Sep 09, 2026 Board Meeting

[1. Regular Meeting - 4:30 p.m. ]

[00:00:04]

SEEING THAT IT'S 4.30, I AM GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF SUSQUEHANNA MEETING FOR SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2026. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER

[2. Closed Session ]

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

TODAY IS AUGUST THE 22ND OF 2026 AND THIS IS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING FOR CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MR. JOHNSON, CAN YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? THANK YOU.

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.

MR. DAVIS IS GOING TO LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN OBSERVATION OF 9-11.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE, THOSE JOINING US ONLINE, AND MEMBERS OF THE CECIL COUNTY COMMUNITY. AS WE APPROACH SEPTEMBER 11TH, THIS FRIDAY, WE PAUSE TO REMEMBER A DAY THAT CHANGED OUR NATION FOREVER.

AS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE VETERAN, A 25-YEAR EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AND A MEMBER OF THIS CCPS BOARD OF EDUCATION, IT IS AN HONOR TO SPEAK TO YOU ON THIS DAY OF REFLECTION.

25 YEARS LATER, WE CONTINUE TO HONOR THE NEARLY 3,000 INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES, THE FAMILIES WHO WERE FOREVER CHANGED, AND THE FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, MILITARY PERSONNEL, AND EVERYDAY CITIZENS WHO DEMONSTRATED REMARKABLE COURAGE AND SELFLESSNESS ON THAT DAY.

FOR OUR STUDENTS, SEPTEMBER 11,2001 IS NOW HISTORY.

HOWEVER, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ENSURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE LESSONS HISTORY TEACHES US ABOUT COURAGE, COMPASSION, SACRIFICE, RESILIENCE, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF COMING TOGETHER DURING DIFFICULT TIMES.

HERE IN CECIL COUNTY, WE ARE PROUD OF THE STRENGTH AND CHARACTER OF OUR STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, FAMILIES, AND FIRST RESPONDERS. MAY WE CONTINUE TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO VALUE ONE ANOTHER, SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND NEVER TAKE OUR FREEDOMS OR THE SACRIFICES OF OTHERS FOR GRANTED.

SO TONIGHT, ON BEHALF OF THE CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION, WE REMEMBER, WE HONOR, AND WE WILL NEVER FORGET.

I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS.

MR. HAMPTON, WILL YOU DO THE BOARD REFLECTION FOR US? SURE. 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.

THANK YOU. AND NOW CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT TONIGHT'S AGENDA? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ADOPT THE MEETING AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

OKAY.

[4. Consent Agenda ]

BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO ITEMS THAT A BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO HAVE REMOVED FOR A SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND VOTE.

HEARING NONE, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY ADOPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[5. New Business ]

LET ME GET DOWN TO IT. HERE WE GO.

OKAY. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS.

MR. JOHNSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START US? THANK YOU.

SO, SCHOOL HAS STARTED.

WE'RE IN THE SECOND WEEK NOW OF SCHOOL.

IT'S EXCITING.

LOTS OF THINGS ARE STARTING, AND WE'VE GOT CLUBS STARTING.

I HAD SOME MEETINGS FOR FCA WITH MY SCHOOL, AND WE'VE ALSO GOT SPORTS GOING AS WELL.

I HAD MY FIRST FOOTBALL GAME THIS PAST WEEK, AND WE RECLAIMED THIS HUSKY BOWL.

SO, VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LINE.

OKAY.

AS MR. JOHNSON MENTIONED, SCHOOL STARTED.

[00:05:02]

SENIOR SUNRISE AT NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL.

REALLY WELL ATTENDED.

I FEEL LIKE EVERY YEAR MORE AND MORE OF THE SENIORS ARE SHOWING UP FOR THEIR SENIOR SUNRISES.

IT'S ALSO THE LAST FIRST DAY OF THE CURRENT NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL AND NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.

SO, THAT WAS A PRETTY BIG OCCASION FOR EVERYBODY.

SO, LOTS OF LIKE LAST AND FIRST AND ALL THE THINGS.

BUT IT WAS ALSO THE FIRST FIRST DAY FOR MANY OF OUR LITTLES, OUR PRE-K'ERS, AND OUR KINDERGARTNERS.

I WAS ABLE TO JUMP TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND THEN WENT TO NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND SPENT THE MORNING IN KINDERGARTEN LIKE I HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST MANY YEARS.

AND NOW I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE MS. HEATH.

I MIGHT STEAL YOUR THUNDER HERE.

BEING IN SCHOOLS ALWAYS JUST KIND OF SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF EXTRA HANDS, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.

VOLUNTEERS.

SCHOOLS ARE LOOKING FOR ALL SORTS OF VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

YOU CAN WORK WITH STUDENTS, YOU CAN MENTOR, YOU CAN SCARY ASSIST IN THE CAFETERIA AT LUNCHTIME.

BUT IF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH KIDS ISN'T YOUR THING, I KNOW TEACHERS ALWAYS NEED HELP PREPPING MATERIALS.

SO, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

THERE'S LOADS OF VOLUNTEER ORIENTATIONS COMING UP.

AND THEN FINALLY, JUST WANT TO QUICKLY MENTION THAT SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH.

AND TOMORROW IS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY.

SO, WE ARE WEARING OUR YELLOW TO SHOW SUPPORT TO OTHERS AND HELP BREAK THE STIGMA.

DR. LAWSON'S A DAY EARLY WITH HIS YELLOW.

BUT IT'S JUST A POWERFUL REMINDER TO ALL OF US THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SUFFER IN SILENCE.

AND JUST SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS AND SUPPORT MEAN THE WORLD FOR PEOPLE.

SO, IF YOU CAN, WEAR YOUR YELLOW TOMORROW.

AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT THE LIVE FOR THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THEY DO IN OUR SCHOOLS AND TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

SO, AGAIN, TOMORROW, YELLOW.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING. IT'S NICE TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE AND NICE TO SEE SO MANY STUDENTS.

I KNOW WHY MOST, IF NOT ALL OF YOU ARE HERE, SO CONGRATULATIONS AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.

IT WAS FUN TO SEE A LOT OF HAPPY STUDENTS AT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL LAST WEEK AND EVEN SOME UNHAPPY.

BUT MOST OF THOSE WERE AT MY HOUSE, SO THAT DOESN'T COUNT.

I DO WANT TO THANK OUR FACILITIES DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DID IN GETTING OUR SCHOOLS BACK AND READY TO GO.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK DONE IN A LOT OF THOSE SCHOOLS.

AND THANKS TO TEACHERS, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THEY'RE OFF, THEY KNOW AS SCHOOLS GET CLOSER AND CLOSER, AND THEY'RE THINKING AND WORKING THROUGH LESSON PLANS AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PREP THEIR ROOM.

SO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET ALL THE APPRECIATION THEY DESERVE.

AND JUST TO REITERATE WHAT MS. HEATH, I'M SORRY, MS. HAWLEY SAID ABOUT VOLUNTEERING.

I'M A MENTOR AT THE SCHOOL OF TECH. IT'S REALLY REWARDING.

SO, IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND HAVE THE TIME, REACH OUT TO YOUR SCHOOL, REACH OUT TO ONE OF US AND WE'LL GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO STEAL SOME OF WHAT YOU SAID AS WELL.

THANK EVERYBODY FOR GETTING THE SCHOOLS READY.

ALL THE SCHOOLS, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO THAT.

TO HAVE IT READY AND WELCOMING AND EXCITING FOR THE KIDS TO COME BACK MAKES IT A LITTLE EASIER TO END SUMMER BREAK.

I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT'S HAPPY SUMMER BREAK'S OVER, BUT WE'RE BACK TO SCHOOL IN FALL.

SPORTS HAVE STARTED, SO I'M HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

SO, I'VE BEEN RECRUITED TO THE DARK SIDE.

I'M HELPING COACH AT NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY WEIRD TO SAY, BUT MAYBE IN MEMORY OF THE SCHOOLS LAST YEAR IS WHY I DID IT.

BUT I'VE BEEN RECRUITED OVER TO NORTHEAST.

ALL MY RISING SUN FRIENDS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT, BUT THEY'LL GET OVER IT.

SO, I'M HAPPY TO SEE SPORTS STARTING.

IT SHOULD BE A REALLY EXCITING YEAR, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.

THANK YOU.

JUST A FEW BRIEF ITEMS FOR ME, MS. HEATH.

I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SUNRISE LAST WEEK.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL THE SENIORS WELCOMING BACK.

I JUST WANT TO WELCOME BACK ALL OF OUR TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, AND FACULTY MEMBERS TO 26-27.

SO, WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT YEAR.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.

AND I'M GOING TO KEEP IT SHORT AS WELL.

JUST WELCOME EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT.

APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE.

I DO, DIANA, MS. HAWLEY DID,

[00:10:03]

I AM FULL-FLEDGED ADVOCATE FOR VOLUNTEERS.

SO, PLEASE, IF YOU HAVE TIME, IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE SOME TIME, PLEASE REACH OUT TO MYSELF, DR. JOHNSON, OR YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL, AND WE HAVE A JOB FOR YOU.

PLEASE COME OUT AND HELP US.

AND I JUST WISH ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF FOR, I'M HOPING THAT THEY HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR.

AND DR. LAWSON, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? JUST A COUPLE THINGS.

SO, WE KIND OF KNEW WE WERE COMING INTO LARGE CLASS SIZES THIS YEAR.

AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC.

YOU KNOW, JUST, DR. FOY, DR.

JOHNSON, CAN TELL YOU WHICH SCHOOL, WHICH HOMEROOM, THE CLASS SIZE, THE NUMBER.

