[3. Open Session - 5:30 p.m]
[00:00:03]
I WOULD LIKE TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.
TODAY IS APRIL 15TH, 2026, AND THIS IS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING FOR CECIL COUNTY, MARYLAND.
MS. METCALF, COULD YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND MR. DAVIS, COULD YOU DO OUR BOARD REFLECTION? THE MISSION OF THE 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.
AND NOW CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT TODAY'S AGENDA? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPT THE MEETING AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, MOTION CARRIES.
[4. Consent Agenda]
NEXT, WE HAVE OUR CONSENT AGENDA.BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ITEMS THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE REMOVED FOR A SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND VOTE.
NO? OKAY, CAN I HAVE A MOTION? OKAY.
THAT WAS CRISP, WASN'T IT? ARE YOU ALL THIRSTY NOW? ALL RIGHT, JOE, YOU NEED TO DO THE MOTION NOW, OKAY? OH, NO.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[5. New Business ]
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.MS. METCALF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
AT THE END OF MARCH, WE HAD OUR FIRST SMOB STUDENT ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING.
WE MET OVER ZOOM AND DISCUSSED MANY TOPICS REVOLVING STUDENT NEEDS, SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH AND BATHROOM POLICIES.
THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS IS VERY INVOLVED IN RANGES FROM 6TH GRADERS TO 12TH GRADERS, WHICH IS REALLY EYE-OPENING FOR ME ON DIFFERENT ISSUES IN DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
WE'LL BE MEETING TWICE A MONTH.
LAST MONTH I ATTENDED THE FINAL CECIL COUNTY COUNCIL OF STUDENT COUNCILS MEETING WHERE WE INTERVIEWED THE THREE CANDIDATES FOR THE 2026 THROUGH 2027 SMOB.
ALL THREE CANDIDATES ARE VERY PROMISING AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHO WILL BE STEPPING INTO THE ROLE NEXT.
AS ELECTION SEASON IS COMING UP I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY 17 BUT YOU WILL BE 18 BY THE GENERAL GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER THEN YOU CAN VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.
POLITICAL EFFICACY IS SO IMPORTANT FOR MAKING CHANGE.
AND STUDENT VOICE IS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND IF YOU AND VOTING IS A GREAT WAY TO GET YOUR VOICE HEARD.
YOU CAN REGISTER TO VOTE ONLINE AT MARYLAND.GOV OR VOTE.GOV.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT RECENT FINE ARTS PROGRAMS IN OUR COUNTY.
LAST MONTH NORTH EAST HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMED PITHEN WHICH WAS GENUINELY MIND-BLOWING AND IF YOU WENT TO SEE IT I FEEL LIKE YOU'D PROBABLY UNDERSTAND.
AND PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL IS PERFORMING ANASTASIA NEXT WEEKEND WHICH I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GO SEE AND SUPPORT OUR FINE ARTS PROGRAMS. THAT'S IT.
I ATTENDED PERRYVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL'S PERFORMANCE OF THE LITTLE MERMAID AND THEY DID GREAT.
SPRING HAS DEFINITELY SPRUNG AND I'VE BEEN TO A FEW TRACK MEETS, BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL GAMES THUS FAR.
PRESIDENT HEATH AND I VISITED FAIRHILL NATURE CENTER WITH PERRYVILLE ELEMENTARY FOURTH GRADERS AND WE LEARNED ABOUT SOIL.
ON MONDAY, I DELIVERED A CARLOAD OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES COLLECTED BY COMMUNITY, CONNECTING US TO BOTH CONOWINGO AND CHARLESTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
A BIG THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT MADE DONATIONS.
SO THIS TIME OF YEAR, I'M USUALLY HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH COACHING, SOFTBALL COACHING.
IT'S THE FIRST YEAR THAT I HAVEN'T COACHED SOFTBALL AT SOME LEVEL.
SO TO FILL THAT FREE TIME, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I WENT TO THE THEATER.
ELKTON PERFORMANCE OF LES MIS, AND IT WAS RIDICULOUS.
I MEAN, WHEN I SAY AMAZING, IT BLEW MY MIND.
IT'S SUCH A BIG PRODUCTION THAT I WAS SHOCKED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PULL THAT OFF WITH OUR RESOURCES AND OUR SCHOOLS, TO THE POINT WHERE I ACTUALLY EMAILED THE PRINCIPAL AND SAID WE SHOULD CALL CECIL COLLEGE AND FIND OUT IF THEY'LL LET US USE THEIR THEATER AS AN ENCORE, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST REALLY THAT GOOD.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE, I THINK BO HAS ONE COMING UP, CORRECT, STILL, AND PERRYVILLE? HIGH SCHOOL.
IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK INTO IT, SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
IF YOU DIDN'T SEE THE OTHER ONE, YOU MISSED IT.
I ALMOST WENT A SECOND DAY, BUT SOMETHING CAME UP.
[00:05:01]
JUST A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS.I'D LIKE TO START BY CONGRATULATING AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE NOMINEES FOR THE 2026 CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
I'M SURE IT'S QUITE AN HONOR TO BE CONSIDERED AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST IN OUR COUNTY.
WE CANNOT THANK OUR TEACHERS ENOUGH FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR OUR STUDENTS EACH AND EVERY DAY, AND WE WILL ALL BE ATTENDING THAT EVENT NEXT WEEK.
AND LASTLY, AS WE APPROACH THE FINAL SIX WEEKS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH LOTS OF EVENTS PLANNED, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST THANK EVERY EMPLOYEE OF CCPS TO INCLUDE SUPPORT STAFF, FACULTY, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.
AS THE SAYING GOES, TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.
SO THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE CCPS FAMILY.
I JUST HAVE A FEW ITEMS OF SOME THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN BUSY WITH.
I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY WITH BOHEMIA MANOR SOFTBALL BECAUSE I COACH THEIR TEAM.
AND WE ARE HAVING A GREAT SEASON, NOT A GREAT GAME RIGHT NOW, SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND FOCUS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
OKAY, WE'RE IN EXTRA INNINGS, BUT IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD.
SO I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH CECILTON'S STEERING COMMITTEE, AND WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING READY TO PRESENT THAT TO THE STATE.
EVERY SCHOOL HAS TO HAVE A PLAN FOR THEIR SCHOOL.
SO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH CECILTON AND WE'RE GETTING THERE.
I'VE BEEN ATTENDING FACULTY MEETINGS WITH DR.
LAWSON AS WELL AS MS. HAWLEY HAS BEEN AS WELL.
WE'VE BEEN KIND OF TAG TEAMING THOSE.
I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING STILL IN CECILTON AND GILPIN MANOR.
I PARTICIPATED IN AN MSDE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY PANEL WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE ROLES OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND THEN I ALSO, LIKE MR. HAMPTON HAD.
I VISITED FAIRHILL NATURE CENTER.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME THERE WITH THE KIDS.
AND I ALSO WAS INVOLVED WITH A MABE DIRECTOR'S MEETING THIS PAST MONTH.
SO JUST A FEW THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN.
AND NEXT, SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
SO I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OR TWO THINGS, AND I WANT TO SHOW A SLIDE.
TWO WEEKS AGO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
BECAUSE EVERYBODY WILL LOOK UP THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHAT I WAS DOING IS SHARING WITH, AGAIN, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS A COMMISSION APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AND THEY JUST BASICALLY TALK ABOUT THE ECONOMIC AWARENESS AND DEVELOPMENT OF CECIL COUNTY TO INCLUDE JOBS, HOMES, EDUCATION.
AND IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SHARE WITH THESE FOLKS STATE TESTING.
AND SO WHAT WE DID WITH THE HELP OF DR.
JOHNSON IS WE BROUGHT CHROMEBOOKS.
SO EVERYBODY GOT A CHROMEBOOK, AND THEN THEY LOGGED IN TO A SITE THAT ALLOWED THEM TO TAKE EIGHT 7TH GRADE MATH QUESTIONS.
AND SO THESE ARE SOME PRETTY ACCOMPLISHED PEOPLE.
AND REALLY WHAT IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO WAS JUST TO SHOW THESE FOLKS HOW THE TESTING THAT WE'RE ASKING OUR STUDENTS TO DO THESE DAYS IS NOT WHAT WE DID, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM.
AND SO IT WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED, LEARNED A LOT.
I MEAN, BUT STUFF LIKE, ACCORDING TO 2024 DATA, CECIL COUNTY.
IS 19TH IN THE STATE AS IT RELATES TO THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS WHO HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER.
AND YOU CAN TRACK ALMOST COUNTY BY COUNTY THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF OUR KIDS WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A COUNTY THAT HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER.
THE TOP TWO COUNTIES IN THE STATE, HOWARD AND MONTGOMERY.
THE TOP TWO ACHIEVING COUNTIES IN THE STATE, HOWARD AND MONTGOMERY.
THE BOTTOM IN THE STATE, DORCHESTER, CAROLINA.
THE BOTTOM STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
CECIL COUNTY IS 19TH. LAST YEAR OUR TEST SCORES 17TH AND 18TH.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST DESIGNED TO SHOW THE IMPACT FAMILIES HAVE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
WE SEE IN CLASSROOMS, A CLASSROOM OF 25, YOU'LL SEE 10 TO 12 KIDS SUCCESSFUL, MAYBE 10 TO 12 KIDS AREN'T.
THESE ARE 24 KIDS WHO ARE IN THE SAME ROOM ALL YEAR WITH THE SAME BOOKS, THE SAME LESSONS THE SAME TEACHER, THE SAME SCHOOL, BUT PERFORM VERY DIFFERENTLY.
AND SO THE SUPPORT WE GET FROM OUR FAMILIES IS JUST CRITICAL.
SO THAT'S A MESSAGE THAT I WAS TRYING TO SEND TO OUR ECONOMIC LEADERS IN THE COUNTY.
AGAIN, I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY WELL RECEIVED, AND THANK YOU TO DR.
SO AS MS. HEATH MENTIONED, EACH SPRING WE GO AROUND, WE'LL MEET WITH ALL 29 SCHOOLS, THEIR FACULTIES, SO 29 MEETINGS.
WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE TEST SCORES, THE BLUEPRINT.
I'M GOING TO SHARE A SLIDE IN A SECOND.
AND WE ALSO TALK ABOUT ELECTIONS.
I TAKE CARE OF THE BLUEPRINT BUDGET KIND OF THINGS.
MS. HEATH AND OR MS. HAWLEY TAKES CARE OF THE ELECTIONS, WHO'S RUNNING, WHAT OFFICE, WHAT ARE THE PRIMARIES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND WE JUST ASK OUR CONSTITUENTS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR TEACHERS
[00:10:02]
TO HAVE AN APPRECIATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM'S PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE BALLOT BOOTH.AND SO WITH THAT, THERE'S ONE THING I WANT TO SHOW TONIGHT.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I'M SHARING WITH OUR FACULTY.
SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE ARE THIS IS THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING BREAKDOWN FOR TWO OF OUR SCHOOLS AND YOU CAN SEE CALVERT ELEMENTARY AND HOLLY HALL.
OKAY I CHOSE THOSE SCHOOLS INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE STUDENT OFF IN TERMS OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
YOU CAN SEE HOLLY HALL HAS 360 KIDS, CALVERT HAS 361.
BUT THEN IF YOU COME DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, THIS IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY EARN, QUOTE-UNQUOTE, THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT.
YOU CAN SEE HOLLY HALL RECEIVES $8.1 MILLION AND CALVERT $5.6 MILLION.
SO WHY DOES ONE SCHOOL GET $2.5 MILLION MORE THAN THE OTHER SCHOOL? AND THE REASON IS PRETTY CLEAR, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE REASON IS IN STATUTE.
AND THIS IS GOING TO EXPLAIN WHY SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO SEE MUCH BIGGER CLASS SIZES NEXT YEAR.
THAN OTHERS AND THIS IS CRITICAL AND YOU'LL SEE US START THE MESSAGE THIS MORE AND MORE AS WE GO THROUGH SUMMER GENERALLY SPEAKING HERE'S A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT IT IF A STUDENT IS AT THE SCHOOL THE STUDENTS FOUNDATION VALUE IS ABOUT TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IF THE STUDENT HAS A DISABILITY THERE'S ABOUT ANOTHER 10,000 IF THE STUDENT IS FROM POVERTY ABOUT ANOTHER 10,000 AND SO WHAT HAPPENS YOU HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO COME IN WITH A DISABILITY AND FROM POVERTY, THE FUNDING THAT FOLLOWS THAT STUDENT IS CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN A STUDENT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A DISABILITY AND DOESN'T COME FROM POVERTY.
AND SO THE MATH BEARS THIS OUT.
SO AT CALVERT ELEMENTARY, THEY CURRENTLY HAVE 75 STUDENTS WITH IEPS, AND EACH OF THOSE STUDENTS GETS A FUNDING VALUE THAT TOTALS $817,000. SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A CALCULATOR, YOU DIVIDE 817 BY 75, THAT'S THE PER PUPIL, OKAY? IF YOU COME DOWN HERE, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, THEY ALSO GET A CHUNK.
FOUR STUDENTS EARN $36,000, SO THAT'S ABOUT $9,000.
IF YOU COME OVER HERE TO HOLLY HALL, THEY'VE GOT $23,000, SO THEY GET MORE MONEY.
THAT'S A FANCY WAY OF SAYING POVERTY.
SO CALVERT HAS 134 STUDENTS FROM POVERTY.
STUDENTS FROM POVERTY GENERATE FOR CALVERT VERSUS HOLLY HALL.
AND WHEN YOU TAKE ALL OF THESE AND ADD THEM UP, IT COMES TO A $2.5 MILLION DIFFERENCE.
THE FINAL KICKER ON THIS IS, LOOK AT THIS, CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
HOLLY HALL HAS A TOTAL OF UPWARDS OF $750,000.
SO THERE'S SPECIAL GRANTS THAT ARE IN ADDITION TO THE COMPENSATORY EDUCATION.
SO WHAT THIS DOES IS THAT YOU TAKE SCHOOLS WITH PRETTY MUCH THE EXACT SAME NUMBER OF AN ENROLLMENT AND ONE SCHOOL IS GETTING TWO MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN THE NEXT AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT TWO MILLION DOLLARS WILL WILL BUY UP TO 25-30 TEACHERS AND THAT IS A SINGLE SCHOOL.
SO THAT IN A SCHOOL THEY CAN WILL HAVE 16 OR 17 PER TEACHER YOU GO UP THE ROAD AND THAT SCHOOL GOT 30, 35, 36.
THAT EACH OF THESE LINES IS IN STATE STATUTE.
SO EACH OF THESE ARE A LAW THAT WE HAVE NO WIGGLE ROOM.
THE ONLY CAVEAT I'LL THROW OUT THERE IS I TOTALED THESE NUMBERS, 5.6 MILLION, 8.1 MILLION.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO SPEND 75% OF THAT AT THE SCHOOL.
SO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE YELLOW, IF YOU TAKE THIS 5.6 MILLION AND MULTIPLY IT BY .75, IT COMES TO 4.2 MILLION.
OVER HERE, HOLLY HALL, SAME THING.
RIGHT? THE SCHOOL EARNS 8.1, THE SCHOOL GETS 6.3.
WHERE DOES THE OTHER MONEY GO? IT MOVES SNOW, IT CUTS GRASS, IT DOES ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT A SCHOOL SYSTEM DOES OUTSIDE OF HOLLY HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
IT PAYS FOR THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF GETS PAID FOR.
AND IF YOU STICK AROUND FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING TONIGHT, YOU WILL SEE THAT WE ARE REDUCING UP TO 15 ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS.
AND THE REASON IS THERE IS NO LINE THAT SAYS ADMINISTRATORS.
THERE'S NO LINE THAT SUPPORTS THAT.
SO IT'S REALLY PUT US BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND THAT IN SOME OF OUR MORE AFFLUENT SCHOOLS, YOU WILL SEE CLASS SIZES INCREASE, AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS.
OKAY, WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
[00:15:05]
NEXT WE HAVE OUR CCPS EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS LAWYER RANK LORI HARENKO WITH CCCTA, PLEASE.GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH, DR.
LAWSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND GUESTS.
THIS PAST MONDAY EVENING IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS SINE DIE.
IT WAS THE END OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSION FOR THE YEAR.
STATE ORGANIZATION, THE MARYLAND STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, TRACKED, I THINK THE LAST NUMBER WAS 417 BILLS DURING THE SESSION THAT HAD TO DEAL WITH PUBLIC EDUCATION, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
AND THERE WERE MANY OTHERS, BUT THEY STUCK TO THOSE 417.
AND THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED OR APPROVED DID HAVE STRONG FUNDING FOR PRE-K TO 12 EDUCATION.
LAWSON MENTIONED A LOT OF THAT IS TIED UP IN LANES WITH THE BLUEPRINT.
AND EVEN MORE SO THAT FUNDING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL FEDERAL CUTS THAT ARE BEING MADE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.
SOME OF THE FUNDING WAS SET ASIDE FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WHICH WE MAKE VERY GOOD USE OF HERE IN CECIL COUNTY.
THE GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM TRYING TO GET SOME OF OUR LOCAL FOLKS FUNNELED INTO BEING EDUCATORS IN OUR SCHOOLS WHERE WE HAVE SHORTAGES AND THEN ALSO SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND AS SOMEBODY WHO'S CURRENTLY AT NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND AN ALMOST HUNDRED YEAR OLD SCHOOL BUILDING.
I KNOW THE VALUE OF THAT AND I KNOW MANY OF OUR OTHER FOLKS AND COMMUNITIES HAVE SCHOOLS THAT THEY ARE HOPING AND WAITING FOR RENOVATION THERE.
SO HOPING THAT SOME OF THAT STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION WILL FIND ITS WAY TO CECIL COUNTY AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED WAS THE COMPASS ACT PASSED, WHICH IS GOING TO DEVELOP OR HAVE THE STATE BOARD OF ED DEVELOP A NEW SCHOOL RATING SYSTEM.
AND SO DR. LAWSON MENTIONED THOSE SEVEN MATH QUESTIONS THAT MOST ADULTS MIGHT STRUGGLE WITH THAT WE'RE GIVING OUR STUDENTS.
THIS NEW RATING SYSTEM WILL ALSO TAKE INTO EFFECT OTHER FACTORS THAT WILL SHOW ACADEMIC GROWTH AND OUR WELL-ROUNDED CURRICULUMS IN ADDITION TO JUST LIKE MINUTE TESTS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE TESTS WE TOOK GROWING UP.
SO I THINK WHEN THE PUBLIC'S LOOKING AT IT AND SAYING LOOK AT THESE SCORES THEY'RE NOT COMPARING THE TEST SCORES THAT THEY TOOK AS A STUDENT AND AND THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH.
IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME.
SO I AM CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THIS NEW RATING SYSTEM WILL REFLECT SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
THEY ALSO PASSED HB 828, WHICH IS GOING TO NOW HAVE ANY ESP OR EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL BE ELIGIBLE TO BE ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE ELECTED AND APPOINTED, WE HAVE EDUCATORS AND PARENTS, AND NOW WE'RE FINALLY BRINGING ON A EDUCATION SUPPORT PERSONNEL SO THAT THEY KIND OF ROUND OUT WHO IS REALLY DEALING WITH KIDS IN SCHOOLS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS AND HAVING THEIR VOICE AND IMPACT ON THE STATE BOARDWARD.
AND SO OF THE OTHERS, WE WILL HEAR MORE TO COME, HOW THEY'LL IMPACT US.
IN THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE THINGS.
APRIL IS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST MONTH.
IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD TO USE AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, THE EASIEST WAY I CAN EXPLAIN IT IS MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO PT OR PHYSICAL THERAPY.
WELL, THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS DO THE FINE MOTOR SKILLS AND THEY DO THE LIFE SKILLS.
SKILLS THAT HELP OUR STUDENTS IMPROVE THEIR DAILY LIVES ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY.
SO IT COULD BE MOVEMENTS, IT COULD BE HANDWRITING, BUT THEY'RE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM AND SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THEM.
NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS WEEK, WHICH WE USED TO IN THE OLD DAYS CALL SECRETARY'S WEEK, IS COMING UP THE 19TH TO 25TH.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHO'S RUNNING THE BUILDING, OF COURSE THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE, BUT THEN AND THAT TOP TIER RIGHT THERE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS, THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, THEY KNOW WHO'S DOING IT, THEY KNOW WHERE IT'S HAPPENING, AND THEY KNOW WHERE THE STUFF IS.
SO IF YOU NEED SOMETHING DONE, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS YOU GO TO RIGHT UP THERE WITH OUR CUSTODIANS.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS.
THE FOURTH TO THE EIGHTH IS NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, AND THEN SANDWICHED RIGHT IN THERE ON MAY 6TH IS NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY.
AND SO IF YOU ARE A PARENT AND YOU'VE SEEN YOUR CHILDREN'S REACTIONS, TO CUTS, BUMPS, SCRAPES, BRUISES, STOMACH ACHES, HEADACHES, OR THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL MEDICAL NEEDS, MULTIPLY THAT BY THE SEVERAL HUNDRED STUDENTS THAT ARE IN OUR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, AND THEN YOU'LL START TO APPRECIATE WHAT OUR SCHOOL NURSES DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
SO JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO THEM.
AS IT'S SPRING, IT'S POLLEN, WE'RE ALL SNEEZING, WE'RE COUGHING, IT'S GREAT, THE CARS ARE GREEN.
