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…ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EXCEPT FOR MS. KURDELL. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU HAVE THE AUGUST 2nd SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS IN FRONT OF YOU. I NEED A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADOPT THE MINUTES UNLESS THERE'S ANY CHANGES. I HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. HARRIS. A SECOND BY MRS. EDGECOMB. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES, ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. MS. STUART, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE BOARD GUIDELINES?
>> THANK YOU. AS WE BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING LET ME QUICKLY REVIEW THE FORMAT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. THE BOARD AGENDA IS A CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ON THE AGENDA ARE APPROVED UPON MOTION AND VOTE UNLESS AN ITEM IS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION. THE AGENDA AND BACKUP DOCUMENTATION ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE. THIS MEETING CAN BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE LIVE WEBCAST ON CABLE TV AND ON THE VIDEO MONITOR HERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING LATER IN THE VIDEO ARCHIVES. DURING THIS MEETING THERE IS A TABLET AVAILABLE AT THE COMMUNICATIONS DESK THAT CAN BE USED TO VIEW THE LIVE WEBCAST WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING. THERE ARE SPEAKERS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM THAT ALLOW BOARD MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING SHOULD WE LEAVE THE DAIS THERE. WILL BE A TOTAL OF 45 MINUTES ALLOWED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SPEAKERS WILL BE GRANTED 3 MINUTES TO ADDRESS A SINGLE AGENDA ITEM OR TOTAL OF FIVE MINUTES TO ADDRESS TWO OR MORE AGENDA ITEMS. WHEN TEN OR MORE SPEAKERS WISH TO SPEAK TO THE SAME AGENDA ITEM, SPEAKING TIME WILL BE REDUCED TO TWO MINUTES PER SPEAKER. IF THERE ARE STILL SPEAKERS AFTER THE 45-MINUTE ALLOTTED TIME ENDS, THE REMAINDER OF THE SPEAKERS WILL BE HEARD PRIOR TO THE VOTE ON ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE RESPONSE TO YOUR COMMENTS, THE STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP THE BOARD INFORMED ABOUT THAT RESPONSE. THE BOARD RESPECTS THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD BUT WE CANNOT TOLERATE BEHAVIOR INTENDED TO INTERRUPT THE ORDERLY CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING. OUR CIVILITY POLICY IS IN EFFECT.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MS. STUART. I WAS TRYING TO FIND MY GLASSES. THAT'S WHY I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME EARLIER. COULDN'T READ IT. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, AND WE ARE GOING TO HARDEN IT IN THE FUTURE. BUT MS. EDGECOMB SUGGESTED MOVING OUR ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS UP. AND IT WAS A WONDERFUL SUGGESTION. AND I'M SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF HAPPY ADMINISTRATORS WITH US THIS EVENING WHEN WE LET THEM GO EARLY. BUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE AUDIENCE COMMENTS, BECAUSE WE WANT TO HAVE THOSE COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING, SO THAT AS WE ARE MAKING OUR DECISIONS ON VOTING UP OR DOWN, THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION, WE HAVE THOSE COMMENTS AS PART OF OUR DECISION MAKING. BUT RIGHT AFTER AUDIENCE COMMENTS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO GO INTO THE SUSPENDED AGENDA, OR PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE NONE. AND THEN THE SUSPENDED AGENDA. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT OUR SUSPENDED AGENDA, WE CAN HAVE SOME REALLY ENGAGED DISCUSSIONS AROUND THAT. SO WE ARE NOW GOING TO HEAR FROM MR. MARK KLUTHO.
>> MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. 4.04. YOU CHANGED THE RULES. YOU MAKE UP THE RULES AS YOU GO. THAT'S A GOOD ONE. AND THEN 7.03 AND HVAC 1. YEAH. WELL, FINANCE A BUILDING WAS MADE THE RIGHT WAY, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A HEATING SYSTEM. IT'S A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROPOSITION. AND THEN 7.04, YOU HAVE REVISIONS FOR THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, AND YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU JUST LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER TAMPA BAY. AND THE RESULTS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE OBVIOUS, AND WHAT THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARE PROJECTED TO BE. HERE IN 2100 ARE WHAT THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF 100-DEGREE DAYS ARE GOING TO BE. TAMPA, IRONICALLY, HASN'T HAD A 100-DEGREE DAY SINCE RECORDS HAVE BEEN KEPT. BUT NOW THEY ARE SAYING, WELL, THERE WILL BE 22 OF THEM. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID SCHOOL BUILDINGS. AND LAST MEETING, PINELLAS HAS ALL KINDS OF MONEY. OH, LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT ALL THIS MONEY THEY ARE GOING TO BORROW AND BOND. UH-HUH. YEAH. FOR ALL THOSE SCHOOLS. SURE. UH-HUH. YEAH. SO YOU HAD YOUR BUDGET HEARING THE LAST MEETING. NOW, WHEN YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE HEARINGS, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO, BY LAW, HAVE A HEARING FOR THE MILLAGE AND A HEARING FOR THE BUDGET, AND RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOTH THE MILLAGE AND THE BUDGET. I WAS JUST AT A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IN PINELLAS WHEREBY THAT'S HOW IT WORKED. IT'S HOW IT WORKS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THE PINELLAS COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THE CITY OF LARGO WHERE I LIVE, AND YOU DIDN'T DO THAT. THIS IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW. REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR LAWYER SAYS YOU CAN DO. THIS ISN'T WHAT USED TO HAPPEN HERE. YOU CAN GO BACK IN TIME AND WATCH YOUR SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. YOU KNOW HOW YOU USED TO DO THE BOARD MEETINGS, THE HEARINGS. YOU GET PUBLIC COMMENT FROM -- FOR THE MILLAGE AND THEN FROM THE BUDGET. YOU DO TWO HEARINGS. THEY ARE SEPARATE DISTINCT HEARINGS. NOW, I WILL BE GOING TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION, AND EACH ONE OF YOU WILL BE INDICTED. AND IN ADDITION I WILL BE GOING TO THE BAR FOR THIS LAWYER. YOU ARE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH IT. YOU ARE SCOUNDRELS. YOU ARE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH IT. SORRY, SORRY, SORRY.
>> THANK YOU, MR. KLUTHO. MR. PORTER, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD THE HEARING ON THE MILLAGE AND THE BUDGET, WE HAD PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE VERY BEGINNING. SPEAKERS WERE ABLE TO SPEAK TO BOTH OF THOSE. AND THE ADVICE FROM YOU WAS THAT THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO. WHAT I WILL ASK IS THAT YOU JUST DIG A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. I TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT. BUT IF COULD YOU JUST DIG A LITTLE FURTHER INTO IT AND MAKE SURE THAT'S ABSOLUTELY THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO IT. BECAUSE IF WE MADE A MISTAKE, THAT'S FINE, WE MADE A MISTAKE AND WE'LL FIX THAT IN THE FUTURE. BUT IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT.
>> BE HAPPY TO. I MET WITH MRS. SAUNDERS AND MR. GIBSON, THE TOWER FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT. WE REVIEWED THE PROCESS, THE ADVERTISEMENT AND HOW YOU CONDUCTED THE HEARING AND WE BELIEVE IT'S IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH FLORIDA LAW. WE WILL AGAIN FOLLOW UP AND PROVIDE A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE BOARD.
>> I APPRECIATE. THAT THANK YOU SO MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE NOW INTO THE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. AND I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
>>Jeffrey Eakins: I HAVE THREE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS. AND I ALSO WILL RECOGNIZE THE 4.02-A TRANSFERS. TAMPA THREE ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY ON THE AGENDA HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ADVERTISED, APPROPRIATE SCREENINGS WERE HELD AND INTERVIEWS BEFORE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF WERE CONDUCTED. HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ADOPTED BY THE BOARD WAS FOLLOWED. IT IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT EMILY PLACENTIA, CURRENTLY DEPARTMENT MANAGER FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE SUPERVISOR OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF AUGUST 29, 20 IS. SHE BEGAN HER EMPLOYMENT WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN JULY OF JULY 2014 IN ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY WHERE SHE IS CURRENTLY SERVING.
>>April Griffin: I HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. EDGECOMB. A SECOND BY MRS. HARRIS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, BOARD MEMBERS? SEEING NONE, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND IT IS UNANIMOUS. MRS. PLAN SENSE YEAH, PLEASE -- PLAN SENT YEAH, PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED. [ APPLAUSE ] CONGRATULATIONS. AND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE. FOR THE OPENING THAT WEAVED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE FIRST FEW DAYS, THE MORNINGS WERE TYPICAL OF EVERY YEAR THAT WE OPEN. WE TRY TO GO THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT WE PICK UP EVERY KID THAT WE SEE STANDING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GET THEM TO THE SCHOOLS. AFTERNOONS, IT'S A DIFFERENT BEAST. ELEMENTARY DISMISSAL AS YOU RECALL IS OUR FIRST DISMISSAL IN THE AFTERNOON. IN ELEMENTARY DISMISSAL WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CHILD GETS ON THE APPROPRIATE BUS IN ORDER TO GET HOME TO THE RIGHT LOCATION. THAT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS AT TIMES UP TO ONE POINT WE HAD IN ONE CASE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT ONLY HAD THREE BUSES THAT TOOK AN HOUR AND A HALF TO DISMISS. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THAT CREATES SOME LATENESS ISSUES AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. WHEN THOSE COME UP, WE SEND STAFF OUT, AND IN THAT PARTICULAR INSTANCE WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT DOWN TO A TEN MINUTE PROCESS. COMMUNICATIONS, WE SENT OUT PARENT LEAKS WITH INFORMATION. WE ALSO SENT THE POSTCARD, WHICH DROPPED THE AMOUNT OF CALLS THAT WE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE BIGGEST HICK-UP CAME LAST WEEK WHEN A SYSTEM ERROR SENT OUT A MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS WHICH CREATED A LARGE AMOUNT OF CONFUSION FOR OUR BUS RIDER POPULATION. A NEW PRINCIPAL HOTLINE TO SECURITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO GET ACCESS TO DISPATCHERS WHEN PRINCIPALS AND STAFF NEEDED TO GET IN TOUCH TO LOCATE BUSES AND STUDENTS. AND THE MAGNET TRANSFER, WE TRANSFER APPROXIMATELY 10,000 STUDENTS ON FOUR DIFFERENT RAMPS PRIOR TO THEM BEING TRANSPORTED HOME TO THEIR GEOGRAPHIC AREA. ALL GRADE LEVELS ARE ON THE SAME BUS TO THOSE AREAS. LATE COMING OUT OF THE SCHOOL TRANSFER PROCESS IS DELAYED. WE SHORTENED THAT PROCESS BY OVER AN HOUR, SINCE DAY ONE STUDENTS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS. IT'S A LENGTHY PROCESS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO ENSURE THE REST OF THE YEAR RUNS SMOOTHLY. OVERCROWDING AS YOU RECALL LAST YEAR WAS A HUGE ISSUE. WE HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES WHERE WE HAVE HAD SOME GROWTH IN AREAS, AND WE BALANCED THE LOAD. SO FAR WE HAVE ADJUSTED ONLY 25 ROUTES. SO FAR THAT'S COME TO US ON SOME CROWDING ISSUES, BUT NO OVERLOAD ISSUES. NOT ALL ADJUSTMENTS ARE DUE TO LOADS, BUT RATHER SOME ARE DUE TO TIMES, BECAUSE IN THAT PROCESS, ALSO, WE WANT TO GET OUR TIMES A LITTLE BETTER, BUT WE ARE STILL HAVING SOME ISSUES WHERE PARENT TRAFFIC IS A LITTLE CHALLENGING TO OVERCOME BECAUSE IT'S BLOCKING THE ROADWAYS. WE HAVE 45 DOUBLE BACKS DUE TO DRIVER SHORTAGE. HOWEVER WE GOT NINE DRIVERS THAT STARTED CLASS YESTERDAY. WE HAVE ANOTHER 16 STARTING NEXT MONDAY THAT WILL HELP US WITH THAT. WE ALSO MET WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ON THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THE END OF SEPTEMBER AND BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. WE ARE SENDING A MESSAGE OUT VIA NEWSLETTER, PARALINK FLYERS AND FIRST CLASS. THESE ARE SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11th AT GRATER HIGH SCHOOL, AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12th AT BRANDON HIGH SCHOOL, AND ALL MEETINGS WILL BE FROM 6 P.M. TO 8 P.M. AND WE ARE SENDING OUT A MARK THE DATE PARENT LINK THIS WEEK. AND WE PULLED UP SOME DATA JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION. ONE OF THE THINGS WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WE PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL OF SERVICE TO MORE PARENTS THROUGH MAGNET TRANSPORTATION AND UNFUNDED TRANSPORTATION AND THE OTHER DISTRICT IN THE STATE. BUT YET ACCORDING TO THE LAST GREAT CITIES SCHOOL SURVEY, HCPS IS IN THE TO QUARTILE FOR THE LEAST COST PER BUS AMONG THE LARGEST URBAN DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY. I SAY THAT AND SHARE THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE FOR THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THE AMOUNT OF TRANSPORTATION THAT THIS DISTRICT IS PROVIDING, THAT'S QUITE A FEAT TO COME IN AT THAT PERCENTILE. AND THAT'S IT. I'M SURE THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.
>>April Griffin: THERE TYPICALLY AREN'T WHICH IS WHY WE MOVED THE APPOINTMENTS UP BEFORE THIS PORTION OF THE AGENDA. MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I WOULD PROMISE ONE QUESTION, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS HOW IT ENDED UP. SO I PROMISE THAT I WILL MAKE AN ATTEMPT. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. I TYPICALLY KNOW WHAT TOWN HALL MEETINGS ARE DESIGNED TO DO. BUT SPECIFICALLY, IN ADDRESSING A MESSAGE ABOUT THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS AROUND TRANSPORTATION, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE, AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC AND TO PARENTS WHY WE ARE HAVING THESE TOWN HALL MEETINGS?
>> WELL, THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS WERE A COMMITMENT IN THE PAST FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD IN ORDER TO GET ANY FEEDBACK THAT THE DRIVERS WANT TO PROVIDE BACK TO US. I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, THE PROCESS THAT WE ARE UNDERGOING IN TRYING TO CHANGE CULTURE, WE HAVE 1650 EMPLOYEES IN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. BUT WE DON'T WANT EMPLOYEES. WE WANT STAKEHOLDERS. AND SO PART OF THAT PROCESS IN CHANGING THE CULTURE IS GETTING THAT FEEDBACK, WORKING BACK AND FORTH WITH THEM, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT ONCE THEY BECOME STAKEHOLDERS RATHER THAN EMPLOYEES, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT'S REALLY GOING TO HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CHANGING THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO GO. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANY TYPE OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN HAVE TO GET FEEDBACK. WE USE SURVEYS WITH THEM. WE LEARNED THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING SURVEY MONKEY THAT WILL GO OUT TO THEM AS WELL TO GET FEEDBACK. WE GOT SURVEYS AT THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT IT'S JUST THAT CONTINUAL FEEDBACK.
>> WHO IS INVITED, WHO ARE THE PEOPLE YOU ARE GOING TO ENCOURAGE? IS IT PRIMARILY EMPLOYEES WHO WORK IN TRANSPORTATION, OR THE PUBLIC, OR --
>> THIS IS JUST FOR -- THESE ARE GOING TO BE TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES.
>> I WAS THINKING A DIFFERENT KIND, A MORE PUBLIC CITIZEN KIND OF TOWN HALL MEETING. BUT THIS IS PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR EMPLOYEES TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THEM.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>> THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. SNIVELY.
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME QUESTION AND THE THOUGHT ORIGINALLY FOR THE TOWN HALL WAS FOR THE PUBLIC AND I WAS CURIOUS WHAT THE PURPOSE FOR THE TOWN HALL WOULD BE FOR BUT THAT MAKES ME FEEL BETTER IT'S JUST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE DRIVERS LIKE WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION IN A TIMELY FASHION WITH THE SCHOOL JUST STARTING AND PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS BEING ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR TRANSPORTATION. I WILL SAY THAT I HAVE HAD LESS PARENTS CONTACTING ME THIS YEAR, SO THAT MAKES ME PERCEIVE THAT THERE ARE LESS ISSUES. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY OVERCROWDING ISSUES BEING BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THIS YEAR, SO THAT MAKES ME FEEL BET ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS ON THE BUSES BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WAS AN ISSUE IN PREVIOUS YEARS. SO I'M THANKFUL THAT THAT'S KIND OF GOTTEN UNDER CONTROL. ROUTING IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING. WHAT I WILL SAY -- AND I HAVE TALKED TO MR. TAYLOR ABOUT THIS TO A DEGREE -- THERE WAS SOME IRONY IN SOME OF THE PRE-FIRST-WEEK COMMUNICATION TO PARENTS, BECAUSE WE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL, AND WE RECEIVED A POSTCARD, AND WE RECEIVED AN E-MAIL, AND SO I THINK A LOT OF PARENT EXPECTATIONS WERE WAY, WAY UP HERE THINKING, WOW, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ANY ISSUES THIS YEAR, BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, THEY HAVE GOT COMMUNICATION, E-MAIL, PHONE CALLS, VOICE, AND I KNOW THAT DID DETER SOME PARENTS FROM CALLING BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME RESOURCE INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME, OF COURSE. BUT I THINK THE EXPECTATIONS WERE SET REALLY HIGH BECAUSE OF THAT AND IRONICALLY THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOME ISSUES THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. AND I THINK MANAGING THOSE EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL, AND WE KNOW THAT PUTTING THAT COMMUNICATION OUT ALMOST MADE TAMPA APPEARANCE THAT IT WAS GOING TO GO WITHOUT ANY FAULT THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. AND I THINK SETTING THE EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME ROUTING ISSUES, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME TIMING ISSUES, THE TRAFFIC PATTERNS ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY TAKE THE BUS, BUSES ON THE ROUTES THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. SO EVEN THOUGH I THINK THE EFFORT WAS GREAT, IN COMMUNICATING ALL OF THE BUS INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME, I THINK IT ALMOST CREATED A FALSE LEVEL OF EXPECTATION FOR THE PARENT. BUT I DO THINK THAT THE EFFORT WAS EXEMPLARY AS FAR AS TRYING TO GET THAT COMMUNICATION OUT BECAUSE IT WAS VERY HELPFUL, SPEAKING AS A PARENT WITH THREE OUT OF FOUR KIDS ON BUSES. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND MAYBE WITH THE CAVEAT NEXT YEAR OR DISCLAIMER NEXT YEAR SOMEWHERE ON THAT SAYING PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US, THE FIRST WEEK OR TWO OF SCHOOL, AS WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO WORK OUT SOME ROUTING ISSUES, AND JUST KIND OF MANAGING THAT EXPECTATION FOR PARENTS I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THAT. I THINK THE CALL CENTER IS A MUCH, MUCH HIGHER IMPROVEMENT OVER LAST YEAR. THAT HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE GIVE SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM YOUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CALL CENTER, VERY FRIENDLY, VERY QUICK TO RESPOND. THERE WAS A LITTLE HOLD TIME HERE AND THERE. I KNOW PROBABLY CALL VOLUMES WERE HIGHER AT PARTS OF THE DAY THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE DAY, BUT OVERALL I GOT SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM A LOT OF PARENTS ON AT LEAST HAVING SOMEONE CALL AFTER 5:00 MAYBE BECAUSE THEIR MAGNET SCHOOL CHILD WASN'T HOME YET AND THEY WANTED TO GET THE STATUS OF WHERE THAT BUS MIGHT BE, WHICH BRINGS US TO SOMETHING ELSE I THINK WE SHOULD SOMEHOW COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH OUR PARENTS AS ALL OF THE COURTESY BUSING AND ALL OF THE MAGNET SCHOOL BUSING THAT WE DO. I DO BELIEVE A LOT OF PARENTS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERY DISTRICT DOES THAT. I THINK THE PARENTS EXPECT IT NOW, AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD COMMUNICATE THAT SOMEHOW MORE EFFECTIVELY, THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS DISTRICT DOES THAT NOT ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO. AND IT IS A COURTESY TO HAVE THAT BUSING SO CLOSE TO SCHOOL, AND IT IS FOR OUR MAGNET SCHOOLS. THERE ARE DISTRICTS THAT DON'T OFFER THAT SERVICE, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY BUSING OUR STUDENTS TO THOSE MAGNET SCHOOLS AND DOING THE COURTESY BUSING BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE ROADWAYS IN OUR DISTRICT. AND I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD COMMUNICATE THAT SOMEHOW MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH OUR PARENTS, SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THAT'S A FAVOR THAT WE ARE DOING FOR THE PARENTS TO MAKE THEIR LIVES A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN ARE SAFER GETTING TO SCHOOL.
>> THERE'S A COUPLE I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ON THAT. FIRST IS THE CALL CENTER. WE ALSO DID A TRACKING SYSTEM FOR THE FIRST TIME AS I MENTIONED IN THE PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING. WE ALSO RECEIVED 6200 CALLS THE FIRST DAY AND ONLY 400 OF THOSE WERE DURING THE DAY. THE REST OF THEM WERE DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE AND AFTERNOON COMMUTE. WE ANSWERED A LOT. BUT AS YOU SAID, OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE THERE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE CALLS BUT WE APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE OF THE PARENTS NOT GETTING HOME THE FIRST DAY BECAUSE GETTING YOUR KID HOME THE FIRST DAY IS A CHALLENGE. MANAGING EXPECTATIONS. WE HAVE A MEETING IN THE OFFICE WITH THE MANAGEMENT OFFICE AND MR. BEEKMAN AND MYSELF TO DO ON THAT. THEY DIDN'T WATCH THE FIRST BOARD MEETING WHEN I SAID THE FIRST WEEK IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE.
>> NOT EVERYBODY WATCHES THE BOARD MEETING.
>> I KNOW THAT. BUT WE NEED TO STOP THAT PART AND MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHERE THE BUS STOPS ARE BUT ALSO TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT THAT FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL. THE MAGNET RAMPS AS MR. BEEKMAN DESCRIBED IN THAT PROCESS OF GETTING A KINDERGARTENER, ON A BUS TO DIFFERENT PLACES, TAKES A LOT THE FIRST DAY. BUT WITHIN A WEEK IT'S DOWN TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE AND THAT TRANSFER TIME IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS THE FIRST DAY. BUT IF PARENTS ARE AWARE OF THAT, THEY PREPARE A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. SO WE ARE MEETING WITH MAGNET AND CAN COMMUNICATE THAT OUT SO NEXT YEAR, EACH YEAR WE LEARN AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE ALREADY SET UP THE MEETING.
>> I SAW BIG STRIDES OF IMPROVEMENT FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR. AND I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE RESPONSIVENESS FROM THE FOLKS IN THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, YOURSELF, CHRIS FARKAS, I THINK JAMIE WEARINGTON, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE RESPONSIVENESS BECAUSE THAT MEANS A LOT TO THE PARENTS WHEN WE CAN COMMUNICATE QUICKLY BACK TO THEM WHAT THE STATUS OF THEIR SITUATION IS, OR TAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OF, HEY, WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS, IT DOESN'T QUITE MAKE SENSE, WHY DON'T WE FLIP IT AND SEE IF THAT WORKS BETTER? AS A PARENT, I KNOW I SPEAK FOR MANY PARENTS THAT WE APPRECIATE THE RESPONSIVENESS AND THE WILLINGNESS TO RECONSIDER SOME OF THE ROUTES THAT MAKE MORE SENSE. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU. AND I HAVE GOTTEN A CALL OF CALLS, ONE TODAY REGARDING OVERCROWDING. I'M JUST CURIOUS. WHERE ARE PEOPLE SUPPOSED TO BE REPORTING THIS, IF THEY CAN'T GET THROUGH TO THE CALL CENTER, BECAUSE THIS PERSON COULD NOT GET THROUGH AT THE CALL CENTER, AND IT WAS A PRETTY SEVERELY OVERCROWDED BUS, A MAGNET BUS COMING OUT OF TBT AND GOING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AS THE HUB. BUT I HAVE SEEN A BETTER RESPONSE FROM YOUR STAFF, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, THE ITEMS THAT I HAVE PUSHED TO THEM WITH REGARDS TO ROUTES, OR CHILDREN NOT GETTING PICKED UP OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO MAKING SURE THAT AT LEAST MY CALL IS ANSWERED AND THAT THEY ARE MAKING SURE THAT THEY CONTACT THE PARENT AND REDIRECT. BUT I THINK WE ARE STILL HAVING SOME ISSUE WITH WHO PARENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO CALL WHEN THEIR KID SENDS THEM A PICTURE OF KIDS SITTING ON THE FLOOR AND FOUR TO BE A SEAT AND WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT? BECAUSE I JUST FORWARD TO THE MR. FARKAS, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO SAY PLEASE CALL THIS PERSON AND TELL THEM -- THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SEND, BUS NUMBER, BUS DRIVER NAME, KIDS ON THE BUS, BUS STOP. THEY ARE NOT SURE WHAT TO SEND.
>> THEY STILL NEED TO TRY TO CALL THE CALL CENTER. BUT TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, WE HAVE NINE SUPERVISORS, AND WE ARE TRANSPORTING OVER 90,000 KIDS. SO WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH THAT, THAT'S ONE SUPERVISOR TO 10,000 KIDS THAT ARE TRYING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. SO AS CALLS COME IN, IT'S NOT SO MUCH JUST PICKING UP THE CALL. IT'S ALSO DEALING WITH THE ISSUE AND CORRECTING THE ISSUE AND GETTING THE ISSUE TO WHERE IT GOES. SO THAT LINE IS TIED UP SOMETIMES AT TIMES. BUT THEY DO NEED TO CALL THE CALL CENTER AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS FOR US. I MEAN, McNICHOLS GROUP HAS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH SOME ROLLOVERS AND THINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT NUMBER THEY ACTUALLY CALLED AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION WITH THEM. BECAUSE THEY ARE BACK THERE. THEY ARE ANSWERING. I GO BACK THERE AT TIMES AND PHONES ARE NOT EVEN RINGING. SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S DEAD TIMES BACK THERE. SO I ALWAYS QUESTION, YOU KNOW, WHAT NUMBER DID YOU CALL? WHAT TIME OF DAY DID YOU CALL? SO WE CAN GO BACK AND SEE, WAS THERE A CALL THAT WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT IN OR NOT BROUGHT IN? AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO VERIFY.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE REPORTING THIS TO THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL IS NOT REPORTING BACK. AND WE ARE WORKING ON THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, I KNOW, AT THE MOMENT. BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHAT THEY ARE DOING IF THEY DON'T GET THROUGH AT THE CALL CENTER OR THEY DON'T GET A RESPONSE.
>> WELL, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY THAT THEY NEED TO CALL THE SCHOOL. I MEAN, THAT'S THEIR CONDUIT FOR US AS WELL, BECAUSE IN SOME CASES THEY DO DO THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO GET SOME CALLS FROM PARENTS WHO SAY THEY CAN'T REACH THE SCHOOL. SO WE RECIPROCATE AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ESTABLISH THAT COMMUNICATION FOR THE PARENTS. AS FAR AS THE BUSES, CORRECT, AS THE NUMBERS NOW ARE GROWING, PARENTS ARE GETTING TIRED OF SAYING I'M NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC, NOW YOU ARE GOING TO FIND YOUR BUS, I HAVE TAKEN YOU FOR THE FIRST WEEK, AND NOW YOU ARE GOING TO GO FIND THE BUS. AND SO AS THOSE NUMBERS GO UP THAT'S WHY WE DO STOP BY STOP COUNTS SO DRIVERS GET THEM LAST FRIDAY, WE TURN THEM IN, STACKS OF THEM CAME IN YESTERDAY AND TODAY TO ROUTING AND PLANNING, THEY GO THROUGH AND WE MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS. I KNOW EVERY DAY -- WELL, TODAY I AM NOT OUT AT THE RAMPS BUT I TRY TO GO OUT ESPECIALLY TO THE MAGNET RAMPS AND LOOK BUS BY BUS BY BUS TO LOOK AT THE DISCOUNT LOADS. I HAVE BEEN OUT TO SEVERAL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE MORNING GETTING COUNTS MYSELF. WHERE WE CAN BALANCE AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF LOGISTICS AND BALANCING LOADS. BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL IS. AND GETTING THEM ON THERE. AND IN SOME CASES, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT IT'S OVERFULL BECAUSE OF THAT ONE GEOGRAPHIC EXTREME AND THAT BUS GETTING TIED UP IN TRAFFIC TRYING TO GET BACK, MAY WANT TO REMOVE THAT ONE STOP SO WE CAN GET THERE ON TIME BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING A TIMING ISSUE. SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST STUDENT LOAD ISSUES. IT'S TIMING ISSUES BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE ON A NORMAL DAY, IT WILL WORK. BUT THEN WE PUT IN, YOU KNOW, TONS OF PARENT CARS AND THINGS SUCH AS THAT, AND IT JUST TAKES THE LOGISTICS TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
>> SO THAT LEADS ME TO MY SECOND QUESTION WHICH IS DO YOU HAVE A SENSE AFTER TEN DAYS OF SCHOOL HOW WE DID IN RELATION TO GETTING STUDENTS TO SCHOOL ON TIME AND GETTING THEM HOME FROM DAY ONE TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY? ARE WE TRACKING? ARE WE GETTING BETTER? I KNOW WE DID A LOT OF ROUTE CHANGES. I KNOW WE MOVED BUS STOPS. I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO TRACK THAT. BEEK BEEK WELL, WE TRACK IT, YOU KNOW, ON THE GPS SIDE. SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE LOOKING ON SOME OF THOSE GPS SIDE AND WE TARGETED SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT TRADITIONALLY HIGH PRESSURE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST. I MEAN, WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WEEKI WACHEE ALWAYS FOUGHT, PROGRESS VILLAGE BUSES GO OUT AND YOU ONLY HAVE ONE WAY TO GET OUT. IT'S A MAGNET BUS SO THEY ARE GOING TO THE MAGNET RAMPS. SO WHAT WE FOUND IS PART OF OUR WAITING ISSUE AT THE MAGNET RAMPS, WE HAVE ALREADY DONE A TRANSFER. ALL WE ARE WAITING FOR THE BUSES FROM PROGRESSVILLE VILLAGE. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO FREE UP SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, AND RE-LOOK AT IS WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAYBE REMOVE THOSE BUSES OUT OF THAT SNARE YO SO WE CAN ACTUALLY FREE UP THE MAGNET BUSES A LITTLE QUICKER. SO WE MONITOR THOSE THROUGH SPECIFICS ON GPS. THE SENSE IS I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU, LAST YEAR WITHIN THE SECOND WEEK, I WAS ABOUT DEAD. I'M NOT. I WILL SHARE WITH YOU OUR ISSUES THAT HAVE GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. WE STILL HAVE THE E-MAIL THAT THEY WANT THE BUS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE. WE STILL GET THE ISSUE WHERE THEY EXPECT CAB SERVICE OR. WE ARE MASS TRANSIT SERVICE. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE. YET THERE'S AN EXPECTATION, AND WE TALK ABOUT EXPECTATION OF SOME FOLKS THAT IT SHOULD BE A CAB SERVICE TO THE DOOR. WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WHERE WE ARE FIGHTING WITH SOME PARENTS THAT WE JUST PHYSICALLY CAN'T GET THERE BUT WE GO OUT AND TRY. I KNOW WE WERE OUT IN ONE SPECIFIC AREA. MR. WARRINGTON, HE'S PUTS ON MORE MILES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS THAN ANYBODY. BUT WE GO OUT, WE MEET WITH THE PARENTS, BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND ONE ON ONE WHEN THEY HAVE THOSE ISSUES, NUMBER ONE, WE WANT TO PUT A BODY OUT THERE. WE WANT TO BE RESPONSIVE. BUT WE ALSO WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT STATUTE SAYS, WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS ARE, AND THE ISSUES OF BACKING BUSES. JUST BECAUSE WE BACK BUS UZ A RANG ROUND KIDS FOR 40 YEARS DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT. SO BEST PRACTICE SAYS WE DON'T DO THOSE THINGS. SO WHEN WE FIND THEM WE HAVE TO CORRECT THEM. SO WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR PARENTS AS WELL, AS WELL AS OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR OTHER PERSONNEL. SO FROM A SENSE OF JUST MY FEELING, YOU KNOW, I'LL NEVER BE SATISFIED, NEVER HAVE BEEN. THAT'S JUST WHAT DRIVES US, SOME OF US, BUT I AM GOING TO TELL YOU IT'S A HECK OF A LOT BETTER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.
>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MS. VALDES.
>>Susan Valdes: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO COMPARE THIS TO A CASE STUDY. THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON NOW, SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN IN THIS POSITION IN TRYING TO FIX THE DEPARTMENT AND REBUILD IT WITH CULTURE CHANGE. YOU HAVE GOT A LOT ON YOUR PLATE. BUT I WANT US TO REALLY THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS AND SEE WHERE POSSIBLY SOME OF THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM COULD BE. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS AND SEEING ABOUT HOW WE CAN OPEN UP REGISTRATIONS A LITTLE EARLIER AT SCHOOL SITES AND THE COMMUNICATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE RIDERSHIP DOWN AS CLOSE AS WE CAN TO THE NUMBER ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. SO THAT THEN LOGISTICALLY A LOT OF THESE THINGS WOULD NOT OCCUR. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A CERTAIN ASPECT THAT THE DISTRICT WILL BE ABLE TO DO TO HELP MINIMIZE, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE HELP OF THE PARENTS AND OF THE SCHOOL SITES. THE SCHOOL SITES, IN MY OPINION, YOU JUST CANNOT HAVE A REGISTRATION PERIOD FROM 1:30 TO 3. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. OR LET THE APPOINTMENT BE, ONLY HAVE REGISTRATION FROM 9:30 TO 10:30. IT'S NOT VERY CUSTOMER SERVICE FRIENDLY, IF YOU WILL, IF YOU NEED TO COME IN AT SPECIFIC TIMES. I THIS THINK THAT WILL ALSO HELP WITH THE PLANNING AND THE LOGISTICS OF TRANSPORTING -- HOW MANY CHILDREN AGAIN?
>> WE HAD SET OUT 93,000 NOTICES TO PICK UP. SO WE DON'T HAVE OUR COUNTS IN YET. WE'LL GET THOSE.
>>Susan Valdes: BUT THAT'S A LOT OF CHILDREN WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH THAT SAYING IT TAKES A VILLAGE. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY, REALLY DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FROM THE SCHOOL SITE TO BE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND ALLOW FOLKS TO COME IN AND REGISTER THEIR CHILDREN AND HAVE THAT REAL CONVERSATION. WILL THEY BE RIDING THE BUS? WHAT CAN WE DO? SO I JUST PUT THAT OUT THERE. MR. EAKINS, TO SEE WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED IN THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? BECAUSE IT'S GOTTEN BETTER EVERY SCHOOL YEAR. SINCE THE CHANGE THAT WE MADE SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN TRANSPORTATION. SO IT'S GETTING BETTER. IT JUST NOT PERFECTED. AND ALTHOUGH WE ARE GOING TO HAVE HICCUPS ALONG THE WAY, BUT I THINK IF WE REALLY TRULY LOOK TO SEE WHAT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS AND MAYBE WITH THE COLLABORATION OF ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DISTRICT WE CAN REALLY COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I'M BACK. I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF THINGS. BUT AS I LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSION, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT ALMOST EVERY TIME YOU HEAR FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS, AND EVEN BEFORE, IT REMINDS ME OF THE KIND OF DISCUSSION THAT PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT TAXIS. THEY DON'T LIKE THEM AND IT'S AN IMPERFECT SYSTEM, AND YOU WANT THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, AND I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO, AND I TAKE ALL THE SUGGESTIONS -- THE INSIGHT FROM BOARD MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, FROM PARENTS, IT REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT 20 YEARS FROM NOW, TUNING IN, I SUSPECT THE CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE MUCH LIKE THIS, AND IT'S LIKE TAXES. NOBODY LIKES THEM. WE HAVE TO PAY THEM. AND WE CAN'T CUSTOMIZE THEM ENOUGH TO SUIT EVERYBODY. AND I NO, MA'AM THAT'S AN ASIDE. THAT'S A COMMENTARY THAT YOU CAN JUST SCRATCH OFF. DON'T EACH RECORD THAT PART. OKAY. I WANT TO GO BACK A LITTLE BIT TO SOME PROBLEM SOLVING, AND WORKING AROUND SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT A BIT, AND YOUR INTENTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE TOWN HALL MEETING. I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER. BUT MAYBE YOUR OWN EMPLOYEES, PEOPLE IN TRANSPORTATION. BUT WHAT STRUCTURES DO WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT BUS DRIVERS AND THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION STAFF CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, TO GET THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD. BECAUSE I WANT TO GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT EXPECTATION, MANAGING THAT. AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE THIS TOWN HALL MEETING, AND YOU GET BOMBARDED WITH ALL OF THESE CONCERNS, HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE CONCERNS AND DO THE JOB HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION? SO WHAT ARE THE STRUCTURES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE ISSUES AREN'T GOING TO BE RESOLVED OVERNIGHT, BUT THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD?
>> WELL, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, EVEN GOING BACK TO THE LAST YEAR AND EVEN BEFORE THAT, I SCHEDULED MEETINGS GOING OUT TO ALL AREAS. WE WOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHERE I BROUGHT IN INVITED DRIVERS AND THOSE ATTENDANTS AND THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE, BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE STRUNG OUT OVER A THOUSAND SQUARE MILES, THAT HAVE NO OFFICE TO REPORT TO. HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH AND ENSURE THAT YOU ARE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE APPROPRIATE FEEDBACK TO DO THAT? THE STRUCTURE THAT WE BUILT INSIDE, WE HAVE JUST DEVELOPED THREE MORE COMMITTEES WITHIN, WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. ONE IS BUDGET. ONE IS TRAINING. AND ONE IS A ROUTING COMMITTEE. SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL GO INTO PLACE THIS YEAR NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM KIND OF PUT TOGETHER. BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THOSE WHO COME WITH SOME TREMENDOUS IDEAS, BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT THERE. THEY SEE. WHERE CAN WE SAVE THE MONEY IN THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS? SO THEY BRING THOSE IDEAS OUT THERE. JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DEALING WITH THE ISSUE ON A TIMING ISSUE DEALING WITH NEWSOME. AND SO AS PART OF THAT SCHOOL, WE BROUGHT THOSE VETERAN DRIVERS TOGETHER. THEY SIT DOWN, AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH US, AND BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THEY ARE OUT THERE IN THAT TRAFFIC PATTERN ALL THE TIME. SO WE WILL LOOK FOR THAT. I MEAN, WE HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF EXPERTISE, SO WE HAVE SOME WHO ARE VERY ACTIVE. WE HAVE SOME WHO HAVE CHANGED TREMENDOUSLY, THAT IN THE PAST YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE STEPPED UP AND PARTICIPATED, THAT ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD. SO WE ARE ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT. SO BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THAT COLLECTIVELY WE ARE MUCH BETTER THAN, YOU KNOW, I AM NOT THERE TO DIRECT, I AM THERE TO SUPPORT, AND DIRECT THAT PIECE. WE HAVE SOME -- MY PAST USED TO SAY WIND ON A DILL PICKLE. THEY ARE NOT HAPPY AND THEY AREN'T GOING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT NOTHING. SO THOSE ARE THINGS WE HAVE TO CONTINUE.
>> NO, THAT'S OKAY.
>> I WILL BE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE TOMORROW. SO -- SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. BUT THEY ARE NOT HAPPY. AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY. YOU KNOW? AND IT'S JUST LIKE THE SAME FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME CONSTITUENTS THERE THAT WAY, THAT'S THE SAME PERSON THAT CALLS YOU ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES. AND SO WE JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMEONE THAT'S NOT -- BUT WE WANT TO ENGAGE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BECAUSE I SHARE WITH THEM, IT'S OUR DEPARTMENT. WE OWN IT. WE NEED TO FIX IT. WE COLLECTIVELY NEED TO RUN THIS DEPARTMENT THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE RUN. AND SO WE HAVE GOT THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE IN OUR BACK POCKET. WHY AREN'T WE USING IT?
>> MY LAST COMMENT ABOUT THIS ISSUE ANYWAY. I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT TO GRIPE, BUT I DON'T KNOW, AND MAYBE THEY DO KNOW, BUT IT WAS INTEREST FOR YOU TO HEAR THE MULTIPLE STRUCTURES THAT YOU HAVE. MAYBE PUTTING THAT OUT THERE TO SHOW WE HAVE THOSE PLACES IN PLACE. I THINK AT ONE TIME YOU DID HAVE A BOX WHERE PEOPLE COULD PUT IN -- DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT PRACTICE?
>> WE STILL HAVE THE SUGGESTION BOXES. WE HAVE OUR KNOTS LETTERS NOW THAT GO OUT. WE HAVE FEEDBACK FORMS FOR THEM IN THE OFFICE. WE HAVE -- WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF THINGS TRYING TO GET THAT COMMUNICATION PIECE BACK. WE ARE ACTUALLY EVEN STARTING IN SEPTEMBER, WE ARE GOING TO GO WITH THE VIDEO. SO WE ARE GOING TO ACTUALLY HAVE A MORNING SHOW WE ARE GOING TO PUT OUT TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM. SO LOOK FORWARD TO SOME INVITATIONS FOR FOLKS TO COME AND SIT WITH OUR FOLKS ON VIDEO FUR COMFORTABLE DOING THAT. BUT TO GIVE THEM UPDATES. WHAT'S GOING ON THIS WEEK? WHAT'S AFFECTING THE SCHOOL? YOU KNOW, WE GET UPDATES FROM OUR SAFETY DEPARTMENT ON TRAFFIC ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS INTERSECTION IS GOING TO BE BLOCKED. THIS IS GOING TO BE -- SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO AND WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE MR. WARRINGTON WITH BE HIS SAFETY TIPS ON THINGS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO REACH OUT IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS TO BRIDGE THAT COMMUNICATION GAP THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE. WE KNOW WE HAVE IT. BUT WE HAVE JUST GOT TO KEEP LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS AND TRYING TO GET WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL IN THINGS YOU ARE TRYING TO DO.
>> I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT TRANSPORTATION WON'T BE AN ISSUE IN THE FUTURE. I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT I WILL BE ALIVE TO SEE IT. (LAUGHTER) BUT I WILL SAY THAT TECHNOLOGY IS FINALLY GETTING TO OUR EQUIPMENT AND TO OUR INDUSTRY THAT WILL ALLOW A LOT OF THESE ISSUES THAT WE BATTLE ON A DAILY BASIS WILL HELP GO AWAY. AND SO WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING FORTH -- WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DEVICE. I WON'T TALK ABOUT THAT NOW BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS A SHORT UPDATE.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. MRS. SNIVELY.
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR H.DY THINK OF A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AS SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WERE TALKING. HOWEVER, I WILL NOT COMPARE YOU TO THE IRS. THAT'S JUST MEAN. (LAUGHTER) SO, YOU KNOW, MRS. VALDES SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SURVEYING STUDENTS AHEAD OF TIME AND HOW IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION ABOUT WHO IS GOING TO BE RIDING A BUS. I KNOW WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY DO THAT. EVERY TIME YOU BRING HOME A PACKET OR WHEN YOU GO TO DO THE OPEN HOUSE, THERE'S A FORM THAT EVERY KID HAS TO FILL OUT THAT SAYS THIS IS HOW MY CHILD IS GOING TO TRAVEL TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I DON'T THINK WE DOUGH THAT FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DON'T SURVEY THAT SAME WAY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE -- I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY EASY TO DO WHETHER WE DID IT THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY WITH PAPER LIKE AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OR WHETHER WE DID A QUICK SURVEY FOR SOMEONE TO CLICK ON A LINK AND SAY, YES, MY CHILD PLANS ON RIDING THE MORNING BUS BUT WE ARE PICKING HIM UP FROM SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW, JUST AN IDEA, THAT I JUST MADE AN OBSERVATION. I GET THAT FROM MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS BUT NOT FROM MY MIDDLE SCHOOL OR MY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. FOR THE CALL CENTER, DO YOU KNOW WHAT PART OF THE DAY HAS THE LOWEST CALL TIME?
>> YES, I DO. 9 TO 11 AND 11 TO 1. WE DO IN THE BLOCKS TWO OF HOURS. THOSE TWO HAD 500 CALLS. THE OTHER 5500 WERE AT OTHER TIMES.
>> AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS NOT TO CREATE HIGHER CALLS NECESSARILY BUT IF WE CAN COMMUNICATE THAT AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO GETS CONTACTED BY PARENTS AT 7 A.M., THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THROUGH, AND THEY ARE COMPLAINING THAT THEY CAN'T GET ANYBODY, I SAY, WHY DON'T YOU CALL BACK AT 9 OR 9:30 AND YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING THROUGH TO SOMEONE BETWEEN 9 AND 11 OR 11 TO 1. THAT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE, I THINK.
>> I CAN PROVIDE ONE POINT OF CLARIFICATION. ON THE PORT CARDS THAT YOU SAID MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM, ON THE PORT CARD IT SAYS THE BUSES WILL RUN LATE THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF SCHOOL.
>> DID IT REALLY SAY THAT? I MISSED THAT. I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE IN BOLD OR HIGHLIGHTED OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT JUMPS OUT AND BITES ME. AND THEN THIS IS A GENERAL QUESTION SORT OF TO DO WITH TRANSPORTATION, BUT ALSO TO DO WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO WE MIGHT WANT TO DEFER TO MR. TAYLOR ON THIS ONE. AND I MENTIONED THIS TO YOU THE OTHER DAY. BECAUSE MRS. STUART BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT NUMBER TO GIVE OUR PARENTS TO CALL FOR SPECIFIC SITUATIONS. AND BY THE WAY, THE PUBLICATION THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY IN THE TIMES THAT HAD THE PARENT RESOURCE GUIDE WITH THE BEAUTIFUL, COLORFUL INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IN THE ENTIRE BACK PAGE, LIKE 700 PHONE NUMBERS, WHY DON'T WE HAVE ONE PHONE NUMBER FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT -- I WILL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. BECAUSE ASTATE FARM HAS ONE PHONE NUMBER. WE ARE THE LARGEST INSURANCE COMPANY IN THE WORLD. AND WE HAVE ONE PHONE NUMBER. IF SOMEONE NEEDS TO REACH STATE FARM, THEN IT FUNNELS THAT PERSON APPROPRIATELY OR ACCORDINGLY TO WHEREVER THEY NEED TO GO. SO COULD WE HAVE ONE PHONE NUMBER FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT?
>> WE ARE LOOKING INTO THAT.
>> THAT WOULD BE GOOD. CAN I HAVE LIKE AN ACRONYM SOMETHING LIKE 1-800-STATE FARM DOES?
>> 4.
>> WE PUBLISH 700 PHONE NUMBERS ON THE BACK OF A RESEARCH GUIDE. SO JUST -- JUST AN OBSERVATION.
>> YES, MA'AM. OUR TEAM IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IN COMING WEEKS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. TAYLOR.
>> MRS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: THIS MIGHT NOT BE VERY POPULAR BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE SUSPENDED AGENDA AND ITEM 57 WHICH IS THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND IT SEEMS THAT MR. BEEKMAN, YOU ARE THE FORTUNATE DIVISION, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WE DO IN TO REALLY, WE BRING YOU UP HERE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE AND IT BECOMES AN HOUR AND A HALF CONVERSATION. SO BOARD MEMBERS, WHEN WE PUT THE SUSPENDED AGENDA IN PLACE, IT WHATS TO BRING UPDATES, AND I FEEL LIKE WE ARE GETTING TO LIKE A WORKSHOP SETTING EVERY TIME MR. BEEKMAN GETS IN FRONT OF US. I DON'T NOVEMBER IF WE REMOVE. THIS BECAUSE WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENT PLAN ANYMORE. NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, TALKING ABOUT ROUTING, TALKING ABOUT PLANNING, TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE COMPLETELY VACANT OF WHAT THE IMPROVEMENT PLAN WAS PUT ON THIS AGENDA TO DO TWO YEARS AGO. SO I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN EITHER REMOVE THIS ITEM AND CHANGE THIS FORMAT TO WHERE WE CAN HAVE A WORKSHOP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, OR IF END OF THE SUMMER, FOR MR. BEEKMAN TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD, A BROAD CONVERSATION, SO WE DON'T GET INTO THIS HOUR AND A HALF BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS MONTH THAT WE HAVE HAD MR. BEEKMAN IN FRONT OF US, AND HE WAS IN FRONT OF US AT THE END OF LAST YEAR. ANYWAY, I WILL LEAVE IT UP OPEN TO DISCUSSION BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE GET THIS OFF THE SUSPENDED AGENDA AND HAVE A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE ALL FEEL VERY TIME CONSTRAINED HERE, AND PROBABLY TAILORING OUR COMMENTS BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE PUBLIC, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MR. BEEKMAN COME TO THE TABLE WITH A WORKSHOP TO HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, HIS OPERATIONS MANAGER, HIS ROUTING AND PLANNING MANAGER, AND THEN, AGAIN, I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU ALL ABOUT THE FACT THAT I AM NOW SITTING ON MPO AND RUNNING A SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION WORKING GROUP, WHICH IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THESE PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE DO THINGS BETTER FOR THIS DISTRICT. SO I'M NOT SURE HOW WE FACILITATE THAT. BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO STOP HAVING THIS HOUR AND A HALF CONVERSATION.
>> WE DO HAVE -- IT'S IRONIC YOU SAY THAT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE ON THE 27th OF SEPTEMBER A TRANSPORTATION WORKSHOP SCHEDULED. SO MAYBE THAT WILL TAKE MR. BEEKMAN OFF THE SUSPENDED AGENDA AND MOVE FORWARD TO THE WORKSHOP SETTING. WE CAN MAKE THAT TRANSITION, YOU KNOW, DURING THAT TIME FRAME.
>> MR. PORTER.
>>Jim Porter: ALSO, TO REALLY LOOK AT THE AGENDA AND THINGS LIKE THE SUSPENDED AGENDA AND HOW TO MAKE IT FLOW BETTER. SO WE WILL BE WORKING ON THAT AND BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU WITH THINGS LIKE YOU HAD REQUESTED TIMES CERTAIN. I KNOW BOARD MEMBERS HAD COMMENTS ABOUT HOW TO MAKE THE AGENDA PROCESS RUN A LITTLE MORE SMOOTHLY. AS THE CHAIR ALLUDED TO, WE ARE GOING TO HARDEN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE DID TODAY, BUT I THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT AND WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH HOPEFULLY A FEW AND IMPROVED AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THE FUTURE.
>> AND IN REFERENCE TO THE DISCUSSION, I THINK, THE CONVERSATIONS ARE VERY TIMELY AND TYPICALLY ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THE END OF THE YEAR. SO I DON'T KNOW, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT -- MR. SUPERINTENDENT, YOU BRING FORWARD AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, AND MR. BEEKMAN AND YOU CAN WORK THAT OUT. SO JUST IN REFERENCE TO THAT. BUT I WILL HAND THE FLOOR TO MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: QUICKLY, I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS OFTEN. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL IT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WORKS IN OTHER PLACES OR IF IT'S PART OF THE STRUCTURE FOR BOARD, STAFF, SUPERINTENDENT, INTERACTION. WE HAVE OUR BOARD MEETING, WHICH IS THE BUSINESS OF WHAT WE DO. OUR WORKSHOP, I THINK, IT'S KIND OF BEING INFORMED, DISCUSSION, THAT DOESN'T LEAD TO A VOTE, BUT SOMEHOW GETS PUT OUT ON THE TABLE. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS, OF YET ANOTHER STRUCTURE, WHERE THERE'S NOT A PRESENTATION BY MR. BEEKMAN BUT ALMOST A CONVERSATION WHERE YOU SIT, PROBLEM SOLVE, LISTEN TO EACH OTHER, AND IT'S NOT ANYBODY COMING WITH THEIR POWER POINTS AND ALL OF THAT. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT IT IS AROUND TALKING, SHARING INFORMATION, AND EVEN FINDING SOLUTIONS. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. BUT I THINK IT'S YET ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WE CAN USE THAT MAY CUT DOWN ON THE SUSPENDED AGENDA DISCUSSION, BUT DISCUSSION DIFFERENT FROM THE BOARD MEETING, DIFFERENT FROM A WORKSHOP AND PRESENTATION. I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT A ROUND TABLE BUT THAT'S ALMOST HOW I SEE THE SETTING, THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE SITTING AROUND THE TABLE TALKING ABOUT THIS. YOU HAVE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS YOU ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT. AND AT THE END COME OUT WITH SOME EXPECTATIONS THAT THERE ARE SOME SOLUTIONS AND MAYBE SOME TIMELINES TO ADDRESS THEM. SO I'M GLAD THAT PEOPLE ARE PICKING UP ON WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY, THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CAPTURE AS MUCH AS I LIKE TO. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S DONE BUT I THINK YET ANOTHER WAY SO MAYBE THE BOARD MEETINGS ARE MINIMIZED BY THAT. THE WORKSHOPS DIFFERENTLY IN ITS TONE, AND INTENT AND PURPOSES, AND THESE THINGS THAT I AM TRYING TO DESCRIBE HAS YET ANOTHER PURPOSE. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. MRS. SNIVELY.
>>Melissa Snively: I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT MRS. EDGECOMB IS TRYING TO SAY. AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE BOARD MEMBERS ACTUALLY -- I'M SORRY, YOU ARE STILL STANDING AND I DON'T KNOW -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. BUT A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ACTUALLY CHAIR SUBCOMMITTEES, AND SUBCOMMITTEES LIKE FINANCE, OPERATIONS, TRANSPORTATION, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? MR. PORTER, WE HAVE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT I THINK IN THE PAST AS WELL.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I'M NOT SO MUCH THINKING. IT COULD BE A SUBCOMMITTEE BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AS MUCH AS WHAT THE EXCHANGE LOOKS LIKE AND SOUNDS LIKE AND HOW IT ENDS UP. SO IT MAY BE WORTH TRYING TO INVESTIGATE. BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO THINK JUST BY LOOKING AROUND, NODDING THEIR HEAD, THAT IT MAY HAVE A PURPOSE AND A PLACE. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF CAN MAYBE THINK ABOUT.
>> SO MANY YEARS AGO THE BOARD MEETING WAS A PLACE WHERE WE VOTED UP OR VOTED DOWN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH IT. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE CONVERSATION, IN DEPTH CONVERSATION. IT'S KIND OF EVOLVING. I KNOW I HAVE SEEN THAT TO WHERE THERE'S A LOT MORE OPEN CONVERSATIONS. AND I THINK IN PART THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY'S DESIRE TO SEE THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT BEING DONE. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT WHEN IT'S IN A WORK, SHOP SETTING. BUT WE'LL TALK, MRS. EDGECOMB, AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHETHER IT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT BRINGING FORWARD. BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING YOU WANT A CONVERSATION. AND I ALLOW THAT AS CHAIR TO TAKE PLACE, AND PLEASE FORGIVE BUT I DO LIKE THIS CONVERSATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN REALLY ENGAGE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS THAT ARE EXCHANGED IN THAT WAY. BUT WHAT I AM HEARING YOU SAY, MRS. EDGECOMB, IS THAT YOU WANT MORE OF A CONVERSATION, SITTING DOWN, AND TALKING WITH STAFF AND TALKING AMONGST THE BOARD AND SEEING WHAT SOLUTIONS CAN BE OFFERED OR WHAT QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED FOR US IN THAT ENVIRONMENT, NOT QUITE A WORKSHOP SETTING BUT JUST A CONVERSATION. EXCHANGE, RIGHT. AND I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS WE HAVE, A WAY TECHNOLOGY LOOK AT MAYBE SOME SUBCOMMITTEES FOR SOME WORK THERE, TOO. SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS HERE. AND MR. PORTER, YOU AND I CAN TALK ABOUT THIS PART OFFLINE AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK AND HAVE A DISCUSSION. AND HA THAT MAY BE A WORKSHOP TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND TO HEAR PEOPLE'S INTEREST IN WHAT THEY LIKE. SO I HAVE JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS. AND THEN YOUR PART IS DONE. SO WHEN YOU WERE BEFORE US LAST YEAR, I MEAN LAST TIME YOU WERE BEFORE US, YOU SAID LAST YEAR WAS THE WORST OPENING THAT YOU HAD SEEN. AND I SAID, WELL, YOU WEREN'T HERE IN 2009. BECAUSE THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS. SO I GUESS IN PERSPECTIVE WHEN YOU PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE AND YOU HAVE SEEN THAT, MY VIEW OF IT IS NOT -- I ALSO DON'T HAVE CHILDREN SITTING FOUR TO A SEAT OR THREE TO A SEAT TIGHTLY PACKED ON A BUS EITHER. THAT GIVES A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. BUT I DID SEE YOU AT ONE OF OUR RAMPS, THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL? YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS WITH YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. THE SECOND DAY. AND I ASKED YOU. SO IN COMPARISON, HOW WAS THIS YEAR'S OPENING? CO-YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU SAID AGAIN?
>> I PROBABLY HAD HEAT STROKE.
>> I WILL TELL YOU WHAT YOU SAID. YOU SAID IT WAS NIGHT AN DAY. THAT IT WAS NIGHT AND DAY ON THE SECOND DAY YOU SAID IT WAS NIGHT AND DAY COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE. AND IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S PROGRESS THAT IS BEING MADE. AND I THINK THAT'S NOTABLE.
>> THE NEAT PART IS THE STAFF BELIEVES IT, YOU KNOW. I THINK FOR SO LONG THEY JUST GOT SO HAMMERED, THEY JUST DID NOT BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND THEIR CAPABILITIES. AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS NOW THEY KNOW THEY CAN DO IT. AND SO I THINK YOU ARE SEEING GREATER STEROIDS OUT OF THE STAFF, DRIVERS ATTENDANCE, OUR MANAGEMENT STAFF, THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO BETTER. AND THEY ARE GOING TOWARDS THAT END, THAT MEANS.
>> WELL, THE MORALE IS IMPORTANT AND I SEE THAT AS IMPROVING. AND I ONLY CHOOSE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION PUBLICLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO UNDERSTAND THIS, AND WHATEVER DIVISION, DEPARTMENT THAT WE ARE IN. AND BY THE WAY I AM GOING TO USE THAT WINGED ON A DILL PICKLE COMMENT. I LOVE THAT. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEM LIKE THEY WILL NEVER BE HAPPY IN THIS WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN BECAUSE WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHENNER NOT HAPPY. TYPICALLY WHEN THEY ARE HAPPY WE DON'T HEAR FROM THEM. BUT I DON'T WANT US TO DISCOUNT WHAT I CALL THE LOYAL OPPOSITION. AND WHEN YOU KNOW PEOPLE'S INTENT AND WHERE THEY ARE COMING FROM, I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS WANTING US TO IMPROVE -- AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, NOT THAT THEY ARE WANTING -- THEY DON'T WANT TO SEE US FALL FLAT ON OUR FACE BUT THEY WANT US TO IMPROVE. I DON'T WANT US TO DISCOUNT THAT LOYAL OPPOSITION, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY TIMES THAT THERE'S A PERSPECTIVE THERE THAT WE DON'T SEE BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEEP THE FOREST FOR THE TREES BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE WORK OF THIS DISTRICT AND THE WORK IN THE TRENCHES. AND IT WAS NOT A DIRECT RESPONSE TO YOU, BUT IT JUST TRIGGERED SOMETHING FOR ME FROM AN OVERALL ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE THAT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO MAY SEEM LIKE THEY WILL NEVER BE HAPPY, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, COME UP HERE AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL NAME A COUPLE RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THEN THERE'S SOME OTHERS THAT REALLY SEE THE DISTRICT AND WANTED US TO BE BETTER FOR THE SAKE OF THE KIDS, AND WHILE THEY MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE THEY CAN BE HAPPY, HAVE SOME VERY GOOD PERSPECTIVE. BUT I AM GOING TO USE THAT WINGED ON A DILL PICKLE THING BECAUSE I KNOW A FEW PEOPLE LIKE THAT. YOU MAY GO SIT DOWN. [ APPLAUSE ] MR. SUPERINTENDENT, THE SUSPENDED AGENDA IS STILL GOING ON.
>>Jeffrey Eakins: IT'S STILL GOING ON. I WILL TRY TO BE BRIEF. MR. BEEKMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO YOU, YOUR STAFF, THE DRIVERS. I CAN TELL JUST BY YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN A LOT OF SLEEP OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. SO IF YOU NEED TO MOSEY OUT AT SOME POINT WE GET IT. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR WORK AND THE FACT THAT YOU DO SET THAT HIGH BAR. WE KNOW YOU SET THAT HIGH BAR AND WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO AIM TO ACHIEVE IT. AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. JUST A COUPLE MORE UPDATES. I WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR ELEVATE SCHOOLS. WE HAD THREE OF OUR SCHOOLS, AND WE ARE GOING TO THEM TO SEE WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR FIRST FEW DAYS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO REALLY MAKE NOTE OF? AND WE HAVE SULPHUR SPRINGS WANTED TO MAKE NOTE THAT ALL THE STAFF AND STUDENTS ARE NOW PARTICIPATING IN A MULTILEVEL HOUSE SYSTEM. IT'S A LOT ABOUT OWNERSHIP. OUR ELEVATE SCHOOLS ARE REALLY TAKING THAT OWNERSHIP. THE OTHER SCHOOLS MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR, THEIR WORK. TEACHERS ARE DOING THAT AS WELL. EACH HOUSE HAS A COLOR. ONE OF THE TEACHERS AT SULFUR SPRINGS SAYS THAT ACCORDING TO THEM IT'S THE MOST EXCITED HE'S BEEN IN TEN YEARS TEACHING THERE. AND I REALLY WANT TO APPRECIATE THAT CULTURE BUT TURNING THAT CULTURE INTO A GREAT ACADEMIC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS I.WANT TO REPORT OUT ON POTTER, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD BEEN WORKING OWN, MR. UNDERDO AND STAFF AND HR, BEGUN FILLING EVERY CLASSROOM WITH A CERTIFIED TEACHER. SO AS OF THE SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL THIS YEAR, ELEMENTARY, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT WAS BEING TAUGHT BY A CERTIFIED TEACHER AT THE SCHOOL. AND THAT WAS A HEAVY LIFT. I WANT TO THANK MR. UNDERDO AND YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE AREA AND WORKING WITH MRS. HO, HR, MAKING SURE THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE AT ONE POINT SHE HAD SELF A VACANCIES SHE WAS WORKING ON AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENED SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT THE STUDENTS OF POTTER ARE DOING THE BEST EVERY SINGLE DAY. THEY WANT TO REPORT OUT THEY ARE BUILDING A GREEN HOUSE ON AUGUST 29th AND WILL BE PLANTED AND CARED FOR BY THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS AT POTTER ELEMENTARY, THEY WILL GROW THEIR GARDEN AND SCHOOL BEAUTIFICATION EFFORTS WITH THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY. ALL CLASSROOMS ARE BUILDING COMMUNITY, AND THEY HAVE WRITTEN THEIR CLASSROOM CHARTER TO OWN THEIR T WAY THAT THEY ARE ENVIRONMENTS EXIST THERE AT POTTER ELEMENTARY. I WANT TO THANK MRS. HILL FOR HER LEADERSHIP AND THE TEACHERS AT POTTER. AT BT WASHINGTON, THIS WEEK DESIGNING A GARDEN, PRESENTING DESIGNS, THEIR OWN ARCHITECTURE TO IDLEWILD. IDLEWILD IS GOING TO BE GOING IN AND ACTUALLY TAKING THE STUDENTS' DESIGNS AND MAKING THAT COME TO FRUITION ON THEIR STATED SATURDAY THAT THEY ARE COMING OUT AND CREATING THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT AT BT WASHINGTON. WE THANK IDLE WILDE FOR THAT. AND FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS FOR THEIR DESIGNS. AT EDISON ELEMENTARY, ONCE AGAIN BACK TO OWNERSHIP. THEY WILL BE IMPLEMENTING DATA CHATS WITH THEIR STUDENTS, PARENT PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNICATIONS FOCAL POINT THIS YEAR. THE EVENTS ARE GOING TO BE -- THAT THEY ARE GOING TO INCLUDE ARE GOING TO BE STUDENT ATTENDANCE CELEBRATIONS, BY SENDING HOME DATA FOLDERS, INVITING BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO SET UP BOOTHS AT ALL THESE PARENT NIGHTS IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE PARENTS AND HELP NAVIGATE FOR THEM. EDISON IS COMING TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th FOR EDISON'S FIRST ANNUAL COMMUNITY EVENT. IT WILL BE FOOD, RAFFLES, GAMES, PRIZES, MUSIC, FAMILY FUN AND PARENT INFORMATION SESSIONS. IN AN EFFORT TO BRING THE PARENTS INTO THEIR CHILD'S ACADEMIC LIFE STAFF WILL CONDUCTED SESSION ONE ABOUT INFORMING FAMILIES ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF READING EVERY NIGHT TO AND WITH THEIR CHILD AND SESSION TWO, RESOURCES THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF LEARNING. SO ELEVATE -- EDISON'S MOLT OH IS ELEVATING BRIGHT MINDS ON THE ROAD TO SUCCESS. WE WANTED TO CELEBRATE WHAT THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHING JUST THESE FIRST FEW DAYS OF SCHOOL AND WE APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP OF EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS. MY FINAL UPDATE IS FAITH BASED UPDATE. I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ASKED FOR THAT. FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO APPLAUD MARY LOU, SHE'S OUT THERE. SHE'S IN THE VERY BACK. THANK YOU, MARY LOU, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. AS YOU KNOW LAST YEAR WE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS WHERE WE HAD SOME LINES THAT WERE GRAY AND SOME LINES THAT WERE CROSSED AND WE KNEW WE HAD TO GET THINGS BACK TO CENTER AND I KNOW YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY WITH OUR PARTNERS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS WITH ALL OF THAT. OBVIOUSLY, I MENTIONED SOME OF THESE LAST TIME BUT THE MOST RECENT ONE, THE UPCOMING -- OR THAT THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR TRAININGS ON SEPTEMBER 19, 20, AND 22, THERE WERE OVER 230 PARTICIPANTS IN THOSE SESSIONS. PTA, PTSA EXECUTIVE BOARD, THEY ALSO ATTENDED SESSIONS WHICH COVERED TOPICS LIKE EQUAL ACCESS, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER PROCESSES, AND R AND FAITH BASED ASSURANCES. VIA FAITH BASED COMMUNITY, IN AUGUST SEVERAL AREA FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING CATHOLIC CHARITIES, CROSSOVER CHURCH, IDLEWILD RELEVANT CHURCH, THE CROSSING, VAN DYKE, HAVE VOLUNTEERISM AND BACK TO SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVES TO AREA SCHOOLS WITHIN THE PERSPECTIVE COMMUNITIES AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF OUR SCHOOLS. SOME UPCOME EVENTS. I JUST MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT AGO WITH ONE OF OUR ELEVATE SCHOOLS, IDLEWILD ON AUGUST 27th IS GOING TO HAVE THEIR WILD WILD DAY OF SERVICE. THEY WILL BE PERFORMING A DAY OF VOLUNTARY SERVICE AT 21 SCHOOLS AROUND THE DISTRICT, THE THIRD YEAR OF THIS INITIATIVE WHICH TYPICALLY OCCURS TWICE A YEAR, PAST PROJECTS INCLUDED BUS CLEANING, LANDSCAPING, BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS, STAFF LOUNGE MAKEOVERS AND SO FORTH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT AS WELL. FINALLY, WE ARE RAMPING UP AGAIN THIS YEAR OUR LEADERSHIP TRAINING SERIES WORKING THROUGH MRS. McMANNIS AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TEAM EQUIPPING PRINCIPALS IN THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT EPIC STANDS FOR, DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP, REDEVELOPING THE CONTENT FOR THE NEXT SERIES OF LEADERSHIP TRAINING SPONSORED BY IDLE WILDE AND TENTATIVE DATES ARE SEPTEMBER 26, NOVEMBER 14, FEBRUARY 6, APRIL 4. SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE EVENTS. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATE.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. AND THE ELEVATE SCHOOLS ARE STILL GOING TO BE CALLED THE ELEVATE SCHOOLS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT IN THE SAME MODEL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONVEYED.
>>Jeffrey Eakins: ABSOLUTELY.
>>April Griffin: ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I TALKED TO MR. EAKINS ABOUT THIS, AND I HAD CONVERSATIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE. WITH THE GENEROSITY OF MANY OF OUR PARTNERS WHO GIVE SO MUCH TO OUR SCHOOLS -- AND I KNOW SOME SCHOOLS DO AND SOME DON'T AND SOME ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS -- BUT TALKING ABOUT OWNERSHIP. WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WHEN SCHOOLS GET ALL THESE THINGS THAT STUDENTS THEMSELVES, BACK TO THOSE WHO MAKE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS, SO THAT, ONE, THEY KNOW THAT IT'S APPRECIATED, IT TEACHES THEM SOCIAL SKILLS, AND SECONDLY, IT HOPEFULLY INSTILLS SOME DAY AND MAYBE SOME WAY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING AND GIVE BACK. BUT IMMEDIATELY, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GIVE TO THEM? I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> WELL, I CAN ASSURE AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL, ANYMORE ANYONE REACHES OUT TO OUR SCHOOLS, THAT SHOULD BE THE EXPECTATION, MRS. EDGECOMB, THAT OUR STUDENTS SHOULDN'T JUST BE THE RECEIVERS. YOU KNOW, SERVICE IS ONE OF OUR CRITERIA AROUND DEVELOPING GREAT CULTURE. AND SERVICE IS HOW YOU GIVE BACK. AND THEY JUST RECEIVE SOMETHING. AND THEY SHOULD SHOW THAT APPRECIATION BACK AND GRATITUDE BACK TO THOSE WHO GAVE. SO GENEROUSLY. SO I WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S HAVE BEEN IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR SCHOOLS. I THINK MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST PART OF THE DNA. THEY DORETHA. THAT'S THE EXPECTATION. THEY ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF IT. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S UNIVERSAL WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT. BOARD MEMBERS, THE NEXT ITEM ON YOUR AGENDA IS TEACHING AND LEARNING. WE HAVE ONE TEACHING AND LEARNING WHICH IS THE BENEFITS OF THE TEACHING AND TOOLS STORE AT THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION MR. VAN AYRES, DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT. GUR GOING TO TAKE THIS ONE.
>> WE ARE SO FORTUNATE AS A DISTRICT TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT PARTNER IN THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION. AND IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE JIM McGRAF, THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION TO HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS OF THE TEACHING SCHOOL STORE AT THE FOUNDATION. MR. McGRATH.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF, SO NICE TO BE SEE YOU ALL AGAIN, OBVIOUSLY IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT TEACHING TOOL STORE. WE BELIEVE THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST I THINK IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN HELPING STUDENTS. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE DAY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND I BROUGHT THIS WITH ME BECAUSE WE DO THIS AS SIMPLY AS GIVING PENCILS TO STUDENTS IN NEED, STUDENTS WHO COME INTO THE CLASSROOM ON A DAILY BASIS WITHOUT PENCILS, PAPER AND CRAYONS. BUT WHO BETTER TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE IMPACT, THE REAL IMPACT OF THE STORE THAN ONE OF YOUR OWN, A TEACHER THAT HAS BEEN UTAH LAYING THE TEACHING TOOLS PROGRAM NOW FOR 12 YEARS. AND SO SHE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO LET US DO A SHORT VIDEO OF WHY SHE FEELS LIKE THIS IS SO VALUABLE TO HER AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S MADE ON HER STUDENTS AND HER CLASSROOM. I WILL APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR THE NOISE AT THE TOP BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUND LIKE WHEN THEY ARE SHOPPING IN THE STORE.
>> THE ACTUAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD. AND SO BECAUSE I SPEND SO MUCH MONEY EVERY YEAR ON MY CHILDREN, TO COME OUT AND BE ABLE THAT'S AN ADVANTAGE FOR THEM IS WHY I COME EVERY TIME. I HAND OUT 25 TO 30 PENCILS EVERY DAY. AND WHEN I GET A PACK OF PENCILS I LOVE IT. AND PAPER, THE KIDS HAVE IT, AND I DON'T FEEL --
>> I THINK IT'S TO BENEFIT THEIR KIDS, AND OUR CUSTOMER IS OUR STUDENT. AND FOR STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE NEED TO HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED, AND I APPRECIATE IT EVERY TIME.
>> AND SINCE WE OPENED, WE HAVE GIVEN MORE THAN 3.4 MILLION PENCILS TO OUR STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE FRED WEBER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS FOR THE TEACHING TOOL STORES. HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME EVEN BETTER STATISTICS.
>> MADAM CHAIR, DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING US SHOW YOU ABOUT THE TEACHING TOOL STORE. THE RESOURCE CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER 2002, SO WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING FOR 14 YEARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND HAVE BECOME A MAJOR PROGRAM OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION. WE SERVE TEACHERS IN TITLE 1 SCHOOLS PROVIDING RESOURCES FOR THESE STUDENTS THAT INCLUDE CORE ITEMS SUCH ASPEN SILLS, PENS, PAPER, GLUE, RULERS, BACKPACKS AND SO FORTH, AND OTHER CORE ITEMS. WE ALSO PROVIDE ARTS AND CRAFTS, BOOKS AND BINDERS, SOMETIMES FURNITURE FOR TEACHERS, EVEN FOOD SOMETIMES FOR STUDENTS. WHEN I SAY RESOURCES, IT'S FREE RESOURCES. EVERYONE THAT COMES TO THE STORE TO SHOP GETS FREE ITEMS. YOU CAN SEE A PICTURE OF OUR WAREHOUSE. WE ARE LOCATED ON HOWARD AVENUE. WE HAVE 1500 SQUARE FEET OF STORE. WE HAVE ABOUT 15,000 SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSE, AND ANOTHER ADDITIONAL 1,000 SQUARE FEET OF WAREHOUSE AT GREENS TREE WHICH COVERS ABOUT 70 SOMETHING PALLETS. CURRENTLY WE ARE SERVING 140 TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, 9,380 TEACHER VISITS. IT'S ACTUALLY OVER 10,000 DENISE TOLD ME A LITTLE BIT AGO. ACTUALLY OVER 10,000 VISITS SERVING ALMOST 65,000 STUDENTS. WE DID $23.3 MILLION OVER THE PAST 12 YEARS AND $3.3 MILLION THIS PAST YEAR. THE YEAR BEFORE WE DID ABOUT 3.3 MILLION SO YOU CAN SEE THE BIGGEST PUSH HAS BEEN IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. WE HAVEN'T GROWN IN TITLE 1 SCHOOLS AS FAR AS THE LAST TWO YEARS. WE KNOW IT'S A DECISION BASED ON NEEDS. AND WE ALSO MAKE THE DECISION BASED ON RESOURCES. THE AVERAGE TEACHER COMES INTO THE STORE AND SHOPS ABOUT 11 OR 12 TIMES A YEAR. $265 IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF ITEMS THEY TAKE BACK WITH THEM WHICH IS ABOUT 2,650 A YEAR. WE HAVE GREAT SPONSORS. WE HAVE KIDS IN THE FOUNDATION WHICH PROVIDES ALMOST TWO-THIRDS OF THE INVENTORY IN KIND THAT WE HAVE IN OUR STORES. WE HAVE UV, WHICH IS VERY MUCH LIKE A TOM McCANN, BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE. ALL THE GET ONE FREES COME TO THE FOUNDATION. THEY GAVE US OVER 700,000 LAST YEAR IN FREE DONATIONS. OF COURSE WE HAVE GREAT PARTNERS AS WELL AS FAR AS FINANCIALLY. WE HAVE THE SUNCOAST CREDIT UNION, AND OF COURSE THE DISTRICT WHO SUPPORTS OUR STAFF. CURRENTLY WE HAVE FOUR STAFF MEMBERS. WE SERVE ABOUT 1100 -- WE HAVE 1,150 VOLUNTEERS SERVING IN THE STORE WHICH WE COULD NOT DO WITHOUT. THAT'S OVER 6500 HOURS OF VOLUNTEERS. THE OTHER THING, TOO, I WANT TO LEAVE THIS OPEN FOR EACH OF YOU. WE HAVE OUR TEACHING TOOL LUNCHEON WHICH IS OUR MAJOR SUPPORT FUNCTION WE DO EVERY YEAR ON SEPTEMBER 8th, OPEN INVITATION TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS, AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
>> MRS. EDGECOMB, I AM GOING TO CALL ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVE ON THE FOUNDATION.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU, MRS. GRIFFIN. I REMEMBER WHEN THE STORE WAS IN A BEAT-UP OLD WAREHOUSE. AND MARTIN LUTHER KING NEAR THE FAIRGROUNDS. YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY, BABY. IN TERMS OF THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE STORE, THE SERVICE, THE PRODUCTS AND THE RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE TALKED ABOUT. AND AS A BOARD MEMBER SITTING FOR THIS BOARD, I SEE THE COMMITMENT OF THE STAFF IN TRYING TO DO WHAT THAT TEACHER TALKED ABOUT. THEIR POCKETBOOK, AT THE SAME TIME ELEVATE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS BY HAVING IN THEIR HANDS THE NECESSARY RESOURCES SO THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. IN FACT, AFTER I SAW THAT, I SENT HER AN E-MAIL AND TOLD HER WHAT A GREAT JOB. AND I WANT HER AUTOGRAPH. BUT I DID CONGRATULATE HER FOR TELLING THE STORY IN A WAY A PERSON WHO NEEDS AND SEE IT IS NEED OF THAT. AND SO YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I THINK THEY ARE THE VOICE. AND WE SEE THEM AT THE LUNCHEON, THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS, AND FAMILIES, WHO REALLY TALK ABOUT WHAT A BIG DIFFERENCE IT MAKES. SO YOU SERVE MULTIPLE PURPOSES. BUT I THINK IF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY KNOW MOST ABOUT THE FOUNDATION, IT'S OUR SUPPLIES OR TEACHING TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS. AND AS I SAID YOU HAVE COME A LONG WAY. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE PART, WHICH IS NEEDED IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND I HOPE YOU HAVE MANY YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> WELL, I TOO REMEMBER WHERE I THINK I WENT TO THE OPENING OF THAT MANY YEARS AGO, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I WAS EVEN A BOARD MEMBER AT THE TIME. I HAD A FRIEND WHO WAS ON THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD AT THE TIME. AND I WENT TO THAT OPENING. AND IT WAS A FAR CRY FROM WHERE YOU ARE AT NOW. YOU DEFINITELY HAVE MOVED UP IN THE WORLD AND GIVEN A REALLY NICE PLACE FOR OUR TEACHERS TO SHOP. BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOW MUCH TEACHERS HAVE TO SPEND OUT OF THEIR POCKETS. AND IT'S NOTHING NEW. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON SINCE I THINK TEACHERS WERE TEACHING IN THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING OF TIME. BUT I HAVE A QUESTION, I GUESS, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH IN RELATION TO YOU, BUT IT WAS A THOUGHT THAT WAS TRIGGERED. I DON'T KNOW THE TAX CODE FOR TEACHERS. IS THERE A TAX BREAK THAT TEACHERS GET FOR PURCHASING, IF THEY FILE FOR PURCHASING SUPPLIES?
>> YES, THERE IS.
>>April Griffin: I DANTE SEE YOU, MRS. SAUNDERS. HELLO.
>> YES, THERE'S A SPOT ON THERE. THEY JUST HAVE TO KEEP THEIR RECEIPTS. WITH TEACHER SUPPLY MONEY COMING UP, HAVE TO KEEP THE RECEIPTS IN CASE THEY ARE AUDITED.
>>April Griffin: I KNEW YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT. THAT BEING SAID, MRS. WOODFORD, WHEN WE ARE ON-BOARDING TEACHERS IS THAT A CONVERSATION WE HAVE WITH THEM?
>> WE SEND THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE TEACHERS AND KEEP REINFORCING IT AND REENFORCING IT. THE ONLY REASON WE HAVEN'T ADDED IT TO THE ON-BOARDING IS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EVERY YEAR IF IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE COMING BACK. IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS. THE LEGISLATURE SOMETIMES, THEY HAVE DONE IT NOW CONSISTENTLY FOR THE LAST 10, 15 YEARS.
>> WELL, THIS WOULD BE A FEDERAL
>> OH, FOR YOUR TAX -- THAT COULD CHANGE, TOO. I DON'T KNOW. DO WE DO THAT? WE'LL GET TOGETHER ON IT.
>>April Griffin: IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU ALL SHOULD TALK ABOUT AND MAYBE ON-BOARDING BUT I DON'T THINK YOU ALL NEED ANY MORE BUSINESS RIGHT NOW, DO YOU? DO WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP SPREAD THE WORD MORE? OR ARE YOU GOOD?
>> OF COURSE WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DONATIONS IN TERMS OF SUPPLIES. WE ARE JUST FINISHING OUR SUMMER SUPPLY DRIVE. AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER SUPPLY DRIVE IN JANUARY. AS I SAID, THIS IS A TEN-MONTH RESOURCE. WE ARE NOT JUST A BACK TO SCHOOL PROGRAM. WE ARE YEAR ROUND.
>>April Griffin: WHAT ARE YOUR GREAT EFFORTS NEEDS RIGHT NOW? WHAT'S YOUR WISH LIST?
>> IT'S THE BASICS.
>> PAPER IS THE BIGGEST ONE, SPIRAL NOTEBOOKS. THOSE ARE THE TWO BIGGEST ONES RIGHT NOW THAT HIT US THIS TIME OF YEAR.
>> SO DROP THEM OFF, WE'LL COME PICK THEM UP.
>>April Griffin: FOR ANYBODY OUT THERE LISTENING, IF YOU HAVE ANY DESIRE TO DONATE THAT YOU CAN JUST TAKE IT -- WHAT IS YOUR ADDRESS?
>> 2306 NORTH HOWARD.
>> OR LOOK THEM UM ONLINE AND I'M SURE YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH SOMEONE. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. WE APPRECIATE YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM -- AND THIS AGENDA ITEM HAS BEEN MOVED UP TO ACCOMMODATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS -- IS THE ENHANCEMENTS TO HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOL EMPLOYEE FEDERATION EVALUATION. AND MRS. MARIE WHELAN, GENERAL MANAGER OF PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IS GOING TO BE PRESENTING THIS AGENDA ITEM. AND MS. STUART, MS. SNIVELY AND MRS. EDGECOMB PULLED THIS.
>> GOOD EVENING. MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS AND STAFF. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THIS INFORMATION ITEM RELATED TO THE NEW HSEF EVALUATION INSTRUMENT TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE 16-17 SCHOOL YEAR. THIS INSTRUMENT WAS A RESULT OF A COLLABORATION OF NUMBER RUGS STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING THE HSEF LEADERSHIP, EILEEN, AND VICE PRESIDENT STEPHANIE McNEIL. UNION REPRESENTATIVES, OFFICER ALEXANDER MONTALVO, SR. WITH SCHOOL THEATER, BEVERLY DAVIS, NUTRITION, JOSE GILL, WITH AIR CONDITIONING, SUSAN STEINHAASEN AT LITHIA SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND VINCENT GUARDO, TRANSPORTATION BUS DRIVER. ADDITIONALLY SITE BASED AND DISTRICT LEADERS WERE REPRESENTED THROUGH THE PRINCIPAL COUNCILS. WE HAVE RHONDA McMAHON WITH ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS, BARBARA MERCER WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND KEN HART WITH HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND DISTRICT OPERATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION STAFF MR. BEEKMAN AND MR. WAGNER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS ENHANCEMENTS TO BE NOTED ON THE NEW EVALUATION INCLUDING CLEAR EVALUATION LANGUAGE REGARDING PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS, A REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS TO ELIMINATE REDUNDANCIES AND CATEGORIES, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYEES TO COMPLETE A SELF-EVALUATION PRIOR TO THEIR EVALUATION CONFERENCE, THE ADDITION OF AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE CATEGORY, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS FOR A PROACTIVE APPROACH, ELIMINATION OF CAREER OBSERVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SUPPORT ASSISTANCE PLANS, AND THEN FINALLY SUPPORT PROVIDED EARLIER TO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. WE HAVE ALREADY MET WITH EMPLOYEES IN OUR STUDENT NUTRITION GROUP. ALL BUS DRIVERS DURING THEIR BACK TO SCHOOL MEETINGS, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SCHEDULING MEETINGS WITH MAINTENANCE, SCHOOL SECURITY AND CUSTODIAL OPERATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS INFORMATION WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AT THEIR SEPTEMBER COUNCIL MEETINGS. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ASSIST OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT EMPLOYEES WHO ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT IT.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS? DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, TOO?
>> NO.
>>April Griffin: BOARD MEMBERS, YOU PULLED THIS. DID ANY OF YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT? MRS. EDGECOMB?
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THIS IS ANOTHER GROUP, BUT THERE IS ANOTHER GROUP I REALLY THINK -- AND MAYBE IT'S ON THE LIST, A WAY TO UPGRADE THE EVALUATION. CLERICAL STAFF.
>> OF A DIFFERENT BARGAINING GROUP.
>> YES, BUT I KNEW SINCE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU ARE HERE. BUT THANK YOU FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THIS BUT I THINK AS I LOOKED YESTERDAY I HOPE YOU ARE TAKING A LOOK THAT'S THE NEXT ONE YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO TACKLE.
>> I WILL BE HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH HCTA ABOUT THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
>>April Griffin: MRS. SNIVELY?
>>Melissa Snively: AS USUAL MRS. EDGECOMB READS MY MIND. WHEN I COMPARED THE OLD EVALUATION FORMED USED TO THE NEW ONE I CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE THE VALUE OF WHAT THE NEW EVALUATION IS GOING TO BRING TO THE TABLE, AND I KNOW SPEAKING WITH DR. VASQUEZ THIS MORNING ABOUT UPDATING OUR EVALUATIONS -- EVALUATIONS AND HOW HADDING THAT ONE COLUMN ALLOWS US TO RECOGNIZE ABOVE EXPECTATIONS OR WHEN SOMEONE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND MEETING EXPECTATIONS OF THEIR POSITION. SO THE TWO THINGS THAT I DISCUSSED THIS MORNING WITH DR. VASQUEZ THAT I KNOW WILL HAPPEN OVER TIME ARE ALIGNING THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS WITH THE EVALUATIONS, AND I AM LOOKING FOR SOME CONGRUENCY, AND THEN EXPANDING THE EVALUATION TO BE MORE OF A TOOL TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AS OPPOSED TO, I DON'T KNOW, JUST A STANDARD "YOU DID WELL" OR "YOU DIDN'T DO WELL" AND NOT ALLOWING ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK AND OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT.
>> AND WE ARE GOING TO UTILIZE THIS YEAR TO CONTINUE TO BE COLLABORATIVE AS WE WORK WITH THROUGH THIS TO SEE WHEN THERE MIGHT BE LANGUAGE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADD BECAUSE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE MAKING IT ABOUT WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES NEED.
>> THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: AND THANK YOU FOR THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. I TOO AM GLAD TO SEE THAT OUTSTANDING IS NOW LISTED AS AN OPTION. I'M CURIOUS HOW YOU ARE GOING TO COMMUNICATE THIS OUT TO EMPLOYEES, AND WHEN WE START FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF USE OF THIS, TOO.
>> SO WE HAVE ALREADY HAD MEETINGS WITH THOSE GROUPS THAT I MENTIONED. WE ARE SCHEDULING THOSE MEETINGS EARLY ON WITH THE OTHER GROUPS. AND WE WILL CONTINUE. FOR EXAMPLE, STUDENT NUTRITION IS GOING TO HAVE AS PART OF THEIR MEETINGS REGULARLY. THEY HAVE ALREADY GIVEN US THOSE DATES. SO WE WILL CONTINUE. I HAVE HR PARTNERS THAT ARE WORK WITH US ON IT AS WELL TO MEET WITH ALL OF THOSE GROUPS TO CONTINUE TO GET THE WORD OUT. AND I KNOW THEY ARE DOING THAT MESSAGING AS WELL.
>> AND THIS IS STILL A PAPER EVALUATION, CORRECT?
>> YES, MA'AM.
>> ARE WE EVER GOING TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE THIS IS ON LINE FOR EMPLOYEES TO VISIT? AND I AM NOT THINKING -- THEY CAN DO IT AT THEIR LURE BUT IT'S A -- LEISURE, BUT THEY CAN ADD THEIR COMMENTS BACK IN IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH AN EVALUATION?
>> YES. THE ADDENDUM PORTION IS STILL THE SAME AS IT IS, AND WHAT WE DO CURRENTLY, EVEN FOR OUR ELECTRONIC EVALUATIONS THAT ARE IN OUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WE SCAN THOSE AND THOSE ARE I AM AND PLACED AS AN ADDENDUM WITH THAT PARTICULAR YEAR'S EVALUATION. WE ARE ALREADY HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH ALL THE PARTIES INVOLVED TO LOOK AT THIS BEING AN ELECTRONIC PROCESS, MOVING INTO 17-18. BUT WE JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
>> WELL, GOOD LUCK WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION.
>> I WANTED TO THANK HIM AS WELL. I'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY. BUT I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR HIS SUPPORT. I WANTED TO POINT OUT, ALTHOUGH MARIE SAID IT, THE ELIMINATION OF THE CAREER OBSERVATION PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH, WHICH IS VERY NEGATIVE AND PUNITIVE, IS ONE OF THE AREAS I AM MOST EXCITED ABOUT AND INSTEAD WE HAVE MIRRORED WHAT WE DO WITH TEACHERS AND IS ABOUT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE, ABOUT BEING VERY CLEAR ABOUT OUR EXPECTATIONS INSTEAD OF AT THE END OF WHAT YOU DIDN'T DO. AND SO THE ADDITION OF THE ASSISTANCE PLAN I THINK IS GOING TO ASSIST OUR EMPLOYEES A GREAT DEAL.
>> THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE WE ARE DOING ACROSS THE BOARD. I SEE THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. BECAUSE FEEDBACK SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS MEANT TO GROW SOMEONE. IT IS A GIFT. AND AS WE ARE MOVING THROUGH REDOING ALL OF THESE EVALUATIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, WHETHER IT BE OUR HSEF EMPLOYEES OR OUR SECRETARIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, OR OUR ADMINISTRATORS, THAT IS ALWAYS WHAT IT SHOULD BE. IT'S A GIFT THAT YOU GIVE IN ORDER TO HELP SOMEBODY GROW. AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THAT GIFT, OR SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO TAKE THAT GIFT. AND WE ARE REALLY GOOD AS A DISTRICT, I NOTICE OF BEING ABLE TO FIND A PLACE FOR SOMEONE IF THEY ARE NOT IN THE RIGHT PLACE. THEN WE TRY TO FIND A PLACE. BUT THEN SOMETIMES WE KNOW THAT EDUCATION IS NOT THE ENVIRONMENT FOR SOME PEOPLE. AND WE HAVE GOT TO SEE PEOPLE OUT. SO I BELIEVE THAT THE GATES GRANT WAS A VERY, VERY GOOD THING FOR US. WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ALL OF THAT ANYWAY. BUT IT ALLOWED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PUT TOGETHER A GOOD TOOL AS A STARTING POINT WITH OUR TEACHERS AND TO BE ABLE TO MODEL THAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. SO I'M HAPPY WITH WHERE I SEE THAT WE ARE GOING WITH OUR EVALUATIONS ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> AND I THINK THE FEEDBACK FROM STUDENT NUTRITION ALREADY HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED FROM IF EMPLOY.
>>HE IS AND FEEDBACK IS NOT A GOTCHA. THESE WHEREIN WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE IN ACCEPTING FEEDBACK. THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF THIS, TOO, IS LEARNING HOW TO -- LEARNING HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK IS ONE THING. LEARNING HOW TO ACCEPT IT IF YOU HAVE NEVER REALLY RECEIVED CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK IS ANOTHER THING. SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT I TALKED ABOUT, IS WE NEED TO TRAIN PEOPLE ON HOW TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK AS WELL. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF YOUR ROLE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNION IS WORKING WITH OUR STAFF AND GETTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT. THIS IS REALISTIC FEEDBACK MEANT TO GROW YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND AS AN EMPLOYEE. AND TO ACCEPT THAT AND TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BACK WITH US AS WELL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS EXCITING STUFF. I APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH THE FOLLOWING ITEMS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION C 601 R, C 616, C 705, C 805, C 1102 R-1, C 12-04, WHICH IS AN INFORMATION ITEM. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM MRS. EDGECOMB. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND THE CONSENT AGENDA PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE FIRST ITEM IS 61 OR TO ACCEPT THE LOWEST AND RESPONSIBLE BIDS SUBMITTED BY AMEIGAS PROPANE FOR PERMISSION TO BID. MR. BEEK MAN, YOU ARE UP, OUR GENERAL MANAGER OF TRANSPORTATION.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. EXCITED TO BE HERE FOR THIS. IT'S EXCITING STUFF TO TALK ABOUT. PROPANE. WE ARE EXCITED, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE LOWEST BID THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING TO AMERIGAS AND THIS SIGNALS THE BEGINNING OF FUELING OUR OWN TANKS WITH PROPANE FUEL. LAST YEAR, AS YOU RECALL, THE BOARD APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF 50 PROPANE BUSES. WE HAVE GOT THOSE BUSES ON THE ROAD. WEAVE WE HAD TO USE A WET FUELING SYSTEM. FACILITIES HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY OVER THE SUMMER AND GOT OUR OWN PROPANE TANK SO WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LOWER COSTS OF THAT FUEL. AND SO THIS WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE ON INTO THE FUTURE TO ALTERNATIVE FUELS. AND THE IS PART OF THE CLEAN CITIES COALITION. SO THIS IS A NICE STEP FORWARD TO CREATING A GREENER ENVIRONMENT.
>> MRS. VALDES PULLED THIS ITEM AND HAD TO LEAVE EARLY AND I ASKED THEM TO KEEP THIS ON, BECAUSE THIS IS A BIG DEAL. AND THOSE 50 BUSES THAT ARE PROPANE THAT ARE ON THE ROAD NOW ARE IN A STUDY BUT I WANTED TO TAN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE MUCH GRANT, OR THOSE DOLLARS -- I'M SORRY, DW.
>> RIGHT NOW WHAT WE UNDERSTAND IS THAT FLORIDA IS EARMARKED TO GET ABOUT $152 MILLION THAT WILL GO THROUGH PUTNAM'S OFFICE, BEEN MONITORING THAT PROBABLY EVERY OTHER DAY. LOOKING RIGHT NOW IT ONLY SHOWS $2.4 MILLION IN GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND AS YOU RECALL LAST YEAR WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT, AND WE GOT SOME MONEY BACK. WE WILL BE HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE UNDER THE CURRENT GRANT POSITION, ONCE THE MONEY IS GONE, THE MONEY IS GONE. WE ARE ABLE TO GET SOME DOLLARS BACK TO THE DISTRICT THAT HELP OFFSET SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL COSTS. BUT WE ARE MONDAY MONITORING THAT AND AGAIN RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY SHOWING 2.46789 WE ARE HOPING TO SEE THAT NUMBER ESCALATE.
>> WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT, MR. BEEKMAN. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS, THE NEXT ITEM IS 6 .14 TO APPROVE THE AGREEMENT FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES WITH DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE DUI AWARENESS INITIATIVE. TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS REGARDING IMPAIRED DRIVING. THIS IS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING. AND DENNIS HOLT, SUPERVISOR OF SOCIAL STUDIES, WELCOME. MRS. SNIVELY ASKED FOR A HIGHLIGHT ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. SNIVELY, FOR ALLOWING US TO BRING SOME OF THE GREAT WORK WE ARE DOING AT DRIVER EDUCATION TO THE FOREFRONT. A LITTLE BACKGROUND FIRST. DRIVER EDUCATION IS OFFERED IN ALL 27 HIGH SCHOOLS. IT INCLUDES CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, BEHIND THE WHEEL INSTRUCTION, AND IN SOME SCHOOLS, SIMULATORS AS WELL. BETWEEN 8 AND 9,000 STUDENTS TAKE THE COURSE DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL YEAR AND ABOUT ANOTHER 1500 OVER THE SUMMER. ALL SCHOOLS HAVE 5 TO 6 CARS AVAILABLE FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, AND THEY ARE LEASED THROUGH MEARS MOTOR LEASING. TO SPEAK TO THE DUI INITIATIVE ITSELF IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER TEN YEARS, AND FORMER TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICER JOHN VALEJO VISITS EVERY DRIVER EDUCATION CLASS IN ALL 27 HIGH SCHOOLS EACH SEMESTER AND DELIVERS A VERY MATTER OF FACT MESSAGE ON THE PERILS OF DRINKING OR TAKING DRUGS AND DRIVING. AND IN FACT I WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT MATTER OF FACTNESS. IT IS VERY CUT AND DRIED. HE IS A FORMER TPD OFFICER, AS I MENTIONED, AND HE WAS PART OF WOLFPACKS THAT ROUTINELY TRAVELED AROUND THE CITY AND ARRESTED PEOPLE. HE'S NOT PREACHING. HE DOESN'T TRY TO SCARE KIDS. JUST LET'S THEM KNOW WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE. AND IT IS VERY, VERY IMPACTFUL. IN ADDITION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS MESSAGE, THIS HELPS US MEET THE REQUIRED DRUG AND ALCOHOL AWARENESS TRAINING THAT STUDENTS MUST RECEIVE PRIOR TO OBTAINING THEIR LICENSE. AND ON TOP OF THIS, WE DO A TRAUMA LESSON WITH MORE-HEALTH. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE COMES OUT WITH THE BAT MOBILE, BLOOD TESTING MOBILE, AND SOME OTHER DEVICES TO LET KIDS SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE. AND DRIVER ED COVERS THE ENTIRE COSTS OF THIS PROGRAM, AND IN FACT THE ENTIRE DRIVER ED PROGRAM BY CHARGING A MODEST STUDENT FEE OF $40, AND FOR INCOME RECEIVED FROM TRAFFIC TICKETS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT DRIVER ED E.AND I WOULD WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU, DENNIS, FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE HIGHLIGHT. WE APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT, BECAUSE SOMETIMES OUR DRIVER'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE NONACADEMIC NECESSARILY, CONSIDERED NONACADEMIC OR IN THE CURRICULUM OF ACADEMIA, ARE SOMETIMES NOT AS CLOSELY PAID ATTENTION TO BY FOLKS, AND OUR DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE VERY HIGH QUALITY, AND I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT DRIVER EDUCATION CLASSES AS WELL AS HEAR MR. VA LEJO'S PRESENTATION SEVERAL TIMES, AND IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE AND DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND FOR THOSE OF YOU, JUST SOME FACTS ON STATISTICS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG 15 TO 20-YEAR-OLDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT. AND I THINK THAT A WAY THAT WE CAN IMPACT THAT IN A POSITIVE WAY IS BY CONTINUING TO PROMOTE PROGRAMS THAT CENTER ON DRIVER'S EDUCATION AND THE BENEFITS OF THAT FOR OUR TEENAGERS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AND I THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MR. HOLT. THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS 6.15. WHICH IS TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF I-READY LICENSES. AND BARBARA -- BY THE WAY, WE ARE GOING TO SEE 6.15 AND 6 .16 TOGETHER. 6.16 IS TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF I-READY LICENSE AS WELL. BARBARA HANCOCK, INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, IS GOING TO PRESENT THIS ITEM. THIS WAS PULLED BY MRS. EDGECOMB. BOTH OF THESE FOR HIGHLIGHT.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS. MITTS PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE TEEN THAT IS GOING TO SHOW SHARE THE HIGHLIGHTS IN I READING AND MATH. OUR SUPERVISORS KIMBERLY KEENAN AND MELISSA MALONNZO. AND ANGELA FULLWOOD. COMING UP SHORTLY I'M SURE WILL BE JACK BAILEY, OUR ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS SUPERVISOR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. READING IS THE FOUNDATION FOR STUDENTS' ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN ALL THE DON TENT AREAS. AS WE STRIVE TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS WE CAN GIVE THEM IS THE ABILITY TO READ WELL, THE LOVE OF READING, AND THE CONFIDENCE TO SHARE LEARNING AND IDEAS. STUDENTS OFTEN EXPRESS THEY WISH THEY HAD MORE TIME TO REACH ALL OF THEIR STUDENTS AND THE RIGHT MATERIAL TO SUPPORT OUR READERS. SO HOW DO WE PROVIDE THAT EXTRA TIME? THE LEGISLATION OF SENATE BILL 14-18 PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL HOUR OF INTENSIVE READING INSTRUCTION DURING THE NORMAL SCHOOL DAY FOR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE LOWEST 300 PERFORMING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE. HOW DO WE PROVIDE THE RIGHT MATERIALS? IN ADDITION TO OUR RIGOROUS CORE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOCUSED ON THE LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS, I-READY AND THE READY-LAST MATERIALS PROVIDE INTENSIVE READING SUPPORT FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. WHEN A STUDENT IS STRUGGLING WITH READING, TEACHERS AND FAMILIES OVEN FIND IT VERY CHALLENGING TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS CAUSING THE STUDENT DIFFICULTY. IS THE PROBLEM ROOTED WITH READING A WEARNESS, PHONICS, VOCABULARY, COMPREHENSION? THIS PINPOINTS SPECIFIC STUDENT NEEDS WITH AN ADAPTIVE DIAGNOSIS SNICK. I-READY ALLOWS TEACHERS TO QUICKLY IDENTIFY STUDENT NEEDS, TARGET INSTRUCTION, FORM INSTRUCTIONAL GROUPS AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THE HOME SCHOOL CONNECTION. OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE EFFICIENT READERS WHO ALSO WANT TO BE LIFE-LONG READERS. FOLLOWING THE DIAGNOSTIC, I-READY PROVIDES COMPUTER ADAPTIVE INSTRUCTION TARGETED TO EACH STUDENT'S INDIVIDUAL LEARNING THEMES. THE LESSONS ARE ENGAGING AND CELEBRATE STUDENT SUGGESTS WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK TO THE STUDENTS. THE INSTRUCTION IS DIFFERENTIATED AND REACHES STUDENTS WHO HAVE READING SKILLS AS WELL AS STUDENTS WHO NEED TO BE CHALLENGED AND ENRICHED. IF YOU WALK INTO A COMPUTER LAB DURING I-READY YOU WILL SEE EVERY CHILD DOING THE ONE THING THAT WE KNOW IMPACTS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. THEY WILL BE ACTIVELY READING. HOW DO WE MONITOR OUR STUDENTS IF THEY ARE MAKING PROGRESS? WE KNOW THAT EVEN WITH HIGH QUALITY READING INSTRUCTION, SOME STUDENTS SEE EXTRA SUPPORT AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I-READY DIAGNOSTIC AND INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE PRESCRIPTIVE AND EASY TO READ REPORTS THAT INFORM DATA DRIVEN INSTRUCTIONS. THESE REPORTS CONNECT DATA TO DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONS WITH OPTIONS COMBINING TEACHER-LED, ONLINE AND PRINT BASED MATERIALS. ADDITIONALLY DOWNFALL LOADABLE TOOMBS FOR TEACHER DIRECTED INSTRUCTION ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE INTENSIVE INSTRUCTION AS NEEDED.
>> WE ALSO KNOW THAT LEARNING ADJUSTS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN OUR CLASSROOMS. IT HAPPENS BEYOND THE DAY. IT HAPPENS BEFORE STUDENTS EVEN ARRIVE INTO OUR SCHOOLS. AND SO WE NEED TOOLS THAT SUPPORT ALL ASPECTS OF A LEARNER. MANY OF OUR FAMILIES SHARE WITH US THAT THEY STRUGGLE TO HELP THEIR STUDENTS WITH READING. WHAT MUCH CAN I DO AT HOME? HOW CAN I ASSIST THEM FURTHER? SO WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT I-READY HOME ACCESS ALSO ALLOWS US TO EXTEND BEYOND THE CLASSROOM AND MOVE INTO THAT EXTRA PRACTICE TIME FOR READING SO OUR STUDENTS CAN SEE THAT EXTENSION BEYOND THE SCHOOL. MANY OF OUR READERS WHO STRUGGLE SOMETIMES FACE FRAGMENTATION IN THEIR READING INSTRUCTION SO WE CAN GO HOME OR BEYOND THE DAY TO HAVE THAT EXTENSION, IT HELPS THEM MAKE THOSE STRONG CONNECTIONS FOR THEM. THIS EXTRA PRACTICE OF READING PROVIDES OUR PARENTS ALSO THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEE THE RIGOR OF THE LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS, THE QUESTION TYPES STUDENTS WILL FACE, AS WELL AS THE RIGOROUS TESTS THAT THEY NEED TO BE EXPOSED TO AND THIS CONNECTION BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL STRENGTHENS OUR HOME SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS. WHILE WE STRIFE IN OUR CLASSROOMS TO HELP EVERY SINGLE CHILD BECOME A READER, WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE EQUIP OUR TEACHERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND PROVIDE JOB-EMBEDDED SUPPORT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY. THE SUPPORT THAT WE OFFER OUR NEW INSTRUCTORS TO OUR READER TIME SITES AS WELL AS OUR EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTORS IS CRAFTED SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR DISTRICT LITERATE I -- LITERACY TEAM AS WELL AS CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES TO CUSTOMIZE A DEVELOPMENT PLAN. THE ADMINISTRATORS, INSTRUCTORS AND COACHES RECEIVE INTENSIVE TRAINING ON HOW TO USE THE DATA FROM I-READY TO IMPACT INSTRUCTION. THE TRAINING AND COACHING SESSIONS ARE POWERFUL BECAUSE THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SITES WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE. IT'S ON A DISTRICT TRAINING WHERE THEY ARE AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL, RIGHT THERE WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AND OUR COACHES, ABILITY IT NEEDSLY FOLLOWS THE DIAGNOSTIC THAT THEY RECEIVE. SO INSTRUCTIONAL PLANS ARE MADE RIGHT THERE WITH THEIR OWN STUDENT DATA IN REALTIME. FOLLOWING 80 OF THE SITE BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WE OFFER, WE KNOW THAT WE MUST PROVIDE COACHING AND SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOMS, AND THE WORK OF THEIR READING COACH IS FOCUSED DURING THIS TIME TO ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY THE READING TIME AND FOUNDATION IS CRITICAL BUT IT'S TIED TO CORE INSTRUCTION. THE WAY A SCHOOL IDENTIFIES FOR ERT, WE KNOW, IS PROFICIENCY AND GAMES, SO WHILE WE SEE STUDENT LEARNING GAINESVILLE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALSO REACHING THAT GOAL OF BEING AT GRADE LEVEL AND BEING PROFICIENT. WITH THAT FOCUS, OUR COACHES PLAN WITH TEACHERS, MODEL INSTRUCTION AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN ORDER TO BUILD STUDENTS' GROWTH TOWARDS THIS PROFICIENCY. BUT WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT 25% OF OUR ERT SITES FROM LAST YEAR DEMONSTRATED SUCH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF READING GAINS AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER DESIGNATED IN THE STATE'S LOWEST 300 PERFORMING IN READING. IN FACT, THROUGH THIS PLAN WE HAVE INCLUDED THE SIX SITES TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK OF BOTH STRONG CORE INSTRUCTION THAT FOCUSES ON PROFICIENCY AS WELL AS THE I-READY INTERVENTION AND ENRICHMENT TO CONTINUE FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. BUT EVEN WITH THAT CELEBRATION, WE KNOW WE ARE NOT DONE. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND WE ARE NOT RESTING UNTIL EVERY CHILD BECOMES A READER. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT IN OUR EFFORTS TO HELPING EVERY CHILD BE PREPARED FOR LIFE, BE SUCCESSFUL, AND BECOME LIFE-LONG READERS. THANK YOU.
>> WERE YOU GOING TO PRESENT AS WELL?
>> YES S.THAT OKAY?
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FINE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR COMMENTS NOW OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT?
>> CAN YOU HOLD THE MATH QUESTIONS FOR US? BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE AS MANY FOR YOU AS I HAVE FOR THE READERS. (LAUGHTER).
>> MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU. YOU PROBABLY WON'T BELIEVE THAT I STILL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. YOU WERE SO GRACIOUS, I THINK WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME AND YOU WERE VERY PATIENT WITH MY QUESTIONS. BUT YOU GAVE ME GREATER INSIGHT ABOUT WHAT I-READY IS DESIGNED TO DO, HOW IT'S IMPLEMENTED. I DO WANT TO CELEBRATE THOSE SCHOOLS WHO REALLY HAVE SUCH GAINS, AND ASK YOU THE QUESTIONS, WHAT DID YOU A TRIBUTE THAT TO? AND YOU SAID THE FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION, AND HOW CRITICAL THAT WAS. THEN WE DECIDED TO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU HAD, AND THAT'S OF COURSE IN MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS. MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE NEW TO THE TEACHING EXPERIENCE. AND SO WHILE THEY ARE LEARNING TO BE GREAT CONTENT TEACHERS AND MANAGING CURRICULUM AND BEHAVIOR, OUR EXPECTATION THAT WE HAVE THAT MOBILITY OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. THOSE ARE THE ALL THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT. LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS. PRIMARILY I-READY IS USE FORD EXTENSIVE READING IN THE AFTERNOON PROGRAM, BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE CONNECTIONS FOR STUDENTS IN THEIR LEARNING, IN THEIR LEARNING PROGRESS, IT IS TIED TO THE CORE 120 CURRICULUM DURING THE DAY OR 120 MINUTES.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I AM GOING TO THROW OUT -- AND PERHAPS THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER ESEA TITLE 1 IN ITS OLD DAYS, AND I'M SURE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY, IS SHE REALLY CRAZY TO BRING THIS UP AGAIN? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF INSTRUCTION PRIMARILY FOR GETTING NEW TEACHERS ON BOARD TO DO THAT, AND THE NEEDS OF KIDS, ONE OF THE CRITICISMS WHEN WE HAD THE PULL-OUT PROGRAM IS THAT KIDS WILL LOSE SOME TIME DURING BASIC INSTRUCTION. INSTRUCTION. BUT AS A TITLE 17 TEACHER WAY SAW IS INFORM SOME KIDS HONOR WEREN'T ABLE IN SOME CASES TO COMPETE OR MOVE AS FAST IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM SETTING, WHEN THEY WENT TO THE PULL-OUT SETTING, WHICH WAS COORDINATED WITH THE CLASSROOM TEACHER, THAT STUDENTS FOUND SOME LEVEL OF SUCCESS, THEY FOUND KIDS WHO WERE MORE LIKE THEM IN TERMS OF THEIR NEEDS. MANY CASES, THOSE TEACHERS WERE EXPERIENCED TEACHERS, WHICH GETS AWAY FROM SOME OF THE STRUGGLES OF NEW TEACHERS. IN THIS CONFIGURATION OF HOW WE DO THIS -- I'M TRYING TO DESCRIBE WHAT I WILL SEE, IS THAT -- BECAUSE THIS IS AFTER SCHOOL, BUT BEFORE SCHOOL --
>> AND WITHIN THE SCHOOL DAY. SO THAT EXTENDED TIME IS ADDED INTO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY, SO THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DAY, YOU WILL SEE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THEIR 120-MINUTE READING BLOCK, THEIR 30-MINUTE MTS READING BLOCK OR THEIR 30 MINUTE WHAT WE CALL BLOCK 3 WHICH THEN SUPPORTS THE CORE PROGRAM WITH THE I-READY LAST MATERIALS. AND SO OUR 120 MINUTE CORE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE THAT STRONG PROFICIENCY-ORIENTED INSTRUCTION, OF COURSE BASED ON THE LANGUAGE OF FLORIDA STANDARDS, THEN WITH THE I-READY COMPUTER ADAPTIVE PROGRAM WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD STUDENTS' GROWTH BECAUSE THE PROGRAM TARGETS RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE AT AND THEN CREATES AN INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN FOR THEM TO WORK ON THAT'S TOTALLY ALIGNED WITH THEIR NEEDS, BUT CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON CLOSING THAT ACHIEVEMENT GAP FOR THEIR STUDENTS, AND THEN IN OUR BLOCK 3 OF TIME, READING TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR STUDENTS, THEN WE ARE GOING BACK TO SUPPORTING OUR CORE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM, HITTING PROFICIENCY WITH THE READY-LAST MATERIALS PLUS AERIED VARIETY OF OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL TOOLS THAT WE GIVE THE TEACHERS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CONTINUAL REINFORCEMENT FOR THE STUDENTS.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: AND I THINK YOU KNOW WHERE I AM GOING AS WELL.
>> WARM WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IN OUR TRAINING IS WHEN WE TRAIN OUR TEACHERS ON THOSE THREE BLOCKS THAT CORE INSTRUCTION IS THAT FIRST INSTRUCTION, STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTION. WITH THIS PLAN, WITH THE I-READY PIECE DOES IS NOW WHEN STUDENTS TAKE THAT DIAGNOSTIC, THEY HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION THAT IS VERY TAILORED TO THE PREMARY LEARNING. EVEN IF I AM SITTING IN THIRD GRADE I MIGHT HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT I HAVEN'T FINISHED LEARNING ANDS I HAVE GAPS, YET I HAVE ANOTHER THIRD GRADER ON GRADE LEVEL. I DON'T WANT TO WASTE ANYONE'S MOMENT OF TIME. SO DURING THAT THREE TIMES OF INSTRUCTION THEY ARE RECEIVING EITHER ENRICHMENT INSTRUCTION, VERY TAILORED, BUT THE TEACHER IS CRITICAL. THE COMPUTER CAN'T TAKE OVER THE PLACE OF THE TEACHER. THAT TEACHER IS MONITORING. THAT TEACHER IS LOOKING AT THESE REPORTS. AND WE HAVE A RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION REPORT THAT IS REALTIME, AFTER TWO LESSONS THAT THE STUDENT IS STRUGGLING WITH A SPECIFIC CONCEPT THAT TEACHER NOW CAN INTERVENE WITH FACE TO FACE LESSONS, BECAUSE NOT EVER MOMENT OF THE TAINT DO WE WANT TO ALSO INCLUDE WITH COMPUTER ADAPTED INSTRUCTION. IT'S A BLENDED MODEL. FROM THERE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE WAY WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE WITH THE STATE, IT'S NOT JUST ENOUGH TO GROW. I HAVE TO GROW AND CLOSE THE GAP AND GET TO GRADE LEVEL. SO THAT THIRD BLOCK IS A FOCUS ON PROFICIENCY, THAT COMES BACK TO THAT CORE INSTRUCTION, BUT STARTS TO SLOW IT DOWN IN A WAY THAT'S MORE GRADUAL RELEASE FOR THE STUDENTS. SO THAT STANDARD IS VERY DIFFICULT POINT OF VIEW. UNDERSTAND TAMPA AUTHOR'S POINT OF VIEW. UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE AUTHOR IS COMING FROM. NOT ONLY IN INFORMATIONAL BUT NOW I HAVE TO DO IN LIT LOW PRESSURE REAR TEXT. WHAT WE DO WITH THE READY-LAST MATERIALS THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL IT MODELS A SMALL PIECE WITH THE STUDENT, THEN BUILD OUR STAMINA WITH A LONGER PIECE, THEN STARTS TO RELEASE RESPONSIBILITY WHERE WE HAVE THAT BIGGER CHUNK. BY THE TIME THEY COME TO FSA, STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLED WITH READING COMPREHENSION, WE HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY BUILDING THAT STAMINA ALMOST LIKE EXERCISE. WE JUST CAME TO HAVE OLYMPICS, WATCHING, HOW DO THESE ATHLETICS DO IT? YOU DON'T START FROM ZERO TO 60. SO NOW, MRS. EDGECOMB, WHAT HAPPENS TO HAPPEN DURING THOSE BLOCKS AS WELL, THOSE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SUCH AS COACHES, RESOURCE TEACHERS, INNINGS CONVENTIONAL SPECIALISTS, IT HAS TO BE DIFFERENCE STATED, CAN'T BE WHOLE GROUP. SO NOW WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS IN THE CLASSROOM ALONGSIDE THE TEACHER. EXTRA HANDS, HOLD PULLING SMALL GROUPS, AND FOR SOME STUDENTS THEY MIGHT BE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM IF THAT'S A BETTER ENVIRONMENT BUT WE TEND TO LIKE TO PUSH IN SO THAT WAY WE HAVE TWO TEACHERS SIDE BY SIDE, AND THEIR COACHING AND LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER. WE HAVE GROUPS WE CAN MONITOR TOGETHER. BUT IT CAN'T ALL JUST BE WHOLE GROUP CASE INSTRUCTION. SO EVEN DURING THOSE BLOCKS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S DIFFERENTIATED, THAT THEY GET THAT SMALL INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION FACE TO FACE.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT THE STRENGTHS AND THE STRUCTURES THAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE TO DO THAT. AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, IT CAN'T BE WHOLE GROUP INSTRUCTION, BUT AT SOME POINT, THERE ARE GROUPS OF CHILDREN WHO NEED EVEN MORE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE JUST DESCRIBED. IF I TAKE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OF THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, THAT IF YOU HAVE GOT A RELATIVELY NEW TEACHER TRYING TO MANAGE ALL OF THAT, MAYBE THOSE KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING THE MOST, BEING PUT IN A DIFFERENT SETTING, AS AN OPTION, IT IS NOT A PRESCRIBED THREE TIMES A WEEK, BUT THEY MOVE OUT TO THE RESOURCE TEACHER OR TO ANOTHER EXPERT WHO HAS MULTIPLE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND CAN REALLY MOVE THOSE KIDS FORWARD. AND THE PULL-OUT MODEL IS JUST ANOTHER WAY -- AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE OLD-FASHIONED TITLE 17 MODEL BUT SOME VARIATION OF THAT, IF YOU WILL.
>> WE DO HAVE THAT, THOUGH, WITH THE WORK OF OUR RESOURCE TEACHERS, THAT DO PULL GROUPS FOR OUR IMMEDIATE AGE STUDENTS, FORAY TARGETED SUPPORT FOR THESE STUDENTS. AND IT'S REALLY A TWO-PRONG ATTACK, PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE STUDENTS BUT ALSO PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE TEACHER SO THAT TEACHER CAN SEE THEM MODEL A VERY PROFICIENT INSTRUCTION, AND THEN OF COURSE WITH A VERY SUCCESSFUL AIS TEACHERS, THEY ALSO ARE ABLE FOR EARLY INTERVENTION IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AT SELECTED SCHOOLS. SO WE TRY TO PROVIDE REALLY A STRONG BUFFET OF OPTIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS, AND AS WELL AS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SCHOOLS WHERE PRINCIPALS ARE EMPOWERED TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS, SO WE DO HAVE A BLENDED MODEL OF DIFFERENT AVENUES OF SUPPORT.
>> AND WHAT THE I-READY TOOLS DO, MRS. EDGECOMB, AS WELL IS IT ALLOWS OUR TEACHERS AND OUR INTERVENTIONALISTS AND COACHES AND TEACHERS TO LOOK AT GROUP PATTERNS SO IT HELPS THEM NOT ONLY LOOK AT THAT DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION INDIVIDUALLY BUT GROUPS TOGETHER THAT HAVE LIKE NEEDS. WHAT WE WANT TO BE CAUTIOUS IS THEY ARE NOT GROUPED TOGETHER ALL YEAR. THIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE WORK ON PATTERNS OR A LITTLE MORE CLUSTER WORK AND THEN FROM THERE THEY ARE ABLE TO MOVE -- IF THE TREATMENT IS MOTORCYCLE R WORKING MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE AT HIGHER LEVEL. SO THAT DOES ALLOW US TO GROUP INTEREST AS WELL AND PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: OKAY, SO YOU HAVE JUST GIVEN ME ALL THE REASONS THAT WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT THAT AGAIN. BUT, NO. BUT SERIOUSLY, OKAY, THANK YOU. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE IS SOME HYBRID OF THAT MODEL THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY. I THINK YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION. WE TALKED ABOUT TIME ON TASK. THOSE SCHOOLS HAVE AVERAGE TIME ON TASK OF 1,834 MINUTES COMPARED TO THE OTHER SCHOOLS. HOW DID THEY ACCOMPLISH THAT? IS IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A MORNING AND AFTERNOON? WHAT WAS THE CONFIGURATION THAT ALLOWED THOSE SCHOOLS TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE? IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE FACTORS ALONG WITH THE FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT I WILL HIGHLIGHT, BRYAN, PLANT CITY. ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DID, THEY INCORPORATED THEIR EXTENDED READING TIME AND OFFERED THAT MODEL IN THE MORNING TIME TO KIDS TO COME IN THE MORNING. THEY HAD A TEACHER MONITOR THAT. AND SO STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO COME IN EARLY, DROP OFF EARLY, AND STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO ACCESS THE COMPUTERS, AND BE ON THAT DURING THAT TIME, AND ALSO IN THE AFTERNOON. SOME OF THOSE LATE PICKUPS. THEY OFFERED THAT AS WELL. THEY ENCOURAGED HOME USAGE. AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT THEY DID IS THEY REALLY UTILIZED THE FIDELITY, UTILIZED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE. SO WE OFFER IT THREE TIMES A WEEK IN THE COMPUTER LAB, SO 90 MINUTES THEY ARE SCHEDULED IN THE COMPUTER LAB. AND SO OUR GOAL, WE GIVE THEM A FIVE MINUTE DIFFERENTIATION TO SIGN IN, AVATAR, THEY HAVE BRAIN BREAKS DURING SOME OF THOSE TIMES THAT THE STUDENTS MAKE A CHANGE OF AVATAR OR SIGN IN. SO OUR GOAL, MANTRA, IS STRIVE FOR 75. THEY KEPT THE 75 OR ABOVE EVERY WEEK. AND THE PRINCIPALS AND LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL REALLY MONITOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR USAGE WAS ON TARGET TO STRIVE FOR 75. AND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STRIVE FOR 75 THEY REACHED THE HIGHER 100 MINUTES PER WEEK, AND WE GIVE THIS THAT TO THEM, CURRICULUM ASSOCIATES, PRINT IT OUT EVERY WEEK OF THE USAGE FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS, AND WE EXTEND THAT OUT SO THAT ALL OF THE 24 SCHOOLS LAST YEAR KNEW WHERE THEY FAILED AND THE REPORTS IN I-READY, SCHOOLS CAN IDENTIFY TEACHERS WHO AREN'T GETTING THEIR STUDENTS TO THE LAB ON TIME, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO FIDELITY CHECK ON A WEEKLY BASIS THAT USAGE. SO THE SCHOOLS THAT DID THAT WITH FIDELITY, THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO HAD THAT USAGE REALLY HIGHER.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR EXPLANATION. AND NOT EVERY SCHOOL CAN PROBABLY ACCOMMODATE WHAT BRYAN DID. MANY FACTORS. TRANSPORTATION AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. BUT IT SEEMS TO ME IF YOU ARE GETTING GOOD RESULTS, AND HOPE WE CAN SUSTAIN THEM. THAT'S THE KEY. WE HAVE TO HOPE TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THAT. IF SCHOOLS CAN FIND THAT EXTRA TIME TO GIVE STUDENTS MORE TIME ON TASK, IT CERTAINLY SEEMS TO ME ANOTHER STEP FOR ACCOMPLISHING THE WHOLE GOAL OF KIDS READING SUCCESSFULLY. AND NOT ONLY READING SUCCESSFULLY BUT ENJOYING READING, TOO. SO I APPRECIATE THIS. I LOOK FORWARD -- I AM NOT GOING TO BE HERE, BUT IN THE FUTURE, I HOPE I AM GOING TO READ SOMEPLACE THAT THIS WAS THE KEY THAT REALLY TURNED, MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS JOURNEY FOR OUR KIDS. AND I THANK YOU FOR MOST OF ALL FOR YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND YOUR COMMITMENT AND YOUR PASSION FOR IT. YOU MAKE A WONDERFUL TRIO. THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU. AND I THINK YOU COULD SELL THIS TO THE WORLD'S BETH READER BECAUSE YOU SOUND SO CONVINCING. BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT. THANK YOU.
>> MRS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND MRS. KEEN, YOUR TIME ON THE PHONE YESTERDAY. I'M GLAD TO SEE WE ININCREASED FROM 24 TO 38 SCHOOLS AND WE ALSO INCORPORATED THE SIX SCHOOLS HOP SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET TO THE LEVEL THAT THEY NEEDED TO GET BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE HATED TO SEE US PULL AWAY A PROGRAM THAT ACTUALLY GOT THEM WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE AND THEN HAVE THEM DIP DOWN AGAIN NEXT YEAR. I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED THAT IF WE KNOW THAT YOU NEED TO GET A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS BUILT IN THAT WE ARE NOT REQUIRING THAT OF THESE SCHOOLS. MY SECOND QUESTION IS, I WANT TO KNOW HOW WE ARE TRACKING THAT SCHOOL BY SCHOOL AND HOW AREA SUPERINTENDENTS ARE TRACKING. THAT BECAUSE IF WE KNOW THAT IS WHAT'S NECESSARY FOR KIDS TO GET ON GRADE LEVEL, AND WE KNOW WHAT IT REQUIRES, WHETHER THAT'S HOME USE, NOT EVERYBODY CAN GET DROPPED OFF EARLY AND NOT EVERYBODY STAYS LATE. FROM. HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THIS INTO LUNCH TIME? I'M NOT SURE HOW WE TRACK THE RESULTS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO GET AND HOW OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS HOLDING PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING SURE. BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE THE BEST PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD. BUT IF PEOPLE ARE NOT USING THEM EFFICIENTLY IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT HELDABILITYB ACCOUNTABLE FOR USE OF THOSE PROGRAMS, IT'S GREAT MONEY WELL SPENT, BUT NOT GETTING THE BENEFIT THAT WE NEED.
>> PART OF THE STATE STATUTE REQUIRES THAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE AN EXTRA HOUR READING EVERY DAY. SO THERE IS TIME BUILT IN THEIR SCHEDULES TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE NEED TO DO WITH I-READY AND THE READY LAB. AS THEY STATED BEFORE, THEIR BLOCK ONE WOULD BE THEIR CORE 120 MINUTES. THEN THEY HAVE BLOCK 2 READING WHICH IS A 30 MINUTES IN THE LAB THREE DAYS A WEEK. THE OTHER TWO DAYS THEY WORK WITH THE TEACHER. THEN BLOCK THREE READING IS THAT EXTENDED READING TIME. THOSE THREE PIECES TOGETHER THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THREE HOURS OF READING EVERY DAY. THOSE SCHOOLS THAT CAME OFF HAD THOSE ADDITIONAL TIMES. SO WHERE WE HAVE 75 MINUTES IS OUR GOAL, THEY DID ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT. SO IT'S REALLY NOT NECESSARY FOR THEM TO HAVE THAT, ALTHOUGH THEY UTILIZE IT BECAUSE IF A STUDENT IS ABSENT THEY MAY MISS THAT 30-MINUTE TIME THAT THEY HAVE IN THE LAB, AND THEN WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT UTILIZE THEIR IN-CLASS COMPUTERS TO PUT THE STUDENTS ON TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS I-READY. SOMETIMES IN SOME CLASSES, IT'S NOT FORMAL SET TIME, BUT DURING THE TIME WHEN THEY COME IN IN THE MORNING, IF THEY GET TO SCHOOL EARLY, TEACHERS ALLOW THEM ACCESS THE COMPUTER AS WELL.
>> I AM JUST GOING TO MAKE A COMMENT FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE. WE ALL KNOW IN THIRD GRADE READING WE NEED TO SET THE BAR HIGHER AND NEED TO -- WHATEVER THE 75 IS WE NEED TO REQUIRE MORE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO REACH THAT GOAL. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT IF STUDENTS ARE ON GRADE LEVEL BY GRADE THREE WE ARE NOT GOING TO HIT OUR FOUR YEAR GOAL OF GRADUATION RATES, BECAUSE THEY ARE ALREADY COMING TO US BEHIND. SO THE OTHER QUESTION -- AND MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU, MRS. ORDESTA. WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS ARE WE USING IN CONJUNCTION WITH I-READY? I KNOW I-READY IS USED A LOT IN THE CLASSROOM. BUT WHAT ELSE ARE WE USING TO SUPPLEMENT THAT IS DIFFERENT? I KNOW IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. I HAVE SEEN IT IN ACTION. BUT NOT EVERY STUDENT IS GOING TO TAKE HOLD OF I-READY AND GETS WHAT THEY NEED FROM IT. AND I HAVE TO THINK AFTER THAT MANY HOURS YOU ARE PROBABLY -- I CAN'T READ THREE HOURS A DAY LIKE THAT. I'M CURIOUS WHAT ELSE WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT COULD BE USED OR THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.
>> I CAN'T SEE YOU. I APOLOGIZE. I CAN'T SEE YOU. RIGHT NOW, OUR JOURNEYS PROGRAM IS OUR CORE PROGRAM. AND THEN WE ARE STRESSING I-READY. WE HAVE SOME COMPARABLE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT, THAT OPERATE LIKE I-READY, ACHIEVE 3,000 HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT. THAT BUT I HAVE TO HONESTLY TELL YOU THAT I DON'T BELIEVE CHANGING PROGRAMS IS THE ANSWER TO INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. I THINK OUR FOCUS, THE FOCUS OF THE DISTRICT, HAS BEEN TO LOOK AT NEW PROGRAMS WHEN WE ARE NOT GETTING THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT. BUT THAT'S NOT THE DIRECTION THAT I AM TAKING RIGHT AWAY. SO I KNOW THAT THIS MONDAY, ACTUALLY -- MR. PETERS AND I HAVE A WORKSHOP WITH OUR AREA SUPERINTENDENTS. AND IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE PLANS TO DISCUSS THE FIDELITY OF THE PROGRAMS BEING USED. SO I HAVE LOOKED AT THE RESEARCH BEHIND I-READY AND I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THE TIME SPENT IN I-READY TO GET THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH SHOWS IS THE TIME THAT EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS IS ACTUALLY SPENDING ON I-READY. I'M NOT CONVINCED OF THAT. SO THROUGH SCHOOL VISITS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR TEACHERS, HOW ARE YOU USING I-READY, REALLY CHECKING WITH INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS TO SEE IF IT'S BEING USED FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED IS CRUCIAL. AND THEN ALSO TAKING A LOOK, STEPPING BACK BEFORE WE JUMP INTO LOOKING AT NEW PROGRAMS, AND LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT WE ARE USING IN THE CLASSROOM, OUR TIME MANAGEMENT, OUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SKILLS, LOOKING AT THOSE FUNDAMENTAL NONNEGOTIABLES THAT WE WANT TO HAVE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT IN PLACE FOR EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY SCHOOL TO SUCCEED, IS CRITICAL RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE STARTING. SO BEFORE WE GO LOOKING AT THE OTHER PROGRAMS -- BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE GOOD PROGRAMS. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE HAD GREAT PEOPLE IN PLACE WHO MADE GOOD DECISIONS ON PROGRAMS. AND I THINK IF WE JUST JUMP TO ANOTHER PROGRAM RIGHT NOW IN HOPES THAT THIS WILL BE A FIX-ALL THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED. SO I WOULD RATHER LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE DOING, IF WE ARE DOING OUR INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND ACTUALLY OUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT.
>> THANK YOU. MRS. EDGECOMB?
>>Doretha Edgecomb: IF IMPLEMENTATION, FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION IS REALLY CRUCIAL, AND WE KNOW THAT ABOUT WHATEVER THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT, WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR THOSE SCHOOLS WHO MAY NOT BE DOING IT WITH 100% FIDELITY? WAR THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU ARE USE? TRAINING IS ONE. BUT TELL ME VERY SPECIFICALLY THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT YOU ARE DOING IN ORDER TO -- AND ESPECIALLY THAT CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD TODAY THAT KEEPS BUZZING IN MY HEAD. SO MANY OF THEM ARE -- I'M GOING TO START STOP CALLING IT STRUGGLING SCHOOLS. I'M GOING TO CALL THEM SCHOOLS THAT HAVE NOT YET REACHED THEIR POTENTIAL.
>> WITHOUT A DOUBT. AND ACTUALLY WE SPENT TWO HOURS. WE SPENT TWO HOURS IN OUR 120 MINUTE BLOCK OF TIME IN READING AND WRITING AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL 30-MINUTE TWO,-30-MINUTE BLOCKS ADD TO THAT THREE HOURS OF READING TIME. THERE IS AN ISSUE, THOUGH, WITH THE RESEARCH WITH I-READY THAT THERE IS A SWEET SPOT OF HOW MUCH TIME THE STUDENTS ARE WORKING ON THE COMPUTER, WHERE THEY HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT BALANCED APPROACH, SO IT IS NOT SIMPLY A FIX OF I'LL PUT YOU ON THE COMPUTER ALL DAY LONG AND THEN YOU WILL GET CAUGHT UP, BECAUSE IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT AS WE WORK WITH OUR CURRICULUM ASSOCIATE PARTNERS AND REALLY WORK WITH OUR PRINCIPALS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL TO SEE WHAT ARE THE LESSONS THEY LEARNED? AND IT'S READING THOSE REPORTS, AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THOSE REPORTS, BECAUSE IF TEACHERS AREN'T LOOKING AT HOW STUDENTS ARE DOING ON I-READY IT HAS TO CONNECTED TO HOW THEY ARE DOING IN SHARED READING, HOW THEY ARE DOING IN GUIDED READING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS THROUGHOUT THERAPY ENTIRE READING TIME. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE SEE THAT WE CAN SHORE UP OUR INSTRUCTION FOR THE STUDENTS AND HELP THEM TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL. I-READY WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A CORE PROGRAM THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE, AND WE DO REALIZE, MS. STUART, YOUR POINT THAT NOT ALL CHILDREN RESPOND BEST TO COMPUTER ADAPTED INSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S WHY WE REALLY WORK WITH OUR READING COACHES, WITH OUR READING LITERACY TEAMS, TO LOOK AT STUDENT DATA, A AND THIS STUDENT DATA HELPS TO DRIVE WITH OUR PLANS ARE FOR NEXT.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I KNOW THAT, BUT THE TEACHER STILL HAS A CRITICAL ROLE --
>> THE TEACHER --
>>Doretha Edgecomb: WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS LATER.
>> YES, MA'AM.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: BUT I THINK IF WE -- THE QUESTION IS -- AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT LATER -- SOME SCHOOLS OR TEACHERS AREN'T EXERCISING IT OR IMPLEMENTING IT TO FIDELITY, WHAT SUPPORTS ARE YOU GIVING TO THEM? BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT MATH SO HE WON'T GET AS MANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MRS. EDGECOMB. WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
>> I'LL DO IT NEXT TIME.
>>April Griffin: WE ARE NOW ONTO ITEM 66 .16, RIGHT? WELCOME.
>> GOOD EVENING MADAM CHAIR, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, STAFF. THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THE MATHEMATICS AGENDA ITEM AS WELL AS THE READING ONE. IN MATHEMATICS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN VERY CHALLENGING FOR A TEACHER TO APPOINT POINT THEIR STUDENT'S EXACT NEEDS. WE HAVE FSA, CLASSROOM ASSESSMENTS, AND THESE ASSESS A CHILD'S ABILITY TO ANSWER ON GRADE LEVEL ITEMS. HOWEVER, FOR FOURTH GRADE CHILD ANSWERS OF DIVISION PROBLEM INCORRECTLY ON A TEST THAT TEACHER KNOWS THAT THE CHILD IS HAVING TROUBLE IN DIVISION. BUT WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS EXACTLY WHY. WAS IT A PLACE VALUE ISSUE? DID THE CHILD READ THE PROBLEM INCORRECTLY AND NOT REALIZE IT WAS A DIVISION, OR MISINTERPRET THE REMAINDER? WITH TECHNOLOGY, HOWEVER, THERE IS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE ASSESSMENTS THAT ADAPTS AS STUDENTS TAN THEM. THIS IS WHERE I-READY CAN HELP OUT. WHILE TAKING THAT I-READY DIAGNOSTIC TEST SINCE THAT FOURTH GRADER WHO HAD TROUBLE WITH DIVISION, AS THEY TAKE THE I-READY DIAGNOSTIC TEST, IF THEY GET THAT DIVISION PROBLEM WRONG, THEY WILL BE ASKED ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDINGS OF DIVISION UNTIL THEY GET A QUESTION CORRECT. WHAT THIS DOES IS IT GIVES TEACHERS INFORMATION NOT ONLY ABOUT WHAT THEIR STUDENTS DON'T KNOW BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT THEIR STUDENTS DO NONSO THEY KNOW WHERE THEIR STARTING POINT IS AND THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD. DATA FROM THE I ODD READY ASSESSMENT GROUPS, STUDENTS IN THE CLASS WHO HAVE SIMILAR NEEDS SO THAT TEACHERS CAN QUICKLY SEE HOW TO ORGANIZE THEIR CLASS FOR SMALL GROUP DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION. ADDITIONALLY THE PROGRAM PROVIDES SUGGESTED SMALL GROUP LESSONS THAT MEET THE TARGETED NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS. LAST YEAR WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 30 SCHOOLS ACROSS OUR DISTRICT USE I-READY IN MATHEMATICS. STUDENTS IN GRADES 1 THROUGH 3 AT SCHOOLS THAT USED I-READY WITH FIDELITY SCORED 8 TO 20 POINTS HIGHER DEPENDING UPON THE GRADE LEVEL ON THEIR SAT 10 AND SSA THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS AT SCHOOLS WITHOUT THE PROGRAM. SO AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, THE MATH DEPARTMENT HELD AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING FOR OUR SCHOOLS. ACROSS THE DISTRICT, TO GAUGE INTEREST IN AND NEED FOR THE PROGRAM. INTERESTED SCHOOLS WERE ASKED TO TURN IN AN APPLICATION AND AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN TO BE CONSIDERED FOR DISTRICT LEVEL FUNDING SUPPORT. 63 SCHOOLS TURNED IN APPLICATIONS, AND THOSE SAME 63 SCHOOLS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ON OUR PURCHASING QUOTE FOR THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR. AS SCHOOLS IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR, THE ELEMENTARY MATH DEPARTMENT WILL WORK WITH THE I-READY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO ENSURE FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN EVALUATE EFFECTIVE MODELS OF IMPLEMENTATION AND TO PROVIDE ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM ON OUR STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT. AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS AT OUR SCHOOL, AND FOR CONSIDERING AND HIGHLIGHTING THIS BOARD AGENDA ITEM.
>>April Griffin: PLEDGES COMB? THAT WAS A JOKE. SORRY. (LAUGHTER).
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU FOR THAT. THE CONSISTENT WORDS I HEARD, FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION. BOTH FROM YOU AND FROM THE READING TRIO OVER THERE. SOMETIMES LESS IS BETTER. AND I DON'T THINK THAT LOOKING -- AND I UNDERSTAND MRS. STUART'S CONCERN ABOUT PERHAPS LOOKING AT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. BUT WHAT I HOPE THAT WE ARE DOING FOR TEACHERS IN SUPPORT OF THEM IS MAKING THEM GOOD AT WATCH WE KNOW THAT WORKS, AND NOT ADD ANOTHER LAWYER FOR OUR STUDENTS. SOMETIMES WE CAN BOMBARD THEM WITH TOO MUCH AND TRY TO MAKE IT ALL COORDINATED AND WORK WELL TOGETHER. IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CORE CURRICULUM, BEING THE CENTERPIECE OF EVERYTHING ELSE FEEDING INTO THAT, THE EMPHASIS OUGHT TO BE SO TIGHTLY WOVEN THAT YOU CAN'T ALMOST DISTINGUISH ONE FROM THE OTHER. SO I HOPE THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE TALK ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE EVERY KID A SUCCESSFUL READER. WE JUST GET BETTER AT WHAT WE ARE DOING AND NOT ADD TOO MANY OTHER PIECES. IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING. AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WORKS WHEN WE HAVE TOO MANY PIECES THERE. SO THANK YOU. I DON'T VERY MUCH ANY MATH QUESTIONS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MATH. (LAUGHTER).
>> NOT A PROBLEM. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: I JUST HAD A QUESTION AGAIN ABOUT HOW SCHOOLS ARE GETTING THIS. THERE WERE 63 SCHOOLS WHO APPLIED, AND 63 ACTUALLY GOT THE PROGRAM. WHAT ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE? IN OTHER WORDS, IS CURRICULUM AN INSTRUCTION, OR IS YOUR DEPARTMENT LOOKING AT WHAT SCHOOLS ACTUALLY WILL BENEFIT FROM HAVING THIS PROGRAM? AND ARE WE PUTTING IT IN FRONT OF THEM AND SAYING, YOU REALLY NEED THIS, AND YOU ARE GOING TO TEACH THIS WITH FIDELITY BECAUSE YOUR STUDENTS NEED THIS? OR IS IT JUST DID 63 THAT APPLIED?
>> SO WE HAVE SPOKEN TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS AT OUR SCHOOLS. IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAVE HAD WITH IT IN TERMS OF MATHEMATICS AT OUR 30 SCHOOLS LAST YEAR. SO WE HAVE ASKED -- FIRST OF ALL WE HAVE SHARED WHAT IT'S BEEN ABLE TO DO AND THEN ASKED IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK WOULD BENEFIT YOUR SCHOOL, PLEASE COME AND LISTEN TO WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY AND THEN PUT IN YOUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND YOUR APPLICATION. AND THAT'S HOW WE GENERATE INTEREST. THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE PRODUCT AND WHAT IT COP DO. IS THAT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION?
>> SO WE ARE RELYING ON PRINCIPALS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT THEIR STUDENTS, CORRECT?
>> YES.
>> YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION. THANKS.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM 37.05 TO APPROVE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE DEDICATED ELEMENTARY C SCHOOL SITE AT THE TRIPLE CREEK SUBDIVISION EAST OF U.S. HIGHWAY 301 ON BIG BEND ROAD IN RIVERVIEW, AND DEBBY SUAREZ, WELL COMMENT. MRS. SNIVELY ASKED FOR A HIGHLIGHT ON THIS.
>> THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, SUPERINTENDENT EAKINS, STAFF. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS TRANSACTION FOR US TO RECEIVE THE 15-ACRE PARCEL THAT WILL SOON BE ELEMENTARY C IN THE TRIPLE CREEK COMMUNITY. THAT SCHOOL IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN AUGUST 17th. SO THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS. AS YOU KNOW WE WILL BE DOING RELATED BOUNDARY CHANGES AND WE ADDED AD "D" TO THE MIX. THAT SCHOOL WOULD BE SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN 2018. AND OUR GOAL IS TO TAKE A REGIONAL APPROACH AT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THOSE AREAS, AND ATTEMPT TO DO THE BOUNDARIES TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN ONLY MOVE FAMILIES ONE TIME AND RESOLVE THE ISSUES AT LEAST IN THAT PORTION OF -- OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AT ONE TIME.
>>April Griffin: MRS. SNIVELY?
>>Melissa Snively: DO YOU HAVE AN APPROXIMATE LOCATION FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL D AT THIS POINT?
>> WE ARE LOOKING AT A SUE FIGHTS N.REAL ESTATE YOU HE WOULD RATHER NOT SAY EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE LOOKING.
>> SOUTH COUNTY, THOUGH.
>> SOUTH COUNTY, YES. (LAUGHTER).
>> SOMEPLACE THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO US.
>> IS WHERE WE ARE LOOKING.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CONSTITUENTS TO KNOW WHAT'S COMING. AND I APPRECIATE THE HIGHLIGHT ON THAT. AND KIND OF A HEADS UP THAT WE WILL BE DOING SOME ADDITIONAL REZONING IN THAT AREA TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT ARE OVER CAPACITY. DO YOU HAVE AN EXPECTED ENROLLMENT FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL C AT ALL?
>> WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A BOUNDARY DRAWN YET SO WE DON'T KNOW THE ENROLLMENT. WE WILL DESIGN THE SCHOOL I BELIEVE FOR 950 STUDENTS. AND LIKELY WE WILL FILL THAT SCHOOL IF NOT RIGHT AWAY, VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER, JUST LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE OTHER SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU KEEPING US UPDATED ON THAT PROJECT.
>> I'LL BE THERE.
>> AND GET ON BUYING THAT PROPERTY QUICK DOWN THERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS. THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM 38.047 TO APPROVE THE WAIVER OF RENTAL FEES. MR. HARRISON PETERS, CHIEF OF SCHOOLS. AND THIS IS MRS. SNIVELYLE HIGHLIGHT.
>> SO THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE GROUNDS, THE FACILITY OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY PURPOSES, PROVIDED THAT SUCH USE DOES NOT INFRINGE ON THE ORIGINAL AND NECESSARY PURPOSE OF THE PROPERTY, OR INTERFERE WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM OF THE SCHOOLS AND IS HARMONIOUS WITH THE PURPOSE OF THE DISTRICT. FULL USE OF THESE FACILITIES FOR EDUCATIONAL, CIVIC, CULTURAL, RECREATIONAL, ARTISTIC AND CHARITABLE PROGRAMS IS ENCOURAGED BY THE BOARD WITH APPROPRIATE COMP. TO THE BOARD ASSOCIATED WITH USE. THE BOARD WILL PERMIT THE USE OF THE DISTRICT'S GROUND AND FACILITIES WHEN SUCH PERMISSION HAS BEEN REQUESTED IN WRITING BY A RESPONSIBLE ORGANIZATION OR GROUP OF CITIZENS THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT. AND THERE, TOO, SORT OF PRIMARY USES, AND THE PRIMARY USES FOR SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE STRICT TIE TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. AND THE OTHER PIECE IS FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE EDUCATION OF SCHOOLS, BA WE HAVE A CO-OP AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH, WE SORT OF GOT AN AGREEMENT AMONG THOSE AGENCIES. SO THOSE ARE SORT OF THE PRIMARY USES WHEN WE LOOK AT PARTNERING WITH AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.
>>April Griffin: MRS. SNIVELY?
>>Melissa Snively: THANK YOU FOR THE HIGHLIGHT, MR. PETERS. ONE OF THE REASONS I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS WAS BECAUSE I FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE VISION OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, OUR BOARD, OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WITH THE CULTURE CHANGE THAT WE WANT TO SEE, AND CREATING OUR SCHOOLS AS COMMUNITY HUBS, AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS WHEN WE ENGAGE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND MAKING THEM AWARE THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE FOR USE OF THE FACILITIES. SO MY QUESTIONS WERE BASICALLY, WHAT'S THE PROCESS OF ALLOWING THE FACILITY TO BE USED? HOW WOULD AN ORGANIZATION APPLY FOR THE WAIVER OF THE FEES? AND SECONDLY, HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THIS OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNERS SO THAT THEY ARE FULLY AWARE THAT THESE SCHOOLS ARE AVAILABLE AS RESOURCES TO THEM?
>> A COUPLE OF RESPONSES. A COUPLE OF RESPONSES. TYPICALLY, THE SCHOOL'S PRINCIPAL IS THE INITIAL SORT OF CONDUIT TO ESTABLISHING THAT RELATIONSHIP. SO THEY WOULD CONTACT THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, TALK ABOUT AVAILABILITY, TALK ABOUT THE PURPOSE. THEY WORK WITH THE CONTRACT. AND THEN THE AREA SUPERINTENDENT WOULD GET THE FINAL FEE WAIVER. AND BASED ON THE SCHOOL'S RECOMMENDATIONS, IT WOULD BE ESCALATED TO BE MY OFFICE AND WE WOULD SIGN OFF. BUT TYPICALLY THE GUIDELINES ARE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHEN WE WAIVE FEES AND WHEN WE DON'T WAIVE FEES, BUT THAT INITIAL CONVERSATION STARTS WITH THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. AN AND THE AREA SUPERINTENDENT SORT OF SIGNS OFF WITH AND ENDS IN MY OFFICE.
>> AND I WILL ADD TO THAT WITH REGARD TO PART OF YOUR QUESTION. WITH REGARD TO CHAMBERS AND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN DO COLLECTIVELY AS A GOVERNANCE TEAM AND STAFF, AND AREA SUPERINTENDENT@AND PRINCIPALS, AND MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THE FACILITIES AND USE THE FACILITIES ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ACTIVITY ALIGNS -- VERY STRATEGICALLY WITH THE BORED AND THE DISTRICT'S VISION AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH OUR STUDENTS. SO AS WE GO OUT AND SPEAK TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, WE ALL HAVE TO SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE AROUND THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT WE ARE VERY RECEPTIVE BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT STUDENTS' TIME TO BE BEST SPENT IN THE CONE INSTRUCTIVE MANNER AND ON OUR SCHOOL GROUNDS WE HAVE A LOT FACILITIES THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE THAT AND WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE AS THE LIST THAT IS ATTACHED TO THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM INDICATES, THERE'S SOME GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, YMCA, I KNOW BOY SCOUTS, GIRL SCOUTS, ALL THOSE TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS ARE VERY, VERY THANKFUL THAT THEY HAVE THESE SCHOOL SITES AS A RESOURCE AND THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE WAIVER OF THOSE FEES FOR USAGE. SO I DON'T NOTCH IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MR. TAYLOR WILL GET THE WORD OUT ON, BUT OUR GRASSROOTS EFFORT AS BOARD MEMBERS BECAUSE WE ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE TALKING TO LOTS OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, BUT ALSO, I THINK, FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. HOWEVER WE CAN PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT IS GOING TO BE HELPFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE NEED MORE OF THAT. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS ITEM 11.02-R-1. AND THIS IS TO APPROVE THE 2017 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING SCHEDULES. MRS. STUART ASKED FOR A HIGHLIGHT ON THIS. MRS. STUART, YOU HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS?
>>Cindy Stuart: SURE. AND I JUST WANTED TO OPEN THE FLOOR KIND OF FOR CONVERSATION. I LOOKED AT THIS ITEM, AND AS WE ARE PLANNING FOR NEXT YEAR NOTICED THAT OUR LAST MEETING OF 2016 IS DECEMBER 6th, OUR LAST REGULAR MEETING. WE HAVE A BOARD RECOGNITION MEETING ON THE 13th. AND THEN OUR NEXT REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IS NOT UNTIL JANUARY 24th. AND THAT'S SEVEN WEEKS BETWEEN DECEMBER AND JANUARY'S MEETING. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD A BOARD MEETING AFTER MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY. IN FACT IT'S USUALLY A NON-STUDENT DAY, AND WE HAVE A BOARD MEETING ANYWAY. PRESENTLY, THERE'S NOTHING SCHEDULED FOR THE 17th. AND WE HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL FORUM THAT WAS PUT IN JANUARY WHICH LAST YEAR WAS IN FEBRUARY. SO I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION. I KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL, ONE OF MEETING TIMES AND HOW LONG WE SIT UP HERE, AND IF WE LEAVE SEVEN WEEKS BETWEEN TWO MEETINGS, THAT IS GOING TO BE A BIG AGENDA. AND THAT WILL BE A VERY LONG MEETING. SO I JUST WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT STAFF COULD MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS THERE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. THANKS.
>>April Griffin: MR. PORTER.
>>Jim Porter: THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS ONE THAT COULD BE APPROVED TONIGHT AND AMENDED AT A LATER TIME IF YOU WANTED STAFF TO LOOK AT OTHER POSSIBILITIES. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR PURPOSES, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, AND CHIEF OF STAFF, TO GET AT PROVED. THEY COULD ALWAYS COME BACK WITH AMENDMENTS OR ADJUSTMENTS IF THERE IS ANOTHER MEETING THAT'S NEEDED.
>> MRS. GRIFFIN.
>> MR. VASQUEZ.
>> THERE IS A CONVERSATION, WE HAD THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING A BOARD MEETING ON THE 17th OF THE MONTH, WHICH WILL BRING UP THE DATE UP. SO THERE IS THAT POSSIBILITY TO DO THAT. BUT KEEP IN MIND, IN THE NEW WAY OF WORK FOR THE AGENDA ITEM SO THAT EVERYONE IS AWARE IS THAT WE EXTENDED IT TO KIND OF A TWO-WEEK WINDOW. SO AGENDA ITEMS ALL COME TO ME FROM ALL THE DIVISIONS TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO A BOARD MEETING FOR ME TO REVIEW. THEN IT GOES BACK TO THE DIVISION HEADS. QUESTIONS, DIRECTIONS, SO FORTH, BEFORE IT GOES ACTUALLY TO THE BOARD MEMBERS THE WEEK PRAYER TO THE BOARD MEETING FOR THEM TO REVIEW. SO WE KIND OF CREATED THAT WAY OF WORK SO ACTUALLY A LOT OF CLARIFICATIONS AND QUESTIONS AND THINGS ARE DONE PRIOR TO BOARD MEETINGS SO THAT REALLY THE AGENDA IS CLEAR AND PRESENTABLE FOR YOUR REVIEW PRIOR TO THE BOARD MEETING.
>> WHAT DAY DID YOU SAY MIGHT BE AVAILABLE? OF JANUARY? OKAY, ALL RIGHT. WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST -- AND MRS. STUART, I NOTICED THE SAME THINGS WHEN I LOOKED AT IT SO I AM GLAD THAT YOU PULLED THIS PARTICULAR ITEM. WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT WE APPROVE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS CALENDAR, AND THEN IF YOU AS STAFF COULD LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN WE CAN AMEND THIS AT A LATER DATE, WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE TO YOU? ALL RIGHT, VERY GOOD. EDGE THIS IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO A MEETING SCHEDULE, BUT -- AND MAYBE DR. VASQUEZ AND THOSE OF YOU WORKING ON THE AGENDA, WHILE YOU ARE DOING A REVIEW OF THE SCHEDULE MIGHT ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AT THE AGENDA AND THE FORMAT, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME DIVISIONS. YOU ALREADY SENSED WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY. SO TO CORRECT THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER -- JUST A PROCESS OF ADDING ON THOSE. AND IDENTIFYING WHO THEY ARE, THE PEOPLE ARE, AND THAT CONTAINED OF THING. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE FINAL ITEM IS AN INFORMATION ITEM. AND THAT'S THE ANNUAL REPORT OF MINOR PROJECTS FOR THE 2015-16 FISCAL YEAR, AND THIS HAS BEEN PULLED BY MRS. STUART, AND MR. CHRIS FARKAS, CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO THIS AGENDA ITEM.
>>Christopher Farkas: THIS IS OUR ANNUAL REPORT THAT COMES WITH ITEMS BETWEEN 10,000 AND $300 THAT YOU ITEMS ALTHOUGH ITEMS ABOVE 300 WOULD COME TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL BUT IT ALSO LISTS THE ITEMS THAT COME THROUGH THE FUNDING SOURCE. SO YOU WILL SEE ITEMS LIKE CAREER TECHNICAL'S PART, THE BUCS MATCHING PROGRAM MATCHING FUNDS, ALL THE DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT HELP US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF THE MINOR PROJECTS WE DO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ALSO GIVES YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE ON THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS WE DO WITH ONLY FOUR BOARD MEETINGS. I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE DONE. WISH WE COULD DO MORE. BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO FOR THE SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR.
>>Cindy Stuart: I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT. THIS IS A GREAT REPORT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET IT MORE THAN ONCE A YEAR. THE INFORMATION HERE THAT SHOWS ESPECIALLY THE AMOUNT AND THE FUNDING SOURCE AND HOW THIS IS BEING PAID FOR. SO I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THIS. I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING THIS BEFORE. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DIDN'T GET IT. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET IT SEMIANNUALLY, QUARTERLY. I DON'T KNOW. THANKS.
>>April Griffin: MRS. EDGECOMB?
>>Doretha Edgecomb: DOES THIS REPORT, GIVE SOME IDEAS OF HOW THOSE MONEYS ARE BEING SPENT IN OUR SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM? BECAUSE IS THAT A COLUMN THAT COULD BE ADDED TO THIS SO WE CAN GET A LOOK AT THAT OVER TIME?
>> YES, MA'AM, MOST ASSUREDLY. YOU WILL SEE THAT REPORT BECAUSE WE JUST FINISHED THAT. IT WILL BE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. WE WILL BE HAPPY TO ADD THAT TO THE REPORT, TOO. WE DO THAT FOR EVERY PROJECT.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, TALKING ABOUT DOING QUARTERLY OR HOW MANY TIMES YOU WANT TO DO IT, BUT I THINK BY ADDING THAT COLUMN IT GIVES US A SENSE OVER TIME OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND AGAIN SUPPORTS THE IDEA OF THE COMMITMENT TO OUR SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.
>>Christopher Farkas: YES, MA'AM. HOW OFTEN YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE IT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT EASILY.
>> SO YOU MIGHT ADD ANOTHER COLUMN?
>>Christopher Farkas: YES, MA'AM.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: ALL RIGHT, BOARD MEMBERS. IT IS 5:35. AND WE ARE DONE WITH OUR AGENDA. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO VOTE ON THE ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. I HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. HARRIS, A SECOND BY MRS. STUART. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE BY PRESSING YOUR BUTTON. AND IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. I HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE ISSUED DURING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. AND I HEAR A STORM BREWING OUT THERE. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS IT'S 5:35. CAN WE, WITH BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT COMMENTS, BE OUT IN 15 MINUTES? ALL RIGHT. PRESS YOUR BUTTON IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. MRS. EDGECOMB.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: I'M SURE THAT ALL OF US ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR FIRST DAY VISITS AND THE THINGS WE SAW IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF, THE STUDENTS, AND THE SCHOOLS THAT I VISIT, MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL HAD ITS FIRST-EVER ENTIRE STUDENT BODY WHICH WAS REALLY GREAT, TIGERS AT MIDDLETON HIGH SCHOOL. HIGH SCHOOL, I THINK ALL OF US KIND OF ENDED UP THERE, BUT THEY HANDLED IT VERY, VERY WELL. AND A THANK YOU TO LAMB AND THE STAFF THERE, IT WAS COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED, AND MAGNET SCHOOL, INTENT SOME TIME TALKING TO THE PRINCIPAL, ACTION A NEW PRINCIPAL, ABOUT ALL OF THEIR DREAMS, HER DREAMS FOR THAT SCHOOL. AND ALL OF US ATTENDED A BREAKFAST BY SOME ORGANIZATION, SOME CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE GREATER SEFFNER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR ITS NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST. AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE LAST ONES TO GET ON BOARD. BUT THEY HAVE REALLY CREATED A UNIQUE WAY OF CELEBRATING NEW TEACHERS. EACH CHAMBER SEEMS TO HAVE A NICHE TO FIND SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT MAKES IT VERY UNIQUE. AND THEY HAD THE SCHOOL SPIRIT CONTEST. IT IS ABSOLUTELY AN INTERESTING THING TO SEE NEW TEACHERS CELEBRATING THEIR SCHOOL, AND THE SCHOOL SPIRIT, AND IT'S A HELL THINK COMPETITION, BUT THEY REALLY DO IT IN A GREAT WAY. AND TALKING ABOUT GETTING STARTED, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OWEN YOUNG, WHO WAS, I THINK, A CRITICAL PART OF MAKING THIS HAPPENING, AND HE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AT THAT BREAKFAST AS BRINGING THE IDEA TO THE SEFFNER COMMUNITY, AND DONE AT HOWARD HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF HOSTING IT. SO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY A GREAT TIME. AND OWN THAT SAME DATE, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT -- I HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS -- EPIC TEACHERS FROM BRANDON ALTERNATIVE AND NORTH TAMPA, AND OUR NEWEST PARTNER, JUST TICKS WORKS. -- JUSTICE WORKS. AND THANK CURREY FOR PROVIDING SPACE FOR THOSE TEACHERS TO MEET AND KNOW EACH OTHER AND GET THE TRAINING. IT WAGS ABOUT A $5,000 CHECK FOR DOING THAT. IT WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP. I HAVE JUST NEVER SEEN SUCH ZEAL AND ENTHUSIASM AND PASSION AND COMMITMENT ABOUT WHAT THEY FACE EACH DAY. IT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH JOB. BUT THAT ROOM WAS JUST FILLED WITH SUCH GREAT ENTHUSIASM, AND HAVING OUR NEWEST PARTNER, JUSTICE WORKS AS PART OF THIS. I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE SOME AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN TO OUR STUDENTS WHO SOMETIMES HAVE NOT HAD AMAZING EXPERIENCE. AND I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING HAVING A CAREER DAY VERY MUCH LIKE WE DO FOR OUR REGULAR ED STUDENTS SO THAT THESE STUDENTS CAN TALK ABOUT DREAMS THAT THEY WANT TO PURSUE IN CAREERS. SO YOU WILL TALK ABOUT MORE WHEN AND THAT IS PART OF MY FIVE MINUTES.
>> I'LL MAKE SURE, MRS. EDGECOMB, THAT I SENT THE DATE OUT TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS BUT THERE'S ONE IN SEPTEMBER IN NORTH TAMPA AND IN EARLY OCTOBER FOR BRANDON. SO YES, WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH OF THOSE EPIC CENTERS.
>>Doretha Edgecomb: THANK YOU TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THOSE SCHOOLS AND ALL THOSE TEACHERS AND EVERYBODY WHO IS A PART OF THAT BECAUSE THEY REALLY DID CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN LEARNING EXPERIENCE WHY KIDS WOULD BE BETTER OFF RETURNING TO THEIR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: MRS. EDGECOMB, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY VALUABLE INFORMATION THAT I DON'T WANT TO SHUT THE CONVERSATIONDOWN DOWN ON. SO MAYBE IF YOU WANT IT, YOU GOT IT. BUT MAYBE A TEACH AND LEARN ON THAT IN ONE OF THE NEXT -- BECAUSE WE ARE COMING UP ON THAT.
>> WELL, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HAVE THE CAREER CENTERS MAYBE BE ABLE TO HAVE THE KIDS COME SO THEY CAN SHARE WHAT THE RESULTS WERE, WHAT THAT MADE THEM FEEL LIKE. I PROMISE WE'LL DO THAT BUT LET'S PUSH TO THE END OF OCTOBER.
>> MAKE SURE YOU GET US THE DATES, THOUGH.
>> I'LL SEND IT BY E-MAIL.
>> START THINKING ABOUT A TEACH AND LEARN ON THAT AND BRINGING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD AFTER THE FACT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO SEE. THANK YOU, MRS. EDGECOMB. MRS. HARRIS.
>>Sally Harris: THANK YOU. AND I WILL BE FAIRLY SHORT. MY FIRST DAY I VISITED LANIER, MABRY, SHIELDS, THOMPSON. MR. PARKS, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS AWESOME, ONLY ONE SCHOOL HAD AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEMS IN ALL FOUR THAT I VISITED, SO IT WAS AWESOME. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAD THE BUS DRIVER KICKOFF AT THE FAIRGROUNDS. AND THAT WAS TREMENDOUS THAT I WENT TO THE AREA 5 AND 8. AND AREA 1 TRAINING DAY. I GOT MORE INTIMATE WITH THE BUS DRIVERS. SOUTH SHORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAD A NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST, AND OUR TEACHERS WERE THERE IN GREAT NUMBERS. THEN I WENT AROUND TO THE CROSSING GUARD AND WELCOMED THEM FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR. THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN. THEN WE WENT TO THE SOUTH TAMPA CHAMBER IN THE SAME DAY, BY THE WAY. AND THEIR BREAKFAST. THEN WE WENT TO THE MOORE ELEMENTARY AND DID THE RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL, AND THAT WAS REALLY WELL ATTENDED. IT WAS GUALTIERI JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE EXCITED ABOUT. THAT IT'S ALREADY BEEN IN THE PAPER, I THINK JUST THE OTHER DAY. AND THEN I ATTENDED THE SCHOOL FUEL OF PLAY HEALTHY EATING PARTICIPANTS, AND THAT WAS AT THE STADIUM. THEN I WENT TO THE TRANSFER STATION, AND IT WAS HOT AT THE TRANSFER STATION. SO WE'LL SEE SOME CHANGES, I HOPE, COMING UP SOON. AND THEN WE HAD A STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING WITH OUR DISTRICT LEADERS, AND WE REALLY BONDED. WE DID A LOT OF PLANNING, SHARING. WE VISITED NATURE'S CLASSROOM. SOME OF THE PEOPLE TOOK US SIDE BAR AND FED THE ANIMALS. I THINK THAT WAS YOUR FIRST TIME IN MY SLIDE SHOW. (LAUGHTER) SO I TELL YOU, WE HAVE REALLY SEEN THIS SCHOOL YEAR KICK OFF WITH SUCH ENJOYMENT, SUCH ENTHUSIASM, AND LOTS OF FUN. IT'S BEEN A GREAT FUN BEGINNING. AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF GOOD ENERGY COMING OUT. AND THE COMMUNITY, THE TEACHERS, EVERYBODY SAYING THAT THEY ARE FEELING A GOOD CULTURE, AND YOU CAN JUST FEEL THE PILOTMENT WITH OUR CULTURE. SO THANK YOU FOR A GREAT KICKOFF.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MRS. HARRIS. MRS. SNIVELY.
>>Melissa Snively: LIKEWISE, DID A LOT OF TRAVELING AROUND BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED. I WANTED TO THANK THE LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. THEY REALLY MADE A HUGE EFFORT IN COLLECTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND ALSO FOR PROVIDING TEACHERS, THE NEW TEACHERS THE APPRECIATION THAT THEY DESERVE FOR THEIR FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING. THE SEFFNER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE PLANT CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND THE RIVERVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ARE THE ONES THAT I GOT TO VISIT. AND IT WAS SO EXCITING TO BE IN THE ROOM WITH ALL OF THOSE NEW TEACHERS. THERE WAS SUCH A LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT IN THE ROOM. SO THANK YOU TO THOSE LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCES. BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING A LOT ABOUT SCHOOL SUPPLIES, THIS BOARD MEETING, SO I AM GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A SOAP BOX. AND I AM GOING TO SPEAK AS A PARENT FOR A MINUTE, NOT JUST A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. BUT WE HAVE TO REALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HELP OUR TEACHERS MORE. WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES. BECAUSE JUST AS A PARENT, I HAVE HEARD FROM SO MANY PARENTS ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HAVE TO SPEND AND ALL THE SCHOOL SUPPLIES THEY PURCHASE BEFORE SCHOOL. I MEAN, WE ARE TALKING -- I KNOW WE AT LEAST SPENT IN MY FAMILIAR REPLY AT LEAST $400 IN SCHOOL SUPPLIES BEFORE WE STARTED SCHOOL FOR THE REQUIRED THINGS THAT WERE PUT OUT BY THE TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOLS. AND VERY, VERY SPECIFIC SCHOOL SUPPLIES, LIKE AN ORANGE FOLDER THAT HAS BRADS AND POCKETS AND HAS TO BE PLASTIC, YOU KNOW. SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE CAN GO WITH THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REALLY WONDERFUL TO HELP LIKE THE HILLSBOROUGH EDUCATION FOUNDATION, AND OF COURSE I MENTIONED THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. BUT AS A TAXPAYER, I FEEL LIKE WE WE SHOULD DO A JOB IN PROVIDING THINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS. OKAY. SO A PRIME EXAMPLE WOULD BE WHEN YOU HAVE A DENTIST APPOINTMENT AND YOU WALK INTO YOUR DENTIST OFFICE, THEY DO NOT EXPECT YOU TO BRING A TOOTHBRUSH OR TOOTHPASTE OR BIB OR CLEAN NEXT OR X-RAY PLASTIC FOR YOUR MOUTH WITH YOU. SO I NOTCH THAT'S AN EXTREME EXAMPLE, BUT THESE ARE OUR CUSTOMERS, AND WE DO PAY TAXES SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OUR SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO OUR STUDENTS. SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T QUARTERBACK ANY SCHOOL SUPPLIES. I'M JUST SAYING WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT. IT'S GOTTEN A LITTLE CRAZY. AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS, BUT WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING OUR PARENTS IN THEIR QUEST TO BUY THAT $80 REQUIRED CALCULATOR FOR THEIR TWINS THAT CAN'T SHARE THE CALCULATOR. SO NOW THEY HAVE TO BUY TWO. RIGHT? SO I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB ADVOCATING WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF OUR TEACHERS AND OUR STUDENTS WHEN IT COMES TO THE TEACHERS, CLASSROOM ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. WE NEED TO BE IN THE FACES OF OUR LEGISLATORS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THE TEACHERS GET THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED FOR OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR STUDENTS SO THEY CAN DO THEIR JOBS AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND THAT MONEY OUT OF POCKET. I AM CERTAIN THAT EVERY TEACHER IN THIS DISTRICT HAS SPENT SOME KIND OF MONEY OUT OF THEIR POCKET, A LOT OF IT PROBABLY, PREPARING FOR THAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL SO THAT THEIR CLASSROOM IS PHENOMENAL WHEN THEIR KIDS WALK IN. AND I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S RIGHT. SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT IN MY BOARD COMMENTS BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER SOLUTION FOR THAT, FOR PARENTS AND FOR TEACHERS. SO THE OTHER THING I AM GOING TO BRING UP -- I'M SORRY, I AM GOING OVER TIME TONIGHT -- BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME RECENT -- THERE'S BEEN SOME RECENT, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD I AM LOOKING FOR? UM, NOT SPECULATION, BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME RECENT -- I'M SORRY, I CAN'T THINK OF THE WORD -- INTEREST. I'LL JUST SAY INTEREST. THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DIPLOMATIC WAY OF SAYING IT, IN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TRAVEL EXPENSES. AND I SPOKE TON A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER OVER IN ORANGE COUNTY WHO THEY DO A REALLY DIFFERENT THING OVER THERE IN ORANGE COUNTY. AND I THINK IT'S GOOD TO SEE WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS DO WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL BOARD EXPENSES. AND I KNOW THAT'S BEEN A POINT OF CONTENTION FOR SOME PEOPLE. AND SOME TAXPAYERS. AND I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK IT'S ALWAYS FAIR AS FAR AS LOOKING AT THE DETAIL TRAVEL INFORMATION, AND SOME OF IT IS OBVIOUSLY VERY JUSTIFIED. BUT THE ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, WHICH IS A SIMILAR SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SIZE TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, EACH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER ACTUALLY HAS A DEFINED SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET FOR THAT MEMBER, AND THEY USE THAT BUDGET SPECIFICALLY FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES, IF THEY NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT. AND THEN ANYTHING THEY HAVE LEFT OVER THAT THEY DON'T UTILIZE, THEY CAN GIVE IT BACK TO THEIR SCHOOLS. AND A LOT OF THEM, LIKE THE PARTICULAR BOARD MEMBER THAT I SPOKE TO TODAY, SHE GIVES DONATIONS BACK TO PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, SHE GIVES GRANTS FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT BE USED TO BUY BOOKS, THAT MIGHT BE USED TO FUND A PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY, THAT MAY BE USED TO SUPPLY COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, WHATEVER THOSE CERTAIN SCHOOLS NEED THEY ARE ABLE TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL IN THEIR DISTRICT AND MAYBE HELP THEM OUT A LITTLE BIT. SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN IDEA THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT AT SOME POINT, IF THAT WOULD BE A FEASIBLE IDEA, GRETCHEN. MRS. SAUNDERS WOULD PROBABLY KNOW BEST. BUT MAYBE THAT WOULD KIND OF CONTROL SOME OF THE CRITICISM THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT TRAVEL EXPENSES. IF WE HAVE THE BUDGET, WE WORK WITHIN OUR BUDGET, THEN WE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT BUDGET. INDIVIDUALLY. AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. AND IT SHOWS WHERE OUR PRIORITIES LIE. IT WILL SPEAK TO OUR PRIORITIES AS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS EVENING. THANK YOU.
>> AND IF I CAN SPEAK TO THAT H.MAYBE I CAN GET WITH MRS. SAUNDERS AND OUR ATTORNEY AND FIND OUT WHAT THE LEGALITY -- I'M SURE IF THEY ARE DOING IT, IT'S LEGAL, AND IT'S FINE. BUT WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. SO IF I CAN SPEAK WITH OUR ATTORNEY AND MRS. SAUNDERS AND FIND OUT THE FEASIBILITY OF THAT, AND THEN WE CAN SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT. I THINK IT'S A VALID CONVERSATION TO HAVE. BUT I DON'T -- TRAVEL OUT OF COUNTY IS ONE THING. BUT THERE IS A LOT OF SPECULATION ABOUT TRAVEL IN COUNTY. AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE BOARD MEMBERS UP HERE RECEIVES TRAVEL FROM HOME TO SCHOOL, OR HOME TO OFFICE, BECAUSE IT'S REQUIRED BY THE LAW THAT WE HAVE A HOME OFFICE. NOW, I ASKED OUR ATTORNEY WHEN WE GOT OUR OFFICES IF THAT WAS STILL APPROPRIATE, BECAUSE I'M ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO FOLLOW THE LAW, AND HIS ADVICE WAS IT IS APPROPRIATE. SO MR. PORTER, IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE MORE ABOUT A WORKSHOP.
>>Jim Porter: I THINK COULD YOU CERTAINLY HAVE A WORKSHOP YOU CAN ALSO TALK ABOUT THIS IN YOUR COMMITTEE AS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. THE TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT IS CONTROLLED BY STATE STATUTE. AND THERE'S SPECIFIC AUTHORITY TO REIMBURSE FOR TRAVEL FROM HOME TO BUSINESS MEETINGS, SUCH AS THIS.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT TOO. AND I'M ABSOLUTELY FEIGN WITH HAVING THAT CONVERSATION. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE, WHERE OUR VICINITY TRAVEL IS CONCERNED. WE DO NOT, BY THE WAY, SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT, WE DO NOT GET REIMBURSED FOR LUNCHES WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW OFTEN PEOPLE REACH OUT TO US, AND THEY WANT TO HAVE LUNCH AND SIT DOWN AND TALK TO US ABOUT WHATEVER THEIR PROPOSALS ARE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR WHATEVER. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M SPENDING MONEY OUT OF POCKET. I KNOW YOU ARE SPENDING MONEY OUT OF POCKET TO ATTEND THESE LUNCHES. I'LL TELL YOU A LOT OF TIMES I MUCH PREFER TO HAVE THE MEETING IN MY OFFICE BECAUSE IT'S MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND IT'S A LOT CHEAPER. ANYWAY, I WILL EXPLORE THAT WITH OUR CFO AND OUR ATTORNEY AND LOOK AT THAT, AND THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT CREATING BUDGETS. BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST BEFORE. MRS. STUART BROUGHT IT UP IN THE PAST. HAVING BUDGETS. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY TALK -- NOT INDIVIDUAL OFFICES, HAVING INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS FOR OUR PARTICULAR OFFICE. SO WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. THANK YOU. MRS. STUART.
>>Cindy Stuart: THANK YOU. AND I WILL BE BRIEF. I WAS OUT OBVIOUSLY ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL VISITING SCHOOLS. BUT I ALSO WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE ABOUT AND THANK THE ASSOCIATION I BELONG TO UP IN THE CARROLLWOOD AREA FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND DEDICATION TO THE NEW TEACHER BREAKFAST THAT I PUT ON IN THAT AREA, WHICH IT RAINED A LOT THAT MORNING. PEOPLE CAME IN VERY WET. BUT THAT DIDN'T DETER ANYONE. WE STILL HAD OVER 100 NEW TEACHERS TO THE AREA THAT CAME AND HAD BREAKFAST THAT WAS PROVIDED BY CASPERS. SO THANK YOU TO BOB FOR HIS PARTICIPATION AND I THINK ALMOST EVERY TEACHER WALKED OUT OF THE BREAKFAST WITH SOMETHING IN HAND, AT LEAST EVERY SCHOOL DID. SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO THEM AND TO GAITHER HIGH SCHOOL FOR HOSTING ONCE AGAIN, THEY HAVE BEEN HOSTS OF A LOT OF THINGS LATELY. WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND THEN MRS. GRIFFIN AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY AFTER WE DID THE RIBBON CUTTING LAST WEEK, WE THEN WENT TO ANOTHER RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY THIS WEEK, LAST FRIDAY, ACTUALLY, AT HUNTERS GREEN ELEMENTARY FOR WHAT IS BEING CALLED THEIR HEALTH CLINIC. SO WE WERE REALLY SPITED -- EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND TAP PICTURES AND BE PARTED OF THAT HEALTH CLINIC WILL SERVE STUDENTS IN THE AREA. WE HAD SOME CONVERSATION AS WE WERE LEAVING ABOUT HOW WE COULD ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE CLINIC IS BEING UTILIZED WITH SOME FOLKS WHO HAPPENED TO BE AT THE EVENT. MR. EAKINS WAS ABLE TO JOIN US. THANK YOU TO HUNTERS GREEN FOR HAVING THE EVENT THAT MORNING AND TO MRS. TYE'S OFFICE AND HOLLY SAIA, AND THE PARTNERS WHO WERE THERE WHO CAME OUT TO PARTICIPATE, BUT ALSO TO THE NURSES WHO DID THE TRAINING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE GOING TO BE RUNNING THE CLINIC THAT CAME OUT AND WERE THERE. SO GREAT LITTLE SPACE RIGHT THERE ON HUNTERS GREEN ELEMENTARY, AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHERE THAT'S GOING TO GO AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THAT. SO THANK YOU.
>>April Griffin: THANK YOU. AND WE ARE OVERTIME SO I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS VERY BRIEF. BUT IN RESPONSE TO THE RIBBON CUTTING AT BOTH MOORE AND HUNTERS GREEN, THE FOCUS ON THE WHOLE CHILD, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I CANNOT SAY THAT ENOUGH. IT IS ABSOLUTELY SO WONDERFUL TO SEE US REACHING OUT TO ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE BEEN CLAMORING AND JUST WANTING TO COME TO THE TABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OUR FAMILIES AND OUR STUDENTS, AND TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT THESE MODELS AND THEN EXPAND THEM TO OTHER PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED THEM. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH THE FOCUS ON THE WHOLE CHILD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL VISITS WERE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I'M NOT GOING TO GO ON TOO MUCH, BUT SOMEONE ASKED, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND I VISITED SCHOOLS TOGETHER ALONG WITH DR. VAS QUESTIONS, AND SOMEONE ASKED WHY WE CHOSE THE SCHOOLS THAT WE DID. IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL NEW PRINCIPALS AT THOSE SCHOOLS. AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT IN ALL OF MY YEARS OF FIRST-DAY VISITS, THIS FEELING WAS SO GOOD, THE FEELING WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. AND I KNOWN A THEME OF THAT. I NOTICED A THEME OF HEART AND FEELING AMONGST ALL OF THE SCHOOLS THAT I VISITED AND ONLINE AND TWITTER, AND EVERYBODY WAS TWEETING, AND FACEBOOKING, AND IT WAS GREAT. AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND US THAT I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW MUCH THAT FEELING MATTERS WITH WHERE WE ARE AT. AND I KEEP SAYING THAT WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATING CHILDREN. AND HOW THE PARENTS FEEL AND HOW THE STUDENTS FEEL AND HOW OUR EMPLOYEES FEEL MATTERS. IT MATTERS. SO TO SEE US GETTING BACK TO THAT AND GETTING BACK TO THE HEART OF EDUCATING, I AM BESIDE MACE THRILLED RIGHT NOW. SO AGAIN KUDOS TO EVERYBODY. IT WAS A WELL OILED MACHINE. WE HAD A COUPLE HICCUPS HERE AND THERE. BUT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTING CLOSE TO 100,000 STUDENTS, AND EDUCATING OVER 200,000 STUDENTS, AND DEALING WITH 307,000 EMPLOYEES, THAT IS A LOT OF WORK. AND TO HAVE A COUPLE OF HICCUPS, YOU ALL DID AN AMAZING JOB. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DID. AND THEN TO TOP IT OFF, THE VERY FOLLOWING WEEK, AND I'M SORRY THE TIMING OF IT WORKED OUT TO BE WHAT IT WAS, BUT TO GET EVERYBODY'S CALENDAR TOGETHER WAS VERY DIFFICULT, WE HAD TWO DAYS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETINGS WITH THE TOP LEADERS IN THIS DISTRICT. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TRISHA McMANUS FOR ALL OF YORK YOUR WORK IN PUTTING THIS ON AND PLANNING, AND LOGISTICS FANNED T FACILITATE OF EVERYTHING. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THAT. AND MY NEXT THANK YOU THANK YOU WAS GRETCHEN. GRETCHEN SAUNDERS WAS A PART OF THAT, TOO, AND I KNOW THAT YOU PUT ON TOP OF ALL THE HOURS YOU ALREADY WORK, A LOT OF ENERGY AND EFFORT INTO PUTTING THIS ON AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS GOOD AS WELL WITH THAT. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF A TRAINING SAYING WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN, NOW IT'S A SUCCESSFUL TRAINING. AND WHAT I SAW IN THAT -- AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN SEE THIS MODEL THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, BUT WAS A COLLABORATION ACROSS DIVISIONS. AND EVERYBODY FINDING OUT WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING AND GIVING INPUT AND ASKING QUESTIONS. FINALLY THE RIGHT HAND LEARNING WHAT THEIR LEFT HAND IS DOING. SO IT WAS GREAT. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MR. PORTER, FOR THE USE OF YOUR OFFICE FOR OUR FIRST-DAY TRAINING. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS WITH THE SUPPORT OF MR. PORTER'S OFFICE AND HIS FACILITIES, AND THEN NATURE'S CLASSROOM AND THE LEADERS AT NATURE'S CLASSROOM AS WELL. WE DID THIS WITH FACILITATION BY OUR DIRECTOR OF LEADERSHIP, AND COST NEUTRAL ON THE LOCATIONS. SO I KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS HAD SOME ISSUES WITH TRAININGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST LIKE THAT AND WE HEARD WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID, BOARD MEMBERS SAID LET'S KEEP IT COST NEUTRAL. WE HAVE GOT THE TALENT IN-HOUSE TO DO IT. AND, BOY, DO WE. IT WAS REALLY A GREAT TRAINING. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR SO MUCH WORK THAT YOU DID ON THAT. IT WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH YOU TO PLAN IT AND TO HELP FACILITATE IT. I THINK THAT WE HAVE GOT A GREAT MODEL FOR THE FUTURE. NOW, IN REFERENCE TO THE WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN, MRS. McMANUS AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP MEETING DEBRIEF, AND WE ARE GOING TO BE PLANNING SOME MEETINGS TO COME BACK TOGETHER AND BRING BACK ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ALL LEFT WITH AND WORK THROUGH THAT. SO THERE WILL BE SOME FUTURE MEETINGS. I DO WANT ONE LAST THING TO SAY. THERE WERE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS HAD ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW DIRECTIONS WE ARE GOING. AND I KNOW THAT MR. PETERS BROUGHT UP SOME THINGS ABOUT THE WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE GRADING AND HOW ALL OF THAT IS GOING TO BE CHANGING. I THINK WE NEED TO GET ALL OF THAT SOLIDIFIED AND THEN START COMMUNICATING THAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THAT'S WHY IT WAS SO GOOD THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER WAS THERE AS WELL, TOO, TO START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS. BUT I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, TO WORK ON GETTING THAT COMMUNICATION OUT TO OUR TEACHERS, OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR PARENTS. AS WELL. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. IT WAS A GREAT, GREAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. MR. SUPERINTENDENT.
>>Jeffrey Eakins: THANK YOU. 179 MORE JUST LIKE IT, RIGHT? IT WAGS EXCITING. AND BEFORE I MOVE INTO MY COMMENTS, I KNOW MRS. VALDES HAD TO LEAVE EARLY BULL SHE ASKED FINANCE WE WOULD PLAY THE TWO-MINUTE VIDEO. THERE IS A TWO-MINUTE VIDEO WHERE ABOUT 3 THAT YOU STUDENTS WERE SERVED. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE FOLKS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE BACK TO SCHOOL HEALTH FAIRS. VERY SUCCESSFUL. AND I KNOW MRS. VALDES IS ALWAYS PROUD AND SHE DOES GREAT WORK AND GREAT PARTNERS. SHE WANTED ME TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO CHIEF NAUMAN AND ALL THE SECURITY STAFF WHO PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN THAT DAY AS WELL ALONG WITH ALL THE VOLUNTEERS. I WILL BE VERY SHORT ON MY COMMENTS. MY NOTES HERE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARENT COMMUNICATION WITH REGARDS TO SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE DISTRICT. WE ARE NOW TEN DAYS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR AND OUR PARENT AND FAMILY COMMUNICATION TOOLS ARE SHOWING SOME PRETTY IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS. MY SPOT HAD MORE THAN 4,500 NEW PARENT ACCOUNTS CREATED SINCE AUGUST 8TH. AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE NEW CONNECTIONS IN MY SPOT SO FAR THIS YEAR IS MORE THAN 7,200 STUDENTS. AS NOW MY SPOT IS OUR PARENT INFORMATION HUB, HELPED PARENTS CREATE INTO EDUCATION TO HELP ENSURE THEIR CHILD WILL SUCCEED. MY SPOT ALSO PROVIDES PEACHJAR FLYERS. IT'S NOT LIKE CANNED FRUIT, OKAY? IT'S REALLY NOT. SO QUICK ACCESS TO PEACHJAR E-FLYERS FROM OUR SCHOOLS. AND THE DISTRICT BEGAN USING E-FLYERS THROUGH PEACHJAR THIS YEAR. PEACHJAR IS AN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT ALL SCHOOLS AND THE DISTRICT CAN USE TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH FAMILIES ABOUT EVENTS LIKE PTA MEETINGS, FUND RAISERS AND THE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER. THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOLS ALREADY SENT MORE THAN 1,000 E FLYERS TO OUR FAMILIES. FLYERS ARE BEING RED AND FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED WITH THE INFORMATION N.ALL ONE MILLION FLYERS EVERYBODY RECEIVED IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE WANTED TO ADD SAVING 132 TREES IN THE PROCESS. WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS GREAT RESOURCE TOOL WITH OUR FAMILIES WHILE WE WORK TO ALWAYS ENSURE WE ARE COMMUNICATING ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES COMMUNITIES. I WANT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON INSTRUCTIONAL VACANCIES. WE ARE NOW DOWN TO 180 VACANCIES. THAT'S LESS NOW THAN ONE VACANCY PER SCHOOL, WHICH IS ABOUT 80 FEWER THAN WHAT WE HAD AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL. HR CONTINUES TO WORK WITH OUR SCHOOLS TO FILL THESE OPEN POSITIONS. AND I WANTED TO ALSO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO ONE OF OUR OLYMPIC ATHLETICS, IN T OLYMPIC GAMES IN RIO ENDED ENDED THIS PAST SUNDAY WE WANT TO HE WILL WILLIAM COME HOME OUR OLYMPIAN, PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT BT WASHINGTON. MR. MALEV PARTICIPATED IN SHOOTING AND HAS COMPETED IN THE OLYMPICS FOR THE SIXTH TIME NOW SO WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF HIM. AND JUST EXTREMELY GRATEFUL AS WE OPEN UP THIS SCHOOL YEAR. YOU HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED ALL THE GREAT WORK OF STAFF, TEACHERS, DRIVERS, JUST ALL THE SUPPORT STAFF, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT AGAIN THE AMAZING COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS PARTNERS HONOR CONDUCTED OUR BACK TO SCHOOL DONATION DRIVES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AS WE HEADED BACK TO SCHOOL. ALSO AS WE MENTIONED ALREADY THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ACROSS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WHO ORGANIZED BACK TO SCHOOLTEACHER BREAKFAST EVENTS FOR OUR NEW AND RETURNING TEACHERS. WE COULDN'T DO ANY OF THIS WITHOUT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AS WE START THE YEAR. IT'S REALLY ABOUT AN OWNERSHIP OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF WHAT WE DO IN OUR SCHOOLS EVERY DAY FOR OUR KIDS. WITH THAT I WANT TO ALSO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE SUPPORT, AND LAST WEEK FOR OUR RETREAT. I BELIEVE THE STAFF REALLY -- WE WERE ABLE TO BOND TOGETHER. WE NEEDED TO DOAB THAT AS STAFF, TOO. I LEARNED A FEW THINGS ABOUT MY STAFF I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE THAT RETREAT AND NOW I DO. AND I WILL BE ASKING MR. AYRES TO DO SOME BREAKDANCING WHEN HE HAS A CHANCE NOW THAT I KNOW HE'S A PROFESSIONAL BREAK DANCERS. THAT WAS PRETTY AWESOME. ANYWAY, IT WAS A GOOD TIME TO COLLABORATE AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD'S VISION OF PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE AND EVERYTHING IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN COMINGS TO FRUITION AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. ∫
>>April Griffin: I WON'T DO IT. THAT'S MY BREAK DANCE LIST FOR MR. AYRES THAT I KEEP ON STANDBY FOR THE MOMENT THAT WE HAVE TO THROW HIM DOWN ON SOME CARDBOARD. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.