Apr 10, 2025 Board of Education

[2.01 Pledge of Allegiance/Moment of Silence]

[00:00:09]

>> I NOW CALL THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD MEETING TO ORDER, WE WILL START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT

OF SILENCE. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND

JUSTICE FOR ALL. >> THANK YOU. THIS IS THE

[2.02 HHS Wrestling Recognitions]

>> ALL RIGHT, I WILL READ THE RESOLUTION FROM THE BOARD NOW.

WHEREAS THE HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING TEAM HAS WON THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL AT BUTTOCK ASSOCIATION 2 A CHAMPIONSHIP WHERE'S THE HURRICANES WON THEIR EIGHTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THEIR FOURTH SOUTHERN MARYLAND ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AND WHEREAS THE HURRICANES FINISHED THE SEASON WITH A 29-5 RECORD AND WHEREAS THE HURRICANES RANKED SIXTH IN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND WHEREAS THE HURRICANES RANKED SECOND IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND OVERALL IN PUBLIC SCHOOL RANKINGS AND FIRST OVERALL IN THE 2A CLASSIFICATION RANKING. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CALVERT COUNTY COMMEND THE FAMILIES, COACHES AND MEMBERS OF THE HUNTINGTOWN HURRICANES WRESTLING TEAM FOR AN OUTSTANDING YEAR WHICH RESULTED IN AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THE BOARD MEMBERS WISH THEM EVERY SUCCESS IN THEIR FUTURE,

CONGRATULATIONS. >> I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE

THIS PROCLAMATION. >> SECOND.

>> ALL IN FAVOR. >> AYE .

>> I AM THE HEAD COACH OF HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING , I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE ASSISTANT COACHES,OUR STAFF AND HOW HARD THE BOYS WORKED, I AM SUPER PROUD OF THEM, THANK YOU, GUYS.

>> ON BEHALF OF HUNTINGTON HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE OF YOU BECAUSE THIS GROUP HERE, THEY DON'T ONLY RERESENT HUNTINGTON HIGH SCHOOL BUT CALVERT COUNTY AND WE HAVE SOME GREAT YOUNG MEN SITTING UP HERE AND YOUNG LADIES, BUT LIKE COACH SAID, WE HAVE AN AWESOME STAFF AND OUR STAFF WORKS TOGETHER AND DO A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES FOR THESE KIDS AND IF WE DID NOT THINK OUR PARENTS, WE HAVE GREAT PARENT SUPPORT, PARENTS, WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE, THE OUTS YOU HAVE PUT IN TO BRING THESE KIDS AT 6:00 IN THE MORNING , WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, THANK YOU, CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> THANK YOU, I AM BETH MARTIN THE PRINCIPAL AT HUNTINGTON HIGH AND I WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO COMMEND THE TEAM AND AGAIN, THE PARENTS, MR. GROSS, THE COACHES BUT MY HUSBAND WAS A WRESTLER

[00:05:03]

>> ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A SECOND RESOLUTION FOR WILL BUCKLER, IF YOU WANT TO STEP FORWARD, GO AHEAD.

WHEREAS WILL BUCKLER HAS WON HIS MARYLAND PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL IS LIKE IT ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WRESTLING 157 POUNDS AND IS A SENIOR AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL AND WHEREAS DURING THE 2024 TO 2025 SCHOOL YEAR HE PLACED FIRST AT THE KAISER CLASSIC, THE DAMASCUS TOURNAMENT IN THE PATRIOT CLASSIC AND WHEREAS WILL RECEIVED ADDITIONAL HONORS , WASHINGTON POST ALL MET FIRST-TEAM SELECTION, REGIONAL CHAMPION FOR THREE YEARS, AND SMACK CHAMPION FOR TWO YEARS AND WHEREAS WILL ENDED THE SEASON WITH A RECORD, 40-0, WITH 36 PINS , WHICH EARNED HIM ALL MET HONORS AND WHEREAS HIS OVERALL VARSITY RECORD IS 139-125 AND WHEREAS WILL IS COACHED BY JACOB KRAMER AND REPRESENTS HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF SPORTSMANSHIP AND FAIR PLAY. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED HE WILL BE ATTENDING -- UNIVERSITY TO BECOME A BOBCAT AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION DO HEREBY EXTEND THEIR CONGRATULATIONS AND WISH WILL SUCCESS IN HIS FUTURE, CONGRATULATIONS.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE . >> SECOND.

>> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE.

[00:11:22]

>> ALL RIGHT.

WE MIGHT NEED TO DO TWO LINES AGAIN. OH, NO, I THINK WE ARE GOOD. ALL RIGHT , I'M GOING TO READ THE RESOLUTION IN FULL FOR

[2.03 SkillsUSA Recognition]

>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE .

>> CONGRATULATIONS . >> I'M RYAN SIMMS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT CTA AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR SPONSOR SARAH JONES, FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK. THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR GOING TO SKILLS USA AND I WAS IMPRESSED AT HOW FOCUSED THE ORGANIZATION IS ON STUDENT LEADERSHIP AND THE ROLE OF THE STUDENTS AT EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, SKILLS USA REGIONAL COMPETITION, STATE COMPETITION, IT REALLY WAS THE STUDENTS THAT WERE UP FRONT AND CENTER AND WITH THAT BEING SAID I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CTA SKILLS USA PRESIDENT CHARLIE LEWIS.

>> MY NAME IS CHARLIE LEWIS AND I AM THE SKILLS USA PRESIDENT AT THE CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY. THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY AT CTA AND I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO SHARE SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE EARNED. EARLIER

[00:15:02]

>> NEXT WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. WAIT A SECOND.

[2.04 Appointment]

>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT POST. I'M ASKING FOR YOU TO AFFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. CHARLES DAVIS AS A SUPERVISOR OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. MR. CHARLES DAVIS BRINGS OVER 25 YEARS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE TO CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, GAINED THROUGH HIS ROLES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AND HIGHER EDUCATION.

HIS EXPERTISE INCLUDES SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM MANAGEMENT, PLANNING , DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FOR INITIATIVES RANGING FROM $3 MILLION TO OVER $1 BILLION IN VALUE. HE HAS EFFECTIVELY LED FACILITIES LANDING PROJECTS FOR THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING , DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY , THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND THE DAVIS IS A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, HOLDING A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AND A MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT FROM TROY UNIVERSITY.

I AM ASKING YOU TO AFFIRM THE APPOINTMENT OF MR. CHARLES DAVIS AS THE SUPERVISOR OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE? >> SECOND.

>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR?

>> AYE . >> THE MOTION CARRIES. OKAY, NO PRESSURE, BUT HURRY UP. I'M ONLY KIDDING.

[00:20:02]

>> I JUST WANT TO THANK DR. TOWNSEL AND EACH OF YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN BOTH THE COUNTY I LIVE IN AND ALSO THE COUNTY THAT EDUCATED MY TWO DAUGHTERS WERE BOTH AT YOU MD NOW. I AM EXCITED TO BRING MY BACKGROUND TO HELPING PROMOTE, RENEW AND SUSTAIN OUR CRITICAL RESOURCES AND ARE CRITICAL FACILITIES THAT OUR EDUCATORS AND OUR STUDENTS SO DESPERATELY

NEED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

[3. Consent Agenda]

>> OKAY, NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

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

ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE.

[4.01 Public Comment]

>> AYE, MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT. THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION OF OUR MEETING.

>> THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PERMITS THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ISSUES OF CONCERN , THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS IS LIMITED TO 20. WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO SPEAK PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES. PERSONS ON THE SIGN UP SHEET MAY NOT CONVEY, TRANSFER OR RELINQUISH ANY PART OF THEIR SPEAKING TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON OR GROUP. IF YOU HAVE HANDOUTS OR WRITTEN TESTIMONY PLEASE GIVE THEM TO KAREN MAXEY TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO BOARD MEMBERS. TO PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL CONFIDENTIALITY PLEASE DO NOT MENTION SPECIFIC STUDENTS OR STAFF MEMBERS IN YOUR REMARKS, ALL COMMENTS ARE TO BE MADE IN A CIVIL MANNER. ANYONE NOT FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES WILL BE ASKED TO STOP SPEAKING AND MAY FORFEIT THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK IN FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION VALUES YOUR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS, THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING AND THE BOARD CANNOT RESPOND TO QUESTIONS OR ENTER INTO A DISCUSSION WITH YOU DURING THE MEETING. CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL RESPOND ISSUES YOU RAISE IF YOU PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WHEN YOU SIGN IN. WRITTEN COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME AT ANY TIME. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE BOARD.

>> OUR FIRST SPEAKER TONIGHT IS JANA BARBARIO .

>> TESTING. MY NAME IS JANA BARBARIO AND I AM SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL. FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE UPSET ABOUT THE WORDS SUPPORTIVE AND INCLUSIVE BEING REMOVED FROM THE BOE POLICY MISSION STATEMENT , MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE MISSION STATEMENT IS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE BRIEF AND CLEAR , THAT THE POLICY CAN ELABORATE FULLY ON THE TERMS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE. THE MISSION STATEMENT IN MAY 2021 RED, THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION ENSURES EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS THROUGH VIGILANT OVERSIGHT , SOUND POLICIES, AND MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT . IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, BY MOST STANDARDS, TO SAY ONE IS AGAINST CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER , AND SUPPORTING AND INCLUDING SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS . EACH ONE OF US HERE SUPPORTS THESE THINGS . BY NOT INCLUDING THE VERBIAGE , INCLUSIVE, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS ARE EXCLUDED . IN ADDITION, ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION , THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT PROHIBITS STATES FROM DENYING ANY PERSON WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION THE EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW . THIS CLAUSE HAS SHAPED AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND INSURED EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES , IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE, GENDER, OR OTHER CHARACTERISTICS . THIS MEANS THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE PROTECTED . IN RESPONSE TO ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WERE REFERRED

[00:25:02]

ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RHONDA KAISER .

>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RHONDA KAISER AND I AM A RETIRED TEACHER WHO HAS TAUGHT IN NEW YORK, VIRGINIA, AND MARYLAND, OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. I WANT TO FIRST THANK THE BOARD FOR REVISING THE BOE MISSION STATEMENT AND PUTTING THE FOCUS ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR ANY INSTITUTION OF LEARNING. A MISSION STATEMENT IS A CONCISE DECLARATION OF AN ORGANIZATION'S CORE PURPOSE AND VALUES , IT ANSWERS WHAT YOU DO , WHY YOU DO IT AND FOR WHOM, IT SHOULD BE SHORT, MEMORABLE AND INSPIRATIONAL . THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS THE HOW, A DETAILED ROAD MAP OUTLINING THE STEPS , PRIORITIES AND RESOURCES, AND TIMELINES, NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE MISSION AND VISION. IT INCLUDES GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, TRYING TO PACK TOO MUCH INTO A MISSION STATEMENT WATERS IT DOWN. THE JOB IS FOR CLARITY AND MOTIVATION, NOT COMPLEXITY.

PUBLIC EDUCATION IS INHERENTLY INCLUSIVE , GROUNDED IN THE LEGAL AND MORAL COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, ABILITY, OR CIRCUMSTANCE, WITH EQUAL ACCESS TO A QUALITY EDUCATION. OF COURSE WE WANT TO CULTIVATE SUPPORTIVE, WELCOMING AND SAFE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS , WHERE EVERY STUDENT FEELS VALUED, RESPECTED AND EMPOWERED TO LEARN. INCLUSION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IS WONDERFUL BUT INCLUSION GOES BEYOND SPECIAL EDUCATION. IT GIVES BIOLOGICAL MALES THE RIGHT TO USE FEMALE RESTROOMS, LOCKER ROOMS, AND TO PLAY ON FEMALE SPORTS TEAMS. GIRLS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, EMBARRASSED, AND VIOLATED WHEN FORCED TO CHANGE IN FRONT OF BIOLOGICAL MALES IN GIRLS LOCKER ROOMS IN THE NAME OF INCLUSION. GIRLS HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN BIOLOGICAL MALES ARE ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH THE GIRLS SPORTS AND GIRLS HAVE LOST SCHOLARSHIPS BY COMPETING AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MALES. THE U.N. ESTIMATED THAT MORE THAN 600 FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE LOST ALMOST 900 METALS THE BIOLOGICAL MALES IN 29 SPORTS.

FEMALE ATHLETES HAVE BEEN ROBBED OF NOT JUST MEDALS AND TROPHIES BUT ALSO SCHOLARSHIPS, SPOTS ON A TEAM, AND OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE IN FRONT OF COLLEGE SCOUTS COME ALL IN THE NAME OF INCLUSION. WE HAVE ALL HEARD OF STUDENTS WITH SERIOUS BEHAVIOR ISSUES BEING PLACED IN CLASSROOMS IN THE NAME OF INCLUSION. THIS HAS RESULTED IN TEACHERS BEING ASSAULTED AND STUDENTS BEING THREATENED, RESULTING IN HARMFUL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. DI PRINCIPLES AIM TO FOSTER INCLUSIVE AND FAIR ENVIRONMENTS BUT THE MISAPPLICATION CAN INDEED LEAD TO UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. THEY ARE DISTRACTED AND DESTRUCTIVE WHEN MISUSED AND ABUSED. IN CONCLUSION, THANK YOU, CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR CLARIFYING WHAT THE NUMBER ONE MISSION OF THE BOE AS OF THE BOARD, TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AND ARE PREPARED TO CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO SOCIETY, THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RITA SAINT CLAIR .

>> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS -- I'M REPRESENTING CW OF CALVERT, THE FIERCE TEAM. A LETTER WAS SUBMITTED EARLIER TODAY AND REQUESTED TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STUDENT BOARD MEMBER. CBW IS WRITING TO EXPRESS STRONG OPPOSITION TO ANY PROPOSALS AIMED AT REMOVING THE EMPHASIS ON INCLUSION AND EQUITY FROM THE MISSION OF CALVERT

[00:30:03]

REMOVING THESE PRINCIPLES FROM OUR MISSION COULD EXACERBATE THE CHALLENGES FACED BY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, LIMITING THEIR ACCESS TO THE SAME QUALITY OF EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES AS THEIR PEERS. RESEARCH CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATES THAT INCLUSIVE EDUCATION BENEFITS ALL STUDENTS , FOSTERING A CLIMATE OF ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING . SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THRIVE IN ENVIRONMENTS , WHERE THEY ARE INTEGRATED IN TO GENERAL CLASSROOMS , ALLOWING THEM TO DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS , IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND PREPARE FOR POST SCHOOL LIFE. BY PRIORITIZING INCLUSIVITY AND EQUITY , WE NOT ONLY ENHANCE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE STUDENTS BUT ALSO PROMOTE A CULTURE OF EMPATHY AND RESPECT WITHIN OUR ENTIRE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. FURTHERMORE, IT IS VITAL TO RECOGNIZE THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE TO UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT MANDATES THAT ALL STUDENTS RECEIVE A FREE AND APPROPRIATE PUBLIC EDUCATION WHICH CANNOT BE FULFILLED WITHOUT A COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND EQUITY. I URGE THE BOARD TO RECONSIDER ANY EFFORTS TO DOWNPLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSION AND EQUITY IN THE MISSION STATEMENT.

WE MUST STAND FIRM IN OUR COMMITMENT TO EVERY STUDENT, ENSURING THAT THOSE WHO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND . LET US CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT EMBRACES DIVERSITY AND UPLIFTS ALL STUDENTS. REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUNDS OR ABILITIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO

THIS MATTER. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIELLE POCK .

>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS, DR. TOWNSEL, I AM DANIEL POCK, I AM A CALVERT COUNTY RESIDENT AND A HUNTINGTOWN MOM OF TWO. IN 2020 WHEN MY YOUNGEST WAS BORN AT 33 WEEKS PREMATURE WITH A CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT AND BY THE TIME HE WAS SIX MONTHS OLD YET A SEVERAL HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATIONS AND OPEN-HEART SURGERIES. LIKE MANY PARENTS IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS I DID RESEARCH TO FIGURE OUT THE RISKS HE MIGHT FACE LATER ON AND I LEARNED THAT BABIES BORN PREMATURE WITH 35% MORE LIKELY TO HAVE DEVELOPMENT ON SPEECH DELAYS AND 50% OF BABIES BORN WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS REQUIRE EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES. THAT IS WHEN MY FAMILY WAS INTRODUCED TO THE INFANTS AND TODDLERS PROGRAM AT IT CHANGED OUR LIVES COMPLETELY.

THANKS TO THIS PROGRAM I YOUNGEST RECEIVED PHYSICAL THERAPY AND SPEECH SERVICES, HELPED HIM TO WALK, PLAY AND COMMUNICATE WITH US. TODAY HE IS A THRIVING 3-YEAR-OLD WHO IS GETTING READY TO GRADUATE FROM THIS AMAZING PROGRAM, BUT HE DID NOT GET HERE ON HIS OWN. IT WAS BECAUSE OF PROGRAMS LIKE THE INFANTS AND TODDLERS THAT RECOGNIZE EVERY CHILD POTENTIAL.

THAT IS WHY I WAS HORRIFIED WHEN I WATCHED THE BOARD VOTE TO REMOVE THE WORD INCLUSION FROM ITS MISSION STATEMENT LAST MONTH, INCLUSION IS NOT A BUZZWORD BUT THE FOUNDATION FOR EQUITABLE EDUCATION. REMOVING IT SENDS A CHILLING MESSAGE TO STUDENTS, LIKE MY SON AND MANY OTHERS, THAT ARE NOT FULLY SEEN, VALUED OR REPRESENTED BY THIS BOARD AND TO BE HONEST I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME DOWN HERE TO TELL YOU THAT. I JUST WANT TO THANK MISS GRACE -- FOR ADVOCACY LAST MONTH ON THIS BECAUSE IT MEANT A LOT TO US, YOUR WORDS AND SPEAKING UP FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO ADD THAT YOU ARE AMAZING IN LEAP OF FAITH, BY THE WAY. TO THE REST OF THE BOARD URGE YOU TO REMEMBER YOU ARE HERE TO SERVE, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY CHILD, EVERY VOICE. IF INCLUSION IS NO LONGER IN YOUR MISSION, THEN YOU NEED TO RE-THINK IT.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JONSAY

SWATAMA SONO . >> CAN WE REFRAIN FROM CLAPPING?

[00:35:05]

PUBLIC COMMENT. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS JONSAY SWATAMA SONO AND I AGREE WITH THE BOARD BUT FOCUS ON ACADEMICS AND CAREER READINESS AND I AGREE THAT MISSION STATEMENT SHOULD BE SHORT AND MEMORABE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ONE IS EXCITED ABOUT THE CTA PROGRAM , WHERE'S THE OTHER STRIVES FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND ASPIRES TO GO TO COLLEGE FOR ENGINEERING. I AM GLAD THAT BOTH PATHS ARE SUPPORTED. THE WORD INCLUSION IS A BIG PART OF THE DEI POLICY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS D - LOOKING TO ELIMINATE IT FROM OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM. THIS IS FROM THE HAIL PUBLICATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EXTENDED THE DEADLINE FOR K THROUGH 12 SCHOOLS TO SIGN A DOCUMENT CERTIFYING THAT THEY HAVE ABSOLVED ANY DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS FROM THEIR DISTRICTS. THE DEPARTMENT IS GIVING STATE AND SCHOOL LEADERS A 10 DAY EXTENSION UNTIL APRIL 24TH TO CERTIFY . IF THE DOCUMENT IS NOT SIGNED A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN BE AT RISK OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING. DOES SEE CPS PLAN TO COMPLY AND CERTIFY? HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE WORD INCLUSION MEANS. MY SON IS AT PLUM POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS ARE MAINSTREAM IN HIS CLASSROOMS, I QUESTIONED IF SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE PROPER ATTENTION AND CARE THAT THEY NEED. ARE THE TEACHERS PROPERLY TRAINED TO WORK WITH SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS? FOR EXAMPLE, MY SON'S ADVANCED BAND CLASS, SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS CANNOT PERFORM ALONG WITH THE CLASSROOM , THE REACTION HAS BEEN FRUSTRATION FROM ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. WHAT PURPOSE DOES THIS SERVE? ARE WE SETTING THEM ALL UP TO FAIL? IS THERE STAFF TO HANDLE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS? THIS MIX IS A DISSERVICE TO ALL STUDENTS AND TO THE TEACHER. I WANT TO NOTE THAT THE BAND TEACHER FROM LAST YEAR QUIT. I IMPLORE THE BOARD TO LOOK INTO THIS AND INVESTIGATE ALL PARTIES

INVOLVED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHELSEA GAL YOU .

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I CAME IN JANUARY AND I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS AS A REMINDER THAT STUDENTS ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER, MORE THAN A GRADE, THEY ARE PEOPLE. THEY ARE WHOLE HUMANS, THEY ARE SMALL AND SOMETIMES A SMELL FUNNY BUT THEY ARE WHOLE HUMANS WHO ARE MUCH MORE THAN A GRADE, NUMBER, TEST SCORE ANYTHING AND I THINK MR. HARRISON WHEN YOU SAID WE NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL YOU ARE RIGHT. BUT WE CANNOT CONTROL ACHIEVEMENT. I ASKED MY SON HOW HE LEARNS BEST AND HE DID NOT SAY, WHEN MY TEACHER WRITES MATS PROBLEMS ON THE BOARD, HE DIDN'T SAY, WHEN WE DO A READ ALOUD, HE SAID, WHEN OTHER KIDS ARE NOT MEAN TO ME. WHEN KIDS ARE MEAN TO ME I CANNOT FOCUS ON THE LEARNING THAT IS HAPPNING , THAT IS MASLOW BEFORE BLOOM. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT AFFECT ACHIEVEMENT, SLEEP, WHETHER THERE ARE CLEAN CLOTHES, HUNGER, SHELTER, HEALTH, RESOURCES, FRIENDSHIP, SENSE OF CONNECTION.

WAY DOWN THE LIST IS INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES. WHAT WE CAN CONTROL IS A SENSE OF CONNECTION, INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, THAT IS WHAT WE CAN GUARANTEE TO PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS, SO THEY ARE ABLE TO LEARN. I KNOW MR. HARRISON I'VE HEARD TO ADVOCATE FOR FREE LUNCH BEFORE, THAT IS ADDRESSING MASLOW BEFORE BLOOM. A SUPPORTIVE AND INCLUSIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY HAS BECOME BEFORE WE CAN CONSIDER ACHIEVEMENT , IT IS WHAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IN ORDER FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN AND GROW AND FOSTER THEIR LOVE OF EDUCATION IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HOW YOU WOULD REVISE THIS MISSION STATEMENT , WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION, ESTABLISHED JUSTICE, INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY, DO ORDAIN AND ESTABLISH THIS CONSTITUTION FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHICH PARTS YOU WOULD DEEM SUPERFLUOUS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSEPH

CORRMEIR . >> GOOD EVENING STAFF AND DR.

[00:40:09]

HERE IN CALVERT COUNTY IT IS OUR MISSION AND OUR MANDATE AND OUR PROMISE TO SERVE ANY AND EVERY CHILD THAT SHOWS UP AND ASKS TO LEARN TODAY. READING TO THE PARENT NOMINATIONS YOU WILL NOT FIND ANY TALK OF GRADES OR ACADEMICS BUT YOU WILL FIND HUNDREDS OF THANKFUL FAMILIES FOR THEIR TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, TRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS WHO DO THEIR BEST EVERY DAY TO NURTURE AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO EMPOWER STUDENTS WITH A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC FOUNDATION TO IGNITE A PASSION FOR LEARNING AND RAISE THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE. INCLUSION AND SUPPORT IS NOT IMPLIED. IN 1937 HARRIET ELIZABETH BROWN FOUGHT THIS BOARD UPON WHICH YOU SET BECAUSE IT WAS SYSTEMATICALLY PAYING WHITE TEACHERS AND INVESTING IN WHITE STUDENTS MORE THAN THEY DID MINORITY STAFF AND STUDENTS. IT WAS NOT UNTIL CALVERT COUNTY LAST BLACK HIGH SCHOOL, BROOKS HIGH SCHOOL, THE BUILDING IN WHICH WE SIT GRADUATED ITS LAST ALL-BLACK CLASS IN 1965 IN THE COUNTY WAS DE-SEGREGATED. FROM 1975 TO 1990 WITH THE PASSING OF THE EDUCATION FOR ALL HANDICAPPED CHILDREN ACT AND EVENTUALLY I DDA, THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WERE NOT EVEN CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY WERE NOT ACTIVELY SOUGHT OUT AND GUARANTEED THE FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, SO, PLEASE DO NOT ACT LIKE ANY OF THIS IS ANCIENT HISTORY AND STILL DOES NOT HAVE RIPPLES TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAVE THE DAY YOU DESERVE.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEREMY

TASSEEA . >> HELLO, I AM THE EDUCATION CHAIR FOR THE CALVERT COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE AND I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO CONTINUE THE FIGHT FOR THE NON-WOKE CALVERT COUNTY VALUES AT ALL OF YOU CAMPAIGNED ON AND WERE OVERWHELMINGLY ELECTED TO. AS YOU TRANSITION FROM THE BUDGET TO POLICY , THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS IN THE COUNTY ARE SENDING A SHOT ACROSS YOUR BARREL, SORRY , THEIR GAME PLAN IS TO INTIMIDATE YOU INTO KEEPING YOUR HANDS OFF THEIR SACRED COW , DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. OR AS I LIKE TO CALL IT, DISCRIMINATION, EXCLUSION, AND INDOCTRINATION. A FIGHT OVER A MODEST CHANGE TO THE MISSION STATEMENT OF CC PS IS A WARNING OF WHAT IS TO COME IF YOU DARE TO ADDRESS THE RACIST, ANTIRACISM POLICY, OR ADD MERIT TO THE CC PS DEI HIRING POLICY . I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE 30,000 REGISTERED REPUBLICANS IN CALVERT COUNTY THAT WANT THE CHANGE, VOTED FOR THE CHANGE AND SUPPORT ALL OF YOU IN MAKING THAT CHANGE. I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO READ PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER DATED JANUARY 29TH, 2025, TITLED, ENDING RADICAL INDOCTRINATION IN LETTER K-12 SCHOOLING. PARENTS TRUST AMERICA'S SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE OUR CHILDREN WITH A RIGOROUS EDUCATION AND TO INSTILL A PATRIOTIC ADMIRATION FOR OUR INCREDIBLE NATION AND THE VALUES FOR WHICH WE STAND. IN RECENT YEARS, HOWEVER, PARENTS HAVE WITNESSED SCHOOLS INDOCTRINATE THEIR CHILDREN IN RADICAL , ANTI-AMERICAN IDEOLOGIES, WHILE DELIBERATELY BLOCKING PARENTAL OVERSIGHT. SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT OPERATES AS AN ECHO CHAMBER IN WHICH STUDENTS ARE FORCED TO ACCEPT THESE IDEOLOGIES WITHOUT QUESTION OR CRITICAL EXAMINATION. IN MANY CASES INNOCENT CHILDREN ARE COMPELLED TO ADOPTED ENTITIES AS EITHER VICTIMS OR OPPRESSORS , SOLELY

[00:45:03]

IMPRINTING ANTI-AMERICAN SUBVERSIVE, HARMFUL, AND FALSE IDEOLOGIES ON OUR NATION'S CHILDREN , NOT ONLY VIOLATES LONG-STANDING, ANTIDISCRIMINATIO N CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS , IN MANY CASES, BUT -- BASIC PARENTAL AUTHORITY. FOR EXAMPLE, ALLOWING MALES TO ACCESS THE PRIVATE SPACES DESIGNATED FOR FEMALES MAY CONTRAVENE FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROTECT PARENTAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE FAMILY EDUCATION RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT AND INCLUDING THE PROTECTION OF PUPILS RIGHT ACT AND SEX BASED EQUALITY INCLUDING TITLE IX. SIMILARLY, DEMANDING ACQUIESCENCE TO WHITE PRIVILEGE OR UNCONSCIOUS BIAS ACTUALLY PROMOTES RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND UNDER TIMES OUR NATIONAL

UNITY. THANK YOU, ALL. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ABIGAIL STEVENS.

>> HI. MY NAME IS ABIGAIL STEVENS. I AM A CCPS GRADUATE AND NOW I AM HONORED TO BE THE MOTHER OF THREE CCPS STUDENTS.

MY SON IS IN THIRD GRADE AND MY TWIN DAUGHTERS ARE IN THE SPECIAL THREES PROGRAM AT SUNDERLAND ELEMENTARY. MY GIRLS HAVE A LIST OF DIAGNOSES THAT WOULD EAT UP MOST OF MY ALLOTTED THREE MINUTES, I WILL SUFFICE TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS. IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT UNIFIES PARENTS , HERE IT RIGHT NOW, IT IS THAT WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT OUR KIDS, SPECIAL NEEDS OR NOT. I HAVE SOME WILD FEARS THAT KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT BUT HAVING A MEMBER OF THE BOARD COMPARE MY CHILDREN TO HOMELESS DOGS REALLY WAS NOT SOMETHING I ANTICIPATED. SO, PAUL HARRISON, I HAVE TO APPLAUD YOUR CREATIVITY ALTHOUGH I CANNOT SEEM TO APPLY TO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT THE SITUATION. I DID NOT VOTE FOR ANY OF YOU BUT I ASSUME YOU RAN FOR THE BOARD AS YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD HELP THE STUDENTS OF CCPS. GUESS WHAT? MY KIDS ARE STUDENTS OF CCPS AND MY KIDS ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS NEEDED THE WORDS INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE. YOU THINK THE WORDS ARE TRENDY AND SUPERFLUOUS BUT I BET YOUR KIDS WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND THEY GET OUT OF BED ON THEIR OWN. I'LL BET THEY WALKED DOWN THE HALL AND USE THE BATHROOM UNAIDED, I BET THEY BRUSH THEIR OWN TEETH, THEY TELL YOU, GOOD MORNING. THEY EAT THEIR BREAKFAST , ORALLY. THEY GET THEMSELVES DRESSED, THEY PUT ON THEIR SOCKS AND SHOES, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BRACES, MAYBE THEY MAKE THEIR OWN LUNCH, PACK THEIR OWN BACKPACK. YOUR KIDS LEAVE THE HOUSE WITH THEIR OW YOUR GARAGE OR PORCH STEPS ARE NO HINDRANCE TO THEM, THEY CLIMB INTO THE CAR OR WALK TO THE BUS STOP AND WHEN THEY GET TO SCHOOL THEY WILL OPEN THE DOOR AND ENTER THE BUILDING WITHOUT GIVING THAT THRESHOLD A SINGLE THOUGHT. THEY WILL SEE THEIR FRIENDS AND GREET THEM, VERBALLY. SOUNDS KIND OF BORING, MUNDANE YOU MIGHT SAY, THIS RUN-OF-THE-MILL MORNING WOULD BE A MIRACLE FOR MY FAMILY. EVERY DULL THING I JUST LISTED IS CURRENTLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR MY DAUGHTERS, SO, YES, MY KIDS ARE GOING TO NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP IN THE CLASSROOM THAN YOURS.

THEY MAY NEED AN EXTRA STAFF PERSON OR TWO OR A SPECIALIST.

TEACHERS MAY NEED SUPPORT IF THEY ARE GOING TO GET THIS DONE RIGHT. IT MIGHT BE NICE TO HEAR THE WORDS INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE IN THAT CCPS MISSION STATEMENT. BUT WE KNOW WHY YOU DID THIS, YOU MANAGED TO OSTRACIZE US BUT THE JOKE IS ON YOU BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE. YOU THINK WE DON'T FEEL OSTRACIZED EVERY TIME WE DROP OUR KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL AND SEE THEIR TYPICAL PEERS ? WHEN WE ENCOUNTER STRANGERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY ASK US THINGS LIKE, WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER? OR WHEN STRANGERS SAY NOTHING BUT THEIR SLACK-JAWED STAIRS ESTATE LOUDER THAN WORDS EVER COULD. WE DON'T NEED TO BE TOLD WE ARE DIFFERENT, WE ALREADY KNOW AND WE HAVE NEVER LET IT STOP US BEFORE. IF I WERE YOU I WOULD NOT EXPECT YOUR LITTLE STUNT TO STOP US NOW AND IF YOU ARE AT THE INCLUSIVE TRACK AND FIELD EVENT YESTERDAY YOU WOULD KNOW THIS FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE POPULATION IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE. THIS IS OUR COUNTY, OUR HOME, WE LIVE HERE AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY, SO, GET USED

TO IT. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BREANNA COLLINS.

>> HELLO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS BREANNA COLLINS. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CALVERT COUNTY , I GRADUATED FROM HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 2012. I AM A FORMER COACH, A FORMER SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AND A FORMER HEADSTART EMPLOYEE WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I SAY FORMER BECAUSE MY CURRENT CCPS INVOLVEMENT IS BEING THE VERY LUCKY PARENT OF MY BEAUTIFUL AND

[00:50:02]

THAT WAS EMBARRASSING. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RYAN BROWN.

>> MY NAME IS RYAN BROWN, I AM 31 YEARS OLD, I WAS BORN RIGHT HERE IN PRINCE FREDERICK , I WAS A STUDENT IN THE CCPS SYSTEM FOR MY ENTIRE K TO 12 EXPERIENCE. I'M A UNION JOURNEYMAN ELECTRICIAN, I'M A BLUE-COLLAR TRADESMEN, I AM A CHRISTIAN , HATE TAXES, I SUPPORT SMALL GOVERNMENT AND EFFICIENT AND MEANINGFUL USE OF MY TAX DOLLARS, I'M YOUR EXACT DEMO, I COULD NOT BE MORE DISGUSTED BY THE WAY YOU ACTED OVER THE PAST YEAR OR SO. ESPECIALLY IN LAST WEEK'S BOARD MEETING. IN THE WORDS OF MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT DR. JOHN DELANEY, BEHAVIOR IS A LANGUAGE, YOUR ACTIONS ARE LANGUAGE. NO MATTER HOW YOU SPIN IT OR JUSTIFY YOUR WORDS YOUR ACTIONS OF REMOVING INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE FROM THE CCPS MISSION STATEMENT SPEAKS VOLUMES. IT SHOWS ME WHERE YOUR VALUES AND MORALS ALIGN. THEY MIGHT JUST BE WORDS, CLUTTER, BUT PRIORITIZING THE REMOVAL OF THESE WORDS FROM A MISSION STATEMENT THE PUBLIC DID NOT EVEN KNOW EXISTED ONE WEEK AGO TELLS ME AND THE REST OF THE PUBLIC EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW. PEOPLE IN YOUR CAMP LEFT HYPER FIXATE ON THE DEFINITION OF WORDS, WORDS HAVE MEANING, RIGHT? AS A FATHER OF AN AUTISTIC BOY THE WORDS INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE MEAN THAT MY CHILD WILL NOT BE TAKEN FOR MY CUSTODY AND INSTITUTIONALIZED, LIKE THEY MAY HAVE BEEN 50 OR MORE YEARS AGO. THESE WORDS MEAN THAT MY DAUGHTER'S OLDER BROTHER NOT BE SHIPPED OFF TO A SPECIALIZED SCHOOL, LIKE THEY WOULD'VE BEEN 30 OR MORE YEARS AGO. THESE WORDS MEAN THAT MY CHILD WILL NOT BE HIDDEN AWAY IN A DARK WING OF A REGULAR SCHOOL, WITH VERY LITTLE INTERACTION WITH PEERS, BUT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, WELL, NOT THAT LONG AGO. THESE WORDS MEAN THAT TYPICAL KIDS WILL SMILE AND WAVE IT MY SON BECAUSE THIS IS NOTHING NEW OR SHOCKING TO THEM , THEY ARE USED TO IT, THEY KNOW AND LOVE MY SON. THESE WORDS MEAN MY NIECES WILL GET TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL. THEY WILL GET TO MAKE FRIENDS, THEY WILL BE LOVED AND CARED FOR OUTSIDE OF MY HOME AND MY FAMILY. THEY WILL BE A PART OF MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE, A MORE COMPASSIONATE PLACE, A COMMUNITY THAT TAKES CARE OF EACH OTHER. TRUST AND BELIEVE THAT I AM WELL AWARE OF THE FUNDING AND STAFFING ISSUES

[00:55:03]

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHELLEY BADEN .

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. SHELLEY BADEN, I AM THE VICE CHAIR OF -- AND I LIKE TO THANK ALL THE FAMILIES WHO SUBMITTED ENTRIES TO THE AWARDS AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE CCPS STAFF WHO SHOWED UP TO SUPPORT OUR CCPS SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS. IT TAKES A VERY SPECIAL PERSON TO WORK WITH STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. THANK YOU, TO ALL OF OUR VERY SPECIAL CCPS STAFF. GRACE , WE MET ONE YEAR AGO SITTING AT A BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. I OBSERVED YOU TAKING NOTES, ASKING QUESTIONS AND PREPARING YOURSELF TO BE THE NEXT STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEDICATION TO YOUR POSITION AND TO EVERY STUDENT ENROLLED IN CCPS. YOU SOFT, LISTENED AND DISCUSSED CONCERNS OF THE STUDENTS AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR COURAGE TO SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OUT FOR ALL STUDENTS IN CCPS. YOUR COMMENTS ARE CLEAR, CONCISE, RESPECTFUL, INTELLIGENT , AND PERTINENT TO THE TOPICS OF DISCUSSIONS. YOU SINCERELY SUPPORT WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF EACH AND EVERY STUDENT. YOU ARE AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY. I IMPLIED YOUR INTEGRITY AND DEDICATION. YOU HAVE FOR YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS. YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS SHOULD UTILIZE YOU AS A ROLE MODEL. THANK YOU,

GRACE. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KRISTIN MORRIS.

>> GOOD EVENING , PRESIDENT, DR. TOWNSEL AND BOARD MEMBERS. I'M KRISTIN MORRIS AND I AM THE STUDENT SERVICES LEADER AT CALVERT COUNTY. I'M GOING TO SWITCH GEARS , I AM NOT ON THE THEME THAT HAS GONE ON TONIGHT, I ASKED TO GO LAST BUT THEY SAID I COULD NOT DO THAT. AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR I SET OUT TO TELL THE WHOLE STORY OF CALVERT HIGH SCHOOL, NOT JUST WHAT YOU MAY SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I AM HERE THIS EVENING TO PRESENT CHAPTER 3 OF OUR STORY. CHAPTER ONE CAN BE HEARD AT THE SEPTEMBER 26TH MEETING, I WAS PUBLIC, NUMBER ONE. AND CHAPTER 2 WAS READ AT THE NOVEMBER 14TH MEETING, I WAS COMMENT OR TWO.

FOR THOSE NEW TO THE BOARD. ONCE AGAIN CALVERT HIGH SCHOOL PROVES CLEMENT EXCELLENCE IN CHAPTER 3. ARE THREE PRIORITY AREAS ARE CLIMATE, CULTURE, AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND 1046 CAVALIERS ARE STRIVING TO MEET THAT EVERYDAY. FOR CLIMATE, CLASS CUTTING HAS BEEN DECREASED BY MORE THAN 47% COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR. FIGHTS ARE DOWN MORE THAN 52% COMPARED TO -- INAUDIBLE ]

[01:01:09]

>> TEST, TEST, MY NAME IS -- THIS IS NOT WORKING. MY NAME IS RICK SALEM AND I'M A PROUD PARENT OF -- I CURRENTLY HAVE , OKAY. I CURRENTLY HAVE THREE , SORRY ABOUT THAT. THREE GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE CCPS STUDENTS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR REVISING THE MISSION STATEMENT TO PUT FOCUS ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. WHEN MY WIFE AND I MOVED TO CALVERT COUNTY MANY YEARS AGO IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE OUTSTANDING REPUTATION OF THE CALVERT COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM , WE WANTED OUR CHILDREN TO HAVE THE BEST EDUCATION AND WE WANT TO GRANDCHILDREN TO HAVE THE SAME EXCELLENT EDUCATION OF THEIR PARENTS RECEIVED IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THE MISSION STATEMENT SHOULD BE SHORT, SWEET AND TO THE POINT AND I THINK THE BE ELATED THAT BY REVISING THE MISSION STATEMENT TO FOCUS ON PROVIDING EXCELLENT EDUCATION AND CAREER FOUNDATION. THE CCPS MISSION STATEMENT HAS BEEN ADOPTED AT THE LAST MEETING WAS ALL-INCLUSIVE AND IT IS CLEARLY AND CONCISELY STATING THAT CCPS WILL RAISE THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION BY EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC AND CAREER READY FOUNDATION. AS WRITTEN THE MISSION STATEMENT DOES NOT EXCLUDE ANY STUDENTS. RATHER IT INCLUDES ALL STUDENTS , REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, ETHNICITY, DISABILITY OR GENDER . EVERY CCPS EMPLOYEE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR JOB TITLE WHETHER THEY ARE PART OF THE CUSTODIAL STAFF , THE ADMINISTRATION , ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT STAFF, SOCIAL WORKER, TEACHER, OR ADMIT A STRAIGHTER, SHOULD REALIZE THAT THEIR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE A RIGOROUS EDUCATION AND CAREER FOUNDATION FOR EVERY STUDENT. IN CLOSING I WANT TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OTHER PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WHO VOTED YOU IN AS OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION, FOR CLARIFYING THE MISSION STATEMENT BY PUTTING THE FOCUS BACK ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN AND THAT MEANS ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, I DON'T THINK IT ACTUALLY HAS TO SAY, ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, BUT ALL OF OUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAMELA COUSENS .

>> GOOD EVENING, I AM PAMELA COUSENS, GOOD AFTERNOON , PRESIDENT POST AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THE RECENT VOTE TO REVISE THE CCPS MISSION STATEMENT DURING YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN DISCUSSION ON MARCH 27, 2025, SEEMS TO CONFLICT WITH BOTH THE MARYLAND TITLE 13 A WHICH RETAINS THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, SUBTITLE 1 ON THE STATE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, CHAPTER 6, REGARDING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY. AS WELL AS YOUR POLICY STATEMENT, 10:15, RELATED TO EQUITY. IT IS CRUCIAL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MARYLAND COLMAR MANAGES POLICY STATEMENT 10.15 AND THE ACTION TAKEN COMMUNICATES TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE BOARD ALONE IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFINING THE MISSION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM , EFFECTIVELY SIDELINING PUBLIC INPUT AND MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.

EVIDENCE DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN. I

[01:05:01]

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES MCLEAN .

>> PUSH, I DO THAT WRONG SOMEWHERE ELSE TOO. GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING, THIS IS A TOUGH JOB. I SIT ON THE BOARD AND I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU GO THROUGH. I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I CONSIDER WORDS TODAY THAT ARE SO INSIGHTFUL , WHICH IT JUST SEEMS TO BE NEW TO ME . IN 1981 MY SON WAS IN FIRST GRADE , HE HAD A HEARING PROBLEM, HE WAS BORN WITH ONLY ONE YEAR AND HE GOT ALL THE EDUCATION HE NEEDED, HE WAS TAKEN CARE OF, I HAD TO GO IN AND SEE THE REPORTS ON WHAT HE WAS DOING AND I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT INCLUSIVE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, IT WAS JUST DONE. I DIDN'T HAVE TO COME DOWN TO THE BOARD MEETINGS, I DIDN'T HAVE TO COMPLAIN, MY SON WENT THROUGH 12 YEARS OF HOWARD COUNTY SCHOOLS WITH ONE YEAR, COULD PARTIALLY HERE AND HE GRADUATED. NOW HE IS AN I.T.

GUY. HIS SON HAS AUTISM , HIGH AUTISM, HE PLAYS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL BAND , DID NOT HAVE TO GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, DID NOT HAVE TO COMPLAIN , THINGS WERE TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE DOING THEIR JOBS. EVERYBODY HAD FAITH IN EACH OTHER. ONE THING I FORGOT ABOUT , MY SON BACK IN 1981 WAS ALSO PROVIDED BIBLE CLASS IN THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL AND HE PASSED . I LOOK AT IT TODAY AND I JUST THINK FOR SOME ODD REASON WE ARE WEAPON RISING WORDS CONSTANTLY IN OUR ENVIRONMENT TODAY. I NEVER GREW UP LIKE THIS . IT HAS ONLY BEEN IN THE PAST, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY YEARS IT HAS BEEN SO DECISIVE. I LOOK AT MY HISTORY AND WHERE I CAME FROM, WHAT I DID , IT IS A MIRACLE I AM ALIVE. AND MY KIDS GREW UP FINE. NOW I HAVE FOUR MORE GRANDKIDS AND ANOTHER GRANDDAUGHTER. SO, I DON'T HAVE TO FIGHT BECAUSE I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE SYSTEM WILL WORK IF WE LET THE PEOPLE THAT RUN THE SYSTEM DO THEIR JOB. AND THAT WE CAN SEE THE RESULTS . SO, ONCE AGAIN, NO MATTER WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. I HATE TO SAY IT THAT WAY BUT IF YOU CANNOT SAY WORDS THAT ARE GOOD , YOU CANNOT PROMOTE PEOPLE, YOU CANNOT HELP PEOPLE, IT WAS DONE IN THE PAST, WHY CAN'T IT BE DONE TODAY? THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AL LARSON.

>> GOOD EVENING. I FULLY SUPPORT THE CHANGES TO THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, THIS INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN MISUSED TO PROMOTE IDEOLOGIES THAT HURT GIRLS ATHLETICS , CAUSES PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND IN SOME CASES INCREASE THE RISK OF VIOLENCE AND INJURY BY TOLERATING BAD BEHAVIOR. IT HAS ALSO BEEN USED TO JUSTIFY BAD POLICIES SUCH AS MAINSTREAMING THAT EITHER ROB CERTAIN STUDENTS OF EXTRA TIME THEY NEED OR HOLDBACK OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE READY TO MOVE FORWARD. I HAVE A NEPHEW THAT WAS MAINSTREAMED AND HE MISSED OUT QUITE A BIT GOING THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SECOND, THE

[01:10:03]

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SYLVIA PARKER.

>> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS SYLVIA PARKER AND I AM A CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE, I WORK FOR HEADSTART AS A FAMILY RESOURCE WORKER AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THE COMMENT THAT WAS MADE ABOUT THE HOMELESS DOGS. FIRST OF ALL, HOMELESS MEANS HAVING NO HOME OR PERMANENT PLACE OF RESIDENCE . A DOG IS A DOMESTICATED , CARNIVOROUS MAMMAL THAT TYPICALLY HAVE A LONG SNOUT, ACUTE SENSE OF SMELL , NON-RETRACTABLE CLAWS, AND A BARKING, HOWLING, OR WHINY VOICE. SO, FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO HAVE MADE THAT COMMENT ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE IS VERY APPALLING AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE WHEN I GO INTO WORK AND I SEE THESE STUDENTS , THEY ARE ONE OF MY CHILDREN, THEY BECOME MY CHILDREN , I AM A PART OF THEIR VILLAGE NOW . SO, THEY SHOULD NOT BE REFERRED TO AS HOMELESS DOGS. AND TO REMOVE THE NURTURING AND INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AS WELL AS IGNITES A PASSION OF LEARNING FROM THE MISSION STATEMENT, PLEASE, RECONSIDER BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THEM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT STUDENTS COMING FROM WHEREVER, IF THEY'RE JUST LIVING IN, THEY COULD BE A MILITARY STUDENT, IT COULD BE AN ACTUAL HOMELESS STUDENT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO INCLUDE AND WE WANT TO SERVE THEM WITH PASSION AND WITH LIKE I SAID, PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THEM . ALSO SERVING ON THE BOARD IS NOT A POLITICAL STUNT AND IT SHOULD NOT BE POLITICAL BUT SHOULD BE DONE WITH PASSION , PASSION FOR THE STUDENTS THAT YOU ARE SERVING AND THEIR FAMILIES. ALSO, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER , SO, EDUCATE

YOURSELF. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MIKE SHISSLER .

>> GOOD EVENING, DR. TOWNSEL, MS. POST -- MR. HARRISON AND -- AT YOUR LAST PUBLIC MEETING ON MARCH 27TH YOU RECEIVED A PRESENTATION OF CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS A STRATEGIC PLAN WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. YOU HAD A DISCUSSION OF OUR DISTRICT MISSION STATEMENT .

I FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT THE CURRENT MISSION STATEMENT WAS A HIDDEN SLIDE IN THE PRESENTATION. THE SLIDE WAS REVEALED AND THEN IT WAS PROPOSED TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE MISSION STATEMENT SO THAT ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE WOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE MISSION STATEMENT. LATER IN YOUR DISCUSSION MR. HARRISON PROPOSED THAT CAREER FOUNDATION BE INCLUDED IN THE MISSION STATEMENT. IN THE REVISED STATEMENT. THIS NEW VERSION , CCPS NURTURES AN INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY TO EMPOWER STUDENTS . OUR STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD QUESTIONED WHY THOSE WORDS NEEDED TO BE DELETED. TWO OF YOU SUPPORTED THE STUDENT MEMBER 'S QUESTIONS.

LAST NIGHT AT THE CPAC AWARDS, THREE OF YOU WERE THERE , WE HAD

[01:15:03]

SANE. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLADYS WHITE .

>> GOOD EVENING, I AM DEBORAH HARRIS WITH THE -- OF CALVERT, WITH ME IS GLADYS WHITE WHO IS CO-CHAIRPERSON OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS. WE ALONG WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN CALVERT ARE APPEALING TO THE MEMBERS OF THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO REACT AND CONSIDER YOUR VOTE TO REMOVE THE WORDING , NURTURING, INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY FROM THE MISSION STATEMENT. THIS MOVE GREATLY CONCERNS US BECAUSE IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT SUPPORT AND INCLUSION ARE NO LONGER IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATION OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD AND OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT VOTED AGAINST THIS ACTION. YES, THE MISSION STATEMENT MUST BE SUSTAINED, BRIEF, AND TARGETED, IT ALSO MUST REFLECT THE VALUES OF AN ORGANIZATION. THE PREVIOUS MISSION STATEMENT WAS A CLEAR MESSAGE TO STUDENTS, STAFF, AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE COMMITTED TO FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL LEARNERS HAVE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES THEY NEED TO DRIVE. BY MAKING THESE VALUES EXPLICIT IN THE MISSION STATEMENT WE CREATE A FOUNDATION FOR POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT TRULY REFLECT OUR COMMITMENT TO EVERY STUDENT. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE MISSION STATEMENT , WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT HAD THE INPUT OF OVER 2500 PARTICIPANTS AND COSTED OVER $75,000 WAS QUICKLY DISREGARDED. AND NOW JUST THREE PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED THE WORK OF ALL OF THOSE WHO INITIALLY GAVE THEIR INPUT TO THE PLAN. AS A COMMUNITY WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME ANSWERS TO. DOES THE RE-WORDING REFLECT THE INTENT OF THE 2500 PEOPLE WHO ORIGINALLY RESPONDED TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN? DOES THIS RE-WORDING OF THE MISSION STATEMENT ALIGNED WITH THE CURRENT STRATEGIC PLAN? AND AS STATED AT THE LAST BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING , THAT WE CANNOT SAVE ALL STUDENTS, WHO WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION OF WHICH STUDENTS TO SAVE AND WHICH STUDENTS TO BE SACRIFICED? AND HOW WILL THIS DETERMINATION BE MADE? HOW WILL YOU CONTINUE TO VALUE THE INPUT OF THE COMMUNITY AS YOU REVISE THE STRATEGIC PLAN? WILL THERE BE AN ADDITIONAL FORMAL PROCESS TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT TO ENSURE THE VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY ARE BEING REFLECTED? AND WHAT ADDITIONAL COST WOULD THIS

[01:20:01]

>> THANK YOU. >> THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS

[5.01 Grace Minakowski]

FOR THIS EVENING. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT WE WILL HAVE A STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD, MS. MENACOWSKI .

>> SARCOMA LAPTOP SHUTDOWN, I AM PULLING THIS UP REALLY FAST.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, I HOPE ALL IS WELL AND YOU HAVE BEEN ENJOYING THE WARM WEATHER. I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO AND I HAVE BEEN PRETTY BUSY RECENTLY. FIRST, I WORKED WITH CECELIA LEWIS IN THE STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO COLLECT STUDENT FEEDBACK RELATED TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT WITH OUR STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITY CODE OF CONDUCT WORK GROUP. CURRENTLY OUR WORKGROUP IS REVIEWING THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PUBLIC CODE OF CONDUCT REVIEW COMMITTEE , COMPILING ANY ADDITIONS AND REVIEWING THE CODES OF STUDENT PRIORITIES, INCLUDING SAFETY AND MENTAL HEALTH. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE CREATED TEMPLATES FOR WORKGROUP MEMBERS TO SET UP STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THE DISCUSSION FORMS AT THEIR HOME SCHOOLS, TO GATHER FEEDBACK RELATED TO THEIR EXPERIENCES. IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GET THESE OFF THE GROUND THIS YEAR I HOPE WE CAN SHARE THEM WITH A STUDENT MEMBER NEXT YEAR SO IT CAN ROLLOVER. NEXT, I AM EXCITED TO PERSONALLY INVITE ALL CCPS STUDENTS TO THE FIRST-EVER STUDENT FREE EXPRESSION FORM, HOSTED BY MYSELF AND MEMBERS OF THE CALVERT ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCIL AT THE HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY FROM 5:00 P.M. TO 6:30 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30TH. ATTENDEES WILL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH FELLOW STUDENT LEADERS ABOUT THE CHALLENGES RELATED TO FREE EXPRESSION, FACING OUR GENERATION, HELP DEVELOP A STUDENT STATEMENT TO SHARE WITH CCPS MINISTERS AND OTHER ADULT LEADERS IN THE STOOL SYSTEM ABOUT HOW WE BELIEVE WE CAN BRIDGE IDEOLOGICAL DIVIDE AND ENGAGED CIVILLY IN THE CLASSROOM. AND HEAR FROM A KEYNOTE SPEAKER, SENATOR MICHAEL JACKSON , ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FREE SPEECH. THIS OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BRING FRIENDS. IT IS ALSO AN AMAZING NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY AND A GREAT WAY TO BUILD EXPERIENCE THAT CAN BE PUT ON COLLEGE OR JOB RESUMES. YOU CAN REGISTER WITH THE FORM LINK TO MY SOCIAL MEDIA, PLEASE USE YOUR SCHOOL EMAIL AND REGISTERING. THERE IS NO COST TO ATTEND THIS EVENT AND YOU CAN CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS. IF THERE ARE ANY ADULTS OR STUDENTS GOING TO PROMOTE I HAVE A FLYER TO SHARE AND I CAN EASILY EMAIL YOU AND AS ALWAYS, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS I'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO REVIEW THE POLICIES BEING HERDED UPCOMING BOARD MEETING AND REACHING OUT TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND SCHOOL SYSTEM LEADERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SAID POLICIES, INCLUDING THE 50% GRADING POLICY THAT WE BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING.

I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE WHO REACHED OUT TO ME TO SHARE THEIR INPUT AND I ENCOURAGE ANY STUDENTS, PARENTS OR STAFF MEMBERS TO EMAIL ME WITH YOUR THOUGHTS AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT, I LOVE TO LEARN FROM THE COMMUNITY. LAST NIGHT I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE STAFF APPRECIATION AWARD THAT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE INCREDIBLE STAFF MEMBERS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. GETTING TO HEAR THE TESTIMONIALS AND THE IMPACT OF THE STAFF MEMBERS ON OUR CCPS COMMUNITY UNDERSCORED THAT IT TAKES A TEAM TO RAISE A CHILD AND THAT WE REALLY DO HAVE WORLD-CLASS EDUCATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF WORKING IN CALVERT COUNTY TO UPHOLD THAT PRINCIPAL.

IT WAS A REMINDER THAT CCPS HAS AND SHOULD CONTINUOUSLY ASPIRE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION THAT IS NOT JUST MARK BUT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT BUT BY INCLUSIVITY AND RECOGNITION OF EVERY STUDENT POTENTIAL. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE NOMINEES AND THE SPOTLIGHT RECIPIENTS, YOU ARE AMAZING AND WATCHING OVER 200 PEOPLE WALK ACROSS THE STAGE WAS AMAZING. LAST WEEK I HAD THE HONOR OF TRAVELING TO DUKE UNIVERSITY TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE ROBERTSON SCHOLARSHIP LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND IT WAS EXCITING TO NOT ONLY SHARPEN MY LEADERSHIP SKILLS BUT TO MEET MY FELLOW COHORT OF SCHOLARS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT MONTH I AM EXCITED FOR THE NEXT CALVERT ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS, GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOSTED AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE WE WILL ELECT HER OFFICER TEAM FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. I WILL ALSO BE DOING MY BEST TO ATTEND THE CALVERT FAMILY NETWORK POVERTY SIMULATION EVENT ON THURSDAY APRIL 24TH AT THE HALL AT HUNTINGTOWN ON OLDTOWN ROAD.

I'M ALSO SO EXCITED TO BE ATTENDING BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL'S PRODUCTION OF FROZEN JUNIOR TOMORROW, THEATER HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE AND IT WARMS

[01:25:01]

AND HAPPY, SPRING BREAK. >> THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS

[6.01 Dr. Andrae Townsel]

>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT POST. I AM THRILLED TO SHARE THAT CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE 10 SCHOOLS THAT HAVE EARNED THE PURPLE STAR DESIGNATION THIS YEAR. LET'S CLAP THAT UP. THE PURPLE STAR AWARD IS GIVEN TO SCHOOLS THAT DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO THE SUPPORTING MILITARY CONNECTED STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES . THE HONORED SCHOOLS ARE BEACH ELEMENTARY, ALBERT ELEMENTARY, -- ELEMENTARY, PLUM POINT ELEMENTARY, ST. LEONARD ELEMENTARY AND WINDY HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. NORTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL, CALVERT HIGH SCHOOL, NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL AND CAREER TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY .

THESE SCHOOLS WILL BE RECOGNIZED AT THE STATE BOARD MEETING ON APRIL 29TH AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, STATEWIDE, ONLY 23 SCHOOLS ARE BEING ACKNOWLEDGED AND WE HAVE 10 OF THEM, SO, SHUT THE CALVERT COUNTY LOOK SCHOOLS. -- I WANT TO CONGRATULATE WHO PARTICIPATED IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE AWARD CEREMONY WHICH TOOK PLACE AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL , IT IS ALWAYS A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR , IT IS ALWAYS A PRIVILEGE TO HONOR OUR NUMEROUS TEACHERS, RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS, SUPPORT STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS AND BUS DRIVERS FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, EVEN THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. THE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE CELEBRATED AND IT IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMITMENT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE OUTSTANDING TEACHERS FOR THEIR REMARKABE ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR. THEY ARE JESSICA BREIT FROM NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL.

TAMMY WRIGHT FROM WINDY HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AMY HARRIS MEGAN JEFFRIES FROM SUNDERLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ASHLEY KNIGHT FROM -- HIGH SCHOOL. LAURA NEWCOMER FROM PLUM POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL. MAKING OR FOLK FROM NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL. SHERRY WALTER-BROWN FROM MOUNT HARMONY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SHOUT OUT TO THEM FOR BEING OUTSTANDING TEACHERS.. ALSO THE SHEKEL ELEMENTARY MATH CHALLENGE TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT AT CALVERT HIGH SCHOOL, OFFERING A FUN EVENING OF MATH COMPETITON AND FRIENDSHIP. STUDENTS FROM CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY ACHIEVED REMARKABLE SUCCESS AT THE 52ND ANNUAL SKILLS USA MARYLAND CHAMPIONSIP, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON MARCH 28 THROUGH THE 29TH IN CARROLL COUNTY. A TOTAL OF 37 STUDENTS EARNED METALS ACROSS 17 DIFFERENT CONTESTS, BRINGING HOME 23 MEDALS AND THE NINE STUDENTS WHO EARNED A GOLD WILL ADVANCE TO THE NATIONAL STAGE REPRESENT MARYLAND AT THE PRESTIGIOUS SKILLS USA NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON JUNE 23RD THROUGH THE 27TH. FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING THE STUDENTS NAMES, THE HONORS RECEIVED THAT WEEK, PLEASE SEE OUR PRESS RELEASE ON OUR WEBSITE. ANOTHER SHOUT OUT GOES TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED AND SUPPORTED THE AWARD CEREMONY AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL ON APRIL THE THIRD. A TOTAL OF 186 STUDENTS TOOK PART WITH THE SUPPORT OF 25 SCHOOL SPONSORS, GRADUATIONS TO ALL. WE ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF WINDY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR RECEIVING THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS , FELIX SIMON MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. WINDY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL SURPASSED THE MINIMUM POINT REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS AWARD , SHOWCASING A DIVERSE ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES IN THEIR SUBMISSION , MAJOR KUDOS TO KATIE SINCLAIR AND THE ENTIRE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP. ON MAY 18TH WE WILL CELEBRATE OUR 2025 CARSON SCHOLARS AT THE 29TH ANNUAL MARYLAND CONCERT SCHOLARS AWARD CEREMONY. WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE TWO NEW CARSON SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN AWARDED THIS YEAR AND EIGHT CARSON SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR THE CONTINUED EXCELLENCE. THE NEW

[01:30:03]

THE TRACK AND FIELD EVENT FOR OUR STUDENTS WAS HELD YESTERDAY AND TODAY FOR ELEMENTARY ATHLETES AND TODAY FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES. THIS ANNUAL EVENT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HARD WORK OF MANY STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR DEDICATION IS EVIDENT IN THE EXCITEMENT AND PRIDE OF THE FACES OF ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB, MAJOR SHUT OUT TO EVERYONE INVOLVED THERE. CALVERT COUNTY'S 33RD ANNUAL ENVIROTHON TOOK PLACE ON -- , LADIES AND GENTLE MAN, JUST KNOW THAT THIS WEEK WE ARE CELEBRATING WEEK OF THE YOUNG CHILD, AN EVENT FIRST ESTABLISHED IN 1971 TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY EDUCATION AND TO PROMOTE POLICY INITIATIVES THAT ADVANCE CHILDCARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION . IT IS ALSO NATIONAL ASSISTANCE PRINCIPAL WEEK , APRIL 7TH THROUGH THE 11TH AND IT IS A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM . THESE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SUPPORT TEACHERS, MOTIVATE STUDENTS, ASSIST THEIR PRINCIPAL AND ULTIMATELY FOSTER A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND TACKLE THE MANY UNPREDICTABLE CHALLENGES THAT MAY COME THEIR WAY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THIS WEEK IS DEDICATED TO RECOGNIZING THEIR HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT TO OUR SCHOOLS, OUR STUDENTS ENTER EDUCATION PROFESSION, PLEASE JOIN US TO SALIVATE OUR INCREDIBLE LEADERS. THE 180 DAY WAIVER REQUEST WAS APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION , MEANING, THE LAST DAY FOR STUDENTS WILL BE FRIDAY, JUNE 13TH, 2025 . THREE MORE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND I WILL PARK MY BUS. THE NEW STUDENT REGISTRATION FOR 2025, 2026, IS NOW OPEN. FAMILIES CAN REGISTER ONLINE BY VISITING CALVERT.NET AND BE SURE TO COMPLETE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO ENSURE YOUR STUDENT IS FULLY ENROLLED, DO NOT DELAY , REGISTER TODAY. THE SUMMER ARTS ACADEMY 2025 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN. WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE SUMMER ARTS ACADEMY WILL BE HELD AT CALVERT MIDDLE SCHOOL ON JUNE 23RD TO THE 25TH OF 2025. THIS IS A WEEK LONG DAY CAMP AND IT IS OPEN TO STUDENTS FROM 3RD TO 8TH GRADE AND OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS. STUDENTS CAN CHOOSE CLASSES IN ART, DANCE, DRAMA, AND MUSIC. THE CAMP RUNS FROM 9:00 A.M. TO 3:00 P.M. AND THE WEEK WILL CULMINATE WITH AN EXCITING SHOWCASE OF STUDENT WORK AT 2:00 ON THE FINAL DAY. AND KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR CALVERT COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN TURNING 5 BY SEPTEMBER 1ST OF 2025 ARE ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN. EARLY REGISTRATION ASSIST WITH CLASS PLANNING AND ENSURES THAT ADEQUATE STAFFING FOR STUDENTS , PLEASE REGISTER . I WOULD LIKE TO WISH EVERYONE A WELL DESERVED SPRING BREAK AND MY BUS IS NOW

[7.01 Policies for Review]

PARKED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO OUR POLICIES FOR REVIEW. POLICY 69.10 ON NEPOTISM, MS. STOCKER?

[01:35:01]

>> GOOD EVENING , MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, MY NAME IS JENNIFER STOCKER , I AM THE SUPERVISOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO REVIEW POLICY 69.10 REGARDING NEPOTISM. THE PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY IS TO ENSURE WORKPLACE EQUITY FOR ALL EXISTING AND PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES OF CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I REVIEWED THE POLICY WITH MY DIRECTOR AND WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY CHANGES AT THIS TIME.

>> THANK YOU, DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? NO. NO. THANK YOU, IT

WILL BE POSTED FOR 30 DAYS. >> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT IS POLICY 55.15 , --

>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS SCOTT JOHNSON AND I'M THE DISTRICT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. IN POLICY 55.15 REGARDING BUDGET TRANSFERS, TWO CHANGES ART MINISTRY TO BE RECOMMENDED. THE FIRST IS IN THE PURPOSE SECTION OF THE POLICY. HERE IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE FOOD SERVICE FUND BE ADDED TO THE BUDGET TO WHICH THE POLICY APPLIES. THE SECOND CHANGE IS A RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR INTRA-CATEGORY BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT CAN BE MADE WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL FROM THE CURRENT $25,000 LIMIT TO RECOMMENDED $50,000 LIMIT. MARYLAND STATUTE DOES NOT ÚREQU TRANSFERS THAT RESULT IN NO CHANGE TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT BUDGETED WITHIN ANY ONE BUDGET CATEGORY. IN NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH IN CATEGORY BUDGET TRANSFERS ARE REVIEWED BY APPROVED/DENIED/MODI FIED BY AND PROCESSED BY FINANCE OFFICE STAFF WITHOUT NECESSITATING ADDITIONAL APPROVALS THAT DELAY THE BUDGET TRANSFERS. THIS IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN REQUIRING APPROVALS OUTSIDE OF THE FINANCE OFFICE FOR BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT ARE BUDGET NEUTRAL FOR EVERY

BUDGET CATEGORY. THANK YOU. >> THIS IS JUST FOR REVIEW.

>> YES. >> SORRY, JUMPING AHEAD.

>> I KNOW, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. GO AHEAD, MR.

HARRISON? >> HOW MANY TRANSACIONS A YEAR AT 50,000 PLUS? HOW MANY TRANSACTIONS A YEAR WILL THIS

IMPACT? 25 VERSUS 50? >> DO YOU MEAN BUDGET TRANSFERS?

>> LINES AT 50,000 OR BETTER , HOW MANY LINES ARE AT 50,000 OR

BETTER? >> IT WOULD VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR BUT I CAN LOOK UP A NUMBER FROM THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

>> DO WE KNOW THE 25,000 NUMBER? >> I DO NOT HAVE THAT INFORMATION WITHOUT AN ADVANCED REQUEST, THANK YOU.

>> I WILL TELL YOU THAT I AM NOT COMFORTABLE MOVING IT FROM 25,000 TO 50,000 , I THINK IT WAS BROUGHT UP A FEW YEARS AGO AND THE DECISION OF THE BOARD AT THAT TIME WAS TO LEAVE IT AT 25,000 ANYTHING CONSIDERING THE HISTORY AND OUR EFFORTS TO HAVE THE BEST PRACTICE THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE IT AT 25,000. I WOULD LIKE THAT PUT BACK TO 25,000. UNLESS YOU DISAGREE?

>> NOT AT ALL. >> I THINK IT SHOULD BE PUT BACK TO 25,000 . I HAVE A QUESTION ALSO ON THE PURPOSE STATEMENT WHERE YOU SAID THE FOOD SERVICE FUND. I DON'T KNOW THAT I DISAGREE WITH THAT BEING PUT THERE BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT I SEE WHERE WE HAVE CITED BELOW ANY LAWS OR REGULATIONS OR POLICIES THAT MAY RELATE TO WHAT EXACTLY WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISHMENT WITH THE FOOD SERVICE FUND ADDING IN THERE. IS THERE SOMETHING MISSING THAT COULD BE ADDED ABOUT THE FOOD SERVICE FUND AND WHERE THE INFORMATION COMES FROM AS TO WHAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO BY LAW?

>> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REQUEST A CITATION.

>> I THINK IN AN EFFORT WE SHOULD ADD IT WITH THE REST.

ADDITIONALLY THERE WERE COMMENTS I THINK UNDER THE POLICY STATEMENT BUT IT IS NOT , HISTORICALLY IT IS NOT TRADITIONAL TO THE NUMBER OF TRANSFERS THAT WE DO IN A YEAR.

I ASKED ST. MARY'S COUNTY , CHARLES COUNTY , THE MARYLAND

[01:40:07]

>> I WOULD JUST SECOND , I AGREE, THE NUMBER OF BUDGET UNACCEPTABLE. SO, I FULLY SUPPORT THE IDEA. MAYBE IT IS NOT IN THE POLICY THAT WE HAVE TO SPECIFY TOO BECAUSE AS YOU EXPLAINED SOMETIMES THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH WE DO NOT WANT TO BE HELD TO THAT BUT WE NEED TO BE BETTER ABOUT MANAGING OUR MONEY. WE ARE GETTING INTO REALLY TOUGH TIMES, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT AND THEY'VE BEEN A PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. WE NEED TO BUTTONED DOWN THE HATCHES AND MINIMIZING TRANSFERS WILL HELP US TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE NOT BUDGETING APPROPRIATELY TO BEGIN WITH. THANK YOU.

>> AND MAYBE, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SHARED , EXCEPT AS A LIMITATION OF THE AUTHORIZED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT DUE TO EMERGENCY OPERATIONS DUE TO NECESSITY WITH THE RIGHT JUSTIFICATION AND BOARD VOTE AND APPROVAL, I'M HAPPY TO CHANGE SOME LANGUAGE AROUND. WE PURPOSELY DID NOT REDLINE IT BECAUSE YOU GUYS DON'T LIKE IT WHEN YOU MESS UP ALL OF YOUR POLICIES, BECAUSE THEY LOOK VERY NICE AND THEN WE GO IN AND ARE LIKE A TORNADO. BUT WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT AND THE WAY WE ARE DOING TRANSFERS HAS TO CHANGE.

ANYONE ELSE? SO, I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL UPDATES AND I WILL PROVIDE THOSE TO MS. MAXINE AND WE WILL BRING IT BACK

OR POSTED FOR 30 DAYS. >>

>> THERE IS A 5% CHANCE YOU WILL HAVE IT BY MONDAY. 5%.

>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JOHNSON. UP NEXT WE HAVE BID

[7.02 Bid Approvals]

APPROVALS . MR. KEVIN HOOK? >> GOOD EVENING , I'M HERE THIS EVENING SEEKING THE BOARDS APPROVAL FOR EIGHT NEW BUS CONTRACTS FOR 2025, SHOULD NOT RELEASE A NEW CONTRACTS, THEY ARE EXISTING CONTRACTS BUT THE BUSES HAVE AGED OUT AND THE NEW BUSES HAVE ARRIVED TO REPLACE THE 12-YEAR-OLD BUSES , WE ARE REALLY JUST REPLACING BUSES. PURSUANT TO CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROCEDURES, POLICY FOR 201, REGARDING THE STUDENT TRANSPORTATION SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE HAS ASSIGN AND/OR TERMINATE TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTS , BASED ON THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. SUCH CONTRACTS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE SCHOOL/VEHICLE CONTRACT, SHORT-TERM VEHICLE CONTRACT AND TRAINING SCHOOL BUS CONTRACT, ALTERNATE SCHOOL VEHICLE CONTRACT AND TAXI SERVICE CONTRACT. AND PURSUANT TO CCPS POLICY 55.10 BOARD APPROVAL IS REQUIRED FOR ANY PURCHASES OVER $25,000. THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL VEHICLE CONTRACTS FOR 2025 ARE HEREBY PRESENTED FOR THE BOARD FOR REVIEW AND AWARDED BASED ON THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

[01:45:02]

ON THE OFFER MENTIONED LIST. >> MOVED TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND. >> A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY

DISCUSSION? >> I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION. I WENT THROUGH SOME OF THE CONTRACTS, ARE THESE CONSIDERED

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS? >> SCHOOL BUS CONTRACTORS ARE

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS. >> WE MANAGE THE MANNER AND THE TIME AND THE WAY OF THEIR WORK, RIGHT?

>> CORRECT. SCHOOL BUS CONTRACTS DICTATE PAY, SALARIES AND SUCH.

>> ARE THEY REALLY INDEPENDENT? DO YOU SEE MY POINT?

>> THEY ARE CONSIDERED INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS.

>> I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO MISINTERPRET WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT INDEPENDENT, OKAY? THERE SHOULD BE SOME SEPARATION,

RIGHT? >> ALONG THE SAME LINES AND IT IS QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION AND ADMITTEDLY I SEE SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME I REVIEW ONE BUT I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW, AND THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING BY THE WAY THAT THESE ARE FOR REPLACEMENTS OF BUSES , THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE

HAVE BUSES -- >> EVERY YEAR WE HAVE 5 TO 10 BUSES THAT AGE OUT AND WE HAVE TO REPLACE THEM.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS KIND OF IN LINE WITH WHAT MR. HARRISON SAID IS THAT I NOTICED THAT WE

PROVIDE SICKLY TO DRIVERS . >> WE PROVIDE SICK LEAVE PAY TO THE BUS CONTRACTORS FOR THE DRIVERS, HISTORICALLY THAT GOES BACK TO 1998 OR 1999, I WAS A TEACHER THEN , FORGIVE ME IF I AM OFF ON THIS BUT THERE WERE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE BUS CONTRACTORS IN THE BUS DRIVERS ASSOCIATION AND I BELIEVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM STEPPED IN TO ALLEVIATE THE TENSION AND PART OF THAT AGREEMENT WAS THAT BUS DRIVERS WOULD BE GIVEN AT THAT TIME THREE DAYS OF SICK LEAVE BECAUSE AT THAT POINT IF A DRIVER TOOK OFF THEY DID NOT GET PAID, SO , THE SCHOOL SYSTEM STEPPED IN TO PUT THAT IN PLACE AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY ALSO PUT IN PLACE THE HEALTHCARE BENEFITS TRUST SO THAT DRIVERS CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO HAVE HEALTHCARE PART OF AN AGREEMENT IN 1998 AND 1999 SCHOOL YEAR AND HAS BEEN

THERE SINCE. >> I GOT YOU. THIS IS NOT SPECIFICALLY TO THESE NEW BUSES ON THE ROAD BUT LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION AND MR. HARRISON BEING THE CATALYST HERE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. HOW MANY HOURS DO THE BUS DRIVERS WORK , GENERALLY? DO THEY WORK EIGHT HOURS?

>> IN GENERAL THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUS ROUTES ARE NOT EIGHT HOURS, THEY ARE LESS THEN EIGHT HOURS, IN FACT THEY ARE USUALLY

LESS THAN SEVEN. >> THANK YOU.

>> HOW MANY BUSES ARE UNDER OUR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

ARRANGEMENTS? >> WE CURRENTLY HAVE 163 BUS

CONTRACTS. >> ALL UNDER A SIMILAR CONTRACT

AS THESE? >> THE EXACT SAME CONTRACT, YES,

SIR. >> MS. GOSHORN?

>> TO BE VERY CLEAR , WE PAY FOR EVERY BUS BASED ON THE ROUTE?

>> CORRECT. >> AND WE ALSO PAY BASED ON THIS CONTRACT, FOR GPS EQUIPMENT AND VIDEO SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT TO

BE INSTALLED? >> CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE CCPS PROPERTY, THE GPS EQUIPMENT AT ALL OF THAT IS OURS.

>> OKAY AND WE PAY SICK LEAVE ON TOP OF PAYING FOR THE ROUTE.

>> SO , IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO IT, BUSES ARE PAID MILES, HOWEVER MANY MILES PER DAY THEY DRIVE THE CONTRACTOR RECEIVED THE PAYMENT FOR THAT, THEY ALSO RECEIVE A PAYMENT FOR A MINIMUM OF EIGHT HOURS PURGE BUS DRIVER AT THE PAY RATE AT WHICH THE BUS DRIVERS THERE. THEY ALSO RECEIVE A PAYMENT FOR FIVE DAYS OF SICK LEAVE AT EIGHT HOURS AT THAT PAY RATE FOR THE BUS ROUTE. THAT IS THE MAIN PAYMENTS AND THEY ALSO GET AN OPERATIONS FEE.

>> IS THE OPERATIONS FEE THE PVA?

>> THE PVA IS TO PAY FOR THE BUS ITSELF, THE COST OF PURCHASING A BUS WHICH THIS COMING YEAR AS $154,000 , FOR A BRAND-NEW BUS.

[01:50:05]

>> IS THERE A REASON, I KNOW CHARLES COUNTY HAS A SPLIT MODEL. THEY OWNED BUSES AND CONTRACT BUSES, IS THERE A REASON WHY IN CALVERT COUNTY WE HAVE DECIDED TO CONTRACT ALL OF

OUR BUSES? >> WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF TIMES, IN 1998 , I FELT IN THE LETTER THAT I JUST READ, IN 1998 -IN 1999, COMPANY CAME IN AND DID A STUDY AND SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, STARTED IN 2004 IN TRANSPORTATION, WE HAD TWO DIFFERENT COMPANIES COME IN TO DO A STUDY , ALL OF THE STUDIES BASICALLY SAY THAT IN THE LONG RUN, 10 TO 12 YEARS OUT , IT IS MORE EFFICIENT FOR A SCHOOL SYSTEM TO OWN THEIR OWN VEHICLES, HOWEVER IT IS THE UP FRONT COST OF PURCHASING AROUND 200 VEHICLES, FINDING A PLACE TO PARK , HAVING MECHANICS TO WORK ON THEM , HIRING DRIVERS TO BE OUR OWN EMPLOYEES WHICH WOULD COST US BENEFITS. THERE IS A HUGE UP FRONT COST AND THEY SAY THAT IN 8 TO 10 YEARS YOU GET IT BACK AND START TO SEE IT. YES, CHARLES COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MOST RECENT ONES, FREDERICK COUNTY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO FLIPPED THE SWITCH COMPLETELY AND WENT COMPLETELY FROM CONTRACTING TO OWNING THEIR OWN.

-- IS MORE LIKE CHARLES, THEY ARE SPLIT . ST. MARY'S COUNTY IS SPLIT, ALL OF THEIR SPECIAL NEEDS BUSES ARE OWNED BY THE COUNTY AND THE REGULAR ROUTES ARE OWNED BY INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS. WE HAVE LOOKED INTO IT, YES.

>> THANK YOU. >> 163 SEPARATE AGREEMENTS.

>> 163 SEPARATE AGREEMENTS. >> WOW, THAT IS A LOT.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? WOW. OKAY, A MOTION AND A SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR. AYE.

>> AYE . >> THE MOTION CARRIES, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE THE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PRESENTATION ,

[7.03 Behavior Intervention Presentation]

>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR. TOWNSEL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, ON A SUPERVISOR OF STUDENT SERVICES AND WITH ME IS DR. CANDY ANDERSON DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, WE ARE HERE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS. IN A SECOND.

>> WELCOME BACK, MS. MAXI. >>

>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GET A SNACK.

>> CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FOMENTS BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS IN A MULTITIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORTS.

TO GIVE CONTEXT I WILL HIGHLIGHT TODAY I PROVIDED EXAMPLES OF INTERVENTIONS AT EACH TIER OF SUPPORT. YOU MAY RECALL THAT TIER ONE INSTRUCTION IN SUPPORTS ARE PROVIDED TO ALL STUDENTS.

SOME STUDENTS MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TARGETED INSTRUCTION IN SUPPORTS WITHIN TIER TWO AND FINALLY A SELECT NUMBER OF STUDENTS MAY REQUIRE MORE INTENSIVE INTERVENTION WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED PART OF TIER THREE. YOU MAY SEE OVERLAP

[01:55:04]

WE WILL HIGHLIGHT THE COLLABORATIVE AND PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS AND TEACH TONIGHT. THE PREMISE OF CPS IS THAT STUDENTS DO WELL WHEN THEY CAN DO WELL WHICH IS A SHIFT IN MIND-SET FROM THE IDEA THAT KIDS DO WELL WHEN THEY WANT TO DO WELL.

CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR OCCURS WHEN THE DEMANDS OF A SITUATION EXCEED A YOUNG PERSON'S CAPACITY TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE SITUATION. FOR EXAMPLE, MAY BE EXPECTED TO TRANSITION BETWEEN ACTIVITIES BUT MAY NOT YET HAVE THE SELF-MANAGEMENT AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION SKILLS TO QUICKLY AND EASILY TRANSITION WHICH LEADS TO CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR. CPS FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING WHAT SKILLS A STUDENT LACKING AND WHICH IS CAUSING WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS AN UNSOLVED PROBLEM. IT INCLUDES IDENTIFYING STAFF MEMBERS CONCERN IN DEVELOPING A SOLUTION TO THAT UNSOLVED PROBLEM, WHICH IS MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE STUDENT. THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SLIDE SHOWS THE --, THAT IS HARD TO SEE BUT THERE IS A LINK IN THE POWERPOINT. THAT STANDS FOR ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS THAT UNSOLVED PROBLEMS, USING THIS TOOL STAFF WILL MEET AS A GROUP TO DISCUSS WHAT SKILLS A STUDENT IS LACKING AND IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE SOLVED. FROM THERE IN INTERVENTION IS DEVELOPED WHICH INCLUDES A PLAN TO TEACH THE NEEDED SKILLS AND THE APPROACH HELPS PRESERVE A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND STAFF MEMBER WHILE SUPPORTING THE YOUNG PERSON AS SKILLS ARE BEING DEVELOPED. SO FAR IT SCHOOLS UP OR DISSIPATED IN TRAINING AND AT LEAST ONE COHORT OF STAFF IN THE MODEL. AND IT IS DESIGNED TO HELP SCHOOLS MANAGE STUDENTS , STUDENTS WITH HIGH SUPPORT NEEDS. WE WILL USE A FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING TO TRAIN THREE STAFF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE CONTINUED TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS. THE NEXT PROGRAM IS TEACH , THE TEACH PROGRAM IS AN APPROACH FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL WHICH TEACHES STAFF HOW TO STRUCTURE THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. WHEN WE SEE STRUCTURED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WE CONSIDER HOW EDUCATORS CAN SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH AUTISM IN A WAY THAT ALIGNS WITH THEIR LEARNING STYLES AND NEEDS IN AREAS OF COMMUNICATION, COGNITIVE PROCESSING, SENSORY PROCESSING AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION. STUDENTS WITH AUTISM BENEFIT FROM VISUAL SUPPORTS AND CUES AND PREDICTABILITY AND ROUTINE.

IF WE CAN PROACTIVELY PROVIDE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE TO LEARNING SPACES, TO MAKE THE ENVIRONMENT MEANINGFUL UNPREDICTABLE , WE USE VISUAL CUES TO HELP STUDENTS ORGANIZE THEIR DAY AND WORK EXPECTATIONS, ANTICIPATE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS , AND RESPOND TO DYSREGULATION IN A WAY THAT IS SENSITIVE TO SENSORY PROCESSING DIFFERENCES. WE CAN BUILD INDEPENDENCE, REDUCE ANXIETY AND PREVENT CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR FOR STUDENTS. IN AUGUST OF 2024, USING GRANT FUNDING, WE INVITED TEACH INSTRUCTORS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA TO TRAIN OUR STAFF, OVER 100 STAFF MEMBERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT MEMBERS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PARTICIPATED. THE STAFF INCLUDED SPECIAL EDUCATORS, ELEMENTARY COUNSELORS, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AS WELL AS VARIOUS SUPERVISORS , THIS RESULTED IN EACH TEAM NOW HAVING A TEAM OF STAFF WHO HAVE RECEIVED THIS TRAINING SO THEY CAN RECEIVE SUPPORT PLANS FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND THE STUDENTS MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND I WILL ADD AS WELL THAT THE PROGRAM CAN ALSO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE AUTISM MAY HAVE OTHER FUNCTIONING DIFFICULTIES.

LIFE SPACE CRISIS INTERVENTION OR LSC ISA DE-ESCALATION STRATEGIES TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE IN PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR WHEN THEY BECOME IS REGULATED. SPECIFICALLY TARGETS A VARIETY OF STUDENTS WHO MAY ENGAGE IN EXPLOSIVE BEHAVIORS WHEN STRESSED, MAKE POOR DECISIONS BASED ON DISTORTED THINKING OR DIFFICULTY INTERPRETING MEDICATIONS , MAY

[02:00:01]

OUTSIDE TRAINERS. >> CPI, CRISIS PREVENTION INTERVENTION IS A NONVIOLENT CRISIS INTERVENTION STRATEGY, OFTEN REFERRED TO IN THE COUNTY HAS RESTRAINTS TRAINING. IT EMPHASIZES THE DE-ESCALATION PIECE , RESTRAINT IS ALWAYS A LAST RESORT, I USE THAT TERM BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL CONNECT TO THIS PROGRAM FOR YOU, NOT BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I AM ENDORSING. WE MAKE SUE THAT WE EXPLORE THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BEING RESTRAINED AND AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. AND WE MOVE INTO THE DE-ESCALATION , PRIMARILY. WE ALSO USE --, A RESTRAINT FREE CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND OFTEN TO MAKE THE CONNECTION FOR YOU AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM THAT UTILIZES THE BLUE PADS IN SCHOOLS, WE DO NOT RESTRAIN STUDENTS, WE BLOCK INSTEAD . IT IS A REDIRECTION TO AVOID INJURY AND HARM FOR STAFF AND STUDENTS AND SAFE BLOCKING IS TRAUMA INFORMED AND IS FAR LESS DRAMATIC FOR STUDENTS THAN A RESTRAINT. RELATED TO STAFF TRAINING IN THESE AREAS, WE HAVE HAD 165 STAFF TRAINED IN -- AND FIVE OF THOSE ARE INITIAL TRAININGS AND TWO RENEWALS I DON'T HAVE THE BREAKDOWN OF THE STAFF FOR EACH CATEGORY. CPI WE DID EIGHT INITIAL TRAININGS, 11 RENEWALS , SUPPORTING 205 STAFF IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR AND CPR IS NEEDED WITH CPI TRAINING AND WE HAVE 179 STAFF THAT NEEDED THEIR CPR UPDATED. JUST FOR THE 2024 -2025 SCHOOL YEAR.

THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THIS MATERIALS ARE NINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, ONE HIGH SCHOOL AND CALVERT COUNTRY SCHOOL. THAT MEANS NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE TEAMS TRAINED BUT THEY HAVE AT LEAST ONE SET AND IN MANY CASES MORE THAN ONE SET OF THE BLUE PADS, THERE ARE MULTIPLE PIECES OF THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE THE HISTORICAL RESTRAINT DATA WITH YOU TO GIVE YOU A SENSE FROM WHERE WE CAME. IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 2018 AND THERE WERE 576 RESTRAINTS AND 700 AND ONCE OCCLUSIONS . IN 2019 750 AND 386 , 2020, -- 2021, 12 AND 16 AND IN 2022'S OCCLUSIONS WERE PROHIBITED , THAT IS WHY YOU SEE IT FALL OFF THE CHART. IN 20 2219 TOTAL, 23. 12. 2024 , 28.

AND CURRENTLY 20 YEAR TO DATE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN 2023 -2024, WE ESTABLISHED A RESTRAINT COMMITTEE AND WE REVIEW RESTRAINTS WHEN THERE IS VIDEO AND WE USE IT AS A TEACHING TOOL AND BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST GO BACK IN AND COACH, CRITIQUE AND TRAIN THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH STUDENTS

[02:05:06]

>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. SO, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE STUDENT MAY NEED TO BE SECLUDED? LIKE SOMEBODY WHO MAYBE HAS SENSORY OVERLOAD, WHAT YOU DO IN A SITUATION WHERE THE STUDENT MAY BENEFIT FROM BEING REMOVED FROM WHATEVER IS HAPPENING? HOW DO YOU HANDLE THOSE?

>> THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SECLUSION AND EXCLUSION.

SECLUSION IS WHEN YOU PUT A STUDENT IN A ROOM BY THEMSELVES, OFTEN WITH THE DOOR CLOSED. EXCLUSION IS WHEN YOU REMOVE THEM FROM THE SITUATION BUT YOU ARE COACHING THE STUDENT, YOU ARE TALKING THEM THROUGH IT, REDIRECTING, IT IS THAT ALONE, SECLUSION PIECE THAT IS PROBLEMATIC .

>> AS IN THEY ARE UNATTENDED? >> OFTENTIMES PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE LOOKING THROUGH THE WINDOW BUT A TRAUMA RESPONSE HAPPENS WITH REGARD TO THAT VERSUS SOMEBODY COACHING YOU . YOU CAN LIKEN IT TO YOUR OWN CHILDREN WHEN THEY ARE REALLY STRUGGLING AND YOU ARE KIND OF ELBOW TO ELBOW WITH THEM AND TALKING THEM THROUGH HER SAYING TO THEM, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A MINUTE, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, THAT WOULD BE EXCLUSION VERSUS SECLUSION.

>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. WHERE DO THESE BLUE PADS THAT ARE IN OUR VARIOUS SCHOOLS RESIDE? WHERE THOSE HOUSE?

>> IT VARIES. IN SOME PLACES IF IT IS IN A REGIONAL SETTING THEY ARE OFTEN IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM. IF IT IS IN AN AREA WHERE THERE -- SOME OF THE HALLWAY OR TUCKED AWAY. WHEN THIS WORKS REALLY WELL THOSE BLUE PADS ARE NOT , THEY DON'T HAVE A NEGATIVE CONTEXT TO OUR STUDENTS OR TO THE STAFF AND OFTENTIMES I GO INTO SETTINGS AND STUDENTS WHO ARE HAVING A ROUGH TIME WILL TAKE A PAD AND KIND OF SIT BEHIND IT , IN THE ROOM, TO GIVE THEMSELVES A MOMENT WHERE THEY FEEL IT PEOPLE ARE NOT LOOKING AT THEM. I ONCE WALKED IN AND A STUDENT MADE A FORT OUT OF THE BLUE PADS. REALLY WE ARE CREATING THAT IT IS A TOOL TO USE TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE BUT IT IS NOT LIKE A PADDLE HANGING ON THE WALL OR A SIGN OF SOMETHING NEGATIVE AND STUDENTS SHOULD NOT SEE IT AS NEGATIVE, BUT IT IS ALWAYS IN A PLACE THAT IS CLOSE AND THAT WE HAVE EASY ACCESS. SOMETIMES IF STUDENTS ARE IN THE CAFETERIA OR ALTERNATE SETTINGS, SOMEBODY WILL START THE VERBAL DE-ESCALATION AND SOMEBODY WILL

RUN TO GET A PAD JUST IN CASE. >> RIGHT. MY INTENT IS NOT TO BEAT UP ON YOUR PRESENTATION, I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT AT ALL BUT I THINK IN ORDER TO CONSIDER ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND HAVE SOME DISCUSSION, EVEN WHEN IT IS NOT ALWAYS THAT EASY. IT IS REALLY EASY TO PUT A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND SAY THAT THESE ARE ALL OF THE THINGS. IMPLEMENTATION ON THE OTHER HAND MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE AS EASY. YOU ALL CERTAINLY KNOW FAR BETTER THAN ME BUT I HAVE HAD MY OWN EXPERIENCES OF MY OWN CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM AND I'VE ALSO HEARD FROM A LOT OF EDUCATORS AND ASSISTANCE AND WHAT KINDS OF THINGS HAPPEN IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A KID THAT DECIDES THEY WILL GET UNDERNEATH THE DESK AND THEY ARE GOING TO KICK AND SCREAM AND YOU CANNOT TAKE THEM BY THEIR ARM? OR YOU CANNOT, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU COAX THEM OUT , WHILE I RECOGNIZE THESE MIGHT BE SOME TOOLS, I STILL THINK THAT GENERALLY WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF DISRUPTIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING IN CLASSROOMS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS COMPARED TO ELEMENTARY VERSUS MIDDLE VERSUS HIGH SCHOOL BUT I DO KNOW THAT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT , IT IS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ACROSS THE BOARD. NOT JUST WITH THOSE SPECIFIC STUDENTS BUT WITH THE STAFF AND ALL THE OTHER CHILDREN THAT ARE THERE AS WELL. I THINK THESE MIGHT BE SOME TOOLS THAT WOULD BE USEFUL, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATION AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER THINGS WE MAY DO OR SUPPORTS WE MAY HAVE IN PLACE OR HOW WE IMPLEMENT OTHER THINGS TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO CHANGE AROUND WHAT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT

[02:10:06]

>> DO YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND TO THAT?

>> YOU CAN. >> I'M HAPPY TO COME I FELT GARRETT A QUESTION BUT I DIDN'T KNOW.

>> I DON'T EVEN KNOW BECAUSE I TALK SO MUCH. SORRY.

>> SO, I AGREE THAT WE CANNOT TRANSLATE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CLASSROOMS TO A POWERPOINT AND I TRIED TO GIVE YOU DATA TO GIVE CONTEXT. IN MY PERSONAL OPINION I THINK WE ARE IN THE INFANCY OF THIS MEANING THAT I AM REALLY PROUD OF THOSE NUMBERS, I AM PROUD OF THAT FOR MY TEAM BECAUSE THAT IS A HUGE INVESTMENT IN OUR KIDS AND THAT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK AND ONE TRAINING IN ANY OF THESE CATEGORIES IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THINGS FOR OUR STAFF OR OUR STUDENTS. IT IS THE MIND-SET OF CONTINUOUS GROWTH AND ALWAYS MOVING FORWARD. I WOULD CAUTION, I DON'T THINK YOU SAID THIS BUT I WOULD CAUTION EXPANDING IDEAS TOO FAR. THE DEPARTMENT OF STUDENT SURFACES WOULD ESPECIALLY AGREE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT FRAMEWORK, IT IS ABOUT THE INTENSITY, THE RE-TRAINING. THAT IS BY THE COMMITTEE THAT IS REVIEWING THINGS AND GOING TO SITES SPECIFIC TO THEIR EXPERIENCE , DEBRIEFING, RE-TRAINING , CREATING ADDITIONAL TRAINING . I HAVE BEEN TRAINED FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES IN THESE AREAS AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE LAST FIVE YEARS WHERE I FEEL LIKE IT IS ALMOST SEAMLESS. YOU NEED TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, YOU NEED TO BE TESTED, YOU NEED TO FAIL A LITTLE BIT. I CAN TELL YOU STORIES OF HAVING THE KNOWLEDGE BUT IT DID NOT TRANSLATE TO THE STUDENTS. YOU NEED TO HAVE EXPERIENCES TO HAVE YOUR CONFIDENCE RISE AND YOU ARE ABLE TO WALK INTO ANY SCENARIO AND TO SUPPORT KIDS. AND ONE SINGLE TRAINING WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH BUT IT IS GETTING 250 PEOPLE , 300 PEOPLE, 400 PEOPLE , YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR, TRAINED AND RE-TRAINED AND WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT BRAIN RESEARCH AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU KNOW, WE PUT ALL OF THOSE PIECES TOGETHER . WE HAVE WONDERFUL THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS WITH EVERYBODY . OUR BUS DRIVERS ARE TRAINED IN THIS AND I SEE VAST IMPROVEMENTS JUST IN THE THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE AND USING THE COMMON LANGUAGE AND WE ARE GETTING THERE. WE ARE NOT THERE. WE ARE GETTING THERE AND WE ARE WORKING AS A TEAM TO GET THE JOB DONE AND I AM PROUD OF EVERYBODY.

>> WOULD YOU SAY THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF AND SCHOOLS HAVE AN ABILITY TO RAISE THEIR CONCERNS OR AWARENESS OR PROVIDE IDEAS OR TIPS ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY MAY HAVE IN THEIR EXPERIENCE ARE WORKING ON ARE THINGS THAT ARE

NOT WORKING? >> I HEAR THAT OFTEN. I WORK WITH SUPERVISORS TO TRY TO TROUBLESHOOT THAT. NOBODY HAS

ALL OF THE ANSWERS. >> I KNOW THAT, YES.

>> WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST , I TRIED TO PERSONALLY HIT THE HOT BUTTON SCHOOLS AND SOLICIT SUPPORT OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, NOT ONE OF US HAS ALL THE ANSWERS BUT WE TEAM TOGETHER AND TRY TO DO THAT. I THINK , YES BUT IT IS PROBABLY NOT AS GRANULAR AS YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO BE YET. OR I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE BUT WE ARE GETTING THERE.

>> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE WORKED IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SINCE 2002 AND I STARTED AS A PSYCHOLOGIST AND WE HAD WERE THE BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, WE HAVE A COUPLE STILL. I WILL SAY I HAVE NOTICED AND IT IS NOT JUST A TREND IN CALVERT COUNTY BUT ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND NATIONALLY. IN THE LAST FIVE OR SO YEARS WE HAVE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN BEHAVIOR AND DYSREGULATION OF STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS AT ALL LEVELS. SO, THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE ARE TRYING TO DO BUT IN ALL HONESTY WE ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY IN MANY AREAS AT EACH LEVEL , IN ELEMENTARY WILL HAVING DYSREGULATION STUDENTS AND CLASSROOMS THAT HAD TO BE CLEARED. WE ARE WORKING OUR BEST WITH ELEMENTARY COUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS TO CREATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS TO RESPOND TO THESE THINGS BECAUSE DISCIPLINE ALONE DOES NOT CHANGE BEHAVIORS OR CREATE REGULATION, WE REALLY ARE TRYING REALLY HARD BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES HAPPENING RIGHT NOW AT ALL LEVELS. WE ARE TRYING EVERYTHING. I KNOW WITH MY OWN STAFF AND AS DR. ANDERSON SAID WITH HER STAFF, WE ARE VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT WITH OUR STAFF.

[02:15:02]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, BOTH. IS THERE , DO WE CONSIDER OURSELVES A FIRST MOVER IN THE SPACE? IS THERE ANOTHER COUNTY OR A STATE THAT DOES SPECIAL EDUCATION REALLY, REALLY WELL? HOW DO YOU COMPARE YOURSELF WITH YOUR PEERS IN

OTHER COUNTIES? >> THERE A LOT THE DATA POINTS AND IT IS FUNNY YOU ASK THAT QUESTION TODAY BECAUSE I PARTICIPATED TODAY IN A CONSULTATIVE PRACTICE WITH ALL OF THE DIRECTORS IN THE STATE AND WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT OUR RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION DATA AND HOW FAR REMOVED IN THE TRAJECTORY OF NUMBERS BUT THAT THERE IS STILL WORK TO DO. A DIRECTOR WILL PUT OUT A PRACTICE AND TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE WORKING IN OTHER DIRECTORS WILL SAY I HAVE INSIGHT INTO THIS.

RIGHT BEFORE I CAME HERE I WAS DOING THAT VIRTUALLY AND I HAVE A FOLLOW-UP TO DO AS A RESULT OF THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF US THINKS THAT ONE DISTRICT IS THE PREMIER DISTRICT FOR SPECIAL ED, WE RELY ON EACH OTHER. WITHIN THE LAST YEAR MST WAS HERE TO LOOK AT OUR INCLUSIONARY PRACTICES AND WE WERE HIGHLIGHTED FOR THAT, PEOPLE COME HERE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS A MODEL AND JUST LIKE THAT I AM GOING TO RETURN TO TWO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WORK AROUND BEHAVIOR , RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION AND

LEARN A LITTLE BIT. >> I ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE A PREMIER SPECIAL EDUCATION COUNTY AND I THINK YOU SHOULD BOTH BE CONGRATULATED FOR BRINGING THINGS ALONG AND THE TEACH PROGRAM AND OTHER THINGS, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS EMPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OR JUST SOMETHING WE ARE DOING?

>> STRUCTURED TEACHING, WHICH IS PART OF THE TEACH PROGRAM I'M SURE IS BEING AMENDED THROUGHOUT THE STATE, ESPECIALLY PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. I THINK WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE TRAINED IN IT BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND MORSE 'S WITH EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING DIFFICULTIES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH OUR DOORS AND WE DID NOT WANT TO HOUSE OF THIS KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL WITHIN SELF-CONTAINED PROGRAMS , ONLY WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING THE HIGHEST SUPPORT NEEDS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION. WE HAVE 1 STUDENTS WHO HAVE AUTISM THAT ARE NOT IDENTIFIED AS REQUIRING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, WE HAVE STUDENTS COMING IN AND KINDERGARTEN, FIRST K, WHO ARE NOT DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM BUT THEY SHOW TENDENCIES AND WE KNOW THAT IF WE DO PROACTIVE STRATEGIES WITH THEM AND STRUCTURE THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND MAKE THINGS PREDICTABLE FOR THEM THAT REDUCES ANXIETY, WE HAVE BETTER SUCCESS BEHAVIORALLY WHICH MEANS MORE ENGAGEMENT ACADEMICALLY. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY DISTRICT IN MARYLAND THAT TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO TRAIN THIS MANY STAFF MEMBERS, OUTSIDE OF SELECT SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF AND WITH THAT ENABLED US TO DO IS HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS , COUNSELORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND AT LEAST ONE SPECIAL ED TEACHER PER SCHOOL WHO CAN MEET WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS .

WE HAVE A 5-YEAR-OLD WHO JUST ENTERED, AN EXAMPLE, 5-YEAR-OLD JUST ENTERED SCHOOL WHO SHOWS TENDENCIES TOWARD HAVING AUTISM, KNOWING THAT HE PUT SOME OF THESE STRUCTURED TEACHING THINGS IN PLACE YOU CAN STABILIZE THEIR ENVIRONMENT. I AM NOT AWARE THAT ANY OTHER DISTRICT HAS DONE THAT WE HAVE DONE BY TRAINING THIS MANY STAFF MEMBERS. IT WILL TAKE TIME TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THE SKILLS AND THE CAPACITY OF THESE TRAININGS BUT THEY ARE DOING STRUCTURED TEACHING PLANS IN ALL OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS NOW.

>> YOU FEEL ADEQUATELY FUNDED FROM THE NUMBERS YOU SUBMITTED? THERE IS NO OTHER MONEY YOU NEED FOR THIS SPECIAL TRAINING?

>> HEY, THAT SHIP HAS SAILED. >> I'M JUST ASKING.

>> I'M ONLY KIDDING. >> WE DID USE GRANT FUNDING TO DO THE TRAININGS TO BEGIN WITH , AS WE CONTINUED TO WRITE GRANTS , THE FEDERAL GRANTS EACH YEAR UNDER TITLE FOUR, WE CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WHETHER WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TRAINED BUT WE HAVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TRAINED, IT IS A GOOD -- IT IS ABOUT MAINTAINING THE SKILLS AND PROVIDING SUPPORT.

[02:20:02]

>> OF THE FEDERAL SPACE IS STILL ASKING YOU TO SUBMIT GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THESE PROGRAMS? IS THAT FAIR?

>> WE DO NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND HOW WE WANT TO ALLOCATE THE MONEY ONCE WE

RECEIVE THE GRANT FUNDING. >> THANK YOU.

>> FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THE REHABILITATION ASPECT OF DISCIPLINE. I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION COME UP WHEN YOU ARE DISCUSSING THAT CPS AND THE TEACH PROGRAMS. I WAS CURIOUS, IF A STUDENT WITH LEARNING NEEDS OR SOCIAL NEEDS IS DECIDED THROUGH EITHER THESE PROGRAMS THEY ARE BETTER SERVED IN A SMALLER CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT WITH FEWER STUDENTS, WE HAVE A MECHANISM TO MONITOR THE STUDENT'S SOCIAL PROGRESS? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE STUDENT REMAINS INVOLVED WITH OTHER STUDENTS AND IN THE COMMUNITY? SO THEY FEEL INCLUDED, THAT IS KIND OF A BEHAVIORAL/EMOTIONAL PIECE I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.

>> I'LL ANSWER ONE PIECE BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO DR. ANDERSON.

ALL THE THINGS I PRESENTED ON TODAY WITH REGARD TO THE SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS CAN BE USED WITHIN ANY TIER AND WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND GENERAL EDUCATION OUR GOAL FOR ALL STUDENTS IS TO GIVE THEM SKILLS THEY NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF WHATEVER ENVIRONMENT THEY ARE IN, AS FAR AS A SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION, WHICH SOUNDS MORE LIKE A SPECIAL EDUCATION QUESTION , I WILL DEFER TO DR.

ANDERSON. >> I THINK THE IP TEAMS ARE ALWAYS CHALLENGED THE TABLE BECAUSE THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE BY -- AT THE TABLE THAT KNOW THE STUDENT BEST. THEY ARE ALWAYS CHALLENGED WITH, WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF MOVING STUDENTS TO A MORE RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND I THINK THE OLDER WAY OF THINKING IS THAT IT IS A PLACE, YOU ARE EITHER IN THE SMALL SETTING OR YOU ARE NOT. IF I HAVE A WISH FOR CALVERT COUNTY, MY WISH IS THAT WE CHANGE OUR THINKING. IT IS NO LONGER A PLACE BUT IT IS A FLUID CONTINUUM AND CAN A STUDENT GO TO A SMALLER SETTING FOR VERY SMALL PERIOD OF TIME TO RECEIVE THE DIRECT INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SKILLS THEY NEED? AND CAN THEY BE FLUID AND THEN MOVE BACK INTO THE LARGER SETTING? HOW DO WE HELP TEAMS DETERMINE WHAT TIME IS IMPORTANT WITH THAT ? SO WE CAN MOVE AWAY FROM THIS IDEA OF YOU ARE EITHER IN A SMALL PLACE OR NOT AND THAT IT IS JUST RESOURCES AND CONTINUUM AND THOSE WERE ALL THE TRAINING COMES IN. IF OUR SCHOOLS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED AND , HATE TO USE THIS TERM BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE MACHINERY BUT WELL OILED IN THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO USE IT, WE CAN COACH THEM THROUGH , WHAT SKILL DO YOU NEED NOW HOW DO YOU USE IT? THERE WERE A LOT OF PIECES JUST IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION THAT STUDENTS CAN COME IN AND HAVE AN ISSUE THAT LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT FROM STUDENT TO STUDENT BUT THE TEAM IS CONFIDENT IN WHAT THEY'RE DOING THAT THEY CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS AND KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT.

>> PRESENTATION .

--

[02:26:06]

>>

>> HELLO .

>> TESTING. NOW I HAVE TO TRY TREVOR WHAT I WAS SAYING. THAT IS OKAY. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE USING THE TEACH MODEL.

THE TEACH MODEL IS ABOUT , PART OF IT IS ABOUT USING VISUAL SUPPORTS, MAKING THE DAY UNDERSTANDABLE , MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE REDUCED ANXIETY BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT. FOR THE TEACH MODEL IF YOU'RE USING STRUCTURED TEACHING MODELS AT THE TIER ONE LEVEL THE TEACHER WOULD HAVE , ELEMENTARY TEACHERS OFTEN DO THIS AND SECONDARY TEACHERS WILL DO THIS. THEY WILL SHOW A DISPLAY WHAT THE DAY IS LOOKING LIKE. WE WILL START WITH AN OPENING, WE WILL GO INTO ELA, YOUR RESOURCE CLASS, LUNCH, OH, AN UNEXPECTED PRESENTATION IN THE AUDITORIUM WE ARE GOING TO GO TO , IF A STUDENT NEEDS MORE SUPPORTS THAN THAT THEY MAY HAVE THEIR OWN DAILY SCHEDULE.

BECAUSE THEY CANNOT JUST BENEFIT FROM JUST HAVING THE TIER ONE, THE NEED MORE SIGNIFICANT, MORE INTENSIVE SUPPORT AND THAT THE TIER THREE LEVEL THEY MAY ALSO NEED A CRISIS RESPONSE PLAN. BUT AGAIN, THEY ARE NOT FIXED. IT IS INDIVIDUAL ON WHAT THE STUDENT NEEDS AND IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH FREQUENCY AND DOSAGE.

>> THESE INTERVENTIONS CAN BE BOTH GENERAL AND SPECIAL

EDUCATION? >> ABSOLUTELY.

>> WHEN I HEAR INTERVENTION THE FIRST THING I THINK OF HIS FIDELITY. HOW DO WE MONITOR TO KNOW THAT THESE INTERVENTIONS

ARE BEING DONE BY FIDELITY? >> YOU HAVE TO MONITOR TWO THINGS, THE BEHAVIOR OR WHATEVER YOUR TARGET IS, WHERE THE ONE IN PARTICULAR INCREASE OR DECREASE IN BEHAVIOR AND YOU REALLY NEED TO COME UP THIS WITH THE TEAM APPROACH. SO, NO ONE PERSON SHOULD BE DOING TIER TWO AND TIER THREE INTERVENTIONS OUTSIDE OF A TEAM DISCUSSING IT, YOU COME BACK AND REPORT ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING. HE WOULD HAVE OVERSIGHT, PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAINED IN THE SCHOOLS COME PEOPLE TRAINED AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL. THAT THEY CAN BE CHECKING IN ON THEM, HAVING SUPPORT AS NEEDED. MEETING REGULARLY TO DISCUSS , MAKING SURE YOU ARE

USING BEST PRACTICES. >> OKAY. I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT I AM SEEING IS A LOT OF PARENTS ARE REACHING OUT TO BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE OF BEHAVIORS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM. THE INTERVENTIONS ARE TIME CONSUMING IF YOU ARE DOING IT TO FIDELITY. IS THERE A LACK OF STAFF , I THINK, TO HANDLE IT? BECAUSE THE GENERAL ED TEACHER CANNOT BE DOING AN INTERVENTION LIKE THIS TO FIDELITY AND CONTINUING INSTRUCTION WITH 25 OTHER STUDENTS.

>> I AGREE AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT DIFFICULTIES, DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AT EACH LEVEL, WHETHER IT IS ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, OR HIGH SCHOOL. AS I ALLUDED TO BEFORE THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL WE ARE SEEING SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES REGULATING. WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TEAMS AND ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS THAT ARE TRYING VERY HARD TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS. WE ALL KNOW, WHETHER IT IS ACADEMICS OR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL THAT TIER ONE HAS GOT TO BE

[02:30:01]

RIGHT NOW. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION, I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT OUR COMMUNITY, EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOMS ARE EDUCATED ON WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR BUILDINGS AND HOW WE ARE TRYING TO RESPOND TO

IT. TANK YOU, VERY MUCH. >> I HAVE A QUESTION, PAUL SAID, DO YOU HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES? I KNOW THE SHIP HAS SAILED, HOWEVER, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROGRAMS HERE THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF STAFF THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED, ALTHOUGH IT IS PROBABLY MORE THAN IN OTHER PLACES, IT DOES NOT TARGET ALL OF OUR STAFF. WITH ALL OF OUR STAFF BENEFIT FROM ALL OF THESE TRAININGS IF THIS GUY WAS A LIMIT? IF WE HAD EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED. AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD IT COST TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE

THAT HAPPENS? >> I CANNOT REALLY COME UP WITH A NUMBER, BUT I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT. I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT THAT WE TRAIN CORE PEOPLE WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT STAFF. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT IS REALISTIC, NECESSARILY, ALTHOUGH THIS IS MY INITIAL RESPONSE ABOUT HAVING A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT IT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS REALISTIC TO TRAIN EVERY SINGLE STAFF MEMBER TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE DONE SOME OF THESE TRAININGS. THIS YEAR. I THINK YOU CAN PROVIDE OVERVIEWS TO STAFF MEMBERS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES, THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF TEACH, WHICH WE HAVE DONE IN SEVERAL SCHOOLS, SO THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES OF LAGGING SKILLS AND THAT CHILDREN DO WELL WHEN THEY CAN VERSUS WHEN THEY WANT TO AND IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TRAINED WITHIN THE SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL BUT ALSO BUILD CAPACITY OF TEACHERS, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS, ADMINISTRATORS, THINK THAT IS HELPFUL. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH LIKE FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST TO DO THIS WORK, THERE IS ASSORTED IN THE STATE BUT A SIGNIFICANT SHORTAGE IN CALVERT COUNTY. I THINK THOSE ARE CRITICAL PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS TRAINING AND SUPPORT. AS FAR AS WHAT IT WOULD COST I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY A DISCUSSION FOR A DIFFERENT VENUE. WITH MORE

INFORMATION. >> YES. I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH BECAUSE I THINK LISA ALLUDED TO OR I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE, A LONG NIGHT ALREADY, IN ORDER FOR LEARNING TO HAPPEN IN THE CLASSROOM WE HAVE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THE STUDENTS. I WILL SPEAK FOR MYSELF, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED. I JUST ASK YOU AS THE BUDGET PROCESS PRETTY MUCH STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED BECAUSE THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR EVERYBODY, THAT WE CREATE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND THRIVE AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE BASE OF THAT. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN LOOKING AT BUILDING OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAININGS, WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL CALENDAR IN A MINUTE , THESE SEEM LIKE THE PERFECT TOPICS THAT WE SHOULD BE UTILIZING THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP AND TRAININGS FOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE THE LONGER THEY TRAININGS, MAYBE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WERE WE CAN TARGET A LOT OF OUR STAFF. I HAVE NEVER MET A STAFF PERSON IN THE COUNTY THAT DOES NOT WANT TO KNOW HOW TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GREAT WAY. WHATEVER I CAN DO AS A BOARD MEMBER TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT, PLEASE REACH OUT AND AGAIN I

APPRECIATE THIS, THANK YOU. >> I THINK YOU, ALL , VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE OUR BOARD

[7.04 Board Calendar Approval]

[02:35:09]

MEETING, WE VOTE. >>

>> OF THIS HERE IS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TENTATIVE MEETING DATES FOR THE 2025 -2026 SCHOOL YEAR. THE BOARD NEEDS TO VOTE ON THIS, I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

>> I MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND.

>> WHAT? >> I NEED TO PLAN MY VACATION

FOR THE SUMMER. >> THIS IS FOR NEXT YEAR.

>>

FOR ONE MEETING IN AUGUST. >> I GUESS I WILL APPROVE IT.

>> THANK YOU. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE.

>> AYE. MOTION PASSES. AND NEXT WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR, MR.

[7.05 School Calendar Review]

THIS IS THE TIME WHEN THEY PREPARE GRADES AND THEY ARE ALSO DESIGNATED ONE DAY TO PREPARE FOR STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES WHICH IS A PART OF THE GROWTH AND EVALUATION PROCESS. IN ADDITION TO THE LAST FOUR DAYS I MENTIONED, SORRY, THE DAYS THAT WE ALSO HAVE OFF AS EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS IN OCTOBER , WE HAVE A PARENT CONFERENCE DAY. WE ALSO HAVE SEPTEMBER, DECEMBER, FEBRUARY AND MARCH AS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING DAYS AND WE ALSO HAVE HALF DAYS ON OUR TWO GRADUATION DAYS, SO THAT OUR STAFF CAN ATTEND GRADUATIONS AND SIBLINGS CAN GO TO GRADUATION AND THEN THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS IS A HALF-DAY, SO THAT OUR TEACHERS CAN BEGIN THEIR CLOSEOUT PROCESS. IN ADDITION TO THOSE FOUR DAYS I MENTIONED WE ALSO , I SHOULD SAY , ONE OF THE DAYS I MENTIONED WAS COLUMBUS DAY, THAT HALF-DAY WILL BE USED FOR PARENT CONFERENCING. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID TO INFORM OUR CREATION OF THE CALENDAR IS TO PROVIDE A SURVEY AND WE HAD OUTSTANDING FEEDBACK ON THAT SURVEY, OVER 4400 INDIVIDUALS REPLIED, INCLUDING NEARLY 2000 PARENTS, OVER 1200 STAFF OR INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE LISTED AS BOTH STAFF

[02:40:02]

[02:45:02]

>> I LOVE IT WAS ONLY 10 SLIDES. TAKE YOU SO MUCH. I HAVE ONE QUESTION. YOU SAID THERE WERE 4409 RESPONSES AND I APPRECIATE THE BREAKDOWN, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW, APPROXIMATELY, HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS THE SURVEY WAS SENT TO?

>> THE SURVEY WAS SENT OUT TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, ALL OF OUR PARENTS , AND ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. THE SURVEY ALSO WENT OUT , SO, I KNOW YOU KNOW THOSE NUMBERS, 50,000 STUDENTS , TOTAL NUMBER OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND SO ON. IT ALSO WENT OUT TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IT WENT OUT TO, WE HAVE SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT PARENTS, THEY DON'T FALL INTO ONE OF THOSE OTHER DEMOGRAPHICS BUT THEY SIGN UP FOR SCHOOL MESSENGER AND WE HAD A POINT OF CONTACT, THEN WE CAN REACH OUT TO THEM AS WELL. I WISH I HAD BROUGHT THAT FOLDER BECAUSE I COULD ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBER, IT IS NOT

A VERY BIG NUMBER, ABOUT 40. >> THAT IS OKAY. I AM ASKING BECAUSE OF THE PERCENTAGES THAT YOU SHARED. I THINK THIS IS A PRETTY GOOD INDICATION OF WHY PARTICIPATION MATTERS BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY A SMALL FRACTION BUT IT DOES REPRESENT THE

[02:50:06]

AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WANT AND TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST AND MEET THE NEEDS. I AM A LITTLE BIT SHOCKED ABOUT THE VETERANS DAY BUT THIS IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WAS SHARED,

THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> THE REASON I CONTEXTUALIZE THAT IS THAT I THINK THE PARENT CONFERENCING IS THE BIG LINCHPIN , NOT HAVING TO TAKE OFF WORK TO ATTEND YOUR CHILD PARENT CONFERENCE AND OBVIOUSLY SOME OF OUR PARENTS, WHEN THEY DON'T GO TO WORK, THEY DO NOT GET PAID AND IT IS A BIG DEAL FOR THEM.

>> I FILLED THIS OUT TWICE, NO, I AM GETTING. I DID NOT COME I ONLY FILLED IT OUT ONCE. NO. NO. I DIDN'T.

>> I'M HAPPY TO SURVEY RESULTS CAME BACK TO GET RID OF LATE ARRIVALS, I PERSONALLY HAVE EARLY DISMISSALS. THE ONLY CAVEAT I'VE HEARD IS A SCHOOL DAY FALLS AFTER HALLOWEEN THEN MAYBE WE WANT TO LOOK AT A LATE ARRIVAL THAT DAY , THAT IS THE FEEDBACK I'VE HEARD ABOUT WANTING A LATE ARRIVAL. I HAVE ONE QUESTION. WE HAVE 15 EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS, AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE CALENDAR EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS OR DAYS OFF, WE ONLY HAVE THREE MONTHS OUT OF THE 10 THAT WE ARE IN SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS ARE INTERRUPTED THREE OR LESS DAYS, THEIR ROUTINE , HOW DO WE COMPARE TO OTHER DISTRICTS AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF DAYS OFF OR THE NUMBER OF EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS?

>> I ACTUALLY CAN PROVIDE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION NOW AND I CAN SHARE A COMPLETE LIST IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT. I LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF COUNTIES THAT I FEEL LIKE WE WOULD WANT TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO. SO, WE ARE A HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEM, A LOT OF TIMES WE WILL COMPARE OURSELVES TO HOWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. NOT COUNTING WHAT HAPPENS BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, THIS SPEAKS TO YOUR QUESTION. FROM THE TIME THE STUDENTS START UNTIL THE TIME THEY END WE HAVE SIX PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN FULL DAYS AND HALF DAYS . TO COMPARE THAT TO HOWARD COUNTY, HOWARD COUNTY HAS 11. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE HIGHER PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS OR NOT TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT THEIR LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE BUT EVEN LOOKING AT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS AND WE HAVE BUILT IN. WE DID LOOK AT THAT ACROSS THE STATE. I WOULD SAY WE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACT, MAYBE SLIGHTLY HIGHER BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOL SYSTEMS WE TEND TO PROVIDE LESS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOP IT AND OF COURSE, I AM SORT OF LEANING ON THAT ONE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE OTHER DAYS THAT ARE BUILT IN THERE ARE DAYS THAT WE ARE EITHER CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE WORKTIME OR THEY ARE DAYS LIKE THE DAYS WE PROVIDE FOR GRADUATION .

>> OKAY, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. IS THERE ANY WAY OR IS THERE A REASON WHY WE DON'T, MAKE EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS ON THE MAJORITY OF FRIDAYS VERSUS THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK OR THE

BEGINNING OF THE WEEK? >> SO, WHEN WE CREATED THE 2026-2027 CALENDAR IS THAT IF IT WAS TEACHER WORKTIME , BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS ARE ALLOWED TO WORK OFF-SITE ON MANY OF THOSE DAYS , WE PLACED THOSE ON FRIDAYS. THE FOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS WE PLACED ON WEDNESDAYS AND TO BE HONEST ABOUT THAT, WE FIND THAT IS WHEN WE GET THE BEST ATTENDANCE. IT IS LEAST LIKELY FOR A STAFF MEMBER TO TAKE OFF ON THAT DAY , AS OPPOSED TO A FRIDAY. AND WE DON'T HAVE MANY OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WE WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM WE DO.

>> AS A PARENT I PREFER FRIDAY, I GET IT.

>> I WOULD SAY THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CALENDAR YOU WILL SEE THERE ARE MORE THE EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS FALLING ON FRIDAY THEN FOR THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS THAT FALL ON WEDNESDAYS AND OBVIOUSLY COLUMBUS DAY IS A MONDAY AND

THAT IS WHERE IT HAS TO BE. >> I AM CURIOUS OF OUR GOAL IS TO APPROVE THIS FOR ONE YEAR OR FOR TWO YEARS? BECAUSE WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST WHERE WE WANTED TO MAKE IT A TWO YEAR PLAN, SO THAT FAMILIES COULD PLAN VACATIONS AND TRAVEL AND DIFFERENT THINGS. FAR IN ADVANCE.

>> TRAMAIN JACOBS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS, WE

[02:55:04]

>> IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY WE DID TWO YEARS BUT IT WAS THE 2024 -2025 AND THE 2026, WE JUST HAPPEN TO BE RE-VISITING THE 2025-206. THE TWO ARE STILL TWO YEARS OUT.

>> WE ARE STILL TWO YEARS. IT IS NEXT SCHOOL YEAR AND THE

FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR. >> THIS WOULD ENSURE THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TWO YEARS OUT , EACH YEAR WE WOULD ONLY HAVE TO CREATE ONE MORE, WHICH WOULD STILL BE TWO YEARS OUT. ALL OF THE CALENDARS WOULD BE OUT AND READY. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY TWO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT. ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION , ONE WHEN WE SAY EARLY DISMISSALS, IT IS ONLY TWO HOURS AND NOT A HALF-DAY. WE ARE ONLY AT TWO HOURS. BUT WHEN WE MOVE EVERYTHING TO EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS, VERSUS ALTERNATING EARLY DISMISSAL GO FOR EARLY DISMISSALS. WE WOULD NOT HAVE OUR 3-YEAR-OLD PRE-KS COMING TO SCHOOL ON THOSE DAYS. WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HIT THE 180 DAYS FOR THOSE STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE IN REQUIREMENT PROGRAMS AND I DID WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ON THE EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS, STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THE PRE-K 3, WHICH ARE HALF-DAY PROGRAMS, THEY WOULD NOT BE AT SCHOOL THAT DAY BUT WE DO HAVE ONE OR TWO HEAD START PRE-K THREES.

>> AND I SHOULD ADD TO THAT AS WE WERE WEIGHING THIS DIVISION, I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DR. ANDERSON WHO WAS UP HERE EARLIER ABOUT WHAT WHETHER THAT WOULD BE UNDULY IMPACTFUL ON THOSE LEARNERS AT THAT LEVEL AND SHE WAS NOT CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD BE UNDULY IMPACTFUL FOR THOSE LEARNERS.

>> THANK YOU EVERYONE SO. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO POSTED

[7.06 NSBA Conference]

FOR 30 DAYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY. NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD CONFERENCE UPDATE.

MELISSA AND I WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE LAST WEEKEND IN ATLANTA AND THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHARE SOME INFORMATION AND THINGS THAT WE LEARNED AS A RESULT OF BEING AT THIS CONFERENCE. I AM GOING TO TAKE

IT TO YOU FIRST. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY EVERYTHING

YOU WERE GOING TO SAY. >> I WANT YOU TO SAY IT FIRST.

>> IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, SUPERINTENDENTS, OTHER SCHOOL BOARDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND. I -- THEY HAVE AN EXHIBIT HALL WITH A TON OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE EXHIBIT HALL, WENT TO EVERY SINGLE BOOTH THAT THEY HAD THERE BECAUSE I'M NEW HERE AND EVERYTHING TO SHE BRAND NEW.

SO I WANTED TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS OR A COUPLE OF VENDORS AND AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT I FOUND THERE. THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION, APOA FOUNDATION AND THEY HAVE A FREE ADA CURRICULUM AND WORK WITH CTA PROGRAMS. IT'S

FANTASTIC -- >> FREE.

>> YES, THERE YOU GO. ALL THE FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE ORGANIZATION. THEY ALSO PROVIDE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SCHOLARSHIPS EVERY YEAR FOR STUDENTS AND FOR TEACHERS,ING SO THAT SEEMS AMAZING. WE'LL PASS THAT ALONG TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT AND STRUCTURE ANOTHER BOOTH FOR A FAMILY AND

[03:00:02]

THEY ALSO CREATE FUN MENUS AND CURRICULUM FOR KIDS AND ABOUT HOW FOOD BOOSTS OUR BODIES AND I WILL PASS THAT ALONG FOR MISS PARMER BECAUSE WE SHARE A LOT OF FOOD, AND THERE WAS A PROGRAM AROUND THE GRADUATE PROGRAM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO I TALKED TO ABOUT THIS BUT REALLY, THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE GRADUATES LIKE WHEN THEY LEFT, DID THEY FEEL PREPARED? DID WE PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE AFTER CCPS? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BUY THIS TOOL.

I THINK WE CAN DO IT OURSELVES BY COLLECTING THE EMAIL ADDRESSES AFTER GRADUATION. IT'S JUST TRACKING THE GRADUATES AND LEARNING HOW MAYBE WE CAN IMPROVE. THAT WAS THE EXHIBIT HALL. SHOULD I KEEP GOING?

>> YEAH. >> ASIDE FROM THE EXHIBIT HALL, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND A LOT OF DIFFERENT SESSIONS. ONE OF THE SESSIONS I ATTENDED WAS SUPERINTENDENT AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT BOARD INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SHE HAD A REALLY INTERESTING IDEA. THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS PRESENTING THAT PRINCIPALS PRESENT AT THE BOARD MEETING EVERY QUARTER, LIKE A TEEN MINUTE PRESENTATION, AND THEY PRESENT TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THEIR SCHOOLS AND THE SUCCESSES AND I THINK THAT WAS A REALLY COOL IDEA, NOT TO MAKE THE BOARD MEETINGS EVEN LONGER BUT HEARING FROM THE PRINCIPALS EVERY QUARTER, THE COMMUNITY SEEMS TO REALLY LIKE IT THE DISTRICT BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE GET TO KNOW THE PRINCIPAL AND HEAR ALL THE GOOD THINGS. I REALLY APPRECIATED THE STAFF MEMBER THAT CAME AND GAVE US ALL

THE THINGS ABOUT CALVERT. >> THAT WAS A SCHOOL SYSTEM ABOUT THE SAME AS AS OURS, 12,000 AND SOMETHING. FROM

OKLAHOMA'S. >> OKLAHOMA, YEAH. SO THAT WAS SUPER INTERESTING. I INTENDED ANOTHER PRESENTATION FROM A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN NEW JERSEY. WHAT I FOUND INTERESTING IS THEY REIMAGINED THE EDUCATION. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT SAID IN THE SESSION IS HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS AND EDUCATION TODAY? THE WAY THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM LOOKS AT IT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT, THEY LOOK AT WHERE THEIR STUDENTS NEED TO BE WHEN THEY GRADUATE. NOT WHAT DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THEM TODAY BUT WHAT DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE FOR THEM TODAY WHEN THEY ARE GRADUATING? AND THAT IS BASED ON WHERE THEY'RE AT BASED ON THEIR EDUCATION CYCLE. WHAT A SIXTH GRADER NEEDS TODAY WILL LOOK DIFFERENT SIX YEARS FROM NOW. SO THE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, AND THEY DO INTERESTING THINGS WITH GRADING. THEY REALLY FOCUS ON IS THE CHILD MASTERING THE

[03:05:02]

THAT IS OBVIOUSLY TRANSFORMING EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW. SO ENCOURAGED US TO LOOK AT OTHER THINGS, AND I WILL SAY I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD COME AND TALK TO US OR IF WE COULD GO THERE. IT'S ABSOLUTELY ALLOWED. SO THE LAST THING I'LL MENTION IS I WAS ABLE TO SIT IN ON A -- I WILL SAY BONE-CHILLING SESSION -- FROM THE BEAU BIDEN FOUNDATION ON STUDENT PROTECTION. I GET EMOTIONAL SOMETIMES AND I'LL APOLOGIZE BUT IT WAS ABOUT -- SO SORRY -- GROOMING ABUSE PREVENTION --

SORRY. SO. >> SO ESSENTIALLY HERE, I'LL PICK IT UP -- NO PROBLEM. I FOLLOWED HER AROUND LIKE A LOT OF CHILD AT THE CONFERENCE, BUT ESSENTIALLY, THERE WAS AN ATTORNEY AND SHE WAS ALSO I THINK A RETIRED SCHOOL TEACHER AND SHE WAS ASKED TO WORK AT THE BEAU BIDEN FOUNDATION AND SHE USED TO CONVICT PEDOPHILES AND WHAT HAVE YOU. AND I THINK A LOT OF WHAT WAS SHARED WAS VERY HARD TO LISTEN TO BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO IMAGINE THINGS LIKE THAT CAN HAPPEN BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THINGS LIKE THAT DO HAPPEN. AND SHE SAID MANY THINGS AND ONE THING SHE SAID IS TEACHERS ARE NOT GROOMERS. TEACHERS ARE NOT GROOMERS. HOWEVER, SOME GROOMERS BECOME EMPLOYEES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDREN AND SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SHARED AND SPECIFIC CASES THAT THEY SHARED REALLY RESONATED BECAUSE HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES AS ADULTS FROM GROOMING BEHAVIOR AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE SO THEY KNOW AND JUST LIKE TEACHING THEM DRUGS ARE BAD? IT'S THE SAME THING WITH THIS. SO IN HEARING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT AND LOOKING AT SIGNS, THE BIGGEST PART WAS SHE SAID YOU REALLY NEED TO EDUCATE YOUR ADULTS, YOUR PARENTS ESPECIALLY THE PARENTS. THEY NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT CHILDREN ARE DOING. THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT -- WHAT RED FLAGS THAT MIGHT BE PRESENTED, SOMEBODY WHO IS MORE THAN WILLING TO DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS ON A SATURDAY AND GO OUT OF THEIR WAY AND TO TAKE -- TO TAKE LITTLE JANA TO BAND PRACTICE ALL ALONE AND THEN TAKE LITTLE JANA TO LAUNCH OR DINNER OR TO A MOVIE. ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID, THAT'S A DATE. THOSE ARE DATES, AND THAT'S NOT NORMAL BEHAVIOR. SO REALLY LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE, THIS IS A BIG DEAL, BUT KNOWING IT'S THE SITUATION AND WE HAVE TO BE ALERT AND BE AWARE AND KNOW NOT ONLY OUR OWN PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES AND HAVE A POLICY THAT REFLECTS THAT AND WE SHARED INFORMATION WITH DR. JOHNSON AND OTHERS, AND HOW TO HELP OUR CHILDREN LEARN THESE BEHAVIORS, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME OR I LEARNED IN SCHOOL WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING AND LET THEM KNOW RIGHT AWAY THEY CAN GO TO TALK TO SOMEBODY. THE REASON THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IS IN MANY CASES, ONCE THERE IS AN INCIDENT

[03:10:11]

>> UNOBSERVABLE AND UNRECORDABLE.

>> THEY SHOULD NEVER BE ALONE WITH AN ADULT OR ANOTHER CHILD IN A CLOSET OR IN A LOCKED ROOM WITH THE BLINDS PULLED DOWN. IT SHOULD BE OBSERVABLE. I THINK FOR THE MOST PART WE DO BUT IT'S NOT WRITTEN DOWN ANYWHERE, AND THAT'S LIKE THE BEACON OF GUIDING LIGHT WE SHOULD BE FOLLOWING. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S ULTIMATELY OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS, WE RECOGNIZE IT'S A DIFFICULT THING TO TALK ABOUT, BUT IT HAPPENS. THIS IS HOPEFULLY A WAY TO LEARN MORE THAN WE DID AND THE PARENTS.

>> I CORRECTED MYSELF. ONE OF THE THINGS SHE SAID IS -- SHE GAVE A COUPLE OF STATS. ONE IN 10 CHILDREN ARE SEXUALLY ABUSED BY THE AGE OF 18, AND THE AVERAGE AGE A CHILD COMES FORTH AFTER SEXUAL ABUSE IS 52, 52 YEARS OLD IS THE AVERAGE AGE A PERSON THAT SUFFERED CHILD SEX ABUSE COMES FORWARD.

>> SO THEIR WHOLE LIFE. WHEN YOU THINKS ABOUT PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN, IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. SHE ALSO GAVE US NEWS, AND I RECOGNIZE IT'S GOING TO MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNHAPPY. SHE HAD SHARED WITH US WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAT A PRINCIPAL -- NOT HERE, NOT IN CALVERT COUNTY. SHE'S FROM MARYLAND. BUT A PRINCIPAL HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE, OF MULTIPLE CASES OF CHILD SEX ABUSE. IT WAS HAPPENING IN THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, AND THE WAY THAT THE PRINCIPAL BEGAN GROOMING THESE STUDENTS IS THROUGH THE USE OF SAFE SPACE STICKERS. WE HAVE THOSE SAVE SPACE STICKERS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WHILE I AM NOT SAYING ANYONE WITH THE SAFE SPACE STICKERS ARE GROOMING KIDS BUT SHE WARNED THAT IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND I ASK THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE SAFE SPACE STICKERS REMOVED OUT OF OUR BUILDING. IT'S A WAY OF SIGNALING TO OUR CHILDREN THAT THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT PEDOPHILES LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THEM. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THEM REMOVED. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER A PROFESSIONAL BOUNDARIES POLICY. I LOOKED THROUGH OUR POLICIES AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME HERE AND SOME THERE BUT SHE TALKED ABOUT THINGS LIKE THERE SHOULD NEVER BEEN AN EMAIL OR A TEXT MESSAGE BETWEEN A CHILD AND A STUDENT. IF IT'S ON THE SCHOOL DEVICES, THAT'S OBSERVABLE AND RECORDABLE. BUT SLOW GAVE A LOT OF THINGS. SO I WOULD LIKE TO -- AGAIN, I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS BUT I WOULD LIKE TO

[03:15:02]

CREATE A NEW POLICY. >> DR. JOHNSON HAS THE GRAPHIC

THAT WE PUT TOGETHER. >> OKAY. THAT IS ALL.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THERE WAS ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THERE.

ACTUALLY IT WAS FROM NORTHWESTERN YESTERDAY. THEY DO ESSENTIALLY RESEARCH. KNOW TWO OF THE THINGS THAT WAS THE MOST EXCITING -- I SAW THEM LAST YEAR, AND I WAS PLUGGING FOR THEM TO PUT CALVERT COUNTY IN, AND THEY DIDN'T, BUT THEY DO RESEARCH, AND THEY KEEP ALL OF THE LIKE, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS AND YOU CAN GO INTO A SEARCHABLE DATABASE. BUT THE OTHER THING THEY ARE DOING IS REDISTRICTING, THE "R" WORD. SO IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING TOGETHER, AND PERHAPS THIS MIGHT BE A RESOURCE WE CAN TAP INTO TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND. I HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF LITERATURE AND OVERALL, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES. ONE OTHER THING, I CAN'T STAND COLLECTING RECEIPTS -- OKAY. GREAT. I WANT TO MAKE ONE LITTLE MOTION TO BRING BACK UP POLIY 5600, AND THAT IS THE POLICY FOR TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT. SO I'VE MADE A MOTION.

>> I SECOND THAT MOTION. >> THANK YOU. A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? MOTION

[7.07 House Bill 161]

YEAH. LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT -- WELL, NOT LAST BUT SECOND TO LAST. I DID JUST WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO HOUSE BILL 0161. I KNOW THAT IT WAS ON THE BOARD DOC, BUT WE CAN SPEND GOVERNOR MOORE A LETTER SAYING WE HOPED HE WOULD VETO THIS BILL BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY, IT WAS CHANGED BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY THE LOCAL POWER OF THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. IT BECOMES VERY LEGISLATIVE AND POLITICAL, AND IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WORK IN THIS COMMUNITY TO CREATE AND TAILOR THE CURRICULUM AND THE LESSON

[8.01 Comments from the Board]

AND WE'LL START WITH COMMENTS. >> LONG MEETING. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW AS A DISABLED PERSON, I WILL ADD TO THE SPECIAL ED AND STUDENT SPACE. AS A PARENT I HAD A CHILD WITH AN IEP FOR YEARS.

AND DON'T THINK BECAUSE YOU HEARD SOMETHING ON INTERNET OR FACEBOOK THAT THAT'S THE TRUTH. THANK YOU.

>> JUST A COUPLE MORE MINUTES, YOU GUYS. THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMENTS WHICH I APPRECIATE. WHEN WE WERE AT THE NSBA CONFERENCE, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFERENCE, AND I KNOW I AM NEW HERE, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE. THE POUR RIGHT TO OF A GRADUATE REALLY CAME ABOUT IN THE 2000S AND IT WAS EXECUTED AROUND 2017. BUT ESSENTIALLY, THE PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE CLOSELY MIMICS OUR JOURNEY OF A GRADUATE. THAT FOLLOWS THAT FRAMEWORK, SO WHEN I HEARD WHAT THEY HAD AS A PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE OR SOME SESSIONS DIDN'T SOUND LIKE A PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE AT ALL, I REALIZED THAT OUR JOURNEY OF A GRADUATE IT IS ALMOST A COPY AND PASTE OF

[03:20:05]

I WANT TO REASSURE THE PUBLIC -- I DON'T THINK IT WAS ANYONE'S INTENT TO LEAVE ANYONE OUT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT WE SPENT $68,000 AND WE HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS THAT APPEARED TO BE FRAUDULENT. I PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS, AND I SAID IT LAST WEEK THAT THE NUMBER ONE THING CAME UP IN THE SESSIONS THAT I PARTICIPATED IN WAS SAFETY. THE ONLY THING IN THE WHOLE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SAFETY WAS TO CREATE AN ANTI-BULLYING PLAN. SO I FEEL SAD FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT WE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS AND I FEEL BAD THAT WE SPENT THAT MUCH MONEY THAT DOESN'T REPRESENT ALL THE WORK THAT EVEN PUT IN IT. IT MAKES ME FEEL BAD. I WILL SAY ON A HAPPIER NOTE THAT I WANT TO THANK BRANDON TEMPLE AND THE SCHOOL STAFF FOR THE PURPLE HEART DESIGNATION. I THINK THAT'S AMAZING. I WANT TO PLUG THE SUMMER ARTS ACADEMY AND MY KIDS WENT AND THEY HAVE BEGGED ME FOR IT. IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED YOUR KIDS UP, IT'S FANTASTIC. I WAS FORTUNATE TO ATTEND THE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD LAST WEEK. IT WAS VERY TOUCHING TO HONOR THEM. EVEN GOT A DOOR PRIZE. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT WAS A THING. EVEN GOT A DOOR PRIZE AND THAT WAS REALLY COOL. I WAS LIKE CHICK-FIL-A OR A MASSAGE, I'LL TAKE THEM BOTH.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ATTEND THE AWARDS LAST NIGHT, VERY, VERY TOUCHING. WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL IS THE PARENTS AND STAFF ARE NOMINATING THEM, AND THEY ARE COMINGS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING SERVED. IT WAS REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL SEEING AND HEARING THE SPOTLIGHT NOMINEES. IT MADE ME TEAR UP WHICH APPARENTLY ISN'T HARD. I AM VERY SAD I WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THE INCLUSIVE TRACK AND FIELD. I RSVD-ED, BUT I COULDN'T GET OUT OF WORK. I HOPE I CAN ATTEND THAT NEXT YEAR. I DID CHAPERONE THE FIELD TRIP FOR THE OYSTER REBUILD.

THAT WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE THE KIDS WORKING TOGETHER AND GETTING DIRTY WITH CEMENT AND HAMMERS AND ALL OF THAT AND WORKING TOGETHER AND PROBLEM SOLVING. I AM EXCITED TO READ FOR THE FROZEN PERFORMANCE AND LASTLY, A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR STAFF. SPRING BREAK IS UPON US, AND EVERYONE IS GOING CRAZY, AND NO ONE DESERVES SPRING BREAK MORE. SO SLEEP IN LATE AND GO TO A QUIET SPACE, GET A PLAYAGE IS. WHATEVER YOU NEED, I SUPPORT IT, AND I THANK YOU.

[03:25:02]

>> SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THIS STORY BEFORE, BUT IT PERFECTLY ILLUSTRATES THE BENEFIT OF A CLEARLY STATED AND CONCISE MISSION. WHEN PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY VISITED NASA IN 1962, HE CONDUCTED -- HE ENCOUNTERED, I'M SORRY. HE ENCOUNTERED A CUSTODIAN WHILE TOURING THE SPECIALTY. HE ASK THE CUSTODIN WHAT DO YOU DO AT NASA? THE CUSTODIAN REPLIED, I'M HELPING PUT A MAN ON THE MOON. THIS BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATES HAVING A CLEAR AND CONCISE MISSION. IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM ALL THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS REQUIRED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. OUR MISSION IS CLEAR. CCPS WILL RAISE THE BAR FOR EXCELLENCE AND EDUCATION BY EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC FOUNDATION. EDUCATION IS A RIGHT GUARANTEED BY LAW FOR EVERYONE CHILD. ALL STUDENT DESERVE ACCESS TO A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION. OUR STRATEGIC PLAN MUST BE BUILT AROUND MEETING THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS. WE SHOULD ALWAYS PRESUME COMPETENCE AND UPHOLD THE HIGHEST STANDARDS.

WHILE EXCELLENCE AND EDUCATION AND RIGOROUS ACADEMICS MAY LOOK DIFFERENT FOR EACH STUDENT, IT'S NEVER LESS FOR ANY STUDENT. WHETHER A STUDENT IS DEVELOPING LIFE SKILLS OR EXCELLING IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES, CCPS IS DEDICATED TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR EACH CHILD'S POTENTIAL. WE WILL EMPOWER STUDENTS AT EVERY LEVEL WITH AN ACADEMIC AND CAREER-FOCUSED FOUNDATION PREPARING THEM FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND. ON ANOTHER NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE 10 SCHOOLS THAT WERE DESIGNATED AS A PURPLE STAR SCHOOL. WE ARE ADVANCING WITH OUR GOAL OF MEETING 100% PARTICIPATION, AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT BECAUSE ACHIEVING THAT -- THAT DESIGNATION IS NOT EASY. IT'S A LOT OF WORK. IT'S A LOT OF COMMITMENT. AND IT TAKES A STAFF. I KNOW WE HAVE LEAD PEOPLE DOING IT. IT'S A LOT OF WORK. SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO THOSE WHO STEPPED UP AND MADE THIS HAPPEN. I THINK SOME OF OUR OTHER SCHOOLS WITH A LITTLE TWEAKING, THEY WILL BE FOLLOWING SOON. SO KUDOS TO THEM FOR TRYING THIS YEAR. WE WILL GET THEM ONBOARD SOON. I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE 2025 TEACHER AND SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR, AND I HOME I AM SAYING THE NAMES RIGHT, BILL BASCHEL AND WENDY BAGLEY. THE NOMINATIONS IS WHERE YOU ARE RECOGNIZED BY STUDENTS, PARENTS, OR COWORKERS ARE INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL. THEY'RE HONORS. YOUR DEDICATION AND IMPACT DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. WE CELEBRATE EACH OF YOU FOR THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE EVERY DAY. NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL HELD THEIR FIRST CAD CAD DOD AIRFARE WITH THE AIR FORCE, ARMY, NAVY, MARINES, AND THE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT WERE REPRESENTED WITH TRUCKS, HUMVEES, K-9 HANDLERS, AND MORE, AND IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THE STUDENTS. AND THANKFULLY, THE WEATHER COOPERATED FOR THE INCLUSIVE TRACK AND FIELD EVENT. WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO WISH EVERYBODY A WONDERFUL SPRING

BREAK. THANK YOU. >> THE BENEFIT OF GOING LAST IS EVERYBODY ELSE HAS ALREADY SAID ALL THE THINGS, SO I AM JUST GOING TO WISH YOU ALL

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.