As long as that's that's most important. Check one, two. There we go. >> Check one, two. Check one, two. >> Check one, two. >> Shake one, two. Check check >> check one two >> just me
>> check one two >> check one two >> check one two check one Check one two. >> Check one, two. Check one, two. >> Check one, two.
>> Check. One, two. Check. One, two. Check one, two. >> Check one, two. >> Check one, two. Check. One, two. Check. One, two. Check one two.
>> Check on two. >> Check on two. Check one two. Check one two. Check. Check >> check.
>> I'm a good toasting. >> Oh, there's There we go. [Music]
Heat [Music] [Music] [Music] up [Music]
[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Welcome to today's schoolboard workshop. We are happy to have you join us and we are thankful for your time and dedication to our district. The workshop
of the school board of Broward County, Florida is now called to order. Our primary focus is to create a safe and productive environment for all participants. Please be reminded of the exit doors that are clearly marked for emergency exiting. While in the boardroom, refrain from obstructing the
exit doors. All attendees must occupy a seat with the exception of media. Once the boardroom has reached its seating capacity, attendees will be directed to a designated overflow area. Upon activation of the fire alarm system, please exit from the room in an
orderly fashion and continue to exit the building and remain outside until the authority that has jurisdiction has deemed the building safe to return. Thank you for your cooperation. Board member Holes will now introduce his school to lead us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Dr. Hoes. Thank
you, Madam Chair, and I'm proudly wearing Lauderdale Lakes Middle School t-shirt today. Thank you so much. It is my pleasure to introduce Lauderdale Lakes Middle School to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. The school recently achieved a historic
96 point increase in its grade, earning a B for the first time since 2010. With an 86% acceleration rate, students are gaining early access to high school credit courses. Additionally, Lauderdale Lakes is the first middle school in
Broward County Public Schools to offer dual enrollment through Florida International University with a 100% pass rate. Please join me in welcoming the students at Lauderdale Lakes Middle School. I'm Amaya Pinkney and I'm at Lauderdale
Lakes Middle School. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. 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. As we prepare to begin this schoolboard workshop, we are reminded that our vision is 100% proficiency for all our students. As an A-rated school district, we begin the vital task of sustaining
this achievement. We will continue educating all students to reach their highest potential. Our theme this year is believe and power achieve one Broward. Today's workshop will operate in accordance with schoolboard policy 1020 and the board will review the items
as advertised and presented by the superintendent. During today's rule making policy discussion, members of the public will have three minutes at the start of each policy to share feedback or ask questions. Thank you. Our first item for discussion is rule development
for schoolboard policy 5090 uh code of student conduct. I now turn it over to staff for brief remarks. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, and now turn it over to Miss Hollensworth and Dr. Washington for um discussion. >> Good afternoon, Jod Washington, director
of school culture and student support. What you will see in the redline version of policy 5090 are two primary changes. One, um they start on page 20. One is to allow the use of wireless communication devices for high school students during
lunch. Um and the next is on page 21 that allows the use of their headphones, uh AirPods, um listening devices during lunch as well based on board discussion. Uh that was also included because in
order for them to utilize apps um or complete some of the homework that may have videos or things like that embedded, they would need some kind of listening device. So that is the rationale for also including a change for the headphones. >> Does that conclude your presentation?
>> Okay, great. So next we will go to um public comment and first I have ML Suko. Good evening board members. My name is Maluku. I am a student at Fort Lauderdale High School. I stand before you today not just as a student, but as
someone who represents an entire generation. And I want to be very clear about this. We are not the same generation you were when you were in school. Times have changed. The world has changed. And so have the challenges we face every single day. I've heard people say, "Well, back in my day, we didn't have cell phones. Back in my day,
things were different." And they're right. Things were different. But that's exactly the point. What we're dealing with today isn't what you guys were dealing with back then. Today, technology is not a choice. It's a reality. And what's important isn't pretending we can go back to the old days, but teaching students how to use
technology responsibly in today's world. And the truth is, our schools already know this. Barrow County public schools have embraced technology in the classroom. Students are issued iPads, smartboards are in classrooms, and even virtual reality with MetaQuest headsets is being used in schools such as Bear
Middle. So clearly the district understands the value of adaptability world we live in. If schools can hand out iPads for learning, why can't students be trusted to use their own technology responsibly during their own lunch break? Because here's the reality. High school is supposed to prepare us
for the real world. And in the real world, adults are not allowed to use their phones while they're on the clock. But when they're on their lunch break, they can. They use that time to check on their kids, manage responsibilities, catch up on the news, or simply take a mental break. Many high school students
carry the same responsibilities. Some of us are caretakers. Some of us have jobs. Some of us are juggling AP classes, dual enrollment, and assignments from seven or eight different classes. I've heard arguments that phones add stress to the staff or that they take away from the social aspect of lunch. But I want to be
very clear. Students are stress stressed as well. Many of us wake up 4:30 in the morning just to get there on time. We spend hours doing homework after long school days. We balance sports, clubs, family obligations, jobs. Our stress is as real as the teachers. And if using
our phone at lunch helps us manage that, it's not harming the school process, it's helping us survive it. I also think it's important to acknowledge what the district is facing right now. budget shortfalls, lawsuits, declining enrollment, and even struggling to provide food for our students. With many
challenges in front of us, why can't this be one small area where we get to say yes to students? Why can't this be one positive step forward that shows that we are trusted, valued, and heard? We don't need more restrictions to remind us what we can do. What we need is the chance to be treated like the
young adults you keep saying you are preparing us to be. If high school truly meant to be pier, if high school is truly meant to prepare us for the real world, let us be real. In the real world, people are allowed to use their phones in their breaks. So, I ask you today, please don't base your decision
on what worked back in the day. Base it on the world we are living right now. Trust us enough to use our devices responsibly during the one time of the day that truly belongs to us. Because this isn't just about phones, it's about respect. Thank you.
>> Perfect. and perfect timing. Thank you so much. Next up is Nata Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh. >> Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh, Plantation, Florida. I'm laughing because I think he thinks you guys are older than you actually are and you don't have phones
or something. Um because my high schooler never stopped texting me uh last year. Uh so um I'm fully in support of adding the language uh at lunch. Would have been even happier to have seen an in between class periods because
realistically that's when kids are coordinating uh coordinating rides, coordinating a group project or whatever as they run to their next class. Um that's on page 20. And then on page 21 where it addresses the headphones, it
sounds almost independent of the phone. So, I don't know if it needs to say in conjunction with a wireless device because the only reason you would be on AirPods is because you're connected to a wireless device. Um, and I support this because in all the research we looked at
on DAC last year, none of it none of it was looking at during lunch and in between class periods. If you actually read the research, it was all focused on in the classroom, which is where nobody
was fighting to keep a phone. In fact, since there are all these laptops Oh, wait, no, that's with the IG. Since there's supposed to be all these laptops, they don't need to be on their phones in theory in class if we're doing onetoone with the laptops, but that's a whole
other issue. Um and then also in this policy in looking up um this 101010 practice at a couple of schools uh and looking at the attendance policy and your code of conduct. I understand the attendance policy is coming later. I
don't know how the same department can have two silos, but your attendance policy language is not consistent with your code of conduct language. And in one of the differences is one uses the term calendar days and one uses school days which can make a
huge difference in interpretation. And then finally um that last org chart process must have been a little rough because if you look at your org chart and trying to figure out who to ask about the this one policy you now have two directors. One is called the
director of school culture and student support. The other one is called the director of student prevention, wellness and wellness initiatives. The wellness initiatives appears to be the one in charge of the attendance policy and the code of conduct is of course Dr. Washington who has culture and student
support. But then there's an assistant director of student support initiatives who does not report to Dr. Washington over here in in culture and student support. They report to the wellness initiatives and prevention person. And if you look at the job descriptions, they're all mixed up in in terms of
terminology. So, I don't know what's going on there, but the reason I bring it up is that when I was trying to figure out who was responsible, it was a task. Um, but fully support adding this change. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next is Alicia McCormack. Good afternoon, Superintendent Heppern.
Nice seeing you again. And Dr. Fulton is likewise seeing you again and schoolboard members. Um my name is Alicia McCormack. I am from a company by the name of Yonder. Um for these couple of past weeks I have been communicating with principles, assistant principles
and teachers of Broward County. And the thing that I always hear the most is help. We need help with the cell phones in the classrooms. Teachers jobs are getting a whole lot harder day in and day out. And sometimes they tell me, "I'm tired of being the cell phone
watchdog." I would like to commend this district, first of all, for being the first district in the state of Florida to actually be Belltobell policy, to have one, and for all of the other um states to follow in in pursuit. Um the yonder pouch basically is very simple to
be used. The students would simply when they come in they would simply put their phones here in this pouch and they would lock it in for the entire day and then they would use either an unlockable base such as this in a matter of seconds they're able to unlock it and
it helps them to learn about detachment. Um, we all know that during COVID, these phones became their security blankets. And I am here to say that these are the current um, schools in Broward County, principles and assistant principles that said, "Yes, Alicia, I'm on board. I want
to use this program for my schools." So, I am here as the voice of these principles. Um, Miss Sabine Phillips, the principal of a Margate STEM Magnet Middle School. Um, Mr. Se Mr. J. S an assistant principal from Lauderdale Lake
Middle School. Mr. Williams from Blanch Eli High School, Mr. Ryan Atwood from Sunrise Middle School, Dr. Norris from Forest Glenn Middle School, Mark Howard from MacArthur High School, Parenez Bristol from West Bro High, and
Priscilla Smith from Cooper City Middle School. Um, Cooper City High School. I am here as your voice to let you know that they know it's a concern in their schools. And yes, you do have something implemented that states, you know, students are to keep their phones away, but we all know that that is not
happening in the classrooms. And I'm here to be a voice of these principles to let you all know that there is a problem. And it's time for them to experience a free learning environment without the stressors of all of the social media. We also have what's called the Yonder Hub because again, this is
25% of the program. We have digital citizenship um lessons to have them learn about what they should be doing on social media, what they shouldn't. It's time to make sure that our students are prepared for the future indeed, but to make sure that they all have a mental sound mind to make decisions for you and
I. Have a wonderful day. >> Madam Chair. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um, I have point of order to Miss Batista. >> Miss Batista, >> can you speak to public comment regarding pitching safety items to the board? And
is that appropriate? Is this the proper venue to be having those conversations or is it something else? >> Miss Batista. So, thank you, Madam Chair. Um, so the speaker sounds like she was um engaging in commercial speech, right? She's
trying to sell a product to the board. Um, which um is is normally not um allowed under our our policies. Um, but if someone is going to promote uh something, they need to um state so at
the beginning of their presentation, which um I don't I think she did. Um maybe not in so many words, but it became apparent that that's what she was doing. >> Okay. And also, aren't they supposed to state whether they're lobbying lobbying? >> Yes. Yes.
>> Okay. So I would just suggest to the chair that proper protocol is is followed moving forward because it sets a precedent. >> So thank you. >> Point of I I I guess I'm wondering um
like we've had people come and try to speak to products that they would like to sell many times before. So why what's what was inappropriate about this? >> There was nothing inappropriate. the um the policy says that if someone is trying to lobby the board that they have
to um make that statement or that if they're trying to sell a product just to state that at the beginning of their presentation. >> Okay. How was the chair supposed to know that? >> I think like the the suggestion was that we follow proper policy and protocol but I mean the chair didn't know that she
was trying to sell anything. >> Well, I think it became apparent when the speaker was talking that she was trying to sell a product. >> Okay. So, isn't that incumbent on the person trying to sell the product that they need to do? >> Yes. Yes, absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Does does she need to fill out any My
question would be now that we have passed that, does she need to fill out any forms to make sure that we're following the correct protocol. So, um there is a policy on registered lobbyists and >> and we have it on the sign-in sheet uh
did not indicate she was a lobbyist. Um, but we'll maybe make it clear when they're signing up that they got to do so. >> Oh, yeah. Cuz you for future you put no for being a lobbyist and you should have put yes if you were coming to to lobby
us to purchase something. >> Thank you. Okay, next up is Willis Hail. >> Good afternoon, board. Uh, I'm Willis Hail. I'm computer science instructor at Blanch Elely High School, which has just now been another another A-rated school.
Uh speaking about the policies of where cell phones are going to be used at, I don't think anybody has a problem with cell phones being used during lunch, but being used between class and in class is a constant struggle for all of us. I so
far this year I am running 35% of my entire class being tardy coming to class. They've got six minutes passing and every one of them comes down the hallway to me on their cell phones either talking or texting on their cell
phones when I we know they're not supposed to be doing. But I understand that we have a policy about cell phones and bellto bell. I do understand that. But if you have a policy without consequences, you just merely have a suggestion. I mean, I look at my
students, put them up now. And I'll walk back around the class and they're out again, and my administration doesn't have a policy on confiscating cell phones. I do know that the state uh
statute says that the teacher is supposed to confiscate them, send them down, and the parents are supposed to come and pick them up. Uh but nobody is on board for that amount of additional work. and you know safety concerns. If
if parents need to get in touch with them, they can uh even using this product that they have at Yonder, uh the teacher can unlock the unlock the box and unlock all the phones uh and let people have their phone back. But it's
very hard for a teacher to compete with the dopamine hit of 15 20 texts a minute. Okay, it's constant and getting that attention back, getting it in the
first place is very very hard to do. So, I please think about putting some some consequences in and getting something that would make that would promote promote this so teachers could have a break where the where the students could
have a minute to learn something and not be distracted. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next up is Joshua. I can't read the last name, but Joshua, >> Joshua Stoniker. And um I'm I too am an
advocate for the principles and the um the site leaders that Alicia had spoken about, but again, I'm not trying to pitch you anything. This is more of a teachers are being asked to be the teacher police with cell phones in the classroom. Um, and we're just and these
teachers are just looking for an avenue and for some sort of tool, some sort of resource that will help them get back to teaching again, helping them create a safe environment for their students to be kids again in the classroom. Not with the bullying, with the cyber security
stuff, with the constant berating of text messages from from parents, students, and uh and their peers. So, please just consider uh an alternative method of creating a safe environment for these for these children so they can get back to being kids again and teachers can get back to being teachers
again. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Trudy Janovich. >> My name is Dr. Trudy Janovich. I'm concerned that transparency seemed to be lacking uh for two items in this workshop. The district should have included the words rulemaking in the
title of the items number one and number two. So this is a rulemaking session and I want everyone to be aware of that. The public should be ma made aware of that because this is the only time the only time that they are allowed to address
this policy for item one. Here's a part of the legal message which makes you legal but it doesn't make you transparent. It said, "The school board of Broward County shall consider the school board policy 5090 code of conduct
rule development at a schoolboard workshop." According to policy 1000, when a policy change is going to occur, the public should have the opportunity to comment and ask questions of staff in an open welladvertised meeting.
Hopefully those who wish to address these policy changes will then come to the meeting or writ submit written comments. If the word rulemaking had been included in this item, the public would have been better informed. In looking over the changes, I decided to
also look at Palm Beach uh student handback handbook. I found it was only 54 pages and Broward's is 154. even though it had similar information. I do hope the district can write a
shorter handbook which is much more likely to actually be read by parents and students. Palm Beach's handbook even addressed the AI issue which appears to have been left out of Broward's handbook. Here's a snippet
uh which could be found um on pages 19 to 21 under deep fakes and AI generated material. The creation, distribution, or use of digitally manipulated content, videos, images, audio, known as deep
fakes, to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something they did not actually do or say is strictly prohibited. This includes the malicious use of deep fakes or any AI generated material. This one paragraph would give
teachers the opportunity to discuss these things. I wish you would put something like that in there. I don't think I saw it, but then it was 154 pages and I didn't read it all. Also, um I really support what the teachers have
said here or the teacher. And I hope that and it's was interesting that it was mainly middle schools that had the problem because that's what you need to address now that you've you you really should have addressed
the issue in the classroom at the same time as you addressed the lunchroom issue and that's the problem I see. You didn't address the right things. Thank you. >> Thank you. And before we move to board
discussion, just two points. Um, we took what the speaker said to heart and yesterday did add rule development and added something in the speech that or you know that I say out loud that tells you that you're going to have time to ask questions. So, we appreciate the
feedback and moving forward we will do a better job. So, wanted you to know that. And on page 30, it does address deep fake in our student code of conduct. So just wanted to make sure we cleared that up. Okay. Board member discussion. Dr. Holless. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So my view on
this um uh remains the same and it remains the same ever since we um started discussing this um and I thank the young the young student for his perspective um indicating it's not the
same generation. And talk about perspective which we are all aware of. Um this is now from the student perspective and I think it's important that we respect their view as well. Uh there's nothing wrong with using cell phones otherwise we all would get rid of
them right but there's something wrong in using cell phones excessively and for in students there is something wrong in using cell phones during instructional time. So no one is debating that. Um, I think what we're talking about is using
cell phones during lunchtime. And there are research to suggest, yes, that using cell phones during instructional time can be negatively impactful. Um, however, using cell phones during lunchtime, uh, I haven't seen adequate research to
suggest that that is negatively impactful. In fact, there are just as much research in my opinion that would suggest that using it in lunchtime is actually beneficial. Um, this gives students an opportunity uh to uh do necessary research that they may need to
do uh prior to going to their next class. It gives them an opportunity to connect with their parents. They may have issues that they are dealing with throughout the day and that they need to connect with their parent or guardian uh as a support system. So in my opinion it can actually be um beneficial to their
mental health that they get to use it during lunchtime. Now we also did a survey and the survey that we did overwhelmingly shows that both parents and students are okay with using cell phones during lunchtime. So I strongly
support that we allow students in high schools to use a cell phone during lunchtime. I think this will be beneficial for them uh to connect with their parents to be able to provide last minute research um and uh I think it's
also supportive of their mental well-being. So I am going to recommend and and hope the board will follow that we we allow students to use it during lunchtime. >> Thank you Mrs. Alhida. >> Yes, I support the changes staff made. I
did have a question and if uh Dr. Dr. Hern, if you have any suggestions for this in regards to the meta glasses, smart glasses, and are we capturing that anywhere in this policy? >> Dr. Heer,
>> go ahead, Miss Washington, if you can speak to it. >> No, we do not have that captured. >> Okay. Maybe Mr. Davis has a suggestion. Trey Davis, chief information officer. Um what what I can say is that um if you
attempt to list each and every technology that you would want to track, it would be outdated the next day. So you have to use uh you know broader language uh to address the technology. Um for example, we've had discussions around you know whether it be metaglasses or whether it be laptops.
Either way, those are computing devices and by definition you could use a broader definition of computer that would have, you know, input, output, storage, you know, for example, to detail that without having to necessarily list the technology, which
of course would change almost in an instant. So that would be my feedback is you had to look at it more broadly. Um, >> Dr. Hing, can that suggestion be made to and where to add it in the policy? Yes, I'm reviewing it the policy right
now. See what fits in. And Dr. Washington, um if you see any area um maybe um >> does Mr. Davis have a suggestion? >> So there is a section um for technology usage that we could include language
there. Um but we could also include it in the broader definition of a wireless communication device. What page? >> Uh it is on page 20. And if you look at the C1, um wireless communication devices
include but are not limited to cellular mobile phones, smartwatches, personal digital assistance, t tablets, and other two-way communication devices. >> So I think that would Mr. Davis, do you agree the two-way communication devices
may cover that or we need a broader? So, so I do think you have to be cautious there uh because uh you know wireless device are we talking wireless networks cellular sense. So you you would need to call out for example uh laptop devices that are issued to students that are
filtered like for example SIPA filtering and all which we would need to allow them to use those devices obviously. Um, so I think you would need to make an exception for student devices that are issued by the district that um include appropriate filtering and all uh which would then make it a viable device
during um teaching and learning. >> Also um I'm sorry miss out. Um I also want to keep in mind too once we do distribute devices there students will be able to opt out of our devices because they have their own. Um so I don't know how we capture that in that language. Mr. Davis,
you got any suggestions for that one? U Mr. Davis, on if a student opt out our devices because they have their own, but I know we uh they're on our network, so they we can still um apply the filters. >> I'm sorry, Dr. Heburn, but I missed part
of that. Um, so you mentioned about um kind of uh making sure we spell out uh not applicable to district devices um that we issue to students, but I know that we're going to have some circumstances where students are bringing their own device because they're opting out of using our device
and how do we exclude that? Um you mentioned something about language around the the filtering. >> Okay. Yes, correct. So um for example, if we have uh anyone connecting to let's say guest networks with their own devices is not necessarily connecting to
let's say our BCPS uh network um I think you would need to make a distinction there um because some of the um you know the firewall configurations I can't get into those in detail but um you know are differentiated between the the networks.
Uh, so I think that's maybe where we need to put some some clarity or include some clarity there. >> And then also if there could be some more clarification regarding the broader language that maybe Mr. Davis can suggest and then and
so I'm just asking the question. So like the meta glasses for example, they would not be able to use them in school or they would be able to use them only during lunch if that passed.
>> Dr. Evers, >> I'm thinking I have a pair myself. I only use them for for fishing to be honest with you because I never take pictures. My wife bought them for me. Take pictures for fishing. But um it's just my experience. My only experience with them is to take pictures
and listen to music every now and then. I don't know um if there's privacy concerns. Um there probably be a Batista Miss Batista question about privacy concerns where you have on glasses that can possibly
record or take pictures at any time um in our buildings with students, >> right? and and that would also be um an issue for you know plagiarism and and those you know test taking situations. I
know that um that Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So maybe there can be some further language added to address the the meta glasses or other devices. Uh because
this is a concern with, you know, are are students now going to be wearing their glasses and videotaping their teacher during class or, you know, at other times that might be inappropriate like the locker room. Um or are they
going to be wearing their glasses and listening to music? I don't know all the capabilities of the glasses, but this seems like something that we should try to get ahead of being and be proactive about before there becomes issues. >> Yeah, it's like Alexa on your eyes
pretty much. >> What >> it's like an Alexa on your eyes pretty much. >> Um, if I may, >> um, so just remember and and I know Dr. Washington can speak to this better than I can. um that many of the actions that
you just mentioned are already prohibited in the uh in the code of conduct. So the method by which somebody would be violating the the the cond the the code of conduct is just you know one more way that the violation occurs but
the violation is already prohibited like you know there there cannot be any videotaping of in the private area private private sections of the school you know you cannot be uh videotaping in the classroom unless there is an an issue of life safety uh and so on.
So, would there be an appropriate time that someone can Let me just ask. Would there be an appropriate time that someone can wear meta glasses during school? >> Dr. Heer, >> Dr. Washington, anything in the policy? I think I think um before you answer that, I think we have to liken it to
simply just h having your phone in your hand in the air in right if I'm holding my phone in my hand, I can do the same thing the meta glasses do. I can take a picture. I can take a video. I can listen to music. It's just not on my eyes. It's in my hand. So it the the language should be the same no matter
what the device is. It's just about um what what it's capable of and what we're and um restricting people to do with it. If you want if you got anything to add. >> No, I would agree. I would just say any use of personal technology um would need to be in line with what is directed by
the teacher. I think that falls best in line with what the statute intends as well um regarding the use of wireless communication devices at the high school level. And just a reminder that um use of any wireless communication device is prohibited in law K through eight. So
we're only discussing high school. Um and in the policy right now, any use of any personal technology is at the discretion of the teacher. >> Okay. I just think it's something for us to be aware of, proactive about, you know, if we're uh banning the use of
metag glasses, you know, maybe there also needs to be training regarding it because I, you know, I wouldn't if Mr. Sullivan was wearing metagasses, I wouldn't personally be aware of that. Um, and you know, so just something to think about because I think that there
can be cheating going on, inappropriate videotaping going on, etc. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Rupert. >> Oh, before she starts, could I make one comment, please, since this is rule making. >> So, in the beginning, and we'll have
this disc discussion, but I did mention in the beginning that you would have three minutes to share feedback or ask questions. So, in your three minutes, that's >> that's the only time we get. I thought that I know we've been through this before and I I'm going to go through it
again because um I believe it was on 1070. I don't know. It was on one of the early um changes that were being made when we had the public input. The only rule making that we felt we had the ability to ask
questions, which is I believe what the law says, is to of staff. And the only way that we could do that, I believe, was at that one meeting that we had. And now we're changing the rules. And this
is going to be permanent. So you only get three minutes. So you >> because I think I had a good suggestion. I I'm not trying to get you here. >> Yes. No. And and we appreciate that. But the the time is to ask questions of staff. That's what's by statute. So we
we took to heart what you said and how things went last week. And we will from now on have rule development on the items. So, you know, so your time to come up could be to give suggestions or to ask questions and staff could answer
them if you had questions. So, I did read that at the beginning of this item. >> Okay. Well, I did didn't hear it that way. >> Okay. >> And also, I believe that if you really want transparency and you want
communication, then you've got to open it up for questions. Even if you put a one minute time limit on them like you do, I think you are missing an opportunity to allow the public to give suggestions
and that's all I'm saying. >> Okay. Well, we appreciate that and and it we do it's the three minutes that you have. >> No, no, no. Because I don't know what's going to be said >> until this is happening. That's why we saw rule making as a
back and forth between the public rule making and staff >> is right and so you could have had >> No, no, that's not back and forth. I was given the same three minutes I give get any other time. That's not rulemaking. >> Well, we hear Okay, we appreciate it. Thank you. >> So, you're not going to take my
suggestion? >> Not right now, >> Mrs. Rupert. Sorry, it took me a second. I didn't realize that you were done. I apologize. Um my uh my position hasn't changed from from day one on this. So um I will
disagree with uh um the lunch period as well as um I think it's further on as the earbuds. Um and that's where I am. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Dr. I mean, Mr. See,
>> thank you, Madam Chair. Got a couple things I'd like to bring up, if you'll indulge me. Uh, first and foremost, um, on the cell phone policy. I'm not going to go uh into the tangent. I went at the last
meeting we had on this. I think my position is clear. Everyone knows it. But uh, our classrooms are places of learning. Our school houses are places of learning. Uh they should not involve abilities to go on cell phones even during lunch which causes a grave
distraction that I've heard from countless teachers is almost possible to get the kids to settle once they get back into the classroom from lunch walking in with the with the with the uh the cell phones on the Tik Tok and and all the other social media platforms that they're on. Um
in regards to the um headphone issue in section 5 subsection C6, um Madam Chair, I I had a question just reviewing the perspective language here or the proposed language I should say. Um it would appear that in no set of
circumstances are elementary and middle school students allowed to utilize headphones during the course of the day. My question would be um what if they're on some sort of electronic um I ready program or some sort of electronic learning program that would require that? >> Dr. Hepper
>> um they are allowed to use those devices at the uh permission from the teacher. So C uh 5C6 the way I read it says due to school safety concerns headphones, earbuds and other accessories are prohibited during the school day for all elementary and middle school students,
unless otherwise determined as a necessary accommodation by an IEP or 504 accommodation plan and specified in said plan. Is there another section of the rule that I'm missing that would allow them to utilize it if they did not have an IEP? >> I know that's the intention of the law,
but it's probably not spelled out in here. If it is, Dr. Washington, >> it's not spelled out in here >> the way you're suggesting. >> Is is that a concern >> for the district? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Can we Thank you. Um I also um and nobody has touched on this yet and I I know we had had workshopped this and and I saw that there were some changes but if I focusing on the discipline matrix
for grades 9 through 12. Um there are some edits to the see what section it is here. >> Could you reference the Patreon too? >> Yes. I apologize. It's 131 of 136 of the
PDF uh specifically S1 on this particular matrix dealing with sexual assault or sexual battery and rape. Uh the punishment as I read this is um a behavior intervention program and an out
of school suspension for 10 days. Parent contact uh notification from regional offices uh law enforcement contact and a referral to a community youth support uh and issue a issuance of a hope scholarship. My concern is is with the
penalty phase of this. I'm looking at some of the other violations and I found an interesting one that's also appears to be new on page 132 of 136 entitled simple battery of a schoolboard employee. And if you were to batter a
schoolboard employee, it appears that your punishment would be the same if you were in high school for those students who committed a rape. Uh, I was wondering if I'm interpreting this incorrectly, but um, as I as I read this, obviously we want to treat sexual
assault a lot different than a simple battery on a schoolboard employee. >> Dr. Heburn, >> go ahead. Dr. Washington, if you can clarify. >> Yes. So, just for clarification purposes, those are not new in there. They are read based on feedback that we received from the prior I think it was
in rule making to have the offenses that are immediately students immediately removed from school to have them stand out. So we did that using red text clearly in here in a red line that doesn't work and I could have turn changed it another color. So those are
not new. um having a mandatory recommendation for a behavior intervention program and a 10-day suspension is the most severe um discipline that we have in our discipline matrix. It's on par with expulsion. Um so
both of these offenses are also reported to law enforcement. Um and I'm sure based on the law enforcement agency, they would handle them in very different ways. So if memory serves correct, there are some instances such as homicide for instance
where it does indicate expulsion. It specifically says it in the column for punishment. I mean obviously um homicide is is is a terrible and unspeakable thing but um
engaging in sexual assault and rape is is up there too. Why is that not an automatic expulsion listed in the same manner that a homicide is? >> So, just for clarification purposes of how expulsions are done in our district, our students are expelled with
continuing education services. Um, so they also attend a behavior intervention program. The state law requires three offenses to be expelable. We have actually four. We did include homicide, but the three mandatory under the zero tolerance statute are the threat to
conduct a mass shooting, a false threat or um bomb threat, and the third one is escaping me, but it will it will come back. Um there I can't remember
what is it weapons. A thank you. Weapons possession. Those three are mandatory expulsion under zero tolerance. Um everything else in our be in our discipline matrix we do a mandatory recommendation for a behavior intervention program administratively
and what happens with the student is is essentially the same track. What the school board sees for final orders are ex are expulsions and only the are our students that do not participate in the behavior intervention program are
formally expelled from school. We offer expulsion with continuing education services. >> I'm I'm I'm still not following. >> Okay. >> Um what I think I'm hearing is that there's there's four categories of offenses. One of them being a weapons possession where you're automatically
facing expulsion. Okay. So, you're telling me though that if a student commits a rape at school that they are not f uh they are not subject to an automatic expulsion. they have to go through a behavior intervention program with a 10-day suspension and arguably if
they complete that intervention program and the suspension they're allowed back on campus. >> So yes, um under zero tolerance they are not automatically expelled. Um our behavior intervention programs are not done within the 10-day suspension. Our
behavior intervention programs at the elementary level are a minimum of 45 days and at the secondary level are a minimum of 90 days. And in order to work their way out of a behavior intervention program, they must have good behavior, good attendance, and they must maintain
their grades. So, it's not that they're doing that in their 10-day suspension. They are out of the school for a minimum at the secondary level, specifically 9 through 12. They're out at minimum for a semester. >> Is this a DOE thing or is this a district thing?
>> So, the the Florida statute requires expulsion for the three things. District policy sets the other the punishment for the others. >> Do we have the ability to require a mandatory expulsion if a student rapes another student on campus?
>> Yes, we do. >> I think that needs to be done. I don't think this is a controversial thing. Madam Chair, what is the process for changing um the for lack of better terms the penalty
phase of the disciplinary matrix? >> So I believe it's sitting that's what we're doing right now. So you can recommend what you would like. We have a consensus and then they would bring the when the policy comes back it would be in there
and we would vote for it or against it. I recommend that if a student commits a rape on one of their campuses, they should face a mandatory expulsion in the same category as those four offenses that we heard from Mrs. Washington. >> Is there anybody that disagrees with changing? >> Is there any objection?
>> Any objection to changing the >> Miss Miss Bulman? >> So just just for purposes of clarification when we're looking at the um discipline matrix first of all because u Mr. Surve just said if they
commit this crime on a campus is that what the is this what we're assuming all of these things are happening on campus and have they been proven to have occurred when we're doing the discipline or is this just an accusation?
>> Dr. Heer, >> go ahead. Um Dr. Washington, but I I'll start it. It starts as an accusation until proven. >> Um but I'll let you um provide any additional details. >> Oh here. >> Yep. So once it is proven um then the
the process starts going going through its process to come back to the board as an explosion for instances like that. >> So the way that this is reading just to Mr. Server's point. Okay. So if we're
looking at this number S1 on page 131, has it been proven yet or are we just disciplining someone for an accusation? Dr. >> Go ahead, Dr. Washington. >> So, an accusation is made and administrators then conduct an administrative investigation before
issuing discipline. Once they have determined that the accusation is true, then they would issue the consequences. Parents also have the right to appeal if if they don't feel um that the appropriate consequences have been
issued or that the the code that's been applied to the violation is not appropriate for the behavior that was exhibited. So there's the whole process. >> So how do so how does the law enforcement play into this? Because I I always get a little concerned about
administrative determinations of criminal wrongdoing. So, is are we assuming that the police are being called or is this is there a situation where there's an accusation of sexual battery and there's no police
involvement and it becomes administratively determined that this is the case. >> Go ahead. So um anytime there is a cessor related incident there are a few minor exceptions tobacco bullying
harassment um that don't have to be reported to law enforcement but any other cessor violation including S1 or sexual battery rape you must report it to law enforcement. Our investigative processes do not um administrators do
their administrative investigation, police do their investigation. Um, we work together through that, but they are separate and independent investigations. Um, and they we do have an information sharing agreement with the law
enforcement. We do have staff that actually work in the courtrooms to gather the information. And so they do work together, but um, there is an administrative investigation that takes place separate from a law enforcement investigation. So, what you see on here
is um the administrative findings, not necessarily what a law enforcement officer has found, but they do again in something as serious as a sexual battery or rape, there would be working hand inand in collaboration with
them. >> Yeah. Yeah, I mean that's a that's a tough set of circumstances because if you're just going on a he said she said um basis instead of using forensic evidence and all the other things that go along with a criminal investigation.
Um you know I'd hate to see a miscarriage of justice either way on that exp. So, I I guess um I would have no objection to expulsion if they're convicted or if they pose a
threat, a continuing threat. I But you could be subject to a false accusation and then >> agreed. Um I guess but on our for instance on our weapons policy, right? If you know, little Johnny brings a box
cutter to school and uh the teacher finds it in a pocket or a book bag or whatever, he's going to be subject to that expulsion, right? I think if you have a situation where, you know, god forbid 100 times over there's a sexual assault on campus and a teacher or
administrator walks in and and witnesses what happens. I think the the automatic, you know, expulsion provision needs to be triggered. I I I guess um maybe this will make Miss Miss Miss Bowman feel a little bit better, but if if you have a
a situation where someone's accused of bringing a weapon to school, right? There's just a just an accusation or there's a rumor floating around and um it's not found. I I would assume that the 10day automatic susp excuse me that
the automatic expulsion does not occur in that situation or does it? >> It does not. We have to have evidence that the weapon was on campus and in their possession. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I I I understand the concern about obviously you want your due process to play out and we don't want to be going on on accusation alone,
but at least at the very least have this treated as the category of four that trigger the automatic expulsion if it's witnessed by an administrator or a teacher or an SRO or a parent while on uh while on campus. Yeah, I mean I I suppose if you have an
eyewitness I don't know this this always makes me uncomfortable with this particular topic because of the he said she said nature of it um and doing things administratively instead of through the
criminal justice system. If there's a if there's an eyewitness, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But if it's just an accusation and I I think we could be jumping the gun by automatically expo expelling someone. I >> I would just I would suggest treat this
as the fifth element in your category of four. Right? So whatever has to happen in those other zero tolerance categories, threats of a, you know, mass shooting or weapons, have sexual assault and rape in there. So, it's a zero tolerance trial and if it happens and if
it's proven or if it's if it's witnessed that they get an explosion. I I cannot fathom a situation where I'd want someone to commit a rape in one of our schools and potentially be back after a 10day uh a 10-day suspension. That to me is is unconscionable and should never
happen. >> But I I mean I no I don't think anyone here disagrees with that. But on the other hand, if someone's being falsely accused of something to automatically trigger a expulsion is also a gross miscarriage of justice. So I I think
we'd have to figure out a way to make this fair to everybody because I think we're all aware of the fact that people make false accusations and lots of people, you know, suffer from that.
>> Dr. Washington, excuse me, Dr. Washington. Can can you explain if it's following the same procedure like a weapon? Let's go to that. They they don't get removed immediately. There's some kind of investigation. There's proof and then the the consequence
happens. So, how I guess it sounds like Mrs. Bulman just wants some clarity of if we were to add rape into that as well. And I think we would all agree that it we don't disagree with that being the same category, but it would
follow the same procedure then, right? They would have to go through and actually be found guilty in some place, whether it was in a court of law or through an investigation with local law enforcement, our law enforcement. Does
that need to be spelled out? Is that what you're asking? I mean I and perhaps we need to remove the person from contact with the >> victim in the meantime while these things are happenings, you know.
>> Yeah. And that's done. That's already the case. >> Okay. >> Yep. >> But homicide is also not on this list of the automatic three things. Is a homicide on there? But that has to happen on campus or that can happen anywhere. So, if if I may just to provide some clarity when it comes to
behavior, because there are behaviors that happen off campus that are um students are not disciplined under the discipline matrix because it does cover what happens on campus, but they are removed from their school for off-campus behavior that
could present a threat to the school. So they are removed and in some cases students are assigned to an online platform for um learning. In certain cases homicide, attempted homicide um sex related offenses when they are
arrested in the community for a sex related offense, we do assign them to an online learning platform instead of having them go to one of our behavior intervention programs. uh process-wise, the difference between a behavior intervention program assignment
and an expulsion assignment, there's kind of two primary differences. Both have a 10-day suspension. In that 10day suspension is the time that the packet is submitted from the school to my office, and I have members of my team that go through that packet to doublech
checkck the work, the investigative work of the administrators at the school. We gather the police reports. We look at the statements of the witnesses. Um, we look at the statement of the victim. We look at the statement of the offender. We give the parent the opportunity to have a parent conference to be able to
come in and share and advocate on behalf of their child before an assignment is made to a behavior intervention program. That happens whether it's a behavior intervention program assignment or and it's a it's an expulsion. Because again, we offer expulsion with continuing education services. We don't just kick
kids out of school with no place to go to get their education. The other prime the I think the big difference between an expulsion and a behavior intervention program assignment under our code of student conduct. A behavior intervention program assignment is a minimum at in
grades 9 through 12 of 90 days. So that's two semesters. And we don't transition a student back or it's one semester, I'm sorry, two quarters, one semester. We don't transition a kid back until a semester break because if we transition them mid- semester, it will
mess up their their grades, their credits, their ability to earn um credit toward graduation. So, we only transition on the semester. So, if something happens in October, the soonest a kid could be considered under a behavior intervention program
assignment, the soonest they could be considered to return to a traditional school would be the following the start of the following year. But that's only if they have met the criteria that they need to meet for their behavior, their attendance, and their grades. When it
comes to an expulsion, say something happens in October, they can't be considered again for transition for one calendar year and then we transition on the semester. So it happens in October, they would not be eligible to transition until the following January at the start
of the second semester. So that's kind of the primary difference between a behavior intervention program assignment and an expulsion is the length. If they don't engage, some parents say, "My kid is not going to that behavior intervention program school. I'm going
to do something else. I'm going to homeschool them. They're going to do virtual school. whatever it is, if they don't engage, they are expelled or assigned to a behavior intervention program for the remainder of the current school year plus one additional school
year. So, they there is definitely encouragement for them to attend a behavior intervention program where we can wrap supports around them. We do have additional mental health personnel at the behavioral intervention programs, smaller class sizes, our ability to
reach the root of the issue that has caused the student to act in the way that they have that landed them in the program. We it increases our ability to be able to do that. So I think what we're discussing here is nobody's unless it's not proven, you know, that it
happened um nobody is going to return to their school within 10 days. Many times in these cases, the students are arrested and based on that charge, they're going to be assigned to a a an online learning platform. Um, particularly with the sexual battery
with rape. Um, but we don't rely on adjudication from the court because oftent times that takes a long time. You know, that they can go through months and months and we don't want kids staying out of school um longer than is necessary. So, that is really why we rely on our administrative
investigations. And then parents also have when it's an expulsion, they have the opportunity to request an administrative hearing if they're not satisfied with the parent conference. And then that does go in front of an administrative law judge. On the other side, the behavior intervention side, they don't have the administrative
hearing because the superintendent has the authority under statute to be able to assign students who are disruptive to the learning environment to an alternative um school setting. So I don't know if that context helps a little bit in better understanding the difference between the two but
>> on the point go ahead I asked for information on the behavioral intervention program a few meetings ago and I never received the board never received anything and that would have I think this would help the conver would have helped the conversation today. So when would we be able to get that
>> Dr. We'll just we'll have to set check if that was submitted. >> We're looking right now for a follow-up. See if it was if we capted. Was it asked here? >> I said it in the war meeting because I remember saying um is this the promise program over again? >> Yep.
>> Dr. Zean, >> thanks so much. Just on this point, in cases of severe uh behavior like this uh sexual battery and rape, in virtually all cases, to my knowledge, there's a referral to law enforcement. If in fact
a student is accused administratively found that there's um enough evidence to take them and put them into this other program and then they're go taken through the law enforcement process and convicted. What happens to them then, >> Dr. Heer? if they're and and I want to get to Miss Bulma's point now
administratively we found enough evidence to say look there's a good chance that this charge is true. Um they go into the behavioral intervention program just in this scenario. Then the law enforcement does their investigation uh either has the accused to plead or go
to trial and convict them. What happens when a student at Broward County Schools who is in the behavioral intervention program then gets convicted of sexual battery or rape? >> Go ahead, Dr. Washington. >> So depending on what the outcome is in the court system, um many times they're
sent away to a program for 6 months, 12 months. uh when they are sent away to a program, the majority of the time, in fact, all the time since I've been in the seat, students, we we step them back step them down back into a traditional school. So,
they wouldn't go straight from a residential treatment program that was adjudicated by the court. we would step them back down into one of our behavior intervention programs for them for a minimum of a semester before we would consider them to
transition back to a traditional school. Um, again, the court process um takes at least a year in in my experience over the last three years. So, their behavior intervention program assignment would likely have run out by that point in time. But as long as there
are charges pending in the court of that nature, they would not be considered to return to a traditional school. And in fact, if they have a charge of um of rape or any sex related offense, they would be assigned to an online program.
They wouldn't actually physically go to any of our behavior intervention programs. They would receive their services virtually, including the counseling services. >> Thanks so much. I I understand the kind of standard case is a residential facility or juvenile detention. If in fact they go to juvenile detention, how
do they get their education uh while there? >> So the detention center is the temporary um place while they are going through the court system. Um typically students are not held for more than 21 days. They're often released on an intensive
home detention with monitoring. um they follow up with their probation officers, but the treatment programs when they are found guilty, most times they're sent away to a treatment program. Um and those programs, depending on what the
judge orders, can be three, three months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months. They don't typically go beyond 12 months. And then they will return them um back in that time. when they do return back again, we put them in a behavior intervention program as a step down because they've gone from a very
small, very restrictive environment, and we don't want to just put them back in a traditional school with a few thousand kids. So, we'll put them back in a smaller environment, less than a couple hundred kids, to be able to provide them the services. But the detention center is not a long-term place. That is not
where they serve their sentence in the juvenile world. They serve it in a treatment program. And just in real practical terms, what happens to the student accused of sexual battery or rape, found through administrative investigation to to have been uh
administrator agrees that it's likely that it happened? And and what's the difference in their life between being expelled versus going through our behavioral intervention program, say for the next year? in a behavior intervention program. Um, they could
potentially return to a traditional school sooner than if they were expelled, but that's all contingent upon what the courts do. Oftent times in these cases, they will be arrested and they will have that charge kind of looming over them. But, um, in the court
system, things get thrown out on technicalities. doesn't mean that it didn't necessarily happen, but they would still continue to serve their behavior intervention assignment. Um, even if it for whatever reason is thrown out in the courts. And so it could
really it's the matter of how long they have to stay in the program. It's either a semester minimum or a year minimum is the difference between a behavior intervention program and the expulsion. >> I'm sorry, maybe didn't ask it in the most eloquent way in terms of their
day-to-day, week-toeek life. What happens when you're expelled versus when you have entry into a behavioral intervention program? >> The it's the same. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Welcome. >> Dr. Zean, it's your turn also to Did you
want to speak on anything else? >> Yeah, I I'm uh I guess what I'd like to ask Mr. Severe, did you want to separate sexual battery from rape or did you think this is for both of those offenses? I >> I would suggest that that they're for
for both. Um I I I haven't read the statute, the criminal statute. I'm sure there's a distinction. Uh however, I I would I would classify a sexual battery as as as up there in in in severity. So I I would leave it as as currently is. and chair on our
>> matrix and chair. What we're deciding today at a workshop is if there's no objection, the final draft comes back with mandatory expulsion to Mr. Sever's point. >> If there is an objection, he could still or any member when this comes back for final passage could make a motion to
change that. >> Correct. >> Um because I need to learn more about this. Uh because I need to understand the fabric of why we've had it this way for so long. Um uh I'm I'm looking forward to learning more regardless of whether we object or not. I want to
learn more before we bring this back so that we make sure that we're intervening in in children's lives with the balances of all things kind of put together. Um these offenses are truly offensive and sometimes it's hard in the moment to like try and understand the practical
implications of these things. Um, but uh I'm not going to object today to your idea because these things are so offensive. But I do want to learn more between now and when this comes back so that we can, you know, try and make sense of all of these things. Partly
because Miss Bulman has shared, you know, kind of some concerns about administrative reviews and administrative investigations. Um, partly because uh there are false accusations that are made. Um, I'm I'm I just need to learn more uh before I settle on what I think is fair for the
policy. But if it comes back to us with that offense, I'm not going to object today. Thanks. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. >> So, just to clarify, if we take Mr. Sea's suggestion, it comes back for policy voting, but then we don't like the suggestion, it automatically gets
kicked back to or we make a motion to change it that would reinitiate rule making on this policy. Miss Batista. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. It would not reinitiate rule making. It it would just the substantive change would have to be
advertised for 21 days and then it comes back to another schoolboard meeting for adoption. So I I with that in mind and the fact that we've already talked about the cell phone portion of this policy what feels like a hundred times for over a thousand
hours exaggerating but there were concerns the last meeting that if we continue that schools already started and the student code of conduct needs to be enacted. I just think it's very important that we get what we vote on to staff that we can
actually vote on and inter and act when it comes back for the vote October some October something. Um so just as my colleagues are thinking about what how we want to direct staff for this particular portion I'm just incredibly
concerned that we are going to be in this cycle again for the student code of conduct. Um, I'm fine with however staff presents it on this issue. >> Thank you.
>> Oh, Mr. Rhodess. >> Yeah. Um Dave Rhodess, chief auditor. I I just wanted to kind of feed back some of the things that I'm hearing because administratively the time that I spent with the inspector general's office, um
we had a requirement uh if we were going to investigate or even refer something to law enforcement that um we had a definition and we had a threshold at which point it was determined that good cause was established. And when I'm
hearing what um Miss Bulman was talking about, it sounds like um that would be something that might help to have good cause defined so that we know that there's a place when it would be um specifically referred to law
enforcement. Although these um expulsion offenses sound like they're reported to law enforcement without good cause just simply because of the um high impact of the offense. But maybe to have that codified might help and identify who it
is that would uh within the district would establish that good cause has been met. So that we're not looking at the perception or series of a bunch of investigations going on, but we're looking at investigations that are going on simultaneously because time is of the
essence when you're looking at, for example, a rape. >> Dr. Heeper. >> Yeah, I was going to mention that um as Miss Dr. Washington mentioned earlier, they're already required to report it to law enforcement. Um, most of the cessor incidents are required to be reported to
law enforcement and of course we know law enforcement is going to investigate um sexual battery or rape. >> So to Mr. RH's point, does it say in the policy all cessor report all cessor offenses are
automatically reported to law enforcement? It does on the discipline matrix. Every single Cessor incident, it will say reported to law enforcement. >> Thank you, Mrs. Bulman. >> Thanks, Chair. Um
maybe we could have expulsion as an option, but it doesn't have to be mandatory because right now it doesn't look like it's even an option on that um on the discipline matrix. I don't know if that's doctor throwing
it out there. Dr. Washington. >> So, I think um I would need more information on on the suggestion because currently the behavior intervention program and the expulsion continuing
education services, the students go to the same place. >> Okay? >> So, they're going to a behavior intervention program regardless of whether it's a possession of a class A weapon or simple battery on a schoolboard employee. they're they're
going to go get their education depending on their address at the same behavior intervention program um location. It's a matter of how long they stay there. They're required to stay there. If it's the simple battery on the schoolboard employee, they're required
to be there a minimum of a semester. If it's the possession of a class A weapon, they're required to be there a minimum of one calendar year. That's the difference between the behavior intervention program assignment and an expulsion. >> Okay, that's clarifying. So that it
doesn't really matter to that point. >> It's the time frame. >> Yeah, the time frame. Okay. >> Um, thank you. >> I'm sorry. I thought you were done. >> No, I just had another question on the um thing. So um are we talking about the are we still talking about this or we
talking the whole thing? Okay. Um, so I agree with I don't know what we agreed to do with um on page 21 and page well first on page 20 to Mr. Davis's point um about I don't know if we need
to add something that the wireless communication devices don't include uh district issued laptops. Are we or are we just assuming that that doesn't that's not included because it's not in the definition. >> Um
>> so you're you're making a suggestion of of including it of including district of excluding district >> excluding it. Right. we've or a district issued device in the event that we were giving out
tablets for something. I know Dr. Washington if you can um provide any feedback or even Mr. Davis, if would that fit under C1 um excluding >> we could >> district devices, district issued devices.
>> We could um carve out an exception there. I think what we have to be mindful of is u what Dr. Hburn mentioned earlier. We do have a lot of students who have their own laptop that they bring um and utilize while at school. And so, um, this actually used to say
laptops and when the rule was changed last year to restrict bell-to-bell, um, there was a lot of feedback from schools regarding including the word laptop there because then it could be perceived as that we are not allowing personal
laptops in schools. Um, and that was not the intent. So, I think just have to be really mindful of carving out appropriately um the language that is put in there. >> Okay. I mean, I didn't know the background, so I was just going on Mr.
Davis's um what he had said earlier for that. Um so, I don't I don't really have a problem with that. Uh the on page 21 to Mr. Sea's point. Um, are we going to change this because it the way that it
reads that um number six >> to add in um parent teacher teacher permission. >> Yeah. Because there's a couple places where we've kind of gone with like we've eliminated all elementary and middle school based on the cell phone policy that's in the statute, but it doesn't
necessarily um uh address other times when the students would be using that because I think in number C2 it might say the same thing. >> Yeah, we we're going to call that out in the policy. >> I think
I think C2 also on page 20 also needs to have an exception for um uh you know whatever we wrote in there for the other for academic purposes. So, sorry. Um, in C2, the use of a
wireless communication device, I mean, um, in a middle elementary or middle school is strictly prohibited in the law. So, I don't know that. >> Okay. So, we're just looking at the headphones then. Okay. That's all. Thank you. >> And I support the launch.
>> Thank you. Okay. Anybody else? Sarah, Mrs. Leonardi, >> you can call me Sarah. Um, what are the safety implications of allowing students to wear headphones
um like during bell change and during lunch? >> Dr. He Dr. Heer. um if there's emergency situation going on or somebody's trying to get an adult trying to get their attention to direct them, they may possibly can't hear, >> right? So, when I when I was in the
classroom, a lot of times um during bell change, uh the rule was that they could have one earbud in. Um and I just I don't know if anyone else shares these concerns, but I I do I am concerned about allowing students to have both in
during bell change or during lunch in case there is a lockdown called and they won't be able to hear it. Um so, I don't know if my colleagues share that concern. I I certainly do. Um, I know that in this last year we partnered with
FAU to study the the the policy and the implications of how that played out in the classroom. Um, I would be interested in if if and when this policy does change. Um, how continuing
with that study to see what the implication is uh with the changed policy. I think that data could could be helpful. Um, and then I I wanted to respond to one of my colleagues who talked about the research that's
available about allowing cell phone use during lunch. And I will just reiterate, research does suggest um that it takes 23 minutes to refocus um after using your cell phone. Um, and that was something that I had brought up months
ago. Um, but I do want to correct that that there is research to suggest that. And you know, I I don't think that I'm going to be changing any minds today, but I do feel again that it is necessary
for me. I I feel morally obligated um to say that changing this policy will be bad for children. And you know, national experts agree on this. Um I think the data supports this and you know you look
at since 2020 2010 the clinical diagnoses of anxiety, depression, anorexia, substance abuse and addiction um have all increased by over in some cases over 134%. Um and that is directly linked to access
to these devices. Um, so you know I I think we are on the wrong side of history in changing this and I just need to say it one more time. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Um, okay Dr. Zim. >> Thanks so much chair. Um, I look forward to learning more about this. And just as a point of order, chair, however, this leaves uh the the format and the content of this policy
today, it still comes back for one more decision. Chair, when is that supposed to come back to us for final decision this policy? >> I believe October >> October 14th. And if in fact that it goes through under this version of the student conduct policy, when could this
be implemented effectively in our schools? >> Dr. He post October 14. Um you essentially if the version that we're looking at is passed in October, we're pretty much just um loosening up the rains during
the specific time of the day. >> Thank you. And um like other people have spoken on this, good people uh can disagree about this. Um I've gone back because I wanted to kind of appreciate the perspectives of other people,
particularly people on this board, but I want to make it clear to everybody, we don't have a 100% uh high impact, you know, absolute policy in Broward County Schools. We have students that are allowed to hold their phones all day. We do not put them
in pouches. We allow them to put them in airplane mode. We don't have cameras in bathrooms. Kids know that if they need to text someone, they can go into a stall and text real quick and get out. What they know they can't do is play Fortnite and Minecraft for 45 minutes in a classroom. They can't pick up the
phone uh while they're uh going from one class to the next and and do anything uh on it where they'll get seen. So, um I just want to be clear that we didn't do the pouches. with all due respect to my our speaker earlier um and we did that
with great forethought. Dr. Heepburn in fact was the one who recommended that we do airplane mode and we did. I also want to uh thank my flying elf colleague who came and talked today. Um I do appreciate uh your your perspective on these things and if I were in your seat
I I might even have given the same speech. Um so thank you really thank you for coming and sharing. We just have a difference of opinion and um I think the evidence is overwhelming. To Mrs. Leonard's point about research, I think
if anybody on this board uses the AI tool that we give uh to students here, co-pilot, and you type in the question or a prompt that says, "What is the effect of providing cell phone access to students in high school at lunch?" You'll get a long list of dilitterious effects with research that backs it up
and says things like not just the 23 minutes, but you don't enjoy your lunch as much. You don't connect with human beings. You have stilted social development. Stilted social development leads to other long-term mental health effects. 134% increase in 14 years should should alarm people. But what
Miss Leonardi didn't talk about is what are the social outcomes of an entire generation of people who grew up with an inability to have social relationships. And those consequences are very severe. They do lead to suicidal ideiation to
actual successful suicides. Uh all of whom's rates are up significantly more than 134% over the same period. So this is serious and I'd ask people to be open-minded and think about other perspectives on this. For those who want to argue about security, we started this great new
thing this year called the badge, right? We all have them. Wear them around. The staff gets them. The schoolboard have them. The last thing we want kids to do if there's a serious security emergency is pick up their phone. It clogs up the cell phone networks, which our emergency responders want to use. It makes noise,
which means bad guys can find out where you are sometimes, and we don't want them to know where you are. Uh, so we train kids not to use their phone during an emergency. And I know parents are going to want to know where their kids are. We'll get you that information as fast as possible, but it actually can cause damage to your kids and and to
other kids to have cell phones during it. And in terms of day-to-day security, Landon, what do we tell students in school? What's our buzzword about security? >> If they see something, say something, >> right? And if your head's down in your phone, you don't see anything. You can't
say anything. So when you walk through a high school two years ago and you saw 10 kids are on a a cafeteria table and 10 kids are down like that. When you hear teachers say for the first time in my career I had 20 students I could see 40 eyeballs. Just let that sink in for a
minute. How would you feel being a a lecturer trying to impart knowledge into these kids fully prepared and you walk in and they're not paying attention to you and then for one year you got a chance for 40 eyeballs to actually listen to your lecture? that would
engage the teachers, it would engage the students. Uh, no doubt it makes a better policy. I want to warn people also about legislation. You know, this year the legislature told us that middle school students no longer could access cell phones.
Somebody earlier, and I forgot who it was, I apologize, said there's a national wave about cell phone policy. There is. It's not going this way. Uh, we are on the wrong side of history if we relax this policy. And the legislature is watching. And so what's to stop them next year from saying, "Oh,
you guys want to allow lunchtime in high schools?" Great. Now we just strike the word middle and we say high schools. And that's what we're going to get. That's my prediction anyway. There are very real measured deep
research effects about what we get uh out of cell phones as it relates to cell uh to mental health. Um we do need to disconnect to reconnect. We need to reconnect with human beings, not through technological methods. We have to develop social skills and move on. Mr.
Superintendent, I have not asked you what your thoughts on this are, and I didn't want to know, but we pay you big money because you have big responsibilities. Are you ready? If you were the king of Broward County Public School instead of the
superintendent of public school, if in fact you could wave a wand and have a cell phone policy, would you adopt the proposed policy that allows high school students to use cell phones during lunch or stick with the policy that we had in place last year and up to this point this year? >> Dr. Heburn.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. I I think I've been very clear uh about this um every time I've talked to the media um every time I've talked to a parent, student, or even this board that I support the current policy as it is, not the proposed policy. >> Terrific. How many years have you worked
in public education, Mr. Pepper? >> Uh 20 plus years. >> You couldn't count that high. It was just more than 20, right? >> I don't want to tell my age. >> Some number some number north to 20. >> Still got IDed sometimes, so I want to keep it that way. >> No, it's a it's a scary thing. I got introduced to Kowanas Club or something
last week and they said I graduated 40 years ago. I'm like, who you talking about, man? 40 years can't be me. This is an important policy and I don't want to joke about it. Um uh because the the cons outweigh the pros. There's plenty of good people that feel like
kids need a break. There's lots of pressure and I agree with you. Uh I've raised a bunch of kids. I'm raising more. They're I'm not done yet. So, I've seen them and their schedule and the pace and the work and all that stuff. But it turns out cell phones are not a good relief for that kind of stress.
Human connection is developing relationships is spending some time exercising is going somewhere where you can listen to music uh is uh our kids don't universally use cell phones to relax or to de-stress. And the evidence
uh about employees at work and students in school is that there are dozens and dozens of negative effects after you let kids use this at lunch. So I don't want to be on the wrong side of history of this. I would just ask colleagues between now and when you come back to appreciate other perspectives. Uh think
a little bit about this. Think about your superintendent and what his preferences are. Think about the shifting the polic. >> Go ahead and finish up. Dr. I'm I'm gonna stick to policy and and stop right there. But chair, thank you. Thank you
for your time. How did I do today, ma'am? >> Very good. They did steal some time from you. But um Okay. I I just have a couple things to say and then we have um a couple more board members and then we're hopefully going to wrap this up. Um I haven't changed my stance either. I've
said from day one that um although I agree within the classroom because I was one of those teachers that didn't have all their attention um and it is frustrating and I don't believe in changing classes they should have it because there's just not a lot of time
for um putting it away um but I do believe in allowing them for lunch but I have a question on that and then I have a question about attendance. So, is there is is there a way to say they can use it at lunch until they abuse like if
they were using it during classroom time, if they abuse abuse the privilege that they would lose the privilege? Is that >> is it possible to put it in there? Because we've heard, you know, that there aren't consequences and and I
don't disagree with that. So, if they're abusing it somewhere else, could they you lose the privilege to use it at lunchtime in terms of looking at consequences? >> Um, yes. Um, to
get rid of the logistical logistical concern of an administrator looking to police that one kid in the cafeteria, it's something needs to be in there that that phone will be removed um from that student. Um, that's probably I'm putting
my principal hat on. If a teacher says, "Hey, I've been dealing with this kid five times. It's time for him to lose his phone um or lose the privilege of using the phone. It's hard to police that one kid in a sea of students in the cafeteria. So, that phone needs to be removed from um from that student."
Well, I and I guess the point isn't so much in the cafeteria because it's more if they abused it somewhere else because in state statute it does say that you're supposed to take the phone because and the law isn't new. I'll just quick
history 20 years ago when it first came out not to have cell phones. I did try to take the phone from a student who then lunged across my desk and tried to choke me. So guess what? I never tried to take a cell phone again. And that was 20 years ago. So just imagine what
happens today if a teacher says, you know, you're you're abusing the rule or whatever. So I don't know that putting it on a teacher to confiscate the phone is makes sense because it really is a safety issue for teachers to do that.
And then then if they take it, they say, "Oh, you looked at my my stuff or you you know, you Anyway, there's a lot of things with that." So, I don't um I don't think a teacher should do that. I don't know if it should be an administrator or whatever, but just
something because we've heard over and over again and one of the speakers today said the issue is there are no consequences if you're not following the policy. Again, it's a suggestion because we know they're not doing it to fidelity for whatever reason. And I'm not laying
blame anywhere, but how what I'm just wondering if there's a way to say using the cell phone is a privilege. So if you abuse the privilege, you lose it. >> Yeah. In general, >> I wasn't referring to a teacher. We we don't encourage teachers to take phones
at all. Uh it would be an administrative administrator that does that, but the privilege is during um lunch. So that's what I'm saying. If something is happening somewhere else that caused them to lose that privilege, such as they're in your classroom and you keep telling them to put it away and they've been dealt with a couple of times, you
notify that administrator and they would need to take that phone away from that kid. >> So which is what's already state statute. What does that look like in practice? Because I don't believe that that's what's happening um in our classrooms. >> Yeah, I think it is um happening with
this special case at Blanchula. We'll have a chat with that admin with those administrators um there. So, thanks for the thanks for the information because we've already sent messages to all principles beginning of the school year to enforce with fidelity. Um that would look look like what I just described. If
it's happening in the classroom, the teacher would notify the administrator for them to come and deal with that that student, which would u result in a student's phone being taken away and parents coming have to come and take pick it up from the u front office or or whatever their protocols are. um if it's something that's happening in the in the
uh cafeteria um that's causing the commotion or whatever um on their cell phone, that's something that the administrators would deal with in the cafeteria. >> Okay. So, it's kind of implied. It wouldn't be something we would need to add into the policy that if you abuse the privilege.
>> I think it's kind of like already in there. >> Perfect. Then the other question I have is about um tardies within the attendance policy. So in student code of conduct it just basically says state law you have to go and you know whatever but
we we have attendance policy and I believe there's an a separate one is that correct a separate attendance policy different from so I guess the first question is that's kind of confusing why do we have two policies
and and the second question is in this student code of conduct it doesn't address tardy which is also something that the um speaker spoke about is that students coming in tardy and I know every school deals with that separately
and I looked to see if it was in the matrix because the impression that teachers have in our district is that there is something in the discipline matrix on it and they have been emailing me a lot that we need to change the
discipline matrix but it's not in here. So where would we have the opportunity to address that tardy concern? >> Dr. Heer, >> go ahead. Dr. Washington, >> it actually is in the discipline matrix. If you look under habitual, it's habitual tardiness.
>> Um, and on their fifth tardy, um, they start receiving consequences and it's it resets every quarter. >> So, >> can you refer to the page? >> Yeah. What age? Because I tried to find it and I couldn't find it. Um, what grade do you want?
>> High school. >> Okay. >> The biggest issue I think. >> So, if you look on page 133, you'll find tardiness habitual >> because it was at the top. I must have
looked past it. Um, so what I'm hearing from teachers is that that's it's just too it's too many times giving them to be tardy. Tardy is a huge issue and that they don't really see any consequences
happening. So it doesn't appear that this is being consistent and you know I don't know we have a couple of students here so they can you know share their insight as to whether what's in policy is what happens but I have had a large number of teachers
complaining about that. So I I think that five is maybe too many to allow them to wait to start to get consequences until five. So I'd like to suggest changing that to two. But it doesn't say, if you look on that
page that you just mentioned, it doesn't say how many times their tardy before they get Oh, yeah. It says first incident, two detentions, but you're mentioning that they get five tardies before the first incident. So if you
look on page 42 in the definitions that are in appendex A, um it defines habitual tardiness as consistent repeated five times in a marking period, failure to be in a the required place of instruction at the assigned time.
>> So the first five days, first incident of >> first incident is five days. >> No, the first incident is one time. So, a kid in a high school on a block schedule could technically get four tardies a day because it's every class period. It's not just tardy to school.
It's every class period and that's why it's five instead of two. >> Um because you could technically almost hit your five in one day. >> So, I think the issue though is each individual teacher and what they can do with the student. I
get that's the concern. It isn't so much tardy to school per se, although that's also a huge issue, but what and and that's really what the speaker said when he came up here. He has 30% of his class that's coming tardy to his class every day. How how do we stop that? I guess
that's basically what I'm saying. And there what I hear from the teachers is that there's no consequences or they're allowed so many times to be tardy before there's ever a consequence and it's destructive to their classroom.
>> So it's not five I can't be tardy five times to the same class. So I have it as one of my topics of discussion at at an upcoming principal meeting to clarify that. um making sure that they understand number one how to pull the reports to see how many kids how many
tardies kids have um so that they can issue consequences starting on that fifth tardy um but it's not tardy five times to each class it's tardy five times >> in the day to class >> in the day so we just need to make sure that >> that's clearly communicated with
administrators and I have that down to talk to them about >> okay but it's still I mean in that instance they'd get a consequence even faster because if they were tardy to every class, they'd get it. But what I'm hearing is that they're tardy to those
classes every single day and nothing's happening and that they get way too many chances to be tardy before something kicks in. So, I don't um I don't know if putting it to two makes
sense because it seems like our maybe there's two things happening here. there's a discipline matrix for an overall general day. Is it would it be better to be specific to individual classes as opposed to looking at a whole day where the teacher is assigning
detentions because it looks like right now that's not the responsibility of a teacher which it used to be. Now you're saying that administration looks at pinnacle focus whatever it is now and someone at at the office or someone in
administration is giving that consequence if they see five t whatever whenever they hit five tardies for the first consequence is that >> so anything in the discipline matrix is a minute is given by an administrator or somebody assigned by the administrator
and a behavior specialist or somebody so teachers are not assigning detentions unless it's a detention they're assigning based on their own classroom management plan. But anything that is in the discipline matrix is done by an administrator or a behavior specialist if it's noncessor level.
Okay. um we can look at this at some point in a different way and I don't know what's in our attendance um policy that's separate from this but I just know that there is a huge class disruption centered around tardiness and I think it
needs to be more consistent across the district um Miss Thompson >> I'll just make my comments really quick um as I'm staying firm on on what I've talked about multiple times times. I want to thank Malachi Malik. Oh, I
tried. I wrote it down. >> Myle, thank you so much for coming to speak. I really also want to emphasize that the research is on excessive cell phone use. 30 minutes is not excessive. And I also want to caution when we're talking about the potential harmful
effects. Saying that our students are socially stunted, I take offense to. I think we have three amazing examples in this room. I think the kids that came out from Sunshine Middle probably use their cell phones. Actually, they do because they recorded a video that we
played. They are not socially stunted. It is a new society where phones are just a part of it. and the fact that we are allowing our students to thrive and grow and put boundaries on when they can use them, when they can't use them. I'm just really
happy that the board, even though begrudgingly is getting to this place where we can give it back at lunch, I think it shows that we are listening to our parents. It shows that we are listening to our students, and it shows that we are advancing in a world that we are going to have cell phones whether
people like them or not. Um, so thank you so much for coming out. I'm sorry I butchered your name. I tried so hard in my head. Um, and that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you. And we'll finish up with Mrs. Alva. >> Yes. So on page three, number two. It
speaks to um Alyssa's alert and the app-based saveratch panic button, but we now have the Centiggics wearable panic button. So there needs to be some type of language added in there to speak to
the wearable strategic panic button. >> Dr. Fton. >> No, it's great point. I just noted that too. So we'll go ahead and make that addition. >> Thank you. And then on page 21 number six, it does speak to the uh the um
students must leave one ear free of a device so that they can hear an emergency instructions being provided. >> Okay, that's all. Thanks. Thank you. Staff, do you have everything? >> Sure. I just have a point order before we conclude this item. Um there have been a number of uh recommended changes.
Um, have we been clear about asking for objection in all of those cases? >> Uh, >> or or could we go through them and ask the board if there are any objections to the things that uh have been proposed? >> Okay. Can staff read back what your takeaways?
>> So, my takeaways um in bringing this back for rule making is to leave the the language as it's proposed today to allow high school students to access their wireless devices during lunch. Um, and
when it comes to the headphones, making sure that there's an exception carved out in there for elementary and middle school students to be able to use those under the direction of a teacher for instructional purposes. Um, consulting with Mr. Davis to have the
right language put in there regarding including all types of different devices. Um, making sure the language is broad enough that it is inclusive of anything that may come out new. um but doesn't limit us in what we are doing.
Adding language to page three regarding sentics and um changing the discipline for rape to a mandatory recommendation for expulsion rather than a mandatory recommendation for a behavior intervention program.
The only other thing that we discussed was tardies and I'm not sure if you want a change in there for this upcoming version. >> Not necessarily. I just wanted to bring it up and if it fits better in the
actual attendance policy, I'm okay with including it when we get to that part. >> Okay. I think I covered everything. >> Okay. Anybody? M >> Madam Chair. >> Yes, Mrs. Rer. Um, I'm sorry. I was trying to count for consensus for lunch.
Was that that we had a consensus for lunch? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. I'm still with no. Thanks. >> Okay. Mr. Sea, >> Miss M Miss Wising, we're not we're not bifurcating the sexual battery from the rape because and one of my colleagues had mentioned because you just said rape. I just want to make sure we're
keeping it as is in S1. >> In in the Cessor definition, it is sexual battery and in parenthesis says rape. So, it is the same thing under the Cessor rule. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay, you everybody's okay with what she said? >> Yeah, thanks chair.
>> Okay, thank you so much. Um well, thank you very much for staff and everyone who came to speak today, especially our student. You did a fantastic job. And um we'll move on to the next item after a short recess.
>> Don't go far. We're an hour behind. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] [Music]
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[Music] [Music] Dude, you feel [Music] Thank you and welcome back to the school board workshop. Our next item for
discussion is rule development for proposed revisions to schoolboard policy 8020. And I just um want to explain better. I it seems like I didn't do a great job on the first item. So today is rule making which means the member of
the public will have three minutes at the start of each policy. So, this is the second one to either give comments or ask questions. If you ask questions, the time will stop while staff is answering the questions so that you're not eating up all of those three minutes
um with hearing back and forth. So, you can if you have specific questions, ask questions of staff. Staff will answer those questions and we will do all of that before we get to the board discussion. So, that is um how that makes this rule development. So I
believe we are going to go straight to public comment. Um so we'll go with who has signed up. So again you can either speak for three minutes or ask questions in that time. So the first um speaker is Delvin King.
Okay. Next is Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh. >> Good afternoon. Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh, Plantation, Florida. Um, Madam Chair, I'm glad you added that little extra explanatory language because my con, well, I'm not confused. Um, so because
the state statute does not distinguish, this is procedurally because the prior item there may have been people that wanted to speak that didn't get to speak. Um, it doesn't distinguish between whether you call it a schoolboard workshop, if it's public and it's a workshop, it's a rule development
workshop, which you may or may not do, but if someone requests one, then you must unless you determine that one isn't necessary. So, um, which now casts a new light on policy 1070 and the thing that's supposed to happen in November.
So for this one a and I don't know that three minutes will cover it because there could be people that have a ton of questions because they have more knowledge or there could be someone that has one question but I appreciate that staff or whoever is responsible will then answer the question and I guess
that maybe the next thing to clarify is if going forward just so the rest of the school board understands you have two choices. You either do rule development workshops with the board here and everybody gets to ask questions and it might actually prove more efficient in
terms of everybody being in the same room at the same time, but we'll make the items take longer. Or you do it without the school board at a separate rule development workshop, but then staff that is supposed to be there to answer questions needs to be there and
they need to actually answer questions or respond to comments and not have a meltdown and end a meeting. And then I would also recommend in terms of feedback, and I send an email suggesting this, if we're going to be saying that we're a district that embraces AI, then it shouldn't be that hard for anything
that's feedback captured at a workshop to be transmitted via AI where they instead of staff manually interpreting your feedback or the feedback from the public because you have AI, you have the tools, your advisories have been using
AI because half most of us didn't have recording secretaries. So, I would think that staff would be able to pull that off as well, but I'm glad you clarified. I'm just not sure that the entire school board knows that they're now going to be in rule development workshops. Anyway, thank you.
>> Thank you. Next is Nutel. Oh, no. Rhonda Lang. >> Good afternoon. Thank you. My name is Rhonda Lang Nutell and I'm the senior vice president for membership and business systems with the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. Girl Scouts of
Southeast Florida is part of the Girl Scouts of the USA with a single mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. When Girl Scout programming is integrated into a school setting, it makes the school a better
place, too. Our experience demonstrates that when Girl Scout troops meet on school campuses and are made up of students, parents, and educators, that in school, the culture of pride, engagement, responsibility, and respect
for others is woven into the fabric of that school community. The results include stronger school family collaboration among teachers, staff, and parents who are already connected, which can lead to better adult involvement and
support. We know this is what makes our organization an authentic partner in education with Broward County Public Schools, and we appreciate the time that we have had uh over the last several years for our troops to meet on school campuses.
Girl Scouts provides valuable researchbacked programs that support students academic, social, and emotional development, aligning closely with educational goals. Our shared values include leadership and life skills
development, STEM and academic enrichment, social emotional learning, belonging, belonging and accessibility, community and family engagement. Girl Scouts foster strong school community connections by involving families, local
volunteers, and building a supportive network around each child. In recent years, our ability to collaborate and provide that connection to girls in Brower County has been hindered due to the facility rental fee structure in
policy 8020. Many Girl Scout troops who used to have access to a classroom or table in the school cafeteria for 90 minutes twice a month during the school year for a fee of $250 to $300 are now being invoiced
$2,000 to $20,000 for similar space. A group of 10 to 15 girls meeting twice a month cannot afford that. And that's prior to a PI certificate application. The PI process partner in education as
defined in the current policy has been confusing for principles and troop leaders despite support and guidance from district partners including Mr. Chisum and his team for whom we are grateful for the assistance they have
provided. We request and support a more simplified process to be recognized as a partner in education for the facility rental fee structure to be simplified and reduced to a reasonable amount for volunteer-led student group meetings. Thank you.
>> Thank you so much. Next up is Dr. Trudy Jvanovich. >> Um, okay. I'd like to My name is Dr. Trudy Germanovich and I'd like to start out with a question. Uh my question uh to staff is how will you address um the
uh issues that are talked about by the previous speaker, but many people don't understand how you're going to um go in and and ask to use part of the facilities. And as a former teacher, I
had a lot of things going on that I had outside groups that would come in. And so as it are you going to keep teachers from setting those things up after school hours? >> Dr. Heburn. >> So I think I heard two questions. The
last one is about are we going to keep teachers not allow teachers to set up? Um I don't think that's the case currently of not allowing teachers to set up uh after school or during the school activities. Um the second part of
the question is what are we doing? I guess you're referring to the the previous speaker to address. That's what we're here to update the policy um based on many of the concerns we've heard from constituents like the Girl Scouts. Yay. Girl Scouts. My daughter's Girl Scout also. um and also many of our board
members who've been feeling feeling fielding um complaints from any constituents. So that's why we're going through that policy now and um I think uh most of the red lines that staff has put in there will alleviate many of the concerns that we've heard and looking forward to additional board feedback to
ensure that after this meeting and we bring it back that we address every concern that we've heard so far. Can you just give her maybe a 30 second overview of what's in that ren the main topic like the >> how easy it is and how affordable?
>> Yep. I have Mr. Aabuso and Mr. Chisum um provide a little detail. >> Good afternoon board members, members of the community. Um I think um hopefully you have access uh Chris Akabusu director facility plan real estate um at
the direction of I think through the board on the chair and the superintendent. Um again we want to work clearly as partners for our common uh clientele which is our wonderful students. Um so the strike through on
the line one of the things we've done is number one recognize what are internals to the schools right like coral band and things like that so those have been stricken so that is just strictly um an internal process we are very
specific on the calendar to ensure that the uses of space is captured because if we're renting we don't want to double book right so that's in there and Then um in the policy specifically for school group which is named in the policy uh
clearly clearly right now the policy when you conduct your regular schoolboard meetings I mean I'm sorry your regular meetings you don't have to pretty much do anything sign an application pay rental fee utility custodial um personnel and insurance and also now
we're saying you don't have to pay consumables which is paper soap you know paper towels and things like that again moving forward when you are doing anything other than your regular meeting
um and including fundraising you don't have to do those things either all you know they're asking in the policy right now is to provide a certificate of insurance if it's needed and then security if it's needed uh specifically
um and custodial again if it's needed that's pretty what has been stricken. So again except if those cost are needed. So everything else when you're doing anything other than that's schoolike
group for the partners in education those are uh youth groups like the boy scout the girl scouts again as we know the policy has come through time and we issue the pi certificates right partners in education one and two the youth groups
are pi one the other entities like churches are pi 2 Mr. Chism is here. He can elaborate again for the PI1. We have actually indicated here they will pay personal cost as in court. Shall not pay utility. Shall not pay for
consumables. You pay your one-time rent for the year $300. That's pretty much it. And then the part two. So pretty much I think a lot of the concerns have been addressed. Again, the categories of need may just be secure in
court, custodial as in court, and then personalizing court. >> Thank you for that summary. Does that answer your question? >> Yes. And I just have one more question. >> Go ahead. Will you in the future um
have a supplement that explains to people how they can come and ask questions and how they can put the questions um directly to someone on staff when you have a policy like this because I think a lot of that could have
been avoided if we had somewhere that people could reach a staff member and and ask their questions or say this is my suggestion for how uh something should be written. Thank you. >> So, and I'll address that and kind of to
the point that we had before the customer service um place that we were going to make it more accessible because I know that Dr. Tanovage had a concern and suggestion and reached out to me because norm used to be on the website you could click by
our name and it automatically emailed us. that's gone. >> And so she had and thank you so much. She went through the website had a lot of suggestions and I did um put her in touch with Mr. Davis, but her thought is where instead of having to come here and
and say it at a board meeting, where is there an easy place for them to make that comment to say there's some issues with the website and then have someone get back to them. See, it has our number, but it doesn't have So that's what she's asking. this morning when you
were discussing the customer service. I think that would do what she's asking, but I don't think to the point Mrs. Alhadev had earlier today, no one knows how to do that. So, we need to obviously, so there is something already set up, but to your point, people don't
know where to access it and it doesn't appear to be easily accessible. So, we are going to work on that. So, thank you. >> I just want to be I'm sorry, chair. I just want to be clear. Um, are we talking about customer service? Are you talking about uh contacting staff uh
pertaining to upcoming policy discussions? >> No, I think it was just in just questions like she had a suggestion for the website. She wanted to know how to go. I would guess that that would be the customer service piece where she said the website's missing these things and
she could email and then they would get >> Go ahead, Miss Sullivan. I know he can. >> Yeah, we had a popup for the I think for the first month or so um saying that we're migrating. If there was any issues to let us know. Uh, it's gone away, but we could put it back up. >> Not sure what the note was about, but
>> my answer remains the same. >> I think it would also just, as we spoke earlier today, you weren't in here. The customer service piece has to be on the front page. And >> yes, the super ready uh let us know that's what he likes. So, we'll make sure that happens.
>> Perfect. Next speaker is DJ Ruth. >> And while she's coming up, can you add Cynthia Dominique to the list, please? policy 8020. I noticed um a few different things. Um number one, the charges that you're putting against our
nonprofits to help our community and our students and our schools. I'm a little confused because of last year and actually tomorrow they're having another nonprofit forum to see how we can help our nonprofit community. Okay.
I kind of feel like we're still in a lot of similar places of where we were last year. And I'm concerned when I see that there's profit sharing that when somebody fundraises on the campus for our students, let's say for a dance for a school or a fifth grade or or whatever
it may be that involves encouraging things for our kids, they have to share 50% of the profit with the school district when this is already going to the kids. So why are our nonprofits or our
community partners that are here giving their time free, their resources free and things to actually help our students being charged 50% of their profit? >> That's that is a question that is question Dr. Hepper
>> Makabuso or Mr. if you can provide some detail >> in this category the nonprofits or again we have PI 1 PI 2 PI stands again for partners in education um pretty much the
Bracken public schools in terms of um renting or using this facility so PI to say if you are providing meaning you're pi and you're providing a benefit to the pool 50% of that um cost can be inind then
the 50% can be value right so that's what it is so 100% so when you say charge I mean we're not we're just saying in in lie of the value we are trying to establish a value to the school or to the students
so we are recognizing the value but that value has to be established in some and there's a mechanism to do that so there's no charge. So if you look at PI 2 uh to qualify for the reduction in rent 50% the PI must provide an incind
value to somebody school that equates or exceeds the initial 50% of the total rent. So that's what the policy says. >> So in simpler terms if if a PI is doing a fundraiser at the school there's no
money coming to the school board. the money is going to the school. That's because they're fundraising for the school. And if that money is going to the school, the part they might pay to us, they would provide inind services to school. So there's no money that's coming to the school board. Is that what
>> that's kind of correct? Just to be clear, in the policy, school allied groups raise funds, right? And the school that has been stricken now, right? Because the policy that's been stricken said if you're raising funds
and 100% of that fund is going to go for the school and no more than 20% overhead. So at least 80% right benefits the school. So that's been stricken but there's language that if you're SAG you're supporting the school. So that's
there. >> Correct. But the pie are mainly nonprofits like churches and they may give something. I like Thanksgiving, you know. They may do turkey drive, blah blah blah. We're just saying at least
50% of that value, 100%, right? But 50% can be in kind. So there's no money exchanging hands except you know in the rent you're getting a 50% reduction but you're demonstrating that you're benefiting the school. >> If I may add uh Eric Chisum director of
the strategic partnerships the beauty of this is to attract people to our schools being a PI. So the PI 1 and PI 2 specifically when you're an other organization you're a PI 2. We are looking for them to be in our schools. So we're giving them that discount of
50% for rental of our facility. We're not looking at what they're doing specifically as far as a fundraiser along those lines. They're it's a 50% discount that they're getting >> and all of the money for rent goes to a school that doesn't go to the district. Is that correct? >> Correct.
>> Go ahead. >> Okay. But is the nonprofit already giving this service that day? Is that not a contribution to the c to the community and to the district? Why is that not counted as their service as
opposed to charging them rent? >> Dr. Hepper, >> go ahead. Mr. Chis, >> the only thing I would I was about to say is if they're utilizing the facility and they're providing a certain service, that's how they're getting the actual 50%. So when they're partnering with
that school, there is a plan that is created between that school principal and that other organization to ensure whatever the end is and that principal is owning that at that specific school because they're utilizing that school. It may be some type of event. They may
be sponsoring some uh Thanksgiving like Chris said or something along those lines. The goal is to get them to the school and have the relationship with that community, that school, and they get that 50%. So, at the end of the day, whatever that inind work they're doing
and that's worked out at the school is what we're looking for them to have that relationship at that particular school. >> Okay. What is to what is your scale to determine who falls under what as the pie? What is more valuable in your pie
to another? what Girl Scouts or or another community may represent may help with mental health, but then you have churches who may be offering other services. So, what differentiates? Does a church give them automatically the PI
status? And then what determines something opposite of that that just because they're not a church that they're not giving a very valuable thing that should put them into the pie of not having to charge those fees. We're looking to build community partnerships here. This is where I'm going here. You
want to build community partnerships, but if you're charging them this amount of money, they're going to go somewhere else that'll give it to them free, like a community center or maybe their city. So, I'm trying to bring this back into the schools, but you're making it very difficult for community partners to want
to be a part of this. >> So, Dr. Well, I'm trying to get to the scale of this. >> Mr. Chism. Also, Miss Chism um or Mr. Takabuso, is that part of the policy um new or existing from the first iteration
that we actually revised like two or three times. >> It It's the PI is a part of the current policy. >> No, not that the 50% >> the 50% >> that is new. >> That is new. That that was an enhancement to get them to be a PI. And
the beauty of the PI goes back to the statute that speaks to patriotic organizations that identify those organizations that are working with families and community up to age 21. So that was another component to attract them to our schools to become a youth
organization. But we've also learned that more of our community, like for example, shout out to Sunset Strings, they are partnering more and they're providing more youthlike services. So these were organizations that we didn't used to recognize as youth organizations. We're expanding that. So
we're doing more training, more education and telling the community like even tomorrow that's another opportunity when we're in this room we will have an opportunity to share once again that we want those not for nonprofit all those organizations to choose private schools
and to be in our schools and not have to go somewhere else. >> Mr. ISM. Um, we got to clarify um the question for Miss Ruth, but one question before that. Um, prior to the policy change for entities like churches, if they wanted to come and do a
Thanksgiving turkey giveaway drive, what what what would they normally do and what would be the cost? Would it be the full 100%. >> For the to utilize the facility >> for for Yes. for a church that wants to do a turkey drive. >> I think they did that.
>> Well, in the past the versions, right, a nonprofit got 25% discount. >> Okay. So, you can stop right there. I just want to to compare from in the past to what's going on right now. So, it's a actually a deeper discount than what
they would have in the past. Correct. >> Correct. also if you can um expound on how do you become a PI 1 and how do you become a PI 2 and what's the difference between PI one and PI two? >> Sure. Uh thank you uh for that one. I actually like to use this as a great
opportunity so that communities know we want them in our schools. When you think about a PI uh my office is responsible for the school. We made it super simple. It literally takes about two to three minutes for a school to do the application process and that application process is online. and that school
principal builds that relationship with that partner in education. They go right online. They answer a few questions. They identify what that inkind work is going to be specifically. We issue the pie certificate within 24 to 48 hours. They celebrate that. They advertise that
and depending upon what services they're providing uh automatically our patriotic organizations are youth one organizations. Those are those you uh PI one those are youth organizations that are providing support services like our girl scouts boy scouts big brothers big
sisters they are automatically the pi so once you establish that relation pi one once you establish that relationship with that specific school they're basically school they being the school principles going online filling out that information we have other organizations like great great sport that may be doing
something very different and they're not necessarily a youth uh one organization ation because they are still a business or they're for-profit organization and they just want to utilize our facility or al or just be a partner with us. They will be the other organization because
they don't fall in that category of the youth organization. They're still for-profit or or other organization. We still want them in our schools. We still want our doors to be open and that's why they are afforded the 50% discount. Very very streamlined process and it is it's
very expeditious if you will. Can there be a system for our community partners when schools are already open? This isn't a matter of having the building open or the security because they're already there for other events for our students whether it's football practice or anything. So, is there a
system that can be made where it can be waved the fees if it's when the school campus is open for for things and events for our students already? Can that be waved? >> Dr. Heburn. >> Go ahead. Mr. Chismar, Mr. Dabuso.
And are you spec M uh Miss Ruth, are you specifically talking about um >> uh any organization, for-profit organization, nonprofit organization, just to be specific because I know um >> nonprofit anything that is is is building money for our students to to go
back into our students in our classes. >> That may be a PI too. >> Yeah, that's what it's going to be. >> But why? This is going to our children. You're realizing that this is a community network that you're trying to create. This is to go back into our community. It's to go back into our
children. It's to go back into the families that are attending your schools. Why are we charging this amount of money? >> Thank you. >> I just close out with this uh statement. Thank you, Dr. Heburn. Uh specifically, a school principal has the ability to
champion, for example, and it does happen a lot. They're having an event. They partner with that nonprofit. It's not even a lease at that point because the school is championing that work. So if businesses are looking to partner with our schools and our schools have the ability to champion that work, they
have they can do that. It but if there if other things are being brought in like a bounce house, a fun house, the certificate of insurance and things of that nature would be would be available will be necessary. But if you're partnering with a school principal and we're championing that event and that's
going to bring things into our schools, our our principal can champion that specific event and the nonprofit is just a guest at the facility and it wouldn't be a requirement because they would be a part of the event. >> Thank you so much. Next up is Nicole
Morris. >> Hello Nicole Morris, Coral Springs. Um, I I just want to say as a parent who served on PTA and PTSO for quite some time, first let me say thank you to I believe it was Miss Bulman and Miss Thompson that brought this item this item back um to change this portion
where you would be charging PTAs. I don't know if that money was supposed to be taken from the PTAs and the SAG groups. Um but thankfully Miss uh Daly at our last DAC meeting said that if there were any monies collected that should not have been that they would be
reimbursing the PTAs and SAG groups. So we look forward to to seeing that come back to the schools. Um we as parents we spend a lot of our time and our money and our talents at the school. I know I
spend eight hours a day sometimes and we plan and we do it so that we can give back to our school so that our teachers will have what they need so that our students will have a good time and a a nice culture and a fun environment and
it's just to give back. So to think that anyone would want to take any portion of that money that we're donating our time and our money for free is is disheartening. But um I do want to have it on record that Miss Daly said that they would be reimbursing any groups that were wrongfully taken from. So
thank you. >> Dr. Heburn, can you address that? >> Go ahead, Miss Akabusa. I'm not familiar with Miss Dailyy, so I can't. >> Uh Mrs. Daly is a a staffer in the facilitate department and what we've
been trying to do as a process improvement. U we've been going to the meetings and Mr. Chisum working with Mr. Chisum. we're doing things meeting with the principles. Uh we're going to be putting stuff on the website. Um so there was some clarity and that was u
what uh the um the lady was referring to in that if there was they were some in charges that were made weren't due the policy apparently they're going to be refunded. That's what she's referring to and I know you were in that meeting right? >> Yeah if I may.
>> Yeah. We were at district advisory and the question did come up and Miss Daly's response was specific. If we had inadvertently charged people for uh through facilitron and they were charged and it violated the policy it went through the against the current policy they would need to be refunded and
that's what she was sharing at that meeting. After the meeting I follow up mi with Mr. uh Akabusu to just share that that question had come up and it was specific to if there were cases where people had been charged inappropriately through Facilitron that
shouldn't have been charged. So the takeaway was if there's a case of somebody who is going to request a refund because they were overcharged. That's what the nature of it. There was no uh different uh specific group of people uh that fell into the category.
It was just that the fact that if someone had been charged an error, they would be reimbured. And that's what Miss Dailyy was sharing with the group that that evening. >> Thank you. And just to reiterate, when someone rents a facility, the money goes to the school. It doesn't come to the
school district. Is that correct? >> Not at all. >> So historically up to recently, right, 100% of the rental goes to the school. Currently through discussions at the cabinet level
90% goes to the school and uh the additional for example fiscal plant operations you know through the treasur's office because they have to go in and do additional uh cleaning or whatever. Um so at least majority of the money goes to the school but things like
utility and then the the cost for custodials those are line items because the district pays the utility. that comes to the district. >> Okay, thank you. Next up is Cynthia Dominique. Cynthia Dominique, Margate, Florida.
Um, hello everyone. I guess one of the comments we made um at the DAC meeting uh last week or whenever it was, my brain is not here. um if there could be uh an annual or bianual
um information session for all of these groups so that they understand the processes and it's very clear um cuz even after the DAC meeting and all of these other meetings that have been had, people still remain very confused and
there are still so many questions. Um, and I think sometimes some of their questions are just more nuanced or some of their um the the requirements for their organization are just a little bit more nuanced and
they need that handholding to be able to make sure they are um doing what is policy required um as well as um completing those facilitron or other applications appropriately so that they
are either getting um approved or not being charged inadvertently fees that they're not supposed to get um charged for. Which leads me to the comment about um the Facilitron fees. Um,
you know, through various meetings over the last week, I've heard, um, vendors, um, community organizations say that as they're filling out Facilitron, if they select one thing that they potentially don't need, they get charged for it. And
so, as they're going through Facilitron, they don't know how to fill it out. They're potentially f um selecting items that they don't don't need. for example, do they necessarily need to select custodial? They don't know that. Do they need to
select security? They don't know that. There's no clear-cut um identifiers to say if your if your um event has more than 300 people or it occurs after a certain time or you're serving alcohol.
That's not happening hopefully. Um, but there are these requirements that would be clearly defined and they would know, okay, my event meets the criteria for needing security. Let me put that on there. Or my um event meets the criteria
for needing custodial because it's after custodial hours. So, if we could have some sort of checklist or um I don't know how they create the form. I I've never seen it so I don't know what it looks like to make it more user friendly and very clearly defined on what um the
end user needs to select in order to be charged or not charged appropriately. Um >> okay >> thank you so much. >> That's it. Okay. Um we'll be moving on to board discussion and I have Mrs.
Bowman. Thank you, chair. Um, okay. So, we've had a lot of conversations about this and that has been precipitated from uh constituents reaching out to us in
various groups. I've had groups, individuals and all kinds of different groups reach out to explain why this isn't working as it's being um uh set out right now. So I get and I you
know I reviewed the policy and with the intention that I would do kind of a write a mockup to present as a you know potential some potential changes. But when I in doing that,
I I'd like to ask my colleagues what we're trying to accomplish with this policy in the first place because I think we have to have an idea of what we're trying to accomplish before we can really get into the meat and potatoes of how it's going to work. And what I what
I'm seeing here is um and you know listening to the public comments and other people call uh speaking to us, we really have to focus on what is the most important and the number one goal
here. When you're in a public school environment, what is it that we want to accomplish? And I think that that is maximizing our student education, our student enrichment, our student experience, our community and our
volunteer engagement. Um and then we have to you know make that kind of balance with um with um maintaining but I don't know >> girls
sta staff went behind her to see if she was okay. We can continue. >> Okay. All right. Sorry. Um and then and then we have to balance that with, you know, obviously maintaining schedules, managing our liability and als [Music]
make income from renting our facilities. So I I think looking when I'm looking at the policy as it's written right now, it's very complicated. I think it in practice it's very complicated and um
and I don't think that it's accomplishing what we want, which is to encourage more engagement, more people volunteering, more um groups coming in to provide services to our students.
Um and so I you know I have a lot of suggestions for the minutia here but I think that we have to look at the policy from that point. I I just charging people for consumables and this and that and nickeling and dimeing and making all
these different groups. It it seems to me is very complicated and maybe unnecessarily complicated. We have um and we've seen the detriment already, you know, with the PTAs, the PTO's. I mean, you've got people that are coming
in on their own time, that time that is valuable where they could be out making money somewhere else and they're and you know, coming in to volunteer to make an event to do something for the kids. And so the idea that then you're going to
have to pay something or you're going to have to pay for the custodian or you're gonna have to pay for this or that, I think that that is not great policy for us because I think it's going to dissuade people from from doing these things. I I I can per personally say
that I've been at BJ's at 11:00 p.m. with a carts full of stuff hauling it out for an event. If you for events that are for the community that create community engagement that create an environment where people want to come to our schools and to help and to have that
barely break even. you do it just for the experience, just for that community um uh communiality, I guess, of you know, people inviting people into your school. And when you have to work even harder to
then pay for the custodian who's already there because you're getting charged to put on an event at the school for the kids with your volunteer time. It just doesn't send the message that I think that we need to be sending in our
schools to our volunteers. I, you know, if someone wants to come in, a third party that is going to rent an auditorium, is going to rent the gym, is going to rent the field for a non-school related purpose, absolutely charge them. But when people are coming in to help the kids to benefit the kids,
we need all the help we can get. So it for you know there's I just think that we're excluding rather than including and bringing more people in. And I, you know, just a couple little technical things. We don't have the PI um
one and PI 2 exhibit to this um this. And I also and this is just one of I'm not going to go through all of my uh suggested changes because I think we need to look at the overarching philosophy that we're doing, but we did
change the PI definition in policy 1930. So it should um I think we did that after we passed the 8020. So it should mirror that in 8020 because they have two different definitions.
Um so I I am interested to hear what my colleagues have to say. But I that's my position. the more people we can get in to volunteer to help our kids to contribute their time because you know uh if you're
contributing anything to the students I don't I don't know why we would be charging them to come in to give services to the students for free that doesn't make any sense to me so I look forward to the rest of what and I'm
happy to help with the wording of the revised policy once we've decided what our overarching philosophy is. Thank you. >> Dr. Hepman, did you want to address? >> No, I'm interested to hear the the conversation from the board. Um, at this
point I was um um I think Miss Bowman was trying to make a point about um in the current policy I guess we can still call it because we haven't adopted anything about the potential of um you know undoing um unintentionally undoing our partnerships and and um preventing
other people from partnering due to some certain costs within the policy. but interested to hear the board about philosophy and whatnot so we can you know get >> but can I just say one more thing too um another another idea that I had reading this I think there's a distinction that
should be made between elementary school at least potentially middle school um from high school because you're looking at different facilities that are available and perhaps we should break out the elementary schools and have that just be a principal level because that's
been working for ever until this started happening. Um, and then look at facilities, rentals for auditoriums and the other things in a different it maybe in middle and high school or just high school. >> Miss Thompson.
>> Thank you, chair. Um, I would agree with Miss Bowman. I think the point of this is to build community partnerships and invite the community into our schools. and we've really made that a little convoluted. Um, I do appreciate staff I
brought up several uh different issues um with particular groups that are in my mind are being drastically overcharged. For example, $20,000 for Girl Scouts group. Um, but I appreciate Dr. Heburn and staff being on top of that right
away. And I think it got fixed. >> I'm getting a I trust you, but I also trust them. Um, and so I do I understand the rationale between having a policy, especially for outside groups that might
want to rent our facilities on the weekend that are really just using it for the space capacity that we offer. However, with groups like the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, people that are really adding value to our community, historical societies that
might want to rent our facilities. Um, I I believe we have to be a really good partner with them. Um, and I love Cynthia's checklist idea because Facilitron is is complicated. I still don't like Facilitron no matter what
people say. If it's not the issue, I don't personally like it. But at least making everything crystal clear to people because a lot of times these are moms and dads who are volunteering their time. They're not going to read 17 pages of this policy to really
understand it because all they want to do is host their kids fifth grade dance or all they want to do is lead their Girl Scout troops that have been in the same school for 17 plus years. Um, to me, being able to invite people into our facilities and making these connections
is worth far more than we will make out any rental fees. Um, so that's my perspective. I hope that is shared with my colleagues. I did have some follow-up questions. When is the use of facilitron required? because I
know there was a memo that clarified that for PTAs for meetings that they didn't need to use facilitron. Is that something that needs to be codified into policy? >> Dr. Heer. >> Yes. The memo we put out was um
specifically for um larger venue spaces for uh PI1 groups. Um and then I'll have uh Mr. Aabuso and Mr. Chisum expound on any additional detail but for the Pyworn groups it was to put in in facilitron if
you're using such as a gymnasium or the auditorium so that we can have record of those large venues being used so we don't double book uh and then just to make sure we have record of of those large venues being used and and if you guys want to expound on PIT twos and uh
for-profit organizations. >> Sure. So the the the total goal is for the space utilization in Bar County public schools, right? Every single space to know kind of what's going on in
that space, right? Since we are in the business of potentially renting out to other parties, you don't want to double book. Mhm. >> So that's the point because if we don't have it in the calendar and then somebody books it and then they pay for
it, then we're going to go through the headache of not being a good customer and then having to refund. So I think the goal is to I'm just using a generally depict whatever is going on. So at this point in time for the policy
the SAG it says that they shall notify the principal then within 48 hours before the event then the principal puts in the calendar again just to document so we know not to double book I always equate it with an airline seat right if I want to choose a seat is not available
I can't pay for that seat so it's kind of simplistically but I think for us as an organization even in this thing called space planning we always want to know what's going on so you can maximize the utilization of your space. So, I don't know about trying to inconvenience, but that's kind of the
goal. >> So, if I may, uh, Wanda Paul, chief operating officer, the intent is not to interview or, uh, interfere with the normal functioning of the school. So, if the school has programs and stuff that they are doing, I don't, you know, we
don't need to know that. What we're more concerned about is what Mr. Akabusa said in terms of the big venue spaces like auditoriums and so forth uh that we have it calendared so there won't be any conflict. Uh so that is the intent.
>> Okay. So just to be abundantly clear. So if I'm a PTA and I want to use Wednesday evenings as my normal monthly meeting, what is the process? If I am a PTA
president, >> you go see your principal and your principal work out what room and what evening. We don't need to we don't need to know that unless you are having a large event in the auditorium. um or the football field or the gym
which are spaces that are rented out by many other entities. Um sports youth group, sports uh youth football, basketball camps, theatrical plays, right? Uh so we need to know about those spaces. So the the PTA president for
that school would just converse with their principal um to to set aside what building and what time um and what day of the week they were used for a meeting. >> And is that does that need to be written into policy anywhere that they don't have to fill because their understanding
was for PTAs that they had to fill out facilitron whether and I know we fixed it with the memo but I just does it need to be in writing. So again, it's abundantly clear to these groups. >> Go ahead, Mr. >> Yes. Um to specifically the policy page
is number five, school allied groups. I think we can further clarify it in that um it's 5A school allied groups because it talks about notifying the principle in accordance with what the superintendent is saying. I think we may have to further clarify the spaces in
terms of what M Dr. Heburn is alluding to. We can further clarify that. >> Well, and I think the memo did a good job like that was understandable. So I think most of the people that I talked to that like the big spaces are blah blah blah. The little space I don't it wasn't called little spaces
>> the other spaces. Okay. So then continuing on this thread. So, if I'm the Girl Scouts and I want to use a classroom for my 7 PM Wednesday meeting, we have busy Wednesdays. What
is that process? And what do they have to do? >> 700 p.m. Wednesdays for a meeting. >> It's the same process. They were converse with their principal. >> Okay. But there's still So, I need clarification on that because I thought they were paying the $300
flat fee. So the $300 flat fee is for the entire year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So previously in the other policy, I think it was 250. >> So it's 300 flat fee for an entire year. >> So
again, to be abundantly clear, so if I'm the Girl Scouts and I want to rent it for 700 p.m., I no longer have to use Vasilron if I just want a classroom. >> Correct. You paid your $300 for the year >> and I paid that. And that goes through
the principal or like who am I telling that everybody? >> Go ahead Mr. Mr. Chis. >> Thank you. Just for clarification uh we were talking about multiple groups. So there's a SAG group that we were talking about earlier and the partners in education that's a different group. So
they are going through a lease agreement. They're actually going through Facilitron providing a certificate of insurance. There's a onetime $300 fee that they would pay for the entire year. However, if they are using the facility for multiple things, there's a decision that would need to be
made if personnel needs to come in, security needs to come in, but that $300 is the only fee that they're paying. Under the current policy, there are some other cost, consumables, and custodial security and all those things. The new
policy changes would mitigate that, and that's part of the changes that we're discussing here today. But currently, there are some additional costs. The rental fee is just $300 flat as they are a partner in education, but then there are other costs that are laid out in the
policy as consumables. That's a partner in education versus the SAG group. >> Okay. So, I I know they're two different groups and that's why I use the two different segments. So, if this policy passes as written, now the Girl Scouts
or Boy Scouts or whatever that would qualify under PI would just go through the principal to reserve their space and still pay but still have to pay the $300 yearly fee. >> They would go through Facilitron still.
They the the those organizations would go through Facilitron. The all the conversation we were having before were on this uh school ally groups. That's what the memo specifically. But our PI groups are outside organizations that do not exist solely because the school
exists. So, uh, Big Brothers, uh, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, those businesses exist separate from a school. They can operate outside of a school. So, they are our pies. They're our partners in education. Very I just want to distinguish. >> Yes. And I understand that. And that's
why again I separated it and then was told that pies would be able to just go through the principal like 5 seconds ago to rent the classroom. So I just again want to be clear that if I am a Girl Scout troop leader and most of them are
volunteers again they are just doing this because they love the Girl Scouts or the Boy Scouts or whoever. Am I going through Facilitron? What is that process? Who am I talking to? And how are we communicating to them?
>> So I'm looking as as you're talking I'm looking at the pi one. >> So pi one which is on page six um of the strike underline. >> Mhm. >> I know it talks about pi 1 pi 2 when they're conducting their regular business.
Um they pretty much you know do the application pay reduced rental fee custodial if applicable personnel if applicable provide certificate insurance but then it goes further to specifically talk about PI1
>> which is now now talking about paying the reduced rent for you know throughout the year uh which qualifies them for just um you know I mean they have to provide some kind of value they only pay custo when it's required by the principal facility the director they pay for personnel as
in court security as in court don't pay for utilities do not pay for consumables right so it further qualifies now to the what the superintendent has alluded to again we can clarify regarding because it says when you are doing your normal business right so we can further I'm
just we're listening we can further clarify >> that's what >> to make maybe make it simpler if you just want to use a classroom you just go to the principal we can further clarify but as of the structure on the Again, going back to wanting to make sure we capture the usage of the room.
Remember that they're not paying they're not paying for anything. They just >> pay $300. >> Well, the one year the one year which is for one year >> I just because there's a lot of >> I know that but >> it's confusing and we're confused and you're confused. Not being
disrespectful, but it we over complicated it in an attempt I know to keep records and liel and lawyer speak, but
um like I still don't know if I'm a Girl Scout troop leader. I know I'm paying $300. That is that is solid. Got that. But then custodial costs are dependent on the principal. What is personnel
cost? Because that's something new that got added. Who is that? >> Um we have definitions you know. So pretend something like a media technician things like that. Right. So in the definition um you may have a standby electrician
stadium manager you know just some specific categories. Um Mrs. Thompson just to again I'm going to align with what the superintendent is saying. We're going to further tweak to clarify between the small
spaces and the big spaces to not create the confusion to you know so we're going to further do that because right now the policy is talking about still again capturing the use but then the only cost that's going
to be in court is if it's required because custodial are contractual. Mhm. But so I I still think there's a confusion because you're saying that for pies like our Girl Scouts and our Boy Scouts that they still use Facilitron.
So I've PTAs, I think I think we're good. >> We're good. >> We figured that out. But for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and or Hispanic Unity, I believe would fall under that same chunk. So they pay $300.
Are they still using Facilitron? Yes or no? How much money are we charging them? >> Doc, >> approximately >> if I go ahead. >> Oh, okay. I didn't want to interrupt. U
I I get what you're saying. Um but part of facilitron too is tracking the activity as well as tracking the dollars that come in. So, uh, it would be, uh, important for us to just have that information in there for historical use.
But I think one thing that we have to work on is under on page six where it talks about uh, pi 1 and pi 2. I think we need to just simplify that that paragraph. And I think uh, uh, paragraph two, I think that will bring more
clarity to it. Um, so, uh, we can definitely work on that. And do we want PTAs signing lease agreements? Um, that that's that's another question that I, uh, think that we need to look at.
Mr. Akabusa, >> truly chair, can I add something? So to the question of do they have to put something in facilitator? So again if there's the custodial or personnel or security is required you have to capture it somewhere right so if I'm using a
class I'm just saying right but then the principal remember that the principal has to determine if custodial is needed because it's contractual um the bras police said security is needed you know we don't I can't do anything about that right so to capture that
um cost it has to be captured somewhere Mhm. >> So that's why you're skewing it towards putting it in a database. That's the database for the rental, right? Professor is putting it somewhere else. >> But then I understand about using the space.
Do we say again it's a classroom and then say you don't have to put a classroom in facility or something like that. So that's what I'm saying. We may have to clean up that. But in terms of capturing the data in terms of cost, I think it needs to be put somewhere. I don't know
if it needs to be put somewhere else other than the one system. >> And I I'm fine with the whatever data system capturing we use, be it Facilitron or not. Um it's it's more
that it's not user friendly. Um that people don't know how much they're going to get charged. Um, and then also just this confusion about pies and one and two and stuff, which I think you guys
know and I know we're running late. Um, and then my just final question, I know we've talked about this before, Mr. Chisum, but um, allowing groups that are like umbrella groups, so like the Girl Scouts of South Florida to just have one, sorry, I'm only seeing you guys.
I'm sure there's other great people that are doing this, but like who have one umbrella group, but then they have troops under them if we can look into allowing them to just do it. So, one point person so that it's not like then,
you know, Maria's getting a room for her troop and Sam's doing it for her troop, something like that. And I don't know the legalities of that, but I think that would simplify things. And then that's my comments. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> Thanks, Chair. Um, I note that uh for
the past 55 years, this policy has been in existence. We've we've revised it 20 times. This is not the first time the audience has come together and said we don't get it. But what um I'm curious about chair is I thought we were trying to get this right. The the the
registration, the information flow and the policy so that we can continue this school year under a rule under a sensible common sense rule that lots of people should pay discounted rates. Lots of groups should be able to use our facilities for free and we have a vested
interest in the community coming in and using our spaces. Are we is there some urgency in getting this done today, >> Dr. Heeper? >> Yes, we brought this back at the will of the board. >> Thank you. I I I'm afraid we didn't give
you clear direction. >> There is tremendous frustration in the community about understanding the rules. There's tremendous frustration about facilitron because people, and some people have talked about it today, they don't know what buttons to push and then they push it and they're like, "Oh, I
don't know if I need that. Maybe I don't." I mean, there's no way to go back in Facilitron, which I think is a disaster contract. Like, it's really awful. I hate paying people 10% of our money. We need that money. And so, what I'm worried about is we got like a rewrite of the policy, but we didn't get
a solution to the problem. So, there's a policy, there's software in the middle, and then there's instructions that are supposed to go out to these good groups and other people that want to use our facilities where our obligation is to make it clear to them how they do it and what our fees are going to be. and all
we did is come back and say here's the policy change but we haven't done anything about the software we haven't done anything about the instructions and their frustration isn't going to go anywhere so no matter what we do today I'm afraid we didn't give the direction that we should have which is we need to
fix the problem not rewrite the policy okay because the policy is onethird of the problem in my mind we still haven't fixed the software problem and we still haven't fixed the clear instructions the landing page the website that communications to to community groups
and and that's a shame. Regarding this policy, I'm afraid, chair, we're not going to get done with this today. Uh I've I've noted that one of my colleagues has a list of 40 or 50 changes to this policy. That would take three hours to read and to and to uh
decide whether we uh concur with those things. Um I don't think we're we're kind of bringing the information that we need to bring to solve the problem. The problem is the community wants to use our space. The board wants them to be able to use their space and they want it
to be simple and easy and for some groups very inexpensive. But we don't have that solution today because even if we spend three more hours looking at all the changes people want on this policy, we're not going to have fix the software or the instructions problem. We don't
have any information on that. And so I worried that we didn't give uh good direction about what would really solve the problem. and therefore we're going to have to kick this back. Chair, do you want me to keep going with some specific changes or are we going to uh um bring back a whole solution or how
should we proceed? >> So, I I'm I'm hearing what you're saying and then I would say the policy is one piece and that's what's in front of us today. if you'd like to give direction or ask for a consensus of the board or bring an item back to the next
schoolboard meeting to direct for those other pieces. Um, that would make sense, but the the policy, we still have to address the policy and that's separate of the other pieces you're asking for. Not not that they're not all important, but we are
going over the policy now. So, I'd say if you have suggestions to that, do that. And then if you want to make a direction or >> and and they're not they're not not all isolated. The policy does drive what's
happening in Facilitron. So if um we don't update the policy the prices and all the many of the structures in there stay the same which I think is the prices are let's call it 50/50 maybe the functionality of facilitron for new users because it's been used for the
past few years. So, I'm assume we have a lot of new users based on the updated policy. Um, but also the additional frustration is some of these new users that are used to not being charged um the increased amount um are frustrated with that too. So, we have to tackle the
policy um which in turn will change the pricing in Facilitron. And then for the new users, we already in have things in motion to um find out what's the pain point for them, make some videos. Um, I like uh Miss Dominique's suggestions too about going out to many of the other
groups and probably the checklist. So, that's good feedback, too. So, we're taking feedback and and making updates um to get that information out of how to actually use it. And um just a reminder that the board at the last regular school board meeting um I don't know if it was postponed or postponed
>> postponed to bring back um some additional options to discuss um in the midst of u of possibly renewing that contract. >> Yes, sir. Thank you. I I just want to make it clear though, following the chair's direction, we're going to work on this policy.
Some members have dozens and dozens of changes. This is going to take a long time. Um and a lot of them are just grammatical things and that's not what should come to this board. Okay? And so I'm I'm frustrated. Um you probably can
sense that, but but Facilitron is enterprise software. You don't change the software, you just change the prices. It runs through a menu. It's the same menu. They sell it to thousands of school districts and and cities and counties, states, uh, nonprofits, and all that. So, we we haven't fixed the
other three legs of this stool today. We're going to work on one. Yes, ma'am. I'd love to make some changes. Um, I would recommend to the board we delete uh the entire section 5E echo uh 501c3. All 501c3s are nonprofits. We talk about
nonprofits in 5D. Uh 5e is not necessary. Do you want me to stop one at a time? Chair, >> can you tell us what page so we can >> 5e is page nine. And again, 501c3s and
the verbiage is the same as nonprofit corporations, but all 501c3s are nonprofit organizations. We don't need both sections. Um I'm I'm trying to catch up. So 5e, what number? I You're suggesting to get
rid of a section, but I for whatever reason >> on page nine 5e section 501c3 orgs >> um is unnecessary because they are nonprofit organizations. They're nonprofit corporations in fact. And so they're really covered by 5D and the
words underneath there. Okay, this is >> already on page eight. So, you're saying we don't need to repeat it on page nine? >> Yes, ma'am. Sorry, >> Dr. Heer. Thoughts on that? >> Aabuso Chisman, any thoughts on that?
>> Is there any distinction between >> I I may want to defer to Mrs. Batista because I'm kind of looking I'm not um an expert on nonprofit because I'm looking at the definitions, Dr. Zimman. I'm not second guessing what you're saying. I don't know if Mrs. Batista can help
>> u because if you look at the two um the two it's not quite a definition there's some reference to the IRS and so I don't know if we can seek some help I don't have any objection I don't have any I will follow the direction
>> miss Batista >> so the sections do seem to be um duplicative Um perhaps one way to uh correct that would be to um add to section D not not
nonprofit corporation and then add um you know in parenthesis section 501c3 organizations as opposed to having two separate sections with definitions. So my concern, if I may, uh is uh number
four uh on page nine, section E4 when it when it speaks to superintendent's uh discretion. >> Couldn't we just add that to the other? >> Right. We would >> Well, it's in the other section,
>> right? We wouldn't need to add it to as to section D. >> It's in both sections. Number four is in DN. >> Yeah, >> I do not see superintendent discretion in >> Yes, at the bottom of Yeah, it's right
there. >> Hold on just a minute. >> Number four >> in E on page nine, right above other organizations. >> Okay, >> Madam Chair, Mr. Superintendent, just a quick question if I may.
Under just also uh for Miss Batista, just to help us navigate, if we go back to page three, the definition of youth organizations uh referenced the 501c3 and then there's a definition for nonprofit organizations.
Just want to make sure we're we will be okay if it's uh duplications or along those lines. Just want to make sure based on these definitions. Uh I think legally legal has also reviewed that. So at some point we would need to make a determination if they stay the way they
are there as well. >> Right. And I I you know it looks like and and you know it would be great to be able to reflect on this a little bit more and read it with more more carefully, but it looks like section D
on page 8 mirrors um section E on page nine. So I would just that was my offer to just say nonprofit corporation or section 501c3 organization to put them both together. I like I like
>> then that that would Yeah. Well, then we would have to go back and change wherever those items are referred to throughout the policy. >> Makes sense. >> Yeah. >> You might even consider uh general counsel nonprofit corporations including 501c3s.
>> You ready for the next one, chair? >> Yes. Correct. >> Um on a more substantive note, um we have a section on uh five page five. Um that's about SAGS student schooling
school allied groups in the light of Miss Leonard's uh item last week on uh sportsmies. Uh I would suggest that we get ahead of that and I hope that Miss Leonardi sportsmies aren't the last sportsmies in
Broward County. I hope we replicate that throughout Broward County where it makes sense and where the community would like to have that. So uh the superintendent has declared that we are going to have sportsmies as a program and the three schools that we talked about last week. Inherent in that are some coaches to
come on. It's the whole idea. The whole IMG academy, the sports academy is to have coaches come on uh campus. I don't think those coaches should be charged uh for facilities. I think they should be charged in the same way that SAGs are uh which pay just the custodial and
security costs if there are any and aren't charged other things because what we want is students to go to these schools and inherent in our program is for other people to come on. We don't have enough athletic coaches. We don't pay them very well. Uh and it would be great if we could include uh sachs with
the SAGs and the sack would be a sports academy coach. And so what I'd propose is 5A uh be sports academy groups and excuse me uh school allied groups and sports academy coaches and that we add a
definition on page four number 22 that says and and I'm happy for the staff to work on this but um a sports academy coach could be a paid or unpaid coach for all activities with Broward County Public School students on sports
academy campuses. Can I ask for a little clarification on that? So, what would a sports academy coach be doing that would require them? Because I mean, in my mind, they're
they're part of the curriculum or whatever the the activities of the school are. So, >> so if we have a band director that comes in and works with the band after school, we don't we don't separate them out in here. So, if you could just explain why
you feel like they're needed. >> Yeah. And I should be maybe more clear on the definition because these are not Broward County Schools employees. So, this is the specialty coach, the the batting coach, the lacrosse coach, the tennis coach, the diving coach. Um, we want those coaches to come and augment
our athletic staff to do the specialized training for soccer, for lacrosse, for other things. Some of those will be Broward County Public Schools employees. you know, sometimes they're the coach of the u I don't know if she left, but Miss Bordy talked about the Sunrise School, you know, soccer team. Um, you know,
that has a a paid coach from a school, but at the same time, there might be five kids over doing a pitching uh lesson with a private coach. >> There are students. >> There only are students, but the coaches that come on by might be hired by the students for a tennis lesson or a
baseball lesson. Interesting. And I just want it to be so easy for them to participate and for the kids to sign up and get that to kind of fulfill the whole ideals of the sports academy. >> Okay. Is >> do you want feedback on that?
>> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Ms. Bulman. >> Yeah. Well, I think we could probably make again I think we need to look at our overarching philosophy of who's getting in there, who we're charging, and who we're not charging. >> Right. So that should be an all-encompassing thing in a definition
like the SAG or whatever. I um I just wanted to make one more comment. >> Okay. >> So with the nonprofit corporations when I'm when I'm looking at this since we're going to go by down this line, I'm reading it as they're not necessarily
doing anything for the students or for the school community. You just have to have registered as a nonprofit, which I could make the morableman nonprofit and pop in with my discount to use, you know, have like a party and charge
admission. So, I think we need to be careful about that. Again, I think it should be what's serving our community in a in a school capacity that's getting the discounts.
That's just my opinion, right? >> But there's a there's just a lot of >> work that needs to be done on this. >> Could we get amplifying information on that point? Like what are some examples of nonprofits using our facilities?
>> Dr. Heburn. >> Go ahead, gentlemen. I know they have. >> Okay. So, for for example, Dr. Zean, love your questions. Um, we have data, right? So nonprofits are like I I like to call them religious. I don't want to
codify churches. So majority of our rental right now are being rented by a nonprofit. That's the data. So we have a lot of religious bodies doing services in our facility. So that's a typical nonprofit if I want to kind of say that
right. And for data that's who pays the most currently. So, I don't know if that answers the question without delineating the additional. >> But to Miss Bulman's point, they aren't there serving students. There's they're serving the community. >> I mean, there may be some students going
there as well, but >> but it's a nonprofit renting our space and they think they get a 50% discount. >> Correct. That's why we truly through the sub thing that's why we split it up into pi 1 and pi 2. So you have your normal
um normal nonprofit like the churches who are mainly PI2s but then you have your pi ones which are also nonprofit like the boy scout girl scouts but we are pi one. So that's why the policy is further giving those
benefits you know. So that's what we're trying attempting to do. we can make it better. But that's kind of the split. >> But I wonder if to Miss Bulman's point if you don't want to split nonprofits in the same way. Nonprofits that serve students and nonprofits that are not serving students and and you might have
different prices. And I think I'm just picking up her point >> and I and I think we do that. That's that's the beauty of it. The PI 2 can be a nonprofit organization. Okay. So the PI 2 can be a nonprofit organization that's serving
our community. the uh paying for teachers lunchons or having some type of event u making some type of donation to the school backpacks and things of that nature and they're at least in our facility that becomes that that group there. But if it's someone that's a non
uh nonprofit organization that is just that that individual that that organization just leasing our facility and not doing anything at the school level they are just the a not for-p profofit organization and they're not a >> PI%
discount >> 25% >> if they're a PI they get the they get the 50% discount. >> Okay. But it just by virtue of registering on Sunbiz, which by the way is uh you pay $35 and you can be a nonprofit. So >> 25%.
>> You know, that doesn't mean a whole lot ultimately when you're offering discounts and then we're charging custodian fees to PTAs that are working their butts off to put on a an event. So I think we need to it's just a lot in practice. It's just
I I just think it needs more work than we have time for today. >> And I I'm just going to speak to Dr. Zean's suggestion. I um I have a problem with allowing someone who's going to charge our students the ability to come
on campus and not pay because what about afterare? So we have afterare programs. they're they're there just to work on our you know to take care of our students. We charge the students and we charge that afterare a a fee for doing
that. So I don't think that we can pull out I mean I understand the intent and we should make it easier for them. But if they're if they're there just volunteering and helping our students or doing a clinic along that nature I I agree. But if they're charging our
students to for batting and you know soccer, whatever, I don't maybe we can offer them a discount so they could be in one of those buckets there. But to not charge them, I think you open up the door of well, what's more valuable? a
coach that a you know um a coach for a sport or someone who's caring for your student after school or there's also a program that they come in and they do music for the students. They get charged to come in because they're
charging our students for those services. So I I don't agree with that particular thing because I think it opens a can of worms for a lot of other pieces and again that's just looking in a silo. If you look at the whole big
picture it really is going to affect um a lot of other things. So that's my opinion and I just to miss Bowman I I see your frustration. Um, but I I think when you read through here, the PTAs aren't necessarily being charged
custodial fees. It's it's depends on if they need a custo if they say, "I need a custodian," then they're going to get charged for a custodian. But if they say, "Hey, we can clean up and take care of it all of ourselves." They're not automatically that those are the changes
that I see in what's here. So, if I were to just sum up what I see different, PTA, PTO, any SAG group, they are going to be able to use a facility at no charge unless they decide they're going
to incur some kind of of fee. Maybe they it's a big dance. They're expecting a thousand people and they really feel uncomfortable and want to have a security monitor there. Then they would have to pay for the security monitor. They're not being charged for toilet
paper or for paper or any of those. All of that has been removed. The only people that are getting charged for things is someone who's not a SAG that is doing not using it to benefit the students. So
if if I sum it up that way, is that a good summary of the basic change? I know there's lots of them in here, but if we made it simple to say the changes you brought to us today were what we asked for, which was not all of them maybe, but that we're not charging the people
who are volunteering for our students. And we we want nonprofits to come into our school to see how great it is. So, we're offering them this 25% discount if it's a non-school related activity. Is that Dr. He >> sums up? Go ahead, Mr.
>> Yes. So um the chair definitely summarized PI1 SAG are pretty much the same thing. PI1 is paying $300 rent per year. That's the
difference. But beyond that, PI1 and SAG consumables, no utility, personnel cost as in securities cost. That's it. So that's the summary and I think that's indirectly what the direction was but
and then for the additional direction uh we can go ahead and talk about the smaller spaces you know bigger spaces and clarify for clarify but essentially you're correct. So, if I may, uh, Miss Hixon, I think we need to go back and look at the language and deconlict
certain things because, um, we need to make sure that number one, if we have to do lease, uh, agreements, we need to be clear on that. Uh, so I think we the policy does need some additional work. >> Okay. Dr.
So, are you do you want us to continue I don't know what to do here. Do we want to bring the asking to bring this back and stop the discussion now? You want to finish hearing what everyone has to say? And we agree that it needs We're not done and maybe some of the grammatical
things Miss Bowman has she can email. >> Yes. Um this is a question for Mr. Batista. Is it can the can board members email us um their notes that they have based on some of the recommendations that they wanted to discuss today?
>> So ultimately when the policy comes back um the changes you know can be based on either the commentary by the public or by board members. So yes, they can and you can put them, you know, you can include those changes in the policy that
would come before the board for adoption. >> Okay, >> Miss Thompson, is it a question? >> A question on this. Would we bring it back to another workshop then? Because it seems like it's not going to be ready for final adoption. >> Yeah, it have to be another workshop.
>> I think probably Yeah, probably. >> I agree with that. So we can start redefining >> and chair can can we bring back can we bring back the system and not just the policy like can we get a briefing from the staff that starts with a parent or an organization of different types who
want to use a facility and the instructions that they see or what they will see the the software that will allow them to pay whatever they got to pay and the policy. So we can see this this frustration system see the solution to the frustration that the community is
having. >> Yep. >> Dr. Heer. >> Yes, we can bring that. We'll bring it in um flowchart form so can understand you step by step. >> Thank you. >> So I have a quick question because I have um Landon wanted to speak as did Mr. Sea. Should we finish that out so
that we have that and then we'll move on to the next item. Okay. So Mr. Sea, you're next. Chair, I'm going to switch gears and talk about everybody's favorite topics, legal liability. Um, in reviewing this policy, I was
going over the the uh the preamble. And I noticed that in the last paragraph of the preamold, it says, and I quote, "The rental use or enjoyment of public school facilities or services by any group organization which discriminates on the basis of age, color, disability, gender
identity, gender expression, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation will not be permitted." Again, this is the last paragraph of the preamble. Uh my question well mostly to Miss Batista uh in
regards to the classification of gender identity and gender expression. Are those protected classes under title 7 of the federal civil rights act uh or of the Florida Civil Rights Act? >> Miss Batista. >> No, they're not protected classes under
either one of those laws. >> By placing restrictions on groups, i.e. for folks that were saying you can't use uh our public school facilities if you in fact discriminate against folks who are nonprotected classes. Are we
creating any additional liability for the district? What do I mean by that? Let me give a a real world example. Uh let's say for um instance there's uh an organization that does in fact discriminate against uh gender
expression within their organization and they come to us and they want to use the the gym for whatever purpose and um we say no because you discriminate on the basis of gender identity and gender expression despite the fact that those
are not protected classes in the state. Do we face any liability from those organizations from suing the district by saying that we are in fact discriminating against them? >> Miss Batista. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So yes, um is if
it plays out the way that you have just described it, there would be potential liability for uh viewpointbased discrimination. Um, of course, there is also a carveout at the end of that um, statement that
you just read that says except as provided by law or court order. Um, which I think is meant to address the concern that you are um, stating. Um, however, I can see how there is a risk
of that language being interpreted as potential viewpointbased um, exclusion, which which by the way, we had a regarding this particular policy, we had a lawsuit back in 1998 uh, with the Boy Scouts specifically on
that issue. So it is wellestablished law that uh once a public entity opens their facilities for community use, you cannot deny access to certain groups because of their viewpoints. >> Yeah. And um thank you for the um the
call back to the Boy Scouts case. I'm for semi familiar with that case. Uh, Madam Chair, in in in light of um Miss Batista's um suggestion and or clarification there, um I I would request just to avoid any
uh potential liability that I I know that there's a lot of different things within this policy and this is probably going to be a giant work in progress as we move through some of the issues that my colleagues have raised this afternoon. But um if I may pile upon the proverbial list um I would say for the
sake of ensuring that um we do not subject ourselves to any prospective liability from any organizations that we remove gender identity and gender expression from the preamble. >> Okay. Mrs. Leonardi on the >> Yeah. On that I do not agree. I object to that.
>> If if I may offer maybe a solution. Um so what What I would propose is perhaps to add some language um at the end of that section that says that nothing in this policy shall be construed to grant or deny access based
on the viewpoint of any group or organization. >> Would that be in addition to what's already there? >> Uh yes. or we can take out except as provided by lower court order and add this section that I just stated.
>> That is satisi satisfy what you're asking. >> I wouldn't suggest that we take out um except as provided by law or quarter. I I think that would should should have to stay. Um I pause Matis if wouldn't mind just repeating that one more time. >> Sure. Um nothing in this policy shall be
construed to grant or deny access based on the viewpoint of any group or organization. So in that case, even if you had a an organization that did in fact discriminate
on those categories that we discussed, they would still be able to use the facilities. We would not be able to reject and therefore the liability for the district would be limited. Correct. >> Correct. >> I would be okay with that, >> Mrs. Leonardi.
>> I again have to be clear. I do not agree that uh that organizations that discriminate against people including children on the basis of those um those issues that that were pointed out I do not agree with allowing those
organizations onto our school campuses. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anybody I agree with Mrs. Leonardibody else? >> I emphatically agree with Miss Leonardi. So >> I think we have to distinguish between
um a statement of um some form of moral objection from an objection to the language. I think uh chair if you don't mind I think you have to ask if anyone objects to the general counsel's >> and if I may clarify uh before because I
I think that um this this may you know raise um very um very passionate beliefs and um what I do want to clarify is that the established
federal law is that you know once a organization opens its doors to the use by the public, you cannot discriminate on the basis of viewpoint. And it has been established that viewpoint means uh
like for example for the Boy Scouts, there was a time that they were specifically and and openly discriminating against um um either you know gay, I think it was at the time it was uh um children. So um the board this
board at that time um made it a point saying well we do not want the boy scouts in our facilities that um ensued you know there was a lawsuit that happened right after that and the law has been established by that case and many others that we cannot exclude an
organization based on their viewpoint uh or their discrimination of a particular a particular group because that's considered their viewpoint. point. >> Go ahead. Um, what is in policy right now, the language that is in policy, is that contrary to what you're saying,
>> Miss Batista? >> The language I think the language that um follows um you know that last section that says um will not be permitted except as provided by law or court order. um attempts to capture the fact
that um there cannot be any viewpoint based exclusion. Um but I can see how there could be a an argument that you know that the language could be interpreted still that way. So by adding that the additional language
that I that I stated, just basically saying nothing in this policy shall be construed to grant or deny access based on the viewpoint of any group or organization um makes sure that that um is conclusively
u dealt with from a liability standpoint. >> Okay. Um I agree with the language that is currently in policy. Um since it says except as provided by law or court order. Um I don't agree with adding anything additional. I don't really
understand like the relevance of this conversation beyond virtue signaling. Um, so I think that we should stay with or my my position is that we stay with the language that we have in policy right now regarding this, especially given the plethora of other actual
issues that impact parents in organizations um that we've been trying to sort through today. Thank you, >> Mr. Se. >> If I may, uh, I think one of the duties of of everybody who sits up on this board is to weigh risk and liability for
this district. And I think if you have policies that are in place which subject the board to liability and unwarranted lawsuits and unnecessary lawsuits by things that can be tailored and be fixed very quickly, especially when you're staring in the face of wellfounded case
law. I'm well aware of that boy scout case that Miss um Batista was citing to. And I don't want a situation where somebody comes in and they try to rent one of our gyms and we say no on the basis of um them essentially
disassociating themselves with um a nonprotected class and then we get sued and then it's a lot of negative press for the district. There's potential financial windfalls for the district. One of our jobs as board members is to weigh the risks for that. And when I
see, as anybody on this on this panel and on this board knows, okay, when I see something in a contract or in a rule that I think will subject the board or the district to legal liability, I'm going to speak up. This is not a virtue signal. This is a liability signal. I want to
protect this district and I want to protect our students and BCPS from unwarranted lawsuits. And if we have to do if we can do that by adding a couple words as Miss Batista has suggested, >> I don't see the harm in that. >> Thank you. Anybody?
>> Chair, did you register an objection? >> I I did I agree with Mrs. Leonardi that the way it reads is fine with me. >> Two objections. Great. I wonder if that means we're done with this item. >> Miss Well, we're not done yet because Landon object Yeah. Thank you. Landon
has a question and I still have one more question. Yes, Mrs. >> Can Miss Batista repeat the language? >> Yes. The language that um that I propose would be added at the end of that paragraph and it would state nothing in this policy
shall be construed to grant or deny access based on the viewpoint of any group or organization. Okay. And I'm just kind of trying to understand why my colleagues have an issue with that language.
>> No, I know you don't. >> Right. But it can be proposed next week or when it comes back. I mean, it's not going to go in this round because there were objections. >> I have I believe the way it's written says as per law or court order, it
already encompasses that. I don't think we need the additional information. It to me it sounds confusing to first say what you say in the first paragraph and then say something that sounds different in the other one. I think it's confusing. So I would prefer to leave it
the way it is. >> I'm fine adding it as long as we're keeping the gender and gender identity. We're just clarifying that sentence if it reduces liability. And to me, it seems similar to the case of why we
changed the banner policy. I don't think it does harm by adding a clarifying sentence. And if it protects us from liability, I'm all for that. Thank you, >> Miss Batista. Is there anything in the
way it's written now that puts us in a position like adding that wording? Will that change what the district does? So you you asked me two different questions, but I don't believe the district is discriminating on the basis of viewpoint. Um, I'm pretty comfortable
that that's the case because I I know how the policy is being interpreted and um um but you know I I think adding that language would protect the district from potential interpretation that this is a
viewpoint discriminatory language. >> It would just reinforce that. >> Mrs. Ala, >> I agree with adding the language. Okay, Mrs. Bowman. Okay, just stick with me here for a second.
But um I guess I'm confused because if we have if we open up our facilities to the public and then we rent them to anybody,
is that correct? regardless of viewpoint, then I don't even know why we have the statement in the first place to be perfectly honest. Unless it's >> because I mean when you're looking at we we just said we've we've um many
churches rent the facilities. Well, many churches have many different viewpoints that don't comply with this. So, it seems to me like we're making a value statement and that might be separate from what we're doing in terms of who we're renting to.
>> Miss Batista, >> I'm not sure that there is a question there, but >> well, I'm the the question is what's I guess what's the purpose of the sentence in the first place if we are basically
not able to not rent to people that discriminate on any of these things because we're we have to rent to everybody if we open it to the public. So why is it there? >> And I don't know the history of why um
that particular section is there, but I I'm sure it's a value statement on behalf of the board. Anybody else? >> Do you have >> uh We still have the student advisor. >> Well, just on this point I thought you
were sorry. >> Do is there a consensus? >> Nope. There's two objections. >> Seem to be a majority. >> Yes. Right. There's three or four
>> I did. Yeah. Um so it doesn't look like based on till we change our policy to to define majority as before as it stands now if there's a strong objection it
doesn't move forward and it sounds as if there's a strong objection. So >> and chair just as a point order there's another step in this this policy is coming back. >> Yes. >> And at a schoolboard meeting anyone who wants to make that motion only needs to get five votes to win. >> Yes. So, at a workshop, you need consensus and we didn't gain that today
and uh but it'll come back and there'll be an opportunity at a workshop and then another opportunity at a schoolboard meeting. >> Yes. Thank you, Landon. >> I'll be two seconds. I just uh although Mr. Chisum really wanted to join SGA, not S A. >> Thought that was
>> um No, it's not. Uh I just wanted to clarify that moving forward that uh the policy applies to S AS not SGAAS as was communicated. Thank you very much. >> Free of charge for you.
>> Um and I'll just finish up with I I have a basic question. So based on the conversation we had in that the principal is part of this. How can you explain to us how much the
principles involved? Because we have had some information like if somebody wants to I'm going to put it a different way. If somebody wants to rent the gym and they put it in facilitron, does the principal have the ability to approve or disapprove that? Because
there may be something going on at the school and what's been sent to us is that the principles don't have that ability which doesn't make sense. if it's their campus. So if you could just that's that's my last question.
>> Go ahead Mr. Abusa. Mr. Akabusa. >> So um we always trying to do process improvement and um initially if you look at the policy is very broad. The principle shall be kept in the loop throughout the process. It's still in
the policy. Um initially up to a few maybe five six months ago the principle was the final approval meaning through the workflow facility will verify everything including insurance um you know legitimate business and then the
principal gets a notice that um they pretty much will do the final approval. But we were having situations whereby approvals were being made or entities utilizing the facility without the information being verified. So that
process was changed. Now the regional offices are regional superintendents are the preapprovals and the fiscal plan real estate department is the final approval to making sure everything is vetted. But in the process the principle in alignment with the
policy is still in the loop. the policy gets notification in facilitron because the principal is supposed to determine if you need custodial or not. So the principal is still in the loop and can make comments. So
before instead of the air well when the area superintendent makes the first approval do they reach out to the principles first so that they have a better understanding of if they don't I mean I don't know that we need to put it in
policy but maybe through the procedure part because I know that the principles feel as if they are not really in the loop if they're only asking about custo custodial that's not really looking to see you know is that available did they
have maybe they're having a pep rally or something that they wouldn't put in facilitatron but they you know so I I think it would be important to make sure for any of big events that they're you're always asking the principal first
do you maybe not to approve it but to ask them is there something going on because what I understand is their calendar doesn't interface face with Facilitron. So, Facilitron wouldn't flag that there's already something being planned at the school level. So, and I
don't know if there's a way to fix that. Maybe if you could at least dump one calendar in there so it flags it, but that was um some of the concerns that came to me to discuss. >> We'll definitely look into that and correct any, you know, mishap.
>> Great. So before we finish up here's so if board members have any other suggestions they didn't get to today some grammatical things I understand is it the suggestion here is that they email it to
>> yes if they can email it to um actually email it to Mr. Sullivan and he will make sure it gets routed to the right team members. >> And if I may, sir. >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Uh I think we'll schedule it for the September 24th meeting. Um when you do email or assistance email, make sure
you're not copying other board members in that correspondence >> workshop. >> So it will come back to us at the September 24th >> workshop. Okay. >> Anybody else? All righty. Thank you for your patience and all of um the participation. Thank you for those of
you that came to speak and we will move on to our last item for today. But we're going to take a fivem minute recess to get everybody >> before you go to recess. We we started at 9:00 this morning. >> No, we started a meeting at 1. The workshop doesn't the board the board
training doesn't count as the meeting. I asked Miss Batista. So, we started at 1:00. So, we can go till 9. >> Okay. I have plans. So, uh that's really unfortunate. Yes. [Music]
>> Hey. Hey. Are you [Music] [Music] down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. Down. [Music] [Music]
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[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Thank you and welcome back to the school board workshop. The last item for today
is redefining our schools 202526. I now turn it over to staff for a brief presentation. >> Thank you chair, school board members, and to our entire Broward community. Um redefine is is just is not just about closing schools. It's about protecting
what matters most. ensuring every student has the best possible opportunities, making sure every school can provide a high quality education, and guaranteeing we can continue to support and fairly compensate our dedicated employees. Like many large school districts across the
country, Broward is facing the reality of declining enrollment. This year, the tri county area has declined by approximately more than 25,000 students this year. To remain financially stable and strong for the future, we must rightsize our district. That means some
difficult decisions will be necessary, including school closures. To clarify, the focus extends beyond school closures. It is centered on maintaining high standards of excellence for all children across every community in Broward County. I also know that it's a
lot of misinformation out there. So, I want to assure the board, our families, our employees, and everybody in our city and across our county that we will be transparent in every step of the way. We will engage with staff, parents, and community members directly. Together, we
will face this challenge. And together, we will shape a strong future for Broward County's children. Thank you. And I'll turn it over to Dr. Wanza and the team. And welcome, Dr. Freed. >> Yes, Dr. Wait, Dr. Heburn, don't take our thunder. So, um, good evening, school board members. obviously um Dr.
Heburn, colleagues across the organization, also to um our community members and stakeholders that are here present in the boardroom as well as those that are watching uh the live stream. So, I'm Valerie Wanza. I'm the chief strategy and innovation officer.
And I will say that um this is my 34th year in the school district, but probably one of the most challenging um in those over three decades. and I will ask my team to please introduce themselves and then we will walk the board through the presentation and look forward to the um discussion that will
follow. >> Uh Joe Beck, director of demographics and enrollment planning. >> Dr. Cassandra Frerieded, director of magnet and innovative programs. >> Good afternoon. Dante Collins, director of charter schools management support department.
>> Good evening. Adrien Parker, executive director, strategic initiative management. >> Good evening. Willie Wood, director of performance management. >> And joining us virtually, they're listening, um, is Eric Anderson, who's the director of before and after school
programs, as well as she'll I'll just say Patty Brown. She does not like being called Patricia. Patty Brown, the director of athletics and student activities. So, if Beacon can load the presentation, we're going to um begin the conversation. So again, this is our
second um conversation with the board and the community this year for a redefining our schools. Madame Chair, before we leave today, this is what we must have answers on because you like to know what is it that we need. So before we leave today, we need to um have an
understanding um of the schools that will be addressed. We also have outlined the timeline and a stakeholder engagement plan. We do need um the board's direction on the composition of the school boundary committee and I will and there's a slide that speaks to that
and then we will also need um what the board would like for that committee to consider as they evaluate what will become the proposals that um to be considered that the superintendent would then make uh final recommendations. So what what we've done and I I'll say this
the um the next three slides are based on obviously our enrollment data from last school year. As many know yesterday um the superintendent released the enrollment for the 10th day of school this school year. So we are continuing
to realize enrollment decline. But um after looking at multiple factors, staff actually pursuant on the language and policy 8010, staff actually um came up with some schools that we recommend be addressed through this year's process.
So you will see at the elementary level there's a um four um groupings of schools that we are recommending to be addressed and they are there on the slide. I will not read to you but obviously the elementary level um has the greatest number and proportionately
we do have more elementary schools than we have at any other level. So that's slide three. Following the same cadence we did the same thing for middle schools and there are um four clusters or four groupings of middle schools that we um recommend to be addressed through this
year's boundary process. and they are um as you can see they reach the north, the south, the east um and the west but there are four groupings of elementary schools. The next slide we also have three high schools um that by policy
criteria um need to be addressed as well. uh one two high schools are situated in the central region of the district and one high school is in the south region of the district and they are there um as well. Then we have um
three um air three um I'm going to three items that um staff has been um asked to to look at. The first one I will say um the move of Silver Palms Elementary School from the
Flanigan zone to the rest west Broward zone that would come up naturally through our redesigning our school or redefining I'm sorry our school's process through the boundary process because if you look at what potentially may be done um with uh one or two of the
middle schools in the southwest portion of the district, this would rise to the level um of discussion of a school that needs to be addressed. best to clean up a fe a feeder pattern depending on what happens with um some of the middle school conversation. Then we know at the
uh March 11th uh school board meeting, March 11th of this year, March 11, 2025, there was some consensus action taken at the end of the meeting. It was further um discussed at the April 15th schoolboard meeting around um directing
the superintendent to bring back some options that would reestablish that not that would establish not reestablish but that would establish a choice boundary area. um for what was then known at that time the C4 area uh for Coral Glades and
Marjgery Stoneman Douglas High School. Um and then we know that um there has been uh much correspondence received by staff, the superintendent and and the board around looking at um looking at establishing a choice area between
Pioneer Middle School and Silver Trail. And we can speak to the challenges with that as well. um as we go through the redefining our schools process. And this isn't to say that any any of these schools are up for
um closure or anything of that nature, but this is really that as we start to look at the services that we are providing our students. We will um just look at our alternative high schools and our behavior change schools to make sure program services um that are being
offered are aligned to the needs of our students. and you know they were referenced briefly in the um conversation earlier around the code of student conduct. So this is our timeline that we have proposed. We have already had the
workshop on July 29th and then um we are here today with today's conversation with the board. You will see um what we are proposing as the timeline that includes um a robust stakeholder engagement process. What I will say is
based on the direction that we see from the board today, we have already um secured dates and locations for eight high schools to have the community meetings um beginning actually September 10th going through September 30th. We
are already um uh geared up to have conversations with the municipalities that the the majority of these schools reside in so that we can hear from you um municipal leaders, city managers around ideas and concepts that they will
have. And then um we will come back to the board at the September 16th um school board meeting to actually bring the resolution to established the school boundary committee based on the direction that we received today. And
that that's the timeline that we are proposing. And the the timeline would pretty much have the superintendent's recommendations being made public in September. September uh 10th to be exact. I'm sorry, December. Geez, I get
carried away. I'm in September. December. Um and I should know December 10th. My birthday is December 11th, right, Mrs. Dixon? We should know that. We're birthday twins. Um so it would um conclude with the superintendent's recommendations coming out in December
and then um board meeting in January once the board establishes its calendar um for the board to vote on what would be the attendance areas for the 2627 school year. Um we would need um
direction from the board on the establishment of the school boundary committee. The one thing that we will say is that um we obviously as I said will bring a resolution to the board at the September 16th schoolboard meeting to establish the committee. The
committee will sunset um after its deliberation meeting on November 13th and then the board will obviously give us um direction today on how the committee is to be comprised. We do have a you know just a recommendation there
but we look forward to hearing from um the board on what the board directs superintendent and staff to have as the final composition of the committee. And then these are the um considerations that were used last school year. So, we
would ask the board to um give us direction on if we are to stay with these considerations or if the board would like to see different considerations um for evaluating proposals that come out of the um community meetings and
community discussions. And um just as a a reminder, these are um the wide range of redefining strategies that um we look to implement throughout this process. So they are there um they were explained at the uh
July 29th workshop and we just repeated them here so that the um community is aware that these are the wide range of strategies that we um would implement given um the needs of different communities. And that's the end of the presentation.
We are here for input and direction. Thank you madam chair. >> Thank you. Next we will have public comment. And first is Dr. Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh. >> Good afternoon, Dr. Natalie Lynchwalsh, Plantation, Florida. Um, I'm trying to
wake up after that robust discussion. Um, and I hope you have an equally robust one because what's not robust is 12 slides. So, there's no data, there's no information on magnets, there's um nothing under here. And there probably
would be had you had a long range facility master plan steering committee which has not had a meaningful meeting since Dr. Smiley was here. So think about how many superintendants ago that was. Um not that long but nothing has happened. So let me see if I can get
through the rest of this. Um definition of community in schools that have high number of reassignments. The community also needs to include those who are zoned but may not be attending. Not just the ones that are attending but the ones
who live in boundary. I can tell you in Plantation um most of us are not there in Plantation Middle or High and it's a school culture problem. Um page three mentions Bennett. You just approved 1.7 for Sunrise and now you're talking about
Bennett. Seems like we're backing into a program there. North Fork building one staff has been hoping that someone will decide to demolish the main building for I can't tell you how many years now. There needs to be a boundary change there. If you try to put something into the main building, then you've missed
the entire exercise. Page four. Um if you consolidate, this is where Plantation Middle Plantation High comes in. We have started discussing this. Some of the concerns they had as far as consolidating it into a 6 to 12. The concerns were keeping the middle and
high schools separated and then also keeping them separated during um and uh trans when they're being transported and dropped off and picked up and putting the types of academic programs that might appeal to plantation families because you're not going to have people
coming to a school if you don't know what will get them there. And nobody ever asked Plantation what would get you into Plantation Middle and High and now it's too late. uh you don't have enough students. So consolidating it into a 6 to12 that serves Central Park
Elementary, Mirror Lake, and Peters would solve the problem. Give it a bougie new name and Plantation will come. Trust me. Um I've lived there since 1998. I know where I live. Um that's on page four. Then we have Addicts and Bthoon. You're discussing Addicts, but we're pretending Bthun,
which does not have any playgrounds other than the Head Start playgrounds. And then staff is mentioning it in passing in for 2028. Maybe they'll fund them for playgrounds. The FPL vault other question mark. There's been a Castali on buildings 1 through 7 since
2007. And then Stranahan. Poor Stranahan. Uh there's going to be a civil rights lawsuit and they're all going to win if all of these communities ban together if you guys don't do right by all of these communities. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Trudy Jeran.
My name is Dr. Trudy Germanovich and I wanted to uh personally thank um Miss Hixon for helping with the um getting the written comments in. Um they've disappeared off on there now, but there was one that I'd like to read who
probably couldn't come tonight. Uh Fia Desenard asks, "What needs to happen and what can we do?" I thought those were great questions. She has some answers. Stronger collaboration with local government. That needs to be forefront
here. Broward County schools should work handinhand with Broward County government, cities, and mu municipalities. Together, we need to identify the most urgent needs for families and de determine how local policies such as zoning laws, development projects, and community
investment can support affordability, affordable housing for educators and families. Other communities across the nation are leading the way with innovative solutions. Some districts are building teacher housing on district-owned land, as we know here.
Others are partnering with developers to set aside affordable units specifically for educators and working families. We need to do more of that in Broward County. Advocacy for living wages, raise teacher salaries, and she is a teacher.
And advocating for livable wages across all professions. It's not optional. It's essential. If teachers, firefighters, police officers, and nurses cannot afford to live in Broward, then the foundation of our community is at risk. Engagement with the business community.
We must bring in local businesses and chambers of commerce as partners. Thriving schools may mean a thriving workforce. If enrollment continues to decline, employers will struggle to attract talent because families will choose communities where education is
stable and affordable. And I think a lot of those ideas are great, but I also think you have to start working with the uh state government and saying why are our cost of living, especially our housing so high? And I believe one of
the reasons that you should ask them to address is um all the properties that are being purchased by mostly out of town people that are doing short-term rentals. It's drastically changed my
neighborhood. It's drastically changed many neighborhoods. Please think about asking your your uh state government to look into that. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next public speaker is Nicole
Morris. Hello Nicole Morst, Coral Springs. Um, there wasn't any context, but I just want to remind everyone that Coral Springs Middle School is not is not as underenrolled it is as it appears because the school was just built really too big. They their capacity is 1900.
They have a healthy enrollment for a middle school. Um, Margate Middle School should be excluded from any conversations of closing because of the reconfiguration of Coral of Coconut Creek Elementary School to a K8 which most definitely impacted the enrollment.
I would hope any conversations about Margate Middle would be to enhance um the school to attract more students. As far as the boundary committee, I hope that we will have committee chairs or people that are informed and research um
all of the schools rather than just people from the schools that may have um may just be there for their own self-interest. uh for the Snowman uh Douglas Coralges um choice area. Thank you for considering a choice area for the C4 TAZ
zones that were removed from the MSD boundary only two years ago. Imagine that you send your child to high school as a freshman and the next year you were zoned out due to overcrowding and are told that your rising freshman will have to go to a school across town. So, for
two years, you have high schoolers at two different schools, and the school you were zoned out of starts giving away reassignment seats due to an enrollment decline. This is what happened to the families in the C4 boundary that were removed from
MSD. The very next year, the school was requesting reassignments. Now, you have to join a lottery. These families have to join a lottery to hope that they get a seat back that belonged to them in the first place. Creating a boundary choice area for the
C4 tazins would give security to these families to make a solid choice on where to send their children and their siblings in the future. I think this should be an easy solution to write a wrong and it doesn't hurt anyone.
There are several boundary choice areas in the district and I cannot think of a better reason that than this situation to create a new one. I understand there will be a choice priority given, but it does not give security to these families and is only applicable if there is space
available this year. I think this is an easy solution to write the wrong. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next public speaker is Cynthia Dominique. >> Cynthia Dominique, Margate, Florida. Um, it certainly would have been nice to
have a presentation with more context and data so that we can provide targeted comments. Um, I'm asking that as you consider any um, recommendations or consensus on schools going forward that you would also consider schools that are
overcrowded, especially those that are adjacent to schools with lower enrollment and consider boundary changes for that. Um and what if a school is already over capacity whether it's gross, permanent, whatever, by any means that they should not be given additional
programmings or choice areas that would further um uh increase or compound the overenrollment issue that they have. Additionally, schools that just experienced changes to their feeder pattern because of the creation of K8s
um taken away from their enrollments should not be on um up for consideration. Margate Middle's facilities have been uh critically neglected and there's not enough and there's more than enough land on there to build a replacement school
um while you know that that uh students can go to um Coconut Creek Elementary only had about 67 students show up for that for sixth grade. Um so I don't really don't think that we need to be making more any any more K8s or K12s. Um it
takes a lot of resources, finances to grow that school, to modify the facilities to be able to accommodate middle schools. I think what we need to do is really focus on those replacement schools if possible. Um and we do talk a lot about the facilities. Obviously, we know that that's the first thing that
parents see. Um, but we also need to talk about education delivery and um, how we change that to really ignite a curiosity and a passion for learning because that's really a draw for a lot of parents who consider charter or private or alternative education for
their children is um, delivering it in a way that kids gets kids excited to learn. Um, which brings me to NOVA schools. if if we don't have any new pedagogy or um educational delivery models coming out of NOVA schools and just close it because the impact on transportation is already strained. Um
and as you consider programmatic changes, there are numerous more innovative and magnet programs that can be expanded, not just sports or dual language. Um and if you ask parents, they can give you examples of a lot of these. Um, and
if these programmatic changes are coming to the school board for approval, I I think the um public needs clarification on how you could allocate funding to the Sunrise Bennett Fort Lauderdale that did not get schoolboard approval. Um, but these must come. the school boundary
committee. I think that there should be representation from Esau ESSE diversity as well as the area chair so that you can have impartial feedback especially since some of the um uh considerations mention these items and then the timeline is too condensed. I would ask
that it be expanded. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next is Arthra Wimberly. >> Good afternoon. I believe that Dr. Hburn once said that he could tell if a neighborhood was in distress by the condition of its neighborhood elementary schools such as North Fork, Thood
Marshall and Walker elementary schools which are three of the five schools to be addressed elementary schools to be addressed. Hence it is apparent that the district 5 east of 441 children have metriculated from elementary school to high school in substandard or less than
pristine vibrant and celebratory um experiences that are true to their academic potential. In other if other if no other stakeholder is a champion for these kids, Broward County Public Schools should be their champion. In addition to right sizing, BCPS should be
right resourcing and right investing in North Fork, Third Good Marshall, and Walker elementary schools. By doing so, BCPS can potentially correct the root causes of our schools not being competitive with more western area schools and private and charter schools.
Being that the area east of 441 um where with district 5 are not as attractive for new charter schools sites, it's imperative that BCPS preserve feeder patterns for our primary learners so as not to punish them for living in less affluent households and the decisions
resulting in smart bond funds and other investments committed to less challenged campuses. It is not okay to expect and excess expect less from any child's academic journey within BCPS where you all have contributed to its decline by
not taking actions that kept all schools delivering the best learning opportunities possible in the best environments possible and missed opportunities to eradicate learning gaps. Also, where is the collaboration with stakeholders such as the central
area community advisory board in unincorporated Broward and cities and county education board members leverage their community relationships and resources and knowledge. Equal education opportunities for every child has not been the driving factor thus far. Such
as the Grand PTA, we were instrumental in highlighting the disparities in the PTA's access to facilities. Yet, we were not looped into these conversations that went on that went on just a little while ago. We expressed a concern that 30% of our grant funding for um a grant, we
would spend over $500 just so that we could have access to a school where we gave away backpacks, school supplies, books, groceries, and a pizza party. But we still paid more than $500 just to be in that facility. And we were trying to reduce or eradicate the P the PTA desert
in these neighborhoods. Our district 5 east of 441 students are experiencing unequal learning experiences in nearly every lane relative to their academic journeys. But we don't have we don't get any of the follow-ups as some of the
others in this community. With more state funding bolstering private and um charter school tuition, we're asking that you champion our kids. >> Thank you. Next is Laura Salaro. [Music] Good evening everyone. Uh I'm here just
uh Lori Salerulo uh president and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida. I am here once again just to remind you and express our interest uh and commitment uh to helping with the repurposing of schools uh in particular North Fork Elementary uh to use that
property for a workforce innovation center. Um I know you all received this at the last board meeting. So, if anybody didn't get it, I do have a copy with me. Um, this is just building on the success of JA World. I know you all talk about how much you love Bistown and Finance Park. Those two are setting the
foundation. Every fifth grader, every eighth grader. What this center is about is about bringing that innovation. I'm so glad I heard some of the comments before me. Bringing that innovation, that new program delivery to this community uh east of 441. uh it's
building on that but focusing on high school education bringing that innovation uh that they're looking for and our students want to be engaged. So it's a high school mandate will be in that building where every single high school student from across our community and our our county will have the
opportunity to experience those that curriculum within their classroom as well as at uh simulations at the new center. We can expand the pre-apprenticeship program. As of right now, this year alone, we will we in the last two years, we have put 130 of
Broward County Public School graduating high school students into the pipeline in the trades. Uh the expanding on our um workbased learning experiences. This year together in partnership, we put 315 students into jobs, 20% continuing on in
those jobs. So we can continue to build on those stock market challenge. We already serve about 2,000. How do we continue to build on that? These are the experiences they want. I want to make sure I mentioned we have a donor $10 million. There's a time limit of
December of this year on it. I spoke with her after the last meeting and I want to share with you because she gave me permission. Why is there a timeline? She has cancer. She is in remission right now. This is in naming her husband's name on this building. She
wants to see this happen be while she's still here. Okay. So, this commitment has been there for almost three years now. We have the support of state and local county legislators who are willing to take this to the state to the county for funding for capital. JA is committed
to raising all of the money to build this center just as we did with JA World. Um, I also want to mention I have met with the city of Fort Lauderdale, uh, with some of the commissioners, so their support there. There's over 400 business partners working with us, uh,
on this. We bring all of those things that everyone has been talking about before we got here. And what it brings to that community, it will be open to that community. Even though during the day it will be used for education, we are more than willing to use that building for that community. So, thank
you for your uh support. >> Thank you. Our last public speaker is Brooke Bory. I think she left. Okay. Thank you. We'll go to board member discussion. Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair, for the opportunity to speak first. Um I do appreciate it. Unfortunately, I will
have to leave after my comments to my son's open house that starts shortly. Um but I this is a very important topic, so I wanted to be here. So, Dr. Heburn, what does it mean uh with the
presentation when you say addressing 34 schools? >> Dr. Hepper. >> Yes, great question, Dr. Holmes. This is um this schools that need to be addressed. Schools that are some are perennially underenrolled year after year. Some are not, but they may be in a
cluster um to support a discussion about possibilities for underenrolled schools. Um so that's the that's the reason for the 34 that is listed so we can have a very robust discussion with our communities um any uh partners we're
starting with our city leaders u first um I've already had a discussion with the city manager association last week just to tee up that conversation about hey we need your best thinking your best ideas this is not just a school district effort is it a it's a community effort
and we need every partner um possible cities county, um the school district, of course, um our families, our community members, our our nonprofit partners, the like. This is a this is an effort that's going to involve a lot of partnership, but this is um to start the
discussion about possibilities for underenrolled schools um in these clusters. >> Wonderful. So, so Dr. Heburn unfortunately uh as many of us have seen there there are misinformation out there >> and um so just for the sake of the
public does addressing 34 schools mean closing 34 schools >> doesn't mean closing 34 schools. >> Okay great. Now have you currently identified any schools in this phase which is phase two I believe that you
intend to close or we are still in the process of addressing. We are still in the process. Of course, um the board is aware as well as many of the public. The data for many of those underenrolled schools has not changed as far as enrollment. Um so, but there is no um um
preconception about what schools that are going to be closed. It's a discussion that's going to lead to what schools may be consolidated or closed or may be realized as other opportunities within communities. >> Okay. So um as as was shown in the in
the PowerPoint redefining encompasses a lot of things correct correct >> uh which include possibility of replacement schools due to consolidations and so on and so forth. Can you briefly uh for the sake of the public tell us what redefining means in
in >> Yes. Uh redefining is more than just closing schools. I know um often times when um the the public hears it in the media, the first thing you're going to hear about is the most sensational part is closing schools. It's it's way more than that. Um that right sizing our footprint is also includes about uh
reviewing and um really going through our programs with the fine tooth coma just as many of the speakers just talked about um implementing new programs working with our industries to find out what their specific needs are so we can continue to innovate and iterate um our
program offerings to our students. um suns setting things that aren't working anymore and scaling out things that are and in introducing new programs that that uh are a great fit for our parents and for our industries um that are local here. Um also uh building new relationships really strengthening our
relationships and partnerships with our cities and our county um through this journey also um because like I said this is a a walk that we're going to take together hand in hand. >> Wonderful. So, I have a few more comments um and these are more specific. Uh I do support um a creating a boundary
choice for the C4 area um which would include um Marjorie Stoman Douglas and Coral Glades High. Uh in addition to that, I do support a school boundary committee and I strongly suggest that the boundary committee include the the
chairs of some of our committees like the um DAC, the ESC, the diversity committee, North Central and and South. Uh so those are my comments um Dr. Ones as far as my input um on uh this particular um item. In addition to that,
um I see that there is um some uh um I guess from the public uh comments regarding North Fork. Um what I would say, Dr. Heeper, uh it is important that any community that we do have
significant community input before we make any decision on any school. I understand that there might be money involved with some of these as far as contribution and timelines. Uh but equally important is community buyin.
And I think that whatever we do, it's very important that we engage the community in terms of what we're doing with our schools. Um uh so I would strongly recommend and suggest that for North Fork that the community is highly engaged and understand and that whatever
is going to be done to North Fork or any school uh that it supports that community in some form or way. Um so that would be uh my suggestion as far as um as far as North Fork. Uh thank you sir and that's it for my comments.
>> Thank you for the comments Dr. Henness. >> Thank you Mrs. Rupert. Sorry. Thank you so much. Um, I would like to talk a little bit about Margate Middle. I'm incredibly proud to uh be a school board member and have
Margate Middle in one of my cities and um one of my very favorite principles, Sabine Phillips, is there doing some amazing education. Um she's brought that school up for the last few years. think they're be now and um
it's a great neighborhood school. Um I was a little worried about going K to8 with Coconut Creek thinking it would have any effect on Margate Middle. Um that school needs to be there. We need to make sure that we
look at the patterns of the neighborhoods that go there and the distance of the schools. also the diversity of our students there as well as special needs ESOL multicultural. We need to be able to not compound the
situation. I'm interested in having options for our people. That is that's what I'm about. I'm not for closing schools. I'm for having options for parents and community members and students to be able to tell us what do they want within our schools. what are
we not offering at this moment or what are we offering but it's not here at this school I think this would do well um I do not know if there's a very close relationship from Margate Middle to ATC Atlantic Technical College I just want
to say that because people don't know when we do our our ABC letters there um I think that's a natural partnership that we should build on that I'm you know looking forward to hearing what the community wants with this and we'll support
my communities like I do every community in Broward County. Um, as for the Coral Glades, uh, choice area, yes. Um, moving the Silver Palms, Flanigans, yes. Um, I'm yes for the school boundary
committee. And what I would like to see is to make sure that we do have a diversity of people that would be represented not only at the school but also of the area neighborhoods. Um and I I also want to comment on not only is it
Margate Middle that touches district 7, but also Dave Thomas alternate high school and Cypress Run um behavior center. Those are all gems. And Dave Thomas is doing some amazing things. A as well as Cypress Run. And one of the
programs that came to be at Cypress Run was from Reverend Reverend G. And he is there on a mission to make sure that the kids that graduate from there, that move on from there, have a marketable and equitable opportunity
um no matter what school they come from. and uh he's a marvelous person and I think we can build on that and I know the district uh under this superintendent and uh and uh Dr. Lacata really worked well to make sure that the
the programs from Cypress Run could also um be a part of the apprentice program in ATC. and they worked out a a special deal where the students were only had to go I want to say one or two days to ATC
and then the other days a teacher um facilitated the conversation at ATC while um it was virtual and that seemed to be working very well. Um I'd be very interested in getting the information um Dr. Wanza through the superintendent um
about how well the programmers are doing at Cypress Run um what are some of the comments that the families and the students have and I I do hope that they come to the conversation. Um, I I
really hope besides Margate Middle that we have uh residents from Coconut Creek and all over the northern area though they could represent Dave Thomas and they could represent Cypress Run. Um, I think that was that was the list. Hold
on. Um, okay. And then some of the numbers that were on the the PowerPoint. Um I know initially we had said you know it was going to be over 70 and then it became under 70. Um and some of them really like Margaret Middle had 67%
enrolled. Um and to to a point that I I think Nicole had said or it was Cynthia Dominique one of you guys uh about the facilities at Margate Middle. They had a lot of issues over the years.
There was a lot of delays with all the the information that was coming out and certainly delays in getting the facilities done, but they've weathered through it and they really want to move on and they're giving uh the absolute best to the students and we really can't
measure heart when it comes down to telling people what's a good school, what's not. Who should we um who should get a a school that's reconfigured? Everybody should Everybody should get a school that has so many opportunities
that people are lining up to go in there and and I think if we lead with heart, it works out better that way and people can be part of that. Um let's see. I think those are those are my comments
for now, but I I did want to say I also um support um programs for the gifted dual language programs and um as well as making sure that more of our ESSE students um are
able to have a um a career when they leave with us and or at least have classes in an area and an apprenticeship so they also can be successful in their life moving forward from Broward County Schools. Um, thank you so much. I appreciate it and um I'm
looking forward to hear my comments, my colleague say. Thanks so much. >> Thank you, uh, Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, so I want to start my comments just by emphasizing that we
have lost over 10,000 students. And that's in my mind not just because we have competition, but people are leaving South Florida because they can't afford it. And that's nothing that changing to K through eight or making a
specialized program is going to change. And so while I understand the the desire and obviously I'm a I believe that schools are the heart of our communities, we need to protect them. we also need to face the reality that those
10,000 students aren't coming back. So, I just wanted to be very blunt with that statement and I think unfortunately that means we have to take an aggressive stance of what we're doing in the coming months because I think if we want to pay
our teachers more, we want to give innovative programs. We want to have programming that wins over the students that are still in South Florida. We need money to do that. like we need the funding to be able to have these
once in a-lifetime programs, these centers, these AI technical schools or whatever you want to have. Um, and I also believe that we need to have a district approach. And while obviously I'm a district school board member and I
proudly represent district 2, we need to look at the system as a whole when we making every decision. So just advocating to protect one school, while I I recognize where the heart and compassion is coming from, that's not
going to get us through this difficult time. If you look at the map, District 1 and District 2 are primarily targeted for almost all proposed changes. Um, so if anyone's going to get up in arms, I think it would probably be myself and Miss
Bowman. But at least for myself, I recognize that this is this is a crisis. This is a crisis of affordability. This is a crisis of what are we doing? How are we going to win the families back? Um I also want to mention that charter
schools lost over a thousand students. So it's not just our Broward County. I want to also emphasize that Miami Dade has lost a significant amount. Palm Beach has lost a significant amount. So, this isn't again this isn't just how are
we winning back students. This is how are we competing for even less students than we had. So, I just I wanted to start that and I know Dr. Zean will probably also emphasize closing a lot more schools than I would want to, but I
thought he Oh, he's still here. So, I thought he laughed, so I wanted to take that banner for him. But I do um >> I know and it it it hurts it hurts to say >> like it's it's not I think anything that
we want to do but I think if we're smart about it, if we involve the community in it, then we will make a really cruddy situation better. So, I just wanted to start that and just
say that I am committed to looking at this through a district-wide perspective, not only for district 2, but truly what's best for everybody. Um, and so I'm going to start my questions with to superintendent. If there are
programmatic changes, for example, a gifted program or a sports academy, is that something that would need to go through the board first or is that under your purview to just change? >> Yeah, those are um Thank you for the question, Miss Thompson. So, those are operational changes. We have
programmatic changes all the time. um even principles have some autonomy and programmatic changes in their building um to add new programs or new coursework to scale out programs. >> So then if we're changing through K
through eight or like a 3 to eight, is that a board approval? >> Dr. >> Yes. >> because you're you're expanding grade levels and um >> Yes. >> And it's a financial impact. I was going to >> may I add to that Dr. He go ahead.
You're also changing the grade reconfiguration of a school which impacts the attendance area >> and the board that is your responsibility to establish attendance areas annually and facility usage but
particularly attendance areas. So when we changed um and made those schools K8 we changed attendance areas for students. So, I would follow up with that question because I do think that the board has purview over a financial.
>> Yes. >> Correct. >> Right. >> And I would argue that programmatic changes like a gifted program or a sports academy would require more funding. So then wouldn't that fall under the purview of the board to make
those kind of decisions? >> Dr. Heb. >> So funding. Yes. Um there may be instances where there uh a school may already have uh funding by sunsetting certain programs and replacing them with a a new program. But absolutely yes
funding. Yes. Um oftent times for instance last week uh u funding to support u facilities which initi which in turn or inherently supports a program. So, u a program may be u
pitched or a concept for a certain program at a school, but they may not have the funding um that the board would approve additional funding for that to actually implement that program. So, I'm having trouble reconciling that because if we have control over the finances,
however, you guys decide that a program would fit best in that community, but it would require funding. How does that work? Because if you guys decide on programs and then we decide actually no, we don't want to fund that.
Don't you think there should be more discussion with the board prior? >> Yes. And my mic was on. I'm sorry. Was my mic on the last time? >> I heard you. >> Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. Um, so if it
involves asking the board for additional funding, yes, there's going to be a discussion about the why for the use of the money. But if there's no need to ask the board for funding for a specific program, if it's um self- sustaining, costneutral by by uh doing something
different suns setting a program or whatever the case may be, it would not come to the board. >> Can I jump in and give an example? Cambridge for example, >> correct? A lot of high schools wanted Cambridge. They either changed, well, it's different now, but initially when
it first started, they rearranged the the budget they had at the school to be able to cover the cost of Cambridge in their school. So, that didn't have to come here. IB is another example. Some of those innovative programs, just to give you some context. And then the
piggyback off of Missixian's example, the then Cambridge becomes self- sustaining because there's money from the students passing the test. And then that money could be used a high school may be may want to support a middle school to expand out of pre-Cambridge program or support another high school.
So organically you start building out that program even more because it's garnering its own funding and becoming self- sustaining. >> So then we've had conversations about changing magnet programs. Does magnet programs require board approval? >> No.
>> Okay. I still think it's worth discussing with the board because we know that these things typically come with funding and I get that there's a difference in in Cambridge and Gifted and IB, but the
larger scale things I think should be more of a discussion than what was had with the sports academy. Um, I also want to discuss just calling out a school for
JA World. While I appreciate everything you do, um, I think it's very scary for a community to have someone come in and say, "Oh, I'm going to take this school and here's a picture of what we're going to do." And it makes it seem like a done deal when it wasn't.
And I think that school is is at I believe 70% or it was prior to this year. I know they lost about 41 kids if I'm reading the chart right. Um
but to me, if we're going to do a partnership like that, it needs to be a school that's or a location that's beneficial for both the district and the group that wants to do it with. And I think there are other locations that
that program might fit. And I get that it's centrally located, but that's also probably why our families like going to the elementary school. Um, so I just I don't have necessarily issue with that concept, but issue with that particular school. And
if I'm wrong about the enrollment, but when I looked at the PowerPoint, >> yeah, you can clarify. So, um, based on last year's numbers, enrollment 20th day, they were at 60%, 60.4. >> This year they're at 55%.
>> Okay. Thank you for clarifying. Um, and then I still have issue with it, just so that's recorded. Um, and then we also discussed a district managed
charter school along the lines of um, like a autism center. And I just want to get clarification on why we would want to go the district managed charter school route versus just opening a
center for students with autism because we do special education services better than anybody else. hands down. >> No, great question. We will explore both options to see what's best for the students first and also the district.
>> And how will that come back to the board? >> It'll it'll it'll come back with information for both. >> Okay. And then when are we going to get the FCA? >> Uh FCA will be presented to the board in October. >> Okay.
And then I also just as a final comment, I think it's hard to talk about redefining and budgeting separately and like programmatics and allocations because really all of this is one issue.
And I don't know if there's a way to solve that or if we could be piggybacking our budget workshops with redefining because I think we just need a a better overall picture before we make what I think has to be pretty drastic changes.
>> So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Leonardi. >> Thank you. Um, I had a really wonderful conversation um with some folks from the city of Fort Lauderdale um about opportunities for the fire
department. Um, and what I really cared about in that conversation was providing um, programming and opportunity to our students um, if we were to partner with the city of Fort Lauderdale um, and the fire department about any of our
property um, making sure that our students had access to um, those those training facilities and training programs. And so I'm wondering uh if staff can speak to any conversations that have happened um or any of those
opportunities that might be available. >> Yes. Um great question, Miss Leonardi. Um city of Fort Lauderdale has already approached us um probably months ago about their desire to acquire space for a possible training center for um fire
and um law enforcement. Um but um as I said uh earlier, I've already teed up conversations with the um city manager association um um based on Dr. Wanza's timeline. We'll be going out and talking to municipalities. Everything is on the table. I told them I said I'm going to
be honest with you. We going to walk this journey together. Every no I uh every idea is a good idea right now. We're throwing spitballs on the wall to really try and realize what's possible um in the midst of redefining phase two. We don't want to leave any stone
uncovered that may be a benefit to communities, to kids, to the school district. Um and so everything's on the table right now as we have these discussions and then we'll have more robust discussions with communities when we go out and have those community conversations so we can bring back the best recommendations possible.
