001[Music] That was something I I pineapple. Good morning. >> So good to see everyone. Um, as I picked up my gavl this morning, I can see I've got some new marks on it. Um, so want to say thanks to Vice Chair Sharpless over there for stepping in while we're out. um had a great um successful time up in Washington DC and connected um with a large swath of our congressional members and their staff members as well as well as our uh senators advocating for our Pulk County public schools. So, uh, yeah, I was driving in this morning and was pondering a bit and this quote came up and it was it was actually referenced to CS Lewis and I'm like, "Ah, okay. I wonder what text it came from." But, uh, and then I couldn't
002actually substantiate where the quote came from. Um, but I'm I'm resting on the quote this morning. It says, "You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending." And it really stuck out to me as I was driving in pondering this morning. So, uh, we will now call the work session for August 23rd, 2025 to order. I can tell, um, we are ready to go. I'm excited. I see our staff members out there and we we do have Miss Collins stepping in for us as well. So, I just want to say thanks to our staff for being present with us this morning and accessible to us. We're humbled to serve alongside you and the most highly educated workforce in America and the dedicated workforce um in
003our nation as well. So, I'd like to start by reading our who are we statement and it says this. We are the PK County leadership governance team. And if we were to pick one phrase to define us, it would be student centered. Because when we come together, we lean on these backgrounds, diverse backgrounds that we have and experiences to ensure that our decisions are focused on providing a highquality education for all students. The four most important things to our governance team are one, operating with integrity. Two, respecting our staff, our students, families, and each other. Three, establishing this culture where our stakeholders feel valued. They're supported and have opportunities for personal and professional growth. And four, supporting this approach of continuous improvement to ensure student outcomes. And collectively, we work together on behalf of the
004children that we serve. And we find these avenues of agreement so that we can govern the district in an effective manner. There is no acceptable alternative to that. We will always collaborate in a respectful manner in order to enhance opportunities for each student and staff member. We will not disparrage others. Our students will thrive because when we remain committed to supporting the whole child, that happens. So, we hope to engage and empower our students and our stakeholders to create this community of lifelong learners. At this time, I would like to turn it over to Miss Collins to lead us in our work session today. Good morning. Good to see everybody here this morning. Appreciate all the pictures I saw of you guys representing us in Washington DC. Looked like a lot of fun but a
005lot of work. So um good morning. Um I am here standing in for Mr. Hyde as you know that he is on his way to Dustin for the the state board meeting and I believe we're going to start the morning with Dr. Melody Ryder. She's here to speak about our wonderful relationship we have with connect uh Pulk Connect Ed Pulk. >> Good morning. Thank you. Can you hear me? >> Awesome. So, thank you, Chief Collins and uh Chair Allen and all of my school board members. Today, I am here to give a formal overview of who connected is to the community, our desired impact, outcomes, and plans for the future. Um our impact. So, we're an intermediary, which is somewhat new to our area. We are the first of our kind in Pulk County. So,
006it has been an ongoing goal and role of mine to really define who we are. And so, that's what I want to accomplish today. We really strive for strong, scalable, sustainable partnerships with the business community and our education leaders. Um, we have pillars I'll go through um later on in my presentation, but truly it is about access to highquality programming. Um, and this access and working across PK County for this impact and these partnerships will result in stronger, more prepared graduates by inspiring and educating them on opportunities across P County. Ultimately, our leaders and our founders did this for economic prosperity purposes. But when they dove into the work, truly understanding the need, it became a moral a moral imperative for them to truly help and raise those that need more access and more inspiration
007and knowledge about all that goes on across Pole County. So, with that, our mission, we're very missiondriven. We're very passionate, purposeful group. Um, we really, these partnerships that we want to create are centered around shared goals that there is a commitment across the table to support, to elevate, and to empower each other to really at the end of the day, it's all about the students. Um, we do this through strategic planning, and I'll talk about that in a moment, because ultimately we want to continue to have PK County be the best destination to raise a family, to play, and to work. Our vision, our vision is very bold, is for all students to have access to highquality programming. Um, that we have deserts of exposure. We are very, very large. your job is great and
008very well respected. Um, and it's just bringing the business community to have that shared responsibility which is our key goal and ultimately by innovation. Innovation is really a strong pillar of ours to just seek out national best practices and bring them back here to inspire and educate our community on what's possible. Now, our core beliefs are really centered around empowerment, empowering our business leaders, empowering our educators through these strong built partnerships. It's important that um across the table and I have several stories, some that have brought me to tears because I speak myself, I speak fluent education and I speak fluent business. um and bringing those together and understanding what I found is their goals are the same. They're aligned. They just sometimes see things from a different perspective because they come from different experiences
009and different backgrounds. But as we talk through it across the table, I meet individually with my school leaders and I meet individually with our business community, talk through it and get them at the table. And when we do this, um I just sit back and watch the magic happen. and remove obstacles, remove misconceptions, perceived accountability when it's truly a community responsibility. And that's where we get to is that community responsibility that we're in this together, that there's no finger finger pointing of outcomes, but a handshake and a hug usually of what we can do together. But we advocate for our students, but we also want to stand behind our educators. Truly partner and have that heavy lift. Um, business leaders are busy running their their their organizations and their companies. I have a lot of
010the largest businesses in our community, standing together with our educators and doing the heavy lifting in between. We're really behind the scenes. Um, we're not front and center. Our name's not going to be on any billboard. um we just work behind the scenes to create those long-lasting partnerships and walk away and create more and then from that more magic happens down the road. We are a nonprofit um we are um an intermediary as I stated really these the role of an intermediary is to be that glue is to be that bridge. Our role is has been very confusing for many. Um we are not a chamber. We do not have that many um programmings for businesses. We're not a program for businesses. We're not a vision group. We don't have eight different pillars. Um our
011vision groups have heavy heavy lifts. We're not an EDC. We do not look and seek to bring new businesses here. rather than work with the existing businesses on strategic partnerships, seeing it through their eyes, but then also bringing the perspective of the educators with all their obstacles and they you all have to work under so many constraints and business leaders just think, oh, we can do this, we can do that. Well, that's not always the case, but how can you support that? How can you look at it from a different lens to then sit down together and create opportunities? um our missions, I work very closely with several of you. Our mission um and our role is is very narrow and so we don't want to confuse ourselves with chamber work, with vision work um
012and our strategic partners. Our goal is not to duplicate efforts, but to align and work with a mission aligned organizations, other nonprofits um to escalate our work, to scale it. So, as a very confusing intermediary, um, well, where where do you work? What is what is your place? Um, we're a bridge. We build bridges behind the scenes. We're not out front and center, like I said. Um, every like, well, what are you working on right now? 25 different initiatives. Um, and as you know, a lot of things take time. They take time to launch. Um lots of conversations, lots of understanding of how can we get businesses more involved, what is their role and what is their commitment and what is their responsibility as well as then educators have to say okay how can we
013afford that opportunity? How do we have time for it? There's so much going on in the schools. Um and always always school performance comes first. But we do we do want to bring in the perspective of businesses and what they need and what they they have to offer to brand and market who they are. But then also how can we get there in the most efficient way with seamless processes. So creating impact. So when I jumped in this in 2022, um it was, huh, who are we going to be to the community? What do we want to accomplish? And that was through a year of listening >> and it unfolds every day. And it is being about pivoting, being innovative, but also being supportive and empowering both sides of the table. So to date, community
014investment, we have invested over 2,552,000 in programming for the schools. Again, we don't have our own programming, but we mission align with initiatives that will get our end results for our vision and our mission. We have tripled our schools. We started with two pilot schools. We moved to eight last year and we are now in 17 different schools, 13 of which are public schools. Um, our goal of of course um I'll get to that in a moment, but we want to work with all of our schools. Um, the schools do not have to work with us. It is their choice because again this is something extra for them to do. But our goal is to do that heavy lifting to provide the opportunity because again the school leaders want to have business engagement but a
015lot of times it is keeping that partnership consistent, sustainable and um long lasting to make it a deep partnership to share that responsibility. Once again we have a few special events. Um we we don't do a lot of event. We're not an event um networking group. Um but we create opportunities for students to um explore to explore um local um opportunities that um they otherwise wouldn't know. A lot of their worlds are very very small as you know. You are only you only know what you know and your circle of influence and um depending on your location, depending on your your small world, what does that look like? Um we all know growing up what we got exposed to. um in my area I would come from a very small town um a very somewhat
