Oct 23, 2025 Board of Education

[BUSINESS MEETING - 6:00 p.m.]

[WORK SESSION]

[00:00:11]

>> GOOD EVENING. I CALL THE CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION 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. >> UP NEXT WE HAVE THE

[Superintendent's Report]

>> THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. I'LL TAKE MY MICROPHONE OVER TO

THE PODIUM. >> TALK SLOW BECAUSE MY COMPUTER JUST DECIDED TO DO A DATE AND ALSO TO RESTART.

>> SO I'M HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY WITH A BRIEF UP DATE ON SOME OF THE SITES AND SCENES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I DID SHARE SOME OF THE PHOTOS IN OUR LAST MEETING, BUT THERE WERE SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND BY POPULAR DEMAND I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SHARE A FEW OF THOSE.

SO I'LL JUST GET RIGHT INTO IT. WE ARE NOT ADVANCING.

>> THESE ARE JUST A FEW SCENES OF WHAT WE SEE EVERY DAY GOING ON IN CLASSROOMS, STUDENTS ACTIVELY ENGAGED, TEACHERS ENGAGED, AND LEARNING TAKING PLACE. HERE WE SEE OUR STUDENTS IN THE LIBRARY, CONDUCTING SOME RESEARCH AND ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

LIBRARY STORY TIME. SOME OF OUR YOUNGER CHILDREN. BY THE WAY, WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL LIBRARIES, WELL-STOCKED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. ENGLISH, LANGUAGE ARTS LESSON. I BELIEVE THIS IS NEXT TO YOU, COMPUTER APP. THIS IS A JUNIOR ROTC FLAG RAISING CEREMONY THAT OCCURS EVERY MORNING, WITH THE RAISING OF THE STATE AND U.S. FLAGS. I REALLY ENJOYED THIS SECOND GRADE CLASS.

WE WERE ACTUALLY DOING WALK-THROUGHS THIS DAY AND THEY WERE SO ENGAGED IN TRYING TO SHARE OUR RESPONSES TO THE MATH ASSIGNMENT, AND WHAT WAS REALLY REWARDING WAS TO HEAR STUDENTS EXPLAIN THEIR THINKING, AND COMING UP WITH MULTIPLE WAYS TO SOLVE A PROBLEM. THESE ARE STUDENTS FROM THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM AT THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL ACADEMY.

THEY PRESENTED THEIR PROJECT BASED LEARNING CAPSTONE. THEY HAD FIELD EXPERIENCE AND SENIOR CITIZEN HOME, WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND DEMENTIA. THEY ALSO WERE IN THE DAYCARE CENTER, WORKING WITH SOME OF OUR YOUNGER CHILDREN AND THEY CAME BACK AND SHARED THEIR CAPSTONE, THEIR FINDINGS, THEIR RESULTS. IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL DAY. MS. GRENIS WAS THERE TO BE PART OF THE AUDIENCE, AND WE JUST HAD A GREAT TIME WITH THE STUDENTS. HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AN ALGEBRA CLASS. SEE THE TEACHER AT THE WHITE. WORLD LANGUAGE. INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.

AND LAST MONTH WE HAD THE RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE S.T.E.M. LAB AT SOUTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THE STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED IN. THIS WAS ACTUALLY YESTERDAY. I WAS OVER AT NORTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED IN EXPLORATION. THEY WERE ACTUALLY BUILDING THESE FANS USING BALSA WOOD, STICKS, AND SMALL MOTORS, AND YOU'LL SEE AT THE BOTTOM, THOSE RED CUPS THEN HAD TO BE ABLE TO -- I GUESS THEY WERE TRYING TO WAY THE CUPS. THESE WERE STUDENTS AT I BELIEVE HONEY TOWN IN THE LIBRARY. THERE WAS

[00:05:06]

HERE YOU SEE A SHOT OF EACH OF THE FOUR HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING BANDS, CALVERT, HUNTINGTOWN, JOB.

ON SCHOOL TOURS WITH OUR SHERIFF COX AND HE WAS A ROCK STAR AS HE WENT INTO THE SCHOOL. MANY OF THE STUDENTS KNOW HIM BUT THE ONES THAT DIDN'T KNOW HIM, HE MADE SURE THAT HE GOT TO KNOW THEM. WE ALSO WANTED THE SCHOOL TO BE VISITED WITH THE CAREER AND TECH ACADEMY AND THEY ACTUALLY HAD A VISITING CHEF THERE YESTERDAY, WHO WAS SHOWING STUDENTS HOW TO MAKE PASTA FROM SCRATCH. WE GOT TO GO INTO THE AUTOMOTIVE SHOP, EXPERIENCE CYBERSECURITY AND THE NURSING PROGRAM. A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON OVER THERE. BUT IT ALL STARTS WITH THE HARD WORK OF PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCENES AND HERE'S A SHOT OF OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S CABINET. MANY OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY. THIS IS A SHOT FROM ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS MEETINGS, AND WE HAD OUR CURRICULUM INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF THERE AS WE REVIEWED DATA AND THEN FOLLOWED UP WITH SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL WALKS, OR DATA WALKS, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE CALL THEM HERE. WE SAW GREAT INSTRUCTION AND TEACHING AND LEARNING GOING ON IN OUR SCHOOL, AND THESE, ALL OF THESE MEETINGS WERE GOING ON IN THIS BUILDING THE SAME DAY. SO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, AND THEN ON A TUESDAY, MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM WENT TO ANNAPOLIS AND WE PRESENTED OUR PROGRESS ON MARYLAND'S BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE MONITORING BOARD . THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROBING QUESTIONS. THEY KEPT US THERE FOR OVER 3 1/2 HOURS, GOING THROUGH EACH OF THE FIVE PILLARS. THEY PROVIDED SOME FEEDBACK ON AREAS WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE, BUT OVERALL THEY WERE QUITE PLEASED, TO THE POINT THAT THE DOCUMENT THAT WAS PREPARED BY OUR TEAM AND DR. HOOVER, THEY ASKED FOR A COPY AND THEY WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND BECAUSE THEY SAW CALVERT COUNTY AS AN EXEMPLAR IN

[00:10:03]

HERE IS A SHOT OF OUR NEXT-GENERATION LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. WANT TO THANK DR. JOHNSON FOR HER LEADERSHIP WITH THAT, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SUCCESSION PLAN FOR LEADERSHIP IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER BUT THIS WAS THE TEAM THAT WAS PRESENTING ON TUESDAY IN ANNAPOLIS AND A COUPLE PEOPLE HAD TO LEAVE EARLY FOR ANOTHER MEETING. ALL IN ALL IT WAS A GREAT DAY. THEN FINALLY, I SEE, I THINK THIS WAS ALSO ON YESTERDAY, YES, SO THESE ARE RETIREES THAT RECEIVED AN INFORMATION SESSION REGARDING THE NEW PLAN THAT THE BOARD IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE ACTION ON. A CAREFIRST PLAN. THEY SEEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT APPREHENSIVE GOING INTO THE MEETING. VERY HAPPY AS THEY LEFT THE MEETING BECAUSE THIS IS CERTAINLY A GREAT BENEFIT FOR OUR RETIREES. THIS IS THE LAST SHOT I WANTED TO SHARE SO I WAS ALSO AT NORTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL, LOOKING AT THE PROGRESS ON THE NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION THERE AND THIS IS A LITTLE VIDEO I TOOK. SEE THEY WERE HARD AT WORK OVER THERE.

IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU CAN BARELY HEAR ANY OF THE SOUND INSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, WITH ALL THAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE, AND THIS SECTION HEAR THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, THIS IS WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE IN THE FALL OF 2026. THAT CONCLUDES MY

[New Policy on Telehealth]

REPORT. >> THANK YOU, DR. NEWSOME.

UP NEXT WEEK HAVE NEW POLICY ON TELEHEALTH AND I INVITE FORWARD.

>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR. NEWSOME, AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. I'M CECILIA LEWIS, DIRECT OR OF STUDENT SERVICES. I'M HERE TO PRESENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESTABLISHING POLICY NUMBER 3905, STUDENT ACCESS TO TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS IN SCHOOLS. THIS POLICY RESPONSE TO HOUSE BILL 522, WHICH MANDATES THAT EACH LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY OR LE A DEVELOP A TELEHEALTH POLICY FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS ALIGNED WITH STATE GUIDELINES. THESE GUIDELINES WERE DEVELOPED BY A WORK GROUP LED BY THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND THE STUDENT ATHLETE TO TELEHEALTH SERVICES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THE LAW ALLOWS EACH OEA FLEXIBILITY IN DEVELOPING POLICIES THAT SUIT LOCAL NEEDS AND RESOURCES PROVIDED THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH STATE GUIDELINES. ALYEAS ALSO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE WHICH TYPE OF SCHOOL-BASED TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS THEY WILL OFFER. THE PROPOSED POLICY ALLOWS PARENT/STUDENT INITIATED TELEHEALTH SERVICES, WHICH ARE APPOINTMENTS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND EXTERNAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WITHOUT FORMAL AGREEMENT WITH OUR LEA. THE FOCUS IS ON BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 12, TO ADDRESS LIMITED LOCAL ACCESS AND REDUCE TIME AWAY FROM INSTRUCTION AND OTHER SCHOOL EXPERIENCES. ONCE APPROVED, THE POLICY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK AND WE WILL DEVELOP CORRESPONDING PROCEDURES. THE PROCEDURES WILL ADDRESS ALL ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING DETAILS REGARDING EQUITY AND PRIORITIZATION OF ACCESS, CONFIDENTIALITY, PARENT AND STUDENT INFORMED CONSENT, IN PERSON SUPPORT PROTOCOLS AND PROVISION OF SERVICES. THE PROCEDURES WILL ALSO INCLUDE GUIDELINES REGARDING APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING, COORDINATION AND AVAILABILITY OF SCHOOL SCHEDULES, CONSENT, PHYSICAL SPACE, STAFF ROLES, CRISIS RESPONSE, AND ACADEMIC IMPACT SURROUNDING EXPECTATIONS FOR MISSED INSTRUCTION AND MAKEUP WORK. WE BELIEVE THIS POLICY WILL ENHANCE STUDENT WELL-BEING WHILE SUPPORTING ACADEMIC CONTINUITY. I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

>> MS. GRENIS ? >> CAN YOU DEFINE CONSENT? I'M CURIOUS IF CONSENT IS TO PARTICIPATE OR NOT, OR IS

[00:15:02]

>> INFORMED CONSENT IS OUTLINED IN THE POLICY HERE AND IT'S UNDER DEFINITION B, AND IT'S THE PROCESS BY WHICH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN IS GIVEN ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION ABOUT A PROPOSED ACTIVITY, PROGRAM, OR SERVICE INVOLVING THEIR CHILD, SUCH AS MEDICAL TREATMENT, EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS, OR PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH, AND THEY VOLUNTARILY AGREED TO IT.

>> SO A CHILD WOULD NOT PARTICIPATE WITHOUT PARENTAL

CONSENT HE'LL >> THAT IS CORRECT. THERE IS A CONSENT FORM THAT WILL NEED TO BE SIGNED BY THE PARENT.

>> SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT ADDITIONAL BURDEN THAT THIS IS GOING TO PLACE ON SCHOOL STAFF?

>> SO YES, WE CERTAINLY HAVE EVALUATED THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AS WELL AS TIME, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE PROPOSING A LIMITED ACCESS WITH SOME SCHEDULING RESTRICTIONS. THE SCHOOLS WERE DETERMINED BASED ON THEIR CALENDAR, WITH TESTING SCHEDULES AND LIMIT HOW MANY TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE PER WEEK. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT ALLOCATED ANY ADDITIONAL STAFF TO SUPPORT THE SUPERVISION OF STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS, WE ARE REQUIRING PARENTS TO BE PRESENT, TO SUPERVISE THEIR CHILD DURING

THESE APPOINTMENTS. >> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. WE DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL WITH THE CONCERN THAT IT HAD READ TELL APPOINTMENTS REQUIRE THE CONSENT AND PRESENCE OF A PARENT AND GUARDIAN BUT WE'RE DOING THAT SO THAT IT'S NOT A

BURDEN ON STAFF. IS THAT -- >> THAT IS CORRECT. WE DO NOT HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF TO SUPPORT IT OUTSIDE OF FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT OR CRISIS MANAGEMENT IN THE CASE. THERE IS METAL DURING A SESSION OR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING.

>> JUST TO CLARIFY THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, WHEN IT SAYS THAT THE PARENT HAS TO BE PRESENT, LIKE MANY OF US WHO STILL HAVE UNDERAGED CHILDREN, WHEN WE TAKE THEM TO A DOCTOR OR RESOURCE, THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT CHILD, YOU KNOW, TO GO AND TALK TO A PROVIDER INDIVIDUALLY OR PRIVATELY, SHOULD THAT BE AN OPTION, BUT THIS IS IT NECESSARILY STATING THAT IT'S THE ADULT, THE PARENT WILL HAVE TO BE IN THE ROOM AT THE SAME TIME. JUST LIKE YOU KNOW, LISTEN, MY DAUGHTER, SHE ADMITTEDLY GOT HER DRIVERS LICENSE AND TO ME, SHE WAS EMANCIPATED AND SHE SHOULD DO ALL THE THINGS ON HER OWN, INCLUDING GOING TO THE PEDIATRICIAN WHEN SHE HAD A SORE THROAT. OBVIOUSLY THEY SAID TO ME, SHE'S NOT EATING SO YOU HAVE TO BE PRESENT BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE CAN'T BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEIR CHILD OUTSIDE OF THAT, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

>> IT IS YOUR POLICY, SO CERTAINLY YOU CAN HELP DRIVE ANY FINAL DECISIONS, BUT WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE PARENT IS PRESENT THROUGHOUT THAT SESSION, AND THAT IS BECAUSE IN A TRADITIONAL SETTING, YOU ARE PHYSICALLY -- A DOCTOR IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT WITH THAT CHILD, SO YOU HAVE SUPERVISION WITH ANOTHER ADULT. IN A TELEHEALTH SITUATION, PARTICULARLY IN A SCHOOLS SETTING, WHERE THEY ARE UNDER OUR CARE AND CUSTODY, WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, WE WOULD NOT WANT A CHILD TO BE AT RISK WITH POTENTIALLY THE PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE BEING VIRTUAL AND NOT SEEN POTENTIAL SELF-HARM. SO THERE COULD BE CASES WHERE A CHILD COULD BE CUT IN THEMSELVES AND SOMEONE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SCREEN IS NOT ABLE TO SEE THAT. SO WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY FOR OUR STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL SETTING. IF THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE THE CHILD WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH THE PRACTITIONER WITHOUT A PARENT PRESENT , WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT THE SCHOOL SETTING IS THE APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR THAT

VIRTUAL SETTING. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT FLIRTATION. BY THE WAY, I'M NEVER NOT IN FAVOR OF THE PARENTS BEING INVOLVED, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THIS COULD RAISE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN, SO I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS? >> I DO. SO WE DIDN'T MAKE AN AGE DISTENTION, LIKE AT NINTH-GRADE --

>> SIXTH-GRADE. >> IT'S SIXTH GRADE TO 12TH FOR PARENTS ALL THE TIME. DID YOU DISCUSS THERE MIGHT BE AN AGE-APPROPRIATE TIME WHERE THEY COULD BE BY THEMSELVES HE'LL

>> WE DID NOT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY AND THERE'S NO AGE RESTRICTION TO POTENTIAL SELF-HARM. SO OFTEN TIMES WE SEE THAT MORE WITH OLDER STUDENTS, SO WE CERTAINLY WOULD NOT WANT TO DISTINGUISH OR MAKE A GUESS THAT ANYONE AT A PARTICULAR AGE WOULDN'T EVENTUALLY BE AT MORE RISK JUST

[00:20:01]

BECAUSE THEY'RE OLDER. >> DO YOU THINK THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENT BE DIMINISHED BY

HAVING THEIR PARENTS HERE? >> WE AREN'T A MEDICAL FACILITY. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO REPLACE THE MEDICAL ACCESS. WE ARE TRYING TO ENHANCE IT. WHEN IT IS NECESSARY. SO EACH CASE WILL BE ASSESSED BY OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT'S. JUST BECAUSE A REQUEST COMES IN DOESN'T MEAN IT'S AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE FOR THIS IS GOING TO BE APPROVED BECAUSE IT'S PRIMARIY DESIGNED FOR LOW TO MODERATE RISK, AND SO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE SAFETY IS POTENTIALLY THERE. SO I DO NOT ANTICIPATE THIS TO LIMIT. IF ANYTHING, IT'S GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL OPTION THAT'S ALSO LAYERING ON OUR ADDITION, WE HAVE CONSORTIUM PARTNERS TO ADDRESS MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NOW, EIGHT PARTNERS FROM THE COMMUNITY, SO I THINK IT'S AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SUPPORT, SO THAT IN CASES WHERE A PARENT MAY FIND A PROVIDER IN ANNAPOLIS, BUT THEIR CHILD ATTENDS SOUTHERN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT'S QUITE A DISTANCE FOR THEM TO HAVE TO LEAVE AND COME BACK, SO IT'S GOING TO AT LEAST MINIMIZE SOME -- A LONG TRAVEL TIME, BUT MISSED INSTRUCTION AND

OTHER SCHOOL EXPERIENCES. >> SO THIS LAW WAS PASSED, MAYBE THE POLITICIANS DIDN'T THINK IT THROUGH, RIGHT? SO I JUST WONDER IF THERE WAS A NORMAL POLICY BEFORE THIS LOBBY GAME LAW BECAME IMPACTFUL FOR US TO RESPOND TO, IF THERE WAS AN INDICATION OF POTENTIAL SELF-HARM, HOW DO WE ADDRESS

THAT? >> WE DO A BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT WHENEVER THERE IS AN INDICATION OF SELF-HARM. SO OUR SCHOOL THE INDUSTRY TO PARTNER WITH OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE LEVEL OF RISK, AND THEN THEY WILL USE THAT INFORMATION TO DRIVE NEXT STEPS.

>> THAT WOULD BE A HOME VISIT WITH THEIR PARENTS TO THE PROVIDER, THE CONSORTIUM PROVIDER?

>> NOT NECESSARILY. THERE WAS -- I THINK THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES, NOT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR YOU, BUT THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES SO THERE MIGHT BE AN IMMEDIATE NEED, WHEREAS THERE MIGHT BE OTHER RESOURCES THAT HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT IMMEDIATE NEED. IT COULD BE THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT. IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF OTHER RESOURCES VERSUS MAYBE IT'S THE NEXT DAY OR THINGS LIKE THAT. I THINK THERE'S NO REAL BLANKET WAY TO ADDRESS ANY OF THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE EACH CASE IS VERY UNIQUE AND HAS TO BE TAILORED TO WHATEVER IS

HAPPENING SPECIFICALLY. >> YES, THAT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T NEGATE GETTING ACCESS TO TELEHEALTH WHEN NEEDED IS NOT GOING TO NEGATE OUR NORMAL PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES ALREADY IN PLACE. WE HAVE POLICY IN PLACE FOR BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENTS. SO IT'S SOMETHING, AND THAT'S WHY CRISIS MANAGEMENT WILL BE CLEARLY OUTLINED IN THE PROCEDURES AS WELL AS A MANUAL THAT WERE GOING TO CREATE AND FINALIZE. WE START ADDRESSING IT NOW IN ORDER TO RESPOND TO THE SAME TYPES OF BEHAVIORAL THREATS IF IT COMES UP IN A TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENT.

>> DO WE HAVE AN MD OR PHD ON STAFF TO REVIEW THAT MENU WILL, OR SHOULD WE MAYBE CONTRACT WITH ONE?

>> WE ACTUALLY HAVE OUR MEDICAL HEALTH OFFICER FOR THE DISTRICT, FOR CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHO WE PARTNER WITH ON

OUR MEDICAL DECISION-MAKING. >> THAT'S A LICENSED

PSYCHIATRIST, RIGHT? >> THIS IS ACTUALLY AN MD. BUT WE DO HAVE LICENSED PSYCHIATRISTS THAT WE ALSO PARTNER WITH, WITH THE CALVERT HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS CALVERT HEALTH, SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE PARTNERS THAT WE -- THAT CAN ASSIST WITH THE REVIEW OF ANY PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES WE HAVE. BUT THE DRIVING GUIDELINES WILL BE OUR CURRENT DISTRICT POLICIES RELATED TO BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENT OR CRISIS MANAGEMENT THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.

>> THANK YOU. >> DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

>> I DO. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WITH THE POLICY AND THERE'S A LOT TO SORT OUT ON THE PROCEDURES. I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE WRITING THE MANUAL AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFECTIVE TALKED ABOUT IT'S GOING TO BE WITH A PARENT TO KEEP COST DOWN BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE A STAFF IS DEDICATED TO THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE OVERALL COST OF LOCATIONS WILL BE? BECAUSE I IMAGINE WE NEED A DEDICATED SPACE SOMEWHERE FOR THIS IN THE SCHOOL, THAT IMAGINE WOULD BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES AND THEY HAVE TO BE OUTFITTED WITH ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES. DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF AN IDEA RIGHT NOW WHAT THE POTENTIAL BUDGET OR FINANCIAL IMPACT IS?

>> WE DON'T. WERE GOING TO OPERATE MOVING FORWARD IN OUR CURRENT CAPACITY. WE HAVE NOT BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN FOLLOW-UP

[00:25:02]

>> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. IF A CHILD REQUESTS AN APPOINTMENT, WHO DETERMINES WHETHER IT'S INTENSE OR IF IT'S LOW TO MODERATE? BECAUSE IF THE CHILD IS REQUESTING IT, NO ONE WOULD KNOW WHAT THE PURPOSE OF IT IS.

>> SO ARE YOU SAYING IF THE CHILD COMES TO THE SCHOOL, IS IN SCHOOL AND REQUESTS TELEHEALTH?

>> YES. >> SO REMEMBER WE HAVE TO HAVE INFORMED CONSENT, SO IT CAN'T JUST BE THE CHILD, THE PARENT WOULD ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION.

>> THE CHILD REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT SO HOW DO WE KNOW

WHETHER IT'S LOW OR -- >> OUR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, THAT'S THEIR EXPERTISE, IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THEIR CURRENT KNOWLEDGE LEVEL OF WHATEVER THE STUDENT MAY BE EXPERIENCING, AND IF THERE'S NOTHING HISTORICALLY THAT WOULD ATTRIBUTE TO IT BEING A CONCERN, THEN IT'S LIKELY GOING TO BE APPROVED, BUT IF THERE IS A HISTORY, WHICH OFTEN TIMES WE ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF A STUDENT'S BEHAVIORAL OR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, BECAUSE HER NUMBER, WE ARE TIER 1. WE DEAL WITH THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. THEN THAT IS GOING TO BE ASSESSED WITH THAT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION IN COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FAMILY.

[Change Order]

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS WILL BE POSTED FOR UP TO FOUR WEEKS. THANK YOU. FOR REVIEW. UP NEXT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MS. CHICHI TO WARNER FOR A CHANGE

ORDER. >> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR. NEWSOME, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. TIME CHICHI TO WARNER, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION AND I AM BEFORE YOU TODAY TO PRESENT AND ASK FOR APPROVAL OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER 2 FOR THE CALVERT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HVAC AND PARTIAL REROOFING PROJECT. I'LL PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND AND RECAP THE WORK THAT ENCOMPASSES CHANGE ORDER NUMBER 2. THE OVERALL PROJECT INCLUDED A UNIT PRICE SCHEDULE THAT EACH BIDDER NEEDED TO COMPLETE AND INCLUDE WITHIN THEIR BASE BID NUMBER, THAT WOULD BE USED FOR ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO THE CONTRACT. THE UNIT PRICE SCHEDULE GIVES CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS A COMPETITIVELY PRICED MECHANISM TO ACCOUNT FOR POTENTIAL REPAIR ITEMS THAT ARE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME OF BIDDING, AS THERE ARE UNFORESEEN. ANY USED AMOUNTS ARE THEN CREDITED BACK TO THE OWNER AT THE PROJECT COMPLETION. CCPS ENDED UP REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF A ROOF DRAIN THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, AND ADDITIONALLY THE CONTRACTOR USED SOME OF THE UNIT COSTS NOTED IN THE UNIT SCHEDULE FOR REPLACING SOME DETERIORATED NAILERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROOFING SCOPE. HOWEVER, MOST OF THE COST INCLUDED IN THE UNIT PRICE SCHEDULE REMAINED UNUSED, AND COME BACK TO CCPS VIA A CREDIT CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $28,226. THAT SUMMARIZES CHANGE ORDER NUMBER 2 FOR THE CALVERT ELEMENTARY HVAC AND PARTIAL REROOFING PROJECT. THE CHANGE ORDER WOULD BRING THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROJECT TOTAL FROM $2,839,508 AND 40 TO $2,811,282 AND 40. I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.

>> AND YOU GET A MOTION FIRST? >> MOTION TO APPROVE.

>> SECOND. >> DISCUSSION?

>> YES PLEASE. >> DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. SO WE ARE SAVING MONEY. THANK YOU. THAT'S AWESOME. DO YOU KEEP THIS MONEY IN A RESERVE UNTIL THE POSSIBLE END OF THE PROJECT,

UNTIL EVERYTHING IS FINISHED? >> SO THE PROJECT IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE AT THIS POINT, SO THESE MONIES WOULD ESSENTIALLY BE -- THEY'RE IN A RESERVE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE ALL CHANGE ORDERS ARE FUNDED FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO WHAT WE WOULD GENERALLY DO, THEN, IS EARMARK THEM THROUGH COORDINATION WITH OUR LOCAL COUNTY FINANCE AND EARMARK THEM

[00:30:02]

>> IT WOULD THEN REVERT TO THE COUNTY, NOT TO THE FY 26 BUDGET

YEAR? >> THAT IS CORRECT. IT WOULDN'T REVERT TO THE COUNTY, PER SE. IT WOULD STILL BE IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS POT OF MONEY. SO IT DOES REMAIN WITH US BUT IT CAN BE ALLOCATED TO ANOTHER PROJECT.

>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. >> SO IN LOOKING AT THIS, I SEE THIS SECOND CHANGE ORDER FOR PCO FOR R1, I WOULD SAY REVISION 1 TO PCO FOR, WAS PCO ONE THROUGH THREE ALL INCORPORATED INTO THE FIRST CHANGE ORDER, THIS BEING THE SECOND, OR ARE THERE ANY

OTHERS OUT THERE? >> THERE ARE NO OTHERS OUT THERE. THIS IS THE END OF THE PROJECT. PCOS ONE THROUGH THREE WERE INCORPORATED THROUGH CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE, WHICH WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF ED, I BELIEVE IN SEPTEMBER. LET ME SEE. WHEN WAS THAT? DECEMBER OF 2024. SO THAT WAS A WHILE BACK.

>> OKAY, AND SCHEDULE THAT'S WISE, EVERYTHING IS ON TRACK. I SEE WE ARE NOT INCREASING OR DECREASING THE SCHEDULE TIME WITH THE DECREASE IN COST BUT I IMAGINE EVERYTHING IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, SCHEDULED EDGEWISE.

>> IT'S COMPLETED, YES. >> THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?

[Bid Approvals]

>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0. THANK YOU. I WILL INVITE MR. SHELDON TAYLOR TO JOIN US FOR A BID APPROVAL.

>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR. NEWSOME, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS SHELLEY TAYLOR AND I'M SUPERVISOR PURCHASING.

I WOULD LIKE TO REINTRODUCE MS. WARNER, HOWARD ELECTOR OF PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION AND TONIGHT WE RECOMMENDING THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF AN INTERMEDIATE PLAYGROUND FOR HUNTINGTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM GAMETIME THROUGH THE OMNIA PARTNERS COOPERATIVE PURCHASING CONTRACT. THIS CONTRACT DIVIDES NATIONALLY SOLICITED COMPETITIVE PRICING AND ENSURES THE BEST OVERALL VALUE FOR THE DISTRICT. ADDITIONALLY, CPS WAS AWARDED A GAMETIME GRANT OF $67,204, WHICH FURTHER REDUCES THE COST BEYOND THE COOPERATIVE BENEFITS. THE CCPS PLAYGROUND COMMITTEE REVIEWED MULTIPLE VENDOR DESIGNS AND SELECTED GAMETIME FOR ITS QUALITY, SAFETY, AND ALIGNMENT WITH OUR DISTRICTWIDE GOAL TO STANDARDIZE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT ACROSS ALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, STREAMLINING MAINTENANCE AND ENSURING EQUITABLE PLAY EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS . WE RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD WILL BOARD THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF NEW PLAYGROUND AREA IN HUNTINGTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO GAMETIME OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, FOR $408,748. ALL FUNDING FOR THIS PURCHASE WILL BE MADE THROUGH THE CIP BUDGET.

>> MOTION TO APPROVE? >> SECOND.

>> THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

>> YES. >> I HAVE QUESTIONS .

>> MR. MARCHIO, BECKY FIRST. >> I JUST WANTED TO ASK, WE IDENTIFIED A FEW PLAYGROUNDS TO BRING THEM UP TO A.D.A.

STANDARD. IS THIS PART OF THAT?

>> THAT IS CORRECT. THIS, THE COMPLETION OF THIS PLAYGROUND WILL INCLUDE AN A.D.A. COMPLIANT AFTER THE PLAYGROUND AND THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND WILL BE A.D.A. ACCESSIBLE AS WELL.

>> OUTSTANDING. THANK YOU. >> SO THE GRANT THAT'S INCLUDED IS FROM THE VENDOR THAT'S SUPPLYING BOTH THE EQUIPMENT AND

THE CONSTRUCTION OF IT. >> THAT IS CORRECT. IT IS A GRANT THAT YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR AND THEN THAT AMOUNT IS DISCOUNTED OUT OF THE BOTTOM LINE.

>> AND THEN HOW DOES THIS ESTIMATE AND PRICING WE GET COMPARE TO WHATEVER WE HAD IN BUDGET AND/OR AN ENGINEER'S

ESTIMATE FOR THIS WORK? >> I CAN ANSWER THAT. SO IN A PREVIOUS PROJECT, WHICH WAS PLUM POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INTERMEDIATE PLAYGROUND, WE HAD PRICED THE SAME EQUIPMENT AND SURFACE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT THROUGH THIS VENDOR AND ANOTHER VENDOR THAT HAS AN ICP A. AND THIS VENDOR CAME IN LOWER AT THE TIME, AND SINCE THEN, OR THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE ALSO

[00:35:02]

CCPS. >> I IMAGINE THIS WAS COMPETITIVELY BID AS WELL. WE RECEIVED PRICING OUTSIDE OF

GAMETIME AS WELL FOR THIS? >> WE DID NOT FOR THIS GO AROUND. THIS WAS PRICED JUST THROUGH THE ICPA BUT IT WAS THE SAME EXACT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT , USING THE SAME EXACT ICPA COSTS THAT WERE USED THE LAST TIME AROUND. THAT HAS NOT

CHANGED. >> AND I GUESS THE LAST ONE WILL BE FOR MR. JOHNSON. THIS IS ALWAYS IN THE BUDGET?

>> IT'S THROUGH THE CIP SO THE FUNDS ARE IN THERE.

>> THANK YOU. >> NO OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL

[MCAP Presentation]

THOSE IN FAVOR? >> AYE.

>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0. >> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT I WILL INVITE MR. MCCOMB, MS. HOFFMAN, MS. GRIMES, MS. MORRISON, MR. SUTTON FOR THE ENDCAP PRESENTATION.

>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR. NEWSOME, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS SCOTT MCCOMB, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM AND INSTRUCTIONAL PERFORMANCE AND I AM DOING HERE TODAY BY OUR ELEMENTARY SUPERVISOR OF THE L.A., MELISSA HOFFMAN, OUR SECONDARY SUPERVISOR, ELA LAUREN GRIMES, AND OUR ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS SUPERVISOR, JULIE MORRISON, AND OUR SECONDARY SUPERVISOR, MATT MADDOX, DR. JOSEPH. TONIGHT WE WILL BE SHARING MCAP DATA FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS REGARDING OUR STUDENTS THAT HAVE REACHED THE PERFORMANCE LEVEL OF FOUR, WHICH IS DISTINGUISHED. WE WILL ALSO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ADDITIONAL DATA DEMONSTRATING THE ADVANCED PERFORMANCE OF OUR STUDENTS AT BOTH ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LEVELS, AS WELL AS DATA RELATED TO THE LONG-TERM TREND DATA OF THE COMPLETION OF ALGEBRA TWO, WHICH HAS SEEN PHENOMENAL GROWTH IN CALVERT

COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >> O'LEARY -- ELEMENTARY DATA OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED LEVEL FOR. THE STATE IS ON THE LEFT AND CALVERT COUNTY IS ON THE RIGHT. THE TREND FOR GRADE 3 IS 6.8, 7.8 AND 7%. THE TREND FOR GRADE FOUR IS 5.8, 5.3, 5.8%.

THE TREND FOR GRADE FIVE IS 1.2, 2.2 AND 2.8%. I APOLOGIZE THAT THIS IS A LITTLE HARD TO SEE, BUT YOU'RE REALLY JUST FOCUSING ON THE BLUE DOTS. ON THE QUADRANT CHART SHOWN OF OUR 2023 DUTCH 2024 MATHEMATICS DIAGNOSTIC, EACH BLUE DOT REPRESENTS THE AVERAGE PROFICIENCY AND GROWTH OF EACH OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. NOTE THE LOCATION OF THE CLUSTER OF THE BLUE DOTS SPREAD ACROSS THE TOP TWO QUADRANTS REPRESENTING HIGH GROWTH AND MOST HAD HIGH PERFORMANCE. HERE IS OUR 2024-2025 DIAGNOSTIC DATA. NOTE THAT ALL OUR SCHOOLS MOVED UP AND TO THE RIGHT, DEMONSTRATING HIGHER GROWTH AND HIGHER PERFORMANCE AND SCORING HIGHER, AND GROWING MORE THAN THE

NATIONAL NORM. >> MAY I ASK A QUESTION WHILE YOU GO THROUGH THIS? IS THE BLUE DOT DOWN BY THE ZERO A SCHOOL?

>> IT IS BUT IT REPRESENTS LESS THAN FIVE STUDENT AND IT VARIES

DRAMATICALLY. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ALL RIGHT. SO HERE IS THE ELEMENTARY ELA MCAP THREE-YEAR TREND DATA OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED LEVEL FOUR DISTINGUISHED1 THE STATE IS ON THE LEFT AND CALVERT COUNTY IS ON THE RIGHT. THE TREND FOR GRADE 3 IS 5.4, 5.6 AND 8.9%. THE TREND FOR GRADE 4 IS 9.4, 4.2 AND 11.4%.

[00:40:05]

HERE'S THE SECONDARY ELA MCAP THREE-YEAR TREND DATA OF STUDENTS WHO SCORED LEVEL FOUR FROM 2023 TO 2025. THE TREND FOR GRADE 6 IS 9, 7 AND 12%. GRADE SEVEN IS 8, 10 AND 11%. GRADE 8 IS 7, 8, 7%, AND THE TREND FOR GRADE 10 IS 22, 23 AND 28%.

BEGINNING IN 11TH GRADE, STUDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE AP ENGLISH COURSES. THE JUNIOR YEAR OPTION IS ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION. THE SENIOR YEAR OPTION IS ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION. STUDENTS TAKE THE AP EXAM IN MAY TO ATTEMPT TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT. SCORES OF THREE, FOUR AND FIVE ARE CONSIDERED PASSING AND RESULTING CREDIT FROM THOSE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THIS GRAPH SHOWS THE FIVE-YEAR TREND DATA OF THE NUMBER OF AP ENGLISH STUDENTS WITH PASSING SCORES HERE IN CALVERT. AP LANGUAGE IS THE BLUE LINE, AP LITERATURE IS THE YELLOW LINE, AND AP LANGUAGE WE BEGAN AT 159 STUDENTS IN 2021 AND INCREASED TO 283 STUDENTS IN 2025. IN A FEW LITERATURE WE BEGAN AT 62 STUDENTS AND 2021 AND INCREASED TO 211 STUDENTS IN 2025. I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THE CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF PASSING AP ENGLISH SCORES IN THE

STATE. >> HERE IS THE SECONDARY MATHEMATICS MCAP THREE-YEAR TREND DATA FOR STUDENTS WHO SCORED LEVEL FOUR. AGAIN THE STATE IS ON THE LEFT AND CALVERT COUNTY IS ON THE RIGHT . THE TREND FOR GRADE 6 IS 1.3, 0.9 AND 2%. THE TREND FOR GRADE 7 IS 1.9, 1 AND 1%. THE TREND FOR GRADE 8 IS 0% ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE TREND FOR ALGEBRA ONE IS 0.3, 0.6, AND 0.2%. STUDENTS ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE AP MATH COURSES AS THEY COMPLETE ALGEBRA TWO AND SUBSEQUENT COURSEWORK. THIS GRAPH SHOWS A FIVE-YEAR TREND DATA OF THE NUMBER OF AP MATH MEDICS STUDENTS WITH PASSING SCORES HERE IN CALVERT COUNTY. AP CALCULUS AB IS A DARKER BLUE LINE. AP CALCULUS BC IS A LIGHTER BLUE LINE AND AP STATISTICS IS THE YELLOW LINE. IN AP CALCULUS AB WE BEGIN AT 134 STUDENTS IN 2021 AND INCREASE TO 243 STUDENTS IN 2025. IN AP CALCULUS BC WE BEGIN AT 41 STUDENTS IN 2021 AND INCREASE TO 74 STUDENTS IN 2025. IN AP STATISTICS WE BEGIN AT 39 STUDENTS IN 2021 AND INCREASE TO 118 STUDENTS IN 2025 POINT I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT THE GROWTH IN AP STATISTICS AS IT'S THE MOST ACCESSIBLE OF OUR COURSES AND THE AP OPTION THAT IS USEFUL FOR THE MOST MAJORS AND CAREER AREAS. I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE ALSO HAVE THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF PASSING AP MATHEMATICS SCORES IN THE STATE. I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THE SECONDARY MATH PROGRAM THAT WE ARE ESPECIALLY PROUD OF, THE HAS HELPED US LEAD OUR STUDENTS TO THESE INCREASING OUTCOMES. IN 2006 WE HAD JUST 20% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND 51% OF OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING ALGEBRA TO ON THE LEFT. AND ON THE RIGHT, IN 2006 WE HAD 0% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND 22% OF OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING A RIGOROUS UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND APPROVED SENIOR COURSE BEYOND ALGEBRA TWO POINT THOSE GAPS IN ACCESS HAVE ALMOST BEEN ELIMINATED IN THE YEARS SINCE.

ONE OF THE KEY REASONS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORM STATE AND NATIONAL BENCHMARKS WHILE ALSO NARROWING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IS OUR TARGETED AND INTENTIONAL WORK TO CLOSE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS. MSD AS REPORTED THIS WORK WITH OUR

[00:45:04]

>> SO WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME OTHER DATA. YOU WILL SEE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL IS THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT NATIONALLY NORMED ASSESSMENTS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPANTS IN, OUR STUDENTS ARE DEMONSTRATING HIGH PERFORMANCE AND HIGH GROWTH. AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WHEN YOU LOOK AT AP PERFORMANCE, WE HAVE HIGH PARTICIPATION AS WELL AS HIGH-PERFORMANCE NEAR THE TOP OF THE STATE. SO BRINGING IT BACK TO MCAP , IT MUST BE NOTED THAT EARNING LEVEL FOUR DISTINGUISHED, A STUDENT IS PERFORMING WELL ABOVE GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS. MARYLAND HAS SET A VERY RIGOROUS STANDARD IN REACHING LEVEL FOUR ADVANCED MASTERING. ACCORDING TO THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE MCAP ASSESSMENTS ARE BENCHMARKED AGAINST THE EXPECTATIONS OF TOP PERFORMING STATES AND HIGH ACHIEVING COUNTRIES. ONLY A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS REACH THE LEVEL FOR STATEWIDE. TO ASSIST THIS POINT, AND I REALLY WANT TO HAVE YOU HERE THE NUMBERS HERE. TO EMPHASIZE THIS POINT, IN SECONDARY MATH MEDICS, WHEN THE STUDENT EARNS A FREE, WHAT MARYLAND CALLS PROFICIENT, THERE PERFORMING IN THE TOP 20% NATIONALLY. AND WHEN A STUDENT EARNS A 4 THEY ARE PERFORMING IN THE 99TH PERCENTILE NATIONALLY. THE TOP 1% OF ALL STUDENTS NATIONALLY. SO THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF JUST HOW HIGH THE BAR HAS BEEN SET FOR STUDENTS IN MARYLAND. AT THIS TIME WE ARE

HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS. >> MS. GOSHORN.

>> THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I HAVE QUESTIONS JUST ABOUT MCAP SCORES IN GENERAL, NOT NECESSARILY TO BE DISTINGUISHED . IS THAT OKAY? OKAY. SO REALLY THIS ALL SPUN OFF DURING THE LAST PRESENTATION YOU GUYS DID AND I HAD TIME TO DIGEST AND THINK AND SO AS YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT ALL THE DATA, HAVE WE LOOK TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY CORRELATION, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL AND AS THEY GET INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL, AROUND THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE DEPARTMENTALIZED STILL, OR AS THEY TRANSITION OUT OF DEPARTMENTALIZATION, IS THERE ANY CORRELATION IN MCAP SCORES AND THOSE KIND OF OPERATIONAL DECISIONS?

>> SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA, IF WE WERE LOOKING AT BOTH -- IN FIFTH GRADE WE HAVE FAITH. WE HAVE PLACES WHERE IT'S NOT DEPARTMENTALIZED AND PLACES THAT THERE ARE, AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT AS IT IS THE WORK THAT WE DO CONSISTENTLY IN EACH AND EVERY CLASSROOM. AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT WHETHER IT'S DEPARTMENTALIZED OR WHETHER IT'S NOT, BECAUSE I CAN SEE PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE MORE GROWTH THAN OTHERS THAT ARE DEPARTMENTALIZED, AND THEN I CAN SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT PLACES WHERE IT'S NOT THE PART METALLIZED, SO IT REALLY HAS TO DO WITH DOING ALL OF THAT TARGETED INSTRUCTION, AND REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING THE TIERED INTERVENTIONS INTO PLACE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND SO, BECAUSE WE COULDN'T JUST TRAIN EVERY SINGLE PERSON AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THERE FIRST AND WHERE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THAT THE MOST, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THE BIGGEST GROWTH. AND SO I REALLY ATTRIBUTE IS MORE TO THAT THAN I DO THE

DEPARTMENTALIZATION. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE SOME PRETTY BIG GAPS . SOME SCHOOLS ARE AVERAGING REALLY HIGH NUMBERS. OTHER SCHOOLS, LIKE IS A TOTAL, LIKE AS A SCHOOL, RIGHT, REALLY LOW NUMBERS. IS THERE ANY CORRELATION BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF GAIT IDENTIFIED STUDENTS AT THOSE SCHOOLS? ARE THEY GATE IDENTIFIED STUDENTS THAT HAVE A HIGHER CONCENTRATION IN A CERTAIN SCHOOL, ALSO TESTING HIGHER ON MCAP SO THAT RAISING THE SCORES, OR HAVE YOU LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY CORRELATIONS THERE?

>> I WANT TO BE CAREFUL HOW I ANSWER THAT. BECAUSE YES, BUT THAT ALONE ISN'T WHO SCORES NECESSARILY AT THOSE LEVELS. AND WE HAVE GAIT STUDENTS IDENTIFIED IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. GRANTED THERE ARE HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS IN OTHERS. BUT IT'S NOT JUST STUDENTS IDENTIFIED WITH GATE THAT ARE SCORING LEVEL 4.

>> I WASN'T TALKING ABOULEVEL FOR. I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SCORES IN GENERAL. LIKE THE SCHOOLS WHERE WE SEE JUST HIGHER MCAP SCORES IN GENERAL, ARE WE SEEING THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO THE NUMBER OF GATE IDENTIFIED STUDENTS, OR EVEN CONVERSELY, THE NUMBER OF HOURS A CHILD IS PUSHED INTO COURT PULLED OUT OF GATE PROGRAMS?

>> I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION BETTER. I APOLOGIZE. I WOULD SAY

[00:50:01]

ABOVE, YES. >> HAVE WE IDENTIFIED ANY TRENDS BETWEEN THOSE HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS SO WE CAN -- AND COULD YOU SHARE ANY OF THOSE WITH US?

>> IT REALLY DOES GO BACK TO WHAT I WAS SAYING AND I KNOW I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE FOCUSED ON WHAT'S WORKING AND WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD WAS WORKING AND MAKE IT CONSISTENT IN AS MANY CLASSROOMS AS POSSIBLE, AND IT REALLY GOES TO, WITHIN OUR CURRICULUM, WE HAVE A REPORT THAT'S CALLED THE GRADE LEVEL PLANNING REPORT AND WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT REPORT AND SEE WHICH STUDENTS NEED TARGETED INSTRUCTION FROM THAT PARTICULAR LESSON. AND SO WHEN STUDENTS RECEIVE THAT, THEN THEY DO BETTER ON THAT PARTICULAR GRADE LEVEL LESSON AND THAT GIVES THEM A BETTER CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO SCORE PROFICIENTLY. AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE THE TRAINING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, AND WE ARE GETTING THERE BUT WE STILL HAVEN'T TRAINED EVERY SINGLE

TEACHER. >> AND SO, AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE TEACHING EVERY SUBJECT IN SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS, ARE WE UTILIZING OUR PD DAYS TO TEACH THEM MATH AND I KNOW WE TALK A LOT ABOUT READING AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR THAT, BUT MATH SPECIFIC STRATEGIES LIKE IN THE NEXT QUARTER THESE ARE THE LESSONS YOU'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON. HERE ARE SOME WAYS TO TEACH -- YES?

>> YES. >> OKAY.

>> WE JUST ON THE LAST DAY THAT WE HAD LIKE LAST FRIDAY, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S CALLED SELECTING AND SEQUENCING SO WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT WORK AND DETERMINING THE WORK THAT WE WANT TO ELEVATE, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ALL STUDENTS FORWARD AT THE SAME TIME. WE ALSO HAVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING THAT WE DO FOR VIRTUAL PLCS AND WE'RE VERY TARGETED WITH THAT INFORMATION. AND THEN WE ALSO GO INTO SPECIFIC SCHOOLS TO DO THAT SAME WORK SO THAT IF ONE NEEDS A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION IN TERMS OF PLANNING AND SUPPORT, THEN WE

MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THAT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. AND THEN LAST QUESTION. SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS WILL GO, THEY WILL SHARE REALLY DETAILED DATA IN THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THEY'LL WORK TOGETHER WITH THEIR TEACHERS TO REALLY DIG THROUGH THAT DATA. AND THEN THERE'S OTHER PRINCIPLES THAT DON'T DO THAT SAME LEVEL. IS THERE A REASON WHY WE HAVE DISCREPANCIES?

>> THAT'S OUR EXPECTATION THAT ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS ARE SHARING DATA WITH THEIR SCHOOLS AND WE DO SOME THINGS TO SUPPORT THAT ESSENTIALLY SO WE DO HAVE A DATA AND ASSESSMENT PERSON IN THE DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUCTION, AND SHE IS SHARING DATA WITH ALL OF OUR PRINCIPALS TO ACQUIT THEM TO MEET AND SHARE DATA WITH THEIR STAFF . IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE DO, WHEN WE MEET WITH THEM AT PRINCIPALS MEETINGS, THESE FOLKS ARE PRESENTING DATA TO THE PRINCIPALS TO HELP PREPARE THEM. WE SHARE DATA DIRECTLY WITH TEACHERS THROUGH PLCS AND WE MEET THEM IN DIFFERENT VENUES, AND I'M GOING TO SLIDE THE MIC OVER TO MELISSA BECAUSE I WANT HER TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY HOW HER -- HER EYES JUST GOT BIG BUT TALK SPECIFICALLY OF HOW OUR LITERACY COACHES ARE ALSO PREPARING DATA AND PREPARING PRINCIPALS TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT DATA. AND YOU ASKED ABOUT A DISCREPANCY. I CAN'T SPEAK TO EXACTLY HOW EACH PRINCIPAL ADDRESSES THIS WITH THEIR STAFF BUT I CAN SPEAK TO THE CONSISTENCY OF WHAT WE PROVIDE TO THOSE PRINCIPALS AND THE SUPPORT WE PROVIDE SO THEY ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE RUNNING SCHOOLS THAT ARE DATA-DRIVEN. SO LET ME SHARE THIS WITH MELISSA SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR ELA.

>> SO FORTUNATELY HAVING SIX NEW LITERACY COACHES THIS YEAR AND THEY'RE EACH PAIRED UP TO SUPPORT TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

SO JUST THIS PAST WEEK WE MET. WE MEET APPROXIMATELY TWICE A MONTH AS A GROUP AND TOGETHER WE MET WITH OUR BEST DOSTER TO HELP US NAVIGATE PERFORMANCE MATTERS, TO PLL SOME DATA REPORTS, AND I FORMATTED A PRESENTATION TEMPLATE , AND I GATHERED ALL THE DISTRICT AVERAGES FOR OUR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ASSESSMENTS. SO ORAL READING FLUENCY, OUR STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS AT RISK FOR READING DIFFICULTIES UNDER READY TO READ ACT FOR K TO 3. SO I DID IT BROKEN DOWN AND THEN MY EXPECTATION FOR THEM WAS TO GO, USING THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAD JUST LEARNED, HOW TO COMPLETE THE GRAPH TO COMPARE THEIR SCHOOL TO THE DISTRICT AVERAGE. SO THIS COMPREHENSIVE REPORT FOR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR LITERACY DATA IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE SCHEDULED TO BE SHARED WITH PRINCIPALS PROBABLY TUESDAY AND THE EXPECTATION IS FOR THE PRINCIPAL TO SIT DOWN WITH THE COACH AND GO THROUGH THAT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR DATA WERE HOPEFULLY THOSE CONVERSATIONS WILL LEAD INTO SPECIFIC STUDENT

[00:55:02]

STEPS. >> MS. GRENIS?

>> IS THAT ALSO HAPPENING AT THE ?

>> SO WE DON'T HAVE LITERACY COACHES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL. WE DO HAVE A LEARNING SPECIALIST, AND HE AND I WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER TO SUPPORT PLCS OR DEPARTMENT MEETINGS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH OCCUR PRETTY CONSISTENTLY FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL IN TERMS OF OUR PRESENCE THERE. WE DO PROVIDE DATA OVERVIEWS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS WE MEET WITH. WE PROVIDE THE SAME TYPE OF OVERVIEW AT THE PRINCIPALS MEETINGS. WE WORK WITH THE EVIDENCE STATEMENT ANALYSIS REPORTS THAT WE GET FROM MCAT. SO THERE'S STILL AN EXPECTATION THAT WE ARE DATA-DRIVEN AND LITERACY AND ELA AT THE MIDDLE

SCHOOL LEVEL AS WELL. >> SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT THIS TYPE OF DATA IS THEN BEING PUT INTO OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

PLAN. >> YEAH.

>> THE ANSWER IS ACTUALLY WE HAVE A STANDARDIZED SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS. WE OPERATE ON TWO 90 DAY CYCLES, TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE IN THIS CURRENT YEAR, THIS PAST SUMMER AT OUR SUMMER OF ÚL GOTTEN SOME DATA FROM THE STATE.

CERTAINLY OUR SCHOOLS ALSO HAD SOME ADDITIONAL DATA THAT WAS GENERATED LOCALLY. WE SPENT PART OF THOSE -- WE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THOSE THREE DAYS THAT WE HAD TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY ON THE SECOND AND THIRD DAYS, MEETING WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS, ALL WHO WERE PRESENT. THEY WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR DATA PRESENTED TO THEM. IN OTHER WORDS, THE AGGREGATE DATA THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY BETH DOSTER, WHO IS OUR ASSESSMENT PERSON, AND WE ALSO HAD STAFF WORK WITH THEM ON ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS, SO REALLY DIGGING INTO THE DATA, DETERMINING WHAT THE DATA WAS TELLING THEM, GOING BEYOND JUST WHAT THE DATA WAS TELLING THEM IN TERMS OF JUST THE RAW NUMBERS BUT THEN WHAT DO WE THINK ARE THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF THIS. IN OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS, ANY GOAL THAT A PRINCIPAL SAID IS SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVEN BY THE DATA THAT THEY ARE RECEIVING. AND SO THE RESULT OF THAT IS A CYCLE OF IMPROVEMENT AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE MADE AND ENDPOINT CHECKS BUILT IN TO THAT, SO IN OTHER WORDS, DATA DRIVES THE GOAL THAT THE PRINCIPAL IS SETTING. DATA IN FORMS WHETHER THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS. THEY CAN MAKE MID-INTERVAL ADJUSTMENTS IF NECESSARY, BUT THE REASON IT'S 290 DAY CYCLES IS RATHER TO PUT A PLAN IN PLACE AND HAVE IT GO OFF FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE MAKING PROGRESS. WE ARE ACTUALLY, EVEN THOUGH IT FEELS LIKE WE JUST STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE ARE NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM OUR FIRST QUARTERLY DATA WORK, WHICH WE WILL LOOK AT DATA, HOW ARE WE DOING AS A SYSTEM, EVERY SCHOOL WILL GET DATA THAT ALIGNED JUST WITH THEIR SCHOOL BUT IT IS ALIGNED WITH THAT. THAT DATA IS ALIGNED WITH THE SCHOOL REPORT CARD, SO HOW THE STATE MEASURES OUR SCHOOLS, AND THAT DATA IS GOING TO ROLL IN WRITING TO DECEMBER. WERE GOING TO START THINKING ABOUT THE SECOND 90 DAY CYCLE BECAUSE THAT PROCESS BEGINS IN JANUARY AND IT WILL BE IN A POSITION TO REALLY MAKE ONE OF THREE DECISIONS, THAT THIS PARTICULAR PLAN THAT WE'VE GOT IN PLACE, IT'S MAKING PROGRESS BUT WE STILL NEED TO STAY THE COURSE. WE ARE NOT THERE YET. THEY CAN LOOK AT THE PLAN AND THEY CAN SAY, WE ARE NOT MAKING THE PROGRESS WITH TWEAKS WE MIGHT MAKE. THEY CAN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS GOAL THAT WE SET THIS PLAN THAT WE PUT IN PLACE, IT REALLY ISN'T ACHIEVING WHAT WE HOPED FOR AND THEY CAN PUT SOMETHING AS AN ALTERNATIVE IN PLACE. MOST OFTEN IT'S A MATTER OF STAYING THE COURSE BUT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON DATA SO DATA DRIVES THE WHOLE PROCESS THROUGHOUT AND AS I KNOW THAT DR. JOHNSON HAS BEEN A BIG ADVOCATE OF THIS IDEA OF IT'S A CONTINUOUS CYCLE, WE SHOULD THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR AND NEXT YEAR WE'REGOING TO DO SOMETHING WHOLLY DIFFERENT. THIS IS A CYCLE THAT HAPPENS REOCCURRING OVER THE COURSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND INTO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, AND ONCE AGAIN IT'S ALL DRIVEN BY THE DATA THAT WE GET LOCALLY FROM OUR LOCAL ASSESSMENTS, AS WELL AS THE DATA THAT WE GET FROM OUR

STATE ASSESSMENTS. >> ONE MORE QUESTION. WHEN I THINK OF A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, KIDS HAVE THE CHOICE OF GOING INTO THINGS LIKE AP, HONORS, SO THERE'S I GUESS WHAT YOU WOULD CALL TRACKING, WHICH WE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO BE ALLOWED TO DO. BUT WE ARE STILL ALLOWED TO DO AP COURSES, CORRECT? AT THE

[01:00:01]

>> AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WE DO HAVE -- WE HAVE HONORS DESIGNATION. SO WE DO HAVE HONORS COURSES, YES, AND AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE TRACKING, I THINK THE BIGGER THING TO THINK ABOUT THE TRACKING AS WE'VE BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, EVEN BEFORE THE STATE WEIGHED IN IN MATHEMATICS, MAKING SURE THAT WE PREDETERMINE A STUDENT'S TRAJECTORY, THAT WE DIDN'T CREATE A PATHWAY FOR THEM WHERE THEY COULD NEVER ARRIVE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF MATH. SO WE TALK ABOUT THE TRACKING, WE REALLY SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT THAT WAY AS OPPOSED TO THINKING ABOUT IT AS RENAMED COURSES. AS DR. SUTTON MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF DOING FOR SOME TIME IS REMOVING WHAT WAS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS -- WHAT'S THE TERMINOLOGY? QUALITATIVE INFERIOR COURSES.

THOSE COURSES THAT WOULDN'T STAND MUSTER WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SYSTEM. AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SUCH A GROWTH IN, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE SAID CERTAIN KIDS JUST CAN'T DO ALGEBRA TWO AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE DATA WE PRESENTED THAT OF COURSE THEY CAN. YOUR QUESTION WAS SPECIFIC TO HONORS BUT I DO WANT TO CLARIFY, IT'S NOT ABOUT REALLY GETTING RID OF A DESIGNATION. IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T SHOEHORN A KID INTO A PARTICULAR TRACK. SO THEY ARE STILL GOING TO BE ON HER COURSES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL. THERE IS NO PLAN TO DO

THOSE. >> WHAT ABOUT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL? WHAT'S THE BIG PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL THEN?

>> AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL RIGHT NOW, ONCE AGAIN WE ALSO HAVE HONORS LEVEL COURSES, SO WE HAVE HONORS LEVEL MATHEMATICS RIGHT NOW. DR. SUTTON I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW THAT WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT, THAT WILL SHIFT A LITTLE BIT WHERE WE DO THAT, SINCE RIGHT NOW WE DO ACCELERATE SEVEN AND EIGHT, THAT'S GOING TO BE ACCELERATED SIX-7. HE WOULD BE BETTER ABLE TO SPEAK TO THAT. WE CERTAINLY HAVE HONORS COURSES IN ELA. WE HAVE NOT HAD HONORS COURSES IN SCIENCE AND IN SOCIAL STUDIES FOR SOME YEARS, BUT WE STILL HAVE HONORS COURSES IN ELA. NOW WITH TWO OF OUR SCHOOLS THEY HAVE DONE A COLLAPSING LEVEL SO YOU MAY HAVE STANDARD AND HONORS STUDENTS IN THE SAME CLASSROOM BUT THOSE HONORS STUDENTS GET ADDITIONAL -- THEY GET THE ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE OF AN HONORS STUDENT AND IF YOU WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, I WOULD TURN THAT OVER TO MS. GRIMES.

>> WHEN WE TALK MIDDLE SCHOOL TO TAKE HONORS, ARE THEY MERIT-BASED OR CAN ANYONE TAKE THEM?

>> MOVING INTO SIXTH GRADE, WE USE ASSESSMENTS TO DETERMINE A STUDENT WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS, INITIALLY ACCESS HONORS, BUT THEN AFTER THAT, ONCE YOU MOVE UP INTO THE UPPER GRADES, AT THAT POINT WE GIVE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT TO TAKE THAT MORE RIGOROUS PATH.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> MR. HARRISON?

>> THANK YOU. SCOTT, I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU, IT'S GREAT THAT WE CELEBRATE THE HIGH PERFORMERS. I THINK THAT'S AWESOME. THERE'S TWO QUESTIONS. THE FIRST PART IS WHAT CHARACTERISTICS ARE SHARED WITH THE HIGH PERFORMERS THAT WE COULD LEVERAGE TO HELP THE 68% THAT DON'T PASS MATH AT GRADE LEVEL AND THE 38 PERCENT THAT DON'T PASS ELA AT GRADE LEVEL? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE

LARGER POPULATION? >> WHEN YOU SAY CHARACTERISTIC, ARE YOU SAYING LIKE UNDER CHARACTERISTICS, WHAT KIND OF LEARNING TRAITS DO THEY EXHIBIT?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BLIND DATA OR IF YOU'RE GETTING DEMOGRAPHIC DATA THAT COMES WITH THOSE SCORES. IS IT A ZIP CODE THAT THEY SHARE? IS IT A HOMEWORK THAT THEY SHARE? DO THEY ALL GO TO MAGNESIUM? WHAT IS IT THAT MIGHT BE A GENERALIZED CHARACTERISTIC OF THOSE HIGH PERFORMERS?

>> ONE THING THAT WE HAVE RECOGNIZED AS WE LOOK TO SEE WHAT IS WORKING WELL AND WHAT MAYBE ISN'T WORKING SO WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICED FOR KIDS OF ALL LEVELS IS LEADING TO MORE GROWTH, IS INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES TO WRITE MATHEMATICS, WHETHER IT'S MODELING OR REASONING, BUT GIVING THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS MORE THAN JUST THE ANSWER IS SIX OR THE ANSWER IS A, BUT REALLY EXPLAINING AND HAVING TO DEFEND WHAT THEY DID, AND WHY THEY DID THAT. SO TO ABOUT, SINCE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERY BENCHMARK ROUTE THE YEAR HAS A WRITING PROMPT, JUST TO ENCOURAGE OUR TEACHERS TO DO MORE WRITING ACTIVITIES IN THE PERIODS IN BETWEEN THOSE BENCHMARKS. SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF A STRATEGY THAT WE'VE SEEN REALLY ELEVATING STUDENTS.

>> I'M CONCERNED THAT IF WE HAVE A GROUP AND IT'S AN

[01:05:05]

WE'RE A SMALLER POPULATION. >> WE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN RAISING THOSE NUMBERS, AND I THINK LIKE I SAID LAST TIME, WE FORMED A FOCUS GROUP OF OUR TEACHERS. TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR ACCELERATED LEARNERS AND WE'RE REALLY STUDYING NOT ONLY WHY DID WE SEE A DIP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL ALGEBRA PERFORMANCE, BUT WHAT DID WORK, WHERE IS THIS WORKING, WHAT SHOULD WE EMULATE IN MORE CLASSROOMS, MORE AND MORE CLASSROOMS? SO WE MET ONE TIME SO FAR THIS YEAR AND IT WAS REALLY A POWERFUL CONVERSATION THAT THE TEACHERS WERE HAVING, WITHOUT MAKING SURE WE WOULD SUPPORT NOT JUST THE ACCELERATED STUDENTS THAT ALL OUR STUDENTS. THIS CONVERSATION WAS AT THE

EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL. >> WE'RE ABOUT TO GO INTO OUR PRIORITIES. WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BUDGET PRIORITIES AND ONE

OF MY OPEN PRIORITY SPACES -- >> ARE YOU TRYING TO JUMP THE

LINE? >> NO, I'M GOING TO GET FROM THEM. I WANT THEIR INPUT. I DON'T TEACH THE CLASSES. THEY SEE THAT EVERYDAY. ONE OF MY OPENINGS FOR THE THINGS THAT I WOULD CONSIDER PRIORITIES IS TO FOCUS ON ELA, OR MATH, OR/AND MATH, AND WHAT DO YOU NEED TO IMPROVE THOSE SCORES FOR NEXT

YEAR, THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR. >> SO TWO THINGS, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. ONE YOU HEARD MS. HOFFMAN EXPANDING WHAT HER LITERACY COACHES WERE ABLE TO DO WHEN THEY GO INTO BUILDINGS AND THEY'RE ABLE TO FOCUS THE ATTENTION OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON ELA. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MYSELF AND WE HAVE A SPECIALIST AND THAT'S IT. WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE IN THE CLASSROOMS, OR NOT IN THE CLASSROOMS, TEACHERS OBVIOUSLY DO THAT BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SPECIFIC TO THE BUILDINGS. SO HAVING MATH COACHES AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL WOULD BE OF BENEFIT AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE OF YOU ASKED THE QUESTION A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDGE MS. GOSHORN, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS DIG DEEPER IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CHILDREN LEARN MATHEMATICS, AND THERE IS TRAINING, MUCH LIKE THEY HAVE FOR ELA, THEY HAVE WHAT'S CALLED LETTERS TRAINING ON THE SCIENCE OF READING. WE HAVE TRAINING THAT TAKES TEACHERS DEEPER IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICS, AND THAT COSTS MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM. SO BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM CONTENT TRAINING AS WELL AS COACHING THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR THROUGH COACHES.

>> SO CONTENT TRAINING. YOU HAVE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THAT

MIGHT COST? >> I HAVE PROVIDED IT INTO MY

BUDGET, YES. >> AND THEN FOR YOUR FIRST POINT, HOW MANY LITERACY COACHES WOULD WE NEED OR IS THIS AN

EXTRA PAY FOR EXTRA DUTIES? >> IDEALLY WOULD BE MUCH -- WELL IT COULD BE A COUPLE OF THINGS BUT IF THEY WERE LITERACY, MUCH LIKE THE LITERACY COACHES, AND THEY EITHER SHARED SCHOOLS OR IF THEY WERE -- I KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT WE ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING WHAT LEVEL 4 LOOKS LIKE FOR TEACHERS SO IT COULD EVEN BE THAT THEY WERE LEVEL 4 AND THEY WORKED PART OF THE DAY, AND PART OF THE DAY THEY WERE COACHING, LIKE DEPARTMENT CHAIRS ALMOST, AND THEY WERE WORKING WITHIN THE BUILDING.

>> BECAUSE THE GUY ON YOUR LEFT IS A PENNY PINCHER, SO YOU'VE

GOT TO BE CAREFUL WITH HIM. >> YES I KNOW. I ALSO PUT THAT INTO MY PROPOSED BUDGET, AS WELL POINT

>> OKAY. AND FOR MATH WAS THERE ANY PARTICULAR ITEMS?

>> MY ANSWER IS THE SAME. IT'S TIME AND SPACE FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO EQUIP OUR TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE ON THE GROUND, AND IF WE WERE TO HAVE COACHES AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MS. GOSHORN?

>> ANOTHER QUESTION. HOW MANY LONG-TERM SUBS DO WE HAVE

TEACHING MATH AND ELA? >> I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY RESEARCH THAT AND

GET THAT ANSWER TO YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> IT'S ONE FOR ME. >> I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY. I DO KNOW OF -- AT THE MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL, I DO KNOW OF A SITUATION WHERE SOMEONE IS GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT FOR MEDICAL LEAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, SO THERE WILL BE A SUB WHO COMES IN FOR HER AND THERE'S I THINK JUST ONE PERSON RETIRING MIDYEAR COME SO THERE MAY BE A LAPSE IN TIME BEFORE WE CAN HIRE A PERSON. BUT RIGHT NOW I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY OSCAR SECONDARY ENGLISH.

[01:10:02]

>> I'M HESITANT, AS ALREADY SAID, I HESITATE TO GIVE YOU CONJECTURE. I THINK YOU'VE HEARD HERE THAT PART OF THAT ANSWER BUT WE'LL GIVE YOU THE ANSWER. I WILL SAY IN TALKING TO MR. SEWALL, WE ARE BETTER STAFF, I WOULD SAY THIS YEAR, IN OTHER WORDS, IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO FILL POSITIONS. IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE, A TEACHER SHORTAGE NATIOALLY, BUT THIS YEAR WE WERE I THINK SUCCESSFUL IN FIELDING MORE OF OUR POSITIONS WITH EITHER CERTIFIED TEACHERS OR AT LEAST TEACHERS WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE, NOT A LONG-TERM SUB.

>> OKAY. SO LAST THING AND THEN I'M REALLY DONE .

>> I'M GOING TO GET A WORD IN ONE OF THESE DAYS.

>> YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU GUYS DO A LOT OF LOOKING AT THE DATA AND MAKING THAT AVAILABLE TO PRINCIPALS, BUT I'VE HEARD FROM STAFF DIRECTLY THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING THOSE DETAILS SO DR.

NEWSOME, COULD THERE BE MAYBE A PLAN TO MAKE SURE OUR PRINCIPALS ARE SHARING AND DIVING INTO THAT DATA WITH THEIR TEACHERS?

>> I'D SAY THE DATA IS READILY AVAILABLE FOR ALL TO SEE, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE OUTCOME'S AND THE INPUT, AND SO WE ARE , I THINK, HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS ARE NEEDED, BUT I THINK YOU ALSO HEARD THAT IN THE BUDGET REQUEST, THERE'S NO COACHES THAT HELP WITH THAT. WE WILL HAVE A MEETING WITH OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS TO REVIEW OUR DATA AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORTS WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED, AND ADDRESS THE SHORTCOMINGS WHERE WE SEE THEM AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM. BUT THIS IS A TRICKLE DOWN KIND OF PROCESS, BUT WITH MORE PEOPLE TO PROVIDE DIRECT SUPPORT TO TEACHERS. I THINK WE CAN ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.

>> AND I WOULD ADD, YOU KNOW, WHEN I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT SOME OF THE THING'S THAT WE ARE PROVIDING, I THINK THE ONE THING THAT I NEED TO EMPHASIZE MORE IS THAT THAT IS COUPLED WITH TRADING SO SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE BOTH HERE AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE, AND WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN TO DO WITH OUR BUILDING BASTED STREETERS, BOTH PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, IS TO PROVIDE TRAINING. WE HAVE A DATA SYSTEM, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOL-BASED ADMINISTRATORS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH PULLING THOSE REPORTS AND ANALYZING THAT. WE HAVE A DATA COMMITTEE. WE ARE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR PRINCIPALS ABILITY TO USE PROTOCOLS AND TO BE COMFORTABLE WHEN TALKING WITH THEIR STAFF ABOUT DATA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, INCLUDING OUR MOST RECENT COHORT THIS PAST SUMMER, WAS TO WORK WITH A CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT THE DATA WISE. DATA -WISE IS NOT A PROTOCOL. IT'S REALLY AN APPROACH TO LOOKING AT DATA SO WE HAD A CENTRAL OFFICE SUPERVISORS AND PRINCIPALS IN TO RECEIVE THAT TRAINING. AND SO I THINK WE ARE WORKING -- I DON'T THINK, I KNOW WE ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR PRINCIPALS AND I THINK WE WILL SEE THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR UNFOLDING AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WE ARE DOING SOME NEW THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT -- SOME OF THE NEW THINGS THAT WE'VE NOT DONE IN MY MEMORY AND ALSO WE ARE GETTING BACK TO SOME ADDITIONAL KINDS OF TRAINING THAT WE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM. SO WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A DATA-DRIVEN SCHOOL SYSTEM. SO THERE IS NOT EVER BEEN A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T LOOK AT DATA BUT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER AND MAKE SURE THAT MAYBE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWER EITHER TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE IN GENERAL OR TO THE PRINCIPALSHIP, HAVE THE SAME LEVEL AND THE SAME CAPACITY THAT PERHAPS THEIR OLDER PEERS HAVE, BOTH THROUGH EXPERIENCE AND MAYBE SOME

PREVIOUS TRAINING WE'VE DONE. >> I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT. I THINK THAT OUR SUPPORT STAFF IS DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF PUTTING IN PLACE THE MECHANISMS, PROVIDE SUPPORTS FOR THE SCHOOLS, BUT THE REALITY OF THE LIFE IN THE DAY OF A PRINCIPAL, THEY START OUT WITH THEIR PRIORITIES. THEY PROBABLY DON'T GET 10 MINUTES INTO THE DAY BEFORE THE PRIORITIES CHANGE, AND I KNOW FREQUENTLY I'M IN A SCHOOL TO MEET WITH THE PRINCIPAL AND THEY CAN'T MEET BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS THE NEED OF A CHILD. THEY PLAN TO GO INTO A CLASSROOM TO DO AN OBSERVATION. A PARENT IS WAITING, DEMANDING TO SPEAK WITH THEM, AND SO THERE ARE SO MANY RESPONSIBILITIES OF A

[01:15:04]

WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW. >> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION. I DO KNOW THAT DR. NEWSOME SHARED WITH ME THAT WE EVEN HAD SOMEONE, SPECIALIST FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER WORD FROM MSD, COME DOWN AND HAVE A DISCUSSION OR AN ACTIVITY OR EXERCISE TO TALK ABOUT DATA AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO LOOK AT IT. SO I KNOW THAT THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING. SO I DO WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH JUST THIS. I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO IS -- SHE IS IN HER FIRST YEAR AT A COLLEGE IN PITTSBURGH AND I ASK HER THE OTHER DAY, I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE GOT IT FROM, HONESTLY.

