01/11/2022 - Regular Meeting

001> THE BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 11, 2022 IS NOW CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE) Nadia Combs: WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OH, EXCEPT FOR -- LET ME CHECK WITH THEM BECAUSE NOT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MR. PORTER IS GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO THAT. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EITHER

002IN THE BOARDROOM OR BY REMOTE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MEMBER HAHN. WE HAVE FIVE SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. 11/16, SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING. 12/10/2021 SPECIAL CALLED BOARDER. 12/12 AND FINALLY 12/16 SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES -- Jim Porter: WE NEED TO HEAR FROM MS. VAUGHN IF SHE CAN INDICATE IF SHE IS IN SUPPORT. Jessica Vaughn: I'M IN THE CHAT LIKE I DID LAST TIME, BUT YES. Jim Porter: WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT. MEMBER HAHN IS ABSENT AND MEMBER VAUGHN PARTICIPATING REMOTELY SO THE VOTES NEED TO REFLECT THAT. THE FIRST

003VOTE WE NEED TO VOTE AGAIN ON THE AGENDA WHEN YOU GET READY FOR THAT. JUST NEED A MOTION TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. Nadia Combs: OKAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO BACK. MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AND PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. OKAY. MEMBER -- IN FAVOR. Nadia Combs: OKAY. SO THAT PASSES. Jim Porter: 6-0. Nadia Combs: 6-0. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO BACK TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. THE FIVE SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. Jessica Vaughn: IN FAVOR. Nadia Combs: AND THAT ALSO PASSES 6-0. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. WE ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO WE ASK THE GUESTS IN THE BOARDROOM KEEP ONE CHAIR OPEN BETWEEN FAMILIES.

004AS A REMINDER WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN AND SUCCEED AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS AND/OR QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARD THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK INTO THE QUEUE. MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL NOW READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO BE ALLOWED TO HEAR BEHIND THE DEUS. THIS CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTION ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS IN THE

005AUDITORIUM AND ALSO VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTION IN ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AND THAT'S 6:00 P.M. AND THAT'S EMPLOYEE INPUT. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS THE STAFF WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH YOU AND KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE, HOWEVER, IT'S REQUESTED THAT 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

006THE BOARD PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. WHEN THERE IS 30 SECONDS LEVELED YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN AND A RED LIGHT AND CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN TIME IS UP. WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WE'D LIKE TO CALL UP AT THIS TIME. I'D LIKE TO CALL UP MR. FRED HE HERNS. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF AND EVERYONE ELSE PRESENT. ORDINARILY WHEN I APPEAR BEFORE YOU THIS TIME OF YEAR, I'M SAYING, HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH. WELL, IT'S JANUARY NOW SO WE KNOW THAT NEXT MONTH, FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISSTORY MONTH BUT I WILL BE SEEING MANY OF YOU AT THE FIRST ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY MONTH RECEPTION SPONSORED BY THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER. OKAY. HOPE YOU HEARD MOST OF THAT. I'VE

007BEEN WORKING FOR THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER FOR THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS AND MUCH OF THAT TIME HAS BEEN SPENT PLANNING THIS EVENT. THIS IS THE FIRST ONE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY. WE'VE HAD OTHER BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS AND OF COURSE MARTIN LUTHER KING CELEBRATIONS AROUND HIS BIRTHDAY, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THE COMMUNITY AND MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED TICKETS TO THE EVENT. IT'S GOING TO BE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, FROM 6:00 TO 9:00 P.M. AT THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER HERE IN THE CHANNELSIDE DISTRICT, 801 WATER STREET. IT'S ALMOST A SELLOUT, SO IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO ATTEND, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU AFTER THIS MEETING TO GO ONLINE AT TAMPABAYHISTORY.ORG AND YOU CAN PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS THERE. ONE OF THE VERY SPECIAL THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN THAT EVENING

008IS THAT WE WILL BE PRESENTING A CHECK FOR $1,000 TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DISTRICT MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT HAS THE MOST OUTSTANDING THURGOOD MARSHALL HISTORY CLUB. THIS IS A NEW CLUB THAT ALL SCHOOLS ARE ELIGIBLE TO HAVE. THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGING OUR PRINCIPALS AND THE VARIOUS ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS TO, NUMBER ONE, IDENTIFY A SPONSOR, SOMEONE ON YOUR CAMPUS FOR THE CLUB AND THEN TO ORGANIZE THE CLUB, GET STUDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR THE CLUB. ALLISON EDGECOMB IS THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THURGOOD MARSHALL HISTORY CLUB MEMBERS. IT'S SOMETHING NEW BUT SOMETHING I'M HOPING EVERY SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL WILL GET INVOLVED IN. FIRST OF ALL, TO LEARN WHO THURGOOD MARSHALL WAS AND HIS CONNECTION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TOOK INTO

009CONSIDERATION WHEN WE GAVE THE CLUB ITS NAME. CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY BENJAMIN CRUMP WILL BE THE SPEAKER ON FEBRUARY 4 AT THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER. I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO TELL YOU WHO MR. CRUMP IS. HE'S BEEN ON NATIONAL TV FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS. ACTUALLY STARTING WITH THE TRAYVON MARTIN CASE FOR WHICH HE REPRESENTED THAT FAMILY. THE GEORGE FLOYD FAMILY. AHMAUD ARBERY AND MANY OTHER AFRICAN AMERICANS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE BEEN SEEKING -- THEIR FAMILIES SEEKING JUSTICE. HE IS GOING TO BE OUR GUEST SPEAKER AND A PRODUCT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS JUST HAPPENS TO BE GEORGE S. MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. DR. BERNARD LAFAYETTE. THERE WILL BE AN AWARD NAMED FOR DR. LAFAYETTE, AND HE'LL BE PRESENT AT THIS EVENT. AND STUDENTS, IF YOU'RE LISTENING. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO BERNARD LAFAYETTE IS,

010GOOGLE BERNARD LAFAYETTE, AND YOU'LL BE AMAZED THE THINGS THAT THIS MAN DID. WALKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING. HE WAS ACTUALLY IN THE LORRAINE MOTEL THE DAY THAT DR. KING WAS ASSASSINATED. HE MARCHED IN SELMA. HE WAS A FREEDOM WRITER. HE WENT TO JAIL PROTESTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN MISSISSIPPI, AND HE IS ONE OF OUR OWN RAISED RIGHT HERE IN TAMPA. SO AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO BE CELEBRATING AN EXPANSION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCHIVES AT THE HISTORY CENTER, SO MANY OTHER THINGS AVAILABLE. SO AGAIN, GO ON OUR WEBSITE. TAMPABAYHISTORYCENTER.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION AND WE'LL SEE YOU ON FEBRUARY 4th. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. HERNS. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. MADAM CHAIR, POINT OF INQUIRY.

011YOU READ THE GUIDELINES OUT IN THE AUDITORIUM. HAVE THOSE GUIDELINES BEEN GIVEN TO ALL THE SPEAKERS SINCE THEY'RE NOT IN THE AUDITORIUM RIGHT NOW? HAVE THEY BEEN COMMUNICATED? Nadia Combs: YES, THEY HAVE. JUST MAKING SURE. Nadia Combs: COMMUNICATIONS SENT THAT AND HAS GIVEN THAT TO ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: WE'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN WITH SPEAKERS. OUR FIRST SPEAKER PLEASE. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF. PAULA COSTANIO. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE. YESTERDAY PAT HALL AND I EACH TALKED TO SOMEONE IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND GOT CONFORMATION. LEAs OR DISTRICTS CAN USE ESSER FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT A ONE-TIME USE. IT'S ON THE DOCUMENT I GAVE YOU IN THE BINDERS BY SECRETARY CARDONA AND CAN BE SEEN ON OESE.ED.GOV UNDER C13 OF FEQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

012AND I CAN PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH MR. FENTON WHO IS THE PERSON WE SPOKE TO. THIS IS A PERFECT SOLUTION TOWARD TAKING CARE OF OUR UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS AND POPULATIONS. I CAME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, FLORIDA'S. IT APPEARS THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EDUCATION COMMISSIONER CORCHORON ARE CITING IT AS NEGLIGENCE AND COVERING UP CORRUPTION. IT'S THE SAME COMPANY OUR SCHOOL BOARD WAS FORCED TO HIRE AS AN EXTERNAL OPERATOR FOR OUR UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS. THEY ALSO RECEIVED OVER $2 MILLION IN COVID MONEY, EVEN THOUGH OUR SCHOOLS WERE NOT SHUT DOWN. MGT IS ALSO THE ONLY VENDOR ON THE TEMPLATE FOR THE RFQ AND THE ONLY COMPANY THAT RESPONDED OUT OF 25 IN THE JEFFERSON COUNTY DEBACLE. THAT SHOULD MAKE YOU THINK. DOES MR. CORCORAN HOLD MS. RAMSEY AND MR. TUCK TO THE

013SAME STANDARDS HE HOLDS OUR TEACHERS? WAS MS. RAMSEY REALLY THE ONE WHO WAS TO SELECT THE VENDOR OR WAS IT REALLY MR. CORCORAN? THAT'S A QUESTION THAT IS UNANSWERED. SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT IN FLORIDA OR QUITE FRANKLY, COMMISSIONER CORCORAN, WHO BY THE WAY WAS NOT VOTED ON BY THE PEOPLE. LOTS OF FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE TAKING INTEREST IN FLORIDA'S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. AGENCIES WHO BELIEVE IN PRESERVING PUBLIC EDUCATION. NOT PUBLIC CORRUPTION. PLEASE, BOARD, TAKE A STAND WITH THE OTHER PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION SCHOOL BOARDS. THE TIMING RIGHT NOW IS RIGHT. LET'S NOT LOSE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND I'LL REACH OUT TO ALL OF YOU FURTHER ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO. MY NAME IS PATRICIA HALL. JEFFERSON COUNTY WAS THE FIRST SCHOOL DISTRICT TAKEN OVER BY CHARTER OPERATORS IN 2017. THE CHOSEN COMPANY WAS

014SOMERSET, A DIVISION OF CORRUPT ACADEMICA. ACADEMICA IS STILL UNDER FEDERAL INVESTIGATION AFTER SEVEN YEARS. WITH THE CONTRACT OVER IN 2022, SOMERSET WANTS OUT AFTER GETTING TWO Fs, MISERABLY FAILING THE 715 CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. YOU WILL SOON LEARN MORE ABOUT ONE GROUP OF GRIFTERS, TRAY TRAVIESE AND COMMISSIONER RICHARD THE NASTY CORCORAN WHO ONCE WERE IN BUSINESS STEPPED TO SUCCESS. STEPPING ON GRIFTERS NUMBER TWO, ANDY TUCK ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND MELISSA RAMSEY, VICE CHANCELLOR FOR STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENT. THE TUCK RAMSEY TEAM FORMED A NEW COMPANY STRATEGIC INITIATIVES PARTNERS ATTEMPTING TO GRAB $1.8 MILLION FOR ONE YEAR AS EXTERNAL OPERATORS FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY. MEANWHILE MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS FLOW INTO THE HANDS AND POCKETS OF THE RICH AND POWERFULLY CONNECTED CORRUPT POLITICIANS WHILE TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR TURNOVER IS NEVER ENDING AND SCHOOL

015SUPPLIES DISAPPEAR. DISGRACED RALPH ARZA THROWN OUT OF THE LEANLY SLASHER FOR BAD BEHAVIOR -- LEGISLATURE FOR BAD BEHAVIOR IS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN JEFFERSON WITH FOUR RELATIVES WORKING ON THE PAYROLL DOING WHAT? ARZA IS A LOBBYIST FOR-PROFIT CHARTER MANAGED CHARTER SCHOOLS. SOMERSET WAS GIVEN $20 MILLION WHEN THEY TOOK OVER FROM THE DOE. I WANT THE AUDIT TRACK OF HOW THAT WAS SPENT. THE SCHOOLS ARE ALREADY BUILT. K-5 AND 6-12 WERE CHANGED TO K-5, 6-8 AND 9-12 TO GET THREE BIG $350,000 CHECKS FROM BETSY DEVOS FOR STARTING THREE NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS. OVER $1 MILLION FOR GRIFTERS. THEY USE SCHOOL OF HOPE MONEY FOR TEACHERS SO THEY COULD HIRE A NON-CERTIFIED PEOPLE. THE SEVENTH GRADE MATH TEACHER'S CREDENTIAL WAS CASHIER AT D DENNY'S. THE SUPERINTENDENT IS READY TO TAKE JEFFERSON COUNTY BACK AND USE PUBLIC MONEY ON CHILDRENS'

016NEEDS AND CERTIFIED TEACHERS. LEGISLATORS, WAKE-UP. DEIS ANTIS, FIRE CORCORAN. I TELL YOU THIS JUST SO YOU HAVE SOME BACKGROUND WHEN YOU GET THREATENED AGAIN BY CORCORAN. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. . MY NAME IS GEORGE BENTLEY. I WAS THE VALEDICTORIAN OF PLANT HIGH SCHOOL'S CLASS OF 2017. I CURRENTLY ATTEND PRINCETON UNIV UNIVERSITY. MY GPA WAS -- WAIT FOR IT. 7.6 ON A 4.0 SCALE. THAT IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S GPA SYSTEM UNLIKE THOSE OF MOST DISTRICTS IS ADDITIVE. STUDENTS GET CERTAIN AMOUNTS ADDED TO THEIR GPAs FOR EVERY HONOR, AP AND DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS TAKEN. THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN. TOP GPAs AROUND THE COUNTY HAVE GOTTEN HIGHER AND HIGHER OVER THE YEARS AS MORE AND MORE STUDENTS COMPETE TO TAKE AS MANY AP AND DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES AS POSSIBLE. I KNOW MANY

017STUDENTS WHO COME THROUGH BEHIND ME AT PLANT AND THE COMPETITION IS INTENSE. ONE RECENT PLANT VALEDICTORIAN'S GPA AS PUBLISHED IN THE LOCAL PAPER WAS HIGHER THAN MINE BY THE EQUIVALENT OF 41 SEMESTERS OF A.P. CLASSES WHICH REQUIRED AN INCREDIBLE VOLUME OF HCC AND VIRTUAL CLASSES OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DAY. MOREOVER, STUDENTS ARE NOT ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE TIME TO TRULY LEARN THE MATERIAL IN THOSE CLASSES. IT'S BETTER TO TAKE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE AND DO THE MINIMUM TO JUST SKATE BY. I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE BY POINTING OUT THAT AROUND THE NATION, ACADEMIC EXTRACURRICULARS SUCH AS MATH TEAM, DEBATE AND ROBOTICS ARE QUITE POPULAR. THESE HELP OUR MOST ACADEMICALLY INCLINED STUDENTS GET ADMITTED TO THE COLLEGES OF THEIR CHOICE AND PREPARE THEM TO BECOME INTELLECTUAL LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, BUT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE CURRENT SYSTEM

018NECESSITATES THIS TAKES A BACK-SEAT TO PLAYING THE GPA GAME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. MAY NAME IS LUANN TOLLBERT. YOU JUST MET MY FORMER STUDENT GEORGE. THREE YEARS LATER, THE VALEDICTORIAN HAD A 10.7GPA. HE HAD 71 CREDITS INCLUDING 18A.P. CLASSES, 14 VIRTUAL CLASSES -- FLORIDA VIRTUAL CLASSES AND 23 DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES AT HCC AND USF. THE CURRENT SYSTEM MADE SENSE BEFORE STUDENTS HAD SO MANY DUAL ENROLLMENT AND VIRTUAL LEARNING OPTIONS. NOW OUR TOP STUDENTS PLAY A NUMBERS GAME THAT FOCUSES ON QUANTITY OF CLASSES OVER QUALITY EDUCATION. THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE OF PLAYING THE GPA GAME IS MENTAL HEALTH. STUDENTS ARE SACRIFICING EXTRACURRICULARS, FAMILY TIME, SLEEP, AND SOCIAL CONNECTIONS TO WIN AT THIS GAME BY DEVOTING EVENINGS, WEEKENDS, AND SUMMERS TO TAKING EXTRA CLASSES. THE TIME HAS COME TO MAKE A CHANGE. LET'S ENCOURAGE STUDENTS