016lowincome family last seven and either I was going to be a hairdresser or a school teacher. Well, I was both. I dropped out of hair school and I was a kindergarten first grade teacher. But I I did work in uh construction with my dad since I was four years old. Um had I known now what I you know had I known then what I know now, I would still be in construction. It is a huge passion. But that just go speaks to um I'll give you one example. Um Tenner Rock, which is a very big love of mine. Tenner High School does not have a healthc care pathway. Um but in our events, I'll explain in a moment, provide exploration in things they would otherwise not have an experience in. So I brought Lakeland Regional
017Health and they do it off the chain. They brought about 13 different pathways to Tenerok. um and about 150 students got to explore local opportunities with Lakeland Regional Health. I did shed some tears that day of joy um listening to students learn about these pathways and opportunities for their internship, their discovery program um that they can be hired at 16 and have an amazing pathway and the conversations I overheard I know were life-changing. So that's just an example. um our initiatives again behind the scenes we invest we support we're a catalyst sometimes um on initiatives like the JA3DE model we brought that here again behind the scenes to Tenerok um we worked on the idea charter school bringing that here to um the um PK county to date I the idea school had the most
018um and the longest wait list for enrollment in IDEA history and to date the IDEA Lakeland school has the longest weight list of all the IDEA schools. That just shows the need and creating a partner partnership network. Um we have last year we engaged about 200 different professionals with our schools over 40 different types of businesses and reached over 6,000 students. advancing education. This is a part of the innovation pillar. Um bringing the Barnett Family Discovery Center, Junior Achievement Discovery Center will impact over 20,000 students in our area. Very passionate about um that initiative. Big lift but a lot of fun. Um so our opportunity our opportunity is pretty vast. Um every day I get brought things like this needs to scale Melody. there needs to be more opportunity for students. Um working with our
019ruler schools that don't have access. I'm very passionate about those schools and just creating more strong stronger um partnerships and on strategic initiatives bringing those to the table that otherwise wouldn't know that these opportunities exist for their industry. So the need the need um our upcoming um leaders in our community 66% of them 16 through 24 are unsure about their career path. Um they even start college not really knowing what it what inspires them, what they're passionate about. 74% believe that if they knew more, it could help. Um it could could expand exactly what they're going to focus on and not have to learn later. Like, "Wow, um this would have been great had I known." I even have grown adults that um will attend maybe an event and say, "Man, if I had that
020opportunity when I was in high school, I hear that a lot." Um 62% feel lack of control over their career path, meaning they're going down a road that were they were either either told to or just found themselves on. Um they want to gain through a control through knowledge, through experiences. It only takes a person or an experience to let you know exactly who you are and what you want to accomplish. So we have lofty plans. We continue to want to scale our work. As some of you know, we um moved from just being Lakeland centric to Pulk centric. Knowing our work, what we do for one, we have to do for all to truly meet our mission goals. Um that we have to scale our impact. And it's a big district. Um we are
021a small small team of one full-time staff member, myself, a part-time um executive assistant who is amazing, Jane Janick. Um we recruited a intern this year from Florida Southern um Madison Blelight. You will see her out in the community. And behind the scenes, I have a strategic consultant, Heidi Evans, um who helps me with all things that are nonprofit. Um she was a big part of bringing Bonnet Springs Park to our community. So that's our small team. Um, but we want to continue to be flexible, to be innovative, and work behind the scenes to promote, to scale, to invest in initiatives that meet our mission. So our target areas, I talked about those earlier. We want to continually be innovative to seek out things in our nation that are going on because if they can
022do it, we can do it and we can do it better. That's kind of our mantra. um and continually investing in things that align with business goals, strategic goals. Um I work one-on-one with my um business leaders and walk through their strategic plans. You'd be surprised at some of our largest business um organizations have working with high schools um in their strategic goals. And so I ask, what are what are your what is your desired outcome? How are you looking to accomplish that? They have ideas, they have desired wants, but um actually implementing that is sometimes a challenge. Um they create partnerships, but sometimes they don't last. They don't know all of the amazing things going in our public going on in our schools that they can attach themselves that align with their strategic goals.
023So, we're getting that good word out. Um our engagement is very strategic. We um there is a continuum of engagement that results in an informed graduate. I read you the statistics earlier and we want to we want to move those numbers to be very low that we have informed graduates through branding and marketing opportunities in our local area that they know exactly what they want to accomplish and they're loyal to that to that organization through these engagements through these experience is is a person or an experience they go oh I want to do that oh I love that company and that informed graduates then I the time and investment those business leaders have spent with those students will pay off. They'll have an ROI for their time. So, our events, if you would have asked
024me three years ago if this is what we would be doing, I'd say no, we're not going to, you know, it just it it just evolved into this. creating a systematic approach, doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes, um, and allowing all students to have opportunities to gain access. So, sat down with our business leaders, Chief Collins was there, and said, "Okay, I want your students to be able to come to any events that they want to. Um, they have to register. They have to want to be there." because again that listening tour I did um business leaders want to know that those students know who they are, what they have to offer and want to be in front of them to hear more. So they're like, Melody, how are we going to do this?
025And so my bright educators came up with an idea to come to the schools on half days where there's not as much academic rigor going on and so they could be excused from a class to go be inspired at one of our career showcases. So fast forward this year, we have over a 167 events planned and we're going to it'll increase in 2026. So industry showcases I I'll give Lakeland Regional Health as an example, but there are I have a long list of businesses that that uh engage in these um events. What they'll do is they'll give a overview of what the organization is and then they provide um a small groups that rotate each one of their different career paths, hands-on activities, things that engage students so they can smell, hear, learn more about
026what that actually is. Um and so they come back together and then they ask questions. So that's generally that's an exploration. So that's 9th and tth graders, but since some students have never had any um exploration in these areas, we open it up 9th through 12th. I leave that up to the educators to make those decisions. Flip the script is for 11th and 12th graders. It's a smaller a smaller group of students about 30 to 50, and they get to have one almost like a one-on-one with these business leaders, and they can ask deep questions. How do I get involved? How how do I get prepared? um what are your opportunities? And so they're great um conversations about what's next for them. We piloted career conversations last year and it was very very successful. All
027of our events are exclusive. We don't have any other businesses there. When our businesses come to our schools, so career conversation is an easy breezy lunchtime table um in April and May. The businesses have to be hiring. They have to have opportunities for the students. Students have to register. So they have to want to want to talk to the um business leaders. They can be an internship, apprenticeship, hiring. And so hopefully upcoming graduates have a pathway if they didn't already. But in a cadence of engagement, they've seen a showcase. They've done a flip the script. And here comes conversations in April and May. And now they're they're informed and they're ready and they're inspired. Academy Career Connections, we added that this year. It's very intentional time with themies. Again, I said that um industry showcase
028and flip the script is open to anyone. This now is doing a deeper dive with the students on possibly a co-e on a topic, a demonstration to elevate their curriculum, but also support the messaging that educators say over and over of how to be ready for that workforce. Um, finally, virtual field trips. So brainstormed all through the summer because a part of this continuum and this exposure and experience is getting them to the workforce and your district is so broad and so big. Transportation is a huge obstacle. Timing is obstacle. The cost is an obstacle. Um and for business's perspective bringing on 40 50 students onto their workplace is tough. So uh again looking for innovative ideas there's virtual field trips going on everywhere. So, we are doing our first pilot of these virtual field
029trips where we're going to go on site and walk through and um we have a planned pre-planned filming process and then we're going to bring the um industry to the schools with the industry leader there to start and stop the field trip for questions um and really elevate their understanding of what that career path would look like. Now this year um we really want to do more career readiness in the light of soft skills. What is an entry level a successful entry level employee look like? So every event um my business leaders are responsible for giving them a five 10 minute hey this is what we've seen because they'll tell you they tell me all day Melody they're they're doing this they're doing that I wish they would do this I wish they would do