I DO WANT TO TAKE THE CREDIT BUT I CAN'T. I DON'T KNOW. LOOK, THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT IS. ANYHOW, SHE SAID TO ME, YOU KNOW, MOM, I'M BORED, AND I SAID, BORED ? THIS IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME. AND I SAID, WELL IT TURNS OUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN ALL THOSE AP CLASSES THAT YOU TOOK THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, REALLY DID PAY OFF, AND I SAID, SO LOOK AT YOU GIVING CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS A LEG UP AND I'LL SHARE THAT BECAUSE THEY PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR FIRST YEAR. NOW BE HUMBLE BECAUSE EVEN YOUR SECOND SEMESTER, MUCH LESS YOUR SECOND YEAR, MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. SO KEEP THAT IN MIND BUT IT WAS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO TAKE THOSE AND I WAS FORTUNATE THAT MINE WAS ONE OF THOSE, THAT IT REALLY DID PREPARE HER MORE THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED FOR HER FIRST YEAR IN COLLEGE SO MUCH SO THAT SHE HAS STRAIGHT A'S AND SHE IS AN ENTIRE COHORT AHEAD OF EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE COHORT THAT SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE ASSIGNED AS A FIRST-YEAR FRESHMAN, RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS. HAVE A GOOD ONE.

[Budget Priorities]

>> OKAY. UP NEXT WE HAVE BUDGET PRIORITIES. WHO WANTS TO GO

FIRST? >> YOU HEARD TWO OF MINE.

>> SO GO AHEAD, YOU WANT TO GO

>> IF I CAN REMEMBER, WE WANT TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT LITERACY

COACHES . >> WHAT IS THAT?

>> LITERACY COACHES. >> WE DID ADD LITERACY COACHES THIS YEAR, AS WELL. SO YEAH, LITERACY WE DID ADD ALREADY BUT MATH IS -- MATH MIGHT BE -- WE CAN MAKE A NOTE OF MATH COACHES.

WHAT ELSE IS ON YOUR WISH LIST?

>> NOVELETTE REMAINING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

>> I WOULD SAY IN ADDITION TO THAT, SAFETY ADVOCATES.

>> ADDITIONAL SAFETY ADVOCATES?

>> SAFETY ADVOCATES AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?

>> YES, AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE.

>> ARE WE LOOKING AT SAFETY ADVOCATES OR SROS?

>> BOTH. >> MR. MARCHIO, COULD ASK AN ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION? ADDITIONAL SAFETY ADVOCATES AT EVERY SCHOOL? WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE OF EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOL.

>> THEN NOT AT THE MIDDLE BUT AT THE ELEMENTARY.

>> MS. GOSHORN ? >> FIRST I WANT TO START WITH THE ABSOLUTE PRIOR TO, AND THAT'S HONORING ALL NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS WITH CEA, CAE SS AND CASA. I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO HIRE MORE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS , IEP FACILITATORS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP SUPPORT WITH THE IEP AND 504 PROCESS. THIS ONE IS -- I TALKED TO DR. NEWSOME ABOUT THIS. WE STARTED WITH GIFTED AND TALENTED TEACHERS THIS YEAR AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE WOULD NEED TWO MORE FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT I THINK THAT DECISION NEEDS TO BE A DATA BASED DECISION AND PERHAPS A SURVEY DECISION, TO SEE HOW IT'S WORKING. I DON'T WANT TO SAY JUST HIRE MORE WITHOUT EVIDENCE THAT WHAT WE ARE DOING IS EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE IN THE SCHOOLS. ONE THAT I REALLY

[01:20:06]

>> MS. GOSHORN? >> OKAY, SO I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING ANYONE HAS SAID BUT WE ALL WERE PART OF THIS PROCESS LAST YEAR AND I DIDN'T GET A MONEY TREE RECENTLY SO I JUST WANT TO BRING SOME REALNESS TO THIS PROCESS. THERE ARE THREE MAIN AREAS THAT ARE A FOCUS FOR ME. GENERALLY STUDENT SAFETY. WE TALKED ABOUT ADVOCATES AND SROS. DIRECT TO STUDENT SUPPORT. WE TALKED ABOUT MATH COACHES. EVERY POSITION YOU MENTIONED I THINK SUPPORTS DIRECT TO STUDENT SUPPORT AND I THINK THE OTHER AREA WE NEED TO FOCUS ON HIS OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS. BUT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE BUDGET, BECAUSE AGAIN, NONE OF US GOT A MONEY TREE AND I DON'T THINK MARYLAND IS DROPPING ONE OFF, I THINK WE NEED TO DO TWO THINGS AS WE APPROACH THIS BUDGET PROCESS. ONE, I THINK WE NEED TO DO A STAFFING ADEQUACY AND UTILIZATION ASSESSMENT, AND WHATEVER WAY YOU WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF NEED. WE HAVE PEOPLE WORKING . I MEAN YOU JUST MENTIONED ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS PEOPLE ARE WORKING WAY TOO MUCH. WE ALREADY KNOW WE HAVE SUPERVISORS DOING FOUR AND FIVE JOBS. WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR PEOPLE, ALL OF THE POSITIONS, AND FIGURE OUT WHAT EVERYBODY'S DOING. AND THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND EVERYTHING THAT WE PRIORITIZE SHOULD BE, HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING STUDENTS, IS WHAT WE ARE DOING SUPPORTING STUDENTS, AND ARE WE DOING IT IN THE BEST WAY. SO WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER INVESTING IN A PROCESS OPTIMIZATION SPECIALIST SO THAT SOMEONE CAN JUST TAKE A LOOK AROUND. THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN FOR YEARS ABOUT HOW LONG IT TAKES TO HIRE AND GET PEOPLE ON BOARDED BUT I KNOW OUR HR TEAM IS WORKING LIKE CRAZY. SOMETHING COULD BE BETTER OPTIMIZED. I THINK ALL AROUND, OUR SECRETARIES, THEY'RE THERE EVERY MORNING AND EVERY NIGHT, AND EVERY TIME I DRIVE BY A SCHOOL. THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY. THERE'S DEFINITELY OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPTIMIZATION AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT STUDENT DEVELOPMENT IS IF WE GET BETTER AT OPERATIONS. SO I SUPPORT EVERYTHING EVERYONE SAID. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, 100 MORE TEACHERS AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND ALL THE THINGS. BUT IN ORDER TO DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS, WE NEED TO DO SOME ASSESSING FIRST. JUST GENERALLY STUDENT SAFETY, DIRECTOR STUDENT SUPPORTS, AND OPERATONAL EFFECTIVENESS IS KIND OF WHERE MY HEAD IS AT AS WE TALK THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. >> ALSO I HAD ONE MORE THING.

ONE MORE THING. I'M SO SORRY. AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, LOOKING AT THINGS, WE HAVE A LOT OF LONG-TERM SUBS AND LONG-TERM SUBS THAT HAVE BEEN LONG-TERM SUBS FOR A LONG TIME. IF WE COULD GET A DOLLAR AMOUNT OF WHAT IT WOULD ADD TO THE BUDGET TO CONVERT THIS TO FULL-TIME POSITIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE. THANK YOU.

>> SO DR. NEWSOME SHARED AND MANY OF YOU, IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, A STORY, I THINK IT WAS VOLLMER'S AND I'VE BEEN REVIEWING THE INFORMATION THAT DR. NEWSOME HAS SHARED, AND

[01:25:06]

WHICH ONE WAS IT? >> YES, I THINK MR. JOHNSON CAN

UPDATE YOU ON THAT. >> IT WAS AN RFP? WHAT THAT WILL -- BASICALLY WHAT THAT WILL SHOW, AND THEN I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS IN WHAT THAT MEANS BECAUSE I THINK THAT WILL ALSO, IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, IT WILL HELP US DETERMINE AND BEGIN TO PRIORITIZE BECAUSE I AGREE WITH THE SENTIMENTS OF ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES UP HERE, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED ARE IMPORTANT ALONG WITH ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS ON THAT VERY LONG LIST. SO WE HAVE TO REALLY BEGIN TO PRIORITIZE. SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AND THAT INFORMATION IN THE NEXT MONTH.

>> MADAM PRESIDENT, I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PROTOCOLS AND THE CUSTOMS HERE.

>> YOU JUST SHOUT IT OUT. >> MY QUESTION IS DOES THE STUDENT BOARDMEMBER GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE PRIORITIES?

>> YES SHE'S ABSOLUTELY GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE

PRIORITIES. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU MS. POST. I THINK THAT I SECOND REALLY ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SHARED. I ESPECIALLY AGREE WITH THE NEED FOR TEACHERS IN THE SPECIAL-NEEDS DEPARTMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS AS WELL AS THE ASSISTANTS TO OUR STUDENTS, COMING FROM A MILITARY CHILD PERSPECTIVE I KNOW WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE STATES, I WAS FAR BEHIND IN MATH BECAUSE THEY HAD A FAR DIFFERENT CURRICULUM FROM -- THAN THEY DO IN THE STATES, AND IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME FOR ME TO CATCH UP. SO ANY ASSISTANCE THAT CAN BE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS TO REALLY CATCH THEM UP, AND THIS CAN BE FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE NEW, THAT ARE BEHIND, THAT HAVE BEEN HOMESCHOOLED. IT CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING, SO THE ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND IT IS GREATLY NEEDED FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING. LIKE I SAID, I SECOND REALLY ALL OF THESE SHARED BUT THOSE WOULD BE MY TOP

[PUBLIC FORUM]

PRIORITIES. >> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW MOVE

INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. >> THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PERMITS THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ISSUES OF CONCERN.

THE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS IS LIMITED TO 30. WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO SPEAK, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOUR COMMENTS TO TWO 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 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 AT 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 YOUR QUESTIONS OR ENTER INTO A DISCUSSION WITH YOU DURING THE MEETING. CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL RESPOND TO ISSUES YOU RAISE IF YOU PROVIDE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WHEN YOU SIGN IN.

WRITTEN COMMENTS ARE WELCOME AT ANY TIME AND FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE

BOARD. >> OUR FIRST SPEAKER TONIGHT IS

DEBORAH HARRIS. >> DEBORAH HARRIS.

[01:30:09]

>> GOOD EVENING. THIS EVENING AS IN PAST BOARD MEETINGS, WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE RESULTS OF OUR MCAP ASSESSMENT, THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE THE TEST SCORES FOR OUR COUNTY. IN REFLECTION OF THAT CONVERSATION, IT'S VERY CLEAR TO MANY OF US THAT CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLSIS A GOOD SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WITH THE RESULTS RANKING IN AREAS FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD IN THE STATE.

SO WHEN OUR SCHOOL BOARD IS REQUESTING THAT WE MOVE A GOOD SCHOOL SYSTEM TO A GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM, WELL THIS CANNOT HAPPEN WHEN YOU REMOVE INTRUSION AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FROM THE MISSION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND REMOVE THE ANTIRACISM POLICY WITH SUPPORTS A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING. TEST RESULTS ARE BASED ON THE PERFORMANCE OF EVERY STUDENT SO WE CANNOT STATE OR EVEN IMPLY THAT WE CANNOT SAVE EVERYONE. IT TAKES EVERY STUDENT TO IMPROVE RESULTS FOR OUR COUNTY. WHILE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, A GOAL THAT WE ALL SHARE, IT IS UNREALISTIC AND INEQUITABLE TO HOLD STUDENTS TO IDENTICAL OUTCOME MEASURES WITHOUT QUALITY EMPHASIZING INCLUSION, DIFFERENTIATED SUPPORT, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO LEARNING RESOURCES. TRUE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT INCLUSION. REMOVING INCLUSION FROM THE MISSIONS RISKS UNDERMINING THE VERY PROGRESS THAT SCHOOLS HAVE MADE AND COULD WIDEN ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. THE ACTION OF THIS BOARD DO NOT AND WILL NOT MOVE CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FROM A GOOD SYSTEM TO A GREAT SCHOOL SYSTEM. INSTEAD IT MAY UNDO ALL THE WORK OF THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION AND SCHOOL BOARD THAT WERE SO HARD TO BRING US FROM A STATE RANKING OF 14 TO THIRD. IT'S VERY. THE POLITICS OF ANY KIND, NO MATTER PARTY OR POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, DO NOT BELONG IN THE LEADERSHIP OF A

SCHOOL SYSTEM. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY KRAUSE.

