achieve one Broward. I will now turn it over to the superintendent to make a brief statement. >> Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the board, students, staff, families, and the entire BCPS community. Today, I want to speak candidly with you about the financial reality facing Broward
County Public Schools and the decisive actions we must take to remain strong, stable, and student focused. Like many school districts across Florida and the nation, Broward County Public Schools is experiencing a significant and ongoing decline in student enrollment. Based on our most recent data and projections, we
anticipate losing approximately 3,600 additional students just this school year alone. That equates to an estimated additional 32.6 6 million in additional loss revenue on top of the prior losses of 6,700 students beginning of the school year and rising costs for
employees, benefits, utilities, and day-to-day operations. When combined, this creates a projected net negative fiscal impact of approximately $94.7 million on our fund balance. This is not a challenge we can ignore, delay, or wish away. It requires
immediate responsible action guided by our unwavering commitment to protect classroom instruction, student safety, and core academics and support services. As a result, effective immediately, the district will implement the following measures. Um, we are transitioning from
a non-essential hiring freeze to a hard hiring freeze for all district and school-based positions. This is referenced in the memo that was just passed out to the board and is being simultaneously sent to the board members and across the organization. Positions already in process prior to December 8
will continue forward to for board consideration. Critical positions that those directly tied to safety, compliance, and essential operations may be filled with my approval. Grant-f funed critical positions may also may also proceed with approval. Additionally, we are implementing a
freeze on outofcount travel funded by the general fund. Grant funded travel will continue if there is no general fund impact. Existing general fund travel must be cancelled where possible. All remaining general fund travel will require senior leadership approval.
Importantly, academic and athletic field trips will not be impacted. We're also continuing, excuse me, aggressive efforts to limit overtime strictly to essential safety and operational needs and conducting a comprehensive review of contracts, staffing allocations, and overtime
practices to identify further cost savings. These steps are difficult, but they are necessary to ensure we remain financially responsible and continue delivering highquality education to our students. This bud budget reality makes something very clear. It is now more
critical than ever that we rightsize our district and remain in control of our future. We cannot operate yesterday's school system with today's enrollment numbers and tomorrow's financial demands. Every decision we make must align with the realities of a smaller student population, higher fixed
operational costs, and our responsibility to preserve long-term financial sustainability. This is exactly why the work of the redefining our schools is so urgent, so necessary, and so missionritical right now. This initiative is is about aligning our
facilities with enrollment, using taxpayers dollars responsibly, protecting classrooms, and ensuring Broward County Public Schools remains strong for generations to come. At this time, I will turn it over to Dr. Dr. Wanza who will walk us through the full
redefining our schools presentation and outline the path forward for our district. Dr. Wanza. >> Good morning. Thank you Dr. Heburn. Good morning school board members, colleagues across the organization. Definitely our community members. I'm Valerie Wanza. I'm the chief strategy and innovation
officer. Um I would like to introduce briefly my team who's seated behind me. We have Adrienne Parker who is the executive director of strategic initiative management. Joe Beck, the director of demographics and enrollment planning, Dante Collins, the director of charter schools management support, Dr.
Cassandra Frerieded, who is the director of magnet and innovative programs, as well as Willie Wood, the director of performance management. Also joining us um at the appropriate time in today's presentation is Miss Narnique Pierre Grant. She is the uh chair of the district's diversity committee and she's
also the liaison from the school boundary advisory committee. So at the appropriate time in the presentation, she will give voice to the work of the of the committee. So with that, um, Beacon, if you can load the presentation, we'll get started. So again, um, I'm going to walk the board
and the public through the presentation. U Madam Chair, at any time you want me to to, you know, modulate my speed, just let me know. Okay. >> Thank you. And I just wanted to explain briefly to the public why we are up here. Even though this is a workshop, um staff set this up so that there is ample
room for public uh the public to see uh sit in the audience. Thank you, Dr. >> Okay. So, um in the first slide, basically this just frames our purpose for being here today and I want to um reiterate that the per that really our purpose today is for the superintendent
obviously to um listen to feedback and garner some sense of direction from the board as we go through today's conversation. And you will see on one of the final slides that um depending on what happens today, it according to our timeline, the superintendent will
release his official memo of recommendations um for next school year's B complete boundaries on Friday of this week, December 12th. Again, that's predicated on what happens here today. But this and you will also notice that for each one of the proposals that we go through
there is a financial impact there and um the appropriate staff is here to answer questions around any of the elements that we discussed today. And this um the next slide is just our agenda to walk us through um how the presentation is organized. I will not
read to you but that just walks us through how the presentation is organized. In the months of October and November um we as a staff we facilitated four very powerful meetings. The meeting in the north we tal um we met with the north region community at Coral Springs High
School and that conversation was really about um programmatic needs around the middle schools that we had in that we initially identified to be addressed. the central region. You'll see in the next slide the conversation there and that meeting was at Dillard. We had the meeting in the south region at Myar High
and then we had a very um I'm going to say a very special meeting with the um community of Seagull and Wooden Rogers on November 19th. So as I said in the in the north region we did not have any conversation around um school boundary changes,
consolidations or closures. So those conversations actually happened in the central region and those listed um on the slide are the proposals that we discussed that evening and we will go into greater detail on those proposals in a few moments but that was the essence of the conversation in the
central region at Dillard High School. The next slide encapsulates um the content of the discussion at Myiar High School in the south region. And then we had the conversation. And so at at each
one of these meetings, this was the conversa in the we used the thought exchange portal. I'm sorry I'm too close to the mic. We used the thought exchange portal to capture thoughts of the attendees both in person and virtually. And this is the question that we asked
in the north area as it relates to programmatic offerings and enhancements at the middle schools in the north area specifically Coral Springs Middle, Forest Glenn Middle, Margate, Ramblewood, and Srass Springs Middle. That was the question that was asked there. And then as it relates to the
meetings in the central region, the south region, and at Whitten Rogers Education Center, this is the question that we asked. And we really asked two specific things. what ideas um did they did the community or the attendees have to make the proposal successful and also
what challenges did they think we would face or we need to address to ensure that students and families are supported during whatever potential changes occur. So over the four meetings over 800 people um gave us their thoughts and you
can see the number of thoughts and then they were rated by different individuals and there were over 15,000 ratings in the presentation is the link to the thought exchange for all four meetings. So, um the board the public does have the ability to go in and look at the
individual um thoughts that were included as well as the ratings and that's there. And then in the north region, you'll see um this is a summary of what the participants told us. Basically, um they really wanted more
technical, more vocational um courses. also performing arts, um STEM and environmental science were areas of great interest for them as well as enhancements to language programs, sports, extracurricular um clubs and
then community engagement activities. So that was really their conversation as it relates to programmatic enhancements in the schools in the north region. when we moved to the central region um and this is the first time both in the central the south and the meeting at
Whitten Rogers that we actually talked about consolidations of schools and reconfigurations of schools and here you can see um the uh input from the from the community and um
there was a lot of concern about um ensuring that there's effective resource allocations across schools and they're very concerned about changes that impact local schools and neighborhood schools. And then obviously um depending on proposal, there were some questions
around transportation and mo more importantly the um the schools want to keep their local identity as a neighborhood school in the south region. Um it was um the similar concerns. Um they are interested a lot in the
Cambridge program dual language also. They're very um concerned as well about pathways to support student success. Again, program continuity and really it's um a lot of transparency around what will happen during this transition
is what they're really seeking. And then lastly at Win Rogers um when you the schools are very um similarly located very they're right next to each other and so there were really concerns about um preserving what those schools
offer looking at um ensuring that the trust is maintained and that they look at and that we the district look at things like safety impact on existing programs and that we do not take away from what those programs currently
offer. So now we'll move into um the actual proposals that were discussed at individual at at the individual meetings. We'll um also have you'll see this is consistent for each proposal.
You will see the uh um the map to the left of where the school is pretty much located and some enrollment information. And then there are these two tables that are there. There are these two tables that are there for both um where you see
a litany of information. And then at the bottom on the right hand side you will see what the school boundary committee outcome with the outcome of their vote was whether it was recommended or not recommended. And then you will see um the actual vote spread. And in a few
moments when we get to um the actual committee work, that is when Miss Pierre Grant will give voice. But proposal one essentially is to um transition the students from Sunshine Elementary School into Fairway Elementary School and then
utilize uh the Sunshine facility for another district use. And you can see here the committee actually recommended um that this proposal be considered to move forward. On the next slide and this is consistent for um the proposals for which a school
boundary is impacted. You will see that these are the six conditions that the board asked the school boundary advisory committee to consider when they in their deliberation meeting. So for each one of the proposals, you will see the analysis
for each one of the six um factors that the board asked the school boundary committee to consider. So I obviously will not read um to to you all because I you know that would be disingenuous but that is there for each proposal.
Next slide. Beacon the battery may be dead. Okay. And then um lastly for each proposal we um did a cost analysis. Green is positive um red is negative. So you can see in this specific example there would
be um an overall reoccurring uh financial positive impact of just over $1.1 million. Um, but we also put the utility costs um for Sunshine because Sunshine is a school that would either be used for another district purpose or
it could be one that we look to um partner with organizations to potentially um lease space in the school or lease the entire facility. It should be noted that if it is solely used for another district um purpose, meaning we move departments there or something of
that nature, then that is the annual utility cost. But obviously if we were to lease out space then those costs would should be um considered in whatever the rental agreement is. So that's the first example and then I I I
won't um speak verbatim to each one but I'll just call out the highlights for the remaining proposals. So again proposal one is to transition Sunshine Elementary School into Fairway Elementary School. It was recommended um that this proposal move
forward by the school boundary advisory committee and that is the cost impact. The next proposal considers uh transitioning Panther Run Elementary School into Chapel Trail Elementary School. Um I know that there is um some
thought that if uh this school was consolidated that perhaps um the superintendent and staff look at potentially moving one or two neighborhoods that are closer to Silver Palms into Silver Palms and not and so I'm just want to say that but but the
committee's vote was that this school not be um transitioned uh into another school at all. they they did not vote essentially to consolidate um Panther Run into another school. And that is the committee vote. That's the data um as it
relates to transitioning Panther Run into if Chapel Trail is the school. Um and there's the six elements again that the board asked the advisory committee to consider as they deliberated. And lastly, this is the um cost impact.
I know that there um has been some consideration or some thoughts around maybe um co collating a school within a school into this campus. But again, the proposal um that we talked to the advisory committee about as well as um
in the community was transitioning Panther Run into Chapel Trail. you will see the one point again another just over $1.1 million in recurring cost savings as well as the um annual maintenance and utilities for the school
is $363,000. The next proposal considers transitioning Palm Cove Elementary School into two schools into Lakeside Elementary and Pines Lakes Elementary School. The boundary committee did vote in favor of this one of this proposal
moving forward for consideration. There's the all of the um enrollment data as well as other demog demographic data um that was provided to the committee as they deliberated over this proposal. There are the si the um analysis for the
six elements and there's the um financial impact. You can see it's a positive impact of approximately $1.3 million. And then um Palm Cove would be again a facility that would be um transition to another district use or potentially um some type
of uh rental or lease agreement with partnering agencies. And there's the annual financial um impact for maintenance and utility costs at the facility. The next so proposal um four and 4A are related and they both involve North Fork
Elementary School. The first one is to transition North for North Fork completely into Walker Elementary School. The committee did not um vote in favor of this proposal. You can see all of the um capacity and demographic information as well as student
assignment information there. Um and then transition North Fork into another use. The board um is in receipt of at least three proposals um for potential use of the of the um facility or of the site I should say.
And then as it relates to moving the the all of the students into Walker, this is um the analysis for the six conditions that the board asked the committee to consider. And then this is the financial impact if
the um if all of the students transition to Walker Elementary School. And um again one point just over $1.1 million in recurring annual cost savings. And then you can see um the maintenance and facility costs for North Fork Elementary
School. And as I said four and 4A are related because 4A considers um transitioning the students at Northfor into four different elementary schools. and and that really is intended to um
look at potentially um putting students in the neighborhoods that are closer to where they reside. So, for example, there's um an area south of Broward Boulevard that is actually closer to um Croissant Park Elementary School. So,
transitioning those students that live nearest to there to um Cson Park. There's also another area in the Lauderdale Manners area that would do some clean up and place the students like at Thorood Marshall and then you see the um there's an area on the west
side of I95 and have those students attend Dr. Martin Luther King. So this would um this this proposal situates students closer to their residential area. And so there's the map and there's all the demographic and enrollment
information for this proposal. Next slide, Beacon. And then here are the six elements um as well as the middle um the the middle school and high school feeder for each one of the elementary schools.
And then the cost um impact here is just under a million dollars. And I know that um some may ask, well, why is that number 247,000? and our finance team can explain in greater detail. But when we actually um
disperse or reassign is a better word, I apologize for that. But when we reassign students to other schools, depending on where the on the receiving school support allocation, there the um the addition of students may result in um
placing that school in a higher support allocation bracket. and the finance team can explain that in greater detail, but that is why you see a greater cost impact um uh reassigning the students to four schools as opposed to just reassigning them to one. But again, that
is the um you see the utility cost obviously remains consistent at um $563,000 for the North Fork campus. So um proposal five and proposal six are
related. They are related because the um the proposal five considers expanding these elementary schools to K8 schools if Glades Middle School um is
transitioned from a 6 through 8 middle school to another district site. And it would also contemplate for next school year Coral Cove expanding to grade eight for next school year. Um just to remind the board and the public,
last year Coral Cove moved to a K8 school. They added sixth grade this year. They are um slated to add seventh grade next year. But if um if Glades Middle ceases to exist as a 6th through
8 middle school, then Coral Cove would have to add 8th grade in the 26 27th school year and all of these elementary schools would immediately begin offering grades 6 through 8. So that is so and
then when I explain si um slide six you'll see slide six um has a slightly different um outcome but five and six are related because um it would be one proposal or the other because there
isn't enough student enrollment to do both. Next slide please beacon. So here are the elements that the board asked the boundary committee boundary advisory committee to consider in this proposal. You see the middle school and the high
school feeders there. Next slide please. And then um this obviously um is a cost impact. the the largest cost impact um would be in transportation and it's for the number of buses um that would be
needed because these schools currently operate at a 8:00 start time and the families are used to these schools operating at an 8:00 start time. Obviously, if they move to a later time, then it may um result in a cost savings.
However, one of the the number one um the number one thing that well, I I'll say in the top three things that we hear from parents is the late school start time at Glades Middle School is is um is
problematic for families. So, they would the families would prefer to stay on the 8:00 start time and then the school would go to 2:40. We uh we recognized that we would have to work on um either a staggered or some type of school
dismissal process um based on our lessons learned from this year with the schools that expanded to K to8. But the biggest cost impact here um is around the cost for transportation. Um and so
that is why you see that this would be um in the negative, if you will, at just under $300,000. So, proposal six um contemplates not expanding the students to grade uh th those elementary schools, I'm sorry, to
grade 8, but instead transitioning the students from Glades Middle School to New Renaissance Middle School. Um just as in proposal five as well as proposal six, the committee did not vote in favor of either one of these proposals.
And here you see the factors that were um considered as well as the high school feeder patterns for both schools. Next slide, Beacon, please. And then um this is the cost impact. If we moved all of the middle school kids from Glades
Middle School to New Renaissance Middle School, there is a co a reoccurring cost savings of just over $1.7 million. And that is the actual um annual maintenance and utility cost for the Glades Middle School campus. And we the proposal
considers transitioning Glades Middle School whether it's in proposal 5 or proposal six, but um transitioning Glades Middle School to a branch campus of Sheridan Technical College. Proposal um seven has
several elements. Well, seven and 7 A and 7B are all related to Walter C. Young Middle School. The first one um is to transition the students at Walter C. Young Middle
School into either Silver Trail Middle School or Pine 6 through 12 depending on, you know, depending on where they live and how the boundary um would be configured. And then um the Walter C. Young facility would be used for either another district or municipal use. So
this would be the phasing out of Walter C. Young, the consolidation of Walter C. Young into either Silva Trail Middle School or Pine 6 to 12. And the committee did not vote in favor of this proposal. I think the batteries did. And here you
see the element the six elements that the committee considered as well as the current um high school feeders. And if we did this then you can see the um annual cost savings is just under 1.8
million and uh just over 800,000 is the annual maintenance and facilities cost for the Walter C. Young campus. Next slide, please. Okay. Um, slide I'm sorry. Proposal 7A um is a concept or
proposal that contemplates transitioning Glade, I'm sorry, the current Walter C. Young Middle School into a 3 through 8 gifted and dual language school. The committee did not vote in favor of this um proposal.
Let's see. Next slide, please. This would be a choice option for families. Um, so, um, but I can tell you the the committee, um, was very concerned, and Miss Narnique Pierre Grant will speak to this as well. The
committee was very concerned about the impact that this may have on, um, a couple of the elementary schools in the area that already offer dual language, and they're very concerned about the impact of that. And so, um, I'll go to
the next slide. And obviously, until we until we know where all the students would come from, um, and what time frame we would put the school on for transportation, we could not, um, realistically and in good faith um, present a financial impact. So, until
such time as we had a true analysis of where all the students would come from, a financial impact was not calculated for this proposal. Next slide, please. And then um slide slide 7B is something that um the committee I'm sorry, the community has
asked for and the board did ask us to keep into consideration as we walk through the process. And this is this relates to the students who are currently um attending Silver Palms Elementary School. They are the only elementary school that is west of I75
that has to come east of high of I75 to go to middle school and and to go to high school. So what this proposal does is that that um attendance area. It realigns their middle school boundary from Walter C. Young to Silver Trail.
And you will see in an upcoming slide where it is related in that it does the same thing where it moves their high school boundary from currently Flanigan to West Broward um high school. But the committee did vote in favor of advancing
this proposal forward. And then there are the six um conditions as well as the feeder patterns. And there's no cost impact associated with this. It's actually cost neutral to do this. Proposal 8 um contemplates transitioning
Plantation Middle School into Plantation High School and creating a 6 through 12 uh high school on the campus of Plantation High School. All grades will have the same bell times as does the current um Dillard 6 through 12 high school. So it would really be um very
similar to the um operations if you will at Dillard High School. And then the district would further its use of the plantation middle facility for additional district purposes. And we know that the city of Plantation is very interested in working with the district
to create a um public safety um themed program at Plantation High School with this new configuration. The committee did vote um in favor of this proposal. You see the map as well as the demographic and enrollment data there.
And then the um we have the um six elements that the board asked the commit the boundary advisory committee to consider here. And then this proposal is actually um it would actually result in just over $ 1.9
million reoccurring cost savings. and um the cost is neutral. If the NOVA transportation hub model is approved, if the NOVA transportation hub model is not approved, then it would be a $1.2
million cost savings. And I know that Miss Paul and her team in an upcoming workshop will explain in greater um context what the NOVA uh hub model concept is. Next slide, please. And then um the next
proposal contemplates consolidating Bear Middle School into West Pine Middle School and then transitioning the Bear campus for another district use. The committee did not vote in favor of this. Um you do see
the maps as well as the demographic and enrollment data there. The next slide provides all the information on the six elements that the committee um was charged with analyzing as well as the current high school p uh feeder patterns for um bear. And I think that one of the
things, and um Miss Pierre Grant will probably speak to this in greater detail, is that one of the things that concerned the committee was the number of elementary schools that would feed into West Pine if this proposal were to
be um go forward and passed. The next slide um provides again the um financial analysis. Again, you see if uh the NOVA concept, Nova hub model concept for transportation is adopted, then the
actual um net financial impact is just over 1.9 million. And so where you see estimated expenditures/cost that would um primarily result in an increase or some kind of adjustment in the support allocation for what would be
the combined 6 through 12 school. And then you we have here um the facility and maintenance costs for the bare metal campus. Okay. Okay. Um the next slide th this is um what I talked about in in proposal
7B. So this is actually the high school portion to moving the elementary students middle school feeder from Walter C to Silver Trail. This is now the high school part of moving the students from Flanigan High School to
West Broward High School. The committee did vote um in favor of this proposal just as they did for the middle school feeder pattern as well. And there's obviously the the six elements as well as the feeder pattern
information for you. And then there is um um modest cost um reoccurring positive cost impact of just over $22,000. Proposal 11. Proposal 11 um is actually
the proposal to transition Hallindelle High School to do a phase transition of Hallindelle High School into um a southern sister school, if you will, to Pompa Beach High School. What it would contemplate is um phasing out some of
the boundary and moving some of the students to Myar High School, looking at um the uh elements or the criteria that they would use, the programming, different types of programming so that what is offered at the school actually
um meets the current um population, community and interests of that area. The co the committee did vote in favor of this proposal and you can see the demographic and the capacity enrollment information there.
There are the six elements as well as um the feeder pattern um information as it relates to um McNickl Middle School and then we know that um Gulfream K to8 also feeds into Hallland High School as well. But those students
in the Gulfream K to8 actually physically reside in the city of Hallland. Whereas um uh many of the students who attend McNickel Middle School reside either um some reside in Hallland, but some reside in the city of
Hollywood and in the city of West Park as well as the city of Penrook Park. This is the um cost impact. It is a a cost impact and it's mainly due to trans transportation depending on the number
of buses whether it's um 11 or 15 and as a note our colleagues in transportation did advise us that currently um the um PMPO Beach High School has 18 buses that they use for the regional transportation
just as a comparative analysis. Then the last um proposal that the uh committee considered was the proposal to transition Thood Marshall um into from its current um well to implement into the current K5 space an actual 3 through
8 space related to gifted and dual language. The current um Thood Marshall would remain a K5 school but extend its grades to eighth grade and then um add a gifted and dual language focus at the school. The committee, this is the only
one obviously that they voted unanimously for interestingly um but on and then you have the map, the demographics, the enrollment. There's obviously the um six elements as well as the feeder middle schools and
high schools. And this one we we like the um like the proposal for Walter C. Young until we know exactly where those kids in those middle grades would come from. Um and additionally how many additional kids may come in the K5
space. We didn't we couldn't realistically um come up with a financial impact unless we had some um true data to go on to calculate the input. So th those are the 12 proposals that
the school boundary advisory committee actually voted on. the the one that they did not contemplate um is the one for Seagull and Whitten Rogers because Seagull and Whitten Rogers are not neighborhood boundary schools. All of the students who attend these schools
have a neighborhood boundary school, if you will. They are assigned to these schools for special services or programming to meet their individual needs. But the um the proposal here considers combining Seagull and Whitten
onto the Whitten campus, ensuring that um the adults with disabilities program remains there, remains a part of the Whitten campus as well as all programming and resources that are currently offered at both schools continue to be offered and available to
students. and then look at um potentially partnering with the city of Fort Lauderdale um for use of the Seagull site. And this just provides um the board with some um data on both schools. And Mr.
Howard told me to make sure um I remind the board that the 400 students that's there, those are just the students on campus. They also provide educational programming um in the BSO facilities as well as some of the um Department of
Juvenile Justice sites around the county. I promised him I'd say that. But but um this is the cost impact. So, and if this were um if this recommendation were or this proposal were to go forward as a formal recommendation, then there
is um the potential of a $2.7 million reoccurring um finan positive financial impact. Um and if the the school schedule remained on the current schedule of Ridden Rogers, then the
transportation part is costneutral. Right now, Seagull's bell schedule, I believe, is 8:30 and Wens is just after 9. Um, and then the annual maintenance and facilities cost for Seagull, you can see it's right at about $400,000.
So, this just provides in a one-pager at a glance for the the school board and the community um how the 34 proposals are situated as it relates to consolidation, reconfiguration, enhancement, um schools that would receive additional
students and obviously if when if the um the proposal for um the feeder pattern reconfiguration at um Silver Palms goes through, then Flanigan would be the only school that may potenti potentially lose some students.
The next slide just provide models and I explained how the models were created of what the overall annual um financial cost impact would be depending on which proposals may or may not go come through fruition as actual recommended um
options that are finally approved by the board. So th those are samples. Um it should be noted that the high-end um for transportation cost was used and for proposal 11 and that's the proposal that contemplates high school. So we use the
high end of the 15 buses and not the 11 buses. And again these proposals do not contemplate um 7A or proposal 12 and those are the two proposals that spoke to um extending Walter C. Young or th good marshall around 3 through eight
gifted in dual language. And at this time um I'm going to allow Miss Narnique Pierre Grant to give voice to the next slides um as they relate to the work of the school boundary committee. So just tell me when you need me to advance. Well, I can't see it.
Okay, I still can't see it. I ain't got my glasses. Jesus. Okay. Um, I did prepare a statement. Good morning, everyone. Um, uh, we want to thank the superintendent and the board for the opportunity of the Broward Broward boundary committee and
hearing the voices of the committee for this round of reimagining. The committee met and voted in the allotted time on the proposals taken into consideration the community input data provided and six criteria the board created for the boundary committee. Uh feedback from the boundary committee and the community
some members felt the data and the criteria were not sufficient for them to make um informed an informed vote. Most um area representatives did not want their schools to be closed and or merged. Uh student transition is a great concern. That's the consensus.
Repurposing is of great concern as well as um Dr. Wanza mentioned. Um programming is a is is also of great concern as we mentioned about the um the many elementary schools being merged and
um the dual language programs. Uh partnerships are unclear. the community um wants more information on who or what entities will be in entering our district and what are their long-term and short-term benefit goals. As the
board considers these proposals, the community and the committee asked that their voices and input be used heavily in your decision-making process. As the liaison of representative of this committee, I would like to state that on the onset of this process, I made a statement to the former superintendent and Miss Saunders, who was the chief
strategy and innovation officer at the time, to tell the community the truth um and what position the district is in early on to allow for all involved to get used to the changes that are up and coming. This was a board's this this way the board's discussion and ultimate
decisions will be less stressful. I know we will not make everyone happy and quite frankly that is not the goal. The district emphasizes transparency but does not take the necessary steps to demonstrate it. Uh I'll say this, the process has been arudous for some and traumatic for others. The community will
always voice their hearts. Uh, it's the district's responsibility to explain the detail to explain in detail why actions such as reimagine is taking place and why hard decisions must be made and find a conducive medium for all of those involved to not only understand but
accept the decisions. As you deliberate today, we understand that the district's fiscal responsibility ultimately drives your decision. However, we ask that the viable alternatives are considered. Please consider not starting this discussion with indecision. This process requires
decisive action and respect for the timeline given to the public. We hope that the board will hear the public today that are here to talk um and know that this is a partnership and the goal is the best interest of the students and staff of this district.
Thank you. All right. So, we all voted for Sunshine. Um, we realized that that school is extremely underenrolled. Um, the community was there to voice their opinion, but the consensus that we're we're we
are we're not okay, but we're comfortable with that decision. Uh, Panther Run was a no. Um, that community was very strong, felt very strongly about their school. Um, but honestly, uh,
It was a tough decision, but I think that the district needs to make sure that when they do make a decision on it that the the fiscal responsibility that you all mentioned as the superintendent mentioned earlier is taken into consideration. Um, to be honest, like we had a lot of it
was really tough to kind of make some of these um votes because I mentioned that a couple of members felt that the information and the criteria that we had to use to make these decisions was not enough. Um, a lot of people mentioned the financial
um, aspect of it. They didn't really have fullon numbers. However, I believe that the team provided us with a lot of information. Let's see. North Fork was a big one. um that community came out and really
voiced their um strong opposition. They really want their schools to stay open. Um they also provide got some notes.
They're a school that provides resources to the community, food, clothing. They also work with the the Salvation Army and um shelters. So, they really provide they're like a beacon in the community. So, they really want to make sure that their school stays intact.
Um, let's see. Plus, we only had like eight minutes to discuss each one. It wasn't really a long time. So, um, and but we understood that there's so many. Um, let's see. Coconut Cove. Oh, Glades. They came out
in full force, child. They were like, we we not having it. um and they meant what they say with their full chest. So, they just don't want that to happen at all. But again, you know, you guys have a hard decision to make. Um
Walter C. Young was very strong about their opinion as well. They wanted their schools to stay open. They talked about their grades and they talked about how um they create a community of excellence. I think all this I think the entire district has excellent schools in
my opinion. Um some just needs a little bit more help than others. Um see what else. I know that um and I hope Jackie's here. I know she's going to talk to the ESC group. There was a little bit of u
confusion where that was concerned. There's a lot of confusion about repurposing and what you guys are going to do with some of the properties and how that's going to look for the district long term. Despite the committee wanting their schools and um
not merging, they do still consider um the district as a whole in terms of how what what programs look like, who are we bringing into the district to help us to get us into a better position. And then there was some talk about the um charter
schools using our buildings. Um but I think Miss uh Dr. Wanza did a great job of making sure we stayed on task with the six criterias, but that is a major concern as well. Uh let's see. the gifted programs, the gifted dual
language. I think that was a big point of contention because we currently have dual language um at several of our schools. I think two um their concern is are we taking away from one group to um
add to another. I know one of the things the superintendent mentioned in some of the meetings um prior to this phase of re re-imagining was that competition is healthy and that all schools should really be advocating for their programs that they have.
Um, however, with so many students leaving the district, I don't know if that's something that the the board and the superintendent would like to consider um as far as marketing um making sure that maybe we highlight certain schools in terms of what they
have and to try to rightsize the district in some way. Uh let's see what else. Yeah, the middle school, not middle schools, the elementary schools. Um, another concern was um making us a a
large group of K8s. Some members felt that they were taking away choice from students in terms of uh having a traditional elementary school versus the K through8s. That was another concern. Um, I kind of pushed back and said, "Well, you know, most charter schools
are K through eights. Um, and they don't really kind of offer choices there." But there was some validity to one of the members who felt like, you know, students should have the choice to have a traditional elementary school. Um,
um, am I going to be able to like jump in in there cuz since this a workshop, right, y'all? like while y'all talking and stuff. >> I think um to maintain like organization in the meeting um if you could just flag
me and I could >> Oh yeah, just as long as like if I can like put some tidbits how you guys are talking would that be okay for me like >> Yeah, if you can just flag me and >> Okay, perfection. So come back to me. So I'll round out um the presentation. What what I will give voice to um what
Miss um Pierre Grant spoke to was the the committee was very certain. They they did want to see impact to transportation, to finances, to staffing, to programmatic um considerations. They wanted to see a number of other data elements. And what
I had to bring the committee back to was at the August, I think it was 27th workshop, the board came to an agreement that the elements that the committee would consider as they deliberated were impact on enrollment, feeder patterns,
neighborhood integrity, distance to school, school diversity, and impact on students with disabilities. So that's why all of you know financial transportation staffing patterns all of that was not provided to the committee because that is not what the board asked them to contemplate as they did their
work. Okay Beacon if you can put the presentation back up and I'll kind of round us out. So, in the proposals that were um that are here as it relates to potentially um transitioning schools from their current use to another district use and
offlining them, if you will, um to K through2 students, this would result in approximately or just over 8,800 student stations um no longer being identified as student stations. And you can see in total right now we have just over 50,000
Okay. Um, one one of the things that we also did as a part of redefining, we actually um took a deep look into um the magnet programs that we offer here in the district. And you can see that we looked at um programs as it relates to student demand. And when we say student
demand, we looked at programs for which choice applications come in annually for programs. and we looked and we saw a a number of our programs unfortunately despite um investment marketing um and opportunity despite that we we do see
that there are many programs that have fewer than 10 applicants to the program a year. So we we um on the next slide you will Okay, next slide Beacon. Thank you. Next slide beacon. Okay. Oops. and then
it works when I want to do it. Can you please go back one slide? Okay. So, on on this slide, you will see um some programs that we're potentially looking to sunset at the elementary level. I don't want people to be alarmed. Schools will continue to offer these academic
experiences to their inboundary students. What we find is that um many of these schools have a transportation boundary that is very wide that may be transporting one to five students at the most to the school. And so um we are
looking to sunset these programs if you will as magnet programs but continue to offer the academic um opportunities to students in the school just not as a magnet school. Um and that's at the elementary level. At the middle school
and the high school level, these are the programs that we are looking to sunset as magnet programs. We would still So you can see um international balorat. We would still offer it in the north and the south and do a transportation boundary. But these are programs that
have um very little participation rates. Um it it it breaks my heart um as a 34year educator that Urban Teacher Academy only has three or four students um who are actually enrolled in those programs. And then you can see ALS um we
have uh two programs at Northeast High um that we're looking to um potentially do something um significantly different with. So um if we if we look at sunsetting these programs, there is a positive um impact of just over 1.8 8
million that can be re reallocated to other programmatic enhancements um in the district. The transportation zones particularly in these elementary schools will now reflect whatever is the actual official attendance boundary of the
school and then as I said we would continue to offer um international bular either up in the north and um in the south. So we would have a program in the northeast and in the southwest. Some additional programmatic
considerations um is so we know that all high schools offer the Cambridge program. So, we would look um to phase out countywide transportation um to uh Fort Lauderdale and also not phase out the Cambridge program because it is a very successful, highly regarded
program, but um phase it out as a magnet program at Fort Lauderdale High School, as I said, because all of the schools offer Cambridge. We would look to um implement the maritime industry program at Stranahan. The sports academy um at
Bennett Sunrise and Fort Lauderdale as I said in the proposal as it relates to the Plantation Middle and Plantation High, the public safety academy. And then and then these are some opportunities um the next four that I'm going to talk well the next five actually one two four I was right that
we um that we would look to um determine where is the right place um and the right opportunity in the organization across all of our schools and feeder patterns. But one would be to truly create um Broward powered by AI um
innovative feeder patterns. And we would determine where that would be working with obviously um our colleagues and academics as well as um information um systems. And then there there is a um a large interest in regionalizing
um performing arts programs both in the north and the south regions. And so what what feeder patterns or what opp where where would we make that available in the north and in the south as well as um looking at the same as it relates to dual language and gifted where where is
the right place um if that's something that we want to capitalize on and then more importantly as we continue to do our research and work to optimize um opportunities for students look at what are truly future ready innovative pathways and maybe look at additionally
sunsetting some of our current ones um that are just on the cusp of low interest if you will but really look at more future ready innovative pathways for our students and families. Next slide please. The next three slides actually speak to
um some parent surveys that our colleagues in student services did and it was really around um uh perceptions or needs of families um with students in gifted programs as well as
um parents of students um on the autism spectrum. So you will see in the um as one of the attachments we have the actual surveys but we did put the highlevel summaries here for the board and the public. Next slide please in the
presentation. So I will not read to you but these are options for the district to consider um for if if we take the approach of actually establishing regional giftedmies. Um and then more importantly, how we
rebrand what we currently do and the services and the opportunities that we currently provide to um our students of the uh to our students um our gifted students. So really it's about um opportunities for us to consider if
we're going to create um regionalmies, but more importantly, how do we rebrand what we currently do? So um SL slide 72 um has that for gifted redefining. Next slide please. And then slide 73
provides the same information but more specifically um for students with autism. Next slide please. So um these are marketing strategies obviously that um we will use as an organization. and I will not read to you, but our goal
obviously is for our parents and our community to choose the best and choose BCPS. But a number of these strategies will be implemented depending on what proposals um go forward as recommendations and what recommendations the board ultimately approves um when it
in in its final deliberations. Next slide, please. This is our um where we are in our timeline. So of course today we are here with the conversation and right now this is the tenative timeline based on what happens today. The um timeline as it was revised once
the board said it's its um organizational calendar last month. Then depending on what happens today, um the superintendent will release a memo with his final recommendations and that will come on Friday. Uh then the board would
ultimately um be presented with formal recommendations to vote on for official school attendance areas at the January 21st meeting. And then we would notify parents um that are impacted on we'd start doing that on January 23rd. And we
would um and I'll say it publicly. I know it's in the slides, but I'll say it publicly. Um if the board votes on January 21st, then the the choice window would remain open and it will not close until January 28th because we certainly
want to give parents time after the board makes whatever its final decisions are. Next slide, please. Um so those are our next steps and I just reiterated them so I won't regurgitate them again. if you can go to the next slide.