019TO FIND BALANCE AND TO DEVELOP THEIR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS AS WELL AS THEIR ACADEMIC RECORD. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SERVE ON A FOCUS GROUP TO EXPLORE FAVORABLE OPTIONS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MS. TOLBERT. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO AGAIN. I'M RUFOUS. I SPOKE AT THE -- ON THE DECEMBER 14 MEETING. AND TODAY I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON MYSELF, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THIS MEETING TO BE ABOUT ME TODAY. I SAID EVERYTHING I HAD TO SAY ABOUT MYSELF. INSTEAD, I FIRST WANT TO SAY MY MOM REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE WITH ME TODAY, AND SHE COULDN'T. SHE HAD OTHER OBLIGATIONS, AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT I THINK FOR HER AS A PARENT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO KNOW THAT SHE IS MISSING SOMETHING. MISSING SOMETHING THAT IS CAUSING ME PAIN,

020AND I THINK FOR PARENTS, THAT CAN BE REALLY HARD TO KNOW. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CHILD AND IT JUST SLIPPED BY YOU. SOMETHING CAUSING THEM SO MUCH PAIN AND TO KNOW THAT NOW, YOU MISSED IT AND YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO FIX IT. SO MY PEERS TODAY ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE, ASSAULT, RAPE HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I'LL LET THEM SPEAK ON THAT, BUT I'M HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO OFFER EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, BUT ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOL BOARD A CHALLENGE. MOST OF YOU GUYS KNOW SOME -- AT LEAST ONE KID WHO GOES TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL, WHETHER IT BE YOUR KID, A NIECE, A NEPHEW, SOMEBODY. SO MY CHALLENGE FOR YOU IS TO JUST ASK THEM IF SOMETHING HERE IS THEIR EXPERIENCE, IF

021IT RINGS TRUE FOR THEM, BECAUSE I'VE DONE EVERYTHING I CAN TO GET YOU TO CARE ABOUT ME, BUT I REALLY THINK IF YOU ASK YOUR OWN PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE REALLY SURPRISED BY THE ANSWER YOU HEAR. AND I'M GOING TO OFFER YOU SOMETHING THAT NOBODY OFFERED ME, WHICH IS I'M SO SORRY FOR THE PAIN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DISCOVER THE KIDS IN YOUR LIFE WENT THROUGH. I'M SO SORRY, AND THEY NEVER DESERVED IT. AND I KNOW IT'S GOING TO SUCK THAT YOU MISSED IT, BUT YOU CAN'T GO BACK, SO WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP NOW TO FIX IT, AND AGAIN, I'M JUST -- MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES FOR THE PAIN THAT THEY WENT THROUGH, BECAUSE I KNOW I WENT THROUGH IT TOO. THAT'S IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GIMP

022GOOD EVENING, EVERY EVERYONE, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOU, THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO INDIVIDUALS AT HOME WHO LOGGED ON OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THOSE WHO CAN'T ATTEND A 4:00 P.M. MEETING BECAUSE UNLESS YOU'RE PURPOSEFULLY LOOKING FOR INFORMATION OF WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON AND ABOUT THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF THE CORRUPTION AND COVER-UP ATTEMPTS. RECENTLY YOU ALREADY HEARD WHAT HAPPENED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY. IT WAS IN THE NEWS TODAY WHERE TWO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LEADERS RESIGNED OR WERE LET GO AFTER AN INVESTIGATION UNEARTHED A PLAN TO PURSUE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR STATE CONTRACT FOR A COMPANY THEY MANAGED. LET THAT SINK IN. MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS ARE ON THE

023LINE HERE. THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF FOR PROFIT CHARTER SCHOOL MANAGED COMPANIES USING PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS CASH COWS AND PR NARRATIVES UNTIL THE HARD WORK OF EDUCATING THE CHILDREN IS ALL THAT'S LEFT, AND THE SECOND LAYER OF GRIFTERS READY TO TAKE MILLIONS OFF THE FAILURE LIKE MGT AND S.I.P. IS SICKENING. IN A STATEMENT CORCORAN COMMENTS ON THE JEFFERSON COUNTY RECOGNITIONS AND SAID, WELL, WHAT THEY DID WAS NOT MALICIOUS. IT WAS GROSS NEGLIGENCE. I'M AN ATTORNEY. WHEN I HEAR THE WORDS GROSS NEGLIGENCE IN SUCH A CASUAL MANNER, MY HEAD SPINS. GROSS NEGLIGENCE IS DEFINED AS A CONSCIOUS VOLUNTARY ACT OR OMISSION AND RECKLESS DISREGARD OF A LEGAL DUTY AND OF A CONSEQUENCE TO ANOTHER. THOSE ARE BIG WORDS TO USE IN RELATION TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR CHILDREN IN THE

024EDUCATION SYSTEM, BUT HE JUST USED IT FLIPPANTLY. THE CHILDREN IN JEFFERSON COUNTY ARE AMONG SOME OF THE NEEDIEST CHILDREN IN OUR STATE, AND HERE WE HAVE A BLATANT ATTEMPT BY OUR EDUCATION LEADERS TO PROFIT OUR THEIR MISFORTUNE. LET ME ASK. IN WHAT WORLD DO WE LIVE IN WHERE WE'RE OKAY THAT THE PEOPLE ENTRUSTED WITH THE FATE OF THE EDUCATION IN OUR STATE ARE MAKING STRATEGIC DECISIONS THAT FLY IN THE FACE OF LEGALITY? GROSS NEGLIGENCE AND CHILDREN SHOULD BE AND ARE INCOMPATIBLE. TO ALLOW THIS IS SIMPLY CRIMINAL. I PRINTED THE ARTICLE FOR ALL OF YOU JUST IN CASE, AND I'LL HAVE THE OFFICERS HAND IT OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. DURING THE PREVIOUS MEETING, THIS BOARD SAT HERE AND LISTENED TO FEW PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT BLAKE

025HIGH SCHOOL MISHANDLING SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES. ADDISON G. DAVIS, THE SUPERINTENDENT, AFTER HEARING THESE WORRIED PARENTS AND THEN MY FORMER CLASSMATE WHO CRIED RIGHT HERE ON THIS STAND HAD THE AUDACITY TO LIE RIGHT INTO OUR FACES AFTER HEARING HIM SPEAK. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS AND INSER THAT -- ENSURE THAT EVERY ONE OF OUR LEARNERS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. THAT'S A DIRECT QUOTE FROM HIMSELF. I LISTENED TO IT AFTER. HE LIED RIGHT TO OUR FACES WHEN IT HAD BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT THAT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL MISHANDLED STUDENTS AS EARLY AS 2016. THAT'S TWO YEARS FOR MR. DAVIS TO NOTICE SINCE HE WAS BROUGHT IN AS SUPERINTENDENT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MR. DAVIS CANNOT ACCEPT THAT HE LET SEVERAL BLAKE STUDENTS SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. HOW CAN WE TRUST HIM TO PROTECT OUR

026STUDENTS WHEN HE CANNOT ADMIT THAT HE HAS FAILED STUDENTS AT BLAKE HIGH? WHY NOT REPLACE THE PRINCIPAL WHO HAS BEEN THE PRINCIPAL FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS? I DON'T SEE WHY HE CAN'T JUST ADMIT THAT. THAT HE'S FAILED US. TEACHERS AND STAFF SHOULD STAND UP FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE WRONG. NOT CAST THEM ASIDE. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE EXPELLED FOR STANDING UP FOR OURSELVES. WE SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT OUR SAFETY WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I BELIEVE THAT HAVE THE POWER TO HELP OTHERS SHOULD DO IT NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY SHOULD BUT BECAUSE THEY CAN. IT'S EASY TO HELP PEOPLE WHEN YOU TRY. YOU FAILED MY FRIENDS, MR. DAVIS AND FAILED THEIR FAMILIES. YOU CAN START THAT BY ADMITTING YOU LIED LAST MEETING. THANKS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. PLEASE

027STATE YOUR NAME. CAROL PIERCE. TODAY I CAME TO TELL YOU THAT I READ THE EXTENSIVE TAMPA TIMES FEATURE ARTICLE OF DECEMBER 12 TITLED "TAMPA TEENS WANTED THEIR SCHOOL TO PROTECT THEM, INSTEAD THEY SAY IT GOT WORSE". AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU, AFTER YOU HEARD PUBLIC COMMENT AT YOUR LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE MISHANDLING OF SEXUAL ABUSE REPORTING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS AND AFTER THAT ALARMING DECEMBER 12th ARTICLE, WHY WASN'T THIS ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY? IT MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. IRONICALLY THE FIRST THING ON YOUR AGENDA IS A LEAD BY EXAMPLE STUDENT AWARD. WHAT IF STUDENTS CHOSE WHICH GROWN-UP TO GIVE THE LEAD BY EXAMPLE AWARD? WOULD YOU PLEASE AIM TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, BOARD MEMBERS? THIS IS NOT FOR THE SAKE OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE BOARD, THE DISTRICT, THE COUNTY, THE FEDS

028EVEN, ALTHOUGH ALL OF THEM ARE LOOKING PRETTY MUCKY TO ONE DEGREE OR ANOTHER. IT'S FOR THE EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND RELATIONAL WELFARE OF YOUNG LIVES. I WAS JUST THINKING TO PROPOSE TO YOU, AND IT MAY SEEM REALLY SIMPLISTIC BUT FOUR THINGS. ONE, PRINT OUT THE DECEMBER 12 TIMES ARTICLE. TWO, READ IT. READ IT AGAIN IF YOU'VE ALREADY READ IT. THREE, WHEREVER YOU SEE DISCREPANCIES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE ISSUE, PENCIL IN THE WORDS "NEEDS RIGOROUS INVESTIGATION BY A THIRD PARTY". FOUR, MAKE A WAY. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. MY NAME IS KATHERINE EARHEART. I'VE HEARD FROM MOST OF YOU IF NOT EACH OF YOU THAT YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT STUDENT SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH IS YOUR MAIN FOCUS. THERE WAS EVEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT ANTI-BULLYING PROCLAMATION. I'M HERE

029TO TELL YOU THESE STUDENTS ARE NOT SAFE. THEIR MENTAL HEALTH IS IN THE TOILET. THE DAILY FIGHTS AND KIDS HAVING SEX IN THE HALLWAYS ARE JUST AS COMMON AS THE BULLYING THAT OCCURS, NOT JUST FROM THE STUDENTS BUT FROM THE TEACHERS. MY DAUGHTER WAS THREATENED BY THE LEAD TEACHER AT BLAKE THAT IF SHE CONTINUED TO BY FRIENDS WITH JACOB SHE'D BE EXPELLED FROM THE MAGNET PROGRAM SHE LOVES SO MUCH. THE TEACHER TOLD MY DAUGHTER SHE MUST GET OTHER STUDENTS TO OSTRACIZE JACOB OR FACE EXPULSION AND SAY IF YOU TELL ANYONE ABOUT THE MEETING WE'LL ALL GET INTO TROUBLE. THIS WAS REPORTED AND NOTHING WAS DONE. WHEN MY DAUGHTER WENT TO THE A.P. TO REPORT A MALE TEACHER WHO SEXUALLY HARASSED HER, SHE WAS TOLD TO WRITE UP A STATEMENT. SHE E-MAILED THE STATEMENT IN. NO

030INVESTIGATION. THE DISTRICT DENIED A REPORT WAS MADE. THE TEACHER WAS MOVED TO MIDDLETON SO REALLY NOTHING WAS DONE. A TEACHER IS REPORTED FOR HOSTING MULTI-STUDENT CO-ED SLEEPOVERS AT HER HOUSE WHERE STUDENTS KNEW THEY COULD SLEEP TOGETHER ON HER COUCH. NOTHING IS DONE. STUDENTS AND PARENTS SHOULD NOT BE SCARED TO SPEAK UP. WHEN STUDENTS ARE THREATENED BY A LEAD TEACHER, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT DOES TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH? WHEN STUDENTS DO FIND THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP AND NOTHING IS DONE. HOW IS THAT PROTECTING THE STUDENT THAT EVERYONE CLAIMS ARE SO SAFE OR SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS SAID LAST MEETING, QUOTE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS AND ENSURE THAT EVERY ONE OF OUR LEARNERS HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BE PROTECTED EVERY SINGLE DAY. THIS SOUNDS REALLY GOOD. IT'S SIMPLY FALSE. THESE KIDS ARE

031NOT SAFE. THE TOXIC ENVIRONMENT AT BLAKE IS THE PERFECT STORM FOR ABUSE. SPEAKING OUT AT BLAKE MEANT YOU WOULD NOT BE GIVEN THE SPOT ON THE COVETED FIELD TRIP OUR YOU HEAR WORDS" REPORT ME AND I'LL MAKE YOUR LIVING HELL" OR YOUR SIBLING WON'T BE ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM. YOU LEARN QUICKLY SEE SOMETHING, SAY NOTHING. YOU LEARN THE ABUSER IS PROTECTED AND THE VICTIM BECOMES A VICTIM AGAIN BECAUSE NOTHING IS DONE. AT THE LAST TIME I WAS ON THE CAMPUS, THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS IN THE E. BUILDING WERE INACCESSIBLE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE A.P. AND SHE TOLD ME "FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE LOCKED BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WILL USE THEM AS WEAPONS". MR. WASHINGTON, BLAKE IS NOT ALL ABOUT FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL. THE KIDS NEED HELP. THE TOXIC ENVIRONMENT IS DANGEROUS. KEEP IGNORING THE STUDENTS AND SOMETHING

032IS GOING TO SNAP. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS THERESA PRICHARD AND I'M THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND GENERAL COUNSEL AT THE FLORIDA COUNSEL AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE. WE'RE THE STATEWIDE NON-PROFIT AND STATE RESOURCE ON BEST PRACTICES FOR RESPONDING TO VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE. FROM RIGHT HERE IN TAMPA WE RUN A STATEWIDE CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM WHERE WE REPRESENT SURVIVORS IN A RANGE OF LEGAL MATTERS INCLUDING SCHOOL MISCONDUCT CASES. THE CRISIS CENTER OF TAMPA BAY WHOSE ADVOCATES ARE HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF STUDENTS RUNS THE COUNTY WIDE PROGRAM PROVIDING ADVOCACY TO VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS. I WANT TO THANK RUFUS AND THE MANY SURVIVORS WHO HAVE COME FORWARD SINCE THE TAMPA BAY TIMES STORY BROKE SHADOWING ANY ILLUSION THAT RAPE ARE NOT HAPPENING TO KIDS IN THE

033SCHOOLS. TO THE SURVIVORS, YOU ARE HEARD AND BELIEVED. TO THOSE OF US CHARGED WITH PROTECTING OUR STUDENTS IT'S PAST TIME THAT WE DO BETTER. THE RESPONSES THAT SURVIVORS REPORT HAVING RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO REPORTING THEIR ABUSE IS REPREHENSIBLE. HOW WE TREAT VICTIMS WHO REACH OUT FOR HELP CAN COMPOUND OR MITIGATE TRAUMA TO A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE. TRAUMA IS EXACERBATED AND SURVIVORS ARE REVICTIMIZED WHEN THEY RECEIVE A NEGATIVE REACTION FROM THE PEOPLE THEY REPORT TO. OVER THE YEARS, WE HEARD THAT THE SYSTEMIC RESPONSE WAS WORSE THAN THE ACTUAL ASSAULT AND IN THE END THEY WISH THEY NEVER REPORTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR ANY SURVIVOR AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR KIDS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE TRAUMATIC IMPACT ON ADOLESCENCE IS FURTHER MAGNIFIED AS A RESULT OF THEIR DEVELOPING BRAINS. FREQUENT EXPOSURE TO ANY PEER VICTIMIZATIONS

034IS RELATED TO HIGH RISKS OF SUICIDAL IDEATION AND ATTEMPTS AND NOT TO MENTION DAMAGE TO THEIR CAREERS. PUNISHING STUDENTS WHO REACH OUT FOR HELP PERPETUATES A HARMFUL CYCLE CREATING A DANGEROUS AND CHILLING EFFECT FOR FUTURE STUDENTS TO HAVE NO AVENUE FOR REPORTING SEXUAL HARASSMENT, RAPE AND ABUSE AND JEOPJEOPARDIZ THEIR SAFETHY AND LEADS THEM WITH NO WHERE TO TURN. THIS IS NOT JUST TURNING A BLIND EYE. IT'S SANCTIONED ASSAULT ON OUR STUDENTS. THESE NEGLIGENT AND DOWN RIGHT DISTURBING RESPONSES TO CHILDREN NORMALIZE SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND CONTRIBUTE TO A SOCIETY WHERE WE'RE LEFT WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE INFLICTING THE HARM AND HEIGHTENED IMPACTS FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER. WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT THESE CASES IN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY SETTINGS BUT THIS IS IN THE K-12 ENVIRONMENTS AS WELL WHERE SCHOOLS ARE NOT PROTECTING KIDS FROM VIOLENCE AND ABUSE.