>> THE SAFETY OF OUR KIDS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. WHAT WAS SAID A COUPLE TIMES TONIGHT WAS THAT WE NEED TO ENHANCE OUR STUDENTS WILL BE IN AND I THINK WHEN WE REMOVE THE QUALITY WE REMOVE THE ANTIRACISM STATEMENT, AND THE REASON THAT IS GIVEN IS THAT IT IS REDUNDANT, I JUST THINK WE'RE KIND OF MISSING THE BIG POINT AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO REMOVE SAFE SPACE STICKERS. AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE ASKED WHAT EVIDENCE WAS GIVEN THAT IT WAS DETRIMENTAL TO OUR STUDENTS, TO OUR TEACHERS, TO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, AND I DON'T THINK THAT EVIDENCE HAS EVER BEEN PRESENTED, BUT YET TONIGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EVIDENCE-BASED. ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SAID THEY WANT EVIDENCE THAT WE DON'T JUST INCREASE SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, WE DO A STUDY. WE EVALUATE. RFP, WHICH I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, AND I DON'T DO MATH, BUT IT WAS SAID THAT RFP IS BASED ON EVIDENCE. SO ONCE AGAIN I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO MAKE EVIDENCE FOR ALL DECISIONS, NOT JUST THE ONES YOU CHOOSE TO PRESENT EVIDENCE, BUT PROVIDE EVIDENCE WHY SAFE SPACE STICKERS NEEDED TO GO AWAY, WHY THAT SAFETY OPTION FOR OUR CHILDREN WAS REMOVED. THANKS FOR MY TIME.

>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. >> NEXT SPEAKER IS JASON OATES FOR CALVERT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, VICE PRESIDENT GRENIS, DR.

[01:35:06]

AND STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STACY DAMON REPRESENTING CASE.

>> HE ALWAYS MAKES ME LOOK LIKE THE BAD GUY. HE'S ALWAYS SO NICE. OKAY. I'M READY. GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR.

NEWSOME AND MENTORS OF THE BOARD. STACY DAMON, PRESIDENT OF THE CALVERT ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT STAFF. IN ADDITION TO WHAT JASON SAID, I'D LIKE TO SHARE THE FOLLOWING BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS. PRIORITIZE FILLING VACANT POSITIONS. WE HAVE HEARD AT SEVERAL BOARD MEETINGS THAT CCPS HAS REALIZED SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS DUE TO UNFILLED POSITION AND THAT OF THE ORIGINAL $17 MILLION OF THE FUND BALANCE, WE THOUGHT WE NEED TO USE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, LESS THAN $7 MILLION HAS BEEN NEEDED. MOST CONCERNING IS THAT THE LARGEST UNDERSTANDING CAME FROM EMPLOYEE BENEFITS LIKE RETIREMENT HEALTH INSURANCE AND GROUP LIFE INSURANCE, BECAUSE POSITIONS WERE FILLED. SALARIES WERE ALSO UNDER SPENT. STAFF IS ABSORBING THE WORKLOAD WHILE THE MONIES ARE BEING USED TO COVER OTHER EXPENSES CASE AGREED TO THE LOWEST PAY INCREASE OF OUR CURRENT CONTRACT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, UNDERSTANDING THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FROM PAST BUDGET ISSUES, BUT NOW WITH $10 MILLION IN UNDERSTANDING AND ONGOING VACANCIES, WE MUST PRIORITIZE STAFFING AND SUPPORT . REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTES AND ROLES MEANT FOR IN STRUCTURAL ASSISTANCE. HIRE AND TRAIN PERMANENT STAFF. IN FEBRUARY WE HAD ALMOST 60 LONG-TERM SUBSTITUTES IN IA AND ESP POSITIONS. I RESPECTFULLY PROPOSE A TEAM OF INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE WHO ARE HIGHLY TRAINED, WHO CAN BE DEPLOYED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH INTENSE NEEDS UNTIL A PERMANENT PLAN IS IN PLACE. THIS ENSURES STUDENTS WITH THESE INTENSIVE NEEDS HAVE SUPPORT BY QUALIFIED STAFF ON DAY ONE. EVALUATE SECRETARIAL SUPPORT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TYPICALLY HAVE TWO SECRETARIES WHILE MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE THREE BUT 9 OUT OF THE 12 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE COMPARABLE OR HIGHER ENROLLMENT THAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS OFTEN REQUIRE MORE HANDS-ON SUPPORT FROM FRONT OFFICE STAFF THAN THEIR OLDER PEERS, FROM MANAGING PARENT COMMUNICATION OR TRANSPORTATION CHANGES, PROVIDING EMOTIONAL REASSURANCE. THE DEMANDS ON ELEMENTARY FRONT OFFICE STAFF ARE BOTH FREQUENT AND INTENSIVE, AND THIS SUPPORT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES THE WORKLOAD AND COMPLEXITY OF FRONT-OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES . INCREASE

[01:40:06]

YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS BANKS.

>> GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT POST, DR. NEWSOME AND THE CALVERT OF EDUCATION. MY NAME IS CHRIS BANKS, MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF CALVERT COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP. I'LL BE BRIEF.

PREVIOUSLY I'VE ADVISED YOU BUT NEVER MENTIONED THAT I RETIRED FROM THE CALVERT SCHOOLS IN 2013, AFTER 41 YEARS IN EDUCATION. GO THAT'S AFTER HAVING TAUGHT IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EIGHT YEARS, ST. MARY'S COUNTY SCHOOLS, 15 YEARS, AND CALVERT COUNTY SCHOOLS MY LAST 18 YEARS. IT IS SAD TO NOTE THAT IN 1972, WHEN I FIRST BEGAN IN EDUCATION, POLICIES WERE IN PLACE IN THE BOSTON SCHOOLS THAT MADE SCHOOL INTEGRATION NECESSARY. AS A TITLE I TEACHER, I WAS A PART OF THE SCHOOL INTEGRATION PROCESS. VERY STRESSFUL TIMES. NOW IN 2025, THERE ARE STILL CONCERNS OVER RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION, LACK OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION. NOW IT'S NOT IN THE BOSTON SCHOOLS BUT IT'S RELATED TO THE CALVERT ORDER OF EDUCATION POLICY CHANGES, AND I WANT OVER THEM. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. PAST SPEAKERS, WHETHER THEY WERE STUDENTS, ORGANIZATIONS AND PARENTS, HAVE RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT ANTIRACISM POLICY AND A MORE INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

MY QUESTION IS, ARE YOU LISTENING, ARE YOU REALLY HEARING THE CONCERNS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS? AS DR. SCHISLER ASKED A FEW MEETINGS AGO, WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? PLEASE BE MINDFUL THAT YOU'RE NOT ONLY WORKING ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR YOU, BUT ALSO ALL THE SCHOOL STAFF, PARENTS, AND

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

>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS. >> WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO BOARD COMMENTS. MR. MARCHIO? I ALWAYS FORGET THAT. YOU'RE GOING TO

[FUTURE BUSINESS]

MELISSA? >> I JUST HAVE ONE ITEM. I KNOW I TALK ABOUT IT ALMOST AT EVERY SINGLE MEETING, THAT CUSTODIAL APP THAT WE ROLLED OUT. I WOULD LOVE IT IF WE COULD HAVE THE I.T.S DEPARTMENT COME AND DO A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THAT APP

[BOARD COMMENTS]

>> ANY OTHER FUTURE BUSINESS? OKAY. NOW IT'S YOUR TURN. DO YOU WANT ALLISON TO GO FIRST? ALLISON, YOU GO FIRST.

>> THANK YOU. FIRST I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO HEAR OUR BUDGET PRIORITIES TONIGHT. IT ALIGNS A LOT WITH OUR STUDENT SAFETY AND JUST TAKING CARE OF OUR STUDENTS. I WANTED TO BRING UP A CONCERN OF MINE, THAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM OUR STUDENTS OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO, JUST THAT WE ARE HAVING -- SEEMING TO HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF CODE OF CONDUCT IN OUR SCHOOLS, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY LED TO STUDENTS FEELING THAT BAD BEHAVIOR IS ALMOST REWARDED AND ALSO THAT HAS LED TO THE ALLOWANCE OF BULLYING IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO IT'S JUST AN ISSUE THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP, BRING ATTENTION TO, JUST TO HOPEFULLY MAYBE FIX IT IN OUR SCHOOLS AND TO FIND SOME SOLUTIONS NOW.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR.

MARCHIO. >> I HAD THE PLEASURE LAST WEEK OF GETTING 14 OF THE CTA STUDENTS DOWN TO ONE OF MY CONSTRUCTION JOBS IN THE COUNTY, TO WITNESS A STRUCTURAL CONCRETE

[01:45:01]

>> THANK YOU. MR. HARRISON? >> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO MENTION AN EVENT THAT WAS HELD AT HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL. IT WAS THE FOLDS OF HONOR EVENT THAT CELEBRATED VETERANS AND FOR 17 OF THOSE VETERANS, THEY WERE VIETNAM VETERANS WHO DIDN'T GET A WELCOME HOME, SO IT WAS NEAT TO SEE THAT .5 OF THE VETERANS WERE KOREAN WAR VETERAN'S. ONE PERSON THAT WAS A WORLD WAR II VETERAN DID NOT MAKE IT, AND THAT'S MARK BRICKLE PUT THAT TOGETHER, AND HE WORKS WITH FOLDS OF HONOR SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY NICE AND I WANT TO THANK DR. LAWRENCE AND MR. GROSS FOR COORDINATING THAT. THAT'S ABOUT -- THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES EVENT WAS AWESOME, TOO, SO I WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE FOLKS THAT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT AND

PUT IT TOGETHER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MS. GOSHORN?

>> I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I KNOW TEACHERS ARE REALLY EXCITED THAT HALLOWEEN IS ON A FRIDAY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH KIDS THE NEXT DAY THIS YEAR. SO CONGRATS TO THE TEACHERS. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF IN ADVANCE OF THIS BUDGET SEASON. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY TOUGH ON EVERYONE AND I JUST HOPE WE CAN KEEP OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND TRY TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE. THAT'S

ALL. THANK YOU. >> MS. GOSHORN ? I MEAN MS. --

>> I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE DR. SHANE WINES FROM CALVERT HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WAS NAMED AN ALBERT EINSTEIN DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR FELLOW. HE WAS ONE OF 15 EDUCATORS IN THE NATION SELECTED TO SERVE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO HELP IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES IN HIS FIELD. HE IS ALSO THE ONLY MARYLAND EDUCATOR AND THIS YEAR'S PRESTIGIOUS COHORT . THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND REFLECTION OF HIS DEDICATION, EXPERTISE, AND IMPACT ON BOTH HIS STUDENTS AND THE BROADER EDUCATION COMMUNITY.

WE ARE TRULY HONORED TO HAVE SUCH AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR REPRESENTING CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC TOOLS ON THE NATIONAL STAGE. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE CALVERT COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. WHEN YOU ENTER OUR COUNTY THERE IS A SIGN THAT WILL GREET YOU NOW THAT SAYS LOWEST CRIME RATE IN MARYLAND. THIS IS THE RESULT OF THE DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, AND SACRIFICES OF THE DUTIES OF THE DEPUTIES WHO SERVE CALVERT COUNTY EVERY DAY. I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK RICKY COX AND EVERY MEMBER OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR AN INCREDIBLE JOB THEY DO TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE. YOUR HARD WORK DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED AND WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOU DO. ON A FUN NOTE, I PARTICIPATED IN THE CTA PUMPKIN CONTEST, WHERE THE STUDENTS HAVE TO DECORATE PUMPKINS BASED ON EITHER THEIR FIELD OF STUDY OR THREE DIFFERENT CRITERIA, AND IT IS SO MUCH FUN AND THAT'S SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS TO BE CREATIVE. AND I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING IN THE INFANT AND TODDLER TRUNK OR TREAT. IT'S WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH, FROM 4:30 TO 5:30. I HAVE ALREADY STARTED MAKING MY PROPS TO DECORATE MY TRUNK AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT TIME.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I WAS NOT PRESENT AT THE LAST MEETING SO I WANTED TO THANK PRESIDENT BUDDY HANCE AND VICE PRESIDENT TODD IRELAND. MS. GRENIS AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY IN SEPTEMBER TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM, AND REALLY TO BUTTER THEM UP FOR ALL OF THIS TO COME, AND REALLY TRY TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THEN TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INITIATIVES AND THE PRIORITIES AND THINGS, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A THOSE MEE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PBL AND IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE THOSE YOUNG STUDENTS AS THEY WORKED WITH YOUNG AND NOT SO YOUNG. SO I DON'T BELIEVE IN THE WORD OLD BUT NOT SO YOUNG

[01:50:09]