WE KNOW FROM OUR RADAR THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE SETTLE IN AND LOOK CLOSE AT OUR FUND BOUNDS, WE WILL TAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD FOR RELEASING SOME POSITIONS TO TRY TO RELIEVE CLASS SIZES.

WE KNOW WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE.

TEACHERS HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC IN DEALING WITH THE LARGER CLASS SIZES.

THEY'RE PROBABLY BIGGER THAN THEY'VE BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN AROUND IN 2009.

SO, THANK YOU TO THE TEACHERS.

WE DON'T PAY ENOUGH ATTENTION, I THINK, TO TRANSPORTATION.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT KIND OF DON'T KNOW, APPRECIATE IT UNTIL IT GOES WRONG.

AND SO FAR THIS YEAR, I HAVE RECEIVED ONE COMPLAINT FROM TRANSPORTATION.

NOT THAT I WANT COMPLAINTS, IF YOU HAVE ANY.

I'M NOT SOLICITING COMPLAINTS.

BUT DR. HELM DOES A FANTASTIC JOB.

FORMER PRINCIPAL AT RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL.

HE'S NOW DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION.

REAL GOOD JOB THERE.

AND JUST, I'M GOING TO THROW SOME APPLAUSE TO OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, WHICH IS TO YOUR LEFT.

YOU KNOW, WE KNEW ABOUT SIX, SEVEN MONTHS AGO THAT WE WERE COMING INTO SOME REALLY HARD FINANCIAL TIMES.

THE LEADERSHIP TEAM HAD THE FORESIGHT AND THE PREDICTION SKILLS TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY TEACHERS, STAFF IN GENERAL, WE WOULD NEED TO REDUCE TO GET US TO A CERTAIN NUMBER IN OUR BUDGET.

AND IT'S WORKED OUT JUST PERFECTLY.

AS WE SIT HERE RIGHT NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANY TEACHER VACANCIES.

SO, WE HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD.

WE END UP NOT HAVING TO RIF ANYBODY.

THERE WERE SOME ANXIETY-FILLED MOMENTS FOR SOME OF OUR TEACHERS WHO WERE TOLD THEY WERE GOING TO BE RIFFED.

ONLY TO TAKE JOBS IN ANOTHER SYSTEM.

WHEN WE CALLED BACK, I BELIEVE ALL BUT ONE OR TWO CAME BACK, HARFORD COUNTY.

SEVEN OF OUR TEACHERS WENT TO HARTFORD.

AND WHEN WE CALLED THEM BACK, SIX DID RETURN.

SO, YOU KNOW, REALLY EXCELLENT WORK DONE BY OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM AND OUR HUMAN RESOURCES.

I, TOO, WENT TO SENIOR SUNRISE.

I WAS ABLE TO GET TO NORTHEAST HIGH AND RISING SUN HIGH WITH DONUTS BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO GO TO FIRST PERIOD.

SO, ALL IN ALL, WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START.

OUR ENROLLMENT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ABOUT 90 KIDS DOWN.

AND THAT FOLLOWS A TREND THAT'S BEEN NOW FOR 15, 20 YEARS IN CECIL COUNTY.

A VERY SLOW ATTRITION THAT COINCIDES ALMOST EXACTLY WITH BIRTH RATES.

WE KNOW THE BIRTH RATE IN CECIL COUNTY LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE, WAS 10.6 BIRTHS PER 01,000 RESIDENTS.

AND THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN TRENDING DOWN JUST THE SAME.

SO, WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU.

I'M IMPRESSED THAT YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT THE BIRTH RATES OF CECIL COUNTY.

NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR CCPS EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS.

MS. HARENKO, WOULD YOU COME UP? THANK YOU.

CECIL COUNTY CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH, DR. LAWSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUESTS.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE THIS ROOM FULL.

COME ON BACK NEXT MONTH.

SO, THIS IS THE SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL.

FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE ARE BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.

I SEE A LOT OF STUDENTS HERE, AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CORROBORATE THAT STORY.

BUT I TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL, IF YOU'RE NOT SURE.

AND THIS WEEK I WAS REVIEWING WRITING CERS WITH MY STUDENTS.

AND IT'S A WRITING FRAMEWORK FOR SCIENCE.

IT STANDS FOR CLAIM, EVIDENCE, AND REASONING.

AND AS WE WERE REVIEWING, I ASKED THEM TO KIND OF MAKE A CLAIM ON SOMETHING THEY WERE EXPERTS ON.

AND SO, I ASKED THEM WHICH GRADE LEVEL DID THEY THINK HAD THE TOUGHEST START TO MIDDLE SCHOOL THIS YEAR.

AND SO, THEY ALL VERY QUICKLY DECIDED IF IT WAS SIXTH GRADE, SEVENTH GRADE, OR EIGHTH GRADE.

AND SOME OF THEM SAID, WELL, IT WAS THE SIXTH GRADERS BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW THE BUILDING YET.

THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING.

THEY HAD TROUBLE FINDING THINGS.

AND THEY WERE NEW TO THE LOCKERS.

THE SEVENTH GRADERS SAID, WE HAD IT THE HARDEST.

YOU KNOW, WE STARTED GETTING GRADED ALREADY LAST WEEK.

WE WERE DOING GRADED ASSIGNMENTS.

AND THEN SOME SAID, WELL, WE THINK THE EIGHTH GRADERS HAD IT THE TOUGHEST BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPECTED TO BE GOOD ROLE MODELS FOR EVERYBODY.

SO, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR THE EVIDENCE THAT THE STUDENTS WERE USING.

AND IT WAS A GOOD WAY TO SLIDE IT IN BECAUSE THEY WERE PRACTICING A SKILL THEY NEED ON SOMETHING THEY FELT COMFORTABLE DOING.

AND SO, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR STUDENTS AND ASK THEM WHAT WENT WELL FOR THE START.

WHAT DID THEY HAVE TROUBLE WITH? AND, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS HAVE THAT

[00:15:02]

IF IT WAS TROUBLE LAST WEEK, YOU'RE PROBABLY BETTER AT IT THIS WEEK.

SO, LOOKING IN THAT FORWARD THINKING.

AS HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, TOMORROW IS WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY.

AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING FOLKS TO WEAR YELLOW.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE DAY, BUT THAT DAY IS A SYMBOL AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO OUR STUDENTS AND TALK TO OUR FAMILIES ABOUT THINGS THAT SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS TALK ABOUT.

AND WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR KIDS TO JUST MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.

MAKE A NEW FRIEND.

TALK TO SOMEBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, SITS NEAR YOU.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHO'S AT YOUR LUNCH TABLE.

AND PARENTS, YOU KNOW, TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY GET OLDER.

THEY LIKE TO STAY QUIETER.

THEY LIKE TO HIDE IN THEIR ROOM.

THEY LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, BE ON THEIR TABLETS AND TECHNOLOGY.

BUT TALK TO THEM.

TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS.

AND REALLY TRY AND STAY CONNECTED AND GET TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN FOLKS' LIVES.

BECAUSE WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE WHAT EVERYBODY'S STRUGGLING WITH.

AND THAT'S WHAT I TRY AND TELL MY STUDENTS AT SCHOOL.

YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE COMING TO SCHOOL, THEY'RE PUTTING A SMILE ON THEIR FACE, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AT THEIR HOME.

SO LET'S JUST GIVE EACH OTHER THAT GRACE AND BE KIND TO EACH OTHER.

AND SO I ASK YOU TO CARRY THAT MESSAGE FORWARD WITH YOUR STUDENTS AS WELL.

THIS FRIDAY MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF 9-11.

AND THE STUDENTS I'M TEACHING WERE NOT ALIVE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2001.

MAYBE SOME OF YOU IN THIS ROOM ALSO, IN ADDITION TO THE STUDENTS, WEREN'T ALIVE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

AND SO AS I THINK BACK, TO ME, I WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST BORN DURING THE VIETNAM ERA.

AND SO TO ME, YOU KNOW, I HEARD STORIES FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVED THROUGH IT, BUT I WASN'T THERE.

AND SO IT'S OUR JOB TO CARRY THAT SORT OF MESSAGE ON TO OUR STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT OCCURRED THEN.

SO AS WE'RE TEACHING THEM THAT HISTORY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT THE HEROISM, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT WERE IN THE TOWERS, THE FIRST RESPONDERS, THOSE ON FLIGHT 93, AND TALK ABOUT THE SURVIVORS BECAUSE THEY ALSO WERE STRUGGLING AND THOSE WHO LOST PEOPLE.

THOSE ARE JUST UNBELIEVABLE STORIES.

ANOTHER STORY THAT CAME OUT OF THAT THAT I REMEMBER, IN ADDITION TO THE AWFUL, AWFUL TIME, WAS JUST HOW OUR COUNTRY CAME TOGETHER.

EVERYBODY CALLED THEIR FAMILY, RIGHT? EVERYBODY WENT TO VISIT.

WE STOPPED WATCHING RIDICULOUS THINGS ON TV AND JUST CAME TOGETHER.

AND SO AS WE REMEMBER THIS ON FRIDAY, I ASK THAT YOU LOOK TO BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS THAT WE BUILT BACK THEN.

TRY AND MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AGAIN.

AND LET'S NOT HAVE A TRAGEDY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR FAMILY.

WE GET BACK TOGETHER AND YOU THINK, WELL, WHY DID WE WAIT THIS LONG? SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO WAIT.

WE ALSO HEARD SAD NEWS TODAY THAT FORMER SUPERINTENDENT HENRY SCHAEFER PASSED AWAY.

