03/07/2023 - Regular Meeting

001HI. I'M NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDES CHILDREN IN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. I'M HENRY SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA, AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE 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 BY HILLSBOROUGH

002SCHOOLS TV, ON SPECTRUM CABLE CHANNEL 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32. MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIAL CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 7, 2023, IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW

003LEAD 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] YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT FOR TODAY. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TODAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK PALMER ELEMENTARY. THE EAGLE DRUM LINE ALONG WITH THE BAND DIRECTOR, MR. DAVID NICHOLS AND THE PRINCIPAL SHARON WEIGHT. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF THE BOARD MEETING. AND AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. Henry "Shake" Washington: SPEED LOUDER NOW. SAY IT AGAIN. NEVAYA TAHADA

004IN THE FIFTH GRADE. Henry "Shake" Washington: SOUNDS GREAT. MENDEZ IN THE FIFTH GRADE. JOHNNY BURR, SECOND GRADE. CAMILLA HERNANDEZ IN THE FIFTH GRADE. JONATHAN VELOSE IN THE FIFTH GRADE. TAVEON BREWER, THIRD GRADE. WILLIAM EUBANKS IN THE FOURTH GRADE. JOHN PACHECO IN THE THIRD GRADE. MOSS IN THE FIRST GRADE. CAMARIE BRYANT IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MARLESE MARTINEZ IN THE FIFTH GRADE. JELLY MARTINEZ IN THE THIRD GRADE. JALEN SMITH, FIFTH GRADE. CAYMAN DAVIS IN THE FIFTH GRADE. KENNETH SINGLETON, FOURTH GRADE. RENAR IN THE FOURTH GRADE. LETAY FIFTH GRADE. AMYA, THIRD GRADE. GENTLEMAN NIA MYERS, FOURTH GRADE. KENNEDY BRYANT IN FOURTH GRADE. BELLA ANN, FOURTH GRADE. FIFTH GRADE. FOURTH GRADE. ORTIZ IN THIRD GRADE. AUBREY ROBINSON IN FOURTH GRADE. DAVID NICHOLS, MUSIC TEACHER. SHARON WHITE, VERY PROUD PRINCIPAL. McKAYLA LLOYD, THIRD GRADE, MATH AND SCIENCE. ANNIKA MANN, PROUD

005ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. Henry "Shake" Washington: IF ANY PARENTS WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES, YOU CAN AT THIS TIME. TURN AROUND SO THEY CAN SEE. THEY WANT TO LOOK AT THEMSELVES ON TV, RIGHT? Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. AND NOW YOU GUYS ARE FAMOUS. YOU'RE ON TV. YOU SEE YOURSELVES ON TELEVISION. OKAY. BE GOOD. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. ALL OF YOU DID A GREAT JOB. GREAT WAY TO START A BOARD MEETING, SO UPBEAT. WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWN ITEM TODAY, THAT'S 9.01, 23029-PGB-01 CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I

006HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MEMBER VAUGHN. WE HAVE FIVE SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. THAT'S JANUARY 17, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP, FEBRUARY 14, 2023, MIDDLE SCHOOL FORUM. FEBRUARY 14, 2023, HIGH SCHOOL FORUM. FEBRUARY 21st, 2023, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. FEBRUARY 28, 2023, SPECIAL-CALLED BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE THAT ALL CHILDREN CAN

007BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR 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 ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCASTS, ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM.

008IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S 6:00 AND THAT'S EMPLOYEE INPUT. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE UP ONE RECOGNITION BECAUSE WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE HERE. WE HAVE SEVERAL OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED US FOR SO LONG. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE CASPERS COMPANY. I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS RECOGNITION. BLAKE CASPER, ALONG WITH HIS SISTER ALLISON CASPER ADAMS AND HER HUSBAND ROBBY ADAMS ARE LONGTIME SUPPORTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BLAKE CASPER JOINED THE COMPANY IN 1996 AND FOLLOWING HIS FATHER'S DEATH IN 2005, BLAKE ASSUMED THE ROLE OF CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF CASPERS COMPANY. BOB CONIGLIRIO STARTED IN 1975 AS A MANAGER TRAINING AND ADVANCED THROUGH ALL LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT TO AREA

009SUPERVISOR IN 1980. HE WAS PROMOTED TO COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER IN 1994 AND VICE PRESIDENT IN 2001. HE'S BEEN A CHAMPION OF EDUCATION, AND A TRUE ADVOCATE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, AND EMPLOYEES. FINALLY, DUSTIN PORTIFILO JOINED CASPERS COMPANY ON NOVEMBER 30, 2017 AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH OUR DISTRICT AND SCHOOL TEAM IMMEDIATELY. HIS ENTHUSIASM AND POSITIVE APPROACH WORKING WITH STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND EMPLOYEES CONTINUED THE CASPERS COMPANY AS AN AMAZING EDUCATIONAL PARTNER. WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS. IF YOU COULD PLEASE RISE, WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU. Addison Davis: DUSTIN AND BOB, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I MEAN, CASPERS WAS A GREAT PARTNER. EVERY TIME THAT WE NEEDED YOU, WHETHER IT BE FROM A DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE, FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM A TEACHER

010PERSPECTIVE OR LEADER PERSPECTIVE, YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE. AND YOU CONTINUE TO BE CHAMPIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND ALSO FOR OUR CHILDREN. FOR THAT, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE. DUSTIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, SIR. WE APPRECIATE YOU. BOB, YOU HAVE BEEN A CHAMPION. I KNOW THE FISH SANDWICH IS YOUR FAVORITE. THAT'S TRUE. Addison Davis: IT IS TRUE. BUT THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR HELPING US ALWAYS IN A TIME OF NEED. AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK THE BOARD TO PLEASE COME DOWN, IF THEY CAN, AND TAKE A PICTURE AND CELEBRATE THEIR AWESOME PARTNERSHIP FOR SO MANY YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU, SIR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, MADAM CHAIR, AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ON BEHALF OF THE THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES AT CASPERS COMPANY, PROBABLY SOME FORMER EMPLOYEES SITTING OUT HERE IN THE

011AUDIENCE, AND ALL THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTED OVER SO MANY YEARS, IT HAS BEEN OUR PLEASURE TO SERVE THIS DISTRICT AND TO SERVE THE STUDENTS. ONE OF THE MOST FULFILLING THINGS FOR US IN SERVICE IS SERVING THE CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND THEY ARE NOT JUST THE CHILDREN OF THIS COMMUNITY. ALL OF THEM ARE OUR CHILDREN. AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DID WAS TO HELP ELEVATE THEM, HELP THEM ACHIEVE SUCCESS, AND EVENTUALLY FOR US TO HAND THE KEYS TO OUR BUSINESSES, OUR WORLD, OUR GOVERNMENT, OUR SCHOOLS TO RUN IT. AND THERE'S NO GREATER JOY THAN WATCHING THEM WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE AND THEN KNOCK ON OUR DOOR AND COME IN AND FOR US TO HAND THEM THE KEYS TO RUN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE. BUT THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. IT HAS

012BEEN AN ABSOLUTE JOYRIDE FOR US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE LOOKING AT ME LIKE, "ARE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING?" I'M NOT GOING TO SAY MUCH, BUT WE'RE EXTREMELY BLESSED, VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE WORKED FOR A UNICORN, BOB 47 YEARS, ME ALMOST 5 YEARS. SAD THAT IT'S OVER. SAD THAT WE ARE NO LONGER WITH THE ORGANIZATION, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO PHENOMENAL WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE OLD DR. SEUSS QUOTE, DON'T DRY BECAUSE IT'S OVER BUT SMILE BECAUSE IT HAPPENED. THAT REALLY IS THE TONE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AS THAT, ADDISON, THE BOARD, ALL OF YOUR INCREDIBLE CHIEFS WHO HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL TO WORK WITH. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND I KNOW MANY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT, SO YOU

013CAN STAND HERE AND BE PRAISED A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT REALLY, IN ALL SINCERITY, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I REMEMBER MEETING YOU, BOB, ALMOST LIKE 30 YEARS AGO, IN MY CLASSROOM WHEN I WAS TEACHING, AND THE KIND OF LOVE YOU HAVE GIVEN TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THROUGH McDONALD'S AND THROUGH CASPERS COMPANY AND EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR THE TEACHERS, THE BUS DRIVERS, THE FACULTY, THE OF IS IT A, I MEAN, THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION, AND ESPECIALLY THE STUDENTS. WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. YOU'VE MADE SUCH AN IMPACT ON SO MANY LIVES, AND WE THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION, ALL THREE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND ESPECIALLY FOR CASPERS FOR JUST CONTINUING TO SUPPORT US FOR SO MANY YEARS. IT HAS MADE SUCH AN IMPACT IN THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. MEMBER

014HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. FIRST, I ECHO ALL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS THAT HE MENTIONED EARLIER. I WANT TO THANK BLAKE AND ALLISON FOR MAKING THIS COMMITMENT SO MANY YEARS AGO AND FOR DOING SO MUCH EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IN ALL THE OTHER WAYS THAT THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, REALLY GONE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND FILLED A NEED AND LOOKED OUT FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S MEANT A LOT TO SEE THAT AS A BOARD MEMBER, BUT ALSO AS SOMEBODY WHO LIVES IN TAMPA. YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF COMPANIES INVEST SO MUCH IN THEIR COMMUNITY AS WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE YEARS THAT CASPERS HAS DONE. THANK YOU TO BLAKE AND ALLISON, AND THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU. IT HAS BEEN

015SUCH A PLEASURE FROM DAY ONE THAT I WAS ON THIS BOARD TO GET TO MEET BOTH OF YOU AND WORK WITH BOTH OF YOU. YOU IMPACT OUR STUDENTS, OUR EMPLOYEES WHILE THEY ARE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND AFTER JUST LIKE YOU SAID, BOB, AFTER THEY LEAVE. THEY WORK FOR YOU. THEY MANAGE YOUR STORES. IT'S A WONDERFUL KIND OF FULL CIRCLE FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS. I KNOW PERSONALLY EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO SUPPORT LITERACY AND S.T.E.M. HAS BEEN JUST PHENOMENAL. THE LITERACY FAIRS, DUSTIN, I MISSED YOU LAST WEEKEND. I MISSED THE VAN. I MISSED THE SMILEY FACES. I MISSED THE SOCKS. YOU KNOW, YOU WERE JUST SUCH AN AMAZING PRESENCE, BOTH OF YOU. WHATEVER YOU DID WITH US, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND BOTH OF YOU AND

016IT LIT UP. SO I MISS THAT. I MISS THAT, AND WHEN I WAS AT THE LITERACY FAIR AND EVEN PLANNING IT, I THOUGHT OF YOU ALL. YOU CREATED THE BOOK MARK FOR THE LITERACY FAIR. YOU WERE REALLY ALL IN, A HUNDRED -- A THOUSAND PERCENT IN, WHEN BE WE DID THE S.T.E.A.M. INITIATIVES AT THE SCHOOL, YOU CAME AND SUPPORTED THAT. MADE SURE THE KIDS HAD BOOKS. AND I WILL SAY I REMEMBER GOING, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MILITARY EVENT I WANTED TO HAVE FOR THE FAMILIES AT MacDILL RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND YOU WERE, LIKE, WHAT CAN CASPERS DO? AND YOU DID BREAKFAST THAT MORNING. IT'S JUST HARD TO IMAGINE. I'VE BEEN IN REALLY BIG DENIAL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. YOU NOT BEING THERE. I HOPE WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER ON SOME THINGS

017AGAIN IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE I MISS YOU BOTH, AND I HOPE THAT CASPERS IS A CONTINUED PRESENCE AND MAYBE A NEW AND REIMAGINED WAY. BUT I KNOW THAT THEY CARE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY SO MUCH, I'M SURE % SOON. EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE REALLY MEANT THE WORLD TO ME BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY. THANKS SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: MEMBER HAHN, THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: DURING MY SEVEN YEARS HERE OR MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER, YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH A FORCE IN OUR SCHOOLS. YOU BROUGHT MEANING TO OUR STUDENTS, BOB. DUSTIN, YOU BROUGHT SMILES TO EVERY ONE OF THEIR FACES, AND THAT WAS A CONTINUAL PATTERN. SMILES, HAPPINESS, YOU IMPRINTED THE MOST IMPORTANT VALUES IN OUR STUDENTS AND ACHIEVEMENT, VALIDATION AS TO WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY CAN BE. AND IT'S SO INDICATIVE OF BOTH OF YOU,

018YOUR PERSONALS. YOU WILL BE VERY MISSED, AND YOU CANNOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE YOU TWO ARE VERY INDIVIDUAL AND EACH OF YOU HAVE CHANGED SO MANY STUDENT TRAJECTORIES AS FAR AS THEIR FUTURE AND EVEN WHEN THEY ARE PRESENT. AND HATS OFF TO EACH OF YOU. YOU DIDN'T DO THE TALK THE TALK, YOU WALKED THE WALK, AND MEANT IT. SO MY SINCERE THANKS, AND I WISH YOU GODSPEED AND GOOD HEALTH AND LOVELY GRANDDAUGHTERS, BOB AND DUSTIN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE IS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOB, WE GO BACK A LONG WAYS. I COULD RECALL BACK IN THE '70s WHEN I WAS THE HEAD BASKETBALL COACH AT KING HIGH SCHOOL. BACK THEN, WE DIDN'T HAVE CLOCKS IN

019THE GYM TOO MUCH BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T DONATE MONEY AND CLOCKS AND SO FORTH. AND I REMEMBER YOU GIVING US A BRAND-NEW CLOCK IN THE GYM FOR THE GIRLS BASKETBALL, AND THAT WAS REALLY GREAT. THEN WE BECAME FRIENDS FROM THAT POINT. THAT WAS ABOUT 40 SOME YEARS AGO BACK THEN. YEAH, ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO. AND YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AN UP PERSON, HONEST, TREATED PEOPLE WITH RESPECT. LOVED THE DISTRICT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE JUST BEING A FRIEND OF YOURS ALL THESE YEARS. DUSTIN, YOU CAME HERE WITH A SMILEY FACE, AND I OFTEN SAID, YOU ALL, THERE GO ANOTHER LITTLE BOB RIGHT THERE. BUT HE HAD A LITTLE MORE HAIR ON THE HEAD. YOU'RE RIGHT. ANYWAY, DUSTIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB IN THE DISTRICT AND

020I KNOW YOU WILL. YOU GUYS REALLY WILL BE MISSED. YOU REALLY ARE, BECAUSE ALL THE GOOD THINGS YOU HAVE DONE FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO THANK YOU AND MAY YOU BE BLESSED. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, SHAKE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO, EVERY SO OFTEN, YOU KNOW, AN ORGANIZATION COMES ALONG AND IT TRULY CHANGES THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT CASPERS HAS DONE. IT'S BEEN ONE OF THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. AND LIKE MEMBER HAHN SAID, YOU'RE ALL IN. AND I'VE SEEN IT. I'VE SEEN IT IN THE SCHOOLS. I'VE SEEN YOU LIFT UP OUR STUDENTS. WHEN YOU COME INTO THE SCHOOLS, THE KIDS JUST KNOW WHO YOU WERE. AND THE SMILES ON THEIR FACES. BUT ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION WILL

021ALWAYS SIT WITH ME. AND THAT WAS OUR BUS RIDE. YOU KNOW, WHEN COVID FIRST CAME ALONG AND I MADE A PROMISE TO A CLASSROOM FULL OF CHILDREN. YOU KNOW, I WAS DETERMINED TO KEEP MY PROMISE. I WAS GOING TO GO AND JUST DRIVE MY CAR, AND THEN YOU DECIDED, HEY, WE'LL JOIN YOU, AND THEN THE PRINCIPALS DECIDED TO JOIN AND THEN THE SUPERINTENDENT DECIDED TO JOIN, AND WE HAD A SCHOOL BUS FULL OF BALLOONS AND CAKE. AND YOU GUYS, HE WENT TO EACH STUDENT'S INDIVIDUAL HOME. DURING COVID TO FULFILL A PROMISE, AND YOU CAME WITH ME BECAUSE THAT'S THE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION THAT CASPERS IS. THAT'S GOING TO BE MISSED HERE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND THAT AGAIN, AT LEAST I HOPE WE FIND IT, BUT NOT THE WAY THAT YOU BROUGHT IT TO

022US. AND I THANK YOU. BUT I SAY THIS AS A BOARD MEMBER, THAT CHANGED ME, BUT I SAW THE CHANGE IN THE STUDENTS WHEN WE KNOCKED ON THOSE DOORS AND THEY OPENED THOSE DOORS, AND YOU WERE STANDING THERE, LET ME SAY, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU FOR DOING THAT. THERE'S JUST SO MUCH THAT I COULD SAY, BUT THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU BROUGHT. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU BRING, AND THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT ACTUALLY BEING COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND I THINK PEOPLE TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS OR WHAT AN IMPACT THEY CAN BE ON EITHER A SCHOOL OR A COMMUNITY, AND CASPERS HAS

023STEPPED OUT OF THE BOX AND BEEN THAT ROLE MODEL FOR EVERY OTHER ORGANIZATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR BEING A LEADER AMONGST LEADERS AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SEES WHAT CAN BE DONE BY JUST SAYING, YES, I WILL. SO THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, AND I KNOW WILL CONTINUE TO DO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. AND THANK YOU, BOTH. DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, BOB? ONE FINAL WORD. IT'S VERY FLATTERING FOR US TO HEAR ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS. KIND OF EMOTIONAL AND UNCOMFORTABLE FOR US BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO IS NOT FOR THE RECOGNITION. EVERYTHING WE DO AND HAVE DONE FOR THREE GENERATIONS WITH THE CASPERS' FAMILY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN INITIALLY BY FRITZ CASPER, THE FOUNDER, HIS SON, JOE CASPER,

024AND THEN BLAKE AND ALLISON AFTERWARDS. WE'VE DONE IT WITH THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT, THEIR SUPPORT, ACCESS TO THEIR CHECKBOOK, AND THE ABILITY TO TOUCH HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF LIVES. AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL NOW GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE

025BOARD, COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER, BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN, A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS, AND IF THE FIRST SPEAKERS WILL PLEASE COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME. THANK YOU. HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TASHA COLEMAN. I'M HERE ONE MONTH AFTER EMOTIONALLY BEING HERE

026AFTER BEING WITHDRAWN FROM ERWIN TECH CARPENTRY PROGRAM. I WAS WITHDRAWN SEVEN DAYS AFTER FILING A LEVEL ONE GRIEVANCE. MY ISSUES WERE THE PHASED-OUT CURRICULUM AND THE ERWIN ONLINE THAT WAS PHASED OUT IN JUNE 2020, WHICH I WAS STUDYING DAY IN AND DAY OUT. MY OTHER ISSUES WERE BEING BULLIED, RETALIATED AGAINST, HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MY GENDER AND MY DISABILITY. AFTER SOME FOLLOW-UP, IT WAS SAID THAT I WAS PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO BE A CARPENTER, BUT THAT SURPRISED ME BECAUSE AT THE GRIEVANCE MEETING I WAS TOLD THAT I WAS ONE OF THE TOP STUDENTS, AND I WAS. I WORKED HARD EVERY DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY. ON THE RIDE HERE, I RECEIVED A CALL. IT WAS A BITTERSWEET CALL, BUT THE CALL LET ME KNOW THAT MY ISSUES HAVE NOT GONE FORGOTTEN AND THAT THEY ARE STILL BEING

027WORKED ON. I KNOW THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ALLOWS ME TEN DAYS TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE FROM MY GRIEVANCE, MY LEVEL ONE GRIEVANCE. IT'S BEEN 20 DAYS. BUT THEN AGAIN MY GRIEVANCE IS QUITE BIG. SO IN GIVING RESPECT, I'M GOING TO KEEP MY DREAM ALIVE TO SOMEDAY BE A SUCCESSFUL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT MANAGER, SOONER THAN LATER, AND HOPE THAT ALL THESE ISSUES AND THIS ORDEAL GOES AWAY AND NO ONE ELSE IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO GO THROUGH WHAT I HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET HERE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO. MY NAME IS WHITNEY YOUNGLOVE. I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY IN THE K-8 INITIATIVE. I MYSELF AM A PROUD ALUMNI OF CARROLLWOOD AND ALSO OF CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL. I LOOK BACK ON MY DAYS AS AN OWL AND

028CHIEF VERY FONDLY. IN FACT, SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES FROM HIGH SCHOOL ARE WITH YOU, MR. WASHINGTON. I WAS A CHEERLEADER AND REMEMBER FOR EVERY HOME FOOTBALL GAME YOU DRESSED UP AS A CHIEF AND GOT DOWN AND DID PUSH-UPS WITH US EVERY TIME THE CHIEFS SCORED. AND WE WENT TO STATES THAT YEAR, SO THAT WAS QUITE A WORKOUT. AS FOND AS MY MEMORIES ARE FROM MY CHIEF DAYS, MY BEST MEMORIES SO FAR ARE WITH MY DAUGHTER CHARLOTTE. CHARLOTTE IS 10 YEARS OLD AND THRIVING IN FOURTH GRADE AT CARROLLWOOD. IF YOU SAW HER IN FIRST, SECOND, MOST OF THIRD GRADE, YOU WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE HER AS THE SAME CHILD. AT HOME AND OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, CHARLOTTE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SMART, SOCIAL, FUNNY AND VERY TALKATIVE. WHEN SHE STARTED AT CARROLLWOOD IN FIRST GRADE, SHE WAS

029INTIMIDATED AND PAINFULLY SHY, SO SHY SHE STARTED TO SHUT DOWN AND WOULD RARELY SPEAK IN FRONT OF HER CLASSMATES AND TEACHERS. THEN COVID HIT. IN THE MIDDLE OF FIRST GRADE AND WE TRANSITIONED TO VIRTUAL LEARNING FOR ONE AND A HALF YEARS. SHE NEVER SAID A WORD ON ZOOM FOR THE REMAINDERS OF FIRST GRADE. THROUGHOUT HER ENTIRE SECOND GRADE YEAR, CHARLOTTE DIDN'T SPEAK ONCE. I HAD TO VIDEOTAPE HER WHILE SHE READ TO PROVE TO HER TEACHERS THAT SHE ACTUALLY, IN FACT, COULD READ. HER SECOND GRADE TEACHER WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND, EVEN MEETING WITH US OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS JUST TO TRY AND HELP CHARLOTTE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE. SORRY. WITH THE ENDLESS SUPPORT FROM THE INCREDIBLE TEACHERS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATION, GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, AND EVEN HER CLASSMATES AT CARROLLWOOD, WE MADE IT THROUGH. CHARLOTTE FOUND HER VOICE. BY THE

030END OF THIRD GRADE SHE HAD COME OUT OF HER SHELL. SHE STARTED FOURTH GRADE AS TRUE, CONFIDENT, TALKATIVE SELF. DOING SO WELL NOW. SHE HAS A GREAT GROUP OF FRIENDS AND EVEN GOES TO CHAT WITH PAST TEACHERS ON HER OWN. I GET CALLS FROM THEM IN SHOCK NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BELIEVE SHE'S ACTUALLY TALKING BUT BECAUSE OF THE WONDERFUL CONVERSATIONS THEY HAVE. CHARLOTTE HAS OVERCOME SO MUCH AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE AT CARROLLWOOD. CARROLLWOOD IS A FAMILY. TRANSITIONING CARROLLWOOD TO K-8 IS SO IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN LIKE MY DAUGHTER THAT NEED STABILITY, COMMUNITY, AND A LITTLE EXTRA SUPPORT. PLEASE KEEP THESE CHILDREN WHO ARE LIKE FAMILY TOGETHER THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS ADRIENNE. I GO BY AJ, THOUGH. AJ HUNT. I WANT TO

031THANK YOU FOR GIVING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH YOU AGAIN ON THE CARROLLWOOD K-8 INITIATIVE. MY SON IS HAILEN, AND HE IS IN SECOND GRADE. WE TRANSFERRED TO CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY THIS JANUARY FROM A VERY WELL-RESPECTED PRIVATE K-8 SCHOOL. LAST DECEMBER, AFTER EXTENSIVE EVALUATIONS, WE LEARNED THAT HAILEN IS BOTH GIFTED AND HAS SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITIES. ALTHOUGH THIS PRIVATE K-8 SCHOOL IS A WONDERFUL SCHOOL, THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE THE ENVIRONMENT TO SUPPORT HAILEN'S NEWLY IDENTIFIED LEARNING NEEDS. CARROLLWOOD IS WHERE WE WERE ASSIGNED TO GET HAILEN ASSESSED FOR AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN. AFTER WORKING WITH THE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION TEAM AT CARROLLWOOD, I JUST KNEW THIS WAS THE PLACE FOR US. AS WHITNEY SAID, CARROLLWOOD IS A FAMILY, AND I CAN ATTEST TO THIS AS MY SON, MY HUSBAND, AND I WERE IMMEDIATELY WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS BY

032THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION, BY SO MANY FAMILIES AT THE PICKUP AFTER SCHOOL AND BY THE PTA. CARROLLWOOD CHECKS ALL THE BOXES FOR OUR FAMILY. IT IS CLOSE TO HOME. IN FACT, WE WALK TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. IT IS DIVERSE, BOTH SOCIOECONOMICALLY AS WELL AS HAVING A NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES AND OTHER KINDS OF DISABILITIES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT MY SON LEARN AND DEVELOP GOOD LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE WITH ALL ABILITIES AND DISABILITIES. CARROLLWOOD IS STABLE AND HAS A GREAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY. AND ITS TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION LOVE FIERCELY, AND THEY FIGHT HARD FOR EACH STUDENT AND GIVE THEM UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. I SAID THAT CARROLLWOOD ELEMENTARY CHECKS ALL OUR BOXES, BUT THERE'S ONE MORE THING WE FEEL IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR

033SON'S EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCE, AND THAT IS FOR HAILEN TO HAVE THE CONTINUITY IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8th GRADE. TRANSITIONING TO CARROLLWOOD TO K-8 IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY, NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT BECAUSE THESE STUDENTS DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER TO THESE EXCEPTIONAL TEACHERS AND SERVICES AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEIR MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS. CONVERTING CARROLLWOOD TO K OF 8 WOULD BE AN ASSET TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY AND TO THE DISTRICT. WE KNOW THAT RAISING A FAMILY TAKES A VILLAGE AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT IN KEEPING OUR FAMILY TOGETHER THROUGH 8th GRADE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, AND IF I COULD HAVE THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS LINE UP, PLEASE, AS WELL. MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. WHILE YOU ARE BACK SLAPPING, GLAD HANDING, IT'S SO TIRING.

034I HAVE TO MENTION THAT TALK THE TALK, WALK THE WALK, THAT'S NOT THE SAYING. IT'S WALK THE TALK. THAT IS THE SAYING. I LEARNED THAT WAY BACK IN THE 1950s. YEAH, I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S AMAZING HOW YOU CAN BE SO UNAWARE. WE HAVE MEATBALL RON DESANTIS WITH HIS ASININE AUTHORITARIAN FASCIST DICTATES, A SICK PLAN TO DESTROY PUBLIC EDUCATION. THAT'S WHAT IS HAPPENING. YEAH, A SAD DAY HERE IN FLORIDA. A SICK INDIVIDUAL. YEAH, YESTERDAY'S NEW YORK TIMES HAD AN ARTICLE ABOUT ALL THE INSECTS THAT ARE DYING, THE POLLINATORS THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE THEM, ALL THE HUMANS ARE GOING TO DIE. YOU HAVE SIX STERILE CAMPUSES. ALL YOUR SCHOOLS IT REMINDS ME OF MILDRED HELMS WHERE MY WIFE TAUGHT, MADE A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY GARDEN WHO I DON'T KNOW THE INDIVIDUALS THERE THAT DESTROYED IT, BROKE HER

035HEART. THEN THEY WANTED TO CALL HER BACK SO SHE COULD TEACH ABOUT BUTTERFLY GARDENS. HOW SICK IS THAT? BUT YOUR SCHOOLS HAVE, LIKE I SAY, SIX STERILE CAMPUSES TO GO WITH THE SICK BUILDINGS. SO WHEN YOU HAVE HEADLINES LIKE THIS, CO2 LEVEL, HIGHEST IN HUMAN HISTORY. STUDY, CLIMATE CHANGE IS WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT, AND CLIMATE CRISIS GETS WORSE BY THE DAY. THIS IS YOUR LEGACY. YEAH, IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE, MUCH, MUCH WORSE. AND YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AGAIN, MY NAME IS JULIE. FIRST, ISSUE AN EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING. I SAW YOUNG CHILDREN HERE. THERE IS GRAPHIC CONTENT IN THIS. I'M ONCE AGAIN ABSOLUTELY STUNNED. THE DISTRICT LEVEL COMMITTEE AFFIRMED THIS BOOK IS GAY AND SAID IT SHOULD REMAIN IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. IN

036A LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 21st, 2023, WE LEARNED THAT A DISTRICTWIDE COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES BOTH HEAD MEDIA SPECIALISTS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LITERACY, THE SUPERVISOR OF SCHOOL COUNSELING, SUPERVISOR OF SITE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT ALL CONVENED AND DECIDED THIS BOOK IS APPROPRIATE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL. STUNNING. I DON'T THINK ALL OF YOU MEMBERS KNEW ABOUT THAT YET. SO I'VE GIVEN YOU A COPY OF THAT LETTER. I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW ADULTS COULD CONVENE, DISCUSS, AND APPROVE THIS BOOK. AGAIN, HERE IS THE CONTENT. PAGE 47, THIS IS REALLY EMBARRASSING TO READ THIS OUT LOUD. THE AMYGDALA OF GAY MEN IS MORE RESPONSIVE TO PORN, BIGGER DICKS AND HORNIER. PAGE 72, NO ONE WANTS TO HAVE SEX WITH A BALD, SPOTTY PSYCHO WITH BALLS LIKE SHRIVELED RAISINS. FIRST, UNLOAD

037A TINY PICTURE OF YOURSELF TO THE APP. TWO, THE APP WORKS OUT YOUR LOCATION. THREE, THE APP TELLS YOU WHO THE NEAREST HOMOSEXUALS ARE. FOUR, YOU THEN CHAT TO THEM. FIVE, BECAUSE THEY ARE NEAR, IT IS EASY TO MEET UP WITH THEM. THEN THE BENEFITS OF THE SEX APPS. THE BENEFITS ARE OBVIOUS, QUICK, EASY, AND UNCOMPLICATED SEX. PAGE 197, BASICALLY PORN IS FINE AND FUN. PAGE 205, THE WHOLE POINT OF BEING GAY IS THAT IT'S TWO GUYS. BEING A BOTTOM MAKES A DUDE NO LESS MANLY THAN HIS TOP PARTNER. LOOK AT THIS WAY, HE'S LITERALLY TAKING IT LIKE A MAN. IF THE THOUGHT OF HAVING A BIG HARD THING POKED UP YOUR TUSH IS AROUSING, YOU ARE PROBABLY A BOTTOM. MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE. PAGE 235. SAUNAS OR BATH HOUSES ARE DOTTED ALL

038OVER THE COUNTRY AND THEY ARE PERFECTLY LEGAL. PEOPLE PAY SOME MONEY TO ENTER AND HAVE A BIT OF A SAUNA AND SOME RANDOM SEX. AGAIN, THIS IS FINE AS LONG AS YOU ARE SAFE. THEN DEFINITIONS IN THE BACK OF THE BOOK. A DEFINITION FOR WATER WORKS, WHICH IS PEEING ON SOMEONE IN A WAY CONSIDERED SEXY. DEFINITION FOR SCAT, CALLED EATING POOP. THIS IS IN THE BOOK. I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE, IN THIS BOOK. YOUR PIERCE MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, INCLUDING THE PRINCIPAL OF THE SCHOOL, APPROVED THIS WHEN IT WAS FIRST CHALLENGE AND NOW YOUR DISTRICTWIDE COMMITTEE HAS ALSO DUG THEIR HEELS AND APPROVED THIS BOOK TO BE IN YOUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS. I WANT YOU AND THE FAMILIES OF HCPS, THEY DESERVE TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. YOUR NEGLIGENCE, SILENCE, AND INACTIVITY MAKE YOU COMPLICIT. SEEMS HCPS HAS

039COMPLETELY LOST ITS WAY. THIS IS NOT YOUR JOB TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ON THE INS AND OUTS OF GAY SEX. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD. MY NAME IS MICHELLE GONZALEZ SMITH. I HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO SPEAK BECAUSE I ABHOR PUBLIC SPEAKING. I'M HERE TO REMIND THE BOARD AS YOU PREPARE FOR THE WORKSHOP TO KEEP THE CHILDREN'S VESTED INTERESTS IN MIND. PLEASE TRY TO KEEP THE CHILDREN WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. MY SON LIAM WHO YOU ALL HAD THE PLEASURE OF HEARING HIM SPEAK BEFORE YOU, SEEMS LIKE A VERY HAPPY GO LUCKY KID WITH A VERY MAGNANIMOUS PERSONALITY. THIS CHILD OF MINE BECAME A SHELL OF HIMSELF DURING COVID DUE TO A MEDICAL CONDITION, HE HAD TO BE HOMESCHOOLED FOR 22 MONTHS. IT WAS DETRIMENTAL TO HIS WELL-BEING.

040HE WAS VERY SEVERELY DEPRESSED AND BEING ISOLATED FROM HIS FRIENDS. HE HAS NOW BEEN BACK IN HIS SCHOOL FOR JUST OVER A YEAR AND IS FINDING HIS WAY TO RETURNING TO THE LIAM WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE. I DO NOT WANT THE BOUNDARY CHANGES TO SEPARATE HIM FROM ALL OF HIS FRIENDS. HE HAS ONE FRIEND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THE REST ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF KENNEDY AND MOST ARE NOT IMPACTED BY THE BOUNDARY CHANGES. IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO HIS PSYCHE TO START ALL OVER AFTER SIX YEARS OF HIM CULTIVATING THESE FRIENDSHIPS SINCE KINDERGARTEN. I IMPLORE YOU NOT TO MOVE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS OF NORTH BON AIR AND WESTSHORE PALMS AS IT WOULD HAVE LITTLE TO NO FINANCIAL IMPACT. HOWEVER IT WOULD BE DISASTROUS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF ALL 130 STUDENTS IMPACTED

041IN A TIME WHERE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ALL STUDENTS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. MY MOM IS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. SO, I WOULD LIKE TO START -- MY DAD ISN'T HERE BECAUSE HE HAD TO DO A LOT OF WORK. HE'S IN THE PTA, AND HE HAD TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE PTA, THAT'S WHY HE'S NOT HERE. SECOND OF ALL, I WANT TO BRING UP THAT THIS THING, TO REMIND YOU, THIS DOESN'T IMPACT ONE PERSON, TWO PEOPLE, THREE PEOPLE, FOUR PEOPLE. IT IMPACTS THOUSANDS, HUNDREDS, OR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GET IMPACTED BY THIS. IT'S NOT BECAUSE THE KID GOT MOVED BUT IT'S THAT THEIR FRIEND NEAR THAT KID, THAT KID'S FRIEND HAS ALSO HAS TO DEAL WITH

042THAT KID GETTING MOVED. SO THAT PERSON IS ALSO AFFECTED. JUST GIVING YOU A SCALE OF HOW BIG THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT PEOPLE. BUT SECOND OF ALL, LIKE EVERYONE WANTS TO STAY IN SCHOOL. I KNOW, BUT EVERYONE WANTS TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO GO INTO. SO SOME SCHOOLS MIGHT NOT BENEFIT MOST. LOOKING AT NUMBERS, OKAY. BUT I WANT TO SAY THAT ONE THING OF MOST IS TO MAKE SURE THE KID'S MENTAL HEALTH IS OKAY. WE DON'T WANT SCHOOLS WHERE THEY GO FROM A REALLY NICE SCHOOL TO A BAD SCHOOL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY ARE IN SUCH A BAD MENTAL HEALTH THAT THEY START CRYING AND HAVE BREAKDOWNS EVERY FIVE SECONDS. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE GOING FOR. WE'RE GOING FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH. EVEN IF IT DOESN'T GIVE US AS MUCH MONEY,

043THE THING I THINK THAT MATTERS IS NOT MONEY, IT'S MENTAL HEALTH. AND BEING ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SUFFERED FROM DEPRESSION, I UNDERSTAND WHAT MENTAL HEALTH IS. AND FINALLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT I HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY BECAUSE EVERYTHING, EVERYONE NEEDS THEIR VOICE HEARD. I DON'T CARE IF SOMEONE DIDN'T COME, THEIR VOICE NEEDS TO BE HEARD. US PEOPLE THAT STAND UP STAND UP FOR THEIR VOICES. US PEOPLE THAT COME HERE AND STAND HERE, STAND UP FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO WORK DURING THESE HOURS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. AND APPRECIATING EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. NOW, THAT WAS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JEANETTE SMITH. I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

044AND SUPPORT FOR CORNERSTONE FAMILY MINISTRIES, ALSO THE ROSA VALDEZ EARLY LEARNING CENTER OF WEST TAMPA. I HAVE SUPPORT BEHIND ME. WE ARE HERE FOR ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF JUST ELEMENTARY. WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER IN ITS DELIBERATIONS MAYBE TAKING JUST OFF THE LIST AND REALLY LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO WHAT TO DO FOR A SCHOOL WITH SUCH A LEGACY AS JUST ELEMENTARY. KNOWING WHAT DEVELOPMENT IS COMING TO THE WEST TAMPA AREA, BEING CONCERNED ABOUT AN UNDERENROLLED SCHOOL AND A DEVELOPING NEIGHBORHOOD IS KIND OF COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. WE'RE BRINGING FAMILIES INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD BUT YET WE ARE DIVESTING IN THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. THE WEST TAMPA COMMUNITY IN WHICH I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF 65 0 TO 5-YEAR-OLDS, SO I AM THE VOICE OF THE BABIES. THAT COMMUNITY IS IN DIRE NEED FOR YOUTH

045ENGAGEMENT, BOTH POSITIVELY DURING SCHOOL HOURS AND AFTER SCHOOL HOURS. AND SO IN ORDER TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN A SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S UNDERENROLLED, DUNBAR, MAX ENROLLMENT IS 311, THEY ARE AT 306. WEST TAMPA I'M SURE ISN'T HURTING FOR KIDS EITHER. SO WHEN YOU DEVELOP IN THAT AREA, THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE CHARTERED NOR AT THE COST OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUILT LITERALLY THE STREETS BY WHICH THIS CITY WILL PROFIT FROM. AND SO I'M NOT STANDING BEFORE YOU BECAUSE I'M A PARENT OF SOMEONE WHO GOES TO JUST. I HAVE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD AND A ONE-YEAR-OLD, ONE WHO ATTENDS RAMPELLO, ONE WHO ATTENDS ROSA VALDES. I'M NOT BEFORE YOU BECAUSE I AM AN ALUM OF DUNBAR AND WEST TAMPA ELEMENTARY AND OF MIDDLETON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND

046OF HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM AND HOWARD UNIVERSITY. I'M NOT BEFORE YOU BECAUSE MY SISTER IS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN GENERAL MANAGER OF A FORD MOTOR DEALERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, OR THAT MY OTHER SISTER IS THE VICE PROVOST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA THAT MY BROTHER BUILDS ROBOTS AND MY OTHER SISTER DOES COMPUTER SCIENCE AND THE OTHER IS A GLOBAL TRAINER FOR A PRIVATE BANKING INSTITUTE. I'M HERE BECAUSE ALL SIX OF US ARE PRODUCTS OF JUST MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE OUR PARENTS MET AND THEN THEY WENT ON TO BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN BECAUSE OF INTEGRATION, THEY WERE SEPARATED. AND MY MOM HAD TO GO TO PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. BUT YET LOVE PERSISTED AND THEY REUNITED AND THEY BIRTH SIX PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS. THAT FAMILY, MY FAMILY, COULD NOT AFFORD CHARTER SCHOOL

047OR PRIVATE SCHOOL, IF ONLY THREE OF US WERE TO GET SCHOLARSHIPS. SO I ASK FOR YOU TO JUST CONSIDER THAT IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND MAYBE CONSIDER TAKING JUST OFF THE LIST AND LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESSING THE UNDERENROLLMENT AND POSSIBLY UNDERPERFORMANCE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER OR THE NEXT FIVE SPEAKERS WILL PLEASE LINE UP. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KAREN CLARK. I AM THE GRANDMOTHER OF A DYNAMIC, BRIGHT, PRECOCIOUS YOUNG LADY AND HER NAME IS ANNELISE. TODAY I AM HERE BASICALLY TO ADVOCATE FOR A SAFER ROUTE FOR HER TO ATTEND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. CURRENTLY, SHE ATTENDS TOWN N' COUNTRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SHE JUST STARTED GOING TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. HOWEVER, THERE IS NOT A SAFE ROUTE FOR HER TO LEAVE TOWN N'

048COUNTRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, CROSS THROUGH WEBB AND MAKE HER WAY TO THE TOWN N' COUNTRY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB. SO WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME IS THAT I AM A LIFE INSURANCE AGENT. I'VE BEEN AN AGENT FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND I DO WORK FROM HOME. HOWEVER, I HAVE TO TAKE HER TO SCHOOL IN THE MORNING, GO BACK HOME. COME AGAIN AT 1:30, 1:45 BECAUSE OF HER MOBILITY ISSUE, SHE GETS OUT OF CLASS A LITTLE EARLIER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. I HAVE TO PHYSICALLY WALK DOWN HANLEY ROAD, DOWN SAWYER TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND BRING HER THERE, DROP HER OFF, GO BACK HOME, CONTINUE TO WORK, COME BACK AROUND BETWEEN 4:30 AND 6:00, PICK HER UP. SO THAT'S THREE TRIPS. THE MORNING TRIP AND THE AFTERNOON TRIPS ARE GIVEN. I WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT

049REGARDLESS, BUT THAT MIDDAY TRIP COULD BE CIRCUMVENTED. SO CURRENTLY THERE IS A ROUTE THAT THE CHILDREN WHO ARE NOT MOBILITY LIMITED ARE TAKING. ONCE THEY LEAVE TOWN N' COUNTRY ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS NOT THE ISSUE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A RAMP. THEY ARE NOW ON TO WEBB MIDDLE SCHOOL'S PROPERTY. THERE, THERE IS A LITTLE GRASSY MOUND WHICH HAS AN INCLINE, WHICH IS A LITTLE HILL, AND SHE CAN SELF-PROPEL, BUT IT'S A CHALLENGE WHEN YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR. SO THEY HAVE A SIDEWALK, BUT IT HAS A RAMP, BUT THE RAMP CUTS OFF. LONG STORY SHORT, THERE IS NO SAFE ROUTE FOR SOMEONE WITH A WHEELCHAIR. SHE DOES REQUIRE ASSISTANCE ONE ON ONE AS SHE HAS A PARAASSIGNED TO HER AT TOWN N' COUNTRY ELEMENTARY. AT ONE POINT SHE DID ACTUALLY HAVE A PRIVATE NURSE. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT SITUATION HAS

050BECOME OBSOLETE AS OF THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY BECAUSE OF FUNDING ISSUES I GUESS. THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SAID THEY ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE HER THERE, HOWEVER THEY DON'T OFFER ONE ON ONE ASSISTANCE. I IMPLORE YOU TO EMPLOYEES FIND A SAFER ROUTE FOR ANNELISE TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND BE ABLE TO ENJOY HERSELF WITH HER PEERS AND HAVE THAT EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP THAT ANY OTHER CHILD DESERVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS ANNELISE AND I'M GOING TO SAY HOW WHEN THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, FIRST, I'M GOING TO START THAT TODAY WHEN I WAS AT SCHOOL AND I TOLD MY TEACHER THAT MY ARMS HURTED WHEN I WAS PUSHING MYSELF,

051WE WERE COMING FROM LUNCH, AND SHE SAID MAYBE IF YOU GET OUT OF THE WHEELCHAIR THEN YOU CAN BE MORE LIKE WALKING. AND I SAID, WELL, I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE WHEELCHAIR FOR MY ASSISTANCE IF I NEED THE WHEELCHAIR, THEN I HAVE TO BE IN IT. THE HALLWAY IS TOO LONG FOR ME TO WALK AND YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHEN MY MUSCLES HURT OR NOT, AND SHE SAID, WELL, I'M JUST SAYING THAT. I SAID, WELL, MAYBE YOU CAN KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS TO YOURSELF. AND SHE SAID, JUST GO PLAY. AND I SAID I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT MY THOUGHTS. AND THEN TODAY WHEN MY GRANDMA PICKED ME UP, I DIDN'T TELL HER, BUT I JUST TOLD HER, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT SHE SAID, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN I'M IN THE WHEELCHAIR,

052I FEEL LIKE MY TEACHER DOESN'T WANT ME IN HER CLASS JUST BECAUSE OF WHEN I COMPLAIN ABOUT MY MUSCLE WEAKNESS, BUT I HAVE A CONDITION AND I KEEP TELLING HER THAT, BUT SHE ACTS LIKE SHE DOESN'T REALLY CARE. BUT EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T CARE, THEN MAYBE SHE JUST HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, AND IF SHE HAS A PROBLEM WITH IT, THEN MAYBE SHE HAS A PROBLEM WITH ME IN HER CLASS. BUT IF PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME, I DON'T REALLY SHOW THAT I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM. BUT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ME, I DON'T WANT TO BE NICE TO THEM, BUT SINCE SHE IS MY TEACHER, I WOULD BE NICE TO HER. AND WHEN I HAVE TO BE IN MY CLASSROOM, I WAS IN AN OLD CLASS,

053AND MY TEACHER, SHE USED TO GIVE ME ANXIETY SO I WENT OUT OF HER CLASS. AND TODAY, I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO EVEN WHEN MY TEACHER TELLS ME TO WALK, I STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE IN MY WHEELCHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE. AND OUR CHIEF OF SCHOOLS WILL BE BACK THERE TO TALK TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU. MRS. TINA WILLIAMS BREWSTER, MS. ANNELISE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOICE. I'M ALSO HERE TO TALK ABOUT VOICES AND HOW CHILDREN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS ANXIETY, SUCH AS DEPRESSION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, HAVE TO ENDURE AN UNTIMELY PROCESS GETTING HELP. WE GAVE CONSENT FOR MY DAUGHTER TO HAVE AN EVALUATION

054IN NOVEMBER. AS OF MARCH 7th, 2023, THERE HASN'T BEEN A CALENDAR SCHEDULED FOR AN IEP ELIGIBILITY MEETING. NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH. FIVE MONTHS. I HAVE TALKED TO ANYONE THAT I CAN TALK TO. I ALSO AGREE WITH THE YOUNG MAN WHO SPOKE. I SPEAK FOR THE VOICES WHO CANNOT SPEAK. I SPEAK FOR THE PARENTS WHO CANNOT BE HERE. I SPEAK FOR THE ADVOCATES, AN AGENT OF CHANGE. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, AND TEACHERS, NO CHILD. I HEARD SOMEONE SAY THESE CHILDREN, NO MA'AM, ALL CHILDREN, NOT JUST THESE CHILDREN, ALL CHILDREN DESERVE EDUCATION. ALL CHILDREN DESERVE RESOURCES. ALL CHILDREN DESERVE FOR THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD. BECAUSE WE CHOSE TO SPEAK OUT, MY DAUGHTER WAS BULLIED. GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL, NOTHING HAS CHANGED. WE'VE HAD MEETINGS. "OH, IT WILL GET BETTER." REMEMBER, WE SIGNED A CONSENT

055FORM NOVEMBER OF 2022, FIVE MONTHS LATER, NO SCHEDULE ELIGIBILITY. PEOPLE COMING TO MEETINGS UNPREPARED HAVEN'T EVEN READ THE REPORTS. REPORTS, "OH, WE GOT IT IN." DATES CHANGE. WHEN IS ENOUGH ENOUGH? I'VE BEEN AN AGENT OF CHANGE FOR SEVEN YEARS. SEVEN YEARS OF NO SUPPORT. SIX DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, FIVE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WHEN? NO CHILD, THE ANNELISES, THE NINAS, AND KINDERGARTEN HAD TO TEACH MY SON ABOUT THE N WORD. KINDERGARTEN. THAT'S WHEN I BECAME AN ADVOCATE. IT IS TIME FOR THE VOICES TO BE HEARD. AND IT'S REALLY FOR UNDERSTANDING. WE'RE NOT ANGRY. WE'RE NOT UPSET. WE'RE ADVOCATES. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP PUSHING. THAT IS OUR JOB AS PARENTS. SO WHEN YOU SEE ME, NO, I'M NOT ANGRY. AND IF I AM, SO WHAT? AREN'T MY CHILDREN HUMAN, TOO? DON'T THEIR VOICES DESERVE TO BE HEARD? WHEN IS

056ENOUGH ENOUGH? Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. ALAN BREWSTER. BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, BUT I'M GOING TO USE MYSELF. IN 2013, I HAD A HOUSE FIRE. BOTH MY HANDS, MY FEET, MY FACE, PART OF MY LEGS WAS SECOND DEGREE BURNS, AND IT TOOK ME ABOUT FIVE MONTHS TO RECOVER. AND I REALIZED SOMETHING OUT OF THAT, THAT I DEVELOPED ANXIETY. AND IT TOOK ME FOR A LOOP. IF I SEE FIRE, I'M FREAKING OUT. THEN I LEARNED THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE TRIGGERS, AND IT TAKES ME A WHILE, I HAVE TO TALK TO MYSELF TO BRING MYSELF BACK TO A NORMAL STATE. AND I WANT TO TIE THIS IN WITH MY DAUGHTER AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL. SHE HAS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION. A TEACHER STARTED YELLING AT HER OVER AN

057ASSIGNMENT AND MY DAUGHTER WENT INTO A TAILSPIN. NOW, WE DID SIGN, LIKE MY WIFE SAID, FOR A SOCIAL HISTORY ASSESSMENT. MY DAUGHTER TALKS TO THE PSYCHOLOGISTS FROM ENVO. BUT GUESS WHAT, THE PROCESS AT GAITHER IS BROKEN. THE PSYCHOLOGIST, THE HILLSBOROUGH PSYCHOLOGIST FOR GAITHER AND THE SOCIAL WORKER DO NOT INTERACT OR COMMUNICATE WITH THE PSYCHOLOGIST AT ENVO WHO MY DAUGHTER TALKS TO ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEY NEVER ASKEDER FOR HER INPUT. -- ASKED HER FOR HER INPUT. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? SHE HAS THE MOST KNOWLEDGE OF MY DAUGHTER, ABOUT HER TRIGGERS, HOW SHE FEELS ABOUT THE SCHOOL, THE CLASS SETTINGS, THE ADMINISTRATORS THERE. THEY DON'T ASK HER FOR ANYTHING. THIS PROCESS IS BROKEN, AND IN ORDER FOR MY DAUGHTER TO GET HELP, JUST LIKE I HAD HELP WHEN I WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, THERE'S A WHOLE

058TEAM THERE, A WHOLE PROCESS, OBJECTIVES AND GOAL TO GET THIS INDIVIDUAL HEALED, THAT HAS TO BE THE SAME PROCESS AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT'S NOT THERE. OH, IT LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL ILLNESS, BUT THEY ARE NOT DOING WHAT IT SAYS. THE SOCIAL WORKER, SHE IS NOT DOING HER JOB PROFESSIONALLY. THE PROCESS IS BROKEN. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. CHRIS BLACKBURN. NORTH BON AIR, WESTSHORE PALMS AREA. I'M HERE AS ALWAYS TO ADVOCATE FOR NOT ONLY MY SON BUT OUR KIDS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE BOUNDARY CHANGES. I'M REALLY KIND OF HACKED OFF NOW. I'M LOOKING AT STUFF WHERE WE'RE CONSTANTLY -- THE CONSTANT BICKERING AND INFIGHTING, WHATEVER IS GOING ON WITH THIS BOARD WITH DIFFERENT AREAS, SOUTH TAMPA, I'M GOING TO BRING UP SOUTH TAMPA

059BECAUSE I LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA. I WORK SIX, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, WHATEVER IT TAKES. AND I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS, TO MAKE SURE THAT MY KID AND MAYBE FUTURE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT MY SON IS GETTING THE BEST EDUCATION I CAN AFFORD TO GET HIM, TOO. AND I AM WORKING MY TAIL END OFF. THESE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA, IF THEY ARE MILLIONAIRES, THEY HAVE MILLION-DOLLAR HOUSES, THIS WHOLE WHITE PRIVILEGE CRAP SHOULD BE OVER. IF THEY ARE MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, I DON'T CARE. THEY DID BETTER THAN I DID IN SOME SPOT IN LIFE. I DON'T CARE WHERE THEIR MONEY CAME FROM. THEY LIVE IN HOUSES. THEY PAY THEIR TAXES. THEY DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN. PLANT HIGH SCHOOL IS GETTING PICKED ON CONSTANTLY BY DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD. I'M OVER

060IT. IT'S OVER. ONE, THREE, FIVE AND SEVEN IS COMING UP NEXT YEAR. ONE, THREE, FIVE AND SEVEN. OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER, BECAUSE YOU'RE BICKERING ABOUT PEOPLE MAKING MONEY. YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR LIVE DOWN IN SOUTH TAMPA, TOO, WHO ARE WEALTHY? LOTS. WE LIVE IN THE MOST DIVERSE AREA IN THIS AREA FOR SOUTH TAMPA SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT 2. ENOUGH. STOP WITH THE CONSTANT PLANT HIGH SCHOOL NEVER GETS TOUCHED AND NONE OF THESE OTHER SCHOOLS GET TOUCHED. IT'S CHILDISH. THIS IS CHILDISH. MY KID DESERVES THE EDUCATION I SET HIM UP FOR AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEND HIM OFF TO PIERCE OR COLEMAN. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. THE BOOING THAT LADY SHOWED US A LITTLE WHILE AGO WAS RECOMMENDED BY PIERCE? I DON'T WANT TO GET A

061PHONE CALL FROM PIERCE THAT MY KID IS GETTING IN A FIGHT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT HIM THERE. THOSE KIDS, DO NOT -- RICH KID FROM SOUTH TAMPA IS HERE. HE'S NOT A RICH KID. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF HAVING TO HEAR ALL THESE COMMUNICATIONS AND YOUR MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS. OH, SOUTH TAMPA, THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER THING. MS. HAHN HAS GIVEN UP 4700 STUDENTS. YOU DON'T THINK THERE ARE ANY WEALTHY PEOPLE IN ANY OTHER AREAS, DISTRICT 4, DISTRICT 1? DISTRICT 5. THERE'S WEALTHY PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS AREA. PLEASE, GET OVER IT AND TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS IN OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. HI. MY NAME IS MARGARITA NOVAK. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, AND THE REST OF THE BOARD TODAY. THANK YOU SO

062MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE ENTIRE BOUNDARY CHANGE AND BEING DILIGENT AND TAKING THE TIME TO GO ON EXTRA MEETINGS AND LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY. I AM ENTIRELY GRATEFUL FOR THAT AS I'M SURE THE REST OF US ARE IN HAVING YOU GUYS SIT WITH US, LISTEN TO US AND MAKE THE CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. I KNOW THIS IS A LONG, LONG PROCESS, AND WE STILL HAVE A BUNCH OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO. AND SO LISTENING TO YOUR GUYS' WORKSHOP ON FEBRUARY 13th, ONE OF MY MAIN CONCERNS AGAIN IS OUR TOUCH WITH OUR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. AGAIN, TOUCHING ON THE HISPANICS. LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WITH THE AMOUNT OF IMMIGRATION THAT IS COMING IN ALREADY THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WAS 9,000 KIDS AND MORE ARE COMING. LAST MONTH, A

063THOUSAND KIDS. SO WHERE ARE THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO THOSE STUDENTS? WHERE IS THAT SPANISH SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION GOING TO THOSE STUDENTS? BECAUSE THEY ARE IMMIGRANTS. THEY DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE. THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEONE TO TELLING THEM, HEY, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON. WE NEED TO GO OUT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY, AND HAVE THOSE MEETINGS AND THAT COMMUNICATION DONE. AS WELL AS MENTIONED IN THAT SAME WORKSHOP ABOUT HAVING A PROPERTY SELLING OF CERTAIN BUILDINGS, I THOUGHT IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS THAT THERE WEREN'T GOING TO BE ANY PROPERTIES BEING SOLD. NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THERE WILL BE PROPERTIES BEING SOLD. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT MONEY WILL THEN COME BACK TO US AND HOPEFULLY GENERATE MORE INFLUX OF FINANCIAL BENEFITS, BUT I'M THINKING IN THE SENSE OF WHY CAN'T WE RENT THAT OUT TO THOSE LOCATIONS THEN?

064BECAUSE HOW ARE WE GOING TO LOSE MORE ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS THAT WE ARE NEEDING FOR OUR STUDENTS? WE JUST CAN'T GIVE UP PROPERTY JUST TO GIVE IT UP. THAT'S FOR OUR STUDENTS. THAT'S FOR OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION. THAT'S FOR OUR CHILDREN. PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP THOSE BUILDINGS. PLEASE JUST RENT THOSE OUT TO THOSE LEASING PLACES OR THOSE GARAGE PLACES, JUST LEASE IT OUT. WE NEED THAT. WE NEED TO STOP GIVING SO MUCH OUT. WE NEED TO START TAKING BACK OUR POWER AS A COMMUNITY, AS THE PUBLIC, AND DEMANDING THAT WE STAND TOGETHER AND NOT BE PUSHED OFF AS WELL AS UNDERSTANDING THE CHOSEN DATA, UNDERSTANDING THE INCENTIVES WITH YOUR RFP PROCESS, WITH YOUR CONSULTANTS. I'M VERY SORRY, VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HOW THAT, AGAIN, COMMUNICATION HAS NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT AS YOU HAVE ALREADY SAID, THAT COST $500,000 AND

065IT'S STILL BEING BILLED MONTHLY, SO WE'RE PAYING FOR A CONSULTANT THAT WE HAVE AS A PUBLIC AND AS A BOARD MAY NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL NOW CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT COUPLE OF PROCLAMATIONS. A 02, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH, YOUTH ART MONTH, AND THEATER IN OUR SCHOOLS, MARCH 2023. MEMBER GRAY WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE PROCLAMATION I'M READING IS MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH. AND YOUTH ART MONTH AND THEATER IN OUR SCHOOLS. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT PRIDES ITSELF IN SUPPORT OF ART EDUCATION TO ALL STUDENTS. THE DEPARTMENT SPANS SERVICES FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 12, OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE CONNECTIONS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. THROUGH CURRICULUM AND COMMUNITY

066SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND ADMINISTRATION, THE ART EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MAKES STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH CREATIVE THINKING IT'S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. THE PURPOSE OF MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH IS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN AND TO REMIND CITIZENS THAT SCHOOLS ARE WHERE ALL CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO MUSIC. ART EDUCATION DEVELOPS STUDENTS' CREATIVE POTENTIAL AND IMPROVES PROBLEM SOLVING AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS BY REINFORCING AND BRINGING TO LIFE WHAT STUDENTS LEARN IN OTHER SUBJECTS. ACCESS TO THEATER EDUCATION IN OUR SCHOOLS HAS BEEN PROVEN TO PROVIDE MANY BENEFITS FOR OUR CHILDREN SUCH AS HIGHER LEVELS OF EMPATHY, EMOTION REGULATION, DECISION MAKING, AND POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS DEDICATED, TALENTED, AND PASSIONATE ART TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS WHO DEDICATE THEIR LIVES TO MAKE OUR STUDENTS MORE WELL-ROUNDED AND PREPARED INDIVIDUALS.

067THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. ARTS AND EDUCATION IS CRITICAL AND IS MUCH APPRECIATED. AND OUR SUPERVISOR, TRACY AND LAURA HOBBY HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB. SUPERINTENDENT SAVES, I KNOW YOU MUST BE VERY PROUD OF BOTH OF THEM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH, YOUTH ART MONTH AND THEATER IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON, ANY DISCUSSION? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE TED HOPE WHO IS RETIRED, BUT ALSO JOHN, OUR NEW 6-12 SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC AS WELL. BEEN AN INSTRUMENTAL PART OF IT ALONG WITH TRACY AND LAURA. THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER

068COMBS. IT'S JUST SO WONDERFUL WHEN WE GO OUT TO SCHOOLS OR WHEN WE COME HERE TO BOARD MEETINGS, WE ALWAYS SEE THE STUDENTS PLAYING INSTRUMENTS, SINGING. YOU KNOW, PROVIDING THESE OPPORTUNITIES AROUND MUSIC AND ART AND P.E., COMBINE THAT WITH THE ACADEMICS, WE'RE REALLY EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD. AND THAT'S SO IMPORTANT, THE SKILLS THAT KIDS LEARN THROUGH ART, MUSIC, AND P.E. TRANSLATES INTO SO MANY OTHER AREAS AS THEY JUST GO THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE LIFE. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE EVEN TODAY, BEFORE THE MEETING, WE HAVE THE DRUM LINE, AND IT'S ALWAYS JUST SO INSPIRING. I KNOW THAT ART, I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF THE TAMPA ART MUSEUM. TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART AND LOVE GOING TO THE MUSEUM AND SEEING OUR STUDENTS' ART HANGING IN THAT MUSEUM AND HOW SPECIAL THAT MUST FEEL TO HANG IN

069SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUM. I KNOW THAT AS PART OF YOUTH ART MONTH, THE GASPARILLA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS SPONSORED THE FIRST-EVER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ESE TENT AT THE EVENT, AND 74 ESE STUDENT ARTISTS IN GRADES K-12 WERE FEATURED AT TAMPA'S PREMIER ART FESTIVAL, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING FOR OUR STUDENTS. ESE STUDENT ARTISTS AND FAMILIES AND FRIENDS BENEFITED FROM THE OPPORTUNITY. THEY SHOWCASED THEIR WORK. THEY GOT TO SHARE THAT WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR LARGER COMMUNITY. IT WAS A VERY SPECIAL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH THE GASPARILLA FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS FOR INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS. AND THIS THURSDAY IS THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLASTIC ART AND WRITING AWARD CEREMONY AT BLAKE AND 200 STUDENTS WILL BE HONORED. SO MANY GREAT THINGS ARE CONSTANTLY HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT CELEBRATE THE ARTS.

070IT MAKES ME VERY PROUD TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YOU KNOW, EDUCATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT READING AND MATH. WE TALK A LOT UP HERE AND WE HAD A LOT OF STUDENTS TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND THE CHANGES OUR COMMUNITY HAS MADE AND OUR WORLD HAS MADE. AND THEIR COPING SKILLS AND LEARNING HOW TO ADJUST AND BE PART OF A LARGER COMMUNITY, AND IT IS THAT MUSIC, THAT ARE THE A, THAT THEATER THAT GIVES THOSE STUDENTS AN OUTLET. IT ALLOWS THEM TO DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS. IT ALLOWS THEM TO GIVE COPING SKILLS AND WAYS IN WHICH THEY CAN EXPRESS THEMSELVES SO THAT THOSE KIND OF SKILLS LEAD THEM TO LATER ON IN LIFE AND ASSIST WITH ANXIETY AND EMOTIONAL DISORDERS AND MENTAL

071HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT COULD LAST THEM A LIFETIME WHEN THEY NEED THOSE COPING SKILLS. THOSE MUSIC AND ART AND THEATER CLASSES ALSO GIVING THEM A SENSE OF BELONGING. THEY WALK INTO OUR LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS OR EVEN THEIR UNIVERSITIES AND THOSE ARE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. THOSE ARE WHERE THEY FIT. THOSE ARE WHERE THEY ARE PART OF A LARGER BODY THAN JUST THEIR CLASS OR THEIR OTHER STUDENTS. AND SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, HUGE ASPECT IN MY FAMILY'S LIFE. SO I THANK YOU ALL PERSONALLY FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR MY CHILDREN AS WELL AS ALL THE CHILDREN OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO LAURA HOBBY, TRACY LESSEE, MR. HOPE. JUST ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. WHEN I GET TO GO OUT

072TO SCHOOLS, I TRY TO GO OUT TO SCHOOLS AT LEAST A FEW TIMES A WEEK. I GET TO SEE THE ART, THE MUSIC TEACHERS, EVERYTHING THAT THEY BRING. I WILL TELL YOU, I TOLD YOU, MS. LISI, WHEN I WENT TO THE ELEMENTARY EVENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EASY BEING A BOARD MEMBER. LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S NOT EASY, ESPECIALLY THESE DAYS, RIGHT? SO GOING OUT THERE AND SEEING THAT EVENING AT THE STRAZ CENTER, I WAS SO MOVED, AND IT REALLY JUST KIND OF REMINDS US LIKE WHY WE ARE HERE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING AND SEEING ALL THOSE KIDS, ALL THOSE TALENTED STUDENTS, IT WAS JUST SO AMAZING, AND IT REALLY, REALLY JUST IMPACTED ME IN SUCH A GREAT WAY. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, ALL THE ART MUSIC, ALL THE TEACHERS IN

073GENERAL THAT WORK SO HARD, BUT THEY HAVE TO DO SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE, AND THEY MAKE EVERY DOLLAR STRETCH, EVERY INSTRUMENT WORK, SO EVERY PIECE OF PAPER USED. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE -- TED HOPE, SORRY, I NEED TO RECOGNIZE YOU AS WELL. WHAT A MONUMENTAL JOB YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO AT ANY RATE, YEAH, THE ARTS AND EDUCATION IS THE BIGGEST EQUALIZER, TEAM SPORTS IS ANOTHER ONE, BUT CERTAINLY ARTS, MAKES EVERYONE PLAY ON THE SAME EVEN PLAYING FIELD LITERALLY, RIGHT? THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. HOPE, FOR ALL YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE. Addison Davis: THIS IS JOHN SEAVER, LEGENDARY PART OF OUR STACK COMMITTEE AND ALSO TRANSITION TO TAKE ON THE NEW ROLE OF SUPERVISOR OF MUSIC.

074WE THANK JOHN FOR BEING HERE. TED REAM RETIRED AND HIRED JOHN RECENTLY. HE WILL BE AN INNOVATIVE LEADER IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, JOHN. Nadia Combs: ALSO KNOWN PRIOR TO. Addison Davis: HE HAS TWO NAMES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: I KNOW, I WAS CONFUSED, BUT I'M LOOKING OUT THERE. I'M BLIND BUT I CAN SEE A LITTLE BIT. ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING ABOARD. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO SAY, TOO, THE ART AND MUSIC, IT WAS SO WONDERFUL THE OTHER NIGHT TO BE THERE TO SEE THOSE KIDS PERFORM. AND THEY WERE SO EXCITING. THEY WERE EXCITED TO PERFORM. THEY ARE SO TALENTED. WE HAVE SO MANY TALENTED KIDS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND IT WAS JUST BEAUTIFUL. I LOVED IT. AND I WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. I'LL

075BE THERE. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. WE CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT ART AND MUSIC. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. A 03 -- YAY. AO 3, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH, MARCH 2023. MEMBER PEREZ WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SOCIAL WORKERS PROVIDE A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WHICH FOSTER STUDENTS' PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND ACADEMIC GROWTH. THEY HELP STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH LEARNING, BEHAVIOR, MENTAL HEALTH, AND ATTENDANCE WHILE STRENGTHENING HOME, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. SOCIAL WORKERS PROMOTE AND. SO THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS BY PROVIDING SERVICES, INCLUDING CRISIS INTERVENTION AND COUNSELING, SUPPORTING PARENT AND FAMILY INVOLVEMENT, PLANNING AND DEVELOPING SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTIONS WITH EDUCATORS, ENGAGING COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND ASSESSING THE NEED FOR SPECIAL SERVICES. THERE

076ARE 246 SOCIAL WORKERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THEY PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP TO THEIR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE NATIONAL SOCIAL WORK MONTH, MARCH 2023. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: SO SOCIAL WORKERS ARE THE LARGEST MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION EMPLOYED IN THE UNITED STATES. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU KNEW THAT BUT I WANT TO THANK ALL MY FELLOW SOCIAL WORKERS AND COLLEAGUES AND THE SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. HAPPY SOCIAL WORK MONTH. THE THEME FOR SOCIAL WORK MONTH IS SOCIAL WORK BREAKS BARRIERS. THE REASON FOR THE THEME WAS SELECTED IS THAT SOCIAL WORKERS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR WORK IN AREAS, ADDRESS

077ISSUES THAT PREVENT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES FROM THRIVING. SO SOCIAL WORK MONTH IS THE TIME TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE-CHANGING PROFESSION THAT SOCIAL WORKERS BRING TO THE TABLE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBER PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MEMBER GRAY NOT ON THE DAIS. NEXT IS A 04, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, TAMPA BAY TIMES NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION, MARCH 6-10. MEMBER HAHN WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED THIS PROCLAMATION. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. NEWSPAPER AND EDUCATION IS AN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGES AND PROMOTES LITERACY BY USING THE NEWSPAPER AS A TEACHING TOOL. STUDIES SHOW STUDENTS WHO LEARN USING THE NEWSPAPER BECOME MORE ENGAGED CITIZENS AS ADULTS AND GROW UP TO VOTE IN COMMUNITY, STATE, AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS. FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, THE TAMPA BAY TIMES NEWSPAPER AND EDUCATION PROGRAM

078HAS SERVED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, AND FAMILIES BY PROVIDING CLASSROOM NEWSPAPERS, MATERIALS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT. THE NEWSPAPER AND EDUCATION PROGRAM PROVIDED MORE THAN A HALF MILLION PRINT COPIES AND MORE THAN 10 MILLION DIGITAL EDITIONS OF THE TAMPA BAY TIMES TO CLASSROOMS ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH IN THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE TAMPA BAY TIMES NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION WEEK MARCH 6-10. MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN. A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THANK YOU. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW

079MOVE ON TO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS THAT WILL NOW BE HEARD. C 4.02, C 4.03. 5.03, 10.01, AND 11.02. 4.02, REVISED EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND STUDENT SERVICES PROFESSIONALS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. IN COLLABORATION WITH CTA, WITH OUR SUPPORT STAFF LEADERS, ALSO OUR DISTRICT LEADERS, PRINCIPALS, WE HAD TO COME UP WITH LOOKING AT OUR EVALUATION SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO STRENGTHEN IT. AND BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT FEWER STREAMLINED COMPONENTS TO REALLY GIVE US THE ESSENTIAL EVALUATIONS, ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON OUR MAJOR PRACTICES THAT IMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE PERFORMANCES FROM OUR EMPLOYEES. LAST YEAR, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE AND ADJUST THE EDUCATOR EVALUATION, AND WE LAUNCHED THIS SCHOOL YEAR. NOW IT'S TIME TO BRING TO THE BOARD THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERS EVALUATION, THE DISTRICT LEADER'S EVALUATION AND THE STUDENT

080SERVICES EVALUATION WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELORS, AND PSYCHOLOGISTS. IN THIS COLLABORATION, WE LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING AN INSTRUMENT THAT REALLY TRULY FOCUSES ON HOW TO BUILD ONE'S CAPACITY AND ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE IDENTIFIED AREAS FROM PROGRESSING ALL THE WAY TO BEING AN EXEMPLAR AND GIVE THEM THE EXPLICIT INDICATORS AS WE GO FORWARD. BRINGING TO THE BOARD TONIGHT, THIS REALLY ALLOWS TO US LOOK AT PROFESSIONAL ETHICAL NORMS, LOOKS AT VISION, MISSION, OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT, STUDENT LEARNING, STUDENT ENVIRONMENT, LOOKING AT PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY, LEADERSHIP CAPACITY AND ALSO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONS AND DOMAINS THAT WE HAVE USED AND COME TO A COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT ON TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE TO IMPROVE OUR PERFORMANCE AND CREATE A BITE-SIZE FEEDBACK TO THE EMPLOYEES TO IMPROVE THEIR CRAFT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS.

081I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 4.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER HAHN. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EVALUATIONS AND SURVEYS, AND I KNOW THE IMPORTANT INGREDIENT, AND YOU DO, TOO, IS THE DATA COLLECTION, THE COMPILING OF THE DATA. SO WHEN WE DO HAVE THIS SURVEY COMPLETED AND THE CULTURE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF A POSITIVE CULTURE OR ONE THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT, CAN YOU SHARE WITH THE BOARD WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS, THROUGH THE CHAIR, IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PRINCIPAL SUPERVISOR, REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENTS AND ALSO CHIEFS TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE WITH OUR SCHOOL-BASED LEADERS OR ANY EMPLOYEES. OFTEN OUR JOB IS TO

082MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE PARTNERS IN THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THEIR WORK, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE CERTAIN THERE'S LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH BUILDING MENTORS, PLCs, WALK-THROUGHS, COLLABORATION WALKS, CALIBRATION WALKS, ALL THOSE ELEMENTS. OPENLY, THERE SHOULD NEVER BE A SURPRISE TO ANY EMPLOYEE WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, WITHIN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA, THAT GET AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN THEIR EVALUATION. THAT IS CONTINUED TO BE ALONGSIDE PART OF CONTINUOUS FEEDBACK WITHIN THE EVALUATION SYSTEM. HOWEVER, IF THERE ARE PARTS WHERE WE THINK THERE ARE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT, WE WILL MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE THE NECESSARY STAFF TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES. I'VE NEVER MET AN EDUCATOR THAT COMES TO WORK AND DOESN'T WANT TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB FOR CHILDREN. WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ALONGSIDE OUR PEERS AND

083OUR COLLEAGUES IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CRAFT EVERY DAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. AGAIN, IT MAY JUST BE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A PORTION OF THE EVALUATION, BUT A COUPLE OF KEY THINGS THAT I FOUND OVER MY YEARS IS THAT I DON'T SEE IN HERE WHERE THE EMPLOYEE THEMSELVES WOULD BE RANKING THEMSELVES IN THEIR OWN SELF-EVALUATION FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. YES, THAT IS A PIECE OF IT. IT IS A VOLUNTARY SELF-EVALUATION THAT IS BUILT INTO OUR LOSS AND TALENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. Patti Rendon: BUT IT'S NOT CONNECTED DIRECTLY WITH THEIR EVALUATION. YES, MA'AM. Patti Rendon: IT WILL BE. THE EVALUATOR THEN SEES THE SELF-EVALUATION RATINGS BEFORE FINAL EVALUATION CONFERENCES ARE HELD. Addison Davis: THAT'S BEEN A

084PRACTICE THAT WE CONSISTENTLY INPUT. IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO EMPLOY TO EVALUATE THEMSELVES, TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE CALIBRATING THEIR LENS WHERE WE BELIEVE THEY ARE AT AS WELL. Patti Rendon: THE OTHER THINGS I SAW THAT WERE LIKE HOLES THAT STUCK OUT TO ME, AGAIN, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A PORTION OF THIS, IS I DON'T SEE ANYWHERE WE HAVE ESTABLISHED GOALS, RIGHT? THEY WOULD ESTABLISH GOALS LEAVING OFF FROM THE EVALUATION, WHAT IS THE UPCOMING GOALS FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND THEN WHAT ARE ACTION ITEMS TO MOVE TOWARDS THEM, WHETHER IT IS FROM THE EMPLOYEE STANDPOINT OR FROM THE OTHER. AGAIN, THOSE WERE TO ME LIKE ACTION ITEMS. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, SO WE WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN OUR EVALUATION IS CONNECTED WITH THE FLORIDA LEADERSHIP STANDARDS. SAME TOKEN, EVERY SCHOOL

085HAS A SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM WHERE THEY SET INDIVIDUAL GOALS TO HAVE BENCHMARKS AND ALSO WE GIVE THEM INDIVIDUALIZED GOALS FROM DATA ASSESSMENT WHERE THEY HAVE TO MOVE GOALS RELATED TO ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. SO THOSE ELEMENTS ARE ALL NOT ONLY GIVEN THROUGH SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS BUT ALSO GIVEN THROUGH THE TERRY CONNOR SHOP. SAME TOKEN, WE GIVE THEM WHAT GOALS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AS WELL AND MAP THOSE INDIVIDUALLY. WE ALSO HAVE A VERY ROBUST PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SHARE POINT THAT HAS DIFFERENT TIPS AND DIFFERENT TOOLS AND ACCESS TO VARIOUS RESOURCES. Patti Rendon: BUT THERE'S NOTHING ON THE EVALUATION OF THE STAFF THAT IDENTIFIES GOALS FOR THEM, AND ACTION STEPS FOR THEM. DEPENDING ON THE BARGAINING UNIT, THAT WOULD BE RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, WE STILL WORK WITH OUR UNION GROUPS ON DEVELOPING THOSE PIECES, IF

086THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL PIECES FOR PEOPLE TO WRITE OUT OR THAT IS ANOTHER REQUIRED FORM THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLETE. THAT SHOULD BE BUILT INTO THE ENTIRE PROCESS. HOW FOLKS ARE GROWING IN THEIR PRACTICE. Patti Rendon: RIGHT. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT FROM LIKE IT IS A NEGATIVE, BUT WE ALL HAVE GOALS TO BE WORKING ON. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO AN EVALUATION, IT'S JUST NOT A PIECE OF PAPER EVEN IF THEY ARE GOOD, RIGHT? EVEN IF YOU HAVE 100% ON THE EVALUATION, THERE ARE ALWAYS GOALS AND ALWAYS NEXT STEPS IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL CAREER, OR NEXT STEPS, RECOMMENDATIONS IN YOUR FUTURE CAREER. SO AGAIN, WHAT I'M HEARING, THOUGH, FROM YOU IS WITHIN THE CURRENT EVALUATION PROCESS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE US APPROVING TODAY, THAT IS NOT INCLUDED NOR IS THERE NEXT ITEMS FOR

087SOMEONE TO LOOK FORWARD TO IF THEY ARE EVALUATED. Addison Davis: YEAH -- THERE'S NOT A SEPARATE GOAL-SETTING DOCUMENT THAT COMES FROM MY DEPARTMENT. Patti Rendon: OKAY. SO THAT'S NOT INCLUDED. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. OKAY. AND IT PASSES WITH FIVE YESES. MEMBER RENDON VOTING NO. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO 4.03. THE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES FOR PIGGYBACK 22030-PGB-LG EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL, LLC. Addison Davis: THIS IS YEAR TWO OF THIS ARTICULATION AGREEMENT WITH EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL, LLC, TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND BRING INDIVIDUALS FROM THE -- FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO TEACH. LAST YEAR, WE ASKED THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL FOR 75 OF THESE EDUCATORS. IN THE SHORT RUNWAY THAT WE HAD TO BE ABLE TO BRING THEM, WE IDENTIFIED AND WERE

088ABLE TO ACCEPT 45 OF THESE PRACTITIONERS. THIS YEAR WE'RE BRINGING BACK TO THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT NUMBER OF 75 TO 125, HOPEFULLY. AND BEING ABLE TO BRING THEM, TO BE ABLE TO HELP US SERVE OUR CHILDREN AND HELP THE CURRENT VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE. THE 45 TEACHERS THIS YEAR ARE AT 24 SITES. WE LEARNED A LOT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HOW TO SUPPORT THEM, HOW TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL FROM LIVING QUARTERS TO MENTORS TO ADVOCATES. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO EXPAND THIS INITIATIVE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 4.03. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK

089YOU. AGAIN, I'M EXCITED THAT WE LOOK OUT BEYOND THE BORDERS, OR BEYOND EVEN JUST OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR THINGS THAT WE NEED, ESPECIALLY SOME OF OUR BILINGUAL TEACHERS. I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. I ALSO THINK THAT THEY CAN BRING A CULTURE INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE OURSELVES SOMETIMES. I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THAT. BUT I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. WE TALK ABOUT A RELOCATION LOAN. YOU SAID BASED UPON WHAT WE'VE SEEN THE LAST YEAR THAT WE'VE GOT SOME ISSUES WITH THAT. THIS RELOCATION LOAN IS QUITE EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT A TEACHER'S SALARY OF $2200 THAT IS TO BE PAID ON THEIR LAST PAYCHECK BEFORE THEY LEAVE AND RETURN TO US. AND IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE HANDLING THAT THROUGH OUR OWN FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AM I CORRECT?

090WE DO THAT WITH THE PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. Patti Rendon: DO WE DO IT OVER TIME OR LIKE A ONE-TIME SHOT? IT DOES SAY IN HERE LIKE AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ARE HANDLING IT. IT'S OVER TIME, FOR THE LENGTH OF THE TIME THAT THEY ARE HERE. WE'VE ONLY HAD THEM, YOU KNOW, THE LAST YEAR. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD THAT. WE WORK IT THROUGH A PAYROLL DEDUCTION WITH THEM. Patti Rendon: WITH THAT BEING SAID, THEY ARE ALSO MAKING THE SAME SALARIES AS OUR OTHER TEACHERS. THE FEE -- IT APPEARS THAT FOR EVERY TEACHER WE HIRE, WE PAY THIS COMPANY A FEE AND TAKES OVER BASICALLY WHAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR OUR OTHER BENEFITS. IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING OVER OUR COST AS A

091DISTRICT. BUT I AM CURIOUS, ONE THING I DO WANT TO KNOW IS WHEN I LOOKED UP THE COMPANY AND LOOKED UP THE WEBSITE AND LOOKED UP THEIR MARKETING MATERIAL TO THESE TEACHERS, SOME OF THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDE IS CONCERNING TO ME WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING, WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD COST. THE COST OF LIVING IN OUR AREA, AND SO HOW HAVE WE SEEN THOSE TEACHERS REALLY BE ABLE TO MANAGE LIVING HERE WITH KNOWING ALL OF THAT, HAVING SOME DEDUCTIONS. WE LOOK AT THEIR ESTIMATED FOOD COSTS ANYWHERE FROM $270 TO 300 A MONTH. THAT'S NOT A LOT TODAY IN OUR TOTAL ECONOMY. THEY ARE ESTIMATING HOUSING AT 504 TO 950. AGAIN, TRANSPORTATION, 475 TO 700. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WHAT WE'RE MARKETING THAT WILL WE BE ABLE TO PRODUCE THAT WHEN WE'RE HERE. SUPERINTENDENT

092DAVIS, I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN. SO COULD WE FIND OUT HOW HAVE YOU HANDLED THESE ISSUES? BECAUSE I KIND OF FEEL IT'S DISINGENUOUS OF THE NUMBERS BEING PRESENTED. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE ALSO MADE THAT VERY CLEAR. THIS IS NEW TO US. THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE WERE TRYING TO FIND THE BEST LOCATION FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO TRANSITION TO COME TO THE TAMPA REGION FROM AN AFFORDABILITY PERSPECTIVE. BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE LEAD CONTACT TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT THE MARKET IS, WHAT THE EXPANSION NEEDS TO BE AND HOW THESE INDIVIDUALS CANNOT ONLY WORK HERE, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO RAISE THE FAMILY IF NEED BE BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUED INFLATION THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING. DR. WHELAN, DO YOU WANT TO EXPAND ON THAT? YES, THE

093COMPANY ALSO PROVIDES A SUPPORT SPECIALIST TO THEM AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO LOCAL MENTORS HERE THAT ARE FOLKS FROM HERE. AND ONE IS ONE OF OUR RETIRED PRINCIPALS, ACTUALLY, THAT THEY EMPLOY THROUGH EPI TO ASSIST OUR STAFF MEMBERS HERE LOCALLY. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A PIGGYBACK ALSO ON PALM BEACH AND THEIR COST OF LIVING IS VERY SIMILAR, IF NOT MORE THAN WHAT OURS IS AS WELL. SO THEY ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT, BUT WE WILL GIVE THAT FEEDBACK TO THE COMPANY THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS STATE PARTICULARLY FOR WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE FOR THE COST OF LIVING. BUT A LOT OF THE SCHOOL SITES WORKED WITH THEIR FOLKS. WE GOT THEM CONNECTED WITH SOME OTHER LOCAL SERVICES AS WELL. SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RETAIN ALL BUT ONE, AND

094THAT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT FAMILY EMERGENCY BACK IN THEIR COUNTRY. Addison Davis: TO THAT POINT, TO MS. RENDON'S POINT AND TO DR. WHELAN, WE NEEDED A BETTER OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO COME PRIOR TO JUST START A PREPLANNING. FOR THEM TO GET ACCUSTOMED TO THE COMMUNITY, ACCUSTOMED TO THE SURROUNDING FACILITY, SCHOOL FACILITY, ABOUT WHERE TO EVEN GO TO A RESTAURANT, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, WE HAVE EXPRESSED THE NEED OF EXPANDING THAT TIME SO THEY HAVE GREATER ACCESSIBILITY TO OUR COMMUNITY AND KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH IT. Patti Rendon: HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE THE 45 TEACHERS IN CURRENTLY? Addison Davis: 24 LEN WREN DO WE KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE SCHOOLS? Addison Davis: ABSOLUTELY. Patti Rendon: DO WE KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE SCHOOLS? Addison Davis: ABSOLUTELY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray:

095THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. VERY INTERESTING, IMPORTANT QUESTIONS, MEMBER RENDON. WE KNOW THAT AT GRECO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THE TEACHERS THAT ARE FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES. AND MY ONLY QUESTION IS, AND PERHAPS DR. WHELAN CAN ANSWER IT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE VARIABLES SUCH AS TRANSPORTATION, LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, CULTURAL NUANCES, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES, WE HAVE AN EVALUATORY SYSTEM, OF COURSE, WE DO, FOR TEACHERS, BUT DO THEY HAVE AN EXTRA, THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION, DIFFERENT TYPE OF EVALUATION ABOVE AND BEYOND OURS? JUST CURIOUS. Marie Whelan: OUR EDUCATORS ARE UNDER OUR SAME EVALUATION SYSTEM. THEY HAVE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS THAT THE COMPANY WORKS WITH THEM THROUGHOUT, AND PART OF IT IS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO SOME VARIOUS PROJECTS. BUT THAT'S ALL DONE THROUGH EPI, AND THEIR STAFF MEMBERS. Lynn Gray: HOW HAVE THEIR EVALUATIONS BEEN SO

096FAR, DR. WHELAN, IN TERMS OF OUR STANDARD EVALUATION FOR TEACHERS? Marie Whelan: WELL, WE HAVEN'T COMPLETED THE FINAL EVALUATION PROCESS WITH THEM. IT'S COMING UP IN THE SPRING, BUT ALL OF OUR LEADERS ARE PLANNING TO RETAIN ALL OF THE 45 TEACHERS. SO THAT'S VERY POSITIVE. Lynn Gray: VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS BECAUSE I KNOW QUITE A FEW OF THOSE TEACHERS ARE OUT IN MY SCHOOLS BECAUSE I DO HAVE A LOT OF DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOLS. AND I APPRECIATE YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, DR. WHELAN, COMING OUT OF THE BOX IDEAS TO FIND TEACHERS, BUT THIS SHOULD JUST BE A WAKE-UP CALL TO PEOPLE. LIKE, IT'S JUST RIDICULOUS THAT WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE FROM THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES, REALLY, EVERY COUNTRY IS

097A THIRD-WORLD COUNTRY THAT'S COMING HERE. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANY FIRST-WORLD COUNTRIES WHO ARE COMING HERE TO TEACH. IT'S REALLY SAD THAT HERE WE ARE WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AND OUR VETERAN TEACHERS ARE PAID 47th IN THE NATION WHEN THE INFLATION IS THE HIGHEST IN TAMPA. AND IT'S JUST A SAD STATE THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO THIRD-WORLD COUNTRIES AND GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME. EVEN I SAW THE OTHER DAY THERE WAS A FAMILY AND THEY BROUGHT THEIR CHILDREN. THAT'S GREAT FOR THEM, BUT WHAT'S REALLY SAD IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW TEACHERS CAN'T PAY WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT IS THE REALITY. THAT IS THE REALITY. OUR STATE IS NOT PAYING TEACHERS. WE ARE NOT PAYING TEACHERS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE NATION. SO I JUST THINK THIS IS A GREAT

098OPPORTUNITY TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT WE WEREN'T PRIORITIZING TEACHERS AND WE HAVE TO GO OVERSEAS TO FIND OUR TEACHERS, AND THAT'S A REALLY SAD STATE OF EDUCATION RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 5.03, CONTRACT 23017-XMT-IV WITH THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR AUTHORITY FOR THE 2022-2023 GRADUATIONS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, AS YOU KNOW, WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE OUR SENIORS COMING UP. THIS WINDOW FOR GRADUATION, WE'LL BE USING THE FACILITY AND THE FAIRGROUNDS HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL PARTNER FROM MAY THE 14th THROUGH JUNE THE 1st. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO HOST 28 TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS, 8 EDUCATION CENTERS, 3 TECHNICAL COLLEGES, 4 CAREER CENTERS, VIRTUAL K-12. NOT ONLY TO USE THE FACILITY FOR GRADUATION BUT ALSO TO BE ABLE TO

099HAVE REHEARSALS AND ALLOW US TO PAY FOR ADDITIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL, TECHNICIANS, WHETHER IT BE ELECTRICAL OR AUDIO, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO USE ALL THE ROOMS AND FACILITIES TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THE BEST EXPERIENCE WE CAN. WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF REVIEWS, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR, TRYING TO FIND MULTIPLE VENUES, AND THIS IS THE CHEAPEST VENUE THAT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE GREATEST ACCESSIBILITY TO OUR FAMILIES RELATED TO GRADUATION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 5.03. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE HOW HARD SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND HOW HARD THIS BOARD WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME GRADUATIONS DIDN'T COME EARLY,

100BUT THERE WAS NO WAY AROUND. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JUST TALK ABOUT THAT. BECAUSE I KNOW THAT PEOPLE AREN'T REALLY LOOKING AT IT, WHEN THEY SEE THE CALENDAR AND MAYBE THEIR GRADUATION FALLS ON A DIFFERENT DATE AFTER GRADUATION, I JUST WANTED YOU TO MAYBE TALK ABOUT THAT REAL BRIEFLY AGAIN. Addison Davis: YES, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TIMELINE RELATED TO WHEN WE CAN START GRADUATIONS AND WHEN THOSE GRADUATIONS CAN END. THE BIGGEST THING WE SEE, THIS IS ALL LINKED TO INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS. WE HAVE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS FOR OUR SENIORS BEFORE THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE. ONE THING WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS PUT SCHOOLS IN A SITUATION WHERE KIDS ARE WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE AND HAVE NOT COMPLETED ALL THEIR CREDENTIALS. ONCE

101THE INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS ARE COMPLETED, WE START THE PROCESS. WE'RE GOING TO FACE THIS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ALSO THROUGH THE STUDENT CALENDAR. WE ASK THE FAMILIES TO BE PATIENT WITH US, AND TAKE THE TIME TO CELEBRATE SUCH AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT IN A SAFE MANNER. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: AS SOMEONE WHOSE DAUGHTERS WERE NOT ABLE TO WALK AT GRADUATION, I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN. BUT I DON'T SEE ANYWHERE IN THIS CONTRACT WHERE THEY ARE LIMITING ANY OF OUR NUMBER OF FAMILIES COMING AT THIS POINT. AS FAR AS THE FACILITY. Addison Davis: NO, MA'AM. THROUGH THE CHAIR, ONCE WE STARTED WITH COVID, WE DECIDED TO MOVE TO A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS. THIS IS

102SURROUNDING -- YOU LOOK AT THE MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THEY DO THE SAME THING, UNLESS THEY ARE HAVING THEIR GRADUATIONS ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD. ACTUALLY, GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY, MY DAUGHTER IS GRADUATING COLLEGE IN MAY AND SHE ONLY GETS FOUR TICKETS. I WANT TO BRING ALL MY FAMILY, HOWEVER I CAN'T DO SO. YOU LOOK AT SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA ALONG WITH US, WE WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. ONE THING WE LEARNED FROM COVID, WHILE WE WOULD LOVE TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR EVERYONE, WE HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB CREATING THAT SPACE FOR OUR FAMILIES AND HAVING THAT CELEBRATION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. C 5.03, CONTRACT 23 -- I'M SORRY. 10.01, ITB

10323001-DST-LG TWO-WAY RADIO REPEATERS, ACCESSORIES AND SERVICES. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION AT EVERY ONE OF OUR FACILITIES AND EVERY ONE OF OUR SITES, ESPECIALLY OUR SCHOOLS. ORIGINALLY, SCHOOLS WERE PURCHASING THEIR OWN RADIOS, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN WE LEVERAGED CAPITAL FUNDS THAT WE COULD DO THAT TO MAKE SURE EVERY ONE OF OUR FACILITIES, WHETHER IT'S AN EMERGENCY AT THEIR PARTICULAR LOCATION, A SAFETY CONCERN, THAT WE JUST HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION. SO WE APPRECIATE FINDING DIFFERENT FUNDS TO ALLEVIATE SCHOOL-BASED FUNDS OR GENERAL FUNDS TO PUT THIS ON CAPITAL DOLLARS TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE PORTABLE TWO-WAY RADIOS AT EVERY ONE OF OUR FACILITIES. RADIO REPEATERS, PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND AT THE SAME TOKEN ACCESSORIES THAT WE WILL PURCHASE AS WELL,

104SUCH AS BATTERIES, CHARGING STATIONS AND MAYBE EAR PIECES AT PARTICULAR LOCATION. THIS GOES RIGHT INTO OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY PLAN AND ALLOWS US TO BE CONSISTENT IN THAT APPROACH. SHAKE, AS YOU KNOW AS A FORMER ADMINISTRATOR, THOSE RADIOS ARE SO IMPORTANT. ME AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL AS WELL, TO HAVE THAT TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION ON OUR SITES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 10.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: SORRY. I SEEM TO BE DISCUSSION TODAY. THIS IS REALLY FOR RO. IN REVIEWING ALL OF THIS -- I'M SORRY -- BUT AS WE REVIEW ALL OF THIS AND I SEE THE VARIOUS THINGS, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT QUOTES FOR DIFFERENT THINGS, LET ME MAKE

105IT VERY CLEAR, THESE TWO-WAY RADIOS ARE JUST CRITICAL FOR OUR ONGOING NETWORKING WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS I'M NOT PRIORITIZING THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE FISCALLY LOOKING AT EVERY ONE OF OUR ITEMS AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYTHING. WHEN LOOKING OVER THIS, I HAVE THREE DIFFERENT BANK ACCOUNTS THAT WE'RE PULLING THIS OUT OF. IT BECOMES A LITTLE CONFUSING TO ME. I SEE TITLE I DOLLARS. I SEE GENERAL REVENUE DOLLARS AND I SEE CAPITAL DOLLARS. IT'S FOR BASICALLY THREE DIFFERENT THINGS. SO MY QUESTION, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT IT'S UNDER GENERAL REVENUE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL MAY LINE ITEM IT, BUT IT'S NOT MAKING SENSE TO ME. WHY CAN'T IT ALL COME OUT

106OF TITLE I AND CAPITAL? Ro Johnson: SOME ITEMS MIGHT NOT BE CAPITAL ITEMS, SO WE FIND OTHER REVENUE SOURCES TO PICK UP THOSE CHARGES WHERE IT'S ALLOWABLE. TITLE I YOU CAN NEVER SUPPLANT. IF THE SCHOOLS HAVE TITLE I FUNDING AND PURCHASING SUPPLIES OUT OF IT, THAT'S WHERE THEY USE THE TITLE I FUNDING. WE ARE JUST DISTRIBUTING THE COST BASED ON THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND DIFFERENT FUNDING RESOURCES THEY HAVE AT THEIR SITE. Patti Rendon: SO I THINK MR. FARKAS CAN ANSWER MY NEXT QUESTION THEN. BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK OVER THE ITEMS, IT'S NOT VERY MANY, RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING VOLUME IT IS, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS ARE VERY SMALL. WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT LITERALLY, I THINK WE'RE ONLY SEVEN DIFFERENT ITEMS WE'RE LOOKING TO BE ON HERE. ARE YOU SAYING NONE OF THE 700 CAPITAL. Christopher Farkas:

107MOST OF THE -- THERE ARE SOME MAINTENANCE ITEMS, THE ACTUAL RADIOS, WALKIE-TALKIES, REPEATERS, THOSE ARE ALL CAPITAL ITEMS AND THEY ARE THERE. ALSO SAY THAT HISTORICALLY THE SCHOOLS HAVE NOT USED ONLY CAPITAL ITEMS. THEY HAVE USED TITLE I. THEY HAVE USED OTHER FUNDS TO TRY TO PURCHASE THOSE. BUT I WILL SEE ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY LATELY THEY HAVE COME OUT OF CAPITAL FUNDS, THAT PART AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. UNLESS IT IS A MAINTENANCE ITEM OR SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE A CAPITAL FUND, IT WILL COME OUT OF CAPITAL FUNDS. Patti Rendon: OKAY. WHAT WE WERE GIVEN IT SAYS 68% ARE COMING OUT OF GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS. YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT'S NOT THE CASE? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND GET THE PERCENTAGE. THE PERCENTAGE CHANGED. PRESENTS TO THE BOARD RIGHT NOW,

10868, 21, 11. WE'LL GO BACK AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO ALLEVIATE THE GENERAL FUNDS, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE HAD A QUALIFYING EXPENSES BEFORE WE BROUGHT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW. WE WANT TO USE AS MUCH CAPITAL AS WE CAN, BUT WE KNOW THAT MAINTENANCE AND OTHER POTENTIAL ACCESSORIES MAY NOT BE UNDER THAT, WARRANTIES MAY NOT BE UNDER GENERAL. HAVE TO BE USED FOR GENERAL FUND OR OTHER ELEMENTS. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I WANT TO MAKE SURE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A LARGE CHANGE RIGHT NOW IN THE DISTRICT, AND BEING VERY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE I THINK IS A KEY ASPECT OF THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT EXTRA TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: SO I KNOW

109THIS IS ALSO FOR A REASON OF SAFETY, CORRECT? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, ABSOLUTELY. Karen Perez: SO WHAT ABOUT MARJORY STONEMAN FUNDING? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE GET SAFETY AND SECURITY MONEY FROM THE STATE, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOLLOWED. THE ISSUE IS UNDERFUNDED MANDATE. WHILE WE MAY GET $11 MILLION FROM THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT PUTTING AN ARMED ASSET AT EVERY ONE OF OUR FAILS TO LOOK AT SCHOOL HARDENING WITH SCHOOL FENCES, OUR VIDEO CAMERAS AND THAT CONTINUES TO GROW USING STRATEGIES, WE ALSO HAVE UNDERFUNDED MANDATES. WE'D LOVE FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO GO THROUGH IT, BUT WE SPEND AROUND 11 TO $13 MILLION ADDITIONALLY TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE ASSETS AT EVERY ONE OF OUR FACILITIES. Karen Perez: BUT WE NEED THESE AND IT'S REQUIRED BECAUSE OF, ESPECIALLY IN SOME

110OF THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY ARE SO OVERUTILIZED THAT THE STUDENT POPULATION IS REALLY NEEDED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, ABSOLUTELY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER RENDON, DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT? Patti Rendon: I DO WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK WHEN I'M ASKING THIS. AGAIN, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. SO RIGHT NOW, OUR SCHOOLS HAVE TWO-WAY RADIOS IN THEM RIGHT NOW. WE ARE PLANNING, SO, AGAIN, THIS IS NOT -- THIS IS THE PLAN, RIGHT? WE'RE PLANNING ON EITHER UPGRADING NEW RADIOS FOR NEXT YEAR. IF WE VOTED NO TODAY, OUR SCHOOLS CURRENTLY HAVE RADIOS THEY NEED FOR THE SAFETY. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. ABSOLUTELY. THROUGH THE CHAIR, THEY ARE LIKE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS BECAUSE THEY WERE BOUGHT AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND DIFFERENT AGES. ONCE WHERE IT IS

111CONSISTENT SO WE CAN WORK ON THEM AND TRIAGE THEM. Christopher Farkas: THE OTHER THING IS WITH THE NEW INTERFERENCE. WE HAVE LOTS OF CELL PHONES ON CAMPUS. USED TO BE WALKIE-TALKIES OR TWO WAY RADIOS. MOST CAMPUSES HAVE REPEATERS, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. PABLO ON THE TEAM WITH DR. WEEKS IS WONDERFUL ASSESSING WHAT THEY NEED, MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE SAFE, MAKING SURE IT IS THE MOST ECONOMICAL CHOICE TO DO THAT. YES, WE HAVE RADIOS. BUT THEY ARE A CONSTANT NEED FOR UPGRADES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH FIVE YESES AND MEMBER RENDON VOTING NO. 11.02, 2023 DISTRICT AND SCHOOL-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL CULTURE SURVEY. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS GET FEEDBACK

112FROM OUR PRACTITIONERS RELATED TO HOW WE IMPROVE THE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE, HOW WE IMPROVE CLASSROOM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND HOW WE IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES, WHAT WE THINK FROM OUR TEACHERS AND OUR LEADERS RELATED TO OBSERVATION AND FEEDBACK, WHETHER IT'S GENUINE AND HELP THEM TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE EVERY DAY, LOOKING AT PURE CULTURE, INSTRUCTIONAL, PACING FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP, ALSO OVERALL LEADERSHIP AT OUR SCHOOLS, AND ALSO HOW THE EVALUATION PROCESS HAS BEEN HANDLED WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE DID SEE THERE'S MAJOR INCREASE IN INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING FOR STUDENT GROWTH LAST YEAR. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION FOR THE INCITE SURVEY. ALSO AN INCREASE OF LEADERSHIP, RELATING TO HOW LEADERS ARE FOCUSING ON BUILDING CAPACITY. MAKE CERTAIN OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS AREAS OF FOCUS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO RACE INSTRUCTION TIME BECAUSE TIME IS THEIR ENEMY

113EVERY SINGLE DAY BUT WE WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE STRONG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS ONE OF THE INDICATORS IN THE INSIGHT SURVEY TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS. THE FIRST YEAR ONLY DID TEACHERS. THAT WAS 72% RELATED TO A SURVEY RESPONSE. LAST YEAR, WE INCLUDED EVERYONE IN THE ORGANIZATION FROM SUPPORT STAFF TO SCHOOL-BASED LEADERS AND DISTRICT AS WELL, AND THAT WAS THAT AT 63% OF THE WORKFORCE. WE WANT TO IMPROVE THAT. THIS WILL BE USED WITH $149,000, USED FOR -- USED IN OUR E-PAYABLE REBATES, WHICH IS FROM STAPLES AND OTHER ENTITIES, BUT THIS IS AN INSTRUCTIONAL SURVEY NOT ONLY FOR TEACHERS BUT SUPPORT STAFF AND ALSO FOR OUR FAMILIES. OUR FAMILIES TO LOOK AT DOMAINS ABOUT HOW THEY LOOK AT TEACHER INTERSECTIONS, SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, AND DO WE HAVE A WELCOME ENVIRONMENT EVERY SINGLE DAY. ONE

114THING WE HIGHLIGHT LAST YEAR FROM THE FAMILIES, THEY SAID THEY HAD A REALLY GOOD STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FAMILIES AND EDUCATORS, WHICH CONTINUE TO TELL HOW REMARKABLE OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN. THIS A PLAN TO IMPLEMENT SOMETIME AFTER SPRING BREAK. AS WE GET BACK FROM SPRING BREAK AND START TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL YEAR OUT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 11.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH MEMBER RENDON NOT ON THE DAIS. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS AND THEN WE WILL DO EMPLOYEE INPUT RIGHT AFTER THAT. SO WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT MINUTES. Addison Davis: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GET THE

115PowerPoint UP THIS EVENING, JUST A COUPLE OF CELEBRATIONS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS EVENING. FIRST CELEBRATION GOES WITH EVERY ONE OF OUR GOALS. CHANCE TO HIGHLIGHT ALL OF OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, OUR CALLING FOR SUPERHEROES, A REALLY NICE EVENT THAT WE HELD RECENTLY WITH A LOT OF INTERACTION FROM OUR TEACHERS, OUR SUPPORT STAFF, AND OUR LEADERS AND COMMUNITY BUSINESS PARTNERS. BUT THESE ARE THREE INDIVIDUALS FROM NICOLETTE, FROM MOHAMED, AND ALSO SCHNOVIA ALL IDENTIFIED AS OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR. WE HAD OUR DIVERSITY, LEADER OF THE YEAR AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT CONTINUE TO LEAD IN EXCELLENCE AND WE CELEBRATE THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A GREAT PRESENCE AT OUR FAIR. WE DID A REALLY GOOD

116JOB WITH OUR COMMUNITY BEING AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THIS PROCESS. WE SEE A NUMBER OF OUR STUDENTS COMPETED IN FFA AND A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY ATTENDED, AND WE THANK THEM FOR THAT PROCESS. AND THEN AS THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID TWO WEEKS AGO, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FORUM, SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD TO DATE, TO BE ABLE TO LEARN AND LISTEN HOW WE CONTINUE TO GROW. WE THANK OUR BOARD MEMBERS FOR BEING AN ACTIVE PART OF THE PROCESS. IT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US, AND WE SEE OUR EDUCATORS AND BOARD MEMBERS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT. ALSO, THE ELEMENTARY FINE ARTS FESTIVAL, WHAT AN AWESOME NIGHT. SO PROUD TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT. THANK OUR TEAM FOR BEING A PART OF THAT PROCESS AND RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, I

117KNOW WE WERE AT THE TAMPA MUSEUM OF ARTS AS WELL. SO LAURA AND TRACY, ALLOWED OUR CHILDREN JUST TO SHOW THEIR SKILLS, THEIR ABILITIES AND THEIR HARD WORK. AND THEN THE S.T.E.M. FAIR. WE HAD A S.T.E.M. FAIR THAT WAS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE HUNDREDS OF OUR STUDENTS WERE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN DISPLAYING. I WENT TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL SESSION. I HAD TO LEAVE VERY FAST BECAUSE THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MADE ME FEEL SO NOT SMART. I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT SENTENCE GOES TOGETHER, BUT I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW I WAS SO EMBARRASSED THAT I DIDN'T KNOW HALF THE STUFF THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AND I WAS SO BLOWN AWAY. THESE STUDENTS WERE SAVING THE WORLD. AND THEIR PASSIONS, THEIR ENERGY, THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS, IT WAS REMARKABLE. SO OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT IN

118HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. STUDENTS, THEIR PROJECTS WERE SO IN-DEPTH. WE THANK THEM AND TEAM AND STAFF FOR CREATING THE SPACE AND INCREASE THE PROCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. ALSO, THANK THE BOARD FOR APPROVING THIS EVENING FOR OUR CHILDREN TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND TAKE TRIPS ACROSS THIS NATION TO HAVE BETTER EXPERIENCES AND FIELD EXPERIENCES THAT CONNECT WITH THEIR PASSIONS AND CONNECT WITH OUR CURRICULUM. WE THANK OUR SPONSORS AND OUR TEACHERS FOR BEING A PART OF THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW THESE TRIPS TAKE TIME AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES AND WE THANK THEM FOR BEING IN THE FOREFRONT OF THAT. AT THE SAME TOKEN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND I THANK THIS BOARD FOR BEING VERY VOCAL

119ABOUT HAVING SPACE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY OUR NEXT STEPS AND WORKING COLLECTIVELY AS WE MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FOR THIS COMMUNITY. SPRING BREAK. WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, LEADERS. THE BOARD NEEDS A SPRING BREAK AS WELL AND ALL OF OUR LEADERS. 13 THROUGH THE 17. DON'T READ ANY E-MAILS. I PROMISE NOT TO SEND ANY. SORRY. AND WE'RE GOING TO STEP AWAY. WE NEED TIME AWAY AND TO BE ENERGIZED TO COME BACK AND DO COOL THINGS FOR KIDS. ENJOY THE SPRING BREAK, BE SAFE AND LOOK FORWARD TO EVERYONE UPON THEIR RETURN ON THE 20th. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR

120PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES OF OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT 4 P.M. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE'RE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ON YOUR MINDS. THIS IS NOT INTENDED FOR 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 DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I WILL

121CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER. HIEDI GLICK, ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL. THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE BEST THEATER DEPARTMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I HAVE TWO DEGREES IN PERFORMING ARTS. I KNOW THAT SHOCKS YOU, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR APPROVING AND ALL THOSE GREAT THINGS YOU DO. ON SPRING BREAK, I'M NOT TALKING TO ANYONE UNDER 60 UNLESS THEY ARE RELATED TO ME BECAUSE I'M DONE. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE YOU MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW BETWEEN REDISTRICTING AND ALL OF THE NEW RULES COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE. YOU HAVE MY ADMIRATION IF YOU COULD FIGURE THEM OUT. HOWEVER, I AM HERE TO OFFER YOU A SOLUTION TO ONE OF THE DISTRICT'S PROBLEMS. I WANT TO LET YOU HEAR ALL ABOUT IT. CURRENTLY WE HAVE 512 INSTRUCTIONAL

122VACANCIES, 30 SCHOOL COUNSELORS. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY SOCIAL WORKERS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T FIND THAT SPECIFICALLY. AND 313 SUPPORT STAFF. IN JANUARY, 122 TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS QUIT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE 47 PEOPLE TO REPLACE THEM. THAT'S 38% REPLACEMENT RATE. IN FEBRUARY, 170 TEACHERS AND STAFF QUIT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE 126 TO REPLACE THEM. THAT IS A 74% RATE. THAT'S AWESOME, EXCEPT THAT'S ONLY 59% BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM AND OVER A THOUSAND EMPTY SEATS RIGHT NOW. SO I HAVE SOME ADVICE FOR US TO CATCH UP. I SAY US BECAUSE I'M A STAKEHOLDER. I TEACH IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BOTH OF MY KIDS WENT TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. ALONSO, SHOCKER. MY GRANDCHILDREN GO TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND WE ARE STILL SHORT SUCH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF

123TEACHERS AND STAFF. I WANT TO KNOW WHO IS GOING TO QUIT IN MARCH. HOW MANY MORE ARE GOING TO LEAVE? AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THEM? BUT LISTEN CAREFULLY. I HAVE A SOLUTION. YOU DO NOT -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS, NEED TO WAIT FOR THE MAGISTRATE'S RULING. YOU CAN RIGHT NOW GIVE EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE THEIR TWO STEPS. YOU CAN VOTE ON THAT. YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION. I KNOW OF AT LEAST A HUNDRED STAFF MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THAT ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER EMPLOYMENT. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO LEAVE. THEY ARE GOING TO LEAVE NOW. MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING INTO DROP. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO WENT INTO DROP, FOUR YEARS LEFT, SHE'S GONE.

124SHE WILL WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT HER HOUSE SOLD, SO SHE'S GONE. THAT'S ANOTHER EMPTY SPACE. DON'T PASS GO. DON'T COLLECT $200. GIVE US THE MONEY, GIVE US THE RAISES, GIVE US THE STEPS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY WORKED FOR. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT. 800 OPENINGS. FISCAL CRISIS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EDUCATION CRISIS. AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE JUST AS BIG A PROBLEM AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THERE ARE NO TEACHERS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO NOT ONLY LOOK AT THE OPENINGS, GO TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, GO TO THE VACANCIES AND LOOK HOW MANY THERE ARE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO AGAIN. I AM EMILY GRIESE. I TEACH AT RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL WHICH HAS THE BEST ART DEPARTMENT OUT THERE BECAUSE I'M AN ART TEACHER. FIRST

125OFF, I DID WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL OF THE KIND WORDS ABOUT THE ARTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. PERSONALLY, AID STUDENT IN THE GASPARILLA SHOW THIS WEEKEND. SIX OF MY STUDENTS ARE GETTING HONORED THURSDAY AT BLAKE AND I HAVE TWO MORE COMING UP AT THE DALI. SO WE WORK HARD AT THE RIVERVIEW ART DEPARTMENT. TYING INTO THE ARTS, I TEACH THREE AP ART CLASSES AT RIVERVIEW SCHOOL. AP 2D DESIGN, AP DRAW AND AP ART HISTORY. WITH THE RECENT BANNING OF AP AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, I WORRY A LOT FOR MY AP CLASSES. FOR AP 2D DESIGN AND AP DRAW, BOTH ARE BASED AROUND US STUDENT-SELECTED QUESTIONS. ONE OF MY STUDENTS, WHO HAS BEEN MY STUDENT FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND HAS TAKEN EVERY SINGLE ART CLASS I OFFER, SHE BASED HER SUSTAINED INVESTIGATION QUESTION

126AROUND THE HISTORY, EMOTIONS AND EFFECTS OF BEING BLACK IN AMERICA. IF WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT BLACK HISTORY IN THE STATE, IS MY STUDENT STILL ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT HER OWN HISTORY THROUGH HER ARTWORK? ART IS INHERENTLY AVANT-GARDE AND CONTROVERSIAL. ART MAKES STUDENTS THINK ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM. ART HAS THE POWER TO HELP STUDENTS EXPRESS THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND LIVES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO THROUGH WORDS. ART IS A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE THAT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND. IF THE GOVERNOR CAN COME FOR AP AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, NOTHING IS STOPPING HIM FROM COMING FOR STUDENTS THAT CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT THEIR LIVES AND THEIR EXPERIENCES AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS STATE. I KNOW THIS FIGHT ISN'T HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH JUST YET, BUT IT'S COMING. WE SEE

127WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS PASSING. WE KNOW IT'S COMING HERE. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO AS THE DECISION MAKERS IN THIS COUNTY IS WHEN THE FIGHT COMES HERE, THAT YOU STAND UP FOR MY ART KIDS WHO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THEIR LIVES THROUGH ART AND STAND UP FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR HISTORIES TAUGHT IN CLASSES. BANNING CLASSES AND BANNING BOOKS IS NEVER THE ANSWER. EDUCATION AND INCLUSION IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. OUR FINAL SPEAKER. HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS NICOLE TEAGARTEN. I TEACH SECOND GRADE AT HERITAGE ELEMENTARY. SINCE NOBODY CLAIMED THE TITLE OF BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YET, I'M HERE TO DO THAT. I WANTED TO COME TO SAY THANK YOU IN PERSON TO MR. DAVIS AND THE TEAM WORKING ON THE

128BOUNDARY CHANGES. I HAVE BEEN GENUINELY IMPRESSED BY THE RESPONSIVENESS TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE ANALYSIS. MY SCHOOL COMMUNITY, WE SAW AN ISSUE WITH THE PLAN AND WE ADVOCATED FOR OURSELVES AND WE WERE HEARD. CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE BOUNDARIES, AND WE WERE LEFT AS-IS. AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS AT OUR AMAZING SCHOOL. IT FELT REALLY GOOD TO BE HEARD BY THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE, SO I'M HOPING YOU'LL HEAR ME TONIGHT, TOO. I WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF A MAJOR ISSUE MANY TEACHERS AT HERITAGE AND I'M SURE ALL OVER THIS COUNTY ARE FACING NEXT YEAR. YOU SPOKE, MS. COMBS, ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING WITH INFLATION, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE SPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH. OUR VPK EXTENDED LEARNING TIME IS GOING UP FROM $10 A WEEK TO $100 A WEEK

129NEXT YEAR. HERITAGE IS CURRENTLY ON THE FREE LUNCH LIST OF SCHOOLS. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM THAT MAKES OUR FAMILIES ACCESS TO FOOD AND CHILD CARE MUCH MORE ATTAINABLE. AND THAT PROGRAM IS BEING CUT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR. AND WITH THAT COMES ANOTHER ALARMING INCREASE IN CHILD CARE COSTS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE EMPLOYEES WITH OUR STAGNANT WAGES. I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THE FINANCIAL STRUGGLES THAT TEACHERS IN THIS COUNTY HAVE FACED. YOU HEAR ABOUT THEM AT EVERY BOARD MEETING AND I IMAGINE YOU GET FREQUENT E-MAILS ABOUT THEM. $100 A WEEK MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TO SOMEONE MAKING 100 OR 200, OR 300 THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, BUT FOR US STUCK IN THE COMPRESSED PORTION OF OUR SALARY SCALE, THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN HONORED, IT COULD

130MEAN CUTTING BACK ON OUR GROCERY BUDGET OR SKIPPING OUT ON T-BALL OR PICKING UP ANOTHER JOB TO MAKE UP THAT COST. THAT OR TAKING AWAY A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR MY OWN CHILD. MY REQUEST IS NOT TO CHANGE THE PAYMENT PLAN FOR THE PUBLIC. ON AVERAGE, COLLEGE GRADUATES WITH COMPARABLE DEGREES MAKE ABOUT 32% MORE THAN US AS ENTRY LEVEL EMPLOYEES. SO CHARGE THEM WHAT YOU NEED TO. BUT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE MAKE. I AM IN MY 8th YEAR AND I MAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AS A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT WE ARE NOT A PRIORITY FOR THE DISTRICT AS FAR AS SALARY GOES. THIS, THE VERY LEAST WE COULD DO IS MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE PRIORITIES. I'M ASKING THAT WE HONOR THAT $10 A WEEK, NOT JUST FOR THE SCHOOLS ON

131THAT FREE LUNCH LIST, BUT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. THAT IS WHAT I'M HOPING YOU'LL HEAR TONIGHT. SOMETHING THAT IS DOABLE AND SHOWS THAT YOU RESPECT US AND OUR CHILDREN. MAKE OUR CHILDREN A PRIORITY AND MAKE THIS PROGRAM AFFORDABLE FOR THE EMPLOYEES WHO ALREADY GIVE SO MUCH. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND THIS CONCLUDES OUR EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE WILL NOW GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS. BEGIN WITH MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND A REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR DISTRICT, I TAKE THAT POSITION VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WHEREVER I GO, I HOPE THAT I REPRESENT EACH OF YOU VERY WELL. MY QUESTION, AND I'M HOPING MEMBER PEREZ THAT YOU CAN SHARE YOUR RATIONALE FOR GOING TO WHATEVER PLACE, YOUR BUSINESS, BUT REPRESENTING OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A

132BOARD MEMBER AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION. I'M HOPING A FEW BOARD MEMBERS AND I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR EXPLANATION. I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR FOR US TO KNOW. BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND SEGUE TO THE POSITIVE PART OF MY ANNOUNCEMENTS. FIRST, HEIDI AND THE REST OF YOU ALL WHO JUST WENT AWAY, WE WANT TO THANK OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, OUR ESP AND OUR PARAs, EVERYONE, ADMINISTRATORS, FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND HOPING THAT THEY HAVE A RELAXING SESSION AS THEY GET A WEEK OFF FINALLY. SO, YES. ALSO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ART. IN CELEBRATION OF THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE DID THE AIRPORT, TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DID SHOWCASE MANY ART WORKS FROM THE FOLLOWING SCHOOLS, PLURAL. DAWSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FOLSOM ELEMENTARY. MORT ELEMENTARY, PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL, ROLAND PARK K-8. BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. AND BROOKS

133DeBARTOLO HIGH SCHOOL. AND WE HAVE ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT DERRICK BROOKS IN JUST A MOMENT. PROGRESS VILLAGE ALSO, PROGRESS VILLAGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THAT IS, WAS AWARDED THE THURGOOD MARSHALL CLUB AWARD. AND WE WANT TO THANK THE THURGOOD MARSHALL CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP, ALLISON EDGECOMB AND OUR GREAT LEADER, FRED HEARNS AND, OF COURSE, OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE WHO ALL HELPED MAKE THIS POSSIBLE. AND REAL SPECIAL AWARDS GOING OUT TO DOTTY GROVER SKIPPER, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS GOING TO HOLD A VERY LARGE CEREMONY TOMORROW AT 2 P.M. THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE HER A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, AND SHE HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR THE AWARENESS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND BASICALLY THE STUDENTS WHO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE NEFARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA CHITCHAT THAT THEY SEE ON THEIR PHONES. SHE IS ALWAYS TRYING TO PROTECT THE

134STUDENT'S SAFETY. AND LAST -- WELL, AT ANY RATE, THE AVID COORDINATOR, LISA, TOTALLY REPRESENTED AT BARRINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS WHO WILL DEFINITELY PROMOTE AND EDUCATE OTHER TEACHERS BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, STUDENTS TO HELP THEM BECOME SUCCESSFUL LEADERS AS THEY GO THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. AND NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL AVID SENIORS WERE THERE WHO WILL ABSOLUTELY HELP MOTIVATE OTHER MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADE LEVELS TO ALSO ENGAGE IN AVID ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION, WHICH IS THE ACRONYM MEANING. I HAVE ONE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENT. WE HAD SHAKE WASHINGTON AND MYSELF, WE WENT TO THE ANNUAL TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER, THE SECOND ANNUAL TIME. THIS WAS THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH RECEPTION. FRED HEARNS ORGANIZED IT. CJ ROBERTS IS THE CEO OF THE TAMPA HISTORY CENTER, BUT THE SPEAKER WAS SO DYNAMIC. DERRICK BROOKS, HALL OF FAMER, HE REALLY GAVE A HEARTRENDING SPEECH ABOUT

135THE IMPORTANCE, NOT ONLY OF EDUCATION, BUT HOW HE BECAME A SUCCESSFUL LEADER. AND HE SAID, AND THIS IS WHAT SHAKE ALWAYS SAYS. IT'S THROUGH TEAMWORK. WORKING AS A TEAM. AND HE SAID THAT MANY TIMES BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST DO IT ALONE. BOARD MEMBERS, WE KNOW THAT. WE HAVE TO WORK IN COORDINATION WITH AND AMONG OURSELVES. SO AT ANY RATE, THAT WAS A GREAT EVENING THAT WE HAD. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS, MEMBER COMBS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST, LET ME, MR. PORTER, HE'S IN THE BACK, BUT I ENJOYED THAT ARMATURE WORKS, THE CUP OF COMPASSION. IT WAS REALLY NICE. IT WAS A NICE BREAKFAST. KIND OF EARLY, THOUGH. 7:30. I USUALLY DON'T GET UP AT 7:30, BUT I MADE IT. I MADE IT, MR.

136PORTER. BUT IT WAS REALLY NICE. IT WAS REALLY NICE TO BE THERE AND FOR THOSE GUEST SPEAKERS. IT MAKES YOUR DAY. IT REALLY DOES. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO THAT. AND THEN WE HAD THE LITERACY FAIR. DR. HAHN IS NOT HERE, BUT IT WAS FANTASTIC. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL, DR. HAHN AND MS. RENDON FOR COMING. AT SLIGH, WE HAD A GREAT TIME. IT WAS REALLY NICE. HAD A LOT OF ATTENDANCE. BECAUSE READING IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR STUDENTS, VERY IMPORTANT. VERY IMPORTANT. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING, MS. RENDON AND ALSO DR. HAHN DOES A GREAT JOB EVERY TIME SHE COMES OUT TO SLIGH AND SO FORTH. NOW, PABLO, DO YOU HAVE -- OKAY. SO WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE VERY FIRST. WE RECOGNIZED OVER 250 AFRICAN AMERICAN

137MEN AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT WERE BURIED AT RIDGEWOOD ON KING HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS. I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE AND FOR YOUR STAFF DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. MR. FARKAS, THANK YOU. YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE. IT LOOKED LIKE AT ONE TIME IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE, BUT YOU MADE IT POSSIBLE. YOU WORKED HARD. ALSO KRISTIN DAVIS IS NOT HERE. TANA ARJA WITH THE MEDIA, SHE DID A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO THANK THE NAACP WITH YVETTE LEWIS, VERY INSPIRATIONAL IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN. GERALD McCANTS, ARCHITECTURE. AND SCANSKY, THE COMPANY THAT HE WORKED FOR THAT DONATED ALL THE TIME AND EQUIPMENT. YOU KNOW, IT WAS BACK IN THE 1940s AND 1950s WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THEY WERE UNDERSERVED PEOPLE, UNDERSERVED

138PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE BURIED THERE. I MEAN, LIKE 250 MEN AND WOMEN, AFRICAN AMERICAN BURIED THERE. AND WHAT WAS TOUCHING TO ME, I COACHED AT KING HIGH SCHOOL FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 15, 16 YEARS, AND SUPERINTENDENT, WE USED TO PRACTICE OUT THERE ON THAT FIELD. YEAH, WHEN I WAS COACHING FOOTBALL, BECAUSE I WAS A FOOTBALL COACH AND HAD BASKETBALL. WE USED TO PRACTICE ON THE FIELD AND WE NEVER KNEW IT WAS A CEMETERY THERE. WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF IT. WHEN THEY FOUND OUT IN 2019 THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AUTOMATICALLY MOVED SWIFTLY TO HONOR THESE PEOPLE, AND THAT AREA NOW, IT'S NOW HISTORIC, OFFICIALLY HISTORICAL SITE DESIGNATED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA DIVISION OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES AND BUREAU OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION. YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT WAS A BIG DEAL, PEOPLE. THAT WAS A BIG

139DEAL BECAUSE YOU LOOK AROUND IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA ABOUT THE NUMBER OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CEMETERIES THEY HAVE, WE ARE THE FIRST. WE ARE THE FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT WERE BURIED THERE AND WE HAVE A MEMORIAL. IT WAS WONDERFUL FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT. FINALLY, THE 250 MEN AND WOMEN, THEY ARE AT PEACE NOW. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY ARE AT PEACE. AND THAT'S WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT. IT WAS REALLY TOUCHING. IT WAS QUITE THE EXPERIENCE. IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE IN HISTORY FOR ME, THAT WAS ONE OF THEM. BECAUSE IT IS REALLY -- IT REALLY BROUGHT ATTENTION TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CAME. MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YES,

140THANK YOU SO MUCH. PABLO, DO YOU HAVE THE PICTURES UP THERE? WE HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF GETTING TO ATTEND MANY EVENTS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY, AND THIS LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING EVENTS THAT WE COULD DO TO HONOR OUR STUDENTS. THESE ARE PICTURES FROM OUR, I BELIEVE 8th ANNUAL INCREDIBLE GAMES OVER ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY, SERVING OVER 500 ESE STUDENTS, PUT ON BY A THOUSAND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM BOTH NEWSOME AND BLOOMINGDALE HIGH SCHOOL. I THINK IT'S KNOWLEDGEABLE TO NOTE THAT NOT ONLY ARE THESE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DOING THIS FOR STUDENTS THAT MAY HAVE UNIQUE ABILITIES UNLIKE THEMSELVES, BUT IT'S TWO SEPARATE RIVAL HIGH SCHOOLS COMING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF OTHERS. IT WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MANY OF THE CABINET

141AND STAFF THAT CAME THAT DAY. IT MEANS A LOT TO THOSE OF US ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING. HUGE EVENT. SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL. ALSO, WE HAD THE ESE TRANSITION FAIR THIS YEAR, HIGHLIGHTING, YOU KNOW, PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE DOESN'T JUST MEAN OUR GEN ED STUDENTS. IT MEANS ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. AND THESE TRANSITION FAIRS REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE NEEDS OF OUR UNIQUE ABILITY IN STUDENTS AND WHAT THEIR FUTURE HOLDS AND WHAT THEIR FAMILIES NEED TO KNOW AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN THAT TRANSITION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. WE TALKED ABOUT SLIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE LITERACY FAIR. LITERACY IS ONE OF OUR GREAT EQUALIZERS, SO MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO EARLY LEARNING AND EARLY LITERACY IS A KEY TO

142THE SUCCESS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. I THANK DR. HAHN AND MR. WASHINGTON FOR COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE CRISIS CENTER OF TAMPA BAY SERVES ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. THEY SERVE NOT ONLY OUR STUDENTS, BUT OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, ONGOING COUNSELING, TRAUMA, AND CRISIS INTERVENTION FOR ALL LEVELS. AND SO WE HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF STAYING -- SAYING AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WE HONOR YOU, AND THAT WE COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT ALL THOSE IN CRISIS IN TAMPA BAY. I FIND THAT TO BE AN HONOR TO DO THAT. AND I THANK THE CRISIS CENTER OF TAMPA BAY FOR ALL THEY ARE DOING. THEY HAVE THE 24-HOUR SUICIDE HOT LINE. HEAVY HOT LINES FOR VETERANS, HOT LINES FOR MANY

143OTHER THINGS WE ARE SUPPORTING IN FLORIDA AS A WHOLE. SO THEY ARE A 24-HOUR SERVICE THAT HONORS AND SUPPORTS MEMBERS OF NOT ONLY THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY, BUT MEMBERS ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I ALSO WANT TO HONOR OUR FFA STUDENTS ALL OVER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. NOT ONLY FROM THE STATE FAIR TO THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, THEY HAVE WORKED THEIR TAIL OFF FOR THE LAST YEAR, RAISING THEIR AGRICULTURE, RAISING THEIR LIVESTOCK, AND BEING ABLE TO PRESENT THAT AND PUT IT UP FOR SALE OR MAYBE FOR BREEDING. IT TAKES TIME. IT TAKES ENERGY. IT DOESN'T STOP BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DAY OFF. THEY STILL HAVE TO FEED THEIR ANIMALS. THEY STILL HAVE TO TEND TO THEIR ANIMALS AND THEIR PLANTS. AND SO IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO BE ABLE

144TO SUPPORT THEM BOTH AT THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR AND AT THE STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR FFA TEACHERS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY, TEACHING STUDENTS THESE SKILLS THAT THEY WILL NEED LATER IN LIFE THAT PERSISTENCE, THAT GENERAL FOOD SOURCE, THOSE FUTURE FARMERS, THOSE FUTURE ENTREPRENEURS ARE SO CRITICAL FOR OUR FUTURE OF THE STATE AND FOR OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY. LAST, I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET UP HERE ON THE BOARD AND WE'RE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS AND WE SOUND TEDIOUS, AND WE SOUND LIKE WE'RE REALLY NOT -- WE'RE JUST TRYING TO BE PETTY, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT TEACHERS ARE ONE OF OUR NUMBER ONE ASSETS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. WE CANNOT TEACH OUR STUDENTS WITHOUT OUR TEACHERS. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ASK

145THE HARD QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS KNOWING IF WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS, WE'RE NOT EDUCATING STUDENTS. AND SO WHEN IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE BEING PETTY OVER A RADIO OR A TIRE OR A WINDSHIELD, IT'S REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE EACH AND EVERY DOLLAR ARE GOING. AND I'M GOING TO VOW THAT I'M GOING TO ALWAYS ASK THOSE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT THOSE DOLLARS IN THE RIGHT CATEGORY TO LEAVE AS MUCH OPEN FOR OUR TEACHERS AS POSSIBLE. AND IT'S A CRITICAL NEED AROUND OUR COMPLETE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT DOING BOUNDARIES BECAUSE IT'S CONVENIENT FOR US. WE'RE NOT DOING BOUNDARIES BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE OVERALL SCOPE, BUT WE TRULY NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE ARE

146BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR FINANCES, AND THE RESOURCES, WHAT WE HAVE. AND THAT'S GOING TO CALL FOR HARD DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BE EASY ON US OR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. SO THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I'M GOING TO GO LIGHT BECAUSE IT'S THAT KIND OF MEETING AT THE END OF THE DAY. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. TOMORROW, THE 2023 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REGIONAL S.T.E.M. GRANT AWARD CEREMONY, AND THAT'S GOING TO AIR LIVE AT 6:30 TOMORROW, AND IT'S GOING TO AIR LIVE ON HILLSBOROUGH TV AS WELL AS TBAE. AND THERE'S JUST SO MANY GREAT EVENTS THAT I'VE GONE TO IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I CAN'T EVEN NAME ALL OF THEM, BUT ONE THAT REALLY STANDS OUT TO ME IS BECAUSE IT JUST TALKS ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN

147THE DISTRICT. AS I WENT TO AN EVENT WHERE PABLO, MR. GIEGO, THEY ORGANIZED SOMETHING TO FIND INDIVIDUALS IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT ARE HISPANIC AND REALLY SO THAT WAY STUDENTS CAN SEE LEADERS LIKE THEM. AND FIND THOSE LEADERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE. BUT ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS NOT JUST THE POTENTIAL LEADERSHIP. IT WAS REALLY ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE WHO ARE IN THE CABINET OR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS, OR SUPERVISORS WHO CAME FOR AN EVENING IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN, LATE AT NIGHT AND JUST THE DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT FROM ALL THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THEM. WE TALK ABOUT TEACHERS ALL THE TIME, WHICH IS THE HEART AND SOUL, BUT SO ARE THE CUSTODIANS AND THE LUNCHROOM AND OUR CABINET AND OUR DISTRICT MEMBERS. SO WE HAVE

148TO DO SOMETHING TO GENERATE MORE MONEY FOR OUR PEOPLE. WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT HOW WE WANT TO DO IT, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE HARD DECISIONS. AND SO I TELL YOU, WHEN I GO OUT TO EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP, EVERY MEETING, PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THING. DON'T MOVE ME. I DON'T WANT TO GO ANYWHERE, DON'T CLOSE MY SCHOOL. THAT'S WHAT EVERYONE SAYS. EVERY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT I'VE GONE TO, I HAVEN'T HEARD ONE THING DIFFERENT THAN THAT. SO WHEN THINGS HAVEN'T CHANGED, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH PRESSURE. BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THE MONEY IS NOT COMING FROM THE STATE. IT'S NOT COMING FROM LOCAL TAXES. IT'S NOT GOING TO COME FROM SALES TAX OR PROPERTY TAX. SO IT'S GOT TO COME FROM WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. AND THAT MEANS LOOKING AT EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT, BUT

149ALSO LOOKING AT IF YOU LIVE CLOSER TO SOMEWHERE, MAYBE NOT TODAY, MAYBE NOT NEXT YEAR, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU'RE GOING TO GO THERE AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, BASED ON STATUTE, 101.363 DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ARE MEMBERS TO REPRESENT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. EACH DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OF EACH DISTRICT SHALL REPRESENT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. EACH MEMBER OF THE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD SHALL SERVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. SO THAT MEANS EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE COME AND THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR ME, WELL, GUESS WHAT, MOST OF THE PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN MY DISTRICT. BOTTOM LINE, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT REGARDLESS IF THEY LIVE IN SOUTH COUNTY OR THEY LIVE IN NORTH COUNTY OR THEY LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA, AND THAT

150MEANS WHEN WE HAVE A THOUSAND VACANCIES, STOP TALKING AND ACTION, NOT WORDS. LET'S SEE SOME ACTION. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.