Good morning. I call to order the meeting of the Penllis County School Board on Tuesday, June 24th, 2024. We'll start this morning with a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Vice Chair Caprice Edmund and the national anthem. Please
stand and remain standing until completion of the national anthem. Oh, say by the dawn early light. What so proudly we held
at the twilight last gleaming who brought stripes and bright stars through the perilous sparts we were so gallently
streaming and the rock is [Music] bursting in there gave proof through the night that our
flag was still there. Oh, say does that star spangle B yet for the land of the free
and the home of the brave. Please be seated. Next, we'll have a video called Hello Summer, sharing some of the summer plans our students have. [Music] Hi, my name is Lillian and this summer
I'm going to go to Tallahassee and I'm going to have beach Fridays and I'm also planning to go to a water park this summer. My plans this summer are to study for the SAT, ACT, and start writing my college essays as well as visiting family in Missouri. Hi, my name
is Javon Bradford and this summer I plan to go on college visits. For this summer I am going to try to finish Percy Jackson series, go to my cheer competitions and try to win the mall. This summer I'm planning to travel to Costa Rica, do a lot of volunteering, hanging out with friends, and going to
the beach. My summer plans are to do my IB summer homework and go to the IB summer camp at Largo High School. And this summer I'm going to a water park and I'm going to shine in my recital. Hi, my name is Josiah Jones and my plan this summer is to play sports and
travel. This summer I'm planning on focusing on volleyball, hanging out with my friends, and traveling with my family. My summer plans are to play sports and to play video games. Hi, my name is Emily and this summer I'm planning a family road trip and preparing for my high school years. This
summer I'm planning to travel to Kentucky to see my extended family and make memories with my friends. [Music] I love all the range of activities and things to do, but mostly it looks like they're relieved and happy for summer.
It's great. As we move into item two, amendments to the agenda. I'll mention that uh Mrs. Meyer is unable to join us today, so all votes will reflect um six board members present. So, amendments to the agenda. Mr. Uh, I'm sorry for the interruption. Item
1.6. Oh, thank you. Excuse me, Isabelle. Item 1.6, introduction of community representatives. Our public information officer, Isabelle Mascarinus. Good morning, Madame Chair, members of the board, Mr. Hendrick and staff. It is my
pleasure to introduce the following representatives of community and professional organizations. Representing the North Panelis League of Women Voters, Debbie Entric from the Penelis Arts for a Complete
Education Coalition. Carolyn Samitinger and members of the media in attendance. Jeff Solich with the Tampa Bay Times. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Thank you for being here. Amendments to the agenda. Mr. Hendrick, are there any amendments to the agenda?
Yes, Madam Chair. There is one last week item 7.2. 2 was updated and posted for the board and public. It was the administrative board agenda for June 24th, 2025, and it was a cost center change for one employee who is moving from one school to another. Thank you.
Board members, any changes to the agenda? As board chair, I find good cause to amend the agenda as suggested by Mr. Hendrick. May I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda as amended? Motion from Mrs. Peters and a second
from Mrs. Kaine. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Passes six to zero. We don't have any items on our special agenda or special order agenda today. Um Mrs. Hal, are there any public speakers
on agenda items? Yes, Madam Chair. We have one speaker. Thank you. Please invite them. Mark Clutho speaking to items 7.22 and 8.1. Mark Lutho Largo. Uh, another utility easement from Puke
Energy. Uh, as I've stated before, what you want is to have As that
short article in the US and day today stated, you want to eliminate the reliance on the grid
and have decentralization. And the first step there is to have your buildings so that there isn't going to be such a reliance
on puke energy and the need for these big power lines coming through on the school property. It just keeps going on and on
and 8.1 instructional materials purchases. Well, you know what I see all the time are things
that don't reflect what seems to be an awareness such as what I read about the holidays for traders. Are
the students educated about that? I doubt seriously. Holidays for traders. Do you educate the students about the traders and the state
having holidays for them? Madam Chair, there are no other speakers for agenda items. Thank you. Under unfinished business, item 6.1, public hearing to consider the amendment to policies 7101, building permits in
the code enforcement office, 8400, environmental health and safety issues, and 8410.01, critical incident response. This is the second reading and there are no changes. May I have a motion and a second to approve this item? Motion.
Motion from Mrs. Long and a second from Miss Blackburg. Mr. Mr. Hendrick, would you please introduce? Thank you, Madam Chair. As you know, we workshopped this item and brought it to a first reading. And here to explain the content and the process is Lyanna Eison, our director of strategic planning and policy. Miss, good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair,
board members, Superintendent Hendrick, staff, and community. As discussed at the April workshop and the first reading in May, item 6 point in item 6.1, we're recommending amendments to three policies as a result of continuous improvement as well as response to and
preparation for the hurricane season. I'll review the policy amendments in numerical order 7101 building permits and code enforcement office. That policy is being updated in accordance with state law, specifically regarding the amounts spent per project and inspection
requirements. In 8,400, environmental health and safety issues. We're revising it to be more applicable districtwide and updating it for consistent terminology throughout that policy and removing reference to other schoolboard policies. In 8401.01,
01 critical incident response. We're updating the components of the district's safety and security program. We're removing extensive descriptions from of statutory requirements. And we're clarifying that staff will be compensated for their assigned duty during the incident response and not for
sheltering in place or unassigned extended duty. We recommend approving these amendments. Thank you, Miss N. Board members, is there any discussion? Thank you. Sorry, Mrs. Hacker. Are there any public speakers? Yes, we have one
speaker for item 6.1, Mark Cluo. Yes, this uh is really pretty amazing. Your strategic priority,
safe and respectful climate and culture. Well, there's a word that shouldn't be used here. Climate. If there's something that you're doing
that that just isn't right. It's desecrating the climate. Uh yeah and then to go on environmental health and again climate.
Now it's a sad situation. Sad, sad. 2024, the hottest year on record. And what you're doing
is playing a part. And that big increase Now, is that environmental health? And is the climate, good, getting better? All the predictions are it's going to
get worse. environmental health. No, you people are way way off. Way way off. Every meeting here, the air conditioning never stops.
Heat index again today over a 100 degrees. And you're wearing coats. wearing coats. Sick. Madam chair, there are no other speakers for this item. Thank you board members.
Any discussion? Mrs. Edmond. Thank you, Mrs. Hine. Thank you, Mrs. Een, for bringing this item forward. The last revision of this doc document occurred in 2009 and I just want to reiterate the importance of the team that collaborated
on these improvements. So, thank you very much. Any other discussion? We'll take a vote. All those in favor of approving item 6.1 say I. I. Any opposed? Passes six to zero.
Item 6.2 two public hearing to consider the repeal of policies 8450 control of casual contact communicable diseases policies 8453 district contact communicable diseases and 8453.01
control of bloodborne pathogens and adoption of policy 8450 control of communicable diseases. This is the second reading and there are no changes. May I have a motion and second to approve this item? A motion from Miss Edmond and a second
from Mrs. Kaine. Mr. Hendrick, would you please? Thank you, Madam Chair. This set of policies followed the same timeline as workshop in public discussion. And now again for the content and the rest of the timeline. Miss as a result of continuous improvement
and operational efficiency policies 8450, 8453, and 8453.01 01 are recommended for repeal. We are also recommending the adoption of a new policy 8450 control of communicable
diseases to combine the three repealed policies into a cohesive and comprehensive policy pertaining to communicable diseases. The proposed policy retains the major components of the repealed policy while removing redundancies. A red line showing the
specific changes was also included in the April workshop. The substantive changes include adding definitions that are referenced in the revised policy as well as other health services documentation, removing the language regarding the curriculum because PCS uses a state approved health curriculum
that complies with law. Updating the language and reorganizing the information for flow and finally removing procedures from the policy. We recommend repealing the three aforementioned po existing policies and approving a new policy 8450 control of
communicable diseases. Thank you, Mrs. Eison. Mrs. H, are there any public speakers? No, Madam Chair. There are no speakers for this item. Thank you. Board members discussion. Miss Edmond. Thank you, Mrs. Z and team for bringing forth this item a more um
concise and easy to read as well as letting us know at the last meeting that the district works with the health department and ensuring that we are compliant and um keeping control of communicable diseases um at bay. So thank you.
Thank you. Any other discussion? We'll take a vote. All those in favor of passing item 6.2 say I. Any opposed? Passes six to zero. Our consent agenda. May I have a motion and a second to adopt the consent
agenda? Make a motion. Second. Motion from Miss Blackburg and a second from Miss Edmond. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Passes six to zero. On our non-consent agenda today, item
8.1, request approval for 202526 instructional materials purchases. May I have a motion and a second to approve this item? Second. Motion from Mrs. Long and a second from Miss Edmund. Mr. Hendrick, would you please introduce? Thank you, Madam Chair. As the board knows, the
process of adopting instructional materials is a very public one and and much like the policies we just adopted, this is the end of that cycle. uh our chief academic officer, Denica Jones, is going to give us an update on that. But I did want to also just mention for the board to look forward to future years. What what's our next adoption cycle and
what does that look like? Um next year we'll be looking at most of our elective courses. So career technical, art, music, dance. Uh the following year mathematics, the following year social studies, and then in 2829 science, knowing that that can change at any given time by the Department of
Education, but that's the current schedule. So, with that in mind, I'll call Denica Jones up to talk through the adoption of our English language arts materials. Great morning and thank you, Mr. Hendrick. Great morning, Madame Chair, members, and staff. The item
before you today is the annual request to fund the purchase of our adopted state approved instructional materials for the upcoming school year of 2526. Pursuant to state statute, the board must approve the purchase of core
instructional materials as a separate non-consent item. That request is being made before you today. I do want to thank each of you. Once I I do want to thank once again, as I always do, Miss Megan Fry, our program
coordinator, for the instructional materials, for her efforts in organizing our process and timeline to ensure that we are in alignment with state requirements. Her efforts are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you, Chief Jones. Board members, is there any discussion on this item? I appreciate the timeline, the thoroughess of this review and the adoption. I certainly support it. Um, without other discussion, we'll take a vote. All those in favor say I. Any
opposed? Passes six to zero. Thank you. Thank you. New business items introduced by the superintendent, Mr. Hendrick. Thank you, Madam Chair. I wanted to make the public aware of two opportunities to learn about teaching in Penelis County Schools. Two virtual opportunities are
coming up, including an event tomorrow for educators who hold a valid teaching certificate and want to learn more about becoming a Penelis County Schools teacher and also one on June 26th where an event is being held for those that have bachelor's degrees but are not yet certified teachers. The information
sessions regarding both events are on our home homepage on our website and uh you can sign up on our website. Now, I want to note that if you go to our website right now, you'll see just 20 teaching vacancies for next school year and half of those are at Penel's Technical College. So, we have a
specific need for things like nursing and welding, barbering, early childhood instructors. Some of those are part-time, some full-time. So, encourage those that you may know in the community to help our students at our technical colleges continue to grow in those areas. We are wrapping up uh the fourth week of summer bridge uh successfully
completing last week, week three, and we're into week four. In addition to elementary programming, several thousand middle school and high school students are uh working on test prep for upcoming assessments as well as credit recovery. Our teachers have sent home progress reports after week two to students in
our elementary program. And you can find ways to engage your student in learning all summer long on our summer learning resources page, including reading lists for the district and the state, opportunities to engage in the next year's curriculum and math, and much more. I also wanted to highlight that our summer camps are well underway. So
far, we've offered two dozen summer camps, um, including a girls construction camp, mural making, culinary arts, journalism, uh, AI and comics, sewing, sports medicine, field day camp, and Ignite arts camp. I want to thank our IC rock members who visited
one of those summer camps this week, or last week, I should say, and it's great to see so many engaged in our summer programs. Um board members, today I wanted to recognize a member of our staff who is at the DEIS for the last time after 11 years and serving in the
role of chief operations officer since 2014 and that's Mr. Clint Herbick. He has served in Penelis County School since 1988 as a classroom teacher at Seminal Middle School in Dunen High School where he also coached basketball. Served as an assistant principal at
Lakewood High School, Gibbs High School and briefly at Northeast High School before coming the principal at Tarpon Springs High School for five years where in his first year as principal, the school went from a D to an A school grade under his leadership as associate superintendent for facilities and
operations and now chief operations officer. He's led transportation, food service, facilities, school safety, student assignment, and more during his tenure. His accomplishments are many and include the district's response to the Marjory Stoman Douglas tragedy to improve school safety and a massive
upgrade of district facilities, including two bond initiatives to expedite improvements for our school facilities. These highlights include, and I want you to think about each and every one of these projects, all completed under Mr. for Herbick's leadership. Clearwater High School, Cypress Woods Elementary School, the
Coachman Service Center, Lakewood High School, Mangrove Bay Middle School, Melrose Elementary School, which was his first big school redesign, Midtown Academy, Mildred Helms Elementary School, Northshore Elementary School, Penellis Central Elementary School, Penelis Park Middle School, Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School, Sandy
Lane Elementary School, Sanderling K8, St. Petersburg High School, Tarpon Springs High School, and Tyrone Middle School. He's led with integrity, responsibility, and a deep commitment to families, children, and the community. Congratulations on your remarkable service, Mr. Herbick.
And finally, the superintendent standout for this meeting is Vance King, a transportation assistant compound manager. Mr. King has been an employee of Penel County Schools for eight years, and one of his colleagues wrote in about him. A bus driver said, "Mr. King was my supervisor this year in transportation.
He's an amazing example of going above and beyond to support his drivers and going out of his time out of his way to help with different routes and anything that needs covering. He's fair, respectful supervisor to his drivers and transportation bus assistants and follows through helping with any issues
or problems related to the job and he has an extremely positive attitude. Thank you, Mr. King, and all of our employees for the work they do each and every day. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Hendrich. Items introduced by the school board attorney. Mr. Kaperski, I have no report today.
Thank you, ma'am. Thank you. Items introduced by the board. Miss Edmond. Thank you. I would just like to let community members know that on May 21st, the district was notified of the closing
of Plato Academy Largo and the director of charter schools and home education is completing the closeout process. As families continue to solidify plans for next year, remember Penllis County Schools has several choices that may
meet the needs of your own students. So, come learn more about us. Also, um, last week we had the, well, actually the week before we had the Florida School Board Association, uh, conference as well as the Greater Florida Consortium of School
Board meeting. And at our schoolboard workshops, I will provide the board updates on those items. And last but not least, on Junth, I had the opportunity of going to Northwest Elementary and being on the book bus. It was great
seeing the excitement from the teachers and the students as they look for two books and selected their bag. Uh that's another great partnership that we have with JWB and the book bus is scheduled to be throughout the county as well as
in the community um during the summer. Also, happy Pride and thank you to all who had uh celebrations for Junth. It was great to be out in the community. Thank you. other board members. Um, I would mention
a few things. First, I also would like to both congratulate and thank Clint Herbick for his service to the district. Um, it was almost 10 years ago that I first got involved at Northshore Elementary, one of the schools that Mr. Hendrick listed there. And as he was listing all those schools, I saw you
kind of going through them in your mind and remembering and um, absolutely, you have left your mark. But when I did get involved and whether it was the school and the facility or the discussions around school start times and starting that task force and you were always welcoming and listening and encouraging
and it just showed me that that's the kind of person you are and that's the way that you have approached your work both with the public uh parents like me but also with with your staff. Um and it's been a great great pleasure to work with you now the last five years in this role that I've been in. So thank you for
your service. Um, I also just wanted to reiterate, Mr. Hendrick, did you say we have 20 teacher vacancies? That's what's listed on the website right now. There's a few more being filled, but we're doing really well right now. And 10 of those are Penelis Technical College. So, that
means there's 10 classroom teachers. Not all the ones listed are classroom, but yes, there's some counselors and coaches and things like that. Yeah, there's there's about 20 that are are also being worked on right now to be filled that have already been posted. Interviews are happening, but if you go to the website right now, there's just 20 post.
Extraordinary. I mean, aren't we normally what's in my mind is normally around 70 60 70 this time of year. Uh this time of year, mostly closer to 150. Okay. Um start of the year down to 70 80. Yeah. Okay. Congratulations. That's
fantastic. Wonderful news. Um, the third thing I'd like to mention this afternoon, we'll be going into our workshop after the conclusion of this meeting and there's several things we're talking about this afternoon. Uh, one that's key is we're looking at our academic performance and spoiler alert,
it's good news. Um, and so thank you to all of you who have contributed to that good news, but I look forward to going over that data together. Um, uh, another thing is the legislative update that we will receive. So, for those who are interested in policy that has been
passed up in Tallahassee over this last session, you can go and online there's a nice summary. Um, it it hits on a range of things from safety to athletics, academics, cell phone policy. Um, so there there's a good summary document available if you want to find out more
about that. We will also be starting our new legislative process for the coming session. Um, and so if you have any input or thoughts on that, um, we do want to hear that. The the the big thing we're talking about this afternoon is is our budget. So, also available online to
you is the full budget breakdown. That is what our CFO sees right now as far as our revenue and proposed expenses. And we'll be talking about that. A couple things that I would highlight for you is there's a reduction of about $36 million in federal funding. So we're we are
typically about 107 million in federal funding. That's being reduced by 36 million. So that's about a third. So about a 33% in federal funding primarily to contracted services. Um and then in our operating budget, there's a
reduction of about 11% in state funds. But what's amazing and what I really want to highlight and thank and raise up the voters of Panelis County who approved the referendum in November because we have an increase of about 14%
in local funding to our budget. And so the voters who voted to say we believe in you and we will invest in you. You are making a difference and you are really the reason we probably have such low vacancies in our in our teacher rank. So amazing and thank you. There's
more there's more details for the budget available for everybody. And if you have any questions, comments, or would like to talk that further, we'd like to hear from you on that as well. Any other uh comments from board members? Okay. Um Mrs. Woodford, any board
requests? I did not note any board requests. Okay. Well, thank you for what you do every day and thank you for being here. We'll adjourn this meeting and move to public participation. Mrs. Hal, are there any speakers today? Yes, Madam Chair. There are two speakers.
Thank you. Go ahead. First speaker is Tex Carter, followed by Mark Cluo. Good morning. Compose. Good morning. Some of you already know me from having met before out at the WK Preservation West Clusterman Preserve.
Okay. And the reason I'm here today is really to say thank you. So like a good Baptist preacher, I'm going to tell you three or four times, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um Oh, I'm not a Baptist preacher. I apologize for that. Um
a quick background if you will. WK Preservation Group uh was formed about 2020. And we were formed because um in 2019, Penllis County Schools had been challenged by the state legislature to
take properties that were vacant or underutilized and turn them into money so that the budget could be u adjusted accordingly. 2019, Penllis County Schools offered uh a 14 acre parcel uh
in on Clustermanman Road to Penllis County. It was right across the fence from a 76 acre parcel that was already a management area, wildlife management area, and a preservation area. And it
made absolutely good sense for you guys to offer to the county that parcel. and you needed to have some money for it because that's what the whole purpose for moving these pieces of property was. Penelis County declined. Okay, they didn't take your offer. It was a good
offer. Um the next step by the school board was to go ahead and put the property up for sale following the rules. The property was offered for sale. A developer offered to buy it for $3 million.
And um the deal was almost done when a local group of folks said, you know, we really would like to see that become part of the west of the management preserve across the fence because it had been the same ecosystem 100 almost 100
acres of the same ecosystem for uh longer than anybody in here has been alive. Okay. Um, and so we met with Penllis County Schools. We met with Clint and you have been a great partner. Okay. Thank you. Uh, we met with Clint
and Clint said, "Who are you guys? We've got this developer. We've got some He said, "You really need to establish credibility with Penllis County Schools. And if you do that, then maybe we will consider your request to make that into a preserve." And he provided a lot of
the history with Penllis County. um the small group. I did have notes. Mr. Carter, you're going to run out of time. I just I am I'm out of time already. So, I guess the main thing to do is to say April 10th, Penllis County Schools sold
the property to um Penllis County. It is now a preserve. Uh you guys were successful at Thank you. Mark Lutho Largo. Here's the article.
Why are Confederate Civil War leaders honored with holidays in Florida? Yeah, that's taught in your schools. Brace for heat. Records to be broken. Reports five-year forecast sees no
respite. Yeah. Your thermostat set at 70 degrees. The air conditioning keeps running so you're comfortable in your coats. Sick. We're heading into hurricane
season. Un. Storms like Milton will strike. Will we see them coming? Coast face crisis as land seeks, sinks, seas rise. And I just barely touched on this. These
top 25 top 2025 grads have ideas about hurricane prep. Uh this is pathetic, stupid, really dumb that they have them with their pathetic
ideas and especially this Patel. And you know, you're familiar with the Patel building over there on Gulf the Bay. Boy, what a hurricane breeder that is.
And sitting where it'll go underwater. Oh man, and last meeting you know I heard this oh let's get these childrens into the military
and you never read the book did you war is a racket general Butler awarded two medals of honor and if you read the book, you'd
understand what he's really saying is the military is a racket. And what we have now is military violating
the Constitution. You'd be happy for him to do that, huh? You people are sick. really sick. Yeah. Why don't you fools read the book? Trillion dollar military budget.
General Butler never could have envisioned where we are. Madam Chair, there are no other speakers. Thank you. Thank you. Um I do want to mention our um workshop uh while
the agenda starts at 12:30. It's really called to be immediately following the schoolboard meeting. We're we're wrapping up here. We'll take some time though. Um does 11:45 sound good to start the workshop. Would anybody like more or less time? I'm open to
suggestions. Mr. Hendrick, I would go with noon. I I think that'll be good with our first presenter and gives the board I know the board office has some lunch as well that folks have ordered. So why don't we go with noon? Okay. So staff will be right. Okay. Noon. So we'll start we'll start the workshop at noon up in um the conference room. Thank
you. Thank you for being here.