. >>Karen Perez: THE BOARD MEETING OF DECEMBER 9, 2025, IS CALLED TO ORDER. MEMBER COMBS WILL NOW LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF REFLECTION FOLLOWED BY THE BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A PLEASE JOIN ME FOR A MOMENT OF REFLECTION. THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
(PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE) . >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER COMBS, WILL YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENT ENTERTAINMENT? >>Nadia Combs: YES. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE TEAM ALONG WITH PRINCIPAL PETER PETER MAJERA AND DIRECTOR PETER MAJERA AND DIRECTOR DESIREE SHAPIRO. THE WONDERFUL STUDENTS ENTERTAINED US PRIOR TO THE BOARD MEETING.
AT THIS TIME WE'D AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THE STUDENTS INTRODUCE THEMSELVES. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND ESTEEMED CABINET AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. I WANT TO INTRODUCE RAVEN KING AND DESIREE SHAPIRO AND THEIR WONDERFUL PROGRESS WONDERFUL PROGRESS VILLAGE DANCERS. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS RAVEN KING AND I'M ONE OF THE DANCE TEACHERS AT PROGRESS VILLAGE MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL. THANK YOU THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THANK YOU THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO PERFORM.
>> THANK YOU. I'M DESIREE SHAPIRO. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR GIRLS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE] >> MY NAME IS LUTIA AND I'M IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. >> MONET AND I'M IN THE EIGHTH GRADE. >> MADELINE AND I'M IN THE EIGHTH GRADE. >> ADDISON SMART AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> MY NAME IS LIVE LID YOU AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> CHARLOTTE AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> KATE AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> KAYLA BAXTER.
>> RESIA, SEVENTH GRADE. >> >> ANLISA AND I'M IN EIGHTH GRADE. >> JASMINE, EIGHTH GRADE. >> CHLOE AND I'M IN >> CHLOE AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> MY NAME IS AVA AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> MY NAME IS >> MY NAME IS TIANA AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> ELIANI. >> ENA AND I'M IN 7TH GRADE. >> MY NAME IS MATI AND I'M IN THE EIGHTING GRADE. >> VOLANO, EIGHTH GRADE. >> RILER AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE.
>> LACY SHARP AND I'M IN SEVENTH GRADE. >> VIOLET AND I'M IN THE SEVENTH GRADE. >> MADISON AND I'M IN EIGHTH GRADE. >> >> CECILIA, EIGHTH GRADE. >> LILY DAVIS, EIGHTH >> LILY DAVIS, EIGHTH GRADE. >> GREAT JOB, >> GREAT JOB, GIRLS. LET'S STAND UP. [APPLAUSE]
. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY -- BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLYLY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THE -- ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EXCEPT FOR MEMBER HAHN. WE HAVE TWO SETS OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY.
NOVEMBER 18, 2025. BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING. AND DECEMBER 2. THE BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER, WE ARE A
NONPARTISAN BOARD WHO BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN BE EMPOWERED TO LEARN, TO SUCCEED, AND OUR DECISIONS WILL BE MADE WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING. TO PAVE THE WAY FOR EFFICIENT AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU'RE ASKED TO GET YOU'RE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. MEMBER COMBS WILL READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES.
>>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. SORRY. I'M JUST GETTING OVER THE FLU. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE ROOM BEHIND THAT THAT WILL ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING UPON STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON LIVE WEB
CAST, ON VIDEO MONITORS HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM AND ALSO IN ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVE. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. WE HAVE ONE ITEM SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. AT 6:00 P.M., EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT INPUT. TONIGHT OUR TONIGHT OUR RECOGNITIONS, WE HAVE A1, RECOGNITION OF CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE REORGANIZATION. CHRIS FARKAS, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF OPERATIONS WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Christopher Farkas: THANK YOU, CHAIR. APPRECIATE IT, BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT.
WE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND WHAT THEY MEANT TO THE BOARD AND I KNOW THE BOARD IS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE THINGS THEY HAVE DONE. FOR THE GROUP AND CROWD, I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION. IN 2017-18 THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS FACING OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF CHOICE. SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE TODAY WERE PART OF THAT BOARD. WE KNEW THAT A HALF PENNY REFERENDUM WAS THE ONLY WAY TO RAISE OUR HEADS ABOVE THE WATER AND GET SOME AIR CONDITIONING AND ROOFS AND SOME THINGS STUDENTS NEEDED SO BAD.
THERE WAS WAVERING ON HOW WE'D SPEND THE MONEY. AT THAT TIME SUPERINTENDENT AIKENS LOOKED AT WHAT WORKS AND MAKE SURE THE DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY KNOWS WE'LL SPEND THE MONEY HOW WE MONEY HOW WE PROMISED, THE HALF PENNY PROMISED. WE TALKED ABOUT A CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING AT WHO WOULD BE THE RIGHT FIT, MAKING SURE WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WERE PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY AND WOULDN'T JUST GIVE US A RUBBER STAMP AND MADE SURE THEY LOOKED INTO WHAT WE WERE DOING AND
DOING THE RIGHT THING. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WAS PRETTY PAINSTAKING. AS WE LOOK FOR THE POTENTIAL REAUTHORIZATION WE COME TO, IT'S BEEN EIGHT BEEN EIGHT YEARS AND IT DOESN'T BEEN EIGHT YEARS AND IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT, BUT WE'RE COMING UP ON EIGHT YEARS. WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS THAT ARE TRANSITIONING OFF AND TWO MEMBERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE JOINING US. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE JUST A SECOND TO TALK ABOUT THEM. THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ARE THE ONES TRANSITIONING OFF. WE'LL START WITH THE SHERIFF. RECOGNIZES THE DISCIPLINE AND COMMUNITY FOCUS VICE CHAIR, HIS
PERSPECTIVE IS ROOTED SAFETY, PERSPECTIVE IS ROOTED SAFETY, INTEGRITY AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP AND HE WAS PARTNERSHIP AND HE WAS VITAL MAKING SURE HIS STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNT BEELITH DEEPENED OUR CONNECTION TO OUR SCHOOLS AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY. SHERIFF HAS BEEN THE SHERIFF SINCE 2017 AND HE IS COCHAIR OF THE REGIONAL DOMESTIC SECURITY TASK FORCE AND VICE CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY OF COORDINATING COUNSEL. THAT BEING SAID, CHAD IS THE ONE THAT PUSHED HARD TO MAKE SURE OUR KIDS ARE SAFE. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A WILLING PARTNER WHETHER IT'S THE FIRST
DAY OF SCHOOL AND HIM AND MR. BARTALOW MAKING SURE THE KIDS GET TO SCHOOL SAFE OR ANY TIME THERE IS A CALL OR NEED, CHAD IS THERE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION AND BE THERE FOR US. WE HE HAS BEEN A PARTNER KELL WE HE HAS BEEN A PARTNER KELL WE HAVE STORMS, CHAD IS THE FIRST ONE TO REACH ABOUT THAT. I CALL HIM A GOOD I CALL HIM A GOOD FRIEND AND HE IS A VITAL PART OF WHY THERE IS COMITANCE IN WHAT WE HAVE DONE. AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE CHAD CHRONISTER FOR BEING A MEMBER OF THE CITIZENS
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR THE LAST SEVEN YEARS. [APPLAUSE] NOW, BOARD, I'LL NEED A LITTLE LEEWAY ON THIS ONE. MANY OF YOU KNOW I WAS A HISTORY TEACHER. WHEN WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL LIKE MS. BETTY CASTER, SHE IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER RESUME. MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW A LOT ABOUT MS. CASTER BUT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOMETHING YOU
MAY NOT KNOW. MS. CASTER WAS SENT BY JFK TO UGANDA AND DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AND TAUGHT THERE WHERE SHE STARTED. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN ON THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSION AND THE FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE AS THE FLORIDA SENATE PRESIDENT AND TALKED ABOUT EQUAL RIGHTS BILLS, FIGHTING SPOUSEAL ABUSE CENTERS AND FUNDED EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY CENTERS. SHE WAS THE FIRST -- THEY TRIPLED THE ENDOWMENT AND BECAME A RESEARCH INSTITUTION UNDER BETTY. SHE IS PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL
BOARD OF TEACHING STANDARDS. HE'S BEEN OUR -- SHE'S BEEN OUR CHAIR AND I'D ARGUE THE PERSON WHO GUIDED WHETHER IT WAS SUPERINTENDENT AIKENS, DAVIS OR AYRES THROUGH MANY OF THE TROUBLED TIMES WE HAD OR COVID AND THINGS WE AND THINGS WE FACED. SHE'S BEEN A TRUSTED SHE'S BEEN A TRUSTED ADVISOR. ANOTHER ONE WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH, KRISTEN DAVIS WHO HELPED ME WITH THE CITIZEN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND SHE IS A KEY PART OF WHY WE ARE SUCCESSFUL. I'D LIKE TO GIVE RECOGNITION TO
MS. BETTY MS. BETTY CASTOR, THE CHAIR OF THE CITIZENS THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. [APPLAUSE] SO I'M GOING TO DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION OF EVERYONE ELSE AND ALLOW AND ALLOW CASTOR AND SHERIFF CHRONISTER TO SAY COMMENTS. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS CURRENTLY HERE. THE FIRST IS OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER, MR. TOM LEE.
TOM LEE, BEING A BUSINESSMAN ACTUALLY TOOK OVER AND HAS NOW BEEN A SENATOR FOR 18 YEARS BEEN A SENATOR FOR 18 YEARS AND THE SENATOR AS WELL. WE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO ADD HIM TO THE COMMITTEE. HE INTERVIEWED US AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THERE IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY THROUGH THE PROCESS. AS SOMEONE STEEPED IN FLORIDA LEGISLATURE I THINK LEGISLATURE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE HIM HELP US NAVIGATE AND I WANT TO NAVIGATE AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE
MR. TOM LEE. [APPLAUSE] AND A LOT OF YOU'LL SEE AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE MR. LOTT TOO MUCH SINCE WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE BUILDING AFTER HIM AND THE RIBBON CUTTING ON FRIDAY. BUT MR. RICK LOTT IS HERE. RICK? [APPLAUSE] A NEWER MEMBER TO THE COMMITTEE, MR. ANDY ROSS, MAYOR OF TEMPLE MR. ANDY ROSS, MAYOR OF TEMPLE TERRACE. MR. ROSS. I BELIEVE EDNA WAS HERE AND WALKED IN SOMEWHERE. THERE WE GO. VERY GOOD.
WANTED TO STAY IN THE BACK. EDNA RAIN EDNA RAIN IS ALSO THERE. AND I DON'T LET JOSE TALK BECAUSE HE SOUNDS SO BECAUSE HE SOUNDS SO COOL. YOU DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW HIM. BUT THE NEW CHAIR FOR THE CITIZENS CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, JOSE JOSE VALIENTE. THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR ALLOWING US A FEW MINUTES. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND THEY'RE INSTRUMENTAL IN HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE TO WHAT WE DO. WE HAVE TWO ACCOUNTANTS, ELECTED
OFFICIALS, THE SHERIFF. WE HAVE TO BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND SHOWING THE TRANSPARENCY OF WHAT WE DO. I'D LIKE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MS. FOR MS. CASTOR AND SHERIFF CHRONISTER TO TALK. >> AS RELUCTANT AS I AM TO GET UP TO THE MICROPHONE, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, TO EVERY BOARD MEMBER, THE SUPERINTENDENT, AND TO THE STAFF. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY PRINCIPALS ARE US TODAY, BUT I DO RECALL WHEN THIS REFERENDUM WAS PASSED, IT WAS IN LARGE PART DUE TO THE PRINCIPALS THAT GOT
OUT IN THE SCHOOLS AND WORKED WITH THEIR PARENTS AND GAVE US A GREAT VICTORY. THIS IS ONE OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT I'VE HAD THAT I HAVE TOTALLY, TOTALLY ENJOYED. WE HAVE A GOOD GROUP. WE ATTEND MEETINGS. MR. NARANE USUALLY COMES IN. HE IS HERE. WE'RE HAPPY HE'S -- HE USUALLY GETS IN THERE JUST BEFORE THE GETS IN THERE JUST BEFORE THE BELL RINGS. BUT BUT -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC REALIZES SPENT -- EXPENDED OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS TO IMPROVE MILLION DOLLARS TO IMPROVE OROUR SCHOOLS. ONE BILLION DOLLARS. [APPLAUSE] THOSE OF US ON THE COMMITTEE HAVE SEEN THE DIRTY PROJECTS. WE'VE SEEN THE ROOFS WE'VE SEEN THE ROOFS REPAIRED. WE'VE SEEN NEW LIBRARIES. WE HAVE SEEN SCHOOL WE HAVE SEEN SCHOOL PLAYGROUNDS IMPROVED. WE'VE SEEN OUR STADIUMS AND THE
GROUND COVER IMPROVED. AND ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN DONE WITH WITH 100% TRANSPARENCY WITH 100% TRANSPARENCY AND 100% WITH 100% TRANSPARENCY AND 100% INTEGRITY. WHEN WE GO BACK TO THE PUBLIC AGAIN, I WANT TO HELP YOU MAKE THAT STATEMENT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN THOSE DOLLARS -- THOSE DOLLARS HAVE BEEN -- WE'VE WATCHED OVER THOSE DOLLARS. YOU HAVE WATCHED OVER THOSE DOLLARS. YOU HAVE CHECKED ON THE EXPENDITURES. AND WHAT MORE CAN YOU SAY FOR
PUBLIC PROJECTS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY. I HAVE LOVED GETTING TO KNOW THE SHERIFF AND HE HAS JUST BEEN A MAIN STAY OF OUR GROUP. SO, SHERIFF CHRONISTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY YOU LIKE TO SAY HALLELUJAH? >> YEAH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. INCREDIBLE INCREDIBLE BOARD, AMAZING SUPERINTENDENT, AS MUCH AS IT PAINS ME, DEPUTY PAINS ME, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT.
BUT THE ENTIRE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION. IT'S INCREDIBLY HUMBLING. I HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT I HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT I LEARNED SO MUCH, HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAINS. TO BE ABLE TO SPEND TIME, ALL OF YOU HAVE TO BE PROUD OF EVERY EMPLOYEE OF YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM AND SEE HOW THEY MAXIMIZE THE SEE HOW THEY MAXIMIZE THE BUDGET AND THE AND THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS. TO SEE HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND CONTRACTORS, WHETHER THEY WERE MINORITY-BASED. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT THEY
DID IS KEEP THE TAX DOLLARS HERE. THEY TOOK THE MONIES AND THEY TOOK THE MONIES AND HIRED CONTRACTORS HERE AS OFTEN AS THEY COULD. IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW WHEN THIS COMES UP, I'LL COMES UP, I'LL BE COMES UP, I'LL BE RIGHT THERE WITH BETTY WITH BETTY CASTOR TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS HERE AND WHAT WAS CREATED HERE OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION. TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT. AND WHO CAN EVER ARGUE WITH THE FACT THAT YOU'VE HELPED CREATE SAFER SCHOOLS.
I WOULD ARGUE THE SAFEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE IF NOT THE NATION BECAUSE OF THE NATION BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT'S BEEN SPENT. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU. TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH BETTY CASTOR, AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND AND TRAIL BLAZER, IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH CONVINCING WHEN THEY SAID, HEY, BETTY, AND THE REST -- IT WAS KIND OF BLURRY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY SAID. BUT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, HOW GRATEFUL ARE WE AND BLESSED ARE WE THAT BETTY WE THAT BETTY CASTOR STILL GIVES
BACK AND PAYS IT FORWARD AND CALLS TAMPA HOME. BETTY, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. DISTINGUISHED BOARD, SUPERINTENDENT, ALL THE STAFF AND COMMITTEE, HUMBLED TO RECEIVE THIS RECOGNITION. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF IT. . >>Karen Perez: RECOGNITION A02, RECOGNITION OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS BEST KREWE AWARD.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO CALL UP ANN MARIE COURTNEY, DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIP ENGAGEMENT, PHILANTHROPY AND PHILANTHROPY AND OUTREACH. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT, CABINET CABINET MEMBERS AND GUESTS, THE CABINET MEMBERS AND GUESTS, THE BUCS BEST KREWE PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS WHO ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 50th SEASON OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA, THIS MONTHLY AWARD RECOGNIZES STANDOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS,
SCHOOL TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE, OVERALL IMPACT ON STUDENTS, AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. WE ARE HONORED THIS EVENING TO HAVE BRIAN FORD, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OF THE OFFICER OF THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS HERE TONIGHT TO ANNOUNCE THIS MONTH'S AWARD RECIPIENTS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANN MARIE AND MADAM CHAIR, REST OF THE BOARD. DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, GOOD
AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU. SO EXCITED TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM. BUT THAT'S A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW, THAT LAST -- THAT'S TREMENDOUS. SO, ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS SO, ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND MPLUXLISHMENTS, AGAIN, AS THE SHERIFF MENTIONED, HUMBLED TO BE HERE. THANKS FOR ALL YOU'RE DOING. BEFORE I GET ON TO OUR AWARD WINNERS, I WANTED TO BRING SOMETHING TO LIGHT THAT I THOUGHT ALL OF YOU WOULD REALLY FIND VERY INTERESTING. THERE IS A YOUNG MAN THAT'S THERE IS A YOUNG MAN THAT'S ON OUR TEAM, AND HE'S, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE ME EVERY MONTH. BUT THE GENTLEMAN THAT'S BACK IN
THE OFFICE THAT ACTUALLY HELPS WITH ALL OUR SCHOOL PROGRAMMING HAS JOINED ME HERE TODAY. HE DOESN'T KNOW I'M ABOUT TO DO THIS. MR. CHAD JENKINS, I'D LIKE TO HAVE HIM COME UP HERE. AND IT'S THE INDIVIDUALS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT HELP US COORDINATE AND THE COLLABORATION AND CHAD HAS GROWN UP HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BORN AND RAISED. WENT ALL THROUGH SCHOOL THROUGH THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. WENT TO JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR HIS HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN WENT TO STETSON
UNIVERSITY FOR HIS UNDERGRAD AND USF FOR HIS GRADUATE STUDIES. NOW HE'S A BUCCANEER. SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE HIM ON OUR TEAM. AND THE INFORMATION THAT I BRING FORTH EACH MONTH IS ON HIS SHOULDERS. SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, CHAD, AND TO INTRODUCE CHAD, THE GUY BEHIND THE SCENES. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU CAN HELP ME WITH YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THE BALLS NOW. FIRST UP, AND AGAIN, I'D LOVE TO START OFF BOARD MEETINGS ON A POSITIVE NOTE AND THINGS WE CAN
ALL AGREE UPON. THERE IS THREE STORIES HERE FOR OUR PRINCIPAL OF THE MONTH, OUR TEACHER OF THE TEACHER OF THE MONTH, AND SUPPORT STAFF OF THE MONTH. WE HAVE A TRADITION AT ONE BUCCANEER PLACE. ANYBODY WHO GOES OVER AND ABOVE AND WE NEED TO GET BACK ON THE WINNING SIDE OF THINGS THURSDAY NIGHT TO DO THIS. ANYBODY THAT GOES OVER AND ABOVE GETS A GAME BALL. THESE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT I'LL SPEAK OF HERE IN JUST A MINUTE HAVE GONE OVER AND ABOVE. THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEIR OWN, VERY OWN CUSTOM GAME BALL. LET'S START WITH BEVERLY HAWKINS, THE HAWKINS, THE SCHOOL SOCIAL
WORKER FROM WORKER FROM POTTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YOU EVEN WORE BUCK RE RED. ALL RIGHT. THE -- BUC RED. THE COMMENTS I'M ABOUT TO READ, MS. HAWKINS, DID NOT COME FROM ONE INDIVIDUAL BUT FROM YOUR PRINCIPAL, YOUR PEERS, YOUR TEACHERS, YOUR STUDENT BODY. THE FAMILIES THAT YOU IMPACT. AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO ALSO ANNOUNCE THAT THE NOMINATIONS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING EACH MONTH FOR THIS PROGRAM ARE INCREASING. SO WE WANT TO GET THE WORD OW,
SO I WANT YOU -- THE WORD OUT, SO I WANT YOU TO SHOWCASE YOUR GAME BALL SO OTHERS TELL THEIR STORIES. THERE ARE TREMENDOUS STORIES AND WE NEED TO BRING THEM TO LIGHT. THIS IS COMING FROM YOUR STUDENT BODY. MS. HAWKINS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL MS. HAWKINS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL SOCIAL WORKER WHO SOCIAL WORKER WHO CONSISTENTLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR HER POTTER FAMILIES. HER DEDICATION TO FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY CHALLENGE AND HER COMPASSION FOR STUDENTS MAKE HER AN INVALUABLE PART OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. AS LEADER OF THE PBIS TEAM, SHE
FOSTERS A POSITIVE CULTURE, SUPPORT STUDENT BEHAVIOR WITH CARE, AND PLAYS A VITAL RULE IN IMPROVING ATTENDANCE AND CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. SHE PROVIDES GRIEF COUNSELING WHEN NEEDED, BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT AND CONDUCTS HOME VISITS, STRENGTHENING THE TRUST BETWEEN THE SCHOOL AND HOME. BUT HER COMMITMENT EXTENDS BEYOND DAILY RESPONSIBILITY. SHE BUILDS POWERFUL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS SUCH AS SECURING CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR STUDENTS THROUGH THE ROGERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH. SHE ALSO REMOVES BARRIERS FOR
FAMILIES LIKE GOING OUT OF HER WAY TO GET A STROLLER FOR A FAMILY SO THEY CAN BRING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL. SHE EVEN HAS FUND RAISED TO PAY FOR SCHOOL BUSES ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS INCLUDING GETTING TRANSPORTATION FOR 30 KIDS TO GO TO CLOTHES FOR KIDS TO RECEIVE CLOTHES AND CLOTHES AND SHOES. IT'S TREMENDOUS. MS. HAWKINS WORK BRINGS COMFORT, STABILITY AND OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AND HER IMPACT IS FELT IN EVERY CORNER OF POTTER. CONGRATULATIONS. [APPLAUSE]
ALL RIGHT. NEXT, VICTORIA FULTON. COME ON UP HERE. I LOVE THE SHIRT. ALL RIGHT. AGAIN, THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR FACULTY, YOUR STUDENTS AND THE AND THE FAMILIES. TREMENDOUS. "MS. FULTON IS A PART-TIME CAFETERIA ATTENDANT AT LUNEAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUT HER IMPACT ON STUDENTS GOES FAR BEYOND HER ROLE. IT'S NO SECRET THAT SCHOOL CAFETERIAS CAN BE A CHALLENGE,
YET SHE SHOWS UP DAILY, EAGERLY AND EXCITED WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND SMILE. SHE'S NOT MISSED A SINGLE DAY ALL YEAR. THAT'S LEADING BY EXAMPLE. EVEN WHEN HER VEHICLE DID NOT START, SHE MADE SURE TO GET AN UBER TO MAKE IT ON TIME AND NOT MISS A DAY. THAT'S TRUE DEDICATION FOR A JOB THAT'S IN MOST SCHOOLS HARD THAT'S IN MOST SCHOOLS HARD TO FILL. MS. FULTON TRANSFORMS THE CAFETERIA FROM A TYPICALLY CAFETERIA FROM A TYPICALLY CLOUD CHAOTIC SPACE -- THAT'S NOT TRUE, RIGHT? INTO A WELCOMING, INTO A WELCOMING, TRUCKTURED
ENVIRONMENT THAT STUDENTS ENJOY. SHE INCORPORATES HOLIDAYS TO KEEP STUDENTS ENGAGED WHEN THEY'RE FINISHED EATING. EVEN WITH NO CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE, SHE TREATS THE SPACE LIKE A CLASSROOM SETTING DISPLAYING ARTWORK AND EXAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK. HER SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS FROM TREATS TO CELEBRATING SPECIAL MOMENTS MAKE LUNCHTIME A JOYFUL EXPERIENCE. BECAUSE OF HER EFFORT AND HEART, THE CAFETERIA HAS BECOME A PLACE STUDENTS TRULY LOOK FORWARD TO EACH DAY. THAT'S TREMENDOUS.
[APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT. NOW I WANT YOU TO TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF PRINCIPAL SCOTT WEAVER'S TIE. COME ON UP. I LIKE THAT. ALL RIGHT.
AGAIN, PRINCIPAL WEAVER, THESE COMMENTS ARE COMING FROM YOUR FACULTY. THE FAMILIES. YOUR STUDENT BODY AND IT'S TREMENDOUS. PRINCIPAL SCOTT WEAVER IS AN EXCEPTIONAL LEADER WHOSE DEDICATION AND WORK ETHIC AND HANDS-ON APPROACH SET YOU APART. THROUGHOUT YOUR 20 PLUS YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COLLEAGUES CONSISTENTLY DESCRIBE YOU AS ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING AND COMMITTED PRINCIPALS THAT THEY HAVE PRINCIPALS THAT THEY HAVE EVER WORKED FOR. HE DOESN'T SIMPLY LEAD HIS SCHOOL.
HE EMBODIES IT. ALTHOUGH HIS TITLE IS PRINCIPAL, SCOTT FULFILLS COUNTLESS ROLES EACH DAY. HE CAN BE FOUND SWEEPING AND RAKING THE SOCCER FIELD. FIXING THE MARQUEE. ASSISTING IN THE FRONT OFFICE AND HANDLING THE MANY BEHIND THE SCENES TASKS THAT KEEP THE SCHOOL RUNNING SMOOTHLY. NO JOB IS TOO NO JOB IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL. REFLECTING HIS HUMILITY AND UNWAVERING TEAM-FIRST ATTITUDE. YOUR LEADERSHIP IS YOUR LEADERSHIP IS EMPOWERING AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IS CONSTANT.
WOW. HE LIFTS OTHERS UP AND CELEBRATES BOTH BIG ACHIEVEMENTS AND EVERY-DAY AND EVERY-DAY SUCCESSES. THE SCHOOL SPIRIT IS EQUALLY THE SCHOOL SPIRIT IS EQUALLY WELL KNOWN AS A PROUD BUCCANEER SUPER FAN, YOU BRING ENERGY, HUMOR AND HEART TO THE CAMPUS. PRINCIPAL WEAVER IS JUST NOT A LEADER OF THE SCHOOL. HE IS THE BACKBONE AND HE IS THE BACKBONE AND SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT AUTHENTIC, SERVANT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE. THAT'S TREMENDOUS. [APPLAUSE]
. >>Karen Perez: THE BOARD WELCOMES COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, OUR STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND WILL KEEP OUR BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THE RESPONSES. OUR SCHOOL BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND WE BOARD AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE LEER. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT ANY ISSUE YOU'D LIKE, AND YOU WILL NOT BE INTERRUPTED. HOWEVER, ANY BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT
OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE OF THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. WE DO REQUEST THAT YOU TRY TO FOCUS ON THE ISSUES. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE. THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. REMINDER THAT YOUR THREE MINUTES START WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING. WHEN THERE ARE 30 SECONDS LEFT, YOU WILL SEE A YELLOW LIGHT ON THE LECTANT AND HEAR A CHIME. THE RED LIGHT AND A CHIME WILL INDICATE WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I WILL
I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. >> MARK KLUTHO LARGO. THAT STATEMENT IS ABOUT AS INSINCERE AS I'VE EVER HEARD. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEVIATE FROM WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY FROM WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY AFTER YOUR
AFTER YOUR GLAD AFTER YOUR GLAD HANDING AND BACK SLAPPING THAT YOU HAD SLAPPING THAT YOU HAD EARLIER SLAPPING THAT YOU HAD EARLIER. THAT OVERSIGHT JOKE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. OVERSIGHT OVERSIGHT. A BILLION DOLLARS. I'VE BEEN COMING HERE I'VE BEEN COMING HERE 30 YEARS
I'VE BEEN COMING HERE 30 YEARS. SEEN, IS IT SIX PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO BUILD BEEN APPOINTED TO BUILD SCHOOLS. NONE OF THEM NONE OF THEM NONE OF THEM QUALIFIED. NOT A SINGLE ONE. AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOT A NOT A BILLION. I'VE SEEN I'VE SEEN APPROACHING FIVE BILLION DOLLARS
BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF JUNK BUILDINGS. NOT A SINGLE ONE NOT A SINGLE ONE A HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVE PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING. YOUR MAN IN CHARGE NOW DOESN'T KNOW KNOW WHAT A KNOW WHAT A PROPERLY-ORIENTED BUILDING LOOKS LIKE. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE PROPERLY HAVE WITH THE PROPERLY DESIGNED BUILDING.
I MEAN, I MEAN, THIS TONIGHT COULD BESTBY DESCRIBED AS A BESTBY DESCRIBED AS A CIRCUS. I MEAN, YOU NEVER GOT A HIGH-PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR BUILDING FROM USF WITH AN ENGINEERING OR AN ARCHITECTURAL SCHOOL. THEY'RE ON THEIR CAMPUS. OH, BOY. YOU PEOPLE YOU PEOPLE ARE DISGUSTING. I I MEAN, DISGUSTING.
SO -- AND SO WHAT FOLLOWED. THE HEADLINE. "HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO THE "HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO THE PLANET'S CLIMATE TIPPING POINTS?" YEAH, THIS IS WHAT YOU BRING, AND THIS JUST CAME OUT. RESEARCHERS DODGE ICEBERGS AND SEEK OCEAN TIPPING POINT SEEK OCEAN TIPPING POINT AND WHAT IT SAYS IS -- WHAT IT SAYS IS -- WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS HAPPEN IS THAT HAPPEN IS THAT THERE WILL BE HAPPEN IS THAT THERE WILL BE STRONGER HURRICANES IN THE EASTERN EASTERN UNITED STATES.