>> Got it. And I I appreciate that this needs to be a district-wide approach. Um, and I also think it's important for us to recognize that those of us who represent single member districts, um, we may not be advocating for a specific
school, but we are in our communities talking to different municipalities. Um, and you know, perhaps um, like Dr. Holes might not be having the same conversations with the same people that I am. um and those same people are not
necessarily reaching out um to Miss Bulman, for instance. So, the reason I I bring up the city of Fort Lauderdale and the fire department um as well as some other issues that I'm I'm going to touch on are because they're like very specific to communities in which that
I'm supposed to represent. Um, so another issue that's come up a lot in some of my schools, um, and in some of my communities is, uh, the the opportunities that exist in the marine industry here in South Florida. Um, so I
hope that staff can try to explore some of those opportunities. Um, I know, uh, Straining High School looked to partner with BC about um, opening some marine engineering programs that it didn't quite pan out. Um, but that's really a great industry uh that that we could try
to offer some programming around as well. Um, that is again very specific to where we are in South Florida. Um, so yeah, I I'm trying to come to the table with solutions rather than uh disparaging things that are going on.
Um, so I I'm excited about your mindset, Dr. Heepburn, about, you know, any idea is a good idea. Um, but those are two things that that I think are um really ripe for discussion and development. Um, and would provide our students with
really wonderful opportunities. Um and again like the conversations about education and public education nationally are around um you know not necessarily forcing a college career path on on our students but opening up
um different career paths and talking about those career paths with our students. And I know we do a lot with CTE and we're you know award-winning in the state um but I'd love to be able to build on that um as we move forward. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Alhida.
>> Thank you. Uh, so I'd first like to speak to the uh Junior Achievement Workforce Innovation Center. Um, we have the the opportunity to to
have a possible $10 million donation, which which is incredible. And what I heard today is that there is a timing piece to this. By December, if we don't move forward with this, then we're going
to lose the donation of $10 million. And you know, I I know that when you know, you're trying to honor your loved one who passed away that it's so vitally important that you see
that donation through in in when you know you're here to to see it through. So, I would love to to see a strong plan to execute this donation for this project. You know, Dr. Harpin, whatever
whatever that looks like. I'm not I don't know these conversations that are happening and um I'm not really sure where I was with you know from this learning today about this donation and it ex potentially expiring but you know
it's it's very upsetting to me when we're struggling to to fund our schools and we have this incredible opportunity. I mean, I saw the the bro the brochure and in the you know what what they want
to do will make us a leader in in the state and I think when you embrace the community of of potentially what could occur here and you bring people along in the conversations then it's it's really going to make an
impact. So I know that you know when things go to to lawyers and back and forth all that stuff takes so much time. So I would like to know what the aggressive plan is to solidify this donation. >> Dr. Hepper.
>> So this is the the plan. Um Miss Alade going out to the community having our community conversations making sure that they understand all the opportunities available to them. I'm pretty sure um Lori and her team will be there to show off some of the um exhibits and
deliverables that they've given to the board so they can really understand what this could look like. Um and based on our timeline um it provides a good time frame um uh for JA to and the board to solidify commitment when we bring back
all the recommendations at one time so that she has a notice of uh what the board's next steps are based on those decision-m. >> Okay. I'd like to break it down a little bit further. I would like to have a weekby- week identification of what's
going to transpire because >> it's four months from now and I know that, you know, we get so busy wrapped up. There's so many things that we have to focus on that I don't want anything to get dropped. I don't want to miss the timeline.
>> So, I'll leave it at that. >> Yeah. And um I know Dr. Wanza has already scheduled the um community conversation dates, so we have those already. >> Okay, perfect. Um next, I would I would like to congratulate Coral Glades High
School and all the high schools in Coral Springs that are now an A. Well done. Um so I have a few well I'm going to address this first and then I'm going to address the rest of the presentation. So, a few meetings ago, Mayor Rich
Walker and the city manager, Katherine Given, they they both came here and and they spoke and they said that they do not want to go through a boundary process. and and so I brought forward
um policy 6400 and and the board changed policy 6400 not just to focus on Coral Glades and MSD but to change this policy to address
the entire school district. And so on page 18 of 27, number eight, a student who resides in area that was impacted by a change in the school's attendance zone boundary within the past five years, they would
get assignment priority to to be able to be assigned to to go back to the school they they were reboundered out. So we already passed that in the policy and and so that is in place now not only for
C4 but also for the future of of the you know any type of reassignments. And so, you know, we've had multiple grand jury report findings speaking to specific examples of school board
members inserting themselves into the daily operations of the school district, which clearly clearly fall under the purview of the superintendent. So, the school board approved the revisions to policy 8010, school attendance zone boundaries and school
usage at the September 10th, 2024 regular school board meeting. In pursuant to the language in section 4AB, the process to establish school attendance zone boundaries and school usage annual notice and superintendent
recommendation as well as section 7 which clearly defines the responsibilities of the school board is the consensus action taken by the school board at the conclusion of the March 11th, 2025
regular school board meeting in conflict with violation of the board's approved policy. That's a question, >> Dr. Heer or Miss Batista. So, um I wouldn't say is in violation,
but the first time that the the board is in the process um under its current policy, the school board only enters the school attendance zone process after receiving a recommendation issued by the
superintendent, which is under part 4D. D um before that it the policy speaks about the uh board or actually the superintendent each year
in the fall designated staff shall notify the superintendent of schools and that's how the process begins. So, um, even if the board was going to express a preference as to something that they wanted the superintendent to
bring forth, it ultimately would be the superintendent's recommendation that would come before the board. >> Thank you. So, Dr. Hepern, does Coral Glades High School and MSD meet the criteria to be addressed for a boundary change? >> So, for and I'm be honest with the
board. I know um we got some board members that you know um came to consensus about that. Right now I don't have time. Um I'm focused on redefining addressing our underenrolled schools which is going to be a tall task for everybody that's sitting in front of you
who would have to spend time on that process. Yeah, I don't know if I would um press them to the point to dedicate bandwidth to both because I know that boundary change is going to entail a lot of effort, a lot of conversations
between both communities. Um trying to tackle what's in front of us right now. Uh which is, you know, from day one to day one, day 10 to day 10 down 10,000 students. Tri County area is down 25,000 plus students. It's not a charter school
and even a voucher situation. It's affordable affordability situation and we need to tackle this and do what we need to do to rightsize ourselves and and create some better opportunities for our for our students and our families in Ber County Public Schools and to address the needs of schools that don't have an
enrollment issue right now is I I just don't think we have the bandwidth to do both of those. So that's that's just my take. Um, of course I work at the will of the board, but I'm just talking about what's in front of us right now, what we have to do moving forward, starting immediately.
>> Mrs. Can I ask a question to maybe clarify what that is? So through the superintendent, maybe um Dr. Wanza, what would because the change that we made addressed it for the students if
there are seats open at MSD, right? And the original boundary change was because the I it was overcrowded. So what would be the difference really of going through a choice boundary as opposed to the way it
is now? How that how would that I guess I'm trying to word this better. So right now MSD has seats available, right? Or let's just say there are seats available and they opened it up to reassignment. The way we wrote the policy, if you live
in C4 or if you we change some other boundary and you live there, you will if there are seats, you are going to get a seat there. >> You have an assignment priority. >> Okay? >> Right? So, you get consideration
>> before people who do not have an assignment priority. >> Okay? >> So, that that's the first thing. And the other part of your question, if you want me to answer because you said what's the difference? Okay. So, what the board um will eventually cuz 6400 has to come
back for final. The only thing that was asked for us to change was to take out some of the redundant language, but the board was in support of um an assignment priority for students who live in an area that was impacted by a boundary change within 5 years. So, that that
would hold for any school in the district for which there was a boundary change within 5 years. and the school now for whatever reason has room for reassignments. The difference is um establishing a choice area we would have
to for that community do exactly what we are doing for the communities of under enrollment. the communities that we have to address. They would literally be back in a boundary process where we would have to have the community meetings um you know hear from the different
stakeholder groups bring some recommendations because they they may come with proposals that are different than what the board even you know recommended. So it would really be putting that school those two schools back through the full boundary process.
>> So one more question then I'll turn it back over. Is there a way in the policy that we have in our choice policy instead of saying priority to say if there are seats open they would get the first seats if they apply?
>> So when the policy comes back if that is a motion that you know and Miss Batista I'm looking at you because that would because the policy um has to come back to the board on it's coming back on September 16th I think it is. it's
coming back. Um, and if motions want to be made again, then it's, you know, the board has the opportunity opportunity to do that. And if it is determined that that um motion, if it's passed, is um substantial motions, a stand of change,
then it will come back for a another reading and final adoption. So, Miss Batista, is is it is it allowable by law for us to say that if there are seats available, the people who are in that
boundary change, it's the C TAZ C4, that they would get instead of where it says priority because I'm looking at this as a compromise between the two that they would if there were seats available automatically be accepted as opposed to
just priority. >> So I think and Miss Batista before you we do have to look at statutory priorities first, right? So military um there's something around homeless children, you know, we'd have to look at those first as we prioritize. So I don't
want to but I'll let you be the lawyer. I'm sorry. >> No, I don't mind help. Um so um there are there's there is Thank you for that, Dr. Wansa. Um but you know I don't have the policy before me. I do know that
there are other sections in there that are or also um categories for priority. Um and so if it's the will of the board we can you know you can tweak some language and to try and make that you
know maybe more of a priority. I I don't know how it would you know play out with the other categories that are that are there. >> Okay. >> All right. I'm just trying to find a happy meeting. >> And and if I may, um I I believe the reassignment process doesn't really
start until like next year, right? Like in the spring. >> Oh, no. It's going to start um probably around October, November for next school year. So that is why whatever the policy is needs to kind of sort of be finalized September, >> right?
>> October at the very latest. >> Right. >> Yes. >> So there is time for one more substantive change. That's what I'm trying to figure out. if need be. We did that this past year. >> Yes. Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you. Sorry. >> Okay. So, I do not think that we should
do a school choice area for Coral Glaze and MSD. And those are my reasons why because I think that we have already addressed this in policy 6400 with assignment priority. And when this policy comes
back within the assignment priority, if there is threshold after the statutory requirements that we want to maybe boost that up to the next threshold within the assignment priority of policy 6400.
Um and then my other comments you know I would I would just say that it's very difficult and you know I know there's a cadence to this Dr. Heburn, but it is challenging to not have any
data to support any of these decisions to say, you know, which which of these schools should be addressed or how they should be addressed or, you know, the the facilities assessment. Um, so I need
to have that data to be able to make a better decision as a school board member. Um and and so I look forward to getting more information regarding that. I did have a question regarding the is there a long range master plan steering
committee >> that is being um developed um as we speak um in conjunction with when the FCA comes out. So we have a good um committee to help us long range plan for facility needs and concerns based on
those reports. >> And then what will be the cadence of when they meet? um it probably monthly in the beginning and then quarterly after that. So they can they will go through the facilities condition assessment themselves and and u be great thought partners based on their level of expertise and community affiliations or
school affiliations so they can start giving some recommendations about some next steps as they develop the master plan. Mhm. And then the last thing I would just say is that you know I I think it is so important that the conversations with the community with the commissioners of the cities that
that it that is absolutely had to to have this conversation. But again, I I would like to see the board when these decisions are kind of trickle down that we need to to vote on vote on it because even even it's in the primary stages
because I don't want us to go through or staff have to go through all this work and then the board ends up voting it down, you know, months from now. Um, so I think that's that's really important. And and then also I think that just in general, you know, we need to be leaner
um so that we can pay teachers more money and staff more money and um and you know, eventually build brand new schools. Um but I'm I'm just going to go back to the uh junior achievements uh building. I think that is a really
amazing opportunity for Broward County Public Schools and it would be horrible if we were to lose that donation. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Sea. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. In going through this uh this list of
34, which on my tally um is about 14 middle schools, 17 elementary and three high schools, if my math is right, I um was trying to think of of some practical real world solutions on how to address some of these enrollment issues and what we do with some of these these
schools that aren't meeting the uh the enrollment thresholds. And um I came across some schools, mostly elementary and middle, that are in very close proximity. And uh by way
of example, Olsen Middle in Dana Beach and uh Dana Elementary uh are approximately I think a quarter mile from each other. I think they um have uh very similar bus routes and things of that nature. And uh
upon looking at the the enrollment numbers for the the middle school and for the elementary school, um it became apparent to me that we could probably house all of the elementary kids that are currently in Dana Elementary within
Olsen Middle School. And if we were to combine that and make that a K through 8 center, you'd fully utilize the uh middle school building to have a K through 8 center potentially. We would have a now empty elementary that sits
very close to US1 prime piece of property, my understanding. I'm not a realtor, but it looks like a pretty pre prime piece of property for the district to do what it can with it in order to generate some funds. So my question is um has an analysis
been done uh as far as elementary schools and middle schools are concerned to determine about combining some of these in very close proximity. Now I I understand if if sometimes the distance doesn't match up. It may be a problem for some of our uh members of the
community. They don't want to go across town or whatnot. But um I'm wondering if any analysis or if any research has been done just in my you know quick research that I did in preparing for the meeting today. I found Olsa Middle as a prime example about getting some of these
middle schools combined with the elementary schools and making them K through 8 centers and getting rid of one of the two empty buildings that are no longer necessary whether by a sale or lease or whatever just to generate some funds uh for the district.
>> Dr. Hepper. Um, great question, Mr. Seivera. So, yes, uh, very intensive analysis has been done. Many of these schools were on the list last year. Um, so, um, uh, what I can do to just to get you up to speed because I know you wasn't here last year, is probably have
Dr. Wson and Mr. Beck meet with you to go over a lot of the data as far as adjacent capacity that is needed. Um, also facility requirements for elementary for especially for K through two elementary age kids. um that become barriers of why you can't put them in a
secondary school building. So, yes, there's a deep analysis that's been done um about possibilities. Uh when we meet with um the city managers um and and um city leaders um first, we're going to go over those possibilities based on
restrictions and all of that. And then um as we go out to the community, have the same conversation, we will and I know um heard a lot of folks about data. Um this is more about um um based on certain criteria for under enrollment um and letting the board know we're about
to tee up these discussions. Um come u the next workshop will bring a lot of data associated with all of the schools especially those that are going to have the largest concerns that we really need to address based on those conversations just to paint the picture uh about some
next steps and the why behind um some schools that are having perennial enrollment issues. But just to simply answer your question, yes, it's been a deep dive in in all of those possibilities. >> I'd love to see the research and and the right the white papers on that, if you will. Um whether or not that was done last year or not, um I don't know, but
I' I'd still like to see it because it seems like a very practical solution to me. Dr. Hein, you mentioned restrictions. Um what particular restrictions would it be that you can't have kids under a certain age physically being educated in
a middle school building? what what type of restrictions? >> So, a simple restriction for K through two, they need a bathroom in the classroom. Secondary schools aren't built that way. They're they're built with bathrooms outside of the classroom in a in a common area in and usually on
one of the floors, but in um if you uh elementary school and you go to K through two, there's a bathroom in >> and other than the bathrooms in the classroom, are there any other restrictions that that come to mind? >> I can't think of the others off the top of my head, but I'm I'm pretty sure this Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's a couple
more that we can um that we've identified that we we looked at many of those ideas and those were some of the barriers of why we couldn't turn certain middle schools into K through eight. It's easier to turn a elementary school that has enough uh capacity to add uh
sixth through 8th grade to K through8s. >> Understood. And um and I guess my same question although there's only really three high schools on the list, right? So I guess my same question would go to underenrolled middle schools where you have high school capacity to serve those
and maybe have those through um 6 through 12. >> Th those are possibilities. >> Okay. Was the an equal amount of research done in in regards to high schools and middle schools and possible com combining those? >> Yes. So many of the high schools do have capacity to add um the middle school if
the middle school population isn't is small enough. It just depends on the capacity that the high school still has to absorb those students. So if a high school is 1500 kids presently and they're uh maxed out at 2,000 and that middle school has 700 kids, it's not
possible. It' be 200 over. Um so those are some of the situations we look at, but yes, in some cases that may be possible. >> I'd love to see the research on that. >> Absolutely, >> Dr. Zean. Uh there was a magic number that we had
that um represented how the decline in in enrollment over the past 25 years has uh left us in a situation where I think what we're trying to do is spend more money on the kids we have and less on the empty seats and an oversized
footprint. It's really just that simple. We would like to spend money educating our children and not maintaining schools that we don't need anymore. And I don't know uh I don't know how any
other way to explain it to people. Is there a cost to doing that to families? Yes. Uh is that cost because it generates a much better more robust higher academic achieving system uh a good tradeoff? Absolutely.
So Mr. Superintendent, your demographer staff last year calculated that at the enrollment we had day one last year, if you looked at our school capacity, we could closed 40 schools. Now, that's not really possible because of the
boundaries and and feeder patterns and the like, but to get to only 90% capacity. Last year, we calculated 40 schools. This year, we're down, at least on day one enrollment, 8,700 students. How many schools could we close this year theoretically and still stay at 90%
capacity? >> Dr. Heer, >> Mr. uh >> Mr. B >> through the chair. Thank you. Um Dr. Superintendent and Dr. Zean. So actually last year, just a point of correction at 90% based on last year's enrollment and last year's capacity, it was only 21
schools that could be closed. 43 could be closed to get the district to 100% unit. >> Oh, thank you. Yeah. >> So this year though, your number is 45. So we could we were down so much but that also that still does not allow us to close any high schools. High schools
remain uh enrolled at about 89% utilization overall. So we are probably pretty much at that target but elementary and middle schools uh have have plenty plenty to give. >> Okay. So to to to get our school uh uh facilities
that are open at 90% capacity in a in a in a county in which we've had 25 years of declining enrollment. This is not new. This has been here for this board, the last board, and going back many, many, many boards. So, for 25 years, we've had this decline, 1% a year, and then all of a sudden, we get this big
drop this year. We could close 43 for next year and still be at 90%. Still have room left to grow 20,000 or so students back, right, >> Dr. Heer? >> Correct. >> And have you done uh um Mr. back the
analysis that goes from the theoretical number 43 down to the practical number. I know there we're asking you to do some really heavy analytics in no time, but uh are you at that point where you've known that number as well? >> Yeah, it all depends you. I I think that you you understand this very well, but I'll I'll try to recapture your idea is
that there's two ways to close schools, right? the the easiest and and most straightforward is to use adjacent underenrolled capacity. Which means that's why we've introduced the concept of clusters of underenrolled schools because you can consolidate one school with low enrollment into another school
that has space next door or maybe two schools that have space next door. When you get to um uh chasing a number like 43 or 45 schools, you're no longer able to use adjacent capacity because you have to to look at the totality of the space in the district. So when when we
get to that, just to get to this exercise, we would say, well, what's the average size of an elementary school? To calculate that estimate of a middle school, of a high school, um we would in order to do that, you would you would erase all of the current attendance areas. You'd have to start from scratch.
And to determine which schools you would rebounder, you would have to use some other set of criteria, probably the size of the facility, the condition of the facility, and the adjacency of populations to fill the school. So it would be you know that would be something we have not previously undertaken but that would be you know
the very drastic measure that would have to be undertaken >> but within the adjacent capacity we couldn't close 43. How many could we close? >> No we it's a much much lower number. It's it's it's less than 10 actually because you know we've already exhausted some of that capacity through the first
year of redefining unless we want to for let me let me take the for example a cluster of elementary schools in the north. There's uh Charles Drew Liberty and Coconut Creek Elementary. Coconut Creek we turned into a K8 this year. It sits between the other two. So, it's no longer available adjacent capacity for
those other two schools. Coral Springs Elementary in the north is one of the most underenrolled, if not the most unenrolled school this year. It's surrounded by schools that don't have space to to take its enrollment. So the actual consolidation number when you're using adjacent capacity without doing cascading boundary changes, when you're
using only immediately adjacent capacity is fewer than 10 this year. >> Okay. And I appreciate that. But um that gets me really to my next point, which is when you have meetings like this and you don't flood the market with data, you've just invited the public to think
that you're hiding something. And so I don't know why the data wasn't produced today. I don't know why it's not online. we have, if not all this data, most of this data in our possession right now and and we just need to flood the zone. Like here's all the data that we have.
And that makes it I mean not only makes it transparent, but it provides the community opportunity to see that you're you're giving them all the data about criteria you're going to use, criteria you're not going to use, all in one place, easy to find, uh so that they can uh take advantage of that. So I hope we follow that model this year. I thought
we learned that last year. Uh but uh but I was wrong. Um Mr. Superintendent, will municipal meetings be open to the public >> as far as our community conversations? >> Uh there's something on our schedule for municipal meetings. M >> Yes, those are those are meetings um
with the city managers. >> Are those open meetings? >> That would be dep that would depend on them. Um right now those are um meetings with the city manager and and staff. >> I'm sorry. Let me just understand the answer. If a city manager wants it not to be a public meeting, we're willing to
have that. >> Um, typically those aren't public meetings. They're in a conference room at either here or in their facility. >> Okay. I think it would be fascinating to invite city managers to public meetings and let the Broward County Public
Schools and the city manager have an open discussion about what's going on. I'll just leave that uh at that. I don't I'm not asking a question. I just at some point we need cities to come and partner with us to help us reinvision feeder patterns, facilities and flows
and um I believe those meetings should be in public. Um I also believe that within a reasonable number of schools this year we can send students to better schools, schools have higher academic achievement, schools
have newer facilities and are at greater capacity. Again, to the first point, why do we keep spending money on facilities we don't need and and knowing that we could spend that same money uh on students to improve our core mission, which is education? For our wonderful colleague from Junior
Achievement, uh to Miss uh Thompson's point, if you can specify what your requirements are, we can look across 239 campuses and try and figure something out. But I think it's I think it's it it kind of um it's not an appropriate step
in the process to identify one school because now to those parents it looks like there's this big pot of money that's pushing us toward that decision rather than saying hey we got 10 million and here's here's the here's what I need. I need this much acreage. I need these kinds of facilities. Whatever you
want and then we might uh do a better job of finding out. Right now, it's a zero- sum game between one school and and junior achievement. And I love the $10 million, but um if we had uh what your requirements are, we might be able to place that uh with with greater
flexibility. I also think uh Mr. Superintendent, as part of this, we need to get real about selling the land we don't need. You know, we sell a little bit every year, but why do we keep holding on to land in a declining enrollment? We have facilities. We have we have truck facilities and maintenance
facilities and and bus transport areas. Uh let's look at that and figure out, you know, where is it we don't need that land. Um and let's work with our community leaders. They may have affordable housing. They may have transit hubs. They may have, you know, other government uh uh needs that they
have for that land. And I think we should be flexible about that as well. I'm sensitive, Mr. Superintendent, about your decline on the uh on the boundary uh process. So, I don't want to add commercial properties to what you're doing, but I don't know why we hold on to land that we're not going to use. We need the money. And so, uh, we can't say
we need the money and still hold on hold on to the land. We found some amazing use with the old Dave Thomas site in Pompo. We got a hospital coming up in in Parkland. This could be, uh, the bees knees and and I I can't wait to see that. Uh to Miss Thompson's point about
opening programs and budget and making those kind of decisions, I will I will I will tell you that the opposite problem has been in Broward County a long time, which is we've designated programs and not given them money. So here you got a robot, you know, STEM, no STEM books, no
robots, no room, no lab equipment, no teachers that are certified to teach it. And we just put a label on a school. I would challenge anyone in Broward County to point out, well, I'm not going to go there. But we put labels on schools and sometimes there's not a lot behind that label. And that's really frustrating to
me. Uh because if we're going to have something, make sure we have the books, we have the facilities, the labs, the whole thing. Otherwise, you know, you're putting lipstick on a pig. And before long, the public knows it's just a pig. I'd also ask whether or not we need a lot of help from the long range facility
master plan group. What I think we need about our facilities is what's the deferred maintenance and what's the material condition of the campus. And from that we can decide, you know, if it's an even mix between this school or that school and this one has $40 million
of deferred maintenance and this has one. That's an easy choice because someday we're going to have to come up with that $40 million of deferred maintenance to keep the school open. It may be 4 million a year for 10 years. I don't know. But but there's really good data about facility conditions and if we can get to that by October as promised
uh that will help uh round out uh our uh our thing. There's a couple of criteria here that I don't like and this is just one out of nine. I don't like gifted pathway schools. I like schools that do great education for everybody.
I'm not in favor of dual language pathways, but I do think we ought to figure out what languages parents and students want and give them to them. Rather than saying, "Oh, I've got a Portuguese teacher. We're going to offer Portuguese." We should figure out what
the customer wants and deliver it there. I've never been in favor of dedicating our money or facilities to early learning opportunities. It's not our mission. And one thing that's missing on this table that I'd ask you to add, Mr. superintendent is the effect on ESSE students. We can't forget them. They're
not a number. There could be 40 of them at one school. If the solution about that school is we move 40 kids 12 miles away to give them the the services they need, uh that's probably going to be a difficult thing to do. But we've got to make sure uh we know how we're going to
teach those things. >> Oh, yeah. Thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mrs. Bowman. Thank you, chair. Um, I I wanted to start out. I wanted to ask I guess through the superintendent
to Dr. Wanza, what the when you started your present, if I may, when you started your presentation, we were supposed to take away a couple things today and I I was just wondering if you could go through that again so I knew what we were. >> So, thank you for the question. It's
okay, Dr. Hem if I start. Okay. Thank you for the question. So, I want to um say that on the at the July 29th board workshop where we had a much uh more robust presentation with a lot of data and slides, we advised the board that we
were coming back today with a specific um target. And what we talked about were the things that are on slide two where we said these are the four things that we need to know today. Some kind of direction on the schools to be addressed. the um just where the board
is in favor of the process and the timeline with the stakeholder engagement which is very extensive. Um the composition of the school boundary committee as well as um the considerations for evaluating whatever
proposals the um school boundary committee would be making recommendations for. So those are the four things. Um, and what I'll say is is after today, um, I don't want anybody to think that we're
going to have today's workshop and then we're not going to come back until the superintendent makes his final recommendation. We're coming back two times. Once in October and once in November once we have gone out and had all kinds of conversation, input with
the community, data, programs, you know, all of that, have a conversation in October with the board. then narrow that down to in November, we then have our regional community meetings. And then based on that, after that conversation,
the school boundary committee then takes all of that information into account. They start to then make recommendations um for the proposals and then the superintendent obviously will then publish what will be his final
recommendation sometime in December. So, but as of but for today it's what's listed on slide two. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um Okay. So obviously this is a very difficult
conversation to have but like my colleagues I think that you know because we've lost a significant amount of students um and you know previously that was surrounded by kind of a negative narrative towards our school district
and I think as the time has gone by even in the past year it's become apparent that there are a lot of different forces that are acting upon um our enrollment. And so that
while disappointing um also makes it easier, potentially easier for us to accept the fact that we really have to make some changes. And I think that we really have the
opportunity to make this district better and stronger if we're willing and we have the fortitude to actually make the tough choices to do it. um because we have to we have to always remember our reason for being here is to educate
our kids and to do so in the best way possible and make sure they have as many resources as we can give them. So I agree with you know holding on to extra properties that are not going in that direction and holding us back from making sure that
every single kid has those opportunities is not the direction that I would like to go. So, while I don't want to close schools and I understand um the impact that it will have in
communities, I I think we have to really keep at the forefront the education of our kids and how we can do that the best way. Um, and I think this we have an opportunity too right now because we're going to be making these changes to really in reimagine how we're delivering
public education in Broward County. this is our chance to really make a change and a difference because we're g because we'll be making changes that we will um I think collectively be able to think outside the box and really
be able to look at ways that we can impact our kids uh outside of the ways that we've been doing it. we can't keep doing the same thing because obviously we have all these changes going um you know all these changes and other forces that we
can't control. So I would like to look at it as a positive that we're going to this is the time when we have to do this. I agree with Miss Aladv that um you know we all have to work together and when the staff is working very hard to put together proposals and come back
with a plan that we need to be committed to making tough decisions and that's going to um require that we have transparency and we're talking to the communities from the beginning otherwise they won't trust us and if we
don't have the trust of the communities we're not going to be able to do this. So if we're all working together to do that I think we could actually have a very positive outcome at the end of this. Um so that being said I I just have a couple a couple things. Um,
I know that we're our high schools that we have some underenrolled high schools, but we're not looking at closing any high schools. So, we're looking at making some programmatic changes and doing some other things there. I just want to encourage us as a district that
we can't that we need to be making sure that we're fortifying the high schools because we don't want to be losing our share of students there. I think you know there that that's one of our great strengths and we have to make sure that we're
keeping our keeping that strong because that's an attractive even when people are going to different middle school and elementary choices they come to our high schools. So it's really something that we have to keep a focus on and not get lax on. Um
I uh I I want to make sure while we're doing the when we're while we're making these plans that we in addition if we're going to be you know making recommendation for changes in um in different schools and potentially closing them. if if we are
going to be closing any schools that we have a very um uh good and uh well I'm trying to think of the right word that we have a proposal for how we're going to use that property
if we can off not only a proposal for how we use the property but also um a plan for where the students will be going because I think something that happened last year was that there was a plan to you know proposal to close schools but no one knew what was going to happen to them, that causes panic
within the community. So, if they know that they're if the community knows they're getting a different um a different uh choice and something is going to be coming to contribute to their community, I think that we'll have a better conversation if we have all
those boxes checked before we come to them. Um, and then when we're when we're looking at boundary considerations, I know I talked to Dr. ones about this last week. Um,
I hope that we're considering when you looking at the boundaries, who's actually coming to public school in within the boundaries of schools. I know I have a school in my district where they have what seems to be a large pool of students, but a very large
neighborhood basically goes to private school. The our school is never getting those kids. So while it looks like they're they have a lot of potential students, they really don't. So we have to look at that too when we're making our boundaries to make sure everyone's
getting kind of the same op, you know, pool and being realistic about who's actually going to be coming and uh when we're looking at enrollment, Dr. Heburn.