035THIS LEADS SURVIVORS TO WONDER WILL JUSTICE EVER PREVAIL FROM ME AND WE HEARD TODAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS THAT ANSWER IS NO. WE SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AND FORMER STUDENTS' CALLS FOR A RIGOROUS INVESTIGATION INTO THESE RESPONSES. MATERIAL CHANGES ARE REQUIRED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SO WHEN STUDENTS ASK FOR HELP, THEY CAN TRUST THAT THOSE THEY REACH OUT TO WILL CARE AND PROTECT THEM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. HI. I'M DANA JACOBS. I WENT TO SCHOOL IN THIS COUNTY. MY 1-YEAR-OLD SON WILL ONE DAY GO TO SCHOOL IN THIS COUNTY AND I HAVE FRIENDS AND EVEN FAMILY WHO ARE TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I HEARD A LOT ABOUT WHAT GOES ON EACH DAY IN THE CLASSROOM AND WHILE I COULD PROBABLY TALK YOUR EAR OFF ABOUT VARIOUS CHANGES THAT COULD BE MADE, TODAY

036I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE CURRENT AND SOMEWHAT NEWLY IMPLEMENTED DISCIPLINE POLICIES HURTING TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND OVER ALL LEARNING OUTCOMES. HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE POLICY AND MAKE CHANGES. SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM. WELL, LET'S USE THIS FORM HERE TODAY AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD HAVE A SET OF RULES THAT SPEAKERS MUST ABIDE BY IN ORDER TO COME HERE AND SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS. YOUR RULES SAY THAT SPEAKERS CANNOT SPEAK MORE THAN THREE MINUTES, CANNOT DISPLAY DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR AND THEY CAN'T BE DISRUPTIVE OR RUDE. NOW IF I CAME IN HERE, AND I WAS BEING RUDE AND OVERLY DISRUPTIVE AND YOU ASKED ME TO STOP, AND I DIDN'T STOP, YOU WOULD HAVE ME REMOVED FROM THE MEETING. BUT THEN LET'S JUST SAY THAT AFTER SOMEONE TALKED NEE IN THE HALLWAY, I WAS

037ALLOWED RIGHT BACK INTO THE MEETING JUST A FEW MINUTES LATER TO CONTINUE MY RUDE AND DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. YOU ALL WOULD BE FRUSTRATED. YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COVER ANY OF THE CONTENT YOU HOPED TO GET TO ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY AND THE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE WOULD BE DISTRACTED AND UNABLE TO GET MUCH OUT OF THE MEETING. ALL PARTIES WOULD LEAVE THE MEETING FEELING IT WAS A LOT OF WASTED TIME. YOU ALL WOULD NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN AND RIGHTFULLY SO. UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S A SCENARIO THAT PLAYS OUT EVERY DAY AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH. ONCE A STUDENT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR TWO WEEKS IN A SCHOOL YEAR, THEY NO LONGER CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE CLASSROOM FOR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. THEREFORE, AFTER THEIR TWO WEEK SUSPENSION, ONCE A PROBLEM STUDENT ACTS OUT, THEY'RE LET BACK INTO

038THE CLASSROOM WHERE THE TEACHERS HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MANAGE THE LESSON PLAN WITHOUT REMOVING THE STUDENT OR HAVING AN EFFECTIVE WAY OF DISCIPLINING THEM FOR ANY DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR THEY DISPLAY. THIS RULE WAS MADE IN ORDER TO KEEP TROUBLED STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM, SOMEHOW HOPEFULLY LEARNING SO THEY DIDN'T CONTINUE DWN A BAD PATH. INSTEAD WE HAVE CLASSROOMS FULL OF KIDS WHO WANT TO LEARN LED BY WELL-EQUIPPED TEACHERS WHO WANT TO TEACH, BUT ALL OF WHOM ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY PERPETUALLY DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS. YOUR STATED VISION IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE. IN LIFE, YOU CANNOT BE PERPETUALLY RUDE, DISRUPTIVE AND DISORDERLY AND BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL PLACE IN THE WORKPLACE AND ORGANIZATIONS AND CLUBS AND OTHER SOCIAL SETTINGS. I ASK YOU AMEND THE TWO-WEEK MAX DISCIPLINE POLICY IN DIRECT OPPOSITION TO YOUR

039VISION. I'D LOVE TO TALK MORE BUT I UNDERSTAND I ONLY HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK AND IF YOU HAVE FOLLOW-UPS FOR ME, DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. HI. MY NAME IS AMY SIMMONS. GOOD AFTERNOON, HONORABLE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS AMY SIMMONS. I'M THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF KEN ADAM, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMPLOYEE OF 37 YEARS. I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, A GREAT MANY WHO ARE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW TO SEEK THIS BOARD'S CONSIDERATION IN NAMING THE NEW PRE-K 8 SCHOOL OPENING IN APOLLO BEACH DISTRICT 2 AFTER MY FATHER, KEN ADAM. I'D LIKE TO START WITH A QUOTE FROM AUTHOR AND EDUCATOR K. PATRICIA CROSS.

040THE TASK OF THE EXCELLENT TEACHER IS TO STIMULATE APPARENTLY ORDINARY PEOPLE TO UNUSUAL EFFORT. THE TOUGH PROBLEM IS NOT IN IDENTIFYING WINNERS. IT IS IN MAKING WINNERS OUT OF ORDINARY PEOPLE. KEN ADAM WAS NOT YOUR ORDINARY EDUCATOR OR LEADER AND HAD NO PROBLEM MAKING WINNERS OUT OF ORDINARY PEOPLE. MANY OF HIS MENTEES WENT ON TO BECOME DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS, PRINCIPALS AND EVEN FLORIDA TEACHER OF THE YEAR. HE MADE EXTRA -- HE MADE EDUCATION EXTRA ORDINARILY FUN. YOU ASK HOW DO I KNOW THIS? BECAUSE AS AN EIGHTH AND NINTH GRADER WHILE HE WAS PRINCIPAL, HE'D GET UP ON STAGE DURING PEP RALLIES ALONGSIDE STAFF ENERGIZING THE STUDENT BODY TO PERFORM, WELL, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING FROM TRYING TO ENCOURAGE KIDS TO DO ANYTHING FROM PERFORM WELL AT ATHLETIC EVENTS AND DO WELL IN FCAT TESTING. HE MADE

041SCHOOL EXCITING AND MEMORABLE. DURING PRINCIPALSHIP AT GAITHER, MY SISTER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ONE OF HIS STUDENTS. SHE RECENTLY STATED SHE GOT A FRONT ROW SEAT TO SEE HOW EFFECTIVE HE WAS RUNNING A SCHOOL OF 3,000 PLUS STUDENTS ON DOUBLE SESSIONS AND NOT MISSING A BEAT MAINTAINING ACADEMIC STRUCTURE AND INSTILLING SCHOOL PRIDE. MY DAD'S LEGACY DID NOT END WHEN HE RETIRED FROM HIS FINAL APPOINTMENT AS AREA SEVEN DIRECTOR. IT LIVES ON THROUGH ALL THOSE WHOSE LIVES HE HAS TOUCHED IN SCHOOL AND THE COMMUNITY. I'LL NEVER KNOW THE FULL IMPACT HE HAD ON OTHERS' LIVES YET AS A CURRENT EMPLOYEE I CONTINUE TO MEET PEOPLE DAILY WHOSE LIVES WERE TOUCHED BY MY FATHER. MY SISTER AND I BOTH NOW IN OUR 17th YEAR IN EDUCATION STRIVE TO CARRY ON MY DAD'S LEGACY. MY MOM LINDA

042HAS ALWAYS BEEN BY HIS SIDE, EVEN WHEN MY BROTHER WAS AN INFANT SHE WOULD BRING HIM TO MY DAD'S FUNCTIONS. PLEASE STRONGLY CONSIDER THIS SCHOOL TO BE NAMED AFTER MY FATHER, KEN ADAM. LET HIS LEGACY CONTINUE AND HIS NAME BRING HONOR TO YET ANOTHER GENERATION OF STUDENTS AND STAFF. JUST AS DAD WAS A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN, THE ADAM FAMILY WOULD BE HONORED TO BE PART OF THIS NEW SCHOOL'S FAMILY DEVOTING OUR TIME AND CONTINUED SUPPORT. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ATTENTION TODAY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GEORGE GAFFNY. 1024 LAKE COOPER DRIVE, FLORIDA. MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT STAFF, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I JUST LISTENED TO AMY TALK AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, SHE

043TALKED ABOUT HER FATHER AND WHAT A MENTOR HE WAS. I'M ONE OF THOSE MENTEES. YOU KNOW, AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE AND I WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 36 YEARS, AND I SAT HERE ON TUESDAY NIGHTS MANY NIGHTS FOR MY LAST 10 YEARS AS AN AREA DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT STAFF AND ONLY SAY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THE ARDUOUS TASK YOU HAVE OF SELECTING A SCHOOL -- A SCHOOL NAME. HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND SIGNIFICANT IT IS, NOT JUST TO HAVE ANY NAME ON THAT SCHOOL AND HOW CRITICAL IT IS THAT YOU MAKE THAT RIGHT SELECTION. I'M HERE TO ASK THAT YOU STRONGLY CONSIDER KEN ADAM FOR THE APOLLO SCHOOL. WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW MOST ABOUT KEN IS WHAT A GOOD PERSON HE WAS. OBVIOUSLY HE WAS A GREAT ADMINISTRATOR AND A TEACHER,

044PRINCIPAL, AREA DIRECTOR AND A MENTOR. I'VE WITNESSED HIM. I SERVED AS A TEACHER UNDER KEN -- I'M GOING TO SAY MR. ADAM BECAUSE I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IN MY WHOLE CAREER WORKING WITH HIM WHO WHICH WAS PROBABLY 11 YEARS I WORKED UNDER HIS DIRECTION AS A TEACHER, COACH AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, I DON'T THINK I EVER COMED HIM KEN. I SAW HIM MENTOR TEACHERS TO BECOME BETTER TEACHERS. I SAW HIM MENTOR ADMINISTRATORS TO BECOME BETTER ADMINISTRATORS AND SEEN HIM MENTOR CHILDREN, TROUBLED CHILDREN, TO BECOME BETTER STUDENTS. I'VE SEEN HIM IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS, INCENTIVEED PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR. NOT JUST BANG ON THE KIDS NOT DOING WELL. THAT WASN'T HIS STYLE. HE TOLD ME ONE TIME, GEORGE, WE'RE GOING TO RUN THE SCHOOL FOR THE GOOD KIDS AT THE SCHOOL. WE'RE GOING TO BRING

045THOSE OTHERS ALONG AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME ALONG, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WORK FOR THE GOOD KIDS AT THIS SCHOOL. I SAY THAT BECAUSE WE'RE IN A MEETING ONE TIME AND I SERVED AS A PRINCIPAL, AND THERE WAS A SHORT TIME WE WERE PRINCIPALS TOGETHER AND AT A PRINCIPALS MEETING AND THE PRINCIPAL MADE A COMMENT THAT THEY COULDN'T HAVE ASSEMBLIES. HE SAID, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT. HE SAID, WE GOT TO HAVE THEM AND WE'LL DO THINGS FOR THE GOOD KIDS. I SEE I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE. FINALLY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IF YOU NAME THIS SCHOOL AFTER MR. ADAM, YOU'LL NEVER REGRET THAT DECISION. HE WILL EXEMPLIFY COMPASSION, CARING, STRENGTH AND ALL THINGS THAT ARE GOOD ABOUT CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. Nadia Combs: THANK

046YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. GOOD AFTERNOON. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THE HARDEST THING ABOUT TODAY WAS GETTING A PARKING SPACE OUTSIDE AND KNOWING HOW -- OPERATE THOSE ELECTRONIC DEVICES OUT THERE. HI. HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME IS JERRY MURRAY. I CURRENTLY TEACH AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'VE BEEN TEACHING WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR 51 YEARS. IN 1974, I WAS SELECTED AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR, AND ALSO LATER THROUGH THE PROCESS BECAME FLORIDA'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN 1994. I TELL YOU THIS NOT BECAUSE OF MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS BECAUSE THEY WERE NURTURED BY MANY MENTORS UP TO THIS POINT. IT WAS BECAUSE OF ONE GENTLEMAN THAT GUIDED MY CAREER THAT HELPED ME ACHIEVE THIS RECOGNITION. THAT PERSON IS MR. KEN ADAM. I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT KEN

047WOULD BE USED FOR THE NAMING OF THE NEW K-8 SCHOOL IN APOLLO BEACH. I HAVE NO IDEA OF THE CRITERION THAT YOU USE FOR SUCH A PROCESS. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE NAME CHOSEN RECOGNIZES AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS HAD GIVEN GREAT SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS. I CAN'T BEGIN TO TELL YOU ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT KEN HAS ACHIEVED FOR THE SYSTEM. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS LEADER IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION WAS A MENTOR TO MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO WENT ON TO SERVE IN MANY CAPACITIES FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. EXCEPTIONAL IN RECOGNIZING TALENTED INDIVIDUALS IN ALL AREAS OF EDUCATION. DEVOTED TO DEVELOPING THEIR EXPERTISE. DEDICATED TO HELPING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND INSPIRING THEM TO REACH BEYOND THEIR EXPEBITATIONS IN THEIR SPECIFIC TALENT AND LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION IS WHAT MR. ADAM DID

048FOR MANY OF THOSE WHO CHOSE THE ROLES, BOTH PAST AND PRESENT TODAY. HIS LIFETIME OF GIVING OF HIMSELF TO STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATION OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD NOT BETTER BE RECOGNIZED THAN BY USING HIS NAME, KEN ADAM, FOR OUR NEW SCHOOL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. HONORABLE BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS WALT SHAFNER AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY. I'M A RETIRED EMPLOYEE HERE AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR 39 YEARS, AND I WANTED TO APPEAR TO YOU TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF NAMING YOUR NEW SCHOOL, THE P-K-8 IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AFTER KEN ADAM. I WONDER IF I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE A COUPLE REASONS WHY. I WAS HIRED BY KEN IN THE SPRING OF '89 AMONG

