WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 2
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=M5JCsV_r65s
Video-2: youtube.com/watch?v=6CqeC5pj0Zg

Part: 1

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--------- Mhm. >> That's going to be >> The first public hearing regarding the 2026-2027 tentative budget is called to order. The record should reflect that we still have a quorum with seven board members present. The final hearing to adopt the

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budget will be held on September 9, 2026 at 5:00 5:00 p.m. The purpose of these hearings is to listen to the public regarding the superintendent's proposed millage rates and tentative budget. The board's agenda for this meeting includes

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the proposed millage levies, agenda item B1, and the tentative budget for fiscal year 2027, agenda item B2. The school board may and will amend the tentative budget prior to

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the final public hearing in September. So, with that, with that will bring us now to our public comment. Um we have one person who's here to speak, Mr. Gordon Longhofer.

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>> Thank you very much again. Good evening, Chair Brill, Vice Chair Lane, members of the board, Superintendent Burke, guests. I am Gordon Longhofer, president of the Classroom Teachers Association. On your agenda today is the adoption of the tentative budget. I think we should all be pleased that many of the dire

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predictions about the status of reserve funds have not materialized based on the numbers that you'll find in that budget. I know you will do what you deem best today regarding action on this item. Nevertheless, there is more to be said. All of us are aware of the financial

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challenges the district is facing due to declining enrollment. I know employees appreciate uh all of the board members uh when I say that you've seen fit to ensure their salaries don't fall further behind inflation rates during these tough financial times. But, let's be

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clear and let's be direct. Florida public schools are suffering financially for two especially [clears throat] important reasons. The state chronically underfunds them each and every year, and they put profit over student learning by

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creating a voucher system that removes public dollars from public schools and does so with little or no accountability on those receiving the funds. Indeed, it is a sad state of affairs when you consider some data that I've presented

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previously. Florida continues to rank in the bottom 20% for per pupil funding of our schools. Our average teacher salary is currently 50th in the nation, and I do need to add, um, we would be 50 out of 51 out of 51 including the District

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of Columbia if the relative cost of living in Florida was balanced against our average teacher salary when compared with the relative cost of living of Mississippi against their average teacher salary. That would put us at 51st. On top of that, Florida's economy

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would rank 16th in the world if it were an independent country. The time to mince words with legislators has passed. We must approach them with the clearest and strongest terms possible about the chronic underfunding of public schools and the siphoning off of public

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school dollars for profit seekers. These two things must stop. I challenge you to stand with me in reaching out to legislators regularly by whatever means available, imploring them to fund schools commensurate with the success we

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have in our state. Only then will we be able to compensate our employees in ways that can allow them to pay their bills, see the doctor, or go to the doctor with a loved one when needed, take a vacation once in a while, and retire with a sense

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of personal security. In doing so, we will ensure that we have the best teachers locally and statewide to teach our students to the best of our ability, ensuring high-quality leaders for years to come. Thank you all very much and have a good evening.

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>> Thank you. I'll now turn the meeting over to the superintendent who will introduce the agenda items. >> Thank you, Chair Brill. Thank you, Chair Brill. Before you are two agenda items I recommend it for the millage levies and the 2026-27 tentative budget. These items are brought forward

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to comply with TRIM or truth in millage legislation. Before I make my recommendations, Ms. Frederick will present the millage rates in the proposed budget. >> All right. And first I was going to start with Ms. Sherry Brown introduce Ms. Sherry Brown from the budget advisory committee. She is the chair and

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she is going to present out the report from the budget advisory committee. >> Well, this is what I always do is budget stuff, you know, I was in the committee and for my real job, too. Um, but thank you so much for letting me be here tonight on behalf of the budget advisory committee and please report that despite

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special session delays and a $100 million revenue loss from a 10,000 student enrollment drop over 2 years, the district has successfully balanced the FY27 budget through strong fiscal discipline by absorbing $68 million in targeted

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reductions, the district re-aligned operations while fully supporting a 3 and 1/2% recurring salary increase for all employee groups. The district's capital budget also remains sound thanks to our voter-approved sales tax and the deferral of new construction until

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enrollment stabilizes. Looking ahead, the committee advises directing the recurring surplus into a general salary reserve and we formally endorse the superintendent's recommended budget. Thank you. >> All right, I want to thank Ms. Brown as

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well as her fellow committee members. They volunteer their time, and I just appreciate the time that they took and their expertise in in working through with us with this FY27 budget development process because this was a very challenging year. And and I told Ms. Brown she did not

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have to stay, so you are allowed to go. >> [laughter] >> All right, so good evening board members and superintendent. Like I mentioned, this year was a very challenging year. I've been with the district for 19 years, went through the Great Recession, went through COVID, and this has been

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one of the most challenging of the years since I've been at the district primarily because of the unanticipated and unexpected decline in enrollment, a loss of over 6,000 students for FY26 that resulted in a shortfall that we needed

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to then balance going into FY27. Our enrollment our revenue is based on enrollment, and we are unfortunately looking at a potential decline in the next several years. And because since our revenue is driven by enrollment, that is going to continue

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to have a significant impact on our budget. Um but I am happy to report as Ms. Brown mentioned that our FY27 budget is balanced, and that is thanks to taking those tough decisions of making sure to realign and

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recalibrate our budget to ensure it aligns with our revenue and that we continue to live within our means. When we go through the budget hearing, um it's a very prescriptive process. It's driven through the truth in millage

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that is aligned with statute and is overseen by the Department of Revenue. So much of what I've I present today, you've seen before in slides, but it is strictly driven by statute. So, we start by looking at our property values.

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Uh because property values are one of the largest um components of the state um education funding formula. Uh when you look at our our increase in property values for FY27, it's 5.6%. We are now going back to the more normal

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increases in property values. We're not seeing huge jumps like we did see from, you know, '22 to '23 and '24 to '25, like 22 and 15% increases. Even though we have a 5.6% increase in our property values, we are not seeing

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that same corresponding increase in our per student funding because the per student funding is set by the state legislature. When you look at our millage rate, the majority of the millage rate is also set by uh state's um the state statute and state um

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legislatures. So, our um millage rate this year is 6.287 mills, which is a 0.54% decrease in the millage rate from the prior year. So, the millage rate is either set by

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state law or it's capped by state law, uh which is the the um discretionary as well as the local capital improvement, or required to or we're required to go out to the voters, which is that additional operating millage. Uh we will be going back out to the

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voters in November of 2026. Uh this current operating millage is good through um 2027, but we will have to go back to the voters to renew it for another 4 years. When you look at the millage rate, the millage rate is 3.79%

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greater than the rollback rate. The rollback rate is the millage rate that we would apply to that new higher property assessed value that went up by 5.6% to collect the same amount of revenue that we collected this current year.

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So, what does this mean to a average property tax homeowner? So, I finally increase the assessed value to the actual average assessed value. Um we've kept 300,000 for quite a few years, but we did receive updated numbers from the property appraiser.

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So, the average assessed value across the county is $480,000. Applying at the homestead exemption of the 25,000, looking at a taxable value of $455. Uh that average tax owner will actually

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see a decrease in their taxes of $15.47. Our total budget is five 5 billion 787 million dollars. Uh when you look at the breakout and you look at the general fund, you see that there's an increase of 55 million dollars. The majority of that increase

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in the general fund is the amount that is being passed through to the the vouchers, the family empowerment scholarships. Over 40 million dollars of that 55 million dollar increase is related to those vouchers.

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When you look at the special revenue funds, we do anticipate that by the end of the year that that will be equivalent. We add and adjust the budget as we receive those additional grant awards throughout the years. Um and debt service and capital projects

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reflect the activity within those funds. Our overall per student funding is up $168 or 1.73% increase. The state based student allocation is up $85. Our district based student allocation although is only up $63 and

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that's because the cost of living adjustment applied by the state actually reduced in Palm Beach County this year. This budget includes an enrollment decline of approximately 3,000 students. Um and includes

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in addition to that includes an allocation of 9.8 million dollars, which was approved today for the state-mandated teacher salary increase allocation. And it also includes

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equivalent reductions in order to ensure that we have a balanced budget. On an ongoing basis, we're going to continue to monitor at the state level the per student funding. It is always a challenge at the state level to receive adequate funding to

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truly meet the needs of of the students and employees of the district. Um as well as continuing to monitor those unfunded mandates at the state legis- at the state level as well. Um other considerations,

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we know that enrollment is since that truly drives our district budget, we will continue to monitor our district district enrollment over the next several years because we are expecting to have declines not to the extent that we had in FY26, but we do anticipate due

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to declines in the birth rate as well as just overall demographic shifts seeing declines within our enrollment. So, the next steps are for the board at this meeting to approve with B1 the resolution adopting the tentative millage rates.

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And item B2 the resolution adopting the FY27 tentative budget. And then on September 9th, that's when the board will be adopting the final budget. So, with that, I will open it up for any questions.

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>> I don't see any questions. >> All right. Oh, sure. >> I just want to thank you for the hard work and being fiscally responsible. Unfortunately, we did have to lay off people, but I'm happy that we're not like other school districts and have to close schools. So, I appreciate you and your team and Mr. Burke for being

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fiscally responsible for team Palm Beach. Thank you. Okay. >> Okay, agenda item B1. I recommend the board adopt a millage levy of 6.287 mills for FY 2027 and authorize the board chair and superintendent to finalize and sign all related documents.

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This total millage levy is made up of 3.033 mills for required local effort, 0.006 mills for prior period required local effort adjustment, 0.748 mills for discretionary operating funds, 1.500

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mills for local capital improvement, and 1.00 mills for additional operating funds. >> Motion by Ms. Branch, second by Ms. Whitfield. Is there any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously.

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>> All right, that takes us to B2. I recommend the school board adopt a tentative district summary budget in the amount of 5 billion 787 million 840,012 dollars for fiscal year 2027 and no cents. This includes the district's

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organizational chart and school board statement of its organization and operation. >> Okay, motion by Ms. Andrews, second by Ms. Branch. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. So, I will now take a motion to adjourn. Motion by Ms.

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Whitfield, second by Ms. Branch. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Have a good night, everybody. >> Mhm. >> Mhm. >> Mhm.

Part: 2

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Call the roll. >> District one, Matthew Lane. >> Here. >> District two, Virginia Saviedto. >> Here. >> District three is Karen Bril. >> Here. >> District four, Erica Whitfield. >> District five, Gloria Branch. >> District six, Marshia Andrews. District seven, Edwin Ferguson.

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>> Hey, I understand that we do have two speakers that are here to address us. So, we'll ask you to come up to um the microphone. And when you come up to the microphone to begin, please state your name for the record. You're going to have three minutes. And after the three

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minutes, the microphone will be turned off. And we do not discuss back and forth with you um when you present to us. So, please come right up and state your name. >> Good afternoon. I'm sorry. I hope you can hear me. My name is Shahar Pash. I'm

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an attorney. I specialize in education law. I work here in Palm Beach County and throughout the state of Florida. Um, I'm here today, which is an unusual position. So, thank you to the general counsel's office for letting me address you today. I am here today about the

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zero tolerance policy, specifically the language that is proposed about um, regardless of intent. So, I'm just going to read some prepared remarks for you. Um, these words in the policy render the

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factual inquiry of a school principal, administrator, or a hearing officer effectively moot. What does that mean practically for our children? It means that a lot more children will become ins snared once the district decides to

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implement its lighteed AI. And I'm going to give you a practical example of this. So, a sixth grader, and this is a real world example, uh is on the bus talking to a friend about, "I'm going to blow up your house."

