Heat. Hey, Heat. Good evening and welcome to the August 12th, 2025 meeting of the Marian County School Board. It is now called to order. Mirroring and modeling the way our students begin each day, I ask that we observe a moment of silence at this
time. Please join me. >> Thank you, M. Throw. Would you read the board commitment statement, please? >> Yeah, absolutely. Chair, we are the Marian County School District Leadership Team. When we come together to work, we are efficient, effective, and
productive. Our three most important characteristics are dedicated, transparent, and individually responsible. To work well together, we must demonstrate respect, confront reality, and be accountable. We will always put students first, and we will
leave a legacy of success. Thank you, Miss Thrower. For the courtesy of those listening to the meeting, I am requesting everyone in the audience to please turn off their electronic devices or put them on vibrate. Later in the meeting, up to 30 minutes will be provided for individuals
to address the board on matters concerning the operation of the Marian County School System or the school board only. Presentations to the board are limited to five minutes and are televised. If you wish to address the board regarding a regular agenda item or
matters matters on which the board customarily takes action, you must first complete a peach form located in the lobby. If you wish to address the board regarding a public hearing or a student discipline matter, please complete a lime green form. These forms must be
fully completed and received to the board clerk no later than 5:40 p.m. The procedures applicable for each are on a separate sheet. Good evening, Miss Martinez Young. Would you call the role, please? >> Good evening, Madam Chair. Dr. Allison Campbell, District 1, here.
>> Mrs. Lori Conrad, District 2, >> here. >> Mr. Eric Cummings, District 3, >> here. >> Mrs. Nancy Thrower, District 4, >> here. >> Dr. Sarah James, District 5, >> here. >> Cullen Briggs, Forest High School, >> here. >> Luke Lombardo, Westport High School, >> here. >> Dr. Danielle Brewer, interim superintendent, >> here.
>> And Mr. Jeremy Power, school board attorney, >> here. >> Thank you, Miss Martinez Young. Good evening, Dr. Brewer. Will you share um who's going to lead us with the pledge of allegiance this evening? >> Absolutely. Yes. I have the privilege of introducing Dr. John Pope. He will
provide an inspiration um to us and then lead us in the pledge of allegiance. >> I should probably adjust that. Good evening. Uh thank you Dr. Brewer and good evening board chair Conrad and school board members. Thank you for this opportunity tonight. I'd like to tell
you a little story that will take us back a few years. It was 2011. I was 22 years old and it was my first day as a substitute teacher. Now, as many of you may know, if you enter a second grade classroom and you don't know what you're doing, they know.
They could tell instantly that I had little business being there. And my day was a scene of what we might call anarchy. children running, flailing their arms, climbing on desks. Chairs were airborne, whizzing by. In the background, there were clangs and thuds and some crying involved, although I
think the crying was mostly me. Amid the chaos, I felt a gentle tug on my shirt sleeve. I looked down and discovered a small girl peering up at me with concern in her eyes. She said, "You may want to consider doing something because you're losing control of this classroom."
That's a true story, she really said. Now, I could have said to her, "I'm the teacher. You need to go sit down and mind your own business." But instead, I paused. I took a deep breath and I looked down and said, "What do you have in mind?" So, she filled me in on all the routines and procedures, uh, what the students were supposed to be working
on, and she helped me together as a team. We got everyone what they needed and restored the learning environment. So, this lesson was twofold, and it has stuck with me to this day. It was a lesson in humility and a lesson in courage. Humility as a leader means
serving and empowering others. It's being a servant leader who sees the good in people and helps them see the good in themselves as they learn and grow. It's measuring your own success by the success of others. Lift others up and they will lift you in return.
Humility is also self-reflection and growth. Ernest Hemingway once said, "There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility is being superior to your former self. All you have to do to grow each day is try to be better than you
were yesterday. Many believe it takes some grand gesture of power to enact change. But that is not so. The biggest difference differences are made from the smallest intricacies of everyday life.
It's the detail work that matters. the small acts of kindness and servitude from everyday ordinary folk who want to help each other be better. So growing together and being better together requires humility, reciprocity, and courage. Courage to work as one team, to
be relentless, to fight complacency and embrace change. And I can tell you from personal experience, courage does not always present itself the way you expect it. Sometimes courage is a little voice in your head at the end of the day that says, "I'll try again tomorrow."
Sometimes courage comes in the form of a small child who's brave enough to help in a time of need. And when things are a little hectic and they aren't going how you thought they'd go and you feel like you've lost your way, pause and breathe because you just might feel a little tug
on your shirt sleeve. And if you do, I implore you to have the humility to listen. It may be a chance to give someone else a voice and you just might find the courage to press on. Thank you. And if you would all please stand and
join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you, >> Dr. Pope. Thank you very much for that perfectly timed um inspiration for us at the start of the school year. Thank you very much. And if you will hang on, we're going to do recognitions next and
then I'd like for you to join us um for a photo. Thank you so much. Yes, Dr. Brewer. Okay. I we already said here, but I want to um officially welcome Colen and Luke to um our meeting this evening. I want to share a few things
about each of them. Luke is a senior at Westport High School. Go Wolfpack. He is a part of both the Apex Apex program and the biomed magnet. He um will also graduate this year 2026 with his AA
degree and an AP capstone diploma. Correct. Yep. He also participates in cross country and track and you may know he frequently he competes in races. I've seen him around town running. So he's a
runner. Um so welcome Mr. Lombardo. Um thank you Colin for being here. Colin Briggs is a senior at Forest High School. He is part of CCAP magnet program and is a top leader in Forest's Air Force JROTC program and will
graduate as an AP scholar. He also participates in golf and lacrosse. So, welcome Colen and thank you both for being here. >> Thank you. >> All right. Now, I will introduce Mr. White House. He has two different
recognitions this evening. So he will probably board probably let both of them be recognized and then we can do two separate pictures if you're okay with that. >> Great. >> Okay, Mr. White House. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Brewer. Good evening, board chair, board members. So our first
recognition tonight, we'd like to recognize our three new principles in Marian County Public Schools this evening. So first up, as a firstear principal, Miss Jennifer Pard. Miss Pard has proudly served Marian County public schools for the last 20 years. She began
her career as a fourth grade teacher and has since held roles as a math and science coach, dean, and assistant principal. She earned her bachelor's in elementary education and Spanish from Flaggler College and her mers in educational leadership from American College of Education. Jennifer is a
proud Harborview Elementary parent and community member. Her daughter will start her kindergarten year at Harborview as well. So, Miss Jennifer Pard, come on. Now, our second new principal this evening is not new to the principal ship, but new to Marian County Public Schools, and
we're really excited to have her join us, Miss Vicky Melhaney. She brings over 20 years of experience in public education. She holds a bachelor's in elementary education, a master's in exceptional student education, and a specialist degree in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Now in her seventh year as
an instructional leader, Vicki is excited to serve the Saddlewood Elementary community. She's also a proud mom of twin boys and wife to a fire rescue lieutenant. So, Miss Melhaney. And our third new principal you heard from just a moment ago, Dr. John Pope, who's taking over East Marian Elementary
School. Dr. Pope has served in K12 education, a variety of instructional and leadership roles. He began as a high school English teacher at North Marian High School before becoming instructional coach, dean, and assistant principal across all grade levels. Dr. Pope earned his master's and doctorate
in educational leadership from National Lewis University and now serves as principal of East Marin Elementary. He also teaches graduate students as an adjunct professor and his professional passions include leadership development, mentorship, and student teacher
relationships. Dr. Pope All right. So, those are our three new principles. We're really excited to share them, and I think we'll be doing a picture of them in just a moment if you guys want to stick around. And um next, we'd like to recognize some other important folks on our district team. So each summer, our school and district
leaders spend weeks pouring over data, developing new plans, hiring new staff, running summer school, planning professional learning, implementing new curriculum resources, and getting ready to welcome back thousands of teachers and students to a new year. And while much attention is paid to the academic
preparation needed to start school, the real magic of opening schools each August happens behind the scenes. Tonight, we'd like to pull back the curtain and shine a spotlight on some of the amazing teams that make opening schools possible each summer. We are grateful for the support from the
hardworking men and women in maintenance, our grounds crew, custodians, and the warehouse. So, representing the maintenance department tonight, we have Mr. Shawn Duncan, the department supervisor. Sean, come on down. So this summer, the maintenance
department has closed out almost 1,300 work orders. On top of that, they relocated or installed 34 portables, including new utilities, sidewalks, and ramps. Disconnected utilities, and removed 20 leased portables throughout the district. Replaced the carpet and vinyl campuswide at Reic Collar
Elementary. Replaced the carpet and vinyl in building 8 at North Marian High School. Replaced the carpet in the front office here at MTI. Cleaned and serviced all the cooling towers and chillers throughout the district. Cleaned and provided routine maintenance to over 3,800 HVAC units
throughout the district. Provided routine maintenance to 37 emergency generators throughout the district. installed 117 interactive flat panels and the necessary electric for the technology department. Repaired underground water main leaks at Belleview High School, Emerald Shores,
and Belleview Elementary School. And that was just last week. I'm kidding. But absolutely phenomenal work from our maintenance team. Um we all think so highly Mr. Duncan and his crew and they just do amazing work. So we're really proud of him, proud of his team and the
work that they do to help us get our schools ready. So thank you, Mr. Duncan. So, representing our custodians and grounds crew this evening, we have Carrie Cook, our coordinator. Carrie, if you come on down and we have some of his senior staff
here with him, Carolyn Floyd, James Lamont, Frank Pickkins, and Daisy Rodriguez. Come on down. Our grounds crew are responsible for maintaining all outside grounds at all district properties. That's over 1,600 acres of property they maintain, which
includes weed eating, edging, trimming hedges as needed, spraying fence lines, concrete areas, and beds on all district property, and running the clam truck to pick up debris on district property. Some of their sight specific projects they did this summer, North Middle School, they removed shrubs and replaced
mulch. Emerald Shores Elementary, they lifted the tree canopy and performed some landscaping, fertilized and airrated all athletic fields across the district. At Camp Kuanas, they lifted trees and mowed during Camp Kuanas. Forest High School, they lifted some of the trees. Harborview Elementary School
cut down some trees. Wina Park Elementary School removed three dead pine trees. Sunrise Elementary School lifted more trees. and Oakrest Elementary School. And I have to tell you, Miss Dobs, if you have not been by Oakrest, is incredibly appreciative of the work that they did at that school.