AND SO IN ADDITION TO FLOWERS, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN CANDIDATE YARD SIGNS POPPING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE, GETTING READY FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS.
[00:20:04]
UNIT, CESPA, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEND OUT CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRES AND DO INTERVIEWS FOR FOLKS FOR LOCAL OFFICES.AND SO THAT COMMITTEE IS STILL MEETING, AND THEY WILL BE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS.
FOUR CANDIDATES IN THOSE POSITIONS BASED ON EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS AND STAFF AND SO THEY THE QUESTIONS ARE PRIMARILY EDUCATION AT THEIR EDUCATION ENDORSEMENTS ON WHO WE THINK FOLKS WILL BE BEST FOR REPRESENTING OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN THOSE AREAS AND SO WHETHER YOU FOLLOW OUR APPLE BALLOT OR NOT WHICH WE HOPE YOU WOULD WHAT I DO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS JUST BE AN INFORMED VOTER AND SOMETIMES THAT'S HARD IN A SMALLER AREA AREA.
SO THERE ARE CANDIDATE FORMS THAT ARE ALREADY POPPING UP.
CECIL SPORTS WEEKLY HAS DONE SOME ONLINE INTERVIEWS THAT I'VE SEEN.
CECIL TV HAS DONE SOME TAPED VIDEOS THAT YOU CAN CHECK OUT ONLINE.
AND I KNOW THERE WILL BE OTHER EVENTS COMING UP.
SO WE KNOW HOW CRITICAL EDUCATION FUNDING IS.
WE KNOW HOW CRITICAL POLICIES AND LAWS ARE.
AND SO NOT JUST EDUCATION, BUT THAT AFFECT YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND YOUR FAMILY.
SO YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHICH CANDIDATES YOU BELIEVE ARE BEST FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND CRAMMING FOR THAT, LIKE YOU'RE CRAMMING FOR A TEST YOU DIDN'T STUDY FOR THE NIGHT BEFORE, IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
SO PLEASE JUST START BEING INFORMED.
START LOOKING FOR THOSE CANDIDATE THINGS.
THEY'RE POPPING UP ON FACEBOOK AND ALL OVER THE PLACE.
AND JUST BE MAKING SOME INFORMED DECISIONS.
MR. ERIC BROWN FOR ADMINISTRATORS.
GREETINGS TO YOU, PRESIDENT HEATH, SUPERINTENDENT LAWSON, MEMBERS OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND ALL OF YOU OUT THERE.
IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE'RE IN TOUGH TIMES FINANCIALLY RIGHT NOW AS A DISTRICT AND I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT STAFF ARE GOING TO ONCE AGAIN BE ASKED TO DO MORE WITH LESS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE ALWAYS HAVE DONE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE OUR ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT EACH AND EVERY KID HAS THE BEST EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE.
WE DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S IN OUR NATURE.
WE MAKE A GOOD LIVING, AND WE ARE VERY HAPPY, AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THE BOARD FOR THAT.
BUT NOBODY GETS INTO THIS JOB BECAUSE OF THE MONEY.
WE DO IT BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE DO.
WE DO IT BECAUSE WE CARE, AND WE DO IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE.
EVERY STUDENT HAS A CHANCE TO SUCCEED AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE IN THIS PROFESSION WHO DOES ANYTHING DIFFERENT.
THAT BEING SAID, THIS IS THE LAST TIME THAT I WILL ADDRESS THIS BODY AS THE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT BECAUSE I WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS OUR MEMBERSHIP.
IT HAS BEEN MY HONOR AND MY PRIVILEGE TO REPRESENT YOU.
YOU REPRESENT EVERYTHING THAT IS GOOD ABOUT OUR PROFESSION, AND I'VE DONE MY BEST TO BE YOUR VOICE AND TO ADVOCATE FOR YOU.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I SEE YOU.
THEY SEE YOU WHEN YOU COME OUT OF YOUR POCKET TO MAKE SURE A KID GETS WHAT THEY NEED.
THEY SEE YOU WHEN YOU SPEND HOURS WITH PARENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING, TRYING TO FIND RESOURCES THAT ARE VERY SCARCE AND ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED FOR THEIR STRUGGLING KID.
THEY SEE YOU WHEN YOU COMFORT YOUR STAFF MEMBER WHO HAS JUST SUFFERED A DEVASTATING LOSS OR FOUND OUT HORRIBLE NEWS OR IS HAVING A HEALTH ISSUE.
THEY SEE YOU WHEN YOU PUSH ASIDE YOUR OWN TRAUMA AND YOU ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF TRAUMA WITH DEALING WITH THAT TRAUMA.
EVEN THOUGH IT MAY TRIGGER YOU, YOU PUT ON THE FACE THAT YOU NEED TO PUT ON IN ORDER TO GET THE JOB DONE.
YOU'RE APPRECIATED BY THOSE YOU SERVE.
YOU'RE APPRECIATED BY YOUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT YOU TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT YOU MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR KIDS AND COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE CONSTRUCTION REPORT.
SO THIS IS A COOL PART OF THE AGENDA.
[00:25:01]
YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE SCREEN TO YOUR RIGHT, SEE SOME NEAT PICTURES OF THE PROJECTS WE'VE GOT GOING ON.THE FIRST ONE IS THE NEW SCHOOL.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF NEW FACES IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
B BACK HERE IS THE CAFETERIA, WHICH BLEEDS INTO THE MEDIA CENTER.
SO THAT THE CAFETERIA GOES UNDERNEATH KIND OF THE MEDIA CENTER AND THEN THERE'S A COURTYARD OUT HERE WHERE THE BUSES WILL DROP OFF AND THEN G IS THE HIGH SCHOOL WING.
OVER HERE GOING THIS WAY IS THE SCHOOL, CURRENT NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL AND UP HERE IS LIKE THE ELK NECK FOREST OR WHATEVER IS UP THERE.
IT'S LIKE $185 MILLION ON TIME WITHIN BUDGET.
AND I THINK I HAVE SOME MORE PICTURES HERE.
SO THERE'S THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AND THIS WILL BE THE PARKING LOT.
THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA, THIS WAS ABOUT A $750,000 CHANGE ORDER BECAUSE THIS USED TO BE THE PRACTICE AREA FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE FOOTBALL TEAM AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT TEAMS. AND AS WE LEARNED, ONCE WE STARTED DIGGING, THAT DIRT WAS COMPROMISED.
THERE WAS A LOT OF CLEAN FILL THERE AND IT WOULD NOT BE STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD A PARKING LOT.
SO WE HAD TO DIG A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIRT OUT.
AND BRING A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIRT IN, PACK IT, AND THE PARKING LOT WILL GO ON TOP OF THAT.
MOVING ALONG, YOU WILL SEE THE AUDITORIUM.
THAT UP HERE WILL BE THE, YOU ARE LOOKING FROM THE STAGE, THAT'S THE BALCONY.
THERE'S A SIDE BALCONY HERE, AND I'M PRETTY SURE THERE'S GOING TO BE A SIDE BALCONY THERE.
IT'LL SEAT 1,000 KIDS, EXCUSE ME, 1,000 HUMANS.
CAFETERIA, RIGHT? SEPARATE CAFETERIAS, ONE KITCHEN, AND SO THEY TRY TO SHARE SPACE AS MUCH AS THEY CAN WITHOUT PROVIDING TOO MUCH OPPORTUNITY FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOLERS AND THE HIGH SCHOOLERS TO KIND OF CO-MINGLE, TRYING TO AVOID THAT.
THIS IS A TYPICAL WING, AND THAT'S ALL INSULATION SPRAYED UP THERE, FIREPROOFING STUFF.
THIS IS THE AC REPLACEMENT CURRENTLY HAPPENING AT ELKTON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
THERE'S THE CRANE SETTING THE UNITS ON TOP OF THE GUIDANCE OFFICE AREA.
AND THERE'S THE GUY PUTTING, HOOKING THE UNIT UP.
I MEAN, COME ON, SOME OF THE PICTURES ARE A LITTLE COOLER THAN OTHERS.
THERE'S THE ROOF AT THE NEW ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUILDING.
AND ROOFS AREN'T ALL THAT COOL EITHER, UNLESS IT'S YOUR ROOF.
BUT THIS IS A ROOF ON TOP OF THE ASC.
THE ASC IS THE OLD SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY THAT SITS RIGHT NEXT TO BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
NEW SIGN AT BOW MANOR, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
MOVING ON, WE HAVE FINE ARTS, OUR ALL-STATE COURSE AND BAND RECOGNITION.
DAVID FOY, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION, WILL FACILITATE THIS PIECE OF THE AGENDA.
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND GUESTS.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE DR.
DAVE HASTINGS, PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR FINE ARTS, WHO WILL RECOGNIZE STUDENTS SELECTED FOR ALL STATE, CHORUS, AND BAND.
LAWSON, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND GUESTS.
WE JUST FINISHED OUR ALL-COUNTY SEASON CAPPING OFF WITH OUR ALL-COUNTY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL BANDS.
THE GROUP SOUNDED AMAZING AND MANY WERE IMPRESSED BY THAT LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF OUR AMAZING STUDENTS IN THE AREA OF MUSIC.
ALL THESE STUDENTS ARE LEADERS IN THEIR BUILDINGS.
WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE STUDENTS THAT WERE SELECTED IN AN ALL-STATE ENSEMBLE.
THERE IS A RIGOROUS AUDITION PROCESS FOR THESE STUDENTS.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENTS WHO ACHIEVED THIS DISTINCTION, AND I'LL CALL EACH SCHOOL SEPARATELY, AND STUDENTS WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS CAN COME FORWARD.
FIRST UP IS CHERRY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH REBECCA
[00:30:01]
LAMPER.AND HER ADMINISTRATOR, MS. SANDS, MS. KIM SANDS, AND CHOIR TEACHER, MS. LAUREN LONGY.
I LIKE TO CALL HER THE TRIPLE THREAT BECAUSE SHE'S TALENTED IN CHOIR, BAND, AND IS AN AMAZING ARTIST AS WELL.
FOR ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL, NEXT UP WE HAVE ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL WITH DR.
JIM LEIKEV AND MISS MACKENZIE BARTON AND OUR STUDENTS ARE AVA BAGINSKI.
WE'RE MOVING ON TO RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEFORE WE HAD A FEW STUDENTS WHO HAD OTHER OBLIGATIONS ONE OF THEM I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT DORI SNYDER SHE'S OUR FIRST TRUMPET PLAYER THAT EVER AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN IN THIS COUNTY HAS ACHIEVED ALL-STATE ON TRUMPET HER FIRST YEAR IN 10TH GRADE FOR SENIOR ALL-STATE SENIOR AND IT'S STIFF COMPETITION TO GET THAT SO FOR RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE MS. OPIE, MS. BRITTANY OPIE, THE TEACHER OF ANDROMEDA SNEDDON, MAXWELL BOKLAGE, ILANA FALCO, AND ALLISON SUMMERS.
[00:35:14]
OKAY, YES.NEXT WE ARE AT 5.06, CONSIDERATION OF BOARD POLICIES, POLICY IGEC AND POLICY EFBA.
AT THIS POINT, WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD TWO POLICIES FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION TO RETIRE THESE POLICIES.
THE FIRST WILL BE EFBA, FOOD SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY.
BEFORE I READ THE RECOMMENDATION, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM DR.
HAMMER HAS A SLIDE SHE'S EAGER TO SHARE WITH YOU.
PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND OUR GUESTS HERE THIS EVENING.
JUST AS A REMINDER TO YOU, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WE WORKED THROUGH POLICY BFG, WHICH IS THE POLICY THAT REVIEWS OUR REGS AND POLICIES.
THERE ARE 170 POLICIES THAT ARE PER THE PURVIEW OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND THE ADDITIONAL 287 POLICIES ARE POLICIES THAT ARE...
LED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
WE AGREED TO BREAK ALL OF THOSE POLICIES AND REGULATIONS INTO A FOUR-YEAR CYCLE AS YOU CAN SEE ILLUSTRATED HERE.
THE TWO POLICIES MAYBE THE TWO POLICIES THAT WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT FIRST OF ALL IS POLICY IGEC AS DR.
LAWSON MENTIONED WHICH IS THE ADULT OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1978 BUT IT HAS BEEN REPEALED IN 2008 AS THE PROGRAMS AS A PART OF ADULT OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
SO IN OUR SCRUB, WE FOUND THIS, AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT FOR ARCHIVAL AND RETIREMENT.
THE SECOND ONE YOU'LL SEE IS EFBA, AND THAT IS FOOD SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1977.
THAT POLICY IS A RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF FOOD SERVICES.
SHOULD ALSO BE RETIRED AND ARCHIVED BECAUSE MOST OF THOSE SERVICES AND SUPPORT ARE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING AT THIS TIME.
SO THEY HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CCPS WEBSITE, BUT THE REASON WAS INADVERTENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARCHIVE IT, UNBEKNOWNST TO YOU, THEY WERE JUST REMOVED FROM THE WEBSITE.
WHEN THEY'RE ARCHIVED, MR. HAMPTON, THEY ARE IN DRAFTS.
THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO BE SEEN, BUT YOU HAVE TO GO TO DRAFTS TO SEE THEM.
WHEN WE REVIEWED POLICY BFG BACK IN JANUARY, THERE WAS 92, I THINK THIS INCLUDED EVERYTHING, 92 POLICIES, REGULATIONS, AND REGULATIONS THAT HAD NOT BEEN REVIEWED YET, BUT AS OF NOW, THEY'RE DOWN TO...
OKAY, SO I WILL READ THE RECOMMENDATION FIRST FOR POLICY EFBA.
I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY RETIRE POLICY EFBA FOOD SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AS THE CONTENT IS NOW OBSOLETE.
LAWSON HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
LIKE IT'S UNANIMOUS? SO MOTION CARRIES.
RECOMMENDATION NUMBER TWO WILL BE FOR POLICY I-G-E-C. I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY RETIRE POLICY I-G-E-C, ADULT OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AS THE CONTENT IS OBSOLETE.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
NEXT, THAT IS MULTIFUNCTION COPIERS AND PRINT MANAGEMENT.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR MS. SOPA BEFORE I READ THE RECOMMENDATION? IN ADDITION TO THE $91,000 IN COST SAVINGS FROM THE CURRENT CONTRACT, THERE IS MORE THAN THAT ALLOCATED IN THE FY27 BUDGET, SO IT'S FREEING UP MORE THAN $91,000, RIGHT? THAT SAVINGS OFF OF THE $91,000 IS OFF OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY PAY.
THEY HAPPEN TO BE THE INCUMBENT VENDOR, BUT THEY ACTUALLY GAVE US AN EVEN BETTER PRICE FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO WE HAD PROJECTED AN INCREASE BECAUSE WE WERE GOING BACK OUT TO RFP, AND THEY ACTUALLY CAME IN LOWER.
[00:40:01]
COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT TO TOSHIBA AMERICA BUSINESS SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED.IN THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $325,536. DR.
LAWSON HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
5.08 PEPPM, INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATIVE PRODUCT LINE BID, AND THIS IS FOR RENAISSANCE LEARNING.
MS. HEATH, BEFORE I READ THIS RECOMMENDATION, I'D LIKE TO HAVE DR.
HAMMER COME UP AND JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION, AFTER WHICH, IF THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR EITHER HER OR MYSELF, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT TIME.
AND AGAIN, I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS.
SO THE RENAISSANCE STAR ASSESSMENT IS A PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM THAT CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS THAT IS REQUIRED BY COMAR.
THIS SYSTEM SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN PRE-K THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE FOR READING AND MATH AND INCLUDES SCREENING TOOLS, DIAGNOSTICS, AND PROGRESS MONITORING FOR STUDENTS DURING INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. THE STAR SUITE BY RENAISSANCE LEARNING IS BEING OFFERED AS A REPLACEMENT TO THE NWEA MAP ASSESSMENT SUITE.
WHICH WE'VE HAD FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
THE TRANSITION FROM NWAMAP TO RENAISSANCE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE MSDE HAS PROVIDED A LIST OF RECOMMENDED ASSESSMENTS AS A PART OF MSDE'S LITERACY PRIORITIES.
NWAMAP IS NOT ONE OF THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE LISTED BY MSDE, HOWEVER, STAR RENAISSANCE ASSESSMENT IS.
WE HAVE BEEN PILOTING AND LOOKING AT SEVERAL ASSESSMENT SYSTEMS AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE RAN THROUGH A PILOT AND ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE PRODUCT.
AGAIN, IT IS REPLACING NWEA MAP AND IT IS RECOMMENDED BY MSDE.
ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK IT WAS AT THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING, DR.
LAWSON GAVE A REALLY GOOD OVERVIEW OF READING COACH AND I ASKED FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE BUT COULD YOU JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE, WHAT IS THE ASSESSMENTS DOING WITH THE STAR? SO THE STAR ASSESSMENT WILL BE A SCREENING TOOL AND IT WILL BE USED IN PRE-K ALL THE WAY THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE FOR BOTH READING AND MATH.
SO STUDENTS WHO ARE, EVERY STUDENT IN THE DISTRICT WILL TAKE THAT SCREEN, THE SCREENING TOOL, THE SCREENING ASSESSMENT.
STUDENTS WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING OR BELOW A LINE OF PROFICIENCY.
WILL BE THEN GIVEN DIAGNOSTIC SUPPORT.
OTHER STUDENTS MAY BE GIVEN DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS AS WELL.
AND THE OTHER PIECE THAT THE STAR ASSESSMENT ALLOWS US TO DO IS HAVE CURRICULUM-BASED MEASURES, WHICH ARE CALLED CBMS. THOSE CBMS WILL PROGRESS MONITOR STUDENTS' MOVEMENT THROUGH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS. SO WE WOULD DO CONSTANT CHECKS ON STUDENTS TO SEE IF THEY'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN THE INTERVENTIONS THAT THEY'RE IN.
THIS IS ON THE APPROVED LIST FROM MSDE.
DID CCPS HAVE INPUT TO THE APPROVAL PROCESS? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
SHOULD WE? THAT'S CERTAINLY WE COULD.
NO, I SEE ON ONE HAND HAVING THE LIST PROVIDED, IT SAVES CCPS TIME AND RESOURCES FROM HAVING TO VET THOSE TOOLS THEMSELVES.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN MSDE PUTS THESE APPROVED LISTS...
FOR THE AVERAGE, WHAT THEY THINK OF THE AVERAGE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN THE STATE, IT MAY NOT MEET THE NEEDS, THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF ANY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO I GUESS IT'S A BALANCE THERE.
THE BOTTOM LINE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IS I WANT OUR EDUCATORS TO HAVE THE BEST TOOLS AVAILABLE TO MEET OUR STUDENTS' NEEDS.
BUT I THINK IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT, AND THIS MAY NOT BE A GREAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS, BUT BY ALL ACCOUNTS, THIS IS A GOOD TOOL, VERY GOOD TOOL.
IT'S A TOOL THAT'S MANDATED AND IT SAYS HERE'S THE LIST YOU MUST CCPS YOU HAVE THIS MONEY AND YOU MUST ADHERE TO THESE RULES AND YOU MUST TO ADHERE TO THOSE RULES.
THIS IS THE APPROVED TOOLS FOR THAT SO WE GET THAT MONEY AND IT'S GONE.
IT'S ALREADY OBLIGATED BEFORE WE YEAH I AM.
I GET YOUR POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE IS BASICALLY MANDATING WE USE CERTAIN TOOLS.
THERE WERE SEVERAL, I THINK, THAT WE GOT TO CHOOSE FROM, BUT I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JUST YESTERDAY AND THIS ACTUALLY CAME UP, THE STAR ASSESSMENT, AND THEY'VE BEEN USING IT AND THEY AND THEY ARE
[00:45:01]
EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THIS PRODUCT.THEY REALLY LIKE THE OUTPUT THAT THEY GET AND HOW EASY EVERYTHING IS TO READ.
AND SO THEY SEEM TO BE VERY HAPPY AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THEY GET TO CONTINUE USING IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WE HAVE A ROBUST PLAN TO TRANSITION TO THIS NEW ASSESSMENT SYSTEM AND WE HAVE BEEN PILOTING IT.
THIS WAS A PART OF SEVERAL VENDORS THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF AND WE'RE VERY LUCKY THAT IT HAPPENED TO BE ON THE STATE LIST.
SO IF THE TEACHERS AND ALL THE EDUCATORS ARE HAPPY WITH IT, I'M HAPPY.
I JUST, WHEN I'M READING THIS, I DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS, SO THANK YOU FOR THE RUNDOWN AND THAT'S ALL.
MS. I RECOMMENDED THE CECIL COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVE A THREE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH RENAISSANCE LEARNING INCORPORATED IN THE AMOUNT IN THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED NINETEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED THIRTY DOLLARS RECOMMENDATION IS THERE A MOTION SO MOVED SECOND MOTION CARRIES.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR BUDGET UPDATE FOR FY27.
I WAS TRYING TO GET THE BUDGET.
BEFORE I READ THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS, MS. HALL, OR MS. HALL, MS. HEATH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS CONTRACT? THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT IS A RESULT OF A STATE STATUTE REQUIRING US TO HAVE OUR FACILITIES MAPPED.
DIGITALLY AND THE STATE PROVIDED GRANTS TO SUPPORT VENDORS TO ACTUALLY DO THAT WORK AND I SAW MR ROUSH FLOATING AROUND OUT THERE HE'S THE ACTUAL AUTHOR OF THE GRANT AND WILL OVERSEE THIS BUT WE'VE KIND OF KNOWN THIS WAS COMING THE GOOD NEWS IS THE STATE IS SUPPORTING IT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS SO IT'S A GRANT THAT'S GOOD BUT I DON'T WHAT IS IT DOING IT'S IT'S DIGITALLY MAPPING THE SCHOOLS BUT IT SAYS THAT IT'S DOING IT FOR THE 31 SCHOOLS BUT IT WILL PROVIDE A DIGITAL MAP FOR ONLY FOUR OF THEM? MS. SOPA.
IT'S ACTUALLY IN COORDINATION WITH EMERGENCY SERVICES SO THAT THE MAPPING THAT HAPPENS, THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO AS WELL.
SO RIGHT NOW, THE MAPPING THAT WE DO IS OUR OWN MAPPING, SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY LOG IN AND SEE, MY UNDERSTANDING, IS FLOOR PLANS, AREAS AROUND BUILDINGS AS WELL, SO OTHER ADJACENT BUILDINGS AND BUSINESSES, SO THAT EMERGENCY SERVICES HAS ACCESS TO THAT AS WELL.
SO THE FIRST RESPONDERS, IF THERE WERE ANY, THEY COULD SEE EXACTLY.
I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH DATAMARK TECHNOLOGIES FOR FLOOR PLAN DATA COLLECTION AND CONVERSION SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $55,761.40.
LAWSON HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
NOW WE HAVE THE BUDGET UPDATE FOR FY27.
JUST FOR THE BOARD'S AWARENESS THAT 510 IS KIND OF WHERE WE ARE NOW FOR FY27 BUDGET PREP.
THIS IS JUST GIVING YOU A STATUS REPORT.
ITEM 511 WILL BE THE FY26 BUDGET UPDATE.
AFTER WHICH I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE.
GOOD EVENING PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.
LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM MEMBERS AND GUESTS.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS UPDATE IS TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE STAND FROM THE BUDGET THAT YOU APPROVED IN FEBRUARY THAT WAS SENT TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BASED ON OUR REQUEST AND THEN WHAT HIS PROPOSAL IS FOR OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO HERE WAS TAKE WHAT YOU APPROVED, THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAD IN MUNIS, AND SHOW YOU CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE SINCE THEN TO TRY TO RECONCILE THE BUDGET TO TRY TO BALANCE IT.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST AREA IS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT HAS GIVEN US A $250,000 REDUCTION, AND THIS IS BASICALLY A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF ADMIN AND TEACHER LAPTOPS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REPLACE FOR NEXT YEAR.
SPECIAL ED RELATED SERVICES, A $450,000 REDUCTION IN CONTRACTED RELATED SERVICES.
SOME OF THOSE WILL BE FTES AND SOME OF IT WAS JUST TRYING TO AUDIT THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE USING NOW AND WHAT INCREASES THOSE PROVIDERS ARE ASKING FOR NEXT YEAR TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THESE SAVINGS.
STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES, A REDUCTION HERE IS BECAUSE COP FUNDING FALLS IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
AND IT'S USING COP FUNDS FOR FTES AND FIXED CHARGES, SO IT'S JUST REDUCING WHAT WE'RE SPENDING IN CONTRACTED SERVICES
[00:50:01]
BECAUSE IT'S BEING SPENT IN POSITIONS.YOU CAN SEE A REDUCTION IN SCIENCE HERE, $100,000, TO MOVE THE FAIRHILL NATURE CENTER ELEMENTARY PROGRAM TO OUR TITLE IV GRANT.
AND AGAIN, REVIEWING OUR TITLE IV GRANT TO SEE WHICH THINGS WE CAN MOVE OUT OF THE TITLE IV GRANT SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS OUT OF OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
SO FAIR HILL MAY NOT GO AWAY BY THIS PROPOSAL.
IT WOULD JUST BE REMOVED FROM THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET, PICKED UP BY THE RESTRICTED BUDGET? CORRECT.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE REDUCTION TO THE EDUCATION SERVICES BUDGET, $896,237.
AND THEN AGAIN, THAT WAS FROM BETWEEN THE SEPTEMBER OR FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING AND TODAY.
FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUDGET, THESE AREAS ARE ALL RELATED TO COPIER LEASE SAVINGS.
SO WHAT YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, MR. HAMPTON, AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE SAVED GOING BACK OUT TO RFP AND ASKING THEM TO COME IN WITH THEIR BEST AND FINAL AND SHARPEN THEIR PENCILS, WE WERE ABLE TO SHAVE ALMOST $165,000 OFF OF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
BY REDUCING OUR COPIER COSTS SINCE OUR COPIER CONTRACT WAS UP FOR RENEWAL.
SO YOU CAN SEE THIS REDUCTION, $164,175 FOR ADMIN SERVICES.
THEN IT COMES TO UNRESTRICTED SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES.
SO WE HAD PRESENTED A NUMBER OF POSITION REDUCTIONS AT THE FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING, AND WE HAD INCREASED THE NUMBER OF POSITION REDUCTIONS SINCE THAT TIME.
AND SO HERE YOU CAN SEE IN THE SALARIES LINE WE'VE REDUCED ANOTHER 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT.
SO WE REDUCED ANOTHER FIVE ADMINISTRATORS FROM WHAT YOU SAW IN FEBRUARY.
WE STARTED WITH 10 AND WE'RE UP TO 15.
ANOTHER 11 SUPPORT STAFF, SO FROM 19 TO 30 SUPPORT STAFF.
AND WE ALSO HAD TO ADD THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PAYOUT.
SO BECAUSE OF THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE, WHAT WE HAVE TO PAY OUT TO THE PEOPLE RETIRING BECOMES PART OF THIS AMOUNT.
YOU ALSO IN HERE, SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS THIS CALCULATION IS THE PEOPLE WE HAD CALCULATED THE FIRST TIME AROUND ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE PEOPLE WE'VE CALCULATED THIS TIME AROUND.
NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME HIGHER PAID LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES WHO ARE RETIRING, IT CHANGES THE SALARIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING REDUCED.
SO THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THAT CALCULATION.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE ANOTHER $1.6 MILLION.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO FURTHER REDUCE FIXED CHARGES.
FEBRUARY 25TH AND NOW AND ACTUALLY WORKING WITH OUR HEALTH CARE CONSULTANTS, WHAT WE HAD BUDGETED FOR HEALTH CARE WAS A LITTLE ON THE LOW SIDE.
WE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH THE ACTUARIAL.
IT GOT SOME ACTUAL NUMBERS TO WORK WITH, SO WE HAD TO INCREASE OUR HEALTH CARE PROJECTION A LITTLE BIT.
WE ALSO HAD TO ADD THE RETIREE HEALTH CARE INCENTIVES, SO THAT $400 A MONTH FOR RETIREE HEALTH CARE UNTIL THEY TURN 65 OR THREE YEARS, AND THEN REDUCTIONS IN FIXED CHARGES FOR THE POSITIONS THAT WE ADDED TO THE REDUCTION.
SO, LIKE, AGAIN, THERE ARE A LOT OF CALCULATIONS.
IN THOSE THAT AREN'T JUST STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BUT THE TOTAL REDUCTIONS TO SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES IS 1.7 MILLION.
AND SO THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES WILL REALLY SHOW YOU WHAT IMPACT THAT HAS.
SO THESE ARE THE POSITION REDUCTION UPDATES.
SO AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, AT THE FEBRUARY 25TH MEETING, WE WERE LOOKING AT 10 ADMINISTRATORS, 19 SUPPORT STAFF, AND 56 TEACHERS.
AND NOW WE'RE AT 15 ADMINISTRATORS, 30 SUPPORT STAFF, AND 56 TEACHERS.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUT OF THESE 101 REDUCTIONS THE PERCENTAGE OF THE REDUCTIONS THAT EACH ONE OF THESE GROUPS ARE.
THIS CHART PROBABLY LOOKS FAMILIAR FROM WHAT WE PRESENT IN THE BUDGET MEETING, AND WHAT I TRIED TO DO WAS HIGHLIGHT IT'S NOT QUITE AS PRETTY UP HERE ON THE PROJECTION AS IT IS IN DILIGENT, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE COLORS.
IT DOESN'T SHOW UP WELL HERE AT ALL.
IS IT? A LITTLE HARD TO TELL WHAT'S GREEN AND WHAT'S ORANGE IN THIS PICTURE.
IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER IN PERSON.
BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU WHICH ONE OF THESE THINGS EQUAL TO THESE GROUPS OVER HERE, BECAUSE WE LUMPED ADMINISTRATORS TOGETHER AS ANYBODY WHO'S IN ASA, COPLA, OR COSLA.
YOU KNOW, SUPPORT STAFF, ANYBODY IN THE CESPA NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT, AND TEACHERS, ANYBODY IN THE CCCTA NEGOTIATING AGREEMENT.
SO THAT'S IT, RIGHT? JUST ONE LAST SLIDE.
SO THIS KIND OF SUMS UP WHY WE ARE PRESENTING THESE ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS.
SO OUR ORIGINAL REQUEST TO THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT WAS FOR AN ALLOCATION OF $10 MILLION OVER WHAT THEY GAVE US FOR FY26.
SO THAT WAS A $115 MILLION REQUEST.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CCPS INCLUDES $111 MILLION, WHICH IS ALMOST $6 MILLION OVER LAST YEAR.
SO WE HAD TO REDUCE OUR BUDGET BY $4,085,000.
[00:55:01]
BOARD MEETING WHEN IT WAS APPROVED, WE'VE REDUCED EDUCATION SERVICES, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, SALARIES, AND FIXED CHARGES BY A TOTAL OF $2.7 MILLION, ALMOST $2.8 MILLION.WE STILL NEED ANOTHER $1.2 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET BEFORE JUNE 30TH.
SO AT THIS POINT, MY RECOMMENDATION, THIS IS NOT A VOTE.
I'M NOT ASKING FOR APPROVAL NECESSARILY.
THIS IS MORE OF STRATEGY AS WE PREPARE TO MEET OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A BALANCED BUDGET PRIOR TO JUNE 30.
ALL OF THIS PRESUPPOSES THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S BUDGET.
AND SO EVERYTHING I SAY IS STIPULATED THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE ARE NOW $1.2 MILLION AWAY FROM PROVIDING YOU WITH A BALANCED BUDGET.
AND I THINK INSTEAD OF ASKING THE LEADERSHIP TEAM TO GO BACK TO THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM LEADERS AND SEEKING ADDITIONAL CUTS.
OUR PREFERENCE WOULD BE AT THIS POINT TO MOVE THROUGH THE SPRING, MONITORING OUR CURRENT FY26 EXPENDITURES AND MONITORING RESIGNATIONS AND OR PEOPLE RELOCATING AND THEN TRYING TO RECONCILE THIS FINAL $1.2 MILLION.
AND I THINK BY THE THIRD WEEK IN JUNE, WE'RE CERTAINLY GOING TO BE THERE.
AND REAL QUICKLY, I'M SORRY, MR. FERNANDO, THIS INFORMATION, IF YOU BACK UP ONE SLIDE, THIS IS INFORMATION THAT I WILL, STARTING TOMORROW, I WILL START SHARING THIS AT FACULTY MEETINGS AS WELL.
SO WE'VE GOT THREE DOWN AND 26 FACULTY MEETINGS TO GO.
I THINK WE'RE AT ELK NECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TOMORROW MORNING.
SO, YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL TAKE MOVING FORWARD.
I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF A BETTER WAY TO SAY THIS.
WHAT'S OUR HOPE THAT WE HAVE SOME SAVINGS SO THAT WE HAVE FUND BALANCE MONEY TO OFFSET SOME OF THIS? AND WHERE ARE WE FUND BALANCE-WISE? DO WE NEED TO CUT ANOTHER 1.2 OR WE HOPE THAT THERE'S SOME? I'LL TACKLE THE FIRST END OF THAT QUESTION.
AND ALSO WITH THAT, DO WE FEEL THAT SOME ATTRITION WILL TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THIS? THERE YOU GO.
YOU KNOW, BETWEEN MAYBE WE'RE SAVING SOME BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR.
MAYBE WE LOOK AT OUR RESIGNATIONS.
BECAUSE THE RESIGNATIONS REALLY DO HAPPEN APRIL, MAY, JUNE.
IT'S THE RETIREMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT EARLY.
AND THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE RETIREMENT INCENTIVE THAT WE OFFER.
BUT THE ACTUAL RESIGNATIONS THAT HAPPEN BECAUSE THE FAMILY'S RELOCATING, SOMEBODY MIGHT LEAVE THE PROFESSION, THEY GO TO A DIFFERENT DISTRICT, DIFFERENT STATE, WE HAVE ATTRITION THAT WAY TOO.
AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS THAT PERSON BY PERSON, WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WE'LL EVALUATE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO, OR IF WE CANNOT FILL THAT POSITION.
A GREAT EXAMPLE IS THE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AT THE SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY.
MR. SHIELD, GOOD FOR HIM, HE IS RETIRING.
WE'VE GOT TO FILL THAT POSITION.
SO WE CAN'T TAKE THAT VACANCY.
SO CERTAIN VACANCIES HAVE TO BE FILLED.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD VACANCIES AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT DIDN'T GET FILLED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO THAT WAS REALIZED SAVINGS THAT MADE IT INTO THE FUND BALANCE FOR NEXT YEAR.
DO WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE SALARY SAVINGS? WE FEEL CONFIDENT THERE WILL BE SOME OF THAT? THERE ALREADY ARE.
IN FACT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR SUPPORT STAFF REDUCTIONS, THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE ALREADY VACANT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO THERE'S PROBABLY MAYBE 10 TO 15, MAYBE 10 THAT ACTUALLY HAVE.
FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, FTES, IN THEM AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND AS FAR AS FUND BALANCE, ALSO REMEMBER WE'RE USING $5 MILLION TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, SO WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR AS WELL.
BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK TO OUR FUND BALANCE DESIGNATION FOR THIS YEAR, WE HAD ASSIGNED EVERYTHING, AND THAT ONE UNASSIGNED NUMBER WAS FOR ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
IS THAT SORT OF 1.2 WILL REMAIN STATIC UNTIL JUNE 30TH PRETTY MUCH? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE JUST GOING TO? I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S GOING TO REMAIN STATIC.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SLOWLY WORKING ON IT.
WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN FOR IT TODAY.
LAWSON SAID, AS PEOPLE ATTRITE AND THINGS CHANGE OR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COPIER.
THE COPIER-LEASE AGREEMENT WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS GOING TO COME IN THAT LOW AND REALIZE SOME SAVINGS FOR US.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT.
AGAIN, ANALYZING OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET, TOO.
SO AN EXAMPLE WITH FAIR HILL AND MOVING IT TO TITLE IV, WHAT THINGS ARE IN TITLE IV THAT MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING IN TITLE IV THAT WE CAN MOVE SOME OF OUR EXPENSES FROM OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET THERE.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE...
SO I WOULDN'T SAY WE'RE DOING NOTHING.
IT'S JUST GOING TO BE SLOW PROGRESS TOO.
YEAH, AND WE'RE NOT SHOOTING IN THE DARK HERE.
WE'VE KIND OF DONE THIS BEFORE, AND WE KNOW.
I MEAN, KEEP IN MIND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS $1.2 MILLION ON A $285 MILLION BUDGET.
SO YOU'RE TALKING LESS THAN ONE HALF OF A PERCENT.
SO DO WE THINK WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT VARIANCE? SO WE'RE 99.6% OF THE WAY HOME NOW.
I'M CONFIDENT AT THIS POINT NOT MAKING FURTHER REDUCTIONS FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT MONTH SIX WEEKS AND SEEING HOW THIS
[01:00:01]
SHAKES OUT.LAWSON, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOUR PROJECTED IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE GOING TO BE WITH THESE REDUCTIONS? IT'S AWFULLY EARLY.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THIS NUMBER OF 56 TEACHING POSITIONS.
JOHNSON ARE GOING OUT TO PRINCIPALS AND SITTING DOWN AND SAYING HYPOTHETICALLY TO JIM LEITGAB AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL, MR. LEITGAB, YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE US TWO POSITIONS BACK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR THREE POSITIONS, AND THEN THE PRINCIPAL WILL DECIDE.
IN THE EVENT WE HAVE MORE TEACHERS THAN WE DO POSITIONS, THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY, THE CHANCE.
UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN IN CECIL COUNTY OF SIGNIFICANT RIFTS REDUCTION IN FORCE WE DON'T SEE THAT NUMBER GOING BEYOND FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS BUT THIS WOULD BE A SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD BE FORCED TO SAY TO A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER WE DON'T HAVE A POSITION FOR YOU AND KNOWING HOW PERSONAL AND DEEP OF AN ISSUE THIS IS I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO DETAIL TOO MUCH THAT I'M NOT CERTAIN OF BUT THAT IS HOW THE MATH IS STARTING TO LOOK.
I DON'T SEE A SCENARIO WHERE WE GO BEYOND THAT.
I THINK IN TERMS OF RAW SENIORITY CERTIFICATION, FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS ON CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATES TEND TO BE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST IN THE WORLD OF BUMPING, IF YOU WILL.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S VERY MUCH DRIVEN BY CERTIFICATION.
A FIRST-YEAR PHYSICS TEACHER MIGHT NOT BE TREATED THE FIRST, THE WAY AS A FIRST-YEAR THIRD-GRADE READING TEACHER.
AND SO WE WILL HANDLE IT ON A PERSON-BY-PERSON, CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
IF WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A TEACHER AT A PARTICULAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DR.
JOHNSON WILL GO OUT AND PAY THAT PERSON A VISIT AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HERE'S WHAT WE CAN TELL YOU WE'RE SURE OF, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE NOT SURE OF, AND WE WILL DEAL WITH IT AS A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
SO I GUESS THAT'S THE UPSIDE AND THE DOWNSIDE.
AND WHEN YOU I'M SORRY, MR. HAMPTON, MS. HOPE, IF YOU FEEL LIKE I'M MISSING ANYTHING, FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN.
AND WHEN YOU GO BEFORE THE COUNTY COUNCIL, I BELIEVE THAT'S MAY 5TH, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE PRESENTING TO THEM HOW IT CAN WORK FOR NEXT YEAR WITHIN THE PROPOSED COUNTY'S ALLOCATION TO CCPS, WHICH MAY LOOK DIFFERENT THAN HOW IT WILL LOOK COME 12 JUNE.
LAST WEEK FOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER DELAYING OUR HEARING BECAUSE HAD WE GONE, WELL IT WAS YESTERDAY THEY WANTED US.
FIRST OFF, I DIDN'T WANT THEM HEARING INFORMATION BEFORE YOU DID.
AND AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE A LOT OF I DON'T KNOWS OUT THERE STILL.
I MEAN, WE'RE NARROWING IT DOWN.
EVERY THREE OR FOUR DAYS WE GET A LITTLE, LITTLE CLOSER.
KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE UP WHAT WAS STARTED AS AN $11 MILLION GAP.
AND WE'VE GOT IT DOWN NOW TO 1.2.
SO I THINK WE'RE PRETTY GOOD AT BEING READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT EVEN WHEN WE GO ON MAY 5TH, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME I DON'T KNOW, JUST LIKE I GAVE YOU JUST NOW.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A LOT OF CUTS.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING YOUR DUE DILIGENCE TO TRY AND MAKE THIS WORK FOR NEXT YEAR.
CAN WE LOOK OUT THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR? WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? ARE WE GOING TO BE RIGHT BACK IN THE SAME SPOT AND DOING THE SAME THING AND MAKING MORE CUTS? SO THAT'S WHY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, SOME OF THE DECISIONS WE'VE MADE WE ARE MAKING BECAUSE WE DO ANTICIPATE NEXT YEAR BEING BAD AS WELL.
SO A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS THAT POP IN MY MIND ABOUT THAT.
COULD WE HAVE HOBBLED THROUGH AND MAYBE MADE AS NOT MANY REDUCTIONS PLANNING ON USING FUND BALANCE? WE PROBABLY COULD, FRANKLY.
BUT THAT SAID, ALL YOU'RE DOING IS PUNTING THE BALL FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
AND THAT'S BEEN THE THING I'VE BEEN PUSHING WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IS THAT THIS IS THE NEW NORMAL.
AND I MADE THE REMARK DURING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT IS THAT THERE IS NO STATE STATUTE CARVED OUT FOR ADMINISTRATORS.
IF YOU LOOK UP THERE, THERE'S NINE REDUCTIONS, COORDINATORS AND SUPERVISOR LEVEL, NINE.
THERE'S ONE REDUCTION OF AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT.
CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAS NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
UNTIL I THINK WE SEE STRUCTURAL, STATUTORY CHANGES IN THE BLUEPRINT, THIS IS HOW IT'S GOING TO LOOK.
AND SO I AM CONFIDENT IN THAT THE REDUCTIONS WE'RE MAKING NOW.
HELP US GOING INTO NEXT YEAR INTO WHAT I EXPECT TO BE ANOTHER LEAN YEAR.
I MEAN, THE EARLY FORECASTING COMING FROM THE COUNTY IS WE'RE
[01:05:01]
NOT EXPECTING BETTER THINGS NEXT YEAR MONEY-WISE.AND THEY HAVE BEEN THE SIDE OF THE EQUATION THAT'S REALLY BEEN HELPING US.
THEY GAVE US A $7.5 MILLION INCREASE AND ANTICIPATING A $6 MILLION INCREASE NEXT YEAR.
WHAT'S HURTING US RIGHT NOW IS A $1.4 MILLION COMING FROM THE STATE SIDE.
ON $140 MILLION, THAT'S A 1% INCREASE AT A TIME WHERE WE'RE EXPECTED TO GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES A 3.75% SALARY INCREASE.
WELL, THE NUMBERS JUST DON'T ADD UP.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING.
THE GOOD NEWS AS WE TRANSITION TO FY28 IS THAT THE 3.75% INCREASE, I CAN'T GET OUT AHEAD OF NEGOTIATIONS, BUT THAT INCREASE FOR OUR SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED FOR OUR FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS TO GET TO $60,000 BY JULY 1.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE AT 60,080 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE KNEW FIVE YEARS AGO TO GET FROM HERE TO 60,000, WE HAD TO GO 3.75% A YEAR FOR FIVE YEARS.
SO THE NEXT YEAR, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THE $8, $9, $10 MILLION SALARY INCREASE THAT WE'VE SEEN NOW FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
THAT'S A LONG-WINDED ANSWER, ISN'T IT? I'M JUST TRYING TO, I MEAN, YEAH, I'M JUST TRYING TO, EVERYTHING I'M THINKING AT THE MOMENT, I'M JUST TRYING TO PUT OUT THERE FOR YOU.
MS. OPA? I JUST WANT TO SAY THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THESE CUTS, WE'RE USING $8 MILLION IN NON-RECURRING MONEY BECAUSE WE'RE USING $5 MILLION FROM THE FUND BALANCE AND $3 MILLION FROM OPEB.
SO RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE NEXT YEAR, YOU NEED TO MAKE UP THAT $8 MILLION BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT'S BEEN A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE OPEB AND THE NON-RECURRING REVENUE, I MEAN, AND IT IS TRUE FROM AN ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVE, A MATHEMATICS PERSPECTIVE, IT'S TRUE, BUT OPEB IS DESIGNED FOR RETIREE HEALTH CARE.
AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT FOR FY27, WE'RE GOING TO USE OPEB FOR RETIREE HEALTH CARE.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING A SET-ASIDE MONEY AND SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AN ANNUITY FOR RETIREE HEALTH CARE AND TURN AROUND AND FUND SPORTS WITH IT.
WE'RE USING IT FOR THE EXACT REASON IT'S INTENDED.
BUT NONETHELESS, YOU'D MUCH PREFER TO PAY FOR THAT AT A PAY-GO, AND PAY-GO BEING THE DAY-TO-DAY EXPENSES, LIKE YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT IF YOU'RE HOME.
OTHER QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS? SO MS. SOPA CONTINUES.
SO THIS IS OUR BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
AND SO HERE YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN REVENUE OF $166,679 WITH AN EQUAL INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES FOR THE SAME TIME PERIOD.
AND SO THIS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THESE ADDITIONS.
SO YOU CAN SEE A CAREFIRST WELLNESS GRANT AND A YORK BUILDERS DONATION AND A LIONS CLUB DONATION.
AND THEN SEVERAL PTO DONATIONS TO SCHOOLS.
SO THESE ARE RESTRICTED OTHER REVENUE.
AND SO THIS IS A $73,820 INCREASE IN REVENUE.
YOU CAN SEE ADDITION TO FEDERAL REVENUE, WHICH IS A MUSEUMS OF CULTURAL IMPORTANCE FIELD TRIP.
SO IT WAS A GRANT FOR PERRYVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,168.
AND THEN DOWN FURTHER, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAD TO USE SOME FUND BALANCE TO SUPPORT REPAIRS TO THE CHILLER AT RISING SUN MIDDLE AND THE FIRE PUMP AT THE SCHOOL OF TECH.
AND CHESAPEAKE CITY IS USING THEIR STUDENT ACTIVITIES FUNDS TO MAKE THE PURCHASE OF A DOCUMENT CAMERA AND ENERGY REBATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT REPAIRS OF THE RISING SUN MIDDLE CHILLER.
SO THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER GOOD POINT OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN WITH OUR FUND BALANCE, AND THESE ARE SOME OF THESE EMERGENCY REPAIRS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR HVAC REPAIRS, WE STILL HAVE THESE THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT PUSH US ABOVE BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, THIS UNRESTRICTED OTHER REVENUE IS $88,691, AND THEN THE REST OF THE REPORT FOLLOWS AS IT DOES EVERY MONTH.
THE NEXT PAGE ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THESE INCREASES TO REVENUE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION? I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE THE OPERATING BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR $166,679 AS PRESENTED.
LAWSON'S RECOMMENDATION, IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
[6. Public Participation ]
MOTION CARRIES.[01:10:05]
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.MS. OLSON? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD WITH CONCERNS RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS OR MATTERS WITHIN THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY.
THE BOARD CONSIDERS ALL EMAILS AND FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC EVEN IF REMARKS ARE NOT PRESENTED OR READ ALOUD AT THIS MEETING.
IN GENERAL, A TIMELINE FOR COMMENTS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
THREE MINUTES WILL BE ALLOTTED TO INDIVIDUALS.
WHEN THE ALLOTTED TIME EXPIRES, THE SPEAKER WILL BE PERMITTED TO COMPLETE A SENTENCE.
NOTICE WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN 30 SECONDS REMAIN AND YOU WILL HEAR THE SPELL.
SPEAKERS MAY NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE OR SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ANONYMOUS INDIVIDUAL.
RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS ARE CONSIDERED OUT OF ORDER.
THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY INTERRUPT OR TERMINATE AN INDIVIDUAL STATEMENT WHEN IT IS TOO LENGTHY OR VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES.
AGAIN, THE BOARD ENCOURAGES SPEAKERS TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COPY OF THEIR REMARKS, AND COPY MAY BE PLACED ON THE BOX ON THE TABLE.
WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING, ALTHOUGH ONE PERSON SIGNED IN.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE OTHER TWO ARE NOT PRESENT.
JENNA MELVIN? OKAY, JENNA, YOU'RE THE FIRST SPEAKER.
YOU JUST HIT THE BUTTON THERE TO TURN THE LIGHT GREEN.
HI, MY NAME IS JENNA MELVIN AND I HAVE A KINDERGARTENER IN GUILFORD MANOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
FIRST, I WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOU AS A PARENT FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO TO SUPPORT US HERE TONIGHT AND EACH DAY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
SO MY GOAL HERE TODAY IS TO BRING AWARENESS TO OUR BUS SAFETY POLICIES AND THE NEED FOR THEM TO BE REVIEWED.
WITHOUT GOING INTO EVERY DETAIL, WITH MY DAUGHTER'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE FOR THE MOST PART I'VE EMAILED QUITE A FEW OF YOU, AND WHILE I'VE HEARD BACK FROM SOME, I'M STILL IN LIMBO ON A FEW PERSONAL MATTERS, BUT I WANTED TO BRING UP SOME OF OUR PAIN POINTS IN OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PARENTS DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
ON FEBRUARY 27TH, I RECEIVED A CALL THAT A MEDICAL EMERGENCY HAPPENED ON MY DAUGHTER'S BUS, AND UPON PICKING UP MY STUDENT FROM SCHOOL, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS AGAINST HIPAA POLICY FOR ME TO KNOW ANY DETAILS INTO WHAT HAPPENED.
LONG STORY SHORT, EVENTUALLY I FOUND OUT THE DETAILS THAT A VERBAL ARGUMENT HAD LED TO WHAT MY DAUGHTER DESCRIBED AS A PHYSICAL FIGHT, WITH MANY DETAILS LEFT OUT.
WITH THAT BRIEF SERIES OF EVENTS, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT EVERYTHING, IN MY OPINION, IS FROM MY SIX-YEAR-OLD'S POINT OF VIEW.
SO TODAY I'M HERE FOR SOME GOALS FOR OUR BOARD AS A PARENT THAT I HOPE WILL BECOME A TOPIC TO REVIEW.
MY FIRST GOAL I WANT TO TOUCH BASE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS BEING FULLY INFORMED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
THE AMOUNT OF FIGHTING I NEEDED TO DO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MY CHILD EXPERIENCED HURTS MY HEART.
WHILE I DON'T GET TO CHOOSE WHAT MY CHILD IS EXPOSED TO IN THE WORLD OR AT SCHOOL, I DO GET TO DECIDE HOW I CHOOSE TO HELP HER UNDERSTAND IT.
I UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT HIPAA, HOWEVER, I STILL FEEL CONFIDENT THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO BE INFORMED ON WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CHILD DURING SCHOOL.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S MULTIPLE AVENUES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EXPLORED TO BETTER REUNITE CHILDREN WITH THEIR FAMILY IN FULL TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT VIOLATING HIPAA AND STILL PROTECTING INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY.
THE CURRENT POLICY AND PROCEDURES, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, HAVE FAILED TO EVOLVE AS THEY NEEDED.
WHILE REVIEWING ALL THESE POLICIES, I'VE RESEARCHED STATISTICS WITH BUS INCIDENCES.
I TALKED TO THE STATE OF MARYLAND CENTER FOR SCHOOL SAFETY.
CONTRACTORS, I TALK TO MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND EVERYONE'S IN AGREEMENT THAT OUR BUSES ARE NOT ENTIRELY SAFE.
AND THEN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN THAT THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD EXPECT FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THAT WITHOUT BLANK CHECKS, THAT WE CANNOT ENSURE SAFETY ON OUR BUSES.
AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND MUCH OF THESE TOPICS NEED TO BE DISCUSSED HERE.
I DON'T BUY THAT OUR CHILDREN CAN'T BE SAFE COMING FROM SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, GUYS.
[01:15:02]
AFTER IF YOU'D LIKE TO.THE NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE ON THE LIST IS SHELLEY ALARKIN. HI, SHELLEY.
AND YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY OUR LAST SPEAKER, SEAN BRIM.
SHELLY ALARCON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS.
I AM A PARENT AND BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN CECIL COUNTY, AND I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK QUICKLY IN SUPPORT OF THE CECIL COUNTY CHARTER SCHOOL, THE APPLICATION THAT WILL BE TURNED IN NEXT WEEK.
I'M JUST GOING TO READ MY LETTER AND THEN I WILL LEAVE IT AS WELL.
AND I ARE PROUD RESIDENTS OF CECIL COUNTY AND BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE OWN JR PURPLE MARKETING AGENCY AND ALARCON MUSIC STUDIO.
AND ARE GETTING READY TO OPEN A THIRD BUSINESS IN NORTHEAST OF AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY.
WE SERVE OUR FAMILY AND OUR ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BUSINESS EXCHANGE AND ARE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN OUR LOCAL CHURCH, ST.