049AN APPLICANT SCHOOL OF 20 INDIVIDUALS. SEVERAL HAD MORE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPOSURE THAN I DID, AND YET HE CHOSE ME. IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS I WAS INTRODUCED TO A MAN WITH A SOLOMON LIKE WISDOM, A CONTAGIOUS SPEAR IS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND A KEEN SENSE IN NAVIGATING CONSIDERABLE SITE BASED CHALLENGES. PLEASE ALLOW ME TO UNPACK THESE THREE AREAS A BIT. KEN INITIATED NUMEROUS PROGRAMS THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT REPEATEDLY DEMONSTRATED HOW HE VALUED THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDENTS AND STAFF. HIS VISION TO CONSISTENTLY CHAMPION STAFF EFFORTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENT AS WELL AS DRIVING STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OFTEN FOUND THEIR WAY TO OTHER SCHOOLS. SOME SAID THE MOST SINCERE FORM OF FLATTERY WAS THEFT AND SUCH WAS THE CASE IN THESE EFFORTS. THIS CONTINUED TO EXPAND THE EXCELLENCE AND REPUTATION OF ADAMS JUNIOR HIGH. NEVER A DAY WENT

050BY WHEN KEN'S DRIVE WAS NOT ON FULL DISPLAY. HE BELIEVED IN AUTHENTIC CLEARLY ORGANIC APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP, ONE THAT SIMPLY MUST INCLUDE THE PRESENCE OF PERSONNEL IN THEIR TOUCH, VISIBILITY AND CONSENSUS PLANNING. HIS DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN. HIS EARS WERE ALWAYS WILLING TO LISTEN TO AN IDEA AND HE TOOK GREAT PRIDE IN MAKING GOOD HIRES AND FULLY SUPPORTING THE SAME. SIMPLY PUT PEOPLE WANTED TO WORK WITH MR. AYDAM. ALL LEADERS HAVE MANY RESPONSIBILITIES AND IN SCHOOLS, THESE DECISIONS AND DIRECTIONS ARE OFTEN SUBJECT TO BROAD RUVIEW, CRITIQUE, DISCUSSION AND SOMETIMES CRITICISM. THE MOVE OF THE -- THEY MOVE FROM THE SIMPLE TO VERY COMPLEX AND REGARDLESS OF THE DEPTH OF THE CHALLENGES, KEN WAS ABSOLUTELY UP TO THE TASK. EVEN IN THE EVENT OF SOME VERY TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES. SUCH ATTENTION TO THE NECESSARY AND DELICATE EFFORTS

051MET THE EFFECTIVE NEEDS OF ALL. IN CLOSING PLEASE LET ME BE CLEAR. KEN WAS A MAN FOR SURE AND WANTED TO PUT HIS PANTS ON ONE LEG AT A TIME. BUT HE WAS SIMPLY AN EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATOR AND ADMINISTRATOR THAT DEMONSTRATED HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND AN INNATE ABILITY TO LEAD AND MOTIVATE. I ASK THAT YOU GIVE THE HIGHEST CONSIDERATION IN NAMING THE NEW SCHOOL AFTER P-K-8 AFTER KEN ADAM. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS CHARLIE SALMONS AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES THAT HAVE HAPPENED AT BLAKE AND ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE FELL PREY TO BEING ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT OUR SUPERIORS ARE DOING MINIMAL THINGS

052TO HELP US CHANGE THAT. 13% OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PREYED AS SEXUAL ASSAULT INCLUDING MYSELF AND THE SURVIVORS YOU SEE TODAY THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU ARE PART OF THAT 13%. THESE ARE OUR FRIENDS AND OUR FAMILY THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING THIS TO AND WHEN I SAY THIS, WE ARE ALL BEGGING YOU FOR HELP. WE NEED CHANGE AND YOU GUYS DON'T TAKE US SERIOUSLY. WE ARE YOUNG ADULTS ABOUT TO GRADUATE INTO THIS WORLD AND WE CAN'T EVEN FEEL SAFE WITH THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. SO PLEASE DO SOMETHING SOON FOR US. THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND OUR FINAL -- OR NEXT SPE SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JULIE GIBHARDS. FIRST THING I WANT TO DO IS MAKE A CLARIFICATION

053FROM THE LAST MEETING. I DISCOVERED THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT BOOKS WITH THE SAME TITLE OF "LAWN BOY". SO WHILE THE ONE IS IN THE LIBRARIES INCLUDING THE 11-YEAR-OLD BOYS GIVING ORAL SEX, I WANTED TO GIVE CLARIFICATION BUT MY POINT STANDS WITH THAT. IT SHOULDN'T BE IN OUR SCHOOLS. EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN LISTENING PLEASE PROTECT THEM. BLANKETS IS A BOOK BY CRAIG THOMPSON. IT'S A GRAPHIC NOVEL FOUND IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL LIBRARIES. IT HAS -- IT HAS THESE IMAGES THAT ARE HERE. THIS FIRST ONE IS AN IMAGE OF A LITTLE BOY HOLDING HIS PENIS PEEING ON HIS BROTHER. PLEASE HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE THIS IS SERVING. I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW. THE NEXT ONE IS A BOY MASTURBATING. AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS A PICTURE OF A BOY

054AND A GIRL ENGAGING IN SEXUAL ACTIVITY. SHE IS TOPLESS AND HIS MOUTH IS OPEN TO HER NIPPLE. I HOPE YOU'RE AS INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE AS I AM. THIS IS YOUR BOOK. IT'S IN YOUR LIBRARY. THIS IS ONE OF NEARLY NOW 100 BOOKS ON MY GROWING LIST FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL LIBRARIES. I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THE GOOGLE SPREADSHEET IF YOU'RE INTERESTED BUT SINCE I'VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE MAY AND HAVEN'T HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED. HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY YOU'LL FIND CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN EDUCATED BY THE SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS ON WHAT A FOURSOME LOOKS LIKE AND HOW ONLOOKERS GET EXCITED OR TONY MORRISON'S BOOK WHERE BOYS DREAMING OF RAPE ENGAGE IN SEX WITH COWS. YES. YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT. SEX WITH COWS. OR ADULTS MASTURBATING WHILE WATCHING CHILDREN PERFORM SEX

055ACTS AS IN "BEYOND MAGENTA" WHERE MULTIPLE INSTRUCTIONS ON GIVING HANDJOBS, ADULT MALES TRAINING TEEN GIRLS IN THE BOOK OUT OF DARKNESS. OR HOW ABOUT A BROTHER ENCOURAGING HIS SISTER TO TASTE HER VAGINA SLIME AS IN GENDER QUEER. THESE ARE YOUR BOOKS. IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL IS ANOTHER BOOK TITLE AND HAS ILLUSTRATIONS OF A GIRL EXPOSING GENITALIA FULLY AS SHE LOOKS AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR. THERE ARE PICTURES OF BOYS WITH ERECTIONS AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF INTERCOURSE AND INTRODUCTION OF ORAL SEX. THIS IS GENDER QUEER. ANOTHER BOOK ENTITLED MY SISTER'S KEEPER. IT'S BEEN BANNED REPEATEDLY AND WE HAVE 60 COPIES IN THE LIBRARIES. THESE ARE YOUR BOOKS. THERE IS AN INTEGRATED MATRIX OF PROBLEMS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY IN THE DIFFERENT SPEAKERS AND THERE IS AN OBVIOUS CORRELATION. WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE

056BEEN IN THE SEWER WADING THROUGH THE MUCK AND GARBAGE BEING PUDDLED THROUGH THE STUDENTS AND FELT PHYSICALLY ILL. DO YOU SEE IT YET? DO YOU UNDERSTAND AND FEEL IT? THESE ARE YOUR BOOKS. THIS IS YOUR PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. HELLO, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS HANY REE. I'M WITH THE THIS LOANIAN GROUP. GREETINGS, BOARD MEMBERS. I COME BEFORE YOU TO TALK ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT THE RACIAL SEGREGATION AND PHYSICAL ASSAULTS AGAINST OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR BEING IGNORED IN THE CHARTER SCHOOL SYSTEM. I WAS A MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER AT BELL CREEK ACADEMY WHICH IS OWNED BY CHARTER SCHOOL ASSOCIATES, AND I RESIGNED TO THE -- I RESIGNED DUE TO THE BULLYING BEHAVIOR OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND NOT WELCOMED BACK BECAUSE OF MY WHISTLEBLOWER ACTIONS.

057SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATORS WHO ALLOW WHITE STUDENTS TO TEASE, BULLY, INTIMIDATE, AND BEAT UP THE STUDENTS OF COLOR WHO ARE QUIETLY SITTING IN CLASS WORKING ON THEIR ASSIGNMENTS AND ACHIEVING HONORABLE STATUS. THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE FROM SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND TOLERANCE FROM THESE ACTIONS. IN FACT, WHY AREN'T SCHOOL PRINCIPALS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR USING FEDERAL DOLLARS TO SEGREGATE OUR STUDENTS BASED ON RACE. WHEN A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL BECOMES AN AFFILIATE MEMBER OF AN ALL-WHITE TEACHERS GROUP AND PROVIDES KICKBACKS FOR FOR -- NON-DIVERSIFIED STUDENT FIELD TRIPS WHERE ONLY WHITE STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO ATTEND IS UNACCEPTABLE. IT'S ALSO UNGIST TO ALLOW THE WHITE ETHNIC -- UNJUST TO ALLOW THE WHITE ETHNIC GROUP TO ALLOW THEM IN THE MORNING TO DANCE ON THE DESKS AND IN THE SCHOOL IN THE MORNING WHEREAS

058IT WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED BY -- IF IT WAS DONE BY OTHER TEACHERS AND THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. I'VE TRIED REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE IN THE ROOM HERE BUT WAS TOLD WE DON'T HAVE ANY OVERSIGHT OVER CHARTER SCHOOLS. THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO. BOARD MEMBERS, I ASK FOR YOUR INTERVENTION AND DIRECTION FOR NEXT STEPS IN RESOLVING THESE ISSUES. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND THERE ARE NO MORE COMMENTS. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE RECOGNITION AND PROCLAMATION SECTION. THE ANTI-BULLYING RECOGNITION AWARD WINNERS NATALIE NICOSIA AND ELIJAH BAINBRIDGE AND MEMBER PEREZ WILL BE PRESENTING THIS RECOGNITION. OKAY. MEMBER PEREZ, WE'LL WAIT A COUPLE MINUTES. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GO ON TO THE NEXT RECOGNITION AND THEN YOURS AFTER THAT. AT THIS TIME WE'LL GO TO THE ADOPTION

059OF THE PROCLAMATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH, JANUARY 2022. MEMBER GRAY WILL PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY PLEASURE. HUMAN TRAFFICKING AFFECTS MORE THAN 40 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE EVERY YEAR. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE, FLORIDA IS THIRD IN THE NATION FOR REPORTED CASES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE AVERAGE AGE SADLY OF TRAFFICKING YOUTH IS 11 TO 13 YEARS OF AGE. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND IN HELPING POTENTIAL VICTIMS ASSESS SPECIALIZED SERVICES. THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN COMMUNICATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING INFORMATION TO ITS STAKEHOLDERS AND SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE THAT THE DISTRICT WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY FORM OF THIS CRIME, AND TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THOSE INDIVIDUAL STAFF

060MEMBERS AND SUPPORT STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED FOR OVER -- I THINK THIS WILL BE THE SECOND YEAR. INCLUSIVE IS OUR SUPERINTENDENT. I'D LIKE TO LIST -- AND I'LL BE VERY BRIEF, THOSE PARTICIPANTS IN THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING WORK THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN DOING. SO THANKING ADDISON DAVIS, SHERIFF CRONISTAR, ANDY GARRISON, MARTINEZ PENA, ASHLEY CARPUCCI, CARLINE CARR, DAVID BEST, DIANA GRITER, DONNA (INAUDIBLE), FRANK RAYS, GARY BRADY, JEFF HARRIS, JENNIFER SILLAMAN, JOHNNY BUSH, JUNE WALLACE, ANITA LUCAS, LAURA CROSS, MARK HAGGIT, MARVIN JOHNSON -- I THINK IT'S CAPTAIN JOHNSON NOW. MARY BROWN JOSEPH, MARY CHRIS PETARIC ARB, MONICA V VERRA-TERADO, RONALD MASON AND SOPHIE PEREZ AND WE'RE ALSO REMINDED THAT THEY DO THIS FROM VOLUNTEER BASIS AND SERVE ONCE A MONTH AND SERVE THE -- NOT ONLY FOR THE WELFARE AND WELL BEING OF STUDENT SAFETY AND

061ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITIES AT LARGE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE-NAME, JANUARY 2022. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS LIGHTS APPEAR. -- LIGHTS APPEAR. MEMBER PEREZ? OKAY. THANK YOU. IT PASSES 6-0. Jim Porter: MADAM CHAIR, FOR THE NEXT ITEM. THE TWO RECOGNITION PEOPLE ARE NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT, BUT THEY ARE WATCHING SO MS. PEREZ WILL READ THE RECOGNITION SO THEY CAN BE HONORED. Nadia Combs: YES, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MEMBER PEREZ? Karen Perez: THE SCHOOL BOARD WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THIS YEAR'S ANTI-BULLYING RECOGNITION AWARD WINNERS, NATALIE NICOSIA. NATALIE IS NOW 18 AND A FRESHMAN AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY. DURING THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR, NATALIE WAS THE STUDENT COUNSEL PRESIDENT

062FOR HER SENIOR CLASS AT LEONARD HIGH SCHOOL. SHE EXPRESSED CONCERN TO HER MOTHER OVER THE ANXIETY HER PEERS WERE EXPERIENCING RELATED TO BULLYING. HER MOTHER ENCOURAGED HER TO LEARN ABOUT PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST YOUTH THROUGH SELF-INITIATED RESEARCH, NATALIE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE AND OBTAIN MATERIALS TO USE AT SCHOOL TO PROMOTE INCLUSION. SHE HERSELF EXPERIENCED BULLYING THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL AND FELT COMPELLED TO PRODUCE STRUCTURED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO HER CLASSMATES. SHE PLANNED AND CARRIED OUT WITH THE START WITH HELLO, SANDY HOOK PROMISE PROGRAM. SHE ALSO INCREASED THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE YOUTH PROGRAM THROUGH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY YOUTH MOVEMENT -- MOVE CHAPTER, BENT NOT BROKEN, WHICH IS A PEER SUPPORT PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION SUCCESS FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES. TODAY, WE RECOGNIZE AN EXCEPTIONAL YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS JUST BEGINNING HER COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. WE COULD NOT

063BE MORE PROUD OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND HER POSITIVE EXAMPLE OF WHAT ONE YOUTH LEADER CAN DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND ALSO, THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE ELIJAH BAINBRIDGE WHO IS THE RECIPIENT OF LEAD BY EXAMPLE AWARD. ELI IS A SENIOR AT PEPIN ACADEMY'S RIVERVIEW. HE WAS NOMINATED FOR THE AWARD BY HIS SCHOOL COUNSELOR. ELI IS THE FIRST TO STAND UP TO ANYONE THAT IS BULLIED. HE HAS WORKED WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY TO MAKE SURE THAT HIS SCHOOL IS A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ETHNICITY, RELIGION, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND/OR LEARNING DIFFERENCE. AS AN EAGLE SCOUT, HE TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN LEADING BY EXAMPLE. ELI IS A MODEL STUDENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ANTI-BULLYING MESSAGE THAT ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS WANT TO EMBODY.