So that's the end of the formal presentation. I I I'll just say the appendix does have um the parent it it has um the actual updated information around the technical schools. It's got information around financial impacts.
It's another 20 some odd pages of information. We also have some attachments um attached to the presentation. And we have our the projections memo. We have the parent survey information. We have some information for the board um to
contemplate as it relates to student reassignments where students are choosing to go to school as it relates to these schools. Um and we are ready for questions. >> Thank you. Um now is the time for public comment. Uh Mr. Sullivan, could you
please outline? >> Yes, ma'am. Uh, good uh, morning. John Sullivan, chief of staff and communications. Uh, today is a role making uh, session, so the public will have an opportunity to ask, uh, questions of staff during their allotted time. When staff is speaking, it won't count towards their three minutes.
>> Okay. So, to be clear, um, I will be calling the names of the public speakers who registered to speak. Um, I will call two names at a time. So, if you could line up um at each microphone um that would be great. And then during your three minutes, that is when you can ask
questions of staff. Your time will be paused. Staff will respond. Um so, the first name I had, the first two names are Christine McMahon and Joe Cox. If Joe Cox is not in the audience, then Nicole Morst is up after Christine.
Welcome. Good morning, chair, superintendent, and members of the board. My name is Christine McMahon, and I'm a teacher at Glades Middle School. I'm here today because the decision before you is not just about closing a school. It's about choosing the most coste effective student- centered path
forward for Broward County Public Schools. Thousands of families, students, and staff have voiced their support for preserving Glades as a trusted, highquality neighborhood school. Therefore, last month I submitted an updated proposal to
reimagine Glades as a K through8 Cambridge and gifted academy with integrated technology in CTE pathways, a sustainable, financially responsible and academically innovative solution. Glades has an unused, secure building
appropriate for younger students. With restroom fixtures added and a new playground, it can serve K through5 students with minimal modification. These upgrades cost only a fraction of what it would take to retrofit elementary schools for middle school
students who require labs, CTE spaces, electives, and athletic facilities like locker rooms and gyms. This model preserves essential middle school programming while addressing underenrollment with a solution that strengthens rather than fragments.
Academically, Glades is ready to expand. We have the endorsements, staff expertise, and a state-of-the-art innovation lab to support this vision. This model aligns with Everglades High School and creates a seamless Cambridge pathway from primary through lower
secondary into ACE, supporting the district district's goals of rigorous theme-based programs that attract and retain students. And I want to be clear. I understand that tough decisions must be made, but closing an A-rated school
would be a disservice to the families who rely on it and would eliminate the infrastructure the district might later need to rebuild at great cost. Supporting this plan allows Glades to remain a beacon of academic excellence, not only for our neighborhood, but for
students across Broward seeking rigorous programs, technology pathways, and advanced learning opportunities. This is not just a solution for Glades. It is a solution that strengthens the entire district. Today, I'm asking you to support this plan as an investment in
innovation, in community stability, and in a future where Broward County Public Schools solves challenges through vision. With your support, Glades can continue to serve this community stronger, more innovative, and aligned with district goals. It can stand as a
model for how Broward addresses underenrollment through innovation rather than elimination. Thank you for your time and for your commitment to doing what is best for Broward County students. >> Thank you, Joe Cox,
Nicole Morst. Oh, sorry, Joe. I didn't see you there. >> Go ahead. Thank you. >> Uh, good good morning, uh, superintendent, school board members. Joe Cox, president, CEO of the Museum of Discovery and Science. So, um, as Brown County Public Schools, uh, launched
their redefining schools initiative last year, we were invited to submit concepts that would drive enrollment to underenrolled schools. In January, uh, following lots and lots of meetings with district staff and particularly the
North Fork Elementary School principal and staff, we submitted three proposals. Uh firstly, the mods model school at Northfork reimagined preK5 learning environment by integrating immersive project-based STEM curriculum. Students
would have participated in weekly programs, multiple museum visits, a professional STEM showcase, and the installation of a brand new 2,000 square foot discovery classroom. Um, this partnership would have leveraged funding
from uh the Lego Playful Learning Museum Network and a grant we received from the Lily Endowments uh fostering character through children's museum initiative. Since that time, of course, there are a number of alternate proposals for the
North Fork site. Our proposal could be repurposed to any of the downtown Fort Lauderdale elementary schools that needed reenrollment. Secondly, we proposed providing every second and third grade student with
programming around STEM. As you heard, the demand for STEM is huge and countywide STEM equity is important. This will be based on a very successful program the city of Fort Lauderdale has funded for the past four years at every
Broward County public school elementary in the city. And that even includes bus transportation because we know bus transportation is a challenge for the district. And then thirdly, uh mods proposed revitalizing the six sprouting
STEM magnet programs. As you know, this was funded by a huge Department of Education grant to really inspire those schools to use the same uh museum process of research, exploration, and experimentation to expand the creative
and inquisitive nature of students. Again, since submitting that proposal, it seems as though that magnet program may be sunsetting. And believe me, I understand there are costs associated with providing programming to entice parents to
reenroll their students. Last year, thanks to our philanthropic partners, MODs raised almost $1.7 million to provide programming to Broward School students. from our internships where we provide over 110 students with a
year-round paid internship to the city of Fort Lauderdale grant that I mentioned and our STEM mobilebile outreach. You know, we are committed to a partnership uh but we do recognize that in order for mods to fund raise, it really does need a partnership with the
district. Thank you. >> Thank you, Nicole Morris and Jackie Liskum. >> Good morning, Nicole Morris, Coral Springs. Um, first I want to make sure that you all understand that we weren't given the financial information. So some of the decisions that we did make may have looked different if we understood
the cost. This process is financially um driven but we weren't given that information. So uh sunshine uh proposal one sunshine and fairway we we weren't also weren't given the information of whether transportation would be provided. So there were some busy
intersections there that I had concerns about the children crossing. We weren't told if they were had if they would have uh transportation. So, I voted no for that proposal. Um I would ask that on proposal 10 and proposal 7 that you would ask about the demographics of the
neighborhood that's to the west of 75. We we had the diversity breakdown and the demographic information for the two schools, but we and and they're quite different, but we weren't giving the demographic information for this
neighborhood. So, we didn't know what the impact would be with the move. Um, also considered that if it's if the distance and the the drive is is um complicated now for the students to get to school with transportation,
will there be transportation given to the students in that neighborhood who wish to remain at Flanigan and remain at um Walter C. young because both of the schools uh West Broward and Flanigan have capacity for choice. So really
essentially you're just switching the transportation from one school to the other. So that would uh be something that I would consider. Um also just like with with um last year the the change of Coral Cove and the change of um Coconut
Creek Elementary to K8s, I would think about what you're going to do. Has there been any assistance given to Glades? Because you took some of their their population that would have fed the same into into Margate. So I would I would make sure that you had a plan for
Flanigan and for Walter C. Young up there to remain open because you're going to take students um with proposals 7B and 10 from two schools that are already under under enrolled. Um,
so let's see what my other comments were. Um, for North Fork, there seemed to be a quite a bit of services that are provided at that school. Um, I would be concerned about them losing those services. Um, in one of the proposals
for a I believe they were going to have a eight-way feeder pattern. So this is um not facilitating community integrity when you are taking when you are adding feeder patterns to those schools. Um
I think that's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you Jackie Luskcom and then Michael Owen. >> Good morning Jackie Luskam. And first of all I'll start with a question. Um, Miss Pierre Grant mentioned as our committee liaison from the boundary committee that she might leave some of the ESE side to
us. I'm not the liazison, but so do I get extra time for that or not? You can ask any questions you'd like um during the three minutes and then staff will respond and we'll pause your time while staff is responding or while Miss Pier Grant is responding.
BCPS's financial outlook is dire and ina in inaction will doom us. But how we align to our financial reality is equally critical. I feel we need to drop the peacemeal approach and pursue this more holistically or the outcome could worsen our challenges rather than resolve them. We need a district-wide
plan. I feel we're defaulting towards closing schools before all other options have been exhausted. Chief among them, elimination of financial waste and the pursuit of partnerships that can use space in underenrolled schools to help split the financial burden or repurpose
campuses and still leave a small school footprint there. Consolidating schools, I fear, will lose more enrollment. Parents consistently express reluctance to send children to schools with larger populations and class sizes bursting at the seams. That is, in fact, one reason
among many that people have migrated away. Um, uh, an underenrolled school does not have to be an unsustainable school if consideration is given to partnerships that might save them. I baffled why they're listed on the final pages of the presentation and not kind of slotted into a more holistic plan.
I'd like to um, note Northalk is one great example of that. Um, in terms of the boundary committee, I'll I'll skip over that because there just then isn't time um to give more um on the ESC front from the boundary committee side of things. But I do want to mention that the element of the presentation about
autism redefining only appeared on Friday afternoon. That's the first time I or anybody else had seen it. Public comment portal was down late Friday and overnight Saturday. Um the proposal for extending expend expanding autism program lacks fundamental detail and
clarity. mentions broad cosmetic concepts like having autismademies instead of school and rebranding existing program but it provides no specifics on critical components such as curriculum models, staffing strategies, resource allocation and new programming.
This is particularly concerning given current deficiencies in existing programs and now a hiring freeze. I was wondering if I could stop the clock to ask for a question about um what what is what was the purpose of this parachuting this piece in at the last minute on a
Friday? Um we could have been working together on a kind of collaborative plan or was that not the point to bring forward a plan for a school for autism schooling? >> Dr. Huppurn, >> thank you. I'm I'm not aware of Yeah.
What's the specific question? I'm not aware of anything being uh embedded or or revised on this item on Friday. >> Specific. >> Go ahead, >> Dr. W. So the um the entire presentation posted to the board and the public on
Wednesday. >> Um and so I don't remember anything coming out on Friday. >> There were no changes on Friday or would have um identified it as a revised agenda item on on the posting. Um, another question. Um, we were not,
um, at the boundary committee, we were we were based on just six criteria and I wondered what the the the thinking was. I know it was in policy of not providing the financial impact data because I felt that that certainly stymied my ability to vote. Um, I think we would not having
that financial impact data um, did did somewhat restrict things. Could you explain the thinking? Thank you, Dr. He. >> Yes, thank you. Um, when was the date? Um, Dr. Wick, >> so at the I think it's the August 27th schoolboard workshop. Yes. >> Is when we asked the board what specific
criteria and the those six were listed and I did ask the board did they want to add, delete, amend and those were the six criteria that staff were given and that's the and we provided um an inordinate amount of data for each one of those six criteria for each one of
the proposals. And my last question is can I have more time because our boundary liaison said she was hoping I was here to represent the ESC part of the boundary committee. I was not consulted about that. Um so I you know each member of the public gets
three minutes. Um if Miss Pierre Grant who is the the liazison on the table at the table uh would like to speak to any of those issues she can. Michael Owen and then Paul Caruso. >> Hello my name is Michael Owen. I'm a Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Assistant Chief over at the training bureau in
Special Projects. Um, I'd just like to say, uh, I've got personally I've got two daughters that are in Broward County Public Schools and several of their cousins as well. Uh, there's like 30 plus family members spread across the county that have all
gone through the the the public school system. So, I appreciate all the very difficult work that uh, Dr. Dr. for Wanza and the staff and everybody has been going through. Um on a note of keeping all those family members safe, also I wanted to speak about the opportunity we have to partner uh the
city of Fort Lauderdale and the school board in um using the Seagull School campus as a public safety uh training facility. Um as many of you know because I've spoken about it uh here and there before, the city has long sought
something along these lines. we've uh sort of been able to to hodge podge different things together. Um but we could really uh benefit from getting an actual facility. Um and this would be an a fantastic way for you guys to take a
you know formerly public serving building and continue to serve the public with it. uh some of the the things that um that we have sort of envisioned there uh that I've talked about before as well. Um obviously office and classroom space for us to be
able to instruct uh we're badly in need of and uh indoor training areas as well during inclement weather. Um, we're planning on building a high-rise fire prop utilizing a recently received uh AFG grant uh for $1.3 million and uh an
incident command simulator, a live fire training. Actually, just now I scrolled this in the margins. Uh some sort of R&D lab uh concerning drones and robotics which are becoming very important for public safety. and I feel like there may be some sort of crossover for a program that uh public schools may have there as
well where we could partner with you on that. I'd also think that we have an opportunity to partner together with our explorers program for high school aed kids. Um, I I I have all sorts of other plans for for how we can utilize it to train some
EMS simulator labs driven by AI, which I think also offers some opportunities um for us to be able to teach kids about that sort of stuff. And of course, um probably there's a lot of opportunities for us to partner together to teach uh kids and for us to serve the public and
keeping them safe that none of us have even thought about yet in the future. And uh I think that this partnership and facility would give us the opportunity to be able to take advantage of those as they come up in the coming years. Um I also think we there's another good one
is I'm always asked about public CPR, first aid and AED training and this would give us that opportunity as well. Um I just would like to take this opportunity for us to be able to to get better at saving lives. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I have a question from one of my colleagues. So, I wanted to
defer to our general counsel. Um, at the moment, uh, during rule making, are board members permitted to ask members of the public questions? I don't see any prohibition towards uh the board member asking uh questions of
the speaker. I I would follow your same rules in pausing their time period while you ask that question. >> Okay. Well, what if the time period is up? So, I believe that they can um go ahead and ask the question and the the member of the public can go ahead and respond.
>> Okay. Um and this was news to me. Um so I just want to provide the courtesy to my my colleagues um because I was not aware of of that being allowed for in rulemaking. So I just want to be very clear that we are allowed to do that that our policy and procedures allow for
that. >> I don't see any prohibition to to that. Okay. So, if any of my colleagues would like to ask any other speakers any questions, um please flag me down um pass me a note or whatever uh and and help me understand that. Does >> chair, should we wait till all of the
speakers are done or the individual speaker that we want to ask a question to? >> Well, the speakers need to then be aware. Um I'd defer to my colleagues. I'm interested in how to approach this now. Uh because some of the speakers may leave after they're done speaking. Um, so I my preference would be to ask them
as they come up. Um, >> agreed. >> And then I guess does our policy or procedure, Miss Jack Adams, speak to how much time the person then has to respond? >> I don't there is no there's no guidance with regards to how much time. So I
would defer to the chair to all lot a specific period of time. >> Okay. I will all lot one minute for a response. Dr. Zean had a question for Michael Owen. Chief, thanks for being here. Appreciate your uh time and energy on on putting together the details. What
I'm curious about though is that a lot of the uses you're talking about wouldn't just be specific to the city of Fort Lauderdale. There's 31 municipalities in Broward County. Have you thought through the idea of combining resources with other cities, the Oakland Parks, the Wilt Manners, the
Pompos, the Hollywoods, and in this area that could take full advantage of this facility? The reason this is important is, you know, we started this meeting with a $94 million shortfall. And so the idea of providing facilities with no compensation is going to be harder, I
think, for this board possibly. We'll see. Um, but, um, have you thought through kind of multiple cities taking advantage of this facility so that all of them could benefit from the research, the the things you talked about, including, um, fire safety? >> Uh, yes, Dr. Teman. Uh, excellent
question. and we currently actually work with several other cities around us uh all across the county and train together. We we in the last couple years have gone to a closest unit response. So we we actually respond together a lot more now. So we've kind of stepped that
up and we also um our current training we always invite the municipalities around us now. We haven't engaged in anything where we actually are uh sharing resources or it's more been to this point been a partnership based on
hey we all need to train together. Um and we've begun discussions about whether we can actually get together and all share the whatever burdens may come of of having this training facility and running it um etc. But we haven't gotten to any agree official agreement in that
regard at this point. >> Thank you. Um, and just as a I have another uh board member who wants to speak, but just as a reminder to the public, I have Paul Kuso up next. And if Paul is not in the audience, I have Anna Kuruo up next. Mrs. Alhadef, thank you.
And I see this this as an amazing opportunity not only for firefighters but also for BSO police. And I think that we can set a precedent here in the state to have a training center for
active shooter training. And and you know, maybe they they pay something to be able to use the space for the day, but to have an actual school to be able to implement that training, I think would be amazing opportunity for our law
enforcement, our police, and EMS. Thank you. Thank you, Paul Caruso. Anna Kujo. >> Hi, good morning. Um, I have a question regarding page 73 and
the autism academy. Um, I'd like to know where the cost analysis is for BCPS opening an academy like this. Dr. Heepern, >> there is no cost analysis for that. um if we open it up it will be through
partnership with the with an existing um charter who offers that. >> So so the autism academy is not a Browardr run autism academy. This is only >> No. So there's two things the opportunity to partner um with the charter that does this specific work. Um
can't remember the specific name. Uh South Florida autism. Um the other aspect is to strengthen our ch our current ummies per se that aren't branded as such um that we do the same service the
overwhelming if if um the public and the board um would go to the survey that's attached to the agenda item. One of the things that resonated with the team is that over almost 80% of the survey parents want inclusion. They want to be
on a campus of of kids that are um that are not in that >> neurotypical. >> Yes. Yes. So that was um based on that information, based on that data, that's that's the path we we'll take. Um you know, if the if the board supports it. >> Okay. Um
sorry, give me a second to pull up. Yeah. So, there's many things on that list that I actually found a little bit troubling in the sense that um there there are items that should already be in place in the
self-contained classrooms. So, I don't know how much thought went into putting that in the presentation. Um uh BCPS as we were told uh also exploring its own autism school and the lack of a clear proposal here is going
to be part of the reason the community skepticism over that rather than um the organizations such as South Florida Autis Autism Charter School um which has already reached out has a plan um
and and is already an establish established entity collaboration must be genuine not symbolic ESSE advisory ACE autism committee a lot of we haven't been consulted or brought into this conversation so I see this presentation
and and there's so many resources that you guys have at your disposal to make this a meaningful presentation with some sort of cost analysis background implementation plan and it's just not happening Um,
the ESSE advisory already serves as a resource established under policy for family partnership and guiding inclusive decisionmaking. Yet, the proposal that's created it vaguely defined autism and inclusion council for parents as
partners in education appears to sideline the advisory and duplicate the very work that we're already doing. um introducing this concept that we discovered late last week um is counterproductive and it's disrespectful to families of autistic um individuals.
The district cannot credibly claim to be aiming to enhance family engagement while sim simultaneously undermining the role of its own ESSE advisory and autism uh committee. Thank you.
Thank you. Um, we have Felicia Schuman and Ellen Dratzer. >> Good morning, Dr. to help burn. Madame chair and esteemed board members, I am here today because the redefining our school initiative depends entirely on
the accuracy, reliability, integrity of the enrollment data produced by the demographic and enrollment planning department. DP. Every closure, every consolidation, every boundary shifts, every program
reduction in every sale or repurposing of a public school building is built on D's projections. But the five-year projection memo that D released contains major ma mathematical
errors. These errors undermine the valid valid credibility and fairness of the entire process. Here are the exact discrepancies. Elementary schools off by 1,310 students. The school by school total do
not match DP's district summary totals. Middle schools off by 4,298 students. The discrepancy is the equ equivalent of five entire middle schools. D totals do not match the
numbers inside their own memo. Centers off by 263 students. The center page total and a district-wide summary do not align. Combination schools suddenly unexplained increase of nearly 2,000 students. No documentation, no footnote,
no rationale. District r district-wide summary cannot be recreated. When you add all categories together, D found a district-wide number is mathematically impossible. These are not minor technical errors. These are found foundational failures. You cannot close
a school based on math that does not add up. You cannot redraw boundaries based on projections that contradict themselves. You cannot permanently sell public property based on inaccurate, inconsistent, or unverifiable calculations. These decisions are
irreversible. A school closed today does not reopen tomorrow. A building sold today is gone forever. A community that loses its neighborhood schools is loses something that cannot be rebuilt. Why? That's a big deal and why why what should be done? The redefining our
school plans depending heavily on enrollment projections. If those projects are wrong, then the decision to close schools become invalid. Capacity and crowding calculation become flawed. Selling or repurposing campuses become an irreversible mistake. Long-term planning, budget, transportation,
staffing becomes destructed. What should be done? A specialized data integrity audit separate from any financial audit performed by independent experts should be a statistitians, demographers, and K through 12 planet analysis.
Cross check DPS enrollment forecast against actual enrollment trends birth data migration patterns charter growth. >> Thank you Ellen Dratzer and then Natalie Lynch Walsh. >> Good morning. Can you hear me? Okay.
Okay. Awesome. Good morning Chair Lonardi, members of the school board, superintendent and district staff. As a proud graduate of Broward County Public Schools, I thank you for your leadership, especially as you engage in this obviously incredibly complex work. My name is Ellen Dzer, president and CEO
of the Lighthouse of Broward, and I'm here today with my colleague Eric Barrett, director of assist of technology and the father of a current Broward County Public School student. The Lighthouse has served the community for more than 50 years with a workforce of master's degreed, nationally certified, and credentialed
professionals who specialize in visual impairment. Today, I'd like to share a forward-looking opportunity that aligns beautifully with your repurposing efforts, the creation of an inclusive STEM school with a blind education hub where blind and sighted students learn together in a fully accessible,
innovationdriven environment. This idea was born out of a partnership with the county's sole provider of deaf and heart of hearing services, the center for hearing uh the center for for hearing and uh communication. We envisioned a deafb blind STEM school in
response to the community foundation of Broward's big think grant competition. We were able to accomplish significant planning, including obtaining a commitment from the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, itself an independent state department of government, to request additional
fundings from the legislature in perpetuity to financially sustain such a school. As the district reviews underrolled schools, we see not a challenge, but a strategic opening. Repurposing a facility as an inclusive STEM STEM magnet with specialized
support embedded throughout the day would expand choice, attract families back into the district, many of whom move to St. Augustine for specialized services, addressing a long-standing service gap, and position Broward as a national leader in accessible STEM education. For many years, our community
has worked with the estimate that there are approximately 300 blind or low vision students across the Broward County Public School System. Because that number has not changed for nearly a decade. We believe there may be an opportunity for a fresh analysis. This is not about correcting anything. It's about ensuring we have the most accurate
foundation for planning. According to census data, Broward County has approximately 2300 children 5 to 17 who are blind or seriously difficult who have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses. While not all of these students are enrolled in public schools, the data
strongly suggests that a large number of students could benefit from vision related support enough to sustain a dynamic inclusive STEM program with the specialized hub. A repurposed building would allow for consistent braille instruction, orientation, mobility services, assisted technology training,
and a fully accessible STEM lab environment where blind and sighted students work side by side. The model, this model honors inclusion while strengthening access. What makes this proposal especially exciting is the formation of an academic council of national blind professionals including
leaders from John Hopkins University, NASA, Northeastern University, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Wood Hall organization. We appreciate your um uh consideration. >> Thank you. Um please hold on for one moment because I have a board member who
would like to ask a question. Miss Hixon, >> thank you. Thank you so much for coming today. Um a couple of questions. First, did you have based on the list of schools that we have for proposals any school in mind where you would like to
to see this be hosted? >> We we've we've we've banded about a couple of schools, but we understand there are a number of proposals on the table and a lot of recon um or or consu a lot of consolidation and so we wanted to be respectful and um we're willing to
work with whatever might be available at the end of that process. And did you have an so do you have a specific area in mind like north, central, south? >> Central would be ideal. We serve every single zip code as does a center for hearing uh and communication. Uh our primary u uh demographics um you know
dense populations occur in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Papa >> and um lastly you talked about a couple of grants and stuff. So would you envision if we were able to partner with you bringing the funding forth to
institute what you're suggesting? >> Yes, I believe that we have enough private foundation support to uh substantiate the initial seed planning year and in terms of operationalization in that first year. We would also be working with the school for the deaf and blind which is a state entity and has
the ability to go back to the legislature and ask for re permanent reoccurring dollars to sustain this initiative if the numbers bear out in the South Florida market which they do. Um most parents don't want to send their children of to Daytona for school Monday
through Friday and have them bust back on the weekend. So there's a desperate need for this service >> and it's K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K12, >> correct? And do you have an idea of the number of students you think like is there a maximum number that you could
hold or >> given the fact that we have one of the most robust mast's prepared certified workforce in the 17 lighthouse statewide community um our our sense is that we would be able to um staff a full school
and be able to recruit with such a model from across the country of of these professionals as well as you know ESC has TVIS uh and I think an O andM it's very difficult to to retain these staff to recruit and retain these staff. >> Okay, that answers my my other question
was are you interested in colllocating but it sounds like you'd like to do a whole school. >> We'd like to do a whole school but again this is such a tremendous need and an opportunity. We're willing to you know think of whatever permutation the school board would like us to partner on. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. I have Dr. Zean who would like to ask some questions and I would also like to ask some questions. >> Thank you. And Miss Hixon got into this a little bit but um one of the options as you're um implementing something like this and it'll grow over time would be to colllocate to take a wing of a school
to take a building on one campus. We happen to have 50,000 empty seats right now and so there is an opportunity to um think through that model and I look forward to exploring more with you uh uh as one member of the board. Thank you. >> Tremendous. Thank you sir. >> Thank you. And Mr. Did have you had any
communication with district staff about this? >> Uh, we have um shared the proposal with um school board member Hixon. I believe it was um uh disseminated. It might not have been. We were a little late to to the to the party, if you will. Uh we're
happy to provide you with our our proposal, our data, whatever might not have gotten down. >> Got it. Um, so I would hope that the it's my understanding then there hasn't been communication with superintendent and staff just with a board member. So I would hope that um the superintendent
and staff could explore this. Um I was able to go to a forum a little over a year ago at the lighthouse. Um and I was able to speak with people who had gone through our school system um who really had a difficult time navigating it in
many many different ways. So I think this would be a really wonderful opportunity. >> Yes. Uh thank you board chair. Um so yes, if you could please send it to myself or or Dr. Wanza and for the for anybody in the public that's listening uh because we have been fielding proposals from various organizations.
Please send them to myself uh and also Dr. Wanza. >> Yes sir. >> Thank you so much >> Mrs. Leonardi. Doc Dr. Wanza has it. It was maybe a month ago or so. >> I received it Thanksgiving week. >> Okay. Yeah. Right. Right. But um and Dr.
Heburn did test me what if we can get past today just so we get a sense of where we're going. I am more than happy. Yes. >> All right. Anyone else would like to speak on this? Uh Natalie Lynch Walsh and then Amelia Valer Moneri.
>> Whoops. Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh. Um homeowner and plantation since 1998. Uh first question, what rule is being developed today? Miss Jack Adams or Dr. Heepern. >> Dr. WA.
>> Um, thank you Dr. Heburn. So, um, essentially the establishment of school attendance areas sets the rule for where children will attend school. So that is the premise for which this is um defined as a rule
making workshop because whatever day the superintendent finally brings the proposals for the board to officially vote on the attendance areas which will set the rule as to where children will attend school next year. That is why um
it is it is um crafted this way. But we are we um Miss Jock Adams and I had great conversation last night because we know in um prior years there were two official readings of the boundaries into the records and I see Miss Rupert nodding her head there. There were two
official um readings. So since we moved away from that uh process and policy um last year and this year we went through whatever is the board's established rule making process. >> Okay. Thank you for the clarification.
Second question uh has to do with Plantation Middle and High. It's for Dr. Wanza. Um, can you clarify whether the IB program would be removed as a magnet and as an innovative program or would it stay as an innovative program?
>> Dr. Hutburn, >> Dr. Wzo. >> So, currently IB is a magnet program. It um I don't know that schools have it as an innovative program. So based on um historical application and participation
data, it is to um transition it away from being a magnet. And the official magnet programs will be at Deerfield Beach High School and Myiar High School, which currently have programs um with uh
I'll say um greater enrollment and participation. >> Okay. So, as someone who did the proposal that turned it into a magnet 10 years ago, it was an innovative program prior to that. And all of the students
who live in Plantation who would be an IB are sitting most likely in Western's Cambridge program. And I speak as a mother of two of them. So if you remove anything academically challenging, you will guarantee not to get any plantation
residents at plantation, middle, and high. But go on. Um, so going through there is an F-word that seems to be absent from this conversation and calm down. The F-word is facilities. So, as the former facilities task force
chair, audit committee chair, and DAC chair, uh, let's put facilities back into redefining. First up, North Fork. No Castaldi. I requested the past 5 years. Apparently, we're not interested in that. No facility condition assessment details online. Um, Junior
Achievement seems to be the only one that would replace building one. You cannot judge up building one and you should not be putting anybody in there. It needs to be bulldozed. Um, but it does seem as though mods and J because mods can be moved wherever. It seems the two are not mutually exclusive. You
could do both, just somewhere else. Um, in favor of 4A for North Fork because there are communities that will they're not going to Walker now. They're not going to go to um anywhere else. They're not going to North Fork. Getting back to Plantation Middle, in favor of that, this district has been systemically
destroying Plantation Middle and you have staff in the newest building and this gets children out of an outdated building model. Rickards got its kids out by having a collapse, but there are other schools with the same prototype, which would be Lauder Hill Middle,
Lauderdale Lakes Middle, and I think Apollo. Um, who gets the newest buildings moving forward? Make sure because ne not you not the boundary committee the boundary committee uh did not actually let's confirm that for
staff was the facilities task force one of the seats on the boundary committee they were last year >> Dr. Huppurn >> Dr. No, they were not. >> Why not? the board came to came to a um
determination of which advisories would serve on the school boundaries committee and um that advisory was not one um that the board came to final um I know you don't do consensus anymore but whatever is the right term in policy the board
arrived at the decision um that it was it would be the um seven advisories that were represented which are the district advisory the four area advisories the diversity um ESSE and uh Esau.