And when we're looking at what what schools are underenrolled at this point in the process, are we um is it pretty accurate? Like have we removed the portables and the decrepit buildings from the calculations? So, we're looking
at pure numbers at this point and not >> Yes. So, I'll let uh Mr. Beck kind of go in detail with explanation about what the what what entails uh capacity as far as the the school itself. >> Uh thank you, Dr. He through the chair. Uh, thank you for the question, Miss Bulman. So, when we when we calculate
under enrollment, it's based strictly on permanent capacity. So, that's only the the brick andmortar buildings that sit on the ground. It doesn't even include any more modular buildings, which are concrete but movable buildings. So, it's only permanent. So, it does not include
um any portables, doesn't include modulars. And where there are schools, for example, Bthoon or um Tedar Elementary is another example where there's redundant capacity that was supposed to have been demolished decades ago, that's not included in the calculation either.
>> Okay, good. That's good. Um, and if if we're going to consolidate schools, do we have a way to analyze the likelihood that if you close this neighborhood school, those students are
going to go to be consolidated into our other option, public school. Because I think something to take into consideration is if you have three charter schools in the neighborhood that might not be the right school to close because then the kids are going to just go down the street because they like to
walk um versus a you know like just make that strategic in term you know I mean I know there's like a lot of strategery but >> Dr. strategy >> go ahead Dr. wants it. >> Okay. You
>> I was about to say no. Ju just say yes. Yes. That's why we're called strategy and innovation. >> Yeah. So that's just something to think about cuz >> we look at it all. >> Okay. Yeah. Just because even as a parent I've had that kind of thought in my head. It's like I'd rather have my kid it's easier to just go down the
street. So if we're looking at all of those things. Um and I I liked uh Miss Leonard's idea about the marine opportunities. I think when we're looking at programming and I don't know if we want it how we want to
treat magnet programs going forward and what the cost is versus just programming in the school and streamlining it. We've talked about this as well. You know, maybe looking at quadrants and making the school um programs feed into each other more naturally than they do right
now. it would be a lot easier for us to retain kids and then to expand programs because I agree like the marine industry gives such a wealth of potential employment opportunities for our kids
that I think we could probably, you know, do different programming over in Fort Lauderdale versus in Hollywood and capture even more kids without, you know, um, you know, challenging the other programs enrollment.
So, I I I look forward to seeing what you guys bring back. I know that you have your work cut out for you. Um, but I do I think we should look at this as our opportunity. We have to seize this moment right now to um make some hard
decisions so that when we get out the other end of this, we will have a more robust school district that's going to be very attractive because we're not going to have a lot of this kind of dead weight holding us down going forward. and we'll be able to be the innovative
district that we have been and will should continue to be. Thanks. >> Thank you. And I will land this plane. Um I a couple of things. So first of all, I I just want to give a shout out. South Broward has a fantastic because
they had a great magnet coordinator. >> I wonder who that was. >> A great marine magnet program and we were actually there for the first day of school. So, it's marine science and marine technology as they do also at McFatterder. Um, so there are programs
that could be replicated. So, I just want to shout that out. Um, and I also I think really important are the community um engagements. And I just want to point out that I know everybody or a lot of people have been saying about there
should have been more data, but I I want to also remind us this really was just a conversation about the clusters because you're going to go out to the communities now based on data we gave you before. So I don't think it was a big deal that we didn't get more
information because we need that later. But I would say when we go to the community conversations and it and I asked about this before that there are baseball card like we will have the scorecard. >> Yes. Where they where you see because
what happens is whoever coming from school A doesn't know what school B and C offer. And what I think needs to happen in that conversation is to explain to them, you and school A only
have 200 students, so you get one special, but if we were to combine school A, B, and C, you would be able to have five specials or whatever it comes out. I really think you need to explain that to them because we're getting really stuck in the building instead of
what of the educational opportunities. And I don't think we did a very good job and we can say from now till eternity that we told them that but perception is reality and they didn't understand it clearly just based on going back and
forth with Broward Estates and how that moved. So I think we should learn from our mistakes and or maybe not mistakes but make sure that we're giving it to them in in ways that they can understand it better because I I think they missed the point. I know the building is
important, but they also want to make sure their students are getting all those opportunities. Um, as for the municipal input, I have a suggestion because I do think people feel like there are backdoor deals going on. Maybe
in different municipal meetings, we can ask that the school board come. So after you've had the discussion with the city managers, the city manager can present it at a let's say the city of Hollywood, they meet on Wednesdays. Invite us like
we invite other people to come and have that meeting in an open public meeting where they can understand what the discussion has been so that we can kind of give a presentation and then then the
city has the opportunity to have the discussion in public. Um so I I think that might be a way to capture what people are asking for. Um, I also would say, um, a couple of other suggestions.
We have behavior centers that are doing great work, but maybe they're on a a facility that's larger than they need because, as we've mentioned, there's only a couple hundred students that go to some of those behavior centers. So
maybe you move the behavior center students onto a campus that has the capacity and you can release the building that they're in. If that makes sense. >> So it makes sense being a principal of one of those schools. they were only
built to hold a certain capacity because of the nature of but the the other part I will say and miss and we'll have the conversation with Miss Batista there's some statutory language about them not being on the same >> property >> as so we just need to have that
conversation to make sure >> see how we maybe put up fencing or whatever but in the buildings that because people are very attached to buildings for you and the superintendent to look at ways to bring like to be able to
leave the students in the building but bring and use those spaces that are available in other ways whether it's administrative offices P3s right where we're inviting people to come in but not necessarily moving the students that are already there if that makes sense
>> it makes sense but I will tell you and I will use the three behavior centers >> all of them were built within the last 20 years those are very brand new buildings So, I don't know that we're going to take those and do but yes, understand. >> Yeah. Yeah. You get the idea of what I'm
saying. And if that if it's statutoily not okay, I'm fine with them just trying to throw out some ideas that because people are so emotionally attached to the buildings that our students are in. Maybe a different way of looking at it
is that where which we've talked about like for example Olsen the city had given the idea to put the emergency center in there which means they would have rented out that space so we would be capturing financial things and our
students you know would have the other side just figuring out how we do that in other places where maybe it's a municipality maybe it's you know a different nonprofit that needs the space there or whatever. So that if there's
ways that we don't move the students because that really is the stressful piece of it, I think people are attached to the building and if we can figure out a way to get money from the spaces and also because of the laws that have changed, we know that charter schools
can move into those spaces if we don't find a way to occupy them. So, I think that would be really um essential to do that. And um I have to put my glasses on. Let's see. Um oh, the last thing. So,
kind of to go to what you had. So, schools to be addressed. I think you did a a good job of showing targets there. It doesn't mean they're going to be closed. It just means that there Oh, I know what I was going to say. Different programming, which would tie into here.
Magnet programs are amazing. And I know we spent the summer figuring out which ones worked. I would really love to see to help transportation to replicate like for example, South Broward has a great marine magnet program. How do you put one of those out in the northern area?
Because we had students that came from Parkland, which means they got on a bus at 4:00 in the morning to participate in our marine science program. So, how do you make those programs to keep people in their boundaried schools because they have programs that they're seeking in
other places? Um, similar to what we did to Cambridge, right? Fort Lauderdale was the only Cambridge magnet program and now all of the schools have it. So, it can keep them in their own um their own boundary. So, then proposed boundary
process timeline. My question to that is do you the first stakeholder engagement is coming up soon in September. So the only concern with and it's a very aggressive timeline is do you feel that we are going to get the information out
to the stakeholders soon enough for them to be able to start because that's like in two weeks. So um so as we leave here today tomorrow we are going to publicly notice the the entire meeting schedule
right um and it's for um two weeks in Sep two well actually it's two weeks and then one day is the week of the 10th we did one meeting because we wanted to be very respectful um of the community and our calendar we know that we have two um
holidays in the month of September that we do not want to have meetings the night before, right? Because the because the holiday begins at sundown. So, we didn't want to have a meeting that night. So, the first meeting is September 10th and then we go the next week and we have like three meetings and
then the next week I think it's um three and then two the last week. So, we are prepared to to begin advertising the meetings beginning tomorrow. So, the question so the answer is yes, we will have time and it's kind of the same schedule that we followed last year. we
just had to add a meeting on September 10th. But yes, the answer is we we believe that the timeline um that we're proposing is doable. Um but of course we had to get direction from the board today. >> Okay. And will those meetings be livereamed?
>> So we did not live stream meetings last year. We recorded them. They will continue to be recorded and the recording will be um posted on the schoolboard website as well as you know links available to them. We we recorded them last year. We didn't live stream them. >> Okay.
>> And there's a cost. That's why we did that. >> Right. Okay. And the So the idea is looking at the clusters eight. You're going to have >> we have eight meetings scheduled in in in high schools, right? Because we're having multiple communities. So So we need the space. Um many of the board
members um came to the meetings last year. So um following what Mrs. Leonardi told us last year, we're not lining anybody up in an auditorium. We're going to set up gymnasiums and cafeterias like Florida rooms again and let them come and have the family conversation.
>> Okay, perfect. And can we also um make sure what I was going to say just left me but oh to ask the city each municipality to advertise along with it to make sure that we're putting it out
in in as many places as possible. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay, great. School boundary committee. Um I I think >> before we get there because I don't think we nailed number one. >> Okay. >> The only reason I say I don't think we nailed number one. So I'm we I I think
we understand um the um clusters for elementary, middle school, high. We know that the um the the conversation and Dr. Heburn, correct me if I'm wrong, the conversation around the um the the seven non-traditional schools is more an
internal than a community conversation because those aren't neighborhood boundaries schools, right? Th So, so that's not that wouldn't be a part of those conversations. But what we do want to know is um you know obviously staff
um has said that on slide six the silver palms um situation would naturally be a part of and come out of um the redefining our schools process for this year. However, the second two are not recommendations that would come up as
staff recommendations. So we need to know so that we aren't you know um assuming anything. We need to know where we are with those three as it relates to schools to be addressed. >> So I was getting to that. That's okay. And the um
>> I apologize. >> That's okay. For that was part of the school boundary committee. So I think if we're going to make a committee to look at boundaries, I would like them to discuss those two choice area.
That's not. So remember the committee only comes together after we have come back to you on October 7th and we have our three regional meetings. The committee then gets together to look at
the proposals that are going to come forward. In order for the committee to consider something, these two items have to be a part of September meetings. Okay. You mean they like you'd have to have them as a discussion in your
community meeting? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Which is what I was discussing about the bandwidth. >> Right. Right. Okay. Yeah. Because I'm just like I said, I was trying to find a happy meeting. But in terms of the boundary committee, I I I think besides
just two two people from each school impacted, there needs to be an ESSE person on there, there needs to be an ESOL person. And um I don't know if it needs to necessarily be from each area,
but when we go down to where we say these are the things that we want to recommended boundary considerations, the school diversity and students with special needs is part of that boundary consideration. So I think there should
be people on the boundary committee that can be specific to those things as outside of just the school that's being impacted because they may you may pick someone that doesn't know anything about ESSE and and have an issue there. So
that's just my own since we are putting that as a consideration. Someone from the diversity committee and someone from the ESC committee in addition to the two people from each school impacted. >> Chair, can we consider people from our
own staff in those roles? We have like worldclass talent in ESSE and world-class talent in Esau and I I hate to press our volunteers who are already very busy doing their advisory committee. >> Dr. Heer. >> Um, sure. But, um,
>> I'm not asking them to vote. I'm just asking them to be staff assigned to help people. >> Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. >> They would, we would do that anyway. But yes, we can um make sure there's staff available to assist and and um help guide um some of the conversation around their with their expertise.
>> So, let's see. Propose the considerations for value. I'm not sure that part considerations for evaluating proposals. So that's on the >> that's slide 10 the final slide. >> So you want to know if we >> if you agree with these these um
elements if you want to um remove any add them as they are. >> Gotcha. I'm fine with what's on slide 10. Um, and I so to those two questions because on
page six, I would guess the superintendent feels similarly to Pioneer Middle and Silver Trail being a choice area because that also is a >> correct >> a bandwidth issue. So those are um
I would say those I don't know I'm feeling because I I do believe I would like to see the policy come back so that we can fix to to make sure those student Here's
the issue I have is that students who were in that boundared area then had to move and then all of a sudden seats open. So now we're allowing people who don't even live in the vicinity of MSD to have the opportunity to go. That's
what I would like to correct. So I don't know what the best way to do that is. So I don't know if it's to fix the the policy that comes back. I understand about the choice area and now is probably not the time to look at it.
>> So if I may um Dr. pepper. So, um the the the issue with and I'll take the Pioneer Civil Trail one, right? Pioneer is already overcrowded. So, why so the question would be we're going to entertain a process that would
potentially further >> accept >> and that school has not accepted reassignments with, you know, in a long time, right? So, that so that's that one. um as with with respect to um Coral
Glaze and Marjorie Stoman Douglas, I'll let Mr. Beck tell you what the current you know what both schools are currently or definitely MSD is at capacity, but I do think that there may be opportunity in the language of um 6400 to
accommodate what the board is, you know, may collectively be trying to do. >> Okay, Mr. Beck. >> Okay. U Thank you, Chair. So uh the Marjorie Stoman Douglas this year is enrolled at 101% of its gross capacity.
It is it is full and that's largely because we allowed 150 reassignment seats in this year. >> Of those reassignment requests, I think most of there was not as many as we anticipated from the C4 area applying for seats, but I think everybody who applied in one of the grades that had
seats available, I don't think there were 12th grade seats available, for example, was granted a seat. That was without the priority. So 6,400 has now is now in the process of being amended to to create a priority for boundary change. Um um uh people who have been
impacted by boundary change. I hope she uses the word victims. I'm sorry. Um however, so Stoman Douglas right now is enrolled at 101%. Creating a boundary choice area which is in essence a two-way boundary. You can choose whichever one you want to go to. There are 430 9th through 12th graders living
in the C4 area right now. So the potential there is that you will you could overenroll Marjorie Stoman Douglas again and then be back in the position of having to reverse the choice area after you know you adopting that to
mitigate the the boundary change. So there's that's a tremendous number of students that could go straight back into MSD, >> right? Which is why I I'm trying to find the balance if there are seats available. My preference and I think we
collectively agreed to that would be that those students that lived in the boundary that got removed if they wanted to go had the opportunity to go there before other people who don't live in there because that's really a slap in
the face, right? That's really it's disrespectful to them in that in that aspect. So that's really what I'm trying to because I hear what you're saying. I know it's it's this isn't the time and we don't have the bandwidth to do that
whole boundary piece and have all the meetings and and I don't disagree with that but I do want to be cognizant of the fact that >> we we impacted them and I want to fix it and the last thing I would say >> um chair before you go there though
could you could you tell us where we landed today on that issue >> well let's what does staff believe there where the staff believe they landed >> and and could I have it in plain English and not in uh your elevated brilliance. >> Well, thank you for that. Um what I
believe or what I've taken away from the discussion is particularly for that one um for number one that we are really at the 34 schools that are expressly named in the um slides three, four and five
and also number one on slide number six. >> I I have two to add chair whenever there's a minute to do that. Okay, I'm I have 18 seconds. So, the last thing that I want to say is that I do want to see
when you come back something that has an autism academy district managed charter, whatever, but we need to have something beyond preschool for our autistic clusters because we are losing them to Dade County.
>> Okay. Thank you. All right, Dr. Z. >> Thanks so much. Um, I think we have a neat opportunity, too, which is odd because we're not usually talking about expanding capacity while we're also trying to uh do some serious repurposing, but we have two high schools that are over 110%.
And my business owner brain says if we don't do something to serve that extra 10 or 12% that we have at Fort Lauard High School and Western, they're going to end up at St. Thomas and Cardinal Gibbons and homeschool and other things. There's just a there there's this wonderful thing going on at those two
schools. Uh there's lots of people that are in that area. I think they uh do they accept any reassignments right now? >> So, um Western does. Uh well, Western had the capacity to accept reassignments. They absolutely did.
Western High School um they did in the Well, and so that's something that we need to work with schools in process, right? where we allow where we actually give a number and then the schools can adjust numbers. So, Western absolutely
had the ability to take reassignments. Typically, Fort Lauderdale does not take reassignments because of their magnet um uh popularity. >> Either way, I would love the board to be educated, >> okay, >> on what it would take to create room for
that extra 10 or 12%. so that we get capacity to 100% and then if more people that are in the boundary area really want to go to those schools, we can get even more FTE. But what I'm worried about is it's so crowded at Western and Fort Larddale High School that people in
that boundared area are going to private schools and charter high schools and homeschooling just because it's hard to get a seat at the cafeteria. So, I would just love to know kind of how could we expand uh classrooms and anything else we need to to accommodate those kids
rather than just live at 10% or 12% over capacity. >> So, we have um definitely an answer um for Fort Lauderdale High and we'll bring that back in the conversation and we'll um bring back an answer with um for Western as well. But yes, sir,
definitely understand for those two schools. You you guys can come back and tell me that my business is wrong because I'm not in the business of education and that's fine, but I'm worried about losing those kids and I I really and besides Moore agrees with me. So, uh there there I'm just worried
about that. And if we have an ability to increase capacity, it doesn't cost a ton and it makes the school even better off. I mean, Fort Lauderdale High School has the property right across the street. I think >> listen building we we will bring back the and and I will never tell you that you're not in the business of educating
kids >> I every day you learn uh as as I have found any case thank you >> but thank you so western and just look at okay options for them >> this is aloa >> um yes I just wanted to add to the voices on the boundary committee BCPS
staff planning and demographics transportation department facilities department having students students on their principles, PTA, PTO, parents, teachers, city officials, ESC and ESOL. And then in considerations for evaluating the proposals, program access
like the academic offerings, extracurriculars, art, A, AP, IB, and then also transportation efficiency. Thank you. >> Did you capture all of that? So, so I did and I I I just want to make sure um
I manage everyone's expectation. While district staff can be available to answer questions to opine to provide input, district staff are not voting members on the boundary committee. I I I
just want to make and so as it relates to ESC and Esau, we will so and the diversity, right? Because those are clear callouts and the criteria, we will go to those three committees and ask for a representative to serve in addition to
the two individuals per when we get down to these are the schools that we're going to focus on. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, do you have do you feel like we've what else do what else do you need from us? >> I think we're good. >> Chair,
>> yes. >> For the record, Mrs. Ruper wanted to indicate her support for the JA World Project. >> Oh, yes. Um, I will agree to that. Also, >> chair, can you can you remind uh this semi forgetful human being what the boundary committee does?
>> Doc uh Dr. Heepern, >> Dr. Wanza. So, um, on, uh, in the September 16th board meeting, we're going to bring a resolution that says specifically what that committee does. So, they're going to have to come to an orientation. They're going to have to,
um, attend the three regional stakeholder meetings where we actually talk about the proposals that are going to go forward for final input from the community. They have to go and listen to all of that. Then they're going to come to a meeting with district staff where
we actually dis discuss each and every proposal and they give their recommendation as a committee as to whether or not they believe it should move forward as a part of the superintendent's recommendations to the board. >> Is it hard to get volunteers to serve on
such a large committee >> to do such so much work? >> What I will tell you the answer is no. because typically so last year we had what eight eight six or whatever the number of schools it was um and each um school gave two members for school and
then we had some committee chairs with the exception of one school because there was a family emergency everyone showed up to the meeting. >> Awesome. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you and thank you for that. So at this time do any of my colleagues have anything to bring to the board or
student successes to share? Dr. Zean, >> thanks. Two quick things, both very important. This is a workshop, so we can't make motions, but um I just want all my colleagues to understand that we are at the point of crisis with laptops.
We have students, Mr. Sea, that are going to school and don't have laptops to learn right now. We're in a bind and and and we just have to kind of announce that and we have to figure out, you know, what we're going to do. But right now we're in our is this the third week
of school I think and and we have kids in classes that are supposed to have you know laptops just to get the normal curriculum and there's one for two. So we have two kids standing like Mr. Leonardi and I would be looking at a a laptop to do the learning. That's not high quality learning. That's not going
to win back FTE. And so, uh, I understand that we might be in a pickle, but I hope that we can find a piggyback or some other solution that gets the $20 million of computers we need, uh, to do the very basics, uh, in our schools. Thanks, chair.
>> Thank you. So, Mrs. Leonardi, >> thank you. I wanted to um celebrate and recognize today is women's equality day which uh celebrates the adoption of the 19th amendment which prohibited uh federal and state governments from
denying the right to vote on the basis of sex. So, in plain language, today we celebrate the day women won the right to vote. And I bring that up uh because it's important, but also in honor of Women's Equality Day, I was able to go to a presentation from the Florida Girl
Scouts this weekend where they presented um a report that they've issued, the state of the Florida Girl Report, and there was some really interesting findings that I think are very pertinent to the work that we do. Um they talked about the the physical health of the
Florida girl. There's obviously some issues with health insurance access, homelessness, sexual and physical violence, community support and safety. They talked about the academic performance of girls um in Florida as it especially as it relates to math
performance after COVID. Um they talked about the emotional health and wellness of our Florida girl and specifically on mental health and suicide as well as the social well-being um the Florida girls living in poverty, substance abuse um
and things like that. So I encourage you if you just like Google Florida Girl Report, uh the Girl Scouts issued it, they used data that is publicly available, issued by the state. Um so it was very method methodologically well done. um and and you know it's it's 80
pages. It's really worth a read and I hope that it can help inform the way we make policy. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Se. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um a quick a quick comment and then uh a moment of recognition if I may. Um just to address
my colleagues comments, I don't control the distribution of laptops, at least last not uh last time I checked. Uh I'm all for our kids having laptops. I'm all for our kids having the best uh available technology. Uh but that being said, that's something that needs to be properly uh brought before the board and
we need to make a collective decision as as a team as to what's best um for our kids when it comes to any type of technology. Um, I'd also like um to recognize the fact that today is the 4-year anniversary of the uh suicide
bombing uh at Abigate in Cabal, Afghanistan, in which we lost uh 13 service members who were working on duty, answered the call to try to evacuate a wartorrn country and unfortunately their lives were cut short by a radical suicide bomber who came
into the airport and designated a um a bomb and we lost 13 service members uh from the Marine Corps, from the Navy, and and an Army uh soldier as well. So, I would just ask that everybody keep those uh 13 service members uh in their thoughts and prayers. Tonight is the four-year anniversary. Thank you.
>> Thank you. And I'll finish up. Um congratulations to BF and um BCAA, right, for um another successful national football showcase. Uh, and congratulations to Dillard. They won
their game 42-6 on, by the way, their brand new turf field. That looks beautiful. And also congratulations to American Heritage because they also won their game. In addition to Dillard having a ribbon cutting for their beautiful turf field, South Brower did.
I was very sad to miss it. Um, and Deerfield Beach High School is having their ribbon cutting this coming Friday. So, um, great things in athletics happening in Broward County. So, thank you. And the scheduled order of business. Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot Dr.
Heepern had something to say. >> Sorry. >> I know. So, um um Thank you, U, Madam Chair, because I need um um want to address something. Uh a few months ago we uh discussed about the RFQ for
Seymour contract um with the board and there was a question about bringing that item um back to the board for discussion before the solicitation uh goes out. Unfortunately, the solicitation has already been posted and u contractors are um submitting their questions. Um I
wanted um to ask Mr. Cooney um if there's any uh way of bringing that back for the board and I'll ask for consensus what you once you give them an answer if they want to direct me to bring anything back based on your um bas based on your answer.
>> Sure. Um thank you. I don't know if this or not. Um assistant general counsel Thomas Cooney here. Um we can make changes through agenda to the currently posted RFQ. Okay. as long as we don't get within the seven-day window of the opening. So, the opening is on September
9th, so we have until next Tuesday to post any revisions we want. Obviously, if we keep the changes minimal, we wouldn't want to extend the opening date. If there are significant changes, then we might want to consider giving them some more time. Uh, and obviously, we need to entertain questions on any
changes that are made, but those that's the the method that you can do it and try and stay on schedule. And so um and can you clarify the reason for the the addendum is we're uh responding to questions from from um the contractors
who are who are u sending questions to us based on the current RFQ. >> There are two um responses. It could be a response to a question for one or more proposers or we could initiate our own change. We can initiate a change at any time that says we're deleting this and
adding that etc. and say, you know, we're maintaining the same opening date. Um, and then they can ask questions upon that change. Uh, we've already answered several questions about specific uh items within the RFQ to this point and we've answered all those.
>> Okay. Um, so based on that, I know um I fielded some questions um from some board members. Um, and so is there any consensus of um I guess that September 9th that's do we have a workshop that day or school board? Yes, >> it's a workshop.
>> I think it's a workshop of >> of bringing of directing me to bring that back um for workshop to um discuss >> I have a question. Wasn't it didn't did
and I guess it's for Miss Batista. Is it in our perview like are we stepping over a boundary by having a discussion about an RFQ? That's not really in our purview if I'm not mistaken. >> I'll defer to general counsel,
>> Mr. Cooney or Miss Batista. >> So, I I think I had asked uh answered this question when Mrs. uh Leonardi asked it before. Um there isn't any legal prohibition
from having a discussion regarding the RFQ. Um I would just you know be mindful of the fact that um you know depending on what things may be discussed or or requested to be changed
by the board members um you know you you may be um you know you don't have any particular expertise that I'm aware of on you know RFQS in this type of area. So, um I think you have to be careful in what kind of things you discuss um
generally on the RFQ. >> Thank you. >> Go ahead. Um let's see, Mrs. Alf. No, >> Mrs. Bowman. Um so, I appreciate the superintendent bringing this back or to light. Uh I you
know the I think the issue at hand was the way that the conversation went at the workshop. Not necessarily that the board members need to have um a say in the content of the RFQ if that's not our process, but there was a
miscommunication about what our process was. So I think we just need to clear that up for the public that we were um having a I guess incorrect conversation and some of the information provided was
not was not correct. Um because it is our understanding that we should not be making those changes. So I don't feel like I need to have the RFQ brought back. I just wanted I just appreciate that we're clearing that up for the public that there was a little bit of a
misstep >> in how it was presented when we were at the workshop. >> Absolutely. Thank you, >> Dr. Seaman. uh kind of here's the issue that we have. I think that's the bigger issue, which is there were multiple schoolboard members who asked multiple senior leaders,
including the superintendent, whether or not we'd see the RFQ before it went out. Um and then we didn't get to see it. Um there is uh huge like value in whoever does this work for us. Um and there are
policy issues related to the solicitation including how much of the award is a minimum for uh certified businesses. Um there are uh restrictions that are built into solicitations that can limit the competition. Um and those
are things that will come back and and u be a reflection of the school board members, not the superintendent. that we uh narrowed the field too much or didn't narrow it enough and we did not include enough or did too much uh on certified
businesses. So um I um would like to I've already heard one objection so there's not going to be any consensus here with the board. Um, but we we have, you know, some damage control to do with the public because if the school board asks
for something and three senior leaders here say they're going to do something and they don't do it, um, you know, the public rightfully will ask, you know, what is the legal authority of the of the school board and um, I just hope that this is just something that's a
very rare occurrence. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ms. Leonardi, you want to weigh in? >> Sure. I'm I'm I don't think it's appropriate to bring it back, Mrs. Miss. Thompson. >> Okay, Mr. Se.
So, it doesn't look like you have consensus to bring it back. Thank you. And just a reminder so that we're not taking it back next time. We do have a board training from 9 to 1 on
September 9th. So, our meeting will start at 9. So, our eight hours, I mean, our meeting will start at 1. So, our eight hours would extend till nine o'clock PM. So, I just want to give you a heads up um that that's a possibility. But look, it's only 7.
>> Madam Chair, I'm sorry to jump in. Can I add something real quick? >> Sure. >> Uh an email was sent on Friday requesting for board members to designate topics for our next student and schoolboard discussion. Uh so, if you could take a look at that and share back with us the topics you'd like to discuss with students. Thank you to
those of you who already have uh by Friday. I'd greatly appreciate that. Thank you. >> Thank you. The scheduled order of business for this schoolboard workshop of the school board of Ber County, Florida has been completed. Seeing no obligation, I now adjourn the meeting and we will see you September 9th. Thank
you.