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Now, someone overhears it, reports it, sounds like a threat, the dominoes start to fall, a referral is issued, discipline is implemented, the DRC is convened, but what do we find upon inquiry? That they're chatting about a

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video game. So if you remove that inquiry that regardless of intent that student is expelled, we don't care why he said what he said. It is per se a violation of the policy.

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The district has in place sufficient procedures to ensure safety. We have a hearing officer trained by the district staff to hear whether this was a real threat, an unintended consequence. I can

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give you a million examples. I can tell you about a middle school girl who wrote about murder. Well, that sounds alarming, right? But it was part of a mystery novel that she was writing, and she was in fact a beautiful writer. But she would be expelled under this policy.

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I can tell you about a 5-year-old who made finger guns pointing at um his classmates on the playground. But this policy, this regardless of intent doesn't allow us to ask why was the 5-year-old do doing that? Was it a game?

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Did he intend to harm somebody? Was it in fact an actual threat? Did anyone in fact feel threatened? We're removing that inquiry. And as a community, as educators, I think we want to know what our children's intent is when they say

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something. We have a lot of collateral damage when we throw out a big net. We scoop everybody up and we don't ask who here made an innocent off-hand remark. And who here really did intend to threaten somebody? And let me just say

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the legislature this past session. >> Okay, I'm sorry. Yes, it is. Thank you. Okay. And for the other speaker, do you want to come up to the microphone? Is she here? >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much.

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So, at this point, I'll turn the workshop over to the superintendent. >> Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, this afternoon, we first first up our workshop is the chief of student health and wellness policy workshop. Mr. Oswald has half a dozen policies he's going to take us through and he's he's brought a

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cast of thousands with him to the table. I'll allow him the honors of introducing his guest. >> Thank you, Mr. Burke. And good afternoon, school board members. Yes, we do have a number of individuals with us tonight. We have um Melissa Patter chief of uh director of safe schools, Valerie

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Mes, the director of athletics, uh Kathy Stacman, who's manager with risk management. Uh Patricia Morales, uh Damia Gordon and Denise Seager, uh our legal support team. Did I get everybody? >> Oh, and Lisa Carmon to my left. I

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apologize. So yes, we do have a number of policies from athletics to school safety to cardiac arrest uh cardiac uh response teams on a school campus. So we'll go through one at a time. We'll start first with probably the one with

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most significant changes, policy 5.60 eligibility for participation in K12 extracurricular activities. There we were here about a year ago talking about this particular policy. Again, there were additional changes that have gone back. First, what we have done with this

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policy is removed any reference to extracurricular activities. This policy to address extracurricular activities will be addressed in an upcoming uh board presentation by chief academic officer Maria Bishop and uh Miss Wyatt

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and that'll be in 2.121 um for student activities in schools. So, we removed those references. I'll start off with some of the changes regarding uh parent notification. Parents will do need to be notified of any fees and fundraising expectations.

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Those are outlined um in in the beginning of the policy. In addition, parents um you may have seen another bill, Senate Bill 178. It has to do where coaches could use their personal funds to pay for some non-reoccurring and emergent well-being

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um dollars for a particular student. those that also has some specific language that FHSA has put together regarding parent notification and consent first. It also requires the coach to report those expenses forward.

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So that language is in the policy as well. Also, any student who is find found in violation of our zero tolerance, severe incident assignment or felony suspension is also ineligible for participation.

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athletic um residencies. So once uh so what we had before is non-traditional students um could go if I was in a charter school from different schools for different sports. Now a student establishes residency from the school

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first school they have intent to participate. In addition it's on the next slide but it also limits the student participation to the county in which they reside. So, no longer can a student go from one county to the to the next unless that particular county does

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not offer a sport that the student is interested in. And also, there's an exemption for grandfather clause where students who were rostered in the previous school year can stay uh as and participate in that particular sport.

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Also, exemptions before to transfer midyear were left up to the district. that was removed from legislation. Now it is uh FHSA has established those particular guidelines and those include for example uh children of active duty

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military um foster care placement uh etc. Also um previous language in this particular last year um each of the non-traditional students charter uh private all had separate kind of

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carveouts. they're all now bucketed back into one like it was a couple of years ago as uh what we call non-traditional students. Um and I mentioned that a students must participate in a sport in which the in the district in which they reside.

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Um also if a student does intend to a nontraditional student intends to participate in a sport at one of our schools, they must um let the school administration know that they have an intent to do so. Also, there's language added in the policy as regard to

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evaluating a home education students uh academic records to ensure they are are eligible. And uh there is a a section at the end that deals with uh fundraising fees and insurance and those expectations um for students. And if the

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superintendent brings forward a recommendation to to the board regarding any fees in this policy, we've also added parameters and guardrails related to name image likeness uh also known as NIL and for coaches who are affiliated with

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sports agencies. These guardrails and parameters will prohibit employees from representing uh engaging handling contracts on behalf of student athletes when it deals with name image likeness and some of some of those sponsorships um that can occur. Um it's

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also going to uh put into place that their district needs to be notified when an employee or a volunteer coach becomes affiliated with a sports agency so that the district can be aware of that. And it's also only going to allow for an employee or a volunteer coach to represent a student athlete once that

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student athlete is gone from the district and is disengaged with the district two years uh after their time here with us. >> Those are some of the highlights of policy 5.6. So I'll take a moment here to see if there are any questions.

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>> Yes. Um Vice Chair Lane, you're up first. >> Sure. I have some grammatical suggestions as well as substantive suggestions. I'll start on line 24.

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You're going to want to change that the word like to such as. Um on line 48, you're going to want to change the on to upon. Since we're a school district, I trying to get the languaging precise. Um, as we

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look at lines 93 to 97, it says, "Parents shall be notified of the standard fees and fundraising requirements for participation in intercolastic athletic activity. What happens if a a

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parent can't afford these fees?" So we did put um in the section for fundraising um expectation is that student would participate in fundraising and provide an expectation not and the

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school would work as they have in the past with a student if they can't meet that requirement. So if a student can't afford the the standard fees, what happens to the student? If they can't afford the fundraising expectation, they could still participate. >> It's different. And it says standard

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fees and fund raising requirements. So they're two it's in the disjunct of >> so currently at this time we have yeah so standard fees would have if we are going to utilize any fees we would have to bring that forward through the superintendent for recommendation for

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approval. Um this language is new in the legislation and I'll tell you there's been a lot of conversations going on throughout the state how we interpret that. Um, seems like a a number of the school districts are looking at charging your

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non-traditional students a fee um that may not necessarily apply to uh a traditional student that is um registered to go to one of our students. So, our schools. So, at this time, we're not bringing that forward

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uh for a non-traditional. if we do um it would be a requirement if we do decide to bring that forward. >> Okay. I was I was thinking more in terms of the child who's going to be excluded because he or she can't afford it and maybe put something in the policy you

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just to think about it whether or not we want to put something in the policy to help that child. Um, we're going to uh change line 110 where it says where to in which and in line 115.

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After the words any district public school, you're going to insert a period and then the word charter is going to be capitalized. Um, I've got a question on line 129. It says each principal is responsible

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for ensuring that each participant in an interscolastic athletic program meets eligibility requirements. Do you want to put that burden on the principal or do you want to consider this is just a thought. Do you want to consider putting that burden on the

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athletic directors since principles are pretty busy people? I would think it's just something to think about when you all go back and talk about it. It's a suggestion. Um, if you look at lines 186 through 191,

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it says, um, a student who's eligible at the beginning of a semester, and it goes on, I probably should go through read the whole thing. A student who's eligible at the beginning of a semester for district policies, FHSAA bylaws or policies, and state

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legislation shall be eligible during the remainder of the semester except for lack of attendance, improper conduct, or other valid reasons that may cause the principal to declare a student ineligible before the end of the

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semester. Other valid reasons. That's a little bit vague. I mean, I don't know exactly what those reasons might be. You might want to when you go back over it, you might want to think about tightening that up so that if we need to enforce it, it's clear what we're

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talking about. And that ends my observations. >> Thank you. Just in regards to the principle that is a bylaw of FHSA handbook. Okay, Miss Whitfield,

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>> thank you very much. Um, just two questions. One to follow up on what Mr. Lane said um about the ineligibility. Does it is it impacted by their grades if the student is failing out of of their virtual program or their homeschool program, they're not doing anything. Is that a reason for

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ineligibility within the school? >> Yes, they have to at least they have to maintain a 2.0 No, >> that's reported by their parents if they're in homeschool or how does that work? >> So, with homeschool, a principal, and if you want to weigh into um they can review it at any time,

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and if they find that they're below that 2.0 threshold, they could be removed. >> Homeschool students have to complete the FHSA's EL7 and EL7V form. It's where the parent is attesting what the academic record is for the students. that needs to be turned into the school at the turn

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of the semester and that is what we would submit to the FHSAA and yes and a lot of times it's in good faith because of how home education is. >> Okay. Um the question I originally had was about um the uh so say your student is really into volleyball. They go to a

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school trying to get into volleyball. They say they want to go to that school XYZ school and then they do not get accepted on the team. Um, can they because they still haven't showed like signed up for that school, could they go to a different school to see if they got onto that team or is it once you picked

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a school that's it? >> Once you try out one time and you establish your athletic residency or athletic um I'm sorry, your athletic eligibility remains at that school. So, they would not be able they would not they cannot correct.

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>> Oh, okay. And then if um they are um is there anything that hinders their ability in choosing a school besides that they could just say this is the best school in the county. I want to go there and then they can just try out

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for it as long as they get on the team. That's it. That's where they get to go. There's nothing no other requirements. Just within the county that's it. >> The Senate bill reads that within the district in which you reside when you're a nontraditional student. So essentially, if you live in our Jupiter area and wish to try out for a team in

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Bokeh, so long as you have transportation, you're able to do that. >> So the the coaches could recruit, >> they're not supposed to recruit. There are bylaws and bylaw there are bylaws and policies that prohibit recruiting through the FHSAA. There should not be any recruiting. >> Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. >> And Miss Woodfield actually had the same

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questions about where they would go because prior to, I believe, this legislation, they had to go to a school within their district. But now you can get a student down in Bokeh who wants to go up to Sun Coast if they're homeschooled or if they're in a private school. So that was statutory. Correct.

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Um this past legislative session. >> So the past legislative um session is changing the nontraditional students so they can't cross county lines and is keeping the students this year within county lines. So we do have the ability to go north to south in our district. we

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no longer have the ability to do is Broward or Martin County, for example, to come into Palm Beach unless they meet the grandfather clause. And that would be a student athlete that was on an active roster in a Palm Beach uh on at one of our Palm Beach schools can return to that school to participate even if they live in Broward or Martin County,

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for example. But if they wish to transfer to a school to their county or to another Palm Beach school, they would have to meet the FHSA transfer exemptions um in order to consider some sort of eligibility there. I hope that helps. Okay, Mr. Ferguson, you're next.

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>> Thank you. So, I want to discuss those lines that you all have already begun conversing about in regard to lines 93 through 121. Quick question. Line lines 98 through 104. Was the intent of that

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language to address nontraditional students and non-traditional students alone >> for 98 to 10? >> I said 105, but 104. Sure. >> No, that it has to do with Senate Bill 178. So, a head coach using their

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personal phone funds to for a non-recurring expense for a student. >> I'm sorry, Mr. Oswwell. Yeah, I asked the questions out of order. I'm I apologize. Thank you for that. I'm referring to lines 93 through 97. I did have a question regarding the funds being used by coaches as well, but SE

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section 8. So, lines 93 through 97. I apologize. that was intended for both traditional and non-traditional students. In addition, um the line was added that sometimes when students uh make playoffs or go for additional uh

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competitions, there may be be additional costs and fundraising requirements associated with that as well. >> So last year we had a number of teams who went fairly far in the playoff system. Are you representing that those students had there was a financial expectation of those students as the

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teams progressed through the the playoffs? >> Possibly depending on >> you say possibly it already happened in the past. Was there or was there not an expectation? >> So teams generally fundra in order to go ahead and operate their programs. Many times coaches can forecast what their

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ability is to move into playoffs. Coaches are expected to plan for those types of items. We do have many principles that have other accounts that they may be able to supplement some of those travel expenses for the teams. >> Can I address the ad? Mr. Oswwell, are

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you okay with that? So, in regard to the non-traditional students, I think I heard Mr. Oswall uh state to board member Lane that there is an additional financial component to their participation. Did I hear that correctly? that is new through Senate Bill 538 that districts have the ability to charge up until $400 for most of the

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non-traditional student categories and that is to help assist the operational expenses. >> Is it the district's inclination to charge that amount that 400 bucks per non-traditional student who wants to participate in one of our our sports or teams? >> Currently, right now um we are not

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moving for this school year to bring anything forward um for the non-traditional student but exploring it for the future. there's an expectation. >> Okay. >> Yeah. But there is an expectation for a nontraditional student to participate in fundraising um just as a a traditional

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student would. >> Okay. So, same standard right now. >> Yeah. >> All right. And then as far as subsection B, which was what I was referencing um prematurely lines 98 through 104. So, there's a statute that already states that coaches can pay for um up to what

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is it up to $25,000 out of their own? >> 15 >> 15 15 25 What's the difference? >> But in any event, what what statutory requirement necessitates the essentially parental authorization for the coach to outlay

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his or her funds for the betterment of the child? >> Yeah. So in 178 it says it's non-emergent and recurring and non-recurring I apologize emergent and non-recurring. And so this is uh related to transportation uh recovery services

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and foods. And so really the example that was used yesterday in our fads meeting is that you know mom's car broke down coach calls for an Uber to send the child home. The expectation isn't that the, and I will use a football position, that the running back from across town

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is being transported into practice on a daily basis. That would not be considered uh non-recurring in emergence. So, it is there intended to assist with kids when they need it um at a moment's notice. Uh we have a parental consent form that is being evaluated uh

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in legal for this right now. The FHSA is going to have a spreadsheet to which those funds [clears throat] that are used are going to have to be reported into them quarterly. So the head coaches will have to report that into the athletic director. The athletic director will maintain the records on the spreadsheet. It'll then be sent to the FHSA to comply.

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>> How does that work logistically if it's an emergency situation? How how can you expect to have a written authorization from a parent? >> So on the example that that we discussed just now about calling for an Uber. Um the direction through Brian Moore, I

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believe it was, um was to get consent on the phone and fill out the paperwork after if it's an that type of an emergency. However, if you're going to do one of the other expenses such as uh medical recovery that a consent that the

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parent would consent to receiving any funds from a head coach on something like that. >> That doesn't that seems counterintuitive to me in that respect. So when things go bad, I think you can get bit in the butt. So, my car broke down. Coach Oswald, you called me and say, "Hey, I want to I

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want to give your son X or your daughter Y a ride home since you can't pick him or her up." And then you get in an accident and I learned later that you were at fault for the accident. Um, that that doesn't work. That doesn't make sense to me. So, again, I'm asking you, I don't know if I actually heard the

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answer to my question. Does the statute require that there be written parental authorization? >> Yes. >> Yes. then what you just said I would imag I'm I'm suggesting to you you probably should not make that the standard that yeah let's do it and then basically backdate

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it later if you got to wait for a written authorization and figure out a way to get whether it's through Google forms or something something that can hold up in court because the parent can say I didn't tell you that and unless you ask we're going to be in close sessions unnecessarily and I'm going to say where's that damn Oswald I told him

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to get this right back in 2026 so I do feel like that might create um an unnecessary legal matter that the district has to work will have to work through in future years. If you can simply say, well, you told me I could bring your kid home and then something happens bad to the kid and now we're in

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litigation unnecessarily. So, if you need it in writing, then unfortunately, I guess the good old coach will just have to sit there and and look after the child until you can get it in writing or the parent can find some alternate means of transportation to take custody of the of the child.

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>> I agree with you. Yeah, I agree with you. Okay. >> And that would not be the example we probably use with every >> Okay. And I think >> Mr. Ferguson, may I add? So we with the parental consent form, we could also add that into the athletic packet for eligibility and that could be reviewed

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and signed on file from prior to tryyout. So that way we would already have that there. We would know immediately whether the parent was declining the non-recurring and emerging assistance or if they approved of approved of it. And then that way that would allow for coaches to be able to move in a comfortable fashion. Now that

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makes sense to me in advance in the event that you're unable to pick up your child and >> I don't even know if you have to put an actual time limit and I know there's some statutes that state like 30 minutes after a certain thing we still have have a duty to look after the child or maybe we do something in line with that that statute which right now is I'm not

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>> we would be able to put a lane onto our software as well so that way coaches can pull up the app they could see right away without having to pull the paperwork if they have a yes or a no from mom or dad and that paperwork would be uploaded. So, we certainly have a way to to make sure that we're ahead of the game with that. >> Yeah, that's what I was about to say,

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but since you said it, that'll work for me, too. Um, I don't have any additional questions as to this policy, Madam Chair. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. U Miss Andrews, >> thank you. Uh, I was listening to Mr. lane and looking at this policy and down

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in 129 the principles are busy but as I look at this new law and this policy everybody's going to be busy especially the athletic directors but as you look at line uh 101 uh right in that area uh it talks about

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the school athletic director uh will have to kind of be in charge of all the pieces of the puzzle but then when you go back over to page uh 145 through 148 8. It goes all the way back to the superintendent, the regional superintendent, school principal,

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director of athletics. Everybody's going to have to be busy. Hopefully, there's going to be a lot of inservice with the athletic directors because this is new. This is the law and just the whole piece of putting this together. uh the principal is ultimately responsible but

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the superintendent as you policy says in the end when something comes up because you're going to have people from all over the place wanting to come and participate in athletics to do what they need to do to follow this new policy and the law right now. So uh the principal is the person in charge of the school

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but I would not put the ad down to be responsible for each participant uh athletic program meets the eligibility piece. I know the principal is in charge of that. Yes, it's going to be delegated to the AD, the coaches, and everybody else, but all of us will be responsible

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when something goes wrong. So, I I like it the way it's kind of written here because um it's a big deal. And when somebody gets mad because their child couldn't participate or something fell apart, everybody's going to be held accountable. So hopefully it'll be intensive in service for everybody

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because this is getting kids from all over the place and we've got to make sure every eye is dotted and te's across. Thank you >> Mr. Ferguson. >> Yeah, that's why I don't like to get interrupted. So So to that point I think then we need to put in the policy the

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point that I was trying to finish when um I thought I got interrupted. then put it in the policy then that in regard to the emergency authorization that we'll have it at the before the commencement of the the sports school year in question. So the parent will have to send something in writing that says in

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the event of an e situation and of course you should define what an e situation would be. I authorize coach or whoever in the district to transport my child to this designated address. I'm presuming it's going to be the home address. That's what I think should be

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done to to make sure that we're complying with the Florida statute in question as I understand it based on what you represented to me and what I seem to recall when I I kind of gave it a cursory review a few weeks ago. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. That looks like the end

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of our questions. >> Okay, we're going to shift to school safety threat assessment and management. So this particular policy has had some significant changes as well due to over the last couple years legislative change

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and rulemaking. Um most recently the state board of ed had undergo some major revisions to the threat management manual that's approved for all school districts to use regarding threat management throughout the state of Florida. So this particular

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changes are to update our policy in alignment with those changes. I uh will say that um a number of terminologies and definitions were updated and requirements of staff. Uh since this policy was last reviewed, there's now

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requirement for all school districts, for example, to have a prime. We have always had a district threat management coordinator that report to the state, but now we have to have a secondary threat management coordinator. Also, the parental consent and notifications are clearly more laid out along the

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continuum. um from the beginning of a a threat to come a school to be notified of a particular threat to notify the parent of concern as well as the um potential v victim of a threat. Um also

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the records and records management have been updated to transfer those records. Um, one of the most significant changes, um, is that it the law now requires for us to share threat management records with post-secondary institutions of

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students uh, enrolling into a post-secary institution. The state has not yet provided how that process will occur and into what manner. I know there's been some discussion with the board of education, but that has yet um, we're still waiting what that will look

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like and how those records would be transferred. Um, I'll stop there to see if there's any questions on threat management. >> Thank you, Mr. Ferguson. In regard to the threat assessment and management, is it you all's understanding that the Florida statute's

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intent was for us to focus on threats that happen on school property at school district events or in route to school district events in which students are being transported by agents of the school district? >> Um, it could be all of the above and

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possibly even more. >> What would be the even more? possibly something that um someone reports that occurred on social media over the weekend um that involves a potential victim on a school campus, whether that be an employee um or another student.

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>> So, I think that really dubs tales into one of the other pol work workshop one of the policies that you're proposing. So, I don't want to touch on that, but did I hear you correctly? You're saying a threat in regard to a victim, a a threat that you believe, reasonably believe would happen to a person, a

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victim that's on school district property at the time of the threat being made or is that what you're saying? Or someone saying they're going to do harm to a person on a on a school district property, right? >> It could be both. So, both of those

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situations would require um based on training that we've received from the state to investigate um some of those may end up being unfounded. Um or could potentially go up to low low and close along the continuum once they're

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evaluated. Um so, if I answered your question, >> I think we have I'll wait. I think I need to I think we need to go ahead and get through 5.1817 and84 >> because I don't want to Yeah, >> sometimes >> there there is some overlap between the

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three, but I've read them thoroughly and I do think there's some things we need to kind of address, but I appreciate your answer thus far. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Okay, we don't have any other questions on this policy. >> Okay. 1817 severe incident assignment. what we've done on this policy with the

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increase in use of AI and AI generated content as well as um students use of social media and other platforms have resulted in some students uh bullying or harassing other students and or staff.

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We've added language into this policy that uh when that does occur um that a principal could recommend a student for alternative education placement, what we call a severe incident assignment. These would be instances that are outside of a zero

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tolerance policy, but they severely uh impact the school learning environment. So, this would help address some emerging issues where we've seen students cause harm to other uh staff members and or students. In addition,

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the policy clarified language regarding uh students that have an IEP. [laughter] If you want just to Mr. Ferguson, just do that last one and I'll stop there. >> Okay. So, Miss Woodfield, >> thank you. So, I just um have a question

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on line 96 where it says students with an IEP must not be penalized differently from a jud general education student. Differently to me seems like it could go either way. It would have to be the exact same. But if there was a manifestation,

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it would be a less severe penalty, right? >> Yes. >> So, is differently the right word or should it be a different word? The Basically what um this section of the um policy is saying is it addresses

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students with an IEP that may be disciplined in the same manner and for the same duration as a student without a disability as long as it's not a man manifestation of the student's disability. And that's what's in language 95 and we capitalize the word

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not for additional emphasis. However, if it so if it is not a manifestation, the student can be penalized in the same manner is that we've just then added additional emphasis that they can't be penalized differently from a gened student. So, we

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could not add on, for example, with a a student with an IEP, there might be a 45day placement. You could not tack on an additional placement after the 45 days if you've already done the 45day placement. Yeah. No, I know. I I see

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that in there. I don't know. The word definitely still threw me off a little bit. >> All right. I'll think about it some more. Thank you. >> Can look at it as well. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Mr. Ferguson. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. Policy 5.1814.

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There was a speaker who spoke earlier about uh the proposed change to 5.1814 subsection. We're not >> I I guess it's D. I mean I guess I guess that would be D. The regardless of

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intent part, >> excuse me, Mr. Ferguson, we haven't gone to that policy yet. >> I thought we jumped through 187 already and were on 18. >> No, no, we were still on the other one. So, Mr. >> We'll go right back to you. >> Okay. >> Is that okay? I'll move into 5.1814. So,

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that is our zero tolerance policy. So on on this particular policy and to what the speaker um was referring to, we did add in that regardless of intent for posting or transmitting of a threat to

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kill or cause uh terrorists or bodily injury. We did add those particular words. I will say for the speaker and the examples that were brought up, those would not fall under zero tolerance because they were not posted or transmitted. So if I'm actually saying

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something verbally that I'm going to harm somebody that doesn't meet um the posting and transmitting the particular uh part of this policy and the law what that's required. Um also we improved the

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readability um of this particular policy throughout and we added the definition of threat that um that we used throughout with the state into this policy as well. So, I'll hold up here now and take that.

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>> Okay. So, now Mr. Ferguson, you're up. >> I think I I may not have heard you correctly. There there was a statement a question being asked of me and I I didn't catch the first part of what you said. So, I forgive me for that. Did you Did you say

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that if someone makes an oral threat that 5.1814 does not address that? >> That is correct. It would a threat management team would look at that and the chair of the threat management team if I verbally say something that's a a

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threat or a concerning behavior and a threat management team would look at it as far as manage the particular threat and to see if a what they call the USSMP a safety plan would need to be put in place or and evaluate um if a student is actually on a pathway to violence or if

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there's protective factors in that student's life and decide what that threat would be categorized, but it would not meet the definition of zero tolerance. It would not fall uh by just verbally stating it. >> It needs still be subject to this, >> but your proposed language for threat

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says a threat. It says is communication. I know you meant is a I mean, I know you all proof read this before it actually gets approved, but it says a threat is a communication. A communication by any any I think most people's expectation of of defining that term could be oral or

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it can be written. So, a threat is a verbal or written communication or behavior. Um, behavior, I guess, I mean, if we want to extrapolate that behavior could be me speaking to you. I don't like your suit. I don't have a problem with your suit, but you get my point. I didn't have to write that down. And

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maybe if you saw that as a threat, um, so be it. So, I'm kind of you kind of confused me there. How is it that the threat assessment team only um jumps into action, if you will, if someone makes an oral makes a makes a oral statement versus a written statement

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that you deem to be um an assault, you know, to another person inside the district and or on district property. So, under the Florida harm and prevention uh model for threat management, any concerning behavior or

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threat, whether it's verbal, written, um or transmitted, has to be evaluated and looked at through the threat management team on a school campus. >> Um so, that's more of the threat management process is more as managing the threat, not as a disciplinary tool.

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Zero tolerance is more of um disciplinary as it relates to breaking the specific law. >> See now that so I'm not going to speak for the attorney who came here and I don't know her um but but she did touch on I I highlighted it right here. I already kind of marked this up

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regardless of intent. I feel like that's an unnecessary it's a distractor. I don't think we need to have it there and I'll explain why. So first of all uh statutes 103 and 10006 I think are 0. Wow. 1006. I think they pretty much

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should be guiding how we how we phrase this policy. So, first of all, 1003.31 clearly says that as a district, we have the right to expel or take disciplinary action against a student who was found to have committed an offense on school property at any time. That's that's why I was getting to it at the beginning.

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You can't very well suspend me or expel me because I'm in Honolulu and I said, I I don't know. I want to I want to shoot robot X. Let's pretend Robot X is a human being. I want to shoot Robot X in the head um when I see him on Maui in two weeks. If you all found out about

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that, you don't have you don't have the jurisdiction over me to expel me from a school. I wasn't on the school property. Um I wasn't at an event related to the school district. So, you don't have you don't have purview there. Now, and and our police, they can only police on on

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things that happen on school district property. I know that from personal experience. So, if someone were to threaten um whatever the name I just used outside of a school district property, chief wouldn't have the autonomy to to do anything about that. You already have language that states

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that in the event that somebody is is is believed is arrested um based on the belief they've committed some some criminal violation of our our state or federal code, if it rises to a felony, they have the felony suspension already in place. So, there's a conflation going

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on here. And so I think I understand the intent as to why you all are trying to um edit 5.1814, but I think I think you're missing the mark respectfully in that regard. So for example, um I'm not sure why we struck

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lines 8 through 12 initially. I thought it was fine as it was, but when we get down to line 13 where you say the following are considered zero tolerance offenses and then you strike out statute 790, I think you're making a mistake there. one

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because 790 is a criminal code. This is not a criminal agency. Even when I get expelled or suspended from the district, it's more administrative, definitely civil in nature. So why are we kind of conflating things there? The the burden of proof for you to expel me or suspend me doesn't remotely come close to the burden to find me guilty of the

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commission of of an offense or if you were if I was being prosecuted in juvenile court, it doesn't rise to the same level that you would need to find for me to be adjudicated delinquent. So, I think we should leave that alone because we already have a policy that says in the event that I commit a commit an offense that would be considered

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felonious if I were an adult or if I'm even adjudicated delinquent, you can you can expel me. Obviously, you probably would already have suspended me, but you can expel me. So, there are two different standards here. This business about regardless of intent, I think that's I don't understand why it's been

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added. the hypothetical about AI reading through my reading through my my literature or whatever the case may be and seeing that that's something as a threat. I think that's where the threat assessment team comes in because again if I'm making some sort of fictitious work um and you all are looking at contextually then clearly that's not

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that doesn't fall into the purview of zero tolerance. Zero tolerance is I made a statement against another biological person on school campus or in something related to school district events or property or things of that nature. We can't do that. And the statute I just cited to 103.31 gives you the legal

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authority to nip that in the bud. The way this policy is written, the way I read it, and I think that attorney would agree with me as well. And again, I do not know her. Um, never met her before. We're kind of opening up Pandora's box unnecessarily. So, I think the way it was initially crafted was for the most

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part fine. And I think again for the reasons I already mentioned with 103 and even if we go to 1006.07 07 and uh there was another statute in 106 as well. The statutes are very clear. It speaks to what we can do in related to school district property. It says it

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doesn't say that you can do anything that doesn't directly tie to school district property. So why were we writing this into the policy now? Um which I guess the revised B and C lines 23 through through 29. Um, you were saying that bringing a firearm, I'm

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sorry, before that 15, bringing a firearm or weapon to school to any school function or any school sponsored transportation or possessing a firearm in school. So again, you're talking about school there. But then we go to 23 threatening to throw, project, place, or discharge any destructive device with

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intent to do bodily harm to any person or with intent to damage to the property of any person. where though on school property or off school property does kind of matter. And again, I don't think you should even put that in there because you already have other policies that address this outside of school. That's the felony suspension rule and

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ultimately I guess expulsion if you're convicted of of that felonious offense. And then the part with regardless of intent is making a is creating a conversation that we don't need to have. So those persons who are anti-AI and feel like, you know, it's going to be in everybody's personal information and and

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and hallucinate or whatever term you want to use for it, unnecessarily put a child in the crosshairs of of suspension or expulsion. I think we should just remove that regardless of intent part because you can't send and I saw the statute that this this language was lifted from. You can't send, post,

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transmit or procure sending, posting or transmitting of a writ written, written or other record, including an electronic record in any manner in which it may be viewed by another person when such writing or record threatens to kill a specific person. And you can go on to page two and it speaks to all those

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different things. So I think we might want to kind of bring this back closer to the the original well the most recently adopted version of policy 5.1 814 and go from there. And then I also might add on page two in our definition section.

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>> I do appreciate you all putting in a little caveat about about knives if it's under two and a half inches. I know we've had in instances where persons particularly from other countries had brought what what I would consider to be a pairing knife. Um and we clearly did not believe there was any intent to

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threaten anybody. They were literally eating an apple at the lunch table and somebody found that and then we had to expel them. So, I appreciate you all kind of adapting in that regard and saying, "Okay, 2.5 inches or less, we're going to assume that it's not meant to be used for a violent purpose until you show us otherwise." I mean, if you start

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jigging at somebody or threatening them, then that's a whole different conversation, isn't it? So, I appreciate you all for for putting that in. In the part with the ESC students, we understand that if a child is autistic and the and the autism is causing them to act out, you very well can't punish

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them because they don't they don't have the intent to do that. and intent is important. Um, as far as that goes, the part I will say though, I'm jumping around a little bit, but it's kind of how it's written to, so hopefully you all are keeping up with me. I will say that the one part that the attorney said

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about I guess taking umbrage with regardless of intent that didn't necessarily bother me because I even since I've been on the board I believe there have been instances where a person has written something out and then an adult or a colleague another student saw

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the writing um and it seemed there was never an argument that the person wrote it for the purpose of the other person seeing it but they saw it they alerted the adult or the adult him or herself saw it and then the child was expel. So AI in that regard is to me no different

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than the inadvertent adult or classmate seeing it um as far as that goes. But I think contextually is the part um that I think is important and that's why the threat the threat assessment team is going to always need to kind of review these things. So yeah, I said not I said

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um somebody said I want to kill Johnny. Well, if it was lifted from his manuscript or something like that, they clearly can't be expelled or suspended for that because it was an intent to threaten a specific individual. It was some sort of fictitious person that they were writing about. So, if you look at

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it contextually, then there's no problem. So just to kind of kind of alleviate any any unnecessary angst across the community, I would say we probably should strongly we should strongly consider removing the regardless of intent part because when you look at the other policies together,

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I think everything's already covered. I mean I I have noticed in recent recent sessions where it seems like we have an intent to try to answer all things in one given policy and that's not really how it works. The policy is like a whole the policies are is a volume. It is voluminous. You got to read them all. So

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when you read this policy in conjunction with this one, it all makes sense. So for the reasons I said, I think we need to be clear to craft these zero toler tolerance policies as they relate to district related events, property, and persons in their capacity as district

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agents, wards, the children I'm referring to as wars, etc. If you start going outside of that, I think you create unnecessary unnecessary issues that we really don't need to have to deal with. Again, I say I appreciate what you all are trying to do, but sometimes it's best to keep things

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simple. Thank you. >> Okay, so before we go on to the next person, um, General Council's going to jump in on line 30, but question for clarification. Mr. Ferguson, are you asking for lines 18 to 22 to be added back?

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>> We're back. We're still on 5. >> Yeah, we're on 5.1814, the one you were just talking about, lines 18 to 22. But we didn't follow whether you wanted that. You were asking to add that back. >> Yeah. I don't I don't see why we needed.

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Yes. So, I'm not clear why we ever why we chose to and I never asked the question. I just went ahead just to kind of move this along, make my ultimate statement. It doesn't seem necessary to strike what was 2B2 and then include but

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but then still include what was I guess 2B2 A B and then modify 2B A D and incl by including the regardless of intent part because the other policies that I've seen and the statutes that are in place

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would seem to cover what the the proposed language seeks to cover. It's already taken care of. >> Okay. So, we're just trying to make sure that we capture what you want. So, I'm going to let general counsel now address those two points. >> And I I see Miss Carmona sitting there

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and I know she can explain this because that was one of the questions that I had as well. Were you before I could address the regardless of intent, I needed to understand if you were uh seeking to have that uh 18 through 22 put back in. I think it matters, but I'll I'll let

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Miss Carmona speak to that. So, um, lines 18 through 22, what we actually did was we broke it down. We we removed the statutory references to the criminal statutes. And the reason that

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was done was because of a recent fourth district court of appeals opinion which held the district to the criminal statute standards based on our use or citing those statutes in our policy. So

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we removed the statutory references and tried to explain what the behavior was. In fact delineated it. Um we added uh regardless of intent that was something that was added because um staff felt

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that there is a very compelling interest for schools to be able to act quickly when there is a threat to the school community. More importantly because school administrators don't often they're not mind readaders. they really can't wait to figure out what's happening with a student, whether what

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they if they really meant what they said uh to act. And so that is why that was included in there. Um if you look farther down in terms of D, it's broken down into D1 and then we've added the qualifier kill or do bodily harm to a

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member of the school community. So yes, the student could be in Maui on spring break and he could post or he or she could post that they intend to harm one of their teachers when they come back. >> That would still be covered by this

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because the intent is to harm a member of the school community. And that's why there is uh additional language about uh and you'll see lines 38 through 40 that the policy applies regardless of the date, time, and location of the threat

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or false report. If the threat or false report involves a member of the school community, a school school transportation or a school sponsored activity. >> Yeah, we're going to circle back to you, Mr. Ferguson. General counsel wants to add something else. And so I you know

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and thank you Lisa for kind of walking through how how we got to the language that we got to. Um but Mr. Ferguson, I do understand what you mean by the regardless of intent and I would just suggest to you and the board. Um I

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certainly don't recommend putting back in the 18 through 22. Uh, but I know that we as a district and as a board, we often get um the response from our students. Um, but I didn't intend. And

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so the regardless of intent is really just a way to make sure that our students, our parents, and everybody is on notice um of that fact. And so that's what we try to do with policies just in general to try to make sure it's understood so

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that if you come later and say, "Well, I didn't intend. It's clear ahead of time, you know, to anyone reading the policy that regardless of intent." But to your point, Mr. Ferguson, I I do understand

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what you mean and I agree that that um you know, that language is is additional language. Um, and if you just stick with what the statute says, you you probably, you know, satisfy it. >> So, all right. >> Maybe put regardless of intent at the

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beginning as the main idea. If that's your intent, I guess that's kind of me, [laughter] >> then put it at the beginning opposed to D. >> But I think my point still stands though. Um, and and I'm going to be I'm

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going to try my best to be board member lane in this regard. I think the phrasing does matter because okay I understand that that made total sense to me attorney attorney Carmona in that regard and I would say moving forward that would I think you all should do a better job I've said this in

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years past anticipating reasonable questions so if you all had said that in your presentation then we could have probably eliminated five minutes of Q&A with me and you all which I'm sure you all would have looked forward to. So that makes sense to me that you would have removed the statutes the statuto identification if that's if that's truly

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what the case um law is. Now I'm not have no reason to doubt you in that regard. So that totally makes sense to me. But that doesn't mean that a a reasonably minded person wouldn't wouldn't interpret what now is lines 23 to 29 to mean something beyond what

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happens to a member of the school community um on school property or at a school school endorsed event. This is why I'm saying you should remove that because you already have a policy that says that if anybody does something that they can be that they've been arrested for and charged with a felony, they're

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going to get suspended and or expelled as far as that goes. So, you're just making things confusing here. And I'm not the dumbest person in the world. So, if even if I have reservations, I'm pretty sure there are constituents out here who might be equally flumxed. And we don't want people to be in the dark and dim whenever we can. We want to

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enlighten them and and make things clear for them in terms of what the policies are. That's my concern. That's my real objection with what would be um to >> B and C in particular. And I think the regardless of intent, just put it up at

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the beginning when you state the following are considered zero tolerance offenses regardless of intent and then list and list those out because it does apply to all of them, right? Because I mean if I if I make a false report regardless of intent, that's illegal. I read that statute earlier today. It

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didn't say that, oh, I was just I don't like Buffalo Bills fans, which I really don't. Keith, you're like the only one that I can halfway tolerate. And so, I felt like making a false report against them because I think they all should fall off of Niagara Falls on the Canadian side and never come back. I mean, but you can't do that. So, if it's

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regardless of intent, irrespective of that, put it up top because it really does apply to all things. So, I do think um that it does matter as far as where you position it in that regard. >> So, Mr. Ferguson, they're nodding their heads in agreement with you. So, they're going to do that. >> I had to make that jab for Buffalo because [laughter]

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I think it's gonna be a tough year for us as Dolphins fans. So, this will be my one time to get the get a one up on a Buffalo fan. >> So, they're in agreement. I'm going to go on to Mr. Lane. >> No problem. >> I think it's important to point out that I like Mr. Oswald's suit as well.

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[laughter] Uh that being said, as we turn to lines 15 through 17, um zero tolerance offenses, bringing a firearm or weapon, and it's number one to school, number two to any school

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function or number three or onto any school related transportation. Um, I'd like you to add, if you would consider adding, uh, school district property so that if, uh, someone wants to bring a gun here, it would be a good idea that we say that it

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would be something that we we'd consider to be a zero tolerance policy. >> Catch. >> Is that it? >> That's great. Yes. >> Okay. I see the heads nodding. And that's going to bring us now to Miss Woodfield.

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>> Thank you. So um I wanted to ask about the intent part as well. Um it's kind of my understanding that that we have to deal with this no matter what the intent is and then through the whole

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process we can mitigate if we want to but we at least have to bring it for expulsion because of the state rules. But please, you know, illuminate me if I'm wrong about this, but I feel like through this whole process, we've always been, you know, [snorts] there hasn't

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been a conversation about intent prior to coming to the expulsion process. Is that right? >> You want talk about the case referencing? >> Yeah. No, go ahead. So I I think in the

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appeal that M car brought up before, there's a a previous case that references intent um by another ruling. And so to clarify our policy to make it stronger

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>> to ensure that we don't get tied up in that ruling is why we want to make sure that that regardless of intent is that in there and so that our school principles, administrators can act quickly and swiftly when this occurs. >> Yeah. >> And not have to deal with trying to

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figure >> and so I feel like what I've been telling people forever is that it doesn't matter what you mean. It just matters if you said it. Um, and this specifically is sending, posting, transmitting, or procuring, which I think we all went through with the

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questions about what we could put out about the referendum. What is what does it mean to transmit? Um, you know, and so that is something that has to be written down. It can't be a conversation. Conversations are okay. Transmitting is not okay, right? I mean, tell me if I'm wrong on any of this. Um,

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but the intent part, we've had so many kids come through here who I know did not mean anything that they said. They were just joking. Um, and that joke didn't matter. They still got expelled. Um, and then maybe we can mitigate it in the end, but I think we it has to be regardless of

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intent because that's what the state requires us to do with zero tolerance, is it not? >> Yeah. For the state, that has always been the expectation. >> It's so I feel like we're stuck with regardless of intent even if we don't like it because it's supersedes us when

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it goes to the state. Would I mean, okay, let me ask it this way. Would it be possible for us as a school board to say we want to take intent into consideration, take that out of this statement? >> I I would from a legal I'm not going to

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speak for the legal team, but I I would not recommend something like that. um based on the way the statute reads and based on um the direction that we've received from the state and based on seeing what

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happens on a campus when a kid who's joking and the disruption that that can cause um is very difficult to manage and with emerging technology it's more and more challenging on a school campus. I've definitely heard that as well that you know the disruption is the most

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important thing that you all are looking at and what level of an incident is. Um but my my issue is that sometimes we do have a kid who said something that they shouldn't have said and then they are expelled and I wish they weren't. You know on so many levels they're an amazing kid who shouldn't be expelled

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but they said something but we're still expelling them. So I think we are stuck with regardless of intent even if we don't like it. But if there is a way for us to consider that, I'd like to at least understand that from the legal perspective. If it is not something that we can consider, then I think that the

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the wording stays. >> I would general caution and take it look from a managing from a school campus first before from a legal. Our policy allows us to add that. um you as a board are allowed to add that regardless of

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intent so that we can keep our our schools safe and that's responsibility superintendent has to bring >> but the regardless of intent is just clarifying where we currently stand not adding in the fact that we don't care that we are don't care about intent it

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is just clarifying it in written document where we currently stand >> general counsel is going to comment on that >> no I was just going to say that and I I think you touched on this a little bit, Miss Whitfield, but the intent can come in through the mitigation aspect and

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that's how you know >> that's after we've gone through the process. The process must occur regardless of intent is in the process. Correct. >> Any mitigation occurs with the superintendent's approval following the process. >> Correct. So in that case, I'd say keep

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it in because otherwise we just have to tell our staff, this is where we work from. And I've told this to my children and every child I can get my hands on. It doesn't matter what you wanted to say. I still can't keep you from being expelled. You're going to get expelled.

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Like you have to stick to this. And I don't love it, but it's it's the state we live in. This is postman Douglas. This is the world that we're in. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I I just want to add the number of cases have dropped significantly in this space this past year. The schools we've

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really worked to have the schools to continuously market this throughout the year. They get training on um this at the the first week of school. So it's constantly educating the school and school community about this that even a joke the intent um that's constantly

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being happening. We have seen a great reduction. Okay, Miss Savayto, maybe we do need a better communications. You know how we have certain sayings like see something and say something or uh click it or tick it.

