Mar 27, 2025 Board of Education

[2.01 Pledge of Allegiance/Moment of Silence]

[00:00:27]

LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU.

[2.02 Bid Approvals]

>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT POST. MY NAME IS SHELDON TAYLOR, I AM THE SUPERVISOR. TODAY, I HAVE TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. JOINING ME THIS EVENING IS VALERIE FARMER, SUPERVISOR OF NUTRITION CALVERT COUNTY SCHOOLS ISSUED AN INVITATION TO BID FOR THE PURCHASE OF CAFETERIA DISPOSABLE SUPPLIES TO BE USED BY THE PROGRAM FOR THE PURPOSE OF FOOD SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

PRICE PROPOSALS WERE ACCEPTED UP TO THE 2:00 P.M. DEADLINE ON FEBRUARY 28TH. WITH 13 VENDOR SUBMISSIONS FOR CAFETERIA DISPOSABLE SUPPLIES ARE DESCRIBED WITHIN THE MEMO. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BOARD AWARD THE CONTRACTS WITH PRICING VALID THROUGH JUNE, 2026 TO THE RESPONSIBLE VENDORS AS DETAILED IN THE MEMO BEFORE YOU PRINT FUNDING FOR THIS PURCHASE WILL BE THROUGH THE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM.

>> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? NO, I NEED A MOTION.

>> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET.

>> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> ANY DISCUSSION? >> ON THE USE OF DISPOSABLES, WE HAVE DONE A COST-BENEFIT OF USING PLATES, SILVERWARE, AND HAVING A DISHWASHER, VERSUS CONTINUING TO USE ONE TIME

THINGS. >> ACTUALLY, DURING COVID IS WHEN WE HAD THE PEAK USAGE OF DISPOSABLES. SINCE THAT TIME, IT WAS MORE RELATED TO STAFFING SHORTAGES. BUT, THIS YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE. MOST OF OUR STAFF POSITIONS ARE FULL, SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING DOWN, AT USING DISPOSABLE TRAYS. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ROUGHLY, FIVE THAT WERE USING IT FOR THE ENTIRE SERVICE , AND USING IT FOR PART OF THE DAY, MAYBE LIKE, THE LAST SHIFT. WE HAD ONE THAT WENT FROM USING IT PARTIALLY TO NOT USING IT AT ALL, AND FOUR OR FIVE THAT WERE USING IT ALL DAY, THAT ARE NOW USING ONE NEXT YEAR. WHEN NORTHERN MIDDLE IS DONE WITH CONSTRUCTION, WE WILL ALSO GOING BACK TO USING

>> EVERY BUILDING THAT HAS A KITCHEN FOR COOKING ALSO HAS A DISHWASHER AVAILABLE FOR TRAYS?

>> YES, EXCEPT FOR NORTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> THANK YOU. >> WITH THIS BID AND EXPECTED USAGE AGAINST THE BID PRICES, WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTED -- HOW MUCH ARE YOU GOING TO UTILIZE? ARE THERE ANY POTENTIAL BUDGET SAVINGS WITH THESE BID RESULTS, VERSUS WHAT YOU ACCOUNTED FOR? HOW DOES IT LOOK AGAINST WHAT THE BUDGET WAS?

>> THE PRICING THAT WE HAVE HERE ACROSS THE BOARD, ALL OF IT WAS BETTER. ACTUALLY, SOME OF IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER. TRASH BAGS HAPPENS TO BE ONE THAT JUMPS TO MIND. WE REACHED OUT TO SCHOOL FACILITIES BECAUSE THEY USE TRASH BAGS TOO. I THINK THE LAST TIME WE DID THIS , THERE WERE STILL SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES, AND PRICES WERE HIGHER. THE OPPORTUNITY, TO SEE WHAT IS OUT THERE NOW, BECAUSE PRICES ARE STARTING TO TREND DOWN. I'M

[00:05:04]

PARTICIPANTS. NOT EVERY GROUP BID ON EVERY ITEM. BUT, QUITE A

FEW DID. >> ONE MORE QUESTION. ARE WE COLLABORATING WITH ANY OF THE OTHER COUNTIES , ST. MARY'S OR CHARLES TO BUY IN TO GET BETTER PRICES?

>> THIS BID, WE DID INDEPENDENTLY. WE DID THAT WITH SOME ITEMS. NOW, WE TEND TO DO COUNTIES. ICE CREAM. THIS ONE,

WE DID GO OUT ON OUR OWN. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME. >> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I AM SEEING NONE. WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN

FAVOR? >> AYE.

>> THE MOTION CARRIES 5-0. >> THANK YOU, MR. JOEL PARMER WILL JOIN ME NEXT, THE EXISTING HELP DESK SOFTWARE FOR ZENDESK.

THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN USING THE SWEET PRO HELP DESK SOFTWARE TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPPORT AS A CENTRAL CONTACT FOR STUDENTS, STAFF AND PARENTS.

ZENDESK ALLOWS TECHNICIANS TO MANAGE, TRACK AND RESPOND TO THE DISTRICTS CUSTOMER SERVICE NEEDS BY PROVIDING PERSONALIZED SUPPORT. THE SOFTWARE PROVIDES THE I.T. DEPARTMENT WITH THE ABILITY TO DEVELOP ARTICLES. BY USING OUR MEMBERSHIP WITH THE MARYLAND EDUCATION ENTERPRISE CONSORTIUM , WE CAN ENSURE THAT MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO COOPERATIVE PRICING, AUTHORIZED VENDORS. THE I.T. DEPARTMENT RECEIVED THREE SEPARATE QUOTES THAT REPRESENTED PRICING FROM THREE DIFFERENT COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACTS. AS AN AUTHORIZED RESELLER OF ZENDESK, CD WG WORKED WITH OUR DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THE BEST VALUE WAS PROVIDED BASED ON THE PARAMETERS. A COMPARISON OF THE QUOTES WE RECEIVED SHOWED THAT THE NATIONAL SOLUTIONS, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS EXPENSIVE AND WE PROVIDED THE DISTRICT WITH ZENDESK HELPDESK SOFTWARE THROUGH JULY 15TH, 2026. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BOARD AWARD THE CONTRACT TO CDW-G OF VERNON HILLS, ILLINOIS, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GENERATED THIS PURCHASE REQUEST AND ALL FUNDING WILL BE THROUGH THE I.T. BUDGET.

>> A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

>> YES. THERE IS QUITE A BIG SPREAD ON SOME OF THESE PRICES.

THEY ARE DEFINITELY RESPONSIVE. ANYTIME THEY CAN CLAIM ANY SORT OF MIDAIR, OR WITHDRAW THEIR PRICE. THERE IS A DISCREPANCY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT UNIT PRICING. GRANTED, WITH ALL OF THE CDW-G THE TOP, YOU HAVE TO READ DOWN AND THERE ARE OTHER LITTLE SUB COMPANIES THAT CAME FROM CDW-G. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE BEYOND THE POINT WHERE THEY CAN PULL EVERYTHING BACK AND DISCOVERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED, THE SCOPE IS GOOD.

>> NO, WE ARE NOT, AND ACTUALLY, THE DEAL THAT WE GOT FOR THE CONTRACT WAS SWEETENED, IF YOU WILL, FROM ZENDESK, BECAUSE WE ARE CONTINUING TO RENEW. THEY REALLY MADE SURE THAT WE HAD A

REALLY GOOD PRICE ON IT. >> THAT WAS, ACTUALLY, AN OBSERVATION I HAD. YES, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, IT IS THREE SEPARATE, AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT , A SIGNIFICANT COST DIFFERENCE, SO THAT IS REALLY GREAT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO, I AM SEEING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

>> AYE. >> THE MOTION CARRIES, 5-0.

[2.03 Federal Grant Discussion]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, WE HAVE OUR FEDERAL GRANT DISCUSSION. DR. KENDY ANDERSON AND SCOTT JOHNSON.

[00:10:14]

>> GOOD EVENING, DR. TOWNSEL, PRESIDENT POST, AND BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS. SCOTT JOHNSON IS WITH ME, AS WELL. WE ARE GOING TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING ANTICIPATED FEDERAL GRANT REDUCTIONS FOR FY26.

>> ALL RIGHT. HOLD ON. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU.

>> THEY ARE, LITERALLY, THE ONLY THING WORKING AROUND HERE TODAY.

>> I NEEDED ADULT SUPPORT FROM KAREN TODAY. IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED. TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, BOARD MEMBERS REQUESTED A PRESENTATION OF FEDERAL GRANTS THAT ARE BEING PUT ON HOLD OR CANCELED. I BELIEVE THAT MR. JOHNSON SENT OUT A MESSAGE TO EVERYBODY, AND I WAS THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT HAD ANY IMPACT THAT WAY, SO I WILL BE, PRIMARILY, PRESENTING TONIGHT. THE BIG , OVERARCHING QUESTION IS HOW MUCH WAS COMMITTED AND IS OUTSTANDING? I WANT TO START BY SAYING, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO FY25 GRANTS. THEY ARE HOLDING STEADY. AND, THERE SHOULD BE NO CHANGES TO THEM. THEN, THE SECOND QUESTION WAS, IF WE HAVE SPENT ANY GRANTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PAID, OR ARE UNFULFILLED, AND IMPACT OUR PLAN IF FUNDING DOES NOT COME THROUGH. I DON'T HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH FY25, AT ALL. AT THE TIME THAT WE CREATED THE POWERPOINT THAT IS BEFORE YOU, WE HAD THE ESTIMATES, AND THEY WERE PROVIDED BY MSDE EARLIER IN THE MONTH. THEY SHARE ALLOCATIONS, AND THEY WILL INCREASE AND DECREASE SLIGHTLY DURING THE APPLICATION AND APPROVAL PROCESS, AND LAST YEAR, BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, WE HAD SUBMITTED ALL OF OUR GRANTS, AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT REDUCTION, AND WE HAD TO DO AN AMENDMENT. THAT IS JUST PART OF THE PROCESS. IT IS PRETTY FLUID. IT IS NOT HUGELY DISCREPANT. AFTER THIS WAS UPLOADED , AND THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED , I RECEIVED UPDATED INFORMATION THAT IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT , SO I THINK YOU HAVE ONE PAGE, AS WELL. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS , WE, INITIALLY, WERE PLANNING FOR SECONDARY TRANSITION GRANT WITH THOSE AMOUNTS. THAT HAS BEEN TOTALLY WIPED OUT SINCE MAC WE PRESENTED THIS, AS WELL AS THE APP ACCESS AND EQUITY AND PROGRESS GRANT, WHICH WE REFER TO AS AP. IF YOU LOOK ON THE ONE PAGE, THERE IS A RED BOX THERE. THE NEWS IS NOT HORRIBLE, BECAUSE, WHAT THEY DID INSTEAD IS THEY GAVE US A ONE TIME SUPPLEMENT OF $164,414. WHICH, IS, A LITTLE MORE THAN 50% OF WHAT THOSE TWO ALLOCATIONS WERE PRIOR TO THIS. I WAS ANTICIPATING THAT REDUCTION. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THEM TO ZERO OUT THOSE GRANTS AND DO IT THROUGH A ONE TIME SUPPLEMENT, THOUGH, AND I WANTED TO BE VERY CLEAR ON THE FLOW OF THOSE DOLLARS. THAT IS REPRESENTED HERE , THAT THE GRANT ACCESS EQUITY AND PROGRESS, WHICH WE REFER TO AS AEP. I KNOW ABOUT THIS , PROBABLY, EIGHT WEEKS AGO, AND SO, SOME OF THE GRANTS THAT HAVE CARRYOVER THAT WE DID NOT EXPEND, WE HELD BACK ON , SO THAT SOME OF THIS CAN BE COVERED WITH CARRYOVER FROM FY25. AND SO, I AM NOT CONCERNED, AT ALL, WITH THIS NEXT YEAR , FY26 COMING UP. IN FY27, WE MAY NEED TO TALK ABOUT A POSITION OR TWO, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS TERRIBLY SIGNIFICANT, WITH ALMOST 24 MONTHS OF PLANNING AHEAD OF US. SO, WITH THAT, I CAN OPEN IT UP TO CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS. WE ARE IN THE

[00:15:04]

>> THANK YOU. I WILL ASK MY QUESTION NOW. CAN YOU TELL ME,

ARE THESE ALL FEDERAL GRANTS? >> THE EASY ANSWER IS YES, BUT SOME OF THEM FLOW-THROUGH MARYLAND , AND SO, THE ORIGIN IS FEDERAL, AND A FLOW-THROUGH -- PASSER KINDS OF FUNDS. IN THE

TRUEST SENSE, SORT OF. >> WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF FEDERAL GRANTS OR PASS-THROUGHS FROM

MARYLAND. AND, SPECIAL ED. >> JUST SPECIAL ED. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE HAD ANY CHANGES, CORRECT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT. >> SCOTT, DO YOU THINK THERE ARE ANY OTHER GRANTS THAT ARE AT RISK OF BEING CANCELED , FEDERAL? ANYTHING WITH EQUITY IN THE TITLE? DIVERSITY OR

INCLUSION? >> I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY, BUT GIVEN WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IT IS A

LITTLE UNPREDICTABLE. >> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> CAN I QUICKLY ASKED, WHAT DECISIONS, SPECIFICALLY, YOU MENTIONED IN FY27, WOULD BE IMPACTED BY THE ACCESS EQUITY IN PROGRESS PUT THE SECONDARY TRANSITION LUMPED IN THERE. THERE IS A .5 JOB DEVELOPER POSITION IN SECONDARY TRANSITION , THAT WAS FUNDED THIS LAST YEAR, AS A 1.0. SO, IT IS VACANT RIGHT NOW , AND WAITING FOR ON BOARDING, AND WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THE .5 FOR NEXT YEAR. THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN 27, I WOULD EITHER USE MEDICAID FUNDS TO PAY FOR IT, OR I WOULD ASK FOR IT TO GO AND I DO THINK THE .5, SINCE WE HAVE A TRANSITION TEACHER SPECIALIST, IS ADEQUATE, AT THIS POINT.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. >> UP NEXT, WE WILL HAVE A

[2.04 Strategic Plan]

>> GOOD EVENING, MRS. POST. I AM SUSAN JOHNSON, THE CHIEF

OPERATIONS OFFICER. >> JACKIE JACOBS, CHIEF ACADEMIC

OFFICER. >> SCOTT JOHNSON, CHIEF

FINANCIAL OFFICER. >> WE ARE HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN. EACH OF US WILL BE SHARING INFORMATION. JUST TO RECAPTURE, WHAT WE HAVE SHARED WITH YOU PREVIOUSLY, IS THAT THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED THE JOURNEY OF A GRADUATE THAT FOCUSES ON THE SKILLS THAT STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE A CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE MISSION BEING UNLOCKING POTENTIAL, EMPOWERING EXCELLENCE AND SHAPING FUTURES. AS A SYNOPSIS, OF THE LARGER MISSION AND VISION. WE HAVE FOUR PRIORITY AREAS FOR THE PRIORITY AREAS ARE STUDENT EXCELLENCE, CULTURAL LEARNING, ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. ALL THOSE PIECES WERE APPROVED PRIOR, AND NOW WE ARE HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU WHERE WE ARE IN THE STRATEGIES TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES, TO IDENTIFY FOR YOU THE OBJECTIVES, AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO MEET THOSE OBJECTIVES THROUGH THE STRATEGIES. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MRS. JACOBS FOR STUDENT EXCELLENCE AND CULTURAL

LEARNING. >> STUDENT EXCELLENCE SHARES HOW CCPS IS ENSURING THAT EVERY STUDENT NOT ONLY MEETS HER

[00:20:05]

THE STRATEGIES UNDER THAT OBJECTIVE INCLUDE, PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRONG TIER ONE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTION FOR ALL STUDENTS. PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS ON IDENTIFYING AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK THAT WOULD SUPPORT STRONG TIER ONE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES. AND, SUPPORTING THE MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT TEAMS, AND IDENTIFYING, PROVIDING AND MONITORING TIER TWO AND THREE SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS.