>> Okay. So, the advisory group that knows all things facilities that can speak to whether your FCIs make sense, your facility condition assessments did not have a seat on the boundary committee and this is and um next question long range facility master plan steering
committee. Will the facilities task force have a seat on that? Dr. Hepern. >> Yes. a rep a rep or two from that organization have a seat on it? >> No, no, no, no, no. Let me let me rephrase the question. Will the facilities task force chair be asked to
sit on that? >> It may not necessarily be the chair, but somebody from facility um task force will have a seat. >> Okay. And as to why this is important, consider the client attorney session you're going into. >> Thank you. >> And bad recommendations. >> Amelia Vier Maneri and then Gabriella
Marte. Good morning, Madame Chair, board members, district staff, and public. Um, thank you for having me here. My name is Ameilia Valeri. I'm the vice president of youth opportunity, United Way of Broward. Um, we are so thankful to be here with you all today. I will say you guys have a tough job to do. We do not
envy the decisions that have to be made for the county and for the district. However, we know that you're looking out for the students best interests um as well as the district. And so, we have proposed two um proposals um um with you all. you have them in your hand. Um, due
to our strategic alignment with BCPS, we have a unique opportunity to optimize resources amid declining enrollments and underused facilities by converting vacant campuses that may be vacant um post decision this Friday um into um community resources and hubs that United
Way will run and staff. Um we are looking at two proposals here. The first being just a community resource center and hub. I oversee all um initiatives at United Way that have to do with youth, family, community outreach and the like. So, we are looking to have um a a
headquarters to uh so to speak of services that families come forward and seek student initiatives um on-site opportunities for people to get connected to resources in our in our county. Um and so we're looking at a community resource hub as proposal one where would be headquarters for my
entire department. We are also looking at office space for any of our partners who would need office space um and the like. Um proposal two is a little bit more unique um in what we're seeing here is uh we are looking and in the business of increasing affordable housing and access to housing for workforce. And so
we are proposing to take a vacant site and convert that into affordable workplace housing which your instructional and non-instructional staff can also have access to and use. Um, and again, the sites that were listed in the proposal, um, are not in particular. We're not set on a specific
site if that's a question that's going to come up. We do have in the proposal Sunshine Elementary as a site if that were to be vacant post Friday's decision. However, we are open to your feedback and serving the need as best you see fit for United Way Broward and
the county. >> Thank you. Thank you, Gabriella Marte. Okay. And then Erica Panter. >> Okay. Um, good morning chair, board, board members, and superintendent. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Gabriela Martin. I'm a parent at
Coral Cove Academy of the Arts. I uh I think Miss Thompson has seen me a couple times. I'm here today because the K through8 transition at our school has placed significant additional responsibilities on our teachers. without the compensation, staffing or district support needed to manage them
effectively. These issues must be corrected before any additional schools are moved to this model. First, the dismissal issue requires immediate attention. When dismissal was moved to from 2 to 2:40, teachers contracted contracted day still ends at 3 p.m. That
gives only 20 minutes to complete dismissal and end of day responsibilities. In reality, teachers are working past their contracted hours every single day and they have effectively lost their planning time. And let me be clear, this is not a growing pain. This is an operational
failure. It affects more staff morale and the overall functioning of our school. Adding to that, charter schools throughout Broward successfully use staggered dismissal to match to manage flow and staffing. There's no clear explanation as to why this proven solution is not being considered for our
district K through8s. It works else everywhere else. It should be on the table for us. Second, the additional workload created by the K through8 model has not has not been met with adequate support. The transition brought new supervision demands, safety
considerations, and logistical needs. Yet, the staffing and the resources to support those changes were not provided. Teachers and administrators were left to absorb the extra extra workload on their own time. Third, a K through8 school should not rely on overworked teachers volunteering to run clubs, programs, or
middle a middle school's activities. We were promised dedicated middle school programs for the middle school students. Instead, programming depends entirely on teacher goodwill, which is unfair and unsustainable. Finally, from a corporate and operational standpoint, which I'm in the corporate world, this model is not
being positioned for success. In the business world, we understand the simple principle. You must fix the kinks before you scale. We believe the K through8 model can be successful, but only if the district is actively involved in identifying and resolving operational issues before expanding it to additional
schools. And I want to end by acknowledging something important. Cor co was not originally on the list last year, but our community took a a hard look, an honest look at market drivers and what families wanted and what would make our school stronger, and we made a
thoughtful decision when we requested to the board to consider this change for our school. The results speak for themselves. We grew more than any other school in this in the area. Just as we understand our community then, we understand our community now, its needs, its challenges, and what must be fixed
for the model to work. So, I ask you to please do not transition any other schools until you fix the issues that this is posing and it's being and are being ignored. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Erica Pasanter. And then Melissa Ramos. >> Good morning, Dr. Hepern and school
board members. My name is Erica Pasantis. I'm the mother of two elementary school children who are zoned for Walter Young Middle School in a few short years. I urge you to follow the school boundary advisory council's recommendations to maintain Walter Young intact. No closure and no
reconfiguration. The option to go to Pines Collegiate, formerly Pines Middle and historically a sea school, is not an option. Silver Trails is a 15 to 20 minute drive away. We have a saturation of charter schools in the area with one a 60-second drive
away. We do not want to be forced to consider a charter school and want to support our public schools. Please consider how your decisions may further alienate families from public schools. You cannot quite literally afford more declining enrollment. Our
A-rated elementary school would feed into the A-rated Walter C. Young and then A-rated Flanigan High. Breaking this chain of excellent schools makes no sense. Walter Young is a pillar in our community. I urge you to find money elsewhere and to better assess spending
and keep Walter Young open. Thank you. >> Thank you, Melissa Ramos and Lori Salerulo. >> Um, good morning. I'm Melissa Ramos from Myiramar. Um, dear schoolboard members and staff, as a parent of a child with autism and a part of the ESC advisory
council and the chair of the autism subcommittee, we need so much clarification right now. Um, Dr. Hburn said on October 7th that 2026 we would be ready to open up a BCPS
run autism school. What was that or what is that supposed to look like? if we're not focusing on the charter school. So I need clarific I would need we all need clarification on that. >> Is that Dr. Heepard? Yes, please. >> Thank you. Great question. Um so just to
clarify to two pathways to having a um a school of autism. One is the charter school option. We have I keep what's the name again? Dr. Z South Florida autism charter school. the other which we utilize survey data uh which the survey
told us the majority of our BCPS families do not want a um a charter school just solely dedicated for students with autism. They they wanted a more inclusive environment um with student with regular ed students also. Um so as a result of that however the
the the board um wants to support we see that we have great programs embedded in our schools right now. If a parent wants a school that's solely dedicated to a school of autism without any without any other inclusive um groups of students on board, that would be the charter school
option that we're going to partner with. The other the other option would be our schools that that are embedded in our schools already and working with um the ESSE advisory and also the uh subcommittee to ensure that the services the branding and everything is
appropriate as we see fit to to address the needs of of those specific groups of students. >> Thank you for that. Another question is Panther Run was also considered to be a school within a school if it wasn't going to be closed. Now we're talking about a different concept. You're just
going to rebrand something that parents don't want. They don't want. They're leaving BCPS. So at our last ACE meeting on November 13th, we presented an example of an organization offering innovative data-driven education, life skills programming modeled after like what
could be an autism Montasauri. This demonstrates the possible, you know, the possibilities with collaboration with partners. Um Mr. Sera was there too. Miss Thompson was there. What's going on with the collaboration? Because Mr. He Dr. Hepper, you said that
you're going to collaborate with ESC advisory. When is that going to happen? Can we have a town hall? Can we collaborate so that we're all on the same page? Will we have something concrete on Friday from you of what this
will look like, >> Dr. He? So all of that is predicated on the decisions that are made here today and moving forward. I I don't want to be premature and going out to the community about what we can promise when the the board doesn't support it. So it needs to be board support first and then we go
out to the community because there's a full implementation process just like last year. Uh that pretty much took us all spring just to make sure we get it right. Um and so once final decisions are made, then implementation uh starts and that's collaboration and partnership with our advisories as well as other um
external partners in in the Broward County area. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. I have a quick question about Glades Middle School. I'm also a parent of an eighth grader there. Uh Miss McMahon mentioned that she submitted a KA proposal. Was that taken into consideration?
>> Dr. Apert, >> not doing our proposals. >> Okay. >> Yes. And lastly, if if you're going to be able to save a school, I think Glades is worth saving. They have an extra C uh building there that can fit over 700
students. Please, please, instead of closing that school, use that school. Put a put a South Florida charter school in there. It's its own entity. Try to do that. You said that you were going to have some autism in North, Central, and South in the South area. That's
something to consider. Thank you. Lori Salarulo, then Renee Grant. Good morning everyone, school board members, uh, Superintendent Heppern, Lori Salero, president, CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida. Uh, I'm kind of excited this morning. I know
that you all have some very difficult decisions ahead of you and closing a school is never easy. Um but I do think the the bright side of that is that it does open up opportunities uh for right us to serve our children uh in in
different ways uh and more innovative ways. Um, so should the school board uh decide to close North Fork Elementary School, I do believe and our board and the community believes many members of the community believe this is a chance to transform this publicly owned site
into a countywide asset that equips students for high wage careers, strengthens the local community, and preserves a land for public purpose for generations. Junior J of South Florida proposes to lease the North Fork Elementary site and develop a workforce
innovation center, a state-of-the-art experiential learning hub designed to serve every par Broward County Public School high school student as well as young adults and the surrounding community. Uh why does this proposal uh we think right provide this opportunity
for students, parents, the district, the community and the county as a whole? One, BCPS retains ownership of the property. Number two, the site remains fully dedicated to public school education for every high school student.
Three, it eliminates future charter school encroachment. Four, the district eliminates any operating, maintenance, and demolition costs while gaining a state-of-the-art education center. No cost to the district to build this innovative center. It gives BCPS the
competitive edge. This will be unique around the country, not just in Broward. Uh how do So, right, it also shows the vision and the forward thinking of this board. Uh it aligns with state and federal priorities, especially around AI education that we can bring into this
center for all students. It provides opportunities. I'm excited to hear some of these proposals this morning. Right. What an opportunity to partner and collaborate with mods, with United Way, with ARC Broward, with OIC, Career Source Broward. All of these
organizations could all be under one center serving our entire community, all of our youth as well as adults, right? Because we use it during the day. There's plenty of opportunities to use it in the evenings. It opens up opportunities for students from all 31
high schools, especially for our pre-apprenticeship program, which today is now reaching students in 13 of those high schools. It also helps to locate uh relocate some of your CTE staff. We have already proposed that we would place CTE. It's fully aligned with what we'd
be doing and it can be used for parent events and so forth. JA has proven over 65 years to be a great partner. We have a support letter from the mayor of uh Coconut Creek talking about our partnership. We've already served 1.4 million students today at J World. And
there's so much more information, but um I'll answer any questions. >> Thank you, Mr. Civera. >> Thank you, Chair. Uh good morning, Miss Salarulo. It's nice to see you. Thank you for coming in and speaking with us today. Um, you've been before this board before and if memory serves correct, uh,
you'd advise that there's some some private donations that could be potentially attached to this product to the tune of of of eight figures. Uh, can you elaborate on that and make sure that it's still available uh, as of uh, as of right now? >> So, as of right now, it is available.
Uh, we anticipate that this building will probably be between 40 and $50 million. Uh, and right right now we have a written pledge for $10 million, which I've gotten the donor to expand the timeline through the end of January. We
also have, I believe it's four or five verbal 7 figure commitments should this go forward, but those are not in writing. So, Miss Hixon, >> thank you. Good morning and thank you
for coming. Um, you just made um a suggestion that I actually have in my notes for later about collaborating. So, I was really happy to hear you say that. Have you had any discussion with United Way or MODS about how you might be able
to collaborate on that piece of property? >> So, yes, I actually have a support letter from ARC Broward because we need to do more for our young people with special needs around workforce. Joe and I have talked about the possibility of workforce uh around STEM. uh and
Kathleen Cannon we also have a support letter for from uh we have talked about maybe that community right hub and I know this speaks to Dr. wholeness. This is his community this would be located in especially um so that could also
serve as that hub for that as well. So Kathleen and I have also communicated. I also have a meeting set up with Career Source Broward possibly some sort of a one-stop shop for the um community. The fact that this is so centrally located
truly allows for all of those kinds of collaborations to bring services not just for every single high school student and through age 24 but also for the entire that community as well as the entire county. >> Okay. Thank you. I have some suggestions
on it later but I'll hold on to those. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Renee Grant. Good morning. Good morning everyone. My name is Renee Grant and I am a parent of a sixth grader at Glades Middle School. So my daughter is currently in the
Cambridge program Jam and Gears and as a parent I'm here to voice my support for the proposal to convert Glades Middle from a traditional 6 through 8 model to a K through8 model. I understand that tough decisions have to be made, but my
hope is that what is best for our students and their academic success will be at the forefront when we're making these decisions. I believe we all want the same thing, and that is for all of our students to have access to safe, stable, highquality schools that give
our students opportunities and uses a district's resources responsibly. I also think that providing educational continuity is vitally important to all of our students and I'm concerned that a disruption in a student's educational
path will have negative effects not just on our students during their middle school years but could potentially follow them through to adulthood. This is why I support remanaging Glaze as a K through 8. A K through 8 would support the district's goals in a number of ways. It will improve educational
outcomes, expand high-quality programs, and it will strengthen Glaze Middle as a neighborhood school. Mrs. McMahon earlier detailed why Glaze Middle is a perfect fit for this model. Glaze already possesses a classroom space, science labs, technology centers,
athletics facilities. And by reimagining Glaze as a K through8 school, we will provide younger students with access to middle school electives, gifted services, and advanced STEM pathways years earlier than is currently possible. A K through8 model at Glades will also expand academic opportunity
for all children in the area. It would also make Brower County public schools more competitive in the current educational landscape. So with this proposal, we have kept the district's goals in mind. It offers a responsible, constructive solution that aligns with your goals. It improves utilization,
protects children from unnecessary disruption, and expands educational opportunities rather than shrinking them. So, we are ready to collaborate to build a path forward that benefits our children, families, and Brower County Public Schools. So, we are asking the district to give full consideration to
the Glades K through8 proposal. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes our public speakers. Uh we'll move to board discussion and I'll just ask my colleagues um if you can to the extent that you're that is possible, please provide your input on the different
proposals um like proposal one, proposal two, etc. Um, and then if you have any additional proposals that you would like your colleagues to consider, please be explicit about that and then um, we can all weigh in uh, in our comments. Um, just for the purposes of being able to
track all of the the different difficult uh, decisions that we have to make today. Right now I have Miss Thompson on the list and then Miss Hixon. So if you would like to speak, just flag me down. Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, Chair. >> I'm sorry to interrupt. Uh, chair, did you want us to uh time board members or
is it untimed just so we know? >> I would not like us to be timed today. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And if I could have staff pass around a proposal. Thank you. Um, so first I want to say thank you to all the representatives of the school boundary committee for volunteering your time to this process. I know there was a lot of
you, so I and if you're listening, I want you to get your recognition. I also want to thank Dr. forza and her entire team for the countless hours that you have dedicated to this process for answering my 32 questions. Really appreciate that. And to the parents, teachers, students, school
administrators, and community members who have continued to reach out and advocate for your schools even as this process has been long, complex, and at times difficult to understand. As we moved through this work, what stood out most to me was hearing
directly from so many of you about the incredible things happening in our schools every single day. Whether it was the North Fork parent at the Dillard Town Hall describing how the school supported them and their child through a medical crisis, the Seagull teachers highlighting their students accomplishments despite their many
barriers, or the countless student leaders who have spoken out to share their strengths of their schools over the course of the last several months. Each moment reflected not only the extraordinary heart of this district, but the strength of our schools. If this process has revealed anything,
it is that we need to shine a brighter and more consistent light on the great things happening at our schools. These stories shouldn't just surface when our community feels its schools at risk. Our students and educators deserve to have their successes celebrated every day.
Not only that, but the better we become telling our story and supporting our individual schools, not just the district as a whole, to share their stories, the more families we will attract to our system. I know that our district is operating under pre unprecedented external
pressures, not only from the state, but also the federal government. Districts across Florida and across the country are confronting the same difficult reality that we are. School closures are becoming unavoidable. At the FSBA conference we were just at,
many other school board members told me that they are facing these decisions now or will be in the coming years. Knowing this reality is why it's so important that we make decisions not only with our current situation in mind, but also that we are strengthening Broward schools for
generations to come. So during this process, I hosted over 12 community meetings and virtual town halls and speaking with more than 2,000 of my residents in addition to attending the district town halls we put Dr. W's
team put on. I know the decision that we face ultimately in January will be challenging and for many families it will be heartbreaking. However, I do believe that there is opportunity for us to come out on the other side stronger than ever. With that, I have some questions for
staff and then a community proposal for my colleagues to consider. So, focusing on Panther Run, I think my community is a little bit confused and I understand that with parent survey and I want to respect the
parents who this impacts having a district one school within a school does not seem like that was the path they wanted to take. Is that correct, >> Dr. Heburn? Dr. Wel. >> So, um I'm going to ask Miss Hollingsworth and her team to speak
specifically to the survey, but I um but to your point at the at the community meeting um at Myar High School that evening, there was interest from the community there that were very much interested in looking at a school within a school concept at Panther Run. Um and
and they were not and this is the community that were present. They they were not um uh leaning toward a separate school. They were really looking for a school within a school option of a a um a a district um operated school within a
school option. But I'm going to ask Miss Hollingsworth and her team from our student services division to speak to the actual survey results. >> Good morning. Simone Hollingsworth, chief student services officer, and I have Diane Egan, executive director of ESC, and Andrea Cotti, director of
specialized instruction to address some of those questions. >> Good morning everyone. Diane Egan, executive director of ESC. So um after the um community meetings there was some questions about district managed charter
district run charter and so we were asked to just do a survey to get an understanding of what the community was thinking about and what was important to them and so we did conduct that survey um to ESC parents just to gather some information so that we can bring that
forth to you today. I'm going to have Andrea Seott, dire director of specialized instruction speak to the details of the survey. >> Sure. Good morning everyone. Um you have the slide so you have all of the data represented. The parents really um the majority of our families reported in
grades K to two. So that gave us some insight into our the parents of younger students really being interested in redefining autism in our district. So that's great feedback. Um, also our families are really accustomed to the great work that we do as far as inclusion in our schools. Um, we are we
do a great job with our Special Olympics involvement with our same age peers and our non-disabled peers and making sure that our students have access to those inclusive opportunities. So, our parents are accustomed to that. That is one of the indicators that the state measures our district on and we are meeting that
indicator in our LEA profile. And so, all of that alignment shows us that our parents really want us to continue to redefine autism. but to have that happening um very organically with our same age peers that do not have disabilities so that our students have those um role models.
>> I just want to add a little bit about um the special programs in our district because I do think there is some misunderstanding about that. So the way that Broward um does their special programs at the elementary level, we identify those special programs specifically um based on the
eligibility. that doesn't mean you can't go to that special program, but that's just kind of how they were organized when we first started. Um we had um special programs. And then at the elementary level specifically, what we do is we cluster. And the meaning for
the word cluster is just that we combine transportation and resources at certain sites. So, when we first opened our programs for autism, we started with six programs across the district. And now, um, just looking down at my notes, we now have 86 programs at our elementary
schools. We have 16 programs for 86 for autism specifically. We have 16 programs for intellectual disabilities and we have six programs for emotional behavior disorder. That's just talking about our K5. And then at the secondary level, um
Broward identifies, um different programs. We have specialized varying exceptionality programs, um at all of our middle and high schools, and those are for students who are not on traditional standards. They're on access points. Um and then we have we've started a pilot for varying
exceptionalities for students who need more support but are on standards. And then we have students in all grade levels who are in gened the majority of their day. So, I think there's some confusion and that was one of the reasons why we talked a bit about rebranding. We do think that because
we're offering 86 programs at the elementary level that maybe we're not doing a good enough job of getting the word out there and talking about what those programs look like and really emphasizing the supports that they're providing. So, I just want to provide a little bit of that background information because I do think that it
is confusing if you're not deep in the work like we are. >> And I appreciate that. I wanted to clarify the survey results. So when you said the majority of parents wanted the inclusive environment, they mean at the home schools, correct? Or would they be
open to again Panther Run being a school within a school? >> They would be open to a school within a school wherever that would be. We didn't specify school names in the survey. Um but there were indications of needs like transportation is an indicator that
parents um feel strongly about needing um and making sure that their siblings were in those schools or are very close by. But we did not um focus primarily on Panther Run because we were really looking at um redefining as for all of our students across the district >> and Panther Run currently does have a
special program for autism already existing in the school. So we um we you know we already have that program located there. So if Panther Run stays open then we'll continue that program there and if it does not and the students will be relocated to another
school and another part of another program. >> So I think the community needs clarification on how that would work if it was a BCPS run program because right now if they already have a program at at Panther Run, right? And we already
have 80 Did you say 80 programs? I can't remember the exact number. >> 86 elementary schools have >> 997 classes. >> So if we already have those at other schools, the concern I heard from every at every single one of my community meetings was that they did not want
people taken out of their home school. So how would that work? If we did make Panther run a school within a school, we were devoting resources to that. What would that impact be to the schools across the district? So I think it would look we haven't um you know dug in so
deep until we till decisions are made today and we have further direction but it would really be similar to what happened at Silver Shores when it converted to a K to8 with the STEM opportunity. We do have an IND special program at Silvershore. So we just redefined that current program. Those
students stayed and then it offered additional school choice options for other students within that that same feeder pattern to take advantage of the program. I I think that to simply state it though kids are going to come from other schools, >> right? So if the concern from other
schools and those parents of those schools saying they don't want uh to dilute the opportunities by kids leaving and going to a different school, that's essentially what's going to happen because the kids have to come from somewhere and our charter schools and many of our private schools do not offer
those opportunities. They're here in our schools because we offer those opportunities. And I think that's what we need to be a little bit more clear on is that that would be the impact to the surrounding schools even if we were to try to not obviously
that I just >> I I would add to something that's not in the deck but just data set that we have or actually I believe it is in the FTE reporting um is that autism by nature of disability is growing by 8% in our district. So there's always a student
that's on the autism spectrum that would benefit through their IEP process for a program like that. Um so and then the programs in the area of Panther Run, most of those elementary schools have their own autism program that is, you know, thriving and doing well. So it
wouldn't it wouldn't deplete um anywhere. It would actually just give us another opportunity to meet needs of students and give a school choice option. But I think what needs to be defined is school choice option >> because school choice option would be um
is it school choice option where the parent provides transportation or is it school choice option where the district will provide transportation and I think that that's what has to be um clearly delineated so that parents know what the
what their options truly are and I think the other thing that we have to be very um um careful in speaking to is the um the South Florida Center for Autism. Yes. And I put it in the slide deck. I think it's on either page 93 92 94. One
of them they have submitted um an application right for um to operate a charter school here in the district. And the fact that they submitted and if they are approved, that doesn't mean that they are a districtmanaged or a district
operated charter school. if their if their application is approved, then they would have to determine what if any type of services they want to contract with the district for the district to provide. And I think that that has to be clearly delineated so
that everyone understands that a true district operated school is just that, a district operated school. Mhm. And has, and I apologize if it's in the presentation, has South Florida Charter School expressed what schools they want,
and is Panther Run one of those options? >> So, what they did, and I think it's on page 94, they talked about um uh areas of the county that they would be interested in. And um I believe they
they talked about um they are looking to um with the intentions to serve students residing um in the county including but not limited to the communities of Coconut Creek, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Margate, and Parkland. While they did not call out Pimrook Pines
expressly, they did say areas including but not limited to. >> Yeah, but we >> but majority in the north. Yeah, we know their focus is the north first because of how close uh facility would be in southern Broward to their Miami campus. >> No, I'm aware of where they're currently
located. >> I think that the Panther run in general, I think, is a really hard conversation and because I represent it, I guess I'm going to bite the bullet on this one. Um, I don't think it makes sense
to make a district operated school there because I worry about how that will impact the rest of the district and the rest of the schools in that area who already have strong programs. And if the
charter school is not interested in being within that school or at least they haven't expressly said it, then unfortunately I would lean towards closing Panther
Run. I do believe the boundaries need to be reconsidered um because the school is located between two elementary schools and I think that we need to and the
parents who are currently at Panther Run will have priority to go together if they want to. I believe the boundary should be split between Silver Palms and Chapel Trail. I think that will also alleviate the
traffic concerns that people have brought up to me as well. Um, but that is where I land on that. Um, and I do have some boundary suggestions if you want them from boards members, but if you don't, that's fine as well. Um, so
moving on to consolidating Sunshine and Fairway. And sorry, I'm not going in order chair. Okay. Um, >> Madam Chair, >> can Miss Thompson just reference what page she's on? That would be very helpful. >> I can't because I didn't
>> or proposal number. >> Yeah, if you have it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> So, proposal one and prior was proposal two. So, Panther's proposal two. Um, so in proposal one, Sunshine to Fairway. I
have visit obviously visited both schools. I did my first set of beautifification programs projects at both of these campuses. So obviously consolidating schools is a hard decision to make. I do just want to point out to my colleagues that if we
were to consolidate in the opposite way fairway into sunshine that we would be losing the opportunity for a head start or a VPK program which I think early learning is so important. Um, so I would be agreeing with the boundary committee's recommendation to
consolidate Sunshine into Fairway. And then for proposal three, um, consolidating Palm Cove into Pines Lakes and Lakeside, I just wanted some staff clarification on when Lakeside was included in that boundary decision and
what was the thought process behind it. So, Lakeside was um included in the conversation when we met at Myar High. We we did tell the community that depending on um u what happened with the Palm Cove boundary or with any of the
the elementaryaries, particularly the Palm Cove and the Panther Run, um and and even what would happen potentially for um Walter C. Young had it gone the 38 route that Lakeside may or may not be impacted. >> Okay. And then um
Miss Grant left, so I will follow up with that question later. The city of Penrook Pines has expressed interest in sharing space at Pines Lakes for their senior um their senior center. Is that still a possibility if we make this um merger?
>> So um if we do if if we did the merger where all of the kids went solely to Palm Cove, we may have some challenges. But if we do the merger where the students would go to um Palm I'm sorry to to Pines Lakes and Lakeside then
there may be opportunity but when you would but send but transitioning all of the Palm Cove students to Pines Lakes would present some challenges but in doing both schools um there may still be opportunity and Mr. Beck did I say that correctly? >> Okay, I'm good. Um then I would be of
the opinion to um consolidate Palm Cove into those two schools. Um because I do think having that partnership with the city of Pimrook Pines and the senior center adds a lot of opportunities for our students as well as for our seniors in that community and help strengthen
our partnership with the city of Pimrook Pines. Um and then for I'll go in order for you guys. Uh, well, thank you. So, for Northfor Elementary proposals, so four and 4A, I just had a question. Which one
of these proposals would actually um provide like a lease or rental or are all the proposals other than JA? Because I know they would which one actually brings us financial benefit if any.
um both do both vacate the the school um of students so there's a cost saving the correct me if I'm wrong Dr. of the proposals is about what schools the students would be um consolidated into. >> Understood. But it's hard to comment on
that without having that understanding. So are we collecting rent from either any of the agencies? >> Yes, we will be it will be a land lease. Uh so for the two entities that um want to tear down the building per se, yes,
it would be a land lease. Um for the one entity that wants to embed a program, there will be there will most likely be some cost to the district um for that one. But for the the two that want to raise the building, it will be a land lease to those facilities to those um organizations.
>> Okay. Um and so for the boundary proposal, I think Northfor into Wal Walker Elementary School I would be supportive of. Um, and then since we're going in order uh five and six, so I passed out a
proposal um to convert Glades Middle School into a K through 8. And I'm going to tell you why that's the best option, not only for my community, but for our entire district. Um, something you need to know if you guys don't know that my district has the majority of charter schools followed by I think Alhade and
then Mara and then everyone else has about six or seven in their district. So, it's incredibly important when we are considering any changes to these schools and programs, we realize that while a lot of our parents might say they'll go to charter, my parents will actually probably go to charter because
they are literally down the street. So, why I think that Glades Middle School first this was came out of our community. Um, I was talking to some of my student interns and one of them actually suggested this and then I went and talked to Miss McMahon and other
parent groups and made sure that this was something that they would want. And as you heard today, this is something they're very for. Um, it's going to expand our opportunities for elementary students because they'll have access to all of the Glades facilities, including a gym. So, we don't have to have
classroom uh recess anymore, which I think every parent hates classroom recess day because then our kids come home much more energized. Um, it also increases our competitive competitiveness with the charter schools in the area. So, because they have all
of these facilities, this is actually something that the charter schools in my district can't provide because they don't have a gym. So, not only will we be matching what they provide their students, we will be exceeding it. And I think this is a marketing opportunity for our district. Currently 55% of the
inboundered students attend charter schools instead of Glades Middle and many of them want that K through8 option. And then combining this with the the elementary schools becoming K through8s when I went to my community meetings and talked to each one of them. Almost every single parent other than
the ones who want Glades to be a traditional middle school at the time wanted this K through8 option, but they wanted the facilities and the resources that match it. So by doing this proposal, instead of converting the four or five K through8s, we're actually
gifting a community what they want and more. Um the cost is minimal. So, in order to meet the standards for um the primary grades bathrooms, it would be about $3 million. Um with a dedicated
playground area to come further down the line. Um, some considerations that I don't I want to make sure my community doesn't think I'm glossing over is if we create a middle school that's a K through8, we will obviously have to reconsider next year closing some of the
elementary schools to um meet the need of the enrollment. Um, so this would extend, I don't want to call it phase three, please brand it something else, but it would extend phase 2.5. um and would mean that we go out to that
small cluster of community members later and let them know. Um however, the elementary school parents, not all of them, but did come up and say that they would rather their elementary school closed and they get these facilities than vice versa. Um
he raised it. Um >> during your a lot when when we come to you, you can ask questions about the different proposals. Continue, Miss Thompson. >> Okay. Um so I think that that would be my idea. I
think it is um the right choice for for many reasons. And I think sometimes when we're making hard choices, it's better to give it a another year to process all the steps um than just rush it because we
know we're in a bind. Um okay. And then for Walter C. Young Middle School. So 7 7A and 7B. I struggle with this one because as you guys know that the city of Pimrook Pines
owns that property. Our lease expires in January of 2037 and I want to make sure that we're doing the fiscally right thing while also supporting the community and their desires. Um they do not want the 3
through8 gifted and dual language school. They were abundantly clear that that's not something they would like. Um, however, I don't think it makes sense to change their boundaries to to Silver Trail when we are currently changing boundaries
from Silver Palms because of that 75 divide. Um, what I would recommend is to maintain Walter C. young for a period preferably to the lease, but I understand we are in a financial
situation um of at least 2 years so that we can work with the city to determine a transition plan because currently in the lease there is no um I don't know the right legal word, but there's no way to end the contract early. There's also no way to expand it. And so during that
period of time, we are able to work with the city to transition and see what that would look like. And then we can also transition Flanigan into a 6 through 12. In the presentation, we discussed that we want to create a strong dual language regional approach and that community
very much wants that. Um, Lakeside in general has had parent advocates that talked to Mr. Henderson, the principal of Walter C. Young, to expand the dual language program to Walter C. And so by closing it without really giving that chance that program a chance to flourish
does not sit right with me. But we can also if we need to expand that program into Flanigan. So that would be our regional pathway is Lakeside Elementary School to Flanigan 6 through 12. So that
would be my suggestion for my colleagues to consider for there. Um, and then the Silver Palms boundary change was 10 and something else.
It's proposal 10 for the high school. Oh, it's 7B, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. 7B and 10. Um, this is something the Silver Palms community has wanted for years to come. Um it is it
just makes sense if you live in in Pines and the traffic and what is happening there. Um so I hope my colleagues will support that. I did have a question. So when we're changing boundaries for high schools, does that mean the high school students that are currently attended
Flanigan have to then change to West Broward or if they are a junior do they get to stay at their school? >> Dr. Hard. Dr. Wansa. >> So, historically, we do let them finish their high school years and generally
with high schools, we phase it out, right? Because students have started there, right? And so, we we typically work with at the high school level to phase it out. But definitely if they are a rising senior next school year, they would have the option to finish their school their high school career at Flanigan.