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We should say something like say it and or write it or enact it and then you know you will be uh be charged with something. You know what I'm saying? Like it should be super clear. But I have a question. I'm sorry I'm a little behind with AI on the other one, the

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5.1817. Um just one quick question um on the bullying um and AI generated in the in the um verbiage. It says used to impersonate, intimidate, defame or harass members. How about the word funny

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or mocking? you know, because I imagine somebody saying, "Well, it's it was, you know, to be funny, but I was one of those kids that got mortified when people made fun of me of any kind. I didn't care. I didn't like it, you know." So, I'm wondering if we could put some words that even what's funny to you

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doesn't mean it's funny to the other person. Um, it could be offensive in certain cultures, vice versa, in my culture may be funny and not in yours, you know. So, I would love to see something that funny doesn't excuse it, you know, even if it was

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cute, funny, or nothing like that. Um, and do we have any verbiage uh where it says that maybe you cannot use or do anything AI in one of the school uh districts, you know, laptops, phones,

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lap u tablets using wifi, you know, not only what you're doing with AI, but what is the method that we using? Is that somewhere in the language too that we shouldn't they shouldn't be using this type of, you know,

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or even our Wi-Fi, you know, to create this AI generated >> technology, >> defaming pictures. >> Yeah. The acceptable use of technology um policy, it's also in the student handbook that's reviewed around how they use it. Um would have to be for

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educational purposes. So, and not in a in a manner that to is what you called, you know, bully another one individual. So that is part of acceptable use of technology and we can look at explore some of that

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language that you describe. >> Um and um Mr. Ferguson spoke about the knives and um being somebody that I always did arts and craft and I have a whole set of Xacto knives, you know,

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they have like the tiny little um what are they consider um if a student was doing arts and craft and happened to have one in in their you know case and brought it to the school or but it's an X-Acto knife which you do for creative

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things. So, an Xactoive knife, if it's not used outside of and brought in, that would be considered a weapon. Um, >> even though the blade is really, really small. >> And yeah, and we do work with school police to see how it's classified in

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that report. So, we work together to determine um how they're classifying that particular weapon. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Hey, Mr. Ferguson, >> just just to make sure

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on that AI point, if if the bot should read a student's um transmission through one of our one of our laptops or something like that and it sees does it alert just by seeing like kill like how how does it alert that it's that it's a

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a threatening comment versus say just part of part of some short story I'm writing? How does it draw that distinction? Can it draw that distinction? >> I can't speak for all the technologies. I know for sure for light speeded if it's triggered from it would be triggered by that word. But then

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Lightseed also has human readers behind the scenes who evaluate the context of the actual word and how it's used. And if they have if it if they deem it concerning enough, they would then bring

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it to administration to look into it further. So that's that's something I don't I didn't hear in our prior dialogue. So it's not AI making AI is not the final arbiter as to whether it's a threatening communication. There's still a human being that's being alerted to a possible threatening communication

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that's making that determination that you know what this actually is something that that seems to be a threat to another human inside of our school district. >> Correct. >> Okay, that's thank you for clearing that up. Okay, >> and that's the end of the questions on that policy.

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Okay, home stretch here. 5.27 parental and marital status of students. So by state statute, we are actually required to maintain a policy which in our case is uh policy 5.27 to ensure that students who are either pregnant,

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become pregnant or are married have access to educational opportunities. uh well it is our responsibility to remove barriers that could um impede their academic progress. So um we are um

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proposing uh in three categories uh the the changes to this policy. The first one is to um align the policy with the parent bills of rights, the title n regulations as well as the mental health and academic support. Uh in the second

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bullet, we are proposing to align the policy to the current services. So the way that is being currently implemented and the very last one is to provide access um to the public and stakeholders by enhancing the readability of the

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policy. >> Okay, I don't see any questions. >> Our last policy 5.323 automated external defibrillators. So this particular policy had significant changes due to legislative action that occurred um

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about a year ago. So we kind of struck out the entire old policy and started over with this particular policy. Um it not only requires the ads and the required to manage that but it also the

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legislation requires make sure we have a cardiac uh emergency response team established on every school campus. We've always kind of had that in place. We've under Mr. Burke's leadership taken that further with project Adam. You probably have heard about that and some

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of the progress we've made. So this particular policy and how it's laid out is making sure that process is outlined and if project Adam were ever to go away that the process is still in place that we have a cardiac response team or what

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they call a pulse a plan for urgent life-saving emergency is established on every school campus. So throughout this policy you'll see how that's laid out. Um and also this requires that all of our ads um also be mapped out and shared

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with first responders, local first responders. So working with school police, our risk management team um all of that has been established and completed and um as well as the roles and responsibilities the AD coordinator

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campus etc. So, >> okay, Miss Woodfield, I just wanted to take a second to think say thank you for putting this into policy. I think this is a really good thing that we are codifying this because I don't I don't want to see this lost just, you know,

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based on the, you know, where wherever a future board may want to go. Um, it's just an incredible thing that's going on on school campuses right now. And thank you so much for making sure we put the framework around it. >> Okay. Okay. And there are no other um questions or comments. So that brings

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you to your next steps. >> Yeah. So we'll be back for development and thank you for the feedback on the different policies um and on 99 and adoption if all goes well for November 4th. >> Sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Oswald and

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team. >> All right. We're going to transition to our next workshop which is our school calendars workshop and uh Mr. Tim Kubri, our chief of human resources, and Miss Damed Ramos Cruz, manager of human resources, are going to uh present the calendar committee's recommendations for

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the 2728 and 2829 school year. We're workshopping these calendars today and then we'll be bringing them back for approval in August if all goes well. So, Mr. Kubrick, we'll give you a minute. I know you need to get set up there. All right. All

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right. Good afternoon, school board members. Superintendent Burke. Uh this is Damedes Ramos Cruz. She is HR manager in labor relations and has helped uh develop these school calendars. So we are bringing together to you a uh 2728

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and 2829 school calendars. uh with that that would give us three years of calendars uh set and published uh which would provide for greater consistency and planning for our our families, our community uh our schools, our departments and all of our employees. So

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the plan will be to bring these back for adoption in August. So we do have a calendar committee. These are not developed in isolation. Uh there's a a pretty good committee that comes together with a lot of different perspectives. We have principles from every different level. We have union

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reps, employee groups, um many departments and community members all part of this uh to make sure that our proposals meet our academic and our operational needs when we're developing them. So, there are some legal requirements to consider when developing calendars. One,

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uh August 10th is the first day that school may start for students. Uh we also have um a minimum requirement for instructional days or the hourly equivalent that we must meet. Uh we also cannot start paying employees before

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they start working. So uh those that that law will eventually create some paycheck timing differences because we do have many employees who work less than 12 months. Um there's also a law on the number of paid legal holidays that a board can authorize. uh we do our best

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to recognize uh as many holidays and observances as possible either you know through the calendar or through uh alignment with non- studentent days or scheduled breaks. We have some collective bargaining provisions uh one the teachers are

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guaranteed 196 uh duty days six of those being paid holidays for SEIU FPSU and ASOP. Uh paid holidays are only for full-time 12-month employees. So that's something that's similar with their non-bargaining unit as well.

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So when we start, we we really have some core considerations that we look at. One is obviously the August 10th start date. Uh that's the earliest we could start. We do have a a teacher duty day or a professional development day after each marking period. Uh so that's every nine

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weeks or trimesters to either do your grades or uh get some professional development. Uh we have three to four fall or spring holidays sprinkled throughout the the calendar year. Uh we pay very close attention to the testing windows, holidays, elections, primaries,

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and other things that happen throughout the year. We also try to target as close to 90 days as we can for each semester. Uh and and the preference is always to finish the first semester before winter break. Um we also whenever possible can

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do try to avoid paycheck timing differences. Um the first day August 10th usually gets the most attention. Uh but I will say a later start date um means a shorter first semester and uh it could also cross in through winter break

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and school leaders have really strongly opposed this over the years. Uh it impacts the pacing of courses when exams are given and also uh would impact the start of fall athletics as well. So you could be in a situation where, you know, athletic programs are starting, games

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are happening, things like that, and school hasn't started yet. So, um, getting into our 2728 school year, this calendar is consistent with what, uh, our past practices are and is aligned

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with, uh, the other districts who have published calendars for this year. So, our teachers report on Tuesday, August 3rd. They do get five preschool days to get their classrooms ready to go for when the kids come back. Uh students would report on August 10th and finish

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the school year on May 26th. Our first semester is 84 days, second semester 95 days. Uh by starting August 10th, uh able to get to that 84 day mark, which is about probably the minimum. It's the one of the lowest that we've had, but um you know, able to get

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it in before winter break, which is is important. So, um our quarters, semesters, and trimesters are pretty balanced as as much as they can at least. Um and then, as I mentioned earlier, we do try to align

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any holidays that we can't recognize with a full day off with either a non- studentent day or a um a break. So that second semester was ended about a week early to address uh President's Day. So that the we aligned a non- studentent

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day with President's Day as we've heard that from our the community that was something they wanted and actually it just makes sense. So So we made sure we put that into both these calendars. Our holiday schedule is relatively the same. It's really following the same

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past practices that we we have had with our prior calendars as well. So, one nice thing about uh the earlier start date is also that we don't have any paycheck timing differences for the summer of 2027. So, any change in that

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would create some for for thousands of employees. Moving into the 2829 school calendar. Overall, it's the same approach. Uh teachers start Thursday, August 3rd. They have five preschool days. Again, students report August 10th and end on

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May 31st. the first the semesters are a little bit more balanced in this year. Uh so we have August uh we have 86 days in the first semester and 93 days in the second. The first semester ends before winter break. Our quarters and uh semesters and

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trimesters are all relatively balanced as well. And again as mentioned the president's day is is blended into the non- studentent day. Uh one key difference about the holiday schedule in 2829 school year is that we added uh a

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fourth school holiday due to the August primary elections. All right, this is um most of our schools are utilized as polling locations and this is a uh presidential election year. So students are off for August and November

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elections uh since there will be pretty heavy traffic uh throughout our schools. Other than that, the holidays are basically the same past practice we we follow. Now, in summer 2028, there is there are paycheck timing differences for uh a

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little over 4,000 employees. Now, I think it's important to to note that this is a timing difference, right? This is not a reduction in pay. So, it's not as though they're getting paid less. It's just there's a greater amount of time between when their their job ends

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from this prior school year to when it starts in the upcoming school year. They can't start getting paid until they start working. So there this uh when you have people working less than 12 months, this happens every say 10 to 12 years. And um eventually it's unavoidable and

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this is one of those years. Now, by having the August 10th start date, uh that did eliminate thousands of people from being included in this. If if we were to start after August 10th, this number would be uh somewhere between 16,000 and 17,000 employees, which is,

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you know, roughly 70% of our workforce. So um overall with with this the early start being able to finish uh the first semester before winter break and the the um you know the minimal number of paycheck timing differences uh that really helped us come you know to these

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proposals. So while there is no perfect calendar uh we believe these do prioritize our instructional calendar as well as you know holidays and and family uh schedules as well which are very important. So with that I'll turn it back over to the board if you have any questions. >> Thank you. So before I turn it over to

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everyone, I see you smiling, so I know that you were prepared for my comments. For those who have heard me before, you know, my constituents overwhelmingly do not like the early start date. We've hammered it out in past years. I understand the ramifications in terms of

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salary. Um I'm going to make a broad statement which the superintendent may not like. Um but I won't give specific examples. I can do that with him privately, but we're not good with change when it comes to certain things in this district. Um we we are pretty set in our ways and and not um really

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able to to change certain things. Um so I will be voting against the calendar because my district overwhelmingly we have teachers that like to work in day camps up north. We have families that like to send their children to day camp. So for that reason, I won't be

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supporting it. I do appreciate your work though and I'm thrilled that we do have Veterans Day off for everybody now. I think that's very important. So with that, I'll call on Miss Whitfield. Thank you so much. Um I did have concerns about the 28 calendar. Um

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similarly, I I see starting on the 10th means that we start on a Thursday. So that's just two days of school. And to me, I imagine that the students that Miss Brill's talking about are just not going to come because it's only two days in that week and then they're going to

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show up on the 14th anyway. Um it I I don't I realize you're talking about the paycheck gap and that is obviously very important to me. I don't want people to have to go without a paycheck. Um but I think we're kind of putting our head in the sand. imagine people are going to

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show up on a Thursday for two days of school when they could extend their summer and get back on the 14th. Um so I'm not sure what we want to do about that. Secondly, um in November you have a PDD day on a Tuesday and then a Friday