Um, so kudos to all the work from our grounds crew. Our custodial department deep cleaned over 7.1 million square feet of district-owned property this summer, which includes waxing floors and cleaning all carpets. A ton of work
provided by these folks. So, thank you to our grounds crew and to our custodial teams. And then our last group we'd like to recognize is our warehouse crew. So to hear this evening from our warehouse team, we have Miss Amelia Bray, the foreman, Stuart Barber,
Woody Boseman, and Robbie Clemens. If you guys will come on down. So to add to that showcase of work, our warehouse team furnished 30 those 34 portals, uh delivered 115 interactive smartboards, 300 copers across the
district as we updated all of our copy machines across the district, over 3,000 summer classroom orders delivered, over a 100 pallets to the two new schools were delivered, delivered supplies for all of our summer camps, and that's not even counting the number of desks and chairs moved throughout the district on
a daily basis. So, just a phenomenal job by our warehouse team. They come anytime you need them, the moment you need them, and we're so appreciative of all their work. So, thank you to all of our support teams for getting us ready this year. >> That's us. You guys want to come for a picture? >> I'm t feeling tired just from you
listing all of the things that they they have done for us this summer. So, we are extremely grateful. Um, being a previous teacher, I know we call and we when are we going to get our stuff? When is this going to be done? So, I just want to say
a heartfelt thank you um for your tireless work to prepare us. You know, everyone shows up on the first day of school. Um, and things look great and that is a big thank you um to you and the work that your teams have done all summer long. So, we'd love to come down
and celebrate with you. Just a second. Okay, y'all too. >> These are the pictures that Mr. Christian uses on the fast mess. So, you'll have to we'll have to show you how to find I'll only do this one time.
>> There we go. Much better. Here we go. Everybody's looking this direction. Uh front row, hands right at your side. Perfect. One, two, three. Couple more. One more. Thank you. Hey, how are you?
All right. Hands right at your side. That's perfect. Right. Like that. Here we go. >> Couple more. Good job. Thank you. talk about the loving like welcoming feeling that
she's received since she's been married. >> It's my turn. Okay, Dr. Brewer. >> Yes. >> All right. Right. I recommend approval of the agenda for the August 12th, 2025 schoolboard meeting with the materials
in the board packet, those materials distributed to board members at the meeting, and the audio recording included as part of the official record of the meeting with the exception of items D19.1, D19.2,
D19.3, D19.4, D19.5, D19.6 6 D19.7 and D19.8 that have been placed under discussion
regular agenda items and C15.1 that has been pulled and placed under discussion pulled agenda items and also item C14.5 that has been completely withdrawn from the agenda.
>> Thank you, Dr. Brewer. May I have a motion um on the superintendent's recommendation? Motion to approve. Second. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. All those in favor say, "I." >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0.
>> Miss Martinez Young, would you please provide the proof of publication for tonight's schoolboard meeting? >> The notice for the August 12th, 2025 schoolboard meeting ran in the Ocala Gazette on August 1st, 2025. The proof of publication has been attached in board ducks under proof of publication.
>> Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the June 19th, 2025 administrative briefing and work session? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. Campbell and Miss Thrower. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes?
>> Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0. May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the June 24th, 2025 school board meeting? >> Motion to approve the minutes. Second. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. Thank you, Dr.
Campbell. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? Seeing none, all those in favor say, "I." >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5-0. >> May I have a motion to approve the minutes for the July 8th, 2025 school board meeting?
>> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. James. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Are there any additions or corrections to the minutes? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 50.
Good evening. Attorney Powers, please explain the rules governing persons who wish to address the school board this evening. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. Um, Madame Clerk, do we have any uh requests to address the board for public comment? >> No. Attorney Powers. No. No speakers.
Then we can proceed to the next item on the agenda which I believe would be item 8.1 public hearing for 2025 2026 recommended textbooks 6 to 8. >> Thank you. Um item 8.1 is a public hearing.
I declare a public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to address the 2025 2026 textbooks for adoption for middle school health? Okay. Seeing none, uh we'll move on to our next item. I declare a public
hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to address the 2025 2026 textbooks for adoption for hope physical education? Seeing none, we'll move on to item 9.1 forformational purposes. The school district used a construction
management delivery method, included a guaranteed ma guaranteed maximum price to perform construction work on this project in order to allow the district to purchase materials through the owner direct purchase process to save sales tax. The construction manager needs to
return the funds to the owner via this deductive change order. This purchase will allow the district to save approximately $153,620.71 in sales tax. The superintendent or designate has signed and approved the change orders. Per board policy 6345,
the superintendent or designate is authorized to approve and execute any construction contract change order that will be binding upon the executive by the super by the superintendent or designate. The superintendent or designate shall report each change order
she approves to the board at the board meeting that follows her approval. Approval of the change order shall be entered into the official minutes of the board meeting. Item 9.1, guaranteed maximum price for the Maran Technical Institute um security fencing change
order number one, work authorization number 18, project 23-131. Item 9.2, Two, lighting systems upgrade at Vanguard High School. Change order number two, work authorization number one, project 23-137.
Board, this concludes theformational items for today's meeting. May I have a motion to approve consent agenda items C11.1 through C18.2 with the exception of items D19.1,
D19.2, 2 D19.3 D19.4 D19.5 D19.6 D19.7 and D19.8 that have been placed under discussion regular agenda items and item C15.1
which has been pulled and placed under discussion pulled agenda items and also item C14.5 which has been completely with completely withdrawn from the agenda. May I have a motion? So move. >> Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Thank you,
Dr. Campbell. All those in favor say, "I." >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. >> 5 Z. Before addressing expulsion matters, I wish to acknowledge that board members have received the alternative placement list for students through July 21st, 2025. Miss Martinez
Young, are there any parents who have submitted a timely request to speak on their child's disciplinary matter? >> No, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the expulsion of student JD26-002E for the remainder of the 2024 2025 school year and the first quarter of the
2025 2026 school year. May I have a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. James. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0. May I have a motion
to approve the expulsion of student JD26-001E with off-campus virtual learning for the remainder of the 2024 2025 and the entire 2025 2026 school year. May I have a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. James. Thank you, Dr.
Campbell. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5. Moving on to discussion items. Item D19.1. May I have a motion to approve the seventh amendment agreement with
Instructure Inc.? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. James. Dr. Brewer, you have some information on this item for us. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you. We have Mr. Ben Venudi, our director of technology. he will provide brief remarks on this item
tonight. >> Uh good evening, Chair Conrad, Superintendent Dr. Brewer, and board members. The technology and information services division is seeking approval to amend it the existing agreement with instructure incorporated, the provider of Canvas learning management,
their LMS learning management system. Canvas serves as a district primary digital learning platform enabling a comprehensive online learning environment that supports both the traditional classroom instruction and distance education. This amendment will ensure that the district continues to
benefit from the subscription technical support and platform enhancements provided by instructure allowing for seamless instructional delivery and consistent access for students, educators and administrators. >> Thank you, Mr. Venity board, do you have
any questions um that you'd like to bring forward, comments or concerns? Okay. All right, board. All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0. Thank you, Mr. Benudi. >> Thank you. >> May I have a motion to approve the
memorandum of understanding for current identified tier 1 comprehensive support and improvement schools between Marian County Public Schools and Marian Education Association for the 2025 2026 school year. May I have a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. >> Second.
>> Thank you, Dr. James. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Dr. Brewer, you have some information for us on this item. >> Yes. I'd like to introduce Miss Morant, Wanteneis Morant. She's the executive director over human resources. She will provide information on theou with Marian
County Public Schools and the MEA. >> Thank you. And good evening, Dr. Brewer. Good evening, Chair Conrad and board members. Item 19.2 two is theou between MEA and the Marian County School Board and addresses our four identified tier one comprehensive support and
improvement schools in alignment with state school improvement requirements. Theou focuses on recruiting and retaining highly effective certified and experienced teachers, providing targeted professional development and planning support, offering annual recruitment and retention bonuses, and managing staffing
to ensure these schools maintain strong instructional teams. The goal is to attract, support, and keep top educators in our most in need schools. So, I turn it back to you, Dr. Brewer, for any additional comments or questions. >> Don't have any for you, board.
>> Okay. I open it up to the board. Any questions or concerns? >> Yes, sir. >> Yes. Thank you. I'll just say quickly, I'm so glad that we're getting this in place at the start of the school year. >> Very nice. Great. Okay. Anything further? Okay. All right. All those in favor say
I. I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 550 5. Thank you, Miss Morant. May I have a motion to approve the special data share agreement with Everway LLC? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. >> Second.
>> Thank you, Dr. James. Um, Dr. Brewer, you have some information on this item for us? Yeah. Yes. I I have Miss Williams Jones, but before we move forward, I do want to clarify something. Okay. um on the on the on the if you'll notice the
requested dollar amount is we are asking for much less a significant amount difference than what is on board docs for the public. So I want to um Miss Williams Jones can clarify that but we are asking for on the $1.6 million item
we're ask asking only for 6,000 for this agenda. So, um, it's important to note that that was an error. >> That's 19.5. Okay. Ward. Thank you. >> So, yes. Thank you, Dr. James. Miss Williams Jones.
>> Good evening. Interim superintendent Dr. Brewer, Chair Conrad, and board members. Item 19.3, the contract with Everray LLC, is the permission to provide this unique learning system subscription.
This web-based program aligns with the Florida standards access points for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The curriculum will assist teachers in meeting the individual educational needs and allow staff at the following schools
to provide this support. This curriculum will be provided for Belleview Middle, Belleview High, Denellan High, Fort King Middle, Forest High, Hillrest School, Horizon Academy, Howard Middle, Lake Weir High, Liberty Middle School, North
Marian High School, Oyola Middle School, Vanguard High School, and Westport High School. The purchase of this curriculum allows us allows us to support approximately 400 students with significant cognitive disabilities. >> Thank you, Miss Williams Jones board.
Any questions, concerns? >> Okay, seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion passes 5. May I have a motion to approve the first amendment with the Stepping Stones Group LLC? May I have a motion?
>> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Um, Miss Williams Jones, do you have information to share on this item also? >> Yes. So, okay. Thank you. The contract with the Stepping Stones group um provides speech language pathologists
for our students who have speech and language services on their IEP. This first amendment increase is for um $93,342.75, which then brings the total contract amount to $459,312 for the 2526 school year.
>> Thank you very much, board chair. >> Yes. Um, just one point and I had it written down and I'll bring it up for 9.5 19.5 as well, but I think it's important that we clarify and have the numbers correct in board docs because we're not approving $459,000
tonight. We're approving $93,342.75. And in a time when our budget is of such concern for everyone, including ourselves, I think that we need to be reflecting the appropriate amount in board, seeing as that is where the community goes to see the highle view of
what we're spending. So just making that aware that the amount is not that 400 amount. >> Thank you, Dr. James. Anything further? Oh, Dr. Campbell. Sure. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. James, for that because it is in the same school year. Certainly, the total amount that we will be spending
with them is the 459,000, but earlier this summer, we already approved the first amount, and so this is the additional amount, and it's all in the same school year. So, thank you for the clarification, but you're correct in that technically it should have been the 93 amount that we're approving. That's
in addition to what we already approved. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Okay. All right. Nothing further. All those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0. May I have a motion to approve the first amendment with Citrus Hearing Impaired
Program Surf Services Incorporated? May I have a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. James. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Dr. Brewer. Information on this item. >> And this is the item that I shared earlier. This increase is for $6,384.
Just like Dr. Campbell stated, the um we already approved the board already approved the higher dollar amount which is including so the total amount would be 1.6 million but tonight we're asking for approval of the 6,000 but Miss Williams Jones can you add additional
information? >> So this um contract is with the interpreters who are providing services throughout the district for our students who are hearing impaired. And so, um, the increase that's requested in the
amendment is actually a correction to the contract because after the previous contract was approved and we went back and looked at it and started to um, have conversation with our providers, we did notice that there was a math error and so we wanted to correct that and bring
that to the board's attention so that the approval of the final numbers in the contract are correct. Thank you so much board. I open up. Yes, Dr. James. >> Yes. And so this was the original one that I had caught that I had brought up. But my concern or question I guess would
be the better answer is if an item is under $50,000, it doesn't even generally come before the board. So if this had been identified as only costing 6,000, would it have still come before the board or it would have just been >> Yes.
>> Yes. Because the total amount was 1.6. >> Okay. even though we're adding an amendment. >> Yes, ma'am. >> That's in fact why. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, thank you for that clarification. So, again, if a public someone from the community is just tallying our numbers,
1.6 million and 6,000 are two very different numbers. So, I just think we need to get very consistent with the number we're putting in dollar amount. Thank you, >> Dr. L. Is it possible um to edit um when we're doing our agenda or uh to put what
the initial I know it's in the history if you go down further um but I wonder if there's I think actually we've talked about this before. We have we've discussed that and um and that's why on that area that actual dollar amount under the top section of agenda item
details that is supposed to only reflect what we are requesting at this evening's board meeting. That's why we have to be um real real clear on our language on the financial history to show the history of it whether it's an amendment
or a renewal and the dollar amount attached to each each event. >> Okay. All right. So, we have room to improve in that area. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Um, >> chair, am I able to say something? >> Oh, sure. Go right ahead. I just wanted
to thank you for coming to talk about this on behalf of what is being done and the motions that are being brought forward because I do think that helping people who have cognitive disabilities and those who are impaired in various ways whether those who need speech pathologists or those who are visually
impaired or have hearing disabilities. I do think that this is very important to be brought forward because many people do suffer from these and they are kind of pushed to the side sometimes because of their disabilities and I do think that what is being done in our county
for this is really awesome and is something that should definitely be upheld. So I just wanted to thank you for speaking on behalf of it >> and so thank you for your comments. you two are representing Forest and Westport and we have a significant number of students with disabilities on both of
their campuses and so those are your your fellow students and I know you see them every day. So thank you for recognizing that your classmates need the support that we provide. I appreciate that. >> Fantastic. >> All right. Anything further? Okay, Miss
Thrower. Uh just a quick question on the the total amount of over $ 1.5 million and and where the money is going. Um when we have students that are in the public school system, obviously the money is going to serve them, but what about our our students that are availing
and the families are availing themselves of the education scholarships like to private schools or some other program? Does money from this go towards that as well? So the money that's outlined here is to serve the students who are
primarily in Marian County um for the interpreting services. Those are our students um who need interpreting services to access um supports in the classroom. But also um last year we had an interpreter at football practice with
the student at Forest who needed to have that additional support. Even though he had a Klear implant when he was on the sideline and there was discussions, he couldn't always hear that. So the um the interpreter supported him with that for
um so for this contract specifically those are Marian County students in our public schools. For our speech and language services um there are students who are in our private schools who do receive speech and language services. Um
so some of the dollars that we receive federally and through the district do support those students um for speech and language services. >> Great. Thank you for uh sharing that because it's a it's a pretty broad reach, you know, that we have to try to make sure that regardless of what
umbrella students are standing under that they get an umbrella. And that was my point in bringing it up. Thank you. >> I just had one more question if I can ask it. >> Go right ahead. >> I was just curious if because I know we were just talking about the reach that this is able to have. I was just
curious, I apologize if it was already outlined, but is this also available for people in MCPS virtual classes as well or is it just in person? >> So, supports through um exceptional student education is available to our
students who are participating online. It just depends on what they need. So, sometimes the services they receive are delivered virtually. Sometimes for the specific therapies like speech and language therapy, they may actually come. We have um classrooms here at MTI
for our our Marian County virtual students. And so they may receive some of those services actually here or in person at a building site, the base school that they would be attached to if they were actually attending school. So it really depends on the needs of the particular student. But yes, we do
provide services for them through exceptional student education as well. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> All right. This might be my favorite topic of the evening. So great. All right. Anything further? Okay, that with that we'll call the vote. All those in favor say I.
>> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 5-0. Thank you, board. May I have a motion to approve the food service agreement with Heartland Payment Solutions LLC for the 2025 through the 2031 school years. >> Motion to approve.
>> Second. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Dr. Brewer, you have some information on this item for us. Yes, Miss Ramona Belchure is already at the podium. She's ready to go. But as she's there, I do want to share with you she did an amazing job welcoming back all of
the food and nutrition services staff last week. It was a beautiful um beautiful welcome back and they recognized, as you know, I shared a picture. They recognized Miss Boston Ellis for being an incredible leader um in that department. So, thank you, Miss
Belure, for your remarks tonight. >> Good evening board members and Dr. Brewer Food Nutrition Services is seeking approval to establish the new agreement with Hartman P Hartland Payment Solutions LLC covering annual license fees, equipment purchases, and
the online meal payment systems, My School Bucks. This is for the 2025 through 2031 school year. The annual licensing fees support the school nutrition operations, including inventory, meal planning,
production records, and the point of sale. The equipment purchases will cover replacement parts for the point of sale. And the my school bucks programs allows parents to manage student payments online securely, offering customer support, low balance alerts, and
recurring payment options. So approving this agreement will enable food nutrition services to continue using the software systems currently employed in the school operations. >> Thank you very much board. Any questions or yes Dr. Campbell. >> It's just a comment. Miss Belture knows
that I personally in my personal email account sent an email yesterday. Uh this is a seamless transition uh whenever I had a graduate that had an outstanding balance and was able to transfer it immediately into my freshman. So we we
have that going on and my freshman's excited because he bought chips and like three packs of gummies every day last year apparently. Uh, but that's what this is for. And I'm I'm grateful for that part of it that and I actually had the opportunity today speaking on a community radio station talking about
food and nutrition services and why um somehow it made the news that all of our students are getting free breakfast and lunch even though that's something that's been happening for multiple years in a row and um so it slow news day I guess but nevertheless uh grateful for
all the work that that you put in on this and this platform works really well and seamlessly for families on the other side of it. So, I'm just grateful for your team and and the work you're putting in. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Campbell. >> Very quick. >> Um I I had a bit of sticker shock when I
first saw the number. It seems like a very big number for essentially a management platform, but when you do like quick easy math on it over six years, 52 school sites, it's like $2,000 per school per year, which is actually a very reasonable dollar to be able to
have a program. So, um, getting into the weeds of the narrative there to be able to figure that out, but it is, uh, it's really, I think it highlights, it's very cost-effective, uh, in the world of management systems and what it does. And it is very easy from a parent perspective. If parents are looking to
add a little money into their account, um, you might want to set those parameters so they're not buying three gummies every day. But, but it's you put your card on there. It's like shopping on Amazon. It's super easy. So, um, it's great program. works well. I've had no kinks myself as a parent. So, thank you
for sharing. >> Thank you, Dr. James. >> Can I expand on that >> for one moment? >> Um, I know they gave their parent perspectives, but as a student, I just wanted to expand on the fact that this is a very efficient way to do things. And I think that a lot of people may see
school food and they just kind of put it to the side. They're like, "Oh, it's school food. It's not going to be that good." But it really is very nutritional and it has a lot of nutritional status and vitamins and minerals and things that students really do need. And I
think that a lot of parents have been able to recognize that and giving their students school food. And so I just appreciate everything you do and everything that everyone involved in the food programs in the schools do. And so I just wanted to thank you for that.
>> Thank you. >> Right. Anything else? >> Okay. I don't know that we ever said the dollar amount. >> Did we say the dollar amount? 750,000. >> It's Yes. 750,000 with a one-year renewal option for three additional
years. So, with all the additional renewals, it could reach potential 1.125 million. >> Okay. But this contract takes us to through 31. >> Correct. >> Correct. All right. Just to clarify. >> Right.
>> Okay. Anything further? >> No. >> All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 50. Thank you so much. M Miss Belchure. May I have a motion uh to request for proposal 4115RC
self-funded medical plan ASO and request for proposal 4117RC prescription drug plan pharmacy benefit management and combined resulting agreement. May I have a motion? So move >> second.
>> Thank you Reverend Cummings. Uh thank you Dr. Campbell. Dr. Brewer, you have some information on this even though we have spent quite a bit of time talking about this previously. >> Yes, we have. Um but Miss Boston Ellis will come introduce our guest this evening.
>> Chair Conrad, board members and interim superintendent Dr. Brewer. Tonight we have two items from risk management, but we'll start with 197. Uh we have Stacy Roth with our uh risk
management department and Laurel Lingal, our consultant with Gallagher. They have spent many months working on these two RFPs and with the help of attorney Powers combined these two items in a an
agreement. Um, I want to say that they have they have done a a really great job and at this point I'll just um will defer it to Miss Lingal to provide a brief summary because as Mrs. Conrad
stated uh you have been um uh you've had two different work sessions uh as well as uh knowing about what is going on with the RFP. Miss Lingo, >> thank you Miss Boston Ellis. Thank you. Good evening, Dr. Brewer,
Chair Conrad, board members. Um, we are happy to have the contract ready for signature for the RFP for TPA services on the self-funded health plan as well as for PBM services or pharmacy benefit manager. As um Miss Boston Ellis
indicated, because Florida Blue was the winning vendor for both contracts, we were able to work with Attorney Powers to combine those, and we appreciate his extra efforts in doing that for us. Um so, this is a three-year contract with Florida Blue, again, the winning vendor.
Um we were able to negotiate down the per employee per month um fee that is being uh established with this new contract. So again, three years under the contract with the ability to extend for three additional one-year contracts.
Um, in addition, we were able to negotiate some services through a value choice provider, which we can um name and advertise for once the contract is signed. This will give employees um some services at no cost, as well as some
additional wellness services. We were also able to negotiate some additional funding for an on-site wellness person that would sit at the district. Um, so that's an additional $100,000. Um, we're looking forward to utilizing that person to expand the wellness
offerings that we have in hopes of negating some of the high cost claimants that we are seeing. Um, the PBM service negotiation um, increased the the rebates that we will be receiving for some of those brand medications. Um it
also improved upon the um ability to audit the PBM services which is very important to ensure that we are receiving those rebates um and also added some performance guarantees so that we can um guarantee that the plan is performing the way it should. So um
we're excited to have this ready for open enrollment which will begin in October. >> Thank you m so much Miss Lingal. I know you've spent a lot of time with us over um the summer. So, we appreciate you being here again this evening. Ford, any
comments or questions? >> Okay. Yes, Miss Thrower. >> Yes. I'll just say great negotiating. Uh thank you very much um on everyone's behalf. This is, if I'm reading it right, over 11 million dollars uh that
we're talking about and being able to take the best care we can to help support our employees in their health journey, you know, means a lot. So, I guess I'm just coming to the conclusion after what our student board member just shared that if we eat school food and exercise, we'll stay healthy. >> That's right.
>> Thank you, Miss Thrower. Anything else? Oh, >> I just want to say great work and we really value your professionalism. made this process a good one. >> Thank you. >> With a good outcome. >> Thank you, Attorney Powers. Anything further? Okay, seeing none, we'll call the vote.
All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion passes. 5-0. May I have a motion to approve the changes to the self-funded health plan? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Thank you, Miss Thrower. Is there any discussion at this
time? Okay. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes. 50. We'll move on to discussion pulled agenda items. May I have a motion to approve the 2025 2026 board of directors for the
public education foundation of Marian County. >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you, Dr. James. >> Yes. >> Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Dr. Campbell, you pulled this item. Would you like to have further discussion? >> Yes, Chair. Thank you so much. So, a couple of reasons I pulled this item.
Uh, one of which, and I knew that you weren't highlighting it yourself, but because your name is in it, and as the most recent board member who's been in that position, I wanted to say to the public, make them fully aware that the board chair is a non- voting member and being listed in the document, it is
completely appropriate for her to vote on this item. So, I wanted I wanted to say that and you probably wouldn't have had, but I wanted to say that for you. Um but but the second reason that I I pulled this item and I believe we had this discussion last year as well if I'm
not mistaken uh because one member of the board list has been presented and is included by name repeatedly in the investigation of complaint regarding improprieties of the high school construction manager contract procurement committee that report by
Gray Robinson dated May 27th, 2024. that causes me significant pause in approving this as presented. I certainly respect the authority of the public education foundation as a nonprofit to choose and select their board members. However, as a direct support
organization of this district, it I believe it's required for this board to approve these board members as presented as we have seen this item every year that I've been a board member and probably long before that. So, I am not really okay with considering this a
bless and release moment for it to have simply been placed in the consent agenda. And for those reasons, that's why I've chosen to pull this item to have a specific vote on it. >> Thank you, Dr. Campbell. Um, with your comments, I'd like to offer uh Miss
Megan Magal the opportunity if she chooses to come to the DAS if there's anything you'd like to share um with the board. Good evening, Dr. Brewer, Chair Conrad, and school board members. Uh, always a great chance to share the work of our
public education foundation. Since our inception in 1989, we have remained dedicated to supporting Marian County Public Schools, its students, and its teachers. And just to highlight some of the work of our education foundation board members this past year, $300,000
in school business support, $322,000 in take stock and children student scholarships. We helped facilitate 3,151 mentoring hours, 260,000 in tools for teaching supplies for teachers, 115,000 in grants for good
ideas for teacher initiatives in the classroom, 71,000 in scholarships for teacher to be recipients and the class of 2025, and almost a half a million dollars in additional support for school safety initiatives, student resiliency and mental health and wellness, family
engagement and literacy. I will state the members of our foundation board play an integral part of the work of our organization and it requires a lot of commitment. This past year those board members listed on tonight's agenda contributed 648 hours of volunteer
service and most importantly it requires passion for public education and we need more passion dedicated to serving our schools like our board members do. In fact, in our boardroom, we have a sign and it says, "All kids are our kids."
Supporting, giving protection and comfort to other people's children. It's not an act of charity. It is an opportunity for all of us to enrich the future. I will say that our board members believe that volunteering on our board is not an act of charity. It is to
enrich our school district. They are proud graduates of Marian County Public Schools. They are proud employers of Marian County Public School graduates. They are parents of the current students who arrived on campuses yesterday. And they are all a part of the one team, one
mission effort to support our school district. I'm proud to be joined by our chair Mike Mills, graduate of Maring County Public Schools as well, our vice chair, Christian Yansy, and our executive committee member John David Cerila, who joined me this this evening.
So, thank you board. Thank you, Megan. Um, we sure do appreciate um the work that you and your team do. I I think that you outwork uh and produce over all of the
foundations um in Florida. So, I know that we couldn't do our job without the support of your team. And so I I Lori Conrad, board member um for Marian County Public Schools, just want to say
um I trust the process. Um I trust the work that you do. Um you continue to support us in every facet from staff um to students um everyone that you come into contact with. So thank you for the work that you do um every single day.
Uh, I know over the summer they were providing um refreshments, really fancy refreshments. Mike said that he he did too. He was part of that team um for our staff where they were at training this summer and kicking off for our teachers back to school. So, just really appreciate the work that you do. Board,
I open it up to any other comments. >> Yeah, Mr. Um, thank you and and thanks again, you know, Megan, um, for sharing the depth, breadth, and scope of how you support our students um, through Marian County
Public Schools. And one of the things that I admire the most about uh, your organization is are the direct services that are given to students and and teachers and just helping lift up the
community. It's your organization has become so visible in so many ways and I am a a champion of of you personally and also of everything that your mission is
and what you're trying to do and and for that reason um there is a very very high level of honor and integrity that should surround anyone and everyone um that is associated with your organization. And
we've had conversations about this. I'm comfortable with the outcome. I've made my peace with it. And I hope that it will be long remembered as an example of how important it is. Um, we hold our
students to high levels of accountability, but we also give grace and then we move forward and we don't let it taint the mission, but we stay vigilant. So, those are my comments. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. Anything further? Yes, Dr. James.
>> Um, I just wanted to I the public foundation does tremendous work and I since becoming a board member have had just tremendous opportunity to be able to, um, learn about the different facets and ways that I can serve our community through the public edition. And so, uh,
being a business partner for Madison Street, my husband being a business partner for North Marian High School, uh, which is his alma mater, which took some convincing over the years, but I was able to convince him. Uh, and being a take stock mentor, I I was on
campuses, which I'll talk about in my comments, but the kids are the best part about education by far. And when you get removed from a school, you lose that. for a lot of us, the reason we're educators, which is the kids. The kids
are the best part. And so I was on campuses welcoming as many of us were on um Monday morning and I saw my mentee. She was getting her schedule at North Rain High School and I got to see her and uh what a special relationship we've been able to build over the last two
years. uh and it's those programs that the public guide foundation does which are tremendous and I am so grateful for and I am very appreciative that I have the pleasure and opportunity to serve the foundation in that capacity and serve our community. So um wonderful work I'm so grateful to be a partner
with you all. >> Thank you Dr. James. Anything further? Yes. >> I would just like to say thank you for all that you do. It's not what you guys do in your foundation is not behind the scenes. It could it is definitely a visual outreach program that we are able
to see in our schools within our faculty staff and especially our students. Everything that you guys have done through fundraising and just really connecting with the students and the teachers at our schools is really impactful and I just wanted to thank you
from a student's approach of how we have really been impacted and how we have been positively affected by what you all are doing. So thank you. Thank you, Dr. Campbell. >> Sure. Thank you. Since I brought this up, I just wanted to kind of wrap it around and and say uh absolutely concur
with everything that fellow board members have spoken here today. As a volunteer, a donor, I I helped you with pop and drop like all the things, right? I I completely love everything the public ed foundation is doing and has done and will continue to do. Uh I just felt that it was important for us to not
have this in the consent agenda, but to be able to have this open conversation and discussion. our community deserved the information. It was public the information whenever it did come out about the report and so I felt it was important for us to at least have a public discussion so that we all landed in a place where we were comfortable to
have this as a vote this evening. So thank you for the understanding. >> Thank you Dr. Campbell. All right with no further discussion uh we'll call the vote. All those in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion passes 5.
Uh thank you Megan and uh your crew of board members that were able to meet here tonight. Uh we appreciate you giving your time to be here with us this evening. Thank you so much. Um with that, I'm going to move into um meeting
reminders. There's a special administrative briefing and work session scheduled for August 14th at 9:00 a.m. The next administrative briefing and work session is scheduled for August 21st at 9:00 a.m. There's a school board meeting scheduled for August 26th at
5:30 p.m. And now we'll move into board comments. Miss Martinez Young. >> No, Madam Chair. Thank you. >> Thank you. Attorney Powers. >> No, Madam Chair. Thank you. >> Dr. Brewer. >> Yes. I have a few things. Thank you. Mr. White House did a beautiful job
recognizing all of those staff members that helped us get our schools opened um yesterday. So, I won't repeat everything he said because his words were beautiful. So, thank you for that presentation, Mr. White House. Um but yes, that it our campuses are beautiful.
They've done a great job. Every single staff member um that or board member that visited schools has has shared this. the entire district leadership team shared, the campuses were put together, the technology was installed, um grass was mowed, everything was nice.
So, we really are appreciative. I um do want to let you know that we're still anticipating more students arriving before October. So, we're at about 88% of where we believe we will be. So, the students are coming. Um they just haven't all arrived yet. But even as of
Monday, we were we were at 40,461 students and that was 259 more than arrived last year on opening day. So we >> minus the kindergarteners, correct? >> Because all the kindergarters >> third of the kindergarters >> that was a third of the kindergarteners.
So the second a third came today and then one more third tomorrow and then they will all be together on Thursday. Um so I did um Dr. Kim will comment on this, but I do want to re state publicly that we do have breakfast and lunch for free. We have for few years. We do
understand there are some districts that haven't provided that service, but we do. So, parents, please know um that we have free breakfast and lunch and that's with only about 60% of our community actually being eligible for free and reduced lunch. But all students can eat
breakfast and lunch for free. Um, on Monday they served over 40,000 meals and that's including breakfast and lunch. So, but they can feed more. So, please tell your students to take advantage of it. Right. Miss Belchure already left, but she's ready.
>> Um, she's up early. >> She gets up early. >> Yes. Um, I do want to comment on the transportation, the mobile bus app. We we understand that that has been a challenge. I ask parents to um be patient. It should be in full operation
mode on Monday. Um but transportation team has fielded thousands and that is no exaggeration thousands of phone calls and are are helping students get routed and put on the right bus and put off on the right bus. Right, Reverend Cummings?
And so we are we're working through that. And so I just ask parents to um continue to trust us and um the app will be ready to go fully on Monday. Um we also received our Cambridge scores today which is always a exciting usually
happens the second day of school. So this year we had we gave and these are for exams that took place in the um in May and June um all the way Yeah. second week of June we gave over a thou 1,192
more exams this year than we did last year. Um, and with that we still had a pass rate of a 58%. And these are, so everyone understands, these are college level courses that earn the students college credit um, at their university.
And students that do pass seven of the required courses based on the categories do earn the academic bright future scholarship as long as they have the volunteer hours. So this is um a fantastic way to celebrate our students
and to make sure that they are prepared for the next level. um with our um a lot of people are familiar with we say ACE general paper that's one of the assessments given the we increased that exam this year with 450 additional exams
this year and the pass rate um is 58% for the ACE general paper and that means we're providing more students the opportunity that might not have had the opportunity to take college level courses that opportunity to have that course and we're still seeing the same
pass rate. And that's a credit to our teachers that participate in professional development over the summer and the high level of instruction and collaboration that the teachers um have with each other and those in the district that teach the same course. So, that is some great news that I wanted to
share with you this evening. >> Thank you so much, Dr. Brewer. I do want to give our student um board members an opportunity. So, we'll start with you, Mr. Lombardo. Um, I just wanted to say thank you to you all for giving us the opportunity here. And as you were speaking about the
opportunities that the county and our school board has been giving students all around the county have been just amazing. And what's been even more cool to see in the classrooms is that more people are taking advantage of those opportunities. And I think that that's the most important part because you guys
could do all the work and our county can do all the work, but what's really awesome is what the teachers are getting these students to do and what you all are getting these students to do. And they're taking advantage of the opportunities and they're not taking it for granted. And I do think that that is
really awesome. And it is only today was only the second day of school, so things are a little hectic. Like you were saying, the buses are nobody's fault. That's always going to be a problem at the beginning of the school year. I mean, you're looking at it, there's elementary schools, middle schools, and then there's high schools. And if
something happens at the elementary school level, then it's going to happen at the high school level, too, just because of the way it goes up the ladder. So, I think that people just need to stay patient throughout the school year, and it's at the beginning. From what I've seen, things are running very smoothly at Westport. And I've
heard good things about what's happening at other schools as well. the classes have been full and they've been productive and I do think that this is going to be a good school year and I wanted to thank you all for that. >> All right. Thank you so much, Mr. Briggs.
>> Thank you. Uh and I appreciate uh the opportunity to be representative of Forest High School um on the board. Uh as you all know, we recently underwent um administration changes at Forest. Um we wish Principal Rebert uh the best of luck with this new district position. uh
and the district is very fortunate to have him. Um personally, I've known Principal Rebert uh since I was a freshman and he has had a profound impact on me uh in helping me achieve my goals. U with this uh Forest and the student body is enthusiastic about Dr.
Gary and becoming the new principal. Uh we are very fortunate to um have him as a principal. Uh he has already in the short time he's been there has already had a profound impact on us. Um while there will be inevitably changes, um the
student body at Forest uh looks forward to supporting Dr. Gary and achieving his goals for this school year and beyond, which includes um becoming an A-rated school uh as he plans to help more students uh get into and pass
accelerated classes. Um, I've had the opportunity to talk to him, uh, a few times, uh, during the school year, um, and before. Um, and I I really like his goals and his vision, uh, for this year and beyond. Uh, as you may or may not
know, I spoke in front of the board earlier this spring uh, regarding the opportunity to attend the United States Air Force's Flight Academy program through my uh, Air Force Junior ROC at Forest. Um, and I am pleased to share that all four attendees from Forest uh
graduated from this rigorous program. Um, and three of us earned a private pilot's license. Uh, in addition to this, this past Saturday, um, my unit and me, we had the opportunity to present the colors um, at the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers first preseason game uh, which was truly amazing uh, experience. Um, and it was an honor to represent the largest unit uh in Marian County. Um, I look forward to being a voice of the
student body at Forest uh with you and sharing all the new exciting topics um that the board presents with my fellow uh students. So, thank you for this opportunity. >> You're very welcome. All right, Dr. Campbell. >> Sure. Thank you. It's always great when we have new student board members. I
love this is exactly what we envisioned it to be and you guys are just wonderful. Yeah, actually it's way better. It's way better. Uh but I I always kind of believe it is almost like an internship in public policy and so you're getting that glimpse and potentially you're our future elected
officials and that's the whole goal of what we're trying to do that we're training them up you know raise a child in the way they'll go and then hopefully they won't depart from it. So, nevertheless, um, grateful to have you both here and just for the community sake to understand that we're actually
going to have a rotating calendar this year. So, those who might be used to seeing the same students week after week for an entire quarter, that's board, you may not even be aware of that, but we are going to have a rotating calendar. We'll have basically two new students every time. So, this is going to be great. You're going to get lots of opportunity to weigh in at different
stages throughout the year instead of just getting the first quarter. So, welcome again. Thank you. Uh, lots of things have already been said about beginning of school. I have several different things I want to talk about, but first I'll just say um that I have had the privilege and opportunity to be on, I think, 14 different campuses in
the last two days. Lots and lots of great things happening on our campuses. Speaking of transportation, one of the fun things that I had an elementary school principal tell me today that they did have a bus mishap yesterday in elementary because two children traded
armbands because one liked the color the other one had. >> It's an elementary it is what it is. I mean I that you're that can be it can be a challenge. I mean so yes, sometimes we have those mishaps, but sometimes they absolutely are not on us at all. Those
children made that decision. and they just didn't know how impactful that decision was going to be. But um I'll get to a couple of other things in just a moment. I I wanted to also kind of in the beginning of my comments mention a thank you to Representative Judson Sap who greeted students yesterday at Fort McCoy Brighton early before 7 a.m. I
think he was there uh and he was there with Dr. Brewer and and it was just a wonderful time. Thank you to the team for getting great pictures of that. Representative Judson Sap for being there. And then also later on yesterday, he met with four of us board members uh to discuss our legislative priorities. I
thought that was a really great discussion. He is going he is on the committee that's talking about property taxes and what the plan is for the state and we were able to talk a little bit about what his plans are and just kind of waiting to see what that's going to
look like. Um, but speaking of those legislative priorities, I did want to ask the board because we do have another legislator meeting tomorrow with Senator Stan Mlan. I did want to ask if we wanted to just collectively go ahead and say that our kindergarten start date, we want to change to August 10th instead of
September 1st. It was something we talked about yesterday briefly in the very first bullet initiative of our legislative priorities talks to kindergarten being five by September 1. That's how statute reads. But if we're going to change the statute, let's go ahead and change the date if you all agree.
>> I agree. >> I would just caution us to give that date and I would say the first day of school because every district starts on a different day. They don't. August 10th sometimes is on a weekend. Last we started August 14th recently because of the way it fell. And so I would just caution to be a little bit more vague
and say by the the district's approved calendar, first day of school or or something a little bit more vague. But that would be my only feedback. >> Sure. No, and I I completely respect that August 10th is indicated in statute that school year has to be in August 10th or after. Can't begin before. So
that just because August 10th is already listed in statute, I thought it might be consistent to keep that. But maybe it's on or after August 10th or or just >> I could see a pain point from a parent though if if if August 10th is because it's the start of school and then my
kids's birthday is August 12th. So now they miss the cut off. >> Sure. to start kindergarten because >> school actually didn't start till the 12th. But >> do you know what I'm saying? >> Absolutely. So very in the weeds, but we can keep it September 1. We just kind of had
>> that. That's old language. No one starts September 1st anymore and won't until they stop testing and that's not going to happen. >> And with stagger starts, maybe we want to say August 20th or something like that. So then that would definitely cover, you know, the before and after 10 days. I just want I wanted to open it
up. can't talk about this as something we decide. So, I couldn't talk about it necessarily. >> We do need to change it. I mean, I think we need to change it. September 1st just isn't even relevant anymore. >> That's the whole system. >> Yeah. I mean, I Yes. I'm an advocate of just the first day of school. That's my
personal preference. But whatever is the pleasure of the majority of the board, >> I can get on board with the first day of school. >> Dr. Brewer, do you have an opinion? >> Any input? I think the 10day the 10day um window makes sense, but we can
support anything. >> Okay. >> Or to just say in August. >> Well, I mean then that goes to August 31st, which is basically September 1st, >> right? >> Possibly. But >> so we can if if we are not going to land on it, we'll just say September 1st
tomorrow when we're talking to him, but have the collective conversation unless we want to land on a specific change to it right now. I I don't and I don't want to belver this because that that'll take us a long time, but know that those are my thought processes. Are we able to land on a specific date that we want to
change it to? We have a work session on Thursday so we can dig into it deeper on Thursday potentially and we can adlib a little bit tomorrow with Representative Mlan. >> Okay. >> Right. We realize that the September 1st is old language or >> we're going to talk about >> we're open to a broad conversation
because we already are updating something else. the the appropriation is forthcoming anyways. So, we're going to have an updated one. >> Sure. >> Okay, perfect. Sorry, didn't want to take too much time on that. But I also wanted to mention um the FSBA has requested that we send legislative
priorities by September 5th. And FSBA members can also submit their own individual ideas until that date. In years past, I've been the one to submit the ones on behalf of the board. Do you want me to do that again or do you I'm I just I I can wait until after our work
session for sure. We have until September 5th. Just wanted to >> That's great. >> That's great. I'd appreciate >> definitely talk about it. >> Will we have an appropriation request by September 5th? >> We won't put that in FSBA's priorities. >> Oh, true. True. Okay. >> But good thinking. We hopefully will have that nailed down soon. Okay.
Perfect. All right. Moving on to a couple of other things. I I do have several other things I wanted to mention. Uh because Dr. Brewer today in an in one of our elementary schools. It led me to believe that we might need to ask of one more data point from our kindergarteners. I've already talking spoken to a member of your team about
it, but I wanted to mention it. So, like helping the chain of command here, not assigning something to one of your staff members without everybody agreeing to it. Um, so honestly, this might help guide some federal legislation conversations. So in speaking with principles about new students coming
into kindergarten that might be easily identified as needing extra supports. So in some cases even parents are requesting that their students be in an inclusion class rather than a general education kindergarten class. But I
understand that that is a really long process to even begin. So that might be legislative kind of conversations. Here's my direct question. If we're able to ask principles and/or kindergarten teachers, do you suspect that the
student will require supports beyond a typical tier one and tier 2 academic and/or behavioral intervention? And I can give you that if you want that specifically, but if the board agrees, I think that might be helpful for us. again in an elementary school today
talking to a principal they have immediately identified a couple of students right off that they know those students have not and won't be able to get an IEP for quite some time but even the parents in some cases are asking
that they be in a a different support system. So if we could just get numbers on that I think that will help drive those legislative conversations. I'm trying to find out. I think it is federal legislation that would have to be adapted, change, at least addressed there. There's some conversations federally that need to be happening
about what that looks like. So, do you suspect a student will require supports beyond a typical tier one and tier two academic and or behavioral intervention? >> Yeah, I got it. >> And if the board agrees with that thought process to find out about our kindergarten class, I I think it speaks to community conversations. It also
speaks to those other three questions we're having our principles find out for us about our kindergarteners. Um, and so, okay, Ter, >> we're looking for the number and the percentage based on the class or school. >> Yes. Basically, if we have 3,000
kindergarteners, do we have 5%, do we have 45 total students? Do like those I I don't I don't really want specific kindergarten classes. I don't want to pinpoint any specific. I want general numbers to give us a really broad perspective on what we're seeing.
>> My only >> addition Oh, go ahead. >> Um >> I think you're the the data there. We just need to add some kids are going to come already identified through fiddlers. Absolutely. >> And so we don't want those children included in that number. Absolutely. And so I think there needs to be a slight
language change in what you said to exclude the children who are already identified because some children come to you already identified and we just need to exclude them from the data set. >> Absolutely. I had a couple >> numerator and denominator
>> their VPK IEPs were expired. So then they do have to go through the whole process again. So there that's yeah there's I I learned a lot today. So >> I actually would like that students that are already identified. I like that number separate because I think that is
important as uh as driving community conversations because you get the overall picture of what the need is in Marian County. So we may have 5% that are not identified. We may have 12% that are identified. That really changes the
narrative of how much and what that support looks like um for our youngest learners. >> Yes. >> Can I weigh in? Go ahead. >> I was I was just curious about um how the recognition works. So for the children who are already identified, is
this recognition of whether they should be part of this program by their teachers or by the principal of the school when they're >> so the students that are already identified and that's part of this federal legislation conversation. There there's a multi-pronged approach that has to take place. there has to be
multiple different um evaluations done on them and then once they get to a certain point the psychologist has a 60-day window then to fully diagnose them if they need additional support. So it's right now it can take months for
that to happen and if again if a parent walks in on day one and says oh no no my my child is not going to work and this ged we don't have the ability legally to just place them in another even if the parent has requested it without something that that documents it and
backs it up. So you're suggesting that people who aren't already identified that because the evaluation takes so long that there should be opportunities for them to be placed into these programs and into these learning facilities without having the evaluation. >> Not necessarily. I I I think that but it
needs to be a greater conversation as to shortening the time frame immediate identification. We we know and and we've talked about a lot publicly that Marian County a couple of years ago was 66 out of 67 counties for kindergarten readiness. So we know we have challenges
community conversations and so that's part of what this is. We're asking for specific data points on our kindergarteners asking do they know their name. you've touched on something for me as a you know just a careerlong special educator and and one thing that has always bothered me is that you know
need drives placement. However, then there's also something called LRE least restrictive environment because we don't want our kids with disabilities to be you know segregated from their gened peers. However, when you have a parent that walks in the first day of school with a seven-year-old that's never been
in school, has 120 pages, and I'm not, this did happen yesterday, 120 pages of documentation from the medical field saying that this student is absolutely on the autism spectrum, has already had outside behavior services and interventions, but has
never set foot on a school campus. And then to have that student then start the first day of school in a complete gened classroom with a teacher that has absolutely no experience providing services to a non-verbal autistic child
who is that benefiting you know and in this era of parent empowerment which I completely believe in um if the parent is providing that information and basically begging >> you know that kid should not have to
spend the day being babysat by somebody because it's just too overwhelming for them to be in that classroom. So, it's it's a conversation that we really need to bring back to the forefront. Marian County Public Schools in past years had
gotten dinged for overidentifying kids um in need of services because some of the kids are tough, let's face it. And you know, you give them an IEP and then they're not in that class anymore. And let's face it, that can be a relief to the teacher. Um, but we're here to serve
students and that works both ways. So, I'll just say that I'm I'm all in on the conversation. >> Thank you. So, I think the data will help drive the conversation. So, let's find out how many we actually have identified. And again, I I don't I don't want to I personally don't need to know
school or classroom or any of that. Just globally 3,000 kindergarteners and this is how many students we could say. Same thing with all the other data points that you guys are working on for us. Okay. Sorry board, I have just a couple more things. Um, again, principal conversations u specifically about
progress monitoring and the adaptive nature to the tests. So, this honestly was a bit more eye opening to me in the last couple of days than I realized. So, for the general population, essentially if a student has a highle question in the progress monitoring and they answer it incorrectly, the test automatically
adapts and sends them to lower level questions. And for a student to climb their way out of that hole to get back to the high-level questions isn't always easy. Simultaneously, if the same would hold true if they took a guess on the highle question and got it right, then
it puts them in the category of highlevel questions that they may get all of them wrong. And so that really is a challenge. So the reason I bring this up is because of communication to parents. So, I popped into a grade level teaching cohort today talking about their tests and parent communication and
all. And I've also had a conversation, community conversation with a SAC committee chair about this very thing that parents may not really be aware of how tests are conducted. Honestly, I wasn't until I had this conversation yesterday. And so parents at home may be be offering counterproductive
information like make sure you skip that question and go back to it like we were always taught if you were in a Gen Xer like you can go back to that's not the way this works anymore or make sure you make your best guess. No, that's not how this works anymore. So I it made me wonder just today on the second day of
school if we could have a specific communication campaign that helps families understand all year long how these progress monitoring adaptive tests are conducted. So just thinking about that if we happen to decide that we want to do that. One teacher specifically
mentioned using a metaphor of gaming and leveling up and the coins that you would get and if we choose to do that I'll be happy to help share her idea and get her connected if that's something we move forward on. Just putting that out there. Also talking about communicating consistently with families about their
student test scores. Nationally parents have a misconception about how their students may be getting really good grades if they're even tracking them. but making good grades but may not be proficient in that specific subject. So that was helpful talking to those teachers today and just talking about
consistent and regular communication will be helpful to let parents and the community have realistic expectations. Just because you're getting A's on your coursework doesn't necessarily mean you actually are proficient in the subject. So just communication. I I think parents
and families in our community needs to understand what that really looks like. Um I there's another conversation that I'm going to save for another day. Uh on a positive note, Dr. Brewer already mentioned it. Congratulations to the students throughout the district who learned today they passed those ACE
exams and some of them learned they didn't pass but have now put a plan in place to retake the exams and that will happen in November. And so that is a benefit to many many students in the ACE program and uh has benefited my own family before. I'm looking forward to our work session this Thursday talking
with Upward Communities again as well as our capital budget talking food service and uh grants and all the other funds uh looking ahead to what that looks like. I had the privilege of speaking about that today with community members. Uh but overall great things are happening all throughout our district. Thank you to
the hard work of all the team members. Uh the great two days that we've already had. We certainly still have some challenges, but overall students and families have been welcomed back to clean campuses and smiling faces. So, thank you so much. Let's hope every student succeed this year. >> All right. Thank you so much, Dr.