030that this would make them more prepared so they're going to give them the guidance that our educators our family members do every day a thousand times but when the business leaders say it they listen so that's something we're adding in and layering in because we also survey every student after our events and we capture how they felt about it. Did it move them? Did it make sense? I don't want to call out our engineers, but I did a panel of engineers. It was very very boring to them. So, one particular engineer, I'm like, "Guys, we got to we got to make this something where it makes sense to them." So, I challenged him. He spent the entire weekend and we did another event. um they had 30 40 students but he made this thing out
031of Legos civil engineer right and sh with water and all these things brought plans all this stuff so handson the next event we did this was at Tener um we had to close it down over 100 students wanted to come I'm like you nailed it so but through that feedback we have ongoing um action committees I'll meet with my educators through the year go over the surveys and get their feedback They can 911 me at any time though and go Mel that's not working and we'll make that change. But we want to continually improve for impact so that it's makes sense for both sides of the table. So at the end of the day those students get what they need and the businesses felt they made an impact. So events again we're not an eventridden
032type of organization. We we have done a panel of experts again bringing um top-notch innovative ideas um to our community to inspire and educate. But this year we're we replaced our panel of experts withformational breakfast on our junior achievement discovery center. We have a community meeting and our annual awards dinner is really where we celebrate the partnerships. So that's it. We are truly here to partner with our education leaders. I work very closely with superintendent Hyde. Um his assistant superintendent head of programs are really my hip-to-hip that we meet. I talk to them almost daily. Um our community liaison Janette Crowley supporting her efforts. Um the list is very long. Um programming like um Pulk Rise with Katie Marsh. We are very missional aligned in her work. So it's things like that that elevate the
033business voice. their partnership, the commitment and supporting our educators. Thank you. Questions. >> Oh, >> Wendy is assisting. >> It's not working. I don't know. We don't have the list. >> And partner very closely with Wendy. She's amazing. >> It's not working. >> There we go. Oh. Mr. Sh. >> Oh, um, want to first just start by saying thank you. Um, thank you for partnering and your vision for connected Pulk. I mean, you've you've you spoke directly to my heart. You know, me and you have had conversations about career tech education, something I'm very passionate about. Um, so all the hard work you do and your whole staff, your whole staff of two plus an intern, I just want to say thank you first and foremost. Um, something that really caught my ear when you're
034talking about it is, you know, as an educator, I've done virtual field trips before and they're great, but the key, I think, and something that's interesting that you're doing is bringing that industry expert into the classroom because a lot of times students will have questions on a virtual field trip, but there's no one there to answer it except for the teacher who may or may not know about that that industry. So, having that industry expert, I think, is going to be critical and thank you for that. Uh my question is um so let's say a a business is uh watching this presentation right now and they're like wow I really want to get involved. What is the best way for a business to to uh connect with you to get invol to get involved in
035your organization? >> Thank you. Great question. Before I answer that, I also partner very much with Leanne Bennett. Um she's amazing. Ty Bruno, I just have to give my thank yous out. Um just contact me, reach out smoke signals. Um we work first with our community. Um, but I work with any business, any business that wants to inspire and educate students, um, I'll put them into our, we have a very long list of dates and as you saw, lots of opportunities. So, I'll strategically listen to how they want to accomplish that and then match them up. >> Thank you, Dr. Ryder. >> Of course, melody at connected.org connectedpulk.org or Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh, next, Miss Miller. >> Thank you. Thank you for hanging on with our technical difficulties. >> Yes. >> Um I
036just want to say I if people haven't followed your organization, the difference that you made since 2022 and encompassing this entire county, I think that was my biggest um you know, when I would have conversations, I would say we have 17 municipalities. If we're not moving those municipalities, it really I mean Lakeland can move, but not without those other municipalities coming along. Not if we're going to break the circle of poverty and create employment opportunities. So, I've seen that and that's been the biggest um lift I think is to to work with all of those people and community in business the business community. Um being the board member for Tenerok and attending a lot of the 3D things watching students when you said that students only know their surroundings or their neighborhood or where they're
037from. I think the best example of that is students working on the delt on the um delta project where they had to describe the experience of waiting in an airport when many of them had never been to an airport um and having to research what that was and how they could improve it. I think the community sharing those experiences which you do very passionately which I appreciate. Um I I share your passion in that because some putting those people together in the room with our students and being able to make those connections. I have watched that happen and I think that's been the most beneficial. Um understanding that there are students that are our students are highly eager to enter the workforce. They need guidance on what's available to them in our community. So, we're
038not only supplying the next entrepreneur, but we are supplying our business community with all of their roles that they need. Um, that's been the biggest I think the biggest thing I've seen from the organization and being able to, you know, we brought themies. There's so much they can do and just pushing them to the next level is what what connect Pulk Ed has been able to start. So, I'm super excited about that. I want to encourage our community members to get involved. um even if it's volunteering with those 3D projects or you know having the opportunity to go and talk to our students. Um so I appreciate what the organization is doing and what your work here has done and the passion you bring to that. Sometimes you know logistics isn't exciting but you surely
039try to make it that for students. So thank you. >> Thank you Miss Miller. Dr. Allen. >> Thank you Miss Collins. Uh really appreciate you being in the boardroom today Dr. Ryder. Uh it really is hard to imagine uh 2022 and I just think about the amount of infrastructure around this. So thank you for your passion and your persistence on this. Huge. Um I was really struck with the stat that you shared. You know 74% if they had better access felt, you know, confident in some career choices. So, you know, reflecting on, you know, some of the business partnerships we currently have, do you think there's any particular sector that you would like to see more of um that, you know, if they are listening and they're in that business sector that they would step
040out and um and join hands and and partner to benefit our students? >> That is a great question. Thank you for that. I I think um I have a lot of engagement with skills trade, which of course passionate of mine. um logistics and manufacturing. I'd like to see more. There's lots of opportunities for those that don't know, they don't have a trajectory onto even tech or higher ed that there's a great career path in those areas as well as it cyber um they don't get out much and I'd like to see more of them. Um, and so if I was going to have an ask, uh, for people listening, uh, logistics, manufacturing, cyber, and IT, >> um, lot of support through healthcare here, um, skills, trade. So, yes, >> that's awesome. Okay. Uh, and you
041know, again, your words were just rich with metaphors and so forth, and I just love all these, you know, I'm thinking of glue and the bridge and so forth, but one that stuck out to me was the deserts of exposure, right? And I, you know, think what I don't know 174 school sites collectively in PK County and right um I did you mention 17, right? >> Yes. >> What uh what particular area around the county uh do you think um you know one of our schoolbased leaders you know maybe hearing this um would step up and take part in partnering with you? >> Well, we haven't reached all the public high schools yet. Um that's more bandwidth. Um, I've had great partnerships with our head of programs and our assistant principles. I just haven't reached
042all the way to Davenport. We are in Ridge Community. We are in Fort Maid. We are in Malberry and Embarto now. Um, so it's that in between Lake Wells area that in Davenport I need to get more involved with. >> Yeah. >> And working on Roosevelt right now. So my educators are awesome. I'm blessed. I really am. I It's just getting there um as we scale. Mhm. And I loved um you know in your presentation just the uh strategic target dates of April and May uh for those graduates about to step out into the workforce and and maybe searching uh huge. And then you know I'm thinking about this you know obviously from a higher ed standpoint the struggle that we have in tracking our alumni even in the higher ed situations. Um, and I
043know School Links is a a really great tool that I'm hoping will allow us to track that. Any any thoughts around that? You know, because obviously we want to track the the success of our students moving beyond high school. >> Yes. Yes, I do work with tech and higher ed. I didn't include that in my presentation. Um, but yes, school links will will inspire and educate them on their own. And so when it'll just be another exposure, another way to create an informed graduate and help their trajectory onto higher ed because it'll show them that path right in school links. This is what you're interested in. This is how you get there. These are the organizations that will truly help you and are the opportunities you want to um research deeper. And so I've been
044behind the scenes onboarding businesses on school links. I it's been a lot. Um but I tell them that they have to play a role and they have to engage in this manner to make a difference because if they're not there and they don't have a presence, how they're going to know how are they going to know outside of other others getting them in front of them, right? >> Indeed. >> Important. >> Thank you, Dr. Ryder. Appreciate you. >> Thank you. >> That's all I have, Miss Collins. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Allen. Uh Mr. keys. >> So, the disadvantage to being slow on the button is everybody says what you would like to say before you get a chance to. But first, I just want to say thank you for you and your team.
