Sep 23, 2021 Board of Education

[2. Work Session - 7:00 p.m.]

[00:00:09]

>> GOOD EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. THIS IS SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 IS 2D THE TIME IS 7:00 P.M. JUST A REMINDER.

YOU MUST WEAR A MASK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

[2.01 Pledge of Allegiance]

[2.02 Moment of Silence]

>> THIS IS FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT AND WE WILL BEGIN OUR

[2.03 Superintendent's Report]

>> THANK YOU, AND I JUST HAVE A SHORT REQUEST TONIGHT AND USUALLY IN MY REPORTS IS WHEN I ASK FOR THE APPROVAL OF ADMINISTRATORS AND I HAVE ONE OF THOSE TONIGHT AND WE HAVE HAD A VACANCY FOR SUPERVISOR AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY SINCE AUGUST AND WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO FILL THAT POSITION. AND THAT WOULD BE SA BECOME RINA BERGEN. SABRINA BERGEN.

SHE RECEIVED HER BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MATHEMATICS IN EDUCATION AND MINOR IN COMPUTER SCIENCE IN PENNSYLVANIA AND HER MASTERS OF ARTS IN LEADERSHIP AND TEACHING FROM THE COLLEGE OF NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK APPROVAL.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, THOSE IN FAVOR.

>> ANY OPPOSED? >> THANK YOU.

AND I WANT TO POINT OUT TO FOLKS WHO WILL BE CONCERNED, IT WILL NOT BE A QUICK MOVE AND WE WILL NOT BE MOVING MISS BERGEN IN UNTIL WE HAVE FOUND THE SUITABLE REPLACEMENT FOR HER AT PLUM

[2.04 Bid Approval]

POINT MIDDLE. >> NEXT, A CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL. MR. MICHAEL?

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KEVIN MICHAEL, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND JOINING ME THIS EVENING IS THE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION AND THE SUPERVISOR FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND WE'RE PRESENTING THE FIRST REQUEST FOR THE IDIQ CONTRACT OF ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEMS AND CALVERT COUNTY ISSUED A SOLICITATION FOR SUBMITTED PROPOSAL AND THEY WERE EVALUATED AND YOU HAVE THAT IF THE MEMO BEFORE YOU AND WE REQUEST THE BOARD AWARD THE CONTRACT TO MARATHON TECHNOLOGY TO ELDERSBURG, MARYLAND.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND AND ANY DISCUSSION?

MOTION PASSES. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR

[2.05 Strategic Plan Review]

>> MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE AUDIENCE, IT'S BEEN FIVE, SIX YEAR AGO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE

[00:05:01]

WHERE WE ARE. >> WE HAVE EQUITY TRAINING GOING ON AND 95.6% PARTICIPATED AND FOLLOWING THAT TRAINING 98% OF THE PARTICIPANTS SAID THAT THEY HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND -- HELPED WITH THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE IDENTITY OF OTHERS AND THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE HISTORY OF RACISM AND 82% STATED THEY PLANNED TO USE ONE OF THE STRATEGIES TO HELP THEM FIGHT RACISM. AND BUILDING CAPACITY, 100% STAFF HAS PARTICIPATED IN CULTURAL CONFIDENCE AND RACIAL BIASED AND 740 STAFF MEMBERS ABOUT A BIG EXPERIENCE OF COUNTY WIDE READING AND ALL BUILDING STAFF RECEIVED COPIES OF SPEAK-UP-AT SCHOOL AND PREJUDICE, BIASED AND STEREOTYPES AND STUDENT OUTCOMES WERE TO PROMOTE GROWTH AND ELIMINATE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS AND HELP STUDENTS TO TRANSITION SUCCESSFULLY TO POST SECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER FOCUS OPTIONS AND SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL LEARNS TO MAKE SURE EACH STUDENT IS PREPARED FOR ADVANCED SOCIETY AND POINT OUT THAT THE LAST BULLET WAS TO GO ALONG BEFORE WE HAD THE PANDEMIC AND IT HAPPENED TO US TO BE IN A GOOD POSITION TO HANDLING THE ONLINE LEARNING THAT HAD TO TAKE PLACE LAST YEAR. AND WE USED TO MEASURE PROGRESS ON GOALS BASED UPON THE STATE TESTS AND YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT

[00:10:02]

ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN WORK ON, ALSO, IN MEASURING OUR PROGRESS IS ENROLLMENT AND PROGRESS IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES AND IN PARTICULAR, LOOKING IN THE MIDDLE BAR THERE, PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ARE A LEAD HIGHER, NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL, PATUXAN AND THIS IS A FOCUS ON UNDERREPRESENTATION OF STUDENTS, POVERTY AND STUDENTS OF COLOR AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT AS A GOAL FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND IN 2017, A PERCENTAGE OF MINORITIES STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ADVANCED CLASSES WHO TOOK AN AP EXAM WAS 72%, BUT THIS PAST YEAR 27.9. ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE REDUCTION IS IN THE PAST SCHOL YEAR, STUDENTS WERE IN THE FALL, WHEN THEY HAD TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO TAKE THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST. AND IN THE FALL, THEY WERE ALL TALKING THEIR ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES VIRTUALLY.

AND SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME HESITANCY. AND IN 2021, IT WAS NOT THAT FAR OFF BUT A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER OF STUDENTSES ALL TOGETHER.

AND PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ENROLLED IN CETE PROGRAMS IN TECHNICAL SKILL ATTAINMENT WAS 6 3% AND IN '21 WAS 84% AND GOOD GROWTH. EVACUEE DONE WELL WITH THE DIGITAL INTEGRATION AND FOR A GIFTED AND TALENTED SERVICES, WE PAY A STIPEND TO STAFF WHO IS GIFTED AND TALENTED LIAISONS AND WE DEVELOPED A POLICY AND WORKING AND DONE SOME SERVICES VIRTUALLY THROUGH THE PANDEMIC. THE MAP IS A UNIVERSITY SCREENER FOR LANGUAGE ARTS AND FOR MATH AND IT'S GIVEN THREE TIME AS YEAR AND IT'S USED A MONITOR PROGRESS.

IT'S WHERE YOU STAND OUT OF A HUNDRED SO IF YOU SCORE AT THE 55 PROCEEDING PERCENTILE AND 54 ARE LOWER AND 45 SCORED HIGHER THAN YOU. AND GENERALLY, THE RANGE FOR WHAT IS CONSIDERED AVERAGE IN A PERCENTILE IS WIDE AND YOU CAN SEE AT THE ADMINISTRATION IN THE FALL OF 1920, YOU CAN SEE THE SCORES, THE AVERAGE PERCENTILE SCORED FOR VARIOUS GROUPS AND THE SAME GROUP IN THE WINTER OF '19 AND '20 AND THERE'S NO END OF YEAR AND WE LEFT IN MARCH OF '20 AND DID NOT ADMINISTER.

INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE '20, '21 FALL SCORE FOR K2, WE CAN'T HELP BUT POINT OUT THAT'S A REALLY BIG NUMBER.

AND WE CAN'T HELP BUT POINT OUT THAT ALL OF THOSE YOUNGSTERS WERE VIRTUAL AND K2, WE DON'T EVEN -- NET TAKE THE THET

[00:15:02]

AND SIX THROUGH EIGHTH, THE SAME WAY AND SIMILAR PATTERNS THERE AND BY THE WAY, THE PERCENTILE, WHAT IT TAKES TO REACH THAT CHANGES WITH THE WINTER TESTS AND IT IS MORE DIFFICULT AND REQUIRES A HIGHER PERFORMANCE AS DOES IN THE SPRING BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING TO MAKE PROGRESS. AND NINE THROUGH 12, YOU SEE SIMILAR PATTERNS THERE AND WE SHOULD POINT OUT FOR NINE THROUGH 12, WINTER OF '19-'20, THAT TEST WAS TAKEN AT SCHOOL AND WINTER OF '20-'21, IT WAS TAKEN AT HOME.

CLIMATE AND CULTURE IS A PRIORITY, AS WELL AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOR LEARNING AND NURTURE AND RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT AND TO NURTURE IN THE WELLNESS AND MORALE AMONG STAFF IN SPRING OF '20, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DO ANY SURVEY AND IN PREVIOUS YEARS WE WERE SURVEYING AT THE END OF EVERY SCHOOL YEAR AND HAD DATA AND WE DID A DIFFERENT SURVEY IF 2021 BECAUSE WE WANTED TO ASK ABOUT VIRTUAL LEARNING AND WE DID HAVE COMMON QUESTIONS THAT CARRIED OVER IS I'LL SHARE THAT WITH YOU. IN THE '21 DATA, WE HAD 61 PARENTS WHO RESPONDED AND 12% SAID THEY WERE IN-PERSON AND 61% SAID STUDENTS WERE VIRTUAL. AND THERE WAS NO SURVEY GIVEN TO STAFF OR STUDENTS THIS PAST SPRING.

AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WHEN YOU ASK THE PARENTS ARE THEY SATISFIED WITH THE SCHOOL AND 18, 19, 21, IT INCREASED.

AND PARENTS WHO FEEL THEIR CHILDREN ARE SUPPORTED BY THEIR TEACHERS, 18, 19, 21, AN INCREASE EACH YEAR.