MARY ANN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, WHERE MY HUSBAND SERVES FAITHFULLY AS MUSIC DIRECTOR.
WE'RE COMMITTED NOT ONLY TO BUILDING SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES HERE, BUT TO BUILDING A THRIVING AND FLOURISHING COMMUNITY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
AS A PARENT OF TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, AGES 2 AND 5, THIS ISSUE IS BOTH PERSONAL AND FORWARD-LOOKING FOR OUR FAMILY.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR CHILDREN ATTENDING A CHARTER SCHOOL THAT EMPHASIZES CLASSICAL EDUCATION, AN APPROACH ROOTED IN STRONG FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY, CRITICAL THINKING, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE STUDY OF HISTORY, LOGIC, AND THE ARTS.
AS A CLASSICAL EDUCATION MODEL, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS I FEEL WILL BENEFIT TO CECIL COUNTY.
STRONG ACADEMIC FOUNDATIONS, CLASSICAL EDUCATION EMPHASIZES MASTERY OF LANGUAGE, READING COMPREHENSION, MATHEMATICS, AND AND REASONING SKILLS AT A VERY EARLY AGE.
THESE SKILLS FORM THE BACKBONE OF LIFELONG LEARNING AND ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND SKILLED PROFESSIONS.
SECOND, CHARACTER AND CIVIC FORMATION.
A CLASSICAL MODEL DOES MORE THAN PREPARE STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY.
IT CULTIVATES VIRTUE, DISCIPLINE, LEADERSHIP, AND RESPECT FOR COMMUNITY.
THESE TRAITS ARE ESSENTIAL NOT ONLY IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT IN THE WORKPLACE AND CIVIC LIFE.
THIRDLY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR CECIL COUNTY'S FUTURE.
AS BUSINESS OWNERS, WE UNDERSTAND FIRSTHAND THE IMPORTANCE OF...
A CAPABLE, ARTICULATE, AND RESPONSIBLE WORKFORCE.
A CHARTER SCHOOL FOCUSES ON CLASSICAL EDUCATION, WILL GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO CAN THINK CRITICALLY, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, SOLVE PROBLEMS INDEPENDENTLY, AND CONTINUE CONTRIBUTE MEANINGFULLY TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS.
THIS STRENGTHENS OUR COUNTY'S ECONOMIC FUTURE AND ATTRACTS FAMILIES WHO VALUE EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
FOURTH, EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL CHOICES FOR FAMILIES.
PROVIDING A CHARTER SCHOOL OPTION STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY BY OFFERING FAMILIES ADDITIONAL PATHWAYS TO MEET THEIR CHILDREN'S UNIQUE NEEDS.
CHOICE EMPOWERS PARENTS WHILE FOSTERING INNOVATION AND COLLABORATION WITHIN THE BROADER EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
CECIL COUNTY IS GROWING AND FAMILIES LIKE OURS ARE LOOKING FOR HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL PREPARE OUR CHILDREN NOT JUST FOR TESTS BUT FOR LIFE.
APPROVING THIS CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VITALITY FOR OUR COUNTY.
JOELLE AND I ARE DEEPLY INVESTED IN CECIL COUNTY'S SUCCESS.
WE BELIEVE THIS CLASSICAL EDUCATION IS A GREAT WAY TO HELP PEOPLE.
CHARTER SCHOOL WOULD BE A VALUABLE AND TRANSFORMATIVE ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
SORRY I DON'T HAVE A WRITTEN VERSION OF MY COMMENTS TONIGHT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE NEWS HERE THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
LAST WEEK, HUMAN BEINGS RETURNED TO THE VICINITY OF THE MOON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1972.
AND THEY DID IT IN, THERE'S ONE THING THAT'S NOTABLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK.
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE NOW NOT ONLY TRAVELED, MORE HUMAN BEINGS ON ONE MISSION THAN ANY OTHER MISSION, FOUR ASTRONAUTS, THEY ALSO WENT FURTHER THAN ANY PRIOR MANNED MISSION HAS GONE.
SO HUMAN BEINGS WENT ABOUT 04,000 MILES BEYOND THE MOON, WHICH BREAKS THE OLD RECORD SET BY APOLLO 13 BACK IN 1971.
AND IT DID IT USING THE SAME KIND OF...
IT'S CALLED A FREE RETURN TRAJECTORY.
BASICALLY, IT JUST GOES AROUND THE MOON, AND THEN JUST LETS EARTH'S AND MOON'S GRAVITY GRAB BACK ONTO THEM AND JUST PULL THEM BACK.
AND DOING THAT, YOU HARDLY HAVE TO DO ANY SORT OF MID-COURSE CORRECTION OR USE OF FUEL.
AND IN FACT, THEY WERE SO PRECISE THAT THEY ACTUALLY SKIPPED ONE OF THEIR MID-COURSE CORRECTIONS COMING BACK HOME LAST WEEK.
WHEN HUMAN BEINGS FIRST SET FOOT ON THE MOON IN 1969, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT APOLLO 11 THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO...
WHEN HUMAN BEINGS FIRST SET FOOT ON THE MOON IN 1969, THE UNITED STATES WAS ONLY ONE-THIRD AS BIG AS IT IS TODAY.
IT WAS ONLY 100 MILLION PEOPLE.
IN 1969, 100 MILLION PEOPLE SENT SEVERAL MISSIONS TO THE MOON.
[01:20:01]
TODAY, OUR POPULATION IS NOW OVER THREE TIMES THAT.ONE THING ABOUT THE APOLLO 11 INSIGNIA THAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, EVERY NASA MISSION HAS AN INSIGNIA.
THEY CREATE A LOGO THAT HAS A MISSION NAME AT THE TOP, AND THEN THEY PUT THE ASTRONAUTS' NAMES ON THE BOTTOM, EXCEPT FOR APOLLO 11.
IF YOU LOOK AT APOLLO 11'S INSIGNIA CLOSELY, IT IS BLANK ON THE BOTTOM.
IT HAS A BALD EAGLE, ITS WINGS SPREAD, IT'S ABOUT READY TO...
LAND ON THE MOON, AND IT JUST SAYS APOLLO 11 ABOVE IT.
THAT'S BECAUSE APOLLO 11 WENT FOR ALL MANKIND, AS NEIL ARMSTRONG PUT IT WHEN HE FIRST PUT ON THE MOON.
AND HIS FAMOUS COMMENT WHEN HE STEPPED OFF THE LADDER, IN A TRANSCRIPT, THE OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT, HE SLIGHTLY CORRECTED IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY RADIO WORKS.
HE CORRECTED IT IN THE TRANSCRIPT TO SAY, ONE SMALL STEP FOR A MAN.
SO THE FIRST PART OF THE SENTENCE HE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT HIMSELF.
THE SECOND PART IS TALKING ABOUT ALL OF MANKIND.
LASTLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO KIND OF TRAIL LORI FRANCO'S REPORT ON SINE DIE A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.
THERE'S ONE BILL THAT CAME OUT OF SINE DIE THAT WAS PASSED WITH JUST MINUTES TO GO BEFORE MIDNIGHT THAT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT TO YOU, AND THAT IS NOTABLE FOR WHAT IS NOT IN THERE, AND THAT IS...
SENATE BILL 255 DOES NOT MENTION BOARDS OF EDUCATION ELECTIONS.
IT APPLIES TO COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, BUT NOT BOARDS OF EDUCATION.
[8. Upcoming Events]
HAVE A GOOD EVENING.THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING TONIGHT AND SPEAKING WITH US.
LAST ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR UPCOMING EVENTS.
WE WILL BE ISSUING REPORT CARDS ON APRIL 21ST.
APRIL 21ST IS ALSO AN EXCITING EVENING.
IT'S THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR GALA.
ON THE 24TH WE HAVE THE JROTC GALA AND THEN APRIL 28TH THROUGH THE 30TH OUR SEVENTH GRADERS WILL BE ALL HEADED TO FAIRHILL AND THEY WILL BE HAVING AG DAY AND IT'S EXCITING TIME FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS TO GET OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY SEE A LOT ABOUT WHAT CECIL COUNTY IS ABOUT AND WE HAVE A LOT OF AGRICULTURE IN THIS COUNTY AND SO WE TAKE OUR STUDENTS THEY ALL GET TO GO THERE AND ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE ANIMALS, CROPS, YOU KNOW YOU NAME IT IT'S THERE IT'S EXCITING TIME SO I'M EXCITED TO GO AND AND BE INVOLVED THERE AND THEN ON APRIL THE 29TH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IS HOSTING THE CANDIDATE FORUM AND THAT IS AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
IF YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT IN TWO DIFFERENT SESSIONS THIS YEAR BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS THIS YEAR.
SO THE FIRST CANDIDATE FORUM IS GOING TO BE FOR OUR SHERIFF, RIGHT? ISN'T THE FIRST ONE SHERIFF? OH, IT'S NOT.
OKAY, SO THE FIRST ONE IS COUNTY COUNCIL AND SENATE AND DELEGATE.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE ON MAY 4TH IS OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION.
MAY 5TH IS BOARD OF EDUCATION AND...
IS THAT RIGHT? WHERE'S THE OTHER ONE? OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? OH, IT'S NOT ON HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT SESSIONS.
CERTAINLY NOT WITHOUT MY GLASSES ON HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE FIRST ONE, MAY 4TH.
HOSTED BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THAT HAS DISTRICTS 2 AND 3 FOR COUNTY COUNCIL, AND SENATE DISTRICT 36 AND DELEGATES DISTRICT 35A AND 35B.
AND THEN THE OTHER CANADA FORUM IS MAY 6TH, AND THAT ONE IS GOING TO BE THE SHERIFF AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
SO PLEASE, EVEN THOUGH I COMPLETELY MESSED THAT UP, PLEASE GO AND EITHER GO TO THE FORUMS OR THEY WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED.
I'M NOT SURE WHO'S DOING THE LIVE-STREAM THIS YEAR.
BUT I'M SURE THEY WILL BE LIVE STREAMED AND EDUCATE YOURSELF ON EACH CANDIDATE.
AND I AM JUST ASKING, AS A FORMER PARENT, AS A BOARD MEMBER, AND AS A CITIZEN OF THE COUNTY, PLEASE LOOK FOR CANDIDATES THAT EMPHASIZE PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THAT IT IS AN INVESTMENT AND THAT IT'S NOT AN EXPENSE.
BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING OPEN SESSION AND THAT'S AT 445 AND MAY 5TH OUR CCPS BUDGET PRESENTATION TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
[01:25:01]
ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING.AND I THINK, DO WE HAVE ANOTHER ONE? OH, OUR NEXT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS MAY 13TH.
IT'S DIFFERENT WHAT'S ON HERE THAN WHAT'S UP THERE.
SO I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING FOR TONIGHT.
AND MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.