YOU WILL CAUSE THAT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> GOOD >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SUE MY NAME IS SUE BATIGLIARI AND I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN AT DOBE ELEMENTARY. ONE IN KEPTER GARTEN AND ONE IN SECOND GRADE. MY FAMILY LIVES IN THE WATERSET COMMUNITY AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILIES WHO CARE DEEPLY
ABOUT EDUCATION IN SOUTH SHORE. OUR COMMUNITY HAS SHOWN A CLEAR CONSISTENT DEMAND FOR PUBLIC K-8 OPTIONS. WITHIN FIVE MILES OF DOBE WE ALREADY HAVE SIX K-8 ALREADY HAVE SIX K-8 CHARTER SCHOOLS AND ONE K-8 MAGNET YORK. DOBE ITSELF HAS MORE THAN 700 STUDENTS STUDENTS AND THEY'RE CONCERNED WE MAY RUN OUT OF SPACE.
ALMOST 500 AT CHARTERS AND 350 AT YORK. FAMILIES ARE CHOOSING K-8 PATHWAYS AND MOST OF THOSE OPTIONS TODAY ARE CHARTER, NOT OPTIONS TODAY ARE CHARTER, NOT PUBLIC. IN OCTOBER OUR PARENT SURVEY GATHERED 260 RESPONDENTS. NEARLY HALF HAD CHILDREN IN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS. OF THOSE PARENTS, 79% SAID THAT THEY'D HAVE CHOSEN DOBE RE IF IT HAD BEEN A HAD BEEN A K-8 AND OVER 7% DEFINITELY OR PROBABLY RETURN DEFINITELY OR PROBABLY RETURN TO DOBY IF DOBY IF EXPANDED.
75% OF CHARTER FAMILIES SAID THEY'D ENROLL BACK IF EXPANDED. MANY ARE CHALLENGED WITH CHILDREN SPLIT ACROSS DIFFERENT CAMPUSES AND TOP REASONS FAMILIES CHOSE CHARTERS WERE ACADEMICS AND SAFETY. THIS SHOWS STRONG DEMAND FOR A HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC K-8 OPTION. YORK MAGNET YORK MAGNET IS EXCELLENT BUT FULL. FAMILIES DESERVE CONSISTENT K-8 AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PATHWAYS. WE FULLY SUPPORT THE DISTRICT'S WORK AT EISENHOWER AND SHIELDS ESPECIALLY THE
ESPECIALLY THE EXPANSION OF RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS LIKE CAMBRIDGE. EXPANDING DOBY WOULD COMPLEMENT, NOT COMPETE WITH IMPROVEMENTS. EISENHOWER WILL ATTRACT FAMILIES WANTING ADVANCED PROGRAMS WILL DOBY WOULD SERVE FAMILIES SEEKING THE STABILITY OF A K-8 MODEL IN OUR GROWING COMMUNITY. WITH TREMENDOUS GROWTH FAMILIES ARE MAKING DECISIONS NOW, COMPETITION IS INCREASING, INCLUDING A NEW INCLUDING A NEW PRE-K-8 CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN RUSKIN AND MONTESSORI SCHOOLS CONSIDERING MIDDLE SCHOOL EXPANSION.
WE MUST KEEP FAMILIES IN OUR PUBLIC SYSTEM. EXPANDING DOBY TO A K-8 WOULD BRING STUDENTS BACK, KEEP FUTURE FAMILIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND STRENGTHEN SOUTH SHORE'S ENTIRE SCHOOL ECOSYSTEM. WE URGE THE DISTRICT TO COMMIT TO FUNDING A 6-8 ADDITION AT DOBY AS A SYSTEMIC SOLUTION THAT SUPPORTS ALL OUR PUBLIC SUPPORTS ALL OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. CAN I HAVE SPEAKERS SIX CAN I HAVE SPEAKERS SIX THROUGH TEN LINE UP.
NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> I -- HI. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS ABRIANA. I AM A I AM A SECOND GRADE AT I AM A SECOND GRADE AT DOBY. I LOVE MY SCHOOL AND MY TEACHERS, THEY ARE NICE AND THEY HELP ME WHEN I NEED IT. I LIKE LEARNING NEW THINGS.
I LOVE MY FRIENDS AT I LOVE MY FRIENDS AT DOBY. WE PLAY AND WORK TOGETHER. MY LITTLE BROTHER MY LITTLE BROTHER GIANI IS AT MY LITTLE BROTHER GIANI IS AT DOBY WITH ME. HE LOOKS UP TO ME HE LOOKS UP TO ME AND I HE LOOKS UP TO ME AND I HELP HIM HIM. I FEEL SAD THAT I FEEL SAD THAT I DON'T GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL AS
THE SAME SCHOOL AS LOTS OF MY FRIENDS. I WISH WE COULD I WISH WE COULD COME TO DOBY TOO. PLEASE MAKE PLEASE MAKE DOBY BIGGER SO I CAN STAY STAY HERE THROUGH EIGHTH STAY HERE THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS LAURA GARCIA AND I'M A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIFTH GRADE IN THE WATERSET COMMUNITY. A FEW WEEKS AGO, I SHARED THE STRONG INTEREST OUR COMMUNITY HAS IN EXPANDING DOBY TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. TONIGHT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHY THIS EXPANSION IS NOT ONLY BENEFICIAL BUT NECESSARY FOR THE SOUTHSHORE AREA. PARENTS ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING HIGH QUALITY SAFE AND ACADEMICALLY STRONG MIDDLE SCHOOL OPTIONS.
OUR RECENT SURVEY MADE THIS VERY CLEAR. FAMILIES SHARED CONCERNS ABOUT ACADEMICS, SAFETY, ACADEMICS, SAFETY, BULLYING, LIMITED EXTRACURRICULARS AND THE LACK OF A LACK OF A CONSISTENT PATHWAY. AT THE SAME TIME, A LARGE MAJORITY SAID THEY'D HAVE CHOSEN DOBY IF A VPK-8 OPTION EXISTED. THAT IS MEASURABLE EVIDENCE OF REAL EXISTING DEMAND. THIS IS NOT JUST A PREFERENCE. IT IS A NEED. OUR POPULATION IS GROWING QUICKLY. AND FAMILIES WANT STABILITY AND CONTINUITY.
DOBY ALREADY EARNED OUR TRUST AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL. EXPANDING IT WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS TO REMAIN IN A SAFE, COHESIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. REDUCING TRANSITIONS AND SUPPORTING STRONGER ACADEMIC OUTCOMES. WE ARE NOT ASKING THE DISTRICT TO CREATE INTEREST. THE INTEREST IS ALREADY HERE. WE ARE ASKING THE DISTRICT TO RESPOND TO THE RESPOND TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE FAMILIES IT SERVES. PARENTS MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE NEED MORE HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL CAPACITY AND EXPANDING DOBY IS THE NATURAL AND COMMUNITY SUPPORTED
SOLUTION. A DOBY EXPANSION ALIGNS WITH FAMILY NEEDS, STRENGTHENS STUDENT SUCCESS, AND SUPPORTS ALL SCHOOLS IN SOUTHSHORE. INCLUDING EISENHOWER AND SHIELDS BY CREATING STRONG, STABLE PUBLIC SCHOOL PATHWAYS. I URGE YOU TO RECOGNIZE THIS MOMENTUM, HONOR THE FEEDBACK YOU INVITED AND TAKE ACTION THAT SUPPORTS OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES AND THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. >> MY SON WILL SPEAK NOW.
HE ATTENDED DOBY. >> GOOD EVENING, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ALEJANDRO. I'M A 10-YEAR-OLD. I WANTED TO SHARE YOU MY STORY BECAUSE SCHOOL HAS BEEN A BIG ADVENTURE FOR ME. SOMETIMES A LITTLE TOO BIG. SINCE KINDERGARTEN I HAD TO MOVE SCHOOLS SEVERAL TIMES. SOME MOVES WERE BECAUSE MY FAMILY CHANGED HOMES AND SOME WERE BECAUSE WERE TRYING TO FIND TRYING TO FIND A SCHOOL WHERE I'D FEEL SAFE AND FIT IN. EVERY TIME I CHANGE SCHOOLS I
START OVER WITH NEW FRIENDS, TEACHERS AND ROUTINES. IT WASN'T ALWAYS EASY. LAST YEAR I ENDED UP AT DOBY AND FINALLY FELT RIGHT. I HAD AN AMAZING TEACHER WHO UNDERSTOOD ME. THE STAFF WERE REALLY KIND THE STAFF WERE REALLY KIND AND I MADE FRIENDS WHO WOULD LAST LONGER THAN A YEAR. BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME I FELT COMFORTABLE AND HAPPY AT SCHOOL. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO THINK ABOUT A MOVE, MY PARENTS DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SENDING ME TO OUR ZONED MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY MADE A TOUGH DECISION TO MOVE ME TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY WANTED ME TO FEEL
SAFE AND GET A GOOD EDUCATION. I UNDERSTAND THAT. EVEN THOUGH THE SCHOOL IS NICE IT DOESN'T GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH MEANS WE'LL HAVE TO START THE SEARCH ALL OVER AGAIN. WHAT I REALLY WANT NOW IS STABILITY. I WANT TO STAY IN ONE SCHOOL LONG ENOUGH TO BUILD FRIENDSHIPS THAT LAST. I WANT TEACHERS WHO GET TO KNOW ME YEAR AFTER YEAR. I WANT TO FEEL LIKE I'M PART OF A COMMUNITY, NOT LIKE I'M JUST PASSING THROUGH. I KNOW MY PARENTS ARE TRYING THEIR BEST. BUT I'M ASKING YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
PLEASE GIVE KIDS LIKE ME MORE OPTIONS. GOOD, STRONG SCHOOLS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE CAN STAY, GROW, AND FINALLY FEEL SETTLED. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. I HOPE HEARING MY STORY HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FROM A KID'S LIKE FROM A KID'S POINT OF VIEW. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> HELLO THERE, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. GREAT JOB, KIDS, FOR COMING UP AND SPEAKING. MY NAME IS JUAN HERNANDEZ. I LIVED IN TAMPA MY WHOLE LIFE. I MOVED TO THE SOUTH SHORE REGION IN 2010. I HAVE A FIFTH GRADER WHO IS CURRENTLY IN MONTESSORI AND A CURRENTLY IN MONTESSORI AND A KINDERGARTENNER AT CORAL ELEMENTARY. THROUGH DIFFERENT NEEDS, THEY HAD DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS AND WE'VE KIND OF ALWAYS TRIED TO LOOK AT WHAT WAS THE BEST OPTION FOR OUR CHILDREN TO GO AHEAD AND ADVANCE IN THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. BEING I HAVE KIDS IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL, I'VE HAD A LOT
OF CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND IN OUR AREA THAT HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET FROM OUR SCHOOLS. A LARGE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY IS APPLYING FOR THE CHOICE APPLYING FOR THE CHOICE LOTTERY PROGRAM AT YORK. THE REASON THAT'S HAPPENING FOR A LOT OF PARENTS IS THEY WANT TO HAVE A UDITIONAL OPTION -- ADDITIONAL OPTIONS AND CHOICES WHEN IT COMES TO MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE DEMAND FOR THIS IS GREATER THAN THE CAPACITY WITH THE EVER GROWING POPULATION IN SOUTH COUNTY AT YORK. THEY JUST CAN'T SIMPLY HANDLE THAT KIND OF DEMAND. THIS IS PARTIALLY ADDRESSED WITH
SOME OF THE EXPANSION AT APOLLO BEACH AS WELL. BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY PARENTS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL CHOICES AND OPTIONS CHOICES AND OPTIONS OUT IN SOUTH COUNTY. OUR COMMUNITY WANTS TO GO AHEAD AND SEE A CONTINUED FOCUS ON EXPANDING THE CHOICES IN OUR AREA WHILE STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORTING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. DOBY HAS BEEN A SHINING EXAMPLE OF A SCHOOL WHERE BEFORE POPULATION GROWTH, FAMILIES HAVE FELT COMFORTABLE AND STRONG ABOUT THEIR PERFORMANCE AND WHAT THEY'RE PROVIDING THE KIDS AND THEY'D -- IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO GO
GO AHEAD AND EXPAND BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW IT CAN SUCCEED. THIS EXPANSION WILL GO AHEAD AND GIVE MORE CHOICES TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND ATTRACT STUDENTS BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT INSTEAD OF THE GROWING PRESENCE OF CHARTER PRESENCE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE MORE CHOICES AND HAVE MORE CHOICES CREATED FOR PARENTS IN THE SOUTHERN PART THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY. AND GIVE THE EXISTING ZONED MIDDLE SCHOOLS MORE SUPPORTS TO IMPROVE WHAT'S HAPPENING IMPROVE WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THEIR CAMPUS TO HELP ENSURE THAT PARENTS ARE CONFIDENT ABOUT OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS BEING ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR
CHILDREN BY CREATING BETTER HAVENS FOR STUDENTS TO 35 ACADEMLY IN THE -- TO THRIVE ACADEMLY IN A SAFE SPACE. WE WANT ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA TO SUCCEED. WE FEEL THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL COMPLEMENT AND CHOICE THAT CAN BE OF NEED FOR THE AREA THAT'S GROWING. SO EXPANDING DOBY TO K-8 IS A DECISION THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THE AREA AND BUILDS CONFIDENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND OBVIOUSLY A BIG CONCERN FOR EVERYONE IS THE COLOCATION AND THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE.
WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SEE A LOT OF FOCUS TO HELP DRIVE MORE STUDENTS BACK INTO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE WE FEEL STRENGTHENING THAT IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST KEY FOR IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MIKE ANN DUMIO MY NAME IS MIKE ANN DUMIO AND I'M A CONCERNED -- AND A
I'M A CONCERNED -- AND A GRANDMOTHER TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS. THEY ARE THE FUTURE AND DESERVE THE BEST EDUCATION WE CAN GIVE THEM. I'M EXTREMELY UPSET WITH THE PASSING OF THE SCHOOL OF HOPE RULING. SCHOOLS OF HOPE RULING. THE GOVERNMENT IS THE GOVERNMENT IS WORKING TO DESTROY OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DUMB DOWN CHILDREN WHOSE FAMILIES CANNOT AFFORD TO SEND THEM TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS. ONE OF THE STEPS PUT INTO PLACE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS IS THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE.
THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SQUEEZE OUT PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS BY MOVING CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NOT ONLY DOES THIS DISRUPT LEARNING EXPERIENCE BY THE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. IT MAKES THEM FEEL THEY ARE NOT WORTHY TO HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE OR JUST PLAIN UNWORTHY. THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE RUN BY PRIVATE COMPANIES. THE STATE GIVES THE COMPANY MONEY FOR EACH STUDENT. BUT THEN THE COMPANY DOESN'T HAVE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR WHAT THEY DO.
THEY MOVE INTO PUBLIC THEY MOVE INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT THEY SAY IS THAT THEY SAY IS UNUSED SPACE WHERE THEY DON'T PAY RENT AND USE ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOL RESOURCES SUCH AS SECURITY, MAINTENANCE, CAFETERIA, AND SO FORTH. IT SEEMS TO ME AS TAXPAYERS WE ARE PAYING DOUBLE. HMM. IT'S KIND OF LIKE HAVING STRANGERS MOVE INTO YOUR SPARE BEDROOM. YOU HAVE CLEANED UP AFTER THEM. YOU TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEM, SHARE YOUR FOOD WITH THEM, AND PROTECT THEM. THEY DON'T EVEN PAY
THEY DON'T EVEN PAY RENT. PUBLIC SCHOOLS MADE US THE STRONG COUNTRY WE ARE, BUT WE ARE WOEFULLY FALLING BEHIND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. WE MUST CONTINUE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REVERSE THIS RULING. THANK YOU VERY THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS GIANI HUNT. I'M A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
RESIDENT. I'M A PARENT. LAST BOARD MEETING WE DISCUSSED THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. AND THIS TIME I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY FROM THE COMMUNITY'S PERSPECTIVE. SCHOOLS OF HOPE IS NOT REFORM. IT'S SET UP TO BE LIKE YOU SAID, SUPERINTENDENT, A MATERIAL IMPRACTICALITY. WHAT SEEMS TECHNICALLY POSSIBLE ON A SPREADSHEET BECOMES PRACTICALLY IMPACT IN REAL CLASSROOMS CREATING UNSUSTAINABLE BURDENS, DRAINING PROPERTY TAX DOLLARS FROM OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FORCING DISTRICTS TO OPERATE WITH FEWER COMMUNITIES THE SCHOOLS ARE ANCHORED ON. IN THE DISCUSSION LAST IN THE DISCUSSION LAST TIME, WE HEARD ONE BOARD MEMBER CALL FOR SECRECY. MOCKING THE IDEA THAT THIS BOARD SHOULD VOTE ON A PROCLUINATION DENOUNCING SCHOOLS OF HOPE AND REQUESTING CLARITY. THAT CONDESCENDING POSITION SPEAKS VOLUMES AND UNDERMINES SPEAKS VOLUMES AND UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE IN THIS BOARD. I HOPE THAT THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU GUYS ARE CHOOSING TO OPERATE. SO LET'S BE CLEAR. SECRECY IS NOT A SECRECY IS NOT A STRATEGY.
TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION IS. LEADERSHIP MEANS USING EVERY TOOL IN YOUR ARSENAL TO PROTECT OUR SCHOOLS. EVERY TOOL. YES, USING ECONOMIC LEVERAGE IS STRATEGIC. HOLDING THE LINE IS STRATEGIC. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, INFORMING AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY TO GET BUY-IN IS STRATEGIC AND ALSO INCLUSIVE. IF WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT MINIMIZING THE DANGERS OF SCHOOLS OF HOPE, THIS NEEDS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT. WE NEED TO SEE THE EFFORTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR
PUBLICLY DENOUNCING SCHOOLS OF PUBLICLY DENOUNCING SCHOOLS OF HOPE. THANK YOU. WE SHOULD DENOUNCE ANY POLICY THAT HARMS OUR COMMUNITIES AND STUDENTS AND REALLY POSES A SERIOUS THREAT TO OUR FUTURE. A PROCLAMATION IS NOT JUST SYMBOLIC. IT MEANS WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. IT MEANS SOLIDARITY. SO THANK YOU. IT TELLS THE PUBLIC WHERE THIS BOARD STANDS AND WHETHER YOU PROTECT OUR SCHOOLS OR ALLOW HARMFUL POLICIES LIKE SCHOOLS OF HOPE TO ERODE THEM. THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH AND WE NEED TO DO MORE. AND WE NEED TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES. WHETHER IT'S KNOCKING ON DOORS,
WHETHER IT'S HOLDING TOWN HALLS, WHETHER IT'S SENDING OUT SURVEYS, WHATEVER IT IS TO GET THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND GET SUPPORT, THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND REALLY WHAT WE WANT IS PRETTY SIMPLE. WE WANT TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION. WE DON'T WANT THINGS TO BE HAPPENING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITHOUT LETTING US KNOW. WE EXPECT THE BOARD TO STAND AS THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY AND PATH FORWARD IS CLEAR. EITHER HIDE DECISIONS IN SECRECY OR BUILD TRUST THROUGH SOLIDARITY. SHOVE PEOPLE OUT OR ENGAGE THEM OPENLY.
THE RESPONSIBLE CHOICE IS TRANSPARENCY. THE RESPONSIBLE CHOICE IS ACCOUNTABILITY AND GENUINE PARTICIPATION WITH THE FAMILIES YOU REPRESENT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. CAN I GET SPEAKERS 11 THROUGH CAN I GET SPEAKERS 11 THROUGH 15 TO LINE UP. >> GOOD >> GOOD AFTERNOON. JOHN GREEN. IT'S A SONG I LISTENED TO BY LIL LIL WAYNE IN CORD A.
IT SAYS I NEED MORE LOVE AND LESS PRAYING HANDS. I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN HERE FOR A YEAR LISTENING. BUT WE SEE Y'ALL NOW. I SEE Y'ALL. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE NAACP. YOU TALK ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF HOPE. THE CHARTER SCHOOLS WHO CAN GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND GET FREE SPACE. BUT RECENTLY, YOU CLOSE THE SCHOOL AND YOU PUT THEIR FINANCIALS ON DISPLAY. YOU'RE TOLD THEY'RE AN "F" SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING ELSE. BUT YET YOU LET THE NAACP IN WHO
DOES NOTHING. ZERO FOR THE COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS COMMUNITY, HOW YOU LOOK AT THE NAACP AS A VOICE FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT. THEY DON'T HAVE THE POWER THEY USED TO HAVE. I WATCH Y'ALL PUT UP PICTURES WHERE YOU GO TO EVENTS. DISPLAY OUT AWESOME THE EVENTS WAS. BUT NOT ONCE HAVE I BEEN COMING DOWN HERE FOR A HOLE YEAR HAVE DOWN HERE FOR A HOLE YEAR HAVE YOU DISPLAYED ANYTHING YOU DISPLAYED ANYTHING ABOUT THE
NAACP IN WHICH Y'ALL LET THEM RENT FOR FREE. YES, OUR KIDS ARE IMPORTANT. EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM. BUT WHAT HAS THE BUT WHAT HAS THE NAACP DONE TO SHOW THIS SHOW THIS COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK THAT Y'ALL Y'ALL LET HAVE SPACE OVER AT DAWE SCHOOL FOR FREE. I BROUGHT IN A PAPER I BROUGHT IN A PAPER WITH YOUR BILAWS SAYING THEY CAN'T USE YOUR ADDRESS. THEY'RE STILL USING YOUR ADDRESS. THAT'S YOUR BYLAWS. YOU DON'T -- DO YOU EVEN
RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN RECOGNIZE YOUR OWN BYLAWS THAT YOU PRINT. NOW WAITING FOR YOU TO SEND ME THE POLICY THAT SAYS THAT THE POLICY THAT SAYS THAT YOU CAN LET CAN LET THE CAN LET THE CAN LET THE NAACP IN THE SCHOOL PROPERTY, RENT FOR FREE, USE YOUR SECURITY, TO USE YOUR PAPERWORK TO DO THEIR WORK. IT'S NOT HAPPENING. I'M WAITING FOR THAT POLICY. WHEN ARE YOU -- AND I KNOW
YOU'RE TRYING TO WAIT IT OUT UNTIL THE CONTRACT ENDS. BUT WE THE COMMUNITY, WE SEE Y'ALL. THE TAMPA MACHINE THAT Y'ALL USED TO USED TO BELIEVE IN IS DONE. Y'ALL PROVED THAT. THE MONEY IS NOT GOING TO WORK. THE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU USED TO HAVE IS NOT GOING TO WORK BECAUSE IT'S A NEW TEAM IN FLORIDA. AND WE'RE WATCHING Y'ALL, AND I SEE Y'ALL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MRS. MY NAME IS MRS. LUCINDA JOHNSON AND I'M HERE BECAUSE OF SERIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING INTEGRITY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND STUDENT SAFETY AT BARRINGTON SAFETY AT BARRINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE MY GRANDSON IS A STUDENT. ON OCTOBER 22, HE WAS CUT BY SHARP OBJECT IN CLASS AND THE INJURY CAUSED VISIBLE BLEEDING. I WANT TO BE CLEAR. I ONLY SHARED PHOTO EVIDENCE OF THE INJURY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY I OF ACCOUNTABILITY I EXPERIENCED
FROM PRINCIPAL ANDREA WHITMAN. HER WRITTEN RESPONSE STATED THAT JASHAD LEFT THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT PERMISSION AND THERE WAS NO VISIBLE BLOOD. THIS DOES NOT ALOIN WITH THE ACTUAL -- ALIGN WITH THE ACTUAL INJURY AND REFLECTS A BREAKDOWN IN ACCURATE REPORTING AND RESPONSIBILITY. EVERYBODY HAS A COPY OF WHAT EVERYBODY HAS A COPY OF WHAT I'M INDICATING. ATTEMPTS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL'S INADEQUATE RESPONSE, I HAD TO ESCALATE THE ESCALATE THE MATTER TO REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT, MR. VAN SUPERINTENDENT, MR. VAN AIKEN
AND COPY DR. HOLTEN. THE DELAYS AND LACK OF CLEAR ACTION FORCED ME TO FILE AN OCR COMPLAINT ON OCTOBER 29. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MR. ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MR. SINGONI FOR PREVIOUSLY APOLOGIZING AND STATING HE WOULD TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SOME OF THE ISSUES MY FAMILY HAS FACED AT BARRINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL. I APPRECIATE HIS I APPRECIATE HIS ACKNOWLEDGMENT BUT THE CONTINUED INCIDENTS SHOW THAT MEANINGFUL CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS NOT OCCURRED BY ACTION HAS NOT OCCURRED BY
PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL WHITMAN. ON DECEMBER ON DECEMBER 3, ON DECEMBER 3, JASHAD EXPERIENCED ANOTHER SERIOUS INCIDENT. ANOTHER STUDENT TOUCHED HIM, CONTINUED TO HARASS HIM, AFTER HE ASKED THE STUDENT TO STOP. THE STUDENT PUSHED HIM AND AFTER JASHAD PUSHED HIM BACK, THE OTHER STUDENT EVENTUALLY KNOCKED HIM TO THE GROUND. WHILE ON WHILE ON THE GROUND, JASHAD -- WHILE ON THE GROUND, THE STUDENT STOMPED REPEATEDLY ON JASHAD'S HEAD CAUSING HIS
NOSE TO BLEED AND LEAVING A VISIBLE CONTUSION VISIBLE CONTUSION ON HIS FOREHEAD. DESPITE THE CLEAR INJURIES, I WAS LATER TOLD THAT JASHAD ALLEGEDLY MADE A THREAT. THIS DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE THIS DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE SEVERITY OF THE ASSAULT OR INJURIES HE SUSTAINED. AND IT RAISES TROUBLING QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE OCR COMPLAINT WAS FILED. ADDITIONALLY, I RECEIVED AN E-MAIL ON DECEMBER 5 STATING THE INCIDENT WAS STILL IN PROGRESS. EVEN THOUGH DISCIPLINARY ACTION
AGAINST JASHAD HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED ON DECEMBER 3. THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CONFLICTING AND INCONSISTENT INFORMATION. MY REQUEST TO THE BOARD. I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO ENSURE A THOROUGH IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION. NO FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE TO FIGHT THIS HARD TO ENSURE A CHILD'S SAFETY. JASHAD DESERVES BETTER AND SO DO ALL THE STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>Karen Perez: THANK >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> GOOD EVENING. CHRISTINE OWE. I LIVE IN COLLIER COUNTY BUT I'M HERE TONIGHT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON BEHALF OF MY CLIENT. I CONSIDER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HOME. I GRADUATED FROM GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL AND WAS THE FIRST GRADUATING CLASS AND BEGAN MY TEACHING CAREER IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'M WANTING TO REALLY THANK THE OFFICE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS HERE FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK THAT THEY DID IN WORKING WITH US ON THE APPLICATION FOR TERRACE ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE. I FEEL LIKE MS. CROOKS, HER TEAM, THEY WERE EXTREMELY
THOROUGH AND EXTREMELY FAIR AND EXTREMELY RIGOROUS IN THE PROCESS. WE WORK WITH CLIENTS ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND I LOVE COMING TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A SET OF EXPERTS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT ANY SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL FOR HAS GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD, SOLID SCHOOL. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND COLLABORATING WITH YOU AS WE OPEN UP OUR SCHOOL IN AUGUST. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS TAMARAS ALLEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TOGETHER WITH YOU TONIGHT. FIRST I WANT TO SAY I'M SO GLAD THAT WE OPENED WITH A RECOGNITION OF THE RECOGNITION OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES PARTICULARLY BECAUSE IT'S A REAL TESTAMENT ABOUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN OUR COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER, DECIDES WHAT IS NEEDED LOCALLY, AND THEN WORKS TOGETHER TO MAKE THAT REALITY HAPPEN. OUR STUDENTS BENEFIT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I'M SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE SCHOOLS OF
HOPE. IT TAKES AWAY THE POWER FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, FROM THE PARENTS, FROM THE COMMUNITY. AND PUTS IT IN THE HANDS AND PUTS IT IN THE HANDS OF THE ORGANIZATION WHO DECIDES TO REQUEST THE SPACE. WE HAVE EXPERTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AS WAS JUST REFERENCED THAT CAN LOOK AT WHETHER THIS IS THE BEST THING FOR OUR STUDENTS, WHETHER THIS IS THE BEST THING FOR OUR SCHOOLS. AND WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THIS LEGISLATION TO USE THAT. SO FIRST I WANT TO THANK THOSE
OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, WHO HAVE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE AND SHARING WITH THEM CONCERNS ABOUT THIS. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. WE HAVE A VOICE. AND OUR STUDENTS GET TO PRACTICE IT HERE AND WE GET TO PRACTICE IT IN TALLAHASSEE AND OUR STUDENTS GET TO PRACTICE IT TOO. AND I HOPE WE WILL COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT FOR THE SCHOOLS -- THE SCHOOLS OUR STUDENTS DESERVED. I THINK THERE IS TWO THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD TALKED A LOT ABOUT WITH SCHOOLS OF HOPE THAT MAKE ME
CONCERNED. ONE, IS IN THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION RULE, IT REQUIRES THE STUDENT DATA SYSTEMS TO BE SHARED WITH THE HOPE OPERATORS. THAT MEANS THAT OUR STUDENTS' DATA IS GOING TO BE SHARED WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION AS PARENTS. AND THAT'S REALLY CONCERNING. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ALARMED ABOUT. THERE IS NO PARAMETERS AROUND IT. IT JUST SAYS, ACCESS TO STUDENT DATA SYSTEMS. SO THAT COULD BE DISCIPLINARY RECORDS. ANYTHING. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT
DURING THE HOLIDAYS, I'M DONE WITH SPAM E-MAIL AND THE LAST THING I WANT IS A THOUSAND SCHOOLS ASKING ME TO LEAVE THE SCHOOL I LOVE AND COME TO THEIRS. THE OTHER THING THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED ALSO EARLIER IN THIS DISCUSSION WAS SECURITY. WE WORKED REALLY, REALLY HARD IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS ARE SAFE. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS TWO SCHOOLS IN ONE? HOW CAN THERE STILL BE A SINGLE POINT OF ENTRY? WILL THERE BE ANY CHALLENGES? WILL OUR STUDENTS REALLY BE ABLE
TO BE SAFE? SO WHILE YOU DON'T HAVE THE POWER HERE, OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE LISTENING DO. AND I HOPE THEY'LL TAKE ACTION AND REACH OUT AND USE THEIR VOICE TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS FOR OUR SCHOOLS FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. MY NAME IS ELLEN LYONS AND I URGE A FULL REPEAL OF THE 2025 SCHOOL OF HOPE AMENDMENTS.