FROM THE DISCIPLINE DATA, WELL, WHAT WILL WE SAY? DISCIPLINE RECEIVING OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION, NOT MUCH HAPPENS IN '21, A SMALL FRACTION OF THE STUDENTSES WHO SR HYBRID GOT OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION AND THEY WERE REPEATERS AND THAT IS OF THAT REALLY SMALL NUMBER, 27% LAST YEAR WERE REPEATERS. THOSE PARENTS WERE REPORTED FEELING SAFE, AN INCREASED PERCENTAGE THERE IN '21 AND THE ATTENDANCE RECORDS, NOT SURE WHAT WE CAN RECORD ABOUT ATTENDANCE IN THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT.

PRIORITY AREA FOR WORKFORCE CALLED FOR ENHANCING THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORKFORCE IS RETAINING HIGH QUALITY STAFF AND PROVIDING STAFF WITH DIFFERENTIATED DEVELOPMENT.

HERE IS SOME OF THE DATA FOR MINORITIES STAFFING AND '16-'20 AND MAKING PROGRESS AND SURVEYING STAFF WHO LEFT AND THE REASONINGS WHY THEY MIGHT HAVE LEFT AND NOT MANY LEAVING WITH FAVORABLE WORKING CONDITIONS AND RETENTION RATE, WELL, WE HAVE A NUMBER FROM '20 AND WE DO NOT HAVE A NUMBER FOR '21.

AND THIS IS OUR SUMMARY FOR THIS YEAR AND OF THE 90 PROFESSIONAL STAFF HIRED, OF THE ADMINISTRATORS, YOU CAN SEE SOME PROGRESS THERE FOR DIVERSITY, CLASSROOM TEACHERS, NOT SO MUCH, EXPECT GROUP OF PSYCHOLOGISTS AND COUNSELORS AND SPECIALISTS, YOU CAN SEE WE MADE PROGRESS THERE TO ENSURE THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORKFORCE. YOU ARE AWARE WE HAVE APPROVED A BID FOR WEST-ED TO WORK WITH US AND THE HR DEPARTMENT AND TO

[00:20:02]

AND THE NEXT IS JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ALONG THE LINES OF THIS PARTICULAR PRIORITY, INTERNSHIPS, PARENT ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW STRUCTURE FOR VOLUNTEERS, CREATED A SYSTEM-WIDE HANDBOOK, CREATE A TRAINING VIDEO AND UPDATED APPLICATION AND FINGERPRINTING PROCESS AND THE WORKS THAT HAVE HAPPENED AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.

SO THAT'S JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

GENERALLY, THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE TAKE THE FIVE PRIORITIES AND YOU'LL GET A SEPARATE REPORT ON ONE OF THEM EVER EVERY TWO MONTHS AND ANY QUESTIONS?

OK, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, DR. CURRY AND CAN YOU REFRESH MY MEMORY ON LEAD HIRE?

>> LEAD HIRE IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO -- THAT'S THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SCHOOL'S PROGRAM, AS WELL, AND THAT THE FOCUS IS ON THE CLOSING THE GAP FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND PARTICULARLY FOCUSES ON YOUR NUMBERS ON ADVANCED PLACEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, IF ALL OF YOUR KIDS IN GENERAL, 60% OF YOUR SENIOR CLASS TAKES AN ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASS AND ONLY 20% OF YOUR SENIORS WHO ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TAKE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES, YOU WORK ON, WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEIR ABILITY AND WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT DOES IT TAKE TO CLOSE THAT GAP? WE ALSO LOOK AT FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH STUDENTS AND HOW MANY ARE ENROLLING IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND HOW MANY ARE NOT AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE MORE TO MAKE THAT STRETCH AND TO LEARN THEY, TOO, CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN ACADEMIC CHALLENGES LIKE ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES.

[2.06 Reopening Plan Update]

>> DR. JOHNSON, REOPENING UPDATE.

>> GOOD EVENING, DR. CURRY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'M THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT TODAY.

>> GOOD EVENING. I'M THE SOLE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN

RESOURCES. >> I'M THE DIRECTOR OF

TRANSPORTATION. >> GOOD EVENING.

THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.

ONE OF OUR PURPOSES TONIGHT IS TO REALLY JUST, AFTER A MONTH OF BEING IN SCHOOL, TO SHARE WHERE WE ARE AND SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR THIS YEAR AND ALSO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH AND HOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES.

SO I WOULD SAY FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF BACK IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND THAT CERTAINLY WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HEARD THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR LAST YEAR AND TO BE ABLE TO SPEND SOME TIME THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND PREPARING OUR SCHOOLS TO BE

[00:25:01]

AS WE GET THROUGH CHALLENGES, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN PATIENT IN ADJUSTING TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH AS WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES.

WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF THE STAFF AND WHAT THEY'REBERRYING .

I KNOW MASKING HAS BEEN A CONCERN, BUT AS WE'RE WALKING AND TALKING TO THE TEACHERS IN THE BUILDING, OUR STUDENTS ARE MASKED AND TEACHERS ARE MASKED AND VERY RARELY DO WE HAVE ISSUES. FOR THE MOST PART, STUDENTS ARE ADHERING TO THE GUIDELINES AS IS OUR STAFF.

SO WE ARE ALSO FOCUSED ON CURRICULUM AND SO AS YOU SAW FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE, WE CERTAINLY ARE LOOKING AT WHERE OUR KIDS ARE AND WE ARE FULLY MOVING IN OUR CURRICULUM AND OUR CURRICULUM IS FULL AND MOVES QUICKLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE IDENTIFY WHERE OUR KIDS ARE SCORING AND RECOGNIZING IF THERE'S ANY GAPS AND USING THE STRATEGIES THAT WE KNOW ARE IN OUR TEACHER'S TOOLBOX AND MAKING SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING AND THAT FULL CURRICULUM IS CLEARLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF THE YEAR AS KIDS ARE PREPARING FOR THE FINAL ASSESSMENTS IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR PRO PRO .

THERE'S A RAN ASSESSMENT TO PREDICT READING SKULLS AND E USING THAT FOR READING AND WE HAVE FINE ART PROGRAMS AND ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AND NJTC COMPETITIONS AND WE SEE FALL FESTIVALS PLANNED AND WILE WR ADMINISTRATORS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING SOME PHYSICAL DISTANCING AND TO GIVE THE KIDS SOME DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, IT REALLY HAS BEEN SKATING E THE SCHOOLS ARE PREPARING TO ENGAGE THE KIDS IN ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF JUST THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM.

AND THEN I WOULD SAY AS SLOW AS IT PROBABLY SEEMED FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE DO HAVE A SMALL VIRTUAL ACADEMY UP AND RUNNING AND SO FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THIRD THROUGH 12TH GRADE, WE HAD A SMALL VIRTUAL ACADEMY SLOW, BUT IT IS FUNCTIONING AND DOING REALLY WELL. WHILE OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM IS NOT AND WHAT WE HAD PLANNED, WE HAD LEAST HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WANTED TO BE IN THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO THAT. THOSE ARE EXCITING THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AND WE'RE SO EXCITED THAT THIS FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOL HAS REALLY BEEN PROMISING TO WHAT THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR

WILL BRING. >> DR. JOHNSON, MAY I ASK A QUESTION REGARDING THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY.

>> ABSOLUTELY. >> IS THERE A WAIT LIST THROUGH

3 THROUGH 12. >> THERE COULD BE.

[00:30:02]

WITH THE STAFFING LIMITATIONS, WE WOULD BE AN TO ADD ANYONE ELSE IN AND THE VIRTUAL ACADEMY WOULD BE CLOSED.

AS I SAID, THIS YEAR, AS MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THERE'S CHALLENGES. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT -- I'LL JUMP PRE-K TO TWO AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, HOW TO SUPPORT THE PRE-K LEARNERS, ESPECIALLY ON REQUIRED QUARANTINE, REQUIRE NOW, THEY GET LEARNING PACKETS AND THEN, AS THEY COME BACK, THEY SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND OUR TEACHERS ARE REALLY WORKING WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE GOTTEN THE SKILLS THAT THEY NEED.

HOWEVER, SOME STUDENTS ARE QUARANTINED FOR TEN DAYS TO 14 DAYS IS THAT IS A LONG TIME FOR KIDS TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL AND THAT'S CONCERNING TO US. WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS. THIS WEEK, OUR PRE-K TO 2 FAMILIES WILL RECEIVE A LETTER ASKING THEY HAVE PERSONAL DEVICES, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE INTERNET ACCESS AND ADULT SUPPORT AT HOME DURING THE SCHOOL HOURS, TO SEE HOW MANY STUDENTS WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS SHOULD THEY GO OUT ON QUARANTINE. SO WE'RE WORK ON THAT TO SEE IF THAT COULD PROVIDE ANOTHER OPTION FOR OUR KIDS IN LIGHT OF POSSIBLE QUARANTINES THAT MIGHT GO ON.

WE UTILIZED EVERY LAPTOP WE HAD LAST YEAR AND DEPLOYED THEM THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT IN ORDER TO SERVICE OUR PRE-K TO 2 STUDENTS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT'S A LEASE PROGRAM, THEY HAD TO BE RETURNED IN THE LEASE ONE-TO-ONE AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TO SERVICE ALL STUDENTS AND TO OFFER LAPTOPS TO PRE-K TO 2 STUDENTS AND WE'RE WE'RE REACHING OUTO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AT THE PRE-K TO 2 LEVEL.

ALSO OUR 3 TO 12 STUDENTS WHO MIGHT BE ON QUARANTINE IS SOME MONEY THROUGH SUPPLEMENTAL TUTORING GRANT AND OUR SCHOOLS TUTORING PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL HOURS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT KIDS AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE COMING UP IN OCTOBER. AND SO, IN ADDITION TO THE PRE-K TO 2, I'M GOING TO JUST BRIEFLY TALK THROUGH THE OTHER BULLETS AND I'M ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO SOME OF THE ITEMS. WE HAVE THE CHALLENGE OF PHYSICAL DISTANCING. WHEN WE HAVE THE STUDENTS IN THE BUILDING, IT'S HARD TO DISTANCE EVERYONE APPROPRIATELY AND IN SOME OF OUR CLASSROOMS, YOU MIGHT NOT SEE THE PHYSICAL DISTANCING OF UP TO THREE FEET. WE'RE SEEING DIFFERENT GROUPS OF KIDS AND STUDENTS IN CAFETERIAS AND OUR ADMINISTRATIONS ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE CHANGES AS THEY NEED TO AND SOME ON NICE DAYS AND SOME STUDENTS ARE EATING OUTSIDE AND THEY'VE SPREAD OUT IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND TO THE ATRIUM AREAS AND SO THEY'RE WORKING ON TRYING TO SPREAD THOSE OUT, BUT PHYSICAL DISTANCING AT ALL SCHOOLS IS A CHALLENGE.

THERE'S CONTACT TRACING AND CONTACT TRACING IS JUST AN IMMENSE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR CONTACT TRACING TEAMS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND IN STUDENT SERVICES AND IT HAS JUST REQUIRED A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND COMMUNICATION.

AND THAT LEADS TO THE REQUIRED QUARANTINE.

WE HAVE HAVE STUDENTS HOME AT TALKED ABOUT PRE-K TO 2 AND 3 TO 12 STUDENTS HAVE A PROVISION TO GET A LINKER TO LINK TO HEG ON IN THE CLASSROOM AND ASK QUESTIONS.

THERE WS A GLITCH AND WE MADE A MODIFICATION TO THAT LANGUAGE AND I'LL SHARE THAT SHORTLY AND WE HAVE SPOKEN AND I KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES WITH THE SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVE EXPERTS DD BEING SERVICED FOR AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. WE HAVE THE AGE-OLD PEACE OF VACANCIES AND WHEN OUR STAFF DESERVEDLY SO HAS LEAVE AND THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE THIS YEAR. SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES TO TAKE A LITTLE BUILT MORE ABOUT DISTANCING, CONTACT TRACING AND

QUARANTINE. >> BEFORE YOU DO THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THE PARENTS ARE CONFUSED ABOUT THE QUARANTINE.

[00:35:07]

THEY HAVE NO CLUE. >> A QUESTION QUESTION AND YOU THINK MR. KURTZ WILL CLARIFY THAT FOR YOU AND I APPRECIATE

YOU ASKING THAT QUESTION. >> THANK YOU, MR. NUTTER.

>> I'M SORRY. SO THERE IS GUIDANCE THAT WE GET FROM THE CALVERT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

THERE'S ACTUALLY MANY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND AS DR. JOHNSON MENTIONED, WITH ABOUT 15,500 STUDENTS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, TRACKING THAT IS AN IMMENSE TASK, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS THAT TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS WE KNOW WHAT SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST TO TRACK THAT AND RECORD THEM WHEN WE NEED TO RECORD THEM AND MAKE THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE FAMILIES TO KEEP EVERYBODY.

THE COMMUNICATION AT THE END OF THE DAY COMES FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR THOSE QUARANTINES AND THE LENGTH OF TIME CAN VARY WHETHER IT'S A POSITIVE CASE OR WHETHER IT'S A CONTACT.

ALSO AS I'VE MENTIONED, WHETHER THE VACCINATION STATUS OF THE INDIVIDUAL. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF FACTORS THERE AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK PERSONALLY ON THE RECORD OUR NURSES THAT ARE WORKING TREMENDOUS HOURS AND WORKING HARD TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT. WE APPRECIATE THAT AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON POSSIBLY WAYS TO GET THEM ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND MONEY THAT WE HAVE THROUGH POSSIBLY THROUGH MDH AND THE CALVERT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

AND IDA I DON'T KNOW IF THAT S YOUR QUESTION, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE DOING TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL AND KEEP THEM SAFE.

>> I HAVE QUESTION. >> WHO CONDUCTS THE CONTACT TRACYING? DOES IT START WITH YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND YOU SUBMIT THAT INFORMATION TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> IT CAN FLOW IN MANY DIRECTIONS AND IT DEPENDS WHERE IT COMES FROM AS A POSITIVE. EVACUEE WORKED WE'VE WORKS FRONT-OFFICE STAFF AND THE INSURANCE, OUR NURSE WORKING WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL DIRECTING THAT CONTACT TRACING AND WE'RE ALSO ASKING OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR BUILDINGS TO HELP WITH COLLECTING INFORMATION AND ALL OF THE OTHER TASKS RELATED

TO THAT PROCESS. >> HOW TIMELY IS THAT? SOME OF THE EMAILS WE RECEIVED, THE PARENTS TALK ABOUT NOT KNOWING THAT THEIR STUDENTS S EXPOSED DAYS LATER AFTER SOMEONE

HAD TESTED POSITIVE? >> SO, YES, THERE CAN BE A LAG, BUT BY THE TIME THAT WE RECEIVE THE INITIAL REPORT UNTIL WE COLLECT THE INFORMATION AND THEN WE MAKE THE COMMUNICATION, A LOT PROCESS OF WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT, WHETHER IT WAS A POSITIVE CONTACT, WHETHER THERE WAS VACCINATION OR MASKED, DISTANCED APART AND ALL OF THIS FACTORS INTO THE DECISIONS AND THE COMMUNICATION HAS TO BE MADE TO THE PARENTS.

THAT'S ONE SCENARIO AND SOMETIMES IT'S THE PARENTS REPORTING TO AND THERE'S TIER ONE OR TIER TWO AND THEN THERE'S A PROCESS THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO BE CLEARED AND WE APPRECIATE THAT OUR FAMILIES ARE WORKING WITH US TO KEEP STUDENTS THAT MAY BE POTENTIALLY POSITIVE OUT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD.

YOU'RE WELCOME. DR. JOHNSON, ANYTHING ELSE YOU

WANTED ME TO COVER WITH THAT. >> NOT AT THIS TIME.

MR. CASSIDY, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION.

>> GOOD EVENING. AS YOU WELL KNOW, WE STARTED THE YEAR WITH A DEFICIT OF SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, SOMETHING ALONG THE LINE OF 12% AND WE WERE PLANNING FOR 152 BUS ROUTES AND STARTED

[00:40:02]

AT ANY GIVEN POINT, FIVE OF THE SEVEN ARE ON THE ROAD.

AND THE DRIVERS HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY AND OR CONTRACTORS AND DRIVERS WERE THE FIRST TWO IN THE STATE THAT WERE TRANSPORTING OUR CHILDREN LAST SUMMER AND THROUGH LAST YEAR, AND THROUGH NINE DIFFERENT STARTS OF SUMMER SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, WHICH REQUIRED ONE AND TWO AND THREE TIERS ON BUSES AND NOW WE'VE GOT TO THE START OF THE SCAL YEAR AND SOME OF THE SAME DRIVERS ARE NOW PERFORMING TWO ROUTES AT THE SAME TIME AND THAT IS WHY WE ALSO OWE A DEBT OF GRATITUDE, TRANSPORTATION TO OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

THEY'VE BEEN FOLLOW RANTS E BUSES ARE LATE TO SCHOOLS AND LATE TO GETTING CHILDREN HOME, BECAUSE A LOT ARE PERFORMING ONE AND A HALF OR TWO ROUTES BECAUSE OF THE DEFICIT OF DRIVERS.

THAT HAS LEAD US SO FAR IN THE FIRST THREE WEEKS OF SCHOOL TO DO TWO ROUNDSES ROUNDS OF E REORGANIZATIONS.

IN A TYPICAL YEAR, WE HAVE 13,000 RUDERS AND THIS 13,000 RIDERS AND THIS YEAR THERE WAS NINE THOUSAND.

AFTER THIS INFORMATION, WE STARTED TO LOOK AT BUS ROUTES WHERE THERE WERE STOPS THAT DID NOT HAVE TO BE MADE AT ALL AND CONSOLIDATED THOSE ROUTES AND TO, THE BUS IS ONLY SERVING MAYBE TWO SCHOOLS AND CAN BE ON TIME INSTEAD OF TRYING TO SERVE THREE AND BEING LATE CONSECUTIVELY.

WE'VE TRIED TO USE MULTIPLE AVENUES TO COMMUNICATE THOSE CHANGES TO FAMILIES WITH THE HERE-COMES-THE BUS-APP WITH EMAIL AND THE PRINCIPALS HAVE BEEN GREAT GETTING THAT OUT TO SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. WE'RE WORKING HARD WITH THE SCHOOL NURSES AND STUDENTS SERVICE'S DEPARTMENT TO FACILITATE CONTACT TRACING WHEN WE HAVE A POSITIVE EXPOSURE THAT THEY IMMEDIATE TO KNOW WHERE STUDENTS WERE ON THE BUSES AND, AGAIN, THE CONTRACTORS HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING.

AS RECENTLY AS THIS SATURDAY, I NEEDED TO GET CONTACT INFORMATION AND I GOT IT WITHIN TWO HOURS FROM THEM BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE SEATING CHARTS YET. NOW THAT WE HAVE SEATING CHARTS, THOSE AND SO THAT NURSES WITHIN- WILL HAVE ACCESS AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO CALL US OTHER THAN VERIFICATION OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE AND WORKING WITH STUDENT SERVICES ON THE CONTACT TRACYING PIECE. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COOPERATION AND STUDENT SUPPORT AND PARENTS ARE HELPING US BY TRANSPORTING THEIR OWN CHILDREN TO SCHOOL OR BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN COMFORT LEVEL THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEIR CHILDREN ON THE BUSES.