045The energies you bring um to this is absolutely outstanding. And before coming on to the board, I I witnessed that firsthand. And being a member of the business community, I really appreciate what you do. One of the things that I was really excited about is the rebranding that took place. And I think as Miss Miller spoke to is that to encompass the entire county I think was instrumental in in kind of creating that goal and the vision. And one of the things you said was absolutely outstanding as we're talking about these businesses and part of their strategic plan is wanting to connect to the schools. And a powerful thing about that is listening right to business and industry and where are their gaps and how can we assist them. And I think thinking about it
046from that way and taking that type of approach is absolutely fantastic and and and really makes the business community feel like they're engaged. Um, the other thing I wanted to say is, you know, I've seen I've been to those 3D events and and seeing the excitement the students have in participating, I think it just it all comes together so well. And if we can continue to bring the business community together with education um, and create pathways for these students because you do have these areas where, you know, I was kind of one of those too. I think I changed my major two or three times in college, you know, when I was there. And because of the same you made that statement, if I would have seen these type of opportunities when I was in
047school, the pathway I could have taken would have would have greatly benefited, I think, you know, and overall um goals and and being able to achieve. So again, thank you for you. Thank you for what you do and and um for being engaged and also for engaging us, you know, and being kind of a a partner we can come to to be out in the community and and and voice the concerns that we have. So appreciate you. You're doing a great job. Thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Keys and Miss Fields. >> Thank you for your presentation today. Um I had a question about the schools. Do you have a list of the schools that you all are working with? I don't really need it right this minute,
048but that would be nice to know. >> Absolutely. >> And then can you tell us a little bit more about the community meeting that you're going to be having in January? What does that look like? Yes, that's a connected pulk um community meeting. We started it last year um to bring together our community. We are a community um that share passion and purpose for our work. What we like to do at that meeting is update um because I we work so behind the scenes. We don't like to celebrate until things are across a finish line, but we do want everyone to know in our community what we're working on and what part they can play to help impact that progress. um we celebrate successes and just come together as a community and know that it's
049it's a partnership and it's just a a day to celebrate that as well. >> It's like an update, an annual update. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And then my other question is I I thought it was interesting that you said that Ideal School has the most on the waiting list. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Do you know what that number is compared to other counties? I >> I do not. >> Yeah. That's interesting, though. Yeah, >> because I've heard a lot of neat things about IDEA. >> Yeah, >> I just was interested in knowing what that looks like as it relates to to numbers. >> Yeah, we're having in November we're having the uh ribbon cutting. So, I'll invite you to that. Um andor I'm very connected with them. I could always ask that that question. >>
050Thank you, Miss Fields. Before we we leave, I just want to recognize and acknowledge the work that I've done with Dr. Ryder and, you know, working in schools for as long as I have. We always have very high expectations of schools and Dr. Ryder and her team that bring that paralleled high level of support which sometimes that's the disconnect. We have high expectations but we don't support enough and I just want to publicly thank you because you've been amazing you and your team to work with. >> Thank you. And you all have tolerated my persistence and communication and desire. Um so I thank all of you. your your job is immense and so very important and we support and appreciate you all fully. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, next we're going to move on
051and I believe Byron Morrison, senior director with the Division of Schools is here and he's going to share updates with us on school improvement plans. Hello. All right. Good morning. How's everyone doing? Sorry, this is very high-tech. All right. Good morning. Um, as Miss Collins said, my name is Byron Morrison. I'm one of the senior directors, um, for the division of schools. I support the Northwest region, um, which is mainly North Lakeland. Um, and I'm excited to be able to fill in today, um, for Miss Bennett, who's out with the superintendent, uh, just to give you an update on the school improvement process that we've, uh, taken. So, thank you to the board for having me today. Thank you, Miss Collins, um for inviting me to come speak on this particular area of our work.
052I'm sorry about that. Okay, so the school improvement plan process um is something that's been identified by the state. Um as you know, all students um or all schools are required to complete one as a part of that continuous um improvement process. Um and there is some statute language in there. the new pro the new platform that we use the SIMS 2 as it's being called. It allows schools to meet all those statutory requirements um based on the different fields that have to be filled out and completed. Um it also includes the ESSA components which is a part of that every student succeeds act. Um and it really targets those subgroups um that are identified within campuses. Um and just for the record we do have a variety of subgroups including u the ethnical ones.
053So, black, white, African, um, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, but also we have some other ones, um, that are attached to more so, uh, status. So, thinking about programming for ELLL, English language learners, and our students with disabilities. Um, and we also do, um, have the different tags, and I'll kind of go into those with the ATSI, TSI, and CSI um, designations, and we'll kind of talk a little bit what that looks like um, for each campus as well. >> Okay. So, as Miss Collins mentioned earlier, um we talked very much about um high expectation but also high support. Um so, one thing that Miss Bennett um and the team um that was a part of this process did, we really wanted to make sure that we empowered principles to have a good process as they
054go through the school improvement piece. So, we offered these help sessions and we built a timeline. Uh one of the first pieces was uh Mrs. Bennett um was able to work with the new principles at the new and novice trainings back in the summer. Uh so she was able to get in front of them to give them some different pointers around what the school improvement process should look like um things things to think about in terms of how we reflect on those processes and building out those appropriative narratives um and action plan steps. Then we had a variety of um help sessions that were offered through uh Microsoft Teams. Again, a first one for our new and novice principles to make sure they felt comfortable with the process um because they were taking over campuses
055for the first time even though they may have had a part in the school improvement process as assistant principles. wanted to make sure they really felt comfortable as the building leaders um with those. Then we did one for the charters. We did a separate one there because a lot of our charter schools that process isn't as familiar for some of them. So giving them the opportunity to come in and meet with the team to go through their data and give some pointers and um advice on how they can build strong um school improvement plans themselves. And then finally um offering out to everyone. So, our veteran administrators because we have a lot of vets that may have taken over new campuses or moved levels um from elementary to middle or middle to elementary, middle to
056high um or schools that are in combo um spaces. So, making sure that they felt comfortable in their new spaces. So, still offering and being a listening ear for them as well through those help sessions. So, they were all getting similar support um but it kind of varied depending on the needs where they were able to just kind of have open questions and we were able to get them the right types of answers. All right. All right. So, in July 18th, all SIPs were due to the regional um assistant superintendent for feedback. Um that was back in July. Uh July 18th, I believe, was the date. Um and those were reviewed. So, we had a form within the division of schools that we use um as a common form and we just offered feedback to
057the SIPs that were um submitted in their draft form. And a lot of the feedback was really more around asking probing questions around the action steps that they want to take and really drilling down on the plan for monitoring, making sure that schools have a solid understanding. Okay, how are you going to monitor the many things that you want to accomplish um within your SIP over the course of the year? Those revisions once they got that feedback, revisions were submitted back to the regionals for a final approval to make sure that everything looked good. Um and then the SIPs of course were submitted to the state by um August 1st. Um and right now we also have um we're at the point where we're getting ready to move into the space where they'll be published.
058I believe November 1st is going to be the published date where they're made available to the public. Uh CSI S plans. Um, so those are those schools that fall into that comprehensive support. Um, and we'll talk a little bit more about that in a couple of slides, but those plans in addition to being reviewed by us at the district, they're also reviewed by the state um, with the Bureau of School Improvement. Okay, so here are some of these identifiers and you see that we have a lot of designated statuses here. Uh, ATSI, that's basically for a school that has a subgroup that's performing under 41%. TSI is for a school that has a subgroup that's performing under 41% for three consecutive years or if they get a federal I'm sorry if they have at least
059one subgroup that's performing under 32% for three consecutive years. So 41 is the key threshold to get you flagged but 32% really gets you it's like a more of an alarming flag. So three years at 32% um on the federal index will get you that TSI. CSI is more of a multitude of things. Um, one of the key ways is if you have a subgroup that's six years or more consecutive with a particular subgroup performing under 41, if you have a overall federal index of under 41, or if of course you have a um D or F school grade. Um, and then for the high school specifically, if you find um that the graduation rate is 67% or lower, um that will get you an automatic CSI designation. Okay, so this is kind of what
060ESSA looks like here on our district right now. Um, so ATSI this include and this information does include the public and the charter schools. Um, we have 39 uh ATSI sites. So those are the schools that have that one that's performing under the 41% but not necessarily for six consecutive years. We have one that's TSI and then we have 56 that are CSI. Um, at the bottom though, I do want to note that we have 40 schools that currently have no designation, which is a really big win, especially as compared to the other large districts in our state. Um, so I can think of two schools off the top of my head, Southwest Middle, Westwood Middle, both have cleared their designations um, as of this last school year. So, we have a lot of great
061things happening um, with our schools doing the right work um, and with our CSI sites. um for the ESSA subgroups, we have two very very strong focus areas that we're leveraging um with this district leadership to move some of those as well. All right, so the district requirements. So as you can see across the board, all of them require you to submit that S plan uh to the district for approval. The big one is the midyear reflection. Um we are trying to be uh much more diligent this year as a district around the midyear reflections, but also what we're doing before the midyear reflection. And so tailoring a lot of our visits when we go out to campuses and leveraging, you know, the school improvement plan to make sure that those things are happening and
062make sure that the schools feel comfortable with the monitoring or making adjustments as needed. Um but the formal um midyear reflection is due February 1st. Uh for the schools that are TSI and CSI, uh CSI schools also get a little bit of additional layers. So they have some deliverables that may be due to the Bureau of School Improvement. Um they may have on-site support from a specialist from the Bureau of School Improvement as well. Um and then again we just make sure that we submit those all in and we monitor them uh for the effective implementation. Keyword monitor. Okay. And then this is just the timeline and the due date. So we've already uh hit one. The SIPs were due. Um so those have already been submitted to the state uh November 1st. So as
063I mentioned earlier, they will be available to the public. Uh so public will be able to review those um from the PDF form on that SIP on the SIMS platform with the state. Um, and then those mid-year reflections will be due uh February 1st of 2026. Um, and again, we'll be working handinhand with schools to support them to make sure they feel good about their midyear reflections. Okay, that's all I got. Any questions for me? >> Dr. Allen, >> just wow. just want to say just want to say really appreciate this data um and just giving us that big broad perspective. You know, as board members, we've all received our uh our packets, uh you know, with school improvement plans across the district and within our individual districts. Um I was just, you know, probing
064the website a little bit and definitely I I like some of the enhancements of that. That's something that I I've definitely looked at in the past. Um, one thing I love to surprise my principles when I come out and visit and uh, you know, I evaluate their SIP and I'll ask them a specific question. They're like, "Oh, you read that thing like,"Yeah, absolutely. This is great data." Um, and just to see the alignment with our strategic plan is uh, very affirmative. So, appreciate the work. Thanks for the data. Very thorough. Appreciate you. >> No other questions. Thank you, Mr. Morrison. >> You're welcome, Miss Collins. Have a great day. Thank you everyone. >> Okay, at this time I believe Teresa Green is going to come forward and share with us proposed rule development for schoolboard
065policies and Mr. Davis. >> Good morning everyone. >> Good morning. Um, so we have 11 policies before you today as you um I think Chad talked to you um during one of the board retreats about we're breaking up these policies over the next several meetings to get them um through the process to get us up, you know, up to date. And so this is these are all the policies from our 6000s and 7,000s groups. Um so there's 11 that I'm bringing for you today. There are a few that are still hanging out there that we'll bring to you at a later meeting um from the 6000s and 7000s group. The majority of these um today come from the first seven come from the uniform grant guidance which is the office of management and budget like
066federal guidance. They update these periodically and then takes those um updates and revises the policy. So some of them are based on you know statutory requirements, some administration priorities. It also just helps clarify specific sections of the policies like best practices, um improve flow, address inconsistencies, and then um the goal is just to improve federal financial assistance management, transparency, and oversight just to make it more um accessible and easily understandable guidance. So that's going to be policy 6110 grants grant funds 6111 internal controls 6112 cash management of grants 6114 cost principles spending federal funds 6325 procurement federal grants and funds 7310 disposition of surplus surplus property and 7450 property inventory. Do you have any questions on any of those policies before we move on? >> Miss Miller, >> I just want to I don't I'm
067trying to pull up the summary that's on the um agenda. >> It looks and I can't find what I was reading, but I can tell you that I sent an email just to be helpful for next time. And I think we've mentioned this before on these summaries when um you're giving the summary of the change if it could include if it could include um I'll just read the one is revisions include modifications to various definitions. It's not a clear summary of what we've changed. It would be helpful because the public reads that if I can have a clearer explanation of what um we're changing or at least defining if we're not doing it because of nola then what was like what was why are we why are we changing at that time is it to
068meet a legislative requirement um and then why is nola changing it just I think I I just need a little bit more information and if phone calls ahead of time would be preference that I mean I can do that as well it's just when I read revisions include modifications to various definitions I know as a public person if to read that they would want more information on why are you revising who is initiating the revision is it changing a practice um so that's all and that and the summary would it would be helpful for me if the summaries were a little more detailed in in the change and I appreciate that we use niola but nola is a tool and I want to know that my staff is reviewing and making suggestions more than just
069because Niola said >> so I will say and I know Mr. Mr. Davis is here to um expound on that. We do whatever revisions we get from Neiola. So all of our guidance for our policy updates usually um come from Niola. So that's based off either legislative changes or as they're reviewing policies trying to clean them up. Sometimes removing outdated information, not necessarily because of a legislative change, but just because information could be outdated or we could say it more clearer. Um we do always send it to staff. So staff is always looking at this. We do also sit down with um both of our attorneys to go through the policies before we bring them to you. So, it's not just taking Neiola's recommendations. It's also staff looking at it and making sure that it
070aligns with the way we do things here and our attorneys before we bring it to you. >> Yeah, >> I thank you. I appreciate that. I think it's just confusing if we're changing definitions, but it's not because of legislation. If we could just get the reason we changed it or the staff's opinion of why it needed to be changed. So, um, actually that's what this this uh work session is for. Our staff are here. If you have questions, this is where we have that conversation. Um, to put everything into writing just to preempt the meeting. Um, it's it's really an extra step that I don't know that is really feasible. um because they're these are we can give you a long document that you can also read in addition to reading the policies but this
071is really where that conversation that public conversation happens. So if you have a one you're looking at that you have questions on our staff is here prepared to to speak to it and the public can then hear the reasoning behind some of the changes that are being made. >> Okay. So, can somebody can you explain the revisions include modifications to various definitions, but they're not def they're not revisions from legislative change. They were revised um due to Nola's suggestions. >> What policy are we talking about? >> Which one are we talking about? >> Let me go back to the It's the first one. It was on the summary, the original summary. >> So, the grant funds Paul 6110. Is that what we're talking about or >> I'm going back. The summary is not on the
072summary that I was there an update to the because now I don't see the summary at all here. Okay, here's the summary. The email was sent yesterday and it hold on one second. I'll look for the policy and the public is always free to reach out. um our contact information is on there. So if the public has questions um we are more than happy to take those uh calls and have meetings whatever the public needs to make sure that they are clear on what is happening here. >> Um it looks like it's been updated. So my question is when we do the revisions that are not legislatively mandated but Niola's suggestion you're advising that the community andor reach out either at this time or before to find out. I'm just trying to provide information so
073you're not backlogged with with questions. >> We've not had anyone reach out so we I I don't know how much that would be. >> Okay. It might not be on this one. It'll be on others. I'm just going from summaries in the past. So, what I'll do is go pull the old summaries that we used to get and we can compare them to what we're getting now to see if there's a way that we can improve them for the public. Did you have something to Okay. >> Yes, Miss Miller. Um, Mr. Davis and and Miss Griffin provide us the departments. This one actually falls under me with a summary when we start our review process. >> Okay. >> And um it might be helpful if the board sees that so they can I'm going to
074ask that they send you a copy. But for this one, the Office of Management and Budget revised several parts of their OM guidelines, which is what triggered the review. >> Okay. >> So then, um, we went back and looked at that. We looked at title 2. I talked with the grants department. We went through the policy, and that's where these changes came from, but I think this might be what you're looking for. >> I do also want to say that what I sent, Heather, is also what is in here. >> It's attached to that. It's in the PowerPoint and it's on the summary, >> but it came from the same um the same language is literally copied and paste from what I sent her to what I put in here. >> So, the revisions came
075from that from >> the office of management budget. >> Okay. So, that in the summary, it just said they were made if we could add and I get that you have it in the document, but that one document would be helpful. I'll just send >> the summary. I'm I don't know if we're looking at the same summary because the summary that I attached to the agenda says the office of management and budget revised several parts of the OM guidance for grants and agreements and which is the same thing that Heather has. >> Okay. I'll forward what I sent Mr. Hyde yesterday because what was attached previously is not is not what I'm seeing here. >> Okay. I don't I'm not sure what happened there because the the attachment for these policies explains all of the
076OM regulations the same that I sent to staff to Heather and her. It must have been a previous attachment because it >> I'm not sure. I I don't know. I'm sorry about that. >> No, it's fine. And you guys do a great job. I'm trying to make it easier for people who are >> you include the because Mola sends us a synopsis of why the policies are being revised and I try to include that exact language on the summary and on the PowerPoint that I do so that it's clear what's coming from statute, what's just coming from Neiola cleaning up the policy. And so I I try to include the same language everywhere. >> Okay. I appreciate >> But yeah, let me know if there's ways to improve it. >> No. And I and this
077is not a criticism of what you do because I don't know how you manage all of these at one time, but I but I do appreciate you looking at that and I'll forward it to you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thanks, Miss Miller. Any other question? >> I have a few more policies. Were there any questions on those before I move on to the other policies? >> Okay. >> No. Okay. Oh, >> Dr. Allen. I was curious. >> Yeah, I was curious on policy 7240. That's pretty expansive. Um, >> okay. >> Replacement. I don't know if we >> got So, I have a few more. Did you have any questions on the first seven that >> thought we did? >> I was cur is that prompted by the state statute change that there's
078>> 7240. Yeah, because we're rescending the previous one and replacing. >> So 7240 part of it there there were statute changes that were added to that policy. Also, our policy differed significantly from the Neola template from when we originally adopted the policy back in 2013 or whatever it was. And so we're aligning our policy to fit the Neola template more so that when we have these revisions and things, it's easier to update. Um but there also were the statutory um from um 1013 and uh the 119.07 that were added to this policy. So it was just to make a cleaner policy for moving forward. >> Yep. And I guess top of mind and this could be a question for Mr. Green, uh we are in the midst of going through a site acquisition, you know,
079process. Does this change where we're at? And Mr. Mr. Green, you don't have to answer this now, but uh could be something that, you know, I'd like to have a response from. >> I know when speaking with staff about it um with facility staff, it aligns with what we're currently doing. >> Um and they actually preferred the Neola template over what our current policy was. It was just more detailed. >> Yeah. Okay, >> that's all I have, Miss Collins. Thank you, >> Mr. Green. Did you >> just that um We'll keep that in mind. We'll keep that in mind when we're for the current or future site acquisitions, but I didn't see any inconsistencies with and we ran that by staff as well. Thanks. Thank you. >> Mr. Sharpless, >> I was going to wait
080till after you presented 7240, but >> So, yeah, but I mean, >> since we're already there at 7240, I'll I'll go ahead and ask my question. Um so the the previous one the the policy we rescended um specifically says in the first paragraph of it um the first sentence I guess um the district must undertake the process of site planning and selection as determined in in the adopted interlocal agreement for public school facility planning and when I read the replacement policy there's no reference to the interlocal agreement and so I was just curious how that will be impact impacting the site selection process. >> Um I can't speak specifically to how >> site acquisition process. >> Um I'm not sure Josh if you have any thing to >> so that's a great uh great question
081board member sharpless. So policy 7240 lays out our how we actually acquire property and there are references to the interlocal agreement. The interlocal agreement is a district adopted uh joint planning agreement between the district and all the municipalities. So 7240 is part of the equation about how we go about uh identifying and acquiring property. But the ILA interp is more of a joint planning tool to make sure that when where we are identifying properties that we are looking to acquire that it aligns with the cities or the county's capital improvement projects. I.e. we're not going to go buy a piece of property that there's no utility lines out there for. So it's it's that's where the two nest. >> And then I guess my question is should that also be included in the new policy
082that we're adopting um the reference to that interlocal agreement. >> You're saying that um that line >> well well it just says that you know as determined in the adopted interlocal agreement for public schools planning and then I I didn't see that in the the new one but I guess board member keys has a has a comment to that. So >> yeah, and I don't know if I'm off on this one, but I would think that the last line of the >> second paragraph in the newly um adjust policy, the additionally the board will coordinate with long range or comprehensive plans of local, regional, state, government agencies kind of doesn't call out the ILA, but suggest, am I wrong in saying that? It doesn't make it clear, but all of our municipal uh cities and
083the county adopt by reference our uh 5-year capital plan, 10-year capital plan, and 20-year by reference. So, there's still that mechanism that they still adopt our fiveyear, 10 year, 20-year capital plan as outlined in the interlocal agreement. So, there it is consistent between the interlocal agreement, comprehensive planning from the cities and the county and policy 7240. I and and and I apologize for interrupting Mr. sharpest, but I I I I tend to agree with what you're saying on that that if we have the ILA in place and it's specifically called that. I think that they need to be cross referenced that needs to anything the municipalities has needs to reference 1740 in our policy but also we need to you know speak out also in that what we're calling it so there is no confusion
084only only for the subject of being hey I can make the assumption on that last line of the second paragraph that that's what it's you know communicating but if we can if we have something in place if we reference spec if reference it specifically that gets rid of any gray because as we know how gray sometimes policy can be. >> So we can um take that language from our existing policy that sentence so that we make sure that it actually names the interlocal agreement um and just add it to that section um that Mr. Keys just pointed out if that's the consensus and Mr. Green if that's what you think would make this policy a little stronger. Yeah. Okay. So, this won't come to public hearing until December 9th, if I'm if my math is
085right now. So, we can make those changes before it comes to public hearing and add that statement in there. >> We had more comments on it though, too. >> Okay. Mr. Sharpless, were you done with your comments? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Mr. with your comments. Uh, Miss Wyatt, >> thank you. Um, I actually would advocate for leaving it as is and not specifically mentioning the interlocal agreement partially for the reason of, you know, we in the interlocal agreement specifically took language out of state statute that is no longer language in state statute and now we're working on getting out of that. Um, I think that it makes sense to reference that we're working with our local governments and to use the interlocal agreement more as a procedural guide, not necessarily keeping it in policy