>> Perfect. That was my only um point I wanted to make sure. And then also just anecdotally, I know four families that left Silver Palms to go to charter because Silver Trails was not their boundary school because they got into it through school choice, but
transportation was a a limiting factor. Um, so I can't I can only imagine that there's more um Hollandale to Myiar, which is proposal 11. Um is there a cost savings because we wouldn't be
transporting to PMPO? Like would that balance out or No. >> So right now um we don't transport to PMPO south of Sunrise. >> Oh, >> we don't south of Sunrise. that the the um and and Halllandale currently has um
a magnet a large um uh magnet transportation boundary, but we don't transport students to Pompo south of Sunrise. >> Good to know. Thank you. Um and then have we determined that there is student
interest in creating um the 4-day program at Hollando? >> So, I'm working um and I'll let Mr. Strauss speak because I know that he's been working very um closely, but I can tell you this is something that has come from not only the community. I believe the mayor even um either sent something
or is intending to send something in strong support of this. So I do know that um there has been much interest um from the community of seeing this come to um their part of the county as well. But Mr. Strauss can speak if I missed something.
>> No, that is correct. Dr. ones. The community did do uh do a site visit to Pompo and from that site visit they were strongly uh in favor of doing the similar type of schedule. >> Thank you. Then I would be supportive in
changing um the boundary for 11 and then um for third good Marshall it was unanimous. So, I'm going to follow what the the boundary committee recommended. And I'm sorry, I have one more follow-up question on the K through8 because we did have a speaker
come and talk about the issues we've been having at Coral Cove, uh, especially due to the scheduling and teacher time. What is the solution to that? Dr. Heburn, >> go ahead. Um, Mr. Strauss, if you want to talk specific for Coral Cove,
>> right? So that got brought up this year from Coral Cove and even from some others and because we knew we were going into this conversation that we're having this year on redefining and there are multiple cates that were are up here on
for proposal. I think the decision will be whatever is decided this year, we could look at it and decide whether we want to have a staggered K to 5 dismissal at the 2:00 time and the middle school at the 2:40 time, but the
transportation will always be at the 2:40 time. It's stuff as was mentioned by a speaker, the charter schools do have a staggered dismissal, but we did not want to just automatically unilaterally just change it for one school. we would unilaterally do it for our K8's programs and I'd rather have a
consistent approach where that's I think what we would do. >> Um and then for eight, which is Plantation Middle School into Plantation High School, I'm supportive of. And then number nine,
Bear Middle School into West Pine, I'm supportive of that change as well. Um do you want me to recap or do you did you capture all of those? I'm I'm I was going to recap with each person. Um I'm missing a few. Uh so I I could have just missed it. Um if
>> I'll I'll go in order. Okay. Um so Sunshine Elementary to Fairway. I support Panther Run Elementary into Chapel Trail. I think we need to change the boundary to being Chapel Trail in Silver Palms, but I am supportive of the
closure. Uh Palm Cove Elementary into Lakeside Elementary and Pines Lakes. I'm supportive of uh Norfork uh into Walter Walker. So, proposal four. Um for five and six, I have my
alternative proposal. Um for Walter C. Young, I am not supportive and would be in favor of extending the time there and um making Flanigan a 6 through 12. Um >> six was a no.
We're so organized. Okay. Um, for 7B, that would be a yes. Eight, yes. Nine, yes. 10, yes. Hollandale, yes. 12, yes. >> And then, could you weigh on merging Seagull into Wooden Rogers?
>> Oh, yes. Thank you. I um I am supportive of that. I did want clarification on if the fi if we partner with um Fort Lauderdale fire or police if there would be a a rental financial rental lease there as well.
>> Yes, that's correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And then I just want to just flag for everyone, Miss Thompson proposed um I'll like do a cliff's notes version, but a proposal about converting Glades into a K8 and then her proposal on Walter C. Young continuing until the lease ends
and working with the city. Mhm. >> Um, okay. Thank you. And then I don't know, Miss Pierre Grant is back, so I don't know if you had a question. >> I did. >> Sorry, I had to tinkle. >> It's okay. Um I think my my question is
what the representatives thought on the boundary change to Lakeside and um for Palm Cove in particular, the boundaries for Lake Pines Lakes and Lakeside instead of just being directly into Pines Lakes.
>> I don't think they discussed the boundary more than so that they discussed that they weren't really for any changes at all. >> Fair. Um, so they didn't really consider that. Um, but I think you made a fair assessment. >> Thank you.
>> I think it's fair that you I had a question about the um the last proposal, Dr. Wanza, with uh Chair Leonardi just asked you about >> Seagull and Wooden Rogers. >> Yes. The um will there be because
there's children on Seagull campus, right? There's >> there's Well, it's technically on Whitten's campus, but the program is Seagull program, >> right? Um the um fire thing that you guys were talking about, will there be like some kind of separation with the
babies and some protection there like in terms of like the noise and all that other stuff? Are we going to put some things in place for that? Right, >> Dr. or Dr. Heeper? >> Yes, that's correct. um city of Fort Lauderdale are great partners and some of that discussion already started about
those type of um concerns. >> All right. Thank you. I have Miss Hixon up and then Dr. Ho. So, if anyone else would like >> Madam Chair, uh can I just ask a question? I uh regarding um I didn't I just want clarification. I did notice board member Thompson mentioned she has
her own proposals for six. Uh could she reiterate what those are if she did share them >> before Oh, it's on here. >> It's on the the paper. >> Okay. >> So, I have uh Miss Hixon, Dr. Holes, Dr. Zean, and anyone else just flag me down.
>> Thank you. I have a couple questions, then I'll go through the um the proposals. So, uh, if Sunshine were to close, what would what kind of district would we be
moving district um staff into that particular area? Is it a space that we would be leasing out to another entity? Do we have already something in place? >> So, all all of the above. Um, we have um preliminary spaces that we've identified
for staff for all of our sites. um while fielding uh proposals from other entities. So when those proposals come in, if it's something um that's advantageous for the district, students or community um we'll defer to that, but
we have identified uh sites for majority of staff that's going to be vacating various admin buildings and um as proposals come in for various sites that we're closing to students and then if it's advantageous to go with the proposal, we'll do that. Okay. And and
based on that, just based on the issue we had before where we leased out a building, but no one had moved into it yet, are we going to if if we close these schools, will they be ready for staff to be moving in immediately so
that we don't have this lag that we >> some are easier to move than others? So yes, some will start moving literally over winter break in and um January and some are a little bit more difficult for because of heavy equipment and all of that. So we have to um identify how we
move the heavy equipment or or things like that and restructure the room so it's appropriate meets um all the OSHA and all those other type of ADA requirements. But some are easy to move that we can get them in immediately and some are a little bit tougher which will
take the the um a certain part of second semester to get done. >> Okay. Thank you. And and I appreciate I didn't say this to start off with all of the hard work that went into this to the boundary committee. Thank you for your time for all of the committee um community meetings, the ones the
district held, the many ones that Miss Thompson held. There were some virtual. So thank you everyone for giving your input. This is not an easy job and we definitely would not want to rather not close anything. But I said it at each of those workshops. Today's discussion
isn't about how great the schools are or the staff or how wonderful the students are doing because that's true everywhere. So this isn't about anything that has to do with the school in particular in terms of of the people in it. It really is about the buildings.
So, I just want to be clear as we go through there because we heard a lot of passionate people about their teachers and the programs and it was a great testament to the wonderful job that our that our teachers and our staff educators do with our students. Um, so I
forgot to start off with that. Um, I I appreciate the all of the information, but I would just say, and I know that maybe it was just a lot, but I struggle with how transparent we are when we're
saying the estimated revenue/savings, the estimated expenditure costs, and all of the different information with no details to it because where are we getting savings? Where are we getting revenue from here? How is it? I feel
like we did this before and I asked for a lot more detail on the financial part so that we could be really clear on why this was important. So, I'm a little frustrated. I appreciate the the amount is there, but it just kind of feels like
we picked a number. Um, I know we didn't, but I I would have liked more details on there. So, I'm a little frustrated with that. But we'll go through I'll now start to go through the proposals. So number one was sh with sunshine I would say yes. Um the for
number two Panther Run um yes. I have a question on Palm Cove. So on page 21 when you look at permanent capacity it actually has the highest number of permanent capacity. So, why are we
closing Palm Cove and splitting them out to other places? Why wouldn't we be um keeping Palm Cove and closing one that has a lower capacity? >> Dr. >> So, um I'll I'll um give the high level
answer and then Mr. Strauss can chime in. So when you when you look at where the schools are located and how you actually access both facilities, um Palm Cove is uh tucked in. It it doesn't have
direct access to um um so it's right there off of um it's on what is that Washington Street off of Flamingo. It's tucked. It's around it's in a neighborhood as opposed to Pines Lakes is right there in the open. It's easier accessibility. Um, and it it just makes
um makes it an easier transition, if you will. Um, and Mr. Strauss can chime in, but I can tell you that's why that facility um was identified as the one that the students transfer to as opposed to >> Palm Co. Well, well, they would transfer
from Palm Co into Pines. >> Okay. >> Okay. I was just we got an email that asked that question, so I wanted to ask it out loud. Um, so I I guess I would agree with >> What number? >> Oh, I'm sorry. That's number three.
Proposal number three, Miss Thompson since that's her her area. Her suggestion was that it went into Oh, that was Panther Run two schools. So Palm Yeah, Palm Co. would it be possible? I guess not for all of it
wouldn't be possible for all of the Palm Cove students to just go one place because some of the emails that we received were cons the concern was splitting up the students. So if Palm Cove was to close, is it possible that
all of those students just go to one of the other schools? Yes, they could all go to um Pines Lakes. The reason why we did um Pines Lakes and Lakeside is I again because of if if we were going to look at any type
of possibility with the city of Penrook Pines coupled with I believe there's an area of the Palm Cove boundary that actually may be closer to Lakeside. So that is why we um made that recommendation because it would put them closer.
>> Gotcha. Okay. I just wanted to because some of the emails we got the concern was splitting the students. So, um I just wanted to voice that. So, I would say yes to proposal number three. Um with a caveat that I understand that
there's a way to share with the com with the city, but my concern is more about our students than than partnering with the city. So, I'd really like to kind of take a deeper dive into that and see what really would be best for the
students. Um, so for proposal number four, um, I have a a so I say yes to North Fork going into Walker. Um, and my suggestion here is similar to what um,
Miss Saluro said. I never say it right. It doesn't roll off your tongue. Yes. um what JA um had said when they first talked about it is is a way to collaborate. So I have a question and kind of to go to the um facilities
condition index paper that was there a little bit of a concern because when you go through it, it tells you there's two schools that jumped out to me. So for North Fork, it says that the building was built in um
1960 something. Where do we go? 64, but really half of the school was built after 1989. So there's portions of the school that do need to be demolished. So
when you look at that facilities um condition assessment or index, we keep changing acronyms. Um anyway, I I think there's some concern. For example, in that facilities condition index on page
25 when it says Olsen, it says 1954. Well, that 1954 building doesn't even exist anymore. It was built in 1991. And I know that because I cry every time I pass it because I went in to school in the building that was built in 1954 and
it was sad when it got demolished although I knew it had to be. Um so I have a concern with the index information that we're being given which somebody also um indicated earlier because I don't know that it gives you a
whole picture. But with that being said on North Fork, my thought here, suggestion is those buildings that were built in the 1960s could be demolished and JA could build their part there. The buildings that are after 1989,
maybe um mods could do the program that they want to do kind of that STEM academy piece in the parts that are still existing in that area. And then like JA said, maybe they would also partner with the United Way in their new
facility to do it. So I think there's a way that we could keep parts of the school, still let JA because there's a lot of space there, build what they need to build, and be able to um to sort of make a good compromise where
everybody might not be happy, but they could live with the results. Madam Chair, may I ask for a point of clarification just and um Dr. Hebrron, I hope this is okay. So I I just want to make sure we all have the same understanding. >> The the mod's proposal contemplates the
school still operating as a K a K5 school. Correct. >> Yes, I'm aware of that. So that's what I'm saying. the buildings that we would not demolish, the ones that were that are I I don't want to say salvageable, but for a lack of a better term, there
are buildings that could be taken down. There's lots of space on there. JA could still build on on a space that we've demolished buildings. buildings could still be used for a smaller kind of academy where it's school choice and
they come as a K5 STEM academy with the the help of JA and then the United Way could work with um the other suggestion which I mentioned to Lori um to Lori and Joe was if we demolished all of it JA
could we could be on the bottom and there could be a second floor where the K5 five STEM Academy could run. And the reason I'm pushing that STEM Academy is at I'm on the mods um board and there are a lot of private and homeschool
students that use mods as a resource and if we were to do some kind of of school that mods was associated with I think you we would capture a lot. They're asking them to build a school. So either we're going to have a part in it or
they're going to build their own charter school on the mods campus and we're going to lose those students. So that's the thought process of where I'm going with this if that makes sense. >> So So um and I can certainly defer to Miss Paul. I think that in in any
concept that we come up with we just have to contemplate where the core of the school is. Right. So where's the cafeteria? If the cafeteria is in building one, then we would have to look at, you know, if building one comes down, then how are we going to provide food service? And I just think that we
have to make sure we're creative. >> Yes. And I don't know which buildings are are which. I just know that all of them are not in the 1960s. So, there are pieces of that campus that were would be able to be continued to be used. And you
know, we had some other people come and have an issue with the the the what was it the native Indian site. And so so it's kind of a way again everybody won't leave happy but they can be
not really mad for lack of a better I'm working on very little sleep here. So um so anyway that's my thoughts but yes to moving them all to Walker. it doesn't make sense for them to move anywhere else. But I would really like us to look at is
there enough space based on what Jay would like to build if we only took down those buildings that aren't really salvageable and um you know tried to work around that. So maybe it's a smaller school that functions with a few
buildings there. Um but I don't have all the details. I'm just throwing out ideas. Um okay. So then um for the next one, the K8s, all those K8s, that doesn't make sense to me. It's going to cost us >> 4A
>> a whole lot of money. No. So four is just four is a Yes. 4 A. Not not 4 A. Wait a minute. My computer went to sleep because I talked too long. Oh, thank you. Um yeah, so no to 4 A. So
number five, I I don't think for a variety of reasons, but the biggest one, someone coming up to tell us that we did a K8 and it's um we do need to perfect that before we went along. We ended up closing a few K8s because we didn't give
them the resources that they needed um a few years after we opened them. So I don't think that that makes a lot of sense. Um, and I also would wonder about if you made all of them K8s, although I know in that area charters are a big popular thing
and K8 is what people seem to want to do, but if we have so many of them, I just don't know how that would help um enrollment. So, for Glades U number six, proposal number six, I have um another question.
I have a couple of questions on that. So, is there sorry um so this is going to kind of go all over the place and I'm sorry. Um, before I
answer the Glades question question, does HD Perry have room for a CTE program that we were contemplating putting at Glades? Is there space in that facility? >> So, my answer, my immediate answer is
no. Um, Dr. Tumer or Mr. Strauss can um opine. But if we if but if we remember we moved Howlandell Adultton Community Center full thriving alternative um uh high school with you know teen parent program with all of that and that is
what is currently at the HD Perry site and I do not believe and they they have CTE programs that they offer to their own students. So I don't I don't believe that there's space to now expand Sheridan Tech onto that campus with
them, but I'll let um m Dr. Tumor, Mr. Strauss, >> and I know they have great CTE programs kind of why I thought about pairing it together. >> Dr. Tumor. >> Yes, I agree with Dr. Wanza. Um there's not not space or parking.
>> Okay. So then my other question is to flip this. Um, why not make New Renaissance the CTE Sheridan Tech and leave Glades open.
So, we would have to go back out to the community because the the the community proposal and the input that we received from the community contemplated um Glades um and then that would just be a conversation that we would have to have if we want to um invert the schools. Uh
I do um with all respect to everyone, I think that that we will get the same reaction from either community. I think we're going to get the same reaction from either community, but I will certainly defer to I see Miss Thompson has her hand up.
>> I think the the part to recognize is also by converting Glades into K through8, we are going to have elementary school facilities that we could turn into the technical school. We already have to put money into it. We are already offering technical classes
at Broward Estates. So, it is possible to do that and then we wouldn't have to affect another middle school cuz the issue is the facilities that middle schools offer. Right. No, I know. And the reason that I asked that was um
that New Renaissance Middle had a lower lower capacity. When I was looking at it, I just wondered why we picked Glades and not New Renaissance. So that going back to that question then if we were to make Glades a K8 would that I mean we
just made Coral Cove a Clay K8 and they're right next to each other. So what how would that affect Coral Cove? >> So I don't know that it would impact Coral Cove as much as we would have to go back out to the community and decide which elementary schools
>> Yeah. You would have >> we're going to offline >> you would have to offline some elementary schools in order for that to to happen. >> Right. which I'm thinking it doesn't I was just thinking Coral Cove would flow into Glades. They're right next to each other. To me, it doesn't make sense to
have two K8s right next to each other. >> Well, and I I think the other part is remember Coral Cove's um theme of study that they have um focused on is performing arts. Yes. And now um if the Glades proposal goes through that's um
STEM and a you know a different um theme of study. Go Mr. Strauss you could speak into the mic. I was just trying to help you. So Coral Cove's actually I believe they split between Glades and New Renaissance. So one community goes to part of it goes
to Glades and the other piece goes to New Renaissance. And that's why when we went through this last year, a lot of the students were opting or families were opting not to have their students go, you know, six, seven miles east to New Renaissance, nor were they even going to Glades Middle. And that's why
we included Coral Cove to become a K8 because the survey from those uh families there were either do this or were opting to go to Charter. >> Okay. >> Sorry about that. >> Thank you. And if we did the glades to a
K8, when what would be the process for closing those? Because it's going to end up here's my concern is that moving to a K8 3 million may seem minimal, but it's money and we're in a in a deficit. I
don't want to say yes to anything that's going to cost us money. So, I have a huge concern about that. So, how long would we be operating those elementaryaries? We'd have to go through this process. >> Yeah, that that would take a year because you have to do construction on
the the uh K through2 bathrooms in order to transition it fully to a K through eight. So, it would take a >> I would say conservatively a minimum of one and a half years because you got to go through the design, the this that whole process and then it would it it it
would be two years realistically before we're ready. a fullfledged. >> Okay. All right. So, I'm going to say um I'm going to say yes to um making
Glades the new Sheridan. So, I'm going to say yes to the proposal for number six. Um, for number seven, Walter C. Young. Um, into Silver Trails
and Pines. I also have a issue with this. I mean, I don't not an issue. I Well, I'll say this. I say no to 7A um the gifted and dual language program. And I'll say this now because it'll come back for the third good marshall. And
I'm gonna say no to Thwood Marshall. But when you really look at the data for the gifted programs, you would look to see that 45% of all K5 gifted students only attend 11 schools. Um, out of more than 130 elementary
schools and 61% attend just 21. One elementary school in the north has 200 gifted students. they are not going to be moving from way up in Parkland all the way to Penrook Pines or even um Fort
Lauderdale. And most of the schools of those 11 schools, they're really s highly soughtafter and high performing schools. So that means families have little to no incentive to really going. And so I know that we did a survey and if you look at
the survey though on page on page 124 um it says there's a strong interest but when you look at the again when you look at the survey on slides 125 and 129 it really doesn't support that conclusion. The results show low interest high uncertainty and strong preference for
remaining at certain schools. So the question says are you interested in a gift academy not at your assigned or current school? 19% said yes. 16% said no, 29% said prefer to remain at home school, and 36% said not sure. So,
prefer to remain at home school is essentially the same as no. So, really 45% said no, and 36% said unsure. Um, location inconvenience is actually the top answer about what parents like about their current gifted program. And this undermines the assertion that families
will opt for a school further away to obtain gifted services. So, what do you like about your current gifted program? 78% location convenience. Um, so I don't think making a a gifted centralized
gifted program is going to I don't think you're going to pull anybody from where they're at to go to those programs, which I would argue we already saw when we tried to put it in Plantation High School where they have 10 10 gifted
students attending at a gifted academy that has its whole whole building. Um, so that made that one easy. Um, to go back to Walter C. Young into Silver Trails and Pines 6 through 12. I
I'm still wavering on that or even um so I I'm I'm not sure yet on that, but I say yes to the B part where um to put them into Silver Trails Middle School. We've gotten a lot of emails about making that easier for them. So, I'll leave regular seven alone. Number eight
is easy. That's a yes. Um, number nine, Bear Middle School into West Pine. Um, I have a quick question about that because if you look at the enrollment between Bare Middle and West Pine, combining those two schools, will will West Pine
be able to hold all of them because the capacity is 1290 and when you add those numbers together, you're pretty close to that 1290. So, I have a little concern about about adding them all together. I mean,
they're half of what they should be. So, I know something should happen, but I'm a little nervous about putting all of them into um West Pines and then wanting it to grow even further because that's just solving a problem of moving people and
closing a building, but we want to grow students. So, I think I'm a no to that for right now. I wasn't sure. But um then proposal number 10. Oh, that one's pretty easy. The Flanigan
one. That's a yes. But I have I do have a question on that. Um so students being moved to West Broward from Flanigan and to Silver Trail from Walter C. Young, will they maintain transportation until the
current students have maxed out of the school? Because the concern is um those that wish to remain will not have a choice without transportation. So will if we change that boundary will the people who are already going to the school there be able to continue getting transportation.
>> So that was my response around at the high school we typically phase out the boundary. Right. So obviously um the the incoming ninth graders the answer we typically wouldn't but we would allow generally that's what we do is allow the high schoolers to phase out.
>> Okay perfect. um than for 11. So, I like the idea, but I have a really big concern about it costing us over a million dollars to run this program in a time when we just sent out
a memo saying we have no money. And I know that's more general fund kind of stuff. Um, so I love the idea of making it like a pompo, but I have real concerns about how much it's
going to cost us to do that um, at this time. So, I guess I'm I'm a I'm a maybe on that one. I know that's not the answer you want today, but um and then number 12, as I already said, for those reasons, um I'm I'm a no to making that
a gifted language, but I do have a suggestion or a thought on that. And so what would be I'll just say is it possible to make thood a birth to five? So, where you're
adding um some and the reason I'm asking is because, you know, we know Jack and Jill has a very long waiting list. I know it's a little bit of a different program, but this is a very walkable community. I I think busing people in is is not a great idea, but I think that
that particular area really could use that. If you get them from birth, you keep them longer. And I know Dr. Fulton and I had a conversation about a really cool school in Orlando that did actually birth to 12. Um, so just a suggestion
I'd like to make is looking at maybe making it birth to five. >> You want me to speak? >> No. Okay. Yes. I don't know if anybody was going to respond to that. >> I I was know it was a suggestion or a question. So it's a question.
>> Yeah. Go ahead. Possible. So um so I'm I'm not sure about birth, right? But we definitely have had conversations around um maintaining the K5 and then adding some um preK opportunities there with respect to um as we regionalize some
services, right? So um a particular one of interest is our is our ESC team where we could regionalize assessment centers and put you know one in the north, one in the central and third good would be the central um site. If this proposal doesn't go through, third good would be, you know, looked at as one of the
central sites and then and then really um look at um assessment as well as starting some additional prek programs. The actual grade that we would age, I'm sorry, that we would start it at is something that obviously the organization would have to you know take under advisement with direction from the
board. Um I know that there may be some associated um uh not not only facility but more so credentiing type of um uh requirements when you get to you know birth and what may be required um to to
run that type of a child care center as a licensed child care provider. But we certainly um are contemplating looking at that early those earlier ages um if given this proposal doesn't go through. >> Okay, great. And I would say um cuz
Seagull's the next one. Seagull does that well. So I know we as a district already run a program that does birth >> through. So I don't think figuring out the licensing and and all of that would be a huge problem. So I'd like us to to
venture into that. Um and the last seagull to Whitten, I would say absolutely yes. And then just a couple of things to clarify. Um all of the magnet programs, I agree with Dr. Wanza. We hate to to ever have to change magnet
programs, but we it doesn't make sense that we're spending money busing students. So I say um yes to all of the sun setting. Although I'd have to say the Northeast Alternative Energy, if I was a high school student, I would be going there. So, um I'm glad they still
have the opportunity, but that particular one I think maybe just needs a little more um marketing. I agree with the autism program. Um and I also really really want to start
looking into the the deaf and blind school that was just mentioned here today. I think that's a great opportunity whether we're repurposing or not. Um, and I don't think I can say this loud enough. I don't think we
should be doing any inind partnership for land. I think people have to be leasing it. I don't believe in selling it. Um, some of it maybe, but not school buildings. Dr. Osgood was very clear when we had our delegation meeting that we should not be giving our property
away regardless of what else is being offered with us. I think there has to be some kind of lease um amount. It could be less. It just can't be nothing. Um and I think that's really really important in all of the conversations
that we have moving forward. And thank you for listening to me ramble on for so long. Chair, can I just make a point of clarification because just staff correct me if I'm wrong, but for proposal five or six, the one that I submitted a counter proposal, we can't say no to
both because there are going to be middle school student school students that don't have a home. There's no capacity. >> You're talking about the um >> if you don't make Glades a K through eight, you don't make any other schools K through eights, you close middle,
grades middle, where are the students going? Yes. So you have to go ahead Dr. Wza. >> So Glades proposal is wrapped in one of three decisions. >> Well, actually four if we're going to
contemplate um the proposal that Miss Thompson just profered. Expanding the elementary schools to K8s, which I believe is proposal five. Proposal six is um
reassigning all of the students to New Renaissance. New Renaissance becomes the middle school. And then there's the proposal. So it's three. And then it and then it's the proposal um that Miss Thompson just profered where keep everything as it is at least for the
next year or two to give the district time to transition the Glades facility into um with restrooms and then what playgrounds whatever else is needed to um accommodate the earlier grades at the
school. and then go back out to the community to determine which elementary schools would be impacted by that decision. >> Go ahead. >> Sorry to interrupt, but it was just very important that people understand that. Thank you.
>> So, I think um um Miss Hixon said yes to Glaze Middle. I think uh Miss Hixon to specify yes to all the new Renaissance or or exercising the K through8 options. What I So, Miss Mason, tell me if I got you wrong. What I understood your um
sentiments to be was no to the option that expanded the K8s, the the elementary schools, I'm sorry, and yes to the option that would transition them to New Renaissance. >> Yes. I um I'm just con Yes, I was
concerned about the K8. And just to to kind of expand on what Miss Thompson just said, so if you're doing all this construction, if if it's to pass to go to a K8, and I'm actually okay with that, too. Um, but wouldn't you have to be doing a lot of construction? So,
where would all the Glades Middle School students go while you're doing all this construction? >> Correct me if I'm wrong. because of the amount of seats available on that campus still. Yes, they have seats. >> Okay. I just wanted to be clear on that. So, thank you.
>> Okay. So, just I want to make sure that we've captured um we have proposal one, you were a yes. Proposal two, you were a yes. Proposal three, you were a yes. Um proposal 4A,
you were a no. So, you were a yes. proposal for Oh, well, no. You had a counter proposal kind of. >> Um, got it. >> But it was my understanding with your with, you know, the partnership with JA Mods that there would also still be a K5
uh program at North Fork, >> but it would not necessarily the discussion I know had elementary school. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um, proposal five, I have you as a
no. >> Proposal six, I have you as a yes. Um, proposal 7A, I have you as a >> no. So, that's Walter C. Young is a 3 through8 gifted. So, that was a no for you. Um,
for proposal seven, I didn't have anything for you. >> You're not sure. Okay. >> Proposal 7B, I have you as a yes. Proposal 8, I have you as a yes. Proposal 9, I have you as a no. Proposal 10, I have you as a yes. Proposal 11, I
have you as a maybe. Um, proposal 12, I have you as a no. propos and then seagull to Whitten. I have you as a yes. Um am I missing anything from you? >> Okay. >> Miss Pier Grant,
>> um I just want to go on record saying the proposal consideration for um Seagull High School and Wooden Rogers was not part of the boundary committee. >> So we didn't get to weigh in on that. So I just want to make sure that we got
that on record. Thank you. And I Dr. Wansa spoke to that um at the beginning of the meeting. Um I guess uh my question is to the superintendent. Do you need board direction on the seagull and Wooden Rogers piece?
>> No, it's not a bound. Go ahead, Dr. Wes. Because it's not a boundary process. >> Correct. It's not a boundary process, but certainly hearing from the board is but and and that's why it was not a part of the work that the school boundary advisory committee had to deliberate
because this isn't a neighborhood residential boundary school. >> Y >> got it. Thank you, Dr. Holes. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So um madame chair uh I know that you're taking um input from the board members
as to where they stand. Um if you don't mind at the end of this process if you could find out if anyone because all of us are going to speak if anyone changed their minds uh for any particular proposal based upon our input. So I'd appreciate that. Um also Dr. Heburn.
Um, are we going to continue to receive proposals regarding North Fork? >> Um, yes. We're still receiving proposals, people um, like I said to the public. If if anybody in the public's listening and um, want to send a
proposal for any facility that we have um, on the on the agenda, they can email it to myself and Dr. Wansa. >> Okay. So what is your um intended deadline for accepting proposals for North Fork? >> Um Dr. Wanza, we think a reasonable
deadline. >> So I think I think a reasonable deadline would be prior to spring break, right? Because the the board um will make its determination on um where the students go to school,
right? if they're going to be boundered to um Walker or the other elementary schools or if they stay as a school in and of themselves. But I think once the board makes its decision on January 21st or whatever the date is after today, I
think that if we give the public either another month um post that then that will give um enough time for um formal proposals to be considered and then whatever types of agreements have to be drawn up come back before the board to
be contemplated and officially voted on. >> Okay. So Dr. Heern uh through the chair. Uh are these the first set of proposals that we've received that we're discussing openly for North Fork? >> Yes, this is what we've received thus
far and and Dr. Wanza can um for the record um let us know what I think it's three. >> Correct. It is three that we've um received that spoke specifically to the North Fork site. Um, we do know that um the our um our uh community partners
from Lighthouse spoke about any opportunity, but specifically naming North Fork, it was those three um that we received. And I just want to keep reminding that this these were unsolicited proposals and the fact that that the the district has not declared the North Fork property as a surplus
site. >> Okay. So, Dr. Heburn the three that uh that you're making reference to. Can you restate what those three are? >> Dr. Wes. So, um the uh proposal with um JAW World
uh considers um some significant development on the North Fork facility to eventually um build a a education and innovation center that would provide services and opportunities and experiences primarily to students at the
high school um and workforce level. They have expressed today um uh intent if necessary or a a willingness to partner with um mods if necessary or um the United Way. The mod's proposal looks at
reimagining the North Fork school into a model museum school where we would still provide a K to5 educational experience to students um and uh look at opportunities in that space around re um
redefining reimagining the entire school as a um a model museum a museum model school with a STEM focus. And then um the United Way actually presented two proposals to the district. One is to
look at um either community resourcing hubs either there or at various places across the district where there's space, but in particular as it relates to the North Fork site, looking at opportunities um to construct um attainable, affordable workforce housing
for um our public service employees. >> Understand? So, Dr. Heburn. Uh what I have in my possession is what appears to be four proposals because um I have this proposal that came in last that says cy
trunk rising a cradle to career campus proposal. Did any of the other board members receive this? >> No. >> No, I haven't received it myself. >> I I don't have it. >> I think it went >> and I'm not a board member, so I'm sorry you didn't ask me. >> It went in my junk. >> So you'd have to check your junk.
>> Okay. So this is a fourth proposal and Dr. Ons I would uh uh um I would appreciate because there are board members with this proposal that came in recently as they nodded their heads that we have not entertained today. >> Okay.
>> So um it it seems to be very detailed. I think it's about probably 40 50 pages. >> Okay. >> Um so I have this in my possession as well. >> Okay. Okay. And I will um gladly um make get a copy of it and disseminate it to the board in the same manner that I did the other proposals.
>> Okay. So I would caution Dr. He burn that we are continuing to receive proposals and as we are continuing to receive proposals to which we have one that we didn't discuss today that came I guess it was in the junk mail of some board members um that we we do not have
any uh sort of uh decision being made as to uh what the intended use of North Fork will be until we exhaust these proposals. Um, so I would caution our board members as well that we we wait
and on any final decision for the intended use of North Fork as we continue to receive these proposals. And if you did not receive it, um, I did. So maybe um, uh, staff can share that with the other board members uh, so we can
discuss it at a future time. Uh, Dr. >> Madam Chair, point of order. >> Go ahead. uh through the general counsel. Can you explain what is the proper procedure for a proposal to be given to the district? You know, cuz
I've never heard of that being it goes into, you know, board members email ends up in junk mail and now becomes a proposal. So, one of the questions that I had in my mind that I wanted to investigate is um the proposals that were being
submitted and whether or not it was in compliance with any and all laws. So, that's something to consider. I did not want to thwart any um discussion with regards to um ideas that the public was
uh presenting to the board, but that is a question that I have in my mind is with regards to whether or not um there are certain processes and procedures that need to be followed. But until I'm able to read what's been submitted um and understand the full scope of what is
uh um being offered so to speak and I say that loosely um I would like to I would like to investigate that. >> Okay. Madame chair does the district ha does the district have a formal uh protocol for this particular
um school to which proposals are being received and Dr. for through the superintendent. Could it be possible that you were also sent this proposal but it went into your junk mail because some board members have it in their junk mail and if the intent was to send it
directly to board members but it appears in their junk mail or directly to staff but it appears in their junk mail. Did they do anything different than how we received the prior proposals? >> So if if if I can add um to this conversation. So I think um the a formal
process is solicited um proposals which we would go through a surplus of of our property. Uh there may be other avenues to get solicited proposals without surplusing a specific property but I think the um proposals we've not think I know the proposals we've been receiving
are unsolicited proposals. People are emailing them, people are calling us, people are submitting them any uh kind of way. Unfortunately, this one um um I haven't received nor Dr. Wansa. So maybe it could be in our in our junk mail. We'll have to search. But for
unsolicited proposals, I think for the sender, they're the one bearing the risk to to to understand if it's received um by board members or the superintendent and um and staff. So, I know we've been getting them in every kind of way, phone calls and then emails um for for some,
but um the unsolicited proposal is an informal process um that anybody can currently exercise if I'm if I'm not correct. Correct me on >> understand. So, so this does not necessarily invalidate this this
particular proposal or any proposal that comes. This is just information that people say, "Hey, if this property is available, we would like to do ABCD um as far as for use of that property." >> Understand? So, um, Madame Chair, I have another question and then I'm going to go ahead and state my position on the
different proposals that we have. Um, Madame, Madame Chair, I'd like legal counsel to answer if any member of the board um is a member of the board of any of these entities. uh submitting
proposals. Is there a conflict? >> Miss Jack Adams. So the question I would have um before I uh I I answer that would be to understand how are these proposals so to speak being received and how are we
considering them because if we are making a decision to move forward with a person's proposal and there's going to be a decision made by the board then yes there may be a conflict but I don't understand the I don't understand the
full scope. Um when you say when you say the um Okay. I I see Mr. Shaking. >> Can I can I >> So I just wanted to >> Okay. So is there any interest that um any other board members would have in
in the company? >> I I am just the question I'm asking because I know board member Hixon mentioned in her comments that she's on the board of Museum of Discovery and Science. I don't know if any other board members are are any on are on any of the other boards. Um so I'm just making sure
that we are open to discuss this and to make decisions if any of us is on any of the boards submitting uh proposals that may be considered for uh school use. >> Okay. I I would like to reverse myself
because um each of the board members are a part of many different committees. So, um, as long as there is not a financial interest that you are receiving from, but I I want to preface that with I'm
not understanding how these proposals are being submitted and what they contain and whether or not that there are any requirements from, you know, anything from procurement law to any other policy that we have that
needs to be, I said, investigated that that I want to retract. ract from that and say looked into to understand the full scope of what is being done. >> Understand? So at this very present moment with not understanding um with needing more information to
better understand what would be your advice to any board member or anyone commenting on these proposals who are a member of any of the boards of entities submitting these proposals. So before I answer that um I would like
to um get a full understanding of the proposals. I I I I don't want to um give you an answer and then find out additional information and have to retract from that. So I really need to understand these proposals. You know
what do they contain? You know what policies are involved with regards to what is being proposed within the proposal? you know whether or not we should be receiving it. There's a lot of questions that I have in my mind. So I didn't want to >> understand. So I hope I hope Miss Jack
Adams you you can give us some clarity in the future as we continue to discuss the proposals because I just want to make sure the board is on the right side of the law. >> Sure. Right. So, um, in terms of, uh, Madame Chair, item one, uh, Panther Run,
uh, I support the closing, uh, proposal one, uh, Panther Run, I support the closing, and I also support splitting between Silver Palms and Chapel Trail. >> In terms of item two, I support
consolidating uh, Sunshine and Fairway. In terms of proposal three, >> so just I think to clarify, proposal one was to consolidate Sunshine into Fairway. I have you as a yes on that. >> Yes. Yes. >> Proposal two is on pan consoling panther run into chapel trail.
>> And three, consolidate Palm Cove into Pines Lakes and Lakeside. And uh for 4 A and 4B, I have a couple of questions um through the chair. Um, so,
uh, Dr. Hippern, as far as moving students from North Fork to Walker or transitioning these students to three or four of the suggested surrounding uh, schools? Um,
does your staff have any do they have any position on that or what would be the pros and cons of either of those options? Go ahead, Dr. Wzo. >> Thank you, Dr. Hebrurn. Let me just make sure I understand. So, Dr. Ho, on
proposal three for Palm Cove. >> No, I'm on proposal. >> I understand, but I didn't record whether you said yes or no on three. >> You said yes. >> You said yes. All right. So, for for Northport, what what we did was we we um
we provided the data to show both. So, um, there's some individuals who support moving the entire school as one entity into Northport, I'm sorry, into Walker. But what we also know is there are opportunities to potentially clean up
some neighborhood patterns and to remove some potential um, travel or hazard risk. So that is why we provided the option that allows for the neighborhood that's south of Broward to no longer have to cross Broward Boulevard, the
neighborhood that is west of I95 to no longer have to come east of I95 and to also um and Mr. bet, correct me if I'm wrong, potentially clean up something that occurred when we closed Lauderdale Manners Elementary School and we did
some different things in that boundary as it relates to um Sullen Park, Thor Good. So this actually the proposal I think it's 4A where they go to three or four three or four schools actually
cleans up some neighborhood patterns and um mitigates some of the safety concerns that that the community has as it relates to those hazardous walk patterns and things of that nature. So that's why we provided both and then we look for
feedback on both. >> Okay. So for the both options that you've provided, have have we gotten um any significant community input on the option for the multiple transitioning schools? >> So the community input that we got on
both was to keep North Fork open and don't do either. >> Okay, got it. Okay, so um so Dr. based upon 4 A and 4B. Um, does do you does your staff or Dr. Heburn have a
recommendation on either or? So, what I will say is the superintendent's recommendations are going to come after we get collective and that's why we present both options. If we the the board asks us to look at feeder patterns, the board asked us to
look at neighborhood integrity. So, we gave you options that um provide both situations. >> Yep. So, the one that splits the students up to multiple schools addresses them being uh zoned to the
schools that are closest to them. >> I understand. So my concern with that one even though I understand the logistics is that splitting the kids up in that manner how will it impact um as far as um you know their own well-being
uh in terms of uh knowing each other their uh social patterns and having kids um split up to multiple different schools as opposed to all of them transitioning into one school. I'm concerned about the impact it will have collectively on their overall social and
mental well-being. Any any comments on that? >> Um I I would say um you have continuity of moving all the kids to one school but you also have neighborhood continuity by moving them to schools that are closest to them because the students that are in the
same neighborhood are moving together to a new zone school. Um, so you have continuity in both um to be honest. So if I'm if if we're you're in this side of the deis is that in one neighborhood, this side of the day is at one
neighborhood, we're all moving together to the same neighborhood school or we're all moving to the same school together. So there's continuity in um in both. >> Understand? So I'm going to be supportive of 4B um >> which is is actually 4 A. So there's
proposal four and then 4 A. So, I just want to be clear. >> Got it. The multiple schools. Yes. >> So, um, regarding the proposals for North Fork, um, I am not going to necessarily be supportive of any specific proposals at this time. I think
we need to be open to receive more proposals and to review the ones we already have um, and to continue to receive more. as far as intent of use by any entity including JA World um you know uh United Way um Museum of Discovery and and Science and the other
one that I have here. So I would like I would prefer not to not to um us to make any decision on on any proposals that we have because we will continue as Dr. Heburn mentioned to receive more proposals. But what I'll say though Dr.
Heburn any proposal that we receive which I concur with board member Hixon is that I am not interested as a board member in any inind use of our property. I believe that we need to get uh a reasonable market rate for leasing of
land or property. Uh I don't think our district is in a position financially uh to be able to to have dollarear leases on anything, you know. So I am certainly against that. That is uh an absolute no with any entity that decides to submit
proposals. In addition to that, I any entity that decides to submit proposals should include reasonable community surrounding community benefit. Uh not just on the broader scale of the district, but on the specific community being affected that there needs to be
some reasonable surrounding community benefit. There must be included community input extensively. Um, and I don't support any entity that would want to lease our property for longer than 30 years. Um, I for one believe that
everything is cyclical and just as much as we don't have students now, 30 years from now we may have students. We don't know what migration patterns are going to be and so on and so forth in the next 20 30 years. I believe 20 years ago we had over 250,000 students. So, none of
us can predict what that's going to look like 20, 30 years. So, I'm not interested in a long-term 99-year lease or anything of that nature. I think it should be maximum 30 years. Um, and that would be one of the contingencies that I have for any entity seeking to uh
utilize our property, specifically North Fork. >> Dr. And if I may, I so I think um I I believe if my memory serves me correctly that I did um receive direction from you that once the board um takes action on whatever the boundary of Northfor is
that we would have a separate workshop once we have once we have received the considerable and then have a separate just discussion on all of the proposals. Correct. And we Right. And so we we wouldn't um do that here today. We would wait. The board takes action. we would
continue to receive whatever we're going to receive and then have a open board discussion around everything that's been received and then the board can you know provide direction to you at that time. >> That's correct. And that also um affords um general counsel opportunity to do her
research and also Chris Akabus will be a part of that also to really talk about leasing leasing land leasing space leasing um buildings for um any other proposal to kind of clarify next steps as as a district. >> Understand? So, so to to reiterate, Dr.
Heeper, we're not making decisions on any intent of use today. We're simply receiving and acknowledging receiving of those. >> Correct. We're talking about boundaries today. >> Understand? Okay. So, I'll move on. Um five, uh I am going to support um board
member Thompson's proposal for five and six um that she presented in regards uh and let me see, I don't have it here. in regards to Glades Middle School into a K through eight. So, I'm supportive of
that. Um, number seven, Walter C. Young. I am also going to support board member Thompson regarding Walter C. Young Middle um that we maintain Walter C. Young as is for two years. Um, and Flanigan, I support
that to a uh become a 6 through 12. Uh proposal number eight, uh Plantation. Um I do support Plantation Middle merging into Plantation High, whereby the city of Plantation utilizes Plantation Middle
School into a safety academy. Uh number nine, Bear Middle School, and I I'm going to go back to Bear, but I don't support it, and I'll explain why. And number 10 is a yes. Number 11 is a yes. and number 12 um I am going to get a
little bit more input from Dr. Heburn and his staff before I uh comment on number 12 and number 13 um is a yes um regarding Wooden Rogers and Seagull. So I just wanted to make some comments on beer. I did spend
a good portion after coming back from a oneweek um FSBA uh conference, a good portion of Friday being on the phone with um the uh the principal from Beer Middle, with staff, leadership staff, uh
with central office to get a better understanding as to what's happening at Beer and and so I was able to gather enough information to make a decision that I don't think that it would be um beneficial to us to close Bayer Middle
School at this time. I also spent some time on the phone with the city manager for Sunrise who submitted a letter to us of intended possible use of part of Beer Middle School. Um so, uh Dr. Heepern. Um
I did have conversation with the possibility of beer and horizon uh sort of horizon being a feeder pattern for Montasauri option uh into beer that would possibly increase enrollment along with some other discussions. So can you
you or your staff comment on that and uh expound on whether or not that would be a possibility and if that would increase enrollment of Beer Middle School. So um um not just for bear but I just want to make this clear for the board. So we
probably have about 280,000 students school age kids that are in schools in Broward County period. I'm not talking about Broward County public schools. I'm talking about Broward County period. We have aboutund call 188 um in Broward
County Public Schools and the rest is split between charter and split between private. there is a finite number of kids and if you're looking at the enrollment projection um uh memo um we're going to lose about
25,000 students over the next 5 years um and and that's just without any other variables impacting us such as federal legislation and things like that that did this the past this year and going to affect us um impact us for the following
year when we create programs at a school, we're going to transfer the problem to another school. So, I just want to be very honest in that we we have a finite group of kids. So, if we put a program in and that program could be awesome, it draws kids from other schools, but now we're dealing with a
situation at the other school. So, I I I I just want to put that out there that um we're the county itself is not growing in populations population of students. Um and so we're kind of
cannibalizing other schools when we don't um address what we need to in the school with the lower population. So we could put programs in there. It may increase the population of that school, but I'll be in front of you discussing a a declining enrollment issue in a in
another school. And then you have to look at the number of seats available like for Bear Middle School. Let me back up because I have my readers on. So, we are we have about 5, correct me if
I'm wrong, 548 seats available. Um, so we could put a program in there, it may it may draw in a couple of hundred kids, but we still will have an issue and now we're having an issue at a at a at another school. So, I just want to just be very honest about just the impact of Broward County itself, the number of
students here, the trajectory of the number of of kids in the county, the the the birth rate, the other variables of concern that are causing families to pick up and leave our area. Um, and so that's that's where I stand on that. >> And I appreciate that, Dr. Hein. I'm a
little bit more optimistic than you are, however, on beer. And um because for one uh I'll say again the city of Sunrise with a letter that we got from them said we have all we have identified the existing wood shop area as an opportunity for city consideration. This
area has a separate entrance and parking area that can be accessed without disruption to students or school operation. And this is approximately 6,000 square ft within Bear Middle School. So that's the city of Sunrise intending to possibly utilize part of the school. In addition to that, um I I
did the conversations that I've had with um uh the the principal of beer and some others uh is that um they're optimistic that it could possibly result in in a great um feeder pattern for Horizon uh and beer that could potentially in in
increase the population. uh board member Hixon mentioned as well which is a concern that if we take the students from beayer move them over to Westpine then Westpine becomes almost uh full to capacity which leaves little room for growth. So I think for all these reasons I would much rather that we delay on
beer see how it pans out for two or three years uh possibly try the option for the Montisori feeder pattern from Horizon uh I believe um Mr. Smith from Horizon seems to be optimistic uh possibly about that option as well uh
based upon my discussion. So I would advise uh staff and superintendent uh if we could exercise or at least entertain those options and see where it leads us and and if it does lead in a positive direction, great. If it does not, then we can come back to the table and make a
decision on on beer. So that's where I stand with beer is that we we we um look at those options uh and then come back to the table at a later time. >> And if I may, Dr. Hoess, um Mr. Beck, for that specific building, can you let us know and you may not have the numbers
in front of you now, but um eventually uh let us know how many seats does that take take off for that school? So you you're talking about um the the wood shop building which is um I think
it's we'll we'll look because it's the same footprint as Olsen and it's similar to the um I think it's building three but we'll look to make sure it matches the same and what the student station capacity is. >> Right. And and Dr. Heurn, I'd also like to mention that um we seem to have a
great principal over there at Beer Middle School. uh this is his first year at beer but certainly not his first year in the district that has immense experience and knowledge of uh you know bringing forth great options to schools that I believe given given him the opportunity uh we may see a difference
at Beer Middle School and I'd like just to see that happen over two or three years to see if it if we can uh have some positive results. So I' I'd love to ask the board to delay on beer and and let's see if these options will work for beer. Um, and if if they don't work,
then we can revisit that later on. So, I'm going to then go on to uh um 12, which is uh Thood Marshall. And Dr. Hein, there's been concern that a gifted
um program at Thood Marshall may not work. Um can you tell us your feedback on it? because I don't want us to move forward with an option that may then not be the best option. And then I have some questions on the disparity in terms of
which is alarming in terms of gifted students across Broad County schools. >> Yes. So this is based on the survey data. um as Miss Hixon talked about um earlier, we're the concentration of of students who are attending gifted students and the expectations that most
of them will won't leave that their specific schools. And in the survey, many of them said they they uh are more comfortable in their home school um versus going to a um a gifted um school. And so the team and I, we spoke about
this, I want to say right before the break, before after the survey data came out. And so we're we're introducing different strategies where ESC will have a a home near there, one of the three regional sites that they will occupy um so they can do more assessments and things like that and offer um better
services to the central community in that in that area if there is a possibility of a gifted or dual or dual language. It's going to be small. So we're talking about more of offering better services there. uh focus in on on preK and above services at at uh Thor
Marshall versus an option where after we reviewed the survey data after it after it came in that many of those families may not take advantage of that. >> Okay. So is it possible that for Thood Marshall as small as it may be that we may start off with a sort of a um a
smaller version of what we intended in terms of the gifted program. Yes, it it'll be a smaller version, but we'll we'll again um survey parents just to make sure before we take that leap because those leap do cost some money, right? Uh so we want to make sure we're
we're um implementing the best strategy possible, but we've already identified staff, which is mainly ESC to go out there and serve and provide services to students um and also community and also looking at our our prek footprint at that school too to see if that can expand as well.
>> Okay. So, I would support a smaller version of the gifted option that we're the gifted program. And I I also wanted to find out um if you could reiterate uh the the gifted option that we came up with uh how did we how did we um come up
with that decision? How much of community input uh was there to to um sort of um support that decision? >> This this came out of um community conversations and such, but the survey data does not support it. Right. It's one thing when people tell us certain
things about certain desires and who they represent and the number of people that they represent. But when we actually collected real data from surveys, the survey data supported that students uh particularly wanted to remain in their home schools or in a school or in a school close to the
vicinity of their home versus um going to a regionalized program when they may have to get on a bus and and u be transported or or transported in car. >> Okay. Okay. And madam chair, if you don't mind, I I do know that um Miss Narni Grant had commented on uh committee's input. Um if she could
elaborate on the Thgoood Marshall, that would be great. They wanted it unanimously. That is what they want and they said that's what the community wanted. Um and so based on that, the committee voted unanimously to
agree to that. >> Okay. So, um Dr. Dr. Heburn, let me just ask a few questions. Um, you know, Thood Marshall is primarily uh the student population is primarily African-American students. Um, black students accounts
for it appears just 17% of elementary gifted students and 15% of middle school gifted students even though they make up 41% of the population. How can the district work diligently to
increase or are we identifying in an equitable manner gifted students across the district? Or is there a way that we can ensure that we're doing so so that because the the the percentage of African-American students in the gifted
program is significantly lower than all other groups. And so what are we doing to make sure that no student is left behind because of our procedures in terms of identifying and I may say Hispanic students as well represents 32%
of elementary and 34% of middle schools in the gifted program. Uh while this is a huge disparity when you look at our white students who represent about 65%. So what are we doing to close this sort of disparity, this kind of gap that
seems to be existing across ethnic groups? >> That's a that's a great question, Dr. Holden, and that's also a concern for us that we've discussed to try and enhance strategies to address that. And I'll have uh Miss Hollingsworth go over the current strategies of how we're identifying gifted students throughout
the district. >> Good afternoon. Simone Hollingsworth, chief student services officer. and I'll begin and then I'm going to um send it over to Miss Egan who's our uh ESC executive director. Um we are currently Dr. Holes using our um PM3 data. So we
were doing the COAP before and to make a cost savings because that was um an unfunded um uh assessment. We ended up using that. We worked with Mr. bounds department to look at the research to make sure that we were aligning how students were
performing for all different um groups to make sure that we were not going to underidentify anybody but make sure that and also not overassess students. So we are currently using that data for all of our second graders so that they've already used taken the assessment for you know PM3 so that we then use that as
the air quote screening for um identifying that. We also have the plan B option which we did work again with Mr. bombs department to make sure that we were not um you know uh discriminating or making sure that we're making the bar um in alignment with how students were performing. And then
looking at other options um with that when we do the plan B eligibility is looking to see other areas that um whether they're free and reduced lunch or have had some traumatic um incidents or events that we would be able to make sure we weren't excluding them from being screened. I'll let Diane come up
in a second, but we also have had the gifted department go out to schools, especially those that have underrepresented groups to make sure that we're working with the schools and the families to get those papers back because sometimes they meet the eligibility for screening, but then making sure the parents understand they
have to sign that eligibility and the consent to get um assessed just to kind of break down that barrier so that we can continue to increase those students opportunities for the full assessment and evaluation to determine eligibility. Miss Egan, >> Diane Egan. Is that on? Diane Egan,
executive director of ESSE. Um, I just want to mention also another strategy that we use is our school psychologists do extensive training with our uh coordinators do extensive training with the school psychologists specifically addressing disproportionality
because we um are always cognizant of that not only for gifted but for all students who also have disabilities that they may be evaluating. So, that is very important to us and we always meet um criteria for that for the state indicator that speaks to disproportionality in general. And then
I'm going to turn it over to Zuzelle Rodriguez who's our coordinator of um gifted and talk about the work that they've done to address this specifically. >> Hi, good morning or good afternoon. I'm not sure what time it is. Um Zar Rodriguez, curriculum supervisor for
gifted in the ESC department. Um, besides universal screening changing, we have done a couple of other changes to what we can call our gifted plan B, which doesn't look at ethnicity, but it does look at our low SCES and our ELLL students. So, we did adjust what those eligibility requirements are, and we
have identified more students that way. Last year, we actually identified more students than ever with our new screening with the PM3. We we looked at and evaluated over 1,200 students compared to between 5 and 700 that we used to do for the KOAT. So we did see a jump and over we identified over 2,000
students just with the um change from the Kogat to the PM3. Um our department has also pushed into specifically district 5 schools where we have gone and done hundreds of screenings and assessments and looked at and try to take away uh you know the workload from the school and we've taken that on as
far as consents completing the screenings for them um and following up with the evaluations. But there is a minimum IQ requirement and it's difficult sometimes and as much as IQ is not supposed to be dependent on anything that you know parents have taught you or schools have taught you those IQ tests
do still have certain biases and some of our school students in those schools have a difficult time getting to those IQ IQ thresholds but and we're also working with the parents of the schools and the schools we have sent them all um presentations that they can share at parent nights. We offer to go out and
speak to parents during parent nights. So, anything else that we can do to the schools to help identify them, we're happy to do. >> Okay. So, Dr. Heburn, I I'll wrap up my comments, but I'll say this. We have when you look at the gifted program, um 60 almost 60% of our gifted students
are concentrated in about five schools. Um, this is concerning because I think we do need to have uh a better distribution of gifted students across and looking at 17% of African-American students in the gifted program and 35%
Hispanics compared to uh our white students which is 65% and then a lot of these uh these five schools that I mentioned they're also in higher inome communities. So there is an income disparity in how we identify gifted students and we have to do better as a
district. So where the numbers look more favorable and look more even uh as far as the playing field. So Dr. HBurn if if more efforts could be and I hate to to bring the conversation diverting a little bit but we're talking about a gifted at Thood Marshall and that's why
I'm concerned because Thood Marshall is primarily an African-American uh uh uh populated school um to which we only have 17% of the students in B County uh who are uh African-American in the gifted program. So um the there is a
concern um and I'm just hoping that there can be more intentional forceful approach to identify students especially in lower inome households which affects everyone including whites, Hispanics and blacks that those kids are not left behind and those kids are properly identified to reflect their true
potential. So I'm going to Dr. No, I was going to um say no the um fully understood we've brought equity to the process as what the team has described as actually um concentrating on low uh soio economic status students but it's always a constant conversation for us of
how we can enhance our strategies um to identify uh more kids. So I know um some parents utilize outside resources to go to their own psychologist. um as a former principal and principal supervisor, I've seen those sheets with the with the name that hasn't been
changed. Um so there's a cookie cutter process for for uh outside of the schools. Um and so those are the things we're trying to contend um um with and bringing equity to the process to really identify our students who are underrepresented in that subgroup. So definitely point um um taken um and uh
we it's an iterative process for us to continue to identify better strategies to identify our gifted and talented students. >> Thank you Dr. Heburn. So madam chair I will support a a smaller version of the gifted program at Thood Marshall um and hopefully as we continue a more
intentional approach to increase minority um you know enrollment in the gifted program we can see increases in that regards. Thank you. >> Thank you. And just to reiterate, um you uh were a yes on proposal one, a yes on
proposal two, a yes on proposal three, um a yes on proposal 4 a move doing north work into the several different schools. Um, a no on proposal five, a no on proposal six,
um, a no on proposal 7, I know on proposal 7A and 7B because you are a yes on Miss Thompson's proposals. Um, a yes on proposal 8, a no on proposal 9, a yes
on proposal 10, a yes on proposal 11, yes on proposal 12. um >> a smaller version of the >> a smaller version. Yeah. Um and and you emphasized needing to field all proposals for for North Fork. >> Correct. Yes.
>> And you supported both Miss Thompson's proposals for Walter C. Young and um for converting Glades into K8. >> Yes. >> Okay. Dr. Zean Oh, Miss Jack Adams and Dr. Zean. So through the chair um just initially
there is a Florida statute that um that governs these types of public partner public private partnerships and they do have um requirements within um that particular statute and we may have some
some policies that that have additional um uh criteria as well but that particular um statute um uh 255.065 065 that statute defines what a public private um partnership is. It speaks to
procurement. It also speaks to project approval requirements uh project qualifications process um interim agreements, comprehensive agreements, fees, financing, um powers and duties. it it's pretty
comprehensive that there is um certain requirements that are involved. Um it could be that uh some of the proposals that that have been submitted do not meet the qualifications. So I do suggest
that um there be a comprehensive process for receiving vetting etc. >> Um and also to speak to Dr. Holes's concern around those of us who sit on boards who are per uh you know proposing things. Is this not just missixen? We
have a board appointee to United Way. Um so we can expect some guidance from legal on that in the future. Yes. Yes. And I do want to reiterate um just to be clear because of what I said before that we do have board members that are on you
know um um different boards. Um we had a meeting with regards to that. So, it's not that you're on a board, but if you're on a board and you're receiving some sort of monetary gain from that entity, that's where that's where the conflict.
>> Okay. >> Thank you, Dr. Zean. >> I'm ready for the monetary gain part of the thing. So far, I haven't volunteered for any of those. And I want to be clear about the P3 with our general counsel. There are things Miss Paul just brought us a P3 for housing uh in Pompo. I don't think as a government entity we're
opposed to anybody in the community sending us a good idea and they could say as the uh superintendent has requested he would like to receive those and and Dr. Wanza received them as well. We get them sometimes I'd prefer they send them to the superintendent and Dr. Wanza but sometimes we get them and and
I tend to forward them. P3 is a very very formal usually relatively large dollar item involving land and shared use and things like that. Um uh and you could do both an unsolicited P3 and a solicited P3 and I think you're talking about unsolicited P3 but to my knowledge chair we don't discourage anybody from
sending us ideas and and so far we've been suggested to send those to Dr. Heert and to Dr. WS is that fair >> and through the chair just just to clarify the um the proposals can be unsolicited. So, you're absolutely correct. They
can't be unsolicited, but in terms of approving it, there's a criteria for approving it. There's a criteria for what the project can be. So, I I want to be um clear that it's not that it cannot be unsolicited. It can be
unsolicited. It can be solicited. Um but there just needs to be a process whereby you receive it, vet it, approve it, you know, agreements that stem from it, etc. I appreciate that, Chair. I just I I just feel like 98% of the ideas we heard
today were not P3 ideas. They were just I'm a parent. I'm an advocate for these students. I'm an adviser on a committee. I just have some ideas about what we might do at a school. Those don't fall in that P3 statute you're talking about. Is that fair? >> So, it
it it depends. I I don't know what those um proposals are, what they entail. You don't >> Terrific. Maybe chair if we can just get formal clarification on that later I'd really appreciate that. Um uh also chair just in terms of a housekeeping matter
um we have time reserved tomorrow for a workshop. We had scheduled this workshop till 2:00 today. Um could you give us an idea of how you uh plan to spend time uh if if we're going to exceed the time today? I personally have to make some
adjustments. Uh we have time reserved tomorrow. It seems like repurposing is much higher priority than the things we're doing tomorrow. But I'm just curious, how are we going to handle time between today and tomorrow on dealing with repurposing? >> I mean, we have a scheduled attorney client session at 2 o'clock. Do we have
cadre attorneys coming for that? >> No, but we do have um we do have a court reporter. >> Okay. So, we will uh probably have to recess the workshop, go to attorney client session, and then we'll come back to this workshop to complete the business of redefining
Thank you, chair. I was going to ask uh about ideas um related to repurposing, but I think we got clear uh guidance from the superintendent uh to send it to him and Dr. Wanza. I'm also curious though about something that I'm a little bit more concerned about right now, and I'll tell
you why in a minute. If there are people out there who have ideas about how we can save money, uh, chair, could those ideas also be sent to the superintendent? >> Dr. Heburn. >> Yes. My in my inbox is not full yet. Send them send all ideas.
>> Thank you very much. And Dr. uh Heburn, while you've got the microphone, when you put together this list, are these nine schools? Actually, it started out as 10. These 10 schools, was that your recommendation to the school board on closing schools or repurposing schools for this year? So I haven't made any
formal recommendations. These are uh at the um the the pace of the meetings and gathering um feedback from the board. I want to say in the August or October meeting, one of those meetings and this is what we brought back based on um going back out to the community having
conversations and bringing these back. >> Terrific. So where we are right now in the process is the school board is giving direction to you and to the staff about continuing to think about these and other ideas. And then in January, will you bring back your recommendation for what we do? >> Yes. And I will actually be sending a a
memo uh this week on Friday of my formal recommendations that I expect to uh present to the board in January for a vote. >> I appreciate that. Now, the direction of this board though will put a limit on what you can recommend. I think because >> if the board if I'm right on the process, we're going to recommend
>> this number of schools to continue go through the process through the rulem process and then you're going to be limited within that number in January to make a recommendation to us. Is that right? >> Correct. It will influence some decision-m >> um unless uh I'm wrong in the process
you cannot make recommendations outside of the schools that we have offered asked you to go forward with with rulemaking. Is that fair? >> Correct. >> Okay. So, I just want the board to understand that if we say nine at the end of today or whatever some number X, that's the limit that the superintendent can bring back to us on an upper side uh
for repurposings for next year. Um, last question, Mr. Superintendent, you just gave us a memo that said we're $94 million in the hole. Are we $94 million in the hole for this year? >> That is correct. with the decline in enrollment from the beginning of the
school year, our our current survey window this fall um where we're uh continuing to clean up that data before we send it to the state, that's an additional 3,600 students approximately. Um that puts us about $94 million uh in a shortfall. >> Terrific. And to use um one metric that
this board has used frequently, it takes roughly $15 million to give all educators a 1% raise. Is that correct? >> Um yes. So, this number for the audience and for anybody else listening is equal to a 6% raise for educators across all
30,000 uh employees of Broward County. It's a big number. We haven't given a 6% across the board raise in Broward County in my lifetime. And so, $94 million is is a lot of money. You don't do things like a hard hiring freeze, cancelling
travel across the board, and the other things outlined in this memo. Mr. Superintendent, I want to make this very very clear to the community. If a teaching position after today becomes vacant in one of our schools, does this hard hiring freeze apply to that position?
>> Yes, that applies to every position across the district. Um, okay. School leaders and department leads have to exercise additional strategies before they come to us and ask for a position. >> Now, we're in the conversation I want to have. If we aren't replacing teachers in
schools, why are we talking about anything that increased costs? We're $94 million already in the hole and we don't have our third calc. We don't, however, estimate for the decline in enrollment for next year. In my three
years on the board, we've closed one school and we didn't close it. We repurposed it. It became an early learning center. I'm familiar with that. And before us we have some number of schools uh that came through the process but there's been a lot of discussion about how we can spend more money
instead of how we can spend less money on this issue. I have not changed my mind in three years. We cannot continue to spend money on buildings that we could spend on the students we have or the students we want to win back.
To Dr. Holes's point, a principle about leasing space for money rather than for $1 a year. Absolutely. We should do that as a board and make it hard and fast. We also should sell land we're not using. We have parcels of land in Broward County that we're never going to use for a building or a school, but we retain
that property instead of selling it at a time that we're in fiscal crisis. We're in fiscal urgency right now. I went to a conference last week and the commissioner of education said he was going to work with the legislature and he could close our schools. Okay, game on.
But game on means we have to make decisions that are different than we've made in the past. And what I've heard about today, frankly, doesn't cut it. We're still talking about saving programs and saving things we love and taking care of things. You know what's going to take
care of of this community? When we have a smaller number of schools that deliver great education and everyone that goes to those school is fully engaged in what we're doing. It's a significant cut to the number of facilities we have because that's what builds the best education system for
Broward County and Broward County wants a great education system. In my mind, we have to deliver that. Mr. Superintendent, I understand from your memo that there's a 3600 student decline this year in students from the
beginning of the year to now. Is that in addition to the 9,400 from day one last year to day one this year for a total of 13,000 students? >> Yes. So in a in a nutshell, well, we're down about 90 Hold on. Uh
we're down about if you include the students of right now, we're down about 10,000 from day one of last year. From day to day one of this year, we did have over 9,000 student difference. But right now, just to clarify, 10,000
uh plus students down from the start of the school year up to this point. >> Terrific. I understand. Um on top of that though, there's going to be a long-term trend of just fewer kids in general. I mean, the demographics of number of total kids in Broward County with the price of housing here getting
even more expensive. We don't think that's necessarily going to get better. So, there's another 1500 to 200 we probably expect at the beginning of next year. Is that a reasonable estimate? >> Um uh we expect more. >> Okay. So, let me just do a little math for the community. If if that put all together
is 15,000 instead of 10 and we have 600 kids in an elementary school, that's an additional reduction of 25 schools. On top of the number, last year we said we could close within adjacent capacity of 30 or so schools. And today, we're talking about nine or 10.
I think it's time that we get bold and that we have courage to do the right thing. And the right thing is to rip the band-aid off and figure out what schools are not part of the future of Broward County Public Schools. Not just today, but incorporating enrollment projections
going forward. We can add capacity back if in fact Dr. Holes is correct and 30 years from now we have maybe our kids will prove us wrong and and uh and have more kids. Um but the long-term trend uh going back centuries is is a declining trend. So it would be really remarkable
if we did. But we have a lot of land. Even if we went from 239 campuses to 200 campuses, we still have lots of land to add buildings and add capacity uh and and win back uh that. But the real challenge is is if you wanted to build a great education system withund I'm sorry
if you if you don't mind uh Mr. Superintendent, how many students do we have in school right now in Ber County schools today? Today we have approximately Hold on just a sec. Just have that. Um 187,000
>> 187,000. We used to have 250. Is that correct? >> In district operated schools. We have >> I'm sorry. Yeah, thank you. I should have been more clear. >> And uh 2021 we had 27,000 um district operated. >> You said 207. >> Yes. So we're down 25 since 2000.
>> I'm sorry I didn't catch the year. >> Thank you so much. So in the last four years we've cut down 25,000 and in one year in in essence to your number uh 10,000. I think the real question before us is what's the right size footprint physical footprint to handle right now 187,000 but over any reasonable estimate
is going to be a declining number going forward. Um so all of my recommendations today are going to be about reductions in costs. uh they're going to kind of deal with the reality that bigger schools uh that are full closer to capacity offer better education that at
the end of the day I believe as a business owner that if you really want to win back students deliver great education. You can market yourself all day long but you know parents are seeking out information all the time. They want to find the information because they want to make a really really great and
informed decision about what we're doing with their children. Um, so in my view, we ought to be doing everything we can to maximize the quality of education. Um, I'm going to give you some votes, chair, if you don't mind, as you requested in the numbers. Um, I'm good
on one, two, three, uh, four to Walker five in uh, Miss Thompson's proposal, but I would ask Miss Thompson if she would consider a a a slight modification.
I can't replace teachers that I'm losing right now. I it's not me. The superintendent cannot we, you know, electively, right? Not not a fair use of a pronoun. Broward County Public Schools cannot replace a teacher that retires today. And under that kind of fiscal urgency, under the threat that we got
from the commissioner of education last week, are you willing to accelerate your identification of elementary school to this year so we can close one elementary school in 26 27 in order to keep open uh Glades Middle a far greater uh facility?
Um, I mean, if it if we can, then yes. >> Terrific. If you are willing to do that, then I'm a thousand%. The facility you're seeking to retain is significantly better. But we have to we just have to we have to get to a smaller footprint if we're to fulfill our obligation to the community. And so I'm
in favor of your your slightly modified thing if you'd be willing to do that. And I think we can't identify a school. We've done a lot of work on other elementary schools in the area. Um, uh, Walter C. young. Uh I believe uh that as a cost-saving manager we have
to close it. I would recommend by the way again to Miss Thompson. If the mayor of Pemrook Fines wants a senior center, there's a lot of space at Walter C. Young and so I don't need him and I love him very much. A wonderful, wonderful leader. Uh always responsive to requests and the like, but I don't think he needs
to build a senior center on another facility uh that we're planning on that we're considering on closing. Um, yes, on Plantation Middle School, but I've heard something different from the community that maybe Dr. Wadza earned, uh, learned. Uh, I've heard very, very clearly from the Plantation Committee
that they want more than just public service. They want everyone that goes to Plantation High School to either be accepted to a university, be fully qualified to take a job immediately, or fully qualified to enter the military or other form of national service. It's an
all yall approach where every graduating student is worked with for four years to make sure that they can qualify for one of those things. And all I'd ask is that we test that with the community and see if that's something that they want more than just public service. The problem I have is parents are not dying for their
kids to go to work for the government. I did it and my parents were devastated after so much of investment. You're going to go to work for the government. Come on. And so, uh, I would just be careful about putting all our eggs in one, uh, basket when we could open that
up to military service and to, uh, university enrollment. I believe all three options, uh, are better than just one. I'm good with nine. Bear Middle School, good with 10, uh, 11. Um, I think third good Marshall as a birth to age five is a brilliant idea. I forgot
which of my colleagues came up with that, chair. >> Miss Hixon. >> Miss Hixon. Another another brilliant idea. The reason I love that is that that community is dying for daycare. They can't get enough of it and so they're doing things they don't want to
do with their children as instead. And by the way, it doesn't cost us any money. So when we run preschool, it's a full expense paid preschool. We have space at third grade Marshall. It's a beautiful idea, significantly better than K8 Seagull. Uh great idea. Uh to Dr.
Hollessness's principle. Maybe we'll call this the wholeness principle. Uh I hope chair sometime we can vote on all of our land is leased at market rate and if it's sold like the land that I've talked about we're never used that it's also sold to the highest bidder. So I'd like to u see if we can push that to the
to the next step in the process. I also want to push to the next step in the process and it may be a BB item. I don't know. I want to sell every piece of land we have that we're not planning on using within 6 months. giddy up. Let's go. We We need the money. I don't know. I don't know why we
hold on to land that we don't need. Also, in a in a a view that I have, and I don't know how this is go, Mr. Superintendent, do you have a short list of five more schools that you'd like to close or you would close or repurpose next? >> So, what I do have um because I've asked
Beacon to be prepared with any redefining decks from the past um that we've gone over at this when I mean past since um July 1. So, we do have the I can have them pull up the the first deck which gives the elementary and middle
school um zones um that we discussed at the first workshop. I think it was July 29th. >> Um so, you have a couple of um when call them zone, I forget what we call them. Uh groups, we have several groups um that we did not um address with with
this based on the feedback from the board um during the frequency of these meetings. But there are I did write down a couple of groups um that are up there. I know that's too small. >> Could I rephrase my question? >> Yes. >> If this board directed you to bring the next five, could you do that? >> Yes. >> Terrific. So, chair, I'd like to you, if
with your permission to get uh see if we have consensus on two items. One is I want to bring back Forest Clan Middle School to the list of schools. We already uh started the um rule making on that. I would like to start it again and I would like to see if the board would like to re redirect well excuse me
direct the superintendent to bring five more schools for repurposing to this board as soon as possible. Again the context of that is just in two years we've lost 25 schools worth of students. Last year we had 30 schools we could have closed with adjacent capacity and
you know if you have 55 schools you're eventually going to close one way or the other. My view is 15 would be better than 10. So just two items. one bringing Forest Glenn back to the mix and then second to ask to direct the superintendent to bring back five more schools for repurposing uh as soon as
possible recognizing that the rule making for that's going to push the decision off until February or March. >> Got it. >> Thank you, ma'am. And it's powered by AI. Um Mr. Mr. Superintendent, it's not appropriate for me to do that, but whoever came up with that idea to have innovation zones for AI, you want to
talk about a money maker for Broward County Schools, the parents want that in big numbers. They want their kids to go to a school to prepare him for the future with AI. Not to be afraid of it. I mean, it's got some fearful things. That's fine. But they want them to be prepared for the world that they're
going to enter in, which will be an AI enabler world. So, I love that idea. And chair, I don't know if we have to get votes on that. I was kind of buried in a footnote, but I love it. Got it. >> That's all I have. Chair. Thank you. >> Got it. Um so just to reiterate for
proposal one I view is yes. Two yes. Three yes. Four yes. Um 4 a no. Five and five. Sorry. Yeah. Proposal five. I you um supported Miss Thompson's
uh amended. Yeah. Um, please make sure to silence your phones. >> Come on, guys. Relax. >> We love some Christmas spirit. Um, seven. Uh, you supported Miss Thompson. Well, I
actually didn't get you on 7A or 7B. >> I'm sorry. Seven. >> The Walter C. Young. >> Absolutely. >> Which there was. Well, seven, seven A, and 7B. >> I'm sorry. >> So, we have Walter C. 7 7B chair. There was a small change in the boundary. I
think Miss Thompson had recommended. >> Got it. >> I I love deferring by the way to the district wrap about little boundary things. So, thank you, Miss Thompson. >> Um, proposal eight, I have you as a yes. Proposal 9, yes. Uh, proposal 10, yes.
Proposal 11, yes. Um, proposal 12, no. Proposal 13, yes. Or 13, I named it 13. Seagull into Wooden Rogers, yes. And then I have you again supporting Miss Thompson's recommendation accelerated uh
converting Glaze into a K8. Um and then I also captured your uh suggestion about selling land to the highest bidder. Um leasing land at a market rate which also Dr. Olness suggested. you would like to bring forth Glenn back to the table and
you would like to uh direct the superintendent to clo to bring back five more schools for repurposing with the understanding that that would then alter our timeline. >> Um almost two two changes please the the the second set of schools which was probably forest Glenn plus 5 if the
board concurs with the idea would be on a separate timeline. We could keep the January timeline for the first ones. I feel these are all independent decisions. The second is on thood good. actually in favor of th good not to being a 38 gifted but to be birth through five. >> Birth through five. Yes. Thank you for clarifying.
>> Hixon's point. >> I just wanted to clarify with Dr. Zemen. You're Walter C. Young. So there there were two separate things for Walter C. Young. One is the boundary change, but then the other one was the school itself. I don't know. Fair point. I'm
I'm good on the boundary change, >> but um but there was a slight modification of it based on Miss Thompson's idea, >> which was >> close close Walter C. Young, but there's a slight tweak in the boundary. >> Okay.
>> No, to close Walter C. Young. >> Close it. Everything I'm in favor of saves money. that. Yeah, that's I that's why I'm confused because Miss Thompson had I think you were a yes to her K8 at Glades, but you're saying close Walter
C. Young. >> I'm sorry. Yes. But I think for Walter C. Young, Miss Thompson, it also asked for a boundary uh modification. >> That was 7B. There's two parts to seven. That's why >> I just wanted >> Seven has three parts. Mhm.
>> The first two are about closing in and what would happen to the student. Then the last one is about moving that little sliver of students. >> So you're >> for closing changing the sliver >> and >> yeah 7 A and yes 7B.
>> So and then sending all the students to New Renaissance. That was okay. >> Yeah. Just trying to clarify check Adams. No, it so it's not it's not new renaissance for seven. >> Absolutely. >> It's pines or silver trail.
>> Yes, >> Miss Jack Adams. >> So according to um policy 810, there are two parts of it. One one has to do with the closure of schools. The second has to do with attendance zone boundaries and school usage. So to the extent that
the additional five schools that you want the superintendent to bring back affects the boundaries and the schools that are already on the list. Um that's something to consider. Of course I don't know any facts and circumstances but I
wanted to bring that up because the way the policy is created one is intended to affect the other. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. So, first I want to talk
about the the Florida statute 255.065. So, it talks about procurement procedures, project approval requirements, and project qualification and project process. What are we doing? This isn't our first rodeo. So, are we following this
statute? Because when questions come up, they need to have clear and concise answers. through the chair. Yes, we do need to comply with the Florida statute as well as any policies that we have that are
related to this. So, um I need to understand the proposals that have been submitted. Um like I said a little earlier, um they can be solicited, unsolicited. I'm not sure what process um um the school district is following,
but I would like to find that out and ensure that is it is in compliance with that statute as well as any policies that we have. >> Okay. Dr. Heburn, I would I would ask and ask the board to ask you to come
back to us to the board with a memo in guidance with legal about how we are following this statute to the tea. What is what is the process so when these questions come in that it's going through the proper procurement process?
>> Dr. Hepin. >> Yes, I'm noting it right now, Mr. Alv. So, we can um get together with team and legal to to map out a specific memo. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And we'll continue to add whatever we we receive and what we have received to the memo so has it.
>> Thank you. And in regards to bringing back Forest Glenn Middle School or any other school at this point in the time, I think it is completely disingenuous to an entire community that we have gone through this process and now you want to
not follow policy and just bring back something to the table. We've gone through these community meetings. I don't understand what what the focus is. I I get we need to save money and there's a process to
do that, but you can't you lose public trust when you just make these decisions off of your hip. board member Alida. >> Yep. I'm going. So my first question comment in in all
of this process, you know, one of the things I think that we are leaving out is engaging our our student voice and the impact that these changes are going to make on our students. So, if we're not doing it, we need to do
it. You know, I'd love for Landon to weigh in. >> So, my question is, how are we engaging student voice? >> Dr. Heburn. >> I'll let Landon weigh in first and then I'll can provide some additional information. >> I was hoping you'd go the other way, Dr.
>> Go ahead, Mr. President. I'm finally calling Mr. President. Go ahead, Mr. President. >> Thank you. Uh, good morning. Uh good afternoon, Landon Spelberg, student advisor at school board. Um I agree with you, Miss Aladeth. Uh I we've heard a lot of of feedback from students surrounding programs, ideas, uh becoming
more engaged in schools. From my knowledge, and I don't want to speak for the regional superintendents and and Dr. Fulton and Dr. for but I don't believe there's been any specific feedback collected from the students that impacted schools beside from
participating in you know town halls or something like that. That's not something that we've done yet. Uh it's something we can do. Um the only school I think that would that would apply to that we are slated to get input from there is a speakup speakout that happens to be scheduled at Seagull uh before the
decisions made. But I can't, you know, speak to any feedback we have collected from impacted students. >> Yeah. And then for the most part from the uh majority of the schools are elementary schools. Um so for that age group, it's usually parents who have
been pretty engaged in the process. Um versus the only secondary group of students would be Seagull. Um and um >> Mr. Middle School, >> Hollandale. Well, we're not closing Hollandale, >> but Bear um
>> Bear and Glades, >> if I may, Dr. Heburn, um one of the things, and I and some people um didn't see this as favorable, but any child who was at a community meeting, we gave the students the opportunity to speak and they spoke first. >> Uh go ahead, Miss Thompson.
>> I would also like to say you guys have gotten emails from both Walter Young students and Glade students compiled either by teachers, sent in personally. So, we have definitely gotten student feedback um also on social media as well. Um it just wasn't maybe a formal
process through the student advisor office, but it definitely has been sent to the board. >> Okay. So, I would just like to see there to be, you know, I know the cadence of this. We're meeting this week and then the superintendent is going to bring back his recommendations and then the
board is going to vote. But there needs to be some stronger conversations with our students, even the elementary students to help them with whatever transitions that are going to occur. Um, and then also Dr. He in your recommendations what you're going to
bring back on Friday. Is there going to be an later conversation in what happens to the schools that are not going to be a school anymore? >> Um yes. So that'll be after the vote like we did last year. We came back. We
talked about um the transition. The board gave us additional feedback. I.e. Broward states it was um concurge service, right? Those are some of the terms I remember. Uh, and so we'll bring it back for um any considerations about um the strategies we present as far as
transitioning kids to to uh for consolidation and any feedback from the board that we need to consider based on feedback from your constituents. >> Okay. And then do you foresee in these um in this whole process will there be a reduction in staff?
Um, yes. Not not just for the redefining process, just for our budget process. And yes, there's going to be a reduction in staff. It's not about redefining, it's about just overall budget strategy of of uh downsizing our staff. >> And do you have an idea of what that
number looks like? >> Um, the the goal right now is reducing by a thousand employees or more, but the the minimum is a thousand. We are we are we are way over um as we continue to lose students. Um this it hasn't been
addressed in over a decade and um it has to it can't be addressed incrementally because we're not losing students incrementally. We're losing students by the tune of 5 10,000 a pop um moving forward. So >> Okay. And then and these changes we're
looking to implement for the 26 27th school year. >> Correct. Okay. Um, >> also if I may, I forgot to mention something too. Um, so one of the one of the the things is this is not unique to B County Public Schools. I already um
talked to some of my colleagues around the country that are closing schools and have closed schools um to talk about the lessons learned and when you have a large scale transition. Last year we only had one. This year we're going to have um quite a few and um you know we have school districts across the country
that they're going through this year after year and some are in their third or fourth year closing 10 plus schools a year. So I've been talking to those superintendent um just to learn about all the whatifs um that um they may have learned about after the fact and would do differently.
>> Okay, that's great. Um do you have any update on the the sale of the land in Parkland? Yes, we'll be putting that on the December item. Correct, Mr. Sullivan. Go ahead. >> Uh, yes. So, the uh superintendent and staff have been negotiating with Broward Health. They have presented us with a a
final offer, which is an increase of what uh their original offer was. However, that offer is still below the minimum asking price. So, the superintendent is going to bring that for direction from the board on the 16th. >> Okay. Thank you.
Uh, and then I know I spoke about this earlier, um, as far as maybe turning one of our schools into a training center for law enforcement or EMS. So, um, just want I think that would be we'd be a leader in the in the state to be able to
do that for our law enforcement and EMS to to train on active shooter training. And then as far as the proposals, you know, I I really appreciate Miss Thompson, you know, for really carrying the the weight of your
should of of all this on your shoulders and the difficulties and, you know, that you've been going through um with within your community. So, you know, I don't know all of these schools. You do. So,
I'm really taking direction from you. So, I do support Yes. on one, yes on two, yes on three. Uh four, I would like it to go to junior achievement. Um I don't think we should add any type
of of our school in that in that space. Uh five, no. Six, yes. And number seven with the propos additional proposal, you know, I'm open to trying to see how
that could possibly work if there is um you know, maybe closing two of the elementary schools and then being able to do that. 8 9 10 11 12. Uh yes. And Seagull to
Wilton Rogers. Yes. And then my next question is after the board votes, will Dr. Hepern, will you be reaching out to the Brower League of Cities on, you know, possibly the impact this will have on traffic patterns, crossing
guards, car lines, and traffic enforcement? >> Yes. Uh we we'll have a robust packet of information for all the cities, meeting with the Broward League of Cities, meeting with the city manager association. So, it'll be a roundroin um probably month of meetings just to make sure everybody understands the
implications of of the decision. >> Okay. And you know, as far as expanding to the K8s, I'm going to keep saying this over and over is if we don't fund the middle school aspect of it, the K through8s will fail. We have to fund it appropriately if we're going to go in
that direction. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Aladaf. Um just to clarify, caught you on all of the proposals except for um proposal 4 for B uh where the North Fork students should go. Um there was four which is North
Fork just into Walker and then 4A North Fork into the four different other schools. Where was Miss Thompson on that? >> Oh, that's >> that's uh Dr. Holes is >> where are you on that? >> He was 4A >> multiple schools. >> Yeah. Okay. I'm for whatever he said
thing. So, yeah. Could you just clarify where you are on um proposal for the any of the pres proposals for uh Glades Middle? Are you uh in supportive of Miss Thompson's item? >> Is that the the paper? >> Yeah. The modified kind of version
though with closing elementary schools. >> And then um for Walter C. Young. I didn't capture that. >> Miss Thompson. So that I would recommend to keep it open for a period of two years to work with the city on a transition plan and
then open a plan again 6 through 12. >> Concur. >> Okay. Um and then were there any of the other board member proposals that you wanted to weigh in on? >> No, I think I already did. Got it. Thanks. >> U Miss Rupert,
>> thank you. Um I want to thank my colleagues for um being as studious as as I know that they are. It's been tough and and a lot of information has come forward and is still coming forward and um I want to thank staff. It's been very hectic pace.
So, um thank you so much for getting things out as soon as possible. uh knowing that we have multiple meetings over multiple days and multiple trainings up at FSBA and um making sure that we still can um answer these pretty
much almost at you know time certain. Um I'm just going to go through the the numbers quickly. Um I'm one on yes or yes on one, sorry. Uh yes on two,
yes on three. Uh I'm yes but with the caveat for partnership for JA world and if we could have JA work with mods that would be lovely as well but I'm not you know I I trust Miss Celero. Hope I said that
correctly. Um for >> I'm sorry to Walker >> North Fork. >> Yes. >> Yes. Do they go? >> The question is where should the North Fork students go? To Walker or to the four different schools?
>> I'm sorry, one more time. >> So for proposal four for North Fork, there's an option to send the North Fork students just to Walker or to send them to Croen Park, MLK, Thorood, and Walker. >> This one. And I'll just caveat that with
I've heard from a lot of people in the neighborhood um that they would they would like to clean up the the patterns. >> So 4. >> Yes. 4 A. >> Okay. Yes. On 4 A. Um I'm
no on five. Yes. On six. Miss uh I believe that's Miss Thompson's version. So you you support Miss Thompson's proposal on verse six, which is to um turn uh Glades into a K8, >> right?
>> Okay. >> Okay. Um seven, I'm a yes. >> Which Miss Thompson's proposal or one of the Okay. >> Yes. >> Um do you need the B's or No, like seven B. >> No, since you already
>> Okay, good. I thought so. >> Okay. >> Everybody's kind of skipping. >> Okay. 7B I said yes. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um eight is a yes. Nine is a yes. Although I did have a question for um
Narni on this one. Um the committee voted um 37 to 12. Um, could you succinctly tell me what was behind that that thought process? >> What school is that again?
>> Bear into West Pine. >> Um, I got to look at it again. Sorry. >> It's okay. It's a long day. I appreciate it. What number? >> That was all nine. >> Number nine. >> Nine.
>> If you need a minute, I can go on with some other questions. And >> no. Um, and this was for bare middle, right? >> Yes. >> Um, I know that the committee representatives wanted to keep what they have. I think overall the
consensus was the school that they're going to feed into which is West Pine. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Um the facility was uh I think the major Yes. was because the facility would hold all the kids. They they preferred that they were there. Um
I think the also the the the neighborhood was not going to be impacted. They also were in agreement with Hold on. I got to look at the criteria because
what was one of the criterias they were talking about? >> Okay. Do you mean I could go on and come back? >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Um chair. Okay. Uh number 10. Yes. Number 11. Yes.
Number 12. Yes. Um I have a comment about the proposal summary. I will say yes on seagull. Is that all the numbers except for nine? Then the question I have is um about the
magnet program review situation. Um when you look at the elementary schools, there's three, six, seven, eight of them. Uh six of which come from urban areas in district 7. and of course ramographics.
Excuse me, can't even talk today. Um, demographics on Atlantic West, Charles Drew, Liberty, Palm View, C. Robert Markham, and Sanders Park and um very much uh atrisisk schools with our
students um primarily um black and brown students. So my question is uh were the principles um given an op option for this pact and is it mostly I believe I heard and correct me if I'm wrong Dr. Ronza that you were saying it's not
you're not getting a lot of people that are choosing to go to do that program or is it just the kids that are going or that are in their um neighborhood schools going there? >> Um so thank you Miss Rupert. I I can tell you that Dr. Freed absolutely did have meetings with the principal. She
did have conversations. So, this isn't like something new to them today, right? Seeing it for the first time. That's that's one. And um to answer your question specifically, students from outside of the boundary are not necessarily choosing to go to those
schools for that programming. So, that is why I said they will continue to provide the opportunities but as in boundary or feeder pattern programs. But students from outside of their boundary are not necessarily choosing to go to
those schools for the programming. >> Okay. Um I don't know for sure about the the elementary schools and I did not want to call my um my principles last night nor this morning on the way to work. Um so I I didn't reach out to them
and I apologize. Um, however, um, when it turns on the high school aspect, um, the urban teacher academy, I totally get it. Not a lot of kids are going there. Um, you know, it's was really never part
of the conversation for as long as I was elected. So, I I apologize for for not putting that on my shoulder and running with it. I didn't know. Um, and the other aspect would be the IB programs. Um will will Deerfield Beach High
School, Miramar High School, will they take a hit? Um I know that the caveat is they're going to still offer the international balaria program, but >> so the recommendation is they will continue to be magnets, >> okay, >> with transport, right? So it's it's
really that we have low um application and enrollment in the central corridor of the county. So that's so we will continue the recommendation through the superintendent is to continue to offer international balular as as a magnet at
Deerfield Beach and Myiramar with the corresponding feeder middle schools and then do the transportation line somewhere at or around Sunrise Boulevard. So if you're north of Sunrise, right, you would go to Deerfield Beach, right, >> Middle High and then if you're south of
Sunrise New Renaissance and Myiramar. >> Okay. because I know quite a lot of kids um I can only speak for for Deerfield Beach and their students um you know choose to come from places even further further away just to go to Deerfield. >> But we do recognize that there is still
um interest in the in the county for international balorette. It's just where where is it best for us to um situate the programs within the resources that we have and provide the return on investment. >> Right. I get it. And as for the um
Cambridge program, still >> okay. >> Yes. Yes, ma'am. >> All right. I'm I'm good on that. Although I still feel um especially and I'm going to ask the superintendent this um especially for for
Atlantic West, all of the ones I mentioned, six out of eight from district 7. I have um and I hope it's not changed anytime recently, but I have a little diff different situation when it comes to pregnancy rates in Pompu and
Deerfield Beach primarily in our schools, Dixie Highway, that area. I don't know what's in the water, but I wish I had some. Um but is that can you explain that a little bit? Um Dr. Heepburn, >> as far as the pregnancy rates, >> no I'm just saying we have a lot of
people which Don't don't don't email me. Just call. >> I called my mom. I'm pretty sure she has some elixir. That's >> about the people that are moving into PMPO Beach and Deerfield Beach and are having babies, which is not the norm in
all of our >> No, it is one of the few places in the in the county where we're still experiencing a lot of growth. I think um uh yeah, as I was about to say, it's affordable. The price has everything to do with it right now. Yeah. And I think as you go further south, you have this as you're coming through Palm Beach
County, expensive, expensive. Get into Bokeh, very affluent and expensive. You get into northern Broward County, oh, some affordability. I still had a flexibility of going north to Bokeh Delray and still have the flexibility going south to Fort Lauderdale if you know for personal amenities as you get
farther south. Um, I just think the uh availability of properties and things like that, high demand equals increased prices. And so, right, >> um, yeah, it's one of the places that continues to grow. I I hear about it all the time in my personal life, too. >> It's it's true. It really is. Um, and
then running their their enrollment numbers, um, you know, over the next 5 years, it is, um, surprisingly, especially Liberty, it doesn't take a lot of a hit right there. Uh, we're talking 646 to 528. I wanted to know,
are these numbers taking into consideration the population moving there? Are they also taking in consideration that um what what options will be out in the in that community for them to to take um take take on for
their family? >> I think um one thing I want to brag on Joe Beck um and his team real quick, our our demographers do a great job um in working with the cities to analyze trends. >> Yeah. >> Right. Um so it Yeah. It's a combination
of that where you're working with cities and the county to analyze certain trend data to really identify where people are moving to >> and the increases u that results increases in enrollment in our schools. >> Right. I appreciate that. And um just you know just an aside for for you um
Dr. Pepper when it comes to these schools and the other schools and and you you see that we're taking some of the programs out or whatever it is that make sure that we're we're doing and I know our principles are fabulous because they they do uh survey their um their
neighborhoods and their their communities as to what kind of programs do you want here. So, I think overall as a district, we need to do that a lot more, especially for our our um neighborhood schools that are hanging in there with us. And um I I truly um you
know, I hope I hope I I I take the challenge, Mr. Beck, that it's going to look like this, but I'm I'm I'm thinking it's going to be a lot better, you know, because we're we're going to do different things for those communities. Um so, thanks for that. Narnique. >> Yes. The main reason is because it will
have a total of eight elementary school feeding into the the one middle school there. They each have four elementary schools that do not feed in each other. So now when you combine you have that many kids coming into one one middle school. So that was one of the major decisions why we voted yes.
>> So okay, you want Yeah. All right. So I'm a yes on nine. And did I miss any questions, Madam Chair? No, I think I have you on everything. Um, >> we voted no. My bad. Voted no. My bad. >> And I had no written down. >> Yes, ma'am.
>> Then when you said yes, I was like, okay, >> my bad. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yeah. So, I for one, I have you. Yes. Two, yes. Three, yes. Four. Um, 4 A, yes. Five, yes.
>> Um, >> and then I have you Yes. on both of Miss Thompson's proposals. >> So, >> oh, five is okay. Um, and I So, and then for the Walter C. Young, uh, 7B, yes. >> Yes.
>> Eight. Yes. Nine. Yes. >> 10. >> Yes. >> Oh, nine was a no. My apologies. >> Yes. >> I mean, yes, it's a no. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> Um, and >> you got 10.
>> 10. Yes. 11. Yes. Uh 12. Yes. Uh seagull into Wooden Rogers. Yes. Um and that was that's what I've captured. >> Perfect. My my last uh comment is um we're you know reconfiguration gazantite
uh for consideration for programmic programmic enhancements. And um of course we've got Coral Springs Forest, Glenn, Margate, Ramblewood, Srass Springs, and Helenale. Um, I'm gonna speak up for the the north area. Um, Margate Middle School would be a really
great place for a um space hub. What do you think, Doc Dr. Heburn? >> More to come. A lot more to come on the space hub conversation. Yeah, I won't I won't I won't spill the beans, but um I think FSBA was was fabulous to for us to
be able to speak to um constituents, speak to um the other board members and and some political people uh on what do they see in the horizon? What do they where do they see opportunities coming in to bring kids back or to utilize some
space? And uh I'm saying uh you know, let's blast off. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Um, board members, I am advised that the general counsel would like to request an attorney client session. At this time, I'm requesting all persons not scheduled to attend the attorney client session please exit the
room at this time. General counsel. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to request the school board convene an attorney client session in order to discuss litigation pending before the 17th judicial circuit in and for Broward County, Florida in the following matter.
Helping advance and nurture the development of youth comma inc versus the school board of Broward County, Florida. Case number CACE25-018325. The following persons will attend this attorney client session. School board
members. Sa S Sarah Leonardi, chair. Dr. Jeff Holness, vice chair. Lorie Aladef Mara McCarthy Bulman, Adam Sea, Esquire. Deborah Hixon, Norah Rupert, Becca Thompson,
Dr. Alan Zean, Dr. Howard Hepern, Superintendent of Schools, Thomas C. Cooney, Esquire. Kathleen Jacqu Adams, Esquire. Marilyn C. Batista, Esquire. In anticipation of this request, the attorney client session was properly
advertised for today, December 8th, 2025 at 2 p.m. in accordance with section 286.11, subsection 8 of the Florida statutes. The purpose of the attorney client session is to discuss settlement negotiations and or strategy relative to
pending litigation. A certified court reporter will record the session. Only those persons noted in the advertisement will be permitted to attend. >> At this time, the school board of Brower County, Florida, will recess the workshop for an attorney client session. The attorney client session will be held in the boardroom on the first floor of
the Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center, 600 Southeast 3rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33301. The attorney client session will take approximately 30 minutes. At the conclusion of the business of the attorney client session, the workshop will reconvene. All persons not scheduled to attend the attorney client session, please exit the room at
this time. Heat. Hey, Heat. Down. Hey. Down. Down. down. Okay. You're
out. Do you feel happy? I don't know. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Down down down down. The workshop is now reconvened. I
believe um we left off with Mrs. Bulman. Um, and I believe we >> have Mr. Cera up next. >> Did you go yet? No, not yet. Okay. So, uh, first we'll have Mrs. Bulman and
then Mr. Sea. myself situated here. Okay. Thanks, chair. Um, sorry, just getting myself situated here. So, I um since we're since we're back here and it's our my turn, um I
wanted to thank Dr. Wanza and her team, this has been quite a process and in addition to everything that's here that we're talking about today, um a lot of work has gone into finding solutions for other schools and Dr. Rwanza is
available at all times to field ideas, talk to people, get out there in the community, talk to businesses and community partners. So, I the I don't think that the breadth of work that's gone into this is exhibited on this um presentation. So, I just really want to
thank you for everything that you guys have done because I think you've done a very comprehensive job for something that is extremely complicated with a lot of moving parts. So, thank you very much. It was very nice to have this all set out for us to review. Um, so I'll
just go quickly through my and I and I want to thank my colleagues, too. I know everyone's worked hard and um you know, Miss Thompson is carrying the brunt of this in district 2 and I know she's been working extremely hard to engage the
community to um figure out the best solutions for her district and um I really admire and respect that and so thank you for your leadership on that and the same with Dr. Hoess. Um so going forward um so for proposal
one I am a yes on proposal one. Um I know uh Miss Thompson had mentioned potentially splitting the feeding pattern between Chapel Trail and Silver Palms and Silver Palm. So I would be amendable
to consider what that um if that's on the table. Um I'm yes for proposal two. Yes. For proposal three, um I am going to follow the advice of um
Dr. Hoiss and uh yes on proposal 4A for Northport. Um I like the you know the idea that no one's going to have to cross any busy major highways to get to school. Um,
and you know, I just want to reiterate as well, you know, listening to what Dr. Oza told us in legislative session that our, you know, I 100% uh agree with my colleagues that any decision that we make for leasing the land or whatever we do with that land has to be a good
business decision for the district. So, I support that as well. Um, and I look forward to entertaining the proposals that we're receiving. Proposal five. Um, no.
Proposal six. Um, I I support the Thompson proposal for the K through8. So, I don't know how we're saying that, but that's um proposal
seven. No, I proposal 7A. No. Proposal 7B. Yes. Um, again, I'm going to go with uh Miss Thompson's recommendation that we take some time
with Walter C to figure, you know, to negotiate some kind of an outcome that's favorable to the city of Peendrick Pines and to the district and to the community and all the stakeholders. Um, proposal eight, yes. Proposal nine, no. I'm going to take the
advice of the representative, Dr. Hoess. Um and in regards to that proposal and um proposal 10, yes, proposal 11, yes, that's actually district one. So, thank you um for your
support on that. Um proposal 12, I agree with the Hixon plan from the birth to fifth. Um, you know, I'm I'm a little agnostic in in terms of the gifted academy. I' I'd like to know more about that if that
really makes sense there. Um, and then see the seagull proposal. I am a Yes. And the, you know, just the one thing that I wanted to say about this, we're make and we're making these changes. So I just want to make sure that when we're
consolidating schools and making these changes that we are doing so making sure we have the best administration in each of these schools so that we have the best possible outcomes because this is our opportunity to improve holistically.
So um thank you. So again thank you guys for all your hard work and um glad to hear from everyone else. >> Thank you Mr. Severa. >> Thank you, chair. Appreciate the opportunity to be able to
speak on this um very important set of decisions that myself and my uh colleagues have to make here uh very shortly. U before I go through the list and give the breakdown of my decisions,
I do want to point out a few things. Uh, first and foremost, if there was any doubt about the financial wos of this district, here it is. It's in a two-page memo that's dated October 8th that was given to this board
um earlier this morning. And and I would encourage folks to to to take a look at it because what it spells out here is some severe financial hardship. 80 or excuse me, $95 million
in the red. That's a lot of money, even for the sixth largest school district in the nation. And folks, this is only going to get worse unless some severe and drastic action uh is taken.
Everything has to be on the table here. renting, selling, potential closures, all of it has to be on the table. We can't give our great teachers the
raises that they deserve with this kind of deficit. I can't even hire a new teacher. Now imagine that if 10 teachers quit today, hopefully they won't. I pray that they
won't. I can't go out tomorrow now as a district and hire new teachers. That's how bad our financial situation has come here within this district. Our folks can't travel for business
anymore. drastic action needs to happen right now in the coming weeks. Mr. Superintendent, um if I may, sir, I had some questions for you a couple of weeks back in regards to some of our
properties and um I want to know what the status of your research has found and where the progress lies. Um, specifically, sir, I had asked for a land valuation to be done on each of these prospective 10 properties that are
facing school closures here. Uh, we had a little bit of back and forth and I had agreed by the end of that conversation that I didn't want a fullout appraisal, which would have cost us a lot of money, but I wanted basically some some comps, as they call it in the real estate world. Um, I also wanted the u
equivalent of uh leasing comps as if we were to um basically take the property and lease it to some some third party or some entity that was going to pay us. What those potential properties these 10 properties that we're having our discussions on
today, what that would potentially net us. Where do we stand with that research, sir? >> Yeah. So, if you go to um Beacon, if you could pull up um in the deck, go to slide 89 in the deck, please.
So, pretty much while they're pulling that up, I just wanted to give a visual to for the schools that we're discussing right now and also the KCW administrative um building that we're sitting in right now. The taxable value identified combined um for all those
facilities is $230 million. Um for uh if we were to lease um um market rate lease rates for an elementary school, it's roughly about $2 million annually.
Um for a middle school, it's roughly about uh $3.7 million annually. which is on slide 92 of the um but this is slide 89 in the deck for taxable
value. Um and also if you want to fast forward I give folks of opportunity to quickly look at that and if you want to fast forward beacon to slide 92 to show um average uh leasing rates for
elementary and also uh middle So I I appreciate the information, the data on the taxable value, but we know that what land is sometimes taxed at is not necessarily what >> exactly. It would be more if we if we did if we surplused and put it on the put it on the street. >> So my my my my question is has any
research been done on on these comps of these of these buildings that are deflected on uh what page is this? 89 of the slide. >> So our process I know Mr. Takabusa is in the room. our process would involve um
like they're going through the process. Miss Paul, I don't know if you know specifically because I know he's going through the specific process for KCW right now as far as getting an appraise value. So, we have a specific process for appraisals um that are outside of what the taxable
value is, which is which would be significantly more. >> You're correct. You are correct. we would engage uh um one of our firms to do appraisals for all of the property in question. >> Is it a fair assumption, sir, to say
that if we sold all the properties that are depicted on page 89 of the presentation that we'd be looking at upwards of 300 million, maybe 350 million in profits? >> That's correct. I I firmly believe that.
I'm not going to attempt to do the math in my head on the lease rates, but I just wanted the public to be aware about how much potential money would be at stake uh if in fact we were to sell all the properties that are subject. Um that being said,
chair, I'd like to go through my list. proposal number one. I am in favor of proposal number two. I am in favor of proposal number three. I am in favor of proposal number four. I am in favor of
proposal 4 A. I am not in favor of for five and six. I agree with my colleague Miss Thompson in the proposal that she laid out um in her uh comprehensive memo here that she provided everybody. Thank you for that. Well done.
Uh and and I would also like to to remind the folks, this is my understanding, Mr. Thompson, correct me if I'm wrong, that the unique circumstance um with uh five and six is the fact that the city actually owns the property. So, >> Walter C. >> Walter C.
>> So, oh, where I'm getting to I'm sorry. I'm getting I'm going to get there. I promise. So, we're we're good on five and six. Um getting into Walter C. Young. I am no on 7A. I am yes on 7B. And I jumped the gun. Um so, I'll say the the same thing again. Uh it's my
understanding that the unique circumstances we don't actually own that property. We are leasing it from the city and there's a very short remaining term on that. Correct. >> Well, 12 years >> 123. >> No, but the didn't you say that there was a potential to get out of that in two
>> in two years from now. >> It would be a conversation with our our lawyers. I'm recommending that we give a buffer time to create planning again into 6 through 12. >> Understood. So I I guess the main takeaway for me on the Walter C. Young is the fact that we
don't actually own that land. >> Um 7B um yes eight proposal eight I am in favor of. Um Madam Chair, I do have a question on this that I would like answered. Um, Plantation High School has a fantastic uh Cambridge program. Uh, a
Cambridge uh AIA program, a AIC program. Sorry, I always screw up the acronyms for that. Um, I want to make sure that nothing we're doing is going to affect that uh phenomenal program that uh benefits our Plantation High School students.
>> That is correct, Mr. Sea. Nothing will um diminish that. We're actually expanding ACE throughout the whole entire county. Um, so it's a a program of study that's actually um increasing in size in all of our high schools. >> Fantastic. Thank you for that, sir. On
proposal 9, I am in favor. Proposal 10, I am in favor. Proposal 11, I am in favor. Proposal 12, I am in favor.
And on the um seagull um property or excuse me the the seagull um suggestion I am also uh in favor I've got it labeled as number 13 but it's seagull I'm in I'm in uh I'm in favor uh of that
as well. Um I I would like to close by saying the following. Um these are extremely difficult decisions that um are being made and will be made formally uh by myself and my colleagues. Um this
is the end result of a process that's been pending for many many many months in which we've gone out to communities, we've listened to folks, we've engaged folks, we've allowed them to uh engage with us. Uh, I'm sure I I I speak for the entire board up here when I say
we've gotten thousands upon thousands of emails uh on these proposals and on this situation. So, we hear you. However, the biggest takeaway for me uh as a board member with a responsibility to this
county and and certainly to my district is how can we address the financial hardship that we are in? because if we continue this, we may not have any schools if we don't have the monies to fund them. So, drastic meas drastic
times call for drastic action. And this is why I am in favor uh of the proposals that I've identified under the record. And I think that in combination with um the redefining process and hopefully this board coming together and this
district coming together to figure out ways to make that 300 plus or as much money as we can to save this district because if we don't these conversations are going to look a lot worse in two three four five years from now. Thank you chair.
>> Thank you. Um, I will speak and then we'll go to round two. I have Miss Hixon for round two and then and Miss Thompson. I don't know if anyone else, Dr. Hoes. Um, so I'll just reiterate the gratitude
that my colleagues have expressed around the time that everyone has put into this. um staff, my colleagues. Um but most of all like all of the community members who attended um the the community meetings, the boundary uh
committee. Um there were just a lot of people who spent their time for free uh focusing on trying to improve the situation at the school district. So um I think that says a lot about the value that we have uh as Broward County Public
Schools. Um, I think a lot of people spend time disparaging us, but I think that there wouldn't be so much um time and and passion from the community if if we weren't a valuable organization. Um,
so I just want to thank everyone who who took their time to to work on this process. Um, I also want us to be cleareyed about the fact that this is not just a Broward
County Public Schools problem. This is a state of Florida problem. This is a national problem. And you know, at FSBA last week at the Florida School Boards Association conference, we had we had multiple presentations about declining enrollment throughout the state and
throughout the country and specifically around declining birth rates. Um, so while yes, of course there are things that as a district we can improve on and try to attract students back into our public schools, um, this is a problem
that like our entire nation, um, and lots of different government organizations have to to try to work on. Um, and so I I think that's really informing kind of the way I'm approaching a lot of these proposals. Um
and I a comment was made uh at the beginning of this workshop um that we didn't take steps for the necessary transparency. So, as as we move forward, I would really love again for community
members, our boundary committee, um people who don't feel like or people who feel like this process could be improved to please come to us and share those those recommendations to increase transparency because I I think we're a lot better than we were uh when we first started this process. And I obviously
understand that there are areas for improvement. So, um I do know that we're going to have to keep trying to redefine and reimagine and re address the the declining enrollment. So, as we move forward in years to come, um I do invite
any feedback uh how and on how to make this process more transparent. Um I I my some of my colleagues brought up some concerns around the FCI. Um and this is something that I heard a lot
from um my appointees to various comm committees. Um just the the I don't want to say the the reliability or um the way some of the data has been interpreted. So like we were given an average for a lot of our our campuses.
Um and I'm wondering if maybe we could approach it from like a median standard. Um I think Miss Hixon said this. I I heard several of my colleagues say this about there are some campuses where we have like a really old building and then we have some newer buildings that that
you know were built relatively relatively recently and they're in good condition, but that one old building brings down the average. So I hope that as we move forward with the FCI that we're being a little bit more strategic um and analytical in the way we look at that information.
Um, I do want to pass around an email I received because I I did want to speak to Whidden Rogers in Seagull. Um, so I'm going to pass that around to my my colleagues. Take one and pass it down. Um, just give one to
um, and I just have to to say the things that go on at Wooden Rogers and at Seagull are really um really special and really incredible. And I think the community meeting um was very indicative of that. And I I want to thank my
colleagues who attended again because I think they got to see uh just how special those communities are. And Seagull holds a very special place in my heart. You know, my son learned to walk. He took his first steps in a classroom at Seagull. um something that maybe I
would resent if it had happened anywhere else, but with those great teachers, I was, you know, thrilled thrilled to to hear that. Um but the the email that I got was from Dr. Robelard, who runs the the childcare at Seagull. And um I think
it's indicative of again just like the the really productive conversation we had there that night. And she includes some proposals um about how we could merge with Wooden Rogers and Seagull. And I don't think it's really anything super different than what's presented
what's been presented to us by staff. Um, but it it provides some guidelines and it echoes a lot of the feedback that we got during that community meeting about the adults with disabilities program continuing at Whitten um about there being some separation between
different communities in order to ensure the safety of of the different populations. um the physical improvements that will need to be made in terms of playgrounds and ADA compliance um as well as market. One one thing that really stood out to me in that conversation and I completely agree
with this because every time I visit Whiten Rogers um or every time I visit Seagull I think wow like I wish more traditional school students had access to these kinds of services that are offered at these schools. Um, and they the community really echoed the the need
for more marketing around our non-traditional schools. Um, and then the last piece I'll harp on on that is uh the curriculum at non-traditional schools is very online. Um, and I heard a lot from that community that they're
wanting more um like in-person teacher interaction uh at those schools. And so you guys can can read the email. I'm not going to read it out loud, but I think uh it really emphasizes the essence of the
feedback that we got that night. Um I have a question for uh Dr. Heepern and staff with regards to Thood Marshall. Were there any other ideas that were proposed besides the gifted dual language programs?
>> Go ahead, Dr. Wza. >> So, um I what I'll say is I don't remember any specifically that night. However, I have had conversations right with like other community members and and there is um uh there was um interest
even last year um some interest around doing something for the earlier um ages and earlier grades, right? And so so that's why um I talked about the concept around looking at if we were to regionalize our ESSE services and then
do something as it relates to um offering services at the early grades around preK and early grades if if the proposal for K8 does not go forward. I do know that there was some conversation um maybe not particularly that night but in different you know community areas
and from different community leaders around the earlier grades addressing um the prek grades. >> Yep. I can concur with Dr. Wanza. Some of the conversations um I've had just in interactions with various community members is about more early learning
kind of prek um type offerings. >> Thank you. Um, and Miss Hixon really summarized uh my concerns around gifted um at ThGood and elsewhere. Um, and to Dr. Holes's point, um, I really hope
that we can work to ensure that gifted the way we do screening and and give access um to our gifted programs is equitable. Um, in terms of with regard to North Fork, um, again, I I really want to emphasize
for my colleagues, I have heard from people in the neighborhoods, um, that the feeder patterns need to be cleaned up. Um, and I had a specific question with RI with um, the 4A, would Riverside Park, because it was
hard for me to understand the map. um Riverside Park neighborhood. Would that be going to Croissant Park? Okay. So, um just for the purposes of of getting input and feedback from the neighborhoods and the communities, um
the people that that reached out to me were very much in favor of 4A, uh of cleaning up the feeder patterns. Um and I loved Miss Hixon's recommendation for North Fork around combining like a lot of those um community organizations and community programs. Um, but I I do
respect uh Dr. Holes's approach. You know, let's field all of the proposals and and look at them um holistically and I was very pleased again to to see United Way, um the Light Lighthouse, uh Broward, these are really great
organizations and I'm I'm excited at the potential of being able to partner with them and and meet community need. Um, can someone explain to me a little bit more the powered by AI piece? >> Go ahead, Dr. Wanzo.
>> Hi, I'll start and then I know Dr. um Conn and probably Dr. Freed will be chomping at the bit. So, um, as everyone know, we are the largest um, district to um, and I know >> co-pilots. Yes. All of that. And so, across the organization >> and so um, I'm going to so I don't get
in trouble. I'll let Dr. Con have fun with this. But but really um the um the the potential of looking at how we talk about technology integration into the educational space in a different way for
the 22nd century. >> Yes. And I would agree with you Dr. Con, chief academic officer. So um Miss Leonardi if you recall a couple months ago uh we came to the board uh with an XRVR AI board rep presentation where
students presented uh to you all. Uh at that particular workshop that's when the term power powered by AI actually uh gave life uh to what it meant. uh and so from there there was a series of steps initiatives uh programs that were
launched to support power part by AI1 being Microsoft co c co-pilot being our tier one instruction uh the board approved a significant investment through capital dollars with prisms VR headset at the middle school uh and then there were uh series of professional
learning launched where we looked at uh from bottom to top all of the academic support services and resources that align to AI where vendors our core programs are looking at AI and have infused that and we've designed that
around our ecosystems of AI. Uh there are some other things that we're bringing back to the board hopefully sometime uh in 2026 around our ecosystem of power powered by AI. And so because uh the board has given us some direction around there and we have at every school
AI liaison that are helping support the integration of AI within classrooms. Uh we're really excited about all the nuances that are coming along with our current infrastructure of uh instructional platforms that are helping teachers uh save time in planning,
differentiating and really uh creating some robust opportunities uh within that space. And so we're uh at the forefront of really designing what the 22nd century classroom looks like using AI platforms. And so this is our opportunity and one listening to the community, our business partners talking
about in workforce how we deliver AI to continue to be cutting edge uh using AI. And so this particular uh outreach or branch off of being an innovative program is to really uh focus on a very targeted select group group of schools
that are willing to say I've already embraced AI. I am at a level five versus some that are level one who want to really engage in the current infrastructure of AI. And so really it is bringing schools into this 22nd century who are ready for it using some existing technology but also using some
that are coming uh on board. >> And and Miss Leonardi just to round that out we we are also um working um diligently to look at grant funding opportunities to support to further support these kind of experiences and opportunities for students.
Thank you. Um I I forgot to mention a piece about North Fork. Um we had a member of the community come uh to several of of the meetings and talk about the seinal the significant the historical significance to the seinal
tribe um of North Fork. And uh at one point I think she mentioned um a historical marker needing to be placed there. Uh I did do some research um and there is a state master file on this and it indicates there should be a historical marker. Um, so whatever we do
with that land, I think, you know, I would be interested in just making sure that the the history of that that land um as it as it relates to the seminal tribe um be respected uh and making sure that we have the appropriate historical
marker and and things like that and documenting the history of that um of that land. Um I will go through uh my proposals or the my feedback on each proposal and then um
we'll go to round two. Um and I just want my colleagues to be cognizant in round two if you've changed to to Dr. Holes's request. If you changed your mind on anything um please be explicit about that as we go go through round two. Um, so I'm a yes on proposal one, a
yes on proposal two, yes on proposal three. I'm a no on proposal 4, a yes on proposal 4 A. Um, I support Miss Thompson's uh two
items on um, Glades and Walter C. Young, and I'm a yes on 7B. I'm a yes on proposal 8, a yes on proposal nine, a yes on proposal 10, a yes on proposal 11.
Um I uh I'm a yes on uh Thood being a birth to five as Miss Hixon recommended. Um, and I support seagull merging into Whitten Rogers as long as like that
community feedback was so valuable and done in such a respectful, productive way. We need to show that community the respect that they showed us when they showed up um by by, you know, heeding all of their recommendations because all
of their recommendations were done in in the spirit of being solutions-based. um and giving us things that will protect the very very vulnerable children and people on those campuses.
And I cannot emphasize enough like the really really special things that happen at both of those places. Um before we go to round two, one of our one of my colleagues made um some recommendations for uh directing the
superintendent to bring back Forest Glenn for discussion around clo or consolidation um as well as directing the superintendent uh to bring back five camp uh five schools for closure. Um, so I just want to go around and see if there's any objection to those those
directions. Uh, Mrs. Alhadaf, >> no. Can Can we have a little clarification on that? I mean, is this I know we talked about it and then there's been a big, but is are we out of
line in doing that or is this a permissible action to take since we've already been going through the process? So I'm wondering if uh Dr. Hepper or Dr. Wanza can explain what would if if we were to direct the superintendent to do that. What would be the process for doing those things?
>> So go ahead Dr. Wanza and the timeline of of an impact. >> Okay, I'll put my glasses on so I can hear. So um the the first thing um I'll say is the board approved a timeline for us to engage the community and go through the
process which we have been sticking to the timeline. If at this juncture um the board uh sees fit for the superintendent to either bring a school back that was that we received um another direction on
or add additional schools. What I would say is to ensure that we are following our own policy at minimum we would have to go back out and have community meetings um at least at the regional level at minimum. Then we would have to
re-engage the school boundary advisory committee because now this would be new proposals that they um have not seen or had an opportunity to deliberate on. And then we would then have to do that probably in the month of January, come
back to the board in a workshop in the month of February, and then the board makes decisions in March. That being the case, we would um out of fairness to all families, we would extend the um school choice window to whenever the board
makes a decision in March. And um and then, you know, a final vote would occur in March. But but at minimum, we would have to go back out to communities and re-engage communities um to ensure that we are consistent with and true to our
own policy. And Miss Jacqu Adams, if I misspoke, could you clarify >> to the chair? I agree agree with your your your uh statements and outline of the schedule.
>> And so I just another question to Dr. Heburn. Um, do you think that the situation that we're in right now as it is evolving on a day-to-day, minute-to-minute basis, um, like in in
your opinion, should we be doing this? >> Will this be beneficial to the district overall or more disruptive? >> I think if you It's It's going to be disruptive um, for sure.
we saw how the first this round that we're kind of um um finishing up um this month and and into January how disruptive that is. So you just got to look at is the board does the board have the appetite to go through that during the spring or do they or does the board have the appetite to start initiate the
process again like we did I think we started a process actually in July with the with the with the workshop and to get to a point in December. So those are the the two things to weigh as a board. um the appetite of when to go through this process, where where is it most
beneficial to the district and also the community because they're they're a um a part of this whole um journey through um throughout. But I can tell you we from a superintendent standpoint, um we need to close a lot of schools
because they just haven't been addressed in a a decent frequency over the past 10 years. Um, so yeah, this where I'm at. >> Okay. So, um, and the other when we get
the if we got a list of additional schools, we would still we'd have to have the community meetings and come back to vote to decide if we're going to pursue that. The same as I know you look >> correct. You would have to make a decision. Um, >> she's looking thrilled over
>> and then the impact on on students. Um there's a there's a lot and I'll let Dr. um >> you no you're you're you're saying it Dr. have listen we we are here to work at the you know through the superintendent obviously the staff at the will of the board but um the if if
we contemplate um some of the um feedback that we've received today we're we're going to be in a conversation with some communities next school year because ju just by the sheer feedback that we've received today um and I'll
say respectfully as it relates to the whole community around Glades Middle and the whole community around Walter C we're we're we're going to be in some conversations. I think um uh respectfully in my professional opinion my you know the board has to contemplate
a a message was communicated to the community. Are we going to change course on that message? Are we going to stay with that message and then we through through the superintendent staff will do as you know directed. >> Yeah. I mean, I I agree with that, but
the the um I guess the the uh variable that we're dealing with is that thing, you know, the budgetary considerations keep changing negatively for us and other situations. We just find out today that we lost
another 3,000 kids. So, I mean it I don't want to um deal not be transparent or value the community, but I think we also have a job here to address these issues um as they come up.
So, I um I'm talking myself into it. I will I don't object to looking at additional schools for this year. >> My turn, Madam Chair. Okay. Thank you. So, um, uh, Dr.
Heepburn, I understand that, uh, with the significant enrollment concerns yearly and, uh, just continuing to lose students that yes, we do have to close some schools. But I'm going to caution that we cannot do this in a chaotic
manner. We cannot do this by a spur of the moment. We have to do this in a responsible, considerate, and caring way to the community. And so um while I don't mind entertaining the idea of closing more schools in this case Dr.
Zean mentioned five um and revisiting any school uh I think he mentioned Forest Glenn uh I think at the same time we have to do so in a very responsible way and I don't think uh doing this in the spur of the moment is responsible so I would not support that.
However Dr. Heburn I have a couple of questions. um we are going to have another phase and um and I said it before and I hope it is phase final where we bring everything to the table so we don't keep doing this yearly over
and over and over. So um with these suggestions here uh we we could create any we could have any suggestion for the upcoming phase right which would be in July whether it's five schools 10
schools revisiting prior schools whatever it is all of this could take place in July correct >> that that is correct and I want to remind the board when when we when we uh bring these like we brought in July we brought all the schools that have adjacent all the schools that could be
consolidated based on adjacent capacity. We the next steps are always driven by uh board feedback um about what we should do next. So we will bring it if if the will of the board after uh we go to each board member is to come back and
this do the same cadence in July we always bring back I think we brought what uh in July >> yeah like almost 40 schools >> almost 40 schools right um and those are the 40 schools that can be consolidated because there's adjacent capacity where those students can go to if we actually
close those schools so we'll continue that our next steps is always predicated on what the the appetite of the board and the feedback from the for it. >> Okay. So, so I am uh I am not supportive of this currently, but I am supportive
of uh in July to bring us more schools that we may need to consider. Um this is an ongoing fluid process where we're continuing to lose students. Um and I know Dr. Heburn, even schools that weren't suggested this year, we don't
know what their enrollment is going to be next year. So, um, you know, so I I don't we could always every month come up with more schools to address, but we have to have a process that's responsible and not chaotic. And so I I can't support any additional changes. I
think the community has had enough this year and that in July we should uh proceed with a subsequent phase um and bring more schools. Thank you, >> Miss Thompson. >> Thank you, chair. Um before I weigh on
that, I just would like to change my um recommendation for 4 and 4 A and just switch it to be in line with Dr. Holes's suggestion. Um and then I had two um
community questions come in in terms of of leadership at the schools that are now being consolidated or being recommended and then final vote in January. What is going to be the process? When is the community going to learn who's their principal
>> an assistant principal the whole team? >> Uh great question. Um so I would say leadership matters there. There will be a process to ensure there's the right leader. I don't want to create hysteria amongst the administrative ranks right
now. Um, so give the team opportunity to map out the exact process they're going to use for each school because it may it it may not look the same for all schools depending on the program, the situation, but leadership matters and we're going to make sure working with the community um and the community working with our
team as they do with any principal opening for for for the most part that we're going to make sure the right leaders in the building to move that school forward. >> And I appreciate that. I think also for um Sunrise being consolidated into Fairway, there are some um road concerns
with it being on MAR Parkway with there not being a consistent um sidewalk. What is the transportation plan look like for that community? >> So, um I certainly I'll start and then Miss Paul can fill in any gaps. So, we
we always do what is called a hazardous walk or what is called condition. And so I know that I believe it's been done or it's in the process of being done for um all the schools cuz I did see a document come in. And so essentially what would happen is is we would work with the city of Myiramar um around crossing guards
because you're right it's it's Myar Parkway at Island Drive. And so it would be, you know, if a crossing guard is going to be placed there and then if not then um Miss Paul and her team would look on, you know, do we provide a bus? Um, but the there was there is an
assessment being done through the process the hazardous walking conditions >> and it's still the two-mile radius where we provide transportation at least. >> Well, but okay. Go ahead. I don't because with the hazardous walking if it's under two miles. >> Yes. Thank you, Dr. Wson.
>> Your school be well. >> So, yes, we would evaluate the walking path. We actually have people that go out physically and look at it based on the child's address and then we would make a determination uh what services we can provide for that child. But that's
part of our normal process. >> So it's on an individual basis potentially if it's hazardous. >> Yeah, we would definitely have to look at that. >> Okay. Um, and then as far as adding um, school closures, I think us naming any
particular school isn't the way to go. Um, and I'm kind of on the fence on doing it this year rather than waiting till July. Um, mainly because my proposal there's going to have to be balancing um, with
that community. And I think prolonging this process doesn't build faith, but also doing it again um doesn't really build faith with our community as well because that's one of the things they brought up at my community meetings is okay, so now there's going to be phase three, now there's going to be phase
four. Um, so I I think I'd really fall to the superintendent's recommendation on whether it is better to move ahead this year and address those schools or whether it's better to restart this
process in July. Um, and then I just want to take a moment to really thank my colleagues for supporting the proposal. It's not my proposal. It truly came from the community and the students. Um, and also
to my schools that are now messaging me asking why their voices weren't heard. I just want to reemphasize that it wasn't anybody's school's particular thing that they did wrong. Like Mrs. Hixon always says, it's not what any
principal or teachers or community or parent um did that made us make this decision. And it truly is just unfortunately the situation we are in. Um and there's nothing that just just talking to the community. There's nothing that you guys could have said to
really prevent this process. Um and that every student here is valued and we are going to do our best to make this transition as easy as possible. So thank you. >> Thank you. And sorry I I should have been a little bit more clear. I just
right now we're going around um to to give no it's fine um to give yes or no on on directing the superintendent to bring back Forest Glenn and five additional schools for closure and then I have a list of everyone who wanted to speak a second round. Um so Mr. Ca.
>> Thank you chair. Um Forest Glenn is a no for me and if I may I'd like to explain why. Um, we have a trust problem in this district. Everybody knows it. We see it when we're out in the street. We read
about it in the newspaper. Um, it's no secret. And for us to tell that community that they were uh, quote unquote off the list and then turn around and go back and put them on the list, I think would be a terrible look
um, for this district. So, I'm a no on Forest Glenn. As for the other five, um I am in I am in favor for the superintendent to put together that list and present it uh to the board. If we're being candid, I think it should be 10.
But, uh be that as it may, um I'm in favor of the second part of the proposal. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, I would I agree with Mr. Sea and Mrs. Alade and others about not doing Forest Glenn. We We said
we weren't going to change a boundary in that area and then at the last minute it blew up in our faces. We changed the boundary and we have a whole community that doesn't trust us. So, I would hate to do that to that community again. Um,
so I am not in favor of of um, Forest Glenn. I I do know that we have to add more schools and I would venture to say I know that my colleagues have said they don't want a round three or round four. I feel like we may have to do this every
year as we go along because what happened was no one did it for the last 10 years and now we're have to do it all again. So there'll be a phase three, four, five, six as we move along and we already know based on the K8 happening that we are going to have to look at
more schools. So, I don't think it should be rushed. Again, the whole trust process, there's a process. We will have to do it yearly. And I think the more we reiterate to our community and to the people of Broward County, this is an
ongoing thing because we have changes ongoing that it isn't comfortable, but it's something that we're going to have to do. And and there may be a year where we say, "Okay, we've looked at it and there really isn't any schools that need to be changed." But I really do think we
should get in a cadence of every year looking at what should we look like as we move down the road because this balloons for us and it's really painful. But everywhere when you talk to other districts, they do do something yearly
whether they're changing a boundary or they're changing what a school looks like. We just um haven't had that procedure here in Broward County. So, if we're being honest, it is something that has to be done yearly. But I wouldn't be one that wanted to hurry up and get it
done or even say for July, we had a process. We get better every year. It's been a painful process, but I think we've landed in a place that is a good solid thing and we can explain why we need to do each of these things. So,
we'll continue to do that as we move forward. So, I would say just the cadence we had for this year is what we do for next year. And we'll look at this the elementarymentaries that go with the K8 and any other schools that that make sense. So, um although I know we need to
close more, I don't want to rush it either. And I think July is also too too early to like make any kind of decisions. There's a process. We should follow it. >> Okay. Um, no for forest Glenn, but also know to bring the other ones back as
well. We went out to the community. We had commission meetings. We had neighborhood meetings. We had coffee stops. We went out. We told them, you know, you were on the list at this time. We're reconfiguring this. And then to their face, we said, it's not happening.
You know what? Not this year. These are the ones that we're going to do. and people had a sigh of relief and was helping them to figure out uh quite honestly will we be moving in the summer or will we not be moving in the summer.
So um you my word is important the superintendent's word is important and so are each board members. So every time that someone asked me um so what is is this going to come back at a later date? I said, I don't know if it's coming back, but it's not going to be this year
because the superintendent has said it's not going to be coming this year. So, for me, it's not a good look. And saying no to Forest Glenn and then yes to the other ones that were like Forest Glenn babies right next to them is not a cool
thing to do. I don't think it's a very adult thing to do and it's cruel and it doesn't really help our our credibility in this district and in the state, let me tell you. So, I'm a no for both.
>> Thank you. And um I'm also a no for both. Um, I do I was kind of on the same page with Miss Hixon in terms of like in the future I I feel like we're going to have to do this for like the next 10 years, you know, like as things change
and as enrollment declines. I'm I feel like we're going to have to do redefining every year. Um, but I don't think that we should disrupt the the process that we've engaged in with the community um this year. Um, so it looks like uh there is not majority support to
move forward with either of those directions. So now we'll go to round two. I have Miss Hixon. Um, Miss Thompson, do you still want to be in round two or no? You're good. Okay. And then Dr. Hoiss. So if anyone else wants to speak in round two. All right. >> Go ahead.
>> Thank you. Um, based on the explanation of 4A because I either I missed it or it didn't happen until after I voted. I'd like to change my moving them just to Walker to 4A since it seems like that's
really the best option. I I didn't realize all those moving parts. So, um sorry about that. I for I know why now I was um kind of wishy-washy on Walter C. young because there was um another
proposal that came out and it might be late in the process now to say this, but I I just want to say it out loud because it was also from the community. And one of the suggestions at the meeting that we had was to actually take all of
Walter C. Young, keep it intact, but put it on Flanigan's campus. Not make Flanigan a 612, leave Walter C. young as it's middle school, but they would take over one of the buildings at Flanigan and then um we could they could still be
intact, but we could give up that lease that we have, give the the um the land back to the city earlier. So, it keeps them it moves them, but it it keeps them in place. It was a couple of the parents had come up and given that suggestion.
I'm sorry I didn't remember it until after we had this discussion, but maybe when we if the superintendent when you bring something back since the idea was to wait on Walter C. Young, if if that's something we could do in the next year or so, maybe that's we could find out if
everybody was okay with doing that because it again is a pretty good compromise I think um in that space. So that was one. Um I agree with Mrs. Al-Hadf about the training center. I actually asked this question early on
when I was at Bthoon. They had a building that was there and the Hollywood Police Department had asked was there a building that we could use because they like to do training and they were doing it above a um a library and they have to like make up the scene
of the school every single time. So they asked if there was a place they could have a space. So I like very much the idea of taking a school space, making a training center and maybe we charge them a day fee or something for using the
facility um for those purposes. So I agree with that. Um I have a question. Is there a place where where the idea of the Sheridan souththeast or southwest I
guess space could lo colllocate because I don't want although I understand about the Glades Middle School we do have a really long waiting list and I think we're not taking advantage of an opportunity to make money. I mean that
actually makes a lot of money. So I I know we haven't discussed it, but if there's a place where it makes sense. Oh, awesome. >> You want me to? >> Yeah, we've discussed it because uh you know in anticipation of where wherever this the the support decision may lie
from the board. Um but they do need a whole entire school collocation is difficult because you are servicing adults. Um also go ahead Dr. Wansa. >> You want me to do it? Okay, >> go ahead. So um we we were thinking um and this
isn't a surprise in that Walter C. Young is a school that um that there is a proposal to you know um reassign the current students to different middle schools. the district does have a lease with the city of Penrook Pines at least
for the next 12 years. And there could be the op the um the proposal or the opportunity if you will to actually locate um the technical college on the Walter C. Young campus. >> Okay. So that's interesting because if
you take the idea of moving Walter C. Young and putting it at Flanigan, it would give you the ability to open up that space. Yes, we would have to accelerate the the Flanigan move to a move that could possibly be implemented for this upcoming school year.
>> But but I think we need to flesh out are we talking about picking up a full middle school and operating that's the part um >> operating two schools separate schools on one campus and that may not be um feasible. It it would what what it would
do is it would bring um option is it seven seven itself back into the discussion and then um uh when it says the district used the facility for another district of municipal use then
the district use would be at least for 12 years to operate um the uh technical programs there. And so again, that's we will work at the, you know, through the superintendent at the will of the board. Um because I don't know if logistically we can operate two separate schools on
Flanigan High School's campus. >> Okay. So in in that event, cuz like I said, it was just a something someone suggested and I know Dr. >> 6 through 12, but not you can operate a 6 through 12. >> Yeah. But remember that their suggestion was to keep it as its own middle school.
So I um I don't think based on the discussion that was here that the idea of closing Walter C. Young is something the board is willing to do. So I would just offer that I know it's hard to
colllocate but if there's a way to find maybe two schools and figure out half is one school and half is the the Sheridan South or whatever you want to call it. But I don't I don't want to leave today and and not have an idea of how we might
still have that tech program somewhere because well when you can jump in there. So I'll just leave it at that. And the last thing I'd like to ask um I've asked it a whole bunch of times but it's not happening. So I'm going to ask it one more time. when this comes back to us
and there's a financial breakdown, please can it be detailed? What money is being saved out of capital? What money is being saved out of the general fund? Because I think it's really important for people to understand that if we're saving money out of capital, it doesn't
help our bottom line of general fund or our fund balance. So, we might be saving all of this money, but it's on the capital side. So it really doesn't address our down our shortfall of money because it's not really it's not helping the
general fund. So I think it would be very important. I don't want to just see a total. I want to see where are we s where are we making the money where are we saving the money um and where are we spending the money. I think um it's important in terms of transparency to be
very clear. That's one of the pieces that we we still need to get better. So, um, thank you. >> Thank you, uh, Dr. Hoes. >> Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. So, um, I just wanted to revisit uh, beer
and I am hoping I can get I'm hoping one or two board members will change their mind on beer. Um what I can say is that um if you notice the when I do consider schools in in my district um there are
schools that that I recommend uh closing in the traditional sense of the word including broad estates and receive a lot of push backs uh for this phase. Um I supported I am supporting closing North Fork as as well as uh Plantation
Middle, but bear is a different case and um so uh it's it's not so much that I don't understand the need to close schools, but I am rather more optimistic about Beer. Uh Beer has a new principal
that has done uh wonders at his previous school. Um, also the city of Sunrise Commission has sent us a letter uh intending to occupy at minimum 6,000 square feet of beer. And in fact, uh, the letter which I distributed to board
members, uh, indicated here where the city of Sunrise mentioned that my team has tored both schools, uh, in reference to Westpine and Beer and identified classroom space at both locations that could possibly be suitable for city uh,
community programming use in the future. In addition to that, I've spoken to the city manager myself for Sunrise. I've spoken to commissioners. I've spoken to the principal. I've spoken to uh our central office and uh some senior staff
and um I am confident that bearer uh can over the next uh two to three years experience increase in enrollment. So um I also have uh information here which says while Bear has faced enrollment
challenges a sustainable and strategic solution exists. Establishing a Montasauri magnet program at Horizon Elementary located directly next to Bear would create a natural feeder pattern for students uh progressing from Horizon Montisur classroom to Bear's established
Montasaur middle program. This seamless educational pipeline would attract new families to both schools, stabilizing and potentially increasing enrollment at the elementary and the middle school. Beer Middle School houses exceptional academic and enrichment programs that
few middle schools can offer. Its Cambridge curriculum challenges students to think deeply and engage with global perspective. Uh, Beer is also part of the Amazon Future Engineer program, integrating coding, STEM, and technology courses that allow students to earn industry certification typically
reserved for high school students through the use of MetaQuest 3 virtual reality headsets. Students at Bearer explore immersive learning environments that bring science, history, and technology to life. Uh by investing in the feeder relationship with Horizon and
continuing to support its robust magnet programs, the district can transform a challenge into a model of educational renewal. Uh closing bear would mean losing these distinctive offerings and the the connected community that sustains them. So I am asking uh the
board if you if you had decided on yes to close beer to please have a change of mind. Um I believe that um if you just give Beer 2 or 3 years um that it will turn around. Uh and like I said, I am
not against closing schools because I know we do need to. But for Bear, I think it's a different story. And I am supporting closing North Fork. I'm supporting closing Plantation Middle. I'm asking that the board reconsider for those members who said yes to bear to
give it two or three years uh because I believe the uh these uh measures that are being taken will turn the school around and the the city of Sunrise is gracious enough uh to be um to send us a letter to to occupy part of beer and to look into possibility of occupying some
of the classroom spaces. So, um, since we're going, as board member Hicks mentioned, this, uh, may be an ongoing yearly process, then we can revisit Beayer just as we will revisit other schools. But for now, I'm asking you to support keeping Beer open to see if
these initiatives will work and to see how our partnership with the city of Sunrise will unfold. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mrs. Alhadaf. >> Oh, she's not here, Miss Thompson. Oh, do you want me to you? Okay. Is
anyone on the deis uh changed their mind about bear? Um before we move on to Miss Thompson. >> Well, >> um yeah. So, there were miss So, so far for proposal nine, we have in support uh Miss Thompson, Dr. Zean, Miss Alhidef,
Mr. Sea, and me. So, it's a five four. We'll think about it. Sorry. >> Um I just I I'm thinking about that. Um for the So for Walter C. Young, I'm just trying
to wrap my head around there. If you had a whole two schools operating out of one building, that would mean you'd pay for >> for two principles for for whatever. What is the difference in the model though between having a 6 through 12 and
having two separate like do have we done something like that before? Is that like a consideration? >> Have we done something like operating two distinct schools on a campus? Um, we only did that when we had construction issues, when it was a temporary, you
know, when a school was being built, it hadn't finished. So, we temporarily housed. Um, and the the most recent one I can say when we had to temporarily house when Beachside was being built and we had to house the elementary students at Bthoon and the middle school students
at Addex and they ran essentially separate schools. Um, and one principal navigated through both campuses until the building was open. Um but you know I I I will say it is a um it is a
logistical um puzzle that we would have to you know draw up and figure out when you talk about running two distinct schools on one campus. Um, >> and there's no cost saving. >> Not at all >> there because you're taking
>> you're just picking up, >> but you could do that anyway. >> So, but we could make it a 6 through 12 and then there would be >> if it was a 6 through 12 with the administration at Flanigan um, you know, absorbing the school, that's a cost
savings. but to transfer principal, assistant principal, clerical staff and all of that that there's no reoccurring cost savings. Um >> um >> and then um I mean I'm still in favor of the six through >> 12, but that was an interesting thought.
Um how would that work? One, can we make a technical school on Walter C. Young within the confines of the contract we have with the city? >> So um and Mr. I don't know if Mr. Cooney is still in here cuz Mr. Cooney is the um attorney that and obviously Miss Jack
Adams can >> um opine as necessary. The way the um the way the current lease agreement reads, it says for educational purposes. >> Okay. And then what is the cost? Because
my thought process when I made the Glades K through8 proposal is because I do very much want a technical school in my community. I think it's needed and I think it would bring a lot of value. My thought process has always been that in one of the elementary schools or two of
the elementary schools, we could put the technical school, we could even divide it campuses if needed. So, what is what would that look like putting it in the elementary school? Because here's my what I'm trying to figure out is if
we're going to have to do a lot of renovations to Walter C. young to put uh the technical school requirements in, but then we don't own that building and then we really just invested $10 million or whatever. We invested for 10 years and we don't get anything back where if
we remodel elementary school, we would keep that land. So that's what I'm trying to >> so process. >> So um Mrs. Johnson can or Dr. Tuma can speak to it, but that would come out of the workforce >> um workforce education funds. Um and we
we did that with um when we uh transitioned Arthur Ash Middle School from a traditional middle school into its current um branch campus of Atlantic Technical College. >> And so um Mr. Strauss and I were and Dr. Tuma, we were just had like a little
conversation around so we do have you know a couple elementary schools and is there um you know can we look at potentially um one of the one of the newer of the two elementary schools and see if that's um feasible or a
possibility but um I can tell you that what whatever upgrades and modifications and things that have to come um is really out of you know workforce has its own separate um funding streams and I and we did that also when
we transitioned what was Sunset School um some years ago into now what is the high school campus of Sheridan Technical College. >> So I'm not so much con I'm obviously concerned with the budget. It's more that we could be potentially putting in let's just say $10 million of of
renovations into a building that we don't own where instead we could renovate an elementary school that we do own and then we get to keep it. So that's that's really the argument there is why would we put money into a property we don't own? >> And I don't I don't I'm not disagreeing with any of that. I think the other
thing that we do have to look at also potentially maybe parking. >> Yes. I was just about to mention that parking the size of the of the classrooms the how an elementary school is built specifically for elementaryized kids. Um
>> people will get their squats in. It's fine. So, but I tell you this, we just we we started having that conversation prior to the break about the whatifs, what are other options. Um, so if you give us some time, we're still in the midst of all of that. Um, because we do have several elementary schools in in
the South region that we can go probably take a look at and see what's the most feasible um what would be the cost if there are specific upgrades that are needed um to accommodate a technical school. Um, so we can we can continue that process on on our on our end. The
first obvious was Walter C because it is a middle school um and has less work to do there because it's built for larger people as the elementary school is built for elementaryized people and the the it has the parking um versus the the lack of parking that you usually see at an
elementary school >> that requires less staff. So, >> um I think just moving forward seeing that breakdown and I know you guys are just processing it, but really looking at the elementary school because some of them do have good parking and Walter C. Young's parking is not actually not
great, but um that's all. Oh, actually, no, it's not. Thank you, Miss Chair Leonardi, for bringing up the proposal for um Seagull. I read it at like 1:00 am last night and I think there's a lot of value in um the
time that that uh teacher took to send it. So I hope staff gives it consideration. And then for number 12 um third good Marshall I think the birth to five years if we could get more information on the financial breakdown and how that would work. Um I would be
interested in that as well. Thank you. >> Thank you Mrs. Thank you. Um, so at this, you know, point in time, I know I gave where I'm at, but I'm also looking forward to to Friday to see the superintendent's
recommendations. You know, there's a lot of information that came forward to us today. Um, in regard to Dr. Heeper's memo, uh, I would like to to ask the board to
ask Dr. Heperin to come back to us with a with a stronger plan for 2025. I think that there's more that we can do and I would really like to press you a little bit harder to to come back this
week at some point with some additional ideas on how to save money for 2025. >> Great question. U we we have it. We'll make sure it's in detail because we plan on sending that later this week. We
didn't want to collo uh um forgot the term I was going to do. >> Comingo. >> It's a lot of cos out there. It wasn't that. It wasn't comingo, but it's collate. >> Complate. >> Complate. That's what it was. Complate. Um the because it's going to combine 25
and for going into the next school year too for 26 27. >> Okay. But I'm specifically talking about 2025. If there is something more you feel in an aggressive manner that you could bring forward to have cost savings
specifically for 2025. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Can I just add to that? Chair, do you mind on that topic? >> I have >> I have Miss Rupert up next, but I'll add you the list. >> I wanted to uh put my support on the birth to five as well. I mean that's
that's obviously something that our employees have been asking about and we've done surveys so I appreciate that. Thanks. >> Got it. Dr. Zean, >> um to miss all this point, >> you know, we have a policy of 5.0, right? That's our fund balance, 5%. We're at risk of a recession next year.
If there is a recession next year, our revenue drops. It's not just flat. Our revenue drops. You guys remember 2008 and 2009, we promised all kinds of schools to be rebuilt. We went through huge problems in 20089. We could do that again. I mean, there are a lot of indications of a recession coming on.
So, it's really not a good time to fall before 5%. So, maybe to um provide some clarity on your idea, it might be to ask the superintendent to come back and show us the numbers of savings that will get us back to our policy, which is a 5.0 fund balance, because that's what this
board directed. We said we'd never go before five. Um, I'm not sure from the memo whether or not that's going to realize 94 million or 9 million because it's not quantified. It just says, you know, no hiring. We don't know how many vacancies are going to be. Says no travel, but there's some exceptions. Um,
I think as a board we need, we deserve to know whether that's 9 million, 190 million, or 94 million. And and the real question is, are you going to comply with our policy, which is 5.0? Are you going to get to 5% by the end of the year? And so I I agree uh vehemently
with your direction here, which is bring us something back in a week on this year that gets us to a 5% fund balance. >> Thank you, Miss Thompson. Again, >> um so I just wanted to talk with my colleagues about the memo because it's a hiring freeze for our staff. However, we
some of us have a trip potentially planned to go up to Tallahassee, which is a significant cost. Um it's about $7 to $900 for plane tickets alone if that's your plan. Um and I think if we are well I guess if the superintendent
is directing staff not to travel that this is something the board could consider. I don't know if that should be a formal motion. However, I am no longer planning to travel to Tallahassee. Um, I would be if it's agreeable, I think maybe having a representative like the
chair or one person, but having us all pay for travel to Tallahassee when there is a staffing travel freeze, um, I think is is problematic. >> Yeah. I was I going to bring that up after the meeting. Oh, yeah. So, we can
I think we we can have a robust conversation when we're done talking about the the workshop. Uh, Miss Hixon, >> my question is similar to the memo. Um, so I don't know if you want me to just wait. I just have a quick question about
the um hiring the the free hiring freeze part and the fact that we know we have to get rid of a thousand um staff members. I guess it's a question also a directive. We the board's been really clear that we don't want any of these
things to affect our schools. So, are we going to start moving people out of the administrative building into schools? And so, where we can't hire teachers, where we have teachers on assignment, will they be moving back? Because that
should be the first move before we do anything else. >> That that is correct. >> Perfect. Thank you. Um, okay. Would anyone else like to Go ahead, Mrs. Alada. Um, Madam Chair, if everybody could just weigh in on what I
said and Dr. Zean said >> and could you reiterate that again? >> Um, in regards to Dr. Heper bringing back this week a more aggressive plan with specific numbers to show where we are at the 5%.
Does anyone object to that? >> I think we're good. >> We have we have a budget. Isn't budget part of the workshop tomorrow? So >> do you Dr. Heepern is some of that in the >> No, tomorrow's work budget workshop is more about bringing back the supplement
um discussion that um we talked about earlier um in the fall so the board can understand all the nuances of supplement what we're recommending to possibly um cut. So >> Dr. Zean, >> thank you. I just I'm sorry I stepped out for a minute, but did we gain or
fail to gain consensus on selling all unused lands and um on the AI innovation zone? Are those things that that staff needs direction from us on? >> Dr. Hutburn, >> um I know Mr. Akabuso isn't here, but I
think we have all land up for sale or have surplus um the two CS two TSSC centers last month and all if you go to Beacon if you're in there if you can go up to
slide sec. So we can pull that up. if you could start on slide 87. So slide 87 and 88 um goes over the properties and the land that we that we own. Um the first one is the one I think
that's in plantation where we're getting an environmental assessment before we actually bring it to the board to surplus. the environmental assessment is going to help help us understand what environmental issues it has so we can maximize the the the uh appraisal value. Um the trails end in we'll bring that to
the board next uh this month actually the southwest ranches uh recently surveyed so we'll bring that back uh for surplus and that and that part of that portion was u of that land was donated to the southwest ranches the
city for their um wildlife refuge. We've already s uh went through the surplus uh not surplus process. Yes, the surplus process for the both the TSSC buildings and the Coral Springs High School acreage site is currently under an
agreement of sale um and purchase. I think the only site that is not on here is an additional site in Parkland. Um, and due to the amount of growth in that area, the possibility of needing that for for um seats in the future up in that area in the north in the far
northwest. >> Terrific. I'm satisfied on that chair. And on the AI innovation zone, do we need to provide guidance? >> Um, yeah. Go ahead, Dr. >> Um, we spoke about that um before. So, no guidance is necessary. Dr. Cohen and the team went through it very thoroughly. Miss Rupert,
>> I forgot to say that I was supportive of Dr. Drozer's um item for the lighthouse for the blinds and um I think I already said it about um well the um the email that you got. I'm very
supportive of that as well. Thanks, >> Mrs. Alhed. I can get a followup, but I thought the Coral Springs High School deal fell through. That's what it says. >> Oh, it does.
>> No, I thought it said something else. >> Yeah, currently >> in negotiations, but it fell through. >> Dr. Heburn, >> Miss Aabusa isn't here, so we can get a follow-up. Okay. He knows it intimately. >> Thank you,
>> Miss Hixon. Just giving a plug for Dr. Holmes' request to see if anybody might change their mind on on Bear Middle School. >> Has anyone been able to uh reflect on that?
>> Um one vote for per board member, Miss Rupert. Um >> Madam Chair, >> yes, Mr. colleagues for consensus to extend without objection. So, we need a majority of the board uh to agree to
extend the meeting um maybe by 30 minutes. Um does anyone object to that? Object. Anyone else? One. We have one objection. Does anyone else object? Okay. All right. We will
move forward for another 30 minutes. Um the I I think that we have uh a good understanding of where we want to move. Uh the one thing I just wanted some clarity on was the Miss Hixon's proposal for third good to be a birth to five. Um
I I have a major I've have listed a majority of board members supporting that but um I also have listed a majority of board members supporting the gifted. So I just wanted uh some clarity around that. Um, so I don't know if we can go around and just reiterate where
we were on Thood Marshall. Um, I believe Miss Rupert, you supported the birth to five. Miss Hixon supported the birth to five. Mr. Sera >> the so the init the proposal in the presentation was a gifted 3 through eight and dual language and Miss Hixon
proposed making thood birth to five ma >> madam chair >> yes m >> can we please clarify are we saying age five or grade five >> grade five grade five I thought I just wanted to make sure everybody understands it's grade five. Okay.
>> So, you're good with >> with Miss Hixon's proposal. Miss Thompson, I have you on third uh birth to five. >> Yes. And now I know it's to fifth grade and not five years. >> Dr. Hoes, would you like to
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Um, just wanted a clarifying question. Did the birth to five, did we get adequate grade five? Did we get adequate community input on that? >> Dr. Heepern. >> Um, I would say no. Not a lot of input,
but we didn't get a lot of input as far as wanting to do the the U former also the um it's long gifted gifted. >> Was it eight, nine hours? I read my brain for the gifted at dual language.
Okay. So, um I am not I am not against it, Madam Chair, but I am not sure if we've gathered enough information. So, I would prefer to see that come. I would prefer not to have an opinion on that because I don't believe we've had
enough input. I'm not sure where the the committee that we formed where their view is on that. I'm not sure where what the uh community itself the surrounding community of thood marshall feel about that. So I just feel I don't have enough
information to to support that. >> Got it. Dr. Zean, >> I'm in favor of the birth to grade five. I'm not in favor of the gifted language academy. >> That's what I had you and Miss Bulman. >> Um yeah, same. And Miss Aladaf birth to
five. Okay. All right. Coral Springs >> and Dr. Heburn has an update on the Coral Springs land. >> Yes, I have a update on the Coral Springs land. So, the the deal did did uh fall through because of financing um legal and the team is working on next
steps because the buyer forfeited it um earnest money. So, a new appraisal is being conducted to put it back on the market. >> All right. Any other Does staff have their direction? I think the it was pretty clear.
>> Yes, ma'am. Okay. Do you want should we go over where we landed on everything or we think we're pretty clear because we went over it like a million times. Okay. >> Dr. Wza, >> I think I'm clear, but I think for the public if you want to do it one more time, I'm fine. But yes, madam. >> All right, Miss Bulman.
>> For the third good Marshall, if if we're majority um supporting the birth through fifth grade, then that takes it out of the K through eight realm. It's not a K through eight right now, right? That's correct. >> Okay. Something to add in there. >> Okay. So, just to be clear for the
public, for proposal one, the board, the majority of the board supported moving forward with proposal one. The majority of the board supported moving forward with proposal two 3 4a. The majority of the board uh supported
Miss Thompson's proposal for Glades Middle School. The majority of the board supported Miss Thompson's proposal for Walter C. Young um and proposal 7B. Uh the majority of the board prop uh supported proposal 8, proposal 9,
proposal 10, proposal 11, proposal 12, and merging seagull into Whitten Rogers um as well as uh Miss Hixon's proposal on making Thood Marshall a birth to grade five.
Okay. Um, at this time, do any of my colleagues have anything to bring to the board or student successes to share? >> Miss Thompson, then Dr. Ho. >> West Broward is going to state
>> and we can't go to the game >> because we have to hire a new lawyer. >> Football. >> But this is Oh, >> football. >> I I >> sports ball. >> Football. >> Football. We're going to state. It's the first time ever. So, it's super exciting.
>> It is the first time for West Broward and it is the first time in a in 10 years if they win that we've had a state football championship. >> Dr. Hoes, >> thank you. And um Dr. Rean said this is
a huge huge win. Um, I would like to take a moment to recognize Zarya Ger of Lau 6 through 12, who has received the Quest Bridge Scholarship, awarding her a full ride to Vanderbilt University.
>> This is an outstanding accomplishment. Please join me in giving her a round of applause. >> It is. Yep. Vander, >> wait, sir. Um, Miss Hixon, >> just I we kind of cut off Miss Thompson when we were talking about the
Tallahassee trip. >> Bring that up. Yeah. So, go ahead, Miss Hixon. >> I wanted to bring it back up. Um, so I was going to be the downer for the end of the meeting. Um, given the the superintendent's memo about freezing
travel, I do think uh the issue of Brower days and rally to tally um is pertinent. Um, and I I'm interested to hear from everyone to to talk about how we should approach approach board member travel moving forward since we're telling everyone else that that uh we're
freezing their travel. Um, so I don't know if anyone has any input on that. Mr. I'll make a list. Mr. Ca, >> thank you. Uh, chair, I think we need to lead by example here. I think if we are telling our staff that
they can't travel uh that the same uh well on the district's time um the same restrictions and understandings should be followed by this board. Um that being said uh I would encourage my colleagues
to participate in Broward Days. I think going to Tallahassee is is extremely important. Um I happened to be up there last week on my dime, I might add. I paid for the entire trip. Uh, I went up I had very very good meetings with with legislators. Um, met with the
commissioner of education. Um, and I would always encourage everybody if they have the ability to go up to Tallahassee uh and get involved with that uh with that process. That being said, in light of our financial circumstances, um I
think if if you are going to participate in that, you should pay for it out of your own pocket. Miss Thompson. >> Um I would echo what Mr. Sea said. I do I think there is value in it if we want to if the chair is available or the vice
chair to go um just so there is representation. However, I think that would be the extent of it. Thank you, >> Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I agree. I would um say, you know, if we want to go, we could still go and cover the cost of it ourselves,
but it would not be fair. It wouldn't look right. I don't think it's appropriate for us to tell everyone else they can't travel, but we h even though it's I think an intricral part of what we do and what our job is. So, I don't want to minimize that either, but so is
a lot of the travel that everyone else does. I mean, that's the whole point. you travel to go to conferences to learn new things and bring it back. But in this instance, I would say that um we should not be paying for it with board money. I mean with district money.
>> Miss Bulman. >> Thanks, Chair. Um I I absolutely agree um that we need to be leading by example. I do think that there is a benefit for us to have some kind of representation there. Um it's important for us to have those relationships. So,
I agree that if the chair, vice chair, or someone that we delegate is willing to go to represent us, that that would be money well spent, but we don't all need to be there. Thanks, >> Mrs. Alhadaf. >> Yes, I I think that the chair should go
and uh represent our legislative platform. You know, our legislative platform is advocating for millions of dollars, so we absolutely need to have someone representing our platform. >> Dr. Ozan, >> same. Thank you, Chair.
>> Um, I guess I would ask because this is a a conversation I have to have with my family. Um, I'm not necessarily in a financial position personally to be able to fund that. So, I I want to be very clear about those expectations.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. I don't want to send the wrong message. >> Got it. >> We're depending on you and you alone >> to deliver it all. >> Any other comments or questions about that issue, Mrs. Alhadaf?
No, just to to kind of uh to be serious about it in our legislative platform, there really needs to be meetings set up for you as the the chair with our lobbyists to talk and have conversations with legislators on our legislative
platform. >> Mr. Sullivan. >> So that week is a challenge only because of it is I believe um Broward days, FSBA days, and it's our rally at tally. So a lot of those meetings are already going
to be allocated for the students. Um but we will do our best. >> Dr. Heer. >> Yes, Miss Alida. Um, I think that we should be much more aggressive to get our lobbyists, who we pay a lot of money for, I think we have
two of them up in Tallahassee, to get our chair meetings with the legislators. >> Yep. As the students say these days, say less, >> Miss Rupert, >> they do that now. I'm not doing that. >> Who would actually go from the district
then? So, we're actually saying no district. So, the I was I don't I was I know this is the board member's uh time to to to talk but I for me I've already talked to the team that advocacy in Tallahassee is is important for our school district. We're we're advocating
for like Miss Alv said millions of dollars. We're advocating for increased funding u um and FEFP all of those things. So for us, for this the legislative affairs staff, uh uh Miss Andrea uh nos to be specific, I I will
not be denying travel for her to go up to Tallahassee. That's how important that I feel that is for us as a district to maintain advocacy uh in Tallahassee with our with our legis our local legislators and other legislators that our local legislators partner collaborate with to get things done. If
I may I add s um I would also recommend then re um authorizing the chair to represent the board in Tallahassee when the consortium meets because that will be um >> February >> that that's a um towards the end of session so toward um you know budget
will be around that time as well and meetings will be a lot easier during that week as well. Yeah, that's what I was going to say. February because those meetings um when we go with the consortium, they have the people come to us and it's you get the people that you need to speak and it's much easier than
bumping around trying to see everybody that way. So, um I highly suggest that that that's what happens than at least the chair and that's >> Miss Hixon. >> Thank you. I would um I was going to say what Mrs. S has said we do it's very
frustrating when we go up there and the kid going with the students is great but they're they're doing their own thing. We kind of have to have a different conversation and when you go there aren't any meetings already planned.
Sometimes you feel like you're kind of wasting I don't want to say wasting your time but we do have lobbyists and there are lots of people up there. But to go see our own representatives in Tallahassee, I think is silly because we
see them here all the time. So I would also say I think it's important to get because they already agree with us. I mean they've been here. They already said they agree with us. We need to go to those people who maybe don't agree or need to hear why those things are
important. So I would just add to that. But I think the meetings that should be set up would be meetings that are the most advantageous for the platform that you're trying to bring forward. >> Mr. Cera, >> and and incidentally, I'm I'm happy with
this arrangement, but I would still encourage my colleagues on the board if if you have the financial means, go. I'm going. Those are great opportunities to get up there and deal with these folks in their habitat where they're very comfortable. use those relationships you have with
the legislators from from Dade, from Broward, from Palm Beach, from anywhere else. They all they all vote, right? They all have a voice just like we do. So, I'm I'm certainly not discoura I hope my comments didn't come off this way, but I'm certainly not discouraging any of my colleagues to go up there if you have the if the time and the
resources. It's a great opportunity and um to have, you know, your your your one-on-one personal time. These guys really appreciate when you go up there and you meet with them. They're appreciative of that and it's a good opportunity for us to sell um Tallahassee about how great this district is and to obviously ask for all
the things that we need to ask for when they get into session. So if if if you have the time and and the means, please by all means go up there with us, although I have obviously only supporting paying the paying the bill for Miss Leonardi. Miss Thompson, >> I was just going to ask if the
consortium is the time where we can have better meetings, is it better than to just go up during their consortium if it fits with the chair or vice chair's schedule or is it better to do both? I guess what is the most what is the board's feelings? What staff
recommendations on both? Okay, never mind. Everyone said both. Miss Hixon, >> thank you. Just to Mr. Sea's point, I if we choose to go on our own, could we also ask staff to set up those meetings
for us so that we, you know, make sure. So, if you're going to go, I think it would be important to let the legislative office know and then maybe if you know people you want to sit and meet with, they could could help with that. So, okay. Thanks. All right. Any
other comments on that piece? Um any other uh issues that the board wants to bring? I have one more thing. Okay. Um at uh well I I'll I'll preface it with this. I've been having a lot of conversations
with um parents over the last few months about technology in the district and AI. Um and at FSBA last week there were a lot of conver a lot of trainings and workshops about um how different different districts are implementing AI. And I um I asked for a followup. I think
it was sent out in November um about our deployment of Copilot 13 plus. I think it would be really beneficial um if we had another workshop on our deployment of AI um specifically with students and how we've uh communicated with parents
um because even in the follow-up that I got uh I asked if parents were were made aware of it if there was parental consent um and there was like two different answers in the follow-up about that. So I I would really like to know if my colleagues would be interested in doing another workshop sooner rather than later on our deployment of AI.
Okay. I see a majority of board support for that. Thank you. Um any anything else? All right. At this time um at this time I the scheduled order of business for the school board workshop of the school board of Broward County, Florida has been completed. Seeing no
obligation, I now adjourn the meeting.