Campbell, Dr. James. >> Thank you so much. Um, so, um, I will keep it brief. I hear thunder, which means who knows my what might happen with our power in here any minute. So, um, I want to first take a moment to thank Dr. every brewer for acknowledging
all of the support staff that was here tonight. Um, oftent times even in church last Sunday, we find ourselves acknowledging teachers and administrators. Um, and I almost caught myself correcting my pastor, but I did not because um, I wanted him to make
sure he included everyone in the second and third service because there are so many to be honest, there are more support staff than there are teachers and administrators. And probably I'm guessing I think that number is probably accurate, but it's close. If it's a close tie if not and there are so many
support staff that make it happen. The bus drivers, the students wouldn't get to over 50% of our students would not make it to school if the bus drivers did not show up to drive the buses, right? And so taking time this evening to acknowledge I have not been a part of that acknowledgement previously in such a public way. And I'm grateful for that
opportunity tonight because truly those individuals are making literal miracles happen over the summer, every summer. Um, and I have walked many schools the last couple of days and truly our schools look really wonderful. Some of them need a lot of work still, but the
floors look so clean and the paint is fresh. Um, walking the north end over the last few years, there's been a valiant effort to make sure that our colors match on the north end. North end is maroon and tan. I'll call it I call it something else. >> Gold.
>> Well, it's tan on the walls. So, I understand that it's gold, but when you are walking campuses, it is tan. >> It is tan on the walls. So, the north end colors may be gold, but it is tan on the walls. And so, there has been a valiant effort to change the paint color because on the north end, we have had a
variety of colors over the years from Spar and Anthony and all of the schools. And so over the last three or four years, there's been such amazing improvements to just consistency in paint color, which seems really silly, but when we're freshening paint, why not also freshen up the consistency?
And so, North Mary Middle School looked amazing yesterday, truly. And to that, I mentioned it a little earlier, but the best part of any day for me is a day when I get to see students and watching them walk in uh and not a single cell
phone. Uh it's it's as if a miracle has occurred throughout Maring County public schools. I have been on a variety of campuses, high school all the way to elementary and I have not seen a cell phone. Um and it's a hard reset and I am
feeling very energetic and positive about what we're going to be able to do this year with this hard reset. But all of these middle schoolers walking in at North Marian from the bus walking up and normally you would see them just looking down at
their phones and not a one. They were all heads up. They were smiling, looking some of them a little timid because it was their first day in middle school. But it was wonderful to see students and that is one of my favorite things to do. Um visiting schools and talking with
principles. Um I know that I believe Dr. Brewer is working with Miss Usher because Miss Usher was at some sites and they're still working on that north end plan and I I'm sure that that is forthcoming. Miss Usher was visiting some sites today and so I'm looking forward to getting into a deeper conversation about addressing the north
end as it has been a public conversation where our enrollment is at some of our north end schools and making sure that we are not only filling those schools with every possible student we have on the north end to attend but then also addressing what we're going to do um in
the coming years to fill those seats. Uh I want to Dr. Pope and I did our doctorate together and know to know Dr. Pope is to love him. Um he is an incredibly eloquent eloquent speaker and I just wanted to publicly thank him for his remarks tonight. I think that was
incredibly timeless. Um he did a wonderful job telling that story. Uh and it was a great way to start the school year. Uh something that's been brought to my attention, two things, transportation. um bus routes and bus numbers both start
with ones and twos for many bus routes and bus numbers and students when they get their bus pass and I don't know if this is a new thing this year. I've been told the bus pass looks different this year but when they get their bus pass it has the route number and the bus number and we have students getting on the wrong bus because they thought it was a
route not a bus. So it's like bus 2042 route 2039 just is giving random numbers and both of those bus numbers are in line and so then they get on the wrong bus because they don't know bus and route difference. So in the future if it's potential potentially available to
start our routes in threes or fours so then there's never this confusion anymore. But middle schoolers were getting on the wrong buses yesterday on the north end because they didn't know the difference. God bless them. Um, and I wanted to note 58%
uh of students passing a general paper means 58% of students in that class got an acceleration point, which is a tremendous improvement. And I personally think that's one of the easiest buckets we can work towards to improving on our school grade formula for high schools
specifically. And I think expanding this is not only giving opportunity for acceleration to all students, but it's also just highlighting that students are very capable and our teachers are really awesome. And so giving them these opportunities is amazing. Uh I think that will round it out for me. Uh it's
going to be a great school year and I'm really excited to be a part of Mary County Public Schools. >> Thank you, Dr. James, Reverend Cummings. >> Um good evening everyone once again. Um we're off to a good start with uh school
um starting on yesterday. All of us are making rounds to get to the different schools. Uh we can't some of us try to make it to every school in one day, Miss Campbell. All of us are able to do that in one day. Uh it it is we have a a large county and to get to
all those schools, I think you got to do it in stages. Um, I had the pleasure to be at the um, one of both new schools yesterday and it was very smooth in how they open and um, just pleased with what I'm seeing uh, in the classrooms. I I
got the opportunity to go to several schools today as well and just going across the district. It's it's amazing. Uh we have some terrific terrific terrific staff uh that are creative that are are innovative in how they are setting up
their classrooms uh what they're offering to these students. Um I I I don't think I saw any two classrooms that were just alike. And so that tells me they're trying to meet the the needs of the diverse group of students who are different, who are are are ready to
learn, but you have to meet the kids where they are. So I appreciate that. I was at um Master Street today and um saw I saw a classroom that was actually almost set up like a a college auditorium. Um I think it was a third
grade class and I was like, "Why'd you set up that She said, "That way I can, you know, kind of circular and I can I can I can sit behind them and see if they're on their their Chromebooks or what they're doing on their Chromebooks." But it made sense to me. Um because everything everything uh has
to have an end goal. So, I do want to thank the staff, everybody that's back that's working hard to make a difference. Um thank you for recognizing the support staff that was here today. Um, one of the biggest things is, um, for these kids to be successful is they
have to be in the right environment. Um, they have to schools have to be clean. Schools have to be have the necessary, um, resources there and and the the necessary environment for them to be successful. I saw that. I'm seeing that as I go around the county. Um, special
shout out and I said it to Miss Floyd when she was here this uh this afternoon, but um Denellan Elementary was not able to get a lot of the things done over the summer because they were out of out of out of the building and u
Miss Floyd and the team of one went in a week and got that school ready. Um, and I I I heard that from the principal, Miss Wiggins. She was just shouting the praises about how um they would not have been ready yesterday if it had not been
for Miss Floyd and um that team of one getting over there and doing that, getting that school ready. So, shout out to them. And then she was here tonight. So, I shared that with her on what um what Miss Wiggins said, Principal Wiggins said, um I do want to say this
because I I said said some I text out this morning to Mr. Superintendent and to Mr. White House and some other staff um because there are some legislative changes, some laws that have changed and um concerning testing that um and I'm going to say it periodically through the
year. I said I told Dr. Bar would say this that um you know because of testing um graduations changed you can't just walk anymore. or you cannot participate in graduation ceremonies uh anymore just because uh if you haven't passed the
necessary state assessment test and oftentimes and we get the calls we get the calls we get the calls two days before graduation hey my baby ain't graduating and can at least walk and get a a certificate that day is gone day has
gone and passed so I'm going to say I told Mr. White House. I was going to say it throughout the year. So, it will not be a surprise um when we get to the end of the year and your child is not able to participate in graduation ceremonies. So, start talking now to them. Start telling to make sure they pass those
state assessment tests now so that it won't be an issue. We won't ever have to have those conversations. You guys, the board um student board members, talk to your peers. let them know, hey, um, and it's not it's not for us to be hard or or dogmatic or anything, but the fact of
the matter is that's the law now. So, um, you know, we want every kid to be able to walk across that stage and shake their hands and hug them and they can shout and do whatever they want to do, but we want we want them to do it the right way. So, I'm encouraged I'm encouraged um to start saying that periodically. I think all of us need to
keep saying that periodically throughout this year so that it does not surprise anyone. And then my final thing, and it's not it's not a it's not a negative negative, but it's it's it's it's not a positive. Um um
we we we know every year we're going to have hiccups in transportation. We know that. We know we're going to have hiccups in transportation. as expected because of uh the size of Marian County and the distance travel to getting kids um from home to schools, from school to
home and the many miles that they're going to travel. But we also know that it's coming every year. So, we ought to be able to try to alleviate the uh hiccups as much as possible. Um,
one of the things that I I I I I understand the first week of school, I understand the second week of school, but I also understand that at some point you have to have a cut off on when things are happening. And one of the things that I I don't want to see and I want to address it now so that we can
start working on the problem now is tardies tardy buses, late buses. Um, I can understand a bus being 10 minutes late. I can understand a bus being 20 minutes late, but I cannot I cannot I will not accept a bus being two hours late. We have that and we can't have
that. And so, Dr. Brewer, I want to ask that we start tracking >> the latest buses at every school every day. Why? Because we say that um um that these kids need to be in the seats. The bus need to be in the seats. And if we
are the culprit of keeping them out of the seat, then that's a problem on us. Um, and and I don't know why the bus was late two hours. I'm not I'm not investigating that. I'm not. But I just know that we can't that's instructional time that they're missing. And two hours
of instructional time, if you get to school and they're already in third period, that's not good. That's not good. So, we need to track that because we we've been all adamant about um attendance and being there and and great school grade, county grade cannot
improve if they're not spending time in the seat. So, I would like for us to have a a a some type of report on the latest the bus is. And again, 5 10 minutes, I understand that. But when it's two hours and they miss already missed breakfast, we just talked about
they get free breakfast. Well, I don't want breakfast 2 hours. That's not breakfast anymore. That's brunch. So, we need to do what we need to do to to make sure these kids are getting to school on time. And and again, I thank Mr. Oanic and his team, Miss Howard and all them for what they're doing. But I don't want
us to wait a month and then start talking about we got a problem. We need to start dealing with the problem day one. >> Yes, sir. We can do that. >> Thank you. That's my comments for tonight. >> Yes, sir. Thank you, Reverend Cummings. Miss Thrower, >> thank you. them. Gosh, just so much
excitement and so much personal pride from so many individuals in getting every school year started off right. And then our task becomes taking that energy and that enthusiasm and bottling it and putting it on a shelf somewhere so that when we need to sprinkle it out at
different times, you know, through the years so we can sustain, you know, the the energy and the positivity and and the problem solving. Um, on the transportation front, I was really glad to see that we're continuing to, uh,
upgrade our apps. Uh, it's made such a difference, you know, with, uh, when Dr. Gullet rolled out Here Comes the Bus, and now we have a new version. Um, I'm not sure, you know, why it wasn't ready and trained up and and functioning by the first day of school, but that was a
missed opportunity. And so there's always reasons why things happen and and they're understandable, but at the same time, we don't want to shoot ourselves in our own foot, you know, so to speak. So I think that we all just uh to quote
a not so famous football coach, just keep working hard to get better every day, you know, that's that's what it's all about and acknowledge our challenges and problem solve them and and keep them moving because there's only 180 days in the school year. I am personally so thankful about the cell phones finally.
Thank you to our legislators for making it a law. Um I've said all along that adults struggle with their cell phone use and we were yet allowing kids to have them on campus. Um kids turn back into children when they actually get to
interact with each other again. And there is I see you guys nodding because it was something I wanted to actually ask both of you. And just just quickly I see you nodding. Does that mean you're in agreement with this? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yeah, I I definitely agree with it. Just
seeing all the students in my classes, not being on their cell phones in class, and just really looking at what the teacher is doing and actually listening to what the teacher is lecturing to us and what they're telling us. It honestly I mean it's happy for me to see it
because as someone who isn't really on their cell phone a lot just being able to be included in conversations like that but also this is helping the students more than they realize themselves because obviously they want to be on their phones like that's how that's how people are nowadays but not
being on their phones is helping them way more than they think it is. So I really think it's a blessing in disguise for a lot of these students. >> Yeah. And from what I've seen in the last two days, I mean, there's been so much more productivity and engagement already. Um, I haven't I I haven't seen
a single person in any of my classes um on their phones. And even when they're going to the bathroom, you know, it's nobody's on their phones. So, I I think it was a really really great and I know a lot of people uh in schools are probably not too happy about it right now, but I think they'll, you know, see
the results of that. >> Great. Thank you for that feedback. It it is one of the multiple reasons why this board was so strong on having student board member representation. Um your input is so vital. It's it's it's it's wanted. It's needed. It's
appreciated. So just again, welcome and really glad to have you on board. Thank you for your service. My dad is a veteran. Um so great opportunities all the way around. you're doing excelling things as well. And so we just look forward to uh following your success
through the school year. Um also wanted to thank uh Representative Sap for his time with us. And thank you Terresa Bostonellis for always reminding us about recurring costs and partially funded mandates because we did share
those concerns with Representative Sap and and he listened and and one of the big ones was our transportation allocation. It is a huge task to get our kids on time, you know, pickup and delivery and we are not getting paid enough to do it. So we're taking it out
of reserve funding which is ridiculous. that's no way to run a business. So, we had a great conversation with him yesterday. He was very open to uh hearing what we had to say. So, thank you board member Campbell for setting that up. Um
starting off the school year with just such energy and enthusiasm. Uh New St. John Church uh under the leadership of uh Pastor Brooks. It's been multiple years now that they have done back to school Sunday. And it's all about celebrating the kids, lifting up the
kids. They sit in the first few rows of the pews. They uh participate highly um in the service and it is such an incredible uplifting way to kick off the school year and I know a lot of other churches have special services um as
well, but we were well represented with Dr. Brewer was there and and shared great inspirational comments as did board chair Conrad. and to connect with the community to that depth and at that level is is what really brings us together. So, it really is one of my
other than the Christmas service, probably my yeah, my favorite service of of all of them through the year. So, I know that will continue. Um, everything looks so good and I know other board members had spoken to this, but at Oakrest specifically, there is
now a sunny yellow door that everybody walks through it. It's just I don't know, you can't help but put a little smile on your face. First of all, it sort of takes you by surprise. And secondly, it's just so cheery. So, it's just little things like that that that make it really fun. Um, for
King Middle School, Dads on Duty is a not so new program now, but um these gentlemen are there welcoming students every single day, morning and afternoon, just with fist bumps, high fives, you know, great to see you today, see you tomorrow, hope you had a great day. And
and I know it resonates because when you get middle school kids to say to much older people in their eyes, are you going to be here tomorrow? You know, you've made an impact and they were there on on day one. And the kids were really um glad to to see them. Um so I
guess, you know, I'll just leave it at that for tonight. There is so much great momentum at the start of the school year. And so now our task as the adults is to help the kids sustain that and and keep it moving throughout the next 178
days. So that's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Thrower. I just have a few things as well. Um most of them are positive. My one kind of uh negative comment really is just for the public that um the only complaints I saw and
heard about were transportation involved. And so I just want to encourage everyone to be patient because on Thursday all kindergarteners will be going to school. And so that is one of our biggest challenges um for transportation um besides trading
bracelets, you know, they just checking them in and getting them on the bus, all of those things takes a lot longer. They're just so little. So um please be patient with us. Um we are doing everything we can. Um and we can continue to work to
improve and and make sure those buses are getting to school um on time. So I wanted to mention that. Um, Dr. Brewer, I wanted to thank you for your um your theme that you have started our school year with, one team, one mission. Um uh
I was I'm really grateful to be included um as part of the team and so you invited us to wear our blue shirts um on Monday for the first day of school and just received so much positive feedback
because it didn't matter really who I was. It was that somebody in a blue shirt that was part of the district came to check on them at their school. And so I was kind
of a couple spots I was behind Reverend Cummings. I didn't know that, but he had come in. And so people literally would say, "Oh my gosh, this is the fourth blue shirt we've seen today." And so they just really just from wearing the same
uniform top um some of our district staff spelt felt supported on a very a great you know the first day is great but it's exhausting um it's a week rolled into one. So, um I want to thank you for that initiative and I want to
thank you for including the board because I for one and I I know the rest of the board too. Um we love being part of the team. And board members, I want to say this came up in conversation the other day. I'm so grateful um to be one
of the five people on this board because everybody is out doing the work. We all do it differently. Um, but really the most active group of people on a school board that I know, I have the pleasure to know. So, I just I want to thank you um all for the work that that you do
each and every day. Um, and I heard a lot of people say it's the best roll out to the beginning of the school year that we've had in a long time. A lot of things fell into place and ran smoothly. And so, that's exciting. Um, and I hope we continue. I see a lot of I see some heads nodding. I think I hope that you
heard the same thing um that really helps drive the momentum for the beginning um of the school year. So just want to thank you Dr. Brewer and your team um for that. I too uh Miss Thrower mentioned the new St. John's Baptist Church, you know, this first couple
weeks before school starts, the calendar is booked even on Sunday. And so um although I was excited, I was also tired Sunday as I headed to New St. John's Baptist Church. Uh but I left with my heart filled with joy. Um it was the
best hour and a half I spent and I'm so thankful for the community for including um the school board as in part of their mission and you really can feel um just the community spirit of involving the students, involving um school staff and
involving the parents. And so really, I I told the pastor as we were leaving, I said, "I'm going to take that part of the sermon, you know, that 30 minutes right in the middle. I need to play that piece every Sunday night um before we kick off a new week because it really was a great message." And so I just
appreciate the support from the community um and helping everyone understand it takes a village to educate a child. And so just just really thankful for all of those um partnerships.
Um, just looking. Oh, so Dr. Campbell mentioned I did not know that we were rotating our student representatives. And so I do understand the reasoning for that because we get to the end of the school year and it becomes really hard
on you all because you have a lot due. But I'm really going to I'm kind of sad about this because our student board members have been awesome this evening. So we are going to miss you. I am going to miss you. Um and we'll look forward to the next time you are joining us on
the board. And um you know many times um the news media, social media, we would talk about all the problems that we have in public education. But there are millions of wonderful and positive things that are happening in publication
and public education. And so I just want to say we have two very positive students here a part of public education and boy do they represent us well. So thank you again for giving your time this evening to join us. So
>> thank you >> right with that board. Um that closes out uh my comments and if there is no further business may I have a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> They are ready. Thank you, Miss Thrower and Reverend Cummings. All those in favor say I.
>> I. >> I. Motion passes 5-0 and we adjourn at 7:27. Thank you, board. >> Colin and Oh, Colin and Luke.