Dec 10, 2025 Board Meeting

[* A portion of this meeting is without audio *]

[00:01:34]

WE'RE READY. WHETHER WE'RE READY OR NOT, WE'RE READY.

I'D LIKE TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION. TODAY IS DECEMBER 10TH, 2025, OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY ANNUAL ORGANIZATION

[3. Open Session - 5:30 p.m. ]

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

OUR BOARD REFLECTION, MISS METCALFE. 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. THANK YOU. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA.

IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPT THE MEETING AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THOUGHT IT WAS EVERYONE.

MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS TONIGHT, LIKE WE DO EVERY DECEMBER,

[4. Board Elections ]

WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO IS, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, WHO IS A NON-VOTING MEMBER OF OUR BOARD.

HE'S TECHNICALLY THE SECRETARY AND TREASURER OF OUR BOARD.

MAKE HIM FEEL IMPORTANT FOR A SECOND. HE SERVES AS OUR TEMPORARY CHAIRPERSON SO THAT WE CAN CONDUCT THE ELECTION OF OUR OFFICERS.

WELL, OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT, BECAUSE THEN THE BOARD PRESIDENT WILL DO THE VICE PRESIDENT.

BUT WHEN NOMINATIONS ARE MADE, NO SECOND IS REQUIRED FOR A NOMINATION, AND THE APPLICABLE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS BY MEANS OF A RECORDED VOTE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER OF THE BOARD.

SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO HIT HIM. NO. TURN IT OVER TO DR.

LAWSON. THIS IS LIKE HIS FAVORITE BOARD MEETING OF THE YEAR WHEN HE GETS THE GAVEL.

SO I AM BOSS. THANK YOU, MISS HAWLEY. NOMINATIONS ARE NOW IN ORDER FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE DIANNE HEATH, HAPPILY, FOR THE ROLE OF PRESIDENT.

CORRECT. ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENT? HEARING NONE. NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED, AND I'M ASKING MISS OLSON TO CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE. MR. HAMPTON. AYE. MR. FERDINANDO. AYE.

MR. DAVIS. AYE. MISS METCALFE. AYE. MISS HEATH.

AYE. MISS HAWLEY. AYE. THE AYES HAVE IT. CONGRATULATIONS, MISS HEATH.

THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]. THANK YOU. WE DON'T NEED A SWITCH.

WE CAN SWITCH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, SO I GUESS LET'S GET THIS.

[00:05:05]

SO I GUESS MY FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS AS PRESIDENT WOULD BE TO TAKE NOMINATIONS FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT.

DO WE HAVE ANY NOMINATIONS FOR VICE PRESIDENT? I'M GOING TO NOMINATE TIERNEY DAVIS FOR THE POSITION OF BOARD OF EDUCATION VICE PRESIDENT.

ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY. MISS OLSON, CAN YOU TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE, PLEASE? SURE. MR. HAMPTON. AYE. MR. FERDINANDO. AYE. MR. DAVIS. AYE. MISS METCALF. AYE. MISS HEATH. AYE.

MISS HAWLEY. AYE. CONGRATULATIONS, MR. DAVIS.

[APPLAUSE]. YOU WANT TO SWITCH? I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO SWITCH.

SHE'S NOT PRESIDENT ANYMORE, MR. DAVIS. JUST SAY NO.

I'M NOT DOING IT. RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS A LITTLE WONKY, BUT. SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

[5. Consent Agenda ]

I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ITEMS THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.

OKAY. SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT NEW BUSINESS IS OUR BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.

[6. New Business ]

FIRST, I ATTENDED THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

IT WAS NICE TO HEAR DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS FROM BOTH TEACHERS AND PARENTS, AND IT'S REALLY INSPIRING HOW MUCH PEOPLE CARE ABOUT STUDENTS EDUCATION AND WELLBEING. THE CECIL COUNTY COUNCIL STUDENT COUNCILS HAD THEIR ANNUAL BOARD OF EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP TEAM BREAKFAST TWO WEEKS AGO, WHICH WENT REALLY WELL. THAT EVENT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL DOES.

IT GIVES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE FACE TO FACE WITH COUNTY LEADERS AND IS ALWAYS INSIGHTFUL AND ENGAGING.

WE HAVE OUR DECEMBER MEETING NEXT WEEK ON FRIDAY, WHICH I'M EXCITED FOR.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. MR. HAMPTON.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. IT'S NICE TO SEE A LARGE CROWD HERE TONIGHT.

LOTS WENT ON THIS PAST MONTH. I ATTENDED A CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL, AND LISTEN TO GOOD FEEDBACK FROM STAKEHOLDERS ON THE STATUS OF THE MATH CURRICULUM.

I WAS INVITED TO READ TO KINDERGARTEN CLASSES AT BOTH BAINBRIDGE ELEMENTARY AND HAWLEY HALL ELEMENTARY AS PART OF AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK.

I ATTENDED A CCPS SERVICE DINNER TO RECOGNIZE EMPLOYEES WITH 30, 35, AND 40 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH CCPS.

SO A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE THAT HAVE DEDICATED THEIR CAREERS TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I HAD BREAKFAST WITH THE CCPS STUDENT COUNCIL AND WAS IMPRESSED WITH THEIR QUESTIONS, COMPASSION, AND HOW THEY ARTICULATED THEIR CONCERNS. LAST WEEK I HAD A GOOD VISIT WITH PERRYVILLE MIDDLE AND LEARNED WHAT'S GOING WELL AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE SECOND COMMUNITY SCHOOL STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING FOR BAINBRIDGE ELEMENTARY.

AND AS I REFLECT ON THE YEAR IN MY TIME AS A BOARD MEMBER THUS FAR, MY FOCUS REMAINS THE SAME AS STATED DURING MY FIRST BOARD MEETING.

EVERYTHING I DO, EVERY DECISION I MAKE AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION, WILL BE WITH THE SUCCESS, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF ALL STUDENTS IN MIND.

ALL OF US SET AN EXAMPLE EVERY DAY THAT IS SEEN BY YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.

AS LEADERS, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD VALUES THAT UNITE, NOT DIVIDE AND PROTECT THE WELL-BEING OF EVERY STUDENT IN CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I REMAIN COMMITTED TO THAT ENDEAVOR. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. SO I ALSO WAS AT THE CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL.

I WANT TO SAY THAT BRIAN DID A GREAT JOB PUTTING IT TOGETHER AND RUNNING IT. THAT WAS YOUR FIRST MEETING.

AND IT WAS A TOPIC THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BORING, BUT IT WAS A VERY ENERGETIC MEETING.

[00:10:03]

I'M SURE MOST OF THE STUDENTS WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S TRUE, BUT IT WAS A VERY GOOD WITH A MEETING WITH A LOT OF INPUT FROM TEACHERS, PARENTS. AND I THINK A COUPLE OF STUDENTS WERE EVEN THERE.

RIGHT. YEAH. SO IT WENT VERY WELL. IT WAS A ONE OF, I THINK TWO THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE. OKAY. AND I WANT TO TAKE THE REST OF MY TIME AND YIELD IT TO MISS HAWLEY BECAUSE SHE'S GOING TO PROBABLY WANT TO SAY A LOT ABOUT GOING OUT AS PRESIDENT, SO YOU TAKE THE REST OF MY TIME. IT'S YOUR LAST TIME. YOU GET TO SPEAK FOR FIVE MINUTES.

OH. I'M NEXT. YOU'RE NEXT. FEEL THE LOVE FROM THE GOODNESS.

I WON'T SPEAK FOR FIVE MINUTES, BUT JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS.

FIRST, JUST SOME UPLIFTING THINGS. THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 18TH, THE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SOURCE AND IT'S DRUG FREE YOUTH COALITION HOSTED ITS ANNUAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT. AND THERE WERE TWO 92 HIGH SCHOOLERS FROM ALL FIVE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THREE DAYS OF LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND PREVENTION TRAINING. JUST A REALLY GOOD, IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCE FOR THESE STUDENTS.

AND DR. LAWSON AND I WERE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THEM ON THE FIRST DAY, WHICH IS ALWAYS A HIGHLIGHT, TO TALK TO THE STUDENTS. AND AT THE END OF THAT WEEK, THERE WERE 116 SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS THEN WHO ATTENDED THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP SUMMIT, AND THEN THEY WERE TAUGHT BY THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH LEADERS.

SO PRETTY INCREDIBLE, AGAIN, FOR BOTH THE HIGH SCHOOLERS AND FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS.

ALSO, AS MISS METCALFE MENTIONED, INTERACTING WITH STUDENT LEADERS AT OUR ANNUAL COUNTY COUNCIL OF STUDENT COUNCIL MEETING.

AND THIS IS JUST BOTH OF THESE THINGS. WE'RE JUST KIND OF.

IT'S JUST AN EYE OPENER, JUST TO SHOW YOU THAT THERE'S REALLY A LOT OF GOOD THAT HAPPENS.

SOMETIMES OUR HIGH SCHOOLERS AND PARTICULARLY OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, GET A BAD RAP.

AND HERE'S THE SAY, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE STUDENTS.

AND THOSE WERE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF THAT. THEY'RE PRETTY REMARKABLE.

SO ANY OF YOU WHO'S AFRAID OF OUR FUTURE AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BEING LEADERS IN OUR FUTURE, THERE'S NO NEED TO FEAR. HAVE HOPE. THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY REMARKABLE STUDENTS.

AND A LOT OF THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN. IT TAKES STAFF.

IT TAKES A WHOLE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THESE LEADERS.

AND MR. HAMPTON MENTIONED, THE WHAT WAS IT? THE SERVICE RECOGNITION FOR OUR 30, 35 AND 40 YEAR EMPLOYEES. AND, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE OUR LEGENDS OF CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO'VE PUT IN LOTS OF YEARS.

AND THEY DEFINITELY, EITHER IN CLASSROOMS, SOMETIMES IN CAFETERIAS, SOMETIMES IN MAINTENANCE, SOMETIMES ADMINISTRATION. WE'RE JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE LONG TIME CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR STAFF.

AND THEN LASTLY, I'VE BEEN IN SCHOOLS MEETINGS, MABE BOARD MEETINGS, RETREATS, OFFICER RETREATS, THINGS LIKE THAT. CHORUS, BAND, ORCHESTRA CONCERTS TOO, AS MR. HAMPTON MENTIONED, HE DIDN'T MENTION THIS PART, BUT WE DRESSED UP AS TURKEYS AT HAWLEY HALL ELEMENTARY FOR AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK.

IT'S THE OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED, MR. HAMPTON.

HE'S LIKE, I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE NOT PRESIDENT ANYMORE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE. I'LL BE DRESSED UP AS AN ELF ON FRIDAY EVENING AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO THOSE ARE THE FUN THINGS THAT HAPPENED. AND THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT. MR. DAVIS.

I'LL TRY AND MAKE THIS QUICK, BUT I DIDN'T REALLY PLAN ON SAYING TOO MUCH TODAY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN KIND OF NOT AS ENGAGED AS I WOULD LIKE TO BE OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO ON SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I AM BOTH HONORED AND HUMBLED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THIS BOARD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH DIANNE AS VICE PRESIDENT AND AS DIANNE AND AS PRESIDENT, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF LEARNING THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO, AND THIS VERY HUMBLING, AND I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST JOB THAT I CAN TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THAT JOB.

AND I'M GOING TO SERVE WITH PRIDE, INTEGRITY AND ETHICS, WHICH I'M SURE WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT ETHICS IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAITS FOR ALL LEADERS, YOU KNOW, DOING THE RIGHT THING, EVEN WHEN PEOPLE MAY NOT BE THERE TO TO LOOK AT YOU, RIGHT? BUT ONE THING I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT DIANA HAWLEY, YOU KNOW, ON THE WAY OUT AS PRESIDENT OF THIS BOARD.

DURING MY 40 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN BOTH THE MILITARY AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I SERVED UNDER A LOT OF LEADERS OVER THAT TIME.

[00:15:04]

AND I REALLY DO TRULY MEAN THAT. AND I DO THINK THAT THE STUDENTS OF CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND WILL BENEFIT FROM ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU DO FOR THEM. THEY HAVE NO IDEA THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT INTO IT.

AND I KNOW AS PRESIDENT OF THE MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF BOARD OF EDUCATION, A LOT OF PEOPLE.

NOT A LOT, BUT SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT, BUT OTHERS OBVIOUSLY SEE THE VALUE THAT YOU BRING.

AND WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS THE DIANA HAWLEY EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW? THAT KIND OF LIKE OTHER PEOPLE SEE THAT TOO, AND THE VALUE THAT YOU BRING, WHICH IS WHY YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT OF THE ENTIRE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE.

THANK YOU FOR THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN TO ME AND TO DIANNE, AS YOU KNOW, WHO WILL BE FILLING YOUR ROLE AS PRESIDENT.

I THINK WE'LL BOTH BE MORE SUCCESSFUL BASED ON WHAT WE LEARNED FROM YOU.

SO I DON'T WANT TO GO ON AND ON, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND WE'LL HAVE YOU AROUND FOR A WHILE IN A DIFFERENT ROLE, SO THAT'S FINE.

BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE SOMEONE TO LEAN ON IN CASE WE HAVE QUESTIONS.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MY BOARD MEMBERS FOR PUTTING YOUR TRUST IN ME TO BE HERE.

I HAVE BIG SHOES TO FILL, SO I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT THAT.

AND I WAS VERY BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO BE THE VICE PRESIDENT UNDER DIANA HAWLEY.

AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM HER LEADERSHIP. AND I WILL TRY TO CONTINUE YOUR LEGACY HERE.

I DON'T KNOW. I TRIED TO GET HER TO DO ANOTHER YEAR.

I DID EVERYTHING I COULD, BUT. I DON'T KNOW, SHE WOULDN'T DO IT, SO.

SO HERE I AM. HERE I AM. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WAS DOING OVER THE LAST MONTH.

I ALSO ATTENDED THE MABE RETREAT AND THE SERVICE RECOGNITION DINNER, WHICH WAS A REALLY NICE EVENING TO JUST HONOR THE SERVICE THAT SOME OF OUR 25 OR 30, 35, 40 YEARS OF HARD WORK THAT SOME OF OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PUTTING INTO INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

SO THAT WAS A GREAT EVENING. I ALSO ATTENDED THE CITIZENS ADVISORY MEETING.

THE STUDENT COUNCIL BREAKFAST. I ALSO WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD.

THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. FIRST TIME I HAD BEEN TO THAT.

AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE THAT INTO HIGH SCHOOL AT SOME TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I ALSO DID MY VOLUNTEERING IN MY KINDERGARTEN CLASS AT GILPIN MANOR AND FIRST GRADE IN CECILTON AND MY TUTORING, WHICH I REALLY ENJOY. I ALSO WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE DOING COMMUNITY OUTREACHES.

COAT DRIVES AND FOOD DRIVES. SO PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO SCHOOLS, CHECK NEWSLETTERS, SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, AND SEE IF YOU CAN HELP AT THIS VERY BUSY TIME OF YEAR, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE NEEDS, SO IF YOU COULD HELP, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

SO NEXT, DR. LAWSON. SO.

BUT BEFORE I DO, YOU KNOW, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T AT LEAST TAKE A MINUTE TO SPEAK TO DIANA.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT SHE'S MEANT TO THE BOARD. OKAY, SO SHE'S NOT LEAVING.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HER LIKE SHE'S NOT HERE ANYMORE. BUT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I CAME UP AS A, YOU KNOW, A YOUNG HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER, TYPICAL COACH AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, DOING ALL THOSE NEAT KIND OF THINGS THAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE 21, 22, 23 YEARS OLD.

NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS I THINK I'D BE PUT IN A SITUATION I FOUND MYSELF IN PROBABLY THE LAST 2 TO 3 YEARS WITH SOME OF THE POLITICAL TURMOIL THAT OCCURRED NOT ONLY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY IN CECIL COUNTY.

YOU KNOW, I FELT. AND NOT THAT I'M ASKING ANYBODY TO FEEL SORRY FOR ME, BUT MANY, MANY TIMES I FELT JUST ATTACKED AT AN UNBELIEVABLE LEVEL THAT NOTHING IN LIFE PREPARES YOU FOR TO BE SINGLED OUT. AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR FAMILY SEES THIS, FRIENDS SEE THIS, AND YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR IN LIFE.

AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE WHILE I KNEW THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU KNOW, DIANA WAS THERE SUPPORTING ME EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY, YOU KNOW, STAY THE COURSE. YOU'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING. AND NOT JUST DIANA.

THE ENTIRE BOARD. I KNOW, AND LISTEN, THAT MIGHT NOT SOUND LIKE MUCH TO YOU, BUT IN THE WORLD OF A SUPERINTENDENT,

[00:20:06]

THEY SUPPORT ME UNEQUIVOCALLY. AND TO GO THROUGH PROFESSIONALLY WHAT WAS THE TOUGHEST TIME IN MY LIFE, AND IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE, TO KNOW I HAD DIANA'S SUPPORT AND THE ENTIRE BOARD SUPPORT IS SOMETHING I'LL NEVER FORGET, AND OBVIOUSLY I'M A LOT CLOSER TO THE END OF MY CAREER THAN I AM AT THE BEGINNING.

AND IT'S JUST VERY, VERY MEANINGFUL TO BE PUT IN THAT PLACE AND TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU RESPECT THE MOST PROFESSIONALLY, TO INCLUDE THIS CREW HERE TO MY RIGHT AND THESE FOLKS TO MY LEFT, TO KNOW THAT I HAD THEIR UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT IS SOMETHING MEANINGFUL.

IT'S MEANINGFUL TO A DEEPLY PERSONAL LEVEL. AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DIANA.

I APPRECIATE YOUR STRENGTH AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK PUBLIC EDUCATION IN GENERAL HAS TAKEN A REALLY HARD HIT THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND IT'S UNDESERVED. I THINK WE'VE KIND OF DONE IT TO OURSELF.

IT WAS A CONVERSATION MR. FERDINANDO AND I HAD, I GUESS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN RIGHT AFTER THE CAT MEETING, HE DREW A LITTLE HAND SKETCH THAT WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS, REMEMBER THOSE? THEY CAME IN 2010 DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION WITH THE RACE TO THE TOP, AND THEY HUNG A FINANCIAL CARROT OUT THERE TO EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY AND SAID, IF YOU ADOPT THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS, YOU WILL RECEIVE THIS MUCH FUNDING.

MARYLAND DID. THEY MADE MODIFICATIONS AND THEY CALLED THEM THE MARYLAND COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS STANDARDS.

RIGHT? THEY TEND TO LOOK VERY SIMILAR. AS SOON AS THOSE STANDARDS WERE ADOPTED, WE GOT INTO THE BUSINESS REAL QUICKLY OF MAKING TESTS THAT REFLECTED THESE STANDARDS. AND SINCE THEN, TEST SCORES HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT GO DOWN.

WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH TEST SCORES, AND NOW IT'S BECAUSE OF THESE TEST SCORES THAT YOU ARE HIT WITH A NONSTOP DIET OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ISN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE.

RIGHT? THERE, LOOK AT ALL THE KIDS THAT ARE FAILING.

THESE KIDS CAN'T EVEN READ. FAKE NEWS IS WHAT IT IS.

AND WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU RIGHT NOW IS EMBLEMATIC OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

ASIDE FROM THE REALLY COOL GRAPHIC I'VE GOT GOING ON HERE TO YOUR RIGHT.

OKAY? THAT I DID BY MYSELF. THIS IS A SAMPLE SEVENTH GRADE MATH QUESTION ON MCAT.

THE MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.

AND I WANT ALL OF YOU WHO ARE PARTICULARLY A LITTLE BIT OLDER.

THE KIDS LOOK AT THIS AND THIS IS ALL THEY KNOW.

THOSE OF YOU WHO GOT A LITTLE BIT OF GRAY HAIR MAYBE WENT TO SCHOOL IN THE 70S, 80S, 90S, MAYBE SOME 60S, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT OUR MATH. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE TOOK WHEN WE WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I SPENT A DECADE AS A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER IN MIDDLETOWN.

THIS IS NOT WHAT I WAS TEACHING THROUGH THE 90S.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS. WALK WITH ME HERE. A HOTEL WANTS TO BUY A PUMP AND FILL IT WITH HOT WATER.

AND THIS GRAPH SHOWS THREE DIFFERENT PUMPS AND THE RATE THAT THEY CAN PUMP WATER.

WITH ME SO FAR, RIGHT? SO FAR IT'S NOT LOOKING TOO COMPLICATED.

MIND YOU, SEVENTH GRADE. THE HOTEL DETERMINES THAT THE SLOWEST OF THE THREE PUMPS CAN FILL THE HOT TUB WITH WATER IN 90 MINUTES.

OKAY, A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING. AGAIN, WE GOT THREE PUMPS.

USING THIS INFORMATION. HERE'S THE QUESTION. EXPLAIN HOW TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF MINUTES IT WILL TAKE FOR THE FASTEST OF THE THREE PUMPS TO FILL THE HOT TUB WITH WATER. NOW NOTICE WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO.

THEY'RE NOT SAYING WHICH ONE FILLS IT THE FASTEST.

WHICH ONE FILLS IT THE SLOWEST. THEY'RE SAYING, EXPLAIN HOW WE'RE GOING TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF MINUTES.

AND THEN DOWN HERE, ENTER YOUR ANSWER AND YOUR JUSTIFICATION IN THE SPACE PROVIDED.

YOU CAN ALSO DRAW A LITTLE PICTURE IF IT HELPS YOU.

OKAY. SO THAT'S THE QUESTION THESE KIDS SEE ON THE TEST.

HOW MANY PEOPLE OVER HERE IN HERE ABOVE 45 YEARS OLD CAN JUST DO THAT FOR ME LIKE THAT? I'M NOT GOING TO EMBARRASS ANYBODY. NOTICE THE ANSWER RIGHT HERE.

SO THIS IS A STUDENT ANSWER THAT'S REQUIRED TO GET FULL CREDIT FOR THIS QUESTION ON THE STATE TEST FOR SEVENTH GRADERS.

THEY'RE 13 YEARS OLD. LOOK AT THIS. I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE WHOLE THING TO YOU, BUT THE HOTEL SAID THE SLOWEST PUMP TAKES 90 MINUTES TO FILL THE HOT TUB.

I LOOKED AT THE LINE FOR PUMP P, WHICH IS HERE, WHICH IS THE SLOWEST, AND SAW THAT IT GOES THROUGH .840.

THIS MEANS 8 MINUTES GETS 40 GALLONS OF WATER.

SINCE 40 GALLONS TAKE EIGHT MINUTES, 90, I DIVIDED 90 BY 8 TO GET 11.25.

YOU CAN SEE THE CONTORTIONS THAT HAPPENED HERE.

AND THEN DOWN HERE, THERE'S THE ANSWER. HERE'S THE THING.

IF YOU TAKE ONE OF THESE KIDS WHO'S NOT MUCH OF A READER AND NOT MUCH OF A WRITER, AND THEY CAN JUST LOOK AT THAT GRAPH AND MAKE THE DETERMINATION, AND THEY PUT DOWN THE ANSWER BEING 15, THEY'RE NOT GETTING FULL CREDIT.

[00:25:04]

SO WHEN THEY GET THEIR SCORES BACK, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE NOT PROFICIENT IN MATH.

AND THAT'S IF THEY CAN GET THROUGH THIS. NOW TAKE THIS AND COMPARE IT TO THIS.

THIS IS WHAT I WAS TEACHING BACK IN THE 90S. LOOK AT THE FIRST QUESTION.

IF A CAR TRAVELS 180 MILES ON 6 GALLONS OF GAS, HOW FAR CAN IT TRAVEL ON 15? NOW FOR YOU MOMS AND DADS AND GRANDPARENTS, THIS WAS YOUR MATH.

THIS WAS YOUR MATH. SO WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY ON FACEBOOK FLEXING ABOUT TODAY'S KIDS CAN'T DO THE WORK AND THEY'RE ILLITERATE, THEY CAN'T READ, WHAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU, IS THAT WHAT YOU DID AND WHAT THEY'RE BEING ASKED TO DO ARE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. AND SO I'M GOING TO START WALKING AROUND WITH LITTLE CARDS THAT HAVE SAMPLE EIGHTH GRADE MATH QUESTIONS.

AND NEXT TIME I HEAR ABOUT HOW OUR KIDS ARE FAILING, I'M PULLING OUT SAID CARD.

AND I'M GOING TO SAY, YOU DO THIS FOR ME, AND IF YOU GET IT RIGHT, I WILL BUY YOU DINNER.

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, GUYS. IT IS HAPPENING IN GRADE AFTER GRADE, BOTH LANGUAGE ARTS AND MATHEMATICS.

AND LOOK AT THE SECOND QUESTION. A RECTANGULAR GARDEN IS 15FT BY 8.

WHAT'S THE PERIMETER? WELL, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES.

RIGHT? SO IT HAS FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGED THE WAY THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF THAT. PUBLIC EDUCATION IS NOT FAILING.

WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK. TO MY RIGHT WAS A STUDENT ACCEPTED TO UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, AWAITING A DECISION ON NOTRE DAME FOR MECHANICAL ENGINEERING.

AND THE ONE TO MY LEFT HAS ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED TO BROWN UNIVERSITY FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMING.

THESE SCHOOLS ARE NOT FAILING. SO PLEASE, WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT, CALL THEM ON IT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR NOT MAKING US DO THE FIRST MATH PROBLEM.

OH, NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR CCPS EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS CECIL COUNTY CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, MISS LORI HRINKO.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH. I HAD A, LIKE, SCRIBBLE.

DR. LAWSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUESTS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO NEWLY ELECTED BOARD PRESIDENT HEATH AND VICE PRESIDENT DAVIS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING LEADERSHIP AND STEPPING UP TO SERVE IN THESE ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

TO FORMER PRESIDENT HAWLEY, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PAST LEADERSHIP.

I WAS JUST THINKING, AS DR. LAWSON WAS TALKING, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, LIKE, STAUNCH LEADERSHIP.

LIKE, IF YOU KNOW HER, SHE IS NOT QUIET AND MEEK AND MILD.

SO YOU KNOW, YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS.

YOU WENT THROUGH THE NORTHEAST FEEDER PATTERN, SO I GOT TO SEE YOU AS A PARENT AND AS A PTO LEADER BEFORE YOU TOOK ON THIS ROLE, BUT YOU DIDN'T ONLY TALK THE TALK. YOU WALKED THE WALK.

YOU ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND DO IT. AND SO I'M GLAD YOU'RE STILL HERE DOING IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE LIKE THE SERVANT LEADER AND THE PERSON THAT IS LEADING THE GROUP DOING IT.

YOU'RE NOT STANDING BACK TELLING OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO. YOU'RE DOING THE LEADERSHIP AND DOING THE SERVICE WORK.

AND SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT. AND THANK YOU.

TO THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK IN LEADERSHIP.

PROBABLY NONE OF YOUR BINGO CARDS 20 YEARS AGO SAID THAT YOU WANTED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND YOU'RE ALL COMMITTED TO OUR STUDENTS. AND I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT YOU KEEP STRIVING AND STAYING THE COURSE TO PROVIDE THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE STUDENT BODY AND JUST CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE CLIMATE AND ENSURING THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO ALSO RECRUIT AND RETAIN THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED WORKFORCE THAT WE NEED. IF YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, IT'S GETTING COLDER.

IT'S GETTING DARKER. I THOUGHT IT WAS ALMOST DARK OUT AT LIKE 3:30, 04:00 TODAY.

SO IT'S INTERIM TIME IN THE SECOND MARKING PERIOD.

SO PARENTS CHECK YOUR EMAILS SOON. THOSE REPORT CARD UPDATES ARE COMING OUT.

AND THE WINTER HOLIDAYS ARE UPON US. IT IS A SEASON AND A TIME OFTEN WHERE WE THINK ABOUT, LIKE, CELEBRATIONS. A TIME OF HOPE AND A TIME OF REFLECTION.

IT'S A TIME WHEN A LOT OF US KIND OF SOFTEN OUR HEARTS, OPEN UP OUR HOMES, OPEN UP.

WE'RE WELCOMING FRIENDS AND FAMILY. AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS A PART OF YOUR HABIT, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TAKING TIME TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AT THIS SPECIAL TIME. AND IT'S A TIME TO CONSIDER EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR.

THE SPECIAL PEOPLE IN OUR LIFE, THOSE THAT ARE WITH US, THOSE THAT WE'VE LOST.

IT'S OFTEN A TIME AT THIS SEASON TO REFLECT ON THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE MISSING AROUND US.

AND THEN ALSO A TIME TO LOOK AHEAD AND MAKE PLANS AND EVEN DREAM DREAMS.

[00:30:02]

WE HAVE A LOT MORE NEEDY FAMILIES THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST, AND DEEPER NEEDS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE HAD NEED IN THE PAST.

AND OUR RESOURCES ARE JUST STRETCHED THIN. SO COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT NORMALLY PROVIDE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS, A LOT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING HAS BEEN ALLOCATED, MAKING IT TIGHTER FOR OUR FOLKS WITHIN THE COUNTY TO GET THE HELP.

AND FOR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE THE SUPPORT TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT AND DREAM ABOUT THE CECIL COUNTY THAT YOU WANT.

WHERE DO YOU WANT YOUR FAMILIES TO GROW UP AND LIVE IN? WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE, AND WHAT DO YOU WANT THAT TO LOOK LIKE? AND THEN WORK TOGETHER TO HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

YOU CAN DONATE TO OUR FOOD PANTRIES, BUY EXTRA GIFTS FOR TOYS FOR TOTS.

VISIT THE ELDERLY AND THE LONELY THAT ARE IN CARE HOMES.

VOLUNTEER, OF COURSE, IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE WILL TAKE YOU FROM CAFETERIA SERVICE, TUTORING, WHATEVER.

WE WILL FIND A SPOT FOR YOU. AND THEN OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALSO HELP OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES.

THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE OF YOUR TIME AND TALENTS.

IF RESOURCES AND FINANCES ARE SLIM, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE YOU FROM VOLUNTEERING AND HELPING IN SO MANY WAYS TO REALLY MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO END SAYING THAT I'M JUST ESPECIALLY THANKFUL FOR THE COLLEAGUES THAT I HAVE AND THAT I WORK WITH WHO HELP ME CONTINUE TO GROW AND LEARN, WHO SUPPORT ME ON THE TOUGH DAYS AND CELEBRATE WITH ME ON OUR REALLY GOOD DAYS.

AND THEY INSTRUCT AND GUIDE AND MENTOR AND COUNSEL AND PACKAGE AND BANDAGE AND CARE FOR OUR KIDS EACH AND EVERY DAY FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

AND THEN TO YOU ALL, THE FAMILIES AND THE CAREGIVERS AND OUR COMMUNITY WHO STEP IN AND HELP US WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND REALLY HELP THEM THRIVE TO MEET THOSE GOALS THAT WE ALL HAVE FOR THEM. SO I HOPE ALL OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY HOLIDAY, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE NEW YEAR.

THANK YOU. LET'S SEE.

AND SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT, MR. ERICK BROWN.

HOW ABOUT THAT? THERE WE ARE. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

THAT BUTTON GETS ME EVERY TIME. GOOD EVENING.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW BOARD PRESIDENT, MISS HEATH.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. OUTGOING PRESIDENT HAWLEY, WE KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE. TO MR. DAVIS, AS ALWAYS, AN INSPIRATION. THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE.

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE TEAM, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT AS WE COME UPON THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, THAT SOMETIMES THIS IS A SEASON WHERE FOLKS HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF EXTRA STRESSORS.

ESPECIALLY FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING IN EDUCATION, WORKING WITH KIDS.

YOU HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.

THAT'S REAL. YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE DAY WE SEE FOLKS WHO ARE HOME INSECURE, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, IN NEED OF A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS. SO BY ALL MEANS, REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS.

MY SCHOOL HAPPENS TO FUNCTION AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL AND AS A COMMUNITY HUB.

AND WE ARE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE MEET THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES.

BUT WE ALWAYS NEED MORE HELP. REACH OUT TO TEACHERS.

TEACHERS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. YOU KNOW, I HAVE TEACHERS IN MY BUILDING WHO HAVE DEALT WITH SERIOUS CRISIS IN THEIR OWN LIFE.

PERSONAL TRAGEDIES, DEATHS IN THE FAMILY, SICK CHILDREN, AND YET THEY'RE STILL THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

AND THEY ARE WORKING HARD. THEY ARE WORKING HARD.

SOMETIMES THIS WORK IS HARD. JUST REMEMBER THEM AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, OKAY? REMEMBER THOSE FOLKS WHO WERE, AS THEY USED TO SAY, LESS FORTUNATE.

I HAPPEN TO BE A PERSON WHO'S FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED.

ALL OF US DO. WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES AND TO OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH OUT AND WE DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP FOLKS, OKAY? AND MOST OF ALL, WE WANT TO REMIND YOU, HUG YOUR KIDS.

HUG YOUR KIDS, TELL THEM YOU LOVE THEM. THEY ARE WORKING VERY, VERY HARD.

I SAT IN THE CLASSROOM TODAY, AND I WATCHED A CLASSROOM OF KIDS WHO STRUGGLED SO HARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IT WAS ALMOST OVERWHELMING FOR THEM, AND IN FOUR WEEKS TIME, I ALMOST DIDN'T RECOGNIZE THIS CLASS BECAUSE THEY WERE RAISING THEIR HANDS.

THEY WERE ANSWERING QUESTIONS, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEIR TEACHERS ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES AND THEY REDID EVERYTHING, AND THEY MET THOSE KIDS WHERE THEY WERE. THAT'S NOT JUST IN MY BUILDING.

THAT IS IN EVERY SINGLE BUILDING IN CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, EVERY SINGLE BUILDING.

THERE ARE TEACHERS, THERE ARE CAFETERIA WORKERS, THERE ARE COUNSELORS, THERE ARE CUSTODIANS WHO ARE ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES, AND THEY ARE MEETING OUR STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE, AND THEY'RE TAKING THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

[00:35:05]

OUR CHILDREN MAY GET SOME BAD GRADES EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT OUR KIDS ARE LEARNING AND THEY ARE INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE LITTLE HUMAN BEINGS. SO JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS SYSTEM IS WORKING HARD.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM, TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL, AND TO REACH OUT AND BE A PART OF IT. WE'RE ALL A FAMILY.

WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. WE ALL ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL, AND THAT IS TO RAISE HEALTHY AND HAPPY KIDS.

HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY. THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE AGENDA 6.04.

CONSTRUCTION REPORT. DR. LAWSON. LIKELY MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE AGENDA.

A LOT OF STUDENTS IN THE AUDIENCE. SO THIS WILL BE NEAT FOR YOU TO SEE IF YOU HAVEN'T.

THIS IS THE NEW SCHOOL. THAT IS IRISHTOWN ROAD.

THERE IS THE NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUM.

BACK HERE IS THE OLD BASEBALL FIELD WHICH WILL BE MOVED.

THIS IS THE HIGH SCHOOL WING, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, AUDITORIUM IS THAT ACTUAL ROOF THERE.

AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES AND MAIN ENTRANCE ARE KIND OF IN THE FRONT HERE.

THIS WILL BE THE GYMNASIUM. THERE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE TWO.

DOWN HERE IS THE CAFETERIA. YOU SEE THE SINGLE STORY ROOF.

THIS WILL BE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THESE LITTLE AREAS UP HERE FOR THE HVAC SYSTEM.

THIS WILL BE THE COURTYARD BUS LOOP WHERE THEY COME IN AND DROP KIDS OFF.

THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE LANDSCAPED. MEDIA CENTER, CAFETERIA, LOBBY AREA IN THERE.

GO AHEAD. DIFFERENT ANGLE, SAME THING. WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS CAFETERIA, GYM, MIDDLE SCHOOL WING.

YOU CAN SEE THE COURTYARD THERE. GO AHEAD. THESE ARE MIDDLE SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELDS.

KEEPING IN MIND THE HIGH SCHOOLS WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE ATHLETIC FIELDS THEY'VE BEEN USING. THESE ARE PUMP STATIONS.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY PUMP WATER AND THEY USE THE EARTH'S NATURAL COOLING AND OR HEATING TO HELP EITHER AIR CONDITIONING OR HEAT THE BUILDING.

IT'S CALLED GEOTHERMAL, WHICH IS ACTUALLY PRETTY NEAT.

BUT THESE ARE THE BUILDINGS WHERE THE PUMPS FOR THE GEOTHERMAL WILL BE HOUSED.

GO AHEAD. NOT NEARLY AS SEXY, HOWEVER, EVERY BIT AS NEEDED IS A BRAND NEW ROOF AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUILDING, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT TO BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THIS IS THE OLD SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY, AND THE ROOF IS LITERALLY 50 OR 60 YEARS OLD.

AND THEY SHOULD BE COMPLETING THIS PRETTY SOON.

YOU CAN SEE MORE ROOF PICTURES AND THEY ARE THE MAIN PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON.

JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING THE PARKING LOT AT BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THAT'S BEEN COMPLETED, AND WE'RE WAITING TO EXPAND THE PARKING LOT AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUILDING.

SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MYSELF, DR. BOYER, DR.

BUCKLEY, REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS? THINGS ARE MOVING NICELY. STARTING NEXT MONTH, WE'LL START TAKING SOME PICTURES OF THE NEW BUILDING INSIDE THE SCHOOL, SINCE THAT'S WHERE MOST OF THE ACTION IS HAPPENING NOW, AND THERE ARE OVER 100 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ON SITE EVERY DAY.

SO THE BUILDING'S REALLY MOVING PRETTY QUICKLY.

AND HONESTLY, NONE OF THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT A COOPERATIVE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, COUNTY EXECUTIVE STRAIGHT, COUNTY COUNCIL. THEY'RE THE PARTNERS THAT MAKE THIS STUFF GO.

SO WE'RE CERTAINLY APPRECIATIVE FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR.

LAWSON. NEXT WE HAVE OUR SYSTEMWIDE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH RECOGNITION.

THANK YOU, MISS HEATH. AT THIS TIME, DR. JENNY HAMMER WILL LEAD THIS PRESENTATION TO THE CHRISTIANA CARE BREAST HEALTH CENTER ON THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS AND BUILDINGS EFFORTS TO RAISE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THEIR CAUSE. DR. HAMMER.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. LAWSON.

PATTY KING, COME ON DOWN.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT. SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY RAISED FUNDS TO SUPPORT CHRISTIANA CARE UNION HOSPITAL. THE TOP THREE SCHOOLS. IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO SHARE THIS.

[00:40:01]

NUMBER TWO WAS CECIL COUNTY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY.

AND NUMBER ONE, FOR MULTIPLE YEARS IN A ROW, IS NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH RAISED OVER $38,000 [APPLAUSE].

IN TOTAL, THIS IS EVEN BETTER. IN TOTAL, CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE PRESENTING A CHECK TO YOU THAT YOU'RE HOLDING RIGHT HERE.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT. THE TOTAL IS $14,221. [APPLAUSE].

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO TO HELP SUPPORT BREAST CANCER AWARENESS.

OKAY. NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, 6.06. ONE OF MY FAVORITE ACTIVITIES HERE IN OUR BOARD MEETINGS IS RECOGNIZING OUR STUDENT ATHLETES.

FALL 2025 ATHLETIC AWARDS. SO BEFORE WE GET THIS STARTED, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF DR.

FOY, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE AND RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENT ATHLETES, WE PROBABLY HAVE 40 OR 50 HERE THIS EVENING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LOST ON US. MOST OF THE FOLKS OVER HERE TO YOUR LEFT PLAYED COLLEGE SPORTS, PLAYED HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS. AND, YOU KNOW, TO RECOGNIZE THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT IN, IT'S NOT EASY. IN ALMOST ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, THE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE OFTEN ON HONOR ROLL, WORK PART TIME, PLAY SPORTS, GOOD KIDS, AND YOU'RE THE FUTURE.

IT'S RECOGNIZED HOW MUCH WORK IT TAKES. IT'S PRETTY MUCH FROM THE TIME YOU GET UP TO THE TIME YOU GO TO BED.

YOU'RE DOING EITHER. SCHOOL WORK, SPORTS PRACTICE, WORK, AND A LITTLE BIT OF SOCIAL.

SO THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING US SO WELL. AND WITH THAT, DR.

FOY. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.

LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUESTS. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MISS AMY SEXTON, THE PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR ATHLETICS, P.E. AND HEALTH, WHO WERE INTRODUCED TO FALL 2025 ATHLETIC AWARDS FOR CECIL COUNTY.

GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.

LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.

IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE TONIGHT AS WE CELEBRATE THE FALL ATHLETIC PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTY.

I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT OUR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC TEAMS HAD THIS FALL.

THIS IS THE FIRST FALL SEASON WITH THE NEW THREE DIVISIONS FOR THE UCBAC CONFERENCE.

WE HAD THE CONOWINGO, THE HATEM, AND THE TYDINGS, AND CECIL COUNTY WAS ALL IN THE CONOWINGO DIVISION.

WE HAD 1146 HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES PARTICIPATE THIS SEASON.

THAT'S AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 40 STUDENTS OVER LAST YEAR THIS TIME.

WE HAD EIGHT CONOWINGO DIVISION CHAMPIONS. WE HAD FOUR UCBACCHAMPIONS, AND THEY WERE FROM BEAUMONT HIGH SCHOOL, THE BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM, NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL CHEER TEAM, BEAU MANOR HIGH SCHOOL, CROSS COUNTRY, K9 BLACK AND NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL GOLF, EVAN SMITH.

WE HAD SEVEN REGIONAL CHAMPIONS AND THEY WERE AS FOLLOWS.

PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER TEAM. PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY TEAM.

THE NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL CHEER TEAM, WHO ALSO PLACED THIRD IN THE STATE, WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF CECIL COUNTY THAT A TEAM HAS EVER PLACED THAT HIGH. BO MANOR HIGH SCHOOL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM.

BO MANOR HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION K9 BLACK.

PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM. ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM.

AND BOTH OF THOSE FOOTBALL TEAMS WERE STATE SEMIFINALISTS.

NOW WE WILL RECOGNIZE THE FALL SPORTSMANSHIP WINNERS FOR CECIL COUNTY.

[00:45:06]

THESE SPORTSMANSHIP AWARDS REFLECT THE HEART OF OUR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. THIS MARKS THE 22ND YEAR THAT WE HAVE RECOGNIZED SPORTSMANSHIP AS PART OF OUR CONFERENCE.

I'M HONORED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR COUNTY SPORTSMANSHIP WINNERS.

AS I CALL YOUR NAMES, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO BE RECOGNIZED.

FROM RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL, ATHLETES CHEYENNE KEENE, KARA COPELAND, ELIJAH BOLT, ASHLEY MAE LONGACRE, ANTHONY PRATICO, AND COACHES BRIA LYKOV AND TYLER MILLER, A.D.

STEVE MARLIN AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MATT ROBERTS.

DIANA, THEY GET THE. I MEAN.

DIANNE, THEY GET THE PLAQUE.

[APPLAUSE].

SO, FROM PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS BOTH WON FROM THE BOYS TEAM.

CONOR DEMPSEY AND LOGAN DEMPSEY. AND FROM THE GIRLS TEAM, NOELLE LOSS AND MADISON CAIN, COACH TREYVON MORGAN AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, MR. NAGEL. CONGRATULATIONS.

[APPLAUSE].

MIC].

FROM NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL, THE FIELD HOCKEY TEAM.

WE HAVE KIRA HOWE, CASEY LEVERAGE AND COACHES RACHEL SHORT AND KILEY LEVERAGE.

AND WE HAVE PRINCIPAL DAVE DOLLINGER. CONGRATULATIONS.

[APPLAUSE].

[00:50:42]

COACH VINCE RICKY, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOE GRAF AND PRINCIPAL TONY EVANS.

[APPLAUSE].

NOW WE HAVE THE GOLF TEAM FROM NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL.

WE HAVE WYATT CUDMORE, KIRA MORTON, AND EVAN SMITH.

COACHES SETH GRIMES AND JUSTIN ELDRETH AND PRINCIPAL DAVE DOLLINGER.

[APPLAUSE].

EVAN SMITH WAS ALSO A REGIONAL CHAMPION. WE HAVE THE BOYS SOCCER TEAM FROM MANOR HIGH SCHOOL, GAVIN MCHUGH AND RYAN ASPELL.

WE HAVE COACHES ANDY MITCHELL AND NICOLE MITCHELL, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOE GRAF AND PRINCIPAL TONY EVANS.

[APPLAUSE].

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS.

WE HAVE THE GIRLS SOCCER TEAM FROM BO MANOR HIGH SCHOOL.

ATHLETES SARAH HOLMES, HALEY STANSFIELD, COACH LIZZIE DEAN, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOE GRAF AND PRINCIPAL TONY EVANS.

[00:55:24]

[APPLAUSE].

CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH.

ATHLETES BROOKE TAYLOR AND BREE BOWMAN, COACH MATT BORELLI AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL MR. NAGEL.

[APPLAUSE].

CONGRATULATIONS, GUYS. CONGRATULATIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD WINNERS. THANK YOU.

OKAY. NOW WE'VE CLEARED THE ROOM, BACK TO THE BORING STUFF.

WE ARE AT 6.07. YOU GUYS READY DOWN THERE? WE HAVE CONSIDERATION OF POLICY BFG POLICY REVIEW.

THANK YOU AGAIN, MISS HEATH. WE HAVE DR. BUCKLEY, DR.

HAMMER HERE TO SHARE RECOMMENDED CHANGES FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER FOR POLICY BFG.

ASK THAT YOU INTERRUPT WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT ANY TIME, PLEASE.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.

LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND REMAINING GUESTS.

MISS SEXTON REALLY DOES KNOW HOW TO CLEAR A ROOM.

TONIGHT WE'RE COMING TO YOU WITH POLICY REVIEW BFG.

BASICALLY, THIS POLICY WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 1989, WHEN WE HAD FAR FEWER POLICIES AND REGULATIONS THAN WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.

AND SO IT WAS SET ON A TWO YEAR CYCLE. AND SO OUR PROPOSAL THIS EVENING IS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE TAKE THAT FROM A TWO YEAR CYCLE TO A FOUR YEAR CYCLE FOR THOSE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS TO BE REVIEWED. WE HAVE A SLIDE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.

DR. HAMMER WILL GO OVER A FEW MORE DETAILS, BUT BASICALLY THIS WILL ALLOW FOR US MORE TIME TO MORE THOROUGHLY GO INTO THEM, KNOWING THAT ANY LEGISLATIVE CHANGES OR THINGS THAT COME ALONG AUTOMATICALLY WILL BE UPDATED AS THEY OCCUR.

SO CURRENTLY, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS 459 REGULATIONS AND POLICIES TO GOVERN OUR WORK.

AND WHAT OUR PROPOSAL WOULD BE IS TO EACH YEAR WE WOULD DIVE INTO AT LEAST THREE SECTIONS OF THE 12 SECTIONS THAT ARE IN OUR POLICIES AND REGULATIONS. AND WE WOULD THOROUGHLY VET EACH ONE OF THOSE SECTIONS ON A ROTATING BASIS TRYING TO BALANCE IT OUT BETWEEN THOSE SECTIONS THAT MAY BE A LITTLE WEIGHTIER THAN THE OTHERS, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING EVERYTHING COVERED.

AND TO REINFORCE WHAT DR. BUCKLEY SAID, AS THERE ARE LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, WE DO BRING THOSE CHANGES AUTOMATICALLY.

SO WE FEEL LIKE THIS WILL BE A BETTER WAY TO HANDLE ALL OF THIS WORK TO GOVERN OUR THE RULES OF OUR ORGANIZATION.

ANY QUESTIONS? CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH WHAT THE REVIEW PROCESS IS? I MEAN, YOU SAY IT'S A THOROUGH REVIEW, BUT WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL OR WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? SO THE WAY WE DO IT IS WE TYPICALLY PRINT THEM OUT.

AND IN PRINTING THEM OUT WHAT WE DO, MISS SHAW IS THE GOVERNOR.

SHE GOVERNS THEM ALL, AND SHE IS THE KEEPER OF THE REGULATIONS.

AND WE ESSENTIALLY PASS THEM OUT TO EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS AND EACH ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS WHO SUPERVISE THOSE REGULATIONS OR POLICIES, GO THROUGH AND REDLINE THEM, DETERMINE WHAT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE, WHAT UPDATES NEED TO BE MADE, IF THEY ARE REGULATIONS, WE MAKE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM.

IF THEY ARE POLICIES, WE WOULD BRING THEM TO YOU.

THANK YOU. AND WITH THE PROPOSAL TO MOVE TO A FOUR YEAR SCHEDULE, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE POLICY THAT'S NOT IMPACTED

[01:00:08]

WE CAN ADJUST ANY POLICY AT ANY TIME SHOULD THERE BE A CHANGE OR SHIFT IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THAT WOULD NECESSITATE A CHANGE IN POLICY.

WE WOULD BRING THAT TO YOU, OR YOU COULD BRING IT TO US AND WE WOULD MAKE THAT CHANGE TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT WHATEVER WORK NEEDED TO GET ACCOMPLISHED.

AND THE MECHANISM FOR THE BOARD TO BRING THAT TO YOU WOULD BE, WE'D COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT WHO WOULD RELAY TO YOU, AND THEN THERE'D BE AN EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND IF NECESSARY, WE COULD PUT IT ON A BOARD MEETING AGENDA.

IS THAT ACCURATE? IT'S JUST WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

YES. CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ON THIS ONE? SURE. I PROMISE I WASN'T GOING TO TALK, BUT I'M GOING TO TALK.

I SAW FIRSTHAND, THIS CHANGE CAME ACROSS WHEN WE WERE LOOKING WHEN MISS OLSON AND I WENT THROUGH ONE OF THE SECTIONS, AND IT WAS A FAIRLY TIME CONSUMING PROCESS JUST GOING THROUGH THE ONE SECTION THAT WE WENT THROUGH.

AND I DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY CHANGES. AND TYPICALLY, ESPECIALLY WITH REGULATIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF REGULATIONS THAT GET UPDATED ANNUALLY JUST BASED ON LIKE SCHOOL OPERATION THINGS. BUT I THINK I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE I SAW THIS.

MISS OLSON AND I SAW THIS POLICY DURING OUR REVIEW, AND I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT CONDUCTING THEM FOUR YEARS IS A REALLY GOOD USE OF RESOURCES, FRANKLY. I MEAN, TWO YEARS.

SORRY. EVERY TWO YEARS. WE NEED TO, YEAH. TO THAT, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY FOUR YEARS IS EVEN A LOT BECAUSE, I MEAN, POLICIES AND REGS DON'T GET OUTDATED THAT QUICKLY TYPICALLY.

I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS SOMETHING THAT GOT OUTDATED BY LIKE SOME OTHER CHANGE. AND WE REALIZED THAT THAT POLICY DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A PLACE ANYMORE OR NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.

THAT'S REALLY, WE'RE TRYING TO FIND LIKE OUTLIERS THAT WE JUST MISSED BECAUSE IT JUST HAD A PLACE FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT IT DOESN'T TODAY. OR SOMETHING ELSE CHANGED ALONG THE WAY, AND THEN THAT POLICY SHOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY IT.

RIGHT? CORRECT. ANY PRACTICE THAT CHANGES WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, THAT WOULD BE REFLECTED IN A POLICY OR REGULATION.

AND AGAIN, ANY LEGISLATION THAT COMES OUT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT FOLKS IN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS MONITOR THAT.

SO TRANSPORTATION IS MONITORING ANY TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION, HR, HR LEGISLATION, SO THAT ANYTHING THAT OCCURS, THOSE FOLKS WHO HAD THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE ON TOP OF THAT, AND THEY'LL COME FORWARD AND SAY, LEGISLATION PASSED. WE NEED TO MAKE THIS CHANGE, TO CLEAN UP THIS POLICY, TO ALIGN WITH THE WITH THE CURRENT LEGISLATION.

AND WE MAKE THOSE CHANGES ONGOING. SO WE TRY TO KEEP IT AS EVERGREEN AS POSSIBLE.

BUT WHAT THIS PROCESS ALLOWS FOR US TO DO IS KIND OF TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AND DIVE INTO THEM, WHILE EXPANDING THAT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY SPEND THE QUALITY TIME THAT'S NECESSARY TO.

DO WE FIND A LOT DURING THIS PROCESS OR NO? ARE THEY MOSTLY GETTING CHANGED ALONG THE WAY? WHEN LIKE LEGISLATION COMES THROUGH, YOU'RE TYPICALLY CATCHING WHAT IT'S ASSIGNED TO. A LOT LIKE JOB TITLES.

JOB TITLES HAVE CHANGED AND AN OLD JOB TITLE IS IN THERE.

SO THE MEAT AND SUBSTANCE OF A LOT OF THE POLICY AND REGULATION IS NOT REQUIRING CHANGES.

WE BELIEVE WE'VE GOT A COUPLE THAT WE NOW NEED TO RETIRE, AND SO THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL.

SO WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD TO RECOMMEND THAT WE RETIRE A COUPLE POLICIES.

TWO YEARS SEEMS EXCESSIVE FOR SURE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. SO BECAUSE THIS IS A POLICY CHANGE, WE'LL BE HOLDING THIS OVER FOR A MONTH FOR COMMUNITY COMMENT OR IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE CAN DO THAT. YEAH. JUST FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS ALONG THE WAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS EMPLOYEE BASIC LIFE, AD&D AND VOLUNTARY LIFE INSURANCE.

DR. LAWSON. I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY CONTINUE WITH THE HARFORD AS OUR BASIC LIFE AD&D AND VOLUNTARY LIFE INSURANCE PROVIDER WITH A THREE YEAR CONTRACT BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2026, AT AN ANNUAL COST OF $128,284. DR. LAWSON HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

RIGHT? YES. YES. YES. OKAY, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? DIDN'T THINK SO. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES.

[01:05:01]

DR. BUCKLEY WILL WALK US THROUGH SOME CHANGES THAT WE WILL ASK FOR ANOTHER VOTE REGARDING SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE CIP, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE COUNTY, AND I APOLOGIZE, MY COMPUTER JUST WENT KAPUT.

BUT YES, THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO, DR. BUCKLEY. THANK YOU, DR. LAWSON. PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUESTS. THIS EVENING, WE'RE BRINGING BACK OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR REVISION.

AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE BRINGING IT BACK FOR REVISION IS THAT THE STATE REVISED THEIR PRACTICE IN ALLOWING FOR LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCIES TO APPLY DOLLARS TOWARDS THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANY PROJECT.

SO PREVIOUSLY, YOU APPROVED A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND YOU'LL SEE ANOTHER SHOT THERE OF THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT.

YOU APPROVED A PLAN THAT IN THE LOCAL SECTION, OKAY, HAD US UTILIZING $2 MILLION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOMPSON ESTATES. SO WE WERE GOING TO USE LOCAL PLANNING FUNDS OF $2 MILLION TO SUPPORT THAT LOCAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLANS FOR THOMPSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WITH THE REVISION TO THE STATE POLICY, WE ARE NOW GOING TO REDUCE THAT FIGURE.

SO I'LL SLIDE DOWN HERE TO THE LOCAL SLIDE AND YOU'LL SEE THIS IS THE LOCAL SLIDE.

AND WE'RE REDUCING THAT ASK TO $1 MILLION. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS NOW THAT WE CAN, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE STATE FOR $845,000.

AND WHILE THAT'S A REDUCTION OF $155,000 FROM OUR ORIGINAL $2 MILLION ASK, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT $1.8 MILLION WILL MORE THAN MEET THE NEED FOR THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE THOMPSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROJECT, SO THOMPSON ESTATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO THAT'S THE REVISION, AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY WE'RE BRINGING THIS BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL, SIMPLY BECAUSE THE STATE CHANGED THEIR POLICY TO ALLOW FOR THE USE OF FUNDING ON THEIR END FOR THE LOCAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SO THE BIG TAKEAWAY FOR US IS WHEN WE SEND A CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST TO THE COUNTY AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, IT'LL BE FOR $1 MILLION LESS THAN THE INITIAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WE APPROVED IN SEPTEMBER.

RIGHT? CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST TO REITERATE, THIS IS TO FUND THE DESIGN AND SPECIFICATION PROCESS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW THOMPSON ESTATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? JUST FOR FY27, CORRECT.

YES. YEAH. I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE THE REVISED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 FOR SUBMISSION TO THE MARYLAND PUBLIC SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.

OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION, OR. I'M SORRY, DO WE.

DR. LAWSON GAVE US RECOMMENDATION. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

COMPRESSOR REPLACEMENT AT CHERRY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I JUST WANT TO GIVE THE BOARD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS A AN ALL OF A SUDDEN ASK THAT WE HAD A COMPRESSOR GO DOWN AT CHERRY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND BECAUSE THE COST IS OVER $50,000, IT REQUIRES US TO COME TO THE BOARD TO GET AUTHORIZATION.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR DR. BUCKLEY? YEAH. I MEAN, I KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE.

SO, CHERRY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT'S ON THAT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, BUT THAT'S A BUILDING THAT WON'T BE READY FOR 8 TO 10 YEARS.

THIS IS A COMPRESSOR, A PK COMPRESSOR THAT CAN'T WAIT 8 TO 10 YEARS.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE COMING TO US RIGHT NOW. CORRECT.

YES. IS THIS FOR THE HEATING SYSTEM? YES. IS THERE HEAT PUMP? OKAY. GOT IT. YES. OKAY. I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE A CONTRACT TO JOHNSON CONTROLS INCORPORATED FOR THE COMPRESSOR REPLACEMENT AT CHERRY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE AMOUNT OF $50,223.38.

DR. LAWSON MADE A RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. NOW 6.11.

OUR FY26 STAFFING UPDATE. THANK YOU, MISS HEATH.

JUST FOR THE BOARD'S AWARENESS AS A REFRESHER THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU APPROVE THE FY26 BUDGET, I GUESS THE FINAL APPROVAL WAS BACK IN JUNE. WE HAVE ADDED POSITIONS BASED ON NEEDS OF STUDENTS,

[01:10:06]

BUT THAT WAS NOT BAKED INTO THE FY26 BUDGET. SO THESE POSITIONS ARE WHAT WE REFER TO AS ABOVE BUDGET POSITIONS.

SO MISS SOPA IS GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.

BUT AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND THAT THESE ARE ABOVE BUDGET.

AND SO AS WE CONSIDER FY27 FUNDING, THE DECISION HAS TO BE MADE AS TO, DO WE INCLUDE THESE POSITIONS IN OUR FY27 REQUEST? OR DO WE PULL BACK ON THOSE AND JUST GO BACK? SO THIS IS REALLY JUST A REFRESH. IT DOES NOT REQUIRE A VOTE.

AND THEN AS MISS SOPA FINISHES THAT, SHE WILL SLIDE RIGHT INTO HER BUDGET UPDATE, WHICH IS ITEM 6.12 ON THE AGENDA.

AND WITH THAT, MISS SOPA. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.

LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS AND GUESTS. AS DR.

LAWSON STATED, WE WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE DETAIL BEHIND THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT YOU APPROVED LAST MONTH.

AND LAST MONTH WE CAME TO YOU ASKING TO USE FUND BALANCE FOR THE ADDITION OF THESE POSITIONS.

AND SO THIS REALLY SPELLS OUT WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE.

NOW, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THE TOTAL THAT I HAVE PROVIDED HERE DOESN'T EXACTLY MATCH THE TOTAL FROM THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WERE STILL HIRING. IT DEPENDS ON WHO CHOOSES WHAT HEALTH CARE.

THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS JUST THAT SORT OF A PLAN.

BUT RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT WE HAVE HIRED, YOU CAN SEE THE FTES ALONG THE SIDE, THE POSITIONS, THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED. AND YOU CAN SEE FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AS DR.

LAWSON SAID, BASED ON CLASS SIZE. YOU CAN SEE BAYVIEW, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE REDISTRICTING FROM NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY, WAS ALSO AN INFLUX OF STUDENTS FROM OTHER LOCATIONS.

ELK NECK WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED STUDENTS IN THE REDISTRICTING FROM BAYVIEW.

SO AGAIN, THESE POSITIONS WERE ALL TO ADDRESS CLASS SIZE OR THE SPECIAL ED DELIVERY MODEL.

AND IN TOTAL, IT WAS 14 CLASSROOM TEACHERS, 7 SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, 1 SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND 12 SPECIAL ED PARAPROFESSIONALS, WHICH WAS 34 POSITIONS. AND THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES IN FY26 ARE APPROXIMATELY $2.7 MILLION.

SO THAT'S IN ADDITION TO WHAT WAS APPROVED FOR THE FY26 BUDGET.

WHEN THESE TEACHERS COME IN KNOWING THAT WE'RE USING SAVINGS TO PAY FOR THESE POSITIONS, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ATTRITION NEXT YEAR, THAT THESE POSITIONS WOULDN'T DISAPPEAR, CORRECT? YES. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY WILL ATTRITE, LOSE 75 TO 90, I WOULD SAY HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A GOOD NUMBER OF TEACHERS. SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REDUCING POSITIONS, AS LONG AS THAT NUMBER STAYS UNDER 75, WE'RE PRETTY ASSURED THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO RIF, REDUCTION IN FORCE.

WE TYPICALLY DON'T RIF. WE'VE RIF´D ONCE SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS SYSTEM IN 2009.

SO AS A GENERAL RULE, WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT RIFFING POSITIONS.

SO THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES. YEAH. NEW HIRES ARE MADE AWARE OF THAT.

SO YEAH, IT JUST FEELS WEIRD THAT WE'RE HIRING THEM WITH FUND BALANCE. AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY APPROVED FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THEY UNDERSTAND ALL THAT. EXACTLY. THE ATTRITION WE LOSE, THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE FIRST IN LINE TO SLIDE IN.

MAYBE NOT AT THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING. AND THE TERM ABOVE BUDGET IS SIMPLY REFERRING TO, IT'S ABOVE THE BUDGET ALLOCATED BY STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL SHARES, BUT THAT IT'S COMING FROM THE $10 MILLION THAT WAS APPROVED FROM THE $10 MILLION FUND BALANCE IS WHAT IS SUPPORTED.

THIS IS IN ADDITION TO. SO THAT'S WHY, WHEN WE SAY THAT THIS IS ABOVE BUDGET, YOU APPROVED A BUDGET FOR FY26 THAT INCLUDED USING $10 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, THIS IS ANOTHER $2.7 MILLION. IT IS NOT PART OF THAT $10 MILLION.

OKAY, WHERE I MAY HAVE BEEN CONFUSING IS, THIS IS PART OF THE FUND BALANCE THAT HAS AN ALLOCATION OF $10 MILLION FOR SUBSEQUENT YEARS EXPENDITURES.

IS THAT WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM? NO. IT´S COMING FROM UNASSIGNED.

UNASSIGNED. UNASSIGNED. THE $10 MILLION IS ALREADY BEING USED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.

SO THIS IS FROM THE UNASSIGNED LINE. AND HOW ARE WE LOOKING ON FUND BALANCE NOW? I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE A REAL SOLID NUMBER ON IT, BUT.

YOU DON'T REALLY EVER KNOW.

THAT'S A ME QUESTION. YEAH. TO MISS SOPA ON THE REGULAR.

RIGHT. I WILL SAY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE $2.7 MILLION NUMBER, THAT IS AN EDUCATED GUESS AS TO WHAT THIS WILL COST.

WE CAN SAY WE'RE GOING TO HIRE THREE TEACHERS AND THAT WE ESTIMATE THOSE THREE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO COST $290,000.

[01:15:06]

SIX. STEP SIX, THAT MEANS A SIXTH YEAR TEACHER WITH BENEFITS.

NOW, IF WE GET A 15TH YEAR TEACHER, IF WE GET A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, IT THROWS THAT BUDGET NUMBER OFF ACCORDINGLY, YOU KNOW? BUT IT'S THE ONLY THING YOU CAN REALLY DO IN OUR PROFESSION. IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHEN THEY START.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNSELOR FOR HAWLEY HALL WON'T START UNTIL WE RETURN IN JANUARY.

SO YOU'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT HALF OF A YEAR'S SALARY, BUT WE HAVE TO BUDGET THE ENTIRE SALARY.

WHEN YOU BUDGET AN FTE, YOU HAVE TO BUDGET THE ENTIRE COST OF THE FTE.

SO WILL IT COST A WHOLE $2.7 MILLION? NO, BUT YOU HAVE TO BUDGET IT.

HOW MANY, OR ALL OF THESE. HAVE THEY ALL BEEN HIRED? NO. ARE WE STILL LOOKING FOR? NO. I BELIEVE THERE IS 1 OR 2 MIDDLE SCHOOL SPECIAL ED POSITIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED, I BELIEVE TWO, AND I BELIEVE A FEW OF THE PARAS, BUT I DO NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS OFF OF MY HEAD.

THE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS HAVE BEEN FILLED. YES.

AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE THE STRIKING CLASS SIZE ISSUES WERE.

AND TO THE BOARD'S CREDIT, WE'VE DONE A NICE JOB OF, YOU KNOW, REDUCING THOSE SITUATIONS.

AND DO YOU KNOW, DR. JOHNSON, I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY OF THOSE, ARE THEY CONDITIONAL TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT IN, MOST OF THEM? OR IS IT JUST KIND OF ALL OVER? DO WE KNOW? YOU KNOW, THE SIX YOU APPROVED.

YES. THE FURTHER YOU GO INTO THE YEAR HIRING, THE MORE LIKELY THEY'RE GOING TO BE PROVISIONAL, PARTICULARLY THIS TIME OF YEAR. BUT WE ARE PRETTY MUCH AROUND A 20 TO 30% NUMBER FOR THIS YEAR'S CLASS OF NEW HIRES, IF YOU WILL. WE CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH ONE AT A TIME AND GET THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU.

SO FAR THIS YEAR, WE'VE HIRED 29 PROVISIONAL TEACHERS.

AND THAT'S FROM.

YEAH, THAT WAS 85. SO ABOUT 91 OVERALL. SO ABOUT A THIRD.

SO 25 OUT OF 91? SO THERE YOU GO. IT'S ABOUT 3,03%.

YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, MISS SOPA CONTINUES.

OKAY, SO MOVING ON TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENT. YOU CAN SEE IT'S AN ADDITIONAL $1.1 MILLION IN REVENUE AND EXPENSE.

THE FIRST SECTION HERE, RESTRICTED OTHER REVENUE IS SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSINESSES THAT HAVE PROVIDED GRANTS FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS HERE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE CAN SEE THE RESTRICTED STATE REVENUE. AGAIN, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOES A LOT AS FAR AS TO CATCH YOUR BREATH AND VAPE EDUCATION GRANTS AND MARYLAND NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION SUPPORT GRANT TO SUPPORT TEACHERS IN PURSUING NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.

SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT $24,000 GRANT. ONE THING TO HIGHLIGHT, REALLY, IS OUR ADDITIONS TO RESTRICTED FEDERAL REVENUE.

SO REMEMBER, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH ON HOW MUCH TITLE FUNDING WE WOULD BE GETTING.

AND OUR TITLE FUNDING WAS REDUCED AND THEN OUR TITLE FUNDING WAS INCREASED AGAIN.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE SOME ADDITIONAL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT FUNDING, FEDERAL FUNDING, OUR TITLE THREE FUNDING THAT WE BELIEVED WAS GOING TO BE CUT THIS YEAR WAS RESTORED. TITLE ONE SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE TITLE ONE COORDINATOR POSITION WAS ADDED.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL COACH.

TITLE FOUR, SOME INCREASED THERE FOR STUDENT ENRICHMENT.

AND THE MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS TRANSPORTATION FOR TUTORING AND TRANSPORTATION.

THAT'S A GRANT WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR. IT'S NOT GUARANTEED, THOUGH, AND WE NEVER REALLY KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO BE.

SO WE ALWAYS BUDGET FOR HOMELESS TRANSPORTATION AND THEN WE RECEIVE SOME GRANT FUNDING FOR IT.

JUST NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.

WE ALSO RECEIVED SOME ADDITIONAL NONPUBLIC FUNDING FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

SO AN ADDITIONAL $356,000 FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN NONPUBLIC PLACEMENTS.

IF YOU REMEMBER, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IN FY25, WE HAD LIKE A $1 MILLION BUMP AT THE VERY END THERE.

SO THIS IS FOR FY26, THE BEGINNING OF 26. THEY'VE PROVIDED AN INCREASE THERE.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE SOME OTHER REVENUE. SO USING FUND BALANCE TO SUPPORT THE PAVING PROJECTS AT THE ASC AND BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, $159,000. GOT IT. JUST ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE APPROVED THAT PROJECT LAST MONTH AND IT WAS MISTAKENLY REPORTED AS COMING FROM

[01:20:03]

SO IT WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE FUND BALANCE. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT ERROR.

AND THEN AT THE END OF LAST FISCAL YEAR, THERE WAS $1 MILLION IN THAT PORTION OF THE FUND BALANCE.

YES. SO THIS IS COMING FROM THAT ASSIGNED PART OF THE FUND BALANCE WHERE WE ASSIGNED IT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS. YOU CAN ALSO SEE ELKTON HIGH USING STUDENT ACTIVITIES FUNDS FOR SMART BOARDS.

AND THEN WE PARTICIPATE IN AN ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM.

IT'S CALLED NRG. AND SO WE RECEIVE REBATES FOR WHAT WE PAY IN ENERGY.

AND SO USING SOME OF OUR ENERGY REBATES TO SUPPORT HVAC REPAIRS IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS.

SO WE TAKE THE REBATES THAT WE GET FOR ENERGY AND PUT THEM BACK INTO ENERGY PROJECTS OR REPAIRS.

AND THOSE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENT. IS THAT THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE GENERATOR WE JUST PURCHASED? THE NRG? PRETTY SURE IT WAS. OFF THE TOP OF MY, I'M NOT SURE.

SORRY. SO A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TUITION.

IS THAT BECAUSE THERE'S MORE OF A NEED AND WE FILE TO ASK FOR LIKE, HOW DOES THAT ADDITIONAL MONEY JUST SHOW UP? OR IS IT BECAUSE THE STATE DECIDED THAT THEY NEEDED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO IT? SO I DON'T ACTUALLY PROVIDE THE DATA, BUT A SPECIAL EDITOR PROVIDES THE DATA. YOU HAVE AN INITIAL ALLOTMENT, AND THEN AT SOME POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF THE NUMBERS CHANGE. THAT INFORMATION I DON'T HAVE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

SO EITHER OUR NUMBERS CHANGE FROM THE INITIAL DETERMINATION, OR THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING BASED ON THE NUMBERS THAT WERE ALREADY THE SAME.

I COULD ASK DR. MILLER TO GET SOME MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT.

JUST ON THE NRG. THAT IS THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT COMPRESSOR AT CHERRY HILL MIDDLE.

OH, OKAY. MR. DETAIL OVER HERE. SORRY. I DIDN'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, AND I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME.

NO, I SAW THAT. I KNEW THAT WAS THE CASE. OTHER QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I DO HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.

OKAY. HEARING NONE, I RECOMMEND. STILL GETTING USED TO DILIGENT.

I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE THE OPERATING BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR $1,114,145, AS PRESENTED. DR. LAWSON HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED. SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? MOTION CARRIES. OH, WE DIDN'T VOTE. YOU'RE DOING GOOD.

NONE. NOW IT CARRIES. NEXT IS PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

[7. Public Participation]

THE BOARD WILL TAKE TIME TO LISTEN AND CONSIDER.

THEY 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 COMMENT.

3 MINUTES ARE ALLOTTED TO EACH SPEAKER. WHEN THE ALLOTTED TIME EXPIRES, THE SPEAKER WILL BE PERMITTED TO COMPLETE A SENTENCE.

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. ABUSE OF 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 OR APPOINTED 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.

THIS EVENING WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

WE'D LIKE TO HAVE EVERYONE PREPARED. SO SHAUN BRIM IS ALREADY AT THE TABLE, AND LEONARD JACKSON WILL BE NEXT.

OKAY. AND SHAUN, IF YOU WOULD PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE MICROPHONE AND FEEL FREE TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS FOR THE BOARD IN THE TRAY.

[01:25:04]

WHAT A HUMILIATION FOR ME WHEN SOMEONE STANDING NEXT TO ME HEARD A FLUTE IN THE DISTANCE AND I HEARD NOTHING, OR SOMEONE HEARD A SHEPHERD SINGING, AND AGAIN I HEARD NOTHING.

SUCH INCIDENTS DROVE ME ALMOST TO DESPAIR. A LITTLE MORE OF THAT AND I WOULD HAVE ENDED MY LIFE.

IT WAS ONLY MY ART THAT HELD ME BACK. OH, IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE TO ME TO LEAVE THIS WORLD BEFORE I HAD PRODUCED ALL THAT I HAD FELT CAPABLE OF PRODUCING.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN, THE HEILIGENSTADT TESTAMENT, 1802.

AND HE, THE AUTHOR OF THE HEROIC SYMPHONY, THE MIGHTY FIFTH SYMPHONY, THE MAJESTIC MISSA SOLEMNIS, AND THE EPIC NINTH SYMPHONY WITH ITS HYMN TO THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN AND WHICH IS THE ANTHEM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, DID INDEED PRODUCE ALL THAT HE FELT CAPABLE. AMONG ALL THE CLASSICAL COMPOSERS YOU'VE EVER HEARD OF, BEETHOVEN WAS UNIQUE IN THAT HE PRODUCED HIS MOST WELL KNOWN WELL-KNOWN WORKS.

MUSIC THAT BELONGS IN THE VAULT OF HUMANITY, WHILE ENTIRELY DEAF.

YET LIKE ORPHEUS COMING BACK FROM HIS JOURNEY TO THE UNDERWORLD, BEETHOVEN ALWAYS WALKED FROM THE DARKNESS INTO THE LIGHT.

HIS MUSIC, EVEN WITHOUT WORDS, RETRACES THE HERO'S JOURNEY.

HIS THIRD SYMPHONY HE HIMSELF NICKNAMED THE HEROIC, BECAUSE HIS ORIGINAL DEDICATION WAS TO NAPOLEON UNTIL NAPOLEON DECLARED HIMSELF EMPEROR. NOW, BEETHOVEN THUNDERED, HE WILL BECOME A TYRANT AND TRAMPLE ON THE RIGHTS OF MEN.

NO MORE TRUE PROPHECY WAS UTTERED, EVER. BEETHOVEN'S LIFE ENDED THE WAY YOU WOULD EXPECT, ONCE YOU LEARN TO EXPECT IT.

IN HIS FINAL ILLNESS, AND DURING A LITERAL THUNDERSTORM AT NIGHT, THE MAESTRO'S EYES OPENED WHILE HE LAID ON HIS BED.

HE RAISED HIS FIST IN THE AIR AS IF TO SAY, FATE, I DEFY YOU.

AND THE GREAT MAN WAS GONE. THAT IS WHAT MAKES A HERO.

BEETHOVEN WAS THE COMPOSER OF SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS MUSIC EVER WRITTEN, AND HE IS THE COMPOSER OF THE FIRST OF THE MOST FAMOUS EIGHT NOTES EVER PUT INTO A COMPOSITION. AND WE ALL KNOW IT. DA DA DA DA DUM.

DA DA DA DUM. LAST YEAR I REMEMBER ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL THEY USED BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH IN A COMMERCIAL FOR SHARK WEEK.

OF COURSE, WHO DID THEY CALL? JASON MOMOA. AQUAMAN.

COMPOSING, OR RATHER, CONDUCTING, IN FRONT OF THE OCEAN, WHICH IS AS EPIC A THING AS I HAVE EVER SEEN IN A COMMERCIAL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND CONGRATULATIONS, PRESIDENT HEATH.

THANK YOU, MR. BRIM. AND OUR LAST SPEAKER IS LEONARD JACKSON.

THANK YOU. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, RESPECTED MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

THE ISSUE TODAY I COME BRINGING FOR YOU IS THE SECONDARY AB SCHEDULE FOR YEAR 2025-2026.

IT HAS BEEN PROVEN MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGH SCIENTIFIC STUDY THAT THIS SYSTEM IS INEFFECTUAL FOR OUR STAFF, STUDENTS AND PARENTS. IF WE LOOK HERE AT THIS DATA.

I'VE ACTUALLY CONDUCTED THIS STUDY MYSELF. 28% OF STUDENTS ARE FOR THE NEW SCHEDULE, WHEN 71% ARE AGAINST IT. AND 60% OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS SURVEYED EXPRESSED THEIR DISTASTE FOR THE NEW SCHEDULE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR. THE NEW SCHEDULE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR HAS SET 8 A AND B DAYS ON MONDAYS, THURSDAYS, TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS WITH A ROTATING WEDNESDAY.

THIS ROTATING WEDNESDAY HAS CAUSED MANY PROBLEMS FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS.

IT ALLOWS SOME CLASSES TO GET FAR AHEAD WHILE OTHER CLASSES REMAIN FAR BEHIND, ESPECIALLY ADA CLASSES, WHICH IS A PROBLEM FOR OUR ADVANCED PLACEMENT STUDENTS AS ACCORDING TO AN 1885 STUDY ENTITLED MEMORY: A CONTRIBUTION TO EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, IT HAS BEEN PROVEN AFTER 48 HOURS, OVER 70% OF INFORMATION IS NO LONGER RETAINED.

THIS MAY IMPACT STUDENT LEARNING AND TEST SCORES AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

[01:30:06]

WE COULD RETURN TO THE REGULAR SINGLE ALTERNATING AB SCHEDULE.

AS WELL, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION HAVE SUGGESTED MOVING TO A SEMESTER COURSE APPROACH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, RESPECTED MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.

THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON. THANK YOU. SO FOR THE BOARD'S AWARENESS, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADOPTED AN AB SCHEDULE.

YEAR LONG AB, NOT A SEMESTER BLOCK. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE.

THE YEAR LONG AB WAS IMPLEMENTED TO ACCOMMODATE THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY GOING EVERY OTHER DAY, AND IT ALLOWED SCHOOL OF TECH STUDENTS TO SPEND TWO YEARS AT THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY AS OPPOSED TO HISTORICALLY, IT HAD BEEN A SINGLE YEAR GOING FROM DECEMBER TO DECEMBER.

HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL. IT'S DRAWN MANY MORE STUDENTS TO THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY.

THE CONCERNS JUST BROUGHT UP ARE REAL. SOMETHING THAT DR.

FOY IS AWARE OF. TO RECAP, THE CURRENT SCHEDULE SAYS A DAYS WILL BE MONDAYS THURSDAYS, B DAYS WILL BE TUESDAYS, FRIDAYS, AND THEN EVERY WEDNESDAY IS AN A OR B DAY, THEY ROTATE.

WELL, BETWEEN EARLY DISMISSAL SCHOOL CALENDARS, IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE CLUNKY.

DR. FOY HAS BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRINCIPALS. THEY THINK THEY HAVE A SOLUTION.

SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THE CONCERNS FORWARD AND I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S BEING ADDRESSED WITH WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.

AND THAT WOULD BE ALL I HAVE. JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

SO IT WAS A B A B A, AND IT JUST KEPT GOING AND.

YES. AND THEN IF A DAY WAS LOST, LET'S SAY THIS WEEK WAS A B A B A, FRIDAY BEING AN A.

MONDAY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A B. IF FRIDAY WAS LOST DUE TO WEATHER, DID WE GO TO B ON MONDAY? SO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP. IN THE PAST WE WOULD KEEP ROTATING WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM.

IT'S LOCKED IN ON MONDAYS ARE A, THURSDAYS ARE A, AND LIKEWISE, AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, THE WAY IN WHICH WE HAVE IT SET UP NOW IS, SAY THERE WAS A SNOW DAY ON, SAY, FRIDAY OR WHICHEVER DAY OF THE WEEK.

WE WOULD KEEP WITH THAT SAME DAY, AND IN THE BACK END OF THE CALENDAR, WE HAVE MAKE UP DAYS FOR SNOW DAYS IN THERE, AND THAT'S WHEN WE MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS. AND WE DID THAT IN THE OLD SCHEDULE AS WELL.

THAT THEY DON'T GET A AT ALL FOR THE WHOLE WEEK.

YES. AND IF THAT WEDNESDAY HAPPENS TO BE A B DAY, THEN THERE IS NO A DAY THAT WEEK.

INTERESTING. SO THE SET SCHEDULE DOESN'T ALLOW US TO BE AS DYNAMIC AS IT USED TO BE, WHERE WE COULD ADAPT? I WOULD, YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY. THE WAY IN WHICH WE USED TO DO IT, EVEN IT WAS STILL A LOCKED IN SCHEDULE.

WE ALWAYS MADE UP THE DAYS AT THE END OF THE MARKING PERIOD.

SO ALTHOUGH WE WENT A DAY, B DAY, A DAY, B DAY, IF WE HAD A SNOW DAY, WE DIDN'T MAKE IT UP THE NEXT DAY.

WE MADE IT UP AT THE END. SO SNOW DAY COULD BE ON FRIDAY AS AN A DAY AND B DAY WAS SCHEDULED MONDAY.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE MONDAY. AND THEN IF WE HAD A SNOW DAY TUESDAY, NOW WE'RE LOSING TWO A DAYS THAT DON'T GET MADE UP TO THE END.

SO THEY KNEW THAT I NEED TO HAVE THIS LESSON READY ON THIS DAY AND THAT IF THERE'S A SNOW DAY, IT DOESN'T. I'M GOING TO ASK A DUMB QUESTION, BUT.

YEAH. IF YOU'RE PREPARED FOR A DAY ON FRIDAY, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST USE A DAY ON MONDAY, AND THEN THE WHOLE SCHEDULE JUST GETS BUMPED? LIKE, IS THAT REALLY DISRUPTIVE TO LIKE NOT MISSING A DAY AND HAVE A DAY BECOME THE NEXT DAY?

[01:35:04]

I GUESS IF I CAN GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON WHY THE PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOLS LOOKED AT DOING THE CHANGE FROM THIS YEAR, FROM THE WAY WE'VE PREVIOUSLY DONE IT, IT WOULD BE TWO THINGS I WOULD POINT OUT.

THE FIRST THING IS THAT MENTIONING THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO SUPPORT APPRENTICESHIPS, MEANING THE WORLD OF WORK FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS, EMPLOYERS FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO WORK WITHIN OUR A DAY, B DAY, A DAY, ALTERNATING SCHEDULES, THERE WAS NO CONSISTENT TIME.

BY US GOING WITH A FIXED EIGHT, A DAY B DAY, DAY OF THE WEEK, IT ALLOWED FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE INTERNSHIPS AND TO GO TO THE WORLD OF WORK AS FAR AS APPRENTICESHIPS. LIKEWISE, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD POINT OUT TO YOU GUYS, ONE OF THE RATIONALES FOR GOING TO THIS WAS TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN ENROLLMENT COURSES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WHETHER IT WAS THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY. OFTENTIMES, THEY CANNOT DO DUE ENROLLMENT BECAUSE IT'S A LOCKED IN A DAY, IF YOU'RE A SENIOR, SO WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY ROTATING AND THE COLLEGE OF COURSE HAS TO HAVE A SPECIFIC DAY OF THE WEEK.

SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT. THOSE TWO THINGS WERE THE MAIN DRIVERS.

SO WE LOOKED AT, WELL, HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPORT STUDENTS? SO WE LOOKED AND SEE WHAT OTHER SYSTEMS ARE DOING AROUND THE STATE. AND OTHER SYSTEMS AROUND THE STATE HAVE LOCKED IN DAYS. WE CHOSE THE ROTATION OF WEDNESDAY BECAUSE THAT'S THE DAY THAT CECIL COLLEGE DOES NOT HAVE CLASS, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE ROTATE THE WEDNESDAY, WHERE AT HARFORD COUNTY, OUR NEIGHBOR, THEY ROTATE ON FRIDAY.

SO THAT WAS SOME OF THE REASONING FOR IT. SO THE WAY IN WHICH WE SET UP THE A DAY, B DAY SCHEDULE, THE HICCUP HAS BEEN THIS HERE ON THE WEDNESDAY.

WHENEVER IT WAS A FOUR DAY WEEK, WE MADE SURE THAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS SAW TWO A DAYS AND TWO B DAYS IN THE SAME WEEK.

WELL, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE BEEN RECEIVING IS THAT TEACHERS WANTED TO SEE, WHATEVER THE ROTATION, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEE TWO A DAYS AND TWO B DAYS.

THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE TO ROTATE. SO IF I COULD.

THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPETING DEMANDS. WE HAVE APPRENTICESHIPS, WE HAVE KIDS THAT WORK, WE HAVE DUAL ENROLLMENT, WE TRY TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS, WE TRY TO MEET THE TEACHER NEEDS.

YOU HAVE ATHLETICS PLAY IN HERE. IF KIDS ARE MISSING BECAUSE OF A TRACK MEET OR A BASEBALL GAME, THEY START MISSING. AND SO THE ONLY THING I CAN TELL THE BOARD IS THAT DR.

FOY IS IN NONSTOP COMMUNICATION WITH PRINCIPALS TO TRY TO ADJUST ALONG THE WAY.

BUT IT'S A TIMELESS ISSUE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, OBVIOUSLY, AND EVERY SCHEDULE I SEE HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS.

AND WHAT I CAN ASSURE YOU, THOUGH, IS DR. FOY AND HIS FIRST, THIS ISSUE IN PARTICULAR, THEY THINK THEY HAVE A FIX, BUT JUST KNOW THAT CECIL COLLEGE SAYS, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU A DUAL ENROLLMENT SOCIOLOGY CLASS, AND THE INSTRUCTOR CAN COME MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS. THERE YOU GO.

AND IT'S NOT EASY FOR THEM TO FIND INSTRUCTORS TO COME OUT AND MODIFY THEIR WEEKS, WEEK TO WEEK TO WEEK.

SO WE TRY TO TAKE ALL THE BALANCING AND MAKE IT WORK.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR.

TALKED ABOUT A TOPIC AFTER SOMEBODY PRESENTED.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GREAT JOB. GREAT JOB.

WELL DONE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? OKAY.

[8. Board President's/Superintendent's Comments]

COMMENTS? YOU JUST DID THEM. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO THEM, RIGHT?

[9. Upcoming Events ]

THAT TIME OF YEAR. IT'S BUSY. WE HAVE A FOUNDATION NETWORKING EVENT TOMORROW NIGHT.

OUR FINAL STEEL BEAM, THAT'S WHEN THE FINAL PIECE OF STEEL BEING CONSTRUCTED FOR THE NEW SCHOOL.

THERE'S A SIGNING CEREMONY THAT HAPPENS FRIDAY.

OUR STAFF PERSON OF THE YEAR IS AT SCHAEFER'S NEXT WEEK.

TWO EARLY DISMISSAL. AND THEN THE BEST HOLIDAY BREAK OF THE YEAR, HANDS DOWN, BECAUSE THE WHOLE SYSTEM JUST STOPS.

WE COME BACK FOR WINTER ART SHOW IN JANUARY, AND THEN WE WILL BE HERE NEXT JANUARY 14TH FOR ANOTHER BOARD MEETING.

AND THAT'S IT. OKAY. SEEING THAT WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA, I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

STOP. SEEING THAT WE ARE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA, PLEASE HAVE HAPPY HOLIDAYS, SAFE HOLIDAYS.

AND WE WILL SEE EVERYONE BACK IN 2026. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.