SPENDING TITLE 1 DOLLARS, TESTA DOLLARS TO PAY PAYROLL FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO COVER CLASSES, AND TO TAKE ON STUDENTS

191TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A QUALIFIED TEACHER VERSUS HAVING A SYSTEMIC SUBEVERY SINGLE DAY. SO A LOT OF IT IS THROUGH EXHAUSTION. AND IT'S NOT ONLY THAT WE ARE HAVING TO FOCUS ON THE EXACERBATED ACHIEVEMENT GAP, BUT EVERYTHING THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPOSED TO, TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT CLASS SIZE, ADDITIONAL COVERAGE, YOU LOOK AT ALL THE COMPLEXITIES OF BEING A TEACHER, I THINK THAT FOLDS INTO THE FACT TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT 7500 DOLLARS TORE THAT $15,000 IS ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT INDIVIDUALS TO SCHOOLS THAT NEED US THE MOST. SO I THINK FOR US WE HAVE GOT TO GO BACK AND REALLY FIGURE OUT, IS THERE ADDITIONAL SALARIES THAT ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE, THAT WE HAVE TO BUTTON TEACHERS TO GO TO STUDENTS NOT ONLY

192IN THE TRANSFORMATION NETWORK, OTHER SCHOOLS THAT NEED US THE MOST AND HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE EITHER GOING TO THE COMMUNITY TO RAISE THAT MONEY OR WHETHER WE LEVERAGE TO LOOKING AT EVERY ONE OF OUR DIFFERENT GRANTS, FEDERAL FUNDING AND GENERAL FUNDING, TO BE ABLE TO CREATE DIFFERENT SALARY SCHEDULES, ESPECIALLY PARTICULARLY FOR JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SORRY, MS. McRAE, WHATEVER YOU WANTED TO ADD. Lynn Gray: WELL, THE QUESTION IS VERY CRITICAL. BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THESE CHILDREN TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THOSE TEACHERS? AND DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS? WE JUST HAVE TO -- WE ALL KNOW, IT HAS TO BE INCREDIBLY STRATEGIC WHEN WE ARE MOVING KIDS TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, WHAT IS THE FIDELITY THAT THE TEACHERS THERE, MENTAL HEALTH INCLUDED? Nadia Combs: SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR. IN THIS

193PROCESS, SOMETIMES, WE THINK THE FIT MATCHES WHERE WHETHER INTERNALLY OR FROM LEADERSHIP, AND I AM NOTE TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP IN THE SCHOOL, BUT IT COULD BE ANY SCHOOL, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST DOESN'T MATCH. IT DOESN'T MATCH THE TIME IN OUR LIFE, IT DOESN'T MATCH THE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE A CERTAIN POCKET OF LEARNERS, AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY. SO WE RECOGNIZE SOMETIMES THAT WHEN TEACHERS TRANSFER OVER FROM ONE LOCATION TO THE NEXT, WE WANT TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE, THEY UNDERSTAND THE CLIMATE OF THE COMMUNITY, THE STUDENTS THEY ARE SERVING, AND THEY HAVE THAT MATCH BE IN SYNC. BUT SOMETIMES OPENLY WE WANT RECOGNIZE THAT MAY NOT WORK. SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING CERTAIN NO

194MATTER WHAT POSITION THAT ANY SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT THAT WE FIND THE RIGHT MATCHES, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THE SPIRIT, THE LOVE, AND THE ENERGY THAT MAKES CERTAIN THAT THEY GO TO A SCHOOL THAT REALLY HELPS CHILDREN EXCEL EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS AND MADE THAT COMMIT. I DON'T SAY THIS IN A MAGGING MANNER BECAUSE IT'S NOT TO BRAG ABOUT BUT CLOSE TO 100 OR SO CHANGES IN THE DISTRICT AS A PRINCIPAL LEVEL AND I THINK THAT HAS MADE A MARRIAGE DIFFERENCE IN STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND CULTURE OF CARE WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. Lynn Gray: AND IN IN CLOSING, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I DEFINITELY THINK FROM THE RESULTS OF LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE DEFICITS THAT THEY ARE SEEING THE FACILITY OF THE

195QUALITY OF TEACHING, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT YOU ARE LOOKING YOU ARE LOOKING AT, AND I HOPE SO, OF A HIGHER, FOR LACK OF BETTER WORDS, SCHEDULED MOTIVATION PAY FOR THOSE TEACHERS THAT ARE IN THOSE HIGH-NEEDS SCHOOLS, AND THE PRINCIPALS AS WELL. SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK DIFFERENTLY AT HOW WE INCENTIVIZE SCHOOLS AND HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND LEED LEADERS THE MOST. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: SO AS A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, I AM GOING TO SPEAK OF A PLACE OF TRANSPARENCY. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE IN MENTAL HEALTH MONTH. UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. THE COMMUNITY HAS DISCLOSED THAT INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN PROVIDED TO THEM. AM I CORRECT? OKAY. WE

196HAVE A SCHOOL, JUST, THAT WAS REBRANDED, AND NO ONE WAS NONE THE WISER. AM I CORRECT? SO THE DISCONNECT IS PALATABLE. THE DISCONNECT FROM THE TOP DOWN. BUT THE ONES THAT FEEL IT THE MOST ARE THE STUDENTS. YOU SAID, YOU MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO, SUPERINTENDENT, THAT CLOSING THE SCHOOL WILL ALLOW US TO GET FUNDING, YOU KNOW, THE BETTER SY THE STUDENTS. AM I CORRECT? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR I.ADOPT RECALL SAYING MIGUEL RELATED TO GENERATING FUNDING BY CLOSING THE SCHOOL. NOW OPENLY IF YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOL, THERE WILL BE A FINANCIAL SAVINGS, BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT A FINANCIAL SAVINGS BECAUSE OUR PLAN IS TO REBOOT AND REDESIGN THE SCHOOL AS WE MOVE FORWARD. Karen Perez: BECAUSE THERE WAS FUNDING THAT WAS NEVER USED. THERE WAS TITLE 1 ALLOCATIONS THAT WERE NEVER USED. ONLY PARTIALLY

197USED. THERE WAS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT MONEYS THAT WERE NEVER USED. THERE WERE TURN A YOND ROUND SCHOOLS SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOCATION FUNDING THAT WAS NEVER USED. AND TO A TUNE OF ALMOST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. SO THERE'S A PROBLEM. BUT NOT ONLY WITH JUST BEING CLOSED. BECAUSE FROM WHAT I AM SEEING, AS A BOARD MEMBER, AND WHAT I AM SEEING WHEN I'M SPEAKING TO THE COMMUNITY -- AND I'M OUT IN THE COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME -- IS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CLOSING SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOLS THAT WE SEEM TO CLOSE SEEM TO BE IN OUR BLACK COMMUNITIES, AND OUR BLACK LATINO AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS SCHOOLS. AND OUR BLACK AND LATINO LOW-INCOME STUDENTS ARE FALLING FURTHER BEHIND THAN THEIR PEERS, BECAUSE OF UNEQUAL ACCESS, TO RELIABLE LEARNING TIME WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND THEIR PEERS. IF WE CONTINUE TO

198PUT THEM ON BUSES, THEY SPEND MORE TIME ON BUSES GETTING TO AND FROM SCHOOL THAN THEY DO SPENDING TIME IN SCHOOL. I GET PHONE CALLS CONSTANTLY THAT OUR STUDENTS MISS FIRST PERIOD AND AT TIMES SECOND PERIOD, AND THEIR TEACHERS FAIL THEM FOR MISSING FIRST AND SECOND PERIOD WHEN IT'S NO CAUSE OF THEIR OWN. AND THAT IS WHY OUR BLACK AND LATINO AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS SEEM TO BE FAILING. I GET PHONE CALLS CONSTANTLY THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE BEING LEFT AT THE BUS STOPS. 9:00, 8:00 IN THE MORNING, 9:00 IN THE MORNING. WHAT MAKES THE GUARANTEE THAT OUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS, WHY ARE WE PROMISING THAT MOVING THEM TO OTHER SCHOOLS AND BUSING THEM OUT IS GOING TO IMPROVE THEIR GRADES WHEN THEY ARE BEING LEFT AT THE BUS STOPS? Nadia Combs: SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS,

199YOU WANT TO COMMENT BACK? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. I WANT TO MAKE A CORRECTION WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A HALF MILLION DOLLARS NOT BEING EXPENDED BETWEEN TITLE 1 AND TESSA, IT DOESN'T EVEN TO THE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR THAT THEY RECEIVED. THEY ONLY RECEIVED 468,000-DOLLAR -- 462,000 AT THE SCHOOL. THERE ARE SOME EXPENDITURES THEY HAVEN'T SPENT, BUT THEY SPENT THIS MONEY ON PAY, TECHNICAL SUPPLIES, FOR TECHNOLOGY, ALSO COVERING CLASSROOMS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL, THEY COVERED STUDENT UNIFORMS, THEY CREATED A CLOSING ITEMS FOR THIS MONEY, THEY ALSO LOOKED AT FOOD PANTRIES, HIGH GENERAL ITEMS, SO THEY ARE SPENDING THE MONEY, AND CERTAIN OF THE MONEYS HAVE TO BE UNPACKED THROUGH STATE REGULATIONS SO WE CAN'T TELL SCHOOLS HOW TO SPEND TITLE 1 DOLLARS. THEY TOOK THAT AWAY FROM THE DISTRICT YEARS

200AGO. SO TITLE 1 SCHOOLS CHOOSE HOW THEY SPEND THE DOLLARS. ALSO FORTISSA AS RELATES TO BUS, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS WE BROUGHT THIS, HERE COMES THE BUS, WHICH REALLY TALKS ABOUT GEO FENCE WHEREOF THAT GUS IS, WHERE PARENTS CAN IDENTIFY IF THE BUS IS FIVE MINUTES LATE, WHERE IT IS, AT A BUS STOP AT A SAFE MANNER. WHEN WE ONLY HAVE ONE BUS AT JUST, IF WE HAVE ANY ISSUES WE WILL ADDRESS AS RELATES TO NEXT YEAR WE HAVE A STRATEGY WE ARE WORKING IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT BECAUSE LIKE EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THIS NATION, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT, THERE'S THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF VACANCIES WITH BUS DRIVERS. WE INCREASED THE SALARY LAST YEAR. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE DIFFERENTLY TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH UPS

201AND A AM A ZONE FROM. OUR PERSPECTIVE WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS BUSING TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ARE GETTING TO SCHOOL ON TIME. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE WILL DO IS MEET WITH MRS. HILL, THE NEW SUPERVISOR, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, MR. FARKAS, MS. McRAE AND ALSO MRS. BURKETT TO IDENTIFY SCHOOLS THAT NEED US THE MOST TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CONSISTENT ROUTES ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN TRANSFORMATION OR ON THE BUBBLE TO MAKE SHUSH THOSE STUDENTS ARE CONSISTENTLY HAVE A DRIVER, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY DO NOT MISS FIRST PERIOD, SECONDS PERIOD, THAT WE SHOULD NEVER HOLD STUDENTS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN WE HAVE ISSUES WHERE WE HAVE A DOUBLE BARK OF A BUS DRIVER THAT HAS TO

202DO TWO ROUTES, BECAUSE IT IS NOT THE LEARN FAULT. WE ARE STARVING LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE NATION TO BE ABLE TO FIND DRIVERS TO GET STUDENTS ON TIME TO SCHOOL, AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO DOING THAT AND WORKING WITH TEACHERS AND PARENTS, WITHOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, FANNED THAT'S HINDERING THEM ON A DAILY BASIS. Karen Perez: BUT WHEN WE ARE LACKING EQUIPMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS, I DON'T THINK UNIFORMS SHOULD BE THE TOP OF THE VINE TO MAKE AN EXPENDITURES. IT SHOULD BE THE SUPPORTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO BRING INTO SCHOOL THAT WE SHOULD BE SPENDING ON OUR STUDENTS, AND WHEN WE ARE PINPOINTING WHAT THE STUDENTS NEED, WE SHOULD GO TO THE COMMUNITY TO FIND OUT WHAT THOSE NEEDS ARE. Nadia Combs: SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, AND I THINK MS. McRAE. Addison Davis: I

203JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT JUST AS HAS A ONE TO ONE DEVICE FOR TECHNOLOGY, THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ACCESSIBILITY, SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS, STRONG CORE ONE CURRICULUM, THEY HAVE PANTRIES. SO THERE'S A LOT OF RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO THAT SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. MS. McRAE, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? GO AHEAD. Shay McRae: SO THEY DO HAVE ONE TO ONE DEVICES. I HEARD IN THE BACK VERY CLEARLY THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TEACHERS. THAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE TEACHERS. NOT THE RESOURCES. AND THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN GREAT, IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS. Addison Davis: AND THROUGH THE CHAIR. I WISH WE COULD GO OVER BEYOND THE 7500 AND THE $15,000 TO GO OVER AND BEYOND THIS CATEGORICAL MONEY

204FROM THE STATE. BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT AN AGREEMENT. NOW WE CAN PUSH AND ASK THEM TO SAY, NOW WHAT, CAN WE PUSH THE $15,000 TO $20,000, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THIS IS SYSTEMIC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE. NOT JUST UNIQUE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT WE HAVE NO PROBLEMS OF PUSHING THE STATE. I WILL BE WITH THE STATE ON THE 22ND AND 23rd IN MIAMI AND WITH MS. McRAE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE TEACHERS TO COME TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE NEED THE MOST. Karen Perez: AND I POSED THE LAST BOARD MEETING HOW MANY TEACHERS HAVE ALREADY EXITED AND I WAS TOLD TWO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MESH VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST I WANT TO START TO SAY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME

205PUBLIC COMMENT HERE THAT HAS THE INTENT OF SOME BOARD MEMBERS AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT KIDS, AND THAT THIS IS REALLY HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE AND WE MIGHT DISAGREE ON HOW IT'S MADE. HOWEVER, WHERE I TEND TO DISAGREE AGAIN IS I DON'T THINK -- AND I SAID THIS THE LAST BOARD MEETING -- THAT PUTTING CHILDREN WHO ARE ALREADY SO FAR BEHIND IN A CLASSROOM AND EXPECTING TEACHERS JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE CERTIFIED IN CLASSROOMS THAT ARE ALREADY OVERRUN, THAT IS GOING TO ALL OF A SUDDEN MAKE UP FOR THOSE GAINS THAT THOSE STUDENTS HAVE. ALSO, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STUDENT SUCCESS IS CONSISTENCY. SUPPORT. WHETHER OR NOT THEIR PARENTS CAN BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. HAVING SUPPORT FROM A

206COMMUNITY, FROM MENTORS, FROM TEACHERS, FROM YOUR PARENTS BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS, EQUATES TO JUST AS MUCH SUCCESS AS SITTING OUR STUDENTS IN FRONT OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS. AND WHAT WE ARE MEASURING HERE IS, ARE WE GOING TO UPROOT OUR STUDENTS AGAIN WHO HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH YEARS OF COVID AND HAD DISRUPTIONS, AND AS A BOARD I KNOW WE HAVE ALL TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH CONSISTENCY AND STABILITY IS IMPORTANT, TAKE THEM OUT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES, PUT THEM IN WITH COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PEERS, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT, IN CLASSROOMS WITH TEACHERS WHO ARE SERVICING MANY STUDENTS WHO DON'T GET US WRONG, THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS MAY NOT HAVE LEARNING DEFICIENCIES THAT ARE ON THE SAME LEVEL AS JUST IS, BUT THEY HAVE ISSUES WHERE TEACHERS ARE ALREADY DIFFERENTIATING AND DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP RAISE UP THOSE STUDENTS ACADEMIC

207SUCCESS. AND WE ARE GOING TO SAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO DISRUPT STUDENTS, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THEM OUT OF THE COMMUNITY, POSSIBLY PUT THEM ON BUSES, STICK THEM IN THESE SCHEMES AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAUSE THEY ARE IN FRONT OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS, WHICH WE ARE ABOUT TO DO TEACHER APPRECIATION, TEACHERS ARE THE DOORWAYS TO EVERYTHING, I AM NOT UNDERVALUING HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS BY ANY MEANS, BUT I DON'T AGAIN THINK THAT'S THE MAGIC KEY THAT'S ALL OF A SUDDEN IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME GOING TO EMPOWER THESE KIDS. DO WHAT I DO THINK WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT IS HAVING A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT WRAPPING ITS ARMS AROUND STUDENTS AND KEEPING THAT CONSISTENCY AND GIVING THEM MENTOR OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHILE I

208THINK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE ARE LEADING WITH THEIR HEARTS WHEN THEY MAKE THIS DECISION, I DO THINK THAT WHAT WE SEE OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS MANY COMMUNITIES COMING, AND US SAYING, WE THINK THIS IS WHAT'S BEST FOR YOUR STUDENTS ANDS BEING STUDENT LED AND THOSE COMMUNITIES ORGANIZE BEING AND US YELLING TO THOSE COMMUNITIES. HOWEVER WHEN IT'S COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME RESPONSE TO THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT WE DO TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT COME BEFORE US. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S INTENTIONAL. I AM NOT SAYING THAT ANYBODY IS INTENTIONALLY CARRYING THAT BIAS. BUT I AM SAYING THAT WE HAVE HAD COMMUNITIES COME HERE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE BOUNDARY, AND WITH WE SAID SAID, HEY, WE MADE THESE PLANS BECAUSE WE THINK THIS IS BEST FOR STUDENTS AND WHAT IS

209BEST FOR OUR DISTRICT AND THIS IS A LONG-TERM GOAL AND WE LISTENED TO THOSE COMMUNITIES AND WE LEANED IN AND CHANGED. AND HERE IT IS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR DOING THE SAME THING. AND WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS BE WE KNOW BEST UP HERE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU BECAUSE WE ARE BEING STUDENT LED. AND AGAIN, I DON'T THINK IT'S INTENTIONAL FROM ANY OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE EDUCATORS OR INVOLVED WITH CHILDREN OR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, AND ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT WORKING ON THIS BOARD HAS BEEN HOW I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE ALL REALLY RALLIED BEHIND WHAT WE THINK IS BEST FOR STUDENTS AND PUSH EDUCATION AND FOR THIS DISTRICT. BUT I DO THINK THAT HERE WE

210HAVE A COMMUNITY SAYING WE WANT TO WRAP OUR ARMS AROUND OUR KIDS, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT, AND WE ARE SAYING THAT'S NOT ENOUGH. THE KEY IS CERTIFIED TEACHERS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE TIME AND BAND WIDTH FOR CHANGING STANDARD, CHANGING CURRICULUMS, OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS, TO ALL OF A SUDDEN SIT YOUR KIDS IN FRONT OF THOSE TEACHERS AND THESE GOING TO FIX ALL THEIR PROBLEMS. AGAIN THAT WAS THE SOLUTION I THINK WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIX A LOT OF OUR PROBLEMS EARLIER ON THAT WE ARE FACING. SO AGAIN, I'M IMPLORING MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS NOT TO CLOSE THE SCHOOLS. THE OTHER THING I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IF WE CLOSE WITH GOOD INTENTIONS OF REOPENING IT, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT LEGISLATION IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT

211LEGISLATION. THEY TAKE AWAY OUR CAPITAL FUNDING AND ONCE IT CLOSEDS, LEGISLATION COULD COME IN IN THE NEXT SIX TO EIGHT TO TEN MONTHS AND SAY ANY SCHOOLS THAT YOU CLOSED, CHARTER SCHOOLS GET THE FIRST CHOICE OF THAT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR WORDS OF SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING. BECAUSE MANY TIMES WE SIT ON THIS BOARD AND WE MAKE DIFFERENT DECISIONS, BUT THERE ARE JUST A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO SOLVE AND OVERCOME CHALLENGES. SOMETIMES WE AGREE AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T. BUT WE ALL DO KEEP KIDS AT THE CENTER OF OUR DECISION. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS. YOU KNOW, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FIFTH GRADE DATA. WE HAVE TWO STUDENTS THAT ARE PROFICIENT IN READING. AND ZERO PROFICIENT IN MATH.

212AND HOW ARE WE FOLLOWING THEM ONCE THEY LEAVE JUST INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T FALLING THROUGH THE GAP? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, ONE THING WE DO IS WE ALWAYS IDENTIFY EARLY WARNING INDICATORS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THAT TRY ANG YOU LATES ACT DEM INC. BEHAVIOR AND ATTENDANCE AND TO IDENTIFY COHORTS OF LEARNERS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORTS, ACADEMICALLY OR ONGOING SUPPORTS TO SOCIAL WORKERS. SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT TRANSITION, NOT UNDERPERFORM, THEY WILL RECEIVE INTENSE ACADEMIC SERVICES THROUGH INTERVENTIONISTS WHETHER IT BE A PUSH AND PULL MODEL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE LEVERAGE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK WITH SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTION. SO OUR STAFF HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. WHEN I SAY STAFF, SCHOOLS, OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO NEED

213TO CONTINUOUSLY BE TRACKED NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE UNDER THE 33% THRESHOLD OF THE BOTTOM QUARTILE, STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT PROFICIENT, TO MAKE SHR SURE THEY HAVE OWNER ^SHIP AND UNDERSTANDING BUT ALSO INTENSIVE INTERVENTIONING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. Stacy Hahn: I WOULD LIKE TO US TO FOLLOW THOSE 68 STUDENTS BECAUSE I DON'T WANTS THEM FALLING INTO THE GAP AND BEING LOST WITHIN THE SYSTEM. THEY ARE AT HEY RISK FOR, DROPPING OUT OR ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN TO KIDS. SO I WOULD LIKE MAYBE THAT PUT ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA SO WE CAN FOLLOW THOSE STUDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES, AND WE DON'T FAIL THEM AS THEY MOVE THROUGH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. BECAUSE THAT CONCERNS ME. REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE VOTE IS TONIGHT, THE THIRD

214AND FOURTH GRADERS WE CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW, BUT THOSE FIFTH GRADERS ARE NOW MOVING OUTSIDE OF THIS CONVERSATION. AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S NOT LOST AS WE MOVE FORWARD. YOU KNOW, I STRUGGLE BECAUSE I CERTAINLY BELIEVE IN THE FACT THAT COMMUNITIES ARE A BIG PART OF SCHOOL SUCCESS. NO DOUBT. MY PUSH AND PULL COMES WITH THE STUDENTS THAT ARE SITTING IN THE SCHOOL, AND ARE IN CRISIS. AND I'M LOOKING FOR THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. AND TO ME, LIKE SOME OF MY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS IS MAKING SURE THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOLS WHERE THEY ARE RECEIVING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO REBUILD THE SCHOOL. AND THAT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO COME AT THIS, BUT MY INCLINATION IS TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS

215MOVING FORWARD. AND I CAN'T SHAKE THAT. AS MUCH AS I AM MOVED BY THE PASSION IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, AND EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS, I KEEP GOING BACK TO THOSE STUDENTS, AND THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANOTHER YEAR. THEY REALLY CAN'T. AND I AM GLAD MENTAL HEALTH WAS BROUGHT UP, BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT -- MY CAREER WAS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, I UNDERSTAND STRUGGLING STUDENTS, NOT THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE IN SPECIAL ED BUT THEY ARE STRUGGLE, AND WE KNOW STRUGGLING STUDENTS FEEL FRUSTRATED, THEY GET ANXIOUS, THEY HAVE HIGH STRESS LEVELS, THEY GET DEPRESSED, AND I KNOW MOVING SCHOOLS IS STRESSFUL. I KNOW THAT, IN THE SHORT TERM. BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IF THESE STUDENTS DO MOVE THAT THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPALS AT THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO, WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM AND

216THEIR FAMILIES TO MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS AND BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHATEVER HAPPENS TONIGHT, THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO RALLY AROUND THESE CHILDREN. THY MY DECISION TODAY WILL BE MADE WITH THE BEST INTENT OF THE STUDENTS IN MIND. SO THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THAN K YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL, I'M SITTING DOWN HERE MAKING ME SOME NOTES. I'M THINKING, I SAY ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE PUTTING BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS ON BUSES AND MOVING THEM OUT. AND TO ME THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE WE SAY WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY. BUT ARE WE TRULY SAVING A LOT OF MONEY? BECAUSE WE ARE PUS BUSING THEM OUT TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. IS THAT TRULY SAVING MONEY? LOOK, IT'S JUST A PERCEPTION OF IT. IT

217LOOKS LIKE EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME WE WANT TO MOVE STUDENTS OR DO SOMETHING, IT HAS TO BE THE BALLPARK AND BROWN STUDENTS. AND I THINK THAT'S A PERCEPTION WE ARE LOOKING AT NOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER IF YOU HAVE. LIVED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BEEN AROUND YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT PERCEPTION FROM ME. BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THERE AND I HAVE DONE THAT. WE GOT TO DO BETTER THAN THIS. I MEAN, WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR STUDENTS. AND I KNOW -- I CAN SAY IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT AGAIN MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT. THESE KIDS ARE MOVING OUT, BECAUSE ALL OTHER KIDS COME DOWN HERE AND PARENTS -- THEY SAY, WELL, WE DON'T WANT OUR KIDS TO LEAVE BECAUSE -- WELL, WE FEEL THE SAME WAY. AND IT'S NOT THAT -- I'M KIND OF UPSET A

218LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE I KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW, I KNOW MY BOARD. I THINK I HAVE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM A DIFFERENT VIEWPOINT BECAUSE I AM BLACK. AND THAT'S NOT BEING DEROGATORY. WE JUST HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS HOW WE LIVE THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND YOU KNOW YOU SAY -- AND I GO BACK TO WHEN THEY CLOSE THE SCHOOLS, MY SON, WE LIVED IN BELMONT HEIGHTS. WE LIVED ON 22ND AND 14th AVENUE. THEY MOVED MY SON FROM THERE, AND SAY YOU HAVE GOTH TO GO TO ALEXANDER. YOU REALIZE HOW FAR ALEXANDER FROM 22ND AND 14th AVENUE? WE HAD TO MOVE HIM. BECAUSE WE NEED MORE BLACKS AT THE SCHOOL. AND I AM NOT SAYING THAT TO BE RACIST OR NOTHING. THIS IS THE REALITY. BUT THEY

219NEVER MOVED PEOPLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY. BUT UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS ROAD BEFORE. WE HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS SAME ROAD BEFORE, WHERE WE JUST TAKE OUR KIDS AND SAY, WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS. AND I UNDERSTAND. EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT. BUT WE GOT TO LOOK AT THE WELFARE OF STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. HOW CAN MY KID -- HOW CAN THE PARENTS GET THERE? I MEAN, WE JUST HAD A PARENT COME AND SAY, I COULDN'T GET THERE. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING IN WEST TAMPA. WE HAD A MEETING OVER AT BELL MONTE HEIGHTS. SO WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO BELMONT HEIGHTS. SO I'M NOT UPSET ABOUT W ANYBODY BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE OUR OPINIONS. BUT LAST BUT NOT LEAST,

220HOW ARE WE GOING TO TRY ALL THESE STUDENTS? BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW IF WE MOVE THEM, BECAUSE YOU CAN MOVE A STUDENT OUT OF A BUILDING TO A DIFFERENT BUILDING. THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM SMARTER. IT DON'T MAKE YOU SMART. SO IF WE MOVE THESE KIDS OUT OF THE BUILDING AND PUT THEM IN ANOTHER BUILDING, HOW ABOUT ARE WE GOING TO TRACK THE EVALUATION OF THE STUDENTS AND THE VOC.? AND I TRUST YOU. I MEAN, IN THIS CASE WE HAVE GOT TO DO WHAT'S BEST BECAUSE WE GOT 283 KIDS BEING MOVED. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, ABSOLUTELY. WE HAVE BEEN MECHANISMS TO TRACK PERFORMANCE AS STUDENTS MOVE FROM ONE LOCATION TO THE NEXT. WHEN I SAY THAT THERE IS A DATABASE THAT ALLOWS US TO SEE PER NORM ANSWER -- PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL AS THE

221SUPERINTENDENT SPEAKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Addison Davis: THANK YOU, MA'AM. THE SAME WAY THAT I ARTICULATED ONE TWO, THREE, THE ANALYTICS DAY. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE EVEN IF THE SCHOOL ELECTS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS TO DO MONTHLY ASSESSMENTS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION AND SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD. NO DIFFERENT THAN TO PUT THIS ON SUSPENDED AGENDA TO PROVIDE UPDATES OF STUDENTS THAT TRANSITIONING FROM ONE LOCATION TO THE NEXT. TRANSFORMATION, WHETHER IT THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT ANALYTICS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. WE WILL NOT TRANSITION STUDENTS AND NOT BE ABLE TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE, PRESCRIBED INSTRUCTION. AS A FORMER EDUCATOR TELECOMMUNICATION SO IMPORTANT TO UNITED STATES ANALYZICS FOR INSTRUCTION EVERY SINGLE DAY AND WE WILL DO THAT. AND I

222DO BELIEVE BUTTING STUDENTS IN FRONT MUCH A HIGHLY QUALIFIED, CERTIFIED TEACHER, CAN TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND AS RELATES TO ANY TYPE OF LEGISLATION THAT COMES OUT, OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS BOARD, I SAID IT TO MADAM PRESIDENT, IN MULTIPLE MEETINGS THAT WE HAD, AND LET ME TOLL YOU OUR MEETINGS ARE VERY INTERESTING AND SHE FIGHTS FOR THIS COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE TIME, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND HOLDS ME ACCOUNTABLE ALL THE TIME, AS RELATES TO OUR WORK, I WILL MOVE MY OFFICE IF THAT NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT'S WRITE WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY, SO HAS NO ACCESS. I SAID THAT AND I WILL COMMIT THAT PROCESS TO PROTECT THAT SCHOOL. Henry "Shake" Washington: I THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THOSE COMMENTS. THEY SOUND GOOD. BUT WE THINK DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN

223THE FUTURE. I MEAN, WE REALLY DON'T. Addison Davis: I AGREE. AND THROUGH THE CHAIR, I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT HAPPENED IN 2019 WHEN THEY LAUNCHED THIS NEW INITIATIVE I.CAN'T SPEAK WHAT ENGAGEMENT WAS THERE AND WHAT WAS NOT THERE. I CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT HAPPENED TO MIAMI BEACH UNFORTUNATELY AS RELATES TO EARLY CHILDHOOD. THE ONLY THING I CAN DO IS COMMIT TO PROMISES, MADE PROMISES KEPT IN THIS PROCESS, AND WE HAVE DONE THAT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND WE'LL DO THAT IF WE SUPPLEMENT IMPLEMENT IF APPROVED OR NOT. WE WILL HAVE A COMMITTEE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN ARE SUCCESSFUL. Henry "Shake" Washington: NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. BUT I AM HOPING WE DON'T. Addison Davis: YES, SIR. AND I WILL LEAN ON MADAM PRESIDENT, ALSO REVEREND DANES AND STANLEY GRAY, AND FRED

224HEARNS, ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY , THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YOU KNOW, SHAKE, YOU HIGHLY RESPECT YOUR OPINION. AND YOU ARE RIGHT. I HAVE NEVER WALKED IN YOUR SHOES. I HAVE NEVER WALKED IN ANY OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS SHOES. I HAVE NEVER WALKED IN ANY OF THE AUDIENCE SHOES. SO I CAN'T MAERSK MY DECISION BASED UPON SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED. NOR WOULD I JUDGE ANYONE FOR HAVING THEIR OPINION OF THAT. I CAN ONLY GO OFF OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW, AND THE THINGS THAT I HAVE TO DO. AND I HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH MAKING A DECISION THAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS. MEMBER VAUGHN, I ALSO DON'T RESPECT THAT YOU SAY I DON'T LISTEN TO THIS COMMUNITY. YOU LISTEN TO ALL ASPECTS OF THIS

225COMMUNITY AND I ADOPT JUST CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER. AND I NEVER HAVE. AND I NEVADA WILL. I AM GOING TO MAKE MY DECISION BASED UPON STUDENTS. ND AND I AM VERY THANKFUL FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THIS AUDIENCE THAT IS HERE. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT JUST. IT'S ABOUT EVERYONE THAT'S HERE AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE ALL OVER THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THIS YEAR, NOT JUST THIS MONTH, BUT OVER TIME. THAT IS SOMETHING I CANNOT RELATE TO BECAUSE I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED IT. BUT I DO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BASED UPON WHERE THESE STUDENTS ARE, AND WHERE THE PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE WORKING WITHIN THIS DISTRICT THAT ARE ADVISING US ON EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED. AND YOU ARE RIGHT. THEY NEED TEACHERS. THEY NEED MORE SOCIAL WORKERS. THEY NEED MORE PSYCHOLOGISTS. THEY NEED MORE

226AIDES. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO HIRE THEM. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING. SHAY McRAE HERSELF HAS GONE OUT THERE. THEY GO TO THE COMMUNITY. MRS. WHELAN GOES AROUND TO MANY ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE MANY UNIVERSITIES SITTING IN OUR AREA. RECRUITING TEACHERS IS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR THIS DISTRICT. WE ARE NOT FILLING THE SLOTS. AND UNLESS WE GET HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS IN FRONT OF THESE STUDENTS, THEIR FUTURES ARE IN JEOPARDY, AND THAT'S NOT OKAY WITH ME. SO AGAIN, I DO SINCERELY THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF ARE YOU FOR BEING HERE, SHAKE, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR CANDIDNESS, AND YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS' COMMENTS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. JUST A COUPLE MORE COMMENTS, AND THEN WE WILL BE CLOSING

227OUT TO VOTE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE - AND I SAID THIS THE LAST TIME -- TEN YEARS AGO, THERE WERE 8,000 STUDENTS IN CHARTER SCHOOLS. THERE'S NOW 35,000 STUDENTS. THERE'S 63,000 STUDENTS WHO ARE HOME SCHOOLED. THAT'S ALL ABOUT PARENT CHOICE. BUT WE HAVE TO REFLECT AS AN ENTITY WHEN THINGS GROW OR DON'T GROW. THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO. IN DISTRICT 1, THE TOTAL DOWN IN THE LAST 15 YEARS IS 4,000 STUDENTS. THAT'S MY DISTRICT WHERE WE HAVE A LARGE POPULATION OF HISPANIC STUDENTS. AND SHAKE, MEMBER WASHINGTON'S DISTRICT, WE ARE DOWN 7500 STUDENTS. OKAY. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, THE LOSS HAS BEEN OVER 800 STUDENTS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THE RESOURCES IN FRONT OF STUDENTS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I TAUGHT AT

228FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I TAUGHT A DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAM MANY YEARS AGO. I WOULD MOVE MY STUDENTS UP TWO OR THREE LEVELS Y.? BECAUSE I HAD A FRONT L VARIETY OF STUDENTS IN MY CLASS BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO HAVE QUALITY TEACHERS THAT WAS NEXT TO ME. THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT THE TWO BIGGEST FACTORS TO MOVE STUDENTS ARE TWO THINGS. THE CLASS SIZE AND THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHERS. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN DO MANY THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY CAN HELP TO SUPPORT THE HOME. THEY CAN HELP KIDS AFTER SCHOOL. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE STUDENTS DESERVE THE SAME TEACHER IN FRONT OF THEM EVERY DAY. THEY DON'T DESERVE A SUBSTITUTE ONE WEEK, THE NEXT WEEK ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE ARE. THOSE KIDS DESERVE CONSISTENCY. AND IF YOU CARE ABOUT THOSE CHILDREN, THEN YOU WANT

229THEM TO GO TO A SCHOOL THAT IS GOING TO HAVE MORE WRAPAROUND ROUND SERVICES, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE MORE CERTIFIED TEACHERS. TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT FALLS UNDERNEATH WHERE THESE KIDS WOULD BE REDISTRICTED. THAT SCHOOL WAS TWO POINTS FROM A B. THEY HAVE HAD -- THEY HAD ONE OPENING OF A TEACHER. THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR YEARS THAT MOVED UP TO BE A PRINCIPAL. KIDS NEED CONSISTENCY. AND THAT'S WHY FOR ME WE HAVE TO VOTE WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS COMMUNITY AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO DO. DO WE NEED TO DO A K-8 -- WHAT DO WE DO? DO WE GTE NEED TO GET AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO GET TEACHERS IN THAT AREA? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO

230PUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN FRONT OF STUDENTS? AND WE NEED TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THE BUILDING, BUT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE REMEMBER THAT, BUT MAKE SURE WE PUT THE STUDENTS IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT PLACE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. OKAY. THANK YOU. BOARD, IF THERE'S NO COMMENTS, WE WILL GO AHEAD TO MOVE TO VOTE. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS ARE FLASHING. MR. PORTER, DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN THE VOTING? Jim Porter: IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HELPFUL FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO REPEAT HIS RECOMMENDATION. THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION. IF YOU CAN JUST REPEAT THAT SINCE IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE IT HAS BEEN UTTERED. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO MOVE FORWARD THE CLOSURE

231OF JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH CREATING OPENINGS FOR THE 284 STUDENTS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE FIVE SITES, IN ADDITION TO THAT, BEING ABLE TO ACCURATELY ENGAGE THIS COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY THE NEXT STEPS FOR APPROACH TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE IDENTIFY WHAT SUPPORT STAFFS AS THEY MOVE FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO SERVE CHILDREN. Jim Porter: THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION IS WHICH IS TO CLOGS JUST, WOULD YOU VOTE YES. IF YOU ARE AGAINST THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION YOU SHOULD VOTE NO. AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION IS TO CLOSE JUST. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF THAT, VOTE YES. IF YOU ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF CLOSING THE SCHOOL, VOTE NO. Nadia Combs: OKAY. AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION PASSES WITH MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER RENDON, MEMBER VAUGHN AND MYSELF VOTING YES. AND THEN MESH WASHINGTON,

232MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER PEREZ VOTING NO. OKAY. WE WILL NOW TAKE A TEN-MINUTE BREAK. WE WILL TAKE A TEN-MINUTE BREAK. THANK YOU. (RECESS). (SOUNDING GAVEL). Nadia Combs: OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RESUME THE MEETING. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. WE WILL NOW MOVE ONTO THE PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATION. ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK MAY 8-12, NATIONAL TEACHER DAY MAY 9th. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Henry "Shake" Washington: IT IS TRULY AN HONOR, THE NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, EVERY DAY A TEACHER CAN SAY, I MADE A DIFFERENCE, NOT MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT. WE ALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE TEACHER WE REMEMBER WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES. TEACHERS FILL MANY ROLES. THEY ARE EDUCATORS, LISTENERS, EXPLORERS, ROLE MODELS, MOTIVATORS, MENTORS. THE COUNTRY CHOSE MAY 8th THROUGH MAY 12th AS THE

233NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, BUT BECAUSE OF TESTING, MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS HELD EVENTS LAST WEEK TO HONOR TEACHERS. IT HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING TO SEE SO MUCH OF OUR STAFF, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER TO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE OUR AMAZING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC TEACHERS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK MAY 8-12 AND NATIONAL TEACHER DAY MAY 9th. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY, A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? WE'LL START WITH MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR READING THAT SO ELOQUENTLY. I TRIED TO TAKE THAT PROCLAMATION FROM HIM YESTERDAY AND HERE IT IS. HOPEFULLY THAT MEANS THERE ARE SO MANY OF US WHO REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE -- AND I AM GOING TO

234SAY EDUCATOR, BECAUSE WE SAY TEACHERS, AND TEACHERS ARE ABSOLUTELY THE GLUE. I'M AN EDUCATOR MYSELF. BUT WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT HOW WE JUST CELEBRATED ADMINISTRATORS DAY AND OUR PRINCIPALS AND EVERYBODY IN OUR SCHOOLS. I CONSIDER THEM EDUCATORS. SO EDUCATOR APPRECIATION, FIRST OF ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR EDUCATORS, TO ALL OF OUR HARD-WORKING EMPLOYEES WHO SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE DAY. I DON'T THINK ANYONE WHO HASN'T BEEN AN EDUCATOR UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE LIFE OF AN EDUCATOR IS, AND HOW EXHAUSTING IT IS TO POUR YOUR ENERGY AND LOVE INTO CHILDREN ALL DAY. BUT IT'S ALSO INCREDIBLY REWARDING. SO I TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CORRECT MY ACTIONS ALWAYS MATCH MY WORDS WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATORS, AND MAKE THEM KNOW

235HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE OUR EDUCATORS. WE LEARNED THROUGH COVID, WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COMING OUT AND TALKING ABOUT KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND TALKING TO THE VALUE OF OUR EDUCATORS AND HOW THEY WATCH OUR CHILDREN AND TAKE CARE OF THEM, AND IT'S BEEN REALLY DISHEARTENING FOR ME OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO SEE THE ATTACK ON PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE ATTACK ON OUR EDUCATORS AND WHAT THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH. SO AGAIN, I JUST APPRECIATE THIS PROCLAMATION. HAPPY TEACHERS APPRECIATION. I HOPE EVERYBODY IS DOING WHATEVER THEY CAN TO APPRECIATE THEIR EDUCATORS, SENDING NOTES, SENDING GIFTS IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT, JUST SAYING THANK YOU. EDUCATORS APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. BUT ULTIMATELY, WE ALL KNOW THE BEST WAY WE CAN SUPPORT OUR EDUCATORS IS BY MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE

236A LIVABLE WAGE. AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE SUPPORT THEM EVERY DAY WITH OUR ACTIONS. WE DON'T OVERWHELM THEM. WE TRUST THEM. WE GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. SO I AM GLAD THAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, ALL VALUE EDUCATORS AS MUCH AS I DO, AND SUPERINTENDENT, OUR DISTRICT STAFF IS ALSO MADE UP OF EDUCATORS, SO THANK YOU EVERY DAY FOR WHAT YOU DO. WE APPRECIATE YOU AS WELL AND ALL YOUR GUIDANCE. SO HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THIS IS TRULY AN HONOR TO HAVE READ THE APPRECIATION WEEK PROCLAMATION, BECAUSE I COME FROM A FAMILY, MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY, MY WIFE IS A TEACHER OF 41 YEARS, I WAS IN THE SYSTEM FOR 42 YEARS, MY SON IS IN THE SYSTEM.