I'M SURE IT'LL BE IN THE NEWS SHORTLY.

AND I JUST NEEDED TO MENTION THAT HE WAS A MENTOR AND LEADER TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

HE HAD OVER 40 YEARS OF SERVICE IN CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BY THE TIME I MADE IT HERE, HE WAS ALREADY AN ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT AND THEN AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT AND THEN A SUPERINTENDENT.

HE WAS A NEGOTIATOR, SO I GOT TO SIT ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TABLE WITH HIM.

BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER WHERE YOU SAT.

HE WAS A FRIEND.

HE WAS GENUINE.

HE WAS WARM.

HE HAD A WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR.

AND HE LIVED A LIFE OF SERVICE.

SO HIS DEDICATION WAS FOREMOST TO HIS FAMILY.

BUT HIS SCHOOL SYSTEM, HIS KIDS AND THE COMMUNITY CAME A CLOSE, CLOSE SECOND.

AND SO I JUST WISH THAT EVERYBODY THAT KNEW HIM, GIVE A THOUGHT TO HIM AND HIS FAMILY.

AND THAT YOU MAYBE THINK OF WHAT YOU CAN DO IN SERVICE TO YOUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. RENKO.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE MR. SCHAEFER LAST WEEK IN HOSPICE.

I'LL DO MY BEST TO NOT GET EMOTIONAL.

I TAKE THIS JOB SERIOUSLY.

AND IT'S NOT AN EASY JOB IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S DEMANDING OF YOU EMOTIONALLY.

BUT HE'S THE KIND OF GUY THAT I HOPE, NOW THAT HE'S LOOKING DOWN, I HOPE HE'S PROUD OF THE WORK I DO.

BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF NOISE AND YOU TEND TO NOT LET IT GET TO YOU.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T LET IT GET TO YOU AS A HUMAN.

YOU JUST CAN'T.

NO OFFENSE TO ANYBODY IN THE ROOM.

YOU JUST CAN'T.

SO THAT THE NOISE THAT HAPPENS, IT KIND OF GOES IN ONE OUT THE OTHER.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE, AND DICK SCHAEFER IS ONE OF THEM, THAT HIRED ME IN JULY OF 2009.

AND I KNOW HE THOUGHT SO HIGHLY OF ME THAT I FEEL EVERY DAY THAT I HAVE TO PERFORM AT A CERTAIN LEVEL TO MAKE HIM PROUD.

AND HE'S A SPECIAL GUY TO A LOT OF US.

THANK YOU.

[00:20:06]

MS. GINA PUCCI, COULD YOU PLEASE COME UP AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION? GOOD EVENING.

PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, FACULTY THAT ARE IN THE ROOM.

THANKS, LORI.

I ALWAYS LIKE THAT LORI GOES FIRST BECAUSE THEN AS I'M READING THROUGH AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, LORI AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE AND WE DIDN'T KNOW IT.

EXCUSE ME IF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE AS AN ASA MEMBER GROUP SAY BECAUSE IT'S CERTAINLY APPLICABLE HERE.

OPENING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR IS NO SMALL TASK, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US THAT WORK 12 MONTHS.

WE SPENT A LOT OF MONTHS PLANNING, PREPARING, PROBLEM SOLVING.

FOR THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IN THE ROOM, YOU CERTAINLY SHOULD UNDERSTAND MY THEME HERE.

WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR OUR SCHOOL-BASED ADMINISTRATORS WHO SPENT THE SUMMER OBSESSING OVER THE DETAILS, EMBRACING THE CHALLENGES OF MASTER SCHEDULING, BALANCING CLASSES.

WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR OUR SUPERVISORS WHO SPENT THE SUMMER LEADING BY EXAMPLE DURING THEIR CONTENT-BASED PD AND THIS YEAR MEASURING THE STRENGTH IN OUR CURRICULUM BY THE OUTCOMES, NOT JUST THE ACTIVITY.

I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT LIFTS THAT ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPERVISORS HAVE TAKEN ON THIS YEAR.

IN MANY CASES, WE HAVE REDISTRIBUTED THE WORK AMONG ALL OF US TO GET THE JOB DONE.

OUR MEMBERS HAVE STEPPED FORWARD.

THEY'VE TAKEN ON ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, FILLED GAPS, ADJUSTED ROLES, PUT ANOTHER HAT ON, AND HAS DONE WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE OPENING OF THE SCHOOLS WAS SUCCESSFUL FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

ADMINISTRATORS SPEND SOME OF THEIR TIME BALANCING INCREASED OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES, EXPECTED TO LEAD INSTRUCTION, SUPPORT TEACHERS, ADDRESS STUDENT BEHAVIOR, ADDRESS ATTENDANCE, COMMUNICATE WITH FAMILIES, ENSURE SCHOOL SAFETY, MEET COMPLIANCE, SUPERVISE, AND RESPOND TO THE COUNTLESS UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS THAT OCCUR EVEN AT 7.25 IN THE MORNING.

ALSO, ON BEHALF OF OUR ASSOCIATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO ALSO GIVE OUR SENTIMENTS AND MOURN THE PASSING OF DR. SCHAEFFER.

I WAS STILL TEACHING WHEN HE WAS IN THE SEAT HERE, AND WE JUST WANTED TO GIVE WARM THOUGHTS TO HIS FAMILY BECAUSE, AS LAURIE SAID, HE WAS INDEED A TRUE LEADER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. PUCCI.

NEXT, WE WOULD LIKE TO HONOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US TODAY.

WE HAVE OUR CARSON SCHOLAR RECOGNITION.

DR. JOHNSON? THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM AND GUESTS.

I AM EXCITED TONIGHT TO GET TO RECOGNIZE THE STUDENTS IN THE ROOM WHO ARE PROBABLY EXCITED AND A LITTLE NERVOUS TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR ACHIEVING CARSON SCHOLAR STATUS.

TONIGHT, WE'LL RECOGNIZE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN INITIALLY AWARDED A CARSON SCHOLARSHIP, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO HAVE RENEWED.

IN ORDER TO MEET THE CRITERIA, A STUDENT MUST HAVE A 3.75 GPA.

THEY MUST DEMONSTRATE HUMANITARIAN QUALITIES.

OFTEN, THESE STUDENTS SERVE ON STUDENT COUNCILS, SCHOOL BOARDS, HAVE FOUNDED THEIR OWN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

SOME ARE TAKING COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSES AND SERVE AS MENTORS FOR YOUNGER STUDENTS.

AS YOU LOOK OUT THROUGH THE ROOM TONIGHT, YOU'RE SEEING LEADERS OF TOMORROW IN THIS ROOM.

TONIGHT, TO RECOGNIZE OUR STUDENTS, WE'RE GOING TO CALL THEM UP BY SCHOOL.

STUDENTS, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, YOUR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR OR COUNSELOR, WHOEVER'S COMPANY TONIGHT, YOU'RE ALL GOING TO COME FORWARD AND STAND WITH DR. LAWSON AND PRESIDENT HEATH WHERE YOU'LL RECEIVE YOUR CERTIFICATES AND GET A PHOTO.

MY REQUEST OF YOU AFTER THAT IS THAT YOU MAKE YOUR WAY INTO THE LOBBY WHERE WE WILL GET A PHOTO OF ALL THE STUDENT CARSON SCHOLARS BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR THE EVENING.

WE'LL GET STARTED WITH BAYVIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RECOGNIZING A FIRST-TIME CARSON SCHOLAR.

PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING AUBREY TRAVASANO.

AUBREY GAVE YOU ALL AN EXAMPLE.

WE'RE JUST DOING THE SAME THING.

[00:25:11]

WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS EVENING WITH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

NEXT, WE HAVE ANOTHER FIRST-TIME CARSON SCHOLAR FROM HOLLY HALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ROSALYN BAILEY.

CONGRATULATIONS.

WE HAVE ONE MORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT TO RECOGNIZE THIS EVENING FROM RISING SUN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

PLEASE JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING OAKLEY NOEL.

NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE A STUDENT WHO IS A THREE-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR FROM BOHEMIA MANOR MIDDLE SCHOOL.

JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING BRIDGET COHN.

THANK YOU.

WE'LL RECOGNIZE STUDENTS FROM NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.

NEXT, WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING RECOGNITION TONIGHT.

FIRST-TIME CARSON SCHOLAR, ISABELLA JACKSON.

OUR SECOND-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR, BENJAMIN BURTON.

AND A FOURTH-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR, DAKOTA HOLMES-SMITH.

[00:30:07]

JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING JOSHUA VAN STEUBEN.

WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS FROM ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL TO RECOGNIZE.

FIRST, JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING ARIANA FAZINO, A FIVE-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR.

JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING ANOTHER FIVE-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR, AMELIA TROYAN.

AND FINALLY, FROM ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL, JOIN US IN CONGRATULATING AALIYAH WILLIAMS, A SIX-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR.

NEXT, WE'LL RECOGNIZE STUDENTS FROM NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL.

PLEASE JOIN US IN RECOGNIZING FIRST-TIME CARSON SCHOLAR, CHARLES SHIRLEY.

NEXT, WE'LL RECOGNIZE A STUDENT FOR A FOURTH-TIME RENEWAL AS A CARSON SCHOLAR, ANGELINA JACKSON.

CONGRATULATIONS.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL STUDENT FROM NORTHEAST HIGH, A SEVEN-TIME RENEWED CARSON SCHOLAR, MADISON BURTON.

[00:35:17]

GABRIELLA REINHART.

JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THESE STUDENTS ONE FINAL TIME.

AND FAMILIES, WE WILL TAKE THAT GROUP PHOTO IN THE LOBBY TO GET ALL THE CARSON SCHOLARS TOGETHER.

THANK YOU AGAIN AND CONGRATULATIONS.

YOU GUYS CAN USE THE CLICKER OR YOU CAN USE THE MOUSE, WHICHEVER YOU WANT.

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

WE HAVE THE FY27 COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN.

IT'S MUCH MORE BORING THAN WHAT THAT WAS.

THAT'S MORE FUN.

THANK YOU, MS. HEATH.

AT THIS TIME, MR. CHUCK SIMPERS, OUR DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES, AND MR. ANDREW KERN, OUR SUPERVISOR OF FACILITIES, WILL SHARE OUR COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN AND CIP WITH THE BOARD. MR. SIMPERS.

YES, THANK YOU. HOW DO I FOLLOW THAT? SORRY, I CALLED YOU BORING.

THANK YOU A LOT. THAT'S OKAY.

NO PROBLEM. I'M HAPPY TO DO IT. THANK YOU.

PRESIDENT HEATH, DR. LAWSON, BOARD MEMBERS AND GUESTS AND LEADERSHIP TEAM, THANKS FOR HAVING US.

AGAIN, I'M CHUCK SIMPERS, DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES. MYSELF AND ANDREW KERN, WHO'S THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES NOW. WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER SOME DATA AS IT RELATES TO THE CMP, THE COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE PLAN, AND THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, CIP.

QUICK LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. THE CMP TAKES A LOOK BACK A YEAR AT ALL THE DATA THAT MR. KERN WILL GO THROUGH, AND THEN I'LL TOUCH ON THE CIP, WHICH LOOKS AHEAD AT OUR REQUESTS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR. SO WE'LL START OFF WITH THE CMP, AND MR. KERN.

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. SO THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE CMP IS TO COMMUNICATE OUR INTENTIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR, AS WELL AS PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

WITHIN THE CMP, YOU'LL FIND BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON OUR DEPARTMENT, DATA AND METRICS REGARDING OUR PERFORMANCE, STAFFING, SPENDING, AS WELL AS FUTURE PLANS.

IN THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE EIGHT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, INCLUDING SIX SUPERVISORY ROLES AND TWO ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIES. WE HAVE 117 CUSTODIAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. SCHOOL CUSTODIAL STAFFING RANGES FROM 1.5 AT THE SMALLER BUILDINGS UP TO EIGHT AT SOME OF THE LARGER HIGH SCHOOLS.

ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE, WE HAVE 37 PEOPLE, INCLUDING ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS, HVAC MECHANICS, CARPENTERS AND OTHER SKILLED TRADES. TOGETHER, WE MAINTAIN THE 31 CCPS FACILITIES, WHICH INCLUDES OVER 2.4 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF BUILDINGS AND 660 ACRES OF GROUNDS.

THIS IS A SUMMARY OF LAST YEAR'S SPENDING IN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

IN MAINTENANCE, HVAC IS ALWAYS ONE OF THE MORE COSTLY AREAS. LAST YEAR, WE HAD SOME MAJOR CHILLER REPAIRS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.

BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS IS ANOTHER COSTLY AREA, WHICH THERE WAS AN INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR. IF YOU LOOK AT LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION AS WELL, YOU'LL SEE THAT INCREASE. THAT WAS MAINLY DUE TO A PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT AT LEEDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AS WELL AS SOME ADDITIONAL PAVING WORK. YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF

[00:40:02]

THE LAST PIECE OF THE CMP THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS SOME METRICS REGARDING WORK ORDER EFFICIENCY.

I'M SORRY, I SKIPPED AHEAD.

OUR LABOR DISTRIBUTION AND MAINTENANCE DOES LOOK A BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS. YOU CAN SEE ON THE CHART ON THE LEFT, THE MAIN AREAS WHERE WE SPEND OUR TIME ARE MAINTAINING THE HVAC SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS THE PHYSICAL BUILDINGS. THE CHART ON THE RIGHT SHOWS OUR PROPORTION OF LABOR SPENT ON CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE AND MAKING REPAIRS AFTER AN ISSUE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED VERSUS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, SUCH AS CHANGING BELTS, GREASING FITTINGS, CHANGING FILTERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS TO EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE THAT WE DO BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO FIX PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY EVEN OCCUR, WHICH WILL OVER TIME LEAD TO FEWER EMERGENCIES AND LESS DISRUPTION TO SCHOOL OPERATIONS.

WE'VE GOT A QUESTION ON THAT CHART. ON THE PREVENTIVE VERSUS CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE, THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS A LESS PROPORTION OF THE LABOR THIS YEAR THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR. IS THAT DUE TO INCREASED CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE LABOR, OR ARE WE HAVING TO CUT BACK ON OUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE? I WOULD SAY IT DOES FLUCTUATE A BIT YEAR TO YEAR. WE HAVEN'T INTENTIONALLY CUT BACK ON PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, BUT THE AMOUNT OF PMS THAT WE DO IS LIMITED BY THE WORKLOAD OF CMS THAT WE SEE, WHICH ARE ALWAYS THE PRIORITY.

AS EQUIPMENT BREAKS DOWN, THAT'S WHERE OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE, WHICH DOES AT TIMES LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF PMS THAT WE CAN DO.

THAT MAKES SENSE, AND THIS BY NO MEANS IS A CRITICISM. I THINK YOU GUYS DO GREAT WORK.

I'M JUST POINTING OUT FOR MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD, THOUGH, THAT AS WE HAVE TO CUT BACK ON PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE, ON AVERAGE, THOSE COMPONENTS THAT WE ARE SKIPPING THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ARE GOING TO HAVE CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, AND THE MORE WE HAVE TO SPEND ON THAT IS LESS MONEY THAT GETS TO THE CLASSROOM. IT MAY NOT BE MUCH COMPARED TO OUR OVERALL BUDGET, BUT IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF.

THANK YOU.

JUST ONE MORE QUESTION ON THAT. DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO NOT HAVING ENOUGH STAFF? MORE STAFF WOULD CERTAINLY ALLOW US TO CONDUCT MORE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. SURE, YES.

THE LAST PIECE OF THE CMP THAT WE WILL SHARE SOME METRICS ON WOULD BE WORK ORDER EFFICIENCY.

EACH YEAR, WE RECEIVE AROUND 10,000 WORK ORDERS, AND ON AVERAGE, IT TAKES US ABOUT 13 DAYS TO COMPLETE EACH WORK REQUEST.

THE RATE AT WHICH WE COMPLETE WORK ORDERS IS PROBABLY THE BEST METRIC WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY GAUGE OUR PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY, BUT THIS ALSO HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON STUDENTS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATORS, AND ANYBODY WHO SPENDS TIME IN OUR BUILDINGS.

PROVIDING CLEAN, SAFE, AND COMFORTABLE BUILDINGS IS OUR PRIMARY GOAL, AND RESPONDING QUICKLY TO REQUESTS DETERMINES OUR SUCCESS IN THAT.

SO THAT IS ALL OF THE CMP THAT I HAVE TO SHARE WITH YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER TO THE CIP? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. KERN.

APPRECIATE THAT.

SO LOOKING AHEAD TO THE CIP, WE BUILD THE CIP EVERY YEAR BASED OFF OF OUR EFMP, IF YOU REMEMBER, BACK IN JUNE.

WE PRESENTED THAT OR WE OFFERED THAT TO YOU FOR YOUR VOTE, AND THAT DOCUMENT, THAT ANNUAL SUBMISSION HELPS US BUILD ANNUALLY OUR REQUEST TO BOTH THE STATE AND THE COUNTY FOR FUNDING FOR LARGE CAP PROJECTS, CAPITAL PROJECTS.

YOU CAN SEE A PHOTO OF NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH THAT'S COMING ALONG.

WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MONTHS LEFT ON THE BUILD ON THAT PROJECT, BUT THE CIP ITSELF CONTAINS THE BULLETED ITEMS THERE.

IT'S A DOCUMENT. WE DIDN'T BRING THE DOCUMENT WITH US.

IT'S ABOUT 50 PLUS PAGES.

I HAVE A COPY IN MY OFFICE HERE AT CARVER.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME, I WELCOME YOU ANYTIME TO COME AND LOOK AT THAT FOR YOUR READING PLEASURE.

IT HAS ALL OF THE FORMS, ALL OF THE FORMULAS THAT WE WORK ON TO BUILD THE REQUEST TO THE STATE AND TO THE COUNTY FOR THE FUNDING.

IT ALSO INCLUDES STATUS OF OUR PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROJECTS, AND IT IS A REQUIREMENT FROM THE STATE FOR US TO SUBMIT THIS ANNUALLY, SO WE HAVE TO PUT THAT IN.

WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IT NOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR YOUR VOTE IN TWO WEEKS AT YOUR WORK SESSION TO APPROVE IT TO SEND IN.

IT'S DUE OCTOBER 5TH, SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO GET YOUR VOTE AHEAD OF TIME.

[00:45:02]

THE FIRST ONE BEING THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION FUNDING FOR THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL.

WE'RE ASKING FOR THE LARGER PORTION THIS YEAR FOR THE STATE TO BUILD IT OUT AND TO FINISH, AND THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE DEMO PHASE OF THE EXISTING HIGH SCHOOL THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.

ONCE OCCUPANCY HAS BEEN TAKEN IN JUNE IN THE NEW BUILDING, THE SECOND PROJECT IS A SYSTEMIC MAINTENANCE PROJECT THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR AT RISING SUN MIDDLE.

IT WILL HELP DECREASE THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IN ANDREW'S PRESENTATION AND HIS SIDE.

ANY BIT THAT WE CAN CHIP AWAY AT THAT AND ASK FOR FUNDING TO DO A LARGER SYSTEMIC PROJECT, YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL ON THAT'S JUST SOUTH OF TWO MILLION.

SO IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL CHILLER REPLACEMENT OVER AT RISING SUN MIDDLE, WHICH IS OUR GREATEST NEED.

THAT'S A ONE TIME, ONE YEAR ASK, WHEREAS THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE AND THE LARGER PROJECTS ARE SPREAD OUT OVER THE YEARS.

THAT'S THE STATE REQUEST THERE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT MOVING LEFT TO RIGHT.

IT'S THE TOTAL ALL IN COST BROKEN OUT INTO STATE REQUEST AND LOCAL REQUEST AND PREVIOUS FUNDED AMOUNTS.

AND THEN THE YEAR IS OUT FOR THAT. THAT'S THE STATE, AS YOU CAN SEE.

THE LOCAL LOOKS VERY SIMILAR, BUT IT'S JUST FLIP-FLOPPED AND THAT'S THE LOCAL REQUEST TO THE COUNTY FOR BOTH PROJECTS.

IT'S PROBABLY WORTH POINTING OUT TO THE BOARD THAT IF YOU COMPARE OUR CIP SUBMISSIONS THIS YEAR TO SEVERAL YEARS PAST, WE'VE ALWAYS LISTED OUT ANYWHERE FROM FOUR TO SIX DIFFERENT PROJECTS GOING WELL OUT INTO 15 YEARS.

THE REASON WE HAVEN'T HERE, IT'S KIND OF A COMPLICATED ISSUE IN THE SENSE THAT THERE ARE A FEW ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO DOVETAIL.

ONE IS THE CONTRACT THAT I WILL ASK FOR APPROVAL LATER THIS EVENING TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD FOR REDISTRICTING.

SO THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT LAST SPRING, MYSELF, DAN SCHNECKENBERGER, THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, CHICK HAM, CFO FOR THE COUNTY, WE WENT DOWN TO THE IEC TO VISIT WITH ALEX DONAHUE AND HIS STAFF ABOUT THE CIP PROJECTS FOR CECIL COUNTY.

IF YOU RECALL, IN OUR PAST SEVERAL CIP SUBMISSIONS, A NEW THOMPSON ESTATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS LOOMED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

THEIR COMMENT TO US WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A NEW THOMPSON ESTATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXTRA SEATS, EMPTY SEATS YOU CURRENTLY HAVE AT HOLLY HALL, CECIL MANOR, GILPIN, LEEDS, IT IS WHAT YOU NEED FOR THOMPSON SO THAT THE IAC DOESN'T SEE THEMSELVES APPROVING ANY NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR ANY COUNTY AS LONG AS THERE ARE VACANT SEATS IN THE COUNTY NOT BEING UTILIZED.

THEY AGREE THAT THOMPSON ESTATES NEEDS TO BE, IT'S NOT MUCH UNLIKE NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN BAD SHAPE AND WHATEVER WE DO WITH IT, IT'S GOING TO COST MONEY IN THE OUT YEARS TO SUSTAIN.

SO I THINK ONCE WE, AND THE COUNTY OFFICIALS HEARD THAT LOUD AND CLEAR.

SO YOU TAKE ALL THAT AND OVER HERE YOU HAVE THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY LOANED THE STATE UPWARDS OF $24 MILLION, INTEREST-FREE BY THE WAY, WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THE STATE WOULD PAY THE COUNTY $6 MILLION A YEAR UNTIL THAT LOAN IS PAID OFF, WHICH I BELIEVE GOES OUT TO 2031, TO 2032.

SO FOR THE NEXT FOUR FISCAL YEARS, THE STATE IS SIMPLY GOING TO GIVE CECIL COUNTY THE $6 MILLION THAT THEY ARE PAYING BACK ON THEIR LOAN, WHICH DOES TAKE CARE OF THE NEW SCHOOL, BUT THAT'S ALL IT TAKES CARE OF.

AND SO WHAT IT'S DONE IS IT HAS REALLY HURT US, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, IN TERMS OF THE OUT YEARS CONSTRUCTION.

SO WE HAVE TWO CHALLENGES.

ONE IS A DECLINING ENROLLMENT, WHICH CREATES VACANT SEATS.

AND THE SECOND IS RESTRICTED REVENUE COMING FROM THE STATE.

YOU KNOW, THE STATE PASSED THE BILL TOWARDS THE END OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH CONSIDERABLY INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING WE WOULD GET FOR A SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

SO THE STATE'S PICKING UP A CONSIDERABLY LARGER SHARE, AND PEOPLE WERE CELEBRATING THAT LIKE IT WAS A GOOD THING.

THE CAUTION THERE IS THAT THE MORE THE STATE IS PAYING, THE MORE WE ARE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE STATE TO SPEND.

SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? SO IF THEY OWN IT ALL, THEN THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDE WHEN PROJECTS HAPPEN.

[00:50:02]

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO THIS RIGHT NOW.

IT'LL START TO SETTLE IN THE COMING YEARS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T RECOMMENDED A NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.

THE DIRECTION I GAVE MR. SIMPERS IS TO START TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT SOME SYSTEMIC RENOVATIONS, AT SPECIFICALLY PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AND RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF THE ENROLLMENT TRENDS THAT WE SEE, NONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE IN JEOPARDY OF POSSIBLY HAVING TO CLOSE BECAUSE OF LOW ENROLLMENT.

I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO SAY CLOSING ANY SCHOOL IN CECIL COUNTY IS REALLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE JUST BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF THE COUNTY WITH THE FIVE RIVERS.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY YOU CAN MOVE KIDS.

I DROVE TODAY FROM CECILTON ELEMENTARY TO RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL.

IT TOOK ME ALMOST 40 MINUTES TO GET THERE.

AND SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, CONSTRICTED IN THAT SENSE.

SO, I MEAN, I KIND OF DUMPED A LOT OUT THERE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU MAKE SENSE AS TO WHY YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE RECOMMENDATION FOR A NEW SCHOOL.

AND I WOULD SAY NEXT YEAR YOU SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE US RECOMMEND ONE, POSSIBLY TWO SYSTEMIC EFFORTS AT OUR TWO HIGH SCHOOLS, SPECIFICALLY RISING SUN, OR EXCUSE ME, PERRYVILLE.

AND DID I SAY RISING SUN? YEAH, YOU DID.

BOHEMIAN MANOR, BOHEMIAN MANOR.

AND SO THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS.

PERRYVILLE FOR SURE IS ONE.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE KIND OF A VALUE JUDGMENT OF IS IT GOING TO BE RISING SUN HIGH OR IS IT GOING TO BE BOHEMIAN MANOR? OKAY, QUESTION.

AND I KNOW THAT'S A LOT.

OKAY, GOOD.

MY QUESTION IS WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOMPSON ESTATES NOW? I MEAN, WE KNOW THEY NEED A NEW SCHOOL.

WE KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO LEARN IN THAT SCHOOL.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING THE BOARD APPROVES THE CONTRACT WE'RE GOING TO RECOMMEND THIS EVENING, I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO COME BACK WITH A SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER ONCE THEY'VE DONE AN ASSESSMENT OF ENROLLMENT PATTERNS.

AND THIS IS WHY THE REDISTRICTING ASSESSMENT IS BEING DONE WITH FULL SUPPORT OF THE COUNTY BECAUSE WHETHER IT'S ASTON POINT, SOME OF THE LARGER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE UNDER REVIEW IN NORTHEAST, SOUTHFIELD IS CERTAINLY, IF YOU'VE NOT GONE BY THERE, I SUGGEST YOU TAKE A RIDE.

THE HOUSES ARE GOING UP FAST.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION THAT COULD HAVE AN EFFECT.

I MEAN, FOR YEARS AND YEARS, SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAVE OPERATED WITH A.47 MULTIPLIER.

DON'T ASK ME WHERE IT CAME FROM.

BUT EVERY SINGLE FAMILY HOME WAS EXPECTED TO GENERATE.47 KIDS SO THAT A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH 100 HOMES, A SYSTEM COULD EXPECT TO PICK UP 47 KIDS.

WELL, WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THAT'S NOT THE CASE ANYMORE.

AND SO, AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO THE BIRTH RATE ISSUE.

AND SO EVEN THAT HAS KIND OF BEEN THROWN OUT.

AND THAT'S WHY ORDINARILY I WOULD SAY GIVE US A STAB AT TRYING TO LOOK AT REDISTRICTING OURSELVES.

BUT I THINK THE CONVERGING DETAILS OF DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS.

WE MET WITH STEVE O'CONNOR FROM THE COUNTY WHO SHOWED US ALL THE DIFFERENT PLANES THAT ARE OUT THERE.

THEY'RE SUBSTANTIAL.

THERE'S A LOT OF PLANE DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF PIERCE ROAD OUT IN RISING SUN.

THAT'S ALL BUT READY TO BREAK GROUND AND GET GOING.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S A COUPLE HUNDRED HOMES.

SO THERE ARE POCKETS WHERE WE ARE SEEING REAL ENROLLMENT INCREASES, SO TO SPEAK, AND IN POCKETS WHERE YOU'RE JUST NOT SEEING THE STUDENTS.

SO IN ANY EVENT, I BELIEVE IT'S TIME FOR US TO HAVE A GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS.

THEY'LL GIVE US THE INFORMATION.

WE WILL PROVIDE IT TO THE IEC.

WE'LL PROVIDE IT TO OUR COUNTY PARTNERS.

AND WE'LL REASSESS WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH ELEMENTARY NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.

COULD THAT DATA HELP WITH THE IEC TO SAY WE DO NEED TO FIX THE SCHOOL? OR WOULD THEY STILL JUST SAY YOU DON'T HAVE THE ENROLLMENT NOW SO IT DOESN'T MATTER? NO, I WOULD SAY THE FORMER.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP WITH THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF CECIL COUNTY.

THEY VERY MUCH ASKED US.

IT WAS AT THAT TABLE WHERE CHICK HAIM AND DAN SCHNEIDERBERGER SAID, YEAH, WE COMPLETELY SUPPORT YOU GUYS HAVING A GROUP COME IN, DO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT, AND GIVE US SOME PROJECTIONS IN TERMS OF.

FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD IN THE PAST, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN LIKE WHATEVER YOUR LAST CENSUS WAS IS WHAT THE NUMBERS WE GO OFF OF, RIGHT? WELL, FOR SURE.

AND IF YOU THINK THE LAST REDISTRICTING WE DID WAS WHAT? NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY AND BAYVIEW.

AND THAT WAS JOE BUCKLEY AND CHIP HELM COMING IN AND JUST GIVING IT A GOOD OLD COLLEGE TRY BECAUSE IT WAS FAIRLY LIMITED.

BUT WHEN YOU EXTEND THAT OUT TO THE ENTIRE COUNTY WITH ALL THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OUT THERE, IT'S A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT.

BUT THERE'S A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO NOT.

TO REDISTRICT THE SCHOOL TO OTHER SCHOOLS AND CLOSE THE SCHOOL.

I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU OPTIONS.

ALL OF THE ABOVE.

OK, THANK YOU.

THEY'RE GOING TO HOLD TOWN HALLS, COMMUNITY FORUMS, THE WHOLE THING.

THEY'LL REVIEW WITH THE COUNTY OF WHERE THE HOUSES ARE GOING TO BE BUILT.

AND YEAH, IT'S KIND OF EXCITING IN THAT SENSE TO REALLY GET A GOOD PROFESSIONAL LOOK AT WHAT WE THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE COUNTY.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME HARD RECOMMENDATIONS.

AND I'LL TELL YOU,

[00:55:01]

YOU WANT TO HIRE THE TROOPS, TELL THEM THEY'RE CHANGING SCHOOLS.

LAWSON, I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT.

SO WITH THE REDISTRICTING, LIKE WHEN WOULD THAT HAPPEN? WHEN WOULD THAT PACKAGE COME TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND LOOKING AT? WELL, THE CONTRACTS COMING TONIGHT AND I DO NOT KNOW APRIL.

THEY HOPE TO HAVE SOMETHING BY THE SPRING FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

AND WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE.

WE PUT OUT AN RFP.

WE HAD THREE BIDS.

WE INTERVIEWED TWO AND THEN WE INTERVIEWED THE TWO.

WE HAD COUNTY OFFICIALS COME OVER, SIT AT THE TABLE WITH US.

I MEAN, THIS IS A JOINT ISSUE.

IT'S A JOINT CONCERN.

AND I APPRECIATE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING A PART OF THIS.

OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE? AND WE WILL ASK FOR A VOTE ON THIS IN TWO WEEKS.

RIGHT.

ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE I STEP ALL OVER, MR. SIMFORD? ALTHOUGH YOU'RE PROBABLY HAPPY.

THANK YOU, CHUCK.

YEAH, NO PROBLEM.

THAT WAS MORE EXCITING.

YEAH.

THANKS.

GOOD JOB.

THE BAR WAS SET LOW RIGHT FROM THE START.

MADE A CAREER OUT OF IT.

SET THE BAR LOW SO YOU CAN ALWAYS REACH IT.

OKAY.

SO NOW WE HAVE THE...

RIGHT ON CUE.

YEAH, RIGHT ON CUE.

WE HAVE THE CONSULTING SERVICES FOR SCHOOL BOUNDARY REVIEW.

DR. LAWSON.

AND THAT IS 506, RIGHT? YES.

I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH MGT IMPACT SOLUTIONS, LLC, FOR A TOTAL IN THE AMOUNT OF $211,014.

DR. LAWSON HAS A RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS, BUT WE WERE STILL IN THE...

SECOND.

TIERNEY, SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

AND NOW WE HAVE DISCUSSION.

SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WHAT THIS CONTRACT DOES, IT'S ALLOWING MGT TO GO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY TO IDENTIFY OPTIONS FOR CCPS TO BEST UTILIZE OUR SCHOOL BUILDING SPACES.

AND WHAT THE CONTRACT DOES NOT DO IS MANDATE THAT CCPS MUST ACCEPT ANY OF THE OFFERED...

THAT'S CORRECT.

THAT WOULD REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL.

YES.

AND IN THE PAST, WE'VE DONE THIS ON OUR OWN BECAUSE WE HAD STAFF FOR IT.

IT WAS A MUCH SMALLER SCALE.

MR. SCHAEFER HIRED ME IN 2009, AND WE'VE NEVER DONE IT SINCE I'VE BEEN AROUND.

OKAY.

SO THAT'S 17 YEARS.

OKAY.

BUT IT'S TOO BIG OF A SCALE.

WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE ENTIRE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE'VE ALWAYS, IF YOU GO BACK OVER THE YEARS, WHENEVER WE'VE DONE THIS, WE'VE DONE IT IN POCKETS, PIECES HERE.

WE DID HOLLY HALL AND THOMPSON, NOT ALL THAT LONG.

I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 2010,2011.

NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY, BAYVIEW.

WE'VE NOT DONE ANYTHING SECONDARY SINCE I'VE BEEN AROUND MIDDLE OR HIGH.

IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE WE'VE DONE THAT.

AND THIS IS NOT UNLIKE WHAT OTHER COUNTIES HAVE DONE.

GOOD POINT.

GETTING INDEPENDENT.

ST. MARY'S AND WACOM ARE BOTH UNDERWENT SIMILAR PROCESSES.

AND THAT'S WHY, AND WE HAVE BOTH OF THEIR PRODUCTS, IF YOU WILL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS 5.07, AND THAT IS THE FOOD SANITATION SERVICES AND CLEANING PROGRAM.

I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH FOOD SAFETY SOLUTIONS IN THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $67,799.

DR. LAWSON HAS A RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

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

MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT, 5.08.

SO I'M GOING TO TAKE A STAB AT LAYING THE FRAMEWORK FOR YOU ON THIS AND WHATEVER GAPS I CREATE.

MS. SOPA WILL HOPEFULLY STEP IN AND HELP ME.

SO WE HAVE AN FFE LINE, FIXTURES, FURNITURE, AND EQUIPMENT.

IT'S A LINE FOR THE NEW SCHOOL, AND IT'S $2 MILLION.

AND IT IS FOR FURNITURE, FIXTURES, AND EQUIPMENT.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE IN THE TITLE.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RECONCILING WHAT WE HAVE AT THE CURRENT SCHOOLS.

IS IT SERVICEABLE? AND IF IT IS, IT GOES TO THE NEW SCHOOL.

AND IF IT'S NOT, IT GOES TO A DUMPSTER.

SO THAT THE STUFF THAT'S NOT, WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO BUY NEW, AND THE NEW WILL GO INTO THE NEW BUILDING.

SO GOING THROUGH AND KIND OF TOUCHING EVERY SINGLE DESK IN THESE TWO SCHOOLS TAKES TIME.

[01:00:02]

AND WE HAVE SETTLED ON A VENDOR.

WE KNOW THEIR UNIT COSTS.

I'M GETTING OUT OVER MY SKIS.

BUT WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT YET HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO NEED.

BUT WE'RE VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT IT'S GOING TO COME WITHIN THE $2 MILLION LINE ITEM.

HOW DID I DO, MS. SOPA? VERY WELL.

OKAY.

SO IF THAT WAS FOGGY, LET US TRY TO HELP CLEAR IT UP.

WE BELIEVE THAT BASED ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO CHARGE FOR THE EQUIPMENT PER DESK, YOU KNOW, PER PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, AND EXTRAPOLATE THAT TO WHAT WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED, THESE ARE OUR GUYS, AND WE CAN DO IT WITHIN BUDGET.

WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.

CORRECT.

AND THIS IS THE CAPITAL BUDGET.

CORRECT.

AND IT'S AN EXISTING $2 MILLION LINE FOR FF&A.

SO WE'RE NOT APPROVING SOMETHING NEW, WE'RE JUST APPROVING THAT IT BE USED THAT WAY.

WE'RE APPROVING THE VENDOR AT THE MOMENT.

THE VENDOR FOR THAT CONTRACT.

WE WILL COME BACK WITH A NUMBER AT A LATER DATE CLOSER TO US GOING IN THE BUILDING.

ALL KINDS OF STORAGE IMPLICATIONS, AND WHERE IS IT GOING TO GO WHEN IT GETS DELIVERED? SO YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES TO THIS, BUT IT'S EXCITING.

WE'RE GETTING THERE.

EVEN IF AT A LATER DATE, WHEN THAT AMERICAN DESIGN COMES BACK WITH WHAT WE ARE SELECTING, AND IT'S BELOW $2 MILLION, THAT WILL STILL BE APPROVED BY US.

ALL WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS AWARDING CONTRACT TO A VENDOR.

THAT'S CORRECT.

YEP.

THE VENDOR NOW, THE AMOUNT LATER.

DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR US? DO I? I THINK YOU SHOULD.

OF COURSE I DO.

OKAY.