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off the 7th and the 10th. And so it seems a shame that we can't smoosh those together like move the PDD day over to the 9th so that people could have a 4-day weekend. Um, I know that it's the beginning of the elementary trimester, but since it was a workshop, I thought

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I'd bring it up. Um, that, you know, it it's kind of weird to have a day off on a Tuesday. Um, it kind of messes up everyone's time off with their families. And so, uh, since there's a holiday on the 10th, I think it would be nice if we pushed them all together. Um, the most

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important thing to me in the entire world is that we don't mess up Thanksgiving. So, throw out all my comments if you were going to try to take away from Thanksgiving. I don't care about anything but Thanksgiving in that moment. Um, but those are just two things that I thought were kind of weird. >> Sure. So, so on on November 7th, that is

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an election day. So, we we typically have closed our schools. Um, you know, we we have it it's a you know, staff are there, but it but it's a non- studentent day. Um, now >> we have um you know, many years ago, I remember back when I was a teacher, we I

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know we started midweek like this as well. And um you know there there's I I understand your point. Um but I we have heard that some like it that it's a nice way to get started with the school year. Have a couple days establish all your rules and and procedures and expectations and then come back Monday

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you know get get right back to it. Um, but also if we were to adjust that, right? If we were to, you know, change that at all, we would then uh like maybe pour over into the end of the calendar as well where they would have to maybe

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come back for um, you know, into the first one or two days of the week. And I think the argument could be made that they just might not show up those days as well. So I sometimes the calendars there there really isn't a perfect calendar. Uh and and when you make a

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little adjustment here, it there's like a domino effect and and all the other dates start to fall apart too sometimes. So, >> okay, Miss Andrews. >> Wow. I tell you, this is a big deal. And I want to say thank you to the committee. We sit here and and vote on

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it, but all those people that have put their heads together. You know, we used to have a lot of debate about the calendar over the years in the past, but we've been able to move smoothly. I mean, we got Veterans Day. I remember how we fought hard to get Veterans Day, but we've got it. We got Junth just like

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that Superintendent Burke when we wanted it, we got it. And so when I look at the calendar, I think, you know, our team here with all of the different organizations, the classroom teachers associations, all of the different reps that sit at this table who really look at Palm Beach County, Team Palm Beach,

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and our children and our families. They've done a great job. So, I have to tell you, this is big deal with our calendar. We're looking great for all the next years to come because we've asked and you've given and it is really about our children and our community and

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we have that total representation. Thank you for what you do. This is exciting to me as we move forward in unison because we have the voices of the people. Thank you. >> Vice Chair Lane. >> Sure. I just have a broad philosophical question. Back when I was in school, P

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used to hitch up the wagon and we used to go to the log cabin and we started uh after Labor Day and people ask always ask me why are we starting so early? Could you just kind of explain how that works?

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>> You know, growing up I I started the day after Labor Day as well. I'm in Pennsylvania, but um where it came from here, uh I I don't know to be honest. as long as I've been here, the school started in in August. Uh so, you know, to to your point, yeah, yes, change

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maybe is sometimes difficult to do. Um but it's also, you know, and when you when you do make some adjustments and and you're the one district who might be different than others, it it's it's sort of off, too, because you know, our our we look to our our neighboring counties and see what they do. So we we have you

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know we all have most almost every district starts the same day August 10th um in the state of Florida. I I really don't know where that practice initiated though. >> Okay, Miss Branch. Thank you. Um I agree

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with Miss Andrews. You guys have done a great job. You can't please everyone. Um I started school in North Florida in early August. I I think it affects the testing. So, you got to go through the holiday and then come back and take a test. Who's going to want to do that and

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pass and remember and study over holiday break? And it affects the sports. So, you can't, you know, maybe the camps need to change their schedule. Just saying. I think you did a great job. >> Thank you. So, I'll just close the comments by saying those of us that started after Labor Day are none the

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worse, even though we went through the the winter holidays and took our exams later. Um, back in the day when I first became a school board member, I heard rumors and I believe it's rumors that the start date also was tied into Disney

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and to something about visitors. I don't know where that came from. Um, but at the end of the day, none of us are any of the worse. So maybe one day um we'll decide that because you know our summer months are so hot and starting later I

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think would also benefit us that way. But with that, I'll stop speaking and take a motion to adjourn the workshops. Motion by Miss Whitfield, second by Miss Branch. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Board members will switch over to the

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special meeting and um then hopefully have a little break before we do the budget. So, um give you one minute to open it up. And I am now going to call the special meeting to order um at 4:11 p.m. And the record should reflect that

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we still have a quorum with seven board members present. Okay, if I can get my computer to work, that's now going to bring us to the minutes. We have four sets of minutes. I'll take a motion to approve the minutes. Motion by Miss Branch, second

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by Miss Woodfield. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. I don't have any items to add for good cause. Mr. Superintendent, do you have any items to withdraw? >> No, Madam Chair. >> Board members, do you have any items to pull from consent?

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Okay, seeing none, I'll take a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Motion by Miss Andrew, second by Miss Branch. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Do we have any disclosures or abstensions?

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Okay, seeing none, that's going to bring us to superintendent and board member comments. >> Uh, no comments from me this week. >> Wow, that's a first. [laughter] That's going to now bring us to Miss Sabayto. So, I want to express my sincere

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appreciation to Gary Lasser, a proud Forestdale High School alumnist, for taking the time to visit his former school and help us celebrate Forestdale High School becoming an A-rated um school. I especially enjoyed hearing Gary's story about his years at

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Forestdale, the sports he played, and the fun he had, including his admission that he may have visited the principal's office once or twice. that made uh taking a photo beside his former principles portrayed even more fun. I was also very happy to learn that he

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remains connected with the members of his graduating class after all these years. It was wonderful learning more about the student he was and seeing how much this school and community still means to him. Gary has reminded uh remained excuse me connected to the

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community that helped shape him and his continued interest and support means so much to us. I also want to thank Principal Mike Aronson for his leadership in welcoming us. Strong schools are built through strong partnerships and I am truly grateful for

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alumni like Gary Lasser who stays connected, gives back and celebrates the success of our students and educators. Go Falcons. Congratulations to our newest school police officers and to those who were recently promoted. Their impressive

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backgrounds, professionalism, and commitment to serving our schools are tremendous assets to our district. A special thank you to Chief Sarah Mooney for her uh where is she? There you go. For her leadership and our entire school police department for the work you do

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every day to keep our students, employees, and families safe. Much of your work happens behind the scenes and your service extends beyond our campuses through volunteerism invol involvement throughout the community. We're very grateful for everything you do.

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I was very happy to attend our summer graduation and celebrate the class of 2026. I almost forgot about graduations and we had one more. I want to recognize every student who persisted, completed those final credits and made it to graduation. Your persistence and resilience brought

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you to this important moment. Congratulations to our graduates and I wish you the best as you continue your education, begin a career or take your next step towards a brighter future. So I was excited to join our principles

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assistant principles and district leaders at the back to school leadership summit as we prepare to welcome our students back. Superintendent Mike Burke opened the event, followed by updates from Deputy Superintendent Jamie Wyatt and members of our leadership team

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regarding new legislation, district priorities, and strategies to help every student succeed. We also celebrated our A-rated school district and the progress we made um across our schools. I was especially proud to congratulate our district 2 principles of the 19 schools

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in the central region that improved their grades. 13 are located in district 2 with schools earning new A's and B ratings. I also want to give a very special shout out to Grassy Waters Elementary which I somehow managed to leave out both at our last meeting and

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again at the summit. Congratulations to Principal Sean Higgins, his staff, teachers, and students for moving Grassy Waters from C to B. Your hard work and progress deserves to be recognized and celebrated. Congratulations to all of our principles, teachers, employees,

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students, and families. This progress shows that it's possible when we work together. And uh the new school year is almost here, and I want to remind our parents and guardians to begin getting their schools ready, um their students ready, excuse me. Please remember to take

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advantage of the Florida back to school sales uh sales tax holiday to save on eligible school supplies, clothing, and other necessities. Luke and I have already picked up his Chromebook and student ident card, so he's officially ready to begin 10th grade. I know that

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this is a busy time for families, but preparing early can help make the transition back to school a little easier. That for sure that works for me. I wish all of our students, family, teachers, and employees a positive and successful start of the new school year.

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And before I close, I want to take a moment to wish my mom a very happy birthday. Today she is in Argentina um in the middle of a very cold winter and I wish we could be there to celebrate with her.

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Thank you. Gracias. Okay, Miss Woodfield, Miss Branch, Miss Andrews. Yes, I have some things. And I think we can look at the U monitor, but I want to say for everyone, you know, the 10-hour days are

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almost over. Summer is almost over. I'm just hoping that everyone had an opportunity to do some fun things. Uh rest and relaxation, but you know, it's going to be so exciting to start the school year again and see our children, see our schools open. We're A-rated

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again. Thank you, Mr. Burke and team Palm Beach for everything that you do. So, let's look at some of the pictures uh up on the wall. We've been busy uh moving around all summer. the city of Pokei proclamation honoring agencies and

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partners that supported displaced the Parker building uh residents. Uh they had to close the building down. We had to find homes. Um the schools worked together with the community and we found a place for all of those people to live.

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Uh helped them get jobs, made sure they had food to eat. Sometimes when you don't have a place to live, everybody has to come together and make a difference. I want to thank Miss Angela Moore, Dr. McTar, Jamie Evans, Keith Oswald and his team, Alicia Coleman,

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Orlando Olivaris, all of them were out there, all of the leaders as well as the city of Pokei coming together to help those most vulnerable members of our community. Uh the displaced residents from the Parker building and they found a new a new home, many a new job,

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clothes to wear, food to eat. It was wonderful. And also uh we can turn and we brought the proclamation back to you, Mr. Burke. Uh uh and everybody was so thankful for what we did. But right now we have the uh city of Pokei uh little league uh basketball team. They were at

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that same board meeting that night when we were all there uh celebrating. We have also Meg Weinberger, our state representative. She was out there in the group with those proclamations helping to find homes, food, clothing for everybody that was displaced. But we

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said congratulations to uh the Pokei uh little league uh basketball team. They're superstar leaders. They're winners. And we thank the coaches. The city of Pokei was so proud of everyone. So Megan and I stood there with them to say go little league b uh basketball

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team. And then I want to tell you a little bit about Junth. We celebrate Junth. It means so much. I saw it on the calendar. You're going to be doing it every year. Thank you, Mr. Burke, for knowing how wonderful the event is. and celebrating our history. And this was uh

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looking at us. We were over at the Dolly and in the churches uh celebrating. They were celebrating me for retiring too with all of the Juneen activities. So, it was just a wonderful time celebrating Junth and I'm hoping all of you really

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did something uh relating to Junth so that we continue to know what our history is. And then uh this is Junth again. and we were out there celebrating everybody during Junth at the Dolly Hand. Uh it was wonderful. Dr. Best was

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the MC. Jamie Evans up there, your principal at Belglade Elementary. I saw some students. It was just great singing, dancing, and celebrating our history. Now, Mr. Ferguson, you'll like this one. This is the Black Elected

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Official Scholarship Awards. We were there because it was so important. uh school board, Mr. Berg, everyone in here. We were over at the Manatee Lagoon congratulating our 2026 student graduates from all over Palm Beach

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County. A $100,000, almost $100,000 was collected. Mr. Ferguson, it was a big deal. We've been doing this for the last few years and the students were there in big numbers. We have a Pokei student right there. We

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have someone from Royal Palm Beach just giving them their checks, $1,000, $2,000 checks. We had some students from college that were continually supporting them every year. I ran into them as I was walking out. That's Pokei over

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there. Uh we have someone from Drifus. So, it was just so wonderful. The black elected officials always give back to the community and we start with taking care of our students. So, that was a wonderful event. And then we'll move on to um the adult education summer

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graduation at historic Carver Technical School. I was the guest speaker that night and I got my speech together. I think you would have been proud. I loved it seeing all those students graduating with electrical, carpentry, plumbing, and then they honored me for retiring

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too. So that was a surprise. But I just love the kinds of things that we're doing at our technical schools. And if you haven't been out to see historic Carver Technical School, Fred Bart and the team out there, Mr. Man from uh from uh from our technical support, Jimmy,

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all of us, we were out there. We had pretty close to about 30 uh young people getting their uh degrees and they're now apprentice. Many of them already have jobs and thanks to Palm Beach County School District over at Carver Technical School, they're on the way. And then I

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was out this summer too uh being the uh moderator for the South Bay uh town hall and you can see a lot of the elected officials were out there. We had the League of uh League of Women Voters out there and there is the supervisor of elections uh my former student uh Mr.

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Burke at Jefferson Davis Middle School back in the day and the uh Alfred uh Reed from the um from the NAACP. We were all out there giving uh information to the public. There's our mayor, Sarah Baxter. We were out there saying, "Know

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your uh rights. Know what you need to know to be able to vote accordingly and just know how to make sure that you can cast your uh vote in the way that you should." And then I was representing you in Tulsa, Oklahoma just a few uh weeks

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ago with the Council of Great City Schools. I'm still serving as the immediate past chair and we visited historic Greenwood the district there and you know we always have to know our history and uh it was painful but we have to understand our history and know

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our history uh and we talked about uh what happened there many many years ago. Black Wall Street, uh the making of uh all of these leaders who did so many great things and never forgetting the past and keeping the future alive for all of the community right there in

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Tulsa, Oklahoma. And the Council of Great City Schools had a wonderful meeting. I think I did send all of you the information from the executive board meeting. You should have received it, school board members, but we came uh a little bit early that morning so that we could all go and see this historic site.

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I had never been there and I learned a lot. Very painful, but it was something that I needed to do and I was glad that members of the executive board said, "We all need to see this and learn from our past." And lastly, at the back to school leadership summit, I was up there and it

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was bittersweet. I see you up there, Mr. Burke. When you gave me the microphone, it was a bittersweet moment because I had the opportunity to say goodbye. I mean, it's my last time that I would be able to see all of the district leadership in one place at the beginning

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of this school year. And knowing I was them, they were me back in the day when I was a teacher and a principal and worked in the school district and been their board uh member so many years, 51 years. and to stand up and see them all together in one place because it doesn't

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happen often. Just twice a year that we're like that to say goodbye to them and to let them know keep up the great work. Team Palm Beach, we're A-rated and we will never never be secondary. We're always number one. So, it was just hard saying goodbye, but I hope to continue

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to see them over the next few months and let them know how much I appreciate they have made me and I have made them by doing things together. We are team Palm Beach. Thank you. Thank you. So, before we go to Mr. Ferguson, board members, I just need to remind all of you. I didn't want to stop you, Miss Andrews. Um, but

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we do have a policy that states that we're supposed to have four minutes for our comments. We can revisit that if you want, but if we if we did seven minutes each, we would be 40 49 minutes into our meeting um with our comments. So, just something to think about if you want to

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make a change to the policy later. I don't want to interrupt you. I know you don't want the microphone shut off and I want to be respectful and I know this is your last harra so I really don't want to stop you but I do think too that when others do not have anything to share and I'm in my community on the ground doing

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the things that you elected me to do. I'm hoping that I will always and all of you will have time to say what you need to say to express to the public that we're doing our job. So thank you. So, without arguing, just to make the comment that um my feeling because I'm out in my community all the time and I

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don't do that because we originally had a different purpose for those comments, but we can revisit that with the policy later on. I just didn't want to stop you from speaking. So, with that, I'll go to Mr. Ferguson. >> Yeah, we don't need a policy. And uh we did revisit this a while ago, so we can

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move on. But speaking about fun things, I do have a couple of things to say before I get into my photos. So, Viva, [laughter] I got to do it to you, Rej. I'm sorry. Viva Spaniel del Mundo. Best World Cup ever. [laughter] >> Best World Cup ever. So, I haze board

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member Saviedo. I sent her a photo of my Spanish jersey. I was supposed to bring it today, but I was out and about and I forgot. And it's probably for the best because she's probably cut me off, kicked me off her Christmas list. But it was it was a great it was a great World Cup. Argentina has a great team. I mean,

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it was it was musty TV. So, you know, kudos to both teams. Uh, well played match. Um, only have a handful of things to talk about. I too was at the back to school leadership summit last week. Um, my high points were obviously to recognize board member Andrews. You've

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been on the board for how many years now? >> 16. >> 16 years. And what I said to the audience is something that is true that when you talk about um as an elected official, how one should comport his or herself with with other colleagues. I think she is kind of the example a of

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how one should um comport themselves. So, you definitely will be missed, but I respect your decision to uh say enough is enough. Your record speaks for itself. Um yeah, that's what I said there and now everybody here heard it to all 10 of you. Um I also said to the to

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the leaders though, hey, we did a great job last year, but last year is gone. And I know Jamie Wyatt jumped up with her pom poms as soon as I said it. I said, let's get let's get to it. let's push higher this year. Um, this is the most important year because it is the current year and I think the greater majority of the principles and assistant

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principles there appreciated that. Um, and that was that. Now, I would say, Superintendent Burke, when I turn out, I hope you look so sad to see me leave as you did [laughter] when you saw board member Andrews. I'm wondering if he'd be like, "Yes, no more long questions at workshops and

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stuff like that." I mean, it's okay though. I, you know, I can handle it. [laughter] Um, also last Saturday we had Project Uplift. uh we kick that back off. We always take take June off uh so persons can travel and and and do other things. Um but I was happy to say Angela Santa Cruz, she stopped by. That's the

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young lady there uh with the orange shorts. Uh she is the executive assistant for board members Andrew and Whitfield. Andrews and Whitfield. So she came by and she can't stop talking about it. She says she really enjoyed herself. She enjoyed the interaction with the other persons in the community and she says that she's going to come back at

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some point in the future. I will say that starting next month, we're going to start doing tutoring sessions at Project Uplift. So, it is growing the way I've been representing to you all that it would. So, things are going along well. We had about 12 volunteers last Saturday, still removed over 500 pounds of trash from that area. So, I mean, we

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have shown consistency and we'll continue to do so. So, if you have uh any questions about that, I have another slide later as far as the date and time, but we'll move along. Also, West Riviera Elementary. So, kudos to team Palm Beach. you were already going to

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renovate that school. It was a 60-y old structure and it was in desperate need of renovation, but what you all, Superintendent Burke, Mr. Sanchez, Dave Dolan, and that team have brought forward. Miss Frederick as well, you're the money person. I mean, it it's it's it's exceptional. Uh the school really

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is nice. I would encourage all board members u when you have time to make make a beline to West Riviera. They have a TV room. They're going to have their second graders actually doing like little TV shows each morning with the announcements and stuff like that. They have a lot of amenities there that I

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haven't seen at many other schools throughout the county. Um, and I think it's probably just because it's the latest school that's being open, but it it really is a jewel um in the crown of of team Palm Beach. So, again, thank you all for all that you've done for the residents of Riviera Beach and the surrounding areas in that regard. um in

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regard to the next project uplift. It will be on August 22nd at uh New Beth Church which is located at the corner of 9inth and Tamron in West Palm Beach. And we'll be there. I'll I'll be modifying this this flyer because as I said, we have we have a um person that's in

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charge of overseeing the tutoring as far as making sure that we have enough tutors for students that'll be there. Um kind of flying by the seat of my pants in that regard. I have no idea how many students will actually take us up on that offer initially, but I think it's going to grow just like Project Uplift in regard to the community cleanup has

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over these uh uh first four years. So, if you have any questions, my number and the email for Project Uplift is up on the um on the screen as well. Last but not least, don't forget that there is a a community service opportunity at 1144

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West 6th Street every Thursday. They help to uh the community, I'm sorry, open hands. They help to um administer food to persons who might not otherwise have access to to healthy healthy food. So, if you're interested in in volunteering and or securing community

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service hours, their phone number is 561201-9897. And again, for the last time this cycle, viva espionos, I'm finished. I'm finished. No more. Thank you, Mr. Lane. >> I'm going to reserve my comments until our regular school board meeting.

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>> Okay. So, that's now going to bring us to our agenda item speakers. Um, and so we have Gordon Longhoffer, CTA president. Is that on? There it is. Good afternoon, Chair Brill, Vice Chair Lane, members of the board, Superintendent Burke, honored

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guests. I am Gordon Longhoffer, president of the Classroom Teachers Association. On your agenda today is the memorandum of understanding between the school district and the Classroom Teachers Association regarding the statemandated teacher salary increase allocation funds for the coming school

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year. The association supports your approval of thisou. Nevertheless, I must draw your attention to some important facts related to this item. Based on the language provided with the passage of these funds, it seems the state wishes to repair some of the compression that occurred when they began the teacher

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salary inca uh increase allocation program during the 2021 school year. Like me, you may recall that as a time when teachers with the lowest salaries received much larger increases than those with more experience ahead of them, which forced tremendous salary

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compression on those in the middle of their careers. Even though we appreciate that this current effort, small though it may be, is intended to partially accomplish that task, I am forced to point out that it is in fact the latest installment of the legislature that

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picks winners and losers when it comes to paying teachers in Florida. Many experienced teachers in the past felt left out because of what was done in 2021. Again, today, others are also being left out. It's worth noting that the district and CTA working together

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were able to ensure that some studentf facing instructional personnel who would have been left out of this year's funds due to the narrow legal definition of classroom teacher will in fact receive the same financial benefit. The same however cannot be said for teachers with

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less than 10 years of Florida public school teaching experience. This current circumstance demands that we stand together with a unified front when lobbying our state legislators for total flexibility that allows local school

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boards and their labor organizations to make decisions locally about how to best compensate their educators. If I may, one size does not fit all. Every county has its own unique circumstances. The

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best solutions to compensate educators in our public schools will only be found when management and labor within a local school district are given full and free reign to determine how to best pay their employees. Accordingly, I challenge you

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to join me in this effort this year and in the coming years to ensure we have the best tools to pay teachers fairly. These same tools will enable us to recruit and retain the highest quality educators who will continue to support the repeated A ratings we have achieved

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in Palm Beach County. And on a side note, I commend you for postumously honoring Samuel Bruce McDonald earlier today for his contributions to our district. Thank you and have a good afternoon. >> Thank you very much. Okay, board members, that's going to bring us to our

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consent agenda. I'll take a motion to approve it as presented. Motion by Miss Branch, second by Miss Whitfield. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. I We do not have any new business. I'll take a motion to adjurnn. Motion by Miss

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Woodfield, second by Miss Branch. Any discussion? All in favor? All opposed? Motion carries unanimously. Board members, we will return at 50:05 for the tenative budget adoption.