086to we've signed an interlocal agreement. It is an agreement between all of our municipalities. Um, but leaving it as that's the procedure that backs up this policy. I don't know that we need to reference it by name as opposed to would be my my thoughts, but I think Mr. Keys disagrees with me. >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Wyatt and Miss Fields. >> Thank you. I agree with Miss um Miss Wyatt. I think that that last statement on the second paragraph uh would take care of that. >> Mr. Keys. >> Yeah. So, it's interesting that Miss White brought that up because you've kind of I wouldn't say I've seen the light, but I will tell you that in in last week in going through policy and governance through FSBA, one of the things that we had
087mentioned in group session was to in policy, right, make reference to procedures directly. So I think where I tend to agree with you're saying I think I think that like the you know reference before that last paragraph the last sentence of the second paragraph makes sense and it does that. I think that if we start doing that then there is a procedure in place that we have to have something that references it directly. So if I agree with you, what I'm saying is that there's a procedure in place and that's a signed document and an agreement and we can go reference it, but there should be somewhere noting that here's the policy and here's the procedure which we we we exercise or enforce that policy. Does that make sense? So the what we talked about
088in that meeting is is to say hey when policy is proposed having some type of reference whatever it may be to the procedure that matches the policy because I think that's a big disconnect sometime is having procedure that matches that. I don't know how that's accomplished but I think it's helpful to note at least. Thank you >> Miss Green. >> Okay. Um, so I just want to make sure that I get clarification on how to move forward on that one. So we will just leave it as is for public hearing and then I mean I'm not sure how I should move for I want I just want to make sure I have clear direction moving forward leaving from here. >> Yep. Procedurally, I would say that um if if a board member would like to
089see a change that you work with your general counsel on some language and propose that as an amendment um because uh we really shouldn't be taking any kind of an action here. Uh we talk about consensus a lot and if there was a general, you know, consensus without differing of opinions, that may be one thing we could come back and work on. Um and and if you have any questions or things you want to explore, we can do that research for you, work with Niola, come up with ideas, but procedurally the the cleanest way to do that would be to bring it as an amendment and uh and yeah, during the public hearing, bring it as an amendment. Um if you have things you prepare before the board meeting, which would be ideal, we could
090get that out to you so you have it in writing to see what's being considered. But as far as us being able to take direction from individual board members that could be conflicting, that that would be very difficult to do at this point in the work session. Dr. Allen. >> Yeah, I was going to speak in favor >> I was just going to speak in favor of the interlocal agreement. I know it has been part of our discussion and I I don't know where that document is at this point as far as because I know it's been um something that's been in discussion, right? So, and I I would probably more align with Mr. keys that we do need to have a unifying document. Um that I think collectively as a county that we're referencing
091and I know that that discussion to clean that language up has been initiated already. I don't know where we're at in that. Um but I would I would be in favor of that. Uh so I don't know, Mr. Green, how you want to proceed from here. Good question. So um the new language at the very bottom it talks about um well I'd say the um the current policy references 101336 the statute and among other things um under the negotiations section it says the superintendent shall be responsible for site acquisition negotiations and compliance with other provisions set forth in Florida statute 101336. Looking at 101336 subsection 6, it says if the school board and local government have entered into an interlocal agreement or have developed a process to ensure consistency between the local government comprehensive plan
092and the school district education facilities, site planning and selection must be consistent with the interlocal agreement and plan. So in other words, it's incorporated by reference into the statute because it says we're going to comply with 101336. So without specifically naming it, I think we're we're still going to be in compliance with it. I think we're I think we're okay. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Um the last um couple of policies, just a note on policy 6234, which is use of lottery discretionary funds. Um, this is more of a technical change. There were just two legal references added to the policy, but we included it here. There's also a drafting note um that's just for um board members um and staff to review. It won't live on the policy once it's in our manual,
093but it just notes that even though um lottery funds aren't currently allocated right now, that um they're still referenced in Florida law. So, we can leave um school boards have the authority to decide whether to keep this policy or not. We don't currently have lottery funds allocated, but it's still in state law and it could and so we could just leave the policy as is. There were two statutes that um were updated in it. Um so, that's where we stand on that policy. Um so, the recommendation is just to leave it in our policy manual. And then policy 7540.02 02 web content apps and services and then 7550 or 7544 use of social media. Um those are also almost technical changes. It just we're changing uh Twitter to X is now called X. So that's
094changed in the policy. Um and then there were a couple like grammatical things changed in that policy as well. Any more questions, >> Dr. Allen? >> No, I'm good. Thank you. >> Okay. U Miss Miller, >> thanks. I just um want to go back to the lottery funds. We're leaving it in case one day there's magic and they decide to return those back. >> Exactly. >> Okay. >> Exactly. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions from the board? Thank you, Miss Griffin, Mr. Davis. Appreciate it. We're going to go ahead and move on to item four, which is uh senior director Candy Motto. She's going to come forward with the schools of male charter renewal. Good morning Candy. Good morning everyone. All right. So before you today is the schools of mackil actual renewal for
095the three existing mckles which is South Mackielle which serves grades K6, Mackielle Academy Central which also serves K6 and Mackil Academy Technology which is 712. Um just some historical information just something really quick snapshot since there are three schools all three are considered high performing and because of that they've been or they've earned the designation of a high-erforming charter system. So, um, in 1998, Big Mackil, as we always call it because it's just easier, Big McKill Academy, um, converted from a district school to a charter school. In 2003, they added McKill Central. 2006, they added South McKill. And then in 2013, they were designated as a high performing charter school by the state of Florida. In today's presentation for the renewal, we will be looking at two specific uh statutes. the charter statute 102.33 and
096then the high-erforming charter statute 10002.331. Um because they are recognized as a high performing charter system, they are eligible for 15-year renewal. And we have three grounds in which to non-renew and they are spelled out. They're very specific. Basically, they fail to participate in the educational accountability system, which they can't do because they're high performing. So, which means they do participate. They um are not financially solvent or they're not meeting financial needs. Not a problem. Or there's a material violation of law, which that has not come to light. So, this is Big Mackielle's actual overview snapshot of their school grades and their performance. So, the big chart obviously goes back to 2015. Clearly, you can see they have been consistently in a school, high performing. The bottom chart is last year's data. Obviously, they are
097missing a school grade for 2021, but good reason. So, as you can see, they are consistently high performing. They're testing 100% of their kids, and their grad rate speaks for itself. South McKill, which is the K6 school, again, it it their data starts back from 2007. They do have a couple of B's sprinkled in there, but not enough to um determine that they're, you know, they're doing what they need to be doing. Last year, they also were a high earned an A and again testing 100% of their students. McKill Central, same thing. They're consistently an A school dating back to and again testing 100% of their kids and showing that they are academically uh high performing. Budget-wise, there are no no issues, no concerns. They are definitely financially solvent. As you can see, they have
098a healthy fund balance. Their audits are always clean. There is no concerns or reservations um about their financial status. This is their ideal growth plan. Again, this is just their plan. Things change, but this is what they're looking at when they're wanting to renew for 15 years. So this is approximately what their enrollment would look like over the course of the next 15 years for the three McKill schools. And then these are some remarks from the charter renewal team. Again, um they're performing exceptionally well in the area of ESSE. All students are being tested and accountability measures are strong. The assessment department did identify one area of growth and that is their middle school acceleration points. However, the McKill team and the assessment team are coordinating a meeting so that Mackielle can have a better
099understanding of how they can capture the rest of those middle school acceleration points. Um there's no concerns from the finance department. Um they are no issues with the ESOL and their students that they're serving. They are continuing to maintain a high level of standards and Mackielle demonstrates great teamwork. Overall, the recommendation of the charter renewal team was to basically renew them for 15 years. It was a pretty short and sweet meeting with the renewal team. >> Mr. Sharpless, >> first >> There we go. Uh, first just want to commend uh Mackil Academy uh for all the just excellence I've seen um you know uh in your data here. Certainly uh high performing is uh is something that comes to mind there. I the only question I have is I'm looking at the 15-year growth plan.
100Um and I see you know McKill Academy Technology and South McKill Academy I see growth there and Mackil Academy Central is stagnant at 590 and I'm just curious on if you can speak to to is is that just a capacity issue like like what like how come there's no growth in that in that one school? >> We are landlocked Okay. >> We own that city block and that's all we all we own and it's covered. >> Okay. Okay. Excellent. I knew there was a reason. So, appreciate it. Thank you. >> Other comments or questions for Miss Amato? >> I wanted to say something, >> Miss Fields. >> Thank you. As it relates to McKill Academy Central, they're doing an amazing job there. I'm sure you know that. Uh Mr. backis and the other staff are
101just awesome. So, uh, the 590 when I saw that, I knew that it was basically a situation where they don't have any opportunity to to grow. If they did, I'm sure they would pack it up. >> I'm sure they would. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. So, this will come to the October 28th board meeting for a final uh vote. >> Okay. And the final thing that that I have today is item D. Just for information is the 2026 Head Start continuation grant. That information is attached in the agenda. And that is it for the superintendent report. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Collins. Great to have you over there. >> Thank you. Appreciate >> your thoughts and contributions today. Uh board members, uh I'm going to move down to our committee reappointments. This
102uh is brought before you for two reasons. Um we we do need to fill the appointments that Mr. Noly um was taking part in. And I would like to bring those two before you. That would be the Central Florida School Board Coalition and then the PK County Head Start Policy Council. um and would maybe take some recommendations from you all for individuals that could potentially serve uh in that capacity. >> Mr. Sharpless, you are recognized. >> Um I have a question. Do you know when these two organizations meet? How how frequently and um and what days and times? Yeah, I I don't have the absolute on the PK County Head Start Policy Council and Miss Evette can uh maybe pull that data for us how many times uh they're currently meeting. Uh I do know
103that if we go under our library, I think we can access that. I was looking at the Central Florida Schoolboard Coalition. That meeting is approximately once uh a month and it's via Zoom and that typically happens on a Monday at 9:30 a.m. All right, Miss Fields, you are recognized. >> I guess my question has been has anybody been attending the historic council meetings that you're aware of? because I know that it's a requirement >> but as a part of the grant that we have representation from from the board. So just out of curiosity and I know that they were meeting in um Lakeland on Central right down the street from Girls Inc. So I know that once a month I believe. >> Yeah, it looks like the Monday or rather it's Fridays at 9:00 a.m.
104and it's a monthly meeting. Did it move to Friday? Can anybody >> And if that's incorrect, we we do have staff to help us out. >> Good morning. Um PK County um Head Start Policy Council meets once a month and typically I believe it's the last Thursday of every month. I'm not sure if that will continue um but I believe that's what it's scheduled right now. Um we usually have been meeting at uh West area. We have now opened our Elbert Center on Elbert School campus and we are now going to be meeting there instead. >> And to answer your question, Mrs. Fields, there has not been anyone attending lately. >> Thank you. >> I believe it's at 9. Usually goes 9 to 10, 9 to 11, depending on what's on the on the agenda.
105All right, Miss Fields, are you uh All right, Miss Miller, are you recognized? >> Thank you. I appreciate um you mentioning that. And um also, chair, if we could discuss like have making sure there's an alternate because grants are important and they h I know they have a reporting mechanism that they have to um they have to meet even presenting to us. They have to like present to us in a training, you know, when they give us information that's also required from that grant. So maybe discussing an alternate would be helpful so we're not in deficiency. >> The one this Thursday um will be the wrap-up of the year from last year. The following month will be the first of the year and that one will include policy council training. Um and we definitely need
106to have someone there for that. >> And I I'll say they're well attended by families. Um I was surprised at how many families show to that even they were driving from east side to come to the west central or west adult school. Um so it's very important also some of the agencies that show up there. It's very helpful to the families and the families really appreciate having that connection as I mean we don't want to be just compliance driven as much as we are compliance driven for grants. It's important for families to be able to see representation. >> Yes. Thank you for saying that because it's not compliance driven for us at all. It's absolutely if it's not useful, then why do it, >> right? Thank you. >> All right. I'm still at this point
107looking for nominations or someone that can step in to fill that gap. Thank you, Miss Miller. Miss White, you're recognized. >> Thank you. I am happy to attend the one next Thursday if we just need to have a presence there. I'm a little concerned about signing up to do it the rest of the year just because I will likely I don't know when I'll be unavailable over the next two months. Um, but I'm happy to go this coming Thursday just to make sure there's someone there if needed. >> All right. Thank you, Miss Wyatt. Mr. Keys, you are >> recognized. And and unless this is absolutely instrumental that we handle this now, I think we need a little more information on do that because I know that calendars can get crazy. So, I I would
108be hesitant about committing to something that I wouldn't be able to fulfill. And so if I could, you know, get kind of a timeline or when the meetings were, I know we spoke about it, but just to see a document so I can match that to what current obligations are, I I would prefer that. Is this something that we are able to bring back immediately to our next work session or board meeting? I think a little bit of more time would help. And I I appreciate Miss White saying she'll fill in in the interm. That's very helpful. >> All right. Very good. Uh, so I'll have Miss Wyatt collect that data and we can look at the calendar for the remaining uh, time of the year >> to be No, I'll have Miss uh, Evette
109to get the future dates and send those out to you all. Um, and like I just as a followup, the other one, the Central Florida School Board um, Coalition, that one again meets on Mondays once a month um, via Zoom at 9:30. Um, I was looking at my calendar because I, you know, we do get the invites on those um, from the coalition and it seems pretty sporadic on which Mondays um, that one's happening. I was trying to see if there was a pattern. Um, just looking at my calendar and did not see that. So, I can double check on that one as well, but Miss Suvet will then get that information out to you. Um and then secondly, you can see also there the discussion around an alternate for the junior achievement as well
110would be another appointee um that we would like to do um just uh basically similarly to um fill the gap whenever we're um busy and our our calendars get tied up as well. So that would be another um recommendation I'd like to have from the board as well. Friday Friday mornings. >> Friday mornings. >> But what? Friday morning. >> Um, it's it they're not they haven't been monthly. So, it's been kind of >> documented. Let me >> All right. So again, uh, we can collect that from Mich, see if we have a schedule that's out for the remaining portion of the year and get that to you as well for someone to fill that gap. Um, so we'll have that uh to vote during our next public meeting as well. Miss Wyatt, anything else from
111you? >> I say miss, do you already have the dates for it? I we just had discussed it at the last work session. Um, I said I I have the dates on my calendar, I believe, already, but that I'm happy to fill in for those. Um, we've been working pretty closely with them in my other rule, so I already have those on my calendar to attend. >> All right. And Miss Miller, >> um, I was going to ask two things. One, I would be willing to be an alternate for Head Start. it is um very far from where I live and and my commitments are um if we're meeting at Elbert now which um my commitments can vary. So if I if we need if while people are looking at their schedules if somebody can
112can commit but maybe not make all the meetings to let me know but um I was going to ask chair in the library that you referenced it does it hold when these meetings meet and the times that would be helpful. Yeah, they do. Um, again, if up in the right hand side, if you click down on the library, >> so the JA meetings are there. >> Yes, they are. >> Okay, good. That'll help us. >> That one, it just says it meets every other month on Friday mornings. And and I don't know how accurate that one is, but again, just something that's continual that we have to update um throughout the year. >> All right, Mr. Shar. Sharpless, you're recognized. I I'm good now. We had discussion. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Sharpless. Um
113so at this point, we know Miss uh Wyatt has committed to the Head Start the upcoming. Correct. All right. And then we'll move from there. Um we'll get the calendar out to you for those two and then we meet together again. I'll look for those nominations and we'll vote on that during our action item. So, we'll have those as an action item on our next public meeting. All right. Now, uh we'll move down board members to our board member comments. So, here's an opportunity if you want to speak and bring anything forward at this point in regards to your committee work along the way. So, here's your opportunity. All right. Seeing no comments at this point, uh board members, this meeting is now adjourned.