##VIDEO ID:cHDLMVV8faM## TIS IS A TEST. >>Jessica Vaughn: I'M JESSICA VAUGHN, CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE SERVE WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS INCLUDING CHILDREN STARTING WITH OUR EARLY STARTING WITH OUR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMS AND CONTINUING WITH ADULTS THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. >>Karen Perez: I'M KAREN PEREZ, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S VICE CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE 7th LARGEST IN AMERICA AND MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT CLOSE TO 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. (SPEAKING NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE) >>Lynn Gray: OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM ON SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4:00 P.M.  THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC IN WHAT WE DO. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: 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 ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. >>Patti Rendon: WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE'LL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEBSITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. >> OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE AND THAT MEANS ALL ALL STUDENTS, ALL STUDENTS, EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES, TODOS LOS DIAS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE WITH YOUR HELP, WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THE BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 28, 2025 IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER PEREZ WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF REFLECTION FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WHEN YOU HAVE A WHY, YOU CAN DEAL WITH ANY HOW. HAVING A WHY IS LIKE HAVING A SECRET STASH OF -- FOR LIFE. IT GIVES YOU THE FUEL TO CONQUER ANY HOW. EVEN IF THAT "HOW" INVOLVES DEALING WITH MONDAYS OR ASSEMBLING IKEA FURNITURE. WHEN CHILDREN HAVE A CLEAR SENSE OF PURPOSE OR A WHY IN LIFE SUCH AS FEELING LOVE, VALUED AND SUPPORTED, THEY ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO NEGOTIATE AND NAVIGATE ANY CHALLENGES OR OBSTACLES THEY MAY ENCOUNTER IN TERMS OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. HAVING A STRONG SENSE OF PURPOSE CAN EMPOWER CHILDREN TO BUILD RESILIENCE, SEEK HELP WHEN NEEDED, AND DEVELOP NEEDED, AND DEVELOP HEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS ANY MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES THEY MAY FACE. PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME WITH THE PLEDGE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE) >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? >> YES, MADAM CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE MULLER ELEMENTARY MAGNET STRING ORCHESTRA ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL MELANIE MELANIE BOTINI AND DIRECTOR MELANIE BOTINI AND DIRECTOR AUBREY KERSH. THESE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE START OF THE BOARD MEETING AND AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO INVITE THE STUDENTS UP TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. >> I'M CARTER. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE AND PLAY STRINGS. >> MY NAME IS DIANA. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE AND I PLAY THE CELLO. >> HI, MY NAME IS >> HI, MY NAME IS VENVA. I'M IN FOURTH GRADE AND PLAY VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS >> MY NAME IS LAILA. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE AND PLAY CELLO. >> MY NAME IS >> MY NAME IS SERINE AND I'M IN GRADE FIFTH AND I PLAY CELLO. >> MY NAME IS LIANA AND I'M A FOURTH GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS JAWSLYN AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS >> MY NAME IS HOSWEI AND I PLAY THE VIOLIN AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE. >> ASHLEY AND I'M IN FIFTH GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> MY NAME IS >> MY NAME IS DELANI. I'M IN FIFTH GRADE AND PLAY THE VIOLIN. >> HI, MY NAME IS AUBREY KERSH. I'M THE STRINGS SPECIALIST AT MULLER ELEMENTARY. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. WE'RE SO EXCITED WE COULD BRING MUSIC TO YOUR MEETING TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE HOPE FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ELEMENTARY ELEMENTARY STRINGS PROGRAMS. >> HELLO, MELANIE >> HELLO, MELANIE BUTINI. THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF MULLER ELEMENTARY MAGNET SCHOOL. I'M SO PROUD OF ALL OUR STUDENTS HERE AT THE SCHOOL AND ALL OF OUR TEACHERS. MS. KERSH. [APPLAUSE] . >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. PARENTS, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND TAKE PICTURES. >>Jessica Vaughn: WE HAVE NO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, JANUARY 14, 2025. SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES NANCY YARBROUGH. BOARD MEMBERS, I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE'RE AS A REMINDER, WE'RE A NONPARTISAN BOARD THAT BELIEVES ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN AND SICK LEARN AND SICK -- SUCCEED. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFECTIVE AGENDA STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARD THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE CUE. MEMBER -- QUEUE. MEMBER PEREZ WILL READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. 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 MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS CLOSED CAPTIONS ON THE LIVE WEBCAST ON CABLE TV AND VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONS ON ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. THAT'S 6:00 P.M. EMPLOYEE COMMENT AND INPUT. RIGHT NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO A101, RECOGNITION OF RECOGNITION OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH FOR FEBRUARY MONTH FOR FEBRUARY 2025. MEMBER PEREZ WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS RECOGNITION. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BLACK HISTORY MONTH IS AN ANNUAL OBSERVED OBSERVED COMMEMORATIVE MONTH WHICH BEGAN AS A WAY OF REMEMBERING IMPORTANT PEOPLE AND EVENTS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND VALUE ROLE MODELS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. EVERY FEBRUARY OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF CREATE STAFF CREATE ENGAGING LESSONS AND EVENTS AND EVENTS TO HONOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR, SOME EVENTS INCLUDE BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BALL, ART CONTESTS, DOOR DECORATIONS, FESTIVALS, AND FAMILY FESTIVALS, AND FAMILY NIGHTS. THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS PROVIDE TO RECOGNIZE FEBRUARY AS A SPECIAL TIME OF THE YEAR TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE YEAR TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE. >>Jessica Vaughn: MEMBER GRAY, DID YOU DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS IS ON BEHALF OF OUR WONDERFUL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SHAKE WASHINGTON, COMING BACK. BOTH SHAKE, MYSELF AND THE CHAIR IRSULA ODOM ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE ON OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK FORCE, WE DO SUPPORT THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND WE'RE DOING IT WITH THE NINTH ANNUAL NINTH ANNUAL HAPSE, HILLSBOROUGH ALLIANCE OF BLACK EDUCATORS BRAIN BALL WITH SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. AND I'M TOLD THAT WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE MORE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR BUT ALL THIS IS TO SAY, WE SUPPORT OUR TO SAY, WE SUPPORT OUR COMMITTEE AND OUR TASK FORCE AND OUR TASK FORCE SUPPORT THE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSES TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD UP WITH YOU AND KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE 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 A BOARD MEMBER OR STAFF MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECTED AT THE ISSUES. ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN PLACE. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. A REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES STARTS 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 THAT WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. CAN I PLEASE CALL UP THE CAN I PLEASE CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE FIVE SPEAKERS NOW. . >> GOOD AFTERNOON, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I'M PETER HORSEMAN, A 16-YEAR RESIDENT AND TAXPAYER OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND I'M THOROUGHLY OPPOSED TO ANY IMMIGRATION POLICING OR INTERROGATION OF ANY SORT HAPPENING WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT GETTING OUR IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE WORKING JOBS THAT NOBODY ELSE WILL DO WITHIN OUR AGRICULTURAL, CONSTRUCTION AND GENERAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES TO -- THEY ARE ALREADY RELUCTANT TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AS IT IS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INNOCENT CHILDREN WHO NEED TO BE EDUCATED. IT SHOULD NOT MATTER WHETHER THEY MAY BE CHILDREN OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS OR NOT. PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE A SAFE PLACE FOR THESE CHILDREN AND ALL OF OUR CHILDREN TO FOCUS ON LEARNING. OUR SOCIETY IS SUFFERING ALREADY FROM TOO MANY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH TO NOT EDUCATED ENOUGH TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FICTION. THERE IS TOO MUCH LEGISLATION THAT IS PROMOTING DIVISION IN OUR SOCIETY ALREADY. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE RESULT OF CERTAIN CHILDREN BEING CALLED OUT OF THEIR CLASSROOM TO BE QUESTIONED ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF THEIR PARENTS. I IMPLORE YOU TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO AVOID ALLOWING IMMIGRATION POLICING TO OCCUR WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN, FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY. AS THE NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC EDUCATION CAUCUS FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW HOW PROUD I AM TO REPRESENT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE VERY BEST SCHOOL BOARD IN ALL OF THE STATE OF IN ALL OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE VERY BEST SUPERINTENDENT. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU AND VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ALL THAT THE YOU DO. TERRIBLE THINGS TERRIBLE THINGS ARE HAPPENING OUTSIDE. AT ANY TIME OF THE NIGHT OR DAY, POOR HELPLESS PEOPLE ARE BEING DRAGGED OUT OF THEIR HOMES. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO TAKE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO TAKE ONLY A NAP SACK AND A LITTLE CASH WITH THEM AND EVEN THEN THEY'RE ROBBED OF THESE POSSESSIONS ON THE WAY. FAMILIES ARE TORN APART. MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN ARE SEPARATED. CHILDREN COME HOME FROM SCHOOL TO FIND THAT THEIR PARENTS HAVE DISAPPEARED. WOMEN RETURN FROM SHOPPING TO FIND THEIR HOUSES SEALED AND THEIR FAMILIES THEIR FAMILIES GONE. THE CHRISTIANS IN HOLLAND ARE ALSO LIVING IN FEAR BECAUSE ALSO LIVING IN FEAR BECAUSE THEIR SONS ARE BEING SENT TO GERMANY. EVERYONE IS EVERYONE IS SCARED. ANNE FRANK, 1943. YES, WE'RE ALL SCARED FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN. THOSE LIVING IN FEAR AND THOSE AFRAID FOR THEIR FRIENDS. YOU MUST TAKE A STAND TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS A SAFE PLACE FREE FROM TRAUMA OF SEPARATION, CRUELTY, AND VIOLENCE. BEFORE CREATING OR BEFORE CREATING OR INTERPRETING POLICIES OR MANDATES REMEMBER THAT ALL CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ENTITLED TO EQUAL ACCESS TO A ACCESS TO A BASIC PUBLIC EDUCATION -- ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF THEIR ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, CITIZENSHIP, IMMIGRATION STATUS, OR THE STATUS OF THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS. THINK ABOUT THE FEDERAL MANDATE THAT SAYS SCHOOL DISTRICTS CANNOT PROHIBIT OR DISCOURAGE OR MANDATE POLICIES THAT HAVE THE EFFECT OF PROHIBITING OR DISCOURAGING CHILDREN FROM ENROLLING OR ATTENDING THEIR SCHOOLS. JUST BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS OR THEIR GUARDIANS ARE NOT U.S. CITIZENS OR ARE CITIZENS OR ARE UNDOCUMENTED. YOU MAY GATHER THE ETHNICITY DAT FRAU THE FEDERAL FRAU THE FEDERAL -- DATA FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN MONITORING DISPARITIES IN EDUCATIONAL ACCESS. THIS IS CRUCIAL FOR THE POLICY, DEVELOPMENT AND COMPLIANCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS. THIS DATA SHOULD NEVER BE USED BY I.C.E. OR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HUNT FOR CHILDREN WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN OUR STATE ILLEGALLY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO ALL THE CHILDREN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. LOUISE SALAZAR. I KNOW MOST OF YOU AND YOU KNOW I DO A LOT OF COOL STUFF IN MY COMMUNITY AND ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS IS TEACH KIDS IN THINGS IS TEACH KIDS IN 6, 7TH AND 8TH GRADE HOW TO GO TO COLLEGE AND IT'S COLLEGE AND IT'S HISPANIC GETS WHO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION. LATELY I'VE BEEN GETTING LATELY I'VE BEEN GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM PARENTS THAT ARE VERY SCARED TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL. THAT'S DISHEARTENING TO ME. AS A YOUNG LATINO I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE RIGHT ON THE BORDER IN THE STATE OF IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA WHERE LAWS WERE MADE -- MAKE US SCARED TO GO TO SCHOOL. AND I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE. AND IT'S NOT FUN. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE PLACES FOR ALL STUDENTS. THESE PLACES ARE PLACES KIDS GO TO LEARN, NOT TO BE TO LEARN, NOT TO BE SCARED. IT'S IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN TO GET AN EDUCATION BECAUSE WHEN THEY TAKE OUR EDUCATION, THEY KEEP US POOR. AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE KIDS ARE PROTECTED IN EVERY SPACE WITHIN THE WALLS OF OUR SCHOOLS AND I HOPE YOU CAN ALL STAND UP FOR THAT WHEN THE TIME THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DREW VAUGHN. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE PTA AT MEN'S ELEMENTARY IN BRANDON AND ALSO ON THE FLORIDA STATE PTA BOARD. I'M THE PROUD PARENT OF FOUR STUDENTS WHO ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WANT TO ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT STRANGE. I KNOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE I KNOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION COMING INTO THE SCHOOLS. I'M ALSO AWARE THAT YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER FEDERAL LAWS. I KNOW YOU CANNOT CHANGE STATE LAWS WHETHER YOU AGREE OR DON'T AGREE WITH THEM. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IS TO BE YOU. YOU'RE THE GOVERNMENT AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNMENT KNOW WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS GREAT AT? BEING UNRESPONSIVE. BEING SLOW. RIGHT? ALL I WANT YOU TO DO IS BE THE ALL I WANT YOU TO DO IS BE THE BUREAUCRACY THAT YOU CAN BE. WHY? WHY DO I WANT YOU TO DO THAT? I WANT YOU TO DO THAT BECAUSE EVERY MINUTE THAT WE CAN SLOW DOWN I.C.E. IS A MINUTE THAT A KID GETS KID GETS TO STAY IN SCHOOL. EVERY WEEK THAT WE SLOW DOWN I.C.E. IS A WEEK THAT A FAMILY I.C.E. IS A WEEK THAT A FAMILY GETS TO STAY TOGETHER. WE CAN MAKE IT SO THAT PARENTS LIKE ME ARE NOT LIKE ME ARE NOT SITTING IN THE CAR LINE WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER THEIR CHILDREN WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY PULL UP. AS A GROUP, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PASS POLICIES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THESE SCHOOLS. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE LAWS, BUT YOU CAN PASS POLICIES. YOU COULD, FOR EXAMPLE, PASS A POLICY THAT REQUIRES THAT ANY WARRANT THAT IS WARRANT THAT IS SERVED AT A SCHOOL BE REVIEWED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL LAWYERS PRIOR TO EXECUTION. WHAT DOES THAT DO? BRINGS LAWYERS INTO THE MIX AND IF THERE IS ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CAN SLOW THINGS DOWN MORE THAN THE GOVERNMENT, IT'S LAWYERS, RIGHT? I KNOW. I'M A RETIRED LAWYER. WE CAN SLOW ANYTHING DOWN. WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS USE THOSE BOTTLENECKS. USE THAT USE THAT BUREAUCRACY. I KNOW MANY OF YOU PERSONALLY. YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE DOING GOOD WORK. BUT HERE IS THE THING. BEING GOOD IS NOT ENOUGH. GOOD HAS TO BE MORE DEVIOUS THAN EVIL. WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IS TO USE YOUR POWER TO PASS POLICIES THAT WILL SLOW I.C.E. DOWN AND KEEP OUR STUDENTS KEEP OUR STUDENTS PROTECTED. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE SPEAKERS FIVE AND SIX LINE UP AS WELL? NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. FIVE THROUGH SEVEN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS STEPH AND I'M A RESIDENT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND I'VE BEEN PROUD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEING ONE OF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE. BUT I'M VERY CONCERNED WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THIS COUNTRY, IN GENERAL. IT'S FRIGHTENING AND IT'S SCARY TO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING -- WHAT COULD BE COULD BE HAPPENING TO CHILDREN WITH I.C.E. GOING INTO SCHOOLS. IF ANY ONE OF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN STOPPED OR STOPPED BY A POLICEMAN IN A TRAFFIC STOP, YOU GET NERVOUS. I DO NOTHING ILLEGAL. I HAVEN'T BEEN SPEEDING BUT IF A POLICEMAN STOPS MY CAR, ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WHOLE DEMEANOR CHANGES. I'M NOT SURE WHY, WHAT'S GOING ON. NOW PICTURE A POOR CHILD BEING CALLED INTO A ROOM WITH AN CALLED INTO A ROOM WITH AN AUTHORITARIAN FIGURE. A POLICEMAN, A SOLDIER. HOW TRAUMATIZING HOW TRAUMATIZING THAT IS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN DO THAT TO OUR CHILDREN. WHEN PEOPLE SCREAM FOR PRO-LIFE BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO FEED THEM, EDUCATE THEM, THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE CARE OF WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN AND NURTURE THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY. IT'S REALLY HORRIBLE. ALL I ASK IS THAT WE HAVE LAWS BUT WE HAVE TO STAND UP TO THESE LAWS. THESE ARE CHILDREN. THEY'RE VULNERABLE PEOPLE. THESE CHILDREN -- PARENT WILL BE AFRAID TO SEND THEM TO SCHOOL. SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GROUP OF UNEDUCATED ADULTS RUNNING AROUND THIS COUNTRY, MAKING THIS COUNTRY GREAT AGAIN. THAT'S NOT THE AMERICA I BELIEVE IN. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PLEASE, LET'S TAKE CARE OF THE KIDS. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET THIS COUNTRY HAS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHARON GRAHAM. AND I AM A PROUD FORMER TEACHER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M A PROUD STUDENT AND PRODUCT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM GWINNETT COUNTY, GEORGIA. AND FROM THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION, WE LEARNED A LOT INCLUDING SOME OF WHICH I WILL QUOTE FOR YOU TODAY FROM THE ESSAY OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE BY HENRY DISOBEDIENCE BY HENRY DAVID THOROUGH. AND AND THE CONTEXT OF AND THE CONTEXT OF THE ESSAY OF COURSE WAS AMERICA'S ORIGINAL COURSE WAS AMERICA'S ORIGINAL SIN OF SLAVERY. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY APPLICATIONS FOR US IN THIS CURRENT MOMENT. AND I HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT AS AND I HOPE THAT YOU FIND IT AS POIGNANT AS I DO. I QUARREL NOT WITH FAR OFF FOES BUT WITH THOSE WHO NEAR AT HOME COOPERATE WITH AND DO THE BIDDING OF THOSE BIDDING OF THOSE ARMS OF BIDDING OF THOSE ARMS OF A FAR OFF UNJUST GOVERNMENT. THAT'S MY OWN PARAPHRASE THERE. IS IT NOT A MAN'S DUTY AS A MATTER OF COURSE TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO THE ERADICATION OF ANY, EVEN THE MOST ENORMOUS, WRONG. AND HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT UNJUST LAWS DO EXIST UNJUST LAWS DO EXIST AND UNJUST LAWS DO EXIST AND WE FIND OURSELVES FACING OURSELVES FACING THAT AT THIS MOMENT. UNDER A GOVERNMENT WHICH IMPRISONS ANY UNJUSTLY, THE TRUE PLACE FOR A JUST MAN IS ALSO A PRISON. CAST YOUR VOTE NOT MERELY A STRIP OF PAPER BUT YOUR WHOLE INFLUENCE. A MINORITY IS POWERLESS WHILE IT CONFORMS TO THE MAJORITY. IT'S NOT EVEN A MINORITY IT'S NOT EVEN A MINORITY THEN. BUT IT IS BUT IT IS IRRESISTIBLE WHEN IT CLOGS THE SYSTEM BY ITS WHOLE WEIGHT. AND SO THAT SORT OF ECHOES WHAT WE'VE HEARD PREVIOUS PEOPLE SAYING, WHEN IT CLOGS THE SYSTEM BY ITS WHOLE WEIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT I'VE HEARD IN TERMS OF HEARD IN TERMS OF USING HEARD IN TERMS OF USING WHAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS TRULY JUST IS RIGHT AND WHAT IS TRULY JUST IN THE FACE OF IN THE FACE OF WHAT WE FIND AS AN UNJUST LAW. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE PROTECTING TO CONTINUE PROTECTING ALL OF OUR CHILDREN. AS I KNOW THAT IS YOUR AS I KNOW THAT IS YOUR WANT. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I KNOW WE HAVE OUR LAST SPEAKER WHO I BELIEVE, MS. Mc WHO I BELIEVE, MS. McGARTO, WILL TRANSLATE FOR. THANK YOU. >> HE SAYS >> HE SAYS GOOD AFTERNOON. HE IS IN AGREEMENT WITH EVERYTHING SAID PRIOR TO. HIS PROBLEM IS DIFFERENT. IT CONCERNS AN INCIDENT AT IT CONCERNS AN INCIDENT AT LATO HIGH SCHOOL. PRINCIPAL McCOY AND PRINCIPAL McCOY AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL ADERVASI. ON DECEMBER 13, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WITH MY CHILDREN WHO BOTH ATTEND THAT SCHOOL. HE ENTERED WHEN IT WAS ALMOST CLOSE TO DISMISSAL BECAUSE HE IS ALMOST A BUS DRIVER. HIS CHILDREN INFORMED HIM OF THE INCIDENT AND HE SIGNED INCIDENT AND HE SIGNED THEM OUT OF SCHOOL. AFTER HE SIGNED THEM OUT HE WENT TO HIS BUS TO WAIT FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WERE GOING TO BOARD HIS BUS. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ADERVASI ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ADERVASI ADERVASI APPROACHED HIM AND PROCEEDED TO INSULT HIM CALLING HIM STUPID AND HIM STUPID AND RIDICULOUS FATHER. HE ASKED FOR A MEETING SO HE CAN CLARIFY AND BRING CLARITY TO THE SITUATION OF THE INCIDENT THAT IT TAKEN PLACE IN THE CLASS WITH HIS KIDS, BUT HE WAS HIS KIDS, BUT HE WAS DENIED THAT. THE PRINCIPAL DENIED MEETING WITH HIM AND THERE IS NO WITH HIM AND THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE SCHOOL. AND DECEMBER 20 BOTH CHILDREN WERE SUSPENDED AND WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION TO HIM. HE SENT SEVERAL E-MAILS TO GARY BRADY ON THE 17th, 18th AND 19th. AFTER THREE VISITS HE WAS ABLE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE PRINCIPALS. HE ASKED THAT THE VIDEO BE REVIEWED OF HOW HE WAS TREATED AND HE WAS VERY HUMIL AND HE WAS VERY HUMILIATED. AND THAT HE WAS TOLD THAT THIS ISN'T HIS COUNTRY AND ISN'T HIS COUNTRY AND HE IS CUBAN. I DON'T WANT ANY OTHER PARENT TO BE MISTREATED. I HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION I CAN'T SHARE CAN'T SHARE IN THREE MINUTES. HE RECEIVED A LETTER THAT HE IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER FORBIDDEN TO ENTER LATO. ACCORDING TO THEM, I'M A DANGER TO THE SCHOOL BUT NOT A DANGER TO DRIVE THE BUS AND TAKE CHILDREN BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL. NOT FAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR TRANSLATING. OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. PLEASE VOTE WHEN PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. ALL RIGHT. AND THAT CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. I'LL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT I'LL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE ONE PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON. AND IT IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD ELEMENTARY. AND THAT INDIVIDUAL IS CHRISTINA VEGA. IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND. CONGRATULATIONS. IF YOU WANT TO COME ON UP FRONT, CHRISTINA, PLEASE. SO CHRISTINA, COME ON UP. CHRISTINA VEGA BEGAN HER CAREER IN CPS. SO HCPS IN 2006 AS A SO HCPS IN 2006 AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL AT PARAPROFESSIONAL AT DOWDEL MIDDLE SCHOOL AND EARNED HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN 2013 AND BEGAN A SCIENCE TEACHER AT SLY MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE SHE TAUGHT FOR SEVEN YEARS. SHE ADVANCED TO BE THE AP AT SLY AND LATER THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT SULFUR SPRINGS COMMUNITY. HER MOST RECENT ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENT WAS THE PRINCIPAL AT RCMA. MS. VEGA IS RETURNING HOME TO HCPS AS THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD ELEMENTARY. THANK YOU. CHRISTINA VEGA, NEW PRINCIPAL OF TAMPA BAY BOULEVARD. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE] >>Jessica Vaughn: WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN. CONGRATULATIONS, MS. VEGA. WE'LL TAKE A WE'LL TAKE A PAUSE FOR A MOMENT FOR ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO EXIT THE BOARDROOM. THANK YOU. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE HEARD: C101, C103, C201, HEARD: C101, C103, C201, C203, C6.01, C6.01, C7.10, AND C7.11. WE'LL START WITH C1.01. AGREEMENT FOR PAYMENT OF FEES BETWEEN THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE BACCALAUREATE -- BACCALAUREATE -- HELP ME SAY THIS WORD. BACCALAUREATE ORGANIZATION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. PLEASE FOR THE -- FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEARS. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SAY THAT BETTER THAN I DO. YOU MAY HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CONTINUALLY EXPANDED ACCESS TO INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE SINCE THE 1990s ENSURING FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO THIS RIGOROUS FRAMEWORK AT ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND K-8 AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS. HCPS CONSISTENTLY ACHIEVE HIGH GRADUATION RATES AND EXCEL ON THEIR ASSESSMENTS. LAST YEAR AS YOU ALL KNOW, OVER 440 HCPS SENIORS WERE ABLE TO ACCESS THE FULL FLORIDA BRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP BY EARNING THEIR IB DIPLOMA. THIS IMPRESSIVE 92% IB THIS IMPRESSIVE 92% IB DIPLOMA RATE IS A RESULT OF THE HARD WORK THAT TAKES PLACE ACROSS OUR IB CONTINUUM. YOU'RE AWARE WE HIGHLIGHTED THIS. I THINK IT WAS OVER THE SUMMER. OUR DIPLOMA PASS RATES AT ALONZO, HILLSBOROUGH, KING AND STRAWBERRY CREST. ALONZO WITH AN 82% PASS RATE. HILLSBOROUGH 88. KING 93. STRAWBERRY CREST 100% FOR IB. THAT'S THE ITEM FOR THE AGREEMENT FOR THE PAYMENT OF FEES BETWEEN IB AND SCHOOL BOARD OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I DO HAVE BRIAN HOOVER HERE AS WELL AND I THINK GISELE IS IN THE BACK SO I GREASE BRIAN IS DOING THIS -- I GUESS BRIAN IS DOING THIS ONE. HE IS HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT BACCALAUREATE ITEM. FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER COMBS, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? >>Nadia Combs: I HAD A COUPLE COMMENTS AND SOME QUESTIONS OR JUST MORE OF A COMMENT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY I JUST THINK IT'S AMAZING THE IB RESULTS. THE OVERALL THE OVERALL 92%, I WANT TO THANK YOU, GISELE AND BRIAN AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM. I KNOW IT'S A BIG EFFORT TO WORK ON THAT. I SEE THE EXPANSION OF ALONZO AND HOW IN DEMAND THAT IS AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICTS HOW WELL THEY'RE DOING. WHEN I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THE TESTING AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE IB, WHEN YOU REALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOUR CHILD GRADUATES FROM HIGH SCHOOL, YOU WANT THEM TO REALLY WANT THEM TO REALLY BE ABLE TO COMPETE GLOBALLY. NOT JUST NATIONALLY AND I THINK THE IB DIPLOMA REALLY DOES THAT. I WAS THINKING RECENTLY, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS OR ONE OF THE REASONS I DECIDED TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD WAS JUST SEEING THE AMOUNT OF TESTING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, HAVING MY TUTORING CENTER AND SEEING AS SOON AS THE AR TEST OR WHATEVER TEST CAME OUT, ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A HUGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS COMING IN FOR TESTING. RECENTLY I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT HOW MUCH TESTING IS GOING ON IN THE STATE. LIKE THE PM1, PM2, PM3 AND JUST TODAY I WAS ON THE WAY UP HERE AND SAW THAT THE PM SCORES, THEY'RE ACTUALLY INCREASING. IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU SEE THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND THEY'RE INCREASING. BUT THEN I STARTED THINKING, WHAT'S CHANGING IS ALSO THE TEST IN ITSELF. SO WHEN WE SAY THAT THE RESULTS ARE INCREASING AND FLORIDA IS DOING SO MUCH BETTER, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE BECAUSE WE NEVER HAD A CLASSICAL LEARNING TEST. SO KIDS WHO MAYBE WEREN'T PASSING THE ALGEBRA TEST OR GEOMETRY TEST OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, NOW THEY'RE TAKING THE CLASSICAL LEARNING TEST SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE HAVE BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE. IT'S ALSO JUST THAT THAT'S CHANGED, THAT CHANGED, THAT BASELINE CHANGED. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT'S CHANGED. SO THE OTHER DAY I WAS SITTING AT HOME AND I SAW BAY NEWS 9 AND SAW THIS HUGE SHOW ABOUT MICRO SCHOOLS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE -- FOR PEOPLE -- FOR ME, I'M THE -- I'M NOT THIS PERSON WHO THINKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE ONLY SCHOOL. YOU MAY HAVE A FAMILY OF FOUR CHILDREN AND THEY MAY BE GOING TO HOME TO HOME SCHOOLS. TWO MIGHT GO TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OR HOME SCHOOL. I BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT BUT WHAT HAS TO BE FAIR, HAS TO BE THE TAXPAYER MONEY. IF THE TAXPAYER MONEY IS GOING FOR OVERSIGHT AND TESTING, THEN HOW CAN MICRO SCHOOLS, THE WOMAN SAID, THE ONE THING ABOUT MICRO SCHOOLS IS THERE IS NO NEED FOR TESTING. AND THEN YOU'RE HAVING HOME SCHOOLS WHERE THERE IS NO NEED FOR TESTING. YOU'RE DOING A STEP PROGRAM, A TESTING AT THE END WITH NO OVERSIGHT. SO I GUESS MY BIG QUESTION IS, ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE SAME OVERSIGHT, DO YOU THINK THAT WE HAVE IN IB TESTS AND PM1s AND PM2. DO WE EXPECT IN THE DO WE EXPECT IN THE FUTURE IT WILL BE A PLAIN LEVEL FIELD SO THAT WAY WHOEVER IS TAKING THE TAXPAYER MONEY, EVERYBODY WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR SOCIETY MAKE SURE THAT OUR SOCIETY IS EDUCATED. >> SO I CAN SPEAK TO HOW IB HANDLES THEIR ASSESSMENTS. SO ANYONE WHO OFFERS AN IB GLOBAL ASSESSMENT HAS TO BE AN AUTHORIZED IB SCHOOL. IT'S A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO SCHOOLS GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS NOW, BOTH YORK AND BOTH YORK AND ADAM. ALL FIVE IB HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THEY'RE REEVALUATED EVERY FIVE YEARS TO MAKE SURE THE TEACHERS ARE TEACHING THE STANDARDS AND PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE ASSESSMENT. BUT I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR BUT I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, NO QUESTION DIRECTLY, NO NON-ACCREDITED IB SCHOOL CAN OFFER AN IB EXAM. >>Nadia Combs: I GUESS WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS, WHEN THERE IS A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND A PARENT IS GETTING THE $8500 TAXPAYER MONEY, TAXPAYER MONEY, RIGHT, GOING IN, IS THERE ANY REAL OVERSIGHT IS THERE ANY REAL OVERSIGHT HAPPENING WITH THAT? DO YOU KNOW, MS. DO YOU KNOW, MS. FAUCET. >> IT'S MORE OF A QUESTION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. >>Nadia Combs: I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND THERE IS MORE AND MORE TESTING AND STUDENTS ARE BEING TESTED MORE, I FEEL LIKE EITHER WE'VE GOT TO ROLL BACK AND HAVE LESS TESTING OR BE IN THE SAME PAR WITH OTHER ENTITIES. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER I THINK THAT'S MY JOB TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY, MAYBE THERE IS OVERSIGHT THERE IS OVERSIGHT HAPPENING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT MAYBE NOT IN OTHER PROGRAMS AND I THINK THE AVERAGE CITIZEN NEEDS TO KNOW THAT. WHEN WE'RE SAYING OUR STATE IS DOING SO AMAZING, LET'S REALLY DIG DOWN AND LOOK AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. WHEN WE'RE SAYING GRADUATION RATES ARE IMPROVING, NOT THAT EVERYBODY IS NOT WORKING HARD, BUT IF THERE IS A DIFFERENT TEST AND YOU'RE BEING TESTED DIFFERENTLY, THEN IT'S NOT THE SAME AS IT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE INFORMED. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M GOING TO BE PLAIN AND SIMPLE. YOU GOT MY VOTE. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. BRIAN, YOU WERE ONE OF MY BRIAN, YOU WERE ONE OF MY STUDENTS. >> YES, SIR. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: OKAY. I THINK YOU WERE MY STUDENT AT I THINK YOU WERE MY STUDENT AT CHAMBERLAIN. SEE, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I'M VOTING FOR HIM, BECAUSE HE WAS A GREAT STUDENT. SO REALLY JOKES ASIDE, THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY AND MAKE NOTE ON THE FACT THE FACT THAT AS WE LOOK AT THE STUDENT AND POPULATION OF EAST COUNTY, EAST AND SOUTHEAST COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO OUR IB SCHOOLS AND OUR OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'RE OPENING FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND NEW HIGH SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THE OVERCROWDING WE HAVE. I'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EAST AND SOUTHEAST COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT IS A GROWING AREA AND THE NEED FOR THAT IS GREAT. SO I DO SO I DO APPRECIATE THIS. EVEN THOUGH THESE SCHOOLS ARE NOT IN MY DISTRICT NOT IN MY DISTRICT OTHER THAN LINCOLN, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M TREMENDOUSLY IMPRESSED BY THE GRADUATION RATES. STRAWBERRY CREST, 100% IB DIPLOMA. THAT'S OUTSTANDING. AND 92% ACROSS THE BOARD. THESE KIDS -- DON'T GET ME WRONG. MY CHILDREN GRADUATED FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THEY WORKED HARD WITH AP AND DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES BUT THOSE IB DIPLOMAS, THEY'RE PUTTING IN THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT I SEE SECOND TO NONE. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE EFFORT TO GET THESE IB GET THESE IB DIPLOMAS. AND SO THEY NEED TO KNOW WE SEE THAT AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THEY DO. ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT THESE TEACHERS, THEY HAVE TO ANSWER THE HARD THE HARD QUESTIONS. AND THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE STUDENTS DOING THE -- THEY ARE WORKING DOUBLE TIME AND SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE TEACHERS WORKING WITH ALL THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS ACROSS THE BOARD, SO SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THE COORDINATORS WITHIN THE PROGRAMS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. MEMBER PEREZ? >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TO MEMBER TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, YOU'RE ELEVATING THESE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THESE SCHOOLS ARE IN AREAS WHERE STUDENTS NEED THAT STUDENTS NEED THAT BOOST AND TO SEE THOSE SEE THOSE DIPLOMAS WITH THOSE -- THE FACT THAT THEY ARE THOSE -- THE FACT THAT THEY ARE WITH THE WITH THE -- WITH THE -- HELP ME OUT HERE. I'M WITH I'M WITH HER NOW. IB, YES. THERE YOU GO. BECAUSE I ATTENDED KING BECAUSE I ATTENDED KING HIGH SCHOOL AND KNOWING THE POPULATION WHO WAS SUPPORTED BY KING HIGH SCHOOL ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT JUST ELEVATES THOSE SCHOOLS. AND TO LET YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALSO MY COACH, SO -- I THINK HE COACHED EVERYBODY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BUT YEAH. TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, IT REALLY ELEVATES THOSE SCHOOLS TO A WHOLE OTHER A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. YOU KNOW I'M A HUGE, HUGE FAN OF IB AND TO MEMBER RENDON'S POINT, ALSO FOR SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS NORTH HILLSBOROUGH, UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE IN NORTH HILLSBOROUGH. SOME IN THE WEST BUT DEFINITELY NOT IN EAST. A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES ARE GOING SO FAR SO YOU KNOW I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO PUSH AND I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT BE TESTED FOR THE IB IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL HOW IMPORTANT THE FEEDER SCHOOLS ARE AND WHAT IMPACT THEY HAD TALKING ABOUT THE SUCCESS AT STRAWBERRY CREST, A LOT OF THE KIDS STARTED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND FOLLOWED THE IB PATH ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE COMPLETION OF HIGH SCHOOL. SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM THE BOARD IS A LOT OF SUPPORT TOWARDS THAT. I'M IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I HEAR FAMILIES THINKING ABOUT OTHER CHOICES, OUR PARENTS WHO GO TO OUR IB SCHOOLS ALWAYS COME IN STRONGLY AND VOICE SUPPORT FOR OUR PROGRAMS AND SAY THEY CAN GO TOE TO TOE EVERY DAY WITH A LOT OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS THAT THE PARENTS ARE PAYING A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR. I WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT IN EXPANDING THAT. I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING BECAUSE OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE TO PAY FOR MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT AND EXPAND THAT TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE BOARD FROM ELEMENTARY TO HIGH SCHOOL IS SOMETHING I'M HIGHLY IN FAVOR FOR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS. ALL RIGHT. SEEING THERE IS NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION PASSED THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE GO TO 103, AGREEMENT FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA LITERACY INSTITUTE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM I KNOW YOU'RE ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH. THIS CURRENT PROPOSED AGREEMENT WITH UFLI IS IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CORE PHONICS PROGRAM IN OUR GRADES K-12 GRADES K-12 CLASSROOMS. THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS NEW TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND/OR TEACHING GRADES K-2 AND ALLOWS FOR CONTINUED PROGRAM FOR CONTINUED PROGRAM FIDELITY DURING YEAR TWO OF IMPLEMENTATION. EDUCATORS WHO EDUCATORS WHO PARTICIPATE EARN RECERTIFICATION POINTS TOWARDS THE EXPLICIT READING REQUIREMENTS FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AS A LITTLE LATER DURING SUSPENDED AGENDA WE'LL HIGHLIGHT DURING SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS DURING SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS SOME OF THE READING SOME OF THE READING PM2 DATA AND GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT. THIS UFLI IS SOMETHING, IT'S PART OF OUR DISTRICT NOW THAT WE HAVE SEEN EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS FROM SO THIS, YOU KNOW, JUST ADDS TO THAT. AND WE HAVE AND WE HAVE TRACY BERGMAN IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING QUESTIONS REGARDING 1.03. >>Jessica Vaughn: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER COMBS AND GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER COMBS, YOU'RE MEMBER COMBS, YOU'RE IN THE QUEUE. >>Nadia Combs: I'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN. I FEEL BAD THAT I MADE YOU STAY BUT I BUT I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, REALLY AT THE END OF THE DAY, GOING FUNDAMENTALLY DOWN TO THE SCIENCE OF READING HAS BEEN JUST INSTRUMENTAL AND INSTRUMENTAL AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, COLLEEN YOU, YOU KNOW, COLLEEN FAUCET. I KNOW DANIELLA I KNOW DANIELLA WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE BEGINNING TOO AND TRACY FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE GO BACK TO THE FUNDAMENTALS AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SCIENCE OF READING AND WE'RE REALLY SEEING THAT MOVEMENT. I DON'T THINK I'VE BEEN TO A SINGLE SCHOOL WHERE SOMEBODY DOESN'T SAY HOW MUCH THEY LOVE UFLI. I REMEMBER -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY A SPECIFIC SCHOOL WHERE THERE IS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER. SHE HAS BEEN THERE 32 YEARS AND HE WAS LIKE, I'M NOT USING IT. I'M SO HAPPY WITH WHAT I HAVE. AND I KNOW YOU KNOW WHO I'M TALKING ABOUT. WHEN WE WENT OVER THERE, SHE WAS LIKE, I LOVE UFLI. THIS IS THE BEST THING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TEACHER WHO TAUGHT OVER 30 YEARS WHO REALLY BELIEVED IN THE PROGRAM. AND I WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT WITH FIDELITY. I KNOW WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHERS HAVE THAT SUPPORT AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, LITERACY REALLY TIES IN WITH TIES IN WITH NUMERACY. THERE IS SO MANY WORD PROBLEMS NOW WHEN YOU LOOK AT MATH AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PHONICS AND READING AND MAKING SURE AND THEN THE EXCITING PART IS SEEING THAT OUR EARLY LITERACY, OUR ELC, THEY'RE USING CURRICULUM THAT IS SIMILAR SO WHEN THEY COME INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS OR CHARTER SCHOOLS OR WHATEVER THEY GO TO, THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT. SO REALLY JUST WANT TO SAY MAYBE GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO SAY HOW YOU THINK THINGS ARE GOING OVERALL. WHERE CAN WE WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE ON UFLI. AND AND WHAT'S NEXT. >> THANK YOU. WELL, WHERE WE ARE NOW, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A SPOILER ALERT SO I'LL LET THE DATA SPEAK FOR ITSELF LATER WHEN WE DO THE SUS PENDED AGENDA SO YOU GET THE RIGHT NUMBERS. NOT THE MADE UP NUMBERS IN MY HEAD. WE'LL SHARE THAT IN A LITTLE BIT BUT I THINK YOU'LL BE HAPPY TO SEE THE SEE THE INITIAL RESULTS. IT'S THIS YEAR'S FIRST GRADERS AND LAST YEAR'S KINDERGARTNERS BECAUSE THEY WERE THE INITIAL GROUP THAT GROUP THAT UTILIZED UFLI AND THAT'S WHO WE'LL SEE FOLLOWING THE EXACT SCOPE AND SEQUENCE FROM UFLI AND THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS WE'RE TRACKING. SO STAY TUNED. MORE TO COME LATER THIS EVENING. ONE OF THE THINGS THIS CONTRACT WILL HIGHLIGHT FOR US IS JUST THAT CONTINUED COACHING AND IMPROVEMENT MODEL. WE HAVE TWO LAYERS. WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ENTERING OUR WORKFORCE THAT WILL NEED TO BE TRAINED. THIS WILL ENSURE WE HAVE THE TRAINING MATERIALS AND BACKGROUND COURSE THAT DR. LANE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PROVIDES AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO GET GOING ALONG WITH OUR STAFF TO START THE PROGRAM. BUT THE OTHER SIDE IS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU IMPLEMENT IT AND PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT IT, PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT IT, IF YOU DON'T CONTINUOUSLY PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU IMPLEMENT, IT STARTS TO FALL BY THE WAYSIDE. THIS ENSURES THAT WE CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM WE HAVE GROWN OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IN TERMS OF COACHING, PERFECTING PRACTICE AND PERFECTING IMPLEMENTATION AND LOOK AT NOT JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS AND THE STEPS WITHIN THE UFLI PROGRAM BUT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT RESPONSE MECHANISMS AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND HOW CAN WE CONNECT THIS TO THE READING THE STUDENTS DO AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE GRADE LEVELS AND THE EXPECTATIONS INCREASE AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS MOVE UP IN THE GRADE LEVEL. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING I THINK IN THE FUTURE BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE CONTRACT IS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THE CAPACITY. BOTH OUR COACHES AND ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS IN THE FUTURE. >>Nadia Combs: YOU DEFINITELY HAVE MY SUPPORT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND MAKING THIS POSITIVE IMPACT FOR OUR STUDENTS. >> THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK IT YOU. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, MS. BERGMAN AND MS. FAUCET. YOU'RE DOING A COMPREHENSIVE JOB GETTING OUR STUDENTS LITERACY, HIGH IN THE LITERACY FIELD OR HIGHER. MY CONCERN IS WE KNOW UFLI IS VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE AND WE ALSO KNOW IT'S VERY POPULAR. AND AND UNSOLICITED COMMENTS FROM A TEACHER JUST WENT TO ME AND SAID I LOVE THIS, SO IT IS POPULAR. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE 46% PROFICIENCY LEVEL. WHAT DOES PROFICIENCY REALLY MEAN. WELL, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT WE'RE NOT ABOVE 46%. WE'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT SO WE'RE DWELLING INTO THE FIRST, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, DWELLING INTO THE DWELLING INTO THE KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE AND THE SECOND GRADE. IF I'M WRONG, YOU CORRECT ME. SO WHEN WE SAY WE'RE 46%, AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF TEST THIS IS, AND I THINK MEMBER THINK MEMBER COMBS THINK MEMBER COMBS ALLUDED TO THIS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADAPTIVE READING LEVELS. SO WHAT I HAVE GAINED SO WHAT I HAVE GAINED KNOWLEDGE FROM FROM YOU, MS. BERGMAN, IS IF A STUDENT CONTINUES WHEN THEY'RE READING THEIR CONTENT AND PASSAGES AND SHOWING A LOW LEVEL OF PROFICIENCY, THEN WHAT THE TEST DOES, IT MAKES ADAPTATIONS AND LOWERS THE VALUE OR THE CRITICAL -- LET'S SAY THE CONTENT TO MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER. SO IF SO IF WE'RE LOWERING THE CONTENT EXPECTATIONS, MY CONCERN, AND THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF GISELE, WHENEVER YOU ARE OUT THERE, THE OPPOSITE OF GETTING TO THE HIGHER LEVEL OF ACE AND IB AND ALL THE OTHERS. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO LOWER THE EXPECTATION LEVEL BECAUSE THE STUDENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO STUDENTS ARE NOT ABLE TO REACH THE CURRENT LEVEL OF THE TEST AND THAT IS THE FLORIDA ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT THINKING, F.A.S.T., THEN MY CONCERN IS F.A.S.T., THEN MY CONCERN IS WHY -- HOW WHY -- HOW CAN WE FUNDAMENTALLY EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO RAISE UP TO THAT IB, ACE, AND AP IF WE'RE LOWERING THE LOWERING THE ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND THE DIFFICULTY. AND I THINK SOME OF US UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M GOING, AND I KNOW YOU DO. SO THIS IS A BIG DILEMMA IN MY MIND. AS AN EDUCATOR FOR MOST OF MY LIFE, I ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED, AND I SEE -- THIS IS NO ONE'S FAULT. RIGHT NOW THIS IS RIGHT NOW THIS IS A FLORIDA ASSESSMENT TEST. NO ONE'S FAULT IN HERE, BUT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON, THAT WE'RE NOT SETTING FORTH HIGHER EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE OF THIS TEST. CAN YOU COMMENT ON CAN YOU COMMENT ON THAT? I MIGHT BE I MIGHT BE SHARING I MIGHT BE SHARING AT A NOT FACTUAL DESCRIPTION BUT THIS IS FACTUAL DESCRIPTION BUT THIS IS HOW I INTERPRET OUR DISCUSSION. GO GO AHEAD. >> SO I THINK WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO IS TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE NATURE OF THE ASSESSMENT IS ASSESSMENT IS ADAPTIVE. EVERY PASSAGE THEY RECEIVE GRADES THROUGH-10 WILL -- GRADES THROUGH-10 WILL -- 3-10 WILL BE GRADE LEVEL RANGE. THE STATE USES THAT PIECE TO DETERMINE THAT. WITHIN THE ADAPTABILITY AS OPPOSED TO A MATH OR SCIENCE TEST WHERE IT'S ADAPTED BASED ON THE QUESTION THEY ANDER AND IT KIND OF MEASURES WHERE THEY ARE, STUDENTS GET TRACKED BASED ON THEIR PASSAGE TYPES, BASED ON EASY CHALLENGING OR AVERAGE QUESTION TYPES WITHIN THE SET. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT FOR US, THE INSTRUCTIONAL SIDE, WHERE I'M GOING TO BEG TO DIFFER A LITTLE BIT ON THE SIDE IS THAT I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IS FOR OUR INSTRUCTION IS HOW CRITICAL IT IS FOR US TO KEEP THOSE EXPECTATIONS HIGH WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. SO WHILE THE TEST IS HERE, IT'S MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE OPPOSED -- ARE ARE OPPOSED -- ARE EXPOSED TO GRADE LEVEL TESTS AT ALL TIMES, ESPECIALLY DURING TIER 1 INSTRUCTION AND THE QUESTIONS WE'RE ASKING REALLY ALIGN TO THE ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL DESCRIPTORS AND SOME OF THE PIECES OUT THERE IN TERMS OF THE RIGOR THAT THE QUESTIONS ARE ASKED. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S ABOUT THE STATE LOWERING THE EXPECTATIONS. I THINK IT'S ABOUT FLIPPING THE COIN AND NARRATIVE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND SAYING, INSTEAD, WE HAVE TO RAISE THE EXPECTATIONS. EVEN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND YES, THAT IS WHY WE START WITH THE FOUNDATIONAL SCHOOLS AS MENTIONED IN THE UFLI CONTRACT BECAUSE IF YOU WANT THEM TO READ, THEY'VE GOT TO LEARN THE FOUNDATIONS. THEY'VE GOT TO LEARN THE DECODING. THROUGHOUT THAT IT'S ABOUT BUILDING THE CONVERSATION AND BUILDING THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKED ON THE ASSESSMENT, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ARE JUST GOOD QUESTIONS TO GET THEM TO BE CRITICAL THINKERS AND NOT FOCUS ON THE QUESTION STEMS SO MUCH BUT THE TEACHING AND TEXT ITSELF. THAT'S WHY WHAT WE PUT IN FRONT OF KIDS MATTERS AND WHAT WE HAVE THEM DO WITH IT MATTERS. AS LONG AS WE KEEP OUR FOCUS THERE, THE KIDS CAN CONTINUE THE SUCCESS THEY HAVE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE CONTINUE TO SEE INCREMENTAL GROWTH THAT I THINK YOU'LL SEE IN THE DATA SHARED LATER TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT HELPS. >>Lynn Gray: IT DOES, AND HERE I AM LOOKING AT THE GLASS HALF EMPTY VERSUS HALF FULL, AND I'M NOT A THINKER LIKE THAT. BUT I THINK AS AN EDUCATOR AND FORMER TEST TAKER AND TEST GIVER, IF THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE SHARING THAT PHILOSOPHY IF YOU WILL TO OUR TEACHERS, THAT'S A GOOD THING. AND AND I KNOW MS. FAUCET HAS BEEN SHAKING HER HEAD, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO THROW DARTS AT ME OR NOT. I WANT THE KIDS TO BE I WANT THE KIDS TO BE CHALLENGED. THAT'S JUST AS AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. AND IF THAT'S THE PHILOSOPHY AND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, IF THAT'S THE PHILOSOPHY THAT WE'RE IGNITING AND INSPIRING, THAT'S A GOOD THING. BUT I DON'T WANT THE KIDS TO BE DUMBED DOWN FROM THIS PARTICULAR TEST. >> AND I THINK TOO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE, THAT 46% PROFICIENCY IN THIRD GRADE WAS FROM TWO YEARS AGO. YEAH, THE FIRST YEAR WE GAVE THE ASSESSMENT. LAST YEAR'S THIRD GRADERS INCREASED I BELIEVE TO 50% OR 51%. WE SAW A LOT OF INCREASE WITH THAT. WE'RE CONTINUING TO SPREAD THAT MESSAGE. I JUST DELIVERED TRAINING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TASKS AND TARGETS AND GRADE LEVEL BENCHMARKS AND I KNOW MY TEAM IS DOING THE SAME PIECES WITH THEIR COACHES AND TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. SO I THINK IT'S JUST ABOUT HOW WE PHRASE IT. KIDS DON'T GO FROM 46 TO 85% IN A DAY. THEY JUST DON'T. BUT I THINK AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT THE INCREMENTAL GAINS OVER TIME THAT WE START TO SEE AND THE MORE COMMUNICATION AND MORE HONEST WE ARE ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN OUR CLASSROOMS, THE MORE WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. >>Lynn Gray: AND NONETHELESS AND IN SUMMATION, YOU TWO AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING TEAM ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB. THE KIDS ARE DOING BETTER SCORING THAN, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, MY COLLEAGUES, I KNOW WOULD BE VERY HAPPY AND ARE VERY HAPPY. SO SO CONTINUE THE GRADE -- THE GREAT WORK. I'M SORRY I POSED A NEGATIVE LOOK ON THAT BUT I'M BEING A DEVIL'S ADVOCATE SO THANK YOU ALL. DONE TALKING. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT READING AND ALL OUR READING SCORES AND INITIATIVES AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE ONGOING AND IN-DEPTH TIME YOU SPEND NOT ONLY WITH THE LEADERS IN OUR DISTRICT BUT ALSO WITH OUR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SO ADMINISTRATORS SO THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS IS KEY. I'D BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT NEW WORLD'S READING AND THE GRANTS THEY HAVE AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS A PROBITY THAT THEY CAN GO AND GET FREE BOOKS FOR THEIR KIDS -- A PRODUCT. IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEIR STAFF AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO GET ON THE LIST BECAUSE THEY CAN GET FREE BOOKS EVERY YEAR TO KEEP OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES ENGAGED IN READING. SO I THINK AS WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SCHOOLS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR FAMILIES AND OUR PARENTS KNOW THERE ARE OTHER THINGS OUT THERE TO GIVE THEM FREE RESOURCES THROUGH NEW WORLD READING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE DONE THAT. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GAVE SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GAVE A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT TO OTHER RESOURCES THEY CAN BE DOING OUTSIDE OF THAT AND OUR SCHOOLS HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THEM. >> I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING THAT. I'M REALLY EXCITED, FEBRUARY 11, FREE PROMOTE FOR US OUT THERE THAT WE'RE HOSTING OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT EVENING WITH NEW WORLD'S READING AT WIMAUMA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SERVICES ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AROUND IT. SHOUT OUT TO COMMUNICATIONS TOO. WE'RE DOING ONE AT WEST TAMPA AND HAVE THREE OTHERS SCHEDULED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. MORE TO COME. THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN IN COACH MEETINGS AND DONE A LOT OF FAMILY NIGHTS WITHIN THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS AS WELL. >>Patti Rendon: IF YOU'RE LISTENING IN, PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO GET ENGAGED WITH THOSE FREE OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILIES. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK IT YOU, MEMBER RENDON. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS. WHILE I SHARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS WITH MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AS FAR AS HOW ACCURATE ADAPTIVE TESTING IS AND SOME OF THE TESTING IS, THIS IS THE CURRICULUM ITSELF USED TO TEACH PHONICS, RIGHT? WITH SO MANY OF OUR EDUCATORS THEY ASKED THAT WE GO BACK TO AND TALK ABOUT THE FUNDAMENTALS AND READING AND LITERACY IS THE BASICS OF PHONICS. DR. HAHN WAS A HUGE PROPONENT OF THIS PROGRAM BEFORE IT CAME HERE AND HAD GREAT SUCCESS. MY CONCERN AND EVEN THOUGH YOU ASSURED ME, I WANT TO TALK ON THE RECORD IS THAT WE'RE NOT JUST USING JUST USING THE DECODEABLES JUST USING THE DECODEABLES FOR THIS PROGRAM. THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING IN BOOKS AND TEXTS ON LEVEL THAT THE KIDS CAN READ. WE DON'T WANT TO JUST ENCOURAGE THEM TO READ ON LEVEL BUT WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEIR LOVE OF READING WITH READING WITH LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THAT. CAN YOU ENSURE US THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY TEACHING DECODEABLES AND THE SCIENCE OF READING BUT USING THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE LOVE OF READING. >> ABSOLUTELY. OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE ENTERED OUR ENDEAVOR IN TERMS OF TACKLING SCIENCE AND READING WE STARTED WITH THE DECODING PIECE BECAUSE IT WAS THE BIGGEST CODE WE HAD IN IN KINDERGARTEN, FIRST AND SECOND. ONE ONE OF THE WAYS YOU DECODE THOSE IS THROUGH THE DECODEABLE READERS. BUT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST INCLUDE THE FLAMINGO LITERACY TWO YEARS AGO. WE HAVE SINCE TAKEN OVER THE COHORT. WE NO LONGER HAVE A CONTRACT BECAUSE WE HAVE A TEAM OF TRAINERS ON THE STAFF THAT CAN DELIVER IT. NOT JUST TO PRIMARY TEACHERS BUT THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE TEACHERS AT OUR LITERACY SYMPOSIUM LAST SUMMER AND WE'RE EXCITED TO OFFER SPRING COHORT WITH THAT. IT TAKES A SMALL GROUP AND REALLY BRINGS IN THE AUTHENTIC REALLY BRINGS IN THE AUTHENTIC TEXT WITH THE KINDERGARTEN, FIRST AND SECOND GRADERS. IT INSURES IT INSURES YOU'RE READING A DECODEABLE BUT YOU CAN READ ANY TEXT. WE'RE TAKING INTO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AS A PRE-K 12 LITERACY TEAM MOVING FORWARD. OUR GOAL IS TO GET KIDS ENGAGED IN THE TEXT. BUILDING KNOWLEDGE AND CONTENT AND LEARNING ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND THEM THROUGH LITERACY IS GOING TO BE OUR FOCUS MOVING ON INTO NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND OUR FOCUS FOR LITERACY SYMPOSIUM THIS SUMMER. WE KICK IT OFF THIS WEEKEND AT CHAMBERLAIN AND CONTINUE THAT WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS OR TEACHERS, COACHES, ET CETERA MOVING IN TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE NOT JUST STUCK IN THE DECODING WORLD BUT EITHER THROUGH READ ALOUD, LISTENING COMPREHENSION AND READING ON THEIR OWN, GETTING THE WIDE EXPOSURE TO EXPOSURE TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF TEXT. >>Jessica Vaughn: I LOVE HEARING THAT. NOT JUST THE LOVE OF READING BUT THE PASSION THEY'LL NEED FOR CONTINUING THAT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE OR CIVICS. ALL THAT. IT WILL HAVE TO GO PAST JUST THE DECODING. THOSE TWO TOGETHER IS REALLY IMPERATIVE. I APPRECIATE THAT. SEEING THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE MOTION PASSES THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM 2.01, PURPOSE OF CURRICULUM AND INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION TESTING VOUCHERS FROM CERTIFICATION PARTNERS. >>Van Ayres: THIS ITEM IS THE REQUEST TO PURCHASE 400,000 OF INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CURRICULUM AND TESTING VOUCHERS FROM CERTIFICATION PARTNERS FUNDED BY OUR CERTIFICATION ACCOUNTS AND USED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES. OUR STUDENTS EARNED 4,476 OF THESE CERTIFICATIONS LAST YEAR AND WE EXPECT THAT NUMBER TO GROW UP EXCEEDING OVER 4600 FOR THIS YEAR. SO THAT IS AGENDA ITEM 2.01. WE DO HAVE LARISA, OUR SUPERVISOR CTE AND SCOTT BROOKS AS WELL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING 2.01. >>Jessica Vaughn: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER PEREZ. BOTH MEMBER COMBS AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. MEMBER COMBS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >>Nadia Combs: JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS. I KNOW SCOTT BROOKS, WE TALKED ON THE PHONE AND YOU ANSWERED MOST OF MY QUESTIONS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, CONGRATULATIONS. WE'RE DOING AN WE'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. YOU'RE DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB. YOU AND YOUR TEAM WITH THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GETTING THE CERTIFICATES AND NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT -- AND I KNOW YOU MENTIONED YOUR GOAL OF 10,000. IF YOU WANT TO MENTION THAT QUICKLY, WHAT YOUR GOAL WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO. I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE. >> SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE STARTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN 10,000 WAS OUR GOAL. IT WAS A STRETCH GOAL. MR. AYRES WAS HEADING THAT UP. I THINK THE YEAR PRIOR WE HAD ONLY AROUND 7,000. LAST YEAR WE WOUND UP HAVING OVER 20,000 CERTIFICATIONS WE'VE DONE. WE LED THE STATE FOR I THINK THE LAST THREE YEARS IN FTE. I BELIEVE OUR CHECK THIS YEAR IS SOMEWHERE AROUND $14 MILLION SOMEWHERE AROUND $14 MILLION IN BONUS FUNDING. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY BUT IT DOES COME AND GO TO THE SCHOOLS. IT'S NOT COMING TO US. LARISA AND I. BUT THOSE DOLLARS DO GO DIRECTLY INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND SCHOOLS SO THE TEACHERS CAN PURCHASE THE THINGS THEIR STUDENTS NEED AND THEY NEED IMMEDIATELY. SO YES, MA'AM. >>Nadia Combs: I HAD ONE OTHER QUESTION. I ALWAYS REALLY LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENT, RIGHT, WHEN PEOPLE COME. I REALLY LISTEN AND REFLECT AND SOMETIMES I'LL GO ON FURTHER. THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO HAS COME MULTIPLE TIMES, COME HERE AND MULTIPLE TIMES, COME HERE AND SPOKEN ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPOKEN ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND I WANTED CLARITY ON THAT. WHAT THE CONCERN WAS FROM THE EDUCATOR AND EDUCATOR AND WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING ABOUT THE ABOUT THE CONCERNS. >> YES, MA'AM. AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, WE'RE ONE OF THE STATE LEADERS. WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STATE WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STATE AT THE NUMBERS, I KNOW LAST WEEK THERE WAS A MEETING OF A COMMITTEE AND HELPING OTHER DISTRICTS WITH THEIR PROCESSS AND PROCEDURES. SEVERAL YEARS AGO IT WAS THE WILD WEST. WE WERE THE WILD WEST. WE REALLY WERE. THEN THE STATE THEN THE STATE STARTED PAYING BONUS MONEY TO TEACHERS AND MAKING IT PART OF SCHOOL GRADE. THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. SO THEN THE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES CAME IN. WE DID HAVE TO PUT IN PROCEDURES AND PUT IN TIMELINES AND THERE IS 30-DAY WAIT PERIODS AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT DID HAPPEN. SOME OF OUR TEACHERS THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND APPRECIATED SOME OF THE DAYS WHEN THERE WASN'T AS MUCH QUITE WHEN THERE WASN'T AS MUCH QUITE OVERSIGHT WITH THAT. I CAN SEE WHERE SOME OF THE NEWER THINGS THE STATE IS IMPLEMENTING AND FORCING US TO DO WOULD CAUSE SOME OF THOSE THINGS. WE FOLLOWED THE STATUTES. WE JUST WENT THROUGH A HUGE AUDIT. THERE WERE NO FINDINGS. THEY UTILIZED OUR PROCEDURES AND WE SHARE THAT WITH OTHERS ACROSS THE STATE. SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO MEET OUR TEACHERS. OF COURSE WE'LL MEET WITH THEM AND MEET WITH PRINCIPALS. THERE IS ALWAYS UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES. SOMETIMES THAT HAPPEN IN THE SCHOOLS. SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO MITIGATE THOSE AND HELP FOLKS OUT. WE WANT MORE. OUR TEAM WANTS MORE BECAUSE IT'S GREAT FOR GREAT FOR CONDITION. THE MORE KIDS, THE BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND MORE DOLLARS THAT COME INTO TAMPA. SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO SUPPORT AND HELP THOSE AS MUCH AS WE CAN. >>Nadia Combs: SO I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS WAS THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE PREPARED TO PASS THAT TEST BECAUSE WE ALSO ALSO -- YOU DON'T WANT A CHILD TO FAIL A TEST FOUR OR FIVE TIMES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT DOES TO THEIR SELF-ESTEEM. I GUESS THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES. BEFORE A CHILD COULD TEST ANY TIME BUT NOW YOU HAVE MORE TIME BUT NOW YOU HAVE MORE OF SOMETHING THAT'S BASICALLY SOMETHING THAT'S BASICALLY ACROSS THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THE CHILD IS PREPARED TO TAKE THE TEST. IF YOU COULD REALLY BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. >> YES, MA'AM. VERY QUICKLY. SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE WERE PUSHING AND PUSHING AND LOOKING FOR NUMBERS. AND WE HAD ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT TESTED OVER 300 KIDS AND I THINK FOUR KIDS PASSED. FOUR OR FIVE OUT OF THE 300. SO WHEN YOU HAVE THAT, WE SAID, IN OUR EFFORT TO IN OUR EFFORT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE AND PUSH THESE KIDS PROBABLY REALLY WEREN'T PREPARED. AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CURRICULUM ALIGNMENT AND A LOT OF THESE THINGS. AT THAT POINT WE TOOK A DEEP DIVE AND SAID WE NEED TO ALIGN OUR EXAMS AND CURRICULUM AND TEACHER TRAINING. WE HAVE TO REALLY FIX WE HAVE TO REALLY FIX ALL THOSE THINGS. THEN WE REALLY NEED A THEN WE REALLY NEED A PRE-TEST TO MAKE SURE THE KIDS ARE PREPARED AND WE WORK WITH THE TEACHERS AND SET THE NUMBERS AND TRY TO PRE'TEST THAT ARE ALIGNED. IF THEY COME UP WITH BETTER OPTIONS, OPTIONS, THEY'LL WORK WITH US. SO WE MAKE SURE WE USE THE PRE-TEST. THE KIDS THAT PASS GO ON. AND THE OTHER ONES KNOW EXACTLY WHAT AREAS TO WORK ON SO THEY CAN PASS IN THE END. >>Nadia Combs: GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT RESULTS AND ALSO FOR YOUR AUDIT. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. MEMBER MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. QUICK QUESTION AND AN ADDITIONAL TO MEMBER VAUGHN. HOW MANY -- DO WE HAVE AN ESTIMATION OF HOW MANY PRE-TESTS NEVER NEVER GET TO TESTING? I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM. I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT, WAS THE DIFFICULTY THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL DID NOT PASS THE PRE-TEST, SOME OF THAT NEVER GOT THERE SO THE DATA OF THE ACTUAL CERTIFICATIONS MAY BE A LITTLE OFF BASED UPON THAT. WE WANT TO HAVE A CLARIFICATION AND MAKE SURE IF THIS IS THE CURRICULUM THAT WE'RE BUYING BECAUSE WE'RE BUYING IT FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF INDUSTRIES. AND IT'S ONE COMPANY. AND SO DO WE NEED TO BREAK THIS UP SPECIFIC BY TYPE OF INDUSTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'VE GOT SOME THAT PRE-TESTS ARE NOT PASSING AND NOT GETTING CERTIFICATES THAT WE LOOK AT THIS. I FIND IT TO GO OUT OF ONE CURRICULUM FOR A MULTIPLE OF INDUSTRIES CAN BE INDUSTRIES CAN BE QUESTIONABLE. >> SO I'LL SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON THAT. CERTIFICATION CERTIFICATION PARTNERS PROVIDES SEVERAL CERTIFICATIONS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH MULTIPLE COURSES ALIGNED WITH MULTIPLE COURSES INCLUDING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIGITAL CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL AS SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOL CERTIFICATIONS SUCH AS CERTIFICATIONS SUCH AS HTML, MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST, SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST AND SEVERAL OTHERS. THEY ARE ABLE TO ALSO PROVIDE COURSEWORK TO PREPARE THE STUDENTS FOR THOSE CERTIFICATIONS AS WELL AS PRACTICE TESTS THAT DETERMINE THEIR READINESS. AND BOTH SCHOOL AND BOTH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION ALL BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A STANDARD BENCHMARK OF STANDARD BENCHMARK OF MEASUREMENT TO DETERMINE THE READINESS OF THE STUDENTS BEFORE PUTTING THEM IN FRONT OF AN INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION EXAM. AND IT'S NOT AND IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL FOR THE DISTRICT WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SIMPLY TEST THE STUDENTS WITHOUT THEM THEM BEING READY. AND IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL AND IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL FOR THE STUDENTS. YOU KNOW THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR SELF-ESTEEM AND DETER THEM FROM SELF-ESTEEM AND DETER THEM FROM CONTINUING TO PURSUE THAT PARTICULAR CAREER FIELD SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS ARE CONFIDENT, THAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO THE MATERIAL BEFORE TESTING AND THERE IS TESTING AND THERE IS A CONSISTENT CONSISTENT BENCHMARK OF STUDENT READINESS AND THAT'S WHAT CERTIFICATION PARTNERS IS ABLE TO DO FOR THOSE EXAMS. THERE ARE LIKE YOU SAID MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS FOR DIFFERENT CAREER CLUSTERS AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO ALSO IS PURCHASE THE VOUCHERS IN BULK SO THEY ARE AVAILABLE WHEN THE STUDENTS ARE READY TO CERTIFY, WE CAN PROVIDE THEM. SO BEING HERE TODAY WOULD ALLOW US TO MAKE THE PURCHASES AND PURCHASE IN THE PURCHASE IN THE BEGINNING OF PURCHASE IN THE BEGINNING OF 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR SO AS SOON AS THE STUDENTS ARE READY THEY CAN TEST. >>Patti Rendon: I WANT TO CLARIFY BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK OVER THE CONTRACT, IT DOESN'T DESIGNATE WHICH OF OUR CTE PROGRAMS WE'RE USING UNLESS I MISSED IT ON A PAGE, BUT I DON'T SEE THEM. SECOND OF ALL, IT SECOND OF ALL, IT SPECIFICALLY SAYS ON THE AGENDA ITEM THAT IT WILL BE FOR CURRICULUM AND TESTING VOUCHERS BUT THE WAY I'M READING -- HEARING FROM YOU IS READING -- HEARING FROM YOU IS REALLY THIS IS ABOUT THE TESTING VOUCHERS, NOT ABOUT THE ACTUAL CURRICULUM. >> IT IS. IT IS COURSEWORK TO PREPARE THE STUDENTS FOR THE CERTIFICATION WHICH INCLUDES PRACTICE TESTS AND THE TESTING VOUCHERS. >>Patti Rendon: COULD YOU LET ME EXACTLY WHERE ON THIS CONTRACT WE KNOW WHICH CERTIFICATIONS WE'LL BE APPROVING. >> I CAN GIVE YOU A FULL LIST OF CERTIFICATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE PARTICULAR THE PARTICULAR CERTIFICATION PARTNERS. SO WE HAVE DATA ANALYST -- >>Patti Rendon: NO, ON THE CONTRACT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF WE'RE APPROVING A APPROVING A CONTRACT, IT'S LISTED. >> IT'S ATTACHED TO THE CONTRACT. >>Patti Rendon: IT'S NOT ON THE CONTRACT WE SEE IN HERE AT ALL. UNLESS -- GUYS, I MAY BE MISSING IT, BUT I DON'T SEE A LIST OF EXACTLY WHICH CTEs. IN THE IN THE APPENDIX? SO THE MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST, SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST -- THESE ARE NOT ALL OF THE ARE NOT ALL OF THE CTE PROGRAMS. >> IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS, FINANCE, AND MARKETING AS WELL AS AND MARKETING AS WELL AS MIDDLE SCHOOL DIGITAL TOOLS. >>Patti Rendon: SO THEY'RE ON THE QUOTE. NOT THE ACTUAL CONTRACT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU MEMBER RENDON. I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. AS FAR AS THE PRE-TEST WHICH I AS FAR AS THE PRE-TEST WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, IS THERE A TIME PERIOD THAT THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT PRE-TEST. WITHIN THE FIRST NINE WEEKS, IS THERE A HOLD BEFORE THEY CAN TAKE THE PRE-TEST. I THINK SOME OF THE CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND STUDENTS WHO MAY WANT TO PASS AND COLLECT A LOT OF CERTIFICATIONS WITHIN THE YEAR. AND IF WE'RE NOT ALLOWING THAT IN THE FIRST NINE WEEKS, EVEN IF THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE WITHIN THE PRE-TEST THEIR ABILITY TO TAKE THE TESTS, THAT'S WHERE THE CONCERNS COME IN. ARE WE STOPPING THEM FROM TAKING THE CERTIFICATION IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME EVEN IF THEY CAN PASS THE PASS THE PRE-TEST? >> SO THE INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION IS IN ADDITION TO THE CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS TO THE COURSE. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE STUDENTS ARE EXPOSED TO THE CONTENT BEFORE BLINDLY TAKING ANY EXAM. AND IF THEY WANT, THEY CAN IMMEDIATELY TAKE THE PRACTICE TEST WITHOUT EVEN GOING THROUGH THE COURSEWORK TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE READY FOR THE EXAM. AND I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST IS MANY TIMES STUDENTS ARE PAST IS MANY TIMES STUDENTS ARE TAKING THE CERTIFICATION WITHOUT BEING PREPARED WHICH WE WASTED A LOT OF VOUCHERS IN THE PAST FOR PURCHASING VOUCHERS FOR RE-TAKES BECAUSE IF THE STUDENT FAILED THE FIRST TIME, THEY HAVE TO RE-TAKE THE CERTIFICATION. >>Jessica Vaughn: ARE YOU SAYING THEY'RE PASSING THE PRACTICE TEST AND FAILING THE CERTIFICATION EXAM? >> CORRECT. SO -- WELL, NO. MANY TIMES STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE EXAM WITHOUT TAKING PRE-TEST. >>Jessica Vaughn: RIGHT. I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR NOT HAVING A PRE-TEST. MY QUESTION IS, LET'S SAY IT'S THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE FIRST BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. CAN THEY TAKE THE PRACTICE TEST AND IF THEY PASS THE PRACTICE TEST, CAN THEY THEN TAKE THE CERTIFICATION EXAM? >> ABSOLUTELY. HERE IS -- YES. TO BE VERY SPECIFIC, YES. I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS BOARD BOARD ITEM. SO THE INTENT SEVERAL YEARS AGO WAS FOR A KID TO SIT IN A CLASS. GO THROUGH AND THE TEACHER WOULD TEACH THE CURRICULUM. THEY'D BE THERE A YEAR AND THEN WE'D TEST AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH BEEN THE MODEL FOREVER. A FEW YEARS AGO, WE STARTED -- NORMALLY THIS ITEM WOULD COME IN APRIL AND MAY TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE IN TESTING SEASON. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE FOUND A COUPLE YEARS LATER STUDENTS ARE COMING IN WITH ESPECIALLY THIS I.T. THEY HAVE SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE ALREADY AND THEY'RE LEARNING OTHER AREAS, WE STARTED BACKING IT UP. WE STARTED HAVING TO BRING THE ITEM IN JANUARY. AND ACTUALLY THIS YEAR WE HAD IT SET FOR OCTOBER. WE HAVE SEEN THE TREND WHERE IT'S GETTING EARLIER AND EARLIER IN THE YEAR SO WE JUST -- THE ONE THING WE HAVE TO ONE THING WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH IS AS WE WORK WITH THE D.O.E. THE INTENT IS TO MAKE SURE TEACHERS TAUGHT THIS. AS LONG AS WE CAN DEMONSTRATE THIS TEACHER WAS TEACHING OR WE KNOW THE SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR WE WERE IN SEPTEMBER AND HAD SCHOOLS REQUESTING VOUCHERS. THREE WEEKS IN TO SCHOOL, THAT WAS SOMETHING NEW. AND AND WE HAD TO MAKE AND WE HAD TO MAKE SURE AND VET OUT THAT THE KIDS WERE READY AND PREPARED. WHEN THOSE THINGS POP UP, WE'LL USUALLY WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS AND PRINCIPALS AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S A LEGIT THING. BUT THEY -- WE SEE IT MOVING EARLIER AND EARLIER. ESPECIALLY WITH I.T. AND THIS ONE. BUT I WILL TELL YOU, IF WE WENT BACK FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO, MICROSOFT WAS THE I.T. WORD AND POWERPOINT AND EXCEL. AND THAT WAS KIND OF THE I.T. I.T. CERTS. NOW THERE IS PROBABLY 25 DIFFERENT CERTS AND THEY'RE ALL SO SIMILAR THAT THE CURRICULUM OVERLAPS. A LOT OF TIMES THE KIDS WILL GET THE CURRICULUM IN THE COURSE THE YEAR PRIOR. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S -- WE'RE IT'S -- WE'RE DOING IT WITH FIDELITY. >>Jessica Vaughn: WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE THEY HAVE TO PASS ON PERCENTAGE THEY HAVE TO PASS ON THE PRACTICE TEST? >> SO THAT VARIES BY PRACTICE TEST, BY CERTIFICATION. FOR THE CERTIFICATION PARTNERS IT'S 70% THAT THEY HAVE TO PASS. AND AGAIN, THAT -- >>Jessica Vaughn: THAT'S FOR THE ACTUAL CERTIFICATION TEST ITSELF. A 70%. SO THE PRACTICE TEST FOR WHATEVER CERTIFICATION IT IS, THE PERCENTAGE TO PASS MIRRORS THE PERCENTAGE THAT HAS TO PASS ON THE CERTIFICATION ITSELF. >> CORRECT. IT'S A SIMULATION OF THE REAL EXAM. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. WERE YOU BACK IN THE WERE YOU BACK IN THE QUEUE, MEMBER GRAY? MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAD AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION. HOW MANY STUDENTS IS THIS REALLY IMPACTING? BECAUSE I'M SEEING BECAUSE I'M SEEING -- BECAUSE I'M SEEING -- MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST, SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST, SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST. SO HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE WE REALLY TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS REALLY TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS KIND OF MONEY? >> SO COUPLE YEARS AGO -- I THINK THIS MAY HELP. SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE STATE SO SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE STATE USED TO REALLY BE PERSCRIPTIVE. IF YOU WERE IN AG, YOU TOOK THE AGEXAM. BUSINESS, YOU TOOK THE MICROSOFT EXAM. SEVERAL YEARS AGO THEY OPENED IT UP TO WHERE NOW WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO MULTIPLE EXAMS. YOU MAY SEE SOMETHING LIKE A SOCIAL MEDIA OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP TAUGHT IN THE AG CLASS. YOU CAN SEE THAT TAUGHT IN A WELDING CLASS OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP CERTIFICATION DONE THROUGH MULTIPLE DIFFERENT COURSE SEQUENCES. SO IT'S NOT JUST ALWAYS THE SAME CLASS BUT THE CERTS GO TO DIFFERENT ONE. I BELIEVE WITH THIS ITEM, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 4400 INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS THAT WOULD ULT AMIMATELY BE -- ULTIMATELY BE GENERATED BY THIS BOARD ITEM. THAT WOULD GENERATE THE MONEY THAT WOULD COME IN. SOME KIDS MAY EARN SOME KIDS MAY EARN TWO OR THREE. SOME MAY EARN FIVE OR SIX. IT'S HARD TO IT'S HARD TO SAY HOW MANY STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS DO MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS. >>Patti Rendon: SO THERE IS A QUANTITY OF SO MANY HUNDRED HERE BASED UPON -- SO FOR EXAMPLE, SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST, YOU'RE TALKING 400 STUDENTS. BUT YOU'RE SAYING THEY CAN BE DOING MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ONES. THEY'RE NOT TAKING NECESSARILY A SOCIAL MEDIA CLASS BUT WITHIN ANOTHER CLASS, THIS COULD BE A CERT THAT'S THERE. >> YES, MA'AM. WE HAVE TO AUDIT AND SHOW THAT THERE ARE ENOUGH IN THE CURRICULUM THAT IS TAUGHT. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TOPICS ON THE TEST TOPICS ON THE TEST AND OBJECTIVES ARE ACTUALLY IN THE CURRICULUM. SEVERAL YEARS AGO WE TRIED TO DO ROTC AND THE STATE SAID THERE WASN'T ENOUGH CURRICULUM IN THERE. SO THAT'S HOW THAT -- WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE MARRY THOSE. BUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CTE COURSES. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ON DISCOVERY, IT'S RIGHT IN THE PACKET ON PAGE 13 BEING THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING COMMITTEE IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MANY OF US ON THE COMMITTEE. YOU ADDED A VENDOR AFFIDAVIT YOU ADDED A VENDOR AFFIDAVIT REGARDING THE USE OF COERCION FOR FOR LABOR AND SERVICES PER FLORIDA STATUTE, HUMAN TRAFFICKING. WHY WAS THAT WHY WAS THAT ADDED? I'M GLAD I'M GLAD IT IS. JUST WAS YEARS. >> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT WHEN WE WERE SPENDING THE DOLLARS, THAT WAS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS AS WE WORKED THROUGH PROCUREMENT AND PURCHASING AND THOSE. ANY TIME THOSE TYPE OF THINGS COME UP, WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT LANGUAGE IS IN THERE. THE ATTORNEYS ADVISE. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO GUESS THAT'S WHERE THAT CAME FROM. BUT I CAN FIND OUT BUT I CAN FIND OUT EXACTLY FOR YOU. THAT'S MY BEST GUESS. >>Lynn Gray: I'LL PROBABLY PUT MR. FARKAS ON A MR. FARKAS ON A REASONABLE HOLD THERE. PERHAPS, MR. FARKAS, WE SHOULD DO THAT ON OTHER DO THAT ON OTHER CONTRACTS? SERVICES? WE CAN EXPLORE THAT LATER. BUT THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WE ARE THE THIRD CITY, ARE THE THIRD CITY, METROPOLITAN CITY IN FLORIDA CITY IN FLORIDA AND THIRD IN THE COUNTRY. SO SO IT IS A VERY GOOD THING SO IT IS A VERY GOOD THING AND I'LL GIVE YOU CREDIT, MR. BROOKS, NO MATTER WHAT. WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT, ATTORNEY PORTER. LET'S LOOK INTO THAT. >>Jim Porter: WE'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE AND INCLUDE WHERE APPROPRIATE. >>Lynn Gray: VERY GOOD. >> WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH PROCUREMENT AS WELL. >>Lynn Gray: GREAT. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. SEEING THERE IS NO FURTHER SEEING THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE'LL GO ON TO WE'LL GO ON TO 2.03, CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR WINTHROP COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO THIS AGENDA ITEM 2.03 IS THE CONTRACT RENEWAL FOR WINTHROP COLLEGE PREP ACADEMY. SO THIS SO THIS WINTHROP COLLEGE PREP OPENED IN 2020. IT'S A COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOL SERVING 1,075 STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12. THE PRESENT CONTRACT THAT THEY'RE UNDER THEY'RE UNDER EXPIRES JUNE 30 THIS YEAR. THE SCHOOL EARNED A "B" IN THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR. THIS IS DETAILS, THE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT IS INCLUDED WITH RATINGS ON A SET OF WITH RATINGS ON A SET OF CRITERIA WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SCHOOL. ALL RATINGS WERE SATISFACTORY WITH THREE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE ALL DOCUMENTS ARE SUBMITTED BY THE 30th OF ETCH ETCH -- OF EACH MONTH AND ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE ESOL THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE ESOL ENDORSED OR WORKING TO BE ENDORSED. THEY HAVE REQUESTED A CONTRACT RENEWAL OF 15 YEARS THAT MEETS THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AS WELL. WE HAVE ANGELA WEARY CROOKS HERE AND AND CINZIA IS TO THE SIDE. THIS IS ACTUALLY THIS IS ACTUALLY CINZI A'S LAST BOARD MEETING. SHE IS NOT ALLOWED TO TALK. SO ANGELA IS GOING TO HANDLE THIS AND HOLD THE AGENDA ITEM. NOT NOT LETTING HER TALK. SO THAT IS AGENDA ITEM SO THAT IS AGENDA ITEM 2.03. >>Jessica Vaughn: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >>Lynn Gray: YES. COMMENT. CONGRATULATIONS ON RETIREMENT, DR. DeLANGE. WE'LL MISS YOU VERY MUCH. ANGELA, HOW DO YOU ANGELA, HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME? >> WEARY CROOKS. TIRED THIEF. IT'S WEARY IT'S WEARY HYPHEN CROOKS. >>Lynn Gray: WE'LL DO ANGELA FOR RIGHT NOW AND I'LL PRACTICE. WHAT I WHAT I WANTED TO ASK, AND THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BAD QUESTION, RIGHT? SO HERE IT GOES. IN 2021, 2022 AND 2023, WINTHROP HAD A NUMBER, AND I KNOW DR. DeLANGE, WE MENTIONED THAT. WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS. IT WAS A VERY, LET'S JUST SAY, WORRISOME SITUATION. MY HYPOTHESIS IS THAT PERHAPS THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE PREVIOUS "C" AND NOW ON PAGE SEVEN, THERE IS 38 CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND EIGHT OUT OF FIELD. SO MY -- SO MY -- THANKS, TUCKER. MY HYPOTHESIS IS MAYBE BECAUSE OF THE CERTIFIED TEACHERS THE ENORMOUS -- NOT ENORMOUS -- NOT ENORMOUS BUT GREATER AMOUNT. SO I'M SO I'M HAPPY WITH THAT. WHAT I'M NOT SURE AND THIS GOES BACK TO DR. PATTON, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE, SORRY ABOUT THAT. AND DR. PATTON, DO NOT WORRY. YOU YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER. BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WHEN WE BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WHEN WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS GROWTH FROM "C" TO "B" BECAUSE OF MORE CERTIFIED TEACHERS, WHY ARE WE NOT -- WHY ARE WE SHORT, AND THIS IS OFF BLOOMINGDALE. WHY ARE WE STILL SHORT OF TEACHERS? THEY'RE GAINING BUT WHY AREN'T WE GAINING MORE TEACHERS? THAT'S MY QUESTION. BECAUSE WHAT ARE THEY DOING THAT WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT DOING. THIS IS ELUDED TO MEMBER COMBS. WE ALL WANT ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT. THIS IS A QUESTION, DR. PATTON, THAT YOU AND I CAN TALK ABOUT BUT SOMETHING IS GOING ON BUT SOMETHING IS GOING ON THAT THEY'RE DOING. IT'S PROBABLY A LOT OF ADVERTISING AND MARKETING. BUT WE BUT WE STILL SHOULD HAVE THE CONCRETE AREA. ACHING ALL A, IF YOU'D LIKE -- ANGELA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO REMARK, FEEL FREE. >> YES, MEMBER GRAY. I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THE SCHOOL WHEN I VISITED ABOUT THEIR RECRUITMENT AND HOW THEY'RE RETAINING TEACHERS. THEY SHARED WITH ME THAT THEY HAVE A TEACHER RECRUITMENT TEAM. THEY HAVE RECRUITERS THAT GO TO THE -- THEY ATTEND THE RECRUITMENT FAIRS AND ALSO ADVERTISE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PRETTY HEAVILY TO TRY TO GET TEACHERS. ANOTHER THING THEY DO IS PARTNER WITH USF INTERNS AND TO GET TO COME OUT TO THEIR SCHOOL AND THEN THEY TRY TO THEN THEY TRY TO RECRUIT THEM FROM THAT STAGE. AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT THEY DO IS WHEN THEY HAVE DO IS WHEN THEY HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE OUT OF -- THAT ARE BEING ASKED TO TEACH BEING ASKED TO TEACH AN OUT OF FIELD COURSE, THEY WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO GET THEM READY AND HELP THEM COVER THE COST OF THAT THAT CERTIFICATION, OF THAT TEST THEY'RE ASKING THEM TO TEACH OUT OF FIELD. ANOTHER THING THEY DO IS ANOTHER THING THEY DO IS THEIR ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION TEACHES, THEY ALSO WORK WITH TEACHES, THEY ALSO WORK WITH A COMPANY AND GET SCHOLARSHIPS TO PAY FOR SCHOOL AND GET OUT OF THEIR ALTERNATIVE -- GET THEIR ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION TEACHERS CERTIFIED TO TEACH AND THAT, YOU KNOW, CREATES SOME LOYALTY THERE AND THEN THEY WANT TO STAY OF COURSE AT THEIR SCHOOL. THE OTHER THING THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING TOO WAS THAT THE PRINCIPAL SHARED HIS EVALUATION IS ALSO TIED TO RETAINING HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AS QUALIFIED TEACHERS AS WELL. >>Lynn Gray: WELL, NOW WHAT I WANT TO DO IS ASK YOU, ANGELA, A LITTLE MORE WORK TO WRITE THOSE THINGS DOWN. GIVE IT TO ME, E-MAIL. AND I'LL GIVE AND I'LL GIVE IT TO DR. PATTON. I THINK WE'D ALL BE BETTER TO KNOW THE TECHNIQUES SO WE CAN START START UTILIZING SOME OF THOSE START UTILIZING SOME OF THOSE INTERESTING PARTS OF GETTING MORE EFFECTIVE OR MORE QUALIFIED TEACHERS. SO THANK YOU, ANGELA. YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF. I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE IT. THANKS. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ? >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THE HISPANIC POPULATION IS 39% THE HISPANIC POPULATION IS 39% THIS YEAR IN THAT SCHOOL? IS THAT WHAT IS THAT WHAT I'M READING HERE? ON PAGE EIGHT. >> THAT'S CORRECT. YES. >>Karen Perez: THEY'RE OUT OF COMPLIANCE. AM I CORRECT? WITH THE ELL AS OF 10/18. 45% OF THE TEACHERS ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE ENDORSEMENT. >> THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT. SO THAT IS ON THE SITE VISIT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO IS ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THOSE TEACHERS ENROLLED IN THE CORRECT COURSES SO THEY'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT TO BE ABLE TO GET IT BACK TO IN COMPLIANCE TOWARD THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. >>Karen Perez: OKAY. WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THE STUDENTS MEANWHILE? >> SO THEY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM WITH THE ACCOMMODATION. ALL OF THE OTHER AREAS ON THE SITE VISIT FOR ELL WERE IN COMPLIANCE. THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WAS THE ONE AREA THAT WASN'T. SO AS MENTIONED EARLIER THE REASON WHY THEY WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE THERE OR NOT, THEY WERE PARTIALLY MET BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THEM SIGNED UP FOR THEIR COURSES. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY MADE SURE THEY ALL SIGNED UP FOR THEIR ELL COURSES. >>Karen Perez: AND YOU MONITOR THAT. >> YES. WE MONITOR THAT. THEY'LL GO BACK AND THEY'LL GO BACK AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE THAT -- IN ORDER TO HAVE FULL COMPLIANCE THEY'LL HAVE TO SHOW US ALL THE TEACHERS HAVE REGISTERED AND ARE TAKING THEIR COURSES. >>Karen Perez: BY THE END OF? >> THIS SCHOOL YEAR. >>Karen Perez: SO IT WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF JUNE? END OF MAY? >> END >> END OF MAY, >> END OF MAY, YES. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. THOSE WERE ALL GOOD QUESTIONS AND SOME ENLIGHTENING ANSWERS. FIRST OF ALL, DR. DeLANGE, I SAVED IT UNTIL YOUR LAST MEETING. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE. YOU'RE GOING TO BE GREATLY MISSED. WE WISH YOU THE BEST ENDEAVORS GOING FORWARD AND JUST REALLY THANK YOU FOR HELPING US NAVIGATE EVERYTHING FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. SHE IS GOING TO TALK. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. IT'S BEEN AN IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THE FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE ASKING FOR A GROUP PICTURE. SO WOULD YOU MIND COME TAKING A PICTURE WITH US? THAT'S THEIR REQUEST. I'M ENACTING IT AS CHAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU FOR PAUSING MY TIME FOR THAT. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHILE I DO SEE THAT THEY RAISED DO SEE THAT THEY RAISED THEIR LETTER GRADE, AT THE SAME TIME EAST BAY HIGH SCHOOL DID TOO. WHEN I LOOK AT THE SURROUNDING HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALL WITHIN DISTANCE, I MEAN, ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE "B" SCHOOLS. IT SHOWS EVEN IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WE HAVE FANTASTIC TRADITIONAL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS ALL AROUND THE AREA AND I HOPE, AGAIN, WHEN PARENTS ARE MAKING DECISIONS, YOU HAVE THAT AMAZING BOOKLET THAT YOU DID WHERE THEY CAN COMPARE THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND LOOK AT ALL THE GRADES AND WE GET TO DIG IN HERE AS MEMBER PEREZ SHOWED WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT THE ELL COMPLIANCE. I HOPE PARENTS DO THAT RESEARCH WHEN THEY'RE MAKING A CHOICE. I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHT APPEARS. AND THE MOTION PASSES AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. AND NOW WE'LL GO ON TO AND NOW WE'LL GO ON TO 6.01, OUR BUDGET AMENDMENTS BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING NOVEMBER 30, ENDING NOVEMBER 30, 2024 AND DECEMBER 31, 2024. SUSAN SUSAN GARCIA, GENERAL SUSAN GARCIA, GENERAL MANAGER OF OUR BUDGET WILL HIGHLIGHT THE ITEM. >>Van Ayres: JUST BEFORE MS. GARCIA HIGHLIGHTS THE BUDGET, I WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ANNOUNCE OUR NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND THAT'S MR. JAMIE THAT'S MR. JAMIE LEWIS. >>Jessica Vaughn: WELCOME. >>Van Ayres: BEEN IN THE SEAT >>Van Ayres: BEEN IN THE SEAT FOR ONE WEEK NOW. >>Jessica Vaughn: JUST IN >>Jessica Vaughn: JUST IN TIME FOR FOR SOME FUN. >>Van Ayres: WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SOME OF THE IMPACT AND WHAT JAMIE IS BRINGING TO THE TEAM AND VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD. THIS WILL BE THE LAST BUDGET AMENDMENT DOES BECAUSE MR. LEWIS WILL TAKE OVER. SO I WANT TO PASS IT OVER. >> GOOD EVENING FOR THE MOST EXCITING PART OF YOUR EVENING, WE HAVE THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. IT'S TWO MONTHS DUE TO THE TIMING DIFFERENCE BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS. THE FIRST SLIDE YOU'RE USED TO SEEING. IT'S THE ORIGINAL BUDGET THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD IN SEPTEMBER WITH THE PROJECTING ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $283.9 MILLION WHICH WAS 15% OF THE PROJECTED REVENUE. THE NEXT SLIDE THE NEXT SLIDE HAS NOVEMBER AND OCTOBER AND THE ADOPTED BUDGET. IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BUDGET FROM NOVEMBER TO OCTOBER WHICH WAS $14.8 MILLION INCREASE IN THE REVENUE AND ALSO EXPENDITURES. AND THIS WAS DUE TO SCHOOL RECOGNITION DOLLARS THAT WE RECEIVED IN NOVEMBER. IT DID IN EFFECT OR PROJECTED FUND BALANCE, IT'S STILL PROJECTED AT $283.9 PROJECTED AT $283.9 MILLION AT THIS TIME. IF YOU LOOK IN COLUMN E. ON IF YOU LOOK IN COLUMN E. ON THE SAME SLIDE, YOU COULD SEE THAT SAME SLIDE, YOU COULD SEE THAT THE ENDING FUND BALANCE FROM THE ACTUALS IN NOVEMBER WAS ACTUALS IN NOVEMBER WAS $135.3 MILLION. THIS IS A 7% PROJECTED -- 7% OF OUR PROJECTED REVENUE FOR OUR FUND BALANCE. AND THAT'S A DECREASE FROM THE 15% WE PROJECT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. A BIG PART OF IT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE HAD THE HURRICANE SO THERE IS A LAG IN SO THERE IS A LAG IN THE COLLECTIONS AND ALSO AN INCREASE IN THE TIME THAT PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO FILE THEIR ALLOWED TO FILE THEIR TAXES AND STILL GET THE STILL GET THE DISCOUNT. SO THAT'S PART OF THE LAG TIME. IF WE TURN THE PAGE, IF WE TURN THE PAGE, IF WE GO ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, THERE WERE NO CHANGES TO THE BUDGET FROM THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE COLUMN E. YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THE ENDING FUND BALANCE FOR DECEMBER WAS $390 MILLION AND THAT'S A BIG INCREASE FROM BIG INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH. 21% OF OUR 21% OF OUR PROJECTED REVENUE. ONE OF THE REASONS IS ONE OF THE REASONS IS WE STARTED COLLECTING MORE OF OUR PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS. IT WAS STILL DOWN. THE PERCENTAGE IS STILL THE PERCENTAGE IS STILL DOWN FROM OUR PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR. IT WAS DOWN ABOUT 34.6% AND THAT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE HURRICANES AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD FUND BALANCE BECAUSE IT WAS ABLE TO CARRY US THROUGH THESE MONTHS WITHOUT ANY HAVING TO BORROW MONEY WHICH WE HAVE MONEY WHICH WE HAVE HAD TO DO BEFORE. THE NEXT SLIDE. THE FIRST ON YOUR LEFT-HAND SIDE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THE ENDING FUND BALANCE PROJECTED IS $283.9 MILLION WHICH AGAIN HAS NOT CHANGED AS OF NOW. AND THAT'S 15% OF OUR PROJECTED REVENUE. IN NOVEMBER, IN NOVEMBER, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AGAIN AGAIN AND I REITERATE, WE PROJECT OUR FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF NOVEMBER WAS $135 MILLION WHICH IS 7%. IF WE GO TO THE LAST SLIDE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE TWO NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER SIDE BY SIDE. SO IN NOVEMBER, SO IN NOVEMBER, WE HAD A 7% ENDING FUND BALANCE AND IN DECEMBER, WE HAD $390 MILLION ENDING FUND ENDING FUND BALANCE AND THAT'S 21% OF THE PROJECTED REVENUE. YOU CAN SEE IT'S STARTING TO CATCH UP. AS OF THE END OF DECEMBER IT HASN'T CAUGHT UP TO WHAT WE -- THE PERCENTAGE AMOUNT WE HAD SELECTED THE PREVIOUS YEAR. I BELIEVE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY YOU'RE GOING TO FINALLY SEE IT START REALLY CATCHING UP. BUT I HAD TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD FUND BALANCE. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER PEREZ AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY AND I PULLED THIS ITEM. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MS. MS. GARCIA AND WELCOME JAMIE LEWIS. WE HAD A RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE D.O.E. REGARDING THE FEDERAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF VARIOUS GRANTS AND DISCRETIONARY POSSIBLE FUNDS BEING MINUSED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO REMARK ON THE UPDATE? I KNOW THAT THAT HAS BEEN -- THERE HAS BEEN FEAR AND I'D RATHER GET IT CLARIFIED BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS. >> ABSOLUTELY. I'LL HAVE -- ACTUALLY THE UPDATE PROBABLY CAME 30 OR 40 MINUTES BEFORE WE WALKED INTO THE BOARDROOM. TRACYE BROWN TRACYE BROWN HAS THE UPDATE. >>Tracye Brown: THANK YOU SO MUCH. JUST RECEIVED COMMUNICATION VIA NEWS FLASH THAT THERE HAS BEEN A HOLD ON THE PRESIDENT'S ORDER TO FREEZE OR PAUSE ALL FEDERAL FUNDING. THERE WAS CLARIFICATION EARLIER, HOWEVER, THAT INDICATED THAT FORMULA GRANTS WHICH ARE OUR TITLE 1, TITLE 2, TITLE 3, TITLE 4, AND 4, AND 4, AND I.D.E.A. WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS PAUSE. THAT WAS ALREADY GOOD NEWS. THIS IS EVEN BETTER NEWS FOR US BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE PAUSE -- THE ORDER FROM THE JUDGE HAS BEEN TO FREEZE HIS ORDER UNTIL MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3. I JUST GOT THAT I JUST GOT THAT STRAIGHT FROM THE NEWS. >>Lynn Gray: OKAY. YES. HOT HOT OFF THE PRESS. SO SO -- >>Jim Porter: I WAS GOING TO >>Jim Porter: I WAS GOING TO SUPPLEMENT BUT SHE CLARIFIED THE FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKED THE FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKED THE ORDER UNTIL MONDAY. BUT AS MS. BROWN SAID, MANY OF THE THINGS THIS DISTRICT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WERE NOT GOING TO BE AFFECTED ANY. BUT THIS IS TWO POSITIVE PIECES OF NEWS REGARDING THE FUNDING THAT JUST CAME OUT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. >>Lynn Gray: OKAY. I'M GOING TO SAY RELIEVING NEWS. NOT NECESSARILY POSITIVE BUT RELIEF WOULD PROBABLY BE THE RELIEF WOULD PROBABLY BE THE ADJECTIVE ON THAT ONE. OR ADVERB. I'LL GET IT RIGHT. NOW NOW MS. GARCIA. THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE WAS LOWER IN NOVEMBER BUT LOWER IN NOVEMBER BUT WENT UP SIGNIFICANTLY IN DECEMBER. WE HAD A RISE IN FTE. IN OTHER WORDS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS. I'M CURIOUS AS TO HOW MANY MORE STUDENTS DID WE GAIN WHICH IS A GOOD THING. IT IT RAISED THE IT RAISED THE FTE, YOU KNOW, THE FINANCE LOOKS A LOT BETTER. HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AND HOW MANY MORE STUDENTS DID WE GAIN? DO WOO KNOW? >> WE GAINED APPROXIMATELY 11,000 MORE STUDENTS. HOWEVER, THAT INCREASE HAS NOT BEEN REFLECTED IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. WE'RE WAITING FOR THE THIRD CALCULATION FROM THE FLDOE. WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED IT AS OF YET. THAT WILL TELL US WHAT INCREASE IN FUNDING WE RECEIVED AND HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED. >>Lynn Gray: SO WHEN WE HAVE -- I'M SORRY. DR. DR. WHELAN? >>Van Ayres: AS YOU ALL KNOW THROUGH THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND BUDGET PROCESS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH, WE BUDGETED -- IT WAS SET FOR 174,000 STUDENTS. WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED 185,000 STUDENTS. ONCE THE THIRD CALCULATION COMES IN FROM THE DOE WE'LL SEE THAT JUMP IN IN THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE THIRD -- SO WE BUDGETED 174. THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS 185. WE JUMPED BY ABOUT 2,000. >>Lynn Gray: SO THIS IS >>Lynn Gray: SO THIS IS ALL VERY GOOD NEWS. AND A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. BUT HOW DO WE ANSWER THE QUESTION FROM OTHERS THAT SAY WITH THIS HEALTHY FUND BALANCE WITH THIS HEALTHY FUND BALANCE AND GIVEN THAT WE COVERED THE HURRICANE EMERGENCIES AND GIVEN WE HAD A RISE IN WE HAD A RISE IN FTE, MORE STUDENTS, WHY IS STUDENTS, WHY IS IT THAT WE CANNOT PAY THE TEACHERS A PERCENTAGE SO WE ARE AT 19 TO 21. WE'RE WE'RE HOVERING. THIS QUESTION COMES BECAUSE IF WE ARE SAYING WE HAVE THIS HIGH FUND BALANCE, WHICH WE DO, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF VACANCIES WHICH MEANS VACANCIES WHICH MEANS TEACHER POSITIONS WHICH MEANS POSITIONS WHICH MEANS LEARNING FOR OUR KIDS OR ARSENSE OF LEARNING. SO HOW DO WE RIGHT-SIZE THAT CONVERSATION? IT'S NOT COMING RIGHT FROM ME. IT'S COMING FROM CONSTITUENTS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO ANSWER THAT? >>Van Ayres: I CAN JUMP IN. JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR ON THE QUESTION. I THINK AS WE LOOK TO NEGOTIATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'LL GO THROUGH EXECUTIVE SESSION AND FOLLOW OUR PROCESS FOR NEGOTIATIONS THERE. I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS -- THIS PAST YEAR, IN SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT I LOOKED AT TODAY, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED, DUE TO THE HURRICANES, WE ONLY RECEIVED ABOUT 50% OF OUR DOLLARS OF PROPERTY TAXES. 50% IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO PREVIOUS YEARS OPPOSED TO PREVIOUS YEARS WHERE WE RECEIVED 85 AND WE RECEIVED 85 AND 86% AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THAT'S WHY THE FUND BALANCE LOOKED A LITTLE LOWER. THERE IS ALWAYS THINGS AS MS. MS. GARCIA NOTED, THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT COME UP. THAT'S WHY IT'S THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. YOU'RE AWARE FOR HAVING THE FUND BALANCE THERE. WE WANT TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND I THINK THIS BOARD, MYSELF AND MY TEAM HAVE BEEN CLEAR ON BEEN CLEAR ON MAKING SURE THAT WE VALUE OUR EMPLOYEES AND PUT EVERY EFFORT INTO PAYING THEM WHERE -- TO PUT US COMPETITIVE AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO INCREASE THOSE WAGES. >>Lynn Gray: ACTUALLY, WE ANSWERED THE QUESTION RIGHT AWAY WHEN I ASKED THE FIRST QUESTION ABOUT LOOK AT WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE FACED IF THE FEDERAL FACED IF THE FEDERAL FUNDING WAS CUT FOR DISCRETIONARY AND GRANTS. SO THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY IT'S VERY WISE. YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING, TO HAVE THE HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. AND I ALMOST DIDN'T AND I ALMOST DIDN'T ASK THE QUESTION WHEN I -- ABOUT AN HOUR AGO UNTIL AGO UNTIL I HAD THE ENTIRE AGO UNTIL I HAD THE ENTIRE IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH NOW WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS. BUT I CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, THE OBVIOUS -- WE COULD OBVIOUS -- WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER TYPE OF EMERGENCY, SO THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA. YES. AND THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. MADAM CHAIR, I'M DONE. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TO TO MEMBER GRAY'S POINT, TO MEMBER GRAY'S POINT, WE'RE STILL NOT OUT OF THE DEEP WOODS, RIGHT? AM I CORRECT? BECAUSE THE ORDER WAS JUST PUT UNTIL FEBRUARY 3. AM I CORRECT? OKAY. >>Van Ayres: JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT'S FOR THE COMPETITIVE THAT'S FOR THE COMPETITIVE GRANTS WHICH WE HAVE ONE. WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT ALL OUR FORMULA DOLLARS, FEDERAL FORMULA DOLLARS. THAT'S GOOD? OKAY. WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE WHICH I THINK WAS COMPETITIVE GRANT. SO JUST TO CLARIFY. THE ONE THAT WOULD BE IN QUESTION THAT'S ON HOLD. WE HAVE ONE WE HAVE ONE COMPETITIVE GRANT WHICH IS -- >> SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH GRANT. THAT GRANT ACTUALLY IS FOR BONUSES FOR OUR SOCIAL WORKERS, OUR COUNSELORS AND OUR PSYCHOLOGISTS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THEM, SOME DEVELOPMENT FOR THEM, SOME SUPPLIES AND SOME SMALL TRAVEL SUPPLIES AND SOME SMALL TRAVEL EXPENSES. EXPENSES. >>Karen Perez: HOW MUCH IS THAT? >> I THINK IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR THAN A MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS. >>Karen Perez: AND >>Karen Perez: AND ALSO GOING BACK TO BACK TO THE STUDENT -- OUR STUDENT COUNT, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT NUMBER AGAIN? >>Van Ayres: OUR 40-DAY COUNT THIS YEAR, WE'RE AT 185,000 STUDENTS. LAST YEAR AT THE 40-DAY COUNT IT WAS 183,000-SOMETHING. WE GAINED FROM LAST YEAR WHICH WAS AS WE SAW DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE LOST ENROLLMENT. ALWAYS MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE BEING COMPETITIVE AND WE KNOW WE HAVE THE BEST SCHOOLS IN TOWN AND WHEN WE SEE OUR ENROLLMENT INCREASING, THAT'S A PUZATIVE SIGN FOR -- A POSITIVE SIGN FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE BASE OUR NUMBER OF UNITS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS BASED ON THAT NUMBER SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE CLOSE TO THAT. BUT WE -- THE 174,000 THAT MS. GARCIA MENTIONED, THAT'S WHAT THE BUDGET WAS BASED ON. NOW THAT WE HAVE THE NOW THAT WE HAVE THE 185, WHEN THE THIRD COUNT COMES OUT, IT PICKS UP FOR THAT DIFFERENCE. >>Karen Perez: SO MY QUESTION IS WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT THE WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. WE HAVE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT CLOSE THEY'RE DOORS AND HAVE CLOSE THEY'RE DOORS AND HAVE STUDENTS. DO WE GO DO WE GO AND TRY TO DO WE GO AND TRY TO GET THOSE STUDENTS BACK TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF STUDENTS. HOW IS IT THAT WE HOW IS IT THAT WE GO AND TRY TO -- >>Van Ayres: GREAT QUESTION. WE HAD ONE THAT CLOSED AND MS. McRAE WAS ALL OVER THAT. >>Shay McRae: WE HAD ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT CLOSED THEIR DOORS. WE HAD A DAY WE HAD A DAY NOTICE OF THEIR CLOSURE. WE CALLED EVERY SINGLE PARENT. WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS TO GET THEM INTO ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. THE FIRST OPTION IS FOR THEM TO COME TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL. IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN GOING TO A SCHOOL THAT IS NOT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL THEY'LL WORK WITH THE CHOICE OFFICE AND WE'LL LOOK AT AVAILABLE SEATS AT OTHER SCHOOLS. SO OUR JOB REALLY IS SO OUR JOB REALLY IS TO TRY TO REENGAGE THEM IN OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >>Karen Perez: SO THAT COULD BE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 50, 70, 100 STUDENTS THAT COME BACK INTO OUR COUNT AS WELL. CORRECT? OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S AWESOME. OKAY. BUT THAT'S WHAT I BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO FIND OUT AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT STUDENT COUNT BACK UP WITH US, THAT KIND OF RAISES THAT US, THAT KIND OF RAISES THAT STUDENT COUNT FOR US. THAT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. AGAIN, AGAIN, WELCOME, MR. LEWIS. I APPRECIATE THAT REPORT. I KNOW THAT THINGS ARE RAPIDLY CHANGING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT QUICKLY WHAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY SOME OF THE CHANGES HAPPENING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS IS CONFUSING. I GOT PROBABLY PANIC MESSAGED I GOT PROBABLY PANIC MESSAGED FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE AT SCHOOL SITES WONDERING HOW IT WILL AFFECT DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. I APPRECIATE TRYING TO COME UP WITH AN UPDATE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE PANICKED. NOW I KNOW YOU HIGHLIGHTED ONE THING THAT WE WOULD BE CONCERNED OF IF THAT STAY OR -- OF IF THAT STAY OR -- IF IT MOVES FORWARD THAT THERE IS A PAUSE ON SOME FEDERAL GRANTS. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT I GOT ASIDE FROM OUR FORMULA RELATED OR TITLE ONES WAS SPECIFICALLY AROUND FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, STUDENT NUTRITION. THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CONCERN. IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE GOING TO HAVE AN ISSUE FEEDING OUR STUDENTS? >> THE INITIAL CLARIFICATION, NO. IT'S NOT PART OF THAT. THAT'S NOT COMPETITIVE. IT'S FORMULA BASED. THOSE WERE NOT INCLUDED. WE GOT THAT UPDATE BEFORE WE GOT THIS UPDATE WITH THE PAUSE. EVEN BEFORE THE PAUSE THAT WAS NOT NOT INCLUDED. >>Karen Perez: OKAY. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M I'M ANTICIPATING AS THIS I'M ANTICIPATING AS THIS MOVES FORWARD WE'LL HAVE MORE UPDATES BECAUSE MANY OF US ARE THE FIRST LINE OF PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING AROUND THE BUDGET. SO ANY SUPPORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ANSWER THINGS QUESTIONS AND HELP PEOPLE -- THOSE QUESTIONS AND HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM COVID, ALL THE OTHER BARRIERS THAT WE PUT IN FRONT OF THEM AS FAR AS EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE THEM SOME PEACE OF MIND MOVING FORWARD, THAT WE'LL HAVE THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE REGARDING THE HAVE REGARDING THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS? MEMBER PEREZ? >>Karen Perez: IF WE LOSE THE MENTAL HEALTH, HOW ARE WE MENTAL HEALTH, HOW ARE WE GOING TO SUPPORT THAT? >> THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. BECAUSE THIS PARTICULAR GRANT IS CURRENTLY FOR BONUSES AND DOESN'T REALLY IMPACT THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND DO WHAT WE CAN FOR STAFF IN TERMS OF STAFF IN TERMS OF BONUSES. BUT WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING THAT CURRENTLY WILL IMPACT SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT THIS POINT, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. >>Jessica Vaughn: SEEING THAT THERE IS NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT WE GO ON TO 7.10, INVUTITIAN TO BID WELDING AND FABRICATION SERVICES. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. SO THIS SO THIS INVITATION TO BID IS RELATED TO WELDING AND RELATED TO WELDING AND FABRICATION SERVICES ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS DISTRICT WIDE. IT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES WHEN HCPS IS UNABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT WHICH REQUIRES CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS TO PERFORM. THIS PROVIDES WELDING AND FABRICATION SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED ON THE SCHOOL SIDE OR PERFORMED ON THE SCHOOL SIDE OR WORKSHOP WORKSHOP DEPENDING ON THE SERVICE REQUIRED AND CAN BE PERFORMED AFTER HOURS, EVENINGS AND WEEKENDS THAT WILL NOT AFFECT STUDENT LEARNING. SO THAT IS ITEM 7.10. AND OF COURSE MR. FARKAS IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING 7.10. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM APPROVE ITEM C710. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. >>Nadia Combs: MY BIGGEST QUESTION IS WHENEVER I SEE A NEW AGENDA ITEM OR I SEE SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, THIS REALLY KIND OF STRUCK ME, RIGHT? I SAID THIS WHEN WE HAD THE OVERVIEW BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE SHORT OF WELDERS. I LOOK AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS -- IT'S LIKE THE SIZE OF SOME CITIES, RIGHT? I MEAN, THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, WE'RE THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY. WE'RE PROBABLY BIGGER THAN SOME CITIES THROUGHOUT THE CITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. SO THE MORE THAT WE CAN KEEP THINGS INTERNALLY, RIGHT, I THINK THE MORE WE CAN HAVE -- WE HAD FOUR WELDERS YOU SAID AND NOW THERE IS A SHORTAGE NOW THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF FINDING WELDERS SO I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND HOW WE CAN RESOLVE THIS. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE TIMES. >>Christopher Farkas: I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT PUSHES US TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS AS TO WHY WE CAN'T. WHY WE WENT FROM FOUR TO TWO. WE HAVE THREE LEVELS OF WELDERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'LL START WITH STARTING SALARIES BECAUSE THOSE GO UP. THE STARTING SALARY FOR WELDER ONE IS 17.58 AN HOUR. A WELDER TWO IS 17.93 AND A WELDER THREE IS 18.29. THAT IS STEP ONE OF A WELDER BECAUSE THEY HAVE REQUIREMENTS TO GO WITH THAT. SO THE TWO WELDERS WE HAVE ON STAFF, WE USED TO HAVE FOUR. ONE THAT'S BEEN HERE 17 YEARS THAT'S A WELDER 3 AND ONE THAT'S BEEN HERE 18 YEARS IS A WELDER 3. THAT'S ALL WE HAVE. WE ADVERTISED IT NUMEROUS TIMES. THE QUESTION IS WHY IS IT? THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK HERE? THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WE REACHED OUT TO THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES THAT DIDN'T BID TO GET REAL PRICES. I'LL GIVE YOU THE AVERAGE OF WHAT WE FOUND FROM TWO DIFFERENT FABRICATING WELDING DEPARTMENTS. TO BE A HELPER, WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE NO CERTIFICATIONS AS A WELDER, STARTS AT $55 AN HOUR. TO BE AN APPRENTICE WHICH MEANS YOU HAVEN'T PASSED THE YOU HAVEN'T PASSED THE TEST IS $65 AN HOUR. YOU PASS THE TEST, IT'S $85 AN HOUR. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO -- YOUR CDL TO DRIVE THE TRUCK IT'S $125 AN HOUR. WE CHECKED THAT WITH A COUPLE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF LOCAL VENDORS. SO OUR CHALLENGE IS WE'RE PAYING $18 AN HOUR. AND THEY'RE STARTING AT $55. IT'S THE BIGGEST -- IT'S LITERALLY THREE TIMES. WE ARVERTISED IT AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGING THINGS. I AGREE 100%, I'D RATHER HAVE A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PERSON WORKING ON THE PROJECT. THEY HAVE PRIDE IN OUR SCHOOL. WORKING FOR MR. MOORE AND THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT BUT IT'S A CHALLENGE AND THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO GO OUT FOR IT. IT'S NOT TO EXCEED. WE HOPE TO NOT SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY AND ALL THE WORK WILL GO TO OUR WELDERS FIRST. IF THERE IS A NEED TO DO THAT, MAKING SURE SCHOOLS HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. IF WE NEED WELDING FOR REPAIRS, IT'S A BIG PART OF THAT. THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO GO OUT. WE APPRECIATE THE PUSH. WE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CASE AND WE DID THE RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THEIR PAYING THREE TIMES AS MUCH IN THE PRIVATE MARKET IN TAMPA. >>Nadia Combs: WHAT ABOUT TAKING THE $250,000 AND THE $250,000 AND GIVING A HIGHER INCREASE SO WE HAVE SOMEBODY AVAILABLE AT ALL AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES. I THINK ABOUT MY 55 SCHOOLS. I'M SURE SOME DAYS THEY MIGHT NEED SOME WELDING. SOME DAYS THEY MIGHT NOT. BUT LOOKING AT SOMEONE ON STAFF ALL THE TIME THAT CAN DO ANYTHING, EVEN IF YOU'RE PAYING THEM THEM $100,000 I WOULD THINK WOULD BE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE THAN OUTSOURCING IT. >>Christopher Farkas: YOU'RE RIGHT. I AGREE WITH YOU 100%. I THINK HVAC SPECIALIST, WELDING, I THINK SOME OF OUR WATER TESTING SPECIALISTS WE HAVE THERE, WE OUTSOURCE THAT AT A COST THAT -- AND IT'S GREAT HAVING DR. PATTON HERE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO LOOK AT WHAT THOSE ARE TO SAY, HEY, ARE WE REALLY SPENDING OUR MONEY THE BEST WAY. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING ONE PERSON BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES. I BELIEVE IT'S SMARTER TO PAY A WELDER $80,000 A YEAR THAN AN OUTSIDE WELDING FORM $150,000 A YEAR BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING MONEY. THEY'RE NOT DOING IT TO DO CHAIRIABLE WORK. I'D RATHER HAVE A PERSON AND TRAIN THEM. I THINK THERE IS A FEW SPECIALTY AREAS AND MAINTENANCE. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE DO THAT IN A FISCAL ANALYSIS AND BRING BACK TO THE BOARD WHAT THATIC LOOS LIKE AS TO -- THAT LOOKS LIKE. I BELIEVE IT'S WORTH HAVING A WELDER 5 -- IT MAY NOT BE $55 AN HOUR BUT IT'S CLOSER TO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT OTHER PLACES DON'T HAVE LIKE VACATION AND SUPPORTS AND CULTURE. WE HAVE BENEFITS BUT IT'S HARDER TO COMPETE WITH THREE TIMES THE MONEY. >>Nadia Combs: WHAT I'D LIKE TO REQUEST IS FOR US TO REQUEST IS FOR US TO REALLY LOOK AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. LOOK AT THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE YEAR AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE BETTER OFF HAVING WELDERS AND PAYING $80,000 AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEM ACCESSIBLE AT ALL TIMES. OFTEN WE'RE JUST CONTINUING TO GET OUTSIDE CONTRACTORS AND AS WE KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE THE PRICE THAT THEY COME IN THIS YEAR. NEXT YEAR, IT COULD BE A LOT MORE AND THEN THEY CAN CHARGE US WHATEVER THEY WANT FOR A PROJECT THAT MIGHT BE REALLY SIMPLE THAT WE HAVE A WELDER THAT JUST CAN GO -- WE HAVE IN-HOUSE THAT CAN DO IT NO PROBLEM AND CHARGE US $1,000. JUST YESTERDAY SOMEBODY WAS TELLING ME THE TELLING ME THE PRICE BIDDING FOR SOME BASKETBALL COURTS. I WAS LIKE, THAT'S AMAZING. THAT'S INSANE. SO MAKING SURE WE CAN KEEP THINGS AS CLOSE TO POSSIBLE. I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS TODAY BECAUSE I JUST FUNDAMENTALLY DON'T AGREE WITH IT. BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE ANALYSIS FOR THE FUTURE AND LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT IN-HOUSE $250,000 WE CAN DO $250,000 WE CAN DO A LOT BETTER. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DO HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THAT WE CAN'T RIGHT NOW ACCOMMODATE CAN'T RIGHT NOW ACCOMMODATE THE COST OF AN ACTUAL WELDER ON SITE, WHY HAVE WE NOT -- I MEAN, I GET THE FACT THAT WE JUST PUT AN RFP OUT THERE. IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY WE DO SOME RECRUITMENT FOR LOCAL VENDORS AT LEAST FOR THOSE JOBS INSTEAD OF -- I MEAN, CALIFORNIA. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY EVEN CLOSE TO THE STATE, RIGHT? WE HAVE WINTER HAVEN AND THEN WE HAVE INDIANAPOLIS AND WE'VE GOT CALIFORNIA. LIKE, IS THERE NOT A REASON WHY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AT LEAST WORK WITH SOME LOCAL COMPANIES? >>Christopher Farkas: WE DID. WE REACHED OUT TO 13 COMPANIES THAT WERE ALL LOCAL. OF THE THREE, THE INDIANAPOLIS ONE DIDN'T HAVE A RESPONSIVE BID. IT'S REALLY ONLY TWO BIDS. AND THE D&J CONCRETE WAS ONE THAT WAS ALMOST TWICE AS EXPENSIVE. SO THE DAVIDSON FABRICATION FROM WINTER HIVEN IS THE ONLY ONE -- HAVEN IS THE ONLY ONE COMPETITIVE. SO WHY IS THAT THE CASE. I THINK IT'S THE SAME REASON YOU'VE BEEN SO PRO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND DOING THE WELDING PROGRAMS. THE MONEY IS SO GOOD THAT I THINK IT'S HARD THAT IT'S NOT -- ESPECIALLY IN CONSTRUCTION NOW. THERE IS NOT AS BIG A NEED TO CHASE THAT WORK. IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT WHEN THE ECONOMY CHANGES BUT TRYING TO FIND THE PEOPLE TO DO THE WORK IS A CHALLENGE TO DO THAT. BACK TO THE ORIGINAL QUESTION OR PREVIOUS QUESTION, THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO FIND PEOPLE TO DO IT INTERNALLY AND UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS AND HAVE WELDERS ON OUR STAFF. IT'S A BETTER WAY TO APPROACH IT THAN HAVING TO THAN HAVING TO GO TO OUTSIDE PEOPLE. >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: SEEING NO MORE DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES WITH MYSELF AND MEMBER COMBS VOTING NO. WE'LL MOVE ON TO WE'LL MOVE ON TO 7.11. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE DISTRICT VEHICLE PURCHASES TO INCLUDE WHITE FLEET INCLUDE WHITE FLEET REPLACEMENT PLAN VEHICLES. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ON MAY 7 OF 2024, THIS BOARD APPROVED THE WHITE FLEET VEHICLE REPLACEMENT PLAN TO PURCHASE DISTRICT VEHICLES. SOME OF THE VEHICLES THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO PURCHASE IS NOT AVAILABLE ON THE NOT AVAILABLE ON THE APPROVED STATE CONTRACT. THIS RFP ALLOWS US TO PURCHASE NEEDED VEHICLES FROM THE LIST OF APPROVED APPROVED VENDORS. IT WILL HELP TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO REQUEST QUOTES AND PURCHASE VEHICLES WITH THE BEST VALUE TO THE DISTRICT IN A TIMELY MANNER TO RESPOND TO THE DISTRICT'S DAILY MAINTENANCE, NUTRITION NEEDS, SAFETY, SECURITY AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS. MADAM CHAIR, THAT'S 7.11 AND MR. FARKAS AGAIN IS HERE IF YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO APPROVE C7.11. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. I PULLED THIS ITEM. I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. I REALIZE THAT WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THIS ITEM. THIS IS JUST TO GO BACK AND THIS IS JUST TO GO BACK AND FIND THE VENDORS. BUT I DID HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL ITEM AND JUST IN THE NAME OF THE NAME OF TRANSPARENCY. THIS WAS FOR -- I KNOW WE HAVE 500 FLEETS BUT THIS WAS FOR 100 OF THEM? AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? >>Christopher Farkas: CORRECT. THE IDEA IS 500 VEHICLES ON A FIVE-YEAR ROTATION TO DO 100 PER YEAR. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ABILITY. >>Jessica Vaughn: WHICH IS WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER VENDORS. CAN I GET A LIST OF THE 100 VEHICLES THAT WILL BE REPLACED? >>Christopher Farkas: 100%. >>Jessica Vaughn: THE FULL FIVE YEARS, THE LIST OF VEHICLES. CAN I GET A LIST? >>Christopher Farkas: YES, MA'AM. >>Jessica Vaughn: THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ASK WANTED TO ASK FOR. SEEING THERE IS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND THE MOTION PASSES MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. DO WE HAVE TIME FOR SUPERINTENDENT AYRES OR WANT TO GO TO EMPLOYEE COMMENTS? >>Van Ayres: I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY. >>Jessica Vaughn: NO EMPLOYEE COMMENT? OKAY. THEN WE WILL THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. MR. SUPERINTENDENT? >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATES SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATES FOR THIS EVENING. THIS WILL BE A RATHER LENGTHY UPDATE. THAT'S WHY I HAVE TWO SUSPENDED AGENDA ITEMS WHICH WE TEASED AGENDA ITEMS WHICH WE TEASED UP EARLIER ABOUT THE PM2 DATA. HERE WE ARE UP TO JANUARY. IT LEADS UP TO THE MAY FINAL PM3 TESTING. THIS KIND OF GIVES US AN INDICATION OF WHERE WE ARE. SO COLLEEN ?D HER TEAM ARE HERE. WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THAT. ALSO HAVE A FOCUS UPDATE WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH FOCUS. BUT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH TEAM SMILE WITH THE TAMPA BAY RAYS. I GOT A CALL FROM MS. RENDON ABOUT THE TEAM SMILE EVENT AND A LOT OF OUR FOLKS WERE OVER THERE AND ABLE TO MAKE IT. ON FRIDAY, I JOINED THE TAMPA BAY RAYS FOR TEAM SMILE AT THE FEEDING TAMPA BAY. TEAM SMILE IS THE MAGS'S PREMIER ADVOCACY GROUP THAT PARTNERS ORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO PROVIDE LIFE CHANGING DENTAL CARE TO UNDERSERVED CHILDREN IN THE COMMUNITIES AND RECEIVE FREE ORAL HEALTHCARE EDUCATION, SCREENING AND TREATMENT. THEY SERVE THAT DAY 240 STUDENTS FROM OUR FOUR SCHOOLS. PALM RIVER, PALM RIVER, WIMAUMA, GIBSON AND DALE. THE STUDENTS ENJOYED ENTERTAINMENT FROM MASCOTS, CHEERLEADERS, THE DJ, FACE PAINTERS AND I WANT TO THANK THE TAMPA BAY RAYS AND UNITED CONCORDIA DENTAL FOR PROVIDING THIS OPPORTUNITY. I MADE IT OVER THERE AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH -- IT WAS NOTHING LIKE ANYTHING I EXPECTED. YOU KNOW, YOU EXPECT TO GO TO A DENTAL SCHOOL BUT THEY -- THE EXCITEMENT THAT WAS THERE WAS PRETTY NEAT TO SEE AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD IT IN HILLSBOROUGH. IT HAD BEEN IN PINELLAS FOR A YEAR OF YEARS BUT DUE TO THE SITUATION WITH THE DROP, THEY CAME OVER AND WE TOOK CAME OVER AND WE TOOK ADVANTAGE AND 240 STUDENTS GOT TO TAKE PART. IT WAS CONGRATULATIONS, YOU GUYS SEE THIS AWARD YEARLY. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS OF AMERICA AWARD WINNERS. WE HAVE 18 OF OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS, 18 RECOGNIZED AS 2025 NATIONAL MERIT AWARD NATIONAL MERIT AWARD WINNERS. SPECIAL THANKS TO -- SPECIAL THANKS TO -- CONGRATS TO THE FOLLOWING. TWO RECEIVED MAGNA SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE. ORANGE GROVE, MAGNET, WALKER MIDDLE MAGNET. TWO TOP HONORS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE SCHOOLS. AND THE NEXT STEP, THE MAGNET SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD, YOU CAN SEE OUR FOUR SCHOOLS, LINCOLN McFARLAND, MULLER THAT WAS HERE EARLIER AND SHORE ELEMENTARY MAGNET. THEY RECEIVED MAGNET SCHOOLS OF AWARD EXCELLENCE. IT IS A BIG DEAL FOR OUR SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE THESE AWARDS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE FOUR. WE DID HAVE THE NEXT STEP DOWN FROM THERE IS THE MAGNET SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION. THEY ARE ALL LISTED OFF THERE. IN THE END, IT WAS 18 OF OUR SCHOOLS BEING RECOGNIZED AS 2025 NATIONAL MERIT NATIONAL MERIT AWARD WINNERS. CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED A PARTICULAR EITHER MAGNET SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE OR DISTINCTION. SO, LAST THURSDAY, WE CELEBRATED OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS AND CELEBRATED OUR STELLAR STELLAR EMPLOYEES, 2025 EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD TO THE STRAZ. 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS HENRY BRYSON. HE IS AN AICE HISTORY TEACHER AT LETO. HE HAS OVER 13 YEARS WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ACHIEVED 100% A SCHOOL WITH PROSPECTIVE PASS RATE. CONTRIBUTED TO CONTRIBUTED TO RESOURCES AS WRITER. AND AS A CONTENT CREATOR FOR AP DAILY, DRIVEN BY COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES AT LETO HIGH SCHOOL, MR. BRYSON DESCRIBES LETO STUDENTS -- THIS IS THE PART REALLY DESCRIBES -- DESCRIBES LETO STUDENTS AS KINDNESS AND HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE HE KNOWS AND CONSIDERS AN HONOR TO BE THEIR TEACHER. CONGRATULATIONS TO HENRY, OUR 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR. AND THEN WE HAD OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, BONNIE WALTERS, SECRETARY FOR TAMPA PALMS. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BONNIE. BONNIE HAS BONNIE HAS DEDICATED 27 YEARS TO HCPS BEGINNING AS A ONE-ON-ONE AID IN AID IN ESE CLASSROOM BEFORE SERVING AS CLINIC AIDE, SECRETARY ONE AND SECRETARY ONE AND PRINCIPAL SECRETARY SINCE 2012. OVER A DECADE, BONNIE COORDINATED THE SCHOOLS HEARTFELT PROGRAM PARTNERING WITH A LOCAL CHURCH TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR STUDENTS IN NEED. HER PASSION FOR HER JOB AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY KEEPS HER INSPIRED EVERY DAY. CONGRATULATIONS TO BONNIE. FINALLY, WE HAD OUR IDA S. BAKER EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR. SUCCESS COACH AT FREEDOM. SHE SERVED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OVER 8 YEARS, DEDICATING HER CAREER TO FREEDOM. STARTING AS MATH TEACHER, NOW EXCELS AS STUDENT SUCCESS COACH, GUIDING STUDENTS TOWARD ACADEMIC GOALS, PASSIONATE FOR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE GRADUATION SUCCESS. EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A LASTING IMPACT. FINALLY, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO BONNIE, HENRY, TO BONNIE, HENRY, ANTONYIA AND THANKS TO THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION AND SPONSORS FOR THE EVENT THAT MAKES OUR TEAM SHINE. IT'S ONE OF THE EVENTS -- MOST OF YOU MADE THE EVENT. IT IS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON THE GREATNESS WE HAVE IN HCPS. GREAT, GREAT NIGHT AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT AT THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS. REPLAY TIME IN CASE YOU WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN. THURSDAY IT WILL BE ON THURSDAY IT WILL BE ON AT 7. THIS IS GOING TO BE REPLAY TIMES FOR 2025 EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS ON HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TELEVISION, SPECTRUM CABLE 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32. ON THURSDAY AT 7, THIS THURSDAY AT 7. FRIDAY AT 8 AND SATURDAY AT 8 AND SUNDAY AT AND SUNDAY AT 8 P.M. AND THEN, OF COURSE, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE ENTIRE AWARD CEREMONY IS AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON DEMAND AT OUR HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV. IT IS THE AVAILABILITY TO WATCH OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS AGAIN. THANK YOU AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR A GREAT NIGHT AND GREAT EVENING. THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO SUSPENDED AGENDA. LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'LL DO PRETTY EXTENSIVE READING UPDATE AROUND UPDATE AROUND PM 2. TAKE TIME FOR MS. FOSSETT AND HER TEAM TO MOVE THROUGH SUSPENDED AGENDA. FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL MOVE INTO A FOCUS UPDATE, JUST KIND OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOCUS FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR. MS. FOSSETT. >> I FEEL LIKE WE ALREADY HAD THE LITERACY UPDATE TONIGHT, BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. CERTAINLY THE FALL SEMESTER TESTED OUR RESILIENCE NOT ONLY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT ACROSS FLORIDA. AND WITH DISRUPTIONS IN LEARNING DUE TO THOSE DUE TO THOSE UNFORESEEN CHALLENGES, OUR START OF THE YEAR WAS QUITE CHOPPY. HOWEVER, OUR DISTRICT IS STRONGER TOGETHER. AND WE REMAIN STEADFAST IN ENSURING THAT OUR ENSURING THAT OUR LITERACY INITIATIVES STAYED ON TRACK, REGARDLESS REGARDLESS OF WHAT MOTHER NATURE THREW OUR WAY. LITERACY IS THE FOUNDATION OF STUDENT SUCCESS. THAT'S WHY WE THAT'S WHY WE LODGED HILLSBOROUGH READS RISE IN FIVE, A DISTRICTWIDE INITIATIVE AIMED AT RAISING AWARENESS AND DRIVING PROGRESS TOWARD ONE OF OUR CORE STRATEGIC GOALS, STRATEGIC GOALS, LITERACY STRATEGIC GOALS, LITERACY FOR ALL. THROUGH COLLABORATION AND SHARED COMMITMENT, WE ARE COMMITMENT, WE ARE REINFORCING THE IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY AND PROVIDING THE SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR EVERY STUDENT TO THRIVE. SO IN THE SPRING OF '23, AS WE KNOW, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOOK SCHOOLS TOOK A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD LITERACY INSTRUCTION BY IMPLEMENTING THE SCIENCE OF READING STRATEGIES DISTRICTWIDE. THIS INITIATIVE ENSURES THAT ALL KINDERGARTEN, FIRST, SECOND GRADE STUDENTS RECEIVE THAT EXPLICIT SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION THROUGH THE U 5 FOUNDATION PROGRAM PROGRAM EQUIPPING YOUNGEST LEARNERS WITH THE TOOLS TO BE CONFIDENT, PROFICIENT READERS. AND TO FURTHER ENGAGE FAMILIES AND CAREGIVERS AS ESSENTIAL PARTNERS IN LITERACY, MY LITERACY TEAM INTRODUCED U-FI TAKE-HOME KITS FOR STUDENTS. THEY SERVE AS A VITAL BRIDGE BETWEEN CLASSROOM LEARNING AND HOME PRACTICE, EQUIPPING FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO REINFORCE LITERACY SKILLS BEYOND THE SCHOOL DAY. WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE. BY EMPOWERING CAREGIVERS WITH STRUCTURED SUPPORT, WE ARE FOSTERING A FOSTERING A SHARED COMMITMENT TO STUDENT SUCCESS, ENSURING EVERY CHILD BECOMES THAT CONFIDENT READER. TO FURTHER SUPPORT LITERACY, MONTHLY PACKS OF PERSONALIZED DECODABLE BOOKS WERE PROVIDED TO KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS AT OUR 50 MOST VULNERABLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. SO FAR, THAT IS SO FAR, THAT IS OVER 45,000 BOOKS THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO HOMES TO REINFORCE PHONICS SKILLS, BUILDING SKILLS, BUILDING ONCE AGAIN CONFIDENCE AND A LOVE OF READING. THIS INITIATIVE APPROVED BY OUR SCHOOL BOARD IN AUGUST SCHOOL BOARD IN AUGUST OF 2024 WAS FUNDED THROUGH SOME OF THE DISTRICT'S FINAL ESSER DOLLARS ENSURING LITERACY SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. OUR OWN SUPERINTENDENT AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT McRAE EVEN CREATED A VIDEO THAT WAS PART OF THE LAUNCH OF THIS INITIATIVE. I'D LOVE TO SHOW THAT NOW. IT'S FUN. M >> HELLO, FAMILIES. I'M SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. LITERACY IS A TOP PRIORITY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT OPENS SO MANY DOORS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE. >> I'M SHAY >> I'M SHAY McRAE, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF ACADEMIC AND TRANSFORMATION. WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOUR CHILD TO BECOME A STRONG, CONFIDENT READER THIS SCHOOL YEAR. >> THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF READING AND THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR CHILD AT HOME IS READ TOGETHER. YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN GIVEN YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN GIVEN A PACK OF JUST RIGHT READER OF JUST RIGHT READER DECODABLE BOOKS JUST FOR FOR THEM. >> WITH LEARNING HOW TO READ YOUR CHILD NEEDS A LOT OF PRACTICE. EVERY TIME YOUR CHILD READS ONE OF THE BOOKS, OF THE BOOKS, THEY ARE STRENGTHENING PHONICS SKILLS, COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY SKILLS. THESE BOOKS WERE THESE BOOKS WERE SPECIALLY CHOSEN FOR YOUR CHILD. THEY GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT READING. >> PLUS, EVERY BOOK COMES WITH A SHORT AND FUN SHORT AND FUN VIDEO THAT TEACHES A PHONICS SKILL. SCAN THE QR CODE ON THE BACK OF THE BOOK TO WATCH THE VIDEO IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH. >> KEEP THE BACKPACK FULL OF BOOKS AND BRING THE POWER OF READING EVERYWHERE THEY GO. >> WE CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S FAVORITE BOOKS. >> HAPPY READING. >> OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN INTEGRAL HELPING US SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT STEP UP SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS WHICH PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH $1200 FOR TUTORING AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS LEARNING GAPS. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO DR. HAHN FOR ENSURING ALL OF OUR ELIGIBLE STUDENTS RECEIVED A FLYER AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THROUGH THE NEW WORLD READING INITIATIVE, QUALIFYING INITIATIVE, QUALIFYING VPK THROUGH FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS RECEIVE A FREE BOOK MAILED TO THEM THROUGH ELEMENTARY YEARS. MS. RENDON WILL MAKE SURE WE GET THE COMMUNICATION GOING AGAIN TO MAKE SURE OUR FAMILIES ARE AWARE OF THAT. THIS INITIATIVE ALONG WITH THE PARENT ENGAGEMENT PRESENTATION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN FOSTERING LITERACY AT HOME AND THESE STRATEGIES, COMBINED WITH DEDICATED TEACHING EVERY DAY HAVE LED TO HAVE LED TO MEASURABLE STUDENT SUCCESS. SO OUR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS ARE GRADE STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED USING DIBBLES MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR. THE DATA ON THIS SLIDE IS FROM THE FALL. STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY IN THE MIDYEAR ASSESSMENT WINDOW. MORE OF OUR KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING PROFICIENT COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S STUDENTS. HOWEVER YOU KNOW I LIKE TO TRACK COHORTS OF STUDENTS. LAST YEAR, 44% OF KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS WERE PROFICIENT ON THEIR INITIALS THEIR INITIALS DIBELS ASSESSMENT. NOW THAT GROUP OF STUDENTS ARE IN FIRST GRADE. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, 57% OF THE STUDENTS WERE PROFICIENT. THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF OUR SYSTEMATIC INSTRUCTION OF PHONICS IMPLEMENTATION PHONICS IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH THE UFLI PROGRAM. THIS EARLY SUCCESS CONFIRMS THE IMPACT OF OUR STRUCTURED LITERACY APPROACH AND WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO OUR ULTIMATE GOAL ENSURING ALL STUDENTS ACHIEVE PROFICIENCY BY THE END OF THIRD GRADE. SO THE OFFICIAL PM 2 WINDOW FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA ACTUALLY DOESN'T CLOSE UNTIL THIS FRIDAY. I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SAYING THIS SENTENCE, BUT IT WAS SENTENCE, BUT IT WAS EXTENDED DUE TO SNOW IN THE PANHANDLE. [ LAUGHTER ] AFTER HURRICANE AFTER HURRICANE MILTON, WE PRIORITIZED COMPLETING THE PRIORITIZED COMPLETING THE PM 2 ASSESSMENTS BEFORE WINTER BREAK TO AVOID ANY FURTHER DISRUPTIONS IN JANUARY. THIS DECISION ENSURES STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE AND TEACHERS HAVE UNINTERRUPTED INSTRUCTION FROM NOW UNTIL PM 3 IN MAY, MAXIMIZING THE LEARNING TIME. WE WERE AT ABOUT 90% FINISHED OF OUR STUDENTS BEFORE THEY WENT TO WINTER BREAK, THE STUDENTS WINTER BREAK, THE STUDENTS THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THOSE DONE STILL HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE CAME BACK IN JANUARY. AND THEN FOR ANY NEW STUDENTS THAT HAVE ENROLLED, WE WANTED TO GET THAT DATA ON THEM AS WELL, SO THEY HAVE BEEN ALSO TAKING THAT AND ACTUALLY HAVING UNTIL THIS FRIDAY. OF NOTE, UPPER ELEMENTARY PROFICIENCY LEVELS HAVE PROFICIENCY LEVELS HAVE REMAINED FAIRLY STABLE COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S PM 2 RESULTS, EVEN WITH THE EARLIER THE EARLIER TESTING WINDOW AND 11 DAYS OF LOST INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. AND WHILE THE COHORTS CONTINUE TO IMPROVE EACH TO IMPROVE EACH YEAR, WE'VE BEEN CLOSELY MONITORING OUR CURRENT FIFTH GRADERS. THEY ARE OUR COVID KINDERGARTNERS WHO MISSED KEY EARLY LEARNING EARLY LEARNING EXPERIENCES. THE GOOD NEWS THEY ARE PERFORMING VERY WELL, DEMONSTRATING RESILIENCE AND GROWTH DESPITE EARLY CHALLENGES. AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS, WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR DAILY CONTENT ALIGNED INSTRUCTION THAT MEETS THE FULL DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE STATE BENCHMARKS. TO SUPPORT THIS, OUR TEAM HAS PRIORITIZED ENHANCED CURRICULUM RESOURCES AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AGAIN FOR APPROVING THE PURCHASE OF THE BOOK LIBRARIES TO BOOK LIBRARIES TO ACCOMPANY OUR LANGUAGE LIVE PROGRAM. AS WE IMPLEMENT MULTIPLE CURRICULAR INITIATIVES, WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. LOOK ACROSS THE TABLE TO COMPARE ONE GROUP OF STUDENTS TO ANOTHER AND WE CAN SEE ACROSS THE AND WE CAN SEE ACROSS THE BOARD IN OUR SECONDARY GRADE LEVELS GROUPS FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT ARE ARE PERFORMING BETTER EACH ARE PERFORMING BETTER EACH YEAR. TRACKS STUDENTS DOWN THE DIAGONALLY TO SEE PERFORMANCE OF A COHORT OF STUDENTS. A MAJOR CELEBRATION, EVERY STUDENT COHORT IS MAINTAINING OR IMPROVING PROFICIENCY LEVELS COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR, AND THIS SHOWS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY NOT ONLY SUSTAINING THEIR PAST SUCCESS BUT MAKING STEADY GAINS IN THEIR READING SKILLS. SO EARLY LITERACY IS A SO EARLY LITERACY IS A KEY. THIRD GRADE PROFICIENCY IS A CRITICAL PREDICTOR OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ARE ACTIVELY CLOSING GAPS TO ENSURE EVERY STUDENT EARNS THEIR DIPLOMA. AND THESE AND THESE SLIDES HIGHLIGHT OUR PROGRESS. THIS SLIDE IN PARTICULAR, IN THE PAST YEAR, WE'VE REDUCED PAST YEAR, WE'VE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF SENIORS NEEDING TO MEET THEIR READING BENCHMARK, THE ASSESSMENT PART THE ASSESSMENT PART BY 7% IN OCTOBER. MOVING MORE STUDENTS TOWARD GRADUATION SUCCESS IS OUR PRIORITY. SO IN CLOSING, THIS WEEK IS CELEBRATE LITERACY WEEK ACROSS THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND MY TEAM AND I INVITE EVERYONE TO GET INVOLVED. JOIN THE myON READING CHALLENGE THIS MONTH FEATURING A CURATED COLLECTION OF BOOKS CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH. COMPETE IN THE READ TO THE FINAL FOUR SPONSORED BY FOUR SPONSORED BY THE HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION. TAG YOURSELF WITH #GET CAUGHT READING AND SHARE ON READING AND SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. ATTEND A LITERACY EVENT. AND JOIN US AT THE INAUGURAL VOCABULARY SYMPOSIUM AT CHAMBERLAIN HIGH SCHOOL THIS WEEKEND. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE LITERACY UPDATES AND EVERYTHING THAT MY TEAM HAS BEEN DOING TO SUPPORT STUDENTS. WE WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AT THIS TIME. >>Stacy Hahn: I WANTED TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS. THESE ARE VERY ENCOURAGING SCORES, TO SAY THE SCORES, TO SAY THE LEAST. WE'RE MAKING GREAT STRIDES. I'M A BELIEVER AROUND LITERACY, STRONG START IS A STRONG FINISH. I THINK I THINK WE'RE GOING TO EVENTUALLY FOLLOW THESE STUDENTS AS I'VE TALKED TO YOU ALL ABOUT AND SEE THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN AS WE FOLLOW THEM FROM KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY TO 12th GRADE. WE'VE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS. I'LL GEEK OUT ON I'LL GEEK OUT ON DATA. IT WILL BE SO AWESOME, EVEN AFTER I LEAVE AFTER I LEAVE THE AFTER I LEAVE THE BOARD, I'LL BE LIKE "I NEED THE DATA" BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE EXCITING TO SEE TO SEE THE TO SEE THE IMPACT OF EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING. YOU'VE REALLY TACKLED THIS CHALLENGE WITH A STRATEGIC APPROACH THAT INCLUDES INSTRUCTION AND DATA AND DATA DRIVEN INSTRUCTION, ASSESSMENT AND OBVIOUSLY WHAT'S CLOSE TO MY HEART AND I BELIEVE IS A GAME CHANGER AND THERE'S DATA TO BACK THAT, DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS. THE MORE BOOKS KIDS HAVE IN THEIR HOME, THE STRONGER READERS THEY ARE, THE MORE OF A LOVE OF READING THEY HAVE FOR A LIFETIME. THAT'S WHAT REALLY FOR ME IS A GAME CHANGER FOR YOUNG KIDS. SO MANY KIDS DON'T HAVE BOOKS IN THEIR HOME AND WE DON'T REALIZE THAT BECAUSE SO MANY OF US WERE FORTUNATE TO GROW UP WITH BOOKS SURROUNDING US. I THINK ALSO THAT TO SEE THIS INCREASE IN THE FIFTH GRADE, LOOKING AT THE FIFTH GRADE SCORES AND KNOWING THAT THESE KIDS WENT THROUGH KIDS WENT THROUGH COVID AND SEEING THE SCORES INCREASE SO MUCH, SO MUCH, SO DRASTICALLY IS JUST -- BEING ON THIS BOARD DURING COVID, WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS AS BOARD MEMBERS TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOLS. AND THE STATE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION IN KEEPING KIDS IN SCHOOLS BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT STUDENT SCORES FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY WHERE KIDS WERE KEPT OUT OF SCHOOL FOR SOMETIMES UP TO TWO YEARS, IN AND OUT OF SCHOOLS, THEY MAY NEVER RECOVER. SO THIS JUST I THINK AS A BOARD WE CAN FEEL GOOD THAT WE MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN MAKING SURE OUR SURE OUR KIDS HAD INSTRUCTION THROUGHOUT THAT WHOLE HORRIFIC EXPERIENCE. GOOD JOB. I'M SO EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS AND CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT TO CELEBRATE. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, DR. HAHN FOR THE COMMENTS. WE HAVE TWO UPDATES. WE HAD A READING SUSPENDED AGENDA UPDATE AND NOW FOCUS WAS ADDED TO THE SUSPENDED AGENDA. WE HAVE AN UPDATE THERE AS WELL. DR. DR. WHELAN. >> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. AS PART OF OUR SUSPENDED AGENDA UPDATE RELATED TO THE FOCUS STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION, I WILL REVIEW THE MILESTONES MET, UPCOMING PRIORITIES AND RISK PRIORITIES AND RISK MITIGATIONS. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK -- I DON'T KNOW THAT ROB IS STILL HERE, BUT I BELIEVE VAL IS STILL HERE, THANK THE HERE, THANK THE HCTA LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR ALLOWING US TO PROVIDE A DEMONSTRATION AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THEM DURING THE MONTHLY REP COUNCIL MEETING THAT WAS HELD ON THE 9th OF JANUARY. SO AS I SHARED WITH YOU AT OUR DECEMBER 17 BOARD MEETING, WE'VE COMPLETED OUR FIRST ROUND OF SPECIALTY GROUP MEETINGS WITH THE FOCUS TEAM MEMBERS AND DISTRICT AND SITE-BASED PERSONNEL. THIS IS THE SAME ROLLOUT PLAN THAT SHOWS OUR PROGRESS AND NEXT STEPS AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO IN FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, AND MAY, CONTINUING THROUGH. AND THEN OUR FINAL SLIDE SHARES -- AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT FEEDBACK IS A GIFT 37 AND THIS SLIDE REALLY SHOWS AND SHARES THAT INFORMATION AS WE'VE MOVED THROUGH THE FIRST ROUND. AND IT AND IT CELEBRATES AND IT CELEBRATES WHERE OUR SHORT TERM SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN IN THE MONTH AND ALSO OUTLINES OUR CONTINUED OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE THAT OUR USERS FEEL CONFIDENT AND INFORMED REGARDING THE SYSTEM THE SYSTEM CONFIGURATION AND USER ACCEPTANCE TESTING PLANS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE TO YOU AS YOU HAVE RECEIVED ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA ON A ON A MONTHLY ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR YOU TO HAVE THOSE UPDATES. I'M HAPPY AT ANY POINT IN TIME AND ANY OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WORKING ON THIS TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE OR TO DISCUSS OUR PROGRESS OR EVEN TO HAVE YOU DROP IN TO ONE OF OUR GROUP MEETINGS AND AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR ANY OF THESE MONTHS, I CAN SEND THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP AT LEADERSHIP AT ERWIN LEADERSHIP AT ERWIN LETTING US BE ABLE TO BE THERE AND LET US UTILIZE THEIR SPACE TO HAVE THE ONGOING MEETINGS AT A CENTRAL LOCATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOCUS TEAM AS WELL IN SUPPORTING US ON ALL OF THIS. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, DR. WHELAN. I HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT. QUESTIONS, ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. >>Jessica Vaughn: MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: I HAD A QUESTION ON THIS, THIS IMPLEMENTATION. YOU DON'T HAVE IT AS COMPLETE WHEN IT COMES TO ROUND TWO. I DO KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE WAS A DIFFICULTY WITH GETTING GRADES IN AND TEACHERS HAVING TO REDO GRADES MULTIPLE TIMES, HAVING TO UPDATE, STUDENTS WERE NOT BEING SHOWN AS BEING PART OF -- LIKE BEING PART OF THE -- LIKE BEING PART OF THE CLASS. YOU DON'T HAVE COMPLETE HERE. WE'RE STILL IN PROGRESS ON ROUND TWO, BECAUSE THAT DATE DOES NOT CORRELATE WITH WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS. >> AS A REMINDER, THE GRADE IS -- GRADES ARE BEING REPORTED IN SYNERGY. SO WE'VE GOT BOTH THINGS GOING ON RIGHT ON RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THIS SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE NOT RELATED TO THE SYNERGY SYSTEM. THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES AROUND GRADE IMPORT, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, AND WE DID ALLOW AN EXTRA DAY. THAT SEEMED THAT SEEMED TO BE THE SECONDARY AREA WHERE THAT EXTRA DAY WAS NEEDED. AND THAT'S IN SYNERGY RIGHT NOW FOR REPORT CARD GRADE REPORTING. >>Patti Rendon: I THOUGHT PART OF THE OF THE SUSPENDED AGENDA WAS THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO SPECIFIC SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE USING SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE USING BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING AND FOCUS IS NOT WHAT IS ALWAYS HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOMS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE UPDATES THAT WE'RE GETTING IS WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING. I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY CONFUSION COMES IN. >> I CAN ADD THE >> I CAN ADD THE SYNERGY PIECES TO THAT FOR THE NEXT UPDATE. >>Patti Rendon: TO ME IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE HEARING -- BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING IN ARE WORKING IN SYNERGY. SO WHEN THEY SEE COMPLETED, THAT DOESN'T REALLY GIVE THEM AN INDICATION OF WHAT'S REALLY BEING DONE AND WHAT'S AFFECTING TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TODAY. >> THAT IS A GREAT POINT. I CAN ADD THE I CAN ADD THE SYNERGY RAMP-DOWN PLAN. I'LL ADD THAT SLIDE IN MY NEXT ONE FOR FEBRUARY. >>Patti Rendon: YEAH, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALIGNED. BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU'VE GOT IN HERE GRADES AND REPORT CARDS, IT WAS MORE THAN JUST AN EXTRA EXTENDED DAY, THEY ENTERED GRADES AND THEY WERE GONE. THE STUDENTS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE IN THE CLASSROOM. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE CREDIT TO THE TEACHERS AND THE STAFF THAT ARE WORKING IN SYNERGY ON A DAILY BASIS, THAT WE'RE NOT SOLVING THEIR PROBLEMS YET. WE'RE MAKING BAND-AIDS BECAUSE OF FOCUS, CORRECT? >> I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING BAND-AIDS. BUT WE HAVE A SYNERGY RAMP-DOWN PLAN AND WE'RE STILL REPORTING IN SYNERGY, JUST LIKE WE ARE RIGHT NOW FOR OUR NEXT SURVEY PERIOD FOR FTE. I WILL ENSURE THAT I GIVE THOSE PLANS AND WHERE WE'VE HAD PAIN POINTS RELATED TO THAT. THIS IS FOR ALL THE DATA MIGRATION FOR OUR GO LIVE WITH FOCUS FOR THE FOCUS FOR THE '25-26 SCHOOL YEAR. >>Patti Rendon: BUT OUR STAFF ARE WORKING IN SYNERGY. SO WE ARE SO WE ARE BAND-AIDING A SYSTEM UNTIL WE CAN IMPLEMENT FOCUS. >> YES. >>Patti Rendon: THAT'S WHY I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE UPDATES, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT OUR STAFF ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND WHAT THEY ARE WORKING IN AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT. IT WAS MORE THAN GIVING THEM AN EXTRA DAY. LIKE THEY WERE REDOING WORK TWO AND THREE TIMES FOR GRADES. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ON TOP OF WHERE THAT IS AND WHERE THOSE ISSUES OCCURRED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IMPLEMENTING BECAUSE WE'RE NOT IMPLEMENTING A NEW SYSTEM YET. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Van Ayres: CHAIR VAUGHN, WHAT WE'LL DO, THROUGH THE SUSPENDED AGENDA UPDATE WE'LL ADD SYNERGY UPDATE AND FOCUS UPDATE AND FOCUS IMPLEMENTATION. WE'LL ADD THOSE TO BOTH AND PROVIDE THOSE MONTHLY. BEFORE I CLOSE OUT SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS, I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT, WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS REGARDING ENROLLMENT AND FAMILY CONCERNS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. MAKE A STATEMENT REGARDING THAT. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE'LL ALWAYS COMPLY WITH ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. WE WILL DO ALL WE CAN WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS. AND I WANT TO NOTE IN THE FLORIDA CONSENT FLORIDA CONSENT DECREE, LEGALLY WE CANNOT ASK WE CANNOT ASK IMMIGRATION STATUS. I'LL READ IT DIRECTLY. NO DISTRICT SHALL INQUIRE INTO A STUDENT OR HIS PARENTS' IMMIGRATION STATUS. THAT IS NOT INFORMATION THAT WE HAD. WE DID SEND OUT ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE TO PRINCIPALS TODAY JUST TO KIND OF -- A LOT OF THIS IS OUTLINED IN OUR CURRENT BOARD POLICY 55-40, OUTLINES PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE. I WANT TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE THERE. AGAIN, WE'LL ALWAYS COMPLY WITH ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. WE SENT THAT GUIDANCE OUT TODAY. WE'LL DO ALL WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS. MADAM CHAIR, THOSE ARE MY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I APPRECIATE IT. WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES EACH TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. FIRST BOARD MEMBER UP IS MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: I WON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY EVERYONE IS LEAVING. THAT'S OKAY. TO PIGGYBACK ON SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, WE VAN AYRES, WE HAVE 18,000 IMMIGRANTS, AND WE HAVE IMMIGRANTS, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS AND THE HAITIAN CREOLE MAKEUP, A FIFTH OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION, THE HISPANIC MAKE UP ALMOST 40% OF OUR POPULATION. SO I HOPE AND I KNOW AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT CONFIDENT THAT YOU WILL GIVE CONTINUAL COMMUNICATIONS. THE LEGAL PARAMETERS AS YOU JUST DID. BOARD MEMBERS, WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT POLICY LOOK AT POLICY ADJUSTMENTS 5540 BUT WE ARE GETTING HIT WITH A LOT OF THE WORRIES AND THE FEAR, AS I'M SURE YOU HAVE AND YOUR STAFF. SO HAVING THAT IN MIND -- I DON'T SEE TANYA ARJA DON'T SEE TANYA ARJA HERE, BUT THE CONTINUAL COMMUNICATION -- OH, THERE YOU ARE. THAT WILL BE VERY HELPFUL FOR US SO WE CAN NAVIGATE TALKING POINTS AND RESPONSES WITH LEGAL BACKING, ET CETERA. PABLO, DO YOU HAVE A FEW SLIDES AND I CAN REMARK ON EACH ONE. THE BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL, THIS WILL BE THE THIS WILL BE THE NINTH ANNUAL. MEMBER SHAKE MEMBER SHAKE WASHINGTON, MYSELF, WE'RE A BIG SUPPORTER OF BLACK HISTORY. WE HAVE EDGECOMB WE HAVE EDGECOMB OVER 39 THURGOOD MARSHALL CLUBS THAT WILL BE THERE AS WELL AS WILL BE THERE AS WELL AS DR. ANDREA BEVERLY MAYBE ANDREA BEVERLY MAYBE UP TO 200 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATE. WE DO NEED WE DO NEED VOLUNTEERS. THE BIG FINALE IS ON FEBRUARY 22, 2025 AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. VOLUNTEERS AGAIN ARE NEEDED. I'LL I'LL HAVE MY SECRETARY -- MEMBER WASHINGTON, ALSO, WE NEED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT WE NEED VOLUNTEERS. I THANK OUR CHAIR OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN TASK AMERICAN TASK FORCE, AMERICAN TASK FORCE, URSULA ODOM FOR ALSO SUPPORTING THIS WONDERFUL COMPETITION. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR COMING. I KNOW YOU CAME LAST YEAR. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, WE DO THE 15K IN THE MORNING, SO IT WILL BE A FULL DAY. BUT I KNOW BUT I KNOW THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS ALSO MEMBERS ALSO CAME. NEXT SLIDE. THE STUDENT ONLINE -- GO BACK. PABLO, GO BACK PABLO, GO BACK ORFRONT. STUDENT ONLINE SAFETY. WE HAD A VERY GOOD SHOW CONSIDERING AN EVENING EVENT AT ADUM. I WANT TO THANK I WANT TO THANK PRINCIPAL SCOTT WEAVER WEAVER AND OUR WONDERFUL PANEL FROM KNOW MORE FOUNDATION, BETSY FROM FBI. SERGEANT ADAM DANIELS, NEW ON THE PANEL FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. CONNIE ROSE FROM THE VICTIM TO SURVIVORS. AMY MARIE FROM THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PTA. AMBER FIRST PRIORITY. AND AND OUR AND OUR CHAIR, DIAZ. OUR NEXT ONE WILL OUR NEXT ONE WILL BE, AS YOU CAN SEE, TURNER/BARTELS, START AT 5:30. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU ARE INVITED. IT'S BETWEEN SHOCKING, INFORMATIVE, BUT IT DOES HELP THE PARENTS UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE SEEING ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES. EVERYTHING FROM EVERYTHING FROM PORNOGRAPHY, SEXTORTION. GROOMING FOR SEX TRAFFICKING. VERY, VERY WORRISOME BUT REAL. WE HAVE TO HELP AND MAKE OUR PARENTS BECOME AWARE. AS BOARD MEMBERS WE HAVE TO EQUALLY BE AWARE. THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES FOR NAMING ALL THE MAGNET SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED THE NATIONAL MERIT AWARDS. VERY WELL DESERVED. BIG THANK YOU TO OUR UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE KATHY CASTOR FOR PURSUING THE CASTOR FOR PURSUING THE DOD GRANT FOR TINKER GRANT FOR TINKER K-8. HER PERSEVERANCE HER PERSEVERANCE RESULTED IN TREMENDOUS BENEFITS FOR OUR STUDENTS OF MILITARY FAMILIES AND BEYOND. THE $86 MILLION GRANT THAT SHE HAD WORKED ON FOR A LONG TIME WILL FACILITATE THE WILL FACILITATE THE TINKER PRE-K THROUGH 8 INCREASED INSTRUCTIONAL TEACHING RESOURCES AND SITE EXPANSION FOR MANY OF OUR MILITARY FAMILIES. SO THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE KATHY CASTOR. NEXT, THE GREAT DEBATE. FLORIDA NATIONAL CIVICS AND DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN ORLANDO, ONE OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS WON SECOND PLACE IN THE IMPROMPTU SPEECH IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION. CONGRATULATIONS TO MADISON LEVITAS FROM RANDALL MIDDLE SCHOOL. NEXT, GET READY, GET SET, GO, APRIL 12, THE RACE FOR EDUCATION, THE 5K. I GAVE YOU ALL WATCHES LAST YEAR. I'M SURE YOU ARE ANXIOUS TO GET GOING AGAIN. BUT THAT IS ALSO GOING TO BE AN INVITE. I THINK MY TIME IS UP. SO I'M ALL DONE. YAY. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. JUST A COUPLE OF JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALONSO HIGH SCHOOL FOR WINNING THE BATTLE OF THE BELTS. I KNOW MEMBER RENDON AND I WERE THERE. REALLY IMPORTANT FOR KIDS TO PUT THEIR SEAT BELTS ON AND HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS AND HOW IT IMPACTS SO MANY STUDENTS AND SO MANY LIVES. I THINK IT'S A GREAT EVENT THAT REALLY RECOGNIZES STUDENT SAFETY AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR OUR STUDENTS TO BUCKLE UP. I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL IN DECEMBER AT THE MIDWEST CLINIC. THERE WAS AN INTERNATIONAL BAND AND ORCHESTRA CONCERT HELD IN CHICAGO AND CHICAGO AND SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL BANDS NAMED NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON PROGRAM BY THE NATIONAL BAND ASSOCIATION. ONLY TWO BANDS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY THAT WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THAT. SO SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THEM. THE DIRECTORS KEITH GRIFFIN AND HEATHER, THE SICKLES BAND, THEY HAD TO BASICALLY DOCUMENT FOR FIVE YEARS EVERYTHING THEY HAVE DONE FROM THE STANDARD BASE RECOGNITION TO INCLUDING CONCERT RECORDINGS, PROGRAMS, REPERTOIRE LIST, RATINGS OF CONCERTS. ONLY TWO BANDS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND SICKLES HIGH SCHOOL WAS ONE OF THEM. THAT'S ONE THING I DID NOT KNOW A LOT ABOUT BEFORE COMING ON THE BOARD ABOUT MARCHING BANDS. BOY, I WISH I HAD KNOWN. MY KIDS DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN MARCHING BAND IF I HAD KNOWN. I THINK IT IS SUCH AN AMAZING PROGRAM AND JUST THE DEDICATION FROM THE DIRECTORS AND THE STUDENTS. IT'S JUST AMAZING AND THE FAMILIES. AND THEN THANK YOU TO THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR. EXCITED TO HAVE A LETO FALCON. HENRY BRYSON, ALSO A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, WHICH IS AMAZING. IDA S. IDA S. BAKER, ANTONIO McRAE FROM FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL AND BONNIE WALTERS FROM TAMPA PALMS. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, OUR BOARD FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, I FEEL LIKE AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BEEN ON THE BOARD, MENTAL HEALTH AND MAKING SURE COUNSELORS ARE REALLY, REALLY AT THE REALLY, REALLY AT THE FOREFRONT, THAT HAS THAT HAS REALLY BEEN LIKE CONSISTENT THROUGH THE BOARD. I THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF DEDICATION IT TAKES FROM OURS ARE IS, OUR -- SUPERVISORS, OUR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL. I THINK MIDDLE SCHOOL IS A HARD TIME AND THE LOSS OF TIME AND THE LOSS OF CINCERA. WHEN I THINK OF HER, I THINK OF HER SMILING AND HOW HAPPY SHE WAS AND ALL THE THINGS SHE'S DONE AT OUR DISTRICT. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY SHE'S MISSED. SHE HAD A BIG PRESENCE. SHE MADE A VERY BIG IMPACT AND FOR US TO CONTINUE WORKING SO HARD FOR STUDENTS I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING HER. DR. HAHN. >>Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. YEAH, I AGREE WITH YOU. IT'S SO HARD WHEN WE HAVE TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO EMPLOYEES, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH TRAGEDY OR RETIREMENT LIKE WE DID TODAY. WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH EVERYBODY IN OUR DISTRICT. IT MAKES A BIG IMPACT ON THE SEVEN OF US. I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS. THIS WEEK, I KICKED OFF THE WEEK VISITING PLANT HIGH SCHOOL. THEY HAD THEIR RIBBON CUTTING FOR THEIR MEDIA CENTER REFRESH. WHICH LOOKS AMAZING. I'VE SEEN A FEW OF THESE REFRESHES NOW ACROSS THE DISTRICT. IT'S EXCITING. THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW IT'S EVEN INCREASED THE USAGE OF THE LIBRARY. STUDENTS ARE COMING INTO THE LIBRARY, WHETHER IT'S TO DO HOMEWORK OR RESEARCH OR JUST RELAX. AND IT CLEARLY, WHAT WE'RE CREATING NOW WITHIN OUR MEDIA CENTERS IS REALLY A HUB WITHIN THE SCHOOL. TO ME, IT IS THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL. THAT'S MY BIAS. I HAD A WONDERFUL MORNING TODAY. I ATTENDED THE JANUARY ACHIEVEMENT WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT AT FINANCE PARK. IT WAS REALLY INSPIRING TO SEE HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS THERE ENGAGING WITH SOME OF THE MOST PREMIER BUSINESSES AND TOP UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN OUR AREA. ALL THESE STUDENTS ARE PLANNING THEIR NEXT BIG STEPS. VERY EXCITING TO BE A PART OF. JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, THEY HAVE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY. GETTING READY TO CELEBRATE GETTING READY TO CELEBRATE THEIR 60-YEAR ANNIVERSARY. IT'S VERY EXCITING AND THEY CONTINUE TO REALLY BE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PREMIER PARTNER AROUND CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. THEY ARE THEY ARE SERVING 232 SCHOOLS AND OVER 35,000 STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT. AND BASED ON THE TURNOUT AND THE ENERGY AT THE EVENT TODAY, IT'S CLEAR THEY ARE MAKING A HUGE IMPACT IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. IT WAS JUST A PHENOMENAL EVENT. I WANT TO TAKE THE LAST FEW MINUTES JUST TO CONGRATULATE OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD WINNERS. IT WAS REALLY EXCITING EVENING. IT'S ALWAYS A FUN EVENT. I KNOW OUR EDUCATORS REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I WISH WE COULD DO IT MORE OFTEN FOR THEM. THEY DESERVE IT. I WANT TO THANK THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION FOR ALL OF THEIR SUPPORT AROUND THIS EVENT, OUR SPONSORS AND OUR VERY OWN ANN MARIE COURTNEY FOR MAKING IT SUCH A SPECIAL EVENING. PEOPLE GET SO DRESSED UP FOR IT AND THEY ARE PROUD AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE THERE AND THEIR FRIENDS ARE THERE. THEY ARE CHEERING THEM THEY ARE CHEERING THEM ON, AND THEIR STUDENTS SHARE SUCH HEARTWARMING STORIES. IT REALLY, I THINK, RESONATES ON CERTAIN LEVELS WITH ALL OF US WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT THEM TALKING ABOUT THE ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT THEIR TEACHER OR THEIR EDUCATOR, SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS HAVE HAD ON THEIR EDUCATION. IT'S ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT I KNOW FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THAT EVENT. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD WINNERS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. MEMBER RENDON. >>Patti Rendon: YES, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU KNOW, THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT. I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT REALLY QUICKLY TO WE'VE GOT OUR ESE GAMES STARTING UP THIS FRIDAY AT JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL WITH WITH DRAGON'S WITH DRAGON'S FURY. SUPER EXCITING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN JEFFERSON AND PLANT AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING FOR ESE STUDENTS. FEBRUARY 7 ALSO OUT AT GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL FOR GAITHER STAMPEDE. ON FEBRUARY 28 WE'LL BE AT NEWSOME HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE INCREDIBLE GAMES. THESE ARE AT SUCH A PIVOTAL TIME IN WHICH SOME IN WHICH SOME NON-ESE STUDENTS CAN GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS. PUTTING THESE GAMES ON FOR OUR NON-ESE STUDENTS. WE'VE DOUBLING THE NUMBERS AT JEFFERSON, INCREASING NUMBERS ALL OVER THE COUNTY. I'M SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THAT AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. SUPER FUN TIME. I WANT TO THANK THE RAYS FOR INVITING SMILES. IT WAS IT WAS A TREMENDOUS EVENT. NOT ONLY DID THEY PROVIDE DIRECT DENTAL CARE, CLEANINGS, CAVITY FILLINGS, IF THEY COULDN'T PERFORM IT RIGHT THEN, THEY WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH A DENTIST TO PROVIDE FREE DENTAL SERVICES FOR THE NEEDED CARE AFTERWARDS WHICH TO ME IS HUGE. I'M EXCITED THEY WANT TO COME BACK AND PARTNER AGAIN ON A LARGER SCALE. SHOUT-OUT TO BOTH INVITING SMILES AND THE TAMPA BAY RAYS. I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO OUR SOCCER TEAMS MOVING INTO WESTERN CONFERENCE AND WESTERN CONFERENCE AND DISTRICT. OUR BASKETBALL TEAMS, WRESTLING TEAMS, VERY EXCITING TIME FOR SPORTING EVENTS. WESTERN CONFERENCE FOR CHEER. FIRST PLACE FIRST PLACE BLOOMINGDALE, SECOND STRAWBERRY CREST, THIRD PLANT CITY. HEADING TO STATES IN LAKELAND BOTH ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. WE WANT TO WISH ALL OF THOSE TEAMS A TREMENDOUS MOVEMENT ON THAT. SO THAT'S PRETTY SO THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING. I DID SOME BUSINESS TOURS WITH FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. ON FRIDAY, I MADE THE COMMENT TO OUR STUDENTS, YOU'VE OUR STUDENTS, YOU'VE GOT 113 DAYS LEFT UNTIL YOUR LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. WHAT WILL YOUR LIFE WHAT WILL YOUR LIFE BE LIKE? I WANT STUDENTS OUT THERE TO LISTEN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES OUR DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED THROUGH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, FUTURE CAREER ACADEMIES, SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES, THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE INVITED AND BE WITH BUSINESSES, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF APPLYING FOR JOBS. YOUR GRADUATION IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THESE PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE BRINGING THIS DIRECTLY TO OUR STUDENTS. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO SEE. I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF. THE END OF THIS SEMESTER AND MOVING INTO SEMESTER TWO, ALL THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH THE HURRICANES AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS, DEALING WITH THINGS, DEALING WITH SYNERGY. SHOUT-OUT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR THE EXTRA YOU HAVE PUT IN THIS SEMESTER AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK YOU'RE DOING AND CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. WE APPRECIATE EVERY DAY YOU SHOW UP AND WE APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE THING YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER PEREZ. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AT THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD BECAUSE I WAS ENJOYING AWARD BECAUSE I WAS ENJOYING MY BRAND-NEW GRANDDAUGHTER. SHE CAME INTO THIS WORLD CHRISTMAS EVE. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND MEET MEET HER. BUT I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SURPRISE TO SURPRISE BONNIE WALTERS AND MS. McRAE DURING THE SURPRISE THING. SO I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THAT THEY WERE TWO OF THE WINNERS. I WANT TO SEND OUT CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM. YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH OUR STUDENTS HERE, WHAT'S HAPPENING AND IN OUR STATE AND IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN OUR WORLD, AND WHEN OUR STUDENTS FEEL THE TENSION IN THE AIR, IT AFFECTS THEM, THEM, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY. I JUST WANT TO THANK I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR MENTAL HEALTH TEAM WHO CONSTANTLY TAKE THE TEMPERATURE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE TEMPERATURE OF OUR STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH AND THEIR EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING. THEY ARE THE STABILIZING PART ALONG WITH THE TEACHERS OF THEIR DAY WHEN OUR STUDENTS HIT THAT SCHOOL. I'M GOING TO KIND OF TAG I'M GOING TO KIND OF TAG ON TO MEMBER COMBS' STATEMENT ABOUT ONE OF OUR DEAR ONE OF OUR DEAR COUNSELORS. I WENT I WENT BY ON SATURDAY I WENT BY ON SATURDAY AND THE PLACE WAS FULL. THERE WAS ONLY STANDING THERE WAS ONLY STANDING ROOM ONLY IN THE PLACE AND IT SPEAKS TO WHO THIS PERSON WAS. CINCERA QUINN, A VISIONARY LEADER WITH A LOVING LIGHT. SHE WAS A STAUNCH ADVOCATE, A LIFELONG LEARNER, A CHAMPION FOR INCLUSION AND A COMFORTING FORCE FOR MANY. ESPECIALLY FOR OUR CHILDREN. SHE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND AN EAR, AN EAR, OFFER GUIDANCE AND CELEBRATE THE SUCCESSES OF OTHERS. WHEN YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU REMEMBER CINCERA, YOU WILL UNDOUBTEDLY SMILE REMEMBERING HER WARM LIGHT, GENUINENESS, KINDNESS, AND RELENTLESS FIGHT TO HELP OTHERS. SHE FOUGHT FOR OUR STUDENTS, HER FELLOW SCHOOL FELLOW SCHOOL COUNSELORS, FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND FOR HER FAMILY. SHE ADMIRABLY FOUGHT CANCER FOR SEVERAL YEARS. HER LOSS HAS BEEN HER LOSS HAS BEEN DEEPLY HER LOSS HAS BEEN DEEPLY FELT BY MANY HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY. SO SHE WILL BE VERY MUCH MISSED. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER WASHINGTON. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR MS. QUINN, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEAD FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD WINNERS. I WASN'T ABLE TO BE THERE. THE FIRST ONE I MISSED IN YEARS, BUT IT WAS GREAT. I HEARD IT WAS REALLY NICE AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LETTERS AND E-MAILS LETTERS AND E-MAILS AND TEXTS THAT YOU RECEIVED FOR MY RECOVERY. YOU DON'T REALIZE SOMETIMES HOW LIFE LIFE WORKS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ALL WORKING PARTS OF YOUR BODY. IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT. THANK GOD MINE IS TEMPORARY, BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHICH PERMANENT. THAT MAKES IT REAL DIFFICULT IN LIFE. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. EDUCATION EDUCATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCK FOR A STRONG AND PROSPEROUS NATION PROSPEROUS NATION IMPACTING ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AND OVERALL NATIONAL WELL-BEING. INVESTING IN EDUCATION BUILDS A NATION BY FOSTERING A SKILLFUL WORKFORCE, PROMOTING SOCIAL COHESION AND EMPOWERING CITIZENS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR COMMUNITY. AND THE GROWING ECONOMY OF THE WORLD. FOOD FOR THOUGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REALLY MOVING COMMENTS FROM MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS TONIGHT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. AND TO KIND OF ECHO WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING, I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE SUPERINTENDENT AYRES DANCE OUT TO BEASTIE BOYS, INTERGALACTIC IN A SPACE SUIT WHICH I GOT SO MANY COMMENTS ABOUT. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW A I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW A LOT OF THE NOMINEES IN PERSON. THAT'S BEEN SUCH A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE. AND SEEING THE WINNERS AND EVEN JUST HOW MANY NOMINEES WE HAD IN MY DISTRICT AND IN MY COMMUNITY, HOW THAT'S AFFECTED THE COMMUNITY. I WALK DOWN MY STREET AND AT TAMPA PALMS ELEMENTARY, A THANK-YOU TO MS. BONNIE AND THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH TALK ABOUT IT TO SEE HOW MUCH IMPACT THAT REALLY HAS IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REALLY BEEN REALLY SPECIAL. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE WHITE COAT CEREMONY WHITE COAT CEREMONY THAT MYSELF AND MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER RENDON ATTENDED YESTERDAY AT DUNBAR. SPECTACULAR TO GO AND SEE ALL THE KIDS WHO GET THE KIDS WHO GET TO STEP INTO THEIR WHITE COATS. THE PROGRAMMING WAS REALLY GREAT AND TO LEARN HOW MANY OF OUR JUST KIDS HAVE GONE THERE AND HOW THEIR SCORES INCREASED WITH THAT FOCUS AND MAGNET AND SEE THAT IMPACT WAS GREAT. IT WAS A NICE WAY TO SPEND A MORNING. ALSO, JACK EVANS, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A SHOUT-OUT. I KNOW YOU'VE ONLY BEEN COVERING US A FEW MONTHS. I KNOW YOU'RE MOVING ON FROM HERE. CONGRATULATIONS. WE'LL MISS THE FEW ARTICLES THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO WRITE ABOUT US AND WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN YOUR NEW ENDEAVORS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO COVER WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EDUCATION. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT A PRIORITY PRIORITY EVEN IF IT WAS FOR A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. ALSO, STARTING IN FEBRUARY, AS WE'VE MENTIONED, WE KICK OFF BLACK HISTORY MONTH. AND TO SPEAK TO THE BLACK BRAIN BOWL, MY SON WAS LUCKY ENOUGH FOR THE FIRST TIME TO COMPETE AT MIDDLE SCHOOL. HE SLID INTO ONE OF THE SIX SPOTS AND HE'LL BE GOING ON FROM WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL INTO THE FINAL COMPETITION ON THE FINAL COMPETITION ON THE 22nd. HE'S INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SIT WITH HIM AND REALLY REVIEW A LOT OF THE INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS AND I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT BLACK HISTORY, BUT SO MUCH ABOUT TAMPA'S. WILLIAMS, WILLIAMS MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO MUCH ABOUT TAMPA'S BLACK HISTORY, WHICH IS REALLY JUST AMAZING. WE HAVE SUCH A RICH HISTORY HERE AND LEARNING ABOUT THAT HAS BEEN REALLY, REALLY WONDERFUL. I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND ALL THE BLACK HISTORY EVENTS THAT WE HAVE COMING UP. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO GREAT, OWEN, ABOUT GIVING US A HEADS-UP ABOUT THAT. I HOPE TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THOSE EVENTS IN PERSON IN FEBRUARY BECAUSE BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY AS I POINT OUT OVER AND OVER OUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. JUST MOVING FORWARD, I ALWAYS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE FACED HERE ON THE ON THE BOARD, HAVE ALWAYS PUT OUT A PLEA FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND TO LEAD EVERY DECISION THAT DECISION THAT WE MAKE WITH KINDNESS, INCLUSIVITY. JUST REALLY STRONGER JUST REALLY STRONGER TOGETHER, WRAPPING OUR ARMS AROUND IT AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROPEL OUR KIDS TOWARDS HAVING EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED AND THAT OUR COMMUNITY REALLY COMES TOGETHER AND IS STRONGER TOGETHER. SO DURING THIS TIME WHEN THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES GOING ON AND DIVISION, I, AGAIN, PLEA FOR ALL OF US IN OUR COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOOD FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO CLOSE ACTUALLY WITH A COUPLE OF QUOTES THAT I A COUPLE OF QUOTES THAT I PULLED FROM PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS. ONE OF THEM IS IF WE EVER CLOSE OUR DOOR TO NEW AMERICANS, OUR LEADERSHIP IN THE WORLD WOULD BE SOON LOST. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A QUOTE AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A QUOTE FROM PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN. I WANTED TO DO AN ADDITIONAL QUOTE, IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT OUR COUNTRY THAT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ARE WILLING TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES AND RISK EVERYTHING TO COME TO COME TO AMERICA. THEIR TALENT AND HARD WORK AND LOVE OF FREEDOM HAVE HELPED MAKE AMERICA THE LEADER OF THE WORLD. AND OUR GENERATION WILL ENSURE AMERICA REMAINS A AMERICA REMAINS A BEACON OF LIBERTY AND MOST HOPE -- AND MOST HOPE FILLED SOCIETY THIS WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN. THAT IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM GEORGE W. BUSH. I JUST WANTED TO REMIND US ABOUT THOSE QUOTES AS WE MOVE FORWARD HOW IMPORTANT OUR IMMIGRANT STORIES ARE TO THE FABRIC OF OUR NATION. I KNOW WE HERE AT THE DISTRICT AND OUR FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS ARE ALL COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR KIDS HAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT. AND WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]