OBJECTIVE TWO IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT DEVELOPS ACADEMIC MIND-SETS AND HABITS THAT SUPPORT LEARNING, AND THIS STRATEGY UNDER THAT OBJECTIVE IS PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO STAFF AND LEADERSHIP ON STRATEGIES AND ROUTINES THAT DEVELOP INDEPENDENT LEARNERS AND PROMOTE STUDENT AGENCY AND OWNERSHIP. OBJECTIVE THREE IS TO ENSURE EVERY STUDENT HAS ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE THEIR PASSIONS , AND THE STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE, OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THEIR STRENGTHS AND INTERESTS THROUGH THE CAREER ADVISING PROGRAM. REFINING AND EXPANDING EARLY COLLEGE PATHWAY, CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING OUR AP PATHWAY, AND EXPANDING APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND CAREER TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PATHWAYS. OBJECTIVE FOUR IS TO ENSURE EVERY STUDENT IS ENGAGED IN RIGOROUS AND AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES, STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE EXPANDING PROJECT-BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES TO CREATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND PROVIDE THOSE AUTHENTIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. AND, PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RELEVANT AND RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION. MOVING ON TO CULTURE OF LEARNING. CULTURE OF LEARNING DESCRIBES THE CONDITIONS AND QUALITIES OF ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING AND SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS. INDICATORS IDENTIFIED FOR PROGRESS MONITORING HERE, INCLUDE, STUDENT CLIMATE, WHICH INCLUDES STUDENTS REPORTING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND FEELING SAFE AT SCHOOL THROUGH OUR CLIMATE SURVEY. LOOKING AT CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, STUDENT ATTENDANCE, AND THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT. THERE ARE FIVE OBJECTIVES IN THIS PRIORITY AREA. OBJECTIVE ONE IS TO CREATE AND SUPPORT ACCESSIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE. THE STRATEGIES HERE INCLUDE, DEVELOPING AND EXPANDING CLASSROOM SCHOOLWIDE, AND COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES AND STUDENT VOICE. COMPLETE A SYSTEMIC ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS OF BARRIERS TO REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION TO ACCELERATE ENROLLMENT , EARLY COLLEGE, GIFTED AND TALENTED, CAREER TECHNOLOGY, ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND APPRENTICESHIPS. DEVELOP AN ANTI-BULLYING PLAN AND RESOURCES FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS AND WITHIN YEAR ONE, RESEARCH FORMATIVE MONITORING TOOLS TO MEASURE EXPERIENCES WITH BULLYING AND DISCRIMINATION AND DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT CCPS INCLUSIVE PRACTICES GUIDEBOOK AND REVISE THE DISTRICT EQUITY PLAN. OBJECTIVE TWO IS CREATING ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT ACADEMIC GROWTH AND MIND-SETS, WITH STRATEGIES INCLUDING IMPLEMENTING A MULTITIER SYSTEM OF SUPPORT GUIDE, AND CLARIFYING PROCESSES. DEVELOPING A TIERED APPROACH THAT IMPROVES STUDENT ATTENDANCE. OBJECTIVE THREE IS PROVIDING SYSTEMS FOR BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS THAT CREATE SAFE AND ORDERLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. STRATEGIES HERE INCLUDE, OPERATIONALIZING THE MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING. CONDUCTING A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS TO REDUCE DISPROPORTIONALITY IN STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND CLIMATE DATA, AND COORDINATING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, WHO ARE AWARDED GRANTS THROUGH THE MARYLAND CONSORTIUM GRANTS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE SCHOOLS AND ENSURE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS ALIGNED WITH DISTRICT INITIATIVES AND EQUITABLE PRACTICES. OBJECTIVE FOUR IS AROUND CELEBRATING STAFF AND STUDENT SUCCESSES. OUR STRATEGIES INCLUDE CREATING FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPPORTUNITIES TO RECOGNIZE STAFF DEDICATION AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. CREATING FORMAL AND INFORMAL OPPORTUNITIES TO RECOGNIZE STUDENT GROWTH AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS. FINALLY, OBJECTIVE FIVE, PROVIDE RELEVANT , PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. STRATEGIES HERE INCLUDE PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO ADMINISTRATORS ON THE MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT PROCESS, AND HOW TO UTILIZE CURRENT TEAMS TO EFFECTIVELY IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS. PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO ENHANCE TIER ONE SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS, AND PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

[00:25:01]

FAMILIES. >> OUR NEXT FOCUS IS ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. AND, THE OBJECTIVE IS, RESPONSIBLY MANAGE RESOURCES, OPTIMIZE BUDGET , AND SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS. STRATEGIES INCLUDE DEVELOPING A PROPOSED FUNDRAISING POLICY. DEVELOPING FUNDRAISING PROCEDURES AND DISTRICT. AND, REVIEW AND CONSIDER REVISIONS TO POLICY 5750 REGARDING DONATIONS. AND, TO ESTABLISH A COMMITTEE TO EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF SEEKING ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING. OUR SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE FAIR AND JUST DISTRIBUTION OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES. BY A STRATEGY OF ALIGNING THE CCPS BUDGET WITH MARYLAND BLUEPRINT RESOURCE ALLOCATION DEPARTMENTS. OUR THIRD OBJECTIVE IS TO INVEST IN MAINTENANCE ENHANCEMENTS TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL LEARNING AND WORK ENVIRONMENTS. THIS STRATEGY WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS TO GATHER STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, OR CIP. THE FOURTH OBJECTIVE IS TO OPTIMIZE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE TEACHING, PERSONALIZED LEARNING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY.

THE STRATEGY WOULD BE TO ANALYZE ADMINISTRATIVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS, TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY. OBJECTIVE FIVE IN ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS TO RECRUIT, RETAIN AND SUSTAIN A HIGH QUALITY AND DIVERSE STAFF. THE STRATEGIES IN THIS AREA INCLUDE, ALIGNING CCPS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGIES TO THE BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS. ANALYZE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR CURRENT RECRUITMENT EFFORTS. ANALYZE ROOT CAUSES OF EMPLOYEE SEPARATION TO IMPROVE RETENTION, AND TO ANALYZE DATA TO DETERMINE EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION. OUR SIXTH AND FINAL OBJECTIVE UNDER ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY IS TO COLLECT, ANALYZE AND UTILIZE DATA TO INFORM PRACTICES, ALLOCATIONS, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING. THE STRATEGIES HERE INCLUDE, COMPILE A LIST OF CURRENT IMPROVEMENT AND RETENTION PRACTICES AND DEVELOP A PROCESS TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT , AND ALSO, TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL MANUAL TO STANDARDIZE PROCEDURES, IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, ENHANCE COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS ALL

DEPARTMENTS. >> FINALLY, THE LAST PRIORITY IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE THREE OBJECTIVES ALIGNED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INCLUDE, ENSURING COMMUNICATION THAT IS TRANSPARENT, AND PURPOSEFUL. ESTABLISHING A WELL-DEFINED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE , A PLAN THAT SUPPORT STRATEGIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASING PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THE LEARNING PROCESS.

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE SIX AREAS, THAT WE WOULD BE USING TO PROGRESS MONITOR, AND THEY INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF APP DOWNLOADS. THE NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

PARENT SATISFACTION WITH COMMUNICATION. ACTIVE PARENT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES. ACTIVE IN DIVERSE PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS. IN ORDER TO GET THOSE OBJECTIVES MET, IN OUR FIRST YEAR, WE ARE DEFINING SYSTEM COMMUNICATION TOOLS. WE ARE DEVELOPING A DISTRICTWIDE COMMUNICATION PLAN.

WE ARE DEVELOPING NEW DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN STAKEHOLDERS SURVEYS. WE ARE FORMING A COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH A DISTRICT PARTNERSHIP LIST, AND WE ARE DEFINING ACTIVE PARENT ENGAGEMENT. THROUGH THESE PROCESSES, THESE WOULD BE, BASELINE, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE NEXT STEPS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE OTHER PIECE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS PART OF THE PROCESS WAS, DEVELOPING A DATA DASHBOARD. WHEN YOU SEE THESE PICTURES OF THESE GRAPHICS AT THE BOTTOM, THEY COME RIGHT FROM WHAT WE DISPLAYED ON THE WEBSITE, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT THE OBJECTIVES ARE. WHAT THE STRATEGIES ARE, AND WHERE WE ARE IN THESE MONITORING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. WE HOPE THAT WILL BE ACTIVE SHORTLY, SO IT WOULD BE KICKED OFF BEFORE THE END OF THE

YEAR. >> THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE, WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND, WE PAID A COMPANY $60,000 SEVERAL YEARS AGO TO CREATE , FACILITATE,

[00:30:05]

>> IF YOU GO TO SLIDE TWO , I NOTICED THE WORDS YOU HAVE THERE ARE NOT OUR MISSION STATEMENT. WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR MISSION

STATEMENT? >> WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GO OUT OF THIS PRESENTATION, AND THAT WAY, PEOPLE CAN SEE IT.

I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE -- THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE FULL MISSION FOR CALVERT COUNTY IS CCPS NURTURES AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO EMPOWER STUDENTS WITH THE RIGOROUS ACADEMIC FOUNDATION THAT IGNITES A PASSION FOR LEARNING AND RAISES THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN

EDUCATION. >> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, THAT WE CHANGE THE MISSION STATEMENT AS IT CURRENTLY READS. I RECOMMEND THE CHANGE BE, CCPS WILL RAISE THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION BY EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC FOUNDATION . NOW, THAT WE HAVE A BOARD FOCUSED ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HONOR OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING THAT CALVERT COUNTY'S PRIORITY.

THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE

FLOOR. >> SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY OTHER

DISCUSSION? >> I THINK WE ARE FORGETTING A BIG PIECE OF OUR SUCCESS. I'M SORRY. I WILL HOLD IT LIKE THIS.

I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE PUT , RIGOROUS, ACADEMIC AND CAREER FOUNDATION, BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE LEAVING OUT A

POPULATION OF CTA. IS THAT FAIR? >> I WILL AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE , ACADEMIC AND CAREER EXCELLENCE.

>> COULD YOU READ IT FULLY ONE MORE TIME FOR US?

>> CCPS WILL RAISE THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION -- WHERE

DID YOU WANT THAT? >> I SAID, CAREER AND ACADEMIC , OR ACADEMIC AND CAREER FOUNDATION.

>> OKAY, EDUCATION BY EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A RIGOROUS

ACADEMIC AND CAREER FOUNDATION. >> STOP THERE.

>> WE ARE STOPPING THERE. >> I HAVE A QUESTION. I KNOW THIS MISSION STATEMENT WAS APPROVED BY THE PREVIOUS BOARD.

HAS IT BEEN PRINTED ANYWHERE? OKAY, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO COST

US ANYTHING? >> NO, WE DID NOT EVEN PUT IT ON THE WEBSITE YET, BECAUSE WE KNEW THERE WERE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE MISSION, SO WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY OF THAT STUFF --

DOCUMENTATION YET. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK TOO, SOME OF THIS SEEMS LIKE IT IS ALMOST A TEMPLATE.

>> WAIT, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, LET'S VOTE ON THAT AND

THEN WE CAN -- >> AND YOU REPEATED ONE MORE

TIME FOR ME? >> THERE WAS A SECOND. MELISSA.

OH, OKAY, WE NEED A SECOND FOR THE AMENDMENT. STILL MELISSA.

[00:35:08]

>> CCPS WILL RAISE THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION BY EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC AND CAREER

FOUNDATION. >> CAN I ASK WHY WE TOOK OUT THE PIECE ABOUT INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY? WHY DID YOU SPECIFICALLY , OR DID THE BOARD SPECIFICALLY WANT TO TAKE OUT INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY?

>> BECAUSE, A MISSION STATEMENT SHOULD BE VERY TARGETED.

EVERYBODY IN OUR SYSTEM, WHEN THEY WALK UP TO YOU, THEY NEED TO REMEMBER WHAT OUR MISSION IN THIS COUNTY IS. YOU WANT TO KEEP IT SHORT, DIRECT AND TO THE POINT. AND, I THINK THAT THE WAY WE ARE REPHRASING IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS MEMORABLE. I THINK IT IS ACHIEVABLE, AND I THINK IT SETS THE MESSAGE OF

WHAT OUR PRIORITY IS. >> SOME OF THOSE OTHER WORDS ARE JUST SUPERFLUOUS. SOME OF THE WORDS USED IN THE EXISTING MISSION STATEMENT, AS PROPOSED, THEY WERE SUPERFLUOUS. THEY DON'T ADD ANY VALUE. THIS IS DIRECTLY TO THE POINT.

>> ABSOLUTELY. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I DO AGREE WITH THAT COMPLETELY. THE PIECE ABOUT INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, I THINK, ALSO RECOGNIZES THE ROLE THAT FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS , AND FELLOW STUDENTS HAVE ON A STUDENT'S SUCCESS. I DO THINK IT MAY BE IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT IN THE MISSION STATEMENT, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT RECOGNIZING STUDENTS AS JUST THE INDIVIDUAL. WE ARE INCLUDING THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT , AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE TRYING TO SAY, BE VERY DIRECT WITH IT, BE VERY FOCUSED ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. BUT, I DO THINK THAT IF WE ARE LOOKING AT CREATING STUDENTS, WHO ARE GOING TO BE EMPOWERED IN THEIR FUTURE CAREERS, AS WE JUST MENTIONED, OR IN AN ACADEMIC SETTING, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE INCLUDE THAT INCLUSIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

PIECE SOMEWHERE IN THERE. >> THE WAY THEY EXPLAIN IT IS, THIS IS A MISSION CREED. THE MISSION HAS GOTTEN TOO BIG. WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE DO CONTROL. WE CAN GET INTO THE OTHER ELEMENTS. IT IS STUFF THAT YOU CAN'T -- YOUR STRATEGIC GOAL CAN'T ENCOMPASS EVERYTHING. WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE, A LIMITED NUMBER OF DOLLARS. I THINK WE SHOULD JUST COME BACK TO, WE HAVE TO TEACH THE STUDENTS.

>> I AGREE WITH GRACE, AND I THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INCLUSION AND SUPPORT, IT GOES TOGETHER WITH THOSE THINGS. AND, WE SHOULD NOT THINGS ARE WITHIN THE PLAN. THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BE PART OF THE

MISSION STATEMENT. >> ARE PEOPLE GOING TO READ THE MISSION STATEMENT OR ARE THEY GOING TO READ THE WHOLE PLAN? WHAT IS A PERSON GOING TO SEE FIRST AND FOREMOST? IT'S THE MISSION STATEMENT. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE READING THE PLAN.

>> RIGHT, BUT THE MISSION STATEMENT IS SAYING EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE AFTER. HOW WE ACHIEVE IT

IS THROUGH STUDENT EXCELLENCE. >> A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY. >> I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY WHAT EACH PERSON IS SAYING. I UNDERSTAND PRIORITIZING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE , AND IT MAKES SENSE THEN TO PUT THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MISSION STATEMENT. I AM COMPLETELY ON BOARD WITH THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY, AND I ALSO GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT HAVING INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE BEING MORE OF A HOW, THOUGH, I DO THINK THAT IS PART OF THE MISSION OF CCPS TO BRING STUDENTS INTO A SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT , IN WHICH, THEY ARE NOT ONLY SUPPORTED, BUT THEY ALSO ARE ENGAGING WITH OTHER STUDENTS, AND THAT IS THE INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE PIECE. I THINK IT BECOMES REALLY LIMITING FOR THE ROLE OF STAFF MEMBERS, WHEN IT JUST BECOMES, -- SORRY, LET ME START THAT OVER. IT BECOMES EXTREMELY LIMITING WHEN WE ARE SEEING OUR SOLE MISSION IS TO EMPOWER ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, BUT WE LEAVE OUT THAT SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY PIECE, BUT I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE OTHER

POINTS MADE. >> INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE IS IMPLIED. WE NEED TO KEEP IT SPECIFIC. I THINK THIS MISSION

STATEMENT IS A VERY SPECIFIC. >> INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE IS

[00:40:08]

>> RIGHT.

>> DR. TOWNSEL, PLEASE DON'T TAKE OFFENSE TO MY SUGGESTION TO

INCLUDE, RAISE THE BAR. >> I KNOW. WE HAVE A MOTION, SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THOSE. IF YOU ARE GOING TO AMEND THE MOTION -- ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING? WE ALREADY HAVE AN AMENDED MOTION, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.

>> I'M STILL DISCUSSING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS STILL DISCUSSING. YOU ARE SAYING, WE SHOULD BE SHORT. I AGREE, A MISSION STATEMENT SHOULD BE SHORT AND TARGETED. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, GRACE, THAT INCLUDING SUPPORTIVE AND COMMUNITY AND STUFF IS ALSO IMPORTANT , IF WE ARE GOING TO EXPAND AND HAVE EVERYTHING. WE SHOULD INCLUDE SAFE. IT WAS A HUGE ISSUE. I WAS A PART OF THIS PROCESS. I MET WITH THE INTERVIEWERS. THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN MY GROUP WAS SAFETY. IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT LONG, WE

NEED TO CONSIDER THAT. >> BUT, THOSE THINGS ARE WITHIN

THE STRATEGIES. >> WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED OF THOSE EITHER. I DON'T KNOW IF -- I DON'T KNOW WITHOUT SPEAKING TO THE REST OF THE PLAN, THAT WE ARE READY TO TALK ABOUT A CHANGE TO THE MISSION STATEMENT, BECAUSE IT GOES

HAND-IN-HAND. >> I WOULD AGREE, AND I WOULD ALSO SAY, SOMETHING I DID NOT ARTICULATE WELL WHEN I FIRST MENTIONED THIS. CCPS IS ALSO MADE OF SUPPORT STAFF , OF PEOPLE, STAFF MEMBERS, WHO AREN'T JUST TEACHERS. I THINK WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, THAT STILL DISCUSSES EVERY SINGLE STAFF MEMBER AND STUDENT THAT WE HAVE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND ALL OF THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO IT. THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO PUT IT IN THE MISSION STATEMENT. I WOULD ALSO SAY, I THINK IT MIGHT ALSO BE GOOD TO HAVE STAFF OR OTHER COMMUNITY INPUT IF WE WANT TO CHANGE THE MISSION STATEMENT, JUST BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH, WE DON'T HAVE IT PUBLISHED, IT IS OUR MISSION STATEMENT, SO THAT IS A PRETTY SWEEPING THING TO

CHANGE. >> THERE WAS QUITE A BIT ABOUT REACH FOR THIS TO GET US TO THIS POINT. WAS THERE COMMUNITY

INVOLVEMENT? >> YES.

>> YES, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THERE WAS A SURVEY THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY HYA, THE CONSULTANT THAT WE PARTNERED WITH. THAT SURVEY WENT OUT TO EVERYONE. I DO NOT KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBERS OF THAT. IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.

THERE WERE ALSO FORUMS HELP FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN, SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE GROUP INTERVIEWS WITH PARENTS, WITH STUDENTS, WITH STAFF, REGARDING ELEMENTS THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

>> I AM CAUTIOUS, BECAUSE THAT IS A LOT OF TIME THAT PEOPLE GAVE TO INVEST IN, THE PRODUCT HERE. AND, MAYBE WE NEED AN AWAY

FROM THE DAIS DISCUSSION. >> NOT TOGETHER. WE CAN'T HAVE IT TOGETHER. THIS IS THE DISCUSSION FOR THIS IS THE TIME,

SIR. >> YOU GOT ME. YEAH, THIS IS THE

DISCUSSION. OKAY. >> THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

>> I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE AS TARGETED AS POSSIBLE, AND I THINK THE WAY YOU GO ABOUT ACHIEVING THE MISSION IS BY PROVIDING AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. I DON'T THINK IT ALL HAS TO BE THE SAME. SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU ARE TAKING INPUT FROM SO MANY SOURCES, YOU ADD ALL THE ELEMENTS TOGETHER, AND YOU COME UP WITH ONE PARAGRAPH, EVEN THOUGH, THERE IS NO PUNCTUATION, IT IS JUST ONE SENTENCE, BUT IT IS A PARAGRAPH.

THERE ARE THREE SEPARATE ELEMENTS IN THERE. THIS IS JUST SAYING THAT THE MIDDLE ELEMENT IS PROBABLY THE KEY, THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE, THE OTHER TWO ELEMENTS ARE THE WAY TO ACHIEVE

IT. THAT IS WHAT I WAS SAYING. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, ARE

[00:45:04]

>> RIGHT, AND SUPPORT STAFF NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY ARE SUPPORTING THAT MISSION TOO. I THINK IT DOES INCLUDE EVERYONE.

>> KAREN , MI TWO VOTES OR ONE? OKAY.

>> CAN I WITHDRAW THE FIRST ONE AND JUST WITHDRAW THE FIRST MOTION? OKAY, LET'S VOTE ON THE FIRST ONE.

>> YES? >> I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU THE DATA YOU REQUESTED. YOU ASK, HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED? THE COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2397. THERE WERE 1101 INTERVIEWS, 23 FOCUS GROUPS , AND TWO COMMUNITY FORMS -- FORUMS, WITH TWO

PARTICIPANTS. >> WHO, ACTUALLY, WROTE THE

MISSION STATEMENT? >> IT WAS A THEME THAT RISE FROM

THE CONSULTANTS -- >> THAT TEAM THAT MET DID NOT

WRITE THE MISSION STATEMENT. >> I WAS JUST GIVING THE DATA. I WASN'T SPECIFICALLY SAYING THE MISSION STATEMENT, BUT THAT WAS THE DATA INPUT THAT DROVE TO GET TO THE MISSION STATEMENT, AFTER ALL THE DATA WE HAD. COMMITTEES. LISA WAS PART OF THE COMMITTEES AND WORKGROUPS. WE PUT TOGETHER A MISSION STATEMENT, PRIORITIES,

ET CETERA. >> THEY DID THE PIECES OF IT, BUT THEY DID NOT COME UP WITH THE MISSION STATEMENT. CORRECT?

>> THE MISSION STATEMENT DID COME FROM THAT, THROUGHOUT THOSE WORKGROUPS, WHERE IT WAS ALL PUT TOGETHER. WE WENT AROUND AND

VOTED WITH THE STICKERS ON IT. >> WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THE MISSION STATEMENT SHOULD BE VERY SPECIFIC, TARGETED, AND BRIEF?

>> I DO BELIEVE A MISSION STATEMENT SHOULD BE SUSTAINED.

>> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE A PROCESS QUESTION.

>> TAKE YOUR TIME. >> WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THESE NOW , BEFORE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE REST OF THE PLAN. IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER STUFF FIRST, THEN REVISIT, SO WE CAN

HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS. >> AND THEN, MAKE A NEW MOTION.

>> THE FIRST MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE THAT

MS. GRENIS PROPOSED . WITH WHAT? >> SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A

SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? >> NO.

>> ALL THOSE OPPOSED? >> AYE.

>> THE MOTION FAILS, 5-0. THE SECOND MOTION IS PPROVE -- TO VOTE AND APPROVE THE AMENDED -- YES, LISA'S AMENDED MISSION STATEMENT , WITH PAUL'S INPUT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL THOSE IN

FAVOR? >> AYE.

>> OPPOSED? >> OPPOSED.

>> OPPOSED. >> I MADE THE MOTION TO ADD THE

LANGUAGE. AYE. >> THE MOTION CARRIES, 3-2. THAT

IS WHAT IT WILL BE. >> I'M SORRY THAT IS SO

[00:50:04]

PAINFUL. >> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. DR.

JOHNSON. BACK TO YOU. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER

QUESTIONS? >> I WAS HOPING YOU WERE GOING TO SAY, THANK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT.

>> I AM JUST GETTING RAMPED UP. I HAVE A QUESTION , BEFORE I START ASKING ALL OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS. IS THERE AN ACTUAL PLAN ? LIKE, WITH TIMELINES. IS THERE AN ACTUAL PLAN, OR IS THIS

ALL WE HAVE SO FAR? >> EACH ONE OF THE PRIORITY AREAS HAS MANY, AND THOSE COMMITTEES WERE CHARGED WITH GETTING THE STRATEGIES FOR THE FIRST YEAR, SO THE STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE, AND THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THOSE PIECES. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE DEVELOPING THE LONG-RANGE PLAN.

THERE IS NO ONE DOCUMENT, RIGHT NOW, THAT HAS ALL OF IT. THAT IS IN THE WORKS, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH EACH

PRIORITY AREA. >> WHEN DID WE START IMPLEMENTING THESE PRIORITY AREAS?

>> I WOULD SAY, BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND NOW. DEPENDING ON, WHICH PRIORITY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. IF YOU ARE REFERRING TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OUR COMMITTEE HAS BEEN DEFINING WHAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS, OR WHAT ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT LOOKS LIKE. WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING WHAT WE FEEL ARE NECESSARY APPROACHES AND QUESTIONS FOR SURVEYS, SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT WORK. SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THIS EARLY ON, BUT THERE IS AN OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT THE CTA , WHO IS TAKING ON A LOT OF THIS WORK WITH THE CAREER ADVISERS. WITH WORK-BASED LEARNING, ALL OF THIS PEOPLE, AND CREATING A WEBSITE, WHICH I BELIEVE, IS LIVE RIGHT NOW, SO THAT WE CAN CALL ALL OF OUR PARTNERS TOGETHER AND KNOW WHO THOSE PARTNERS ARE. THERE ARE PIECES THAT ARE IN PROCESS. SOME OF THE STRATEGIES UNDER CULTURE OF LEARNING AND STUDENT EXCELLENCE HAVE BEEN IN PLACE, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE REFINING. I WILL LET JACKIE SPEAK TO THAT, AND THEN, SCOTT CAN TELL YOU WHERE THEY ARE ON

ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. >> BEFORE YOU GUYS DO THAT, I HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS. STRATEGIC PLANNING IS SOMETHING I DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR AT MY COMPANY. I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THERE IS A LOT MISSING HERE , I WILL SAY.

AND SO, I DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND, AND I'M SURE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WILL GO THROUGH THEIR COMMENTS. I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. I RECOGNIZE SOME THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO SAY, REQUEST, SHARE TONIGHT, MIGHT CHANGE ALL THE WORK PEOPLE HAVE DONE OR IMPACT THE WORK PEOPLE HAVE DONE, BUT I DO THINK , WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. AS I GO THROUGH, I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE ALL OF THE TIME, BUT AS I GO THROUGH THE THINGS THAT, THE COMMENTS THAT I HAVE, JUST KNOW THAT I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE.

THIS IS MY FIRST TIME SEEING IT. A COUPLE OF THINGS, AND I WILL JUST START -- IT'S A LOT OF METRICS. A TON OF METRICS. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE OVER COMPLICATING THINGS FOR OURSELVES WITH THE LARGE NUMBER OF METRICS THAT WE HAVE. I'M ALSO NOT SURE THAT THE METRICS WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ARE GETTING AT THE GOALS WE ARE TRYING TO MEET. FOR EXAMPLE, APP DOWNLOADS AND SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS. TRULY, THOSE ARE EASY TO GET METRICS, BUT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHOWING -- I THINK THE BETTER METRICS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ARE PARENT OPPORTUNITIES AND THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS. I THINK THOSE ARE GOOD METRICS, BUT THE OTHER ONES, EASY TO GET, NOT REALLY SUPER RELEVANT IN HOW THE COMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY ENGAGING.

WHEN WE LOOK INTO STUDENT EXCELLENCE, SORRY, KAREN, COULD WE GO TO THAT SLIDE? JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN SEE -- SLIDE FIVE.

WE LOOK AT STUDENT EXCELLENCE. SORRY.

>> MRS. GOSHORN, CAN I MAKE ONE COMMENT? SORRY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME BACK IN OUR SURVEYS THAT WE HAD DONE OVER THE COURSE OF A COUPLE YEARS, WHEN WE WOULD ASK FOR PARENT SURVEYS, IS THAT THEY GOT MOST OF THEIR INFORMATION FROM FACEBOOK. BECAUSE OF THAT, WE FELT LIKE, IF THEY WERE GETTING

[00:55:03]

COMMUNITY. >> I APPRECIATE IT, AND I HAVE THE APP, AND I LIKE IT. I JUST WANT TO BALANCE -- I THINK, BETWEEN THIS WHOLE PRESENTATION, THERE IS ABOUT 20 METRICS. IT'S A LOT TO MANAGE, SO MAKING THINGS EASIER FOR YOU GUYS,

REALLY. >> CAN WE DISCUSS EACH PILLAR SEPARATELY? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR STUDENT EXCELLENCE? ON THE METRICS HERE, READY TO READ, INCREASE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, COLLEGE AND CAREER READY. WHAT IS THE TIMELINE THAT WE ARE MEASURING ? ARE THESE ANNUAL METRICS? EVERY YEAR, WE WANT TO

RAISE IT BY 2%, 5%? >> THAT IS CORRECT. THE 5%, SPECIFICALLY , COLLEGE AND CAREER READY. THE 5% WAS SET AT THE STATE LEVEL, SO WE WERE LOOKING AT, WHERE SHOULD WE INCREASE? HOW CAN WE INCREASE? WITH THE INDICATORS, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT GRAPHS AND HOW TO DISPLAY THAT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT SAYS, VIEW DATA, WE WILL HAVE THE DATA CHARTS THERE, SO YOU

CAN SEE THE LONGITUDINAL DATA. >> CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE WATCHING, WHAT COLLEGE AND CAREER READY ACTUALLY MEANS?

>> IT MEANS A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS STATUS HAS CHANGED OVER TIME. THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS OF DETERMINING , AT THIS POINT. YOU COULD PASS THE HIGH SCHOOL ALGEBRA ONE ASSESSMENT AND THE ENGLISH 10, AND IF YOU PASS BOTH, YOU ARE CONSIDERED COLLEGE AND CAREER READY. THAT HAS CHANGED OVER TIME TO ALSO INCLUDE AN OVERALL GPA OF 3.0 AT THE END OF YOUR 10TH GRADE YEAR, AS WELL AS PASSING ALGEBRA 1 WITH A C OR HIGHER. THAT IS GOING TO SHIFT AGAIN NEXT YEAR, AND I DON'T KNOW THOSE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE THERE. WE DO KNOW WITH CCR STATUS, AND HAS BEEN ADJUSTED, ALMOST EVERY YEAR, AND WILL REMAIN CONSISTENT AFTERWARDS. THERE ARE SOME CHANGES AT THE STATE, SPECIFICALLY, WITH MATH PATHWAYS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT WILL BE WHATEVER THAT NEXT DETERMINATION WOULD BE, IS WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT.

>> OKAY. >> HOLD ON. SORRY. DID I HEAR CORRECTLY , COLLEGE AND CAREER READY IF YOU FINISH 10TH GRADE?

>> KNOW, AT THE END OF 10TH GRADE, YOU HAVE A GPA OF 3.0 OR HIGHER, AND YOU HAD ALSO EARNED A C IN ALGEBRA ONE.

>> THAT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. >> OR, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, PAST

THE TWO ASSESSMENTS. >> FOR STATISTICS, I WANT TO CLARIFY. READY TO READ, 65%, AND YOU ARE INCREASING IT BY 2%. ARE YOU GOING TO PERCENT ON THE 65, WHICH WOULD BE 66.3%? ARE YOU GOING TO 67%? BY TWO POINTS, OR 2%?

>> THOSE ARE THINGS WE WANTED TO CLARIFY AS EACH GROUP FINISHED UP, MAKING SRE THEY ARE ALL ALIGNED AND VERY CLEAR.

>> OKAY, SO IT'S GOING UP TWO POINTS. I'VE GOT YOU. THANK

YOU. >> FOR THE GRADUATION RATE, I JUST HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, AS A

[01:00:03]

UNTIL, WE ACTUALLY, START GRADING KIDS BASED ON THEIR PROFICIENCIES, THE GRADUATION RATE --

>> I AGREE. 50% FOR SHOWING UP TO CLASS. I AGREE. IT SKEWS WHAT THE GRADUATION RATE REALLY IS. 50%, FOR SHOWING UP.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT. WHEN I AM LOOKING AT THIS DATA, AND YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT INCREASING PROFICIENT BY 5%.

PROFICIENT IS THE ABSOLUTE BARE BOTTOM ACCEPTABLE LEVEL. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO EXCEL CHILDREN? I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN HERE.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN ARE WE GOING TO GET BEYOND PROFICIENT? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING IN THERE ADDRESSING THAT. IN ADDITION, NOT ONLY ON THIS SLIDE, BUT ON QUITE A FEW SLIDES, I AM SEEING THINGS THAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE ALWAYS OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WHAT ARE WE DOING IN ADDITION? WHAT NEW INITIATIVES ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT , IF YOU KEEP DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER, YOU CAN'T EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO ADD TO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO CHANGE THESE RESULTS?

>> YEAH, I WANT TO SECOND THAT. ON THIS SLIDE, EVERYTHING IS AROUND THE ADULTS. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING , INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS. BUT, THERE IS NOTHING, NO STRATEGIES THERE FOR THE CHILDREN. ARE WE GOING TO GIVE THEM MORE READING INTERVENTIONS? ARE WE GOING TO GIVE THEM MORE MATH INTERVENTIONS? WHAT ACTUAL THINGS ARE WE GOING TO BE DOING TO SUPPORT STUDENT EXCELLENCE?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT AND YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT A STRONG TIER ONE, THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM. ENSURING THAT WE ARE SCAFFOLDING, DIFFERENTIATING, MEETING THE NEEDS WITHIN THE CLASSROOM THROUGH TARGETED INSTRUCTION.

THAT IS WHY YOU SEE THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AROUND THAT. WHAT IS IT THAT TEACHERS ARE UTILIZING IN THE CLASSROOM TO SUPPORT STUDENTS? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF TIER TWO AND TIER THREE, WHEN THAT LAYER DOES NOT MEET THE NEED OF THE STUDENT AND THEY NEED SOMETHING MORE AND THEY NEED INTERVENTIONS, THAT IS WHERE YOU SEE TIER TWO AND TIER THREE SUPPORTS COMING IN. WE FELT THAT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF THE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO MEET OR EXCEED STANDARDS. WE ARE REALLY LOOKING AT, WHAT DOES TIER ONE LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE ALL STUDENTS RECEIVING? AND THEN, THE STUDENTS, WHO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THEM? IS IT A SUPPORT THEY CAN GET IN THE CLASSROOM, OR IS IT A SUPPORT AND INTERVENTION THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM? WHERE DOES THAT HAPPEN? EMBEDDED IN THERE ARE THOSE THINGS, BUT IT JUST MIGHT NOT BE CLEAR. WE CAN DEFINITELY

WORK ON THOSE PIECES. >> I GUESS I AM JUST SAYING, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ALREADY DOING. I'M LOOKING FOR NEW INITIATIVES. BUT, NOW THAT WE ARE ON THE SUBJECT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE GRADING, HOLD ONTO YOUR SEATS, PEOPLE.

IMPROVING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STRATEGY TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WE SHOULD ELIMINATE THE 50% POLICY. THIS POLICY IS UNFAIR TO STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS.

ADVANCING STUDENTS, WHO DO NOT PUT IN THE WORK, AND IN SOME CASES, DO NOT EVEN SHOW UP FOR CLASS, ONLY SETS THEM UP FOR FAILURE IN SCHOOL AND LIFE. THERE ARE NO JOBS THAT PAY YOU 50% FOR DOING ZERO WORK. OUR TEACHERS AGREE. A CCPS RECENT SURVEY SHOWED THAT 92% OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND 95% OF OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF THE 50% TO CHILDREN, WHO DO NOT DO THE WORK. ONE CCPS TEACHER STATED IN AN EMAIL TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION JUST RECENTLY, " RIGHT NOW, I HAVE A STUDENT IN MY FIRST PERIOD CLASS. WHEN HE

[01:05:02]

THAT IS THIRD PERIOD. HE HAS BEEN TO CLASS LATE, BUT AT LEAST, HE WAS HERE FIVE TIMES. OUT OF ROUGHLY 45 DAYS, I HAVE LAID EYES ON HIM FIVE TIMES. OUT OF 34 ASSIGNMENTS, HE HAS ATTEMPTED THREE OF THEM. HE HAS EARNED A 9% , BUT I AM REQUIRED TO GIVE HIM 50%. IT IS RIDICULOUS. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE REWARDED, SIMPLY, BECAUSE HER NAME EXISTS ON A CLASS ROSTER. " SHE GOES ON TO SAY, "PLEASE RECONSIDER REVISING THE POLICY AT YOUR NEXT WORK SESSION." SO, TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DISCUSS POLICY NUMBER 3415 AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING. I WOULD LIKE FOR SCOTT MCCOMB TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND PRESENT OPTIONS

TO THE 50% POLICY. >> SECOND.

>> THANK YOU. >> THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

>> I WILL JUST SAY, ON THE STUDENT END, I COMPLETELY SUPPORT DISCUSSING AND AMENDING THIS POLICY. IT IS AN ISSUE FOR STUDENTS, WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND ARE GETTING SIMILAR GRADES AS STUDENTS THAT DO NOT DO THE SAME. THANK YOU.

>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PENALIZE A CHILD THAT TAKES A 10 POINT TEST AND MISSES EIGHT OF THEM. THAT CHILD DESERVES 50%. WE ARE LOOKING AT GOOD FAITH EFFORT. IF YOU REFUSE TO DO THE WORK, WE REFUSE TO GIVE YOU 50%.

>> DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN

FAVOR? >> AYE.

>> THE MOTION CARRIES, 5-0. >> WE CAN KEEP TALKING, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, TALK FASTER. >> AS WE WERE DISCUSSING, I THINK WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE IS, INSTEAD OF SAYING, SUPPORT -- TO LISA'S POINT, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME. WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT STAFF HERE. WE SHOULD ALREADY KNOW ENDEAVORS AND -- A DOZEN DIFFERENT THINGS WE WANT TO DO, AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN , IT'S THE GUIDING PLAN FOR HOW WE BUDGET. IF THERE ARE NOT SPECIFIC THINGS LIKE, WE NEED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TIER TWO SUPPORT WERE TIER THREE SUPPORT, OR WE NEED SMALLER CLASS SIZES. WE, AS A BOARD, CAN'T EFFECTIVELY PLAN THE BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IF THE STRATEGIC PLAN LOOKS LIKE THIS, QUITE HONESTLY. WE NEED VERY CONCRETE THINGS , SO WE CAN SUPPORT DOING THAT.

>> CAN I ADD TO THAT? WE ALSO NEED TO KNOW HOW OFTEN IT'S GOING TO BE MONITORED, WHO IS MONITORING IT, AND WHO IS BEING

HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT. >> WE CAN GO TO SLIDE SIX.

>> I'M SORRY ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS, AND I KNOW THERE IS A COMMITTEE FOR THIS, BUT I WANT TO PUT THIS OUT THERE. I BRIEFLY TALKED TO A COUPLE PEOPLE REGARDING IT, AND THAT IS ABOUT AP COURSES. WE HAVE STUDENTS AT CTA, WHO ARE TAKING AP LEVEL COURSES, AND THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE WEIGHTED -- WHAT IS IT CALLED? THE WEIGHTED GRADE THAT A STUDENT IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE GETTING. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME CLASSES AT CTA THAT DESERVE THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF THOSE GRADES. I'M NOT SURE WHO TO DIRECT THAT QUESTION TWO, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. THANK YOU.

>> THAT IS ON SLIDE SIX, IF WE WANT TO MOVE ON HERE. SLIDE SIX.

DR. TOWNSEL, YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT ADDING I.T.

CLASSES. IS THERE A SPECIFIC REASON WHY THAT IS NOT INCLUDED

IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN? >> INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE.

THAT DOES HAVE A HEALTHY PRICE TAG. WE CAN ABSOLUTELY EXPLORE IT. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPLORE THAT FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE IS NOT JUST HIGH SCHOOL. JUNIOR, WHICH IS MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND MAYBE EVEN ELEMENTARY. I CAN LOOK AT WHAT THAT WOULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE

FOR CALVERT COUNTY SCHOOLS. >> WITH I.V. CLASSES, I HAVE

[01:10:01]

>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I WENT TO THE WASHINGTON, D.C., WHICH IS THE HIGHEST PERFORMING HIGH SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THEY HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM. A YOUNG PERSON DOES NOT TAKE FOUR IB CLASSES ON THE AP TRACK . AND, IT IS SPECIFIC TO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO IN COLLEGE. IF YOU WANT TO DO JOURNALISM, IB.

>> THE ISSUE I HAVE WITH THAT IS, THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO GO TO CTA, WHO ARE ON A COLLEGE TRACK. IF YOU ARE GOING INTO NURSING OR PHYSICAL THERAPY, WE OFFER A LOT OF OPTIONS THAT ARE COLLEGE-BOUND . NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT THAT'S FINE. BUT, YOU SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED, JUST BECAUSE YOU CHOSE A DIFFERENT

ROUTE. >> WE HAVE HAD A COMMITTEE, THAT HAS LOOKED AT AP. WE HAVE A SECONDARY HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL COMMITTEE, AND THEY HAVE EXPLORED

]. >> TEST, TEST, TEST. IT'S OUR

SPEAKERS. >> THEY HAVE EXPLORED --

>> MEGATRON. >> INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE.

TEST, TEST, TEST. SPEAKERS. TEST.

[01:15:17]

>> I JUST BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE COURSES AT CTA THAT ARE INCREDIBLY RIGOROUS, AND FOR THEM NOT TO HAVE THAT OPTION OF THE EXTRA WEIGHT IS VERY UNFAIR TO THEM. AND, PROBABLY DISCOURAGES SOME CHILDREN, WHO , THAT GPA AT THE END MIGHT BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THEM, SO THEY MIGHT AVOID THAT PATHWAY, SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT GET WEIGHTING, EVEN THOUGH, THEY ARE TAKING HIGHLY RIGOROUS COURSES. I JUST DON'T BELIEVE FOR ONE MINUTE THAT WE DON'T HAVE, AT LEAST, ONE CLASS AT CTA THAT IS NOT DESERVING OF THAT EXTRA WEIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> HAVE WE LOOKED AT OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE TO SEE, ARE THEY WEIGHTING CTE COURSES?

>> YES. IN 2016, THERE WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE GRADING COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWED ALL OF THESE SYSTEMS, GRADING PROCESSES, AND HOW THEY WEIGHTED GRADES, HOW THEY DETERMINED, EVEN, HOW THEY CALCULATED GRADES. WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION REGARDING THAT.

AT THAT TIME, IN 2016, IT WAS PROBABLY 2015-2016, THE COMMITTEE DETERMINED WHAT HER CURRENT GRADING SCHEDULE IS FOR THE WEIGHTING AND CALCULATION OF GRADES, NOT GETTING INTO HOW GRADES WERE DETERMINED, BUT WHAT GRADES WERE WORTH AT THE END. I WANT TO SEPARATE THE 50 BETWEEN THAT, BECAUSE THEY WERE TWO DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THAT. HOW DO WE DETERMINE THE WEIGHT OF GRADES, AND WITH THOSE GRADES THAT ARE WEIGHTED, THE AP COURSES, HOW ARE THEY CALCULATED INTO THE OVERALL GPA AFTER EACH MARKING PERIOD, AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AND FURTHER AS A CUMULATIVE GPA. THERE IS A MISNOMER OUT THERE , THAT IF MY GPA IN CALVERT COUNTY , WHEN I GO TO COLLEGE, THAT MY GPA, AS IT IS REPORTED BY CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IS COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE ACROSS THE STATE.

EVERYONE ACROSS THE STATE HAS A DIFFERENT RATING GPA CALCULATION. COLLEGES STRIP THAT, AND MR. HARRISON MIGHT KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, BUT THEY STRIP THE WEIGHTING ON THAT AND REALLY LOOK AT THE COURSES THAT YOU TAKE AND RECALCULATE YOUR GPA FOR ADMISSIONS. AND, THEY DON'T TAKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS GPA AT FACE VALUE, BECAUSE HOW WE DETERMINE OUR GRADING OF GPAS IS DIFFERENT FROM HOWARD COUNTY, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM CHARLES COUNTY, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM CARROLL COUNTY. THEY HAVE TO DO THAT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR THEIR APPLICANTS.

>> IF THAT IS THE CASE, WHAT IS THE INCENTIVE TO WEIGHT ANYTHING

AT ALL? IS IT CLASS RANK? >> CLASS RANK, AND WHAT THEY WILL SAY ABOUT PROGRAMS AT CTA, IF I CHOOSE TO GO TO THE CTA, BECAUSE THOSE PROGRAMS ARE NOT WEIGHTED, THERE IS NO WAY I CAN NEVER BECOME VALEDICTORIAN. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ALL THE

[01:20:04]

POSITION IN CLASS RANK. >> I WANTED TO ADD, WITH ADVANCED PLACEMENT, AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE, ALTHOUGH, YOU DO GET A CLASS GRADE, THERE IS AN ASSESSMENT YOU HAVE TO PASS TO GET THAT AP DESIGNATION , OR TO EARN THE IB DIPLOMA. YOU CAN PASS THE CLASS , BUT YOU DON'T HAVE THE

DESIGNATION. >> THE CTA HAVE ANY TESTS LIKE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PASS? ANY OTHER COURSES?

>> THERE ARE SPECIFIC CERTIFICATIONS.

>> THEY HAVE METRICS FOR CERTIFICATIONS. THEY ARE DIFFERENT. EACH AREA HAS A CERTIFICATION ASSESSMENT. IT IS NOT REQUIRED FOR EARNING THE GRADE, BUT THEY ARE REQUIRED IN MOVING INTO THEIR AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT , SO THEY COULD MEET CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS. A COSMETOLOGIST NEEDS TO HAVE CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS, AND THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS IN COSMETOLOGY ARE PASSING THAT LEVEL ONE

PROGRAMMING ASSESSMENT. >> THAT IS A GOOD POINT, BECAUSE, ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE TO SCORE A LEVEL THREE, THREE OR HIGHER TO GET CREDIT, THAT ALSO MEANS THAT WHATEVER COLLEGE OR INSTITUTION YOU ARE LOOKING AT IS GOING TO ACCEPT THAT 300, 400, 500 SOME OF THEM ONLY LOOK AT 500 AND WON'T ACCEPT ANYTHING

LOWER. >> I WANTED TO SHARE, IT IS SLIPPING MY MIND -- LORD, IT IS EVAPORATING OUT OF MY BRAIN. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT , SO THERE IS , EVERYBODY HAS AN AP CLASS.

THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS YOUR EXAM PASS RATE?

>> EVEN IF YOU DON'T PASS THAT EXAM, YOU STILL GET THE WEIGHTED

BENEFIT OF THE GRADE. >> FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ALONE.

THAT MEANS NOTHING TO COLLEGES. >> RIGHT, BUT WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE WEIGHTED GRADE. SOME CHILDREN CHOOSE NOT TO EVEN TAKE THAT TEST. THE ONLY BENEFIT TO THEM IS, THE COLLEGE BENEFITS.

SHOULD THEY GET THAT, RIGHT NUMBER. BUT, THEY CAN ALSO CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THE TEST, AND THEN THEY ARE IN THE SAME SCENARIO THAT A CT STUDENT WOULD BE IN. THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE TEST. THEY DID NOT HAVE A TEST TO TAKE.

>> IF I COULD JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF WEIGHT IN THIS CONVERSATION AS A STUDENT. I WILL SAY, PERSONALLY, I HEAR FROM A LOT OF STUDENTS , WHO DO TELL ME, THEY AREN'T INCENTIVIZED TO TAKE CERTAIN CLASSES BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT.

IT IS A COMMON THING WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR JUNIO YEAR, TO TAKE LIKE, FAKE AP CLASSES, WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THESE AREN'T AMAZING AP CLASSES, BUT AP CLASSES THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO THEIR MAJOR, THAT THEY AREN'T NECESSARILY INTERESTED IN, THAT THEY HAVE HEARD ARE EASY, SO THEY CAN BOOST THEIR GPA AND GET AHEAD.

>> I MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT.

>> I WILL ALSO SAY, SOME OF THE HARDEST CLASSES THAT YOU WILL TAKE AREN'T NECESSARILY AP. FOR EXAMPLE, AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE STUDENTS TAKING AEROSPACE ENGINEERING, AND I LOOK AT THEIR WORK , AND I COULDN'T EVEN IMAGINE DOING IT.

BUT, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE INCENTIVIZE STUDENTS TO TAKE THOSE COURSES. SAME THING WITH OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE, THE ACCELERATED ALGEBRA . HARDEST CLASS I HAVE TOOK, AND I AM IN CALC RIGHT NOW. SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONSIDER IS, HOW DOES THE WEIGHT OF CERTAIN COURSES AFFECT WHETHER STUDENTS SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WEIGHT QUARTER CLASSES, BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT ADDITIONAL COURSES --

>> GRACE, I THINK YOUR COMMENTS, ACTUALLY, EXEMPLIFY SOMETHING THAT MS. JACOBS ALLUDED TO. THERE WAS A LARGE CONTINGENT OF SAYING, DON'T WEIGHT ANYTHING, AND MAKE THEM ALL EQUAL FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE DEBATE COMES IN.

BECAUSE, HOW DO YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN THIS AP COURSE AND THIS AP COURSE, AND WHICH ONE IS MORE RIGOROUS, AS WELL AS, HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THAT THIS CTE COURSE AT THE SCHOOL OR A COURSE OFFERED AT THE CTA IS MORE OR LESS RIGOROUS THAN THE OTHER COURSE?

[01:25:01]

>> IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, CHARLES COUNTY, ISN'T IT ALREADY CHARLES COUNTY THAT WAITS THEIR CTA PROGRAMS?

>> THEY DO WEIGHT SOME OF THEM. THEY ALSO WEIGHT HONORS AS HALF A WEIGHTING. DISTRICTS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, AND THEY GET TO A PLACE WHERE, IS EVERYTHING WEIGHTED? DO YOU WEIGHT ALL COURSES? THAT WOULD BE THE OTHER PIECE OF, WHAT DO YOU NOT WEIGHT? THAT WAS PART OF OUR CONVERSATION. AT CHARLES COUNTY, THEY WEIGHT SOME OF THEIR CTE PROGRAMS.

>> I WANT TO BE CLEAR, I'M NOT ADVOCATING THAT THERE NOT BE A STANDARD FOR GETTING THAT WEIGHTED GRADE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A VERY CLEAR SET OF STANDARDS, BUT I BELIEVE THERE ARE COURSES THAT ARE RIGOROUS AND WOULD MEET A STANDARD FOR THE WEIGHTED GRADE. YOU ARE TALKING NURSING. PHYSICAL THERAPY AND ENGINEERING . A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE A RIGOROUS

COURSE. THANK YOU. >> THE LAST THING I PERSONALLY WANT TO SAY ABOUT STUDENT EXCELLENCE IS, WE HAVE MADE AN EFFORT IN THIS COUNTY TO GET RID OF HONORS CLASSES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I THINK IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK AT PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO BE EXCELLENT, YOU CAN'T TAKE AWAY THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS GENERAL EDUCATION, NOT EVERYBODY IS AP. I THINK WE REALLY DO NEED TO REINSTATE HONORS CLASSES IN THIS COUNTY.

>> OTHER -- NEXT SLIDE. GO AHEAD.

>> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. CULTURE OF LEARNING. I WILL JUST SAY, I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT HAS A CULTURE OF LEARNING. WHAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED HERE, AS THE WAYS WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THAT, THEY DON'T REFLECT THE SAME. WHEN I THINK ABOUT A CULTURE OF LEARNING, WE WOULD, ESSENTIALLY, HAVE TO PUT LEARNING AHEAD OF EVERYTHING, WHICH, TO BE VERY CLEAR, I THINK WE SHOULD DO. IT IS JUST VERY FAR FROM WHAT WE DO TODAY. WE PUT THE COMFORT BEFORE LEARNING. WE PUT SAFETY -- I MEAN, WE DON'T EVEN INCLUDE SAFETY, REALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WE DISCIPLINE STUDENTS. AND, ACTUALLY, FULFILL OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. I LOVE THE IDEA OF CULTURE OF LEARNING. I THINK IF WE ARE GOING TO KEEP THAT, WE HAVE SOME MODIFICATIONS WE NEED TO DO TO THE STRATEGIES WE WILL PUT IN PLACE TO ACHIEVE IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE TWO SLIDES, THE SLIDE AND THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS ONE HAS, COMPLETE A SYSTEMIC ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS OF BARRIERS TO PURCHASE A PATIENT IN CLASSES. WE DON'T NEED TO DO A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS IN A CHILD GETTING INTO ONE OF THESE CLASSES IS THEIR ABILITY TO ACHIEVE, THE ABILITY TO GET IN THAT CLASS. IT'S NOT ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN, IS THAT CHILD READY TO DO THE WORK IN THAT CLASS, AND ARE THEY GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT CLASS? WE SHOULD NOT BE STACKING OUR CLASSES TO MEET SOME NUMBER RATIO . DEVELOPING AN ANTI-BULLYING PLAN. WE TALK ABOUT BULLYING ALL THE TIME. WE HAVE AN ANTI-BULLYING PLAN. WE ALREADY KNOW HOW TO TEACH KIDS NOT TO BULLY OTHER KIDS, BUT UNTIL WE ARE, ACTUALLY, FULFILLING AND ROLLING OUT OUR CODE OF CONDUCT AND OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A BULLYING PROBLEM. WE CAN PUT ALL THE PLANS IN PLACE WE WANT, WE CAN PUT POSTERS ALL OVER THE WALLS. WE CAN TALK TO THEM UNTIL WE ARE BLUE IN THE FACE, BUT UNTIL A BULLYING INCIDENT HAPPENS, AND IT IS, ACTUALLY, HANDLED, KIDS ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BULLY EACH OTHER. THERE IS NO RECOURSE.

>> ON THE BULLYING PART, WE ARE IN YEAR ONE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN, RIGHT? OKAY. SO, WHAT ARE THE FORMATIVE MONITORING TOOLS THAT WE HAVE RESEARCHED? WHAT HAVE WE COME UP WITH, SO FAR? IT SAYS, GEAR ONE, RESEARCH FORMATIVE MONITORING TOOLS .

WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? >> I WILL HAVE TO GET THOSE TO YOU. I AM NOT ON THAT COMMITTEE, SO I WILL FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE

ARE AND GET THOSE TO YOU. >> CAN I ADD TO THAT? THIS ONE, I FOUND SOMEWHAT -- I STRUGGLED WITH THIS ONE. WITHOUT A CULTURE OF LEARNING, YOU DON'T HAVE A SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO, WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON HERE IS, WHAT INTERFERES WITH A CULTURE OF LEARNING? I KNOW DR. TOWNSEL IS VERY PROUD THAT WE

[01:30:06]

>> I WILL SAY, TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, I THINK AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, ESPECIALLY, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND, FULLY RECOGNIZING THAT KINDERGARTNERS AND PRE-K AND FIRST GRADERS, THERE IS A TREMENDOUS ADJUSTMENT , BUT WE DO KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE CHILDREN IN OUR SYSTEM NOW , AND WHEN WE DON'T ADDRESS BEHAVIORS OR MAYBE CERTAIN TRAUMA , APPROPRIATELY , IT BECOMES BIGGER TRAUMA AND BIGGER BEHAVIORS WHEN WE GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT JUST GETS WORSE. HENCE, THE REASON THAT WE ASK FOR BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, TO GO BACK AND HIT THE RESET BUTTON AND TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE THINGS. RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, TO HELP THESE YOUNG

FOLKS. >> YEAH, IN THAT SAME VEIN, WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO FOR ALL OF THESE AREAS, ONE THING -- SORRY, I'M TRYING TO FIND MY NOTES. I ALREADY LOST IT. OKAY, I WILL FIND IT.

>> WHILE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT, I SEE ON HERE, WE HAVE THINGS LIKE, REVISING THE DISTRICT EQUITY PLAN, AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IT TALKS ABOUT DISTRICT INITIATIVES AND EQUITABLE PRACTICES AND THINGS. WE HAVE HAD -- I KNOW, INDIVIDUALLY, WE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSING OUR CONCERNS AND HAD DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF. I THINK THAT THE WORD EQUITY HAS BEEN VILLAIN ICED OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND I THINK THAT AS A RESULT OF THE CLIMATE , IT HAS BECOME SOMETHIG, THAT MAYBE, IT BECAME VERY NARROW.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT EQUITABLE PRACTICES, AND I THINK ABOUT WHERE WE SHOULD BE TEACHING AND HOW WE SHOULD BE INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS . EQUITY, TO ME IS RECOGNIZING THAT SOCIOECONOMICS PLAYS A ROLE IN HOW CHILDREN SOMETIMES LEARN. IF THERE ARE PARENTS, WHERE ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, OR A STUDENT WHERE ENGLISH IS NOT THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE, THOSE CAN IMPACT HOW A STUDENT LEARNS. IF THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE, AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT CULTURES, THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM OURS, MAYBE THAT IMPACTS THE WAY THEY LEARN. IT ALSO MAY IMPACT THE WAY THEY COMMUNICATE , AND IT DOES NOT MAKE IT BAD.

IT JUST MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE, TRADITIONALLY, INVOLVED IN OR ARE ACCUSTOMED TO. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND EQUITABLE PRACTICES, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE AN EMPHASIS ON ALL OF THOSE THINGS. IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION. EQUITY ENCOMPASSES FAR MORE THAN JUST THAT. I THINK IT HAS BECOME VERY NEGATIVE, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO -- IT'S LIKE HAVING A COACH OF A SPORTS TEAM, RIGHT? YOU KNOW YOUR PLAYERS. YOU KNOW YOUR PLAYERS' STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. IT'S NO DIFFERENT FROM A STUDENT IN A SCHOOL HOUSE, AND NO DIFFERENT FROM INTERACTING WITH ADULTS THAT YOU WORK WITH. IF YOU KNOW THEM, YOU UNDERSTAND , AND IT HELPS YOU DETERMINE HOW YOU INTERACT WITH

THEM. >> ABSOLUTELY. IF I COULD ADD TO THE POINT ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, I KNOW THIS WAS ONE OF THE POINTS OF DISCUSSION WE BROUGHT UP. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE

[01:35:02]

I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT POINT.

>> I WOULD LIKE -- I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ADDED TO THIS SECTION, THAT A CULTURE OF LEARNING SHOULD ADDRESS THINGS LIKE, CLASS-SIZE, TEACHER BURNOUT , TEACHER RETENTION , AND STUDENT AND PARENT ACCOUNTABILITY. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO

CULTURAL LEARNING. >> I DID FIND MY THING. WHEN WE DID THE SURVEY THAT THE BOARD SENT OUT, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED WAS ABOUT, SHOULD SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING BE AN INTERVENTION? MANY BELIEVED THAT WE SHOULD. AGAIN, REALLY NAILING DOWN, HOW ARE WE GOING TO CREATE A CULTURE OF LEARNING? STUDENT EXCELLENCE, THINGS LIKE THAT. MAKING SBL AN INTERVENTION. SOME STUDENTS DO NEED ADDITIONAL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, AND WE SHOULD HAVE THAT AVAILABLE TO THEM, TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THAT TARGETED TIME. CAN WE GET INTO THE METRICS ON THIS SLIDE?

>> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION, BECAUSE THAT IS TRULY DIFFERENTIATING TO THE NEEDS OF THE CHILD.

>> CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS -- IS THIS LIKE A STATE -- IS THIS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO REPORT TO THE STATE? WHEN WE DO THAT, DO THEY DIFFERENTIATE, AT ALL, THE

REASONS? MEDICAL ? >> NO, SPECIFICALLY, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IS ABOUT BEING ABSENT 10% OF YOUR SCHOOL YEAR.

IF YOU ATTEND 180 DAYS, IT IS 18 DAYS. WHETHER THEY ARE LEGAL OR ILLEGAL ABSENCES. IF YOU ATTEND FOR 30 DAYS , THEN IT IS THREE DAYS. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT SOMEONE STAYS IN YOUR SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD IS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD TO TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT IF A STUDENT IS IN YOUR SCHOOL FOR A SET PERIOD OF TIME, AND IT IS 10% OF THAT SET PERIOD OF TIME. SO, IF MR. JOHNSON IS A STUDENT AT THE SCHOOL AND HE GOES TO SCHOOL A , AND HE IS THERE FOR 60 DAYS, AND MISSES SIX OR MORE ABSENCES, HE WILL BE ON SCHOOL A'S CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. WHEN HE LEAVES AND GOES TO SCHOOL B, AND FROM THE TIME HE ENTERS, AND LET'S SAY HE STAYS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR, AND HE MISSES 10% OR MORE, HE IS ALSO ON SCHOOL B'S CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM LIST. YOU WILL FIND, SOMETIMES, EVEN THOUGH, THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT HAVE ILLEGAL ABSENCES, WHICH MEANS THAT A PARENT OR A DOCTOR HAS GIVEN A NOTE. THEY MIGHT MISS 40 DAYS OF SCHOOL, AND THIS REALLY HITS AT THE FACT THAT WE NEED STUDENTS IN SCHOOL ALL THE TIME. AND, NOT JUST TARGETED FOR KIDS THAT ARE NOT ATTENDING SCHOOL, AND ALSO THOSE, THAT ARE NOT ATTENDING SCHOOLS AND GETTING A NOTE THINK THEY WERE ABSENT BECAUSE THEY

WERE NOT FEELING WELL. >> THE ISSUE I HAVE FOR THIS ONE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM METRIC IS, IT IS HIGHLY RELIANT UPON THE PARENT, WHICH IS LARGELY OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. IF A PARENT LETS THEIR CHILD MISS A TON OF SCHOOL, I DON'T THINK THE SCHOOL SYSTEM -- I KNOW WHAT THE STATE DOES IS WHAT THE STATE DOES, BUT AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CALVERT COUNTY, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE DINGING OURSELVES FOR NOT MEETING A METRIC THAT IS THAT FAR OUT OF OUR CONTROL. IF A CHILD IS NOT

[01:40:02]

>> OR, A CHRONIC ILLNESS. IT IS SOMETHING I'VE GOT AT HOME.

BOTH OF MY KIDS ENDED UP ON THE ABSENTEE LIST , BECAUSE OF CHRONIC ISSUES. THAT SHOULD NOT COUNT AGAINST US.

>> I WOULD SAY TO THAT, WHEN WE CAME BACK FROM COVID, ABSENTEEISM WAS A HUGE ISSUE. THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEARS, SCHOOLS AND STUDENT SERVICES HAVE PUT IN VERY SPECIFIC SUPPORTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SHIFTING THAT. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT OVERALL ATTENDANCE, WE HAVE BEEN SHIFTING THAT, TO THE POINT OF CHRONIC HEALTH ISSUES. WE HAVE SUPPORTS IN PLACE AND THEY CAN ALWAYS BE REFINED. WHEN WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT HAVE CHRONIC ILLNESSES, THERE ARE PROCESSES THAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE FOR THOSE STUDENTS, AND WHILE THEY MIGHT BE A PART OF THAT METRIC, I DON'T THINK THAT IS NECESSARILY, DINGING US, WHEN WE HAVE OTHER, BIGGER ISSUES . WE ARE NOT GOING TO LOOK TO SAY, OF THESE 100 KIDS, ONE HAD A CHRONIC ILLNESS. WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE OTHER 99 KIDS? I THINK THAT IS THE IMPORTANT PIECE, BECAUSE WE WON'T HAVE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE IF WE DON'T HAVE KIDS ATTENDING SCHOOL, AND I THINK THAT IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND HAVING ATTENDANCE AS A METRIC TO PAY ATTENTION TO, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS LEGAL OR ILLEGAL.

>> YEAH. I UNDERSTAND. I WON'T GO ON FOREVER. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CCPS , IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING WE HAVE BEEN AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR A LONG TIME, SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY WE DON'T ALREADY HAVE A

GUIDEBOOK. >> AS FAR AS INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTATION, AND SO, IT IS REALLY PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER SO IT IS IN ONE PLACE.

THAT IS A PIECE OF IT, AND THEN, MSDE PUT OUT AN INCLUSIVE PRACTICES GUIDEBOOK, SO WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE HOW THAT ALIGNS, AND HOW BEST TO ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ONE PLACE AND

EASILY ACCESSIBLE. >> CAN YOU SEND ME THAT? THANK YOU. ON THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, I HAVE REAL CONCERNS OVER FREEZING THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS . IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EVEN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, THE WAY WE DEFINE RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AND THEIR NEEDS.

SOMETIMES, THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM. PUTTING THAT AS ONE OF OUR SCHOOL SISTER METRICS WILL FORCE MORE CHILDREN INTO GENERAL EDUCATION SETTINGS.

THEIR DEFINITION, INDIVIDUALLY IS, LEAST RESTRICTIVE IS NOT A GENERAL EDUCATION SETTING. I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT BEING SOMETHING WE ARE STRIVING TOWARDS.

>> NEXT SLIDE. >> SEVEN. IS THAT SEVEN? NO, NOT THAT ONE. SORRY. UP ONE. YES, THIS ONE. AGAIN, FOR THE ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS, DISPROPORTIONALITY OF STUDENT DISCIPLINE, IT IS THE SAME TO ME. IF A STUDENT VIOLATES ONE OF OUR POLICIES, WE SHOULD HAVE OPERATIONAL STANDARDS TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING CONSEQUENCE FOR THE ACTION. IF WE IDENTIFY AREAS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHERE WE FEEL LIKE THERE ARE PEOPLE, ADULTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGETING CHILDREN IN DISCIPLINE, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES PROBLEM. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF A STUDENT HITS ANOTHER STUDENT, REGARDLESS, THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE FOR THAT ACTION AND WE NEED TO APPLY IT CONSISTENTLY. THAT IS MY THOUGHT THERE.

>> NEXT SLIDE. KEEP GOING. >> OKAY. FOR THE NEXT SLIDE, I'M SORRY, ONE MORE UP, KAREN. I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO HURRY ME ALONG. OKAY. THIS ONE, CELEBRATE STUDENT AND STAFF SUCCESSES. HERE, I WANT TO SEE, AGAIN, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE GOING TO DO? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE MORE ASSEMBLIES FOR STUDENTS? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE BULLETIN BOARDS? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE EMAIL BLASTS? RIBBONS THAT THEY GET TO WHERE? IT IS REALLY GETTING DOWN TO, WHAT OF THOSE THINGS ARE WE GOING TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE ARE

[01:45:03]

>> YEP. >> THANK YOU.

>> ARE WE INTO LAMENTING -- IMPLEMENTING THAT?

>> IT IS FOR SOME OF THE HIGHEST NEED BEHAVIORAL STUDENTS, AND IT IS A WAY TO PRESENT INJURY, AND HELP STUDENTS DE-ESCALATE , WHEN THEY ARE VERY DIS-REGULATED. IT IS FOCUSED IN ON SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT HOUSE A LOT OF HER HIGHEST NEED BEHAVIORAL KIDS, AND HOW TO RESPOND TO THEM , IF THEY WERE DIS-REGULATED AND HAVING BEHAVIORS THAT COULD BECOME HURTFUL TO STAFF.

>> HOW DOES THIS HELP THEM BECOME REGULATED AGAIN?

>> BUILT WITHIN THAT ARE WAYS THAT YOU HELP THE STUDENT DRAIN OFF AND BE ABLE TO GET THEMSELVES TOGETHER , AND THE PROGRAM IS BUILT ON SOME OF THOSE SAME PREMISES OF CTI AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE PUT IN POSITION YOURSELF, TALKING, GETTING KIDS TO A QUIET SPACE, LETTING THEM FOCUS IN AND REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS, AT HAND. THE PADS, THERE IS EQUIPMENT THAT COMES WITH IT, SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST HAVE IN ALL OF YOUR GENERAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS. YOU HAVE PADS, BUT IF THEY BECOME VOLATILE, AND THEY ARE SWINGING, OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY ARE USED FOR PROTECTION FOR THE

STAFF. >> BUT, THIS IS NOT A -- IF THEY BECOME VOLATILE , IT'S PROTECTION FOR THE STAFF, BUT THIS IS NOT A TYPE OF -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS I AM LOOKING FOR. THAT WOULD ALLOW A CHILD -- NO, IT'S NOT AN INTERVENTION. THIS WOULD ENCOURAGE A CHILD TO HIT OR KICK

TO BLOW OFF STEAM? >> NO, IT IS NOT. IN FACT, IT IS REALLY BUILT OFF THE PREMISE OF HELPING A STUDENT REGULATE THEIR BEHAVIOR, VERSUS THE FACT THAT YOU ARE GRABBING A STUDENT, MOVING THEM INAPPROPRIATELY, RESTRAINING THEM. IT IS ALL PUT IN PLACE TO HELP ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, AS WELL.

>> I WILL SAVE ALL OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. ONCE AGAIN, I AM SEEING IT THROUGHOUT THIS CULTURE OF LEARNING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, HOW ARE WE EVALUATING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? I DON'T REMEMBER -- I'M NOT GOING TO SAY NEVER, BUT RARELY, DO WE GET INPUT FROM TEACHERS TO SAY, WOW, THAT WAS HELPFUL , OR THAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE WASTE OF MY TIME. I DID REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THE TEAM, IT INVOLVED A LOT OF PEOPLE, REALLY DIFFERENTIATED THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THIS YEAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY WELL DONE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS, AS WELL. IF WE ARE PUTTING ALL OF THESE PROFESSIONALS INTO A ROOM, HAVING KIDS STAY HOME OR LEAVE TWO HOURS EARLY, AND YOU HAVE A PRICE TAG, ON EVERY TEACHER SITTING IN THAT ROOM, AND EVERY SUPERVISOR, THAT HAD TO CREATE THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY INTO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. HOW ARE BREE MONITORING OUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT? AND, DO WE EVEN HAVE A TIMELINE? IF WE ARE GIVING A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON SOME

[01:50:03]

THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. >> YEAH, I WOULD ADD TO THAT, THAT I THINK THAT , KIND OF UNDERSTANDING HOW TEACHERS OR SUPPORT STAFF, DEPENDING ON DEVELOPMENT, HOW THEY CAN TAKE IT BACK, HOW AND WHAT WAS APPLIED, WHAT OUT OF THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DID THEY GET TO APPLY IN THEIR

CLASSROOM? WAS IT USEFUL? >> ON TOP OF THAT, AFTER YOU HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TEACHERS NEED TIME TO PROCESS EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE TAKEN. A LOT OF TIMES, THESE TEACHERS ARE BEING PUT INTO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DAY, AND THERE IS NO TIME TO IMPLEMENT WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED. THEY NEED SOME TIME TO, ACTUALLY, SIT WITH IT, TALK WITH THEIR TEAM ABOUT IT, AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO APPLY IT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE A CONVERSATION, AS WELL.

GIVING TEACHERS TIME FOR THAT KIND OF THING. IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT JUST SITTING IN A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND USING UP EVERY MINUTE TO DRILL IN AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN IN THAT TIME ALLOTMENT. THOSE TEACHERS NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO THEIR CLASSROOM AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE IT.

>> I WILL JUST SHARE, I DO KNOW THAT WE DO SURVEYS ALL THE TIME, BUT SOMETIMES WE DO SURVEYS AFTER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM SEVERAL TEACHERS IS, THEY DON'T LIKE TO FILL THOSE OUT, ESPECIALLY, IF THEY ARE IN SPECIALIZED POSITIONS. THEY FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO IDENTIFY, WHO IT WAS, WHO MADE THE COMMENT, AND IF THEY ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE TRAINING, THEY DON'T WANT TO BE TARGETED. IF THERE IS SOME WAY WE CAN IDENTIFY A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

MAYBE, MAKING PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE.

>> WE DID A SURVEY, AND IT WAS --

>> -- IT IS LIKE ASKING QUESTIONS, WHAT TYPE OF POSITION

DO YOU HAVE EXIT -- >> WE NEED TO I -- ELIMINATE THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT WOULD IDENTIFY A SCHOOL. YEAH,

IT CLEARLY TARGETS. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION. WE HAVE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, THE KIRWAN BLUEPRINT. WHAT PART OF THIS STRATEGIC PLAN IS ALIGNED WITH THE KERWIN BLUEPRINT? ARE THERE ELEMENTS THAT ARE SIMILAR? IS THAT THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE MEETINGS? THE BLUEPRINT, THE FIVE PILLARS, I FORGET WHAT THINGS WERE WITH THAT, BUT ARE THESE INCORPORATED? ARE WE PARALLEL?

>> YEAH, THE BLUEPRINT WAS DEFINITELY PART OF OUR THOUGHT PROCESS AS WE PUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN TOGETHER. WHEN YOU SEE MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT, AND WORKING WITH MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND FAMILIES, AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND PROVIDING RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS, THAT IS ALL PART OF THE BLUEPRINT. ALL OF THESE THINGS IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ARE TIED TO THE BLUEPRINT. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PILLAR TWO AND THE CAREER LADDER, THAT HAS SPECIFIC PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ATTACHED TO IT, WHICH IS ALIGNED WITH THE THINGS YOU WILL SEE HERE. AND THEN, WHEN WE LOOK FOR MORE SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS, THAT IS ALSO ALIGNED TO STUDENT EXCELLENCE, A CULTURE FOR LEARNING. THOSE TWO PIECES REALLY HIT A LOT OF THE BLUEPRINT PIECES.

>> SO, WHAT THAT BEGS THE QUESTION IS, WHICH OF THESE ITEMS ARE IMPLEMENTABLE, GIVEN OUR FISCAL LIMITATIONS? HAVE WE SET THESE GOALS , THAT MAYBE ARE NOT ACHIEVABLE , BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MONEY? THE ONE THING THAT IS PARTICULARLY CONCERNING IS THE 40% COLLABORATIVE TIME PLANNED FOR TEACHERS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH 40% OF THEIR FREE TIME.

MAYBE THAT IS WHAT THEY NEED. MAYBE THAT IS WHEN THEY DO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR WORKSHOP, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIG BURDEN FOR THE COUNTY. WE WILL LOSE, ESSENTIALLY, 400 TEACHER POSITIONS TO COLLABORATIVE TIME.

>> I DON'T THINK IT IS THAT HIGH. SOME OF OUR TEACHERS ARE

[01:55:04]

>> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, I GUESS, A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION I WOULD HAVE, AND I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED TO KNOW IS, BLUEPRINT ASIDE, LET'S PUT THAT OVER HERE. ALL OF THAT IS COMING DOWN FROM THE STATE, AND IT IS FORCED. WHAT WOULD A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS SOLELY BASED ON OUR NEEDS AS A COUNTY, BLUEPRINT THE DAMNED, HOW WOULD THAT DIFFER FROM WHAT THIS IS NOW, BECAUSE OF WHAT WE KNOW HAS TO BE DONE BY THE BLUEPRINT? I'M KIND OF INTERESTED IN HOW DIFFERENT THIS MIGHT BE. AND, MAYBE IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT, AND SEE HOW TO MELD THE TWO TOGETHER, PUT IT MORE TOWARDS OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COUNTY, WHILE STILL COMPLYING AND NOT BASING IT OFF

OF THE BLUEPRINT. >> WE, CERTAINLY, CAN LOOK AT THAT FURTHER. WHAT I WOULD SAY, JUST TO RESPOND RIGHT NOW, IS THAT IF WE GO BACK TO , WHICH STUDENTS ARE ACHIEVING AND WHICH STUDENTS ARE NOT, THE QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT STRATEGIES DO WE NEED TO HAVE IN PLACE FOR THE COUNTY TO HELP SUPPORT THE KIDS, WHO ARE NOT ACHIEVING, IN ORDER TO MEET THOSE CONTENT STANDARDS, AND HOW DO WE ACCELERATE STUDENTS, SO THAT THOSE WHO HAVE MET THE CONTENT STANDARDS, THEY ARE BEING PUSHED TO ACHIEVE AT HIGHER LEVELS. LOOKING AT BOTH SIDES, BUT USING ACHIEVEMENT INDICATORS , AS THAT MEANS TO DETERMINE THAT. I THINK THAT IS WHERE YOU START. SOME OF THAT COMES BACK TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY LISTED IN HERE. DO ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS ALIGNED TO THE CONTENT STANDARDS AND USE THE BEST INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES THAT WE KNOW ARE TRIED-AND-TRUE TO GETTING ALL STUDENTS TO LEARN? WHEN THEY ARE NOT LEARNING IN THAT GENERAL ED SETTING, WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, THAT WHEN YOU SEE TIER TWO AND TIER THREE, WHAT ARE THE SUPPORTS WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THOSE STUDENTS? HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE ACADEMIC CONCERNS? HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS, AND HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THE STUDENTS THAT HAVE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL CONCERNS? ALL OF THOSE THINGS, I DO THINK YOU SEE IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT. ABSENT THE BLUEPRINT, I STILL THINK THOSE CONCERNS ARE EVIDENT IN OUR SYSTEM, AND IF WE ARE REALLY ABOUT CHALLENGING AND MAKING SURE ALL STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL, THEN WE HAVE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

>> YEAH, NO. SURE. NOTABLY, THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES. I JUST WONDERED WHAT DIFFERENCES THERE MIGHT BE.

IF IT WASN'T FOR SPECIFIC BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS. THAT IS

ALL. >> IF YOU COULD WRITE THAT DOWN THE SLIDE, WHAT YOU JUST SAID, I THINK THAT IS A PERFECT STRATEGIC PLAN. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO. FORGET ALL

THE OTHER WORDS. IT WAS GREAT. >> KAREN MAXEY HAS A RECORDING.

>> FOR THE STUDENT CLIMATE METRICS, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW, GRACE, WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO FROM A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE TO MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG, AND MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SAFE. IF THEY WANT US TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS ABLE TO ACHIEVE 100% OF STUDENTS BELONGING AND FEELING SAFE, WE HAVE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS NOT MAKING

[02:00:01]

THEM FEEL SAFE TODAY. >> ABSENTLY, AND I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH EVERYONE IN A MORE IN-DEPTH EMAIL. I CAN PROBABLY WRITE A LOT MORE THAN I CAN SAY RIGHT NOW. IN TERMS OF SAFETY, OBVIOUSLY, A BIG PART OF THAT IS JUST FEELING COMFORTABLE IN THE CLASSROOM. FEELING AS IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO TO THEIR TEACHER WITHOUT BEING JUDGED. FEELING AS IF THERE TEACHER BELIEVES IN THEM. FEELING AS IF SUPPORT STAFF BELIEVES IN THEM, THAT SORT OF THING. I THINK SAFETY ALSO INCLUDES LEARNING IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SAFE, GOING BACK TO OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. DO STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DISTRACTED? DO STUDENTS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE NOT TOO COLD, NOT TOO HOT, WHICH SOUNDS SILLY, BUT IS A PRETTY BIG PROBLEM. I THINK, IN TERMS OF INCLUSIVITY, A BIG PIECE OF THAT, IN TERMS OF -- I THINK OF CULTURE OF LEARNING. HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT CLASSROOM NORMS ARE SET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? I THINK OF THIS IN TWO VEINS. NUMBER ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS I HEAR FROM STUDENTS A LOT, AND I WISH I COULD GIVE THEM A GOOD ANSWER, IS AFTER THE FIRST MONTH OF SCHOOL, THERE IS A NORM THAT THE STUDENTS WILL GET ATTENTION BUT THE STUDENTS WILL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. THE STUDENTS WILL BE IGNORED BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE QUESTIONS RIGHT. THERE IS A CLEAR DIVIDE BETWEEN STUDENTS DRIVING AND STUDENTS FALLING BEHIND. LOOKING AT INITIATIVES THAT TARGET THOSE PEOPLE TO FALL IN THE MIDDLE, BETWEEN NOT OUTWARDLY FAILING, BUT AREN'T DOING AS WELL AS THEY CAN. AND THEN, ON THE OTHER FRONT, THIS SPEAKS TO A LOT OF THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON IN THIS ROLE. HOW DO STUDENTS COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE CLASSROOM? SPECIFICALLY, ENGLISH, SOCIAL STUDIES, BUT OTHER CLASSROOMS TOO, ARE STUDENTS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND DISCUSS IDEAS IN A WAY THAT IS CIVIL? ARE STUDENTS ABLE TO COMMUNICATE AND DISCUSS IDEAS IN A WAY WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL THEY WILL BE JUDGED FOR THEIR IDEOLOGY? ARE THEY COMFORTABLE EXPLORING IDEAS TOGETHER AND CREATING SOLUTIONS OR CREATING NEW IDEAS IN THEIR HEAD WITH EACH OTHER? I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SOME OF THAT WAS VERY ABSTRACT. SOME WAS MORE CONCRETE. I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW

UP AND WRITE THAT ALL UP. >> THAT TAKES ME BACK TO THE SURVEYS WE HAVE DONE. WHAT ARE WE, ACTUALLY, DOING THAT THOSE SURVEYS? IF EACH SCHOOL LOOKED AT THAT SURVEY AND HAD TO TARGET THEIR AREAS AND PRESENT A PLAN TO EITHER OUR LEADERSHIP , WHOEVER IS APPROPRIATE, AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE. JUST LIKE INSTRUCTION TO STUDENTS IS DIFFERENTIATED, WE NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE BY THE NEEDS OF THE BUILDING. WHAT MIGHT BE A BIG ISSUE IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL COULD BE AN ABSOLUTE NONPROBLEM IN A DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOL. I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT -- WHAT WAS IT CALLED? THE SURVEY

THAT THEY TAKE? >> THE CLIMATE SURVEY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CLIMATE SURVEY?

>> THE CLIMATE SURVEY. NOT JUST TAKE SURVEYS, NOT JUST LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF SURVEYS, BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THAT

INFORMATION? >> I WOULD SAY THAT EVERY PLAN LOOKS DIFFERENT, BUT IN THE SUMMER, WHEN WE GET THOSE RESULTS BACK, OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAMS ARE DIGGING INTO THAT. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT , GOD BLESS THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, EVERY YEAR, THE SAME METRIC COMES UP. KIDS DON'T TREAT EACH OTHER WELL. AND, THAT COMES UP YEAR AFTER YEAR IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL. FOLKS HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS THINKING OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES TO APPROACH THAT METRIC AND REALLY CHANGE THAT, FROM PUTTING PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO HAVING THINGS ADDRESSED IN ADVISORY TO TALKING ABOUT COMMON NORMS ACROSS CLASSROOMS TO REMINDING KIDS THAT YOU SHOULD NOT FOCUS IN ON THIS ONE EVENT THAT HAPPENED, BUT REALLY THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE YOU INTERACT WITH ON A DAILY BASIS, THAT HELP THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION. SOMETIMES, THOSE METRICS ARE VERY HARD TO MOVE, BUT I WOULD SAY, JUST LIKE WE LOOK AT ACADEMIC DATA, OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAMS ARE LOOKING AT THAT CLIMATE DATA FOR THEIR SCHOOLS, AND REALLY IDENTIFYING, WHAT ARE THE MAJOR ISSUES? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT SCHOOLS DO, THEY LOOK AT ACADEMIC DATA. THEY ARE LOOKING AT, SYSTEMWIDE DATA, BIG DATA SETS . THEY ARE LOOKING AT ATTENDANCE DATA. THEY ARE LOOKING AT DISCIPLINE DATA. THEY ARE DRILLING DOWN TO FIGURE OUT, WHAT IS THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE DISCIPLINE THAT IS CAUSING THE MOST ISSUE, AND WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DISCIPLINE CONCERNS? THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE CLIMATE

[02:05:03]

THEY ARE DEPRESSING, SOMETIMES, WE THINK ABOUT MATH SCORES.

BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION AND THE SUPERVISORS AND SPECIALISTS IN MATH, THINKING ABOUT WHAT THOSE HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ARE, AND HOW WE IMPLEMENT THOSE. PART OF THAT IS, YOU NEED TIME TO BE ABLE TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU IMPLEMENT. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HAVING A RESOURCE. IT IS ABOUT TEACHERS FEELING CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO USE THE RESOURCE EFFECTIVELY, AND THEN, WHAT ELSE ARE WE DOING TO MONITOR THOSE THINGS? WHAT INTERVENTIONS DO WE HAVE IN PLACE TO RAISE THE SCORES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE GAPS? THAT IS AN ONGOING PROCESS.

>> I GREATLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE DOING. I KNOW THAT IS NOT AN EASY JOB. IT'S NOT AN EASY FIX, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP DISCUSSING IT UNTIL WE CAN COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS, BECAUSE CHILDREN NOT FEELING SAFE IN SCHOOL, OR NOT FEELING ACCEPTED -- MRS. GRENIS, I WANT TO CLARIFY, IT'S NOT JUST ADMINISTRATORS, IT IS ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT STAFF. YOU HAVE YOUR SUPPORT STAFF, TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS THAT ARE FORMING TEAMS AT SCHOOLS TO SAY, WHAT

WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE? >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.

>> BETWEEN CULTURE OF LEARNING AND STUDENT EXCELLENCE, THERE IS GROWTH MIND-SET. IT APPEARS IN BOTH OF THOSE. I'M GLAD MRS. GRENIS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE 50% POLICY. I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT, INCLUDING -- AGAIN, STRATEGIES. VERY SPECIFIC THINGS WE ARE GOING TO DO TO PROMOTE A GROWTH MIND-SET. EVEN DOWN TO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, LANGUAGETHAT WE CAN EMPOWER STAFF WITH, SO THAT THEY KNOW WHEN A CHILD FAILS A TEST. THE GROWTH MIND-SET STATEMENTS THEY CAN USE TO HELP. I THINK WE NEED TO -- I THINK GROWTH MIND-SET IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK FOCUSING A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT -- IN IN ORDER TO HAVE STUDENT EXCELLENCE OR A CULTURE OF LEARNING, GROWTH MIND-SET IS REALLY IMPORTANT. WITHIN THESE SECTIONS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING ABOUT APPROPRIATE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. I THINK WE HAVE OVERUSED TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM, AND SO, IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO IMPLEMENT A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY USE AND GOOD OLD PAPER AND PENCIL, I THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE THAT IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. I KNOW MR. MCCOMB IS REALLY INTERESTED IN FINDING A BETTER BALANCE, SO WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT. I THINK

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME. >> I AM DONE WITH THE SLIDE.

>> NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. >> I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.

ANALYZE ADMINISTRATIVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS TO IMPROVE

EFFICIENCY. >> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW IS THAT, ACTUALLY, GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

>> I WILL TAKE THIS ONE. THAT, ACTUALLY, WAS A VERY SPECIFIC ITEM THAT CAME OUT OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE SURVEY INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW PIECES. THAT IS WHY THAT IS THERE. FOR THIS FIRST YEAR. THERE WAS ABOUT -- THERE

[02:10:04]

>> THANK YOU. WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE THAT A LITTLE MORE PRECISE.

>> I HAVE ONE GENERAL COMMENT, AND THEN, I AM DONE. I KNOW, THIS IS MY LAST COMMENT. MY LAST ONE. THE JOURNEY OF A GRADUATE.

THE FIVE AREAS OF THE JOURNEY AREN'T REPRESENTED IN ANY OF THESE -- LIKE, DIRECTLY REPRESENTED IN ANY OF THESE AREAS, AND I WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT, BECAUSE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON THE JOURNEY OF A GRADUATE, THERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD POINTS IN THERE, AND AREAS WE CAN DIG INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE TO LEAN INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVES. THAT IS ALL.

>> I NEED TO GO TO SLIDE 10. >> WHEN WE LOOK AT NINE, I ALSO NOTICED THAT WITH THE WRITING TRAINING, AND THE COMPETITIVE GRANT APPLICATIONS, YOU GAVE A PERCENTAGE, BUT IS THERE A GOAL TO INCREASE THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING LISTED

THERE? >> THERE IS NOT YET, BUT THERE

WILL BE. >> THANK YOU. ON SLIDE 10,

ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY? >> I MAY NEED A FEW MINUTES.

SORRY FOR -- JUST A REMINDER, WE ARE GOING BACK INTO CLOSED, SO WE ARE GOING TO BE HERE UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, RECRUIT AND RETAIN STRATEGIES, THIS IS ONE THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME, BECAUSE WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT LEAVE, AND WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHY. LET'S SUPPOSE WE HAVE A TEACHER NOW, WHO DECIDES SHE IS GOING TO RESIGN. OR, SHE IS GOING TO TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE. WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT IS THE PROCESS TO FOLLOW UP TO FIND OUT WHAT SHE DID, WHAT WENT WRONG? LET'S SUPPOSE SHE WENT TO HER PRINCIPAL, AND THEN SHE WENT TO THE SUPERVISORS AND THE DIRECTORS AND LEADERSHIP , AND COULD NOT COME TO A RESOLUTION. WHAT IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY THERE, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THIS KIND OF SITUATION?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MR. SILVA AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS, MAKING SURE WE HAVE CLEAR INDICATORS. WHILE WE HAVE EXIT SURVEYS, SOMETIMES, THEY DON'T GIVE US ENOUGH SPECIFIC INFORMATION. HE AND HIS TEAM ARE DEVELOPING A MORE QUANTITATIVE SURVEY TO FIND OUT WHY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING, AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO DIG INTO SOME OF THOSE PIECES. SHOULD SOMEONE RETIRE? SHOULD SOMEONE MOVE TO ANOTHER LOCATION, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY FIND OUT. IF THERE IS SOMEONE, WHO IS RETIRING, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW. IF I AM LEAVING , IF I'M LEAVING TO GO OUT OF STATE, BECAUSE IF I'M GOING TO ANOTHER SYSTEM IN STATE OR OUT OF STATE, AND AM DISSATISFIED, THAT IS ONE THING, BUT IF MY SPOUSE IS MOVING AND HAS -- THAT IS REALLY DIFFERENT.

REALLY, TO GET DOWN TO THE REASONS WHY WE MIGHT HAVE DISSATISFIED EMPLOYEES, WHO WOULD BE LEAVING, IS REALLY

IMPORTANT. >> I THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT, EVEN A TEACHER RETIRING, ARE WE QUESTIONING WHAT SHE FELT WE DID WELL AND WHAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON?

>> WE ARE NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY BEEN DISCUSSING IN ORDER TO DEVELOP , ESPECIALLY, AT THIS TIME, SO IT'S IN PLACE, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE THAT IS REAL DATA THAT IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE FOCUSING ON RECRUITING AND RETENTION, THEN WE NEED TO KNOW, THAT INFORMATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PINPOINT WHAT THINGS

MIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. >> I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A PRESENTATION, PERHAPS, TO THE BOARD, OR I WILL MEET WITH YOU PERSONALLY. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT PROCESS IS, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVE. JUST GETTING THE INPUT IS NOT ENOUGH. WE NEED TO HAVE

[02:15:01]

>> I THINK STEP ONE IS GETTING THE INFORMATION, AND WE ARE NOT GETTING THAT CLEAR OF INFORMATION RIGHT NOW, AND THAT

IS WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON. >> GOING BACK TO LEAVE OF ABSENCES, ARE THERE CERTAIN CRITERIA THAT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS TO MEET TO TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE, OR CAN A LEAVE OF ABSENCE BE TAKEN FOR ANY REASON?

>> TYPICALLY, A LEAVE OF ABSENCE, THAT IS COMMITTED TO OUR CONTRACTS, AND THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT THEY ARE TALKING WITH HUMAN RESOURCES ABOUT, BUT IT COULD ALSO BE HEALTH RELATED. THERE COULD BE PARENTAL LEAVES OF ABSENCES.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT QUALIFY FOR LEAVES OF ABSENCE. A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT WE HAVE VARIOUS EMPLOYEES THAT MIGHT TAKE IT DURING THE YEAR BECAUSE OF HEALTH RELATED ISSUES, CHILD REARING.

>> IN THAT, I FULLY RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THERE MAY BE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY REQUIRE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN SOMEBODY THAT WE ARE ALLOWING, AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS OCCURRING. I JUST FEEL OBLIGATED TO SAY IT, THAT WE ARE ALLOWING AN INDIVIDUAL TO TAKE A LEAVE OF ABSENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, AND THERE ISN'T NECESSARILY A SITUATION IN THAT RESPECT , AND IT REALLY PUTS AN UNNECESSARY AND UNDUE BURDEN ON , REALLY, EVERY OTHER STAFF PERSON IN THE BUILDING. AND, THE KIDS, ULTIMATELY.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN, BUT I WOULD SAY, THAT RARELY HAPPENS MIDYEAR. IT IS USUALLY RELATED TO SOMETHING LARGER, SUCH AS PARENTAL LEAVE OR A HEALTH ISSUE

THAT MIGHT BE IN PLACE. >> JUST THINKING ABOUT THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE SURE. WE CAN TALK OFF-LINE ABOUT THAT.

TAKING A LEAVE OF ABSENCE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE THEY DECIDED THEY ARE GOING TO CREATE A STARTUP, AND WE ARE ALL

JUGGLING. >> SOMETIMES, IT'S BECAUSE F

SOMETHING -- >> IT'S THE OTHER THINGS, NOT THE LEGITIMATE, CREATING A STARTUP IS LEGITIMATE TOO, -- I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE I WAS -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT NEW ADMINISTRATORS, BUT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE A COHESIVE SCHOOL SYSTEM. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE.

[4.01 Comments by the Board]

>> I'M NOT GOING TO ASK IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER TIME, AND WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT, SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO BOARD COMMENTS. NO, STAY. IT WILL BE FINE.

>> ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO START BY ENCOURAGING ALL OF OUR MEMBERS TO COME SEE OUR AMAZING PLAYS AND MUSICALS THAT ARE BEING HELD AT OUR ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. IF YOU SEE THE BAGS UNDER MY EYES, IT'S BECAUSE WE JUST HAD A PARENT NIGHT RUN AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL FOR OUR PRODUCTION, LEAP OF FAITH. I PROMISE, IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THIS BOARD MEETING.

>> YOU CAN TELL US THE TRUTH, GRACE.

>> WE ARE OPENING OUR PRODUCTION TOMORROW NIGHT, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME SEE IT, AS WELL AS, GO SEE THE OTHER PLAYS HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. I WANT TO EXTEND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE IMAGINATION TEAMS THAT COMPETED AT STATE. WE HAVE A FEW TEAMS GOING TO THE GLOBAL LEVEL, WHICH IS INSANE AND SO IMPRESSIVE, SO CONGRATULATIONS. I WANTED TO SHARE, AND I WILL SHARE THIS MORE IN MY NEXT BOARD REPORT, BUT ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30TH, I WILL BE HOSTING A STUDENT FOR HIM AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENT LEADERS TO ENGAGE WITH EACH OTHER. I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THAT. FINALLY, FOR ANY MARCH MADNESS FANS, I AM SORRY , BUT GO BLUE DEVILS.

THANK YOU. >> MR. MARCHIO.

>> I UNDERSTAND YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY THERE, BUT THAT WAS PRETTY BOLD. THE BIGGEST THING FOR ME IS, SEE IF YOU CAN GET OUT AND SUPPORT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. I THINK ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE DIFFERENT RUNGS OF THEIR MUSICALS AT DIFFERENT TIMES, INCLUDING A MATINEE ON SUNDAY THAT MAY BE EASY VIEWING FOR SOME PEOPLE. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO WISH GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE COMPETING IN THE SKILLS USA COMPETITION, UP AT THE CARROLL COUNTY CENTER THIS WEEKEND. I KNOW THEY WILL DO GOOD THINGS, AS THEY USUALLY DO.

>> THANK YOU, I WILL TALK INTO THE MICROPHONE. I WANT FOLKS IN

[02:20:01]

>> DISCUSSION? >> DO I NEED TO GET MY SCRIPT

OUT? >> I MEAN, GO AHEAD.

>> MY DAUGHTERS AND I WENT TO CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY LAST WEEKEND AT NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS FANTASTIC, AND I HAVE TO SAY, THE KIDS LOVED THAT ALL OF THE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES , DURING INTERMISSION, CAME OUT AND INTERACTED WITH THE AUDIENCE. THEY GOT PICTURES WITH EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THAT CASTE. THAT WAS SUPER EXCITING. THEY CAN'T WAIT TO ATTEND A COUPLE MORE. I ALSO ATTENDED THE ALL COUNTY COURSE THIS TIME.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THAT WAS ALSO FANTASTIC . IT WAS A REALLY GREAT CONCERT. IT WAS THIS WEEK. THE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS THAT THE GOOD NEWS CLUB IS BEGINNING IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS NEXT MONTH. AND SO, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS YET, IT IS NOT AT ALL OF THEM, BUT MOST OF THEM. THEY SHOULD HAVE FLYERS AND HOW YOU CAN SIGN UP, SO THANK YOU.

>> MS. GRENIS. >> I MADE A LIST TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE ADDRESSED, AND I'VE GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT, EARLIER THIS WEEK, I WENT TO WINDY HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MSEA WAS SPONSORING READ ACROSS AMERICA WITH A BOOK DONATION. JASON OATES, THE CEA PRESIDENT GETS TO SELECT ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THESE BOOKS TO BE DONATED TO IN CALVERT COUNTY, AND THIS YEAR, WINDY HILL WAS SELECTED.

PRINCIPAL, MICHELLE SCHMIDT, I WANT TO GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT, BECAUSE SHE RUNS AN AMAZING BUILDING, BUT I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT I EXPERIENCED THERE. I WAS JUST SO EXCITED BY IT. THE LIBRARY IN THERE, HIS NAME IS CHRISTOPHER ANGUS. HE HAS, ACTUALLY, PUT THESE BARCODES INTO SOME OF THEIR LIBRARY BOOKS, SO THAT WHEN I READ A BOOK TO SECOND GRADERS, THERE ARE SOUND EFFECTS. THERE IS A WORD THAT I READ THAT CREATES AN AFFECT. AND, THE CHILDREN WERE MESMERIZED BY IT.

I WAS READING ABOUT DRAGONS, WHO LOVE TACOS. WHEN I CAME TO THE PAGE, CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH, YOU HEAR A BUNCH OF CRUNCHING IN THE BACKGROUND. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS APP COSTS ABOUT $60, AND WHEN PARENTS COULD DOWNLOAD THE APP, AND WHEN THEY WERE READING THE BOOK TO THE CHILDREN OR THE CHILDREN WERE READING THE BOOK TO THEM, IT WOULD HAVE THE SAME SOUND EFFECT. I WANT EVERYBODY IN CALVERT COUNTY TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. THE KIDS WERE EXCITED. IT WAS AMAZING. THANK YOU, MR. ANGUS, FOR SHARING THAT WITH ME, AND I HOPE THAT YOU SHARED WITH EVERY LIBRARY IN OUR SCHOOL.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU DID HAVE ONE THAT NO ONE ELSE HAD. I, CERTAINLY, ECHO MY SENTIMENTS ABOUT THE SCHOOL PLAYS. I TOO LEARNED THAT I CANNOT SIT THROUGH ONE IN THE EVENINGS, WHILE CHECKING THE MATINEES FROM HERE ON OUT. I DID ATTEND CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY PLAY AT NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT. I ALSO ATTENDED THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ALL COUNTY CHORUS, AND I COUNTED 11 ADULTS. THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT I COULD SEE ON THE STAGE, THAT WERE PARTICIPATING TO GET ALL OF THOSE. THAT DOES NOT EVEN INCLUDE ALL OF THE PARENTS, THE AUNTS, UNCLES, THE GUARDIANS, TO GET ALL THOSE CHILDREN THERE. NOT TO MENTION SOME OF THE BLACK PANTS, WHITE SHIRT, BLACK SHOES. I JUST KNOW WHAT THAT IS LIKE IN MY HOUSE. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO BRIAN WELKER. I

[02:25:02]

MEETING ADJOURNED. WELL, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

>> I MAKE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CALVERT COUNTY TO GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION, TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL, AS PERMITTED BY THE MARYLAND OPEN MEETINGS ACT, AND SECTION 3 OF THE GENERAL PROVISION ARTICLES , OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND.

THANK YOU. >> SECOND.

>> I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR ? AYE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.