I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY AWARD A CONTRACT TO AMERICAN DESIGN FOR THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL REPLACEMENT PROJECT, FF&E.

THIS PROJECT IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.

OKAY.

YOU'VE HEARD DR. LAWSON'S RECOMMENDATION.

IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT IS OUR AGREEMENT FOR COACHES FOR ILLUSTRATIVE MATH.

THIS TIME, DR. HAMMER AND DR.

JOHNSON ARE BOTH AVAILABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT THIS COACHING CONTRACT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR MATH CURRICULUM, WHICH IS IN ITS SECOND YEAR NOW SYSTEM-WIDE.

QUESTIONS FOR DR. JOHNSON OR DR. HAMMER? DO WE HAVE THE ASSESSMENT RESULTS FOR THE SCHOOLS THAT IMPLEMENTED THE IM MATH LAST YEAR AND HOW THEY DID COMPARED TO THE 25? SO WE DO HAVE THAT DATA, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE BOARD AT THE WORK SESSION.

WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN YEAR THREE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF IM, SOME ARE IN YEAR TWO.

AND SO THE RESULTS DEMONSTRATE THIS SHIFT BETWEEN A CURRICULUM THAT'S VERY SCRIPTED AND PRESCRIBED TO A MORE CONCEPTUAL CURRICULUM.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT GRADE THREE TO FIVE DATA OVERALL, OUR ASSESSMENT SCORES ARE DOWN IN THE AREA OF MATH.

BUT IN THESE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HAD MULTIPLE YEARS OF IM, THE RESULTS ARE MORE PROMISING THERE.

AND THAT'LL BE INCLUDED IN OR WHEN WE GO OVER THESE RESULTS, WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE AT THE WORK SESSION? CAN WE HAVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE TEACHERS ON WHAT THEY'RE SEEING? I MEAN, I'M SURE SOME OF THE TEACHERS PROBABLY STRUGGLE WITH IT TOO.

PUT THE DISLIKES AS WELL AS THE LIKES AND WHAT THEY'RE OBSERVING THEIR STUDENTS DOING.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S CHALLENGES ON THE FIRST YEAR THING FOR BOTH THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS.

WE HAD A CACK ABOUT THAT LAST YEAR.

BUT IT'S PROMISING FROM WHAT I HEAR FROM YOU SAYING THAT THE SECOND AND THIRD YEAR IMPLEMENTATION SCHOOLS ARE SHOWING TREND IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

THANK YOU.

OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I THINK I HAVE SPOKEN TO A COUPLE OF TEACHERS REGARDING THIS AND THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE COACHES BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

AND THEY ARE THANKFUL THAT WE ARE GIVING COACHES FOR THAT.

I RECOMMEND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE IN THE APPROXIMATE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $67,000.

I'VE HEARD DR. LAWSON'S RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET UPDATE.

GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HEATH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR. LAWSON, LEADERSHIP TEAM

[01:05:01]

SO THIS IS OUR FIRST FY27 AMENDMENT.

AND THE BULK OF THIS AMENDMENT IS REALLY THE CARRYOVER OF THE RESTRICTED BUDGET.

AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST SECTION HERE, AND THERE'S A LOT, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOUCH ON ALL OF THIS.

BUT WHAT I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT WHEN WE PROJECTED OUR FY27 BUDGET FOR THE RESTRICTED BUDGET, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE TOLD YOU IT WAS OUR BEST PROJECTION AT THE TIME.

WE NEVER PROJECT THIS RESTRICTED OTHER REVENUE.

THESE ARE OUR COMMUNITY GRANTS, THINGS THAT ARE HOUSED MOSTLY AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

AND SO THIS IS THE CARRY FORWARD OF THE COMMUNITY GRANTS THAT ARE BEING USED AT SCHOOLS.

SO THIS IS THE CARRY FORWARD OF THESE, EXCEPT FOR THE ONES WHERE YOU SEE A NEW FY27.

SO HERE'S A NEW CHESAPEAKE CITY PTO DONATION TO PURCHASE RECESS KITS AND PARENT COMMUNICATOR FOLDERS.

A NEW CALVERT ELEMENTARY PTO DONATION FOR SMART BOARDS AND DOCUMENT CAMERAS.

AND ONE MORE NEW ONE RIGHT HERE, CECIL COUNTY GOVERNMENT VIDEO LOTTERY TERMINAL GRANT TO SUPPORT BACK TO SCHOOL EVENTS.

SO OTHER THAN THAT, ALL OF THESE OTHER GRANTS ARE CARRY OVER FROM PRIOR YEARS THAT ARE SCHOOL BASED COMMUNITY GRANTS.

WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT STATE REVENUE AND FEDERAL REVENUE RESTRICTED GRANTS, WE MAKE A PREDICTION OF WHERE WE THINK WE'LL BE AT THE END OF FY26 AND WHAT TO CARRY OVER.

SO THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO CARRY OVER VERSUS WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY CARRYING OVER.

SO THESE ARE SOME CARRY FORWARD GRANTS IN OUR RESTRICTED STATE REVENUE.

AND AGAIN, SO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE END DATES OF THESE GRANTS DIFFER DEPENDING ON THE GRANT.

SO SOME OF THEM HAVE AN AUGUST END DATE OF 26.

SOME OF THEM HAVE A SEPTEMBER END DATE OF 26.

AND SO IT'S NOT THAT WE DIDN'T SPEND IT WHEN WE NEEDED TO.

IT'S THAT WE HAVE A LONGER TIME FRAME TO SPEND THESE GRANT FUNDS.

AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO MOVE THEM TO THE CORRECT FISCAL YEAR.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR RESTRICTED STATE REVENUE, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE HERE.

IS THAT THE JUDY CENTER GRANTS, THAT GRANT ENDED AT THE END OF AUGUST, BUT THIS IS STILL SHOWING US CARRYING IT OVER FROM JUNE 30 TO JULY 1.

AND SO THESE WOULD BE EXPENDED.

BUT WE HAVE TO SHOW THIS AS CARRYING OVER INTO FY27.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT RESTRICTED FEDERAL REVENUE, YOU'LL SEE ALL OF OUR TITLE GRANTS HERE.

ONE OF THE THINGS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO WHEN YOU SEE THE ADJUST CARRY OVER FOR THIS GRANT AND YOU SEE A NEGATIVE AMOUNT, IS WE PROJECTED THAT WE WERE GOING TO CARRY OVER MORE THAN WE ARE.

SO NOW WE'RE JUST SHOWING THAT WE DIDN'T CARRY OVER AS MUCH AS WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET ORIGINALLY.

SO THAT'S JUST OUR CORRECTION THERE.

SO, AGAIN, THOSE WERE ALL CARRY FORWARDS FOR TOTALS FOR GRANTS THAT ARE STILL WITHIN THE GRANT PERIOD.

RIGHT HERE FOR OUR UNRESTRICTED STATE REVENUE, THIS IS OUR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY FUNDS.

SO FOR FY26, WE CARRIED OVER SOME PERSONNEL FUNDS.

AND THOSE ARE THE FUNDS THAT CAN BE USED FOR THEIR STAFFING, FOR THEIR COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISOR AND NURSE.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE PER PUPIL FUNDS.

AND SO THESE ARE ALL CARRY OVER FUNDS FOR THOSE SAME CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS TO USE, AGAIN, DURING FY27.

AND THE LAST HERE IS OUR UNRESTRICTED OTHER REVENUE.

SOME OF THESE, SO FOR EXAMPLE, OUR CARRY OVER HERE, THESE ARE THE SCHOOL PPA AMOUNTS, THEIR SUPPLY BUDGETS.

AND SO THIS IS THE CARRY OVER FOR THEM.

SOME PEOPLE SOMETIMES ARE SAVING, SO WHETHER THEY'RE SAVING UP FOR LARGER PURCHASES THAT THEY CAN CARRY OVER FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THEY ARE SPENDING.

THIS IS DOWN FROM WHAT WE CARRIED OVER LAST YEAR.

SO SCHOOLS ARE MAKING USE OF THOSE FUNDS.

HERE WE HAVE SOME REPAIRS THAT WERE THINGS THAT WE USED FUND BALANCE FOR THAT YOU APPROVED IN LAST YEAR.

THE REPAIRS WERE NOT DONE IN TIME.

THEY WEREN'T COMPLETED.

SO WE HAD TO CARRY SOME OF THE BALANCES OVER FOR SOME OF THESE REPAIRS.

WE DID REQUESTING TO USE FUND BALANCE FOR CURRICULUM WRITING.

THERE WAS A LOT OF CURRICULUM WRITING THAT NEEDED TO OCCUR THIS SUMMER.

AND AT THE TIME THAT WE STRUCK THE BUDGET, THAT WAS NOT ALL INCLUDED THERE.

WE HAVE SOME DONATIONS FROM SCHOOLS.

SO USING THEIR STUDENT ACTIVITIES FUNDS FOR PROJECTS.

AND THEN HERE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT ACTUALLY GENERATE REVENUE.

SO THE CHESAPEAKE SUMMER CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

THIS IS CARRYING OVER THE REVENUE THAT THEY GENERATE.

REMEMBER, STUDENTS ARE PAYING TO ATTEND THESE CAMPS.

SO CARRYING OVER THAT REVENUE BECAUSE THE CAMP ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN FY27 TO PAY FOR IT.

AND THEN AGAIN, THE REVENUE GENERATED BY OUR STEP PROGRAM.

THERE ARE SOME JUDY CENTER DONATIONS THAT CARRIED OVER.

AND THEN THE JEWEL SETTLEMENT FUNDS THAT WERE BEING USED TO PURCHASE VAPE DETECTORS AT RISING SUN HIGH.

AND THOSE VAPE DETECTORS DID NOT COME IN UNTIL FY27.

SO IT'S CARRYING FORWARD THE FUNDING FOR THOSE.

OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S VERY EARLY IN THE YEAR.

THE REST OF THE REPORTS ARE THE NORMAL REPORTS THAT YOU SEE WITHOUT ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT THIS EARLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR.

QUESTIONS FOR MS. SOPA?

[01:10:04]

YOU'VE HEARD THE RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SECOND.

ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR?

[6. Public Participation ]

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

AND NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS OUR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

MS. OLSON? 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 PUBLIC FEEDBACK EVEN IF REMARKS ARE NOT PRESENTED OR READ ALOUD AT MEETINGS.

A TIMELINE FOR COMMENTS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT.

IN GENERAL, 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 THIS BELL.

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.

PERSONNEL MATTERS, PENDING APPEALS, GRIEVANCES, LITIGATION, EMPLOYEE AND OR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS, AND SPECIFIC STUDENT DISCIPLINARY MATTERS MAY NOT BE DISCUSSED.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS BOTH FAVORABLE OR UNFAVORABLE ON THE PERFORMANCE AND CONDUCT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND ELECTED OR APPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS IN THEIR PUBLIC ROLES ONLY.

COMPLAINTS CONCERNING SCHOOL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER NON-ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED DIRECTLY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT.

THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY INTERRUPT OR TERMINATE AN INDIVIDUAL STATEMENT WHEN IT IS TOO LENGTHY OR VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES.

THE BOARD ENCOURAGES SPEAKERS TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN COPY OF THEIR REMARKS AND COMMENTS MAY BE PLACED IN THE BOX ON THE TABLE.

THIS EVENING WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE BROOKE WENTZ, FOLLOWED BY SEAN BRIM.

AND MS. WENTZ, IF YOU WOULD PUSH THE BUTTON TO SEE THE LIGHT TURN GREEN, PLEASE.

MY NAME IS BROOKE WENTZ. I'M A MOTHER OF THREE, A CCPS TEACHER, AND A RESIDENT OF CECIL COUNTY.

I'VE BEEN A TEACHER FOR 15 YEARS AND HAVE SPENT MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.

TONIGHT I'M ANNOUNCING MY SUPPORT FOR CECIL CLASSICAL CHARTER SCHOOL AND IN MY INTENTION TO SERVE ON ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I BEGAN WORKING FOR CCPS BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WAS ATTENDING THE SCHOOL NEXT TO WHERE I WORK.

I WANTED TO BE NEARBY WHILE ALSO SERVING THE COMMUNITY WHERE I LIVE.

WHEN SHE FIRST BEGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MY HUSBAND AND I BECAME CONCERNED WHEN AT AN OPEN HOUSE, PARENTS WERE TOLD THAT IF HER CHILD REACHED FRUSTRATION LEVEL, SHE SHOULD STOP DOING HER MATH HOMEWORK.

THAT WAS NOT THE APPROACH WE HOPED FOR OUR CHILD.

OVER TIME, OUR DAUGHTER BEGAN TO STRUGGLE ACADEMICALLY.

YEARS LATER, WE OBSERVED HER RECEIVING MINIMAL HELP DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES.

OUR OTHER DAUGHTER STRUGGLED TO RECOGNIZE SPELLING PATTERNS AND WAS DISTRACTED BY BEHAVIORS AT HER SCHOOL.

MY EXPERIENCES BOTH AS A PARENT AND TEACHER HAVE CAUSED ME TO REFLECT ON WHETHER WE ARE ASKING THE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE EDUCATION IN OUR COUNTY.

YEARS AGO, I STOOD BEFORE MANY OF YOU SHARING THE DAILY REALITIES THAT WE SEE IN OUR SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THE INCREASE IN CHALLENGES IN BEHAVIOR AND STUDENTS STRUGGLING TO LEARN.

I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW HARD OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF WORK EVERY DAY, AND I ALSO KNOW HOW MUCH THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS.

BUT I BELIEVE WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE CHALLENGES AND EXCEPTIONAL STAFF WHILE STILL BEING WILLING TO EXPLORE NEW POSSIBILITIES.

OUR RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY HAS INCREASED, AND SOME ARE EVEN ADVOCATING FOR INCORPORATING AI INTO EDUCATION.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO ASK WHETHER THESE CHANGES ARE HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP THE STRONG FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS THAT THEY NEED.

OUR CURRICULUM IS INCREASINGLY SHAPED BY STATE TESTING, WHILE OUR RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW.

WE NEED TO ASK WHETHER THESE APPROACHES ARE HELPING OUR STUDENTS DEVELOP THE STRONG FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED.

WHY CLASSICAL EDUCATION? BECAUSE I BELIEVE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES DESERVE HIGH STANDARDS.

A 2023 PEER-REVIEWED STUDY FOUND THAT 70% OF THE CLASSICAL CHARTER SCHOOLS EXAMINED OUTPERFORMED THEIR LOCAL DISTRICTS IN ELA, WHILE 62% OUTPERFORMED THEM IN MATH.

CLASSICAL EDUCATION FOCUSES

[01:15:02]

IT INTENTIONALLY BUILDS KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OVER TIME WHILE DEVELOPING STUDENTS' ABILITY TO REASON, EXERCISE GOOD JUDGMENT, COMMUNICATE CLEARLY, AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR LEARNING.

THIS ISN'T A RADICAL IDEA. IT IS AN EDUCATIONAL TRADITION THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME.

THE FOUNDING FATHERS STUDIED THE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS IN ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATED CITIZENS WHO COULD THINK, REASON, AND COMMUNICATE.

WHY SHOULD FAMILIES HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HOMESCHOOLING, OR PAYING FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WANT A DIFFERENT CURRICULUM? MY FAMILY IS CURRENTLY MAKING THAT SACRIFICE, BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE NOW THRIVING.

WHY SHOULD THAT OPPORTUNITY DEPEND ON A FAMILY'S ABILITY TO PAY? THANK YOU.

AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS SEAN BRIM.

I'M SEAN BRIM OF NORTHEAST.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF CECIL COUNTY IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THIS YEAR'S CECIL COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP BARBECUE AND FUNDRAISER SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH AT 1 P.M.

IT WILL BE AT FAIRWINDS FARM AND STABLES, 21 TAILWINDS LANE, NORTHEAST.

THE DEMOCRATIC CLUB SPONSORS OUR ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED TO TWO CECIL HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS TO ATTEND CECIL COLLEGE.

OUR AWARD IS BASED ON AN ESSAY CONTEST CONCERNING GOOD CITIZENSHIP WITH THE THEME OF HOW WELL WILL YOU AIM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? PAST AWARD WINNERS HAVE INCLUDED NURSING STUDENTS, FIREFIGHTER STUDENTS, AND MUSIC STUDENTS.

OUR AWARDEES THIS YEAR INCLUDE VICTORIA VAUGHAN OF RISING SUN AND CHAELIN OZELL OF BOW MANOR.

MS. OZELL SUBMITTED AN ESSAY EXPRESSING AN INTEREST IN FORENSIC SCIENCE AND CRIME SOLVING BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO, IN HER WORDS, SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

AND REALLY, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THAT'S WHAT SCIENCE IS ALL ABOUT.

AT SENIOR AWARD CEREMONIES, I SAID TO THEM THAT MY TEACHERS HELPED SET ME ON THE PATH TO KNOWLEDGE AND LEARNING, HONOR, DUTY, PATRIOTISM.

AND I OWE MY TEACHERS A DEBT I CAN NEVER FULLY REPAY.

AND I WILL SAY ALSO TO OUR STUDENT BOARD REP WHAT I SAID TO YOUR PEERS.

I HAVE STAYED IN TOUCH WITH SOME OF MY OWN TEACHERS FOR 40 YEARS.

TRUST ME, YOUR TEACHERS WILL WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS GO.

RUNNING OUR SCHOLARSHIP EFFORT IS MY OWN WAY OF GIVING BACK NOT JUST TO CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO TO CECIL COLLEGE, ONE OF MY ALMA MATER'S.

IT REFLECTS THE VALUES DEMOCRATS WANT TO PROMOTE.

GOOD STEWARDSHIP OF THE NATION FOR OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM.

A FREEDOM OF ACADEMIC THOUGHT AND SUPPORT FOR BASIC RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO TOMORROW'S DISCOVERIES.

WE WILL HAVE LIVE MUSIC, A SILENT AUCTION, AND WILL BE CATERED BY THE HABITY GRACE CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION.

SILENT AUCTION ITEMS WILL INCLUDE SUCH THINGS AS A YEAR'S WORTH OF COMPUTER TECH SUPPORT BY YOURS TRULY, A COMEDY SHOW, AND MUCH MORE. OF COURSE, THEY HAD ME AT WE'RE SERVING BARBECUE CHICKEN. YOU WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO MEET AND GREET LOCAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE RUNNING ON THE BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR ANNUAL EVENT, AND ALL, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL PERSUASION, ARE INVITED. GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU. OKAY.

[8. Upcoming Events ]

THAT'S AT 7 O'CLOCK. ALL ARE WELCOME, SO PLEASE COME AND HEAR FROM OUR CANDIDATES. ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, THE ANNUAL LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP BREAKFAST AT THE GREAT WOLF LODGE.

THAT'S AT 8 A.M. AND ON SEPTEMBER THE 23RD, WE WILL BE BACK HERE FOR OUR WORK SESSION AT 5 O'CLOCK. ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD? OKAY. I THINK THAT'S IT. OUR MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.