[00:00:14] CALVERT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING BUDGET HEARING SO ORDER. WE WILL [Pledge of Allegiance/Moment of Silence ] FIRST STAND UP FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND 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 PRESENTATION [Presentation of Superintendent's Proposed Operating Budget] OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS PROPOSED OPERATING BUD BUDGET. WE ARE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED 27 BUDGET. THIS IS THE THEME. ACADEMICALLY STRONG, PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE. THIS QUOTE CAME OUT IN THE ASSESSMENT AND IN THEIR CLOSING NOTES THAT'S HOW THEY DESCRIBED THE HIGH DESCRIBH SCHOOL DISTRICT. OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT. I WANT TO SHARE WE ARE MAKING STEADY PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION STARTING WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT EXPECE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH HERE. WE HAVE DISCUSSED EARLIER THIS SCHOOL YEAR THAT THERE IS A LOT OF ROOM FOR GROWTH FOR MATHEMATIC ACHIEVEMENTS. THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, STUDENTS WITH ECONOMIC AREA THAE INITIAL REPORT ASSESSMENT SAYS IT IS LACKING AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT. THESE ARE SOME OF THE FINANCIAL STRESSORS WE ARE FACING RIGHT NOW. THE EXPANDED BLUEPRINT MANDATES, INSUFFICIENT STAFFING PUTTING INCREASING PRESSURE ON OUR SCHOOLS, STUDENT SAFETY AND WELL-BEING, ENROLLMENT DECLINE. THERE IS SOME STRUCTURAL NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS A RESULT OF THAT. TRANSPORTATION COST AND AGING SCHOOL FACILITIES. THIS IS OUR PHILOSOPHY. WITH BUDGETING WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES SO WE CAN SEE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THE LONG-TERM NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THAT THERE IS SUSTAINABILITY AND THAT WE ALSO COMPLY WITH THE BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS. HERE IS A CIRCLE GRAPH OF THE REVENUE SOURCES FOR THE PROPOSED 27 BUDGET AND THE UNRESTRICTED FUNDS. WE SEE MAJORITY OF THE FUNDING IS PROPOSED TO COME FROM THE COUNTY AS PAST YEARS 56%, STATE 38%. WE GAVE VERY LITTLE FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE FUND BALANCE, WE HAVE TO DE DEPEND MORE ON FOR IT [00:05:18] BUDGET. I WANT TO POINT OUT SEVERAL FEATURES HERE. THE POOL REPORT ON FEBRUARY 12TH, THE PROJECT ARE INEFFICIENT BECAUSE WE ARE UNDERSTAFFED IN MANY AREAS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP. THIS IS THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION CHARTS. I'M GOING TO BE SEEING SOME TWEAKS TO THIS. WHAT WE HAVE IN THE BLUE VIOLET COLORS IS TYPICALLY WHAT WE HAVE NOW. WHAT YOU SEE IN BLUE WITH THE RED BORDER IS AN INCREASED LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY. WHERE WE HAVE CHIEFS, TWO OF THEM WILL BE MOVED TO DEPUTIES. SO WE WILL HAVE A DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR SCHOOL AND LEARNING AND ONE FOR OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT. THE DIRECTOR TEACHING THE LEARNING WILL MOVE TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. YOU WILL ALSO SEE FOREIGN LIGHT BLUE BOXES THAT REPRESENT NEW POSITIONS. STARTING AT THE TOP LEFT SIDE THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS BLOCK UC A BOARD STAFF ATTORNEY. THEY PROJECT THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SAVE MONEY. AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU SEE A DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS. I THINK WE MAY BE THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND DIRECTOR FOR TARGET SCHOOLS AND SPECIFICALLY FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. ONE SHOULD BE FOR ELEMENTARY AND ONE SHOULD BE FOR SECONDARY. JUST TO PUT THIS IN CONTEXT, THIS COMES WITH RECOMMENDATIONS OR STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS. THEY RECOMMENDED NINE NEW FTES FROM THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS. THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT ARE NOT ON THE CHART. THEY OFFSET THAT WITH THE ELIMINATION OF 13.59 STRUCTURED POSITIONS. WE DON'T HAVE 13.5 PEOPLE LEAVING NEXT YEAR BUT I DO BELIEVE WE CAN REDUCE THAT NUMBER BY SIX NEXT YEAR. WE ARE ALREADY IN ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY ARE RECOMMENDING ELIMINATIONS OF CERTAIN POSITIONS WE HAVE FOUR VACANCIES THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN REPURPOSE TO OTHERS TO 6 MILLION. I THINK IT IS FAR MORE ESTIMATED THAT WE WILL SAVE IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS. THAT IS NOT WITH THE ELIMINATION OF FTES BUT THAT IS LOOKING AT HOW WE ELIMINATE CONTRACTS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT THE CONTRACTOR TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR BUT MEMBERS OF OUR CALVERT COUNTY TEAM IS PROVIDING SOME OF THESE SERVICES. TRANSITIONING SOME OF THOSE SERVICES BACK TO THE CONTRACTOR TO REPURPOSE SOME OF OUR STAFF. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS LOOKING AT FINANCE. HEAR [00:10:05] WE ARE LOOKING AT THREE DISTRICT SEVENS. YOU SEE IN THE FIRST BOX THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FTES PER 1000 EMPLOYEES ON THE RIGHT. WE ARE SERVICING MORE STUDENTS WITH LESS STAFF AND THAT IS JUST ONE DEPARTMENT SHOWING YOU BEING INEFFICIENT. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN THE SECOND BOX, WE SEE HOW OUR COUNTERPARTS HAVE ALTARS. THIS IS ANOTHER WAY FOR A DISTRICT TO BECOME MORE SUFFICIENT IS TO HAVE YOUR OWN INTERNAL AUDITORS. OTHER COUNTIES HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL'S ON-SITE. IT'S NOT JUST POTENTIALLY COST SAVINGS BUT THE BENEFIT I CAN GET FROM THE DISTRICTS THAT I HAVE WORKED IN, YOU CAN JUST PICK THE PHONE UP AND WALK DOWN THE HALL TO GET RESPONSES. THE LAST CHART I WANT TO SHOW YOU IS A WELCOME PUPIL WHICH IS SOMETHING THE COUNTY SHOULD BE PROUD OF. WE ARE DOING VERY WELL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN 2021 AND 2025 WE SEE A 62% INCREASE. HOPEFULLY IT IS INVESTED WELL. IN THIS TABLE WE SEE A COMPARISON OF FY 25 AND 26 AND THE VERTICAL BOX IS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN FY 27. ON THE LEFT YOU SEE THE CATEGORIES THAT WE'RE FUNDED. I WILL. OUT A COUPLE AND I'M SURE IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE ROLE OF TEACHE BECAUSE WE'VE ALL HAD TEACHERS. THIS IS PRIMARILY A TARGET TO THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE AN INCREASE. IF YOU LOOK AT STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES YOU WILL SEE A DECREASE. A CONVERSATION IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS AHEAD WE WILL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAIL. ANOTHER ONE, LOOKING AT 214 AT THE BOTTOM, UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE OF A GRANTS. THAT MIRACLE BOX 2027, BOTTOM LINE IS THE SUPERINTENDENT IS PROPOSING A BUDGET OF $303,325,000 WHICH IS A 15 MILLION-DOLLAR INCREASE AND A 5.3% CHANGE. FUNDING SOURCES FOR UNRESTRICTED FUNDS, THIS IS THE SAME INFORMATION PRESENTED IN A DIFFERENT CHART. YOU SEE THE LOCAL REVENUE AT 1.3 MILLION. COUNTY APPROPRIATIONS AT 1.69 MILLION. FEDERAL REVENUES AT 589,000 AND YOU SEE THE CHANGES AT 2 MILLION. THERE IS A DECREASE IN LOCAL FUNDING AND A REQUESTED INCREASE OF 6.7 MILLION IN COUNTY APPROPRIATIONS. I KNOW IN THE COUNTY WE HAD A MEETING TODAY AND THEY ARE EXPERIENCING A NUMBER [00:15:05] OF PHYSICAL CHALLENGES. WE KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A STRETCH AND THERE IS GOING TO BE LOTS OF CONVERSATION FROM REPRESENTATIVES IN THE COUNTY TO SEE WHERE WE END UP. WITH STATE AID UC LAST YEAR THERE WAS A HUGE INCREASE OVER 2025. A $5.9 MILLION CHANGE IN STATE AID. THIS IS AGAIN, REPRESENTED IN THE PIE CHARTS. YOU SEE WHERE EXPENDITURES ARE ALLOCATED. ONE FINAL CHART HERE THAT RECAPS WHAT I HAVE SHARED. CONTRACTS AND SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AND TRANSFERS. THIS IS THE CALENDAR. WE ARE IN JANUARY, THAT IS THE TOP RIGHT OF THE SLIDE WHERE THE SUPERINTENDENT PRESENTS THE PROPOSED BUDGET. YOU WILL BE COMING BACK IN ABOUT A MONTH, FEBRUARY 2026 THAT IS WHEN THE BOARD IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE, I THINK THE PUBLIC AND HOPEFULLY THE BOARD WILL BE ABLE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET ON FEBRUA FEBRUARY 26TH. AFTER THE COUNTY TAKES ACTION ON THAT BUDGET IN JUNE AND THE BOARD WILL COME BACK AND ADOPT THE FINAL BUDGET. THIS CHART SAYS THE SAME THING. FOR THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO MAKE WRITTEN COMMENTS YOU CAN SEND YOUR COMMENTS IN TO US MAIL OR ON THE WEBSITE. I WANT TO END BY THANKING AND ACKNOWLEDGING OUR STAFF, STARTING WITH MR. SCOTT JOHNSON WHO LED THIS DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. HE WAS ALMOST A ONE-MAN SHOW IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND I DID A PRETTY SLIDE BUT HE DID ALL OF THE NUMBERS SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF THE LEADERSHIP, SCHOOL PRINCIPAS, DIRECTORS WHO WE'RE A PART OF THIS AND OUR CHIEFS DR. JOHNSON AND MS. JACOBS. WORKED VERY HARD TO PRESENT THIS BUDGET FOR YOU. THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THE EVENING. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH DR. NEWSOME. ARE WE WAITING UNTIL THE END FOR [Public Comments] BOARD COMMENTS OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY NOW? IN THE END? OKAY THANK YOU. WE WILL MOVE INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF OUR MEETING. >> THE BOARD OF EDUCATION PERMITS THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS ISSUES ON THE PUBLIC. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO TWO MINUTES. A PEPERSONS ON THE SIGN-UP SHEET MAY NOT CONVEY OR RELINQUISH THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON IN THE GROUP. IF YOU HAVE HANDOUTS OR WRITTEN TESTIMONIES PLEASE GIVE THEM TO KAREN TO BE HANDED OUT SOME BOARD MEMBERS. PLEASE DO NOT MENTION SPECIFIC STUDENTS OR STAFF IN YOUR REMARKS. ANYONE NOT FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES WILL BE ASKED TO STOP SPEAKING AND MAY FORFEIT THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK AT FUTURE BOARD MEETINGS. WHILE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION VALUES OR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS, THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING AND THE BOARD CANNOT RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS OR ENTER INTO A DISCUSSION WITH YOU IN THE MEETING. CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL RESPOND TO THE ISSUES YOU RAISED IF YOU PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER TONIGHT AND IT IS BLAZE. >> GET E GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AND [00:20:07] SUPERINTENDENT MY NAME IS BLAZE AND I AM CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT CALVERT COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL. I UNDERSTAND THE STRESSORS IN THE CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET BUT I AM I'M HERE TO URGE THE BOARD TO PRIORITIZE THE STUDENT LAPTOPS. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL DIVIDE. WHILE SOME STUDENTS HAVE FUNCTIONAL DEVICES MANY STUDENTS ARE STUCK WITH LAPTOPS THAT ARE SLOW, CANNOT DO UPDATES A OR ARE UNCHARGED. FOR STUDENTS WITHOUT COMPUTERS AT HOME, THESE DEVICES ARE THE ONLY THING THAT THEY HAVE. PROACTIVELY REPLACING THEM ENSURES THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES. I URGE YOU TO LOOK FOR REPLACEMENTS AND ARREST CYCLE TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE RELIABLE TOOLS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT. THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPEAKERS FOR THIS [BOARD COMMENTS] EVENING. >> THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW HAVE BOARD COMMENTS AND I WILL TURN TO MS. ALLISON. >> THANK YOU. NOT MUCH TO SAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO DR. NEWSOME AND ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR GIVING US THAT PROPOSED BUDGET. I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND THAT'S REALLY IT. THANK YOU. >> MR. MARCHIO? NO COMMENTS? GO AHEAD MR. HARRISON. >> BLAZE THANK YOU. THE MOTION I WILL MAKE AT THE NEXT MEETING IS THAT WE HAVE MORE TECHNOLOGY. >> WE DON'T EVEN NEED EMOTIONAMOTION YOU CONCERNS OF THE GODS YOU'RE RIGHT AND ASK THEM. >> DR. NEWSOME CAN YOU REVIEW THE LAPTOPS AND WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO MAKE US VIRTUAL CAPABLE? GIVEN THE COMMENTS FROM THE RANCH CLUB SOME PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN VIRTUALLY. >> WE CAN DO THAT. >> THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK SCOTT JOHNSON. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. DR. NEWSOME I AM VERY PLEASED THAT WE ARE TAKING A FORWARD-LOOKING APPROACH WITH STUDENT PROVISION. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE TERRIBLY DIFFICULT BUT WE SHOULD BEGIN LOOKING FOR IT AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE NEED IS. I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE BUILDING SERVICE FOLKS THAT WORKED TIRELESSLY TO GET OUR 24 DIFFERENT PROPERTIES CLEANED AND PREPARED. MY DAUGHTER WAS MAD AT ME YESTERDAY WHEN SHE HEARD THE ONE TO TWO HOUR DELAY AND AFTER SHE WENT TO SCHOOL TODAY ETA INCLUDED, SHE CAME HOME AND SAID THEIR FACILITY WAS PRETTY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. >> THANK YOU. MS. GRENIS? >> I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN CLEARING THE ROADS AND PARKING LOTS. I THINK CALVERT COUNTY DID A TRULY OUTSTANDING JOB OF MAKING OUR COUNTY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE THOUGHTFUL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE 27 BUDGET. I KNOW THAT'S A HUGE ENDEAVOR AND WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SOME VERY WISE DECISIONS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE FROM THE AUDIT. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ELLEN PRICE AND THEN ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY ON BEING THE FIRST SCHOOL IN MARYLAND BEING FEATURED IN A DOCUMENTARY. THIS IS REFLECTIVE ON THE PASSION AND CREATIVITY THAT DEFINES THE ART PROGRAM. CONGRATULATIONS TO [00:25:04] EVERYONE. I DID GO SEE THEY'RE PLAYING LEGALLY BLONDE AND IT WAS PHENOMENAL. IT WAS WELL-DESERVED AND I'M GLAD THEY WE'RE RECOGNIZED. THANK YOU. >> I WOULD LIKE TO THANK DR. NEWSOME AND HIS STAFF FOR ALL OF THE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION THAT WAS GIVEN AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD RETURN TO SCHOOL TODAY OR POSSIBLY MAKING TOMORROW A SCHOOL DAY. THAT'S NOT HAPPENING, DON'T PANIC. I KNOW IT IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY DECISION BUT I KNOW YOU ALL REALLY DO HAVE A LENGTHY DISCUSSION AND YOU TAKE EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS AND WE REALLY DO THAT FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. I KNOW THERE IS STILL SOME BUSES ON THE ROADS BUT I WANT TO THANK THE BUS DRIVERS FORGETTING OUR KIDS TO AND FROM SCHOOL SAFELY AS WELL AS TO ALL OF THE STAFF AND CONTRACTORS THAT WORKED TIRELESSLY FOR ALL OF THE ICE THAT WAS OUT THERE. MS. GRENIS AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH TWO OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECENTLY AND OBVIOUSLY THE BUDGET WAS AT THE TOP OF DISCUSSING THINGS. I THINK AS LONG AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND WE HAVE A SOLID PLAN THAT WE CAN PRESENT AND EVERYONE HAS A FULL UNDERSTANDING. THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AS WELL. WE CAN CERTAINLY GO OVER THEY'RE * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.