AS YOU WELL KNOW, THAT'S CREATED A LOT OF GRIDLOCK AT THE SCHOOLS AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN HELPFUL UP TO THIS POINT TRYING TO HELP US MANAGE THAT. AND ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE TOPICS? AND THAT'S RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION. CONTACT TRACING.

>> TRYING TO IMAGINE THE SEATING CHART AND HOW IS THAT ADMINISTERED? THE BUS DRIVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALLOWING THEY'RE IN THEIR PROPER SEATS.

>> CORRECT, AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING A SEATING CHART. A BUS MIGHT BE ROUTED FOR 50 CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE DATABASE, BUT THE BUS MIGHT BE CARRYING 30 AND THEY ASSIGN THE STUDENTS TO THE SEATS AND THEY COMMUNICATE THAT WITH THEM AND THAT'S HOW THEY KEEP TRACK OF THAT. THE BUS DRIVERS HAVE BEEN GREAT ABOUT NOT CREATING A POWER STRUGGLE ABOUT THE FACE MASKS.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS PROVIDED MASKS TO THE DRIVERS AND WE HAVE A READY SUPPLY SO IF SOMEONE FORGETS IT JUST GIVE IT TO THE CHILD AND TRANSPORT THEM TO CHILD.

SO THEY'VE BEEN ON THE FRONTLINES FOR A LONG TIME AND IT'S VERY CHALLENGING FOR THEM RIGHT NOW WITH THE CHANGES THAT CONSTANTLY GET THROWN AT THEM. I CAN'T THANK THEM AND THE SCHOOL EXPECT ENOUGH. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TOLERANT.

>> I KNOW YOU HAD A CLASS OF BUS DRIVERS COMING THROUGH AND HOW

IS THAT GOING? >> ROUTE BEFORE BEFORE THEE

[00:45:01]

THERE'S AN INSPECTOR WHO WILL NOT PROMPT THEM AND WILL TELL THEM WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG AND IT'S NOT THE BEHIND-THE-WHEEL HOURS BUT IT'S GETTING A TEST DATE, SO WEWANT TO TAKE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT PREPARED, THEY FAIL AND NOW WE'RE THREE OR FOUR WEEKS OUT TO GET A RETEST.

IT'S A RAWS, PROCESS AND WE'D TO HAVE 13 CANDIDATES AND MOVE FORWARD AND WE WILL BE HAVING BIWEEKLY CLASSES FOR NEW

CANDIDATED. >> THANK YOU.

>> I ONLY NEED 135 ROUTES NOW OR 152?

>> WE NEED 152. >> THAT WILL GO TOWARD -- IS THAT ONE DRIVER PER ONE OF THOSE ROUTES SO YOU'LL HAVE A DEFICIT

OF FOUR? >> BECAUSE TOWNLY THERE IS ATTRITION IN THOSE COURSES AND SOME PEOPLE DECIDE IT IS NOT FOR THEM. BUT IF WE WERE TO GET THOSE 13 PEOPLE, WE HAVE WE WOULD HK AND REORGANIZE BECAUSE THEY'RE ONE IS A HALF ROUTES ON THIS BUS AND TWO ON THIS BUS.

SO IT WOULD BE ANOTHER REORGANIZATION AND COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE COMMUNITY AND THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PROBLEM AND ROUTE RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THAT ADD AS A GOOD PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND IT'S OVERCROWDED AND NOW YOU CHANGE THE SCHEDULE. WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE OUR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE. BUT WE WILL ANTICIPATE TO MAKING THEM MORE EFFICIENT AND HOPEFULLY, PEOPLE WILL BE MORE COMFORTABLE PUTTING MORE CHILDREN ON THEIR BUSES AS WE GROW THE CORE OF DRIVERS AGAIN. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, MR. CASSIDY, IS WE HAVE THE DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES TO TALK ABOUT STAFFING AND SUBSTITUTES.

>> GOOD EVENING, AGAIN, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES.

AND AFTER WORKING MY FIRST SUMMER AS DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN THE HUMAN RESOURCE'S DEPARTMENT AND REALLY WITH A GOOD STAFF THAT WORKS REALLY, REALLY HARD TRY TO FULLY STAFF OUR SCHOOLS FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, I WAS DISAPPOINTED WE DID START WITH TEN VACANCIES OF TEACHERS, CERTAINLY NOT FOR LACK OF TRYING.

AFTER TALKING WITH COLLEAGUES IN THE STATE -- I'M SORRY.

AFTER SPEAK WITH COLLEAGUES IN THE STATE, WE WERE IN BETTER SHAPE THAN A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE VACANCIES OF TEACHERS AND HAVE HIRED A LOT OF TEACHERS SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS AND WE HAVE LOST SOME TEACHERS TO RETIREMENTS AND TO RESIGNATIONS AND PROMOTIONS AS THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS STARTED. BUT WE'RE STILL SITTING AT SIX ELEMENTARY TEACHER VACANCIES AND A COUPLE ALSO IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE SPECIAL-ED REALM. WE HAVE WE ARE LAYING CATCH-, SHORTAGES IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM, NECESSARILY, AS .

AS A FORMER MIDDLE-SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, WE'VE BEEN SHORT SUBS FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND ARE IS -- I JUST READ AN ARTICLE NATION-WIDE SHORTAGE SIMILAR TO BUS DRIVERS AND WE ARE WORKING PRETTY HARD TO TRY TO INCREASE OUR SUB POOL, AS WELL, AND WE ACTUALLY HAD AN INTAKE ORIENTATION AND HIRED 12 AND THAT'S WHAT WE HIRED LAUGH MONTH, LAST MONTH,

[00:50:04]

THERE'S AN ALT-ED POSITION AND ELEMENTARY, SAME THING AND IN SOME CASES, THERE'S LONG-TERM AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS THAT HAVE STEPPED UP UNTIL WE CAN HIRE A TEACHER.

>> THANK YOU. >> SO JUST A FEW UPDATES THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I MENTION.

THERE'S INFORMATION THAT WILL GO OUT OR HAS GONE OUT AGAINING ON THE NEWSLETTERS OF THE ADMINISTERS AND THE FIRST THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THAT DUE TO THE TRANSPORTATION, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL SPORT'S PROGRAM FOR SOCCER AND VOLLEYBALL WILL LOOK DIFFERENT THIS FALL AND TYPICALLY, AS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL TEAMS WOULD GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL AND COMPETE FOR VOLLEYBALL AND SOCCER AND WE'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY FOR DRIVERS FOR AFTER-SCHOOL EVENTS AND THE MIDSCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND THEY GOT TOGETHER AND INSTEAD OF PLAYING ON CERTAIN DAYS, THEY FELT STRONGLY TO GIVE THE KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY AND THEY WOULD RUN A TOURNAMENT ALL DAY TO FIND THE KIDS WOULD HAVE MULTIPLE GAMES AND EXPERIENCE THE COMPETITION IN ADDITION TO THE CLINICS THAT THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN ALREADY. AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT TWO DATES IN OCTOBER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. IT IS A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO GET BUSES ON SATURDAYS AND THAT WOULD BE THE OPTION.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE AND HIGH , THE HI DONE, IF THEY WERE GOING TO CHARLES COUNTY SCHOOL, THEY MAY HAVE THE TEAM PAY PLAY AT HOMD WORKED WITH BUS CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE BUSES AND SOMETIMES THAT FALLS SHORT.

SO WE HAVE GIVEN PERMISSION FOR PARENTS TO TRANSPORT THE STUDENTS AND THE ATHLETES TO EVENTS AND ALSO A PROCESS IN PLACE. WE WANTS TO ACCOUNT FOR WHO IS RIDING WITH THEIR PARENT IS THAT COACHES ARE AWARE WHEN THEY SHOW UP WHO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AND FROM WHERE.

SO WE HAVE PUT THAT PROCESS IN PLACE TO HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WHEN IT BECOMES A DEFICIT FOR SOME OF THESE AFTERNOON TRIPS.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT HAS HAPPENED, THERE WAS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN OUR SCREENING QUESTIONS AND THE RQ CODE AND WE SENT OUT CLARIFICATION TO OUR SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOLS WILL BE SENDING THIS OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT'S THROUGH THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT IF I'M A PARENT AND I CALL INTO SCHOOL AND SAY MY STUDENT -- MY CHILD HAS SYMPTOMS AND THESE ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND THEY TALK WITH THE SCHOOL NURSE OR THE SCHOOL OFFICIAL AND SAID, WELL, YOU NEED TO STAY HOME, DON'T SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL SICK. THERE WAS A DISCONNECT THEY WERE NOT GETTING THE RQ CODE AND THEY WOULD GET THE LINKS FOR THE CLASSROOM AND THEN BE ABLE TO -- OR GET THE LEARNING PACKETS IF THEY'RE PRE-K TO 2 AND THAT WILL HOPEFULLY CLOSE THAT ISSUE AND THAT SHOULD BE THE PRACTICE MOVING FORWARD.

AND WE HAD SHARED PREVIOUSLY THAT BECAUSE OF THE REQUIRED QUARANTINE, WHEN A STUDENTS S NOT IN SCHOOL, THEY COUNT AS ABSENT AND THE RESPECT RQ CR INDICATION THE STUDENT IS OUT

[00:55:05]

I WANTED TO REITERATE, THAT WAS A CHANGE TO HELP MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE THE FACT WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT DO PURSUE PERFECT ATTENDANCE AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO FEEL PENALIZED IN THE FACT THEY'VE HAD IT AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET IT THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF A REQUIRED QUARANTINE, THEY WOULD HAVE CONSECUTIVE PERFECT ATTENDANCE INTO THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

AND THEN, JUST RECENTLY, TEACHERRED TEACHERS RECEIVED THIS FROM INSTRUCTION, THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNICATION FROM THE SCHOOL, SPECIFICALLY CLASSROOM TEACHERS TO THE HOME AND WITHIN OF THE PROCEDURES THAT WE HAD PUT IN PLACE DURING THE PANDEMIC IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE EMAILING, YOU EMAIL THROUGH THE TECH PLATFORM, BUT IN THE SUBJECT LINE TO PUT YOUR SCHOOL NAME, THE GRADE AND THE SUBJECT OF THE -- SCHOOL NAME, GRADE, SUBJECT AND PERSON SENDING THE LETTER SO THAT THE PARENTS CAN KEEP STRAIGHT WHO THEY'RE GETTING ELIZABETH .

IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE SECONDARY STUDENTS, IT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMING TO KNOW WHO YOU'RE COMMUNICATING WITH AND WHICH CHILD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THOSE ARE THINGS WE'VE DONE RECENTLY AND HOPEFULLY TO SMOOTH PROCESSES OUT AND I CAN'T THANK EVERYTHING ENOUGH, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS FOR CONSISTENTLY WORKING TOGETHER AND DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOL AND KEEP OUR SCHOOLS FULLY OPEN AND

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> IN ORDER TO GET A LINK FOR A LIVESTREAM AND IF THEY DEEM YOU YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU HAVE COVID, YOU GET THE LINK THEN?

>> GENERALLY, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS AND YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL AND YOU COMMUNICATE TO THE SCHOOL, YOUR PARENTS COMMUNICATE TO THE SCHOOL AND MY SON OR DAUGHTER IS EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS. WHEN YOU SHARE THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO DIRECT YOU NOT TO BE IN SCHOOL AND THAT WILL TRIGGER THE RQ CODE AND AS SOON AS THAT RQ CODE GOES IN, THE TEACHERS KNOW THAT'S NO GET THE LINK. THERE'S SOMETIMES IT'S A DELAY BECAUSE IT GOES FROM THE ATTENDANCE SECRETARY INTO THE COMPUTER TO THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND IT MIGHT NOT BE IMMEDIATE AND THERE MIGHT BE A DELAY FOR THAT.

>> SECOND QUESTION, WHEN FLU SEASON STARTS UP AND KIDS ARE GETTING THE FLU, WILL THOSE STUDENTS, FOR INSTANCE, SAY I HAVE A POSITIVE FLU TEST, AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN SCHOOL.

SHOULD YOU ACCESS THE LIVESTREAM?

>> FLU SYMPTOMS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THAT AND THAT WOULD COUNT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COMMUNICATING WHEN YOUR KIDS ARE SICK. WE ARE ASKING ALL EMPLOYEES AND ALL PARENTS TO SCREEN, SELF-SCREEN BEFORE THEY COME IN AND ONE OF THE FIRST TWO QUESTIONS IS ABOUT, DO YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS? IF THE ANSWER IS QUESTION, YOU NEED TO REACH OUT. SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT QUESTINS IN ORDER TO KEEP STAFF AND STUDENTS SAFE AND HEALTHY AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THOSE WHEN WE NEED TO.

>> OK, THANK YOU. >> LOOKS LIKE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT, WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC

[3.01 Public Comments in-person are limited to 10 at this time. Written comments will be posted.]

COMMENT. >> WILL YOU READ THE RULES,

PLEASE? >> CITIZENS HA WISH TO WHS THE BOARD ARE ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES IF THEY'RE SPEAKING INDIVIDUALLY AND IF YOU'RE OFFICIALLY HEAR TO PRESENT, YOU MAY SPEAK FOR FIVE. PERSONS ON THE SIGN-UP SHEET MAY NOT CONVEY, RELINK ANGUISH SPEAKING SOMETIME *R TIMEA

[01:00:06]

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU MAY BEGIN. >> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS DONNA AND I'M A TEACHER AND TAXPAYER? CALVERT COUNTY AND I'VE SPOKEN AT MANY BOARD MEETINGS AND I ENCOURAGE MANY TEACHERS TO USE THEIR VOICE TO BRING ABOUT% CHANGE, TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IF OUR SCHOOLS.

USE YOUR VOICE IS A POWERFUL TOOL, BUT IT COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY. IT'S ONE I DO NOT TAKE LATELY.

LIGHTLY. YOU MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH BECAUSE PEOPLE LISTEN TO THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND BELIEVE WHAT THEY HEAR PEOPLE SAY. YES, THIS SCHOOL YEAR HAS HAS DISRUPTIONED DUE TO COVID. THERE WAS A FALSE SENSE OF HOPE, REOPENING PLAN TO FULL IN-PERSON LEARNING AND WHAT THAT WOULD KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE AND THEN IN AUGUST, THE COVID INFECTION RATE SPIKED IN CALVERT AS THE DELTA VARIENT WAS SPREADING QUICKLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I MAY NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS, WE ARE SO FAR AHEAD OF SURROUNDING COUNTIES AND OTHER STATES ON HOW WE HAVE HANDLED THIS SURGE. SOME MAY NOT LIKE THE QUARANTINING REIMBURSEMENTS CCPS ISSUED, BUT THEY WERE ESTABLISHED BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC, THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE CALVERT COUNTY HELP DEPARTMENT TO KEEP STAFF AND STUDENTS SAFE AND IN SCHOOL.

CCPS HAS A PLAN AND IT IS NOT PERFECT AND IT'S REGULARLY BEING REVISED, BUT THERE IS A PLAN. IT'S ONE REFINED AS CHANGES OCCUR. AND ONE THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO QUARANTINE, ACCESS TO LIVE INSTRUCTION VIA TEAMS AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES THROUGH SCHOOL.

UNLIKE IN FLORIDAAND TEXAS, WHERE LEADERS DITCH WHAT THEY SPEND ON TECHNOLOGY, LEAVING STUDENTS TO ACCESS CLASSROOM REMOTELY OR LIMITED TO ENTIRELY INSTRUCTION AND THAT THERE NOT A PLAN OR YOUR CHILD NOT LEARNING BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS NOT QUARANTINED IS NOT ACCURATE. OUR TEACHERS ARE WORKING HARD AND DOING THE BEST THEY CAN TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION TO ALL STUDENTS. THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD THE PLANE AS THEY FLY IT AND THIS IS HARD ON TEACHERS AND STAFF IS BENDING OVER BACKWARDS TO KEEP THEM OPEN AND KEEP THEM SAFE.

PEOPLE MAKING DECISIONS ARE HUMAN AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET THROUGH THIS IS TOGETHER, RECOGNIZING THE SHARED HUMANITY

WE HAVE THANK YOU. >> I COULD NOT ALLOW THOSE VOICES TO BE THE ONLY VOICES IN THE ROOM.

PUT JUST A STRONG COMMUNITY THU MAKE IMPACT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND WE DON'T CARRY THE WEIGHT OF THOSE DECISIONS AND STATEMENTS SOMETIMES WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE

[01:05:02]

OUR SCHOOL NURSES ARE WORKING TEN TO 12 HOUR DAYS BECAUSE OF CONTACT TRACING AND TRACKING THEM DOWN AT HOME BECAUSE PARENTS WANTS THEIR WANT N SCHOOL IS NOT OK, BUT OUR NURSES CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ADMIRABLY AND YELLING AT A BUS DRIVER BECAUSE THEIR CHILD'S ROUTE IS TOO LONG IS NOT OK.

BUT THEY CONTINUE TO PERSEVERE AND SERVE OUR EXPECT ADMIRABLY AND ELUDING TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION KNOW WHERE THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL IS NOT OK.

AND YOU CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY ADMIRABLY THROUGH PERSEVERANCE. WE CAN REGAIN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE CAN PROVIDE OUR TO CHILDREN. IF YOU WANT THE CHANGE, BE THE CHANGE AND LEARN HOW THE PROCESSES WORK AND UNDERSTAND THE HURDLES IN PLACE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AROUND THEM.

LET'S DON'T THE HARD WORK OF COLLABORATION TO BRAINSTORM AND NOT JUST POINT FINGERS OVER THINGS WE DON'T AGREE WITH.

WE AS ADULTS MUST MODEL THE BEHAVIORS WE EXPECT OUR CHILDREN, OUR GRANDCHILDREN, FAMILY MEMBERS AND OUR PEERS TO EMULATE. AND TO SET THE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER, HOW WE CONDUCT CIVIL PRODUCTIVE AND SAFE CONVERSATIONS WHERE REAL PROGRESS IS MADE.

IT IS THE TREATMENT OF ONE ANOTHER THAT DEFINED OUR CHARACTER AND WILL REUNITE CALVERT AS A CIVIL COMMUNITY.

BRING THE CONVERSATIONS FORWARD TO ENSURE OUR COUNTY VIEWS AND STUDENT, STAFF AND PROVIDES THE SAFE ATTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU.

DON'T LUKE LIKE WHAT'S GOINGN HERE.

>> NEXT SPEAK, MIKE SPAR. >> GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. I'M THE STAFF REPRESENTATIVE FOR OVER 2000 OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES.

I'VE DEDICATED FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE COMMITTED THEIRS TO MAKING SURE THERE ARE TOOLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE. I'M LUCKY TO BE WORK WIG WE PRODUCTIVE AND THIS OUTCOME IS BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MY PROFESSIONAL ROLE I'M CHARGED WITH ADVOCATING ON SCHOOL AND WORKPLACE RELATED MATTERS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT POSE AN IMMINENT THREAT TO SAFE COMMUNITIES THAT EVERYONE IN CALVERT COUNTY DESERVES AND RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION ARE EXAMPLES OF SUCH THREATS.

UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THE COMMENTS MADE HAVE PROVIDED AN UNEQUIVOCAL EXAMPLE OF WHY THE ANTIRACISM POLICY IS NECESSARY AND SPEAKERS HAVE TWISTED THIS OVER MUSS UNDERSTOOD PREJUDICE AND EVEN THE MOST BASIC SAFETY MEASURES PUT IN PLACE TO KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF SAFE. THEY HAVE SOUGHT TO HERE VIEWPOINTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS EDUCATORS AND HEALTH MEMBERS. THEY MADE DECISIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN GREAT CARE TO THE CHILDREN, STAFF AND COMMUNITY IN THEIR DECISION-MAKING. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, CITIZENS HAVE ELECTED A BLACK BOARD OF EDUCATION.

INSTEAD, WE SEE THE DEPLOYMENT OF COVERT ATTACKS, AND THIS IS A THREAT TO THE PEOPLE THAT BENEFIT FROM THE SYSTEMS THAT HOURLILY HOURLILY

[01:10:02]

THE DATA IS ABUNDANT AND PAINFULLY CLEAR AND BLACK STUDENTSES HAVE DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES THAN WHITE STUDENTS. BLACK (INAUDIBLE).

GRADUATION RATES OF BLACK STUDENTS ARE 3% LOWER THAN WHITE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS. THERE'S A RESIDENT TO INTERROGATE THAT DYNAMIC AND DISRUPT AND IF WE ABANDON IN, WE FORSAKE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS.

THE GOAL OF THE RESOLUTION ON ANSWER ANTIRACISM IS CLEAR, TO RACE REALITY OF STUDENTS MORE TO OVECOME MUST BE GIMP GIVEN TN EQUITABLE HIGH QUALITY IMMIGRATION THAT SETS THEM ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH THEIR PEERS.

THIS IS NOT NEW. THIS HAS BEEN THE GOAL OF PUBLIC EDUCATION SINCE ITS INCEPTION. I SUPPORT THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN. CALVERT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND TEACH AND YOU HAVE HEARD DONNA AND STACIE'S VISION OF WHAT CALVERT COUNTY SHOULD BE.

WE NEED TO BUILD OR COMMUNITY UP AND ONE WHERE EVERYONE IS SEEN, HEARD AND PROTECTED. AND IF YOU SHARE THIS, LENDS IT TO THE CONVERSATION BY LENDING THIS AT FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS.

WE NEED TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR CIVIL DISCOURSE FOCUSED ON CREATING A MORE EQUITABLE EDUCATION FOR OUR YOUTH AND PROSPEROUS COUNTY FOR EVERYWHERE.

THE SCHOOL STAFF HAS YOUR BACK. THANK YOU.

>> MISS GOLDSTEIN? >> SHE WALKED OUT.

>> I WAS NEXT DOOR. I'M BETTY GOLDSTEIN AND I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR YEARS AND I'LL AD LIB AND I'M STILL EMOTIONAL FROM LISTENING TO EVERYBODY'S PRIOR TESTIMONY.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE. I'M A TEACHER, A RESIDENT, A MOTHER OF TWO CCSP GRADUATES, THE WIFE AFTER TEACHER, THE PORE OF MOTHER OF A TEACHER AND AS SOME BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS, I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR YEARS. AS AN ACTIVE MOTHER, I'M NOT A STRANGER TO SITTING IN THESE MEETINGS AND I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE AND I LET YOU KNOW WHEN I DON'T.

AND I'VE GIVEN TESTIMONY AT THE KIRWAN COMMISSION AND THIS CD IMPACTED MY ABILITY TO BE HERE. I AM THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO MY 89-YEAR-OLD MOTHER-IN-LAW WHOLIES WHO LIVES WITH US. I'VE REACHED MY LIMIT VIEWING THESE MEETINGS FROM MOMENT. I HOME.

I WAS GRATEFUL WHEN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION INSTITUTED THE MASK MANDATE. IT WAS INTERESTING HOW CALVERT

[01:15:01]

BALTIMORE CITY HAS 2.58% AND CALVERT WAS AT 6 6% AND PG WAS 5.65% AND YOU KNOW WHICH COUNTIES WERE HIGH OFFICER ? GARRETT AND ALLEGHENY WITH 11% AND I HAVE A MAP SHOWING THE AREAS. YOU KNOW HOGAN TALKED YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW WE HAVE THIS LOW COVID RATE AND MANY OF OUR COUNTIES HAVE RIDICULOUS COVID RATES AND IT'S NOT THE ONES WHERE PEOPLE THINK IT IS BUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE REFUSING TO GET VACCINATED.

I HAVE NEVER UNVACCINATED IN MY CLASSROOM AND E OUT TONIGHT BECAUSE I WANTED YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I AM EMBARRASSED BY WHAT YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH AND THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED.

AND I SAT OUTSIDE BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO SHARE THIS SPACE BECAUSE I AM PROTECTIVE OF MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.

AND I LIVE IT. I DON'T JUST TALK IT.

AND THAT WAS PROVEN WATCHING THE VIDEO FEED.

AND A FEW QUICK THINGS, PUBLIC COMMENTS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM.

YOU STAYED MERE HERE TO MIDN. >> MISS GOLDSTEIN.

, YOUR TIME. >> WE ARE NOT TEACHING CRT.

I DID NOT GET TO THAT AND THAT WAS A BIG THING AND NOBODY SAID IT. I'LL COME OUT AND SAY IT, WE ARE

NOT TEACHING CRT. >> LISA SPENCER.

>> GOOD EVENING. I'M LISA SPENCER AND I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATOR AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I'M HERE TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE LAST TWO AREAS. YEARS.

I WAS THE LEAD TEACHER IN 2020 WHEN WE BROUGHT THE FIRST STUDENTSES STUDENTS BACK IN CALVERT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND LAST YEAR, I WAS IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING DURING ALMOST THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BUILDING AND THIS PAST SCHOOL AREA, I WAS THE LEAD TEACHER WITH STUDENTS AND, OF COURSE, I AM WITH STUDENTS NOW. SO I THINK IT'S OK TO SAY THAT I HAVE HAD MORE EXPERIENCE WITH FACE-TO-FACE THAN MOST EDUCATORS IN THIS COUNTY. DURING ALL OF THIS TIME, I HAVE THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS DONE TO KEEP ME AND MY STUDENTS SAFE.

THE SITUATION IS NOT PERFECT, OF COURSE.

IT CAN'T BE. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. I KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL, THE STAFF IS WORKING HARD TO DEAL WITH THE MANY CHALLENGES THAT EXIST, SUCH AS THE BUS DRIVER SHORTAGE AND WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AND WORKING HARD AND I'M SURE THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE DOING THE SAME THING. RECENTLY, TWO OF MY STUDENTS TOLD ME THAT LAST YEAR WAS THEIR BEST AND I WAS QUITE SURPRISED AND SAID, HOW COULD IT HAVE BEEN? THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT WEARING A MASK OR SOCIAL DISTANCING.

THEY WERE HAPPY THEY COULD BE AT SCHOOL.

AND THEY KNEW THEY HAD GROWN ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY AND THAT OUR STAFF CARED ABOUT THEM AND THIS IS WHAT MATTERED TO THEM AND I'M SO HAPPY TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL WITH OUR OF OUR STUDENTS AND I'M PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WORKED SO HARD TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STUDENTS. AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WILL CONTINUE TO DO YOUR BEST TO SUPPORT OUR STAFF AND KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE. THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH.

GOOD EVENING. >> PRISCILLA BRADLEY.

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS APRIL PRISCILLA B.

I'M A UNION MEMBER, I'M ALSO A PARENT AND I'M SUBTLING SIT

[01:20:03]

THANK YOU, DR. JOHNSON, FOR WORKING TOGETHER WITH DR. CURRY AND THE BOARD TO GET THE SCHOOLS OPEN.

I'M NOT A PUBLIC SPEAKER. I MADE A COUPLE NOTES AND I'LL GO DOWN IS LIST A COUPLE OF THINGS AS AN EMPLOYEE THAT I'VE NOTICED AND AS A PARENT THAT I'M THANKFUL FOR AND I WANT TO SHOW MY SUPPORT TO YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE TEACHERS LAST YEAR FOR THEIR TRANSITION TO ONLINE LEARNING AND IT WAS A STRUGGLELE FOR ALL OF THE TEACHERS, BUT THEY WORKED OVERTIME AND I KNOW TEACHERS, FRIENDSCH TEACHERS FRIENDS OF TEACHERS WORKED INTO THE NIGHT TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE SUPPORTED. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE SUPPORT STAFF. I KNOW AT SOME POINT, A LOT OF THE SUPPORT STAFF, THEIR JOBS NO LONGER EXISTED, BUT YOU KEPT US EMPLOYED AND YOU GIVE US OTHER JOBS TO DO THAT WE WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO AND YOU KEPT US EMPLOYED.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE GRAB-AND-GO SCHOOL MEALS THAT YOU HELPED TO SUPPORT THROUGH THE CHILD NUTRITION DEPARTMENT.

YOU WILL NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HELPED THIS PAST YEAR. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THEN.

THEM. I AM PROUD AS A CITIZEN OF THIS CALVERT COUNTY. I AM PROUD AS A PARENT AND AN EMPLOYEE OF THIS DEPARTMENT TO SAY THAT I AM HAPPY TO WORK FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A DIVERSE BOAR BOARD AND THEY N TO MOVING FORWARD AND THEY'LL PUT THINGS IN POSITION, BUT IF WE NEED TO CHANGE IT, THANK YOU FOR BEING OPEN TO CHANGE AND FOR SUPPORTING YOUR STAFF. THANK YOU.

>> ROBIN COX. >> I'M WITH THE GROUP.

I'M ROBIN COX AND I'M ON BEHALF OF THE CALVERT PARENTS FOR EDUCATION. THERE'S A FIVE-YEAR ACTION PLAN WHERE WE USE SOCIAL JUSTICE STARREDS STANDARDS FOR LEARNINGFORJUSTICE.ORG CREATED BY SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER AND IT'S OBVIOUS THIS IS FROM A RADICAL PERSPECTIVE AND IN NO WAY NEUTRAL.

THERE'S ONE WAY BETWEEN ASIANS AND BLACKS, NOTING THEY ARE BOTH OPPRESSED AND SHOULD STAND TOGETHER AGAINST THE REAL PROBLEM IDENTIFYING AT WHAT ELSE BUT WHITE SUPREMACY.

IF WE WERE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT ANSWER ASIAN BIASED, WE WOULD ADDRESS 1456 STRUCK DOWN, WITHHELD FUNDING FROM COLLEGES, WHO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ASIANS IN THEIR ADMISSIONS PROCESS, AS THIS IS BLATANT SYSTEMIC RACISM.

LEARNINGFORJUSTICE.ORG, ENVISION SYSTEM SAFETY WITHOUT POLICE, ANOTHER POLITICALLY BIASED ACCOUNT OF LIFE WITHOUT CAUSE TO STUDENT ACTIVIST IS TEACHING TO BOOT.

THIS IS NO TO IMPLY OUR SCHOOL IS RECOMMENDING TEASE SPECIFIC ARTICLES, BUT TO GIVE INSIGH INTO THE GROUPS WE IN CALVERT COUNTY ARE ALIGNING WITH AS A FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL CURRICULUM.

TEACHERS ARE USING THE CLASSROOM TO PROMOTE PERSONALLY HELD POLITICAL BELIEFS IS MALPRACTICE.

ADULTS ARE KEENLY AWARE OF THE ONE-SIDED AND FEEL PRESSURED AND CHILDREN WHO ARE TERRIFIED TO BE BEOSTER SIZED.

YOU'RE EITHER A RACIST OR ANSWER RACIST, NO NEUTRAL WITH HIM.

[01:25:06]

(READING). >> AS SUCH, THEY HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE REALM OF ACADEMIC INQUIRY AND INTO THE REALM OF PROS THEY SIZING AND OUR CHILDREN SHOULD NOT FEEL PRESSURE TO ALIGN WITH PARTISAN VIEWPOINTS. (READING).

>> K THROUGH 12 IS JUDGER OF HIS SKIN BY THE CONTENT OF HIS CHARACTER. THIS IS WHAT THE EXACT CHARACTER OF WHAT DR. KING FOUGHT FOR. A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS.

I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE JANUARYA POST IS RUNNING FOR EDUCATION AND WE SUPPORT HER. POWER TO POWER IS A NATIONAL PARENT'S UNION ELECTED ALISH OSHBORN.

WE HAVE A CRITICAL RACE THEORY EVENT ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 AT 7:00 P.M. AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE WE WILL BE STREAMING A BROADCAST FROM DR. BACHMAN IS LASTLY, PARENT PLAINTIFFS ARE STILL COLLECTING FUNDS THROUGH A GIVE, SEVEN, GO UNDER THE BANNER OF SAVE CALVERT SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT PARENT LEAD LAWSUIT AGAINST THIS BOARD OF ED AND SUPERINTENDENT.

IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ISSUES WITH THE DISCRIMINATORY MEASURES, PLEASE CONSIDER ASSISTING WITH THIS LAWSUIT.

IF WE DON'T STAND UP FOR OUR CHILDREN, WHO WILL.

THANK YOU.

>> SARAH SARAH HALL. >> HILL LOW.

I'M SARAH HALL AND I WAS RAISED IN CALVERT COUNTY AS WAS MY HUSBAND AND I'M PROUD TO BE FROM CALVERT COUNTY.

I'M SO EXCITED FOR MY CHILDREN TO ATTEND THE SAME SCHOOLS.

I'M ALSO A NEW TEACHER HERE AND I LOVE MY JOB WITH ALL MY HEART.

I WANT TO THANK CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS HERE AND IN THE COMMUNITY TO COMBAT THE DISEASE OF RACISM THAT PLAGUES OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTY. I SAW RATE GRAFFITI ON MY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD AND I'VE HEARD NEIGHBORS SPOUT HATEFUL, FALSE CONSPIRACY THEORIES SOME THAT HAVE COST PEOPLE THEIR LIVES. IN MY RECENT TEACHER TRAINING, I WAS NEVER TAUGHT CRT. I WAS TRAINED TO TREAT ALL CHILDREN AND MY COLLEAGUES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE OR SEXUALITY. OUR CHILDREN ARE SO BLESSED SO HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS DEDICATED TO CREATING A SAFE, EQUITABLE, ANTI-RACIST ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM.

MY CHILDREN WILL ATTEND THESE SCHOOLS AND I WAS FEARFUL OVER THE PAST YEAR ABOUT SENDING THEM TO THE SCHOOLS, BUT SINCE I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE SCHOOLS, I COULD NOT HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR THEM TO COME INTO THE CULTURE THAT YOU GUYS ARE CREATING. I SEE HOW THE STUDENTS ARE RESPONDING AND THEY LOVE SCHOOL. THEY FEEL INCLUDED IN EVERY

[01:30:04]

JUST BECAUSE THERE'S LOUDER VOICES, IT DOES NOT MAKE THEM THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY AND THANK YOU AGAIN.

SO THANK YOU. >> REVEREND KEN PHELPS.

>> MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AND I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT FROM THE POLICY NETWORK AND IN THAT REGARD, I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND WHICH LEAD THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WHICH CREATES AND SUSTAINING THE UP THE INSTITUTION OF SLAVERY BY WHICH WE BENEFITED GREATLY.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THE DIOCESE SUPPORTS YOU IN YOUR EFFORTS AND DURING THE LAST SESSION, WE ENDORSE THE HOUSE BILL 11, WHICH MANDATED THE CREATION OF STANDARDS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY AND STATE-WIDE CURRICULUM AND THE BEAUTY IS WE'RE GOING TO AGAIN. RESOLUTIONS FROM OUR NATIONAL CHURCH AND THOSE FOURTHCOMING TO OUR OWN CONVENTION IN BALTIMORE IN NOVEMBER WILL REAFFIRM OUR BELIEF THAT STORIES ARE S ARC D AND NEED TO BE TOLD AND TRUE RECONCILIATION CAN NEVER TAKE PLACE. OUR RESOLUTIONS WILL ENCOURAGE OUR LOCAL PARISHES, CLERGY TO WORK IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, IN OUR COUNTIES WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS TO FURTHER EQUITY AND HONEST HONESTY TO BENEFIT ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN AND AS AN HISTORIAN, THAT WAS MY FIRST LOVE BEFORE I ENTERED THE PRIESTHOOD AND IT WAS AN HISTORIAN AND NOT A HISTORIAN, I MAY TELL YOU I STAND WITH YOU AND SUPPORT OF YOUR EFFORTS THIS EVENING. AS A FORMER EDUCATOR REMINDED ME, WE HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM KNOWING OUR HISTORY, BUT HE WENT ONTO SAY THAT HISTORY WITHOUT TRUTH IS FOLKLORE.

THAT'S AT ITS BEST. I WOULD ADD HISTORY IS WRIS AND PERPETUATED BY THOSE WITH POWER AND INFLUENCE TO CONTROL IT AND THE HISTORY THAT YOU AND I GREW UP WITH PAYMENTSES E OF AN AMERICA THAT NEVER EXISTED THAT WERE HERE LONG BEFORE THE EUROPEANS ARRIVED, FOR WOMEN DEPRIVED THE RATE RIGHT TO VD STILL STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL PAY AND RESPECT AND SCRIPTED TO FIGHT FOR THE UNION AND TO YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICANS SEPTEMBER AWAY AFRICAN-AMERICANS SENT AWAY TO FIGHT OUR WAR IN VIETNAM.

I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO ELABORATE.

I WOULD LOVE TO SLIP INTO A LECTURE.

BUT ALL OF US HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF KNOWING OUR REAL HISTORY, ALL OF US. AND IN THAT SPIRIT, LET ME SAY -- I THINK THAT'S FIVE? THAT'S THE PUBLIC POLICY NETWORK. I JUST WANT TO SAY WE'VE ALL BEEN DEPRIVED OF KNOWING OUR REAL HISTORY AND I WANT TO SAY TO EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, YOU HAVE TO ENEMIES HERE.

OUR ANGERS AND OUR PASSIONS ARE MISDIRECTED, YOURS AND MINE.

AND OUR COMMON ENEMY ARE THOSE WHO PERPETUATE THE MYTHS THAT KEEP US FIGHTING EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF FIGHTING COMMON CAUSES, BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO HEAL THE ILLS OF OUR NATION AND WORLD AND THAT IS A CRITICAL STUDY FROM WHICH WE WOULD ALL BENEFIT AS WELL AS THOSE YET UNBORN.