237BUT HE'S NOT 25 YEARS. MY DAUGHTER IS 22 YEARS. AND MY DAUGHTER BEFORE SHE WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL WAS A TEACH ARE FOR THREE YEARS. SO WE APPRECIATE EDUCATORS. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT TEACHERS DO EACH AND EVERY DAY BECAUSE IT'S NOT EASY. SO I HAVE SOMETHING I WANT TO READ, A QUOTE FROM LEE I YEAH COCK A WHO IS AN AUTOMOTIVE GIANT. IAOCCA. -SAID IN A COMPLETELY RATIONAL SOCIETY NOW, HE HAD SAID THE BEST OF US WOULD BE TEACHERS AND THE REST WOULD SETTLE FOR SOMETHING LESS. HE SAID BECAUSE PASSING CIVILIZATION ALONG FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT OUGHT TO THE HIGHEST HONOR AND THE HIGHEST RESPONSIBILITY ANYONE CAN HAVE. WELL QUOTED WORDS BY LEE IACOCCA. AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT. TEACHERS ARE NUMBER ONE. I ALWAYS SAID THAT. TEACHERS ARE NUMBER

238ONE. AND I THANK DOCTORS. BECAUSE TEACHERS TAUGHT THE DOCTORS. AND NURSES. AND ALL THE MEDICAL PEOPLE. ALL OF US. SO TEACHERS ARE NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. AND AS THE LATE EARL J LEONARD HAS OFTEN SAID, TEACHERS ARE THE TRAIN THAT KEEPS THE SCHOOLS MOVING. AND CERTAINLY TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY, TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, SHOULD BE EVERY DAY OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE KID, THEY WON'T DO WELL WITHOUT TEACHERS. AND THAT INCLUDES ACADEMICALLY. THAT'S OBVIOUS. BUT SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY IN SO MANY WAYS. AND I THINK THANK MR. KRIETE ALSO FOR WHAT HE DOES TO ALIGN THE MANY TEACHERS IN YOUR GROUP IN HARMONY WITH WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, TO MOTIVATE AND TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS. ALSO, I THINK THAT MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU ARE DATING YOURSELF

239WITH ALL THOSE YEARS. I ALSO SPENT FOUR DECADES AS A TEACHER IN MANY GRADE LEVELS, AND IT IS AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY, AND IT IS -- I ALWAYS CALLED IT A POSITIVE ADDICTION ACCORDING TO WILLIAM CLASSFORD, A BOOK CALLED POSITIVE ADDICTION, BECAUSE THE KIDS GIVE YOU SO MUCH LOVE, AND IN RETURN YOU ARE JUST MOTIVATED TO GIVE BACK OVER AND OVER. THANK YOU, TEACHERS. THAT'S MY COMMENTS FOR THE MOMENT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS -- WE HAVE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND WE HAVE EDUCATOR APPRECIATION WEEK, BUT AT THE END OF THE DIE, THE MOST IMPORTANT PROFESSION WE HAVE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BEING A PARENT IS BEING A TEACHER. NOBODY SPENDS MORE TIME WITH OUR CHILDREN THAN OUR TEACHERS. SO FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART I

240THANK ALL THE TEACHERS OUT THERE FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO ON AN ONGOING BASIS FROM PROTECTING KIDS, TRAINING KIDS, TEACHING KIDS, DIRECTING KIDS. YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND SO THANK EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. AS A YOU A FORMER TEACHER, I THINK BACK TO TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK. IT WAS SUCH AN EXCITING TIME. EVEN AS A FORMER STUDENT, THIS IS GOING BACK A REALLY LONG TIME, BUT THE STUDENTS GET SO EXCITED TO REALLY SPOIL AND CELEBRATE THEIR TEACHERS, AND IT'S SUCH AN UPLIFTING TIME TO BE IN SCHOOLS THIS WEEK. SO IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE GOING TO SCHOOLS AND SEEING SOME OF THE CELEBRATIONS. I DO HOPE EVERYONE HAS A WONDERFUL WEEK AND REALLY ENJOYS BEING CELEBRATED AND SPOILED A LITTLE BIT. EVERYONE LIKES

241A LITTLE SPOILING EVERY NOW AND AGAIN. AND IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN A CHALLENGING FEW YEARS FOR SURE. TEACHING HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE HARDEST JOB, ALWAYS. AND NOT BECAUSE OF THE KIDS BUT BECAUSE OF JUST HOW EXHAUSTING IT IS, THE TIME YOU PUT INTO IT, AND THE KIDS THAT REALLY KEEP YOU ENGAGED AND KEEP YOU GOING, AND REALLY MAKE YOU LOVE GOING TO WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY. SO THANKFUL THAT ALL THE TEACHERS CHOSE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO TEACH IN, AND WE CELEBRATE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT -- I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, WHO TAUGHT ME, SHAKE WASHINGTON. YES, TEACHERS CAN'T SHAKE YOU. NO PUN INTENDED. AND WE END UP

242-- SHAKE WAS MY DRIVER'S ED TEACHER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. AND YOU HAD AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HIM LATER ON IN LIFE. SO THANK YOU, TEACHERS, FOR ALL YOU DO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. AND I ALSO JUST LIKE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, THERE'S NO MORE IMPORTANT POSITION THAN IN DIKES. IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE DISTRICT, OUR TEACHERS. THERE'S A NATIONAL SHORTAGE RIGHT NOW OF TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY IN FLORIDA, AND WE KNOW THAT THE TEACHERS ARE THE CORE, AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE. OUR POPULATION ARE 20% OF THE POPULATION, BUT 100% OF THE FUTURE. SO REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE VALUE OUR TEACHERS, AND IF WE CAN'T VALUE THEM FINANCIALLY WE CAN VALUE THEM THROUGH POSITIVE, DOCK THINGS IN THE SCHOOL, BUT REALLY MAKING SURE

243OUR DISTRICT MAKES SOME REALLY HARD FINANCIAL DECISIONS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE PUT PEOPLE AT THE FRONT OF IT. THE BUS DRIVERS, THE SECRETARIES, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS, OUR TEACHERS. THAT NEEDS TO CONSUME FIRST. WE NEED TO VALUE OUR PEOPLE WHEN IT'S SO DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS RIGHT NOW. AND REMEMBER, I ALWAYS SAY THIS, A GOOD TEACHER CAN INSPIRE HOPE, IGNITE THE IMAGINATION AND INSTILL A LOVE OF LEARNING. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR OUR SOCIETY IS REALLY TO PUSH LEARNING, BECAUSE THAT IS OUR BIGGEST ASSET IS OUR STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN THE LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. PROCLAMATION, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. MEMBER PEREZ WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Karen Perez: ET CETERA MY PLEASURE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION. NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH

244AWARENESS MONTH. MENTAL WELLNESS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF PERSONS WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HAPPINESS, TO DECREASE SIGMA, PROVIDE RESOURCES AND ADVOCATE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THE WHOLE CHILD. THIS YEAR OUR THEME IS PROMOTING RESILIENCY TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR DISTRICT. DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, SEVERAL ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE TO PROMOTE RESOURCES AROUND MENTAL WELLNESS AND DISCUSS WAYS TO INCREASE RESILIENCY FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF. SOME OF THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE DAILY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND TWEETS ON STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE WELLNESS, STUDENT-LED AWARENESS ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS A SPIRIT WEEK, AND HIGH SCHOOL ART CONTESTS. SCHOOLS WILL ALSO RECOGNIZE THIS MONTH BY PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS ON THEIR MARQUEES AND OTHER COMMUNICATION OUTLETS. THE DISTRICT WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERSHIPS THAT INCLUDE OUR MANAGING ENTITY, CENTRAL FLORIDA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NETWORK. OUR CONTRACTED COMMUNITY, MENTAL HEALTH AGENCIES, AND

245MEMBERS OF OUR LOCAL PLANNING TEAM THAT ALL STRIVE TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ, SECOND BY MEMBER -- ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER PEREZ? Karen Perez: SO MAY IS THE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH. CHANGES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND SCIENCE OF DISTRESS IN YOUNG PEOPLE CAN SHOW UP IN MANY WAYS. SOME EXAMPLES ARE IRRITABILITY, ANGER AND WITHDRAW. OTHER SCIENCE CAN BE CHANGES IN THOUGHTS, APPEARANCES, PERFORMANCEATES SCHOOL, AND SLEEPING OR EATING PATTERNS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HAVING A MENTAL DISORDER WAS MOST COMMON IN CHILDREN WITH DEPRESSION, ABOUT 3 TO 4 CHILDREN WITH DEPRESSION ALSO HAD ANXIETY AND ALMOST ONE IN TWO HAVE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS. WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY HAVE

246INCREASED OVER TIME, AND KEEP IN MIND THAT ADOLESCENT, DEPRESSION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDE ARE IMPORTANT CONCERNS. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND APPROPRIATE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN BE MADE AND CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH MENTAL DISORDERS. HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS, WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SO FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, PSYCHOLOGIST, OR SCHOOL COUNSELOR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT PROCLAMATION. I JUST WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF OUR STAFF, HOLLY SAIA AND THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM, THEY REALLY HAVE PUT IN SO MUCH EFFORT IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT. HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOLS PAYS A LOT OF ATTENTION BECAUSE WITHOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR WELL-BEING, THEIR ACADEMIC

247IMPROVEMENT USUALLY DOES NOT OCCUR, NOR CAN BE SUSTAINED. SO AGAIN, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I WANT TO THANK THROUGH YOU THE MENTAL HEALTH TEAM THAT YOU HAVE, SO MANY OF THEM GIVE UP THEIR TIME AND THEIR EFFORT AND THEIR EXPERTISE TO GO BEYOND MAKING PHONE CALLS AT NIGHT, GOES ON AND ON. ALSO, I WANT TO THANK THE CRISIS CENTER FOR CAPTURING A LOT OF THESE HORRIBLE CASES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH, THE FENTANYL CRISIS AND SO MANY ARE FROM MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. SO THANKING THEM AS WELL. THAT'S ALL. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN, MEMBER PEREZ, FOR ALWAYS, SUCH A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH. YOU KNOW, WE SAT THROUGH SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE WE HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO COME AND SPEAK AND SAY, JUST TEACH READING

248OR JUST TEACH MATH. WHILE THAT'S IMPORTANT WE HAVE TO THINK HOLISTICALLY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND MENTAL HEALTH IS SUCH A HUGE PIECE OF THAT. THANK YOU FOR USING YOUR TIME TO LET OUR STUDENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES AND ANYONE LISTENING KNOW WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE BECAUSE SOMETIMES JUST KNOWING WHAT THE RESOURCES ARE IS SO IMPORTANT. THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS AND ALL OF OUR COUNSELORS IN SCHOOLS WHO REALLY HELP OUR STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE AND WHO FOCUS ON. THAT AND THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ASIDE FROM TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES AND MAKING SURE IT'S NOT A STIGMA AND PUTTING THE COUNSELORS AND THE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CREATING INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS WHERE EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS FEEL THE VALUED AND LOVED

249AND I APPRECIATE APPRECIATE OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS FOR ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. A .303, MAY 10, 2023. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY, MAY 10th, HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS THE NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS DAY PROVIDES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL NURSES AND OBSERVE WHAT IS DONE FOR OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY. SCHOOL NURSES PROVIDE FRONT LINE HEALTH CARE TO ENSURE THAT PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES ARE MET. SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES STAFF WILL BE RECOGNIZED THROUGH E-MAIL BLASTS, BANNERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL NURSES, AND AFN MEDIA CAMPAIGN. SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS

250OPPORTUNITY. I AM NOT GOING TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE, BUT TO SAY MEMBER WASHINGTON, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT OUR TEACHERS ARE, SECOND TO DOCTORS AND NURSES, AND HOW IMPORTANT OUR MEDICAL STAFF IS. AND I THINK IT'S AN AMAZING THING THAT IN OUR SCHOOLS WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE QUALIFIED NURSES AND MEDICAL PEOPLE, BECAUSE HEALTH CARE IS SUCH AN ACCESS POINT TO OUR STUDENTS SUCCESS F.OUR STUDENTS AREN'T HEALTHY, THEY ARE NOT TAKEN CARE OF, WE CAN'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR INJURIES, THEY CAN'T BE SUCCESSFUL IN LEARNING. SO I AM JUST SO GREATFUL THAT OUR SCHOOL IS ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR NURSES AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS IN EDUCATION AND ACROSS THE WORLD. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE

251NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSES DAY MAY 10, 2023. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? Karen Perez: AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, I TRULY APPRECIATE THE NURSES AND DOCTORS THAT WORK ALONGSIDE THEM. SO WITHOUT THEM, YOU KNOW, WHERE WOULD WE BE? I MEAN, THE DOCTORS DEPEND ON THE NURSES, TOO. SO FANTASTIC. THANK YOU TO ALL OUR NURSES WHO ASSIST WITH OUR STUDENTS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS OF MARCH 8, THIS COMES FROM DR. ROSS WHO IS THE SUPERVISOR OF THE NURSING AND SOMETIMES THE NURSES DON'T APPRECIATE ME BECAUSE I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY TRAIN THEM EVERY YEAR TO BE FIT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY TAKE CARE TAKE MORE CARE OF THEIR KIDS AND THEIR STUDENTS, I

252SHOULD SAY, IN THE SCHOOL THAN THEY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. TRUE ABOUT NURSES AND TRUE ABOUT TEACHERS. MARCH 8, 2023, AND THIS COMES FROM THE NEWEST AMOUNT STATISTIC, THERE ARE OVER 99,593 STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH REPORTED CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS INCLUDING ADD, ADHD, LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, AUTISM, BLEEDING DISORDERS, CANCER, HEART CONDITIONS, CYSTIC FIBROSIS, DIABETES, SEIZURES, KIDNEY DISEASE, LUPUS, MEANT AT HEALTH AND SINGLE CELL DISEASE. SADLY WE ARE MISSING -- DUE TO PAY, WE ARE PROBABLY SHORT RIGHT NOW ABOUT 107 NURSES. AND I KNOW THAT SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WE ARE GOING TO -- OR WE ARE VENTURING BUT THEY PLAY A CRITICAL PART IN STUDENTS' LIFE AND THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING AND I WANT TO THANK DR. ROSS AND HER WONDERFUL STAFF AS WELL. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBERS,

253PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW FOR ALL THOSE PATIENT ADMINISTRATIVE A ASSISTANCE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. EVERYBODY HERE. SUPERINTENDENTS DAVIS, YOU WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. THANK YOU. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A LOT OF CLAPPING GOING ON. WE APPRECIATE YOU HANGING AROUND. IT'S A BIG DEAL. Nadia Combs: DON'T THEY GET AN EXTRA DAY OFF FOR HAVING TO STAY SO LATE? Addison Davis: I BELIEVE SOMEWHERE AROUND JULY 4th, ONE OF THOSE DAYS IS COMING UP. ONE OF THOSE DAYS. SO TONIGHT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NAME SOME LEADERS TO SOME NEW POSITIONS, AND SO EXCITED TO SHALL ABLE TO RECOGNIZE LEADERS WHO CONTINUE TO GIVE BACK TO THIS COMMUNITY. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS WE HAVE DONE IN THE LAST

254THREE YEARS, FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS FOR THESE STUDENTS. TONIGHT WE HAVE HAD A REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OPEN IN THE TRANSFORMATION NETWORK. WE THANK MRS. McRAE AND HER TEAM AND WE DIDN'T FILL IT. WE WANTED TO LEAVE PRINCIPALS IN THEIR SCHOOLS. BUT WE COULD HAVE HIRED ANY OF THE CANDIDATES, THEY WERE SO GREAT. WE HAD AN TIER TO BE HIRE A 20 YEAR VETERAN WHO STARTED IN 2003 AS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER, IN 2012 AP CARROLLWOOD, FOREST HILLS, AND CURRENTLY THE PRINCIPAL OF FOREST HILLS, THE NEW REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT IS MS. REGINA GORDON. COME ON DOWN. YOU ADOPT GET OUT OF THIS. CONGRATULATIONS. WE JUST ADDED DAYS TO YOUR CALENDAR, DAYS OFF. BUT LISTEN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING ALONGSIDE YOU AND HELPING CHILDREN AND HELPING ADULTS. SO CONGRATULATIONS. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND LOOK FORWARD

255TO OUR PARTNERSHIP. AND I'M CERTAIN THAT SHAKE WASHINGTON WAS YOUR TEACHER. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. GORDON. NO WORRIES. ALSO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO NAME A NEW PRINCIPALITY KING HIGH SCHOOL. I DON'T SEE MR. BASHAM. HE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT. 17 IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BAND DIRECTOR AT NEWSOME, AP AT PLANT, AP AT BLAKE, BECAME THE PRINCIPAL OF ROGERS IN 2020, HAS DONE SOME REALLY REMARKABLE THINGS, BRINGING SOME GOOD ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH CLIMATE CULTURE AND BRINGABILITY ACCOUNT MEASURES AND A GREG BASHAM, THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT KING HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN ONE THAT'S VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO THE HEART OF MEMBER WASHINGTON, THE PRINCIPAL AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL, WE ASKED MR. WASHINGTON DOES HE 2022 GO BACK, HE SAID NO WAY. HE SAID HE WOULD RATHER BE MY BOSS. BUT KIND OF WORK WITH MY STAFF TO GET

256THIS RIGHT AND I HAD A CHANCE TO GO OUT AND VISIT WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL, AND THIS IS THE RIGHT LEADER TO TAKE ON THE REINS OF MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL, GAIME BEGAN KEY WEST AS A BIOLOGY TEACHER, WAS A SUPERVISOR OF SCIENCE IN MONROE COUNTY, DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY, ALSO DID SOME WORK AS A CONSULTANT WITH PEARSON WIN MEANS SHE KNOWS INSTRUCTION, SHE CAME BACK IN 2015, JOINED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SHE'S AP MIDDLETON, NOW BRANDON. THIS IS YOUR NEW PRINCIPAL AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL, CAMILLA BURTON. I ASKED WERE YOU READY TO GO? SHE SAID, ARE YOU READY FOR ME? I SAID OKAY. I LOVE THIS. NO BOBBLE HEAD. SHE'S PUSHING BACK. DOESN'T EVEN HAVE THE JOB PRETTY MUCH, SAT IN THE HALLWAY WITH DR. CLINE, AND JUST IMPRESSED ME TREMENDOUSLY. SHE HAS A GAME PLAN, AND A SKILL

257SET, TO REALLY BUILD A FOUNDATION. I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PARTNER IN THIS WORK WITH YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. ALSO, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR AGENDARY PRINCIPALS RETIRING, MRS. SULLIVAN, STAND UP AT PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL. STAND UP. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE A NATIVE AND GRADUATE OF PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL. THIS INDIVIDUAL BEGAN A CAREER 14 YEARS AGO. I BELIEVE SHE -- DID YOU GO TO TOMLIN? THEN SHE ATTENDED TOMLIN, WAS AP AT PLANT CITY, WAS A PRINCIPAL AT TOMLIN SINCE 2015, IS A NEW PRINCIPAL OF PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL, MS. TRACY DERNS. CONGRATULATIONS. WHAT ARE WE DOING? WE HAVE CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU. SOME HAVE GRADUATION AND TOASTING UNDER CONTROL. ALL RIGHT. ALSO, WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL THAT MOVED FROMMAN MIDDLE

258SCHOOL THAT TRANSITIONED TO A NEW SCHOOL OF WILLIAMS. WE ALSO HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CONTINUES TO LEAD ADMINISTRATORS. THIS INDIVIDUAL WHO IS GOING TO BE THE NEW PRINCIPAL ATMAN MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS RAISED IN OHIO, IS A BUCKEYE FAN, I BELIEVE, DIE HARD. I WAS GOING TO SAY GO GATORS. ALSO, WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA. 18 YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WAS ASCIENCE TEACHER, WAS TEN YEARS AS AP AT WEBB, SHIELDS, MEMORIAL. HE'S DONE IT ALL. HE'S NOW THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT MANN MIDDLE SCHOOL. MR. BRAD BROOKS. CONGRATULATIONS. AND A PRINCIPAL OF EDISON MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION. LOVELY. SHE'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT HER CURRENT LOCATION. WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT'S BEEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES SINCE 2005, WAS A SECOND GRADE TEACH HE SHALL AT DUNBAR, TAUGHT AT EDISON, WAS A READING

259COACH, WAS AN AP AT MULLER, TRANSITIONED BACK TO EDISON, OUR NEW PRINCIPAL OF EDISON, MS. JENNIFER HEINZE. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU LOOK FAMILIAR, MS. HEINZE. OKAY, WHAT WAS YOUR GRADE IN CLASS? THAT'S RIGHT. AREA SUPERINTENDENT OR SOMETHING. HE PROBABLY TAUGHT IN YOUR CLASSROOM. WE ALSO HAVE CINDY GUY AT GIBSONTON. CINDY, STAND UP. CINDY. OH, YEAH, STAND UP. ALL RIGHT. WE TALK ABOUT SUCCESS IN MANAGEMENT. SO IMPORTANT. YOU SEE THE SUCCESS IN MANAGEMENT. 13 YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OF THE FIRST GRADE TEACHER AT LOMAX, WAS A READING COACH AT GIBSONTON, KNOWS REGS SHIPS. BRIE WILHNIN? WE ARE GOING TO ASK YOU TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND PRONOUNCE IT FOR US. CONGRATULATIONS, BRIE. WHAT'S THE RIGHT PRONUNCIATION? BEITELSCHIES. FINALLY WE HAVE A TAMPA NATIVE, A PRODUCT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BEGAN HER CAREER IN 2004, WAS A PROFESSIONAL

260PARAPROFESSIONAL, MOVED UP TO BE A TEACHER AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACH, A DISTRICT TRAINER, AND 8 YEARS AS AP, THE NEW PRINCIPAL, MS. ERIN FIALLO. IS SHE HERE? SHE'S NOT HERE? SHE'S GOT TO GO TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ERIN. WE'LL COME VISIT YOU. BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AS WELL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THAT'S IT. Nadia Combs: CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE ADMINISTRATORS YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING? JUST KIDDING. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C 1.05, 1.11, 15, 5.03, 701, 702, 703, 704, 710, 711, 712, 901, 11.01. THE SPORTS FACILITY AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: THIS IS WHAT PROVING THE NAME OF THE SPORTS FACILITY AT OR LAN, BEGAN HIS CAREER IN 1978,

261ACCOMPANIED RECORD IN THE WRESTLING PERSPECTIVE, 732 WINS, 8 LOSSES, 27 STATE TITLES, A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, AND A NATIONAL CON TEC SEC TIFF LEAD FOR WINS, 400 CONSECUTIVE WINS AS A WRESTLING COACH. THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE E.CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. HE GETS ANOTHER YEAR OF DROP WITH US TO BE ABLE TO STONED OF -- IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS RECOMMENDATION. COACH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE. THANK YOU FOR BUILDING A CULTURE. YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR TIME AND EFFORT IN THIS COMMUNITY AND YOU GIVE BACK TO THE SCHOOL AND THE TEACHERS AS WELL. WE ARE LUCK I TO HAVE YOU. WE ARE LUCKY TO PASS THE TORCH. I KNOW YOUR SON IS COACHING AS WELL. WE'LL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT YOU AND THE GREAT TRADITIONS THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED. Nadia

262Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SOAKED TO APPROVE ITEM C 5.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? Henry "Shake" Washington: YES. COACH IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WRESTLING COACHES I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. I THINK WHEN I WAS YOUR AD AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, WE SET THE NATIONAL RECORD. HOW MANY WINS WAS IT, COACH, THERE? 34 YEARS. IN THE HISTORY OF ANYWHERE. RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW THE GREATEST -- WE ALL USED TO SAY THIS WHEN WE WERE THE APA, IF YOU DAME TO BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL YOU FEARED IF COACH LOST A MATCH YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST APs THEY WOULD FINE KNEW HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BUT COACH, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE. YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB HELPING YOUR STUDENTS. MAINLY HELPING

263YOUR STUDENTS. YOU MADE MEN OUT OF BOYS. AND THAT'S GREAT, COACH. AND I ADMIRE YOU, YOUR FAMILY, JOEY NOW THE SON. HE WAS A LITTLE BABY RUNNING AROUND WHEN I WAS AN AD. BUT THANK YOU, COACH, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND I REALLY APPRECIATE BEING YOUR FRIEND. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE. I HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOU AND IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO VOTE ON THIS. Nadia Combs: ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS I'M A HUGE FAN OF WRESTLING, AND IT REALLY IMPACTED MY SON IN SUCH A POSITIVE WAY, AND THE WAY YOU HAVE IMPACTED THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND AROUND THE DISTRICT, AND NOT ONLY THE STUDENTS THAT YOU HAVE IMPACTED BUT

264THE COACHES. I KNOW PERSONALLY HOW MANY COACHES YOU HAVE IMPACTED. YOU HAVE IMPACTED THOSE STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR QUESTION YEARS OF SERVICE AND I AM SO GLAD WE HAVE YOU FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND YOU ARE JUST ALLEGE END IN THIS DISTRICT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: JUST BRIEFLY. YOU KNOW, YOU ARE MY AREA. I KNOW SHAKE'S AREA. BUT BRANDON IS STILL MY AREA. AND I'M THE ONE WHO LIVES THERE. SO YOU ARE A LEGEND. CLEARLY, THERE IS NOBODY THAT DOESN'T LIVE IN THE BRANDON VALRICO AREA THAT DOESN'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. EVERYBODY STANDS UP AND JUST Addison Davis: CONGRATULATIONS WE ALSO HAVE DR. CLINE HERE AS WELL, THE PRINCIPAL AT BRANDON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

265COACH, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T PUT ME IN A WRESTLING MOVE WE ARE GOOD TO GO. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY -- I WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW HIRED HE IS TO HAVE HIRED YOU ALL THESE YEARS AGO, SO WE ARE ADDING RUS TO THAT. BUT JUST SOME PERSONAL THOUGHTS FROM THE DIRECTOR SIDE. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN THE AD AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, I ACTUALLY COMPETED AGAINST COACH AS A WRESTLER BUT AS A COACH. COACH IS A COMPLETE OPPOSITES. ALWAYS WANTING TO GIVE BACK TO THE COACHES. WHEN YOU TALK TO HIM ABOUT HIS FREE KIDS CLUB, HIS EYES LIGHT UP LIKE A KID IN A CANDY STORE. HE'S DONE A LOT OF THINGS YOU DON'T REALIZE. HE GIVES BACK TO THE ACTUAL SCHOOL.