NOW YOUR BOARD HAS ISSUED A PROCLAMATION REGARDING SCHOOLS OF HOPE AND I'M PROUD OF YOU FOR ADVANCING THIS PROCLAMATION. IT'S A GOOD DOCUMENT. HERE IN HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, HERE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, SCHOOLS OF HOPE, THESE PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT CHARTER OPERATORS TARGETED HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS FOR CO-LOCATION. THAT THAT ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATORS WILL OCCUPY PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR FREE. THEY'LL GET FREE ELECTRICITY,
FREE TRANSPORTATION, FREE BUILDING MAINTENANCE AND FREE USE OF ATHLETIC FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT. ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT WE, THE TAXPAYERS, WILL HAVE TO PAY ALL OF THESE COSTS FOR THE FOR-PROFIT PRIVATE OPERATORS, AN EQUALLY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE IS THE USE OF USE OF ATHLETIC FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT WHO WILL NOW BE ABLE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM USING THE FIELDS ON CERTAIN NIGHTS ON CERTAIN NIGHTS AND USE OR RUIN OUR ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT PAID FOR BY THE SCHOOL AND PAY TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON
TURN THE LIGHTS ON FOR THE GAMES. THE 2025 SCHOOL OF HOPE AMENDMENTS HAVE A DYSTOPIAN ANGLE AS WELL. SCHOOLS OF HOPE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM JUST LIKE HCPS NOW DOES. NOW RIGHT NOW HCPS ISN'T USING THE PRIVATE STUDENT INFORMATION FOR ADVERTISING OR RECRUITING. BUT THERE ARE NO LIMITS ON WHAT THE PRIVATE FOR-PROFIT OPERATORS CAN DO ONCE THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON THE INFORMATION.
ONCE PRIVATE OPERATORS ONCE PRIVATE OPERATORS TAKE PUBLIC PUBLIC SCHOOL SPACE, THERE IS NO MECHANISM TO CLAW THE SPACES BACK. WORST OF ALL, PRIVATE OPERATORS ARE TARGETING NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS WITH GRADES OF A AND B. THEY ARE SCHOOLS THAT ARE STABLE AND DOING REALLY WELL. THE SCHOOL OF HOPE AMENDMENTS ARE NOT ABOUT RESCUING FAILING SCHOOLS. THEY'RE ABOUT OCCUPYING SPACE IN SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS. I SUPPORT YOUR PROCLAMATION AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL USE IT TO
EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE SEISMIC SHIFT OF PUBLIC SEISMIC SHIFT OF PUBLIC ASSETS TO PRIVATE ACTORS IF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE DOES NOT REPEAL THE 2025 AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE OF HOPE STATUTE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AND CAN I GET SPEAKERS 16 THROUGH 20 SPEAKERS 16 THROUGH 20 TO LINE UP PLEASE. >> GOOD EVENING, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. HELLO. MY NAME IS ANIKA AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF ROBINSON ADVOCACY
CLUB AND A MEMBER IN MR. VAN AYRES' SUPERINTENDENT ADVISORY COUNSEL. MOST IMPORTANTLY I'M A STUDENT HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TODAY I WANT TO SHARE A TOPIC THAT'S REALLY CLOSE TO MY HEART AND THAT FIRST I WANT TO -- FIRST I WANT TO SAY I'M THANKFUL THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE FREE BREAKFASTS FOR STUDENTS AS WELL AS MOST SCHOOLS OFFERING FREE LUNCHES. HOWEVER, MANY OF THE LUNCHES UTENSILS AND DISHES THAT WE USE ARE PLASTIC. AND THIS IS A PROBLEM AND THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY OF US BECAUSE WE OFFER A LOT OF
HOT LUNCHES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL STRICT WHICH IS INCREDIBLE BECAUSE IT OFFERS A HOT MEAL IF A LOT OF STUDENTS. BUT MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK WE FAIL TO CONSIDER THE FAIL TO CONSIDER THE BPA, THEYILATES AND MICROPLASTICS THAT CAN GO INTO THE FOOD WHEN WE EAT WITH THE PLASTIC UTENSILS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE CONSIDER THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD GO TO A PATH WHERE WE GO AWAY FROM THE PLASTICS. OUR CLUB SPOKE TO REPRESENTATIVE PITMAN AND PITMAN AND SHANI HALL WITH
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THIS. BUT I DO HAVE A CALL TO ACTION WITH OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. I WANT OUR SCHOOL BOARD TO HOST A WORKSHOP ON WAYS OUR DISTRICT CAN REDUCE THE USE OF PLASTIC IN THE CAFETERIA. IN THE PAST I SPOKE TO MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR OWN PRINCIPAL, MR. BROWN, AND SHARED THERE USED TO BE METAL UTENSILS AND TRAYS USED IN SCHOOLS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THAT PERHAPS MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY METAL BUT EVEN IF WE'RE ABLE TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE. EVEN JUST REMOVING A COUPLE OF
PLASTICS WITHIN A COUPLE SCHOOLS CAN MAKE A HUGE IMPACT NOT ONLY IN OUR HEALTH BUT ALSO OUR ENVIRONMENT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. MY NAME IS MEGAN AND I'M A STUDENT IN THE IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM AND ADVOCACY CLUB. IT'S A RIGOROUS PROGRAM FOR HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS. OFTEN TEACHERS EXPECT US TO KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN LIFE AFTER
HIGH SCHOOL. WHILE THIS IS TRUE FOR SOME PEOPLE I KNOW PLENTY OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. THEY CAN BE UNINTERESTED IN MAINSTREAM JOBS. IN SCHOOL WE'RE TAUGHT ABOUT JOBS LIKE FIREFIGHTERS, DOCTORS AND LAWYERS. PERSONALLY I'VE NEVER BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT ANY OF THESE JOBS. I FOUND MY PASSION I FOUND MY PASSION AFTER PERSONAL PERSONAL RESEARCH BECAUSE IB STUDENTS ARE OFTEN STUDENTS ARE OFTEN EXCLUDED FROM PROGRAMS INTENDED TO SHOW UNIQUE JOBS TO STUDENTS. BY SHOWCASING JOBS IN THIS WAY AND OPENING JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO
ALL STUDENTS, WE CAN REDUCE STUDENT STRESS STUDENT STRESS AND HAVE MORE STUDENTS WITH DECIDED MAJORS ENTERING COLLEGE. 20 TO 50% OF FLORIDA STUDENTS GO INTO COLLEGE UNDECIDED. HOPEFULLY THIS CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER. SIMILARLY SUPPORTING RESOURCES FOR CURRENT AND FORMER FOSTER YOUTH COULD BE BETTER ADVOCATED FOR. MY OLD FOSTER MOM TOLD ME ABOUT A POST-ADOPTION FEE WAIVER. THIS REDUCED TUITION COMPLETELY FOR COLLEGE. THIS IS OFFERED TO KIDS IN FOSTER CARE. HOWEVER NONE OF MY HOWEVER NONE OF MY COUNSELORS
KNEW WHAT THIS WAS OR HOW TO ACCESS IT. THIS LEFT ME STRUGGLING TO FIND A SOLUTION. WITH MORE COUNSELORS EDUCATED STUDENTS CAN BE BETTER SUPPORTED AND FEEL LESS STRESS. WITH OVER 2,000 HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS IN FOSTER CARE, THIS CAN HELP KIDS IN UNFORESEEN WAYS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS RI TAGGER AND I'M A STUDENT IN THE IB PROGRAM AND PART OF THE ADVOCACY CLUB.
TODAY I WANT TO BE OUTLINING THE REASONS I OPPOSE THE CO-LOCATEDING HOPE CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. THE FIRST REASON IS THE HOPE SCHOOLS DRAIN RESOURCES FROM ALREADY UNDERFUNDED PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AS I SAID I'M IN THE IB PROGRAM AND IT PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AND I APPRECIATE WHAT IT DOES FOR ME AND MY SCHOOL. AS THIS SAMAGNET PROGRAM -- IS A MAGNET PROGRAM, IT'S NOT OWNED PRIVATELY AS THE HOPE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE. SECONDLY THE EMPTY SEATS RULE IS VAGUE AND DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT
ALLOWS HOPE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO CLAIM SPACE IN ANY PUBLIC SCHOOL AND DOES NOT HAVE CLEAR OUTLINES AND AS WAS STATED BEFORE, THEY ARE NOW TARGETING A AND B GRADE SCHOOLS WHICH WAS NAABOUT THE ORIGINAL INTENT. HOPE CHARTER SCHOOLS ALLOW UNELECTED STATE OFFICIALS TO OVERRIDE DECISIONS OF LOCALLY ELECTED SCHOOL BOARDS. THIS FUNDAMENTALLY WEAKENS COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT AND REMOVES VOTERS' ABILITY TO GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THEIR OWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ADDITIONALLY HOPE SCHOOLS TAKE PUBLIC DOLLARS WITHOUT HAVING TO
MEET THE SAME PUBLIC SCHOOL STANDARDS AS THEY'RE NOT HELD TO THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY, THE SAME ACCOUNTABILITY, OR TESTING STANDARDS. CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF EXCLUDING VULNERABLE STUDENTS. MANY ARE FOUND TO MANY ARE FOUND TO USE ENROLLMENT PREFERENCES OR PRACTICES THAT DISADVANTAGE FAMILIES AND LOW INCOME LEARNERS. RESEARCH FROM THE ACLU SHOWS 250 OUT OF 1,000 CHARTER OUT OF 1,000 CHARTER SCHOOLS VIOLATED LAW BY VIOLATED LAW BY EXCLUDING CERTAIN STUDENTS.
IN FLORIDA THERE ARE ROUGHLY 12 SCHOOLS OF HOPE IN 2024. EIGHT OF THEM EARNED C OR D GRADES. NOT BETTER THAN THE FAILING SCHOOLS THEY WERE INTENDED TO REPLACE. CO-LOCATION CO-LOCATION THREATENS MAGNET PROGRAMS LIKE IB THAT ARE ALREADY PROVEN TO WORK. DISTRICTS ALREADY HAVE SUCCESSFUL NONPROFIT PUBLIC MAGNET PROGRAMS THAT HAVE A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF RAISING ACHIEVEMENT WITHOUT BYPASSING ACCOUNTABILITY. HOPE OPERATORS ARE OFTEN PRIVATE OR FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES WITH ACCESS TO STUDENT DATAS AS WAS
STATED BEFORE AND THIS PROVES A LOT OF RISK TO SAFETY AND STUDENT SECURITY. ALSO, CHARTED ALSO, CHARTED CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND MANY LACK ADEQUATE ESE AND STAFFING RESOURCES WHICH MEANS FUNDING IS SIFE PUD AWAY FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT DO DESERVE THEM. FOR THIS REASON I OPPOSE THE CO-LOCATION AND SUPPORT REPEALING THE AMENDMENTS TO THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE SCHOOLS OF HOPE STATUTE. THANK YOU.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS FEE TRAN AND I'M A STUDENT AT ROBINSON AND ALSO PART OF THE ADVOCACY CLUB. TODAY I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE THAT IS FOOD WASTE IN OUR MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS TODAY. AS A STUDENT, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET FREE LUNCH AS A STUDENT BUT I ALSO NOTICE THAT I ALSO NOTICE THAT WE ONLY GET A WELL-SIZED PORTION AND THAT MOST OF THE FOOD AFTER USUALLY GETS WASTED. I SEE THIS AS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR REDISTRIBUTION
FOR OUR FOOD THAT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO OTHER STUDENTS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE. AND SO WITH THIS, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT NOT ONLY WILL IT TAKE NOT ONE BIG SOLUTION BUT RATHER A LOT OF SMALL SOLUTIONS THAT CAN COMBAT THIS CONFLICT. SO WITH THIS, I HOPE SO WITH THIS, I HOPE THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT SHARED TABLES TO PLACE UNOPENED DRINKS AND FOOD CONTAINERS THAT OTHER STUDENTS CAN GRAB THAT CAN BENEFIT THEIR OWN NUTRITIONAL GOALS AS WELL AS REDUCE THE FOOD WASTE THAT WE CAN RESOLVE AND WITH THAT, IT
HELPS STUDENTS BE MORE AWARE HELPS STUDENTS BE MORE AWARE OF THE ISSUE THAT A LOT OF OTHER SCHOOLS GO THROUGH AS WELL AS OUR OWN. SO THEY CAN TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY CAN ALSO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT WITH THAT. AND I THINK WITH THIS AS AND I THINK WITH THIS AS WELL, WE CAN ALSO FOR EXAMPLE BE DONATING AND REDISTRIBUTING THOSE UNOPENED AND UNWASTED FOOD TO LOCAL CHARITIES AND FOOD BANKS SUCH AS FEEDING BANKS SUCH AS FEEDING TAMPA BAY AND OTHER AND OTHER MINORITY-SIZED FOOD
BANKS THAT DON'T BANKS THAT DON'T USUALLY GET OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE OPPORTUNITIES OPEN, IT SHOULD BE TAKEN. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. I'M IN 12THGRADE FROM ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL AND A STUDENT AT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ONE SPRING MORNING LAST YEAR, I WAS A JUNIOR COMING FROM SWIM PRACTICE RUSHING TO GET TO SCHOOL ON TIME. I GRABBED THE FIRST OUTFIT I CAN
FIND AND RAN OUT THE DOOR. I ARRIVED AT 8:26 AND WAS SPEEDING THROUGH THE HALLS HOPING I CAN MAKE IT TO CLASS JUST IN TIME BEFORE MY TEACHER CLOSED THE DOOR AT 8:30. WHEN I WALKED BY ONE OF MY ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, HOWEVER, I WAS TOLD TO GO TO THE OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS BECAUSE THE CLOTHES I HAPHAZARDLY THREW ON THAT MORNING WERE NOT IN LINE WITH THE STUDENT DEGREES CODE OUTLINED IN THE STUDENT HANDBOOK. WHAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT DAY IS I WAS A NEW STUDENT WHO JUST MOVED TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE MY
PARENTS ARE IN THE MILITARY. NOT ONLY WAS I UNAWARE OF THE SPECIFIC RULES BUT I WAS ALSO STRUGGLING TO FIND MY IDENTITY AND CONFIDENCE IN MY NEW AND CONFIDENCE IN MY NEW ENVIRONMENT. THE CURRENT DRESS CODE IN PLACE FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EMPHASIZES THAT SHORTS MUST BE MUST BE LONGER THAN FINGER TIP LENGTH WITH NO SPAGHETTI STRAPS LENGTH WITH NO SPAGHETTI STRAPS AND NO PAJAMAS ALLOWED. JUST ABOVE THAT, IT'S STATED THE INTENTION IS TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO FEEL SAFE AND HEALTHY AT OUR SCHOOLS.
THE FINGERTIP LENGTH RULE AND OTHER RULES USING SPECIFIC METRICS TO ENSURE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG DOES IN FACT THE OPPOSITE OF THIS INTENTION. EVERYBODY HAS EVERYBODY HAS ESPECIALLY DURING THE FORMATIVE YEARS OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, EVERYBODY LOOKS DIFFERENT AND SUCH GUIDELINES TARGETED AT FEMALE STUDENTS CAN BE MISREPRESENTED TO PROMOTE BODY DYSMORPHIA AND MAKE STUDENTS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE IN THEIR OWN SKIN AND TELLS STUDENTS THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THEM THAT SHOULD BE HIDDEN. MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS ADMINISTRATOR ENDED WITH ME GOING HOME IN SCHOOLS AND
MISSING A WHOLE DAY OF SCHOOL BECAUSE I WAS DISTRAUGHT OVER MY PAIR OF PURPLE SHORTS WHICH I'M WEARING TODAY. I DO AGREE WITH THIS ADMINISTRATOR THAT CERTAIN STANDARDS SHOULD BE IN PLACE SO STUDENTS CAN LEARN IN A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF HOW IT CAN BE HOW IT CAN BE USED TO HURT STUDENTS AS THEY STUDENTS AS THEY ARE OUTDOUBTED AND UNFAIR. MY PROPOSITION IS THE BOARD LOOK INTO CREATING A STUDENT COUNCIL TO WORK WITH STUDENTS AND BUILD
A SAFER AND MORE FAIR AND MORE UP TO DATE DRESS CODE. AND THAT IT WOULD BE REDONE EVERY FEW YEARS EVERY FEW YEARS TO FIT WITH THE CURRENT STANDARDS OF THE DAY. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> HI. MY NAME IS EMMA WESTERMAN. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR OUR STUDENTS. I'M A PARENT AT BENITO MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NEW TAMPA. THIS IS A HISTORICALLY HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT A AND I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT A SITUATION AT THE SCHOOL AND ASK YOU TO REFLECT ON IT. SO MY CHILD IS GIFTED. AND WE WORK WITH A HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER IEP ADVOCATE NAMED JENNY WODSICK. SHE IS THE FOUNDER OF SHE IS THE FOUNDER OF IEP ADVOCATE. AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, JENNY TAKES METICULOUS NOTES AND HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE DISTRICT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JENNY AND I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT IT'S VERY
DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO GET THEIR SERVICES WHEN THERE IS NO STAFF PRESENT TO DELIVER STAFF PRESENT TO DELIVER THOSE SERVICES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE DISTRICT'S PLAN TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN AND RETAIN THE BEST TEACHERS AND RETAIN THE BEST TEACHERS AND STAFF, THE BEST ESE TEACHERS OR FRANKLY ANY ESE TEACHERS. AND I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER AND I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER PERHAPS STARTING
PERHAPS STARTING WITH COMPETITIVE SALARY OFFERS FOR THESE TALENTED TEACHERS AND THESE TALENTED TEACHERS AND STAFF. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. >> GOOD EVENING. I'M A MOTHER. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS JAVANA SAWYER. I HAVE FOUR KIDS IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. TWO IN ELEMENTARY AND TWO THAT TWO IN ELEMENTARY AND TWO THAT USED TO ATTEND JUTON MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M DEVASTATED I'M DEVASTATED AS A BLACK ORDER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER OR PART OF A DRUG CORRUPTION BUT YOUR REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT WHEN I FIRST SPOKE WITH HER, SHE ASKED ME WHAT HAPPENED. THAT IS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL AS A PERSON HOLDING A REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT POSITION. SHE CALLS ME 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, 5:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. WHEN I FIRST CAME DOWN HERE TO YOUR SCHOOL BOARD YOUR SCHOOL BOARD BUILDING, YOUR SCHOOL BOARD BUILDING, MS. McRAE'S SECRETARY ASKED ME, YOU SURE YOU WERE NOT AT THE SCHOOL MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. THAT'S VERY DISRESPECTFUL.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS. MY DAUGHTER NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL. THEY ATTENDED EARLY HEAD START. MY DAUGHTER WAS ALLOWED ACCESS TO A BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST. HE CALLED ME OFF MY DAUGHTER PERSONAL CELL PHONE TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. WHY IS THE BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST HAVING ACCESS TO MY DAUGHTER WHEN HE IS NOT MY WHEN HE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER'S WHEN HE IS NOT MY DAUGHTER'S TEACHER. MY DAUGHTER DON'T HAVE ANY BEHAVIOR ISSUES OR TAKE MEDICATION. MY SON WAS CALLED THE B-WORD
EVERY DAY BY A EVERY DAY BY A HISPANIC STUDENT AND SLAPPED ON AND SLAPPED ON THE SIDE OF HIS HEAD BY THE HISPANICS TEACHER AND SUSPENDED TWO DAYS. I'VE BEEN HARASSED BY YOUR STAFF MEMBERS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. I'M ASKING THAT THE PRINCIPAL BE REMOVED OF HIS POSITION. IF HE'S NOT REMOVED, I'M DEMANDING THE BOARD TO REASSIGN HIS POSITION. THE THINGS SAID BY THE STAFF MEMBERS AT JEWELTEN MIDDLE MEMBERS AT JEWELTEN MIDDLE SCHOOL IS VERY DISRESPECTFUL AND I'VE BEEN HARASSED AND MY
CHILDREN HAVE BEEN HARASSED. ME BEING A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 45 YEARS OLD AND I WAS A STUDENT OF MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MY FIRST COUSIN I GROW UP IN MY FIRST COUSIN I GROW UP IN THE HOUSE WITH IS A PROTECTIVE SERVICE WORKER FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. SHE HAS NO CHILDREN. SHE'S BEEN WORKING OVER TEN YEARS AS A PROTECTIVE SERVICE WORKER FOR DCF IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. I GROW UP IN A HOUSE WHERE MY OTHER FIRST COUSIN WHO WORKS FOR THE FBI IN THE OFFICE, THIS IS VERY DISTURBING. I FEEL
I FEEL LIKE THIS IS CORRUPTION, A DRUG THING, ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER. I'M ASKING THAT THE PRINCIPAL, THE SUPERINTENDENT, DIDN'T RESPOND TO ME. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, HOW THEY TREATED ME AND MY CHILDREN. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND THIS IS NOT FAIR. AND MY OLDEST BROTHER DID 27 YEARS IN THE MARINES AND IS A RESIDENT OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. THIS IS NOT RIGHT. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.
WE WILL NOW MOVE ON WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES? >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOARD MEMBERS, ALL ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF AND ANY REQUESTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY.
PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOU SEE YOUR -- WHEN YOUR -- WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED. I WILL NOW CALL ON SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO WE DO HAVE TWO FUTURE PRINCIPALS IN THE AUDIENCE. ACTUALLY, THEY'RE PRINCIPALS NOW BECAUSE IT WAS JUST APPROVED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE'LL START AS SOON AS THEIR PICTURES GET UP THERE. WE'LL START WITH
WE'LL START WITH MS. WE'LL START WITH MS. LEANNE WAY WHO IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT DOVER ELEMENTARY. IF YOU CAN COME ON DOWN, PLEASE. CONGRATULATIONS. SO LEANN AND MS. RENDON, I THINK YOU'LL LIKE THIS, HAS BEEN ONE OF THE SHORTEST BIOS BECAUSE SHE IS 21 YEARS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALL AT KNIGHTS ELEMENTARY. REAL QUICK. JUST -- SO SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN 2004 AS THE FIFTH GRADE TEACHER AT KNIGHTS AND THEN 2009 MOVED TO THE READING RESOURCE TEACHER AT KNIGHTS.
THEN APPOINTED TO ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IN 2010 WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. SO NOW FROM KNIGHTS ELEMENTARY TO THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT DOVER ELEMENTARY, LEANN, ELEMENTARY, LEANN, CONGRATULATIONS. ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT -- IF YOU WANT TO STAND AS WELL. FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITH LEANN. ALL RIGHT. [APPLAUSE] SO, THANK YOU, SO, THANK YOU, LEANN. SO WE -- SHE IS THE NEW PRINCIPAL OF DOVER BECAUSE WE HAVE A
HAVE A RETIREMENT. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE GINA BECKER. GINA, COME ON DOWN HERE. SO GINA IS OUR RETIRING PRINCIPAL AT DOVER. COME ON DOWN HERE. GINA BEGAN HER GINA BEGAN HER TEACHING CAREER IN 1987 AS A TEACHER AT PSYCHS ELEMENTARY IN LAKELAND. IN 1989 TRANSFERRED TO DR. PHILLIPS AT MEADOWWOODS IN ORLANDO. BEGAN HER TEACHING CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS IN 1996 AT WALDEN SCHOOLS IN 1996 AT WALDEN LAKE. 1997 TRANSFERRED TO 1997 TRANSFERRED TO MINTZ. APPOINTED AP FOR ELEMENTARY INSTRUCTION AT INSTRUCTION AT VALRICO IN 1998. TRANSFERRED TO CORK. MS. BECKER TOOK ON HER FIRST ROLE OF PRINCIPAL AT WILSON IN 2005. SHE WAS APPOINTED PRINCIPAL AT DOVER IN 2018 WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. MS. BECKER WORKED IN EDUCATION FOR 35 YEARS AND SERVED FOR 35 YEARS AND SERVED AS A
PRINCIPAL FOR 20 YEARS. GINA, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RETIREMENT. CONGRATS. [APPLAUSE] AND WE DO HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENT, AND THAT IS ASIA ATKINS IS ASIA ATKINS SANATAS. ASIA, IF YOU CAN COME ON DOWN, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE] SO ASIA BEGAN HER CAREER WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2013 AS A
KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT OAK PARK. THE NEXT FIVE YEARS SHE WOULD GO TO TEACH GRADES FIRST, SECOND AND FOURTH AT OAK PARK BEFORE BECOMING THE SCHOOL'S READING COACH IN 2020. SHE TRANSFERRED TO A READING COACH FOR THE TRANSFORMATION NETWORK IN 2021 AND 2022 -- SO ALL THAT TIME AT OAK PARK. 2022 APPOINTED AP AT JAMES ELEMENTARY AND THEN MS. ATKINS WAS THEN APPOINTED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT OAK PARK ELEMENTARY IN 2022 WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING. YOU CAN SEE HER ALMOST ENTIRE
CAREER AT OAK PARK. NOW SHE'S THE NEW PRINCIPAL AT OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ASIA, ASIA, CONGRATULATIONS. AND ANY FAMILY AND FRIENDS? OAK PARK? I SEE MR. MOODY THERE. [APPLAUSE] SO ASIA, CONGRATULATIONS AND ASIA IS FULFILLING THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL. AS AP SHE SERVED UNDER MR. RYAN MOODY WHO NOW WORKS UNDER MR. LEWIS AND STAFFING ALLOCATIONS IN THE BUDGET OFFICE.
MR. MOODY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I KNOW MR. LEWIS, PUT YOU TO WORK ALREADY. I KNOW THAT. CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF YOU. MADAM CHAIR, THOSE ARE THE PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL APPOINTMENTS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. WE'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO WE'LL GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO STEP OUT FOR YOUR OUT FOR YOUR CELEBRATIONS. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL NOW BE
HEARD. A03, A03, C1.01, A03, C1.01, C2.03, A03, C1.01, C2.03, C2.04, A03, C1.01, C2.03, C2.04, C3.01, AND AND AND C.6.01. AO3, PROCLAMATION REGARDING CHARTER SCHOOLS CO-LOCATED SCHOOLS OF HOPE. >>Jim Porter: YOU'LL RECALL THAT A PROCLAMATION BE BROUGHT FORTH AT THIS MEETING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE CO-LOCATION LEGISLATION.
WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THAT WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS THAT PROCLAMATION THAT REFLECTS THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE BOARD MEMBERS. IT'S BEEN VETTED BY THE BOARD'S LOBBYING TEAM AND IT'S READY FOR YOUR APPROVAL OR YOUR APPROVAL OR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM A03. I IS A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS AND A SECOND BY MEMBER VAUGHN. ANY ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS ON THAT ONE. I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS ALSO FOR THEIR CONSENSUS ON THE ON THE PROCLAMATION ALONG WITH SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. THE CO-LOCATION OF SCHOOLS OF HOPE WITHIN EXISTING PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES HAS RAISED SEVERAL CONCERNS AMONG NOT ONLY OUR BOARD MEMBERS BUT MANY OF THE CONSTITUENTS AS SEEN TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY ISSUE IS THE USE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDS. MANY BELIEVE THESE RESOURCES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS STRENGTHENING THE NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PUBLIC SCHOOLS RATHER THAN SUPPORTING PRIVATELY MANAGED ENTITIES SUCH AS THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. AND FURTHERMORE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED AS TO WHY ANOTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE, RENT FREE WITHIN PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS. NOW IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED TONIGHT BY CONSTITCH AUNT THERE WAS A LACK OF COLLABORATION AND CERTAINLY PROBABLY MOST LIKELY A LACK OF OVERSIGHT IN THE -- IF IT'S IT'S MANIFESTED INTO ANOTHER SCHOOL. THE CONCERN IS THE ABSENCE OF
VERBAL AND FIDUCIARY COLLABORATION WITH THE FLORIDA LEGISLATOR. WE HAD NO SAY IN THIS PARTICULAR DECISION. AND THE DECISION WAS MADE ON -- SENATE BILL 2510 WHICH PERTAINS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW OF THIS NEW PUBLIC SCHOOL MODEL WITHOUT A SHARED AND CONSISTENT UNDERSTANDING AMONG ALL INVOLVED ENTITIES. SEVERAL CRITICAL TOPICS HAVE NOT BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT NOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFIC CONCERNS. NUMBER ONE, IT'S NOT PRIORITIZED BUT THEY'RE ALL EQUALLY BUT THEY'RE ALL EQUALLY IMPORTANT. STUDENT SAFETY AND LIABILITY ISSUES. POSSIBLE LAWSUITS WHICH COULD EVOLVE FROM FIGHTING, DRUG USAGE OR SALES, BRINGING OF WEAPONS AND OTHER NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS. SECURITY IS NUMBER ONE. THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENTS IS PARAMOUNT. TWO, OPERATIONS. THE UPKEEP OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL BUILDING MAINTENANCE SUCH AS HVAC, CUSTODIAN CLEANING OF CLASSROOMS AND THE OVERALL
SCHOOL SITE. HUMAN RESOURCES. SHARING OF ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES. RESOURCE OFFICERS. THIS IS TO NAME A FEW. NURSES. SOCIAL WORKERS. PTAs. ALL THIS TO BE SHARED ALONG WITH THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES THE ATHLETIC FACILITIES AND THE GROUNDS THEREOF. FOURTH, SHARING OF COMMON SPACES SUCH AS SUCH AS CAFETERIAS AND MEDIA CENTERS. CREATING EQUITY ISSUES AND HOW ABOUT GRADE-LEVEL SAFETY. ARE WE GOING TO MIX HIGHER GRADES WITH THE LORE ONES EVEN
IF IT'S A K-8 OR ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A K-8. THAT'S A BIG CONCERN. THOU, WE ARE REMINDED THAT CO-LOCATED CHARTER SCHOOLS SUCH AS THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE WILL ADD A CERTAIN NUMBER OF STUDENTS. EACH OF THEIR STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS AS TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS. EXCEPT BIG EXCEPTION, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE ITEMS I MENTIONED WHICH IN A NUTSHELL INCLUDE PHYSICAL BUILDINGS,
OPERATIONS, NOR HUMAN RESOURCES. THIS EXTRA FUNDING IS COMING OFF THE BACKS OF OUR THE BACKS OF OUR FINANCIAL, TRADITIONAL WELL-BEING -- TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS' WELL-BEING INCLUSIVE IS OUR FUND BALANCE. SO THIS IS JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF RATIONALE AS TO THE ABSURD NOTION OF ALLOWING ANOTHER SCHOOL ENTITY WHICH BY THE WAY AS ONE OF THE STUDENTS EVEN MENTIONED, PRIOR THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE HAD A C.
THIS YEAR -- BUT PREVIOUS THEY HAD A HAD A "D." IF THEY'RE GOING INTO THE HIGHLY RECOGNIZED SCHOOLS, THAT'S GOING TO RUB A LOT OF FOLKS WRONG AS IT SHOULD BE AND ANY OTHER SCHOOL FOR THAT MATTER. SO WE ARE REGARDING THIS AS A BOARD -- THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. WE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AND WE ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BOARD MEMBERS HAVING A PERHAPS SOME DISCUSSION ON THIS. THANK THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY.
MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANTED TO SHARE MY OP-ED THAT WAS RELEASED WITH THE WAS RELEASED WITH THE TAMPA BAY TIMES YESTERDAY REGARDING THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. THEY'RE NOT THE FUTURE FLORIDA OR THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE. THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE WAS INOBLE IN THEORY CREATED TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS WITH LOW PERFORMANCE THAT NEEDED THAT NEEDED URGENT HELP AND ALTHOUGH THE PLAN HAD WEAKNESS THE PLAN WAS CONNECTED TOIC ADEMIC NEED. TODAY THE PROGRAM LOOKS VERY DIFFERENT. THE LAW HAS BEEN REWRITTEN SO THE STATE CAN TARGET SCHOOLS
SIMPLY UNDER ENROLLED. A PROGRAM THAT ONCE PROMPTED TO LIFT STRUGGLING SCHOOLS HAS BECOME A TOOL FOR SHIFTING CONTROL AWAY FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INTO THE HANDS OF STATE OFFICIALS. IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE HAVE DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THE SCHOOL OF HOPE. IF THIS IS THE MODEL LAW MAKERS WANT TO EXPAND, FAMILIES AND TAXPAYERS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION. THE SCHOOL HAS FACED REPEATED TURNOVER IN LEADERS AND STAFF. STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND INCONSISTENT ACADEMIC INCONSISTENT ACADEMIC RESULTS. ITS GRADE DROPPED TO A D AND SITS AT A C.
INSTABILITY HAS BECOME ROUTINE AND THAT INSTABILITY AFFECTS THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY AS WELL. THIS IS NOT A MODEL THAT STRENGTHENS NEIGHBORHOODS OR BUILDS TRUST. IT IS A MODEL THAT STRUGGLES TO IT IS A MODEL THAT STRUGGLES TO SUSTAIN ITSELF. DESPITE THE RECORD LAW DESPITE THE RECORD LAW MAKERS ARE PUSHING TO REQUIRE DISTRICTS TO GIVE SCHOOLS OF HOPE OPERATORS FREE USE OF OPERATORS FREE USE OF PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDINGS. DISTRICTS WOULD PAY FOR CUSTODIAL WORK, TRANSPORTATION, CAFETERIA SERVICES, SECURITY AND MAINTENANCE WHILE PRIVATE OPERATORS MANAGE ACADEMICS AND RECEIVE THE BENEFITS. IN REALITY, TAXPAYERS WOULD BE
FUNDING TWO SYSTEMS INSIDE THE SAME BUILDING. ONCE IS ACCOUNTABILITY TO PUBLIC THROUGH ELECTED BOARD. THE OTHER ANSWERS TO PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING NATIONAL COMPANIES WITH NO CONNECTION TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLING BECAUSE FLORIDA ALREADY UNDERFUNDS ITS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DISTRICTS WORK EVERY YEAR TO STRETCH LIMITED STRETCH LIMITED RESOURCES TO PAY FOR SAFE FACILITIES, FOR SAFE FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS AND CERTIFIED TEACHERS. ASKING LOCAL TAXPAYERS TO ASKING LOCAL TAXPAYERS TO SUBSIDIZE PRIVATE OPERATORS INSIDE PUBLIC BUILDINGS WHILE
THOSE SAME BUILDINGS FACE BUDGET LIMITS IS SIMPLY NOT RESPONSIBLE. EVEN THE FLORIDA PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION CALLED THIS PROPOSAL AN UNFUNDED MANDATE BECAUSE IT FORCES DISTRICTS TO COVER SERVICES THAT DIRECTLY BENEFIT PRIVATE TENANTS. DISTRICTS ARE RECEIVING LARGE NUMBER OF NOTICES EVEN FROM COMPANIES THAT ADMIT THEY PLAN TO OPENLY ONLY A FEW SCHOOLS WHEN OPERATORS SUBMIT FAR MORE NOTICES THAN THEY INTEND TO PURSUE, IT BECOMES OPIOUS THAT THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR -- OBVIOUS THEY'RE SEARCHING FOR FREE SPACE. NOT PLANNING THOUGHTFUL
EXPANSIONS. INCREASINGLY THIS LOOKS LIKE AN EFFORT TO HELP STUDENTS AND MORE LIKE AN ATTEMPT TO ACQUIRE PUBLIC PROPERTY WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT. SAFETY IS ANOTHER ISSUE SAFETY IS ANOTHER ISSUE LEFT UNADDRESSED. AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND LIFETIME EDUCATOR, I KNOW HOW COMPLEX IT IS COMPLEX IT IS TO MANAGE STUDENT COMPLEX IT IS TO MANAGE STUDENT SUPERVISION, EMERGENCY DRILLS AND SHARED SPACES. PLACING A DISTRICT SCHOOL AND CHARTER SCHOOL IN THE SAME BUILDING CREATES OVERLAPPING RULES AND CONFLICTING PROCEDURES. THE LAW DOES NOT CLARIFY WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR CRUCIAL SAFETY DECISIONS OR HOW ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD BE SHARED. AT A TIME WHEN DISTRICTS WORK TO CREATE CONSISTENT AND RELIABLE SAFETY PROTOCOLS, THE STATE CREATED A SYSTEM THAT ADDS CONFUSION INSTEAD OF CLARITY. UNDER THE LAW ANY SCHOOL THAT OPENS BELOW CAPACITY CAN BE TARGETED FOR SPACE. THIS PLACES DISTRICTS IN A DIFFICULT POSITION. IF THEY BUILD THE CAPACITY THEY'LL THEY'LL AEVENTUALLY NEED -- IF
THEY HESITATE TO BUILD, FAMILIES LOSE ACCESS TO THE SPACES THEY WERE WERE PROMISES. THEY'RE RAISING A SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT HOW TAXPAYER FUNDED PROPERTY WILL BE USED IN THE FUTURE. WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS PART OF A LARGE PATTERN IN WHICH THE STATE TAKES CONTROL OF DECISIONS THAT SHOULD REMAIN WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES. WHEN THE STATE REMOVES AUTHORITY FROM ELECTED SCHOOL BOARDS, AND CONCENTRATES IN TALLAHASSEE, THE RESULT IS A SYSTEM THAT BECOMES LESS RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE IT
WAS MEANT TO SERVE. I BELIEVE IN STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND BELIEVE IN HIGH QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOLS. BOTH HAVE A PLACE IN FLORIDA BUT THIS INITIATIVE DOES NOT RAISE -ST ANDARDS, ENCOURAGE INNOVATION OR STRENGTHEN COMMUNITIES. IT PLACES PUBLIC ASSETS AT RISK. COMPLICATES SAFETY AND WEAKENS LOCAL AUTHORITY. FLORIDA CAN SUPPORT CHOICE WITHOUT UNDERMINING THE SCHOOLS THAT ANCHOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. WE MUST INSIST ON POLICIES THAT RESPECT LOCAL DECISION MAKING AND PROTECT PUBLIC AND PROTECT PUBLIC RESOURCES.
HOPE SHOULD MEAN STABILITY. TRANSTEARPARENCY AND REAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AND NOT USED TO JUSTIFY GIVING CONTROL OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS TO PRIVATE INTERESTS. FAMILIES DESERVE A FUTURE SHAPED BY COMMUNITY VOICES. NOT BY THE STATE MANDATES NOT BY THE STATE MANDATES THAT PLACE LOCAL CONTROL PLACE LOCAL CONTROL OUT OF REACH. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST, WHERE APPRECIATE THIS -- I APPRECIATE THIS PROCLAMATION AND THE WORDING ON IT. I THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE
CONVERSATIONS FROM PERSONAL BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT HOW WE FEEL ABOUT SCHOOLS OF HOPE IN GENERAL AND, YOU KNOW, JUST COMING FROM FSBA WHICH IS THE FSBA WHICH IS THE STATE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THE CONVERSATION BIPARTISAN AROUND THE CONCERNS OF HOPE. I THINK THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU FEEL ABOUT VOUCHERS OR SCHOOL CHOICE, THE FACT THAT YOU -- WE HAD OUTLINED HERE THESE KIND OF FOUR POINTS THAT WHAT WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING AROUND THIS ARE THIS ARE A DEAF NAGS OF THIS ARE A DEAF NAGS OF
UNDERUTILIZE, UNDER -- UNDER USED SCHOOLS AND EXCESSIVE USED SCHOOLS AND EXCESSIVE SEATS AND ESTABLISH A REASONABLE THRESHOLD FOR SCHOOL UTILIZATION. THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR SCHOOLS OF HOPE TO ONLY SERVE STUDENTS OF THE SAME GRADE LEVEL AS A TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL. THAT WE'RE SUCCESS THEM TO PROVIDE SAFE HARBOR FOR NEW SCHOOLS WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF BEING BUILT. AND THAT THE VERY LEAST, WE'RE JUST ASKING THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE TO PAY THE DISTRICT FOR TO PAY THE DISTRICT FOR SERVICES UTILIZED INCLUDING UTILIZED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
LIMITED TO CUS TOLLIAL -- CUSTODIAL, MAINTENANCE, SCHOOL SAFETY, FOOD SERVICES, NURSING AND STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO CREATE A PROCLAMATION THAT IS ASKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE GETTING THE PER PUPIL MONEY TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES OF THOSE STUDENTS THE SERVICES OF THOSE STUDENTS IS JUST -- IT'S THE VERY LEAST THAT WE CAN DO. SO I APPRECIATE SO I APPRECIATE THIS PROCLAMATION. I THINK THESE ARE ALL VALID.
ONE THING I HOPE -- THAT I'M ASKING FOR THAT IS SEPARATE FROM THIS PROCLAMATION IS -- I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANY ANSWERS AROUND GROWTH. IF OUR UNDERUTILIZED SCHOOLS, IF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS EXPAND AND WE HAVE COMMUNITY GROWTH, AND THOSE SCHOOLS OF HOPE HAVE TAKEN OUR SEATS, I'M STILL UNCLEAR ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD NEW BUILD NEW SCHOOLS NOW TO ACCOMMODATE GROWTH. THIS PROVIDES ZERO FLEXIBILITY IN THE CHANGING OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE A SCHOOL THAT'S UNUTILIZED.
A SCHOOL OF HOPE COMES IN. WE CAN HAVE FIVE NEW COMPLEXES COME IN AND THERE IS NO ROOM COME IN AND THERE IS NO ROOM AND WE HAVE TO BUILD A SCHOOL AT FIVE OR TEN TIMES THE AMOUNT IT ORIGINALLY COST. I THINK THIS I THINK THIS IS A GOOD START. I KNOW THAT I KNOW THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON IT'S CONTROVERSIAL BUT I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING THAT IS UNREASONABLE AND THE VERY UNREASONABLE AND THE VERY LEAST OF AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT A PUBLIC SCHOOL SHOULD BE DOING. IF YOU'RE GETTING PUBLIC DOLLARS, YOU SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE AND TRANSPARENT AND PAYING FOR THE SERVICES YOUR
STUDENTS ARE UTILIZING AT THE BARE MINIMUM. I APPRECIATE THE WORDING ON I APPRECIATE THE WORDING ON THIS. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: I'M SO SORRY, MADAM CHAIR. JUST SKIP ME. GO RIGHT TO GO RIGHT TO SHAKE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YOU CAN KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU CAN KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE PROCLAMATION BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REALIZE YOU CAN'T RUN TWO SCHOOLS IN ONE SCHOOL. BEING A FORMER
BEING A FORMER ADMINISTRATING PRINCIPAL, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RUN ONE SCHOOL. WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT ANOTHER SCHOOL IN THERE THAT DON'T HAVE THE SAME POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, AND WE GOT MANY PEOPLE WITH PRINCIPALS PEOPLE WITH PRINCIPALS WE KNOW YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL IN YOUR SCHOOL THAT YOU HAVE DIFFERENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. IT CAUSES A LOT OF PROBLEM WITH THE PARENTS. NUMBER TWO, IT'S GOING TO BE DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IT'S GOING TO GOING TO BE HARD TO CONTROL.
BECAUSE IF MY POLICY IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR POLICY, AND YOUR KID DOES SOMETHING ON YOUR SIDE OF THE HOUSE AND MY SIDE OF THE HOUSE, IF YOU DO THAT, BOY, YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO ISS, THEN IT PRESENTS A PROBLEM. IT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. SO WE NEED TO WORK -- AND NOT BE DEROGATORY BUT MAKE DECISIONS, FEASIBLE DECISIONS, DECISIONS THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO SCHOOLS IN ONE. YOU GOT TO HAVE ONE SCHOOL TO YOU GOT TO HAVE ONE SCHOOL TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THANK Y'ALL FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. WE VOTED ON IT AND IT'S VERY WELL PUT IN PLACE AND I WELL PUT IN PLACE AND I APPRECIATE THAT. I GOT TO GO WITH THIS PROCLAMATION BECAUSE IT SOUNDS GOOD. IT SOUNDS REALLY GOOD AND IT'S ALL IN PERSPECTIVE. THANKS YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE THAT, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. ALTHOUGH I VOICED MANY CONCERNS REGARDING DIFFERENT DECISIONS MADE OVER THE YEARS REGARDING
DIFFERENT SITUATIONS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THIS, AND ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS I HAVE WITH THIS PROCLAMATION IS IT SPECIFICALLY TALKS OF SCHOOLS OF HOPE. SCHOOLS OF HOPE ARE ALSO THE STUDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND WE IN THIS AND WE IN THIS PROCLAMATION ARE TARGETING THAT PARTICULAR GROUP. THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LEGISLATION. THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE. AND BASED UPON THAT, I REPRESENT ALL STUDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AND SCHOOLS OF HOPE ARE PART OF AND SCHOOLS OF HOPE ARE PART OF ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I WILL NOT
BE APPROVING THIS PROCLAMATION. I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR LEGISLATORS. I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO WORK DIPLOMATICALLY TO MAKE SURE AND ENSURE THAT LEGISLATION COMES OUT OF TALLAHASSEE THAT OUT OF TALLAHASSEE THAT UNDERSTANDS THE NEEDS OF ALL OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH TALLAHASSEE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THE BEST THING FOR STUDENTS. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT INCLUDES THE STUDENTS OF
HOPE THAT ARE CURRENTLY HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED, AND THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS THAT WE OR ANYONE FEELS UPSET ABOUT. BECAUSE OF THAT, I WILL NOT BECAUSE OF THAT, I WILL NOT APPROVE THIS PROCLAMATION. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, WE HAD A RECOGNITION OF THE CITIZENS RECOGNITION OF THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
AND I HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT POINTS WITH THE WITH THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. NUMBER ONE IS THE NUMBER ONE IS THE LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE, THEY'RE NOT HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND THAT LEADS TO CONCERNS ABOUT HOW TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE HOW TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE BEING UTILIZED. AND THE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES AND THE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES ARE BEING MONITORED. THE WAY WE TALKED ABOUT ONE
BILLION DOLLARS AND HOW WE'RE ABLE TO MONITOR ABLE TO MONITOR THOSE FUNDS GOING INTO OUR SCHOOLS. AND THE TRANSPARENCY WITH THE FUNDS. AND ALSO, THE AND ALSO, THE PRIVATIZATION OF EDUCATION. SOME MAY ARGUE SOME MAY ARGUE THAT SOME MAY ARGUE THAT SCHOOLS OF HOPE REPRESENTS A STEP FORWARD, BUT TO THIS BOARD MEMBER, IT COULD LEAD TO A SHIFT AND FOCUS TOWARDS PROFIT RATHER THAN THE WELL-BEING AND WELL-BEING AND EDUCATION OF
STUDENTS. THE NEXT ONE IS QUESTIONABLE SUCCESS RATES. AS IT WAS MENTIONED BY ALSO ONE OF MY BOARD MEMBERS, CRITICS OF SCHOOLS OF SCHOOLS OF HOPE HAVE POINTED OUT MIXED RESULTS AND THE LACK OF SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE DEMONSTRATING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN ACADEMIC OUTCOMES COMPARED TO OUTCOMES COMPARED TO OUR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. ALSO, THE DISRUPTION. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE OUR STUDENTS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THERE IS
GOING TO BE A DISRUPTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES. AND WE TALKED AND HAVE SEEN AND WE TALKED AND HAVE SEEN COMMUNITIES COME UP HERE AND SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T WANT DISRUPTIONS DON'T WANT DISRUPTIONS IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES AND INTRODUCING EXTERNAL ENTITIES LIKE SCHOOLS OF HOPE INTO OF HOPE INTO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY CAUSE DISTRICTS MAY CAUSE DISRUPTIONS INTO THESE INTO THESE COMMUNITIES AND EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS THAT UNDERMINE THE ROLE
UNDERMINE THE ROLE OF NOT ONLY THE SCHOOLS BUT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. SOME MAY ARGUE THAT RESOURCES INVESTED IN SUPPORTING SCHOOLS OF HOPE CAN BE BETTER USED AND UTILIZED TO IMPROVE EXISTING UTILIZED TO IMPROVE EXISTING PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND ADDRESS SYSTEMATIC ISSUES WITHIN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION. AND THOSE ARE MY FIVE POINTS AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS PROCLAMATION. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU.
I'D REMISS I'D REMISS WITHOUT MAKING A COMMENT. I ALSO REPRESENT ALL THE STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND I'M A BOARD MEMBER FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SCHOOLS OF HOPE, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN BOARD. SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M ALLOWING -- FOR ME TO PAY DOUBLE FOR A STUDENT WHY MEMBER FOR A STUDENT WHY MEMBER RENDON, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WHY WOULD I PAY SCHOOLS OF HOPE FOR THEIR CAFETERIA, FOR THEIR TRANSPORTATION, WHILE THEY TAKE
THAT MONEY AND I HAVE TO PAY DOUBLE AND THEY'RE MAKING PROFIT. MOST OF THE COMPANIES COMING IN ARE FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES. FOR ME, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. OVER AND OVER I SIT HERE AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND I'M ELECTED TO PUSH FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I WASN'T ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. I'M HERE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TAXPAYERS. I'M NOT HERE FOR NEW YORK CITY. OR SOME MATTER ACADEMY OR WHATEVER THAT'S COMING SOMEWHERE AND BRINGING LEGISLATORS AND TAKING THEM EVERYWHERE FOR PROFIT. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GETTING HERE AND PEOPLE ARE NOT FIGHTING THIS AND THEN WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD WHO DON'T EVEN REPRESENT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M SORRY. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, WE ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DOUBLE PAYING. THAT IF THERE IS A GUN IN A SCHOOL AND IF IT'S A SCHOOL OF HOPE, HOPE, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? WHAT HAPPENS? I MEAN, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER -- THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS.
MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE CAME TO MY THOUGHT. I USED TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL COACH. HOW ABOUT ATH HOW ABOUT ATHLETICS NOW? IT'S GOING TO PRESENT A PROBLEM. IF YOU COME INTO THE SCHOOL, YOU CAN PLAY FOR THE SCHOOL UNLESS THEY CHANGE THE POLICY. THERE WILL HAVE TO BE CHANGES ON THE POLICY FOR ATHLETES BECAUSE I CAN SEE A KID CAN PLAY AT ONE SCHOOL AND GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL EASILY AND GO TO THE SCHOOL OF HOPE BECAUSE I DON'T SEE IN THE BOUNDARIES FOR THE SCHOOL OF HOPE.
SO IF I'M PLAYING AT MILTON HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY GOT THE SCHOOL OF HOPE OVER AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, I CAN GO THERE AND PLAY IF I GO TO THAT SCHOOL. SO IT'S GOING TO PRESENT A PROBLEM. EITHER WAY, ESPECIALLY IN EITHER WAY, ESPECIALLY IN ATHLETICS. BECAUSE ONE SCHOOL CAN BECOME DOMINANT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. PEOPLE THAT KNOWS ABOUT ATHLETICS. YOU CAN GET ALL THE KIDS IN THIS SCHOOL AND YOUR SCHOOL WILL BECOME DOMINANT. IT'S A LOT WE HAVE IT'S A LOT WE HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO BE -- TO MAKE THE SCHOOL OF HOPE COOPERATE WITH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING.
THANK YOU. I WANT TO ADD THAT PART, BEING A FORMER COACH. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: YES. MEMBER RENDON, WE ARE REMINDED THAT EVERY ONE OF THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SITTING ON THE DAIS ARE REPRESENTING THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF ALL STUDENTS. AND SOME OF US HAVE BEEN THERE AND HERE MANY YEARS. THAT'S NOT THE QUESTION. THE QUESTION REALLY -- AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR
ENUMERATING THOSE POINTS. WHEN YOU ENUMERATE WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT, YOU SEE THE COMMUNITY CAN GET FRAGMENTED WITH ANOTHER SCHOOL COMING INTO THEIR COMMUNITY. YOU CAN SEE THE CULTURE AND YOU CAN SEE THE CULTURE AND THE IDENTITY OF THAT SCHOOL, WHEN IT HAS ANOTHER SCHOOL IN IT, EVAPORATE. CRUMBLE. GO TIGERS AT GO TIGERS AT MIDDLETON. WHAT IF MIDDLETON HAS ANOTHER SCHOOL. THIS IS A MISALIGNMENT. YOU CAN ALSO EXPECT TENSION BETWEEN AND AMONG THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AND THEY'RE SUBJECT TO
DIFFERENT RULES. THE CODE OF CONDUCT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THAT'S I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM. BUT ALSO IF WE ARE REALLY GETTING INVOLVED WITH GETTING INVOLVED WITH TECHNICALITIES, THEY ARE ABLE TO SHARE THE CANVAS. OR COMMUNICATION SYSTEM. IF ANYONE IN HERE IS WORRIED AND CONCERNED ABOUT PRIVACY, WELL, NOW YOU'RE OPENING UP STUDENT INFORMATION, PUBLIC SCHOOL INFORMATION, STUDENTS, PARENTS, TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
THEY HAVE TO SHARE CAMPUS. SO ALL THOSE AND EVERY ONE SO ALL THOSE AND EVERY ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DEFINITELY HIT UPON -- AND HIT UPON THE CONCERNS BUT THERE ARE SO MANY MORE. ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. WANT TODAYED TO FILL -- WANTED TO FILL IN MORE BLANKS. >>Karen Perez: THANK >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I THOUGHT ABOUT A POINT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT. LAST WEEK WE HAD THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION COME TO THE FSBA MEETING AND
BASICALLY THREATEN COUNTIES THAT PUSH BACK AGAINST SCHOOLS OF HOPE WITH CLOSING DOWN SPECIFIC COUNTIES OR PASSING LEGISLATION TO PENALIZE BOARD MEMBERS WHO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THIS. THE THE STRIKING PIECE OF THAT CONVERSATION WAS PROPPING UP OUR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND ACTING LIKE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST SCHOOLS OF HOPE IS HURTING OUR SCHOOLS OF HOPE IS HURTING OUR MARGINALIZED STUDENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, AS I LOOK THROUGH THIS, THE FACT THAT THESE SCHOOLS ARE COMING IN, I DON'T SEE ANY EXTRA MONEY GOING TO SUPPORT STUDENTS. I DON'T SEE EXTRA MONEY THAT
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE PAYING FOR GOING BACK IN THE COMMUNITIES. I DON'T SEE A PUSH TOWARDS EXTRA READING COACHES OR THINGS TO SUPPORT ANY LEARNING GAPS FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SAY THEY'RE BRINGING HOPE TO. IN FACT, FROM EVERYTHING I READ ABOUT THEM, THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO BE CERTIFIED. THERE IS LESS ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THEY'RE NOT OFFERING HOPE TO OUR STUDENTS. SO I THINK THE BIGGEST FRUSTRATION AROUND THIS IS TO ACT LIKE THE FACT THAT ANY BOARD
MEMBER WHO CARES ABOUT OUR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND POINT OUT THAT ALLOWING FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS TO COME IN AND TAKE OUR PER PUPIL FUNDING WHILE WE FOOT THE BILL FOR THE STUDENTS AND MAKE THAT MONEY OFF PROFIT WHILE OUR STUDENTS ARE JUST BACKPACKS FULL OF CASH UNDER THE NAME OF SUPPORTING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES IS PROBLEMATIC. THE WAY THAT YOU, AGAIN, SUPPORT THOSE COMMUNITIES, IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THE FEES IS TO REINVESTMENT THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITIES OR THE STUDENTS AND THERE IS NO PLAN OR OUTLAY OF
HOW THE MONEY THEY'RE SAVING BY NOT PAYING FOR THE -- THE SERVICES THAT THEY'RE OFFERING OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO OFFER HOPE TO ANY OF OUR MARGINALIZED STUDENTS. THEY'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT OPENING EARLY LEARNING CENTERS OR ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO EDUCATION AT AN EARLIER AGE OR ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING STUDENTS MORE HOPE. SO THE THING THAT UPSETS ME THE MOST IS THIS IS BEING TOUTED ON THE BACKS OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE MARGINALIZED STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THESE SCHOOLS,
AND THEY'RE NOT OFFERING ANY EXTRA RESOURCES FOR THE MONEY THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF PAYING WHILE WE'RE FOOTING THE BILL FOR THE SERVICES. AND I WANT TO MAKE AND I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO ANYONE WHO INSINUATES THAT WE'RE HURTING MARGINALIZED STUDENTS BY SPEAKING UP AGAINST THIS. THAT THAT'S THE ANTITHESIS TO WHAT'S REALLY WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR.
AND IT PASSES WITH AND IT PASSES WITH MEMBER RENDON DISSENTING FROM THE VOTE. OUR NEXT ITEM IS 1.01, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AGREEMENT ADDENDUM TO PROJECT READ AI PROJECT READ AI INCORPORATED. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: PROJECT READ USES AI TO STRENGTHEN HOW TEACHERS IMLMENT THE UFLI IMLMENT THE UFLI FOUNDATIONS CONNECTING STUDENT DATA TO LESSON PLANNING AND DECODEABLE READING PRACTICE. THIS PURCHASE WILL GIVE
EDUCATORS REALTIME TOOLS TO FORM GROUPS AND GENERATE LESSONS AND PRODUCE STORIES THAT MATCH THE PHONICS SKILLS STUDENTS ARE LEARNING. THIS IS TO STREAMLINE INSTRUCTION SO TEACHERS CAN SPEND MORE TIME TEACHING AND STUDENTS CAN MAKE FASTER MORE CONSISTENT PROGRESS ACROSS GRADES. THAT'S ITEM THAT'S ITEM 1.01 AND THAT'S ITEM 1.01 AND SARAH GARCIA AND TRACY BERGMAN ARE HERE. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONDITION KEGSS OR INFORMATION REGARDING 1.01. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A
I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM C1.01. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER GRAY, YOU MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO THANK SARAH I WANT TO THANK SARAH GARCIA. YOU HEAR THAT NEW YORK ACCENT. SARAH GARCIA AND GARRETT BRADY AND TRACIE BERGMAN. WHEN WE INTRODUCE AI IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT WHICH IS A HUGE INITIATIVE, ONE THAT CAN BE
PROUD OF, I THOUGHT IT VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR HOW THIS PARTICULAR THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE INTEGRATES WITH THE UFLI ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING PORTAL. ALSO, WHAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TOO IS OUR TEACHERS LOVE IT. SEVEN PILOTS -- AND TEACHERS SAY IT'S SAVING THEM TIME. IT'S A TREMENDOUS VALUE IT'S A TREMENDOUS VALUE FOR DECODING PHONICS EDUCATION. BUT I'M OUT OF MY WORLD OF
STUDY. BUT YOU'RE NOT. SO, SARAH, SO, SARAH, SO, SARAH, TRACIE, CAN YOU SHARE WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS AND THE ADADVANCEMENTAGES? . >> OF COURSE. I'D BE HAPPY TO. WE BELIEVE THIS IS A POWERFUL USE OF AI AND EDUCATION AND IT'S AN EXCITING ITEM FOR US. PROJECT READ NOT ONLY DECREASES THE TEACHER WORKLOAD AND SAVES TEACHERS TIME BUT ENSURES ALL OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO TARGETED DATA-DRIVEN INSTRUCTION THAT'S ALIGNED TO THE SKILL GAPS THAT THEY NEED MORE PRACTICE WITH BECAUSE WHAT PROJECT READ DOES IS WHEN THE STUDENTS TAKE
THEIR WEEKLY UFLI ASSESSMENTS, THE TEACHER SCANS IT IN AND IT AUTOMATICALLY SCORES IT FOR THE TEACHERS AND ANALYZES THE DATA AND GIVES RECOMMENDED INSTRUCTIONAL GROUPINGS FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK TARGETING THE SPECIFIC PHONETIC SKILL GAPS THAT THE STUDENTS NEED MORE PRACTICE WITH. IT GENERATES LESSON PLANS FOR EACH OF THE INDIVIDUAL GROUPS. IT SAVES TEACHERS TIME AND ENSURES THAT WE'RE USING UFLI AT THE STRONGEST LEVEL IT CAN BE IN WHOLE GROUP AND SMALL GROUP. SO FOR US, IT'S THE SO FOR US, IT'S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
>>Lynn Gray: WHAT'S OUR NEXT STEP? WE HAVE THE SEVEN PILOTED SCHOOLS. ARE WE GOING TO EXPAND? >> YES. IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, WE'LL BE SCHEDULING TRAINING IN JANUARY. IT'S A ONE-HOUR VIRTUAL TRAINING AND NOT INTENSE AND SELF-EXPLANATORY AND WE'LL OFFER FOUR DIFFERENT SESSIONS TO TEACHERS AND ONE TO ADMINISTRATORS AND READING COACHES IN JANUARY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND START USING THE PRODUCT. THE RESEARCH FROM THE VENDORS SAYS ONCE THEY LOG IN THEY USE IT IT CONTINUOUSLY AND
IT CONTINUOUSLY AND REGULARLY. TEACHERS DON'T GO BACK TO THE HAND SCORING METHOD ONCE THEY USE IT. >>Lynn Gray: THIS IS TREMENDOUS. AND THE FACT THAT IT MAKES LESSON PLANS, AS A LESSON PLANS, AS A FORMER TEACHER, THAT'S A BIG ITEM, A RELIEF. MR. BRADY, WE'RE GOING MR. BRADY, WE'RE GOING -- WE'RE NOT GOING. YOU ARE GOING I BELIEVE YOU ARE GOING I BELIEVE TO TALLAHASSEE TO -- ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE THIS INITIATIVE UP THERE TO BE BRUGAUCHE IS? -- BRUGROGS IS? >> DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY ASK ME. I INTEND TO.
THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF US USING AI FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD POLICY, THE HUMAN BOARD POLICY, THE HUMAN CEPTSRIC APPROACH AND -- APPROACH AND -- HUMAN-CENTRIC APPROACH AND INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION. THIS HITS BOTH OF THOSE. IT MIGHT NOT BE PART OF THE UFLI CURRICULUM WHEN WE ADOPTED IT BUT NOW IT'S AVAILABLE. HOURS UPON HOURS EACH WEEK, AND THAT ALLOWS US TO REACH THE MAX POTENTIAL OF UFLI. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HOPE WILL TAKE US TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
>>Lynn Gray: I KNOW I SPEAK WITH THE BOARD IN MIND. THE WORK THAT THE WORK THAT TRACIE BERGMAN, SARAH GARCIA AND YOU PUT INTO THIS. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE RESULTS AS WE AS WE GO FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WASN'T GOING TO I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM BUT SINCE IT WAS PULLED ANYWAY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
PUBLICLY TALK ABOUT IT. I'M GLAD THAT EMPLOYEES ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY. I ALWAYS HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. I FEEL LIKE I SIT UP HERE AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ASK THE QUESTIONS INSURED ABOUT THE QUESTIONS INSURED ABOUT THE ACCESS AND HOW EASY IT'S GOING TO BE AND I GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND NOBODY HAS BEEN TRAINED ON THE STUFF I EXPLICITLY ASK ABOUT. I'LL CONTINUE TO ASK ABOUT HOW WE'RE MAKING SURE THE TEACHERS THAT LOVE THIS AND WANT THIS THAT LOVE THIS AND WANT THIS AND
CAN UTILIZE THIS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND BE PROPERLY TRAINED ON IT. I KNOW THIS IS FOR HALF THE YEAR AND A TEST AND A TEST ITEM THAT'S COMING BACK. I WANT TO ALSO BE CLEAR THAT MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS WE'RE BIGGEST CONCERN IS WE'RE PAYING FOR ALL STUDENTS. BUT WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO USE THIS BECAUSE IT'S FOR A SPECIFIC GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTRA READING SUPPORT AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT MANDATING ALL TEACHERS ARE GOING TO GET TRAINED ON THIS. WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO USE IT.
WHAT I'M EXPECTING WHEN THIS COMES BACK BEFORE US IS A PERCENTAGE OF HOW MANY STUDENTS USED IT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE PAYING FOR EVERY STUDENT, BUT IF HALF THE STUDENTS USE IT, I HALF THE STUDENTS USE IT, I WANT TO SEE SERIOUS NEGOTIATION NEXT YEAR OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS COMES BACK FOR US IN COMES BACK FOR US IN SIX MONTHS OR HOWEVER LONG IT IS. I FEEL LIKE THIS IS EXCESSIVE TO GO OUT AND PAY FOR EVERY GO OUT AND PAY FOR EVERY STUDENT WHEN WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE THAT TEACHERS WILL GET TRAINED OR BE UTILIZING IT. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. AND I THINK THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A LIST SENT OF THE SCHOOLS
THAT ARE GOING TO BE UTILIZING AND THE -- I COULD COME AND TALK TO THE SCHOOLS ABOUT. WAS THERE A LIST OF SCHOOLS SENT, TEST SCHOOLS? >> WE CAN SEND YOU A LIST OF THE SEVEN PILOT -- JUST WHAT SCHOOLS THEY WORK AT. AND WHO THEY ARE. WE CAN GET THAT TO YOU. I KNOW WE ALSO AGREE THAT WE'D TOUCH BASE AGAIN IN THE SPRING AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE DATA IN TERMS OF THE USAGE NUMBERS, HOW IT'S BEING USED FOR IT CORE INSTRUCTION AND THE MTSS PROCESS AND GIVE AND GIVE YOU
AND GIVE YOU -- AN UPDATE AND INVITE YOU TO ONE OF THE SITES. >>Jessica Vaughn: FOR ALL THE ENTHUS ENTHUSIASM ABOUT IT, I HOPE ALL THE TEACHERS WILL BE TRAINED ON IT AND WE'LL USE IT AND IT WILL HAVE THE IMPACT WE HOPE IT DOES. I APPRECIATE CAN IT. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: JUST A QUICK COMMENT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU STAYED FOR A WHILE FOR THIS ITEM BEING PULLED. I REMEMBER I REMEMBER WHEN UFLI FIRST CAME AND I WAS AT THE SCHOOL SITE WHERE WE HAVE A KINDERGARTEN
TEACHER COME HERE ALL THE TIME. I THINK SHE TAUGHT FOR 25 OR 30 YEARS. SHE WAS LIKE, I LOVE WHAT I TAUGHT. THIS IS IT. I'M NOT INTERESTED. AS SOON AS UFLI CAME, A FEW MONTHS LATER, SHE WAS LIKE, I'M SUCH A BELIEVER SO PEOPLE WHO TAUGHT KINDERGARTEN FOR 30 YEARS, WE HAVE A BIG LITERACY ISSUE ALL OVER. ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY. AND IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, I'M HEARING FROM TEACHERS WHO THOUGHT FOR 30 YEARS THEY BELIEVE IN THE
BELIEVE IN THE UFLI CONCEPT. I THINK YOUR TEAM IS SO TALENTED. TRACIE BERGMAN, WE'RE SO HAPPY TO HAVE THIS TEAM TOGETHER. VERY LUCKY. AND AS I SAID, FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A IT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT A COUPLE MORE YEARS BEFORE WE REALLY SEE IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED IT, IT TAKES THREE TO FIVE YEARS BEFORE YOU SEE THE CHANGE. ALL THE CHANGES, THE BOOKS, THE PHONICS. ALL THE ALL THE SYSTEMATIC CHANGES AT EVERY SCHOOL. I BELIEVE IN YOU. I TRUST THIS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS JUST CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE OUTCOME. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE OVER TO TIME
CERTAIN, EMPLOYEE AND STUDENT COMMENT. WE'LL NOW TAKE EMPLOYMENT AND STUDENT INPUT. EVEN THOUGH WE HEAR FROM PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, IT'S SOMETIMES DIFFICULT FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT TO ATTEND THE MEETINGS AT 4:00. THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD. INCLUDING THROUGH UNION REPRESENTATIVES, E-MAILS, PHONE CALLS, ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS AND PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING. THE BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU.
WITH THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA, WE'RE CREATING ANOTHER AVENUE FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO FOR EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD. WE ARE SETTING ASIDE 30 MINUTES FOR EMPLOYEES OF THE DISTRICT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES THAT ARE ON YOUR MIND. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT ANY ISSUES RELATED TO YOUR JOB OR THE DISTRICT. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES. I WILL NOW CALL UP
I WILL NOW CALL UP THE FIRST SPEAKER. >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MY NAME IS REGINA MY NAME IS REGINA GAMBRIO AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF HCTA. I WANT TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BOARD FOR OUR CONTINUOUS COLLABORATION THIS YEAR. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK KELLY KING'S OFFICE TO THANK KELLY KING'S OFFICE FOR THEIR SUPPORT THEIR SUPPORT DURING OUR PERK ELECTIONS. EARLIER THIS YEAR OUR CLERICAL
EARLIER THIS YEAR OUR CLERICAL UNIT WON OUR PERK ELECTION BY 97% WHICH MEANS THAT 97% OF CLERICAL EMPLOYEES BELIEVE IN OUR UNION. JUST YESTERDAY, WE HAD SOME MORE GREAT NEWS. OUR INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT, OUR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL UNIT, OUR BIGGEST UNIT, WON THEIR ELECTION BY 98%. SO I WANTED TO SO I WANTED TO BRING THAT BOARD AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE COLLABORATION AND THE SUPPORT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR AS
WELL AS THANK OUR MEMBERS. WITHOUT THEM, OUR UNION WOULD NOT EXIST. ON A GREATER NOTE, I KNOW ON A GREATER NOTE, I KNOW WE'RE ON A COUNT DOWN AS THIS YEAR WRAPS UP. I WANT OUR STAFF AND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF AND SUPPORT STAFF TO CONTINUE STRONG WRAPPING UP OUR QUARTER TWO. AND AWAITING THIS EVER SO NEEDED HOLIDAY BREAK, HOLIDAY BREAK, SECOND ONE, RIGHT? AND TO GET READY FOR ANOTHER PROSPEROUS YEAR IN 2026. AGAIN, CONTINUING AGAIN, CONTINUING COLLABORATING WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WE
PREPARE FOR PREPARE FOR BARGAINING. THANK THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO ITEM 2.03. APPLICATION APPROVAL FOR APPLICATION APPROVAL FOR TERRACE ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, THE NEXT TWO ITEMS ARE CHARTER APPLICATIONS. I WANT TO GO THROUGH BULLET POINTS TO OVERVIEW. WE HAVEN'T HAD AN APPLICATION IN A WHILE. AS OF JULY 1, 2021, CHARTER LAW PERMITS AN APPLICANT GROUP TO
SUBMIT AN APPLICATION AT ANY TIME THROUGH THE YEAR FOR TIME THROUGH THE YEAR FOR A SCHOOL TO OPEN. A SPONSOR SHALL RECEIVE AND REVIEW ALL APPLICATIONS USING THE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE SPONSOR WHICH IS US SHALL RECEIVE AND CONSIDER CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS TO BE OPENED AT A TIME SCHOOLS TO BE OPENED AT A TIME DETERMINED BY THE APPLICANT AND FINALLY ONCE THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED, A SPONSOR SHALL BY MAJORITY VOTE APPROVEO DENY AN -- APPROVE OR DENY AN APPLICATION NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE THE ITEM TODAY. APPLICATION RECEIVED WITHIN 90 DAYS AND HAS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD. THIS PARTICULAR ONE IN FRONT OF YOU, TERRACE ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE. THIS PROPOSAL SCHOOL THIS PROPOSAL SCHOOL WILL BE LOCATED AT LOCATED AT JEFFERSON ROAD AND SERVE STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN SERVE STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE AND OFFER K-2 AND 6 WITH THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT OF 228 STUDENTS. SO THAT IS THE FIRST ONE, SO THAT IS THE FIRST ONE, 2.03. AND ANGELA, MS. CROOKS IS HERE.
MR. MURILLO IS HERE OF COURSE IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WHICH IS TERRACE ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE. THAT'S 2.03. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND A SECOND BY MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER GRAY, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THIS MORE IN TERMS OF A CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE. YOU HEARD CHRISTIE YOU HEARD CHRISTIE NOE TONIGHT
SAYING MS. CROOKS, YOUR TEAM HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT DONE AN EXCELLENT THOROUGH JOB IN SCREENING HOWEVER YOU SCREEN CHARTER SCHOOLS. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THAT ACCOLADE AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT WAS BACKED BY THE PATELS. THE SCHOOL. AND I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THAT THIS WILL BE VERY THAT THIS WILL BE VERY SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL. DID YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY DID YOU WANT TO MAKE ANY REMARKS REGARDING? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. THEY DID DO AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THEY DID DO AN EXCELLENT JOB ON THIS APPLICATION. THEY TOOK OUR FEEDBACK AND THEY
WITHDREW IT AND RESUBMITTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS A STRONG APPLICATION AND THEY'D BE READY TO OPEN THEIR SCHOOL. >>Lynn Gray: GREAT JOB, MS. CROOKS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M GOING TO MAKE ONE COMMENT REGARDING 2.03 AND 2.04. I WANT TO THANK BOTH OF THE OPERATORS OF BOTH OF THE SCHOOLS THAT TOOK THE TIME TO TALK WITH ME. NOT IN PERSON. BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A SCHOOL YET. BUT ACTUALLY ON THE PHONE ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONS FOR THE SCHOOLS AND I'M EXCITED FOR WHEN THEY
OPEN THEIR SCHOOL TO COME OUT, SEE THE FACILITY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT ALIGNS WITH ALL OF OUR STATE STANDARDS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO DO AS PARTNERS WITH US IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR TAKING THE TIME TO DO THAT AND OF COURSE MS. CROOKS, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SCHOOL I GO TO, THEY CONTINUOUSLY COMMEND YOU FOR THE RELATIONSHIPS YOU'VE BUILT AND DUE DILIGENCE WITH ALL APPLICATIONS AND ALL THINGS REGARDING ALL OUR PARTNER CHARTER SCHOOLS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR OFFICE AND ALL THE HARD WORK THAT COMES OUT OF IT. THANK YOU.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST, I APPRECIATE KNOWING WHERE THIS ONE IS GOING BECAUSE I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE THE OTHER ONE WAS GOING. I KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE I KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO IDENTIFY THAT YET. IT IS GOING TO BE -- IT'S HARD TO TELL IF IT'S BETWEEN ME AND SHAKE BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE WE SHARE THIS DISTRICT. HE HAS SOME AND I HAVE SOME. IT'S HARD TO TELL WHOSE DISTRICT THIS IS GOING TO FALL IN. MY QUESTION SEPTEMBER SO MY QUESTION SEPTEMBER SO MUCH ABOUT THE APPLICATION BUT ABOUT THE APPLICATION BUT SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, WHAT K-8s
DO WE HAVE IN THIS DISTRICT DO WE HAVE IN THIS DISTRICT OR AROUND THIS AREA? >>Van Ayres: I'M NOT EVEN SURE ON A MAP. YOU'RE TALKING YOU'RE TALKING CHARTER SCHOOLS? >>Jessica Vaughn: TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. >>Van Ayres: I THINK IT'S ZERO AROUND THAT -- DO WE HAVE IT ON THE -- K-8s. I THINK THE I THINK THE ANSWER WOULD BE ZERO. I DON'T THINK WE'D HAVE ANY K-8s. >> THE CLOSEST SCHOOL WOULD BE >> THE CLOSEST SCHOOL WOULD BE PATEL. THAT WOULD BE
THAT WOULD BE -- SORRY? >>Van Ayres: COLLINS OR YORK WOULD PROBABLY WOULD PROBABLY BE THE CLOSEST. >> NOTHING FOR US. >>Van Ayres: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. >>Jessica Vaughn: AND WHICH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OUT OF FULSOME, McDONALD OR FULSOME, McDONALD OR THENONASASA IS THIS ONE CLOSEST TO. >> PROBABLY, I'D SAY, >> PROBABLY, I'D SAY, FOLSOM. IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT VERY CLOSE TO REALLY ANY OF THEM.
BUT PROBABLY CLOSEST TO BUT PROBABLY CLOSEST TO FOLSOM. MAYBE MAYBE THENONASASA. >>Jessica Vaughn: LET'S SAY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOLSOM AT 68% 68% CAPACITY. BASED ON THE BASED ON THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT OF THIS SCHOOL, IF IT PULLED SOLELY FROM PULLED SOLELY FROM FOLSOM, PULLED SOLELY FROM FOLSOM, WHERE WOULD THAT BRING THE WOULD THAT BRING THE ENROLLMENT DOWN DOWN TO? >>Van Ayres: I DON'T HAVE IT.
WHAT'S THE FOLSOM ENROLLMENT? I THINK IT'S HARD TO PREDICT WHERE THE STUDENTS WOULD COME FROM. I KNOW THE FAMILIES ARE VERY HAPPY AT HAPPY AT FOLSOM. IT WOULD BE HARD TO PREDICT ON WHAT PERCENT OF WHAT PERCENT OF FAMILIES FROM CERTAIN -- >>Jessica Vaughn: THEY'RE NOT AS HAPPY ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE DROPPING OUT. THE NEXT MIDDLE SCHOOL IS 49%. IS THAT THE CLOSEST? BURNETT OR IS JENNINGS CLOSER TO THIS LOCATION? >>Van Ayres: EQUAL >>Van Ayres: EQUAL DISTANCE. >>Jessica Vaughn: SO CAN YOU GET
ME THAT INFORMATION THAT I ASKED TO FOLLOW UP WITH. BASED ON EITHER OF THE SCHOOLS, TAKING AN ELEMENTARY 62 AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, IF IT DROPPED PER THE CAPACITY OF THIS THE CAPACITY OF THIS PROJECTED ENROLLMENT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. >> WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT. AND OF COURSE CHARTER SCHOOLS DO PULL FROM ALL OVER. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE PATEL ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL PULL FROM ALL OVER THE DISTRICT. >>Jessica Vaughn: I'M VERY AWARE FROM WHERE THEY FROM WHERE THEY PULL. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU.
SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS 2.04, APPLICATION APPLICATION APPROVAL FOR HIGHPOINT ACADEMY HIGHPOINT ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. JUST SAME RULES APPLY. CHARTER LAW PERMITS THE APPLICANT TO APPLY AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND ONCE WE RECEIVE THE APPLICATION WE HAVE WITHIN 90 DAYS TO APPROVE OR DENY.
THIS PARTICULAR -- MEMBER VAUGHN, YOU WERE MENTIONING THE CHARTER SCHOOL THAT HAS NO LOCATION. THIS HAS NOT IDENTIFIED THE LOCATION WHERE THEY'LL OPEN. THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SCHOOL WILL OFFER GRADES K-8 WITH A PROJECTED ENROLLMENT OF 400 STUDENTS. WE DON'T HAVE A PROMOTIONED LOCATION WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE TO IDENTIFY IN THE APPLICATION. THAT'S THAT'S 20.04 -- THAT'S 20.04 -- 2.04. >>Karen Perez: I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM
C2.04. I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER RENDON AND A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS AND GRAY PULLED THIS ITEM. DO YOU HAVE ANY DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: YES. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY QUESTION IS REALLY WITH THE -- FOR THE ATTORNEY MR. MR. GIBSON. WHEN WE START HAVING DECISIONS MADE -- THIS IS RELEVANT TO 2.04 2.04 -- THE LOCATION 2.04 -- THE LOCATION HASN'T EVEN
BEEN ESTABLISHED YET. THE STUDENTS HAVE -- WE HAVE A PROJECTED ENROLLMENT BUT WE DON'T KNOW. BUT YET WE'RE PAYING -- OUR TAXPAYER MONEY IS PAYING FOR THIS PARTICULAR THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION WHEN WE DON'T HAVE -- WE WE DON'T HAVE -- WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY REAL HAVE ANY REAL FINITE HAVE ANY REAL FINITE ENROLLMENT FIGURES. AND ON PAGE 25, AND ON PAGE 25, THERE IS A COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN PLACE WITH A CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE SCHOOL FINANCES WILL BE SCHOOL FINANCES WILL BE MANAGED. BUT THERE IS NO, AGAIN, DEFINITIVE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THAT'S PROJECTED AND NO REAL LOCATION. IT'S TO BE DETERMINED. SO WHY IS THIS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD FORWARD WHEN ALL OF THIS IS NOT EVEN, YOU KNOW, A REAL SITUATION. I DON'T KNOW. THIS IS A QUESTION THAT I'M THIS IS A QUESTION THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT. >>Jim Porter: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND ONE THAT IS
OBVIOUSLY A CONCERN. UNDER THE FLORIDA STATUTES, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A LOCATION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. SO STATUTORILY THAT'S NOT A CRITERIA YOU CAN USE TO DENY THIS. THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE A LOCATION PRIOR TO OPENING. THE BAY THE STATE LAW IS -- THE WAY THE STATE LAW IS STRUCTURED, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT AND WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE IN THE PARTICULAR PARTICULAR CRITERIA. >>Van Ayres: I'LL ADD TO THAT,
MS. CROOKS ALONG WITH MR. LEWIS' TEAM, WHEN WE LOOK AT CHARTER SCHOOLS AND WORK THROUGH PROJECTIONS, PROJECTIONS ARE ONE THING AND ACTUAL ENROLLMENT IS SOMETHING ELSE. MR. LEWIS' TEAM AND OUR CHARTER OFFICE WITH MR. MURILO AND CROOKS WORKING WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS ON ARE THOSE PROJECTIONS REALLY SOMETHING AND NUMBERS THEY'LL THEY'LL ACHIEVE. SO THAT'S SOME COLLABORATION HAPPENING AT A HAPPENING AT A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL RIGHT NOW. WE CAN PROJECT ANY NUMBER. THIS THIS PROJECTION IS 400. WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IN THE FALL.
TO YOUR POINT, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW FLORIDA STATUTE. THEY DON'T NEED TO IDENTIFY A LOCATION. ONCE THEY DO, I THINK WE'LL GET HOPEFULLY A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT THAT ENROLLMENT THAT ENROLLMENT NUMBER MIGHT BE. >>Lynn Gray: I'M JUST THINKING ALOUD AND THANK YOU, BOTH OF YOU FOR REMINDING ME FOR REMINDING ME THAT FLORIDA STATUTE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO SAY THEIR LOCATION. BUT THE PROJECTED BUT THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENT, I THINK OUR CFO, MR. THINK OUR CFO, MR. LEWIS, WE
ALREADY PAY ALREADY PAY A ALREADY PAY A PROPEGST SHARE PER TWREER AND -- PROPORTIONATE SHARE AND FTE, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY PERHAPS. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 100 STUDENTS AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE -- AND THIS IS SOMETHING, MS. CROOKS, YOU MAY WANT TO DO. SOMEHOW WE NEED TO HAVE SOMEHOW WE NEED TO HAVE A PROCESS WHERE PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE A FIGURE
FOR PROJECTED ENROLLMENT AND HOW MUCH IS THE ENROLLMENT. I'M TRYING TO MAKE THIS MORE ACCURATE. MR. LEWIS, GO AHEAD AND SAY SOMETHING. >> I THINK WE CAN TAG TEAM THIS ANSWER. THAT DOES HAPPEN. OBVIOUSLY EACH YEAR A PROJACKDAWS JUST LIKE WE TRY TO -- PROJECTION JUST LIKE WE TRY TO PROJECT, THAT PROJECTION BECOMES REALITY A CERTAIN PART OF THE YEAR. JUST LIKE US, WE ANTICIPATE CERTAIN GROWTH FACTORS BASED ON WHERE THE YEAR IS AT AND SOMETIMES WE SEE THE ENROLLMENT FLUCTUATE. WE COLLABORATE BETWEEN
DEPARTMENTS AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE ENROLLMENT IS AT IN COMPARISON TO WHERE THEY ORIGINALLY CALCULATED IT. WE INVESTIGATE AND WE INVESTIGATE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND RIGHT SIZE THE NUMBER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS NUMBERS COME OUT AND CALCULATIONS COME OUT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IT DOES HAPPEN BUT IT TAKES TIME DURING THE YEAR FOR THAT ENROLLMENT TO BE CONFIRMED. >>Lynn Gray: OKAY. WHAT I'M HEARING IS YOU DO RIGHT-SIZE AND RIGHT-SIZE AND THAT AFFECTS THE OVERALL BUDGET. THAT'S A COMFORT.
BUT YOU GET WHAT I'M SAYING. THERE IS NO LOCATION. NO REAL ENROLLMENT YET WE'RE SPENDING MONEY. >>Van Ayres: THE PROJECTIONS ARE WHAT THEY ARE, BUT IN THE END, THE FUNDING THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE FOR THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THEY HAVE, NOT WHAT THEY PROJECT. >>Lynn Gray: ALL RIGHT. THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I APPRECIATE THAT THIS ONE DOES HAVE A MISSION STATEMENT, SO I UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY IS
GOING TO BE. DO THEY ALREADY HAVE A LOCATION IN ANOTHER PART OF FLORIDA? >> YES. YES, THEY DO. >>Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. BECAUSE -- DOES IT GIVE BECAUSE -- DOES IT GIVE ANY MORE CLARITY AROUND CLARITY AROUND -- WHERE WAS IT. AND JUST SAW IT. OH, THAT THE SCHOOL IS GOING TO INSTALL A PROFOUND SENSE OF EMPATHY, ETHICAL AWARENESS AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM THAT SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATES HUMANE SCIENCE, WHICH I'M
SCIENCE, WHICH I'M HOPING YOU CAN GIVE ME MORE CLARITY ON WITH TRADITIONAL SUBJECTS, THEY AIM TO EMPOWER FUTURE LEADERS TO DRIVE POSITIVE DRIVE POSITIVE CHANGE BOTH LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY. WITH THE EXISTING SCHOOL, IS THERE MORE CLARITY ON WHAT THAT CURRICULUM LOOKS LIKE? >> YES. WHEN WE DID THE CAPACITY INTERVIEW WE HAD THE SAME QUESTION. WHAT DOES THAT EXACTLY LOOK LIKE. AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SHARE THAT IT'S REALLY MORE CHARACTER EDUCATION. I THINK IT'S A LONG WAY TO GET AROUND, THIS IS -- THEIR SCHOOL IS BASED OFF CHARACTER
EDUCATION. SIMILAR TO LEADER IN ME TYPE OF PROGRAMS. BUT CHARACTER EDUCATION IS WHERE THEIR FOCUS IS. >>Jessica Vaughn: DO YOU KNOW WHAT A DEFINITION OF HUMANE SCIENCE IS? >> WE ASKED ABOUT THAT. THEY SHARED THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE EXPLORING ARE MORE AROUND ETHICAL PRACTICES IN SOME OF -- IN THEIR CURRICULUM AND THEN THEY HAD SOME OTHER RESEARCH THAT THEY HAD PROVIDED. I'M HAPPY -- I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC IN FRONT OF ME.
BUT I DO HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY SHARED WHEN WE DID OUR CAPACITY INTERVIEW. >> HAVE THEY INDICATED ANY PART OF HILLSBOROUGH THEY'RE INTERESTED IN? >> THEY'VE INDICATED THEY'D LIKE TO MOVE MORE INTO THE NORTHWESTERN PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THEY'RE UNDER AN NDA AND COULD NOT GIVE A LOCATION. >>Jessica Vaughn: AND DO WE KNOW HOW LONG IS THE OTHER SCHOOL THAT'S OPENED IN THE OTHER PART OF FLORIDA BEEN OPEN -- OR -- >> IT'S BEEN OPEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME. IT'S ACTUALLY A HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOL. >>Jessica Vaughn: THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.
>> YES. >>Jessica Vaughn: SO, BETWEEN AN AN "A" AND "B" EVERY YEAR. >> THAT'S CORRECT. >>Jessica Vaughn: THAT'S ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I SEE A REALLY BIG I SEE A REALLY BIG FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 203 AND 204. WHEN I LOOK AT SCHOOLS OR CHART CHARTER SCHOOLS, THE PURPOSE WAS LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED. WITH DR. PATEL WHOSE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG.
I THINK ABOUT SCHOOLS OR I THINK ABOUT BROOKS, THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE I'VE WORKED FOR HIM FOR A LONG TIME AGO OR VOLUNTEERED FOR HIM MANY YEARS AGO. THOSE ARE LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED AND I SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE. THOSE SCHOOLS LIKE BROOKS AND DR. PATEL, THOSE GRADUATION RATES ARE VERY HIGH. LAST YEAR OUR GRADUATION RATE HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS 90.7. THE CHARTER SCHOOL WAS 66%. SO FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. THAT'S A REALLY BIG SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. WHEN YOU SEE SCHOOLS HERE
LOCALLY, OWNED AND OPERATED, BROOKS, THEY HAVE VERY HIGH GRADUATION RATES BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE FOR STUDENTS. IT'S NOT ABOUT MONEY. EVEN RECENTLY I EVEN HEARD CONSERVATIVE LEGISLATORS NOW CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FISCAL OVERSIGHT ON SOME OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. I'VE SEEN SHOWS ABOUT IT. WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOON I'M SURE COMMERCIALS ABOUT SOME OF THE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE -- THAT THERE IS NO OVERSIGHT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT A SCHOOL LIKE THIS THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LOCATION AND THEY'RE SPENDING YOUR
YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY OF $196,000 FOR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, FOR MANAGEMENT FEES, PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE. NOT ONLY IS THIS NOT ONLY IS THIS CHARTER SCHOOL COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THEY'RE ALSO COMING IN WITH SPENDING ALMOST $200,000 ON MANAGEMENT. THEY THEY DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, A LOCATION AND FOR ME AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SUPPORT IT BECAUSE IT'S THE LAW. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT NOT EVERY CHARTER SCHOOL IS MADE THE SAME. THERE IS GREAT CHARTER SCHOOLS
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. BUT WHEN AN OUTSIDE CHARTER SCHOOL COMES IN WITH A MANAGEMENT COMPANY, WITHOUT A LOCATION, AND I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE THAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ARE STARTING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE OVERSIGHT ON SOME OF THESE SOME OF THESE CHARTERS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN COMMENTS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM
THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 3.01, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SUPPLEMENTAL NURSE STAFFING SERVICES. SUPERINTENDENT AYRES WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM. >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THE NUMBER OF NURSING VACANCIES WE HAVE ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS ITEM, WE USE CONTRACTED THIS ITEM, WE USE CONTRACTED NURSING SERVICES TO FILL NURSE VACANCIES. THIS CONTRACT WILL ASSIST THIS CONTRACT WILL ASSIST IN FILLING THE NURSING VACANCIES AND PROVIDE ONE ON ONE NURSES TO CARE WITH FRAGILE STUDENTS. THIS CURRENT CONTRACT WILL EXPIRE DECEMBER 15 THIS YEAR.
CURRENTLY HCPS USES FIVE VENDORS AND WILL INCREASE TO SEVEN AND WILL INCREASE TO SEVEN VENDORS. ND, HANKER, PROHEALTH SERVICES AND SUN BELT STAFFING AND ONE MORE. TRIFECTA TRIFECTA INCORPORATED. SO THAT'S 3.01. I KNOW MARIA, THE SUPERVISOR, YOU ALL KNOW OF SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES, MS. TRACYE BROWN IS HERE OF COURSE TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND DR. PATTON MAY NEED TO GET IN THE CONVERSATION AS WELL TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS AROUND ITEM 3.01. >>Karen Perez: HI, DR. ROSS. WE NEED A WE NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ITEM APPROVE ITEM C3.01. MEMBER WASHINGTON, I HAVE A MOTION BY MEMBER WASHINGTON AND A MOTION BY MEMBER COMBS, A SECOND. MEMBER RENDON, MEMBER COMBS, MEMBER GRAY, MEMBER GRAY, PULLED THIS ITEM. LET'S START WITH MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: WELL, YOU KNOW,
>>Lynn Gray: WELL, YOU KNOW, DR. ROSS, YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE NURSES AND SO DOES OUR CFO. OUR SCHOOL NURSES ARE THE CRITICAL PART OF A HEALTHY SCHOOL IN MANY WAYS. PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, SOCIALLY. I HAVE A BIG CONCERN WHEN WE GO TO OUTSIDE TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES. AND MR. AND MR. LEWIS, YOU KNOW WE ACTUALLY PAY MORE FOR THE ACTUALLY PAY MORE FOR THE OUTSOURCING THAN IF WE PAY THE NURSES FOR -- TO STEP IT
UP -- THEY'VE GOT A PAY SCALE RIGHT NOW, NURSES DO, SAME AS TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION WORKERS. YET NURSES ARE YET NURSES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR -- AND I WANT TO SAY THE WORD LIFE AND WORD LIFE AND DEATH. NOW YOU HAVE OVER 50% HAVE CHRONIC SEVERE HEALTH CHRONIC SEVERE HEALTH PROBLEMS, THIS IS IN THE THIS IS IN THE STUDENT -- THIS IS IN THE STUDENT -- AMONG OUR STUDENTS, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU GET AN OUTSIDE AGENCY, HOW WELL DO THEY KNOW THE STUDENT VERSUS A NURSE THAT'S BEEN THERE EVERY YEAR,
KEEPS TRACK OF THE STUDENTS, SO YOU'RE GETTING OUTSIDE CARE BUT HOW GOOD IS THAT CARE. ALSO, THE AVERAGE ALSO, THE AVERAGE -- MOST OF THESE NEW HOSPITALS AND SOME OF THEM ARE OPENING EMERGENCY CENTERS. THE AVERAGE PAY FOR A NURSE IS SO MUCH HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'RE GIVING OUR NURSES. IF WE REALLY CARE, AND I KNOW WE DO, ABOUT THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR CHILDREN, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE UP
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE UP THAT PAY SCALE, ONCE UP -- AND DR. ROSS, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DR. ROSS, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT FOR ME, THIS OUTSOURCING IS JUST -- IT'S TOTALLY MISALIGNED WITH THE VALUES THAT I HAVE AS AN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND THE VALUES MEANING THE HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, THE MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS. IT'S NOT GOING TO CUT IT WITH ME, ALL THESE ME, ALL THESE OUTSOURCING. DOES ANYONE WANT TO DEFEND THAT
AND GIVE ME RATIONALE AS TO WHY? I KNOW MR. LEWIS, YOU'RE KIND OF DIGGING INTO THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AND MORE. YOU JUST GOT ONBOARD NOT LONG AGO. I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING VERSUS MORE OF THIS DOING VERSUS MORE OF THIS OUTSOURCING. SO THAT'S -- PLEASE REMARK. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, MEMBER GRAY. I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER IT. SO WORKING IN COLLABORATION SO WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH DR. ROSS, WE'RE CREATING A RECRUITMENT PLAN AND I THINK I SHARED WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS HR DOES IN DECEMBER OF THE YEAR WHICH
IN DECEMBER OF THE YEAR WHICH IS CREATE THE RECRUITMENT PLAN -- RECRUITMENT PLAN AND NURSING IS ONE OF THE CRITICAL POSITIONS WE'RE FOCUSED ON. YOU CAN ANTICIPATE TO SEE THE PLAN IN JANUARY PLAN IN JANUARY EXPLAINING WHAT IT IS, WE'LL LOOK AT AN IT IS, WE'LL LOOK AT AN INCENTIVE WE CAN DO WITH THE NURSES. WE PROVIDED INCREASES BUT WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO MORE. SO AGAIN, IN COLLABORATION WITH DR. RUSS, WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE MEETING ON THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK TO START WORKING ON THE PLAN SO WE CAN SAY, THIS IS
WHAT WE'RE DOING INTENTIONALLY TO ADDRESS WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF NURSING. OUR GOAL IS NEVER TO HAVE OUR GOAL IS NEVER TO HAVE CONTRACTED SERVICES. IT'S ALWAYS TO HAVE PERMANENT EMPLOYEES. SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON SO WE'RE FOCUSED ON MAKING THAT HAPPEN AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM DR. RUSS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT. WE'RE FULLY AWARE OF THAT. AND OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE CHANGES TOWARDS THAT. BUT IT'S A PLAN THAT'S GOING TO HELP US DO THAT. WE HAVE A TARGETED RECRUITMENT PLAN WE'RE WORKING ON. >>Lynn Gray: I WANT TO >>Lynn Gray: I WANT TO KNOW, WHY DON'T WE HAVE THE PLAN
DON'T WE HAVE THE PLAN IN TANDEM WITH THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY ASK BECAUSE ON ONE BECAUSE ON ONE SIDE, YOU'RE SAYING, WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUT OF ALL THESE OF ALL THESE OUTSOURCED AGENCIES. ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'RE SAYING WE WE HAVE A PLAN. MY CONCERN IS ALL -- THIS IS MY CONCERN IS ALL -- THIS IS A LOT OF LOT OF MONEY. YOU'RE ASKING FOR -- AT LEAST I'LL SPEAK FOR I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I DON'T BELIEVE IN INCREASING I DON'T BELIEVE IN INCREASING OUTSOURCING. I BELIEVE IN INVESTING IN OUR
OWN STAFF. AND I THINK THAT'S AND I THINK THAT'S A PRIORITY. SO IT'S NOT GOING TO FLY WITH ME. AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE AGITATED TO BE AGITATED TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST. SO DR. RUSS, I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY. MY TIME IS UP. GO AHEAD. >> SO, MS. GRAY, >> SO, MS. GRAY, I WANT TO SAY THAT THAT DR. PATTON AND MS. BROWN AND MYSELF, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ALSO WITH OUR -- ALSO WITH OUR -- JAMIE. AND I KNOW THAT -- I BELIEVE
DR. PATTON, YOU ALL DID JUST COMPLETE IT RECENTLY COMPLETE IT RECENTLY OR WERE LOOKING INTO DOING A SALARY STUDY. SO I THINK THAT SO I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP. SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. NOW WE'RE BUILDING ON THAT AND OUR MEETINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO START ON THURSDAY IS START ON THURSDAY IS PART OF THE PLAN. >> THAT'S CORRECT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE ALSO AS WE SIT DOWN EVERY YEAR, AS WE DID LAST YEAR, WE INCLUDE ALL OF OUR CRITICAL POSITIONS AND NURSING HAS BEEN ONE OF THEM.
SO WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING YOU INFORMATION AROUND WHAT WE SUCCESSFULLY RECRUITED FOR IN TERMS OF NURSING LAST YEAR. IT WILL BE A BUILD ON OF THE PLAN WE HAVE THIS YEAR. SO AGAIN, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT THE NORM AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO REST ON OUR LAURELS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND CONTRACTED STAFFING IS NOT THE WAY TO GO. WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON HIRING WE ARE VERY FOCUSED ON HIRING PERMANENT NURSES. >>Lynn Gray: AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT, DR. PATTON. I THINK WE'RE PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. YOU'RE ASKING FOR MONEY YET WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN.
I GUESS THE WORD PLAN IS NOT THE BEST WORD. WE HAVE TO HAVE A SOLID FINANCIAL OWNERSHIP OF THIS CONTINUOUS, AND I'VE BEEN MENTIONING THIS FOR PROBABLY MENTIONING THIS FOR PROBABLY AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS. HERE WE ARE ADDING MORE AND MORE SERVICES TO A CRITICAL POSITION. I'VE SAID ENOUGH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I CANNOT I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS ITEM. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS? >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I THINK THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE.
WHEN I LOOK AT FIVE YEARS AGO IN 2021, WE SPENT 3.7 MILLION AND HERE WE ARE FOUR YEARS LATER AND IT'S 11.6 MILLION. I HAVE TO KEEP THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN I SEE IT IN A YEAR OR TWO, I'LL BE LIKE, WOW, AND THE NEEDS FOR OUR AND THE NEEDS FOR OUR STUDENTS ARE SO HIGH. NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED NURSES IN OUR SCHOOLS. YOU SEE SO MANY STUDENTS ARE MEDICALLY FRAGILE. THERE IS THERE IS SO MANY CHALLENGES. AND IT'S REALLY HARD THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TO CONTRACT OUT.
BUT THE REALITY IS, WHEN SOMEONE GRADUATES AND THEY CAN WORK AT A HOSPITAL, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO WORK AT A HOSPITAL THAN A SCHOOL. THAT'S A FACT. THEY CAN MAKE DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY. THEY HAVE -- IT'S JUST THEY HAVE -- IT'S JUST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF A SCHOOL NURSE IS I KNOW MOST NURSES ARE DOING SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST BEING A NURSE. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT JOB AND IT'S HARD TO FIND. THE BOTTOM END, WHY IS THAT? IT COMES DOWN TO FUNDING. YOU CAN ASK ALMOST ANY -- WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO PAY BUS DRIVERS MORE, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SHORTAGE.
IF WE CAN PAY ESE TEACHERS DOUBLE, WE'D HAVE THAT. ALL THE ISSUES COME DOWN TO FUNDING. WHEN I HAD THE LADY COME FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT TALKING ABOUT SALARIES, I WANTED TO SAY, TALK TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA. YOU SHOULDN'T BE TALKING TO US BECAUSE WE'RE BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING EVERYTHING WE CAN. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS I SAID. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT AND LOOK AT DOJE AND WASTE, JUST THE OTHER DAY, IT POPPED UP OTHER DAY, IT POPPED UP IN MY FEED. THE FLORIDA AUDITOR GENERAL CAN'T TRACK $4 BILLION WORTH OF VOUCHERS.
WE HAVE OVER 30,000 WE HAVE OVER 30,000 STUDENTS UNANSWERED. $398 MILLION LOST OF $398 MILLION LOST OF TAXPAYER MONEY BECAUSE KIDS TOOK THE VOUCHER AND SHOWED UP. IF WE CAN GET A FRACTION OF THAT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY OUR NURSES. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. A LOT OF THE A LOT OF THE ISSUES HAPPENING ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO FUNDING. AND WE TALK ABOUT WASTE. AND NOW HERE IT IS THIS YEAR. AND WE'RE STILL NOT TRACKING THAT THAT MONEY. THINK ABOUT THAT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 600 OR 700 MILLION DOLLARS WASTED IN THE
LAST TWO YEARS. IF WE CAN HAVE 10% OF THAT, WE CAN PROBABLY PAY OUR NURSES AND PAY THEM SOMETHING AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I KNOW EVERYONE IS WORKING I KNOW EVERYONE IS WORKING HARD TO FIND NURSES AND IT'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE A NURSE AND AT THE SCHOOL AND SEE SOMEBODY IS COMING IN AND MAKING SLIGHTLY MORE THAN YOU BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT THE HEALTH NOT THINKING ABOUT THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND THE BENEFITS. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THEIR BOTTOM LINE AND HOW BOTTOM LINE AND HOW THEY'RE PAYING FOR THEIR FAMILY. IT'S A COMPLEX ISSUE. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE SOLVED.
I WILL SUPPORT THIS ITEM BUT I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THIS. WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK HARD AT ATTRACTING AND AT ATTRACTING AND RETAINING OUR NURSES AND PROBABLY SELLING THE LIFESTYLE THAT TEACHING HAS THAT MAYBE NURSING DOESN'T HAVE BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE HOSPITAL ALL DAY. YOU'RE COMING HOME AT A REASONABLE TIME. YOU'RE WORKING WITH YOUNG KIDS AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE. YOU CAN ASK ANY DEPARTMENT. YEARS AGO -- ANY DEPARTMENT, THERE WERE 10, 20, 30 APPLICANTS. NOW WE HAVE TO GO OUTSOURCE AND
LOOKING FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN SALARIES. SINCE THE 1980s, WE'RE TALKING 45 YEARS, IT'S NOT REALLY CHANGED. 45 YEARS. 45 YEARS. IN THE 45 YEARS. IN THE 1980s IT WAS PRETTY REASONABLE TO LIVE IN FLORIDA, ESPECIALLY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'LL HAVE TO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY I NEED TO HAVE A NEED TO HAVE A NURSE AT A SCHOOL. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER RENDON? >>Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FIRST OF ALL FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO THANK THE
FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT AND DR. RUSS'S OFFICE. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT WORKING WITH OUR MEDICAID REPRESENTATIVE LOCALLY IN THE DISTRICT. TO BE ON THE TO BE ON THE AGENCY TO BE ON THE AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION AS THEY HAVE A COMPLIANCE THAT THEY MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE BY JULY 1, THE FEDERAL CMS RULE SAW THEY WERE UNCOMPLIANT THREE YEARS AGO AND WE SEE THE EXACT AND WE SEE THE EXACT RESULT OF THAT THE THAT THE NONCOMPLIANCE. THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL ON A FEE FOR SERVICE BASIS MEANS
THEY'RE NOT COMPLYING WITH PROPERLY PAYING THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE EXACT TYPE OF SERVICES THAT OUR SERVICES THAT OUR NURSES ARE PROVIDING. AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR NURSES ARE DOING MORE, PROVIDING MORE THAN THEY EVER HAVE BEEN. AND ACA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING ACCORDING TO THE WORK THEY'RE DOING. NOT ACCORDING TO THE FEE FOR SERVICE BUT COST OF SERVICE. I THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING DUE DILIGENT. CONTINUE PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION. THEY MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE BY
THEY MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE BY JULY 1 OF 2026 JULY 1 OF 2026 TO BE REVIEWING ALL MEDICAID RIGHTS AND WE NEED TO SEE THEIR TO SEE THEIR RESPONSE TO THIS OFFSET OF WHAT WE'RE HAVING TO PAY TO MAINTAIN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS. IT'S 100% CORRECT THAT WE'RE UNABLE TO PAY PROPERLY BECAUSE WE'RE UNABLE TO BE REIMBURSED PROPERLY AND THAT'S A FAILURE BY THE AGENCY FOR HEALTH CAVARE ADMINISTRATION. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT -- HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATION. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOUND THEM TO BE IN COMPLIANCE. WE'RE ON THEIR HEELS AND WATCHING WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY HAVE BY JULY 1 TO GET IN COMPLIANCE. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUOUSLY BEING AWARE OF IT. BEING ABREAST OF IT. BEING A THORN IN THEIR SIDE AND MAKING SURE THEY KNOW WE'RE READY TO GO AND GIVING THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED. THIS HAS TO CHANGE. WE CANNOT PUT OUT MONEY WITHOUT THE PROPER REIMBURSEMENT BY ACA AND FOR WHAT SERVICES WE'RE BEING PROVIDED. IT'S FEDERAL LAW AND THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF THAT FEDERAL LAW RIGHT NOW. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY?
MEMBER WASHINGTON? >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN A BIND. AND I REALIZE WE'RE IN A BIND. BUT WE GOT TO HAVE NURSES IN SCHOOLS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO HAVE NURSES IN SCHOOL. A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW NOW THAT WORK WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORK IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THEY HAD TO LEAVE. THEY WERE NURSES AND HAD TO LEAVE. ONE OF MY RELATIVES, SHE HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE SHE WASN'T MAKING ENOUGH MUN MACHE MAKING ENOUGH MUN MACHEY.
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. -- MONEY. YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. YOU'RE DOING ALL THINGS TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL BUT IT'S OUT OF OUR HANDS. AT THE END OF THE DAY WE NEED NURSES. RIGHT NOW, WE GOT TO PAY AND MAKE IT WORK FOR NOW UNTIL LATER ON. AND DON'T GET DISCOURAGED BECAUSE ONE DAY BECAUSE ONE DAY IT WILL BE RIGHT. THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. THANK THANK YOU, MADAM THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: >>Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY?
>>Lynn Gray: MEMBER RENDON BROUGHT UP A NEW POINT ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT. MY POINT WAS TO RAISE THE PAY MY POINT WAS TO RAISE THE PAY SCALE ONE LEVEL. WHAT DOES REIMBURSEMENT HAVE WHAT DOES REIMBURSEMENT HAVE TO DO WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? I'M NEEDING SOME I'M NEEDING SOME CLARITY. >> SO IT'S A FUNCTION THAT RUNS THROUGH OBVIOUSLY THAT SERVICE. OUR NURSES PROVIDE A SERVICE. WE'RE WE'RE ABLE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THAT.
A NUMBER OF SERVICES WE GET REIMBURSED. BACK TO THE WORKSHOP IN THE SPRING ABOUT MEDICAID AND ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THERE. MEMBER RENDON IS REFERENCING THE STATE IS WORKING TOWARD BECOMING COMPLIANT THIS SUMMER WHICH WILL BE A SHIFT FOR US IN OUR MEDICAID PROGRAM. WE'RE MONITORING THAT AND WORKING THROUGHOUT EACH OF THE DEPARTMENTS OF HOW THAT WILL IMPACT US AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT LESS OF AN IMPACT ON THE SCHOOL SITES AND MORE OF AN IMPACT ON THE DISTRICT AS WE TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GO FROM A FEE SCHEDULE TO A COST BASIS.
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW NEEDS TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AS MEMBER RENDON SAID AND NEXT SUMMER FOR THE STATE TO GET THERE. A LOT OF WORK. WE HAVE FOLKS THAT -- FROM HILLSBOROUGH THAT SITS ON THE PANEL THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS. WE HAVE THOSE THAT ARE DEEPLY ENGAGED WITH IT. SO THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THAT'S ADDITIONAL IS BECAUSE THAT'S ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT COMES IN TO THE DISTRICT. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES BECAUSE THAT WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED. THIS IS A WAY WE GET REIMBURSED FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE GET REIMBURSED OR NOT, WE
HAVE TO APLOOITHE SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS. IT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. THIS IS A WAY TO GET MONEY BACK. IF THIS IS A WAY WE CAN HELP RIGHT SIZE THE BUDGET AND ONCE WE DO THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT. >>Lynn Gray: SO THE QUESTION THEN IS PART OF THE PLAN, AND THIS IS DR. THIS IS DR. PATTON, ARE YOU INCLUDING THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT WILL HOPEFULLY OCCUR? BUT IT'S NOT REALLY KNOWN YET AS A FINITE NUMBER. BUT IT COULD BE.
SO WHAT KIND OF PLAN IS GOING TO BE SHARED WITH US WITH BE SHARED WITH US WITH THAT IN MIND. >> SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS WORK CLOSELY IN COLLABORATION WITH FINANCE. FINANCE, COMMUNICATION, MYSELF, WE WORK IN COLLABORATION TO SAY WHAT CAN WE DO. JAMIE AND I HAVE MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO SAY WHAT ARE THE LEVELS WE NEED TO PULL TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND FUNDING AND SOURCES FOR FUNDING. THAT CAN BE PART OF THE PLAN IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW DETAIL. WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO
YOU. >>Lynn Gray: AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE AN ACTION AND A AND A TIME. SOME TYPE OF TIMELINE. MY LAST QUESTION AND I'VE ASKED IT ALREADY AND I'M SORRY FOR BEATING A DEAD HORSE PERHAPS. WHY ARE WE NOT PUTTING WHY ARE WE NOT PUTTING BOTH OF THESE TOGETHER. YOUR PLAN AND THE ASK. SO THEN A BOARD MEMBER WHO SEEMS TO BE QUITE STUBBORN TONIGHT TO BE QUITE STUBBORN TONIGHT CAN SAY, WELL, SAY, WELL, I REMEMBER TOM WEEKS.
WE HAD ON EMPLOYEE WHO NEVER HAD A PLAN AND WE HAD ALL THESE HIGH EXPENDITURES AND IT WAS KILLING ME TO SAY, YES, YES, YES, WHEN THERE WAS NO PLAN. SO -- SUPERINTENDENT AYRES, HELP ME OUT HERE. WHY DIDN'T WHY DIDN'T WE DO IT TOGETHER VERSUS SEPARATE. >> I'LL TRY TO ANSWER THAT. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE'LL SPEND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS PROJECTED IN THE REQUEST. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO BRING THIS RESOURCE IN.
OBVIOUSLY IF WE CAN'T FILL THE POSITIONS, WE'LL SPEND THIS MONEY. BUT IF DR. PATTON IS SUCCESSFUL AND ABLE TO RECRUIT AND THEN RETAIN THESE PROFESSIONALS, THEN WE WON'T OBVIOUSLY SPEND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING REQUESTED HERE TONIGHT. NO MATTER WHAT, VACANCIES WILL ALWAYS BE A CHALLENGE. I THINK NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF JOB WE HAVE OR WHAT THE PROFESSION IS, VACANCY IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE. CRITICAL NEED VACANCIES WHERE WE HAVE TO SUPPLY THAT PROFESSIONAL INSIDE A SCHOOL SITE, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT ALLOWS US TO BRING IN A
IN A RESOURCE IF WE CAN'T FIND A REASON TO EMPLOY THEM. I THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL NEED. IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN THAT WE SPEND THIS MUCH MONEY IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL ON THE HR SIDE TO BRING THE FOLKS IN. >>Van Ayres: AND HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR AROUND A PLAN AND THEN AGENDA ITEMS COMING FORWARD. SO MESSAGE HEARD. >>Lynn Gray: MESSAGE IS HEARD. ALL RIGHT. BUT I STILL STAND FIRM BECAUSE I'VE HAD THE SAME SCENARIO IN FRONT OF ME. ONLY DIFFERENT ONLY DIFFERENT OUTSOURCES YEAR AFTER YEAR AND I GUESS I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO DO IT AGAIN.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY COMMENTS ARE FINISHED. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT COMES FIRST, THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG. WE CAN'T AFFORD NECESSARILY TO BE COMPETITIVE IN PAY AND THEN WE START TO LOSE THE CRITICAL POSITIONS AND THEN WE HAVE TO OUTSOURCE THEM TO MAKE SURE WE CAN PROVIDE THE CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICES. I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY I THINK IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE ADVOCATE IMPORTANT AS WE ADVOCATE AROUND PAY THAT WE ALSO TALK ABOUT
HEALTH INSURANCE AND BENEFITS AND THAT WE PUT THAT AT THE AND THAT WE PUT THAT AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE COMPETITORS AND HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, THAT'S WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT, IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE OFFERING MEDICAL BENEFITS AND AS THOSE ERODE AND BECOME AND AS THOSE ERODE AND BECOME LESS ETRACTIVE -- ATTRACTIVE, THE ONLY THING WE GET TO TALK ABOUT IS WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN RAISE PAY. I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO MARKET IT AND TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME PEOPLE GET OFF AND WHAT PEOPLE GET OFF AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND HAVING TWO WEEKS
OFF FOR A HOLIDAY OR TIME OFF IN THE SUMMER AND THE FLEXIBILITY. I THINK ALL THAT'S GOT TO BE A PART OF THE MARKETING POSITION. IT'S NOT JUST CONSTANTLY FOCUSING ON THE PAY. BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM THIS BOARD REPEATEDLY OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM A MAJORITY -- I WON'T SAY THE ENTIRE BOARD -- THAT IT IS A PRIORITY TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FILLING THE POSITIONS IN HOUSE AND OUTSOURCING ISN'T THE ONLY ANSWER BECAUSE AGAIN, ANSWER BECAUSE AGAIN, IT BECOMES KIND OF THE CYCLE OF ONCE WE
OUTSOURCE, WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING AND WE'RE NOT PAYING AND WE'RE NOT FOCUSING ON THE COMPENSATION AND SALARIES. SO I'M GLAD YOU HEAR THAT. I ACTUALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THE ACA PIECE, MEMBER RENDON. I THINK THAT'S A CRUCIAL PIECE. WHILE YOU SAY IT MAY CHANGE IT A LITTLE BIT, I THINK IT WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT AND IT'S EGREGIOUS THAT OUR STATE IS OUT OF COMPLIANCE AND NOT DOING WHAT IT TAKES. AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MOST MARGINALIZED FRAGILE KIDS, OUR KIDS ON MEDICAID AND REVAMPING THE SCHEDULE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE SERVICES IS SO IMPERATIVE TO HAD CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING AND SO I DON'T SEE ANY CONVERSATION AROUND THIS AS SOMEONE BEING STUBBORN. AND I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT. AT BOARD MEMBERS. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PERSONAL. I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTES. SO I WANT TO SAY I THINK WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE ACA AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE PUSHING THAT AND FIGURING OUT WHEN WE'LL BE IN COMPLIANCE AS A STATE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO
RECRUIT PEOPLE JUST NOT BASED ON SALARY. IT IS IMPORTANT. AND WE AND WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY ADVOCATE FOR TRADITIONAL FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION BUT WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE CRUCIAL PIECES. THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. SO I'M GOING TO BRING A DIFFERENT LENS TO THIS CONVERSATION. BECAUSE I WORK IN BECAUSE I WORK IN THE MEDICAL BECAUSE I WORK IN THE MEDICAL SPACE. IT'S NOT JUST HERE THAT WE'RE
HAVING AN ISSUE WITH HAVING AN ISSUE WITH NURSING SHORTAGE. EVERY EVERY DAY ON A DAILY EVERY DAY ON A DAILY BASIS I SEE THIS IN THE HOSPITAL THIS IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING. NURSES ARE NURSES ARE HAVING COMPASSION FATIGUE AND THEY'RE WALKING AWAY FROM THIS INDUSTRY. THEY'RE WALKING AWAY. IN A HOSPITAL SETTING, A NURSE'S SHIFTS ARE THREE DAYS. THREE DAYS ON, FOUR DAYS OFF.
AND WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT PROVIDING CARE TO STUDENTS, IT'S ON A FIVE ON A FIVE DAY A WEEK SHIFT. OKAY? AND THEY WORK WITH HEALTH AND THEY WORK WITH HEALTH PREVENTION, INJURY, ILLNESS MANAGEMENT, CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS MANAGEMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT. THEY PROVIDE THEIR MEDICATIONS. AND LET'S BE AND LET'S BE HONEST.
WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE HIGHER NEEDS IN OUR HIGHER NEEDS IN OUR SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE WE HAVE INCREASED WORKLOADS. AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS COME WITH MISSED HEALTH NEEDS WITH MISSED HEALTH NEEDS TO OUR SCHOOLS. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT OUR NURSES ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE, THE FACT THAT WE CAN PROVIDE, THE FACT THAT WE CAN OUTSOURCE
OUTSOURCE NURSES FROM HOSPITAL SETTINGS TO OURAL 62S -- TO OUR SCHOOLS IS A PLUS FOR US, TO BE HONEST. AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT TO MY AND I'M GOING TO SAY THAT TO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. YOU KNOW, I GET THAT OUR NURSES PLAY A CRUCIAL PART IN MAINTAINING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT WE CAN STILL STAFF THEM THAT WE CAN STILL STAFF THEM TODAY FOR OUR SCHOOLS TODAY FOR OUR SCHOOLS IS JUST -- IT HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT
FOR OUR STUDENTS. OUR HOSPITALS ARE FEELING THIS AS BELL. I WORK FOR -- I'VE WORKED FOR THE HOSPITAL SETTING FOR OVER 30 YEARS. AND I'VE WATCHED -- I'VE COME IN TO WORK. AS A MATTER OF FACT, JUST LAST WEEK, WE HAD THREE NURSES WALK AWAY FROM THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY. AND IT HAS NEGATIVE IMPACTS AND IT HAS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON OUR PATIENTS. BUT,
BUT, THE CONSEQUENCES, THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, THE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVE TO BE HONEST. IF THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE IF THIS IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN STAFF RIGHT NOW, HOSPITALS PAY WAY MORE THAN WE COULD POSSIBLY EVER PAY EVER PAY OUR NURSES. I DON'T EVEN THINK WE COULD EVEN REACH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE COULD PAY OUR NURSES IN WE COULD PAY OUR NURSES IN COMPARISON TO WHAT THEY MAKE
RIGHT NOW. AND WE HAVE NURSES THAT ARE DECIDING TO GO TO DECIDING TO GO TO TRAVEL NURSING, AND THEY'RE WALKING AWAY FROM THE HOSPITAL SETTING. THESE NURSES HAVE HAD IT. THEY'RE DONE. SO ASKING THEM SO ASKING THEM -- SO, I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A STAFFING SPACE THAT WILL HELP STAFF AND TAKE CARE OF OUR STUDENTS, THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE THING FOR
ME. THAT WE CAN HAVE A NURSE IN FRONT OF OUR STUDENTS. AND THEN MAYBE WORK WITH THEM AND THEN MAYBE WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO GET THEM TRY TO GET THEM TRY TO GET THEM TO, YOU KNOW, TRANSITION OVER TO BECOME FULL-TIME STAFF. THAT'S -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRIZE OR THE -- PRIZE OR THE -- OR WHAT WE NEED TO -- THE SHINY PENNY FOR THEM TO COME OVER. BUT I DO SEE THIS ON A BUT I DO SEE THIS ON A DAILY BASIS, OUR NURSING STAFF WALKING AWAY FROM THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY.
THAT'S WHAT I KNOW. JUST SAYING. AND SO FOR ME, THANK YOU FOR FINDING THE STAFFING AGENCY FINDING THE STAFFING AGENCY BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN FRONT OF THEM TO TAKE CAKE OF -- TO TO TAKE CAKE OF -- TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. AND SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT
AND IT PASSES WITH MEMBER GRAY DISCEPTING FROM THE CODE -- DISSENTING FROM THE VOTE. NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 6.01, BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR PERIOD OCTOBER 1, 2025, ENDING OCTOBER 31, 2025. JAMIE LEWIS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WILL OFFICER WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS ITEM.
>> ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME SINCE FINANCIAL HAS BEEN UP HERE -- FINANCE HAS BEEN UP HERE AS WE GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PARTS OF THE SEASON, BUT TONIGHT HERE WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU AND AS WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED WITH YOU ABOUT THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR. AS WE ARE TRYING TO ENHANCE FINANCE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION SO OUR PRESENTATION WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT AND PABLO, THIS IS NOT WORKING FOR ME.
TONIGHT WE HAVE THREE MAIN AGENDAS THAT WE WANT TO COVER WITH THE BOARD. AND THAT IS FIRST, AND THAT IS FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER OCTOBER AND WHAT DID WE LOOK LIKE FINANCIALLY. WE CAN REPORT THAT FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, WE HAVE A HEALTHY OUTLOOK FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. ALTHOUGH WE'RE EARLY IN THE YEAR AND WE'LL SEE THINGS CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE'RE LOOKING HEALTHY COMPARED TO WHAT WE APPROVED IN SEPTEMBER FOR THE FINAL BUDGET. OUR OCTOBER OUR OCTOBER ADJUSTMENTS WERE MOSTLY DONE TO REALLOCATIONS OR
ADJUSTMENTS TO PROPERLY SHOW AND REFLECT SOME MINOR CHANGES IN THE BUDGET AND HOW WE WANT TO SHOW WHERE THE FUNDING IS ADEQUATELY AT. AND THEN FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR GENERAL FUND IS STABLE. GENERAL FUND BUDGET SHOWS NO NET CHANGE AND REFLECTS EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED AND WE HAD MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT WE'LL GO OVER TONIGHT THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT AND HOW THAT TALK ABOUT AND HOW THAT IMPACTED THINGS. THE GENERAL FUND REALLY HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BRING ATTENTION. I THINK THESE ARE GOOD THINGS AS WE LOOK AT FINANCING THE DISTRICT AND HOW WE'RE RUNNING
OUR OPERATIONS. SO WE HAD $5.6 MILLION IN REALLOCATIONS THAT WE DID FROM OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES AND FOOD SERVICE. WE WANT TO BRING ATTENTION THAT THIS SEPTEMBER REALLY ANYTHING BEYOND US RIGHT SIZING WHERE WE WANT TO PUT THE EXPENSES FOR OUR REFERENDUM. WE WANT TO WE WANT TO PROPERLY SHOT THAT IN THE RIGHT BUCKETS AS WE KNOW THE REFERENDUM IS A NEW PROCESS FOR THE DISTRICT. THIS IS REALLOCATING THE FRONDS WHERE THE EXPENSE WILL OCCUR IN FOOD SERVICES. YOU'LL SEE IN FURTHER MONTHS, PROBABLY AS THEY DO THE
AMENDMENTS FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER YOU'LL SEE SIMILAR ADJUSTMENTS AS WE CORRECT THE REMAINING OTHER DIVISIONS. SO WE WANT TO BRING LIGHT ABOUT THAT. THAT DOESN'T -- DECREASE TO INSTRUCTIONAL EXPENSES BUT A REALLOCATION AND PUTTING THE FUNDING IN THE CORRECT BUCKET AS WE SPEND THE REFERENDUM FUNDING FOR THIS YEAR. THE ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS WERE MINOR BUT WE WANT TO POINT OUT THERE WAS ADDITIONAL NEEDS AND WE WERE ABLE TO WE WERE ABLE TO REALLOCATE AND FUND THOSE FOR STUDENT SUPPORT, INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS AS WE SEE THE NEEDS, DIFFERENT NEEDS
ARISE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. FOR SPECIAL REVENUE WE HAD A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS AND REMEMBER WE HAD AN ILT ALL BIT OF A -- A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FLOW FROM THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF FLOW FROM THE INFORMATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS THIS YEAR AS WE GOT SOME NOTICES OVER THE SUMMER AND WE WEREN'T REALLY SURE WHAT WAS GOING TO OCCUR. WE DECIDED NOT TO PUT THE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET UNTIL THE GRANTS WERE APPROVED. SO WE CAN HAPPILY REPORT THAT MANY OF OUR GRANTS WERE APPROVED FOR FISCAL YEAR '26 AND BECAUSE THOSE WERE APPROVED, WE'RE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THOSE IN A BUDGET AND START PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE
SOME EXAMPLES OF THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE THE HEAD START, WORLD LANGUAGES, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, MILITARY, CONNECTIVE PROGRAMS. ALL GOOD THINGS AND I WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THAT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED FOR THE YEAR AND WERE ABLE TO START UTILIZING THOSE. IN RESPONSE TO THAT, OBVIOUSLY IF MONEY COMES IN, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THAT IN THE RIGHT SUPPORT BUCKETS FOR AN EXPENSE. IN THE SPECIAL REVENUE BUCKETS WE SAW EXPENSES GO UP IN CORRELATION TO THAT BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THAT IN THE RIGHT INSTRUCTIONAL IN THE RIGHT INSTRUCTIONAL BUCKETS, STUFF FOR STAFF TRAINING, INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA
AND SO FORTH AND THAT'S THE CHANGES FOR SPECIAL REVENUE. FOR DEBT SERVICE AND CAPITAL OUTLAY, THOSE ARE CONNECTED AND MOST OF THAT IS DUE TO YEAR END ADJUSTMENTS. WANT TO BRING ATTENTION WE'RE ABLE TO DO THINGS END OF THE YEAR AND WORK WITH MR. FARKAS' TEAM AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS THERE SO DEBT SERVICE AND CAPITAL BUDGETS WERE ADJUSTED FOR END OF THE YEAR CLOSEOUT AND WE WERE ABLE TO TRANSFER BETWEEN THE TWO FUNDS. IN ADDITION TO A REALLY GOOD POINT IS PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED BY OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAMS AND
THERE WAS A SAVINGS THERE WAS A SAVINGS THERE. THAT SAVINGS -- THAT SAVINGS -- MR. FARKAS' TEAM WAS ABLE TO REUTILIZE IN DIFFERENT AREAS. SOME REALLOCATIONS WERE MADE FOR VEHICLE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AND I THINK THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO HIM AND HIS CREW AS THEY MANAGE PROJECTS AND COME IN UNDER BUDGET AND WE WERE ABLE TO USE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN OTHER WAYS AND THAT'S A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND OUR CAPITAL TEAMS. AND OUR CAPITAL TEAMS. FINALLY AND OUR CAPITAL TEAMS. FINALLY AND THE ONE WE WILL SPEND A FEW MINUTES ON TONIGHT IS THE
GENERAL FUND AND THE SUMMARY. OUR FUNDING COMES IN PERIODICALLY, ESPECIALLY THE PROPERTY TAXES. AND SO FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER WHAT YOU WILL NOTICE AND WE WANT TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS IS THE REVENUE TIMING IS A CHALLENGE AS IT IS EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. AS OF OCTOBER, OUR DISTRICT HAD REALIZED $437 MILLION IN REVENUE BUT THE BUT THE EXPENSS -- EXPENSES BUT THE EXPENSS -- EXPENSES REACHES $764 MILLION. THAT HAPPENS EVERY SINGLE YEAR
AS WE AWAIT A PROPERTY AS WE AWAIT A PROPERTY TAXES THAT WILL COME IN AND AS A REMINDER FOR THIS YEAR, WE ARE EXPECTING A LITTLE NORTH OF $1.1 BILLION IN BILLION IN PROPERTY TAXES. AND PART OF THAT IS SOMETHING NEW AND $183 MILLION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE REFERENDUM. NONE OF THOSE FUNDS CAN COME IN BEFORE THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. AND IN FACT, THE CHALLENGE OF AND IN FACT, THE CHALLENGE OF IT IS ONLY ABOUT 6 TO 7% AND I DID NOT WANT TO SAY THAT, BUT 6 TO 7% --
7% -- SORRY. IT'S MY KIDS. IT'S MY KIDS. THAT USUALLY COMES IN ABOUT -- YEAH. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THE VERY MINIMUM COMES IN IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. THE BULK OF OUR PROPERTY TAXES COME IN IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND JANUARY. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE 1.1 BILLION DOLLARS 1.1 BILLION DOLLARS TO HELP RUN THE DISTRICT, IT DOESN'T COME IN. NOW, THIS DISTRICT, WHAT WE ELECTED TO DO BACK IN JULY AS A
DISTRICT, AND WE APPRECIATE THE BOARD SUPPORTING THIS AND ENCOURAGING US TO DO IT, IS TO START THE REFERENDUM FROM DAY ONE. AND I THINK THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR DISTRICT. AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT IS $183 MILLION OF THE REFERENDUM MONEY DOES NOT COME IN UNTIL THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER. SOCIETY WE WERE ABLE TO FINANCIALLY MAKE A PLAN TO FINANCIALLY MAKE A PLAN TO BE ABLE TO RIGHT SIZE, TO KIND OF WEATHER THE STORM FINANCIALLY FROM A CASH STANDPOINT, THE MONTHS OF JULY ALL THE WAY INTO DECEMBER, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO BE SHORT ON CASH BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND PAY IT
DOWN. IN ADDITION TO THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND EXPEDITE OUR BARGAINING ADJUSTMENTS AND OTHER THINGS IN THE MONTH OF OCTOBER, WHICH IS ALSO AGAIN BEFORE OUR PROPERTY TAXES COME DUE. SO FROM A CASH STANDPOINT ONE OF THE REASONS YOU SEE A NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE IS BECAUSE OF REVENUE DIDN'T COME IN AND NOW WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN MONEY COME IN, 91 MILLION IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, FROM PROPERTY TAXES, SEEING THAT ROLL IN. BUT IT TAKES TIME FOR THAT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS YEAR AND PREVIOUS YEARS, AND YOU DON'T KNOW AND DON'T KNOW AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT PREVIOUS YEARS, I AT PREVIOUS YEARS, I DON'T KNOW
IF BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS YEAR IS UNLIKE ANY REFERENDUM. CURRENTLY THROUGH OCTOBER 31, WE HAD ALREADY SPENT ALMOST $55 MILLION IN REFERENDUM. SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THAT $55 MILLION A WAY, OUT OF THIS ANALYSIS RIGHT HERE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE A NEGATIVE FUND HAVE A NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE. AND WE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO MANAGE THAT FROM A CASH STANDPOINT. I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GIVE AWAY ANY DELAY ANY PAYMENTS TO OUR EMPLOYEES OR CHARTER SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAVE GIVEN ABOUT $10 MILLION YEAR TO DAYLIGHT FOR OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS AND FORCE ANOTHER REFERENDUM. I JUST WANTED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THIS. NOW, AS A STATE STATUTE, THE NEGATIVE DOESN'T EMBARKED US RIGHT NOW. THE STATE STATUTE IS ONLY EFFECTIVE FOR THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, WELL, THERE'S A $33 MILLION HURT US RIGHT NOW? NO. BECAUSE WE PROJECTED THAT. OUR FUND BALANCE KIND OF HAS A ROLLERCOASTER TEAM BECAUSE WE ARE WAITING OWN PROPERTY TAXES AND WE ARE KIND OF HIGH AND KIND
OF GOES DOWN. I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME ON THAT TONIGHT. WE THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE SEE THIS. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE SAME THING NOR NOVEMBER ALTHOUGH NOT AS BAD. AND THEN SEE US REMOUND AND THEN SEE US REMOUND IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER AND. BAD MADAM CHAIR, THAT IS OUR FINANCIAL REPORT FINANCIAL REPORT FOR OCTOBER. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. NOW, I NEED A MOTION AND A SOAKED TO
SOAKED TO APPROVE SOAKED TO APPROVE ITEM C 6.01. I HAVE A NEBRASKA BY I HAVE A NEBRASKA BY MEMBER COMBS AND SECOND BY MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER VAUGHN? >>Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND I AM ALWAYS SURPRISED AND CONFUSED ABOUT HOW MANY QUESTIONS I HAVE. YOU SHOULDN'T BE CONFUSED WHEN I HAVE THOSE TYPES OF QUESTIONS WHEN WE DO OUR BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
BUT I APPRECIATE THAT I AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE NOT PUTTING THE MONEY FROM THE GRANTS IN THERE BEFORE WE GET THAT GRANT MONEY, AS A BOARD MEMBER THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY CONFUSING TO SEE THAT MONEY PLUCKED AWAY AND THEN BE TOLD THAT WE WILL GET IT TOLD THAT WE WILL GET IT BACK WHEN THE GRANTS ARE SEEN COMING IN AND OUT. IT'S KIND OF CHALLENGING WITH ALL THE AMENDMENTS WHEN THAT MONEY COMES IN AND OUT. IT IS MORE TRUE TO THE ACTUAL MONEY THAT WE ARE GETTING AND THAT WE ARE FORECASTING IT WHEN WE KNOW THAT WE ARE GETTING IT. I THINK THAT HELPS PROJECT OUR BUDGET A LOT MORE.
AND I NOT THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT IT IN THIS PRESENT AMENDMENT BUT SINCE WE HAVEN'T HAD A BUDGET AMENDMENT WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET IN A WHILE, I DO WANT TO GO BACK BECAUSE IN THE PREVIOUS ONES WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS IT, SIX MONTHS AGO? THE MONEY THAT WAS SHORTED TO US FROM THE STATE FOURTH MONEY THAT WE ACTUALLY SERVICED OUR STUDENTS. AND I MADE KIND OF A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT AT THE TIME BECAUSE I WAS AGHAST. WE HAD STUDENTS COME. WE SERVICED THEM AND THEN FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT MONEY WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, RIGHT?
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOING INTO NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT COMING UP WITH COMPETITIVE SALARIES FOR OUR CRITICAL POSITIONS, ALL THIS IS GENERAL FUND IS GENERAL FUND MONEY. AND IT WAS BEING REPORTED THAT IT WAS $4 MILLION. I REMEMBER AT THE TIME THERE WAS $16 MILLION TAKEN GAB WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT OF THE SOME OF IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE CHEWING UP OUR ACCOUNTS. WHAT WAS WHAT WAS THE ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT WAS TAKEN OUT WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR BUDGET, NOW THAT WE KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWSPAPER, BECAUSE OF THE
OVERSPENDING OF VOUCHERS AT THE STATE LEVEL. >> THE 18 MILLION WAS THE ADJUSTMENT MADE IN TOTAL FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY SHARED BETWEEN US AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. TONIGHT I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY THE EXACT NUMBER THAT WAS RELATED JUST FROM THE PRORATION OF OUR OF OUR APPROPRIATION. THAT'S HOW THEY CALL IT AT THE STATE. I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN 4 MILLION BUT I CAN'T CONFIRM THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. BUT IT WAS BUT IT WAS SIGNIFICANT. AND OF COURSE THE FOURTH CALCULATION WAS NOT COMPLETED OR PROVIDED FROM THE STATE.
WE HAVE RECEIVED A FINAL CALCULATION WHERE WE DID RECEIVE A LITTLE LESS THAN $4 MILLION, AND SO THEY HAVE CLOSED OUT THE YEAR AND WE RECEIVED THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. SO THEY HAVE CLOSED THAT PORTION OUT SO WE DON'T -- THERE WON'T BE ANY MORE ADJUSTMENTS FOR LAST YEAR BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WILL MONITOR THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM APPROPRIATIONS AND APPROPRIATIONS AND BOTH OF US WERE AT DIFFERENT CONFERENCES FOR FINANCE AND THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, AND UP, AND THERE AGAIN THERE'S BEEN NO COMMUNICATION THAT THERE'S
GOING TO BE ANY NIG NEGATIVE AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO MONITOR AS WE SEE THE VOUCHER SYSTEM AND THE OVER ALL FUNCTION OF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. >>Jessica Vaughn: AS I SEE THE 4 MILLION BEING MISCALCULATED I AM RESPONDING THAT THAT'S A MISCALCULATION WE LOST MORE MONEY THAN THAT AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE ACCURATE AMOUNT IS. AND I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE THIS ANSWER BUT I JUST NEED TO ASK IT, AS WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLABLE, IF WE OVERSPEND WE GET THREATENED WITH GOING
INTO RECEIVERSHIP OR WE GET THREATENED FOR OUR DISTRICT TO BE SHUT DOWN OR TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR OFFICE. THE STATE HAS GROSSLY OVERSPENT TO MEMBER COMBS EARLIER POINT OF ALMOST $500 MILLION ALMOST $500 MILLION OF MACE MANAGEMENT AND MISS MANAGEMENT AND MISS SPENDING. WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY LEVEL? WHO HOLD THE WHO HOLD THE STATABILITY BEING FOR THIS FOR THIS MISMANAGEMENT AND GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF OVERSPENDING, AND LACK LACK OF LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THIS QUICK VOUCHER EXPANSION?
WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY GO TO? DO YOU KNOW THAT AS A CEO OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT? >> I CANNOT ANSWER THAT QUESTION. I CAN ANSWER THAT WHAT WE CAN DO FOR HILLSBOROUGH IS DO THE BEST WE CAN AND ACT APPROPRIATELY TO PUT OUR STUDENTS FIRST. I CAN'T ANSWER HOW THAT WORKS AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT HILLSBOROUGH WE ARE DOING ALL WE CAN AS WE ARE DEALT WITH WHATEVER SITUATION WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR DISTRICT AND OUR STUDENTS. >>Jessica Vaughn: SO YOU ARE GOING TO GET ME THE CORRECT AMOUNT, WHICH IS MORE THAN $4 MILLION, WHICH WAS JUST BASED ON
$4 MILLION, FROM MY CALCULATION AROUND 500 STUDENTS, WHICH COULD BE THE SIZE OF AN ENTIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OF SERVICING FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR, WITH NOTE GET BEING THAT PAINT AND PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT WERE JUST TAKEN AWAY FROM US BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL. I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. >> THANK >> THANK YOU. >>Karen Perez: MEMBER GRAY? >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO BOTH AND THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU. MISS SHOTWELL, THANK YOU FOR
BARGAINING. AND I DON'T THINK YOU GAVE AND I DON'T THINK YOU GAVE ANY EVIDENCE OF YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS. BUT WHAT YOU REALLY DID, AND WHAT I AM HEARING WITH R, WHAT THE BOARD IS HEARING, IS THAT YOU GAVE OUR TEACHERS THEIR SALARY SALARY INCREASE, DESPITE US HAVING A REAL NEGATIVE TYPE OF FUND BALANCE. IS THAT RIGHT? SO WE WERE THINKING FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR TEACHERS, GETTING THAT RAISE. >> I APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION TO
THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY AS CHIEF NEGOTIATOR I AM ALWAYS REPRESENTING WHAT THE BOARD AND WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVE AUTHORIZED US TO AUTHORIZED US TO DO. >>Lynn Gray: THE WOOD WILL THAT WE SHARED AND SHOWED AND YOU DID FOR THE WELFARE AND WELL-BEING OF OUR OF OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF HAS TO BE REALLY, I JUST WANT TO SIGH, IT MEANS A LOT. AND I AM LOOKING AT OTHER TEACHERS BEHIND YOU. AND THINKING OF AGAIN THEIR FINANCIAL WELL-BEING FIRST. BUT ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT
MEMBER VAUGHN AND PERHAPS OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT ASK SPELLS TO ME THAT THE NEED FOR TO ME THAT THE NEED FOR A FISCAL PLANNING POLICY NEEDS TO BE DONE OF THE WE NEED OF THE WE NEED TO HAVE THAT BENCHMARK, THAT INFRASTRUCTURE BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY TYPE OF PAY INCREASES, ET CETERA. CAN YOU REMARK, THERE'S TWO THINGS I QUANTITY YOU TO REMARK ON. REMARK ON THE NEED FOR POLICY. AND SECONDLY REMARK AND SECONDLY REMARK ON IF WE HAVE
HAVE ELIMINATION OF PAID PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH IS WHAT'S IN THE NEWS IN THE NEWS ALL IN THE NEWS ALL THE TIME, WHAT EFFECT MAY THAT HAVE? AND IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE IN THE PAPER ALL THE TIME ABOUT ELIMINATING PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH GOES TAXES, WHICH GOES DIRECTLY TO FIRE, EDUCATION, POLICE, ALL TYPES -- AND I KNOW WE ARE HELD HARMLESS. WE ARE HELD HARMLESS. BUT BUT AGAIN WE HAVE TO START BEING
PROACTIVE JUST IN CASE. SO THOSE SO THOSE TWO REMARKS. >> RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. OBVIOUSLY WE'LL PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO OPERATE THE DISTRICT THE BEST WE CAN. FROM OUR FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING, FROM OUR UNDERSTANDING, K-12, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED CURRENTLY IN THE CONVERSATIONS. OBVIOUSLY NOTHING SET IN STONE BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO CLOSELY MONEY TORE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT. 1.17 GILLION IS SUPPORTED TO US BY PROPERTY TAXES. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT FUNDING AND RESOURCES.
WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS AND WHAT THAT MEANS. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO MONITOR. BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT HEARING ANYTHING THAT WE IMPACT US FROM THAT. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF WORK AND DUE DILIGENCE IS GOING TO BE DONE BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE REFERENDUM THAT WE JUST GOT. THAT REALLY TURNED THE THAT REALLY TURNED THE TIDE. DR. PAT TONE PATEL, WE TALKED ABOUT NURSING A FEW MINUTES AGO, AND OUR REFERENDUM ALLOWED US TO MAKE AN IMPACT TO OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR GREATEST ASSETS THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT MADE A BIG
DIFFERENCE IN OUR HIRING AND OUR VACANCY RATES FOR THIS YEAR. >> I JUST WANT TO THANK >> I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD. GETTING THAT REFERENDUM PASSED. IT THEN BECOMES, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE THE BOARD FOR THE ABILITY TO EQUIP INTO THAT FUND BALANCE A LITTLE BIT TO PAY OUR EMPLOYEES STARTING ON JULY 1st, AND IT COST A-OH CAUSED A LITTLE BIT OF ANXIETY BECAUSE YOU ARE TAKING THAT MONEY AND SPENDING IT BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY GET IT. I WANT I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK MR. LEWIS AND LEWIS AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM GU THANK THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING US
TO DO THAT. SO THANK YOU TO THE BOARD, NUMBER NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE THAT IN THE PAST, IT MADE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON OUR SCHOOL YEAR BUT THANK YOU NOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT MONEY OUT STARTING JULY 1 EVEN THOUGH THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT COMING TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THANK YOU, >> THE NEED FOR THE FISCAL PLANNING POLICY AND THIS IS SOMETHING YOU MAY WANT TO OWN, MAKE STATEMENTS. >> OUR FISCAL POLICY SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME. THAT IS OUR FUND RESERVE POLICY.
WHAT PERCENTAGE THE DISTRICT YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN AS A FUND BALANCE. I BELIEVE WORKSHOP NEXT WEEK THAT YOU GET TO HEAR FROM ME AGAIN ABOUT THAT. I WOULD BE GLAD TO EXPLAIN THAT. THE FISCAL POLICY THE FISCAL POLICY ALLOWS THE FOUNDATION, IN MY OPINION, ALLOWS THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FINANCE TEAM TO BUILD A BUDGET. IT PROVIDES GUIDANCE ON EXACTLY WHERE WE WANT TO BE. AND GETTING THAT SET, ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE ONE, GETTING THAT REVISED, WE DO WANT TO CHANGE IT ALLOWS MS. AND
ALLOWS MS. AND MS. -- ALLOWS US TO BUILD IT IN THE FUTURE. THERE ARE FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS AND THAT IS ONE KEY PART OF IT. THAT TELL US WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT, WHEN THAT FUND BALANCE DIPS, WHAT IS THE THRESHOLD THAT WE'RE ALLOWING IT TO DIP TO. THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WE MONITOR WHAT WE'LL DO YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. >>Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU. SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHT APPEARS.
IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NOW WE WILL MOVE INTO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S COMMENTS. SUPERINTENDENT? >>Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MY SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES THIS EVENING, PRETTY LIGHT, OBVIOUSLY, WITH JUST A FEW MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL BEFORE OUR WINTER BREAK, BUT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW ITEMS BUT I'LL KEEP IT PRETTY BRIEF. I DID HAVE A I DID HAVE A PRETTY COOL OPPORTUNITY TODAY. BOARD MEMBERS, NEXT YEAR, IF YOU DO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. THE WHICH WANIS CLUB THE WHICH WANIS CLUB HOSTED
84th ANNUAL 84th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THERE TODAY AND SPEAK THERE TODAY AND SPEAK WITH THEM AND I WAS AT THE TABLE FOR DESOTO. SANTA CLAUS SHOWS UP WITH GIFTS. THEY GET TO OPEN A BAG OF GIFTS THAT THEY HAVE. ALMOST 160 OF ALMOST 160 OF OUR ELEMENTARY KIDS. AT PEPIN AT PEPIN TODAY, AND IT MADE TODAY REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL. THANKS TO THE KIWANIS CLUB WHAT THEY DO FOR THE STUDENTS.
BEING DOING THAT 84 YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROVIDING THAT SERVICE. IT'S PRETTY NEAT. I WANT TO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT-OUT. WE HAD OUR FIRST THRIVE AND THIRD LIVE. IT WAS IT WAS THE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN -- IOLI VASQUEZ, UNDER MR. BRADY AS OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, HAD THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE BROUGHT OUR ELEMENTARY LITERACY FOLKS TO THEIR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING INITIATIVE WHICH IS THRIVE IN
THRIVE IN THIRD LIVE. WE HAD ALMOST OVER 150. YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE OF OUR THIRD GRADE READING TEACHERS THAT CAME TOGETHER FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES. SPECIAL THANKS FOR YOLI FOR BRINGING THAT IDEA BRINGING THAT IDEA TO LIFE. MR. BRADY, WE WERE IN INTERVIEWS, AND HE BROUGHT THIS TO MY ATTENTION. REALLY COOL THING THAT WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TALKING ABOUT EVERY ELEMENTARY, THIRD GRADE TEACHER, ONE FROM EACH SCHOOL TOGETHER, IT WAS A GREAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. ONE OF THE INTERVIEWEES FROM
YESTERDAY WHO WAS OVER AT MEMBER COMBS FROM COMBS FROM WESTCHASE HAD JUST COME, THIRD GRADE TEACHER, HAD COME FROM THRIVE IN THIRD FOR THE INTERVIEW AND SHE WAS HEADED BACK. THANK YOU, MR. BRADY, FOR YOUR TEAM. VERY COOL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR THIRD GRADE TEACHERS. ALSO UPDATES. WE DID CLOSE OUT THE MAGNET WINDOW. HERE IS REALLY GOOD HERE IS REALLY GOOD NEWS. I WANT TO THANK MR. I WANT TO THANK MR. MURILLO, OUR ENTIRE TEAM, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, PUSHING OUT OUR MAGNET WINDOW. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE RESULTS.
LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR, YOU CAN SEE ALMOST 1200, CLOSE SEE ALMOST 1200, CLOSE TO 1200 MORE TOTAL SELECTIONS THAT WERE MADE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IF YOU LOOK AT UNIQUE STUDENT APPLICATIONS, ALMOST UP 1,000 MORE STUDENTS THAT FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION FOR THE MAGNET WINDOW. AS WE LOOK TO BRING NUMBERS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THOSE ARE STUDENTS THAT AREN'T HOPEFULLY WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BUT CHOOSING TO COME BACK IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. HAVING A THOUSAND MORE THAT MADE THAT CHOICE, I WANT TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. GOOD NEWS AS GOOD NEWS AS WE CONTINUE TO
PUBLICIZE HOW GOOD OUR SCHOOLS ARE WITH THE RESULTS WE CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE. AS I CLOSE OUT, BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW YOU WERE OUT AND ABOUT WITH US AS WE HAD OUR SURPRISE PATROLS. JUST SOME OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR. HILLSBOROUGH TREASURES WILL BE JANUARY THE 22nd. ONCE WE COME BACK FROM WINTER BREAK, TWO, THREE WEEKS AND RIGHT INTO HILLSBOROUGH TREASURES. WOVE HAD THE WOVE HAD THE INTERVIEWS WOVE HAD THE INTERVIEWS JUST ON YESTERDAY. YOU CAN SEE SOME OF OUR
FINALISTS. THOSE ARE OUR FOUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FINALISTS. IN THE JANUARY 22, YOU'LL SEE THEM ON THE STAGE THERE. I KNOW BOARD MEMBERS, ALL OF YOU ATTEND THAT PARTICULAR EVENT. THEN WE MOVE OFF TO OUR IDA S. BAKER, OUR OTHER FOUR. APRIL CAMPBELL, COMMUNITY RESOURCE TEACHER AT JENNINGS. ADRIENNE, WORKFORCE PROGRAM ADVISOR AT MORGAN HIGH SCHOOL.
CHAI COUNTS, ACCESS POINT TEACHER AT SYMMES ELEMENTARY AND JENNIFER, AVID ACADEMIC TEACHER AT NEW COM. FOUR FINALISTS ON FOUR FINALISTS ON JANUARY 22 FOR IDA S. BAKER AWARD. FOUR FINALISTS THERE. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU WERE EACH AT DIFFERENT ONES OF THESE. THOSE ARE OUR FOUR FINALISTS. THOSE FOUR CANDIDATES WILL BE THERE ON JANUARY 22nd ON THE STAGE AS WE ANNOUNCE THE BIG WINNER. FINALLY, OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS. HERE THEY ARE.
FIVE FINALISTS FOR THIS YEAR. AS I AS I TALK TO OUR TEACHERS AND TALK TO THEM ON MONDAY, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER CLOSE TO 15,000 TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THESE ARE THE FIVE FINALISTS, WHAT AN HONOR TO BE ONE OF THOSE FINALISTS. RACHELLE PHILIPS AT RACHELLE PHILIPS AT KENLY. TRACY MOORE AT HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL. FRANCESCA AT WESTCHASE. CHRISTI OVER AT CHRISTI OVER AT WHARTON. AND MELISSA OVER AT DAVIDSON.
SHAKE, YOU HAVE ONE UP THERE, RIGHT? I THINK, MEMBER COMBS, YOU HAVE TWO. MS. VAUGHN HAS TWO. WHO IS GOING TO GET THE WINNER? WE WILL SEE ON JANUARY 22nd WHO OUR FINALISTS -- WHO OUR WINNER IS FOR TEACHER OF THE YEAR. AS WE ARE OVER WINTER BREAK, VERY COOL TO HAVE THAT COME IN RIGHT OUT OF THE BREAK. COUPLE OF WEEKS IN, WE'LL HAVE OUR BIG HILLSBOROUGH TREASURE. AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE 13 THAT ARE NAMED AS
13 THAT ARE NAMED AS FINALISTS. WE HAVE THE FINAL INTERVIEWS ON MONDAY. SOME THAT ARE ALREADY SOME THAT ARE ALREADY DECIDED, WE DID ANNOUNCE AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY AT THE PARADE, AT THE SANTA PARADE WITH US. MITCHELL IS OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR FROM TAMPA BAY TECH. CONGRATULATIONS. DEANNA FISHER, THE DEANNA FISHER, THE PRINCIPAL AT SHIELDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR. THOSE HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED. BOARD MEMBERS, I KNOW A LOT OF YOU WERE OUT AS WE DID THE SURPRISE PATROL AND ANNOUNCED THE WINNERS.
AP AND PRINCIPAL DECIDED. JANUARY 22, WE'LL GET OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT IDA S. AND TEACHER OF THE YEAR. FINALLY, ONE OF MY LAST FINALLY, ONE OF MY LAST SLIDES, I WANT TO I WANT TO ANNOUNCE OUR SUPERINTENDENT -- WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING? IS IS THIS IS CHAIR PEREZ'S IDEA. I TOLD HER TO CALL MR. BRADY, MS. PEREZ HAD THIS IDEA OF A WINTER READING BREAK CHALLENGE.
I WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE DISTRICT-WIDE CHALLENGE. ENCOURAGES ALL PRE-K TO 12 STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH BOOKS IN EVERY FORMAT DURING THE HOLIDAY BREAK. WE'LL CELEBRATE SCHOOLS AT THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WITH THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT FROM DECEMBER 19 TO JANUARY 5. STUDENTS WILL LOG THEIR MINUTES AND WINNING SCHOOLS AND WINNING SCHOOLS RECEIVE $500 FOR BOOKS FOR THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AND A READER LEADER TROPHY. THE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE LITERACY, STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL READING
HABITS AND INVEST IN HABITS AND INVEST IN EXPANDING OF BOOKS TO EVERY STUDENT. CHAIR PEREZ, THANK YOU FOR THE IDEA. MR. BRADY AND YOUR TEAM, THANKS FOR BRINGING IT TO LIFE. FINALLY, I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS FIRST, OUR EMPLOYEES, JUST HAVE AN AMAZING WINTER BREAK, AND WE'LL ALL BE ALL BE BACK TO SCHOOL AND IN THAT TWO-WEEK TIME PERIOD I THINK IS JANUARY 5th THINK IS JANUARY 5th IS THE DAY -- STUDENTS DON'T GO BACK ON
THE MONDAY. WE START TUESDAY WHICH IS THE 6th. JANUARY 6 WE RETURN TO SCHOOL. LET'S NOT THINK ABOUT THAT NOW. LET'S THINK ABOUT OUR TWO WEEKS OF BREAK THAT'S UPCOMING. WELL DESERVED BREAK FOR OUR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE WORKED SO EXTREMELY HARD THIS FIRST SEMESTER. AND THEN THIS NEXT WEEK, WE'LL START OUR SEMESTER EXAMS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MR. WASHINGTON, SEMESTER EXAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND THE FIRST SEMESTER EXAMS NEXT WEEK. THOSE ARE MY UPDATES.
>>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS, JUST A REMINDER, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, NOT YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, NOT 15. EACH TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. MEMBER GRAY. >>Lynn Gray: OKAY. GET READY, GO. NOT YET, NOT YET, PABLO. SO MR. BRADY, SO MR. BRADY, GARY BRADY, MYSELF AND THANK YOU, DEBRA, WE WENT ON
A NATIONWIDE PODCAST CALLED SMART SOCIAL. WE DEFINITELY MADE MENTION THE MISUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES SUCH AS TIKTOK, WHAT'S APP, CALCULATED PERCENTAGE, SNAP CHAT BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF THESE APPLICATIONS, THEY KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE STUDENT. THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE THINKING. THEY KNOW HOW THEY THEY KNOW HOW THEY DRESS, AT -- CREATES ANXIETY, DECREASE IN ACADEMIC CONCENTRATION.
SO WHAT GARY BRADY DID WAS ALSO BRING IN HOW SNAP CHAT SOCIAL MEDIA MEDIA AI, MEDIA AI, SOCIAL MEDIA, EXCUSE ME ALSO ACCELERATES JUST THE PROPORTIONALITY IS UNBELIEVABLE HOW THEY GET KNOWLEDGE OF OUR STUDENTS. OUR OUR YOUTH IN GENERAL. JUST ONE MINUTE I THINK WE HAVE A VIDEO, PABLO. I DON'T KNOW, GARY, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING YOU OR NOT ON
THIS VIDEO, BUT WE'LL SEE. >> TEACH ME A FEW >> TEACH ME A FEW THINGS. WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU SEEING IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS IN THE COUNTRY AND WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN THE PAST? >> IN THE PAST, THERE WAS A TOTAL, AND THERE STILL IS, A TOTAL RELIANCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, USE OF CELL PHONE. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A COMMONALITY THROUGHOUT THE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. BUT FAST-FORWARD, NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT AFTER COVID, WE'RE LOOKING AT 2025, WE'RE SEEING THE NEED, THE THE NEED, THE UNDERLYING NEED FOR MOST KIDS
FOR MOST KIDS IS TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS MANY OF THEM ARE ISOLATED. THEY HAVE EVENTS AT SCHOOL, BUT THEY ARE SO TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON TYPING IN, USING THEIR CELL PHONES, MANY OF THEM HAVE FORGOTTEN THE SIMPLE ABILITY FORGOTTEN THE SIMPLE ABILITY TO TALK SMALL TALK. EVEN IN SWEDEN THEY HAVE A CLASS THAT STUDENTS TAKE CALLED SMALL TALK. IT HAS MANIFESTED IT HAS MANIFESTED ITSELF TO DANGEROUS RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH A.I. CHATS, THROUGH SNAP
A.I. CHATS, THROUGH SNAP CHAT, TIKTOK. >>Lynn Gray: GOOD LOOKING GARY. >> I THINK THAT WAS A.I. >> DID HE TALK, I DON'T KNOW? >>Lynn Gray: WE HAVE TO THANK AGAIN DEBBIE. THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PODCAST. THANK YOU FOR PUTTING A HIGHLIGHT ON OUR DISTRICT AND WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE DOING TO PREVENT THE SOCIAL MEDIA SOCIAL MEDIA NUANCES GOING ON AMONG OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT, WE'VE, OH, THE NEXT, WE'VE, OH, THE FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY. I BELIEVE THAT IS THE NEXT PHOTO. WE HAVE A PowerPoint. THERE WE ARE. ROB NELSON IS NOT HERE, BUT HE GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK. YVONNE FRY YVONNE FRY NARRATED THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY AND SHE SHOWCASED AMONG AMONG MANY OTHER PARTNERS OUR DISTRICT.
ROB NELSON WAS THERE, MADE A SPEECH. CHRIS JARGO. BOARD MEMBER RENDON WAS THERE, MANY OTHERS. IT REALLY SHOWED THAT THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUTURE CAREER ACADEMY HAS DEFINITELY MADE A HUGE MADE A HUGE IMPACT FOR STUDENT'S PATHWAYS TO PATHWAYS TO VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. FIRST THING ON THE CAKE, IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GRAND OPENING IN PLANT CITY FOR THE VOCATIONAL TECH SCHOOL THERE ON FRIDAY, RIBBON CUTTING.
HOPEFULLY IF CHRIS FARKAS DOESN'T HALF HIS HEAD OFF, HE WILL BE THERE AS WELL. YOU HAVE TO BEHAVE. THIS IS A SERIOUS MOMENT. ANYWAY, THAT WAS GREAT. NEXT, PBIS, WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE. POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION SUPPORT SYSTEM. YOU GO TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, I THINK ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS MENTIONED IT TODAY, MIGHT HAVE BEEN MEMBER COMBS, BUT BEEN MEMBER COMBS, BUT PBIS SCHOOL, GENERALLY IF IT IS FULL FIDELITY, I KNOW SHAY McRAE IS
VERY VERY FAMILIAR. TRACYE BROWN ALSO, IT DOES LESSEN THE REFERRALS. NOW, WHAT SCHOOL HAS THE LEAST REFERRALS? LARGELY RIGHT NOW IT IS DAVIDSEN, CUT IT MORE THAN HALF BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAM. LAST, DINA LAST, DINA MARSHALL, WE ARE HAVING WELL-BEING FOR YOU HAVING WELL-BEING FOR YOU EXPO AT JEFFERSON. WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HEALTH AND WELLNESS. INA MARSHALL IS THE -- DINA MARSHALL IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE
SHIP FOR OUR INSURANCE WELL-BEING. WE WANT TO THANK HER AS WELL AND INVITE EVERY ONE OF US TO COME JANUARY 10 AT 9 A.M. DONE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. MEMBER COMBS. >>Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, CHAIR PEREZ. I HATE TO START I HATE TO START IN I HATE TO START IN A SOMBER MOMENT BUT REMEMBER GRAY FROM THE URBAN LEAGUE. THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO THAT IS SOMEBODY WHO FIERCELY ADVOCATED FOR HIS COMMUNITY, WAS
REALLY STRONG, BUT THE WAY HE DID IT WAS SO DID IT WAS SO KIND AND IT REALLY ALWAYS MADE ME LISTEN SO WELL AND REALLY I APPRECIATED HIM. HE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE A BIG EVENT BECAUSE THAT'S THE PERSON HE WAS. HE MENTORED SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE. HE WAS JUST A HE WAS JUST A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY. I JUST WANT TO SAY HE'S GOING TO BE REALLY MISSED. I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS AS SICK AS HE WAS. HE REALLY WAS A REALLY WONDERFUL PERSON. I WANT TO THANK HIM FOR THE WORK HE'S DONE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR MUSIC OUR MUSIC DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE -- JOHN WE HAVE -- JOHN SEAVER IS SO TALENTED. SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE STEINBRENNER FAMILY AND DEDICATED AND DEDICATED AND TALENTED TRACY LESSEE. SUCH AN INCREDIBLE, TALENTED PERSON. AND TO ALLOW ALL THOSE STUDENTS AT THE HOLIDAY CONCERT TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE AND SEE THINGS, I THINK SOMETIMES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED SOMETIMES WHAT OUR CHILDREN CAN SEE AND OTHER KIDS CAN SEE.
SOME KIDS, I THINK THEY'LL REMEMBER THAT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THAT WAS REALLY AMAZING. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS IN THE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION. I ALSO WANT TO SAY A REALLY BIG SHOUT-OUT. WHEN WE LOOK AT SCHOOL CHOICE. THERE'S SO MUCH THERE'S SO MUCH INVOLVED. WHEN YOU HAVE PARENTS AND EVERYBODY IS MOVING EVERYBODY IS MOVING AROUND, I CANNOT THANK MATT ROMANO ENOUGH. HE HE IS ONE OF THE MOST INTELLIGENT, KIND, INTELLIGENT, KIND, HARDWORKING
PEOPLE I HAVE EVER PEOPLE I HAVE EVER MET. LIKE ANYTIME I CALL HIM, HE'S JUST WONDERFUL. HIS WIFE IS SO BRILLIANT AT TEACHING, LIKE WHAT A GREAT, GREAT TEAM THAT WE HAVE THERE. I THINK THAT'S FOR ME ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT BEING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. I'VE MET, LIKE I LOOK OUT HERE, I MET SO MANY AMAZING PEOPLE LIKE THE CABINET, THE STAFF WHO DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM AND HIS WIFE AND EVERYBODY ELSE. I WISH EVERYONE A VERY, VERY
HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY. AND AN EARLY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KAREN PEREZ. SO THAT'S TOMORROW. AND I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A SAFE AND WONDERFUL HOLIDAY. REMEMBER, THE HOLIDAYS ARE A WONDERFUL TIME, BUT THEY ARE ALSO A VERY HARD TIME. PLEASE BE KIND AND HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. MEMBER WASHINGTON. >>Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE TO GIVE YOU SOME MONEY, OKAY. TAKE CARE. WE ALWAYS DO.
GIVE MY GIVE MY CONDOLENCES OUT TO STANLEY GRAY'S FAMILY. A GREAT LEADER A GREAT LEADER HAS LEFT. HE REALLY EXEMPLIFIED WHAT LEADERS SHOULD DO IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR THE COMMUNITY. AGAIN, MY CONDOLENCES. PABLO, DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE FIRST ONE HERE. HORACE HORACE MANN TO SEE THE BRAILLE. IT'S PHENOMENAL. THIS IS THE FIRST ONE. I THINK THEY SAID IT WAS THE FIRST ONE IN THE STATE. THE FIRST ONE IN THE STATE.
AND TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS USE BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT BOOKS DIRECTLY FROM THE MEDIA CENTER. THE VISION IMPAIRED, IT WAS AMAZING BECAUSE THEY WERE READING JUST LIKE READING JUST LIKE YOU AND I WERE TALKING. THEY WERE READING OFF OF THE BRAILLE. AGAIN, THANK MR. BROOKS FOR INVITING US AND THAT'S REALLY A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE STUDENTS. THE NEXT ONE, GREAT AMERICAN TEACH-IN, WE HAD -- PART I ENJOYED, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD DO, THEIR JOB, THEIR JOBS AND SO FORTH. THE STUDENTS ARE VERY ATTENTIVE. YOU ONLY HAD A FEW SAY THEY MIGHT WANT TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. NOT A LOT. THEY SAY IT IS A HARD JOB. THEY DON'T LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW HOW STUDENTS ARE, BUT WE HAD A GREAT TIME. FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION, I GAVE EACH STUDENT TWO DOLLARS. SO THEY REALLY SO THEY REALLY ENJOYED. THEY WERE VERY ATTENTIVE. IT WORKS. YOU GOT TO HAVE SOME KIND OF WAY
TO KEEP THEIR ATTENTION, BELIEVE ME. BUT IT WAS REALLY PHENOMENAL. I HAD A GREAT TIME. I REALLY I REALLY ENJOYED. I REALLY ENJOYED. PRICE WATERHOUSE COOPER. WRAPPED AT LEAST 260 GIFTS TO GO OUT, TO PASS OUT ON THIS COMING SATURDAY. AT THE SCHOOLS IN DISTRICT FIVE
AND SOME OTHER SCHOOLS ALSO. BUT BUT IT'S GOING TO BE BUT IT'S GOING TO BE AT SHE HIGH. PRICE WATERHOUSE, COOPER, THEY DO A GREAT JOB. WE DONATED MONEY FOR THE STUDENTS. 260 GIFTS IS A LOT TO WRAP. I WASN'T VERY GOOD IN WRAPPING. THEY HELPED ME OUT A GREAT DEAL. ALSO, I WANT TO ALSO, I WANT TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT TIME. WE ENJOY AND SEE WE ENJOY AND SEE EACH OTHER JANUARY 6, BUT DON'T THINK ABOUT JANUARY 6. THINK ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. MEMBER VAUGHN. >>Jessica Vaughn: THANKS FOR POINTING OUT GREAT AMERICAN TEACH-IN AND HOW NOBODY WANTS TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. BUT I WAS REALLY EXCITED TO SEE A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS GOING OUT TO OUR SCHOOLS THIS YEAR. I THINK IT'S GREAT, WHOEVER ORGANIZES THAT IN THE SCHOOLS IS REALLY REACHING OUT TO THE
COMMUNITY AT-LARGE AND KIDS ARE GETTING GOOD KIND OF EXPOSURE TO THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND HOW TO STAY CIVICALLY ENGAGED. I LOVE GREAT AMERICAN I LOVE GREAT AMERICAN TEACH-IN. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO PARTICIPATED THIS YEAR. ALSO SHOUT-OUT TO OUR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION FINALISTS. AGAIN, I HAVE WHARTON ACE TEACHER, MS. ATKINSON AND THEN AS SUPERINTENDENT, BOTH TALKING ABOUT AS WE WALKED INTO BEN HILL, BOTH OF THOSE GOING THERE, REMINISCING ABOUT A TEACHER THAT WE HAD IN COMMON THAT WE BOTH REMEMBERED GREATLY.
WE WERE ABLE TO SURPRISE MRS. MOORE WHO WAS DRASTICALLY SICK BUT STILL SHOWED UP TO SCHOOL AND HER HUSBAND WHO KEPT THE AWARD A AWARD A SECRET THE ENTIRE BREAK. SHE WAS MOVED TO TEARS. ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN TO GO IN OUR SCHOOLS AND CELEBRATE OUR EDUCATORS. I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE AWARDS. I ALSO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW I REALLY LOVED THAT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS DO OUR SCHOOLS DO THINGS AROUND THE HOLIDAY TO EITHER ENGAGE THEIR EMPLOYEES OR OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT WEEK, I'M EXCITED TO GO INTO MORT ELEMENTARY AND BE ABLE TO READ TO THE STUDENTS AS PART OF WHAT THEY DO FOR THE STUDENTS AROUND HOLIDAY. THEY DECORATE THE HALLS AND THEY HAVE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY COME IN AND TEACHERS GET TO DROP OFF THE KIDS FOR 20, 30 MINUTES, TAKE AN EXTRA BREAK. GET TO READ TO THE KIDS. IT'S REALLY IT'S REALLY GREAT. TEMPLE TERRACE ELEMENTARY DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR, A GIFT OF TIME. THEY INVITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME IN AND TEACH ONE OF THE CLASSES AND FACULTY GETS TO GO TO THE CLASSROOM AND HAVE LUNCH AND HAVE EXTRA TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE MY SCHOOLS
THAT ARE EXTRA CREATIVE AND REALLY LEANING IN TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES MORE TIME AND ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO COME IN AND INTERACT WITH THE STUDENTS. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF THE YEAR TO GO AND SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER AND GIVE OUR TEACHERS TIME OFF. TOMORROW, I'M TOMORROW, I'M HAVING MY INTERVIEWS FOR THE -- I'M STARTING THE STARTING THE DISTRICT 3 STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. VERY SPECIFIC. NOT A COMMITTEE, COUNCIL.
13 STUDENTS SIGNED UP SO FAR. TOMORROW I WILL BE DOING INTERVIEWS. BUT I HAVE THIS DISAPPOINTED TO SEE SOME SCHOOLS HAD HIGHER ENGAGEMENT THAN OTHERS. I'D REALLY LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO GET SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT SCHOOLS THAT HAVE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE LESS REPRESENTATION ENGAGED BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT. FIRST MEETING IN JANUARY, I WILL BE BRINGING LOTS OF STUFF BACK FOR STUDENTS FROM OUR CABINET MEMBERS TO HERE FIRST HAND THINGS THAT WILL AFFECT OUR STUDENTS. I THINK THAT'S IT. I REALLY WANT TO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
WE TALK OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES BEING THE BACKBONE OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, OF OUR SCHOOLS. WE CAN PAT OURSELVES ON THE BACK ALL WE WANT UP HERE AS FAR AS BOARD MEMBERS, BUT REALLY OUR EMPLOYEES WHO SHOW UP EVERY DAY AND MAKE OUR DISTRICT AS SUCCESSFUL AS IT IS. I WANT TO WISH ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES JUST A CHANCE TO RECHARGE, BE WITH LOVED ONES, CELEBRATE WHATEVER HOLIDAY. I HOPE IT IS PEACEFUL, FILLED WITH GOOD HEALTH AND LOVE AND WE JUST COME BACK READY TO JUMP IN AND DO THE WORK. HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE. THANK
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >>Karen Perez: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. I REALLY WANT TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING BEGINNING OF THIS MEETING AND JUST GIVE CHAD CHRONISTER AND BETTY CASTOR A SHOUT-OUT. THEY REALLY DID A LOT OF WORK. THEIR DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE CITIZENS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THAT WAS THAT WAS A LOT OF LEADERSHIP IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS WERE TAKEN CARE WERE TAKEN CARE OF. ALSO TO CHRIS FARKAS WHO HAD TO
MAKE SURE THAT THAT WORK WAS COMPLETED, AND I KNOW THE BIDDING FOR THE SCHOOLS WAS A LOT, BUT AS WE GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WE SEE THE WORK THAT WAS WAS DONE, IT WAS INCREDIBLE. LIKE WAS MENTIONED BY BETTY CASTOR. IT WAS JUST BEING ABLE TO FOSTER% CULTURE OF CULTURE OF RESPECT AND COOPERATION TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS WOR THIS WORK DONE WAS INCREDIBLE ON BOTH PARTS.
YOU WANT TO SEND A SHOUT-OUT TO THEM. AGAIN, THANK THEM FOR THE AGAIN, THANK THEM FOR THEIR WORK. ALSO, THE GREAT AMERICA ALSO, THE GREAT AMERICAN TEACH-IN TEACH-IN. THE GRE THE GREAT PIZZA DEBATE WITH OUR KIDS. PEPPERONI OR PEPPERONI OR CHEESE, AND THEY LEARNED HOW TO -- THE LEARNED HOW TO -- THE VOTING PROCESS WENT, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DO THAT. AT THE AT THE END, THEIR
AT THE END, THEIR AWARD WAS NOT AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. IT WAS A PIZZA IT WAS A PIZZA PARTY. YEAH, WHEN THEY GOT FINISHED. IT WAS REALLY NEAT HOW THEY IT WAS REALLY NEAT HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO DEBATE THEIR PREFERENCE. IT WAS REALLY NEAT. MR. GIBSON, YOU AND I SHARE AN INCREDIBLE BIRTHDAY. I JUST WANTED TO WISH YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY AS WELL. I SIT I SIT ON THE SALVATION ARMY BOARD. I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT THERE ARE FAMILIES OUT THERE WHO
ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CHRISTMAS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. WE HAVE THE WE HAVE THE ANGEL WE HAVE THE ANGEL TREE. IT'S THE WISHES FOR KIDS OF WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR CHRISTMAS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SANTA BRINGING THAT. IF YOU SEE IT IN YOUR HEART AND YOUR BUDGET TO GO PULL AN YOUR BUDGET TO GO PULL AN ANGEL AND AND FILL AND FILL THAT WISH FOR THOSE FAMILIES WHERE THERE'S CHILDREN.
I AM ALSO EXCITED FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S WINTER BREAK CHALLENGE. I HAD CHALLENGED HIM TO I HAD CHALLENGED HIM TO SLEEP I HAD CHALLENGED HIM TO SLEEP ON THE ROOF THE ROOF ON A TENT. I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW. IF I HAVE ANY IF I HAVE ANY BUY-IN, JUST LET ME KNOW. YOU KNOW, READING OVER THE BREAK HELPS MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH OF OUR STUDENTS' SKILLS SO THAT THEY RETURN READY TO LEARN. SO WHETHER FOR PARENTS, WHETHER SHARING A BEDTIME STORY OR
DISCUSSING A FAVORITE BOOK, THESE INTERACTIONS BUILD BONDS AND ENCOURAGE THE KIDS TO SEE READING AS A READING AS A SHARED, ENJOYABLE ACTIVITY. I HOPE OUR STUDENTS WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS CHALLENGE. MEANWHILE, I WANT TO WISH YOU ALL A SAFE AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR WITH HOPE, PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS. BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO THIS YEAR. THANK YOU FOR BEING THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND MAY THE
SPIRIT OF THE SEASON BRING YOU PEACE AND HAPPINESS. WITH THAT, THIS -- SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ]