04/05/2022 - Regular Meeting

001HI. I'M NADIA COMBS, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME TO YOU 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, 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 AND 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 SCHOOLS

002TV, 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 MATERIALS 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 APRIL 5th, 2022, 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] Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER WASHINGTON, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT FOR TODAY? Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MORE THAN HAPPY TO. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE LANIER DRUMMING ALONG WITH THE DIRECTOR MR. JOHN CASSINIST. THEY ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THEM UP AND LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. HI. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH. I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS ARIA AND I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS JEFFREY, AND I AM FIFTH

004GRADE. MY NAME IS KAITLYN. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS KINSLEY. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE. MY NAME IS EDWARD AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS XAVIER AND I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS ELLIOTT. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS MIA AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS McKAYLA AND I'M IN THE FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS JERALISE IN THE FIFTH GRADE. I AM IN FIFTH GRADE. MY NAME IS PRESLEY, FOURTH GRADE. MALAYA, FIFTH GRADE. LEUKA, FOURTH GRADE. I AM THEIR MUSIC TEACHER, MR. CASSANAS. THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. I LOVE THOSE COLORS. I LOVE RED. IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD. PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PICTURES, YOU CAN. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK

005YOU, EVERYONE. BEAUTIFUL JOB. I HEAR THEY HAVE LOTS OF GIGS. WE DID HEAR FROM THEM AT THE 5K RACE FOR EDUCATION ON SATURDAY. THEY PLAYED ALONGSIDE AS WE WALKED AND RAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH LANIER ELEMENTARY. WE HAVE ONE WITHDRAWN ITEM. 7.08 APPROVAL OF PARTNERSHIP WITH BUILDING SCHOOLS OF TOMORROW INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION FACILITIES. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH 5 AND 2 MEMBERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY NOT HERE. THANK YOU. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MEMBER SNIVELY WHO WILL JOIN US VIRTUALLY. ALSO MEMBER HAHN WHO WILL BE HERE SHORTLY. SHE HAD A FAMILY

006EMERGENCY AND WILL ARRIVE IN A FEW HOURS OR BEFORE THE END OF THE MEETING, SHOULD I SAY. WE HAVE FOUR SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. FEBRUARY 15, 2022, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT FORUM. FEBRUARY 15, 2022, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FORUM. MARCH 8, 2022, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. MARCH 22, 2022, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. 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 ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN TO SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND OBJECTIVE AGENDA AND

007QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETINGS, LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT FOR OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEBCAST, ON CABLE TV, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT ALSO CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING IN THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT IS

008THE 6 P.M. EMPLOYEE INPUT. BOARD, FOR 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 OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT'S REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTLY 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. WHEN

009THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU'LL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST SPEAKERS. IF SPEAKER ONE CAN PLEASE COME UP. IF THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS CAN PLEASE LINE UP AGAINST THE WALL, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI. MY NAME IS JESSICA GRAHAM. I AM A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARENT AND CHAIR OF LIBERTY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE STATEMENT RELEASED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS REGARDING THE PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION BILL. HERE IS YOUR STATEMENT: HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY WHERE STUDENTS ARE HEARD NOT SILENCED, WHERE DIFFERENCES ARE CELEBRATED NOT STIFLED. THE SAFETY AND MENTAL WELLNESS OF ALL STUDENTS REMAIN A TOP PRIORITY IN OUR

010DISTRICT TO PROMOTE INTOLERANCE TOWARDS ANY GROUP WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS BOTH DAMAGING AND CONTRARY TO OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN A PLACE WHERE ALL STUDENTS ARE WELCOME AND NURTURED. THE STATEMENT MADE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THIS BILL IS A GOOD, SOLID STATEMENT. BUT THE FACT THAT YOU'RE CONNECTING IT WITH A GOOD PIECE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS LEGISLATION IN AN ATTEMPT TO PUSH A FALSE NARRATIVE IS DESPICABLE. WITH THAT STATEMENT, YOU ARE IMPLYING THAT THIS BILL SILENCES STUDENTS AND STYLES OF DIFFERENCES. YOU ARE IMPLYING THIS BILL DEPRIORITIZES STUDENT SAFETY AND MENTAL WELLNESS. YOU ARE IMPLYING IT PROMOTES INTOLERANCE AND YOU ARE IMPLYING THAT THIS BILL AIMS TO MAKE SCHOOLS UNWELCOMING TO STUDENTS. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT A MAJORITY OF PARENTS IN THIS STATE WOULD SUPPORT A BILL SO TERRIBLE THEN

011YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE, AND I QUESTION WHY YOU'RE IN OFFICE. I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD SUPPORT A BILL THAT DOES WHAT YOUR STATEMENT IMPLIES. THE DAILY WIRE DID A POLL OF A THOUSAND PEOPLE MADE UP OF 37% DEMOCRATS, 32% REPUBLICANS, AND 31% INDEPENDENTS. THIS POLL -- THE POLL RESULTS INDICATE THE AMERICANS ACROSS RACE, PARTY, AND AGE LINES SUPPORT THIS BILL. MORE THAN 6 IN 10 AMERICANS OR 64% SUPPORT THE BILL'S BAN ON TEACHING K-12 SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY AND OLDER, IF NOT PRESENTED IN AN AGE-APPROPRIATE MANNER. THE BILL IS BACKED BY 62% OF DEMOCRATS, 69% OF REPUBLICANS, AND 57% OF INDEPENDENTS. THERE ARE NO NOTABLE DIFFERENCES BY RACE EITHER, AS THE BILL IS SUPPORTED BY 66% BLACKS, 63% WHITES, AND 62% LATINOS. 68% OF ALL FLORIDA PARENTS SUPPORT THIS

012BILL. HERE'S MY SUGGESTION AS A SOLUTION: KEEP YOUR CURRENT STATEMENT WITHOUT CONNECTION TO THE CURRENT BILL. IT IS A GOOD, SOLE STATEMENT OF SUPPORT. THEN DRAFT A NEW STATEMENT WITH REGARDS TO THIS BILL THAT ACTUALLY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE BILL. AND SHOWS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT A MAJORITY OF PARENTS SUPPORT IT AND DO NOT WANT SCHOOLS TEACHING THEIR FIVE-YEAR-OLDS ABOUT SEX, NO MATTER WHAT KIND. IN CONCLUSION, THE STATEMENT YOU HAVE MADE HAS TERRIBLE IMPLICATIONS AND PUSHES AN EXTREMELY DAMAGING FALSE NARRATIVE. I STRONGLY URGE TO YOU REWRITE YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS BILL AND KEEP IN MIND THE MAJORITY OF PARENTS THAT SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT. THANKS FOR LETTING ME COME TO PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY. MY NAME IS JENNIFER HART. I

013WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU. I SUPPORT YOUR STATEMENT. I'M ACTUALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT. I HAVE AN IDEA THAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTY THAT WOULDN'T COST US ANY MORE MONEY. I CAME TO SHARE. I BELIEVE AS A TEACHER WHO HAS INSTRUCTED FIRST GRADE, SECOND GRADE, AND THIRD GRADE THAT WE SHOULD CHANGE MANDATORY RETENTION RULES FOR THIRD GRADE. THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME NOW THAT WE ARE PIVOTING TO A NEW SET OF STANDARDS AND STATE ASSESSMENTS. CURRENTLY THE STATE SAYS STUDENTS WHO DO NOT GET A 2 OR HIGHER ON THE GRADE READING WILL REPEAT THIRD GRADE. IN OUR DISTRICT WE PROVIDE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS WITH AN ALTERNATE PORTFOLIO WHERE STUDENTS TAKE A BATTERY OF OTHER ASSESSMENTS TO EARN PORTFOLIO CHECKS WHICH MEAN PAST ASSESSMENTS. TYPICALLY,

014IT WAS FIVE CHECKS BEFORE. THIS YEAR IT'S FOUR CHECKS. I ASSUME THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC. THAT'S A TOTAL OF 26 DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO GET A PORTFOLIO CHECK WHICH IS A LOT OF TESTING FOR A THIRD GRADER AND IS A LITTLE STRESSFUL. OF COURSE, THERE SHOULD BE A WAY FOR KIDS TO PASS OUTSIDE OR JUST THE FSA. WHAT I HAVE BEEN NOTICING LATELY AND ASKING MYSELF ABOUT IS WHY DO WE NEED SO MANY STUDENTS PASSING THROUGH THE PORTFOLIO PROCESS? THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARRIVE IN THIRD GRADE NOW, TWO OR MORE GRADE LEVELS BEHIND IN READING. FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY CLASS, TEN STUDENTS OUT OF THE 38 THAT IREADY READING TESTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR WERE KINDERGARTEN OR FIRST GRADE READING LEVEL. NOW, WE COULD ARGUE WHETHER OR NOT

015STUDENTS SHOULD BE RETAINED AT ALL. THAT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. I'M SAYING THAT IF WE ARE GOING TO RETAIN STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HOW CAN WE MAKE IT THE MOST IMPACTFUL? BACK IN THE DAY WHEN I WAS TEACHING, I TAUGHT THIRD GRADE SEVEN YEARS. AT THIS TIME IT WAS THOUGHT BY THE DISTRICT TO RETAIN STUDENTS IN FIRST GRADE, NOT THAT WE WANT TO RETAIN STUDENTS, BUT IN FIRST GRADE, STUDENTS ARE STILL LEARNING PHONICS AND OTHER NECESSARY FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS. IN THIRD GRADE, WE FOCUS VERY LITTLE ON THIS AS WE PREPARE STUDENTS TO MASTER HIGHER LEVEL READING COMPREHENSION. ALSO LESS SOCIAL STIGMA WITH BEING RETAINED AT THE YOUNGER AGE. YOUNGER STUDENTS MAY NEED MORE TIME TO BE CAUGHT UP OR READY FOR SCHOOL SEEMS TO BENEFIT MORE FROM RETENTION. ARRIVING AT THIRD GRADE AT KINDERGARTEN READING

016LEVEL, YOU ARE VERY BEHIND. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE SETTING THOSE STUDENTS UP FOR LESS ACADEMIC SUCCESS BY PUSHING THEM ON KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE WHEN THEY AREN'T MAKING ADEQUATE PROGRESS ONLY TO RETAIN THEM IN THIRD. THEY REALLY JUST WOULD BENEFIT AT A YOUNGER AGE. SINCE I HAVE TIME LEFT, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH AN E-MAIL TO MY REPRESENTATIVES WHICH ARE CHAIRWOMAN GRAY AND MR. WASHINGTON. I'LL EVEN E-MAIL YOU. YOU ARE ALSO, MRS. PEREZ. WHILE I'M HERE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I'VE BEEN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTEACHER FOR 18 YEARS. THERE'S NOBODY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHING ANY SEX EDUCATION OR EDUCATION ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER OR I PROMISE ANYBODY INDOCTRINATING YOUR STUDENTS IN ANY KIND OF WAY. I DO AGREE THAT IT'S HARMFUL AND THAT I HOPE I'M NOT GOING TO BE ASKED TO

017TELL, FOR EXAMPLE, AN 8-YEAR-OLD THAT I TEACH THAT THEY CAN'T TALK ABOUT THEIR TWO MOMS OR TWO DADS OR SHARE PICTURES OR LITERATURE THAT REFLECTS THEIR LIFE BECAUSE FELT LIKE THAT'S RIDICULOUS AND HARMFUL. THE VAGUE LANGUAGE OF THE BILL LEAVES A LOT OF QUESTIONS. AS A FRIEND SAID TO ME EARLIER TODAY, WHAT REALLY STRUCK A CHORD WITH ME, IT FEELS LIKE A CRIME TO HER THAT TALLAHASSEE THINKS PROTECTING CHILDREN IS SHIELDING THEM FROM THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY WHEN REALLY THEY WON'T DO A THING TO PROTECT THEM FROM GUN VIOLENCE IN SCHOOL. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. ALLISON FERNANDEZ. I JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HB 1557 WHICH IS THE PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL. I MADE COPIES FOR YOU ALL TO LOOK AT. MY QUESTION

018IS REGARDING THE STATEMENT THAT THE DISTRICT PUT OUT. HAS ANYBODY ACTUALLY READ THE BILL? I'VE READ IT, AND IN THE BILL, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SAYING GAY OR NOT SAYING GAY. AND FORBIDDING CHILDREN TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES IF THEY HAPPEN TO HAVE TWO MOMS OR TWO DADS. IT'S REALLY VERY HEAVILY WEIGHTED TO PARENTAL RIGHTS. IT'S THE PARENTS NEED TO BE NOTIFIED. THE PARENTS NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. THE PARENTS, IT ALL GOES BACK TO THE PARENTAL RIGHTS. SO I'M WONDERING SPECIFICALLY -- AND THIS IS NOT A RHETORICAL QUESTION -- SPECIFICALLY, WHAT IS IT THAT BOARD MEMBERS OR THIS DISTRICT FINDS OBJECTIONABLE IN THIS BILL LANGUAGE? I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW THE SPECIFIC PARTS OR IDEAS OR STATEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT. THAT'S REALLY WHAT -- I'M THE PARENT TO MY CHILDREN,

019TO MY FOUR CHILDREN, AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE PARENTING THEM. I AND MY HUSBAND ARE THE PEOPLE THAT GOVERN THEIR SOCIAL AND THEIR MORAL GROWTH AND THEIR BELIEFS. YOU ALL -- WE'RE LOOKING TO YOU TO TEACH THEM READING AND WRITING AND ARITHMETIC. AND THE BASICS TO HELP GET THEM THROUGH SO THEY CAN LEARN HIGHER LEVEL ISSUES. AND BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AND, IN FACT, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER, WE'RE SEEING MANY CHILDREN COMING IN. I WORK VERY HEAVILY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. AND WHEN THEY COME IN AT SIXTH GRADE AND THEY ARE NOT READING AS A SIXTH GRADE LEVEL, IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH UP IN THAT SIXTH GRADE YEAR AND BECOME PROFICIENT ENOUGH TO MASTER HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM. SO I'M FRUSTRATED WHEN I HEAR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AT THE POSITIONS YOU HAVE

020WHEN YOU SAY THINGS LIKE THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL, WHICH IS NOT THE NAME OF IT, OR CALLING SOMETHING FAKE NEWS LIKE LOSING THE $9 MILLION POTENTIALLY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BE USED HOWEVER THE SCHOOLS WANTED TO USE IT AS IT'S PARCELED OUT. WE'RE NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT TEACHING THE CHILDREN TO READ, AND WE'RE NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT MAKING OUR BUDGET ISSUES FIXED. WE'RE MORE WORRIED ABOUT SOCIAL AND MORAL ISSUES THAT, AGAIN, THIS BILL TALKS ABOUT SHOULD BE THE PURVIEW OF THE PARENTS AND THE HOUSEHOLD. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. IF THE NEXT FOUR SPEAKERS WOULD LINE UP, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HELLO. MY NAME IS JULIE GEBHARTS. AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO ISSUE AN EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING NOW BEFORE I

021BEGIN. ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHOM I APPRECIATE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED THAT I READ NOT DIRECTLY FROM THE BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARIES BECAUSE IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE. I CONSIDERED IT AND I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH I WANT TO HONOR THAT REQUEST. READING THIS MATERIAL IS DEGRADING AND SHAMEFUL. IT MAKES ME SICK TO MY STOMACH. BUT BY YOUR REFUSAL TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS YOU LEAVE ME AND MY CONSCIENCE WITH NO CHOICE. SO THE READING CONTINUES, AND THIS IS ON YOU. I PRAY THAT YOU DO NOT LACK THE WILL TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. IF YOU SICK TO YOUR STOMACH BY THIS MATERIAL, SO AM I. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN. THIS BOOK HERE, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS IS CURRENTLY CHECKED OUT BY A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT, FARRELL MIDDLE SCHOOL. 23 COPIES IN MIDDLE

022SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT. THAT POOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT. I MEAN, LOOK AT THE COVER. SUCH A BRIGHT, FUN CIRCUS COVER. IT HAS AN ELEPHANT, CIRCUS TENT. IT LOOKS LIKE HARMLESS. THIS SCENE DESCRIBES TWO PEEP SHOW HORRORS ESSENTIALLY RAPING A COLLEGE BOY NEW TO THE CIRCUS AND HAS BEEN DRINKING. STARTS PAGE 133. OH, HE IS CUTE AS A BUTTON, ISN'T HE NOW? SURE IS. HE WAS HELPING OUT THE CATCH TENT A FEW NIGHTS AGO. GAZES DEEP INTO MY EYES. OH, YOU ARE A SWEET THING. TELL ME, JACOB, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN WITH A WOMAN? BARBARA, WANT TO GIVE HIM A PROPER WELCOME. WE PRACTICALLY HAVE TO. FIRST OF MAY AND A VIRGIN. HER HANDS SLIPS BETWEEN MY LEGS AND OVER MY KOCH. YOU THINK HIS HAIR IS RED DOWN THERE, TOO, CUPPING ME

023IN MY PALM. SHE TAKES MY HAND AND PLACES IT ON HER LEFT BREAST RIGHT WHERE HER NIPPLE MUST BE. OH, GOD I'M TOUCHING A BREAST. BARBARA STANDS UP, FOR A MOMENT, SMOOTHS THE SKIRT AND THEN CROUCHES. I'M PONDERING THE POSITION WHEN SHE TAKES MY HAND AGAIN. THIS TIME PULLS IT UNDER HER SKIRT AND PRESSES MY FINGERS AGAINST HOT, MOIST SILK. MOVES IS HER HAND UP AND DOWN OVER HER STRANGE AND VALLEYS. OH, I MIGHT COME RIGHT NOW. WARM SILK BULGES AROUND BOTH SIDES OF MY FINGER PULSING UNDER THE TOUCH. REMOVES MY HAND, PUTS MY HAND ON THE KNEE AND GIVES MY CROTCH AN ENVIRONMENTAL SQUEEZE. HE'S READY NOW. SOMEBODY IS YANKING ON MY PANTS. NOT FEELING WELL. TOUCHING IT. STROKING EXPERIMENTALLY, REACHES DOWN FOR MY BALLS. RESTS THEM ON ONE HAND, JUGGLING THEM LIKE EGGS

024WHILE SHE EXAMINES MY PENIS. FISHES A SKINNY BREAST FROM THE DRESS AND LIFTS IT TO MY MOUTH. NOW HER LIPSTICK MOUTH IS COMING AT ME AND THEN A MOUTH CLOSE AROUND MY PENIS. I GASP. THE WOMEN GIGGLE. IT IS A PURRING SOUND, ENCOURAGING SOUND AS THEY CONTINUE TO GET A RESPONSE. OH, GOD, SHE'S SUCKING IT, SUCKING IT FOR GOD'S SAKE. IS THIS OKAY? Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS NOEL OAKMAN. I'M A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYER AND A MOTHER OF THREE. TWO OF MY CHILDREN ARE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE AND ONE IS HIGH SCHOOL AGE. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE OBSCENE MATERIALS BEING DISTRIBUTED BY ADULTS TO MINORS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. IT IS NEVER APPROPRIATE FOR ANY ADULT TO DISTRIBUTE PORNOGRAPHIC READING MATERIAL TO MINORS REGARDLESS OF THEIR PROFESSION OR

025TITLE. YET THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS RIGHT UNDER PARTICIPANTS' NOSES. I HAVE REVIEWED READING RECOMMENDATIONS AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND VARIOUS HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUMS AND I HAVE NOT FOUND THE WILDLY INAPPROPRIATE SOFT PORN THAT CAN BE FOUND IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WHY SHOULD OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS NOT BE AFFORDED THE SAME PROTECTION AS THEIR PRIVATE AND HOMESCHOOLED PEERS? THERE IS A PLETHORA OF QUALITY LITERATURE AVAILABLE TO OUR STUDENTS THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN HYPERSEXUALIZED CONTENT, CONTENT THAT CLEARLY OVERSHADOWS AND DISTRACTS FROM ANY LITERARY BENEFIT. WITH ALL OF THE CHOICES AVAILABLE, I AM CURIOUS, WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A BOOK ACCESSIBLE TO OUR CHILDREN TITLED TWO BOYS KISSING BY DAVID LEVETHEN. 17-YEAR-OLD CHARACTER WHO GOES ONLINE TO A SEX APP, LIES ABOUT HIS AGE IN ORDER TO MOOETTE A COMPLETE STRANGER FOR SEX.

026HERE ARE A COUPLE OF PIECES OF THE EXPLICIT CONTENT PROVIDED AGAIN BY ADULTS TO MINORS. IF YOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE ROOM, YOU MAY WANT TO STEP OUT. PAGE 100. COOPER WANTS SOMETHING TO START. HE WANTS IT TO START NOW. PAGE 101. HE REACHES OUT AND PUTS HIS HAND ON THE SIDE OF JULIAN'S NECK, LEANS IN AND HERE IT IS. THEN PRESSING THEIR MOUTHS TOGETHER, PRESSING THEIR BODIES TOGETHER, COOPER WANTS IT SO BADLY, WANTS SOMETHING AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO STOP FOR BREATH. HE WANTS TO KEEP GOING AND GOING. COOPER WANTS TO PULL HIM DOWN TO THE COUCH, WANTS TO GET HIM HORIZONTAL. PAGE 102, HE GOES RIGHT FOR THE GROIN AND COOPER DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE NOT NAKED YET. PAGE 103. IF THIS WERE PORN, THEY WOULD BE NAKED BY NOW. THEY

027WOULD BE BLOWING EACH OTHER. HE'S A 17-YEAR-OLD BOY AND A BREEZE CAN MAKE HIM HARD. WHILE HE'S STILL HARD, HE FEELS LIKE IT'S NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE. YOU'RE SO LOVELY. BUT COOPER DOESN'T WANT TO BE LOVELY. HE DOESN'T WANT TO BE A PAINTING. HE WANTS TO BE SCREWING HIMSELF INTO OBLIVION AND HE KNOWS, COMPLETELY KNOWS THAT JULIAN IS NOT THE GUY FOR THE JOB. IF YOU ARE A PARENT, HOW CAN YOU TELL ME THAT YOU WOULD BE COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR CHILD READING THIS INFORMTION? TO BE CLEAR, I AM NOT CALLING FOR BOOK BANNING. I AM HERE AS A MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I AM CALLING FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR MINORS AND DEMAND A HIGHER STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU.

028Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. WOW. THAT'S A LOT TO FOLLOW. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ELIZABETH THOMAS. ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS I HAVE WITH MY KIDS REGULARLY IS THAT THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE HAVE BOTH GOOD AND BAD CONSEQUENCES. I'M THE ONE THAT AUTHORED THE TAMPA BAY TIMES PIECE TITLED MAKE IT RIGHT REGARDING THE LOSS OF THE $9 MILLION DUE TO THE FIVE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO KNOWINGLY VOTED TO VIOLATE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S EXECUTIVE ORDER IN AUGUST OF 2021. AS CONFIRMED BY SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS DURING THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THE DISTRICT WILL LOSE ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNDS FROM THE FLORIDA SCHOOL RECOGNITION PROGRAM. MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL ALONE RECEIVED 49,000 IN PREVIOUS YEARS FROM THIS PROGRAM. SOME SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE RECEIVED OVER $200,000 IN PRIOR YEARS. THIS IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TEACHERS

029AND STAFF THAT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THIS MONEY AS BONUS PAY. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE REASON THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS VIOLATED WAS TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN. THERE WAS NOT A VOTE ON THE FLOOR TO CLOSE SCHOOLS. THE VOTE WAS TO MANDATE MASKS WITHOUT PARENTAL DISCRETION, VIOLATING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH'S EMERGENCY RULE. 55 DISTRICTS IN FLORIDA THAT DID NOT VIOLATE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND SUCCESSFULLY REMAINED OPEN WILL NOW SHARE THE UPCOMING $200 MILLION IN SCHOOL RECOGNITION FUNDS. HILLSBOROUGH WILL NOT RECEIVE THIS. THIS IS IMPORTANT. IT'S NOT FAKE NEWS. THE FIVE BOARD MEMBERS THAT VIOLATED THE ORDER KNOWING UNDER LEGAL ADVISEMENT THERE WERE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT COMMUNITY. LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, BAD DECISIONS LEAD TO NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. YOU MADE THE DECISION. I HOPE YOU WILL ADD THIS TO YOUR DISCUSSION

030AGENDA AND WORK TO MAKE IT RIGHT. SPEAKING OF FEDERAL TAXPAYER BAILOUT WILL ONLY FURTHER BURDEN THE ALREADY OVERBURDENED TAXPAYERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. IF THE NEXT COUPLE OF SPEAKERS WOULD LINE UP, I'D APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS GAY JONES. THE BOOK I'M GOING TO BE READING FROM IS ENTITLED 19 MINUTES. AND THE CONTENT IS EXPLICIT. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE THE ROOM, NOW IS THE TIME. WE HAVE 30 COPIES OF THIS BOOK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. TWO OF THEM ARE AT SLIGH MIDDLE SCHOOL. FROM PAGE 313, THEY WERE ON THE FLOOR OF THE LIVING ROOM. THEY WERE NEARLY NAKED. JOSIE COULD TASTE BEER ON MATT'S BREATH BUT SHE MUST HAVE TASTED LIKE THAT, TOO. THEY HAD BOTH DRUNK AT DREW'S,

031NOT ENOUGH TO GET WASTED, JUST BUZZED ENOUGH SO MATT'S HANDS SEEMED TO BE ALL OVER HER AT ONCE SO HIS SKIN SET FIRE TO HERS. SHE HAD BEEN FLOATING ALONG PLEASANTLY IN A HAZE OF THE FAMILIAR. YES, MATT HAD KISSED HER ONE SHORT ONE. THEN A LONGER, HUNGRY KISS AS HIS HAND WORKED OPEN THE CLASP ON HER BRA. SHE LAY LAZY, SPREAD BENEATH HIM LIKE A FEAST. AS HE PULLED OFF HER JEANS. BUT THEN INSIST -- INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT USUALLY CAME NEXT, MATT REARED OVER HER AGAIN. HE KISSED HER SO HARD THAT IT HURT. MHMM SHE SAID PUSHING AT HIM. RELAX, MATT MURMURED THEN HE SANK HIS TEETH IN HER SHOULDER. HE GROUND HIS HIPS AGAINST HER. SHE COULD FEEL HIS ERECTION HOT AGAINST HER STOMACH. IT WASN'T THE WAY THAT IT NORMALLY WAS

032BUT SHE HAD TO ADMIT IT WAS EXCITING. SHE COULDN'T FEEL SO HEAVY. SHE CLAWED AT MATT'S BACK TO BRING HIM CLOSER. YEAH, HE GROANED AS HE PUSHED HER THIGHS APART. SUDDENLY MATT WAS INSIDE HER PUMPING SO HARD THAT SHE SCOOTED BACKWARD ON THE CARPET BURNING THE BACKS OF HER LEGS. WAIT, JOSIE SAID, TRYING TO ROLL AWAY BENEATH HIM. HE CLAMPED HIS HAND OVER HER MOUTH AND DROVE HARDER AND HARDER UNTIL SHE FELT HIM COMB. MATT FRAMED HIS FACE WITH HER HANDS, JESUS, JOSIE, HE WHISPERED AND SHE REALIZED HE WAS IN TEARS. I LOVE YOU SO GOD -- MUCH. SHE LAY IN HIS ARMS TEN MINUTES AND SAID SHE WAS TIRED AND NEEDED TO GO TO SLEEP. AFTER SHE KISSED MATT AT THE FRONT DOOR, SHE WENT TO THE KITCHEN AND TOOK RUG CLEANER FROM UNDER

033THE SINK. SCRUBBED IT INTO THE WET SPOT ON THE CARPET AND PRAYED IT WOULD NOT LEAVE A STAIN. I KNOW YOU DID NOT PUT THESE BOOKS ON THE SHELVES, BUT UNTIL THESE SOMETHING IS DONE ABOUT THESE BOOKS, YOU MAY AS WELL HAVE. I HOPE YOU CONSIDER THAT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE . HI. ALLEY LEGG HERE. I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE E-MAIL THAT WENT OUT ABOUT THE PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION BILL. I FULLY SUPPORT THE STATEMENT ON ITS OWN LIKE A PREVIOUS SPEAKER HAS SAID. HAVING IT AS A RESPONSE -- HAVING IT AS A RESPONSE TO THE LAW IMPLIES THAT THE LAW SOMEHOW IS DISCRIMINATORY OR SILENCES THE VOICES OF CHILDREN. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS LAW DOES. LET'S GO THROUGH THAT. WHAT THE LAW DOES IS PROTECT MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL

034WELL-BEING OF MINORS BY KEEPING SEX OUT OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR CHILDREN IN K THROUGH THIRD GRADE. THAT'S FIVE TO NINE-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN. CHILDREN THAT AGE DO NOT HAVE A DEVELOPMENTAL CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND SUCH THINGS. IT KEEPS ADULTS FROM TALKING ABOUT SEX OF ANY KIND TO CHILDREN. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE, AS YOU'VE HEARD SEVERAL SPEAKERS BEFORE ME TALK ABOUT, SOME INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL. THIS IS ACTUALLY FOUND IN TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MORT AND BOOKER T. WASHINGTON. CALLED SEX IS A FUNNY WORD. SOME NIPPLES ARE SENSITIVE AND SOME ARE NOT. NIPPLES CAN FEEL VERY GOOD TO TOUCH BUT PINCH HURT. CLITORIS CAN FEEL WARM AND TINGLY. MASTURBATION IS WHEN WE TOUCH OURSELVES, USUALLY THE MIDDLE PARTS TO GET THE WARM, TINGLY FEELING. THAT IS FOR SECOND GRADERS. SIX AND SEVEN-YEAR-OLDS. UNDERSTANDING THAT, HEARING THAT, DO YOU STILL STAND BY YOUR

035STATEMENT THAT THIS MATERIAL IS NOT IN OUR SCHOOLS? CLEARLY IT IS. WE HAVE LISTED SEVERAL SCHOOLS THAT THESE BOOKS ARE FOUND IN AS SUGGESTED READING MATERIAL, WHETHER SUGGESTED OR NOT, IT'S STILL IN OUR SCHOOLS. IF I WERE TO GIVE ANY OF THESE CHILDREN THIS BOOK BY MYSELF OR THIS BOOK, THESE BOOKS WERE FOUND IN THE BACKPACK OF ANOTHER CHILD THAT WOULD BE CAUSE FOR DCFS TO COME AND BE INVOLVED. THAT WAS A STATEMENT GIVEN TO ME BY A POLICE OFFICER AND A CRISIS WORKER. SO I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED OR VERY CAREFUL WITH HOW YOU PRESENT YOUR STATEMENT ABOUT THIS LAW THAT'S COMING FORWARD. SO NOTHING IN YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS LAW SAYS THAT YOU AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPPORT AND VALUE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO FOSTER THAT RELATIONSHIP AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES

036AS DOES YOUR PAST HISTORY OF IGNORING PARENTAL RIGHTS AND CHOICE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. WHERE IS THE DISTRICT'S PROCLAMATION TO DENOUNCE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIALS AS YOU'VE HAD A MOM COME HERE TWICE A MONTH EVERY MONTH FOR 11 MONTHS READING BOOKS THAT ARE VERY EXPLICIT FOR CHILDREN. OR WHERE IS THE DISTRICT RESPONSE TO THE RECENT ARRESTS OF TEACHERS CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND EVEN WHEN YOU HAD STUDENTS STANDING HERE GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT YOUR ACTIONS OR RATHER YOUR INACTION IS GOING TO COST THIS DISTRICT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AS PARENTS START TO PULL THEIR KIDS FROM OUR SCHOOLS EN MASSE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT TRUST THAT MOST OF OUR BOARD, MOST OF OUR STAFF, TEACHERS AND ADMIN HAVE THEIR CHILDREN'S BEST INTERESTS AT HEART AND SAFETY IS A TOP PRIORITY. AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

037ADULTS TEACHING CHILDREN ABOUT SEX. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI. MY NAME IS ALYSSA. I AM A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARENT. I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT BOOKS AS WELL. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BOOK CHALLENGE OR BOOK REMOVAL PROCESS CALLED A STRONG PROCESS FOR MANY YEARS NOW. HOW DO WE REMOVE BOOKS? OH, WAIT, IT'S NOT BOOKS. IT'S BOOK. LIKE ONE AT A TIME IN EACH SCHOOL. THESE BOOKS FLOOD INTO OUR LIBRARIES BY THE HUNDREDS WITHOUT PARENTAL OVERSIGHT OR EVEN TEACHER OVERSIGHT. THEY ARE DUMPED INTO OUR LIBRARIES BY TRAINED MEDIA SPECIALISTS WHO PARENTAL HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT SET OF MORALS THAN MOST PARENTS. PARENTS HAVE THE OPTION TO CHALLENGE SETBACKS -- I MEAN BOOK, ONE AT A TIME -- WITH A LENGTHY PROCESS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT RESULT IN A REMOVAL DEPENDING ON THE COMMITTEE'S

038DECISION. BY THE WAY, WHO ARE THESE COMMITTEES? WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES? HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN FOR THESE COMMITTEES? WHAT IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION? WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PERSONAL PREFERENCES HERE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LAWBREAKING, OFFENSIVE, AND SEXUAL GRAPHIC CONTENT. FLORIDA STATUTES PROHIBIT THE DISTRIBUTION OF PORNOGRAPHY. SEE FLORIDA STATUTE 847.02, WHETHER WRITTEN OR IN IMAGES. WE HAVE IMAGES AND GRAPHIC NOVELS OF NAKED CHILDREN AND ADULTS PERFORMING SEXUAL ACTS, BLANKETS, GENDER, QUEER, IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL AND THAT'S JUST TO NAME A FEW. ALSO COUNTLESS DETAILED NARRATIVES OF SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS OF ALL TYPES. WITH OVER 150 DIFFERENT TITLES OF DIFFERENT SEXUAL EXPLICIT BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARIES, THE PROCESS TO REMOVE THE BOOKS THAT FLOOD INTO OUR LIBRARIES IS LIKE USING A TEASPOON TO EMPTY A LAKE. WE HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM. NOT A ONE BOOK AT A TIME

039PROBLEM. THE MORE WE RESEARCH EXPLICIT BOOKS, THE MORE WE FIND IT'S NEVER ENDING. IT JUST KEEPS GROWING. SO YOUR ONE BOOK REMOVAL PROCESS IS A JOKE. WHAT ABOUT THE VULNERABLE KIDS WHOSE PARENTS ARE NOT INVOLVED AND DON'T NOTICE OR PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S BEING READ? THERE ARE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS EXPOSED TO "ALL BOYS AREN'T BLUE" WHICH DETAILS A CHILD HAVING SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS WITH ONE OF THEIR OLDER COUSINS AND HAS VERY PROFANE LANGUAGE. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE YOU STOOD IN FRONT OF ME FULLY ERECT AND SAID, TASTE IT. AT FIRST I LAUGHED AND I REFUSED BUT THEN YOU SAID, COME ON, MATT, TASTE IT. THIS IS WHAT BOYS LIKE US DO WHEN WE LIKE EACH OTHER. I FINALLY LISTENED TO YOU. THE WHOLE TIME I KNEW IT WAS WRONG NOT BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH A

040GUY BUT YOU WITH MY FAMILY, MY COUSIN. DO YOU OR ANY OF YOU FIND THIS BOOK DESPICABLE? BETWEEN A CHILD AND OLDER COUSIN A RAPE IS UNACCEPTABLE REGARDLESS OF GENDER OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. BECAUSE I DON'T FIND THIS AT ALL ACCEPTABLE. A CHILD IS A CHILD. IF YOU DO NOT FIND THIS ACCEPT -- YOU BELONG ON A NATIONAL REGISTRY AND NOT ON A SCHOOL BOARD. AN EX-POLICE THE NOVEL WITH -- FELIX EVER AFTER AND POTTER ELEMENTARY. THE BOOK WAS REMOVED WITHOUT A LENGTHY COMMITTEE PROCESS. PROOF THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE BOOKS? Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. KELLY CARLING. THE MOTHER OF FOUR CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M JUST HERE TO COMPLAIN, I GUESS, THAT YOU GUYS WENT AGAINST

041THE LAW AND MADE MASKS MANDATORY WITHOUT A PARENTAL OPT-OUT AGAINST LEGAL COUNSEL. THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF YOUR BAD CHOICES. I HAVE FOUR KIDS. TWO ARE AT MABRY. MABRY LOST OUT ON $85,000 IN SCHOOL RECOGNITION FUNDS. TWO ARE AT COLEMAN. THAT'S $101,000. NEXT YEAR THEY ARE GOING TO PLANT WHICH ALSO GOT $233,000. IT'S NOT FAKE NEWS AND IT'S REALLY UPSETTING US PARENTS BECAUSE YOU HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE LAW AND NO RESPECT FOR THE PARENTS. YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT CONCERNED WITH RULES. ANYWAY, THE EDUCATORS AND THE STUDENTS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO SUFFER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU GUYS STOP TALKING ABOUT LOW SALARIES WHEN YOU GAVE UP $9 MILLION FOR THE DISTRICT INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE TAXPAYERS AND ASKING FOR MORE MONEY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND THAT

042CLOSES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON. WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST THIS AFTERNOON, MR. STANLEY GRAY FROM THE URBAN LEAGUE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MR. GRAY, PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN LEAGUE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, OUR BOARD MEMBERS, OUR CONTRIBUTORS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME REPRESENT THE URBAN LEAGUE AT THIS TIME. ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE CAME TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH A CONCEPT. AND THE CONCEPT WAS REALLY ONE OF A PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIP. AND WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS TRY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE COULD ENGAGE OUR KIDS IN SCHOOLS, SPECIFICALLY THE KIDS IN THE TITLE I SCHOOLS TO MAKE THEM LIKE A SUBJECT, TO DO WELL IN THE SUBJECT TO STAY IN SCHOOL. AS I SAID, WE

043CAME OVER THREE YEARS AGO AND WE SPECIFICALLY MET WITH DR. LARRY PLANK. I HAVE NOTHING BUT THANKS AND PRAISE FOR HIM BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS -- I KNOW I'VE ALREADY SAID IT -- WE CAME TO HIM WITH A CONCEPT. HE HAD ENOUGH FAITH IN US TO BE PATIENT WITH OUR CONCEPT TO WHERE NOW WE TOUCHED OVER 250 KIDS IN OUR S.T.E.M. PROGRAMS AND OUR AFTER-SCHOOL, DURING SPRING BREAK AND SUMMER PROGRAM. THIS YEAR, WE HAD A GALA AND WE AWARDED SOME OF OUR PARTNERS. IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, YOU ALL WERE HONORED. YOU ARE OUR NUMBER ONE PUBLIC PARTNER, AND I THANK YOU FOR IT. AND I'M HERE TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MR. GRAY. Nadia Combs: I KNOW MEMBER GRAY HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS,

044IF YOU'LL STAND THERE BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MR. GRAY AND URBAN LEAGUE OF TAMPA. I PERSONALLY KNOW THAT YOU'VE ENGAGED IN COMMUNICATION THROUGH ME TO OUR VARIOUS HIGH-NEED SCHOOLS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THOSE SCHOOLS. AND THAT HAS NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN BY ME NOR THIS BOARD. I DO KNOW THAT YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH THE S.T.E.M. CAMP AND YOU ARE THE BRIDGE TO OUR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS. THE PARTNERSHIP IS IMPORTANT, AND WE HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE A BIGGER ONE AS THE TIME GOES ON, MEANINGFUL, BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE GREAT AS YOU WELL KNOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO OUR ADOPTION AND PROCLAMATIONS. A 01, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, THE

045MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD WHICH IS APRIL 2022. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M A LITTLE HOARSE TODAY, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS IS CURRENTLY HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 4600 DEPENDENTS OF ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY MEMBERS AND 8700 MILITARY CONNECTED STUDENTS. OUR DISTRICT WORKS CLOSELY WITH MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH MILITARY FAMILY LIFE COUNSELORS FROM SIX IN 2019-2020, TO 19 THIS SCHOOL YEAR, MILITARY FAMILY LIFE COUNSELORS. AND FULLY LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS PAID BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT PROVIDES EXTRA SUPPORT FOR OUR ACTIVE DUTY FAMILIES. APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION MILITARY CHILDREN HAVE EXPERIENCED PARENTAL DEPLOYMENT IN 2021. WE RECOGNIZE THAT MILITARY CHILDREN SERVE AND SACRIFICE ALONGSIDE THEIR PARENTS AND CONTINUE TO INSPIRE US DESPITE THE CHALLENGE THEY FACE DUE

046TO THEIR UNIQUE SITUATIONS. SUCH AS HAVING A PARENT DEPLOYED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, CHANGING SCHOOLS, AND LEAVING FRIENDS. WE ARE SO VERY HONORED THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY AND TRUST THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO NOW I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AND HONOR THE GUEST FROM MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, COLONEL BENJAMIN JOHNSON, THE COMMANDER OF THE SIXTH WING AT MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE. CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT SHAY DG. COMMAND CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT FOR THE SIXTH AIR REFUELING WING AT MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE. WE HAVE AMY DORR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE SIXTH MISSION SUPPORT GROUP. WE ALSO HAVE ANISSA WATERS, THE SCHOOL LIAISON PROGRAM MANAGER. AND WE HAVE RUTH, THE EFMP FAMILY SUPPORT COORDINATOR. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. Nadia Combs: I NEED

047A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD, APRIL 2022. MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MS. GRAY SECONDED. PLEASE, MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: I WORK FOR THE TAMPA VA. I'VE HAD THE AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO WORK NOT JUST WITH THE VETERANS BUT WITH A LOT OF OUR DEPLOYED STAFF WHO COME TO THE VA THAT ARE THERE SEEKING SOME HELP, BUT YOU GUYS ARE INCREDIBLE. I SPOKE WITH A FAMILY WHOSE CHILD HAD BEEN AT SEVEN HIGH SCHOOLS BETWEEN THEIR NINTH GRADE AND SENIOR YEAR. YOU ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING. I ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY DOES THE MILITARY SERVICE MEMBER SERVE BUT ALSO THEIR FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO ALWAYS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COUNTRY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ.

048MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: THANK YOU IS JUST A MINIMAL EXPRESSION FOR THE WORK AND THE SERVICE THAT YOU DO. MY NEPHEW IS A RANGER RIGHT NOW ACTIVELY SERVING. AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF DANGEROUS SITUATIONS, BUT VERY IMPORTANT SITUATIONS. IT IS BECAUSE OF MEN AND WOMEN LIKE YOURSELF THAT WE ARE HERE ON THIS DAIS ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES AND REALLY HAVE THE FEELING OF RIGHT AND WRONG AND THE MORAL APTITUDE THAT WE CAN POSSESS. IT BECOMES REALLY REAL IN THE TERMS OF THE WAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW WITH THE UKRAINIANS AND RUSSIA. I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING, YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CHILDREN AND TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MEMBER CHAIR. I

049HAVE TO ADD MY PART BECAUSE I AM A FORMER MILITARY MAN 22 YEARS. I DID REGULAR ARMY AND RESERVE. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU, WE'RE HERE TO SERVE. WE'RE HERE TO SERVE AND DO WELL FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE STUDENTS. YOU KNOW, WE SAY, WE THINK ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT, BUT YOU LOOK AT THE HARD TIME THE STUDENTS GO THROUGH. FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL, LEAVING FRIENDS, THAT'S HARD. THAT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. I GOT TO SAY IT ONE MORE TIME, WE'VE GOT THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. I WOULD BE REMISS WITHOUT SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEMBERS AND ALL THE CHILDREN WHO ACTUALLY EVERY DAY

050WHAT THEY GO THROUGH WHEN THEIR PARENTS ARE OVERSEAS OR MOTHER AND FATHER OVERSEAS. BOTH MY BROTHERS WERE IN THE MILITARY. MY BROTHER WAS IN THE 82nd AIRBORNE AND MY OTHER BROTHER WAS IN THE ARMY. MY HUSBAND GREW UP IN MILITARY BASES ACROSS OVERSEAS HIS ENTIRE LIFE. I KNOW WHAT A SACRIFICE THAT IS WHEN I SEE MY MOTHER AND I SEE MY HUSBAND, WHAT HE EXPERIENCED. I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. HONESTLY, WE DO LIVE IN THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND IT'S BECAUSE OF ALL THE MILITARY THAT MAKE SURE THEY ARE HERE TO PROTECT AND SERVE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE. WE HAVE SUCH A BIG COMMUNITY IN TAMPA WITH MacDILL ABLE. WE HAVE SO MANY MILITARY FAMILIES THAT EVERY DAY ARE IMPACTED. I JUST WANT

051TO SAY THANK YOU. IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE PART OF THIS BOARD AND MAKE SURE WE'RE RECOGNIZING THIS PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT IS THE ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH, APRIL 2022. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNIZES THE PARENTAL FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AND FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. PARENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATING OUR LEARNERS. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, VOLUNTEERS SPEND MANY HOURS SERVING SCHOOLS AS MENTORS, TUTORS, CLUB LEADERS, BOOSTER CLUB MEMBERS, PTA MEMBERS, GUEST SPEAKERS AND CLASSROOM HELPERS. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS MORE THAN 32,000 VOLUNTEERS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND MENTORS. AND EACH OF THEM DESERVE OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THE TIME AND SUPPORT THEY GIVE TO

052OUR SCHOOLS, OUR STAFF AND OUR LEARNERS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH, APRIL 2022. MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. CHAIRWOMAN COMBS. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR VOLUNTEERS IN ANY CAPACITY, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR SCHOOL, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR COMMUNITY. VOLUNTEERS ARE KIND OF THE LIFE LINE OF SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ABLE TO HELP SO MANY PEOPLE AND ARE SO VITAL TO OUR SCHOOLS. IT TAKES A LOT TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND ENERGY AND SHOW UP WHERE YOUR PASSIONS ARE. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH BECAUSE OF VOLUNTEERS. I REALLY AM GLAD THAT OUR SCHOOL -- OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS TAKING

053THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK AND CONTRIBUTIONS THAT VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE TO BOTH OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU ALSO, MEMBER VAUGHN, WITHOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND I WILL KNOW ALL TOO WELL THAT THIS WEEKEND WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEER STUDENTS, STAFF FOR OUR RACE FOR EDUCATION AND HOW WOULD WE PULL THAT OFF WITH OVER A THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS WITHOUT OUR VOLUNTEERS? THEY ARE IN EVERY SCHOOL, AND THEY CONSIST OF PARENTS, HEARTFELT COMMUNITY LEADERS, STUDENTS, AS I MENTIONED, BUT THEY ARE EVERYWHERE, AND THEY DO COMPRISE THE POSITIVE CULTURE IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS A GREAT PROCLAMATION, AND THANKS FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS

054APPEAR. I'M SORRY. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: I JUST WANTED TO SAY, SOMETIMES WHEN I GO INTO A SCHOOL, THOSE VOLUNTEERS ARE WORKING SO HARD THAT I THINK THAT SOME OF THEM ARE TEACHERS OR STAFF. THEY ARE LIKE ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND THEY ARE IN THERE. SO I REALLY AM SO THANKFUL FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS AND ALL THE TIME TO TAKE WITH OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF AND OUR SCHOOLS. JUST THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. A 03, ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION, AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE MONTH. MEMBER VAUGHN WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. AUTISM AFFECTS MORE THAN 3500 STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND ACCORDING TO THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, ONE IN 44 CHILDREN WILL BE DIAGNOSED ON

055THE AUTISM SPECTRUM EACH YEAR. JUST LIKE OUR NEUROTYPICAL STUDENTS WITH AN INCLUSIVE AND ADAPTIVE EDUCATION AND THE PROPER SUPPORT, CHILDREN ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM LEAD PRODUCTIVE AND FULFILLING LIVES AND CAN REACH THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUPPORTS INCREASING AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE OF STUDENTS ON THE SPECTRUM AND CELEBRATES THE GIFT AND TALENTS OUR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SHARE WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE THANK THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND STAFF WHO WORK WITH AND SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS EVERY DAY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION. I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW THAT MY SON IS ACTUALLY ON THE SPECTRUM. AS A PARENT OF A CHILD ON THE SPECTRUM TO SEE HOW WE'VE GONE FROM AWARENESS TO ACCEPTANCE TO CELEBRATION HAS REALLY BEEN IMPACTFUL IN BEING ABLE TO HELP RAISE MY SON

056AND GIVE HIM THE SUPPORTS THAT HE NEEDS AND MAKE HIM FEEL CONFIDENT. ALTHOUGH IT SAYS ONE IN FOUR HERE BY THE CDC, STUDIES SHOW 30 TO 40 PERCENT OF OUR KIDS ARE NEURODIVERSE SOMEHOW AND NEED SUPPORTS IN OUR SCHOOL. SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLOSE WITH THIS QUOTE. IF THEY CAN LEARN THE WAY WE TEACH, WE CAN TEACH THE WAY THEY LEARN. I HOPE THAT WITH THIS PROCLAMATION AND AWARENESS WE FULLY ADAPT AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT OUR NEURODIVERSE STUDENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE MONTH. MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? I REALLY WANTED TO QUICKLY SAY, ONE OF THE THINGS I SAID THIS LAST YEAR, WHAT

057WAS MOST SURPRISING ABOUT ME BEING ON THE BOARD WHEN I GO OUT TO THE SCHOOLS IS THE NUMBER OF ACCESS CLASSROOMS, BEHAVIOR CLASSROOMS, THE HIGH NEEDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS THIS DISTRICT. AND HOW MUCH OUR TEACHERS DO EVERY DAY. I REMEMBER NOT THAT LONG AGO WE WERE AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE SPECIAL NEEDS OLYMPICS, AND I SAW THIS TEACHER HAMMOND ELEMENTARY, THE WAY SHE WAS TAKING CARE OF THIS CHILD AND THE WAY SHE WAS LOVING THIS CHILD, I THOUGHT, GOSH, THAT PARENT DOES NOT KNOW HOW LUCKY THEY ARE TO HAVE SO MANY TEACHERS WHO LOVE THEIR CHILDREN JUST LIKE THEIR OWN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY IN OUR DISTRICT, AND I REALLY THINK IT TAKES A SPECIAL PERSON TO WORK WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PATIENT

058AND LOVING. I SEE THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THE DISTRICT. I REALLY WANTED TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK OUR SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS. THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ADOPTION OF PROCLAMATION OF SOLIDARITY WITH LGBTQ STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. MEMBER PEREZ WILL BE HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROCLAMATION. BEFORE SHE READS THE PROCLAMATION, LYNN GRAY WHO BROUGHT FORTH THIS AGENDA, HAS A FEW WORDS TO SAY. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THE WHY REALLY IS TO DUPLICATE THE BELIEF OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE ARE VERY MUCH INVESTED IN DIVERSITY. WE'RE INVESTED IN FAIRNESS, AND WE'RE INVESTED IN INCLUSION. AND THE IMPORTANCE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FACT AND THE REALITY, THE FACT IS THE BILL SIMPLY SAYS THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN AGE LIMIT ON CERTAIN DISCUSSIONS, AND IT'S CERTAINLY

059REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT THERE SHOULD BE. ALSO, THE FACT IS, IT BANS CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL OR THIRD PARTIES ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY. NOW, THE REALITY IS THOSE TWO TERMS HAVE SUBJUGATED A PHRASE, WHICH I WON'T REPEAT. IT'S BEEN SAID MANY TIMES, BUT THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IS FEELING THE BRUNT OF THIS ASSOCIATION, AND I WILL TELL YOU, WITHOUT ANY OTHER PREFERENCE OR REFERENCE, THE STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED. MY MONTHLY STUDENT FORUM -- AND THIS WILL BE VERY SHORT, MADAM COMBS -- SOME OF THEM COMPRISE OF LGBTQ STUDENTS ARE SCARED OF BEING BULLIED AND I WILL TELL YOU RIGHTLY SO. SECONDLY, I WANT TO SUPPORT, AND I THINK WE ALL DO, OUR SUPERINTENDENT WHO DOES ALSO EMBLEMATICALLY SAY WE DO BELIEVE IN INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND FAIRNESS. THIRD, WHEN I HAVE HEARD IN FRONT OF

060YOU ALL, THREE BOARD MEMBERS SPEAK PASSIONATELY, ONE IN TEARS SAY SUCH THINGS ON BEHALF OF THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY I COULD NOT DISREGARD THAT HEARTFELT APPEAL TO ALL OF US. I AM A GRANDMOTHER OF A THREE-YEAR-OLD AND A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD. I SO MUCH UNDERSTAND ON ALL THE OTHER OUTRAGES. BUT FOR GOODNESS' SAKES, I WORRY, AND WE ARE ALL FEARFUL. THE PROCLAMATION IS NOTHING MORE AN EMBLEMATIC WAY OF SAYING THAT WE SUPPORT INCLUSION. WE SUPPORT DIVERSITY, AND WE SUPPORT FAIRNESS WITH EVERY GROUP THAT COMES TO OUR SCHOOLS IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ, PLEASE READ THE PROCLAMATION. Karen Perez: WHEREAS WE KNOW THAT OUR LGBTQ+ YOUTH ARE VULNERABLE AND SHOULD BE CONFIDENT THAT THEIR SCHOOLS ARE SUPPORTIVE AND NURTURING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO OUR YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR

061SURVEY, 20% OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IDENTIFY AS LGBTQ. THIS VULNERABLE STUDENT GROUP IS THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN THEIR HETEROSEXUAL AND PEERS TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER SUICIDE. THEY ARE TWO TIMES MORE LIKELY TO FEEL HOPELESS, FEEL UNSAFE IN SCHOOL AND/OR ATTEMPT TO END THEIR LIFE; AND WHEREAS, OUR DISTRICT WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD STEADFAST IN OUR POSITION AND COMMITMENT TO CREATING AN INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FREE OF HARASSMENT WITH THE SAFETY AND MENTAL WELLNESS OF OUR STUDENTS AT THE FOREFRONT. OUR SCHOOLS WILL NOT STIGMATIZE NOR MARGINALIZE CHILDREN. WE, THE BOARD, CONTINUE TO PROHIBIT HARASSMENT BASED ON RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, AGE, NATIONAL OR ETHNIC ORIGIN, POLITICAL BELIEFS, MARITAL STATUS, DISABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY; AND WHEREAS, WE AFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO THE STRUGGLE OF EQUAL RIGHTS FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS AND STAFF BY CREATING AFFIRMING ENVIRONMENTS THAT

062ALLOW LGBTQ+ YOUTH AND STAFF TO LIVE A LIFE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT AND TO ULTIMATELY THRIVE. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, DOES HEREBY DECLARE ITS SUPPORT AND STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE SOLIDARITY WITH LGBTQ STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ. SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: AS A BOARD MEMBER, I REPRESENT ALL CHILDREN, TEACHERS, AND STAFF IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. YES, THAT INCLUDES OUR LGBTQ+ AND TRANSGENDER STUDENTS. I HAVE A DOG IN THIS FIGHT BECAUSE THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR YOUTH IS AT STAKE. YOU SEE, BETWEEN 2013 AND 2017, 134 CHILDREN FROM THE AGES OF 5 TO 11 TOOK THEIR OWN LIVES

063IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THESE CHILDREN WHO WERE 59% OF THEM WERE PRIMARILY WHITE AND MALE, 75%. THESE WERE BABIES. THESE WERE 134 LIVES TOO MANY. AND ACCORDING TO THE CDC, FOR YOUTH AGES 10 TO 14, SUICIDE IS THE SECOND-LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH. SO, YES, LET ME SAY THAT CLEARLY ONCE AGAIN. I HAVE A DOG IN THIS FIGHT. SUPERINTENDENT, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR STUDENTS, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND THEIR WELLNESS, I'M GOING TO STAND UP FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND ON THE SIDE OF OUR STUDENTS EACH AND EVERY TIME. WE HAVE EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEETING, WHERE WE REPRESENT OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND WE SAY VERY LOUDLY, AND I MIGHT ADD VERY PROUDLY THE PLEDGE

064OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD ININDIVISIBLE WHICH MEANS A UNIT NATION WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, NOT SOME OR WHO WE PICK AND CHOOSE. NOW, I'M GOING TO READ THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT FROM THE 1994 INAUGURAL SPEECH OF NELSON MANDELA WHO ALSO FOUGHT AGAINST OPPRESSION AND HE STRONGLY BELIEVED IN A JUST SOCIETY. OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS NOT THAT WE ARE INADEQUATE. OUR DEEPEST FEAR IS THAT WE ARE POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE. IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR DARKNESS THAT MOST FRIGHTENS US. WE ASK OURSELVES WHO AM I TO BE BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS, TALENTED AND FABULOUS? ACTUALLY, WHO ARE YOU NOT TO BE? YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD. THERE'S NOTHING ENLIGHTENED ABOUT SHRINKING SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON'T FEEL INSECURE

065AROUND YOU. WE ARE BORN TO MAKE MANIFEST THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US. IT IS NOT JUST IN SOME OF US, IT IS IN EVERYONE. AND WE ARE -- AND AS WE LET OUR LIGHT SHINE, WE CONSCIENTIOUSLY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE PERMISSION TO DO THE SAME. WE ARE LIBERATED FROM OUR OWN FEAR, OUR PRESENCE AUTOMATICALLY LIBERATES OTHERS. THANK YOU FOR THE ADDITIONAL TIME, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, CHAIRWOMAN COMBS. AND THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY, FOR BRINGING THIS ACROSS. I KNOW THAT YOU ALWAYS TRY TO BE FAIR AND MEASURED AND NOT REACTIVE TO THINGS. AND THE REASON YOU BROUGHT THIS FORWARD IS BECAUSE YOU'RE SEEING A FALLOUT OF CONCERN IN OUR STUDENTS. AS WE SEE HERE, WE SAY PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND WE CONSTANTLY TALK

066ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE SAFE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS FOR THEM. I HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS BUT FIRST I WANT TO READ SOME STATISTICS AND I APPRECIATE MEMBER PEREZ READING THEM, TOO, AND TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE AS WE APPROACH THIS PROCLAMATION, IT'S FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE. THESE STATISTICS ARE FROM THE GAY, LESBIAN, STRAIGHT EDUCATION NETWORK. 90% OF OUR LGBTQ STUDENTS HEAR ANTI-LGBTQ STUDENTS IN SCHOOL. ON AVERAGE, LGBTQ HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WILL HEAR 26 ANTI-LGBT SLURS. ONE-THIRD FROM STAFF MEMBERS, 38% REPORT VERBAL HARASSMENT IN SCHOOL BECAUSE OF GENDER IDENTITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. ONE STUDY, 28 PERCENT OF LGBT YOUTH DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL DUE TO PEER HARASSMENT. LGBT INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNT FOR 30% OF ALL SUICIDES EACH YEAR. UP TO 46% OF LGBT YOUTH OF COLOR EXPERIENCE PHYSICAL VIOLENCE RELATED TO THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. MORE THAN ONE

067ANTI-TRANSGENDER MURDER PER MONTH IS REPORTED IN THE USA. IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, 51 YOUTH HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND CONFIRMED CASES OF ANTI-TRANSGENDER ATTACKS. AND THE NUMBER IS LIKELY MUCH HIGHER. WHILE I KNOW THAT THE CONCERNS FROM SOME OF OUR SPEAKERS ARE NOT IN THIS PROCLAMATION ALONE, BUT IN ITS RELATION TO THE BILL THAT HAS RECENTLY BEEN PASSED. I THINK SOME OF MY CONCERN WITH THAT BILL IS IT'S MISLEADING IN NATURE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY, WE ARE NOT TEACHING ANYTHING SEXUALLY RELATED OR TALKING ABOUT SEXUAL RELATION EXCEPT FOR TWO CURRICULUM CLASSES IN 8th AND 9th GRADE WHICH PARENTS HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT OF. IF THEY ARE ENGAGED PARENTS, THEY GET A NOTIFICATION FROM THE TEACHER ABOUT THE CONTENT MATERIAL AND HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT

068OF THAT AND HAVE THEIR CHILDREN OPT OUT OF THAT WITHOUT ANY PUSH-BACK. SO MY CONCERN IS OUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING. AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS BILL IS VAGUE INTENTIONALLY, WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE WHO TALK ABOUT MORALS AND VALUES AND THAT SENDS A MESSAGE TO OUR STUDENTS THAT BY EXPRESSING WHO THEY LOVE OR CHOOSING TO EXPRESS HOW THEY IDENTIFY, THERE'S SOMETHING DIRTY OR UNMORAL ABOUT THEM. JUST LIKE ANYONE ELSE, THEY SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS THEIR IDENTITY OR WHO THEY LOVE WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING HARASSED OR WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING SINGLED OUT. SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THIS COMES FORWARD TO REALLY TIE INTO THE FACT THAT OUR DISTRICT PROMOTES INCLUSION AND CREATING SAFE CLASSROOMS WHERE STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES WITHOUT BEING TOLD THAT'S SEXUAL IN NATURE OR DIRTY

069OR THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. SO THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBER VAUGHN. JUST QUICKLY, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT MEMBER VAUGHN. I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, THERE'S NOTHING BEING TAUGHT IN THE CURRICULUM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WHEN I DECIDED TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD, I RAN BECAUSE IT'S NONPARTISAN. WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN POLITICS HERE. WE'RE INTERESTED IN EDUCATING CHILDREN AND PROVIDING THEM LOVE AND SUPPORT. WE ARE NOT THEIR PARENTS. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO DECIDE THEIR RELIGION, THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. THAT IS NOT OUR JOB. OUR JOB IS TO EDUCATE CHILDREN AND TO MAKE SURE IF WE FEEL OR IF WE SEE THAT THERE IS A CONCERN THAT WE HAVE TO REPORT SOMETHING FOR A HOT LINE OR IF

070WE FEEL A CHILD IS SUICIDAL, CONCERNS, IT IS REALLY ABOUT THE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL IMPACT. WE DON'T WANT TO BE THE PARENTS TO YOUR CHILDREN. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. I'M VERY BUSY WITH MY TWO CHILDREN. FOR ME, IT'S REALLY ABOUT PROVIDING LOVE AND SUPPORT AND FOR CHILDREN TO KNOW THAT WHEN WE GO INTO SCHOOLS, WE'RE HERE TO EDUCATE THEM. SO LET'S LET THE POLITICS LEAVE OUR CLASSROOM AND LET'S FOCUS ON EDUCATING CHILDREN AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. I KNOW SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, YOU HAVE WORKED SO HARD SINCE YOU HAVE COME INTO THIS DISTRICT WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS INCLUSIVE, THAT PEOPLE FEEL SAFE. WE'RE PUTTING SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE SAFE. SO LET'S CONTINUE DOING THAT WORK AND LET'S NOT GET DISTRACTED WITH THE POLITICS. SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED

071TO SAY ABOUT THAT. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SOMETHING I WANT TO ADD, TOO. YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL ABOUT STUDENTS. WE'RE NOT HERE TO POLITIC. I'M A BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE I LOVE STUDENTS. I'M NOT A BOARD MEMBER FOR ANYTHING ELSE. THAT'S WHY I CAME ON THIS BOARD TO RUN FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD. AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WE KNOW OUR BOARD IS HERE TO HELP STUDENTS. YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T WANT TO BE A PARENT. I HAD TWO KIDS. THEY ARE GROWN NOW. I DON'T WANT TO BE A PARENT AGAIN. BUT WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TRY TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR STUDENTS. AND I THINK EVERY DECISION THIS BOARD MAKES IS FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF STUDENTS AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK OR SAY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE

072THE BEST DECISIONS FOR STUDENTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU HAD A COMMENT. Jessica Vaughn: I DID. I WANTED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE BECAUSE I KIND OF RAN OUT OF TIME REALLY QUICKLY AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GO OVER. I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, I ALREADY MENTIONED THIS, EMPHASIZE, AS FAR AS PARENTAL RIGHTS, IF THERE'S SOME SUBJECT MATTER THAT'S ACTUALLY IN OUR CURRICULUM THAT YOU DON'T WANT YOUR CHILDREN EXPOSED TO, AGAIN, YOU HAVE THAT ABILITY TO OPT OUT. WE MAKE THOSE FORMS AVAILABLE. YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION OF WHEN IT'S BEING TAUGHT. YOU CAN CERTAINLY OPT OUT. I THINK EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEMBER IS COMMITTED TO PARENTAL RIGHTS. WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IS THE STATE LEGISLATION PASSING THINGS THAT ARE DIVISIVE TO PIT ONE SET

073OF RIGHTS AGAINST THE OTHER. INSTEAD, WE SHOULD ALL BE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS. I JUST WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE TO OUR STUDENTS. IF YOU ARE WATCHING THIS AND THIS RAISES CONCERN, PLEASE KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HOW YOU CHOOSE TO IDENTIFY OR WHO YOU LOVE AND THAT OUR CLASSROOMS WILL BE AND WE CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE MAKING YOU FEEL SAFE AND VALUABLE AND WANTED AND LOVED. AND THAT PARENTAL RIGHTS CAN COINCIDE WITH INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO COUNTERACT EACH OTHER. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. 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 PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR

074LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C 4.02, C 6.02, C 6.03, C 6.05, C 6.06, C 6.07 AND C 7.05. 4.02, THE NEGOTIATED SALARY AGREEMENT WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THIS IS AN APPROVAL OF OUR NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WITH CTA AND ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT FOLLOW UNDER THIS UMBRELLA. I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS WORKED TO BE ABLE TO ACCELERATE FUNDING FOR EARLY EDUCATORS AND ALSO NEW TEACHERS. THIS YEAR, ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS NOT ONLY TO BE ABLE TO PUT ON THE FRONT SIDE OF NEW EDUCATORS GETTING THEM TO A 47,500 START SALARY, BUT ALSO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THIS YEAR WAS PROVIDED FOR EXPERIENCED VETERAN TEACHERS. SO ALONG WITH THAT, THIS IS INCLUSIVE

075OF THE FLORIDA TEACHER SALARY INCREASE ALLOCATION. WE ALSO FOUND ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS UNDER THIS UMBRELLA THROUGH CTA. AND JUST BRING IT TO THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE AND TO APPROVE SO WE CAN PUT IT IN ACTION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 4.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER -- I HAVE A MOTION BY MYSELF AND A SECOND. I'M SORRY. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. AND MEMBER SNIVELY AND I -- THAT'S WHY I PUT IT UP. MEMBER SNIVELY AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. I WILL COMMENT AND THEN MEMBER GRAY, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS. I JUST REALLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO

076THE CTA AND THANK YOU TO SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND OUR CABINET FOR WORKING ON THIS. I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT TOOK A LONG TIME AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE TEACHERS WHO WERE VERY PATIENT IN WAITING FOR THIS. I WILL SAY ABSOLUTELY THE HARDEST PART ABOUT ME BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD IS THE LACK OF FUNDING FOR TEACHERS. WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT IS WHAT BOTHERS ME MOST. IT'S WHAT KEEPS ME UP THE MOST. IT'S WHAT EVERY TIME I READ AN E-MAIL OR A TEXT OR OFTEN NOW WHEN I GO TO SCHOOLS, I REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S SO UNFORTUNATE. I HEAR TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING TWO OR THREE JOBS OR I MET A TEACHER WHO WAS AMAZING WHO SAID I COULDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT GOING TO ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE I WORK TWO JOBS AND I MAKE MUCH

077LESS WITH WHAT I'M DOING FOR TEACHING. FOR ME, MY ROLE HERE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS TO CONSTANTLY PUSH FOR STATE, FEDERAL, AND LOCAL FUNDING. THAT IS WHAT I AM GOING TO DO EVERY DAY WHILE I'M HERE, THE ENTIRE TIME THAT I'M ON THE BOARD, IF IT'S TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE LACK OF FUNDING IN OUR STATE, THAT WE ARE AT THE VERY BOTTOM, THEN I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. IF IT'S TO TALK ABOUT PUSHING OUR GRANTS AND THANKING OUR GRANT DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING SO HARD, TRYING TO GET ANY FEDERAL DOLLAR THAT WE CAN, AND THIS MISINFORMATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOSE MONEY, WE AREN'T. WE WILL GET THAT MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT. I WILL NOT LET A DOLLAR BE LOST IN OUR SCHOOLS. THAT IS MY COMMITMENT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND

078THAT IS THE SOLE REASON THAT I AM HERE BECAUSE WHEN WE HAVE GREAT TEACHERS, THEN WE HAVE A FUTURE FOR OUR STUDENTS. YOU HAVE TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATION. AMERICA DOES NOT PRIORITIZE EDUCATION AND FLORIDA DOES NOT PRIORITIZE EDUCATION. WE HAVE TO DO THAT. OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE. THEY ARE LOOKING AT US. IF WE DON'T HAVE THE BEST TEACHERS IN FRONT OF THEM, THEN WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGE, FOR MILITARY, FOR VOCATIONAL OR FOR TECHNICAL. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WORKING SO HARD. I KNOW OFTEN PEOPLE THINK IT'S HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S A MUCH LARGER, A MUCH LARGER ISSUE NATIONALLY AND AT THE STATE LEVEL. THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE CTA AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND CABINET, BUT THE REALITY IS

079THAT 47,000, THEY ARE VERY MUCH UNDERPAID. I'M TALKING TEACHERS AND SOME OF THEM WITH MASTERS AND SOME WITH DOCTORATES. IF YOU GO THROUGH A BUDGET AND ANY OF US CAN DO THIS REAL QUICK. THE MATH SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. $2500 FOR RENT OR A MORTGAGE. $1200 FOR FOOD, GAS ABOUT 2800 FOR MANY OF US NOW. 300 FOR WATER AND ELECTRIC. $70 FOR PHONE, COMES UP TO 7,000 MONTHLY. EQUIVALENT TO 84,000 A YEAR. THAT'S A BASIC BUDGET. 47,000 IS NOT MAKING IT. NOT TO MENTION THE ASTUTENESS, THE DEDICATION, THE DANGER WITH COVID, THE HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL SACRIFICE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GIVING DAY AFTER DAY, PARAS, INCLUSIVE. IT GOES DOWN THE LINE. BUT THEY ARE STILL BEING UNDERPAID. I DON'T WANT EVERYONE TO GLOAT, NOT THAT YOU ALL WOULD, BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT

080WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO IN TERMS OF MAKING OUR TEACHERS, DIGNIFY THEM WITH MUCH BETTER PAY. IF ANYONE SAYS TO YOU, WELL, THEY CAN WORK DURING THE SUMMER, BECAUSE I SPENT THREE -- WELL, THREE DECADES OF TEACHING, YOU CAN MAYBE SQUEEZE OUT A 2,000. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SAY, I CAN MAKE AN EXTRA 2,000 DURING THE SUMMER. THAT MEANS TEACHERS HAVE NO REST. SO REALLY, THERE'S NO -- WE'RE STILL ON THE LOW END. SECONDLY, TEACHERS, IN MY VIEW, AS I WAS RAISED, WE HAD A STEADY SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS. AND THE REASON THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AND EVERY ONE OF YOU KNOW THIS, WE HAVE TO BUDGET. IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE MAKING EACH YEAR, HOW DO WE BUDGET FOR ALL OF THESE SITUATIONS THAT COME ABOUT, SUCH AS GAS? HOW WOULD WE

081EVER KNOW THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN? FOOD, CHICKEN IS UP TO -- I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH WE PAY. SIX OR SEVEN DOLLARS. EGGS, WE CAN GO ON AND ON, BUT IT'S REAL. AND LAST, TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF, AND I SAID THIS BEFORE, LET US NOT FORGET SOME OF THEM, MANY OF THEM ARE ON FOOD STAMPS. I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, IT'S A SERIOUS SITUATION. AND SOME OF OUR SECRETARIES IN THIS BUILDING ARE ON FOOD STAMPS. SO THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS ECONOMY SITUATION. I JUST CAN'T GLOAT ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF THE RAISE OF SALARY BECAUSE THE REALITY IS A LOT DIFFERENT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: 17 SECONDS UNDER COMMENT TIME THERE, MEMBER GRAY. GOOD JOB. SO I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF SPEAK TO THIS

082BECAUSE I KNOW AND TO MEMBER GRAY'S POINT AND TO MEMBER COMBS' POINT, WE'RE ALL HAVE APPRECIATIVE AND PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS ARE ACCOMMODATED APPROPRIATELY, NOT JUST FOR THEIR HARD WORK BUT DUE TO RISING INFLATION. I KNOW WE HAD SOME SPEAKERS WHO CAME AND SPOKE TONIGHT WHO ARE CONCERNED THAT OUR SCHOOLS WILL BE LOSING OUT ON MONEY BECAUSE OF VOTING FOR THE MASK MANDATE. BUT I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO QUICKLY RESPOND TO THAT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, IF REPRESENTING THE MY CONSTITUENCY AND PUTTING IN A SAFETY MECHANISM DURING A PANDEMIC EQUATES TO THE STATE HAVING TO PASS LAWS TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM OUR SCHOOLS THAT EARNED IT, BY WORKING VERY HARD AND RAISING THEIR LETTER GRADES AND JUMPING THROUGH ALL OF THE HOOPS TO

083MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL, IF THE RESPONSE TO REPRESENTING MY DISTRICT IS TO TAKE AWAY AND PENALIZE OUR SCHOOLS THAT HEARD IT, HONESTLY, IT AS BROKEN SYSTEM AND WE NEED TO RELOOK AT HOW OUR LAWS ARE MADE. ASIDE FROM THAT, KIND OF AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LEGISLATION, THE NEW LEGISLATION, FORMALLY REQUEST FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE HAVE SOME SPACE TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF SPEAK ABOUT THE PER PUPIL FUNDING BEING RAISED AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR TEACHERS AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY NOW WITH WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAD MANDATED IN THE BUDGET FOR WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING VETERAN TEACHERS RAISES. AND I THINK WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF THAT AND EXPLAIN HOW MUCH FLEXIBILITY OR LACK OF FLEXIBILITY

084THERE IS IN THAT AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR OUR DISTRICT AND WHAT OUR NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE OUR TEACHERS HAVE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S BEING KIND OF ADVERTISED ON THE STATE LEVEL. BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REALLY TALK ABOUT HOW IT EQUATES HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ALSO WHAT RAISING OUR EMPLOYEES UP TO $15 MINIMUM WAGE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW THAT WILL AFFECT OUR GENERAL FUND WHICH IS A VERY DIFFERENT BUCKET THAN THIS OTHER FUND. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR. BUT I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UNDERFUNDING, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT MORE FUNDING. ONE THING THAT WE CAN ADVOCATE WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF

085WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM THE LIVABLE WAGE AND MAKE SURE THEY CAN LIVE IN OUR CITY TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS THAT NEED THEM THE MOST IS FLEXIBILITY IN SPENDING. ONE OF OUR SHARED PRIORITIES THIS YEAR WAS TO ASK FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY WHERE IT CAME FROM ALLOWING CAPITAL OUTLAY SALARIES TO BE UNDER CAPITAL OUTLAY OR THE INFLEXIBILITY IN OUR BUDGET IS JUST AS PROBLEMATIC AS THE LACK OF FUNDING. SO I'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE SOME MORE CONVERSATION GOING AROUND THAT. BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT CAN BE AN EASY FIX WITH FLEXIBILITY WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO COST ANY MORE MONEY. IT ALLOWS US TO PRIORITIZE WHAT OUR DISTRICT NEEDS IN MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPLYING THAT. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS, BUT THANK YOU VERY HARD TO CTA FOR WORKING ON THIS

086AND EVERYONE AT THE DISTRICT FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK CTA FOR BEING PATIENT FOR THE TEACHERS. BECAUSE FOR A WHILE THEY WORKED WITHOUT A CONTRACT. THEY WERE STILL COMING TO WORK. AND, YOU KNOW, -- YOU KNOW, TEACHING OUR CHILDREN AND SHOWING UP. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, I RAN INTO ONE OF OUR TEACHERS ON SUNDAY AT THE STORE. AND I SAID, OH -- CARRYING ON A CONVERSATION. I MENTIONED THIS TO MR. DAVIS. HE SAID, YEAH, I'M WORKING MY THIRD JOB, AND HE WAS DELIVERING GROCERIES. I JUST HAD TO STAND THERE FOR A MOMENT AND TAKE THAT IN. BECAUSE, LIKE MEMBER GRAY POINTED OUT, WHEN OUR TEACHERS -- OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT JUST SINGLE. THEY HAVE FAMILIES THAT THEY ALSO

087NEED SUPPORT. SO WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS. WE REALLY NEED TO COME CORRECT TO OUR TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY HERE IN FLORIDA THAT WE HAVE BEEN RANKING SO LOW IN TEACHER PAY. THIS JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR YEARS. AND WE STILL ARE TRYING TO COME ABOVE THE MIRE. WE NEED TO DO BETTER. WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THIS AS A CRISIS INSTEAD OF JUST AN ISSUE. BUT THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THTHTHANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK THE CTA FOR THEIR HARD WORK. IT'S HARD BEING A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CTA. I UNDERSTAND. YOU KNOW, I CAN GO BACK, MY WIFE WAS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR 41 YEARS AND QUITE NATURALLY I

088WAS IN FOR 42. BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THE FIRST 25 YEARS, WE HAD TWO OR THREE JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET. I CAN REMEMBER IN THE SUMMERTIME I RAN THE GYM. I TAUGHT DRIVER'S ED AND I TAUGHT SWIMMING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKENCES AND ODDS MEET. I CAN RECALL AS A PRINCIPAL WE HAD KIDS ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH. WE HAD STUDENTS THAT THE TEACHER'S KIDS WERE ON FREE AND REP DO YOU SAID LUNCH. WE KNOW WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BECAUSE TEACHERS WORK REALLY HARD. IT'S HARD BEING A TEACHER BECAUSE YOU HAVE FAMILIES, AND WE NEVER KEPT UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING. NOT ONE TIME. WE HAVE NEVER KEPT UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN BEHIND THE COST

089OF LIVING. IT'S TIME FOR US TO WORK AND GET THESE TEACHERS PAID THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 6.02, THE PURCHASE OF SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADES K-1 FROM STEPS TO LITERACY CLASSROOM LIBRARIES AND LEARNING MATERIALS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND OUR CLASSROOM LIBRARIES IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE. AS YOU KNOW, LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING WE BROUGHT SOME DECODABLES TO USE DURING SMALL GROUP INTERVENTION, SMALL GROUP WITH OUR TEACHERS, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEACHERS TO USE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND CONTENT DURING INDEPENDENT PRACTICE. ALLOW THEM TO CAPTURE INFORMATION FROM STUDENTS' READING BEHAVIORS AND ALSO TO CONTINUE TO

090TAKE RUNNING RECORDS WITH OUR STUDENTS. THIS BRINGS 18 BOOKS PER UNIT OF STUDY. IT'S COMPLETELY ALIGNED WITH WONDERS. IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE AROUND 198 ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM BOOKS FOR EVERY ONE OF OUR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE CLASSROOMS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS IS THE MAJORITY OF THE BOOKS WITHIN THE SUITE OF TEXT IS NONFICTIONAL. AND IT REALLY ALLOWS US TO ALIGN OUR CURRICULUM TO THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR READING BEHAVIORS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER VAUGHN AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND COMMENT FIRST, MEMBER VAUGHN AND I'LL COMMENT AFTER THAT? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. YEAH, SO,

091TRACY, WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS ON THE PHONE. SHE WAS VERY GRACIOUS. SHE ANSWERED PROBABLY 45 MINCE' WORTH OF QUESTIONS -- 45 MINUTES' WORTH OF QUESTIONS. ONE THAT I KNOW THAT WE IDENTIFIED THAT I KIND OF WANTED TO TALK ABOUT FROM THE DAIS AND YOU WOULD GET MORE STATISTICS IS, I UNDERSTAND WHY WE CHOSE THIS BOOK. I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FUNDING IS COMING FROM FOR THESE BOOKS, RIGHT, 198? HOW MANY WERE THERE? Addison Davis: 198. 198 PER GRADE. Jessica Vaughn: I JUST REMEMBERED THAT NUMBER. BUT MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF LATIN AND HISPANIC STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY ESOL IS MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE PURCHASING THE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS THAT WE FIND TO HAVE SUCH AN IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS' ABILITY TO READ IS THE QUESTION OF HOW

092ACCESSIBLE THEY ARE TO OUR ESOL STUDENTS. AND I KNOW I HAD ASKED YOU TO KIND OF SHARE WITH ME SOME NUMBERS IN REGARDS TO HOW MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE A MAJORITY. DID WE SAY 40% OR 45? 35. Jessica Vaughn: 35%. I TOLD 30% BECAUSE THEY WERE RIGHT ON THE LINE OF 33 AND 34. Jessica Vaughn: COULD YOU SHARE WITH ME THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WE HAVE WHERE SEE SOL POPULATION IS OVER 35%? YEAH, SO, AS WE PULLED THE DATA ON THE KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS THAT WERE CURRENT AS OF THE END OF MARCH IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE AND WE CAME OUT WITH 22 SCHOOLS THAT WERE ABOVE 35% AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL 12 THAT WERE BETWEEN 30 AND THAT 35 LINE. WE CAME UP WITH A TOTAL OF 34 SCHOOLS. Jessica Vaughn:

093THANK YOU. AS WE APPROVE THESE SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS AND AS WE GO FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND MR. CONNOR, YOU ARE A GREAT TEAM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON ACCESS. SINCE WE HAVE SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT IN THOSE SCHOOLS, I KNOW WE CAN'T MAKE 198 NECESSARILY TITLES ACCESSIBLE IN ALL THE SCHOOLS, BUT FINDING WAYS TO MAKING SURE THAT THESE MATERIALS THAT WE'RE MAKING ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE KIDS OR THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THOSE OF US WHO ARE ESOL CERTIFIED AS EDUCATION -- OR AS EDUCATORS THAT IMMERSION IS IMPORTANT, BUT OUR CURRICULUM MOVES SO QUICKLY THAT WHILE OUR KIDS ARE GAINING THOSE LANGUAGE ACQUISITION SKILLS, ANY SKILLS THAT THEY MIGHT MISS IN BETWEEN THAT ACQUISITION COULD PUT THEM SEVERELY BEHIND. I WANT TO HAVE THOSE

094CONVERSATIONS GOING FORWARD WHEN WE APPROVE THESE MATERIALS ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR HIGH ESOL POPULATION. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. AND JUST TO, WE DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATION. SPOKE WITH BOTH TED AND ELENA GARCIA FROM ELL ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WE LOOKED AT THE LIST OF THE 34 SCHOOLS. WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF AND WHAT FUNDING SOURCES WE COULD POSSIBLY USE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THE SCHOOLS AND ELL LEARNERS IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE. Jessica Vaughn: DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU MIGHT HAVE AN UPDATE FOR BOARD MEMBERS ON THAT? I REACHED OUT TO THE VENDOR THIS AFTERNOON. I WOULD SAY HOPEFULLY BY EARLY NEXT WEEK I CAN PULL TOGETHER AND WORK WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE. ALL OF THE SCHOOLS ON THE LIST ARE

095TITLE I SCHOOLS. SOME ARE TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS, SOME NOT. SOME DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOLS. THEY RAN THE GAMUT OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTY LIKE WE KIND OF KNEW THEY WOULD. HOPEFULLY BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK I SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. YEP, YOU'RE WELCOME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS. I KNOW, MS. GARCIA, WE'VE DONE SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS WITH ESOL STUDENTS SO MANY NEW PROGRAMS. I KNOW LAST YEAR WITH THE AGENDA WE HAVE PROVIDED PROGRAMS NOT ONLY FOR STUDENTS BUT ALSO FOR TEACHERS TO HELP GUIDE THEM AND SHOWING THEM HOW TO BETTER IMPACT STUDENTS. I AM STRONGLY IN SUPPORT. I THINK WE HAVE AN AMAZING ACADEMIC SERVICE TEAM. I JUST KNOW THAT -- I KNOW IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW

096YEARS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME REALLY BIG IMPACT. AND HAVING THESE BOOKS ARE JUST SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF EDUCATION. AS SOMEONE WHO OWNED A TUTORING CENTER, I KNOW I HAD SO MANY SMALL BOOKS AND KIDS NEED THOSE BOOKS AROUND THEM ALL THE TIME TO ENGAGE. ALL THOSE BOOKS ARE HIGH LEARNING BOOKS. I THINK FOR ME WHEN I SAW THE SURVEY, THAT 100% OF THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS WANTED THAT AND 90% OF THE FIRST GRADE TEACHERS AND 80% OVERALL FELT THAT THE TEXT MET THE INTEREST OF THE STUDENTS. HAVING THOSE HIGH-INTEREST, LITTLE READERS IS WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO MOVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. TRANSFORMATION AND THE OTHER SCHOOLS. I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE FINALLY SPENDING MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AS WE SPEND MONEY ON ESSER MONEY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FIVE, TEN

097YEARS FROM NOW THAT WE LOOK BACK AND THAT WE SEE THERE ARE THINGS THERE THAT ARE REALLY TANGIBLE ITEMS THAT WILL HELP SERVE CHILDREN'S LITERACY AND ACADEMIC NEEDS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR FINDING THIS AND DOING THIS. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS ITEM. THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE DO KNOW THAT THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE TICKET ITEM. ALMOST $2 MILLION. SO THE FIRST CHECK-AROONIE WAS DOES IT TAKE AWAY FROM OUR FUND BALANCE, AND WE DO KNOW IT'S COMING FROM CATEGORICAL GENERAL FUND. SO THAT WAS ONE GREAT THING. IN TERMS OF THE ACCOLADES FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM, YOU LOOK AT ADDING DURATION AND ADDING SUSTAINABILITY, MEMBER COMBS, AND ADDING THE LOVE OF READING, WHICH IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE. WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT WHERE YOU CAN SHARE THE DIVERSITY

098NEEDS SO THEY CAN HAVE A LOVE OF LEARNING, YOU DID THAT. FOR RIGHT NOW -- I KNOW WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO -- WE HAVE 13% REPRESENTED FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY, 7 TO 8 PERCENT OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, WHICH WE DO NEED TO GET MUCH MORE EXPANSIVE, AND I HAVE A PROMISE THAT NEXT YEAR OR NEXT TIME WE WILL. 3% ASIAN AND 12% WHITE. THERE IS DIVERSITY. IT IS MULTICULTURAL READING MATERIALS. WE WANT THAT LOVE OF READING, AND WE HAVE TO MATCH IT WITH THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR STUDENT BODY, AND YOU DID THAT. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY ANYTHING NITPICKY. THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO TELL YOU IS YOU'VE DONE AN ABSOLUTE STELLAR JOB AND VERY CAREFULLY DONE. MR. CONNOR, IF YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF MS. BERGMAN, YOU PROBABLY ARE VERY

099MUCH GLOWING AS WELL. SO I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS. OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. REMEMBER, I DO HAVE A GIFT OF ALL THE MYSTERY BOOKS I PROMISED YOU. SO I'LL DELIVER THOSE SHORTLY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. 6.03, ADOPTION AND PURCHASE OF RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR MATHEMATICS K-12. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THIS IS OUR SEQUENCE TO BEING ABLE TO ADOPT THE PROPER MATERIALS TO BE ABLE TO SERVE CHILDREN IN THE AREA OF MATHEMATICS. AS YOU KNOW, IN 20 AND 21, WE ADOPTED ELA FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 12th GRADE. THIS YEAR WAS -- WORKED THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS TO ADOPT MATHEMATICS. NEXT YEAR WE WILL TRANSITION TO BE ABLE TO DO SOCIAL STUDIES. IN 22-23.

100THEN 23-24 WILL BE SCIENCE ON THE BOARD. IN THIS PROCESS, WE DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF MAKING SURE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH WHERE WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF TEACHERS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED BY SUPERVISORS, DISTRICT STAFF, PRINCIPALS TO BE ABLE TO COME ON BOARD AND VET ALL OF THE MATERIALS IDENTIFIED BY VENDORS. AND THEN THAT INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK IS TRANSITIONED AND VOTED ON. ONCE WE VOTE UPON, WE NARROW DOWN AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO REVIEW AND THEN BRING A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD. THIS IS A MAJOR SPEND WITH $30 MILLION OF OUR TWO-YEAR PERIOD, BUT WE WILL BE MAKING CERTAIN WE LEVERAGE ESSER THREE FUNDING IN ORDER TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE THE RIGHT MATERIALS TRANSITIONING TO OUR STUDENTS. THIS COMES WITH TEACHER ADDITIONS, ALSO DIGITAL ACCESS, AT THE

101SAME TOKE WITHIN CONSUMABLES. MATH FOR OUR STUDENTS. WE ALSO EMBEDDED IN CREDIT TO MR. CONNOR AND HIS TEAM, BRINGING THREE DISTRICT RESOURCE TEACHERS AT EVERY GRADE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING CERTAIN THE CONTENT IS ALIGNED TO CURRICULUM GUIDES IN FURTHER SUPPORT WITH THE ORGANIZATION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.03. MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER VAUGHN, GO AHEAD, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE A QUESTION OR A COMMENT. Jessica Vaughn: SO GRACIOUS, CHAIRWOMAN COMBS. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS. REALLY, I HIGHLIGHTED IT BECAUSE WE HAD SO MANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ABOUT OUR PROCESS AT THE LAST MEETING. I KIND OF WANTED TO

102HIGHLIGHT THAT AND TALK ABOUT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER DISTRICTS HOW WE REALLY ENGAGE OUR TEACHERS TO PUT THEM AT THE FOREFRONT OF CHOOSING WHAT BOOKS WE'RE GOING TO USE AND OUR TEXTBOOKS. BUT MY QUESTION WAS AND, ALSO, I APPRECIATE MEMBER GRAY POINTING OUT THAT THESE ARE CATEGORICAL FUNDS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DIFFERENTIATE WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND AND WHAT'S CATEGORICAL. IS THIS IN RESULT DIRECTLY TO THE BEST STANDARDS? IS THAT WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS TEXTBOOK ADOPTION CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW? Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE'RE ON AN ADOPTION CYCLE RELATED TO THIS CONTENT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. I BELIEVE IT DID GET PUSHED BACK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE WE WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN THE ADOPTION MADE SENSE WITH THE NEW STANDARDS, THE BEST STANDARDS COMING OUT, IT'S PERFECT TIMING TO ADOPT

103MATERIAL TO MAKE CERTAIN WE SELECT MATERIAL CONNECTED TO THE NEW STANDARDS AND IMPLEMENTATION WHICH WILL HAPPEN NEXT YEAR. Jessica Vaughn: YOU MENTIONED USING ESSER FUNDS. WHY ARE WE USING ESSER FUNDS TOWARDS THIS? Addison Davis: ESSER FUNDS ARE AN AVAILABILITY TO ADDRESS AND MOVE EXPENDITURES TO HELP US ACCELERATE LEARNING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND ALSO TO MAKE CERTAIN WE ADOPT OUR SELECT PROPER MATERIALS TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR CHILDREN GROW EDUCATIONALLY. THAT'S WHAT ESSER IS ABOUT. FOCUS ON MOVING CHILDREN'S ACCELERATION SIDE OF IT AND ALSO MAKING CERTAIN THEY HAVE GRADE-LEVEL EQUIVALENT CONTENT IN FRONT OF THEM IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. SIMILAR TO THE LAST ITEM, I KNOW THESE ARE SUPPLEMENT MATERIALS. WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PURCHASING THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO MATCH OUR STANDARDS, AGAIN, I HAVE

104QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR ESOL POPULATION. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, MATH, YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T AS MUCH READING AND ENGLISH ACCUSATION, BUT EVEN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE QUESTION IS OR HOW IT RELATES, EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE CONCEPT, IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE OR WHAT'S BEING ASKED OF YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHALLENGING TIME BEING AS ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL AS YOUR PEERS. MY QUESTIONS RESOLVE AROUND, AGAIN, ACCESS FOR OUR ESOL LEARNERS OR NONNATIVE LANGUAGE, ENGLISH LANGUAGE SPEAKERS. IN REGARDS TO THE BEST STANDARDS AND BOOK ADOPTION, HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE MATERIAL AND CONCEPTS OR SET UP FOR -- ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS WITH THE BOOK ADOPTION. Addison Davis: ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEVERAGE AS A PLATFORM THIS BOARD AND AS

105SUPERINTENDENT, IS PUSHING THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY PROVIDE ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE OF OUR STUDENTS. PARTICULARLY, WHEN WE SEEK TO ADOPT, ESPECIALLY WITH MATHEMATICS, THE TEXTBOOKS THAT WILL BE IN FRONT OF CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM WILL BE IN ENGLISH BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY HAVE TO BE ASSESSED ON BY THE STATE. WE WILL HAVE ACCESSIBILITY TO OTHER LANGUAGES FROM A DIGITAL PLATFORM. MR. CONNOR, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT? Terry Connor: GREAT QUESTION. TO ANSWER SPECIFICALLY, THERE WILL BE SPANISH ACCESS DIGITALLY THROUGH ALL OF THE CORTEX THAT WE'RE ADOPTING. Jessica Vaughn: I APPRECIATE THAT. ONE LAST QUESTION. IS THAT TIME RIGHT? I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION. WILL OUR TEACHERS KNOW ABOUT, AND ESPECIALLY OUR TEACHERS IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT SUPPORT OUR HIGH ESOL POPULATIONS, WILL THEY BE TRAINED

106ON HOW TO USE THESE, HOW ACCESSIBLE THEY ARE, HOW TO GUIDE THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING AS SUPPORTIVE IN THAT LANGUAGE ACQUISITION PROCESS AS POSSIBLE? Terry Connor: YES, MA'AM. PART OF THIS PURCHASE INCLUDES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FIVE-YEAR ADOPTION THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIRED TO USE THESE RESOURCES TO THEIR FULL CAPABILITIES. SO THAT WILL BE PART OF OUR TRAINING, ESPECIALLY AS WE CONNECT WITH OUR ESOL DEPARTMENT THROUGH ELENA GARCIA REALLY EMPHASIZING THE USE OF THOSE RESOURCES FOR THOSE SPECIAL POPULATIONS. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I JUST HAD A QUICK COMMENT. I KNOW THE LAST MEETING I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE ASK ME WHY THERE WERE SO MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME IN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT TO TALK ABOUT THINGS REGARDING TEXTBOOKS. I HAVE BEEN ON TWO TEXTBOOK ADOPTION CYCLES. ONE AS A

107TEACHER AND ONE AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, INITIALLY, WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, PARENTS, A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS LOOK AT THE TEXTBOOK AND THEN AT THE END, WHEN WE HAVE THE EXPERTS, WE HAVE TEACHERS VOTING ON THAT, WE DON'T HAVE THE PRICE OF THE TEXTBOOKS BECAUSE WE WANT WHAT'S GOING TO BE BEST FOR THE CHILD. WE DON'T WANT TO CHOOSE A TEXTBOOK THAT COSTS $10 AND THEN MISS OUT ON A GREAT CALCULUS BOOK BECAUSE IT COSTS $25. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS ARE CHOOSING THE BEST TEXTBOOKS AND THAT IS A VERY LENGTHY, DETAILED PROCESS. IT TAKES A LONG TIME. I WAS IN THIS ROOM FOR DAYS LOOKING AT ALL THESE BOOKS. I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT OCCURRED, BUT WE WOULD NEVER

108HAVE THE PRICE BECAUSE WE WANT TO CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR CHILDREN. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. THAT'S ALL I HAD ON THAT COMMENT. THANK YOU, EVERYONE, ALL OF YOU FOR DOING THAT AND CHOOSING THE BOOKS AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW TEXTBOOK THAT'S COMING. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHEN I TURNED THE PAGE OVER AND WE SEE THE COST, 30 MILLION, AND RIGHT BELOW THAT THE FUNDING SOURCE, ON THE LAST VERBIAGE IT SAYS UPON FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVAL, THE FULL REVENUE SOURCE WILL BE RECLASSIFIED TO ESSER 3 FOR REIMBURSEMENT. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT 13 MILLION. ARE WE WAITING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THIS MONEY? WHAT'S THE TIMELINE HERE? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE HAVE

109APPROVAL AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. Lynn Gray: WE HAVE APPROVAL, SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. ALL RIGHT. MY OTHER QUESTION IS, AND IT'S BEEN ANSWERED. SO WHEN YOU SEE EVERY BIT OF THE CURRICULUM AND THEN YOU'RE SEEING THE LARGE AMOUNT OF MONIES GIVEN TO THE BOOK TO MATCH THE CURRICULUM, THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT CURRICULUM JUSTIFIES THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND BOOKS THAT WE'RE SPENDING? BUT THE ANSWER IS RIGHT BEFORE ME. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ELEMENTARY MATH COURSE TITLE MATH K THROUGH 5, WE'RE SPENDING 14 MILLION. OR ROUNDING IT -- ALL RIGHT. WE CAN ROUND IT UP, 15 MILLION. BOARD MEMBERS, PUBLIC MAY SAY, WHAT ARE WE SPENDING $15 MILLION ON, WHAT COURSE? AND THE REPLY IS, THERE IS A REPLY. THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF WE CANNOT ANSWER THE PUBLIC, THIS IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY,

110WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING TO SUCCINCTLY, THEN PEOPLE WILL BE SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS. SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FIT WITHIN -- OH, LET'S JUST SAY, THE PUBLIC TO MAKE SENSE OF IT. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? Addison Davis: I THINK THE BIGGEST THING IS TO CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE WHERE THESE DOLLARS ARE GOING. THE BULK OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE OR THE NUMBER OF TEXTBOOKS ARE GOING TO BE ON THE ELEMENTARY SIDE. WE HAVE OVER 155 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SO BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROPER NUMBER AND QUANTITY OF TEXT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE CHILDREN BY THE SAME TOKEN BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT EVERY ONE OF OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL DIFFERENT CLASSES WE OFFER. WE HAVE A

111NUMBER OF SEQUENCE OF CLASSES THAT WE OFFER, THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL FOR CONTINUUMS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE MAY HAVE STUDENTS TAKING PRECALCULUS, PRECALCULUS 1 AND PRECALCULUS 2 AND TRANSITION TO A NUMBER OF STATISTICS. JUST BEING ABLE TO FIND THE RIGHT CONTENT, RIGHT TEXTBOOKS TO GET IN FRONT OF OUR CHILDREN TO ALLOW THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. IT'S VERY COSTLY. HISTORICALLY, I THINK WE SPENT AROUND $25 MILLION, $26 MILLION ON THIS TYPE OF ADOPTION AND BRING IT TO THE BOARD WHERE THE SELECTION PROCESS IT PUT US IN A $30 MILLION EXPENDITURE. REST ASSURED THAT THIS WILL GO WITH INTENSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE'LL START AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND TRANSITION DURING THE SUMMER AND THEN WE'LL START AGAIN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. CONTINUED CYCLE OF ONGOING CONTENT AND NOT ONLY FOR OUR

112TEACHERS, BUT ALSO FOR ANY INTERVENTIONIST AND ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND STAFF AS WELL. Lynn Gray: SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, REAL QUICK, WE'RE NOT GOING TO OVERLOAD OUR TEACHERS AGAIN WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPUTER PROGRAMS. THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO SHARE. HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THE INFORMATION? Addison Davis: I WILL SAY THROUGH THE CHAIR, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE iREADY. I THINK iREADY CONTINUES TO BE THE INITIATIVE THAT ALLOWS TO US DIFFERENTIATE AND SCAFFOLD AND HAVE INDEPENDENT PRACTICE FOR OUR STUDENTS. HOWEVER, THIS IS A YEAR WHERE WE HAVE -- COMING UP THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE WHERE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE HEAVY. THIRD GRADE THROUGH 12th GRADE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR NEW ELA CURRICULUM. AT THE SAME TOKEN, STANDARDS,

113THEN K-12 WITH MATHEMATICS. AND THEN YOU THROW ON TOP OF THAT A NEW PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENT. I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, THIS IS NOTHING THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION OR THIS BOARD HAS PUSHED FORWARD. THIS IS ALL A CYCLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND US HAVING A CYCLE RELATED TO MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE A TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OF COMFORTABILITY WITH MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE PAUSE THE ADOPTION TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT SO WE DIDN'T SPEND $15 MILLION TWO YEARS AGO ON A MATH ADOPTION PROCESS AND THEN HAVING TO DO IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT DIDN'T ALIGN WITH STANDARDS. I JUST WANT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU WITH THIS PROCESS. WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE HEAVY AND WE WOULD SELECTIVELY ABANDON EVERYTHING WE CAN SO YOU

114DON'T GET BOGGED DOWN AND YOU HAVE SO MANY BARRIERS ALONG THE WAY SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS FOR STUDENTS. Lynn Gray: OKAY. THAT'S MY ONLY CAUTION, TOO. WE DON'T WANT TO OVERLOAD THE TEACHERS ONCE AGAIN. I'LL GET MORE ON THAT LATER. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM C 6.05, PIGGYBACK 22033-DST-LG ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AGGREGATOR. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THIS IS A PIGGYBACK WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS. WE HAD -- CURRENTLY, OUR DISTRICT RELIES ON IBM-Z TO REALLY DO OUR SERIES OF MAINFRAME ASSISTANCE TO BE ABLE TO HOST OUR ERP AND ALSO OUR SYSTEMS INFORMATION SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, WE ONLY HAVE JUNIOR-LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR CAPABILITY. WE RECENTLY HAD A SENIOR-LEVEL SYSTEMS MANAGER THAT HAD RETIRED IN JANUARY. SO

115WE'RE WORKING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE CONTINUE OUR MAINTENANCE, CONTINUE OUR DAY-TO-DAY MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING OF OUR ERP AND OUR MAIN FRAME AND ALSO MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE THE SECURITY ALONG WITH THE SOFTWARE TO HAVE PROPER UPDATES. SO WHAT THIS PIGGY BACK DOES, IT ALLOWS US TO GO OUT AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO A SUITE OF A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THAT LEVEL THREE ASSISTANCE. WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO GO OUT AND HIRE SENIOR LEVEL SYSTEMS MANAGER. THE ISSUE IS THAT THE COST TO BE ABLE TO DO SO TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN THE COMPETITIVE MARKET IS TRANSITION BETWEEN 200 AND 300 THOUSAND DOLLARS. WE KNOW WE JUST CAN'T EXPEND THAT TYPE OF MONEY. IT ALLOWS US TO GO AND ASK ACCESS AND AT THE SAME TIME BUILDING

116THE CAPACITY OF OUR CURRENT STAFF WHERE THEY CAN PARTICULARLY HAVE SOMEONE TRANSITION AND TAKE OVER. THE CURRENT MAIN FRAME THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEKING TO SUNSET THAT IN 2024, MEANING THAT YOU MAY SEE THIS CONTRACT ONCE AGAIN OR WE WILL WORK INTERNALLY TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE SOMEONE PREPARED TO TAKE ON THAT SENIOR-LEVEL CAPABILITY AND MANAGER LEAD IN THE FUTURE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.05. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. JUST ONE MOMENT. MEMBER GRAY WILL VOTE. IT PASSES WITH FOUR VOTES WITH ONE DISSENT FROM MEMBER VAUGHN. 6.06, AGREEMENT 20206-PGB-LG SITE-BASED COMPUTER HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, SUPPLIES AND SERVICES. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.

117Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ALL OF THE EXPENDITURES FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND THEIR NEEDS FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT FROM SOFTWARE, SUPPLIES, SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT TO THE BOARD IN ONE AGENDA ITEM. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE CTE TITLE I, WE HAVE NEW EQUIPMENT FOR OUR BRAND-NEW DOROTHY THOMAS, ALSO LEVERAGING PERKINS GRANTS AND USING CATEGORICAL GENERAL FUNDS AND GRANT FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT, SOFTWARE, MATERIALS. BRING IT TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL. A NUMBER OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN WAITING TO BE ABLE TO BRING TO THE BOARD SO THAT THE SCHOOLS CAN CONTINUE TO USE THE MONEY THEY HAVE AVAILABLE. THIS IS GRANTS MAY BE ABLE TO RUN OUT. TITLE I HAS EXPLICIT DATE THEY HAVE TO SPEND THEIR FUNDING ON, AND THEY WORK THROUGH THEIR LEADERSHIP

118TEAM AND ALSO THEIR TEACHER LEADERSHIP TEAM TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEIR NEEDS AND EXPEND THIS MONEY. ALL THIS HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY CHIEFS AND ALSO DR. WEEKS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYTHING THAT WE BUY FROM A SOFTWARE PERSPECTIVE ALIGNS TO WHAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING AND IS OPERATIONAL AND THE EQUIPMENT ALIGNS FOR OUR STANDARD INDUSTRY AS WELL. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.06. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK ON TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES. I THOUGHT I WOULD SAVE IT FOR ONE ISSUE. I DID HAVE A DISSENTING VOTE ON THE PREVIOUS AGENDA ITEM. NOT ANYTHING TO SUPERINTENDENT OR MR. WEEKS WHO WORKED VERY HARD, AND

119I UNDERSTAND PRIORITIZING TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOL. BUT AS I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CFO AND OUR BUDGET TEAM, IT'S STILL CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REVENUE AND ENOUGH FUNDING TO ADEQUATELY STAFF OUR SCHOOLS. GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, AS MUCH AS I UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY IS A PRIORITY AND I APPRECIATE HOW HARD THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MR. WEEKS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO ON A LOT OF THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT PULL MONEY OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND SIMPLY BECAUSE I CAN'T PRIORITIZE TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW OVER KEEPING OUR STAFF LEVEL UP AT OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH ADULTS ON CAMPUS AND EDUCATING OUR KIDS. I JUST WANT TO SAY, I ALWAYS TELL MR. WEEKS IT'S NOT PERSONAL. I AM GOING TO VOTE YES ON THIS ONE EVEN THOUGH IT

120IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS SCHOOL-BASED AND A LOT OF THESE ARE THE SCHOOL'S ACTUAL MONEY THAT THEY GET AND THEIR ENGINEERING -- AND THEY ARE ENGINEERING HOW THEY SPEND THIS AND PRIORITIZE WHAT IS IMPORTANT. I WANT TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS. MR. WEEKS, IF I VOTE NO ON YOUR AGENDA ITEM, YOU KNOW IT'S NOT PERSONAL. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO EXPLAIN WHY I'M VOTING AND MY THOUGHTS ON THIS. I APPRECIATE IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: SO, MR. WEEKS, AND I KNOW YOU'RE OVER THERE, IF YOU WANT TO COME ON OUT. YOU KNOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. I'VE WARNED YOU. NO. THE BIG PICTURE IS THE BIG PICTURE. AND PERHAPS, MR. WEEKS, YOU CAN SHARE, AS I WANTED A VISUAL TO SHOW THE BOARD WHERE THIS MATCHES

121THE OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN. WE APPRECIATE AND THE TEACHERS DEFINITELY APPRECIATE MODERNIZING THE EQUIPMENT AS THEY SIT AND PUT GRADES IN THEIR COMPUTER, WHICH TAKES PROBABLY FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT SHOULD, AND THAT'S IF THE COMPUTER IS WORKING WITH THE WIFI AND THE HOT SPOTS AND ALL THE OTHER FACTORS. CAN YOU JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO? Thomas Weeks: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT LEVERAGING ALL OF OUR SINGLE-TIME FUNDING, SUCH AS ESSER GRANTS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH US. PROGRAMS LIKE ECF AND E-RATE IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY OR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. SO WE ARE -- WHEN IT COMES TO DEVICES FOR

122OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF, ONCE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR ECF DEVICES, WHICH WE APPROVED I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO BOARD MEETINGS AGO, ONCE WE RECEIVE ALL OF THOSE, ALL OF OUR STAFF AND TEACHERS WILL HAVE HAD THEIR DEVICES REPLACED THIS YEAR. OUR STUDENTS, NOW THAT WE HAVE ESSER 3 DOLLARS APPROVED, WE WOULD BE ORDERING A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENT DEVICES AS WELL. ONCE THAT OCCURS, WE WILL ALMOST BE AT THE ONE-TO-ONE MARK WHERE WE HAVE ONE DEVICE PER EVERY STUDENT AVAILABLE AT EACH SCHOOL. AND THAT PUTS US ON TRACK TO LOOK AT HOW WE SUSTAIN THIS MOVING FORWARD. PART OF THE PLAN THAT I WILL BE PRESENTING TO THE BOARD THROUGH MR. DAVIS AND THE CABINET WILL BE HOW WE LOOK AT SUSTAINING OUR TECHNOLOGY ON ROUGHLY A FOUR TO FIVE-YEAR REPLACEMENT PLAN. WE

123ARE VERY CLOSE TO GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE MODERNIZED ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT. WE ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US THROUGH SINGLE-USE FUNDING, AND WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO PRESENTING A PLAN WITH OPTIONS TO THE BOARD FOR HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. Lynn Gray: THE IDEA THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, ROGERS MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY HAVE NOT THE ONE-TO-ONE COMPUTER. TWO YEARS AGO, IT TOOK THEM, THE STUDENTS ALMOST AN EXTRA WEEK JUST TO FINISH THE TEST BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH COMPUTERS. AND THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR, THEY ARE NOW BEING ABLE TO BE JUST ABOUT ON TIME ON THEIR TESTING BECAUSE THE PRINCIPAL ACTUALLY BOUGHT COMPUTERS FROM -- TRACY, WHAT WAS IT, TITLE -- [NOT SPEAKING INTO A MICROPHONE] Lynn Gray: IT

124IS. IT WAS. Addison Davis: TITLE I FUNDING. Lynn Gray: BUT THE POINT IS, IF WE DON'T GET THESE COMPUTERS IN THE HANDS OF OUR STUDENTS, THEY ARE AT A TREMENDOUS LOSS, AND THAT MEANS ALL OF US SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, ALL OF THEIR PARENTS, THE GRADES, ET CETERA. SO IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE MODERNIZE AND GET THOSE COMPUTERS IN THE HANDS OF THOSE STUDENTS RIGHT AWAY ON A ONE TO ONE. ARE WE SEEING MORE ITEMS COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE REGARDING COMPUTERS? Thomas Weeks: YES, MA'AM. YOU WILL SEE MORE ITEMS COMING FORWARD TO THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY ONCE WE START LOOKING AT EXPENDING THE ESSER 3 DOLLARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO US, YOU WILL SEE MORE REQUESTS FOR EXPENDITURES TO COME FOR APPROVAL. Lynn Gray: PERHAPS THEN WE'LL SEE THE BIG-PICTURE OUTLINE. Thomas Weeks: YES, MA'AM.

125I WILL BE DELIVERING THAT TO THE BOARD. I KNOW PER OUR CONVERSATION, YOU WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WITH VISUAL IMPACT THAT WE CAN PRESENT. I WILL WORK WITH MR. DAVIS AND THE REST OF THE CABINET TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING WE CAN SHARE WITH THE BOARD THAT WILL OUTLINE WHAT THE VISION LOOKS LIKE AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND, AGAIN, TRYING TO GET TO THAT SUSTAINABILITY. Lynn Gray: SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HIT AND MISS. SPENDING THIS HERE, THAT HERE. BECAUSE IT'S HARD FOR ANY BOARD MEMBER TO SEE THERE IS A CONTINUITY AND MAJOR END RESULT PLAN. THANK YOU, MR. WEEKS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M CURIOUS TO FIND OUT, SUPERINTENDENT, EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS A BUDGET THAT THEY ALREADY ARE ALLOCATED. THAT'S A

126QUESTION. Addison Davis: THROUGH THE CHAIR, YES, THEY DO. WE DO A PREDETERMINATION, A FORECASTING AND PROPERLY BUDGETING EVERY YEAR. ONE THING WE DO NOT DO IS WE DO NOT COPY AND PASTE OUR BUDGETS FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR BECAUSE OUR NEEDS MAY BE DIFFERENT AND WE MAY SELECTIVELY ABANDON AN INITIATIVE AND ADD NEW, BUT THAT DOES TAKE PLACE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WHERE WE IDENTIFY WHAT EXPENDITURES WILL NEED TO BE PUT IN PLACE. SOME MAY BE ALTERED OR ADJUSTED BASED ON NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOLS, BUT OPENLY, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A FORECAST EVERY YEAR. Karen Perez: OUT OF THIS BUDGET, YOU DETERMINE WHAT STAFF YOU'RE GOING TO HIRE, WHAT EQUIPMENT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED, BUT YOU WORK WITHIN THAT BUDGET. Thomas Weeks: SO MOST OF THE BUDGET THAT WE APPROVE WOULD BE BASED OFF

127OF TECHNOLOGY PURCHASERS, HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, STAFFING IS HANDLED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. BUT THE ITEM THAT IS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TODAY BASICALLY IS TO ALLOW SCHOOL SITES AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SITES TO EXPEND THE DOLLARS THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR BUDGET LINES, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURCHASE OF TECHNOLOGY ITEMS. Karen Perez: THIS AMOUNT HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED, ALREADY BEEN -- Thomas Weeks: YES. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR. THIS IS MONEY ALREADY AVAILABLE TO EACH OF THE REQUESTERS. WE'RE SEEKING PERMISSION TO ACTUALLY SPEND IT. Karen Perez: ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO THE TIME CERTAIN PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME. EMPLOYEE COMMENTS. WE

128WILL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS 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 EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD THROUGH YOUR UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE-TO-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO 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 MIND. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR

129JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I WILL NOW CALL THE FIRST SPEAKER. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. VALERIE COOCHMAN, RIVERVIEW HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHER. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR APPROVAL OF THE SALARY AGREEMENT. WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING BACK TO THE TABLE TO TALK ABOUT NEXT YEAR BEFORE THIS SCHOOL YEAR ENDS. I THINK THAT WOULD INCREASE THE MORALE OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ESPs. WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY. YOU'VE ALREADY RECEIVED SOME PUSH-BACK AND A COMMON QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED FROM -- OF THE PROPONENTS OF THE DON'T SAY GAY BILL IS HAVE YOU READ IT? WELL, YEAH, I HAVE. AND

130LIKE A LOT OF LEGAL SPEAK, THE LANGUAGE OF THE BILL IS DELIBERATELY VAGUE AND AMBIGUOUS. SOME ARE CALLING IT HARMLESS. BUT I WAS IN THE SENATE CHAMBERS WHEN THE BILL WAS BEING DEBATED. THE WORDS SPOKEN BY THE MAKERS OF THIS BILL HAVE MADE THEIR INTENT CLEAR. IT IS TO WEAPONIZE PARENTS AGAINST LGBTQ EDUCATORS. SEVERAL EXTREME GROUPS ARE ALREADY HEEDING THAT CALL. IT'S CLEAR THE CONCERN REALLY ISN'T ABOUT CURRICULUM WHEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE BEING ASKED TO IDENTIFY STAFF WHO ARE ADVISORS OF HIGH SCHOOL GSA CLUBS. THE FOUNDATION OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING IS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH STUDENTS. THE INFAMOUS HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION ESSAY IS A POPULAR WAY TO START. WHEN STUDENTS HAVE FINISHED SHARING THEIR STORIES ABOUT CAMP AND TRAVEL, THEY ARE GOING TO ASK THEIR TEACHER WHAT THEY DID OVER THE SUMMER. MOST WILL

131ANSWER THAT QUESTION WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, BUT NOW, OUR LGBT EDUCATORS WILL PAUSE. WILL IT BE CONSIDERED INDOCTRINATION IF I MENTION TRAVEL WITH MY SPOUSE? CAN I BE SUED FOR HAVING A PICTURE OF MY FAMILY ON MY DESK? THESE QUESTIONS MAY SOUND RIDICULOUS, BUT PEOPLE WHO ONCE FELT SAFE TO BE THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES ARE NOW BEING LABELED AS GROOMERS. AS AN OPENLY GAY TEACHER, I REALLY TRULY APPRECIATE THIS GESTURE OF SUPPORT. I URGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO STAND WITH ANY STAFF MEMBER WHO IS UNFAIRLY CAUGHT IN THESE POLITICAL CROSSHAIRS. PLEASE DON'T BE SILENT. REPRESENTATION MATTERS, AND OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW THAT IT IS OKAY TO BE THEIR TRUE SELVES. THEIR LIVES MAY BE DEPENDING ON IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. THAT IS OUR ONLY EMPLOYEE COMMENT FOR TODAY.

132SO WE'LL MOVE ON WITH 6.07, THE CONTRACT WITH AKERMAN LLP FOR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY SERVICE. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH AKERMAN LLP FOR SCHOOL BOARD ATTORNEY SERVICES. THIS BRINGS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH MR. PORTER AND HIS TEAM FOR ACCESSIBILITY. I WILL TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AND BEEN IN MANY DISTRICTS AND MR. PORTER HAS BEEN AN OUTSTANDING REPRESENTATION FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. HE'S BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE OF MINE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH MR. PORTER WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.07. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. Jim

133Porter: MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY. Nadia Combs: YES, PLEASE, MR. PORTER. Jim Porter: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. LET ME SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD TODAY AND MR. SUPERINTENDENT FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. I RECEIVED A GREAT DEAL OF FEEDBACK FROM YOU ALL. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I VALUE FEEDBACK. I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A NUMBER OF YEARS. I CAN ALWAYS GET BETTER. I FEEL IT'S A REAL HONOR TO REPRESENT THIS BOARD AND THIS DISTRICT. YOUR FEEDBACK HAS BEEN INVALUABLE. SO WITH THAT, I'M COMMITTED TO PROVIDING BASED ON YOUR FEEDBACK MORE, SORT OF MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LITIGATION BECAUSE ONE OF THE SERVICES MY FIRM PROVIDES IS LITIGATION. WE STARTED DOING A MONTHLY LITIGATION REPORT AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING THAT TO THE BOARD MONTHLY ALONG WITH OTHER DATA. THERE HAVE BEEN COMMENTS ABOUT

134A MORE FORMAL EVALUATION PROCESS. WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND I'VE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH DR. WHELAN ON COMING UP WITH A MEANINGFUL EVALUATION TOOL BEFORE THE CONTRACT COMES UP AGAIN NEXT YEAR. WE'RE CHANGING THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT FROM A TWO-YEAR PERIOD TO A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. AND I THINK OVER THE NEXT COURSE OF THE YEAR, I'VE COMMITTED TO DEVELOP THAT. IT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION BECAUSE I'M NOT AN EMPLOYEE, AS YOU KNOW. I'M A CONTRACTOR. BUT, AGAIN, I THINK A FORMAL WAY TO RECEIVE WRITTEN COMMENTS IS IMPORTANT. I'M WORKING WITH THE CHAIR ON DEVELOPING A MORE STRUCTURE AROUND MY AVAILABILITY. AS YOU KNOW, I'M AVAILABLE TO ALL OF YOU AND TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS STAFF 24/7. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT

135YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR ATTORNEY AT ALL TIMES. I'VE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO SORT OF PROVIDE MORE STRUCTURE AROUND POLICIES AND LEGISLATION FROM TALLAHASSEE, WHICH I WILL COMMIT TO DO AS WELL. I'M WORKING WITH THE CHAIR ON SORT OF FORMALIZING MY INTERACTION WITH YOU ALL. YOU ALL USE ME DIFFERENTLY. AND THROUGH THE YEARS, I'VE WORKED WITH PROBABLY 17 DIFFERENT BOARD MEMBERS. AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAS USED ME DIFFERENTLY. THE BOARD USES ME IN ONE WAY, BUT I THINK HAVING SOME STRUCTURE AROUND THAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THEN. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU. AGAIN, I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO FEEDBACK. I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO HEARING HOW I CAN DO A BETTER JOB FOR YOU SO THAT YOU CAN

136SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: YES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. YOU ARE APPRECIATED BY EVERY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT. AND THAT'S WITHOUT QUESTION. THE IDEA OF THE EVALUATION DOCUMENT, I THINK THE BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD BE COMMITTED AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IF HE IS INVOLVED TO PUT THEIR EXPECTATIONS. I WOULD LIKE THE CHAIR ALSO TO COMMIT HERSELF TO GET THESE EXPECTATIONS PUT ON PAPER SO WE HAVE A PROPER EVALUATION. I ALSO WOULD LIKE, EQUALLY SO, THE OFFICE HOURS TO BE COMMITTED TO BECAUSE THE HOT TOPICS NOW VERSUS HOW IT WAS YEARS AGO, WE HAVE IN THE GATES CONTINUALLY BACK AND FORTH OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE. WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY WHO IS SO WITH IT ON THESE TOPICS. WE CAN

137NO LONGER JUST WAIT FOR ONE -- KRISTIN DAVIS DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB, BUT, QUITE FRANKLY, WE NEED YOUR HELP WRITING POLICIES ACCORDING TO WHAT WE ARE FACING AND THE KNOWLEDGE LEVEL. THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY IS YOU'RE VERY EXPENSIVE, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT GOING OUT FOR A MILLAGE. IF WE DIDN'T ASK QUESTIONS FROM YOU IN TERMS OF YOUR INVOICING METHODS, IT WOULD BE VERY -- IT WOULD MAKE US BOARD MEMBERS LOOK VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT $13,750 PER FLAT MONTHLY FEE FOR ADVICE AND COUNSELING, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY. IF WE TALK ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MONTH FOR UPDATING OUR SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES, THAT'S 12,000 POSSIBLY PER YEAR, AND LASTLY, IF WE TALK AN HOURLY FEE FOR LITIGATION, AND YOU KNOW, AS WELL AS I DO, WE'VE HAD

138LOTS OF -- WHEN I WAS CHAIR, WE HAD LOTS OF LITIGATING MATTERS. BUT RIGHT NOW, FROM -- END OF FISCAL YEAR OF JULY 2020, WE CAME UP TO $343,000. AND THEN THE END OF FISCAL YEAR JULY 1st, 2021, WE WERE AT $197,000. ALL THIS IS TO SAY THE LINE ITEM RIGHT NOW IS 550,000. YOU MAY GO OVER THAT. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE THE PAPERWORK. WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE THE INVOICES. AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE NEED TO HOLD NOT ONLY AN EXCELLENT ATTORNEY JIM PORTER IS ACCOUNTABLE, BUT EVERY CONTRACTOR, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS IF WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE PUBLIC TO COMMIT THEIR TAX DOLLARS TO US. SO, MR. PORTER, I'M GOING TO FINISH OFF WITH THIS. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WORK CLOSELY

139WITH OUR BOARD AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE BUSY AS A BEE. SO THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TO ADD ON TO THIS, MR. PORTER, I TELL YOU WHAT, YOU HAVE KEPT MY BUTT OUT OF HOT WATER A COUPLE OF TIMES THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE ALL UNIQUE IN THE SITUATIONS IN OUR NEEDS FOR THE BOARD. AND YOU HAVE REALLY HELPED ME QUITE A FEW TIMES BECAUSE BEING A ROOKIE COMING ON THIS BOARD, YOU NEED SOME GUIDANCE, NO MATTER WHAT, YOU NEED SOME GUIDANCE. I KNOW, MR. PORTER, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND YOU'VE WORKED WITH DIFFERENT BOARDS. WE HAD THE CONVERSATION. WE HAVE A GOOD BOARD. WE HAVE A GOOD BOARD HERE. I THINK WE COOPERATE AND WE WORK WELL TOGETHER

140AND WE'VE BEEN IN THE HOT WATER, WE'VE BEEN UP UNDER THE BRIDGE, WHATEVER WE'VE BEEN THROUGH AND YOU HELPED US THROUGH THIS YEAR. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. Nadia Combs: MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: SLID IT IN THERE. YOU DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT. WELL, ON ONE HAND, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU ASKING QUESTIONS, MEMBER GRAY. I ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, MR. PORTER. FOR ME, IT WAS A MATTER OF MAKING SURE THAT WE SHORTENED OUR CONTRACT. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT REFLECTED AND I'M GLAD THE SUPERINTENDENT HIGHLIGHTED THAT. NOT ANY REFLECTION OF YOU, BUT AS WE NAVIGATE THESE KIND OF UNCERTAIN TIMES AND AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF LESS COMMITMENT AS POSSIBLE IN ANYTHING FINANCIALLY. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE KIND OF

141RECTIFIED THAT, SO THAT EACH YEAR WE CAN KIND OF LOOK AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S STILL A GOOD FIT FOR OUR BOARD. AS YOU SAY, EACH BOARD MEMBER AND EACH ITERATION OF OUR BOARD REQUIRES DIFFERENT AMOUNTS OF SUPPORTS AND WE FACE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. SO I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS. AND JUST LIKE ANY OTHER CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE OR ANYTHING ELSE, WE HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SCRUTINIZE WHETHER IT IS A GOOD FIT FOR US AND WHETHER IT IS FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE AND WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE. I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT THAT ANOTHER YEAR AND SOME CLEAR EXPECTATIONS WOULD BE A GOOD FIT AND EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THIS NEW YEAR BRINGS. HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT A LOT OF LITIGATION, BUT WE'LL SEE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs:

142THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. LIKE BOARD MEMBER GRAY, I'VE BEEN HERE NOW FOR FOUR YEARS, AND THE GUIDANCE THAT MR. PORTER HAS PROVIDED ME HAS BEEN AMAZING. I HAVE THE TREK OF THE MENTAL HEALTH. AND THAT IS A VERY DIFFERENT ANIMAL ALL ITS OWN. SO WHEN I CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND BE ABLE TO CONTACT LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH AND THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AND THE POLICIES THAT WE WRITE FOR OUR STUDENTS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION. BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WHEN RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS COMING OUT OF TALLAHASSEE, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY DAY WE HAVE THINGS HITTING US THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE KNOW, NOT JUST A NEW PERSON WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY,

143BUT HAS A HISTORY WITH OUR SCHOOLS, KNOWS WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND KNOWS THIS DISTRICT. IT'S TO ME -- YOU KNOW, HE HAS A SHOE IN. FOR ME, MY LOOK AT WHAT IT IS WITH MR. PORTER HERE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. WE REALLY ONLY HAVE TWO EMPLOYEES AS A BOARD. WE HAVE THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OUR ATTORNEY. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HAVING MORE LEGISLATURE AND HAVING MORE OFFICE HOURS. JUST DIFFERENT AREAS. I THINK THINGS ARE RAPIDLY CHANGING AS A SCHOOL BOARD. PEOPLE ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE INTERESTED IN THE SCHOOL BOARD. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED WITH ME VERY CLOSELY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MEET AND JUST CONTINUE

144TO HAVE STRUCTURE. I APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'RE GIVING US. I DO AGREE WITH MEMBER VAUGHN AND MEMBER GRAY, I THINK -- YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME AND WE ANTICIPATE YOU STAYING WITH US. I THINK AN ANNUAL CONTRACT IS GREAT. AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER YEAR. I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS SOON. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OBVIOUSLY, YOU WILL BE WORKING WITH US FOR CONTINUED MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO 7.05, APPROVE GUARANTEED MAXIMUM PRICE (GMP) FOR THE REFERENDUM (YEAR FOUR) PROJECT AT CIMINO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PROJECT 100345. Addison Davis: THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REPLACE -- COMPLETE

145REPLACEMENT OF OUR ENTIRE HVAC SYSTEM, ALSO TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS AS WELL TO BRING THIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL UP TO SCALE. THIS IS GOING TO BE LEVERAGED BY USING THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM AND THE COST IS PROJECTED TO BE $4.2 MILLION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 7.05. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER SNIVELY IS NOT HERE. SHE PULLED THIS ITEM. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: IS THIS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE REPLACING THIS SYSTEM? Addison Davis: MR. FARKAS. Christopher Farkas: I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK. IT IS THROUGH THIS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. I CAN GET YOU THE DETAILS OF HOW OLD IT ACTUALLY

146IS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. RECENT ADMINISTRATIVE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENTS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF RECENTLY COMPLETED TWO ADJUSTMENTS TO OUR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY TO REALIGN AREAS OF SUBDIVISIONS THAT WERE SPLIT BETWEEN ONE BOUNDARY. THIS ONE IS IN WESTCHASE WHERE DISTRICT STAFF ALERTED THAT A SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE RACE TRACK ROAD AND ALSO THE SOUTH MOBLEY ROAD AND WESTCHASE WAS SPLIT. THEY WERE SPLIT BETWEEN MULTIPLE SCHOOLS. BEING ABLE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THESE PARCELS, BRINGING THE SUBDIVISION BACK TOGETHER AT SCALE AND BRINGING THEM INTO WHERE THEY WILL SERVE OR ATTEND FARNELL MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE SAME ELEMENTARY SIDE OF DEER PARK. AND THIS CHANGE DOES NOT IMPACT ANY STUDENT CURRENTLY. THE SECOND ONE IS BELMONT RESERVE WHERE THEY

147COMPLETED A BOUNDARY ADJUSTMENT AS WELL AND THERE WAS A DIVISION, SUBDIVISIONS SPLIT BETWEEN EAST BAY AND NEWSOME. ALSO SUMMERFIELD AND DAWSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BRINGING THIS TO THE BOARD. WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THE CHANGES WHERE IT DID IMPACT THREE STUDENTS; HOWEVER, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL THREE STUDENTS ARE STAYING IN AN AREA THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE. MOVING FORWARD, THIS IS JUST RECOGNITION TO THE BOARD AND WE MAKE CERTAIN WE KEEP NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES TOGETHER SO THERE'S NO DIVISIVENESS RELATED TO ANY PARTICULAR SUBDIVISION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. 12.02, MANHATTAN PREK-8 SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THIS IS ONCE AGAIN, AS WE KNOW THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OVERCROWDING IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON LAUNCHING AND OPENING AND GETTING THE PROPER

148PERMIT FOR MANHATTAN PRE-K 8 TO BE ABLE TO OPEN THAT SCHOOL UP IN 2024. WHAT THIS DOES IS BRING IN THE APPROVAL FOR SPECIAL PERMIT TO THE BOARD AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING CONSTANTLY WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE CERTAIN WE MOVE FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THIS BILL AND OFFER THIS AS RELIEF TO MANY OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. IT'S BEEN A BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS. I WILL SAY THIS, GET THE PowerPoint UP. OUR PICTURES ARE IN. WE HAVE SENT THESE TO SCHOOLS. SO WHEN WE GET TO OUR SCHOOLS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE UPDATED PICTURES OF OUR BOARD AND OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM. TONIGHT, WANT TO TALK ABOUT UPDATES WITHIN

149OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. AT THE SAME TOKEN BEING ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT ADDITIONAL CHANGES AND REVIEW CONSENT AGENDA AND ALSO OUR SUSPENDED AGENDA. THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS TALK ABOUT GRADUATION. WE HAVE LAUNCHED INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITIES. WE WILL HAVE GRADUATIONS IN PERSON. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE AT THE STATE FAIRGROUNDS AND EXPO HALL. THE DATES WILL LAUNCH AROUND MAY 16 AND TRANSITION THROUGH MAY 28. I WILL LIVE AT THE FAIRGROUNDS, SO WILL EACH OF YOU FROM 6:30 IN THE MORNING UNTIL ABOUT 8:30, 9:00 AT NIGHT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME REALLY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES. THIS YEAR, WE ARE LIMITING GUESTS. LAST YEAR WE TRANSITIONED AND HAD FOUR GUESTS PER GRADUATE. BUT THIS YEAR WE ARE MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE WORK WITH THE FAIRGROUNDS. WE'VE WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF PRINCIPALS AND OUR

150COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE CERTAIN WE TRANSITION BACK IN A SAFE MANNER. SO WE WILL HAVE EIGHT TICKETS PER SENIOR. WE'VE ALREADY COMMUNICATED THIS EXPECTATION TO OUR PARENTS, AND EVERYWHERE YOU GO THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THE MAJORITY OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE LIMITS. AT THE SAME TOKEN, ALSO LOOKING AT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGE GRADUATIONS AS WELL. THERE WILL ALSO BE A VIRTUAL OPTION FOR HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS.TV WHERE WE WILL STREAM THE INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE TO BE A PART OF IT. OUR SENIOR ACTIVITIES WILL CONTINUE. THESE ARE JUST IDENTIFYING A NUMBER OF OUR ACTIVITIES THAT WE WILL HOST AT OUR SCHOOLS. THIS IS GOING TO BE SCHOOL BASED IDENTIFIED, BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES. EACH SCHOOL WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR SENIORS TO JUST BE CELEBRATED AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD

151WORK AND BE INTERACTIVE AS THEY CLOSE UP THIS PHASE OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM. ALSO, WE HAD 23 STUDENTS THAT TRANSITIONED TO OUR STATE SCIENCE FAIR. THEY COMPETED. WE SAW A NUMBER OF THOSE STUDENTS AT THE LOCAL SCIENCE FAIR. THEY WENT TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAD MR. PATEL WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. HE WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE BEST IN THE FAIR FOR SENIOR BIOLOGICAL. FIRST PLACE IN S.T.E.M. AND ENGINEERING. ALSO THE BEST IN FAIR GRAND AWARD WINNER. THANKS TO LARRY PLANK WHO CONTINUES TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THIS IS ACCESSIBILITY IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE THAT MAKES THIS A PRIORITY FROM PRE-K TO FIFTH GRADE THAT'S A REALITY. AND THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION OF LARRY PLANK AND THE COMMITMENT

152TO OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR TEACHERS. ALSO, TODAY, WE STARTED FSA ASSESSMENTS. WITH FSA WRITING STARTED TODAY. I JUST WANT TO BRING THIS SCHEDULE TO THE FOREFRONT TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THIS IS A TIME TO BE ABLE TO FOR ALL OF OUR PARENTS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY PREPARED TO TRANSITION TO THE STATE ASSESSMENTS, WHICH ARE REQUIRED. JUST CONTINUE TO KEEP US IN THE FOREFRONT AND MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE HEALTHY MEALS. MAKE CERTAIN THEY GET SUFFICIENT SLEEP, MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IGNITING THE THINKING PROCESS ALONG THE WAY SO THEY ARE READY TO GO AND TRANSITION. WE STARTED TODAY. WE WILL TRANSITION THE WRITING AND END IT APRIL 14th. AS WE GET INTO MAY AND THAT FIRST WEEK OF MAY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE A NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS

153THROUGH ELA, MATHEMATICS, AND SCIENCE THAT TRANSITION TO THE END -- MIDDLE TO THE END OF MAY THAT KEEPS IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS. SO OUR STUDENTS, THE ONLY THING WE ASK, WE KNOW IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR, GIVE BEST EFFORT, UNDERSTAND WHAT BEST EFFORT IS AND BE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THAT EVERY DAY WITHIN OUR CLASSROOMS. THEN ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT, WE HAD A NEGOTIATION AGREEMENT. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND OUR TEAM WHO CONTINUE TO WORK TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND LEVERAGE TO SHOW OUR STAFF THAT WE CARE ABOUT THEM. WE KNOW THAT IT'S NEVER SUFFICIENT AND NEVER ENOUGH, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE AND I AM COMMITTED AS SUPERINTENDENT TO BE IN THE FOREFRONT OF GETTING THAT BACK TO THE TABLE SOONER THAN LATER SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND

154POTENTIALLY START THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT SHOWS AND DEMONSTRATES WE CARE AS AN ORGANIZATION. AND WE SUPPORT THEM. AND THEN WE HAD A NUMBER OF OUR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH HIGH SCHOOL, HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL BAND, BLOOMINGDALE BAND AND ALSO THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN ORLANDO AND ONE IN LONDON, WHICH IS REALLY COOL. I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE UP HERE WANTED TO PROBABLY GO CHAPERON FOR THAT. BUT WHAT A COOL OPPORTUNITY. ALSO LETO HIGH SCHOOL WITH THEIR LIFE SMART NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE. THANK YOU TO OUR LEADERS AND OUR TEACHERS FOR ALLOWING OUR CHILDREN TO STEP UP AND JUST REALLY DISPLAY THEIR TALENTS ALONG THE WAY. AND THEN ALSO TONIGHT, WE HAVE A MASCOT REVEAL AND APPROVAL, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN JUST A MINUTE. ALSO AN

155MOU WITH OUR SHERIFF'S OFFICE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ONGOING VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO THOSE WHO ARE INCARCERATED, TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY HAVE SKILL SETS AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE LICENSES TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE. AND THIS COSTS NOTHING FOR US. IT'S A COMMITMENT FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SHERIFF CHRONISTER CONTINUES TO LEAD THE WAY IN A PROFESSIONAL, PROACTIVE MANNER, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CONTINUED WORK TO HELP OUR YOUTH, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE AT RISK. AND THEN THIS IS THE -- RIGHT NOW, THE START OF THE MASCOT. IT WAS, YOU KNOW, OUR PRINCIPAL DID A REALLY NICE JOB OF ENGAGING OUR COMMUNITY. WE KNOW THAT ORIGINALLY THERE WERE 667 STUDENTS IN THE FIRST WAVE OF ACCEPTANCE. SHE WAS ABLE TO SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO BE ABLE

156TO VOTE ON THE MASCOT. SHE DID A REALLY COOL VIDEO SHE SENT WITH PARENTS TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS. THE ADMIRALS WAS THE MASCOT IDENTIFIED. REALLY CLEAN, YOU KNOW, MASCOT AND RENDER RIGHT HERE. IT MAY CHANGE JUST A LITTLE BIT RELATED TO THE AESTHETICS. BUT IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. MISSY LEONARD IS DOING A FABULOUS JOB. WE KNOW SHE HAS A LOT GOING ON. I THINK WE JUST HAD THE TAPPING OUT PROCESS THAT OPERATIONS HAD THIS WEEK WHERE THE -- CAPPING OUT PROCESS, SORRY, WHERE WE PUT THE TOPS ON THE ROOF AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO OPEN IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. THEN, FINALLY, WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY AND BUILDING TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY, THE HALF-CENT SALES TAX REFERENDUM. THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY, CONTINUES

157TO DEMONSTRATE THAT. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE, PRIORITIZE OUR NEEDS, AND THIS EVENING, WE BROUGHT TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FOR HVAC REPLACEMENTS. AND TOTAL OF $8.8 MILLION AND THEN THIS SUMMER, AS WE TRANSITION, WE HAVE 22 MAJOR PROJECTS. A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE CLOSE TO A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS. I THINK IT'S AROUND 96, $97 MILLION THAT WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH SUMMER PROJECTS, AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR ALL OF OUR VENDORS WHO ARE GOING TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS WHO WILL BE ABLE TO ALLOW US TO USE OUR FACILITIES TO GET UP AND RUNNING FOR DAY ONE. AND THEN WE HAD A REALLY COOL RACE. RACE FOR EDUCATION THIS PAST SATURDAY. THANK YOU TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR STAFF TO PUT

158THIS TOGETHER AND FOR HEF, HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, WHO WAS AT THE FOREFRONT. YOU KNOW, WE HAD A NUMBER OF OUR INDIVIDUALS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A RUN/WALK, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER, BUILD A CULTURE, LET OUR HAIR DOWN AND REALLY SUPPORT EDUCATION WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. AT THE END OF THIS, I WILL SHOW A LITTLE SHORT VIDEO THAT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER. ACTUALLY, WE GOT IT RIGHT NOW. WE CAN SHOW IT. RICK LENO, IF YOU ARE WATCHING, HE WENT OUT, AND RICK HAS NEVER RAN A RACE. RICK WENT OUT ON FRIDAY, BOUGHT A BRAND-NEW PAIR OF SHOES. HE GOT A NEW LITTLE WARM-UP READY TO GO. HE HAD A HEAD BAND. HE WAS ROCKEN AND ROLLIN'. HE WON HIS AGE GROUP FIRST PLACE. I HAVE A PICTURE. I WON'T SHOW IT, BUT

159IT'S REALLY COOL FOR HIM. THANKFUL FOR HIM BEING OUT THERE. GOT A CHANCE TO COMPETE. BROKE THOSE NEW SHOES IN AND HE WAS READY TO GO. WE'LL SHOW THIS VIDEO REAL FAST. GREAT SUCCESS TODAY. CLOSE TO A THOUSAND RUNNERS OUT HERE AND WALKERS. FIRST ANNUAL RACE FOR EDUCATION AND REALLY SUPPORT OUR CLASSROOMS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR SUPPORT STAFF AND OUR LEADERS. THANKFUL FOR THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR HELPING US PUT THIS EVENT ON. THIS IS ONLY GOING TO GROW TO BE LARGER IN THIS COMMUNITY. THIS IS WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO REALLY TAKE CARE OF OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH, JUST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A SUPPORTIVE ORGANIZATION. AND IT SENDS A GREAT MESSAGE THAT THIS IS TEAMWORK, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SET GOALS FOR AND ACHIEVE. AND

160WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT. JUST GETTING OUT HERE AND LETTING OUR HAIR DOWN, INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER, SEEING SMILES, IT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. THANK YOU EVERYONE SO MUCH FOR BEING A PART OF THIS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING ANOTHER GREAT EVENT NEXT YEAR AS WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ♪ Addison Davis: THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. FREDDY THE FROG WAS THERE. HE WAS OUT AND ABOUT. FREDDY THE FROG DID BEAT ME. FREDDY THE FROG USUALLY RUNS ABOUT A SIX-MINUTE MILE. HE'S RIGHT HERE. MR. VAN AYRES. HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY. THAT WAS HIM THE ENTIRE TIME. AND HE RAN THE ENTIRE THREE MILES NEXT TO ME WITH THIS WHOLE OUTFIT ON. WE STOPPED AND SAID HI TO KIDS.

161STILL DID A GOOD JOB BY STOPPING AND INTERACTING WITH ALL OUR KIDS. STILL DID IT UNDER EIGHT MINUTES, A MILE. WE WORKED AND APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FOR BEING OUT. LASTLY IS OUR SUSPENDED AGENDA. WE'RE COMMITTED EVERY MONTH TO BRINGING ITEMS TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW AND TO GIVE UPDATE WITH LITERACY, I'LL LET MR. CONNORS TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE FROM A LITERACY PERSPECTIVE, IDENTIFY OUR CELEBRATIONS AND THEN TALK ABOUT WHAT'S FORECASTED TO BE UP FOR US MOVING FORWARD AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT. Terry Connor: THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. IT IS NIGHT TO START OUT WITH SOME CELEBRATIONS. WE RECENTLY HAD OUR SCHOLASTICS ART AND WRITING AWARDS. AS YOU KNOW, THIS ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR TEENAGERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE A UNIQUE VOICE AND VISION IN

162THE AREA OF WRITING. THERE ARE TEN CATEGORIES IN THIS CONTEST FROM DRAMATIC SCRIPT AND HUMOR AND JOURNALISM AND NOVEL WRITING, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A SUMMARY FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. 274 WRITING ENTRIES. OF THAT, 95 WERE AWARDED. 21 WERE GOLD KEY WINNERS. 31 SILVER KEY. WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE AND SHOWCASE THOSE WINNERS ON MARCH 25 AT THE GALLERY IN TAMPA. THE OTHER CELEBRATION WE RECENTLY HAD WAS THE 4-H PUBLIC SPEAKING PROGRAM SPONSORED BY FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT. AWESOME VIRTUAL PROGRAM THIS YEAR AND REALLY GAVE OUR STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY CONNECT AND SHARE THEIR POWER OF WRITING AND SPEAKING AND LISTENING. WE HAD A VARIETY OF TOPICS THIS YEAR, INCLUDING FASHION, HOMEWORK, HISTORY OF THE NFL AND EVEN CRYPTO CURRENCY. SO A SUMMARY OF OUR PARTICIPATION THERE IS WE HAD 21 OF OUR ELEMENTARY

163SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE. 32 SPEAKERS PRESENTED IN FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE AT THE VIRTUAL SEMIFINALS THAT WAS HELD IN MARCH 10th. WE RECENTLY HAD OUR FINALS AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO RECOGNIZING THOSE AT OUR UPCOMING RECOGNITION MEETING. COMING UP, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT READING RECOVERY AND THE EXPANSION WE'RE DOING. IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE READING RECOVERY PROGRAM, IT IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS SOME VERY STRONG EVIDENCE, STRONG EVIDENCE BASE AROUND THE POWER OF REALLY ACCELERATING STUDENTS' GROWTH IN THAT AREA. CURRENTLY WE HAVE SIX TEACHERS IN OUR COUNTY AND ONE LEAD TEACHER AT THREE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SITES AT CRESTWOOD, SEMINOLE AND WOODSON. AND WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT TO FOUR MORE TEACHERS NEXT YEAR AT TWO ADDITIONAL SITES, CAN INELLA AND LOWRY, WITH OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE GOAL IS TO

164REACH AT LEAST 12 READING RECOVERY SITES BY 2025. WE'RE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. IT IS REALLY TARGETED TIER 3 INTERVENTION THAT IS EXTENDED OVER A 10- TO 20-WEEK PERIOD TO HELP STUDENTS REALLY ACCELERATE THROUGH THE FOUNDATIONAL READING PROCESS TO GET THEM ON TRACK TO ON GRADE LEVEL. THAT'S AN EXCITING UPCOMING HAPPENING THAT WE'RE DOING. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE BEST STANDARDS. AS THE SUPERINTENDENT ALLUDED TO EARLIER, THERE IS A TSUNAMI OF CHANGE THAT IS COMING OUR WAY THAT HAS BEEN IMPOSED FROM THE CHANGES IN NEW STANDARDS, THE PROGRESS MONITORING ASSESSMENTS AND, OF COURSE, THE ADOPTION CYCLES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. SO IN THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED SOME VERY EXTENSIVE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING RIGHT NOW, AS YOU KNOW, THROUGH K-2. WE'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING THOSE STANDARDS. WE PROVIDED

165SOME EXTENSIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THAT DURING THE SUMMER. FOR 3-5, WE'LL BE BEGINNING THAT TRAINING IN MAY. THAT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE SUMMER. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 18 HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT PARTICIPANTS CAN HAVE TO GET A REALLY IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THOSE STANDARDS AND HOW THEY CONNECT TO OUR NEW CURRICULUM THAT THEY WILL BE ADOPTING AND IMPLEMENTING NEXT YEAR. AND THEN IN 6-12, WE ALSO HAVE SOME STANDARDS TRAINING BEGINNING THIS MONTH. IT'S AN INTRODUCTORY SELF-PACED COURSE BEING OFFERED THROUGH OUR CANVAS PLATFORM. AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THOSE FACE-TO-FACE AND VIRTUAL SESSIONS THROUGHOUT APRIL ALL THE WAY THROUGH JUNE. AND THAT WILL ALSO BE TIED TO THE NEW CURRICULUM THAT THEY WILL BE IMPLEMENTING NEXT YEAR. SO THAT IS OUR LITERACY UPDATES FOR THIS MONTH. Nadia

166Combs: THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR. Addison Davis: LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO THANK ALL OF OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. THIS IS NATIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WEEK. WE KNOW THAT EACH OF YOU CONTINUE TO WORK TIRELESSLY FOR OUR STUDENTS. EACH OF YOU WORK LONG HOURS THAT YOU ARE UNPAID FOR, LIKE OUR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING CONSISTENTLY THERE FOR OUR DISTRICT, FOR OUR CHILDREN, OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE RECOGNIZE YOUR HARD WORK ALONG THE WAY. AND THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, FOR THE UPDATE. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO BOARD COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES EACH TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT IT IS NATIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WEEK AND THANKING THEM

167BECAUSE AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATORS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE HARD WORK FROM OUR APs IN OUR SCHOOL. ALSO HAPPY FSA. IT WAS HARD NOT TO KNOW IT WAS FSA, NOT ONLY BECAUSE MY OWN CHILD WOKE UP SAYING HE WAS READY TO ROCK IT, BUT BECAUSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA I SAW A LOT OF POSTS RANGING FROM ANXIETY TO PREPARATION MEALS TO WHATEVER NEEDED TO KIND OF SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS THROUGH THE PROCESS. I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. AS WE TALK ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS, DO PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPT OUT OUT OF THE FSA IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THE STANDARDIZED TESTING FOR THEIR STUDENTS? Addison Davis: ANYONE THAT'S ENROLLED AND ATTENDING THAT DAY WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO

168ADMINISTER THE ASSESSMENT. IT'S OUR OBLIGATION TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND COMPLY WITH THE EXPECTATIONS WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EXPECTATION. Jessica Vaughn: I JUST THINK IT'S INTERESTING WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CERTAIN PARENTAL RIGHT, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE OPT-OUT. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR HARDWORKING TEACHERS I SAW AS WELL FROM MY TEACHER FRIENDS, SO MANY MANTRAS, PLAYING THE EYE OF THE TIGER, DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES TO REALLY SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HYPE THEM UP. JUST HAPPY FSA. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS ALSO IN THE VEIN OF THAT, IT IS RAMADAN. HAPPY RAMADAN TO OUR MUSLIM STUDENTS. MEMBER PEREZ AND I HAD THE HONOR OF GOING AND VISITING THE AMERICAN YOUTH ACADEMY, AYA, WHICH IS THE LARGEST ISLAMIC SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY, WHERE WE GOT

169AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEIR BOARD ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT OUR MUSLIM STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THAT SCHOOL. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I REALLY DO FIND IT UNFORTUNATE THAT RAMADAN COINCIDES WITH FSA BECAUSE THAT IS CHALLENGING FOR OUR MUSLIM STUDENTS WHO AREN'T ABLE TO EAT ALL DAY SO THEY CAN OBSERVE THAT HOLIDAY AND THEY ARE HUNGRY. SO I HOPE THAT AS WE KIND OF TRANSITION TO THE NEW PROGRESS MONITORING TESTING THAT WE KEEP INTO ACCOUNT AND WE REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR MUSLIM STUDENTS WHO SPEND A WHOLE MONTH HONORING AND FASTING. ALSO, SOME THINGS THAT I GOT TO BE A PART OF LAST WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO GO TO THE CHAMBERLAIN'S BILINGUAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION, WHICH WAS DONE COMPLETELY IN SPANISH, WHICH I APPRECIATE, BECAUSE I

170CAME BACK FROM SPRING BREAK DETERMINED TO LEARN SPANISH, SO THAT WAS A NICE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE AND REPRESENTATIVE VALDES WAS THERE. IT WAS JUST REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS I KIND OF NAVIGATE FORWARD WITH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR LARGE, THE LARGEST POPULATION IN OUR SCHOOL, OUR HISPANICS AND LATIN POPULATION, TO SEE HOW MUCH PRIDE THEY HAD IN THEIR CULTURE AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND OBSTACLES AND HOW MUCH THAT GAVE OUR STUDENTS THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE. I APPRECIATE EVERYONE AT THAT SCHOOL MAKING SURE THAT THE HONOR SOCIETY IS AVAILABLE. SO GOING FORWARD, AGAIN, I WANTED TO SAY HAPPY RAMADAN TO ALL OF OUR MUSLIM STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES WHO ARE OUT THERE. YAY, FSA. OH, THERE WAS ONE OTHER THING. I KNOW THE SUPERINTENDENT IS AWAY FROM THE DAIS.

171BUT IN CONVERSATIONS WITH DR. WEEKS, WE HAD AN INCIDENT EARLIER WHERE ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WASN'T ABLE TO ACCESS iREADY FROM THEIR HOME COMPUTER. AND THE CHALLENGE WAS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS IT, THEY WERE MISSING SOME FREE TIME AND SOME RECESS TIME DURING THE DAY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE UP FOR THOSE MINUTES. WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IS IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY, IF STUDENTS AREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS iREADY FROM HOME DUE TO THE DIGITAL DIVIDE OR NOT HAVING ACCESS, WHAT WE CAN DO TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE STUDENTS THAT DOESN'T EQUATE TO OUR STUDENTS HAVING TO GIVE UP IMPORTANT RECESS TIME OR OTHER TIME THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING. SO I'M WONDERING, CAN WE DO SOME STUFF ON PAPER? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT AREN'T ABLE TO

172ACCESS THAT, I KNOW THAT MR. WEEKS IS TRYING VERY HARD TO GET OUR TECHNOLOGY UP DESPITE SOME OF MY VOTES AND GET TO ONE-TO-ONE DEVICES BUT THAT STILL DOESN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF HAVING LENDING LIBRARIES AT OUR SCHOOLS OR MAKING THOSE ACCESSIBLE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO LOOK AT WORKING AS A COMMUNITY TO SET UP LENDING LIBRARIES OR IF WE CAN LOOK AT AGAIN DOING SOMETHING WRITTEN THAT STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT CAN STILL UTILIZE. I THINK IT'S INEXCUSABLE THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO GIVE UP RECESS TIME BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY ON THE SAME LEVEL. SO I WANTED TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT FROM THE DAIS. BUT I APPRECIATE ALL MY BOARD MEMBERS' CONVERSATION AND SUPPORT AND FOCUSING ON PUTTING OUR STUDENTS FORWARD AS WE MOVE THROUGH AND

173I THINK WE HAVE, WHAT, AFTER THIS, SEVEN WEEKS LEFT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND ALL THE SUCCESS TO OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF. THAT'S IT. I THINK I'VE GOT 15 SECONDS TO SPARE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: I'LL USE THEM. I WANTED TO MENTION A BIG THANK YOU WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RACE FOR EDUCATION, ANN MARIE COURTNEY WAS SO INSTRUMENTAL WITH OUR COMMITTEE AS WAS VAN AYRES. THANK MIKE MCCULLEN ALSO FROM HEF AND BILL STRACK, OUR RACE DIRECTOR. EACH CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO OUR RACE FOR EDUCATION AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR NAMES ARE RECOGNIZED. APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH CELEBRATED BY FLORIDIANS WITH EVENTS LED BY PREVENT CHILD ABUSE FLORIDA. VERY IMPORTANT MONTH. AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'RE STAYING IN TUNE WITH CHILDREN. TALKING

174ABOUT GETTING INTO THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH, PABLO, DO YOU HAVE OUR HEALTH SURVEY? THE RESULTS OF THE HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOLS SURVEY REVEALS SOME INTERESTING RESPONSES. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME, BUT LET'S JUST PUT THAT SLIDE UP. HI. I'M KIM SCHWARTZ. UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF DR. TARA McLEARNEN AND DIRECTION OF DR. NICOLE BINDER I AM THE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION COORDINATOR FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS COMMITTEE CHAIRED BY MEMBER GRAY. TODAY, IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT TO YOU SOME OF THE 2021-2022 HEALTHY SCHOOLS SURVEY DATA. WE HAD 257 SCHOOLS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. THOSE ARE ALL NON-CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT, INVITED TO PARTICIPATE ANNUALLY IN THIS SURVEY. OF THOSE, 192 RESPONDED. THE SURVEY ITSELF IS A WAY FOR US TO IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES AS

175WELL AS IN SOME INSTANCES STATE-MANDATED ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR AT THE SCHOOL. TODAY PRESENTED TO YOU ARE TWO SLIDES THAT WILL IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT, MOST USED OR MOST SELECTED ITEMS IN EACH OF THE COMPONENTS. IN COMPONENT ONE, NUTRITION SERVICES AND EDUCATION, UNIVERSAL BREAKFAST FOR ALL STUDENTS WAS IDENTIFIED BY 186 SCHOOLS. COMPONENT TWO, 187 SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED THAT THEY HAVE AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, RELIGION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND EXCEPTIONALITIES. AND THAT'S IN THE HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, SAFE SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT COMPONENT. COMPONENT THREE, WE ALSO IS A HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT DEALING WITH SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS IN GENERAL, 188 SCHOOLS OF THE 192 SAID REGULAR REVIEW OF SAFETY PROCEDURES SUCH AS FIRE DRILLS, HURRICANES, AND TORNADOES OCCURRED. IN COMPONENT FOUR, EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, ALL 192 SCHOOLS THAT RESPONDED SAID THAT HUMANA GO 365 AND MONITOR ENGAGEMENT OF

176STUDENT DATA WAS SELECTED. SO THAT'S FANTASTIC. COMPONENT FIVE, FAMILY INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WAS IDENTIFIED BY BEING USED AS A COMMUNICATION TOOL SUCH AS PARENT LINK, NEWSLETTER, PEACH JAR, SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITES BY 187 SCHOOLS. HEALTHY EDUCATION IS IDENTIFIED BY 109 SCHOOLS HAVING SOME KIND OF A HEALTH-RELATED COMPONENT IN A SCHOOL-SPONSORED EVENT, SUCH AS A PTA, CONFERENCE NIGHT, ET CETERA. HEALTHY SCHOOLS ENVIRONMENT WAS ALSO IDENTIFIED FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN COMPONENT 7 BY 183 OF THE 192 SCHOOLS THAT MAKE SURE THAT PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS HAPPENING IN EACH OF OUR GRADE LEVELS. WELL DONE. COMPONENT 8, STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO A SCHOOL NURSE AS PART OF HEALTH SERVICES, IDENTIFIED BY 189 OF THE 192 SCHOOLS THAT COMPLETED THE SURVEY. THE LAST COMPONENT, COMPONENT 9, COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES AND SOCIAL WORK SERVICES, 188 OF

177THE 192 SCHOOLS SAID THAT A THREAT ASSESSMENT AND SUICIDE PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE TO ENSURE STUDENTS' NEEDS ARE MET. SO THANK YOU TO THE 192 SCHOOLS WHO PROVIDED THIS FANTASTIC INFORMATION THAT WE'RE USING AND SHOWING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND EFFORT. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, KIMBERLY SCHWARTZ AND SHAH MIKE McAULEY. ALSO THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS FOR SUPPORTING THE HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOLS AND ABOUT 30 COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE PART OF THAT FROM OUR STAFF. AND COMMUNITY. NEXT, PABLO, THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING PANEL, GREAT OUTREACH. OVER ALMOST A HUNDRED FOLKS CAME INTO THE ROSSAC, BUT WE HAD -- I THINK WE HAD THREE TV STATIONS ON IT. JUST A GLIMPSE OF THAT, PABLO. THIS IS ALL ABOUT THE REALITIES, AND YOU CAN SEE JACKIE TOLEDO, REPRESENTATIVE JACKIE TOLEDO, JUDGE

178BAUMAN. WE DON'T HAVE MUCH SOUND. SORRY. FOR ME WORKING WITH CHAD CHRONISTER, OUR SHERIFF, HE HAS CONTINUED TO BE ON POINT -- Lynn Gray: OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. INDIVIDUAL THANK-YOU LETTERS WILL BE GIVEN TO EACH OF THESE AT A TIME. SO I WILL CONCLUDE AND ALSO THANK OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AS WELL. THEY ARE MIGHTY, MIGHTY HARD WORKERS. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THEM, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. THEY NEED TO BE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SO I WENT TO GO SEE WITH KATHY CASTOR, THE 14th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL ART COMPETITION EXHIBIT AT THE TAMPA MUSEUM OF ARTS. IT WAS AMAZING. SO I JUST WANT TO LET THE PARENTS KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A SUMMER ARTS PROGRAM THAT RUNS FROM JUNE 6th TO AUGUST 5th.

179AND IT'S FROM AGES 6 TO 17. YOU CAN REGISTER ONLINE AT THE TAMPA MUSEUM SUMMER ARTS CAMP. THEY ALSO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY FOR THESE SCHOLARSHIPS. ALSO AT FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS THERE FOR THE 2022 HILLSBOROUGH CADET OF THE YEAR. IT WAS AMAZING. WHEN YOU SEE OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE, YEAH, AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW AS BOARD MEMBERS WE DO A LOT IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THESE STUDENTS DO A LOT. THEY MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS SLACKING. I TELL YOU. ALSO, THE 4-H PUBLIC SPEAKING PROGRAM SPEECH COMPETITIONS. THESE KIDS, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GET UP AND DO THEIR SPEECHES, THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. I SEE THEM EVERY YEAR, AND THEY JUST GET BETTER AND BETTER. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE THE DISTRICT AN UPDATE ON MY DAUGHTER. I TALK TO YOU GUYS

180ON HER ALL THE TIME, AND THE AMAZING TEACHERS, EDUCATED AND HELP ME MAKE HER INCREDIBLE. SHE IS NOW FOR THE THIRD TIME IN FORBES MAGAZINE. SHE'S REALLY DOING AMAZING THINGS. SHE'S REALLY HUSTLING THERE AND DOING SOME GREAT THINGS. I ALSO HAVE -- ONE MORE THING, WE HAVE AN EVENT ON SATURDAY, THE 9th. IT'S ADJUSTING TO AMERICA. WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE LATINOS IN THE COMMUNITY. WITH PARTNERSHIPS ALONG WITH, YOU KNOW, SUSAN VALDES, WHO WILL BE THERE WITH US AND MEMBER COMBS. AND JUST TO, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY IN SOME OF OUR LATINO FAMILIES WHO ARE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND HAVING DIFFICULTIES IN ADJUSTING AND GETTING THEIR FEET WET HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. BUT IT'S FROM 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M. AND THERE'S GOING TO BE COVID VACCINES. THERE'S

181GOING TO BE AN ARNP. JUST STUFF TO, YOU KNOW, GET THE COMMUNITY WELL ADJUSTED HERE AND LET THEM KNOW THEY HAVE THE SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE DOING WELL. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. BEFORE WE GO TO MEMBER WASHINGTON, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, YOU HAD A COMMENT. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM, THROUGH THE CHAIR. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MS. PEREZ. SHE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE FLORIDA CHAPTER OF ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN THE TAMPA BAY UNIT AS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS AND FLORIDA CHAPTER AS THE ELECTED OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR FOR HER CONTINUOUSLY HARD WORK AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION WITH SOCIAL WORK AND PROFESSIONALS TO THE COMMUNITY. MRS. PEREZ CONTINUES, THIS IS A NICE PLAQUE THEY HAVE CREATED AND PROVIDED. SO THANK YOU FOR

182WHAT YOU DO FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR CHAMPIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY REAL QUICKLY THAT I'M EXTREMELY HONORED TO BE NOMINATED AS THE 2022 POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR -- SOCIAL WORK POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR. BUT I'M GOING TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD AND I'M GOING TO DEDICATE IT TO ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND ALL MY FELLOW SOCIAL WORKERS BECAUSE I DON'T DO THIS JOB BY MYSELF. THEY WORK ALONGSIDE ME IN REPRESENTING AND CHAMPIONING THE MENTAL WELLNESS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF. AND WE ARE AN AMAZING ARMY. AND IT'S ALWAYS THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOCIAL WORK. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MEMBER PEREZ, AND CONGRATULATIONS. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. I'M SO GLAD THAT I

183WAS YOUR TEACHER. YOU KNOW THAT, MS. PEREZ. Addison Davis: LISTEN, I WENT TO AN EVENT WITH HIM LAST NIGHT AND HE WAS EVERYBODY'S TEACHER. Henry "Shake" Washington: I HAD TO DO THAT. HEY, I NEED TO GET SOME CREDIT FOR THAT TROPHY, TOO. YEAH. Addison Davis: YOU CAN SPLIT AT HALFTIME. CUSTODY RIGHTS. Henry "Shake" Washington: ON MARCH THE 26th, WE ATTENDED THE EAST TAMPA COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PARTNERSHIP, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST ANNUAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION COMMUNITY FAIR THAT THEY'VE HAD IN THAT AREA FROM THE CRA. I WANT TO THANK CEDRIC McRAE, WHO IS THE CEO AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE CRA, MRS. FRAN TATE. IT REALLY WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. I ALSO WANT TO THANK GRAY, MS. PEREZ, BECAUSE YOU PRESENTED DURING THAT TIME. AND IT WAS FANTASTIC. WE HAD A GREAT TIME WITH FAMILIES FROM

184THE COMMUNITY COMING OUT. WE DON'T TRY TO DO IT EACH YEAR AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR. SO WE CAN GET THAT COMMUNITY ON PAR. AND THEN ON APRIL THE 4th, WE HAD THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY ARE DOING A PROGRAM CALLED SHIELDING PROGRAM. WHAT THEY ARE DOING, THEY ARE TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO INTERVIEW FOR JOBS. THEY ARE TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO FILL OUT APPLICATIONS BECAUSE THEY REALLY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT. ALSO, THEY ARE TEACHING THEM HOW TO DRESS WHEN YOU COME FOR A JOB. AND THIS TOURNAMENT, TPD DEPARTMENT, OFFICER BAKER AND THEM WILL BE FINDING JOBS. THEY HAVE A PARTNERSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY, SO THESE STUDENTS, WE HAVE ABOUT 30 STUDENTS NOW, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO GROW, AND WE'LL BE HAVING -- THEY WILL BE HAVING JOBS FOR THE

185SUMMERTIME AND GET A CHANCE TO MAKE MONEY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT IN LIFE, PLUS THEY ARE TEACHING THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO BE PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS. AND THEN YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, EVENING, WE HAD AME CHURCH WE HAD THE CADILLAC -- REMEMBERING THE 54th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. I AM PRIVILEGED TO SAY THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WON THE AWARD, UNSUNG HEROES AWARD IN THE COMMUNITY IN EDUCATION. WE APPRECIATE THAT. HAD QUITE A FEW PEOPLE THERE AND KAREN, KAREN PEREZ CAME, AND I WAS HAPPY THAT YOU CAME. IT WAS A REALLY NICE EVENT. BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE GOT TO CONTINUE TO DO IN THE COMMUNITY SO THEY CAN GET INVOLVED IN EDUCATION. MR. DAVIS, I LIKE TO SAY, WE HAVE TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY A LOT. I THINK THAT'S SO

186IMPORTANT. BECAUSE WHEN THEY SEE US, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, BUT WE LISTEN, AND WE HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION AND DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THOSE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FAMILIES. A LOT OF FAMILIES IN NEED. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THE DAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. AND JUST SOME COMMENTS. I'M JUST THE TYPE OF PERSON WHEN I MAKE A DECISION OR I REALLY REFLECT HARD, I DON'T LOOK BACK. I TRY TO LOOK FORWARD. I DID HAVE A QUESTION. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN TALKING ABOUT THE MASK MANDATE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. AND MY QUESTION TO YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHEN WILL THAT BE TRIGGERED WHERE WE LOSE THE FUNDING? AND DO YOU THINK THAT WE

187WILL GET THAT MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR CAN WE? I GUESS IT IS A TWOFOLD QUESTION? Addison Davis: I WOULD SAY THROUGH THE CHAIR, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO THAT MONEY WILL NOT BE AFFORDED TO THE 12 DISTRICTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THAT PARTICULAR EVENT RELATED TO WHEN WE MADE THE DECISION COLLECTIVELY TO SERVE AND PROTECT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THE 14 SCHOOL DISTRICTS -- OR 12 SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL NOT HAVE AVAILABILITY TO THE SCHOOL RECOGNITION FUNDING. I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATED TO OUR EDUCATIONAL LEADS, AND THEY ARE OPENLY -- THEY'VE HEARD CONCERNS RELATED TO FUNDING. WE WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE CAN INCENTIVIZE AND REWARD TEACHERS, STAFF AND SCHOOLS, BUT NO COMMITMENT AT THIS PARTICULAR STAGE RELATED TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY'LL FILL THAT GAP.

188PLEASE KNOW ON BEHALF OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE'LL TRY EVERY AVENUE THAT WE CAN TO BE ABLE TO BRING THAT FUNDING TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THE SYSTEM OF CARE FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT MADE ADEQUATE PROGRESS AND CONTINUE TO IMPROV WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. OVERALL, I'LL CONTINUE TO SAY, FLORIDA CONTINUES TO RANK 45th IN THE COUNTRY. WE'RE 52 AMONG 67 IN THE DISTRICT AS FAR AS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE'RE RANKED 52nd LOWEST FOR FUNDING. AMONG THE BIG FIVE DISTRICTS OF MIAMI, BROWARD, ORANGE, PALM BEACH, PINELLAS COUNTY, WE HAVE THE LEAST PER STUDENT PUPIL FUNDING. I JUST WANT TO REMIND INDIVIDUALS EACH AND EVERY DAY WHAT IT REALLY LOOKS LIKE IN HILLSBOROUGH AND TAKING THAT MONEY, NOT THAT MONEY BUT OVERALL AND

189REALLY I AM ALSO COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND DOING WHATEVER I NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY IS NOT TAKEN AWAY. I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT TESTING, THAT IS A BIG CONCERN. WHEN WE'RE OVERLY TESTING STUDENTS. AS WE GO THROUGH PROGRESS MONITORING NOW AND WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TESTING WILL LOOK LIKE, ARE WE GOING TO DO iREADY AND THE PROGRESS MONITORING? WHAT WILL THAT LOOK LIKE? YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT NOW, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT, HOW MUCH ARE WE TESTING STUDENTS? THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE'RE SPENDING. THE AMOUNT OF CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIONAL TIME THAT WE'RE LOSING. THE AMOUNT OF ANXIETY THAT CAUSES CHILDREN, AND SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE

190NOT POSITIVE WITH OVER-TESTING STUDENTS. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY THAT NOW, BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE COMING YEAR. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. I WILL ADDRESS IT. WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO ELIMINATE OR REDUCE TESTING WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. WE SHOWED A DECREASE IN REDUCTION THIS YEAR FROM LAST YEAR. AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NEW PROGRESS MONITOR AND ASSESSMENT, WE WILL DETERMINE IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SCALE BACK ONCE AGAIN, BUT WE'RE JUST STILL WAITING FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND GUIDANCE. ONCE WE HAVE THAT WE'LL MAKE DECISIONS. I WILL SAY THIS TO THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD AND THIS STAFF CONTINUES TO REVIEW AND HOLD ACCOUNTABLE EVERY VENDOR WE HAVE. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, iREADY WILL HAVE TO COME

191IN AND PRESENT TO US THEIR ANALYTICAL OUTCOMES AND BE ABLE TO SHOW HOW THEY CONTINUE TO HELP US ADDRESS THE GROWING NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. WE WILL DETERMINE ANNUALLY WHETHER OR NOT THAT RELATIONSHIP MOVES FORWARD, BUT IF THERE'S A WAY, SPEAKING WITH iREADY, BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE PROGRESS MONITORING, BUT THERE IS A WAY TO SAVE MONEY AND SELECTIVELY ABANDON SOMETHING, THEN WE WILL. Nadia Combs: GREAT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT iREADY CONTRACT WOULD NOT COME UP UNTIL -- AND I KNOW I WOULD NOT WANT TO SIGN THAT UNTIL WE SEE WHAT THAT PROGRESS MONITORING LOOKS LIKE, BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO TEST OUR STUDENTS SIX TIMES A YEAR. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. MEMBER WASHINGTON SAID, WE GET A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF

192THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT I ATTENDED THIS LAST WEEK WAS THE STUDENT LITERACY MEDIA AND SHOWCASE, WHICH IS THE SLAM PROGRAM, OVER AT THE COMMUNITY -- AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, WHERE WE SEE STUDENTS SO EXCITED ABOUT AUTHORS AND READING AND THEY ARE CREATING MOVIES ABOUT BOOKS AND CREATING ART PROJECTS. IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE INDIVIDUALS AND CHILDREN SO EXCITED ABOUT READING AND LITERACY. ALSO, I WANTED TO MENTION THE TIERRA CLUB WHICH IS AT DAVIS ELEMENTARY. SANDY GUADELOUPE AND MS. COTTER, THEY HAVE ALL THESE FIFTH GRADE GIRLS WHERE THEY CROWN THEM AND MAKE THEM FEEL SO GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES. I HAVE TO SAY, THAT IS JUST LIKE ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS THAT I'VE ATTENDED. BUT WHEN -- MS. GUADELOUPE, SANDY PUTS THE CROWN ON EACH CHILD, IF YOU SAW THE LEVEL OF LOVE THAT SHE DOES

193FOR EVERY CHILD, IT IS REALLY SO HEARTWARMING. WE HAVE SO MANY GREAT PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS AND SO GREAT TO SEE THOSE HIGHLIGHTED. THEN FINALLY, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND I, WE HAD THE PLEASURE TO GO TO STEWART MIDDLE MAGNET YESTERDAY. AT ONE TIME, USF COLLEGE OF EDUCATION LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AT THE BRINK OF CLOSING, AND THAT WAS NOT TOO LONG AGO. AND NOW U.S. REPRESENTATIVE KATHY CASTOR WAS ABLE TO HELP US GET A $1 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE EDUCATING TEACHERS AND THAT WE HAVE MORE S.T.E.M. TEACHERS TO GO OUT THERE. AS I SAY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE SCIENTISTS OR ASTRONAUTS IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TEACHERS TO LEAD THAT WAY. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO REPRESENTATIVE KATHY CASTOR AND TO

194DR. ROLLINS, THE NEW USF DEAN AND TO SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AS WELL AS ALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AT STEWART MIDDLE MAGNET WHO ALLOWED US TO HAVE THAT GREAT OPPORTUNITY YESTERDAY. FINALLY, THANK YOU TO ALL THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. I ABSOLUTELY THINK A PRINCIPAL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL REALLY GUIDE THE CULTURE OF EACH SCHOOL. AND I THINK THEY WORK COUNTLESS, ENDLESS HOURS. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OUR ADMINISTRATION AS WELL, ALL THE CABINET AND EVERYBODY WHO WORKS SO HARD AS WELL AS YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, YOU ARE ONE OF THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO OUR DISTRICT. THANK YOU. AND SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.