064EXAMPLES OF ELI'S LEADERSHIP INCLUDE ELI PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN HELPING HIS COUNSELOR AND ANOTHER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL STUDENT PLAN FOR THE SCHOOL'S MENTAL HEALTH WALK-A-T THRIX HON LAST YEAR AND INSTANCES OF BULLYING OF STUDENTS IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS BEING PART OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY. ELI ADVOCATES FOR HIS GOOD FRIEND WHO IS WHEELCHAIR-BOUND AND CHAMPIONS ENSURING HE IS INCLUDED IN ALL ACTIVITIES AND HE IS ABLE TO SAFELY NAVIGATE TO WHEREVER HE NEEDS TO BE. WHEN ELI SPEAKS OUT AGAINST INJUSTICE, OTHER STUDENTS FOLLOW. CONGRATULATIONS, ELI, ON YOUR AWARD. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ, FOR RECOGNIZING THESE ROLE MODELS AND THESE STUDENTS. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND SECOND BY MEMBER SNIVELY. PLEASE

065VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES 6-0. THE FOLLOW ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C401A, C604, C605, C701 AND C -- PARDON ME. C702. 4.01, APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS AND TRANSFERS AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. MS. COMBS, THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE ALL OUR SPEAKERS COMING TO ADDRESS PARTICULAR ISSUES IN OUR DISTRICT. KNOW WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH STAFF TO DILIGENTLY ADDRESS AND MOVE FORWARD. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE AND ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF THE LEADERS THAT WE HAVE HIRED TO TAKE ON FARNELL MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE OPENED THIS UP AND HAD A NUMBER OF APPLICANTS IN AND OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO GO AHEAD AND RECOGNIZE MS. LOCKETT AS THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. SHE HAS 22 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND JOINED HILLSBOROUGH

066COUNTY IN 2011 AS A LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER AND CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT HER EFFECTIVENESS AND LOVE AND TRANSITION AND TURN AROUND AND DO SOME REALLY SPECIAL THINGS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM WITH TEACHERS, WITH SUPPORT STAFF, FELLOW COLLEAGUES AND THE SAME TOKEN WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS. SHE HAS A STRONG KNOWLEDGE OF STRUCTURE OF ACADEMIC AND SHE HAS BEEN PART OF OUR TRANSFORMATIONAL NETWORK AND CONTINUES TO BE -- WORK WITH OUR SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' MINDSETS AND IMPROVE STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND HELP THEM TRANSITION FROM ONE GRADE LEVEL TO THE NEXT. IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE INDIVIDUAL THAT REALLY UNDERSTANDS INSTRUCTION, UNDERSTANDS HOW TO BE A CULTURE MANAGER, TALENT MANAGER AND OPERATIONAL EXPERT AND THIS INDIVIDUAL IS CURRENTLY A.P. AT ADAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WORKED AS SLY AND WILSON AS WELL. PLEASE WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE MS.

067KELINDA LOCKETT AS THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT FARNELL MIDDLE SCHOOL. CONGRATS. ALL RIGHTY. Nadia Combs: SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, YOU'LL CONTINUE. WE HAVE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HERE, CORRECT? Addison Davis: THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE WE WERE HIGHLIGHTING FOR PRINCIPALSHIP. Nadia Combs: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. LOCKETT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP TO TAKE A PICTURE? Addison Davis: OH, CAN SHE COME UP? Nadia Combs: YES, COME ON UP. Addison Davis: SORRY, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING. YAY! IT'S A LONG WALK UP THERE. WE'LL RECOGNIZE WE HAD A LOT OF CANDIDATES BUT, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THE TOP LEADER CANDIDATE RELATED TO ENCOURAGING FROM STAFF MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, STUDENTS ALL INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS AND COMMITTEE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ENGAGING THE OTHER CANDIDATES BECAUSE THEY ALL DID A REALLY NICE JOB. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. LOCKETT. CONGRATULATIONS. Jim Porter:

068MADAM CHAIR, YOU'LL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ONE. Nadia Combs: I WILL NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C401A. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES 6-0. OKAY. NEXT UP IS 6.04. THE PIGGYBACK OF DATA COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THIS IS TO APPROVE THE COMMUNICATION PRODUCTS AND SERVICES IN A PIGGYBACK WITH THE -- BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A NUMBER OF HARDWARE AND EQUIPMENT. THIS HARDWARE WILL ALLOW US TO BE PURCHASED FROM WORLDWIDE TECHNOLOGY WHICH IS AN AUTHORIZED CISCO RESELLER TO REALLY REPLACE ALL THE AGING TECHNOLOGY AND BRING THE INFRASTRUCTURE UP TO DATE WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS

069WILL BE ABLE FOR US TO MAINTAIN STANDARDIZED INFRASTRUCTURE PLATFORMS AND ALL OUR EDUCATIONAL SITES. THIS WILL REPLACE THE WALL MOUNT AT NON-E RATE SUPPORTED SITES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND RIGHT NOW, THIS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITH 26 SCHOOLS AND TWO DISTRICT OFFICES AND THIS IS BROUGHT FORWARD USING CAPITAL FUNDS RELATED TO THIS PROJECT WITH $125,000. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM 6C.04. I HAVE A MOTION. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Jessica Vaughn: I DO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIRWOMAN. WHO DID WE PIGGYBACK THIS CONTRACT FROM? WAS THERE ANOTHER -- ANOTHER DISTRICT OR ANOTHER CONTRACT THAT THIS CONTRACT WAS ORIGINALLY UTILIZED THAT WE PIGGYBACKED OFF? Addison

070Davis: I'LL LET MR. -- THIS IS A PIGGYBACK AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND CISCO SYSTEMS, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT ORIGINATED. MR. -- DR. WEEKS, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD FROM THIS SIDE? AT THIS POINT NO. THERE IS -- YOU COVERED IT SUCCINCTLY. Jessica Vaughn: I SEE. AND WHAT IMMEDIATE EFFECT WILL THIS HAVE FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLS? WHAT'S THE TIMELINE LOOK FOR THIS BECAUSE WE APPROVE A LOT OF STUFF FOR TECHNOLOGY AND SAY IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, HELP UPGRADE OLD TECHNOLOGY, BUT REALLY WHAT WE -- WHAT THE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS WHO ARE TEACHING EVERY DAY, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THAT GOING TO EQUATE TO. CAN YOU TELL ME IN REALTIME HOW THIS IS GOING TO HELP OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICALLY THIS IS GOING TO REPLACE

071AND WHAT IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE IN -- FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT THAT TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU. CERTAINLY. SO THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE SPECIFIC AREAS AND SPECIFIC BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY E-RATE. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR WIRELESS PRODUCTS, SO THIS WOULD BE FOR ANYWHERE FROM ADMINISTRATORS TO STUDENTS. WE HAVE IN THESE LOCATIONS, WE HAVE CURRENTLY OUTDATED WIRELESS PRODUCTS, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT BRINGING THOSE PRODUCTS UP TO THE STANDARD THAT WE HAVE REMAINING THROUGH THE OTHER SCHOOLS AND THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. SO THIS IS REALLY TO BRING JUST THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS UP TO SPEED, AND IT VARIES IN NUMBER BY LOCATION ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO APPROXIMATELY TWENTY DEVICES AT ANY GIVEN LOCATION. Addison Davis: SO, DR. WEEKS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE AVAILABILITY OF

072VENDORS AND TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION THAT WE'LL SEE THIS MOVEMENT FROM THE 26 SITES AND DISTRICT SITES? CERTAINLY. SO LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING TECHNOLOGY RELATED AMONG OTHER ITEMS, THERE ARE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES WITH US RECEIVING THESE. THE ANTICIPATION IS WE WILL BE WORKING ON THIS THROUGH MOST LIKELY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND INTO THE SUMMER. THIS IS REALLY TO GET US ON TRACK WITH THE REST OF THE BUILDINGS SO THAT START OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WE'LL BE PREPARED TO HAVE ALL THESE DEVICES AT THE SAME LEVEL AT LEAST AS THE MAJORITY OF OUR SITES. Addison Davis: THANK YOU, SIR Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. AND THIS IS COMING STRICTLY OUT OF CAPITAL FUNDING. Addison Davis: THAT IS CORRECT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. Addison Davis: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: OKAY. ANYBODY

073HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES 6-0. 6C.05, CAREER AND TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES CALENDAR. Addison Davis: ANNUALLY WE BRING THE ANNUAL CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES CALENDAR. WE BRING IT ALL AT ONE TIME. THAT'S REALLY TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE CTE EDUCATION ACTIVITIES OUR STUDENTS FROM CAREER AND TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS, JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS AND JRTC ALONG WITH CAREER EXPLORATIONAL VISITS AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION EVENTS TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL AND THIS IDENTIFIES ALL THE EVENTS BOOKED FROM JANUARY 12, 2022 ALL THE WAY TO DECEMBER 31, 2022. IT JUST ALLOWS US TO GO AHEAD AND START MOVING FORWARD WITH THE GUIDELINES AND CO-CURRICULAR OF THE DISTRICT. ANY ADDED EVENTS WE'LL BRING THAT TO THE BOARD INDIVIDUALLY. JUST GETTING IT TO THE FOREFRONT TO START THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND GET OUR SCHOOLS

074MOVING WITH BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C6.05. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS FOR THE PUBLIC. ANY CALENDARS AT ALL, I LIKE TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE THESE ARE ON THE AGENDA. WE'RE LOOKING AT THEM AND THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL. I KNOW WE APPROVED THE GRADUATION CALENDAR AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE CONFUSED ABOUT THE DATES AND HAD QUESTIONS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ANY TIME WE HAVE CALENDAR ROLL-OUTS OR ANYTHING THEY SHOULD BE AWARE OF SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES 6-0. NEXT IS COLLINS 7.01. COLLINS PRE-K ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES

075CHANGE PROPOSAL. AND THIS IS THE SECOND READING. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THIS IS THE COLLINS PRE-K8 EXPANSION. RIGHT NOW COLLINS IS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. PRE-K TO FIFTH AND TRYING TO FIND PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS TO ALLEVIATE THE OVERCROWDING AT BARRINGTEN, EISENHOWER AND RIDERS AND BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE STAFF AND BEING ABLE TO PUT AN EXPANSION ON THE COLLINS FACILITY REALLY ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS THE OVERCROWDING. ONE THING THAT WE HAVE DONE HERE IS WORKED COLLECTIVELY IN THE SECOND READ TO MAKE SURE THE PANTHER TRACE NEIGHBORHOOD STAYS TOGETHER AND THAT'S THE ONLY IMPACTED COMMUNITY IMPACTED FOR COLLINS TO REMAIN AT THE PRE-K8. WANTED TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW POLICY WITH THE BOARD AND BRING IT IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND

076TO APPROVE ITEM 7.01. MOTION BY MEMBER SNIVELY AND SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER VAUGHN, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? Jessica Vaughn: NO, BUT I APPRECIATE THE SUPERINTENDENT HIGHLIGHTING IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES 6-0. FINAL IS 7.02. WESTSHORE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY CHANGE PROPOSAL, AND THE CITY COUNCIL REZONING LETTER. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM 7.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND I HAVE A SECOND BY MEMBER SNIVELY. MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Jessica Vaughn: THIS LOOKS LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT DOES. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. IF I CAN JUST TAKE A MINUTE REAL FAST TO EXPLAIN THIS ITEM. THIS IS OUR SECOND READ FOR THE BOUNDARY CHANGE FOR WESTSHORE. WE KNOW THAT CURRENTLY THAT WE HAVE,

077YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GRADY ELEMENTARY, COLEMAN AND PLANT HIGH SCHOOL THAT ARE ALL BUSTING AT THE SEAMS RELATED TO CAPACITY. AS WE SEE THE WESTSHORE AREA START TO EXPAND AND POTENTIALLY PLACE CONDOS IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, AND THERE IS NO ONE LIVING THERE POTENTIALLY CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO GET IN THE FOREFRONT OF BEING ABLE TO REBOUNDARY IF CONDOS ARE PLACED THAT PARTICULAR AREA AND REBOUNDARY STUDENTS IF THEY COME IN TO PUT THEM AT TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD, PIERCE AND JEFFERSON TO ALLEVIATE THE OTHER THREE SCHOOLS IN THAT COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, MS. VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANTED IT TO BE HIGHLIGHTED AGAIN AS DR. HAHN POINTED OUT AT THE LAST MEETING, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT ANYBODY RIGHT NOW. IT'S FOR CONDOS BEING BUILT. I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AGAIN, I APPRECIATE

078IT, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY? Lynn Gray: YES. I JUST WANTED TO SAY, IT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA TO MENTION WHICH SCHOOLS NEARBY ARE NOT INCLUDED, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THEM WORRY ABOUT THAT. I JUST SEE THAT IT'S LISTED VERY CLEARLY UNDER THE DESCRIPTION, AND I APPRECIATE THAT CLARITY, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. THANK YOU. Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES 6-0. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, CHAIR COMBS. I'LL WAIT UNTIL THIS POWERPOINT COMES UP AND ASK MR. MCCOLLIE IF HE'LL NAVIGATE AND I'LL TRY TO KEEP UP WITH THE SLIDES. OVERALL TONIGHT WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT

079TO DISCUSS NEW LEADERSHIP WHICH WE ALREADY DID. HIGHLIGHT SOME AGENDA REVIEWS THAT WE APPROVED UNDER CONSENT AND ADDRESS THE SUSPENDED AGENDA RELATED TO COVID AND LITERACY AND ALSO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME DISTRICT CELEBRATIONS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE -- THIS -- ON CONSENT AGENDA WE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT WILL TAKE ON A NUMBER OF EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE NATION IN A SAFE MANNER. AS WE SEE WE HAVE PLANT CHORUS, ALONSO DRAMA, EAST BAY CHORUS, PROGRESS VILLAGE AND ORANGE GROVE ALL BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO SHOW OFF THEIR SCHOOLS AND LISTEN, LEARN AND GROW EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE. AND THANKFUL OUR SCHOOL LEADERS AND COMMUNITIES AND OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ORGANIZATIONS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ARE BEING PART OF THE PROCESS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO MAKE CERTAIN WE

080MONITOR EACH OF THEM IN A SAFE MANNER AND DETERMINE AT THAT TIME WHETHER THAT WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE PLACE. ALSO WE HIGHLIGHTED A CAREERSOURCE JOB FAIR. WE LAUNCHED THIS YESTERDAY AT -- WITHIN TAMPA WITH CAREERSOURCE. THEY DO A REALLY NICE JOB OF OFFERING JOBS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE 16 YEARS OF AGE ALL THE WAY TO 24. JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET EXPOSED TO A PROFESSION THEY MAY FIND, YOU KNOW, THAT THE TRANSITION TO THEIR HEART. SO BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY SKILLS, NOT ONLY CLINICIAN SKILLS BUT ALSO TO HAVE SOFT SKILLS AND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE PROBABLY AROUND 700 PLUS OF OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS AND WE ABSORB AROUND 150 OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE WORKING WITH US DAILY. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUMMER

081JOBS PAYING $13 AN HOUR. AND THIS IS NO CHARGE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GET LINKED TO CAREERSOURCE, SO THANK YOU TO JOHN FLANAGAN AND JENNIFER FOR MAKING THIS A REALITY. ALSO TALKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS. SORRY. I CAN'T SEE THE POWERPOINT BUT LOOKING AT -- I CAN'T SEE. ONLY HALF OF IT. LOOKING AT INVESTMENTS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF GRANTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND IN THOSE GRANTS, WE ARE TRYING TO FIND EVERY WAY WE CAN TO ADDRESS OUR FISCAL RESPONSE. WE HAVE JOB BACK SIGN AND INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT SIGNED IN NOVEMBER 2021 WHERE $7.5 BILLION WILL BE DEDICATED FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS AND THIS IS 5 BILLION FOR ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES NATIONWIDE. IN THIS AREA YEAR THROUGH OUR, YOU KNOW,

082TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT LOOKING AT TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN 40 TO 50 ELECTRIC BUSES IN THE FIRST YEAR SO, YOU KNOW, HATS OFF FOR THIS BEING ABLE TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO ALLOW US TO MOVE TO A MORE ENVIRONMENTAL, YOU KNOW, ENVIRONMENTAL SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. NEXT SLIDE IS ALL ABOUT ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT WE OBTAINED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. WE HAVE A 2021 STOP SCHOOL VIOLENCE PROGRAM. THIS IS AN INITIATIVE TO EDUCATE AND PREVENT SCHOOL VIOLENCE WITH OUR STUDENTS AGAINST OTHERS AND THEMSELVES FOR ANTI-BULLYING TRAINING. AND ALSO WE -- THIS IS A $1 MILLION GRANT THAT WE HAVE ARTH TOED SIX SCHOOLS TO BE -- TARGETED SIX SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT ALL THIS TRAINING AND CREATE THIS KIND OF MINDSET TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A DISRUPTION-FREE ENVIRONMENT EVERY DAY AND FOCUS

083ON LEARNING. AND THEN ALSO RECEIVED A $500,000 GRANT FOR, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD WITH SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM AND $500,000 HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO GPS PLATFORMS WHICH IS LINKED TO HAVING SAFE BUSES AND ALLOWING TO USE I.D. CARDS ON THE BUSES. EASY WAY TO RECOGNIZE WHO IS ON THE BUS AND WHO IS NOT AND TRACK STUDENTS FOR PARENTS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL. THAT WILL ALSO GO BACK AND BE ABLE TO HELP SOME OF THE PURCHASES THAT WE HAD BACK IN OCTOBER FOR OUR GPS SYSTEM. ALL RIGHT. ALSO COVID UPDATE. WE HAD A NUMBER OF, YOU KNOW, COVID CASES OVER THE LAST, I'D SAY, FEW WEEKS AS WE WERE IN A DIFFERENT SPOT WHEN WE CAME AND LEFT ON DECEMBER 17 AND AS WE TRANSITION, WE SEE THAT WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WITHIN

084OUR COUNTY AND THIS IS A COMPARATIVE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S POSITIVE RATE WITH PINELLAS AND PASCO, AND WE SEE THAT IT -- WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A NUMBER OF CASES. ALSO WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF CASES IN HILLSBOROUGH AND THIS IS THE OVERALL THAT WE SEE A SHARPLY INCREASE OVER THE PAST FOUR WEEKS. WE'RE NOW AVERAGING 3500 CASES PER DAY. THIS RATE IS 234 CASES PER 100,000 IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS IN OUR CURRENT POSITIVE RATE OVER 30.7 WHICH IS THE HIGHEST SINCE WE HAVE BEEN BACK AND DURING COVID AS WELL. OUR NEXT SLIDE IS ALL DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE PEDIATRIC POSITIVE RATE FROM STUDENTS FROM THE AGE OF FIVE YEARS OLD TO 17 YEARS OF AGE AND WHICH MAKE UP 6 TO 11% OF THE DAILY CASES. THEY MAKE

085UP 16% OF THE POPULATION AND HISTORICALLY AROUND 13% OF THE COVID CASES. WE SEE THAT AGES ZERO TO FOUR, 138 CASES AND AGES FIVE THROUGH TEN, 149 CASES, AND JUST CONTINUING TO GROW AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND GO UP. ONLY SHARE THIS INFORMATION TO SHOW THAT IT'S A REALITY WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO TAKE THIS NEXT SLIDE IS TO SHOW A SLIDE WHERE WE WERE IN NOVEMBER ALL TV WAY TO CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH A NUMBER OF CHANGES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY RELATED TO STUDENTS FIVE YEARS OLD AND TO 17 YEARS OF AGE, AND ROUGHLY 79 FROM LAST WEEK. SO JUST REALLY MAKING CERTAIN THAT WE PAY ATTENTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION. AND THEN ONCE AGAIN THIS

086IS ANOTHER MODEL THAT JUST SHOWS THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF -- WE HAVE AFFORDED TO DATE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND ANOTHER THING WE WANT TO DO IS PROVIDE A SUSPENDED AGENDA, PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON LITERACY. WE KNOW THAT CURRENTLY, ON JANUARY 24th THROUGH 28th, IS LITERACY WEEK AND THIS IS A BLAST OFF TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE'LL INVITE GUEST LEADERS IN A SAFE MANNER, INCORPORATE DRESS-UP DAYS, SHOWCASE ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS IS A CONTINUED FOCUS PART WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THIS IS A STATE INITIATIVE WHERE WE CAN ADDRESS READING GAPS IN THE THIRD GRADE, AND THIS INFORMATION WILL CONTINUALLY BE SHARED ON EACH ELEMENTARY SITE FOR OUR FAMILIES, AND FOR OUR STUDENTS ACTIVELY BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. AND

087MANY OF OUR STUDENTS MAY BE ELIGIBLE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO RECEIVE FREE MONTHLY BOOKS, AND WE ASK THEM TO CONNECT WITH OUR SCHOOL-BASED MEDIA SPECIALISTS OR LEADERS, OR TEACHERS, TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT PROCESS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO MOVE FORWARD. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE THE BEST STANDARDS, AN UPDATE. WE KNOW WE IMPLEMENT THE BEST STANDARDS RIGHT NOW TRANSITIONED FROM 6 THROUGH 12, FOURTH GRADE ALL THE WAY UP TO 12th GRADE NEXT YEAR. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF OUR LITERACY ADOPTION TO FINALIZE IT TO BE BROUGHT TO A TEACHER VOTE IN JANUARY. THIS IS ALL ABOUT BEING ABLE TO USE INFORMATION GUIDANCE INFORMATION IN K-2 WORLD AND PROVIDE REPORTS ON DAILY SYSTEMATIC, EXPLICIT EDUCATIONAL SKILLS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER TRAINING STARTING IN FEBRUARY, AND THAT

088WILL TRANSITION THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS FEEL COMFORTABLE, TURN KEY, AND REALLY HELP OUR STUDENTS GO ON AND CONTINUE TO HAVE GREAT SUCCESS. AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE -- THIS IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF GRADUATION RATES. WE ARE AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH, HISTORICAL HIGH IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHICH IS AN AWESOME MILESTONE, 89.2. THIS IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED LEADERS, OUR TEACHERS, SCHOOL COUNSELORS, WITH OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES MAKING THIS A REALITY. SO HATS OFF TO ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS FOR MAKING THIS. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE GET TO 100% SO WE'LL CONTINUES TO WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE THAT A REALITY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THEN ALSO LAG AT A COMPARISON FIVE-YEAR

089COMPARISON. WE SEE CONTINUED UPTICK, AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SPOTO HIGH SCHOOL WHO REPRESENTS THE GREATEST INCREASE AT 7 .2%, AND 92% OVERALL. ALSO ARMWOOD APPROXIMATELY 5%. LETO CONTINUES TO SHOW AN UPWARD TREND, AND THEY REACHED A HIGH HISTORICAL MARK AT 96.5, AND KING HISTORICAL MARK AT 9.7. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T HIGHLIGHT 98.9% OF OUR STUDENT BODY GRADUATE ON TIME, AND HATS OFF TO THAT ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR MAKING IT A PRIORITY. NEWSOME HIGH. THEN LOOKING AT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT YOU SEE A FIVE-YEAR TREND. WE CONTINUES TO MOVE IN EVERY SUB CATEGORICAL, WHITE, HISPANIC, BLACK, MULTI-RACIAL, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE IT A FOCUSED CONCENTRATION, AND MAKE CERTAIN WE FOCUS ON THESE SUBGROUPS WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA MOVING FORWARD. AND ALSO CELEBRATION. AS WE KNOW, ON THURSDAY, JANUARY THE 22ND, WE HAVE A

090SPECIAL KNIGHTED FOR THE EXCELLENCE EDUCATION AWARDS, AND LET'S GLOB CRAZY. WE THANK MAUREEN FOR MAKING THIS A PRIORITY IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE EIE 22 AWARD FINALISTS FOR THE IDA S. BAKER OF THE YEAR DIVERSITY EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS, AND WEPT THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS AND A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS AND WE THANK EVERYONE WHO MADE NOMINATIONS AT A PARTICULAR SCHOOL, THE WINNERS AS WELL, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO CONGRATS TO OUR FIVE FINALISTS. WE HAVE OUR INSTRUCTIONAL FINALIST OF THE YEAR. WE HAVE THREE FROM MITCHELL, FROM SICKLES, FROM TEMPLE TERRACE. WE WILL AB NOUNS THE WINNER ON THE 20th. AND OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE HAVE FIVE TEACHERS FROM SUMMER FIELD, LENNAR, ARMWOOD, SUMMER

091HALL. THANK YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AS WELL. WE LOOK FORWARD TO A REALLY SPECIAL NIGHT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL AND EVERYONE'S HARD WORK. REGARDLESS, WE KNOW ARE THAT THERE WILL BE ONE WINNER BUT ALL OF THE FINALISTS, ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS ARE SELECTED AS WINNERS AND WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND DAVID DEDICATION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT, FOR THE VERY DETAILED UPDATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO TODAY, SINCE IT'S NOT 6:00, WE ARE GOING TO DO THE BOARD COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE WITH THE EMPLOYEE COMMENTS. SO AT THIS TIME, BOARD MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS, PLEASE WE'LL START WITH MEMBER PEREZ. CLOSING COMMENTS. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SUPERINTENDENT, WORKING DAILY WITH PATIENTS UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES WITH COVID AND HOW SERIOUS IT'S

092GOTTEN IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, AND TAKING A PROACTIVE STEP IN KEEPING OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES SAFE AND STARTING WITH INNOVATION, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. HOW MANY COVID TEST KITS WERE RECEIVED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS? Addison Davis: I THINK THERE WERE CLOSE TO, THROUGH THE CHAIR, A ROUND 40,000 WERE EXTENDED TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. Karen Perez: AND HOW MANY KIDS WERE DISTRIBUTED OR USED BY OUR STUDENT AND FAMILIES? Addison Davis: I HAVE TO LEAN ON OUR TEAM, OR IF THEY DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, GET THAT INFORMATION BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION ON HAND. IT HAS ALL BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOLS AND TO DISTRICT OFFICES. BUT WE WILL GET MORE DATA FOR YOU, AND FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO GET TO YOU. Karen Perez: AND HOW

093MANY OF THESE KIDS HAVE EXPIRED? Addison Davis: DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? YES, MA'AM OF THE THEY HAVE ALL EXPIRED TO DATE. THERE WAS AN EXTENSION THAT WAS GIVEN TO THOSE THAT WE RECEIVED PRAYER TO THE HOLIDAYS, AND THEY EXPIRED AT THE END OF DECEMBER. WE DO HAVE NOTIFICATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH THAT THEY HAVE REQUESTED ADDITIONAL TEST AT THIS TIME, THAT THEY WILL DIDN'T TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND AS SOON AS THOSE TEST KITS ARE IN, WE ANTICIPATE APPROXIMATELY 9,000. THEY WILL ALL GO TO SCHOOL SITES FOR TEACHERS, FOR STAFF AND FOR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS DISTRICT SITES. Karen Perez: CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME THE REASON FOR THESE KITS? NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED TO FAMILIES OF STUDENTS AND THE REASON WHY THEY EXPIRED, YOU KNOW, IN OUR HAND? Tracye Brown: YES,

094MA'AM. WHEN WE RECEIVED THEM, THEY HAD ALREADY -- THEY WERE EXPIRED WHEN WE RECEIVED THEM. AND SO WE REQUESTED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR AN EXTENSION OR FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE TEST KITS. AND SO THEY DID EXTEND BEYOND THE EXPIRATION FOR THREE MONTHS. Karen Perez: SO WE RECEIVED SPIRIT TEST KITS FROM THE STATE? Tracye Brown: BY THE TIME THEY WERE DELIVERED, THEY WERE EXPIRED. Karen Perez: OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE DATES THAT WE RECEIVED THESE KITS, AND OUR PROGRESSION, PLEASE, AND THE DATES THAT THESE KITS EXPIRED. Tracye Brown: YES, MA'AM. WE'LL GET YOU THAT INFORMATION. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OUR STUDENTS ARE FEELING THE IMPACT OF THIS PANDEMIC MORE THAN EVER AS WE NAVIGATE THROUGH ONE OF OUR MOST TUMULTUOUS TIMES IN THE HISTORY OF

095OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS, THEY ARE GRAPPLING WITH COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO SOCIAL ISOLATION AND FAMILY INSTABILITY. WHICH IN TURN IS LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. WE ARE WITNESSING OUR LEARNERS FILLED WITH ANXIETY, SOME FILLED WITH DEPRESSION, AND THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO THIS COMMUNITY. THE CDC HAS REPORTED AN ALARMING STATISTIC, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BY ADOLESCENTS ARE UP BY 31%. I AM GOING TO REPEAT THAT PERCENTAGE. 31%. SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED. WHILE THE DEGREE OF IMPACT MAY NOT BE AS SERIOUS FOR EACH CHILD, IT IS INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT MANY LEARNERS ARE SUFFERING THROUGH VARIOUS DEGREES AND WE ALL ADJUST TO A NEW NORMAL. AND MANY TIMES OUR STUDENTS ARE ALSO UNCERTAIN AS TO THE STEPS THEY NEED TO TAKE WHEN THEY ARE FACED WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT, BULLYING, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT, ONLY TO

096MENTION A FEW. MR. SUPERINTENDENT, CAN YOU SHARE WITH US SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE BEING EXPOSED TO THROUGH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS AS A WAY TO HELP BRING SOME STABILITY AND MENTAL WELLNESS TO THEIR LIVES, PLEASE? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. AND IT'S REALLY RELEVANT. THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION. TO DATE WE HAVE -- A LITTLE OVER 2,000 EMPLOYEES THAT RECEIVED FIRST AID COURSE IN FIRST AID TRAINING AND 17,000 RECEIVED TRAINING FOR AT-RISK TRAINING PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THESE TRAININGS, THE STAFF ARE EQUIPPED TO HELP OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE BECOMING -- EXPERIENCING A TRAUMATIC OR CRISIS SCENARIO, AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO BREAK DOWN WALLS TO GAIN ACCESS TO EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS. THE CENTRAL FLORIDA HEALTH NETWORK SITES HAVE GROWN IN THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM

097TWO SCHOOLS TO NOW AT 89 AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO MORE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. ALL SCHOOLS HAVE STUDENT SERVICE TEAMS THAT INCLUDE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND COUNSELORS ARE AVAILABLE AS NEEDED AS WELL. AND ALL SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH PROVISIONS WHEN THEY NEED THEM. WE HAVE DISTRICT CRISIS RESPONSE TEAMS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ACUTE AND TRAUMATIC EVENTS, INCLUDING OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS OF THE WE HAVE ALSO IMPLEMENTED IN THE LAST YEAR MOBILE RESPONSE TEAM TO BE ABLE TO HELP SCHOOL LEVEL RESPONSES TO STUDENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL LEARNING CURRICULUMS TO BE ABLE TO DEESCALATOR CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES AND HOW TO MAKE -- GAIN ACCESS TO THOSE AT

098OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH THEIR PEERS, AND NINTH GRADE, WE USE CURRICULUM THAT REALLY ADDRESSES SOME OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECTS FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EMOTIONAL WELLNESS INITIATIVES SUCH AS PROMISE IS CONTINUED TO BE IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR SCHOOLS. ONE THING WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO IS EDUCATE OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES BY PROVIDING DIRECTED IN THEM SO WE MOVE TO THE WHOLE LEARNER TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE WHOLE CHILD. I WANT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES NOBODY THAT WE STAND READY TO HELP OUR STUDENTS, AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT A NUMBER OF OUR CLINICAL SUPPORTS PROVIDE EACH AND HE HAVE ONE OF OUR CAMPUSES FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND STRESSORS FOR LEARNERS. DIRECTLY RELATED TO COVID OR BULLYING OR HAR RAS RASMENTS, WE HAVE SUPPORT ON CAMPUS EVERY SINGLE DAY

