CLERK TONY SINCLAIR, STUDENT COUNTY PRESIDENT ISABELLA MIRISOLA AND NEXT YEAR'S STUDENT COUNTY PRESIDENT ELRY RICE. SENIOR STAFF MEMBERS WILL JOIN US PERIODIC A. TONIGHT THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WILL
BE PERFORMED BY NATHANAEL JEAN JACQUES, A STUDENT AT GLADES CENTRAL COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL. WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LED BY DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT ED
TIERNEY. ♪ O SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT ♪ ♪ WHAT'S SO PROUDLY WE HAIL'D AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING
♪ WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS ♪ THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT ♪ ♪ O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED
WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING ♪ ♪ AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR ♪ ♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE ♪
♪ O SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE ♪ ♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND
THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪
[ APPLAUSE ] I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. VIEWERS AND
LISTENERS CAN ACCESS THE MEETING TODAY BY WATCHING ON COMCAST CHANNELS 234 AND 235 U VERSE CHANNEL 99 OR THE LINK ON OUR WEB PAGE AT PALM BEACH SCHOOLS.ORG. IF THE LINK IS INTERRUPTED FOR TECHNICAL REASONS, PLEASE SWITCH
OVER TO THE TV CHANNELS. ALL BOARD MEETINGS ARE RECORDED IN THEIR ENTIRETY AND POSTED WITHIN THE DISTRICT WEBSITE WITHIN 24 HOURS. WE OFFER A LISTENING ONLY OPTION THE PUBLIC CAN ACCESS CALLING
561-357-55900 OR TOLL FREE AT 1-866-930-7015. MEETING IS BELOW. BOARD MEMBERS. WE HAVE THREE SETS OF MINUTES TO AOF PRO. I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION BY MR. FERGUSON SECOND BY Ms. SAF. ANY DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? , OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. HAVE I TWO ITEMS TO ADD. BRD IS THE POSTHUMOUS
DECLARATION FOR DELIA DuBRAY. GOOD CAUSE EXISTS TO ADD THIS TO THE MEETING AGENDA. AND I'M ALSO ADDING P 2*. THE PERSONNEL ADDENDUM. GOOD CAUSE EXISTS FOR ADDING THIS ITEM SO THAT EMPLOYEES CAN
BEGIN IN THEIR NEW POSITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Mr. SUPERINTENDENT. DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS TO PULL. >> Supt.Burke: I WOULD LIKE TO WITHDRAWAL COM2. >> DONATION OF $273,000 TO S.D. SADIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BOARD MEMBERS I HAVE THREE ITEMS
PULLED. I HAVE DS-2, POL-SP1 AND POL-SP4. DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL? SEEING NONE.
I WILL, BEFORE WE APPROVE THE AGENDA, I'M GOING TO CALL ON THE REVIEW OF THE AGENDA. THAT WAS THE PULLING OF THE ITEMS. WE ARE NOW-- THAT WAS THE PRIOR TO YOUR DOING THIS.
SO NOW MISS Ms. MS. ANDREWS, VICE CHAIR ANDREWS, I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE. DID YOU WANT TO PULL SOMETHING? >> NO. >> Chair: WE ARE ON NOT THERE YET. >> Marcia Andrews: I WOULD LIKE
TO MAKE A MOTION TO REORDER THE AGENDA AND PULL BRD POST HUME LEWIS PROCLAMATION OUT OF ORDER TO BE READ AND VOTED ON AFTER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. >> Chair: WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND.
SECOND BY Ms. BRANCH. ALL IN FAVOR? , OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. Ms. SAF. >> I WOULD. >> MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND TRAVEL INFORMED PROCLAMATION OUT OF ORDER TO BE READ AND VOTED
AFTER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. THAT BRINGS US TO DISCLOSURES AND ABSTENTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY? SEEING NONE-- I'M SORRY.
>> Supt.Burke: REVIEW AND APPROVE THE AGENDA. >> Chair Brill: WE ARE ON A ROLL. WE NEED TO APPROVE THE AGENDA SO I'LL NOW TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT. MOTION BY Ms. BRANCH SECOND BY VICE CHAIR ANDREWS, ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. BEFORE WE GO TO SUPERINTENDENT
BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE TURNING THE TABLES TODAY ON OUR BOARD CLERK TONY SINCLAIR WHO RECOGNIZES OUR BIRTHDAYS AND SO MISS SINCLAIR HAD A BIRTHDAY AND WE WANT TO WISH HER AWE VERY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. YOU DESERVE TO BE EMBEARSED LIKE WE ARE SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO GO TO SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS. >> Supt.Burke: WE RECOGNIZE HAITIAN HERITAGE MONTH, A TIME TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR THE
CULTURE AND HISTORY AND CONTRIBUTION OF HAITIAN PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP MORE THAN SO% OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION AND I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD THAT WE ARE THE 1st DISTRICT IN FLORIDA AND LIKELY THE COUNTRY TO OFFER A 50-50 HAITIAN CREOLE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM. I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
WINNERS OF THE HAITIAN HERITAGE MONTH ESSAY CONTEST. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL WORK. FIRST PLACE WE CELEBRATE MIKE FORMAY, SENIOR AT BOYNTON BEACH HIGH SCHOOL. SECOND PLACE GOES TO GERDALIN
DUMAS, FROM GLADES CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND THIRD PLACE GOES TO CHRIS OTTIENNE, THE SAME AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER, SORRY ABOUT THAT. AND CHRIS IS A JUNIOR AT BOYNTON BEACH HIGH SCHOOL. WE ALSO MAY 3 OBSERVE SCHOOL
LUNCH HERO DAY. A SPECIAL DAY TO RECOGNIZE INCREDIBLE WORK OF OUR SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE TEAM. THEY WORK THESE DEDICATED PEOPLE WORK INCREDIBLY HARD TO PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO OUR STUDENTS AND THEY'RE PART OF THE LARGEST RESTAURANT FORCE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY SERVING OVER 33 MILLION MEALS A YEAR.
THAT PRETTY INCREDIBLE. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU SCHOOL LUNCH HEROES. AND IT'S ALSO THIS WEEK MAY 6-MAY 10 TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND A TIME TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR OUR TEACHERS WE ARE A RATED
BECAUSE OF OUR TEACHERS AND WE HAVE NEARLY 13,000 HARD WORKING TEACHERS THAT COME IN EVERY DAY AND DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS. THEIR POSITIVE INFLUENCE EXTENDS FAR BEYOND THE CHASS ROOM TO THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. SO IF YOU GET A CHANCE, PLEASE THANK A TEACHER THAT YOU MAY
KNOW THAT MAY BE SERVING A FAMILY MEMBER. PLEASE SHOW THEM YOUR APPRECIATION AND WE HAD A GREAT NIGHT MONDAY NIGHT CELEBRATING THE DWYER AWARDS. WE THIS WAS THE 41st ANNIVERSARY.
AND THIS IS OPEN TO TEACHERS ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY FROM NOT JUST OUR DISTRICT OPERATED PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT ALSO CHARTER SCHOOLS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, ALL 2 FINALISTS NEED COME FROM A
PUBLIC SCHOOL YOU NARROW IT DOWN TO 28 AND. I WANT TO THANK THE ECONOMIC COUNCIL. HER TEAM ALONG WITH THE MAJOR
SPONSOR DO A REALLY INCREDIBLE JOB OF HONORING OUR TEACHERS AND MAKING IT A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL EVENT FOR EVERYONE. MAY IS A BUSY MONTH. WE STARTED OUR COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES. WE HAD TWO YESTERDAY AND ANOTHER
TWO TOMORROW AND MONDAY WE SET-- WE SET UP SHOP AT THE FAIRGROUNDS WHERE WE WILL BE DOING THREE GRADUATIONS A DAY FOR TWO WEEKS. WE ARE GOING TO GRADUATE NEARLY 12,000 SENIORS, AN EXCITING TIME TO SEE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE GRADUATE AND MOVE ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER
THINGS AND THEIR NEXT MAJOR LIFE ACCOMPLISHMENT. AND IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THE GRADUATIONS, OUR SCHEDULE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT PALM BEACHSCHOOLS.ORG/GRADUATION $2025 AND WE WILL STREAM THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES THROUGH THE NETWORK SO YOU CAN WATCH
FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOME OR ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. AND FINALLY. I CAN'T FORGET SUNDAY MAY 11 IS MOTHER'S DAY. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE MOTHERS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND WISH THEM A VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY AND WE WILL BE CELEBRATING AT
THE BURKE HOUSE WITH MY WIFE KRISTIN AND MY MOM JANET BURKE AND I HOPE EVERYONE GETS A CHANCE TO HAVE A NICE MOTHER'S DAY. MADAM CHAIR, THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL START WITH OUR BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. Mr. LANE. >> THANK YOU.
>> Matthew Lane: THERE IS A LOT TO REPORT. I WANT TO THANK THE FOUNDATION ON APRIL 29 THEY PROVIDED US WITH SIX GRANTS OF DLIFT THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH TO RENOVATE CLASSROOMS IN SIX TITLE ONE SCHOOLS. NOW THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH IN THESE REDESIGNED CLASSROOMS. OUR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT MIKE BURKE HAS SAID FPL REMAINS ONE OF OUR STRONGEST COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN ADVANCING STEM EDUCATION THROUGHOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY. ADDITIONALLY, ON APRIL 25, OUR
EDUCATION FOUNDATION HELD ITS FOURTH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT WHERE THEY RAISED $150,000 TO PROVIDE SCHOOL SHIES TO OUR TEACHERS, AND OUR NEEDIEST STUDENTS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. ON SUNDAY APRIL 27, INSIGHT THROUGH EDUCATION, HELD A VERY
POIGNANT PROGRAM WHERE THEY HONORED SURVIVORS, EDUCATORS AND 500 STUDENTS SCHOLARS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE JFR GOLD SMITH STUDENT SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND LEARNED THE PAINFUL LESSONS THE HOLOCAUST. INSIGHT THROUGH EDUCATION IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING HISTORY,
AND INSPIRING FUTURE GENERATIONS OF STUDENT LEADERS. FINALLY AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT SAID ON MONDAY MAY 5, THE ECONOMIC COUNCIL HONORED 28 OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS FROM THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY. AT THIS EVENT, THE ECONOMIC
COUNCIL RECOGNIZED SEVEN EXEMPLARY TEACHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE PRESTIGIOUS DWYER AWARDS AND SUPPORTED OUR EDUCATORS WITH GENEROUS FINANCIAL AWARDS. THE ECONOMIC COUNCIL IS ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERS IN PROMOTING HIGH STANDARDS OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT ENDS MY REPORT FOR MAY 7, 2025. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. Ms. SAVIETTO. >> Virginia Savietto: I'M WEARING GREEN FOR THE CAMPAIGN
LAUNCHED IN 2016 IN HEALTHIER DELRAY BEACH TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA. I WAS A GUEST PERFORMER AT THE DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL AT Dr. GARCIA HIGH SCHOOL WITH COUNTY MAYOR MORENO BUT DON'T WORRY I'M KEEPING MY DAY JOB.
THE REAL STARS WERE THE STUDENTS. THEY DID THE LIGHTS, THE SETS, MAKEUP AND LIVE SPANISH TRANSLUGS. LUCA WAS IN THE AUDIENCE CHEERING ME ON. SHOUTOUT TO ALL THE TALENTED STUDENTS. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND VERY
WELL DONE. I VISITED CHUCK SHAW EDUCATIONAL CENTER IN MY DISTRICT. I LEFT FEELING VERY INSPIRED. THE CENTER OFFERS REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT LEARNERS. THANK YOU TO Dr. THOMAS ANDREIAS AND HER ENTIRE TEAM FOR HELPING ADULT LEARNERS MOVE FORWARD AND FOR MAKING SUCH A
POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY. LEASE VISIT EVERYONE HERE ON THE DAIS I ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL SPANISH SYMPOSIUM WHERE STUDENTS FROM BERKSHIRE, GREEN ACRES, OAK HELY AND PALM SPRINGS JOHN I. LEONARD
SHOWCASED THEIR SPANISH LEARNING SKILLS AND CULTURAL PRIDE ALL IN DISTRICT 2 AND BIG THANK YOU TO JOHN I. LEONARD FOR HOSTING AND A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO SONIA BIRCH AND THE MULTI-EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING DISTRICT WIDE EFFORTS IN
SUPPORTING THE ESOP IN PROMOTING BILINGUAL EDUCATION. CONGRATULATIONS TO COUNTY COMMISSION GREG WEISS. HIS DEDICATION HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE FOR YEARS ATTENDING THE STUDENT SHOWCASE OF FILMS WAS FABULOUS
WITH Mr. BURKE, WITH CONTAGIOUS ENERGY FROM HOSTS PERFORMING ICE, ICE, BABY VANILLA ICE. I CONGRATULATED 15 MANTSDZIA GARCIA WINNER OF THE POSTER DESIGN. AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER MYSELF, I WENT UP TO HER, TOLD HERSHEY
COULD DO ANYTHING IN THAT THIS WORLD NEEDS MORE CREATIVE PEOPLE LIKE US. WHEN SHE HUGGED ME AND CRIED MUCH I DO SEE THE INSECURITIES MANY OF US WHEN WE START IN THIS FIELD IT REMINDED ME WHEN SOMEONE IN MY FAMILY SAID I
SHOULD HAVE STUDIED A REAL CAREER. TO ALL THE STUDENTS OUT THERE PURSUING ART AND CREATIVITY, LISTEN TO ME. YOU CAN BE ANYONE AND DO ANYTHING. THIS WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, PEOPLE LIKE US DON'T LIVE IN BOXES. KEEP PUSHING FORWARD. YOUR CREATIVITY IS YOUR SUPER
POWER. HIVE DRIVING ON HAVEREL HILL ROAD I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID A STUDENT PUSHING TO THE STREET INCHES FROM A POTENTIAL TRAGEDY FAR FROM A SCHOOL ZONE. PATIENCE, WATCH, WHETHER YOUR CHILD WALKS, BIKES OR USES AN E-BIKE TO GET TO SCHOOL, WE NEED
YOUR VOICE AT HOME, PLEASE TALK TO YOUR CHILD DAILY, DAILY ABOUT CROSSING SAFELY, RIDING WITH HELMETS. LET'S COME TOGETHER AS A CHUPT AND MAKE SAFETY PART OF OUR
FAMILY ROUTINES BECAUSE SAFETY EDUCATION STARTS AT HOME AND WOULD LIKE THE DISTRICT TO LAUNCH A CAMPAIGN GEARED TOWARDS STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, INCLUDING THE DOS AND DON'TS OF PARENTS DROPOFF. AND DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY I WANT TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO ALL THE TEACHERS
ACROSS OUR DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT PALM BEACH SPRINGS MIDDLE WHO TEACH MY SON WHO IS AN EIGHTH GRADER AND THIS IS HIS LAST YEAR THERE. THEY HAVE DONE AMAZING. THANK YOU PALM SPRINGS. LET'S GO, AND THANK YOU TO ALL
THE TEACHERS THAT DO THIS AND SUPPORT AND INSPIRE OUR STUDENTS. >> Chair Brill: Ms. WHITFIELD EXPWHRE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I AM WEARING GREEN TODAY BECAUSE Ms. SAVIETTO YES MINDED ME TO WEAR GREEN AND ALSO FOR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS.
I'M VERY GLAD TO BE SUPPORTING THAT ORGANIZATION AND THAT EVENT. SO I BROUGHT ONLY ONE PICTURE WITH ME TODAY. BUT I THINK IT'S A REALLY FUNNY ONE. SO EARLIER LAST MONTH, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PALM BEACHES AND TREASURE COAST EVENT CALLED LAUGH YOUR ASSETS
OFF AND IT IS A VERY FUN EVENT. IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY INTERESTING AND GREAT TO BE THERE, BUT I TOOK ON THE TERRIFYING CHALLENGE OF BEING PART OF THE ARE YOU SMARTER THAN AN ERECTED OFFICIAL OR IS YOUR
ELECTED OFFICIAL SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER. I DID PRETTY GOOD. I STUDIED A LOT BECAUSE I WAS REALLY WORRIED THAT PEOPLE WOULD REALIZE THAT I WASN'T SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER. THE FIFTH GRADERS WHO WERE PART OF THIS WERE INCREDIBLE. THEY DID VIDEOS OF THEM AND THEY WERE ALL OUR STUDENTS AND THEY WERE ADORABLE AND SMART AND JUST
ABSOLUTE LIGHTS AND SO IT WAS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND THOSE ARE PICTURES OF US BEING THERE WEARING OUR COLLEGE SWAG WHILE WE WERE PART OF IT. THE SECOND THING I JUST WANT TO MENTION IS WE ARE IN GRADUATION SEASON. THIS IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO BE A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. WE GET TO SHAKE A LOT OF HANDS. I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE
ABLE TO ATTEND SO MANY GRADUATIONS THIS YEAR AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING WITH ALL THE STUDENTS. SO I WOULD JUST SAY AGAIN, CONTINUE TO BE SAFE AS WE GET THROUGH THIS TIME. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONGRATULATING EVERY SINGLE PERSON. ALSO, I DO WANT TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU FOR TEACHER
APPRECIATION WEEK. I AM CONSTANTLY BLOWN AWAY WITH THE IMPRESSIVE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE WORKING FOR US HERE IN THE DISTRICT. THE TEACHERS JUST GO ABOVE AND BEYOND. THEY ARE SO DEDICATED, SO BRILLIANT, AND FIND INNOVATIVE
WAYS TO REACH OUR CHILDREN WHEREVER THEY'RE AT AND IT BLOWS MOO I MIND ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOW LUCKY WE ARE TO HAVE THESE PEOPLE HERE SO A HUGE SINCERE THANK YOU TO THE TEACHERS DURING THIS APPRECIATION WEEK. >> Chair: THANK YOU. Ms. BRANCH.
>> >> Ms. BRANCH. THE DWYER AWARDS WERE AMAZING. I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE WINNERS AND THE NOMINEES AND THE PALM BEACH LAKES MARCHING BAND WAS AMAZING. I DON'T HAVE A VIDEO. THEY WERE UNBELIEVABLE. I ABSOLUTELY BLOWN AWAY BY HOW GREAT THEY WERE. NOT THAT I DIDN'T THINK THEY
WOULD BE BUT THEY WERE PHENOMENAL AND I WANT TO ECHO ALL THE OTHER EVENTS AND MENTAL HEALTH MONTH, ET CETERA. AND I WANT TO SAY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO MY MOM AND ALL THE MOTHERS OUT THERE AND THE TEACHERS THAT ARE SCHOOL MOMS SOMETIMES DURING THE DAY TO GET
OUR LITTLE ONES THROUGH THE DAY. AND HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO ALL THE AMAZING TEACHERS WE HAVE. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: MR. FERGUSON.
>> Edward Ferguson: WE HAD OUR CLEANUP LAST MONTH IN WEST PALM BEACH PROJECT UPLIFT. THIS YEAR WE ENDED UP HAVING STUDENTS WHO EARNED OVER A THOUSAND HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. SO I WANT TO APPLAUD THOSE STUDENTS FOR BEING SO CONSISTENT AND COMING OUT MONTH AFTER MONTH
WE WILL BE TABLING-- TAKING A BREAK THIS MONTH AND NEXT TO ALLOW PERSONS TO TRAVEL AND SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES. WE WILL BE BACK AT IT THE FOURTH SATURDAY IN JULY. SO THE SITE IS TO BE DETERMINED. WE'LL GET THAT TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALSO I WANT TO THANK SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT TIERNEY WHO I
HOPE WILL BE SUPERINTENDENT TIERNEY VERY SOON AND ALL THE STAFF WHO SUPPORTED US AT THE TOWN HALL WHICH I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT NUMBER THIS IS. 17, 18, 20. I DON'T KNOW. BUT I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WENT TO THE CHURCH IN BOYNTON WITH US. IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE
SUPERINTENDENT AND THE STAFF AND THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. LIKE I SAID, FROM DAY ONE, I'M GOING TO DO MY BEST TO BRING THE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU ALL WILL MAKE USE OF THAT IF IT IS CONSISTENTLY PROVIDED TO YOU. SO AGAIN THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT BURKE AND DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT TIERNEY SOON TO
BE SUPERINTENDENT TIERNEY AND THE REST OF STAFF WHO CAME OUT TO MAKE THIS TOWN HALL AN A + EVENT. ALSO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FOUR DISTRICT 7 EMPLOYEES WHO WERE RECOGNIZED AS FINALISTS AT THE DWYER AWARDS. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO MISS TATE FROM VILLAGE ACADEMY, THE YOUNG LADY ON THE LEFT.
Mrs. JONES FROM BALK MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE YOUNG LADY ON THE RIGHT. CONGRATULATE MISS KENDALL, TEACHER FROM WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY ON THE LEFT AND Mr. SLAKOFF THE BAND DIRECTOR AT J.F.K., HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME RESUCCESS STATING AND
REVITALIZING A BAND UNIT THAT HAD DISSIPATED. GO VIKINGS. VERY PROUD OF ALL OF YOU. YOU ARE ALL WINNERS IN MY EYES. AND KUDOS FOR THE AMAZING WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING IN YOUR BRIEF TIME AT J.F.K. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO LAST MONTH'S BOARD MEETING. I RECEIVED A NUMBER OF EMAILS
AND CALLS. STOPPED IN THE STREET ALMOST ACCOSTED BY PERSONS THANKING ME FOR MY VOTE SAYING THAT IT TOOK A MODICUM OF CURNLG TO DO WHAT I DID AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT AND EDIFICATION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE BUT I GUESS I SHOULD SAY THIS. IT'S NOTHING FOR ME TO SPEAK TO PERSONS WITH POWER BECAUSE IT COMES EASY TO ME AS SOMEBODY EATING A BOWL OF RICE. BECAUSE I AM POWER MYSELF.
I WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT. I AM POWER. YOU ALL ARE POWER AND WE ARE POWER. AND IT IS TIME FOR US TO COLLECTIVELY UTILIZE OUR POWER FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THIS PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM. AS I SAID AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, IT IS UNDER ATTACK. AND SO I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME
OFF THE SIDELINES AND ENTER THE FRAY. THE WATER IS FINE. I ENCOURAGE TO YOU DO WHAT I'M DOING. I THANK YOU AND RECEIVE YOUR SUPPORT. IT IS EASY AS BREATHING AIR FOR ME AND I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL STUDENTS, NOT JUST DISTRICT 7 STUDENTS BECAUSE
I KNOW PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BEST CHOICE FOR THE OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF STUDENTS HERE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY AND THIS SAME ATTITUDE AND FIRE THAT I HAVE, I WOULD, THAT IT WOULD SET A FIRE ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY, THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE NOW IS THE TIME. IT'S NOT TOMORROW. NOW IS THE TIME. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO ACT,
BE ENGAGED, COME TO BOARD MEETING SHZ SPEAK UP, UNDERSTAND THE PROWESS SZ, GO TO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, GO TO TALLAHASSEE AND D.C., LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. STOP LETTING OTHER PEOPLE REPRESENT YOU WITH FALSE STATEMENTS. SPEAK YOUR TRUTH. LIKE I SAID, IT'S AS EASY AS EATING RICE.
YOU HAVE THE SAME POWER I HAVE AND TOGETHER WE CAN DO AMAZING THINGS. THAT'S ALL HAVE I FOR TODAY AND LOOK, I MADE IT WITH SIX SECONDS TO GO. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR ANDREWS. >> Marcia Andrews: AND GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU. FIRST I WANT TO THANK NATALIA
FROM GLADES CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL AND FIRST HAITIAN BAPTIST CHURCH. YOU ARE SO AWESOME AND TALENTED AND YOU BRIGHTEN OUR LIVES TODAY IN SINGING FOR US. AND I WANT TO START BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE WONDERFUL TEACHERS WITHIN PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOLS. WE COULDN'T DO IT EVERY DAY WITHOUT YOU. WHEN WE SAY WE ARE A RATED IT'S
BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DO IN THE CLASSROOM WITH OUR CHILDREN SO THANK YOU. HAVE I QUITE A FEW SLIDES COMING SO I'M GOING TO MOVE FAST BUT I REALLY WANT TO YOU LOOK AT THE PEOPLE, THE CHILDREN BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS ALL ACROSS PALM BEACH COUNTY. AND THE GLADES, WE HAD CHEERS TO 30 YEARS. THE FIRST PICTURE YOU SEE THERE
ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED IN THE GLADES, TEACHERS, NON-INSTRUCTIONAL, BUS DRIVERS, CUSTODIANS, EVERYONE WHO HAS SERVED FOR 30 YEARS IN THE GLADES ANGELA MOORE AND YOU DO
IT WHEN YOU CAN MAKE IT FOR 30 YEARS, THAT'S A BIG DEAL. CONGRATULATIONS. TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN COLLEGE DAY. I HAVE BEEN A MENTOR FOR 10 YEARS AND WHEN I SEE THE CHILDREN THAT GET SCHOLARSHIPS TO MOVE ON TO COLLEGE, IT'S A BIG DEAL. I WANT TO THANK KEITH OSWALD WHO WORKS WITH ME ON TAKE STOCK AND
NANCY TELLWAY, ALL OF THE CHILDREN ARE GOING TO COLLEGE, ALL PAID, ALL PAID. AND THEY ARE READY TO GO TO MOVE ON WITH THEIR LIVES. AND MY TEACHER MY HERO AWARDS, GALA I SAW YOU THERE, Ms. BRANCH AND ALSO BOARD CHAIR BRILL.
IT WAS FABULOUS. EMMA BANKS YOU ARE AWESOME. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED SCHOLARSHIPS AND ALL THOSE TEACHERS WHO RECEIVED THOSE AWARDS. AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR REALLY BEING GREAT IN THE CLASSROOM AND
ALL THOSE AREAS. CROSS ROOSDZ SENIOR, YOU DID IT. YOU ARE GRADUATING. OVER FLOWING CROWD SAYING CONGRATULATIONS CROSSROADS ACADEMY. SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, YOU WENT WITH ME TO WELLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME VISITING THE BLACK LEADERS AND ACHIEVEMENT, STUDENT TEAM AS WELL AS THE L.I.A. LATINOS IN ACTION, TO HEAR THEIR VOICES, TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY'RE LEADERS IN THEIR SCHOOL. THEY'RE GREAT AND SUPERINTENDENT
BURKE AND I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO THEM AND TELL THEM WE THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO TO MAKE THEIR SCHOOLS GREAT. AND 2025 END OF THE YEAR CELEBRATION, IT IS IN YOUR HEART, IT IS WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. ALL THOSE STUDENTS FROM
KINDERGARTEN TO 12th GRADE CAME ACROSS THAT STAGE TO GET THEIR AWARD BECAUSE THEY HAD GREAT CHARACTER DOING GREAT THINGS. AND EVERGLADES PREP CHARTER SCHOOL, WE WERE OUT THERE WITH YOU WHEN YOU HAD YOUR CAREER DAY. AND WE SAW ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN TALKING TO VENDORS, TALKING TO BUSINESSES AND THEY'RE GOING TO
GET THOSE JOBS, GOING TO COLLEGE, GOING TO THE MILITARY, GOING ALL THE WAY AS THEY GRADUATE. WE THANK YOU, LINDA FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND THE URBAN LEAGUE OF PALM BEACH COUNTY NATIONAL ACHIEVERS SOCIETY INDUCTION PROGRAM MARIE SANCHES, YOU KNOW HER.
SHE IS GETTING IT DONE AT THE URBAN LEAGUE. ALL THOSE PEOPLE WERE INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL ACHIEVERS SOCIETY, SMARTEST IN THE COUNTY FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY. AND LUNG CHU, I WAS WITH YOU FOR
THE ART AND CULTURAL SHOWCASE IN WEST PALM BEACH. MINDFULNESS ART FESTIVAL. LEARNING ABOUT OUR CULTURES AND MISS KATHY WEST, 2025 ELEMENTARY MEDIA SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR. KUDOS AND ALL OF THE DWYER AWARD FINALISTS AND WINNERS AND ALL OF
THOSE WHO APPLIED TO BE A DWYER WINNER. YOU ARE A WINNER IN OUR HEART BECAUSE YOU ARE THE TEACHERS THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN IN THE CLASSROOM. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. SO I'M JUST GOING TO START BY SAYING THAT I SPENT MANY YEARS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DAIS, AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SCHOOL BOARD
AS ENBADGED AS MY-- ENGAGED AS MY COLLEAGUES ARE, OVER LAP EACH OTHER AND MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE EVENTS AND CONSTANTLY ON THE RUN. IT IS A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I KNOW WE ARE THERE REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT AT EVERY POSSIBLE OCCASION SO THANK YOU.
AND IF YOU DO WANT TO HAVE A GOOD LAUGH SATURDAY NIGHT IF HAVE YOU NOTHING TO DO, I'M GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE WALK ON GUESTS AT HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL ALONG WITH MY SON, DRESSED IN MY HIPPIE TEENAGE OUTFIT. SO IF YOU WANT TO LAUGH AT ME, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME OUT. QUICK HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO
EVERYBODY WHO CELEBRATING THE MOTHER'S DAY AND THAT'S THE CAREGIVERS, THE MOTHERS, THE GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW, YOU DO A MAGNIFICENT JOB AND WE APPRECIATE YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR GRADUATES WHO ARE GOING TO BE
WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE, BUT IT IS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND I'M GOING TO WRAP UP MY COLLEAGUES WITH THE LAST THANK A TEACHER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THIS LAST THANK A TEACHER THE TEACHER ALYSSA HARRIS IS A FIFTH GRADE TEACHER AND I WILL HAVE
THEM ROLL THE VIDEO RIGHT NOW. >> LOOKING FOR THOSE POETIC ELEMENTS
I LOVE BEING A TEACHER, GETTING THEM READY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND GETTING THEM READY TO BE
>> Chair Brill: AND SO AGAIN, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS. I WILL SAY AT THE DWYER AWARDS ONE THEME THAT WE HEARD WERE THE TEACHERS SAYING, WELL FIRST THEY SAID WE DON'T GO INTO TEACHING FOR THE MONEY. SO WE ALL KNOW THAT. BUT THEY ALL SAID HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO TEACH IN OUR DISTRICT
SO THANK YOU, TEACHERS, HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND SO NOW AT EVERY REGULAR BOARD MEETING WE DO REMEMBER OUR EMPLOYEES WE HAVE LOST. I'M GOING TO BE ASKING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR DEBORAH BROOKS, MAINTENANCE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AND MAINTENANCE
AND PLANT OPERATIONS WHO PASSED AWAY MARCH 19, 2025. DIS BRACIELLA CRUZ, FACILITATOR AT THE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS WHO
PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 25. MARJORIE SIEGEL, INTERPRETER FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING AND SHE PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 14, 2025.
I ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I'M GOING TO BRING US TO THE PROCLAMATIONS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN OUT OF ORDER. WE WILL DO OUR VOTES AND INVITE YOU DOWN AND DO PICTURES WITH THEM.
SO WE ARE GOING TO START OFF NOW WITH BRED1 I RECOMMEND THE BOARD APPROVE THE POST HUMOUS-- HOST HUME US PROCLAMATION. VICE CHAIR ANDREWS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ?
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PROCLAMATION OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FLORIDA, PROCLAMATION NUMBER 25-02, MAY 7, 2025. THE SCHOOL BOARD OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FLORIDA WANTS TO
RECOGNIZE Dr. OTELIA DUBOIS WHO RECENTLY PASSED AWAY AND TO ISSUE THIS PROCLAMATION. WHERES Dr. DUBOIS WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 1943 AND PASSED
AWAY ON APRIL 20, FIVE FIVE AND WHEREAS Dr. DUBOIS EARNED A BACHELOR DEGREE IN MUSIC AND EDUCATION FROM FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL UNIVERSITY, A MASTERS DEGREE IN HUMAN RELATIONS FROM NEW YORK
UNIVERSITY AS WELL AS A DOCTORATE IN HUMAN ECOLOGY FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY. AND WHERES SHE SERVED WITH DISTINGES AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND BUSINESS PRACTICES FOR THE SCHOOL
DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FROM 2003 UNTIL HER RETIREMENT IN 2010. AND WHEREAS IN AN EFFORT TO HELP MORE WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES GET WORK IN 2006, SHE STARTED THE PALM BEACH PARTNERS
BUSINESS MATCH MAKER CONFERENCE AND EXPO, AN ANNUAL EVENT BRINGING TOGETHER WOMEN AND MINORITY BUSINESS OWNERS AS WELL AS MAJORITY BUSINESS OWNERS FOR TRAINING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORKING.
AND WHEREAS THROUGHOUT HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER, Dr. DUBOIS HELD MANY IMPORTANT ROLES INCLUDING PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. FOR THE URBAN LEAGUE OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, CITY MANAGER FOR
RIVERA BEACH FLORIDA. DISTRICT MANAGER FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF LOTTERY AND MANY, MANY MORE AND WHERES DUBOIS MAINTAINS SEVERAL PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL CITY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN
PLANNING ASSOCIATION AS WELL AS THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OFFICIALS, AND WHEREAS SHE WAS NAMED ONE OF THE 25 MOST DISTINGUISHED AND INFLUENTIAL BLACK WOMEN IN 2010 BY MIA
MAGAZINE AND WHERES Dr. DUBOIS WAS HELD IN HIGH REGARD THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AND LEFT A LASTING IMPACT BY PROMOTING THE VIRTUES OF HARD WORK, FAIRNESS AND EQUALITY, NOW THEREFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, PROCLAIMS THAT SECTIONS 1 THE FOREGONE RECITALS ARE TRUE, CORRECT AND INCORPORATED INTO THIS PROCLAMATION BY THIS REFERENCE. SECTION 2: THE SCHOOL BOARD HONORS AND RECOGNIZES
POSTHUMOUSLY Dr. DUBOIS FOR HER NUMEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PALM BEACH COUNTY COMMUNITY, SECTION 3: THE SCHOOL BOARD WISHES TO ALSO RECOGNIZE Dr. OTE ELIA DUBOIS FOR HER MANY YEARS OF DEDICATION TO HER
COMMUNITY, INCLUDING HER INVOLVEMENT WITH THE WEST PALM BEACH AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMISSION, COALITION OF 100 BLACK WOMEN, DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED, MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND MORE. AND SECTION 4 THIS PROCLAMATION SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY ON THE 7th DAY OF MAY 2025.
THE SCHOOL BOARD OF PALM BEACH COUNTY SIGNED BY KAREN M. BRILL, SCHOOL BOARD CHAIR, AND SIGNED BY SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL J. BURKE AND ALL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HERE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> Chair Brill: ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR?
OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. Mr. SUPERINTENDENT. THAT IS GOING TO BRING US TO COM12. >> Supt.Burke: I RECOMMEND THE BOARD PROCEED PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND TRAUMA INFORMED MONTH. >> Chair Brill: MOTION BY VICE
CHAIR ANDREWS, SECOND BY Ms. SAVIETTO. I KNOW YOU WANT TO READ THAT PROCLAMATION. >> WE HAVE SOME GUESTS SO WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE, RIGHT? >> Chair Brill: AFTER WE FINISH. >> PROCLAMATION MENTAL HEALTH
AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE MONTH MAY 2025. WHEREAS MENTAL HEALTH IS ESSENTIAL TO EVERYONE'S OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AND EVERYONE EXPERIENCES TIMES OF STRESS AND STRUGGLE IN THEIR LIVES. AND WHEREAS RESEARCH RECOGNIZES
THAT ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES ALSO KNOWNS AS ACE, ARE TRAUMATIC EVENTS THAT CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON A CHILD'S DEVELOPING BRAIN AND BODY AND CAN RESULT IN POOR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
DURING CHILDHOOD AND ADULTHOOD AND WHEREAS ACE INCLUDES BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL NEGLECT, HOUSEHOLD DYSFUNCTION, UNTREATED
MENTAL MENTAL ILLNESS, INCARCERATION OF A HOUSEHOLD MEMBER, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEPARATION OR DIVORCE INVOLVING HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS AND WHEREAS STUDIES SHOW THAT THE EFFECTS OF ACE ARE FELT BY PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF RACE, ETHNICITY,
RELIGION, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. AND WHEREAS SCHOOL DISTRICT IN COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL AS AVAILABLE SUPPORT AND SERVICES CAN GREATLY AFFECT A PERSON'S ABILITY TO HANDLE THEIR
STRESS AND BUILD RESILIENCY SKILLS AND PROMOTING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS LEADS TO HIGHER OVERALL PRODUCTIVITY, BETTER EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES, LOWER CRIME RATES, STRONGER ECONOMIES, LOWER HEALTHCARE
COSTS, IMPROVED FAMILY LIFE AND INCREASED LIFESPAN AND WHEREAS THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY RECOGNIZES THE IMPACT OF AWARENESS IN EDUCATION, THE NECESSITY OF ACCESS TO SERVICES AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING TO A PERSON'S OVERALL SUCCESS AND SUPPORTS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAUMA ENFORCED APPROACHES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM OF CARE, AND WHEREAS THEY GET YOUR GREEN ON CAMPAIGN
AIMS TO RAISE AWARENESS BY CREATING A VISIBLE SUPPORT IN FOSTERING SAFE SPACES TO TALK OPENLY ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA. TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, EVERYONE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY IS ENCOURAGED TO GET YOUR GREEN ON AND WEAR GREEN ON THURSDAY MAY
15, 2025, WHICH IS ALWAYS THE THIRD THURSDAY IN MAY. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD OF PALM BEACH COUNTY DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND TRAUMA
INFORMED CARE MONTH. DONE THIS 7th DAY OF MAY, 2025 IN WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA SIGNED BY BOARD CHAIR KAREN BRILL AND SUPERINTENDENT MIKE BURKE. >> Chair Brill: ANY DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. >> AND WE HAVE GUESTS FROM THE UNITED WAY. >> Chair Brill: I'M GOING TO INVITED BOARD MEMBERS TO THE FLOOR FOR A PHOTO. FIRST WITH Dr. DUBOIS' FAMILY. AND THEN FOLLOWED BY A PHOTO WITH SETH BERNSTEIN OF UNITED
WAY AND THEN AFTERWARDS, BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE REMAIN ON THE FLOOR FOR PRESENTATIONS WHERE Ms. WE WILL BE JOINED FOR THE MAY BOARD RECOGNITIONS. >> WE ALSO HAVE TWO MORE-- >> Chair Brill: WHOEVER WANTS TO
JOIN US IS FINE.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR BRILL, VICE CHAIR ANDREWS, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY. THIS EVENING WE HAVE SIX RECOGNITIONS ON THE AGENDA. WE BEGIN WITH A RECOGNITION FOR THE NATIONAL JROTC LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION. THEY DONATED A TRAILER VALUED AT $12,000 TO FOREST HILL COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL'S JROTC PROGRAM. THE TRAILER WILL BE USED TO
TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT FOR THEIR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS LIKE RAIDERS, MARKSMANSHIP, DRILL, AND DRONES TEAMS. THE SCHOOL WAS IN NEED OF A TRAILER FOR A LONG TIME, AND THIS DONATION BOOSTS THE MORALE OF CADETS IN THE PROGRAM. THE DISTRICT IS GRATEFUL TO THE NATIONAL JROTC LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION FOR THIS DONATED TRAILER, AND APPRECIATES THE
FOUNDATION'S GENEROSITY TO FOREST HILL HIGH AND MULTIPLE OTHER SCHOOLS. HERE TO ACCEPT THIS RECOGNITION ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL JROTC IS MS. TORI JOECKEL, THE FOUNDATION'S PRESIDENT. AND WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SERGEANT MAJOR EDWIN VELAZQUEZ, SENIOR ARMY INSTRUCTOR JROTC AT FOREST HILL HIGH. LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE ARE RECOGNIZING ROOTS AND WINGS WHO BEGAN THEIR ABOVE AND BEYOND TEACHER AND STAFF RECOGNITION AWARDS IN 2016. THEY STARTED WITH HONORING TEACHERS IN DELRAY BEACH SCHOOLS, THEN EXPANDED TO NOW HONOR TEACHERS AND STAFF CHOSEN BY THEIR PEERS IN 15 TITLE I ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY.
MORE THAN 1,500 TEACHERS AND STAFF HAVE RECEIVED AN ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARD. THEY ALL GET A SIGNED CERTIFICATE, A CANVAS TOTE BAG, GIFTS AND GIFT CARDS FROM AREA MERCHANTS, AND A CHECK FOR $200. SINCE 2016, CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE ABOVE AND BEYOND AWARDS
TOTALS $300,000. ADDITIONALLY, BEGINNING IN 2017, ROOTS AND WINGS BEGAN A FREE AFTER-SCHOOL LITERACY TUTORIAL PROGRAM CALLED PROJECT UPLIFT! THEY INITIALLY PROVIDED FUNDS TO SUPPORT TEACHERS WHO STAYED AFTER SCHOOL TO TEACH THEIR STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM EXTRA LESSON TIME.
FROM 30 THIRD GRADE STUDENTS AT PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY, PROJECT UPLIFT HAS NOW GROWN TO SERVE MORE THAN 1,000 STUDENTS IN SEVERAL TITLE I PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY. THIS COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP IMPROVES READING SCORES FOR THESE STUDENTS BY PROVIDING 54 HOURS OF FREE, SMALL-GROUP INSTRUCTION, WITH LESSON PLANS CREATED AT EACH SCHOOL BY A LITERACY COORDINATOR FROM THAT
SCHOOL'S STAFF. IN ADDITION TO ACADEMIC TUTORING FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHER AND STAFF ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ROOTS AND WINGS ALSO ENCOURAGES STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN A FREE BICYCLE AND HELMET FOR REACHING THEIR IREADY GROWTH GOAL, A FREE T-SHIRT FOR EARNING
PERFECT ATTENDANCE, CERTIFICATES FOR READING GAINS, AND A FREE GIFT AT HOLIDAY TIME. THE DISTRICT EXTENDS ITS APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO ROOTS AND WINGS FOR THEIR YEARS OF GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT. HERE TO ACCEPT THE RECOGNITION, PLEASE WELCOME FROM ROOTS AND WINGS: TED HOSKINSON - FOUNDER AIDALYN MAGSAYO - DIRECTOR OF
DEVELOPMENT KARYN KEIL - DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS HAZEDA MAGSAYO - PROGRAM COORDINATOR SHERRY ZEPATOS - COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DON USELMANN - BOARD MEMBER ?MARCIA MARCIA MITHUN - BOARD MEMBER
MARK BURNS - BOARD MEMBER IN ADDITION TO ROOTS AND WINGS' STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS, WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRINCIPALS AND THEIR SCHOOLS WHO HAVE BENEFITED FROM ROOTS AND WINGS: GERALD RIOPELLE - BANYAN CREEK RENEE ELFE - BOCA RATON SHANDA GARVIN-SHAW - CORAL
SUNSET ELEMENTARY ?EISENHOWER ELEMENTARY ?MICHAEL SABATINO - FREEDOM SHORES ELEMENTARY ?STEPHANIE COOK - HAMMOCK POINTE ELEMENTARY ?JOAN
PIERRE-JEROME - J.C. JOAN PIERRE-JEROME - J.C. MITCHELL ELEMENTARY GLORIA SALAZAR - PREVIOUSLY AT JUPITER ELEMENTARY, NOW AT NEW HORIZONS ELEMENTARY
DR. CARLOS CASTRO - LAKE PARK AT THIS TIME WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME MR. HOSKINSON TO THE PODIUM TO SAY A FEW WORDS. AND LET'S GIVE ROOTS AND WINGS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
COM4 - STUDENT AWARD WINNERS >> TO BE HONEST, YOU HAVE SAID
EVERYTHING I WAS GOING TO SAY. SO THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HERE UNDERSTANDS IS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THIS
COMMUNITY, WE ARE ABLE TO GIFT MONEY AND TREASURE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HELP YOUR KIDS LEARN AND TO HONOR YOUR TEACHERS WHO WORK SO HARD EVERY DAY UNDER
RECOGNIZED, UNDER APPRECIATED TEACHERS AND STAFF, PRINCIPALS WHO WORK SO VERY HARD. AND WE THINK EAR ABLE TO PLAY THE PIED PIPER TO HELP THESE
YOUNG KIDS WHO WHO, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, LIVE IN A SITUATION THAT NEEDS A LITTLE EXTRA TIME, A LITTLE EXTRA CARE AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HELP THOSE TEACHERS WHO WANT TO HELP THEM AFTER SCHOOL WE WANT TO PAY
THEM TO DO THAT, WE WANT TO HAVE THEM HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF HELPING THOSE KIDS DO WHAT THEY DO BEST. SO FOR US, IT'S A REAL PLEASURE AND I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WHEN YOU LOOK OVER THERE AT ALL THOSE PEOPLE, ALL THOSE PRINCIPLES WHO HAVE TAKEN
THEIR TIME TO COME HERE TODAY TO SAY WE APPRECIATE WHAT ROOTS AND WINGS DOES BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL OF WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE ARE THE REAL BEGINNINGS OF EDUCATION IN THIS PALM BEACH COUNTY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOU ALL ARE RECOGNIZING US BUT WE ARE RECOGNIZING THOSE PEOPLE WHO WORK SO HARD FOR ALL OF US.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE ARE RECOGNIZING STUDENTS WHO TOOK HOME FIRST PLACE TEAM AND INDIVIDUAL AWARDS AT THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT FOR ACADEMIC GAMES HELD IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA LAST MONTH. DISTRICT STUDENTS COMPETED AGAINST MORE THAN 1,000 OTHER PLAYERS IN THE TOURNAMENT THAT INVOLVED A VARIETY OF ACADEMIC CHALLENGES. THANK YOU TO THE COACHES FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE:
DOUGLAS BATTLE - BAK MIDDLE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS BRENDA BARRECA - WELLINGTON COMMUNITY HIGH NICOLE FRESEMAN - WATSON B. DUNCAN MIDDLE ALAN KOESTEN - CITRUS COVE ELEMENTARY BRADD WEINBERG - SECONDARY EDUCATION
JESSICA MAHARREY - PALM SPRINGS MIDDLE WHO RECEIVED AN OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR AWARD. ?ELLEN BREDEWEG - DIRECTOR, PALM BEACH ACADEMIC GAMES LEAGUE. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENTS FOR THEIR SUCCESS IN THIS YEAR'S TOURNAMENT. WE'RE GOING TO CALL THE STUDENTS UP SEPARATELY, FIRST ELEMENTARY, THEN MIDDLE, THEN HIGH. TO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AS I CALL YOUR NAME. CAN EVERYBODY PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL ALL THE TIMES HAVE BEEN READ. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, THE
FIRST PLACE WINNERS FROM DEL PRADO ELEMENTARY: JOSEPH NEMZER AND FROM SUNSET PALMS ELEMENTARY: MICAH BARTOLINI JUSTIN KERPER SOLEIL LUBESKI HASYA REDDY MARAM KAVYA PANDIT LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FIRST PLACE WINNERS, PLEASE COME FORWARD AS I CALL YOUR NAME: FROM BAK MIDDLE SCHOOL OF THE ARTS: DIYA SHANDALINGAM MAHD CHOWDHURY FROM BOCA MIDDLE: KATHERINE CHAN FROM DON ESTRIDGE HIGH TECH MIDDLE: RISHIK VISHAKH FROM OMNI MIDDLE: ASHWATH RAJESH FROM POLO PARK MIDDLE:
JITHIN NAMBIAR ANVITH ARRA AND FROM WESTERN PINES MIDDLE: WYATT BARRECA LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
FINALLY FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FIRST PLACE WINNERS. PLEASE COME FORWARD AS I CALL YOUR NAME. FROM DREYFOOS SCHOOL OF THE ARTS: COLE HOFFMAN DANIEL GOLDBERG FROM PARK VISTA COMMUNITY HIGH: MASON BARTOLINI FROM SUNCOAST COMMUNITY HIGH: CONCHESSA DELOS REYES ABHIRAM RAJ FROM WELLINGTON COMMUNITY HIGH:
ANDREW DELLAVECCHIA DANIEL ROBBERT WHO ALSO RECEIVED AN OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD. LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
NEXT WE ARE RECOGNIZING HIDDEN OAKS K-8 SCHOOL FOR BEING SELECTED AS A 2025 FLORIDA SCHOOL TO WATCH, THE FIRST SCHOOL IN SEVEN YEARS TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. EARLIER IN THE SCHOOL YEAR, THE HIDDEN OAKS K-8 STAFF STARTED AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT INCLUDED A STUDY OF EXEMPLARY
INDICATORS IN FOUR DOMAINS: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS, SOCIAL EQUITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES. THE REQUIREMENTS ALSO INCLUDED A STAFF SURVEY, A SELF-STUDY, AND A NARRATIVE APPLICATION, RESULTING IN A SITE VISIT BY AN EVALUATION TEAM.
DURING THE SITE VISIT, STUDENT AND PARENT PANELS COMMENDED THE TEACHERS FOR THEIR STRONG AND CONSISTENT GUIDANCE, INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE, AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS. THEY ALSO DESCRIBED A STAFF THAT IS CONSISTENTLY RESPONSIVE TO STUDENT NEEDS AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM WHOSE LEADERSHIP WAS DESCRIBED AS INNOVATIVE, PERSONABLE, AND VISIONARY. CONGRATULATIONS TO HIDDEN OAKS
K-8 SCHOOL FOR BEING SELECTED AS A 2025 FLORIDA SCHOOL TO WATCH. HERE TO ACCEPT THE RECOGNITION, WE HAVE: SHARI BREMEKAMP - PRINCIPAL BRYAN WHITE - ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE DR. RACHEL CAPITANO, SOUTH REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT AND
ALICIA WRIGHT-HARP, FLORIDA STATE DIRECTOR FROM FLORIDA SCHOOLS TO WATCH. LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WITH THIS WEEK, MAY 5 THROUGH 9 BEING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, IT IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR OUR NEXT TWO RECOGNITIONS, AS WE CELEBRATE EDUCATORS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE RECIPIENTS OF THE PALM BEACH FUTURE EDUCATORS SCHOLARSHIP WHERE QUALIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND NON-INSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEES WHO WANT TO BECOME TEACHERS CAN APPLY AND COMPETE
FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP. THE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDES $1,000 EACH FALL AND SPRING SEMESTER FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS. AS A CONDITION OF ACCEPTING THE SCHOLARSHIP, RECIPIENTS AGREE TO RETURN TO THE DISTRICT TO TEACH UPON COLLEGE GRADUATION. RECIPIENTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH
AN APPLICATION PROCESS THAT INVOLVES A WRITTEN ESSAY AND INTERVIEW. THIS EVENING, WE WANT TO CELEBRATE THE RECIPIENTS OF THIS YEAR'S SCHOLARSHIP, AND WISH EACH OF THEM THE BEST OF LUCK AS THEY EMBARK ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT CAREER PATH. TO THE RECIPIENTS THAT ARE HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD AS I CALL YOUR NAME, AND CAN EVERYONE PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL ALL THE NAMES HAVE BEEN READ.
CONGRATULATIONS TO: DEAIRA CORIOLANT MARIBEL CRUZ MARTINE CUPIDON MIKERSON DESIR KENNYS DOMINGUEZ KACEY EDWARDS GENESIS ESCOBAR KEISANO FORRESTER RODRIC JOHNSON
EVA LATORRE MAGDALENA ROJAS NICOLAS LAURA RAYMUNDO VEREMIS CERVANTES ROA MARDOCHEE SAINTYL LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF
APPLAUSE.
S[ APPLAUSE ] AND FINALLY THIS EVENING, WE ARE RECOGNIZING SEVERAL GRADUATING
STUDENTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR STUDIES ON THEIR WAY TO BECOMING TEACHERS, AND SIGNED TEACHER FIRST PRIORITY PROMISE LETTERS. THESE STUDENTS HAVE MADE AN AGREEMENT, STATING THAT UPON THEIR GRADUATION FROM AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, AND PROVIDED THEY MEET STATE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, THEY WILL BE FIRST PRIORITY IN BEING OFFERED A
TEACHING POSITION HERE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE ARE ALSO RECOGNIZING STUDENTS AS PART OF CAREER DECISION SIGNING DAY, WHICH IS FOR THE 2025 SENIORS WHO HAVE SIGNED NON-BINDING AGREEMENTS, ACCEPTED OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT, AND WILL BE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE RIGHT AFTER GRADUATION IN A FIELD
ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM THEY WERE ENROLLED IN DURING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS. CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE STUDENTS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE WORKFORCE. TO THE TEACHER FIRST PRIORITY AND CAREER DECISION STUDENTS HERE TODAY, PLEASE COME FORWARD AS I CALL YOUR NAME, AND EVERYONE PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL ALL NAMES HAVE
BEEN READ: MINOUCHE ACE ALEJANDRO ACOSTA ANDREA AGUADO KYLA ALBURY KELSEY ALLEN FARNIE ALTIDOR
JUANA ANDRES-PEDRO ALEX BAILEY JAYLEN BATTLE KATHERINE BLACK ANGELICA BARRIOS-BAUTISTA YORDANY CARTAYA ISABELLA CONRADO LUNA LOPEZ DA CUNHA GENESIS ESCOBAR AMARA GARRETT D'VAYA HANNAH-JENKINS BRIANA LAWRENCE
TANYA LOPEZ NEHEMIE LUXANA CITLALY CHAJ MAURICIO NATASHA MONTES NADAE O'GILVIE JOHANNA SALAS RAMIREZ LUCERO SALAZAR KELSY STERLING BRITTANY TOTZ GISELA ZELAYA-BAZA LET'S GIVE THEM ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
BOARD CHAIR BRILL, VICE CHAIR ANDREWS, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THIS CONCLUDES THE RECOGNITIONS FOR MAY. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR ATTENTION THIS EVENING.
>> Chair Brill: SO BOARD MEMBERS AND TO EVERYBODY WHO IS HERE, TONIGHT MARKS THE FINAL BOARD MEETING FOR OUR STUDENT REPRESENT ISABELLA MIRASOLA, A MEMBER OF THE INAUGURAL GRADUATING CLASS OF Dr. JOAQUIN GARCIA HIGH SCHOOL, TO COMMEMORATE HER TIME
SERVING ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT HER WITH A PLAQUE TO HONOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS. WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, ISABELLA.
[ APPLAUSE ]
WE ARE GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY A MINUTE BECAUSE SOME OF THE COMPUTERS SHUT DOWN SO LET'S
TAKE A ONE-MINUTE PAUSE. THAT BRINGS US TO OUR STUDENT
GOVERNMENT REPORT. ISABELLA. >> GOOD EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, CHAIRWOMAN BRILL, VICE CHAIR ANDREWS AND BOARD MEMBERS, IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THIS IS MY LAST SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, EVEN THOUGH IT IS MY LAST MEETING I
WILL BE PARTNERING WORKING ON THE PALM BEACH HUNG INITIATIVE. I'M PLEASED TO SHARE ANOTHER UPDATE ON THE INITIATIVE. WE WILL BE CONNECTING WITH THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT PRESIDENT AT EACH SCHOOL AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE ONE, WE WILL IDENTIFY A STUDENT TO LEAD THE INITIATIVE IN THEIR SCHOOL. THIS IS REMAINS A STUDENT LED.
AND TO GET KIDS EXCITED AND ENGAGED TO PARTICIPATE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE INFORMATION IS SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL NEWS. THE BULLETIN WILL BE GOING OUT TO PRINCIPALS IN AUGUST AND OUR POSTERS WILL BE SENT TO THE IDENTIFIED ADULT OR STUDENT IN DECEMBER. THE SURVEY WILL BE LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER FOR A FEW WEEKS BUT
THIS TIME WE WILL BE ADDING A FRIENDLY COMPETITION AMONG SCHOOLS. I WANT TO MENTION AGAIN THAT WE RECEIVED 14,654 RESPONSES TO THE PALM BEACH HUNGER INITIATIVE SURVEY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT ELRY TO SHARE MONTHLY UPDA ITS ON THE PALM BEACH HUNG INITIATIVE. THANK YOU.
>> Chair Brill: THANK YOU AND WE HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU. DON'T DISAPPEAR. KEEP US UPDATED ON EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. YOU HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S GOING TO BRING US TO OUR COMMITTEE REPORTS. WE DON'T HAVE AN ACADEMIC COMMITTEE-- ACADEMIC ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT. THERE IS ALSO NO AUDIT COMMITTEE
REPORT. THE CONSTRUCTION OVERSIGHT REVIEW COMMITTEE REPORT IS ATTACHED TO YOUR AGENDAS. THERE IS NO REPORT FROM THE DISTRICT DIVERSITY AND EQUITY COMMITTEE. GENERAL COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT TODAY? >> NO REPORT, THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: INSPECTOR GENERAL DO YOU HAVE A REPORT TODAY? >> NO REPORT. >> Chair Brill: SO THAT IS GOING
TO BRING US NOW TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DELEGATES. I WILL CALL YOU TWO AT A TIME. WE'LL START WITH JAMES GAVRILOS, PRESIDENT AND C.E.O. OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION, FOLLOWED BY GORDON LONGHOFER, THE CTA
PRESIDENT. >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT. A LOT OF TIMES IN OUR WORLD, THE NON-PROFIT WORLD WHEN YOU HAVE AN EVENT, YOU RUN A SPONSORSHIP DECK. YOU PUT THE PEOPLE UP THERE WHO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES. TONIGHT THAT DECK HAS MAYBE TWO
SLIDES. MATT LANE WE APPRECIATE YOUR VERY KIND WORDS MENTIONING THE EXCITEMENT LAST TUESDAY. I DON'T THINK PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS ANY GREATER ADVOCATE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAN THE COMPANY AND THE EMPLOYEES OF FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT. FOR YEARS THEY HAVE DONE A STEM CLASSROOM MAKEOVER GRANT, IDENTIFYING ONE SCHOOL IN OUR
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PROVIDING A $50,000 GRANT FOR THAT SCHOOL TO COMPLETELY MAKEOVER THEIR CLASSROOM WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY, CURRICULUM, RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MAKE IT A STEM HUB. THIS YEAR AS YOU WERE INFORMED
EARLIER, THEY NAMED FOUR SCHOOLS. OUR FOUNDER OF OUR RED APPLE SUPPLY LEAD DONOR IN OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, AS YOU KNOW, EVENT WHOSE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION MADE A $6 MILLION GIFT TO BUILD OUR RECENTLY OPENED FACILITY. MER TITHE TRIM HERSELF SPONSORED
TWO YOUR SCHOOLS SO AS Mr. LANE POINTED OUT BANNION CREEK, INLET GROVE, ELSIE SWAIN MIDDLE. PINE JOG LEXINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, ROOSEVELT MIDDLE AND WESTWARD ELEMENTARY ALL RECEIVED $50,000 GRANTS TO COMPLETELY MAKE OVER ONE OF THEIR
CLASSROOMS WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. NOW ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED IN HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL WAS OUTCOME, OUTPUT, IMPACT. GREAT. WE DID ALL THESE THINGS. WHAT IS THE IMPACT? WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THE ROAD, THE STEM CLASSROOM MAKEOVER GRANTS
ARE GREAT OUTPUTS THAT CREATE AN OUTCOME OF A SCHOOL HAVING AN UPTO DATE STEM PRACTICAL. BUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT? MARCIA, THIS IS FOR YOU TONIGHT WE TALK ABOUT OUR ROBOTICS
PROGRAM AT PAHOKEE MIDDLE HIGH, WE CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOUR SUPPORT. YOU WERE THE ONE WHO STARTED THAT STEPPING UP STEM, ROCKET POWERED ROBOTICS. WHAT IS THE IMPACT EIGHT YEARS AFTER THAT PROGRAM START?
JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF GRADUATES GETTING SCHOLARSHIPS. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM PAHOKEE, PART OF THE ROBOTICS PROGRAM FROM THE BEGINNING WERE BOTH AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS GATES
MILLENIUM SCHOLARSHIP. THIS COVERS ALL COLLEGE EXPENSES FOR 10 YEARS. THESE TWO YOUNG PEOPLE-- [ APPLAUSE ] THESE TWO YOUNG PEOPLE FROM
PAHOKEE HIGH WILL HAVE THEIR COLLEGE COVERED FROM COLLEGE, MASTERS AND Ph.D. DOCTORAL PROGRAM. 10 YEARS OF COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, OR IN MY CASE, JUST ENOUGH TIME TO GET AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE. [LAUGHTER] ELIZABETH ROUGH BLROBS AND
CAMERON RECEIVED THE FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIP. BOTH CAPTAIN AND CO-CAPTAIN OF THE ROBOTICS PROGRAM. THE LAST FEW YEARS, EVERYVILLE DICK TORIAN AT PAHOKEE HIGH HAS COME FROM THE ROBOTICS PROGRAM.
ONE FINAL NOTE, IN THAT PROGRAM, JIAVANI, TENDS GRADER AT PAHOKEE HAS BEEN GRANTED AN INTERNSHIP AT A SMALL COMPANY CALLED GOOGLE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THESE ARE IMPACTS. EVERY MONTH I GET UP AND TALK ABOUT THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
I WANT TO YOU CALL ME ON IT SOMETIMES, MATT BECAUSE THOSE ARE OUTPUTS. THEY HAVE GREAT OUTCOMES. BUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT? THE IMPACT IS SUPERINTENDENT BURKE YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP IS A LAUNCHING PAD FOR THESE CHILDREN TO RECEIVE THE HIGHEST EDUCATION
THE MOST INCREDIBLE INTERNSHIPS BECAUSE PALM BEACH SCHOOLS WAS THEIR BEST CHOICE THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE WORK OF THE FOUNDATION AS WE SUPPORT YOURS.
>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, HONORED GUESTS. I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO FOLLOW UP JAMES' REMARKS ABOUT ROBOTICS AT PAHOKEE. A BUDDY OF MINE, A COUPLE
BUDDIES OF MINE OUT THERE FROM MY MOST RECENT ASSIGNMENT BEFORE SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNION, BRAD SOKOL AND PENNY, THE BEGINNING OF THAT DEVELOPING PROGRAM AND THE WORK GOING ON WITH THOSE KIDS, AND THAT'S EXPANDED EVEN FURTHER TO INCLUDE THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND
THAT GAVE IT A PATH FOR THE KIDS TO CONTINUE TO MOVE ON. IT REALLY IS A HUGE DEAL OUT THERE. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, YOU TOIL EARLY, YOU MOVE ON TO OTHER VENTURES BUT THE WORK CONTINUES WITH SOMEBODY ELSE AND THE LEGACY IS THE STUDENTS AND THE ACHIEVEMENT
THAT THEY HAVE AND THE WORK THEY WILL ULTIMATELY DO IN THEIR ADULT LIVES BECAUSE OF THE FOUNDATION LAID IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WITH THAT, I WANT TO MOVE OVER AND THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT TO EACH AND EVERY BOARD MEMBERS WHOSE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION TO TEACHERS FOR THE
WORK THEY DO A A DAILY BASIS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. WE NOTICE IT AND APPRECIATE IT. AND WE THANK YOU FOR IT. IT IS TRUE WE GO INTO THIS FOR THE OUTCOMES FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE IMPACT THEY WILL HAVE
MORE THAN THE INCOME BUT TOPICS FOR OTHER DISCUSSIONS THIS IS REALLY MORE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON. GOOD WE ARE HERE AT THE END OF A SCHOOL YEAR, I WANT TO DOUBLE DOWN TO THE CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THOSE TEACHERS HONORED IN
THE DWYER AWARDS, NOT JUST THE WINNERS ANNOUNCED MONDAY NIGHT BUT ALSO THE FINALISTS WHO GOT THERE AS WELL AS EVERYBODY WHO EVEN COMPETED TO GET TO THAT POINT. THE PHRASE USED FOR ME IN MY
CHORAL MUSIC EDUCATION DAYS, WHAT WE GET FROM OUR STUDENTS IS REALLY GREATER THAN THE SUM OF THE PARTS THAT I WILL GO INTO IT BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE, WHICH BRINGS ME TO GRADUATION, 'TIS THE SEASON TO CELEBRATE GRADUATIONS I WAS THINKING ABOUT
GIVING YOU A REAL HOKIE REMAINING OF A SONG, THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR. BUT I WILL SPARE YOU THE SORDID DETAILS ON THAT BUT IT REALLY IS A WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR WITH STUDENTS GRADUATING, YOU ALL ARE GOING TO BE OUT AND ABOUT CELEBRATING THOSE GRADUATIONS WITH THEM AND WITH
THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. SO I URGE YOU TO BE SAFE AS YOU ARE DOING THAT. WE NEED YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO THE GREAT GOVERNANCE WORK THAT YOU'VE GOT GOING ON. SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO OUR WORK IN THE CLASSROOM AND SEE MORE KIDS WALK ACROSS THE STAGE WITH THEIR DIPLOMAS.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T BRING JUST A SMALL SENSE OF REALITY TO WHERE WE ARE. THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION DID NOT CONCLUDES ON TIME. THAT'S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS IS THEY DIDN'T GET DONE. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE STILL HAVE TIME TO CONTINUE TO LOBBY OUR
LOCALS AS WELL AS STATE LEADERS TO THE DEGREE THAT WE CAN WITH ALL THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THEY PROVIDE THE FUNDING THAT IS NEED NEEDED TO LITERALLY FULLY STAFF OUR SCHOOLS, FULLY FUND PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS TO GET THE
JOB DONE, IT REALLY IS NOTHING MORE THAN WHAT IS NEEDED. I URGE YOU TO JOIN ME IN THAT TASK. I CAN YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO SUPPORT US AND KICKING BACK THE THANKS AND APPRECIATION YOU
EXPRESSED TO TEACHERS AND WISH YOU ALL A GOOD EVENING AND JOYOUS END TO THE SCHOOL YEAR. >> SYLVIA HAL AND MABEL MELTON, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HISPANIC EDUCATION COALITION.
>> HELLO, SYLVIA HAL, P.T.A. PRESIDENT. I WILL START WITH THE MISSION OF THE P.T.A. OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE EVERY
CHILD'S A REALITY BY ENGAGING AND EMPOWERING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO ADVOCATE FOR ALL CHILDREN. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE REFLECTIONS PROGRAM. I TALK ABOUT THAT LIKE A MONTH AGO. WE HAD FROM OUR COUNTY, WE HAD
LIKE NINE STUDENTS THAT GOT THE AWARD OF MERIT FROM FLORIDA P.T.A. REFLECTIONS AND THREE GOT THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN FILM PRODUCTION, MUSIC COMPOSITION AND VISUAL ARTS. THESE THREE STUDENTS WPT WENT TO
COMPETE AT THE NATIONAL REFLECTIONS LEVEL AND OF THE THREE, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT XAVIER GOT THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN FILM PRODUCTION
AND ARA GOT THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE FOR MUSIC COMPOSITION. WE ARE REALLY HAPPY BECAUSE WE WERE COMPETING, ALL THE KIDS WERE COMPETING WITH ALL THE STATES WOULD I LIKE TO SAY THAT NEXT THURSDAY WE ARE CELEBRATING
OUR END OF YEAR SCHOOL YEAR AS A P.T.A. WE ARE DOING LIKE EVERY YEAR, THE AWARDS CELEBRATIONS. LOCAL UNITS ARE ENCOURAGE TO SUBMIT AWARDS ON DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, INCLUDING ADVOCACY,
ARTS AND EDUCATION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGE MANY. HEALTH AND WELLNESS, LEADERSHIP OF THE YEAR LITERACY, MEMBERSHIP AWARD AND P.T.A. OF THE YEAR
SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT AND STUDENT SUCCESS. I DON'T KNOW THE PINNERS. I WILL KNOW THEM NEXT WEEK SO I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE WHO THE WINNERS ARE WE LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
WE AWARDED LIKE THREE SCHOLARSHIPS OF $500 EACH TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS GRADUATING STUDENTS. ALEXANDRA BRIGHT, TROY AND SAMANTHA MAINS.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, JULY 10-JULY 13 WE ARE GOING HAVE THE P.T.A. CONVENTION IN ORLANDO AND EVERYBODY IS WELCOME TO ATTEND AND WITH THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> Chair Brill: MABEL MILTON, ARE YOU HERE SO THAT BRINGS US NOW TO JABDZ TOPIC SPEAKERS OF WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANY SO THAT'S GOING TO MOVE US TO THE
CONSENT AGENDA. I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, MOTION BY Ms. WHITFIELD SECOND BY Ms. BRANCH. ANY DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. WE DON'T HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS SO THAT BRINGS US TO NEW BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S GOING TO Mr. SUPERINTENDENT BRING US TO COM8. >> I RECOMMEND THE BOARD PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS ASIAN-AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERRER HERITAGE MONTH. >> Chair Brill: MOTION BY Ms. WHITFIELD SECOND BY VICE CHAIR AN.
I-- ANDREWS. I UNDERSTAND WOULD YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ THAT. >> Edward Ferguson: SURE. WHEREAS ASIAN-AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDER AAPI HERITAGE IN THE UNITED STATES WAS CELEBRATED BEGINNING IN 1978 AND WAS MADE INTO A MONTH LONG EVENT
IN 1992 AND WHEREAS DURING AAPI HERITAGE MONTH WE ACKNOWLEDGE THEY WERE LIVED AND WORKED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS CONTRIBUTING TO THE EDUCATION, ARTS LITERATURE SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGICAL DESPITE SYSTEMIC INJUSTICES DESIGNED TO PREVENT AND LIMIT THESE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS AND WHEREAS DURING AAPI HERITAGE MONTH, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK TO BE BE HEARD AND SEEN AND THESE
ADDITIONAL EFFORTS ARE THE RESULT OF AND DESPITE THESE CONTRIBUTIONS IN LEER, THE ROLE OF AAPI PEOPLE IN U.S. HISTORY HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY OVERLOOKED AND UNDER VALUED IN THE LITERATURE TEACHING AND STUDY OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND WHERES RACIALLY MOTIVATED DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT IS AT A HIGH WITH A NATIONAL SPIKE IN HATE CRIMES AGAINST THE AAPI COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY TARGETING MUSLIM SOUTH ASIAN AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN MEMBERS AND WHEREAS AAPI COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY
INSTANCES OF HATE AND DISCRIMINATION DURING THE COVID COVID-19 PANDEMIC. NOW THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD OF PALM BEACH COUNTY DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER MONTH AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS TO OBSERVE, RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE CULTURE,
HERITAGE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS TO OUR COUNTY, STATE AND COUNTRY. DONE THIS 7th DAY OF MAY, 2025. IN WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA. >> Chair Brill: ANY DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? IN OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> Supt.Burke: I RECOMMEND THE BOARD PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS HERITAGE MONTH GLIKE MR. FERGUSON. >> YES, I WANT TO SAY TO OUR HAITIAN CONSTITUENTS. THIS IS A BIG DEAL TO ME. PROCLAMATION HAITIAN HERITAGE
MONTH MAY 2025, WHEREAS THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY FLORIDA IS DUE IN PART TO AN ETHNIC DIVERSITY THAT INCLUDES SUBSTANTIAL AND RAPIDLY INCREASING HAITIAN POPULATION AND WHEREAS WE RECOGNIZE THE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION OF THE HAITIAN PEOPLE IN THE FIGHT FOR THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA ESPECIALLY IN THE BATTLE OF SAVANNAH AND PAY DUE TRIBUTE TO THEIR LEGACY AND WHEREAS THE HAITIAN POPULATION IN SOUTH FLORIDA JOINS TOGETHER DURING THE MONTH OF MAY TO CELEBRATE THEIR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL IDENTITY AND WHEREAS THE MONTH INCLUDES HAITIAN FLAG
DAY MAY 18 TO CELEBRATE THE CREATION OF THE FLAG OF HAITI AND REVOLUTION LUGS IN HAITI THAT LED TO THE COUNTRY'S INDEPENDENCE FROM FRANCE AND SET THE PRECEDENT FOR UPRISING BY ENSLAVED PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS DAY IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DATE OF THE FLAG'S ADOPTION
IN 1803. AND WHEREAS IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN OUR SOCIETY NORD TO STRENGTHEN OUR MULTICULTURAL STUDENT POPULATION AND IMPROVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND SCHOOL BOARD
OF PALM BEACH COUNTY PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS HAITIAN HERITAGE MONTH AND HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE DIVERSITY OF HAITIAN CULTURE AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO PALM BEACH COUNTY. THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE UNITED STATES. DONE THIS 7th DAY OF MAY 2025
IN WEST PALM BEACH FLORIDA. >> Chair Brill: ANY DISCUSSION. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. >> I WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THE NEXT ITEM TO MISTER REESE AMICHAEL AND THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL. I RECOMMEND THE BOARD PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS AUDIT AWARENESS
MONTH GLIKE MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. >> I RECOMMEND THE BOARD PROCEED PROCLAIM MAY 2025 AS JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH GLIKE MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THAT TAKES US TO DS 2. I RECOMMEND THE BOARD TO HISTORIC CARVER TEM CENTER. GLIKE MOTION BY Ms. WHITFIELD
SECOND BY VICE CHAIR ANDREWS, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THAT ITEM. >> Edward Ferguson: I PULLED IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO GIVE A HUGE SHOUTOUT TO HISTORIC CARVER HIGH SCHOOL. SHORTLY AFTER I WAS ELECTED BY MY CONSTITUENTS IN DISTRICT 7 TO
BE THE REPRESENTATIVE I QAG ABLE TO HAVE A MEETING TO MEET WITH CONSTITUENTS FROM DELRAY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY REQUESTED WAS THAT WE RENAME, REBRAND THE ADULT ED CENTER THAT WE ARE DOING NOW.
GLAD TO SEE THIS THROUGH. THANKS TO SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, YOU HAVE AN AMAZING STAFF. AND THEN Mr. SANCHES, OUR COO VERY QUIET BEHIND THE SCENES WHO GOES ABOUT HIS BUSINESS IN A WORKMAN LIKE FASHION, HE TOLD THE GROUP WHEN WE MET IN HIS
OFFICE THAT WE WOULD GET THIS DONE. Mr. SANCHES, I THANK YOU AND Mr. BAMP WHO IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB LEADING OUR ADULT ED DEPARTMENT AND THIS UNDERSCORES THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE BEST CHOICE FOR PEOPLE WHETHER YOU ARE 3, 4, 5, 55, 65, IF YOU ARE
LOOKING TO BE EDUCATED, YOU SHOULD GO NO FRTSDZ THAN THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. TEAM, THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING. AND THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR THE ALUMNI OF HISTORIC CARVER HIGH SCHOOL.
>> Marcia Andrews: I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AND FOR THE TEAM, SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, THE NEW FACILITY IS ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS AND THE MAKING OF WHAT IS TO COME IS GOING TO BE GRAND. I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY. IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL THING TO SEE HOW THE COMMUNITY CAME
TOGETHER HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAME ALONG AND MATE IT HAPPENED AND TO SEE THE WONDERFUL NAME CHANGE I'M SO PROUD OF DELRAY. IT'S A GREAT THING. I AGREE IT'S BIG GLIKE ALL IN
FAVOR? OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. >> Supt.Burke: P2, I RECOMMEND THE SCHOOL BOARD THE ADENY UM. >> Chair Brill: ANY DISCUSSION. SFAWL OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES
UNANIMOUSLY. >> Supt.Burke: I RECOMMEND THE BOARD APPROVE AND REPEAL DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY 2.065 VISITATION PROTOCOLS ON DISTRICT PROPERTY DUE TO COVID-19. >> MOTION BY Ms. WHITED SECOND BY Ms. BRANCH, MR. FERGUSON. I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. >> Edward Ferguson: I DID AND I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY
TO DISCUSS OUR VISITATION PROTOCOLS AT OUR SCHOOLS AND THE PANDEMIC AND THE NEED TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM WHAT WAS AT THE TIME, A VERY COMMUNICABLE DISEASE. NOW NO TWI WE ARE PULLING THIS POLICY. IN 2025 IT MAKES ME THINK BACK
TO WHERE WE WERE AS A DISTRICT. BACK THEN I WAS, AS FAR AS PARENTS GO, I WAS A YOUNG PAPER. MY SON WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD AND I REMEMBER THE SCHOOLS BEING MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ME AS A PARENT THAN THEY ARE NOW. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK
IT IS AN ELEMENT SO SUPERINTENDENT BURKE AND BOARD MEMBERS I REALLY WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER IN LIGHT OF THESE POLICIES HELPED PUSH THE PARENTS OUT OF THE SCHOOL.
LET'S REINVITE THEM BACK INTO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN A WAY THAT IS SAFE, OBVIOUSLY AND NOT IN CONFLICT WITH OUR SINGLE ENTRY AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE BUT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AS A DISTRICT TRULY WELCOME THE PARENTS BACK. NOT JUST ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND NOT JUST FOR A SACK
OR RELATIVELY SPEAKING THE ONE OFF, YOU KNOW, SPRING PLAY OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE BUT ON A DAILY BASIS, HAVE THE PARENTS KNOW, HAVE THE ASSURANCE THAT YOU ARE WELCOME HERE. YOU ARE NOT AN INTRUDER OR AS LONG AS YOU ARE NOT AN INTRUDER OR THREAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE.
I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS I'M DOING IT THIS WAY BECAUSE TECHNICALLY WE CAN ONLY SPEAK AT THE BOARD MEETING BUT THIS IS SOMETHING AS A PARENT WHO COMES IN CONTACT WITH MANY PARENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, THIS SOMETHING WE REALLY SHOULD
LOOK AT AND FIGURE OUT A PROACTIVE WAY TO, AGAIN, REINVITE, REENGAGE IF YOU WILL WITH OUR PARENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY TO HELP MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR ROLES CONTINUALLY, CONTINUING TO GO UP AND NOT DOWN.
SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair Brill: MISS WHITTFIELD. >> Erica Whitfield: I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE PRINCIPALS ABOUT THIS AS WELL. IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF US BEING COMPETITIVE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE PARENTS BE A PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE,
ALLOWING THEM TO COME IN AND EVEN HAVING LUNCH WITH THEIR CHILDREN OCCASIONALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IS A WONDERFUL WAY TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND TO MAKE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO KNOW EACH OTHER. SO I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GOOD POINT FOR THIS POLICY. AS IT IS BEING REPEALED SO REALLY ENCOURAGE OUR PRINCIPALS
TO TAKE THE TIME TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO INCORPORATE FAMILIES BACK INTO THEIR SCHOOLS. I THINK IT MAKES US MORE COMPETITIVE AND MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO BE PART OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND REALLY, I THINK PARENTS CAN ONLY CONTRIBUTE TO REALLY MAKING THE SCHOOL AN EVEN BETTER PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP. >> Chair Brill: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. >> BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE DON'T NORMALLY DEAL WITH. SUPERINTENDENT BURKE, HOW WOULD THIS WORK, WOULD IT BE AS SIMPLE YOU AND YOUR STAFF CONVEYING TO OUR PRINCIPALS THE IMPORTANCE OF
TRYING TO SET UP SOME SORT OF, IF YOU WILL, VISITATION, SCHEDULE FOR PARENTS WHETHER IT'S ON MONDAYS FIRST GRADE PARENTS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. WHAT DO YOU, IF YOU-- I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I'M SPRINGING ON THIS NOW.
IF YOU CAN ANSWER, WHAT DO YOU ENVISION THAT LOOKING LIKE MOVING FORWARD? EXPWHRS WELL, WE ARE REPEALING THIS POLICY BECAUSE IT'S OBSOLETE NOW WITH THE PANDEMIC BEHIND US. OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE ADAPTED OUR OTHER POLICIES TO SHORE UP OUR VISITATION REQUIREMENTS AND THAT TYPE OF THING. IT'S A BALANCING ACT.
WE WANT ALL FAMILIES TO FEEL WELCOME ON OUR CAMPUS. WE JUST WENT THROUGH OUR TRANSITION TO KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM WHERE WE PROVIDED TOURS AND WELCOMED FAMILIES IN YOU THE ALSO THE SCHOOL DAY HAS TO GET STARTED AT SOME POINT AND MAKE SURE THE PARENTS DROP OFF THEIR STUDENTS AND ENTRUST US TO DO
OUR JOB. THAT HAS THE BALANCING ACT. IT CAN'T BE UNSETTERRED ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY BUT I THINK OUR SCHOOLS DO A NICE JOB OF OLDING VARIOUS EVENTS AND MAKE THEMSELVES ACCESSIBLE BY MEETING OR PHONE CALL.
I'LL TAKE THE FEEDBACK OF THE BOARD BACK WITH MY TEAM AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO MAYBE EITHER IMPROVE THE PERCEPTION THAT EVERYONE IS WELCOME OR IF' SEE HURDLES PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM FEELING AS WELCOME AS WE WOULD LIKE THEM
TO BE. I CAN COME BACK WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS. >> MADAM CHAIR, ASIDE FROM MYSELF AND BOARD MEMBER WHITFIELD, WOULD ANY OF YOU LIKE TO SEE PARENTS HAVE ADDITIONAL ACCESS, LET'S SAY EVEN JUST LIMITED TO THE LUNCH TIME HOUR, PARTICULARLY IN THE-- >> Chair Brill: THAT WOULD BE
MORE OF AN APPROPRIATE DISCUSSION ITEM. WE HAVE SOME OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT WANT TO MAKE COMMENTS WILL YOU TELL THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A DISCUSSION. >> Edward Ferguson: I THOUGHT WE WERE WRAPPING IT UP. >> Chair Brill: GLIKE THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM AND IT'S REPEALING THE COVID POLICY.
IT'S NOT A DISCUSSION ON WELCOMING FAMILIES INTO THE DISTRICT AND INTO THEIR SCHOOLS. SO LET'S HEAR WHAT THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WANT TO SAY. MS. ANDREWS. >> Edward Ferguson: POINT OF INFORMATION MADAM CHAIR TO COUNSEL. >> WAS IT INAPPROPRIATE FOR ME TO DO IT THE WAY I DID.
I THOUGHT IT WAS RELEVANT TO WHAT WE WERE REPEALING. >> I THINK THE WAY YOU DID IT, PER OUR POLICY, YOU GET TWO BITES AT THE APPLE TO ADDRESS THE ITEM THAT IS UP FOR REPEAL. I DON'T THINK IT WAS A STRETCH
TO, YOU KNOW ENGAGE BECAUSE IT IS DISCUSSION BUT MORE THAN TWO BITES AT THE APPLE, OF COURSE, YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW MORE THAN TWO BITES AT THE APPLE AND THEN TO GO BEYOND THE
DISCUSSION WOULD BE OUT OF STEP WITH THE POLICY. >> Edward Ferguson: IF I COULD GET CLARITY FROM THE ATTORNEY. I DIDN'T REALIZE ANYONE ELSE WAS GOING TALK BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WERE ABOUT TO MOVE ON. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT ISSUE. BUT TO ASK THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR INPUT ON, YOU
KNOW, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PROPOSITION. THAT WOULD BE OUTSIDE OR BEYOND WHAT WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW? >> IT WOULD BE. >> Edward Ferguson: OKAY, NO PROBLEM. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair Brill: AND THAT BRINGS US TO VICE CHAIR ANDREWS. >> Marcia Andrews: I DO APPRECIATE THE PRINCIPALS AND
THE SCHOOLS BECAUSE I'M IN AND OUT OF THEM A LOT AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY THE KIDS ARE THERE TO LEARN DURING THAT SCHOOL DAY. BUT I LOVE IT WHEN I SEE THE PRINCIPALS AND THE TEACHERS IN THE COMMUNITY INTERFACING WITH THE PARENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
SO THE COMMUNITY PIECE ARE VERY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAN GREET THE PARENTS ON THEIR OWN GROUNDS WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION Ms. BRANCH. >> Gloria Branch: I WANT TO ECHO
WHAT SUPERINTENDENT BURKE SAID. BEING A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, PARENTS ARE WELCOME BUT I AGREE WITH WHAT MS. ANDREWS SAID, THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE DAY AND PARENTS ARE WELCOME BUT IT WOULD BE A VERY BIG DISTRACTION FOR THE KIDS I KNOW I'M OFF TOPIC SO THAT'S ALL I
WANT TO SAY. >> Chair Brill: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? , OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. >> Supt.Burke: I RECOMMEND TO REVISE POLICY FIREARMS AND WEAPONS.
>> Chair Brill: MOTION AND SECOND. Mr. LANE, I BELIEVE YOU PULLED THIS ITEM. >> I PULLED THIS AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE GENERAL COUNSEL AND WE WOULD LIKE TO REFORMULATE THAT POLICY.
>> Chair Brill: GENERAL COUNSEL WOULD YOU LIKE TO COM. >> AFTER DISCUSSION WITH Mr. LANE, HE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS PARTICULAR POLICY WAS EXPANSIVE ENOUGH AND WHETHER SOME COULD BE CONFUSED ABOUT THE PROHIBITION
ON FIREARMS WOULD BE LIMITED TO JUST SCHOOLS OR INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF OUR DISTRICT PROPERTIES. THE INTENTION IS THAT IT IS THAT IT COVERS ALL DISTRICT PROPERTIES SO TO THAT, THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT, I WOULD TURN
IT OVER TO THE POLICY MANAGERS. I HAVE TALKED WITH THEM AND THERE IS PROPOSED LANGUAGE THAT CAN BE ENTERTAINED BY THE BOARD TODAY AND ANY ONE OF YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND IF YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE OR YOU CAN, BY WAY OF AEND SOMED MOTION, COME UP WITH
YOUR OWN LANGUAGE. >> I'LL FOLLOW UP. AND MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND WITH YOUR PROPOSED LANGUAGE. >> Chair Brill: WE HAVE A MOTION BY Mr. LANE, SECOND BY Ms. BRANCH. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
>> Edward Ferguson: WHAT IS THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I SEE IN THE PROPOSED POLICY? >> I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO THE POLICY MANAGER CHIEF MOONEY THROUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT IF SHE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE.
>> BASICALLY THERE IS JUST TWO LOCATIONS IN THE POLICY. IT WOULD BE ON LINE 3 THAT WE WOULD INCLUDE ON SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY OPPOSED TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOL FACILITIES AND ALSO ON LINE 5, ADD OR DISTRICT
PROPERTY SO THAT ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS AND RUNS WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE POLICY. >> Edward Ferguson: CHIEF, I'M SORRY, THE LAST LINE YOU MENTIONED I APOLOGIZE. >> 57. >> Edward Ferguson: ONE MOMENT, MADAM CHAIR.
>> Chair Brill: ANYBODY ELSE? ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? WE ARE VOTING FOR BRINGING IT BACK WITH THE NEW LANGUAGE
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE MAIN MOTION NOW. I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM AS AMENDED. MOTION BY Ms. WHITFIELD SECOND BY Ms. BRANCH.
ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED IN MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY SO THAT'S NOW GOING TO BRING US TO OUR NON-AGENDA SPEAKERS I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THE P UNSPEAKERS JOINING US TODAY.
OUR POLICY PROVIDES THAT WE DO NOT RESPOND TO OR ENGAGE WITH OUR SPEAKERS, HOWEVER WE MAKE NOTE OF YOUR ISSUES AND WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THEM, AS A REMINDER ALL NON-AGENDA SPEAKER COMMENTS MUST RELATE TO
EDUCATIONALLY RELEVANT TOPICS OR THE OPERATIONS OF THE DISTRICT PURSUANT TO SCHOOL BOARD POLICY, SPEAKERS WHOSE COMMENTS DO NOT RELATE TO THE TOPIC THAT THE SPEAKER INDICATED OR ARE NOT OTHERWISE EDUCATIONALLY RELEVANT INCLUDING THE MENTION OF A PERSON'S CANDIDACY FOR ELECTED
OFFICE OR WHOSE COMMENTS DISRUPT OR INTERFERE WITH THE ORDER OF THE MEETING MAY BE UBT TO REMOVAL OF THE MEETING OR HAVING THE MICROPHONE TURNED OFF AND FORFEITING THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY'S MEETING. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF WHEN THE TIME LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED. WHEN YOU SPEAK, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US SO I'M GOING TO CALL TWO PEOPLE AT A TIME. WE'LL START WITH CARL MUHAMMAD FOLLOWED BY DOROTHY GAY.
CARL MUHAMMAD, ARE YOU HERE, DOROTHY, YOU CAN COME RIGHT UP. >> GOOD EVENING TO THE SCHOOL
BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT I'M DOROTHY GAY A RETIRED ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. I HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE AND NOW DISCUSSING THE SAME TOPIC UNFAIR
TREATMENT OF SOME SILENT SUBSTITUTE. AND I SPEAK FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS. ALTHOUGH I RECOGNIZE THESE ISSUES WILL NEVER BE ENFORCED, HERE ARE THE ISSUES.
NUMBER 1. SOME SUBSTITUTES ARE SUBJECTED TO UNFAIR TREATMENT BECAUSE OF STAFF REFUSE TO OWN UP TO THEIR NEGLECT OF OWNERSHIP OF THEIR MISTAKE.
CASE IN POINT, REPORTING TO A GIVEN SCHOOL, REGULAR TIME OF 7:15 A.M., THE OFFICE STAFF DECIDED TO RESTRICT THE HOURS TO
TWO HOURS BECAUSE THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL WOULD NOT ACCEPT THEIR DOWNFALL. UNFAIR TREATMENT, MY PREVIOUS STATEMENTS SHOW HOW INDIVIDUALS PASS THE BLAME TO LOWER
SUBORDINATES NUMBER TWO THE ISSUE OF KEYS AND I HAVE SAID THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN I'M STILL SAYING IT NOW. SUBSTITUTES AT SELECTED SCHOOLS
HAVE NEVER BEEN A SERIOUS ISSUE TO OF THESE SCHOOLS. I CONSIDER IT TO BE INHUMANE ACTION AND THEY CONSIDER IT TO BE A TRIVIAL ISSUE I'M SURE THIS
WON'T CHANGE BECAUSE I'VE DISCUSSED OVER FOUR YEARS HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK TWO SCHOOLS, FOREST HILL HIGH SCHOOL AND L.C. SWAIN FOR
ISSUING KEYS TO SUBS. THEY AFTER SELECTING WHERE I WISH TO SUB AND TO ACCEPT A JOB ONLY TO FIND OUT AFTER ARRIVING
THEY HAVE INCLUDED MORE CLASSES TO MY SCHEDULE. THESE ARE ADDED TO GIVE ME SIX OR SEVEN CLASSES DURING THE DAY. A 20-MINUTE BREAK. I REFUSE TO BE TREATED THAT WAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THREE DEPARTMENTS FOR GOING BEYOND BY TAKING TIME TO RETURN MY CALLS. A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO BOARD CO-CHAIR... THANK YOU.
>> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LAURA STEMEL AND JILL COLEMAN.
>> MY PURPOSE HERE IS TO ADDRESS THE THREAT TO DEI PRACTICES IN OUR DISTRICT. MY UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT IS THAT THE CHANGE IS ONLY AFFECTING OUR BUSINESS PRACTICES BUT HOW FAR WILL THIS GO IN THE FUTURE IF WE AGREE TO THIS NOW
HOW MUCH MORE WILL WE SUBMIT TO LATER. MY YOUNGEST CHILD BENEFITED FROM THE E IN DEI AFTER A BRAIN INJURY AT THE AGE OF 6. BECAUSE OF THE E IN DEI, MY SON HAD AN IEP WHICH ALLOWS HIM SOME
OF THE FINEST RESOURCES ALLOWING HIM TO DEVELOP THE STAMINA AND SKILLS TO WORK THROUGH FRUSTRATIONS IN SCHOOL AND THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS BENEFITED FROM THE E IN DEI. THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS
GREATER THAN THE PEOPLE IN POWER SENATOR COREY BOOKER, WHAT IF WE THE PEOPLE MODELED FOR OUR KIDS TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT BY OUR KIDS IF WE SUBMIT TO TO POLICY OR LACK THEREOF. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE BEFORE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
ARE REMOVED FROM OUR SCHOOLS COMPLETELY. RECENT JUDICIAL RULINGS INCLUDING THE SUPREME COURT INDICATE THAT THIS
ADMINISTRATION IGNORES THE LAW. THEY WON'T HESITATE TO ELIMINATE EVERY RESOURCE INTENDED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS. WE THE PEOPLE OWE IT TO OUR STUDENTS TO FIGHT. I REALLIES THAT I'M PREACHING MOSTLY TO THE CHOIR BUT FOR OTHERS, PLEASE CONSIDER THE
HISTORY OF DEI, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. DWAITING BACK-- DATING BACK TO THE 1th CENTURY, PEOPLE LIKE ANTHONY ADVOCATED FOR EQUITABLE
EDUCATION FOR ALL. THE CIVIL RIGHTS CIVIL RIGHTS ACT AND THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN 1990 REQUIRED ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. THE E EQUITY IS THE PETE PIECE THAT GOES UNNOTICED.
THE EMPHASIS ARE ON D AND I WHICH ARE EQUATED ON HIRING PEOPLE ON ETHNICITY ALONE. I WISH I HAD THE TIME TO SPEAK TO THE MULTITUDE OF STUDENT BEN. I REALIZE THAT THE BOARD HAS AN
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT JOB TO DO IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES I ONLY ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE MESSAGES WE WANT TO MODEL FOR OUR YOUTH. REMEMBER THE E, REMEMBER THAT WE THE PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR SERVICES THAT THE WHITE HOUSE WANTS TO ELIMINATE, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY, REMEMBER THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS GREATER THAN THE... GLIKE. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. Ms. COLEMAN.
>> JILL COLEMAN. H.B.-1105 HAS PASSED THE HOUSE AND SENATE FOR PHONE FREE BELL TO BELL IN OUR SCHOOLS. I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BILL AND HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP YOU AND WHAT WE ARE SENDING TO YOU.
SO THE BILL APPLIES TO ALL K-8 AND RUN IN A NUMBER OF PILOT HIGH SCHOOLS. IT IS GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SO YOU GUYS WILL HAVE SO MUCH FLEXIBILITY SO WE ARE GOING TO WALK REBECCA IS HERE WITH ME AS WELL AND WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH A COUPLE OF IDEAS WHAT WE ARE HEARING HAS
BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER SCHOOLS. AND LET'S SEE, SO THERE WILL BE EXEMPTIONS FOR IEPS, 504 PLANS AND DOCUMENTED MEDICAL NECESSITY. YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE YOUR PLAN UP AND RUNNING WELL BEFORE THIS RUNS SO YOU ARE NOT GOING TO
HAVE TOO MUCH TIME AS IT IS GOING TO BE COMING UP FAST. YOU GO IT TO DECIDE HOW PHONES ARE COLLECTED AND RETURNED. HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ENFORCE. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU ENFORCE STRONGLY, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THINGS WILL STICK IT WILL BE TOUGH IN THE BEGINNING
BUT GREAT IN THE END SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE EMAILING YOU IS A ONE PAGER PUT TOGETHER FOR PARENTS THIS IS JUST A NUMBER OF POINTS WHY THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT FOR THEM AND THEIR
STUDENTS WE WILL EMAIL YOU A GUIDE ON HOW TO ROLL THIS OUT. WE HAVE A SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON COST BENEFIT, TEACHERS INTERACTIONS, HOW EASY IT IS FOR SCHOOLS TO ROLL IT OUT FOR THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT METHODS. WE HAVE SOME SALES MATERIAL FROM
BEYONDER WE WILL-- YONDER THAT WE WILL SEND TO YOU, ONE OF THE MORE EXPENSIVE ONES BUT A GREAT ONE. WE HAVE A LOT OF LOW COST SOLUTIONS WE HAVE MANY, MANY YEARS OF RESEARCH OF WHAT HAS BEEN WORKING ALREADY FROM MANILA
ENVELOPES FOR 50 CENTS. THERE IS REALLY GREAT OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT YOU CAN DETERMINE WHAT IS BEST FOR YOUR SCHOOLS. I HAVE A WEBINAR FROM TEXAS ADMINISTRATORS GOING THROUGH THEIR PROCESS. WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU ALONG WITH VIDEOS AND PODCASTS EVEN FROM KIDS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THEM.
A REMINDER THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE TITLE I, 2 AND 3, 4 FUNDING THAT MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST WITH YOU THIS AND WE ARE GOING TO GET YOU GLIMPSES OF PROTOCOLS THAT HAVE BEEN USED IN OTHER SCHOOLS SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE MA FILL LA ENVELOPES AND BINS WHAT THAT
ROLLOUT WILL LOOK LIKE OR YONDER POUCHES, WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO A SCHOOL LOCKER, WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO REBECCA AND I ANY TIME WITH ANY QUESTIONS. WE ARE NOT EXPERTS BUT WE ARE CONNECTED WITH A WHOLE NATION OF PEOPLE AND PARENTS OUT THERE WHO
REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS AND HAVE RESOURCES SO AGAIN JILL COLEMAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. REBECCA AND ALICIA McCORMACK. IF YOU ARE HERE, PLEASE COME UP.
THANK YOU. YOU TONIGHT I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT THE WAYS THE PALM BEACH COUNTY CAN IMPLEMENT THE CELL PHONE FREE SCHOOL DAY BILL THAT JILL COLEMAN JUST
OUTLINED-FOR-YOU. FOR IMPLEMENTATION, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING TO COVER A GOOD AMOUNT OF THE COST. THERE ISN'T JUST ONE BEST PRACTICE AS JILL MENTIONED FOR IMPLEMENTATION SO DEMANDING ON THE SCHOOL SIZE AND BUDGET THERE ARE VAIR YAWS WAYS TO PUT THIS
INTO PLACE. WE ARE GOING TO BE SHARING A LOT OF HELPFUL RESOURCES WITH YOU THAT WILL HELP YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND IT IS GOING TO BE RELATIVELY QUICK TURN AROUND TIME FROM THE TIME THIS GOES INTO EFFECT AND THE NEXT 2025-26
SCHOOL YEAR. SO SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. THE GOLD AND STARRED SOLUTION THAT WE HAVE FOUND IS USING YONDER POUCHES. I HAVE BROUGHT A SAMPLE. THIS IS A YONDER POUCH. THESE ARE MAGNETICALLY LOCKED
STUDENT COMES INTO THE CLASS OR SCHOOL PLACE THEIR PHONE IN THE POUCH, IT LOCKS MAG MAGNETICALLY AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, AN ADMINISTRATOR CAN HELP THEM OPEN IT AND THEY WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE PHONE.
PHONES CAN BE CARRIED BY STUDENTS BUT CAN'T BE OPENED THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY WITHOUT HAVING THE SCHOOL CONTROLLED UNLOCKING BASE THAT YOU SEE HERE IT COSTS ABOUT APPROXIMATELY $30 PER STUDENT BUT THIS IS NOT JUST FOR THE
POUCH ITSELF. YONDER PROVIDES TRAINING AND RESOURCES ON THE GROUND TO HELP MAINTAIN THE PROGRAM EFFECTIVELY INCLUDING TRAINING FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS. THEY'LL TAILOR THE PROTOCOL. THEY PROVIDE A FUNDING GUIDE THAT OUTLINES A VARIETY OF METHODS DISTRICTS HAVE USED TO
FUFNED BEYONDER. THEY'RE ON SITE TO HELP WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PLAN, ADDRESSING PARENT QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS AND GETTING THE SCHOOL
COMMUNITY THERE IS A WHITE PAPER AND BEHAVIORAL IMPACT. ALTERNATIVE TO THE POUCHES AS JILL MENTIONED ARE PHONE LOCKERS OR LOCK BOX. PHONES CAN BE COLLECTED WHERE
THE PHONE RESIDES FOR THE FULL SCHOOL DAY AND THE STUDENT RETRIEVES FOR SMALLER SCHOOLS THIS IS EFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL APPROACH. IF THERE IS LITTLE TO NO BUDGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION YOU CAN USE SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE A MA MANILA ENVELOPE THAT EVERYBODY HAS SEEN BEFORE.
SUPER COST EFFECTIVE. TEACHER JUST PUTS IT IN THE HOME RUM TEACHER, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR PUTS IT IN IN THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY AND THE STUDENTS GET IT AT THE END OF
THE DAY. >> GOOD EVENING SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL BURKE AND MEMBERS OF THE
PALM BEACH SCHOOL BOARD. IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY. NOT JUST AS A FLORIDA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE FOR YONDER, BUT ALSO AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN PROUDLY PARTNERED WITH PALM BEACH COUNTY IN A PREVIOUS ED TECH ROLE BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC.
I WORK CLOSELY WITH EDUCATORS AND DISTRICT LEADERS TO ENSURE LEARNING CONTINUED NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THAT EXPERIENCE DEEPENED MY RESPECT FOR YOUR DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND SHARPENED MY FOCUS ON THE EMERGING NEEDS WE NEED TO SEE IN
CLASSROOMS ACROSS THE STATE. I HAVE SINCE TRANSITIONED TO YONDER, AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH, REDUCING DISTRACTIONS AND SUPPORTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT BY CREATING PHONE FREE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
OUR WORK ALIGNS DIRECTLY WITH THE VALUES PALM BEACH COUNTY HOLDS ESPECIALLY UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL BURKE. HERE IN YOUR DISTRICT ONE OF OUR PARTNERS PALM BEACH COUNTY MARITIME ACADEMY HAS SEEN A 30% INCREASE IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
SINCE IMPLEMENTING THE YONDER PROGRAM. RUTS LIKE THIS ARE HAPPENING ACROSS FLORIDA AND AROUND THE WORLD SUPPORTING A MILLION STUDENTS IN 35 COUNTRIES. BEE HELP DISTRICTS IMPLEMENT STRUCTURE SECURE PHONE FREE SOLUTIONS THAT INCREASE ACADEMIC
ACHIEVEMENT, IMPROVES STUDENT BEHAVIOR IN CLASSROOM CULTURE, REDUCE TEACHER BURNOUT SUPPORT STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LEGISLATIVE TEAM, YONDER IS IDENTIFIED SIX PILOT DISTRICTS
TO RECEIVE FULL FUNDING FOR THE 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR IN ALIGNMENT WITH FLORIDA'S NEW BELL TO BELL PHONE FREE MANDATE FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS MUCH I WOULD LOVE TO EXPLORE HOW PALM BEACH COUNTY COULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS CRITICAL INITIATIVE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU
DO EVERY DAY. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU AND PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. I WILL GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE OF HOW A YONDER POUCH CAN BE
USED THE PRINCIPAL PUTS IT NEXT TO THE DOOR WHERE THE CHILD COMES IN AND EXITS AND THEY CAN TAKE THIS OFF DURING THE DAY AND BEFORE DISMISSAL THEY WOULD REATTACH IT SO STUDENTS COULDN'T CRY TO GET THEIR PHONES OPEN
THIS MONTH ESPECIALLY IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH AND IT'S TRUCIAL THAT WE GET INVOLVED NOW. THESE STUDENTS ARE OUR FUTURE AND RIGHT NOW THEY ARE VERY IN TUBE WITH THEIR CELL PHONES AND WHAT HAPPENS IS DURING COVID, IT BECAME THEIR SECURITY BLANKET
AND IT'S TIME TO TAKE BACK AND LET THEM HAVE A REAL CHILD HOOT EXPERIENCE A REAL CLASSROOM SETTING AND TO BE A CHILD AGAIN. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: MAX AND THEN JULIE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MAX FENNING AND I'M THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PRISM, A YOUTH NON-PROFIT THAT EXPANDS ACCESS TO FLBT AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN FLORIDA. I'M DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED AND THIS
BOARD'S RECENT DECISION TO RESCIND VARIOUS POLICIES THAT PROMOTE VIFT IN THE DISTRICT. SOME ARGUE THESE POLICIES THAT MERELY CONSIDER RACE, ETHNICITY AND GENDER WHEN MAKING DECISIONS ON CONTRACTING AND EMPLOYMENT ARE DISCRIMINATORY BUT THAT COULDN'T BE FURTHER FROM THE CASE.
AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN ALIVE, IT HAS BEEN A GIVEN THAT WE WOULD ACTIVELY WORK TO MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF THEM. BLACK AND BROWN AMERICANS AND WOMEN ARE UNDER REPRESENTED EVERYWHERE FROM SMALL BUSINESS TO FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES. POLICIES LIKE THIS HOLD THIS DISTRICT TO ACCOUNT AND CREATE
TRANSPARENCY AROUND WHAT ACTIONABLE STEPS WE ARE TAKING TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY ACROSS THE BOARD BECAUSE DIVERSITY IS ONE OF THIS COUNTY'S GREATEST STRENGTHS AND THIS DISTRICT HAS LONG STOOD AT THE FOREFRONT OF EMBRACING IT WITH OPEN ARMS. THAT SENT A MESSAGE TO STUDENTS LIKE ME THAT THE PEOPLE IN POWER CARED AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A PLACE FOR US WHEN WE GRADUATED
AND STEPPED OUT INTO THE WORLD. BUT DECISIONS LIKE THE ONE MADE A FEW WEEKS AGO SENT A DIFFERENT MESSAGE TO OUR STUDENTS TELLING THEM DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE NO LONGER PRIORITIES. AND THAT YOU ARE ALL TOO WILLING TO ABANDON THEM WHEN YOU FACE
THE HEAT WE UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF TITLE VI FUNDING BUT THE POLICIES HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS AND FOR YEARS PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS BEEN CONSIDERED IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW. THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR. THE ONLY THING THAT HAS CHANGED
IS THE RETURN OF OUR COUNTRY'S BIGGEST BULLY WHO IS SO UNCEREMONIOUSLY WREAKED HAVOC ON THE EDUCATION SYSTEM LIKE A BULL IN THE CHINA SHOP LITERALLY THREATENING TO TAKE THE SCHOOL LURCH MONEY OF PEOPLE HE DOESN'T LIKE.
BUT TRUMP'S THREATS HOLD NO WEIGHT. THE MERE SHAPE OF HIS SHARPIE DO NOT CHANGE THE LAW AND THREE FEDERAL JUDGES HAVE AFFIRMED HE CANNOT WITH HOLD NUBBING FROM SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE CHILDISH DEMANDS. INARE WHILE COWERING IN FEAR,
YOU SEND ANOTHER MESSAGE TO OUR STUDENTS. THAT THE BEST WAY TO GET BULLIES OF YOUR BACK IS NOT TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. IT'S TO JUST DO WHATEVER THEY SAY. BUT WE STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SEND A DIFFERENT MESSAGE, TO SHOW OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES,
TEACHERS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT THEY ARE YOUR PRIORITIES, THAT DOUGH DON'T LIVE IN A NATION OF KINGS AND BULLIES CAN NOT GET WHATEVER THEY WANT BY YELLING THE LOUDEST. WE URGE YOU TO VIE VERSE THE DECISION TO REINSTATE THE NECESSARY POLICIES AND TO SHOW
OUR STUDENTS, FACULTY AND COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE THEIR
BACK NO MATTER WHAT. RECENTLY LAST YEAR PALM BEACH STATES NURSING PROGRAM SO
REMEMBER IT'S NATIONAL NURSES APPRECIATION WEEK THANK FOR SCHOOL NURSES DON'T FORGET ABOUT THEM I'M ALSO MAMA BEAR TO HUNDREDS OF LGBTQ YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS THAT COMPASS HAS SERVED OVER THE YEARS AND WE
WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE THOSE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES AS LONG AS THERE IS A NEED AND THERE IS A NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU FOR THE A RATED SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ALL OF OUR EDUCATION EDUCATION AND STEEMPS BUT THOSE A RATINGS
WERE BASED ON OUR CURRENT POLICIES INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND PROTECTION I'M HERE BECAUSE I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND DEEPLY ALARMED BY THE PRE-COMPLIANCE OF AN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND THE DIRECTIVE FROM THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS
DEPARTMENT WHICH IS SLATED TO BE DISMANTLED. IN YOUR DECISION TO REMOVE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION FROM YOUR EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY IS NOT A NEUTRAL OR SAFE ACT. IT IS A DECISION TO TURN YOUR BACK ON FAIRNESS AND FACE THE
BULLIES AS MY COLLEAGUE HAS JUST MENTIONED THE SFUT OF OUR CHILDREN AND TEACHERS DESERVE FAIRNESS AND OPPORTUNITY AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION IS NOT ABOUT DIVISION. IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT EVERY QUALIFIED PERSON, NO MATTER THEIR PROTECTED CLASS, HAS A FAIR SHOT TO CONTRIBUTE AND LEAD
AND THRIVE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. SCHOOLS SHOULD BE A PLACE OF LEARNING, AND BELONGING WHERE STUDENTS CAN FEEL HEARD AND SEEN AND I REMEMBER THE NAMES OF MY KINDERGARTEN AND AREA GRADE SCHOOL TEACHERS. I'M SURE MANY OF YOU REMEMBER IN
THIS ROOM THOSE SCHOOLTEACHERS, TOO. MISS GAUGE TAUGHT ME HOW TO SHARE AND MISS KIRKLAND, SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE KIND TO OTHERS AND Mr. LUKE, Mr. POSTALLY, TAUGHT ME TO LEARN OUR HISTORY BECAUSE IF WE DON'T LEARN OUR HISTORY, WE ARE
DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. AND SO WE TEACH OUR CHIRP TO BE FAIR AND INCLUDE OTHERS AND STAND UP WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG. AND WHAT MESSAGE ARE WE SENDING THEM WHEN WE ERASE THESE VALUES FROM OUR POLICIES? THERE IS A REASON WHY THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT INSTILLED THESE POLICIES YEARS
AND YEARS AGO MUCH AND SO FOR THE EDUCATED, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WHAT I LEARNED WAS THE ANT NIPPLES FOR THE WORDS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION ARE SEGREGATION, CONFORMITY
INJUSTICE, BIAS, DISCRIMINATION EXCLUSION AND OMISSION. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. MICHAEL WOODS. AND FOLLOWED BY GENIE RUIZ. >> HELLO MY NAME IS MICHAEL
WOODS, I'M AN EDUCATOR, A QUERIED INDICATOR. THIS IS MY 32nd YEAR AS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER. I'M SPEAKING ONLY FOR MYSELF AS MANY OF YOU KNOW I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM DOING THAT. I'M COMING TO YOU AS THE FLORIDA EDUCATION ASSOCIATION HUME HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS RECIPIENT, FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF COMPASS
AND MASTER HOLOCAUST EDUCATOR. I'M A TRAINED DEI INSTRUCTOR. IT STARTEDDED BECAUSE SPORTS TEAMS ON THE LEFT COAST WANTED TO RECRUIT PEOPLE AND HAVE PEOPLE IN POSITIONS AND TREAT PEOPLE WITH EQUITY SO THAT THEY WOULD COME BACK. I FIND IT IRONIC THAT WE ARE
SITTING IN THE FULTON HALL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES CENTER, IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH WHO ROBERT FULTON OR ROBERT HOLLAND ARE, GOOGLE IT. NOT SINCE BROWN V BOARD OF EDUCATION HAVE EQUITY IN SCHOOLS BE UNDER ATTACK LIKE THEY ARE
NOW. TO ME, INCLUSION TO ME STANDS FOR CREATING EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE SPACES. I SEE IT EVERY DAY AS A SPECIAL ED TEACHERS. DIVERSITY EQUALS EXCELLENCE. DIVERSITY OF SEXUALITY, CREED,
IDENTITY IS A POSITIVE WAY TO LOOK LIKE OUR LEARNERS, EDUCATORS AND STAFF. DEI HELPS INDIVIDUALS FEEL SAFE, REPRESENTED AND KECKED. IT LEADS TO A STRONGER SENSE OF COMMUNITY, PRODUCTIVITY AND PROMOTES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.
DEI DRIVES IMPROVED OUTCONSULTANT. WE ARE GOING TO THE TESTING SEASON WEIGH WANT IMPROVED OUTCULSZ. KIDS WHO DON'T FEEL SAFE DON'T LEARN, EDUCATORS WHO DON'T FEEL SAFE DON'T TEACH AS WELL AS THEY COULD. INDIVIDUALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
THRIVE THE EFFORTS ARE IMPORTANT TO PROMOTE AN ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES WHAT IS OUR DISTRICT'S ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES WHAT DO WE STAND FOR? I DO BELIEVE YOU ARE IN A HARD POSITION. THESE EFFORTS ARE IMPORTANT TO
PROMOTE OUR VALUES, EMPATHY PROMOTES CREATIVE SPACES, AND OPENS INTERESTS OF PEOPLE AFTER BROWN WE STROVE TO INTEGRATE THE
SCHOOLS, WOG OF THE FIRST PEOPLE TO INTEGRATE SCHOOLS, Mr. HOLLAND. Mr. FULTON, Mr. HOLLAND, WHO SUED THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ON HIS CHILD'S BEHALF TO GET HIS CHILD IN AN INTEGRATED SCHOOL. LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH A QUOTE BECAUSE MY STUDENTS KNOW I LOVE QUOTES.
FOR OUR SUCCESS IS FOR OUR OWN SUCCESS TO BE REAL, IT MUST CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF OTHER PEOPLE ELEANOR ROOSEVELT WHO ALSO WROTE THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WROTE AS A MASTER HOLOCAUST EDUCATOR I WANT TO GIVE A
SHOUTOUT TO A SURVIVOR WHO PASSED AWAY TWO MONTHS AGO. WHEN I SAT WITH HIM A YEAR AGO AND SAID IS THIS HOW IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS IN WARSAW WITH HIM. HE SAID THIS IS EXACTLY HOW IT HAPPENED.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD, RIGHT ON TIME BECAUSE MY PHONE WAS ON 9% SO. >> JANEY RUIZ AND I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE SENIOR MANAGER FORE IMAWLT FLORIDA SAFE AND HEALTHY
SCHOOLS TEAM. I'M ALSO HERE IN THE-- HEY, MICHAEL. I'M ALSO HERE IN THE CAPACITY OF SOMEONE WHO SPENT OVER FIVE YEARS SUPPORTING PALM BEACH COUNTY STUDENTS AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY BUILDING PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO PROTECT
AND UPLIFT OUR MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH. I WORK WITH DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE AND WITHOUT HESITATION, PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS BEEN A LEADER, ONE OF THE MOST AFFIRMING AND INCLUSIVE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN FLORIDA. THAT'S WHY THE RECENT DECISION
TO REMOVE A LONG STANDING EQUITY POLICIES IS DEEPLY CONCERNING TO MANY OF US I RECOGNIZE THE PRESSURE YOU FACED, THE THREAT OF LOSING $300 MILLION IN FUNDING IS REAL AND I UNDERSTAND THE IMPULSE TO ACT SWIFTLY BUT THE CHOICE TO REPEAL POLICIES
THAT SUPPORT EQUITABLE HIRING INMAINTAINER AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION WAS UNNECESSARY
AND HARMFUL, THEY OPEN DOORS, THEY BUILD TRUST AND THEY SENT A CLEAR MESSAGE. EVERYONE BELONGS. REMOVING THEM SENDS THE OPPOSITE MESSAGE THOUGH.
IT SUGGESTS THAT THE DISTRICT WAS OUT OF COMPLIANCE WHEN IT WAS NOT THE FEDERAL CERTIFICATION LETTER WAS NOT A NEW MANDATE, BUT A REMINDER OF EXISTING CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS.
THREE FEDERAL COURTS HAVE BLOCKED ATTEMPTS TO ENFORCE IT. IN PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS BEEN IN COMPLIANCE ALL THOSE YEARS, IT REMAINS IN COMPLIANCE TODAY. WE ALL WANT TO PROTECT FUNDING FOR OUR STUDENTS BUT THIS BOARD CEDED GROUND IT DID NOT NEED TO
GIVE UP AND NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO CEDE GROUND, ESPECIALLY AS THIS BATTLE WAYS OUT. IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE COURSE. YOU CAN REINSTATE THESE POLICIES AND REAFFIRM YOUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY FAIRNESS AND INCLUSION. THIS COMMUNITY IS WATCHING MUCH
YOUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE WATCHING WE ARE ASKING YOU TO LEAD WITH COURAGE CLARITY AND CARE AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE. >> DAVID RODRIGUEZ AND
AVIAN GORDINE. HOPEFULLY I PRONOUNCED YOUR NAME SOMEWHAT CORRECTLY. >> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU SUPERINTENDENT, MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS DAVID RODRIGUEZ. AND I'M HERE TO VOICE MY
OPPOSITION TO THE RECENT ON POLICIES THAT PROMOTE FAIRNESS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONALS.
PALM BEACH COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTIES IN THE STATE. I KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING PERSONNEL THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE STUDENTS. THESE POLICIES HELP CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE ALL STUDENTS FEEL SEEN ADD HEARD. AND THEY HAVE A LASTING POSITIVE
EFFECT ON THEM. ENSURE THAT PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTAKE IN SERVING THESE COUNTIES. THEY HAVE BEEN IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL LAW. IF PALM BEACH COUNTY HAS NOT
BEEN VIOLATING TITLE VI ALL OF THESE YEARS, THEN THAT MEANS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS STILL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE POLICIES. I'M URGING YOU TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE TREASURE PRESSURE TO FURTHER POLITICIZE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND REVERSE THIS.
THESE POLICIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW AND REMOVING THEM AS A RESULT OF FEDERAL PRESSURE
SETS A VERY DANGEROUS PRECEDENT. >> I'M HERE AS A RESIDENT OF BOYNTON BEACH AND GRADUATE FROM ATLANTIC COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL. I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF
OBSERVING MY LITTLE SISTER AND HER JOURNEY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. I AM HERE TO URGE THE STATE TO RE-- CODIFYING NEW POLLS SIS THAT PROMOTE REPRESENTATION FOR ALL. ALL RACES, ALL IDENTITIES AND
ALL GENDERS. REPRESENTATION MATTERS. IS A PHRASE THAT GETS TOSSED AROUND A LOT IN RECENT YEARS. THE PHRASE ISN'T WORKING. IT TO LONGER CONVEYS ITS FULL MEANING. REPRESENTATION ISN'T JUST THE DESIRE TO SEE SOMEONE LIKE YOU,
IT'S A MORE TANGIBLE FEELING. RACISM IS A VISCERAL EXPERIENCE THAT DISLODGES BRAINS, BLOCKS AIR WAYS, RIPS MUSCLES, EXTRACTS
ORGANS, CRACKS BONES, BREAK TEAT YOU MUST NEVER LOOK AWAY FROM THIS. A STUDENT SEEING ADULTS LIKE THEM ACCOMPLISHING HUGE THINGS BEING LARGER THAN LIFE AND PUSHING THE BOUNDS OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE AND AVAILABLE IS EXCREAM GENERALLY HIVE EXTREMELY POWERFUL.
IT'S A FEELING THAT IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED IT ALL YOUR LIFE, IT BEGINS TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANT. IF YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN IT, THIS
ALLOW STUDENTS TO CREATE STORIES THAT EXCEED THEIR IMAGINATION. POLICIES THAT ESPECIALLY SURE DIVERSE STAFF IS NECESSARY FOR
ALL STUDENTS TO SUCCEED. OUT OF ALL MY YEARS IN SCHOOL, MY FIRST BRAID TEACHER WHO SHOWED ME A PERSON OF MY BACKGROUND, MY COLOR CAN ACHIEVE GREATNESS. SHE SHOWED ME I CAN ASPIRE FOR GREATNESS. POLICIES THAT ENSURE DIVERSE STAFF BASED ON RACE, ETHNICITY,
AND GENDER ALSO ENSURE STUDENTS FEEL EMPOWERED. AND SEEN AND VALUED. I URGE THE BOARD TO REINSTATE
THE DEI POLICIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU. SO, BOARD MEMBERS, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE BOARD DISCUSSION ITEM, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO POL-SP 4 POLICY 2.383 JUST SO
THAT OUR BOARD CLERK CAN CAPTURE OUR VOTE. Mr. LANE MADE THE AMENDED MOTION FOR THE POLICY. I BELIEVE MS. BRANCH YOU WERE THE SECOND SO Mr. LANE AND
Ms. BRANCH FOR THE RECORD. ALL IN FAVOR? , OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. SO NOW THAT IS GOING TO BRING US TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM, MR. FERGUSON. >> AS WAS STATED BY AT LEAST ONE
OF OUR NON-AGENDA SPEAKERS TODAY, HOUSE BILL 1105 IS GOING TO BE SIGNED INTO LAW SO CHILDREN IN GRADES K-WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO USE CELL PHONES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
FUNNY ENOUGH IT IS A HUGE DISTRACTION. NOW I CAN'T GO WHERE SOME OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE GONE IN REGARD TO THIS ISSUE ABOUT IT BEING THE
ONLY TIME OF DAY WHERE A STUDENT CAN LOOK AT THINGS THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD ACCOUNT BE LOOKING AT. I CAN'T GO THERE BUT STUDENTS ARE VERY DISTRACTED. I WAS A SCHOOL EARLIER THIS YEAR, PALM BEACH LAKES WHERE A STUDENT WAS SO FOCUSED ON
LOOKING AT THE CELL PHONE HE ALMOST BROKE HIS NOSE WALKING INTO A DOOR. THAT'S PROBLEMATIC AND I DEFINITELY SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE EVEN ON I-95 DRIVING WITHOUT HANDS BECAUSE THEY'RE FIXATED. I THINK IT'S A PROBLEM AND WE SHOULD GET OUR ARMS AROUND IT
AND SPEAKING WITH SOME OF MY CONTACTS AT THE FLORIDA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, IT WAS REPRESENTED TO ME THAT ORANGE COUNTY HAS ALREADY DONE THIS. AND I MENTION ORANGE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY ARE A LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS ARE WE. AND APPARENTLY THERE WOOS SOME INITIAL APPREHENSION AND
RESERVATION, IF YOU WILL, BY STUDENTS AND PARENTS ALIKE PEOPLE HAVE ADAPTED AND THEY
FEEL IT IS A GOOD THING. I'M ASSUMING EVERYONE HAS READ HOUSE BILL 1105 AND IF YOU HAVEN'T, I'M SURE YOU WILL GET AROUND TO IT WHEN YOU GET AROUND TO IT. I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE US TO THROW OUR HAT IN THE RING FOR
CONSIDERATION. INITIALLY THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE TO FRONT THE BILL OURSELVES BUT BASED ON THE SPEAKER TODAY SHE REPRESENTED IF WE WERE PART OF THE PILOT PROGRAM, WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO FRONT THAT INITIAL COST. SO ANY TIME WEEK SAVE A BUCK, PARTICULARLY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN IN THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, I WILL
SUPPORT THAT. IRRESPECTIVE OF THAT PILOT PROGRAM, I WOULD LIKE US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT AS TO WHETHER WE THINK WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT A POLICY AT THE GRADES 9-12 IN REGARD TO PROHIBITING
CELL PHONE USE EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, MEDICAL NECESSITY AND IEP AND MAYBE LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC AREA OF THE SCHOOL BECAUSE I THOUGHT WHEN I READ THE STATUTE-- I'VE ONLY REVIEWED IT ONCE. I DON'T HAVE IT COMMITTED TO MEMORY BUT I THOUGHT THE STATUTE ALLOWS FOR UTILIZATION OF THE
PHONES IN A SPECIFIC AREA BUT I DO THINK THIS IS GOOD AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AT THAT TIMES WHY I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION WITH YOU COLLECTIVELY TODAY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BRING IT BACK FOR MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF VOTING ON
THE POLICY AT A LATER DATE IN TIME. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. >> Chair Brill: YOUR TIMING MR. FERGUSON IS RIGHT. I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY JUMP IN FIRST JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE POLICY FOR DEVELOPMENT ON THE CELL PHONES IS GOING TO BE ON MAY 28. SO THE POLICY COMING BACK, WE
CAN TALK ABOUT WHERE WE STAND ON PROHIBITING IT IN HIGH SCHOOL. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT. I DO-- I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE PARENTS IN MY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO THE BAN REALLY JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS HAVE THEM IN THEIR POCKETS ON THEM IF GOD FORBID WE
EVER HAVE, GOD FORBID, AN EMERGENCY, I WON'T GO INTO WHAT IT COULD BE, THEY WANT THEIR CHILD TO HAVE IT AND THEY ARE-- THEY DON'T WANT THEIR PHONES COLLECTED BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED THAT IF THERE WAS THAT EMERGENCY AND THEY HAD TO GO INTO A SAFE ROOM, THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THE PHONES ON
THEM. SO IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE MORE ENFORCEMENT, OBVIOUSLY BY THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, I DID TAKE A VOTE TODAY AT THE ALLIANCE OF DELRAY BEACH RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATIONS. I ASKED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE HOW THEY FELT. ONLY ONE PERSON WAS OPPOSED TO
AND IT WAS A YOUNG PARENT, TO HAVING IT IN, YOU KNOW, HAVING US GO THROUGH WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS ALSO. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO MY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BUT I THINK BY DISCUSSING THIS HERE, WE ARE GIVING SOME DIRECTION TO GENERAL COUNSEL BECAUSE SHE IS GOING TO BRING BACK THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE POLICY SO YOU ARE RIGHT, SPOT ON WITH BRINGING UP THIS CONVERSATION. SO WE'LL GO TO Ms. BRANCH FIRST. >> THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH HAVING THE KIDS NOT USING IT DURING THE SCHOOL DAY BUT I'M ABSOLUTELY NOT FOR BUYING POUCHES AND SPENDING
MONEY AND HAVING THEM LOCKED AND HAVING AN ADMINISTRATOR HAVING TO COME UNLOCK THEM OR BUYING AN ENVELOPE. ABSOLUTE ABSOLUTELY NOT. WHEN I WAS A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, I TOOK A PHONE AWAY DURING THE DAY AND HIS PARENTS HAD TO COME BACK. AS EASY AS THAT. THE PARENTS CAME AT THE END OF DAY TO PICK IT UP. IT'S SIMPLE.
YOU PUT IT IN YOUR BACKPACK. IF YOU TAKE IT OUT, THE TEACHER TAKES IT. HAVE YOU TO COME GET IT AT THE END OF THE DAY OR MAKE THE PARENTS COME GET IT AT THE END OF THE DAY. FOR BUYING STUFF AND LOCKING THEM UP, I'M NOT FOR THAT. I AGREE WITH H MR. FERGUSON, SOME KIDS NEED IT FOR MEDICAL,
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ASSOCIATION OF CARE GIVING YOUTH, THOSE KIDS HAVE TO CALL HOME BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR PARENTS. SO I AM FOR JUST PUT IT IN YOUR BACKPACK. IF THEY TAKE IT OUT, THE TEACHER TAKES IT AWAY. MAKE THE PARENTS COME PICK IT UP. PERIOD.
I DON'T-- I'M NOT FOR SPENDING MONEY ON POUCHES AND LOCKED UP AND THE ADMINISTRATORS HAVING TO COME AND UNLOCK IT AS IF THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO ALREADY.
>> Chair Brill: Mr. LANE THIS WILL LIMIT KISS TRACTIONS AND
REDUCE BULLYING. 1 OVER FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IF BEE FOLLOW THAT REQUEST. WHICH WOULD MAKE OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S HAIR EVEN
WHITER. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU, Ms. SAVIETTO.
I WAS WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT AND THEN HOLDING ON ON THIS LAW SO I KEPT QUIET. SO, I DON'T NEED ANY STUDIES. THANK YOU, Mr. LANDSCAPE FOR ALL YOUR STATISTICS. I THINK WE ARE ALL ENOUGH TO
KNOW THAT WE LEARNED AND MY SON GOES TO PALM SPRINGS MIDDLE. SHE BAGGED AND BAGGED AND GOT IT AND SOME TEACHERS SAY THAT IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, WORK 100%
BECAUSE SOME OF THE KIDS ARE BRINGING TABLETS. SO THE POUCH DOESN'T-- YOU KNOW, BUT SO WE DO HAVE A WAY OF SHOWING HOW KIDS HAVE IMPROVED GRADES AT PALM SPRINGS MIDDLE. AGAIN, I DON'T EVEN NEED THAT
BUT YOU KNOW WHY I WANTED THEM AWAY FROM KIDS AT SCHOOL, NOT EVEN IN THE HALLWAYS AWES THEY'RE NOT LEARNING SOCIAL SKILLS. AND THESE KIDS, THEY CAN BARELY SHAKE THEIR HANDS AND LOOK AT YOUR FACE WHEN THEY'RE SHAKING HANDS. AND I THINK THE PHONE HAS A LOT
TO DO WITH IT. KIDS PLAY NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND WITH EACH OTHER BUT WITH THEIR PHONES. I THINK KIDS NEED TO GO BACK, STUDENTS NEED TO GO BACK TO OLD WAYS, TO EITHER READ IF YOU ARE DONE WITH HOME WORK OR HELP OTHER KIDS OR DO SOMETHING BUT
NOT HAVE THEIR PHONES. KIDS WILL TAKE THEIR PHONES SOMEHOW OUT. I CAN THINK OF MYSELF, IF THEY SAY NO, VIRGINIA, YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR PHONE. I WILL THINK OF A WAY WHERE I CAN GRAB MY PHONE, PUT IT SOMEWHERE AND KIND OF LOOK AT IT WHEN THE TEACHER IS NOT LOOKING AT ME.
SO BUT ANYWAY, THERE ARE OTHER SYSTEMS OUT THERE. I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME BUT I KNOW THERE IS A SOFTWARE OUT THERE THAT CAN MAKE THE PHONE NOT WORK UNLESS WE TELL IT HOW WE WANT IT TO WORK AND IT WORK
AS A SECURITY THERE ARE THINGS BUT I WANT IT. I WANT KIDS TO GO BACK, YOU KNOW, IN THE WAY THAT WE LEARNED AND THEN WE HAD EXTRA TYPE. LET'S TALK TO EACH OTHER. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT SP EAGLES ALL ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND IF WE ARE GOING TO WAIT FOR OUR KIDS TO BE
20 YEARS OLD TO LEARN HOW TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HARD IF THESE ARE THE KIDS THAT WE ARE GOING TO PUT IN THE WORKFORCE, SO I'M EXCITED TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THE TEACHERS, FIND A WAY THAT WE CAN DO IT WITHOUT SPENDING ALL THAT
MONEY, MAYBE WE CAN FIND A GRANT OR SOME SORT OF MONEY THAT COVERS ON THE SECURITY SIDE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WOULD COVER THAT. I WAS THINKING WHEN WE WENT TO TALLAHASSEE FOR LOBBY DAYS, I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO WITH SOMEBODY AND
THEN I DIDN'T AND I DROVE SEVEN HOURS BACK AND SO I THOUGHT OH MY GOD, IF LUCA WERE TO CALL ME AND SAY MOMMY, MOMMY, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG AT THE SCHOOL, WHAT WOULD I DO? I'M DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE IN FLORIDA. WOULD I DRIVE FASTER TO GET TO SCHOOL?
I PROBABLY CRASH MYSELF OR HAVE TO STOP BECAUSE I WOULD BE GETTING VERY NERVOUS. SO JUST TO THINK THAT I NEED LUCA TO CALL ME WHEN THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON INSIDE THE SCHOOL IS RIDICULOUS. I DO NOT WANT LUCA TO CALL ME. I WANT THE POLICE OFFICERS AND
PEOPLE THAT KNOW, THE DOCTORS, THE NURSES, THE HELICOPTERS, THE DOGS, HE DOESN'T NEED ME RIGHT THERE AND I AM SO SORRY IF YOU THINK Ms. BRANCH THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED IT OR NOT BUT PARENTS OR WHOEVER, THEY DON'T NEED THE PHONE.
I DON'T NEED LUCA CALLING ME BECAUSE I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. SO I'M SO EXCITED TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AND WE CAN DEFINITELY FIND, WE NEED TO BE OPEN TO THINGS OUT THERE, SOFTWARE LIKE I SAID, THINGS THAT WOULD NOT COST--
Dr. McDONALD IS LOOKING AT THE POUCHES SHE WAS GOING TO GET FROM THE KIDS, THE ONES THAT MAYBE BUY A NEW ONE AND I GET IT. THAT'S JUST TOO COMPLICATED, BUT WE NEED TO LET TEACHERS TEACH AND TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM.
THEY'RE NOT THE CELL PHONE POLICE. IF WE FIND A PHONE THAT CAN BE NEUTRALIZED AND THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO WORRY THE KIDS ARE HIDING IT. THAT WHAT IS I WOULD LOVE THE TEACHERS NEED TO TEACH NOT THINKING AND LOOKING, IS HE
GOING TO GO TO THE BATHROOM WITH THE PHONE? SO I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT, BE INNOVATIVE. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO LOOK AT THINGS WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW WITH COMPANIES THAT WE ARE NOT USING RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO BE OPEN TO, AGAIN, TO TECHNOLOGY AND I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR WHAT IS COMING. THANK YOU. >> I WOULD LIKE TO ASK OUR STUDENT GOVERNMENT REP, WHO IS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WHO IS GRADUATING, WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS,. >> I HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS ON THIS, ACTUALLY. I DO THINK THAT STUDENTS K- SHOULD NOT BE ON THEIR PHONES DURING THE SCHOOL DAY BUT LIKE WHAT Ms. BRANCH SAID, I THINK IT SHOULD BE ON THEM CONSIDERING THAT IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY IN
A SCHOOL, I DON'T THINK THAT THE TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATION ARE GOING TO GO AND JUMP AT EMAILING PARENTS OR CALLING PARENTS. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET RID OF THE SITUATION FIRST I
KNOW ME AS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT I'M GOING TO TEXT MY PARENT GROUP CHAT AND TELL THEM WHAT IS GOING ON BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATORS AT MY SCHOOL ARE GOING TRY MENDING THE SITUATION BEFORE IT GETS ANY WORSE VERY WISE WORDS. I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT.
I KNOW WE ALL DO AND VICE CHAIR ANDREWS. >> AND I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION HERE BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, CELL PHONES ARE DANGEROUS TO OUR CHILDREN. THEY'RE ON THEM TOO MUCH
CHILDREN NEED THE PHONES FOR EMERGENCIES. I HEARD THE MARKETING FOR THE POUCHES AND MAYBE SOME DISTRICTS DO IT. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE HOUSE BILL 1105, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW BUT I THINK WE DON'T NEED TO JUMP OUT THERE AND BEGIN TO OVER DO THIS THING.
I THINK OUR SCHOOLS DO A GREAT JOB WITH TAKING CARE OF THE CELL PHONES, HAVING BEEN A TEACHER AND A PRINCIPAL AND IN THE SCHOOLS ALL THE TIME. I DON'T REALLY SEE A LOT OF CHILDREN ON THEIR PHONES WHEN I'M WALKING AROUND OR AT THE SCHOOL CENTER. I THINK THEY DO LISTEN TO THEIR TEACHERS SO I THINK AS THIS
BECOMES LAW AND WE BEGIN TO PUT THE POLICY TOGETHER, I DON'T WANT US TO OVERREACT. I DON'T, YOU KNOW, OUR BUDGETS ARE VERY THIN AS IT IS SO MAYBE THERE IS GOING TO BE FUNDING. MAYBE NOT. BUT I'M STILL THINKING ABOUT A CRISIS AND WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY CRISIS WITH SHOOTINGS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS HAPPENING AND
THAT WAS THE LAST RESORT. PARENTS DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEIR CHILDREN WERE AND THEY HAD THE PHONE CALL. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A LIFE AND DEATH PHONE CALL FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. I REALLY DON'T WANT US TO JUMP JUST BECAUSE IT'S COMING INTO LAW. LET'S EVALUATE, LOOK AT WHAT CAN
WORK, WHAT IS WORKING HERE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY AND PUT A POLICY TOGETHER THAT IS GOOD FOR US AND OUR CHILDREN AND I LOVE IT THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO OUR STUDENTS WE RECOGNIZE CELL PHONES ARE CAUSING ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAPPENS BUT YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE REASONABLE
AND MAKE SURE WE ARE GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING THAT IS GOING TO BE PROTECTIVE FOR OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR KIDS AND NOT RUSH THIS THING JUST BECAUSE IT'S THE HOTTEST THING RIGHT NOW THAT THE LAW IS COMING. TAKE OUR TIME AND LET'S TRY TO MAKE IT WORK. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU SO I'M
GOING TO JUMP THE LINE AND CALL ON Ms. WHITFIELD SINCE SHE HASN'T SPOKEN YET. A COUPLE OF THINGS. I AM ALWAYS CAUTIOUS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DOING SOMETHING TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM I KNOW EVERY TIME WE DO SOMETHING THAT IS
THIS BIG, IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR US TO FIGURE IT OUT, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS HUGE AND SLOW MOVING FOR CHANGE. SO FOR THAT REASON I WOULDN'T REALLY BE IN FAVOR OF GOING FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM. I THINK THAT THE IMPACT OF THE K-PROGRAM CHANGE AND REALLY THIS IMPLEMENTING THIS CHANGE IS
GOING TO BE BIG ENOUGH FOR US TO DEAL WITH AND I HAVE TO SAY SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT IT, I REALLY WANT MY DAUGHTER TO HAVE HER PHONE ON HER. I WENT THROUGH A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD AT HER SCHOOL THERE WAS A
BIG INCIDENT A COUPLE OF BIG INCIDENTS AT HER SCHOOL AND I JUST, KNOWING THAT I COULD SEND MESSAGES TO HER THAT I COULD TRACK WHERE SHE WAS ON THE CAMPUS, I TRACK HER CONSTANTLY ON THE CAMPUS BECAUSE I CAN TELL IF SHE IS IN THE BAND ROOM OR IF SHE IS, YOU KNOW, IN SOME OTHER THING.
I NEED TO KNOW IS SHE COMING HOME. AND SO FOR ME, HAVING HER TO HAVE THE PHONE AT LEAST SOMEWHERE IN HER POSSESSION IN THE EVENT OF AN INCIDENT HAS BEEN CRUCIAL. IT'S REALLY MEANT A LOT TO ME THAT SHE AND THAT I KNOW IF THERE IS A PROBLEM SHE CAN REACH
OUT. AND WE HAVE HAD THOSE MOMENTS AND I THINK ALL PARENTS HAVE THIS THOSE MOMENTS WITH THEIR KIDS SO VERY GLAD THAT THEY ALLOW US TO DECIDE HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM SIMILAR TO MY COLLEAGUES NOT INTERESTED IN SPENDING ANY
MONEY ON THIS IF WE DON'T HAVE TO THERE HAVE BEEN CONVERSATION ABOUT DIFFERENT PLACES WE COULD PULL FUNDS FROM. THE REALITY IS OUR BUDGET IS
REALLY TIGHT MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE NOT TO GO FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM AND TO KIND OF LEARN
MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS IN THE BEST WAY THAT EASES IT INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND ASSISTS OUR TEACHERS IN DEALING WITH YET ANOTHER THING THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH. SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO GO SLOW. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: THANK YOU I'M
GOING TO JUMP IN AND GO TO Ms. BRANCH JUST TO SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL THERE IS NO SLOW MOVING. THIS IS THE NOT GOING TO BE-- IT HAS TO BE IMPLEMENTED JULY 1 FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. HOWEVER, I DO AGREE THAT WE COULD ALSO IMPLEMENT IT FOR HIGH SCHOOL. JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT I
ALSO STATED AS DID Ms. MIRISOLA I WANT STUDENTS TO HAVE THEM ON THEIR PERSON WHETHER IT'S IN THEIR POCKETS BACKPACKS AND IN PART IT IS ALSO BECAUSE OF BEING FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE, I DON'T WANT IT EVEN IN A MANILA ENVELOPE. I DON'T WANT TEACHERS COLLECTING
THEM BECAUSE THERE IS THE LIABILITY, WHICH Ms. WHITFIELD JUST BROUGHT UP THAT I HAD ALSO DISCUSSED WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT SO WE WILL GO BACK NOW TO THE REST OF THE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK.
AND THOSE OPPOSED WHEN WE BRING THE POLICY BACK, WE WILL HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MASSAGE IT. I THINK THIS IS A HEALTHY CONVERSATION BUT WE ARE LIVING IN A DIFFERENT WORLD AND I DO THINK THOSE CHILDREN NEED TO HAVE ACCESS BECAUSE IN AN EMERGENCY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO CALL THEIR
PARENTS AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE FREAKED OUT IN SCHOOL IF THEY HEAR A SOUND AND THINK OH MY CELL PHONE IS OVER THERE AND I'M OVER HERE. SO WITH THAT, I'LL CALL ON Ms. BRANCH. >> Gloria Branch: THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH YOU CHAIR BRILL AND
Ms. WHITT. I HAD A LOT OF PARENTS TALK TO ME ABOUT THE BILL. THEY WANT THEM TO HAVE THEM ON THEIR PERSON PURELY THE SAFETY OF IT. ABSOLUTELY 1,000%. I WANT MY CHILD TO HAVE IT ON HER. AND I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THIS IS JUST GIVES PEACE OF MIND
TO THE PARENTS AND TO THE CHILD IF SOMETHING HUGE GOES WRONG. SO I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT. >> Chair Brill: MR. FERGUSON. >> Edward Ferguson: YOU MENTIONED THAT I THINK YOU ESTIMATED THE COST FOR I GUESS THE POUCHES. >> Matthew Lane: THE POWCHT ARE
$30 APIECE. >> Edward Ferguson: THAT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS IS K-12 OR K-8. >> FOR $170,000 STUDENTS TIMES THE $30. >> GOT IT. 5.1 MILLION. GOT IT. SO IT'S MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE MORE THAN THAT NUMBER. OKAY.
THANK YOU. >> Chair: AND SO OUR LAST SPEAKER I AM GOING TO LET IT GO BACK TO AFTER Ms. SAVIETTO, Ms. MIRISOLA, ASK FOR CONSENSUS BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT WORKSHOP WITH THE POLICY COMING BACK ON THE 28th.
SO WITH THAT, Ms. SAVIETTO. >> THANK YOU. I DEFINITELY WANT KIDS TO FEEL SAFE. THAT'S FOR SURE. BUT I LIKE TO HEAR FROM PRINCIPALS. WOULD I LIKE TO HEAR IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, AND PARENTS
CALL OR THE CHILDREN CALL AND THE PARENTS CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES AND START ARRIVING, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? AT A SCHOOL WITH HUNDREDS OF PARENTS, I'M JUST THINKING THAT WAY, TOO. I MEAN DO WE HAVE A POLICY IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, OKAY, YOU CAN
COMMUNICATE BUT WE DON'T WANT 200 CARS ALL AT ONCE IN THE SCHOOL. THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING. RIGHT? I MEAN THE CHAOS THAT NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT, NOBODY EVER MENTIONED THE SCHOOL SIDE ON
PROBLEMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BECAUSE IF HE CALLS ME, DO I GO TO THE SCHOOL, DO I JUST SAY OKAY HONEY, I'M GLAD YOU ARE FINE. AS A PARENT I WANT TO BE CONNECTED FOR SURE. I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T BUT
THEN WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE TEACHERS AND FOR THE PRINCIPALS AND ALL THAT SAFETY SIDE AND WE HAVE TO THINK OF THEM, TOO. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: Ms. MIRASOLA. >> I DO ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT AT MY SCHOOL, WHAT YOU GUYS
ALL KNOW I GO TO GARCIA, IT IS A BRAND NEW SCHOOL. ALL THE KIDS COME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES AND WE HAVE A GOOD PROCESS GOING. THEY DO RANDOM PHONE CHECKS WHERE ADMIN GOES TO THE CLASSROOMS AND THE KIDS GET A CONSEQUENCE AND GO DOWN TO THE BREEZE WAY AND WE NEVER REALLY HAVE THAT MANY STUDENTS BECAUSE
OUR TEACHERS TRULY DO CRACKDOWN ON THE KIDS AND TELL THEM THEY CAN'T BE ON THEIR PHONES SO I REALLY DO THINK THAT THE POUCHES AND ALL OF THE BUYING THINGS IS TRULY UNNECESSARY THANK YOU, I
THINK WE ARE LISTENING TO A FUTURE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER IN THE YEARS TO COME. SO WITH THAT, WE WANT TO JUST GET A LITTLE EXCELLENCE SCENGS.
HOW MANY WANT TO EXPAND IT TO INCLUDE THE HIGH SCHOOLS. AND WHO DOES NOT WANT IT INCLUDING THE HIGH SCHOOLS? SO I CAN'T TELL. I COULDN'T READ THE CONSENSUS. HOW MANY PEOPLE-- WE CAN'T VOTE BUT CAN THEY SHOW HANDS? I CAN'T TELL.
I DON'T SEE HEADS NODDING. I SEE EYES STARING AT ME. >> I DON'T WANT TO SIT AND TALK
ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO BASED ON THE-- >> IT LOOKS LIKE THE CONSENSUS IS TO KEEP HIGH SCHOOLS THE WAY THEY ARE, BRING BACK THE WORKSHOP, WE'LL BRING IT BACK. AT THAT POINT ANYBODY WHO WOULD LIKE TO STILL CONVINCE PEOPLE ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOLS WE CAN DO
THIS THE IN THE WORKSHOP. BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT-- I'M WATCHING THE NODDING HEADS MR. FERGUSON. I WAS WATCHING THE NODDING HEADS BECAUSE WE HAVE 1, 2, 3,
Ms. SAVIETTO, DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE POLICY TO NOT USE THE CELL PHONES? >> INCLUDE EVERYBODY. >> SO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE EVERYBODY SO THEN-- SO IT LOOKS
LIKE NOW WE HAVE 1, 2, 3 THAT DON'T WANT IT IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS SO THE MAJORITY DOES WANT IT IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS. NEVER MIND. YEAH, WE DO. OKAY. I MEAN I KNOW WE CAN'T VOTE. CAN WE EACH STATE WHAT WE WANT?
I MEAN THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING UNLESS PEOPLE CAN TELL ME. >> WE CAN GO DOWN THE LINE AND HAVE PEOPLE TELL US WHAT IS IT YOU WOULD LIKE TO-- WE ARE GOING
TO START WITH Mr. LANE. SO WAS WOULD YOU LIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE IT IN HIGH SCHOOLS INCLUDED YES OR NO. >> I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE TO PUT OUR CELL PHONES IN POUCHES DURING THE MEETINGS. I WANT THEM IN THE HIGH SCHOOL. I WANT THERE TO BE A PROHIBITION OF CELL PHONES IN THE HIGH
SCHOOL. >> ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO BE CLEAR ABOUT IN THIS CONVERSATION IS I BELIEVE THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO ENFORCE IT IN HIGH SCHOOLS IN ANOTHER YEAR SO I AM SAYING I DO NOT WANT IT TODAY IN HIGH SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE IT IN HIGH SCHOOLS I DO EXPECT THAT IT IS COMING AND I
THINK THAT THE QUESTION FOR ME IS NOT WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE GOING HAVE IT IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS EVENTUALLY. >> SO YOUR VOTE IS NO. >> I WANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IT UNTIL WE HAVE TO. THANK YOU. >> Chair Brill: THAT'S TWO.
>> I AGREE WITH Ms. WHITFIELD. K-8 MERGE IT THE. >> MR. FERGUSON. >> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BAN IN HIGH SCHOOL. >> 3-2. >> I'M WITH Ms. WHITFIELD ICE COMING BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO START RIGHT NOW.
>> I'M THE SWING VOTE AND I'M SAYING WE SHOULD DO IT IN HIGH SCHOOLS SO WE WILL BRIT IT BACK AS A WORKSHOP. YOU CAN TRY TO CONVINCE ALL OF US AS WE DO IT. BUT IT'S STILL OPEN TO DISCUSSION. THIS WASN'T A VOTE. SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO TAKE A
MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. I HAVE A DISCUSSION BECAUSE I WANT TO STAY HERE UNTIL 10 P.M. >> YOU CAN BUT WE ARE LEAVING. >> Chair Brill: YOU CAN STAY HERE BY YOURSELF. ALL IN FAVOR? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO VOTE. OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSL