>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NOEL MY NAME IS NOEL CREDENTI. I'M SUPEREXCITED TO ATTEND MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL GOING MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL GOING INTO MY JUNIOR YEAR. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK THE STAFF AND TEACHERS AND FOR ALL WHO ARE HERE. THE REASON WHY I CAME HERE IS TRULY BECAUSE, ONE, I SEE THIS SCHOOL AS SOMETHING THAT GOD HAS TRULY PLACED ME INTO TO PURSUE MY DREAMS AND SECOND TO BE AN EVANGELIST AND TO PREACH THE WORD AND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL. I'M SUPEREXCITED TO BE HERE.
I'M EXCITED TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, TO JUST TRULY -- THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE. AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO GIVE ALL THANKS AND ALL GLORY TO MY LORD JESUS TO MY LORD JESUS CHRIST. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL, PRINCIPAL WILHELM. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, NOEL, FOR
WELCOMING US THIS MORNING. I WELCOME ALL OF YOU TO AQUILLA J. MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL HERE ON THIS FINE MORNING AS WE WELCOME BACK STUDENTS TO SCHOOL VERY SOON. WE WOULD LIKE TO START BY INTRODUCING THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR REPRESENTING DISTRICT 4, JESSICA VAUGHN. SORRY. DISTRICT 3. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 1, NADIA COMBS. [ APPLAUSE ] SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 2, DR. STACY HAHN.
[ APPLAUSE ] AND SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTING COUNTYWIDE SEAT DISTRICT 7, LYNN GRAY. [ APPLAUSE ] SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DISTRICT 4, PATTI RENDON. [ APPLAUSE ] AND PLEASE WELCOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER JESSICA VAUGHN TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS TO US THIS MORNING. SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR. [ APPLAUSE ]
>>Jessica Vaughn: IT'S ALWAYS A LOWERING OF THE MICROPHONE. GOOD GOOD MORNING, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS FAMILY. I'M SO EXCITED TO BEGIN THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR WITH ALL OF YOU. TO OUR INCREDIBLE STAFF, THANK YOU FOR THE ENERGY, THE HEART, AND THE UNWAVERING COMMITMENT YOU BRING TO STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. WHAT YOU DO MATTERS, AND IT CHANGES LIVES. TO OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES, YOU
ARE TRULY OUR PARTNERS IN THIS WORK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST, YOUR SUPPORT, AND THE STRENGTH YOU BRING TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. THE VALUES, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND LOVE YOU GIVE AT LOVE YOU GIVE AT HOME ARE THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR FOUNDATION OF YOUR CHILDREN'S SUCCESS, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO BE WALKING ALONGSIDE OF YOU. TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THANK YOU FOR HELPING US EXTEND LEARNING AND OPPORTUNITY BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. YOUR INVESTMENT IN OUR STUDENTS
FUELS THEIR GROWTH IN POWERFUL WAYS. AND TO OUR STUDENTS, WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU BACK. YOU BRING SO MUCH TALENT, CREATIVITY, AND PROMISE TO OUR SCHOOLS. NEVER DOUBT THE POTENTIAL THAT LIES WITHIN YOU. EACH OF YOU HAS THE POWER TO SHAPE THE FUTURE, AND WE BELIEVE IN YOU. THIS YEAR, DREAM BIG, WORK HARD, AND KNOW THAT YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING YOU EVERY STEP OF THE
WAY. WE'RE BUILDING ON INCREDIBLE MOMENTUM, AND I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR BEST YEARS YET BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, CHAIR VAUGHN. I WANTED TO TALK A FEW MOMENTS JUST ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE AT MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL. WE ARE THE 29th HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR SCHOOL OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE ARE
SUPERPROUD TO WELCOME OUR STUDENTS FROM WIMAUMA INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND INTO OUR HEARTS HERE AT HERE AT WIMAUMA'S NEWEST HIGH SCHOOL, AQUILLA JACKSON MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL. WE WILL HAVE A WE WILL HAVE A COSMETOLOGY PROGRAM, E-SPORTS, AUTO MECHANICS, STATE-OF-THE-ART CULINARY LAB. $178 MILLION BUILDING AND IT IS JUST JUST BEAUTIFUL. WE ENCOURAGE, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE GIVEN IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEIR SCHOOLS AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE AT MORGAN. I KNOW THAT OUR STAFF IS SO
PROUD TO BE HERE AND BE OPENING UP A BRAND-NEW SCHOOL AND BE A PART OF THAT INAUGURAL STAFF. WE JUST WELCOME YOU HERE. NOW I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SUPERINTENDENT, MR. VAN AYRES. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Van Ayres: BRITTNEY, I TRIED MY BEST TO GET AQUILLA MORGAN COLORS. WENT SHOPPING. HELP ME LATER, YEAH. JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL WILHELM, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. OPENING A NEW SCHOOL IS
OPENING A NEW SCHOOL IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO GET TO US THIS PLACE TODAY AND WELCOMING STUDENTS ON MONDAY, WE'RE ALL EXCITED AND BEHIND YOU. AND BEHIND ME, THAT'S YOUR STAFF. SHOUT-OUT TO THE MORGAN STAFF BACK THERE. [ APPLAUSE ] THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BEING A PART OF AN INAUGURAL STAFF. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AT BLAKE IN 1997 BEING PART OF AN OPENING STAFF. YOU'RE CREATING THE CULTURE HERE AT MORGAN. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. OUR DISTRICT IS TRULY LEADING
THE WAY, FROM THE SCHOOL'S STATE-OF-THE-ART DESIGN TO THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS OUR STUDENTS WILL EXPERIENCE HERE. WE CELEBRATED THIS MILESTONE WITH A WITH A RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY LAST WEEK, AND IT WAS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO HAVE SO MANY MEMBERS OF AQUILLA J. MORGAN'S FAMILY IN ATTENDANCE TO HONOR THE LEGACY BEHIND THE NAME. BEEN A PART OF A LOT OF RIBBON CUTTINGS, AND IT WAS INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT FROM THE FAMILY FROM AQUILLA J. MORGAN THAT'S GOING TO LAST FOR YEARS AND YEARS. SO WE MOVE NOW SO WE MOVE NOW TO SOME
HIGHLIGHTS. THIS SUMMER, WE THIS SUMMER, WE RECEIVED SOME OUTSTANDING NEWS. OUR SCHOOL GRADES ARE PHENOMENAL AND OUR AND OUR STUDENTS ARE ABSOLUTELY THRIVING. IN WHOLE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE WERE ONE POINT AWAY FROM AN A-RATED SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE ARE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF THAT A WHICH WE'RE ASPIRING TO BE. OTHER RESULTS, OUR GRADUATION RATE, WHICH RATE, WHICH WILL BE FOR THIS SENIOR 2025 SENIORS, THOSE RESULTS WILL BE RELEASED IN DECEMBER, AND IT WILL BE THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT,
AND THAT WILL BE RELEASED JUST IN DECEMBER. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE AND ALL THEIR HARD WORK. [ APPLAUSE ] GRADUATION RATE IS ABOUT EVERY EMPLOYEE IN THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVERY STAFF MEMBER. THAT IS OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS GRADUATING STUDENTS AND START FROM THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, MIDDLE TO HIGH AND GETTING ACROSS THAT STAGE TO CELEBRATE THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE HIGHEST GRADUATION RATE DOES NOT NEED TO BE NEED TO BE UNDERSTATED. ALSO, 98% OF OUR SCHOOL RECEIVED A GRADE OF A, B, OR C, UP FROM
84% JUST TWO YEARS AGO. SO INCREDIBLE SO INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR STAFF, STUDENTS, FOR 98% OF OUR SCHOOLS RATED A, B, OR C, INCREDIBLE. 12 SCHOOLS JUMPED TO AN A. 18 JUMPED TO A B. I'VE GOT TWO I'VE GOT TWO PRINCIPALS HERE WITH ME FROM WITH ME FROM KENLY AND MENDENHALL. THEY WERE C-RATED SCHOOLS, AND THEY MOVED THEIR SCHOOLS FROM A C ALL THE WAY TO AN A. IT IS MY PLEASURE -- I WANT THEM TO COME UP AND JOIN ME.
[ APPLAUSE ] AND IT IS JEFF AND IT IS JEFF COOLEY, PRINCIPAL OF KENLY AND SKILY GUYLER, PRINCIPAL OF MENDENHALL. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE REMARKABLE RESULTS PUSHING THEIR STUDENTS TO MAKE THOSE INCREDIBLE GAINS THIS YEAR. BEFORE YOU GET UP, AMAZING RESULTS WE HIGHLIGHTED. WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH THAT. YOU GUYS ARE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. YEP. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M SKYLER
I'M SKYLER GEYER, THE PROUD PRINCIPAL AT MENDENHALL ELEMENTARY. IT'S A TRUE HONOR TO BE AT THIS AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, BRAND-NEW HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE SO CLOSE TO WHERE I ACTUALLY GREW UP GREW UP IN RUSKIN. THIS YEAR, MENDENHALL WENT FROM A C A C TO AN A. THIS TRANSFORMATION IS JUST NOT A REFLECTION OF NUMBERS; IT IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO MY TRUE TESTAMENT TO MY DEDICATED
STAFF, THE UNWAVERING BELIEF IN OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR SHARED VISION FOR SUCCESS. MY SCHOOL IS A MY SCHOOL IS A TITLE I MY SCHOOL IS A TITLE I SCHOOL. WE HAVE WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 600 STUDENTS WITH OVER HALF OF THOSE STUDENTS BEING STUDENTS BEING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. MANY OF WHOM ONLY SPEAK SPANISH. OUR APPROACH WAS SIMPLE YET POWERFUL AND INTENTIONAL.
WE HAD EVERY STUDENT CREATE INDIVIDUAL ACADEMIC GOALS, ENSURING THAT EACH STUDENT HAD A CLEAR CLEAR PATH TO SUCCESS. BUT WE DIDN'T STOP THERE. TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN ACHIEVING THESE GOALS, WE IMPLEMENTED A WEEKLY PRACTICE THAT HAS BECOME A THAT HAS BECOME A CORNERSTONE OF OUR STUDENT OUR STUDENT CULTURE. OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND TEACHERS MET EVERY MET EVERY FRIDAY FOR ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS WITH EACH STUDENT
DURING THEIR LUNCHTIME. DURING THESE MEETINGS, WE REVIEW THE STUDENT'S PROGRESS, DISCUSS CHALLENGES, AND CELEBRATED THEIR SUCCESSES. WE EMPOWERED OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR LEARNING, ENCOURAGING THEM TO REFLECT ON THEIR GOALS AND THE STEPS NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THEM. WHAT BEGAN WITH MY LEADERSHIP TEAM AND STAFF TEAM AND STAFF ENCOURAGING STUDENTS, YOU'VE GOT THIS, YOU
GOT IT, TRANSFORMED INTO STUDENTS CONFIDENTLY AND ASSURING US, "NO, I'VE GOT THIS." AT MENDENHALL, WE ARE NOT JUST CELEBRATING A CELEBRATING A GRADE; WE ARE CELEBRATING THE POTENTIAL AND PROMISE OF EVERY STUDENT AT OUR SCHOOL. [ APPLAUSE ] >> I 100% SHOULD HAVE GONE FIRST, BECAUSE SHE DID AN AMAZING JOB. GREAT JOB, SKYLER.
MY NAME IS JEFF COOLEY. I AM THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF KENLY ELEMENTARY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME KENLY ELEMENTARY HAS EVER RECEIVED AN "A." AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT KENLY, WE ARE ALMOST CELEBRATING OUR 100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY. YES. AND WE ARE 100% FREE LUNCH. WE ARE A TITLE I SCHOOL. WE ARE A PART OF TN. WE ARE PROUDLY PART OF TN. ONE OF ONE OF THE THINGS DR. GRAVES WOULD -- YES, THERE YOU ARE -- ONE OF THE THINGS DR. GRAVES WOULD ALWAYS SAY TO US IS FIRST
DOWNS LEAD TO TOUCHDOWNS. HE NEVER EXPLAINED WHAT THAT MEANT, SO I INTERPRETED IT. [ LAUGHTER ] MY INTERPRETATION IS THAT CONSISTENCY AND CONSISTENCY AND INTENTIONALITY STARTED TO YOUR GOAL WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO SUCCESS. THAT'S WHAT WE TRIED TO DO AT KENLY. I HAVE AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TEAM AND STAFF MEMBERS. I HAVE TEACHER LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'VE DONE REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE REALLY, REALLY WELL IS BE CONSISTENT. TRUST THE PROCESS OF THE LITTLE THINGS.
INTENSITY IS GREAT. THOSE BIG SHIFTS SOMETIMES NEED TO HAPPEN. BUT IF YOU TAKE THE EXAMPLE FROM SIMON SINEK, IF YOU GO TO THE DENTIST ONCE A YEAR AND NEVER BRUSH YOUR TEETH, WELL, THEN, YOUR TEETH ARE GOING TO FALL OUT. BUT IF YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH EVERY SINGLE DAY, THAT IS CONSISTENCY. AND WE LEAN ON BEING CONSISTENT EVERY SINGLE DAY. WE HAVE AMAZING TEACHER LEADERS. THEY TOOK LEADERSHIP ROLES EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A TITLE, THEY CREATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS TAILORED TO
OUR STUDENTS AND OUR NEEDS AT OUR SCHOOL. THEY ONLY -- THEY NOT ONLY GREW AS LEADERS IN THEIR CONTENT, BUT THEY SUPPORTED OTHER TEACHERS IN BUILDING THEM UP. KENLY USES DATA, NOT LABELS TO MOVE OUR STUDENTS. YEARS AGO, I WAS IN A MEETING WITH MR. OWEN YOUNG, AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT OUR STUDENTS IN THE BOTTOM QUARTILE. HE STOPPED THE HE STOPPED THE MEETING. HE SAID, "COOLEY SAID STUDENTS IN THE BOTTOM QUARTILE, NOT BOTTOM QUARTILE STUDENTS."
IT SOUNDED LIKE SEMANTICS AT THE TIME. IT'S REALLY NOT. IT'S A IT'S A MINDSET. WE CAN MOVE STUDENTS OUT OF THE BOTTOM QUARTILE. WE DO NOT NEED TO LABEL THEM THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE HAD 100% OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE BOTTOM QUARTILE IN THE BOTTOM QUARTILE IN ELA MAKE GAINS. [ APPLAUSE ] AND THAT AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE MIND-SHIFT OF MY STAFF. EVERYBODY PICKED UP AND LED. MY P.E. COACH, MY ART MY P.E. COACH, MY ART TEACHER, EVERYBODY PULLED GRIPS.
IF THEY HAD TIME OFF, THEY WENT, AND MY ART TEACHER WOULD PULL SCIENCE GROUPS. MY P.E. COACH WOULD PULL MATH GROUPS. EVERYBODY DID THE WORK TO LIFT EVERYONE UP. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, WE ARE SO PROUD, BUT WE ARE NOT FINISHED. OUR AIM IS NOW TO SUSTAIN THIS MOMENTUM. I DO WANT A SHOUT-OUT, IF I CAN, I WOULD LOVE TO THANK ALL OF OUR TN TN LEADERSHIP, SHARON MACHINING CRAY, ALL OUR TN COACHES. I CAN'T FORGET ALL OF THE
AMAZING AMAZING PRINCIPALS, APs AND TN THAT I WORK ALONGSIDE IN THIS WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Van Ayres: NOW YOU SEE WHY I ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON MY ALWAYS HAVE A SMILE ON MY FACE. OUR BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL. THOSE TWO PRINCIPALS ARE SHINING EXAMPLES OF LEADERSHIP ACROSS THIS ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT. LEADERS LIKE YOU THAT MY JOB, YOUR JOB, THE BOARD, MAKES US SO
INCREDIBLY HAPPY TO PUT THE WORK IN WE DO TO SUPPORT YOU SO YOU CAN PUT IN THE DAY-TO-DAY WORK. GREAT JOB. THIS YEAR, WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING OUR FOCUS ON LITERACY, WHETHER HILLSBOROUGH READS. JUST A COUPLE OF DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS. LITERACY SCORES IMPROVED ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS AND MANY SCHOOLS SAW DOUBLE DIGIT GAINS IN PROFICIENCY. POINT TO NOTE THAT EVERY COHORT ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS SAW IMPROVEMENT AND ALL HAD PROFICIENCY ABOVE 50% FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS. IF YOU LOOK AT GRADES THREE
THROUGH TEN, ALL ABOVE 50% AND EVERY COHORT SAW IMPROVEMENT. INCREDIBLE. ALSO ENGLISH LANGUAGE ART SCHOOLS IN GRADE THREE THROUGH FIVE FIVE OUTPACED STATE. THIS ENTIRE BOARD HAS MADE THAT VERY CLEAR TO ME THE PRIORITY AROUND READING PROFICIENCY, BEING A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL THE HARD WORK WE PUT IN EVERY DAY TO START TO SEE THE RESULTS COME THROUGH. ALSO, A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE GET AS WE START THE NEXT SCHOOL
YEAR, AS WE WELCOME MORE YEAR, AS WE WELCOME MORE THAN 218,000 STUDENTS NEXT MONDAY, HARD TO BELIEVE ALREADY HARD TO BELIEVE ALREADY HERE. 218,000. ABOUT 80,000, CLOSE TO 80,000 BE ON A SCHOOL BUS AS WELL STARTING NEXT MONDAY. WE ARE THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE COUNTY, 23,000 EMPLOYEES, JUST OVER 13,000 OF THEM ARE TEACHERS. EVEN WITH THE CHALLENGES WE FACED LAST YEAR, OUR STAFF ENSURED OUR STUDENTS HAD THE RESOURCES THEY NEEDED TO SUCCEED. LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME, WE HAD
HAD OVER 600 CLASSROOM VACANCIES AND 150 BUS DRIVER VACANCIES LAST YEAR AT THIS TIME. RIGHT NOW, AS I SIT TODAY, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 50 BUS DRIVER VACANCIES. SO DOWN 100. STILL GOT WORK TO DO BUT SEEING GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES WE HAVE AND APPROXIMATELY 200 FEWER INSTRUCTIONAL VACANCIES. AS WE SIT TODAY, TALKING AS WE SIT TODAY, TALKING ABOUT 2.6% VACANCY RATE FOR TEACHERS. THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO DECREASE. ULTIMATELY THAT GOAL IS TO BE ZERO, BUT WE'RE SEEING SOME IMPROVEMENT THERE.
I CREDIT THESE FEWER VACANCIES IN PART TO THE PASSING OF THE MILLAGE REFERENDUM. I WANT TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY AND THANK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOTERS WHO OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED THE REFERENDUM. THIS THIS INVESTMENT IN OUR STUDENTS AS THESE FUNDS HELP WITH RECRUITING AND RETAINING HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND OUR SUPPORT STAFF. ON TO ON TO THE ON TO THE OPERATIONS SIDE, EVERYBODY KNOWS PRETTY HOT. I THINK THE HOTTEST SUMMER WE'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE HAVE AN ABSOLUTELY
INCREDIBLE OPERATIONS TEAM THAT HANDLES THEIR FUNCTION OF ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING, JUST LIKE THIS NEW PROJECT AT MORGAN. IN LEADING THE WAY IN THAT IS OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS. LIKE TO GIVE MR. CHRIS FARKAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK THROUGH, THERE ARE SO MANY PROJECTS THAT HAPPEN IN THE SUMMER, I WANT HIM TO KIND OF OVERVIEW ALL THAT HARD WORK. MR. FARKAS. >>Christopher Farkas: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I APPRECIATE IT. YOU'LL HEAR FROM ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, TOO. SHANEY HALL WILL TALK ABOUT STUDENT NUTRITION. WE TALKED ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
IN ADDITION TO FINISHING THIS SCHOOL, ALSO FINISHING A TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN PLANT CITY THIS FALL. THANKS TO OUR VOTERS, THE HALF PENNY SALES TAX IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO. 58 PROJECTS, SOME OF THE LARGE ONES LIKE HILLSBOROUGH HIGH SCHOOL, COMPLETE HVAC RENOVATION, BUT ALSO PLAYGROUNDS AND PAVINGS. THANK THE VOTERS AND SCHOOL BOARD FOR APPROVING WHAT WE DO. MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE GET BACK, IT IS HOT. IT'S SUPER IT'S SUPER HOT. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE DO ALL WE CAN IF SOMETHING BREAKS THAT WE FIX IT AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE
AIR-CONDITIONING IS WORKING. CROSS OUR FINGERS AND GO FORWARD WITH THAT. LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING BACK ALL STUDENTS ON MONDAY. THANK YOU TO MY TEAM FOR PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND THANK YOU TO SUPERINTENDENT AYRES FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Van Ayres: WHEN YOU LOOK AT 58 PROJECTS AND, BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU HAVE BEEN OUT TO SCHOOLS, ONCE THE TO SCHOOLS, ONCE THE STUDENTS ARE OUT AT THE END OF SUMMER, THOSE PROJECTS BEGIN RIGHT AWAY AND THE TIMING, AND MR. FARKAS AND HIS TEAM AND GETTING THE PROJECTS COMPLETED IN A CERTAIN TIMELINE IS PRETTY, PRETTY
REMARKABLE. JUST WITH AC, WHAT WE NEED TO HOPE FOR IS A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN. HELPS THE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS. HOPE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN IN THE EVENING WILL HELP COOL DOWN TO HELP RELIEVE BECAUSE OUR AC UNITS WORK EXTREMELY HARD. LITTLE RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON WILL HELP COOL THAT DOWN AND HELP THE HELP THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR UNITS. ON TO ON TO ATTENDANCE. ALWAYS A PRIORITY, AND WE'VE SEEN A DIP IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. IT IS A STEADY INCREASE IN
ATTENDANCE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. KNOW THAT OUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS CAN ONLY BE POSSIBLE WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE KIBBLE IN SCHOOL. HEARD MR. COOLEY TALK ABOUT CONSISTENCY. ALL THE WORK THAT HAPPENED AT MENDENHALL AND AT MENDENHALL AND AT KENLY CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT STUDENTS NOT IN SCHOOL. ATTENDANCE WILL ALWAYS BE A TOP PRIORITY FOR US. METRICS ALL AROUND THAT 90% NUMBER OF HAVING STUDENTS IN MINIMUM OF 90% SCHOOL DAYS, LOOKING FOR 100%. ATTENDANCE RATE IS IMPORTANT, SO WE WANT TO WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR
ATTENDANCE TO SCHOOL IS CRITICAL TO OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. JUST TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH THAT, WE HAVE ONE OTHER PRINCIPAL HERE AS WELL. EMMA MORGAN, BROWARD ELEMENTARY, TALKING ABOUT INCENTIVIZING GOOD ATTENDANCE. THE PRINCIPAL OF BROWARD ELEMENTARY, EMMA MORGAN. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M THE PROUD I'M THE PROUD PRINCIPAL OF
BROWARD ELEMENTARY. WE ARE A COMMUNITY SCHOOL AND OUR STUDENTS' ATTENDANCE IS RECOGNIZED BY A PROGRAM WE IMPLEMENTED A FEW YEARS AGO CALLED NEVER BEEN ABSENT. BUT WE BUT WE COIN IT AS AN BUT WE COIN IT AS AN MBA. IT HAS A BASKETBALL IT HAS A BASKETBALL THEME. THIS INITIATIVE WAS ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED BY OUR FORMER COMMUNITY RESOURCE TEACHER WHO AIMED TO ADDRESS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM AND IMPROVE OUR OVERALL ATTENDANCE. EACH MONTH STUDENTS WHO ACHIEVE
A 95% OR HIGHER ATTENDANCE RATE ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR OUR MBA OUR MBA CELEBRATION. THE ATTENDANCE IS CRUCIAL TO OUR STUDENTS' SUCCESS, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE ATTENDANCE EACH AND EACH AND EVERY DAY. AS A RESULT, THIS PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, OUR ATTENDANCE RATE HAS RISEN RATE HAS RISEN TO 93%, DEMONSTRATING ITS POSITIVE
IMPACT ON OUR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND SHOWING CONSISTENCY. I'M OFTEN REMINDED OF A TERM THAT ONE OF MY FORMER THAT ONE OF MY FORMER PRINCIPALS WILL WILL ALWAYS SAY, SHARON B. WAIT, MY WONDERFUL LEADER, SHE WOULD SAY, IF YOU MISS SAY, IF YOU MISS SCHOOL, I MISS OUT. I MAKE SURE I LET THE STUDENTS KNOW, IF YOU MISS SCHOOL, YOU MISS OUT. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS TIME TO SHARE SOME OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH OUR ATTENDANCE. OUR GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO MAKE
SURE WE HAVE THAT SURE WE HAVE THAT 95, 96 PERCENT ATTENDANCE RATE DAILY. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MS. MORGAN. NO DOUBT, THE GREAT RESULTS, BROWARD WAS A SCHOOL THAT WAS A C, MOVED ALL THE WAY UP TO A B AND WAS POINTS AWAY FROM AN A. NO DOUBT THE STRONG ATTENDANCE. EMMA, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WORK AS WELL. LET'S TALK ABOUT FUN STUFF, TALK ABOUT SOME FOOD. SO WHEN YOU WALKED IN THIS
MORNING, YOU WERE GREETED BY OUR WONDERFUL STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES STAFF WITH SAMPLES OF OUR BREAKFAST ITEMS. I WANT TO REMIND ALL FAMILIES THAT BREAKFAST IS FREE FOR ALL STUDENTS EVERY MORNING. STUDENTS CAN ENJOY BREAKFAST IN THE CAFETERIA OR AS YOU SAW TODAY, WE HAVE MOBILE BREAKFAST CARTS AT SCHOOL. BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ARE A HEALTHY OPTION IN OUR HEALTHY OPTION IN OUR SCHOOL. CAN ANYBODY GUESS WHAT THE NUMBER ONE MENU ITEM CHOICE IS FOR STUDENTS? NUMBER ONE CHOICE? I WAS THINKING I WAS THINKING CHICKEN AND
BISCUITS, TOO, BUT IT'S PIZZA. PIZZA BY FAR THE NUMBER ONE OPTION. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DID THIS, SHANEY. LAST YEAR WE LAST YEAR WE SOLD 2,432,000 SLICES OF PIZZA. THAT IS A LEAD IN FOR THAT IS A LEAD IN FOR SHANEY. SHANEY HALL, INCREDIBLE LEADER OF STUDENT NUTRITION, TOP ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY WITH STUDENT NUTRITION SERVICES, SHANEY, COME ON UP. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE. YES, THAT'S TRUE.
2.4 MILLION SLICES OF PIZZA, AND THAT PIZZA IS HEALTHY PIZZA, BUT IT TASTES JUST AS GOOD AS THE PIZZA FROM A PIZZERIA. SO ONE THING WE'RE PROUD SO ONE THING WE'RE PROUD OF, IS WE HAVE A STUDENT-CENTERED MENU. EVERY YEAR, WE HOST A FOOD SHOW AND INVITE AND INVITE STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT TO VOTE ON WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO THE MENU. WE GET THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE MENU AND WHAT NEEDS TO NEEDS TO GO.
THIS YEAR, WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING SOME NEW BRING SOME NEW MENU OPTIONS TO THE SERVING LINE. AND THAT WILL INCLUDE CHICKEN FAJITAS, BEEF FAJITAS, BEEF TERIYAKI WITH ASIAN RICE, MARDI GRAS CHICKEN AND A HOST OF OTHER AND A HOST OF OTHER OPTIONS, ALONG WITH OUR STUDENT VOTED BEST PIZZA, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE WE WILL SERVE JUST AS MUCH, OR MORE OF THIS NEXT YEAR. I'M ALSO HAPPY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THE LUNCH
PRICES THE PRICES THE SAME. SO WE STILL OFFER FREE LUNCH UNDER THE COMMUNITY UNDER THE COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION PROVISION AT 198 SCHOOLS AND AT THE NON-CEP SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY LUNCH WILL LUNCH WILL COST 225 THIS YEAR, AND MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LUNCH WILL REMAIN ALSO AT WILL REMAIN ALSO AT 275. SO THIS WAS A HARD THING TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF. WE SAW PRICES RISING JUST AS YOU
ALL HAVE SEEN IN YOUR OWN FAMILY BUDGETS, BUT WITH THE WORK OF OUR OUTSTANDING DISTRICT CHEF, CHEF DEB, WHO IS HERE. I HOPE I HOPE YOU GO SAY I HOPE YOU GO SAY HELLO. SHE'S AT THE BREAKFAST CART. OUR NUTRITIONIST, CORBETT AND OTHER EXPERIENCED MANAGERS AND CHEF MANAGERS, WE CHEF MANAGERS, WE ADDED SOME MORE SCRATCH COOKING TO OUR MENU, JUST LIKE WE'RE HAVING TO DO AT HOME. IT WAS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO ANYWAY, BUT IT'S A WAY TO KEEP OUR COSTS CONTAINED.
WE'RE ALSO A LARGE DISTRICT, SO WE DO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF GOOD BUYING POWER. SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED WITH ALL THE NEW ITEMS WE'RE BRINGING THIS YEAR. WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE WE'RE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE. THE MANAGER THE MANAGER ASHLEY DORSEY IS WONDERFUL. I MET HER TEAM THIS MORNING. MANY NEW MANY NEW SNS EMPLOYEES HERE WITH A SMILE, READY TO GREET THE CHILDREN ON MONDAY. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ]
>>Van Ayres: GO FROM LUNCHES TO CELL PHONES, RIGHT? TWO INTERESTING TOPICS. STARTING ON JULY 1st, NEW STATE LAW THAT WENT INTO EFFECT TO REDUCE CLASSROOM DISTRACTION AND HELP STUDENTS STAY FOCUSED. HOWEVER THIS BOARD WAS WAY AHEAD OF THAT AS LAST YEAR, THE BOARD CREATED A POLICY. WHAT THAT CELL PHONE POLICY NOW IS, WHICH OUR SCHOOL BOARD CREATED POLICY AROUND LAST YEAR, JUST THAT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THOSE STUDENTS MUST KEEP THEIR PHONES OFF AND STORE THEM IN A
THEM IN A BACKPACK OR OTHER DESIGNATED AREA DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE, IT HAS TO BE PUT AWAY AT ALL TIMES. THAT'S FOLLOWING OUR POLICY WE HAD IN PLACE FOR LAST YEAR. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MUST HAVE THEIR PHONES OFF DURING THE SCHOOL DAY UNLESS AUTHORIZED BY A TEACHER FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. THE DIFFERENCE AT HIGH SCHOOL, THE ADMINISTRATION IN EACH HIGH SCHOOL CAN DESIGNATE USE OF CELL PHONES IN LUNCH OR PASSING PERIODS. LAW IN EFFECT JULY 1st. THE BOARD PUT A POLICY IN PLACE LAST YEAR. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN OUR
WAY OF WORK. PLANT CITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE, AS MR. FARKAS MENTIONED, WHICH OPEN IN OCTOBER FOR ADULTS AND LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO TAKE COURSES BEGINNING IN JANUARY. THAT WILL OPEN UP THIS FALL. INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICITY, WELDING TECHNOLOGY, BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, HVAC AND FORKLIFT CERTIFICATION. WE WILL NAME THE NEW SCHOOL AT OUR AUGUST OUR AUGUST 26th BOARD MEETING. EXCITING WITH MORGAN AND PLANT CITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE NAMED ON AUGUST 26. GREAT NEW INNOVATION IMPROVEMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO
SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OUR ENTIRE COUNTY. FINALLY TODAY, WE WANT TO SHARE SOME EXCITING NEW COMMUNICATION TOOLS THAT WILL HELP FAMILIES SAY MORE CONNECTED WITH THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL. WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO STAY AHEAD WITH COMMUNICATION. SO MUCH INFORMATION IS OUT THERE. HOW DO WE ENSURE OUR FAMILIES RECEIVE THE INFORMATION IN THE DIFFERENT SPOTS. WE LAUNCHED NEW DISTRICT WEBSITE IN MOBILE APP. YOU CAN FIND US ON THE SAME SPOT. HillsboroughSchools.org, BUT NOW THE WEBSITE IS MORE DYNAMIC AND USER FRIENDLY.
WE ALSO HAVE THE NEW WE ALSO HAVE THE NEW HCPS WE ALSO HAVE THE NEW HCPS SHALL APP. ON THE APP, YOU CAN FIND ACADEMIC CALENDARS, DISTRICT NEWS, DINING, TRANSPORTATION, ATHLETICS AND DEPARTMENT INFORMATION. YOU CAN ADD MULTIPLE SCHOOLS ON THE APP IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. WE HAVE THE WE HAVE THE HCPS APP ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT. PARENTS WILL BE ASKED TO DOWNLOAD THE NEW FOCUS APP, RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE. PARENTS CAN FIND CHILDREN'S ATTENDANCE INFORMATION, REPORT CARDS, STUDENT SCHEDULES AND
TEST RESULTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR CANVAS APP TO THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE WHICH WILL ALLOW PARENTS TO SEE DAILY ASSIGNMENTS AND COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CHILD'S TEACHER. REALLY AN IMPORTANT SLIDE THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE TO OUR FAMILIES. THREE DIFFERENT WAYS BETWEEN THE HCPS APP, FOCUS PORTAL AND CONTINUATION OF CANVAS. IN CLOSING, THERE IS SO MUCH TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR, SO MUCH EXCITEMENT. I'VE BEEN AT SCHOOLS STARTING LAST FRIDAY. THE ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM THIS YEAR
IS IS UNMATCHED. THIS THIS PREPLANNING HAS BEEN THUS FAR REALLY PHENOMENAL AND FAR REALLY PHENOMENAL AND THE ENERGY. OUR STAFF AND TEACHERS ARE EXCITED TO WELCOME OUR STUDENTS BACK ON MONDAY. THERE'S NO GREATER TIME OF YEAR THAN BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIME. NOTHING BETTER THAN BACK-TO-SCHOOL TIME. GETTING BACK INTO THE ROUTINE AND SCHEDULES, NOTHING LIKE BACK TO SCHOOL. I'M HONORED TO BE LEADING THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT. REMEMBER, STUDENTS AND PARENTS,
THAT'S ALL THERE IS, FOUR MORE DAYS OF SLEEPING IN. DON'T SLEEP IN TOO MUCH. START TO BUILD THE SCHEDULE BACK. TIME TO JUMP BACK INTO LEARNING AS WE CONTINUE OUR MISSION OF PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. I'LL SEE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS BACK MONDAY MORNING, AUGUST 11. THANK YOU, EVERYONE. [ APPLAUSE ]