[00:00:05]
OKAY CALLING TO ORDER THE APRIL 9TH, 2025 BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY MEETING.
[1. Regular Meeting - 4:30 p.m.]
[2. Closed Session]
I MOVED IT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL MATTERS AND PENDING LITIGATION AS PURSUANT TO MARYLAND ANNOTATED CODE.GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE 3-305B1B8. I'M SORRY.
B188. SORRY. NO PROBLEM. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. WE DO HAVE THREE AYES, WHICH SIGNIFIES A QUORUM.
MR. FERDINANDO. MR. DAVIS AND MYSELF. WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.
[3. Open Session - 5:30 p.m.]
OKAY, IT IS 5:30. WE ARE GOING TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION OUR APRIL 9TH, 2025.BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY MEETING. PLEASE STAND WHILE MISS GRIFFIN LEADS US IN THE PLEDGE.
THANK YOU. BOARD REFLECTION, MR. FERDINANDO. THE MISSION OF CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS TO SERVE EQUITABLY THROUGH POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AS A SAFE, COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY. WE WILL ENSURE ALL LEARNERS ACQUIRE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND QUALITIES TO BE RESPONSIBLE, CARING AND ETHICAL CITIZENS. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[4. Consent Agenda]
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ANY BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FOR DISCUSSION? OKAY. HEARING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION? ANYBODY? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. FIRST ITEM UNDER NEW BUSINESS, WE'LL GO TO BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.
[5. New Business]
WE'LL START WITH YOU DOWN THERE, MISS GRIFFIN.ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. AND FOR MY REPORT TODAY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MENTION TWO THINGS REGARDING OUR STUDENT COUNTY COUNCIL AND THE SELECTION OF THE NEW STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. IN THE PAST MONTH, THE COUNTY COUNCIL SELECTED THREE STUDENTS WHO WILL PROCEED IN STUDENT MEMBER ELECTIONS. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO MEET WITH THESE STUDENTS SOON TO INTERVIEW AND EVENTUALLY CHOOSE THE BEST FIT FOR THE ROLE.
AND SECONDLY, COUNTY COUNCIL'S NEXT AND UNFORTUNATELY LAST MEETING WILL BE A Q&A SESSION THIS WEEK, FRIDAY WITH DOCTOR BOYER, WHICH I KNOW MEMBERS ARE EXCITED FOR AND I AM PERSONALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO.
SO AND THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU, MISS GRIFFIN.
SO SHE MADE A GREAT PLAY AT SHORTSTOP THAT DAY I THINK SHE WAS PLAYING.
AND SO START OF A GOOD SEASON. WE'VE WE LOST A LOT OF SENIORS.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING TWO TIME STATE CHAMPS, BUT IT'LL BE AN INTERESTING YEAR THIS YEAR, TRYING TO COME TOGETHER AS A NEW TEAM WITH A LOT OF FRESHMEN AND YOUNG KIDS, WHICH IS PART OF THE PROCESS. AND THAT'S WHAT'S SO MUCH FUN ABOUT IT, GETTING TO LEARN AND CHANGE AND TRY TO FALL DOWN AND GET BACK UP.
SO THE GIRLS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB RIGHT NOW, PROUD OF THEM AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A FUN SEASON.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, SHE'S NOT HERE TONIGHT. I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT BO.
BO IS RANKED ONE SPOT AHEAD OF US IN STATES RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE RANKINGS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM FOR NOW. BUT WE PLAY IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE'LL SEE WHERE WE'RE AT THAT POINT. THAT'S ALL FOR ME.
THANKS, MR. FERDINANDO. MR. DAVIS. JUST ONE QUICK THING, MISS HOLLY.
SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR CEREMONY, I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 CCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MISS TAYLOR SCHAEFER. AND TO ALL THE OUTSTANDING NOMINEES FOR THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. I'LL MAKE UP FOR THE SHORT REPORTS IN MINE.
FIRST AS ANNOUNCED IN A PRESS RELEASE, THE BOARD RECEIVED MS. RENEE DIXON'S RESIGNATION FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY ON MARCH 31ST, 2025.
[00:05:01]
SO WE AWAIT INFO FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, LIKELY BY THE END OF APRIL.THAT MIGHT BE OPTIMISTIC, BUT HOPEFULLY BY THEN.
THE LAST DAY OF THE MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION WAS YESTERDAY.
I'VE HAD VARIOUS MABE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, MONITORING LEGISLATION TRAININGS.
A CONFERENCE THIS MONTH HAS BEEN PRETTY ACTION FILLED.
I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE CONGRATULATIONS AND A COUPLE THANK YOUS.
AND FIRST AS MR. DAVIS MENTIONED, JUST HUGE CONGRATS TO OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES AND TO OUR 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MISS TAYLOR SCHAEFER FROM NORTHEAST MIDDLE.
GO, BULLDOGS! MISS SCHAEFER WAS A TEACHER FOR MY YOUNGEST WHEN HE WAS AT NORTHEAST MIDDLE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR OUTGOING 2024 TEACHER OF THE YEAR, BRITTANY RIGDON, WHO WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN STATE FINALISTS FOR BASICALLY SHARING HER VOICE AND HER PLATFORM AT THE STATE LEVEL.
WILLY WONKA, THEY DID WILLY WONKA AND IT OBVIOUSLY I WAS THERE.
A LOT OF WORK REALLY WENT INTO THAT. THESE MIDDLE SCHOOL KIDS DID A GREAT JOB.
AND ALSO THE STAFF WHO SUPPORTED THEM, IT'S A LOT OF WORK.
MISS DYER, WHO LED THAT EFFORT A TON OF HOURS THAT SHE DEVOTED TO WORKING WITH THOSE STUDENTS, AND ALSO JUST TO ALL OF THE COLLEAGUES, THE STAFF AT OTHER SCHOOLS WHO SUPPORT BOTH ATHLETICS AND THE FINE ARTS IN SCHOOLS.
I'VE ALSO BEEN TO SEVERAL PERFORMANCES. AND THERE'S UPCOMING PERFORMANCES, INCLUDING CONCERTS, SPORTING EVENTS. AND AGAIN, I JUST ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO ATTEND AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.
NEXT, CECIL COUNTY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY HAD 27 STUDENTS REPRESENTING SEVEN PROGRAMS AT THE SKILLS USA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE END OF MARCH. THEY RECEIVED SIX SILVER AND BRONZE MEDALISTS AND FIVE STUDENTS WHO WERE GOLD MEDALISTS AND ADVANCING TO NATIONALS.
SO THEY'LL REPRESENT MARYLAND AT THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS CONFERENCE IN ATLANTA THIS JUNE.
AND I KNOW FUNDRAISING EFFORTS HAVE BEGUN. SO JUST BE ON THE LOOKOUT IF YOU SEE ANYTHING.
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR EFFORTS TO ATTEND THAT IN ATLANTA.
SPEAKING OF NATIONALS, I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL FBLA.
EIGHT STUDENTS QUALIFIED FOR THE NATIONALS IN FLORIDA AND SEVEN WILL BE ATTENDING.
BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THERE WAS $15,800 IN COMMUNITY DONATIONS AND CHAPTER AND CTE FUNDS TO COVER THE DIFFERENCE IN THE COST. SO ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS WILL BE ATTENDING FOR FREE.
SO THAT'S IN FLORIDA. I DO WANT TO SHOUT OUT A COUPLE OF THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THE AMERICAN LEGION POST 15 DONATED $9,000 APG FCU $1,000.
NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL ACTION CLUB $1,000 AND THE ODEC WILDCAT $4,800.
SO THIS IS JUST REALLY ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS, AND I KNOW WE'RE ALL REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THAT AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, HELP CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND JUST BASICALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR OVERALL SUCCESS.
WE ARE ENTERING HAVE ALREADY BEGUN FOR SOME SCHOOLS PROM SEASON.
MISS GRIFFIN, I THINK YOU HAD YOURS. CERTIFICATION TESTS, AS MENTIONED EARLIER.
ALSO SPRING PLAYS, CONCERTS, SPORTS BEEN TO A COUPLE SPORTING EVENTS.
IT SAYS SPRING SPORTS. IT'S COLD. SO HOPEFULLY OUR SPRING SPORTS WILL WARM UP SOON.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SENIOR NIGHTS, I'M SURE, AT A LOT OF THESE COMING UP ALREADY.
IT'S GETTING REAL SENIORS, IT'S GETTING REAL.
SO GRADUATIONS NEXT MONTH. MONTH AND A HALF AWAY.
SO HATS OFF TO OUR SENIORS, INCLUDING OUR OWN MISS GRIFFIN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE DOCTOR LAWSON. YOU'RE UP. YES.
THANK YOU, MISS HAWLEY. JUST A FEW THINGS BEFORE I SPEAK ABOUT OUR RESOLUTIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS.
[00:10:01]
I MEAN, OUR RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF IN TERMS OF HOW OUR CANDIDATES FARE AT THE STATE LEVEL.AND SO THANK YOU, THE TWO OF YOU, AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE. IT'S TIME CONSUMING, IT'S TEDIOUS, IT'S DETAIL. AND BUT IT'S A JOB WELL DONE. IN TERMS OF THE GALA WE HAD LAST, WHAT NIGHT? TUESDAY, THURSDAY. THURSDAY. MISS OLSON, MISS SHAW, MISS CHADWICK'S HERE.
SO THANK YOU TO THE THREE OF YOU IN PARTICULAR.
JUST A REMINDER THAT WE APPLIED LAST MONTH FOR A WAIVER FOR THE STATE TO THE STATE FOR OUR SCHOOL YEAR TO END FOR STUDENTS ON JUNE 13TH, THAT WAIVER WAS GRANTED. HOWEVER, TEACHERS AND STAFF WILL WORK BOTH JUNE 16TH AND 17TH, AND DIRECTION WAS SENT OUT TO THOSE FOLKS TODAY.
BEGINNING THIS MONTH. THE VOTES FOR THE RESOLUTIONS THEMSELVES ARE PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
FOR INSTANCE, NATIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WEEK, OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS ARE DEDICATED TO WORKING TIRELESSLY TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AS WELL AS THE PRINCIPAL, AND CREATE A POSITIVE LEARNING COMMUNITY THAT FACE UNPREDICTABLE CHALLENGES AND DAY TO DAY TASKS.
SO THANK YOU TO OUR APPS, OUR NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WEEK.
THESE ARE OUR SECRETARIES, BOOKKEEPERS, CLERKS, JOURNALISTS AND OFFICE ASSISTANTS.
AND THEIR WORK REQUIRES EXPERTISE IN PATIENCE AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT.
IF YOU'VE BEEN IN SOME OF THESE MAIN OFFICES, THOSE FRONT LINE FOLKS ARE TOP OF THE LINE.
THIS IS ALSO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST MONTH, COMMONLY KNOWN AS OTS.
IN MARYLAND SCHOOL SYSTEMS. OUR OTS HELP OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ACCESS AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR EDUCATION EXPERIENCE BY EMPOWERING CHILDREN TO USE PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL, THEY ADDRESS PERFORMANCE SKILLS THAT IMPACT STUDENT LEARNING, AND WE COULDN'T OPERATE OUR SCHOOLS WITHOUT OUR OTS.
IT IS ALSO THE MONTH OF NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY.
SCHOOL NURSES COMPLY WITH THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR ADMINISTERING MEDICATIONS AS NECESSARY DURING THE SCHOOL DAY THEY SERVE AS ADVOCATES IN TERMS OF HEALTH AND OVERALL WELLNESS BY PROMOTING HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, AND THEY ASSIST IN VISION AND HEARING SCREENINGS, PROVIDING ONGOING HEALTH COUNSELING. AND FINALLY, IN MAY, WE HAVE TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR PLANNING, DELIVERING LESSONS, ASSESSING PROGRESS, MAINTAINING A SAFE AND ORDERLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, AND COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH PARENTS AND COLLEAGUES.
OUR TEACHERS FILL MANY ROLES AS LISTENERS, ROLE MODELS, EXPLORERS AND MOTIVATORS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE LONG AFTER WE ALL HAVE LEFT SCHOOL. SO THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE GROUPS. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
MISS HAWLEY. GREAT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR LAWSON.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR CCPS EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS.
MISS RENKO, CECIL COUNTY CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HAWLEY, DOCTOR LAWSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUESTS.
AS HAS BEEN ALREADY MENTIONED, I COULD NOT GO WITHOUT SAYING.
LAST THURSDAY WAS PHENOMENAL. LIKE IT IS EVERY YEAR AND IT'S SPECIAL EVERY YEAR.
A HUGE SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU TO THE JUST RECENTLY PAST CCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR, BRITTANY RIGDON.
IF YOU HAVE NOT EVER SEEN HER. SHE IS JUST PHENOMENAL.
SHE IS JUST THE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE SEEKING CAREERS IN THE TRADE AND TRADES AND GOING INTO CAREERS RIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
AND IN HER FINAL REMARKS, NOT ONLY DID SHE ENCOURAGE HER PROGRAM AND HER STUDENTS, BUT SHE ENCOURAGED THE REST OF THEM WITH SOME SYMBOLISM AND ANALOGY OF A LITTLE PANSY PLANT AND HER ADVICE TO EVERYBODY WAS TO, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS AND STAFF ALIKE IS TO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS, BUT ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GROW AND THRIVE WHERE THEY WERE PLANTED.
SO JUST A WONDERFUL ADVOCATE. AND THEN THE INCOMING CCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR IS TAYLOR SCHAFER,
[00:15:08]
WHO DOES COME FROM NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHO I AM JUST PRIVILEGED TO WORK WITH.AND SO NOT ONLY DO HER STUDENTS LOOK UP TO HER, BUT FOLKS ON HER STAFF LOOK UP TO HER FOR GUIDANCE.
SHE TEACHES AMERICAN HISTORY AND MAKES IT COME ALIVE TO HER STUDENTS.
SO JUST A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO TAYLOR SHAFER.
IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN ANNAPOLIS WAS FINALLY ENDED ON MONDAY.
WE MAY STILL HAVE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
BUT THERE WERE SOME BILLS PASSED THAT MANY THAT DO IMPACT EDUCATION.
AND IT ALSO SUPPORTS OUR GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM THAT SOME OF OUR OWN EDUCATORS BENEFIT FROM.
WE'VE HAD YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE WE'VE HAD MANY OF OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT CONTINUE THEIR TRAINING AND THEN BECOME CLASSROOM TEACHERS AS WELL AS OTHER FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND SO THIS GROW YOUR OWN PIPELINE IS REALLY BENEFICIAL.
THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY IN OUR COMMUNITY, KNOW AND LOVE OUR KIDS, AND TO HELP GIVE THEM THAT STEP UP INTO THE CLASSROOM IS A REALLY A GREAT THING. ALSO PAST WAS THE DAVID MARTINEZ PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT.
AND SO THIS WILL HELP IMPROVE SCHOOL SAFETY BY ESTABLISHING A UNIT IN THE DIVISION OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AND THREATS IN ALL PUBLIC WORKPLACES, INCLUDING OUR SCHOOLS. AND IT WILL MAINTAIN RECORDS OF INCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND DEVELOP VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS. SO IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR SECURING MORE SAFE CHECK POINTS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
YOU MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT 90% OF STUDENTS ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES.
95% OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND 40% OF ALL STUDENTS ARE QUALIFYING FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THOSE AVERAGES TEND TO BE HIGHER IN CECIL COUNTY AND SO ON.
MAY 1ST, WE'RE ASKING THAT EVERYBODY JOIN US IN ANOTHER DAY OF ACTION TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MORE INFORMATION WILL BE COMING OUT ABOUT OTHER EVENTS AND ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE ON THAT DAY, BUT FOR NOW, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR EVERYBODY TO PLAN AHEAD, DO YOUR LAUNDRY AND WEAR RED FOR ED ON MAY 1ST.
SEPARATE THE SEPARATE THE REDS AND THE WHITES. SO THEY COME OUT PINK.
SO IT I GET THAT FEEDBACK I DON'T KNOW. SO AS DOCTOR LAWSON ALSO MENTIONED, I JUST COULDN'T STEP ASIDE WITHOUT SAYING OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS THEY KEEP THE SCHOOL HUMMING, RIGHT? THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE KIDS WHO ARE HAVING TROUBLE DEALING WITH THAT DAY.
AND SO THEY ASSIST THE KIDS AND THEY ASSIST THE STAFF.
AND THEY ARE OFTEN THERE THE EARLIEST AND LEAVE THE LATEST BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL HELPING KIDS MEET THOSE CHALLENGES AND HELPING FAMILIES ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES WITH THEIR STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU TO OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, OUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, AND OUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS NOT ONLY TO GAIN MOVEMENT AND FUNCTIONING, BUT ALSO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR ACADEMIC GOALS AS WELL.
OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS, THEY ARE THE FACE OF THE FRONT OFFICE WHEN YOU WALK IN THE SCHOOL.
THEY ARE DOING THE DETAILED WORK AND THE NUMBER WORK THAT NONE OF US WANT TO LOOK AT.
AND THEY KEEP US IN THE BLACK INSTEAD OF IN THE RED.
OUR NURSES WE MENTIONED, I MENTIONED COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE LUCKY ENOUGH IN CECIL COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRIORITY OF US HAVING A SCHOOL NURSE.
NOT EVERY COUNTY IN MARYLAND HAS DEDICATED THEIR FUNDS IN THAT WAY.
AND AS A AS A TEACHER, THAT'S TERRIFYING. OUR STUDENTS HAVE NEEDS FROM A CUT AND SCRAPE ON THE PLAYGROUND TO SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT NEED CONSTANT MONITORING. AND SO WE ARE VERY LUCKY AND PRIVILEGED TO HAVE OUR DEDICATED NURSES.
[00:20:02]
AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR TEACHERS ON TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.AND SO THANK YOU TO OUR TEACHERS GOING FORWARD.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE AS A COMMUNITY EFFORT, OUR PARENTS, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR SUPPORT STAFF, EVERYBODY. THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT.
OUR KIDS, IT TAKES A VILLAGE, IT TAKES A FAMILY.
AND WE HAVE TO BE THAT VILLAGE AND THAT FAMILY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SUPPORT. THANK YOU, MISS RENKO AND MISS DANIELLE SLATER.
I THOUGHT I SAW HER. THERE YOU ARE. CECIL. EDUCATION SUPPORT PERSONNEL ASSOCIATION.
WELCOME. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT HAWLEY, BOARD MEMBERS.
DOCTOR LAWSON, SENIOR LEADERS AND GUESTS. MY NAME IS DANIELLE SLATER, AND I AM THE CECIL EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT AND THE HEAD CUSTODIAN AT RISING SUN MIDDLE SCHOOL. TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO START BY THANKING OCCUPATIONAL SUPPORT THERAPISTS AND OUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS FOR THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS IN HELPING STUDENTS OVERCOME CHALLENGES WITH MOVEMENT AND COORDINATION AND IMPROVE THEIR MOTOR SKILLS TO PERFORM EVERYDAY LIVING SKILLS. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ABILITY TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THE UNIQUE PHYSICAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, WHICH CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM, AS WELL AS FOSTER THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
YOUR DEDICATION MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE AND YOU TRULY ARE THE HEART OF OUR SCHOOL'S HEALTH SERVICES.
PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION ARE NOT ONLY NOTICED, BUT DEEPLY APPRECIATED.
WE ARE INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH A TALENTED AND RESOLUTE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS TEAM.
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR CONSTANT SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS, STAFF, PARENTS, AND SCHOOL SYSTEM. I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE KEY ROLE THAT OUR ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS PLAY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
GENERALLY, THEY ARE THE PRIMARY CONTACT FOR SUPPORT STAFF, AND WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE CARE AND ASSISTANCE THEY PROVIDE TO US, AS WELL AS THEIR RESPONSIVENESS TO OUR SPECIFIC NEEDS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXTEND A WARM THANK YOU TO OUR DEANS OF STUDENTS, WHO ALSO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP SUPPORT TO OUR SCHOOL STAFF, STUDENTS, AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. WE KNOW YOU.
IN MANY CASES, THE DEANS ARE ACTING IN THE CAPACITY OF AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE EFFORTS OF OUR TEACHERS, PASSIONATE AND DEDICATED EDUCATORS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION BUT ALSO MENTOR, GUIDE, AND ENCOURAGE OUR STUDENTS TO DREAM BIG AND ALWAYS REACH FOR THE STARS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SLATER. THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION REPORT, DOCTOR LAWSON. THANK YOU, MISS HAWLEY. AS THE BOARD CAN SEE, MISS JEN SHAW, OUR FOUNDATION, OUR FOUNDATION COORDINATOR AND PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS CREATED A FOUNDATION REPORT FOR YOUR VIEWING.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS SHAW? BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? NO. JUST SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO DID TEACHER FOR A DAY.
DIFFERENT THIS YEAR THAN PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY.
SO I GOT TO SEE WHAT THAT WAS LIKE. NO QUESTIONS, NO COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION REPORT.
THAT IS THE NEW NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU GO UP JUST A LITTLE MORE, THIS WOULD BE IF YOU WERE ON IRISHTOWN ROAD.
OBVIOUSLY UP THE WHAT IS THE FOOTER AND THE BLOCK WORK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN WILL BE THE ACTUAL HIGH SCHOOL SECTION PRIMARILY. YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME THISES AND THATS INVOLVED, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE HIGH SCHOOL AREA.
WHAT APPEARS TO BE YELLOW WILL BE THE AUDITORIUM MAIN OFFICE AREA.
[00:25:06]
AGAIN, THE BUILDING IS THREE STORIES HIGH. SO YOU'RE JUST SEEING THE FOOTERS. AND IF YOU SCROLL DOWN JUST A TINY BIT, THE OTHER DOWN OTHER WAY, THERE WE GO AT THE TOP OF THAT SCREEN.THERE YOU GO, RIGHT THERE. RIGHT IN THERE IS THE THAT WILL BE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AREA.
NORTHEAST BASEBALL TEAM IS PLAYING UP NEAR THE OLD BIGGS HIGHWAY, CHANTILLY GOLF COURSE.
AND THERE'S A LITTLE KIND OF A CATCH POND. SO IT'S REALLY COMING ALONG.
THEY ARE ON SCHEDULE. WE ARE PROBABLY 2 TO 3 WEEKS AWAY FROM SEEING STEEL ERECTED.
IF YOU CAN GO ON HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF SOME OF THE FOOTER WORK AND THE WALLS GOING UP.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE NATURAL GRADE OF THIS PROPERTY IS A HILL THAT'S FAIRLY STEEP PITCH.
AND SO THE ARCHITECTS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF KIND OF BAKING THE BUILDING INTO THE NATURAL PITCH OF THE LAND MORE CONCRETE BEING POURED. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S THE AUDITORY MAIN OFFICE AREA.
THE WEATHER'S BEEN CLOSE TO PRETTY GOOD GOING INTO THE NEXT PICTURE.
OF COURSE, IT WAS A HIGH OF 39 DEGREES YESTERDAY.
SO IT'S READY TO GO AS SOON AS MOTHER NATURE REQUIRES.
SO WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE THERE. HERE'S MORE OF THE AIR CONDITIONER WORK.
AGAIN, SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY. AND THEN THE FINAL PROJECT WE HAVE GOING RIGHT NOW, NEARING COMPLETION IS THE PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL FIELDHOUSE. RIGHT NOW, THE EXPECTATION IS THIS PROJECT WILL BE FINISHED BY MID-MAY.
AND AS WE GET CLOSER TO SUMMER, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN SUPPORTED BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO INCLUDE SIDEWALKS, PARKING LOTS, ROOFS. WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON IN THE COUNTY RIGHT NOW.
AND YOU KNOW, IN IN THE NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATION'S EARLY DAYS OF, OF THEIR GOVERNANCE.
GOOD. NO. THANKS DOCTOR BOYER. THANKS, DOCTOR LAWSON.
ALL RIGHT. OH NEXT. BEFORE I INTRODUCE MR. NEVILLE.
YOU OFTEN HEAR ABOUT ALL OF US TALKING ABOUT MABE THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARDS OF EDUCATION, WHICH REPRESENTS ALL 24 OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. AND IT REALLY DOES A LOT FOR BOARDS AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WHICH IS A VERY ECLECTIC GROUP OF PEOPLE.
NO EASY TASK. AND AT THIS TIME, I'M EXCITED, VERY HAPPY TO WELCOME OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MILT NAGEL, WHO'S BEEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MABE SINCE JULY 1ST, 2023.
MILT CAME TO US TONIGHT AND I GUESS GREW UP IN CAROLINE COUNTY.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME PROPS FIRST. OKAY.
CAROLINE COUNTY NATIVE. HE WAS RECENT, OR HE WAS MOST RECENTLY MABE'S DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
AND PRIOR TO THAT, HE SERVED ON THE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, INCLUDING AS THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, AND ALSO FOR ONE YEAR AS THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS FOR CAROLINE COUNTY.
HE WAS A STAFF ACCOUNTANT AND ALSO AN OFFICER WITH THE US ARMY RESERVE.
SO HE EARNED HIS BS ACC FROM UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE.
SO IT'S KIND OF CLOSE, KIND OF CLOSE. AND HE REALLY HAS BEEN WORKING SINCE I WORKED WITH MILT OFTEN.
I WANT TO SHARE WHAT MABE DOES. AND THAT WAS IN 2023, AND IT'S NOW, WHAT, APRIL 2025.
HE WAS IN OUR DEFENSE. HE WAS SUPPOSED TO COME THE MONTH THAT WE THEN HAD TO GO VIRTUAL.
SO HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO VIRTUAL. HE WANTS TO BE IN PERSON.
SO I JUST I THINK I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT HE HIS OUTREACH, HIS PERSONAL OUTREACH TO ALL OF US AND SPECIFICALLY, WE ASKED HIM TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE INSURANCE PROGRAMS. THAT IS HIS WHEELHOUSE AND INCREASING INSURANCE COSTS.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, MR. MILT NAGEL. [APPLAUSE] AND I'LL EMBARRASS HIM JUST I MEAN,
[00:30:10]
HE DID COME A LONG WAY. SO I HAVE TO SAY ONE THING.HE RECENTLY WAS HONORED WITH. HE'S A FARMER. HE WAS RECENTLY HONORED WITH MARYLAND'S CENTURY FARM DESIGNATION FOR THE NAGEL HOME FARM, WHICH IS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CAROLINE COUNTY.
AND THAT FARM WAS PURCHASED IN 1904 BY HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER, AND HE INHERITED IT.
IT'S 116 ACRE FARM. IN 2015, HE LEASES THE LAND TO ONE OF HIS 18 FIRST COUSINS.
I THINK IS WHAT IT SAYS WHO FARMS FULL TIME AND HE HELPS THEM OUT A LOT.
SO CONGRATS ON THAT HONOR MILT THANKS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
DOCTOR LAWSON, PRESIDENT HAWLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND YOU HAVE A VERY ENVIABLE TEAM HERE. I GET, YOU KNOW, JUST TOP NOTCH.
MISS SOPA WITH THE OPEB INVESTMENT TRUST. AND YEAH, THIS GUY HERE JOE, DOCTOR BUCKLEY WITH THE WORKERS COMP FUND AND THEN WHO'S NOT HERE? JOANNA WITH, YOU KNOW, ON ALSO SOME OF THE INSURANCE RELATED ISSUES TIME TO CARE ACT.
YEAH. AND SPEAKING OF TIME TO CARE ACT, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT.
WE'LL COME BACK TO JOANNA. BUT ANYWAY, 25 SLIDES, YOU KNOW, 45 MINUTES, AN HOUR OR SO.
NO, I'M JUST TEASING. YOU'RE ALL PROFESSIONALS.
THE PRESENTATION HAS BEEN LOADED ON BOARD DOCS FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE.
SPECIFIC TO WHAT YOUR BOARD PRESIDENT ASKED ME TO SPEAK TO.
MARYLAND IS A VERY UNIQUE STATE. WHAT HAPPENS AND WORKS IN CECIL COUNTY IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. AND SO SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT JUST ENDED, WE TIRELESSLY ADVOCATE FOR LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT THE WHOLE STATE TO NOT BE HANDCUFFED, LOCAL DECISION MAKING, WHICH IS BEST SERVED HERE.
AND SO WE DON'T LIKE THAT TOP DOWN APPROACH. SOME THINGS HAVE TO BE LEGISLATED AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DICTATED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WE WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
AND SO LOCAL, AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT YOU AND WE DO THAT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
AND HERE ARE A NUMBER OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER THROUGH MABE.
AND I'VE PROVIDED LITERATURE A COUPLE OF SOME HANDOUTS FOR YOU IF YOU'RE JUST AS QUICK REFERENCE GUIDES, ANNUAL REPORT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. THERE'S A COUPLE BOOKMARKS, ETC..
SO WE'RE HERE IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FASHIONS, NOT ONLY FOR THE BOARD BUT FOR STAFF.
AS A BOARD MEMBER, IF YOU JUST WANT TO GET INVOLVED AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF COMMITTEES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO GET INVOLVED AND A NUMBER OF YOU ARE ON DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE. WE DO WORK OUTREACH TO BOARDS SPECIFICALLY.
WE HAVE A TRAINER THAT THAT WILL COME OUT AND WORK AND DO BOARD RETREATS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
A LOT OF THAT IS AT NO ADDITIONAL COST. IT'S BAKED INTO YOUR ANNUAL DUES.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SAVE THE DATES.
IT'S IN OCTOBER. IT'S A TWO DAY EVENT THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO THREE.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE'RE WORKING TO OVERHAUL PD AND TRY TO MAKE IT MORE RECEPTIVE TO THE FACT THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE DAY JOBS AND OTHER COMMITMENTS AND A FIXED SCHEDULE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT JUST DOESN'T WORK.
I SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ADVOCACY. SO DID A NUMBER OF YOU, A NUMBER OF FOLKS BEFORE ME WITH THE STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT JUST ENDED. OF COURSE, WE HAVE A FEDERAL ADVOCACY FOCUS AS WELL, AND WE'LL BE PICKING THAT BACK UP NOW.
[00:35:08]
STATE BOARD LEVEL AS WELL. JUST THESE WERE PRIORITIES FROM THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WERE PUT FORTH BY BOARD MEMBERS. AND WE DID A SURVEY. WE'VE DONE A SURVEY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS AS IT RELATES TO THE BLUEPRINT.AND THAT SURVEY HAS GONE OUT TO BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, BLUEPRINT COORDINATORS, CFOS AS TO WHAT WHAT'S WORKING WITH THE BLUEPRINT AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED. NUMBER OF POSITIONS AGAIN, FOR THAT, WE TOOK IN THE 2025 SESSION AND SOME NOTABLE LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS. YOU KNOW, IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE EXCELLENCE OF MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT.
FORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THAT MONEY WAS RESTORED LATE IN THE SESSION, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE IN THE COMING MONTHS AS IT RELATES TO INCREASING IMPACT NEGATIVELY FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE STATE HAS TO REVISIT THAT LEGISLATIVELY.
WE ALSO DO LEGAL AND POLICY SERVICES, SO WE HOLD A NUMBER OF SEMINARS THAT ARE GEARED TOWARDS STAFF.
THOSE ARE MOSTLY IN THE SUMMER. AND THEY'RE ALREADY BEING PLANNED RIGHT NOW.
NO ONE THAT'S COMING UP THIS SUMMER IS ON TITLE SIX, AND WE ARE ALSO THROUGH OUR NEW LEGAL AND POLICY DIRECTOR SAM MATHIAS VERY LOOKING FORWARD TO ENGAGING LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND WRITING SAMPLE POLICIES.
WE DO PUSH OUT QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS CALLED THE MABE SCOOP.
IT WENT OUT TODAY. IF YOU'RE NOT GETTING THOSE.
AND BECAUSE OF A SPAM FILTER OR SOMETHING. PLEASE REACH OUT DIRECTLY THROUGH SUPERINTENDENTS OFFICE, AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE'LL TRY TO GET THOSE TO YOU.
NOW TO INSURANCE PROGRAMS. WE RUN TWO MAIN INSURANCE PROGRAMS AT MABE, A GROUP INSURANCE POOL, WHICH IS PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE. AND 19 OF THE 24 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE IN THAT PROGRAM.
BASICALLY, ALL BUT THE BIG THE BIG FIVE THEY'RE SO LARGE THAT THEY SELF-INSURE THEMSELVES.
BUT IT'S A IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY.
AND TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR, WE ARE A AN ENTITY THAT ALLOWS SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO COME TOGETHER TO EITHER SELF-INSURE CERTAIN LINES OF COVERAGE OR TO MORE COMPETITIVELY, MORE COST, EFFECTIVELY SECURE LINES OF COVERAGE THROUGH THE COMMERCIAL MARKET SPACE.
AND WE SELF-INSURE UP TO CERTAIN LEVELS DEPENDING ON THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF COVERAGE THERE ARE.
AND IN THAT PROPERTY CASUALTY POOL, THERE'S 19 DIFFERENT LINES OF COVERAGE, EVERYTHING FROM SCHOOL BOARD, LEGAL, LEGAL, LEGAL LIABILITY TO EMPLOYEE FAITHFULNESS AND DISHONESTY TO CYBERSECURITY YOU KNOW, GENERAL LIABILITY PROPERTY COVERAGE, COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE ON YOUR YELLOW FLEET THAT YOU OWN OR YOUR RIGHT WHITE FLEET THAT YOU OWN. AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, SCHOOL BUSSES AND OTHER BOARD OWNED VEHICLES AND SO TO THAT END, WE HAVE EVERY ONE OF THE 19 MEMBERS HAS A TRUSTEE THAT MEETS THAT REPRESENTS YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
EVERYBODY HAS AN EQUAL VOTE, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER THE SIZE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND WORKERS COMP IS MUCH MORE HEAVILY REGULATED BY THE STATE THROUGH THE WORK COMP COMMISSION.
BUT YOU ALSO THEN HAVE A TRUSTEE THAT REPRESENTS YOU.
AND I'LL SAY ADAMANTLY THAT THAT HISTORICALLY AND I'VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH THESE PROGRAMS LONG BEFORE I CAME TO MABE, I WAS A TRUSTEE FROM CAROLINE COUNTY ON THESE INSURANCE PROGRAMS. AND CECIL COUNTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER FROM A TRUSTEE STANDPOINT ON THESE INSURANCE PROGRAMS. WE MEET QUARTERLY. THEY COME AND THEY PUT THEIR TRUSTEE HAT ON.
[00:40:07]
NOT JUST TODAY BUT FOR THE FUTURE. BECAUSE AND WE DO STATISTICAL ANALYSIS IN COMPARISON TO OTHER POOLS AND OTHER STATES, BECAUSE MOST STATES DO ALLOW THE SAME SORT OF COMING TOGETHER, IF YOU WILL, OF GOVERNMENT ENTITIES.AND HERE IN MARYLAND, ON THE GOVERNMENT SIDE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A COMPANION ORGANIZATION, LEGIT LOCAL GOVERNMENT INSURANCE TRUST, WHICH IS AFFILIATED WITH MACO.
SO WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY FISH IN THE POND IN MARYLAND DOING THIS SORT OF SORT OF WORK, BUT THERE'S POOLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE MARYLAND POOLS ARE ACTUALLY AUTHORIZED IN COMAR BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE THE LATE 80S. AND THEN WE HAVE AN OPEB INVESTMENT TRUST, AND CECIL COUNTY IS A MEMBER OF THAT AS WELL.
OPEB STANDS FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
THAT'S FOR TO ACCRUE AND RETAIN OFF YOUR BOOKS THE COST FOR RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE THAT MEMBERS THAT YOUR EMPLOYEES QUALIFY FOR AS A RETIREE BENEFIT. IT'S A GOING CONCERN ISSUE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT ANY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS GOING TO GO OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT IT'S WHAT THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, GASB SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO DO IS ACCOUNT FOR, IN A SEPARATE FUND, THE FUTURE COST OF THAT BENEFIT THAT THAT YOUR RETIREES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IN THE EVENT THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM EVER BECOMES INSOLVENT, THERE'S MONEY THERE TO PAY FOR THAT BENEFIT AFTER THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NO LONGER EXISTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE DAY WILL EVER COME, BUT THAT'S WHY IT EXISTS.
SO I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. SO BACK TO THE INSURANCE PROGRAM REAL QUICK.
BECAUSE BOARD PRESIDENT ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON, ON THE RAPIDLY RISING COSTS.
THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THE PREMIUM IS PROPERTY.
THERE'S BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ASSETS BEING INSURED.
AND YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A BIG NUMBER.
AND WHETHER YOU, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT OR NOT WE CAN'T.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE FINANCIAL SIZE TO SELF-INSURE PROPERTY.
JUST. NO WAY. IF THERE WAS A MAJOR HURRICANE THAT CAME UP THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND, YOU KNOW, DID CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO MULTIPLE SCHOOLS AND MULTIPLE DISTRICTS, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THOSE SCHOOLS.
SO WE YOU KNOW, WE SELF-INSURE UP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT THEN PURCHASE EXCESS INSURANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE BUILDINGS COVERED IN OUR MEMBERSHIP BASE. BUT WE IF YOU LOOK AT THE BILLION DOLLAR WEATHER AND CLIMATE DISASTERS. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING OUT INTO THE MARKET COMPETING WITH A LOT OF OTHER ENTITIES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR COVERAGE.
THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDINGS OUT THERE FOR PROPERTY COVERAGE IN THE, IN THE GOVERNMENT SPACE.
AND WE ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY WEATHER EVENTS THAT HAPPEN ELSEWHERE.
AND THERE'S A OVER TIME, OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS OR SO, THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT POPULATION INCREASE IN THIS COUNTRY AND SHIFT OF WHERE THAT POPULATION LIVES. AND MORE AND MORE OF THE POPULATION IS LIVING WHERE IN AREAS THAT ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THESE NATURAL WEATHER EVENTS.
AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE AN INCREASED POPULATION AROUND THE COASTS IN FLORIDA AND IN CENTRAL AMERICA THAT INCREASED VALUES AND AMOUNT OF PROPERTY THAT'S IN THOSE AREAS JUST COMPOUNDS ITSELF.
AND TO PUT IT INTO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT CONTEXT, IN 2024, THERE WERE 27 CONFIRMED NATURAL, YOU KNOW, WEATHER SLASH CLIMATE DISASTERS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT EXCEEDED $1 BILLION.
AND FROM 1980 TO 23, IT WAS AN AVERAGE OF 8.5 EVENTS.
AND IN THE MOST RECENT YEARS, THAT'S 20.4 EVENTS.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. AND YOU'VE JUST SEEN THIS JUST THIS WEEK.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN WESTERN KENTUCKY WITH THE WITH THE FLOODS IN THAT AREA.
BUT NOW I WHEN I SEE THOSE EVENTS, I'M LIKE, YOU KNOW, I TAKE A DEEP BREATH BECAUSE I'M LIKE, YEP, OKAY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, BEAR SOME OF THAT IMPACT OF THOSE NATURAL DISASTERS.
[00:45:09]
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE, WE HAD INCREASING DIFFICULTY OBTAINING CYBER INSURANCE COVERAGE BECAUSE THERE WAS JUST A, A RASH OF CYBER EVENTS IN THE GOVERNMENT SPACE WHEN THOSE NUMBERS TICK UP THE POOL OF AVAILABLE INSURANCE.SO THERE'S ONLY SO MANY COMPANIES THAT RATE THIS TYPE OF COVERAGE.
AND THEY DETERMINE ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS HOW MUCH COVERAGE THEY'RE GOING TO WRITE, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH VALUE ARE THEY GOING TO INSURE. AND SO WHEN CYBER EVENTS WERE TICKING UP, THEY FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, WE SAW A 50% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INSURANCE COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT WERE EVEN WILLING TO BID ON THE INSURANCE THAT WE WERE NEEDING AND THE AMOUNT OF INSURANCE THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO WRITE IN THEIR TOTAL BOOK OF BUSINESS SHRUNK SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE THEY WERE JUST, YOU KNOW, WITHDRAWING A LITTLE BIT, DRAWING BACK ON WHAT THEIR EXPOSURE WAS, BOTH IN CYBER.
AND WE'VE RUN INTO THAT WITH PROPERTY AS WELL.
SO WE CAN HAVE THE BEST EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD.
BUT IF THE MARKET IS CONSTRAINED BECAUSE OF LIMITED RESOURCES IN THE SPACE, IT HELPS TO CONTRIBUTE TO PRICES THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL. NOW, I WILL SAY THAT WE WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WHEN, WHEN APPROVING AND SETTING RATES FOR NEXT YEAR, THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE MARKETS SOFTENED QUITE A BIT FOR US.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT MUCH MORE FAVORABLE RATES GOING INTO FY 26 AND EMBARRASSED TO BE EMBARRASSED TO BE MENTIONED THAT WE TYPICALLY SET RATES FOR THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR IN THE FEBRUARY TIME FRAME, KNOWING THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AS THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THEIR BUDGETS.
EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE FINALIZED PREMIUMS YET FOR THE NEXT YEAR, WE RELY ON OUR CONSULTANTS TO, IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S OUT THERE AND TALKING TO THE ACTUAL CARRIERS.
AND WE'RE TALKING TO BIG CARRIERS. WE'RE INCLUDING LIKE LLOYD'S OF LONDON HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT YOUR LOCAL INSURANCE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WE DON'T GO THROUGH LOCAL BROKERS.
SO WE DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE BIG CARRIERS. IN THIS SPACE, WE HAVE THE SIZE TO DO THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? I KNOW THAT'S WHERE I REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS, BUT I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT.
STOP ME AT ANY TIME. OKAY. OKAY. YOU WILL. DO WANT TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OTHER THINGS.
REALLY, JUST ONE. AND THAT'S THE TIME TO CARE ACT COLLABORATIVE.
IT NOW DOES NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE UNTIL JANUARY 1ST OF 28.
BUT WE WILL STILL BE WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF TO ENSURE THAT THAT WE GET AS MUCH THIS IMPLEMENTED AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE WHEN THAT DATE DOES COME. SO TO THAT END, WE HAVE A COLLABORATIVE THAT INCLUDES MACO AND THE MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND SOME OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES. AND THERE'S JUST ESTIMATED TIMELINES, MORE FOR STAFF AS TO WHEN WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT TO BID AND WORK, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH DOL DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND THE MARYLAND INSURANCE ASSURANCE ADMINISTRATION ON A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF A PRIVATE PLAN AND NOT A PLAN THROUGH THE STATE. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW HOW BIG THIS COLLABORATIVE IS, IT'S 106 GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN TOTAL, INCLUDING ALL 24 BOARDS OF EDUCATION. ALMOST ALL OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES, LARGER MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE STATE. SO WE ARE A VOICE AT THE TABLE WITH NOT ONLY THE MARYLAND INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BUT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND GETTING SOME FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS TO THE DEPARTMENT BILL THIS YEAR THAT MAKE IT MORE PALATABLE AS WE GET CLOSER TO ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM AND ALWAYS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, NEVER BE COMPLACENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT ALWAYS YOU KNOW, WANTING TO BE ENGAGED. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR NEEDS, NOT ONLY AS BOARD MEMBERS, BUT YOUR STAFF ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT WAY IN, WHICH MAY CAN BE HELPFUL.
YOU KNOW, HAVING WORKED IN THE TRENCHES FOR SO LONG, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S ONLY SO MANY HOURS OF THE DAY, AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO ALLOW US TO DEAL WITH THAT.
[00:50:06]
A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION. SO WITH THAT, I DO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.I KNOW YOUR TIME IS IMPORTANT, AND I'M ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR COMING. YEAH. THANKS FOR MAKING THE TREK HERE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR ENGAGEMENT, YOUR INFO. MABE HAS BECOME THE GO TO RIGHT? I THINK THAT'S THE GOAL OF MABE IS TO BE THE GO TO.
SO I KNOW THEY'VE HELPED US A LOT AS BOARD MEMBERS, BOTH IN TRAINING, ADVOCACY.
WE DO MOST OF OUR ADVOCACY THROUGH MABE, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
POWER AND NUMBERS. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU MILT.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE OUR BOUNDARY LINE PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, MISS HAWLEY. THIS PRESENTATION BY DOCTOR BUCKLEY AND DOCTOR HELM OUR DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION WILL BE AN OFFSHOOT OF THE BOARD'S WORK SESSION, I GUESS TWO WEEKS AGO WHERE WE LAID OUT RIGHT NOW OUR PLAN TO REDISTRICT PRIMARILY THE NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FEEDER PATTERN DUE TO OVERCROWDING. AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'VE ASKED THE FOLKS ON THE COMMITTEE TO ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRING IN SOUTHFIELDS. AND SO THAT THOSE FOLKS, AS THEY MOVE INTO THAT NEW CONSTRUCTION RIGHT THERE OFF 213 KNOW EXACTLY WHICH SCHOOL THEY WILL ATTEND. AND SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK DOCTOR BUCKLEY TO LEAD THE DISCUSSION AND ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS AS HE PROCEEDS. DOCTOR BUCKLEY. THANK YOU, DOCTOR LAWSON, PRESIDENT HAWLEY.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUEST I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INVITE DOCTOR HELM, OUR DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, TO JOIN ME AT THIS TIME. BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS EVENING IS WE'RE GOING TO COME TO YOU WITH, WITH THREE RECOMMENDATIONS, ONE OUT OF NORTHEAST AND A THIRD IN THE SOUTHFIELDS COMPLEX THAT DOCTOR LAWSON SPOKE OF. WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE WORK SESSION INFORMATION THAT DOCTOR HELM SHARED WITH YOU LAST MONTH.
SO JUST AGAIN, AS A REMINDER WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING HERE ON OUR STRATEGIC THEMES OF SAFE SCHOOLS, EQUITABLE, RIGOROUS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THOSE BUILDINGS BASED UPON CAPACITIES AS WELL AS OUR OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND TIED TO TRANSPORTATION AND COST ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSPORTATION. WHY? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A FEW TIMES WITH YOU.
ALL THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW AT NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AT 115.
BAYVIEW AND ELK NECK HAVE ROOM FOR GROWTH THERE AT 83 AND 85% RESPECTFULLY.
AND THERE IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT WITH THE BUILDING CAPACITY JUST AS A REMINDER, PORTABLE CLASSROOMS, RELOCATABLE CLASSROOMS DO NOT COUNT IN THE TOTAL STATE RATED CAPACITY RATING.
THAT'S DETERMINED BY THE FOOTPRINT OF THE BUILDING AND THE ENROLLMENT.
WE ARE DRIVEN BY JC POLICY JCA AND REGULATION JCRA, EXCUSE ME WHICH ASK US TO ANNUALLY LOOK AT THE ENROLLMENT, LOOK AT OUR PROJECTIONS, LOOK AT OUR BUILDING CAPACITIES, AND GIVE CONSIDERATION TO ANY TYPE OF BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE INSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS AN OVERVIEW MAP OF THE AREAS OF BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND IN NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. AND WHAT THESE BOUNDARIES REPRESENT ARE OUR CURRENT BOUNDARY LINES FOR WHERE TRANSPORTATION IS.
NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED RIGHT HERE.
BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED RIGHT THERE.
AND ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED GENERALLY RIGHT HERE.
AND WE'LL SEE ON A MAP IN A MOMENT WHERE, WHERE THE POPULATION DENSITY LIES.
THEY'RE WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE FOR THEM AND OR TO TRANSPORT THEM TO THE SCHOOL ITSELF.
SO THE STUDENT MAP. AND WE'LL START WITH THIS.
IF YOU'LL GIVE ME ONE SECOND, I WILL SHOW YOU.
AND I WANT TO THANK I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK DOCTOR HELM BECAUSE HE DID EXTENSIVE WORK IN ORDER TO PUT TOGETHER THIS MAP AND SHOW US ON A MAP WITH ROAD NAMES AND A LOT OF OTHER FEATURES WHERE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE COMING FROM.
AND I WILL TRY TO SHRINK THIS, AND SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
[00:55:04]
BUT EACH OF THESE FLAGS, AS I SAY, JUMP IN THERE.THANK YOU. EACH OF THESE FLAGS REPRESENTS A STUDENT, AND EACH OF EACH OF THESE STUDENTS ATTENDS SCHOOL CURRENTLY AT NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. YOU'RE GOING TO LOOK AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE. WELL, WE HAVE SOME OUTLIERS OUT HERE AND THAT ARE WELL OUTSIDE OF THE NORTHEAST TOWN LIMITS AND WELL OUTSIDE OF THE AREA HERE. THAT WAS IN THAT BUS ROUTE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO SWITCH OVER TO. THESE TWO.
THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN YELLOW WOULD ATTEND BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND I WILL START WITH ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AS SOON AS I CAN GET THIS TO COOPERATE. YOU'LL NOTICE THIS INTERSECTION RIGHT HERE.
HERE WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO YOU THIS EVENING THAT THAT BE THE NEW BOUNDARY LINE FOR ELK NECK.
SO ANYTHING THAT IS TO THE SOUTH OF THAT INTERSECTION.
AND AS YOU GO DOWN TO 72, THERE'S KIND OF AN ISLAND.
THERE USED TO BE AN OLD GAS STATION THERE, SPLITS OFF HANSON'S POINT, RUNS DOWN PAST THE MARINAS, PAST THE NORTHEAST LITTLE LEAGUE FIELDS. TURKEY POINT CONTINUES ON DOWN EVERYTHING TO THE EAST OF 272 CURRENTLY GOES TO ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO OUR PROPOSAL FOR YOU IS THAT ANYTHING SOUTH OF THAT POINT, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO AND DOWN TO TURKEY POINT DOWN HERE, WOULD COME ACROSS INTO ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIGHT HERE, KENNY TOWN ROAD CUTS THROUGH THERE, SHADY BEACH ROAD CUTS THROUGH THERE. SO THERE ARE NATURAL ROADWAYS THAT THAT GO THROUGH THERE.
FURTHER, THERE IS ONE OTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ARE MAKING.
WE CURRENTLY ON ROUTE SEVEN. AND I'LL BLOW THIS UP A LITTLE BIT MORE. OLD PHILADELPHIA ROAD. CURRENTLY, ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PICKS UP STUDENTS IN THIS AREA.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO YOU THAT YOU COME. WE COME ANOTHER HALF MILE TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE LANDFILL, AND THERE ARE 3 OR 4 STUDENTS THAT ARE RIGHT HERE THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE GRAB THOSE STUDENTS AND THEY WOULD COME DOWN TO ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS WELL.
THERE'S A TURNAROUND THERE. IT WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.
THIS IS RIDGELY FOREST, SO THAT WOULD BE UNTOUCHED.
THE REASON THAT YOU SEE OTHER CHILDREN THAT ARE TAGGED IN THERE IS THAT THEY MAY ATTEND A DAYCARE THAT IS OUTSIDE OF OUR PROPOSED BOUNDARY LINE AT THIS POINT IN THIS TIME. SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE TRANSFER OF STUDENTS, THE MOVEMENT OF STUDENTS FROM NORTHEAST TO ELK NECK.
THE NEXT THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS AND SHARE WITH YOU IS OUR MOVEMENT OF STUDENTS TO THE NORTH, AND THAT WOULD BE GRABBING MECHANICS VALLEY ROAD RIGHT HERE FROM ROUTE SEVEN NORTH TO ROUTE 40.
THE EAST SIDE OF MECHANICS VALLEY ROAD. THESE STUDENTS WE ARE RECOMMENDING WOULD ATTEND BAYVIEW.
THE BUS ROUTE WOULD BASICALLY RUN UP MECHANICS VALLEY TO 40, TRAVEL EAST ALONG 40, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS ALONG THE ROUTE 40 CORRIDOR THERE THAT CURRENTLY ATTEND NORTHEAST. WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY WOULD THEN NOW ATTEND BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE BUS WOULD CIRCLE BACK DOWN AND COME BACK AND CONTINUE ON ITS WAY TO BAYVIEW.
SO THOSE ARE THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE FOR NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, FOR BAYVIEW, AND FOR ELK NECK STUDENTS TO GO TO THOSE TWO SCHOOLS.
THE EAST SIDE WILL GO TO BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHY? BECAUSE AS THE BUS IS TRAVELING NORTH, THE ENTRY TO THE BUS IS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUS.
AND AGAIN, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO CROSS MECHANICS VALLEY ROAD.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SITUATIONS I THINK HOPEWELL ROAD.
SO THIS IS THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON THING FOR US.
[01:00:01]
GIVEN OUR GEOGRAPHY THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH HERE IN THE TOPOGRAPHY OF CECIL COUNTY, WITH THE UNIQUENESS OF OUR FIVE RIVERS.SO THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT CAPTURED HERE IN VERBIAGE.
AGAIN, JUST ASSIGNING STUDENTS ON THE EAST SIDE OF MECHANICS VALLEY FROM ROUTE SEVEN TO ROUTE 40, AND THEN THE STUDENTS ALONG ROUTE 40 EAST THAT ARE CURRENTLY ASSIGNED TO NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO REASSIGN THEM TO BAYVIEW.
AND THEN AT THE INTERSECTION OF 272 HANCES POINT ROAD AND SHADY BEACH ROAD.
EVERYTHING SOUTH FROM THERE WOULD GO TO ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
ALONG WITH MOVING A BUS STOP APPROXIMATELY A HALF A MILE DOWN A DOWN OLD PHILADELPHIA ROAD ROUTE SEVEN TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE LANDFILL THERE, AND THAT WOULD GRAB ANOTHER 3 TO 5 STUDENTS IN THAT AREA.
SO THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT FOR NORTHEAST.
AND JUST FOR THE FOR THE BOARD'S AWARENESS FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE.
THIS IS BEING PRESENTED TO YOU THIS EVENING AGAIN WE WILL ASK FOR A VOTE FOR APPROVAL ON MAY 14TH.
I BELIEVE THAT'S THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IN MAY.
AT WHICH POINT, ASSUMING IT'S APPROVED THE NEXT DAY, WE WILL MAIL LETTERS TO THOSE FAMILIES AFFECTED SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING NEXT SCHOOL YEAR YOUR CHILD IS NOW IN THE BAYVIEW AND OR ELK NECK FEEDER.
IF THE CHILD IS A FOURTH OR FIFTH GRADER AND OR THEIR SIBLINGS CAN STAY AT NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY IF THAT'S THE WISH OF THE FAMILY, KNOWING THAT TRANSPORTATION COULD POTENTIALLY BE AFFECTED.
AND WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE KIDS BEING GRANDFATHERED IN, SO TO SPEAK.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT FROM A PROCESS PERSPECTIVE, IT LOOKS LIKE.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER DOCTOR BUCKLEY OR EXCUSE ME, DOCTOR HELM AT THIS TIME? I JUST HAVE ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION. I GUESS THE RISING FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS, THEIR SIBLINGS ARE ALSO GOING TO BE GRANDFATHERED IN.
SO LOOKING ON THE OUT YEARS, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE SIBLINGS WHO MAY NOT BE WHEN THAT RISING FOURTH OR FIFTH GRADER GRADUATES AND THAT SIBLING IS STILL THERE, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? DOES THAT CHILD STILL GET GRANDFATHERED IN? OUR POSITION RIGHT NOW IS YES, THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO BE KNOWING THAT.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST WHETHER IT'S TO CREATE HUB BUS STOPS.
BUT YEAH, WE'LL TRY TO ACCOMMODATE THE FAMILY AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
ON THAT MAP WHERE YOU HAD A LOT OF YELLOW AND BLUE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. YES, SIR. THAT WAS A LOT OF DAYCARE, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WHENEVER WE SAW THAT, BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF THEM, LIKE, RIGHT ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. CORRECT. SO THAT WOULD ALWAYS BE A DAYCARE THAT WHERE THEIR DAYCARE IS IN THE DISTRICT THAT THEIR COLOR.
YEAH, THEIR DAYCARE IS CURRENTLY IN THE DISTRICT. AND WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING IS WE WOULD WHERE THEY FALL, WHERE THEY LAND, THEY MAY BE REDISTRICTED OR RE WITH THE NEW BOUNDARY LINE THAT WOULD BE THERE, BUT THEY MAY LIVE DOWN TURKEY POINT AND THAT WOULD NOW BE CONSIDERED TO GO TO BAYVIEW AND WE WOULD ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY THERE.
WE ARE ABLE TO TAG STUDENTS HOMES BY LONGITUDE AND LATITUDE WHEN WE DO BUS ROUTING.
OKAY. SO THAT IS THEIR HOME DOT. SO THE REASON THE COLORS ARE DIFFERENT.
SO IF YOU SEE A YELLOW DOT THERE JUST ABOVE RED POINT.
OKAY. AND IF YOU'RE THINKING WHERE'S THAT STUDENT SHOULD GO.
THEY ALREADY GO TO A DAYCARE THAT IS IN A CERTAIN DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THEM NEXT TO EACH OTHER. WE MAKE A CHANGE LIKE THIS. DO YOU SEE DAYCARES CHANGE BECAUSE THEY TRY TO KEEP THEIR KID IN THE SAME SCHOOL, OR IT'S POSSIBLE. JESUS LOVES ME DAYCARE RIGHT OFF MECHANICS VALLEY ROAD IS BIG, AND WE DO EXPECT TO SEE SOME POTENTIAL MOVEMENT THERE GIVEN THIS. BUT BUT BUT SAYING THAT ELK NECK AND BAYVIEW ARE BOTH FINE SCHOOLS, AND BOTH OF THOSE ADMINISTRATIONS ARE AWARE OF WHAT'S COMING, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE OUTREACH TO THESE FAMILIES, SAY, COME ON, WE'LL TAKE YOU ON A TOUR THROUGH THE BUILDING, MAKE YOU FEEL AT HOME. BUT DIRECTLY TO YOUR QUESTION, YOU CAN ANTICIPATE SOME OF THAT FOR SURE.
SO YOU'VE HAD WE'VE HAD, WELL, ONE PUBLIC MEETING AT NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY.
I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE WORK SESSION.
HOW MUCH FEEDBACK HAVE YOU? WE'VE RECEIVED A FEW QUESTIONS AND WE'VE RESPONDED TO THOSE.
I JUST WANT TO REMIND, I GUESS, THE COMMUNITY, THAT WE SIT ON THIS FOR A MONTH.
THIS IS WE VOTE IN MAY, SO THE COMMUNITY HAS A MONTH TO OFFER FEEDBACK.
CORRECT. TO THE BOARD. AND YOUR POLICY REQUIRES THAT YOU HAVE 90 DAYS BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION.
[01:05:03]
YOU HAVE TO VOTE 90 DAYS BEFORE THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION.AND SO A MAY 14TH VOTE TAKES CARE OF THAT FOR US.
WE'LL BE READY TO GO AT THE END OF AUGUST, ASSUMING WE GET APPROVAL ON MAY 14TH.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO JUST DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO ARE THESE NUMBERS HERE? THIS WOULD BE THE LOW END, MEANING THAT IF IF ALL FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR SIBLINGS WERE TO OPT TO STAY AT NORTHEAST, THAT IT WOULD BE 52 STUDENTS THAT WOULD BE TAGGED FOR BAYVIEW.
44 FOR ELK NECK. IF ALL FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE RISING RISING STUDENTS AND THEIR SIBLINGS OPT TO GO TO EITHER BAYVIEW OR ELK NECK, IT WOULD BE THESE NUMBERS. SO WE'VE GOT A RANGE THERE.
ANYWHERE BETWEEN 96 AND 149 STUDENTS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED BY THAT AND THAT WOULD ADJUST THIS.
THIS PROJECTION DOES NOT INCLUDE RISING FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS.
SO IF THE MINIMAL NUMBER COMES OVER, NORTHEAST WOULD BE AT 97%, BAYVIEW AT 91 AND ELK NECK AT 94%.
SO ANY MORE THAT COME, IT WOULD MORE THAN LEVEL THOSE OUT.
SO OKAY. AND ALSO ALL THREE OF THESE SCHOOLS STILL GO TO THE SAME MIDDLE SCHOOL.
ALL THREE OF THESE SCHOOLS GO TO NORTHEAST MIDDLE, NORTHEAST HIGH.
AND AS WE WRAP UP THIS EVENING, I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BOHEMIAN MANOR AREA AND ELKTON HIGH AREA, PARTICULARLY. SO IF YOU COME UP TO 13 RIGHT UP THROUGH HERE, RUNS ALL THE WAY UP FROM THE SOUTHERN END OF OUR COUNTY.
BOHEMIAN MANOR IS LOCATED RIGHT HERE, JUST SOUTH OF THE CANAL.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT ELKTON MIDDLE SCHOOL HERE AND ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL RIGHT HERE.
AND THOSE THREE KIND OF BUTTRESS UP AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN THAT CAPACITY AND THAT IN THAT FORM.
SO WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO YOU AND I WILL SHOW IT TO YOU ON THIS MAP OVER HERE.
THIS AREA JUST TO THE SOUTH DOWN TO 13, IS WHERE THE SOUTHFIELDS COMPLEX IS GOING.
WHITEHALL ROAD COMES IN. ALL OF THESE STUDENTS NOW ATTEND HOLLY HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BOHEMIA MANOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND BOHEMIA MANOR HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, BASED UPON THE CURRENT CAPACITIES AT BOW HIGH AND BOW MIDDLE, IS THAT WE WOULD WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO YOU THIS EVENING THAT WE GRAB THIS SOUTHFIELD COMPLEX, THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING IN RIGHT THERE. THOSE STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO ATTEND HOLLY HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT THEY WOULD ATTEND ELKTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL.
BO MANOR MIDDLE SCHOOL IS AT 74%. BUT WHEN YOU GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, 80% AND 94%.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT WE MAY ASSIST WITH? ANY QUESTIONS? HAVE YOU ANTICIPATED WHAT THOSE NUMBERS WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE YOU KNOW ALL THOSE SECONDARY STUDENTS DO GO TO ELKTON MIDDLE AND HIGH.
WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE THEN CHANGE THOSE NUMBERS TO.
SO WE HAVE A STATE RATED CAPACITY, A DWELLING PER UNIT NUMBER.
HE DID A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK AND WORKING THROUGHOUT WITH HIS COLLEAGUES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, BUT ALSO WORKING TO WITH OUR SOFTWARE TO TAG ALL OF THESE STUDENTS, DROP ALL OF THOSE PINS ONTO THE MAT, AS WELL AS THE IDENTIFICATION FOR THE NUMBERS WE GET PER DWELLING UNIT.
AND I WOULD ASK HIM TO SPEAK TO THAT NOW. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, DOCTOR LAWSON.
MISS HAWLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD LEADERSHIP TEAM. WHEN WE LOOK AT NEW GROWTH IN CECIL COUNTY AND AROUND THE STATE, THERE IS A FORMULA THAT CALCULATES PER DWELLING HOW MANY STUDENTS WE SHOULD EXPECT.
THE OVERALL FORMULA IS 0.474 STUDENTS FOR EVERY NEW HOME THAT IS BUILT IN CECIL COUNTY.
NOW, WE DID DO SOME TESTING. WE TESTED THIS AT CHARLESTOWN CROSSING, ONE OF OUR NEWER DEVELOPMENTS, AND AT RIDGELY FOREST, ONE OF OUR NEWER DEVELOPMENTS.
AND RIDGELY FOREST IS OVERPERFORMING A LITTLE BIT.
THEY'RE PRODUCING AT ALMOST 0.5, JUST A LITTLE.
AND CHARLESTOWN CROSSING IS JUST UNDER AT 0.39%.
SO THE CALCULATION SEEMS TO WORK OVERALL. WE HAVE DONE SOME FORECASTING FOR SOUTHFIELD.
[01:10:01]
STUDENTS TO ELKTON MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR EVERY NEW UNIT.AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD 0.21 STUDENTS TO ELKTON HIGH FOR EVERY NEW UNIT.
SO IT'LL DEPEND ON AS THEY GET OCCUPIED. BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M GOING TO ASK HER REALLY IN THE WEEDS QUESTION.
WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION TO ASSIGN 0.12 AT THE MIDDLE LEVEL, I ASSUME THE STATE HAS PROVIDED SOME GUIDANCE WITH THAT BECAUSE THE 0.43, I THINK YOU SAID OR 0.47 TO A GENERIC HOME.
THIS STUDY WAS DONE PROBABLY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO IN SAINT MARY'S COUNTY AND HAS BEEN ADAPTED AND IT'S IMPLEMENTED IN THE MARYLAND SMART GROWTH PROGRAM, WHICH YOU CAN FIND ONLINE. YOU CAN LOOK THE PDF UP.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE TESTING COME FROM, COMES FROM.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ALL MARYLAND SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, THEY USE THIS TESTING NUMBER WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING OR LOOKING AT COMMUNITY TO SEE WHERE'S THE SCHOOL GOING TO BE FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, SIX YEARS FROM NOW, TEN YEARS FROM NOW. AND THEY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, I GUESS, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, TOWNHOUSES, APARTMENTS.
SO THEY SPEAK TO THEM. BUT AT THIS POINT THEY ASSIGN THAT UNIVERSAL NUMBER TO ALL DWELLINGS.
I THINK THIS IS THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. AND REALLY THE MAIN DRIVER AND I'LL OWN THIS DECISION.
IT DISRUPTS AS FEW OF OUR FAMILIES AS POSSIBLE.
AND THE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THAT WE CURRENTLY SERVE KNOW THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THEY'RE GOING TO STAY WHERE THEY ARE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HONOR THAT AS BEST WE CAN.
IT DOES ADD A LEVEL OF I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A WORD DISCONTIGUOUSNESS IN THE SENSE THAT YOU KIND OF HAVE THIS AREA IN THE MIDDLE OF A THEATER THAT WILL JUMP ACROSS. THAT'S KIND OF THE OLD NEW CASTLE COUNTY APPROACH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THERE WITH SOME OF THE NOT NECESSARILY AREAS BEING CONTIGUOUS TO EACH OTHER. GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR FEEDERS ARE CONTIGUOUS.
BUT ANYBODY THAT GOES BY THERE, YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE MAKING THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND SO WE THINK WE'LL BE READY FOR NEXT YEAR. WITH THAT SAID, I THINK YOU'VE SAID IT LAST MEETING. WE MAKE AN EFFORT FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD TO GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL, CORRECT? IN MOST CASES. YES, YES.
SO WE DON'T WANT SOUTHFIELD BROKEN UP. HALF OF IT GOING TO MAINTAIN THAT.
CORRECT. NOW, THAT'S NOT TO SAY IF IN 15 YEARS YOU HAVE DIFFERENT PLAYERS SITTING IN ALL THESE SEATS, THAT THEY MAY COME TO SOME DIFFERENT CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRED BETWEEN THEN AND NOW.
BUT WE THINK FOR NOW, THIS IS THE RIGHT MOVE.
THE REASON WE DID NOT GIVE CONSIDERATION TO CHARLESTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR MOVEMENT OF STUDENTS IS BECAUSE CHARLESTOWN CROSSING, THEY'RE GOING TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON PHASES THREE THROUGH NINE COMING UP.
SO THAT IS GOING TO GROW. WE KNOW WHAT THAT WHAT THOSE UNITS PRODUCE FOR US RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T MAKE A TAKE A LOOK AT DOING ANYTHING WITH CHARLESTOWN ELEMENTARY.
AND THOSE STUDENTS WILL ALL MATRICULATE THROUGH CHARLESTOWN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE PERRYVILLE HIGH. SO THAT'S WHY THAT ONE WAS KIND OF OFF THE TABLE, IF YOU WILL, IN THIS DEVELOPMENT OF THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TONIGHT.
CAN I ASK ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION, DOCTOR BUCKLEY? WOULD THOSE NUMBERS THEN CHANGE THE ALLOCATION OF TEACHERS ASSIGNED TO THOSE TWO SCHOOLS AS WELL? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL WORK HAND IN HAND WITH DOCTOR JOHNSON AND DOCTOR HAMMER AND DOCTOR FOY.
AS WE, AS WE BEGIN OUR STAFFING PROCESS. ONCE WE KNOW A HARD NUMBER AND WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE THE EXACT GRADE LEVELS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL SIT DOWN, WE'LL HAVE THAT. WE'LL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND TALK ABOUT THAT AT OUR WEEKLY STAFFING MEETING. SO YES, IT'S POTENTIAL THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN. YES. THANK YOU. PARENT QUESTION WAS BROUGHT UP OF IF ONE SCHOOL IS TITLE ONE AND ONE ISN'T, HOW DO WE HANDLE THAT? A KID THAT HAD TITLE ONE SERVICES AT ONE SCHOOL THAT GOES TO ANOTHER SCHOOL AND IT DOESN'T HAVE IT.
DOCTOR HAMMER, DOCTOR JOHNSON, YOU WANT TO COME UP AND ADDRESS THAT DOCTOR HAMMER? GOOD EVENING. THE DESIGNATION IS TO THE SCHOOL, NOT NECESSARILY THE SERVICES.
SO IF A STUDENT MOVES FROM A TITLE ONE TO A NON TITLE ONE SCHOOL, THE CURRICULUM IS THE SAME.
IT'S JUST THE SUPPLEMENTAL SERVICES ARE DIFFERENT IN THAT SCHOOL.
OKAY. WELL, WE KIND OF DO A LITTLE BIT. I MEAN, WE KNOW BAYVIEW WILL REMAIN A TITLE ONE SCHOOL.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY OF THE STATUS OF THOSE THREE CHANGING.
[01:15:03]
DOCTOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW I AGREE. I AGREE WITH YOU.AND BACK TO ANOTHER SLIDE FOR DOCTOR BUCKLEY.
THE RISING SUN SLIDE WITH RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL.
CORRECT. COUPLE HUNDRED HOMES IS WHAT'S PROJECTED.
SO BY YOUR CALCULATION, THAT WOULD BE 100 STUDENTS, POSSIBLY 30, 30, 30 MAYBE.
FOR ELEMENTARY. HOW ARE THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN RISING SUN? RISING SUN MIDDLE. RISING SUN. DO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO HANDLE IT? OR IS IT JUST THE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE WE HAVE THE PROBLEM? RIGHT NOW, WE KNOW IT'S AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
I'LL HAVE TO, I CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TO THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE CAN GET THOSE FOR YOU. WE DO ATTEND THE MONTHLY TAC MEETINGS WITH THE COUNTY. WHAT DOES TAC STAND FOR? TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND SO THAT IT BRINGS TOGETHER ALL THE ENTITIES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO EXAMINE ANY NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD, SO THAT WE ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN AS TO THE IMPACT THAT THAT WOULD HAVE FOR US.
AND WE PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION EACH FOR EACH DEVELOPMENT THAT IS COMING ONLINE.
WE PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION FOR THE IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO HAVE FOR THE SCHOOLS. WE'RE AWARE OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING IN THE RISING SUN FEEDER PATTERN IN THAT AREA, AND THEY ARE, I BELIEVE, RIGHT IN TOWN LIMITS.
AND SO THERE'S REALLY NO PLACE ELSE FOR THEM TO GO, BUT WE WILL.
DOES THE HIGH SCHOOL HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXPAND? DO WE HAVE ROOM FOR THAT? SO LET ME JUMP IN THERE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT'S WHERE THIS MIGHT BE GOING. THERE ARE ONLY TWO YEAR IT OPENED. SO THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. IN 1990 WE'RE TRYING TO NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE WITH NORTHEAST NOW.
BUT THERE'S ONLY TWO CIRCUMSTANCES OR CONDITIONS IN WHICH THE STATE WILL FUND NEW CONSTRUCTION.
ONE IS A SCHOOL LITERALLY FALLING APART. AND THAT'S WHERE WE WERE WITH NORTHEAST, MIDDLE, NORTHEAST, HIGH. AND THE SECOND IS CROWDING PER THE SYSTEM, NOT CROWDING PER A FEEDER.
SO THE STATE RATED CAPACITY OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IN THE 16,000.
OUR CURRENT ENROLLMENT IS IN THE 14,000. SO BEFORE THE STATE AWARDED US FUNDING TO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS, THEY WOULD WANT TO SEE US ADJUST FEEDERS. AND SO IN THE EVENT, RISING SUN BECAME OVERCROWDED TO THE EXTENT THAT THE BOARD FELT AS THOUGH CHANGES WERE NEEDED, YOU WOULD HAVE TO REDRAW FEEDERS, WHETHER THAT'S PULLING SOME OF THE RISING SUN DOWN TOWARDS NORTHEAST AND I GUESS EAST AND SOUTH TO ELKTON, OR MAYBE SOUTH AND WEST TO PERRYVILLE. RIGHT.
WE WOULD AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD PRESENT YOU WITH DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
IF I MAY, DOCTOR MR. FERDINANDO ANOTHER VARIABLE THERE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS IS OUR SENIOR OPTION.
AND THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ATTEND THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AS WELL. AND WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THAT. DOCTOR FOY HAS LOOKED AT THOSE NUMBERS. AND SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL. HOW MANY WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT ARE SENIORS OR HOW MANY THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL OF TECH THAT ARE SENIORS, JUNIORS, AS WELL AS HOW MANY ARE SENIOR OPTION.
SO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND A QUICK STUDY HERE.
RISING SUN MIDDLE SCHOOL IS AT 75% BUILDING CAPACITY.
RISING SUN ELEMENTARY IS 84%. WE ALREADY HAD THIS ON THE SLIDE.
AND CONSTRUCTION MAKES MORE SENSE BECAUSE RISING SUN HAS LIKE SEVEN PORTABLES OR SIX.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT. SPEAKING OF PANDORA'S BOXES THEY HAVE 11.
THEY'RE NEVER A GREAT OPTION. THEY HAVE 11. THEY'RE NEVER A GREAT OPTION FOR SAFETY, FOR INSTRUCTION, FOR ANY REASON REALLY? YEAH. I'M JUST WONDERING WHEN THE STATE SAYS, OKAY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THESE PORTABLES DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR MAINTENANCE, FOR JUST SAFETY, FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS. TALKING ABOUT RENOVATING THE HIGH SCHOOL ITSELF.
YEAH. ADDING A WING RATHER THAN ADDING SEVEN TO 12 TO 15 PORTABLES.
COUNTY COULD DO THAT AT ANY TIME. THE STATE WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE UNTIL YOU'VE REDRAWN FEEDERS.
OKAY. THAT'S RIGHT. GOT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
SO THIS IS. DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? IT'S NOT 11 BUILDINGS, THERE DOUBLE.
IT'S 11 CLASSROOMS. BUT THEY'RE DOUBLED UP, SIR.
YES I KNOW. SO THE. I LIKE THE VISUALS. THE MAPS.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR HELM. THE VISUALS LAST TIME.
I KNOW WE DIDN'T HAVE PUBLIC BECAUSE WE HAD SOME ATTACHED STUDENT NAMES.
THE STUDENTS COULD BE IDENTIFIED. ARE THEY NOW ARE THE VISUALS NOW GOING TO BE PUBLIC OR.
I BELIEVE I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE IF I'M. I CAN CLICK ON THIS.
THERE'S NOTHING THERE. RIGHT. SO IF WE CLICK ON ONE RIGHT NOW, IT JUST SIMPLY GIVES YOU THE ID NUMBER, THE SCHOOL AND WHAT GRADE LEVEL AND THE ADDRESS LATITUDE LONGITUDE.
BUT I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT. WE COULD WORK ON GETTING SOME SCREEN GRABS THAT AREN'T INTERACTIVE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, A CONSTITUENT CAN SIMPLY LOOK AT THE MAP AND NOT BE ABLE TO CLICK ON.
[01:20:02]
YOU KNOW, BULLET POINTS. BUT ACTUALLY SEEING IT VISUALLY, I THINK IS HELPFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY.OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. WELL DONE. THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE HAVE OUR FISCAL YEAR 2025 CAPITAL BUDGET UPDATE. THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, MISS DENISE SOPA, WILL COME FORWARD FOR THE BOARD'S REVIEW OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT.
AND I WILL ASK FOR A VOTE UPON CONCLUSION. MISS SOPA.
WE HAVE ANOTHER CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT THIS MONTH.
WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE IAC, WHICH IS THE INTERAGENCY COMMISSION ON PUBLIC SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION, THAT THE GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED FOR THE CHILLER AT THE CECIL COUNTY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY IS ACTUALLY FEDERAL FUNDS AND NOT STATE FUNDS.
AND SO WE'VE AMENDED THE GRANT IN TWO WAYS, OR THE BUDGET IN TWO WAYS.
AND WE ACTUALLY CHANGED THAT FUNDING FROM STATE FUNDING TO FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO THIS INCREASES OUR TOTAL FY 25 CAPITAL BUDGET TO $36,656,163.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE THE SCHOOL CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR $247,319 AS PRESENTED.
OKAY. YOU'VE HEARD THE RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
SECOND. DISCUSSION. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? I THINK SO. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET UPDATE.
DOCTOR LAWSON SOPA CONTINUES. SO AGAIN, THE FIRST PAGE THAT WE SHARE EVERY MONTH IS THE COVER LETTER THAT SUMMARIZES WHAT WE'LL SEE ON THE NEXT FEW PAGES OF THIS REPORT. SO UNDER OTHER REVENUE, THIS IS A CARE FIRST WELLNESS INCENTIVE AND AN AETNA WELLNESS INCENTIVE GRANT. AND THESE ARE TO SUPPORT EMPLOYEES AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS. ONE OF THE AMOUNT OF 33,000 AND ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF $34,000.
APG PROVIDED A DONATION TO SUPPORT THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR GALA AND THE AMOUNT OF $5,000.
MOVING ON TO STATE REVENUE, RESTRICTED STATE REVENUE.
THAT'S JUST AN ADDITIONAL $59. FY 25 SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT TO SUPPORT DIGITAL TWO WAY RADIOS AT ELKTON MIDDLE, REPLACING THOSE RADIOS 25,000 AND THE SCHOOL SAFETY GRANT TO UPGRADE CAMERA SECURITY SYSTEMS AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN THE AMOUNT OF 200,000.
THAT WILL NOT FUND ALL OF THE CAMERAS, BUT THAT IS THE GRANT PORTION.
TO UPGRADE CAMERAS IN ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS EXCEPT FOR NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW BUILDING. RESTRICTED FEDERAL REVENUE.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME UNRESTRICTED OTHER REVENUE.
SO A DONATION FROM LEADS TO PURCHASE FOR SMART BOARDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,800.
A DONATION FROM CALVERT TO PURCHASE MEDIA BOOKS $1,641.
KEEP IN MIND THOSE ARE THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES FUNDS THAT THEY'RE USING TO PURCHASE THOSE MATERIALS.
AND THEN WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS WHERE WE'VE COLLECTED FEES.
SO FOR THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION, OUR ALL COUNTY MUSIC PROGRAMS, OUR STEP PROGRAM, WE RECEIVED MONEY FROM OUR JUUL SETTLEMENT FUNDS COLLECTED FOR UCSCA TO RUN THAT PROGRAM AND FUNDS COLLECTED FOR THE COLLEGE AND CAREER PROGRAM.
SO THOSE FUNDS COLLECTED THEN GO BACK TO SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS. ON THE NEXT PAGE, WITHOUT DELVING INTO ANY OF THE DETAILS, KEEP IN MIND IF YOU SEE AA0A DASH HERE, THIS IS JUST A DEPARTMENT OR A SCHOOL TRANSFERRING FUNDS FROM ONE STATE CATEGORY TO ANOTHER WITH NO INCREASE OR DECREASE.
[01:25:02]
WITH ADDITIONS OR DECREASES IN REVENUE, JUST LIKE WE SHARED EVERY MONTH.THIS TAKES OUR BUDGET THROUGH THE UNRESTRICTED, BUDGET RESTRICTED AND TOTAL, SHOWING YOU THE AMENDMENTS TO DATE, OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET, AND THEN OUR CURRENT BUDGET TAKING IN ALL THE YEAR TO DATE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE INDIRECT FEE. THAT'S A CHARGE THAT WE CHARGE TO GRANTS.
IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR ADMINISTERING THE GRANT.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH A LITTLE BIT THE TIMING OF US CHARGING THE GRANTS, THE FACT THAT THERE'S LESS RESTRICTED MONEY THIS YEAR, WITH THE LOSS OF THE ESSER FUNDING, AND THE FACT THAT THE FEE THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO CHARGE IN FY 25 IS REDUCED FROM FY 24.
THAT'S IT. QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS. I DON'T KNOW IS THE JEWEL DO YOU WANT TO ASK IT? I JUST WANT TO ASK MISS SOPA IS THE JUUL SETTLEMENT.
IS THAT A ONE TIME OR IS THERE MORE ADDITIONAL MONIES TO COME ON THAT? I BELIEVE SO, DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT I BELIEVE THERE'S ADDITIONAL MONEY TO COME.
THANK YOU. OKAY. WE HAVE ONE RUNNING. A VAPE DETECTION SYSTEM.
BOHEMIA. BOHEMIA IS ONE PLACE I CAN REMEMBER.
BOHEMIA HAS IT. IS IT EFFECTIVE? YEAH, YOU KNOW IT.
DETERRENT? YEAH. IN THE SENSE THAT IF YOU TRULY WANT TO VAPE, YOU KNOW WHERE TO NOT GO.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS THERE IS SOME OF THAT IN PLAY.
IT'S EFFECTIVE ENOUGH, WE THINK, THAT WE'RE PUTTING IT IN OTHER SCHOOLS.
WILL TEENAGERS MAKE IT A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE? IF THAT'S, YES THEY WILL. BUT NONETHELESS, WE FEEL PRETTY STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MINIMIZE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
YEAH. SEEMS INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE SETTLEMENT FUNDS FROM JUUL.
YEAH. APPROPRIATE OR INAPPROPRIATE? WELL, I'D SAY IT'S APPROPRIATE.
YEAH. YEAH. OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A GOOD USE OF IT.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. GET THE BATHROOMS BACK TO BEING BATHROOMS. YEAH! WOO HOO! SAYS OUR STUDENT. I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVED THE OPERATING BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR $438,097 AS PRESENTED. HEARD THE RECOMMENDATION IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU.
TIME FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, MISS OLSON.
GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. ALL OF THE GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ARE OUTLINED IN POLICY BDD.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THEM AS A REMINDER. THE BOARD WILL TAKE TIME TO LISTEN AND CONSIDER AND WILL NOT RENDER A DECISION ON PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ISSUES WHEN THEY ARE PRESENTED. THE AMOUNT OF TIME ALLOTTED FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
IN GENERAL, A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES WILL BE RESERVED FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
NOTICE WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN 30S REMAIN AND YOU WILL HEAR THIS BELL.
PERSONNEL MATTERS PENDING APPEALS, GRIEVANCES, LITIGATION, EMPLOYEE AND OR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS AND SPECIFIC STUDENT DISCIPLINARY MATTERS MAY NOT BE DISCUSSED. ABUSIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND PROFANITIES MAY BE CONSIDERED OUT OF ORDER.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY EXPRESS OPINIONS FAVORABLE AND UNFAVORABLE ON THE PERFORMANCE AND CONDUCT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS IN THEIR PUBLIC ROLE ONLY.
COMPLAINTS CONCERNING SCHOOL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS AND OTHER NON ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT. SPEAKERS MUST STATE THEIR NAMES AND MAY NOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ANONYMOUS INDIVIDUAL, AND THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY TERMINATE OR INTERRUPT AN INDIVIDUAL STATEMENT WHEN IT IS TOO LENGTHY OR VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES.
[01:30:06]
THE BOARD ALSO ENCOURAGES SPEAKERS TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN COPY OF THEIR REMARKS, AND THERE IS A BOX ON THE CORNER OF THE TABLE WHERE YOU MAY LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS. WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING, AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE EVERYONE PREPARED TO MOVE UP ONCE THE OTHER PERSON HAS FINISHED.OUR FIRST SPEAKER ALREADY AT THE TABLE IS SHAWN BRIM AND WAS TO BE FOLLOWED BY DONNA CULBERSON.
HOWEVER, I DO NOT SEE HER PRESENT. SO MR. BREWER WILL FOLLOW SHAWN BRIM.
OF THESE BOOKS NOT IN COLLECTIONS THREE. NO CHANGE IN STATUS, SIX.
USE IN HIGH SCHOOL WITH PERMISSION, 12. REMOVED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOLS, TWO.
REMOVED ENTIRELY, TWO. THIS IS OUT OF AT LEAST 100,000 TITLES IN CCPS COLLECTIONS, AND IF MY MATH IS RIGHT, BOOKS REMOVED AMOUNTS TO 0.002% OF THE BOOK TITLES IN COLLECTIONS.
TITLES IN HIGH SCHOOL COLLECTIONS FOR USE WITH PARENTAL PERMISSION, I THINK ARE A DEBATABLE POINT, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S ONLY 12 TITLES IN WHICH IT STILL AMOUNTS TO STATISTICALLY ZERO.
MY 15 YEAR OLD SELF WOULD LIKE TO RAISE HIS HAND AND SAY, I CAN DECIDE THAT FOR MYSELF.
THANKS. MOST OF THE BOOKS REVIEWED WERE ON THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
AND MORE TO THE POINT, BY HIGH SCHOOL, KIDS, INCLUDING ME WERE AWARE ENOUGH TO ASK, WHAT ARE GROWNUPS HIDING? AND BY THAT TIME, IT'S NOT PRACTICAL TO DO SO.
IF THEY'RE MOTIVATED ENOUGH, THEY'LL FIND OUT WHETHER YOU WANT THEM.
THEY'LL FIND OUT WHETHER YOU WANT THEM TO OR NOT.
GOD AND GOD HELP ANYONE WHO MIGHT HAVE TRIED DOING THAT TO ME IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I WOULD HAVE GONE TO ANY LENGTHS TO FIND THAT BOOK SO CALLED GROWN UPS WERE SO UPSET ABOUT.
THE BOOK REVIEW PROCESS IS A GREAT SUCCESS. AS FOR THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT A STATISTICALLY ZERO NUMBER OF BOOKS, I SUGGEST THEY GO TO THE LIBRARY AND CHECK SOMETHING OUT, SUCH AS A HISTORY OF GERMANY IN THE 1930S LIKE THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH.
BOOKS SAVE LIVES, SO KEEP READING. THE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE, OR AT LEAST TALK ABOUT DOCTOR LAWSON, IS GOING TO BE GIVING THE SCHOOL BUDGET PRESENTATION ON MAY 6TH.
SO EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS THAT THE COUNTY BUDGET PROCESS IS UNDERWAY.
WE JUST HAD THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE SESSION LAST WEEK.
IT IS GOING TO BE AT THE ELK ROOM AT THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, NOT AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL.
THE LAST ADMINISTRATION DID NOT ASK IN TIME. I REMINDED THE COUNTY COUNCIL ABOUT IT IN DECEMBER.
IT WAS THE FIRST THING OUT OF THE GATE WHEN THE NEW TERM STARTED WAS THAT I DEDICATED AN ENTIRE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD TO REMINDING THE COUNTY COUNCIL THAT THEY NEEDED TO RESERVE ELKTON HIGH IF THEY COULD GET IT, OR ONE OF THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS IF THEY COULD GET IT.
SO FOR THE THAT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC ANYBODY LISTENING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. BRIM. RODNEY BREWER, AND FOLLOWED BY LINDSEY BERGMAN DEBOSE.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HAWLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND ALL WHO ARE PRESENT.
MY NAME IS RODNEY BREWER, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE.
SO I REALLY DO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND EVERYONE.
NOW I DO TRY TO SUPPORT MY GRANDDAUGHTERS. JAYDEN, WHO'S AT THE SCHOOL OF TECH AND ENNIS IN THE EARLY COLLEGE ACADEMY AT ELKTON HIGH AND DAISY AT CALVERT ELEMENTARY. THIS PAST THURSDAY WAS ENNIS'S LACROSSE GAME AND THE ELKS HAD A GAME AGAINST ABERDEEN EAGLES.
IT WAS AN EXCITING GAME AS THE EAGLES HELD THE LEAD 5 TO 2 AT HALFTIME BUT ABERDEEN CAME BACK, MAKING IT 7 TO 5. THEN IT WAS 7-6. 7 TO 7 AND TIME IS TICKING DOWN.
ONLY TWO MINUTES REMAINING. ELKTON SCORES. THE ELKS HAVE EIGHT AND THE EAGLES SEVEN.
ELKTON HAS CONTROL OF THE BALL WITH LESS THAN TWO MINUTES.
KEEPING THE BALL AWAY FROM ABERDEEN. JUST RUNNING DOWN THE TIME. OH, NO.
THE EAGLES INTERCEPT THE BALL. AND WITH LESS THAN 30S SCORE.
NOW IT'S 8 TO 8. NOW IN OVERTIME. FIVE MINUTES.
[01:35:02]
AND WITH WHAT IS CALLED THE SUDDEN DEATH THROW BECKY MY WIFE IS PRAYING THE BALL IS UP.ABERDEEN EAGLES GET THE BALL AND TAKES IT DOWN THE FIELD.
THEN THEY LOSE THE BALL ON THE GROUND AS SKIRMISHES OVER THE BALL.
AND ELKTON GIRL NUMBER ONE HAS THE BALL GOING DOWN THE FIELD AND SCORES 9 TO 8.
THE ELKS WIN. WOW. WHAT A GAME! SUDDEN DEATH.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, JESUS'S DEATH ON THE CROSS WAS NOT SUDDEN.
AND I DO WISH YOU ALL A RELAXING AND A SAFE TIME FROM SCHOOL.
I REALLY DON'T KNOW. WELL, MAYBE I DO. THE GOOD THING IS THAT JESUS TOOK UPON HIMSELF ALL THE SINS OF THE WORLD, AND TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HE, GOD, HAD POWER OVER DEATH, RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD.
I BELIEVE WE CAN HAVE FORGIVENESS FOR OUR SINS.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION. AND I DO WISH YOU ALL A BLESSED RESURRECTION SUNDAY.
AND MY PRAYER IS TWOFOLD TO THOSE WHO ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST, ATTEND YOUR CHURCH TO WORSHIP AND CELEBRATE HIS RESURRECTION, AND TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW JESUS AS SAVIOR AND LORD, I PRAY THAT YOU WILL COME TO KNOW HIM.
NOW DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? MAYBE A SLOW DEATH OR A SUDDEN DEATH.
IT IS WHAT IS AFTER THE PHYSICAL DEATH THAT COUNTS.
ROMANS SIX EIGHT NOW IF WE DIED WITH CHRIST, WE BELIEVE THAT WE ALSO WILL LIVE WITH HIM.
KNOWING CHRIST HAVE BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD AND WILL DIE NO MORE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BREWER. MR. SPENCE.
AND OUR LAST. OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE LINDSAY BERGMAN DEBIS.
HI, GUYS. THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN ASKED TO CERTIFY THAT THEY ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMING UNDER THREAT OF LOSING CRITICAL FEDERAL FUNDING.
LET'S BE CLEAR THIS ISN'T ABOUT FAIRNESS OR NEUTRALITY.
THIS IS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP USING THE THREAT OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING LIKE OUR TITLE ONE DOLLARS, WHICH DIRECTLY SUPPORT SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AS A POLITICAL WEAPON.
HIS ADMINISTRATION IS FRAMING ANYTHING THAT OFFENDS WHITE MEN AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE, THEN CUTTING OFF FUNDS TO SCHOOLS ACCUSED OF COMMITTING SO-CALLED VIOLATIONS THAT AREN'T EVEN DEFINED UNTIL AFTER THE FACT. IT'S ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING THAT TO SEE THE LANGUAGE OF CIVIL RIGHTS TWISTED LIKE THIS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION ISN'T SOME SCARY POLITICAL AGENDA.
IT'S THE WORK OF ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS FEEL SEEN, SAFE AND SUPPORTED, NOT JUST THE CIS, STRAIGHT WHITE ONES. DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION CELEBRATES THE RICHNESS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR QUEER AND TRANS KIDS, OUR BLACK AND BROWN KIDS, OUR MULTILINGUAL KIDS, OUR KIDS WITH DISABILITIES.
GUTTING THOSE PROGRAMS SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THOSE KIDS DON'T BELONG.
THAT'S NOT NEUTRALITY, THAT'S DISCRIMINATION.
AND LET'S BE HONEST, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THESE STUDENTS EXIST DOESN'T HARM ANYONE.
IT PREPARES ALL STUDENTS FOR AN AMERICA THAT EXISTS BEYOND THE BORDERS OF CECIL COUNTY.
IT WEAPONIZES THE VERY IDEA OF JUSTICE AGAINST THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST.
I REALIZE THAT IS A BIG ASK. WHILE WE WERE SITTING HERE, I GOT A NOTIFICATION THAT TRUMP IS WITHHOLDING SCHOOL LUNCH DOLLARS FROM MAINE OVER SUPPOSED TITLE NINE VIOLATIONS THAT ARE REALLY JUST NOT DISCRIMINATING AGAINST TRANS KIDS.
EVENTUALLY EVERYTHING BECOMES THE TROLLEY PROBLEM WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION.
BUT I ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE DEFENDING YOUR MARGINALIZED STUDENTS AS BEST AS YOU CAN.
THANK YOU, MISS BERGMAN. DO YOU WANT TO? YEAH.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS REGARDING THE COUNTY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT MILLER REACHED OUT TO ME. SHOOT, PROBABLY.
I GUESS IT WAS IN DECEMBER ASKING ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THE BUILDING HAD ALREADY BEEN BOOKED. THE AUDITORIUM.
STREAM LIVE. WE HAD A RATHER SUCCESSFUL BLUEPRINT TOWN HALL A FEW YEARS AGO.
IF YOU RECALL, IT WAS CECIL TV THAT ACTUALLY CAME IN AND STREAMED THAT FOR US.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO STREAM LIVE.
SO I THINK THERE'S AN APPETITE ON THE PART OF THE COUNTY TO HAVE IT.
[01:40:03]
THE EVENTS, I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THEM, JUST GIVEN SOME FAIRNESS TO THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHO DID TRY.HOUSE BILL 161 STARTED AS THE BILL TO MANDATE HEALTH AND PHYS ED FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM REQUIRED TO BE TAUGHT IN ALL SCHOOLS. AND WHAT HAPPENED AS THE LEGISLATIVE SEASON PROGRESSED IS IT A CHANGE FROM JUST FAMILY LIFE, HEALTH AND PE TO ALL STATE CURRICULUM? SO NOW THE WAY THE BILL AND IT PASSED, THE WAY THE BILL READS IS THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT CAN COME IN AND I GUESS GIVE US A WARNING FIRST. AND THERE'S AN ESCALATING SERIES OF STEPS.
THEY COULD WITHHOLD STATE FUNDING FROM US IF WE ARE NOT DELIVERING THE CURRICULUM THAT IS ARTICULATED, OR I SHOULD SAY, THE STANDARDS THAT ARE ARTICULATED BY THE STATE.
JUST UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT IT DID NOT DO WAS REMOVE THE PARENT OPT OUT REQUEST.
AND CECIL HAS A LONG HISTORY, PARTICULARLY IN OUR FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM, OF HONORING FAMILIES WHO WISH TO OPT OUT OF THAT CURRICULUM, KNOWING THAT NOT ALL FAMILIES ARE THE SAME. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE OUR FAMILIES ARE AWARE AND OFFERING THEM THE OPT OUT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S HOUSE BILL 161 SAID THAT WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE MISS HAWLEY.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT, DOCTOR WILSON.
NEXT UP WE HAVE UPCOMING EVENTS. YES. TODAY IS THE END OF THE THIRD MARKING PERIOD.
MY HONOR ROLL CARDS, 3400 OF THEM ARE FINISHED FOR THE THIRD MARKING PERIOD.
ONE MORE MARKING PERIOD TO GO. NEXT THURSDAY IS A HALF DAY FOR STUDENTS.
AND THAT BEGINS THE FOUR AND A HALF DAY WEEKEND FOR THE SPRING EASTER HOLIDAY.
WE HAVE A YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SOURCE BURGER EVENT AT THE BARN OF NOTTINGHAM ON APRIL 23RD.
THE BUDGET PRESENTATION JUST MENTIONED THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING I HAVE HERE AT 04:30.
OKAY. AND THEN MAY 8TH IS REALLY A NIGHT IF YOU MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR, IF YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, COME BY ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL FOR JUST AN HOUR TO WALK AROUND AND SEE THE DIFFERENT STEM PROJECTS THAT ARE CREATED BY OUR STUDENTS.
THERE'S LITERALLY A COUPLE HUNDRED OF THEM. AND YOU REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT AND ENGAGE WITH A 16, 17, 18 YEAR OLD ABOUT THE RESEARCH THEY'RE DOING.
AND AND JUST WHEN YOU START TO THINK TODAY'S GENERATION ARE LAGGARDS AND NOT THIS AND THAT.
GO OVER ON MAY 8TH AND TALK TO SOME OF THESE KIDS.
AND I THINK YOU'LL BE YOU'LL FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
YOU MIGHT NOT FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF. YOU FEEL PRETTY.
YOU'LL BE PRETTY HUMBLED. WELL, I'M USED TO IT.
MAY 9TH, A COUPLE MORE HERE. MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS COMMUNITY EVENT OVER AT ELKTON HIGH AT 05:00.
AND THEN THE 10TH IS ALL COUNTY SPRING ART SHOW AT THE LIBRARY TEN AND THEN MAY 14TH HERE FOR OUR NEXT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING WITH OPEN SESSION STARTING AT 5:30. THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
AND WE ARE NOW AT THE END OF THE AGENDA. YEAH.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. THANKS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SPEAKERS THANK YOU.
AND HAVE A NICE NIGHT. MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.