##VIDEO ID:6iWHBnocmvo## >> I'M JESSICA VAUGHN, >> I'M JESSICA VAUGHN, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL PATROLLED. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE MORE WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS, INCLUDING CHILDREN STARTING WITH OUR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM AND PROGRAM AND CONTINUING WITH ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. >> I'M KAREN PEREZ, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA AND OUR TEAM IS MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. [SPANISH] >> OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. >> YOU ARE WELCOME TO MEET OR E-MAIL ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CHANNEL 32. >> MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. >> WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HillsboroughSchools.org. >> OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE, AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY MEANS ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] >>Jessica Vaughn: THE BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 17, 2024, IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER PEREZ WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF REFLECTION FOLLOWED BY THE BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I CHOSE THE FOLLOWING QUOTE FOR TONIGHT BECAUSE IT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORT, COMPASSION, AND UNDERSTANDING, ESPECIALLY DURING DIFFICULT TIMES TIMES LIKE POST-HURRICANE RECOVERY AND THE HOLIDAY SEASON. IT CONVEYS A MESSAGE OF UNITY AND CARE, HIGHLIGHTING THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT EMPATHY AND SOLIDARITY CAN HAVE ON ONE'S MENTAL HEALTH. DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, LET US REMEMBER THAT SUPPORT, COMPASSION, AND UNDERSTANDING ARE POWERFUL GIFTS WE CAN OFFER TO THOSE RECOVERING FROM CHALLENGES. TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A WARM AND CARING ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. AS THEY CONTINUE TO AS THEY CONTINUE TO REBUILD AND HEAL FROM THE IMPACT OF HURRICANE MILTON AND ANY OTHER TRAUMA THAT MAY BE IMPACTING THEIR LIVES. PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEMBER PEREZ, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? >>Karen Perez: I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THANK THE THANK THE GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA, ALONG WITH ORCHESTRA, ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL THOMAS MORRILL THOMAS MORRILL AND INSTRUCTOR JAMES JAMES HIGLET. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF OUR BOARD MEETING. AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE STUDENTS UP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. >> HI. NICHOLAS GARDNER. I PLAY VIOLIN. I'M A SENIOR. >> MY NAME IS JEFFREY EISEN. I'M A SENIOR AND I ALSO PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. MY NAME IS JASMINE PIERRE. I'M A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HOYLE. NATE. I'M A JUNIOR AND ALSO PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. MY NAME IS ELLA MY NAME IS ELLA CHAFEN. I'M A JUNIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> STEPHANIE LAWSON, SENIOR AND I PLAY THE I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. EVIE. SOPHOMORE AND I PLAY VIOLIN. >> HI. SKYLER. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS GABRIELLA. I'M A SENIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. SALINA. I'M A SENIOR AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS HANNA GAY. I'M A SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. MY NAME IS JESSICA. I'M A JUNIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI. AMANDA. JUNIOR. PLAY THE PLAY THE VIOLA. >> SARAH. JUNIOR, PLAY THE JUNIOR, PLAY THE VIOLA. >> JULIANNA. SOPHOMORE, PLAY THE SOPHOMORE, PLAY THE VIOLA. >> AUBREY. SENIOR, PLAY THE CELLO. >> WILLIS. I'M A SENIOR AND PLAY THE I'M A SENIOR AND PLAY THE CELLO. >> HI. SHAWN YATES. SENIOR AND I PLAY THE VIOLA. >> HI. TODD EISEN, I PLAY THE BASS AND I'M A SENIOR. >> MY NAME IS LORENZO. SENIOR, PLAY THE BASS. >> BENJAMIN SIMMS, SENIOR, CELLO. >> McKENZIE. SOPHOMORE, I PLAY SOPHOMORE, I PLAY CELLO. >> ANTASIA, JUNIOR, PLAY THE CELLO. >> AVA, SOPHOMORE, BASS. >> MY NAME IS JACOB >> MY NAME IS JACOB HEGLAND. DIRECTOR THE ORCHESTRA AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Jessica Vaughn: MR. MOREL, COME UP AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF. >> I WAS TRYING TO STAY INCOGNITO BECAUSE MY BOSS SAYS I TALK TOO MUCH. [ LAUGHTER ] >>Jessica Vaughn: PARENTS, FEEL FREE TO COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES. >> WHOO! FANTASTIC! [ APPLAUSE ] GREAT JOB. >>Jessica Vaughn: GREAT JOB. GREAT JOB. GO COWBOYS. >>Jessica Vaughn: WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I DO NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH DR. HAHN AND MEMBER WASHINGTON NOT BEING PRESENT FOR THE MEETING. NOW I'M GOING TO DO THE ROLL CALL. LET THE ROLL CALL REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DR. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DR. HAHN AND MEMBER WASHINGTON. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. WE HAVE FOUR SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY. OCTOBER 29, 2024, SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. NOVEMBER 12, 2024, SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP. DECEMBER 3rd, 2024, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. DECEMBER 10, 2024, SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NO DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVES ALL CHILDREN ARE EMPOWERED TO LEARN AND TO SUCCEED. OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. IS THIS THE RIGHT IS THIS THE RIGHT ONE? AFTERWARDS, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER PEREZ WILL NOW READ THE BOARD BOARD GUIDELINES. >>Karen Perez: AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND ME THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST, CABLE TV AND ON THE VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN AT TIME CERTAIN AT 6 P.M. WE HAVE EMPLOYEE INPUT. PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD MEMBERS INFORMED ABOUT RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE. HOWEVER, IT IS REQUESTED THAT WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, COMMENTS ARE NOT DIRECTED PERSONALLY AGAINST ANY BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER, BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU'LL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTERN. A RED LIGHT WILL CHIME AND IT WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL NOW ASK THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS TO LINE UP. THANK YOU. YOU MAY BEGIN. >> MIKE >> MIKE PLORE. I'M HERE FOR THE LAST TIME ON THIS ISSUE. HERE'S THE DATA FROM THIS POLICY THAT REQUIRES UP TO 20% TEST SCORES PASSING BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE A TAKE A CERTIFICATION EXAM. 57% OF OUR CAUCASIAN WHITE STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO GET A VOUCHER. 18% OF OUR BLACK STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO GET A VOUCHER AND 12% OF OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO GET A VOUCHER TO EVEN ATTEMPT THE TEST. 88% CAN'T EVEN TRY. BUT BY LYING, CHEATING, AND EVEN STEALING, WE TESTED THESE STUDENTS ANYWAY. WHAT ARE THOSE RESULTS? 67% OF OUR HISPANIC STUDENTS PASSED THE EXAM AGAIN THOUGH 12% WERE ALLOWED TO TRY. THAT'S FIVE TIMES MORE THAN WHAT WE EVEN PERMITTED TO WE EVEN PERMITTED TO ATTEMPT. OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, 62% OF THOSE STUDENTS PASSED THREE TIMES MORE THAN WERE PERMITTED TO EVEN ATTEMPT THE TEST BY THIS LOCAL POLICY. WE'VE STOPPED WE'VE STOPPED TESTING BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT TESTING ONLY THE WHITE STUDENTS WOULD BE ILLEGAL AND DENYING ACCOMMODATIONS TO STUDENTS WITH IEPs AND ELLs IS EQUALLY AS IS EQUALLY AS EGREGIOUS. THE CAPE ACT LEGISLATION WAS PASSED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO CLOSE THE TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP AND ENHANCE AN ECONOMIC ENHANCE AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. THIS LOCAL POLICY HAS NO BENEFIT OTHER THAN BEING A DE FACTO DISCRIMINATORY POLICY. THEY'LL USE EXCUSES LIKE THE HURRICANE, NOPE, I WAS HERE THREE TIMES BEFORE A HURRICANE WAS SOUNDING THE ALARM. THEN THEY'LL SAY FINANCIAL BURDEN. CTE LEADERSHIP CLAIMS THAT THE FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE DISTRICT PROMPTED THEM TO PURPOSELY EXCLUDE STUDENTS FROM TESTING. STATE FUNDING, NOT LOCAL FUNDING, PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FTE FUNDING FOR EACH STUDENT THAT PASSES THE CERTIFICATION EXAM THROUGH THE CAPE ACT. IN REAL DOLLARS, THAT'S UP TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EACH STUDENT THAT PASSES. THE EXAMS COST $30 APIECE. HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE TO PASS IN A CLASS IN A CLASS OF 30 TO BREAK EVEN? ONE. AND SOMETIMES TWO. TEST THEM ALL. TEST EVERYBODY EQUALLY. NONE OF THE TESTING FUNDS ARE FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYERS. IT'S ALL FUNDED THROUGH THE CAPE ACT. THIS PROCESS HAS ALREADY COST THE DISTRICT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND HAS NO ACTUAL POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES FOR STUDENTS, FOR TEACHERS, FOR SCHOOLS, OR THE DISTRICT. THIS SCHOOL BOARD WAS ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TO BACKSTOP PROBLEMS LIKE THIS, POSSIBLE ILLEGAL PROGRAMS FROM GETTING THROUGH. THIS SHOULD NOT BE YOUR LEGACY. THANK YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. YOUR CIVILITY NONSENSE IS NULL AND AND VOID. HERE IS THE HERE IS THE 44-PAGE RULING FROM THE THE 11th CIRCUIT COURT THE 11th CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS THANKS TO APPEALS THANKS TO MOMS FOR STUPIDITY. BROKEN CLOCK IS RIGHT TWICE A DAY. NO ONE LIKES TO BE NO ONE LIKES TO BE CALLED EVIL, BUT IT IS NOT ABUSIVE TO USE THAT TERM, THAT TERM, RESTRICTIONS THAT BAR OFFENSIVE OR OTHERWISE UNWELCOMED SPEECH ARE IMPERMISSIBLE REGARDLESS OF THE FORM IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO IMPOSE THEM. YOUR COPY. THERE IS A LOT MORE FOR YOU TO LEARN LEARN THERE. AGAIN, IT'S NULL AND VOID. THAT MEANS YOU CAN'T SAY I CAN'T MENTION ANY NAMES OR SAY WHAT I WILL ABOUT ANY INDIVIDUAL FROM THE THE 11th CIRCUIT. MORE HURRICANES ARE MORE HURRICANES ARE SLAMMING THE GULF COAST. IS THIS THE NEW NORMAL? HERE'S THE HEADLINE. SCIENCE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE WARMING PLANET. SEE THE GRAPHS. HURRICANE MILTON IS HURRICANE MILTON IS TERRIFYING AND IS IT AND IS IT JUST THE START? WELL, SEE, WELL, SEE, THE PROBLEM IS FOR MAYBE OVER THREE DECADES I'VE BEEN COMING HERE WITH THE SCIENCE OF HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING THAT WOULD HELP WOULD HELP SOLVE THE WOULD HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THE SCHOOLS JUST THE SCHOOLS JUST KEEP THE SCHOOLS JUST KEEP IGNORING THE SCIENCE THE SCIENCE THAT WOULD HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM. YOU WOULD STOP BELCHING THE CARBON THAT FUELS CARBON THAT FUELS THESE BIG STORMS. THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO KEEP ON GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER. THOSE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN HERE AND THEY WANTED TO, OH, WE WANT TO NAME TO NAME THAT SCHOOL DOWN THERE THAT'S GOING TO GET THAT'S GOING TO GET SUBMERGED DOWN THERE IN LOWLANDS. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> NOT GOING TO BE >> NOT GOING TO BE PRETTY. >> GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I AM BRITTANY WEGMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HILLSBOROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FULL SUPPORT FOR THE APPROVAL OF ALL NEGOTIATED MILLAGE REFERENDUM IMPLEMENTATION MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING FOR ALL EMPLOYEE GROUPS. THESE AGREEMENTS THESE AGREEMENTS FULFILL THE PROMISE MADE TO EMPLOYEES AND THE VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO APPROVED THE MILLAGE REFERENDUM WITH 67% SUPPORT. THEY HAVE BEEN PROPERLY NEGOTIATED, SIGNED BY BOTH PARTIES AND RATIFIED BY AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY. 97% OF EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND 99% OF INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF. THESE PERCENTAGES REFLECT JUST HOW CRITICAL THIS FUNDING IS TO THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS RUNNING AND SERVE OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. BY INTENDING TO PAY THESE FRS ELIGIBLE SALARY SUPPLEMENTS AT THE AT THE START OF THE CONTRACT YEAR, YOU SEND A MESSAGE THAT YOU SUPPORT THE WORKFORCE. BOOSTED EMPLOYEE MORALE AND CREATED MUCH-NEEDED STABILITY. LAST 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR, WHEN NEGOTIATIONS WERE SETTLED AHEAD OF THE HOLIDAYS, THE DISTRICT STILL STRUGGLED WITH SIGNIFICANT STAFFING CHALLENGES. BY DECEMBER 12 OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, HCPS EXPERIENCED NET LOSS OF 454 INSTRUCTIONAL POSITIONS. THIS 24-25 SCHOOL YEAR, AFTER SETTLING NEGOTIATIONS AHEAD OF THE START OF THE YEAR, WE ARE SEEING NET GAINS. AS OF TODAY'S PERSONNEL CONSENT AGENDA. HALFWAY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL HAVE A NET GAIN OF 111 A NET GAIN OF 111 POSITIONS AND ESPs ACHIEVED NET GAIN OF 273. HCTA BELIEVES WE ARE SEEING THESE REAL RESULTS FROM SETTLING EMPLOYEE PAY AND CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AHEAD OF THE START OF THE EMPLOYEE WORK YEAR, AND THAT THESE AGREEMENTS MATTER. BY ADDRESSING WAGES AND ENSURING TIMELY, PREDICTABLE COMPENSATION, THIS BOARD HAS TAKEN A TAKEN A MEANINGFUL STEP TAKEN A MEANINGFUL STEP TOWARD STABILIZING OUR WORKFORCE. WE MUST CONTINUE THE PROCESS SO EMPLOYEES CAN BUDGET, HAVE INCENTIVE TO WORK HERE AND FEEL VALUED BY THEIR EMPLOYER. HCTA ALSO RECOGNIZES THE VITAL ROLE OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, STRONG ADMINISTRATORS AT EVERY WORK SITE AND ACROSS THE DISTRICT ARE ESSENTIAL TO SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS, SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS, AND THAT'S WHY WE FULLY SUPPORT ADMINISTRATORS RECEIVING THE SUPPLEMENTS, REINFORCING STABILITY ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS. ULTIMATELY, THESE ULTIMATELY, THESE MOUs, LIKE ALL NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS, ARE LEGALLY BINDING AND GUARANTEE THESE FUNDS GO DIRECTLY INTO THE HANDS OF OUR HARDWORKING AND DEDICATED EMPLOYEES. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT A STOPPING POINT. WE MUST DO BETTER FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BY CONTINUING TO IMPROVE BASE PAY USING ALL AVAILABLE FUNDS. APPROVING THESE MOUs IS JUST ONE PART OF BUILDING A COMPETITIVE, SUSTAINABLE COMPENSATION PLAN THAT ATTRACTS AND RETAINS QUALITY EDUCATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF. IN CLOSING, APPROVING THESE AGREEMENTS TONIGHT MEANS BUILDING ON THE PROGRESS WE ARE SEEING THIS YEAR. TOGETHER, WE CAN ENSURE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS REMAIN A PLACE WHERE EMPLOYEES FEEL VALUED AND OUR STUDENTS THRIVE. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CAN WE HAVE SPEAKERS 6 THROUGH 12 PLEASE LINE UP? NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> I'M RACHAEL DOYLE. I AM A PARENT OF TWO ESE KIDS IN YOUR SCHOOLS. I SAW THE MEETING DECEMBER 3rd AND I WAS AND I WAS DISAPPOINTED. FIRSTLY, I REQUESTED IN MARCH, IT'S DECEMBER, STILL NOT DONE. I WATCH THE LAST MEETING, WHERE I HEAR WE DO NOT HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE PARENTS CAN CHOOSE TO CHECK OUT BOOKS. WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO WHEN YOU SAY SUCH A THING? BECAUSE IT'S NOT ME OR ANY PARENT THAT MAKES SURE EDUCATION IS PERSONALIZED. THE OPPORTUNITY IS THERE, IT'S EVEN EASIER THAN MY KIDS' IEP MEETING. THEY CAN'T TAKE A COUGH DROP UNLESS I SIGN A UNLESS I SIGN A WAIVER. SAME SYSTEM EXISTS FOR THE CAFETERIA IF I WANT MY KID TO AVOID DAIRY FOR ECZEMA. WHAT ABOUT THE DOUBLE STANDARD ABOUT BOOKS? YOU SEND ME OPT-OUT FORMS FOR EVERYTHING, INCLUDING SUPPLEMENTAL READING LIST. YOUR NAMES ARE ON THE OPT-OUT FORMS. YOU KNOW THERE IS EVERY TOOL AT MY DISPOSAL FOR MAKING MY KIDS' EDUCATION INDIVIDUALS. MEDS, CAFETERIA FOOD, YES, BOOKS ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO BE PROACTIVE. THAT IS THE JOB WE TAKE ON WHEN WE CHOOSE TO BE PARENTS. I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP FOR THAT. DON'T RECOMMEND ANOTHER SYSTEM TO BE IN PLACE THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY FOR ME. THIS IS PANDERING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CONTROL MY KIDS' EDUCATION. I AM NOT COPARENTING WITH THEM. CREATING A SYSTEM NOT SUPPORTED BY EVEN ONE PARENT AT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER MEETING, THIS ISN'T FOR PARENTS.  AND ALSO NOT PROVEN TO HAVE ANY BENEFITS FOR OUR KIDS IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT NOT SPENDING MONEY ON PROGRAMS WHERE YOU SAW NO BENEFITS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES. HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE BASING ON BOOK CHALLENGES AND NEW SYSTEM, MEANWHILE MYSELF AND OTHER ESE PARENTS NEVER GET SUCH A MEETING ABOUT SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT OUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND EDUCATION. IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS APPROACH THAT PARENT COMMUNICATION MATTERS TO YOU THEN DON'T ONLY SAY IT WHEN IT COMES TO TO BOOKS. I DON'T TRUST YOU. I'VE SEEN YOUR COMMENTS. CAPITULATE CAPITULATE TO NON-PARENT. MEANWHILE, NEITHER OF YOU OFFER ASSISTANCE FOR TANGIBLE PROBLEMS FACED BY PARENTS LIKE ESE AND BUSING. IF YOU IF YOU CARE ABOUT PARENTS CAN'T BE INVOLVED, INVEST IN ESE. E-MAIL IS NOT TOO MUCH FOR E-MAIL IS NOT TOO MUCH FOR HCPS STUDENTS. DON'T PATRONIZE ME. SET UP A NEW SYSTEM TO TACKLE A PROBLEM, SET ONE UP FOR ESE PARENTS SO YOUR SUMMER PROGRAMMING ISN'T LETTING MY KID FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS WITH ZERO UPDATE FROM MY KID'S TEACHER SO PARENTS DON'T HAVE TO WAIT 9 MONTHS FOR UPDATES BECAUSE SOMEHOW ALL THE DATA GOT LOST OVER SUMMER. MY KIDS SPECIALIST ARE APPALLED AND TOLD ME TO CONTACT AN ADVOCATE. GIVE US A NEW SYSTEM. I QUITE LITERALLY BEG YOU. ALL MY EFFORT, INCLUDING E-MAILS, I HAVE BEEN GIVEN NO RESOURCES BY ANYONE TO FIX THE ISSUE. RESOURCES TO EASILY OPT OUT OF BOOKS, PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS, GIVE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS BETTER COMMUNICATION. STOP WASTING MY TIME PRETENDING THERE ARE ISSUES WITH BOOKS. THANK YOU FOR APPROVING THE BOOK MONEY BUT LET US KNOW WHEN SPECIAL NEEDS PARENTS ARE GOING TO GET OUR SPECIAL CALL MEETING SO WE CAN GET OUR FANCY NEW SYSTEM. THANKS. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR LETTING US SPEAK. I'M PAUL. VOLUNTEER WITH DEFENSE FOR DEMOCRACY. CAME OVER FROM BREVARD COUNTY. PARENT OVER THERE. BREVARD, THE LITTLE COUNTY THAT COULD BUT WOULD RATHER NOT AND DOESN'T WANT YOU TO EITHER. BIRTH PLACE BIRTH PLACE FOR MOMS FOR LIBERTY. SORRY. OUR SCHOOL BOARD AT THIS POINT, IF I'M BEING IF I'M BEING GENEROUS, 60 PERCENT BRAIN WORM. WE'RE KIND OF THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS YET CHRISTMAS YET TO COME, KIDS AND OUR TEACHERS BEAR OUR TEACHERS BEAR THE BRUNT AND SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. HAVING WATCHED SOME OF THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, BOOK BANNING ATTEMPTS AND SUCCESSES HERE OVER SUCCESSES HERE OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, I'M GOING TO URGE YOU, BEG YOU, PLEASE TO REMEMBER HISTORICALLY, IGNORANCE HAS AT NO POINT IN HISTORY MADE ANYTHING BETTER FOR ANYONE. BOOK BANNING HAS NEVER HISTORICALLY TURNED OUT TO BE A NET WIN FOR ANY SOCIETY. ALL THE DATA IN ALL THE DATA IN THE WORLD TELLS US THAT MORE INPUT, MORE VIEWPOINTS, WIDER DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINTS IS BETTER AND EXPANDS PEOPLE'S MINDS AND OPENS OPPORTUNITIES. NO DATA APART FROM SOME NO DATA APART FROM SOME CONJURED STRAW MEN SAYS THAT A BOOK HAS SUDDENLY LEFT OFF THE SHELVES AND RUINED SOMEBODY'S LIFE. WHEN WE LEAN TOWARD A VAGUE STANDARD LIKE AGE APPROPRIATE AND SAY THE LAW IS CLEAR WHEN IT IS WILDLY OPEN TO INTERPRETATION, AND THEN USE THAT AND STRETCH IT IN WHICHEVER WAY WE CAN TO TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE SHELVES BECAUSE, WELL, NOBODY GOT FIRED FOR NOT SUBJECTING A KID TO A BOOK, IF SOME NON-PARENT, CAME IN AND SAID I'M A VEGAN AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THE BURGERS AWAY FROM THE OTHER KIDS, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY. I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD SPEND MILLIONS FORMING COMMITTEES TO STUDY THEM AND TELL THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE CAFETERIA WHO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT TO POUND SAND, WE'LL TAKE THIS FOOD AWAY FROM THE KIDS BECAUSE THAT LADY THINKS LADY THINKS HER IMAGINARY KID WOULDN'T LIKE TO EAT IT. BOOKS, LIKE A BURGER, DON'T JUMP OFF THE SHELVES. THEY DON'T FORCE ANYONE TO READ THEM. IN THESE TIMES OF DECLINING LITERACY OF, AS REPEATEDLY MENTIONED, FLORIDA 47th IN THE NATION GENERATIONAL, BY SOME -- EDUCATIONALLY, BY SOME METRICS 50, PUERTO RICO BECOMES A 50, PUERTO RICO BECOMES A STATE, WE COULD HIT 51. A KID READING, SEEKING OUT BOOKS, FINDING NEW THINGS TO READ IS A VICTORY THAT WE SHOULD CELEBRATE AND CELEBRATE AND ENCOURAGE AND APPLAUD AND MAKE THAT EASIER FOR THEM. EMPOWER THEM TO LEARN AND SUCCEED. THAT'S LEADERSHIP. EMPOWER YOUR STUDENTS. EMPOWER YOUR STAFF. EMPOWER YOUR EDUCATED, TRAINED, KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH EXPERTISE MEDIA SPECIALISTS. OTHERWISE, WHY ARE YOU ANYWHERE NEAR EDUCATION IF YOU DON'T THINK IT'S THINK IT'S VALUABLE? IF WE SOMEHOW THINK THE BOARD IS IMMUNE TO BIAS HAS ELECTED OFFICIAL FAMOUSLY ARE, WHEN MEDIA SPECIALISTS ARE SOMEHOW BIASED, I'D LOVE TO SEE AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> HI. AMY RAUB. NEW VOLUNTEER STATE DIRECTOR NEW VOLUNTEER STATE DIRECTOR FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACY. NONPARTISAN, NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT IS JUST HERE TO PROTECT PUBLIC TO PROTECT PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M I'M NEW TO THIS POSITION, BUT THIS ISN'T MY FIRST RODEO. THAT WAS MY HUSBAND. I'M ALSO FROM I'M ALSO FROM BREVARD. WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING THOSE FASCIST MOM GROUPS OVER THERE FOR OVER TWO YEARS. IT'S INSANE. MOMS FOR LIBERTY WAS MOMS FOR LIBERTY WAS FORMED IN BREVARD, AND THEY HAVE BEEN SUPER SUCCESSFUL IN STACKING OUR SCHOOL BOARD NOW. WE WERE COMPLETELY STACKED WITH MOMS FOR LIBERTY PUPPETS. IF YOU'RE NOT WATCHING OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SO THAT YOU CAN REALIZE WHAT A SLIPPERY SLOPE THIS IS. OH, YOU HAD A PROCESS? YOU HAVE A PROCESS? SO DID WE. OKAY. MY HUSBAND WAS APPOINTED TO THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEE. WE WATCHED AS THEY REMOVED THE MEDIA SPECIALIST AFTER MEDIA SPECIALIST AFTER THE FIRST FEW MEETINGS. TOO MANY BOOKS WERE BEING KEPT. SO THE MEDIA SPECIALIST AND LIBRARIANS WERE REMOVED. THEY WERE ALLOWED TO BE AT THE MEETING BUT NOT HAVE A VOTE. THEN THEY WERE REMOVED BECAUSE IT BECAME IT BECAME A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS THEY AS THEY APPOINTED A MOMS FOR LIBERTY MEMBER WHO WAS NOW REVIEWING HER OWN REVIEWING HER OWN CHALLENGES. WE WATCHED THEM REZONE THE SOLE BOOK BANNER RIGHT OUT OF HER DISTRICT. AND NOW IT'S IN A SMALL ROOM, SMALL BACK ROOM WITH NO ATTENDEES. THEY TOOK PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN THEY TOOK THE ACTUAL VOTES FROM THE BOOK REVIEW COMMITTEE. NOW IT IS JUST DOWN TO -- SO THAT WAS BAD ENOUGH, BUT WHEN THEY REVIEWED THEY REVIEWED NOWHERE THEY REVIEWED NOWHERE GIRLS, THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR THE FIRST UNANIMOUSLY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER BECAUSE THERE ARE BOOK BANNERS ON BANNERS ON THE BANNERS ON THE COMMITTEE TO KEEP AND OUR BOARD DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND BAN THAT. BARE-BONES, HANDPICKED MOMS FOR LIBERTY STACKED COMMITTEE, THEY ARE STILL NOT LISTENING TO THEM. SO I'VE HEARD YOU GUYS HAVE ONLY BANNED ONE SO FAR. THIS BOOK IS GAY. YOUR COMMITTEE ALSO VOTED TO KEEP THAT ONE. THEN I KNOW THERE ARE THEN I KNOW THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T LISTEN. YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE. DON'T GIVE IN. STOP NOW. DON'T GIVE IN TO THOSE DON'T GIVE IN TO THOSE TODDLERS HAVING TANTRUMS BACK HERE. YOU'RE ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. LISTEN TO LISTEN TO THE LISTEN TO THE EDUCATED. NOT CRAZY NOT CRAZY RACIST, FASCIST WOMEN WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW BOOKS WORK OR ANYTHING ELSE. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. I'M ELLEN LYONS. I AM A I AM A PTA LADY WHICH IS I AM A PTA LADY WHICH IS HOW YOU KNOW ME. DURING THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE REFERENDUM OF MILLAGE, I ALSO SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER, WHICH IS A PAC THAT SUPPORTED THE MILLAGE. I WANT TO THANK EVERY SINGLE VOTER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO VOTED TO SUPPORT THE REFERENDUM FOR MILLAGE. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING EDUCATION. THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS WHO WAVED SIGNS AT POLLING PLACES, TO THE PEOPLE WHO PUT SIGNS IN THEIR YARD AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO REPOSTED OUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND TO THE MANY SMALL DOLLAR DONORS, INCLUDING MANY TEACHERS, WHO MADE OUR GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN POSSIBLE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE TAMPA BAY TIMES, LA BAY TIMES, LA GACETA, COMMUNITY PARTNERS, INCLUDING HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION, FAMILIES FOR STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SO MANY OTHERS AS WELL AS THE MANY CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE THAT SUPPORTED THE REFERENDUM FOR MILLAGE. NOW, NOW, YOU AS A SCHOOL BOARD ALSO DESERVE CREDIT FOR THIS WIN. AS A BOARD, YOU HAVE MADE TOUGH FINANCIAL DECISIONS. YOU HAVE CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS. YOU'VE CUT AND SHAVED EXPENSES FROM THE FROM THE BUDGET. YOU'VE TAKEN ACTION TO INCREASE THE BOND RATING OF THE THE BOND RATING OF THE DISTRICT, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE COST OF CREDIT FOR THIS DISTRICT, AND IT SAVES US A LOT OF MONEY. YOU HAVE ENSURED THAT YOU HAVE ENSURED THAT THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO HAVE CLEAN, INDEPENDENT AND CLEAN, INDEPENDENT AND STATE AUDIT REPORTS, AND YOU IMPLEMENTED A CHANGE IN POSITION CONTROL, SO THAT EVERY POSITION THAT IS HIRED FOR THE DISTRICT HAS A PLACE IN THE BUDGET. THESE ARE TREMENDOUS CHANGES, AND THEY HAVE RESULTED IN REAL VALUE THAT CAN BE SEEN ON THE BALLOT SHEET AND IN THE DISTRICT'S TRANSPARENCY. SO THAT'S DUE YOU TO, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE'S ALSO BIG DIFFERENCES ABOUT HOW THE DISTRICT PROVIDED MILLAGE INFORMATION THIS TIME AS OPPOSED TO 2022. THIS TIME, THE DISTRICT PUT FORTH A VERY CLEAR AND SIMPLE PLAN. THEY NEVER VARIED FROM THAT PLAN AND IT WAS VERY CLEAR HOW THE MONEY WAS GOING TO BE SPENT. MAKING THE PROMISE TO PAY TEACHERS AND STAFF SET CLEAR AMOUNTS IN ADVANCE REALLY HELPED. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT OUR SUPERINTENDENT MADE TWO VERY GOOD DECISIONS. THE FIRST DECISION WAS MADE FAR IN ADVANCE OF THE REFERENDUM FOR MILLAGE, BUT IT WAS THE MILLAGE, BUT IT WAS THE DECISION TO NEGOTIATE AND TO NEGOTIATE AND MAKE A DEAL WITH THE TEACHERS AND STAFF EARLY BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGAN. THAT WAS A CRITICAL THAT WAS A CRITICAL THING IN CREATING TRUST AND BELIEF THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD DO WHAT IT SAYS. THE OTHER THING THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT DID WAS GO SUPERINTENDENT DID WAS GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND LEVERAGE THE REPUTATION THAT HE ENJOYS AND THE TRUST THAT HE HAD. THE TRUST IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. AND IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT. IN FACT, HAVING THE COMMUNITY TRUST I THINK IS WHAT PUSHED US OVER THE CAMPAIGN FINISH LINE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, MY NAME IS AMY MARIE GRANGER WELCH. I'M HERE TONIGHT AS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SOMEONE WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY ALONGSIDE THIS COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE MILLAGE REFERENDUM. THAT REFERENDUM PASSED WITH OVERWHELMING SUPPORT OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FROM 67% OF OUR -- OF VOTERS. OUR FRIENDS, OUR NEIGHBORS AND FELLOW RESIDENTS WHO ENTRUSTED YOU TO INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS, OUR TEACHERS, AND OUR STUDENTS. TONIGHT, I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION AND THE HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FEDERATION. THIS MOU REPRESENTS A PROMISE FULFILLED, A PROMISE TO ALLOCATE THESE FUNDS IN A WAY THAT REFLECTS THE WILL OF THE VOTERS AND MEETS THE URGENT NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE KNOW THAT TEACHER RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT ARE CRITICAL CHALLENGES FACING OUR DISTRICT. COMPETITIVE SALARIES ARE NOT JUST A REWARD FOR THE DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN, THEY ARE A NECESSITY TO KEEP OUR HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATORS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. THE REFERENDUM FUNDS ALLOCATED THROUGH THE MOU WILL MAKE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY A DISTRICT WHERE EDUCATORS FEEL VALUED, SUPPORTED AND INSPIRED TO STAY. LET US NOT FORGET THAT 67% OF VOTERS PLACE THEIR TRUST IN YOU TO GET THIS RIGHT. THEY BELIEVED IN THIS DISTRICT'S ABILITY TO HONOR THEIR SUPPORT AND USE THESE FUNDS RESPONSIBLY. BY APPROVING THIS MOU, YOU ARE KEEPING THAT TRUST INTACT AND DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND PROGRESS. THE STAKES ARE HIGH AND THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE US IS SIGNIFICANT. THIS AGREEMENT IS ABOUT STRENGTHENING SCHOOLS AND INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. PLEASE VOTE TO APPROVE THE MOU AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD UNITED AS A COMMUNITY THAT VALUES ITS CHILDREN, ITS EDUCATORS AND ITS FUTURE. THANK THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS JULIE MY NAME IS JULIE GEBHARDS. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THE BOOK CHALLENGE IS AT THE BOOK CHALLENGE IS AT HCPS. ALSO STATED THAT OTHERS IN THE DISTRICT CALLED IN TO TALK ABOUT HOW GREAT IT HOW GREAT IT IS. BUT WHAT OUR BOOK CHALLENGE PROCESS HAS PRODUCED OR I SHOULD PROBABLY SAY PROBABLY SAY EXPOSED, I GUESS WE'LL START HERE WITH PIERCE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THIS BOOK IS GAY. IT WAS A REVIEW COMMITTEE WITH SEVEN PEOPLE AT PIERCE MIDDLE SCHOOL DECIDED THAT THIS BOOK WAS WORTH KEEPING, AND THEY ALL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO KEEP IT ON MIDDLE SCHOOL SHELVES. PAGE 173, BLOWIES. ORAL SEX IS POPPING IN OTHER DUDE'S PEN IN YOUR MOUTH OR POPPING YOURS IN HIS. ONLY ONE HARD AND FAST RULE WHEN IT COMES TO BLOW JOBS. WATCH THE TEETH. LIPS AND TONGUE, YES, TEETH, NO. TELL ME THIS TELL ME THIS ISN'T PORN. TELL ME THE EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT THIS GIVES THIS GIVES TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. ALSO, IN ADDITION TO LEARNING ABOUT HOW TO PERFORM ORAL SEX ACTS ON EACH OTHER IT ALSO GIVES INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO USE A SEX HOOKUP APP. FIVE STEP INSTRUCTIONS INCLUDING THE BENEFITS, PAGE 184 SAYS THE BENEFITS ARE QUICK, EASY AND UNCOMEPLICATED SEX FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. ACCORDING TO THE PROCESS TOUTED HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE PIERCE LIBRARIAN WHO TOLD ME SHE CHOSE THE BOOK FOR HER STUDENTS ALSO CHOSE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR HER SCHOOL THAT APPROVED THIS SCHOOL THAT APPROVED THIS BOOK. SO, TELL ME ABOUT SO, TELL ME ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THAT PROCESS. WHERE IS THION BIASED GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO REVIEW THESE BOOKS. AND THEN AGAIN, THIS BOOK, BECAUSE OF A VIGILANT PARENT WAS PRESSED ALL THE WAY TO A DISTRICT LEVEL COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE THOSE NINE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OFFICIALS FROM OUR DISTRICT, ALSO VOTED TO KEEP THIS BOOK. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE BOOK CHALLENGE PROCESS THAT WE HAVE ON OUR DISTRICT WEBSITE. AGAIN, A LITTLE SAMPLE, AGAIN, A LITTLE SAMPLE, PAGE 179, THAT CLITORIS LIKES TO BE LICKED AND KISSED. GIRLS CAN TAKE IT IN TURNS TO PERFORM ORAL SEX OR IF FEELING ADVENTUROUS, THEY CAN PERFORM IT AT THE SAME TIME. HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY HAVING THIS IN A MIDDLE IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL? HOW DOES IT EVEN TAKE A SINGLE COMMITTEE TO DETERMINE THIS DOES NOT BELONG IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL OR ANY SCHOOL IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY? YES, THIS BOOK WAS EVENTUALLY BY THE BOARD REMOVED FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. BUT WHERE IS THE COMMON SENSE? WHY DO WE HAVE THIS LONG PROCESS TO DETERMINE THAT A BOOK LIKE THIS AND MANY OTHERS LIKE IT THAT CONTAIN SIMILAR CONTENT, WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE TO HAVE A PROCESS? WE NEED TO HAVE COMMON SENSE. THIS BOOK STILL REMAINS AT ARMWOOD, BRANDON, AND TAMPA BAY TECH HIGH SCHOOL. SHOCKING. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MAJOR ULYSSES SOWSO. I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT, ESTEEMED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE THIS EVENING. I REPRESENT MARINE CORPS RECRUITING FOR ALL OF THE STATE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. TONIGHT I'M HERE TO PERSONALLY INVITE EACH OF YOU AND YOUR HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO THE EDUCATORS WORKSHOP ON PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, FROM FEBRUARY 25th TO 28th. EDUCATORS WORKSHOP IS AN ALL EXPENSES PAID PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE FOR TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, AND SCHOOL LEADERS. IT OFFERS IT OFFERS A UNIQUE BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT HOW THE MARINE CORPS FOSTERS LEADERSHIP, BUILDS TEAMS, AND CULTIVATES INVALUABLE SKILLS THAT EDUCATORS CAN BRING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM TO EMPOWER THEIR STUDENTS WITH. THREE MAIN THINGS I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOR THE EDUCATORS WORKSHOP. ONE, ENHANCED LEADERSHIP SKILLS. THROUGH DIFFERENT INTERACTIVE SESSIONS, THE MARINE CORPS IS GOING TO SHOW ITS PARTICIPANTS DIFFERENT STRATEGIES FOR INSPIRING AND MOTIVATING OTHERS THAT THEY CAN BRING BACK TO THE CLASSROOM. TWO, PRACTICAL TWO, PRACTICAL TEAM-BUILDING TECHNIQUES. THERE WILL BE VARIOUS THERE WILL BE VARIOUS HANDS-ON, IS DIFFERENT EXERCISES HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION. ALL TECHNIQUES ARE VERY IMPACTFUL TO NOT JUST THE MILITARY BUT MILITARY BUT ADAPTABLE EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS. AND THEN AND THEN NUMBER 3, PERSONAL GROWTH AND NETWORKING. THERE WILL BE EDUCATORS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO INCLUDE PUERTO RICO AT THE EDUCATORS WORKSHOP FROM THE 25th TO THE 25th TO THE 28th. IT'S A GREAT TIME FOR EVERYONE TO GET TOGETHER AND SHARE DIFFERENT STRUGGLES AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE WORKING WELL FOR THEM INSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. WHAT I ASK OF YOU GUYS TODAY IS TO SIMPLY SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ANY EDUCATOR THAT ATTENDS, AGAIN, IT'S ALL EXPENSES PAID TRAVEL, LODGING, FOOD, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FOUR DAYS, AND THEY'LL RECEIVE 12 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL HOURS THAT CAN GO TOWARD THEIR CERTIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON. LASTLY, I WARMLY INVITE EACH OF YOU GUYS TO ALSO ATTEND. IT IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY. IT ENDS FRIDAY MORNING WITH THE GRADUATION THERE AT PARRIS ISLAND, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY I WISH EVERYBODY HERE COULD SEE. I'VE BEEN IN THE MARINE CORPS 13 YEARS. EVERY OPPORTUNITY I'VE HAD TO GET OUT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO BECAUSE IF THERE IS ONE THING THE MARINE CORPS TAUGHT ME, NO MATTER HOW DIFFERENT WE ALL ARE, THERE IS A LOT MORE THAT BRINGS US TOGETHER AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE SIMILAR THAN WE DO THAT DIVIDES US. THANK YOU GUYS ALL FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. YOUR SERVICE DOES NOT GO FOR GRANTED. YOUR LEADERSHIP DOES NOT GO FOR GRANTED. JUST WATCHING TODAY, I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF THERE IS A LOT OF WICKED PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE WRESTLING WITH. BEST OF LUCK AND THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TODAY. MY NAME IS DesMARAIS ALLEN. I'M A PARENT, A GRADUATE, A PARENT OF TWO GRADUATES AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FAMILIES FOR STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I WANT TO THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR APPROVING THE FOR APPROVING THE MOUs THAT WERE DONE AHEAD OF TIME FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON THE MILLAGE. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. BUT I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT BEFORE WE EVEN MET AFTER THIS AFTER THIS MILLAGE, 25 AFTER THIS MILLAGE, 25 DISTRICTS HAD ALREADY GONE AFTER HAD ALREADY GONE AFTER MILLAGES, REPRESENTING ALMOST 63% OF STUDENTS IN THE STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WHAT THAT MAKES ABUNDANTLY CLEAR TO ME IS EVERY DISTRICT KNOWS WE ARE ARE UNDERFUNDING OUR SCHOOLS. SO WHILE I HEAR THERE IS TALK THAT THERE IS MONEY SOMEWHERE, THERE IS, AND IT'S IN TALLAHASSEE, AND THAT IS GOING TO -- WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO INTERIM COMMITTEE WEEKS AND SESSION, SO I HOPE SESSION, SO I HOPE IN EVERY SINGLE CONVERSATION YOU HAVE WITH OUR DELEGATION, YOU ARE SAYING, WE NEED MORE FUNDS FOR STUDENTS. AND WE KNOW WE HAVE IT. THERE WAS THERE WAS A $13.5 BILLION SURPLUS LAST SESSION. I CAN'T THINK OF ANY PLACE BETTER TO INVEST IT THAN IN OUR STUDENTS AND IN OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES WITH THE MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT. I WILL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTEES. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO, BOARD MEMBERS, WE DID HAVE ONE PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE DR. JENNIFER KENNEDY, THE NEW PRESIDENT OF JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. IF YOU COULD STAND, PLEASE. [ APPLAUSE ] JENNIFER, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE YOUR WAY DOWN TO THE CENTER THERE. JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DR. CANADY SHE BEGAN IN 2007 AS ELA TEACHER AND MAGNA LEAD AT SLIGH AND THEN ROLAND PARK AND JEFFERSON. 2015, SHE WAS APPOINTED AS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AT SPOTO HIGH. 2020, NAMED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR CURRICULUM AT RIVERVIEW HIGH WHERE SHE CONTINUED TO SERVE TILL TODAY. DR. JENNIFER CANADY, THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. CONGRATULATIONS. [ APPLAUSE ] ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT ARE WITH HER. FAMILY, FRIENDS, STAND UP, THAT ARE WITH HER. GOT A BIG -- A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH YOU SUPPORTING YOU, JENNIFER. [ APPLAUSE ] THAT'S RIGHT. HOW QUICKLY WE FORGET. SOME OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW, SHE IS ALSO OUR CURRENT ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR AS AP CURRICULUM RIVERVIEW, NOW PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL OF JEFFERSON. SO CONGRATULATIONS, JENNIFER. NOW GO AND CELEBRATE. >>Jessica Vaughn: CONGRATULATIONS, DR. CANADY. WE WILL NOW PAUSE FOR A MOMENT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO EXIT THE BOARD MEMBER. OKAY. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD. C 5.03, C 4.02, C 5.03, C 4.02, C 5.02, AND C 12.01. FOR 5.03, MASCOT FOR FOR 5.03, MASCOT FOR AQUILLA J. MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL, DR. RICK GRAVES, CHIEF OF SCHOOLS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR >> THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. I WANTED TO BRIEFLY OUTLINE THE PROCESS FOR CHOOSING THE MASCOT. THERE WERE THREE STUDENT AND PARENT MEETINGS PARENT MEETINGS HELD. ONE AT LENNARD ON NOVEMBER 12 AND TWO AT SUMNER ON NOVEMBER 13 AND 19. MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS COULD HAVE ATTENDED ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS. STAKEHOLDERS WERE INVITED TO USE THE QR CODE PROVIDED AND VOTE FOR ONE OF FIVE MASCOTS, MOCCASINS, MARAUDERS, MARINERS, MUSTANGS AND GRIZZLIES. MULTIPLE MASCOT RENDERINGS FROM MULTIPLE VENDORS WERE CONSIDERED AND HERF JONES VERSION WAS ULTIMATELY CHOSEN. VOTING PERIOD LASTED 20 DAYS AND 201 RESPONSES WERE COLLECTED. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE BRITTANY WILHELM, PRINCIPAL OF MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL, TO SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. >> GOOD EVENING, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. FIRST, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I AM SO HONORED TO STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE PROUD FIRST PRINCIPAL OF AQUILLA J. MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS A THIS IS A NEW -- [ [ APPLAUSE ] I BROUGHT SOME FRIENDS. THIS IS A NEW CHAPTER FOR WIMAUMA. THIS SCHOOL OPENING UP IN 2025 IS REALLY GOING TO BE A PILLAR FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I SO I WANTED TO BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS, HAVE THE MEMBERS OF THE AQUILLA J. MORGAN FAMILY STAND UP. [ APPLAUSE ] I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAMILY FOR THEIR SUPPORT. TO THE TO THE MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL MUSTANGS. THEIR SUPPORT HERE REALLY MEANS SO MUCH TO NOT ONLY THIS SCHOOL BUT IT REMINDS US OF A LEGACY AND THE VALUES THAT WE'RE WORKING TO HONOR IN THIS NEW SCHOOL BUILDING. IN ESTABLISHING A STRONG IDENTITY FOR MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL, WE REALLY WANTED A MASCOT THAT WOULD RESONATE DEEPLY WITH OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILY AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE RESULTS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF THE MUSTANGS. THE MUSTANGS REPRESENT STRENGTH, UNITY AND DETERMINATION, QUALITIES THAT WE OPEN REFLECT THE SPIRIT THAT WE WANT TO INSTILL IN OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SCHOOL. TO BRING THIS VERSION TO LIFE, WE DID USE SOME VENDORS TO HELP US CREATE A MASCOT LOGO. THIS LOGO WILL SET US APART FROM ALL THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS AND ENSURE CLEAN AND PROFESSIONAL LOOK THAT CAN BE USED ACROSS A VARIETY OF PLATFORMS, UNIFORMS, BANNERS, AND ANY SCHOOL SPIRIT GEAR. I'M INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT THE MOMENTUM FOR THIS PROJECT AND THE PRIDE THAT IT'S GOING TO BRING FOR THE WIMAUMA COMMUNITY. I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MUSTANGS FOR THE MUSTANGS FOR AQUILLA J. MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE C 5.03. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY ANY DISCUSSION? MEMBER MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: I CANNOT THANK BOTH THE FAMILY AND MS. WILHELM FOR ALL THE EFFORT YOU PUT INTO GETTING THIS GOING. IT IS COMING FASTER THAN WE THINK AND WE'RE SUPEREXCITED. THAT BUILD, YOU DRIVE BY AND LOOK OVER THE LAKE AND SEE IT. YOU SEE THE BUILDING. IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. I'M SO THANKFUL THAT THE HURRICANE DID HURRICANE DID NOT DELAY US ANY MORE. AND THAT WAS A WONDERFUL THING TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT IT WAS SAFE AND SECURE OUT IN WIMAUMA AND WHERE WE BUILT IT AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE WORK. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE MASCOT. I LOVE THE FACT THAT THE COLORS ARE TOTALLY UNIQUE TO THE AREA AND NOBODY AROUND THE EAST SIDE HAS ANYTHING LIKE THIS. SO IT'S SUPER COOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORT AND MAKING SURE WE DID IT AND AS QUICKLY AS WE DID. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. I PULLED THIS ITEM JUST TO CELEBRATE THE EXCITEMENT. I KNOW HOW ENGAGED THE FAMILY HAS BEEN THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. I LOOKED AT THE LIST OF NAMES. I'M SO GLAD I'M SO GLAD MUSTANGS WON. I WANT TO SAY, GO I WANT TO SAY, GO MUSTANGS! WE'RE THRILLED, WE'RE EXCITED, AND CONGRATULATIONS. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT. CONGRATULATIONS. [ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE MOVE ON TO 4.02, NEGOTIATED MILLAGE REFERENDUM WITH THE MOUs AND PLAN FOR ALL EMPLOYEE GROUPS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, IT BRINGS GREAT EXCITEMENT TO BRING THIS EXCITEMENT TO BRING THIS MOU BEFORE YOU TODAY AS MY RECOMMENDATION TO YOU. IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD TO GET TO THIS POINT. THIS IS AN EXCITING DAY FOR US AND THIS MOU JUST OUTLINES OUR PROMISE THAT WE MADE OVER THE LAST YEAR OF WHAT THESE FUNDS WOULD BE USED FOR. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS REACHED A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH EMPLOYEES REPRESENTED BY THE HILLSBOROUGH CLASSROOM TEACHER ASSOCIATION, HCTA, AND THE HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL EMPLOYEES SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FEDERATION, HEF, THE REVENUE EARNED AS THE RESULT OF SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF MILLAGE BY 67% OF VOTERS ON MILLAGE BY 67% OF VOTERS ON THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT. THE AGREEMENT RESULTS IN 92% OF REVENUE BEING UTILIZED FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION IN THE FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL PAY TO ALL FULL-TIME ACTIVE EMPLOYEES AND 8% OF REVENUE BEING UTILIZED FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THE MILLAGE WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR AND CONTINUE THROUGH JUNE 30, 2029. SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. THIS MILLAGE WILL BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR AND GOES FOR FOUR YEARS, THROUGH JUNE 30 OF 2029. BUT WITH THIS MOU, THIS GOES INTO PLACE FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR. SO AS WE LOOK TO THE NUMBER ONE PURPOSE OF THIS MILLAGE WAS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THIS GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY AS WE ADVERTISE AND GO OUT TO LOOK FOR TEACHERS TO BRING TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THIS MOU OUTLINES THAT IT BEGINS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. VERY EXCITING DAY TODAY. BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, AND THAT IS ITEM 4.02. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 4.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS AND I PULLED THIS AGENDA ITEM. MEMBER COMBS, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? >>Nadia Combs: YES, I DO. SORRY ABOUT MY VOICE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AFTER GOING THROUGH HURRICANES AND ALL OF US, MANY OF US ARE STILL RECOVERING, TWO OUT OF THREE VOTERS SAID THE STUDENTS ARE TRULY THE FOCUS. THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF OUR OF OUR SOCIETY. THEY ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND TO SEE AND TO SEE THAT THE VOTERS GO OUT THERE, I CAN'T THANK THEM OR SHOW ENOUGH APPRECIATION. I WAS AMAZED, EVEN IN PINELLAS COUNTY, THEY WENT FOR FULFILL AND 78% OF THEIR VOTERS SUPPORTED SUPPORTED THAT. THAT TELLS YOU THAT PEOPLE REALLY, REALLY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION. THE MOU GUARANTEES THAT THE MONEY WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE EMPLOYEES. I REALLY WANT TO DISCUSS TWO FALSE NARRATIVES THAT COME OUT. FIRST IS THAT THE MONEY IS NOT GOING TO THE EMPLOYEES. THE MONEY IS GOING TO GO TO THE EMPLOYEES. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT OVER. IT WILL BE $6,000 FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF. AFTER WE GO THROUGH BARGAINING AND THEN $3,000 FOR NONINSTRUCTIONAL. SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY WILL SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY WILL GO FOR EARLY LEARNING AND FIELD TRIPS AND NATURE CLASSROOMS, THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE STATE RECEIVE STATE FUNDING FROM. SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE MONEY IS GOING TO OUR GOING TO OUR EMPLOYEES. SECONDLY THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY IN OUR BUDGET. WE ARE FUNDED WE ARE FUNDED 50th. TELL ME TELL ME WHERE WE ARE GOING TO COLLECT $180 MILLION. WE HAVE CLOSED SCHOOLS. WE HAVE WE HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH. WE ARE AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AT THE BARE MINIMUM. ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE PROGRAMS TO RUN A DISTRICT. WE HAVE TO HAVE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT THINGS, THINGS LIKE 7 MINDSETS, THINGS THAT SUPPORT CHILDREN. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. SO I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT ON EVERY LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WE NEED TO FUND THAT WE NEED TO FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION. FINALLY, FINALLY, TO SEE THAT OUR -- THAT THE MOU WAS THE MOU WAS PASSED 98% THE MOU WAS PASSED 98% BY NONINSTRUCTIONAL AND 97% BY INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, THAT SAYS A LOT. FINALLY, FINALLY, SUPERINTENDENT, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GO INTO BARGAINING AND MAKE SURE THAT IN AUGUST, WHEN OUR TEACHERS START, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, WHATEVER SACRIFICES WE NEED TO MAKE, THAT THAT THAT GOES INTO IMPLEMENTATION RIGHT AWAY SO THAT WAY WE CAN USE THAT TO HIRE AND RETAIN TEACHERS. I THINK ABOUT THIS ALL THE TIME, WALKING TO TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD AND AND SEEING 108 KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS AND ONLY STUDENTS AND ONLY ONE CERTIFIED TEACHER. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER. IN THAT AREA, IT'S AN EARLY LEARNING DESERT AND KIDS GO INTO KINDERGARTEN WITHOUT A CERTIFIED TEACHER. KIDS NEED BUS DRIVERS. WE NEED SUPPORT STAFF, OUR SECURITY THAT WORKS SO HARD HERE, WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE. OUR BUS DRIVERS, EVERY GROUP, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO ARE TRULY UNDERPAID. THE OTHER DAY, SOMEONE SAID TO ME, IT'S NOT JUST TEACHERS UNDERPAID, IT'S EVERY SINGLE PERSON WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT. I WANT TO THANK THIS BOARD FOR SUPPORTING THAT AND THE IMPORTANCE BECAUSE THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE OF STUDENTS AND THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE AND THAT HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE AND THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I THINK THE HURRICANE TAUGHT YOU YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOUSE, YOU CAN LOSE YOUR CAR, BUT HAVING A SKILL AND EDUCATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND THIS IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATION AND BEING 50 IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND MEMBER COMBS HAS A LOT OF EXTREMELY GOOD POINTS AND SHE'S VERY VALID IN A LOT OF HER POINTS AND SHE'S CORRECT. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE TO MAKE SURE WE BRING TO THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. WE'RE COLLECTING THE TAXES. IT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS. BECAUSE OF THAT, IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN YEARS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. BECAUSE THE FACT THE MONEY WE WILL COLLECT WILL NOT START COMING INTO THE DISTRICT UNTIL NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER. AS WE MOVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE BARGAINING. I'M 100% BEHIND MEMBER COMBS AND HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE A NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY. THAT HAS TO BE DONE NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS HERE, THAT HAS WHAT HAPPENS HERE, THAT HAS TO BE DONE BECAUSE THIS IS AN ADDITION TO OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR TEACHERS. WE NEED TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS A NEGOTIATION TO OUR TEACHERS. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE BEGINNING OF OUR BUDGETING PROCESS THROUGH AS A DISTRICT, THAT WE LOOK AT OUR TEACHER SALARIES FIRST, BEFORE ANY OTHER DETERMINATION OF ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT. THAT'S GOING TO COME TO YOU, SUPERINTENDENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. WE COME, AND IT COMES TO US AS PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT YOU BRING IT TO US AND BRING IT TO US AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE. BECAUSE THIS IS A UNIQUE YEAR WHERE THIS PROCESS STARTS AS FAR AS THE PROCESS OF THE REFERENDUM BEGINS AND WE DON'T RECEIVE THAT MONEY YET AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IF PAYMENTS DO NOT START IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THIS IS PART OF THE PART OF THE MOU, THAT PAYMENTS IN THE CONTRACTUAL YEAR WILL BE RETROACTIVE TO JULY THE 1st. AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S A UNIQUE YEAR. NO MATTER WHAT, EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE WILL BE GUARANTEED THE MONEY ACCORDING TO THE MONEY ACCORDING TO THE MOU, BUT BECAUSE WE DO NOT RECEIVE BECAUSE WE DO NOT RECEIVE THE MONEY UNTIL NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, AS WE GO THROUGH BUDGETING, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY WILL GET THE MONEY NO MATTER WHAT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS YEAR. AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING THE TAXES. IT SHOULD NOT AFFECT ANY OTHER YEAR. BECAUSE IT'S CONTRADICTORY ON TWO DIFFERENT LINES. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLARIFY THAT TO MAKE SURE EVERY EMPLOYEE KNOWS THAT NO MATTER WHAT, DURING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, IT WILL BE RETROACTIVE IF IT DOESN'T OCCUR THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. BUT YOU WILL BE GUARANTEED THAT MONEY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR NO MATTER WHAT. SO I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT PART OF THE MOU BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT HAPPEN. ONE, NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONE, NEGOTIATIONS ARE SEPARATE FROM THIS. WE STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE TEACHERS ARE PAID TEACHERS ARE PAID ADEQUATELY, AND WE WANT TO MONITOR THAT AS PART OF OUR ONGOING BUDGET. SECONDLY OF ALL, THAT TEACHERS RECOGNIZE THAT THIS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT OF A YEAR, NOT THAT THEY'LL NOT GET THE FULL AMOUNT, IT'S THE TIMING OF THE FIRST YEAR BECAUSE WHEN WE COLLECT THE COLLECT THE MONEY. THE SECOND THING I WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION TO THE SUPERINTENDENT IS, I HAD SOME OF MY MY EMPLOYEES THAT RECEIVED COMMUNICATION FROM SPECTRUM BAY NEWS 9 THIS MORNING, THAT ONLY UNION UNION EMPLOYEES WERE GOING TO GET THIS REFERENDUM MONEY. CAN WE CLARIFY THAT, PLEASE. >>Van Ayres: JUST HEARD ABOUT THAT 30 MINUTES AGO. DANIEL, DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT? I HEARD ABOUT THAT, THAT MISCOMMUNICATION HAD GONE OUT EARLIER, I THINK THIS MORNING. IF YOU COULD ADDRESS -- >>Patti Rendon: IT WAS LIKE 6:30 THIS MORNING IT WENT OUT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY WITH ALL THE EMPLOYEES. >>Van Ayres: I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS OF IT. >> I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. A STAFF MEMBER IN ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS WHO I HAPPEN TO LIVE WITH, MY HUSBAND, REACHED OUT AND SAID, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF CONVERSATION AT OUR SITE BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THE BAY NEWS 9 ARTICLE NEWS 9 ARTICLE SAYS. I CONFIRMED WITH HIM THAT WAS COMPLETELY INACCURATE. THAT IS NOT HOW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING WORKS, AND THE UNION NEGOTIATES ON BEHALF OF ALL MEMBERS, WHETHER YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE UNION OR NOT. I BELIEVE MS. ARJA WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT TO BAY NEWS 9 WHO WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THAT INFORMATION. >>Patti Rendon: THAT GOES AGAIN FOR THE REFERENDUM MONEY, IT WAS ALSO FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, CORRECT? >> IT IS. THE THE REFERENDUM MONEY. IT IS ALL IT IS ALL INSTRUCTIONAL, ALL FULL-TIME INSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES, WHETHER YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE UNION OR NOT. >>Patti Rendon: I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY THAT TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE A LOT OF TEACHERS GOT THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT. >> ABSOLUTELY. >>Patti Rendon: THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND AS THE PUBLIC IS AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN NEGOTIATIONS AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE, AS WE TRANSITION IN LOOKING AT OTHER WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN REDUCE SOME OF OUR OUTGOING COSTS, THAT BEING INSURANCE AND WE LOOK TOWARDS SELF-INSURANCE AS A POSSIBILITY OF BEING ABLE TO PUT MORE MONEY IN GENERAL REVENUE DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO LONG TERM SUPPORT TEACHERS, BETTER SUPPORT OUR STAFF, WE HAVE TO KEEP MONEY IN THAT FUND BALANCE IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION. LEGALLY THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE MONEY IN THAT FUND BALANCE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS GLOBALLY AS A WHOLE, BUT NO MATTER HOW WE MOVE TOWARDS THE BUDGETING PROCESS, THIS THIS REFERENDUM IS SECURE BASED UPON TAX DOLLAR MONEY COMING IN AND THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE GUARANTEED THAT. THIS FIRST-YEAR PROCESS COULD LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT BUT THEY'LL THEY'LL GET THE MONEY NO MATTER WHAT. TIMING IS PART OF THE ISSUE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO READ THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT. SO THANK YOU. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR STAFF AND ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THEIR WORK IS INVALUABLE TO ANYTHING ANYTHING WE DO. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: WELL, WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T TALK. WE ACTUALLY WALKED THE WALK. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR SUPPORTING. AND SUPERINTENDENT. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A SACRIFICE THAT MANY OF US MADE A COMMITMENT, INCLUSIVE OF THE TAXPAYERS, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CTA, THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PTA, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, OUR TAXPAYERS, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT VAN SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, THE COURAGE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE OUTREACH THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU DID MADE FOR SUCCESS AND SO MANY OTHER OTHER ENTITIES THAT I DID NOT SHARE. WHAT I THINK TOO IS WE HAVE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. WHEN YOU HAVE TWO OUT WHEN YOU HAVE TWO OUT OF THREE VOTERS VOTE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR OUR FOR OUR TEACHERS, FOR OUR SCHOOLS, THAT SENDS SCHOOLS, THAT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY IN THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY IN THE RIGHT SPACE. THE TIME, MAYBE IT IS A LITTLE BIT LATE. THE ALREADY COUNTIES HAD A MILLAGE SUCCESS, BUT NONETHELESS, WE GOT IT DONE. AND THANK AND THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU, MR. SHOPWELL AND ALL THE NEGOTIATING TEAM. I KNOW THAT TOOK SO MUCH OF A COMMITMENT. NOW, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE NOW, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT 99% -- I DON'T KNOW WHO THE 1% IS -- 99% OF OUR CURRENT EMPLOYEES ALSO ALSO SUPPORTED ALSO SUPPORTED THIS MILLAGE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT OUT TONIGHT, YES, THIS MILLAGE WILL HELP MILLAGE WILL HELP WITH RECRUITMENT. AND RIGHT NOW, AND RIGHT NOW, SO I HAD THIS PIECE OF PAPER HERE, AS I SEE AS OF DECEMBER 17, WE HAD A NET GAIN OF 111. AND THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOKED ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOKED AT LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE HAD A NET LOSS OF 454. WELL, WE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO, BUT THIS IS GOING TO HELP INCREDIBLY. I KNOW, DR. WELLEN, YOU SPEAK ABOUT RECRUITMENT, BUT ABOUT RECRUITMENT, BUT YOU SPEAK ABOUT KEEPING THE TEACHERS. THAT IS A BIG DARN DEAL. WE DID THE BEST WE COULD AND WE WERE WERE SUCCESSFUL. BUT NOW WE HAVE TO RETAIN. I THINK THAT HAS A LOT OF I THINK THAT HAS A LOT OF VALUE IN THAT -- WITHIN THAT LATITUDE OF THOUGHT. ALSO -- I GUESS I SHOULD GET NUMBER ONE, NUMBER TWO, NUMBER THREE, AND THE THIRD I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, ROB KRIETE, SAY, YOU KNOW, ROB KRIETE, CTA DIRECTOR, YOU SPEAK ALWAYS IN SUPPORT OF THE EXTRA SUPPORT PERSONNEL. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE OVERLOOKED THEM AND HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NOT GIVE TIMES DO WE NOT GIVE THE GRANDIOSE STATEMENTS, WE SAY A LOT FOR OUR TEACHERS AND I'M A FORMER TEACHER AND I KNOW ALL THAT, YOU ALL KNOW, BUT THE EXTRA SUPPORT PERSONNEL IS FINALLY GETTING FINALLY GETTING A 3%, THEY ARE GETTING THE MONEY THAT THEY SO WELL DESERVE AND, OF COURSE, THE TEACHERS 6%. BUT AT ANY RATE, THIS IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD. I WANT TO SAY AND TO MEMBER RENDON'S COMMENTS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT, JUST VISUALIZE -- MAYBE SOME OF YOU CAN'T BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETINGS. WE HAVE AN OVER-CITING COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF OUR REFERENDUM MONIES. THEY DON'T MISS A BEAT. THE TRANSPARENCY, THE EXPERTISE THAT THEY HAVE FOR EVERY PROJECT THAT MR. FARKAS THAT MR. FARKAS FINDS HIMSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF, THEY MAKE SURE THE MONEY IS VERY WELL THE MONEY IS VERY WELL SPENT. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, IF YOU WILL SHAKE YOUR HEAD, WE ARE HAVING A VERY SIMILAR, HOW DO YOU WANT TO SAY, VISUAL OVER-CITING COMMITTEE. SO WE'LL HAVE THAT. LOOK, THAT'S FOR TAXPAYERS RIGHTFULLY SO. THEY NEED TO SEE EXACTLY WHERE THE MONEY GOES. I ALSO WANT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT -- ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO SAY. WELL, AT WELL, AT ANY RATE, THE TEACHERS -- HERE WE GO. WHEN MEMBER COMBS MENTIONED IN A LITTLE BIT OF MEMBER RENDON'S REMARKS, WE WANT THAT NEGOTIATING TEAM TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO NOT SAY YES BY THE END OF THE YEAR WE HAVE THE MONEY, BUT WE'RE GOING TO FIND A WAY, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, BEFORE I PUT MY FOOT IN MY MOUTH, WE'LL TRY TO DO SOME NEGOTIATING TO MAKE SURE THAT PERHAPS THIS MONEY CAN BE A LITTLE BIT -- PROMISED A LITTLE BIT SOONER THAN NOT. SO HANG IN THERE, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE AND TV. DID A MARVELOUS JOB. HARDWORKING STAFF. BOARD BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THAT. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. YES, THE VOTERS SPOKE AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT, FOR THE TEACHERS. BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THIS AND I WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT WAS VERY VOCAL ABOUT IT. WHERE OUR WHERE OUR SUPPORT STAFF, I FELT WE FELL SHORT IN REALLY SUPPORTING THEM WHEN IT CAME TO THE SALARY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SALARY SCHEDULES FOR OUR SUPPORT STAFF AND THE PERCENTAGE THAT WE PROVIDED THEM, THEY ARE IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS. OUR BUS DRIVERS, FOLKS IN THE SCHOOLS, IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH STUDENTS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A 3% I FELT 3% I FELT -- WE FELL SHORT THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER WITH OUR SUPPORT STAFF. I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR OUR TEACHERS BUT OUR RECRUITMENT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WHEN IT COMES TO OUR SUPPORT STAFF, WE'RE FALLING REALLY SHORT WHEN IT COMES SHORT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR BUS DRIVERS. WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT TO OUR TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOMS. A LOT OF A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS ARE FRUSTRATED. THEY NEED THAT BACKING. OUR NUTRITION OUR NUTRITION STAFF, JUST A LOT OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF THAT WE REALLY NEED AND WE REQUIRE. I FEEL WE FELL A LITTLE SHORT WHEN IT CAME TO THEM. I AM EXCITED FOR THE TEACHERS. EXCITED FOR THE 3%, BUT I JUST FEEL THAT WE COULD HAVE DONE OUR SUPPORT STAFF SUPPORT STAFF MUCH BETTER. BUT MOVING FORWARD, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE RECRUITMENT WILL BE RECRUITMENT WILL BE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO MAKE SURE COMES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VACANCIES ARE FILLED. BUT BUT I JUST FELT WE COULD HAVE DONE JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE SUPPORT POSITIONS ARE WITH OUR UNDERSERVED, UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS IN THIS DISTRICT. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: I WANTED TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION. WE KEEP SAYING 3% OR 6%. THAT'S NOT TRUE. IT'S $6,000 FOR INSTRUCTIONAL AND 3,000 FOR THE NONINSTRUCTIONAL. BECAUSE WE KEEP SAYING THIS PERCENTAGE AND THAT'S INCORRECT. I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. I ALSO WANT TO I ALSO WANT TO SAY I DEFINITELY THINK, MEMBER PEREZ, I AGREE, THAT OUR NONINSTRUCTIONAL SHOULD HAVE MORE, BUT I'M GLAD THEY HAVE SOMETHING BECAUSE WE HAD TO FIGHT VERY HARD AS A BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY AT LEAST RECEIVED SOMETHING. I ALWAYS THINK IT'S NOT ENOUGH. FOR ME, PROBABLY THE PERSON WHO HAD THE MOST HAD THE MOST IMPACT ON ME IS MY BUS DRIVER BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST PERSON WHO SAW ME IN THE DAY AND THE LAST PERSON WHO SAW ME, ESPECIALLY DURING CHALLENGING TIMES. AND WE WANT THAT CONSISTENCY. WE WANT THE SAME BUS DRIVERS FOR THEM TO BE DOUBLE RUNS. WE WANT OUR NONINSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TO KNOW THE STUDENTS. SO I THINK WE HAD TO FIGHT HARD. I THINK THEY DESERVE MORE, BUT AT LEAST 3,000 IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. WE KEEP SAYING THIS PERCENTAGE. BUT IT'S 6,000 FOR INSTRUCTIONAL AND 3,000 FOR THE NONINSTRUCTIONAL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU'RE GETTING PAID, I GUESS. I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. IT IS 6,000 AND 3,000. ACTUALLY, THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT ARE RECEIVING A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR SALARY THAN THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF. DO YOU HAVE THE NUMBER OF WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE? >> IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHERE YOU ARE, OBVIOUSLY, ON EVERY SCALE. IF I DID WANT TO TAKE IF I DID WANT TO TAKE ONE EXAMPLE, STARTING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT EMPLOYEE WHO SUPPORT EMPLOYEE WHO MAKES $15 PER HOUR, IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 13.6% OF THEIR ANNUAL SALARY WHERE A STARTING TEACHER WHO IS TEACHER WHO IS AT $48,000 STARTING SALARY WOULD BE ABOUT 12.5%. SO IT IS A HIGHER PERCENT OF THEIR SALARY, AT LEAST FOR STARTING EMPLOYEES WHO IS A KEY PIECE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN. >>Jessica Vaughn: JUST IN CLOSING, I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE ALL OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. WE ARE KIND OF IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY RIGHT NOW. ONE THING I KEEP HEARING IS THAT WE ALL WANT WE ALL WANT TO PRIORITIZE MAKING SURE THAT WE PAY OUR STAFF MEMBERS, OUR EMPLOYEES A LIVABLE WAGE AND THAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY. THE ONLY THING I REALLY WANT TO CLARIFY AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE KEEPING IN MIND IS THIS SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM OUR NEGOTIATIONS. THE VOTERS VOTED THIS IN SEPARATE FROM OUR NEGOTIATIONS. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SALARY NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE GOING INTO THE YEAR. THIS IS A SEPARATE SUPPLEMENTAL THAT SHOULD BE ON THE THAT SHOULD BE ON THE PAYCHECK. I THINK WHERE WE'RE HAVING DISCUSSION ABOUT NOW IS SINCE THE TAXES COME IN MIDYEAR, WHETHER OR NOT WE AS A WHETHER OR NOT WE AS A BOARD ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET HOLISTICALLY AND OFFER THAT SALARY ADJUSTMENT OR SUPPLEMENT, NOT ADJUSTMENT, STARTING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. AND FOR ME, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZING EVEN BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS. I WOULD PERSONALLY I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO ASK IF IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DECIDE AS A BOARD, IF IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DECIDE OUT OF THE SUNSHINE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE PRIORITIZE THAT AS SOON AS WE GET BACK IN JANUARY BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE LOOKING OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO BUY A HOUSE, WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO BUY A CAR. WHAT INVESTMENTS THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE IN THEIR FUTURE AND KNOWING WHETHER THEY GET PAID EVEN IF IT IS HUNDRED, 200, 300 DOLLARS, WHATEVER IT LOOKS LIKE, STARTING IN THEIR PAYCHECK IN AUGUST WILL DETERMINE THE DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE GOING FORWARD. SO I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE DECIDING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I WOULD HATE TO SEE NEGOTIATIONS GO ON LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND OUR EMPLOYEES BE IN LIMBO WHEN IT COMES TO THE MONEY THAT THE VOTERS PRIORITIZE AND APPROVED. SO THAT'S A PERSONAL REQUEST I'M MAKING TO YOU. DID YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS? >>Van Ayres: IF I COULD SHARE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WILL DO AS SUPERINTENDENT, SCHEDULE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN JANUARY. WE CAN SIT DOWN AS A BOARD AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE AND PRIORITIZING THAT WE ALL ARE ON BOARD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR STAFF WHO WORKS SO HARD, OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR TEACHERS, WE MENTIONED OUR BUS DRIVERS, JANITORIAL STAFF, NUTRITIONAL STAFF, MENTAL HEALTH STAFF, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS, EVERYBODY GETS PAID A EVERYBODY GETS PAID A LIVABLE WAGE BECAUSE IT IS OUR PRIORITY. SO, SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION -- OH. WHAT WAS THAT? MEMBER PEREZ. I'M SO SORRY. I THOUGHT THAT WAS FROM BEFORE. MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SO, YEAH, YOU KNOW, AS IT WAS MENTIONED, IT'S NOT JUST OUR BUS DRIVERS, DRIVERS, IT'S OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. IT'S EVERYONE IN THE SCHOOLS. I APPRECIATE THE AUDIENCE RESPONSE, BUT IT'S ALSO, IT'S WHERE THEIR SALARIES ARE IS THAT INDICATOR OF THAT PERCENTAGE. BECAUSE THEY BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING PAID LESS. SO IT IS THE INDICATOR OF THE PERCENTAGE TO WHERE THEY ARE. TO ME, YOU KNOW, TO ME, YOU KNOW, I'M TO ME, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO REMIND OUR REMIND OUR AUDIENCE THAT WE DID HAVE AN IMPACTFUL HAVE AN IMPACTFUL HURRICANE TO THIS DISTRICT. AND A LOT OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF WERE WERE IMPACTED. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND THE MESSAGE THAT I READ WHEN THE MEETING MEETING STARTED, IS THAT MEETING STARTED, IS THAT A LOT OF THEM ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THIS IMPACT TO THIS DISTRICT. WITH THAT MESSAGE OF WITH THAT MESSAGE OF COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING WHY I'M ASKING FOR THIS TO REALLY THIS TO REALLY LOOK IS WHEN WE ARE RAISING SALARIES TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE EMPLOYEES COME TO THIS DISTRICT EVERY DAY TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS EVERY DAY. OUR BUS DRIVERS PICK UP THE STUDENTS AND THEN WE HAVE SOME BUS DRIVERS THAT DID NOT EVEN HAVE A HOME TO GO BACK HOME TO WHEN THEY WERE PICKING UP OUR STUDENTS. SO I GET THAT WE'RE INCREASING SALARIES, BUT WHEN WE LOOK, WE HAVE TO HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT HOW THESE INCREASE IN SALARIES ALSO AFFECT THOSE WHO NEED THE THOSE WHO NEED THE INCREASE IN SALARIES ALONG WITH OUR TEACHERS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THANK YOU. THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH THE PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS. [ APPLAUSE ] ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL GO ON TO 5.02, THE REVISION OF THE 2024-25 STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. YOU'VE SEEN THIS AGENDA YOU'VE SEEN THIS AGENDA ITEM. IT'S COMING BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN. TEAM OF DISTRICT LEADERS AND SCHOOL SITE PRINCIPALS MET TO PROPOSE NECESSARY REVISIONS AND UPDATES TO THAT VERSION OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. ONCE THOSE UPDATES WERE IMPLEMENTED, A DIVERSE COMMITTEE OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS MET TWICE TO REVIEW THE DOCUMENT AND PROVIDE INPUT ON ADDITIONAL TEAMS. THEY WANTED TO SEE. ITEMS THEY WANTED TO SEE, PARTICULARLY THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF RESPONSIBILITIES OF HCPS. A TEAM OF ELEMENTARY ADMINISTRATORS ARE WORKING TO DRAFT A DISCIPLINE MATRIX FOCUSED ON ELEMENTARY STUDENT BEHAVIOR AND NEEDS. FURTHER REVIEWS AND REVISIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AT AN -- AND AN ADDITIONAL REVISION SHARED SUMMER OF 2025. DR. GRAVES, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON TO 5.02? >> YES, THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. BOARD MEMBERS, THE VERSION COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR APPROVAL INCLUDES UPDATES THAT WERE DONE IN AN EFFORT TO ALIGN LANGUAGE TO THE PRACTICES THAT ARE CURRENT IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT AND SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED POLICY LANGUAGE. ADDITIONALLY, UPDATES AND REVISIONS WERE MADE BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM OUR SCHOOL BOARD WORKSHOP ON NOVEMBER 12 AND INPUT FROM COMMUNITIES. A FEW EXAMPLES OF UPDATES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE INCLUDE DUTIES, RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UPDATES TO THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES SUCH AS PROCEDURES SUCH AS ATTENDANCE, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, SCHOLARSHIPS, MEDICATION RECORDS, SEARCH AND SEIZURE, MTSS. ALSO, IF THE LANGUAGE IN THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT WAS ALIGNED TO A POLICY, THEN THE SPECIFIC POLICY NUMBER WAS ALSO PUT IN PARENTHESES WHICH IS ALSO A LINK TO THE POLICY ITSELF. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C 5.02. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER GRAY AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO GET IN THE QUEUE? MEMBER RENDON. YOU GOT IN THE QUEUE FIRST. I'M CALLING IT. MEMBER RENDON. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE DUE DILIGENCE. I WANT TO BRING ATTENTION AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PLAY EFFORT ON TO THIS. I THINK IN RECENT MONTHS, IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A PARENT AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THIS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE SECTION ON PAGE 38 OF THE DISCIPLINE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT UNDER UNDERSTAND THAT UNDER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT, THE PURPOSE OF THE MANIFESTATION DETERMINATION REVIEW UNDER THE -- IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE CONDUCT WAS CAUSED BY OR HAD A DIRECT AND SUBSTANTIAL RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHILD'S DISABILITY OR IF THE CHILD'S CONDUCT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY FAILED TO IMPLEMENT THE STUDENT'S INDIVIDUAL IEP PLAN OR 504 PLAN. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SPEAK ABOUT THE PUBLIC. MS. BROWN AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE WITHIN OUR DISTRICT THAT WE PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS. MANY TIMES OUR MANY TIMES OUR IEPs ARE DIRECTED AROUND GOALS THAT ARE DIRECTED AROUND EDUCATIONAL GAINS AND EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND YET WE'RE NOT ADDRESSING BEHAVIORS AS A WHOLE OR LOOKING AT A BEHAVIOR BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THEIR IEP DOESN'T MEAN A BEHAVIOR IS A MANIFESTATION OF THEIR DISABILITY. I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR EDUCATION LOOK FOR EDUCATION OF OUR EDUCATORS, EDUCATION OF OUR SUPPORT STAFF, EDUCATION OF OUR LEADERSHIP, TO MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE THAT A BEHAVIOR CAN BE A A MANIFESTATION OF THE DISABILITY, WHETHER OR NOT IT IS ADDRESSED IN IEP ADDRESSED IN IEP OR 504 PLAN. BECAUSE SOMEONE'S DISABILITY CAN COME OUT IN A VERY DIFFERENT WAY, AND THEY COULD HAVE THE BEHAVIOR THAT BEHAVIOR THAT ACTUALLY ALTERS OR ADJUSTS. BECAUSE BEHAVIORS ARE MANIFESTATION OF THEIR DISABILITY MEANS THE BEHAVIOR IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY BUT CAN ADJUST OR CHANGE OVER TIME. WE HAVE A LACK OF BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT SO WE HAVE A LACK OF THAT TRAINING WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THIS IS WRITTEN IN OUR PLAN, IN OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB OF ADDRESSING IT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT ACROSS THE BOARD. SO I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO MAKE SURE I POINT THAT OUT AND MAKE SURE ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE AWARE THAT WE LOOK AT THAT AND BE TRAINED BETTER IN WHAT THAT MEANS. THANK THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: I HAD >>Nadia Combs: I HAD A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. FIRST, THANK THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, GRAVES, MICHAEL ROWAN FOR ALL THE WORK AND FEEDBACK AND LOOKING AT THINGS. I APPRECIATE A LOT OF THE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN WE'RE PUTTING IN PLACE. AND I KNOW OUR AND I KNOW OUR COUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PRINCIPALS, EVERYBODY IS WORKING COLLECTIVELY. WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN TRAUMA. WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN MISBEHAVIORS. WE KNOW WE KNOW THAT. AND I THINK IT'S A REAL -- I REALLY APPRECIATE THE MOVEMENT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN STUDENTS ARE ACTING OUT OR THEY ARE MISBEHAVING THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND THEY ARE NOT OUT OF SCHOOL FOR TEN DAYS, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT'S WHAT A CHILD THAT'S WHAT A CHILD WANTS. THEY WANT TO BE TAKEN OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN SCHOOL. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE MISBEHAVING. IF ACADEMIC, HOME ISSUES OR SOCIAL SOCIAL ISSUES, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT. I ALSO WANT TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT THE ATOSS PROGRAMS. AND I THINK MAKING SURE THAT TRANSPORTATION IS AVAILABLE IS A REALLY BIG PRIORITY FOR US. AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, AS A FORMER TEACHER, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS AND OUR BUS DRIVERS, EVERYBODY, THAT THEY ARE NOT SCARED TO WRITE UP IF THERE IS A DISCIPLINE ISSUE. BECAUSE THE MORE YOU HAVE HIGHER EXPECTATIONS, THE MORE THE STUDENTS WILL GO TO THAT. SO WE DON'T WANT TO ALLOW MISBEHAVIOR BECAUSE MISBEHAVIOR BECAUSE WE KNOW A LOT OF TIMES TEACHERS LEAVE THE PROFESSION FOR FUNDING, BUT THEY ALSO LEAVE THE PROFESSION BECAUSE OF A CLIMATE AND CULTURE. AND IF THEY FEEL THAT IF THEY WRITE A REFERRAL, IF THEY WRITE TWO REFERRALS, IF A STUDENT TALKS INAPPROPRIATELY, THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE LOOKED DOWN UPON OR THAT THEIR PRINCIPAL OR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IS NOT GOING TO COME TO THEM AND SAY PLEASE DON'T WRITE THAT REFERRAL. WE WANT TO HAVE POSITIVE BEHAVIOR, BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR ENCOURAGE OUR TEACHERS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE HIGH HAVE THOSE HIGH EXPECTATIONS. I THINK OF A SCHOOL, ALL MY SCHOOLS REALLY IN DISTRICT ONE, ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS 3,000 STUDENTS, YOU CAN WALK THROUGH THAT SCHOOL ANYTIME. THERE'S HARDLY ANYBODY IN THE HALLWAY. KIDS ARE BEHAVING. THE EXPECTATIONS ARE THERE. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EXPECT THAT AND I DON'T WANT OUR TEACHERS TO FEEL THAT THEY CAN'T WRITE UP A REFERRAL BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO LOOK BACK AND THAT WE ARE AND THAT WE ARE CHARTING WHO WRITES REFERRALS AND WHICH SCHOOL HAS THE MOST BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS BECAUSE STUDENTS WILL BECAUSE STUDENTS WILL MEET YOU WHERE YOU EXPECT THEM TO BE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK MIKE ROWAN AND RICK GRAVES, NOT ONLY FOR EDITING, BUT ADDING SOME BREVITY TO MANY OF THESE REFERRAL SYSTEMS. MY ATTENTION HAS BEEN, AS BOTH OF YOU KNOW, ON PAGE 50, THE VAPING. I KNOW THAT AS A HILLSBOROUGH HEALTHY SCHOOL OR COMMITTEE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IN A WAY OF HEALTH, BUT WHAT OF HEALTH, BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS IN THE IS IN THE 2015-2016, WE HAD IT DOWN TO 20%. AND THIS IS FROM AND THIS IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OVERALL FOR HIGH SCHOOL. AND NOW IT'S UP AND NOW IT'S UP TO 46% KIDS ARE VAPING VAPING IN THE SCHOOLS WITH MARIJUANA. AND THIS COMES RIGHT HERE WITH MARIJUANA OIL. SO WHAT I'M -- AND THERE'S SO WHAT I'M -- AND THERE'S THC, ET CETERA. THERE'S DANGER GOING ON. AND WHY IS THIS A AND WHY IS THIS A CONCERN? IT'S A CONCERN BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH. STATISTICS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS IF THEY ARE IF THEY ARE MIRRORED BY ACTIONS. AND THE AND THE ACTION STEPS THAT WE HAVE, THIS IS NOTHING -- ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOUR WORK AT ALL, BOTH MIKE GRAVES, RICK, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LEEWAY. PARENT CONFERENCE, VERY, VERY CRITICALLY. BUT THEN THEY GET ANOTHER REFERRAL AND ANOTHER REFERRAL. AND TIME HAS VERY LITTLE TEETH. I'VE ADDRESSED THIS WITH YOU BOTH. WE ARE MEETING WITH THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT. IN FACT, THE IN FACT, THE SHERIFF SAID IT'S WAY OVERDUE. WE HAVE TO TIGHTEN UP THE SHIP. 46% OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS -- 46% OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS -- 46% OF OF THE STUDENTS. INTERESTING FACT TOO IS INTERESTING FACT TOO IS A LOT OF THE NON-HISPANIC WHITE THE NON-HISPANIC WHITE FEMALES, REMEMBER, THIS IS WITH THE MARIJUANA AND THE MARIJUANA AND THE VAPORS, 43.7% NON-HISPANIC WHITE FEMALES AND NON-HISPANIC BLACK NON-HISPANIC BLACK MALES, 25.9%, NON-HISPANIC BLACK NON-HISPANIC BLACK FEMALES, 29.2%, HISPANIC 29.2%, HISPANIC MALES, 40.9%. FEMALES, THE MALES FEMALES, THE MALES ARE 41.9%. THIS IS LAST YEAR. AND FEMALES AND FEMALES ARE 38.7%. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A HUGE RISE IN THE, WELL, MOST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS KNOW. TALKING TO THE PRINCIPALS, THEY'LL OPEN THEIR TOP DRAWER AND YOU'LL SEE ALL THESE VAPORS THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED. I CAN GO AROUND SCHOOLS AND I CAN GO AROUND SCHOOLS AND ASK, PLANT CITY HIGH SCHOOL, BLESS THEIR HEARTS. SHE'S TRYING TO GET CAMERAS IN THERE TO TRY TO CATCH ALL THE VAPING. IT'S SO OUT OF HAND AND IT'S UNHEALTHY. BY THE WAY, ACADEMICALLY, HOW CAN YOU LEARN -- I'M A FORMER TEACHER, IF YOU ARE HIGHER OR GETTING HIGHER THAN A GETTING HIGHER THAN A KITE? ANY RATE, BOARD MEMBERS, I'M DOING THIS IN THE SUNSHINE. I WILL GO AHEAD AND PUT THE TASK, DR. RICK GRAVES AND REICH ROWAN, WHAT I WANT ROWAN, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS MAKE THE EDIT TO THE POLICY 5530 AND BRING THIS TO THE BOARD DURING OUR POLICY CYCLE. I HOPE THAT THE BOARD WILL HELP ME AND US AND THE STUDENTS TO TRY TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A TIGHT SHIP ON THIS, OTHERWISE I'M AFRAID THAT THE 46% WILL GO UP TO 70% MORE. AND THIS IS GETTING SCARY BECAUSE THE GUMMIES AND ALL BECAUSE THE GUMMIES AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF, IT'S GETTING SUCH EASY EASY ACCESSIBILITY. IT'S NOT HELPING OUR KIDS. AND ONE OF THE PRIORITIES -- I'M TALKING TOO MUCH AGAIN -- BUT ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IS THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR CHILDREN. IF I DON'T SAY IF I DON'T SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, AND THIS, AND IF OUR BOARD MEMBERS ARE TRULY FOR THE KIDS, AND THEY ARE. EVERY ONE OF US ARE 100% FOR OUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY, I WANT TO WORK WITH THE BOARD AND OUR DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE TO TRY TO TIGHTEN UP THIS SHIP. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. AS MR. GRAVE AND MR. AS MR. GRAVE AND MR. ROWAN, I'M GOING TO REFER TO PAGE 50, THE VERY LAST, THE VIOLATION OF CLASSROOM RULES. HERE IT HERE IT SAYS, HERE IT SAYS, MANDATORY HERE IT SAYS, MANDATORY THE FIRST INCIDENT, THIS PARENT CONFERENCE. CLASS DETECTION. THE SECOND ONE IS THE FIRST DAY OF ISS. AS YOU BOTH KNOW, AS YOU BOTH KNOW, WE HAD AN INCIDENT ABOUT A WEEK AGO. I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER. EVERYTHING IS FLOWING EVERYTHING IS FLOWING TOGETHER. BUT IT'S A VIOLATION OF CLASSROOM RULES. I DON'T EVEN KNOW, HOW WOULD WE KNOW WHAT KNOW WHAT CLASSROOM RULES ARE WHEN KIDS ARE -- I'M GOING TO REFER TO REFER TO THAT INCIDENT THAT WE HAD AT THE ONE HAD AT THE ONE SCHOOL WHERE A STUDENT PASSED GAS AND GOT SENT TO ISS. I'M JUST A LITTLE I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED AS TO HOW THE PRINCIPALS HOW THE PRINCIPALS OR HOW THE PRINCIPALS OR THE TEACHERS ARE TRANSLATING THINGS LIKE THIS. >> YES, THANK YOU, MS. PEREZ. ONE OF THE THINGS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE INCONSISTENCIES WITH DISCIPLINE DATA THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY THE MATRIX WAS BROUGHT TO THE BOARD AND APPROVED BACK IN AND APPROVED BACK IN AUGUST BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO CREATE THAT CONSISTENCY ACROSS OUR CAMPUS. AS ONE-OFFS, SUCH AS THE INCIDENT THAT YOU SPOKE OF, THAT'S BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, WE DO ADDRESS THAT WITH THE SCHOOL. WE DO ADDRESS THAT WITH THE REGION SUPERINTENDENT, AND WE DISCUSS THROUGH THAT WITH THE PARENT AS WELL. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE DO HAVE OUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE DISCIPLINE MATRIX. WE HAVE SEEN A DROP IN THE DISCIPLINE DATA. WE HAVE SEEN A DROP IN THE DISPARITIES AS DISPARITIES AS WELL. THE OTHER THING THAT'S JUST A REFLECTION OF BEING MORE CONSISTENT WITH THE MATRIX IS OUR COEs. TO DATE, WE HAVE TO DATE, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 188 188 COEs 188 COEs AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, WHEREAS LAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 500. SCHOOLS ARE DOING A MUCH BETTER JOB OF FOLLOWING THE MATRIX. AGAIN, AS THE ONE-OFFS ARE BROUGHT TO US, WE WILL ADDRESS THOSE. >>Karen Perez: ARE THE PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS REVIEWING THESE ALONG WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS OR IS IT JUST THE STUDENT AND THE PARENTS REVIEWING PARENTS REVIEWING THESE? >> NO. THE INTRODUCTIONS -- I'M SORRY, SHARING OF THE PRACTICES THAT TYPICALLY OCCURS AT FACULTY MEETINGS AS WELL AS MEETINGS WITH STUDENTS AS WELL. AND THE PARENTS ALSO HAVE ACCESS TO THESE COPIES SO THAT INFORMATION IS SENT HOME AND SHARED WITH THEM AS WELL. AND IT IS ACCESSIBLE ON OUR WEBSITE. >>Karen Perez: I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS RECENT. WAS THIS -- WERE THESE ALREADY IN PLACE, THIS VIOLATION OF CLASSROOM OR IS THIS BRAND CLASSROOM OR IS THIS BRAND NEW? IS THIS A REVISION? >> THE VIOLATION SECTION? YES, THAT'S ACTUALLY ALWAYS BEEN IN OUR CODE OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE MATRIX, AT LEAST THAT I CAN REMEMBER. IT'S ALMOST MORE OF A CATCHALL IN TERMS OF WHAT GOES ON AND MORE FOR A CLASSROOM TEACHER IF THEY HAVE AN THEY HAVE AN IN-HOUSE, INCLASSROOM RULE AND THE STUDENTS ARE BREAKING THE RULES. THAT'S WHY IT IS THE WAY IT IS. WHAT WE DID IN AUGUST ON THAT ONE IS JUST TO ONE IS JUST TO CLARIFY, MAKE SURE THE SURE THE STEPS ARE KIND OF PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND NOT TOO HARSH. IT IS A CATCHALL FOR THINGS HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM. >>Karen Perez: SUPERINTENDENT, HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT OUR PRINCIPALS ARE READING UP ON THIS, THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND THEIR SIDE OF THAT STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT? BECAUSE THIS IS JUST NOT FOR THE STUDENT. THIS IS FOR THE PRINCIPAL AS WELL. BECAUSE THE STUDENTS AFFECTED BY THE PRINCIPAL IN THE SCHOOL AND THE TEACHER IS NOT THE TEACHER IS NOT FOLLOWING THIS. >>Van Ayres: THAT IS CORRECT. CONSISTENCY IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THAT'S WHAT THIS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT PROVIDES FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S CONSISTENCY ACROSS ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. WHEN INCONSISTENCIES OCCUR, WE HAVE A REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT AND DR. GRAY AS CHIEF OF SCHOOLS WE ADDRESS THOSE INCONSISTENCIES. WE MEET MONTHLY WITH OUR PRINCIPALS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, WE ADDRESS. SO WHAT THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT DOES FOR US IS REALLY PROVIDE THAT TEMPLATE FOR HOW WE DISCIPLINE AND CHANGE DISCIPLINE AND CHANGE BEHAVIORS FOR HCPS. IT'S ABOUT ONGOING CONVERSATION AND KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR MONTHLY PRINCIPAL MEETINGS THAT WE MEET NINE TIMES A YEAR WITH OUR PRINCIPALS. >>Karen Perez: BECAUSE TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT AND SUPPORTING WHAT SHE WAS SAYING, THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE REALLY AFFECTED BY NOT FOLLOWING THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT ARE THE STUDENTS, THE ESE STUDENTS. THE STUDENTS WITH IEPs AND THE 504s, THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE NOT EVEN READ OR EVEN THE PRINCIPALS DON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE AN IEP OR 504 AND ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THIS CODE OF CONDUCT. AND THEY ARE THE FIRST ONES AND THEY ARE THE FIRST ONES WHO DON'T EVEN -- DON'T EVEN -- YOU KNOW, THAT STUDENT THAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT, WERE NOT EVEN WERE NOT EVEN PROVIDED, EVEN THAT FIRST INCIDENT THAT FIRST INCIDENT PIECE. FROM WHAT I READ IN HERE. >> MEMBER PEREZ, AS SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TALKED ABOUT, WE HAVE MONITORING PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE. WE HAVE A DATA DASHBOARD THAT IS NOW UP AND RUNNING AND REGION SUPERINTENDENTS, SUPERINTENDENTS, PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, THEY ARE ABLE TO MONITOR THAT DATA AND REGION SUPERINTENDENTS ARE CURRENTLY CONDUCTING DATA CHECKS WITH SCHOOLS AROUND THEIR ACADEMIC DATA BUT ALSO AROUND THEIR DISCIPLINE DATA AS WELL. AS THEY MONITOR THOSE TRENDS AND SEE THINGS THAT SORT OF STICK OUT WHEN IT COMES TO INCONSISTENCIES WITH DATA, THEY ARE ABLE TO DRILL DOWN AND ASK MORE OF THOSE TARGETED QUESTIONS AND SEE WHERE THE GAPS AND SEE WHERE THE GAPS ARE. >>Karen Perez: AND FOR DR. -- IN SUPPORT OF DR. GRAY, I HAVE -- DR. GRAVE, I HAVE TO SAY HE WAS REALLY GOOD IN REALLY GOOD IN EDUCATING THIS PRINCIPAL AND MAKING SURE THAT SUPPORTS WERE IN PLACE FOR THE PRINCIPAL AND THE TEACHER. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WHEN IT CAME TO WHEN IT CAME TO THE STUDENT AND THE PARENT. BUT WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THIS SLIPPING LIKE THIS SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS. JUST MAKING SURE THE JUST MAKING SURE THE PRINCIPALS AND THE TEACHERS UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CODE OF THIS CODE OF CONDUCT IS FOR THEM AS WELL, NOT JUST FOR THE STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER CHAIR. JUST AS A COROLLARY, WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT SPEAKING ABOUT DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, BLACK STUDENTS BEING SUSPENDED. WE'RE TALKING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MEMBER COMBS WANTS A STRONG POLICY ON MISBEHAVIOR, YET WE WANT TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL. ALL OF THIS, THOSE TWO DIMENSIONS -- HIGH SUSPENSION, KEEP THE KEEP THE KIDS IN SCHOOL -- WHAT WE DID, AND TRACYE BROWN, YOU SHOULD SPEAK ON THIS. I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MONTHLY MEETINGS. BUT WHAT WE DID BEGINNING IN 2016, ACTUALLY PRIOR TO 2016, ACTUALLY PRIOR TO THAT, EDGE CODE WAS A BOARD EDGE CODE WAS A BOARD MEMBER. SO WHEN MIKE ROWAN SPEAKS ABOUT LESS COPs OR IN THAT CASE, DR. GRAVE SPEAKS LESS COPs, WHICH ARE CHANGE OF PLACEMENT, WE KNOW THAT YEARS AGO, I WANT TO SAY FOUR YEARS AGO, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF COPs FOR SOME OF YOU WHO MAY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW HOW PBIS AFFECTS THOSE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF GETTING TO ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. WE WENT FROM -- THIS WAS EISENHOWER -- WE WENT FROM 22 CHANGE OF PLACEMENTS AND IT WENT DOWN WHEN IT WAS FULL FIDELITY AT PBIS, FULL FIDELITY SCHOOL, WENT DOWN TO FIVE WENT DOWN TO FIVE PBIS. WHY DO I REMEMBER WHY DO I REMEMBER THAT? BECAUSE WE HAD DONE A VERY LASER-FOCUSED LOOK AT HOW VALUABLE PBIS WILL BE TO BE IN THE BALANCE. IN OTHER WORDS, NOT TO GO WAY OUT AND SUSPEND, SUSPEND, SUSPEND, BUT SUSPEND, BUT VERY MUCH INTO TRAINING STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIORS AND RESPONSES THAT WILL HELP THEM ENGINEER BETTER RELATIONSHIPS NOT ONLY WITH THEIR PEERS, BUT WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS, ET CETERA. ALL RIGHT. SO FAST-FORWARD 37 NOW WE SEE THE PBIS IS LOWERING THE REFERRAL RATE. SO I GUESS WE CAN DO A TRUE OR FALSE, BUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE TRUISM IS IS WE HAVE LESS REFERRALS.  AND LESS SUSPENSIONS. MS. BROWN, YOU SPEAK SO ELOQUENTLY. YOU'VE BEEN ON THE PBIS. I KNOW WE'VE WORKED THIS VERY HARD. CAN YOU SHARE A CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WHY WE HAVE LESS THE WHY WE HAVE LESS SUSPENSIONS AND LESS COPs FROM PBIS. >> THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. WE HAVE WE HAVE CURRENTLY 99 SCHOOLS ACTIVELY PBIS SCHOOLS, ACTIVELY PBIS SCHOOLS, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE -- WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE INTERVENTIONS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE AS WELL AS THE INCENTIVES AND REWARDS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. EVERY SCHOOL HAS A BEHAVIOR, TIER ONE BEHAVIOR PLAN. IN THAT TIER ONE BEHAVIOR PLAN, THERE ARE ?CRITICAL ELEMENTS PRESENT IN THE PBIS MODEL THAT WE REINFORCE EVERY DAY WHEN REGION SUPERINTENDENTS GO OUT TO SCHOOLS, THEY ARE CHECKING FOR THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID, WHICH I THINK IS CRITICAL, AND THAT IS FIDELITY. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING PBIS WITH FIDELITY. AND WITH AND WITH THE REGION SUPERINTENDENTS AS WE GO OUT INTO SCHOOLS AND WE CHECK FOR FIDELITY, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN IT IS IN PLACE AND IT'S DONE WITH FIDELITY AND DONE WELL, THERE IS A REDUCTION IN THE MISBEHAVIOR, WHICH RESULTS IN THE DISCIPLINE. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BE ABSOLUTELY PROACTIVE IN PREPARING KIDS TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY IN EVERY SITUATION. SO OUR GOAL HERE IS TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR. IT IS NOT TO EXCLUDE KIDS FROM CLASS OR FROM SCHOOL, FROM INSTRUCTION. IT IS TO CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR SO THAT THEY CAN THAT THEY CAN REMAIN IN CLASS AND LEARN AND GET THE BENEFITS OF GREAT INSTRUCTION. SO WE ARE ON THE PATH TO TRAINING ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IN PBIS. WE HAVE 62 SCHOOLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN A GRANT, AND WE ARE TRAINING TRAINING THEM, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRAIN OUR SCHOOLS UNTIL ALL OF THEM ARE FULLY TRAINED AND WE GET TO DO THAT WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH USF. SO WE ARE REALLY, REALLY EXCITED AND APPRECIATE AND APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR ADVOCACY FOR PBIS. WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR SCHOOLS AS THEY IMPLEMENT. >>Lynn Gray: I THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE SHOULD ALSO THANK WE SHOULD ALSO THANK STACY RENN AS WELL. THE IDEA, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, IS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE INVOLVED IN MORE THAN JUST A LITTLE TIDBIT HERE AND THERE. AND PERHAPS TO MS. -- AND PERHAPS, TOO, MS. BROWN, YOU CAN SEND AN INVITE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL USF -- WE HAVE ACTUAL CLASS, A COURSE. I THINK IT'S TWO OR THREE DAYS, BUT IT REALLY BUT IT REALLY IGNITES A POWERFUL WAY OF HOW BEHAVIOR CAN BE MODIFIED IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. AND THAT'S REALLY SO TRUE OF TODAY. SO I THANK SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT AND DR. GRAVES AND MIKE ROWAN, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT INTO THIS ATMOSPHERE OF THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. I ALSO I ALSO WOULD WELCOME PARENTAL KNOWLEDGE, THE OUTREACH, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE -- KNOW IF WE HAVE -- OH, MR. YOUNG, TOO, I THINK YOUNG, TOO, I THINK THE PARENTS WOULD BE VERY -- AND COMMUNITY LEADERS WOULD LEADERS WOULD BE VERY LEADERS WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATIVE OF KNOWING WHAT WE'RE DOING AS WE GO ALONG. SO THAT WILL BE A SUBJECT THAT WE CAN DISCUSS LATER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DONE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, MEMBER GRAY BROUGHT UP THE VAPING. VAPING IS A VERY BIG ISSUE THROUGHOUT THE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. BUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH VAPING, WITH MARIJUANA, AND IT DOES HAPPEN, BUT HOW ARE WE CLARIFYING CLARIFYING THAT? BECAUSE I DO SEE WHERE HER NEED FOR CLARIFICATION COMES IN. WHEN WE LOOK AT DRUG USE OR POSSESSION, WE ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY STATE THIS IS NOT INCLUDING VAPING. BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE CAN CLARIFY AT THE TIME WE REMOVE THE VAPE WHETHER IT IS MARIJUANA. DO WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE TO DETERMINE WHAT'S INSIDE THE VAPE? >> THE SHORT ANSWER IS, NO, WE DON'T. THAT'S WHY AT THE CURRENT AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE GOING TO MEET WITH THE SHERIFF, IS THAT THE CURRENT PRACTICE IS WHEN WE RECOVER THE VAPE, THERE'S VAPE, THERE'S NO IMMEDIATE TEST. NO WAY TO KNOW IF IT IS DRUGS OR NOT DRUGS UNLESS THE STUDENT ADMITS TO IT. THAT'S WHY THERE IS A SEPARATION BETWEEN DRUG OFFENSES AND HOW WE HANDLE THOSE VERSUS VAPING HANDLE THOSE VERSUS VAPING IS SEPARATE. VAPING IS MORE LIKE A TOBACCO CONSEQUENCE. >>Patti Rendon: MAJORITY OF THE TIME IT DOES TEND TO BE THAT WAY. I HAVE A TEENAGER. I GET IT. MAJORITY OF THE TIME AND THE USE OF VAPING IS NOT DRUG OF VAPING IS NOT DRUG USE. HOWEVER THERE IS. IF WE DO LOOK IF WE DO LOOK AT POLICY, I WOULD REQUEST THAT WE DO HAVE A DETERMINATION. BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S A DRUG, WE CAN'T REALLY DETERMINE A CONSEQUENCE. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO CLARIFY THAT MOVING FORWARD. >> I DO BELIEVE THAT'S PART OF WHERE OUR FRUSTRATION COMES IN. >>Patti Rendon: CORRECT. >> BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT DISTINCTION GOING ON AT SCHOOLS AND WE DON'T HAVE IT READILY AVAILABLE TO US. >>Patti Rendon: THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS CBD, NOT CONSIDERED A DRUG. I UNDERSTAND WHERE THE FRUSTRATION COMES IN. BEFORE WE GO TO POLICY, WE DEFINITELY NEED TO MAKE SURE WE CLARIFY THAT. MY OTHER QUESTION IS, MOVING OFF OF SOME OF THE OTHER SITUATIONS THAT OTHER MEMBERS THAT OTHER MEMBERS HAVE MENTIONED, WE HAVE THE ABILITY THROUGH ALL OF OUR THROUGH ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS WHERE WE CAN HAVE A DOCUMENT ACKNOWLEDGED BY OUR EMPLOYEES. AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WHERE BOTH OUR WHERE BOTH OUR STUDENTS, OUR PARENTS, AND OUR STUDENTS SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. I'M SORRY, OUR EDUCATORS SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE READ THE DOCUMENT. WHETHER THAT'S -- IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK FOR IT FOR JANUARY. MOVING FORWARD, THE BEGINNING OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR. BEGINNING OF THE YEAR PACKETS, IF WE DO THEM ON CANVAS, IF A PARENT DOESN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY THEY READ IT AND THEIR STUDENT GETS IN TROUBLE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDED THIS TO YOU AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT TO THEM DIRECTLY, NOT JUST ON THE NOT JUST ON THE WEBSITE, BUT GO AFTER ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY PARENTS AND OUR EMPLOYEES. I THINK THIS IS AN I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS, FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR DISTRICT. AND FOR MAKING SURE THEFT OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IT, BOTH PARENTS AND OUR EDUCATORS IS VERY IMPORTANT, VERY IMPORTANT, AND OUR MANAGEMENT STAFF. I THINK THIS IS ACROSS THE BOARD, EVERY EMPLOYEE SHOULD SEE EMPLOYEE HAND BOOKS, STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. I THINK THIS IS CRITICAL THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGING IT. I KNOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITHIN OUR DISTRICT, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD COME UP WITH. IF WE'RE GOING TO APPROVE IT TONIGHT, DO IT FIRST IN JANUARY AND THEN MOVE FORWARD AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR PARENTS ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS WELL AS OUR STAFF. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. FIRST, I BELIEVE AS A PARENT I SIGNED SOMETHING IN MY KID'S PACKET EVERY YEAR THAT I ACKNOWLEDGED AND READ THE STUDENT -- I BELIEVE I SIGNED SOMETHING THAT SAYS I'VE READ THIS. IS THIS NOT INCLUDED IN OUR PACKET? >> YES, MANY SCHOOLS DO SEND THIS HOME. AND AS A REQUIREMENT, THEY HAVE THE FAMILIES READ OVER IT AND SIGN IT. >>Jessica Vaughn: INSTEAD OF MANY, MAKE SURE WE ARE CREATING CREDIBILITY THAT IT IS ALL SCHOOLS. I APPRECIATE THAT. ONE, I APPRECIATE THE ONE, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS HAS COME BEFORE US. IT SHOWS THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE CONCERNS. I KNOW IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING TO WALK TO WALK THE LINE BETWEEN TALKING ABOUT THE DISPROPORTIONALITY THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR MARGINALIZED MARGINALIZED STUDENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING EQUITY IN OUR POLICIES WHEN LOOKING AT THIS, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES FEEL SUPPORTED OUR EMPLOYEES FEEL SUPPORTED AND THEY ARE ABLE TO BE RESPONSIVE WHEN THERE ARE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS. I KNOW THAT IS A REALLY HARD LINE TO WALK. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THIS, THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT YOU'RE INCLUDING A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEMBERS, THAT YOU'RE GETTING BOARD MEMBER FEEDBACK AS YOU CREATE THIS. I LIKE THAT IT'S COMING BACK AGAIN, THANKS TO I AGAIN, THANKS TO I BELIEVE IT WAS MEMBER GRAY'S SUGGESTION ABOUT DOING IT TIERED FOR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE. SO I SO I ASSUME THAT THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE A LIVING DOCUMENT. I DO ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE POINT I KNOW MEMBER RENDON DOES HAVE A POINT THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR CLASSROOM TEACHERS SO THEY CAN SUPPORT OUR ESE STUDENTS IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO READ AND IMPLEMENT 504s. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL, MS. BROWN, IS MAYBE PROVIDING THAT TRAINING TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE OUR ESE STUDENTS ARE PART OF OUR MARGINAL GROUPS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, THE DISPROPORTIONALITY, WHEN IT COMES TO THAT. I EXPECT US TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS DOCUMENT AS WE GET FEEDBACK OF WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT ISN'T. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE MORE THAN JUST HAVE YOU READ THIS, IS THAT THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNICATION, RIGHT?  AND THAT IS GETTING TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS AND UNDERSTANDING THEIR CHALLENGES. AND PBIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT MOTIVATES OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT LANGUAGE IT IS. SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THIS DOCUMENT GIVES CLARITY AND HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE AS A DISTRICT AS WE IMPLEMENT THIS OR WE EVEN TALK ABOUT RESPONSE TO BEHAVIOR, IS THE IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, KNOWING YOUR STUDENTS, GIVING GRACE, GIVING THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, KEEPING THE EXPECTATIONS HIGH AS MEMBER COMBS SAID, MEMBER COMBS SAID, BUT REALLY MAKING SURE THAT WE FOCUS ON THAT PIECE OF IT. BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE WRITE DOWN. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WE PUT IN HERE. IF WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND GETTING TO KNOW YOUR STUDENTS AND CLEAR COMMUNICATION, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS EFFECTIVE. THAT'S THE PIECE THAT I HOPE THAT WE CAN'T NECESSARILY CAPTURE IN THIS, BUT THAT COMES FORWARD AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. SO THOSE ARE MY ONLY COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS. I'M THE ONLY ONE BACK IN THE QUEUE. SEEING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. ALL RIGHT. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY WITH ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT. NOW WE'LL GO ON TO 12.01, WHICH IS JUST AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS AGENDA ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE SEEN THIS REPORT BEFORE. THIS COMES BEFORE YOU EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THIS IS OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHARTER OFFICE ANNUAL REPORT. WHAT'S IN THIS ANNUAL REPORT, AGAIN, IT IS AN INFORMATION ITEM THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD. THIS ANNUAL REPORT PROVIDES STAKEHOLDERS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT A CHARTER SCHOOL IS, SUMMARY OF STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS SERVED ALONGSIDE DISTRICT COMPARISONS AND OVERALL STUDENT PERFORMANCE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ALSO IN THERE IS A LIST OF CHARTER SCHOOLS SERVED BY BOARD MEMBER FOR THE LAST YEAR. IMPORTANT TO NOTE THERE WERE NO NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS OPENED FOR 24-25. SUMMARY OF AUTHORIZING AND MONITORING ACTIVITIES INCLUDING APPLICATIONS, CONTRACT RENEWALS, AMENDMENTS, SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND SCHOOL CLOSURES. AND A PROFILE SHEET CONTAINING SCHOOL INFORMATION FOR EACH CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATING IN 23-24. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST AN INFORMATION ITEM THAT WE BRING FORWARD EVERY YEAR TO MEET -- REALLY JUST ABOUT GOOD PRACTICE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HAVE AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT KIND OF OUTLINES THAT. I WANT TO THANK CINZIA DELANGE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK IN PROVIDING THIS ANNUAL REPORT YEARLY AND VERY CLEAR. CINZIA IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER GRAY, AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. PLEASE GET IN THE QUEUE IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: SORRY MY VOICE IS SO BAD SO BAD TONIGHT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU, DR. DELANGE. I KNOW YOU'RE I KNOW YOU'RE HEADING TO RETIREMENT SOON. I WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. FIRST YEAR I PROBABLY SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH YOU UP IN THE OFFICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE DISTRICT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REALLY HAVE CLARITY AND WE UNDERSTAND THE PARTNERSHIP WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS. I ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS, WE'RE PARTNERS AS WE WENT THROUGH THE REFERENDUM AND THOSE SCHOOLS WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM THE REFERENDUM MONEY. EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER. I THINK MORE AND MORE WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS PARENTS WANT DIFFERENT CHOICE. IF IT IS A MAGNET CHOICE OR A LOCAL SCHOOL CHOICE OR A SCHOOL DOWN THE ROAD OR CHARTER SCHOOLS, I THINK THAT YOUR REPORT REALLY MAKES SURE THAT THERE'S OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS AS THEY ENTER SCHOOLS TO ANSWER THOSE REALLY KEY QUESTIONS, SOMETHING THAT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL, YOU WANT TO ASK THOSE KEY QUESTIONS, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. ARE THERE CERTIFIED TEACHERS? WHAT KIND OF WHAT KIND OF CURRICULUM. DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WE HAVE VOUCHERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND WE'RE SPENDING OUR TAXPAYER MONEY, THAT THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND THAT THERE IS OVERSIGHT, THAT PEOPLE AREN'T SPENDING MONEY ON GETTING A KAYAK OR GOING TO DISNEY WORLD AND THE KIDS ARE GETTING A REALLY GOOD EDUCATION. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHAT. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FLORIDA CHARTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE, THEY HAD THOSE FOUR MODULES. I SAW A COUPLE OF THEM. I NEED TO SEE THE REST OF THEM. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE ARE REALLY INFORMED AND THAT WE UNDERSTAND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR WHATEVER PARENTS CHOOSE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND PARENTS BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR OWN CHILD. I REALLY JUST WANT TO THANK I REALLY JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH AND LET YOU KNOW YOU WILL REALLY BE MISSED. I KNOW IT IS A FEW MONTHS FROM NOW, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT THE NEXT PERSON IS IS PREPARED AND READY -- I KNOW ANGELA WILL DO A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. >> THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. YOU ARE VERY KIND WITH YOUR WORDS. I BELIEVE I BELIEVE ANGELA WILL BE PHENOMENAL AND THE TRANSITION WILL BE SMOOTH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANTED TO ECHO SOME OF MEMBER COMBS' REMARKS. WE JUST REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE ALL APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE DONE. IT'S A LOT WHEN A WHOLE STATE CHANGES A WHOLE SYSTEM IN A DIRECTION AND YOU HAVE JUST BEEN A CHAMPION FOR BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE UPDATED, ACCURATE INFORMATION. YOU HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE TO NOT ONLY THIS BOARD BUT TO THIS DISTRICT AND ALSO TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. SO YOU HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT THAT HAS REALLY BEEN ABLE TO STEER THE SHIP IN A WAY IN WHICH THE SHIP IN A WAY IN WHICH THEY KNOW THEY CAN TRUST WHAT YOU SAY AND THE AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE AND THAT IS AND THAT IS JUST ENORMOUS. YOU'LL BE TRULY MISSED. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: INDEED, DR. DELANGE. YOU'VE BEEN A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO TO MITIGATE MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS, HARD CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR MANY YEARS REGARDING CHARTER SCHOOLS. YOU KNOW, AS PART OF THE CHARTER SCHOOL ALLIANCE, WHICH I'VE SERVED ON, I KNOW THAT THE SYSTEMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT ARE CRITICAL, AS THEY ARE ARE IN OUR OWN SCHOOLS. TONIGHT, WE EVEN MENTIONED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT WHEN WE HAVE THE MILLAGE, WE NEED THAT OVERSIGHT. AND BEFORE THAT IN 2018, WHEN WE HAD THE REFERENDUM, WE NEEDED THE OVERSIGHT. MR. FARKAS PROBABLY HAS THINGS MEMORIZED THAT HE KNOWS HE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS, WHERE DOES IT GO? HOW IS IT DONE? ALL THESE LITTLE DETAILS. AND YOU'VE CAPTURED THAT, DR. DELANGE. YOU EVEN YOU EVEN REVISED. YOU ADDED YOU ADDED MORE FILTERS FOR US TO SEE AND TO SEE AND TO UNDERSTAND THE CHARTER SCHOOL APPARATUS. I THINK WE'RE DOING GOOD, I THINK WE'RE DOING GOOD, TO MEMBER COMBS' PARTNERSHIP. I THINK WE'RE DOING MUCH BETTER. IT'S SO HARD TO TAKE A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE'VE HAD MOST OF OUR LIVES AND INTEGRATE THESE NEW SCHOOLS. BUT YOU'VE ACTUALLY MADE IT A LITTLE BIT LITTLE BIT EASIER. WE'RE COMING WE'RE COMING ALONG, AS WE NEED TO. SCHOOL CHOICE. NOW, ONE THING I WILL SAY, AND I'LL TALK TO THE ALLIANCE ON THIS, IS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK -- THEY HAVE TO WORK THEY HAVE TO WORK ON THEIR SECURITY BECAUSE NOW WE SECURITY BECAUSE NOW WE HAD THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AGAIN -- NOT THAT SCHOOL AGAIN, IN MADISON, WISCONSIN. THEIR SECURITY SYSTEMS ARE NOT MATCHED WITH OURS. SO SO THAT IS A DISCUSSION -- WELL, YOU CAN CLARIFY IN CASE. >>Cinzia DeLange: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CLARIFY. CHIEF CHIEF NEWMAN'S TEAM GOES INTO ALL THE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS SECURITY AND THEY ARE FOLLOWING AND THEY ARE FOLLOWING ALL THE STATE STANDARDS FOR SECURITY. SO CHIEF NEWMAN IS ON TOP OF THAT AS WELL. >>Lynn Gray: THAT IS SO GOOD TO HEAR. IT'S VERY WORRISOME WHAT GOES ON WHEN THE GATES ARE NOT CLOSED AND LOCKED. AT ANY RATE, THE RECOGNITION IS ALL FOR YOU, DR. DELANGE. ENJOY WHEREVER YOU ARE GOING NEXT. >>Cinzia DeLange: THANK YOU. YOU ARE ALL SO VERY KIND. I'LL BE BACK IN JANUARY WITH THREE CONTRACT RENEWALS, SO YOU'LL SEE ME IN JANUARY. >>Lynn Gray: WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN. HAPPY HAPPY HOLIDAYS, THEN. WE'LL GO WITH THAT. I'M DONE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: >>Karen Perez: I JUST APPRECIATE YOU BECAUSE -- AND THIS REPORT BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY TRANSPARENT, AT LEAST WITH THIS BOARD MEMBER, WHEN IT BOARD MEMBER, WHEN IT COMES TO QUESTIONS THAT I QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE WITH OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL A CHARTER SCHOOL IS GOING TO MAKE IT, YOU LET US KNOW OR YOU LET ME LET US KNOW OR YOU LET ME KNOW. WHEN I ASK ABOUT THE FINANCES FOR THE SCHOOLS, YOU'RE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH THAT AS TRANSPARENT WITH THAT AS WELL. I APPRECIATE THE I APPRECIATE THE REPORT, THE ANNUAL REPORT AND THE TREES THAT YOU HAVE WITH THAT. >>Cinzia DeLange: I WANT TO ADD, ALL ALL THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS THAT YOU THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED ME, I ANALYZE THEM AND SEE HOW TO INCORPORATE THOSE IN OUR DOCUMENTS, IN OUR PROTOCOLS. SO THE ANNUAL REPORT IS A PRODUCT OF ALL THAT. AND I THINK IT'S A VERY VALUABLE TOOL FOR THE COMMUNITY WHEN THEY ARE MAKING THE CHOICES OF WHERE TO TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN. IT WILL BE ON OUR WEBSITE. WE DO SEND IT TO WE DO SEND IT TO ALL THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. I DID PRESENT -- THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER GRAY, FOR INVITING ME MEMBER GRAY, FOR INVITING ME TO THE HISPANIC LEADERSHIP THE HISPANIC LEADERSHIP MEETING. I DID PRESENT IT TO THAT COMMUNITY. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE TOOLS FOR THEM TO MAKE GOOD CHOICES FOR THEIR CHILDREN. >>Karen Perez: I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO QUESTIONS LIKE WITH SOCIAL WORKERS IN THOSE SCHOOLS OR WHEN IT'S COME TO OR WHEN IT'S COME TO ESE AND MAKING SURE THAT IEPs, THAT THEY FOCUS ON THEIR THEY FOCUS ON THEIR IEPs. THAT HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATING THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THEIR GROWTH AS WELL. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR THIS ANNUAL REPORT. I'LL SEE I'LL SEE YOU IN JANUARY. >>Cinzia DeLange: THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. WE WERE ALL PREPARED TO GIVE YOU OUR FLOWERS NOW BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SURE IF YOU WERE COMING BACK WITH AN AGENDA ITEM IN JANUARY. I'LL SAVE I'LL SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR JANUARY. YOU GOT YOURS OUT. I'LL SAVE MINE UNTIL THE END. I ALWAYS PULL THIS ITEM BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT. PARENTS KNOW QUICKLY WHERE TO GO TO LOOK AT OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND LOOK AT OUR GRADE AND COMPARE AND SEE GAINS OR SEE OR SEE LOSSES. BUT THEY STRUGGLE FIGURING OUT HOW TO REALLY COMPARE OR LOOK AT OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS. WHILE I APPRECIATE THIS IS ON THE WEBSITE, I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ASK -- AND YOU GUYS SAY YES BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH -- I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A PARENT LINK SENT OUT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THIS CHARTER SCHOOL REPORT IS AVAILABLE AND WHERE THEY CAN FIND IT BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE ALSO -- DON'T NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND WHAT A CHARTER SCHOOL IS. THAT IT HAS MOST OF THE SAME FUNDING WE DO, IT'S JUST PRIVATELY MANAGED. I'VE HAD A LOT OF PARENTS I'VE HAD A LOT OF PARENTS REACH OUT TO ME RECENTLY CONCERNED ABOUT CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AND WHETHER FUNDING WILL CHANGE IN THE SCHOOLS ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ESE STUDENTS AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT CHARTER SCHOOLS. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND FUNDING IS THE SAME. IF WE GET CUT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, CHARTER SCHOOLS WILL AS WELL. THEY HEAR CHARTER SCHOOL AND THEY AUTOMATICALLY THINK IT IS A BETTER OPTION THAT OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO MAY BE SO MAY BE AND SOME MAY BE NOT. WITH THE INFORMATION THEY CAN COMPARE, LOOK AT THE GRADES, SEE AND DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE. I THINK THIS IS SUCH A CRUCIAL DOCUMENT. I REALLY LOVE THE WAY IT IS LAID OUT. I THINK A LOT OF THE TIME, LAYING THINGS OUT SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY NAVIGATE IT AND FIND THE INFORMATION THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IS SO CRUCIAL IN THE WAY THAT PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH THE INFORMATION THAT WE GIVE THEM. SO I APPRECIATE THE WAY THAT IT'S LAID OUT. THE ONLY THING -- TWEAK, YOU WON'T BE HERE NEXT TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE 2024 GRADES PUT FIRST IN THE COLUMN AND THEN GO DOWNWARD SO THAT WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT TO THE LEFT, YOU SAW THIS YEAR'S GRADES. IT CONFUSED ME A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME SCHOOLS THAT I THOUGHT HAD DIFFERENT GRADES. THEN I REALIZED THE FIRST COLUMN I WAS LOOKING AT WAS 2020 AND I HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY OVER TO FIND 2024. JUST HAVING IT SO THAT YOUR FIRST EYE GOES TO THE CURRENT SCHOOL GRADE WOULD BE THE ONLY SUGGESTION THAT I THINK MIGHT MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO READ. IT LOOKS GREAT. EVEN DOWN TO THE COLOR SCHEME AND FONT AND THE GRAPHICS THAT YOU USED. I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS. I'M GOING TO SEND A LOT OF PARENTS THIS WAY PARENTS THIS WAY SO THAT THEY CAN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE CHOOSING. THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF CHOICE IS TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE CHOOSING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE IT IS AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM. I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO EMPLOYEE COMMENT WHICH IS A TIME CERTAIN AT 6 P.M. WE'LL NOW TAKE EMPLOYEE INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES OF OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND A MEETING AT 4 P.M. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD, INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS AND PHONE CALLS, ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE'RE SETTING WE'RE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES, WHICH I DON'T THINK WE'LL USE TONIGHT, 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 FOR TONIGHT'S AGENDA, BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I NOW CALL UP THE FIRST THREE SPEAKERS, OR TWO SPEAKERS. >> YOU HIT THE POST PERFECTLY. 6 P.M. EXCELLENT, MEMBER VAUGHN. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE. HEY, LET'S NOT FORGET THIS UNIFYING MOMENT THAT WE'RE ALL WITHIN HERE. DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND WHAT'S GOING ON. OTHER DISTRICTS DON'T GET THIS LEVEL OF COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION. WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE. BUT WORK IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE REALLY, REALLY HARD BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT WORK. WE'RE DOING IT FOR KIDS. THIS CAMPAIGN AND I KNOW THAT ELLEN LYONS CAME UP HERE. SHE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE PAC. DID A GREAT JOB OF THANKING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THAT BUT IT TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE. IN THIS CASE, THE BIGGEST LITTLE TOWN IN AMERICA CALLED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOTED TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. CREDIT TO THE BOARD, CREDIT TO ADMINISTRATORS, AND CREDIT TO ALL OF THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS AND THE SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE DOING THE WORK OUT THERE. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T MENTION THAT HCTA, WE REPRESENT THE TEACHERS AND SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS, THE PARAPROFESSIONALS AND THE CLERICAL STAFF, BUT WE ALSO FOUGHT FOR THE BUS DRIVERS AND WE FOUGHT FOR THE LUNCHROOM WORKERS AND THE WORKERS AND THE CUSTODIANS, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATORS KNOWING HOW UNDERPAID THEY ARE FOR THE GREAT WORK THEY DO IN OUR DISTRICT. AGAIN, COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE HAVE A GREAT BOARD. WE HAVE GREAT ADMINISTRATION, AND WE HAVE AMAZING TEACHERS DOING GREAT WORK FOR OUR STUDENTS. LET'S NOT FORGET THAT. LET'S KEEP COMING BACK AND DOING THE GREAT WORK HERE BECAUSE TOGETHER WE CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS IN THE DISTRICT. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU. FA-LA-LA AND THANK YOU FA-LA-LA AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >> HI. SEASONS GREETINGS, BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, CABINET. I APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION AND THE APPROVAL OF THE MILLAGE THE APPROVAL OF THE MILLAGE MOU. IT'S MUCH NEEDED. REGARDING THE VACANCIES, I KNOW IT'S BEEN SAID AND I AGREE THAT SALARY IS NOT THE ONLY SALARY IS NOT THE ONLY THING DRIVING PEOPLE OUT OF THE PROFESSION. IT DOES IT DOES ALLOW US TO STAY COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER COUNTIES, AND THAT IS IMPORTANT. BUT NOBODY BECOMES A TEACHER OR GOES INTO SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE MONEY. I I THINK THAT'S FAIR TO SAY. THERE'S KIND OF A BALANCE. WHEN I WAS IN WHEN I WAS IN THE WHEN I WAS IN THE CLASSROOM, WHEN -- YEAH, THE PAY IS LOW, BUT YOU HAD A HIGHER JOB SATISFACTION. THERE WAS A JOY THAT YOU GOT. I KNEW THAT I COULD PUT MY HEAD ON MY PILLOW KNOWING THAT I WAS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. AND THAT MEANT MORE TO ME THAN MAYBE GOING INTO ANOTHER PROFESSION AND EARNING PROFESSION AND EARNING HIGHER PAY. HOWEVER, WHAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO DRIVING PEOPLE OUT OF THE FIELD IS THAT THE JOB IS THAT THE JOB SATISFACTION IS NOW LOWER. I'VE SPOKEN TO ACTUALLY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ABOUT THE WORKING CONDITIONS IN OUR COUNTY. I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT EACH OF YOU HAS A GENUINE DESIRE TO IMPROVE THESE WORKING CONDITIONS. I REALLY DO JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE REALLY WANT TO BRING BACK THE JOY TO WORKING IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE PERHAPS A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TO CULTIVATE JOY IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO DO THAT. THANK YOU. AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. HAPPY NEW YEAR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO, SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS THIS AFTERNOON, AS ALWAYS, WE'LL START AROUND OUR STRATEGIC START AROUND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. START AROUND SUPPORTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE. AND MENTOR SUPPORT. AFTER EARNING BEST OF SHOW AT THE INVENTION CONVENTION AMERICA COMPETITION, KING HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR DANIEL PARK TOOK A MOMENT RECENTLY TO HONOR THE MENTORS WHO HELPED HIM DEVELOP HIS SCIENCE PROJECT. SURPRISED PLANT CITY BIOLOGY TEACHER, BRENDA TEACHER, BRENDA McFARLAND, CHELSEA SWATS, USF TEACHING ASSISTANT AIDEN McFARLAND WITH AN AWARD AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT. CONGRATULATIONS TO DANIEL. DANIEL SITS ON MY SUPERINTENDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. SPREADING HOLIDAY CHEER, SEASON OF GIVING. STAFF AT WOODBRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE MAKING SURE EVERYONE WHO IS A PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY FEEL THE LOVE AND SUPPORT. YESTERDAY MORNING THEY NOT ONLY SURPRISED BUS DRIVERS WITH HOLIDAY GIFTS BUT SENT THE HOLIDAY TREAT TRAIN AROUND CAMPUS FOR STAFF TO ENJOY TREATS DURING THE DAY. MS. GRAY, YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW, MS. MORRIS, I SAW -- MS. GRAY, SEE, YOU DO IT TO ME AND I'M DOING IT TO YOU. >>Lynn Gray: YOU CAUGHT ME. >>Van Ayres: I CAUGHT HER. I WAS JUST I WAS JUST MENTIONING, MS. MORRIS, CAUGHT HER AT THE HOT CHOCOLATE 15K. PRINCIPAL AT WOODBRIDGE RAN THE 15K. HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR STUDENTS, MEMBERS OF OUR SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ARE DOING THEIR ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOPPING FOR STUDENTS. REPRESENTATIVES FROM SIX -- THIS IS REALLY NEAT -- REPRESENTATIVES FROM 16 SCHOOLS ARE PAIRED WITH SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICERS AND THEY PICK OUT $1,000 WORTH OF TOYS AND $1,000 WORTH OF TOYS AND SPORTS EQUIPMENT. TALKED WITH CHIEF NEWMAN TODAY. FIVE SCHOOLS LAST WEEK RECEIVE THEIR GIFTS. TOMORROW WILL BE FIVE TOMORROW WILL BE FIVE MORE. AND THEN ON THURSDAY IS THE FINAL SIX WHERE THEY DISTRIBUTE GIFTS TO THE STUDENTS. THANK YOU TO CHIEF NEWMAN, THE ENTIRE TEAM, NEPTUNE IS BACK THERE. THANK YOU, GUYS, FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS DO WITH THAT. VERY, VERY NEAT. THIS IS YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY WE CELEBRATED THE REMARKABLE LEGACY OF DR. WAYNE ANTHONY QUINN AS WE DEDICATED THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM IN HIS HONOR. DR. QUINN JOINED HCPS IN 1997 WHERE HE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO EMPOWER STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY AT RISK STUDENTS. HIS LEADERSHIP AT GARY ADULT INCLUDING CREATING PROBLEMS LIKE LECTURE ON THE HILL SERIES AND SUIT UP AND SHOW UP INITIATIVE BOTH WHICH ENCOURAGED STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE FULL POTENTIAL. PROFOUND IMPACT ON EDUCATION, CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE TAMPA COMMUNITY WILL INSPIRE US FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. CHAIR VAUGHN, MEMBER RENDON, I KNOW YOU WERE BOTH THERE. INSPIRING MORNING TO SEE THE IMPACT THAT DR. QUINN HAD AT GARY IN THIS DISTRICT. AND THIS WAS TODAY. FAMILY CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER RIBBON CUTTING. TODAY I JOINED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, DISTRICT LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT A RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF OUR FAMILY COMMUNITY CENTER LOCATED NEAR ALEXANDER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEST TAMPA. THIS NEW CENTER WILL BE A CENTRALIZED HUB OF RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SO THEY HAVE ALL THE TOOLS NEEDED FOR SUCCESS. THE NEW CENTER WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER FAMILIES AN ORIENTATION TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, SCHOOL PHYSICALS, ACADEMIC ADVISING, COLLEGE AND CAREER COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING, SCHOOL ENROLLMENT GUIDANCE AND MORE. 20 YEARS AGO, WAY BEFORE SHE JOINED THE SCHOOL BOARD, MEMBER COMBS HAD A VISION FOR THE CENTER. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO MEMBER COMBS AND ALSO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ AND HER FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, THE FACE TEAM, FOR BRINGING THIS VISION TO LIFE. MR. MURILLO, THANK YOU AS WELL FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AS WELL. EXCEPTIONAL TALENT, WANT TO CONGRATULATE MARSHALL MIDDLE MAGNET IB WORLD SCHOOL. PRINCIPAL DENNIS MAYO ON BEING NAMED 2025 FLORIDA MUSIC ASSOCIATION SECONDARY ADMINISTRATOR OF THE YEAR. HE WILL BE RECOGNIZED DURING THE FMEA PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CONFERENCE IN JANUARY. MAKE SURE AND GET THE DATE TO YOU. RIGHT HERE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER. IN COLLABORATION WITH MARSHALL MUSIC TEACHER JEFF CARE, PRINCIPAL MAYO PROVIDED AN ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS TO FIND THEIR PASSION THROUGH MUSIC AND WATCHED THE PROGRAM GROW OVER THE PAST THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS WENT IN HAD THE SCHOOL AND PLANT CITY COMMUNITY. ALSO CONGRATULATE HEATHER ON RECEIVING THE 2024 BRIAN NEWTON AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD BY THE JORD EDUCATORS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING ORGANIZATION. SHE HELPED COORDINATE A GROUP OF FOUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT SCHOOL SITES TO PARTICIPATE IN A MATH PARTICIPATE IN A MATH BOWL. THE TEAM WON FOURTH PLACE AT REGIONAL COMPETITION AND TOOK FIFTH PLACE AT THE NATIONAL COMPETITION IN ROCHESTER NEW YORK. SHE ALSO STARTED A CLUB CALLED BETTER TOGETHER AT ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS ENCOURAGING STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS AND/OR VISION LOSS TO COME TOGETHER. STUDENTS HAVE BUILT A WONDERFUL AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY AT THEIR SCHOOL. THANK YOU TO HEATHER FOR MAKING A DAILY IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS. JUST A LITERACY UPDATE TO TALK THROUGH SOME ASSESSMENT UPDATES. WE HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE WITH THE HURRICANE. WE HAD SOME DELAYS WITH OUR PM 1 AND PM 2. UPDATE, FAST UPDATE, FAST PM 2 ASSESSMENT WINDOW OPENED DECEMBER 2 AND OFFICIALLY CLOSES END OF JANUARY. HOWEVER MOST SCHOOLS SHOULD BE FINISHED BY THE END OF THE WEEK. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING RESULTS WITH THE BOARD. LAST YEAR AROUND PM 1 AND 2 WHERE WE SIT AS WE WHERE WE SIT AS WE LOOK TO PROGRESS MONITOR FOR END UP PROGRESS MONITOR FOR END UP PM 3. AFTER WINTER AFTER WINTER BREAK, SECONDARY SCHOOLS STREAMLINE -- THE FIRST SEMESTER HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT DIFFERENT. NO EXAMS FOR STUDENTS NORMALLY TAKING IT THIS WEEK. IN JANUARY, AS THAT SEMESTER ENDS ENDS JANUARY 16, STREAMLINED SEMESTER EXAM ADMINISTRATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED TO TAKE THE EXAM TO EARN COURSE CREDIT AND FOR ANY STUDENTS WHO NEED TO TAKE THE EXAM TO IMPROVE THEIR GRADE POINT GRADE POINT AVERAGE. I DID WANT TO PROVIDE ONE SUSPENDED AGENDA UPDATE AS WELL. IT WAS JUST AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING ON DECEMBER THE 3rd WHERE THE BOARD APPROVED THE CONTRACT FOR FOCUS. SO I JUST WANTED -- I'LL BRING THESE TO YOU MONTHLY. THIS IS AN UPDATE. AS OF NOW -- AND I WANT TO THANK DR. WHELAN FOR HER HARD WORK OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS IN GETTING US TO THIS PLACE. FIRST OFF, THANK DR. WHELAN FOR GETTING US HERE. LONG WAY TO GO, BUT PROVIDE SOME UPDATES TODAY OF WHERE WE ARE, WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE DECEMBER 3rd. DR. WHELAN, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. >> THANK YOU, MR. AYRES. BOARD MEMBERS, SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING WHERE THE NEW FOCUS STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION WAS ADDED IMPLEMENTATION WAS ADDED TO OUR SUSPENDED AGENDA WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED MANY CRITICAL TASKS. MEETINGS WERE HELD WITH FOCUS MGT, DISTRICT, AND SITE-BASED STAFF MEMBERS ON DECEMBER 5th AND 6th AND THEN AGAIN ON DECEMBER 11, AND OUR PROJECT KICKOFF OCCURRED ON LAST THURSDAY, THAT WAS DECEMBER 12, WITH OVER WITH OVER 50 PARTICIPANTS. OUR THEME OF CREATING ENERGY, CLARITY, AND EXCELLENCE WAS EVIDENT THROUGHOUT EVERY SESSION. THIS IS OUR OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT TIMELINE THAT WAS SHARED WITH EACH OF OUR WITH EACH OF OUR GROUPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ALL GROUPS INCLUDED AND THAT EACH OF OUR MAJOR MILESTONES WAS ALSO EVIDENT AND THAT WE WERE MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD COVERED ALL OF THOSE. THIS WAS ALSO -- THIS IS OUR PLAN MOVING FORWARD FROM DECEMBER. WE TOLD YOU WE WOULD BE STARTING THAT VERY WEEK FROM THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND THEN BOARD MEETING AND THEN THIS WILL BE TAKING US ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO JULY. ON OUR NEXT SLIDE, THIS SHOWS THE SURVEY RESPONSES FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS AT LAST THURSDAY'S KICKOFF MEETING. SO THE KEY TAKEAWAYS ARE NOTED THAT 81% OF THE RESPONDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS HAD A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF THE VISION AND PURPOSE OF OUR FOCUS IMPLEMENTATION, AND THAT 78% HAD A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN THOSE KEY MILESTONES THAT YOU JUST SAW IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OVERALL PROJECT TIMELINE. WE ALSO NOTED WE ALSO NOTED SUCCESSES THAT WERE EMPHASIZED AND ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE CLARIFICATION AND SUPPORT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT. THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS ALL OF OUR SPECIALTY GROUPS THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO PROVIDE INPUT AND DEMONSTRATIONS REGARDING ALL OF OUR SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITIES. BY THE END OF THIS WEEK, OUR DRAFT TRAINING PLAN WILL BE AVAILABLE. WE HAVE COLLECTED DATES FOR ALL OF OUR GROUP MEETINGS SCHEDULED FROM JANUARY 2025 THROUGH THE SPRINGTIME OF 2025. ADDITIONALLY, IN OUR FIRST WEEK BACK IN JANUARY FROM THE HOLIDAY BREAK, WE WILL BE PROVIDING ALL DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE SYSTEM BY FOCUS STAFF, AND THIS WILL -- WELL, WE'LL HAVE A CABINET. WE'LL BE REVIEWING THAT IN CABINET ON JANUARY 6th. AND THEN ALSO JANUARY 8 AT OUR PRINCIPALS MEETING, JANUARY 9 AT THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS MEETING. AND THEN THAT SAME EVENING, AND THEN THAT SAME EVENING, HCTA HAS THEIR REP COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED. SO WE WILL BE ALSO SO WE WILL BE ALSO PROVIDING THIS DEMONSTRATION TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL AND ESP STAFF MEMBERS AS WELL AS THE HCTA LEADERSHIP. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE, AND WE HAVE LISTED, ALL OF AND WE HAVE LISTED, ALL OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN ONE OR ONE OR MULTIPLE PLANNING MEETINGS AND OUR KICKOFF. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EACH OF THEM FOR THEIR GENEROUS GIFT OF THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE AND INPUT INPUT TO INPUT TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT. AND THESE ARE MANY OF THE SAME PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING WITH OUR SYNERGY STABILIZATION. I FORGOT TO PUT PABLO ON THERE. I DID WANT TO THANK PABLO FOR THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT THAT HE PROVIDED TO PROVIDED TO US. AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE -- THIS ONGOING UPDATE THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING TO YOU ON FOCUS IMPLEMENTATION, OUR TIMELINE AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ALREADY IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO US ARE GIVEN TO US ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE. BOARD MEMBERS, FOR MY LAST SLIDE, AS WE WRAP UP THE LAST FEW SCHOOL DAYS OF THE YEAR, I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL AND SAFE WINTER BREAK. PLEASE ENJOY, RELAX AND RECHARGE THE NEXT TWO WEEKS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. WE'LL SEE EVERYONE BACK ON MONDAY, JANUARY THE MONDAY, JANUARY THE 6th. I DO HAVE -- PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IN THIS ROOM, YOU ALL ARE VERY LUCKY. VALERIE BACK THERE, YOU GET TO SEE A LITTLE SNEAK PEEK AT SOMETHING. THE WINTER BREAK MESSAGE THAT WILL GO OUT TO THE WILL GO OUT TO THE STAFF. PRETTY COOL. WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE IT. SNEAK PEEK OF WINTER BREAK MESSAGE THAT WILL GO OUT TO STAFF AND FAMILIES AS WE HEAD INTO THE BREAK. THANK ROLAND PARK K 8 BURNS MIDDLE MIDDLE AND BLOOMINGDALE HIGH STUDENTS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE VIDEO AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR HELPING DEVELOP THIS PRETTY UNIQUE MESSAGE FOR THE HOLIDAYS. LET IT PLAY. >> HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE'RE EXCITED TO PRESENT A SPECIAL SONG SHA SHARES THE EDUCATION AND GROWTH OVER THE 12 YEARS OF LEARNING. JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS. TAKE IT AWAY, GUYS. M >>Van Ayres: I TOLD YOU IT WAS NEAT. SEE. THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. BOARD BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: HOW DO I GO AFTER THAT? I MEAN, I HAVE TO SAY AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, IT'S REALLY FUNNY TO SEE THE KINDERGARTEN, ALL THE TRANSITION, LESS STUDENTS AND JUST -- IT WAS GREAT. THE CHORUS. THAT WAS AMAZING. THANK YOU FOR WHOEVER CAME UP WITH IT. I'M SURE IT'S COMMUNICATIONS. THAT WAS AN AMAZING, AMAZING VIDEO. I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE IT EVERYWHERE. IT WAS GREAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, FOR SUPPORTING THE PARENT COMMUNITY CENTER, AND THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY AND MEMBER VAUGHN FOR COMING TODAY. PEOPLE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THERE'S NO INK -- IT DIDN'T COME OUT OF ANYTHING. THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING THERE WERE WORKING IN ROSSAC, SO THERE'S NO INCREASE IN GENERAL FUND. INSTEAD OF WORKING AT ROSSAC, THEY ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. ONCE WE STABILIZE FAMILIES AND PARENTS AND PROVIDE THEM INFORMATION, THEN THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS. WE ALREADY HAVE A VOLUNTEER OR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTS TO MAKE AN ENDOWMENT, HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS. SO WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON THERE AND REALLY CONNECTING WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS TO HELP SUPPORT FAMILIES. I'M PROUD TO SAY DISTRICT ONE, THE ENROLLMENT CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN ALL INCREASE IN ALL THOSE SCHOOLS AND THERE ARE SO MANY STUDENTS. WE HAVE ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL WAS BURSTING AT THE SEAMS. EVERY ONE OF DISTRICT ONE SCHOOLS, INCREASE IN TOWN N' COUNTRY HAS BEEN EXPONENTIAL. TO SEE THAT IS JUST TO SEE THAT IS JUST AMAZING. AND ONE AND ONE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE THAT HAPPENED FROM THAT, WE HAD 44 PEOPLE COME IN WHO NEEDED HELP TO HELP TO APPLY WHO ARE CURRENTLY GOING TO WORK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. TODAY, I MET THE ONE PERSON WHO WAS THE FIRST APPLICANT, AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE A COMPUTER AND HE WANTED TO WORK FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT HE HAD NO ACCESS TO A COMPUTER AND HE ALSO NEEDED HELP TO ACTUALLY FILL OUT THE APPLICATION. SO SO MANY GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING THERE. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE TEAM. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY THANK MARCOS MURILLO MARCOS MURILLO FOR YOUR VISION AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT, OWEN YOUNG, THE FACE YOUNG, THE FACE TEAM, THE ADMINISTRATION THAT ALL CAME TODAY. THE COMMUNITY AND FINALLY CRISTINA FERNANDEZ WHO IS WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE THAT A SUCCESS. I'M CALLING HER ALL THE TIME AND GOING BY BECAUSE IT'S REALLY VERY IMPORTANT. I REMEMBER 20 YEARS AGO TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR PARENTS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO NAVIGATE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, ALSO ESE, HOW TO SUPPORT THAT AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I ALSO I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE EVENTS OF THE YEAR IS THE HOLIDAY BAZAAR FOR ESE STUDENTS. I KNOW I HAVE A SLIDE. IT WAS AMAZING. >> HI. MY NAME IS SOPHIE. >>Nadia Combs: SORRY. THIS IS THE SLIDE. THIS WAS THE HOLIDAY BAZAAR. IT WAS JUST AMAZING TO SEE ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. I BOUGHT SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS. I HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL DECORATION FROM LAST YEAR THAT SITS ON MY PIANO TO REALLY REMEMBER LIKE WHY WE ARE HERE, WHAT WE'RE DOING AND JUST ALL THE WONDERFUL PARAS AND TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WHO CAME OUT. IT'S JUST ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE EVENTS OF THE YEAR. I'M LOOKING I'M LOOKING FORWARD TOMORROW, SCHOOL PLAY. LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO THAT. LASTLY, WE HAVE SO MANY INCREDIBLE STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I JUST WANT TO SPOTLIGHT A STUDENT THAT I MET ABOUT A YEAR AGO. HER NAME IS SOPHIE HER NAME IS SOPHIE FARNAN. A STUDENT AT SICKLES. WITH ECHO PARTNERS, SHE SAW A NEED THAT NOT EVERY CHILD CAN WEAR -- HAVE A HOMECOMING DRESS OR BOYS HAVE CLOTHES. I KNOW FOR ME GROWING UP, I NEVER HAD A NEW DRESS BECAUSE IT'S JUST EXPENSIVE. SO SHE SO SHE STARTED SOPHIE'S CLOSET AND I WANT TO SHARE THIS AMAZING VIDEO OF WHAT SHE'S DOING AND I WAS ABLE TO BE PART OF THAT. PABLO, IF YOU'LL SHARE THIS REALLY QUICKLY. >> SOPHIE'S CLOSET. THE IDEA STARTED SMALL TO PROVIDE FEEL FORMAL -- FREE FORMAL WEAR FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND HOMECOMING AND PROM. 40% OR MORE OF STUDENTS ARE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH DUE TO THEIR THEIR PARENTS' FINANCIAL SITUATION. >> I PARTNERED WITH THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION ECOBROTHERS INC. WHICH PROVIDED A GRANT TO HELP COVER COSTS. THEY ALSO HOSTED A COLLECTION EVENT AT A LOCAL BUSINESS WHERE ATTENDEES INCLUDED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NADIA COMBS AND BONNIE EATEN EATEN OF EATEN OF ROOTS AND CHUTES. I ALSO PARTNERED WITH A LOCAL DRY CLEANER WHO PROVIDED DRY-CLEANING AT NO COST. THROUGH THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA, DONATIONS OF NEW AND GENTLY USED FORMAL WEAR BEGAN TO POUR IN. SOPHIE'S CLOSET WAS RAPIDLY GROWING. MY GOAL WAS TO MAKE IT NO MATTER WHAT THE FINANCIAL SITUATION WAS, WAS, ANY STUDENT WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO HOMECOMING, PROM AND BE PART OF THE HIGH SCHOOL TRADITION. I CREATED FLYERS WHICH WERE POSTED TO NOT ONLY MY HIGH SCHOOL BUT OTHER LOCAL SCHOOLS AS WELL. WE ARE ALL SET UP FOR THE VERY FIRST SOPHIE'S CLOSET EVENT. THE EVENT PROVIDED MORE THAN 400 FREE DRESSES, SUITS, FREE DRESSES, SUITS, PANTS, DRESS SHIRTS AND TIES. MANY STUDENTS ALSO GOT FREE SHOES, PURSES, JEWELRY, AND MORE. THE BEST PART IS HOW QUICKLY SOPHIE'S CLOSET GREW. MORE MORE THAN 125 STUDENTS FROM FIVE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS AND A FOSTER CARE FACILITY CAME TO THE EVENT. IT WAS HEARTWARMING TO HEAR STORIES OF JUST HOW MUCH THIS EVENT MEANT TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. MY COLLECTION WILL BE ONGOING AS I PLAN TO EXPAND SOPHIE'S CLOSET TO EVEN MORE SCHOOLS IN THE FUTURE. >>Nadia Combs: IT WAS SUCH AN AMAZING EVENT TO SEE THE STUDENTS AND THE EXCITEMENT WALKING OUT. STUDENTS THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO TO HOMECOMING. DROP OFF CLOTHES ANYTIME AT SICKLES. JANUARY 12 AT WESTCHASE MARSHALL ARTS, A DRIVE THERE AND ALWAYS AT SOPHIE'S AT SOPHIE'S CLOSET, LET HER KNOW AND SHE'LL PICK UP THE CLOTHES. IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING THING TO SEE SOMEONE WHO IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR THE EXTRA TIME. I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: JUST SO INSPIRING, MEMBER COMBS, AND I HAVE PLENTY OF CLOTHES. WHICH I CAN WHICH I CAN DONATE. BUT I WANT TO THANK OUR PRINCIPALS, AS ALWAYS, BUT A SPECIAL CALL-OUT TO SPECIAL CALL-OUT TO DR. JEREMY KLEIN OF BRANDON SCHOOL. IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT HE RECEIVED THE ANNUAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AWARD. AND THE REASON AND THE REASON IS, HE HAS LED, AMONG EVERY OTHER THING, HE'S DONE GREAT WORK AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, BUT HE HAS LED A LOT OF OUR NONCOLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS INTO THE WORKFORCE. AND WHAT A DEDICATED AND AND WHAT A DEDICATED AND DEVOTED PRINCIPAL HE HAS BEEN AND A TRANSFORMATIONAL PRINCIPAL AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL. I WANTED TO I WANTED TO GIVE DR. JEREMY KLEIN A SHOUT-OUT. NEXT UP, ALSO, A LOT OF EXCITEMENT. WE'RE HAVING THE RACE FOR EDUCATION APRIL EDUCATION APRIL 12, CITY OF TAMPA, MAYOR JANE, HAS APPROVED THE COURSE. LITTLE DEVIATION. NOT MUCH. STILL HAVE THE BRIDGE. TAKE PLACE APRIL 12, BLAKE HIGH SCHOOL, TIME IS 8 A.M. A SPECIAL THANKS TO ANN MARIE COURTNEY, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES AND OUR WONDERFUL HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN AMONG MANY OTHER DONORS AS WELL. MEMBER COMBS, YOU HAVE HAD A VISION ABOUT YOUR -- I SAY YOURS -- IT IS THE PARENT COMMUNITY CENTER. IT CAME IT CAME INTO FRUITION IT CAME INTO FRUITION TODAY. IT WAS A PROUD MOMENT NOT ONLY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE YOUR FACE BUT TO ALSO SEE THE FACE BUT TO ALSO SEE THE STAFF, THE TEACHERS, THE THE TEACHERS, THE SOCIAL WORKERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, HISPANIC FORUM. EVERYONE CAME OUT TO SAY THANK YOU, WE NEED THIS YOU, WE NEED THIS SOCIALLY, ACADEMICALLY, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EVERY AVENUE HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF IN THIS PARTICULAR CENTER. CAN'T WAIT TO DUPLICATE IT IN SOUTH COUNTY. THAT'S NEXT. ANY RATE, I WANT TO THANK MEMBER COMBS, SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO CRISTINA FERNANDEZ AND OWEN YOUNG, YOU'VE BEEN MENTIONED. YOUR FACE TEAM DID A VERY JOB. DR. LEWIS WAS THERE AND MR. MURILLO, THANK YOU AS WELL. I KNOW THAT YOU WERE BEHIND THE SCENES, SO I WANT TO INCLUDE YOU. AS ALWAYS, AS ALWAYS, OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HISPANIC FORUM. EVERYBODY, HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON. RELAX AND HOPEFULLY RELAX AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL TAKE A VERY DESIRABLE TRIP. IF NOT, ENJOY YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: I WAS >>Karen Perez: I WAS GOING TO MENTION DR. JERRY KLEIN, BUT THANK YOU FOR SENDING HIM A SHOUT-OUT AS WELL FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS THE OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL. HE WAS MENTIONED AT THE HE WAS MENTIONED AT THE FEEDING TAMPA BAY FACILITY AND RECEIVED THAT SPECIAL RECOGNITION. MINE IS GOING TO BE SHORT AND SWEET. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY EVERYBODY TAKES CARE OF THEMSELVES IN THESE NEXT THEMSELVES IN THESE NEXT TWO WEEKS. TAKE THE REST THAT THEY TAKE THE REST THAT THEY NEED AND REQUIRE AND TAKE IT EASY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT AT LEAST I'M DIFFICULT ON EVERYONE AND I AM CHALLENGED FOR OUR CHALLENGED FOR OUR STUDENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS HERE IN THIS DISTRICT. I APPRECIATE WHEN THE PHONE CALLS ARE CALLS ARE ANSWERED. DR. GRAVES AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES AND OUR STUDENTS MEET AYRES AND OUR STUDENTS MEET WHAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR DISTRICT. BUT THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND ENJOY YOUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SOFTWARE UPDATE. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY AS I LOOK AT THIS LIST OF STAFF THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE WONDERFUL STAFF, I'M NOT GOING TO DELINEATE THAT, BUT I DON'T SEE STAFF THAT ARE DIRECTLY WORKING AT OUR SCHOOLS ON AN ONGOING BASIS. IT'S THE TEACHERS, IT'S THE TEACHERS, ESE WORKERS. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING THIS SYSTEM ON A SYSTEM ON A DAILY BASIS MORE INVOLVED. SO I JUST -- I CAN'T STOP MAKING SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE THEM A PRIORITY BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S UP TO THEM TO GIVE US THE DATA. IT'S UP TO THEM TO USE THE SYSTEM AND WE SYSTEM AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S NOT THEM. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS, WE'VE GOT SOME PRINCIPALS BUT WE DON'T HAVE OUR ACTIVE STAFF. THAT IS PART OF RESPECTING AND VALUING OUR STAFF, THAT THEY ARE A PART OF THIS PROCESS. SO I REALLY WANT TO HOPE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WE'RE GOING TO INCORPORATE THEM EVEN INCORPORATE THEM EVEN MORE. THE OTHER THING AS I LOOKED AT THE TIMELINE, I SEE A VERY SHORT WINDOW OF TRAINING. I'M GOING TO HOPE THAT THAT REALLY IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF TRAINING AND WE'LL ACTIVELY BE GOING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MAKING SURE EVERYBODY FEELS COMFORTABLE AS WE MOVE FORWARD THAT THEY'VE GOT THAT THEY'VE GOT HANDS ON, ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING. I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AND WE NEED TO DO THAT. I FIND THAT TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE ABOUT THE CB ABOUT THE CB As COMING IN FROM OUTSIDE AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A COUPLE OF OUTSIDE PROVIDERS RECENTLY. SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE CHOSEN TO LEAVE THE DISTRICT. BUT I DON'T LIKE HEARSAY. SO IF WE COULD LOOK INTO WHAT OUR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THOSE THAT HAVE STARTED AND THOSE STILL HERE, ARE WE SEEING A DECLINE IN SOME OF THE OUTSIDE PROVIDERS LEAVING? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A SERIOUS ISSUE IF WE'VE GOT THOSE PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDERS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO ADDRESS STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL NEEDS IF WE DON'T HAVE THE CBAs WE DON'T HAVE THE CBAs THERE. IF WE COULD JUST MAKE A NOTE OF THAT FOR THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY THAT WE SEE IF THERE'S BEEN BEEN A SHIFT IN AND THE PROCESS HAS HINDERED THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PROCESS IS NOT A HINDRANCE BUT AN ASSET TO OUR DISTRICT WITH THAT BEING SAID. SO THAT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR STAFF FROM SUPERINTENDENT TO EVERY SINGLE STAFF THAT WORKS IN OUR SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT IS OUR CUSTODIANS, OUR FOOD SERVICE, SOCIAL WORKERS, GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, TEACHERS, PARAS, OUR STAFF AT ROSSAC OR IOC OR ANY OF OUR LEADERSHIP, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY DILIGENTLY FOR STUDENTS, WHETHER IT'S 5:00 IN THE MORNING THAT YOU'RE AT SCHOOLS OR IT'S 10:00 AT NIGHT THAT YOU ARE FINISHING TALKING TO A TALKING TO A PARENT, EVERY ONE OF OUR STAFF ACROSS THIS DISTRICT HAS A FOCUS ON OUR STUDENTS. AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT YEAR, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DILIGENCE AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS BECAUSE IT MEANS A LOT TO OUR FAMILIES AND OUR PARENTS. AND THEY ARE THE NEXT GENERATION. AND YOU ARE A PART OF THAT. SO JUST THANK YOU, MERRY CHRISTMAS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, HAPPY KWANZAA, HAPPY THREE KINGS, WHATEVER WE MISS, BUT JUST HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON AND TAKE THIS TIME TO REGENERATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. SO I HAVE A FEW THINGS I WANT TO SHARE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY, VERY BUSY. I HAVE SOME SLIDES OF SOME GREAT THINGS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN OR EXPERIENCE OR HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF ATTENDING. I KNOW THEY ARE COMING UP ANY MINUTE NOW. THIS WEEK, I WAS ABLE TO ATTENDS THE THE MORT PARTNERSHIP BREAKFAST, WHICH IS AN AMAZING -- THANK YOU, THAT MORT SAYS TO ALL THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT REALLY GIVE AND BUILD IN THE SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS ALWAYS DO A BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE. THIS YEAR, WE HAD ONE OF OUR THIS YEAR, WE HAD ONE OF OUR ESE FINALIST WHO SPOKE AND SHE SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AFTER THE HURRICANE AND WHAT AN IMPACT THAT HAD. IT'S ALWAYS A BEAUTIFUL BREAKFAST. THE STAFF WORKED SO HARD TO PUT IT ON. IT REALLY, REALLY HIGHLIGHTS WHAT THE IMPACTS HAVE WHEN OUR COMMUNITIES COME TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO MORT FOR THAT. IT'S A GREAT IT'S A GREAT EVENT. WHAT'S NEXT, WHAT'S NEXT, PABLO? THE SANTA FEST. SO SEVERAL OF US WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SANTA FEST, WHICH IS THE DOWNTOWN THE DOWNTOWN PARADE. WE WERE ABLE TO SEE SOME OTHER OF OUR PRINCIPALS AND EMPLOYEES THERE, AND WE ALL HAD A GREAT TIME. WE WERE ABLE TO BE WITH THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION MEMBERS. MEMBER GRAY MEMBER GRAY WALKED THE PARADE AND WE HAD A REALLY GREAT DAY. IT WAS REALLY GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THAT'S ALWAYS A NICE EXPERIENCE. YESTERDAY, I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED IT, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE DEDICATION ABOUT THE DEDICATION OF THE MULTIPURPOSE ROOM TO DR. ANTHONY QUINN. HONESTLY, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST MOVING EVENTS THAT I'VE BEEN TO IN A REALLY LONG TIME, TALKING ABOUT ABOUT IMPACT FROM DR. QUINN, JUST HIS EXPERIENCE AS A YOUNGER BOY, JUST A PIONEER IN CIVIL RIGHTS, A PASSIONATE EDUCATOR, JUST A ROCK OF HIS FAMILY AND JUST A MAN OF GOD AND TO SEE EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER AND HOW MOVING THIS WALL AND MOVING THIS WALL AND DEDICATION WAS FOR HIS FAMILY WAS SPECTACULAR. MEMBER WASHINGTON WAS THERE IN SPIRIT. HE GAVE A NICE LITTLE VIDEO AND TO SEE THE MURAL COME DOWN, IT WAS JUST GREAT. I REALLY APPRECIATED TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND THAT. I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND HIS SON SPOKE BEAUTIFULLY ABOUT HIM. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THAT WAS A GREAT THAT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. WHAT IS NEXT? ALSO, I GOT TO GO TO THONOTOSASSA WHICH DOES ONE OF OUR KIDS AND OUR KIDS AND K9s WHICH IS JUST SUCH A GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM. YOU CAN SEE HERE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR STRUGGLING READERS COME AND THEY ARE SO EXCITED AND THEY DILIGENTLY TRY TO READ TO THOSE DOGS AND SOUND OUT THE WORDS. THEY DO A REALLY GREAT JOB. THEN WE WENT INTO A CLASSROOM AND WE READ A BOOK ABOUT DOG SAFETY AND HOW TO APPROACH THE DOG. WE DID AN ECHO READING WHERE ALL THE KIDS CALL OUT, MAY I TOUCH YOUR DOG, MAY I PET YOUR DOG EVERY TIME. I HAD SPOKEN ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT THONOTOSASSA LOST THEIR AMAZING MEDIA SPECIALIST, MS. ALICIA GISELE. AND THIS BOOK VENDING MACHINE IS PART OF HER PART OF HER LEGACY. SHE PURCHASED IT EVERY BIRTHDAY A KID CAN COME DOWN, THEY CAN PICK A BOOK OUT OF THE VENDING MACHINE AND HER MOTHER IS ACTUALLY FILLING IN. SHE IS A RETIRED PRINCIPAL FROM OUR SCHOOLS AND SHE'S FILLING IN RIGHT NOW IN THE ABSENCE OF HER DAUGHTER. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. AND JUST TALK ABOUT A SCHOOL THAT'S REALLY GRIEVING TO HAVE ANIMALS COME IN, OFFERED SUCH JOY AND EXCITEMENT AND SUCH PART OF HEALING THAT IT WAS REALLY A GREAT EXPERIENCE. SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THAT PROGRAM IN OUR SCHOOLS. IS THAT ALL THE SLIDES THAT I HAVE? THAT'S IT. OKAY. MEMBER COMBS, THE OPENING OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP CENTER TODAY WAS GREAT. IT WAS SO WELL ATTENDED TO SEE ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND WHO WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. I JUST HOPE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT TO OUR FAMILIES THAT IT'S THERE AND THAT THEY KNOW IT IS A RESOURCE. I KNOW WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT THE BEGINNING ABOUT GETTING IT OUT BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONTINUING LETTING FAMILIES KNOW ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WILL OFFER SUCH A HUGE -- SUCH A GIFT TO THAT COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GO TO KIND OF A ONE-STOP SHOP. THANK YOU FOR SEEING THAT VISION THROUGH. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN CLOSING, JUST HAPPY HOLIDAYS, ECHO ALL OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, KWANZAA. I DON'T KNOW THREE KINGS, BUT I THINK I GET IT AND ANY OTHER HOLIDAY THAT WE'RE MISSING. YOU KNOW, I SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HILLSBOROUGH STRONG, BUT I'M REALLY JUST SO PROUD OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A DISTRICT, WHETHER IT'S WORKING TOGETHER CLOSELY WITH OUR UNION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, TO ALL THE HARD WORK THAT SUPERINTENDENT DOES, HIS CABINET. AGAIN, AS MEMBER RENDON SAID, EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT SHOW UP DILIGENTLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL ARE SO DEDICATED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR LIFE. RIGHT? SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE POINTED THAT OUT. HAPPY HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. I HOPE YOU GIVE YOURSELF THE PERMISSION TO RECHARGE, RELAX, ENJOY THE HOLIDAY SEASON. SEEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED! [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]