AND OH, I WOULD WELCOME TIME SPENT IN THAT DIALOGUE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS US ALL.

[01:35:04]

WEBER. >> GOOD EVENING.

I'M CONANY WEBER AND C. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MANDATORY VACCINES FOR CHILDREN. JUST FOR COMPARISON, IN 1976, AFTER 45 MILLION VACCINATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT CANCELED THE SWINE FLU VACCINE PROGRAM BECAUSE 53 PEOPLE DIED.

SO FAR, OR 12,000 AMERICAN DEATHS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO THE COVID VACCINES. AND SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES HAVE REPEALED APPROVAL OF SOME VACCINES AND THE CDC JUST LAUNCHED A STUDY ON THE LINK BETWEEN VACCINES AND CHANGES TO WOMEN'S MENSTRUAL VEHICLELES THE RISK TO TEENAGE BOYS OF DEVELOPING SERIOUS HEART PROBLEMS FROM VACCINE IS SIX TIMES GREATER THAN THE RISK OF HOSPITALIZED BY COVID.

AND SHOCKINGLY, WE'RE SEEING DISCUSSION ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS MANDATING THE VACCINE FOR ALL CHILDREN, DESPITE EVIDENCE THAT HEALTHY CHILDREN ARE AT A GREATER RISK OF SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE VACCINE THAN FROM THE VIRUS.

THOSE OF US WHO PAY ATTENTION COULD SEE THIS COMING AS IF IT WERE SCRIPTED. AND OVER THE SUMMER, THE NEWS MEDIA FOCUSED ON PROMOTING A NARRATIVE THAT COVID WAS ATTACKING YOUNGER ADULTS AND CHILDREN AND IF SOMEONE UNDER 40 WAS HOSPITALIZED OR SADLY DIED. THE PRESS GAVE IT WALL-TO WALL COVERAGE, SAY IT WAS MANNING E OLD AND SICK.

NEXT UNIVERSAL MARKING IS LARGELY INEFFECTIVE AT STOPPING THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS AND CAUSING REAL HARM TO CHILDREN AND SCHOOL MASK MANDATES WERE REIMPOSED AND NOW THE COVID POLICE ARE GOING AFTER OUR CHILDREN WITH VACCINE MANDATES.

WHY SHOULD WE FORCIBLY VACCINATE HEALTHY CHILDREN WHO STATISTICALLY ARE AT ZERO RISK OF SERIOUS ILLNESS OR DEATH FROM COVID? HEALTHY CHILDREN HAVE A FAR GREATER RISK FROM INFLUENZA BUT WE DO NOT MANDATE THE INFLUENZA VACCINE? AND WHAT ABOUT THE MILLIONS OF CHILDREN WITH NATURAL IMMUNITY? NATURAL IMMUNITY IS 20 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN VACCINES. THERE'S NO REASON FOR THESE CHILDREN TO BE VACCINATED. AMERICANS ARE COERCED TO BE FORCED WITH VACCINES. MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS HAVE SUCH SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE VACCINES, SHOULDN'T WE ALL? AN ADVISORY BOARD TO THE CDC EXPECT COVID TO DROP IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS WITHOUT A MIDWINTER SPIKE.

SO IF SO, WHY IS THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SO ANXIOUS THAT EVERYONE BE FORCED VACCINATED? I URGE IN BOARD RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO IMPOSE VACCINE MANDATES AND LET PARENTS MAKE THE DECISION ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

THANK YOU.

[4. Board Comments]

>> WE'LL MOVE INTO THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA WHICH WILL CLOSE OUT THE MEETING AND I'LL START WITH OUR STUDENT MEMBER.

>> HELLO, EVERYBODY, I'M THE STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A I'VE BEEN UP TO THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. FIRST OF ALL, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL HAD A MEETING AND I PRESENTED SURVEYS AND WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ACTUAL MEETING UNTIL NOW AND I HAVE TO SAY IT'S A GREAT GROUP OF KIDS. I ASKED A LOT OF TOUGH QUESTIONS AND EVERY SINGLE TIME, I GOT A FANTASTIC ANSWER BACK AND IF YOU'RE WATCHING, THANK YOU FOR JOINING AND APPLICATIONS ARE STILL OPEN IF YOUR CHILD IS INTERESTED.

AND SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY SAW IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, I'VE SEEN AS WELL, AND ONE WHICH WAS THE INABILITY TO JOIN THE TEAM'S LIVESTREAM AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY CLEARED UP AND WEDA HAVE WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

IMPROVEMENTS IN BUSING, THERE IS A LACK OF BUS DRIVERS AND THERE WAS A REROUTE AND THAT HAS LADYD TO STUDENTING STUDENTS AR.

EVERY SINGLE STUDENT ON THE COUNCIL AGREED THAT TEACHING HAS

[01:40:07]

THAT CAN'T BE CONTROLLED, BUT THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT THEY WANTED ME TO BRING UP AT A THE E BOARD MEETING AND THAT IS IMPORTANT. FOR THE FORUM, THE SECOND MEETING IN OCTOBER, I HAVE MULTIPLE MEMBERS INTERESTED IN THE Q & A AND A COMPLETE FINALIZED LIST AND THE TOPICS AND THERE'S BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF INTEREST EVERY SINGLE PLACE I'VE ANNOUNCED IT AND I'M EXCITED FOR THAT, AS WELL AND THAT'S IT FROM ME. THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND LEAVING PUBLIC COMMENT AND HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, EVERYBODY.

>> THANK YOU, MR. KELLY. >> WHITE.

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY TO CAME TO SPEAK AND IT'S NICE TO HEAR YOUR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU TO THE PRINCIPALS HUGO HAVE OPENED UP THEIR SCHOOLS.

I'VE SEEN TEACHERS TEACHING AND ESPECIALLY TALKING TO THE NURSES. I WENT TO ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THEY SAID, ARE YOU SHARE YOU WANT TO TALK TO HER? I SAID, YES, I DO. THE CONVERSATION, SHE WAS FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE THINGS GOING ON AND UNDERSTANDABLY SO AND SHE WENT FROM ANGER TO TEARS AND THEN, LATER ON THAT NIGHT, AT ABOUT 9:00, SHE SEPTEMBER MEA MESSAGE DIDN'T AND THE MESSM TRAGEDIES, BUS DRIVERS AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING AND I KNOW MY DAUGHTER HAS HAD THREE DIFFERENT BUS DRIVERS AND TWO ADMINISTRATORS AND SO I DEFINITELY SEE THEM WORKING, BUT ONCE AGAIN, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMUNICATION THAT WE ARE RECEIVING.

>> THANK YOU, MR. WHITE. MR. NUTTER.

>> THANK YOU. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF TONIGHT AND THE CITIZENS THAT CAME OUT. YOU KNOW, YOU THINK BACK IN 2010, WHEN I WAS FIRST A COMMISSIONER, THE FIRST WENT I WENT WAS THE RETIRED TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION IN 2010, AND I SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU AND THE STAFF, THE PEOPLE THAT GET THESE PLACES READY AND I SAID, WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHAT DO WE NEED? I'M PROVIDE THE EIGHT AREAS, I MAINTAINED CONTACT WITH THE TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION NOW AND THE, OF COURSE, CASE.

AND ALSO, I WOULD LICK LIKE K ALL OF THE CITIZENS THAT CAME OUT AND WITH THAT, I'LL MAKE A MOTION -- I MADE IT LAST WEEK.

I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER -- A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T WRITE.

I KNOW WE DO EMAILS. IF YOU GOT ME TO WRITE A SENTENCE, IT WOULD LOOK THIS LONG.

AND I THINK THAT THE MEETINGS SHOULD BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AS SPEAKERS. YOU CAN PUT A TIME LIMIT OF TWO MINUTES AND FIVE MINUTES BUT I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT MOTION THAT WE OPEN THIS TO THE PUBLIC FOR SPEAKERS.

I THINK IN THE END, IT'S. AS THINGS BEGIN TO SETTLE DOWN, YOU --E BEEN THROUGH 20 SPEAKERS.

THERE WAS AN EDUCATOR IN HERE A LITTLE WHILE AGO, GEEZ WE'VE BEEN IN HERE UNTIL 12:00 AND ANYWHERE, THAT'S MY MOTION.

>> SECOND? >> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR

[01:45:02]

>> 3-1. >> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS?

>> NOT REAL. >> MISS COUSINS.

>> MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND STAFF AND TRANSPORTATION AND THE BUS DRIVERS AND THE PARENTS.

WE'VE HAD A DIFFICULT TWO YEARS HERE AT CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I DO BELIEVE BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE NATION, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE STATE, THAT WE ARE DOING -- YOU ARE DOING, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING BUT SITTING HEAR, HT YOU'RE SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS AND I CAN'T BE MORE GRATEFUL THAN.

I'VE HEARD FROM PARENTS THAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE MET AND TRUE, THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LARGER CLASSROOM SIZES AND QUARANTINING AND THEY'RE SORT OF THING AND THE EDUCATION THAT THEY'RE STUDENTS ARE GETTING IS ON PAR FOR WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AND WHAT THEY DESERVE AND FOR THAT, I'M GRATEFUL AND IF YOU FOR COMING OUT AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY AND HAVE A GOOD

NICE. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. MISS MAXIE, WILL YOU KNOW THAT WAS TOWARDS MR. NUTTER'S MOTION.

AND SEEING NOTHING

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.