266HE'S PURCHASED CAFETERIA TABLES FOR US, CUSTODIAL SUPPLIES, HE'S PURCHASED MEALS FOR THE TEAM FOR R, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE, COACH COZ LOUISIANA R. HE'S TRULY A LEGEND WITHIN THE BRANDON COMMUNITY AS WELL AS REPRESENTED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO SUPERIOR LEVEL. SO THANK YOU, COACH, FOR EVERYTHING. Nadia Combs: MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. Addison Davis: CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS. Nadia Combs: 1.05. AGREEMENT OF TECHNICAL SERVICES ATS 23008 DST-EJ WITH LUTHER SERVICES. Addison Davis: THIS SARASOTA GRANT OF A CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION GRANT PROVIDED BY TALLAHASSEE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AND HELP WITH CITIZENS FROM A LEGAL AND NATURALIZATION PROCESS AND ALSO FROM A COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AS WELL TO BE ABLE TO HELP LUTHERAN SERVICES, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS

267OF OUR COMMUNITIES, WHETHER IT BE CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND YOUTH, A NONPROFIT ARCHES ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, $150,000 EXPENDITURE AS I SAID, AND LUTHERAN SERVICES IS PROVIDER FOR THE SUBGRANTING. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 1.05. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON, SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER VAUGHN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Jessica Vaughn: I DO, THANK YOU. I HAD ASKED THE QUESTION FROM THE DAIS BEFORE BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM THAT'S KIND OF RELATED TO IT, I WOULD JUST LIKE CLARIFICATION AS A BOARD. NOW THAT THE LEGISLATION HAS PASSED MAKING IT A FELONY FOR ANY PERSON TO -- ANY UNDOCUMENTED PERSONS, WE HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS THAT ARE UNDOCUMENTED AND IMAGE WILLING THAT THIS ORGANIZATION

268IS GOING TO INTERFACE WITH THEM. HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK IN REGARDS TO OUR BUS DRIVERS, OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH, WHO ARE WORKING WITH UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. AS RELATED TO A STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVE AND AFTER SPEAKING TO LEGAL THIS DOESN'T IMPACT OUR WORK AT ALL. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHAT THIS DOES IS REALLY HELP FAMILIES AND ADULTS LOSE PERSPECTIVE THROUGH THIS GRANT BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO EDUCATE CHILDREN AND PROVIDE AN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. ANYTHING? Jessica Vaughn: IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES COULD CATCH A FELONY IF THEY ARE INTERACTING WITH OUR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS? Addison Davis: I WILL LET MR. GIBSON LEGAL TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. GIBSON: FROM MY REVIEW I THINK A LOT HAS COME OUT ON THE PRESS ON

269THAT, THAT IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THE STATUTE IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SAY THAT. I THINK THAT COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR ANY OF OUR STAFF TO BE IN JEOPARDY OR ANY OF OUR FAMILIES TO BE IN JEOPARDY BECAUSE OF THIS NEW LEGISLATION. Jessica Vaughn: I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 1.11. SOLE SOURCE 23055-SSD-SK. DIGITAL CIVICS LICENSES. Addison Davis: ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS EXPAND A SUMMER CIVICS CAMP REALLY TO EXPOSE THEM TO LEARNING, BEING EXPOSED TO THE CIVIC STANDARD, THE SAME TOKEN ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE EXPLORATION THROUGH CIVICS IN SOCIAL SCIENCES. WHAT THIS BRINGS IS A MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES FOR CIVICS TO BE ABLE TO EXPOSE CHILDREN SO THEY HAVE INTERACTION OF 25 MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND ONCE AGAIN FOR 7th

270GRADE STUDENTS, FOCUSING ON NEW STANDARDS, AND WE WILL HAVE NEW STANDARDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR. THIS IS BEING ABLE TO USE 75,000 FOR THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN GRANT WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS SUMMER LEARNING CAMPS. Nadia Combs: I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT TO GO OVER IS THE DISCOVERY MONEYS. IT WAS GREAT. I THINK IT'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT INFORMATION. A LOT OF INTERACTIONS FOR THE STUDENTS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS NOT REALLY EASY TO UNDERSTAND, I'M ASSUMING THERE'S AN ESTABLISHED CURRICULUM WE ARE GOING TO GO OFF OF, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE UTILIZING,

271AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I REALLY SAW. I REALLY SAW HOW THEY ARE GOING TO USE DISCOVERY AS SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IT REQUEST THE CONSTRAINTS OF OUR CURRICULUM. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, ABSOLUTELY. Patti Rendon: THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED AT SOME POINT WHAT THAT CURRICULUM LOOKS LIKE? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE'LL MAKE ANYTHING AVAILABLE TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO. Patti Rendon: THANKS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. BOARD MEMBERS, ANYONE? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 1.15. AGREEMENT ADDENDUM TO QUOTE Q-220372-1 AND RELATED DOCUMENTS BETWEEN SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FLORIDA AND AMPLIFY EDUCATION. Addison Davis: THREW THE CHAIR WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT LITERACY AS A FOUNDATION IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO

272CONTINUE TO FIND PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS, SUPPLEMENT MATERIALS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE BASIC LITERACY SKILLS OF OUR STUDENTS. AND WHAT THIS DOES IS ALLOW US TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN DIBBLES, A DYNAMIC INDICATOR OF BASIC EARLY LITERACY SKILLS, ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE BENCHMARKING AND PROGRESS MONITORING FOR OUR STUDENTS IN LITERACY FROM K-6 AND, ABLE TO BRANCH OUT IN MATHEMATICS FROM K-THIRD GRADE WHICH LOOKS AT OUR FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS AND OUTLINE OUR DEPARTMENTS OF MATHEMATICS. THIS REALLY FOCUSES ON THE SEGMENTATION, ELEMENTS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, ALSO ORAL FLUENCY AND ALSO VOCABULARY. ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE DID WITH THIS WAS BRINGING ON, I APPRECIATE TRACY AND MR. CONNOR AND THEIR TEAM, AND WE ALSO PURCHASED VENTURA WHICH PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR DUAL LANGUAGE STUDENTS AS WELL. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A MEASURE TO REALLY VALIDATE AND EVALUATE

273WHETHER A STUDENT MAY HAVE ANY TYPE OF RISK SCREENING RELATES TO DYSLEXIA. I APPRECIATE BOARD MEMBERS PUSHING US TO MAKE CERTAIN THIS IS IN PLACE, FOCUS ON EARLY LITERACY, WE ADDED MATH MATTINGS, AND THIS WILL BE USED WITH OUR READING PLANNED CATEGORICAL FUNDING FOR $749,000 WHICH REALLY FOCUS ON EARLY LEARNING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? Nadia Combs: OKAY, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-1.15. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Jessica Vaughn: I DO, THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I HAD ORIGINALLY ASKED FOR UNIVERSAL SCREEN FOR DYSLEXIA, AND I AM REALLY EXCITED. I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE ALREADY WORKING ON THIS SO I AM NOT

274TRYING TO CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON BUT I AM GLAD I KIND OF MARRIED IT TOGETHER. I KIND OF LEARNED A LOT FROM OUR CONVERSATION I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY ASK FOR SOME DATA AS WE MOVE UP THERE THIS TO KIND OF SEEP WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW THIS TOOL IS WORK BEING ESPECIALLY IF -- IS THIS A YEARLY? REMIND ME, IS THIS A YEARLY? SO ANYTHING ELSE WHEN IT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD NEXT YEAR I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IF IT'S SELF-HE HAD IDENTIFIED, IF IT'S CREATED SOME SUPPORT SYSTEMS THAT WE WEREN'T UTILIZING BEFORE AND REALLY GET A FEEL ONCE WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS FOR HOW WELL IT'S WORKING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND I APPRECIATE IT. THANK

275YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 5.036789 AMENDMENT. STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN IS THE CALCULATION OF G.P.A. CURRENTLY WHEN A STUDENT TAKES AN HONORS CLASS HE OR SHE IS AT A ..4 ADDED TO THEIR G.P.A. AND WHEN THEY TAKE AN AP CLASS IT'S ADDED TO THEIR GMA AS WELL. THIS IT RESULT IN AN INITIALLY HIGH GP HA FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE ENGAGED IN TAKING THESE TYPES OF CLASSES AND POTENTIALLY START TO TAKE CLASSES THEY MAY NOT NEED BUT DO TAKE CLASSES THAT PUSHES THEIR INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE. SOMETIMES THIS GETS INTO A BIG PUSH AND WE APPRECIATE STUDENTS THAT DEDICATE TO THIS PROCESS, ALLOWS US TO HAVE

276A BETTER CENTRALIZATION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND IT REALLY ALIGNS WITH EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATED AS WE MAKE THESE ADJUSTMENTS. SO THIS IS FOR THE 23' 24 INCOME AND 9th GRADE STUDENT CLASS WHICH WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL WEIGHTS. THIS WILL ONLY BE WEIGHTS EARNED TO THEIR GRADES FOR ANY A, ABOUT O CB THIS LC IN THEIR COURSE'S AND NOT OVERALL G.P.A.s, BUT HONORS COURSE WILL EARN AN ADDITIONAL 0.5, CAME RIDGE COURSE WOULD EARN AN ADDITIONAL 1.0. WEIGHTING PROCESS. I AM GOING TO TRANSITION THIS TO MR. CONNOR AND HIS TEAM F.APPROVED TONIGHT WE ARE READY TO GO WITH A COMMUNICATION TO INCOMING 9th GRADERS AND FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, ALSO WITH VIDEO AND INFORMATIONAL SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IMPACT WILL BE. Terry Connor: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. I

277KNOW WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH YOU ONE ON ONE ABOUT THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN THIS PROPOSAL. WE ARE VERY EXCITED, WE WORKED ABOUT A YEAR ON THIS PROCESS BRINGING TOGETHER A GROUP OF OVER 25 INDIVIDUALS FROM PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, UNIVERSITY PARTNERS, AND THROUGH THE DIRECTION OF DR. RONIC HE HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB ANALYZING THE TRENDS OVER G.P.A. CALCULATIONS NOT ONLY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA BUT NATIONALLY, AND WE THINK WE HAVE COME UP WITH A GREAT PLAN THAT PUTS US IN LINE WITH THE EXPECTATIONS AS STUDENTS TRANSITION INTO THEIR COLLEGE LEVEL THAT THEY HAVE A G.P.A. PERCEPTION THAT BETTER PREPARES THEM FOR GOING INTO COLLEGE, AND SEEING THAT CONSISTENCY ACROSS SCHOOL DISTRICTS. SO WHEN STUDENTS TRANSFER FROM ONE DISTRICT TO ANOTHER, THEY ARE GOING TO ENTER IN UNDER

278THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM, PROBABLY IN A VERY SIMILAR FASHION. RIGHT NOW OUR G.P.A. IS EXCESSIVELY HIGH NUMBERS THAT CAN EXCEED 10.0. AND OUR STATE SYSTEM DOESN'T EVEN ALLOW US TO GO ABOVE A 9.99. SO THIS BRINGS THIS IN LINE WITH MOST OTHER DISTRICTS, AND I KNOW WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION INDIVIDUALLY, BUT WE PRESENT THIS TO YOU TODAY FOR YOUR APPROVAL, AND WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS MOVING FOR OUR 9th GRADERS COMING IN THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 5.03. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER GRAY? START WITH MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND AS A FORMER TEACHER IN THE

279AP WORLD, MANY YEARS, I HAD TAUGHT AT A SCHOOL THAT WE DID A LOT OF COLLEGE VISITS, MANY OF THEM LOOKED AT G.P.A. SCORES. THEY LOOKED VERY CLOSELY AT THE AP SCORES 4 AND 35S. MANY OF THE STUDENTS I TAUGHT HAD PERFECT SAT SCORES OR NEAR THAT. THEY WERE HIGH ON THE ECHELON. AND WHEN WE TALKED TO COLLEGES AND LEARNED A&M, FLORIDA STATE, YALE, HARVARD, BROWN, WE REALIZED THAT THE MOST LURING FACTOR TO GET INTO THOSE COLLEGES, INTERESTING, WAS THAT AP 4 OR 5, WHEN I TAUGHT, 3 OR 2 WASN'T REALLY THOUGHT HIGHLY OF, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE G.P.A., IT WAS THE AMOUNT -- BECAUSE ONCE YOU HAVE THAT BRILLIANCE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY THE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT DIFFERENTIATES. SO THOSE LETTERS WERE WRITTEN ACCORDINGLY, BUT COLLEGES NATIONWIDE AND STATE WIDE DON'T

280RECOGNIZE THESE G.P.A.s. THEY THINK YOU ARE FROM ANOTHER PLANET, BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU GET TO 18 AP CLASSES, OR 14 FLORIDA VIRTUAL AND 23 DUAL ENROLLMENT, THIS CAME FROM ONE OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE QUALITY IS DILUTED AND COLLEGES LOOK AT THAT LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IT HAS VERY LITTLE FIDELITY MEANING. WHEN WE PLAY THE G.P.A. GAME, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STUDENT? THEY ARE CHASING FLORIDA VIRTUAL CLASSES. THEY ARE CHASING -- AP, BY THE WAY, KIDS USED TO CALL ME ALL TIMES OF THE NIGHT BECAUSE IT REALLY IS A DRIVER OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. BUT WHEN YOU ADD ALL THE OTHER CLASSES, DUAL ENROLLMENT POSSIBILITIES, THIS WAS THIS THING IN THE PAST, USED TO NOT HAVE ALL THIS DUAL ENROLLMENT, USED TO NOT HAVE ALL THOSE VIRTUAL. SO THOSE PATHS OF ADDING UP

281MORE POINTS WAS DONE IN THIS PARTICULAR COUNTY, AND I GUESS OTHER COUNTIES, BUT IT SINCE HAS LOST ITS MEANING AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REAL WORLD OF HOW COLLEGES SELECT THOSE STUDENTS. SO I THINK THE PATH WAS GOOD. I GUESS IT WAS RECOGNIZED TO BE HELPFUL. BUT I THINK OUR STUDENTS ARE PAYING THE BIGGEST PRICE OF ALL, WHICH IS THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE GAINS OF BEING ACCEPTED TO THE COLLEGES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO COME. AND THIS IS NOT ONLY TRUE IN FLORIDA. THIS IS TRUE OUT OF STATE. SO I JUST RECOGNIZE -- ANYWAY, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF COMMIT MEMBERS AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND THEIR PRINCIPALSHIP, AND THE VALUE THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED, IT'S TO ME WITHOUT, AT LEAST FROM

282MY BIT OF KNOWLEDGE, IS JUST WITHOUT MATCH. SO I CONGRATULATE YOU, MR. CONNOR. I THINK YOU AND YOUR TEAM DID A VERY THOROUGH JOB. THANK YOU, ALSO, AND YOUR NAME IS NOT COMING RIGHT UP, JOHANN, AND I SHOULD KNOW I BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN AT EISENHOWER IN THE PAST. BUT YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB. AND NOW IT IS RELEVANT AND I THINK NOW SCORES, G.P.A.s WILL HAVE REAL MEANING FINALLY, AND WILL BE JUMPING INTO THE REAL WORLD. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: WELL, AS THESE GUYS KNOW I HAVE A LITTLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. SO I HAVE ACTUALLY GONE AND MET WITH SOME OF OUR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, AND I HAVE TAKEN THE TOP FIVE STUDENTS WITH THIS CURRENT G.P.A. AND COMPARED IT TO OUR NEW SYSTEM. IT WILL MIX IT

283UP. HAND DOWN, THE FIRST IS NO LONGER THE FIRST. THE FIRST IS 3. 5 MOVES TO 2. IT'S ALL MIXED UP. WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS FACTOR IS WHEN YOU MOVE IT TO A SITUATION WHERE EACH AP CLASS OR HONORS CLASS OR DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS GETS THE SAME WEIGHT WHEN YOU ADD ON THE .5 OR THE 1, OVER THE COURSE OF 25 CLASSES, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A MINIMUM, RIGHT? THAT LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT HOLDS NO WEIGHT. IT DOESN'T THEN GIVE THE ESCALATION OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. SO AS A STUDENT, EVERY ONE OF THE TOP FIVE STUDENTS AND ALMOST EVERY ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE ALMOST A 4.0. THAT DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN 5 AND 1 IS SO MINOR. SO IF WE ARE DOING THIS TO STOP THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CLASSES, IT WILL

284NOT STOP IT. BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT COME TO A SYSTEM. IT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT HARDER TO GET THAT DIFFERENTIAL BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WITH THE DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS IF YOU TAKE A SPEECH AT HCC YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE LIKE A .01 OR .1. IF YOU TAKE A CALCULUS AT HCC IT'S A .16. THIS NEW CALCULATION GIVES ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN A SPEECH ORACLE CULL US. WE HAVE AN UNFAIR WEIGHT OF WHAT'S GOING DOING IT. WHAT I DISCOVERED FROM DOING THIS RESEARCH IS WHERE WE NEED TO FIX THE SYSTEM IS, WHERE OUR KIDS ARE GETTING 75 CLASSES, THEY ARE TAKING FLDS BIOLOGY HONORS. THEY ARE TAKING AP BIOLOGY. AND THEN THEY ARE TAKING DUAL ENROLLMENT BIOLOGY. WE AS A DISTRICT NEED TO STOP THAT AND SAY, YOU ARE TAKING BIOLOGY. PICK ONE. PICK THE LEVEL

285YOU WANT TO TAKE, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THREE. WE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THREE. BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME CLASS. THAT'S WHERE THE MISTAKE COMES IN. WHEN YOU HAVE GOT THE VALEDICTORIAN CURRENTLY OUT OF ONE SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, 104 CLASSES, 35 HONORS CLASSES, 54 AP DUAL ENROLLMENT, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S RIDICULOUS. WE ARE MOMENT APPLYING THE SAME THINGS. SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT WHEN WE DO THIS TO AFFECT THE TOP FIVE KIDS, WE ARE HURTING ALL THE OTHER KIDS THAT MAY WANT TO TAKE A DUAL ENROLLMENT THAT ARE GOING TO WORK HARDER, AND THAT LITTLE WEIGHT WILL NOT MATTER AT ALL THROUGHOUT THEIR DEGREE. AND MY KID DID. MY KID TOOK THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CLASSES BECAUSE SHE WAS FIGHTING FOR THE G.P.A., NOT BECAUSE WE SAID TO DO IT. BELIEVE ME, THE OTHER

286TWIN DIDN'T DO IT. SO IT WAS BECAUSE THAT WAS HER DROP TO BE NUMBER ONE IN THE SCHOOL AND THAT'S FINE. BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY SETTING THEM UP TO TAKE MORE BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO MORE TO GET THAT VERY LITTLE DIFFERENTIAL. AGAIN, WE HAVE GOT TO GO BACK TO REALLY ORGANIZING WHAT KIDS CAN TAKE. THE OTHER THING I HAVE DISCOVERED IS THAT T FACT THAT THE FACT THESE STUDENTS ARE DOING IT, IT'S LONG-TERM HURTING OUR FTEs, IT'S LONG-TERM HURTING OUR UNIT IN OUR SCHOOLS, BECAUSE WHEN WE GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, EVERY SINGLE CLASS IS BEING CALCULATED FOR THE ATTENDANCE. AND SO IF WE DON'T MAKE A SYSTEM, AND LOOK AT THIS, DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE G.P.A., BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR OVERALL SYSTEM AND SAY, IF STUDENTS ARE

287GOING TO BE ENROLLED IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL, THEY HAVE TO BE ENROLLED FOR FIVE CLASSES BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH UNITS TO PUT THAT IN. AND THEN WE CAN TAKE THOSE AP TEACHERS AND WE CAN ALSO OFFER THE DUAL ENROLLMENTS, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND SO THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A G.P.A. THE OTHER THING IS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COLLEGES, IT'S ALL FINE AND DANDY BUT NO MATTER WHAT HIGH SCHOOL YOU GO TO IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHEN YOU ARE APPLYING TO A COLLEGE, YOU HAVE TO PLUG YOUR GRADE AND YOUR HOURS COURSES IN FOR THE ENTIRE APPLICATION SO IT DOESN'T MAT WHERE WE GIVE AT .5 IMPORTANT .16, THE COLLEGES ARE GOING TO CALCULATE THEIR G.P.A.s AS THEY WANT THEM TO DO

288NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO IN SCHOOLS. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO DO IS IT'S GOING TO MAKE KIDS NOT WANT TO TAKE THE ADVANCED CLASSES IN CASE THEY GET A B, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW THEN GOING TO DECREASE THEIR WEIGHT INSTEAD OF GIVING THEM THAT EXTRA WEIGHT. WHO CARES IF THEY GET A 10.0? IT DON'T REALLY DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE LIKE WE SAID IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY MEANING OTHER THAN TO THE SCHOOL THAT THEY ARE IN. BUT AT THE END. DAY WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER SYSTEM OF HOW WE ORGANIZE OUR CLASSES AND PROTECTING OUR SCHOOLS. AND THEN MAKE SURE WE ARE PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS. BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT UNIVERSITIES. THEY ARE GOING TO CALCULATE OUR G.P.A.s ALL OVER AGAIN. Nadia Combs:

289THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. JUST A COUPLE THINGS AND A COUPLE THINGS THAT YOU SAID. I THINK TELLING PARENTS THAT YOU CANTON ANNAL TAKE ONE CLASS HERE, THERE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THIS IS A PARENT CHOICE TYPE OF WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN. IT'S ALL ABOUT PARENT CHOICE, AND BY THE TIME A CHILD IS IN HIGH SCHOOL THEORY EVEN MORE IN CHARGE OF THEIR CHOICES. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, IB, ACE, DUAL ENROLLMENT, OUR STUDENTS HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES THAT THEY CAN MAKE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE MOTIVATED FOR THE RIGHT REASON AND NOT THE WRONG REASON. I REALLY TRUST -- EVEN THOUGH I AM A LIFE-LONG EDUCATOR I AM NOT A CABINET MEMBER, I AM NOTE A COUNSELOR AT THE SCHOOL, I AM NOT

290A PRINCIPAL, I BELIEVE THAT YOU CREATED A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY UNDERSTAND EDUCATION, WHO ARE FACE TO FACE WITH STUDENTS EVERY DAY, THE PRINCIPALS, THE COUNSELORS, THE APCs, ALL OF THEM, AND YOU CAME UP WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION. SO I HAVE TO TRUST -- AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND YOUR RECOMMENDATION, AND I DO TRUST IT. AND I ALSO HAVE TO TRUST MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND WHO IS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR. SHE SAYS IT'S A JOKE. WHEN HILLSBOROUGH COMES UP THOSE G.P.A.s ARE JOKES BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY ARE SO OVERINFLATED. WE NOW HAVE STUDENTS AT SIXTH GRADE WHO ARE TRYING TO ALREADY START THEIR G.P.A. BASE THEY ARE TRYING TO VIE FOR WHO IS GOING TO BE VALEDICTORIAN. THAT IS THE REALITY. WE HAVE KIDS IN SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADE DRESSED

291OUT, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET AHEAD. AND THERE'S PARENTS WHO KNOW HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM AND THEY ARE GOING INTO NINTH GRADE WITH ALREADY HALF THE CREDITS, OR THEY ARE GRADUATING EARLY. I ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, MY DAUGHTER WHO IS A SENIOR. THIS LAST SUMMER SHE SAID TO ME -- AND SHE HAD ONE OF THESE CRAZY G.P.A.s, SHOW SAID I AM GOING TO TAKE THREE CLASSES THIS SUMMER. I SAID WHY? SHE SAID, I WANT TO BE ABOVE A 7 WHEN I GRADUATE. AND I SAID, WELL, WHY ARE YOU DOING THAT? SHE SAID, WELL, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A HIGHER G.P.A. I SAID TAKE THE SUMMER AND DO VOLUNTEER WORK OR FIND SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN. DON'T TRY TO DO THAT JUST TO BOOST YOUR

292G.P.A. IN THE MEANTIME, HER CLASSMATES WHO HAVE A HIGH G.P.A. THAT'S A MISLEADING G.P.A. DID NOT GTE INTO COLLEGES BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT, OKAY, WELL, I HAVE A 5.5, I SHOULD GET INTO UF. WELL, NO. BECAUSE YOUR 5 IS NOT REALLY A TRUE 5 BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT'S WEIGHTED. IT'S VERY CONFUSING. SURROUNDING DISTRICTS ARE NOT DOING THIS INFLATED G.P.A. ALL OF YOU KNOW MY INTERN FROM A YEAR AGO WHEN SHE CAME, SHE WAS VALEDICTORIAN AT SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL AND SHE WOULDN'T MIND MEANING TELLING YOU THIS. SHE SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, TO BE VALEDICTORIAN I SLEPT THREE NIGHTS A WEEK. I ENDED UP TAKING 14 AP CLASSES BECAUSE AT THE END. DAY I HAD TO BE VALEDICTORIAN. EVEN TO THIS DAY AT RU IF WHEN I MEET STUDENTS FROM HILLSBOROUGH NO COMPETITIVE WAY, THEY ARE STILL

293BUYING THAT WAY. IT IS NOT A POSITIVE THING FOR OUR STUDENTS. IT'S NOT A POSITIVE THING FOR THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. IT'S NOT A POSITIVE THING TO VIE FOR THAT. WE WANT STUDENTS TO TAKE CLASSES BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TAKE THEM, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO BOOST THEIR G.P.A. AND TAKE RANDOM CLASSES. I SEE THAT. AND I THINK QUESTION ALL THE OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING THAT, WE NEED TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT. SO I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO DO THIS. I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT MOVE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. MEMBER RENDON? Patti Rendon: I WANT TO CLARIFY. I AM NOT TRYING TO TAKE CHOICE AWAY BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO TAKE THREE BIOLOGY CLASSES. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME BIOLOGY CLASSES. CHOOSING THE LEVEL YOU

294TAKE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE GETTING INTO DIFFERENCES WHERE KIDS ARE TAKING MULTIPLE CLASSES FOR THE SAME -- LIKE BIOLOGY 3 OR 4 TIMES IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE BIOLOGY. YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE THE AP OR DUAL ENROLLMENT OR HONORS. SO IT'S NOT TAKING AWAY THE CHOICE F.I WAS TAKING AWAY THE CHOICE THEN I WOULD BE TAKING AWAY THE CHOICE OF THEM TAKING THE 75 CLASSES. THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE DOING. NOT BECAUSE ANY ONE OF US SITTING UP HERE IS CHOOSING THAT OR ANYONE IS TOLLING THEM THEY CAN'T, OR PARENTS FOR THE MOST PART ARE NOT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE STRIVING TO DO, WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE STRIVING. THIS IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THOSE THAT TAKING THE MOST CLASSES. THEY ARE STILL GOING TO DO THAT. LET'S MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR.

295BECAUSE THOSE THAT WANT TO WIN ARE GOING TO TRY TO WIN. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. Jim Porter: THE RECOMMENDATION ON THE FLOOR IS TO CHANGE THE PLAN. IF YOU APPROVE THAT, YES. IF YOU ARE AGAINST, NO. Nadia Combs: IT PASSES 6 VOTES FOR YES AND MEMBER RENDON VOTING. NO NEXT IS 7.01. APPROVE RESOLUTION 2301 AND THE PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: THIS IS TO PURCHASE A FUTURE ELEMENTARY SITE IN THE PLANT CITY AREA ON 4811 CHARLIE ROAD. THIS IS FOR 15 ACRES AT $1.8 MILLION WHICH WE WILL USE IMPACT FEES TO DO SO. AS NOW WE HAVE TO BUILD 18 SCHOOLS IN THE NEXT 18 YEARS. THIS IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS WE HAVE TO BUILD. SO BEING ABLE

296TO PURCHASE PROPERTIES AT THIS PARTICULAR PRICE WE HAD TO MOVE FORWARD AND I APPRECIATE OUR GROWTH MANAGEMENT TEAM AND OPERATIONS FOR MAKING THIS A CLOSURE TO BRING TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM 7.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? START WITH MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD ON HERE, WE ARE PURCHASING THIS PROPERTY. BUT HAVE WE LOOKED INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE LEASE BUILD, AND WHAT THAT DIFFERENCE WOULD BE TON THIS? 124 THROUGH THE CHAIR, YES, MA'AM. I WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR AGO, TO LOOK AT POTENTIAL AREA IN PLANT CITY, AND

297ALSO IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE SOUTH COUNTY AS WELL; THINK THERE WAS SOME DIFFERENTIAL RELATION RELATED TO WHETHER OR NOT IT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED RELATED TO A CHEAPER MODEL, BEING ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN WE ARE USING OUR CURRENT VENDORS, AND AT THE SAME TOKEN IS IT GOING TO BE BEST AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD CONTINUOUS CONVERSATIONS A COMPANY WE WERE ENGAGED WITH KIND OF BACKED AWAY FROM HILLSBOROUGH, AND FOR US WE HAD TO GO FIND APRIL SITE, A AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD. Patti Rendon: SO DID WE EVER BRING IT TO THE BOARD WITH THE OPTION OF WHAT THAT WOULD COST, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? : WE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOARD AS WE ENGAGED THAT PROCESS. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?

298IT'S BEFORE YOUR TIME. I THINK WE HAVE ALL THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE, NO PROBLEM. Patti Rendon: THERE IS A LOOK AT THAT, AND COMING FROM A POINT OF VIEW OF SPENDING AND PUTTING OUT SUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A SCHOOL SITE, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD SPREAD OVER TIME, IN BEING THE LEASE OPTION AND THE BUILD OPTIONS, IT COULD FINANCIALLY BE MORE OF A BENEFIT TO US, SO NOT SEEING -- NOW AGAIN, A YEAR AGO, 18 MONTHS AGO, COST OF DOING BUSINESS WAS EVEN DIFFERENT THAN TODAY. AND PROPERTY VALUES ARE DIFFERENT TODAY. SO IN THINKING AND LOOKING THAT WAY, I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY LIKED TO HAVE KNOWN THE DIFFERENCE, A WRAPPED WE ARE AT TODAY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. WE DO AS YOU SAID HAVE 15 SCHOOLS, AND A LOT OUT IN

299THAT EAST AREA THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE LOOKED UNDER EVERY STONE AND MAKING SURE WE ARE COST EFFECTIVE AS WELL AS FROM A SPEED POINT OF VIEW, RIGHT? BUT THE SPEED OF WHICH WE NEED TO BUILD THESE SCHOOLS IS HUGE. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THUMB THE CHAIR, WE HAVE NO NO PROBLEMS, WORK SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH THAT. ONE OF THE GREATEST BARRIERS IS FINANCIAL ADVISER HAD SOME HICCUPS WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN. SO I JUST COULDN'T MOVE FORWARD KNOWING THAT THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT, AFTER THEY REVIEWED ALL THE ELEMENTS AND WERE ACTUALLY ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS. WE CAN ALWAYS REVISIT AND SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR US. WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE INNOVATIVE IN OUR FINANCIAL EXPENDITURES, AND BUILD A PLAN THAT MAY

300HOPE US IN THE FUTURE. SO WE CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS IF THAT'S SOMETHING THE BOARD WANTS TO LOOK AT. Patti Rendon: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS I HAVE TO GO BACK, THAT I BRING UP FREQUENTLY. THE MISCELLANEOUS RISK MAG SPECIALISTS LOOKING AT THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF THINGS AND KNOWING WHERE WE ARE AT WITH HOW MANY, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A FINANCIAL PIECE, THERE'S SUCH A LARGE OTHER PIECE FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL PIECE, FROM A LIABILITY PIECE, SO MUCH, AND LOOKING AT ONE OF THE THINGS, SO I AM GOING TO BRING BACK THAT NEED FOR REALLY HAVING THE LENS TO LOOK AT SOME OF THIS. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CHAIR. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS OF OUR FINANCIAL ADVISER THERE, WAS NEVER A FINANCIAL STRUCTURE THAT REALLY MADE SENSE FOR US THAT WAS PRESENTED.

301SO OF THAT, WE CAN STILL HAVE CONVERSATIONS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND MEMBER RENDON. Lynn Gray: I JUST WAS EXCITED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE MET LONG-TERM PLANS FOR DEVELOPMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE PLANT CITY MAYORS, BUT THE HOUSING GROWTH, AND I KNOW THAT MEMBER RENDON KNOWS THIS AS WELL, IS JUST AMAZINGLY QUICK, THAT THE COMMUNITIES ARE GROWING QUICKLY, THE NEED FOR SCHOOLS AS WE ALL AGREE IS AT ITS ALL-TIME HEIGHT, BUT TO THE CREDIT OF PLANT CITY, THEY BUILT THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, THEIR ROAD SYSTEMS, TO REALLY CLEARLY WELCOME THIS HOPEFULLY NEW SCHOOL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO I THINK IT'S VERY EXCITING FOR PLANT CITY, AND GOOD FOR OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH 6 VOTES FOR YES

302AND MEMBER PEREZ VOTING NO. 7.02 WHICH IS THE TENTH AMENDMENT TO PRIMARY USER AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY AREA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INCORPORATED AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THIS IS AN AGREEMENT FOR THE AREA COMMUNITY AND COMPLEX, UNIVERSITY AREA FOR OUR ADULT BASED EDUCATION WHERE WE PROVIDE GED, FAMILY LITERACY CLASSES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS US LEASING TWO CLASSROOMS, USUALLY HISTORICALLY SERVES AROUND 100 ADULT EDUCATION ENROLLEES ALL TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM GROW EDUCATIONALLY. THEY HAVE DAYTIME CLASSES, EDUCATIONAL CLASSES, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, ON-SITE DAYCARE, AND AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING AS WELL. SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG RELATIONSHIP SINCE 1999. 73,000 EXPENDITURE FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE C 7.02. I HAVE A MOTION

303BY MEMBER RAINY DON, A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Lynn Gray: NO, I HAVE A COMMENT. AND GOEN I KNOW THIS SUCH DAVIS HEARD MER RELENTLESSLY BUT THE IDEA OF CHILD CARE IN MANY OF THESE CENTERS INCLUSIVE, OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, IS JUST SO APPEALING, THAT HERE AGAIN WE SEE AN EXAMPLE, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT SUGGESTION, BECAUSE I THINK OF THAT WILL BRING AND GARNER A LOT OF COMPETITIVENESS, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. ALSO, I QUANTITY TO THANK THE UNIVERSITY AREA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. FLEECE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 7.03. AMENDMENT NUMBER 8 TO THE PARKING LEASE

304AGREEMENT BETWEEN TAMPA HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: AS WE HAVE A CONTINUED ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS OF STAFFING AT ROSSAC AND MOST OF OUR STAFF TO OUR SCHOOLS, AND MAKING ADJUSTMENTS FINANCIALLY, WE WERE ABLE TO CUT A NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT WE HAD TO LEASE FROM THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY. MOVING FROM A $55,000 EXPENDITURE TO $37,000 AND ONLY NEEDING IT PARKING SPACES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 98 PARKING SPACES. TO THE FACT THAT IT'S GENERAL FUND DOLLARS. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-7.3010th 3. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON, A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER RENDON? ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 7.04. APPROVE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

305AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BELL SHOALS CHURCH. Addison Davis: THIS IS AN AGREEMENT TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST ONE OF OUR LOCAL FAITH BASED PARTNERS TO MOVE STUDENTS TO AND FROM THEIR CHURCH SUMMER CAMP FROM JUNE 26 TO JUNE 30. WHAT THEY WILL DO IS BAY OUR DRIVERS $30 AN HOUR. THEY WILL PAY US ONE DOLLAR 75IENTS PER MILE SO BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD TO RECOGNIZE THIS AGREEMENT AND FOR WHAT THEY WILL DO FOR FROM A COMPENSATION PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN THE DISTRICT A. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE C-7.340. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON, A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. I PULLED THIS ITEM AND IT WAS ACTUALLY MR. FARKAS AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, MOST BY WHAT THE COST LOOKS LIKE AND ARE WE

306LOSING MONEY, ARE WE MAKING MONEY ON THESE TYPES OF TRANSACTIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE A SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS. Christopher Farkas: ACTUALLY A POSITIVE. WE GET THAT SO WE DO NOT LOSE MONEY. WE MAKE MONEY, NOT A LOT OF MONEY BUT IT COVERS THE COST OF THE MAINTENANCE AND THE GAS FOR THE VEHICLE PLUS A MINIMUM FOR OUR DRIVERS SO THEY GET TO GET SUMMER WORK SO IT'S A POSITIVE ALL AROUND. WE PROVIDE A SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE MAKE MONEY ON IT. Nadia Combs: MEMBER VAUGHN? Jessica Vaughn: I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION. DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHO COVERS THE INSURANCE AND LIABILITY? Christopher Farkas: WE ARE SELF-INSURED SO IT COMES TO THAT SO THE COST MAINTENANCE, BUT THERE'S NOT AN EXTRA BLANKET POLICY FOR THAT VAUGHN VAUGHN SO IT'S COVERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR NO

307MATTER WHAT? Christopher Farkas: RIGHT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 7.10. CARROLLWOOD SCHOOL PRE-K THROUGH 8th GRADE BOUNDARY CHANGE PROPOSAL. Addison Davis: THIS IS PART OF THE REBOUNDERING PROCESS. ONE THING WE DID WAS THE PARENTS THIS MUCH COMMUNITY ACTUALLY ENGAGED OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ABOUT POTENTIALLY EXPANDING THEY ARE IN SCHOOL FROM AN ELEMENTARY TO PK-8. A LOT OF THESE STUDENTS SEND OUT WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL SO BEING ABLE TO ACTIVELY WORK WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOLUTION TO KEEP STUDENTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD IS BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD FOR A SECOND RECOMMENDATION, HAVING A MULTIYEAR PHASE-IN PROCESS FROM NEXT YEAR TO BE A K-6 THE FOLLOWING YEAR TO K-7, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR K-8 AND HAVING A TRUE PROGRESSION AS WE BOUNDARY CARROLLWOOD

308K-8. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. YOU NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-7.10. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. I PULLED THIS ITEM, BUT DOES ANYBODY WANT TO BE SPEAK? OKAY, ANYBODY? OF COURSE, MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: I WILL BE BRIEF BECAUSE EVERYONE IS TIRED. EVEN YOU GUYS ARE FALLING ASLEEP. YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG TIME COMING AND ADVOCATING FOR THIS. I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE PROCESS OF GOING FORWARD. I HOPE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT A TRANSITION THIS IS GOING TO BE, AND HOW MUCH HARD WORK IT'S GOING TO BE FOR EVERYBODY, BUT I AM EXCITED AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE COMMITTED YOU ARE GOING TO CHAMBERLAIN, RIGHT? INVESTING IN CHAMBERLAIN. GOOD. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT

309I HAVE BEEN TELLING EVERYBODY. SO CONGRATULATIONS AND YOU HOPE TO COME SEE THE SCHOOL AND WELCOME THE FIRST CLASS OF SIXTH GRADERS, AND I'M EXCITED. THANKS. Addison Davis: CHAMBERLAIN STORM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. Patti Rendon: WE ARE GOING TO BE TRACKING THAT DATA. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT. SO WE ARE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE. BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE. BECAUSE I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE TODAY ABOUT K-8s. AND SO YOUR JOB IS TO PREPARE THEM FOR HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED TO BE ACTIVE ENGAGING MEMBERS OF THEIR SCHOOL, OH SO THEY CAN GO TO HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUE TO BE ACTIVE ENGAGING MEMBERS OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL. SO THAT'S A CHALLENGE. AND SO WE WISH YOU WELL, BUT TAKE THE TORCH.

310Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PACESES UNANIMOUSLY. CONGRATULATIONS. AND WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU HERE IN THE FUTURE, TOO. AND I SAID MAYBE ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WILL RUN AS A BOARD MEMBER ONE DAY NOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN INSPIRED. 7.12. DISTRICTWIDE BOUNDARY CHANGES PROPOSAL FOR SCHOOL YEAR 24-25 AND NEW ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY FOR HIGH SCHOOL UUU SCHOOL YEAR 2025-2026. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE BOARD. THIS IS A BIG ANALYSIS THAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE LAST SUMMER. THIS IS WHEN WE HAD OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH WXY STUDIOS TO BE ABLE TO BRING IN FULL REVIEW OF OVER ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT UTILIZATION. AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE 23 SCHOOLS THAT ARE OVERUTILIZED OR UNDERUTILIZED, BEING 110% OR GREATER, VERY

311UNDERUTILIZED 60% OR BELOW AND TRYING TO FIND A SWEET SPOT OF THE WELL UTILIZED SCHOOL BETWEEN 80 AND 59% UTILIZATION OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THEY BROUGHT MULTIPLE SCENARIOS, WE WENT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND ENGAGED EVERY FACET OF THE COMMUNITY, IN MULTIPLE FASHIONS, AND THEN FROM FACE TO FACE TO VIRTUAL, A NUMBER COME OUT AND COMING UP WITH A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATION SHARED WITH THE BOARD ON MARCH 9th IN THAT WORKSHOP. NO ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE AFTER THE MARCH 9 L WORKSHOP. HOWEVER I DID PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH A REVIEW OF THE 30 IDEAS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE SCHOOL BOARD, IDENTIFIED WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN EMBED IT INTO THE BOUNDARY OR NOT, OR WE CAN START LOOKING AT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS BEING

312ABLE TO HAVE A FUTURE REVIEW OF ALL OF OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS, LOOK AT THE UTILIZATION, LOOK AT THE PNEUMATIC APPROACH TO MAKE SURE IT'S SERVING OUR CHILDREN AND ALSO IN LINE WITH THE WORKFORCE AND ALSO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND CTE OPPORTUNITIES. SO BRINGING YOU TONIGHT WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VERY OVER AND UNDER UTILIZED SCHOOLS FROM 23 TO 2, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH UTILIZATION FROM 67 TO 80. WE ALSO ELIMINATE THE 13 UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS FROM 13 TO ZERO. WE MOVE THE NUMBER OF IMPACT STUDENTS FROM THE ORIGINAL RECOMMENDATION FROM 24,000 TO A LITTLE BIT OVER 15,000 STUDENTS, AND WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS IMPACTED FROM 126 TO 103, AND WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TRAVEL TIME BY 39,000 MILES FOR OUR STUDENTS GOING TO AND FROM SCHOOL WITH AN ANNUAL SAVINGS OF

313$13.4 MILLION TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOU CAN LOOK BETWEEN 800 AND 900,000 YOU CAN REDUCE IN THAT PROCESS. THAT IS INCLUSIVE OF BRINGING ADAMS BACK AS WELL IN THE TWO-YEAR PERIOD AS COLLEGIAL MIND-SET AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THIS IS ONCE AGAIN VERY DIFFICULT DECISION TO MAKE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS, A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY MEETING CONVERSATIONS, WE SENT OUT TO COMMUNITIES IDENTIFYING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRUCTURE, AND I BELIEVE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW, THAT WE WILL HAVE CONTINUOUS ISSUES FOR UTILIZATION WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. ONE OF THE CONSTITUENTS SPOKE ABOUT WESTSHORE AT 139%. WE ARE MOVING THAT TO 101% IMPLEMENTATION. THAT WAS ADDRESSED. I THINK OUR STAFF FOR THIS VERY DIFFICULT TASK, AND MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THIS BOARD TO MOVE FOR THE FIRST READING WITH A CURRENT

314PLAN IN PLACE, AND ALLOW US TO HAVE CONTINUED SECOND READING IN JUNE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-7.12. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER GRAY, HE PULLED THIS ITEM. AND I KNOW ALMOST EVERYONE WILL HAVE A COMMENT. MEMBER GRAY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN WITH YOU? AND MEMBERS, DO YOU WANT TO SIGN UP? Lynn Gray: OKAY, MEMBER GRAY, HEREBY I AM, AND I WILL SPEAK. I JUST WANT A CLARIFICATION ON THE SAVINGS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I AM JUST REFERRING TO PAGE 1. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. Lynn Gray: REDUCES ANNUAL EXPENDITURES BY 13 MILL AND THEN THE TRANSPORTATION. IS THAT 13 AND 4, OR SEPARATE? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, SEPARATE. IT'S A TOTAL OF $13.4 MILLION

315OVERALL SAVINGS. ONCE WE BRING JUST BACK ON YOU CAN CALCULATE BETWEEN 8 HOW OFTEN THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT YOU MAY NEED TO FILL THE FRONT OFFICE, ADDITIONAL STAFF AT THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL. BUT AS WE STAIRCASE JUST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMING BACK ONBOARD, IT MAY NOT BE THAT OVERALL COST. BUT OF $800,000 BUT YOU CAN DEDUCT THAT 13.4 AS A NUMBER AS IT SITS RIGHT NOW FOR NEXT YEAR. Lynn Gray: AND MY COMMENTS ARE MOSTLY FINANCIAL, AND PROBABLY NOT AS EXCITING IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TIMES I THINK WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT IS GOING ON WITHIN OUR STATE OF FLORIDA AND WITHIN THE VARIOUS BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED, AND I AM REMINDED THAT SOME OF THE FIGURES THAT I ACCUMULATED OF WITH JANUARY 2023 ALREADY A LOSS FROM CHARTER

316FTE TO CHEEKS IN THE SEATS HAS COME UP TO 259 MILLION PER YEAR. THAT'S JUST -- IT'S NOT EVEN THIS YEAR FINISHED. THAT'S SINCE JANUARY. I JUST WANT US TO LOOK AT THE YEARLY COST OF DRAINING OUR FUNDS, AND I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, THE BONDAGE SIS LOOKING ALSO THAT WE ARE KEEPING A MORE OF A MIND SOCIETY TO SAVE MONEY. SO 259 MILLION SINCE JANUARY, LOSING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS. ON TOP OF THAT, A YEARLY COST OF 36.7 MILLION TO SUSTAIN THE SECOND STEP OF THE SALARY, WHICH WE ALL AGREED THE TEACHERS WILL GET THAT SECOND STEP, AND THAT IS YEARLY INCREASE. THEN IF WE ADD HOUSE BILL 1259 WHAT YOU ARE REALLY SAYING, OR THEY ARE SAYING TO US THAT WE MUST SHARE OUR CAPITAL FUNDS TO A 12.5 MILLION FIGURE, THE FIRST YEAR. I

317CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS, BUT I HAVE A FEELING IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE. THEN IF WE ADD HB 1 WHICH IS NOW SIGNED INTO LAW, THAT'S YOUR VOUCHER BILL, WE MIGHT PRESUME, NOT ASSUME BUT PRESUME, THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOSE ANOTHER POSSIBLY 4 MILLION THE FIRST YEAR, AND THAT'S AN UNDERSOMETIMES. SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE WILL HAVE MINUS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS -- AND THIS BE IS PER YEAR -- SO FAR HAS COME UP TO $312 MILLION. I ONLY SAY THIS BECAUSE THAT IS INTERFACED WITH THE AMOUNT, I JUST MENTIONED, NURSES. SO WE ARE MINUS 1507 SOMETHING NURSES. THE REASON IS BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING PAID SOMEWHERE ELSE AND JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT. BUT WE ARE ALSO MINUSSING TEACHERS. I KNOW THAT DR. WHILE AN SAID WE ARE 514

318TEACHERS SHORT. THERE'S VACANCIES. BUT IMPORTANTLY, ALSO, IS THE AMOUNT OF GUIDANCE COUNSELORS THAT WE ARE MISSING BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING PAID MORE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THAT'S 45 GUIDANCE COUNSELORS. SO THEN WE HAVE THE SOCIAL WORKERS. WE HAVE 21 MINUS SOCIAL WORKERS. THIS IS FOR THE NEXT YEAR. AND IF WE KEEP GOING INTO THIS, WE ARE SEEING THAT FUNDAMENTALLY WE CAN'T PAY, IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN'T KEEP HUMAN RESOURCES IN OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING PAID, THE DISTRICTS HIGHER OR IN OTHER CAPACITIES. SO I JUST KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T START REALLY COST CUTTING -- AND I WELCOME BOARD MEMBERS IF YOU CAN FIND OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE -- BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER EVEN OUR GRANT MONEY, THE ESSER 23rdAND WITH 250 MILLION, IT'S GONE. THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. IT'S GONE. SO WE DON'T

319HAVE ANY MONEY REVENUE OTHER THAN THANKFULLY OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS SUCH AS MR. RIOS WHO GAVE US 35,000, AS EISENHOWER, TWO WEEKS AGO, FOR THE PBIS ROOM, WE ARE RELYING ON THOSE FUNDS THAT COME FROM GRANTS, AS SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS HAS SHARED, AND WHAT REVENUES DO WE HAVE COMING IN? NOW, I KNOW WE HAVE THE TYPICAL ONES, BUT IF WE DON'T KEEP IN MIND IN PARENTHESIS, IN OUR BRAINS, THAT EVERY MONTH -- EXCUSE ME, I DON'T HAVE IT BROKEN DOWN PER MONTH, BUT EVERY YEAR WE ARE LOOKING AT 315 MILLION DEDUCTED FROM OUR ANNUAL BUDGET. AND BY THE WAY, WE ALL KNOW, BOARD MEMBERS, THIS IS A VERY SMART BOARD MEMBER CACHE, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE, OUR PRIORITY IS OUR ANNUAL BUDGET AND WE NEED TO KEEP WITHIN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET. THAT IS APPLIED ALREADY.

320SO WHAT I AM SAYING, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND THE REST OF US NO, NUTSHELL, I HOPE THAT WE ARE UP TO MAKING THOSE TOUGH DECISIONS, BECAUSE THIS IS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO PROBABLY FACE AND WHAT WE HAD TO FACE WHEN WE HAD TO TAKE OUT A $1 MILLION LOAN, AND OUR BONDAGE SY PUT US TRIPLE NEGATIVE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN TWO WEEKS TO MAY OUR TEACHERS' SALARIES. SO I AM TELLING YOU, WE BET ARE START GETTING REALLY BRAVE, HAVE COURAGE, AND START SAYING, WE HAVE TO DO THESE HARD DECISIONS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I DON'T DISAGREE THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY HITTING SOME HARD TIMES AND THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHY SO MANY

321OF US PULLED SO MANY AGENDA ITEMS AND LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE PONY THAT WE ARE SPENDING. PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT THE APPROACH AS OPPOSED TO CLOSING SCHOOLS, RIGHT? BECAUSE ONCE WE CLOSE THOSE, AND WE ELIMINATE NIGHT THOSE UNITS WE ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITIES GET THOSE STUDENTS BACK, WE ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PER PUPIL FUNDING. YOU KNOW, YOU WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, AND I APPRECIATE A YOU WILL YOUR HARD WORK. I KNOW YOU HEARD BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. I HAD CONCERNS FROM THE BEGINNING WITH FAY -- FIDELITY, WITH THE OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I STILL, EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT GOING SUPPORT THIS AGENDA ITEM, SUPPORT REBOUNDRY, THIS IS JUST NOT WHAT I ENVISIONED AND WHICH THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK OUR DISTRICT NEEDS TO GO IN TO BE

322SUCCESSFUL. YOU KNOW, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO BE COMPETITIVE AND THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET OUR FAMILIES TO TRUST US AGAIN, AND TO ME THIS IS THE ANTIST SIS OF IT AND I KNOW HARD DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE. I AM CERTAINLY NOT ONE TO SHY AWAY FROM HARD DECISIONS. I DON'T THINK ANY OF US ON THE BOARD ARE ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND EVEN MEMBER RENDON BEING HERE, THE TIME SHE'S BEEN HERE, SO IT'S CONFUSING TO ME WHY WHEN WE DISAGREE, SOME BOARD MEMBERS CONTINUALLY ACT LIKE SOME OF US AREN'T ABLE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS, OR ARE LEANING AWAY FROM THAT, JUST BECAUSE WE DISAGREE WITH THOSE HARD DECISIONS LOOK LIKE AND WHAT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. YOU

323KNOW, AGAIN I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY. I THINK WHAT I MODELED GOING FORWARD IS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE BEING REFLECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND REALLY BEING IN TUNE WITH THEM AND SEE WAG THEY LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THEY WANT AND MEETING THEIR NEEDS AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE DONE THE JOSH. I AM NOT GOING SUPPORT THIS AGENDA ITEM SPECIFICALLY. IT'S NOT BECAUSE I AM AFRAID TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS JUST TO BE CLEAR TO EVERYONE WHO IS WATCHING. BUT AGAIN I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS, AND I HOPE THAT IF IT DOES PASS TONIGHT, YOU KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR OUR DISTRICT AND THAT WE CAPTURE THE BATTLE THAT WE NEED TO AND WE REALLY SEE THAT SAVINGS JUSTIFIED GOING GUARD. THANK YOU. Nadia

324Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT DISTRICT 4, AND SO I FIND MYSELF IN A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION THAN A COUPLE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HERE, WHERE I HAVE SO MANY SCHOOLS THAT OVERCAPACITY. SO MY SITUATION, OVERCAPACITY MEANS I AM DEALING WITH SAFETY ISSUES WITH MY STUDENTS. I AM BEING DEALT WITH OPPORTUNITIES OF CLASSES AND CTDs AND PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO PUT INTO SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THIS SCENARIO. I AM ALSO DEALING WITH STAFFING ISSUES THAT OCCUR. WE ARE ALSO LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, WE NEED TO BUILD 15 SCHOOLS. SEVERAL OF THEM ARE GOING TO IN DISTRICT 4. AND SO NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT, BOUNDARIES IN DISTRICT 4 ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE GOT TO GET IT RIGHT EARLY, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO IT

325NOW, WE ARE GOING TO BE SHIFTING MULTIPLE TIMES. THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT BUILDING A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S IN THE WIMAUMA AREA, BUILDING A NEW HIGH SCHOOL, IN PLANT CITY, THEN THOSE MIDDLE GROUNDS FOR HAVING TO SHIFTED BECAUSE OF IT, AND SO WITH DISTRICT 4 IS DEFINITELY IN A POSITION WHERE A LOT HAS TO CHANGE BECAUSE OF IT. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN LIMITED. I DON'T THINK OUR PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT PROGRAMS WE DON'T HAVE IN DISTRICT 4. THE NUMBER OF THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING OUT THERE. THE NUMBER OF CTE PROGRAMS FOR OUR KIDS TO GET CERTIFICATIONS FOR WORK PROGRAMS, WE DON'T HAVE THEM OUT THERE. NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOLS DO, BECAUSE WE ARE OVERCROWDED.

326WE ARE NOT PROVIDING THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS UNLESS WE EQUALIZE OUR SCHOOLS. AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, DISTRICT 4 HAS A VERY DIFFERENT PROBLEM THAT IT'S FACING AND SECURITY IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST ONES. AS I SAID OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT THEY DON'T GET. I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER THING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH A LOT OF FAMILIES, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE LOTS OF SPEAKERS WHO WILL SAY, WELL, PATTI RENDON. YES, PATTI RENDON GIVES OUT HER CELL PHONE AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING IT TO ANY PARENTS THAT WANTS A CONVERSATION, BECAUSE WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND BE TRANSPARENT OF WHERE WE ARE AT. AND I ABSOLUTELY WILL AT ANY POINT IN TIME, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS

327WHEN WE WANT TO AND WHEN WE NEED TO. AND WHEN PARENTS WANT A BETTER EXPLANATION. AND SO I THINK WHAT PARENTS FELT WAS LIKE IT WAS MAYBE, MAYBE, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS FOR THE LAST YEAR, STARTING LAST SUMMER WHEN WE INTRODUCED POSSIBILITIES, AND OPTIONS, IT HAS BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS AND INVOLVING EVOLVING AND CHANGING ALL ALONG THE WAY. AND SO IN OUR STUDENT POPULATIONS, HAVE EVOLVED IN CHANGE OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR. AND SO THAT HAS S TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. SO IT'S A HARD DECISION NO MATTER WHICH WEE WAY WE LOOK AT IT. I HAVE HAD PARENTS THAT HAVE SAID, HERE, TELL MY CHILD WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. AND I HAVE TO LOOK CHILDREN IN THE EYE AND EXPLAIN, I HAVE OFFERED TO GIVE CHILDREN TOURS, AND I

328SEWED I WILL WALK WITH YOU IN THE SCHOOL, I WILL SHOW YOU AROUND A SCHOOL. ANY PARENTS. SO IT IS A HARD DECISION. AND I KNOW IT AFFECTS A LOT OF KIDS. BUT I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE LONG-TERM SUCCESS AND STABILITY OF THIS DISTRICT. IT WAS ONLY THREE YEARS AGO THAT WE WERE POSSIBLY UNDER THE GOVERNOR TAKING OVER, AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE ONE STEP AWAY FROM NOT BEING IN CONTROL OF THIS DISTRICT. IT IS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE SHOULD BE ON TOP. SO THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO DO, AFTER 20 YEARS, WE HAVE NEVER REBOUNDED UNLESS WE HAVE REOPENED A SCHOOL SO WE HAVE TO NOW LOOK AT WHERE THE POPULATION SHIFTS ARE GOING, AND THEY HAVE.

329THEY SHIFTED ALL OVER OUR DISTRICT. SO IT OPENS UP WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. SO IT'S A HARD DISCUSSION BUT IT IS A DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: CHAIR COMBS, YOU KNOW, I HAVE SOME OF THE SAME ISSUES, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH COUNTY, AROUND OVERCROWDED SCHOOLS, AND THEY ARE LOSING A LOT OF STUDENTS TO CHARTERS. IT'S A VERY CHARTER FRIENDLY AREA. SO MY PARENTS AND FAMILIES ARE ASKING FOR A LOT OF THESE CHANGES. I ALSO HAVE THE SECOND HIGHEST NUMBER OF STUDENTS MOVING IN THIS SCENARIO. SO IT'S IMPACTING DISTRICT 2 A GREAT DEAL. I GUESS THE ONLY THING I ASK IS THAT IF FOR SOME REASON THIS DOESN'T PASS THIS EVENING THAT WE THEN AS A BOARD REALLY LOOK AT BREAKING IT APART SO THAT SOME

330OF OUR SCHOOLS CAN GET SOME RELIEF WHILE OTHER DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THAN K YOU. YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SAID, MEMBER RENDON. YOU ARE RIGHT. BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS IN OUR DISTRICT, LIKE IN DISTRICT 5 IT'S GOING TO AFFECT ABOUT 4200 STUDENTS. AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 23 SCHOOLS AFTER I LOOKED AT IT. AND IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A DISRUPTION. SO EVERY TIME I THINK OF THIS AND I LOOK AT IT, WE TAKE REALLY THE BRUNT OF EVERYTHING IN SO I AM NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE I DON'T SEE MOVING 4200 STUDENTS. I THINK I HAVE THE SECOND HIGHEST OR THIRD HIGHEST. I HAVE THE FIRST HIGHEST AND YOU HAVE THE SECOND. RIGHT. SO I JUST CAN'T SUPPORT IT.

331Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY. I CAN GO FIRST. FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO SAY THAT IT HAS BEEN REALLY CHALLENGING. I HAVE READ ALL THE E-MAILS, PARENTS COMING IN AND SPEAKING. THIS IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DECISION. EVEN WHEN I THINK ABOUT REPURPOSING OF CLEVELAND, AND I THINK OF THE LIBRARY THAT THE MOTHER HAD TAUGHT IN THERE 35 YEARS AND NOW HER DAUGHTER IS A LIBRARIAN THERE, IT'S SO HARD TO THINK ABOUT REPURPOSING SCHOOLS AND THE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION AND THE STUDENT CONNECTION, ALL OF THAT. WE START THIS PROCESS ABOUT A YEAR AGO. SOME PEOPLE WILL ARGUE THAT MAYBE WXY WASN'T PERFECT, BUT I KNOW MR. FARKAS AND OUR DISTRICT WORKED VERY CLOSELY. WE WENT OUT TO COMMUNITY. I WENT TO SO MANY EVENTS. I WENT TO SO MANY HOMES AND EVERYTHING,

332REALLY WORKED HARD ON THIS. AND WHAT YOU HEAR OFTEN IS PEOPLE ARE SAYING, I DON'T WANT CHANGE, I DON'T WANT MOVE, I CAN'T MOVE, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. SO BOARD MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, I GAVE YOU OR SUPERINTENDENT E-MAIL TO THIS AND I GAVE TIME AND I HAD MADE HARD COPIES OF THIS. THE OVERALL 15 YEAR ENROLLMENT OF OUR DISTRICT, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, 15 YEARS AGO, 150 YEARS AGO, AND NOW. AND WHAT DOES THAT ENROLLMENT LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE ONE THING THAT HAS NOT DECREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IS THE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION. WE ARE STILL VERY LOW AT HOW MUCH WE ARE PAYING OUR TEACHERS, HOW MUCH WE ARE PAYING EVERYONE, AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS OVER AND OVER, THERE'S A TREND. AND UNFORTUNATELY THAT TREND TRENDS DOWN FOR MR. WASHINGTON AND

333MY DISTRICT. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT -- I SAY THIS OVER. IT'S GONE FROM 8,000 CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS TO 35,000 STUDENTS. WE HAVE LOST OVER 15,000 STUDENTS JUST IN THE DISTRICT IN THE LAST 15 YEARS. QUESTION YOU LOOK AT DISTRICT 1, OF THE 40 SCHOOLS, 30 SCHOOLS THE ENROLLMENT WENT DOWN AND 10 OF THE SCHOOLS WENT UP. OKAY. AND IF THE DISTRICT LOSS IS OVER 4500 STUDENTS IN DISTRICT 1. WHEN YOU LOOK AT DISTRICT 2, THERE'S BEEN AGAIN OF STUDENTS. DISTRICTS 3, THERE'S BEEN A LOSS OF 3,000. DISTRICT 4, A LOGS OF A THOUSAND. AND DISTRICT 5 A LOSS OF ALMOST 7500 STUDENTS. WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS THERE'S A PATTERN IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE PARENTS ARE MAKING OTHER CHOICES. SO I FEEL LIKE WHEN I WAS ELECTED ONE OF THE REASONS I WAS

334ELECTED IS BECAUSE OF MY BACKGROUND IN EDUCATION, BUT ALSO MY BUSINESS BACKGROUND. AND SO WE HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE FIRST. WE CANNOT KEEP NOT PAYING OUR TEACHERS OR CUSTODIANS TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN. IT'S PAINFUL TO HAVE TO MOVE PEOPLE. OBVIOUSLY IT'S VERY HARD. AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THOSE PARENTS THAT HAVE TO MOVE. BUT AS A DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO RESPOND. WE HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING FISCALLY RIGHT TO MAKE SURE. SO FOR ME ON THE RECORD, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I SUPPORT THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH. WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF OUR HISTORICAL LARGE SCHOOLS LIKE NEWSOME, PLANT HIGH SCHOOL, STEINBRENNER, THOSE ARE STILL -- WE ARE GOING TO BE BACK HERE WITHIN TWO OR THREE YEARS. SO I AT LEAST WANT TO BE ON RECORD AS SAYING I AM GOING TO

335SUPPORT SOME BOUNDARIES, BUT I STILL DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE GONE ENOUGH. AND I SAID THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, BECAUSE WHEN YOU MOVE STUDENTS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS TEACHERS WILL MOVE THERE, AND STUDENTS WILL OWNED UP GOING AND INCREASING AND DOING BETTER. LIKE YOU MIGHT NOT BE TO 10% AT STEINBRENNER, BUT AT JEFFERSON, THERE'S AMAZING TEACHERS, AND YOU MIGHT BE THAT TO 10 PERCENT, AND YOU MIGHT GO TO PRINCETON. PEOPLE HAVE TO START REALIZING THAT IT'S NOT THE BUILDING BUT IT'S THE PERSON IN FRONT OF THEM. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT A DISTRICT, WHERE WE ARE REALLY, REALLY SO SHORT, WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS WHEN WE ARE LOSING A TOTAL OF 15,000 STUDENTS IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, AND WHEN YOU SEE THE HIGHLIGHT OF YELLOW MEANS A LOSS OF STUDENTS

336AND GREEN MEANS AN INCREASE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALMOST ALL THESE PAGES, YOU ARE SEEING TONS OF LOSSES IN THESE SCHOOLS. WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THAT. WE CANNOT JUST IGNORE IT AND KEEP GOING ON AND PRETENDING LIKE EVERYTHING IS GREAT, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE COUNSELORS, WHEN WE ARE LOSING PRINCIPALS TO GO ACROSS THE BRIDGE. AND HOW CAN WE EVEN THINK EVEN CONSIDER ASKING FOR ANY TYPE OF REFERENDUM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO MAKE SOME REALLY DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND REPURPOSE SOME SCHOOLS. I THINK THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. I THINK THERE'S SO MANY MORE SCHOOLS. WE CAN'T KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN WITH 2 OR 300 STUDENTS. WE CAN'T, WHEN THERE'S TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD THERE'S ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT'S 40% UNDER ENROLLED, ANOTHER SCHOOL 60% ENROLLED. WE BUILT SCHOOLS OFTEN TOP

337OF EACH OTHER AND UNFORTUNATELY THE STUDENTS ARE NO LONGER COMING TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: I MEAN, THE DATA IS REAL. THE DECISIONS PER DISTRICT, BOARD MEMBERS, SHOULD BE EXTREMELY EXPECTED BECAUSE -- RESPECTED BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND TH THERE IS A L OF EMOTIONALITIES AND THERE IS A LOT OF ADDITION PLACEMENTS WHICH RESULTS IN STUDENTS' MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTIES. EVERY BOARD MEMBER THAT HAS THEIR OWN DISTRICT, WHICH IS FIVE OF THEM, HAVE HAD ONE HELL OF A TIME IN MAKING THEIR DECISION RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT SO MANY SECTIONS. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL THEM. THEY KNOW. SO MANY PARTS OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS. WE HAVE BEEN KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND PRINCIPALS WILL TELL YOU THIS, OVER TEN YEARS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHETHER

338YOU ARE POPULAR OR NOT, YOU MADE A VERY DIFFICULT DECISION TO TAKE ON A BOUNDARY CHALLENGE. I MEAN, VERY DIFFICULT. AND SO DOING MADE THESE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND THESE NEIGHBORHOOD, THESE COMMUNITIES, OF THEY ARE VERY UPSET MANY TIMES, OR MOST OF THE TIME, AND THEY SHOULD BE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE DON'T HAVE MONEY -- AND I'M TELLING YOU, PEOPLE MAY OR MAY NOT BELIEVE THIS, BUT YOU ARE TALKING 300 MILLION PER YEAR DEDUCTED WITHOUT A REVENUE SOURCE TO OFFSET THAT. AND WITH KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE A VOUCHER SYSTEM WHICH WILL DEFINITELY BE PERHAPS NOW, IT IS UP TO US, WE NEED THE COURAGE TO SAY, WE WANT OUR DISTRICT TO SURVIVE, AND WE DO HAVE TO MAKE THESE CHANGES, AND THIS IS NOT THE END OF

339IT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO CONVINCE, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE WHEN WE GET TO THAT SITUATION IN 2017 WHEN THE ROOFS WERE CAVING IN, THE AIR CONDITIONERS WERE SHUT SHUT DOWN, WE HAD TO GO FOR A REFERENDUM, AND THAT TOO WAS MET WITH MUCH DISTASTE, BUT WE FINALLY DID. IF WE DON'T SHOW THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE WILLING TO STAND UP FOR THE FRUGALITY, FOR WHO WE ARE AS LEADERS IN THIS DISTRICT, THEN THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO LOSE TRUST IN US, BECAUSE IT'S NICE TO HAVE EVERYONE LOVE YOU. I MEAN, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A DISTRICT TO SAY, OH, YOU GAVE ME SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR THIS SCHOOL, AND, YOU KNOW, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, THE WELFARE OF OUR SURVIVAL IS DETERMINANT ON

340DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY POPULAR. AND YES, IT MAY COST AN ELECTION OR TWO, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? WHO SLEEPS WELL AT NIGHT, THOSE WHO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE BEST FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THIS DISTRICT, GUESS WHAT, TEACHERS, EVERY ONE OF OUR STAFF, TRANSPORTATION DEPENDS ON US TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET PAID, AND THAT WE HAVE A FUTURE FOR THEM. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE, BUT IF IT COMES DOWN TO GETTING ANOTHER MILLION DOLLAR NOTE, GOING MINUS AGAIN ON THE BOND RATING, PAYING OUTRAGEOUS INTEREST, THE DEBT CEILING RIGHT NOW, THAT'S AN ANALOGY, YOU DON'T PAY, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY EVENTUALLY. SO THAT'S WHAT I SEE THIS -- MAYBE PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH ME ON THE BOARD. I'M SO SORRY, BUT I AM TAKING THIS FROM EXPERIENCE. AND THAT'S

341ALL I CAN SAY. THANKS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MESH WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: JUST A QUICK NOTE. AND I NOTICED IN DISTRICT 5 BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN STUDYING A COUPLE THINGS. IN DISTRICT 5, QUEER LOSING STUDENTS, BUT WE ARE LOSING STUDENTS TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THEY ARE PUTTING CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THE PARENTS DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS TO GO ON BUSES AND OUT OF THE COMMUNITY. SO WE ARE LOSING KIDS BECAUSE OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. AND THEY PUT THEM RIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THE KID FEELS SAFE AND WALKS TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. SO WE HAVE GOT TO TAKE A BETTER LOOK AT HOW WE DO IT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE BRIEFLY

342TOUCHED ON IT BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY, AND I HOPE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS DON'T MIND ME SAYING THIS, BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE WATCHING, I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE AUDIENCE BUT ARE WATCHING ON TV KNOWING WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT BOUNDARIES RIGHT NOW, I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE SITTING ON THIS DAYIES RIGHT NOW HAS READ THE E-MAILS, HAS TAKEN THE PHONE CALLS, HAS GONE TO THE COMMUNITY EVENTS, HAVE GONE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ASKED THEM TO GO. SO PLEASE NOTE THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT NOT JUST ONE, NOT JUST TWO, BUT ALL SEVEN OF US ON AN ONGOING BASIS, OUR SECRETARIES POINT THEM OUT TO US, MAKE SURE

343WE FOLLOW UP ON THEM, SO THERE HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF E-MAILS THAT HAVE COME IN, AND WE DO READ THEM, AND WE HAD DO LOOK AT THEM, AND WE DO THAT. SO I DO 2022 THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE DO TAKE THEM INTO CONSIDERATION, AND WE HAVE SEEN THEM, WE HAVE READ THEM, AND WE THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. MESH GRAY, I HEAR YOUR CONCERN WHEN IT COMES TO THE FINANCES, AND I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND YOU MODEL HE WILL THAT IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. BUT HONESTLY, THIS IS A SMALL, SMALL -- AND I AM NOT SAYING IT'S NOT VALID. THIS IS A SMALL DENT IN THE

344GRANTED SCHEME OF THINGS. YOU LIFTED OFF SO MANY WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COMPROMISED FINANCIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO LEGISLATION. MY CONCERN IS THE WAY THAT YOU FRAME THIS IS THAT THIS IS THE MAGIC SOLUTION AND THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE CONCERNED WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FINANCES. THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION. AND WHILE I APPRECIATE THAT EVERY MEMBER SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY OF HOW WE NEED TO BE FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE WE ARE PUTTING A VERY -- PUT IN A VERY HARD SITUATION, WAY DON'T APPRECIATE IS DISCUSSION ABOUT SINGLE-MEMBER DISTRICTS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING FOR POPULARITY REASONS, OR TRYING TO DO SOMETHING TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY. I GEOFF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND I WOULD APPRECIATE MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS DOING THE SAME. AGAIN

345I AM TIRED OF THE RHETORIC THAT SOME OF US WHO DON'T SUPPORT SOCK LIKE THIS OR HAVE LEANED INTO WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT ARE AFRAID TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS AND I KEEP HEARING THAT NARRATIVE AND I AM START TOCK GET PERSONALLY OFFENDED BY IT. I CAN ASSURE YOU I AM NOT AFRAID TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS. AND WHEN I LISTEN TO MY COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT, IT'S BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE WE DISTRICT THEM WITH SCHOOL CHOICE IF THEY DON'T LIKE WHERE WE PUT THEM, THEY ARE GOING TO CHOICE OUT. SO LISTENING TO OUR DISTRICTS AND BEING REFLECTIVE IS NOT AFRAID TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS OR STAKING OUR HEAD IN THE SAND OR KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. IT'S LEANING INTO OUR COMMUNITIES WHICH IS ALL WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GETTING

346OUR SCHOOLS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND FIGURING WHAT ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMS NEED TO DO AND HOW WE REENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY. SO TO POINT OUT IN WE REPRESENT A DISTRICT AND WE DON'T SUPPORT THIS IT'S FOR SOME POPULARITY REASON OR WE WANT TO BE REELECTED IS OFFENSIVE AND I HAVE GIVE ALL MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS 2 BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THE SAME. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. Nadia Combs: OKAY. OKAY, MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. SO IF YOU SUPPORT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR A BOUNDARY CHANGE, YOU VOTE YES. AND IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT, WOULD YOU VOTE NO. OKAY. AND IT PASSES 4 TO 3 WITH MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER RENDON, MEMBER HAHN AND MYSELF SUPPORTING IT, AND MEMBER WASHINGTON, MEMBER VAUGHN, AND MEMBER PEREZ VOTING NO. OKAY. NOW

347WE WILL MOVE ONTO 9.01. WHICH IS THE CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C-9.016789 I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY AND MESH RENDON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. WE STARTED LAST TIME WITH MEMBER GRAY. HOW ABOUT THIS TIME WE START WITH -- Lynn Gray: YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT AN AREA, SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT IS MY AREA, AND I KNOW THAT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THIS PARTICULAR SPECIALTY, VERY MUCH MATURED, BUT I DO 2022 SAY REGARDING THIS IS THAT THERE IS A HUGE NEED FOR THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM, CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. I DON'T KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, DID YOU GIVE YOUR TAKE FIRST, WHICH IS WHAT YOU USUALLY DO? IF NOT I HAVE IT ALL WRITTEN HERE FOR

348YOU. BUT YOU GO AHEAD AND START. Superintendant: YES, MA'AM THROUGH THE CLAIRE. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADDRESS THE CONTINUED VOIDS FOR POSITIONS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT WHETHER FOR ESE TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, SPEECH PATHOLOGIST, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, PHYSICAL THERAPY, REGISTERED BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS, TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER THIS ALLOWS US TO NOT ONLY WORK WITH SIX LOCAL PROVIDERS BUT ALSO TO WORK WITH THREE NATIONAL PROVIDERS TO FILL POSITIONS. I KNOW THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF ONE ON ONES TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHO OWNS THIS PROCESS AS A COLLECTIVE OF HR AND ALSO REQUEST EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS DIVISION AS WELL, AND BRINGING TO THE BOARD TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THIS IMPLEMENT ALLOWS US TO FILL STAFF POSITIONS POTENTIALLY IN THE SUMMER WHICH IS A $420,000 ASK FROM NOW TO THE END OF THE SUMMER BUT ALSO START

349TO BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS WHAT POTENTIAL NEEDS WE HAVE AS WE GO THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR WHICH WILL BE UP TO $4 MILLION. THIS IS ONLY USING VACANCY FUNDING. SO ONCE WE FILL THE VACANCY, THAT CHIPS AWAY AT THAT MOTION. WE HOPE WE WILL BE ABLE TO CREATE LONGER STRONGER BEVERAGE IN THIS PROCESS TO HAVE PROVIDERS LOCALLY BUT ALSO THROUGH A NATIONAL PROVIDER, STAFF WORKING THROUGH THIS, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS WITH WE AND BOARD MEMBERS TO HELP US BE ABLE TO ASSIST AND MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO SERVE CHILDREN. Lynn Gray: RIGHTO. AND I THINK ALSO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CRITICAL SHORTAGE, THERE IS BEING DISTRICT WIDE, AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU SERVE BEYOND YOUR OWN DISTRICT FOR SURE, AND YOU CARE BEYOND YOUR

350OWN DISTRICT. BUT WHENEVER YOU GO TO A SCHOOL AND YOU TALK TO ESE RELATED PERSON OR IN THAT FIELD, THEY WILL TELL YOU THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN IS WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF. ONE PERSON HANDLING AN ESE CLASS, IT'S USUALLY ONE CLASS PERSON, ONE STUDENT, IS EQUAL TO ALMOST THE ENTIRE CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF ALL THEIR NEEDS, PHYSICAL, MENTAL, ET CETERA. BUT I AM NOT HERE TO DESCRIBE WHAT AN ESE TEACHER DOES OR PARA. I AM JUST HERE TO SAY THAT THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR THIS TO BE DONE AND DONE SOON, BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING TREMENDOUS RISK, 504 PLANS, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE DONE WITH FULL FIDELITY. WE HAVE SECRETARIES DOING SOME OF THIS. I MEAN, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF GAPS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS A FEDERAL SITUATION. WE COULD BE SUED

351ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS, SO THERE IS THAT AGAIN, I AM LOOKING AT IT FISCALLY FOR LAWSUITS, BUT I THINK FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CHILDREN, THE MOST HONORABLE -- WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM DOES GET PASSED. I DON'T KNOW, DR. HIPMAN, IF YOU 2022 ADD TO ANYTHING, OR -- DO YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING TOWARDS THIS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO GET THIS TO THE BOARD AND I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO GET IT DO IT BOARD. I APPRECIATE THE CHANGES THEY MADE TO THE PIGGYBACK REALLY AFFECT IT BEING ADDRESSED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT WAS A BIG CONCERN I HAD IN MIND. OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VACANCIES, ESE ARE SOME OF

352OUR SMALLEST AMOUNT OF NEEDS YET LARGEST AMOUNT OF VACANCIES. OUR LARGEST RISK IN THE DISTRICT FROM A MULTIPLE LEVEL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE VACANCIES AND IT'S TAGG STAGGERING AND IT IS OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IN OUR SCHOOLS. IT LEADS TO MULTIPLE ISSUES, SAFETY ISSUES, EDUCATIONAL ISSUES, HEALTH ISSUES, AND IT'S JUST STAGGERING. SO I CHALLENGE YOU, THIS IS NOT ENOUGH. NO OOH FENCE. THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF INDIVIDUALS WORKING WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE KNOW IT. IT'S THERE. BUT SAYING WE ARE GOING TO WORK WITH SEVEN COMPANIES IS NOT ENOUGH. WE HAVE TO GET BIGGER. WE HAVE TO EXPAND. I WOULD LIKE TO CHARGE THE DISTRICT TO BRING THIS BACK TO US AND GIVE US AN UPDATE BY JULY 1, BECAUSE WE CAN'T START THE SCHOOL YEAR OUT WITH THIS MANY ESE VACANCIES, BECAUSE

353THIS IS THE SAME VACANCIES WE HAD IN AUGUST, WHICH MEANT THAT NUMBER OF ESE STUDENTS WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE AT OUR FEDERAL LEVEL. AND WE CANNOT BE -- WE CANNOT HOLD OURSELVES AT THAT RISK ANY MORE. SO I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO HAVE A MORE UPDATED VERSION OF NOT JUST OUR OPENINGS BUT WHERE THOSE OPENINGS ARE AND WHERE OUR RISKS ARE SITTING. AND THIS IS -- THE PULSE HAS TO CHANGE. INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, 504 AND IEPs HAVE GOT TO BECOME THE PRIORITY HERE. WE ARE RISKING -- MEMBER GRAY, YOU TALKED ABOUT FINANCIAL. THIS WILL MAKE EVERY OTHER FINANCIAL PIECE A CUPCAKE. THE LAWSUITS WE ARE HOLDING OURSELVES TO, THE LEGAL FEES, I CAN'T EVEN GO ON. BUT WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS DONE. AND SO

354WE HAVE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY. WE CANNOT KEEP THE SAME OPEN POSITIONS IN THESE CATEGORIES ALL YEAR LONG. AND WE HAVE. SO I'M FROM CHARGING YOU TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD QUICKER, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO BETTER. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OUR FINAL ITEM FOR TONIGHT IS 11.01, APPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR EXCELSIOR PREP CHARTER SCHOOL. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE -- -- I DON'T EVEN SEE THE SUPERINTENDENT COMMENCE. MOTION AND -- I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. Addison Davis: THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRING TO THE BOARD AN APPLICATION TO EXPAND ELEMENTARY, CURRENT EXCELSIOR PREP CHARTER SCHOOL TO A

355MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY ORIGINALLY OPENED UP TO 2017-2018. THEY DID NOT HAVE GRADES AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME. 2019, THEY RECEIVED THEIR FIRST GRADE, WHICH WAS AN F SCHOOL. THIS WAS AT THE ELEMENTARY SIDE. THEREFORE, THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO BRING ANY TYPE OF APPLICATION PROCESS TO THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY WERE UNDERPERFORMING ACADEMICALLY. NOW THAT THEY RECEIVED IN 2022 A C GRADE, THEY ARE BRINGING THE APPLICATION TO US TO EXPAND THE SIXTH AND -- 6th, 7th, 8th GRADE CAMPUS STARTING IN AUGUST 2023. WE REVIEWED THIS THROUGH CINZIA AND HER COHORTS. Nadia Combs: I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 11.01. MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON, MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER RENDON, MEMBER VAUGHN AND MYSELF PULLED THIS ITEM. WE'LL START WITH MEMBER VAUGHN THIS TIME. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY, SO CINZIA,

356WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT EARLIER ABOUT THIS. HOW MANY TIMES DO THEY HAVE TO RESUBMIT THE APPLICATION BECAUSE THERE WERE CONCERNS WITH IT? TWICE. Jessica Vaughn: THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BROUGHT THEIR LETTER GRADE UP TO A C. I GUESS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME THINGS THAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT THIS SCHOOL AND THEN LIST SOME THINGS THAT I'M CONCERNED WITH, JUST SO PARENTS WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEIR CHOICES ARE. THEY DO OFFER SPANISH, WHICH I THINK IS NICE THAT THEY OFFER THAT OPTION FOR FAMILIES THAT VALUE THAT. I'M GLAD THAT THEY ARE FOCUSED ON GETTING THEIR GRADE UP. IT LOOKS LIKE A SMALLER ENVIRONMENT, ONLY 88 STUDENTS WHICH I THINK IS GOOD. HOWEVER, SOME CONCERNS THAT I HAVE ARE WHEN IT SAYS HERE THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN A FOR-PROFIT MANAGEMENT COMPANY, IS

357THAT AN OPTION THAT THEY HAVE WHERE THEY COULD DO NOT FOR PROFIT OR FOR PROFIT? CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW WE DO TALK ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS BEING NOT FOR PROFIT BUT HOW IT WORKS WHEN THEY HIRE A FOR-PROFIT MANAGEMENT SERVICE. Cinzia DeLange: ABSOLUTELY. ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE GOVERNED BY A PRIVATE BOARD THAT IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT GOVERNING BOARD. SOME SCHOOLS, SOME GOVERNING BOARDS CHOOSE TO CONTRACT WITH MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, AND THESE MANAGEMENT COMPANIES ALL EXCEPT OUR SCHOOLS OF HOPE ARE FOR PROFIT. SO THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL HAS A VERY SMALL MANAGEMENT COMPANY. IT HAS A SCHOOL IN THE MIAMI AREA, AND THEN THE SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Jessica Vaughn: SO WHAT HAPPENS IF WE APPROVE THIS AND THEIR LETTER GRADE DROPS FROM A C TO AN F AND THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL CONTINUES TO HAVE AN F, ARE THEY HELD

358TO THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY? WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD SINCE THEY HAD STRUGGLED PREVIOUSLY? Cinzia DeLange: SO THE LAW SAYS TWO DOUBLE Fs, CONSECUTIVE Fs ARE AN AUTOMATIC CLOSURE. Jessica Vaughn: AND THEN I KNOW THAT YOU SAID WE HAD SOME CONCERNS AND THEY RESUBMITTED BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS IN THEIR FINANCIAL PLAN AND THEIR OUTLAY BUT YOU SAID THEY RESUBMITTED THAT, SO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE AND I'M ASSUMING THE SUPERINTENDENT DID, TOO, WITH THE DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED WITH THEIR FINANCIAL PLAN GOING FORWARD. Cinzia DeLange: YES, MA'AM. THE FIRST TIME WE DIDN'T EVEN DO A THOROUGH REVIEW BECAUSE WE SAW IMMEDIATELY A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE PROJECTIONS -- ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND THE BUDGETED. THERE WERE SOME DISCREPANCIES, SO WE KNEW WE COULDN'T DO A REVIEW OF THE BUDGET. SO THEY WITHDREW IMMEDIATELY AND RESUBMITTED.

359AND THEN WHEN WE DID A THOROUGH REVIEW AND SAW THAT THE BUDGET NUMBERS AND THE BUDGET NARRATIVES HAD DISCREPANCIES ALSO. SO WHEN WE DID THE CAPACITY INTERVIEW, THEY SAW WHERE IT WAS GOING, SO THEY ASKED ME -- THEY ASKED FOR IT TO BE WITHDRAWN AGAIN. AND THEN THEY RESUBMITTED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAW CHANGED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, INSTEAD OF ONCE A YEAR APPLYING TO A SPONSOR, THEY CAN APPLY ANYTIME OF THE YEAR. SO THEY FOLLOW THE LAW AND THEY HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT ANYTIME THEY WANT. BUT THE THIRD TIME WAS A CHARM. WE COMPLETED THE REVIEW. REALLY LOOKED CLOSELY AT THE BUDGET AND IT MET OUR REVIEW, AND WE RECOMMENDED -- IT PASSED ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS, THE STATE REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE STANDARD RULE BREAK THAT THE DOE HAS AND RECOMMENDED IT TO

360THE SUPERINTENDENT FOR APPROVAL. Jessica Vaughn: I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M GOING TO SAY I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT A SCHOOL THAT'S ALREADY IN EXISTENCE HAD TROUBLE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR A MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WITH THEIR EXPERIENCE WE WOULD BE CONCERNED WITH A FINANCIAL STRUCTURE AND SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WENT INTO THE PLAN, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THEIR LETTER GRADE. WHAT I'M REALLY HOPING IS THAT THE SCHOOL IS SUCCESSFUL GOING FORWARD AND GIVES OUR STUDENTS WHO MAKE THIS CHOICE WHAT THEY NEED. IT IS IN UNIVERSITY SQUARE MALL. Cinzia DeLange: THAT IS CORRECT. Jessica Vaughn: YOU SAY THEY LEASED ANOTHER PART OF THE MALL IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE SCHOOL. Cinzia DeLange: THAT IS CORRECT. THEY WILL BE CO-LOCATED TOGETHER BUT SEPARATE, SO THEY WILL BE NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER. THEY DO HAVE AN OUTSIDE AREA. EVERYBODY TELLS ME, HOW

361CAN THEY HAVE A SCHOOL IN THE MALL, BUT IF YOU GO THERE, THEY HAVE CORDONED OFF WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE FACILITIES AN AREA IN THE PARKING LOT IN THE BACK SO THEY HAVE SOME KIND OF P.E. AREA, PRIVATE AREA. THEY DO HAVE A CAFETERIA AND THEY HAVE CLASSROOMS. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THANK YOU. NOT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM BUT GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT THE CONVERSATION WE HAD ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS BEING HELD TO THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY WITH SOME OF THE LEGISLATION. I THINK YOU HAD SAID YES BUT I HEARD FROM OTHER COUNTIES SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER THEY ARE STILL BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AS A SCHOOL BOARD GOING FORWARD IF THERE IS THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY. IF WE COULD REVISIT THAT AT SOME TIME, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. Cinzia

362DeLange: ABSOLUTELY. JUST STANDARD MEASURE, WHEN A BILL IS PASSED AND IT DOES NOT MENTION CHARTER SCHOOLS, THE STANDARD OF MEASURE IS, DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH SAFETY OR THE HEALTH OF STUDENTS? AND IF IT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH SAFETY OR HEALTH, THEN THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EXEMPT FROM BILLS CONCERNING THOSE TWO THINGS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: LET ME MAKE SURE I'M CLARIFYING AND UNDERSTANDING. THIS YEAR -- LAST YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS A C. Cinzia DeLange: YES, MA'AM. 2017-18, THE K-5 SCHOOL OPENED. K-2, SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE A GRADE. THEN IN 2019, THEY HAD THIRD GRADERS, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY LEARNING GAINS, SO THEY RECEIVED AN F. AND WE FIND THAT

363IT'S VERY COMMON FOR BRAND-NEW SCHOOLS WITH JUST THIRD GRADE THERE ARE NO LEARNING GAINS. THEN THE TWO YEARS OF COVID HIT, SO THERE WERE NO GRADES. THEY CAME TO US A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OR LAST YEAR, MAYBE LAST YEAR, AND THEY ASKED -- THEY TOLD US OF THEIR INTENT TO APPLY, AND WE TOLD THEM HONESTLY IF WE'RE TO BE TRANSPARENT, IT IS A NONSTARTER WITH AN F. BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE BOARD WITH AN F WASN'T A GOOD IDEA. AND THEY LISTENED. SO I APPRECIATE THEM LISTENING. AND THEY WAITED UNTIL THEY EARNED THE C GRADE AND WERE READY TO PUSH FORWARD WITH THE APPLICATION FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL ONLY HAVE 88 STUDENTS AND THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE EXISTING PARENTS IN THE SCHOOL. Patti Rendon: WHEN I REVIEWED ALL OF THIS,

364YOU'VE GOT EVERY SINGLE STANDARD HAS BEEN MET INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL PIECE. Cinzia DeLange: YES, MA'AM, YES. I WORK WITH DIE-HARD ACCOUNTANTS THAT PULL APART THAT BUDGET, BOTH THE NARRATIVE AND THE BUDGET, THE NUMBERS, AND NOTHING PASSES BY THEM. THEY ARE STICKLERS. SO WHEN THEY SAY IT'S GOOD TO GO, I TRUST THAT IT'S GOOD TO GO. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, DR. DELANGE. I DEFINITELY WORRY, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, THAT WHEN WE'RE STARTING TO COMPARE SCHOOLS, AS WE SHOULD, SCHOOL CHOICE BY DEFINITION SHOULD HAVE THAT COMPARISON ALSO. I'LL TALK ABOUT THE FINANCE PIECE IN A MOMENT. SO WHEN WE COMPARE, ADAMS, BUCHANAN, GRECO, D, C, D RESPECTIVELY, YOU KNOW, THEN WE KNOW, WELL, THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO LOOK FOR OTHER CHOICES, RIGHT?

365BECAUSE LOOK WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NEXT TO THEM. WE HAVE TO DIG OUR HEELS IN DEEPER TO MAKE SURE THOSE SCHOOLS ARE NOT GETTING THOSE TYPE OF GRADES. LIKEWISE, THIS PARTICULAR SCHOOL, EXCELSIOR DOESN'T HAVE THE GREATEST TRACK RECORD EITHER. BUT MY MAIN CONCERN, AND I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THE TEACHER CERTIFICATION. THEY ARE ALL CERTIFIED, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GOOD, IS THAT CORRECT, ALL CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN. Cinzia DeLange: EXCEPT 2. EITHER 14, 12 CERTIFIED. LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTES WORKING TOWARD THEIR CERTIFICATION ACTIVELY. Lynn Gray: A GOOD AMOUNT OF TEACHERS WHICH ARE CERTIFIED, ALWAYS A PLUS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE SHORTAGE. WHEN WE HAVE A REPORT, NUMBER FIVE, CONTAIN AN ANNUAL FINANCIAL PLAN FOR EACH YEAR, REQUESTED BY THE CHARTER FOR OPERATION OF THE SCHOOL FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS. SO THAT'S A PLAN. BUT SHALL WE NOT EXPECT

366ALSO A REPORT, IN OTHER WORDS, HOW ARE THEY SPENDING THEIR MONEY FOR PD, FOR BOOKS, ET CETERA? Cinzia DeLange: THAT'S ALL INCLUDED IN THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN. SO WE ASK FOR A FIVE-YEAR BUDGET THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING -- TEXTBOOKS, PD, SALARIES, EVERYTHING. AND WE GO THROUGH THAT ENTIRE -- THE ENTIRE FIVE YEARS AND WE ALSO ASK FOR A PLAN B BUDGET IN CASE THEY DON'T MEET THE PROJECTIONS. SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO SUBMIT TWO BUDGETS TO US. Lynn Gray: CORRECT. THAT'S GOOD BOOK KEEPING, ET CETERA. WHAT I'M ASKING FOR POSSIBLY IF THERE'S ROOM IN THIS CONVERSATION, THAT WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE THEIR EXPENDITURES, IN OTHER WORDS, JUST LIKE I WOULD ASK OUR CFO, HOW ARE THEY SPENDING THEIR MONEY, THAT KIND OF REPORTING. Cinzia DeLange: ABSOLUTELY. OUR OFFICE REQUIRES MONTHLY FINANCIALS FROM ALL OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND WE

367DO REVIEW THEM EVERY MONTH AND EVERY YEAR, OF COURSE, WE REQUIRE AN ANNUAL AUDIT. SO IT'S MONTHLY FINANCIAL REVIEWS AND YEARLY AUDIT. Lynn Gray: I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THE REQUEST RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE TIRED -- I'M TIRED. I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW TO VERBALIZE THE REQUEST, BUT I WILL GET WITH YOU REGARDING A YEARLY TYPE -- I WANT TO SAY AUDIT BUT SOME TYPE OF RECOGNITION OF HOW THEY ARE SPENDING THEIR MONEY. LIKEWISE, I WOULD DO THE SAME FOR ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL AS WELL. DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M GETTING AT ON THE SUBJECT? Cinzia DeLange: ABSOLUTELY. AND WE HAVE THOSE ON FILE. Lynn Gray: ALL RIGHT. TO BE FAIR. THANK YOU, DR. DELANGE. Cinzia DeLange: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES

368UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, TONIGHT I HAVE A LOT OF STUFF. I'M GOING TO PUSH IT TO JUNE, BUT I HAVE TO SHOW TWO SLIDES AND I PROMISE I'LL BE OUT OF IT. IF WE CAN GET THE PRESENTATION UP. THE FIRST SLIDE -- ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE IS GRADUATION COMING UP. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE SO MANY GRADUATIONS THAT START ON MAY THE 16th THROUGH THE 18th. THE EXCEPTIONAL CENTERS AT THEIR GENERAL LOCATIONS AND ALSO WE HAVE FROM MAY THE 24th TO JUNE THE 1st, WE HAVE 32 PLUS GRADUATIONS THAT WILL BE LOCATED AT THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS AND THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF VIRTUAL CAREER CENTERS AND TRADITIONAL CENTERS. DO WE HAVE IT OR NO? ALSO, WE JUST WANT

369TO RECOGNIZE THAT MAY 1st WAS NATIONAL PRINCIPAL DAY. SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS FOR EVERYTHING YOU CONTINUE TO DO. WE KNOW THIS WORK IS HARD. AND -- I SAID IN MY COMMUNICATION YESTERDAY, WHILE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WEEK, IT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED 180 DAYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO EVERYONE. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO SCHOOLS, HAND OUT DOUGHNUTS. ONE TEACHER WALKED IN THE CLASSROOM WHILE THANKING HER FOR WHAT SHE WAS DOING. SHE GRABBED HER DOUGHNUT, CONTINUED TO TEACH AND SAID THANK YOU. THAT JUST SHOWS HOW RESILIENT OUR TEACHERS ARE COMMITTED TO CHILDREN. ONE STUDENT SAID, EXCUSE ME, MR. DAVIS. I CAN'T SEE. I'VE GOT TO SEE WHAT SHE'S TEACHING. SHE'S NOT STOPPING. THAT'S AWESOME. WE ALWAYS TELL THEM NO MATTER WHO COMES IN YOUR CLASSROOM,

370CONTINUE TO DO COOL THINGS. I'LL GO TO CLASSROOMS TOMORROW AS WELL AND RECOGNIZE OUR TEACHERS. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. WE HAVE SO MANY CELEBRATIONS, I'LL WAIT UNTIL NEXT MEETING. ALSO THANK THE BOARD FOR HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS, MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND KNOW I CONTINUE TO STEER THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO HELP US IN SO MANY FACETS. I LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY FOR JUST. NO NEED FOR THE PowerPoint. I JUST WENT OVER IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF EVENTS. I'M ONLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT A FEW AND THE HOUR IS LATE AND I'M NOT A YOUNG GUY ANYMORE. FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH FULLWOOD OVER AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS

371THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD A WINNING RECORD IN YEARS, SOFTBALL. THEY ARE 13 AND 4, AND SHE WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE FLORIDA ACTIVITY ASSOCIATION DISTRICT 5 COACH OF THE YEAR. SHE IS DOING A GREAT JOB AND THAT'S MRS. FULLWOOD AND DERRICK. THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. LET ME MOVE ALONG HERE. 5,000 -- SO WE HAD A GREAT TIME ON THE 24th OF APRIL, THE 5,000 ROLE MODELS. MS. WILLIAMS DID A GREAT JOB. AND IT WAS ON A MONDAY. AND WE HAD MS. RENDON -- YEAH, AND MRS. COMBS CAME. CEREMONY WITH SYMBOLIC EVENT WHERE STUDENTS EXPRESSED THEIR COMMENTS ON BEING MENTORED. WE HAD ABOUT I THINK 60 YOUNG MEN THERE, SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN THERE. THE SPEAKER WAS DEPUTY CHIEF CALVIN JOHNSON OF THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT. DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. DID A GREAT JOB EXPLAINING

372TO THE STUDENTS ABOUT DOING THE THINGS IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THERE, ALONSO, BLAKE, BRANDON, THE SUCCESS CENTER, GAITHER, LEONARD, MIDDLETON, NEWSOME, PLANT AND TAMPA BAY TECH. WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD MORE THERE, BUT I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST DAY OF FOOTBALL PRACTICE. SO I UNDERSTAND BEING A FORMER COACH. SOME OF THE KIDS COULDN'T MAKE IT THERE AND HAD A LOT OF GREAT SPONSORSHIP, BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE WERE -- THE TIES WERE ALREADY TIED. WE JUST HAD TO PUT IT OVER THE HEAD. BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT PIPELINE. THIS IS GOING TO HELP THE PIPELINE BECAUSE WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS BEING ABLE TO MENTOR YOUNG MEN AND GET THEM GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. IT'S GOING TO TAKE

373TIME. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AUTOMATIC FIX BUT GUARANTEE YOU THE 5,000 ROLE MODELS IS GOING TO REALLY, REALLY CHANGE SOME STUDENTS' MINDS. AND MRS. WILLIAMS DOES A GREAT JOB. IT WAS FANTASTIC OVER AT JEFFERSON. LET ME MOVE NOW TO THE CELEBRITY READER. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO MRS. REDDICK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WHAT A GREAT EVENT. WE HAD THE KIDS OUT THERE. WE HAD ABOUT MAYBE 40 OR 50 KIDS. I HAD THE CHANCE TO READ MY BOOK. AND THEY ENJOYED. THIS IS THE BOOK. THE LITTLE HEN IN THE CITY. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE BOOK TO THE STUDENTS. WE HAD IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH. THE TEACHER READ IN SPANISH AND I CAME BACK AND READ IN ENGLISH. THEY WERE REALLY ATTENTIVE. I TOLD THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL THESE KIDS ARE REALLY, REALLY

374DISCIPLINED. THERE WAS NO NOISE. PEOPLE DIDN'T ACT UP AND THEY LOVED ABOUT THE LITTLE HEN. WHEN I TELL STORIES I EXAGGERATE ALMOST LIKE I WAS IN THE BOOK MYSELF. THEY REALLY LOVED THAT. IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. ALSO, IF WE GO TO WE SEE YOU, WE HAD AN EVENT OVER AT ONE OF THE CENTERS, AND -- LET'S STOP HERE. LET'S GO BACK TO TAMPA EMANCIPATION. IT WAS GREAT. WE HAD A LARGE CROWD, FRED HEARNS DID A GREAT JOB WITH INTRODUCING WHAT HAD HAPPENED OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME IN TAMPA AND ALL OF US HAD A CHANCE TO READ A PORTION OF IT. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. THEY ALMOST FORGOT YOU, TOO. AND ALSO, BOTH OF MY MEMBERS WAS THERE. YOU KNOW SOMETHING, IT REALLY WENT NICE, HUH? IT REALLY DID GO

375NICE BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO READ BECAUSE I HAD DIFFICULT READING TO DO BECAUSE I HAD TO DO LOUISIANA AND ST. BERNARD AND ALL THOSE NAMES BECAUSE I WENT TO SCHOOL IN LOUISIANA, I COULD PRONOUNCE THE NAMES. IT WAS REAL EASY. IT WASN'T COMPLICATED. MY LAST ONE, DO WE HAVE WE SEE YOU. WE SEE YOU SCHOLARSHIPS. WE SEE YOU IS SPONSORED BY PRICE WATERHOUSE COOPER ALSO THAT HELPS OUT A GREAT DEAL. OUR YOUNG MAN WAS KALEB WALKER. EACH YEAR YOU GIVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS, THEY TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT. I HAVE TO GO REAL FAST. THEY TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT AND YOU GO OUT AND BUY IT. WE GIVE A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THIS KID GOT -- IN FACT, HE WAS A STUDENT AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. THE PARENTS

376WERE REALLY HAPPY AND WE GAVE HIM A THOUSAND DOLLARS AND HE'S GOING TO COLLEGE. THANK YOU AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I KNOW I TOOK UP A LOT OF TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: YES, I DON'T HAVE AS MANY SLIDES AS MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAD THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO READ WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT IN OUR CELEBRITY READ, AND WE READ THE SAME BOOK. I HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES, SLIDES THERE. IT WAS THE LITTLE HEN IN THE CITY, AND, OF COURSE, THE SUPERINTENDENT DID NOT READ THE SPANISH VERSION. THE STUDENTS WERE AMAZING. THEY WERE JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. EMANCIPATION DAY. I GOT THE CHANCE TO SEE THE STUDENTS IN WATER WORKS PARK AT THE RIVER FEST MUSIC FESTIVAL. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WERE DOING A LOT OF THEIR MUSIC AND

377ALSO HELIOS ED FOUNDATION WITH BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY DID THE ART RECEPTION THERE, WHICH WAS AMAZING. ALSO OUR DUAL LANGUAGE GRADUATION WITH BELLAMY AND CRESTWOOD. IT WAS THE FIRST GRADUATION, FIFTH GRADE GRADUATION THAT WE'VE HAD HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING THAT AS WELL. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ANNOUNCE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS, BUT MY CYBER TASK FORCE IS GOING TO -- WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE. BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHERE TO START, THERE'S NO SECRET THAT THE INTERNET CAN BE A DANGEROUS PLACE. AND AS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TAKE EVERY POSSIBLE PRECAUTION TO PROTECTION OUR LITTLE ONES. -- PROTECT OUR LITTLE ONES. THAT'S WHY WE'RE EXCITED TO INVITE TO YOU CYBER TASK FORCE ON JUNE 5. AT THIS MEETING, INTERNET

378SAFETY EXPERT BIANCA GHOULSBY WILL GUIDE US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF SETTING UP PARENTAL CONTROLS ON APPLE AND ANDROID DEVICES. SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR CHILDREN SAFE WHILE THEY EXPLORE THE VAST WORLD OF THE INTERNET. WITH SIMPLE LANGUAGE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD INSTRUCTION, BIANCA WILL SHOW YOU NOT ONLY HOW TO SET CONTROLS UP BUT ALSO HOW TO TAILOR THEM TO MEET YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS. DON'T LET YOUR CHILD BECOME ANOTHER STATISTIC. JOIN US AT THE TASK FORCE -- CYBER TASK FORCE ON JUNE 5th AND TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR SAFETY ONLINE. AND THAT IS IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR HANGING IN THERE, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND STAFF. I KNOW IT'S LATE, BUT ANYWAY, WE HAD -- WELL, WE HAD A GREAT FACE TEAM, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. DR. LEWIS, ANGELA

379FULLWOOD AND TEAM, THEY REALLY WERE IMPRESSED WITH PRINCIPAL OTIS KITCHEN, AS EVERYONE IS, FROM TOWN N' COUNTRY, ONE OF YOUR SCHOOLS, I THINK, NADIA COMBS. AND WHAT HAPPENS AT TOWN N' COUNTRY IS THEY, MY GOODNESS, HE'S SO ECLECTIC, HE DEVELOPS THOSE RESOURCES AND PAYS ATTENTION TO THEIR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING BY WALKING EVERY DAY AND THEIR KIDS SOCIALLY BY HAVING PARENTS INVOLVED AND PEER-TO-PEER MENTORING. PABLO, DO I HAVE A SLIDE ON THAT? IS PABLO THERE. THEY ARE UP. OKAY. THAT'S THE WRONG ONE, BUT THAT'S OKAY. I'LL JUMP RIGHT OVER THERE. HOLD ON. GO BACK. NOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE HUGE GARDENS, GARDEN TO FARM, AND WE'RE PUTTING THAT ON THE HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOLS COMPONENTS, BUT NONETHELESS, WE'RE TRYING TO GET A GARDEN IN THE SLIDE ON HERE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET A GARDEN AT EVERY SCHOOL

380IN TERMS OF REWARDING PRINCIPALS FOR ADVOCATING. JUMPING OVER TO, NOW, THIS SLIDE IS NOT MINE, BUT THAT'S OKAY. GET ANOTHER SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS ALL ABOUT BUCKHORN. BUCKHORN, MY GOSH, WHAT A GREAT PRINCIPAL THAT WE HAVE THERE. IT'S GOING DOWNHILL FAST. THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SCHOOL TO FARM. FORGET ABOUT THE VIDEOS. LET'S JUST DO THIS VERBALLY. THANK JENNIFER SHRIVER AND PRINCIPAL SWANSLE OF LOPEZ EXCEPTIONAL CENTER FOR CELEBRATING NATIONAL AUTISM MONTH WITH MANY NEW GARDENS. A CHICKEN FARM, PAINTINGS AND SUPPORTING VENDORS. SHE DID THIS ON SATURDAY AND WE HAVE PHOTOS BUT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THEM NOW. OTHER THAN THAT WE ARE JUST HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOL GOLD WINNERS HAVE ADDED UP TO 96 SILVER -- THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. SILVER STATUS WAS 55 AND BRONZE WAS 32. AND THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS

381HAVE GOTTEN GOLD EVERY YEAR. ALEXANDER ELEMENTARY, BRYANT ELEMENTARY AND MULLER ELEMENTARY AND WHEN A -- ONE OF MEMBER RENDON'S SCHOOLS, WE RECOGNIZE BEVIS ELEMENTARY FOR EARNING THE HIGHEST SCORE ON THE SURVEY. AT ANY RATE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT PRESENTATION DURING THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE IN JUNE AND WE'LL BE READY. OKAY, BOARD MEMBERS. THANKS FOR HANGING IN THERE. FIND OUT WHERE PABLO IS, TOO. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A LONG CLOSING. NO, JUST KIDDING. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.