099THROUGH OUR COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND CLINICIANS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT TRAINING TO HAVE PEOPLE AB TIFF TO GRAPPLE WITH ONGOING ISSUES AS NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO TURN THE CORNER AND BREAK THAT CYCLE. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS FOR STUDENTS HOW TO REPORT PROBLEMS, WHETHER IT BE ON A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE OR MENTAL HEALTH EXPERIENCE OR CRISIS AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING. Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT. I WANT TO WELCOME THE DISTRICT BACK AND HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY NEW YEAR THIS 2022 SCHOOL YEAR. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ AND SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MA'AM MADAM CHAIR. AND THIS IS OUR OWN COMMENTS? OH, OKAY. WELL, THEN, PABLO, LET'S GET GOING. THIS IS CLOSING COMMENTS. BUT BEFORE YOU DO, I WANT TO

100GIVE, SAY, A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR TEACHERS, OUR SCHOOL SITE STAFF, ESP WORKERS, BECAUSE SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, THAT 89.2% CAME ON THE HEELS OF HARD WORK OF OUR GREAT CABINET MEMBERS, STAFF MEMBERS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, INCLUSIVE OF THE BUS DRIVERS AND THE FOOD SERVICE WORKERS, THE PARAS, SO THIS IS IN SPITE OF THIS HORRIFIC COVID VIRUS. AND MEMBER PEREZ, THIS IS KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT YOU SAID ON THE VIRUS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED. WE ARE SITTING HERE WITH HEAVY HEARTS AS WELL, AND WE HAD A FORUM YESTERDAY FROM DAYCARE ON A FEDERAL, LEVEL, STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL, AND I SHARED THIS WITH SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, AND JUST TO APPRISE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE ON TOP OF IT, BUT THE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE MADE -- AND THIS PERSON REMARKED THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS

101WAS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, BUT HE HAS THREE KIDS IN THIS COUNTY THAT GO TO SCHOOL, AND HE WOULD SAY THAT WHAT WE DO NEED TO DO IS PROVIDE THE MEDICAL GRADE MASKS FOR THIS SPECIFIC VIRUS, AND HE DID RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE MORE TOWN HALL MEETINGS, I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT, WHAT I CALL FIRESIDE FACEBOOK CHATS, BECAUSE THIS IS AN EVER-CHANGING EVOLVING VIRUS WITH BIG RAMIFICATIONS FOR THE WELL-BEING OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, AND I THINK THAT THE MORE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GIVE PARENTS ON A REGULAR BASIS, A WEEKLY BASIS, I BELIEVE WE WOULD -- AND THEY WOULD BE MORE PREPARED TO AUGMENT SOME OF THE SITUATIONS THAT COME UP WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND SOME OF OUR GRANDKIDS. THAT WOULD BE MY SUGGESTION. AND THERE IS NO COMMENT NEEDED ON

102THAT. I ALREADY WROTE AN E-MAIL. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE HAVE -- WELL, THANKING ALSO PLANT HIGH SCHOOL, AND I KNOW YOU SAID THIS, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO CARNEGIE HALL IN NEW YORK, AND I KNOW MEMBER SNIVELY JUST CAME BACK FROM NEW YORK, AND SHE KNOWS THAT IT IS SUCH GREAT ENTERTAINMENT THERE, AND THEY WILL BE PART OF IT. ALONZO HIGH SCHOOL, THE DRAMA IS GOING TO NEW YORK. EAST BAY CHORUS GOING TO COLONIAL. PROGRESS VILLAGE, THE THESPIAN FESTIVAL. ORANGE GROVE. SO OUR KIDS ARE DOING REALLY GREAT, LEAPS AND BOUNDS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AGAIN THIS -- IN THIS TYPE OF COVID ARENA. AND WE ARE DOING SOME EXERCISE, TOO. PABLO, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC CLINIC? CAN YOU START THE VIDEO? THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT. SO SUSAN HARLING, THE HEAD

103DIRECTOR, IS GIVINGU ALL A DISCOUNT TON JOIN IN THE 5-K, AND I KNOW MEMBER SNIVELY, MYSELF, STACIE HAHN, I DON'T KNOW IF SUPERINTENDENT DID IT -- WELL, I THINK HE DID TAKE PART. I CAN'T REMEMBER. I KNOW PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS DID. AND KAREN PEREZ ALSO TOOK PART. SO WE ARE GOING TO PUT THE PRESSURE NOW ON MEMBER WASHINGTON AND MEMBER COMBS TO JOIN IN ON THE 5-K, AND I WILL HAVE MY STAFF HERE SHORTLY AND I WILL SAY THAT SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS IS NOW TRAINING, BECAUSE I GAVE HIM A WORKOUT SCHEDULE. SO HE WILL BE SHIP SHAPE. SO THAT WAS ONE ANNOUNCEMENT. I WANT TO THANK GINA MARSHALL AND HUMANA FOR REALLY BACKING THIS, ALSO. AND OUR GREAT STAFF AND MARKETING TEAM, LAUREN AND ALL OF THE OTHER TROUPERS FOR PUTTING THIS OUT THERE. AND ANTHONY

104CAPUCCI FOR HAVING THESE GREAT CLINICS AND THANKING MYSELF AS WELL. NEXT -- DID WE GET THE VIDEO? HELLO. MY NAME IS LYNN GRAY, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. Lynn Gray: THAT'S FINE. OKAY, STOP. THIS IS A STORY THAT SHAKE WASHINGTON, MEMBER WASHINGTON AND I, AND FRED HEARNS, DID TOGETHER IN THE HONOR OF -- WHICH IS RUN BY KINGSHIP PARHAM. WE ARE HAVING A BRAIN BOWL. THIS IS A SHORT VIDEO. AND THEN WE WILL BE DONE. PABLO? HI. MY NAME IS LYNN GRAY AND I'M ON THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 7. AND -- I'M SHAKE WASHINGTON, THE VICE CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 5. AND WE SUPPORT THE HARD WORK THAT ALL THE STUDENTS ARE DOING. BUT NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MR. FRED HEARNS. FRED HEARNS: WE

105CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THE BLACK SCHOOL INDICATORS, THE ONES DOING ALL THE HARD WORK, ALONG WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND VOLUNTEERS, PARTICIPANTS, AND OF COURSE OUR STUDENTS. THE SIXTH ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL SPONSORED BY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HAPSL ON FEBRUARY 26th AT HOWARD BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. STUDENTS, STUDY HARD. WE KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO DO WELL. WE'LL SEE YOU ALL ON FEBRUARY 26th AT BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL. Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, FRED. AND THE AMERICA YOU HAVE DONE WITH THE -- Lynn Gray: ALONG WITH THE TASK FORCE ALONG WITH HAPSE IS UNBELIEVABLE, AND THE TASK FORCE PUT TOGETHER A GREAT PROGRAM FOR THE BRAIN BOWL, AND SHAKE WASHINGTON, YOU HAVE BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL AND SO SUPPORTIVE TO THE EFFORTS AND GOOD LUCK. WE ARE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. Henry "Shake"

106Washington: GOOD LUCK, STUDENTS. GOOD LUCK. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. Nadia Combs: MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: WHEN YOU MENTIONED THE 5-K, BUT WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT -- I DON'T BOTHER WITH DID 15-K. Lynn Gray: OH! MEMBER WASHINGTON, I DO THE 15 K AND THE 5-K SO CAN'T WE GET MR. PORTER TO DO BOTH? Jim Porter: ALWAYS HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE. Henry "Shake" Washington: I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE MR. PORTER OUT. OKAY. SO ON JANUARY THE 4th, I HAD OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THE PINELLAS COUNTY UTILITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM WITH COMMISSIONER GWEN MEYERS AND CITY COUNCILMAN CHARLIE MIRANDA, AND WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT WORKFORCE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, ALSO. BUT THEY WANTED TO SEE EXACTLY HOW WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT, THE WORKFORCE OVER THERE ALONG WITH OUR WORKFORCE. IT WAS QUIT EDUCATIONAL. AND IT HAS A

107LOT TO DO WITH INCARCERATION, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RELEASED SO THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LIVING IN LIFE, AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. SO IT WAS REALLY A GREAT EVENT, AND I TRULY ENJOYED OVER THERE, AND WE ARE GOING TO START WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, BECAUSE IF WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MAKE THE CITY OF TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUCCESSFUL ENVIRONMENT AND BE PRODUCTIVE IN LIFE. GOING BACK TO THE HOLIDAYS, IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING, GREAT HOLIDAYS, HAD AN EXCELLENT TIME, MY DAUGHTER GOT MARRIED, SO THAT WAS GOOD. WE HAD A GOOD TIME. AND I WANT TO SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAPPY NEW YEAR. AND YOU KNOW WE ARE 89.2. NEXT TIME WE WILL BE AT 100. SO WE HAVE GOT TO CONTINUE TO DO ALL THE GOOD

108WORK, BUS DRIVERS, CUSTODIANS, ALL OF YOU INVOLVED IN THAT 89.2. IT'S NOT JUST ONE GROUP. IT'S EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN IT. BECAUSE IF WE ALL DON'T COOPERATE AND WORK TOGETHER, WE COULDN'T BE SUCCESSFUL. THANK YOU AND AGAIN HAPPY NEW YEAR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER SNIVELY. Melissa Snively: FIRST I WANT TO SAY WELCOME BACK TO EVERYONE, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. I HOPE THAT 2022 IS NOT 2021. I HAVE AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK SO I HOPE THAT WILL BE THE CASE FOR THIS YEAR. SO STARTING OUT WITH GREAT NEWS, AS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, I REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS LESS THAN 82% A FEW YEARS AGO, 82.9% BACK IN '17 SO WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE THEN, AND TO HAVE IT ALMOST 90% IS VERY EXCITING, AND VERY PAL TIFF. OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHERS,

109OUR ADMINISTRATORS, PARENTS WHO ARE ENGAGING WITH OUR STUDENTS AS WELL. IT TAKES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY INCLUDING OUR ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE PARTNER WITH. IT REALLY TAKES AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN ORDER FOR CHILDREN TO SUCCEED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, AND I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID HE WON'T STOP UNTIL WE GET TO 100% BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD BE. CONGRATULATIONS TO KATIE ROCHA. IT'S HARD WORK, AND BEING A PRINCIPAL IS VERY DIFFICULT WORK, VERY CHALLENGING WORK, AND SOMETIMES VERY REWARDING WORK AS WELL TO SEE RESULTS LIKE THIS. SO THANKS TO ALL THE PRINCIPALS OUT THERE WHO ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR OUR STUDENTS. JUST SOME CONCERNS. I KNOW THAT IT'S VERY HEART WRENCHING SOMETIMES TO LISTEN TO OBVIOUSLY, WHEN PEOPLE COME, ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO COME TO

110A PUBLIC MEETING AND STAND AT THE LECTERN IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, IN FRONT OF ANYBODY WHO IS WATCHING, AND TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE UNCOMFORTABLE. AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T NECESSARILY RESPOND AS BOARD MEMBERS, MAKE US UNCOMFORTABLE, DON'T NECESSARILY SAY IT DIRECTLY TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO COME AND SPEAK TO US. BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PEOPLE WHO DO COME, THE PEOPLE WHO CAME LAST TIME, EVERY TIME, TO TALK ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS, WHETHER IT'S -- THE CONTENT IN OUR SCHOOL LIE I LIBRARIES, WHAT WE ARE DOING ABOUT THAT, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, ■SEXUAL ABUSE ISSUES, ABAN AND I WANT TO A SURE THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE AWARE OF THOSE ISSUES, WE MAY NOT RESPOND DIRECTLY DURING MEETINGS, BUT WE CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY,

111AND CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH, AND WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TRY TO MAKE EVERY SITUATION, RESOLVE EVERY SITUATION AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT. SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS TRANSPARENT AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT OUR STUDENTS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TAKING GOOD CARE OF THEM AND THAT THEY ARE SAFE AT THEIR SCHOOLS. AND WHEN WE AS PARENTS DROP OUR CHILDREN OFF AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY OR THEY GET ON THE BUS EVERY MORNING, OR THEY WALK TO SCHOOL, WE FEEL THEY ARE IN THE BEST CARE, CUSTODY AND CONTROL OF OUR STAFF, AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS. SO I WANT TO THANK ESPECIALLY JUST

112UPCOMING THINGS. KIM BAYS, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING, IT'S EXCITING WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE. TERRY CONNOR AND HIS TEAM FOR A PROGRAM, THAT PROGRAM, IT'S VERY EXCITING FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT FINALLY. AND SUPERINTENDENT CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, WE KNOW YOU HAVE A TOUGH JOB, AND KIND OF STILL CUTTING YOUR TEETH ON IT BUT I AM SURE YOU ARE VERY MUCH AN EXPERT, SOON TO BE AN EXPERT BY NOW AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING, SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. AND THEN FINALLY, THANK YOU TO THE PLANT STIPP IMPROVEMENT FOR THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. PARADE, LAST SATURDAY, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A PARADE, A GREAT DAY TO CELEBRATE THAT, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR BREAKFAST WHERE THEY ALWAYS AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUR STUDENTS THIS COMING

113SUNDAY MORNING IN PLANT CITY. THEN CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR NOMINEES AND FINALISTS FOR THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD. THAT IS SUCH AN EXCITING TIME. I KNOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS AS WE GATHER TOGETHER THIS YEAR. HOWEVER, WE ARE STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT ON JANUARY 20th. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THOSE HARD WORKING TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS OUT THERE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER SNIVELY. MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. AND MEMBER SNIVELY, AND I ECHO, FOR ADDRESSING THE FACT THAT AS BOARD MEMBERS, AS WE LISTEN TO COMMENTS AND SYMPATHIZE WITH MANY OF THE SPEAKERS, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO THE SPEAKERS THAT WE EMPATHIZE AND WE DO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. I

114APPRECIATE YOU ADDRESSING THAT. ALSO, SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, TO A NUMBER OF MEMBER PEREZ'S QUESTIONS, AND I FRESH MEMBER PEREZ ASKING ABOUT TESTING BECAUSE I DO HAVE A LOT OFPEOPLE REACHED OUT TO BE ME AND CONCERNS OF POSSIBLY HAVING COVID AND WANTING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY CAN GET TESTING. NOW, THE STATE KNOWINGLY SENT US TALKED ABOUT IT, YOU SAID PALLETS OF EXPIRED COVID TESTS FOR OUR SCHOOLS? Addison Davis: WE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF COVID ASSESSMENTS. I AM NOT CERTAIN IF THE DEPARTMENT KNEW THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THEM, THEY WERE EXPIRED. I KNOW THAT WE RECEIVED, TRACYE BROWN, IDENTIFYING THOSE AND REACHED OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT, AND WANTED TO BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ANOTHER EXTENSION WHERE IT CURRENTLY SITS. SO AS I SAID TO MS. PEREZ, WE WILL GET ALL THE INFORMATION WE CAN RELATED TO THAT.

115AND TO BE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO AROUND 9,000 ADDITIONAL RAPID ASSESSMENTS TO BE ABLE TO PUSH OUT TO OWL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SITES. Jessica Vaughn: CAN WE HAVE AN UPDATE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING ABOUT THE TESTS, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY, AS MEMBER PEREZ ASKED, HOW MANY WE HAD, WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE EXPIRED, WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE TESTS WERE? AND I SED KNOW YOU SAID THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IS HOPPING TO GET TESTING. IS THAT TO SEND IT OUT OR WAS IT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND ARE THEY NOT REPLACING THE TESTS INSTEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH? JUST TRYING TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHO IS IN CHARGE OF WHAT HERE. Addison Davis: MS. BROWN, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? WHO YOU RECEIVED THEM FROM? Tracye Brown: YES, SIR. WE

116RECEIVE OUR TESTS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BUT THEY WORK THROUGH THE STATE. SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RECEIVES THE TESTS, AND THEY WORK WITH THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTY, AND THEY GET THE INFORMATION AND GET THE TESTS TO US. Jessica Vaughn: SO WOULD THE NEW TESTS BEING REQUESTED ALSO COME FROM THE STATE? Tracye Brown: I APOLOGIZE, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THOSE TESTS ARE COMING FROM. THIS IS INFORMATION WE JUST RECEIVED TODAY CONFIRMING THE ORDER WAS PLAYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THE WHERE THE TESTS ARE GOING TO COME FROM, BUT I WILL GET THAT INFORMATION. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. AS MEMBER SNIVELY HIGHLIGHTED, THE SUCCESS OF OUR GRADUATIONS AND MEMBER WASHINGTON IS SO MUCH TO DO WITH OUR STAFF AND THE MEMBERS IN OUR ACTUAL

117SCHOOLS. THE FACT THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE OPEN AND ABLE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS ARE ALSO A DIRECT RELATION TO THE STAFF MEMBERS WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY, AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY AT THE VERY LEAST HAVE ACCESS TO TESTS IN A TIME NOW IS UPON US SO AGGRESSIVE, AS PRIORITY NOW. SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, I KNOW YOU SEND IT TO PRINCIPALS BUT CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT AGAIN THE FACT WE DO HAVE TESTING FOR OUR TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STAFF MEMBERS AVAILABLE, BECAUSE I HAVE HAD SEVERAL TEACHERS REACH OUT TO ME UNABLE TO GET TESTING AND CONCERNS ABOUT SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL, AND POSSIBLY SPREADING COVID, AND WEREN'T AWARE OF THE TESTING INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE. SO CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT THAT AGAIN, PLEASE? Addison Davis: YES, MA'AM. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED IMMEDIATELY ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID LAST YEAR, WITH

118TCH, FAST TRACK, AND COVID TESTING FOR ANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES THAT MAY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS, AND TO BE ABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, AND THEY CAN GO ON WWW.FASTTRACKURGENTCARE.COM TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE TEN GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATIONS TO BE ABLE TO SET AN APPOINTMENT. THESE APPOINTMENTS ARE HAPPENING REALLY FAST, AND THE TURN-AROUND HAS BEEN PRETTY MUCH LESS THAN A DAY. SO WE ENCOURAGE OUR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS, AND THEY CAN GO ON OUR WEBSITE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR COVID-19 INFORMATION, AND THERE'S ALSO SOME INFORMATION SENT OUT TO OUR STAFF. SO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. THIS IS TO BE ABLE TO HELP OUR FAMILIES AND TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES STAY HEALTHY AND BE ABLE TO STAY IN FRONT OF CHILDREN AND KEEP INSTRUCTION TAKING PLACE. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY,

119AND I HEAR YOU TALKING SOMETHING THAT THOSE TESTS MIGHT HAVE A FURTHER EXPIRATION DATE ON THEM. I AM NOT REALLY SURE. BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE, IF THOSE TESTS ARE VALID, WILL WE BE HANDING THOSE OUT TO OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL? Addison Davis: WHICH TESTS? ANY TESTS THAT WE GET, ANY NEW ASSESSMENTS THAT WE GET IN THE 9,000 THAT WE IDENTIFIED TODAY, WE WILL, A, MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY HAVE A VALID EXPIRATION DATE, AND THEN WE WANT TO DISSEMINATE THOSE TO OUR DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. ANYTHING RELATED TO USING OUR TGH FAST TRACK URGENT CARE, THAT IS DONE ON THE SITE AND THEY TAKE CARE OF THAT. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. WELCOME BACK. AGAIN, I KNOW EVERYONE IS TIRED OF HEARING IT, BUT I JUST WANT TO EXTEND SUCH

120GRATITUDE TO THE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS WHO ARE KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN AND WORKING SO HARD TO PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATION TO OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE BRAVING THE TIMES THAT WE ARE LIVING IN, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOL STAFF WHO SHOW UP EVERY SINGLE DAY AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE OPEN AND OUR KIDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. AND THANKS TO ALL OF MY CO-WORKERS AND TO ALL OF OUR STAFF WHO ARE WORKING SO HARD AT THE DISTRICT AS WELL. HAPPY NEW YEAR. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU MEMBER VAUGHN. WE WILL NOW GO TO EMPLOYEE COMMENTS. WE ARE A COUPLE MINUTES LATE. WE WILL NOW TAKE PUBLIC INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING ALSO THE

121SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO ATTEND MEETINGS AT 4 P.M. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD INCLUDING UNION REPRESENTATIVE, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, 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 ARE SETHING 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 BY B ANY ISSUE RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I WILL NOW CALL THE FIRST. AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. THANK YOU SO

122MUCH. I WILL HAPPILY INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M ROB KRIETE, PROUD PRESIDENT OF CTA. CONGRATULATIONS, MEMBER WASHINGTON, ON YOUR DAUGHTER'S WEDDING. SHE LOOKS AMAZING. SHE'S AN AMAZING STUDENT, GREAT BASKETBALL PLAYER, GREAT JOB. BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF MEMBERS, A YEAR AGO, WE REDUCED OUR WORKFORCE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BY OVER A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES. THIS YEAR, WE ARE DOWN BY ANOTHER THOUSAND EMPLOYEES. HOW EASY DO YOU THINK IT IS TO DO THE WORK WE ARE DOING OUT THERE IN THE SITES WITH THOUSANDS FEWER EMPLOYEES? IT'S A CHALLENGE EVERY SINGLE DAY. MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE PLAYING AN IMPROV GAME EVERY DAY, PLAYING THE SHELL GAME OF WHO HAS TO COVER WHICH CLASS, WHICH CLASSES ARE DOWN X AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, HOW MANY TEAMS OR RESPECTS TEACHERS DO WE NEED HEAR OR THERE, AND WE ARE DOING EVERY SINGLE DAY ON THE

123FLY, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOLS. IT IS PUTTING A LOT OF STRESS ON OUR EMPLOYEES, ON THE BUS DRIVERS, THE LUNCHROOM WORKERS, THE CUSTODIANS, THOSE THAT WE REPRESENT, THOSE THAT WE DON'T REPRESENT, THE TEACHERS, THE SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS, IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE OUT THERE. AND IF YOU ARE NOT RECOGNIZING IT, IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO DO THE SHELL GAME TO MAKE AT GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR YOU. BUT I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE STRESSED TO THE MAX. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE IN BARGAINING. WE HAVE TEACHERS -- TEN YEARS IN SARASOTA COUNTY, AND COME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ONE WOULD THING THAT I WOULD GET CREDIT FOR MY TEN YEARS OF TEACHING BUT NO, I WOULD GET CREDIT FOR NINE BECAUSE WE DON'T AUTOMATICALLY GET CREDITED FOR THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE

124ALREADY TAUGHT THE YEAR BEFORE. AND WHY IS THAT? YOU CAME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND YOU SAW A SALARY SCHEDULE AND IT HAD ALL OF THE YEARS OF SERVICE ON THERE, WOULDN'T YOU EXPECT THAT AFTER YOU TAUGHT FOR TEN YEARS YOU WOULD BE AT THAT POINT ON THE SCALE? BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH AND WE NEED TO CORRECT IT NOW BECAUSE THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE HAVING TODAY IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR NOW. IT IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG FOR THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE HAVING IN FLORIDA AND QUITE FRANKLY THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE SEEING THE DISINTEGRATE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN FRONT OF US AND SITTING ON THE DECK CHAIRS OF THE TITANIC AND SAYING, HEY, IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY, WE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH

125THIS. WELL, WE MIGHT NOT AND WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW. WE NEED TO BE PROACTIVE. THINK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH IT WILL SAY, TO MAKE CONDITIONS BETTER FOR EVERYONE. I AM HEARING ABOUT IT EVERY DAY. I KNOW THAT YOU ARE HEARING ABOUT IT EVERY DAY AND THEY ARE JUST DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO MAKE THE SOUNDEST, SAFEST EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE KIDS EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND MY HAT IS OFF TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN, FOR RECOGNIZING ALL OF THEM AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING EVERY DAY. LET'S FIX THIS HERE AND NOW. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. INTRODUCE YOURSELF. HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I AM A TEACHER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT IS MY SIXTH YEAR OF

126TEACHING BUT I GUESS BASED ON THE -- I AM HERE TO ASK FOR A PAY RAISE ON BEHALF OF ALL TEACHERS BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE ME MY YEAR OF SERVICE. YOU ARE THANKING US BUT YOU ARE NOT SHOWING IT. I COULD GO TO SARASOTA COUNTY AND MAKE WELL OVER TEN GRAND MORE BASED ON THE PAY SCALE THAT THEY JUST PUT OUT. THEY ARE GIVING THEIR TEACHERS .25% IF THEY HAVE GONE INTO -- THEY ALREADY GOT THEIR RAISES FOR FOE THERE ARE YEAR. THEY ADD ANOTHER 5.25% AND THEY HAVE THE PARENTAL FOR 30 MASTERS PLUS 35. WHAT IS KEEPING ME IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY? THE COST OF LIVING IS EQUITABLE TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE. YOU HAVE TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN TEACHING IN THE COUNTY FOR OVER OVER TEN YEARS

127WHO BASED ON THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO TEACH HERE. I COULD GO TO HERNANDO COUNTY AND MAKE ABOUT WHAT I MAKE NOW, MAYBE A LITTLE LESS BUT BRINGING HOME NOW BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IS WAY LESS. SO BY SAYING, WELL, WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE AREA. YES, BUT OUR COST OF LIVING IS RAISING AND -- RISING. YOU SAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU TEACHERS. BUT IT'S EXHAUSTING. IF OF R I HAVE TO PICK UP A SECOND JOB OR TOO STRESSED TO PICK UP A SECOND JOB TO PAY RENT, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A -- I CA CAN'T HAVE MY KIDS TEACH MYSELF IF I HAVE TO HAVE A

128SECOND JOB. SO I KNOW THAT THE NEXT EXECUTIVE MEETING HAS BEEN PUSHED BACK, BARGAINING NOTE HAPPENING UNTIL THE BARGAINING MEETING HAPPENS SO PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS BEING LEFT FOR YOU BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO IT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. DON'T START MY TIME YET BECAUSE I HAVE TO CLEAN. GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. NICE TO BE SEE YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN. MS. COMBS, I SAW YOU LAST NIGHT. OUR TWO PREVIOUS SPEAKERS ARE VERY ACCURATE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE ARE EXHAUSTED. THIS IS MY 41st YEAR AND I'M EXHAUSTED. BUT I STILL COME EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND I WANTED TO READ YOU SOMETHING. DINNER GUESTS WERE SITTING AROUND THE TABLE DISCUSSING LIFE AND ONE MAN A CEO ARGUED, WHAT'S A KID GOING TO LEARN FROM

129SOMEONE WHO DECIDED HIS BEST OPTION IN LIFE WAS TO BECOME A TEACHER? HE REMAINEDED THE OTHER DINNER GUESTS THAT IT'S TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT TEACHERS, THOSE WHO CAN DO AND THOSE WHO CAN'T, TEACH. SO THEY ASKED ANOTHER DINNER GUEST SUSAN, WHO IS A TEACHER, WHAT SHE THOUGHT. AND SAID SUSAN, WHAT DO YOU MAKE? YOU WANT TO BE KNOW WHAT I MAKE? I MAKE KIDS WORK HARDER THAN THEY EVER THOUGHT THEY COULD. I CAN MAKE A -- FEEL LIKE A CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR AND AN A-MINUS FEEL LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE IF THE STUDENT DID NOT DO HIS BEST WORK. I CAN MAKE KIDS WHO SIT THROUGH 40 MINUTES OF STUDY HAUL IN ABSOLUTE SILENCE AND MAKE PARENTS TREMBLE IN FEAR WHEN THEY GET HOME. I MAKE KIDS WONDER, I MAKE THEM QUESTION,

130I MAKE THEM CRITICIZE, I MAKE THEM APOLOGIZE AND MEAN IT, I MAKE THEM WRITE, READ, SPELL DEFINITELY BEAUTIFUL OVER AND OAF AGAIN, SO THEY NEVER SPELL EITHER ONE OF THOSE WORDS WRONG AGAIN. I MAKE THEM SHOW ALL THEIR WORK IN MATH AND HIDE IT ON THEIR FINAL DRAFTS IN ENGLISH. I ELEVATE THEM TO EXPERIENCE MUSIC AND ART AND THE JOY IN PERFORMANCE SO THEIR LIVES ARE RICH, FULL OF KINDNESS AND CULTURE, AND THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THEMSELVES AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU HAVE BRAINS AND FOLLOW YOUR HEARTS, AND IF SOMEONE EVER TRIES TO JUDGE YOU BY WHAT YOU MAKE, YOU PAY THEM NO ATTENTION, YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I MAKE? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND EVERYBODY

131ELSE STANDS BEHIND US, NOT JUST BECAUSE THESE TIMES ARE MORE TRYING THAN EVER, BUT BECAUSE WE DESERVE IT, BECAUSE WE ARE HERE EVERY DAY, WE SHOW UP EVERY DAY AND WE DO OUR BEST FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR KIDS. MY KIDS ARE GONE BUT THEY ARE ALL MINE I.ALWAYS TELL THEM I AM THE JEWISH MOTHER FROM DOWN UNDER AND THEY ARE MINE, MINE, MINE, MINE. PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS. TELL US HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE IT AND SHOW US HOW MUCH YOU PRECIOUS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. AND WE JUST -- I WILL HAVE A FINAL COMMENT. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR THIS EVENING. AND I DON'T WANT TO ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY SAID. EVERY TIME SOMEBODY COMES UP HERE, EVERY BOARD MEMBER REALLY LISTENS TO THAT. WE REFLECT,

132AND WOO WE REACT TO THAT. SO I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT IT'S BEING HEARD ON DEAF EARS. WE DO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK IF YOU REALLY LOOK AND YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STATE LEVEL, YOU SEE SYSTEMATICALLY WE ARE TRYING TO DESTROY PUBLIC EDUCATION AND REALLY FOR PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE WATCHING OR LISTENING TO REALLY FIGHT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION WHEN OUR BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION IS ONE OF THE WORST IN THE NATION AND WE ARE NUMBER ONOR ZILLOW MOVING HERE. WE WANT YOU TO KNOW WE ARE LISTENING TO YOU. IT'S JUST VERY HARD BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING IT AR WE KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON, ARE WE PAYING PEOPLE? HOW DOES IT HAPPEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE PRIVATE SCHOOL IN THE THEY CAN TAMPA BAY AREA COSTING 15 TO 18,000,

133WE ARE STILL GETTING PAID LESS THAN 8,000 PER STUDENT. SO I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO IS KEEPING OUR SCHOOLS OPEN. I'M ON THE COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS AND WE ARE SEEING SCHOOLS AROUND THE NATION ARE CLOSING, AND I KNOW THAT FROM THE SECRETARY TO THE BUS DRIVERS TO THE NUTRITIONISTS, TO THE TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, TO THE CABINET, EVERYBODY IS WORKING SO HARD TO KEEP THE SCHOOLS OPEN AND KEEP OUR STUDENTS, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT SO MUCH MORE THAN THE ACADEMIC ISSUES OF CHILDREN, WE ARE LOOKING AT SESSION ISSUES, WE ARE LOOKING AT EMOTIONAL ISSUES, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT DECADES OF THIS PANDEMIC, HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY, AND I JUST KNOW THAT EACH ONE OF US, EVEN THOUGH WE

134ARE NOT SAYING SOMETIMES ON PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE ARE HEARING YOU AND WE TAKE THAT TO OUR HEARTS. AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU EVERYBODY, AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.